As soon as the words came out, no one in the room spoke. Even Lin Shuanghe, who had never been in business and had no interest in state affairs, had a puzzled look when he heard the words.
After all, the enemy country led its troops to invade and suffered defeat, but the emperor still thinks about them everywhere, which sounds like a child's play.
"Now in the imperial court, most of the prince, Xu Xiang, and civil servants are in harmony, and the generals have not yet expressed their position." Yang Mingzhi looked at Xiao Jue, "I want to ask you, how are you going?"
"Does it need to be said?" Yan He said: "We are not softheads. Someone slapped him, and we have to stretch our face to let him slap another? I have to drive the Uto people back to their hometown and let them slap them in the future. Don't dare to step into the Great Wei again!"
"Then I can rest assured." Yang Mingzhi said solemnly: "It's just... I don't know if your words can make His Majesty change his mind."
After talking about some recent Uto people's changes, everyone got up and left their seats. Because of this news sent by Yang Mingzhi, Xiao Jue and the others did not plan to stay in Jinling for two more days. Since the Utuo messenger was already on his way to Shuojing, he must hurry up and rush back to Shuojing to face the saint. Now Shuojing is mostly from Xu Xiang, even if he is not from Xu Xiang, he is suppressed and dare not speak. If he really agreed to Utuo's request for peace, and even opened a court in Dawei, it would be harmful to the people of Dawei and not benefit at all.
After regrouping the troops and horses, everyone had lunch and was about to set off. Xiao Jue and Yan He rode with the soldiers and horses ahead, He Yan and Lin Shuanghe rode in a carriage, and Chu Zhao and Ying Xiang's carriage was at the end.
Between the two horses in parallel, Xiao Jue said, "Have you seen He Rufei after the Xianchang Pavilion?"
Yan He was stunned for a moment, and then said: "I don't know him well. I've seen him a few times since he was appointed general, and only glanced at it from a distance. But since he was appointed general, apart from the Huayuan battle, have you ever seen him bring him with him? Passing the army? I think he has lived a comfortable life for too long now, and Huayuan was so bad in the first battle. What do you ask him for? Do you want to catch up with him?"
Xiao Jue didn't answer his question, and continued to ask, "What is the difference between the He Rufei you saw later and the past?"
"What's the difference?" Yan He frowned: "How do I know? I haven't followed him all the time. But he has grown a little taller over the years, and he is a little taller than before. It seems that he can talk a little bit more than he used to, I'll go. Before Lingjun, I heard that the He family intends to marry him, Xiao Huaijin," he glanced at his companion, "If He Rufei gets a wife before you... You wouldn't be able to beat He Rufei, would you?"
Xiao Jue was too lazy to pay attention to him, so he drove forward immediately.
He Yan in the carriage did not know that there was such a conversation between Xiao Jue and Yan He just now. The more she went to Shuojing, the more worried she became. Lin Shuanghe also saw it, sat opposite her, and asked, "Sister He, what's the matter with you? From me to Rundu, when I saw you, I felt something was wrong, as if something was on my mind. You haven't even said much these days. But what kind of trouble did you encounter. If you have any difficulties, just tell Brother Wei, and Brother Wei will help you find a solution together."
He Yan smiled bitterly.
She was just thinking about how to expose He Rufei when she returned to Shuojing. Now that she has become Wu An Lang, she is closer to the He family and Xu family than the former captain's daughter, but the official position of "Wu An Lang" has many restrictions. And the cronies who could prove the true and false He Rufei were silenced by He Rufei. In terms of witnesses, it is really difficult, and we can only start from other places. And guarding this common secret is the Xu family.
If they can start with the Xu family, the Xu family will pull out the He family in order to protect themselves... They will be in chaos. The alliance formed for the benefit will not be too stable.
He Yan was fascinated by his thoughts, but Lin Shuanghe stretched out his hand in front of him: "Sister He?"
He Yan looked at him and said, "I was thinking about what to do when I return to Beijing." She snapped her fingers, "Brother Lin also knows that I escaped from Shuojing and got involved in another incident. In the lawsuit. The neighbors all know that I am a woman, and it is not time to go back in a big way. I am afraid that I can only see my father and brother secretly." She thought for a while, "The last time Your Majesty gave me the seal, I still Keep some money. It's enough money to rent a small house, but it's not convenient for me to come forward. If Brother Lin is well-connected, can you do it for me? The money will naturally be given to you."
After hearing her words, Lin Shuanghe slapped his thigh, "I thought it was some kind of trouble. It's a trivial matter, and it's up to my brother." He lifted the curtain of the carriage and shouted, "Huaijin, Huaijin!"
Xiao Jue paused, slowed down, drove back to the carriage, and asked him, "What's the matter?"
Lin Shuanghe smiled at him, "I just promised Brother He that when I return to Shuojing, I will rent a house for him in the city. But you also know that renting a house is not something that can be rented overnight. Before the good house, can Brother He live in your house? Your Xiao's yard is big and spacious, so it's not difficult to allocate a room to Brother He, right?"
He Yan never expected that Lin Shuanghe would say such a thing, and hurriedly said, "Brother Lin, you didn't say that just now. Commander, it doesn't matter, I'll just find an inn outside..."
"It costs a lot of money to stay in an inn." Lin Shuanghe said, "How can you be so profligate at such a young age and don't know the benefits of being diligent and thrifty? Just listen to me and stay at Huaijin's house. Huaijin, please be precise, Okay ah?"
Xiao Jue glanced at He Yan, and when He Yan stiffened, he saw him nod his head very lightly, "Okay."
He Yan: "..."
After saying this, Xiao Jue rode his horse forward. Lin Shuanghe lowered the curtain of the carriage and looked at He Yan proudly: "Look, now, isn't it the best of both worlds."
He Yan leaned on the carriage feebly, thinking to himself, this is really a bad fate, not only did not keep a distance, but got closer and closer, and they all lived in Xiao Jue's house.
Although living in Xiao Jue's house, it does have advantages. On various occasions with Xiao Jue, it is said that the greater the chance of seeing Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei, the more likely they will be able to find useful clues.
She suppressed the lightness that was almost imperceptible in her heart, coughed lightly, and secretly said to herself in her heart, it must be like this.
…
In Shuojing City, the Xu family in the capital, a servant outside the study was guarding the door, and someone was talking inside.
There were two people sitting a few days ago, one of them was a gentleman with a green shirt, and the other was a handsome young man, but there was a little more restrained and deep air between his brows and eyes. The two of them were contemplating the chess game in front of them. The black and white pieces on the chessboard were scattered vertically and horizontally. It looked like a chaotic game.
These two people, one is the uncle of the Xu family, the current Hanlin scholar Xu Zhiheng, and the other is He Rufei, who just returned to Beijing and defeated the Utuo people in the first battle in Huayuan.
"Second son Xiao is about to return to Beijing." Xu Zhiheng left his son, "Guide Zhonglang and Second Young Master Xiao will definitely make a statement to His Majesty after returning to Beijing, and force the Utuo people to be driven out of Dawei."
He Rufei didn't speak, and watched the chess game silently.
"Brother He is still thinking about Huayuan?" Xu Zhiheng smiled lightly, "All the insiders are gone, Brother He, don't worry, no one in this world will know this secret anymore. Even if there is, there is no evidence to turn the tables. already."
He Rufei glanced at him, "Mr. Xu seems to be a little too relieved. Don't forget that Xiao Huaijin, Yan Nanguang, and Lin Shuanghe all met He Rufei when he was studying at Xianchang Hall."
"So what?" Xu Zhiheng said disapprovingly, "He Rufei, when he was young, was not very close to his classmates. If you really want to be close, it won't be that no one has discovered his identity for many years. I think Brother He Even if Xiao Huaijin and Yan Nanguang return to Shuojing, you won't have much dealings with them."
He Rufei followed with a son, "I hope."
In his heart, he suddenly remembered the nightmare of last night. In the dream, he was fighting with soldiers and horses on the Huayuan battlefield. Suddenly, a sword stabbed from behind him. He couldn't dodge the stabbed center.
It was a young man wearing a mask and armor. When he slowly reached out and took off the mask, revealing a familiar, beautiful and heroic face, He Yan looked at him with such a smile, and said softly, "Big brother—"
He Rufei woke up suddenly, touched his forehead, covered in cold sweat.
It is clear that He Yan has been dead for more than a year, and the name has gradually been forgotten by the world, or in other words, she has never been remembered by the world. The days have gone so peacefully for such a long time, but at this juncture, it will appear in his dreams, making him sleepless at night.
"Your concubine..." he said.
Xu Zhiheng's face turned cold, "Already dead."
He Yan died in He Wanru's hands, and a month after He Yan died, he found a reason to have He Wanru be killed. The corpse was dragged to the mass grave, fearing that it would have been eaten by the wolves and wild dogs long ago. In the future, even if... if something is found out, it can be pushed to He Wanru as much as possible. All the thugs and little servants who participated in that day were dealt with together, and the entire Xu family was replaced inside and outside.
Since He Yan was a general in front of him, he used so many servants to accompany her after her death, and it was considered a friendship between their husband and wife.
"Very good." He Rufei said coldly, "Don't make any mistakes."
While speaking, someone knocked on the door outside the study, Xu Zhiheng got up to open the door, and a young woman walked in. This woman is also young and young. Looking closely, her eyebrows and eyes are still three-point similar to He Yan, but without the heroic perseverance condensed by the heroine in the battlefield, she has a little more sweetness and softness, like the delicate and sweet in Shuojing. Chunhua, every gesture and gesture are all well-behaved and lovely.
This is Xu Zhiheng's newly married wife, and the current grandmother He Xinying is also He Yuansheng's second daughter, He Rufei's cousin, and He Yan's biological sister.
"Big brother, husband, you are talking inside, and Xinying will ask someone to make some snacks in the kitchen." He Xinying smiled and put a few plates of shortbread on the small table, "If you are tired, you can put a pad on your stomach."
"It's hard work." Xu Zhiheng said in a voice, pulling her to sit beside him, "You too, sit down."
He Xinying sat down beside Xu Zhiheng according to her words, looked at He Rufei, and said with a smile, "Big brother hasn't come to Xu's house for a few days, my parents are fine."
He Rufei nodded slightly: "It's fine, you don't need to worry."
He Xinying didn't know what to say. She and this cousin were actually not close friends in the past. When He Rufei was young, his temperament was extraordinarily withdrawn, and he often wore a mask. The He family all knew that He Rufei wore a mask to cover his face because he was ugly. When He Xinying was a child, he watched the daily He family feast, and He Rufei was all alone and hid aside, feeling pity for him. But after trying to get close to him a few times, He Rufei avoided himself like a plague, and when he went back and forth, He Xinying also lost his mind.
Later, He Rufei went into the army with the He family behind his back, and he actually earned a military exploit. Even with all the young ladies of the He family who have not left the cabinet, the tide has risen, including her sister-in-law, the famously sick child in the second room of the He family.
When He Yan returned to the He family, He Xinying was already very big. And at that time, because of He Rufei's relationship, the He family had a good relationship with He Yan. Xu Zhiheng, the uncle of the Xu family, was a Hanlin bachelor at a young age, and he was born handsome and gentle. He Xinying was once jealous of this elder sister. She was obviously in such a bad health, and she hadn't returned to Beijing for many years. No one among the noble girls in Beijing knew that there was such a person as her. But it is such a blessing to be able to be Grandma Xu as soon as she comes back.
But this jealousy disappeared after He Yan died. He Xinying felt sad for He Yan, even though she had no relationship with this sister, blood was thicker than water in the end. I just got a good marriage, and I can enjoy happiness just by looking at it, but my life is so thin.
The strange thing is that after He Yan's death, the He family and the Xu family held a big funeral for her. The entire Shuojing knew that the He family valued the second daughter of the first family, but only He Xinying understood that the He family, except for herself His mother, everyone, including his own father, didn't look as sad as others thought.
After the funeral, except for occasionally wiping away a few tears when He Yan was mentioned on occasions, on weekdays, the mansion would not even mention He Yan. It seems that there has never been the eldest daughter of the second room of the He family.
He Xinying always felt something was wrong in her heart, but she couldn't bear to think about why her family treated her sister so coldly, but He Yuansheng actually took the lead, decided her marriage with Xu Zhiheng, and asked her to continue the relationship with Xu Zhiheng.
Even if Xu Zhiheng became a widower, he was also a good husband-in-law candidate in the hearts of others in Shuojingli. Especially after He Yan's death, his affectionate expressions made many girls' families admire him. Although He Xinying knew that Xu Zhiheng was excellent, she was extremely reluctant to marry the Xu family. Sisters serve one husband together, and it is nothing new in Shuojing. But most of them are the daughter of the first daughter as the wife, and the daughter of the concubine as the concubine, taking care of each other. Where there are two direct daughters who have married the same person one after the other, it is not that the girl of the He family can't get married. She is so young, beautiful, and has a good family background. Wouldn't it be better to find a young master who is the right man to be the wife of the first wife, than to be Grandma Xu
But in this matter, He Yuanliang, who had always loved her, was very firm. And her mother, Mrs. He Er, was determined to fight for her, but she was powerless—in the He family, women's words were always insignificant.
He Xinying reluctantly married into the Xu family.
After marrying into the Xu family, He Xinying discovered that Xu Zhiheng was even more considerate and gentle than she thought. A handsome and excellent husband takes care of himself in every way, and is easy to fall into. Moreover, Xu Zhiheng is indeed very popular with women. The regrets and thoughts he occasionally showed to his deceased wife would make people think that this person was devoted to love and righteousness and deserved to be entrusted for life.
After He Xinying married into the Xu family, He Rufei's cousin came to see her from time to time. He Xinying was a little flattered. She should be the one who married the best among all the young ladies in the He family. She enjoyed all the blessings that He Yan could not enjoy.
It just feels unreal sometimes.
"By the way, eldest brother, husband," He Xinying said, "I used to go up the mountain with my mother to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings every autumn. Although I am no longer at home this year, I still want to be with my mother."
Xu Zhiheng said with a smile: "Of course, if I have nothing to do that day, I will accompany you."
He Xinying said happily: "It's really great."
After sitting for a while, she got up and went out, leaving Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei to talk inside. After leaving the door, Xiao Liu, the maid next to him, said, "Grandma, are you going back to the yard?"
He Xinying shook her head, "Let's go."
In the yard, the summer pond glows with lush green, and the pond water is as calm as a mirror. There are always many lotus flowers in He's pond. At this time of year, the fragrance is floating, and Xu's pond, not to mention lotus, doesn't even have a rockery.
Xu Zhiheng is an elegant person, only this pond, like a pool of stagnant water, after looking at it for a long time, it feels like a bottomless abyss that will pull people down at any time. Her elder sister He Yan stumbled and drowned here. Perhaps it was because of this, perhaps because of that blood relationship, that every time she walked here, she always felt cold outside, especially the water, which made her feel uncomfortable. .
He Xinying looked away.
The dowry maid Xiaoliu asked her, "Grandma, when you were in the house, why didn't you stay longer? The longer you stay... the better the Xu family will treat you."
He Xinying also understood that the grandfather and wife of the Xu family were so generous to her daughter-in-law, 80% of which was because of He Rufei's face. The more affectionate she has with this "General Feihong" eldest brother and sister, the less the Xu family dares to treat her lightly.
He Xinying shook her head and smiled like a self-deprecating smile, "Big brother didn't come to see me in the first place, it doesn't matter how long I've been there."
If anyone who knows He Yan is here, they will find that the insight and brightness in the eyes of this soft and sweet face are very similar to the former "Grandma Xu".
It's just self-deception.
…
In less than a month, Jinling arrived at Shuojing, rested on the road, and hurried on the road, and finally arrived in front of the city gate before the beginning of autumn.
In front of the city gate of Shuojing, the guards who got the news had already opened the city gate, soldiers and horses entered the city, and all the people along the street pointed at the team.
He Yan and Lin Shuanghe hid in the carriage, but they never accepted these instructions. Lin Shuanghe couldn't bear it any longer, and said to He Yan, "If I had known this kind of majesty, I should have asked Huai Jin to give me a horse, sit on it, and the girls would also I can see my face more clearly."
"...Even if you don't sit on the horse, Brother Lin, the girl in Shuojing will know your face very clearly." He Yan comforted him.
"That's true." Lin Shuanghe heard what she said, and after thinking about it carefully, he was no longer entangled.
He Yan himself doesn't have much thought about being in the limelight. When she returned to Beijing with the Fuyue Army who had won the battle, it was as lively as it is today, but at that time she was wearing a mask and was extremely uncomfortable, for fear of being discovered. After returning to the He family, on the second day, the real "He Rufei" accepted all the honors or burdens on her behalf.
She never used her face to face everything brought by "General Feihong".
The carriage stopped with a squeak, and Yan He's voice came from outside: "How long do you have to sit in there, you are almost at the gate of the palace."
He Yan was startled and dismounted with Lin Shuanghe.
After Chu Zhao entered the city, he parted ways with their carriage, only the next person said a word. He Yan didn't care either. He wasn't a one-way person, so it was natural to split into two. It's impossible for her to live in Xiao's mansion, and Chu Zhao also live in Xiao's mansion, right
"Commander, we are going to..." He Yan asked.
"I want to go to the palace." Xiao Jue glanced at her, "You wait in the carriage first."
"Wait," Yan He looked at him suspiciously, "Why don't you bring this kid with you? When you enter the palace, you must face the Holy Spirit. Taking this opportunity, let Your Majesty get to know this kid well, it will be beneficial to his career in the future. Since you are someone else's boss, you should look for every opportunity to lift up your subordinates. Or are you afraid that the surname He will be better than you in the future, so you deliberately don't let him stand out?"
He Yan was really convinced by Yan He, no matter how many possibilities, he could always think of the most boring one.
"It's not the time yet." Xiao Jue didn't bother to explain to Yan He, looked at He Yan, and asked her patiently, "You're here alone, no problem?"
He Yan smiled and said, "If there is any problem with me, the governor can go without worry. I'll just sleep in the carriage."
Lin Shuanghe felt the smell and showed his head, "Huai Jin, you mean, I want to enter the palace too?"
Xiao Jue looked at him coldly.
Lin Shuanghe coughed lightly, "Excuse me, can I not go?"
"No." Xiao Jue sneered: "Although I wrote a letter to invite you to come to Liangzhou, but before you left, I didn't tell anyone in the Lin family. I was tired of the urgent letters sent by Imperial Physician Lin to my account looking for someone. Do you want to take a look now?"
Lin Shuanghe smiled awkwardly, "I'm not... thinking that you are looking for me will definitely be in a critical situation. When people are in a hurry, their brains will not work well. I forgot, yes, I forgot to tell my family."
Yan He hugged his chest and watched from the wall, lest the world would not be in chaos, he said coldly, "Aren't you his friend? Help him carry a black pot and he won't die."
Lin Shuanghe was greatly moved: "Brother Nanguang, after knowing you for so many years, I finally heard a human word from your mouth."
"Shut up." Xiao Jue frowned slightly impatiently, and Lin Shuanghe immediately fell silent. After he got off the carriage, Xiao Jue was about to leave with him when he suddenly remembered something and walked to the carriage.
He Yan lifted the curtain of the carriage to look at him.
"You are here, don't run around, there are many people around outside the palace," Xiao Jue told her, after a pause, her tone softened, "When I leave the palace, I will take you home."