"—ma'am, ma'am!"
Mrs. Bai was dressing up, facing the shiny mirror, and looked up out of the window when she heard the sound, a figure in a dark gray cotton coat came galloping from the courtyard, it was the old housekeeper of the Hou Mansion.
The servant girl lifted the curtain, and when the housekeeper ran into the room, calmed down, Bai said, "How old are you, and you still behave like young people."
The housekeeper said: "There is no time to announce the good news! Ma'am, the military camp is here to report that the second young master has won a big victory and captured the new leader of the Turks." He couldn't hide his joy, "Three days ago, the gold was withdrawn, and I guess it will return to the city today."
Bai Shi hurriedly asked: "Is Linfeng injured? Where is Xiao Rong, is everything going well with him?"
The butler replied: "Madam, don't worry, the young master and Mr. Rong are safe. The good news has been sent back to the city, and the people are waiting at the city gate."
Bai Shi was overjoyed to hear that, as if she couldn't sit still, she stood up with a jade hairpin on the mirror hairpin, and said: "Mei Zi, go to the Buddhist hall and get ready. I want to talk to Lord Hou, and I will also make my wish to the Bodhisattva."
Meizi responded, and quickly went to do it. Bai lifted the curtain and went out of the house, and saw piles of snow sweeping in the courtyard, and called the servant: "Go and see what is in short supply in the second young master's other garden. Prepare enough, and replace the bedding with new ones made this winter."
Before the servant left, he said with a smile: "Second Young Master is the most resistant to cold, Madam, don't worry."
Bai's heart said, the boy who grew up in Saibei is naturally resistant to cold, but Rong Luoyun is from the south of the Yangtze River, how can he survive. What's more, seventeen years ago, he was also the grand master of Chang'an City, so he must not be treated slowly.
While thinking about it, Mrs. Bai walked towards the Buddhist hall, and when she entered the house, Meizi had already made the offerings. She instructed: "Meizi, you ask the little chef to prepare some food, and make some Jiangnan dim sum, and discuss it with Du Zheng."
Meizi felt guilty: "I still need to discuss this with him."
Bai said: "Don't be stubborn, you are obviously very happy in your heart." She lit three sticks of incense, "Linfeng told me that it is peaceful, so you and Du Zheng can get married."
The little maid was so ashamed that she couldn't stand up, her face turned red like a hawthorn, and she ran away without a trace.
The Buddhist hall was suddenly quiet, and Huo Zhao's spiritual tablet was enshrined on the tall table. With a smile on his face, Bai stared at the words engraved on the spiritual tablet for a long time.
"Master Hou, the Dingbei Army has won." She inserted the incense into the incense burner, "I know you are worried, so I will tell you first."
Huo Zhao has been away for nearly a month, and this month is short and short, but it is long and long. The Bai family stood dignifiedly, and said: "Master Hou, the victory in this battle must be due to your blessing in the sky. I know that Linfeng will never give up on this battle and your death, and you must continue to bless you." He is safe."
Bai stayed in the Buddhist hall for a long time, speaking every word, just like talking to Huo Zhao in the past. If you get tired of talking, stop and look at the spiritual position quietly for a while.
At this time, the family soldiers came to report that Huo Linfeng and Rong Luoyun had already entered the city.
Bai walked out of the house, asked the servant girl to support her, and stepped on a clear snow with her embroidered shoes, until she reached the Chuihua Gate, she ran into Huo Jinghai who was also going to greet her. Huo Jinghai personally helped her, and the mother and son walked to the gate of the mansion, before they could stand still, they heard the sound of galloping horseshoes.
In the distance, Huo Linfeng and Rong Luoyun rode their horses, their fox furs fluttering, showing a heroic spirit. Huo Linfeng had sharp eyes, and before reaching the door, he shouted: "Mother! Brother!"
Bai's heart was happy, but she was afraid of the danger of the icy road, and shouted: "Be careful!" At this age, and with the identity of Mrs. Dingbeihou, it's been a long time since she yelled loudly.
She stroked her chest, and waited for Huo Linfeng and Rong Luoyun to get off their horses, beckoning like a treasure: "Come on, come on."
Huo Linfeng stepped up the third step, and stepped across the threshold neatly. Bai looked at him, held his face, rubbed his shoulders, and made sure that he was intact. "Mom." He called out, "It's freezing cold, why did you come out in person?"
Bai said: "The troops were withdrawn three days ago, and they will return today. Mother can't wait."
Huo Linfeng coaxed: "I'm busy with chores after the war, there's nothing I can do."
Rong Luoyun stood sideways behind Huo Linfeng, so peaceful, silently envious of the other's family. Mother, elder brother, and a wealthy family, but they don't know each other, and there is a full intimacy between the words.
At such times, he is always a little lonely, looking up at the sky, and there is no pair of accompanying stars at this moment. Suddenly, Bai called him: "Xiao Rong, what are you looking at?"
He immediately looked away: "Auntie, it's okay."
Bai pushed away Huo Jinghai's hand that was helping her, and said, "I understand that there will be many things after the war, and you brothers must discuss it, so go get busy." He took a step forward and pulled Rong Luoyun closer from behind Huo Linfeng, "Let's go back to the main garden with my aunt."
Rong Luoyun's heart was pounding, why did he feel that Bai Shi treated him with the same expression and posture as Huo Linfeng, did he just pretend to be affectionate? He supported Bai Shi to go back, secretly looking at her, like a trembling thief who is stealing for the first time.
The backs of the two gradually moved away, Huo Linfeng looked away, and followed Huo Jinghai into the main hall.
Huo Zhao has gone, Huo Jinghai, as the eldest son, takes care of the affairs of the Marquis Mansion, even walking, sitting and lying down has Huo Zhao's demeanor. Huo Linfeng saw it clearly, he was brave enough to fight outside, and now he felt light, and said, "Brother, I miss you so much."
Huo Jinghai glanced at him: "He's out of shape, he's already twenty-four."
Huo Linfeng was serious: "The birthday is seven or eight days away, and it's still twenty-three." Opening the small lid box, in winter, the candied flowers were filled with plum blossoms, and he chewed a piece to taste the fragrance.
The two brothers sat opposite each other for a while, and the snow outside started to fall again, Huo Jinghai asked: "Azhatai is in jail?"
"Yes." Huo Linfeng replied, "This battle was tragic. Within ten years, neither side will be able to start another war. The Turks and the Qincha have injured Lizi, so they can't afford the compensation, so we can only cut them off." land."
Huo Jinghai said: "In addition to the territory, we will also intervene in whoever becomes the next leader, and we must maintain peace for 20 years."
Huo Linfeng picked up the tea: "Saibei needs to recuperate and live a stable life."
He took a sip and stared down at the tea powder at the bottom of the cup: "However, I don't care about the follow-up negotiations, please leave it to the elder brother."
Huo Jinghai seemed to have expected it, and asked, "What are your plans?"
Huo Linfeng said: "Chen Ruoyin colluded with the barbarians, I must go to Chang'an to face the saint." He paused for a while, "Brother, Chen Ruoyin must die. The Huo family has made great achievements in this battle, and if Chen Ruoyin dies, there will be no one in the court." People can check and balance us, the emperor will definitely not let me come back."
The hall was quiet for a moment, and after a long time, Huo Jinghai said: "The emperor has been ill for a long time, maybe he is about to collapse."
Huo Lin choked a bit dangerously, this eldest brother has always been steady, but it is surprising that he speaks like this. That's right, the Huo family's tigers and wolves have killed half their lives, and they are not easy to provoke in their bones. He said, "Brother, please explain clearly."
Huo Jinghai glanced at him: "You don't have to pretend to be stupid, I'm just saying what you think."
Chen Ruoyin supported the crown prince, and for this reliance, the crown prince will definitely try his best to preserve it. If Emperor Cheng dies at that time, there will be a lot of excitement.
"Chen Ruoyin wanted to kill you because he misunderstood that you were in collusion with the third prince." Huo Jinghai said, "Then let me ask you, do you intend to collude with the third prince?"
In the past, he was innocent, but now, what about after Chang'an
The court situation is changing, but people cannot stay the same.
Huo Linfeng replied truthfully: "If the crown prince protects the traitor who shakes the country for his own selfishness, it means that he is not worthy to be a king. The world belongs to the people of the world. I will support whoever can take on the big responsibility."
He emphasized emphatically: "It's support, what kind of collusion, saying that your own brother used such ugly words."
Huo Jinghai threw a Yanjin plum at random, laughed and annoyed: "Okay, dear brother, let's go and talk with mother."
Huo Linfeng opened his mouth to catch it, got up and patted his robe, then turned around and walked away gracefully.
In the big house of the main garden, the tables are full of honey food, Jiangnan snacks, and all kinds of fruits, which are too much to eat. The plate in front of Rong Luoyun was piled high, and there was still a piece in his mouth, mumbling and chewing.
Bai said: "The cooks in the house do not know how to cook."
Rong Luoyun nodded hastily: "It's delicious." He took a piece and gave it to the other party, "Auntie eats it too, so I'm so embarrassed..."
Bai's face covered her face and smiled lightly: "What's the matter, Linfeng is getting older now, and he should restrain himself a bit. He used to work hard in the military camp, but when he returns home, he looks like a living bandit. When he came to say hello, his place was swept away."
Rong Luoyun laughed: "After all, I'm different from him. In someone else's house, what kind of dignity is that?"
Bai's smile gradually faded, and finally smiled slightly, with an extremely gentle appearance. "Son, I took you as a guest before because our Huo family owed you." She said, "Now you have put aside your grievances and forgiven Lord Hou. In my heart, you are the same as Linfeng."
Rong Luoyun was stunned: "I'm stupid, Auntie... Please explain clearly."
Bai's speech slowed down and said: "You have no parents since you were young, and your parents are not close. I think it is destined that we got along a few days ago. If you want, you can treat the Hou Mansion as a home and me as a family." your loved ones."
She was talking about relatives, not mother, who lost her mother when she was young, and mother was irreplaceable in her heart. She has no intention of replacing anyone, she just wants to love this child intimately.
Rong Luoyun was dazed, like a dream, lost in Bai's words and unable to recover. He let go of the chopsticks, opened his eyes, and the pupils trembled slightly.
Bai asked: "Auntie said it, would you like it?"
Rong Luoyun jumped from the stool, like a puppy seeing its master, and like a wild goose returning north after leaving home for a winter, he half-knelt at Bai Shi's feet, raised his face, and nodded cautiously.
Coincidentally, the door of the house was pushed open, and Huo Linfeng entered the house covered in floating snow.
Seeing the scene at the table clearly, he stood there in a daze, forgetting to close the door, allowing the cold air to pour into the room. Moving a step closer, he asked curiously, "What are you doing..."
Bai joked: "Linfeng, Xiao Rong will be your younger brother from now on."
Huo Linfeng was startled: "What brother?" He stretched out his hand to pull Rong Luoyun, but he couldn't pull it, so he put his armpits in his arms and hugged him, "What are you doing on your knees, is it possible that my mother recognizes you as a godson?"
Bai frowned: "Listen to your tone, are you not happy?"
Huo Linfeng said: "Of course I don't want to!" He pulled Rong Luoyun behind him, and blocked it like a baby boy, "Mother, you love others as much as you love them, don't mess with brotherhood!"
The red thread of wild mandarin ducks is already shameful, but it's a good thing, but one of them is wrong. Rong Luoyun's heart beat even harder, but he was also panicked, fearing that the barbarian had slipped his mouth in a hurry.
He shook Huo Linfeng's shoulder, informed in a low voice, and slapped that solid chest.
Huo Linfeng asked: "Really?"
Before Rong Luoyun could answer, Bai said, "Seriously." She was still thinking about the other thing, "Xiao Rong, your sister is still in Xiganling, no matter where she is, a brothel is definitely not a place to live. In the future, she will marry someone Or something, I can take care of it for her, if she gets tired of that place, she can also come to Saibei, where no one recognizes her, and she can live as she pleases."
Rong Luoyun's heart was boiling, and he was so hot that he couldn't speak a word. Huo Linfeng relaxed the atmosphere: "Mother, you are a son and don't like it, just want a girl."
Bai Shi stared at him with a smile, ignored him, but pushed the snacks on the table.
The live bandit sat down to eat, and took Rong Luoyun's plate, and swept away most of it in a short while.
The rare quiet years, when the snow stops for a while, revealing a round of sunny days. Outside the city gate came a group of magnificent people, with official uniforms and official documents, and golden tokens.
Towards Dingbeihou's Mansion, Chang'an's imperial decree is getting closer and closer.