The current emperor is Emperor Longwu, and the country is named Changping. In October of the fourth year of Changping, Yonghe Hou defeated the barbarians, and the barbarians surrendered. The barbarian tribe officially became the territory of Qi State, and the lineage of Yonghe Hou ended decades of frontier life. In this war, the captain Han Zhen took the head of the barbarian leader and was credited with great merit.
The Emperor was awarding rewards based on merit, and Marquis Yonghe took the opportunity to propose that he wanted to live out his days in honor of his father, pass the title on to his son, and at the same time, hand over his military power.
The emperor did not accept the military power, but gave it to the eldest son of Marquis Yonghe, the new Marquis Yonghe. The former young master now became the eldest son of the new Marquis Yonghe.
At the same time, the hero Han Zhen rose rapidly and was granted the title of fifth-rank guerrilla general.
When Qin Fang heard the news, he was also happy for his good brother. However, after reading the letter from his teacher Du Ke, Qin Fang was worried again: "Look at what the teacher's letter means, how likely is it that I will be transferred to the capital?" Qin Fang has lived here for more than two years and has gotten used to it. He really wants to leave. If he is transferred to the capital, all kinds of troubles will come up constantly. He still likes this kind of beautiful life with free time and being a local boss in Yunxiang County.
Yang Haiyan had already adjusted her mentality and could now face Qin Fang's official career calmly. She said, "I know this very well, but we can make preparations for both situations."
Qin Fang was curious: "What preparations have you made?"
Yang Haiyan smiled slightly: "I plan to buy a house, farm and land near the capital, and let Niu Da go there to grow fruits and vegetables, so that we don't have to go to the capital in the future and these things are not ready." She said that her family is now rich, the road in Yunxiang County has been repaired, and the remaining profit from the Royal Grain Factory is theirs. Moreover, the walker, baby car and baby tricycle she cooperated with the emperor are selling very well in various places. No one dares to imitate the products produced by the royal factory, so Yang Haiyan is very happy to make this money. Of course, the happiest person is the emperor.
Even the king of a country has to bow down for money.
Qin Fang actually had this in mind: "Then you decide, if you want to buy a house, you can buy one near the teacher's home so that he can take care of it. I'll write to the teacher later to ask about the house... or let Tao Shan go there."
Yang Haiyan: “Okay.”
“Mother…mother…Xiaoshuai flew…Xiaoshuai flew…” A little cannonball ran in from outside.
The little cannon is of course little Qin Linyang. At eighteen months old, he has begun to speak fluently and can express his ideas in short sentences.
The child likes to run. Although he is not very stable, he has been well-fed in calcium supplementation since he was young. Compared with his peers, he is relatively well developed and walks more steadily. But in the eyes of Yang Haiyan, this stability is shaky. Every time she sees her son running, she is always worried that he will fall. Even though she thinks it doesn't matter if a child bumps and bumps, and it doesn't matter if a boy has scars on his knees, she still feels nervous.
This time… Qin Linyang ran very fast and bumped into his father. Fortunately, Qin Fang was quick to catch him and he fell backwards. However, the child was wearing a hat and there was something behind his head, which could reduce the impact if he fell.
Qin Fang said: "Do you look at the road when you walk? How many times have I taught you? You must look at the road when you walk."
Little Qin Linyang obviously understood what his father said. He grabbed his father's hand and said, "Xiao Shuai flew away... Dad, Xiao Shuai flew away..." His tone was very urgent.
Xiao Shuai is the son of Hong Shuai, the pony baby, and was named Xiao Shuai. In fact, he was originally called Xiao Shuai because all the children called him Shuai, and then Xiao Shuai baby took it as his own name.
Yang Haiyan couldn't help laughing at her son's words. Those who knew about it thought that the horse was on fire. "Let's go and take a look."
Yang Haiyan walked in front, Qin Linyang pulled his father to catch up with his mother, and then held his mother's hand with his other hand. He walked between his father and mother and felt that he was the happiest child.
The temperature in October is just right, and the wind is cool.
Qin Linyang's "Little Pony Flying" refers to a kite. This weather is a good time to fly a kite, although it is not as good as in spring, because the wind in this season is stronger than in spring, but the wind is also weaker, such as today. After lunch, Qin Linyang slept for a while, and when he woke up, Yang Haiyan took him to fly a kite.
The kite-flying area was in the backyard, where many maids were guarding. When they saw the husband and the general coming, they hurriedly saluted.
Qin Linyang looked around and didn't see his kite, so he asked the old woman, "Where's Xiaoshuai?"
The wind was a little strong just now, and the child held the kite and it was blown away.
The old woman pointed at the treetop and said, "Little Marshal fell there. Can I pick it up for you, young master?"
Little Qin Linyang looked at his father and said, "Dad, pick it up." He is very active, but also a little overbearing. He doesn't like old women to touch the things he likes.
Qin Fang took a look at the location of the kite. It was indeed hanging on the treetop, but there was no branch on the treetop that could bear the weight, so it was not easy to pick it up. He said to the woman, "Go get a long, thin stick."
There was no such stick in the General's Mansion, and it was not available on weekdays, so the maid cut down the bamboo of the rockery. The bamboo of the rockery was a slender variety of bamboo, an ornamental type, different from the bamboo in the bamboo forest. Qin Fang took the thin bamboo and climbed up the tree. Little Qin Linyang looked at his father with some envy, and grabbed the tree with his little hands. He was sure that he had climbed up, and he was a little discouraged.
Seeing this, Yang Haiyan stepped forward with a funny look: "What's wrong? You want to go up too?"
Qin Linyang shook his head: "Climb up..." His childish voice sounded a little aggrieved. The child was almost two years old, and he might not understand long speeches, but he could understand short sentences.
Yang Haiyan held her son's hand and walked away: "Then you should eat more and stop being picky about food. Then you can grow as tall as your father, and then you can climb trees."
Little Qin Linyang raised his little head and looked at his mother in confusion: "Eating will make you taller?"
The children were the cutest when they used reduplication. Yang Haiyan's heart softened. She said, "Yes, eat and grow taller."
Little Qin Linyang blinked his eyes, then pulled his mother: "Let's go..."
Yang Haiyan asked: "Where are you going?"
Little Qin Linyang said as a matter of course: "Eat, grow taller, go eat... go..."
Yang Haiyan looked at her son who was acting out one thing after another and asked: "Where's your father? He's trying to catch Xiao Shuai for you. Are you okay?"
Qin Linyang's eyes suddenly lit up: "Xiaoshuai, eat...eat more and grow taller." As he said that, he ran to the yard.
Yang Haiyan chased after him and watched her son carefully climb over the threshold and enter the house, then grab a bag of corn kernels and rush out again. The corn kernels were packed in small bags, and in order to make it easier for her son to feed Xiaoshuai, Yang Haiyan asked the servants to make small bags and packed them one by one.
Then, Yang Haiyan followed her son to the stable.
Xiaoshuai, Wushuai, and Hongshuai are all in the stable. Now is the estrus season, so Hongshuai is back too. But Qin Linyang only cares about his Xiaoshuai. He came to Xiaoshuai, lowered his head, and flirted with Xiaoshuai. Xiaoshuai and Xiaozhu have been together for several months, and they have developed a tacit understanding. Every time Xiaozhu comes, he brings good food. So when he sees Xiaozhu coming, he lies down, so that it is convenient for Xiaozhu to feed him.
Qin Linyang took out some corn kernels and fed them to Xiaoshuai: "Eat, grow taller..."
Xiao Shuai hooked his tongue and swallowed the corn kernels in the young master's palm into his mouth.
Each horse was switched on separately. At this time, Wu Shuai and Hong Shuai looked at Xiao Shuai with great envy. Although they could speak, they obviously protested.
Qin Fang came over with the kite, and Wu Shuai and Hong Shuai shouted to the host, as if to say: Come and feed us...
Seeing this, Yang Haiyan couldn't help but say, "Look at the turmoil your son has caused."
Qin Fang asked, "Have you played with the kite?" Then he walked to his son and took out two handfuls of corn kernels from his small bag.
Little Qin Linyang grabbed his father's hand and looked at him with a snort.
Qin Fang said: "Feed them to Wu Shuai and Hong Shuai. Do you like Wu Shuai and Hong Shuai? Feed them?"
The child looked at Wu Shuai and Hong Shuai who were shouting and let go of his father's hand: "Eat, grow taller, Shuai will all grow taller." After thinking for a moment, he added, "I want to grow taller too."
Qin Linyang, who wanted to grow tall and climb trees, forgot about it when he had dinner. Children are more impatient than adults.
By November, all the ore in Shoushan had been mined and made into firewood. The completion of the mining of Shoushan ore meant that the officials of the Ministry of Industry should leave Yunxiang County.
All the finished medicines were transported to the capital. Due to the heavy nature of the medicines, Qin Fang had to deliver them personally.
The night before leaving, Yang Haiyan was very worried: "Last time, we brought so much medicine that the barbarians came to rob us. This time, we have so much medicine, and we know something might happen on the way."
Qin Fang held her hand and said, "Don't worry. General Yu brought 500 imperial guards with him. I will also go with 500 soldiers. If a team of 1,000 people comes to rob in Qi, then they are looking for death." Qin Fang was sure that no one would dare to come and plot against him this time. The imperial guards had already dealt with the last incident of Huo Yao. After several months, no one dared to touch the emperor's reverse scale.
Although this is the case, Yang Haiyan is no longer worried.
The next day, she held her son and sent Qin Fang and others to the city gate of Yunxiang County.
Compared to Qin Fang's peace of mind, the officials of the Ministry of Works were also worried when they returned to Beijing this time. The formula of the Huo medicine was only known to these few officials, and the emperor would obviously not let the formula leak out. So, what made them most relieved? Naturally, it was her.
Therefore, they were also worried when they returned to the capital.
Qin Fang looked at his wife and son behind him and waved: "Go back, I will be back as soon as possible. It's cold, don't freeze here."
Yang Haiyan didn't say anything, and little Qin Linyang waved to his father. In his eyes, his father's trip to the capital today was just like his trip to the military camp any other day, and his father would be back when the sun went down the mountain.
Qin Fang laughed and cursed: "You have no conscience."
Yu Nian said: "General Qin has a virtuous wife and a filial son, which really makes me envious." He knew that the emperor valued Qin Fang and would most likely transfer Qin Fang back to the capital to serve, so he was willing to befriend Qin Fang. Although he is currently a Beijing official and looks more prestigious than Qin Fang, once Qin Fang is transferred back to the capital to serve, he will be surrounded by the halo of Du Ke's student, which will be different. Even if he comes from a poor family, he is still a backer, and he is also highly valued by the emperor.
According to Tao Shan's walking speed, it would take three days to get from Yunxiang County to the capital. But this time they were carrying drugs and were more careful, so it took five days. As Qin Fang said, in the territory of Qi, the thousand-man team really didn't dare to rob, and they were willing but not strong enough. If even such a large team didn't dare to rob, it meant that they were ready for rebellion.
Five days later, they arrived in the capital.
A large amount of drugs arrived at the gate of the capital city, with great pomp and circumstance, and boxes of stuff, which shocked the guards of the capital city. But Yu Nian led the team, wearing the uniforms of the Imperial Guards, and the guards of the capital city dared not stop them, nor dared to check the stuff inside. The Imperial Guards were the emperor's men, not to mention the fifth-rank guards of the capital city who dared not stop them, nor dared to check their stuff, even the royal relatives and nobles did not dare to do so.
The fire extinguisher was transported directly to the gate of the palace. The emperor in the imperial study heard the news and came over in person. Although the emperor had never been to Yunxiang County to see the ore in person, he knew that the sulfur and saltpeter mines were small. Now that he saw so many finished fire extinguishers, he knew how big the ore was.
"Your Majesty, I, the humble general Qin Fang, am here to pay my respects." Qin Fang stepped forward and saluted.
When the emperor saw Qin Fang, it was like seeing a gold ingot: "No need to be polite. How much medicine do you have here?"
Qin Fang said: "A total of eight thousand bags."
Eight thousand packages? There were only two hundred packages transported to Yongzhou military camp before, so eight thousand packages is a big advantage. Thinking of this, the emperor couldn't help but say: "You did a good job on this matter, really good."
Qin Fang said modestly: "Your Majesty, thank you for the compliment. It is my honor to serve you." Qin Fang meant what he said. The emperor had always been very good to him. In his heart, the emperor was a good emperor.
The emperor didn't say much: "Come on, follow me."
"promise."
The emperor took Qin Fang around the palace and introduced some of the basic sites of the palace to Qin Fang. Chi Zongguan followed behind and was shocked. Why did the emperor tell General Qin about the layout of the palace? Did the emperor let General Qin serve in the palace
While Manager Chi was thinking about it, they had already arrived at the upper study.
The upper study is where the prince studies. It is now morning and the sound of reading aloud can be heard from inside.
The emperor said, "My princes are all inside. I will really take you in to meet them."
Qin Fang said respectfully, "Yes." But he was also shocked in his heart.
The new tutor is surnamed Cui. His current position is the same as that of the former tutor Yang, but there is a difference between tutor Cui and tutor Yang. The Yang family is a noble family with great power, so tutor Yang seems to have no real power, but in fact his power is small. Tutor Cui was promoted by the emperor. He was also born in a poor family, but he was very talented in writing, so tutor Cui's position is just an empty title without real job.
When Cui Fu saw the emperor coming, he hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Because the emperor often came to the study to see how the princes were studying, both Master Cui and the princes were surprised. However, this time he brought a stranger with him, which made the princes stare at him curiously.
"Greetings, father." Although the princes were curious and couldn't help but look secretly, they did not ignore the proper etiquette.
The emperor said, "No need to be polite. This is General Qin, the one who discovered sulfur and saltpeter. General Qin is loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and is a pillar of the country."
Qin Fang almost felt dizzy wearing this hat.
The four princes said to Qin Fang: "Greetings, General Qin."
Qin Fang stepped aside and saluted: "I greet your highnesses."
The emperor asked again: "Second brother, do you recognize General Qin?"
The second prince was stunned. He didn't expect to be named. He looked at Qin Fang carefully. He had no impression of Qin Fang, but he didn't know why his father asked him. The second prince said: "I have some impression. It seems that I have seen him somewhere. But I was young before I returned to the palace. Even if I had seen him, I might have forgotten it."
The emperor nodded and said, "Okay, you can continue your studies." Then he took Qin Fang out of the study. On the way, the emperor sighed and asked, "Do you have an impression of the second prince?"
Qin Fang felt puzzled: "Your Highness is so precious, yet you are in the capital. I was in Baili Village before I joined the army, and I was in the Yongzhou military camp after I joined the army. I have been in Yunxiang County for the past few days. How could I have met Your Highness?"
The emperor said, "My son has a miserable life. He once wandered in the border for a period of time. I thought you met by chance." His son had lived in General Ao's mansion, and Qin Fang and General Ao knew each other, so the emperor asked this question. "My dear, your three-year term will be up in March next year. What are your plans for the future? Do you want to come to the capital?"
Qin Fang naturally didn't dare to say that he wanted to, how could he ask so directly? But since the emperor asked this, Qin Fang could not help but evade the question, so he said: "Wait for the Ministry of Personnel to assess, and then the court will make arrangements."
The emperor said: "The transfer of military officers is just an assessment by the Ministry of Personnel. I have been on the throne for four years, and have come to this point step by step, but I lack confidants around me. Are you willing to be my confidant?"
Qin Fang was shocked and immediately knelt down: "I am willing to go through fire and water for the emperor." Although he said so, Qin Fang was confused in his heart. What was the purpose of the emperor's action today
The emperor nodded, "You are welcome. The capital is a big melting pot, and the noble families are used to doing superficial work. If you are transferred back to the capital, your family will need someone to hold up the scene. Although Mrs. Bingyun is virtuous, she was born as a maid after all. When she gets along with other women, it is difficult for her to hold up the scene. How about I find a better marriage for you? What do you think of the eldest daughter of the Cui family?"
Qin Fang was startled and fell to his knees: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I have sworn that I will be with my wife forever, in this life, the next life, or three lives, and I will never let her down." He was nervous and sweat broke out on his forehead. He was afraid that the emperor's kindness would destroy his good family. If that was the case, he might... have committed a crime.
The emperor looked at the nervous and uneasy minister in front of him, and read his words of deep love for his wife. He suddenly thought of his own youth. He had also loved a woman and told her that they would be together forever. However... she did not wait for him. At this moment, looking at the minister in front of him, it was as if he was looking at himself. The man in the capital was beautiful. Who had three wives and four concubines in the capital? This was the first time he had seen someone like Qin Fang. The emperor felt that he was very similar to himself.
He also loves beauty and has only loved one girl, but in order to rescue her from the palace, he was forced by the late emperor to marry the girl from the Ren family, and later took a concubine. The emperor felt that he was forced to do so, and now he wanted to see his helplessness happen to Qin Fang.
So he said, "Please leave. I just mentioned it casually."
If Du Ke knew what the emperor was thinking, he would definitely complain in his heart, saying that he could just take a wife and concubines, but he had to say that he had no choice. This was really like taking advantage of the situation and then acting ungratefully.
Qin Fang got up, but his heart was beating hard. He couldn't come to the capital. Today, the emperor wanted to arrange a marriage for him, and he would definitely arrange a marriage for him tomorrow.
The emperor continued, "I heard that your family has two brothers who are your own flesh and blood?"
Qin Fang said: "I have two brothers and one cousin. My second brother Qin Shouye is eighteen years old this year, my third brother Qin Shoucheng is fifteen years old this year, and my cousin Qin Shouxin is fourteen years old this year."
Emperor: "Oh? Your brother is planning to get married?"
Qin was worried that the emperor would arrange marriages for his brothers. It was not that he looked down on his brothers, but that his brothers had no achievements or official positions. If the emperor arranged marriages, at least they would be concubines of the official family. It was not that such girls were good, but that he was worried that the official family would be arrogant and take a fancy to his brothers. So he thought for a while and said, "My second brother has been engaged. He is engaged to a commoner family in Yunxiang County. The family's surname is Xu. They have one son and one daughter. The son is a soldier in my camp. My third brother is taking the imperial examination in his hometown. I don't know that he hasn't arranged a marriage yet. My mother mentioned it before and it seems to be hers. As for my fourth brother, he is still young, so he hasn't arranged a marriage yet." At the age of fourteen, it's not necessary to arrange a marriage so early. And Qin Fang felt that the emperor was not willing to arrange a marriage for his cousin.
The emperor said, "Is that so? My dear minister, you must be tired from traveling so go back and rest."
Qin Fang: "As you wish."
When Qin Fang left, his heart was calm for a long time.
Officials like Qin Fang who came back from outside the capital could stay at the posthouse in the capital. However, when Qin Fang walked out of the palace gate, he saw a carriage parked at the palace gate. The curtains of the carriage were opened, and the carriage was looking at him. Qin Fang was delighted and strode forward: "Teacher."
Du Ke said, "Come up." They were master and apprentice, so they had to avoid touching each other, so Du Ke went directly to the palace gate to wait for Qin Fang. Qin Fang had sent the medicine back to Beijing today, and Du Ke also got the news, so he left the military office early and came to the palace gate to wait.