It was just daybreak and people were coming and going in the outer courtyard of Guo's mansion. Some were squatting at the door, chewing willow branches that had been soaked in a bucket all night and brushing their teeth, while others were standing at the door, stretching and yawning.
Dong Er was putting on a leather armor when he suddenly saw his sister standing at the door. He called out to her, "Come and help me tie the straps at the back. Hey, sister, why are you running out so early?"
Dong Sanmei didn't answer, but stepped forward silently to help.
I bought something for you and was just thinking of a way to give it to you. Dong Er suddenly said, "Turn around." Sanmei turned her back obediently with no expectation on her face, and Dong Er took out something from the pillow.
He walked back and covered his third sister's eyes with his hands.
The third sister's face suddenly turned red. It was as if she heard a loving voice whispering in her ear: Don't look at it, it's not suitable for me.
He seemed to have suddenly descended from the sky. Sanmei had never seen such a person since she was born. When she saw him for the first time, her eyes were full of pity and love. Why was he so kind to her, a person who had nothing to do with her? Even Sanmei's biological father had never treated her like this. Before she left her hometown in Hedong, she thought that the world was just like that. She didn't know that there was another completely different world and another completely different kind of people.
Dong Er laughed and said, "The silver hairpin is real silver. I can afford it now."
The third sister took it silently.
What’s wrong? Dong Er asked, “Are you unhappy?”
The third sister shook her head and a smile appeared on her red face: Thank you, second brother, second brother, if Alang comes to you and says he wants to take me in as his sister, don't agree to him.
Dong Er was stunned: "It's a good thing that the master wants to recognize you as his sister. You stay in this yard all day and don't understand. You don't know how people in Tokyo treat the master when I go out with the master. You are the master's sister, and you will be a lady from now on."
I don't want to be his stepsister. The third sister pouted her lips stubbornly and said, "If the second brother agrees, I will ignore you in the future."
At this moment, Dong Er glanced outside the door and said: My lord, it's time to go out. I have to prepare the horse. We can talk about that when I come back in the afternoon.
Second brother, remember what I said, my third sister reminded me.
Soon, the sun rose.
The inside of the Dianqiansi Yamen was a mirror, and there were only two people sitting in the lobby. The tall Shi Yanchao slammed a letter on the table, looked back at the empty lobby, and his eyes stayed on Yuan Yan: Is the Dianqiansi going to disband
Yuan Yan was fifty years old, his face was covered with deep wrinkles, his skin was dark yellow, but his body was strong and tough. He pointed to the letter on the table and said:
What can't be seen? It's the things that Inspector Zhang kept. Shi Yanchao said unhappily.
It was the hour of Mao, and the scene in the hall was indescribably lonely. The huge Dianqiansi organization was originally headed by many generals; but now it was scattered, with only two generals left.
The commander-in-chief Zhao Kuangyin's Iron Cavalry's left wing commander Shi Shouxin and the commander-in-chief Wang Shenqi of the Iron Cavalry's right wing escaped; the commander-in-chief Zhao Chao of the Control Crane Army's left wing was beheaded, and it was Shi Yanchao who did it. In just two months, the Palace Front Department lost four senior generals.
And now, after reading Zhang Yongde's letter, Yuan Yan said: Inspector Zhang is sick.
Let’s break up, let’s break up, Shi Yanchao shouted.
Yuan Yan didn't care and said: What is lacking is a high-ranking general. There are a lot of people who want to do it and can do it. Deputy Shi is still afraid that there will be no one. In less than half a month, it will be lively here again. It will be interesting to see who will do the inspection.
Shi Yanchao blurted out: No, Guo Shao
Yuan Yan smiled but said nothing.
Shi Yanchao slammed the table and said: "Since the Palace Front Office is in such a mess now, there is nothing to do. Let's make a bet. We bet 200 strings of cash and the deadline is half a month. If Guo Shao does the inspection, I will lose 200 strings of cash to you; otherwise, you give me
No, no. Yuan Yan immediately refused, I am a subordinate of Deputy Shi, several levels lower than you, and when the time comes, I will take money from you, and the money will be very hot.
Shi Yanchao laughed and scolded: "Damn, you are such a nasty person." He made me feel so stingy that I would hate you for losing 200 strings of cash.
Deputy Shi must be very magnanimous, but he is not happy when he loses money. It is human nature that even I am not happy when I lose money. Yuan Yan said.
Shi Yanchao said: Come on, stop talking nonsense. Now that I have won your money, I am not afraid that you will hate me.
No. Yuan Yan shook his head and said, the winner is too obvious, it's boring. Deputy Shi's words implied that he was not satisfied with General Guo's inspection.
He is a junior, only in his early twenties. Why should you submit to him? Shi Yanchao said with his eyes wide open.
Yuan Yan said: I am quite impressed. There is no one I can admire more. The emperor has his own ministers. Why not support him as the chief inspector
Shi Yanchao said: There is no reason. I just won't accept it unless he defeats the Liao army and takes back the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.
Yuan Yan said: We have won in Zhuozhou for a while. The reason we didn't defeat the main force of the Liao army was because the troops under General Guo were far inferior to us. Besides, even the late emperor couldn't do it when it comes to Youzhou, and Deputy Shi is asking too much.
I heard that Li Jixun, Li Chongjin and Li Yun were all going to rebel. If he could defeat Li Yun, I would also obey him. Shi Yanchao smiled and said, I have seen Li Yun before. He is not an easy person to deal with. Li Chongjin was not just a name, but unfortunately he did not have many elite soldiers.
Yuan Yan whispered: "I advise Deputy Shi to be careful with his words. Who said that Li Yun wanted to rebel?"
At this time, a eunuch was brought in. When Yuan Yan saw that it was Yang Shiliang, he stood up and saluted. Shi Yanchao, however, was sitting on a chair, and asked with squinting eyes: "What do you want to see you for?"
Yang Shiliang glanced at Shi Yanchao and said: The Empress Dowager has ordered that all the generals of the Palace Guard Department be summoned to the Jinxiang Palace to discuss matters.
There are only two of us in the Palace Front Department, let’s go. Shi Yanchao pointed at Yuan Yan and said.
Shi Yanchao promptly asked Yuan Yan to go out with him and went straight to Donghuamen, because the Dianqiansi Yamen was closest to Donghuamen.
Behind the main hall of Jinxiang Palace, Fu Jinzhan was waiting for the ministers and generals to arrive. She paced back and forth in front of a couch, while Cao Tai and others beside her bowed and stood by her. Seeing that she looked unwell, they dared not breathe.
She had thought about many things thousands of times and had made a decision, but she was still a little nervous when the time came. What she did today was to completely hand over the handle of the knife to one person. Fu Jinzhan thought: In the face of supreme power, people are willing to give everything; the world and people's hearts are like this, and many honest gentlemen are not morally high but the visible temptation is not strong enough.
Fu Jinzhan thought: He will not betray me, I believe his previous heart. But people will change, how long can his loyalty last in the face of power
She could even foresee the process of betrayal. Once Guo Shao had enough prestige and strength to usurp the throne, he would get rid of the power that was pressing on him. He no longer needed to please anyone, and no one else needed to restrict his will. In the face of power that could do whatever he wanted and get everything, the value of a woman was not worth mentioning at all, no matter what her status was, even her own mother could not do it, just like Emperor Wu of Han forcibly took power from the Queen Mother.
Fu Jinzhan will lose her power and her status and become the empress dowager of the previous dynasty. Being frozen out and kept in captivity is the best option. Even the Fu family will support Guo Shao's approach because there are more suitable candidates for the benefit of the Fu family: Fu Ermei or even Fu Liu.
Of course, there is a worse ending, where Guo Shao fails with her and is replaced by someone else.
Fu Jinzhan is not suspicious, but her past experiences have made her see a lot and become more rational. When the river was broken, even her parents were unreliable. At that time, her father Fu Yanqing and her mother Zhang had decided to ignore her fate and save the reputation of the Fu family. As a result, Fu Jinzhan could only remarry Chai Rong soon after her husband's death. She had to stay with Chai Rong for six or seven years, relying on her own torment, rather than being able to rely on anyone's protection.
Fu Jinzhan sighed inwardly, would her heart die with it? If Guo Shao betrayed her, she would really die completely, and even her soul would be doomed. She imagined that at that moment, she would be disheartened in despair and loneliness. That was not regret, but real coldness and silence.
Queen Mother, the ministers have all arrived. Cao Tai said carefully.
Fu Jinzhan turned around, raised her head, and walked out without saying a word. A group of people led the way in front, and the palace maids followed behind with fans in their hands. Cao Tai followed and asked in a low voice: Does the Queen Mother want me to follow the original decree
Fu Jinzhan nodded slightly.
When she arrived at the palace, she sat down on the curtained imperial couch. Then she heard the crowd below kneeling and saying loudly: "Your Highness, we are here to see the Queen Mother."
Stand up. Fu Jinzhan calmed down and looked at Cao Tai slightly.
Cao Tai stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began to recount the events leading up to the late emperor's death. The ministers of the Privy Council and the generals above the rank of commander of the Palace Guards and the Imperial Guards listened in silence.
After a long while, Cao Tai bowed again and turned his head to look at it, and said: The Queen Mother's decree. Today, Zhang Yongde, the chief inspector of the Palace Front, is seriously ill at home and has written a letter to resign. The military post of the Palace Front Division is vacant, and the various camps of the government offices are in chaos. It is advisable to select talented people to rectify the Palace Front Division to restore the strength of the imperial army. Guo Shao, Li Chuyun, and Yang Biao have made great contributions in protecting the emperor in times of crisis. They should be the backbone of the emperor's family training. Guo Shao should be appointed as the chief inspector of the Palace Front, Li Chuyun should be appointed as the commander of the Palace Front, and Yang Biao should be appointed as the chief guard of the Palace Front. Preside over the rectification of the various camps of the Palace Front Division.
After hearing this, Fu Jinzhan looked at everyone present from behind the curtain, and no one spoke.
The new ruling center is being formed. Anyone who wants to have a place in it will be easily excluded if they come out to oppose it now. Fu Jinzhan fixed his eyes on Shi Yanchao again, and Shi Yanchao did not object.
Shi Yanchao is not a completely senseless person to have reached his current position. When the previous emperor was in power, no matter how arrogant he was, he never disobeyed the previous emperor and instead often flattered him at inappropriate times.
At this moment, Wang Pu took the lead and said: The Queen Mother is wise, and we will follow her orders.
Everyone bowed down again: the Queen Mother's wise voice echoed for a long time in the spacious hall.