Guo Shao had forgotten how long Lu Lan had been in the palace. Anyway, he had never been there and always summoned Lu Lan whenever he met her. But this time, Guo Shao heard that she had returned to the palace, so he took the initiative to go to her place to meet her.
In fact, it was not far away. Lu Lan's residence was near the Wansui Palace. The distance was not about the distance, but whether he was willing to go.
Outside the courtyard gate, Guo Shao saw the lush and green plants inside. He asked his followers to stay and walked in alone.
When Guo Shao walked into the hall, he saw Lu Lan. Her voice was a little anxious: I didn't expect His Majesty to come. This was the first sentence Guo Shao heard her say today. He was used to polite greetings, and at this time he couldn't help but smile.
Then he pointed to the white flowers dotted on the green potted plant stand and asked: What kind of flower is this
Rose. After Lu Lan finished speaking, she suddenly realized something, put her hands on her waist, bent her knees slightly and said, "I am honored to meet your majesty. I am here to show my respect."
Guo Shao glanced at her, smiled, and sat down at the table. He said, "So it's a rose. I remember it was a red flower."
Lu Lan said softly: There are red ones and white ones. But I prefer white roses, which are light red in white. They are not as fiery as red flowers, as if something is quietly and slowly sprouting.
Guo Shao seemed to be thinking deeply when he heard this. When he turned to look at Lu Lan's face, he found that her eyes were flickering.
She looked a little petite, but healthy and fresh. According to the modern aesthetic of a narrow face, Lu Lan was not beautiful, but Guo Shao had lived in ancient times for a long time and gradually adapted to the ancient people's standard of pleasing oval and round faces. Under Lu Lan's black hair, her healthy and energetic plump skin reminded people of green mountains and clear waters, without the slightest trace of worldly air.
She should be less than 20 years old, at least in Guo Shao's mind, this kind of girl is very young. She has little experience and has not experienced many helpless realities. She does not have a kind of fatigue in her bones, and still has strong expectations and longings for various things. But usually the gap will be discovered as time goes by, such as Li Yuaner.
Guo Shao asked: Is Miss Lu used to living in the palace
Lu Lan smiled: Food, clothing, housing and transportation are all the best, people speak softly and politely, and everywhere is clean, it's very good.
When Guo Shao heard her describe the palace life in this way, her words still retained the spicy flavor of the mountains, and he couldn't help but find it very interesting. He also smiled and imitated her and said: But there are a lot of rules here. You are not allowed to do this or that. You can't run around, and you can't go out at will. It may be a bit boring.
Lu Lan turned around and looked at the plants, and said: I don’t feel bored now. Those flowers and plants are growing quietly, and I feel peaceful looking at them.
Guo Shao pondered and said: Flowers and plants are indeed very good, but I don't like things that are too impetuous and impatient. In fact, even the most beautiful flowers have times when no one appreciates them and they have to endure loneliness.
Lu Lan smiled and said: Your Majesty always speaks so interestingly.
Guo Shaodao: It depends on who you are talking to.
He was silent for a moment, and then said: The courtyard where you lived was formerly the Guo Mansion. I want to give it to Madam Lu and the farm on the outskirts of Tokyo that is under the name of the Guo Mansion.
Why? Lu Lan asked in surprise.
Guo Shaodao: I want to repay you.
Lu Lan shook her head and said very simply: I don’t want it.
Guo Shao frowned and said: Madam Lu, do you think this reward is too little? Compared with his wealthy status, a yard and some land are indeed a little too little.
How can I think that this is not enough for something I cannot earn in my entire lifetime? Lu Lan's gaze stayed on Guo Shao's face, then she lowered her head and whispered, "If you really want to repay me, you don't have to do this."
Guo Shaodao: What does Madam Lu want
Normally at this time, if it was a woman who had come from the dust, she would probably just want to spend money as she wanted. But if that was the case, it wouldn't be a big pressure for Guo Shao.
Lu Lan seemed a little angry for no apparent reason, with the corners of her mouth curled up and her tone not so gentle anymore: "I have enough food and clothes, I don't need anything."
Guo Shao didn't say anything but he was not stupid. He said: "Then I'll keep the account first. If you don't change your mind after a while, I'll return it to you. But some things are hard to regret."
Lu Lan didn't know whether she was amused by anger or what, but she looked up and looked directly at Guo Shao with an interested smile on her face.
She joked: Okay, then Your Majesty will owe me a favor.
Guo Shao nodded suddenly.
But I didn’t expect that this favor would not be owed for too long.
Two days later, while Guo Shao was still working in Jinxiang Palace, he heard the eunuch Wang Zhong report that Madam Lu wanted to ask for a favor.
Guo Shao immediately put down the brush in his hand, stood up and went to Yangde Hall, sat down on the couch, and said: Please invite Madam Lu here to see me.
His attitude was very positive. Although he never thanked Madam Lu, he knew in his heart how much Madam Lu had helped him by saving Wang Pu and solving the miasma plague in Cao Bin's camp.
What's more, Lu Lan had taken good care of him many times when he was sick and was very good to Guo Shao.
Guo Shao has some ideas that I will be good to whoever is good to me, and they have not changed because of struggles and changes in power status.
At this time, Lu Lan walked in. Guo Shao saw that she looked very anxious, which was very different from the quiet and indifferent look she showed when he saw her that day.
His Majesty, Lu Lan stepped forward and called out, without even going through the formalities.
Guo Shaodao: Sit down and talk slowly first, don’t be anxious, I can help you with anything you want me to do.
When Lu Lan heard this, she asked: Is it true
Guo Shao said calmly: My words are golden and count.
There are still things in this world that the emperor cannot do, except birth, old age, sickness and death, which are beyond the control of mortals. But Lu Lan would not come to him for help in such matters.
Lu Lan was immediately delighted, her eyes were filled with tears, and she choked up and said, "I heard that my mother is with Xiao Siwen, the King of the Southern Court of Liao.
Guo Shao:
Lu Lan said: Your Majesty, please help me find my mother.
Guo Shao was speechless. He could not guarantee that Xiao Siwen would not obey the imperial edict of the Zhou emperor. Even if he was the emperor, what could he do to him
As expected, one should not speak too confidently. Guo Shao's tone was not as firm as before. He pondered and said: I think about it. He wanted to say I'll do my best, but he changed his words a moment ago and it was difficult to say it out loud.
Lu Lan said: I have never asked your Majesty for anything, but this time is different. Mother is my only relative in this world. Your Majesty is the most powerful man in the world. You will definitely be able to help me accomplish this. I will work like a cow or a horse to repay you in the future.
I am definitely willing to help Madam Lu, you should believe this. Guo Shao frowned and said, "It is reported that Xiao Siwen is no longer the King of the Southern Courtyard and is now in Shangjing.
He suddenly felt that this was an extremely difficult task. It would be difficult for a man of Xiao Siwen's level to send someone to kidnap his concubine from his home. Moreover, he was far away in Shangjing. Even if he succeeded in escaping from the Xiao Mansion and crossing the border of Liao without being caught, it would probably be impossible. There was grassland near Shangjing, and there was no place to hide like in the Central Plains.
Negotiations are not easy to carry out. If done badly, it may backfire and there will be fewer benefits, and people like Xiao Siwen will not be interested. If there are too many benefits, a concubine will not be worth it, and Xiao Siwen may become suspicious and even want to use Lu Lan's mother to threaten the Great Zhou, which would put Lu Lan's mother in danger.
Lu Lan's eagerly expectant voice said: Your Majesty, is there any way
Guo Shao glanced at her and felt worried. But if it was something that could be done easily, how could he talk about repaying her
He had already promised it before, and immediately said: There is a way, I will find your mother back.
Lu Lan was very emotional today. She burst into laughter and said with tears in her eyes: I thought my mother was no longer alive. I didn't expect to see her again. I know that nothing can stop His Majesty.
Guo Shao said helplessly: But you can't be anxious, this matter may be a bit troublesome.
Yes. Lu Lan looked at him eagerly. She wiped away her tears. The optimistic and somewhat aggressive girl looked at him with a wronged look on her face. But out of filial piety and family affection, Guo Shao wanted to help her immediately.
Guo Shao comforted her kindly: Now that we know that she is still alive, even if we can't meet immediately, it is a good thing. Madam Lu should think broadly. At least she should not suffer much now.
Lu Lan nodded continuously, but then said: The Khitans are very bad, my poor mother.
Guo Shao said a few more nice words and then stood up. Seeing this, Lu Lan thanked him profusely and knelt down, saying: Your Majesty has something important to do, I will not stay any longer.
Guo Shao glanced at Wang Zhong and asked the eunuch Wang Zhong to send Lu Lan away.
He paced back and forth in the hall, thinking: If we rescue them from Shangjing, it will be very difficult. It is said that the Han people and Khitan people in Shangjing do not live in the same place. It has not been easy to send a few spies to Shangjing in the past two years, let alone contacting Khitan nobles like Xiao Siwen.
If Xiao Siwen was in Youzhou, there would be a little hope. At least Youzhou was not far from the Central Plains.
It is very likely that the Liao Kingdom would send Xiao Siwen to Youzhou when the Zhou army launched another northern expedition. The ancients still loved to use experienced people. Xiao Siwen fought with the Zhou army many times and was very familiar with the Han army's tactics.
Lu Lan really gave Guo Shao a big problem. At present, it seems that this matter can only wait until the Northern Expedition to see whether Xiao Siwen goes south. In Shangjing, even if you want to know where Xiao Siwen lives, it is difficult. Haner can't enter the North City at all, so he has nowhere to start.
Northern Expedition, Northern Expedition, Guo Shao's mood gradually became heavy. He walked to the map and pondered the figures on it that he had already seen so many times.
Guo Shao knew that two women were kidnapped by the Khitans, and there was no telling how many more women were kidnapped by the Khitans. Moreover, the threat would continue to exist in the future, and it was unknown how many people in the Great Zhou would be robbed and harmed.
Maybe in the future we won't be able to defeat them, and we might even be forced to give money and women to the Khitans and call them dad.
Guo Shao was so exhausted that he slapped the picture with his palm, and his face turned blue.