Little Cardamom

Chapter 109:

Three months later, I went to Beijing.

People change their winter jackets into spring shirts, and the willow trees along the Xianjiang River sprout, and it is another year of spring. The Chunzheng Street in front of Pingguo's mansion was blocked by vehicles and horses from various mansions. It turned out that the wife of the Duke and the wife of the prince organized this year's spring banquet together.

Bai Minmin is now the wife of the eldest son of the Duke of Pingguo, and it is her duty to assist in the affairs of the government. However, she enjoys the banquet, so if she is asked to host the banquet, she will not be very interested.

Fortunately, there is a sister-in-law like Zhang Hanmiao who is keen on this way in the mansion.

Because Zhang Hanmiao's previous banquets always had troubles, Mrs. Pingguo didn't allow her to organize it for a long time. But now thinking that she has also reached the age of seeing others, and doing it a few more times is the right to practice, so I just turn a blind eye and let her go.

"It turned out to be Hanmiao's effort. I don't know when you were so thoughtful and appropriate." Zhou Jingwan sniffed the bamboo green tea specially prepared for her, and said softly.

"Although it's Hanmiao's effort, but I have someone prepare your bamboo green tea, okay? Last time when you watched a play, you said that you have accumulated food for the past few days and your breath is not going well. I will keep that in mind." Bai Minmin He would never let down his own contribution, "There is also this cup of A-Tan, which is cooked with the fresh snow on plums stored in winter, A-Tan likes it the most!"

Hearing the words, Ming Tan picked up the teacup and sniffed it lightly, took a sip, put it down and said, "Is it married after all, it's never been so meticulous before."

Bai Minmin wanted to refute her, but she had a thin face and pale lips, she swallowed the words again, then turned around and ordered: "Bring a hand stove for the princess."

The servant girl should be blessed, Ming Tan shouted: "No need, it's already spring, what kind of hand stove should I use?"

"Although it's spring, it's warm and cold at this time. Your injuries are still not fully healed, and your bones are weak, so you can't catch cold."

Bai Minmin's words were a little lower.

Outsiders didn't know about Ming Tan's injury, and he didn't show up for several months, and he only found a reason for the cold. After all, such a major incident happened in the Jing'an Hou's mansion. It is only human nature for her not to go out and flaunt her serious illness.

Speaking of which, the matter of the return of the military power by the Marquis of Jing'an is also very delicate.

If it is said that His Majesty is magnanimous, this military power has actually been taken back.

If it is said that His Majesty cannot tolerate the Marquis of Jing'an, the serious crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason has actually cleared his grievances.

The Marquis of Jing'an asked to resign, and His Majesty was also very generous, and sang three requests and three persuasions with him before reluctantly accepting the military power. However, he was not allowed to resign from the post of deputy privy envoy. Later, he took the imperial physician to visit the palace in person, and promoted Ming Heng, the prince of Jing'an Hou, as the general judge of Quanzhou and concurrently as the envoy of Tonggang City. declining momentum.

"By the way, I heard from my father-in-law that my uncle got into an argument with Liu Yushi in the court yesterday?" Bai Minmin probed, "It seems that it is because His Royal Highness Dingbei killed a general in the northwest, because of this incident , Liu Yushi also turned up the old account of him delaying it for five days before catching up with the army."

Ming Tan didn't seem to have heard the last part of the sentence, so he replied as if nothing had happened: "It's not the first time that my father and Liu Yushi have quarreled. They were so red-faced in court, and they can drink together in private, so the relationship is not bad."

She used a small piece of green pear with sugar cheese, and said: "Speaking of which, after Dad handed over the military power, he became a lot more relaxed. It is a good thing that he can spend more time with the child when the mother gives birth."

Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan looked at each other.

His Royal Highness King Dingbei went out of the city that day, but someone insisted on chasing him, temporarily transferred a spacious carriage, and invited Imperial Physician Feng to accompany him along the way to prevent the wound from bursting.

Fortunately, the night rain never stopped, so a group of soldiers and horses were stationed outside the city, and when it was daylight, they finally caught up.

Everyone thought that she did this to let the past go, but after returning home, she never mentioned it to His Royal Highness King Dingbei.

In the past three months, the situation of the Northwest Army has spread to Beijing, and she has never taken the initiative to inquire about it. Some people say that no matter whether she wins or loses, she is indifferent, and she does not read the letters sent home, let alone reply.

Bai Minmin was very courageous, taking advantage of the large number of people in the house today, she turned her face and brushed her own face, and asked cautiously: "A Tan, I can't figure it out. On the day His Royal Highness Dingbei left the city, you still chased after him." Don't let people die, how come the news to the prince in the past few months is..."

Ming Tan glanced at her, and said in a cold voice, "I told him not to die, it was out of consideration for the overall situation, if his life and death has nothing to do with Daxian's territory, and Daxian's soldiers, whoever wants to take care of him."

"Then you really endured humiliation for the sake of the country and the people..."

Getting used to fighting with Zhang Huaiyu, Bai Minmin answered without thinking.

"...?"

"Is the Pingguo government chasing away guests now?"

"Minmin can't talk, so ignore her." Zhou Jingwan pushed the sugared green pear in front of Ming Tan, and then gave Bai Minmin a look, "Don't go up front to greet her, don't bother A Tan here."

Bai Minmin looked astonished and innocent, "I" didn't say anything for a long time, and Zhou Jingwan rushed to the front to entertain guests.

However, Bai Minmin is not the only one who can't speak. Ming Tan has not been out for a long time, but when he suddenly appeared, many noble ladies stepped forward to talk to him.

I don't know who joked: "The spring feast today reminds me of a few words, 'Spring feast, a cup of green wine and singing again, and then three wishes to Chen: one wishes the king a thousand years old, the other wishes the concubine to be healthy, The three wishes are like Liang Shangyan, and we will meet each other every year." I heard that the king of Dingbei had led his army into Lu County, Rongzhou a few days ago. May your husband live a thousand years."

Ming Tan smiled and remained silent.

Zhou Jingwan changed the subject calmly and said: "I don't know if my husband will be a thousand years old, but it's not easy for my concubine to be healthy. This time, the wind and cold have been going on for a long time, and everyone hasn't seen each other for a long time."

"Yeah, it's better now? It looks a lot thinner."

"We have to keep warm in this cold spring. If you catch a cold, it's not worth getting back sick."

..

After a few sentences, everyone talked together, went to the theater to watch a couple of plays, and then went to the polo field to watch polo, Ming Tan's injury will heal soon, and he shouldn't be too tired, so he planned to Turned around.

Saying goodbye outside the mansion, Ming Tan was about to board the carriage when suddenly the guards from the Gyeonggi Camp hurried over and had something to report to Zhang Huaiyu.

Seeing that his face was familiar, Bai Minmin didn't pay much attention and wanted to let him in, but when he saw Ming Tan while saluting, he couldn't help but take a second look, Bai Minmin noticed something strange, and suddenly asked: "What do you have to tell the prince? Northwest military situation?"

"This..." the guard hesitated, "Yes, my subordinates have something to report to the Northwest Army.

"What's wrong with King Dingbei, tell me quickly!"

"His Royal Highness King Dingbei is seriously injured and unconscious!" The guard gritted his teeth, finished speaking very quickly, and buried his head firmly.

Ming Tan's figure seemed to shake for a moment, and his lips turned pale.

Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan both stepped forward to support her.

"A Tan, are you okay?" Bai Minmin was a little worried and annoyed, the guard's expression just now didn't seem to be joyful, if I had known this, I might as well not have asked!

Zhou Jingwan also said with relief: "His Royal Highness King Dingbei is an auspicious person, and he will definitely wake up. The military situation is probably delayed, and it is impossible to believe that His Highness has already woken up at this moment."

"Wake up or not, it has nothing to do with me." Ming Tan quickly recovered, stood firm, and turned back expressionlessly, "I'm back home."

Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan watched her get into the carriage, with deep worry that couldn't be concealed in their eyes.

The carriages and horses of Dingbei Prince's Mansion drove all the way out of Chunzheng Street, Ming Tan was sitting in the car, for some reason, she suddenly opened the curtain and ordered, "Go to Lingmiao Temple."

The siege of the city has always been difficult. The twelfth lunar month was deep in winter until the spring warmed up. The northwest frontier was already full of corpses. The battlefield was smoky, and the blood was mixed with the smell of corpses that would not be cleaned up in the future, and the whole sky was infected. They're all dark shades of gray.

The origin of the battle in the northwest was because Beihe Hu looked at Yang West Road, but now the main two sides in the battle have become Daxian and Qiang Yu.

Bei He was caught off guard by Da Xian, and retreated steadily, how could he dare to Xiao Xiangyang West Road, and moved back a hundred miles northward in desperation, even abandoning Qiang and Yu who were allied with him.

Don't chase after poor bandits, and what's more, the intention of making a big show is not in Beihe, and the troops in the northwest are not enough to divide the troops to fight, so Jiang Xu made a fuss about the alliance between Qiangyu and Beihe to take Yangxi Road, and made a fuss about Qiangyu's occupation. Rongzhou marched forward and launched a battle to recover.

If Rongzhou is recovered, it will not become the last state of Daxian's lost thirteen states. The Qiang and Yu soldiers were strong and strong, and they had all the advantages of the terrain. Even Jiang Xu and other generals led the troops personally, and they were very difficult to conquer. They often advanced three inches and were forced to retreat two inches.

No one knows how long this kind of time will last. Now His Royal Highness King Dingbei is injured, and sometimes even the soldiers start to doubt whether they will have a day to reunite with their families.

..

"My lord is awake! My lord is awake!" The soldiers guarding the tent suddenly ran outside to announce happily.

Soon, the military doctor and his confidant generals all rushed to the commander's account.

After diagnosing the pulse, the chief military doctor breathed a sigh of relief: "My lord is fine, and I will be able to stay in bed after a few days of rest."

It was true that Jiang Xu was in a coma for a few days after being ambushed, but he was not as seriously injured as the letter said. He was unconscious, most likely due to days of hard work, exhaustion, and lack of rest.

It's just that the more exaggerated the better the news that goes out, otherwise how can the thieves relax their vigilance.

The military doctor said that they need to rest for a few more days. For those who are capable of fighting, every day they stop, they burn all the money, money, money and lives of the army, so how can they allow them to rest well.

After Jiang Xu woke up, he listened to the reports from the generals for an hour, and the subordinates handed over a thick pile of secret letter notebooks, and he sat under the oil lamp, and asked people to present the serious ones.

After he finished reading and answering each letter, his subordinates reminded him: "My lord, here is a letter of condolence from His Majesty. Pingguo Duke's Mansion, Changguo Duke's Mansion, Jing'an Hou Mansion, and Zuo Xiangfu's Mansion have all written letters. There are Yi family."

"Is the palace still there?"

"No.."

Jiang Xu was silent: "Bring it from the Jing'an Houfu."

The subordinates are busy presenting it.

He scans the letter.

It was written by his father-in-law, and it was all about arguing with Liu Yushi in the court, whether he should be reprimanded for beheading the lazy war general without asking the holy will, and there are more than a hundred words in it, without mentioning a single person.

He read the remaining few letters one by one, all concerned about his injury, he read very quickly, with no expression on his face.

It happened that Shen Yu heard that he was awake, and came to see him with another general.

Jiang Xu raised his eyelids, and seeing Shen Yu's face full of spring breeze, he asked abruptly, "Did you win Rongzhou? Why are you so happy?"

The general next to him teased: "Little General Shen just read the warm letter from Nan Lu, aren't you happy?"

Shen Yu scratched the back of her head embarrassingly, coughed twice, and said dryly, "My lord, you are awake, are you okay?"

Jiang Xu stared at the topographic map of Rongzhou with downcast eyes, and said in a chilly voice, "This king is very good. You will be better off if you don't stand in front of this king."