Chapter 69 sixty eight

Three carriages were driving on the Tongguan official road, and Hou Junji, who was dressed in coarse clothes, was riding a fine horse. Compared to the Battle of Banqiao, he was a bit older, but his back was still straight.Chi Deli and the others followed behind him, all wearing bamboo hats, one could tell that they had come from a rainy place in the south. Daughter Haitang lifted the curtain from the first car and poked her head out, saying, "Father! Why don't you take a car and ride a horse instead?" Coupled with the aura cultivated by living in the southern country for two years, she was filled with a fresh breath.

Hou Junji turned his head and said to his daughter: "Your father and I have been riding horses all our lives, and I wish I could sleep on the saddle. The wheels of this cart are dangling, and I can't sit on it." The maid Ling'er whispered in Haitang's ear: "Miss, that person you always talk about—will he come to pick you up?" You little hoof, what nonsense are you talking about!" Hou Junji smiled slightly, but the expression of adopted son Chi Deli beside him changed slightly.They all knew who Linger was talking about.Back then when Jieli attacked Chang'an, Hou Junji risked his life to fight. Li Shimin personally ordered Haitang to be taken to the palace to be taken care of by Empress Changsun. Soon after Li Chengqian returned from Li Yi's army, he went to Qiyun Palace to visit the queen in the morning and evening almost every day. Haitang Being able to get acquainted with him and seeing him a lot, a seed of love was unconsciously planted in the two of them.Later, when Hou Junji was ordered to go out of Jingping Dingjie Rebellion, Li Chengqian actually sent fifty miles away.Everyone understood that he, who had already been crowned prince, was not sending off Hou Junji, but Haitang.

The group of people was heading north, when suddenly, someone shouted: "Marshal, isn't that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?" Haitang hurriedly poked her head out of the car and looked forward. There are few officials, and the one at the front is Li Chengqian, whom she has been thinking about day and night. The convoy drove forward slowly, and when they came to the pavilion, Hou Junji got off his horse and saluted Li Chengqian, with a moved expression on his face, he said: "How dare His Royal Highness come out of Guo to welcome you?" Li Chengqian cupped his hands and said: "Where is the word, the general has been fighting for years and it has been very hard. Shouldn't it be right for me to take a few more steps? Besides, this is what the sage wants!" After gathering, look around.

The curtain was lifted, revealing Haitang's absolutely beautiful face, the two of them met each other, and Haitang put down the curtain a little bit shyly, her heart beating non-stop.Ling'er said from the side: "Miss, look at what the prince is holding in his hand." Haitang looked out from the crack of the curtain, Li Chengqian's one hand was impressively holding a branch of crabapple, Haitang's eyes fell on that branch of flower, and her heart was full of tears. As soon as it was hot, tears flashed in his eyes.She understood the meaning of this flower, and she said to Li Chengqian in her heart: "I knew it, you will wait for me here."

The convoy entered the city bustlingly all the way, and stopped in front of the Hou Mansion.Hou Junji got off his horse and said, "Well, we're home." Haitang got off the car and looked at the dilapidated yard with mixed feelings.Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a few blooming crabapple branches protruding from the wall, and hurried into the yard, and was shocked by the scene in front of her: the yard was full of crabapple trees, and clusters of blooming flowers were blooming quietly. , she gently stretched her hand towards a bunch of flower branches, and then retracted suddenly, as if she couldn't bear to disturb them.At some point, Li Chengqian had quietly walked to her side.

Haitang didn't look at him, and said in a low voice, "You planted them all after I left?" Li Chengqian replied, "Yes." Haitang asked, "Why did you plant so many begonias?" Li Chengqian said softly "Don't you really understand who I planted them for? I come here every spring, standing among the flowers, as if surrounded by you!" Her big eyes rolled down. "Haitang, Haitang!" A crisp voice came from outside the door, and the two turned their heads to see that it was Princess Ankang running in like a deer.Haitang's face was full of surprise: "Sister Ankang!" The two hugged each other tightly and jumped and danced. When Haitang was in the palace, Ankang, who had just lost his mother, happened to be raised by the eldest grandson empress. Suffering the pain of losing their mother, the same experience made them quickly become best friends. The two years apart made them miss each other badly.

Li Chengqian was left out in the cold, Ankang understood what his brother was thinking, but pretended to be stupid and made a face at him.In his heart, Li Chengqian kept scolding this dead girl for being ungrateful, and insisted on being between him and Haitang, but how could he, an older brother, say such words? At this time, the outside of the courtyard became more lively. Ankang came with Li Shimin's car. What a big event the emperor's presence is. Hou Junji and all his family members fell to their knees on the ground. , Long live my emperor!" Li Shimin quickly took Hou Junji's hand and said, "Junji, get up, get up! You all get up too."

Hou Junji stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I didn't go to see you, but you came to see me first. Isn't this a way to kill me as a minister?" Li Shimin smiled heartily and said, "I miss you." Ah, can't wait! Come on, let's talk inside." Li Shimin stepped forward, and his gaze fell on Hou Junji's luggage. The hood of a carriage had been lifted, revealing four jars. Standing next to him was a burly but unremarkable man.Li Shimin recognized that it was Hou Junji's adoptive son and Chi Deli, a fierce general of the Flying Tiger Army. He walked over and patted Chi Deli on the shoulder, then lifted the lid of a jar, smelled it and asked, "Your adoptive father Is it still a little home?"

Chi Deli lowered his hands, and replied respectfully: "Back to the emperor, only eleven of the 800 Flying Tigers survived the battle at Bianqiao! From then on, the adoptive father saved almost all his salary to support the old family members. It's been a year, and he usually puts four kinds of pickles on the dinner table." Li Shimin looked back at Hou Junji, with a look of emotion on his face: "Hey, you, what can I say about you!" Hou Junji looked He said plainly: "They are all soldiers from the hometown who followed the minister, who will pay the debt if the minister does not pay it?"

The two entered the hall and took their seats. Li Shimin first asked Hou Junji about the situation of Xiangyang's pacification of the Ding Festival, and then turned to the main topic, talking about the strategy for the pacification of Hu that he had agreed with Li Jing and others, and finally mentioned the Flying Tiger Army. .Li Shimin told Hou Junji that he called him back to take charge of the Imperial Guard in the name of General Zuowei, but it was actually just a cover. His real intention was to ask Hou Junji to train a new army of flying tigers.