Chapter 6 Chapter 6: The Battle for Inheritance

The Xifu army has surrounded me, I heard Tang Kai shout: "Quickly kill the rebels, there must be no mistake!" He wanted to silence me.I was shocked and angry, and I was unspeakably scared.I don't know why I stood up so recklessly just now, and now that I have reached this point, I don't know if there is room for change.I put my hand on the Baipi Knife, waiting to draw it out, but my hand was as heavy as a thousand catties, and I couldn't even move it. If I pull out the knife, the name of rebellion will be confirmed, and Tang Kai will be more justified in killing me.And Zhang Longyou, Wu Wanling, Xue Wenyi will also be implicated by me, and they may be killed on the spot as my accomplices.

Tao Shouzhuo, you are so ruthless. I was talking silently, and just as I was about to yell out loudly, two Xifu soldiers had rushed forward. I was still holding the Xifu soldier in my hand, and I pulled him to block left and right, but the two men turned their backs, and the swords couldn't touch it for a while. I.I shouted loudly: "His Royal Highness, I am not an assassin!" But I shouted loudly, which couldn't cover the noise of the Xifu army.In the panic, Tang Kai shouted: "Don't worry, those who kill assassins will be rewarded with a hundred gold!" At this time, the Xifu army surrounding me suddenly separated, and I heard a shrill voice shout: "Get out of the way!"

That was the voice of the little prince.Hearing his voice at this time, I felt a sense of grace and amnesty.Following his cry, the Xifu army stepped aside, and the little prince came over, followed by his few followers.As soon as I saw him, I called out: "Your Highness, please be clear, I am not an assassin!" I don't know if it will be useful to beg for mercy from such a half-grown boy, but there is really no other way at this time. The little prince glanced at me and said, "Is that you? Why do you want to assassinate the prince?" I was still holding onto the Naxi Army, he was so strangled by me that he couldn't breathe.I pressed him to make him kneel on the ground, and said, "Your Highness, I'm not an assassin."

"Then why are you still holding people?" My heart is wide open.At this time, the little prince is calm beyond his age, maybe I can really explain it clearly.I let go of the Xifu army, knelt down and said: "Your Highness, just now I wanted to tell His Highness the Crown Prince that those four female singers are not tributes." The little prince looked at me, as if he was considering the truth of my words.Tang Kai came over and said: "Your Highness, this person is confusing black and white. These four women were originally selected by Lord Wuhou in Gaojiu City to present to His Majesty. Although this person is the former Ministry of Wuhou, he covets the four women The beauty, who has always intended to meddle with her, took them away privately and escaped, so she refuses to tell the truth, Your Highness, please look into it."

I was dumbfounded for a while.They were indeed a group of female singers who were captured by Marquis Wu to present to the emperor, but before Marquis Wu finally died in battle, he asked me to take them out, and he never said that he still wanted me to send them to the emperor.At that time, everyone in Gaojiu City couldn't protect themselves, so what he said was probably just an excuse that he didn't want to see these beautiful women die in front of him. He must never have imagined that I could really bring them out of the city .And after escaping from Gaojiu City, not to mention me, Zhang Longyou, Wu Wanling and the others no longer regarded them as prisoners, no one thought of giving them to the emperor.Tang Kai suddenly told the truth, but I couldn't refute it.However, when we were in Futuncheng, we never told others that they were female singers. How did Tao Shouzhuo know?

The little prince's face darkened.Although he was not very old, when his face sank, there was a kind of maturity that was not like his age.He shouted at me: "What General Tang said is true?" I don't know.I thought I was right, but when Tang Kai said it like this, it seemed that I had something wrong with me.Tang Kai also said that I "have always wanted to get my hands on it", to be honest, if I really wanted to get my hands on it along the way, I would have done it a long time ago, and I don't need to wait until I enter the imperial capital to start thinking about it.I kowtowed my head and said: "Your Highness, what General Tang said is just one-sided remarks. These four folk girls from Gaojiu City, Marquis Wu took them into female music and rewarded me later. Finally, the four of them traveled northward. I have made a marriage agreement with them, and I hope Your Highness will understand." I thought to myself that Marquis Wu must be dead, and they couldn't confront him.What's more, Marquis Wu ordered me to take them away in the end, which can also be said to mean rewarding them to me, and I'm not talking nonsense.

The little prince looked at them, then shook his head suddenly and said, "They are so beautiful, they are not worthy of you, but it's no wonder that you like them." He was serious just now, and I was a little amused when he suddenly said such a childish sentence.The soldiers of the Xifu army seemed to be facing a big enemy, when they heard what he said, two of them also burst out laughing.What the little prince said is actually saying that he likes these women himself. He seems to be a little jealous of me in what he said, so he said that I am ugly.He is not very old, but he is actually a bit lecherous.

Tang Kaidao: "My lord, this man is ambitious and still talking nonsense. He can't stay. It's better to kill him as soon as possible to avoid future troubles." The little prince was a little hesitant, two Xifu soldiers came over and pointed their spears at me, maybe at this moment the little prince said "kill", they would raise their guns and drop them.I was at a loss for a while, and I didn't know what to say. At this time, the prince's voice suddenly sounded: "Wait a minute." The Xifu army surrounding me and the prince stepped aside again, revealing the prince.The prince was walking here with a few followers, the little prince heard the voice of the prince, glanced at Tang Kai and said: "General Tang, the prince wants to ask him, it's not too late to kill him after asking."

I don't know what it feels like.As soon as the prince appeared, I felt that he was very unattractive, but he ordered not to kill me.Anyway, in front of the prince, I can at least defend myself. When the prince spoke like this, Tang Kai didn't dare to say anything more, he lowered his hands and said, "Follow Your Highness's order." He took two steps back, and then said to Yemo who was standing aside: "Take off his saber, we can't let him Hurt Your Highness." Yemo Dawu came over, stretched out his hand to untie my saber, I glanced at him, but didn't speak, Yemo Dawu didn't dare to look up at me, just silently took off my saber.Just about to retreat, the prince said: "Bring his knife here."

General Yemo presented my Baipi Dao to the prince with both hands, the prince took it, took out the sword to look at it, and said: "It is General Li Sijin's Baipi Dao. It seems that you are really a general of Marquis Wu. Hou also gave you this knife." I had been brought to kneel down in front of the crown prince. Hearing what the crown prince said, I raised my head and said, "Your Highness, the last general is Chu Xiuhong, the commander of the fifth battalion of the vanguard. Promote me to be the commander of the Dragon Scale Army." The prince's hand trembled, and he said, "Shen Xiping died in battle?"

I just suddenly realized that I have never told the prince that the Southern Expedition Army has been wiped out.I said: "Your Highness, the Southern Expeditionary Army has succeeded in sweeping up the rebels in Gaojiu City, but suddenly there is an army of monsters attacking, our army is at the end of its strength, the entire army has been wiped out, and the prince has also died." The news also shocked the prince.He pointed my Baibi Saber at me and shouted: "Is what you said true?" I kowtowed and said, "every sentence is true." At this time Tang Kai also knelt down and said: "Your Highness, what this person said may not be true, Your Highness is very aware." "If you want to lie, you can't say it like this." The prince looked at the Baipi knife, stretched out his finger and flicked on the knife, the knife made a "buzzing" sound, and the lingering sound continued.He played with my saber, and suddenly said: "Are these four women originally chosen by Marquis Wu to pay tribute?" At this time, he would actually ask such a question, I really didn't expect it.But at this time, I couldn't bite the bullet and say no, so I could only say: "Yes. But, Your Highness..." "You covet their beauties, do you want to take them privately with your companions?" There was a chill in my heart.Although the prince spoke gently, what did he mean?Maybe the next sentence is to say that we will all beheaded.Knowing that the Nanzheng army was wiped out, he still talked to me about whether they were tributes. This prince was indeed born by the emperor.I gritted my teeth and said, "I did this alone, and those three were comrades in the army, but they had no intention of doing so." If you want to kill, just kill me alone, I don't want Wu Wanling and the others to be implicated by me.In my heart, it is only because of her.If the crown prince rewards her to me, then I don't care whether Qin Yanchun and the others will sacrifice her to the palace, Zhang Longyou and the others are sad and disappointed, after all it is not my business.But at this time, according to the prince's intentions, she will never be given to me. I took the matter to myself, just because I feel a little guilty about my own thoughts. The prince smiled and said, "Your name is...Chu Xiuhong, right? General Chu, you are very loyal." I lowered my head and said, "The last general doesn't dare. It's just the crown prince, the Southern Expedition Army was wiped out, those monsters are extremely powerful and domineering, this matter is extremely urgent..." The prince suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed.He laughed so loudly that I couldn't understand his mind.I looked up and looked at him.At this time the prince was not facing me, I could only see his profile, he was smiling heartily, as if there was something extremely happy, a white jade-like face, and my face changed because of the flames of war and beacon smoke. The rough face is really not the same. He stopped laughing and looked at me again.But at this moment, a fierce light suddenly appeared in his eyes.I just felt that my heart sank, and I felt like I was stepping on the ground and couldn't get to the bottom. He is going to kill me. I've seen this expression on Marquis Wu's face too.Marquis Wu and Marquis Wen are both the prince's young teachers. They both taught the prince back then, so the prince probably learned this expression from Marquis Wu.And Marquis Wu had this expression when he ordered Luan Peng to be killed. I couldn't help but turned my head and looked at her car.Their car curtains were pulled down, and there was a distance between them. She must not have heard us, and she must not have known that I was going to die soon. I sighed and turned my head, just in time to see the prince raised his hand.This action was exactly what Marquis Wu would do when he ordered to kill someone.What the prince learned from this teacher is not a half-way trick.I just don't know if the prince leading the troops is the same as Marquis Wu, otherwise, when the snake man kills the imperial capital, he will probably have to follow in Marquis Wu's footsteps.I know that as long as this hand falls, there will be a "kill", and then there will be a burst of guns or knives. I had just closed my eyes and was about to die, when suddenly from the north came a muffled blowing of a trumpet.The sound was two long and two short, and it stopped abruptly after two rings, but the ending sound continued.I raised my head, only to see the prince holding his hands in mid-air motionless, as if taken aback.The little prince came over and said, "Prince, this is the Tongtian Rhinoceros Horn." The Tongtian Rhinoceros Horn is a treasure in the Forbidden Army, its sound can reach the clouds, and it has always been used by emperors to clear the way when they go on patrol.But such two long and two short, but it is an emergency summoning order issued by the emperor.The crown prince frowned, and said: "What's going on, that you have to blow the rhinoceros horn to reach the sky?" The horn sounded again, still two long and two short.The emperor doesn't care much about government affairs. I heard that many memorials were approved by the emperor's most beloved concubine Jiang in the Forbidden Palace. A few years ago, Min Weiqiu, a famous poet in Beijing, was exiled because of his drinking. Later, he wrote two lines of poems saying, "At dusk, Huangmen is divided into melodies, and the history still feels like a fragrance of fat", making a joke about it.It wasn't a big deal at first, but when this poem reached Concubine Jiang's ears, she felt that Min Weiqiu's words were frivolous, so she forced the emperor to issue an edict to send Min Weiqiu out of the customs.The emperor has been in power for more than ten years, and only when the Han Luo pirates came south to commit crimes more than ten years ago and attacked Wuyun City, did he use the horn of the rhinoceros to blow a summoning order.At that time, I was still a child of eight or nine years old, who had just been sent to a military academy to study, and I was so frightened by the summoning order that I cried.After so many years, I suddenly heard this voice again. The little prince said: "Prince, hurry up, it seems that something serious has happened." Before the prince could speak, there was another sound of horseshoes from the north.When the sound of horseshoes approached, someone called out, "Is His Royal Highness here?" The prince raised his eyebrows and said, "Achuan." A follower beside him bent over, urged the horse, and shouted: "Get out of the way!" He was shouting at the Xifu army.The Xifu army's car had already been pulled to the side of the road, and Tang Kai said, "Get out of the way, get out of the way!" That Achuan said loudly, "Your Highness is here. Who is it?" Someone shouted: "Oh, thank God, it's really His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." He rode his horse through the crowd, and when he arrived in front of the prince, the rider on the horse fell lightly to the ground, knelt down and said, "Your Highness, my minister Zhen Lizhi knocked on His Highness." This Zhen Lizhi's appearance is very ordinary, not tall, slightly fat, although wearing soft armor, he still looks like a scholar.He probably ran in a hurry and was panting a little.For some reason, I always feel that this person is very familiar. I should have seen it before, but I don't know where.It's just that he came in a hurry by himself, he said he was an orderly, his clothes were more expensive, and he didn't look like a man.It can be said that some high-ranking officials should not go out alone. The prince said: "Zhen Qing, please be calm. You used to be my teacher, so you don't need to perform such a big ceremony. Why do you want you to come in person?" He is the prince's teacher?I was at a loss in my mind.There are five or six Prince Shaobao, each of whom is a high-ranking official in the court. I don't know who this Zhen Lizhi is. Zhen Lizhi stood up and said: "Your Highness, Your Majesty has ordered someone to blow the horn of the Tongtian Rhinoceros. There must be something urgent. I respectfully ask Your Highness to return to the court quickly. This person will be imprisoned for the time being, and he will be dealt with later." Zhen Lizhi probably saw me kneeling in front of the prince, and several of the prince's attendants pointed their swords and guns at me, thinking that I offended the prince because of some fault.The prince said: "Zhen Qing, you came just in time, this man claims to be the commander of the Dragon Scale Army." Zhen Lizhi frowned and said, "Dragon Scale Army? Isn't the commander of the Dragon Scale Army General Shen Xiping? This man can't tell lies either." "He said that Shen Xiping was killed in battle. Not only that, he also said that the Southern Expedition Army was wiped out, and Marquis Wu was also killed. Are you saying it's funny? You actually told such a big lie." The prince's words are understated, it seems that he has not believed my words.But as soon as he said this, Zhen Lizhi's face changed drastically, he rushed to me, grabbed my shoulders, and shouted: "What's your name?" I shuddered from being caught by him.Unexpectedly, this unattractive Zhen Lizhi has quite strong wrists, I said: "The last general, Chu Xiuhong, was originally the commander of the fifth battalion of the vanguard, after the death of General Shen Xiping, Marquis Wu appointed me to be the commander of the Dragon Scale Army. " He shouted: "You used to be in the forward battalion? Who is the leader of the forward battalion?" "The commander of the Qianfeng Battalion is Lu Gongxing. He is the son of Lu Bingbu." The prince was a little surprised at the side, and said: "Zhen Qing, do you believe what he said? This man may not really be the leader of the Dragon Scale Army. He wants to swallow the four female singers on Wuhou's tribute without permission. These words are not very credible. .” He also said to me that they are not tributes, which made me angry, but I didn't dare to say a word.Zhen Lizhi was half-bent when he grabbed me, but now he straightened up and said, "Your Highness, this summoning order is because of this. Just now, Shao Fengguan, the guard of Dongping City, sent an urgent envoy. Among the five, there is Lu Gongxing, the commander of the Qianfeng Battalion." Lu Gongxing also escaped?I was delighted.Dongping City is located in the east of the empire, on the south bank of the lower reaches of the river. The current guard, Shao Fengguan, was originally a general of Marquis Wen.Dajiang divided the empire into two parts, the north and the south. The gateway to the central part is Fudun City, while the gateway to the east is Dongping City.Lu Gongxing and the others probably escaped from the east gate and came all the way from the northeast.Their journey was much farther than ours, but they walked fast, and they actually arrived at the imperial capital earlier than me.It's just that Zhen Lizhi said that there are only five people, and I'm afraid there are not many people left in the Qianfeng Battalion. The prince was also a little surprised, and said, "Is it true?" Zhen Lizhi sighed, and said: "Your Highness, do you know who made this summoning order to the emperor?" The prince said: "Who?" Zhen Lizhi said: "It's the second prince! If you don't hurry up and return to the court, I'm afraid things will be out of order." For some reason, the crown prince showed a look of panic, and said: "It's him? Zhen Qing, you have to help me, don't let him take the throne. Zhen Qing, don't forget that you are the crown prince's young protector." My heart is already clear.The second prince and the prince were not born to the same mother, and the second prince's mother is now the most favored Concubine Jiang.The year before last, rumors had been heard that Concubine Jiang intended to replace the crown prince with the second crown prince.I heard that the second prince is quite shrewd and capable, although the emperor is like a stallion, he is not confused, and this prince is really an embroidered pillow, Jiang Fei's argument may not be completely groundless.The prince didn't know the seriousness of the matter until now. Zhen Lizhi said: "Don't worry. Originally, I saw that your Highness has not returned, and I was very anxious. I only thought that the matter was hopeless, but I didn't expect that your Highness is in good fortune. It seems that there is a lot of room for change in this matter." The prince said: "Zhen Qing, do you have a plan? Great, I know that with your assistance, I can overcome any difficulties." Zhen Lizhi smiled bitterly and said: "I am not a god, Your Highness, don't think too much of me, I set a plan to drive fish from the deep, I am afraid that this plan will ruin the Southern Expedition Army instead. But since I am a minister of Your Highness, I should be Do your best to assist His Highness. Your Highness, I will talk to you in detail when I get in your car." The prince said: "Okay, Zhenqing, get in the car quickly." Zhen Lizhi turned his head and said: "General Chu, please come with me, get in your Highness's car, we have something to discuss with you." The prince was taken aback and said, "He wants to get in the car too?" Zhen Lizhi looked at the prince's entourage as if he was facing an enemy to me, and said with a wry smile: "Don't worry, with me by the prince's side, this person is unarmed, so why worry?" As if in a dream, I stood up and followed them, and Zhen Lizhi's words seemed to echo in my ears: "I made a plan to drive fish from the deep, I'm afraid this plan will ruin the Southern Expedition Army instead." Drive fish for Yuan, that is what Marquis Wen decided.This unattractive Zhen Lizhi, could it be... Could it be Wen Hou? The Imperial City is located in the center of Wuyun City, with a total of a thousand rooms of various sizes.From the south gate of the imperial city, we were strictly interrogated by the forbidden army, and even the prince's weapons were temporarily detained at the gate before we were let in. It has been hundreds of years since the imperial city was established.More than a hundred years ago, Lu Xizi was ordered to renovate the imperial palace. After his renovation, the imperial palace has a new look and is even more magnificent. As soon as you enter the imperial city, you will be on the road to the imperial capital.This imperial road is ten feet wide and is paved with yellow bricks one foot square.This kind of yellow brick is fired from the official kiln in Kerian Province. It is as smooth as a mirror and is spotlessly washed. It is said that when paving the road, the floating soil is rammed extremely hard, and then the top-quality glutinous rice is used to grout, so it can be so smooth.Except for the emperor, the only people who can drive on this road are the prince, the clan king and the concubine.The imperial guards stood on both sides of the avenue, straight as stone men.The 30,000 imperial troops are all big men selected from thousands. During the Southern Expedition, Marquis Wu deliberately recruited thousands from the imperial army to join the army. If you only look at the imperial city, it is still a scene of solemnity and peace. When the prince's carriage arrived in front of the main hall, a eunuch who sent the message let go of his voice and said, "His Royal Highness is here!" Although he was an eunuch, his voice was as loud as Leigu. The prince walked in the front, and Wenhou and I followed him up the stairs.Although the ninety-nine steps are not high, but because they are exquisitely built, it looks like an imperial palace is almost in the middle of the sky, as if it is in the sky. When I walked into the hall, I couldn't help shaking. This is my first time in the hall.As a small officer like me, I would never have dreamed of entering the palace to meet the emperor.Marquis Wen probably also saw my expression, he whispered: "General Chu, don't forget what I told you." In the car, Marquis Wen had already told me his idea.The prince was taken by the second prince today because he went out with the little prince for spring hunting. Marquis Wen asked the prince to explain to the emperor that he found me because he was asking me about the details before he came too late.In this way, even if he failed to get ahead of the second prince, it can also show that the prince is not ignoring the government, but is still a conscientious heir. If Marquis Wen hadn't arrived, my head would have been chopped off by the crown prince.In the bottom of my heart, I just smiled wryly.Although the prince looks beautiful, he is really an idiot.Although Dijun is not a Mingjun, and there are too many beauties in the harem, if Dijun hears news about the defeat of the Southern Expedition Army, he will definitely not even ask carefully to kill me. After walking the ninety-nine steps, I finally arrived at the entrance of the main hall.I made up my mind, followed behind the prince, and walked in. We were arranged by Marquis Wen at the mansion of Marquis Wen.When I walked into the room with a livid face, Zhang Longyou came up impatiently and said, "General Chu, what happened?" They were brought here first after I was taken away.I pursed my lips, as if I was choking, and couldn't say a word.Wu Wanling said: "Mr. Zhang, don't bother the commander yet, let him be quiet." I sat down, and Wu Wanling poured me a glass of water without saying a word.I picked up the cup and drank it down, only to feel pain like a knife in my heart. "Commander, are you okay?" Wu Wanling said a little tremblingly.He probably had already guessed something, and there was a faint hope in his eyes.I sighed and said, "They have been brought into the harem." Wu Wanling breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then are you all right?" He didn't care much about the woman.I didn't know what it was like, and I almost scolded him, but I couldn't say it.How can I let him?Could it be that he also made a big fuss and was beheaded by the prince?Even if it was me, I didn't dare to do anything in the end. Even so, I relied on Marquis Wen's intercession to save me. Zhang Longyou suddenly let out an "ah" and sat down slumped.Seeing him like this, I felt a sense of sympathy, and said: "This matter is all caused by Tao Shouzhuo, the army of the Xifu. Who of you told him that they are female music received by the prince?" Wu Wanling murmured: "Commander, I didn't know at that time..." Before he finished speaking, I pounced on him, grabbed his collar, and slapped him across the face. With a "slap", half of his face was swollen from my slap.Zhang Longyou grabbed me and said, "General Chu, don't do this!" I stretched out my hand to touch my waist, and felt empty, only to realize that the Baipi knife had been left behind when I entered the palace, and was not given to me when I came out, and Wu Wanling's knife had also been confiscated, so I couldn't touch it. When he got the weapon, he reached out to grab the cup on the table and wanted to throw it at Wu Wanling's head.Zhang Longyou grabbed my hand and said: "General Chu, don't do this!" Wu Wanling said: "Commander, if you want to kill me, Wu Wanling dare not frown. But I want to tell you that I will never feel better than you right now." His words pierced my heart like a knife, and I looked at him without moving.My strength is much stronger than Zhang Longyou's, and I can break free with just a struggle, but even if I break free, I don't think I can make another move. I let out a long breath, put the cup on the table, and said, "Probably." In the distance, the evening drum sounded.There was a drumbeat, like a ball rolling in the air, getting farther and farther away.I walked out the door and looked at the sky.A few soldiers sent by Marquis Wen stood guard at the door. They didn't know what happened to us, and one of them said: "General, Marquis Wen has ordered you not to go out." I ignored him and just looked at the sky. In the sky, the evening clouds converged, and the sun set, dyeing the floating clouds in the west purple like blood.In front of her eyes, she seemed to appear again. In the Marquis Wu's camp in Gaojiu City, there was a light yellow shirt, snow-white fingers, and the sound of a pipa like beads. From now on, even if she is with me in the imperial capital, she will never be seen again. At the imperial meeting, I met Lu Gongxing who had returned.Like me, he was weather-beaten and tired.In the Battle of Gaojiu City, when the south gate was breached, the vanguard battalion protected Marquis Wu and retreated to the central army. The army was wiped out.He fought and retreated with dozens of remnants, but there were too many snake men, and they couldn't get into the central army at all. Instead, they were forced to go to the east gate. In that battle, the north gate was broken first, followed by the west gate, and Lu Jingyu's east gate still stood firm for quite a long time after the south gate was broken.When Lu Gongxing retreated to the east gate with dozens of remnants, Lu Jingyu was still commanding his subordinates to guard the city gate, and the snakemen at the east gate were unable to cross the thunderous pond.But when the snake men who invaded the city attacked from the inside out, even though the left army was as strong as fine iron, they could no longer resist and finally collapsed.Lu Gongxing was caught in the rout of the Zuo army and fled. Of the nearly ten thousand Zuo army who managed to escape through the east gate, only a dozen or so were left, and even Lu Jingyu could not escape. They ran all the way, more panic than me.Going out from the east gate, one must pass through Wuyang City, but along the way there are snake men and broken soldiers who fled from Gaojiu City earlier.When they arrived at Wuyang City, the owner of Wuyang City shut the door and refused to accept them, and only gave them some food and grass.Wuyang City is the nearest big city to Gaojiu City, and they couldn't even enter Wuyang City, so they had to flee north day and night.The snake man chased after him, and the remnants of the Republican Army appeared from time to time along the way. When they finally arrived at Dongping City guarded by Shao Fengguan, only the last five of them were left in a group of ten or so.But at this time, the Snake Man held back the remaining prestige of the Southern Expedition Army, and was invincible at the point of the soldiers, and followed them closely all the time.Along the way, Lu Gongxing escaped almost hearing the sound of the snake man fighting.When they entered Dongping City, the Snake Man had already swept up the villages more than 300 li behind them, and they didn't know how many more people they had killed.Now, maybe the snake people are besieging Dongping City, Shao Fengguan asked them to come, and another task is to ask the imperial capital for emergency. Compared with them, my journey is almost heaven.There are many mountains in the north gate, and none of the rear troops could escape, so the snake people hardly marched northward, and we came all the way without any danger.When we arrived at the imperial capital, although something happened in front of the prince, the prince never reported the matter to the emperor, and only said that I would escort the four female singers selected by Marquis Wu to the imperial capital safely. "General Chu's loyalty to the emperor can be shown in the sky." When the prince said this, he couldn't see that he was going to kill me not long ago.When the four women were brought in, the civil and military personnel in the entire hall almost forgot to breathe at the same time, and there was no sound.The beauty of these four women is hard to find even in the emperor's harem.Although the prince had intended to hide them, under the guidance of Marquis Wen, the prince still felt that the temptation of the crown prince was far greater than that of beauties. But who knows, my heart was almost bleeding at that time. Now, Dijun is discussing with several important ministers about sending additional reinforcements to Dongping City.Since Cang Yuegong's rebellion, the emperor has been very concerned about state affairs, unlike before, he only knows how to hide in the harem and have fun.And tomorrow, maybe I, a meritorious minister who contributed beauties to the emperor, will also join the troops ordered to reinforce Dongping City. Zhang Longyou and Wu Wanling stood behind me anxiously, not knowing what I was thinking.After a while, Wu Wanling said timidly: "Commander, you..." I turned around and said, "General Wu, I'm sorry, I lost my temper." Wu Wanling said: "Commander, the matter has come to this point, it is useless to think too much. For today's plan, we should think about the strategy to defeat the enemy." I smiled wryly.A strategy to defeat the enemy?Easier said than done.And in my mind, faintly, there was another thought. This empire, let it perish. It's just that this thought cannot be exported.I nodded and said, "General Wu is exactly what he said." Seeing our words and words, Zhang Longyou gradually calmed down, he sighed, and said: "If there is nothing in fate, we must not force it. I hope she can feel better." Is he desperate too?Now that they have been included in the harem, what else can we do but despair? At this time, there was a sudden noise at the gate.Although our house is facing the gate, it was already dark and we couldn't see anything clearly.He was hesitating, only to hear Marquis Wen's voice: "Are the four generals there?" Following his shout, Marquis Wen strode over with a smile on his face, not knowing what good things were going on.We knelt down together and said, "Lord Wenhou, the last general is polite." Marquis Wen walked up to us and said, "Come, come, accept the order." Dijun gave us an order?Probably a promotion.There was another burst of pain in my heart, I lowered my head and said: "The last general will accept the order." Marquis Wen took the silk book held by a entourage on the side, and said loudly: "Emperor Tianbao said: Cha Longlin Army Commander Chu Xiuhong, Gongzheng Xue Wenyi, Zhang Longyou joined the army, public loyalty to the country, sacrifice life and forget death, After returning from thousands of miles, Chu Xiuhong was appointed as the next general and the teaching chair of the Imperial Military Academy to teach and listen to the younger generation; Xue Wenyi and Zhang Longyou are both members of the Ministry of Industry, and I admire this." After Wen Hou finished reading, I couldn't help but startled.After he received the imperial decree, I said, "Lord Wenhou, we still have General Wu Wanling, why didn't you mention it?" Wen Hou said: "General Wu's official position is too low, so he was not mentioned in the imperial decree. He also entered the military academy as a teacher." Wu Wanling was originally a small school in the rear army, the last rank of military officer in the thirteenth rank, and he was also a whistle chief in the Longlin Army, belonging to the eleventh rank.I looked at Wu Wanling, he didn't show any displeasure, he just said with trepidation, "Thank you, sir." Xue Wenyi and Zhang Longyou were promoted to Yuanwailang in the Ministry of Industry, but they were only promoted by one level, which is not considered fast.Although my general rank is five ranks, which is the lowest rank among famous generals, but I was only eleven ranks when I was a centurion, and only nine ranks when I became a commander. Now it can be said that I skipped four ranks in a row. He used to be a junior officer, but now he has become a superior officer.This level of promotion is probably because the emperor saw their faces. If it wasn't for her, I should be very happy, I'm afraid I will be thankful endlessly.But at this time, I didn't know what it was like, as if I had eaten a mouthful of spoiled food and couldn't spit it out.However, it was a bit of a surprise for me to be a teacher in a military academy.When Marquis Wen cleared up the imperial decree, I said, "My lord, have you discussed the matter of Dongping reinforcements?" Marquis Wen said: "Dongping's reinforcements will be led by the Second Prince himself with 20,000 troops, and Lu Gong, who is in charge of the vanguard battalion, will act as a partial general. We will set off tomorrow." Lu Gongxing was promoted one level higher than me.However, he was originally the commander of the vanguard battalion, equivalent to the status of a ten thousand commander. He was originally three levels higher than my Dragon Scale Army commander, and he was only promoted by two levels from the sixth level to the fourth level.I'm afraid, it's just because he didn't bring back the four beauties. Wenhou said: "General Chu, why don't you drink with me tonight, I still have a lot to ask you." I knelt down again and said, "Follow your orders." For Marquis Wen, I don't know whether to be grateful or resentful.If it wasn't for Marquis Wen, I would have been killed by the prince.But if I was killed by the crown prince, then I wouldn't have to suffer as much as I do now. Marquis Wen said: "Okay. I'll ask someone to take you tonight, and go to the Zuifeng Building tonight. You'll rest when you're drunk. His Royal Highness will also come." Zuifenglou is the most luxurious restaurant in the imperial capital, and the fine wine in the building is Muguzi wine from Gaojiu City. The wine is mellow and sweet, but I don't know how to taste it.Quite a few officers from the Marquis Wen family came to say hello to me. I was drunk, like drinking water. I heard people praise such words as "General Chu is bold", "General Chu is brave", and I don't know how to drink and drink. What does being bold and heroic have anything to do with it?Originally, I would feel dizzy after drinking a pot of head, but now I seem to be more sober as I drink. Muguzi wine, I don't know who else can make it. Marquis Wen and the prince sat together, not knowing what to say.The divas in the restaurant kept singing and dancing, and some played the pipa, but the sound of the pipa was like a knife, which made my heart ache. Marquis Wen suddenly said: "General Chu, can you tell me, what kind of monsters are those?" When I was called by Marquis Wen, I hurriedly stood up, he waved and said, "Sit down and talk, sit down and talk." I sat down and said: "That was at the beginning of the year, after the Gaojiu City was captured..." I talked endlessly, starting from the discovery of the snake man in the massacre of Gaojiu City, until the snake man appeared, Shen Xiping died in battle, Lao Guoji offered a plan to attack with gunpowder and failed, and found out that Gao Tie Chong, who joined the army, was originally a traitor, Lu Jingyu and Cang Yuegong returned , and Cang Yuegong's plot was seen through and died in the snake formation, until finally the city ran out of food and killed people for food, and finally the city was breached, and the 100,000 troops marching south were wiped out.Lu Gongxing probably said these words in front of the emperor again. I am not as eloquent as Lu Gongxing, but I can speak clearly.When it came to killing people for food, I saw that the prince felt like throwing up, and I was secretly pleased. When I finished speaking, no one spoke.They were all a little shocked.After a while, Marquis Wen sighed, "Unexpectedly, Lord Wuhou will end up like this in the end." The prince said: "Zhen Qing, don't talk about it, let's watch the dance." Marquis Wen said: "Yes, yes, it shouldn't be a disappointment. A new singer from Zuifenglou is called Hua Yuechun. Although she is not very talented, her singing voice is melodious and pleasant. It is a masterpiece." That Huayuechun came up.She is not very beautiful, but she is ordinary, and she has a wonderful singing voice, but she is really wonderful.A group of fine music books behind her also played very beautifully, but as soon as she uttered the words, she felt that the music was just like the chirping of grass and insects. As soon as the song was over, Marquis Wen applauded: "It's really a wonderful song. It's a pity that this fine music can't help but lose its color. Dian... that young master, you have a deep understanding of the rhythm. You might as well play a song according to the rhythm. Let me wait to hear the master's skills. Isn't it a love affair?" ?” The prince smiled slightly and said, "Zhen Qing, since that's the case, I'll play a song." He took out a swarthy piccolo from his pocket.一见到这笛子，我便想起了武侯那枝铁笛了。这花月春珠圆玉润，声音既响又脆，只怕只有武侯的铁笛才盖得住她的声音，太子要给她伴奏，岂不是自找没趣？ 太子道：“下一支曲子是什么？” 花月春大概也没想到太子居然会真的要吹奏一曲，她有点惶惶然，道：“公子，下一支是《月映春江》。” 《月映春江》！ My heart skipped a beat.这曲子，不正是我第一次在武侯帐中看见她时，她所弹的一曲么？难道太子知道底细了，故意要花月春唱这支曲子来气我的？我偷偷看看太子，他面含微笑，根本没在意我。我不禁有点苦笑，心知只是自己胡思乱想。这支《月映春江》很是流行，我从小便听得熟了，这花月春要唱自不稀奇。而我在太子心目中，只怕连个虫豸都比不上，他才懒得来气我。幸好我这等自做多情也没人发现，我端起一杯酒，又喝了一口。 酒方到唇边，耳边忽然响起了一串笛音。这笛声响遏行云，却又连每一个音调都清晰可辩，听入耳中说不出的妥帖舒服。我几乎把一口酒都喷了出来，心知不能如此失礼，强自忍住。 太子坐在座上，面色端庄。他本来便英俊不凡，此时更直如天人。花月春面上也露出喜色，她一定也没想到太子竟然有如此神妙的笛技。 这时前奏已毕，细乐又奏出一段和弦，花月春的歌声响了起来： 月映春江静无波，江上青山落花多。 连山明月春浩渺，夹岸垂杨影婆娑。 江上何人行又止，绕船明月愁无已。 茫茫江水送归舟，一棹春波人千里。 唱到这里，花月春停了停，乐班奏了个间奏，当中太子的笛声如一水长流，绵延不绝，夹在筝琶箫鼓中，既卓尔不群，又似和那些别的乐声配合得天衣无缝。这时太子抬了抬手，笛声本是宫调，一下又换到了商声，花月春又唱道： 人隔云山万千重，天风吹下玉丁冬。 影落波心逐江水，人在白云第几峰。 水流水在濯锦鳞，人去人来草如茵。 此水已非去年水，此身犹是去年人。 这歌词也不知是谁做的，充满了一股叹老伤怀的感伤气息，当花月春唱到“此水已非去年水，此身犹是去年人”时，我也只觉心头一酸，似乎要落下泪来。 last year.去年我不曾认识她时，还是个前锋营里的百夫长，攻城略地，杀人如麻，刀枪上饱饮敌人的鲜血。也仅仅是一年，我似乎已经是另外一个人了，还说什么“此身犹是去年人”么？ 太子的笛声在高处转了两个弯，忽然又如飞流直下，重新转回宫调，变得婉转柔靡。花月春又唱到： 人世兴衰纷如缕，百年几见花如雨。 江流日夜变古今，昨日红尘今黄土。 云破月来江水平，轻波未掩落花声。 但愿人生长如此，春江万里月长明。 唱到“明”字时，她的声音如一条长线，渐渐轻微，但总是不绝，便如一条长线，无休无止地绕过去。乐班的乐声都渐渐停止，唯有太子的笛声也如长线一般追随着花月春的歌声，不曾断绝。 也不知过了多久，我听得文侯高声道：“歌声曼妙无双，笛曲神乎其技，其是相得益彰，两美并兼啊。” 歌唱完了么？此时我才发现周围鸦鹊无声，花月春正看着太子，她的脸上有一种奇异的光彩。她长得并不如何美貌，但此时却大有神采，倒似个美人了。而太子居然也微笑着看着她，脸上有种莫名的兴奋。文侯道：“花小姐，听说闵维丘出都后曾得一闻花小姐妙曲，有题壁一首说：'自幸身由天眷顾，出都犹得阅清歌'，不知是否属实？” 花月春抿嘴一笑，道：“大爷真是取笑，闵先生不过是对月春的溢美之词而已。” 太子这时喃喃道：“难怪难怪，闵先生得闻此歌，确当不以出都远流为苦了。便是宫中，何曾听得此等妙曲？” 文侯忽然诡秘地一笑，道：“公子，花小姐闺中，今夜尚少个相和之伴，公子不知是否有幸入幕唱和一番？” 我心头猛地一阵泄气。这是文侯么？简直就是妓院里拉皮条的。我不曾去过妓院，但在军校时，和几个同学外出晚归路过那些妓院，便曾看见那些拉皮条的拉住路过的公子哥的马匹，嘴里酸溜溜地说些什么“公子，春宵不可无伴”之类。那个运筹帷幄，曾火烧苍月公战船，又定下为渊驱鱼之策，将共和军逼上绝路的文侯，跟眼前这甄砺之难道真的是一个人？ 太子看了看四周，道：“这个么……” 文侯拍了拍胸口，道：“放心，今天我给公子押阵，便在这儿与几位痛饮一宵，公子你就放心吧。” 太子微微一笑，道：“只不知花小姐是否首肯？” 文侯笑道：“公子，你不曾见花小姐那一张小脸已笑得花朵也似，得遇公子这等良人，那也是花小姐前世修来的福份。花小姐，我给你做得这个好媒，你几时要谢我？” 花月春“哟”了一声，跑了进去。文侯笑道：“公子，你还不进去。” 太子答应一声，便跑了进去。他本来一脸清雅从容，此时跑得急了，连鞋子也掉下一只。等他跑进去，文侯笑着对那班乐队道：“来人，拿赏钱。你们姑娘今天找到个如意郎君，你们自己回去吧，明天再来接便是。” 那班乐队答谢了，纷纷离去。在他们走时，我心头一阵阵地气恼。 我根本想不到，文侯竟然会猥琐至此。便是太子带来的太监，也不会这等样子。可我也不敢多嘴，只怕一说便说漏了嘴，说不定会触怒文侯。文侯对太子既软且媚，对我这样的人，只怕也和武侯差不太远。 正想着，忽然听得文侯又道：“诸公，现在已无乱耳之人，且说正事。” 这几句话说得平和端正，若非我听得是文侯的声音，定想不到会是刚才这文侯说出来的。我有点惊愕地抬起头。