In Dai Viet, Ping Zhangshi, under the command of Zhongshu, was appointed prime minister. Although Zhu Hang's father was posthumously appointed as a minister after his death, he was still the most favored person in Dai Viet, and Mrs. Zhu was also granted a first-grade imperial title; Mrs. Zhu
She is still Zhu Hang's mother and Wang Fan's mother-in-law. Although Xu Huai doesn't like to deal with such people, An Dou will not neglect them.
Mrs. Zhu also lived in seclusion in Bianliang City. She liked to eat fast and chant Buddha every day. When she heard that the Xu family had built a family temple in the mountains, she took Wang Xuan and her accompanying servants and moved in directly.
After having a banquet with the Xu family, Xu Huai, Liu Qiong'er, Xu Wujiang, Di Niang and others passed through Shituoling Village and walked towards Jinshagou.
"Xu Huai, what a coincidence, you are here to meet our ancestors? I will take you there."
Wang Xuan was waiting at the fork in the tree-lined road leading to the Xu Family Temple. She pretended to bump into Xu Huai accidentally, walked over cheerfully, and accompanied Xu Huai to the Xu Family Temple.
After bringing Wang Xuan to Huaiyuan from Bianliang years ago, Xu Huai was busy with military affairs. Wang Xuan accompanied Mrs. Zhu, who was over seventy years old, to live in Lutai Dazhai. They did not see each other for more than four months; Wang Xuan became more and more anxious.
Tingting is standing tall, wearing a dark green jacket, which looks a little heavy, but her oval-like snow-white face is full of youthful atmosphere, and her delicate and picturesque eyebrows still have the resentment that Mrs. Zhu forced her back yesterday.
After the banditry in Tongbai Mountain, in order to dig out the property of the eldest family members of the Xu family and the Tang family in a proper manner, Xu Huai took advantage of the funeral to build a passage across the Shituo Ridge to Jinshagou, hiding it among the mountains.
, and a family temple complex was built next to Jinshagou Village.
The once deserted Jinshagou was now home to nearly 2,000 people. In addition to gold mining operations, more than 3,000 acres of grassland had been opened up in the mountains - these were mainly transformed by building temples and tombs.
Continuing on the road is Jinsha Gouzhai, but there is a paved stone corridor in the pine trees to the south. Through it, there is a small lake with an area of more than ten acres, intercepted by an overflow stone dam, lying quietly on the hill.
In the middle, there are more than a dozen ponies nibbling grass stems on the grassland on the east bank of the lake; the Xu family temple is located on the west bank of the lake, covering an area of less than ten acres, and the architecture is not gorgeous. Facing the lake and the mountains, it is nestled among pines and cypresses.
But it's very quiet.
Although the family temple is close to the east wall of Jinshagou Village, it has never been used before. Fortunately, more than 40 servants from the Zhu Mansion followed Mrs. Zhu south and lived in the family temple together.
Too deserted.
A vegetable garden was opened in the area facing the lake to the east of the family temple. Seeing that the women working in the garden at this time were all wearing dark clothes, which was completely different from the people in the mountains, Xu Huai also guessed that these people were from the Zhu family.
of servants.
"Ah, it's really deserted here, and there are so many people with nothing to do, so I asked them to clear out the open space by the lake to make a vegetable garden - how about it, these vegetables and fruits are growing pretty well!" Wang Xuan took credit.
He said, "I asked Di Niang to help me catch more than a dozen lambs last month, but these stupid sheep would pull out the roots when they gnawed grass. They often gnawed a bald piece without knowing how to change places. Together with more than a hundred lambs,
The chicks can only be raised in the forest at the back and cannot be released casually, otherwise the lakeside will be even more lively!"
Listening to Wang Xuan's chattering, Xu Huaicai realized that there seemed to be a lot of Zhu family servants here, but deep down in Wang Xuan's heart, she was always separated from the Zhu family and her grandmother, Mrs. Zhu, by one layer.
It's so lonely here.
Knowing that Xu Huai was coming to visit, Mrs. Zhu also changed into her official wife's uniform and sat in the lobby. Watching Wang Xuan tug on Xu Huai's sleeves, her face and brows furrowed.
Xu Huai, Xu Wujiang, and Liu Qiong'er came forward to pay their respects. After sitting down, they also said some useless polite words.
Although Mrs. Zhu lived deep in the mountains, she sent people out from time to time to inquire for information. However, she also knew that the DPRK was negotiating peace with the Chihu people at this time. She still longed to return to Bianliang when the Chihu people retreated north.
Mrs. Zhu also knew in her heart that the people here were only polite to her on the surface, but they did not really take her seriously.
And she lives in seclusion in Bianliang City, eating fast and chanting Buddha is one thing, but she is usually surrounded by servants, and relatives come to visit her every now and then to say goodbye to the autumn breeze.
No matter what kind of troubles there are, life is many times more comfortable than in the mountains.
Xu Huai just advised Mrs. Zhu to be calm and not be impatient. Everything on his side must wait for Zhu Langjun's instructions. Then he talked about Zhu Zhi, Zhu Tong in Hu Kai, and some things around King Jing Zhao Tuan to comfort Mrs. Zhu.
, then stood up and said goodbye.
Wang Xuan stood up again and said, "I'll send a gift to Marquis Xu Jun on behalf of our ancestors!"
"We can't go back to Bianliang just yet, right?" Wang Xuan pulled Xu Huai's sleeves out of the house and sometimes asked petulantly.
"Well, even if the Red Husbands withdraw north, the situation will not really improve for the time being." Xu Huai said.
"My grandfather will definitely not agree to the peace proposal. I'm afraid he will offend the officials again this time, but if he can still be demoted to Tongbai Mountain, that would be great!" Wang Xuan said with some expectation.
Xu Huai knew that Wang Xuan was just having extravagant hopes, so he smiled and said: "Xiang Wang has your father, your uncle, Master Lu, and Mr. Shi beside you to help with suggestions, so you don't need to worry..."
"Ta-ta-ta..."
At this time, there was the sound of horses galloping in the mountains.
Although the Shituoling Road is wide and the slopes of some steps are made as gentle as possible to allow mules, horses and camels to transport goods in and out, horses will not run wildly on the mountain road unless there is an emergency.
Xu Huai frowned and looked towards the mountain road outside the forest. After a while, a messenger came with a horse and reported: "Junhou, urgent message from Qingyi Ridge!"
Xu Huai took the letter, which was a letter written by Xu Wuqi who was in charge of the Qingyi Ridge Camp. He opened it and saw that Shi Zhen was expelled from the capital. He rushed to the Qingyi Ridge Camp early this morning and Xu Wuqi had sent someone to escort him.
Shi Zhen went to Huaiyuan to meet him.
"Shi Zhen was expelled from Beijing?" Liu Qiong'er stood next to Xu Huai and asked in shock.
After reading what was written in the letter, Xu Huai was also surprised and suspicious: Shi Zhen stayed with Wang Zhen as a staff member, and the official status of the Eight Classics was only from the ninth rank. If something big happened around Wang Zhen, it would not be the same.
It should be Shi Zhen’s turn to be exiled, right?
"What's going on with grandpa? What happened?" Wang Xuan asked in shock and question.
"We won't know until we meet Mr. Shi. You and I will go back to Huaiyuan first!" Xu Huai said.
Regardless of the maid rushing back to report to Mrs. Zhu, Xu Huai, Wang Xuan, and Liu Qiong'er walked straight out of the forest. The attendants had already prepared their horses outside the forest, and they first rode along the mountain road to Shituoling Village.
Let's go, after leaving Lutai Dazhai, the road becomes wider, and then we drive all the way to Huaiyuan City.
Mrs. Zhu did not send anyone to pull Wang Xuan back halfway, but Mrs. Zhai and two maids came to take care of Wang Xuan personally.
Before dusk fell, Xu Huai and the others returned to Huaiyuan City and learned that Shi Zhen had just arrived and was reunited with the Shi family who had moved to Huaiyangfang, Huaiyuan years ago.
Xu Huai didn't know what was going on in Bianliang City, and he didn't care that Shi Zhen had been separated from his family for several months and rarely got together, so he sent someone to invite Shi Zhen to come over.
"Junhou, you don't allow me to take a breath!" Shi Zhen trotted towards the living room, still having some inconvenience during the walk. He sat down and complained with a small breath, "I went out to Beijing to eat and sleep in the open, and I didn't even sleep. After a good sleep, all the bones in my body fell apart on the horseback. I walked dozens of miles of mountain trails to Chushan, and the soles of my feet were covered with blood blisters..."
Seeing Shi Zhen looking like this, and still having time to complain about this and that, Xu Huai knew that no major changes had happened in Bianliang City yet, so he leaned over and asked: "Mr. Shi, you see that the situation is wrong, first Did you slip away to Chushan?"
"If the Prime Minister wants to guard Bianliang, I might be able to play a small role if I chop my body bones and use them as firewood. But at this time, the officials are determined to sue for peace. Why should I stay with the Prime Minister?" Shi Zhen He did not hide that he really wanted to sneak out of Bianliang first, took off his old boots, exposed his feet that smelled slightly sour, and asked Xu Huai to see that there were indeed a few blood blisters on the soles of his feet, but fortunately they had not broken open yet. .
"How is my grandfather? He has not offended the emperor, right? Is his old man still in good health?" Wang Xuan asked anxiously.
"Wang Xiang," Shi Zhen said, "He's fine!"
"Mr. Shi, you don't need to hide anything from me." Wang Xuan said anxiously.
"I'm not hiding anything from you, Miss Xuan. Wang Xiang is very well now, but I can't predict whether Wang Xiang's condition will be good in the future, Mr. Shi." Shi Zhen smiled and turned sideways to ask Xu Huai said, "You hope that the king will be patient for a while. What do you think? Lu Xiong and Zhou Jing are both vague and unwilling to explain thoroughly. I can't think about it, right? I can only come to you in person to ask for it!"
"How did you leave the capital? Do you still have your official status?" Xu Huai asked.
"A few days ago, I accompanied Mr. Wang to the political hall to discuss matters. I contradicted Wang Qiyong a few times and was scolded. I am also a person with a temper. I resigned from the consultation with Mr. Wang that day and asked Zhou Jing to send two people to escort him. I'm leaving Bianliang!" Shi Zhen said.
"It's good that you have an official position. Chushan County has been newly established and the post of county magistrate is still vacant. I will write to Hu Shijun to recommend you as county magistrate." Xu Huai said.
Shi Zhen looked at Su Laochang, Xu Wujiang and others who were sitting next to him, and said carelessly: "Mr. Su, they have been with you through life and death. They have also made achievements. It is not difficult to find a good background. I have no idea." How dare you seek the position of county magistrate due to your merits?"
"Mr. Shi is being humble. Mr. Shi is a man with great plans. The position of county magistrate must belong to Mr. Shi." Su Laochang said.
Chushan County was newly established, and Xu Huai was appointed as the county magistrate. The county magistrate can be said to be the most important assistant official, and his status is still higher than that of the county captain served by Xu Wujiang. However, this is precisely the case. Su Laochang and the others knew in their hearts that We need someone who is talented and can really help Xu Huai sort out the overall situation to take up this position.
Su Laochang and the others considered themselves to have meritorious service, and their relationship with Xu Huai was very close, but they knew that they were still far behind in overall strategy and could not compare with Shi Zhen...
