It was nearly mid-June, the hot dog days of summer, and the Zhenjiang Navy barracks was extremely hot.
The Jurchens have arrived, and Han Shizhong has gone to Jiangbei to prepare for the war, and Junwu is in charge of Zhenjiang. Although the prince has a distinguished status, Junwu usually only rests with the soldiers in the military camp. He does not do anything special. When the weather is hot, the big family uses winter sun
The ice cubes stored in the house were used to cool down the house. Jun Wuze just chose a house on the mountainside by the river that was relatively cool. If distinguished guests came, he would treat them with ice-cold drinks.
It was just after dark on the eighth day of the lunar month. When I opened the window, the wind blowing from the river was also hot. Junwu prepared simple meals and smoothies in the room to entertain his sister who came all the way.
In this kind of weather, riding a bumpy carriage all day long is an unbearable torture for many wealthy women. However, Zhou Pei has experienced many things over the years, and many times he has traveled long distances. This evening
When she arrived in Zhenjiang, her face looked dark and haggard. After washing her face and taking a short rest, the eldest princess's face regained its former fortitude.
Over the years, the two siblings have shouldered extremely heavy responsibilities. Jun Wu has grown a beard under his chin, hiding the natural childishness on his face. It is difficult for Zhou Pei to have anyone to talk about his personal affairs, so he wears a mask of grace, solemnity, and distance.
Over time, it often becomes a part of myself. After washing up, Zhou Pei's face looked a little pale, and his expression was distant and unflattering. Although he softened a little in front of his younger brother, in fact, it didn't relieve much. Every time I see this
Sister, Jun Wu will always think of her more than ten years ago. Although Zhou Pei was smart and proud at that time, she was actually beautiful and cute. No matter how cute the current sister is, it will be difficult for men except herself to see her.
He would probably just feel scared.
Regarding the tragedy of Zhou Pei's marriage, everyone around them couldn't help but sigh. But of course they didn't mention it at this time. The sister and brother only met once every few months or even half a year. Although they worked hard together, their words were inevitably formulaic.
After a brief exchange of greetings, dinner was a simple meal of one meat and three vegetables. Junwu ate simple dishes, adding pickled radish sticks to the rice, and ate with a bang. Zhou Pei had been in Lin'an for several years and would not move around unless there was an important event. Now the war is imminent.
Suddenly arriving in Zhenjiang, Jun Wu felt that there might be something big, but before she spoke, Jun Wu didn't mention it. The two simply had dinner and drank tea. Zhou Pei looked thin in a white dress.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke.
"There's no big problem here in Zhenjiang, right?"
This was polite. Jun Wu just nodded and smiled: "It's okay. General Han is ready for war. Logistically, Xu Guangting has 8,000 rounds of artillery shells that have not arrived. I am urging him. Huo Xiang's men
Thirty thousand people crossed the river in the past few days, but he moved slowly, so I sent someone to give him a beating, but the rest was no big deal."
Zhou Pei nodded: "Yes, it's just these days... As long as everything is fine."
"Sister Huang came here suddenly. I wonder what the reason is?"
"..." Zhou Pei held the teacup and fell silent. After a while, he said, "I received news from Jiang Ning that Shen Ruxin fell ill. I heard that the illness is serious."
Jun Wu's heart sank, and his face flashed with gloom for a moment, but then he glanced at his sister and nodded: "Well, I know, in fact... Others think that the royal family is well-dressed and well-fed, but as the saying goes, once you enter the marquis The door is as deep as the sea, and she has not had many happy days since she married me. What happened this time... Doctor Zou is watching over her, so let's just leave it to fate."
Marriage at this time has always been dictated by parents and matchmakers. In small households, hand and foot depended on each other. But in a wealthy family, it is not strange for a woman to die early due to unhappy marriages after several years of marriage. .Shen Ruxin did not have a family background, but when she arrived at the prince's house, she behaved cautiously and was under great psychological pressure.
Although she and Jun Wu have feelings for each other, the burden on Jun Wu's shoulders is too heavy. It is not easy to have a care in his heart, but it is usually difficult to care about him carefully. This is also the norm in this era. This time Shen Ruhua After the incident was brought out, Shen Ruxin was interrogated for two months. Shen Ruxin did not dare to plead for mercy in the Jiangning Prince's Mansion. She was only physically and mentally injured. She eventually vomited blood and fainted, becoming bedridden. Jun Wuren was in Zhenjiang, but he did not even go back. There is no time.
"I heard about this incident and thought it was necessary to come." Zhou Pei held the tea cup, with not much expression on his face, "The Qingliu Yao Qifang who stabbed Shen Ruhua out this time is not without problems. I also have a way to deal with the Dou family and the Chen family who committed crimes before Shen Ruhua. Shen Ruhua, if you want to save his life, put him in the army first. Things in the capital, things that the people below are talking about, I'll do it."
The corners of Jun Wu's eyes twitched, and his face really darkened. Over the years, he had been under so much pressure, but he never expected that his sister would actually come here because of this matter. The room was quiet for a long time, and the night wind blew in from the window. It was already slightly cool when it blew in, but it also made people feel chilly. Jun Wu put the tea cup on the table.
"Sister Huang, Ruhua... must be dealt with. I just didn't expect you... came here just for this..."
Zhou Pei looked at him with his usual gaze: "I came here for you."
"I'm fine. I've endured so many things over the years, and I've offended everyone who deserves to be offended. The war is coming..." He paused: "Just get over it."
Due to the emotions in his heart, Jun Wu's words were a little tough, so Zhou Pei stopped. She sat there with a cup of tea. There were teams walking around in the military camp outside, and the wind blew the fire. Zhou Pei remained indifferent for a long time, but then Laughed for a moment.
"Shen Ruhua is not important, but Ruxin is very important. Junwu, over the years... you have done a good job. Our government valued civility over military affairs. In order to allow the army to decide on its own in the war, you protected many people and blocked many people." There have been many ups and downs in the past few years. You have been tough and shouldered the pressure. Yue Fei, Han Shizhong... In this mess in the south of the Yangtze River, many people who fled from the north survived thanks to your status. You are strong. I wouldn't have said anything about Yi Zhe a few years ago, because it offends others. But regarding Ruxin, I'm afraid you will regret it one day."
Jun Wu was stunned and didn't speak. Zhou Pei held the teacup in both hands and was quiet for a moment, looking out the window.
"... Over the years since we traveled to Nandu, our sister and brother have hardened their hearts a lot. Others seem to be afraid, but in fact they have no choice. Brother, you know, I was not happy after I got married. I didn't like the prince-in-law. I later dealt with him, and others said
I have a hard heart and only have power in my eyes. I will be a loner and Wu Zetian. I have no mercy when dealing with Qu Zonghui. Even today, I don’t think there is any problem. But as time goes by, I often want to have it.
My family... I will never have one in this life."
She smiled sadly from the corner of her eyes, and it disappeared briefly, and then she added with a smile: "Of course, I'm not talking about you, my father and my little brother. You will always be my family."
The room became quiet again. Jun Wu also gradually understood in his heart what the reason for the emperor's sister coming. Of course, this matter can be big or small and difficult to measure. These days, Jun Wu's heart is actually
It’s also hard to think clearly.
He was silent for a long time, and then he could only say reluctantly: "Ruxin has entered the royal gate, she can stand it. Even if... she can't stand it..."
He then smiled: "Sister, after all, it's just a person around me. Over the years, I have personally ordered the killing of many of the people around me. I can't be today and have all my efforts in vain... What do you think of me?"
"Maybe it's not as big a deal as you think. Maybe..." Zhou Pei lowered her head to consider for a moment, her voice became extremely low, "Maybe... you have been too tough these years, that's enough... I know you are learning that
People, but not everyone can become that person. If you want to take a step back before pushing yourself to the point of regret... everyone will understand..."
It was extremely difficult for Zhou Pei to say these words, because she herself did not believe it. But Jun Wu could understand the emotions involved. Her sister had gone to the extreme and had no way to retreat. Even though she knew that she could only do this, but in the
Before the war started, she still hoped that her brother might find a way to regret. Junwu was vaguely aware of this conflicting mood. This was the first time in several years that her sister had shown such indecision.
He just shook his head.
Zhou Pei stopped trying to persuade him: "I understand... I sent someone to get the best medicinal materials from the palace and sent them to Jiangning. It's not a bad thing to have you ahead."
The brother and sister stopped talking about it. After a while, the heat of the night was still there. The two left the room and went along the hillside to enjoy the cool breeze. Jun Wu thought of Shen Ruxin in Jiangning. The two of them became friends during the escape while searching the mountains and seas.
They have been married for eight years, and have spent less time together and more separations. For a long time, Junwu has told himself that there are big things that must be done. Before the big things, the personal relationship between his children is just a decoration. But when he thinks about it now, he can't help but feel sad.
My sister came here to remind him of this.
"Not everyone will become that person. If you take a step back, everyone will understand... Sister Huang, the person you mentioned also mentioned this matter. The people of Bianliang are like that, and everyone can understand it. But
Not everyone can understand that bad things will never happen." After walking for a while, Jun Wu talked about it again.
A trace of sadness flashed in Zhou Pei's eyes, but he just nodded. The two stood on the edge of the hillside, looking at the lights in the river.
"In the past few years, I have often read what came from the north. The edicts that Emperor Jingping was forced to write every year said that the emperor of the Jin Kingdom treated him well. For a while, he was raised in a well by the Jurchens, and his clothes were all wet.
He had no clothes to wear, and the Queen was insulted in every possible way by the Jurchens in front of him, but he still had to watch with a smile and beg the Jurchens for some food. All kinds of imperial concubines and maids were not as good as prostitutes... Imperial Sister, back then
People in the royal family are also vain, and those in the capital look down on idle princes from other places. Do you still remember the appearance of those brothers and sisters? Back then, I remember the time you went to the capital with your teacher, and met Zhou Qing, the princess of Prince Chong's Mansion, in the capital.
They also invited you and the teacher to come over, and the teacher even wrote a poem. During the Jingping Disgrace, Zhou Qing was taken north by the Jurchens. Sister Huang, do you remember her? Two years ago, I knew her whereabouts..."
Zhou Pei looked at Jun Wu, and Jun Wu smiled miserably: "The Jurchen took her to Yunzhong Mansion, and she was humiliated in every way along the way. When she got there, she became pregnant, and she was sold to a brothel in Yunzhong Mansion to work as a prostitute. She was six months pregnant with the child."
Yue, was beaten and had a miscarriage. A year later, she became pregnant again, and then the child was drugged and aborted. Two years later, a group of powerful children from the Kingdom of Jin went to the building to have fun and compete with each other to see who was braver.
He beat her, pressed her on the table, cut off her ears, she went crazy, and later had a leg broken... She died three years ago... She lived a long time..."
Jun Wu talked about this matter as calmly as possible: "When outsiders talk about the royal family and the struggles in the court, they use all possible means. Lu Fei, the queen of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, would cut off people's hands and feet just to compete for power. How cruel...
Sister Huang, can you imagine how Princess Zhou Qing felt when she was treated like this? Those things are now here again, the Jurchens have already come..."
"I know." Zhou Pei replied. In recent years, there are certain restrictions on the dissemination of things that have happened in the north among the people, but for them, as long as they are willing, they can understand it clearly.
Jun Wu looked at the river in the distance: "Over the years, I have actually been very afraid. As people grow up, they gradually understand what war is. A person rushes to kill you, and you pick up a knife to resist and beat him.
, you will definitely have your hands and feet cut off. If you don’t resist, you will die. I don’t want to die and I don’t want to have my hands and feet cut off. I don’t want Ruxin to die like this. She is dead... One day I will regret it when I think about it.
. But in these years, there is one thing that I am most afraid of. I have never told anyone. Sister Huang, can you guess what it is?" When he said this, he shook his head, "It's not a Jurchen...
"
Zhou Pei looked at him.
Junwu was silent for a while, then pointed to the river over there: "In the second year of Jian Shuo, the army escorted me to escape to the riverside. I only found a small boat. The guards put me on the boat, and the Jurchens came to kill me. That day thousands of people
Tens of thousands of people were driven into the river by force. Some swam desperately, some dragged others to drown, some dragged their families... There was a woman holding up her child, who was drowned by the water.
She got involved, and I could hear her shouting while standing on the boat. Sister Huang, do you know how I felt at that time?"
Jun Wu's eyes widened: "I feel...lucky...that I survived and don't have to die," he said.
The night wind blew across the hillside.
"For so many years, I have thought of their eyes at night. I was frightened. They were massacred. What I felt was not anger. Sister Huang, I... I just felt that they were dead, but I was alive. I was very Fortunately, they sent me on the ship... Over the years, I have killed many people with military law. Han Shizhong, Yue Fei and I told countless people that we must defeat the Jurchens. I am with them, and I kill them. In order to resist the great cause of the Jin Dynasty. Yesterday I brought Shen Ruhua over and told him that I must kill him. I am doing it to fight the Jin Dynasty...Sister Huang, I have been speaking out loud for several years, and every night I think of what I am going to say the next day. If I were to practice those words here alone, I was afraid...I was afraid that someone would jump out on the spot and ask me, in order to resist the Jin Dynasty, they have to die, and the soldiers on the battlefield have to fight bloody battles, what about you? "
"Everyone who died that day was looking at me. They knew I was afraid and I didn't want to die. There was only one ship, so I pretended to get on it. Why could I get on it? Now after so many years, I said this So many big words, I ask myself every night, when the Jurchens come again, can you bear it? Can you grit your teeth? Do you dare to bleed? Sometimes I pick up the knife and want to cut my hand! "
As Jun Wu spoke, he pulled out a dagger from his waist and gestured towards his left arm. Zhou Pei's expression changed, he took two steps over, grabbed Jun Wu's left arm, and lifted his sleeve.
There was no scar on his arm. Jun Wu laughed: "Sister Huang, I can't do it even once... I'm afraid of pain."
"You, you..." Zhou Pei looked into his eyes with a complex expression.
"What I fear most is that one day the Jurchens come to kill me. I find that I am still afraid of pain and death. I am afraid that one day, tens of thousands of people will be crowded to the river with me. I boarded that boat Boat, I am still glad that I survived. I am afraid that I have killed so many people justly, and when the time comes, I will show extra mercy to my brother-in-law. I am afraid that I have killed my brother-in-law justly. , when the Jurchens came, I was still a coward. I have never told anyone about this matter, but Sister Huang, I am afraid every day..."
"I'm afraid of everything..."
When he said this, his eyes were sad, his eye sockets had turned red, and his teeth had been gritted hard. Yes, who in this world is not afraid? He is just a pampered young man who was born into the royal family. He is afraid. Bloodshed, afraid of sacrifice, afraid of losing the battle, afraid of experiencing all the tragedies. And until the test of reality comes, no one knows what they will become.
That night, the siblings talked a lot. The next day, before leaving, Zhou Pei found Wenren Buer and told her that if the battle ahead was critical, Jun Wu must be taken down from the battlefield. She left Zhenjiang and returned to Lin'an. , while the weak prince stayed by the river and continued to surround his heart with iron and stone every day.
At noon on the tenth day of the lunar month, eighteen-year-old Shen Ruhua was beheaded in Zhenjiang City. In the palace of Prince Jiangning, the physical condition of the fourth wife Shen Ruxin was deteriorating day by day. She was struggling on the boundary between life and death. This was just in the world today. An insignificant ups and downs of life and death. That night, Zhou Junwu sat by the river on the side of the military camp and did not fall asleep the whole night.
At this time, to the north, the Jurchen Wanyan Zongbi's east-route forward army had left Xuzhou and was heading towards Xuyi. It was less than three hundred miles away from Yangzhou.
Around Yangzhou, Tianchang, Gaoyou, Zhenzhou, Taizhou, Zhenjiang... With Han Shizhong's command as the core, more than 800,000 troops, including 100,000 navy troops, were waiting in full formation.
On June 23, the tenth year of Wu Jianshuo's reign, the Jiangnan War broke out.