Outside the side door of Pei Mansion, six carriages were ready to go, and the servants accompanying them were all capable and strong men. They stood with their eyes lowered, obviously well-trained.
Inside the side door, a high-spirited Li Dewu held his arm with his wife who insisted on seeing her off, and advised: "Don't worry, I will be able to return within ten days."
Mrs. Pei bowed slightly and saluted, "My husband is traveling far away, and your safety is your first priority. Don't travel day and night."
Li Dewu looked around, reached out to hold his wife's hand, and whispered: "In this way, a husband must guard his body like jade."
"Husband!" Mrs. Pei's face turned red.
Since their reunion, Li Dewu has been favoring only one person. Even after Pei became pregnant, he did not call a maid to serve him as usual. He was about to leave for a long distance. How could he not make Pei's heart sweet by saying such words?
Li Dewu's eyes slowly descended and landed on his wife's abdomen. Two months ago, Pei was diagnosed with Liujia pregnancy, and his father-in-law finally relaxed.
On the battlefield in Hebei, although Liu Heitai was defeated and fled north, the war did not stop. Xu Yuanlang, who followed Liu Heitai's troops, was still resisting, and the King of Qin led his troops to besiege him.
Pei Shiju chose to take action at this time. Chang'an is not far from Luoyang. It can be reached in 600 miles in one day and night, and it can be reached in five days by walking with the coffin. Including the burial, worship, and return journey, it will take ten days to return to Chang'an.
Luo Shixin died in the battle in Hebei, and Li Dewu was ordered to carry the coffin to Luoyang and be buried next to Pei Renji's tomb. After returning, the King of Qin should have defeated Xu Yuanlang and returned to the army, and the Chang'an order should also be vacant. Pei Shiju would officially recommend Li Dewu as the Chang'an order... It was logical.
Under his wife's eager eyes, Li Dewu strode down the steps. He knew that the day he returned to Beijing would be the time to start his official career... His wife had informed him last night, and the East Palace had already acquiesced in this matter.
After boarding the carriage, Li Dewu gave the order to set off. Only when he was alone in the carriage did he reveal a sinister and hateful sneer.
But the sneer disappeared in an instant, and he returned to his gentle and elegant appearance. Li Dewu warned himself in his heart that the people outside the car were all servants of the Pei family, and he must not show any trace.
It's been a few months since they reunited, and it's been two months since his wife was diagnosed with pregnancy, but it's only now that his father-in-law is relieved... Li Dewu knows why.
But this time when he was asked to carry the coffin to Luoyang, Li Dewu knew even more about his father-in-law Pei Shiju's intentions. He was afraid that he would raise a white-eyed wolf.
Li Dewu was able to reunite with Pei, largely because Pei had a rock-solid heart and would never remarry... As long as there was a slight chance, Pei Shiju did not want to see his only daughter and Li Dewu reunite.
Because back then, Li Hun and Li Min were falsely accused of treason and sentenced to death, and the clan was destroyed. The mastermind was Yu Wenshu, but the first accuser was Pei Renji, then General Wu Ben.
Li Dewu guessed in his heart that his father-in-law asked him to carry the coffin to Luoyang and bury Luo Shixin's body next to Pei Renji's tomb. Was it a test? Or a warning?
But at least, you need to show your attitude.
Last night, Li Dewu told his wife that although Pei Renji was the Pei family of Hedong Wenxi, he was from the middle family, while his father-in-law's family was from the west family and had nothing to do with it.
Li Dewu opened the curtain, and the wind with the chill of early spring blew on Li Dewu's face, which shocked his spirit. After half a year, he finally came out.
Looking at the hill on the left side of the official road from a distance, Li Dewu could faintly see the temple in the mountain. Li Dewu knew that it was Dongshan Temple, which had become famous in recent months. During the Lantern Festival two months ago, he ordered Wu Zhong to seek scriptures. That night, his wife checked
Born in Huai Liujia.
Thinking of this, Li Dewu thought that after returning to Beijing, he would find an opportunity to go to Dongshan Temple to offer incense and fulfill his wish.
Suddenly realizing that someone was peeping, Li Dewu turned his eyes and saw a monk staring at him with piercing eyes on the roadside. His expression was indescribably weird.
The lowered car curtain blocked his view. Zhu Ba cursed secretly in his mind and stepped into the city quickly. He walked twice outside the gate of Pei's house and then waited quietly at a corner with the familiar three turns.
"What are you here for?"
"He went to Luoyang?"
"What?"
"He went to Luoyang." Zhu Ba changed his tone of affirmation, "When will he return to Chang'an?"
Wu Zhong, who looked frightened, threatened in a low voice: "If you don't get out, believe it or not, I will let you..."
"Da Lang said it, if you don't want to say it..." Zhu Ba grinned, "Da Lang will come in person tomorrow."
"Don't worry, I won't look for him, nor will I scold the Pei family. I will only look for you."
"Don't be afraid, I'm just inviting you to drink."
"I heard from Dalang that when we were in Lingnan, you two...and maybe others, often got together for drinks."
Wu Zhong's face gradually turned pale. Although he was not a smart man, he vaguely felt that he had been fooled that day.
He originally wanted to expel the mother and son back to Lingnan, but the transfer back failed, and he still had the leverage to fall into Li Shan's hands.
Dozens of troubles are nothing but a trivial matter. Once he leaks the information to Li Shan and is found out... how can he survive!
But if Li Shan really came to his door to drink, if he was discovered by the three traitorous servants who were following Li Dewu at the same time... he would probably be worse off than dead.
The four of them turned to Lang Jun at the same time, and he was the most valued one, so he was assigned to the concierge... In a wealthy family, the concierge was one of the most honorable jobs among the servants.
Gritting his teeth and thinking again and again, Wu Zhong's brain turned into mush. He glanced at the indifferent monk and said, "I will return to Beijing in ten days."
Zhu Ba nodded, turned around and left. He went to Dongshi and bought another two kilograms of plaster... This time he changed to a drug store. Last time, the shopkeeper wanted to report to the government.
All the way back to Zhujiagou, Zhu Ba went straight to Li's house.
"Ten days..." Li Shan's eyes flickered and he nodded to ask Zhu Ba to step back.
"Pretend to be a ghost." Zhou Zhao, half-lying on the couch, said lazily: "I'm out of wine again."
Li Shan ignored this guy and suddenly said: "I heard that King Qi also followed King Qin to attack Hebei..."
"It's nothing more than checks and balances." Zhou Zhao said nonchalantly: "King Qin had unparalleled military exploits. He had already mastered Yizhou Daoxingtai, controlled Jiannan Dao, Longyou Dao, and part of Guannai Dao. Last year, he also obtained Daxingtai of Shaanxi Province and added Shangshu Ling. , there is too much power both internally and externally.”
"Liu Heitao traveled across Hebei, and all the generals were defeated. The saint had no choice but to use King Qin again. In this great victory, Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong both made great contributions. King Qin defeated Liu Heitai in the battle of Luoshui... I heard that King Qin was attacked by the enemy again this time. Encircled, tsk tsk, he actually escaped safely again!"
Looking at Li Shan, Zhou Zhao explained: "Last year in the battle of Luoyang, the King of Qin was surrounded by Zheng's army twice. If it weren't for Yuchi Jingde... the commander of the army, he would have taken risks with his own life. A wise man would not do it."
Li Shan knew that this was talking about the famous Yuchi Gong who rode alone as the savior in history, and he couldn't help but think to himself that Li Yuan might not... But Li Jiancheng probably jumped up and cursed Liu Heitai and Wang Shichong for being useless. They surrounded him and he couldn't kill him.
Putting these thoughts aside, Li Shan knocked on the table and said, "I'm way off topic."
Zhou Zhao turned over and sat up, sighing: "The East Palace has not had any military exploits for many years. I'm afraid it will be difficult for the sage to suppress it with the King of Qi."
Before he finished speaking, Zhu Wei happened to come in and said, "The sage summoned the King of Qin to return to the capital."
Li Shan's eyes lit up, "Is Xu Yuanlang still alive?"
Seeing Zhu Wei nod, Zhou Zhao observed Li Shan thoughtfully from the corner of his eye.