After Li Feng got the news about Gao Xun and Cao Rui's prison order, he immediately arranged for his second brother Li Yi to ask the guard Li Yi who was lying on the sick bed for instructions.
Li Feng quickly took Gao Xun to the house of Yan Qian, his father's best friend, General Wu Guanzhonglang, and asked Yan Qian to mobilize troops to assist in martial law.
Li Yi is not pretending to be ill.
He was indeed ill, so he did not come forward to meet Gao Xun.
"Father, His Royal Highness King Pingyuan sent Gao Tingwei's son, Young Master Gao Xun, to convey the order of the King of Prisoners!"
Li Yi ran into the back room in a hurry and knelt in front of his father's bed.
"Prison order...!"
When Li Yi heard these words, he couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat. As soon as the Emperor left Luoyang, His Highness King Pingyuan urgently issued a royal order to himself, the guard in charge of the capital's guard. What happened?
Li Yi didn't dare to delay. Before his father could ask questions, he poured the beans into a bamboo tube and explained clearly what would happen in the future:
"There is a secret operation in Luoyang. Wang Ling asked his father to urgently mobilize the military guards and generals Yan Shibo to guard the twenty-four squares of Luoyang City together with Yan Shibo, the general of the five sense organs!"
When Li Yi heard the news, his heart was both tight and relaxed.
Tight because doing something small is no small matter, loose because it is much smaller than what I just worried about.
He hurriedly pointed to his desk and said:
"Yi'er, the guard's military seal is in the box on the case. Take it quickly. According to His Highness's instructions, you and your brother will mobilize the soldiers to quickly impose martial law on the whole city. Ahem!"
"My child understands!"
Li Yi took the military seal, bowed again and turned over to leave.
————
Jiuzifang.
Not long after, Li Yi gathered the guards and soldiers and gathered here with the generals of each battalion.
Yan Qian, the general of the Five Generators, was an official subordinate to Guang Luxun and He Xia, so he did not dare to act rashly. Therefore, after sending someone to ask for instructions from his superior He Xia, he sent soldiers to follow Li Feng and Gao Xun. Meet up with the Weiwei Langzhong brought by Li Yi.
"Master Li, I summoned you at night. Why?"
The people who asked the questions were Xu Yun, the son of the Xu family, a wealthy family in Hebei, and Xu Yun's friend from the same hometown, Cui Zan. Xu Yun was quite talented, so he hit it off with Li Feng, and was recommended to his father by Li Feng, together with Cui Zan. Promoted to command a team of fifty people.
Li Feng took out his father's guard seal and shouted loudly:
"His Royal Highness King Pingyuan has issued an order to immediately impose martial law on the twenty-four squares of the capital. There must be no mistakes!"
"only!"
Xu Yun, Cui Zan and other dozens of backbone guards, as well as the second son Guang Luxun and Kui [匌, pronunciation, meaning leisurely and contentedly], who commanded the five senses, shouted loudly and immediately rushed to their respective teams to collect weapons from the arsenal. went.
————
The night is filled with moonlight, which complements the fine wine in the glass.
"Brother Xun, I heard that on that day, you actually rejected the invitation from Miss Xiao, the oiran?"
Xia Houxuan, who was slightly drunk, played with the jade cup that was warm in his hand and looked at Xun Can with interest.
"There is such a thing."
Xun Can smiled, raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
"Brother Xun once said in the past that beauty is the most important thing among women in the world. At the meeting in Mangshan, Brother Xun also raised his wine and shouted that he would marry a most beautiful woman in the world one day, but why did Brother Xun reject Luoyang again? The oiran's invitation? Xuan is quite puzzled by this and is also very curious."
Just as Xia Houxuan was speaking, Xun Can had already drank three cups in a row. With his drunken eyes and red cheeks, Xun Can said to Xia Houxuan with a smile:
"Among my friends, I am Brother Xiahou. Anyway, today, Chan, I will take advantage of this fine wine and the bright moon to talk about romance and the past with Brother Xiahou."
Xia Houxuan raised the jade cup and said seriously:
"Since Brother Xun is willing to speak, Xuan dares not to listen attentively."
The two clinked their jade cups against each other and drank the whole drink in one gulp.
[The past is vague]:
Five years ago, the first year of the Wei dynasty was the first year of Zen Buddhism.
Outside Yecheng, the wind rustled and the willow leaves danced, just like Xun Can's heart.
That person was about to leave. He wanted to keep that person, but he knew that he would not be able to keep him.
Leaping out of thin air, Cao's white swan.
Although the girl in red is only eight or nine years old, she is already able to control her father's cavalry general Cao Hong's sacred war horse "White Bird" with ease.
"Xuncan, I'm leaving. Remember to wait for me. When I finish my studies, I will leave Longhu Mountain and come to the Central Plains to find you!"
"Okay, I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you!"
Looking at the red color that was gradually disappearing, Xuncan waved the willow branch in his hand desperately and shouted loudly until he could no longer see the girl's shadow.
Xia Houxuan couldn't help frowning and sighing after listening to Xun Can's confession.
Childhood sweethearts, we have been apart for many years without hearing from each other.
The two of them filled a glass again and drank it all in one gulp.
"So, Cao Qiaoqi's daughter left the capital together with her brother Ai and went to Longhu Mountain to rest and practice."
The brother Ai mentioned by Xia Houxuan is none other than his uncle Cao Zhen's seventh son, Cao Ai.
Speaking of Longhu Mountain, it is now the main altar of Wu Dou Mi Taoism.
In the previous dynasty, Zhang Ling, a real person, and his wife Yong lived in seclusion in Longhu Mountain to practice Taoism. Later, Zhang Ling's grandson and the third son of Zhang Lu, the former Zhennan General of this dynasty, Zhang Yuanzong, the Marquis of Langzhongyuan, entered Longhu Mountain.
After spreading Taoism, there were many Taoists from all over the world, so Longhu Mountain became the authentic Taoist school today.
"It's just that Brother Ai went to Longhu Mountain to train because he was weak and sick since he was a child. As for Lechenghou's daughter, she was able to ride the famous horse 'White Hu' at the age of eight, so why did she go to Longhu Mountain?
Woolen cloth?"
Xun Can drunkenly smiled and said:
"It is said that there was a fortune teller who told Cao Huoqi's life. The fortune teller said that Cao Huoqi was facing a great difficulty in his life. If one of his descendants could be allowed to practice cultivation from a young age, this difficulty could be averted."
Xia Houxuan couldn't help laughing when he heard this. He smiled and asked:
"What kind of fortune teller makes the dignified Cao Qiaoqi believe in him so much?"
Xuncan said seriously:
"That fortune teller is none other than my fortune teller, Zhu Jianping!"
"It's Mr. Zhu Jianping, no wonder!"
Xia Houxuan also put away his smile and looked serious and thoughtful.
————
Not long after, brothers Li Feng and Li Yi led Xu Yun, Cui Zan and other doctors to control the entire traffic in the inner city of Luoyang.
Changling Township Marquis, outside the gate of Xiahou Mansion.
A team of 100 people who are responsible for martial law in Jiuzifang, the inner city of Luoyang, are guarding and patrolling the most critical place.
The hundred-man general in this group of doctors is none other than He Kui.
He Kui, who has just turned fifteen this year, is the second son of Guang Luxun. He has served in the army for two full years and has been promoted to a hundred-man general step by step. He already possesses qualities that most of his peers do not possess.
Stability, and the responsibility of a military soldier.
"Let the captains of each team allocate manpower to keep an eye on every corner and alley. Don't let suspicious people slip away!"
"Wei!" The two teams led the generals and ordered them to immediately give orders to their respective subordinates.
"Squeak..."
At this time, the left side door of Xiahou Mansion opened, and a petite and exquisite figure slowly walked out of the mansion, escorted by two Xuanjia Mansion soldiers.
These Xuanjiafu soldiers, also called Xuanjia guards, are the honor bestowed upon the Changling Township Marquis by His Majesty today. Looking at Luoyang City, there are no ministers with foreign surnames who can have 200 Xuanjiafu soldiers, except for the head of the family, Xia Houshang.
The second person.
The head of the family, Xia Houshang, has conquered east and west in recent years, and has earned a total of 1,900 households for the Changling Township Hou Mansion. The 1,900 households have food towns, according to the system of the previous dynasty, each household in the local area has about 1,000 households with the same name.
Four or five people, calculated as four people, means 1,900 households, or 7,600 people.
The title of the head of the family, Xia Houshang, is Marquis of Changling Township. Therefore, the taxes that the 7,600 people in Changling Township should pay every year are the legal income of Xia Houshang's family. According to the tax reform of Emperor Wu of this dynasty, Cao Cao, the villagers
For the grain grown, the government will distribute farm tools and oxen, and the government will pay six liters and four to the people. If you prepare your own farm tools and oxen, the government and people will pay half and half. In addition, for land cultivated by civilians who are not farmers, each household will pay a land rent of four liters per acre.
In addition to the grain, two bolts of silk and two pounds of cotton will be paid to the household.
However, there were frequent wars in the previous and present dynasties, and the land was vast and sparsely populated. Each household cultivated about 100 acres of land.
Changling Township is not a land for farming, so according to Emperor Wu's land tenants, the Xiahou Mansion can get 760,000 liters [Note 1] of grain, 3,800 bolts of silk cloth, and 3,800 liters of grain from the food fief every year.
If a catty of cotton is equivalent to five baht in this dynasty, the Xiahou Mansion can get more than 4.5 million yuan from food every year!
[Note 1: 760,000 liters is 7,600 hu/stone. The price of rice in the Han Dynasty was usually one hundred qian per hu. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, 1,5 baht was approximately equal to today’s six cents based on purchasing power. 7,600 hu of rice can be
It can be exchanged for 765,000 baht, which is about 456,000 yuan in RMB. In the Han Dynasty, a piece of fine silk cloth was about 1,000 yuan, and 3,800 pieces of silk was equivalent to 3.8 million yuan, equivalent to RMB.
More than two million.]
As a prince of the imperial court, with such a rich income from food and towns, plus the Xiahou Shangzhengnan General, the official salary of 4,200 dendrobium per year for the position of governor of Jingzhou [Note 2], the servants, servants, and musicians in the house
, cooks and dozens of others, as well as the fifty original soldiers, even if there are two hundred more well-paid elite Xuanjia guards, it will still be no problem at all.
[Note 2: Four thousand two hundred dendrobium, which is 420,000 qian, equivalent to RMB 252,000.]
Since this Xuanjia Guard was a privilege bestowed by the emperor and was of no small importance, even the young master of the family, Xia Houxuan, did not dare to arrange it at will.
If it weren't for the fact that the housekeeper Gu Ting was unwell and Bi Han was afraid that the other servants would not pay attention to him, so he sent armored soldiers to protect Yu'er, it would be difficult for ordinary people to see the majesty of this Xuanjia Guard.
And the girl who was escorted out of the mansion by the Xuanjia guards, wearing a light yellow curtain hat and a light yellow skirt, was a cardamom girl of thirteen or fourteen years old. She was Xia Houshang's second daughter, Xia Houxuan's younger sister, and Bihan's only daughter.
, Xia Houyu.
It was Bihan who heard that the whole city was under martial law and that Xia Houxuan went out to have a drink with someone again. He was so worried that he asked Xia Houyu to go out and ask about the martial law soldiers.
He Kui, who was originally concentrating on observing the streets, couldn't help but tremble in his heart when he faced this quiet girl under the moonlight.
His face turned red unconsciously.
"This...soldier brother, I dare to ask, what is the reason for the martial law tonight..., has you heard any news about my brother..."
Xia Houyu's voice was soft and gentle, making He Kui's already red cheeks turn even redder. He, who had always spoken fluently, actually stuttered at this moment:
"Back to my sister... According to my sister, it's not a big deal. I just found a spy, so I'm under martial law. As for my dear brother, I don't know who is in the house. I really... I really don't know. I'm sorry...
....”
After hearing this, Xia Houyu became embarrassed and said coyly:
"I'm sorry, it was the little girl who did this. I didn't say clearly that my brother is the young master of the house."
Since Xia Houyu had been learning etiquette and reciting poems under Bi Han's tutelage since she was a child, she never dared to call her brother by his first name.
"It turns out that the girl is the daughter of Xiahou Zhengnan, disrespectful, disrespectful!"
After He Kui learned the other party's identity, he couldn't help being surprised again. He hurriedly bowed to Xia Houyu and apologized:
"Brother, it's okay. I'm in Qingqing Garden at the moment."
He Gui also didn't know that this martial law was actually controlled by Xia Houxuan.
"Well, thank you to this soldier brother. I'll take my leave first, little girl."
After Xia Houyu finished speaking, he bowed and entered the mansion under the protection of two Xuanjia guards.
After the door of the mansion was closed with a bang, He Kui felt regretful that he had forgotten to tell the other person who he was.
————
East Palace.
Arrangements were made for the next day for Taiwei Zhongyao, Situ Huaxin, Sikong Wanglang, and his own king Fu Gaotanglong, as well as Shizhong Xinpi, Shangshu Fu Xun, Du Xi, and the two chief officials of Zhongshu Province:
Liu Fang, the eunuch of the Zhongshu, was in harmony with Sun Zi, the Ling of the Zhongshu, as well as Guang Luxun, Wei Wei Li Yi, Ting Wei Gao Rou, Jin Wu Zang Ba, Zhong Lijun Zhu Shuo, Yu Shi Zhongcheng Bao Xun, Da Si Nong Chang Lin, Si
Cao Rui finally breathed a long sigh of relief behind the meeting hall prepared by Jin Duwei Han Ji and others.
Cao Rui, who was alone by the lake in the pavilion, looked at the reflection of the bright moon and stars in the lake, and was filled with emotions.
For no apparent reason, the majestic face of Emperor Wu and Weng Weng flashed in front of his eyes, only becoming kind to him.
He silently wished in his heart:
I hope Weng Weng protects Rui'er and she can get through this difficult time.
