On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, Chanzhou City was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations last night to prepare for the good times.
In the early morning, there was mist on the street and the sky was unclear. There were only a few vendors going back and forth.
Suddenly, there was the sound of rapid horse hooves trampling stones at the end of the street. The originally confused vendors became energetic and hid on the side of the street. The timid ones hid behind the shelves and stone piers, while the bold ones huddled in the corners and faced the street.
Looking north.
The sound of horse hoofbeats gradually approached, and suddenly a group of elite riders came out of the fog and jumped into view, followed by a general wearing ocher and a young man wearing a cloak galloping side by side.
After that came a group of red and red people, all of whom were high-ranking officials from Chanzhou. Finally, hundreds of cavalry came to the end of the formation, galloping towards the Yingchun Gate in an orderly manner.
By the moat outside the gate, thousands of Longjie Army soldiers with fine armor and strong bows were waiting in full formation. Xiang Xun was wearing a gorgeous Mingguang armor, carrying a long spear, and riding a black war horse, standing alone in front of the formation.
After leaving the city gate, the people and horses dispersed. Guo Rong reined in his horse slowly and warned as he walked: "When we arrive in Tokyo, the first thing is to gain the trust of His Majesty. Although he is your aunt, he is the emperor first. He trusts you in everything.
It’s easy to say, but if I don’t believe you, nothing will happen. Do you understand?”
Guo Zongyi nodded with deep understanding, but the emperor's heart was often unpredictable, so it was quite difficult to win Aweng's trust.
"The five hundred cavalry troops behind me are all soldiers who have fought hundreds of battles. They are innocent sons and have been trained by me for many years. They are loyal and loyal. You can take them away and put them in my Ming Jiuzhuang outside the capital as a foundation."
"If you plan in advance and make decisions later, you can write to me to ask questions."
"If you are short of money or food, you can also write to me and ask me. Do not rely on your status to do anything harmful to nature and justice in the capital."
"Be careful when moving around the palace. The four maids are too young for Wu Shen to be of great use to you. However, I have sent a scarf to follow you, and things will be much better for you."
Guo Rong talked a lot and stopped when he came to Xiang Xun. Guo Zongyi responded one by one with red eyes.
Xiang Xun dismounted and paid homage to him. Guo Rong helped him up and said deeply: "Xiang Shi is also the envoy of the imperial city. He is the confidant of His Majesty Yuan Cong. This child has a hard life and is alone in the capital. Please take care of him."
Xiang Xun was quite moved and said deeply: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will do my best."
Guo Rong shook his hand hard, then let go. He looked at Guo Zongyi, took off a mutton-fat jade plaque from his neck, rubbed it and said, "This is the peace plaque your mother gave me in the temple after she married me."
It took three years to get back what was given to me. I just hope that I can be safe while leading the troops, so now I give it to you."
Guo Zongyi stretched out his hands to catch it, but Guo Rong twisted the rope and hung it up for him.
Patting his son on the shoulder, he said: "Okay, I will send it here without delaying your schedule."
After saying that, he got on his horse and rushed into the city without looking back.
Guo Zongyi's nose felt sore and tears were about to fall. He endured it, bowed deeply to Guo Rong's back, then mounted his horse and asked, "Xiang Shi, why don't you see Bachelor Dou?"
"Back to Your Majesty, he took the first step and returned to His Majesty."
Guo Zongyi nodded and looked at Chanzhou City with some reluctance. The sun had risen from the city walls, painting the city towers with a layer of gold. He took a deep breath and whispered softly: "Let's set off."
On the tower, Guo Rong stood in the shadows, swaying back to the left and right, holding the parapet with both hands, looking at his son's retreating figure, and shed tears unconsciously.
More than a thousand people rode one person and two horses. The horses rested and the people never rested. Except for an hour of dismounting for lunch at noon, they spent the rest of the time on the road. Finally, when the lanterns first came on, they arrived at the towering Bianjing City.
Guo Zongyi reined in his horse and asked Xiang Xun beside him: "Now that the people in the city are celebrating the festival, it is not appropriate for the army to enter the city at this time. Can we enter by ourselves?"
Xiang Xun agreed with a smile: "Your Highness has thought carefully, and it is really not appropriate for the army to enter the city at this time. Just now, the chamberlain came to report that Your Majesty has hosted a family banquet for you in Yanfu Palace, so I will select a few soldiers to escort Your Highness."
Enter the palace."
Seeing that he agreed, Guo Zongyi called Chai Wang, whispered a few words, then took Cao Han, Cao Bin, two eunuchs and four maids, and accompanied Xiang Xun into the palace.
The group of people walked through the Zizao Gate in the north, which was not far from Da Nei. There were very few pedestrians, and there were military patrols along the road, and Xiang Yuhou was patrolling. It can be said that there was no trace of solar terms.
Guo Zongyi could not help but regret that he could not see the bustle and prosperity of Tokyo during the Lantern Festival, even if he just took a quick look at the flowers.
After entering the Chongming Gate, you will find the inner palace. The road is smooth and smooth. It seems that he, Aweng, has given the order a long time ago.
This was the first time Guo Zongyi came to the palace at night. It didn't look majestic and majestic in the daytime. There was only one word left to describe it in the night, which made people breathless.
Yanfu Palace is located in the back garden of the imperial city. It was expanded during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Now it is just an ordinary garden. It goes straight through the palace, and after a few turns, there is the poolside courtyard where the lights are dim.
When they arrived at Yanfu Palace, only Xiang Xun and Guo Zongyi could enter, and the rest of the entourage would be arranged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Today, the guard in front of the palace gate is Long Qizhi from the East and West squads. The captain of the escort squad is a dark-faced man. He saw Xiang Xun coming from a distance with a young man who was tired of his travels, so he went up to meet him.
"To the envoy." Abban saluted.
This man was a junior officer in the emperor's guard. Because he was born too black, Xiang Xun also had an impression, so he responded: "I escorted the emperor's eldest grandson back to the capital and reported to your majesty. Please let me know."
The guard glanced at Guo Zongyi in surprise and said hurriedly: "Provoke!"
He turned around and ran towards the palace gate.
"Do you know this person?" Guo Zongyi asked abruptly after he ran away.
Xiang Xun shook his head and said, "I don't know him, but this person has a different appearance, so he looks familiar."
"It's indeed a bit dark." Guo Zongyi replied thoughtfully, causing Xiang Xun to chuckle.
While they were talking and laughing, the tall and heavy palace door opened a crack, and a thin yellow door came out. He ran up to the two of them with his buttocks between his legs, and saluted: "Your Majesty summoned the emperor's eldest grandson to enter the palace, and gave the envoy money for his hard work.
Two thousand, six dishes, go home for the holidays."
Xiang Xun smiled and thanked him, handed the small brocade box to Xiaohuangmen, and said goodbye to Guo Zongyi.
"Go slowly toward the envoy."
After watching him for a while, Guo Zongyi took off his cloak and Xiaohuangmen, straightened his clothes and accessories, and then entered the palace with Xiaohuangmen.
The wooden door creaked open, and the bright lights in the hall made his eyes feel uncomfortable for a moment.
When his vision became clear, the eyes of everyone in the palace were focused on him, and the one facing him was particularly hot.
He quickly looked around, but there were only more than ten seats available. Presumably, there were not many people in Lao Guo's family anymore. If he could make up more than ten seats, he would probably invite Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde's family members.
Guo Wei suddenly stood up, looked at the purple-robed young man standing at the door of the palace, and said excitedly: "Brother Yi, come up and show Aweng."
Guo Zongyi quickly quickened his pace and arrived in front of the emperor. He was about to salute, but was held by Guo Wei.
The fifty-year-old man's eyes were filled with tears at this moment. He kept looking at her and murmured: "I haven't seen you for a few years. Now that I have grown so big, I look more and more like your eldest mother. She looks so much like her."
His eldest mother was Guo Rong's biological aunt, the late Chai, Queen of Shengmu.
Hearing Guo Wei mention Empress Chai, the only concubine beside him, Concubine Dong De couldn't sit still and reminded her: "Your Majesty, the emperor's eldest grandson has been busy all his life, so he should sit down first."
Guo Wei repeatedly said yes and pulled him to sit next to him.
Guo Zongyi was slightly shocked, and he quickly bowed down and said, "I dare not sit with Your Majesty."
Guo Wei straightened his face and pretended to be displeased: "My name is Aweng! Don't be so formal at today's family banquet. I'll let you sit down and you can sit down. I haven't seen you in a few years. You have grown into a handsome young man with a beautiful tree in the wind."
La."
When Guo Zongyi saw him, he stopped calling me me and did not dare to say goodbye. He had to sit next to him obediently. By chance, he saw a half-hidden and half-exposed tattoo under Guo Wei's left collar, which was a vivid flying bird.
Guo Wei grabbed his hand and raised his glass with a big smile: "You're all hungry now. Come on, brother Yi is here too. Let's have a drink together first."
Guo Zongyi looked embarrassed and felt quite sorry for having a room full of people waiting for him.
After drinking a cup, seeing that Guo Wei no longer urged him to drink, he said, "Ah, I'm sorry."
"You say it, you say it." Guo Wei said while picking up food for him.
"My elders and brothers are worried about this, and Sun is uneasy. It just so happens that he came from Chanzhou this time and brought some gifts, which he wanted to give to Aweng and his relatives."
"Oh?" Guo Weiyi asked: "And Aweng's?"
"Of course!" Guo Zongyi nodded firmly.
Guo Wei laughed happily, causing everyone in the banquet to look sideways. Seeing the emperor smiling happily, they all kept smiling.
"Why don't you bring it quickly?" He stretched out his hand and begged.
Guo Zongyi took out a roll of paper from his sleeve and said with both hands: "Sun Meng was saved by the Taoist immortal Chen Tuan. This is a method of health preservation that he asked for before leaving. I specially dedicated it to Aweng. May Aweng be as blessed as the East China Sea.
The flowing water is like the immortal pines of Nanshan Mountain."
Guo Wei happily took it and said while looking at it: "It sounds like I am celebrating my birthday today."
Guo Zongyi chuckled and said: "Old Taoist Chen Tuan is said to be one hundred and twenty years old. His self-taught health regimen is the "Fetal Breathing Technique". He sleeps all day long and sleeps for several months at a time. I guess it is not suitable for Ah Weng.
When I was about to recover from my injury, I pestered him day by day and asked him for the recipe for this medicinal diet. Aweng can call the imperial doctor to check it out and see if it has any effect."
Guo Wei closed the note and handed it to the small yellow door behind him. He said: "No matter whether this recipe is suitable or not, it is because of your filial piety. Chen Tuan saved my grandson. I have to thank him properly. Do you know where he is now?"
Square?"
"When I'm in Huazhou, if I'm not at Yuntai Temple in Huashan Mountain, I'm in the grottoes in Shaohua Mountain." Guo Zongyi thought for a while and replied.
Guo Wei hummed and then gave instructions: "Order the governor of Huazhou to look for him and invite him to come to the capital to see me. If he doesn't want to come, I will reward him with fifty thousand yuan, ten kilograms of tea bricks, and give him the title of Mr. Fuyao."
Then he turned to Guo Zongyi and asked: "Brother Yi, what do you think, is it enough?"
"It's all up to Aweng." Guo Zongyi replied obediently. He didn't plan to mention Chai Wang's contribution at the moment, but wanted to save it for the right time.
Guo Wei gave him a few more chopsticks of vegetables, watched him eat them, and then said, "What about the gifts you brought to the others?"
Guo Zongyi wiped his mouth, called the little yellow doorman who led him in, and said: "Give me the brocade box."
Don't take it from the small yellow door. Guo Zongyi opened the box and took out a jade sachet, which was only the size of a date. It was engraved with fish and birds. There was an incense bowl inside, which opened and closed from the middle. It was exquisite.
"This white jade sachet is given to Concubine De." Guo Zongyi presented the sachet to Concubine Dong De, who took it with a smile on her face and thanked her softly.
Although she is an elder, she is only a concubine after all. However, those who hold turbans on either side of the emperor still dare not really show off as an elder in front of the grandson who is likely to become the emperor in the future.
Guo Zongyi took out some gold, silver and jade objects one after another and gave them to his aunt Princess Shouan, his uncle Zhang Yongde, and his cousin Li Chongjin, all of which were taken from the Chanzhou treasury.
Princess Shou'an was in her early twenties. When she saw that what he handed over was a gorgeous gold-plated hairpin, she couldn't accept it or not. She was embarrassed and anxious for a moment.
Zhang Yongde is twenty-four years old. He has a handsome appearance, a tall figure, and a mustache. The clothes he wears are of extremely high quality and must be of the highest quality Shu brocade.
He took the hairpin from his wife and asked with a smile: "Has Brother Yi ever been in contact with a girl?"
Guo Zongyi looked confused, wondering why he suddenly asked this, and replied honestly: "I have never been in contact with him."
Several elders at the table couldn't help laughing when they heard this.
Zhang Yongde suddenly said: "No wonder Brother Yi doesn't know that these hairpins, hairpins, chains, rings and other jewelry can only be given by close people, so your aunt is embarrassed to accept them."
Guo Zongyi was so embarrassed that he forgot about this incident. His face turned red and he reached out to take the hairpin back.
Zhang Yongde dodged and said with a smile: "Those who don't know are not guilty. You are filial, so I will collect this hairpin for your aunt."
The atmosphere in the palace became a lot more harmonious due to this commotion. Li Chongjin took over the conversation at the right time and said in a loud voice: "It's time to find a marriage for you. I'll leave this matter to my fourth sister and my family, right?"
Guo Wei nodded in agreement: "The old man is getting married, and brother Yi is fourteen. It's time to find a suitable girl. Concubine De, you can also help me."
"Yes." Concubine De agreed with a smile.
Guo Zongyi shook his head repeatedly: "Don't be anxious, don't be anxious, I haven't renewed my string yet."
Guo Wei's face was straight: "I will take care of your affairs. You can just wait for your wife in peace."
Guo Zongyi said no more, returned to the table, and drank with his relatives.
When the moon was at its peak, the banquet was over. Guo Wei was a little drunk and pulled Guo Zongyi to sleep with him.
He didn't understand what was wrong with these ancient people. They always talked about each other on the same bed and slept together, as if they couldn't express their feelings otherwise.
Fortunately, Guo Wei didn't last long and fell drunk. Concubine Dong De served him back to Qianfu Hall.
Everyone then said goodbye to each other and left one by one.
Li Chongjin took the lead to bid farewell to him with his family, and then Princess Shou'an and Zhang Yongde came hand in hand. Princess Shou'an invited him to visit her house another day. Guo Zongyi saw the young lady's sincere words and clear eyes, and knew that she was sincerely inviting her.
He readily agreed.
Zhang Yongde shook his hairpin at him, winked narrowly, and left with a big smile.
