Fenghou

Chapter 694
Cao Baozong never dreamed that Chen Qing would send someone to look for him. He was nervous and afraid. At this critical moment, if someone found out, he would be finished. But in the gap between nervousness and fear, there was a faint thread Hope, he himself doesn't know what the thread of hope is?
Fortunately, only he can understand what the other party said, old friend of Chilizhai, where is Chilizhai?It was the place where he was held after being captured in Gongzhou. It was called Chilizhai. There was a big sign in the room with the words 'Chilizhai' written on it. He was very impressed.

Cao Baozong hurriedly asked his confidants to invite Hu Yanlei to the living room of the inner house.

Hu Yanlei clasped his fists and laughed, "General Cao, long time no see."

Cao Baozong knew Hu Yanlei, he nodded, "So it's General Hu Yan, please sit down!"

The two sat down as guests and hosts, and Hu Yanlei took out a letter and handed it to him, "This is a handwritten letter from my family to General Cao, please read it."

When Cao Baozong opened the letter, he saw that it said, Jingzhao Chen Qing to the Cao family in Lingzhou. Cao Baozong was stunned for a while.

Of course, he knew why Chen Qing wrote it like this. He was obviously planning to separate him from Xixia. Cao Baozong was not a member of the party. His ancestor was Cao Xian, the king of Guazhou, the last leader of the Hexi Guiyi Army. He surrendered to Li Yuanhao a hundred years ago. Dedicated to Guazhou and Shazhou, Cao Xian entered Xixia with his descendants.

And Cao Baozong is the sixth grandson of Cao Xian. Because of his contribution to Dunhuang, the Cao family has always been the nobles of Xixia, and they are rare non-party nobles. However, the Cao family is not Han, their ancestors are Sogdians of the Cao family.

The Sogdians of the Cao family migrated to the Western Regions and established the Cao Kingdom, and the ancestors of Cao Baozong were the offshoot of the Sogdians who stayed in Ganzhou.

Historically, the famous An Lushan and Shi Siming in the Tang Dynasty were actually Sogdians from Ganzhou.

Cao Baozong opened Chen Qing's letter and read it carefully. He didn't express his opinion, but asked again: "Chen Xuan Fu envoy, what else do you need to tell me?"

Hu Yanlei said slowly: "The governor asked me to remind General Cao that once the Jurchen withdraws, Brother Li Cha will definitely return to Xingqing City to seize the heir, and will definitely start killing. General Cao had better transfer his wife, children and mother away Go to Jingzhou or Shunzhou."

Cao Baozong frowned, "Will this happen?" He obviously didn't believe it.

"Everyone in my family said that it will definitely happen!"

Cao Baozong's heart beat a little, "But...why did he kill me?"

Hu Yanlei smiled slightly and said: "General Cao is not dead, how to explain the disappearance of the wealth of those dignitaries? Brother Li Cha always finds someone to take the blame, isn't General Cao the most suitable?"

Cao Baozong was terrified for a while, he didn't expect Chen Qing to see it so thoroughly, he nodded, "I understand, let me think about it, and I will reply to the general tomorrow!"

Hu Yanlei said goodbye and left. Cao Baozong was in a state of confusion. It was already dark and he had no intention of eating dinner. He went back to his study and hid the letter. But after a while, he couldn't help but turn out the letter and read it again. , Until he memorized the whole letter, he threw the letter into the censer again and burned it to ashes.

Cao Baozong paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. He was very aware of the current situation in Xixia. It can be said that the general situation is over. Chen Qing's army was defeated, what hope would they have?
However, Chen Qing played calmly and steadily, how could they defeat such an opponent, not to mention the civil strife in Xixia and brother Li Cha, Cao Baozong suddenly realized that Chen Qing was not in a hurry to attack Xixia, I am afraid Chen Qing was waiting This civil unrest happened.

At this time, a maid said outside the door: "Master, the old lady is here to invite you!"

"I know, let's go!"

Cao Baozong sorted out his thoughts and left the study to see his mother.

Cao Baozong's mother's surname is An, and she was born in the An family of the Hexi family. The Cao family has been married to the Hexi family for generations, including Cao Baozong's wife, also surnamed An, who is the niece of Mrs. An's family.

Since the death of Cao Baozong's father five years ago, Mrs. An has converted to Buddhism, chanting Buddha and eating fast all day long. Her greatest wish is to enshrine a Buddha statue in Dunhuang Thousand Buddha Caves.

Cao Baozong walked into the room and knelt down to salute, "The child sees the mother!"

An Shi said slowly: "Your wife told me that you have been very anxious these days, and you can't sleep well at night. You even didn't eat dinner today. She is very worried, Zong'er, what happened?"

Cao Baozong spent this month in anxiety. The wealth of the rich and powerful was missing. He was worried that others would doubt him. The defeat of the Jin soldiers to the Song army made his hopes dashed.
Cao Baozong smiled wryly, "Mother, it's not only the child who is anxious in Xixia, the entire court is anxious, and the emperor's condition even worsens. The situation is very unfavorable for Xixia."

"How bad is it?" An Shi asked again.

Cao Baozong hesitated, but told his mother the truth, "Xixia may be in danger of destroying the country!"

An Shi was stunned for a long time, then she sighed in a low voice: "Your father really hit the mark."

"What did father say?"

"Your father said that the significance of Xixia's existence is to contain the Song Dynasty. Once the Jin soldiers capture Sichuan and Shaanxi, the Jin Kingdom will not allow Xixia to exist any longer."

"Then did father say, if Xixia is destroyed, what should our Cao family do?"

An Shi said slowly: "Your father did say that our Cao family came from the Hexi Corridor, and we will eventually return to Hexi."

Cao Baozong suddenly realized that it was no wonder that Chen Qing called him the Cao family of Lingzhou in his letter. He had already thought of it for himself.

Cao Baozong kowtowed heavily and said, "Mother, do you know what to do now?"

At noon the next day, Hu Yanlei saw Cao Baozong again, and Cao Baozong took out a thick letter and handed it to him, "General Huyan, please give this letter to the Xuanfu envoy."

Hu Yanlei took the letter, and quickly glanced at the cover, which read, 'The Cao family of Lingzhou to the Chen Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shanxi'.

Hu Yanlei received the letter, and asked again: "Is there anything else I need to tell?"

"What I want to say is in the letter, but I have another matter with General Huyan."

Hu Yanlei smiled slightly and said, "General Cao, please tell me!"

"Will General Huyan always Xingqing Mansion?" Cao Baozong asked.

"It should be, I still have a lot of tasks to perform."

Cao Baozong sighed and said: "I was worried all night last night. I have a wife, children, and mother. I was really afraid that Brother Li Cha would kill my whole family. I would definitely send them away. It's just that if I leave early, the court will suspect it. Is it feasible for Brother Li Cha to send them away before making a move?"

Hu Yanlei nodded, "That's fine, if you leave early, you will be suspected."

"But I'm afraid I won't be able to grasp the fire, so I want to implore General Huyan to inform us to evacuate."

"of course can!"

Hu Yanlei agreed, "One of my important people in Xingqing Mansion is to protect General Cao's safety."

"Thank you so much, General Huyan!"

Cao Baozong took out a silver medal and handed it to Hu Yanlei, "Soon the imperial court will restore the control of the city gate, but there are three signs that can enter and exit the city gate, the gold medal of the emperor, the silver medal of the grand marshal and the privy envoy, this is the silver medal of the privy envoy, General Huyan Use it to get out of town and into town at any time."

Hu Yanlei accepted the silver medal happily, and he smiled again: "It's better to arrange for me to be the general's confidant, so that I will have no doubts when I enter and leave Cao's mansion."

Cao Baozong was overjoyed, "Of course, I can fill in the vacancy of a proton army general for you. This is my job, and it is also my personal guard."

Hu Yanlei wrote a name 'Hu Yanqing' and handed it to Cao Baozong, "This is my alias. In addition, we all judge that Brother Li Cha has eyes and ears in Xingqing Mansion, but we don't know where to start. Can General Cao give me a clue? ?”

Cao Baozong thought for a while and said, "It is rumored that Li Ji's mule and horse shop in Zhongshi is one of Li Cha's eyes and ears. The people in Heijintang told me before, but I'm not sure."

Hu Yanlei nodded, "Thank you, General, for your timely notification!"

(End of this chapter)