Chang'an is good

Chapter 618: The Severe Winter
Seeing the enthusiasm and determination of the students, Zheng Chao sighed deeply in his heart when he left.

Scholars are good at analyzing the pros and cons of current affairs, but they are also best at upholding one's integrity. Only when these two are combined can one be a complete scholar.

Rather than preventing the student from leaving, he chose to let him leave, which was the only way to effectively appease and bring together those students who were on the verge of wavering... This was also a form of "playing hard to get" and "disguised coercion" - using the envoy's kindness to coerce.

But the prerequisite for doing so is that there is indeed grace and gratitude involved.

Whether it was Jiedushi Chang Suining or Princess Li Suining, the kindness she had left in the hearts of these literati was real.

If not, no matter how much he calculated people's hearts, he would be unable to do anything without the right ingredients.

Some people will definitely leave next, but it doesn’t matter. In the end, there will definitely be quite a few people left, and they are all loyal people who can fight ten people at once.

When the Crown Princess went to Beidi, she not only tempered herself, but also the people around her.

If she returns in the future, she will become the most outstanding crown prince in the eyes of the world, and her achievements will even surpass those of the former crown prince Xiao - when the former crown prince Xiao fought against the Northern Di, he at most only drove them away and never set foot in the desert.

She did what her ancestors had never done before. If she could really do it, when she returns triumphantly, she will be greeted by the most sincere and close hearts.

There was a gleam of hope in Zheng Chao's eyes, as if he saw the vitality of Dasheng. By then, the people and rivers will get out of the catastrophe and usher in a real new life.

Zheng Chao, who saw this wall of hope, walked into the autumn scenery: "Without the harsh winter, how can we see the spring..."

The severe winter has arrived. Whether the people can see spring depends on whether that person can walk out of the severe winter of Beidi.

Personal life and death are trivial matters, but some people are responsible for the life and death of the world.

The Jiangdu Provincial Governor's Office also received a letter from the capital.

In addition to announcing the news that the capital had been decided, the letter also invited officials from Jiangdu to come to the capital to discuss plans for national security. It seemed that he did not care at all that this place was under the jurisdiction of the Crown Princess. He was magnanimous and treated everyone equally, and did not hesitate to show the deep scheming and scheming underneath this magnanimity.

When Wang Changshi saw that the letter was signed by Luo Guanlin, he thought of how Luo Guanlin had praised the benevolence and reputation of the king in his poems and essays, and he could not help but say, "If Mr. Qian were still alive, he would not tolerate this man's rampage."

To be honest, although Mr. Qian has never been an official, his literary talent and insights are far superior to that useless Luo Guanlin!

Even if he had ten Luo Guanlins, they could not defeat one Mr. Qian!

Wang Changshi did not know the exact whereabouts of Qian Shen and was still sending people to look for him. Wang Yue, who knew this very well, said at this time: "Only hypocrites need poems to praise you, and your virtue is known to everyone in the world. You don't need us to shout about it everywhere, nor do you need Qian Shen's poems to express it--"

As he spoke, Wang Yue's voice lowered.

If asked whether Wang Yue blames his friend's choice, he does.

He used to often talk about his friend's "three-year agreement" and often teased his friend for suffering from "master-changing syndrome". He also knew that everyone has different aspirations. But when this day really came, Wang Yue found it hard to accept it... No matter what the truth was, he found it hard to accept.

Before his death, Luo Guanlin wrote a letter to Wang Yue.

The letter only said that Luoyang no longer needed much money.

Apart from this, there was nothing else he asked, he only entrusted Wang Yue to take care of his family.

Yao Ran did not comment on this. At this moment, she only said: "This kind of letter must have been sent to the governors of the various states in Huainan Road. The most urgent task is to strengthen the supervision of the various states."

Wang Yue nodded, his expression gradually becoming serious, and he looked at the other officials: "Your Highness's battlefield is in Beidi, and we are also your Highness's soldiers. Although we don't need to rush to the northern border, we must guard the city and family business in the rear on your behalf!"

All the officials responded solemnly and came down.

In the next few days, letters from various states blew into Jiangdu like falling leaves.

Yun Hui also forwarded the letter from Prince Rong in the capital to Jiangdu. The letter had never even been opened, and he sent it to Jiangdu intact.

The governors of other states also delivered Prince Rong's letter, and most of them were asking about Li Suining's news.

Many secret letters with inquiries were sent to Chang Kuo. Some of the inquiries were quite straightforward, which was equivalent to asking directly, "I heard that Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess died in Beidi. I don't know whether it is true or not." After reading them, Chang Kuo wrote a reply in person.

When the official received the reply letter, he felt that although it was just a letter, it was quite hurtful... The insults in the letter made his ears hurt, and those words seemed to come alive, jumping out of the letter paper, turning into a slap in the face, making him see stars.

Chang Kuo wrote more than ten letters like this, the main theme of which was that whoever asked the question would be slapped.

Even though the Jiangdu Governor's Office responded to the outside world that Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess was safe and would return triumphantly soon, people in various places in Huainan Road were still restless.

Prince Rong was trying to recruit people for amnesty everywhere, and some people kept spreading the news that Li Suining had died in the Northern Di. People from all over the country began to gather around the capital.

Many officials in Huainan Road saw this and were already unable to sleep or eat. Their positions were originally opposed to those of Prince Rong. If they did not express their stance as soon as possible, if Prince Rong ascended the throne in the future, even if they bowed their heads and submitted to him, even if they could save their lives, they would probably be trapped in the quagmire for life...

There are many people who have such concerns, and there are also some who take action based on these concerns.

For example, Shao Shantong, the governor of Guangzhou, received a secret letter from the governor of Luzhou.

Liang Tanzhi, the governor of Luzhou, tried to probe Shao Shanyi and instigated him to go to the capital together with him.

Shao Shantong wrote back impatiently that day: [Is it too risky for just the two of us?]

The next day, he received another letter from the Governor of Luzhou, who said that the Governor of Chuzhou, Ban Run, also had the same idea and that others could try to persuade him. He had already sent someone to send a letter to the capital to make preparations.

This time, the Luzhou governor did not wait for Shao Shantong's reply, but instead received a late-night visit from the Jiangdu army.

The governor of Luzhou was both shocked and annoyed—Shao ​​Shantong that fellow actually betrayed him? !

As neighbors for many years, he knew Shao Shantong's restless character best. When Li Suining first took office, Shao Shantong was the one who opposed him the most... In terms of evil intentions, this person has always been a veteran! If not for this, he wouldn't have thought of bringing this guy along!
Soon, soldiers surrounded the Luzhou Governor's Mansion, and Liang Tanzhi was captured and detained in the front hall.

In the darkness of the night, a woman with a high bun and a cloak tied around her body, wearing a lake blue official uniform, walked in from outside.

Its original appearance is that of a green willow, but now in this night, it gives people a sense of endurance and strength.

The governor of Luzhou recognized Yao Ran. He tried to defend himself but Yao Ran remained unmoved. He then slowly showed his anger and said, "... You are just a little lady, why do you arrest me?"

Yao Ran showed a token, his face calm, "I am under the order of the Princess of the Jiedushi, and I have the power of reward, punishment, life and death in Huainan Road. It should be more than enough to punish the governor of Liang."

"What Crown Princess? You are just deceiving people!" The Governor of Luzhou struggled: "What crime are you going to accuse me of? Is it because I intend to go to the capital?"

"The charge?" The woman said slowly, "Has Governor Liang really forgotten how many dirty deeds he has on his hands?"

"The envoy spared your life and let you continue to sit in this position because he wanted you to be obedient." Yao Ran looked at the struggling man, and contempt gradually emerged in his eyes: "The envoy values ​​your ability to make money, but he doesn't want you to make money and betray your own people."

She ignored Liang Tanzhi, turned her back, and looked around at the Luzhou officials she had summoned: "You should know that the envoy has only gone to Beidi, but the Huainan Road is still under the envoy's control. Before you have any rebellious thoughts, you need to lower your head and take a look at where you are stepping!"

"——To avoid doing stupid things, disturbing others and harming yourself." After Yao Ran finished speaking, he walked out of the hall.

As the officials trembled and saluted, they heard the woman say, "Luzhou Governor Liang Tanzhi privately forged weapons and plotted against the law. He will be taken to Jiangdu for trial immediately."

The soldiers agreed, and Liang Tanzhi cursed angrily, asking how could he have privately forged weapons!
He wanted to, but Huainan Road was so tightly controlled by Jiangdu, where could he cast it? Who would cast it for him? Would he cast it in bed with his wife and concubines?
Thinking of his family, Liang Tanzhi suddenly came back to his senses, his anger disappeared, and he was dragged away, trying to beg for mercy from Yao Ran's back in front of him.

Yao Ran pretended not to hear and did not look back.

The charge is not important, the more unrealistic the better. The purpose is to let other people in Huainan Road know that the charge is fabricated, so that they can see the consequences of changing their minds.

In the darkness of night, Yao Ran boarded the carriage. She sat inside the carriage, looking at the swaying curtains, her expression unchanged.

People have been in a state of panic recently, and the maidservant who served her once asked her quietly with red eyes - if the envoy really can't come back, what will you do?

Yao Ran's answer was: [Although the world is vast, apart from the envoy, there is no one else worthy of Yao Ran's loyalty and worship.]

[When the envoy returned, Ran waited for him; when the envoy died, Ran followed him.]

If you are fortunate enough to follow such a person, you will die with honor rather than failure.

Yao Ran was determined to die and never hesitated in his actions.

Liang Tanzhi was soon forced to catch up.

In the backyard bedroom of the Guangzhou Governor's Mansion, Shao Shantong sneezed twice.

The concubine lying beside him stood up and handed him a handkerchief: "My dear, I think it was Liang Tanzhi who cursed you behind your back."

Shao Shantong snorted and laughed, "Go ahead and scold him. If his head falls off, I'll just sneeze twice. Anyway, I won't suffer any loss."

The concubine shook his arm and whispered, "My dear, why have you become so loyal this time?"

Shao Shantong groaned, put his arm behind his head, looked at the bed curtains and said thoughtfully: "I can't really explain it at the moment..."

"Perhaps you feel that Liang Tanzhi and the other two are not very trustworthy." He said with disdain: "One is a fraudulent accountant and the other likes to eat bug burritos. How reliable can they be?"

"I understand. Your taste in selecting people has been spoiled by the envoy. A person like the envoy, who is as bright as the sun and the moon, naturally looks down on these idle people!"

Shao Shantong touched his forehead and said, "There is some truth in what you said..."

After a moment, he said with some emotion: "It's more than just being cunning... I often feel that my conscience has been raised out of thin air, and I feel uneasy when I walk."

"These days I've been thinking that the envoy has gone to such a dangerous place where one's life is at stake. If she comes back one day and finds her family empty, wouldn't she be disappointed?" He sighed, "Every time I think about this, I always feel uncomfortable. I want to stay at home and take care of the family business for the envoy."

Alas, he was originally a rebel, but he was raised to be a housekeeper. What kind of thing is this?

The concubine smiled and curled her lips: "If I were to tell you, you'd still be scared."

Shao Shantong was confident: "She is just a young lady, but she was able to make me look like this. It's obvious what she did. It's normal to be afraid!"

He had to admit that he was both submissive and afraid of this "young lady".

When Shao Shantong was still enjoying the feeling of being transformed into a house servant, he suddenly felt the hand of his concubine beside him reach into the quilt and touch his chest.

Shao Shantong quickly pushed away the person who came close to him: "Go away..."

The concubine felt wronged: "What are you doing, my Lord?"

But Shao Shantong turned over and faced away from her: "I have been fasting and praying for the envoy recently, please don't ruin my work."

The concubine was amazed: "Then what are you doing in my room? Come to chat under the covers?"

"Do you think I want to come? Madam keeps crying when she mentions the envoy..."

The concubine lay down dissatisfied and pulled the quilt out of anger.

Shao Shantong pulled the quilt over and said unhappily, "Go to sleep!"

One only knows how to cry with him, and the other only thinks about his body. How annoying!

It’s better to sleep in the study or the Buddhist hall tomorrow!
……

Thousands of miles away from Huainan Road, in Taiyuan City, people's hearts were also in turmoil.

Facing the anxiety of his clansmen, Cui Lang sighed: "Grandfather is really a god at foreseeing things... In the current situation, isn't it true that both bets were made correctly?"

He also heard that his father is now trying to pacify various forces for Prince Rong, which is a very tiring job... His father has finally grown up, and although his father now has a hostile stance, he, as a son, is also relieved.

"Master, please stop talking about these useless things." An uncle sighed and urged: "Now that Prince Rong is going to welcome the emperor back to the capital, how should we respond best?"

Cui Lang smiled easily: "Isn't this simple?"

The tribesmen looked towards him and were about to listen carefully when they saw him stand up and said, "Of course, we should ask the Grand Tutor!"

"..." The clansmen stood up and someone whispered, "Can the Grand Tutor be trusted? After seeing the letter from Prince Rong, many officials are now wavering..."

"The Grand Tutor is different." Cui Lang said, "Her Highness the Princess said that all matters in Taiyuan should be decided by the Grand Tutor. With Her Highness' words in mind, if we speculate blindly, we will only be making trouble for ourselves!"

As Cui Lang spoke, he left to pay his respects to the Grand Tutor.

When he arrived, he saw that the Taifu's study was surrounded by officials with anxious and worried expressions.

In this situation, everyone was waiting to hear what the Grand Tutor had to say.

The Grand Tutor did not say anything, but only said to everyone: "Everyone stay calm first, wait a little longer..."

Everyone was guessing, what were they waiting for? Waiting for news from Her Royal Highness? Waiting for changes in the situation in the capital? In that case, the Grand Tutor didn't really intend to defend Taiyuan to the end, right?

After hearing this, Cui Lang calmed down and thought he understood.

As everyone left, a young official asked Cui Lang in a low voice, "What do you think the Grand Tutor meant by this?"

Cui Lang shook his head: "I don't know either."

The man choked: "Just now..."

"I was pretending!" Cui Lang smiled mysteriously and whispered, "The Grand Master hates stupid people the most. If I act like I don't understand, what if the Grand Master thinks I'm stupid and doesn't allow me to get close to him next time?"

The young official was stunned and speechless.

Cui Lang's words were half true and half false. He really wanted the Taifu to think that he had brains and was someone who could be used.

Moreover, he could roughly guess the Grand Tutor's intention, but the Grand Tutor did not say it explicitly. If he said it out loud, wouldn't that cause trouble?
Cui Lang was cheerful and joking during the day, but in the evening he would often sit alone on the steps, gazing towards the north.

In addition to the extremely important master, the two people he cares about most are also in the north. How can he not be worried?

But whether it is the master, the elder brother, or Mianmian, everyone has his or her place in the storm, so he has to hold his fire stick steady.

In the night sky, the stars move.

The golden autumn sun blends into the autumn wind, and wherever the wind passes, the grass and trees turn yellow.

When the withered grass and trees began to be covered with frost, Li Suining put on his thick fox fur hat, stepped lightly on the stirrups, jumped onto the horse's back, grabbed the reins, and continued forward.

4400 words, good night~ Ningning only had time to make a small bubble