Ping An Biography

Yongding camp returned to Wuchang at the end of winter.

……

"I have imagined the scene of returning here countless times, the wooden door carved with beautiful patterns opens, many familiar people walk over with smiles, people gather together, there are delicious wine and flowers, I have often imagined the scene of reuniting with you... We entered the city today, and I saw the carriage among the crowd, and I knew you were there. You don't want to show your face in full view, but you can't wait to look at me there..."

The night in the palace is so quiet, the elegant room, the hanging curtain, the floor is spotless.As soon as Zhang Ning said a few words, the little girl beside him burst into tears.In fact, he didn't say anything, and his tone was not sensational at all, he just narrated in a low and tired voice, maybe such a focused narration itself hides a kind of restrained injury, Zhang Xiaomei is much more fragile and sensitive, already I can't stand the silence.

And Yao Ji just listened carefully, glancing at his face from time to time, she didn't interrupt Zhang Ning's chatter, just like a listener.She was wearing a cross-neck dress with floral patterns and a red shawl outside. She was well-dressed and graceful as usual, and there was no movement on her beautiful face, even in such a quiet night, the long-awaited At the moment of reunion, she still acts as if everything is natural.

Zhang Ning was still wearing the gray uniform he had just returned from, with white lining, gold waist buttons, and even a dagger hanging from his waist. He sat upright with his iron helmet on his knees.It's just that the look is obviously full of exhaustion, as if a little bit of a trance feeling not knowing where he is.

He glanced at Zhang Xiaomei, who was teary-eyed, then looked at Yao Ji and said, "I almost regard Wuchang as my hometown and destination, but when we came back, it seemed that the people of Huguang didn't welcome it very much. I know, our war this year It has affected the interests of too many people... When the Yongding Camp went out, the number of troops once reached 5000. Today, less than [-] returned, and many of them died. When cleaning up the relics after the war, I found many family letters... Actually, I I also wrote a lot, and once thought I would never come back.”

Zhang Ning put his hand on the button of the skirt, hesitated for a moment, finally untied his coat, took out a stack of old paper from his arms, got up and handed it over.He smiled at Zhang Xiaomei again: "Sorry, I didn't bring any presents when I came back this time."

"I don't want it." Zhang Xiaomei choked up.

Yao Ji glanced at the stack of papers, then raised her head to look into Zhang Ning's eyes, reached out to take it unhurriedly, and looked through it silently.

A forced smile appeared on the corner of Zhang Ning's mouth, "I was supposed to be a civil servant, but unexpectedly I became a soldier."

After a while, Yao Ji slowly said to Zhang Xiaomei: "These letters that haven't been delivered have mentioned you many times. Thankfully your brother didn't love you in vain, and wept like tears when we met."

Zhang Ning did not sit down after giving something. He walked a few steps by the door and window and asked, "Do you remember Xin Wei? It was the guard in white who wanted to escape. You caught him back and almost executed him."

Yao Ji nodded slightly.

"She planted some vegetables in the yard of Xingyuan, governor of Jiangxi, and we hadn't finished plucking them when we left, so she was a little bit reluctant, haha." Zhang Ning laughed.

But the joke doesn't seem to be funny.

Yao Ji said softly: "Emperor Jianwen will have a big banquet tomorrow for all the ministers. Everyone you know in Wuchang will come to celebrate your achievements and 'gather together'. What else do you want?" Her voice was very gentle, revealing a hint of doting.

Zhang Ning shook his head: "When I was still in Wuchang, Zhang Fu's 10,000+ army was chasing and intercepting me from three directions. What I thought about the most was not how the scenery will be when I come back."

"Then what do you want?" Yao Ji asked again.

He sighed, raised his head as if remembering, and murmured, "A lot of times I feel that I can't count on going out from Jiujiang, and I never thought that General Zhou could use tens of thousands of recruits to defeat the elite officers and soldiers on the North Road... Pao The sound is ringing every day, as if every day is a thunderstorm. In my mind, I can imagine that heavy iron balls and stones hit the city wall, and the bricks wrapped in rammed earth were torn apart, falling off the wall, and dust splashed everywhere. The walls are trembling, and every now and then somewhere will collapse, and a flood of officers and soldiers will rush in to destroy us. I can't sleep at night, and I can't help asking about everything during the day. Feeling tired, especially when the ammunition is about to run out Sometimes, even looking forward to the early arrival of the last moment, to be freed from such a place."

It seems to have returned to the city where the war is raging.

"...On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar new year, the army will raise the flag and play military music." Zhang Ning glanced at Yao Ji, "You still wrote the melody, the melody is very beautiful, but it's not exciting enough, but there is a kind of tragic in the melodious Sad. I will think of you, my little sister, and worry about what you will do in the future?

However, in the dead of night, I would occasionally fantasize about the end of the war and return to Wuchang... There is a quiet water area, a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, and a house by the water. The hall should be large and open.You can sit there and write something, look at the scenery, or laugh and play with your little sister. "Zhang Ning happily gestured to the imaginary scene with gestures.

Yao Ji nodded, but did not speak.

After being silent for a while, Zhang Ning rubbed his temples, and said, "Today there is suddenly a lot of nonsense, and the words are not expressive." He thought for a while, and Zhou Mengxiong's old face appeared, and he couldn't help saying, "Er Niang may be waiting for me, so I haven't talked to her alone for a long time, I'll go and have a look."

"Wait, sit down for a while." Yao Ji suddenly asked to stay, she put down the letter paper in her hand, and said, "Just now I asked someone to cook some easy-to-eat soup for you, and it should be delivered later."

Zhang Ning did not refuse, and sat down comfortably on the chair next to the Qin case again.The cold wind that was gradually entering the night made some noises outside the door, but the room was very warm, making people feel soft all over.

In the blink of an eye, he actually fell asleep while sitting, without any sign before.

When I was in Jiujiang, I suffered from insomnia for a long time, and I often woke up at night when I fell asleep.Unexpectedly, I could fall asleep sitting on the chair at this time, and I slept very deeply, and I started snoring lightly after a while.

Yao Ji said to a woman standing at the door: "Take a bed blanket and cover him up, and heat up the charcoal fire."

Zhang Ning fell asleep and showed no signs of waking up. Until late at night, Zhang Xiaomei had to go back to her room, but he still didn't wake up.

Yao Ji paced back and forth in the hall for a few steps, and then told the maid, "Go and tell Xin Wei that the King of Xiang has fallen asleep while sitting with me, and he is too tired, so there is no need to wait... Tell Mother Tuesday again. One sound."

The maid bowed her knees and said, "Yes."

This is Yao Ji's residence, which is a suite. Except for the side rooms on both sides for the maids on duty, there is a large hall outside, where you can meet close guests, eat, and do daily activities; inside is the bedroom, like a living room. The Nuan Pavilion didn't even have a door, only a curtain was hung.After nightfall, Yao Jiruo went into the bedroom by herself, undressed and went to sleep, leaving her adult son in the room, it seemed a bit inappropriate.

She had to sit in the hall while the lights were bright to kill time.It happened that I didn't have time to read the stack of family letters just now, so I can read it slowly at this time.

It was already very late at night, and the entire palace entered a night curfew, and there was no sound at all outside except the sound of the wind.There were also two servants standing in the hall, quietly accompanying Yao Ji to read letters there.

While Yao Ji buried her head in reading, she looked up at Zhang Ning who was sleeping on the chair from time to time.Sometimes she grabbed the hem of her clothes with her hands hard to control herself to act as if nothing had happened.

Maybe it's because the night is too quiet, it's easy for people to calm down and feel it, maybe... Yao Ji feels very uncomfortable, there is something that suppresses the turbulent emotions in her heart, and restraint may also be a deep emotion.

Most of the poems about spring and autumn in ancient times, even those about complaining about women, were written by men.They show how sentimental the woman is, as if they are writing about others, but the emotions are expressed in the poet's own heart.

Yao Ji saw Zhang Ning's fragile heart from these family letters.His longing, his troubles and entanglements, day after day, are more sensitive than a woman.

At first, he took out such "rebellious" words calmly, and his fingers paused for a short while in hesitation, such subtle movements were too easily overlooked.Because of this, Yao Ji's heart was up and down.

In the early hours of the morning, the attendant who was accompanying him couldn't help but yawn continuously, and the drowsiness shown was not restrained by Yao Jijiwei.Finally Yao Ji said, "I'm sleepy, you guys help me to sleep, just lie down in the side room next to me."

With an expression of amnesty on the face of the attendant, he asked again: "What should the lord do?"

"He's tired after being outside for many days, and he can't wake up now, let him stay here overnight, add more charcoal, don't let him catch a cold."

Yao Ji then put away the letter, slowly opened the curtain and entered the bedroom, undressed and lay down, and asked the maid to blow out all the lamps and candles in the room.

The darkness shrouded, this time it was time for Yao Ji to toss and turn, unable to fall asleep, her senses were very sensitive, and Zhang Ning's heavy and regular breathing could still be heard in her ears.But this sound is not the reason to disturb her sleep, sometimes the maid will snore lightly, so it won't affect her.

Some thoughts popped up in her mind, making her face burn, and she could hear her own heartbeat for a moment... She wanted to go quietly into the hall, what was she going to do?And it was very risky. The two white-clothed guards who lived in the side room were very vigilant people. It was for this reason that they were chosen as close servants. In addition to taking care of daily life, they could also play a role in safeguarding safety.Even if they make a little noise, they will wake them up. Wouldn't it be embarrassing to be found sneaking outside?

Such an image is obviously not in line with Yao Ji's usual dignified and generous style.

A bright day can make people wise, but at night it is easy to make people think wildly. Even many thoughts that I think are ridiculous, I can't control them when I lie on the bed and my eyes are darkened.