National Beauty

Emperor Xuande sent several inquiries, and finally confirmed that Emperor Liao did indeed die during the hunt. The 28-year-old Queen Mother Xiao colluded with the Prime Minister of Liao Kingdom Han Rang and pushed the ten-year-old eldest son to the throne, and the Queen Mother Xiao was regent. Han Rang Fu Guo. Rumor has it that there is an affair between the Queen Mother Xiao and Han Rang. For this reason, the Liao royal family is quite dissatisfied, which is a sign of great chaos.

The chaos in Liao is an opportunity for Great Zhou.

At the end of October, the Emperor Xuande decided to send troops. As soon as he said it, he was firmly opposed by Prime Minister Song Qi. Song Qi was pulled up by Emperor Xuande with one hand. He was the confidant of Emperor Xuande, but Song Qi was not the one who only flattered. He believed that although the Liao State was in civil strife, once the Great Zhou sent troops, the Liao State would quickly unify the outside world. Relieve foreign troubles. However, the Liao soldiers were brave and good at fighting, and the Great Zhou was difficult for the enemy. Instead of sending troops and mobilizing the crowd, it is better to wait for the Liao Kingdom to fight with other enemy countries and lose both, and then take advantage of the situation to retake the Fourteenth State of Youyun.

Of course Emperor Xuande didn’t want to wait any longer. He was already over fifty. If he missed this god-given opportunity, he might have no chance in his life, no chance to retake the Fourteenth State of Youyun, no chance to wash away the shame of the last defeat in the arrow. There is no chance to surpass the sage of the elder brother Gaozu Emperor.

Song Qi was the prime minister, and the prime minister had a firm attitude. Emperor Xuande couldn’t ignore it. He couldn’t hold his feet in principle. After a few days, Emperor Xuande found out the memorials that had been suppressed by the impeachment of Song Qi by Yushi, and withdrew them. Song Qi’s prime minister was demoted to the local government. Withdrawing one, Emperor Xuande promoted his former deputy Li He to be the prime minister.

With Song Qi’s lessons learned, Li He closed his mouth wittily, and did not object.

After the early dynasty, Zhao Heng caught up with his father, and hoped that his father would carefully consider the danger of civil strife in the Liao State, and the danger of Shu land in the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, Emperor Xuande heard his son start his head, and interrupted with a calm face: "I have decided on the Northern Expedition, and Yuan Xiu doesn't have to say it anymore." After saying this, he strode towards Chongzheng Hall.

Zhao Heng paused, and several important officials in the Privy Council passed by him, saluted silently, and then left silently.

Zhao Heng saw Guo Xiao, and the young military commander followed behind a group of veterans, his back standing tall and straight. However, internal and external troubles were ahead, Zhao Heng immediately pressed down on his grudge with Guo Xiao, and left with great anxiety.

After a while, snow finally fell from the gloomy sky, and Zhao Heng returned to the palace to discuss the war with the two staff members.

Zhang Chong sighed: "The prince, the Fourteenth State of Youyun is the emperor's heart disease. It coincides with the Liaoning domestic turmoil. The emperor will never give up. The prince has persuaded once. Next, let's wait and see the changes." The person on the dragon chair Since he became the throne, he has been extremely arbitrary. When he is willing to listen to the persuasion of others, it is usually that the persuasion of the other party coincides with him.

Zhao Heng also knew his father, and was silent.

The next door to the Weiguo Palace, it was dark, and Guo Xiao came back from Ma Jun camp. After asking the elders for peace, Guo Xiao strode back to his Yihexuan, and when he entered the courtyard, he told Ashun: "Go and ask Mr. Xun. ."

Ashun nodded and went to the inter-institute to invite someone.

A quarter of an hour later, Xun Changru stepped into the elder son's study alone, with Ashun guarding outside.

"Mr. Sit down." Guo Xiao stood up, and the austere and majestic son-in-law was very polite to Xun Changru in front of his servants. At the beginning of the year, Guo Xiao was ordered to lead troops to Dingzhou to suppress the bandits. On the way, a rags-clothed Pentecostal old man uttered wild words to him, claiming that as long as Guo Xiao acted according to his plan, he would not need a single soldier to surrender the bandit.

And that person is Xun Changru.

With the attitude of trying it out, Guo Xiao brought Xun Changru to fight the bandits together, and then, as Xun Changru said, he did get rid of the bandits smoothly and smoothly. Guo Xiao is an elder son, born arrogant, but he will treat the truly talented wise men with courtesy, especially when he has a plan.

"What's the matter with the son's name as the old man?" Xun Changru responded, and after taking his seat, he looked at the man opposite and asked.

Guo Xiao bluntly said: "Early this morning, the emperor has decided to expedite the Northern Expedition and send troops in February at the latest. What do you think of this battle?"

Xun Changru touched his beard, and said for a long while: "The two countries are fighting, and the time, the place, and the people are right. With the current situation, I really have more chances of winning in Da Zhou. However, the changing battlefield is the reason for the advancement of the strategy and the leadership. The generals may also respond randomly. The variables are too large for no one to be fully sure."

Guo Xiao nodded. In fact, he didn’t care about whether Emperor Xuande should send troops. Guo Xiao cared about another matter. He whispered: “The King of Shou seems to be opposed to the Northern Expedition. He also mentioned the land of Shu. Mr. What does the Northern Expedition have to do with?" King Shou was in Zhongshu Province. He was a military attache and didn't know much about major events outside the war.

Although Xun Changru lived in the Weiguo Palace, he had no official position. He would go out and walk around in the daytime. He knew what a counselor should know, nodded, and briefly explained what he knew to Guo Xiao. "The people of Shu are difficult, and the government continues to press on, and sooner or later they will turn back. His Royal Highness Shou Wang should have seen through this too."

Shu people want to oppose...

Guo Xiao looked down, but a crazy thought came out of his heart, like a wild bamboo shoot after the rain, slowly occupying his whole heart.

~

The civil servants did not want the Northern Expedition, and Princess Duanhui did not want to fight again. Once the father was busy fighting, she had to postpone her marriage. Secondly, the cousin was heroic, and the father would definitely send his cousin to expedition. Once my cousin almost died in battle, and never wanted my cousin to have an accident again.

"Mother, please help me beg Father, don't let him send his cousin to send troops." In Changchun Palace, Princess Duanhui chased Concubine Shu, and she followed Concubine Shu wherever she went. Mother had to agree to her. Willing to give up.

Concubine Shu had a headache because of her daughter's entanglement. She had no choice but to put down the scissors in her hand and stopped playing with the flowers. She returned to the Luohan bed and sat down, leaning lazily, rubbing her forehead irritably.

"Mother, don't you worry about your cousin?" Princess Duanhui cried anxiously, lying in her mother's arms, crying harder and harder: "The marriage is delayed. If my cousin has a long and two shortcomings, then I won't live... …"

"Shut up." Concubine Shu covered her daughter's mouth, not allowing her to talk nonsense.

"Mother, go and beg Father..." Princess Duanhui started shaking her mother's arm.

"Don't shake it, it's useless for anyone to ask for what your father decides." Concubine Shu had a sudden attack and stared at his daughter displeased. Yuhou, it is the time to serve the country. Since he is a future consort, he should set an example for the soldiers. If you think your mother asks, your father will delay the Northern Expedition because of the love of your children?"

The emperor had already lost once, and the thigh was shot back with two arrows by the Liao State. It was a shame and a great shame, and he needed to do his best to pay it back. The nephew Guo Xiao is a strong general of Da Zhou. Would the emperor not use it?

"Rather than making trouble unreasonably, it is better to put a few incense sticks for your cousin and father, and ask the Bodhisattva to bless them in this battle." Abandoning her daughter, Concubine Shu went to the interior room with a sullen face.

Princess Duanhui watched her mother leave in anger. She just cried because she was worried about her cousin’s accident, but now she was wronged. Her father no longer cares for her, and her mother is no longer in charge of her. She is a majestic princess and gave her marriage will. They are all down, and they have been delayed again and again. Even if they want to marry, they can't marry. Song Jianing is pregnant with a second child!

Mother didn't care about her, Princess Duanhui wiped her eyes, lowered her head and ran out, ready to go back to her and cry again.

As a result, as soon as she ran out, she saw a familiar figure standing in front of the courtyard. It was the fiance she was thinking of. Princess Duanhui suddenly cried harder and ran over desperately to throw her into her cousin's arms.

In the yard stood the **** and palace lady. When Guo Xiao looked over, those people had already lowered their heads spontaneously. Guo Xiao did not dodge, opened his arms, and hugged the crying cousin. Princess Duanhui was almost crying. Guo Xiao didn't understand what she was crying or didn't want to understand. He touched the little girl's head, and when Princess Duanhui was almost crying, he let go and whispered: "It's not good to be seen."

Princess Duanhui sniffed, thinking that she was probably ugly like this, she turned around and asked, "Why did my cousin come?"

"look at you."

A deep answer came from behind, simple in three words, but not tender. The first time she heard her sweetheart speak to her in this tone, Princess Duanhui was stunned, and then she couldn't help sweetening her heart, and temporarily forgot the grievance she had just received from her mother. Regarding the sideburns, Princess Duanhui slowly turned back, and when she raised her head, she ran into her dark eyes.

Princess Duanhui's heart beat faster, and she lowered her head in panic.

"Should I go to please my aunt first?" Guo Xiao asked, looking at the room.

Princess Duanhui pouted and hummed softly.

Guo Xiao laughed: "What's wrong?"

Princess Duanhui was so embarrassed to tell him that she was looking forward to marrying, she only mentioned worrying about him going to the battlefield. Guo Xiao will definitely go on the expedition. He sighed and raised his hand to grab Princess Duanhui's hand. He stretched it halfway and took it back. Looking at Princess Duanhui's trembling eyelashes, he said, "I'm here also for this. Cousin, if I go, I may not be able to retreat completely, if..."

"No, my cousin will definitely come back!" Princess Duanhui anxiously, don't want him to say unlucky words.

Guo Xiao smiled, a little bit petty and bitter, and his black eyes looked deeply into Princess Duanhui’s eyes: "Cousin, although you and I have a marriage contract, but, in case I, I hope you can Forget me, marry a man who treats you well, for the rest of your life..."

"You are not allowed to say it!" Princess Duanhui burst into tears, she threw herself into Guo Xiao's arms again, hugged him tightly, and choked with sobs: "You are not allowed to say that, cousin, I am your person for life and your ghost for death. If you persuade me to marry someone else, I will die for you immediately!"

While crying, Guo Xiao was slightly moved with his deep affection, but he had another girl in his heart. He couldn't help but wanted to bully when he first met, and later he wanted to protect her under his wings. A girl who is greedy and silly, and a woman who avoids him cautiously and suspiciously.

Without Song Jianing, Guo Xiao would marry his cousin and would be nice to her cousin, but in this world, there is her.

"Cousin, you, why are you doing this, I'm not worth waiting for." Close his eyes, Guo Xiao told her the truth for the first time.

"I have to wait!" Princess Duanhui wiped away her tears, raised her head, and looked at the man above her head. She suddenly made a decision and said with bright eyes: "I'll go to the emperor and let him arrange our marriage right away. , Cousin, I want to marry you, marry you before you go out, you don’t want me to be a widow, come back soon!"

Guo Xiao looked at her in shock.

Princess Duanhui released her hand and ran away without looking back.

Guo Xiao chased after him and tried several times on the road, but Princess Duanhui refused to listen and ran to the outside of Chongzheng Hall. Princess Duanhui was lucky. Emperor Xuande happened to be free. Hearing his daughter came with Guo Xiao, Emperor Xuande unexpectedly raised his head from the memorial.

"The emperor, the princess was impulsive, but the minister failed to persuade him in time, please forgive the emperor." After entering, Guo Xiao knelt down first.

When Emperor Xuande was about to ask what was going on, Princess Duanhui also threw herself on her knees beside Guo Xiao, tilted her head up, and said with tears: "Father, if you send your cousin to lead the army, let me marry him first! Otherwise, don't tell him to leave Beijing!"

Emperor Xuande frowned.

Guo Xiao had a terrible headache, and once again took the blame on himself: "The emperor, the princess is young. If the emperor is to blame, blame the minister. If it weren't for the minister to visit his aunt, the princess would not..."

"Even if you don't go, I will ask the emperor!" Princess Duanhui said excitedly, and then continued to ask Emperor Xuande to perfect her.

Emperor Xuande finally figured out what was going on, and it was a headache for a while. The daughter who has been a baby for more than ten years suddenly cried and called him to marry her. No father in the world would be happy, but think about her daughter’s marriage has been postponed once, this time it will be postponed again, Xuande The emperor didn't have the confidence to blame his daughter for her misconduct.

Emperor Xuande came over, helped his daughter, and tried to coax: "The big battle is imminent, and the marriage is too rushed at this time. I don't want my princess to be wronged. Duanhui will wait. When Pingzhang returns, I will let you be beautiful. Just married."

"I don't want it, I will marry him now." Princess Duanhui hugged her father and cried: "Father, my cousin's life was hanging by a thread last time and he almost didn't come back. I'm afraid, just in case. One...Father, please, my daughter should not be glamorous, just want to marry her cousin happily..."

"Princess, the minister promised to return safely, please don't embarrass the emperor anymore." Guo Xiao persuaded with all his heart.

Princess Duanhui refused to listen: "I don't believe you!"

The two cousins ​​were inseparable in front of him. Emperor Xuande suddenly felt amused. After all, they were all children, especially daughters, too much love between men and women, and the cousin was gone, as if the sky had fallen. Emperor Xuande couldn’t bear her daughter crying, and then think about the situation when Guo Xiao desperately escorted him. He really deserved the affection of his daughter. Emperor Xuande took a deep breath, touched his daughter’s head, and smiled: “Well, well, since you are so looking forward to it. Marry, I am just as you wish."

"Really?" Princess Duanhui couldn't believe that things would go so smoothly.

"Well, I promised you." Emperor Xuande squeezed his daughter's teary face.

Princess Duanhui was overjoyed and looked excitedly at her cousin who was still kneeling there.

Guo Xiao was stunned for a moment, and he reacted with ecstasy on his face. He immediately kowtowed his head to thank the emperor and said, "The emperor is so kind, and the minister is not in return!"

Emperor Xuande helped the prospective son-in-law and patted him on the shoulder vigorously: "I am betting my daughter to you, and you will give me a betrothal as a betrothal gift?"

"The minister obeyed!" Guo Xiao responded loudly, with high ambitions.