Huan Rong

After the court meeting, Wang Xianzhi didn't stay in Taicheng for long, so he hurriedly boarded the carriage and headed back home.

Before March, Xi Daomao was pregnant.This is after the eldest daughter passed away, several years later, the couple heard the good news again.

Wang Xianzhi was ecstatic, and the elders in the clan also breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Xianzhi, as the direct branch of the Langya Wang clan, stands side by side with Wang Biaozhi in the imperial court, and may become the patriarch of the Wang clan in the future. If there is no direct son, it will be a heartache for the whole clan.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there were differences between scholars and concubines, and there were distinct distinctions between descendants and concubines.

For example, Sima Huan suppressed his sons and supported his sons, which is really very rare.An important reason is that Huan Rong has the blood of the Jin family. If not, the prince of Nanjun might not change his title.

Langya Wang's family of poems and books followed the ancient etiquette and the precepts of the ancestors in everything.Although it is not necessary to treat the concubine as a slave, in terms of heirs, the rules will never be messed up.

If Wang Xianzhi had no legitimate sons, his heirs would not choose the sons of the sons, but the sons of the brothers.It sounds unbelievable, but the rules of the gentry have been passed down for thousands of years and will never be easily broken.

Wang Xianzhi's heart is like an arrow, wishing he could grow a pair of wings and fly back to the mansion.It happened that someone was "ignorant" and stopped him halfway.

Looking at Xie Xuan who was dressed in court clothes and the crown of honor, Wang Xianzhi really couldn't put on a good face.

"What do you mean by Youdu?" Wang Xianzhi frowned.

"Zijing don't misunderstand, Xuanshi has something important to discuss."

Xie Xuan didn't want to do this at first, but all the invitations he sent out were like stone sinking into the sea, and there was no reply at all.

His uncle asked him to visit Wang Zijing and go north together, and he really wanted to take this opportunity to ease the relationship between the Xie family of Chen Jun and the Wang family of Langya.It's a pity that Wang Xianzhi didn't give face, suddenly gave birth to left sex, and he didn't plan to pay attention to Xie Xuan at all.

Really helpless, Xie Xuan could only stop people after the court meeting and use the most "brutal" method to achieve his goal.

After listening to Xie Xuan's explanation, Wang Xianzhi would not like to forcibly walk away, so as a compromise, he asked Xie Xuan to come to the house, so he could listen carefully to what the other party wanted.

Two carriages passed by the north bank of the Qinhuai River, and the signs on the carriages attracted the attention of passers-by.

Jia Bing sat on the bullock cart and ordered his servant to slow down. Seeing Wang Xianzhi and Xie Xuan passing by one after the other, he couldn't help raising his eyebrows slightly, and said after a while: "You don't have to go to Wuyi Lane anymore, go to Qinghai. On the mansion of General Zuowei in Xili."

"promise!"

The ox cart turned around and turned to Qingxili. Jia Bing closed the window and leaned against the wall of the car. Thinking about what he had seen today, he spread out the silk cloth and wrote a short message. All the changes are said in Huan Rong.

Taicheng's reaction was unexpected, and Wu's surname was not a problem. The Gaoping Xi family rose up because of Xi Fang's return, and eventually had shortcomings, just like the original Huan family, which was not accepted by the top schools.In addition, Xi Fanghui is very old, so there is not enough evidence for the Gaoping Xi family.

"If Xi Jingxing was here, I'm afraid it wouldn't be so simple. It's a pity." Jia Bing shook his head.

Xi Yin and Xi Chao turned against each other, and everyone in the court knew it.Although Xi Rong is talented, he is not as good as Xi Chao.Moreover, he was driven to the shelves and guarded Jingkou after Xi Yin entered the dynasty.If not, he would be more willing to resign and give up his seal, and talk about health preservation every day, far away from officialdom and military power.

"In the last years of a hero, there is no one to trust."

Thinking of this, Jia Bing couldn't help sighing, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Not to mention how Jia Sheren went to Qingxi, how he lobbied the general of the left guard Yin Kang, Xie Xuan was a guest in the palace, and was left alone in the main room to drink tea.

Knowing what happened, Xie Xuan didn't really care too much. While drinking tea soup and enjoying pastries, he enjoyed himself admiring the inscriptions on the screen and the poems and paintings hanging on the wall.

Fortunately, Wang Xianzhi is not a person who is not ignorant of etiquette. After seeing his wife, he made sure that everything was fine, so he immediately came to see Xie Xuan and apologized in person.

"Forgive me for being young."

"It doesn't matter." Xie Xuan smiled, "Xuan can understand Zi's respect."

When a wise person talks, it is troublesome to say that it is troublesome, but it is easy to say that it is simple.

The two have known each other for many years and know each other very well.Xie Xuan's intention of coming, Wang Xianzhi can guess five or six points.When he opened his mouth, five or six points turned into seven or eight points.

The other party frankly informed that there was an intention to ease the relationship between the two families. After Wang Xianzhi considered it, he planned to accept this kindness.

"I already understand what Zijing means." Wang Xianzhi said with a smile, "To tell the truth, the way of self-respect was proclaimed in the imperial court. I also intend to go north, but I am worried about my family, and I can't make up my mind for a while."

Xie Xuan nodded.

It was indeed unfortunate.

Wang Xianzhi waited for this child for many years.

If you leave here, you will inevitably miss something.

"Since that's the case, Zijing can temporarily consider it, and if he makes a decision, he can send people to the house."

After talking about the matter, Xie Xuan didn't stay for long, and quickly took his leave and left.Wang Xianzhi personally sent him out of the door, turned back to the main room, sat in front of the screen, looked at the empty lacquer cup, and fell into deep thought silently.

Just as he was swaying, there was a sound of clogs outside the door.

Wang Xianzhi raised his head and saw Xi Daomao coming from the door, he got up quickly and helped her to the screen.

"The weather is getting cooler, why not add a cloak."

"My husband is too careful." Xi Daomao would only call Wang Xianzhi by his nickname when the two of them were alone.In front of people, even in front of the servants in the mansion, he always followed the etiquette, not bad at all.

Etiquette and upbringing are engraved in the bones, there is no need to deliberately do it, every move is very natural, somewhat casual, but completely pleasing to the eye.

"It's never a big mistake to be careful."

The couple sat down, and the servants brought tea soup and honey water again, and there were also a few plates of pastries, all of which came from Youzhou. The taste was not very sweet, but Xi Daomao liked it very much.

For this reason, Wang Xianzhi specially ordered people to go to Youzhou, and paid three times the salary to hire a cook who specializes in pastry.

Ever since he joined forces with Huan Rong to do business and controlled more than [-]% of the salt market in Jiankang, Wang Xianzhi was not short of money.

"Mr. Xie Lang, do you have something important to do when you come to the house?"

Xie Daoyun and Xi Daomao are sisters-in-law, and their relationship has always been good.The Xie Clan of Chen Jun and the Wang Clan of Langya drifted away, but their relationship remained unaffected in the slightest.

Now that Xie Xuan is in the house, the relationship between the two families seems to be showing signs of easing, Xi Daomao is naturally happy to see it.

Knowing that Xie Xuanli's residence, Wang Xianzhi was alone in the main room, guessing that there might be something hidden, so he took the initiative to look for it, hoping to hear what was going on with his own ears.

"This matter," Wang Xianzhi paused, held Xi Daomao's hand, and said, "It's actually related to the North."

"Northland?"

"A few days ago, the Youzhou Inspector made a statement, saying that the state soldiers were dispatched..."

Wang Xianzhi didn't intend to hide his wife, and started from Huan Rong's table, telling the whole story about sending troops from the four states, Huan Rong's intention to open up trade routes in the Western Regions, and Xie's considerations.

Xi Daomao listened quietly, and after he had finished speaking, he asked, "What is Husband Master's consideration, do you want to go with Mr. Xie Lang?"

"This... I haven't made up my mind yet." Wang Xianzhi showed hesitation.

"But because of me?" Xi Daomao said with a smile, "Actually, Husband Lord doesn't need it."

"But, I'm not worried."

Xi Daomao shook his head with a smile, ordered the servants to retreat, closed the door, and said, "Officials and slaves, the most important thing. When a man is determined, he must do what he says. In the current state and family affairs, how can you be limited by the situation of your children. The doctor said, I'm fine, just pay attention to my daily diet, don't worry about things, and the mother and child will be safe."

"Sister, if I go north, I may not know when I will return."

"So what?" Xi Daomao smiled, and pinched the tip of Wang Xianzhi's ear as he did when he was a child, "How long will the days go? Besides..."

"what?"

"Official slave, you have made achievements abroad, so that my mother and child can be more stable." Xi Daomao said in a low voice, "When Huan Xuanwu was here, his family members were in Beijing. Who would dare to underestimate it? However, the root of it is that he holds power in his hand, and everyone from the top to bottom looks up to him."

"How is the situation now that uncle is in power?"

Xi Daomao paused, and said: "Official slave, since you have decided to imitate your ancestors, you should make a decision in everything. What is more important, you must always weigh it in your heart. I don't have the courage of Princess Nankang, so I can't help you Too much, but I don't want to drag you down."

"Sister, what a drag!" Wang Xianzhi frowned.

"Then, do you want to go with Xie Youdu?"

"……I go!"

"That's right." Xi Daomao smiled gently, patted Wang Xianzhi's forehead lightly, and said, "This is what the future Patriarch of the Langya Wang Clan should do."

The couple talked in the house, and there was a burst of laughter from time to time.

The servant girl stood guard in front of the door, with her head bowed, unable to discern.

After a while, Xi Daomao came out of the room, and Wang Xianzhi was writing something with a pen.

The servant servant stepped forward to support Xi Daomao, and probed into the room without a trace.He thought he was doing it covertly, but he didn't know that he had already fallen into Xi Daomao's eyes.

When the group returned to the East Courtyard, Xi Daomao called out "Come here", and immediately two robust servants stepped forward and tied up the startled servants.

"Mistress?" The servant girl's face was pale, and she struggled to look at Xi Daomao, "Why is this?"

"Don't understand?" Xi Daomao leaned against the couch, gently pinched his forehead, and immediately a servant came up behind her, untied her hair, and gently pressed the acupuncture points on her head.

"Slave, I really don't know..."

"It's okay if you don't know, Aping, tell her."

"promise!"

Ah Ping promised in a low voice, kept pressing on the side of Xi Daomao's head with his hands, and said something that frightened the servants, "Three months ago, you used the excuse of going to the kitchen to send news outside the house... "

Listening to A Ping's narration, the servant's legs became weak and trembled like fallen leaves in the wind.Looking at Xi Daomao desperately, he said in a trembling voice: "Mistress, this slave is ordered by the prime minister."

"So what?" Xi Daomao finally looked at her, "Are you going to say that I was born in the Xi family, and this matter should be taken for granted? Not only did you have no faults, but you have merits?"

"I dare not!" The servant shook his head desperately.

"It's okay to tell you that I am indeed from the Xi family, but the Xi family in Gaoping is not the only one from my uncle." Xi Daomao said softly, "I wanted to give you a way of life, but you insist on going to death."

"Mistress, mistress, you should cherish the blessing for Mr. Xiaolang, and spare the slave's life..."

"Bold!"

The maid stepped on it, almost breaking the servant's fingers, and also stepped back the second half of her sentence into her throat.

Xi Daomao's chest rose and fell, his eyes were cold, and he was obviously really angry.

"So, I really can't kill you."

"Mistress..." The maid gave birth to hope, but she didn't know that what was waiting for her was an even more terrifying hell.

"Ah Ping."

"The slave is here."

"Send it to the farm." Xi Daomao said word by word, "Don't let her die."

"promise!"

A Ping looked at the maidservant, his eyes seemed to have blades.

The servant girl understood and immediately dragged the servant girl down.Before being sent to the farm, it must be given dumb drugs.If you dare to resist, you will even pull out your tongue.

Originally, Xi Daomao didn't intend to kill her, but it's a pity that the maidservant pretended to be clever and threatened her with an unborn child. No matter how kind Xi Daomao was, he would be completely crushed.

"Ping, quickly send someone to deliver a letter to brother Cong."

The brother Cong that Xi Daomao was talking about was none other than Xi Chao, who had been promoted to the Minister of Zhongshu not long ago.

"Tell him, I will accept what happened before." Xi Daomao closed his eyes.

She doesn't want to act like this, but the world is like this, she always has to make a choice.

"Anything that is found to be wrong will be sent to the farm. The husband will go north in a few days, and I don't want him to worry about his death anymore."

"promise!"

Apin agreed and exited the inner room.

Xi Daomao leaned on the couch, with a sad expression on his face.

She is not a hard-hearted person, but if she wants to help Wang Xianzhi and protect the unborn child, she must force herself to be strong.

She doesn't have the decisiveness of Princess Nankang, and she may not have the perseverance of her eldest sister-in-law Xie Daoyun, but she has been taught by the gentry since she was a child, even if she is forced, she will force herself to stand up and face all the coming storms.

"Sister."

At some point, Wang Xianzhi walked into the inner room and took Xi Daomao into his arms.

"Sister, don't worry, I will stand in a high position and protect you and your baby."

"I believe it." Xi Daomao closed his eyes, with tears in his smile, "I'm waiting for that day."

The second year of Ningkang, October

Xie An went to the table and recommended Xie Xuan as the general of Jianwu. He rode [-] steps and accompanied the soldiers of the four states in the northern expedition.Wang Biaozhi then went up to play and recommended Wang Xianzhi to conquer Beizhuan and go out with the army.

Wang Tanzhi was ill and failed to go to court. Xi Min weighed it again and again, but finally did not speak out against it.

Xi Chao looked at Xi Min's back, clenched his Chaohu tightly, and sighed softly.

Maharaja is old after all.

Sima Yao sat at the head, nodding and shaking his head like a puppet, the drafted imperial decree was sent to him, and the jade seal was dropped in the hall.During the slight hesitation, I could feel the cold gaze of the Queen Mother, and I couldn't help but tremble, and didn't dare to have other thoughts.

The imperial decree came down, Xie Xuan and Wang Xianzhi wanted to leave Beijing immediately.If he was a step slower, he might not be able to keep up with the pace of the state soldiers heading north.

Xi Yin did not stop Xie Xuan and Wang Xianzhi from going north, but he did not give up stabbing Huan.

The Northern Expedition was one thing, and the weakening of the Huan family was another.

"I ask you to appoint the Jingzhou Assassin as the General of the Northern Expedition to lead the three armies. The Liangzhou Assassin as the Left Wuwei, and the Ningzhou Assassin as the Right Wuwei, send [-] soldiers from the prefecture, and attack the Di thieves in the north!"

As for Huan Rong in the above table, Prime Minister Xi did not mention a word.

Hearing this, Sima Yao couldn't make up his mind, and didn't dare to make up his own mind. He scanned the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty, and looked behind him. He didn't get any hints, so he could only bite the bullet, gritted his teeth, and said, "Yes!"

The palace of the imperial decree was planned to be Luoxi. Soon, it was rumored in Jiankang that Prime Minister Xi had the ambition to restore the Central Plains. Regardless of previous suspicions, he used Huanhuo, Yang Liang and Zhou Zhongsun to send [-] troops to the north to attack Diqin.

Walking in the city, you can hear the words "Xi Fang is a good minister who returns to the country" and "the country is hopeful" everywhere, and even the Xi family in Gaoping is complaining.

Xu Chuan was going back to Youzhou, so he couldn't help worrying about it.

Jia Bing shook his head and chuckled, "Don't worry."

Is Huan Shijun's fruit so easy to pick?

Xi Fanghui made a move at this time, the timing is not inaccurate, but he ignored the fact that Huan Rong's strength is not what it used to be, and the internal contradictions in the Huan family cannot be easily provoked.

Yang Liang and his son are people with integrity. Now that they have served Ming Gong, they will not change course easily.What's more, the benefits promised by Duke Ming are so great that Xi Fanghui may not be able to achieve them.

As for Zhou Zhongsun, there is no need to worry.

According to Ming Gong's words, a problem that can be solved with money is not a problem.

Compared with throwing money at it, who can smash it better than Huan Shijun, the "God of Wealth of the Northland" under the curtain who holds Youzhou in his hand.

"Stealing chickens won't save you money."

Jia Bing narrowed his eyes with a smile, the tails of his eyes were slightly raised, and he was confident.

"Meng Hai doesn't need to worry. Ming Gong knows this, not only won't get angry, he might even thank Prime Minister Xi."

The fact is exactly as what Jia Bing said, knowing the news about Jiankang, Huan Rong was not angry at all, but secretly smiled. In this way, if he really wants to fight with swords and soldiers in the future, he is also holding "righteousness".

The injustice of the court forced him to rebel, so he couldn't sit still and wait for death.

"Xi Shijun delivered the ladder really well, good man!"

Envoy Huan issued a good person card and ordered the camp to be pulled out, preparing to leave Liangzhou City.

The team was divided into three waves. One wave joined the Northern Expedition team, led by Qian Shi, to join Huan Shiqian in Fufeng County; the other wave went east and returned to Youzhou, sending the "local products" from the North to mothers and aunts; The last wave followed Huan Rong to Chang'an.

That's right, it is Chang'an.

Qin Jing and Qin Jun broke through Xianyang and sent troops to the city of Chang'an. Instead of rushing to attack, they started besieging the city, which lasted for three months.

During the siege, people in Chang'an were panicked, and food prices soared.

Fu Jian sent people to take the initiative to attack several times, but they never returned.If he was not hacked to death by the Qin brothers, he would take the opportunity to sneak away. In short, he would disappear when he left the city, which has been tried and tested.

Later, Fu Jian came to his senses and stopped sending troops out of the city easily, and ordered the army to guard the north gate of the city to prevent people in the city from sneaking away.At the same time, they sent absolutely trustworthy guards to ask for help from the assassins and eunuchs stationed in various states and counties.

It's a pity that reinforcements have not arrived for a long time, but there are more and more Qin's cavalry and servants besieging the city.

When there are many people, we must eat.

Qin Jing strictly ordered not to disturb the people and not to plunder the people's grain and wheat. Instead, he sent cavalry to plunder the nobles of the Di people, and bought grain from Youzhou with real money.

This is where the benefits of Huan Rong's "abandoning" Chang'an emerged.

The left hand seized Fufeng and other places, and the right hand's business flourished.

The Youzhou caravan travels between the north and the south, transporting grain and sea salt. The income in March alone is enough to shock people's jaws.

After careful consideration, Huan Rong decided to go to Chang'an in person.Business is just an excuse, the most important thing is to talk about the division of Diqin's territory.

Even if the Qin family takes down Chang'an, the power of the Di people will not be wiped out.It is more likely that, like Murong Xianbei, they will seize a territory, recharge their batteries, and intend to make a comeback.

Huan Rong knew very well that if he wanted to secure the Western Regions, he had to choose to cooperate with the Qin family.At least until the Hu regime is completely driven out of the Central Plains, it is best not to have too much conflict between the two sides.

Although going to Chang'an is risky, it can also show sincerity.

Likewise, pave the way for things to be done in the future.

In order to be safe, Envoy Huan made two preparations. In addition to bringing Xu Chaodiankui's two humanoid weapons, he did not forget to ventilate Huan Huo and Huan Chong before leaving to ensure that if things changed, rescue would arrive immediately and he would be safe. get away.

As for talking about business, do you have other thoughts... Huan Shijun looked up at the sky, would he say it?Certainly not.