The happy life of the devil and the devil

Ling Yucheng was very busy in Qingzhou, it was a dark day.

Reorganize the defense, refine the soldiers, select talents, meet the gentry, and take time to inspect the property under the name of Xuanjiawei.Wool spinning, smelting, forging weapons, and other industries brought from Yuxia, whose technical level exceeds most of Beiliang, are still one of the economic pillars of Xuanjiawei so far.All these things made him so busy that he didn't have time to catch his breath from the moment he opened his eyes in the morning until he rested at night.

These days, Ling Yucheng visited each of the eight counties in Qingzhou.In the morning, he summoned the magistrates and gentry elders with a smile, and asked about the sufferings of the local people. In the afternoon, he put on his armor and took the lead in practicing on the school grounds.Among them, even when eating a meal, several people have to be arranged to have a meal together, and chat with the parents while eating.

There is no way, the last time I came to Qingzhou was already in June of the previous year; the next time Yuan Shao will let him come here, I don't know it will be the year of the monkey.If you don't hurry up and sort out the top and bottom of the fief right now, don't you have to wait a few years before finding a chance to sneak over?

Not to mention that while dealing with fief affairs, one must not forget to read Yuan Shao's memorial.Since Yuan Shao expects him to help the country with his political affairs, his efforts must be worthy of this expectation.Even if he doesn't need to reply, he has to be aware of the big and small events that happen in the country, and Yuan Shao's rewards from time to time, even if he doesn't bother to draft a thank-you form, he has to copy it in his own hand...

In such a busy schedule, even checking Xiao Shiyi's homework every day and talking to this disciple about today's experience has become a kind of pastime and relaxation.

Therefore, when Yuan Shao's imperial edict came, calling him to return as soon as possible, Ling Yucheng had a little idea what night it was.After carefully unpacking and flattening the imperial edict wrapped in yellow silk and sealed tightly with wax paint, he read it back and forth three times before he closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath.

Emperor Jiayou... the emperor who just passed his fiftieth birthday a few years ago, died?

The emperor he had served and loyal to since he became an official, the emperor who was weak and weak and never received his sincere admiration, the emperor who had driven him to a place where he could never be restored, and sold him to Yuan Shao with his own hands...

Crashed?

For some reason, Ling Yucheng didn't feel the slightest bit of schadenfreude, instead, what lingered in his heart was a touch of sourness and helplessness.

Almost three years have passed since that incident.

Back then, I dared not look back and dare not face it squarely, and the wound that was painful to touch even occasionally, has mostly healed up to now.

... In fact, he didn't even hate it.

From a distance, the kindness of the king is like heaven and earth, and parents are tired.The highest and farthest, the deepest kindness, that is a kindness that can't be repaid even if the body is broken and the heart is broken.It's just that he was wronged and treated wrongly. As a courtier, at most he just returned with a crown, so how could he bear hatred and revenge?

More recently, he, Ling Yucheng, was just an orphan in Chaimen Luxiang at first, and even after he became an official, he was just a local guard, a sixth-rank military officer.In the past ten years, he has been a first-rank official and commanded an army of 30 in northern Xinjiang. This is certainly because he has never slackened in the bloody battlefield, but the appreciation and promotion of the king is not just a little bit?

——Even when the pain was extreme and the cold was extreme, and he wished to cut his heart open with a knife, he just raised his head high and said lightly: "Ten years of bloody battles. Take these to repay Dayu's 24-year-old grace, and from then on, we will never owe each other!"

And now, that emperor is dead.

Before he stepped on Yuyang and watched the kings and ministers of Dayu descending in white clothes; before he overthrew the mountains and rivers of his homeland and dedicated this thousand miles of splendor to the lord; before he could condescendingly say "You are wrong" in front of Emperor Jiayou Before--

That emperor is dead.

He died at a place beyond his reach, and that person's death had nothing to do with his efforts.

It was like an ultimate move that had been prepared for a long time, but before it could be launched, the opponent fell down by himself, leaving him there empty-handed.The blood in the whole body is boiling and clamoring, but there is not even an outlet to vent.

All kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind, and the tight time could only accommodate his thoughts rushing for a moment.After letting out a long breath, Ling Yucheng lowered his eyes, and read carefully the edict spread out in front of him for the fourth time.

Yuan Shao's personal decree is very simple, and in terms of the content alone, it is more like a side note than a formal edict.There are only two things mentioned in the decree, first, the death of Emperor Jiayou of the Southern Dynasty; second, he is ordered to return quickly.Other than that, why did he die, who was his successor, and how Beiliang responded to this... nothing at all.

It's not that the matter is important, even if the decree is sealed and handed over by someone, it's best not to put it into words, even if Yuan Shao has not made a decision on some matters, or in other words, he can only make some important decisions after he comes to discuss them. .

However, no matter what happened before, no matter what happens next, the death of the old emperor is still true...

"The emperor of the Southern Dynasty has passed away." His eyes glanced over the several direct subordinates on both sides of the waiter in turn, and his voice was slow and firm, word by word, rolling over the study like a rock:

"Your Majesty urgently ordered me to return to Beijing as soon as possible."

His answer was a suffocating silence.

Just like Ling Yucheng, the life trajectories of all the Xuanjia Guards standing in the study were completely distorted on that day.

Military achievements, glory, official position, family... everything collapsed the moment they were put on death row.Even, the torture and torture they endured was several times or dozens of times more than that of Ling Yucheng.

A man in the army is not like Ling Yucheng who was taught etiquette and etiquette from a young age. After ten years of bloodbath, he ended up like this. He has long hated Emperor Jiayou to the bone.Hearing the news of his enemy's death, if Ling Yucheng's expression hadn't been so serious to the point of gloomy, someone would have cheered on the spot.

But now, everyone just tried their best to hold their breath, carefully watching Ling Yucheng's face.

"...My lord," after half a cup of tea, He Liucai was the first to speak tentatively: "Then, the subordinates go down to summon the guards?"

This sentence opened the closed floodgate at once.After a while, several other people scrambled to speak:

"Subordinates go down and summon Xia Bai, asking him to pass over the information from there as soon as possible?"

"Do you want to order Xuanjiawei to go up and down, and everyone is ready for battle?"

"The summer grain will be harvested in more than a month..."

Messy speeches filled the room.In just a moment, the quiet and solemn study room was as noisy as hundreds of ducks released together.

However, such hustle and bustle is exactly what Ling Yucheng needs.The unresolved affairs flooded in front of him like a tide, and the melancholy that was still lingering in his heart just now was washed away to nothing.After thinking silently for a moment, he began to issue orders one by one:

"Time is urgent. I only bring a hundred-man guard, one man and two horses. He Liu, you lead the follow-up guard and protect Lang'er back to Beijing slowly. There is no need to hurry."

"The affairs of Qingzhou are as usual, and there is no need for combat preparation. Xi Jun, you are in charge of the overall situation, Luo Sha, you and Xi Jun cooperate to manage the defense of Xuanjiawei and Qingzhou."

"Anything about the Southern Dynasty is not allowed to be inquired about! Strictly investigate Qingzhou, and if there are secret spies from the south, they will be killed!"

The order is like the wind, and the army is like lightning.A moment later, the guards were ready, and Ling Yucheng strode out. Behind him, the heavy iron gate slammed shut, firmly shutting the sudden high-pitched shouts inside the mansion.

One moment it was uncontrollable cheering, the next moment it turned into crying and cursing.A group of old men who have always believed that men shed blood but not tears, squatted on the ground, knelt in front of the steps, leaned on each other and hugged each other, hammered each other's shoulders and backs with their fists, or smashed the rough and hard wall so that blood spattered .

They were crying and laughing, each of them pulled their tune to the highest level, shouting and cursing words that they couldn't even understand themselves.Hissing with all his strength, venting the sorrow and resentment that had been suppressed for three years and could not be remedied in his life.

Outside the gate of the mansion, Ling Yucheng pursed his lips tightly, concentrating on urging the horses.Dare not speak, dare not look back.The chaotic din behind was like a black whirlpool, as long as it slowed down a little bit, it would be swallowed up by people and horses until it reached the top.

At this moment, he just wanted to return to the capital as soon as possible, to return to the person who would smile at him warmly and hug him with open arms.

From Qingzhou to the capital, [-] guards mixed with new and old, it will take ten days to advance at full speed.As for the one hundred close-body guards, each with two horses, this time was shortened by nearly half.Seven days later, when the setting sun was still a pole high from the treetops, the dusty black-clothed team had already appeared in front of Xuanjiawei's camp on the outskirts of the capital, and was greeted by Xia Bai who had been waiting in the camp for two days one is right.

Compared with Qingzhou, the capital is very quiet and peaceful.Even the death of Emperor Yu Xia did not cause any disturbances - Yuan Shao's information was sent out by secret agents desperately, and it was delivered in a hurry all the way. As for the official news...

According to the usual practice, even though Yu Xia had special officials stationed in the capital of Beiliang, when encountering such a major event as the emperor's death, he would send a special mourning envoy.At this moment, the envoy has not arrived, the letter of state has not yet arrived, and even Yu Xia's post in Beiliang has not been registered yet, so Beiliang can be regarded as ignorant.

"So... is there any news worth noting in Beijing recently?"

"It is because there is nothing that the subordinates feel uneasy... Logically speaking, even the price of rice will fluctuate when encountering such a thing..."

"It doesn't matter." Ling Yucheng looked at the sun that was almost pressing down on the treetops, and got back on his horse. "Even if there is any action, it's nothing to do with us for a while, just do your duty. So, I'll go back first." The city gate will be closed later, so it's not impossible to ask the city gate to open, but Why use unnecessary privileges often?

"grown ups……"

"Ok?"

"Your Excellency has worked hard all the way, why not rest in the camp for a night?"

Ling Yucheng stared at Xia Bai, but smiled instead: "What's so hard about it? Could it be that I can rest well after I return to the city?"

The author has something to say: I am grateful that the hotel where I live actually has a computer...

And, thank you for being so busy, I finally spared an hour or two to write an article...

ps, I saved a copy of this article in the creation of the world, the title of the book remains the same, I can’t see chapters 157, 162, and 163, you can go there to read it...