The happy life of the devil and the devil

The closer to the northern border, the busier Ling Yucheng was.He marched for six or seven hours a day, at least half of the guards around him were running horses outside, and every now and then a person was quietly brought in, and after saluting Ling Yucheng, he quietly joined the guards.On the night when the team entered northern Xinjiang, General Yubayashi Ge Shuye was ordered to meet Ling Yucheng. A few close guards.

Things were not in a hurry, Ge Shuye and Ling Yucheng said hello, and simply sat on the side and listened to the class.The more I listened, the more I enjoyed it. When the class was over and the business was over, I suddenly said: "Just now I heard that "Dr. Is there a transcript here?"

Ling Yucheng took a deep look at him.These days, his subordinates have had a lot of dealings with Habayashi Wei's subordinates, and even along the way, Habayashi Wei quietly allocated them for food, clothing, housing and transportation.Ge Shuye ran the army rigorously, and his subordinates also kept the etiquette. No foul language was ever poured into his ears.What's more, Ge Shu just married Princess Beiliang years ago. Although he is a son-in-law, he is more favored by Yuan Shao than the princes. He is one of Yuan Shao's closest and most trusted courtiers.

He nodded: "Wait a moment." He raised his voice to ask someone to come in with the bookcase, took out the military book that was always kept in his study, and was returned after the house raid, and handed it over by himself.Ge Shuye got up to take it with both hands, and bowed slightly: "Thank you, sir." After returning to the residence, he opened it under the lamp, and the book was full of tops and bottoms, densely packed between the lines, all of which were written down by hand. , obviously read by the master more than once.

A few days later, Yuan Shao made fun of his son-in-law: "What are you busy with these days? As soon as you set up camp, you sneak into your own room, and you rarely come in front of me. ——A Lei said, you are actually busy with writing?"

"A few days ago, my minister...General Ling borrowed a copy of "Dr. He's Preparatory Commentary", which contains many annotations in his own handwriting. These days, I have been busy copying the book."

"Oh." Yuan Shao recalled the title of the book, "This book is still somewhat insightful, but it is not widely copied. I remember that there was a wealthy businessman who was rewarded for donating books, and this book was in the list of books presented—— It should be included in "The Great Completion of Ancient and Modern Documents."

"Your Majesty's knowledge is strong." Ge Shuye's eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly. "Today is the day when General Ling gave his subordinates lectures on the art of war, and I have to rush to return the book to listen to the lecture—" Seeing Yuan Shao waving his hand to chase people away, he got up and stepped back, and asked in a hurry: "I don't know if Your Majesty can allow the minister to listen to the lecture." Bring a few subordinates to listen together?"

"What do you ask me for this kind of thing?"

If you don't go to northern Xinjiang, you don't know how powerful Ling Yucheng has been operating for ten years.

Ordinarily, Dayu had married Su Tai and Xi Min more than once before, but if he married a prince's clan, the gold, silver, jade and silk would not be counted, and the number of official servants, craftsmen and servants who accompanied him was not thousands.But when it comes to Ling Yucheng, it is said that the status of marrying the Queen of Beiliang is not low, but who would not want to follow him?Forcibly pull people, the officials of the Ministry of Rites look left and right, they have no hatred of killing their fathers or taking their wives with anyone, why bother.

Fortunately, Ling Yucheng himself asked Prince Rui to play, and Emperor Dayu Jiayou pushed the boat along, and with a swipe of a pen: Since he has some private slaves, let him take them there - anyway, the wool comes from the sheep.With the support of the imperial decree, the guards around Ling Yucheng took his warrant tokens to deal with the industrial population. Those who should be sold off were sold at a high price, and those that should be packed away were packed away. As for the craftsmen and craftsmen who have accumulated in the shop for many years, Ling Yucheng ordered so :

"Do you have a deed?—Yes? Then what do you ask?"

Therefore, since entering the northern border, there have been small groups of teams emerging from the wilderness, driving horse-drawn carts and donkey carts, escorting goods and slaves to keep up with the team, claiming that they are all private property of Ling Yucheng.When there was still a day's journey away from Jianmen Pass, the serious three thousand cavalry of the Habayashi Army and Jinwu Weisen had turned into a convoy that zigzagged out for more than ten miles.Yuan Shao rode his horse and ran around. In addition to the various goods and luggage pulled on the cart, he also caught sight of the lively scene of helping the old and the young, and women crying and screaming. He was speechless for a while, and turned to Ling Yucheng: "Now you How many people do you have?"

"The number last night was 510, [-] and three people." Ling Yucheng said calmly, as if these people had been with him since the first day he came out of Beijing, and not one after another these days. The horns popped out to join the team, "Today's numbers have not been reported yet."

After checking the population and goods obtained today, appeasing the soldiers who followed the team, and having a meeting with Xi Jun, Xia Bai, Jin Bo and others who had already returned to the team, when Ling Yucheng stepped into Yuan Shao's dormitory, Yuan Shao saw Looking at his upright figure and meticulous appearance, but it was hard to hide the tiredness in his brows and eyes, he couldn't help shaking his head: "What's the matter? There are too few things to take away, I'm afraid it won't be enough?"

"Take away everything that can be taken away." Ling Yucheng bent down and splashed a handful of water on his face, the cold water dripped down his forehead, which cheered him up a bit, "Jin Bo and the others... beautiful."

"It's really beautiful. It would be great if my subordinates would have this ability sometime!" When the troops and vehicles dispersed, they were nowhere to be found, and when they reunited, they were not surprised at all. If it wasn't for a large group of people setting up camp, they wouldn't have noticed Unknowingly, there are many more people.Presumably, when Emperor Dayu reacted and issued an imperial decree, and the local defenders intercepted it, their group would have already left Jianmenguan for hundreds of miles in mighty strength.

Ling Yucheng forced a smile.On that day, he was building plank roads openly, keeping the warehouse in secret, pretending to be entrusted with the funeral, cashing in his private property to share with his subordinates as a thought, and sending almost all of his subordinates to northern Xinjiang.Relying on Prince Duan's intention to gain military power in northern Xinjiang, he was given convenience everywhere. Zhao Sheng, the Prince's subordinate, was even a foolish person who could sell his parents with enough money. The property was smoked clean quietly!

The rows, rows and columns of material and population on the account book are all the results of their past few days. These things are the roots of blood that he has worked hard in northern Xinjiang for ten years and penetrated into this land. It is also the first sum he can use when he comes to Beiliang. Strength, with it, there is a foundation for raising soldiers and commanding the army in the future, and it is one of the most stable cornerstones under his feet.

However, the more things you hold in your hands, the more empty your heart becomes.

"Sleep, we will pass the Jianmen Gate tomorrow."

"Yes, we will pass the Jianmen gate tomorrow..." Ling Yucheng slightly raised his eyes, looking out the window at the bright moon and the clouds, his voice unconsciously carried a little melancholy.

The century-old grand pass, the majestic sword gate.

Since it was built hundreds of years ago, it has separated the north and the south, and resisted the attacks of the northern barbarians time and time again. From Xiyan to Beiliang, and even the earlier northern Hu kingdoms, millions of heroes fell under the city.This Guancheng has left his best memories. Every time he sent troops with high fighting spirit and every triumphant triumph, he could count every mottled brick and stone on the north city wall, and recognize every tree outside the military temple in the south. Hand-planted pines and cypresses.

Trees are still like this, how can people be embarrassed?

Passing through the city tomorrow, I will be far away from my hometown for thousands of miles, only the moonlight looks like my hometown.

With ups and downs in his heart, he lay on the bed for a long time before closing his eyes dimly, but suddenly woke up in his sleep.

... had that dream again.

Ten years ago, when he pretended to vote for Liu Mingxia, until that night, the bloody night in Tianjie, that nightmare that he must have almost every night.

In the dream, there were countless intertwined and swaying figures, there were muddy laughter and curses, and some teenagers struggled and cried, and the screams gradually became lower and less human... That was the scene he had witnessed with his own eyes. From the beginning to the end, the only thing he could do What he wanted was to just sit on the sidelines and watch, and let the hoarse screams cut down on him...

Then wake up suddenly every night.

A month later, he learned not to sit up abruptly when he woke up; to this day, he has been able to lie quietly with his eyes closed, trying to calm his disordered breathing, sweating through his heavy shirt.The left hand is habitually stretched under the pillow, the fingers are closed, but the palm is empty - yes, he is not sleeping alone now.

With a slight movement around him, Yuan Shao's voice was still sleepy, and he asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"

"……fine."

The skirt of the clothes brushed against the bamboo pillow and ice grate, and the person behind approached him, and followed his fingertips across his forehead, bringing a little dampness away. After a moment of silence, Yuan Shao slowly said: "I'm having a nightmare." what?"

At that moment, I was even a little angry. The secret that had never been seen through for so many years fell into the eyes of others. Ling Yucheng wanted to get up when he put his elbows on the bed, but suddenly his body was heavy, and his shoulders were firmly encircled by a strong arm. Hold tight, tightening every minute.

The body froze involuntarily, but when he woke up, the cold sweat all over his body was gradually drying, and the warm breath brushed against the skin through the thin pajamas, and the cold limbs gradually stretched out instinctively when they met the warmth.The two remained motionless, and the heartbeat of each other could be heard in the quiet night. After a long time, Yuan Shao let go of his arms and turned back to his original position. He lowered his voice and asked again: "What's wrong?"

"Ten years ago, it was here. I chased to the border, was recalled, arrested and imprisoned—it was here, the Changping Station outside Jianmen Pass."

At that time, the shock and anger that went deep into the bone marrow were not so much for himself, but for the northern Xinjiang that was devastated by the war; at that time, at the age of 14, he went to Beijing with his hands tied, just to believe that there is still the word "justice" in the world!

Only after entering the capital did he know that the Xiangzhou prefect who dragged his family and abandoned the people to flee was an official who followed Liu Mingxia's way.While he was busy fighting ahead, the prefect of Xiangzhou, who knew he had caused a catastrophe, gave a great gift to one of Liu Mingxia's foster sons. A memorial turned black and white, and put all the blame on Ling Yucheng. The guy himself became a great hero in commanding the rear.Over [-] enemies were annihilated in that battle, and the surrounding reinforcements could share in the military merits, not to mention how many wealthy local officials in the capital city had property in the destroyed half of Wucheng...

No one is on his side.

"And then?... How did you get out of prison?"

"Later, Liu Mingxia found out what had happened in that battle, and moved his mind to recruit me. After King Jinghui... King Duan heard about it, he advised me to pretend to obey and use his power to seize the military power first."

He nodded, and then, under the investigation of Liu party officials, the "truth" of that battle slowly surfaced.The prefect of Xiangzhou calmly and calmly dispatches the enemy, Ling Yucheng takes the lead in attacking the enemy, the gentry of Wucheng understands the righteousness and donates money to serve the country, and the reinforcements from all walks of life work together to kill the enemy and cooperate seamlessly...Everyone is happy and everyone benefits.

"That's it." Yuan Shao had read a lot of twists and turns in the espionage before, but it was not as detailed as the person's dictation after all.He was silent for a while, and suddenly laughed: "You know, you helped me a lot in that battle!"

"Your Majesty is saying?"

"Test you. What happened to me that year?"

Speaking of this, Ling Yucheng had lost all sleepiness, propped himself up on the pillow, his eyes were burning. "The biggest thing is His Majesty's ascension to the throne... Then Namyan led troops to invade, um, according to the time, he should have sent troops privately to test His Majesty's reaction, but he returned in a big defeat and went to prison as soon as he returned home. Two months later, Namyan was released from prison due to amnesty, and at that time..." His mouth curled up into a smile, "The military power of their tribe has been almost split up by His Majesty. Then His Majesty's northern tour, a big victory over Ding Ling , and, canonize the crown prince..."

"How about registering the crown prince?"

"Accordingly, the crown prince was just born, so it's too early to register in less than a month. However, Namyan is the head of the country. Since His Majesty has seized his military power, he must be appeased. Besides, you can't let other tribes feel that your Majesty It’s just for the family to take over the military power with peace of mind.” The tone was flat, just like the usual gossip with him, commenting on the political gains and losses in history.

"You're right." Yuan Shao nodded slightly. "Although Namyan sent troops privately at that time, I had just ascended the throne and my foothold was unstable, so it was not easy to make a big move against him. Later, he was defeated and returned to me, so I dealt with it smoothly... Hong'er was born prematurely and was weak. After becoming the crown prince , died at the age of three."

The opportunity to suppress the court and take over military power came earlier than he had imagined, and he opened up the situation almost without thinking.But the price...

Suddenly lost interest, sighed: "Go to sleep." Turned over to lie on the side, closed eyes.Ling Yucheng also didn't speak anymore, silently went over Yuan Shao's words in his heart, and suddenly understood why he suddenly lost interest in speaking.

Namyan was defeated... imprisoned...right to withdraw troops...appointment of the crown prince, amnesty, Namyan released from prison... This series of actions, he has been deliberating over and over again for ten years, but the last thing that is always missing in the previous intelligence One piece of the puzzle, that is, the crown prince was born prematurely - the actions of going to the harem were simply linked together by this piece of information.

Or, it was because of premature birth and frailty, that he might even die, that he had the chance to be crowned prince?

The emperor of Beiliang always only had his country in his heart, and all the things in the harem were just pawns he used to restrict and balance the previous court, and he might have to exchange a few pieces in exchange for the benefits of the previous court.Seeing that the empress of the Yuan Dynasty died early and his first son died, the high-ranking concubines were either unborn or their children died young. At present, the families of the two adult princes and mothers are all humble. It's just a sigh at most.

But—Ling Yucheng chuckled silently in the dark night, the emperor is selfless, as a lord, this kind of disposition is the best.

The author has something to say: In this chapter, there is a very important person whose name is not mentioned, YouKnowWho...