Three thousand miles in exile

The first snow fell in northern Xinjiang yesterday, and a thin layer of pure white covered the endless fields of the Cangxia Plain.

Early winter in northern Xinjiang is the best, the snow falls loosely and the weather is not too cold.

Two horses, one black and one white, were galloping on the Huangchuan embankment. Hundreds of cavalry were guarded from a distance, and they ran ten miles away and stopped slowly.

Liu Zhan was dressed in black, and he dismounted to grab a handful of snow that fell on the grass. "I thought that there would be a drought in northern Xinjiang this year. Seeing that the snow falls in season like in previous years, I feel more at ease."

Song Fenglin also dismounted. "Auspicious snow heralds a good year, and northern Xinjiang is a good place."

This year, there was a severe drought in the Central Plains, and the heat spread throughout Dachu. The hearts of the two who had been hung up for the whole summer finally fell steadily with the arrival of the first snow. At this moment, the two really felt the goodness of northern Xinjiang.

Song Fenglin sighed. "Although the winter in northern Xinjiang is very cold, only one season of rice can be grown a year, but it is calm and peaceful, which is very good."

The two led the horse for a stroll along the embankment.

Song Fenglin's silver-white round-neck gown blended in with the snowy scene, with a sense of tranquility and comfort, giving him a somewhat reclusive and independent feeling.

Liu Zhan brushed the snowflakes that fell on his hair, and the two walked side by side.

"It's no wonder that the Yan family was so rich back then. Seeing that the Cangxia Plain is fertile and stable in all seasons, the annual harvest is a real number. Although the Central Plains and Jiangnan are good, there are natural disasters from time to time."

Neither of them realized that they had become more and more fond of the land under their feet.

Song Fenglin thought of something and asked. "Will you continue to march north next year?"

"Of course." Liu Zhan hooked his shoulder with one hand and pulled him closer, and the two walked side by side. "Next year, I plan to enter the hinterland of Yan Kingdom again."

Song Fenglin was taken aback.

Liu Zhan smiled wantonly. "I want King Yan to experience what it means to be surrounded by enemies."

Now that Qi Yun's army has a large scale, Liu Zhan naturally doesn't intend to wrong him anymore, how can he be worthy of all these years of hard work if he doesn't go to Yandi and go back and forth.

Song Fenglin nodded. "I agree with everything you do, just a little bit, do what you can and don't be brave."

Liu Zhan touched Song Fenglin's head with his head. "I know."

The two walked forward for a while, chatting casually.

"Concubine Cao sent a letter, saying that everything in the palace is fine." Song Fenglin said.

"She is blessed." Liu Zhan paced. "The new emperor's enthronement ceremony should be a few days away."

Song Fenglin touched the face of the white horse approaching. "Ascension to the throne on the first day of November is exactly tomorrow."

"Six-year-old son emperor, Da Chu will still be ruled by powerful ministers in the future." Liu Zhan shook his head.

Speaking of this, Song Fenglin couldn't help but think of Fang Shouting. "If Da Sima hadn't committed suicide, the Fang family and the Zhao family might not be able to take down the Zhou family. It's a pity that the Xu family's power is weaker after all."

In the few days after Emperor Wen died, the capital was in chaos. The Zhou family asked Fang Shouting to hand over the murderer's body divided by five horses on the grounds that the Fang family's son had murdered the emperor.

Almost every morning, Zhou's henchmen and Fang Shouting's subordinates would fight, and Zhou Chan uttered harsh words that the Zhou family would fight to the death if this matter could not be resolved.

Fang's grandson trampled to death the emperor on horseback. Even if Zhou was not in charge of such a big event, Fang would have to give an explanation to the world.

Under the pressure of public opinion, and also to maintain Fang's reputation, Fang Shouting committed suicide in the ancestral hall at home on the first seven nights of Emperor Wen to make atonement.

Prior to this, Fang Shouting had entrusted the [-] forbidden troops to Xu Muyuan, and Xu Muyuan had obtained the military power of the forbidden army, so it was logical to take over as the chief minister, and Fang Yuliang, Fang Shouting's son, would be the guard.

Liu Zhan said: "Now it's time to call General Xu the Great Sima. I don't know if Zhou Chan regrets letting Xu Muyuan return to Beijing early."

"Why don't you regret it?" Song Fenglin looked at the crows flying in the distance.

"Zhou Chan's work is too full and he doesn't leave room for anything. He thinks that as long as he controls Emperor Wen, he can control the Great Chu, but he doesn't know that life and death are impermanent. In fact, Emperor Wen is the Zhou family's reliance. Without Emperor Wen, the Zhou family has no capital to make the aristocratic family fear."

Song Fenglin said again: "The Zhou family's downfall is a foregone conclusion, it's only a matter of time."

It is well known that Zhou Chan persecuted the mother and son of the young emperor. In the past few years, the emperor has been young, and if he is older, he must settle the score. The Zhou family's heyday has already come to an end.

Liu Zhan stopped and looked at him. "It's not enough just to lose, the Zhou family has to pay the same price for the atrocities they have done."

The two of them tacitly agreed that they were waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity that would make the Zhou family irreparable.

The Zhou family, a family that rose by relying on the injustice of the party, his retribution has only now begun.

On the first day of November, the eldest son of the emperor succeeded the emperor with the title of Emperor Xiao of Chu.

The eldest son of the emperor, whose mother was lowly and who had experienced hardships at the age of six, was once scolded by Zhou Chan for giving birth to a prostitute, and finally became the fifth emperor of the Great Chu, and became the supreme ruler of the world.

The ascension of the new emperor is the beginning of another round of court disputes.

As soon as the change of power in the Forbidden Army ended, Xu Muyuan and Fang Yuliang's revenge against the Zhou family also began.

Emperor Xiao of Chu ascended the throne, Empress Zhou was revered as Empress Dowager Zhou, her biological mother was honored as Concubine Cao, and all other concubines were buried by Emperor Wen.

Five of Emperor Wen's harem concubines were blood relatives of the Zhou family. Zhou Chan received the news and entered the palace to save people, but he saw five corpses.

At this point, the two sides broke completely, and the court was bloody and bloody every day.

In the past, Emperor Wen supported the Zhou family, but now Emperor Xiao made no secret of his dislike for Zhou Chan. Every time there was a dispute over government orders in the court, Emperor Xiao would let the emperor's teacher make the decision, and his words were very trustful and intimate.

When Emperor Xiao was three years old, he was taken back to the mansion by Zhao Hengfu to take good care of him. It was in the Zhao Mansion that Emperor Xiao's mother and son really ended their daily precarious life. They were naturally very affectionate to Zhao Hengfu and even the Zhao family.

With this kindness, the rise of the Zhao family has become obvious.

The Dishi Party represented by Zhao Hengfu grew rapidly, and the Fang Clan and the Xu Clan allied, both of which were hostile to the Zhou Clan.

Under such circumstances, Zhou Chan needs a large amount of silver to maintain his power. Since the Zhou family took over Baoshan, a batch of silver will be shipped out of the mountain every early winter and early summer of the next year.

Now is the time when Zhou Chan needs this batch of money the most, how can Liu Zhan make Zhou Chan happy.

He had already figured out the route and the number of people Zhou's transported the money, and this time he sent a thousand soldiers disguised as refugees to ambush on the road, and got the money very easily.

"What! The money was robbed by refugees!" Zhou Sui felt his mind go blank.

The lieutenant also had a splitting headache. "The late emperor died suddenly, and the imperial capital was in turmoil. It's time to spend money. If the Prime Minister finds out..."

"Is now the time to talk about this! Hurry up and send troops to chase it back!" Zhou Sui's eyes were tearing up.

The lieutenant had a bitter look on his face. "Our soldiers can't enter the border of Jinyang at all. As long as we get close to those Qi Yun troops, they will rush up like mad dogs."

Speaking of this matter, the lieutenant general was slumped, if it wasn't for their soldiers not being able to enter Jinyang, how could they have lost their money.

"Our food transporters are all disguised as caravans. There are so many caravans on the official road, why they only rob us? This is clearly premeditated. According to me, this is Liu Zhan's trick. If there is one, there will be two. It's over. We're all done."

Both of them are retainers of the Zhou family. Their mission in northern Xinjiang is to guard Baoshan for Zhou Chan. Now that Liu Zhan has finally made a move to Baoshan, the two of them dare not imagine how Zhou Chan will punish them and their families if Baoshan is lost. .

In fact, Zhou Sui also knew in his heart that Baoshan was within the boundary of Qiyun Mountain, and he was far away from Yangguan, how could he defend it.

Now Liu Zhan occupies the three counties of the Cangxia Plain, and his sphere of influence happens to be from Qiyun Mountain to the coast of Huangchuan. It can be said that the Northern Army in Yangguan has been isolated by Qi Yunjun in a corner of the border.

The Northern Army could not advance or retreat, so it could only hide in the Yangguan Pass and live in panic.

A month later, the severe winter in northern Xinjiang arrived as scheduled.

Liu Zhan and Song Fenglin explained their internal and external affairs and rushed home before the heavy snow closed the mountains.

The old lady has been suffering from minor illnesses for the past year and her body is not as good as before. Liu Xueyuan wrote to Liu Zhan early to ask him to go home for the New Year.

When the two returned to the General's Mansion, they greeted the old lady immediately. The old lady was in good spirits, but lost a lot of weight.

The Liu family has experienced ups and downs, and now it is a place of great power in northern Xinjiang. The current Liu Mansion is more noble than the Liu Mansion in the capital. The old lady is satisfied and has no other thoughts.

Liu Zhan, the only one who was away, also came back, and the old lady's happiness was beyond words.

After seeing the old lady Song Fenglin, he went back to the Song Mansion next door, and Liu Zhan chatted with his family in the front hall.

Liu Xueyuan said happily: "The old lady has chosen a date to let Cong'er and Xi'er get married on the fifth day of September next year."

Liu Zhan was taken aback. "Cong'er will be less than fifteen next year, right?"

"Fifteen is not young anymore, when I was thirteen, I started eating meat." Liu Xueyi laughed heartily.

Liu Xueyuan almost choked on the tea. "Second brother!"

On the side Liu Xueli laughed. "It's your father and Song Jiaoxi who are both anxious, thinking of getting married earlier so that they can have grandchildren as soon as possible."

This year the Liu family has many happy events. First, Liu Mingche's daughter-in-law Xiao Zhao gave birth to the eldest grandson. This is the first grandson of the Liu family after they came to Qiyun Mountain.

Then when autumn came, Liu Mingdan also got married, and now his daughter-in-law is just pregnant, and a grandchild will be born next year.

Liu Xueyi's youngest daughter, Liu Yuelan, has also reached the age to talk about marriage, and with Liu Yuexin's lessons learned, this time Liu Xueyi dared not keep her.

He plans to pick a son-in-law who will take a long time in Yunzhong Academy, and it is said that he has already found a match, and if it goes well, he will get married next year.

Those little kids from back then are now all married and become parents. Liu Zhan can't help feeling a little bit emotional, it's been 15 years before he knows it.

Soon after that, it came to the first day of the first lunar month, and the year name of Dachu was changed to Yuan Xuanhe.

Emperor Xiao of Chu formally enshrined Zhao Hengfu as the emperor's teacher. As the emperor's teacher of the two dynasties, Zhao Hengfu's prestige and reputation reached its peak for a while.

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, Da Situ Zhao Hengfu advised the emperor to amnesty the world. The list of amnesty included not only the second and fourth princes of Emperor Xuan, but also Liu Tonghe's relatives and various officials.

The list is almost all the victims of Zhou's party's conquest of different times.

"Absolutely not! These are all traitors, how can they be forgiven easily!" Zhou Chan panicked, pointing at Zhao Hengfu and questioning without hesitation. "Emperor, what is your intention!"

Zhao Hengfu held the board in his hand and did not look sideways.

Zhao Jizhang, who had been promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, came out. "Reporting to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Criminal Justice has thoroughly investigated and found out that the officials on the pardon list are all unjustly imprisoned during the Hongzhi period."

"Where is the theory of unjust imprisonment? These officials involved in the case were all personally approved by Emperor Xuan!" Zhou Chan gritted his teeth.

"The Ministry of Punishment retrieved the files of the year for retrial and found that most of the cases had insufficient evidence, and most of them were tortured into tricks." Zhao Jizhang did not worry about arguing, and made an orderly statement.

"Like the case of the Song family back then, there were only verdicts in the file but no evidence. The so-called witness testimony was just a confession based on hearsay. The lower officials arrested the man for retrial, but they did everything with just a little intimidation."

Zhao Jizhang raised his head and held out his chest. "There are so many unjust cases like this, it's really ridiculous, I implore Your Majesty to redress the unjust cases and return the former court officials to a clean slate."

The ministers knelt down to petition. "I implore Your Majesty to vindicate the unjust case and return the innocence of the former officials."

Back then, the Zhou family used extremely nasty means of attacking dissidents in order to control the power of the court. Those ministers implicated were either deprived of office or had their homes ransacked and exiled.

If it is rehabilitated on a large scale, it will be a disaster for the Zhou family. Not only the Zhou family, but also the Zhou family members who participated in it will stop it no matter what.

For a while, the court was divided into two factions facing each other, and the scolding war lasted for a whole morning.

The little emperor was hungry and urgent to urinate, and couldn't sit still, he wanted to leave no matter what, Zhou Chan took the opportunity to call out when he saw this, the matter can only be discussed tomorrow.

Back at the Prime Minister's Mansion, Zhou Chan lost his temper so much that all his party members lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Now Pei Gongli, who is the Zuo Cheng of the household department, quietly hides behind others and tries to reduce his sense of existence. In his eyes, Zhou Chan at this time is like an old but grumpy tiger.

"Come here! Drag Zhou Sui's relatives out to this old man and beat him twenty times each!" Zhou Chan was furious. "I lost the silver and made the old man unable to occupy the top spot in the court. Zhou Sui's relatives will bear this crime on his behalf!"

Pei Gongli was shocked.

Zhou Sui was a slave of the Zhou family, who had served the Zhou family for generations. Their family members lived in the prime minister's mansion. Zhou Chan ordered them to be arrested, and soon Zhou was escorted out of the courtyard along with his parents and wife.

The guards swung their army sticks to execute the sentence mercilessly, screaming and begging for mercy filled the courtyard.

Zhou Chan has gone crazy!Pei Gongli lowered his head and gritted his teeth, Zhou Sui was holding the Northern Army!No matter what Zhou Chan said, he beat his relatives!

Pei Gongli couldn't help asking himself how far such a Zhou family could go?

Zhou's conduct is not upright, and under Zhou's powerful appearance is a mess of black spots. Unjust imprisonment is just the beginning, and Zhou cannot stand scrutiny.

In the reign of Emperor Wen, there was Emperor Wen as the backer and no one dared to touch the Zhou family. Now without Emperor Wen, the Zhou family is like the giant tower with broken beams. It is only a matter of time before the collapse of the Zhou family.

Gradually, there was no sound outside the courtyard.

"Prime Minister!" At this moment, the butler ran in in a hurry. "That...that..."

"Speak up if you have something to say!" Zhou Chan yelled.

"A pair of sons and daughters of the general died after being beaten with a few sticks...I'm afraid...I'm afraid they died..."

Zhou Chan was stunned, all the party members present were stunned, Pei Gongli's face turned pale, and he rushed out in three steps at a time.

I saw that Zhou Sui's ten-year-old twins had blood all over their mouths and faces.

"Go and call the doctor!!" Pei Gongli's scalp would explode. If Zhou Sui knew that Zhou Chan had killed his son and daughter... Pei Gongli would feel a chill all over his body.

The butler ran to call the doctor, and Pei Gongli questioned the guards who were executing the sentence. "How can you kill me!"

Those people panicked immediately, and some people knelt down and kowtowed. "It was the housekeeper who said that there is no need to leave room. We thought it was the prime minister's intention."

Pei Gongli staggered back a step, and instantly understood that the butler was seeking public revenge.

He is also a slave of the Zhou family, but now Zhou Suiguan is the supreme general, and the butler's son is only the steward of the mansion, so the butler feels resentful.

Zhou Chan who came out with him witnessed all this, his face was very ugly, both angry and gloomy. "Drag it on and don't die in the old man's yard."

In Zhou Chan's eyes, Zhou Suidang, no matter how great an official is, is just a house slave of the Zhou family, a house slave.

At this moment, Zhou Sui's old mother shouted at the top of her lungs. "Prime Minister, my son worked hard for you in northern Xinjiang, how could you treat us like this!"

Zhou Sui's parents and wife are already insane.

Witnessing all this had a great impact on Pei Gongli, he stepped back step by step until he was out of the crowd.

At this moment, Pei Gong has only one thought in his heart, to protect himself!He wants to protect himself!