Dingjiangshan

Ning Yan did what he said, and after the twelfth lunar month, he actually slowly gathered up the government affairs at hand and sent them back to the capital, as if he was in the middle of the capital, and began to "retire".

On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Ning Yan actually wrote to Xie Jue, asking him to return to Nanyang to "have a new year".

Ning Huaijin thought it was unnecessary at first, but after thinking about it later, she probably guessed what Ning Yan meant.

——He wanted to call Xie Jue back to give Ning Zheng a little illusion.

Just as Ning Yan never let go of Anqing Mansion, Ning Zheng's eyes were naturally staring at them in the dark. Since Ning Yan wanted to lure the snake out of the cave, he had to put some bait outside the cave.

On the other side, although Xie Jue didn't know why Ning Yan transferred him away from Xinyang City at such a critical juncture, fortunately, he understood Ning Yan's personality and knew that he was not the kind of person who would kill a donkey, so although he was puzzled, But after receiving the letter, he temporarily handed over the military affairs at hand to the deputy general, and only brought Cheng Yuan and a group of soldiers back to Nanyang Mansion.

On the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month, when Xie Jue arrived at Nanyang Mansion, Ning Yan put aside all the mundane affairs in his hand and went out to pick him up in person.

Xie Jue saw Ning Yan when he was far away, and he was too busy to accept such a big gift from him. He jumped off his horse before approaching him, stepped forward, and bowed to Ning Yan on one knee: "How can you work hard?" Your Majesty descends to welcome you."

"What's the downgrade?" Ning Yan smiled and bent down to pull Xie Jue's arm, and said, "I'm not in the capital now, so there aren't so many rules. Zhaoming came all the way back. Have you worked hard? Where's Dr. Cheng?"

While the two of them were talking, Xie Jue's personal soldiers approached Cheng Yuan's carriage.Xie Jue followed Ning Yan's strength and stood up, rubbing his head, looking a little embarrassed.

"Originally they were riding together." Xie Jue said, "In the middle of the journey, Xiao Yuan caught cold, so he changed the carriage at the post station, so the return was delayed for two days. I am really ashamed."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of." Ning Huaijin, who was a step behind Ning Yan, just listened to this sentence, and said softly: "Doctor Cheng is not like you and me who are in the army. It's cold and windy outside. Riding a horse does suffer, it is better to ride a car."

Xie Jue hadn't had time to deal with this greeting when he saw Ning Yan turned his head and joked with a smile: "Uncle Huang has only fought a few battles with Zhaoming, and he already calls himself a member of the army."

Here we go again, Xie Jue thought to himself, His Majesty has such a temperament that he does not have a long memory, but he just likes to tease this kind of wooden pile full of gentleness, respect and thrift.

"Even if you only fought once, you have been on the battlefield anyway. How can it not be counted." Ning Huaijin said with a smile: "Furthermore, your majesty can't just talk about it. When you fight Tongbai County, the minister went alone."

Xie Jue: "..."

What the hell, Xie Jue thought in shock, where does the sun come from today? Even Ning Huaijin can argue with Ning Yan?

General Xie was shocked, but Ning Yan seemed rather satisfied. He exchanged a meaningful smile with Ning Huaijin, turned around and greeted Cheng Yuan who got off the car, and was about to drag him into the mansion. .

Ning Huaijin was left behind by him, but he was not angry. He shook his head helplessly, smiled, and settled the guards that Xie Jue had brought back, before turning to follow Ning Yan's footsteps.

—— Ning Yan just deliberately made fun of him in front of Xie Jue, Ning Huaijin could tell.

This is a kind of "exploration" unique to Ning Yan.

Over the past few days, Ning Huaijin has gradually found some ways to get along with Ning Yan. In fact, wanting to make Ning Yan happy is really a simple matter.He doesn't need Ning Huaijin to be ingratiating, he doesn't need him to be low-key, he doesn't even need Ning Huaijin to accommodate, he just needs Ning Huaijin to put aside his "identity" and tell him a few harmless jokes talk.

Ning Huaijin has always been a cautious person, apart from hesitating emotionally and being in a dilemma, there is nothing that can catch his eyes.

Since Ning Yan had a heart-to-heart talk with him that day, Ning Huaijin was also gradually convincing herself, and began to try to take another step towards the direction Ning Yan expected.

It is precisely because of this that Ning Huaijin gradually discovered that the difference between "identity" and "status" is actually not what Ning Yan cares about most.All he cared about was whether Ning Huaijin could have an equal relationship with him, that's all.

But it was just this "only", Ning Yan also walked away for a long time.From uncle and nephew to monarch and subject, step by step, bit by bit, this distance seems to be really being shortened by him continuously, so that what remains in front of Ning Huaijin is only a small step to cross.

Ning Yan just wanted to have someone who could really be "by his side" to accompany him, Ning Huaijin thought, not a low-ranking courtier, not a concubine who needed to rely on him for a living, and not those clan relatives who had hidden evil intentions.

He wants a confidant who can communicate with each other as an equal, open his heart, and don't mind any etiquette and rules.

This cognition seemed to enlighten Ning Huaijin, and when he figured it out and looked at Ning Yan's words and deeds, many things had answers in his heart.

So when Ning Huaijin went to get along with Ning Yan again, many things became easier.

Over the past few days, Ning Huaijin has gradually come to understand a truth - in fact, talking about love is actually just a process of "giving up" willingly.

Ning Yan surrendered "rights", and he surrendered "truth", it was as simple as that.

Just like "Uncle Huang" and "Huaijin", "Your Majesty" and "Xiao Yan", it seems that the address defines the identity, but the cuteness will not be easily retracted because of the change of address.

In the final analysis, the "degree" in this is just a tacit understanding, a measure, and a tacit understanding.

Thinking of this, Ning Huaijin's eyes softened unknowingly.

And Ning Yan, who took a step first, also realized that Ning Huaijin hadn't followed, so he slowed down unknowingly and waited for him in front of the hanging flower gate.

Xie Jue and Cheng Yuan behind Ning Yan looked at each other, and at the same time saw some subtle emotions in each other's eyes.

I think His Majesty is only one step away from breaking his sleeves - General Xie desperately winked at Cheng Yuan.

Cheng Yuan looked at him with almost pity and loving eyes, then shook his head and sighed.

Xie Jue: "..."

He was too familiar with Cheng Yuan's sigh.

Doctor Cheng has a good hand and a benevolent heart, and he is not a fairy, and there are always situations that cannot be forced.So generally speaking, his expression means one thing - there is no way out.

Forget it, General Xie thought desperately, what kind of upright children can be taught if even the emperor's teacher has broken his sleeves, and he is a living one who is not upright and crooked.

Jiang Xiaohan, who was far away in the cabinet, inexplicably felt a tremor all over his body. He only felt a dark wind crawling across his back, making his hair stand on end, and his back was chilly.

Jiang Xiaohan: "..."

He put down the memorial in his hand suspiciously, looked left and right, and found that several other colleagues with white hair and long beards were still leaning behind the table and wandering away, and there seemed nothing unusual.

So Jiang Xiaohan rubbed his forehead, wondering if he was always in the cabinet recently, and his thoughts became chaotic.

Since His Majesty was not in Beijing, the cabinet's affairs suddenly doubled compared to before. Now it is the end of the year, and although many trivial banquets and ceremonies have been saved, the report papers from various places are still flying to the cabinet like snowflakes.

In the past, Ning Yan would have to go through these papers personally, but this year, due to the special circumstances, Jiang Xiaohan couldn’t send all the papers to Nanyang, so he could only collect some of them, and put the report papers of officials above the fourth rank in the post station. For Ning Yan, those below the fourth grade will be dealt with by the cabinet.

This in itself is a trivial and complicated job, plus the assessment by the Ministry of Officials at the end of the year, the Ministry of Households to check the treasury, and the Ministry of War to take care of these frontline affairs from time to time, I am afraid that the cabinet will not be able to rest until the 27th of the twelfth lunar month.

In addition to these, Jiang Xiaohan also had another major event on his hands.

——It is the etiquette regulations for Ruan Yin to go to the National Temple to pray for blessings.

As soon as Jiang Xiaohan received the news, he guessed that this must be Ning Huaijin's idea again - there is no other reason, it is really this move, Ning Huaijin is too familiar with it.

Afterwards, everything was quite different from what he had guessed. First, the eldest princesses got through somehow and went to the palace to "visit". Yin moved to the theater to watch a play.

Judging from what Jiang Xiaohan heard, Ruan Yin refused at first. After all, she had stayed in the Imperial Temple for so many years, and she managed to escape so easily. How could she be sent back so easily.

Later, I don't know what Ning Zongze said to her, but actually persuaded Ruan Yin. After a few times of persuasion, Ruan Yin's attitude was not as conflicted as it was at first, and she faintly let go.

But later, while waiting for the State Teacher's Office and the Ministry of Rites to send the regulations for praying to Renshou Palace, Ruan Yin began to pick and choose the regulations again, either saying that it was "unruly" or that it was "not decent enough".

Jiang Xiaohan knew that Ruan Yin didn't want to go to the Emperor's Temple at all, and was just looking for an excuse to delay it.After all, as the empress dowager, as long as she said something reasonable, no one could force her to do something openly.

Ruan Yin has been dragging her head and refusing to nod. It is nothing more than that it was written in the regulations of the Ministry of Rites that if the Empress Dowager goes out of the palace to pray for blessings at the Imperial Temple, Her Majesty must personally demote her to see her off, as a sign of filial piety and solemnity.

But everyone knew that Ning Yan was not in the capital at this time, and Ruan Yin's use of these words to block the mouth of the Ministry of Rites was simply a blatant excuse.

Jiang Xiaohan lowered his eyes and pondered for a while, tossing around a few ideas in his mind, but he felt that something was inappropriate.

Ning Yan was not in Beijing, so many things could not go through his clear path, so it became difficult to handle.He himself is a foreign minister, unlike Ning Zongze, who can enter the palace at any time, and it is not easy to meet Ruan Yin alone.

Jiang Xiaohan pondered for a while, then simply beat his palms, and decided to borrow his daughter.