An Feng Bamboo Horse

Bu Zhangbai heard at first that Xia Yeyan was under house arrest by Xia Zun, and he was quite peaceful; when he heard that his father might not be dead, he could no longer restrain his grief, his feet became weak, and he had to grab the incense table next to him to stabilize himself shape.

Trembling: "You, what are you talking about, father... Father, he is still...alive?"

He calmed down a bit, but felt that his emotions were too obvious. The sweeping monk in front of him had not yet identified himself, so how could he judge whether his words were true or false; the prince knew his words well, but his intentions were also unclear and his intentions were unpredictable. .He should be more cautious in his speech and behavior.

The third prince seemed to guess what was on his mind, and said with a smile: "The prince's intentions can be discussed later, Mr. Bu can listen to Master Guo first to understand."

The monk surnamed Guo bowed and made a gesture that he didn't dare to do, and said: "The third prince knows where Guo Chun is hiding, and never revealed the slightest bit of information to Prince Xia. But the name is false, and the position of 'Chief Attendant' should not be mentioned again."

Bu Zhang knew in his heart that the "son of Xia" he was talking about was not Xia Feng, the son of Lord Hou's mansion today, but Xia Zun, who was only 25 years old when he followed Xia Yeyan to the expedition.He asked directly: "Master, you are a monk in Jinzhu Temple, and you must not lie when you become a monk. How can you prove that you are indeed a civil servant in Dingguo?"

The monk named Guo Chun closed his eyes and spoke slowly for a while.

"Bu Shuai: It rained continuously for days, and the ground collapsed. The last general led the frontier army to hide in, encountered the enemy's ambushes, fought for a long time, and the stalemate was difficult. Seeing that the appointment was approaching, we had to send a fast horse to send a message. Wan hoped to support it for two days. Our army rushed to fight against the enemy together. Xia Yeyan."

This passage is both familiar and unfamiliar. Bu Zhangbai had already recited the 17-character letter upside down. Now that Guo Chun recited it word for word, he was heartbroken. It proved that the battle of Tianmai Valley was really Dingguo Waiting for the father and son to lose their time first.And this kind of confidential military document cannot be seen by his confidantes. Even when he got the original document many years later, he could only read 17 characters. Guo Chun's identity is beyond doubt.

Guo Chundao: "This urgent letter was written by the Marquis of Dingguo. Guo must have memorized every word and sentence by heart. On that day, I advised Marquis Dingguo to send messengers to report only verbal messages, not to leave documents, because The crime of breaking the promise is serious, and the words only leave a clue. However, Lord Hou prided himself on his friendship with Bu Shuai, and thought that it was due to personal affairs, so he would not pursue the responsibility too much, so the villain hurriedly sent it to Bu Shuai."

He let out a long sigh, seemed to disapprove, and wanted to say a few more words.Seeing Bu Zhang's white expression, he realized that it was not the time to speak for his former master.

He continued: "Back then, when fighting against the enemy, Bu Shuai ordered the army to divide into two teams. He led the central army to lure the enemy head-on, and ordered Hou Ye and his son to lead the frontier army to encircle from behind and attack from behind. The enemy was unprepared. Shuai and Lord Hou have worked together for many years, and they have a tacit understanding. It is reasonable to say that there is no omission in this plan. Unexpectedly, the weather will change suddenly, the rain will continue, and the terrain will change. We are three days late for the agreed deadline, so we rushed to it; The army waited for reinforcements for a long time, and fought desperately with the enemy, causing heavy casualties."

He narrated the bloody battle back then, although his tone was calm, the excitement could not be concealed between his brows.After a lapse of 16 years, he became a monk and practiced Nuo Jiu again. This civil servant from that year was still upset when he talked about the battle of Tianmai Valley, which clearly showed the brutality of that battle.Even the Third Prince and Luo Tang, who had already heard him describe the past, were silent.

"The two armies joined together and fought fiercely for several days. They finally won a narrow victory. However, due to the delay of the opportunity, the 1 army fought to less than [-] soldiers. Among them, the Chinese army suffered the most losses due to the frontal resistance of the enemy, leaving only [-] soldiers. Hou I still have [-] left on hand, all of them are elite soldiers under my command, and I have followed Lord Hou's cronies since the day I joined the army. Now that I think about it, this is probably the key reason why Lord Hou took such risks..."

Guo Chun looked far away, as if he had returned to the night when he passed outside the tent and heard the dispute between Bu Shuai and Xia Yeyan, Marquis of Dingguo. Marquis of the State: "The war period has been agreed, and you should risk your life to arrive in time. How can you delay the military plane because of the rain, landslides, and encountering the enemy's danger? The lives of the soldiers under your Xia Yeyan's command are important, and they should not be thrown away lightly. Could it be that I seven Is the life of the generals of the Wanzhong Army worthless? How many of them admired the fame of you and me and followed them voluntarily, but gave their lives in vain because of your own selfishness. How can we face these dead soldiers under the sun and nine springs!' I was terrified when I heard it, but I knew that Bu Shuai had a strong temper and would do what he said, since he was determined to hold him accountable, even though Lord Xia begged him in every possible way, he would not return him. At that time, it was not long before Lord Xia became a nobleman, his foundation was not stable, and he was eager to make meritorious deeds, and it was a critical moment for us people to follow Lord Xia and want to be rewarded. , not only the title will not be guaranteed, but it will be difficult to make a comeback. Just listen to Lord Hou said: "Qingtian, are you cruel to force me to death?" Shuai Bu said: "You and I have a good relationship from generation to generation. Pleading, let you make meritorious deeds." Hou Ye smiled and said: "It has ruined the vitality of my Xia Mansion, at least, it has been destroyed by my generation, Xia Yeyan." I have covered you, so I have no face to face all the soldiers." Hou Ye was speechless for a long time. I was worried that the two of them would notice that I was outside the tent, so they dared not listen any more, and sneaked back into the tent. I didn't know that the two of them finally argued until late at night. I just tossed and turned. , unable to sleep, feeling anxious, if Lord Hou is accused, we civil servants and military generals who serve under his command will also have nothing to do with it."

When he said this, he didn't hide his fear of being implicated. Thinking back to Xia Yeyan's tent, there were not a few people who thought the same as him.

Bu Zhangbai only asked softly: "What about Xia Zun? Does he think so too?"

Guo Chun looked at him and shook his head slowly.

"Xia Shizi knew early on that Bu Shuai would be punished, so he felt calm and had no other thoughts. The day before the army set off, he even sighed to Guo. Fortunately, his friend Bu Jingchen was unable to follow Bu Jingchen due to his previous injury in this battle. Shuaiqin went to the front line; otherwise, if he loses his life due to this disappointment, he will really pay for it with death. I saw him speak solemnly, and I know that Xia Shizi has a deep affection for Bu Shaoshuai, so I can only sigh for him A father is not like a son..."

Bu Zhangbai's eyelashes twitched when he heard the words "deep affection and deep meaning". He wished he could skip this section immediately and ask about his father's whereabouts.But the battle of Tianmai Valley was of great importance, so I had to restrain myself, and Guo Chun said: "The second day, the army set out, and the Lord Hou ordered the son to lead the troops to lead the way and walk in the front. He took the troops, fell in the tent, and beheaded. Bu Shuai, taking advantage of the sudden loss of generals in the Chinese army and the panic and helplessness, surrounded and killed more than [-] remnants of the Chinese army." After saying this, he let out a long breath, and his hands trembled unconsciously.

The deafening noise seemed to echo in my ears again, those unbelievable eyes, Xia Yeyan's cruel determination when he raised his hand and gave the order to "shoot the arrow".He closed his eyes again, and sighed: "I will know after the fact that after the late-night dispute, Master Xiahou added fuel to the story of Shuai Bu's return to Beijing to inquire about his crimes, and the rumors were released in the frontier army. Everyone in the frontier army is in danger, lest they will be killed, so Lord Hou ordered the encirclement and suppression of the remnants of the Chinese army, and most of the soldiers on the side of the army, out of concern for their own interests, finally killed them... When Shizi Xia learned everything and turned his horse back, the dust had already settled."

There was no sound in the meditation room for a long time, it was deathly silent.

The third prince glanced at Bu Zhangbai, the latter was pale, his hands were clenched tightly, and there seemed to be an abyss of fire hidden in his eyes.Although his face was calm, the frost that had covered his face when he entered the meditation room was even thicker.

The third prince said leisurely: "I can let my prince tell the story on his behalf. Xia Yeyan committed such a heinous act, so he naturally wanted to find a suitable explanation and report it to the court. He told his subordinates to keep their mouths tight and monitor each other, intimidate and Rewards were given at the same time; while returning to the court, he reported to his father that Bu Qingtian had vainly tried to surrender to the enemy and treason, and was killed by him. His father heard that there were more than [-] dead in an army of [-] because of Bu Qingtian's collusion with the enemy, and Longyan was furious. Waiting for the decree to be executed, Bu Shuai's entire family will be executed and the nine clans will be wiped out. At the critical moment, Xia Zun rushed to the royal study, but what he said was different from Xia Yeyan, saying that it was found that Bu Shuai was framed by others, and that he underestimated the enemy and rushed forward. It was not an act of treason as his father said. He and his son insisted on their own opinions. After Xia Zun knelt down and pleaded for mercy, claiming that he was willing to use his life as a guarantee for Bu Qingtian, Xia Yeyan panicked and said that the matter could still be investigated in detail. In this way, the Bu Mansion was stripped of officials and confiscated, and the crime of underestimating the enemy and rushing forward did not harm future generations. Marquis Dingguo was supposed to receive a reward for a bloody battle, but because of disagreements between father and son, he put it aside and let it go. "

He laughed and said: "Xia Zun did not hesitate to disobey his father, and tried his best to protect Bu Qingtian, probably because of his friend who did not go to the battlefield—it seems that this move can indeed bear the word 'deep affection', Mr. Bu Are you right or not?"

Bu Zhang's face was pale, and he didn't say a word, just continued to ask Guo Chun: "You said that Xia Zun put Xia Yeyan under house arrest later, and this is where the dispute started? Then how did he fake the news of my father's death?"

Guo Chun shook his head and said: "Guo only knows that after returning to the mansion, there has been a rift between Master Hou and his son, and there have been many disputes. Marshal Bu visited several times, and Master Hou's face was ugly. He once secretly ordered him not to come to the house. But Xia The son and Marshal Bu are still very close, until that day—" He suddenly stopped.

Bu Zhangbai's heart was beating wildly, thinking to himself that this was the beginning of his father's disappearance and the body floating up from the moat a few days later.Could it be that the swollen corpse, dressed in father's usual clothes, with exactly the same body shape and similar outline, is really not the father himself?

He remembered that ever since the news of his grandfather's death in battle came back, his father, who had always been calm, was hit hard, thinking about it day and night, and feeling depressed.Although he is only a few years old, he already knows how to distinguish the emotions of adults.Every time my father went to the Xia mansion, he asked Xia Zun to tell the truth about the situation on the battlefield, and when he came back, his face became even more ugly.

Most of the family members thought that his father had been traumatized too much. Thinking about it now, Xia Zun's father, who grew up with Xia Zun, might have noticed some clues of something wrong from the other party's response.

The scene of Bu Jingchen and Xia Zun's scuffle in the study room gradually became clear in his mind, as if seeing the sun through the clouds.

Guo Chun's voice sounded again, forcing Bu Zhangbai back to his thoughts, he said: "Until that day, Young Marshal Bu showed up at the Xia Mansion in the morning and disappeared; A close friend of the Marquis, Mr. Guo heard the noise in the front hall and slipped away from the back door. After a few days, he heard the wind that the old Marquis Xia had shaved his hair and became a monk, and Xia Zun had become a monk; The bubble was beyond recognition. Although Guo is not talented, he boldly speculates that it should be that Mr. Xia's murderous intentions against Young Marshal Bu forced Xia Shizi to take him under house arrest. At the same time, because of the wide range of involvement, This is a serious matter, and it is absolutely impossible for Young Marshal Bu, who had guessed the truth, to leave the house to overturn the case, so he fabricated the illusion that Young Marshal Bu committed suicide. Judging from the past friendship between Xia Shizi and Young Marshal Bu, he should not have hurt his life. Just imprison him somewhere in the dark."

He finally told the whole story in one breath, closed his eyes and couldn't hold his breath.

Bu Zhangbai listened to his speculation, but it was only speculation, and there was no actual evidence that his father was still alive, so he was troubled and tormented.I felt chills all over my body, and it took me a long time to think about what I said.The whole person remained silent, as if in a daze.

Luo Tang looked at the white crabapple outside the low window, listening to this old story, his thoughts were quite different from Bu Zhangbai's.He only thought that Xia Zun, Marquis of Dingguo, was kept in the dark by his father, and it was not a crime before he came back to rescue Bu Qingtian; for Bu Jingchen, he broke into the imperial study at night to ask for insurance; Turned against his father and put him under house arrest to save Bu Jingchen.This friendship is really important to say the least.

However, he did not do enough.

He can protect Bu Jingchen alone, but he is unwilling to sacrifice the future of Dingguo Marquis Mansion for the prestige of Bu Mansion; knowing that his father has framed him, he chooses not to reveal it and sit back and watch Bu Mansion be punished.In a sense, like Xia Yeyan, he put his ancestral foundation ahead of loyalty and integrity. For this alone, if Bu Jingchen and Bu Zhangbai wanted to hate him, they would not have wronged him.

The third prince was playing with Luo Tang's folding fan, squinting at him, watching him staring at Haitang outside the window, his expression was as dazed as the person involved, Bu Zhangbai.

He poked him with the handle of the folding fan, and said with a smile, "Why do you look sad and regretful?"

Luo Tang withdrew his gaze and stared at him, feeling depressed.Xia Zun can do it to a certain extent for Bu Jingchen, what about himself?

How far will I go for Qi Xuemiao?

He didn't answer, and the third prince didn't take it seriously, he was just joking with him, and didn't necessarily pay attention to what he was thinking.Seeing that Bu Zhangbai's eyes moved slightly, as if he had finally digested the long speech just now, he grinned at him and said, "Mr. Bu, if you have no doubts, then we can talk about you and me."

After lingering for a long time, Bu Zhangbai has basically guessed the intention of the third prince.He used the grievances between the Xia and Bu families to do a good job of selling himself to himself, so he naturally wanted to win over his plan of being a diner.He has no power, no power, and no relatives. If he doesn't seize the olive branch thrown to him by the third prince, he and the few remaining soldiers from back then can bring down Xia Zun, the Marquis of Dingguo, who has a great family and great career. Idiots talk about dreams.

However, after taking this step, he will be under the command of the third prince from now on, and it will be difficult to get out.

He asked: "Bu Zhang is a scholar who has no power to restrain a chicken, and no family power to rely on. Why does the third prince have all the white eyes on Bu Zhang?"

"Well..." Qi Xuemiao smiled and said slowly, "Mr. Bu is indeed weak at the moment, but Shuai Bu was an official in the court. He was upright and strong, and he had many admirers. When the incident happened, no one Dare to speak for Bu Shuai, firstly because of the heavy casualties in the battle of Tianmai Valley, ordinary officials were not able to speak out before they came to the front line; secondly, Dingguo Marquis Xia Ye has been gaining power for a long time, so it is inconvenient to openly offend. If Mr. Bu succeeds in overturning the case in one fell swoop, it proves that The incident was deliberately planned by the father and son of Ding Guohou, and with a wave of arms, there were naturally people who responded from inside and outside. Over the years, Xia Zun has also made enemies in the court, and these people will also become Mr. Bu's help."

Bu Zhangbai was born as a general, and helping him to the top position is not only a dangerous game, but also a wonderful one.

The smile in the eyes of the third prince is even stronger: "Xia Yeyan framed Zhongliang, and there are already witnesses; if we find physical evidence, we will use both methods, and Xia Zun will have a hard time turning over. The road will be more and more smooth. At that time, Dingguo Houfu will decline, and the great revenge will be avenged; Mr. Bu will become an official in the court and revive the family, wouldn't it be a beautiful thing that kills two birds with one stone and could not be more satisfying?"

"Of course, if Qi Xuemiao needs it in the future, I think Mr. Bu will help him out of this kindness."

This is the end of the matter, and there is no turning back.

Bu Zhangbai remained silent, only nodded slightly.

The third prince's eyebrows and eyes were curved, and he asked people to prepare drinks and toast with Bu Zhangbai.

The crisp sound of interlacing jade cups fell in Bu Zhangbai's ears, filled with endless sadness.

What he saw in his eyes was the gentle look in the eyes of the red-haired boy; it was the voice of him calling him "Xiaobai" in his ears; it was the voice of him holding himself tightly in his arms, laughing and screaming look.

The cone is piercing and cannot be pulled out. ?