generation hero

If General Yuan knew about it, he would definitely be angered by Yuan Tang, but Yuan Tang really couldn't leave Feng Cong at this time and see him in prison.

But Yuan De, who was guarding outside, said: "A Lang can't leave, even if the general is here, he wouldn't allow A Lang to leave just like that."

Yuan De was the only person trusted by Feng Cong and Yuan Tang in Liuxiang Juzhong. When the two were talking, Yuan De stood by. At this time, Yuan De knelt outside the door, leaning against the door leaf, facing the sycamore tree in the courtyard, Still looking out of the door vigilantly, he turned his head to the room and said: "Your Highness guarded Jucheng together with us. It was a friendship that went through life and death together. Back then, Jucheng was besieged by the army, the general died, and the city was destroyed in an instant. , His Highness first helped us to make a plan to feign surrender, and then helped the Yuan family get out of Zerou's predicament, he is our Yuan family's benefactor."

Yuantang's heart was hot and surging.

Feng Cong said: "The siege of Jucheng is a matter of the life and death of the people in a city. The whole city's soldiers and people work together to preserve Jucheng. This is a righteousness rather than a personal favor. As for Zerou," he looked at Yuantang and said, "You I take what I need, and it's not about kindness."

"I won't leave." Yuan Tang said: "Even if you drive me away, I won't leave. I brought you back from Jucheng and put you in danger. If I leave at this time, then I am nothing. "

"Uncle De," Yuan Tang walked outside the door and said, "Go out of the palace and send all the private soldiers and servants you brought back to Jiyang. I will write two books, one for uncle and one for Yuan Xi. , you also go back to Jiyang."

Yuan De said: "The letter can be delivered, but De will not leave the Patriarch and return to his hometown, and he dares to guarantee with his head that the family members will follow the Patriarch."

Yuan Tang trembled with excitement, he was incompetent as the patriarch, but Yuan De's loyalty never changed.

Feng Cong frowned, pulled Yuan Tang back and said, "Don't be impulsive, I'm not without plans, the situation is not good now, you go home first, after this is over, I will go to Jiyang to find you."

"You have your righteousness, and I have mine." Yuan Tang said, "I won't leave unless I don't know you."

Feng Cong's chest rose and fell several times, and he stared fixedly at Yuan Tang, seeming to have a thousand words to say, Yuan Tang looked back at him, Feng Cong pulled Yuan Tang into his arms and hugged him tightly.

Yuan Tang didn't know what he was thinking, but he felt that Feng Cong seemed to be trembling too. His hands hugged him tightly, as if he was about to rub him into his arms. He felt very peaceful at the moment, because he could hear Feng Cong's heartbeat.

"Maybe she's right." Feng Cong leaned into Yuan Tang's ear and said.

"what?"

Feng Cong wrapped Yuantang in his arms again, rubbed his chin against Yuantang's ears, then let go, pursed his thin lips lightly and said, "It's nothing."

The note sent by Shen Jingxuan was an invitation. Zhan Fang invited Feng Cong and Shen Jingxuan to meet in Jianxiu Garden on the tenth day of October.

The Jianxiu Garden in October was also covered by late autumn chill, the owner didn't care about it, and the plants and trees in the garden seemed listless. There were few fashionable flowers in the garden, only a few chrysanthemums planted in the garden were in full bloom, yellow, yellow, purple and purple. Flower clusters grow among the withered grass.

Wang Qu carefully welcomed Feng Cong into the Jianxiu Garden, and told his servants to keep a close eye on the door when he closed the door.

"Brother Zhan and Brother Shen Xian are here, waiting for you, Your Highness."

These days, Wang Qu must be under a lot of pressure. He looks exhausted, with dark shadows under his eyes, and subconsciously lowers his voice when speaking in his own home. He said, "Uncle has been bedridden, how is the Queen Mother?"

"I don't know," Feng Cong said, "The Empress Dowager never asked anyone to visit her in the palace. The medical officer who treated the Empress Dowager said that her condition is not very optimistic and she needs to rest."

"Oh." Wang Que sighed heavily.

The meeting place arranged by Wang Qu was his residence, and everyone greeted each other, Zhan Fang frowned slightly when he saw that Feng Cong did not let Yuan Tang leave with the other attendants, but did not say anything.

Zhan Fang's complexion is the worst, he is dressed in plain clothes, his eyes are gloomy, his uncle has just passed away, and the Xiao family's suppression of him has not stopped, so far he has not been detained in Dali Temple, and he is confined at home. Going out, I should have sneaked here today.

"Your Highness is invited to come here today to discuss how to deal with the Xiao family," Zhan Fang said, "Since the Empress Dowager and Wang Shangshu became ill, the Xiao family has almost covered the sky with one hand. The three families of Wang, Shen and Zhan are now connected. If you resist, you are afraid that you will be completely pushed out of the court by Xiao."

Feng Cong took off his cloak and handed it to Yuantang, and said to Zhan Fang, "I'm not in court, I have no power or soldiers in my hands, and I can't do anything about court affairs."

Zhan Fang frowned into a Sichuan character, Shen Jingxuan raised his eyes to look at Feng Cong, and slowly picked up the teacup.

"His Royal Highness's father, Prince Wenxi, will be redesignated as King Rong. The prince's achievements in the country are obvious to all. Could it be that His Highness just watched the prince's honor being deprived of his position, so that the prince will not receive the respect he deserves after his death?" Zhan Fang said.

When mentioning Prince Wenxi, Feng Cong's eyes darkened. He leaned on the table, moved his fingers, and said, "I can go back to Beijing thanks to the empress dowager's remembrance of old love. The matter of asking for the seal is also due to Wang Shangshu's efforts in the court. The empress dowager and Wang Shangshu fell ill, and I also lost my support."

Zhan Fang looked at Feng Cong, leaned forward, and said, "At this point, why should Your Highness hold back? The three families are on the same boat as Your Highness, if Your Highness can combine the strength of the three families, how can it be said that there is no help."

Wang Qu folded his hands in his sleeves and moved uneasily, while Shen Jingxuan was still drinking tea with his head down.

Zhan Fang was a little dissatisfied, and said: "Since Brother Wang and Brother Shen Xian agreed to attend the meeting today, they must have thought so."

Wang Qu smiled weakly.

Yuan Tang had a panoramic view of the reactions of everyone in the audience, Shen Jingxuan was not sure what he thought, Wang Qu seemed to be coerced, and he looked like Alexander was overwhelmed.

Feng Cong said, "Brother Zhan, what do you want to do?"

Zhan Fang narrowed his eyes and said, "Fang has no other wish, but hopes to help my uncle's coffin return home."

Wang Qu's smile was about to collapse, he nervously wiped his sweat with his sleeve, Shen Jingxuan put down his teacup, and shot Zhan Fang with cold eyes.

The atmosphere in the seat was tense for a while.

Feng Cong said: "I heard that Uncle Ling has passed away, please express my condolences. I really can't do what Brother Zhan is asking for."

Wang Qu's shoulders drooped slightly, as if he breathed a sigh of relief, but Shen Jingxuan remained silent.

Zhan Fang was greatly disappointed: "Since your Highness doesn't want to do anything, why should you be invited here today?"

Feng Cong said: "Yun Yanghou invited me to inquire about the Queen Mother's condition. Of course I will come. Brother Zhan, think clearly, whether you are going to fight against the Xiao family or the people behind the Xiao family. It’s just the wind blowing, now the Zhan family and the Shen family are not in power, and the Wang family’s sons have been removed from the court, the Xiao family is in the limelight, and instead of avoiding its edge, it goes head-on, there is only one ending, the fish dies and the net breaks."

Zhan Fang's face changed a few times, he stood up, looked Feng Cong up and down, and said: "Your Highness is worthy of being the son of Prince Wenxi, and it is said that His Highness is brave, but in fact he is reckless, which is clearly a rumor. I think His Highness not only has no Bravery, but also too cowardly, to be able to swallow even the deprivation of Prince Wenxi's title."

Feng Cong's hand under the desk suddenly tightened.

Zhan Fang arched his hands and said goodbye, Wang Qu said: "Hey, brother Zhan, go slowly, brother Zhan..." He looked at Feng Cong and Shen Jingxuan, and then at Zhan Fang's back, wiped his sweat, and chased him out to see him off. guest.

Yuan Tang was puzzled, and said, "Why are you so angry, you're leaving now?" He sat beside Feng Cong, touched Feng Cong's hand, and Feng Cong held him under the desk.

Shen Jingxuan showed a cool smile and said, "The Zhan family is really unusual."

Yuan Tang had a question mark on his face again, Feng Cong glanced at him, and said, "The old Zhan family is in Caizhou. If you let him go back to Caizhou, it's like letting the tiger go back to the mountain. When he unites with the old Zhan family, naturally you don't have to be afraid of the Xiao family."

Yuan Tang was surprised and said: "Didn't it mean that General Qian is now the governor of Zhengxi? Could it be that Zhan Fang wants to..." Rebellion.

"Qian Xiyi is the governor of the Western Conquest, and his generals are either Zhan's old friends or Zhan's old friends. It can't compare with Zhan's management in Caizhou for several generations." Shen Jingxuan said: "Where do you want to go? Zhan Fang is in Beijing. Having suffered such a great humiliation, his uncle went again, but that was not the case. He didn't necessarily want to do something earth-shattering. The power of the Zhan family in Caizhou is the foundation of his foothold. If he is allowed to return to Caizhou However, the imperial court has nothing to do with him. But Zhan Fang's intentions are indeed worthy of consideration. He came today not only to return to Caizhou, but to sit on a powerful vassal and secretly communicate with the clan. Zhan Fang's ambition is not small."

Feng Cong supported his chin with one hand, while still holding Yuan Tang's hand with the other, he couldn't stop rubbing his thumb, as if he was thinking about something, he smiled and shook his head.

Shen Jingxuan raised his eyebrows and said: "God-sent, the Zhan family has wealth and soldiers, and His Highness let him go like this?"

"Far waters don't save near fires," Feng Cong replied, "No matter how aggrieved Zhan Fang is, he can't rebel because of this, because his master is unknown. The Zhan family is strong on the strength of soldiers, and they don't agree with each other. What's the use of keeping him?"

Both Feng Cong and Shen Jingxuan remained silent for a while, and Shen Jingxuan calmly drank a cup of tea before saying, "Feng Cong, I won't just sit and wait for death."

Feng Cong said: "With your talent and family background, you may not have opportunities in the future, so you don't have to go all the way."

"Caipin family background..." Shen Jingxuan was a little sarcasm, he said: "Dr. Jijiu joined forces with scholars and Confucian families to oppose His Majesty's redesignation of Prince Wenxi. Now His Majesty still has to appease them. The edict cannot be issued, but it is only a postponement." Your majesty's temptations are aimed at Shangyun, if the queen mother still cannot recover from her illness, your majesty will probably issue an edict to recall King Huan back."

"So fast!" Yuan Tang said.It was originally scheduled that King Huan would return to Beijing next spring, but now there are still three months before the end of the year.

Shen Jingxuan said: "I don't know how long the illness of the Empress Dowager and Wang Shangshu will last. Your Majesty is also suspicious, so he didn't issue an edict immediately. If it is confirmed that the Empress Dowager is really unable to interfere with the government, Your Majesty will definitely not wait any longer. Even if the Empress Dowager recovers from illness, it will be a done deal. "

"So," Shen Jingxuan was puzzled, "How is the Empress Dowager's body?"

The gate of the Kangxin Palace was closed, and no one knew how the Queen Mother's condition was. At first, Yuan Tang didn't really believe that the Queen Mother, who was soft on the outside and strong on the inside, would be sick. But many things happened. Even without showing his face, he couldn't help wondering whether the queen mother's illness was much more serious than expected.

"I don't know either." Feng Cong said.

Shen Jingxuan also sighed, put down his teacup, bid farewell to the two, and said to Feng Cong, "You can take care of yourself and take care."

Just as Wang Qu sent Zhan Fang back, Shen Jingxuan wanted to leave again, so Wang Qu had no choice but to send him off again. It was inevitable that Wang Qu would make an extra trip, so Feng Cong simply got up and said goodbye.

Wang Qu said with a bitter face: "There are meals prepared in the garden, but I have to leave anyway. It's because I didn't entertain well."

Feng Cong said: "Go back to the palace first, it's not good to leave the palace for too long."

Wang Qu was a little nervous again, and said: "Hey, yes... I don't know what to do these days. Many people come to see my uncle, and they also come to me. The children in the family are lowered one after another. I... I ..."

Wang Qu was on the verge of tears while talking, Yuan Tang gave him a handkerchief, and Wang Qu held the handkerchief with both hands to wipe his face and forehead.

"Live as you want," Feng Cong said flatly, "Since Wang Shangshu is ill, the Wang family usually restrain themselves. You are the head of the family, restrain the children of the family, and be careful in your words and deeds."

Wang Qu paused while clutching the handkerchief, his eyes gradually cleared up, as if he suddenly had a backbone, he collected himself and said, "Oh, I know."

Back in the Kangxin Hall, Feng Cong went outside the main hall again, but this time he did not ask to see the Queen Mother, but only asked Tao Neishi to ask about the Queen Mother's condition, and also told Tao Neishi what Wang Qu asked about the Queen Mother's condition, and Tao Neishi only said that the Queen Mother His condition has not stabilized and he is still unable to see people.

Tao Nei waiter was very respectful, Yuan Tang couldn't guess the Queen Mother's condition from his expression.

Feng Cong said: "Ajian Laotao and Sister Suwan bother to serve the Empress Dowager."

The waiter Tao Nei folded his hands and lowered his eyes, saying: "Slaves and other responsibilities lie."

Feng Cong's voice was deep and deep, "That being said, it must be very tiring for the supervisor and the female officials to take care of the Empress Dowager and control the palace people these days."

Tao Neishi's eyelids twitched, and he said in panic: "I have been negligent recently, thank you Your Highness for reminding me."

Feng Cong nodded and didn't say much.

The next day, Zhan Fang asked the imperial court to help his uncle's coffin back to Caizhou, but was rejected.

Shen Jingxuan's elder brother was about to leave for Pengwu, but Shen Jingxuan asked the emperor through the prince to send him to the border county of Qizhou as the prefect. In his memorials, he lavishly counted the strength of the frontier defense military and the strategy of recovering rivers and mountains in the three northern states.As a child of the first-class Xia family, Shen Jingxuan actually had the ambition to guard the border, which caused an uproar from the emperor and the court.

Due to the lack of cavalry in Southern Xia, they were unable to compete with Beicheng's galloping cavalry. In the past, the land reclaimed by the Northern Expedition was gradually lost, and it was impossible to gain a significant advantage in warfare.

In the Xia Dynasty, there has always been a debate about the recovery of the northern border. However, due to many reasons such as the inability of the state to support the war for a long time, the lack of fighting spirit in the stability and wealth of the country, the intention of advancing northward is not obvious, and the Northern Expedition is only one sided. banner.

After Prince Wenxi, Shen Jingxuan was the first person in the court to directly advise on the strategy of recovering the northern border.

Shen Jingxuan's memorabilia was like a stone thrown into the water, attracting the attention of the emperor and everyone, but in fact it could not cause any splashes.

There are very few people who support Shen Jingxuan.Now that the court is stable inside and outside, Beicheng is unable to go south in a large scale, and the aristocratic family does not support the military campaign, Shen Jingxuan's memorial is not at the right time.However, the emperor finally began to pay attention to Shen Jingxuan because of this, and did not mention the matter of letting him leave Beijing for the time being.

Feng Cong also went to see the emperor outside the meeting hall, and stated to the emperor that he was willing to never be knighted, and only wanted to preserve the title of Prince Wenxi.For a whole day, the emperor did not summon Feng Cong.

After dark, Yuan Tang helped Feng Cong into the sedan chair and brought him back to Liuxiangju. At night, Yuan Tang poured hot water to help Feng Cong's knees while chatting.

Feng Cong rolled up his trouser legs and sat on the couch, and said with a smile, "Don't worry about it, just kneel for a day."

Yuan Tang covered his lap with a hot cloth, and Feng Cong pulled Yuan Tang to sit beside him.

"Are you going tomorrow?" Yuan Tang asked.

"Go." Feng Cong said.

"Why did you remind Tao Nei to manage the palace servants that day?"

"People are in a state of panic, and if nothing happens, something will happen."

Yuan Tang helped Feng Cong change a hot cloth again, and said, "You know His Majesty won't see you, right?"

Feng Cong put his hands on the couch, leaned back, and said, "It doesn't matter whether he sees me or not, anyway, I can't let them take away my father's title."

Speaking of Prince Wenxi, Feng Cong's eyes became heavy again.

Yuan Tang leaned against the screen with his legs crossed, and asked, "Prince Wenxi... what kind of person is he?"

Yuan Tang wanted to know more about Feng Cong, and also asked Shen Jing what kind of person Prince Xuan Wenxi was, and asked him what Feng Cong was like when he was a child.

Shen Jingxuan's impression of Prince Wenxi comes from his father, most of whom are no different from other people in the world. He thinks that Prince Wenxi is wise and worthy of being a monarch. There is only one thing. , whether it is the art of controlling people or the way of governing the country, the prince has his own way, but for the Xia Kingdom, many things have to be done. The honor of the prince does not have the position of the prince before. He participated in the government again, which did more harm than good to himself. Feng Cong is because His Majesty is very embarrassed by the prince entering the court for the second time."

When others mentioned Prince Wenxi, they either admired or missed him, but when Feng Cong mentioned him, his eyes became a little dazed. Feng Cong said: "I don't really remember his appearance. They all said that I resemble him. He is probably more I'm more refined, like Shen Jingxuan's kind."

"You're pretty," Yuantang said, "Prince Wenxi must be pretty too."

Feng Cong smiled, his ears turned red, and he reached out to stroke Yuan Tang's hair.

"I remember my father taught me how to ride a horse when I was young. He didn't teach me archery. He was not as good at archery as I was. His hands were big and warm. Before we were seven years old, our whole family lived with my grandfather's tribe in the north. I don’t remember much, I only know that sometimes the whole clan fought with Emperor Beicheng’s army, and sometimes they settled in a place with abundant water and grass, and they would not stay for long.”

"One day, envoys sent by the emperor found my father. They said that my father was from Nanxia, ​​and they moved our family to Yaojing. There were always guards outside the residence. They called my father the prince. If the official comes to see my father, or if my father asks me to leave, Aniang will be worried all day long, and they will not let Aniang see my grandfather again."

"The emperor of Beicheng went hunting, and there was always the sound of galloping horses in Yaojing in the middle of the night. I later found out that it was someone in Beicheng's royal family who wanted to seize the emperor's power. My father took advantage of the chaos in Yaojing and took me and my mother out of the city. The Emperor Beicheng found out that we had escaped and sent troops to chase us. The tribe he led rebelled and wanted to chase us too. My father took me and Aniang to mix with the fleeing crowd in disguise. There was nothing to eat, so he ate I saved everything for my mother and me, once I was sick, my father carried me away, and I heard him crying at night."

"After returning to Nanxia, ​​I won't have many chances to see Father."

"Aniang and I were sent to the palace. My father is always busy, and everyone calls him His Highness the Prince. My Aniang and I look forward to his return every day. Occasionally when he comes back to see us, my Aniang will I'm very happy, at that time I always complained that he didn't come to see me, but my mother said, it's not that my father doesn't love us, he has many important things to do, and he will come back when he finishes those things."

"The last time he took you to that mountain, he took me and my aunt."

Feng Cong's tone was always flat, and his voice gradually became weaker after speaking. He tried to search for his father's appearance in his memory. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something, and said shyly to Yuan Tang: "My aunt always said that my father is older. Looks good."

Yuantang's nose was sour, and Prince Wenxi, who was unparalleled in the eyes of others, was Feng Cong's father who was pieced together from fragments of memory.He thought that Prince Wenxi must love Feng Cong and Feng Cong's mother very much.

Feng Cong probably didn't know it himself, but when he recalled Prince Wenxi, he smiled like a child.Seeing him smiling like that, Yuan Tang liked and felt sad.

Feng Cong noticed that his eyes were red, put his arms around his shoulders and said, "What's the matter, did you also miss your father?"

Yuan Tang sniffed hard and gave a vague "hmm".