Little Cardamom

In the September Festival, the dew is cold and will condense.

The time is cold and dew, and autumn in Beijing is getting stronger. The ginkgo trees on both sides of the Imperial Street are dense, and the ground is full of golden yellow.

Early in the morning, both sides of the long street were crowded with people waiting for each other. The carved windows of teahouses and pubs along the street were opened, and all of them stretched their necks to look out.

"Enter the city, enter the city!"

"The emperor is going down the tower!"

Shengjia came to the west city gate today to welcome the victorious army into the city. The Imperial City Division and the imperial guards in front of the palace were surrounded by densely packed guards at the west gate. It was extremely difficult to see what was going on inside. Occasionally, there was news of the victorious army entering the city and the emperor going down the tower, and the people who were looking forward to it were already excited.

Not long after, Emperor Chengkang's oral order came from the west gate.

The great victory in Rongzhou, all the thirteen prefectures in the North have returned to the imperial court, and such feats have been immortalized through the ages. Emperor Chengkang naturally wants to reward the three armies and amnesty the world. Taxation for three years.

In the past, Lingzhou was overflowing with epidemics and diseases, and the imperial court only exempted them from taxes for one year, but now it has been three years, which is enough to show how happy Emperor Chengkang was with the recovery of Rongzhou.

In the middle of the corner, the sound of marching finally came from the city gate.

Jiang Xu, who rode a famous horse thousands of miles away, slowly appeared at the end of the long street. He was handsome with sword eyebrows and starry eyes, with no expression on his face, as cold and serious as before.

The closest behind him are Shen Yu and other confidant generals, as well as the coffins of the generals who died in the recovery battle that lasted more than half a year.

Rao is victorious and returning to court, the army is still serious and orderly, without any complacency or arrogance.

"His Royal Highness Dingbei is really—" Bai Minmin stared straight at her eyes. After a while, she murmured, "Why do you think His Royal Highness Dingbei looks better than Second Master Shu today..."

Zhang Huaiyu tapped her on the head with a folding fan.

Bai Minmin stroked the back of her head after knowing it, her eyes still fixed on Jiang Xu, and murmured again: "A Tan's life is really good..."

Zhang Huaiyu snorted softly: "In this way, your life is really hard."

Bai Minmin stared obsessively for a while, and when the army was halfway through, she looked away, cupped her face and sighed softly: "Yes, my life is really hard."

"..."

"If life is hard, you should take it well."

"Zhang Huaiyu, you!"

The two of them were used to arguing if they couldn't say a few words, and the maidservants who were serving at the side shook their heads helplessly.

The army continued to march forward, throwing melons and fruits all the way without stopping.

Zhou Jingwan is not with Bai Minmin today, but with Shen Hua. Shen Yu has made great contributions in this battle, and Shen Hua is very pleased. Before his father passed away, he has been telling the two of them to work hard and shine on the lintel of Shen's family as soon as possible. Brother With such an uplifting spirit, I think my father can smile and feel at ease when he is under the nine springs.

Shen Hua and Zhou Jingwan talked about their son Shen Yu, and their eyes fell on Jiang Xu who was in front.

"Is the sachet hanging on the waist of the prince?" Shen Hua was careful, and at a glance, he noticed something hanging from Jiang Xu's waist that didn't quite match his body.

Zhou Jingwan looked at it carefully, nodded, and responded softly: "The color matching should be done by A Tan."

The two exchanged glances tacitly.

Jiang Xuduan sat on the horse and saw many familiar faces along the way into the city. Even his father-in-law stood in the crowd with a blushing face, nodding and chatting with Duke Chang beside him from time to time.

But, he didn't see his princess.

After being happy in the past, Ming Tan huddled in his arms and said lazily: "I heard that your husband was awarded the title 'Dingbei' that year, and the holy majesty came to the city gate to add the title? Then next time your husband wins and returns, I will definitely return early Go to the gate of the city and guard it, and see what kind of demeanor it is to show off the God of War!"

Thinking of this, Jiang Xu's eyes darkened slightly, and he tightened the reins in his hand.

At the end of the long street, the crowd was still densely packed into a ball, and the cheers were endless. Jiang Xu sensed something in the crowded crowd, and suddenly raised his head and looked at the carved window on the left upstairs.

Many people by the window were waving and cheering for him, but only one window was empty.

He thought for a moment, his eyes fixed for a moment.

To return to court after victory, the general must first enter the palace to report his affairs and have a banquet to celebrate his victory. Emperor Chengkang hosted a banquet in Yongyuan to reward the three armies, and they drank until late at night before they could be counted.

Jiang Xulei returned to the mansion at night, and Uncle Fu had been waiting at the gate of the palace. Seeing him coming back, he hurriedly greeted him inside.

Jiang Xu handed him the whip, untied his cufflinks, and asked softly, "Is the princess asleep?"

Uncle Fu raised his head and choked: "This..." He was not sure, "Princess, maybe you are asleep?"

Jiang Xu looked up at him: "What do you mean 'Xu Shi is asleep'?"

"Princess, she is not in the mansion, and I don't know if the old slave is asleep." Uncle Fu looked puzzled, "Princess has to go to the suburban Zhuangzi to settle accounts early this morning, and she will go today if she doesn't go early or late. It doesn't work to persuade, probably because I don't want to see you."

After finishing speaking, Uncle Fu paused, and subconsciously covered his mouth, how could he tell the truth quickly.

Jiang Xu was silent, and only asked, "Which Zhuangzi?"

Uncle Fu hurriedly recalled: "It seems to be the one near the Sishui River in the western suburbs. It is... the dowry of the princess."

Hearing this, Jiang Xu withdrew the whip from his hand, twisted the belt in the opposite direction, tightened it in twos and threes, turned on the horse again, turned the horse's head neatly, and ran towards the dark night.

"G, my lord! My lord!"

Uncle Fu yelled several times from behind, but Jiang Xu didn't seem to hear it, and his back quickly disappeared into a small black spot in the distance.

Uncle Fu sighed sadly. Since the princess is angry, she should think of a way to coax her. What's the use of rushing over by this lonely person? At least she should take two carts of spoils to show her sincerity. Too young, too young.

Uncle Fu walked back with his hands behind his back, shaking his head regretfully.

The night sky is dark and full of autumn stars. The nights in the suburbs of Beijing seem to be more leisurely and quiet than those in central Beijing. It's late autumn, and the disturbing frogs and cicadas in the summer night have already quietly left the scene, only the occasional night bird is beckoning, the wind blows through the treetops, and the dead leaves are either withered or rustling.

Ming Tan tossed his head on the bed, unable to fall asleep no matter what.

It's not because the house is simple and unfamiliar, the village is built next to the water, the soil is fertile and very fertile, and the farmers live a very prosperous life.

Hearing that the master's family came to pay the bills, the manager of the village head tidied up a spacious room for her early on. All the things in the house were newly purchased from Beijing. The decoration is elegant and comfortable, and the mattresses are even more so. Lue packed it up and brought it from the mansion.

But Ming Tan just couldn't sleep.

As soon as he closed his eyes, his mind was full of the handsome figure of Jiang Qizhi leading the army across the long street.

This man simply played a trick on her.

Obviously thinking not to forgive him easily, but always involuntarily defending him in her heart, always thinking that he also has his own difficulties, and it seems difficult for her to take her eyes off him when he is there, just like today Long Street... Ming Tan patted his face, turned around and put on the brocade quilt, telling himself not to think about it any longer.

Suddenly, there was a very light sound from the door and window, Ming Tan subconsciously thought it was Su Xin, and muffled under the brocade quilt: "Go to sleep, there is no need to keep watch."

After a while, no one responded, and then she poked her head out of the quilt in doubt.

The night is very good today, the moonlight pours into the window lattice like water, reflecting someone standing quietly by the window softly and clearly.

Ming Tan was stunned, staring at the visitor without blinking, half propped up and sat on the bed, his heartbeat began to beat faster unconsciously.

Is she wrong? Or is it that she is in a dream now, and what she sees is something she thinks about every day and dreams about at night?

She pinched her face unconsciously, it hurt a little, it was not a dream.

In just a short while, Jiang Xu had already approached.

He was wearing the armor that was glowing with cold light when he led the army into the city during the day, it was darker and heavier, and there was still a light chill on his body that came before the night, and he could only see clearly when he was close. He was much thinner than when he left Beijing , the Adam's apple is prominent, and the lines of the face are becoming clearer and more handsome.

His eyes were full of extremely difficult to understand emotions, like a lake of still water, but under the still water, there was a dark tide surging.

He stared at Ming Tan, and after an unknown amount of time, he slowly stretched out his hand, brushed the hair scattered on Fu Ming Tan's face, and said in a hoarse voice: "I'm back, Ah Tan."