Nightwatcher

Xu Qi'an reluctantly went up to him. Before he could get closer, his aunt took the initiative to come closer, grabbed his arm, and said eagerly:

"How can Erlang go to the battlefield? He has never even killed a chicken. He is just a scholar who has no power to restrain a chicken. The emperor asked him to go to the battlefield. This will cost his life."

As he spoke, he started crying. .

Xu Lingyue was also in the hall at this time, standing on the side, with a beautiful and refined face, and a frowning posture, worried about Erlang's safety.

"Mom, I am a seventh-grade benevolent person, a seventh-grade person. Dad is only a seventh-grade person." Xu Cijiu was unconvinced.

"What's the use? Your father told me a long time ago that a seventh-grade scholar is as helpless as a ninth-grade warrior," said my aunt angrily.

Xu Erlang was suddenly speechless.

Xu Qi'an patted the back of her aunt's hand to express comfort, and then said: "It's not that there is no way to solve it. At the worst, I can resign."

"Resign!" Auntie wiped away tears.

To a womanly family like her aunt, war is a catastrophic disaster. As a mother, she would rather her son give up his future than go to the battlefield.

"impossible!"

Xu New Year interrupted forcefully. As a scholar in the academy, how could he shrink back because he was afraid of going to the battlefield?

The aunt sat on the chair and said with tears: "You came out of my belly. I don't know how much you weigh? If you were half as capable as your elder brother, I wouldn't bother to care about you. But you are useless. Scholar, you are good at writing and fighting others with a knife. Where did you get this ability?

"You are the only heir in the second house. If something happens to you, I, I won't be able to live either."

Xu Lingyue comforted her mother with a sad face.

"Mom, I practice the art of war. The battlefield is my home field and the place where I practice. Now I finally have this opportunity." He defended in a softer tone.

"Are you stupid?"

The aunt screamed: "That dog emperor wants you to die. He has a grudge against Ning Yan, and he wants our whole family to die. Are you stupid enough to send him there yourself?"

She shed tears, and in her excitement, she looked unusually ferocious.

Seeing this scene, Xu Qian was suddenly stunned. In fact, her aunt knew the situation of the Xu family very well. She knew that her nephew had offended the emperor and that the whole family was being targeted and was in a precarious crisis.

But she never expressed her worries in this regard, let alone complained about her "nosy" nephew. It was not because he was stupid, but because she regarded the nephew who had raised her as a family member and as a son.

Some people say they don't take you seriously, but in fact they love you in their hearts.

Xu Qian silently exited the inner hall, asked his servants to fetch the young mare, and galloped towards the watchman's office.

Haoqi Tower, seventh floor.

In the tea room, Xu Qian frowned and said, "Mr. Wei, that thief of Emperor Yuan Jing has really not given up on persecuting me. Seeing that my reputation is at its peak, and supported by dean Zhao Shou, you and the prison guard, he is unwilling to touch me for the time being. So I set my sights on Cijiu."

Why did Xu Qian not leave the capital, but dared to investigate Emperor Yuan Jing privately? It’s because these three big guys are behind us.

In addition, he kept a low profile and did not commit suicide in front of Emperor Yuan Jing.

But he knew that Emperor Yuan Jing would settle accounts with him sooner or later. This emperor was good at maneuvering, and he had enough patience to wait, such as this time.

Xu Qi'an himself was not afraid of Emperor Yuan Jing, but he was quite worried about his second uncle and Erlang. It was too easy for Emperor Yuan Jing to "frame the blame" on them.

Wei Yuan smiled and said, "What do you think?"

Xu Qian asked tentatively: "Can Wei Gong block it back?"

Wei Yuan shook his head: "Your Majesty appointed me. It's hard to refuse."

Xu Qian sighed heavily: "I originally wanted to join the army with Erlang and protect him secretly, but I felt that if I also left the capital, my family would be in real danger, so I had to come to Wei Gong.

"Wei Gong is the commander of this expedition. Please help me take care of Erlang."

Jian Zheng and Zhao Shou will protect him, but will the two big guys act as bodyguards for him and protect his family?

Xu Qi'an doesn't have this confidence, but he has confidence only in Wei Yuan.

Jian Zheng and Zhao Shou treated him as a pawn, so they only recognized him and not his family. Wei Yuan regards him as a confidant and an important person, so Wei Yuan will take care of his family.

Wei Yuan drank tea and said with a smile: "I will arrange for Xu New Year to go to the north. Jiang Luzhong and Yang Yan have the best relationship with you. In addition, Chu Yuanzhen will also go to the north."

Xu Qian was suddenly surprised: "So you have already made arrangements? You asked Chu Yuanzhen to join the army just to protect Erlang?"

dad!

Wei Yuan sneered and said: "That's just incidental. Chu Yuanzhen has unparalleled talent and love. It would be a pity to be a rogue. He is still a scholar who cares about the world, but he resigned and went into seclusion because he was dissatisfied with His Majesty's practice of Taoism.

"As long as you still have the heart, you will not reject me. Such a good talent cannot be used in vain."

Chu Yuanzhen is also an old tool, Xu Qi said with peace of mind.

Wei Yuan immediately asked: "Is there anything else you want to say to me?"

He seemed to be looking forward to it.

Xu Qi'an chuckled twice, stood up, and saluted respectfully: "I wish Wei Gong a triumphant return."

Wei Yuan smiled noncommittally, seeming a little disappointed.

"Xu Qian!"

But when he said goodbye and left, Wei Yuan's voice suddenly came from behind him, "The world of Jiuzhou is more complicated than you think. Go ahead and follow your own path."

Xu Qi'an waited for a moment, but before Wei Yuan's explanation, he looked back at him: "Okay!"

After leaving Haoqi Tower, Xu Qi'an took out the fragments of the book and asked Chu Yuanzhen for a private chat.

[Three: Brother Chu, news just came from the Ministry of War. Like you, I also have to go out with the army. 】

[Four: Wei Yuan is also looking for you? So is your cousin going too? 】

Chu Yuanzhen was shocked, and at the same time worried about Hengyuan. If Xu Qian was not in charge in the capital, could Hengyuan be successfully rescued by just "one, two, five" people?

[Three: Unlike you, I was appointed by Emperor Yuan Jing. 】

Xu Qian didn't curse Emperor Yuan Jing's viciousness, because Chu Yuanzhen would definitely understand, he was such a smart person.

[Four: It doesn’t matter, I will take care of you. 】

That’s what I’ve been waiting for! Xu Qi'an immediately sent a message: [I will give the fragments of the Book of Earth to my elder brother temporarily. Well, that's it. I have other things to deal with. 】

Without giving Chu Yuanzhen a chance to ask questions, he quickly ended the private chat.

Alas, you still have to be honest as a person. Stop bragging on the Internet. If you are not careful, you will be held back and unable to come to Taiwan. Xu Qi'an felt sincerely.

On the other side, Xu Mansion.

After Xu Pingzhi received the news from the government, he immediately rushed home. Now he is sitting on a chair with a dark face and said nothing.

"Master, tell me about this scoundrel and ask him to resign immediately," my aunt cried.

"Your Majesty is using a conspiracy." Xu Pingzhi sighed.

Either get out of the Hanlin Academy or go to war. The former will have his future ruined, and the latter will narrowly escape death.

Xu Pingzhi had experienced the Battle of Shanhaiguan and knew that his ability to come back alive was purely due to luck. The war in the north is definitely not as dangerous and fierce as the Battle of Shanhaiguan.

But Xu Erlang was not a martial artist and lacked the means to save his life on the battlefield.

Xu New Year sat aside and remained silent. He had already been beaten by his elder brother, so there was no need for him to be beaten by his father again.

The family was in a state of gloom and gloom.

Auntie kept sobbing and choking, Xu Lingyue comforted her with soft words.

"I see that eldest brother went out just now. He must have thought of a way. Mom, don't worry. We will wait until eldest brother comes back." Xu Lingyue said softly.

"We can only wait for news from Dalang."

The aunt wiped away the tears and looked out of the hall frequently, worrying about the consequences: "But what can Dalang do? He is no longer an official, and he has offended the emperor."

Xu Pingzhi looked gloomy and said nothing.

At this time, they heard Xu Lingyin's clear and childish voice coming from outside: "Big pot~"

The family suddenly turned their heads and looked out of the hall, and sure enough they saw Xu Qian striding back and kicking away the younger sister who was coming towards them.

Xu Lingyin flew into Lina's arms. She smiled happily and expressed that it was fun to control Teng Yun.

Xu Qi'an used Qiao Jin. In the past, the brother and sister had always played this way.

"Da Lang!"

"Brother!"

The four members of the family in the hall stood up at the same time and looked at Xu Qian.

Auntie said anxiously: "Dalang, have you thought of a way to prevent Erlang from going to war?"

Xu Qian shook his head slightly, "Your Majesty has appointed me, how can I refuse?"

Seeing that his aunt's beautiful face could not hide his disappointment, and seeing Uncle Xu's face dimming instantly, he said calmly:

"However, Wei Gong promised me that I would take care of Erlang. Moreover, Chu Yuanzhen, a registered disciple of the Renzong, will also go with the army. He has a very good relationship with me and Erlang, and he promised me to protect Erlang well."

"master?"

The aunt cast a questioning look at her husband.

Second Uncle Xu smiled: "With Duke Wei taking care of him, Erlang is safe. Moreover, Chu Yuanzhen is comparable to a fourth-grade master and can fly with a sword. Even if he encounters danger, he can protect Erlang very well."

When the aunt heard that even her husband said this, she immediately felt relieved.

He sobbed and said, "Thanks to Dalang."

Whenever there is a war, in addition to dispatching troops, recruiting grain and other necessary matters, corresponding ceremonies are also indispensable.

The imperial court will ask Si Tianjian to choose an auspicious day, and then offer sacrifices to heaven, earth, and ancestors. These are the three sacrifices.

The three sacrifices were held in strict specifications and were held on different auspicious days by the emperor and hundreds of civil and military officials.

Soldiers and generals who want to go out with the army will also worship their ancestors on this day.

When descendants go to the battlefield, it is essential to worship their ancestors.

The ancestral tomb of the Xu family is located in a geomantic treasure land outside the capital city. The warlock from Si Tianjian was asked to help with the geomantic omen. Of course, most wealthy families in the capital would ask a warlock to read their feng shui.

Everyone’s ancestral graves are Feng Shui treasures

The brothers Xu New Year and Xu Qian are now the golden phoenixes of the Xu clan, the core figures.

Xu Erlang of the Hanlin Academy was about to go on such a big event, and almost everyone from the clan came, including two gray-haired clan elders.

An elder of the clan has a fairly strong body, is tall and thin, but has some sparse white hair.

The other one was no longer very clear-headed, his eyes were a little dull, but his hair was white and very thick.

After presiding over the ancestor worship ceremony, the gray-haired clan elder said with emotion:

"In fact, no one believed what the Si Tianjian Warlock said back then. The capital is so big, so how could there be so many Feng Shui treasures. It was just to seek good luck. Now it seems that this is indeed a Feng Shui treasure. Otherwise, two people would not have appeared one after another. A dragon and a phoenix among men.”

The surrounding tribesmen laughed.

At this time, the old and dim clan elder searched the crowd tremblingly, murmuring: "Where is Da Lang? Where is Da Lang? Where is Wenquxing of our Xu family?"

Xu Pingzhi pulled Xu Erlang closer and said with a smile: "Uncle, the Wenquxing of our Xu family is Erlang, and the Wuquxing is the Dalang."

The clan elder stared at Erlang with his cloudy eyes for a long time, and kept shaking his head: "No, it's not you, you are not Dalang."

"Of course he is not Dalang, we all said he is Erlang, the Wenquxing of our Xu family." The tribesmen explained loudly beside them.

The clan elder ignored him and searched the crowd: "Da Lang, where is Da Lang?"

Xu Qi'an had no choice but to walk over and said with a smile, "Grandpa, I am Da Lang."

The clan elder squinted his eyes, examined him carefully, and smiled: "It's Da Lang, it's Da Lang, the Wenquxing of our Xu family."

The clan elder's son explained awkwardly: "I used to tell my father about Da Lang's deeds. He has heard so much that he only remembers Da Lang."

Royal palace, royal garden.

Wei Yuan was sitting in the pavilion, twirling sunspots between his fingertips, playing chess with Emperor Yuan Jing.

After killing the old emperor for a few rounds, Wei Yuan said calmly: "I heard that the queen came in and was ill?"

Emperor Yuan Jing glanced at him and said expressionlessly: "It's autumn, maybe I caught a cold. I was busy with government affairs and neglected the queen for a while. Wei Qing went to visit the queen for me."

Wei Yuan stood up, bowed and stepped back.

He had walked the road to Fengqi Palace countless times, but this time he walked extremely slowly. Obviously there was someone he cared about most at the end of the road, but he was afraid of walking too fast, afraid that if he didn't pay attention, he would lose this road. Finished walking.

In Fengqi Palace, the most magnificent queen stood in the palace, holding up her sleeves with one hand and burning incense with the other.

"How did you come?"

She said in surprise when she saw Wei Yuan entering the palace.

"We're about to go on an expedition, come and see you." Wei Yuan smiled gently.

The queen led him to sit down and ordered the maid to serve tea and cakes. The two sat in the room. Time passed quietly. There were not many words between them, but there was an indescribable harmony.

After drinking a cup of tea, Wei Yuan sighed: "Has the palace always kept the cakes you made?"

The queen pursed her lips and smiled softly: "I don't know when you will come, but I know that you like to eat the pastries I make the most. So every afternoon, I will cook some myself."

Wei Yuan nodded, "I'm interested."

The queen looked at the plate and saw that she had only eaten two pieces of pastry. She said softly:

"In the past, A Ming always competed with you for the pastries I made, and you never gave in to him. In the Shangguan family, you are more like a legitimate son than him, because you are my father's most valued student and his savior. son"

"Stop talking!"

Wei Yuan interrupted calmly and whispered: "The grudges between me and the Shangguan family were settled after Shangguanming's death. I came here just to talk to you."

He looked at the queen's beautiful face, as stunning as before, and said: "I have guarded you for half my life. Now, I am going to do what I want to do."

After Wei Yuan finished speaking, he stood up, bowed, and walked out of the hall.

"You have guarded me for half my life, but you never knew what I wanted."

From behind, the Queen's shout came.

Wei Yuan paused slightly and left resolutely.

The wind blew from nowhere in the palace wall, blowing his green robe and fluttering his gray temples.

Outside Fengqi Palace was a long road with tall red walls on both sides. He walked forward in silence, finally completing this road and completing half of his life.

This year the world is far away. Xiaoxiao's temples are blooming.

Lin'an, who was wearing a red dress that looked like fire, walked towards Wenyuan Pavilion with two personal maids and guards from Shaoyin Palace.

"Hey, why did Wei Yuan come into the palace?"

Lin'an saw a man in green clothes coming out of the harem from a distance, and murmured curiously.

She has always disliked Wei Yuan because Da Qingyi is a die-hard supporter of the fourth prince, and the fourth prince is the biggest threat to the prince.

It wasn't until she met Xu Qi'an that she had the slightest affection for Wei Yuan, out of sheer love for Wu Jiwu.

After watching Wei Yuan leave, Lin'an did not delay his own business and continued to Wenyuan Pavilion.

Wenyuan Pavilion has a total of seven pavilions. It is the library of the royal family. It has a rich collection of books and is inclusive of all rivers and rivers.

Lin'an accurately entered the third attic, called the official in charge of Wenyuan Pavilion, and said: "I want to read books about the dragon veins of the capital. You can go find them."

As a princess, she doesn't need to find books in the sea of ​​books by herself, she has a "local snake" administrator to help her.

After getting the book recording the dragon's veins, Lin'an diverted to the sixth attic. He also called the administrator and ordered: "I want to check the information of the first generation Ping Yuanbo."

The administrator quickly found the corresponding files of the first generation Ping Yuanbo.

Lin'an did not borrow any books this time, so he took a look and found out that the first generation Ping Yuanbo was a figure from 170 years ago. He was originally a northern general. He was later knighted for his repeated military exploits.

"Uncle Pingyuan's mansion was given by the emperor," Lin'an muttered in his heart.

late at night.

Inner city, a certain area near the imperial city.

Uncle Pingyuan's mansion was quiet, with a seal on the door. Ever since Uncle Pingyuan was exterminated by Heng Hui, the mansion had been taken back by the court.

In fact, at that time, Pingyuan Bo's two concubines were living happily outside the house and were not in the house, so they escaped the disaster. It's just that a concubine has no right to inherit the title, and naturally he has no right to inherit this imperially-given mansion.

A black shadow calmly avoided the watchman on the rooftop and the patrolling sword guard. When the watchman finished his watch, he quickly climbed over the wall and sneaked into Uncle Pingyuan's mansion.

The black shadow wears a tight-fitting night jacket that facilitates movement, and outlines his plump curves.

It is impossible for a man to have such exaggerated pectoralis major muscles, nor such a slender waist, so it is definitely a female snitch.

There was deathly silence in Pingyuan's Mansion.

The shadow looked at it for a moment, and then walked quickly against the wall. In the process, she took out a hand-drawn dragon vein trend chart and a Bagua Feng Shui plate from Si Tianjian.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze was like a knife, and under the dim moonlight, she observed the dragon vein trend chart while examining the Feng Shui plate in her hand.

After a little comparison and analysis, she finally arrived at her destination - the backyard garden.

The backyard garden of Pingyuan's Mansion has a unique layout. There is a large rockery. Because no one cares about it, it is overgrown with weeds and looks very desolate.

The black shadow jumped lightly and stepped on a rockery. She looked down at it for nearly a quarter of an hour before falling to the ground silently and groping around the locked rockery for a while.

When we reached the last goal, we finally got something. This one-foot-tall rockery is hollow, and when tapped lightly, it emits a hollow echo.

She walked around the rockery, looking for clues. Suddenly, she stretched out her hand and pressed somewhere.

With a "clicking" sound, the side of the rockery slid open automatically, revealing a dark, diagonally downward hole.

PS: I fell asleep while writing yesterday. When I woke up, I continued typing. I thought it was so late anyway and I wasn’t in a hurry, so I wrote a little more. This chapter has more than 5,000 words.

As I get older, I used to stay up all night coding without having to doze off.