The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 140 No retreat, no avoidance, no worries

On the fifth day of August, just like more than two months ago, the upper room of Su Mansion in Changxing Square was bustling with people for a whole day. It was not until the autumn sun set in the west and the square door was about to close that it gradually became quiet.

Mrs. Yu sat on the table, spread her legs, let out a long breath, and didn't even bother to say anything. Luo Shi also looked tired and sat next to Mrs. Yu. Several girls rushed up to pat their shoulders and legs. , after a while, the two of them calmed down a little. You looked at me, I looked at you, and they couldn't help but laugh.

Mrs. Yu shook her head and sighed, "I don't know how hard it is for their men to fight at the front. Is it even harder than entertaining dozens of guests a day?"

Luo Shi nodded, "When they come back from seeing off the guests later, I'll probably know by asking my father." As he spoke, he heard footsteps outside the door. The maid hurriedly stepped forward to open the curtain. Su Dingfang walked in and said with a smile, "Ask me what?" Su Qingjie and Pei Xingjian were followed behind.

Mrs. Yu said, "A'luo and I were talking about whether it is hard for you to fight or to have a hard time socializing today."

Su Dingfang chuckled and turned around to ask his son, "What do you think is hard?"

After leaving Chang'an for half a year, Su Dingfang looked more energetic than before. Su Qingjie was obviously darker and thinner. His brows were calm. He thought about it and smiled, "Of course it's hard work on the battlefield, but it's such a welcome. In a few more days, I would probably rather go to war, at least my face won’t be sore.”

　　Everyone in the room burst into laughter, and the laughter did not stop. The door curtain was slightly raised, and a little maid poked her head in. "My aunt asked if the food can be served now."

Su Dingfang said hurriedly, "Hurry up!" He turned around and said to his wife, "We have these meals every day in the army. Every time I read your letter praising Liuli for her cleverness in cooking, I get very depressed. I can finally taste it today." Try her skills and see how much she has improved." He patted Pei Xingjian on the shoulder with emotion, "You are a lucky person."

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "It's you who are so talented in teaching."

Amidst the chatter and laughter, hot dishes were brought up in food boxes. In addition to the mini gulouzi and the centenary soup soup made by Su Mansion when Liuli came back, the five-sheng dish and lotus leaf dish that she likes to make on weekdays. There are several dishes such as chicken, but the most eye-catching one is a two-course meal of bream and fish. On a Xing Kiln white porcelain plate with floral scroll patterns, one side is filled with green and brown leaves, which are cut as thin as cicada wings and crystal white. Fresh fish, grilled on a thin pine branch until the fish is browned and crispy, it looks like a delicious idyllic poem.

When Liuli came in and sat down, Su Dingfang smiled and said, "Luo carp and bream are originally a delicacy on the table, but your method is really novel."

Liuli smiled and said, "I just figured it out myself." People in Chang'an seek fresh food, so they naturally like to eat fish, especially at banquets. No feast is complete without fish. The most popular way is to make it into sashimi. There are also cooking fish soup, grilling fish meat, etc. This time she saw a Yishui bream over a foot long in the kitchen, and suddenly thought of a way to eat it twice, so she asked the cook to make raw fish from the ventral and dorsal parts of the live fish. The remaining part is smeared with seasonings to make grilled fish, which I feel is crispier and more flavorful than grilled fish fillets.

Su Dingfang was impatient at first. When everyone sat down, he picked up the wine cup and said "please" to Pei Xingjian and Liuli. Then he dropped the chopsticks quickly and took a bite. He closed his eyes and nodded, "It's really a good idea!" Su Dingfang was in a hurry. Tong Sujin cheered and started eating. Pei Xingjian raised his glass and wanted to say something in reply, but he could only shake his head and smile, and took a sip himself.

 The meal was lively. Su Tong and Su Jin asked several times about what happened on the battlefield, but Su Dingfang dealt with it lightly. After rinsing his mouth with hot liquid, Su Dingfang stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Keep our promise, let's go to the study."

Mrs. Yu finally sent the two children back to the house with the wet nurse, then she pulled Liuli to sit aside and asked softly, "Have there been any new tricks over there in the past two days? How did I hear that the eldest princess had Why didn't you tell me that the shopkeeper's identity and deeds were forced upon you? She must be unkind in doing this. What if she forces those slaves to do something to blame you? Is good?"

Liuli smiled and said, "Mom, don't worry, I have already made up my mind. All she wants is the property, just sell it back to her. It's better than being worried about them every day!" He said everything he wanted to do, "Before I came here today, Mrs. Zheng, the wife of the second son of the Hedong Duke's Mansion, came here specially and said that the eldest princess was willing to pay 200,000 yuan to buy these properties. I also roughly agreed. Yes, I just asked them to prepare the money and silk first. I will look at the price reported by the shopkeepers and then set a specific amount. After all, it will not exceed 300,000 yuan. I think Mrs. Zheng and the shopkeepers are relieved. It seems that there won’t be any trouble again. In a few days, this matter will probably be settled.”

Mrs. Yu was silent for a moment and sighed, "This is a good idea once and for all. Although it is cheaper for the eldest princess, at least you will be clean. I also heard her say in public that those properties belong to your family. My private property is for sale now, and there is nothing much I can say to the middle-aged Pei, but if you sell it so cheaply, will the tribesmen be willing to follow you? "

Liuli smiled faintly, "So what if I don't comply? Could it be that I owe them something?"

Mrs. Yu nodded and said, "That's right! With your temperament, most of those people won't dare to talk."

Luo Shi hurriedly added: "Even if I come to be verbose, I will choke to death on her few words!"

Hearty laughter suddenly came from the newly replaced begonia-colored double-luan-shaped door curtain, floating in the small courtyard. A sleepy crow was startled and hovered for a long time before landing in front of the study. on an elm tree.

It was quiet in the study room. The sound of light boots walking slowly could be heard clearly. The flickering light of the candle cast on the window lattice, stretching a silent figure long.

After walking back and forth again, Su Ding finally stood still in front of the desk and let out a long sigh, "This expedition to Goryeo started violently and ended hastily. It was said that it was won in one battle, but in fact it had endless troubles. The rebellion is bound to start again in three to five years! Who among us warriors doesn’t want to be granted the title of general? But if it’s because of such military exploits, I feel a little uncomfortable. I didn’t expect that there is such a reason behind it! Lie actually did it because of..." As he said this, he smiled self-deprecatingly and shook his head.

Pei Xingjian said hurriedly, "Teacher, you are too worried. In the opinion of my disciples, the reason why the Holy Master valued my teacher is not so much because you are close to Wu Zhaoyi because of Liuli, but because you have been independent of the party and the eldest grandson for many years. The relationship between Wei and Wei is very close. And in detail, the harem incident is just a pretext, and the root cause was probably laid more than two years ago." Su Dingfang was stunned, "You mean, the prince-in-law rebelled. case?"

Pei Xingjian nodded, "Teacher, please think about that big case more than two years ago, how many wealthy officials, ministers and generals were implicated? The kings of Wu and Jiangxia, who have always been prestigious in the clan, and Yuwen, who is the prime minister in the court. He was so innocent. Just because he had always been at odds with the eldest grandson, he was either killed or demoted. I had been to the execution ground that day, and I was shocked to see those **** heads, let alone your Majesty. , the Holy One rules from the top of the arch, and the major affairs of the court and the appointment and dismissal of ministers are all decided by the Taiwei. Even the current queen and prince are from the line of Taiwei. Even though the Holy One is kind-hearted, he is afraid that he will think about it in the future. It’s hard to feel at ease.”

Su Dingfang nodded silently and sighed for a while, "I understand, it's like a duel between two armies on the battlefield. The Holy Lord has been on the defensive for a long time, and now he suddenly attacks the rear army. It seems to have nothing to do with the front army, but his intention is to reverse the situation and win the decisive victory in the middle game. After all, we are all...just keeping our promises. How come I heard from your master's wife that most of the people who support Wu Zhaoyi now seem to have a bad reputation? "

Pei Xingjian gave a bitter smile and did not answer the conversation, but changed the topic, "What happened in Korea is already like this. What my disciple is more worried about now is your expedition to the Western Turks."

Su Dingfang raised his brows slightly, pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, "As you said, the arrangement of the Holy One does seem to be to prevent General Cheng, but the war in the Western Region is such a big deal, no matter how suspicious the Supreme Commander is, the Holy One will not As for making war a trivial matter! What's more, the Holy One summoned me today, and all he wanted to do was to rest as soon as possible before going to the battlefield. He also said that his use of veterans this time was quite controversial, but he believed that I would not make him regret it. Duke Wei, he has made an unparalleled contribution!" He couldn't help but be stunned when he said this. Although the Lord said it sincerely, it was not appropriate for him to say it - the leader this time was Cheng Zhijie. Isn't he a veteran who is over sixty years old? The Holy One seemed not to have thought of this matter at all...

Pei Xingjian looked at Su Dingfang's face and said softly, "Teacher must also have noticed something is wrong. Duyun's troops are very fast. Now that the Western Turks have been in rebellion for several months, the imperial army has been delayed. The Holy Father only said that military expenditures are tight. In the Western Territory The front is long, and production, food, grass, and logistics are the top priority. If anything goes wrong, it will be useless no matter how invincible the front army is. Moreover, it is well known that General Cheng and Taiwei Changsun have a good relationship. Can the Holy One allow General Cheng to return with victory and strengthen the reputation of the captain? The battlefield is dangerous, victory is difficult, but defeat is so easy. Whenever I think about this recently, I feel really uneasy. Have you ever thought about calling someone sick to avoid it? As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand behind a dangerous wall. This battle is both dangerous and dangerous, so why would my mentor risk his life?"

Su Dingfang's face suddenly darkened and he said sternly, "Honor, how could you have such an idea?"

Pei Xingjian couldn't help but be startled. Su Dingfang asked coldly, "Let me ask you, if you were the vanguard, would you fight this battle towards victory or defeat?"

Pei Xingjian did not hesitate, "Of course we are fighting for victory, but we cannot risk our own future by risking the lives of soldiers just because we are afraid of violating our superiors' will."

Su Dingfang's expression softened a little, and he nodded, "At last, I haven't taught you these ten years in vain! You must know that the war is dangerous and there is no way to win forever. Is it because it is difficult to win that everyone shrinks back?"

Pei Xingjian couldn't help but said, "Of course there is no permanent victory in a war, but if you know the dangers and are in a dilemma, why bother..."

Su Dingfang waved his hand, "I know what you mean, keep the promise. You are still young and have never been to the battlefield, so you gave me such an idea. What you do is good in the court. Well, knowing the danger, why bother to go to this muddy water? However, the war is different for warriors. The place where the battle is burning is where the mission lies. What a shame it would be to escape without fighting! He wanted to get involved in the disputes of the court, but Tuyuhun rebelled, but he personally asked to see the Prime Minister and begged to lead the expedition, regardless of his age and illness, regardless of the honor and disgrace, this is the true nature of a warrior! "

"In the past few years, I have often wondered, how can a warrior deserve to die? The worst thing is that the prince-in-law whom you and I sent off to each other two years ago, a good man, was involved in underworld affairs and died. How pitiful it is to be on the execution ground and cry out wildly to die in battle but not be able to do so! The most admirable person is the Duke of Wei. But in my opinion, the best destination for a warrior is not to be on a sick bed at home, but to die in the battlefield among thousands of troops, loyal to the country, and to live up to what I have learned in this life. I am destined to die of old age, sickness, and decay, but now that the opportunity is right in front of me, if I don’t go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, why should I wait to die at home? How will I be different from the grass and trees in this life?

The thickest candle in the room made a "pop" sound, as if in response to Su Dingfang's words. The candlelight reflected on his face that no longer had any smile at the moment. Every wrinkle seemed to be carved by a sharp sword, exuding A heroic spirit that has been tempered by the years and become more determined.

Pei Xingjian couldn't help but became speechless and lowered his head, "The teacher's lesson is correct, and the disciple realizes that he is wrong. If the teacher does not give up, the disciple is willing to express his feelings to the Holy Master and be his deputy. Even if it is to **** food and grass for the army, it will be considered as my meager contribution. , I have lived up to my mentor’s teachings for many years.”

Su Dingfang couldn't help but laugh, "You are just worried about my master, what's wrong with that? As promised, you are different from me. I am a warrior who has nothing except marching and fighting, but you are both civilized, Taoist and military. If you are well versed, why do you need to learn to be a teacher? Do you think you can't serve the country and make achievements if you are in the court? What's more, you are newly married and have not even left any heirs. If you join the army rashly, you have to put aside your filial piety. Where? Where to put the glass?"

Pei Xingjian was silent for a long time before he spoke with some difficulty, "To be honest with you, teacher, I have been a little confused lately, and the disputes in the court are endless. In short, I don't want to embarrass the Holy Father or my family with the uncertain future, but I I don't want to pretend that I know nothing and have seen nothing for the sake of the peace and glory in front of me. What's more, it is never the disciple's wish to be involved in such disputes. The consequences are endless. However, with today’s situation, it is really difficult for me to be alone. I hope the teacher can give me some guidance.”

Su Dingfang shook his head, "Is that why you hope to avoid it? Not to mention that the Holy Emperor will most likely not agree. Even if he agrees, will you really be able to avoid it? The affairs of the court are not my specialty, and I am not good at it. It's not like giving advice. But Wei Gong once told me that in life, we will inevitably make choices, and who can really predict the future? At this time, it is a blessing to not think about whether the future is right or wrong. If it is a disaster, it is better to ask yourself whether it is from your true intention. If you can reflect inwardly and not feel guilty, you will be worry-free no matter what happens in the future. Therefore, for me, no matter whether I win or lose, I will not avoid it. Retreat and do your duty. As for what you should decide, you have to ask yourself!”

"If you are introspective and don't feel guilty, you will have no worries and no fear." Pei Xingjian repeated it slowly and in a low voice, as if it was the first time he heard this sentence. After being silent for a long time, he suddenly raised his eyes and laughed, "Disciple is really wrong. Thank you very much, teacher!”

"If you look inward and feel no guilt, you will have no worries and no fear." It comes from "The Analects". The original words are "If you look inward and feel no guilt, then you will have no worries and no fears." This is a sentence that I like very much, second only to "Repaying evil with kindness, why should you be afraid?" Repay virtue".

Because there have been many incidents of coin theft and account theft recently, I posted a "must-read to prevent account theft" post in the comment area. Please check it out when you have time. It's not complicated. In addition, thank you all for supporting me, my pink color is still in the top ten, hehe.

Recommended book: "The Common Lady is Happy" is a space farming article. The author is named Xiaoyu Yiyi. How could he not be able to farm well with just this name?

 (End of this chapter)