Jiuxi

Chapter 110 109 [Edict arrives]

The welcoming ceremony outside Guangling City was very grand. After all, this was the first major victory for the Southern Qi army to actively attack in the past ten years. It was no different than other times when they were passively defensive.

For the people of Guangling, this victory has another important meaning: from now on, as long as the Jingzhou Governor's Mansion can firmly hold on to the territory regained in the west, Guangling City and even Huaizhou's flanks no longer have to worry about enemies suddenly appearing.

Therefore, even if there were no Guangling troops among the troops withdrawing from the Shuangfeng Ancient Road, the people of this rich and prosperous city still gave the soldiers warm cheers and cheers. The labor supplies prepared by the government in advance were sent to the temporary camp outside the city one by one. .

Tens of thousands of troops will camp here for one night before setting off northward tomorrow.

Some interested people looked around and searched in every possible way but did not find the young figure.

In the announcement of the Jingzhou Dudu Mansion, it was clearly stated that the planner of the Jiangbei Battle was Lu Chen, the inspector of the Huaizhou Dudu Mansion, who was the eldest son of the Lu family in Guangling.

A considerable part of the people who greeted him outside the city came to see Lu Chen's demeanor. After all, he was one of his own who was raised in the soil and water of Guangling City. Everyone in the city, young and old, felt honored.

There are even some people who have some hidden thoughts. I heard that this young master Lu has not yet been engaged, and his daughter happens to be twenty-eight years old and has a very beautiful appearance. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could get married...

"There are more and more guests coming to visit these days, and many people are asking about your marriage in a roundabout way. My father thinks that the Hu family in Dongcheng is very good. Mr. Hu was born as a Jinshi, and he was once a minister of the Ministry of Rites. He has many old friends in the court. Although Mr. Hu's official career was not smooth, he still had some connections in Yongjia City. Miss Hu was young, beautiful, well-educated, and was said to be quite talented in literature, especially good at reciting poems and composing poems... Shen'er, Have you listened to your father?"

In the flower hall of Lu's house, Lu Tong was sitting at the round table, looking at Lu Chen across from him who was eating happily and stuffing food into his mouth. Seeing that he seemed to be completely unresponsive, he couldn't help but raise his tone and ask.

While Lu Chen was rewarding the Five Zang Temple, he nodded repeatedly and said, "Listen, Dad, please continue talking."

Lu Tong coughed twice, and then said seriously: "In a few months, you will be 20 years old. As the old saying goes, when you are twenty and thirty, starting a family and starting a career must be put on the agenda."

Lu Chen scooped the last bit of rice from the bowl into his mouth, and then handed the empty bowl to Song Pei who was standing next to him. When he led his troops west out of Panlong Pass, he had already ordered the nursing home to send her back to Guangling.

"Dad wants me to marry that Miss Hu?"

Lu Chen asked with a half-smile.

"My father didn't say that." Lu Tong quickly denied, and then said with a bit of hope: "If you have someone you like, of course my father will respect your own ideas. The most important thing is to marry someone quickly. Wife, and then have more children.”

Lu Chen then asked: "How many?"

"The more, the better."

Lu Tong grinned, then reacted and immediately brought the topic back: "Don't talk about it yet, is there any woman you like?"

Lu Chen took the job from the smiling Song Pei, looked at the twinkling light in the old man's eyes, and said suspiciously, "Dad, why do I feel like you really want to hear a certain answer from me?"

"Is there? So obvious?"

Lu Tong smiled awkwardly, and then confessed: "You and Miss Lin eat and live together, and go through the test of life and death together, why do you let her go back? If it doesn't work, you can invite her to live in Guangling for a while. Now The fighting has stopped and there is nothing else to do, so you can take her to see the scenery along the river."

"Wait a minute, what does sharing food and living together mean? Dad, please don't talk nonsense. It doesn't matter if your son is thick-skinned. Senior sister doesn't like to hear these words."

Lu Chen couldn't help but retort righteously.

The smile on Lu Tong's face became more natural and thicker, and he said unhurriedly: "Okay, okay, it's because of my father that I don't hesitate to speak. You should be more accurate. What is the situation between you and Miss Lin?"

Lin Xi's gentle and approachable face appeared in Lu Chen's mind. An emotion called longing was growing crazily in his mind these days. He often thought of that night in Jianghua City and the scene when they parted that day.

However, the mountains are high and the rivers are long, and I don’t know when we will meet again.

He suppressed the melancholy in his heart, lowered his head and continued to attack the rice in the bowl, while muttering: "I promised her that I would find her in the future."

Although the words were a bit unclear, Lu Tong heard them clearly, and a smile suddenly broke out on his old face, and he said happily: "Okay, very good, I can finally feel relieved as a father."

He didn't mention anything about Miss Hu and Miss Luo. Lu Chen also knew that this was the old man's temerity and temptation. After continuing to finish the bowl of rice, he put down the bowl and chopsticks with satisfaction, picked up the warm handkerchief next to him and wiped his mouth. He asked in confusion: "Dad, Governor Xiao previously sent me an order to stay in Guangling with a thousand cavalry under my command, and there is no need to go north with the army. What does this mean?"

Lu Tong looked thoughtful and asked, "Did he say what he wanted you to stay for?"

Lu Chen said: "The Governor told me to use this time to train my troops. In addition, the Guangling Army is still in the west for the time being. These 1000 people can also help the government maintain stability within the territory."

Lu Tong said slowly: "This matter is quite simple. On the one hand, you do need time to settle down. On the other hand, his arrangement can also save you the pain of traveling back and forth. Judging from the current situation, Li Tianrun will use this time to To stabilize the regained territory, the imperial court will establish another state in Jiangbei. There should be a large-scale shock in the puppet Yan Dynasty. The Jing Dynasty will not miss this opportunity for a blood exchange, but this matter obviously cannot be completed in a month or two. "

He paused slightly and said with a smile: "Based on this information, the war has been temporarily stopped. The imperial court will give heavy rewards to the generals who have made meritorious service in this battle. You will not be missed in any case. Xiao Wangzhi's arrangement is obviously based on his consideration. You will be called to the capital to face the Holy Spirit, so there is no need for you to report to the Andu Governor's Mansion. You will waste a lot of time on the way back and forth, so it is better to stay in Guangling and seriously improve yourself."

"Face Saint?"

Lu Chen was slightly startled.

Although Lu Tong never said it explicitly, Lu Chen also knew that he did not want to go to Jiangnan, especially the capital Yongjia.

In any case, both the late emperor and the prince of Qi died in the fire arranged by Lu Tong. If any news about this matter leaked out, the Lu family would have no choice but to flee to Beiyan overnight, and everyone related to the Lu family would suffer. to be implicated.

Lu Tong looked into his eyes and smiled: "Don't be nervous, it's just a face-to-face meeting."

Lu Chen quickly understood, nodded and said, "It seems that many people will come to Beijing this time, but Governor Xiao..."

Lu Tong said firmly: "The two governors, Xiao and Li, will definitely not come to Beijing. The situation on the border is unstable. They must stay and take charge of the overall situation. But most of the younger generation like you will be summoned. In the capital, the emperor will not let you grow up under the wings of the frontier commander. He must exert some influence on you to plan for the future." "How to influence?"

"It's nothing more than a show of favor and reward to win people's hearts."

"Then can I refuse?"

"No."

Lu Chen fell into deep thought.

When Lu Tong saw this, he stood up and said, "Don't worry about this. It's just a formality in the capital. The emperor will not force you to stay. On the one hand, you don't have such a big influence, and on the other hand, he has to take Xiao Wang into consideration." That’s my idea. From now on, just stay calm and don’t miss out on martial arts and military training. My father will naturally take care of the other things for you.”

Lu Chen stood up and saluted: "Yes, father."

The welcome ceremony outside the city has ended, the noise has gradually dissipated, and peace has returned to the world.

Lu Chen has become a celebrity in Guangling City. More and more people come to visit the Lu family, and he receives more than ten famous invitations every day. However, except for old friends like Xue Huaiyi and the prefect Zhan Hui, everyone else has been Lu Tong blocked it.

A thousand cavalrymen from the Guards Battalion were stationed somewhere in the West City. Lu Chen spent most of his time here, eating and sleeping with the soldiers, and then training them with the assistance of Li Chengen.

In addition, he read through military books, combined with his insights and experiences in the Battle of Jiangbei, and worked hard to learn and integrate the military knowledge of this world.

More than a month passed like this. One day at the end of September, when Lu Chen was directing the soldiers to form formations on the school field, the steward Lu Wu ran over in a hurry.

"The angel has arrived?" Lu Chen wiped the sweat from his face and asked calmly.

Lu Wu gasped and replied: "Yes, young master. Now the angel is at the government office, and the master of the government is responsible for entertaining him, and then someone will come to the government office to send a message, ordering our family to be ready to receive the order."

Unless there is a special emergency, the edict will not be delivered suddenly, leaving everyone in a hurry to receive the edict.

Generally speaking, the eunuch who announces the order will send someone to notify him in advance to give the person who receives the order sufficient preparation time.

When Lu Chen returned home, the incense table had been prepared in the main hall, and all the servants at home were waiting with bated breath, with excitement and joy between their brows and eyes.

Lu Tong sat quietly, and the father and son looked at each other, saying nothing.

After about half a stick of incense, a young eunuch with a white face and no beard walked into the main hall of the Lu residence surrounded by eight guards. After Lu Tong and Lu Chen bowed and saluted, they spread out the bright yellow scrolls in their hands, and a slender voice came in. In everyone's ears.

"The edict says: I have heard praises for those who are virtuous and reward the best talents. Lu Chen, the inspector of the Huaizhou Governor's Office, is young and promising, with both wisdom and bravery. I highly commend him. I will give you a hundred taels of gold and a hundred pieces of silk and satin, and I will carry them to the pilgrimage. See. This edict is promulgated to the world, and the envoys of Xian heard about it. They admire it."

Lu Chen received the order to thank him, and the young eunuch handed the official document into his hands. This was his certificate of entry to Beijing to meet the emperor.

The eunuch took a look at Lu Chen's young and handsome face, and said in a very friendly manner: "Colonel Lu, you need to arrive in the capital before October [-]th."

"Thank you Angel for the tip."

Lu Chen bowed calmly.

The eunuch smiled slightly, and then asked people to bring in the items rewarded by the emperor.

Lu Tong knew that Lu Chen was not used to this kind of situation, so he took the initiative to chat with the eunuch.

Not to mention secret gifts.

After the group of people left with their full load and happy faces, Lu Zhai was still immersed in the atmosphere of joy.

"Father." Lu Chen came to the study and looked at the middle-aged man sitting quietly in front of the window. He couldn't help but feel complicated emotions in his heart.

Lu Tong turned his head, looked at him with great relief, and said gently: "Be more careful after you go to the capital, but don't be afraid. The emperor will not embarrass you, but will properly win over you. As for other people and things, you can only It’s good to go out and gain experience.”

"Yes, father." Lu Chen agreed.

Lu Tong hesitated to speak, and finally turned into a warm smile, with a hint of emotion in his tone: "When you grow up, you will eventually have your own achievements, and you don't have to worry too much about other things."

Lu Chen knew the deep meaning behind this sentence. Sooner or later, a young bird must learn to fly on its own strength, and it is impossible to remain attached to the protection of its parents forever.

However, there are always many emotions that cannot be let go.

He was silent for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "Father should take good care of his body and himself, and his son will take good care of himself outside."

The smile on Lu Tong's face was a little complicated, and he waved his hand: "Go, prepare well, and you can set off south the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, father."

Lu Chen bowed very solemnly.

(End of this chapter)