Jiuxi

Chapter 222 220 [More than thirty years are like a dream]

Wang Jun himself was absent-minded for a long time when he received the news, so he fully understood Lu Chen's reaction at this moment.

After Lu Chen gave that righteous response, Wang Jun felt that if the family in the north really wanted to be accepted by Da Qi, they must take the lead in making some gestures.

However, he never expected that Wang Chulong would go south in person.

Wang Jun still had a very clear impression of the cousin he had not seen for nearly ten years.

This person has shown unique talents since he was a child, and it is common for him to have a photographic memory. At that time, the children of their clan, who were similar in age, started their enlightenment together. Wang Jun was already considered the best among the young children. He could understand the teacher's teachings very quickly, but he was still far behind Wang Chulong.

When he was eight or nine years old, Wang Chulong could take his place in class when his husband was ill.

Later, as he grew older, Wang Jun moved to Xunyang with his family, and he only exchanged letters with Wang Chulong, but he could also detect his cousin's increasingly mature wisdom from every bit of communication.

"My cousin is really... extraordinary."

After the two sat down, Lu Chen sighed with a half-smile.

His previous response was to take advantage of the Zhai Lin Wang family. He thought that in such a powerful family, he was very thoughtful. If he couldn't let the other party clearly understand the situation at the beginning, he would definitely raise all kinds of troubles in the future. Require.

As for the matter of marriage, for Lu Chen, who has gradually come to understand his inner thoughts and has become more and more ambitious, this problem is not difficult to solve. At the worst, he can marry a rich lady and provide her with good food, drink, and courtesy.

Lin Xi was not the type to knock his teeth out and swallow them, and dare not say a word when he was wronged. Lu Chen was not worried about the stability of the backyard.

It's just that the Wang family's response really exceeded Lu Chen's expectations.

Wang Jun explained with a slight embarrassment: "Captain, please don't be offended. In fact, my cousin did this out of helplessness. Huaizhou and Heluo City are far apart. If we continue to rely on letters to communicate in the future, it will inevitably cause delays. If we let If others come, it may be difficult to gain the captain’s trust.”

"It's not like I'm blaming you."

Lu Chen waved his hand and said calmly: "This matter must be kept secret. No one should know the identity of cousin Ling except yourself."

Wang Jun naturally understood the truth and immediately responded solemnly: "Don't worry, Captain, I know what to do."

Before leaving, Lu Chen suddenly asked: "How is your cousin's temperament?"

Wang Jun probably understood the Shangguan's complicated mood at the moment. He wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh. He lowered his head and replied, "The Shangguan's cousin has a gentle personality and is knowledgeable and courteous. She will never embarrass the captain."

"Okay, I understand, just go back."

"The subordinate retire."

After Wang Jun left, Lu Chen stood alone in the corridor for a long time. After thinking about the incident clearly, he took Lu Tong and rushed to the Governor's Mansion.

In the side hall, after listening to Lu Chen's report, Xiao Wangzhi and Lu Tong looked at each other, and the two middle-aged men showed surprised expressions invariably.

"In this way, the Zhai Lin Wang family is full of sincerity, otherwise they would not let their legitimate daughter go south alone. The eldest lady of the Wang family must have brought gifts prepared by Wang An. When she arrives in Lai'an City, we can plan the Northern Expedition battle."

Xiao Wangzhi was smiling. He was obviously more concerned about the benefits of the Wang family's arrangement to the Huaizhou border army, so he looked at Lu Chen with more admiration.

Lu Tong was more concerned about the impact of this incident on Lu Chen. He looked up at his only son, frowned slightly and said, "How are we going to deal with this Miss Wang?"

The marriage plan has been put on hold for the time being. Wang Chulong and Lu Chen have no status. However, the other party went south alone and is like a rootless duckweed in Huaizhou. She cannot be sent to live in the city at will. This is not the way to treat guests, and it will also cause trouble. Zhai Lin and Wang family were dissatisfied.

Lu Chen had thought about this issue on the way here. Now facing his father's concerned gaze, he said calmly: "Let her live at my place. Other places are not suitable and not safe. Although in the past two years The Weaving Department has made great achievements, but there must be spies from the Puppet Yan Procuratorate in the city."

Since the Zhai Lin Wang family chose to take a step back, Lu Chen would naturally not be pretentious.

Compared with the benefits brought by Wang Chulong's move south, the rest of the details are not worth mentioning.

"That's all we have to do." All the worries on Lu Tong's face faded away, replaced by a faint smile, and he said: "I won't see her anymore, so as not to make this little girl shy and embarrassed. I have been staying in Lai'an City recently. It's been too long, I have to go back to Guangling to take a look at my family's business."

The father and son had a tacit understanding. After all, the topic discussed last night was a serious matter.

Lu Chen turned to Xiao Wangzhi and said: "Uncle Xiao, in fact, apart from this matter, I came to you today mainly to ask you to contact Jingzhou Governor Li. The previous strategy was forced to be shelved, and now the Northern Expedition is to be restarted. In terms of planning for the battle, we must maintain timely communication with Jingzhou to avoid misunderstandings in tactical execution in the future."

Xiao Wangzhi nodded and said: "This is natural, you don't have to worry."

The two began to discuss the details of the Northern Expedition. Lu Tong listened quietly, his eyes always staying on Lu Chen's young and handsome face, and the smile on his face became thicker and thicker.

……

Jingzhou, Pingyang Prefecture.

With the conclusion of the Jiangbei victory, the situation in Jingzhou has gradually stabilized this year.

Although among the newly established Jiangbei Fourth Army, Xunyang Army and Jianghua Army were placed under the Huaizhou Governor's Office, most of the recovered territory belonged to Jingzhou. The burden on the shoulders of Jingzhou Governor Xie Dongyang and Chief Governor Li Tianrun became even greater. Seriously, the two of them almost never had a free day, and it was normal for them to be so busy that they couldn't keep their feet off the ground.

However, four or five days ago, Li Tianrun returned to the Governor's Mansion in Pingyang City. It was said to the outside world that he needed to rest due to the occasional cold. Except for a few trusted generals, he was nowhere to be seen.

Outside the main room of the back house, Li Liangyu and Li Bingxue sat across from each other, while Fan Wending, Xu Gui and other generals were pacing back and forth. There were heavy coughing sounds from time to time.

An obvious look of worry appeared on Li Bingxue's cold face. Her father's health was not in good condition due to old injuries from that year.

At the end of the Battle of Jiangbei last year, when a military meeting was held in Jianghua City, she noticed that her father's old illness was showing symptoms of recurrence, so she was always worried and uneasy.

Over the past year, Li Bingxue had seen her father working hard on paperwork and eating and drinking. Li Bingxue tried to persuade him many times, but to no avail.

In the afternoon four days ago, Li Tianrun suddenly fainted while reviewing military affairs. Fortunately, Li Bingxue had quick eyes and hands to help him, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

The waiting is so excruciating.

The expressions on the faces of everyone in the room were extremely heavy.

After an unknown amount of time, two old men walked out slowly, and Li Bingxue quickly stood up to greet them.

"Mr. Wu, how is my father's condition?"

She looked at the old man with white hair and beard on the left and asked eagerly.

The old doctor surnamed Wu bowed his hands and said in a difficult tone: "Li Duwei, the Duke is sick due to overwork and has a serious illness. We have just given him acupuncture. From now on, every two days, I will give you an acupuncture soon, and I will also give you a prescription, and I will ask my servants to boil the medicine on time for the Duke to take it."

Li Bingxue frowned. The other party did not say when the disease would be cured. He only talked about diagnosis and treatment. The meaning of his words was self-evident.

She asked stubbornly: "Sir, please tell me if this disease is serious?"

Wu Langzhong and another famous doctor looked at each other, lowered their heads and said: "The good doctor Li Duwei knows that the disease of the county prince needs to be recuperated, and medicine and stone can only play a supplementary role. If you can take care of the general affairs and recuperate with peace of mind, especially To avoid any trouble, it should be okay.”

Li Liangyu sighed in his heart and stepped forward: "Excuse me, gentlemen, please go to the front and see the tea."

The two doctors quickly bowed and left.

After a while, Fan Wending and others came in for a brief look and then left. The Li brothers and sisters looked at their father on the bed with extremely sad expressions.

Li Bingxue felt pain in her heart as if she had been gouged with a knife.

From the time she could remember, her father stood tall like a towering mountain, and his burly body seemed to block all the wind and rain in the world. However, I don't know since when, this burly body gradually became thinner, and now it is gradually aging.

Li Tianrun turned to look at his children beside the bed, suppressed the cough in his chest and abdomen, and said with a smile: "It's just a minor illness, why do you need to make such a gesture."

Li Bingxue forced a smile and said: "Daddy is right. The doctor has said that daddy only needs to be treated for a period of time to recover."

Li Tianrun's eyes were gentle and he said to Li Liangyu: "Being a father is just a matter of time and again. Don't make the whole city panic because of this matter. Go and warn Fan Wending and others."

Li Liangyu bowed and said, "Yes, father."

The room became quiet, and Li Bingxue stopped talking.

Li Tianrun said leisurely: "At that time, Marshal Yang had outstanding martial arts skills. He was covered with steel and iron bones. He spent nine days in the snow and wind to sharpen his spirit with cold water. Xiao Wangzhi and I were very envious. It's a pity that neither I nor Xiao Wang All in all, none of them have the talent of Marshal Yang, and they are not as well versed in martial arts. He is better than me. After all, he was driven to Huaizhou to command the army by Marshal Yang early on, and he has not suffered any injuries in these years. "

"Daddy..."

Li Bingxue couldn't help but blush.

Li Tianrun looked at her and comforted her in a gentle voice: "Don't be sad, good girl. My father knows her physical condition and there will be no problem in holding on for another year and a half."

Li Bingxue was shocked and quickly shook her head and said, "The doctor just said that as long as dad takes care of himself, he will be fine."

Li Tianrun smiled and said calmly: "Who will take over this big stall of Jingzhou Army?"

"That is the emperor's responsibility!"

Li Bingxue gradually found it difficult to control her emotions.

Li Tianrun did not argue the issue, but looked at the tears in her eyes and said slowly: "When people mention the Jingzhou Army, they will definitely mention the name Li Tianrun, and the same goes for the one hundred thousand men of the Jingzhou Army. They are out of fear for you. Because of my father's trust, I am willing to sacrifice my blood and life for the stability of Daqi's border. In this case, how can I let my father down?"

Li Bingxue squatted on the bedside, her voice gradually choked up: "But my daughter doesn't want anything to happen to her father."

Li Tianrun raised his hand and stroked her hair gently, with a bit of nostalgia and a bit of determination: "My father is a soldier, and I am wrapped in horse leather, how can I cherish my life?"

Li Bingxue shook her head vigorously. She had never shown such a fragile attitude in front of outsiders, but she also knew how tenacious her father was and would never be shaken by external objects or even life and death.

"My father has been in the army for more than thirty years and has experienced the loss of his family and country. He cannot lie in bed on the eve of the Northern Expedition and watch others fight for their lives. This is not what a man should do."

The light in Li Tianrun's eyes gradually condensed, and he said in a gentle and unquestionable tone: "Go and get the military reports that have been accumulated over the past few days, and you can read them to me."

Li Bingxue was silent for a long time, and finally stood up slowly, wiped the corners of his eyes and said, "Yes, daddy."

(End of this chapter)