Jiuxi

Chapter 600 598 [Farewell]

Lu Chen spent the busiest period of time since arriving in Beijing.

He and Han Zhongjie were so busy with the rewards for more than 200,000 soldiers on the two battlefields in Jiangbei that they were dizzy.

This kind of boring and mechanical clerical work is not difficult, but it is very tedious and repetitive. Although there are many officials in the Military Academy who are responsible for the preliminary review, the final decision still has to be made by Lu and Han.

In the flower hall of the Shanyang County Mansion, ice cubes placed in the corners of the walls emit a slight cool air, dispelling the summer heat.

Li Bingxue looked at Lu Chen's complexion and said with a half-smile, "I can see that you have been living a very fulfilling life recently."

Lu Chen said with emotion: "It's hard not to be fulfilled. It involves the rewards of more than 200,000 people. Although the military achievements of most of the ordinary soldiers do not need to be repeatedly audited, there are still many things left. Fortunately, it is finally done now and the results have been sent to the palace."

Li Bingxue said: "This is the first time I see you so tired. You didn't behave like this when you were commanding the battle before."

"Because many soldiers have paid with their blood and lives, I cannot let their efforts go to waste."

Lu Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip of the fragrant tea, then said: "If this matter is not handled well, I will not have the face to return to Jiangbei."

Hearing the word "Jiangbei", Li Bingxue felt a sense of melancholy for no reason, and subconsciously said: "The national mourning is about to end."

Lu Chen was so smart that he understood the deep meaning of this sentence in an instant.

The national mourning period is over, Xiao Wangzhi is about to return to the capital, and Lu Chen is also going north to take up the post of Grand Commander of Dingzhou, but before that he must accomplish one important thing first.

The late emperor issued an imperial decree granting marriage last autumn, but Lu Chen was unable to carry it out due to the current situation, and it would be inappropriate to keep dragging it out.

Moreover, for him, as more and more talented people gathered around him, the urgency of starting a family became higher and higher.

No matter what era, a stable home, a virtuous wife and filial children will surely make the vast majority of followers feel more at ease.

Because having successors is extremely important, an uncertain future will make others anxious.

Since it involves the important matter of marriage, Li Bingxue's words are naturally thought-provoking.

Lu Chen stared into her eyes and said sincerely: "I can take care of both houses."

"That's not what I came here to talk about today."

Li Bingxue was not one to put on airs. Although she was inevitably a little embarrassed, she was able to face it calmly. Then she changed the subject and said, "Daddy asked me to ask you, is there anything you need the Li family's help with?"

Lu Chen was not too anxious. After all, the matter would be discussed after the national mourning, so he asked, "Help?"

Li Bingxue regained her composure and said leisurely, "Dad said that His Majesty first isolated him from the court and then put you on the spot. With your personality, you will definitely not give up easily. He doesn't want you to fall out with His Majesty, as this will cause irreparable damage to both Da Qi and the border troops. On this basis, if you want to take some preventive measures, as long as you don't cross the line, the Li family can help you."

"Thank Uncle Li for me."

Lu Chen was somewhat touched, and then asked uncertainly: "How does Uncle Li plan to help me?"

Li Bingxue said angrily, "Do you think that the influence of the Li family is limited to Jingzhou? Is there no other place to focus? Forget it, Master Lu does not need the help of the small Li family now, just pretend that I didn't say anything today."

"Cough-cough-"

Lu Chen waved his hands hurriedly and said nervously: "Look at what you are talking about. Apart from the late emperor and my father, the people I admire most are Uncle Li and Uncle Xiao. How dare I underestimate them? In addition, I will have to rely on General Li's Feiyu Army in the future. If you stand aside and watch, how can I deal with the Jing Army cavalry?"

"exhausted."

Li Bingxue was still very pleased with his sweet talk, so she just rolled her eyes at him, and then couldn't help laughing: "Although my father has been managing military affairs in the border areas for many years, he is one of the most trusted ministers of the late emperor after all, so he naturally has some connections in the court. Of course, he can't compare with the two prime ministers, but if you just want to facilitate the transfer of individual officials, my father's decades of accumulated connections can be used."

Lu Chen's heart was slightly moved, and he whispered: "For example, the governor of Dingzhou?"

Li Bingxue smiled but said nothing.

Lu Chen did not continue to beat around the bush and said with a smile: "If possible, I hope the governor of Huaizhou can make a move."

Li Bingxue said slowly: "My father was right. You must want to change the governor of Huaizhou."

Lu Chen asked curiously: "What's the trick here?"

Li Bingxue said, "He said that you are the type of person who is used to controlling everything. Since you are the Grand Commander of Dingzhou and have the title of Duke of a County, no matter who is the Governor of Dingzhou, you will firmly suppress him. Although you are nominally of the same rank, unless Li Xiang, Xue Xiang or Minister Zhong of the Ministry of Personnel is appointed to Dingzhou, no one else can hinder you. These three people will definitely not leave the center, so it doesn't matter who becomes the Governor of Dingzhou. Huaizhou is completely different. Its importance to you is self-evident, and you cannot supervise it all the time, so you must hope to replace it with a trustworthy candidate."

"Uncle Li really knows me very well."

Lu Chen did not deny it, because there was no need to do so in front of Li Bingxue, and then said: "Huaizhou Governor Yao Chong is a capable official, but his personality is a bit soft and he is too easily influenced by the powerful people in Jiangnan. To be honest, I am not very reassured."

He did not have a strong aversion to the Huaizhou governor, but he would never forget that after the great victory at Lei Ze, Yao Chong actually followed the arrangement of Ji Ximing, the former director of the Weaving Bureau, and detained Lu Tong in the governor's mansion.

Although Lu Tong was not hurt, Lu Chen still felt a thorn in his heart.

Li Bingxue didn't ask in detail, but just said: "Do you have a suitable candidate to replace him?" Lu Chen sighed lightly and shook his head, "I have never had any friendship with civil servants. If it is just a small official of the sixth or seventh rank, it is easy to say, but who can replace the governor of a state? The only person who can be trusted is Zhan Hui, the prefect of Guangling, but his resume is obviously not qualified to be a governor."

"My father has also thought about this issue."

Li Bingxue hesitated for a moment, then said, "If that's the case, let him make the arrangements. In any case, an official who has no deep ties with the Jiangnan dignitaries will definitely be appointed to replace Governor Yao."

Lu Chen said with admiration: "Then tell Uncle Li when you go back, and I will come to thank him in person someday."

"Row."

Li Bingxue agreed straightforwardly, turned her head to look at the sunlight outside, and said with a smile: "It's getting late, I'm going back."

"I send you."

Lu Chen stood up, and Li Bingxue did not refuse.

The two walked side by side for a short distance. When they reached the screen wall in the front yard, Li Bingxue stopped, turned around and said softly, "I know you have a lot of things in your heart, but don't be too depressed. Do you know that we have talked for so long today, although you often smile, your eyebrows are always frowning."

"Uh?"

Lu Chen was a little surprised, as he himself had indeed not noticed it.

Li Bingxue sighed softly, looked into his eyes and said, "I won't persuade you to let go, I just hope you take care of yourself."

She raised her left hand, and gently smoothed the wrinkles between Lu Chen's eyebrows with her slender fingers. She smiled gently and said, "As for our affairs, don't take it too seriously. No matter what difficulties there will be in the future, I... I will definitely be by your side."

Lu Chen looked into her affectionate eyes and said sincerely, "I am very lucky."

He took the initiative to move forward and gently kissed Li Bingxue's cool and sweet lips.

Li Bingxue did not dodge, feeling the fleeting taste, then lowered her eyes, took a step back, and said softly: "Let's go."

Lu Chen sent her to the gate and watched her mount her horse and ride away.

He didn't turn around and go back home until her figure disappeared from his sight.

……

The fourth day of June, the fifteenth year of Jianwu in the Great Qi Dynasty.

The streets of Yongjia were deserted as the coffin of Emperor Gaozong Ming of the Great Qi Dynasty was seen off from the capital where he had lived for fifteen years.

The coffin will be sent to the imperial mausoleum in the southern suburbs, awaiting a day for burial.

Seventy-two strong men carried the coffin out of the south gate of the capital, and sixty-four bannermen held high the flags of the people and led the way. Following them came the new emperor's ceremonial procession, which had about 1,600 people holding various weapons, banners and all kinds of paper-made objects. It was a grand and magnificent procession.

After leaving the city, the coffin was then carried by palanquins dressed in mourning clothes. Each shift consisted of 128 people, and there were three shifts taking turns carrying the coffin.

Behind the new monarch's ceremonial procession came the five thousand elite soldiers led by Shen Yulai, the chief of the imperial guards. After that came the teams of civil and military officials and nobles with military honors. It could be said that there was an endless stream of carriages and sedan chairs.

This grand funeral ceremony was of great importance, and as the Emperor and all the ministers and dignitaries were present, the security was extremely strict.

The emperor is closely protected by the court guards, and behind him are five thousand imperial guards. All the masters of the Weaving Bureau are out in full force. Qin Zheng is in charge of all the inner guards, and Shen Yulai is in charge of the outer protection.

In addition, the emperor asked Lu Chen to be responsible for the support of the Beijing army, and Lu Chen arranged more than 20,000 soldiers to guard and defend along the way.

A drizzle was falling from the sky and the funeral procession was immersed in unspeakable sorrow.

Over the past month, most people have gotten over the grief of the late emperor's death. But at this moment, under the gray sky, feeling the sadness emanating from the people around them, that depressed mood seemed to spread again in an instant.

The mountains and rivers are silent, and heaven and earth are in sorrow.

In the rearmost team, there was a man in his thirties with his eyes slightly squinted. Although he could not see the coffin in front of him, his sight seemed to be able to penetrate the layers of people and fall on the body of the former emperor of the Great Qi.

His name was Ning Bugui, the illegitimate son of the once-prominent Ning family of Changle and the only scion of a poor family among the many aristocratic families in Jiangnan.

As the crowd slowly moved forward, Ning Bugui's expression was no different from everyone else's, except for a hint of coldness in the depths of his eyes.

He walked forward step by step, muttering to himself in his heart.

"Perhaps to many people in this world, you are a good emperor, but not to me."

"I am just an ordinary fool. If I cannot avenge my mother, I will never be at peace in my life."

(End of this chapter)