in spring

Chapter 295 Turmoil

Prince Jing's mansion only sent a message, no one knows what will happen tonight, so everyone dare not be careless.

The second master was in the front yard with his subordinates and staff to analyze and discuss how to deal with it. The second wife Zhuo gave various orders in the main yard, making sure that all the male and female servants under the East Mansion were guarding the door, even if they lived in the back street. The family members in the area were also instructed to close the doors and windows and not to go out.

Unexpectedly, people in the back street were in a state of panic, and wanted to find out what happened, but couldn't find out. The family in the East Mansion is fine, the host and the manager are very prestigious, so they did it despite their doubts.The Hou Mansion has been used to laissez-faire for many years. There are a few prominent family members who are afraid that something big will happen. They will suffer losses if they stick to the backstreet. It's going to break out.

At this time, the sun was about to set, and the back streets were still full of wolves and howling ghosts.After Zhuo heard about it, she was afraid that it would cause trouble, so she specially sent Mr. Xu to suppress it. Unexpectedly, the third young mistress Fan in the Hou's mansion took the people there first, and she didn't know what method she used to make those people cry. All the people returned to their houses, and no sound came out again.

It was getting dark quickly, and the moonlight was excellent tonight, shining brightly and clearly illuminating every corner of the courtyard, and with the addition of lanterns raised everywhere, the entire East Mansion was like daytime.

That night, Dongfu Shangxiatong never slept.

The second old lady was wearing winter clothes that were warm and easy to move around, and she was crooked in an armchair with three or four backrests, holding a hand stove, silent and not knowing what she was thinking.The fourth young master and the fourth young lady also put on their clothes and sat upright in silence, with a forced calm look on their faces.Chunying and a group of big girls gathered around, waiting for the news with trepidation.

The first watch (19:21 to [-]:[-] in the evening) was only halfway through, and the second wife, Zhuo Shi, came from the main courtyard and advised her mother-in-law: "Mother, let's take a rest, this night is still long, you have been so hard to hold on to it." , how can you stand it?"

The second old lady didn't respond, but asked, "What's going on outside?"

"It's fairly calm, and I haven't heard any rumors. The master has sent someone to find out the news. Maybe it's just a false alarm. The emperor has planned a plan and won't alarm the city."

The expression of the second old lady relaxed a little, but she still refused to turn around and rest: "I'm fine, I asked the children to chat and laugh with me, and the night passed. If I really can't hold on, I will open my mouth."

Zhuo had no choice but to tell the maids: "Be patient and take care of me, don't let the old lady get tired from the cold." Chunying responded, brought a hand stove with new charcoal, and replaced the cold one in the second old lady's hand. After getting off, he quietly pulled the absent-minded Bai Ling, who woke up with a start, blushing, grabbed the cooling stove and went down.

The Fourth Young Master put on a pale face, forced a smile and said: "Yesterday... I saw a joke while reading, grandson told grandma?"

The second old lady smiled: "Good boy, you can tell. Sit closer, the smoker here is warm." She beckoned to Miss Fourth again.

The two children got up and approached, they were both next to the smoker, they felt warmer, and their expressions turned slightly.The fourth young master said: "It is said that there used to be a rich man in the state of Qi..." Then Aunt Xu called outside the door: "Ma'am!" Everyone was shocked, and Zhuo quickly went out to welcome him: "What's the matter? !"

"The people at the front door came to report, just now there was the sound of horseshoes passing by!"

Everyone listened quietly, but they couldn't hear anything. Over there, Mrs. Xu got the details from the daughter-in-law who reported the letter, and hurried into the house to report: "Just now a pair of people passed by in front. It is said that there are thousands of people. They all carried weapons. They held torches, so the porter recognized through the crack of the door that the leader was General Tantai."

Zhuo asked nervously: "Do you know... which direction they are going?!"

"It's going in the direction of the imperial city."

There was silence in the room.Chunying suddenly remembered that when she was in the Hou's mansion, Grand Master Liang brought people to the door, nominally to announce the decree, but in fact to search for Zhou Nian's whereabouts.Wasn't it General Tantai who led the soldiers to serve as his thugs? !Is this person from Grand Master Liang? !

However, he didn't seem to be very successful under Grand Master Liang back then, maybe he had other ideas?
But no matter what, it is bold enough to bring thousands of soldiers and head towards the imperial city at night with torches, knives and guns. Maybe it's really a coup d'état!

Chunying couldn't help crying secretly, if the second master got caught in a political struggle, he didn't know what would happen in the future, but don't implicate her because of the misfortune of the master's family!Her heart was pounding, and she kept thinking of any way to save herself.It stands to reason that if the master's family is convicted, even if the whole family is to be executed, the servants who have not committed crimes will only be sold.It's a pity that the parents' paperwork hasn't come down yet, but with my brother-in-law, even if they are caught, I can give some money to settle it. Similarly, I can also be bought back by my sister and brother-in-law, but it's a pity that the slave status cannot be revoked. Can think of another way.

Her mind was in a mess, and she didn't keep up with the movements of her hands for a while, and almost dropped the tea bowl, but everyone in the room was flustered, and no one noticed, and she quickly calmed down.

What is she worried about?Thinking about it carefully, Prince Jing would say that, which meant that he already knew that he supported the emperor's faction and was on the same line with the Hou Mansion, so the East Mansion's political stance should also be loyal to the emperor and royalists.As long as the emperor wins, it's fine.Does Grand Master Liang have the strength to overcome this turmoil?
Probably not, if they had the means, they would have rebelled long ago.Even if King Ke's Mansion conspired with Grand Master Liang, plus the Queen Mother's lineage, it would be more troublesome at best. According to the news circulating in Beijing in the past few years, their military strength is not strong, and most of the generals who originally favored them " Being sued, plus the recent great victory in the north, and rushing back to Beijing like the second master, there are also many generals who have made great achievements. These people must be on the side of the emperor.Even if Prince Ke's Mansion, Grand Master Liang and the Liu family want to rebel, they may not have the ability to do so!Besides, even if they did cause substantial harm to the Emperor's family...

A dark thought flashed through Chunying's mind: there is still an adult Prince Jing who has a normal IQ and has a son!

She took a long breath and felt that her heart was much more stable.Looking back at the people in the room, she opened her mouth and closed it again.If you're a girl like this, don't talk too much...

News came from the front yard from time to time. Gradually, there was no need for family members to send letters, and faint shouts of killing could be heard in Songyi Courtyard. The sound of horseshoes seemed to be heard not far away, and everyone's hearts were raised. , and then screamed: "It's out of the water!"

Everyone was shocked, the fourth young master ran out of the door, and immediately turned back: "It's the west side that's flooded!"

The second old lady hurriedly supported Chunying's hand, walked tremblingly to the door, looked from a distance, and saw that the western sky was red, and even the moon seemed to be stained with blood, which became a bit strange.

Chunying's heartbeat quickened suddenly.The East Mansion is in the East City, and the west is in the direction of the Imperial City. Could it be that the Emperor is at a disadvantage? !
The second master quickly came in from the courtyard, knelt down to his mother, and said, "The imperial city is flooded, and people from the bottom came to report that there were rebels who broke through the Donghua Gate. My son is going to the imperial city, and he came here to say goodbye to his mother." .”

Zhuo was shocked: "What is the master doing in the imperial city?! You are a civil servant, not a general, so even if you go, you can't do anything?!"

The second master said: "Although I am a civil servant, I have also been on the battlefield. Besides, I am familiar with the generals who returned to Beijing, as well as the military generals who originally served in Beijing. Now that the imperial city is in danger, we need manpower to go there." King Qin, I want to ask a few generals to take action to save the Holy Majesty from danger."

Zhuo's eyes were red: "Master, there are rioting soldiers outside, how can they know who is who? When they see someone, they will cut him down without saying a word. Wouldn't it be useless to die if you go out at this time?! The imperial city is on fire, General If you see it, you will go to Qin Wang, you don’t need to invite us. Since King Jing ordered us to guard the door, let’s wait for news at home!”

The second master shook his head: "The imperial city is on fire, how can you tell me to ignore the sage's suffering and sit at home and wait for the news?! I will bring my guards, Dahong and the others will follow me, and the real battlefield will come. This little turmoil is nothing to worry about. Madam, you guard the door at home and take care of the mother and children, and the family will be entrusted to you!"

Zhuo's throat choked and wept bitterly, the second old lady stared at her son and said: "You have to think clearly, we closed the door tightly and ignored the outside affairs, no matter who wins tomorrow, it will be no harm to us, but you Going out is like standing on the sidelines!"

The second master smiled bitterly: "Mother, my son has already stood on the side. If you don't fight hard, if you really lose, how can you let your son be willing?!" After saying that, he kowtowed three times to his mother and turned around. and go.

The second old lady sighed, and closed her eyes: "Forget it, don't cry, it's a job for a man to protect his family and the country. You have been husband and wife for more than ten years, don't you know what he is?!" Only then did the crying slowly stop.

Chunying lowered her head to think about something, and whispered: "Old lady, madam, don't worry too much. If the rebels could win, they would have rebelled long ago. How about waiting until now? Since Prince Jing has sent us a message , It can be seen that he was prepared. It’s just that when the master leaves, what if those rebels fail and come to retaliate? Be sure to keep the door secure, and even the side doors, corner doors, and back doors must be locked carefully. .”

Zhuo snorted and said: "Manpower has been arranged to guard the gates, but if the rebels really come...do you want to ask Mr. Tu?" She turned to her mother-in-law.

The fourth young master had been silent for a while, but at this moment he suddenly said: "Grandmother, mother, Dun'er, go ahead and guard the gate with Mr. Tu and the others, and never let thieves break in!"

Both the second old lady and Mrs. Zhuo were taken aback, and the fourth young lady called out in fear: "Brother!" But the fourth young master made up his mind: "Don't worry, I'm fine." After saying goodbye to the elders, he held his arms One side of the sleeve went out the door.Zhuo wanted to stop his son sadly, but was stopped by the second old lady: "The child has grown up, let him go, he is a man, what is he doing locked in the backyard?!" In pain, he bowed his head and went out to direct everyone to step up their defenses, leaving only the fourth young lady next to the grandmother, fearful.

Time is getting tougher.The night seemed extraordinarily long.The upper and lower people in the Songyi Courtyard all stayed awake, watching the red light in the sky fade away, the sound of horseshoes outside had not sounded for a long time, and the capital seemed to be calm again.Chunying felt that her eyelids were about to droop a few times, and she tried to open them again, because she was worried that it would be inconvenient to go to the toilet, and she didn't dare to drink more tea. From 1:3 to [-]:[-] in the morning, Aunt Xu ran into the yard with joy, and shouted from a long distance: "Announce good news to the old lady! Dahong just sent a letter back, saying that the rebellion has subsided, and the main culprit It has been captured, the master is safe and sound!"

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, Chunying smiled and said to the second old lady: "Master is safe and sound, the turmoil has passed, the old lady can rest at ease, do you want to have some snacks first?"

The second old lady smiled and shook her head: "I have no energy now, how can I still have the appetite to eat snacks? Ask the chef, do you have porridge or rice soup? Just warm it up and give us something to eat." Asked Xu Auntie: "When will your master come back?"

Aunt Xu smiled and said, "Master is still in the palace. I heard that the rebels did not know what to do, and said they had turned against a branch of the Habayashi Army. That rebel army actually wanted to attack the imperial city and burn down half of the Donghua Gate. Fortunately, the general invited by the master was the former leader of the rebel army. With a few words, he told those soldiers to surrender, and the leader of the rebel was forced by the master to only have a few soldiers to protect him. Run away, the emperor has issued an order to pursue him, he will not be able to escape! This time the master has done a great job, I promise you, there will be a reward tomorrow!"

The second old lady nodded straight with a smile: "Okay, okay, where is your wife? And Brother Dun? Call them all over and let the kitchen cook supper, no, it's breakfast! Everyone has worked hard this night , double monthly at the end of the month..."

Before the words fell, a scream came from the direction behind the mansion, which startled everyone in the room.Chunying quickly ran to the back porch and looked back, only to hear shouts and screams, and the sound of heavy objects hitting the door panel.

Could it be that the rebels really came to attack Dongfu for revenge? !
Chunying immediately turned back to the main hall, and as soon as she explained the situation, another woman in front ran into the courtyard in panic and shouted: "Yes... there is a rebellious army coming! Ahead..." As if to confirm her words, In the direction of the front yard, there were also bursts of crashing and shouting.There was a sudden panic in the Songyi Courtyard.

Chunying immediately hugged the second old lady's arm and pulled it out: "Old lady, we are close to the back door, there are already screams at the back door, why don't you go to the main courtyard to avoid it?!"

The second old lady was quite calm: "Okay, Yajun, hurry up, girls, don't fall behind!" Then, with the support of Chunying Qiuyan and others, they moved towards the main courtyard.

As soon as they walked out of the courtyard, the sound of killing from the direction of the back door seemed to be approaching suddenly. There were several screams in succession, and Chunying turned her head immediately in fright. At the end of the corridor behind, countless torches had already been lit. There is only less than 200 meters left.

Chunying immediately turned her gaze back, looking at the trembling footsteps of the second old lady and the large group of people around her, she secretly groaned in her heart.

(End of this chapter)