Huancheng Shen Shen

Capítulo 84

To the east of the city stands a large cluster of dark, imposing buildings, the Lu family mansion, which held immense power for three generations. In the southwest corner of this mansion lies a small, almost completely hidden courtyard called 'Nian Garden'.

A family of five lived in the garden: four people and a dog.

Treating a dog as part of the family is an incredible thing, but for her, it was so natural.

My trip to the capital was primarily to ascertain the true strength of the Song court, and incidentally, to check on her well-being—just incidentally…

She was doing well, which made me feel relieved, yet tinged with bitterness. Her happiness wasn't given by him; it had nothing to do with him.

Lu Ziqi was the one who carried all her love, the one who could make her smile throughout her life, yet he was also her rival.

Yes, they are rivals, not enemies. I believe this is a shared view between them.

On his first day in the capital, he secretly visited the Lu family to test the extent of trust between the rumoredly highly compatible ruler and his minister. If the ruler was suspicious and the minister distrustful, he could use this opportunity to weaken Lu Ziqi's power, paving the way for victory by eliminating a formidable enemy in the upcoming war. Moreover, if the ruler was highly suspicious, he was not worth risking his life for. Rather than becoming a pawn sooner or later, it was better to recognize the situation now and withdraw completely.

Leaving this treacherous officialdom might not be a bad thing for Lu Ziqi and her. Perhaps, living freely amidst green hills and clear waters, her smile would be even brighter.

However, the Song emperor ultimately possessed some insight and understood the principle of trusting those he employed. In this light, Lu Ziqi could be considered to have served a wise ruler. Therefore, they could proceed to the next step of their plan.

Imitating Lu Ziqi's handwriting, I wrote a letter to Huo Nan, a senior general on the northwestern border.

The letter only very subtly hinted at the potential changes in the political situation with a few words, suggesting that the emperor might be suspicious of General Yuan, who held military power.

Of course, Huo Nan would write to inquire, but those letters were intercepted and destroyed halfway. If he did not receive a reply for a long time, he would assume that Lu Ziqi was reluctant to answer because of some concerns, so he could only give up for the time being. However, this anxiety would only grow in his heart and eventually become uncontrollable.

Since Emperor Taizu of Song's "releasing military power over a cup of wine," it has always been a major taboo for rulers to have military generals wielding significant military power. This time, the Northwest Army was able to break with tradition and train an iron army under the banner of the "Yuan Family Army" in just two years, becoming the biggest stumbling block on the Great Xia's southward advance, all because Lu Ziqi stood up against the opposition in the court and took on the responsibility single-handedly. Given his nature of shouldering everything himself, he would never have uttered a single word to the outside world unless he was at his breaking point.

In this way, the general's anxiety will inevitably affect the army's deployment and morale, making it not difficult to conquer it in one fell swoop.

Even if the matter is investigated later, Huo Nan will not betray Lu Ziqi. Even if the letter is indeed discovered, with Lu Ziqi's abilities and the Emperor's trust in him, this crisis should eventually be resolved.

This was the most moderate and comprehensive plan that Li Yuanhao could think of.

He wanted to expand his territory and build an unparalleled legacy. He also wanted to do everything in his power to protect her family of five.

Unexpectedly, fate intervened, and this unexpected turn of events disrupted the chessboard in an instant.

However, even Heaven cannot stop my grand ambitions. Once this is over, I will lead my troops south and take Bianliang!

Lu Ziqi, until we meet again. But for her, it's goodbye forever.

He put his cloak back on, turned his horse around, cracked the whip, and galloped away.

He rode away in a cloud of dust, his blue robe finally disappearing from sight.

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Lu Ziqi was feeling a little nervous because ever since Song Xiaohua heard what he had said, she had been looking like she had been struck by lightning, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open, and she had been like that for about half a cup of tea's time.

"Yaoyao, say something!"

"Yaoyao, can you give me some kind of response?"

"Yaoyao, don't scare me. If you're really angry, just bite me a couple of times!"

"Yaoyao, you should at least say something..."

"squeak……"

"…………"

Song Xiaohua finally stopped pretending to be dazed and shook her head: "So, it's because I told you that the bracelet on Physician Zhang's wife's wrist didn't look like it was made in the Central Plains that you thought she might have been bribed by the Xia Kingdom? It's also because I mentioned that the handwriting on the book Yuan Hao gave me was completely different from the one on the prescription he gave you that you thought he might imitate your handwriting to write to Huo Nan?"

Lu Ziqi finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowly replied, "That's right. The Zhang family has practiced medicine in Bianliang for generations, and Physician Zhang himself has been devoted to medicine since childhood, studying it day and night. He probably hasn't even left the capital in his entire life. His wife is basically the same, and they don't have any relatives who have traveled around. The couple comes from wealthy families and have seen many antiques and treasures. Ordinary things don't catch their eye, and only trinkets with exotic flair can win their favor. Physician Zhang serves the Empress Dowager and is serious and rigid in nature, so he has very little contact with others. Therefore, no one would deliberately seek out those things just to please his wife. So, there's only one possibility: someone wants to learn about the Empress Dowager from her. Besides the covetous Xia Kingdom, who else could it be?"

Regarding the handwriting issue, Huo Nan's letters to me usually revolve around the situation in the military. However, this latest letter was strangely filled with rambling about personal matters, without mentioning a single word about military affairs. With the border war so intense, it's highly unlikely he would be preoccupied with his own private affairs. The most probable reason for this is suspicion. For the past two years, he's been in the military while I've been in court, and we've always been completely open and honest with each other. Since I haven't made any unusual moves, he shouldn't be so wary of my letters. Unless, he knows some information, and that information is most likely malicious. Huo Nan may seem rough and straightforward, but he's actually meticulous. In this situation, the only thing that could arouse his suspicion would be something sent from me, even though I haven't done anything. Therefore, someone must have impersonated me and said something completely fabricated. My usual communication with him is through letters, and someone who can remain completely undetected by him must possess exceptional control over handwriting. It seems there's only one person with both motive and the ability. Unfortunately, I realized it a little too late. The army hasn't received any definite news for so long; there's a high probability that instability is already brewing. After all, this army is an anomaly in our Great Song Dynasty; even with numerous rewards, the soldiers will inevitably feel uneasy.

“…Oh…” Song Xiaohua nodded dizzily, then continued excitedly: “Anyway, in short, it’s because of me that you were able to figure out such a complicated thing, right?”

Lu Ziqi couldn't help but chuckle: "Yes, yes, you deserve the most credit."

"So I've finally helped you, right?"

"Yes, yes, you are my capable assistant, the best at everything, inside and out."

"Wow! I never thought I'd have a day like this! Muahahaha..."

Black line.

This girl must have been overstimulated...

I decided to remind you one last time, even if it meant risking my life: "Yaoyao, I'm setting off tomorrow."

"I know."

"I'm going to the northwest border defense, and I might not be able to come back for several months."

"Okay!"

Watching Song Xiaohua walk away happily, Lu Ziqi's heart was shattered; it felt like dumpling filling when he held it out...

Li Yuanhao's strategy was truly brilliant. If the Xia Kingdom hadn't experienced internal strife at that time, it's hard to say what the outcome would have been.

The Empress Dowager is seriously ill. If she passes away, the country will be in mourning, and at least three years of military action will be prohibited. The Xia Kingdom intends to take advantage of this opportunity to launch a large-scale invasion, forcing the Song Dynasty to cede territory and pay reparations. At that point, the Song Dynasty will have no choice but to retreat step by step, watching its wealth and territory slip away.

Therefore, it was originally agreed that the Northwest Army would take the initiative to attack the Xia Army next month. Even if they could not defeat its main force, they should force it to be unable to raise troops again in a short period of time.

However, this is ultimately a poor choice.

The Tangut people have always been warlike and skilled in warfare, and their cavalry was virtually unmatched in strength. Although the Yuan family army had made some progress after more than two years of training, its combat power was still relatively weak. In a clash between the two armies, even if they were to win, they would pay an extremely heavy price.

Weapons are instruments of misfortune; even sages use them only as a last resort.

We must never start a war unless we have no other choice. Otherwise, countless sons will shed their blood on the battlefield, and countless families will be torn apart.

Perhaps it was fate, but in the end, it didn't come to that.

The Xia Kingdom needs time to quell its internal strife, and the Song Dynasty needs time to train its new army. Both sides need to conserve their strength and cannot afford major chaos.

However, in order to appease the situation, the emperor decided to let him represent the court to support Li Yuanhao's succession to the throne. He himself also felt it was necessary to personally meet with the generals of the Northwest Army to resolve their differences.

That's why Li Yuanhao said that sometimes being too trusted by the emperor isn't a good thing.

When he said this, the guy had a wicked grin on his face.

I wanted to invite him to Nianyuan again and host a farewell banquet, but he waved his hand repeatedly and said, "If my sister-in-law knew that it was because of me that we had to be separated for so long, she would definitely try to kill me. So, you should face it yourself. Don't worry, God will protect you."

He had initially thought that, given Yao Yao's personality, she would at least throw a tantrum, if not cry or make a scene. After all, he had promised her that they would never be apart again. Unexpectedly, she showed no reaction whatsoever upon hearing the news; in fact, she seemed quite happy.

Does this mean I mean absolutely nothing to her anymore? Disappointed, so very disappointed, utterly disappointed…

I went out for a stroll feeling listless, but I finally cheered myself up and strolled back around dinner time.

As soon as the courtyard gate was pushed open, a chaotic scene of people and horses was seen. Servants were rushing back and forth, carrying boxes and chests, and everyone looked like they were in a hurry, as if they were about to migrate as a family to escape famine.

With Lu Yue, who was stretching and kicking, in his mouth, Song Wuque squatted by the kitchen door, keeping busy with one eye on the yard and the other on the kitchen.

The little red boy has now become a little white boy, his head, face, and body covered in white ash, which looks like flour? ...

Just as they were wondering, a furious roar came from inside: "You little rascal, if you dare to cause trouble again, I'll suffocate you to death in a flour vat!"

It really is white flour...

Lu Yue struggled and spun around, then caught sight of Lu Ziqi and immediately screamed at the top of his lungs, "Father, help! Mother, bad!"

Just then, Lu Ling ran out with her little hands tied around her neck: "Little brother, be good. You can come down after we finish making dumplings for Daddy. Mommy isn't bad; Mommy loves little brother the most."

After comforting him, she rushed to Lu Ziqi and said, "Father, Mother said that you are going to a very, very far place tomorrow and won't be back for a while. So she is making dumplings for you with me, the kind of very small dumplings."

It represents a very, very short separation...

She bent down to pick up her son, wiping away the white marks on his rosy cheeks: "Shall we go make dumplings together?"

"good!"

Seeing this, Lu Yue fluttered even more joyfully in mid-air: "Dad, you're bad! Brother, you're bad! Que is bad too!"

"The worst villains in the world combined aren't as bad as you! If you yell again, I'll hang you on a big tree to be a kite!" Song Xiaohua stuck her head out and roared, and the little devil finally pouted and temporarily wilted a bit.

"Yaoyao, what's wrong with you...?"

Lu Ziqi quickly walked into the kitchen and saw that white flour was everywhere on the table, the counter, and the floor. Even Song Xiaohua's head, face, and body were not spared from the misfortune.

He put Lu Ling down and patted her back with a forced laugh, saying, "You don't need to turn your hair white with worry just because you're about to say goodbye to me, do you?"

"Stop being so vain! This is all the work of that little devil! And saying such things in front of your son, how shameless!"

This world changes so fast! Since when did she become such a proper person, while he became such a shameless scoundrel?

He gently hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear, "What are you afraid of? Ling'er is so young, she doesn't understand anything yet."

Lu Ling asked crisply and loudly, "Is Daddy going to release tadpoles at Mommy's again?"

Ah puff puff puff...

Hearing this from outside, Lu Yue also shouted, "Dad, Doudou, Mom, Chichi, Little Brother!"

LOL~ Does this theory already exist in the whole world...?

After finishing the dumplings and saying goodbye to his two sons, Lu Ziqi returned to his bedroom.

"I originally packed a lot of things for you to take with you, worried that you wouldn't have enough to use. But then I thought, you're in a hurry to get going and traveling light, so you probably won't be able to take that much anyway. Besides, if it's too cumbersome, those guys in the army will definitely laugh at you. In order not to embarrass my man, in the end I could only streamline it into a small bundle, containing some of your usual necessities, two books you've been reading for half a day, and a few prescriptions that you can't stop taking. I've already given them to You Rong for safekeeping."