Chapter 360: Making up for the situation
Gu Family Ancestral Hall
Gu Yankai carefully wiped Da Qin's tablet. After wiping it clean, he put the tablet in place, picked up a stick of incense, lit it and inserted it.
Gu Yankai stood there looking at the memorial tablet of his late wife, and after a long time he turned around and left the ancestral hall.
Just after leaving the ancestral hall, the entourage waiting at the door saluted and said: "Master Marquis, the commander of the Song Dynasty has asked to see you. He has been waiting in the main hall for a while."
Gu Yankai nodded when he heard this and walked towards the main hall.
…………
Gujia Zhengtang
Gu Tingwei smiled and said: "Uncle Song, my father is at the ancestral hall. He told me that he is at the ancestral hall and not to be disturbed unless there is a decree from the palace. You may have to wait for a while."
"Haha, it doesn't matter, I'm not in a hurry."
Song Chaozhong put down the tea cup in his hand and said, "How is Gu Hou's health now?"
"My father has an old illness and is not in good health, but he is recuperating at home, so it's not a serious problem," Gu Tingwei said.
"That's good." Song Chaozhong nodded.
"By the way, Uncle Song came to see my father. What's the matter? If it's urgent, I'll go to the ancestral hall and tell my father." Gu Tingwei said.
"It's nothing big. The officials have ordered me to lead the troops to Jiangzhou to suppress the rebellion. I will set off tomorrow. I will come to visit Gu Hou before leaving." Song Chaozhong said.
"Counter rebellion?" Gu Tingwei asked in surprise: "Is there a rebellion in Jiangzhou?"
"Yes!" Song Chaozhong nodded and said: "This news should probably spread in the next two days, but before that, remember not to talk nonsense."
"Uncle Song, don't worry, I wouldn't tell anyone about this kind of thing." Gu Tingwei said.
Song Chaozhong smiled. Since he dared to say it, it was because it was not a big secret and it would not have much impact if he said it or not.
"Uncle Song, I want to ask you something." Gu Tingwei said.
"It doesn't matter whether you ask for it or not. If you have anything to ask for, just ask. If it can be done, I will definitely do it for you." Song Chaozhong said.
"I want to go to Jiangzhou with Uncle Song to put down the rebellion." Gu Tingwei said.
"Come with me to suppress the rebellion?"
Song Chaozhong was stunned when he heard this, wondering: "The battlefield is dangerous, if you have any good intentions, how can I explain it to my father?"
"Uncle Song, my Gu family has been deeply favored by the emperor, how can we be greedy for life and afraid of death? Now that I have an heir, even if I die on the battlefield, I will be loyal to the country and die well." Gu Tingwei said seriously.
"This..."
When the Song Dynasty was in trouble, he saw Gu Yankai coming in. He quickly stood up and said: "I have met Mr. Hou!"
"Yeah!" Gu Yankai nodded, looked at Gu Tingwei and said, "Go down!"
"Dad, I want to go with Uncle Song to suppress the rebellion!" Gu Tingwei bowed.
"Back off!" Gu Yankai's voice was a little louder.
"Father!"
Gu Tingwei knelt down and said: "If the father does not agree, the child will not get up! The child is also a son of the Gu family. At a young age, the child should serve the country. At a young age, the child also wants to make a future for himself! ”
Gu Yankai looked at Gu Tingwei, was silent for a while, then looked at Song Chaozhong and said, "The officials want you to lead the troops to quell the rebellion?"
"Yes, the decree has just come down!" Song Chaozhong said.
"Please!" Gu Yankai said.
"Don't worry, Marquis Gu, I will take Sanlang with me and nothing will happen to him!" Song Chaozhong said, patting his chest.
Gu Tingwei, who was kneeling on the ground, said happily: "Thank you so much, father!"
"Get up, we must put down the rebellion urgently. Your Uncle Song should be leaving in the next two days. Go and prepare." Gu Yankai said.
"Yes!"
Gu Tingwei got up from the ground and saluted: "Dad, Uncle Song, I'm leaving first!"
"Sit down!"
Gu Yankai watched his son leave, asked Song Chaozhong to take a seat, and sat down on the main seat. "Thank you so much for your recommendation, Marquis Gu!" Song Chaozhong bowed.
"Huh?" Gu Yan opened his brows and frowned slightly: "The officials appointed you to lead the troops to counter the rebellion, it was not my recommendation."
"Not recommended by Gu Hou?"
Song Chaozhong was stunned when he heard this and said in confusion: "Then why did he directly issue a decree and order me to set off tomorrow, and the officials had no intention of summoning me."
Generally speaking, whoever the officials ask to lead the army will be summoned.
However, he received the imperial edict directly, and the servant who delivered the edict did not say that the official wanted to summon him.
Gu Yankai pondered for a while after hearing the words, then sighed and said: "You shouldn't have come to see me. Although I don't know why the officials asked you to lead the army, but since the officials chose you, you should take the initiative to join the army." Go and see His Majesty!”
Song Chaozhong was startled when he heard this, and then his expression changed drastically.
Whether they are civil servants or military generals, they all have their own factions.
Even though the Song Dynasty valued culture over military affairs, there were inevitably factions in the army.
After receiving the imperial edict, Song Dynasty came to visit Gu Yankai because he found out that Gu Yankai had been summoned by officials before.
Therefore, I felt that it was recommended by Gu Yankai, and I came to visit Gu Yankai just to thank him for his support.
But Gu Yankai told him that he was not the one recommended and that he should not come to the Gu family.
Song Chaozhong was not stupid and quickly understood what Gu Yankai meant.
The reason why Zhao Xing ordered his general but did not summon him was probably a test.
If he enters the palace immediately to ask for an audience with Zhao Xing, he is likely to be reused by Zhao Xing.
But it might not be necessary for him to visit Gu Yankai first.
"Gu Hou, is there any room for redemption now?" Song Chaozhong asked.
"I'm afraid it will be difficult, but regardless of whether there is or not, you should go to the palace now to ask for an audience with His Majesty." Gu Yankai said.
"Isn't it inappropriate to enter the palace at this time?" Song Chaozhong said hesitantly.
He felt that at this time it was best to pretend to be confused while still understanding.
It's normal for military commanders not to understand those twists and turns.
Entering the palace to mend the situation will give the officials a sense of stupidity.
Being straight-tempered and being stupid are two different things.
"The officials may believe that you can't see it, but when you come to my place, do you think the officials will think that I can't see it either?"
Gu Yankai said calmly: "The officials are doing this just to keep a distance between you and the Gu family. By entering the palace at this time, you are also showing your attitude to the officials. Although it is a little worse than going directly to the palace. , but it’s better than nothing.”
It is a normal phenomenon that there are many factions in the court. Some factions are just for the sake of keeping together, not for power and gain.
For these factions, what officials need to do is to balance rather than suppress them.
However, the official family wanted to reuse Gu Tingye. If he was reused in the Song Dynasty, the influence of Ningyuan Hou and his family in the army would be too great in the future.
Regardless of whether it was for Song Chaozhong's own interests or for the interests of the Gu family, Song Chaozhong must cut off the relationship with the Gu family. From now on, we can't say that we will never interact with each other until we die, but we can't keep them too close either.
This incident was said to be Zhao Xing's test for the Song Dynasty, and it might not mean it was a test for the Gu family.
"But..."
Song Chaozhong opened his mouth when he heard the words, with a somewhat hesitant look on his face.
His ancestors were subordinates of the first generation Ningyuan Marquis, and all Ningyuan Marquises took great care of the Song family.
When Gu Yankai was stationed in the northwest, he served under Gu Yankai when he first entered the army.
It was also because of Gu Yankai's promotion that he was able to serve as the commander of the first army in his thirties.
(End of chapter)