Chapter 570: The beacon smoke rises, looking to the west
It has only been two days since the sunshine, and it started to rain lightly again.
Slender lines of rain fell on the roof, and the eaves of the palace were intertwined with rain curtains. After Su Chen handled the government affairs, he returned to the back garden from the front palace, went to the small study of the prince Su Chen, and wanted to look under the eaves. The eunuch who saw the ceremony gave a 'shh' sound, then walked quietly to the window and took a look through the slightly opened window.
Nine-year-old Su Chen flipped through books by candlelight, reading aloud from time to time.
Su Chen nodded slightly, then quietly left here and returned to the palace. As he walked, he smiled at Wu Zixun, Dian Wei and Xu Chu who were holding an umbrella behind him and said, "I am like Su Chen." When I was growing up, I took Shisan around to play, not to mention studying, even when I sat down and wrote, I didn’t have much time to do, and it often made the old man in the family stamp his feet in anger.”
"The prince's temperament is also good. Didn't Minister Xun say that the prince is soft on the outside and strong on the inside? In the future, he will be a blessing to the people." Wu Zixun held a paper umbrella and said with a smile.
Dian Wei and Xu Chu behind were soaked by the rain, but there was no trace of wetness on their bodies. As soon as the raindrops fell, the hot blood and blood in their bodies evaporated and dispersed wisps of white air.
"That will happen in the future. I am still young and strong."
Su Chen walked in front with his hands behind his back. When he returned to the palace, the queen was holding the swaddling clothes and teasing her under the eaves. , Li Wangqiu was also there, and even Zhaoyi Meng Yuyin was also there. Their children, Su Chen's second and third children, were being looked after by Yang Yuhuan and playing in the courtyard.
The second child is Li Wangqiu's child, his name is Su Yu, he is four years old, he is stocky, with a tiger-like head and a strong brain, and he is very clever; the third child is Meng Yuyin's child, his name is Su Zhi, he is also a boy. She is about to turn three this year. She has a temperament like her mother and is weak in literature, but she is still relatively lively when she is with Su Yu.
Over there, Su Yu was startled. Before he could speak, Li Wangqiu pinched his ears and pulled him in front of him. He raised his hand and slapped his butt several times.
Su Chen hugged the infant Suru and kissed her fair and tender little face again and again. This reminded him of Su Ying who was far away in Ding'an. She was also a daughter. Unfortunately, the eldest daughter did not have the chance to enter the palace. , Cheng Huan kneels down.
Su Chen asked them to stand up with his hands, turned to look at the courtyard, and said "What are you two doing..." before saying "...what?"
Yang Yuhuan, who was guarding them, was going over to greet Su Chen. The three girls who were joking there also quickly stepped forward to greet them, without noticing the two children.
On the other side, Meng Yuyin also hurried over to check if her son Su Zhi was injured. Su Zhi's face turned red and he touched the top of his head: "Mom, second brother is so powerful. The persimmon on my head was Fly away.”
When Fang Xuejun asked this question, Meng Yuyin and Li Wangqiu also gathered around. They had heard about the land in the far west from other places, but it was thousands of miles away, much farther than other states and counties in Xia Kingdom.
"Yes, we have been preparing since the beginning of spring."
"Then Your Majesty is going too?"
"I know what you are thinking."
Su Zhi, who was almost three years old, did not dare to object to his second brother's words. He hummed weakly and quickly put a red persimmon in his pocket on his head.
"Boys inevitably like to play dangerous things."
I am afraid it will take several years to come back after this trip. This is when the war is going well. As the emperor's women, how can we not be worried.
For a while, the two little guys were crying, rubbing their eyes and ran to Su Chen to admit their mistake. Yang Yuhuan came over to smooth things over, said a few words of relief, and then took the two children elsewhere.
With a sudden shout, Su Yu took half a step forward, raised his hand, and threw the pebbles in his hand.
However, she can also get the love of many family members there.
Fang Xuejun used to be a boy, and it was normal to dance with guns and sticks. She went over to persuade the two sisters, and then she handed the swaddle in her arms to her husband in front of her, "Your Majesty, I heard from outside that I am preparing for the Western Expedition? "
"Father is back." Su Yu turned to look at his younger brother Su Zhi and whispered: "Brother, stand up quickly and put this persimmon on your head."
< br>Su Chen was so frightened that he rushed out of the eaves. At the same time, Li Wangqiu also flew out, and Dian Wei over there took the small halberd from his waist and flew over with a whistling sound. .
"Su Yu, your butt is itchy again!" Li Wangqiu reached out angrily and reached into the air. The small halberd came from behind Su Zhi and knocked the pebbles away, causing stone chips to scatter everywhere.
The two little people in the courtyard over there have separated. One is holding a persimmon on his head, and the other is a few steps away, running to the opposite side and smiling at his father and mother. After a while, he took out a pebble and said, "Father, you are watching carefully, ah hey!"
"You're also fooling around!" Meng Yuyin had a gentle temperament, so she couldn't help but glare at her son angrily. The little man shrank his neck in fright, quickly retracted his hand, and tears suddenly filled his eyes.
Su Chen held the baby in his arms, walked to the stone bench under the old tree in the courtyard, sat down, and motioned for the three women to come over.
“Can you not go this time?” Meng Yuyin clenched her fists and asked in a low voice.
Li Wangqiu obviously had the same view as Meng Zhaoyi. She looked directly at Su Chen. She became Su Chen's woman. It was relatively simple. It could be said that she was more like Fang Xuejun's dowry maid. Sometimes I don’t know how to speak.
“You must go.”
It is impossible for the three women to stop Su Chen's decision. As a descendant, Su Chen respects the relationship between husband and wife. He still has to tell them some things so that they can understand.
“The land in the West seems barbaric, but it’s just your wishful thinking. There are also big countries there, and the people there are also flesh and blood, with two arms and two legs. If you strike with a knife, you will still die.”< br>
His words paused briefly here.
“Before, you knew that when the Western barbarians invaded the Western Regions, they not only killed people and destroyed cities, but also used people as food. Our army went to meet the enemy and relieved the troubles in the Western Regions. But if they can come once, they can It's the second time, but we can save the first time, the second time... can we keep saving?
There is no truth in guarding against thieves for a thousand days. Not only will we be exhausted, but the entire Xia Kingdom will be brought down? .
Rather than that, it is better to accumulate strength, give them a quick blow, and directly calm down that side.
From now on, when the children inherit my inheritance, there will be fewer stumbling blocks and fewer threats. "
Su Chen smiled and teased the youngest daughter in his arms. Looking at her bright eyes, his smile became even brighter: "In the future, when I am old, the children will ask how their father beat him. What have you done in the world?
When the time comes, I will be able to proudly tell them that their father not only unified the six kingdoms, defeated the Xirong people and the Japanese pirates on the East China Sea, but also dealt with the barbarians in the west. . "
After saying this, Su Chen raised his eyes and looked at the three women in front of him. His smile gradually faded, and he became more serious than ever before.
"We are surrounded by powerful enemies. I dare not be careless and can only go there in person. If my generation can solve the problem, then don't delay it and let the next generation experience it. You are my women and you should understand. My good intentions."
With tears in his eyes, Fang Xuejun nodded and took her daughter from her husband's arms: "I don't want to cry anymore. I am at home, so your Majesty can rest assured."< br>
Li Wangqiu nodded not to be outdone.
"Your Majesty can fight with the Western barbarians with peace of mind, and I will assist the queen in taking care of the palace."
She already has martial arts skills, but now that things have reached this level, that force The heroine's momentum is back. Meng Yuyin didn't say much. She just leaned against Su Chen, hugged his arm, and rested her head on his shoulder.
The three of them sat under the tree for a long time.
Soon, Su Chen made arrangements for the palace affairs, and spent the next two days with the three women and their children.
At the same time, he also carefully taught Su Chen what he needed to pay attention to while serving as a prince. In late September, Su Chen summoned Zheng He, issued some orders, and then sent him Feiyun Port inspected the two fleets heading north for him. During this time, many people were talking to their families before the war and trying to find time to spend with their loved ones.
Lu Bu was sitting under the eaves of the back house, watching his daughter Lu Lingqi in the courtyard wielding the crescent halberd, playing a set of hard and soft halberd techniques, and the fallen leaves followed the halberd. The body rolled up into a long dragon, winding and swimming in the air with the stirring breath.
At this time, a servant came over. The servant stood at the door and held his hands toward the courtyard: "Reporting to Marquis Wen, it's time to go to the military camp."
Over there, Lu Lingqi stopped her crescent halberd and peeked out of the corner of her eye to prepare. The father stood up, turned the halberd pole with his white fingers, and slammed the crescent halberd to the ground.
Have courage, these are the words that have been hidden in your heart these days.
"Dad, can you let your daughter go with you?"
"No!"
Lu Bu didn't even look at her. Although he loved his daughter and was obedient to her, there was no need to talk about the expedition to the west.
"You'd better not have such thoughts."
Entering the house, his wife Yan put down the sleeping baby in her arms, smiled and went over to change her husband's clothes and armor, " This time, my husband finally didn’t let her go wild.”
“The Western Expedition was different from the previous ones, and... I asked Lingqi to stay because I wanted someone to watch over me at home.”
Lü Bu took the dark, gilt-painted halberd from the weapon rack, held it in his hand, rubbed it, and waved it, and there was a faint sound from the halberd's tip.
"There can't be no one at home... Besides, Hu'er is still young. Well, my husband is going out to the military camp to train the new recruits."
Ms. Yan took the bright red cloak and shook it out behind her husband.
"Let me wear it as my husband!"
Lü Bu, who was holding a halberd and wearing armor, patted his wife's hand, walked out of the room, glanced at his daughter who was still a little angry, and snorted coldly. .
Immediately, he walked straight out of the courtyard, but couldn't help but look back and looked at his wife and daughter behind him, "Tell me what gifts you want. When my father comes back from the West, I will bring you a car."
"I don't want it!" Lu Lingqi held her crescent halberd and turned her pretty face away, and then said, "As long as my father comes back safely!"
"Husband, you have no eyesight, don't get hurt." The same goes for Yan. He whispered worriedly.
"Haha!"
Lu Bu strode away with a smile, raised his hand and waved to the mother and daughter behind him: "Haha... Who in this world can stop me, Lu Bu? , Madam, Lingqi, don’t you know that I, Lu Bu, am already invincible?”
Pfft!
Yan Shi and Lu Lingqi laughed out loud at what Lu Bu said before leaving. Outside the courtyard, Lu Bu rode on the flying red cloud horse and took a look at the door plaque with the word "Lu Mansion" hanging on it, as well as the gate.
"After this year, the sky will be different. I am lucky enough to be able to share the prosperity..." He took a breath and smiled on the horse: "... Let this life be worthy of it."< br>
“Drive!”
Lu Bu waved his whip and galloped down the long street.
……
The patter of raindrops drifted across his sight and flew farther away.
The mansion with 'Xiang Mansion' hanging on it, the eaves, walls, and corridors were all decorated with lights and colorful decorations. The servants and maids coming and going were busy cleaning the corners of the courtyard amidst the scoldings of the stewards.
Xiang Yu sat by the bed with his baby in his arms, looking at his daughter who had just turned one month old, with a gentle smile on his face, an expression that few people could see outside.
"When I come back, the family will never be separated again." He turned his gaze and looked at Yu Ji who was still recuperating on the bed. The woman was hidden in the quilt and pressed against the pillow, her face full of happiness.
“King Xiang is becoming more and more like the people here.”
"Then do you think it's better to be like the original Overlord of Western Chu?"
"Of course it is now."
Hearing the answer, Xiang Yu laughed while holding his daughter who was just one month old, "I think so too. It's so comfortable to live like this without any plots or intrigues to disturb you."
He tapped his daughter's soft little nose with his finger: "Here we are. At this time, we should live a good life for her, and don’t live in troubled times like us.”
The voice drifted away with the wind, and the continuous rain lines were deflected in the sky with the wind, hitting vertically. The silhouette of a galloping horse, with its tumbling hooves stepping on the stagnant water and mud, spreads across the official road, and soon enters the military camp in the southern suburbs.
‘Hey! '
Su Chen called out softly in front of the camp gate, reined in his horse, and watched the soldiers coming and going in the camp from the horse's back. As he slowly raised his hand, a messenger was approaching.
Behind him, Dian Wei and Xu Chu lined up on the left and right, as well as the soldiers from the Huwei camp who followed closely, standing in the rain curtain like black statues standing in the rain, waiting for the emperor's order. .
"Beat the drum, convey my will, and prepare to use troops."
The wind blew and the rain hit the armor, unable to cover up the murderous sound of the iron horse.
Ling Qi galloped out.
In the military camp, in front of the war drums, there were shirtless drummers. They picked up their hammers, stood in front of the war drums, and beat the drums one after another.
As the percussion becomes faster and harder, the sound of the drum spreads rhythmically.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom, boom, boom!
The sound of the war drums of the gathered generals spread through every tent in the huge camp, and even spread to all directions. As the soldiers who were hiding in the tents from the rain walked out one after another, they saw the distant Yanjing City and the drum tower on the city tower. Then the war drums sounded.
Pedestrians who were rushing past on the street subconsciously stopped and stood under the eaves of the street in the rain, looking towards the direction from which the war drums came.
Things that had been weighing on everyone’s hearts before finally came to light at this moment.
——The war started.
(End of this chapter)