In the palace of nourishing the heart, the lights are bright.

Cao Song knelt among his colleagues, only to feel that his legs and stomach were trembling, and his body was a little unbearable. I don't feel like I don't get off the horse, but when I get off the horse, I find that my body is like falling apart, nowhere is not sore, and nowhere is not painful.

In addition to exhaustion, the rest is fear.

Cao Song was a guard in his early years, and he knew the rules of the face king.

Now, after thousands of miles of travel, everyone is really embarrassed.

Yongzheng looked at the people kneeling underground, and there was no joy or anger on his face.

Now it is Chouzheng (two o'clock in the morning), and it is already the first year of Yongzheng.

Thinking of his year name, Yongzheng was a little proud in his bones.

No matter who the imperial father once set up, no matter who the imperial father once favored, now he is the lord of the world, and it is not someone else who is on the dragon chair, it is he Emperor Yongzheng.

"When will you leave Ganzhou and when will you arrive in Beijing?" Yongzheng spoke slowly, asking the two deputy commanders.

These two people, one is called Arna, and the other is called Alinbao, of which Arna is under the command of the fourteenth elder brother, and Alinbao is under the command of Nersu, the king of Pingjun.

Listening to Yongzheng's question, he saw Arna raise his body and said: "Back to the emperor's words, the servants and others set off from Ganzhou with the fifteenth day of the fourteenth month of the month, and ran for eight hundred miles each. ”

Hearing the words "Fourteen Beizi", Cao Song was shocked.

He had already been warned by his cousin, and he had always avoided the fourteenth elder brother. In the past few years, he has been under the protection of Nersu, and in the Northwest Army, he has only had limited dealings with the Fourteenth Elder Brother.

Rao is like this, Cao Song has also heard of the situation of the fourteenth elder brother.

This deputy capital commander Arna is one of the most relied on henchmen in front of the Fourteenth Elder Brother's tent.

Although the fourteenth elder brother has not been officially canonized, he has already received the prince's honor and used the prince's honor guard. Whether it is in the Northwest Army or on the courtiers' side, they must call "Lord Wang".

Cao Song remembered clearly that just before everyone followed Long Keduo into the city, Arna also took a "prince" and followed the fourteenth elder brother in front of the saddle.

In less than an hour, the "prince" was replaced by "Fourteen Beizi".

Yongzheng was thinking about what Arna said in his heart, and secretly rejoiced.

Fortunately, the news that Nian Qianyao was informed in advance that he would go to the Northwest Army was delayed by 20 days. In this way, the temple number of the Daxing Emperor has been decided, and the harem of the Daxing Emperor has also been posthumously sealed, and everything has been sealed.

Otherwise, with the surname of the fourteenth elder brother, plus a queen mother, I don't know how to make trouble.

In fact, even if the fourteenth elder brother comes back twenty days early, it will not affect the overall situation, but it will only embarrass everyone, and it will not be able to live in peace.

came back twenty days late, and there was no room for him to play.

Thinking of this, the fourth elder brother only felt that the depression in his heart had almost dispersed, and his irritable heart gradually calmed down.

He looked at the few guards kneeling behind Arna, and saw that they had gone to their hats, covered with plain clothes, and said: "You are all the trusted courtiers of the Daxing Emperor, and it is bitter cold in the northwest. That is, from the holiday of one month, after the leave, regardless of the inner shift, the outer shift, are all transferred to the royal front errand! ”

For a time, several people bowed to give thanks, but two of them froze there, not thanking them.

Seeing this, Yongzheng's face drooped, and he only felt a breath of turbidity in his chest.

He knew that the Fourteenth Elder Brother had been in charge of the Northwest for several years, and he hadn't thought about using his means to make friends and win over everyone, but these few in front of him were palace guards, and they should only have one master, that is, the master of this palace. was Emperor Daxing before, and now it should be him, the new Emperor Yongzheng.

If you don't accept his will, is this to show "loyalty"?

The corners of Yongzheng's mouth showed a bit of sarcasm, and said, "You two want to resist the decree?" In his words, he did not hide his anger.

The one who was frozen there without thanksgiving was Cao Song and a third-class guard named Guixi.

The two listened to Yongzheng's words, hurriedly kowtowed, and said in unison: "The slave doesn't dare, the slave has a love gift!" ”

Both of them wore waist tags, a second-class guard and a third-class guard.

"Here!" Yongzheng's gaze fell on Cao Song.

Although Cao Song did not raise his head, his scalp was still tingling by Yongzheng's gaze.

He swallowed and spitted, stabilized his heart and said: "Back to the emperor's words, the grace of the world, the slave is grateful...... "Speaking of this, he raised the palm of his severed finger and said: "It's just that the slave is disabled, if he stains the emperor's eyes in front of the emperor, it will be a capital ......crime for the slave," he said, and kowtowed a few times.

After just a few words, Cao Song's back was already soaked.

If he angered the new emperor, ruined his own future, and affected the Cao family, he would be a family sinner.

He knocked loudly, and he never did not suspect and show loyalty.

Sure enough, Yongzheng saw Cao Song like this, and his expression eased slightly.

He looked at Cao Song's stump palm, saw that his little finger was broken at the root, and said, "This is injured in the northwest?" ”

At this time, Cao Song, in addition to fear, was left with shame, bowed his head and said: "The slave doesn't dare to lie, this ...... It's the absurdity of the slave boy...... Servants are useless people, with the light of their fathers and ancestors, and the grace of the emperor, so that they can work as errands outside the guards......"

Such honest words made Yongzheng look at him a few more times, and he only felt that his face was kind.

Yongzheng frowned and said, "Who are you, have I seen you before?" ”

"Slave Cao Song, grandfather and uncle used to weave in Jiangning before their deaths. The slave was fortunate enough to see the holy face in the Thirteenth Master's Mansion. At that time, the slave was still young, and the emperor once asked the slave about his homework. Cao Song replied.

Yongzheng had some impressions in a trance, remembering that the second room of the Cao family was related to the Thirteenth Elder Brother's Mansion, and this cousin of Cao Hao seemed to be the in-laws of the Thirteenth Elder Brother, so he was a little closer to him in his heart.

If you don't have a commitment to him, you won't be so angry.

"I'm not that delicate, but it's just a broken finger, and it doesn't scare me. You'd better be at ease. Yongzheng's voice had softened.

"The slave receives the order, and the slave thanks the lord Longen!" Cao Song was a little "excited" and thanked for the grace again.

Yongzheng nodded with satisfaction, turned his gaze to another guard, Guixi, and said lightly: "You also have an inside story?" ”

Guixi kowtowed and said: "If you go back to the emperor, the slave is also disabled and does not dare to accept the decree." In the first two years, the slave was intolerant of the severe cold in the northwest, and he suffered from chilblains and two toes of his right foot. ”

The wound on this hand is clear at a glance; The ones on the feet, hidden in the boots, have little chance of being exposed.

Yongzheng stared at Guixi for a long time, and ordered Chen Fuling, the waiter standing next to him, to go down to check on Guixi.

When Guixi withdrew, Yongzheng looked at his right leg, and between walking, he couldn't see anything wrong.

For a while, Chen Fu brought Guixi back to restore his life to prove that what Guixi said was true.

Yongzheng didn't say anything, but in his heart he felt that this Guixi was good. In the case of other people, since the wound is not hidden, perhaps they will happily accept the decree.

The mustard of the talent has long since disappeared, and he ordered people to give gold, and then called everyone to thank him.

The two deputy commanders each had thirty taels of gold, and the seven guards had twenty taels of gold each, although the amount was not much, but after all, it was given by the emperor himself, and they were all dressed in yellow silk belts, and everyone felt extremely decent when they held them.

Although he was tired, everyone was also excited, and they went out of the palace gate and dispersed.

By the time Cao Song returned home, it was already the second quarter of the first month of Yin (half past three in the morning).

At this time, after the hustle and bustle of Chinese New Year's Eve, it is a time of silence.

Cao Song's knock on the door was extremely clear and far-reaching.

Even Zhao Jia's family was in the inner house, and he vaguely heard the movement, muttered a sentence in his mouth, turned over and fell asleep.

Jinghui, on her part, also heard it.

Because of the news, she knew that her husband had returned to Beijing in the near future, and she had a lot of worries in her heart. I am afraid that the road will be difficult, the weather will be cold, and my husband will suffer hardships on the road; I am afraid that with the return of the fourteenth elder brother, he will be angered by the new emperor.

She faintly heard the commotion in the front yard, and sat up at once, listening intently.

The movement in the front yard stopped, she sighed, only to think that she had misheard, and muttered a sentence of "second master" in her mouth, and Fang lay down again.

At this time, Cao Song had already made great strides into the second door.

As he passed by the main courtyard of the Zhao Jia clan, his steps slowed. However, seeing that the courtyard was dark, he still went directly back to the East Cross Courtyard where his house was.

Jinghui was tossing and turning, and heard the footsteps of "kicking" in the yard, and muttered, "Another illusion? ”

It wasn't until she heard the sound of pushing the door that Jinghui suddenly woke up and hurriedly got up to hold the lamp.

The maid who was on night duty in the outhouse also heard the movement and got up in her clothes.

Jing Hui had already pulled her shoes out at this moment, walked to the door with a lamp, and asked through the door, "Second master?" ”

"Open the door quickly, you are very tired!" Cao Song said.

Jinghui was excited, only to feel a tremor in her hand, and the candlestick almost fell.

She hurriedly opened the deadbolt, looked at her husband with red eyes.

Cao Song didn't care about anyone or no, so he put it on Jinghui's shoulder and said, "Master is so sleepy!" ”

Jinghui half-helped him into the inner room, and ordered the maids who came with her to prepare hot water.

Cao Song couldn't open his eyes anymore, waved his hand, and said, "I can't stand it, let's wash it again tomorrow." After that, he lay down on the kang, and after a while, he began to snore.

It's no wonder that he is tired, he walked in one breath for half a month, and he knelt in front of the emperor for more than an hour, and he tried his best to answer in front of the palace, which made him physically and mentally tired and couldn't stand it anymore.

Seeing this, Jinghui showed a little distress on her face, and waved her hand to send the maids down. She leaned over by herself, helped Cao Song take off her boots with gentle movements, and took her own quilt to cover her husband.

Then, she turned sideways, looked at her husband's sleeping face, and felt that her heart was much more steady, as if something was overflowing all of a sudden......* Cao Hao was on the morning of the first day of the new year, and when she was about to take Tianyou and Hengsheng out to pay New Year's greetings, she learned that Cao Song had returned.

Thinking that his brother would reunite after a long absence, where could he take care of anything else, he hurriedly went to Dongfu and met Cao Fu.

"Where's your second brother?" Cao Hao looked behind Cao Fu, didn't see the person he wanted to see, and asked, "Why don't you see it?" ”

Cao Fu said: "I just went to see our old lady and was asleep. Xu was very tired, and his snoring was shocking. I heard the second sister-in-law say that the second brother only returned to the house when he was in Yin, so he didn't have to sleep until noon. ”

Cao Hao nodded, asked Cao Fu a few more questions, and knew that Cao Song had nothing unusual on his body except for the black spots, so he was steady.

The two brothers had to go out to pay New Year's greetings, and the schedule was tight, so they didn't delay much, and they went out of the house to pay New Year's greetings without mentioning it.

Because he was thinking about Cao Song, Cao Hao left a few people in the morning, and the others asked Cao Yuan to take Tianyou and Hengsheng to go, and he went back to Dongfu directly.

Cao Fu also thought about his brother, and he had already turned around from the outside.

After asking people twice in the East Cross Courtyard, Cao Song was still asleep. Jinghui was already hesitating whether to call her husband up; Zhao Jia's family felt sorry for his son and did not allow Jinghui to call anyone.

Cao Hao couldn't, so it was not good to break into his brother's daughter-in-law's house directly, so he went back to Xifu to wait for news.

Because it is the first day of the Lunar New Year, there is an endless stream of guests who come to Caofu to pay New Year's greetings.

Cao Hao received several New Year's greetings and drank tea all afternoon. The two brothers, Tianyou and Hengsheng, have returned, bringing back a lot of purses, gold and silver bills.

At this time, the Li family also heard the news of Cao Song's return, so he asked people to come out and ask several times.

When it was time for dinner, Li also discussed with his son whether he wanted to go to Dongfu to see Cao Song. was persuaded by Cao Hao, only saying that Cao Song was resting and not getting in the way.

I didn't see Cao Song show up on this day, and Li felt a little unsure.

Even Cao Hao began to calculate whether Cao Song had been sleeping for too long. Thinking about it, the fatigue of the journey, coupled with the "little farewell to the newlywed", it is not uncommon to sleep for a day and a night.

When the night was getting deeper, the Li family couldn't stay up and was about to be settled, so Cao Song came quickly.

"Uncle, my nephew will give you a big peace and give you a New Year's greeting......" Cao Song entered the room and made a big salute in front of the Li family.

He followed Cao Fu, and saw that Cao Hao and his wife were in the Orchid Courtyard, and gave a salute to his brother and sister-in-law.

Seeing Cao Song kneeling, Li got up and helped him up with his own hands, looked at his black and red face, and said with red eyes: "It's good to come back, it's good ......to come back" Saying that, he looked him up and down carefully twice, and saw that he was intact, so he sighed: "Ancestors bless ......"

Cao Song opened his mouth and smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth.

He turned around and waved at Cao Hao and Chu Yu again: "Big brother, sister-in-law, the second child is back......

Chu Yu returned the salute, Cao Hao felt that his eyes were sour, patted Cao Song's shoulder vigorously, and nodded.

Li's face was full of love, his eyes turned from his son to Brother Cao Song, and said to the three of them: "No matter how good it is to go out, it is better to feel at home at ease." In the future, your brothers will support each other, not to be rich or expensive, as long as you are safe and sound. ”

The three brothers listened with their hands down and responded in unison.

Li called Cao Song to his eyes, and muttered a few more words before telling their brothers to go down.

"Ask the kitchen to bring some food, and I, my second brother and fifth brother will have a few drinks." Cao Hao said to Chu Yu.

Chu Yu responded with a smile, and Cao Hao took the two brothers to the study in the front yard to talk.

This recounted the farewell, Cao Song was extremely concerned about Tianyou's study, and asked two more questions about Tianhu's succession to Cao Fu's name.

"The imperial examination heirloom is the right way for the family, our Cao family has a successor, and the uncle can rest assured in heaven." Cao Song said.

Cao Hao thought about Cao Song's first-class guards, and said: "Traditionally, the military attachés outside have to respond to the emperor's side. You have been promoted to a higher rank, and the military attache is at least a second-rank lieutenant general. Next, as long as you boil the qualifications. It's just that the companion is like a tiger, and he must be more and more respectful in the future. ”

Cao Song's mouth responded, and he remembered the terrifying scene when he saw His Majesty, and his heart was stunned......

(To be continued)