Rebirth of a Star General

In the Golden Palace, Uto's messenger Manimbu stood respectfully on the side, waiting for the entourage behind him to continuously present gifts to the Great Wei Emperor.

A pomegranate tree made of gold, a pair of white peacocks, two ivory, a luminous stone the size of a fist... Emperor Wenxuan looked at it with great interest, with a very satisfied expression.

"This is all the sincerity of the people of Uto to His Majesty." Maningbu bowed respectfully and gave a big gift to Emperor Wenxuan.

Emperor Wen Xuan felt extremely at ease.

Back then, the late emperor had several sons, and he was the one with the most mediocre aptitude, but because he was the eldest son and the crown prince, the late emperor passed on the throne to him. After Emperor Wenxuan ascended the throne, as he was in his youth, he did not make much achievements in political affairs. If not for Xu Jingfu's help at the beginning, I am afraid that even the throne would not be stable.

Over the years, he had been very ambitious at the beginning, and then he had to admit that he was an ordinary person, and then he felt that there was nothing wrong with it. From sitting on the throne to now, he has finally done a beautiful thing, and raised Wei Guowei, which is a merit that is enough to be recorded in the annals of history.

"You Utuo Kingdom, you were waiting for an opportunity to invade the Great Wei territory. How can you make a little apology?" Emperor Wenxuan said solemnly.

Manimbu bowed his head in fear: "Your Majesty, this is all a misunderstanding, Utuo country is weak, how dare to compare it with Dawei, even if Utuo country has a hundred courage, it will not dare to invade. Going back and talking about all kinds of things in the past is of no use. Not only these gifts, the lord of the country also asks you to offer your Majesty an apology." He looked at Emperor Wen Xuan, "That is to allow the merchants in the Uto Kingdom to be in the Great Wei Dynasty. Open a market in the territory.”

Emperor Wenxuan frowned: "The establishment of a market in the Great Wei territory is clearly beneficial to you. How can it be an apology? What a cunning Utto!"

The prince stood aside and said, "Father, please listen to what he has to say."

Maningbu knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, the people of the Uto country have no intention of invading the Great Wei, and the establishment of a shovel is also beneficial to the Great Wei without any harm. Your Majesty remembers that the historical records recorded that the Ming Dynasty of the previous dynasty had sent envoys to the West. The Yue Kingdom opened a farm, and learned the art of horse herding from the Western Moon Kingdom. Later, the civil war was mahehe, and the cavalry was heroic." He paused, "The people of the Utuo country are poor, if you can open a farm in the Great Wei, you will be the same as the Great Wei. By communicating with each other, the Uto nation will no longer have to live without food as before. And every year, the Uto nation is willing to give 50% of the harvest in the market to His Majesty."

If it is said that the wearing of the tall hat in front just made Emperor Wenxuan feel at ease, and he would not be moved, the last sentence of Maningbu was exactly what the emperor had in mind.

You know, the treasury has been empty in recent years. Because Huayuan and Rundu fought, it cost a lot of silver taels. It takes a lot of money to raise troops. Why did Emperor Wen Xuan accept the Utuo Kingdom's request for peace, not only because he didn't like war, but also because he was too shy.

After a war, I don't know how long it will take to recover. Besides, there is no money, how to fight? And now, when you open a market, you can receive 50% of the dividends every year. Dawei is so big, and there are many merchants in Utopia... It sounds like a good deal.

Emperor Wen Xuan subconsciously looked at Xu Jingfu beside him.

Xu Jingfu, he still trusted, if it wasn't for Xu Jingfu's support, he would not have sat in this position for so many years.

Xu Jingfu just smiled and stood aside without speaking. Emperor Wenxuan immediately understood, and said: "I can accept the matter of seeking peace. However, setting up a court is very important. I am the emperor of the Great Wei, so I cannot respond to you casually. I will do it after I have thought about it clearly. reply."

Manimbu was not disappointed. Hearing this, he knelt down gratefully and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

The messengers of Uto knelt down together and shouted long live the emperor. Emperor Wenxuan was in a very good mood, but the prince standing on one side looked a little ugly. He glanced at Xu Jingfu, and his eyes were hard to hide.

After the messenger Uto left, only Xu Jingfu and the emperor were left in the hall. The attendant beside him supported Emperor Wenxuan to the apse, and Emperor Wenxuan asked, "Xu Xiang thinks, how about opening a restaurant in Dawei?"

"Although Maningbu offered to give 50% of the proceeds to His Majesty, the old minister believes that it is better not to draw conclusions lightly." Xu Jingfu said: "Now in the confrontation with the Utuo Kingdom, it is the Great Wei who has the upper hand and cannot be defeated. Uto people lead by the nose. And now it is said to be 50%, but Uto people are cunning, really at that time, if you hide the income, it will be difficult for Your Majesty to prove it one by one. Therefore, it is not yet time."

When Emperor Wenxuan heard it, he also felt that what Xu Jingfu said was quite reasonable, nodded and sighed: "Xu Xiang, the only one who can share my worries around me now is you."

"I believe you."

Xu Jingfu smiled slightly, "It is the responsibility of a courtier to share your worries for Your Majesty. The old minister should be like this, and he is willing to do it for His Majesty."

...

As soon as the prince returned to the mansion, he kicked the table in front of him angrily. The maids and servants around were startled, and immediately knelt down, no one dared to step forward. Only a red-clothed maid walked out of it. Ignoring the prince's anger, he walked over to him and said softly, "Why did His Highness lose his temper as soon as he returned to the house, but he was having an affair with someone he hated?"

Guang Yan looked at the beauty beside him. In the entire mansion, when everyone was afraid of him, only this woman was not afraid of anything and walked over as usual. But this fearlessness is not annoying, but it makes people feel that she is really caring about herself.

"I met someone I hate." The prince took Yingxiang and walked into the hall, saying as he walked, "Xu Xiang, this immortal old man, dares to do bad things to me!"

He sat down before the collapse, took the jug and poured a glass of wine to calm down his anger. Ying Xiang snuggled into his arms and said with a smile, "Why is it Xu Xiang again? Recently, just listening to the servants, Xu Xiang has already upset His Highness for several days."

"You're right," Guangyan snorted, "The immortal is now relying on his age, and he has to intervene in the affairs of Ben Gong. Ben Gong is watching, and it will not be long before even Ben Gong's backyard. I have to take care of it. I think God just thinks that he is too busy with his own business, and he will be called the last in this life!"

These vicious words made Ying Xiang laugh "giggling", she also stretched out her slender hand, took a sip from the wine cup in the Prince's hand, and said with a tender smile, "Of course, like your Highness, there will be more in the future. Happy son."

"What are you implying to Ben Gong?" Guangyan pinched her cheek, the beauty ducked with a smile, making the anger in his heart turn into lust, and was about to pull over to kiss Fangze, outside Someone said: "His Royal Highness, someone is asking to see you."

"Who is it?" Guang Yan was disappointed and said impatiently.

"Mr. Manimbu, the messenger of Uto."

The prince was startled, then put down the wine glass, frowned and waved: "Let him come in."

Ying Xiang also stood up, tidied up her dress, and stood up to serve the prince.

Manimbu came in.

He has the appearance of a typical Uto man, short and strong, and looks simple and amiable, but when his eyes roll, he looks a little treacherous and cunning. He smiled and walked to the prince's side, bowed and saluted: "His Royal Highness, we meet again."

When the prince saw Maningbu, his irritability in the hall was aroused again, and he only said: "Sit down."

Manimbu sat down opposite the prince.

"You have also seen the opening of the restaurant." Guang Yan said, "It's not that this palace doesn't help you, but this palace has done its best."

Maningbu was still smiling, showing no sign of annoyance at all, "His Royal Highness and the country lord have already agreed to help Uto Kingdom open a market in Great Wei, and Uto Kingdom will help His Highness get everything His Highness wants. Could it be..." He said calmly, "Has Your Highness given up that position?"

"Nonsense!" Guang Yan angrily said, "What do you know!"

"In the Great Wei Dynasty, there are not a few people who secretly support the Fourth Prince. The Crown Prince and that General Feng Yun have always had a festival, and the Great Wei Emperor prefers the Fourth Prince... No matter from which point of view, His Highness is very disadvantageous."

The prince gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Although he occupies the position of the crown prince, as long as Emperor Wenxuan does not issue an edict, his crown prince will not be able to sit comfortably for a day. Originally, Xiao Huaijin was driven out of Shuojing with great difficulty, but he did not expect the battle in Jiyang, but he regained his reputation.

How can I be reconciled to let that soft egg from Guangshuo sit on the throne?

"That's not His Highness's reason," Ying Xiang muttered, "It was clearly Xu Xiang who blocked it. Our Highness is also very willing to help Wutuo Kingdom set up a market in Dawei."

Maningbu couldn't help but raised his head and glanced at the person who was speaking. Seeing the beauty of this maidservant, he couldn't help but be amazed for a moment.

But soon, he recovered from his beauty, he said: "Xu Xiang? Xu Xiang has been obstructing frequently. When the first battle in Jiyang, it was because of him that the rumors leaked. Your Highness," Manimbu He smiled and said, "Are you really sure that Xu Xiang is from your side?"

"What do you mean?" Guangyan asked cautiously.

"It's nothing," Manimbu smiled, "I just think that Xu Xiang is a smart person, and Xiao Zhongwu died in Xu Xiang's hands at the beginning. As a smart person, he never exposes his cards to others, so why should His Highness believe it? , Xu Xiang's support for His Royal Highness is really supporting His Highness?"

"You don't want to provoke the relationship between Ben Gong and Xu Xiang!" Guang Yan sneered: "Cunning Uto, how could Ben Gong fall for you?"

"It's okay if Your Highness doesn't believe it." Manimbu smiled and said, "However, I have to say one more thing. If His Highness is just reluctant to bear the connections and connections in Xu Xiang's hands, rather than caring too much about Xu Xiang himself, in fact, there is no need to do so. It's so embarrassing. Because..." Maningbu said softly: "Wei Shuojing and Xu Jingfu are not the only ones who can help His Royal Highness, just as Xiao Zhongwu can be replaced by Xiao Huaijin, Xu Jingfu, of course, can also be replaced by younger people. The same is true. With the means and connections of the young eagle, it is easier to train than the adult poisonous snake, isn't it?"

Guang Yan looked at him thoughtfully, but Manimbu laughed and stood up, "Your Highness doesn't have to give me an answer too quickly. In a few days, when His Majesty hosts a banquet for the Uto messenger, I will reply to you. It's not too late." He instructed the entourage behind him, "I'll go back first, wait a few days, and hear the good news from His Highness."

Manimbu left.

Only Yingxiang and Guangyan were left in the hall.

Guang Yan's expression was uncertain, thinking about what Maningbu had just said, although he said righteously at the time that he would not provoke the other party's words, but in the end, there was a slight shake in his heart.

Xu Xiang is a smart person. He has frequently contradicted himself on the Uto people recently. He clearly knew that if he didn't do what the Uto people said, he might have nothing, but he still did it regardless of his own position. I thought he was getting more out of tune as he got older, but now... Guang Yan is not sure.

Could it be that Xu Xiang has been bought by Guang Shuo since a long time ago?

...

The He family has been busy these days.

Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing came to the door again a few days ago. It was about the marriage between He Yan and Xiao Jue. As we all know, at the celebration banquet, His Majesty gave marriage to Chu Zhao and Xu Pingting, He Yan and Xiao Jue, and Chu Zhao and Xu Pingting got married next month. Xiao Jue and He Yan's wedding date, after Bai Rongwei asked an expert to calculate it, set two dates.

One is the seventh day of the lunar new year, and the other is the tenth day of the lunar new year, both of which are auspicious days for marriage.

He Yan was not in the mansion. Although he was an official with little real power, he still had to do things every day, although it was all chores. When He Yunsheng heard Bai Rongwei's words, he immediately frowned and said, "Isn't that only a month's worth of preparation time, is it too hasty?"

He Sui was also very happy at first, but after hearing He Yunsheng's words, he felt that something was wrong.

"Second Master He, don't worry," Bai Rong said with a smile, "Huaijin's marriage, in fact, Rubi and I have already started preparing for him two or three years ago. It's just that Huaijin has never had a girl he likes. Now, His Majesty bestowed the marriage, and Huai Jin likes Miss He very much, so naturally there is no need to delay. The dowry list, tomorrow I will ask the people in the house to send it over."

"Two or three years ago?" He Yunsheng was still suspicious, "You don't even know who Dudu Xiao likes, how can you prepare the dowry?"

This time, it was Xiao Jing who spoke, and Xiao Jing said earnestly: "In Xiao's family, marriage is not a matter of family status. As long as it is a girl that Huai Jin likes, it will definitely be the best. So there will be no less betrothal gifts."

"Yunsheng doesn't know how to speak, don't take offense, Young Master Xiao." He Sui glared at He Yunsheng, "We don't think too much of the dowry. Yan Yan is my daughter, my wife passed away early, and Yan Yan was the one who pulled me over. Yes, although our family is not rich, Yan Yan has been pampered since he was a child. I don't care about the others, just..." He looked at Bai Rongwei, his always easy-going and honest face, a little more serious. Su, "The person my daughter is married will definitely love her as much as I treat her. The dowry is for others to see, and Yun and I don't spend a lot of money in our daily life. I don't care, I care. It's the days when Yan Yan entered the Xiao family."

He smiled: "I'm a rough person, I can't speak, I know that the Xiao family has an extraordinary position in Dawei, and our family is high, but... I'm not bragging, looking at the whole Dawei, my daughter is also unique. I just think I know..." His tone became uncharacteristically sharp, "When Yan Yan enters the mansion, Dudu Xiao will still accept concubines. If so, I don't mind waiting another year or two to marry off my daughter, if not , I don't have any opinion on the seventh or tenth day of the first day."

He Yunsheng looked at his father in surprise.

He always looked down on He Sui's good face towards the Xiao family, and always felt as if he was rushing to climb up the family. Even though His Majesty bestowed the marriage, He Yan was a girl, of course he had to be more reserved. If people think that their He family is easy to handle, wouldn't they eat He Yan to death in the future? Not to mention these high gates, even if they live in the alleys of ordinary people like them, they can hear rumors that the husband's family is bullying the new daughter-in-law together.

He thought that He Sui would follow Grandma Xiao's words and quickly agree to the marriage between He Yan and Xiao Jue, but he did not expect He Sui's question to be so acute.

Their family was poor, and He Sui married a wife. Even after her wife died, she never thought about continuing the string and taking a concubine. It was natural. He Yunsheng didn't think there was anything wrong, but this was the case with poor families, and it was not easy to feed one more person. But the big family is different. He Yunsheng has been admitted to the academy. There are many classmates from good families in the academy, and there will be a few concubines in the house more or less.

This is the case with big families, not to mention the children of nobles.

It's not that He Yunsheng didn't think about this, but every time he thought about it, he was deliberately avoided. Because His Majesty's marriage is immutable, and the world is like this. It is the norm for rich and powerful people to have three wives and four concubines. If not, the mistress will be scolded and jealous by others.

But now, He Sui didn't hide it at all, and just said it directly. And in these words, there is also a little threat that if Xiao Jue dares to take a concubine, he will not marry his daughter to him. What about His Majesty's gift of marriage? To put it in a bad way, His Majesty is not too young now, and He Yan is just at a young age. If it takes a few years, everyone will be immortal, and who cares about whether to grant marriage or not.

Once the emperor and the courtier, who knows what tomorrow will be like, rules, when there is no choice, it is a rule, and when some choose, it is a fart!

Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing looked at each other, and after a while, Bai Rongwei smiled and said, "Master He is joking, the Xiao family has never had any rules for taking concubines."

"When the father-in-law and mother-in-law were alive, there were no concubines in the mansion. I have been married to Rubi for many years, and there is no other person between me. Huaijin should be like this."

Xiao Jing also said: "Mr. He's remarks may be too contempt for Huai Jin. It is precisely because Miss He is a unique woman in the Wei Dynasty that Huai Jin has a deep affection for her. Huai Jin's temperament, I am the eldest brother. It's very clear that once I've identified one thing, I won't take another look. I dare to swear with the entire Xiao family that in Huai Jin's life, there will be no other women except Miss He. If Mr. He doesn't believe me, he can face him again. Ask Huaijin once. However," he said with a smile, "I have said something like an oath thousands of times. Those who don't keep their promises will still betray them. Those who truly honor their promises, needless to say, will also take them to heart. "

He Yunsheng looked at Xiao Jing and secretly said in his heart, just as he defended He Yan, this Xiao Rubi seemed to be particularly protective of Xiao Huaijin. The two brothers have such a good relationship, and the family style should be good.

The two young masters of the Xiao family, one He Ruo Chunfeng and the other Chan Ru Qiushui, are both dragons and phoenixes among people, and what they say, they will definitely do it.

He Sui laughed: "No need, I trust the eldest young master, and I also trust Governor Xiao. I have no opinion on whether it is the seventh day or the tenth day!"

Bai Rongwei also laughed, "That's great, I'll start writing posts from today, so as not to delay the auspicious time."

After discussing with He Sui about the marriage for a while, Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing got up and left. After the two of them left, He Yunsheng looked at He Sui and asked, "Father, what Young Master Xiao just said, Dudu Xiao will not take a concubine in the future, how credible do you think this statement is?"

He Sui said: "Five percent."

"What?" He Yunsheng almost jumped up, "Didn't you just say that you can trust the two brothers? You said it so firmly, I really believed it!"

"I didn't grow up with them, and I've only heard people say it. How do I know if what they say is true or false? Lu Yao knows that Ma Li has seen people's hearts for a long time, and I've only seen them a few times. Can I read minds?" He Sui cursed.

"then you……"

"I just want them a guarantee, and let the Xiao family know that although our family is poor and not an official family, our family is not easy to bully. If Yan Yan is wronged in their family, I will fight for this. life, it won't make them any better."

"Come on," He Yunsheng said in disbelief, "If we fight our two lives together, we won't necessarily be able to move a finger."

He Sui slapped him on the head with a slap, "How can I try to destroy my prestige as long as others' ambition? When can I learn from your sister."

"What to learn, learn how to make her smile when she sees Governor Xiao?" He Yunsheng scoffed, "Besides, if Governor Xiao really wants to take a concubine in the future, let's jump up and down in such a hurry, maybe He Yan's heartless self. I don't care, I'm still stupid to help people with money."

"She won't."

"what?"

He Sui lowered her head and smiled, "Yan Yan won't."

"This child looks very arrogant, not bad-hearted, and sometimes a little stubborn. Xiao Rubi said that his younger brother would not look at one thing when he recognized it. Yan Yan is not," he said fondly: "When I was a child, I took her to the market to pick a skirt. She wanted the most beautiful one, and she had to get that one. The more expensive and better one next to her would be given to her, and she didn't want it either."

"I said those words just to scare the Xiao family. Yan Yan really wants to marry, so I won't stop her. I can see that Yan Yan likes Xiao Huaijin, and the way she looked at Xiao Huaijin was like when your mother looked at me back then. generally."

He Yunsheng was also moved by He Sui's remarks, and when he heard the last sentence, his emotion was immediately put away. He said with sour teeth: "Don't talk about this. Besides, don't say that He Yan is so stubborn. Before, she didn't like the fan named Fan, and she didn't like it to death. Now I don't see her mentioning this person again."

There was another sentence He Yunsheng didn't dare to say. When Fan Cheng died, He Yan was as calm as an ant on the side of the road, and he didn't shed any tears.

He Sui: "Can it be the same? Fan is not a person."

He Yunsheng: "..."