47 Yuanzhi is going to join the army (1/2)
Five days later, it began to rain again in the capital city. In the early hours of the morning, Empress Xiang received a private letter from Marquis Le An in the Middle Palace. After reading her younger brother's private letter, the empress had not slept for the entire night. If she could not find the register, what was the use of a king dying?
At daybreak, the Empress thought of the three words, Shangguan Yong, for a long time. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she placed the letter on the burning lamp and looked at the letter burnt to ashes. After which, the Empress ordered the court ladies behind her, ”Go and invite Commander Lin over.”
Half an incense stick of time later, the inner palace guard's deputy commander Lin Zhang sneaked into the palace.
”You take care of this person for me,” the empress showed Lin Zhang a piece of writing paper on the table.
There were only three words on the xuan paper: Shangguan Yong.
Lin Zhang said, ”Empress, from what this official knows, Shangguan Yong is out on an expedition, and only his family is in the capital.”
”He'll be back in the capital very soon. Don't let him enter the city. As for his family,” the empress stopped talking.
”Niangniang,” Lin Zhang reminded the empress, ”Shangguan Yong's wife is the crown princess second sister, An Jinxiu. They were even given a marriage by His Majesty.”
”This Dowager knows that he is An Shu's son-in-law,” the Empress said. ”But this Dowager cannot gamble my life and the crown prince's life, so we can deal with him together. It's just a mere concubine. How could An Shu possibly fall out with me for an unfavoured daughter? The sooner the matter is settled the better, and it must be done. ”
Listening to the empress's meaning, if Shangguan Yong doesn't die, her life and the crown prince's life will be in danger. After saying this, Lin Zhang didn't try to persuade the empress to think twice, and he accepted the order immediately: ”This subject obeys.”
The heavy rain continued for the entire night. When dawn of the next day arrived, the rain began to lessen, but it still continued to fall incessantly.
An Jinxiu was with An Yuanzhi, Yuan Yi, and Yuan Wei as she followed Shangguan Rui and Shangguan Ning out of the city. After the carriage left the northern part of the capital, it continued on its way to the pavilion five miles away from the official road.
”The outside of the city is covered with mud and the carriage is not easy to get on. Sis, please go back.” An Yuanzhi stood beside the carriage and told An Jinxiu, ”I'll write to you once I get to White Jade Mountain Pass.”
An Jinxiu got off the carriage and walked towards the pavilion.
”When I see brother-in-law, I will tell him that you missed him,” An Yuanzhi jokingly said to An Jinxiu. ”Didn't you write a letter to bring him to me? Why are you still worried? ”
An Jinxiu stood in the pavilion and lightly pat at An Yuanzhi. An Yuanzhi was no longer an innocent person in front of her, so it was hard for her to assume that her little brother was an experienced one.
”Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei are also with me,” An Yuanzhi said. ”With them accompanying you, what are you worried about?”
Yuan Yi, who was standing behind her, said, ”Madam, please rest assured that we will take good care of Young Master Yuan Zhi.”
An Jinxiu said apologetically to Yuan Yi, ”I'll have to trouble you to make this trip.”
”Sis, what are you saying?” An Yuanzhi unhappily said, ”I'm bringing Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei to earn a living. Do you think their martial arts will help you watch the crops every day?”
He had seen the competition between Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei and An Yuanzhi. An Yuanzhi's martial arts were very high, and the two of them were not weak either. It would be a waste for them to stay on the farm outside the city all day.
An Jinxiu poked An Yuanzhi's head, ”They are wounded, that is recuperating. When did I say that Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei are going to farm?” I was afraid that you would implicate them! ”
At this time, Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei also laughed. Their injuries were not light, and they had been taken care of and nurtured by An Jin, who was not stingy with money. It took them almost a year to recover. If Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei were to say that they were leaving now, they wouldn't be able to do so.
An Yuanzhi had said that he was going to join the army at the border, and Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei had offered to go with him. Having seen Yuan Yi's martial arts, An Yuanzhi naturally raised his hands in praise, while An Jinxiu repeatedly apologized, as if An Yuanzhi had dragged them down. This caused Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei to feel embarrassed, and they even paid more attention to An Yuanzhi.
”You have to be careful on the road.” After joking for a while, An Jinxiu warned An Yuanzhi, ”When you're in the army, you have to listen to your brother-in-law. Military discipline is not a joke. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes, so you have to be careful. Don't …”
When he saw that An Jinxiu was about to repeat these words again, he clasped his hands together and begged her, ”I'll definitely listen to brother-in-law's words. Sis, don't worry. I'll be going now. Wait for me at home.”
”Go well,” Shangguan Rui said to An Yuanzhi, ”Eldest Sis is right. What happened on the battlefield is not child's play. Yuan Zhi, you must be careful.”
An Yuanzhi touched Ping An little face again and lightly punched Shangguan Rui. He smiled and said, ”You'll be the only man in the family from now on. Little Rui Zi, take good care of the three of them.”
Shangguan Rui nodded. Little sister, sister-in-law, and Ping An's nephew. These three were his life, he couldn't afford to lose them.
Shangguan Ning stood beside An Jinxiu and shouted to An Yuanzhi, ”Big brother Yuan Zhi, you have to come back with my big brother soon. Ning'er will be waiting for you at home.”
”Alright,” An Yuanzhi smiled as he caught up with Shangguan Ning. ”When we return, I'll show you a good family!”
”Scram!” An Jinxiu finally laughed at An Yuanzhi, ”How old are you?” ”I think that when you come back, you want to get a wife!”
An Yuanzhi laughed heartily as he left the pavilion with Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei. After he mounted the horse, he told An Jinxiu, ”I'm leaving, Sis.” Then he whipped his horse and galloped off towards the north.
”Madam, we'll also leaving.” Yuan Yi and Yuan Wei, who were sitting on horseback, also clasped their hands and bowed towards An Jin.