Changgeng claimed that in order to avoid suspicion, even if he occasionally stayed in the palace at night, he would never set foot in the harem. The matters of the harem were still managed by the empress. Fortunately, Li Feng's harem did not have many people, so the empress, who was sickly, could barely manage. It was unheard of for an emperor to come to the palace all day and leave after court. In the beginning, there were people who stood out to say that this was unreasonable, but they were all scolded back. When the emperor first ascended the throne, he claimed that he was only an "interim emperor". Now, he was conscientious and did not overstep the rules. How could there always be bootlickers who wished for the world to be in chaos trying to encourage him to steal the country?
The Censorate, headed by Xu Ling, became the imperial watering can. They pinned the words "destroy the old and establish the new" on their forehead. Every day, they were responsible for finding all kinds of theoretical basis for the various decrees of the imperial court, so that they could argue more justifiably.
The emperor, who did not live in the palace, would sometimes pretend to return to Yan Wang's manor. Then, he would use Yan Wang's manor as a "living room" where he would occasionally receive court officials in private. He would turn around and go into the marquis's manor.
This year's rain came much earlier than in previous years. On the eve of Qingming Festival, there was a continuous drizzle.
Gu Yun, who was not at home all year round, did not take off his armor, but he could finally live peacefully in the capital. It was rare for him to have such a strong sense of belonging to his home, so he ordered people to tidy up the overgrown marquis's manor. The Marquis's Manor, which was about to become a ghost story, was tidied up inside and out for several days before it finally looked a little livable.
When he was tidying up the garden, he found a lot of old things. Thus, following behind Commander Huo every day to pick up old things became the new hobby of the emperor, who was out of tune, to walk for food at night.
"Is this an old item from the Princess Royal?" Changgeng pointed to a square box and asked. To avoid being disrespectful, he did not rashly touch it.
The old woman who was tidying up the room took a look and said with a smile, "Isn't it? It was specially made for Little Marquis."
As she spoke, she opened the box. Inside the treasure box that looked like a pearl box was a "feather duster".
Changgeng: "…"
The old woman said, "Little Marquis was very mischievous when he was young. He didn't take it to heart even after being reprimanded. When he was locked up in the reflection room, he would pick the lock and come out by himself. He even knew how to sneak into the kitchen to steal food. If you hit him lightly, it wouldn't work. Old Master also had such a bad temper. After a few times, he would be punished by the family law. His Majesty knows about the family law. The Old Marquis was very ruthless. The princess was afraid that something bad would happen, so one day, while marching, she saw a village woman holding a broom to discipline her son, so she thought of this trick to deal with him. "
Changgeng used both hands to "invite" the feather duster that had beaten Marshal Gu out. He saw that the object was supported by a thin pole. If he used too much force, it would break, but it wouldn't kill him. The thick "feather" on the outside was not real pheasant feather. It was made of thin bamboo threads and some kind of hard fur from an unknown animal. When he whipped it on his body, that feeling …
He grew up in the marquis's mansion, so he was more like a master than the real master. Although the old servant changed the way she addressed him as "Your Majesty", she did not seem to be surprised. She said cheerfully, "Our Marquis was really out of his league when he was young. He climbed the roof and overturned the tiles. There was no evil that he would not shrink from. Later on, he was afraid of this. No matter what he did, as long as it was mentioned, he would definitely be obedient for a while."
Gu Yun had always acted like an elder with ease in front of Changgeng. His childhood was blank to Changgeng, so he listened with great interest.
"It was only fun when the princess wanted to beat him. He ran all over the courtyard, crying as he ran. He howled as if it was real."
Changgeng asked curiously, "Real? Could it be that he was faking it? "
"Of course he was faking it," the old servant sighed as she walked, "When our little Marquis was young, you can't expect him to shed real tears without a few real beatings. Look at him crying all over the courtyard, there was only thunder and no rain. His mouth was full of words, and he would often say pitifully, 'Mother, don't you like me anymore? Don't you want me anymore? Didn't I fall from your body? 'Otherwise, he would say,' Mother, do you want to change to a younger brother who is better than me? I have already changed. Please don't change to a younger brother. I only have one mother. If she doesn't dote on me, I will become a wild child that no one wants' … His words made one's heart tremble. Even the princess couldn't bear to punish him. "
When Changgeng thought of that scene, he laughed until he was out of breath. Gu Yun was indeed a master of the art of war. From a young age, he knew that "false and real coexist" and that "attacking the heart is the best."
A smile flashed across the wrinkles at the corner of the old servant's eyes. Then, her tone suddenly changed, "Later on, he went to the border. When he came back, everything changed."
The smile on Changgeng's face gradually disappeared.
The old servant recalled, "Every day, he would shut himself in his room, ignoring people and not crying. When food was sent in, he would push it out however he wanted. No one coaxed him, and he would not open his mouth. He was originally a little monkey, but when he came back, he became a little demon. His whole person changed. After two to three months, The Old Marquis settled the matters in the north and returned home … Sigh, he might as well not have come back. In my opinion, The Old Marquis was really cruel to his son. Probably because of that incident, he was afraid that he would really be crippled. "
Changgeng asked softly, "What happened?"
"The Old Marquis kicked open the door of his room and pulled him out of the room. Think about it, his eyes were so badly injured. How could it not hurt when he saw the light? He staggered and cried. This time, it was real tears, but he did not make a sound. " The old servant pointed, "It was that small pond. The Old Marquis tied the horsewhip in a circle around Marquis' neck. He pressed his head and forced him to look into the water. He shouted into his ear, 'Look at yourself now. Do you deserve the surname Gu?'"
Changgeng looked in the direction of her finger. The pond, which had been abandoned for many years, had already dried up. It was only recently refilled with water and raised a few new fish. They were leisurely wagging their tails.
"Little Marquis' throat was stuck in the horsewhip. He shouted back, 'I can't see.'"
Changgeng seemed to go back in time with her words. His hand holding the "feather duster" twitched slightly.
"The Old Marquis pressed his head into the water and said, 'If you can't see, then lie down in the water and look carefully. You can either stand up by yourself, or you can find a beam and hang yourself. The Gu family would rather have no descendants than to keep a useless person!'" The old servant shook her head. "It's been so many years, but I still remember every word. It's so cruel."
There was no sound between the two for a while. After a long time, Changgeng asked softly, "The Old Marquis was willing to do that?"
"As a parent, it's natural to feel distressed. But what else can we do? The Old Marquis said that if a bone is broken, it can only be fixed with a steel nail. The more painful and desperate the situation is, the more we can't let him feel that he can rely on anything. Otherwise, he will lean on it and can't stand up for the rest of his life. " The old servant said, "If The Old Marquis wasn't willing to do that, who could legitimately deal with the scattered Black Iron Battalion more than a decade ago?"
Without the Black Iron Battalion, Daliang might have been swallowed up step by step during the first rebellion in the Western Regions. The westerners wouldn't have had the chance to come all the way here to take a bite. How long could they, the old princes of Jin Xiu, enjoy the glory and wealth?
"In the cold winter, his family didn't allow him to wear a cotton-padded coat to protect him from the cold. The child's hands and feet were blue from the cold. He couldn't even hold a bowl when he returned home. More than ten iron puppets surrounded him all day long. The Old Marquis watched from the side, as if he wouldn't blink even if he died … After two or three years, the husband and wife passed away one after another. Only then did Emperor Yuan and Emperor Yuan brought the little Marquis into the palace." Just as the old servant woman's voice paused, a sharp bird cry came from the corner. The two of them raised their heads and saw Gu Yun strolling over with a birdcage in his hand. It turned out that the unlucky bird surnamed Shen had been maliciously shaken until it was dizzy. It was so angry that it couldn't speak and could only scream at the top of its lungs.
Ever since Gu Yun freed himself and had the time to fix this bird, he had never been at a disadvantage in this battle between man and bird. At this time, he was strolling around with the fruits of his victory. It could be said that he was proud of his success. He was so proud that when he saw the item in Changgeng's hand, he squinted his eyes and his face suddenly darkened.
Gu Yun quickly walked over and snatched the 'feather duster', "What kind of lousy toy is this? You're not slipping!"
Even if the injuries that had followed one's body for many years were cured, it was easy to have sequelae. For example, Gu Yun wouldn't be able to see and hear for the rest of his life. For example, although Changgeng had gotten rid of the nightmares, he would still have dreams at night if he was slightly tired and worried.
That night, perhaps because he was still thinking about the 'feather duster' that Gu Yun snatched away, Changgeng had a very strange dream. He dreamt that he walked into the Marquis' residence, but it wasn't the Marquis' residence that he was familiar with. At least, it wasn't as desolate as he remembered. There were people coming and going, and it seemed more lively.
From afar, Changgeng heard the sound of metal clashing. He followed the sound and saw a group of murderous iron puppets besieging a little boy in the backyard. The little boy's eyes were covered with a layer of black cloth that covered half of his face. He dodged left and right with difficulty.
Suddenly, an iron puppet approached him from behind. The long saber in its hand had been replaced with an iron rod, and it swept towards him. As if he felt the wind that came with ill intentions, the little boy subconsciously wanted to dodge.
Wait, you can't dodge like this!
Changgeng instantly recalled something that someone had told him many years ago: "If you panic, your feet will float. If you can't stand firm, no matter how powerful your swordsmanship is, it will be like water without a source, a tree without roots … … Retreating is human nature, but it will be very difficult for you to gather the strength to counterattack in a short period of time. Instead, you will fall into the enemy's hands in a fluster."
Of course, the boy's speed couldn't be faster than the iron puppet. After a moment of hesitation, the iron puppet quickly caught up to him. With a loud bang, the monster's iron rod ruthlessly smashed into the boy's tender back. His clothes were torn apart on the spot, revealing the heart-protecting armor underneath. The boy was already sent flying.
Changgeng hurriedly rushed forward and picked up the half-dusty boy. At the same time, he pulled out the sword at his waist and nailed a few iron puppets that were relentlessly chasing after him.
He threw down the sword and wanted to untie the cloth on the boy's face with his trembling hands. However, he heard footsteps behind him. Changgeng turned around and saw a middle-aged man slowly walking over with his hands behind his back. The man was dressed in casual clothes. His face was delicate and pretty, like a graceful and well-educated scholar. However, his eyes were filled with hostility. When he faced them directly, it was as if there were thousands of soldiers and horses in his eyes.
Changgeng had never seen this person before. Although the adult Gu Yun didn't look like him, he still recognized this person's identity at first sight. Their facial features were different, but there was something similar about this father and son. They were of the same origin.
The man stood still and said to Changgeng: "Even if you take him away from here, you won't be able to raise him. Even if you forcefully raise him, he won't be able to withstand a little wind and rain … …"
Changgeng carefully picked up the boy's thin and small body: "He can rely on me."
The old Marquis of Stability shook his head. Chang Geng suddenly heard the roar of the golden box burning behind him. He quickly grabbed the boy and dodged to the side, only to see the group of iron puppets he had pinned down earlier encircle him in an orderly manner. Each one of them split into two, and in a few moments, they had already formed an army of heavy armor cast from iron, eyeing him like a tiger eyeing its prey. In the distance, the indistinct sound of a clapper could be heard. The iron puppets moved in unison, swarming forward.
Changgeng had no choice but to carry little Gu Yun and run away. He was battered and exhausted as he ran. He wanted to shout at the old man who was watching indifferently from the side: I can even tidy up the unstable old country. Can't I protect a Gu Yun?
However, he couldn't make a sound in his dream. He missed a step while running away in a panic. Changgeng's heart thumped heavily. He reached out and grabbed a hand. He suddenly opened his eyes and saw that the gas lamp in the room was already turned on. The sky outside was still dark. He was holding Gu Yun's hand tightly.
Gu Yun touched his head: "Why can't I wake you up today? Are you feeling unwell? "
Changgeng looked at him blankly for a moment: "I had a dream."
Gu Yun was shocked.
"It wasn't a nightmare. It wasn't Wu 'er Gu." Changgeng turned over and hugged one of his hands. He rolled one of his arms into his arms. He rested his forehead on Gu Yun's elbow and gently rubbed it. He whispered, "I dreamt that I took you away from The Old Marquis. Your father sent a battalion of iron puppets to kill me."
Gu Yun was stunned at first. Then, he laughed heartlessly. He used a little strength to pull the Emperor who was lazing in bed out of the quilt. He pulled out his arm: "Your Majesty is quite bold. He has 100,000 Yin soldiers in his hands. Alright, I'm done showing off. Hurry up and get up. There's a court meeting today. Oh, speaking of which, it's Qingming Festival. Could it be that he's short of paper money over there and specially came to remind me? "
Chang Geng sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Gu Yun from head to toe with the help of the lamplight. It wasn't until Gu Yun put on his clothes that he reluctantly withdrew his gaze. "Your father needs paper money. Why did he look for me and not you?"
"Because you're easy to bully." Gu Yun laughed. Then, his smile gradually changed a little, "I don't owe him anything. I guess he's too embarrassed to come and see me."
On the day of Qingming Festival, Changgeng deliberately took half a day off to accompany Gu Yun to pay respects to the ancestors' tombs.
Gu Yun seemed to be in silent meditation in front of the divine tablet. He didn't say a word. He just burned the paper money as if he had completed his task. Then, he stood aside indifferently.
He didn't need to say anything about what he had done over the years. Those two should know about it in the underworld.
On the other hand, Chang Geng earnestly offered incense and offered wine. In front of Gu Yun, he couldn't say it aloud, so he silently said in his heart, "I will take good care of him in the future. Don't worry, the two of you, don't wedge steel nails on him anymore."
"Let's go." Gu Yun gently pulled him.
Changgeng came back to his senses. Just as he was about to go back with him, he saw Gu Yun indifferently turn to the Princess' memorial tablet: "Look after your Prince Consort. Let him stay in the underworld if there's nothing. Don't harass my people."
Changgeng: "…"
When Huo Dan, who was accompanying them, heard these rebellious words, he almost knelt down and kowtowed to The Old Marquis. Gu Yun snorted softly. He turned his head and pulled Changgeng away.
Needless to say, his words were very effective. From then on, Changgeng never dreamed of The Old Marquis and his iron puppet army.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
