When he returned to the imperial court,
Wang Ziteng's face was still gloomy.
Even if he wiped out the remnants of the merchants who were stubbornly resisting, it would be difficult for him to relax at all.
He couldn't help but think that his in-laws..,
Were quite a character.
He had long known that he wouldn't leave a single blade of grass or tree in Guangzhou City behind. He made a prompt decision,
He would burn down the entire city of Guangzhou as the price,
He would use so many people in the Freedom Army, including his own life, in exchange for the evacuation of the thieves in Guangzhou.
These merchants' descendants were also a lone warrior. Even if they knew their own ending..,
They still dared to come up and fight head-on.
The nephew of the Wang family who thought that he had made a great contribution..,
He was already floating in the air,
He didn't notice Wang Ziteng's true mood at all. He thought that he was just making fun of himself,
He said, "Marshal,
These merchants and thieves are really stupid,
From the moment Nanjing City was broken, the outcome was already destined. The short-haired thief was disintegrated,
The Business League of these profiteers was delusional because of the imperial court,
Most of them walked right into the trap. Hehe, with just a lone city like Guangzhou, they dare to go against us! "
However..,
He was immediately whipped.
"Idiot!" Wang Ziteng scolded. His face was even gloomier. Guangzhou,
In Guangzhou, they only got a charred and empty city,
Many thieves had escaped, and the escape of more than a hundred thousand people, but who knew what hidden dangers would be left behind. It was destined that his perfect contribution would be discounted.
And Lin Shan's goal had been achieved.
.....
"Victory! Victory! Guangzhou has been recovered! "
In September, the whole world started to snow abnormally.
However, the usually amazing snow could not hide the fact that on this day, the entire imperial court, from the emperor to the concubines to the ministers, was in boundless ecstasy.
People called this snow an auspicious sign.
After nearly three years of tug-of-war, half of the country that had been taken away by the short-haired thief, the merchant, and the other thieves had finally been recovered. Even the last city of Guangzhou, which was in the hands of the thieves, had been recovered.
The emperor sat on the dragon throne and laughed wildly, muttering, "I haven't thrown away the foundation of my ancestors", "I haven't thrown away the foundation of my ancestors". The officials watched as the old emperor, because of excessive excitement, blood rushed to the top of his head. With a bang, he fell down in the throne room.
Fortunately, Imperial Consort Jia disregarded the rules and ordered the imperial physician to rush the Emperor to the palace for treatment. After half a day, the officials felt relieved. The Emperor was only overly excited and weak, so he fainted.
However, the Emperor, who was once a strong and healthy military horse, had his body become so weak?
Everyone in His Highness smelled something fishy. Before they could think about it, the emperor came to court again the next day. As if to show his strength, the emperor, who was over sixty years old and close to seventy years old, actually issued an edict:
Everyone rejoiced and pardoned the world. For the sake of celebrating this joyous occasion, they opened up a wide range of doors and selected a wide range of beauties from prestigious clans. Furthermore, he had deliberately relaxed the age limit.
Just as everyone was thinking that the Emperor was still vigorous despite his old age, the Emperor issued an imperial edict for rewards. Everyone who performed well would be rewarded.
Amongst which, the Wang, Jia, Xue, and Shi families were even more famous.
After all, during this disaster, these four families were truly worthy of being the descendants of the nobles who founded the country. Their performances were especially outstanding.
The Wang, Jia, and Shi families were needless to say.
A few days ago, when the disciples of the Jia and Wang families returned to the capital to report, the Emperor immediately conferred them nobility.
Although it was the lowest rank, it was only a centurion. To confer such a position, one could see the heart of the Emperor.
Needless to say, Imperial Consort Jia's body had gotten heavier. The rewards flowed like water into her palace.
The position of Empress was empty all year round, and Imperial Consort Jia had already taken charge of the matters of the harem.
Entering Zhaoyang Palace was just a matter of the blink of an eye.
One could see that the Jia family's nobility, the Wang family's Duke hat, and the Shi family's official position were all stable. The Jia and Wang families also had the life of a phoenix in the palace.
Thinking about this, the white-haired Head Eunuch squinted his eyes. He was thinking about instructing his disciples on how to behave and how to control their attitudes when they went to the four families to issue the edict.
As for the Jia family. They were beating gongs and drums and hanging red banners. Even Mother Jia, who was getting sicker by the day, climbed up from her sickbed to worship her ancestors.
Day and night, there were nobles who came to visit — the Consort's family or the future Empress' family. How could they not thank their ancestors?
Moreover, their son Jia Zhengde had been promoted to Minister of Works.
The Jia family's precious seedling, Jia Baoyu, had also received the emperor's grace and was promoted to High Scholar.
Wang Family.
The stone lion in front of the door had a few more sizes added, and its appearance changed. The signboard was remade, and on it was written 'Duke An's Manor'.
Not a single one of the people who came and went was lower than the nobles of the royal family.
Although the maids and grannies of the Wang Family were low profile, they were even more expensive than normal aristocratic family ladies.
They had the demeanor of Prince Xie of Wei and Jin five hundred years ago.
On the surface, the Xue Family did not receive any promotions. Only now did everyone understand the purpose of the Emperor's imperial edict to select concubines. Although the Xue Family had made great contributions, they were imperial merchants and were originally merchants. After this disaster involving the merchants, it was inevitable that the Emperor would be wary of merchants' families. It was not easy for him to promote them. His daughter, Xue Baochai, was a good person. She was talented and beautiful, but she had wasted her marriage until now. She was already 21 years old. It was said that she had chosen Chuxiu Palace because she wanted to.
Even the Shi family, which had the lowest reward, was made a Marquis. In the past, the courtyard was deserted, but now it was full of luxurious carriages and precious horses. Even the daughter of the Shi family who married the Wei family and lived alone in her parents' home had countless talents coming to ask for her hand in marriage.
…
Baoyu sat alone in the withered Grand View Garden in a daze.
He remembered that when the imperial edict came, he was in a daze. The eunuch was full of smiles. This was the Imperial Concubine. He might be the Empress's brother in the future. He was the son of the new Minister of Works. No matter how bad he was, he was still a High Scholar bestowed by the Emperor.
He didn't think about his own glory.
The Grand View Garden was going to be rebuilt as his new house. His eldest sister was going to live in Zhaoyang Palace. His second sister, Tanchun, was going to marry the son of the assistant minister of the Ministry of War. His third sister, Xichun, was going to marry into a noble family. Sister Bao heard that she was going to enter the palace.
It was a heartwarming scene.
Wealth, glory, and splendor were noisy.
The snow was cold. He thought, "I wish you all well. I wish you all well." You all got what you wanted.
He went in the direction of the nunnery.
…
Shi Xiangyun changed out of her plain-colored mourning dress.
She threw the wooden fish aside.
She tore the scripture into pieces.
"Auntie." Then, she faced the countless marriage proposals placed in front of her. Under the surprised gazes of the other party, she suddenly smiled. In her smile, there was a faint shadow of her past.
It was ridiculous. They were the ones who wanted her to live as a widow. Now, they were the ones who wanted to marry her off.
She turned her back to her deceased husband, Wei Ruolan. She said, "After marriage, follow the father. My heart is cold after marriage. I am willing to stay in the nunnery alone. "
She tore her plain-colored mourning dress and smashed the wooden fish. She got rid of the divine edict. Her family was rich and famous.
Shi Xiangyun's heart was really dead. She devoted herself to Buddha.
…
Bao Chai was in a daze when the golden cloth, the most honorable gold in the world, was in her hand. After a while, she came back to her senses. She bowed to the eunuch who issued the edict and received it. She was to enter the palace immediately and be conferred the title of a talented person.
Aunt Xue was so happy that she shed tears. Xue Pan was so happy that he kept saying that he wanted to hold a big banquet and invite the whole city. He shouted that he wanted to see who would dare to say that his sister was an old woman.
She continued to praise her sister, saying, "My sister is wise and intelligent. She deserves to enter the palace. If it wasn't for my sister who taught me to contact the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce …" Aunt Xue immediately hit her on the head. "If you continue to talk nonsense and ruin your sister's future, I'll skin you alive!"
Bao Chai's family was so happy. However, she still looked indifferent.
The setting sun shone on her snow-white skin, illuminating her indifferent expression that made her look even more beautiful. The wind started to blow.
This wind was strange. Although it was weak, it kept circling. It was like the strange wind that assisted the roc in its journey.
Her heart gradually warmed up.
Good wind, help me up to the sky.
…
…
Heaven and earth were boundless. Gloomy gray clouds condensed for thousands of miles and fluttered in the air. It was actually snowing.
Lin Daiyu stood on the deck.
She reached out to catch a snowflake. It was extremely cold to the touch.
The shore was already far away. Looking around, she saw the vast snow and the vast sea.
It was difficult to distinguish between the snow and the sea.
Where was the dynasty? Where was home?
She couldn't help but think of the middle-aged knight, Wang Ziteng, who waved his hand. Behind him, a black mass of flashing sharp light — a "tide" of light from swords and sabers surged forward.
"Get on the ship, Daiyu," her uncle said.
Without giving her any leeway, immediately, the soldiers of the free army pushed her to the deck apologetically. The crew pulled her up.
Her uncle waved his sword. The crew of the free army quickly untied the rope.
The ship swung out of the blue waves.
The remaining few thousand people of the free army were still on the shore.
They turned around and turned their backs to her. They turned their backs to the ship that was leaving. They faced the fierce army of the imperial court in front of them. The blue uniform on their bodies had long been dyed red by blood.
This posture was the posture of a guard.
They retreated all the way. In the end, the ship that couldn't retreat was behind them. It was filled with relatives, lovers, and friends who didn't have the ability to fight.
Her last memory was fixed on the scene of the blood-red sea at the port.
Someone came from outside.
It was a sailor from the free army.
His face was full of sorrow. "Sir, please restrain your grief … the marshal … he didn't let us reveal the news to you. He was afraid that you … "
He couldn't bear to continue.
"Afraid of what? Afraid that I know that uncle didn't plan to leave Guangzhou alive from the beginning. He just used himself as bait to attract the main force of the imperial court so that he could preserve the lives of the people of Guangzhou? "She asked calmly.
"Mr. Xiaoxiang …" the young sailor was so frightened by her unusual calmness that he took a step back in fear. "You …"
At this moment, the sailor heard Lin Daiyu say very softly and slowly, "I know. I've always known. "
The sailor was at a loss. After a long while, he carefully asked, "Then … Mr. Xiaoxiang, do you want to go to Nanyang with us to avoid the disaster?"
"No. I want to go to Texi. "
"That's too far. It's too chaotic. I heard that Texi is in chaos. Some time ago, the emperor was sent to the guillotine … You're alone … this … why are you?"
Lin Daiyu didn't speak anymore.
She walked to the railing. The bone-chilling snow wind from the sea blew in her face. Snowflakes fell all over her head and face.
She took out the dried kapok from the sachet. There was only a little bit of dried fragrance left in the flower.
This dried fragrance immediately evoked her memories of when she first came to the Southern Kingdom.
The kapok bloomed all over the city, bright red like fire.
Someone sang the Freedom Song.
"I wish that my son is such a flower, free to bloom and never wither."
But the song gradually faded and became softer and softer. In the end, like smoke and clouds, it disappeared in the empty snow.
The dream of the dynasty also disappeared in the cold and white snow.
She lowered her head and kissed the withered "Freedom Flower" and "Hero Flower" with the same cold and pale lips.
Then, she threw the withered flower and the sachet into the sea.
There were no tears.
Not a single drop.
....
When night fell, the sky was covered with snow and the vast sea. It was as if there was only one boat between heaven and earth.
Lin Daiyu exhaled a breath of cold air. It was bone-chilling outside the window. Because she escaped in a hurry, she didn't even bring a heater. Her hands, which had been weak and boneless all her life, actually had frostbite. It was painful and itchy.
But the faint coquettishness that had always accompanied her in the first half of her life disappeared without a trace.
She picked up the pen without care and began to write the last work she wrote before leaving the dynasty, "A Dream of the Dynasty" by the candlelight.
In the preface, there was a kapok flower, bright and dazzling.
Lin Daiyu wrote the only preface in her life that she had written in her own hand.
"This flower is not an ordinary one. It should come from a foreign land.
If the flower here withered and withered.
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