Most of the border cities are used for stationing troops.

The General's Mansion was built in the center of the city. It was the mansion of the generals stationed in Xinzhou and Yanmen Pass in the past dynasties. It occupies an extremely large area in a small city like Xinzhou.

Yan Lin led them all the way to the door.

"The news that Mr. Xie came to oversee the army has already been heard in the city. All the generals of high rank in the army are already waiting inside."

He dismounted at the door, handed the reins to the sergeant beside him, and even helped Jiang Xuening who was about to dismount next to him, said this to Xie Wei who came out of the car, and then waved his hand.

"Please sir."

Xie Wei didn't wear official uniform, only plain clothes.

Others only heard that there was a high official from Beijing in the border city these two days, and they had been wondering in their hearts what kind of person he was.

Such a person is actually an official?

Xie Wei didn't look at the others, got out of the car, walked up the steps with Yan Lin, walked into the general's residence, and only asked: "Do you want to listen to the discussion together?"

Jiang Xuening was stunned for a moment before realizing: "Mister asked me?"

Xie Wei glanced at her, but said nothing.

Jiang Xuening shivered inexplicably, feeling that Xie Juan's eyes were chilling, she straightened her back a little, but subconsciously glanced at Yan Lin, thought about the relationship between the two, and felt that she should not get involved Regarding this matter, he said: "No, how can I understand? Let Yan Lin find someone to take me to rest first."

This mouthful of "Yan Lin" made the people around him break out in cold sweat.

But she didn't realize it.

Yan Lin didn't have any objections, so he called the old housekeeper of the General's Mansion and asked him to take Jiang Xuening to the guest room.

Xie Wei waved his hand to Jianshu and said, "You follow too."

Jianshu lowered his head and said, "Yes."

He backed away from Xie Wei, and automatically followed Jiang Xuening.

This made Jiang Xuening a little confused.

But after thinking about it, she said that Yan Lin had already taken over the military power, but after all, the time was short, who knows what accidents would happen at this time, so be careful to send someone to follow her.

She didn't say anything, turned around and followed the housekeeper.

Yan Lin looked at the sword book following her, but suddenly frowned for some reason, and felt that vague strangeness again.

He turned his gaze to look at Xie Wei.

Xie Wei didn't respond, he just said "Let's go too", then walked through the hall and went to the meeting hall.

There are 100,000 troops stationed at the border, and there are more than a dozen generals with names and surnames, and the local state officials in Xinzhou are also counted, so when Xie Wei went to see him, it was quite lively.

He was calm and composed, but these people were somewhat apprehensive.

After all, seeing that winter is coming, I have never heard of anyone who took the initiative to provoke a war in winter. They all have their own worries.

Yan Lin arrived in Xinzhou a month ago.

alone.

At that time, he had neither a transfer order nor an imperial decree, and he was even a "criminal minister" who left the place of exile without authorization. Fortunately, there were not many people who knew him at the border, so he just took this opportunity to understand the situation at the border.

The Mansion of Yongyihou had originally led the troops to fight.

Many of the frontier generals were former troops of his father Yan Mu.

That would have been a good thing.

However, after the accident in the Hou's Mansion, many people were also implicated. They were either not allowed to go further in the army, or were dismissed and demoted. The one in charge of the 100,000 garrison in Xinzhou naturally belonged to the Xiao family.

So on the day when he first came to power, Yan Lin did one thing in order to be able to transfer orders in the future.

"Beheaded?"

Jiang Xuening followed the housekeeper to the guest room, and inevitably asked about the border town, but she was stunned when she heard something that Yan Lin hadn't said when she was on the street just now.

"Before the battle..."

The old housekeeper was getting old, and his back was hunched, but he didn't feel sorry for the unlucky ghost who lost his head. He said in a low voice, "General Yan just came to Xinzhou. Isn't this a great thing for the people? Haven't the border crossed all these years?" Fighting, I don’t know how many wastes are raised, lying on us ordinary people to **** blood. It’s a joy to kill, and it deserves it!”

Jiang Xuening fell silent suddenly.

The old housekeeper was still talking: "Seeing that the Tatars are about to attack, a bunch of idiots still want to avoid the war. Yesterday the eldest princess went to make a wedding, and tomorrow those **** can come and plunder the girls in the city!" A general who doesn't want to fight is a good general, but a general who doesn't dare to fight will be dragged out and killed like this. You came late, and it will be a few days in the morning, and the blood on the general platform outside the city hasn't dried yet. .”

Jianshu glanced at Jiang Xuening quietly.

Jiang Xuening was thoughtful.

The old butler had already arrived at the front of the guest room, and after talking for a long time before he realized it, he quickly bowed and said, "Look at me, I talk a lot when I'm old, and I don't know whether these words should be said in front of nobles, so don't blame me."

Jiang Xuening was just a little surprised.

But there's really nothing surprising.

If you want to gain a firm foothold in such a place and truly control the military power, decisive means of killing are indispensable. Only by killing the chickens to warn the monkeys can the hearts of the remaining people be sympathetic, and the old troops of the Marquis Mansion in the army can be truly convinced.

She just feels pity for the old boy—

Alone in such a place, I had to make all kinds of decisions when I was alone and helpless, and I didn't know how many hardships and dangers I encountered, but when I met her, I didn't mention a word, as if everything was going well.

Jiang Xuening thanked the old housekeeper, entered the room by herself, and found that the room had been carefully furnished, not as rough as it looked from the outside, and even newly bought rouge was placed on the dowry.

She couldn't help smiling.

Turning his head, he said to Jianshu: "I won't go out even if I'm in the house, you go back and follow your husband first, in case you have any orders, you can take care of them."

Jianshu hesitated for a moment, probably because he felt that the unfamiliar environment of Xinzhou was worrying, so he bowed to her and said goodbye without saying anything, and turned back to the direction of the conference hall.

Xie Weilai naturally got to know the situation in the city first.

These generals are most worried about the food situation.

The imperial court sent Xie Wei to be the military governor, but in fact it was to prevent mutiny at the border, so naturally they would not prepare any food and fodder, and it could be said that there was not even the slightest rumor. But Xie Weiyan has other plans in Lindu, the Tatars must be fought, and Shen Zhiyi must be rescued, so when responding to the question about food and grass, there is no panic at all, only that the food, grass and luggage are already on the way, please don't worry Worry.

After all the officials from the capital like him had said it, everyone felt a little relieved.

After the discussion, they only said that they would have a banquet at night to cleanse Xie Wei, and they all resigned.

Only Xie Wei and Yan Lin were left in the hall.

The tea in the teacup has only a little temperature left.

Xie Wei picked it up and took a sip.

Yan Lin stared at him, with rare hesitation in his eyes, and even a different kind of scrutiny. He tried to discern what was in his eyebrows and eyes, trying to find some clues from his father's expectation and watch over the past two years.

At the beginning, the Yongyihou's Mansion suffered from ransacking the family and exterminating the family, but fortunately, there was someone behind him to help.

This person is Xie Wei.

But what does he have to do with the Hou Mansion? There is nothing on the surface, it is just that he was the husband when he entered the palace to study.

Back then, when his father was ill, Yan Lin had his own guesses and asked him, "Who the **** is Mr. Xie?"

Father coughed badly, but refused to reveal more.

But with tears in his eyes, he said to him, "He is the one you have to trust completely."

At that time, he had a secret answer in his heart.

Yan Lin was silent for a long while before saying, "Thank you sir for taking care of me these years."

Xie Wei rolled his eyes: "Is Hou Ye okay?"

Yan Lindao: "In the past years, there were always some things that weighed on me in the capital. The root cause of the disease was left early. It was more serious on the way to Huangzhou. However, after arriving there, the life became more difficult, and then I became more relaxed. It seems that something opened my heart It’s like a knot, but it’s healed. When I left Huangzhou, Boss Lu came to take care of me, and I’ve settled down.”

Xie Wei nodded and stopped talking.

He was never easy to get close to.

Yan Lin also had a hard time thinking that the old gentleman was actually his eldest brother, and he blinked, unable to change his address, and asked, "Sir, what should the court do when you come here?"

Xie Wei said: "The border gate is still some time away from the capital, and even if Xinzhou is in control of such a big event, it is impossible to cut off the communication of news. Therefore, the war must be resolved quickly, otherwise it is uncertain when the court reacts. You have to face the enemy. But if you can take down Tartar and rescue the princess before the court reacts, you will win a move. At that time, I will only say that when you arrive in Dexinzhou, the frontier garrison has fallen into your control. It is really beyond my power If you want to change, you have to go with the flow. You are in charge of the army and the hearts of the people, but the imperial court dare not break up with you, and will try every means to recruit you and make you a duke and earl."

Yan Lin frowned suddenly: "Earl Duke?"

Xie Wei looked at him with a half-smile, "You don't want it?"

Yan Lin said frankly, "I don't want to."

Xie Wei put down the teacup lightly, and the slightly curved corner of his lips became a little more unpredictable, and said: "It's easy not to want it."

The two did not talk for long.

Xie Wei also came all the way here, and there was a banquet to entertain in the evening, after talking to Yan Lin, he came out of the meeting room, went to his guest room, asked Jiang Xuening about the situation there, and then washed up a bit Rested for two hours.

When it was getting late, people came to invite me, and then I went out again.

The banquet to welcome the wind and wash away the dust is held in the general's mansion.

Everyone knew that there was a nobleman in Beijing.

Apart from the fairy-like Mr. Xie, the one who attracts the most attention is the "Second Miss Ning". Everyone didn't know her identity and surname, but they heard that the people who came with her called her that way, so they followed her, thinking her surname was "Ning", and they were at home.

How special General Yan treated her was spread all over Xinzhou City in just one afternoon.

No one in the house dares to wait slowly.

In addition, Yan Lin had an order to meet the wind at night, so she was naturally invited to attend.

The courtyard outside has been changed a long time ago, the tables and tables in the original meeting hall have been newly arranged, and the rare good wine and dishes have been brought out.

When Jiang Xuening came, almost everyone had arrived.

Xie Wei took the seat at the head.

Yan Lin was opposite him.

She thought that she was only here to eat and drink, and did not join in the fun. She just sat closer to the female relatives brought by other officials and generals, and listened to their interesting stories about the border.

There is no doubt that Jiang Xuening is definitely the focus of attention among these ladies and ladies.

People can't help but wonder about her identity.

She didn't report her family name, but only said that she was Xie Wei's student and Yan Lin's friend. Everyone gasped in amazement when they heard this, and even came to toast her with wine.

Jiang Xuening really doesn't have much alcohol tolerance.

But the journey was difficult, and finally reached the border. After You Fangyin and Lu Xian arranged food and supplies, they could attack the Tartars and rescue the princess. After all, she had some expectations in her heart, and was a little happy. dizzy.

The women at the border are really bold.

Even the woman who has already entered the inner house is not as disciplined as in the army, and she is quite relaxed. Seeing that she did not really refuse, on the contrary, she persuaded her to drink more vigorously.

After Jiang Xuening drank two more cups, a warning sign suddenly appeared.

She didn't dare to be too presumptuous on such an occasion, and after all, she was not a girl who grew up in the Northland, so she couldn't stand it anymore, so she hurriedly found an excuse to blow the wind to sober up, and slipped out first.

On the other side of the generals, they also spent three rounds of drinking.

Seeing Jiang Xuening going out from a distance, Yan Lin couldn't help but feel a little worried, so he said "excuse me" to the people next to him and Xie Wei on the opposite side, then put down the wine cup and went out from the hall.

There was a good-natured laugh behind him.

Who hasn't heard the rumors in the city today?

Although he didn't know the identity of the second girl Ning, he could guess that she was Yan Lin's sweetheart.

Seeing people go out, can you not know what he is doing?

During the dinner, someone ridiculed: "A hero is sad for a beauty."

Others naturally agree.

Only Xie Wei watched coldly, and picked up the wine cup.

Everyone present here knew that this was the emperor's teacher, and they did not dare to be negligent at all, and they looked very winkingly. When they saw him holding up the wine cup, they immediately came up to toast with a smile.

Xie Wei insisted on the wine cup, and did not refuse.

His fingers are as slender as jade bamboo, and his drinking posture is very elegant, but his expression is a little dull, and he is not warm to others. The generals didn't dare to be presumptuous, on the contrary, they were afraid of him and became more cautious.

There are lanterns hanging in the corridor, and there are servants who serve wine and food waiting for orders, going back and forth inside and out.

Jiang Xuening came out of the hall, and sat on the beauty at the corner to blow the air.

The wind in the north is cold, and it makes people sober when they shave their faces.

Yan Lin came out of the living room, and at a glance, she recognized her back which was not very clear in the dark, and was about to walk forward, when she turned her eyes, she saw the small carnation clump blooming beside the corridor.

It is white on the outside and purple on the inside.

Although the flowers are only bigger than copper coins, they are still cute and cute in the cold weather of the Northland, which is extremely rare.

He stopped to look at it for a while, and when he remembered something, he couldn't help but smile, and bent down to pick one. It was attached to a thin stem about the length of a finger, and a small leaf was growing.

Turning around between her fingers, she put her hand behind her back and went towards Jiang Xuening.

When he got close, he coughed.

Jiang Xuening turned her head and saw him, raised her eyebrows in surprise, stood up and smiled, "Why did you come out?"

Yan Lin said, "I see you have come out."

Jiang Xuening raised her eyes, she had to look up at him slightly, and muttered: "This is Xinzhou, you are the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, there is no reason to leave the table casually, so willful, be careful, sir, and scold you back."

Yan Lin thought, what is there to worry about?

It's almost a day since I came here, but sometimes it's for discussion, sometimes it's for arrangement, except for a few irrelevant words on the way when I came, there is no chance to talk in detail.

He looked at her: "how have you been these two years?"

There was the sound of toasting in the hall in the distance.

It was extremely quiet nearby.

The lantern swayed gently in the slightly cold wind, and also swayed gently in Jiang Xuening's sight.

She bent her lips and smiled: "How can I be bad?"

After a long silence, he asked again, "What about you?"

Yan Lin's deep black eyes were illuminated by the slightly dizzy light, and there was a sense of warmth, and he said slowly: "It's not as bad as I thought."

For a moment, he was relatively speechless.

In the dark blue night sky, the bright moon hangs high.

It is as bright as plain practice, and as bright as frost.

Yan Lin took another step closer before asking, "Why did you come with Mr. Xie?"

Jiang Xuening thought of Xie Wei and didn't speak.

Yan Lin looked at her for a long time, and asked, "Where's Zhang Zhe?"

At this moment, Jiang Xuening seemed to be hit by something.

She hadn't thought of this man for a while.

Hearing this name all of a sudden, a kind of unfamiliar dull pain surged up, making her eyes moist a little, but she didn't know what to say, and she lowered her eyes in a somewhat gloomy manner.

In fact, there is no need to speak.

After all, Yan Lin accompanied her through those days of mischief in the streets and alleys. He didn't know her well, but he could also distinguish her emotions, and guessed that there might be no good results.

After hesitating for a moment, he turned out the carnation and handed it to her.

He just smiled: "What a big deal. Here, I just saw it was picked for you, so don't be unhappy."

In the quiet night, the little petals trembled.

Jiang Xuening's eyes fell from his face to the flowers, and she remembered the rainy night a long time ago, that bunch of winter jasmines, the tears rolled down her eyelashes, but she only looked at him without reaching out to catch them.

Yan Lin was suddenly very angry.

Angry at her like this.

For a moment, he wanted to hug her tightly and rub her into his arms, but after all he was not a frivolous young man, so he only said: "Even if there is no Zhang Zhe, it's not me, is it?"

Jiang Xuening didn't dare to answer.

Yan Lin smiled abruptly.

He looked at the carnation for a while, and finally raised his hand to pinch off the flower at the top, and only handed out the flower branch with a single leaf attached. Huai: "It's all in my heart, don't let me down."

Only then did Jiang Xuening take it over.

The tip of her nose was sore, her eyes were astringent, and she almost choked up a sob and replied: "Yes."

Yan Lin rubbed her head with a smile: "We haven't seen each other for two years, why are you still like this? No wonder they don't want you."

Jiang Xuening thought, do I want Zhang Zhe and I to do it?

It's just that even though he was full of sadness, he was also disturbed by the mess he pressed on his head, and he laughed through his tears for a while, and scolded him: "Master Zhang, if you hear your mouth full of Huqin, even if you have a good temper, you will have to beat you!" .”

Yan Lin looked at her and didn't refute, just said: "It's cold outside, let's go back."

Jiang Xuening was tired of pondering, she didn't want to go back to the banquet, so she nodded, and wanted to go back to the guest room to sleep.

It's just that she took two steps forward and then stopped.

Turning around, holding the slender flower branch in his hand, he looked at the mature Yan Lin after a few steps, and said seriously: "Yan Lin, I'm not unhappy, I'm really happy. "

I am very glad that you are still the boy who is willing to pick flowers for me.

Although…

I am no longer the girl who can accept your flowers with peace of mind.

She goes far.

The lights on the porch are still the same.

Yan Lin stood tall, his figure was elongated on the ground, his fingers had a thin layer of calluses from holding the sword all year round, and the little purple and white carnation hung down between his fingers, silently.

After a long time, I slowly smiled.