The news that Xie Tingzhou was approaching Yanliang Pass had spread a few days ago. In the past few days, Cao Guangjin was arranging manpower to clear the snow on the road from Ganzhou to Beiguan, making sure that Xie Tingzhou's carriage could move smoothly. .
Xi Feng sat on the horse and looked at the carriage coming at the end of the official road from a distance. He held Qingyun Guard still and rode up to meet it.
The person at the front of the team was Chang Heng, and he was very happy to see Xi Feng.
When the two of them crossed each other, they reached out and touched the armbands, which was regarded as a handover. After Xie Tingzhou, their guards were still in charge.
"Your Majesty."
Xie Tingzhou opened the curtain a little and saw Xifeng riding a horse and following the side of the carriage, "Where is the princess?"
Xi Feng said: "The princess and General Shen went to Chihe. I didn't expect the prince to arrive so early. I will send a message to the princess to come back."
Xie Tingzhou frowned slightly, "No need, let's go to Chihe first."
"This is not good." Xifeng took a look at Xie Tingzhou's face and said, "The princess will be angry if she sees the expression on the prince's face. If she runs to Chihe again, won't you be scolded at her door? The princess won’t be able to wait for more than a few days, so why don’t you take advantage of these few days to take care of her.”
Xie Tingzhou paused, said nothing, and lowered the curtain.
There was no trace of falcons in the sky.
White Feather was flying to the west a day ago. It likes the territory of the Xijue people, where there are many ptarmigans and grouse.
The carriage entered Ganzhou City along the official road. Cao Guangjin had been waiting at the door early, but no one saw him. The carriage passed directly in front of him.
Before Xie Tingzhou came, Xixi had redecorated the small courtyard. The house was paved with rugs and had a heater, but it still looked a bit crude.
Xie Tingzhou's face darkened when he entered the house. After entering the house, he closed the door and no one dared to disturb him.
Xi Xi was so nervous that she didn't know where to put her hands and feet.
"Brother Feng." Xi Xi, who is not very young, also followed Chang Liu and called Brother Feng, "Is the prince dissatisfied with my arrangement?"
Xifeng patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's none of your business. The prince feels sorry for the princess."
Xie Tingzhou sat in the simple room for a long time and was speechless. He was really distressed.
She has been living in this house for a few months since she came out. The conditions and furnishings here are not as good as the palaces in Beilin and Shengjing.
"Hold the lamp."
Xi Feng heard Xie Tingzhou's voice and quickly asked someone to come in and light the lamp. Knowing that Xie Tingzhou had something to ask, he stood aside and did not go out.
Xie Tingzhou put down the bed curtain and sat down at the table, "Sit down and talk."
Putting up bed curtains was a bad habit he had developed in the past few months. He didn't like looking at an empty bed. It would always remind him that Shen Yu was not around. He was tired of this feeling.
Xifeng sat down, "Your Majesty, where do you want me to start?"
"Why did the princess go to Chihe?" Xie Tingzhou asked.
Xi Feng sat upright and said: "The border war ended ten days ago. The Xiao family's army suffered heavy losses in this battle. This time the Xiao family's army mobilized privately. The court will not allocate money. The soldiers' post-war pensions must be arranged. , and the military salary after the spring also needs to be budgeted first, and this money will come from the Lu family."
Xie Tingzhou thought for a while, "The Lu family can't always fill the military salary. No matter how much money the princess has, it is her private property. You send someone to send a message to Chihe, and the pension and military salary will go to Beilin's account."
Xifeng nodded, "Yes, I will send someone to deliver the message later."
"Also." Xifeng changed the topic, "The old prince is still leading his troops to clean up the remnants in the hinterland of Xijue. After Boda disappeared, several Xijue tribes wanted to join him and wanted to talk to the prince."
Xie Tingzhou said calmly: "Let's leave it alone for now. I don't have time to deal with them right now. Where is Changliu?"
"This kid is running crazy outside. He follows the old prince everywhere all day long. I will have him called back right now."
Xie Tingzhou nodded. He had nothing to ask for the time being, so Xi Feng retreated. When he went out, he saw Cao Guangjin waiting at the door.
"Feng Guard, Feng Guard." Cao Guangjin did not dare to shout too loudly, but when he saw Xifeng looking over, he quickly raised his hand to say hello.
"Your Majesty has just arrived in Ganzhou. I will hold a banquet in my humble residence to welcome him and wash away his dust."
"I'm sorry for your trouble, Lord Cao." Xifeng said, "But the prince has been traveling all the way and is resting now. Lord Cao, why don't you come back another day? What do you think?"
Cao Guangjin didn't dare to say no, so he hurriedly agreed.
Cao Guangjin has now seen the situation clearly. He needed Shen Yu to help him defend the city before, but his original intention was to take advantage of her.
But what he didn't expect was that once the military power of the garrison was handed over, he could not get it back.
Those soldiers who fought bloody battles on the battlefield could no longer listen to his orders. They only followed Shen Yu and Xiao Chuan, and now they didn't take Cao Guangjin seriously at all.
Cao Guangjin didn't do well as a wallflower. At this moment, he had no other way out except getting on Xie Tingzhou and Shen Yu's boat.
Before going to bed, Xie Tingzhou wrote a letter and gave it to Xifeng, asking him to send someone to send it to Chihe at high speed. The messenger rode out of Ganzhou City, walked around the city and came back at dawn.
In the evening, Cao Guanjin held a banquet in honor of Xie Tingzhou. The banquet was still held on the waterside pavilion of Cao Mansion.
"Your Majesty." Cao Guangjin held the wine with a smile on his face, "I would like to offer you a glass of wine. Your Majesty is ill and should not drink alcohol. I will drink this glass for myself."
Xie Tingzhou looked at a stage set up opposite the waterside pavilion, with actors in thin clothes singing in the snow.
Cao Guangjin changed his mind and took it to heart.
Xie Tingzhou said: "When I came to Ganzhou Mansion, this was the first time I saw a mansion."
When Cao Guangjin heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly explained: "Xiaguan, this is thanks to the blessing of the previous prefect. This is the former prefect's residence. After Xiaguan took over last year, he lived here."
"Who was the previous prefect?" Xie Tingzhou pretended not to know.
Cao Guangjin: "That's right..."
"Oh, I remember it." Cao Guangjin was interrupted by Xie Tingzhou before he finished speaking, "Is he the one I killed first and then played him?"
With a "clang", the stool under Cao Guangjin's butt fell to the ground.
He reacted quickly and quickly got up and stood aside.
Of course he knew that the former magistrate was beheaded by Xie Tingzhou, and he only reported it after the beheading. At this moment, Cao Guangjin was sitting on pins and needles, as if he could no longer save his head.
"The prince has a distinguished status, so naturally it is not easy for him to live in the previous place. If the prince does not dislike it, please move to a humble residence."
Xie Tingzhou glanced at Cao Guangjin and said, "My king and his concubine can live here, so naturally I can live here too."
The reception feast turned into Cao Guangjin's Hongmen Banquet. When Xie Tingzhou was sent away, his legs were still trembling.
This couple really doesn't get along well with each other, and they don't take soft and hard measures.
