Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 38

[Chapter 38]

Wei Shao did not return to his room that night, and went straight out with Wei Liang to the Ya Bureau, where he summoned Li Chong, Li Dian, Zhang Jian, and other generals, as well as wei Quan and others to discuss matters overnight.

Li Chong, Li Dian, advocated abandoning Yanzhou and fighting Shiyi.

Li Chongdao: “In addition to the 50,000 permanent soldiers and horses stationed in the Xiongnu, the total number of troops that the lord can call on now is about 150,000, which is equivalent to Chen Xiang’s army.” If the soldiers are divided into two roads, fighting both Shiyi and Defending Yanzhou, I am afraid that the two ends will not be able to take care of each other.

Li Dian said, “Yanzhou is not my place, let alone the same heart as me, it is like a chicken rib, and since the two ends are difficult to care for, they are abandoned.”

Wei Quan, the master bookkeeper, also said, “In my foolish opinion, the lord should send Shiyi with all his soldiers and horses to ensure that Shiyi is not lost, and then fight with Chen Xiang in a decisive battle, and then take Yu Wei, who was in the two wars of Boling and Shiyi last year, to march into Jinyang with a drum, to level Chen Xiang’s foundation, and the great cause of northern reunification can be accomplished.” After the unification of the north, it was not too late for the lord to retake Yanzhou and then go south. Although the lord married Qiao’s daughter, the picture was the land of Yanzhou, not the people of the Qiao family. The more cowardly Qiao is, everyone knows that Qiao is powerless and cannot be the master, and now he can take this opportunity to ask the Qiao family and Xue Tai to fight first, and both sides will be injured. No matter which of the two sides wins in the end, it will definitely lose its vitality. If the Qiao family was lucky enough to hold Yanzhou, naturally there would be no problem. The Qiao family could not hold on, and even if Yanzhou fell into the hands of Xue Tai, with Xue Tai’s rampant conquest and unpopularity, it was expected that he would not be able to take root for a long time. When the lord unifies the north, if the Qiao family is still there, the lord will send troops in the name of xiangfu Qiao’s family, and if there is no one in the Qiao family, the lord will send troops in the name of revenge.

Wei Liang Zhang Jian and the others nodded their heads.

Wei Shao sat down with his sword, his figure was solemn, and the candle flame on the side desk reflected his face, making his eyes half light and half dark, and some of them could not see what he was thinking at the moment.

Wei Liang and the others finished deliberating and waited for a moment. Wei Shao finally said slowly, “I know what you have said. Go your separate ways and listen to My orders tomorrow.
After
Wei Liang, Li Chong, Li Dian, and others dispersed, Wei Shao remained alone in the council chamber of the Imperial Household Bureau, and the candles lit up until dawn.

At dawn in the east, Wei Shao walked out of the office and rode back to the Wei mansion, but did not return to the West House, but went straight to the North House.

Lady Xu got up early as usual, and after freshening up, Zhong Mi came in and said that the male prince was waiting to see her outside.

It was still early, and Madame Xu was slightly surprised and asked him to come in. Wei Shao entered and knelt back to Lady Xu. Madame Xu saw that his eyes were slightly bloodshot, and it seemed that he had not slept well last night, so she asked.

Wei Shao said, “Sun Er encountered an incident last night, and it was difficult to decide, so when it was dawn, he came to his grandmother’s place to listen to her grandmother’s instructions.” “After he finished presenting the letter to Gongsun Yang, he recounted the discussion with the people last night.

After reading the letter, Madame Xu looked up at Wei Shao: “What do you mean, Yanzhou save or not save?”

Wei Shao said, “Yanzhou’s urgency is not my Wei family’s urgent need.” Priorities, the grandson thought that the north should be the priority.
Lady
Xu said, “Even so, why did you still come looking for me?” Wei Shao

hesitated for a moment, then suddenly raised his eyes and met Madame Xu’s one-eyed eyes: “Grandchildren don’t dare to hide from each other.” To save Yanzhou, it is not without countermeasures. It’s just that the grandson is hesitant in his heart, with the injustice of the Qiao family at that time, is it worth my great efforts to save? When

he said this, there was a hint of hidden hatred in his eyes.

Madame Xu’s one-eyed eyes flickered slightly: “Since the two families have in-laws, they regard each other as allies.” You are strong and he is weak, and now he is in danger and turns to you, and if you do not save, you will abandon your relatives, just as you will abandon faith. What is the difference between this and the joe’s family’s actions?

Wei Shao was silent.

“Faith and righteousness can be big or small, real or false, can be accomplished, and can be defeated. Because of the act of faith and righteousness, Xianggong’s hegemony was broken. Gao Zu also achieved great things in the name of Xinyi.
Lady
Xu looked at Wei Shao and said, “It can be seen that Xinyi is just a dead thing, and it is all between people’s choices.” To save or not to save is also all in your heart. Since my grandmother let it go, she will no longer intervene now, believing that you can make your own decisions. Wei Shao

was silent for a moment, then sat down and knelt down to bow to Lady Xu and said, “Grandmother’s words, the grandson remembered.” The grandchildren still have something to do, and they will retire first.
Madame
Xu smiled at him and nodded.

Wei Shao came out of the north house, and the east had just glowed with the color of fish belly white. The cool morning breeze of late spring in the north of April blew towards him, slightly skimming the corners of his clothes. He walked slowly to the West House and to the courtyard. When several servants who had risen early to sweep the courtyard saw him return, they hurriedly greeted him and saluted him, saying, “The lady has gotten up and is freshening up in her room.” Wei Shao

stopped under the porch steps, with his hands behind his back, facing the window where he could still faintly see the halo of the candle flame, and was alone for a moment, and finally did not enter, turned around and walked away under the slightly puzzled gaze of the servant woman.

……

Last night Wei Shao was suddenly called away, and no one came back. Leaving Little Joe alone, waking up and sleeping, sleeping and waking up, sleeping unsteadily, I got up early this morning. See Wei Shao has not returned. When he arrived at the chen point, he first went to the North House to visit Madame Xu.

Lady Xu didn’t mention wei Shao’s coming to her place this morning in front of Xiao Qiao. As usual, he said a few words to her.

Little Joe left the North House and went to the East House again.

Mrs. Zhu was punished some time ago, and only said that she was sick. Now that I have come back, I am about ashamed, and I don’t show my face much on weekdays.

Little Qiao waited under the porch for a while, and then a servant woman came out, saying that the lady told the lady not to come to the temple.

Little Joe knew she didn’t want to see herself. Coming here yourself is only out of courtesy. Hearing this, he returned to the Westinghouse. After entering, Chunniang said that the servant woman had seen the male jun in the courtyard early in the morning, and seemed to have returned from the direction of the north house, but did not know why, only stood under the steps for a moment, did not go in, and then left.

When Chunniang said this, her expression was a little confused.

Little Joe was also puzzled.

I don’t know why, Wei Shao’s abnormality made her feel a little nervous. Thinking of Wei Liang’s sudden arrival last night when he was called away, his heart was even more uneasy.

It always felt as if something had happened. And it’s a bad thing about yourself.

Soon, she knew what was going on.

The Yanzhou Express Horse Messenger flew to Yuyang at the time of the chen. In addition to immediately forwarding Wei Shao’s letter, he also brought a family letter to Xiao Qiao.

The family letter was written by his uncle Qiao Yue himself. In the letter, Qiao Yue told Yanzhou about the difficulties encountered, and asked Xiao Qiao to turn around in front of Wei Shao and ask for his rescue troops, otherwise Yanzhou would be difficult.

Qiao Yue repeatedly admonished, the words were earnest, anxious, jumping between the lines.

Little Joe was taken aback and his heart skipped a beat.

Yanzhou is her mother’s family, and in addition to her uncle and aunt, the Qiao family also has her own father and brother. Xuzhou Xue Tai has always had the name of violence, 100,000 heavy troops pressed against Yanzhou, with the current situation of Yanzhou, even if the military and the people unite to fight, I am afraid that in the end it will be more fierce and less auspicious.

Little Joe was distraught for a moment, holding the letter and walking back and forth around the room.

She finally knew that Wei Shao’s failure to get started this morning should be related to the incident in Yanzhou.

He will surely receive the news before he does.

But the Yanzhou thing should not be the only situation. Otherwise, Wei Liang would not have rushed back from Shiyi in the middle of the night to call him away.

Little Joe stopped, groaned for a moment, and finally changed his clothes again and went to the North House.
Mrs.
Xu, accompanied by Zhong Mi, planted her beloved flower beds in the courtyard. When Little Joe looked for her, she was picking flowers, her hands were stained with some dirt, and her expression was very focused. When he saw little Joe coming, he washed his hands and signaled her to enter with him.

Xiao Qiao went in, knelt on the ground, and said, “My granddaughter-in-law just received a family letter, and only then did she learn that Yanzhou was in a hurry, and her uncle asked her husband jun for help.” My granddaughter-in-law also knew that now that I was a member of the Wei family, I should not have asked more about Yanzhou. It’s just that I was born and grew up, all in the homeland, there are relatives in the family that are difficult to abandon, I really can’t give up, this morning I didn’t see my husband, I dared to come to my grandmother, and I begged my grandmother to look at the face of the two in-laws, as appropriate…”

This kind of xue taihua Yanzhou did not happen in the past life.

In fact, Xiao Qiao also knew that the old hatred between the two families of Qiao Wei was there, although the Qiao family wanted to resolve it by marriage, and this was also a very common means of resolving grievances or making a covenant between the family clans nowadays, but how could this hatred of the Wei family against the Qiao family be completely eliminated by sending a woman to him?

Now Yanzhou is in danger again. Wei Shao’s rescue is to send charcoal to the Qiao family in the snow, and it is also the common sentiment of people not to save. It was not appropriate for her to rush to Madame Xu and open her mouth in this way.

But she really had no choice at the moment.

She has a deep affection for her father and brother in Yanzhou. I know that my father is not in charge, and my brother is underage. Since Wei Shao had passed this morning and had not entered, it could be seen that he was unwilling to rescue him in his heart. The mood is anxious. Although I knew that this was inappropriate, I could only find it. Speaking of this, I really couldn’t say it anymore, so I stopped alive and only bowed deeply to Madam Xu, and my forehead couldn’t touch the ground.

Lady Xu sat down on the bed, staring at Xiao Qiao who could not bow down to her on the ground, and said, “Zhonglin came to me this morning and said a few words about Yanzhou. You probably don’t know that it’s not that Zhonglin doesn’t want to save, but that there’s another reason. Lady Xu briefly explained

the agreement between Chen Xiang and Xue Tai to send troops to attack Shiyi and Yanzhou at the same time.

Little Joe froze. A heart sinks unceasingly.

Wei Shao originally hated the Qiao family, and even if there was no urgency for Shi Yi, I am afraid that he would not be willing to save the Qiao family.

Not to mention such a hidden feeling.

He didn’t save, and it was even more natural.

“Grandmother, the granddaughter-in-law dared to ask her grandmother to tell her what she said when her husband came to see her grandmother this morning and mentioned the Yanzhou military incident?”

She fixed her mind, and finally raised her head and asked.

Madame Xu looked at Xiao Qiao with one eye and said, “Zhonglin has not yet decided.” My grandmother didn’t know either.

Xiao Qiao bowed to Madame Xu again and thanked him, got up and withdrew.

Zhong Mi sent Xiao Qiao two steps, and when she came back to see Lady Xu still sitting there, she seemed to be thinking of something, and couldn’t help but ask: “The old lady thinks that Junhou can come to the rescue?”
Lady
Xu said, “Saving or not saving is in his own heart.” He should know. It’s just that hurdle, a little sad. ”

……

Little Joe came back from the North House and asked the next person.

Fang Cai Wei Shao did not reply, nor did he have a single word.

She sat alone in the room for a moment, then suddenly got up and ordered Chunniang to come in, change her clothes and makeup, and open a box of rouge that had never been used. After dressing up, the face is like a peach blossom, bright and feminine, and it is extremely moving.

She put on her cloak, ordered the carriage to be prepared, boarded it, and headed for Wei Shao’s office.

The office is not very far from the Wei mansion, just one street away.

It was still early, and the hour had not yet arrived. There are not many pedestrians on the streets either. The carriage carried Little Joe unhurriedly on the smooth slate streets, the wheels pressing across the road, making a constant sound of somewhat hollow rumbling.

……

Never like this, Xiao Qiao clearly realized that in this chaotic world, no one is reliable, and only if he is strong, is the guarantee of being able to settle down.

This is true of a person, so is a city, and it is true of a family.

If the Qiao family continues like this, pinning their hopes on the generosity and grace of others, and living by relying on people’s sniffles, even if they are lucky enough to survive this crisis, they will have the same situation next time.

In the past life, the flowers and fruits of the Qiao family drifted to zero, and they ended up like that, which was not only a bloody lesson, but also a self-inflicted blame, and it was impossible to complain about others for half a point.

In her nature, she originally had a bit of carelessness. But at this moment, she deeply felt that in the future, she must do something for the Qiao family, so that the family can regain its backbone on its own and gain a foothold in the surrounding schemes and tiger visions. Even if the process is difficult or even the result is slim, it is better than doing nothing, just sitting and waiting for others, and relying on begging for mercy to win grace.

She really didn’t want the Qiao family to repeat the mistakes of the previous life. Fortunately, there was still some time left before those final things, and she was able to plan slowly and calmly.

But now, Yanzhou has burned her eyebrows, and all she can do is to help Yanzhou get through this difficult time first.

This time, her “husband” Wei Shao had to help. Otherwise, Yanzhou will become a nest.

……

The carriage stopped in front of the gate of the office, Xiao Qiao got out of the carriage, asked the door guard, learned that Wei Shao was inside, and went straight inside.

The guards recognized the lady and did not dare to stop her, watching her enter with her back.

Although the hour was still early, Wei Liang and the others had already gathered early in the deliberative hall outside, just waiting for Wei Shao to give the order.

Wei Shao hadn’t come out yet, and was still alone in a study in his back hall.

The study is private. He had a strict order that no one was allowed to enter unless he was allowed.

The guards outside remembered that when they saw Lady Junhou suddenly coming, although they recognized her, they did not dare to disobey Wei Shao’s orders, and respectfully asked her to wait and allow themselves to go to the court.

Little Joe stopped.

Soon, the guards came out and bent down to invite Little Joe inside.

Little Joe walked to the door, paused slightly, exhaled, calmed down, and pushed the door in.

[End of This Chapter]