During the dinner, the saint was busy flipping through the scrolls sent up by Eunuch Han. Shy as a girl, Xue Yuan, with fingerprints on half of his handsome face, took away the bowls and chopsticks from the eunuch's hands, scratched the green spoon across the porcelain bowl, blew away the foggy curls of hot air, and bent over to feed the saint his meal.
He was dressed in Xuan Clothes, with a golden jade fan at his waist, his stature was tall, his boots were tight, and he appeared oppressive when he didn't speak. But in front of the saint, the corners of Xue Yuan's lips were hooked, and his sinister aura dissipated, only appearing to be rich and handsome.
Gu Yuanbai was unconsciously fed half a bowl of rice by him, taking the green spoon into his mouth bite by bite, Xue Yuan's throat knotted slightly, turning around when the saint wasn't paying attention, and also placing the green spoon in his mouth and tasting it several times.
"Have a bowl of soup," Gu Yuanbai's lips chewed, "a little thirsty."
Xue Yuan carefully put away the spoon and busied himself with another white porcelain bowl for porridge.
Tian Fusheng stayed in the palace, and the one who followed the saint to serve by his side was Tian Fusheng's young apprentice.
The little eunuch wanted to speak but stopped, watching Xue Yuan receive the things used by His Majesty into his arms one by one: "Lord Zhang, Lord Xue acted in such a way, are you really not going to say anything?"
The head guard's sword brows narrowed, "Eunuch Cao dislikes Lord Xue?"
The little eunuch's head shook along with his hands.
The chief of the guards looked a little slower and said in a serious tone, "Lord Xue has put his own life and death at risk in order to protect His Majesty's safety and security. Lord Xue is only honoring the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has not said anything, Eunuch Cao should not say such words again in the future, lest it hurt Lord Xue's heart."
The little eunuch was terrified: "I know."
*
After the meal, Gu Yuanbai was dragged along with Xue Yuan for a walk.
Xue Yuan was halfway there when his face suddenly twisted for a split second, and Gu Yuanbai asked, "What's wrong?"
"The wound itches." Xue Yuan tensed and didn't move.
Gu Yuanbai casually said, "Scratch it if it itches."
The injury was on his back, scratching his posture was not a good look. Xue Yuan was tortured by the itch and took a step back to cover Gu Yuanbai's eyes, taking the opportunity to scratch.
Gu Yuanbai took hold of his wrist.
This hand is now as white as jade, flawless jade that good. The bones were like pearls, and the skin and flesh were delicate. But Xue Yuan had seen the rest of these hands, brushing between the mud and sand, mixing with the smell of Xue Yuan's blood to slap his face.
Anxious, trembling, Gu Yuanbai cried.
Can't believe it.
His tears were clearly drops of water, but they caused Xue Yuan's heart to steam up with hot oil fires. Xue Yuan had wanted to see what he looked like when he cried in the past, but after actually seeing him once, he didn't even dare to think back.
He stared at the hands for a moment, the tiny abrasions on his hands had long since healed and disappeared. But just because they were gone didn't mean they hadn't been hurt.
Xue Yuan turned to wrap his arms around Gu Yuanbai's waist, his tall head nestled in the saint's shoulder socket, and said sultrily, "Gu Convergence."
Spoiled.
Why are you so clingy.
Gu Yuanbai coughed lightly and was just about to speak when Xue Yuan was startled and clutched both of Gu Yuanbai's hands towards him, "Coughing?"
"...... Nothing," Gu Yuanbai's throat tickled again and said slowly, "I was just clearing my throat."
Xue Yuan relaxed, his back only felt more itchy, he grabbed Gu Yuanbai's hands and wouldn't let go, "Will you scratch me?"
The words softened into water, but the hands were strong and wouldn't let go.
"Master White," Xue Yuan kissed and licked at the nape of his neck, "my back itches."
Gu Yuanbai was unmoved until Xue Yuan quickly licked the saliva from his neck and he couldn't suffer the goosebumps, "Let go and turn around."
Xue Yuan was happily about to turn around, but his afterglow glanced at a corner of the clothes hidden behind the rockery. Between his handsome and extraordinary brows and eyes, he abruptly became hostile, "Your Holiness, I'll go and deal with some curmudgeons." Quickly stepping forward, he grabbed the person behind the wigwam.
The person hiding was a boy, his eyes flickered and panicked when he saw Xue Yuan come over. Xue Yuan pinched his neck and sank without worry, "What are you looking at."
The boy wrenched his wrist, but still wanted to argue, "I happened to pass by, how dare I look at anything! Your honor, don't accuse me!"
Xue Yuan let go of his neck, and before the boy had a chance to rejoice, Xue Yuan yanked him by the hair and violently slammed him against the wigwam.
Blood slid down the corner of the boy's forehead as Xue Yuan asked again with an expressionless face, "Who sent you."
It was then that the boy became alarmed and said with a trembling body, "It's Mrs. Zhen from the mansion."
"Mrs. Zhen?" Xue Yuan said grimly, "What did you see?"
The boy's teeth chattered, "Villain, villain ......"
Xue Yuan, if he had any, murmured, "You saw it all."
The boy's words stuck in his throat.
The dagger spun several times between his hands, thrusting and pulling out, the little boy fell to the ground without breath. Xue Yuan's afterglow glimpsed the little emperor approaching, squatted down on the boy to wipe away the blood stains on the dagger and his five fingers, smiled and walked out, "Your Holiness."
Gu Yuanbai looked twice toward the wigwam, "What kind of person?"
Xue Yuan led him back by the shoulder and lowered himself to say, "A boy, should be sent by a Lady Zhen in the mansion."
Gu Yuanbai frowned and glanced sideways, "Where is the boy?"
"I found it in time, that little boy didn't see anything," Xue Yuan gently turned the saint's face, lowered his head and rubbed his face against the saint's cheeks, "that little boy was so scared by me that he pissed his pants, dirty and stained, the saint can't look at it."
Gu Yuanbai snorted and gave him a sidelong glance, "You scare people into peeing their pants?"
Xue Yuan nodded seriously.
Gu Yuanbai was happy and hooked his lips in a smile.
*
A little later, Mrs. Han learned about this.
Mrs. Zhen is the second wife of the governor's mansion, she sent a boy over just to advance the governor's wife step, to see what the big Heng guests may be in need of, to show their own thoughtfulness and goodwill. This action really disgraced the face of Han Taishou, he personally went to visit Gu Yuanbai, performed a big bow to apologize, said he would punish Mrs. Zhen, please do not blame your majesty.
Gu Yuanbai forgave him.
That night, the boy who made a big mistake was found to throw himself into the lake. Mrs. Zhen went to the lake to see, a corner of the lake is flooded with blood, the boy's face is vaguely visible, she covered her mouth, hit the heart of the stomach nausea.
Taishou Han angrily rebuked her for a long time, "It's good to be dead, and you shouldn't appear in front of me again. For a great offense like this, do you want the entire Imperial Household to pay for your life?"
Mrs. Jane sobbed on and on, her bones seeping cold, and the more she thought about it, the weirder it became.
That boy is greedy and afraid of death, how could he throw himself into the lake?
*
His Holiness' residence remained peaceful.
Xue Yuan has long washed himself clean, not wearing an inch lying on the bed of the holy, he did not know what to think, the tip of the ear has burned red. At this time is not only the wound on the back itchy, the whole body scabbed places are followed by a vague and furtive itch.
During the period when he was first injured, Xue Yuan was lying on the bed in such a way that he could not move. His Holiness would wet a towel with his own hands and probe into Xue Yuan's clothes to wipe his body.
At that time, the pain was as sweet as honey.
His Majesty returned from the bath, and when he saw the scene on the dragon bed, he breathed a sigh of relief, "Xue Jiujiuyao," the words were hesitant, "What are you doing in this state?"
Xue Yuan frowned, even more surprised than Gu Yuanbai: "Didn't His Holiness say he wanted to fool around with me at night?"
Gu Yuanbai: "Well."
He raised his hand and nudged Xue Yuan, swinging away with a smile, "The playfulness I'm talking about is not playfulness like yours."
Xue Yuan looked at Gu Yuanbai incredulously, and after a long time, he sat up, the thin quilt sliding down to his lean waist and belly, and sighed heavily, "What does His Holiness want to play?"
His look had loss written all over it.
Gu Yuanbai walked to the table and sat down, taking out a piece of rice paper. Xue Yuan followed silently, and Gu Yuanbai dipped his pen into the ink, ''Western Xia has now had many cities captured by me, but there is still some resistance. It's not easy to attack a city, it often takes a lot of time, a city, it may drag down the rear line of battle. If it is not really a desperate move, I am really unwilling to attack the city."
Xue Yuan took a deep breath, knowing that this was the playfulness in Gu Yuanbai's eyes, "I'll go put on some clothes."
For a few moments, the two men sat together, carefully combing through the situation in Western Xia today.
Wait until the moon is in the sky before you put down your pen and paper and take a break.
*
Attacking the city was the next best thing. If the people in the city were determined to die defending, then the attacking army really had no good methods.
In the Xingqing Mansion, the royal city of Western Xia, the young king's wife's possession of and desire for power became more and more frantic. Her madness before dying like this happens to be the crack for Gu Yuanbai to pry the city of Western Xia.
Ding Yan whisked around the cities and towns of Western Xia with the people of the Inspection Office, and as one city was stamped with Daheng's mark, the people in the city were immediately arranged to go down to the fields.
The captured city was a peaceful and calm place free from the strife of war, and was peacefully busy with farming under the protection of Daheng's soldiers. The peaceful life had a powerful attraction to the people, and many of them fled to the back of the city. As the days passed, the people in the royal city finally felt fear outside of the flowery days and drunkenness.
Xixia is just a small place, it's only the size of two states when placed in Daheng's territory, and three of the five states have already been occupied, so how can we fight?
While the cicadas were singing and the birds were chirping, Gu Yuanbai wrote a letter of persuasion with his own hand and sent it to Xingqingfu.
Mrs. Wang got the letter, immediately called to the beloved read, the general meaning of the letter for: "as long as you take the initiative to surrender and admit defeat, I can appoint the current emperor of Western Xia for the Duke of Xia, enjoy the food of 3,000 stone, the reward of thousands of. In the capital city of Daheng give summer state house, allow his mother to live together, to protect the honor and wealth, food and clothing without worry."
As long as you admit defeat, although the Western Xia is gone, you can be named the Xia Duke of Daheng, and live a rich and carefree life under the eyes of the Daheng Emperor.
Mrs. Xiao Wang abruptly stood up, striding over to grab the letter paper from her beloved, reading it over and over again several times to make sure that it was a persuasive letter.
She looked up at her minders, who all looked different, "Ma'am, this ......"
"Li Angyi is dead," Mrs. Xiao Wang is rarely calm, "Gentlemen, my son is still young, and I am the only one who is in charge of the government. But nowadays, there are many wars going on, and the 400,000 soldiers that our Western Xia has been sending out have all been defeated by generals rebelling or by the enemy's iron cavalry. Daheng's armies are constantly pushing towards the royal city, they are trying to literally wipe out Western Xia. Daheng is so big ah, such a behemoth, how can we, mother and son, go against it?"
Someone advised, "Ma'am, if you accept this letter, you're going to be a sinner who goes down in history."
Little Mrs. Wang angrily said: ''Joke! Do I have to bury my mother and son in the hands of the enemy army for this to satisfy the people of the world? What does what they think have to do with me, a weak female, who cannot give me the good life of the Duke of Xia, Emperor Daheng can!"
The argument grew louder and louder, and his beloved Dong Zhiyan suddenly said, "Western Xia's green salt can't be sold in Daheng."
In the past, the two countries war, Western Xia will avoid Daheng domestic green salt sales place, Daheng has not been a large-scale ban on salt merchants in and out of Western Xia.
Aside from the young Wang's wife, the rest of them were shocked and gave him sideways glances in unison.
Dong Zhiyan's face was haggard, "If it were a normal day when Western Xia and Daheng were at war, the salt traders in Daheng who sell green salt would be on our side, but nowadays there are fewer and fewer traders from within Daheng who come to buy our dynasty's green salt, and if it continues like this, the king's city won't have the money to even eat or drink."
Mrs. Xiao Wang sneered and shook the letter paper in her hand, ''The money in the treasury has long been used up by the army by now. Li Aung Yi's private treasury? Who knows where his private treasury is! If you guys don't want to surrender, then take out your own money, take out rice and grain, whoever takes more, we will listen to them!"
No one made a sound, and the palace was silent for a moment.
Mrs. Xiao Wang cherishedly folded up the letter of persuasion and said, "Emperor Daheng has only given Xingqingfu half a month to think about it."
When the time comes, will you surrender in disgrace to enjoy the blessings of your life, or will you resist until you die?
The little royal lady had already made up her mind, and she also believed that these people would have made up their minds as well.
*
Gu Yuanbai's imperial campaign has come to the present day, and winter has wobbled into high summer.
Every time among the political affairs shipped from the capital, Gu Ran's letters are bound to be missing.
Gu Ran was still young, his wrist didn't have enough force when he lifted the pen to write, so he showed a few signs of weakness. However, as time passed, his handwriting improved significantly, and he did not slack off on the matter of practicing calligraphy.
In the latest letter, Gu Ran carefully asked, "When will Father return?"
Gu Yuanbai looked at the letter and could almost visualize Gu Ran's expression. He also developed some misses for the Imperial City, misses the people of the capital, the acquaintances of the capital.
A hand reached out and rubbed his spine soothingly.
"In a month's time, I'll be going back," Gu Yuanbai said softly, "I've been on a personal expedition for too long to delay it any further."
Kong Yilin, who was burying his head in writing his contribution, raised his head, his eyes green and black, "Your Majesty, you can rest assured that you are going back. Now the Western Xia has been in the bag, the subsequent reorganization and land distribution ministers will follow the statute, you have all the peace of mind."
"Everything as soon as possible," said Gu Yuanbai, "there are many talented men among the Western Xia, most of whom have skillfully studied the learning of Daheng. When the imperial examinations are held next year, I shall see the shadows of the Western Xia people among them."
Kong Yilin and the civil ministers answered yes in a deep voice.
Gu Yuanbai nodded gently, got up and walked out from behind the table, and when he was about to walk out of the threshold, one of the officials in the political affairs hall at the back remembered something and got up in time to ask: "Your Holiness, after the Western Xia is conquered, I wonder what the new name of the Western Xia is?"
Gu Yuanbai paused for a moment, facing the rising sun, slowly said: "Western Xia five states, a state merged into Shaanxi, two states and named Gansu. The remaining two states, change the west to Ning, take the meaning of peace in the summer land, it will be called Ningxia."
"Ningxia," murmured the courtier, "a good name."
Gu Yuanbai smiled, exhaled a mouthful of turbid air into the morning sun, and took a big step out.
In the summer of the twelfth year of Jingping, the Daheng Dynasty destroyed Western Xia and set up the Ningxia Prefecture Road, taking the meaning of peace and quiet in the Xia land, from which Ningxia was derived. ①
In the middle of August of this year, Heng Gaozong Gu convergence to return to the capital, the people of the road cheering, passing by the ten thousand people dancing on their hands and feet, and the world music.
So far, Daheng's footsteps of expanding its territory have been temporarily halted.