In Dunhuang in late autumn, the cold wind blowing from the northern grasslands caused the yellow leaves of the old pear trees in the Jiedu courtyard to fall down one after another.

Cao Yuande supported Cao Yijin, Cao Yuanshen and Cao Yuanzhong followed him, and the father and son took a rare step away.

A yellow leaf fell on Cao Yijin's chest, and he suddenly sighed to Dongfang.

"Yuande, Yuanshen, Yuanzhong, do you know why Master Hong Bian, who was the first to raise the charity flag to overthrow the harsh government of Tubo, was the professor of the Shimendu, who used monk soldiers to help him?"

Cao Yuande, who was holding Cao Yijin, pondered for a moment and shook his head, and he said with some confusion.

"The Tubo people believe in my Buddha. The monks' status in Shazhou is much higher than they are now. They do not pay taxes or pay land taxes and have monks' soldiers, which is like separatist.

Professor Shimendu led the monks of Gua, Sha, Yi, Gan and Su, and his power was second only to the Tubo people's Guasha Jiedu governor in Dunhuang.

Whether in terms of status or doctrine, I really can't figure out why Master Hongbian followed Taibao Gong and opposed Tubo!"

"Yes! At that time, the pigs and dogs we lived in Tang'er in Hexi were not as good as those who wore barbarian clothes, talked nonsense, and had a tattoo on their faces. If they didn't, they would have to be slaves for the rest of their lives.

But Master Hongbian is not that true! Not only is he not a slave, but even Tubo Zanpu treats him very well! There is really no reason to stand up and resist." Cao Yuanshen also shook his head and said he didn't know.

Cao Yijin stroked the red beard on his chin, and his eyes showed a look of memories. He looked at Cao Yuande beside him.

"I was as young as Shishilang back then, and was trying my best to marry your mother Suo Siniang, so I found excuses to run to Suo's mansion every day.

Once, at the dinner party of your grandfather, the late Guiyi Army governor, Sotaibao, met Master Wuzhen, a disciple of Master Hongbian.

Master Wuzhen talked about Master Hongbian. He said that the reason why Master Hongbian followed Taibao to make righteous promises was that his greatest wish was to save the people under the rule of Tubo people was for his mother's last wish!"

"Mother's last wish? But at that time, Master Hongbian's mother had passed away for many years, right?" Cao Yuanzhong asked in surprise.

"Yes! At that time, Master Hongbian's mother had passed away for almost ten years, but do you know? Master's mother has never been buried. There is no monument in front of the grave. There is not a body in the coffin but an urn.

Because Master Hongbian’s mother, Mrs. Zhang, once said, “The fox died in the hill, and the fallen leaves returned to its roots. I hope that it will be buried in Nanyang in a hundred years.”

The Grandma Zhang raised Master Hongbian with great difficulty. She was simple before her lifetime, and her only wish after her death was to return to her hometown.

At that time, Hexi was in the hands of Tubo people for more than seventy years. His mother's last wish almost became the inner demon of Master Hongbian. Therefore, when Master Taibao found him to persuade him to make righteousness, Master Hongbian did not hesitate at all and immediately organized monk soldiers to follow Master Taibao.

In the year of Xinsi (861), the Taibao Gong recovered Liangzhou and finally opened up the contact between Hexi and the Tang Dynasty. Master Hongbian immediately sent his disciples Master Wuzhen and the Zhang clan members of Nanyang to escort the Tai Lady's coffin to the east.

The following year in the year of Renwu (862), Master Hongbian, who received the news that the Grandpa had returned to his hometown to bury, sat down and turned into a mess!"

"So that's it! Good filial piety. Master Hongbian sacrificed himself to me, but he still couldn't kill the mother-son family affection. He must fulfill his mother's last wish before he could ascend! In the end, he and the Grandmaster were all perfected. Good! Good!"

The first time the three Cao brothers heard this story, they all clasped their hands together and prayed.

"You guys! Alas!" For some reason, Cao Yijin suddenly sighed in desolation when he saw his three sons like this, and then he became even more moved when he looked at the pear trees that were falling leaves in the yard.

"When I heard about this, I was very moved, but what I felt was not the mother-son relationship between Master Hongbian and Mrs. Zhang.

Instead, Mrs. Zhang has lived under the rule of Tubo for decades, but she still does not forget her hometown.

At that time, the Tubo people strictly prohibited us, Tang'er from contacting any Tang Wenhua, so they knew very little about the matters in the Central Plains.

After hearing this story, Cao Yijin made up his mind to learn the culture of the Tang Dynasty.

I want to see what charm she is, which can make people remain unchanged for decades and would rather die than be buried than return home.

It was from then on that, even though Cao Yijin had a blushing beard, even if his mother and grandmother were all Sogdians, he would never think that he was Sogdians or Han people!”

Looking at the father who was flushed on his face, the three Cao brothers were a little confused about why Cao Yijin was so excited.

Although their Cao family, although they are known as the Cao family in Qiao County, have too many Sogdian bloodlines and are no longer sensitive to the Sogdians or Han people.

So in the eyes of these three brothers, are they Han or Sogdians? The importance is far less than the two things of keeping the Guiyi Army and keeping the Cao family in control of the Guiyi Army.

"Yuanzhong, summon Song to the official position and ask him to write a letter to Zhang Erlang in the name of his sister Song!" After a while, Cao Yijin, who finally calmed down, said to his third son Cao Yuanzhong.

Song Promoter refers to the Shazhou Promoter Song Shantong. Song Shantong's third sister is Zhang Zhao's biological mother, and Cao Yuanzhong's mother is Song Shantong's aunt. The Song brothers and sisters are Cao Yuanzhong's cousin and cousin.

Therefore, Cao Yuanzhong was actually doing the work of contacting the Song family and monitoring Zhang Zhao. This is also an important reason why Cao Yuanzhong seemed particularly angry (hearted) and (fair) after Zhang Zhao made such a big noise.

Uh! But it's a bit messy! If you count from Cao Yijin's wife, Sok, Cao Yijin is Zhang Zhao's uncle.

If we count from Cao Yijin's second wife, Song, Cao Yijin is Zhang Zhao's cousin and grandfather, so on the other hand, Cao San's wife is Zhang Zhao's cousin.

This circle of more than 100,000 people has been intermarried for hundreds of years and cannot be avoided.

"I'll do it now!" Cao Yuanzhong agreed softly, "But, sir, how should I write this letter?"

"How to write it? Just write it in the name of Song, saying that I haven't seen you for many years. I hope that Zhang Erlang can go back to Dunhuang to meet his mother. I just say that you promised that no one will be unfavorable to Zhang Erlang!" Cao Yijin said lightly.

"Father, no!" Cao Yuande couldn't sit still. "Although Zhang Erlang may not be as heroic as Yan Nai said, he is definitely not a good-looking lamp. If we allow him to come back to Dunhuang like this, there will be endless troubles!"

Cao Yijin slowly turned around, and a bit of cruelty appeared on his chubby face.

"If Zhang Erlang is really attracted by his mother, as soon as you enter the city, you will summon the Jiedu soldiers to Yingen Gate in the inner city and chop him into meat paste!"

"Ah!" The three Cao brothers, especially Cao Yanming's father, Cao Yuande, were stunned.

"Did my father lure Zhang Erlang? If he dares to come, he will definitely hold Shisilang away!"

***The author has something to say***

Thanks to the book lovers who last number 127 for their rewards
Chapter completed!