Pei Xingyan's father was Pei Renji, the former Sui Dynasty ambassador to Henan Province and Guanglu doctor.
Pei Renji first surrendered to Li Mi and then to Wang Shichong. He was killed by Wang Shichong for treason a few years ago. At that time, Pei Xingyan was leading troops outside. After learning the news, he led his troops to surrender to Dou Jiande.
There were too many people who defected to Dou Jiande from Henan, and Pei Renji could only be considered one of them. Because of his bravery and good fighting skills, Dou Jiande asked him to lead his troops to attack Youzhou. After his meritorious service, he was promoted to Minister of War.
This time I was sent as an envoy to Chang'an by the Imperial Seal, which was recommended by Pei Ju.
As a former official of the Sui Dynasty, I came back to Chang'an, Xijing after many years, and naturally I felt a lot of emotion.
When he was a teenager, he came here with his father when he returned to Beijing to report on his work. Yang Guang never stayed in Chang'an, so he always went to Dongdu when he reported on his work later.
Accompanying him is Zheng Shanguo, the Minister of Rites, who was born in the Zheng family in Xingyang and is over fifty this year.
When Li Yuan was in power, after Gao Yuan was dismissed, he temporarily took the post of Minister of Hubu. Later, Li Po entered Chang'an, Su Qua became Shangshu of Hubu, and he also became Minister of Hubu.
Last year, he suffered a serious illness, which gave Dou Dan and Dou Guangda a ready advantage.
After Zheng Shanguo recovered from his illness, he was transferred to the position of minister of the Ministry of Rites. This time he led his people to welcome the visitors from the Xia Kingdom... In fact, they were not welcoming people, but the jade seals brought by the Xia Kingdom's envoys.
The return of the Jade Seal of the Kingdom to Chang'an is a great event both inside and outside the government. If you get the Jade Seal of the Kingdom, you will be the master of destiny. Some people naturally sneer at it, but many people really believe this.
The so-called imperial power is embodied in these things...
As someone who has seen the jade seal passed down from the country, Zheng Shanguo also has the mission of identifying the authenticity. Don't send a fake to the emperor. That would be a big joke.
It was still a bit cold in February. Zheng Shanguo tightened his clothes. After listening to Pei Xingyan's emotion, he thought that the changes here were no less than those in Luoyang.
It's just that everyone came with their heads in mind and kept their hands and feet, unlike Wang Shichong and Li Mi who just turned a good place like Dongdu into a bandit's nest.
"General Pei hasn't entered the city yet. If you stay in the city for a long time, you will know that Chang'an is much more prosperous now than it was in the Sui Dynasty. This is the capital of the emperor. Back then, there were Eastern Capitals that could compare with it. Now...
...I think General Pei should know better."
Pei Xingyan glanced at him for a moment, smiled slightly and said, "Did Minister Zheng say that I can't get out after entering Chang'an? It's been many years since I've been here. Don't the people here know how to treat guests?"
Pei Xingyan was very good at writing, and Zheng Shanguo had already learned from him several times along the way. At this time, he smiled and said indifferently: "The great city of Chang'an has such advantages. People who come here don't want to leave. When General Pei came here, there should be
Do you feel that?"
Pei Xingyan laughed and said, "Good men have their ambitions in all directions. Although this place is good, it cannot trap the real heroes."
Zheng Shanguo then said: "Did General Pei think so when he left Luoyang for Hebei? Could it be that the land of Hebei can be used by heroes to display their martial arts? If this is true, how could the general come here?"
Pei Xingyan was a little annoyed and glared at Zheng Shanguo, thinking that this old guy always used words to ridicule me along the way. He really wanted to kill him with a knife.
Zheng Shanguo had the upper hand easily, and there was nothing to be proud of. The Zheng family in Xingyang was a famous family in the Central Plains and always produced talented people. Compared with them, the Pei family was much inferior.
Pei Xingyan had been in places like Henan and Hebei for a long time, and his behavior and speech were all vaguely hostile. Even though Zheng Shanguo had been entrusted by Pei Shiqing, it was still difficult for him to like this person.
In addition, he was an envoy from an enemy country, so his words were naturally not very polite.
Seeing that he was a little angry at this time, his smile became more gentle and gentle, "Why should General Pei be angry? I am just discussing the matter. Besides, the King of Xia sent the general to come and make peace with me. The general can't bear even a few words to argue. I advise the general to just turn around."
, otherwise if you meet the Supreme Being, your life will be in danger.”
Pei Xingyan took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and stopped talking to Zheng Shanguo, saying that he could bear it and would not let anyone chop off his head.
Zheng Shanguo had no intention of letting him go. He was still talking, "General, what do you think of the journey? After passing Tongguan, do you feel that the world has changed?"
Seeing that Pei Xingyan was just saying nothing, Zheng Shanguo secretly smiled and felt quite contemptuous in his heart. This man first joined Li Mi, then Wang Shichong, and then worked for Dou Jiande. The slaves of the three surnames were nothing more than this. Hmm, what are you pretending to be?
Of course, he would not think about himself. He first served as a Sui minister, then served Li Yuan, and then became an official of Li Po. He was no worse than Pei Xingyan.
It can be said that these two people don't get along very well, that is, the journey is not far, otherwise Pei Xingyan may be angered at some point, and he may be violently stabbed.
At a glance, someone came over in front of him. Zheng Shanguo waved. The man immediately rode his horse and came over. He beat his chest on the horse and said in a rough voice: "I was about to tell the minister that Gao Biaoren, the minister of Honglu Temple, is here.
There is also Wang Shangshu waiting outside the city, and they say they will directly escort the imperial seal... and enter the palace together with the envoys."
Even though he had been with this man for a few days along the way, Zheng Shanguo still secretly said that he was so ugly, but his status prevented him from being rude.
This man is a clan member of Concubine Ashina and a descendant of Chuluo Khan of the Western Turks. This man's experience is also very strange. He once followed Qin King Li Shimin to conquer Xue Ju, and later went to Tongguan to serve Li Jiancheng and was captured outside Tongguan.
After arriving at Jinyang, he commanded the army of the King of Han.
Now he has appointed Zuo Qianniu as a prepared general. This time, Commander Xiaoguo will go with him to Tongguan to welcome the return of the imperial seal.
"We've finally arrived, but we've been worried about everything along the way..."
"Isn't that right? In the past, Henan could not escape. When Wang Shichong and Li Mi heard the news, they went crazy and came to rob it."
Ashina Danai said cheerfully, but when he smiled, he became a bit uglier. Zheng Shanguo couldn't bear to be surprised and turned his face slightly.
Pei Xingyan over there clasped his fists and said, "Thank you for your journey, General."
He found Ashina Danai more pleasing to the eye. He was not as sharp-tongued as Zheng Shanguo. He was a bit ugly, but he had the air of a soldier and was from the Western Turkic royal family, which earned Pei Xingyan some respect.
Pei Xingyan was not surprised that the Western Turkic royal family appeared in Chang'an. When the Western Turkic Chuluo Khan was in Luoyang, Pei Xingyan met him several times. A few days after Wang Shichong ascended the throne, Chuluo Khan fell ill and died in Luoyang.
Some of his relatives were in Luoyang, and most of them died in the chaos. Some of them are said to be in Loufan, where Li Ding'an started his family and was close to the Turkic royal court.
Therefore, it is quite normal for nobles from Eastern and Western Turks to appear in Chang'an. After all, it is said that Li Ding'an married a princess from Eastern and Western Turks.
Ashina Danai nodded, "It's nothing hard. They keep talking about how precious the national jade seal is. I don't understand this either. I can rest assured that the journey will be safe."
Afterwards, General Pei will go to the palace with others to see the Supreme Being. I have other things to do, so I will say goodbye to the general here."
After saying that, he beat his chest to the two of them, and headed forward with his horse. He never left those stones along the way, for fear of losing them... In that case, Ajie would definitely twist off his head when he got back.
He has been thinking about serving in the army for the past two years, and he is working hard now. It doesn't matter whether it's the northwest, Shuzhong, Jiangling, or Henan. The farther away from Sister, the better. Damn, it's too scary.
.
……………………
Two girls were sitting in a rickety carriage, with a brocade box beside each of them, and inside were the eight jade seals.
Dou Xianniang gently opened the car curtain and peeked out. There was a sound of horse hooves, and an ugly man appeared next to the car again. He glared at her fiercely. Dou Xianniang immediately lowered the car curtain and said to herself, "How ugly."
.
The girl opposite her said softly: "I heard that we are almost there. Sister, don't mess around, or you will lose your life."
A smile appeared on Dou Xianniang's delicate face, and she nodded in agreement. She was born in the last years of Daye, grew up in war, was hungry, ate grassroots, and killed people with a knife.
Because I didn't keep up with my nutrition when I was young, I stopped growing when I was fifteen or sixteen, and I looked thinner. My appearance could only be described as pretty, not outstanding.
The skin is also rough, which are all traces left by the hardships in the past, and they cannot be eliminated even if life gets better.
His eyes were lively and lively, and he looked restless at first sight, which made the girl sitting opposite her very nervous, fearing that something would happen to her.
The girl opposite was surnamed Cui. She was the youngest daughter of Cui Junsu's family. She was born in the Cui family of Qinghe. She was a serious lady from a famous family and was very popular at home. Cui Junsu probably had the same idea as Dou Jiande during this trip, and wanted to send her to the Tang Palace.
In the middle, there was an unexpected security incident, and Xu also wanted to leave a way out for Mr. Cui.
The name of Cui's daughter is Cui Jingnu, which is taken from Jingnu's sister, Zhiwo Yuchengyu, which means virtuous. The nickname is Yunu, which has the fragrance of a good girl, and the meaning of jade is her appearance.
Seeing how knowledgeable Ms. Cui is, the name Dou Xian Niang is not so particular.
No one here knows the identity of Dou Xianniang, even Pei Xingyan has never seen her. Ever since Dou Jiande became more and more famous, he has protected his daughter very well, for fear that the rough men around him who are like wolves and tigers will become his Dou Jiande's.
son in law.
Dou Xianniang's current surname is Liu, and her name is Liu Xian. She is the niece of Liu Bin, the Minister of Internal Affairs.
The two of them sat across from each other, neither of them interested in saying anything. At their age, having come to Chang'an from Wei City, a thousand miles away, what else could they say?
There was no crying at each other at this time, just because when it was time to cry, they had already cried. When they were leaving, the elders gave them countless warnings, asking them to be careful.
The future is so bleak that they can hardly breathe.
Dou Xianniang secretly touched her arms. There was a pair of jade bracelets given to her by her father in case of emergencies. There was nothing else, mainly because she was afraid that she would be exposed.
The reason why I sent my daughter to Chang'an was not to marry Li Po, but just to save my daughter's life in case everything failed. This idea is not a bad idea, but it's a weird idea...