Four hundred and sixtieth IX mourning and obedience
Wang Guang and Lao Jing walked into the side room together and saw Mr. Bai sitting at a banquet, with his arms tied behind his back with hemp rope. Wang Guang immediately remembered that he had specifically ordered Mr. Bai to be tied up.
Mrs. Bai raised her head and glanced at Wang Guang, then lowered her head without saying a word. She was as slumped and spiritless as a dried cabbage. She neither struggled nor defended.
Mrs. Bai should have known that the general had taken Five Stone Powder. According to the maid, she insisted that the general should sleep in cold clothes. Wang Guang intuitively knew that Mr. Bai had no intention of murdering the general today.
So Wang Guang said: "Untie the rope for her. There is no need to tie her up."
The maids responded and walked up. Mr. Bai obediently asked the maids to help him untie the rope, and then gently moved his loosened arms.
Wang Guang then asked: "When my father passed away, were you by his side?"
Mr. Bai nodded and said, "Yes."
Wang Guang asked nicely again: "Does my father have any last words?"
Mrs. Bai acted as if she hadn't heard anything and didn't respond at all. If she said she didn't have any last words, but she didn't say anything, could it be that her father had last words and she didn't want to say them?
Wang Guang was already in a bad mood, and became furious when he saw this. He took a deep breath, thought for a while, turned to Lao Jing and said, "Go and ask the maid in the courtyard who else was there before the general died.
around."
Lao Jing bowed and said, "I obey."
After a while, Mrs. Bai also walked into the door. Wang Guang had told her to prepare linen mourning clothes, but I don't know why she came again.
When Mrs. Bai saw the rope thrown aside, Mrs. Bai was sitting at the banquet alive, she immediately said to Wang Guang: "This woman will definitely be involved. You can have her tortured and make her confess her crime!"
Wang Guang also didn't have a good impression of Mrs. Bai. He only felt that she was a person who showed her harshness to others. But no matter what, Mrs. Bai was a concubine publicly recognized by his late father, and she had a daughter from the Wang family. Wang Guang had to call her "Mrs. Bai" at any time.
An aunt.
But the Bai family is different, she has no name. Her original identity was Sima Yi's favorite concubine. Her late father just brought her back to the house without saying anything. No one knew whether she was a maid or someone else.
When he was still alive, Wang Guang would at most politely call her Mrs. Bai, and when he was not polite, he would just call her Mrs. Bai.
At this time, Mrs. Bai was frightened and angry, her face flushed, and she suddenly said: "Ms. Bai, do you think I really want to take advantage of the Wang family?"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, and her voice changed, "What kind of life did I spend in the Wang family? I look forward to dark in the morning, and look forward to dawn in the dark! What does it mean to waste time like this? I still have to be ignored and ostracized by you, and even weird.
Insult! Who cares how I live every day and how I feel?"
Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, and she continued, "You think I want to compete for favor? The general and I have never had sex, and we haven't had anything to do with each other today. The general is so old, and his body has already..."
Wang Guang hurriedly defended his father's face and said angrily: "Shut up!"
Mrs. Bai was so angry that she had nowhere to put her hands and feet, and almost rushed up to slap Mr. Bai in the face!
If someone with a noble status scolded her, she might be able to bear it, but how dare someone like Mr. Bai talk back? Mrs. Bai was so furious that she pointed at Mr. Bai's nose and said, "You are not a thief with a guilty conscience. What happened to the cloth rope in the general's room?"
What? Are you going to commit suicide out of fear of crime?"
Bai Shi seemed to have given up. She broke down emotionally and raised her head and said: "Yes, I know you will blame me for the death of the general. At that time, I just wanted to die! I also thought about seducing Qin Zhongming and driving a wedge between you. How is the relationship..."
"Slut! Shameless." Mrs. Bai looked at Mr. Bai with incredible eyes.
Wang Guang frowned, but did not react much. He was just troubled by the quarrel between the women. Wang Guang thought to himself: How many women did my late father have, and you have no status? Will my late father be instigated by you?
The two women continued to argue about irrelevant things. Wang Guang finally couldn't help interrupting them and asked directly: "Did you encourage my father to take Wu Shi Powder?"
Mrs. Bai was stunned for a moment: "The general took Five Stone Powder?"
At this time, Mrs. Bai had calmed down a bit. She said coldly: "Why would I do that? Don't you think Mr. Bai hates me enough? I am willing to take care of the general's daily life, but I have no choice. There is no place to stay, so I can only get some protection by currying favor with the general."
Wang Guang changed his explanation: "You know that my late father used Five Stone Powder."
Bai Shi said: "I can see it myself. The general is hot and cold and can't control himself. But I thought that people who have taken Wu Shi Powder are like this. It will be fine after a while."
When Wang Guang heard this, he turned around and left, calling Mrs. Bai: "Aunt, please leave her alone."
Mrs. Bai then angrily went out with Wang Guang.
Wang Guang stayed in the inner courtyard of the General's Mansion all night and barely slept. Because he was used to going to bed after dark, he couldn't stand it any longer. It wasn't until early in the morning that he found a place to take a nap.
Early the next morning, the female family members of the Wang family who lived in Yishouli, including the wives and children of the four Wang brothers, as well as Wang Lingjun, Wang Xuanji and other Wang family women, all came to the General's Mansion. The family put on mourning clothes and mourned in the General's Palace. The government has prepared a mourning hall.
As expected, there was an endless stream of people coming to express their condolences. Wang Guang did not know many of them, and he did not feel impressed until they reported their official positions and names.
Wang Guang saw so many unfamiliar people, and sometimes he couldn't help but think that these people might be here to watch the fun! After the death of the general, the situation in the court was a bit complicated, and naturally there were many people paying attention to this matter!
But Wang Guang still showed a sad expression and treated all visitors with courtesy.
Before noon, the Changqiu visitor in the palace ordered Zhang Huan to come. Lao Jing came over and bowed his head to whisper. After hearing the announcement, Wang Guang still knelt in the mourning hall and waited. Wang Guang knew that Zhang Huan was from Her Royal Highness the Empress Dowager, but After all, he is just a eunuch.
After a while, Zhang Huan walked into the mourning hall, first went forward to offer incense and worship, and then came to Wang Guang. The two knelt down on the mat and saluted each other. Zhang Huan said: "Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother heard that the general passed away, and she was deeply saddened. , he ordered his servants to come to express condolences, and to urge General Wang to refrain from mourning and obey the changes."
As soon as he mentioned the general, Wang Guang immediately showed grief on his face, covered his face and cried. After crying, he responded: "Please Eunuch Zhang, please report back to Your Highness. I thank Your Highness for your kindness."
The two bowed again, Zhang Huan got up and walked towards Wang Mingshan, and then went to talk to Wang Mingshan.
At this time, there were only two adult men in the Wang family in Luoyang. The other two brothers, Wang Feixiao, were in Shouchun, serving as the governor of Yangzhou, and the third brother, Wang Jinhu, was fighting in Hanzhong. After receiving the obituary, it was not known whether they would be able to return to Luoyang in time. Go to funeral.
At this moment, Lao Jing suddenly stooped down and walked into the mourning hall in a hurry, knelt down next to Wang Guang, bowed his head and whispered: "Your Majesty is here!"
Wang Guang was very surprised after hearing this. After all, the general is also a minister, and the emperor does not need to come in person, let alone come so quickly.
After a while, the lyrics came from outside: "His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
Wang Guang could no longer wait in the mourning hall, so he immediately led his fourth brother and others out of the mourning hall and walked towards the main entrance of the General's Mansion. At this time, officials and eunuchs surrounded the emperor and had entered the front hall courtyard. Everyone greeted him
Everyone went up and bowed deeply to pay homage. Emperor Cao Fang returned the gesture with an empty bow.
Cao Fang said: "The general is a minister of the country, but he didn't expect it to happen so suddenly."
Wang Guang still covered his eyes with his hands, and after crying for a while, he said: "I didn't know that Your Majesty is coming, and I am not expecting you from afar."
Cao Fang said: "I will go to the mourning hall first to lay incense sticks for the general."
So Cao Fang went to the mourning hall. The Wang family members, officials and guests inside and outside the mourning hall all bowed to Cao Fang and saluted.
Cao Fang only stayed in the mourning hall for a short time and came out soon. Wang Guang immediately asked the emperor to set up a seat in the pavilion of the general's residence.
Everyone climbed onto the platform, and the emperor and his entourage walked into the front hall first. The people behind him were about to follow, but the servant She Li Bo stopped everyone and said: "The princes have just been interviewed, and your Majesty has not summoned you.
Please do not trespass.”
Many of the people present were high-ranking officials and did not take a eunuch seriously at all, but after all, the emperor was here and he still had to give him face.
At this time, a eunuch turned around and went out with an edict: "Your Majesty has summoned General Wang Guang of Kuiwei to see you."
Wang Guang paid his respects and said, "I obey the imperial edict."
After all, in the General's Mansion, Wang Ling just passed away yesterday. Of course, the subordinate officers and soldiers in the General's Mansion will obey the orders of the Wang family. Wang Guang thought for a moment and felt that there was no need to worry too much, so he walked into the mansion alone.
Hall.
The pavilion hall of the general's residence is very spacious, and there is an inner room on the wooden platform. Although the inside and outside are connected, the inner room is hung with curtains, making it look like a separate room.
I saw that most of the eunuchs accompanying him were outside. Emperor Cao Fang's seat was inside, with only one eunuch standing beside him. Wang Guang walked up to the wooden platform and paid homage to Emperor Cao Fang.
Cao Fang knelt down and sat behind the upper wooden desk, which was where Wang Ling used to sit. He made a gesture and said: "Gongyuan, please take your seat."
Wang Guang said "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the seat", walked to the side of the wooden case, gently brushed the sleeves of his raw linen clothes, and knelt down to sit down. His eyes were downcast and he did not look at the emperor.
Cao Fang said: "Your father has guarded the border for the Wei Dynasty for many years. He is loyal and has made great contributions. Among the ministers who assist the government, the one I respect the most is the general. You should know my feelings."
Wang Guang pondered what the emperor meant. Qin Zhongming had been killed in the court, and the emperor was also suspicious. Linghuyu had always disliked Cao Fang and had proposed abolishing the emperor more than once, and Cao Fang might have heard about it. At this time, Cao Fang's words
Does it mean that he only has no personal grudge against the Wang family?
Wang Guang calmed down, still maintaining the etiquette of a monarch and a minister, cupping his hands and swallowing: "Your Majesty's words will surely make my father's spirit in heaven feel gratified."
Cao Fang nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "I would like to issue an edict to temporarily appoint Gongyuan as the general of the Fu army."
General Fujun is an official position held during the reign of Emperor Wen Cao Pi. Although there is a general in the name, it is not the same as general. General Fujun is a second-grade general, and his main responsibility is to stay in the capital. However, Cao Fang’s words
The word "temporary" seems to have not been finished yet.
Sure enough, Cao Fang paused for a moment, then whispered: "Then we let Chen Tai command the frontline troops and recall Qin Liang to Luoyang to resume his life. What do you think?"
Wang Guang was stunned for a moment and couldn't help frowning, wondering what the emperor wanted to do!