Thirty-eight, the Empress Dowager can also marry

Ouyang Xiu, a great writer in the Northern Song Dynasty, wrote in the "Epitaph of Yang Envoy" written for Yang Yanzhao, the father of Yang Zongbao, that "the father and son are both famous generals, and they are wise and brave. As far as the people below today, they can tell them all."

Therefore, the story of the Yang family generals was widely circulated in the Northern Song Dynasty. The unofficial historical romances in later generations were only exaggerated and added to the twists and turns, but they were not fabricated out of thin air.

After Yang Zongbao's grandfather Yang Ye and uncle Yang Yanyu died in Chenjiayu outside Yanmen Pass due to improper command of Cao Bin and Pan Mei, Zhao Guangyi was very sad and ordered the construction of the "Tianbo Yang Mansion" on the Jinshui River in Tianbo Gate, northwest corner of Kaifeng City. It was built at the level of a first-rank military general. Whenever he passed by the gate of Tianbo Mansion, civil officials fell into sedan chairs and military generals dismounted to show his respect for the loyal and martyrs of the Yang Party.

Zhou Xuan brought gifts to the Yang Mansion from Jinling, nothing more than Xuanjing, glassware, various famous teas, Jinling weaving and embroidery, and other specialties that were not found in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was carried by four personal soldiers. He took the Sini and Yang Xiaopin to Tianbo Mansion with Yang Zongbao.

Four or five miles across the Bian River, you will see a magnificent mansion standing by the Jinshui River, covering an area of ​​dozens of acres. The courtyards in the east and west are sandwiched in the middle, dignified and grand.

Yang Zongbao asked his entourage to return to the mansion to report the message. When Zhou Xuan came to Tianbo Mansion, he saw a group of people greeting him. Yang Zongbao introduced one by one, which was his uncle Yang Yanping, Yang Yanding, Yang Yanguang, Yang Yanhui, and his uncle Yang Yanjing—

Zhou Xuan and Yang Zongbao had been dating for many days, but they didn't ask much about his affairs in the mansion. There were widows all over the family, so it would be better not to mention the sad things. Unexpectedly, Yang Ye's seven sons had six of them alive, so he saw five of them here. Only Yang Zongbao's father, Yang Yanzhao, was appointed as the commander of the Baozhou regiment, was not in Kaifeng. Yang Yanping and the five of them were either worship officials or the direct officials of the palace. They all served in the capital, and their ranks were not high. Instead, Yang Zongbao was qualified to be the first in the military and was appointed as the King of the Guards and Infantry Division, and was ranked fifth.

Yang Ye's wife, Yang Zongbao's grandmother, Taijun She, was originally the daughter of the governor of the Yong'an Army of the Northern Han Dynasty. She was tall and skilled in archery and horses. She once fought with her husband. At this time, she was over 60 years old and still had a straight back and eyes were full of energy. She saw this first-class Duke of Wu from Tang Dynasty saluting her respectfully with her younger generations. She was young and in a high position. She was talented and romantic all over the world, but she was not arrogant or impatient, and was gentle and elegant. She was very respectful to the generals of the Yang family in her words. This made Taijun She very happy and was very kind to the Duke of Wu who had met for the first time.

Zhou Xuan's strengths are Zhou Xuan's strengths. As long as he has a good impression of the person he wants to make and is willing to get close to him, he can always talk and make people feel comfortable.

After lingering in Tianbo Mansion for more than an hour, Zhou Xuan said goodbye. She Taijun asked Zhou Xuan to come to the mansion for a banquet at noon tomorrow. Zhou Xuan said he would definitely come.

On the way back to the inn, Zhou Xuan thought of meeting the Taijun She, who was known to everyone in the future. Although he had not seen a pretty widow in the family, he was now friends with Yang Zongbao. He could not hope that his uncle would die. He just asked Yang Zongbao: "I heard that there is a fire-burning girl named Yang Paifeng in your mansion who is also very skilled in martial arts?"

Yang Zongbao widened his eyes and said, "Is there such a girl? Why don't I know! But the servants and servants in my mansion are all practicing martial arts, and the little girl is no exception. She is like the aerobics in Brother Zhou's mansion, and she must practice every day."

The night was dark, the flute and drums were sparse, and Zhou Xuan rode on the horse, thinking to himself: "The Twelve Widows' Western Expedition should be fictional. The Yang Yang Northern Song Dynasty would not be so uninhabited, but Yang Zongbao has not yet married. Will his wife be Mu Guiying?"

Zhou Xuan returned to Anzhouxiangguanshi, and his personal soldiers came to report to the visit of Liao envoy Yelu Gaoba. After waiting for Zhou Xuan for a long time, he left behind the famous assassin to return to Duting Post.

Zhou Xuanqi said: "What's wrong with this Yelu Chongba visiting me?"

The four fools didn't care about these things, Yang Xiaopin stared speechlessly, and Zhou Xuan had no discussion, thinking that it was probably out of ordinary etiquette, the national strength of the Tang Kingdom has increased sharply recently.

When I was sleeping at night, Zhou Xuan said to Yang Xiaopin: "Pin'er, I will take you to meet the king of the Southern Court of Liao Kingdom tomorrow and ask for information about your parents, how about it?"

Yang Xiaopin's delicate and small golden foot bracelet was now tied with a ribbon and hung around her neck. The foot bracelet was lying between the cleavage. Yang Xiaopin's white little hands gently rubbed on the golden foot bracelet, and his head rested between Zhou Xuan's chest and his arms, and said, "Young Master, I won't go."

Zhou Xuan said "Yes" and said, "Then give me Jin Chuan. I will take this Jin Chuan to see Yelu Gaoba tomorrow to see if I have any doubts."

The sheep frowns and says nothing.

Zhou Xuan asked: "What do you think Pin'er?"

Yang Xiaofen said, "I'm a little uneasy, afraid of causing trouble for the young master."

Zhou Xuan smiled slightly. Yang Xiaopin used to cause a lot of trouble for him, which was a disaster for beauty. But now he is so obedient that people are extremely pitying. He held her face and kissed her lips, and said, "What are you afraid of? You are my baby. If you have trouble, I will naturally support you and help you solve it. It's better if you don't come forward. Anyway, the token is Jin Chuan, and you are the second most, but maybe your appearance will be like your parents-"

Yang Xiaopin took off the Jin Chuan and gave it to Zhou Xuan. Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "I'll give it to me tomorrow morning." He put Jin Chuan back on her pink neck and said, "I like to see Pin'er wearing a bracelet and a foot bracelet--" As he said, she picked up one of Yang Xiaopin's legs from the bottom of the quilt, with even bones and flesh, white and smooth calves, and round thighs. The wrists of Jin Chuan were placed on Zhou Xuan's shoulders. The ankles were delicate and graceful, the back of the foot was stretched, and the snow-white and slender feet were about 35 sizes in size. The toes were curled up as shyly. The oval toenails were not coated with Kou Dan, but they were naturally rosy, like the small rose petals that had just bloomed.

Zhou Xuan held the beautiful ankle of the sheep's beautiful feet and kissed the golden bracelet-

This golden bracelet was made by Zhou Xuan and the golden craftsman for Yang Xiaopin. It is inlaid with two circles of twenty-four South China Sea pearls. The engraved patterns are also very exquisite, and the words are engraved - "Pin'er is sixteen years old, and the first day of the first lunar month of Kaibao's thirty years old."

At that time, Yang Xiaopin saw the golden bracelet given to her by Zhou Xuan and gently put it on her, and she couldn't stop her tears.

...

The next day, Zhou Xuan brought Sizi and was about to go out to Duting Post to visit the Liao envoy Yelu Gaoba. He was wearing a slut and a handsome and handsome Liu Shouzhen came with Ye Feibai and two Southern Han warriors, saying that he wanted to invite Zhou Xuan to the banquet, which was considered a ritual exchange.

Zhou Xuan thought to himself: "There is no good banquet!" He declined: "Sorry, Tianbo Mansion invites me to the banquet today."

Liu Shouzhen said, "Then I, Nanhan, will also prepare a gift to Tianbo Mansion. The Yang family will also invite me to the banquet. Let's go together."

Zhou Xuan said: "I want to go to Duting Post first to visit the envoys of the Liao Kingdom."

Liu Shouzhen turned his head and blamed Ye Feibai and said, "Doctor Ye, what do you do all day long? When you go to the Northern Song Dynasty, you want to contact the friendship of all countries and consolidate diplomatic relations. But you are idle and wander around. Look at the Duke of Wu, making friends and visiting--"

Ye Feibai complained in his heart: "Has I been sent to you all day long?" He said in panic on the surface: "I know my crime, and I will also visit the envoys of the Great Liao."

Liu Shouzhen nodded and said, "That's right." Xiao Yingying looked at Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan glared at Liu Shouzhen and said, "You owe me the money you owe me. Even if you go steal it and rob it, you can return it to me quickly."

Liu Shouzhen said, "Okay, wait." He had light boots and spring shirts, and the breeze was swaying, and the people had already left the gate of the inn.

When Ye Feibai and two Southern Han warriors chased out, Liu Shouzhen was gone.

"Duke Zhou, you got rid of my princess's piss. What should I do?" Ye Feibai complained to Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan said: "What are you afraid of? You won't know that Liu Shouzhen is very skilled in martial arts." He ignored Ye Feibai, and Siqi got on the horse, led four personal soldiers to Duting Post, and asked a small official from the inn to lead the way.

Ye Feibai and the other two quickly rode their horses and followed him. A warrior was still holding Liu Shouzhen's mount. Zhou Xuan had no choice but to let them go. The officials of the Southern Han Dynasty always acted like this, and the eunuchs remained childlike innocence?

After leaving the entrance of Yongzhou Lane, Liu Shouzhen ran over quickly, went to Zhou Xuan's horse, threw a chain into Zhou Xuan's arms, and shouted, "Here, I'll give you the money, I snatched it." His body flashed and he went to the other side of "Zhaoye Yuhua Conferencing".

Zhou Xuan held the heavy chain before he could speak, but the victim caught up with him. A fat man who looked like a shopkeeper, two big and round-armed guys arrived angrily. He didn't see Liu Shouzhen hiding behind Zhou Xuan's horse. He saw the chain in Zhou Xuan's hand at first glance.

The fat shopkeeper shouted, "It's a big deal, robbery in the street, is there any other king's law?" He and two friends stopped Zhou Xuan's horse's head and widened their eyes.

Zhou Xuan held the chain in one hand and pushed it forward with the other, shouting: "Don't be impatient, I have taken the wallet for you, the thief is here-" With the horse's head, he made two steps away, leaving Liu Shouzhen with nowhere to hide.

When the fat shopkeeper saw Liu Shouzhen, he shouted: "It's you, you little guy!"

But Liu Shouzhen called out sweetly: "Master, I have done it according to your instructions."

The "master" screamed so cutely and coquettishly, and it was a hundred times more charming than the four fools. The fat shopkeeper and the two friends were stunned. Looking at Liu Shouzhen, then looked at Zhou Xuan who was on the high horse, and his eyes became fierce again. The fat shopkeeper said, "It turned out to be a robbery in the downtown area--" Seeing that Zhou Xuan was crowded with people, he signaled to report to the neighborhood inspector.

Zhou Xuan threw the chain to the fat shopkeeper and said, "We are from the Chu Prince's Mansion, just a joke with you. Get out of here, make a big deal, and you will ruin your fat ass."

The King of Chu is indeed powerful, and the people in the King of Chu's Mansion are indeed arrogant. When the fat shopkeeper heard that he was from the King of Chu's Mansion, he saw that Zhou Xuan and others were all furious and angry, and they returned the chains, so he dared not speak out and quickly avoided it.

Zhou Xuan glanced at Liu Shouzhen with a squint, knocked his horse off, and rushed away.

Sichi, four personal soldiers, and the innkeepers rushed to follow and left Liu Shouzhen and Ye Feibai behind.

When he arrived at Duting Station, he handed over the name of the sect. Yelu Gaoba went out to greet him personally. He entered the hall and sat down. The waiter presented incense tea. Yelu Gaoba, who had a cold face, smiled slightly at this time, and said, "The Duke of the Kingdom is a master of tea ceremony. This bitter tea in the north made the Duke of the Kingdom laugh."

Zhou Xuan thought to himself: "You know a lot about me. You know your enemy and you are aware of yourself, but I only know that you, Yelu Gaoba, are the king of the Southern Court and the royal family of the Liao Empire." Just as he was about to answer, the attendant came to report to the envoys of the Southern Han Dynasty for a visit.

Yelu Gaoba glanced at Zhou Xuan, saw that Zhou Xuan looked faint and said nothing, and said, "Let the deputy envoy receive him. I have something to discuss with the Duke of Zhou, so don't disturb me again."

The deputy envoy of the Northern Song Dynasty who was sent to the Great Liao Dynasty was Yelu Gaoba's uncle Yelu Liuge, who welcomed the Southern Han envoys and four people to another hall-

Liu Shouzhen didn't see Zhou Xuan. When he saw that it was the deputy envoy of the Liao Dynasty came forward to receive the reception, he obviously looked down on the Han Dynasty. He was quite angry and did not want to reveal his identity at this time. He stood behind Ye Feibai with a gloomy little face.

Zhou Xuan and Yelu Gaoba chatted with him for a while on the tea ceremony and the customs of the Liao Dynasty. He was not in a hurry to take out his foot bracelets. He wanted to see what happened to Yelu Gaoba’s visit last night?

Yelu Gaoba just said that he had long admired the name of Duke Guo, but he didn't meet him when he visited him last night. Unexpectedly, Duke Guo returned to visit today, which is a honor.

Zhou Xuan felt that it was advisable to take out the Zuchuan and ask for it now. Or should I find another way to find another way to visit the Liao Kingdom. If Yang Xiaopin's parents were prominent figures in the Liao Kingdom, they would lose their daughter twelve years ago, which would be a big deal. There must be rumors among the people, and it would be better to search from the lower level, which would avoid unnecessary trouble.

Yelu Gaoba stayed for Zhou Xuan for lunch. Zhou Xuan gave up because he had a friend to make an appointment and thanked Yelu Gaoba for invitation. He went out of Duting Post and returned to Yongzhou Lane, and asked Yang Xiaopin to go to Tianbo Mansion to attend the banquet.

Ye Feibai and his party also hurriedly left and chased Zhou Xuan.

Yelu Gaoba and Yelu Liuge stood under the croaker tree in front of the post, looking at the backs of Zhou Xuan and others, Yelu Liuge asked, "Gaoba, what kind of person do you think Zhou Xuan is?"

Yelu Gaoba said: "Elegant conversation and deep scheming, he is a first-class person in the Southern Dynasty."

Brother Yelu Liu said: "That woman named Pin'er is actually Zhou Xuan's favorite concubine. This is really unexpected! Gao Ba, what you do involves the important minister of Tang State. Will it cause big trouble? In my opinion, can we find another woman of the same age to pretend to be?"

Yelu Gaoba said: "What a wise plan for the Prime Minister? How can he hide the fake ones? Just as it is really good, it would be even more interesting if Zhou Xuan intervened."

Yelu Liuge said: "It is not yet certain that Zhou Xuan's favorite concubine Yang Xiaopin is the Pin'er. After Pin'er was lost, it caused a sensation in the entire Nanjing city."

Yelu Gaoba said: "Are you sure, you will know soon. This little puff of Yang Xiaopin is very similar to Li Mochou, the most beautiful girl in Nanjing back then. I, Gaoba, is also extremely envious, so I will not read it wrong. Even if I recognize the wrong person, we can find a fake substitute. Anyway, there is the person who seeks someone as evidence. We must go to Beijing. Nanjing is full of storms. How can my Liao Kingdom let a descendant of the Han people be our emperor!"

Yelu Liuge murmured: "That woman Xiao Chuo is very difficult to fight. She was not stable in the early years. Now she is deeply rooted. How can she move her? If she doesn't do it well, I will have to fall to the ground."

Yelu Gaoba raised his nose, raised the corners of his mouth, showing a fierce and fierce smile, and whispered: "Half of Xiao Chuo's foundation is supported by her man. As long as there is a gap between her, we can make profits from it."

Yelu Liuge said, "This is really strange. I met the two people who were looking for someone on the same day and met the Pin'er again on the same day. Is it really such a coincidence?"

Yelu Gaoba sneered: "If the Han blood descendants can become the lord of the Great Liao Dynasty, what else can't happen in this world?"

...

Zhou Xuan and others walked to the high bridge of Huimin River. The four fools' eyes shrank suddenly, and their eyes shrank, and they pointed to a banner posted on the bridge and said, "Master, look."

Zhou Xuan looked carefully and saw that every word of the banner was big, and he could see clearly—

"Look for a woman born on the first day of the first lunar month of the Liao Dynasty, with the nickname Pin'er. If a gentleman passes by, he will tell Pin'er whereabouts, and a thousand gold coins will be thanked."

Zhou Xuan stopped the horse and thought to himself, "Is there such a coincidence?" He told the Siqi not to make a statement. Several people passed by the high bridge, while deliberately or unintentionally observing the expressions of the two Liao people holding banners.

The two Liao people were dealing with other people's inquiries and did not look up at Zhou Xuan.

After crossing the west of the bridge, a personal soldier said, "Duke, is there anything wrong with these two Liao people? The villain saw them pulling banners and looking for people everywhere."

Zhou Xuan nodded and ordered the personal soldier to invite the two Liao people to the inn. He had something to ask for.

Zhou Xuan returned to the inn, Liu Shouzhen and Ye Feibai wanted to follow him, but Zhou Xuan was invited out without hesitation. Liu Shouzhen was so angry that she was so angry that she was itchy.

Zhou Xuan went in and told Yang Xiaopin about what happened to her on the road. Yang Xiaopin stared at her wonderful eyes, her eyes were full of tears, her expression was still calm, and a hint of surprise slowly rose.

The personal soldiers came to report, and the two Liao people were brought here and waited in the front hall.

Zhou Xuan said: "Pin'er, come to the screen in the front hall and listen to the Q&A and the two Liao people."

Yang Xiaopin nodded and followed Zhou Xuan to the front hall. She stopped at the foldable wooden screen and listened to Zhou Xuan talking to the two Liao people-

Zhou Xuan said: "Who asked you to find the woman named Pin'er?"

Two Liao people: "..."
To be continued...