Wei Guogong went out to Beijing this time to suppress the bandits, and he didn't bother to mobilize everyone when he returned to Beijing. He only brought people from the Duke's mansion with him, and traveled lightly.

The sound of "cracking" whips followed one after another, and the horse's hooves flew up, kicking up a cloud of gray dust.

A middle-aged man rode his horse up to the Duke of Wei who was at the front, and asked for instructions: "Master, after returning to Beijing, do you want to go back to the Duke's mansion first, or enter the palace?"

"Enter the palace." Duke Wei said without hesitation.

He has always been impatient, and now he only wants to solve this matter as soon as possible, so as to avoid future troubles earlier.

When the group came to a place less than thirty feet away from the city gate, a figure in a royal blue robe suddenly rushed out from the side, blocking the middle of the official road.

"Brother!" Xu Yan yelled loudly, almost absolutely blocking Wei Guogong in front of him, trying to stop him.

The white gas from the horse's mouth and nose almost sprayed on Xu Yan's face, and the stench from the horse rushed towards him, making people sick, and Xu Yan frowned subconsciously.

Even so, he still smiled and said flatteringly: "Brother, you will soon succeed and come back triumphantly. I came here specially to celebrate my uncle."

A group of people headed by Wei Guogong tightened the reins one after another, and the horses neighed and straightened up, with their front hooves raised high.

The horse stopped only two or three feet away from Xu Yan.

Duke Wei rode on a tall and healthy black horse, looking down on Xu Yan who was close at hand.

Xu Yan's appearance at the moment is really a bit bad.

The person has lost a lot of weight, his face is haggard, and there are deep shadows in the eye sockets, which makes him look haggard, and his eyes are even more difficult to conceal the color of anxiety.

It's only been more than half a month since Xu Yan met them last time, they looked completely different.

On that day, when Xu Yan left the Wei family's Zhuangzi with his concubine Aizi, he still had a smug expression on his face, carrying an arrogance that the Duke of Wei couldn't do anything to him at all.

indeed.

The father killed the daughter without fault, and the most others could do was condemn Xu Yan morally.

indeed.

When a man raises a concubine and talks about it outside, it's just a romantic affair.

This world is the most tolerant towards men, but it is picky towards women. Once the story of the outside room spreads, many people may not sympathize with Wei Wan, but will think that because of Wei Wan's jealousy, Xu Yan had no choice but to keep him outside. .

Instead of letting those people joke in private that Wei Wan can't control men and can't tolerate men, I might as well cut the mess with a sharp knife and be ruthless.

Duke Wei's sharp eyes flashed a decisive cold light, and he said coldly: "No need. I have to go to the palace to return to my life."

"Step aside!"

Wei Guogong did not want to waste his saliva, so he greeted Xu Yan.

Not only did Xu Yanfei not give in, but he took a step closer to Duke Wei, his eyes were pressed stiffly, but he smiled more earnestly on his face, "Brother, I heard last night that sister Yao had a cold two days ago , I was so worried that I stayed up all night last night."

"Sister Yao has been weak since she was a child, and it is easy to get wind and cold every year when the season changes. Last year, she had a high fever for three days and three nights, which worried Wan'er and me."

"This is parenting, and children are a piece of meat that fell off us."

Xu Yan looked at Wei Guogong with an affectionate look, trying to move his affection.

After all, he, Wei Wan and Xu Yao's biological daughter are inextricably related by blood.

Xu Yan comforted himself in his heart, and said in a good voice: "Brother, I really know I was wrong."

"Yuqing, I will deal with it properly, and I will definitely give you an explanation."

"Brother, let Wan'er and her daughter go back with me."

Xu Yan lowered his posture so low that he almost knelt down to Duke Wei.

"You know what's wrong?" Wei Guogong's lukewarm voice came from the horseback. Under the backlight, his face seemed to be covered with a shadow.

The black horse under his crotch paced its hooves impatiently again, breathing heavily.

To be honest, Duke Wei's attitude made Xu Yan a little confused. He was obviously not as friendly as before, but he was not as eager to kill him as when he was impeached a few days ago.

Pressing all the thoughts in his heart, Xu Yan looked up at Wei Guogong, and said with a sincere face: "I was wrong!"

"Wan'er is devoted to me wholeheartedly. I shouldn't raise a concubine and make her sad."

"Brother, let me meet Wan'er, I will personally apologize to her."

From Xu Yan's point of view, Duke Wei and his wife must have deliberately stopped him from seeing Wei Wan, and Wei Wan might not even know that he had been there.

Duke Wei: "..."

Wei Guogong looked at Xu Yan firmly, the water in his eyes was dull, like a cold bottomless deep pool, dark and gloomy, he sighed in his heart: It has come to this point, Xu Yan actually thinks this is just a matter of the outside room?

Xu Yan clenched his fists tightly, with a sad expression on his face, and the circles of his eyes were slightly red, "Sister Yao's sister's matter, I have kept it in my heart for seven years, and I have never said it."

"The child was actually not well right after it was born. Her face was blue and she was silent. Both the mother-in-law and the doctor said that she had been held in the mother's body for too long, and she would definitely not survive."

"I was afraid that she would be sad, so I kept it a secret."

"That's our flesh and blood. How could I hurt that child? I was also angry that day, so I would speak unscrupulously...what people say in anger can't be taken seriously."

Xu Yan tried his best to appear sincere, but his heart was still agitated.

When he was in Zhuangzi, he decided that Wei Guogong couldn't do anything to him, and the worst result would be that he and Wei Wan would reconcile or die.

However, he did not expect Duke Wei to impeach him for colluding with bandits the next day without mentioning Wai Shi and Xu Luo.

Impeachment is nothing, after all, he didn't collude with bandits at all, but he was pretending to be a robber. He can be said to be the guard who was expelled by the Marquis Mansion in the past. The emperor actually asked Wei Guogong to suppress the bandits.

Until then, Xu Yan was a little panicked.

It's just a small bandit, so there's no need for Duke Wei to personally lead his troops to suppress it. Duke Wei must have a plan to condescend so much, and nine times out of ten it is to frame him. If there is no evidence, just Make evidence!

It must be so!

Xu Yan tried his best to control the turbulent emotions in his heart, hiding the emotions of fear and resentment deep in his eyes.

The outer room is just a trivial matter. There are many honorable courtiers in Beijing who raise the outer room, but it's just a romantic affair.

If he colludes with bandits and is forcibly pressed on him, I am afraid that the title of the Marquis of Ji'an will not be guaranteed!

Once, he thought that Yuqing was the most important thing to him, more important than anything else.

But, now...

When he looked at Yuqing, there was still pity and joy in his heart. When he took her into his arms, the fear buried in his heart would soon overwhelm his love for her.

He was afraid, he was afraid of losing his title, he was afraid of having nothing and being spurned by others...

He asked himself, could he endure being such a humble commoner for Yuqing? !

he can not.

Xu Yan's heart trembled, he adjusted his expression and tone, and admitted his mistake more and more sincerely: "Brother, I was young and confused. After Wan'er left, I realized what is the most important thing."

After a pause, he said again slowly: "Sister Yao cannot live without a mother."

He said the last sentence almost word for word, implying that Wei Guogong, even if Wei Wan reconciled with him or broke up with him, she would not be able to take Xu Yao away.

This is the law.

Even if he allowed it, the Xu family would not agree.

He begged for a while, admitted his mistake for a while, and threatened at the same time, which can be described as both soft and hard.

Duke Wei was not a fool, so he naturally heard the threat in Xu Yan's tone, and a cold sneer appeared on the corner of his lips, as motionless as a mountain.

He said slowly: "Yes, but if the husband's family is suspected of treason, and she righteously destroys her relatives and exposes her meritorious service, the emperor will show mercy."

"right?"

At the same time as the voice fell, Wei Guogong released an invincible aura like Mount Tai pressing down on the top of the body. This is a kind of murderous aura created by fighting through thorns and thorns in the battlefield of corpse mountain and blood sea.

Xu Yan shivered involuntarily, and restrained his pleading, mournful and affectionate expressions, his dark eyes tightly locked Wei Guogong's sight.

His face was expressionless, as if he had changed into a different person, and he said in an extremely calm and rational tone: "Brother, I am willing to hand over the Marquis of Ji'an Mansion to Sister Yao to inherit, and let Sister Yao find a wife. "

"What do you think, brother?"

He spoke more slowly, with the determination of a strong man to cut his wrists, and he felt a sharp pain in his heart, which was deeply hidden in his heart.

This is the choice he made after weighing the pros and cons.

He can't let the Marquis of Ji'an lose his title like the Marquis of Dingyuan.

As soon as Xu Yan said this, even Wei Guogong couldn't help being shocked.

The surrounding guards of Duke Wei's Mansion also looked at each other in blank dismay. At this moment, the noisy voices on the official road seemed to go away.

Duke Wei stared deeply at Xu Yan.

Today, Emperor Taizu has always been respected, and most of them will respond.

Emperor Taizu proposed equality between men and women at the beginning of the founding of the country, and women also have the right to inherit titles. However, over the years, those nobles of the clan would rather adopt their nephews, even if they were extinct, and no one passed the titles to their daughters.

Xu Yan could naturally see Duke Wei's moved face, and said again: "Brother, does Duke Wei's mansion have a title for sister Yao?"

This is the biggest bargaining chip Ji Anhou can pay.

Even if Wei Wan returns home with her daughter, Xu Yao, a girl who has lost the protection of her father's family and lives in her uncle's house, let alone her future, may even be worse than others in terms of marriage in the future.

"What do you think, brother?" Xu Yan took advantage of the heat and continued to increase his bargaining chips, "I can also promise to 'dispose' of Yuqing and Xu Luo, and I will never let them hinder Wan'er's eyes again."

When he mentioned the word "disposition", his tone was cold and ruthless, and he didn't shout for beatings or killing, but anyone could understand what he said. Yuqing and Xu Luo's mother and son would not survive.

"As long as brother-in-law agrees, I will immediately enter the palace and ask the emperor to confer the crown prince on Yao's son."

After finishing speaking, Xu Yan stopped talking, raised his head and continued to look at Wei Guogong, waiting for the other party to make a choice.

The eyes of the two met in mid-air, looking at each other, as if they were engaged in a silent duel.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Wei Guogong watched Xu Yan's eyes getting darker and darker, as if he was thinking about it, he seemed to have doubts, and he seemed to be weighing his interests.

After a long silence, Wei Guogong narrowed his eyes that were slightly drooping due to old age, as if he had finally made a decision, and said, "Xu Yan, you and I will enter the palace together."

Hearing this, Xu Yan opened his eyes slightly, and his back, which was as tense as a bowstring, relaxed, and let out a long breath in his heart.

He gestured, and his servant came leading his horse.

Xu Yan quickly got on his horse, and smiled at Wei Guogong as if nothing had happened: "Brother, let's go."

There was a gentle smile on his face as before, as if there had never been any discord between them.

The two entered the west city gate hand in hand, followed by the guards of Duke Wei's mansion. At first glance, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Wei Jiaoniang in the tea shop was stunned. If Fengyang was not by her side, she might not be able to help but want to rush forward.

Wei Jiaoniang frowned, scratching her ears and cheeks in anxiety, and muttered, "What did Xu Yan tell grandfather?"

She didn't recognize Xu Yan's grandfather for a long time, so she called him by his first name unceremoniously.

Wei Jiaoniang stretched her neck to look around, just watching Wei Guogong, Xu Yan and the others pass by the tea shop, her eyes almost burst into flames.

The servant she brought was clever, and ran to the guards of Wei Guogong to inquire about the news. After a while, he returned to the tea shop and roughly recounted the conversation between Wei Guogong and Xu Yan just now. again.

Wei Jiaoniang opened her small mouth slightly, as if struck by lightning, she opened and closed her mouth, she didn't say a word for a long time, her expression seemed to say, Grandpa won't agree, right? !

Gu Yanfei only glanced at the top of Xu Yan's head lightly, then looked away, with calm eyes, drinking tea to himself.

"Heh." Feng Yang let out a mocking low laugh.

Wei Jiaoniang's eyes lit up, and she keenly saw some clues from Fengyang's smile, and hurriedly asked: "Did you see something?"

Without waiting for Fengyang to answer, she said again: "Grandpa shouldn't be moved by this mere Marquis, right?"

The little girl stared at Fengyang with bright eyes.

"A mere Marquis?" Fengyang laughed. At this moment, the seemingly kind old woman showed a little sharpness and vigor in the corners of her eyes and brows. Even the waiter in the tea shop couldn't help but look in the direction of Fengyang. glance.

Feng Yang put down the teacup in his hand, and said in a quizzical tone: "Let me ask you, how many marquises are there in the Dajing Dynasty?"

Wei Jiaoniang replied without thinking: "When Emperor Taizu founded the country, he conferred the title of four princes and twenty-eight marquises, and then three... No, the four marquises were deprived of their titles."

While speaking, Wei Jiaoniang turned her head and cast a complicated look at Gu Yanfei. The fourth Marquis who was confiscated is the Gu family.

Feng Yang asked again: "How did these titles come about?"

Like a student being asked a question by her husband, Wei Jiaoniang answered obediently: "They are all heroes who founded the country with Emperor Taizu."

"The first generation of Marquis of Jining, Lan Huayun, originally served under the command of my great-great-grandfather Wei Ding. The great-great-grandfather appreciated him and recommended Lan Huayun in front of the emperor Taizu. Lan Huayun made repeated achievements in battles and rose step by step. Later, he went north to break Qi and pacify the northwest , and made great contributions, he was granted the title of Marquis of Jining."

"Xu Bingben, the first Marquis of Ji'an, was one of the leaders of the White Turban Army, but there were constant internal strife in the White Turban Army camp. Xu Bing left the White Turban Army angrily, led an army of 100,000 to Emperor Taizu, and resolutely handed over the 100,000 troops. Military power to show loyalty. With his support, Emperor Taizu was able to defeat King Nanyang and take Yuzhou."

Speaking of this exciting history, Wei Jiaoniang was also very excited.

Feng Yang raised his hand to signal Wei Jiaoniang not to continue, and said in a flat voice: "The Taizu set a rule back then, no one can be granted a title unless he has military merits in the community, and no title can be granted unless it is a special order."

"A mere marquis?" Feng Yang repeated these four words again, and looked at Wei Jiaoniang with raised eyebrows.

Her tone was never light or serious, quite calm, but she naturally revealed an awe-inspiring aura, which made people awe-inspiring.

Wei Jiaoniang showed a little shame, and lowered her eyes slightly, embarrassed to look directly at Fengyang.

She is the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Wei's Mansion, and enjoys the glory brought by the title of the Duke of Wei. Others can say this, but she cannot.

Feng Yang said again with deep meaning: "The title is the foundation of honor."

In particular, women's succession to the nobility is a proposition that Emperor Taizu wanted to realize all his life, but failed to realize it.

There were slight ripples in Fengyang's eyes, and he remembered something that the Taizu said to her many years ago when he was alive.

Wei Jiaoniang bit her cherry lips slightly, feeling extremely anxious.

The title is so important, grandpa won't really compromise, right?

She stretched her neck and looked at the direction that Wei Guogong and the others left until the figure in front disappeared among the passers-by.

She was a little restless, she didn't even notice that Feng Yang poured tea for her, and absent-mindedly drank the barley tea in the cup.

Feng Yang bent his lips in amusement, and clapped his hands twice.

"Slap."

Soon, a twenty-five or six-year-old secret guard of the Princess Mansion wearing an ordinary green robe walked out from the alley next to Fengyang, and walked straight to Fengyang to stand by.

Feng Yang gave a simple order: "Follow me and go to the palace to have a look."

After receiving the order, the dark guard mounted a brown horse and chased Duke Wei and the others away.

Fengyang also watched Wei Jiaoniang grow up. The Duke of Wei's mansion and the royal family have always been close. To her, Wei Jiaoniang is also her own junior just like Chu Yi.

Feng Yang smiled heartily: "Why are you so anxious, Jiaoniang, your quick temper is just like your grandmother when she was young."

"That's not right. Your grandmother just beat your father, uncle and the brothers after they were born, and learned to put on a show. Sometimes, when you get anxious, you still look like you now."

Fengyang couldn't help laughing out loud.

Gu Yanfei also snickered, she was reminded of the hot-tempered appearance of Mrs. Wei Guogong in Tianyin Pavilion before.

At this time, Wei Jiaoniang had calmed down, and said coquettishly: "No way, my father and mother said that I have a much better temper than my grandmother."

"I heard from my grandfather that my grandmother put a knife on my grandfather's neck and asked him to marry her."

Wei Jiaoniang laughed out of joy, these words made Feng Yang even more amused, a few deep wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.

"Don't listen to your grandfather's bragging. When your grandfather was young, he was also a stingy bastard. He was not good at writing, and he lost to your grandmother in a fight. No, someone put a knife on his neck."

Speaking of these past events, a smile couldn't stop overflowing from the corners of Feng Yang's eyes.

It turns out that my grandfather is such a grandfather! Wei Jiaoniang listened with gusto, eager for Fengyang to say more, and asked: "And then?"

"Ask your grandparents." Feng Yang stopped talking about this topic, and drank some tea to moisten his throat.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she has been paying attention to Gu Yanfei's expression. Seeing the little girl's calm expression, she secretly praised in her heart: Although this girl's fate is a bit rough, she is more alert than Jiaoniang.

A friendly smile appeared on Fengyang's face, and he asked, "Girl of the Gu family, I heard that you once learned something from a Taoist priest?"

Gu Yanfei nodded yes, and didn't say much.

"Students, can you believe that people have souls?" Feng Yang stared at Gu Yanfei's star-like eyes and asked softly, placing one hand on the table and casually holding the teacup, and the other under the table.

Gu Yanfei nodded again: "After death, people will enter reincarnation."

"Then is it possible that someone cannot enter reincarnation?" Feng Yang continued to ask, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Yes." Gu Yanfei uttered a word lightly, thinking of her own grandmother.

After a pause, Gu Yanfei continued: "If the damaged soul is imprisoned by someone, and cannot enter reincarnation, over time, it will be scattered."

Her voice was clear and cold, as cold as autumn water.

Wei Jiaoniang looked at Gu Yanfei for a while, and then at Fengyang for a while, not understanding why they brought up this topic.

Feng Yang kept asking again: "Then, how do we know that a person's soul is damaged?"

"I can tell," Gu Yanfei pointed at his eyes while speaking, "Someone like you..."

She looked at Fengyang with bright eyes, as if she wanted to go through to the depths of her soul, and seemed to see through her fate.

Fengyang: "..."

Gu Yanfei stopped talking, knowing in her heart that Fengyang's lifespan would be exhausted.

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