nycdaug Chapter 202: Demoted from the Capital
Chapter 202: Demoted from the Capital
Zhao Pu, the left prime minister who was demoted and sent out of the capital, and Luo Ji, the grand scholar of Guanwen Hall, happened to choose to leave the capital on the same day.
Zhao Pu really couldn't delay any longer and the emperor had issued an edict urging him to go, so he had to go even though he was extremely reluctant!
This trip to Yunnan, a desolate and miserable place filled with poisonous miasma and a gathering place of barbarians, demoted him from the highest position among the ministers, the Prime Minister, to a small county magistrate in a poor and remote mountainous area. It was like being cast from the clouds to the eighteenth level of hell. The hope of returning to the capital in his lifetime was slim.
The millions of taels of family wealth accumulated over the years were confiscated, and the total amount of silver notes hidden by all the family members was less than 20,000 taels. It was unknown how long the Zhao family, who were used to a life of luxury, could survive in that bitter and cold place.
Thinking about the life without a future and suffering, the Zhao family was filled with despair! The steps on the ship were as heavy as if they were tied with a stone, and the facial expressions were not much better than those of people going to the execution ground to be beheaded.
However, Luo Ji followed the countermeasures agreed upon with his daughter and son-in-law, and got what he wished for and was demoted to Chengdu, Western Shu, to become a powerful prefect.
They all say the road to Shu is difficult, harder than climbing to the sky!
However, because of its strategic location, West Shu is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and is like a country within a country. Surrounded by rolling mountains, the West Shu Basin is actually a place with abundant resources.
Especially the Chengdu Prefecture in the basin, which is a prosperous and comfortable place. Being a powerful prefect in Chengdu is like being a local emperor and living a carefree life.
After knowing the forces deployed by his son-in-law, the Prince of Qin, in Western Shu, Luo Ji readily accepted the suggestions of his son-in-law and daughter. The only thing that made him reluctant was that his precious daughter had to stay in the capital and face the dangers of the future with his son-in-law, the Prince of Qin.
The eldest son of the Luo family, Luo Wen'an, resigned from his official position and chose to go to Chengdu to accompany his parents. The second son, Luo Wenhao, chose to stay in the capital and work hard with his sister and brother-in-law because he had to take care of the lucrative businesses entrusted to him by his sister!
Luo Li and Qin Wang Zhao Defang came to the dock to see their parents and family off. Mrs. Luo hugged her baby daughter and cried, she was reluctant to leave and didn't want to get on the ship.
"Li'er, it's more than 2,000 miles to Xishu. I don't know when I can see you again. You must take good care of yourself!
Your Highness, Prince Qin, I entrust Li'er to you, you must protect her well! ..."
Luo Li also felt sad and her eyes turned red!
He hugged his mother and patted her back to comfort her: "Mom, our separation is only a temporary measure for self-protection. It won't be long before our family will be reunited."
Luo Ji was also very worried about his precious daughter and couldn't bear to leave. His eyes were red and he kept stroking his beard. Little Tianci seemed to understand the meaning of parting with his relatives. He stretched out his arms in his mother's arms and cried to his aunt: "No... No, no..."
Luo Wenhao looked at his parents eagerly, "Dad, Mom, your son is staying in the capital too, don't you remember to give me a few words of advice?"
Luo Ji, who was circling around his precious daughter, turned around and glared!
"Then I'll give you a few words of advice! Without your parents' supervision, you are not allowed to be idle and lazy anymore. Use your brain and legs to be more diligent and help your sister and brother-in-law more."
Luo Wenhao twitched his neck!
Yes! If you seek benevolence and obtain it, why complain?
Right next to the large ship hired by the Luo family, there is another large ship also used by a family to send their relatives on a long journey.
Before Zhao Pu left the capital, he hastily married his second daughter, Zhao Zhiya, to Rong Gui, the second son of Rong Shilang, his trusted confidant.
In order to save his daughter from going to that wild land and suffering, and to have another bond with his former subordinates through marriage, what if the fate of the Zhao family could turn around? That was when the network of relationships in the capital came into play.
Zhao Zhiya, who used to be arrogant and domineering, was too embarrassed to go out and see people for a long time after she made a fool of herself at the Queen's birthday banquet.
After her powerful father Zhao Pu was dismissed from his position as prime minister and banished to the wild land of Yunnan, her ambition was brought down from the clouds to the abyss. The second son of the Rong family, whom she had looked down upon in the past, became her best choice out of helplessness.
Zhao Zhiya looked at the handsome and noble Prince Qin and the beautiful Silly Princess on the boat next to them, standing together like a perfect couple.
Then looking at her newly-married husband with a fat pig head and a silly smile on his face, she felt so jealous and angry that she was dying!
Zhao Pu was already disheartened at this time. He knew that at his old age, if he went to Yunnan, his fate would probably be to be buried in that wild land!
The millions of taels of wealth accumulated over the years were confiscated, and his two sons and young grandchildren were sentenced to exile with him. The descendants of the Zhao family were lucky to be able to save their lives, as it would be difficult for them to make a comeback in the future.
He was so regretful at the moment! Why did he go against the supreme emperor? But the only thing in the world that money can't buy is regret medicine!
Mrs. Zhao hugged her precious daughter and cried, "Ya'er, live a good life with your husband, and don't be arrogant and try to show off. As long as you can stay in the capital and live a comfortable and peaceful life, just keep your tail between your legs and behave yourself!"
From a phoenix on a high branch to a hen on the ground, this sudden and huge change in status is really hard to accept! My father, who was once a towering mountain of support, also collapsed, and my family members all stayed away from me.
Zhao Zhiya also cried miserably: "Mother! ... Your daughter will remember this. You and Dad must take good care of your health! ..."
The two groups of people who came to see their loved ones off, bid farewell to them with tears, and then reluctantly watched the two large ships weigh anchor and leave the river bank!
When Luo Li turned around, she caught a glimpse of Zhao Zhiya's eyes full of jealousy and hatred, and gave her a rather unkind and arrogant smile!
He took the arm of Qin Wang Zhao Defang, who was beside him, and walked towards the carriage of Qin Wang's palace in close intimacy and love.
The corners of Qin Wang Zhao Defang's lips curled up with a sweet smile. When he arrived in front of the carriage, he reached out and hugged the princess's slender waist and lifted her onto the carriage. He took good care of the princess and sent her into the luxurious carriage, then jumped and got into the carriage.
Zhao Zhiya's eyes were so jealous that they were about to burst into flames!
Standing in front of the carriage of the Rong Mansion, with a fierce tone of jealousy and resentment, she ordered her husband Rong Gui beside her: "Carry me into the carriage!"
Young Master Rong was able to marry the beautiful and once high-ranking Miss Zhao, and was like a toad who had eaten swan meat. He doted on his arrogant and doting wife and made her obey his every word.
Young Master Rong agreed with a smile on his face, half-knelt down with his fat body, picked up his wife's legs, and used all his strength until his fat face turned red. He finally lifted her onto the carriage, and pushed her butt with great effort to get her into the carriage.
He put his fat body on the mounting stool, climbed onto the carriage with the help of the servant from the Rong mansion, and rolled and crawled into the carriage.
This awkward display of affection, which had no aesthetic sense at all, made Hong Gu, who was sitting in the carriage of Prince Qin's mansion, burst out laughing!
I wonder which of the following sentences, "Xi Shi imitates the beauty", "Handan learns to walk", "drawing a tiger but ends up drawing a dog", is suitable for the newlywed Zhao Zhiya and her husband? I just wonder if the two chamber pots given by the Empress were put in the dowry by Miss Zhao and taken to Rong Mansion?
...............
The old disciple of Ghost Hand Poison Doctor is quite talented. Luo Li looked at the particles of gunpowder in his hand and praised him in his heart.
The pair of small triangular eyes on the ugly face of the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor were filled with fiery light of admiration!
"Master, I have made this kind of granular gunpowder according to the secret recipe you taught me. It is extremely powerful!
The same three-jin porcelain jar made of thunder bombs can create a large pit after the explosion, and the iron nails inside can fly dozens of steps away and kill people. "
Luo Li smiled faintly: "Ghost Hand, you can try to use an iron can to hold this kind of granular gunpowder. The iron can made of pig iron is engraved with several lines vertically and horizontally, and it can be divided into dozens of sharp pieces after the explosion!
That kind of destructive power is truly powerful!"
After hearing this, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor's eyes flashed with a fiery and evil light!
"Master! I'll go back to the Mo Yun Cavalry Camp and try to make a few!" When the words fell, the figure had disappeared.
Luo Li shook her head helplessly and amusedly at the Qin Wang Zhao Defang beside her, "This impatient old fellow, I haven't finished what I'm saying yet!
This kind of granular gunpowder can not only be made into thunder bombs that can be thrown out to kill the enemy, but also made into mines that can be buried underground. When a horse's hoof steps on it, it will explode and kill the enemy and the horse. It is most suitable for ambush operations. "
Qin Wang Zhao Defang helped Luo Li adjust her cloak and held her slightly cold hand, "Princess, there are still a few days before the Northern Expedition, so there is no need to rush to research and produce that kind of landmine.
In this Northern Expedition, we must protect ourselves and hide our strength. The real danger lies behind this Northern Expedition!"
Luo Li stretched out her right hand, caught a few falling snowflakes, and watched them melt in her palm. In this era of supreme imperial power, human life is sometimes as fragile as snowflakes falling into the palm of the ruler, blooming and dancing for a moment, and then melting without a trace.
Zhao Defang is right. It will be good as long as we can save our lives and preserve our strength in this Northern Expedition.
If you reveal too much strength for a big victory, it will arouse the fear and eagerness of the Dog Emperor to kill you! It will not be easy to gain more space to develop your strength.