Self-destructive future

1 E Yan Lan died on the battlefield.

In order to negotiate peace with Yang Yingfan, the imperial court ordered the frontline defenders to stop fighting. However, unexpectedly, Yang Yingfan took advantage of the peace negotiations and not only did not withdraw his troops, but also ordered to continue attacking Shizhou and other places.

Shizhou's garrison was insufficient. Because Xiangzhou was adjacent to Shizhou, Yan Lan ignored military orders and led reinforcements. However, the other neighboring states remained stationary and watched helplessly as Yan Lan and Shizhou's garrison fought with enemy troops several times their own. In the battle, although Shizhou was saved in the end, Yan Lan was seriously injured and died.

It was Cai Yong who presided over the peace talks, it was Cai Yong who ordered a truce, and it was Cai Yong who prohibited reinforcements to Shizhou.

Life and death are unpredictable on the battlefield, but Yan Lan's death is inseparable from Cai Dang.

When the news reached Yan Mansion, Mrs. Yan fainted and fell to the ground on the spot. Yan Qing took a few steps back and was supported by the maid behind her. She opened her eyes wide and shook her head, muttering repeatedly to herself.

"No, this is not true..."

Until Mr. Yan Ge rushed home, there was still blood on his front, and he was being held by a servant. When Yan Qing saw his father's appearance, his heart sank completely. Go down.

Because of Yan Lan's death, Mrs. Yan fell completely ill. She could only read her son's name in confusion every day. Even though Yan Qing personally boiled the medicine and fed it to her, she refused to drink it.

Mr. Yan Ge's hair turned completely white overnight.

Yan Qing did not dare to cry in front of his parents. After taking care of his mother every day, he hid in his room and cried until his tears dried up.

Half a month later, Yan Lan's body was sent to the capital. It was not until he saw the coffin that Yan Qing believed that his brother had really gone.

That upright and brave brother, the brother who always said he would serve the country with all his heart, the brother who although he often quarreled with her, still protected and doted on her, would never return home again.

The mourning hall was set up, and Jiang Weiren also came. He was so haggard that it was shocking. When Yan Qing saw him, he couldn't restrain himself, and the grief in his heart almost overwhelmed him.

He seemed a little hesitant, but finally couldn't help but tell Yan Qing that Yan Qing had sent him a letter a few days ago. At this time, if the two elders of the Yan family saw it again, how could they bear it? , so he just asked Yan Qing if he wanted to read it.

In fact, he didn't write much. In the letter, Yan Lan was as usual, scolding the imperial court's strategy and saying that Cai's party was harming the country. At that time, he must have been obsessed with saving the war on the front line. He had no idea that all his blood would be spent on it. To the mountains and rivers in that area.

After the letter, he also said that his father had written to him about his sister's marriage. He hoped that the war would end soon and that he could come back as soon as possible to watch his sister marry her beloved.

Yan Qing's hand holding the letter kept shaking. She and Jiang Weiren stood in the corridor in the backyard. There was a string of long lamps hanging in the corridor. The lamps were slightly swayed by the wind. In the dim light and shadow, she felt sad. Lift your head.

Jiang Weiren saw the tears in her eyes falling like shooting stars in the sky against the dim light of the candles, and her frail body seemed to be crumbling.

"Brother Jiang..." She spoke sadly, calling out his name but unable to say any more words.

Jiang Weiren knew that he was transgressing, but at that moment, he could no longer think too much. He stretched out his arms and gently took her into his arms.

Her thin body was trembling in his arms, like a trembling dewdrop held by him, making him not sure what to do. She clutched the skirt of his chest and buried her face in his chest. Those tears flowed in, as if they were burning all the way to his heart.

Now that her parents are ill and there is no support at home, she does not dare to grieve too much, let alone show her most vulnerable side to everyone.

Jiang Weiren knew that apart from the two elders of the Yan family, he was probably the only one who felt the sadness in his heart, which was closest to the pain in her heart.

He even thought that even if it was pain, it would be good to share it with her.

Under the eaves outside the corridor, Shen Zhu was alone in the shadows, watching the two people embracing each other from a distance.

After Yan Lan's accident, he had been to Yan's house several times because he was worried that Yan Qing couldn't bear it. The first two times she locked herself in the room and saw no one, but when she came out later, he didn't even see her and shed tears. .

While he was afraid that she would wallow in sadness, he also felt sorry for her growth overnight.

It wasn't until he saw the scene in front of him that he was shocked to realize that she now only wanted to show her tears to another person.

It was more than a month after Yan Lan was buried that Mr. Yan Ge got better.

The Shen family originally proposed to postpone the wedding of their two children for a year or two because they understood that the Yan family had just had such a big incident. Unexpectedly, Mr. Yan Ge insisted on keeping the wedding date as usual.

There was the funeral of his son on one side and the marriage of his daughter on the other. No one knew that Mr. Yan Ge would make such a decision at such a moment.

Mrs. Yan's illness became more and more serious. She had not been in good health before. The birth of her eldest son had weakened her vitality. Eight years later, she gave birth to her youngest daughter, who she kept raising. However, the death of her son completely devastated her.

Mr. Yan Ge called his daughter to him. Yan Qing already knew her father's decision. Her wedding to Shen Zhu was set for the middle of next year. Not to mention that she was unwilling to marry Shen Zhu, but that her brother had just passed away. , and she couldn't accept it if she was asked to get married in half a year.

"Nanny," Mr. Yan Ge called his daughter softly. After experiencing the grief of a white-haired person sending a black-haired person away, the former Mr. Yan is now like a dying old man, "You know about your brother, and there is no So simple... The fight between the two parties is a state matter, but now Cai's party is so unscrupulous..."

Mr. Yan Ge's voice was trembling, and Yan Qing didn't know that his brother's death was just a sacrifice in the party struggle between North Korea and China.

"Dad is old, and I have been fighting for so many years. I originally wanted to work hard step by step, at least putting my family and country first, but now that your brother is gone and there is no one left in the Yan family, I will accompany them to fight for the last time with my old bones. Fight!"

Yan Qing already guessed what her father meant, and said in shock: "Dad! What are you...what are you going to do?"

Mr. Yan Ge waved his hand, "It's not your business to worry about. I know that you are my father's only weakness now, and your mother is like that now. If you don't see you find a good home, it will be hard for your parents to feel at ease..."

Yan Qing shook her head, knelt in front of her father, and fell on his knees. , "Dad, you must take care of yourself!"

Mr. Yan Ge stroked the top of his daughter's hair and whispered with great affection: "Nanny, dad can probably guess what you are thinking, but that Jiang Weiren, he is not yours What a good match.

"Think about it, he comes from a poor family and has no one to rely on. The situation in the DPRK is unpredictable, and no matter how talented he is, he can't withstand the general trend.

"Whenever something happens to him, there won't even be anyone in the clan to help him, and you won't even have a family... The third generation of the Shen family, no matter what happens, the huge family behind him can be your support in the future."

See. His daughter was stunned and silent, and he could only sigh: "In the past six months, if you think about it carefully, my daughter is naturally much smarter than other daughters. Dad believes you can understand."

Yan Qing walked out of the study in confusion. , until her back was far away, Mr. Yan Ge in the room called the housekeeper in, "Go to Lord Jiang Weiren and ask him to come to the house and say that I have something to say to him." The

Bozhou Rebellion finally It was pacified at the end of the autumn of that year. Because the New Year was approaching, the national treasury was tight, and they were worried that Beiqi from the north would take the opportunity to invade. The imperial court agreed to a series of requests made by Yang Yingfan. It was this move that laid the foundation for the future. A huge disaster.

After Yan Lan's funeral, Yan Qing stayed at his mother's bedside all day long. He never saw Jiang Weiren again, and it was already after winter when he heard from him again.

This time, Jiang Weiren still shocked everyone with the pen in his hand. The memorial he wrote pointedly pointed at the ten major shortcomings of today's world, such as huge national treasury losses and endless border preparations, which is also known as the "Ten Shortcomings".

In later history books, the most intense confrontation between the two parties in the Sejong Dynasty was kicked off by this memorial. Of course, the versions circulated in later generations all said that he was instructed by Yan Yongnian .

He spoke fiercely, denounced the chaos in the DPRK and China, especially the border war strategy, and impeached the generals stationed on the southwest front line for embezzlement and lack of military pay.

Among the corruption cases, embezzlement of military pay was the most serious, and was deeply hated by all dynasties. Emperor Shizong had no choice but to order a thorough investigation.

The results of the investigation at Dali Temple shocked the government and the public. Corruption was rampant from the inside out throughout the southwest. Military pay was being withheld step by step, and some soldiers on the front line were starving and freezing.

Naturally, the Cai Party refused to give up. Officials immediately participated in the favoritism campaign hosted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs last year. Most of the officials rated Grade A in the Beijing Police were children of aristocratic families. The target of the attack was of course the Yuan Party headed by Mr. Yan Ge.

Now, Dali Temple, which had just investigated the corruption case, had to turn around and investigate the Jingcha case. The two parties were competing against each other, which stirred up panic among the people in the court. Even Yan Qing, now living in a boudoir, also heard about what was going on outside.

Naturally, she also heard the rumor that her father gave Jiang Weiren permission to write the memorial, but even if his father did not give him permission, Yan Qing knew that Jiang Weiren might risk everything to become an enemy of the Cai Party for the sake of Yan Lan's death.

In the end, she couldn't hold it back and slipped out of Yan's house to see him.

In winter, his small courtyard became even more cold and desolate. He was making tea alone in front of the window when he heard the knocker on the door. There was no one in the house. Jiang Weiren went to open the door in person, only to see the howling cold wind. In the middle, Yan Qing is wearing a plain cloak, standing tall and graceful outside the door.

He handed the cooked hot tea to her and looked at her hands holding the small tea cup while sipping. She didn't know whether it was blown by the cold wind or steamed by the heat, but there was a slight blush on her cheeks.

"You really need a servant in your yard." She said casually.

"I won't be able to stay for much longer, so it's not that important..." he said with a smile.

Yan Qing raised his hands in shock, as if he didn't understand the meaning of his words.

Jiang Weiren took advantage of the skylight outside and seemed to carefully examine her eyebrows. Her eyes were obscure, hiding emotions that only he could understand.

"Now that the government is in such chaos, there must be an end to it. No matter where the officials involved are demoted, they will never stay in the capital again."

It turned out that he saw it very clearly in his heart, but even though he knew this, he still did not hesitate to commit suicide . Ruin your future.

"Is it because of Yan Lan?" When she mentioned her brother, there was still a slight tremor in her voice. This name was like a wound that could never be healed, and it would hurt just to mention it.

He didn't answer, but Yan Qing knew the answer. People outside said that he and Yan Lan were friends to cling to the Yan family and to take advantage of Yan Ge's power. But if that was true, how could he be so "stupid" now.

"You clearly know that even if you sacrifice yourself, you won't be able to avenge him." Yan Qing murmured.

"It doesn't matter." He took a sip of tea, his expression was as calm as if he didn't know what he was going to face. "This person has passed away. I just do what makes me feel at ease."

"Is it..." She hesitated, He raised his head and asked him, "Did my father ask you to do it?"

Unexpectedly, he shook his head without hesitation, but seemed unwilling to mention it again. Instead, he smiled and tilted his head and asked, "I heard that you and Mr. Shen The wedding is scheduled for next year, which is a pity. Qingqing, I'm afraid I won't be able to attend the ceremony."

Yan Qing didn't react for a moment. She stared at him, as if she could see some flaw in his expression. Come on, it's a pity, his expression looks so sincere.

Yan Qing only felt that her throat was blocked, making it almost difficult for her to breathe. She did not speak, and he just waited for her silently.

After a long time, she quietly said: "Do you really hope that I marry him?"

He looked at her blankly, covering up all the sadness in his heart, only showing the calmness on his face, "I just hope that you will marry me." Happiness."

"Happiness?" Her eyes flickered, and she murmured these two words, then suddenly raised her head and looked straight at him, "But the person in my heart is not him, Jiang Weiren, you know that person. Who is it?"

Jiang Weiren was a little dazed, with such a face that he had been thinking about so clearly before his eyes. Mr. Jiang, who had been known as a child prodigy since he was a child, seemed to be stumped by this question at this moment and couldn't answer anything. Not coming out.

"Jiang Weiren, what am I in your eyes?" Her voice was more stubborn than sad, as if she had to force him to say something to make her give up.

He looked at her, the love in his eyes could not be hidden, and no one could tell the true emotion in his tone. He said calmly: "In my eyes, you were Yan Qing's sister before, and you will also be my sister from now on."

Yan Qing left . By that time, the sun had all set, and the winter dusk was really bleak. The light of the sky was gone, and it was as gray as her heart falling into the abyss at this moment.

Jiang Weiren actually sent her out in person. Looking at that slender figure, he felt that the world was so vast, but his eyes seemed to only be able to fit such a small shadow.

There were a few traces of wind on her cloak. He hesitantly reached out his hand, but when he was about to touch her shoulder, he took it back sadly.

Just before she got up and left, he suddenly asked her an irrelevant question softly.

"Qingqing, have you seen the moon on Qujiang?"

Her heart was filled with sadness, and she had no time to think about it. She turned her head and endured the pain and murmured: "Have you seen it..."

He did not look at her, but He was looking at the dead leaves dancing in the wind in the courtyard, and Yan Qing didn't understand the true meaning of his words.

He said: "Some things, like the moon on the Qujiang River, appear to be in the water, but are actually in the sky."

To him, she is the moon in the Qujiang River.

Mr. Yan Ge did ask him to do one thing, but it was not to fight with Cai Dang, but to fulfill her happiness and never disturb her again.

Therefore, he was filled with joy and sorrow caused by her, but he could only remain silent at this moment.