My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 282 Couldn't she be an empress?
September 22nd.

Thick dark clouds hung in the sky, and a strong wind howled, as if a torrential downpour was imminent.

Although winter has not yet arrived, the temperature has already begun to drop steadily, and after the heavy rains, the cold winter will begin.

A group of uninvited guests arrived in Taishan County. Although they were dressed in Hanfu, their accents revealed that they were not locals, but no one dared to go up and provoke them.

They were all broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with robust physiques.

Many of them had obvious scars on their faces, and their eyes, in particular, were incredibly menacing. You could tell at a glance that they were desperate criminals who had crawled out of piles of corpses and had countless heads on their hands.

Liu Taozhi led the way and eventually arrived at the prefect's mansion.

After the gatekeeper came out, Liu Taozhi said, "Go tell your prefect that an old friend has come to visit."

The servant sized him up a few times and said with disdain, "Where did this slave come from, daring to claim to be an old friend of my master? Go away, get out of here, lest you lose your life for nothing!"

Everyone in the entire Taishan County knows that Yang Kan, the head of the Yang family, is a staunch Han patriot who never associates with the Hu people.

Liu Taozhi wasn't angry; instead, she introduced herself.

"I am a personal guard under General Tian Ce, here to deliver a message for my general. Please go and report to him."

"General Tian Ce? What General Tian Ce? I've never heard of him."

"General of Chariots and Cavalry, do you know?"

"General of Chariots and Cavalry, Gao Erlang?"

The news of Gao Yu being appointed General of the Heavenly Strategy Army did not spread so quickly.

Fortunately, Liu Taozhi was quick-witted and reacted fast enough.

The nursery rhyme, carried along by the fleeing soldiers who had previously returned, was easy to recite and passed down by word of mouth among the people. The name of General Gao Erlang, the chariot cavalryman, became deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in Shandong, Hebei, Xuzhou and other places.

That's the charm of nursery rhymes.

Back then, during the first Northern Expedition in Huai Shuo, how did Gao Huan know to use the "jade throne and golden Buddha" principle to bribe Li Chong, the Duke of Chenliu?
It was also because of a nursery rhyme.

"Exactly!"

"Then please wait here."

Before long, the mansion gates opened wide, and Yang Kan, dressed in fine clothes, walked out surrounded by his servants.

Despite the passing years, Yang Kan still had some recollection of Liu Taozhi, knowing that he was Gao Yu's personal guard.

"Greetings, Prefect!"

Liu Taozhi bowed with her hands clasped in salute, and the Xuanjia soldiers behind her followed suit.

Yang Kan examined them carefully and couldn't help but praise them repeatedly, "Truly brave warriors, worthy of being under Gao Lang's command. Come in, all of you."

They brought the person into the mansion.

Yang Kan ordered his servants to bring fine wine and meat, and even invited beautiful women to dance to entertain him, treating him with great hospitality.

With such a commotion in front, the inner courtyard naturally received the news as well.

Yang Changchu soon learned that it was Gao Yu's personal guards who had come to deliver the message. She wanted to go out and find out the news herself, but as a woman awaiting marriage, how could she go out and show her face in public? She could only wait in the inner courtyard.

She originally wanted Yang Kan to take her to Luoyang.

But with winter approaching, Yang Kan said he would go in the spring of the following year, and that's why he didn't set off for so long.

Now that we've finally received the news, how can we not be anxious?

Seeing her anxious expression, Pei Zhirou couldn't help but tease her, "For the past few years, there has been no news of Gao Lang, and Chang Chu has been waiting patiently... Why are you in such a hurry now?"

She seemed to have thought of something. "Judging from my husband's words, Gao Lang is extremely handsome and now he is famous and holds a high position. Could it be that Chang Chu is afraid that there are other women around Gao Lang?"

Yang Changchu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

Does Gao Yu have female companions?
The answer is obvious.

It’s different in the past.

In peaceful times, a lowly warrior like Gao Yu, who had no family background or social standing and had fought his way up from the frontier, might not be able to gain the favor of aristocratic families.

However, the current situation is turbulent.

Although the rebellion of Ge Rong and Xing Gao was seemingly quelled, it did not mean that the world was now at peace.

During the previous chaotic times, powerful families and clans also figured out their own ways of survival.

When chaos descends, winning over capable warriors is the best strategy.

Three thousand to three hundred thousand!

With such impressive achievements, countless powerful families and clans would want to win Gao Yu over.

For aristocratic families, there was no more convenient, easier, or more reassuring way than sending women to form marriage alliances.

She remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, "I just want to see him..."

"And then what?"

What happened next? Yang Changchu himself was also confused.

She scolded him for being so heartless, saying he had promised to come to Mount Tai to find her, but eight years had passed since then.

Or should I pour out my heart?

She found that it was difficult to imagine what it would be like to see Gao Yu again, simply by thinking about it.

Just then, Yang Kan returned to the inner courtyard, smelling slightly of alcohol but still sober, with a happy expression on his face.

"Husband, what makes you so happy?"

Yang Kan smiled and said, "Of course I heard some good news. Did you know... that Gao Lang has now been appointed as the Heavenly Strategy General by the Emperor of Great Wei!"

"General Tian Ce?"

Pei Zhirou was taken aback; the name didn't sound like a permanent position.

"Yes, that's not all. The Emperor has appointed Gao Lang as the military commander of Xu, Yan, and Qing provinces, and the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Route. Gao Lang will arrive in Shandong next spring, and we will finally be able to meet him!"

"Brother, is this really true?"

“Of course…this is Gao Lang’s own handwriting.”

Yang Kan took out the secret letter and waved it, but still handed it to Yang Changchu. Yang Changchu opened it as if it were a treasure.

Yang Kan was right; he hadn't lied to himself.

"Still clamoring to go to Luoyang? In a few months, Gao Lang will come to Shandong on his own."

"not going!"

Yang Changchu quickly made up her mind and hurriedly returned to her boudoir.

Yang Kan couldn't help but sigh, "Gao Lang even brought some things over, why are you in such a hurry..."

But when Pei Zhirou saw the gift Gao Yu sent, her expression was extremely strange.

because……

Yang Kan took out a red lacquered carved bow.

Who would give a woman a bow as a gift?

She doesn't understand.

However, at Yang Kan's prompting, he took the bow and turned to find Yang Changchu.

When she entered the boudoir, she found Yang Changchu bowing his head before the desk, holding paper and pen and writing something.

Take a closer look.

Pei Zhirou looked on in astonishment upon seeing the contents above.

"Chang Chu, what's wrong with you...?"

“He’s not familiar with Shandong, so I’ll first help him clarify the connections between the various prominent families.”

"You."

Pei Zhirou sighed. Little did she know that years ago, Yang Changchu had taught himself the six styles of cartography and helped Gao Yu create many maps based on the "Commentary on the Waterways Classic".

Where is this?
"This bow was sent by Gao Lang."

"Thank you, sister-in-law. Please put the bow aside."

Pei Zhirou did as she was told, but looking at Yang Changchu's busy appearance, she had some doubts in her heart.

Is it really necessary to go this far?

She didn't understand why Yang Changchu was so hung up on Gao Yu.

Put yourself in their shoes and try to see things from their perspective.

She felt that if she were Gao Yu, and knew all that Yang Changchu had done for her, it would be unreasonable not to make Yang Changchu her legal wife.
If the situation becomes turbulent, Gao Yu may one day establish his own independent regime, or even ascend the throne and become emperor.

Yang Changchu must be a strong contender for the Empress title, right?

wrong.

She has to be the empress, right?

what.

The Yang family has a history of producing empresses; is it possible that another one will emerge in this generation?
Was the feng shui of the Yang family ancestors really that good?

"How could I have such a strange thought?"

Pei Zhirou chuckled and shook her head, then quietly closed the door to prevent anyone from disturbing Yang Changchu.

P.S.: I've tried to compress the transitional plot and avoid spoilers, but Yuwentai definitely couldn't have created the Northern Zhou dynasty; what would he have done with it?

(End of this chapter)