We have grown up thousands of miles apart, and we share the same beauty.

Chanjuan is the moon. On an early summer night, sitting in the yard, you can still hear the faint sound of crickets among the flowers.

As the weather got warmer, Ning Xiaochuan squatted on the stone slab in front of the door, staring at the night sky in a daze.

After a while, Su Su came over and helped him put on his robe, "Master, it's cold at night, so be careful of catching a cold."

"It's so late and you're still not sleeping." Ning Xiaochuan said to himself.

Su Su bowed her head slightly and said, "Seeing that the young master is not sleeping, he is not sleepy anymore."

"Where's Su Min?"

"She has been tired for a day and has fallen asleep." Susu replied, standing behind Ning Xiaochuan.

"Susu, I want to ask you something, and you have to answer truthfully." Ning Xiaochuan turned around and looked at Susu, his face extremely solemn.

Su Su nodded slightly, "Master, please tell me."

"If one day I am forced to leave Yindu because I have offended someone, will you think I am a coward?" Ning Xiaochuan looked at Susu and asked.

Su Su was stunned for a moment, then slowly leaned over and sat next to Ning Xiaochuan.

"The young master I know has never been a coward. Even if he leaves, I will feel that the young master is playing a bigger game."

Ning Xiaochuan chuckled: "How can I be as powerful as you say?"

"The young master is very powerful, I've always thought so." Su Su looked at Ning Xiaochuan and said it subconsciously.

After Ning Xiaochuan heard this, he couldn't help but feel warm in his heart. Being praised and affirmed by others is a happy thing, no matter what time it is.

He smiled again, and Su Su said: "Actually, young master, your smile from the bottom of your heart is much prettier than your usual smile."

"Huh?" After hearing this, Ning Xiaochuan turned to look at Susu. Susu quickly turned away and lowered her head, "I am always good-looking."

Susu couldn't help but laugh at Ning Xiaochuan's narcissistic words.

Ning Xiaochuan stood up and patted the dust on his robe, "Okay, go back to sleep."

After Ning Xiaochuan got up, Susu stayed alone in the yard for a long time.

She recalled how helpless and scared she felt when she first came to Ning's house, and couldn't help but feel glad that she met Ning Xiaochuan. She believed that the Ning Xiaochuan she saw was the real Ning Xiaochuan. No matter how powerful the rumors outside were, she didn't believe them at all.

It is an unconditional trust that comes from the heart.

…

The next morning, a letter came to Ning Xiaochuan.

After Ning Xiaochuan read the letter, he sighed in his heart, what is supposed to come will come, and there is no way to escape.

Sure enough, Gao Yuan asked him to meet at Zhenbaozhai. Ning Xiaochuan washed up, changed his clothes and got up to go to Zhenbaozhai.

It was still a familiar place, but this time they chose to meet on the fifth floor of Zhenbaozhai. This fifth floor, which Ning Xiaochuan had never been to, showed the power of the royal family.

When he opened the door, the fragrance was fragrant, and the antique dress gave people a sense of openness and comfort. When Gao Yuan saw Ning Xiaochuan, he stood up and greeted him with a smile.

Ning Xiaochuan bowed and cupped his hands, "Ning Xiaochuan, a common citizen, pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Hahaha, Brother Ning, I was still afraid that you wouldn't come. It seems that I am worrying too much."

Gao Yuan took Ning Xiaochuan's arm and walked towards the pavilion outside the room, looking very familiar.

The rooms on the fifth floor are spacious and beautiful. There is a small pavilion outside the room. This pavilion can be said to be the highest place in Yindu besides the imperial palace. Looking down from the pavilion, you can have a panoramic view of the streets of Yindu.

There were countless delicacies in the pavilion, as well as several bottles of fine wine. After the two of them took their seats, Gao Yuan looked at the beautiful scenery outside and said, "Brother Ning, have you ever seen the Yin capital like this?"

"first."

Ning Xiaochuan said sadly, it is indeed true that you can see far when you stand high. Rows of houses, bustling crowds, streets full of pedestrians, and people walking through various shops all have a panoramic view. It has a unique charm. This is the most real thing.

of prosperity.

"Brother Ning, this time I still said what I said last time, serving the country and the people. Nowadays, Dafeng is suffering from internal and external troubles. If people like Brother Ning do not serve the country, it will be Dafeng's loss." Gao Yuan raised his glass and said.

.

Ning Xiaochuan also raised his glass, touched it lightly, and then said: "Your Highness may not know that I am not a talented person. On the streets of Yindu, any common people will know that I am a dandy, and let a dandy serve the country."

?I’m afraid there’s something wrong with this.”

Gao Yuan drank and continued: "No dandy would say that he is a dandy. I don't believe that a dandy would sit next to the current prince so calmly. Moreover, Brother Ning, I'm afraid you have forgotten what happened in Jiangbei Town."

Alright."

Sure enough, what happened in Jiangbei Town was still known to the royal family. A dandy would not face a half-powerful man in Jiangbei Town. When Gao Yuan said this, Ning Xiaochuan understood.

"Your Highness seems to have checked me out very clearly." Ning Xiaochuan said calmly.

"If I don't find out, I won't see you again."

"Your Highness asked me to serve the country. I don't know how I should understand this. My father paid homage to the Duke and followed His Majesty on the battlefield for more than twenty years. He participated in countless wars, big and small, and even captured 700 miles of Xiangzhou.

Does this count as serving the country?”

Now that he knew everything, Ning Xiaochuan stopped pretending to be stupid and asked directly.

Gao Yuan nodded without hesitation, "Of course, General Ning is loyal and courageous and opened up borders for the country. Of course he is serving the country."

"My eldest brother Ning He guarded Xiangzhou, defeated the Western Qiang, fought hard against the Northern Barbarians, protected the territory and the people, and defeated the Western Qiang who were forced to sue for peace. Does this count as serving the country?" Ning Xiaochuan continued to ask.

Gao Yuan continued to nod and said: "The father of the Duke of Li has no son, General Ning He is a young hero. With General Ning He here, I will serve Northwest Wuyou. This is of course serving the country."

"My second brother was a minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. He spent only a handful of years in the Yin capital during the three years he entered the court. He didn't even return home a few times. In order to investigate the situation of the country, he traveled to every prefecture and county in the eighteen prefectures of Dafeng.

Now that you are still in Jingzhou, does this count as serving the country?" Ning Xiaochuan took a deep breath and continued.

Gao Yuan next to him nodded slightly, "As an official, you should go deep into the people and understand the people's sentiments. Your second brother is also serving the country."

"My third brother is familiar with hundreds of classics. Although he has not held an official position, he helped the Imperial Academy examine 7,000 volumes of various classics and history and corrected countless errors. Does this count as serving the country?" Ning Xiaochuan continued to ask, this sentence

The next question made Gao Yuan a little confused.

"Of course, as long as it benefits the country and the people, it is serving the country."

"And my fourth brother, even though he is a good Yuyuefu musician, he has to go to the Miao territory of Shuzhou to teach the Miao people. I dare to ask if anyone in Yuyuefu besides my fourth brother has been to Shuzhou? This doesn't count.

Doesn’t it count as serving the country?” Ning Xiaochuan became more and more excited as he spoke.

Gao Yuan next to him took a deep breath, raised his hand to raise his glass, sipped it for a long time, and then drank it, "Of course!"

"Then I dare to ask His Highness the Prince, our Ning family has given enough to Dafeng. There are tens of millions of people in the world. Can you let us Ning family go and let us live a peaceful life?

I, Ning Xiaochuan, am not as great as my four brothers. I only want to be an ordinary person and a common citizen. I have no other thoughts except the country." Ning Xiaochuan stood up directly.

said.

Gao Yuan next to him was a little confused by Ning Xiaochuan's words and didn't know how to refute him. Gao Yuan didn't answer for a long time. After a long time, he slowly stood up.

"If everyone thinks like you, Brother Ning, then who else is willing to serve me as Dafeng, who else is willing to serve as an official in the court, and who else is willing to join the army and guard the border?

Brother Ning, our royal family will never forget what your Ning family did for Da Feng, but this is no excuse for you to escape."

"So your Highness means that you don't agree with what I said?"

"I disagree, but brother Ning, don't worry, I won't force you to make any decisions like my second brother, I just have a simple chat with you.

Maybe in your eyes, the reason why I went to such great lengths to recruit you is because of your Ning family’s 100,000 state troops. Yes, I admit that was my original intention, but after what you just said, I changed my mind.

Already."

Gao Yuan stood up and drank a glass of strong wine, his face turned red.

"I, Gao Yuan, am a descendant of the royal family and the prince of Dafeng. I don't dare to ask for the expansion of territory and the establishment of a country like our great ancestor Gaozong. I only hope to be able to make the world peaceful and the people live in peace like Renzong and Zhenzong.

Ning Xiaochuan, if you were really a dandy, I wouldn't tell you these things. I care about you heart to heart, and I hope you can reciprocate heart to heart. No matter what, I respect your decision." After Gao Yuan finished speaking, he drank another glass of strong wine.

I coughed it out directly.

"Your Highness." Ning Xiaochuan frowned. He really didn't expect that the prince would actually say such a thing. No matter whether he meant it sincerely or not, at least he dared to say it.

"Ning Xiaochuan, I rescued you that day. Although it was your plan, I don't blame you. Someone told me that your trick of driving a tiger to swallow a wolf sent you into my mouth, and I could hold you tightly.

In hand."

Gao Yuan continued: "I can tell you here openly and honestly that I, Gao Yuan, am definitely not the kind of person you think. When I recruit you, I must make you willingly assist me!"

Ning Xiaochuan raised his hand to Gao Yuan, "Your Highness is magnanimous and I admire you, but I do have no talent or virtue and am embarrassed to take on such a heavy responsibility. I hope Your Highness will not blame you."

"Okay, let's not talk about this. It's rare to leave the palace. Come and have a few drinks with me." Gao Yuan thought for a long time, took a big sip of wine, changed the topic, and did not give Ning Xiaochuan a direct answer.

Ning Xiaochuan looked at Gao Yuan and was filled with emotion. Such a prince is really scary.

This meal left Ning Xiaochuan with mixed flavors. After returning to Ning Mansion, his thoughts could not be calmed for a long time. Gao Yuan really didn't want to do anything, and he gave himself such a surprise as soon as he did.

The prince's righteous words really made people's blood boil and their hearts surge. As a minister, who wouldn't want to meet such a king, who is ambitious, ambitious and courageous? Ordinary people would probably express their loyalty on the spot.

However, in Ning Xiaochuan's view, this is not the case, regardless of whether Gao Yuan's words are true or false, whether he is really honest to Ning Xiaochuan, or whether he is just making fun of himself.

When the prince said this, he was undoubtedly placing himself on the moral high ground.

Compared with Gao Ling's coercion and inducement, Gao Yuan's moral compliance is more scary. In Dafeng, where Confucianism prevails today, respecting the king and respecting the Tao is the guideline of the world.

At this time, it didn't matter to Gao Yuan whether he agreed or not, but Ning Xiaochuan was completely passive.

Gao Yuan's move was so good that Ning Xiaochuan would rather encounter Jiangbei Town again than have this meal with Gao Yuan.


Chapter completed!