Under the dangerous peaks to the west of Ruoshui City, there is a vast forest, which is inaccessible and has meandering scenery. At the beginning of the founding of Rongguo, it was designated as a hunting ground for the royal family. The buildings on the site are fully equipped. In addition to hunting activities, Emperor Rong even set it up as a summer resort.
resort.
In addition to the members of the royal family, those who participated in the hunt were also officials and their wives of third rank or above, the teachers of the Fourth Hall of the Academy, and the principals.
The Ministry of Rites checked the time and fired the salute, and then all the officials followed the emperor from the imperial city. The palace guards led by Ge Yiyan escorted him westward, passing through Changchang Street, where people gathered around and shouted long live the emperor.
Banners covered the sun, troops and horses roared, and they left Kyoto in a mighty way.
Su Yan lifted a corner of the curtain and looked back. Only the dazzling five-color flags were left in the Ruoshui Castle Tower. It was the same scene as when she left that year.
Amin fiddled with his luggage for a long time, picked up the copper pot that looked like a big fat man, and said with a smile: "Fortunately, I was smart. When they checked the carriage, I hid it under my butt and escaped. This is enough for sir to eat for half a month!"
"
Su Yan stretched out her index finger and knocked on the copper pot, making a buzzing sound. She couldn't help but said disgustedly: "This is not enough for me to drink for three days, you can keep it for yourself. There are so many dignitaries in the hunting ground, if you get drunk.
, running out to hook up with a young man is unthinkable!" He said and laughed secretly.
Imam suddenly blushed and stuffed the copper pot into her arms. Su Yan still kept talking: "Ah! The young master of the Dali Temple Minister is not married yet, not bad, not bad~"
"This is a wealthy family, how dare I, a servant, to reach such a high level? Sir, isn't this just a fantasy!"
"No, no!" Su Yan began to enlighten this girl who was full of feudal superstitions, "Take the minister of Dali Temple as an example. His wife, the mother-in-law of Jin Guan, was a maidservant. Now she is not enjoying all the glory and wealth.
! And Lord Changsun, the biological mother of Changsun Yue, she was also born as a maid. Although she is not accepted by the family, at least Lord Changsun loves her and respects her. Are you still talking about fantasy? I can tell you that there is no eternal maid in the world.
There are only sparrows that don’t want to fly on the branches!”
Ah Fu was deep in thought, his fingers turned white when pinched.
"Why don't you understand? I said you are smart, but you have an elm head! Let's put it this way, as long as you improve your own conditions and let the young men like Ruoshui notice you, you will have a chance to be like Changsun Yue
Just like her mother, she chooses a good marriage, and there is no guarantee of future prosperity and wealth, but you don’t have to be like other maids who return to the countryside after the work period is over and are forced to marry a bad old man who is half-stepped into the coffin!"
"How to improve the conditions?" Ah Yu asked in confusion.
"As for your own conditions...it's enough to know a little about music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but you can't cope with more. In that case, from now on you can go to Shuyou Hall to listen, and I will teach you after class."
Amama asked in surprise: "Teach me how to make tea?!"
Su Yan nodded, and then added: "Just making tea is not enough, I will teach you how to read!"
"Sir, you are so busy. How dare I trouble you again?"
Su Yan hugged her shoulders tightly: "Which of us is following whom? You treat me as a friend, and I treat you as my sister! Don't say anything else in the future. How dare you bother me? I'm going to be angry!"
A-min nodded vigorously, with a smile on his face: "A-min will definitely learn to read and cook tea carefully from now on!"
The scenery outside the window quickly receded, and Amin looked out from under the rolled-up curtains. The obedient and gentle look in his eyes gradually disappeared, and his dark face seemed to be covered with sadness. It was the pain of a girl trapped in love, who couldn't get what she wanted.
Su Yan noticed the flash of expression on her face and felt confused, so he also looked out the window. There was nothing unusual about the densely packed Imperial Guards, only the young man in military uniform riding a tall horse interspersed among them, observing the surroundings vigilantly.
Su Yan withdrew his gaze and looked at Ah Yu again, feeling indescribably uncomfortable in his heart.
A dark-colored double-column carriage was slowly passing through the procession. Because it was the carriage of Lord Shangshu, the carriage was able to accompany Emperor Rong's chariot. Following them were two great lords, Zhongshu Sheng and Menxia Sheng, and the other six ministers.
Yan Ling, the head of Xuanting, turned around and came to Yuan Qin's carriage, knocked on the window, and without waiting for a response from inside, he first said: "Master Mo once asked for the elixir of immortality for your majesty, and then he was given an important job. Now he wants Feng
If you get the wind, if you get the rain, you get the rain. I think if we give it some time, I'm afraid I will be called Mo Xiang."
The people inside ignored him, and the carriage continued to follow him unhurriedly.
Yan Ling snorted coldly and continued to pretend: "Master Yuan is Mo Fei's disciple and is trusted by him. However, he has been stagnant in the past few years. I'm afraid this sect will be handed over to others, right?"
The people inside finally responded, only to hear a heavy voice saying: "Master Mo is strict with the prince, and Chief Yan has always been dissatisfied, and everyone in the court knows it, but don't speculate in words in public, it will be very detrimental to the prince.
Please think twice!”
Yan Ling did not take him seriously. Ever since he began to seek the elixir of immortality, his majesty began to ignore the government affairs and handed over all power to the three provinces headed by Mo Fei and the prince. However, the prince had little power and was not enough to fight. Xuan Ting accepted
The late emperor ordered him to protect your majesty and the East Palace. Your Majesty, the safety of the prince is his bounden duty! He hated Murphy deeply, but no matter how hard he tried, every time he finally got the information, it was revealed again in the blink of an eye.
Destroyed completely! Within a few days, all the heads and heads of the agents sent out were missing! In the past three years, the imperial palace, three provinces and six departments have been completely penetrated by Mo Fei's agents. I am afraid that the only place that is still clean is Xuanting.
But as time went by, even Xuan Ting began to feel powerless. Facing the ubiquitous Mexican Party, no one knew how long they could persist.
Yan Ling smiled and said grimly: "Think twice? It was because you thought twice about everything that you ruined so many of your colleagues." He stretched out his hand to lift a corner of the curtain and peeked into that cunning old face, which looked so much like Mo Fei that he couldn't help but feel
Disgusting, "Master Yuan, don't panic, I'm just joking! Times have changed, and everyone makes mistakes sometimes." He smiled and let go of the curtains.
The bookboy in the carriage whispered to the owner: "The headmaster's words should be asking you for peace, but the headmaster is arrogant and cannot be subdued."
He was calm and composed, as if he had never seen this person before. He could even hold the teapot and close his eyes to rest, "Yan Ling, please make peace? I'm afraid you may have misjudged me. Even if this person dies, he will die standing and never bow his head."
He shook his head and said it was a pity, "This person is too arrogant and loyal, and does not want to be with anyone. If he had joined the queen, Ruoshui would not have ended up like this today."
"My lord, do you think he is on the wrong team?"
Yuan Qin put away his sorrow and said, "Everyone has his own destiny, let him go."
For this hunting, the Ministry of Industry specially improved the buildings in the hunting ground and built a large courtyard next to the palace for officials and their families, including Shuyou Hall.
It was just after noon on the day of arrival. Emperor Rong was supposed to conduct a sacrificial ceremony first and then have a luncheon with all the officials. Unexpectedly, His Majesty suddenly felt sleepy, so he canceled the sacrificial ceremony temporarily and fell into his bedroom to sleep. The officials were hungry.
I waited in the square with my stomach full, shivering in the cold wind, but not daring to say a word.
Nangong Qing carefully asked Changsun Wuzheng beside him: "Lord Changsun, did your Majesty do the same thing last year?"
Changsun Wuzheng was taking a nap with his eyes closed. When he heard someone talking in his ear, he slowly opened his eyes and found that it was Nangong Qing, so he said slowly, "Master Nangong, why did you say this?"
"We have been waiting here for so long, and His Majesty has yet to come forward to host the sacrifice," Nangong Yan complained, stroking Gululu's belly, "We have not had lunch, and we have to stay up in the cold weather after a long journey. I'm afraid
I can’t hold on any longer!”
Changsun Wuzheng looked at him and said with a smile: "I think everyone is very happy, but you can't hold it in yourself."
Nangong Qian looked at the crowd, and they gathered together in groups to eat dry food. He stamped his feet angrily, "They all brought their families, and the family members prepared dry food, but I didn't. My family members suddenly felt unwell and couldn't come with them. I
They are all so hungry that their eyes are dim!"
"Don't be anxious, Mr. Nangong. If you wait a little longer, your Majesty may wake up."
Just as he was talking, the center of the crowd suddenly became lively. Nangong Qian looked away and saw Zuo Qing standing among a group of colorful dignitaries. He was wearing a dark brocade robe with a double breast and a feather cloak, which made him stand out. It was rare for officials to do so.
When they saw this adopted son of Mr. Mo, who never left the house, he was very attentive. Nangong Yan also wanted to get close to him, but was carried back by his eldest grandson Wu Zheng.
"Everyone is trying hard to introduce their own girls. Why is Mr. Nangong joining in the fun?"
When Nangong Qing heard that it was a matchmaker, he suddenly became interested, "What a coincidence, my daughter is about to get married. It's time to choose a good match for her. I think this deputy director is young and promising, so he is the best."
Choose!"
Changsun Wuzheng looked at Zuo Qing who was surrounded, and raised the corner of his mouth coldly: "Mo Fei is just placing him in the academy now, but with his ability, sooner or later he will be in the court alongside you and me. This man is too deep in the city.
That girl of yours can't control it."
In the center of the crowd, Zuo Qing just smiled modestly and acted perfunctorily in the face of the crowd's enthusiasm. Mo Fei saw it and was happy in his heart. But Yan Zhen, who was drinking in the distance, felt itchy in his teeth and dropped his flask.
, scolded the pretty boy, angrily returned to the other courtyard, kicked open the door, and muttered: "What's so great about Zuo Qing? He's not as good-looking as me, and he still has a dead face all day long, really.
I can’t understand why those idiots fell in love with him!”
Su Yan suddenly sat up from the bed: "What did you say? Who has fallen in love with Zuo Qing?!"
Yan Zhen thought it was an assassin, and immediately drew his knife and prepared to kill him. After seeing clearly that it was Su Yan, he frowned with two thick eyebrows and said to her, "Why are you here? What are you so excited about?"
Su Yan rubbed his eyes, as if he had been sleeping for a long time, "It's so cold in the mountains, so a fool would wait there. Anyway, I'm just a gentleman, who can notice me? But you, Yan Zhen, the dignified former general, are not afraid of the cold anyway.
Are you back?"
Yan Zhen got even more angry: "The devils are afraid of the cold. They are all those pedantic old men who want to be matchmakers for Zuo Qing after they are full. I wonder why they would fall in love with that ice cube. They want to be humane and inhumane.
He keeps a straight face all day, as if someone owes him a few hundred taels."
Su Yan felt really uncomfortable after hearing such sour words, so he said a few good words about Zuo Qing, which made Yan Zhen feel jealous: "If you like him, hurry up and get married. If it's a moment later, Zuo Qing might be killed."
Rob it! No, you own the west building, why are you joining in the fun?"
Su Yan jumped up from the bed: "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory! Who said Xilou and I are good?"
"Then are you on good terms with Zuo Qing?"
"fart!"
"Then why are you anxious?!"
"I...I'm just worried about you! You are also a former general who is a master of martial arts. How will others think of you if you compete with someone who has no strength? People are always the best at adding fuel to the fire. You don't want to worry about yourself.
If you make a mistake, they will use it as food and drink, right?"
Yan Zhen pursed his lips in grievance, "They are all talking about Zuo Qing and holding him in the palm of their hand. He is just an academy steward, what can he do? After all, I have been through life and death for Rong Guo for several years, and the people on the border are all
I Yanzhen saved them, why did they look like they were seeing a ghost one by one when they saw me!"
Feeling a little embarrassed for a moment, Su Yan tugged at the corner of his clothes: "You are loved by all the girls in the world, why are you feeling so emotional?"
His face darkened, and he could almost grow ice shards: "But it doesn't include the mother who gave birth to me and raised me, ha!" He shook the wine bag and drank it all.
Su Yan felt indescribable pain and sorrow in his heart. The memory of this younger brother was that he enjoyed the family's favor and his face was always full of vitality, but after she left, everything changed.
Emperor Rong finally woke up when the sun set, and the dinner went on in an orderly manner. Su Yan found an excuse not to go, and later I heard that Jinyun City didn't go to the banquet either. At the same time, Ge Yiyan also declined due to illness.
It was late at night, and the officials were all awake. They gathered together to prepare horses, bows and arrows and other equipment, which made a lot of noise. Su Yan was so noisy that he couldn't sleep, so he just lifted the Buddha out of bed after he had just fallen asleep.
It was quiet outside, but I didn't expect to run into Xilou who was also disturbed by the noise and couldn't sleep. The three of them looked at me and I looked at you. Su Yan suggested: "Since we can't sleep, why don't we go drink!"
Xilou looked at the dark night and nodded hesitantly. Su Yan didn't care whether Fo Zhen wanted to or not, took her hand and went straight to Xilou's hotel.
After three rounds of drinking, Su Yan was a little tipsy and his interest became more and more high. He held the hands of Fo Zha and Xi Lou and talked and laughed. However, Xi Lou never looked at Fo Zha again. The look in his eyes
Except for Su Yan's red face, there was nothing else.
Fo Zhen calmly took back the hand held tightly by Su Yan, filled the glass with wine again, and drank it all.
"Good drinker!" Su Yan clapped her hands and quickly filled her cup again, "I didn't expect that I used to see you always drinking tea, but today I found out that you can also drink! I remember when I, Su Yan, drank tea in Kuai Feng Town
There are no rivals in this town. Today you and I will have a drinking match and we will definitely see who is better. Don’t leave any traces on Xilou. The three of us will follow the drinking order. The loser will drink until he falls asleep!"
Xilou grabbed her wine glass and was a little unhappy: "You drank too much, go back and rest."
Fo Zha wiped his mouth expressionlessly: "It's still early!"
Xilou couldn't bear it and wanted to stop her, but as soon as she stretched out her hand, Su Yan brushed it away. She banged the table boldly and said, "Hero, you have a good drinker!"
Fo Zha picked up the wine bottle and staggered to the door. She held the door frame softly, looked at the moonlight with a pair of blurred eyes and said: "It's been a long time since I saw such a lively moonlight. You...may have forgotten
Bar?"
Xilou didn't dare to raise his head, let alone respond. The cold voice lingered in his ears, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, but he still didn't dare to look at her.
The sound of shattering came from outside the door. Su Yan immediately woke up from most of the wine and rushed out to check the situation. However, in the dark corridor, except for the broken pot left on the bluestone floor, her people were nowhere to be found.
When she was about to look for someone, she saw Zuo Qing appearing at the end of the corridor, stopping in front of her, staring at her red face for a moment, seeming a little angry, "This is a hunting ground, not an academy. If you want to drink, you should
Let's have a drink. Aren't you afraid of causing trouble by drinking so much?"
Su Yan put his arm around his shoulders and pushed him away: "That's a lot of nonsense. I have to go find Fo Zhen and I don't have time to cause trouble with you!"
"Don't worry, I asked Yansheng to take her back to her room, you..."
Su Yan heard a slight sigh, and saw Zuo Qing's tired eyes looking at him stubbornly from his blurred vision. He wanted to say something, but he didn't say it.
"That's fine. She won't have any luck anymore. The long-term pain is worse than the short-term pain." Xilou's voice came from behind.
At this time, Su Yan was drunk and wanted to seek justice for Fo Zhen. Hearing Xilou's unkind words, he immediately became furious: "She has been devoted to you for so many years, but you said you don't like her.
How sad should she be if she doesn't like her anymore? Well, even if you have no feelings for her, you should make it clear, but you always avoid it, you..."
As he said that, he was about to rush over and beat him up, but fortunately, Zuo Qing stopped him in time: "You are a sensible person, why are you still trying to arrange an impossible thing? You have seen it too, it's time to accept the fact, right?"
Xilou sighed heavily: "If I fulfilled your wish and spoke kindly to her today, would you be happy? Su Yan, why can't you look at me? Do you really not understand what I mean?"
Su Yan clenched her fists, "What you said makes no sense. If you don't like her, you can just say cold words to her. If you like me, you must accept you."
Xilou was stunned, then smiled bitterly in a low voice: "You and her are different."
"Aren't they all the same? You're just deceiving yourself." Su Yan slammed the door and left.
Xilou stared blankly at the empty door and murmured to himself: "She can be loved and protected by you without Xilou, but as for me, you are the only one. I only have you in this world. Can I
Is it the same?"
A chill slowly appeared on Zuo Qing's face. Looking at her running back, he felt a sudden sense of joy in his heart.
In the afternoon, Zuo Qing walked through the woods to the foot of the mountain peak to meet up with Xilou. In front of them, the vast forest under the mountain peak was like a natural barrier surrounding Ruoshui. Waterfalls poured down from between the mountain peaks, forming a pool of green water.
Through the clear blue water of the lake, you can clearly see the rotten trees all over the bottom of the lake and the skeletons of weapons that have been dormant for many years. Along the blue lake to the westernmost shore, there are densely packed skeletons and broken weapons along the way.
, covered with trees and exotic flowers and plants. If Xilou hadn’t taken a few more curious glances, it would have been difficult to spot it. But just because of a few more glances, a chill instantly rose in my heart. It seems that this place is still a place of beauty.
In this ancient battlefield, the bones of countless heroes have been buried.
Neither of them dared to get close, perhaps because of the strong Yin energy, or perhaps out of respect for the deceased.
"It's been so many years. The old capital of the Chu State was originally located in Ruoshui, but it was besieged by six countries overnight. There were heavy casualties. Those soldiers who once stood in the city were just a pile of bones in the mountains, which is chilling." Zuo
Qing was immersed in that fierce battle, with a sad look on his face.
Xilou looked at the white bones all over the ground on the other side, something strange appeared in his eyes, and he immediately flew over.
The waterfall roared, the mist shrouded, and a mountain wind blew, carrying the disgusting smell of death.
Xilou casually broke off a branch and dug into the pile of bones, and unexpectedly found the remains of a corpse. The corpse was severely decomposed and covered with corpse insects. They squirmed crazily because of the stirring.
, from time to time many of them crawled out of the corpse and came to his feet.
Xilou just waved his fan, and a blast of wind struck down, causing large pieces of corpse insects to fall away, while the rest retreated back to the corpse.
Zuo Qing asked across the lake: "How did you find a corpse here?"
"Wherever there are rotting corpses, flowers and plants bloom luxuriantly."
Only then did Zuo Qing notice that although the flowers and plants on the shore were dense, the flowers near the corpse were even denser and more beautiful. But the corpse was very strange, "This is a royal hunting paddock, who will come in?"
"Perhaps it's the residents nearby. Although this is a hunting ground, the usual supervision is not too strict. It's unknown if someone enters. Maybe they were killed in a conflict, or maybe displaced people took refuge here and died.
Here," Xilou squatted down and looked at the grass next to the body, and suddenly smiled, "I know."
"What?"
Xilou covered the body again and flew back to the shore, "It's hidden here, perfect for setting traps."
Zuo Qing didn't say anything, but the two of them had a tacit understanding, and the next plan was already being planned in their minds.
At night, a clear moon hangs high in the starry sky, the moonlight passes through the thin clouds, and the shadows of the trees are mottled.
Ge Yiyan led a team of more than ten people to patrol outside Rong Emperor's dormitory. Passing by the square, he saw a man sneaking around and immediately went over to investigate.
"General, it's Zuo Qing. What is he doing sneakily?" The guard found Zuo Qing hurriedly coming out of the other courtyard.
Ge Yiyan watched Zuo Qing disappear into the darkness and was too lazy to pay attention.
"The back mountain was once the place where six kingdoms fought." The guard reminded him.
Ge Yiyan tilted his head and tapped the hilt of the sword in his hand lightly on his lips: "It seems like a God-given opportunity."
"General, there may be a fraud..."
Ge Yiyan snorted coldly, "Is there a lie? I would like to see what lies he has!"
"Aren't you going to inform Mr. Mo?"
Ge Yiyan was about to catch up when he remembered the deal with Changsun Xi and told him: "I will set up markers along the way. You can quickly report to your uncle and ask him to come to the back mountain."
"yes!"
"Come back!" He added: "Remember, don't let anyone find out."
"yes!"
Ge Yishan followed Zuo Qing to the foot of the back mountain peak and hid himself in the bushes.
Zuo Qing stood in front of the waterfall, seemingly waiting for someone. After a while, someone came out from the other side.
West Building?!
Ge Yiyan was extremely shocked. How could these two people meet here? If you have something to discuss, you don't have to come to a place like this. There must be a ghost!
Xilou looked around, and after confirming that no one was following him, he took out a brocade box from his arms and said, "I worked hard to get this list. Think of how you can repay me."
"We are an alliance, why don't we hurt our feelings by talking about exchange?"
Xilou smiled and threw something to him, "Talk about feelings and hurt interests! Speaking of which, can this really eradicate Mo Fei?"
"Everything depends on people, we cannot rely solely on evidence."
"I see you are very confident, so what is your plan?"
"It's not convenient to disclose it, but I can tell you that once Mo Fei is gone in Rong country, there will be chaos. I mind if you go back to your Chu country as soon as possible." He hid the brocade box in his sleeve, suddenly thought of something, and added
: "Don't ever come back again."
"Why?" Xilou was very surprised, "It stands to reason that only by eradicating the cancer of Mo Fei can Rongguo be stable. How come there is so much chaos?"
Zuo Qing patted his shoulder: "A deep-rooted cancer will definitely hurt the muscles and bones when it is pulled out. Do you think it will cause chaos?"
"You mean... other people will be involved? Are you asking me to go back to Chu country because there is going to be... civil strife?"
Zuo Qing looked at him meaningfully and did not answer.
Ge Yiyan, who was lurking in the bushes, slowly lowered his body and looked behind him nervously. Time passed little by little, but his uncle did not come. He was extremely anxious. If he waited any longer, he would probably let the tiger go back to the mountain.
, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, don’t miss it.
He walked as lightly as possible and crawled over slowly. Taking advantage of the roar of the water, he rushed to Zuo Qing's side with a single stride. At the same time, he drew his sword and put it on his neck.
Everything happened in a flash of lightning. By the time Xilou and Zuo Qing discovered the danger, it was already too late.
Ge Yiyan took him hostage and strode back, keeping a safe distance from Xilou, and asked Zuo Qing: "What is in the brocade box?!"
Zuo Qing didn't dare to lower his chin too low because the sword was holding his neck, so he raised his head and looked right at the way they had just come. Far, far away, several Hokages were approaching quickly.
"It's just a piece of jade, you want to check it too?"
Of course Ge Yiyan didn't believe his lies. He pressed the sword hard and blood immediately oozed from his neck.
Xilou took out a folding fan, beat it leisurely in his hand, and said to him: "General Ge is so elegant that he doesn't guard His Majesty's palace in the middle of the night, and he comes here to cause trouble!"
"It's still unclear who is causing the trouble! I have heard what you said. You are very capable of dealing with the current minister, Zuo Qing!" He put his face behind his ear, smiled sinisterly, and said:
"I've been waiting for so many years, and finally you showed up. Tonight, I want you to die!"
Zuo Qing said calmly: "General Zuo, why should you oppose me? Everyone is planning for my adoptive father. The future is long and one day you will be able to see my good intentions."
Ge Yiyan spat on the ground: "At this time, you are still making excuses about what is in the brocade box!"
When he said this, the several Hokages had already passed through the woods, led by Murphy.