Chapter 136: Thousands of loneliness and painstaking efforts
Ever since Su Ling left the Forbidden Palace, snowflakes began to fall on the red walls and jade doors.
The snow fell silently, and Liu Duan stood in front of the door of the hall in a daze, motionless.
Behind him, Qi Shizhai's old and stooped body was several feet away from him. It seemed that he had deliberately maintained this distance.
After Su Ling left, Liu Duan remained like this, standing there silently.
From morning to noon, from the pattering of snowflakes to the sky full of snowflakes.
The cold wind was biting, blowing his Chu yellow cloak.
He doesn't move.
He doesn't seem to feel the cold.
The snow was getting heavier and heavier, and some flakes were blown by the wind to the tips of his eyebrows and hair.
He doesn't move.
He seemed as if he hadn't heard anything.
The hand stove held in his hand had already lost its last trace of warmth and became as cold as the wind and snow outside.
He doesn't move.
He still held the hand stove with both hands, as if it was still warm.
Liu Duan was silent, and so was Qi Shizhai.
Occasionally, Xiaohuangmen and Gong'e pass by.
Seeing the Emperor standing like this beside the Wind and Snow Hall, they all knelt on the ground in panic, saying that the Holy One should atone for his sins and that the servants should die.
He let them kneel down.
It was as if I had never seen a person in front of me.
From the moment the snow starts to fall, to the intensity of the snow, and then to the heavy snowfall.
Kneel down from the first small yellow gate in front of the palace door, one after another, one after another, almost kneeling in front of the palace door to the palace gate.
The heavier the snow, the heavier the air conditioning.
Dozens of kneeling little Huangmen and palace maids did not dare to make a sound in the snow. They were all shivering from the cold and their faces were pale.
Finally, one after another, the little Huangmen and the palace maids passed out silently in the snow nest.
The conscious person next to him looked numb and turned a blind eye. He was still kneeling with an expression on his face, trembling.
There is no one, because the emperor in front of the main hall has not moved.
How dare they, lowly people like them, make the first move.
Perhaps it was because of God's pity that at ten o'clock in the afternoon, the snow slowly stopped.
At the corner of the tall eaves of the Forbidden Palace, unexpectedly, a bloody setting sun hung on the corner.
In the main hall, except for the entrance of the hall, a little bit of the setting sun shone on Emperor Jin who had been standing all day.
The entire hall was immersed in darkness in advance, and not even a single bit of the setting sun could shine through.
Qi Shizhai's rickety body and old face seemed to blend in with the heavy gloom, making them almost invisible.
Liu Duan slowly raised his head.
The setting sun is like blood, desolate and lonely.
The afterglow of the setting sun slants on a corner of the standing palace wall, and the last bit of intoxicating crimson is like the little bloody petals that bloom, with a gorgeous sadness in the brightness.
Those dozens of people kneeling, those in front of the temple and those in the temple.
Still no one spoke.
Depressing, eerie and silent.
"Bring us a deck chair, I'm tired." Liu Duan finally said.
Qi Shizhai, who was in the darkness, heard the sound and moved.
With some difficulty, he moved a deck chair and placed it outside the hall.
Liu Duan was half-lying on the recliner, still looking at the setting sun outside the hall expressionlessly. Qi Shizhai quickly took another thick fur quilt and covered him.
Then he calmly turned around, raised his hands to the small of his back, and waved gently toward the outside of the hall.
Dozens of people kneeling in the snow felt as if they had been granted amnesty. A few people pulled their companions who had fainted from the cold and left quickly.
Liu Duan watched them busy with an expressionless face.
Soon, the vast white land became really clean.
He was still sitting like this, and Qi Shizhai didn't let Qi Shizhai replace the cold hand stove.
Qi Shizhai did not dare to stay too far away from him, so he had to stand beside him with his hands down.
The old eunuch already suffered from backache due to standing for a long time, and he was struggling to hold himself up.
"In this world, the only ones who truly regard me as the king of a country are the eunuchs and maids of these forbidden palaces..."
Liu Duan suddenly spoke, as if talking to himself.
Qi Shizhai could only smile bitterly, he didn't know how to answer.
Fortunately, the emperor didn't really ask him to answer.
After saying this, he fell into silence and loneliness again.
"You go ahead, I'll sit there for a while."
"Your Majesty..."
"Go ahead...you don't have to guard me, I'm fine."
Qi Shizhai sighed, turned around and walked into the snow and setting sun.
His feet stepped on the snow, making a heavy sound.
Even more lonely.
"Chirp chirp..." A slight bird chirping broke the boundless loneliness.
Liu Duan slowly stretched out his hand.
An unknown bird with red feathers flapped its wings and slowly landed in his palm.
The little bird took a few steps in his palm, fluttering its wings.
It seemed that he sensed that his master was not in a good mood, so he flapped his wings again and rested lightly on his shoulder.
Immediately, he and it fell into silence.
I don't know how long it took.
"Akaba, go to my desk. There is a bottle of wine there."
The red-feathered girl seemed to understand human speech. She flew up suddenly, flew across the hall, and stopped in front of the table in the hall. The bird's head turned for a while, and suddenly found a small silver pot as big as its body in the corner of the desk.
A coiled dragon is carved on the pot.
The dragon coiled around silently, as if it had never soared into the clouds.
There are two silver rings fastened at the dragon's mouth and tail, which are worn with a silver bar.
The red-feathered bird used its thin yellow claws to grab the silver bar that was strung together with silver rings, lifted the silver pot, and flew towards Liu Duan's reclining chair again.
When it flew close to Liu Duan, it cried softly twice more.
Liu Duan reached out and took the silver pot.
Between the tentacles, you can feel the wine in the small silver pot, which is still warm.
He then smiled faintly at the red-feathered bird and whispered, "You want to drink too?"
The red-feathered bird seemed to have a little joy in its eyes, and its feathers trembled slightly.
Liu Duan picked up the silver pot, raised his head and drank a few sips, then put the silver pot towards the sharp beak of the red-feathered bird and said slowly: "Here you..."
The young monarch was leaning on the recliner, slightly supporting his forehead with one hand, and gently stroking the bird with red feathers with the other hand.
The red-feathered bird was lowering its head and pecking at the wine flowing from the silver pot into its palm with its beak, pecking happily.
But the young monarch just let the bird peck at him. He kept looking at the tall and magnificent gilded palace gate in the distance.
In his eyes, there are three parts deep, three parts helpless and three parts vicissitudes of life.
This depth, helplessness, and vicissitudes of life are mixed together to form a complete and utter loneliness.
Finally, the setting sun disappeared into the sky silently, and the deep darkness enveloped every corner of the grand or solemn palace.
In the confused night, all the colors of the Forbidden Palace were blocked.
However, between the sky and the earth, only the red-feathered bird slowly fluttering like blood, and the Chu-yellow figure appeared more clearly in the boundless night.
Like two stars in mid-air.
There is only one person and one bird in the sky and on the earth.
Liu Duan slowly raised his head and looked at the sky silently, where the dark clouds were heavy and the wind was blowing.
He just kept looking at the cold, inky sky, motionless.
I don’t know how long it took, but suddenly, he turned his head and smiled faintly at the red-feathered bird, and said softly: "Red-feathered bird...Why don’t you chirp anymore? Do you feel lonely too?..."
The red-feathered bird seemed to be able to understand people's words, and suddenly its feathers gently fluttered, gently brushing against the young monarch's face, as if it was talking or comforting.
Liu Duan slowly raised his head and looked at the sky, silent for a long time.
Although there was snow during the day, it cleared up in the afternoon.
At this time, the sky is dark and full of stars.
Under the starry sky, the shadow of this person and the bird made him look even more lonely and desolate.
"Akaba, I'm sleepy and want to go to bed."
After that, the young monarch slowly closed his eyes facing the stars in the dark night. After a while, he fell into a deep sleep. However, in his sleep, on that beautiful face, he was happy for a while, then happy for a while.
sad.
Only the red-feathered bird seemed to be afraid that its owner would get cold, so it used its thin yellow claws to pull hard on the quilt that was half covering its owner.
.............
One day the sun rises in the east, although the sun is bright.
But it was cold, and could not drive away the coldness that spread throughout the palace walls.
Liu Duan slowly opened his eyes, looked at the sunlight shining down, and seemed to be saying to himself: "A new day has come, but you stinky bird, you still don't call me?"
He made a gesture to fight, but the red-feathered bird flew in the air with a squeak, circled for a while, flew towards the connection between the palace wall and the sky, and disappeared in an instant.
"I'm not as good as you, Akabane. I can't fly out of this palace wall no matter what."
Deep in the palace, footsteps could be heard slowly.
Qi Shizhai walked out of it and saw that the emperor had slept outside the palace all night. It was still such a cold winter night.
He was so panicked that he quickly knelt on the ground and said in a voiceless voice: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's my fault. Yesterday, I was really tired from standing. I wanted your Majesty to be pure for a while, but I didn't want to go back so I fell asleep, so that my Majesty was actually in the cold night."
I slept outside the palace all night. This old slave deserves to die! He deserves to die!"
Liu Duan then lifted the quilt, walked over to help him up, and said calmly: "This quilt is very thick. Besides, I am only under the eaves, not in the palace courtyard, so it is not very cold. I am also
I don’t know why I fell asleep. It’s not my fault for this, it’s my fault for being willful.”
Qi Shizhai understood that because Liu Duan did not recruit Su Ling for his own use, the unwillingness, helplessness, loss and even loneliness rushed into his heart in an instant, so he sat there all night.
He thought for a while, then finally sighed and whispered comforting words: "Your Majesty, that Su Ling is just a scholar with a good reputation. He is not expected to make any big achievements. He is just a mediocre person. Fortunately.
Judging from what he said, he probably wouldn't help others do evil."
"Establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the living and the people, carry forward the unique knowledge for the past saints, and create peace for all generations. What a great courage! How can a person who can say such words be an ordinary person?" Liu Duan turned around and looked back.
Qi Shizhai smiled bitterly and said, "Qi Banban better not comfort me..."
He seemed to have savored this sentence carefully, and then said: "How can such a bold and ambitious person be a mediocre person? Alas, it's just a pity..." Liu Duan's words were full of unwillingness.
He suddenly looked up to the sky and sighed: "Am I really alone?"
"Old slave thinks that the Holy Emperor's summoning of Su Ling this time was not in vain. At least he understands that his heart is not with Sikong. This is the greatest blessing among misfortunes." Qi Shizhai said slowly.
When Liu Duan heard this, he also began to think deeply. This was the only thing that could comfort him.
Qi Shizhai pondered for a moment, then a cunning look suddenly flashed in his eyes, and his voice became slightly excited as he said, "Old slave, I have another plan, maybe it can satisfy the Holy Spirit's love for talents."
Hearing this, Liu Duan grabbed his hand and spoke in a much louder voice. Even his breathing was a bit rapid. He suppressed the throbbing in his heart, but still couldn't hide the speed of his speech. He asked quickly, "Qi Banban, are you?"
Are you really not comforting me? If you have any plans, tell me quickly!"
Qi Shizhai frowned slightly and said slowly: "This plan should be in Su Ling's words."
"What do you mean?"
Qi Shizhai helped Liu Duan sit down, and then he thought about it and said: "This is a series of plans. First, I would like to ask the Holy One to copy these few sentences from Mr. Su in Longbi and make them available at the court meeting in five days.
Instruct the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty to take Mr. Su's words as their example and to be vigilant and self-reflective at all times." When Qi Shizhai said this, he stopped and looked at Liu Duan.
Liu Duan's eyes flashed, and he thought for a moment. He was a smart and intelligent person. After thinking for a moment, he figured out the joints. Suddenly he smiled slightly and said: "Wonderful, wonderful. After Su Ling has done this, he will be able to do it again."
It’s no longer possible to keep a low profile.”
Liu Duan even patted the table next to him, his voice deepened, and he said word by word: "If he doesn't want to come out to do things, I will push him out..."
At this point, his words were as sharp as a sword: "Since I am willing to praise you, then Xiao Yuanche may have a thorn in his heart. He is also suspicious by nature, and I am afraid that he will never fully trust Su Ling again.
....."
His voice sounded a little sinister as he said: "When the time comes, Su Ling will not have Xiao Yuanche's full trust, and will not be able to freely use his talents. If I use some means to quietly drive a wedge between each other, then Su Ling may even be beaten by Xiao Yuanche."
Yuan Che abandoned it."
"I will use the people that Xiao Yuanche doesn't use!"
His voice suddenly became much higher.
After thinking for a while, Liu Duan's expression calmed down a little and he asked: "What about the second plan of this chain plan?"
Qi Shizhai paused and then said: "Old slave, you are brave. Your Majesty summoned Su Ling. You should not show weakness everywhere. It is said that it is easy to enjoy the shade under the big tree. Mr. Su sees that His Majesty is being constrained by others. Even if he is determined to serve, he will wait and see.
Don’t move forward!”
When Liu Duan heard this, he sighed and said: "What Liu Banban said is absolutely true. I made a mistake! I made a mistake! I regarded him as the second Liu Xuanhan..."
Qi Shizhai nodded and said: "However, I think Su Ling was touched by what the Holy One said. Since he said that he was determined not to help Xiao, in other words, his way to serve the Holy One is not blocked!"
Liu Duan's eyes lit up, and he nodded heavily and said: "Yes! Yes! What Qi Banban said is really insightful. He promised me not to help Xiao or betray Jin! From that day on, I will
How can he refuse when he is recruited in the name of common people?"
Qi Shizhai looked at the soulless emperor yesterday, who was in high spirits today, and couldn't help sighing in his heart. This Liu Duanye was no longer the ignorant little boy who could only cry when Wang Xi brought disaster to the country.
His wings have gradually become armored.
Qi Shizhai seemed to be following the lead and said: "The Holy One showed him to be weak, but Xiao Yuanche is the strongest in his heart. Who is Su Ling? How can he abandon the strong and embrace the weak? It would be the same for others."
When Liu Duan heard the words, he lowered his head and pondered silently. After a long time, his eyes changed and he said in a low voice: "Yes, everyone in the world knows that Xiao is strong, but they laugh at my weakness. However, in the past ten years, has there really been no one around me?
How to let Su Ling know that my Dajin is also full of talents, which is the key to impressing him..."
The joy in Qi Shizhai's eyes was even greater. His little emperor had grown up. He could just open his mouth and he could get to the core of the problem. It's not easy! It's not easy!
There were faint tears in Qi Shizhai's eyes, and his voice trembled as he said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty is so wise! Your Majesty has really become much more thoughtful overnight, and I am so happy in my heart!"
As he spoke, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeves.
The past is as vivid as yesterday.
Liu Duan also suddenly felt a surge of emotion, and said quite emotionally: "Qi Banban, in the past, I was mentally immature, but now I have become accustomed to the treacherous clouds inside and outside the palace. I understand that if I want to change my Da Jin's
Qingdean, I must mature quickly! I have been working hard all these years!"
Qi Shizhai burst into tears, and suddenly he threw himself to the ground, and said in pain, "The Holy Lord loves this slave so much, and I will not regret it until my death!"
Liu Duan mixed Qi Shizhai up and said: "What is immortal, Qi Banban, I want you to watch me with your own eyes, regain the supreme power, and restore our great land and rivers in the Jin Dynasty!" His voice was already full of sonorous.
Meaning.
Qi Banban then said: "Since the Holy One has this intention, I will offer you the third plan of this chain!"
Qi Shizhai's old face had a rare grace, and he said word by word: "Since ancient times, elegant scholars have been popular in poetry, and they stand at the highest level of ethics in the world. The Jin Dynasty has been a country for more than 600 years, and the country has attached great importance to it.
It is advocating literature and cultivating virtue. Therefore, the old slave suggested that the Holy Sage should be regarded as a god.
In the name of the Master, the Longhuang Poetry Society was held to entertain the local learned scholars and talented people of the Jin Dynasty. They only talked about their talents and learning, regardless of their origins. They gathered in the court and asked them to compare their strengths and weaknesses in poetry. One article
, the world’s talented and well-educated people, the Holy One can accept their hearts, obey them, and use them!”
Qi Shizhai became more and more excited as he spoke, and his voice trembled a little as he said, "Secondly, Su Caopu saw that the talented and learned people around His Majesty are like stars. How could he not surrender? How dare he not obey his orders?"
A ray of light emitted from Liu Duan's pupils, and his sharpness suddenly shrank, he nodded and said: "What the companion said is true, but from what I saw, Su Ling's talent, I dare not say that he can overpower the Jin Dynasty, but I am also surprised.
He is an extremely talented person, and I am afraid that when he comes out on top in the Longhuang Poetry Society, won't Xiao Yuanche want to use him more heavily?"
Qi Shizhai laughed loudly and said: "Your Majesty, you cherish Su Ling's talent and learning too much. If I want to promote the Jin Dynasty, it would be difficult to find a poetry writer and overpower him. By then, not only Su Ling will know the power of the emperor.
, recruiting talented people from all directions, Xiao Yuanche will also feel that he, Cao Yu, has brought shame to his Sikong Mansion. In this case, won’t Su Ling die in the service of the Holy Lord? "
When Liu Duan heard this, he praised him, stood up, and said, sweeping away his worries: "Eunuch Qi, this plan is very clever. After I reorganize the agenda of the court, Eunuch Qi will be the first to take credit."
Liu Duan suddenly said with some concern: "I am constrained by Xiao Yuanche everywhere, and suddenly I want to hold the Longhuang Poetry Society for no reason. Is there any good reason?"
Qi Shizhai said slowly: "Right now, Xiao Sikong is preparing his troops. The Holy One also knows that there will definitely be a battle between Xiao Sikong and Shen Jizhou soon. If he becomes famous by then, he will definitely borrow the power of the Holy One from Heaven. In more than a month, he will It was the beginning of spring, and the Holy One could introduce this as its name. Five days later, the Great Court announced that a Longhuang Terrace would be built in one month to hold the Longhuang Poetry Conference. The cost of building the Longhuang Terrace would be borne by the Imperial Household. Come out, and the craftsman of Longhuangtai will be appointed as the chief supervisor by Xiao Yuanche!"
Liu Duan was a little confused and asked: "Why should you give him an advantage?"
Qi Shizhai laughed loudly and said: "Your Majesty, please think about it. Before the battle between Xiao Yuanche and Shen Jizhou, he would naturally show his favor to the Holy One in order to become famous as a teacher. Furthermore, he was working hard on his own, and the construction of Longhuang Tower was a long time ago. How can he not use this unclear account for his own use? From this point of view, he will definitely not hinder the holding of the Longhuang Poetry Conference,"
Liu Duan thought for a moment, then suddenly flicked his sleeves, smiled and said, "Well, bring me a pen!"