[Comprehensive] Cannon fodder, do you want to counterattack?

"Cut, it's just a servant who died, it looks like a dead father, what's the matter?" Li Yuanji looked down at the team slowly passing by on the deserted street, and snorted lightly. . .novel

"Shut up!" Li Jiancheng shouted coldly, looking at the young man in white who was walking at the front of the line, his face sank like water.

It was Xiaoshu's funeral procession, because he died in prison and his status was only a servant, so naturally there would be no one to offer sacrifices on the road, only Lin Boyuan and Lin Ruo, together with the servants of the whole family, carried the coffin , scattered paper money, and walked silently all the way.

Li Yuanji's face became gloomy, he glanced at Li Jiancheng, then turned his head to follow his gaze: under the misty sky, the young man's back looked distant and ethereal through the mist in the morning, and brought a few Very bleak.

The boy is slender and smooth, with thin shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and a straight back. He walks beautifully, elegant and elegant with a bit of dignity, walking slowly in the morning breeze. The appearance is more eye-catching than the songs and dances he has enjoyed.

Watching the young man pass the city gate, with his back blocked by the city wall, Li Yuanji subconsciously poked his head out, but couldn't see more. He looked back at Li Jiancheng with complicated expression, and said with a sneer, "That kid was going to die yesterday, It took only one night of hard work, and I was able to go down to the ground and walk such a long distance. If you want me to say, yesterday was probably just pretending to show my father!"

Li Jiancheng didn't answer, turned around and sat down, picked up the wine glass again, but didn't drink it, just held it in his hand to play, and said lightly: "I remember you said that you will only give him a little pain, not kill him .”

"Is he dead?" Li Yuanji asked back, turned and leaned against the window, and said, "I didn't plan to kill him, brother, don't even think about it, who are those jailers? He feeds water?"

Li Jiancheng sneered, "Those jailers are not fools. Since they are asked to treat Lin Ruo respectfully, they will not guess that someone must be a scapegoat if something goes wrong?"

Li Yuanji said angrily: "Brother, are you doubting me? What good does killing that kid do to me?"

Li Jiancheng said lightly: "Only you know."

Li Yuanji took a deep breath, held back his breath and said, "I admit that I was a little impatient, but it's not because of you, big brother, that I want him to confess earlier? But even so, I couldn't pry his mouth open, and you will suffer the consequences. I see... From yesterday to now, has Emperor Father looked at me? Who am I doing this for?"

He said again: "Brother, don't forget, there is water in the prison, and dirty water is also water. I just want to force him to take a sip——for such a literati, as long as he takes a sip of that stuff, he will lose all integrity and character." It has become a joke, and I have to do whatever I want him to do in the future... How do I know that he would rather die than touch him, how do I know that Father Emperor softened his heart so quickly?"

As he said that, Li Yuanji couldn't help scolding his mother: "I don't know what kind of ecstasy soup he poured into the father. For such a big matter, he didn't admit his mistake, but scolded the father. He is so soft! It's... what is this called? Father, did he forget that he is the Ninth Five-Year Lord, the king of a country!"

Li Jiancheng looked slightly calm, and said lightly: "If Lin Ruo has no official, no position, and no threat of power, Father is naturally willing to coax him... If it were you and me, dare to say 'None of your business' to Father... try?"

Seeing this, Li Yuanji knew that the matter was over, and sighed: "The biggest problem now is, what about Pei Ji?"

Li Jiancheng said lightly: "Yesterday, Lin Ruo's words were too harsh, I'm afraid Pei Ji won't be able to keep it."

Li Yuanji said: "Of course I know that Pei Ji can't keep it, but when Pei Ji framed the father and made him commit the crime of beheading and had to rebel, it was a great achievement for Datang, and the father has always done it like this For the reason, he has been rewarding him constantly. Even if this matter has become the heart disease of the father, it is impossible for the father to use it as a reason to deal with Pei Ji. Naturally, there must be other charges... Second brother is so shrewd, how could he be so smart? I don’t know how to strike while the iron is hot? I’m afraid that the papers of impeachment of Pei Ji will fill up the imperial father’s desk, but most of the things Pei Ji did have something to do with us, I’m afraid that Pei Ji will drag us into the water to protect ourselves.”

Li Jiancheng said lightly: "You don't have to worry about Pei Ji, I've already taken care of it."

Li Yuanji said in surprise: "It's settled? How to deal with it? Eldest brother, don't be careless. You must know that even if Pei Ji's mouth is sealed, the second brother may not let it go."

Li Jiancheng said slowly: "Last night, Pei Ji went to the palace overnight to see him, and asked his father to resign and return home."

"Ah?" Li Yuanji's eyes widened: "Pei Ji is now in power, is he willing to let go?"

Li Jiancheng said lightly: "So what if he doesn't want to? Does he not know where his status comes from today? If the greatest success is over, if the trust of the emperor is no longer there, his final fate may be worse than Liu Wenjing's." Why don't you take advantage of the fact that the emperor is still hesitating at this moment, and take the initiative to relinquish his official position and beg to show his loyalty."

He paused, and said: "Lin Ruo's matter, he has already fallen on the head of Dali Temple, he went to the palace to cry again, and then resolutely resigned to show that he has no desires, then what happened back then, In Emperor Father's heart, it became Pei Ji's desperation for his own good. He will talk about the old days with Emperor Father, talk about the old things in Taiyuan, and then insist on returning to his hometown regardless of retaining him. With Emperor Father's temperament, what will he do?"

Li Yuanji clapped his hands and said: "Gao! If he left like this, Father must feel guilty for him. No matter what he did before, he would never care about it again, and he would not let others care about it. Now the second brother I am afraid that he will be scolded again. Besides, he is leaving now, his reputation is not damaged, and his father's trust in him is not damaged. As long as a period of time passes, Lin Ruo's affairs will fade away, and there will be no one in his father's favor. Tell him good things about him, and he will definitely be recruited back!"

After a pause, he asked again: "Is this... Wei Zheng's idea?"

Li Jiancheng nodded silently.

Li Yuanji said: "This Wei Zheng is really a talent. It was thanks to him that he put down Liu Heitai earlier, and this time he came up with this clever trick of retreating into advance... This time, brother, you have to pay close attention to it, don't worry about it." It was snatched by Li Shimin again."

Li Jiancheng's face darkened.

Li Yuanji said: "What?"

Li Jiancheng smiled bitterly and said, "He and Lin Boyuan are best friends."

He took another deep breath, closed his eyes, and said, "It's because of Lin Ruo that I lost my head."

With Wei Zheng's temperament in the past, when he had any embarrassment, he didn't need to bring it up, he would take the initiative to advise him, but this time, it was he who asked him repeatedly before giving him this idea.

Not only Wei Zheng, but also others... He really didn't expect that Lin Boyuan, who is mediocre and honest, was actually the most popular person in his prince's mansion, and all the people he regarded as his right-hand man had a close relationship with him. .Lin Ruo had accidents twice, although they never said anything, the disappointment and dissatisfaction in their hearts were revealed in their daily life.

If he were the king of a country, he would not need any of these resentful courtiers, there are plenty of talents in the world, but now, they will inevitably compare him with Li Shimin in their hearts...

When Liu Wenjing was convicted, that person fought hard in front of Li Yuan, almost turning his father against his son; Master?Compared with that person, he is an imposing prince, and he is like a clown who bullies his subordinates and seduces his superiors.

If he hadn't thought of sacrificing Lin Ruo's reputation to please Concubine Yin, but had made a big effort to win her over, what would it be like now?Wei Zheng made suggestions, Lin Boyuan stabilized the rear, and Lin Ruo was able to firmly secure the crown prince for him in front of his father...

It would be a lie to say that he has no regrets, but how did he know that even if Lin Ruo didn't play the piano, he could still make his father look at him differently?

Another thought could not help but float in my heart: So without such ability, it is right to be sacrificed?

In order to achieve great things, regardless of small details, regardless of small details...

Li Jiancheng recited a sentence silently in his heart, and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp, tasting a bit bitter for no reason.

If it is possible, who wouldn't want to be proud and proud?

Suddenly Li Yuanji sneered, and said, "Second brother really loses face. He thought he was so noble. In order to please Lin Ruo, he really let go of himself."

Li Jiancheng quickly stood up and looked out, only to see Li Shimin in plain clothes, riding a fast horse across the city gate.

Li Jiancheng stood at the window for a moment, looked down at the green casual clothes on his body, took off the jade pendant with a purple lace and stuffed it into his sleeve, and untied his embroidered purse.

Li Yuanji said angrily: "Brother, you understand, that's just a book boy! A book boy of a commoner scholar!"

Li Jiancheng said lightly: "No one is forcing you to go!"

Turn around and go downstairs.

"Damn it!" Li Yuanji scolded, took a sip from the jug, suddenly changed his expression, put the jug down, took off his dark red coat and threw it on the ground, and hurried downstairs: "Everyone Fuck crazy!"

If he saw it right, the one who was driving the green cloth carriage just past was Li Yuan's most favored eunuch.

It is conceivable who is sitting in the car.

××××××

Lin Ruo squatted on the ground, and used a wooden stick to pull the unfinished paper money in the fire to make the fire burn hotter, and then threw in a few paper ingots.

Xiaoshu always likes to save money, and everyone in the house knows it, so they prepared a lot for him. Lin Ruo burned the paper money without saying a word, and her legs became numb, so she simply sat on the ground, listening to the sound of sparks bursting, Watching the black smoke being picked up by the wind.

He was alone here, Lin Boyuan and the others were sent back by him, or they had already returned to the mansion, or they were still guarding outside the valley, he didn't bother to think about it.

I don't know how long it took, Lin Ruo stretched out his hand to grab something empty, only to realize that the hill-like pile of paper money had been burned by him.

Lin Ruo sat silently for a while, then took the Yaoqin beside her and put it on her knees: Xiaoshu has been easy to satisfy since he was a child, and what he wants is always so simple, a few books, a pen, and a few taels of money are enough. It made him happy for a long time, and Lin Ruo was also willing to fulfill his small wishes. The only thing he didn't agree to was probably a few days ago, when he asked Lin Ruo to play the piano for him.

Lin Ruo straightened the Yaoqin, lowered her head, raised her wrist, and was about to brush it off when she suddenly stretched out a long slender hand from behind, firmly grasping his wrist.

Lin Ruo struggled and failed to break free, then looked up at Li Shimin who was half kneeling beside him: "Let go."

Li Shimin's hands clenched even tighter, reaching out to take the Yaoqin on his lap, Lin Ruo held it down with the other hand, and said coldly, "Let go!"

While trying to break free, Li Shimin's hands didn't move at all. Lin Ruo and Li Shimin were far apart in strength. After trying twice, they gave up, and looked up at Li Shimin: "His Royal Highness Qin Wang is too busy to take care of himself now, and still have the time to meddle in other people's business?"

"What are you?" Li Shimin looked at him with dark eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Abandon yourself? If you give up what you insist on so easily, then what are the sins you have suffered, and the suffering that Xiaoshu has suffered? You Do you think Xiaoshu will be happy to see you like this?"

Lin Ruo looked away from Li Shimin's face, his eyes fell on the weeping willow behind him, and he was silent for a while before saying: "When I just returned to Beijing, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince told me that I was too naive, and that those illusory things are not true in reality. There's nothing in front of you..."

"I replied at the time that I wanted to be naive for a few more years." Lin Ruo continued lightly, her voice as calm as water: "Thinking about it now, this sentence was naive and ridiculous. Some things are never something you can keep if you want to keep it." , You can throw it away if you want. What you said, I have already abandoned it as early as the moment I received the news of Xiaoshu's death, so who should I pretend to show? It's better to be willful."

Li Shimin said bitterly: "Ah Ruo, you..."

Lin Ruo turned her head to look at him, and said, "Don't say anything that hurts your heart, no matter what happens, I, Lin Ruo, will still be Lin Ruo...let go."

Li Shimin smiled wryly, and slowly let go of his hands, watching the young man's jade-like hands caress the strings of the qin.

-

Li Yuanji stood impatiently at the valley entrance, looking at Li Yuan who was standing with his hands behind his back, feeling very speechless.He really didn't see anything good about that kid other than being good-looking and tough-tempered, why he followed him like a demon... Just now he had been expelled twice by him for persuading Li Yuan to leave, so Although irritable, but still patiently waiting.

He wanted to go in with Li Shimin and see the boy crying and in pain, but Li Yuan stopped him.He thought maliciously, hoping that the boy passed out from weakness and grief like his father worried, so that throwing him on the carriage would be enough.

He probed again and looked. From his position, he couldn't see the location of the tomb, and he didn't see anyone coming out of it. He was about to get closer to have a look, when suddenly the faint sound of the piano came from his ear, like a dream.

Li Yuanji's last thought was, wouldn't that kid rather die than play the piano?

Then he was dragged into a dreamlike world irresistibly.

It is an infinitely beautiful world, free and joyful, carefree, without any haze...

When he came back to his senses, his face was already full of tears, and his heart was still filled with endless joy and satisfaction. His whole body and mind seemed to become refreshed, and even looking at the world in front of him seemed to have been thoroughly washed by a clear spring, and the sky was bluer. , the wind is clearer... the beauty is trembling.

This is a feeling he has never experienced before, even in the most beautiful dream, even touching the most beautiful woman, it has never given him such satisfaction and joy.

Li Yuanji trembled all over: Lin Ruo, Lin Ruo...

Li Yuan's sigh came from next to his ear: "Go back, go back!"

He turned around in surprise, only to see that Li Yuan's hands were trembling imperceptibly. In this short period of time, he seemed to have aged a bit, turned around and boarded the carriage, his footsteps seemed a little panicked: "Go back to the palace."

The piano is the voice of the heart, that young man is so beautiful, he is ashamed of himself in the beautiful world that the young man wove for Xiaoshu...

How did it become like this...how did it become like this?

The anger and hatred that had been suppressed not long ago pervaded again, and he said in a cold voice: "Continue to pass on the decree, the ministers of Dali Temple will deceive the emperor and commit crimes, go to heaven prison, and have people thoroughly investigate Dali Temple. , directly beaten to death with sticks! Pei Ji... Let him leave Beijing within two days, I don't want to see him again!"

-

When Lin Ruo and Li Shimin came out, only Lin Boyuan, Li Yuanji and some servants were left outside. Seeing them coming out, Li Yuanji chuckled lightly and said, "Scholar Lin really deserves to be a genius, and he plays the piano really well... It will be my king's birthday in half a month, you go play the piano for me, and the previous things will be written off, how about it?"

Lin Ruo looked at him and smiled faintly: "His Royal Highness King Qi hasn't woken up yet?"

Li Yuanji stretched out his hand to hold his shoulder, his face was gloomy, and his voice was low and hoarse: "Lin Ruo, don't be shameless. Don't you rather die than play the piano? Why do you change after the death of a book boy? Don't forget, there are many people around you. Not just a mere bookboy, if a dead person can make you behave better, grandpa..."

Before he finished speaking, his expression changed, and he barely reached out to hold down the Yaoqin thrown by Lin Ruo, and he was kicked heavily in the lower abdomen.

Lin Ruo used all his strength in this kick, but Li Yuanji staggered back a few steps and still couldn't stand firmly. He fell to the ground, his stomach hurt like a wrenching pain, and he said angrily, "Lin Ruo, you're presumptuous!"

"Yeah, I've been presumptuous." Lin Ruo took back the fallen Yaoqin calmly, walked up to Li Yuanji, looked at him condescendingly, and said indifferently: "I've been presumptuous, so what can you do? Complain to the emperor? Find the prince to complain?"

"you!"

"Li Yuanji," Lin Ruo sneered: "What are you? Why do you come to force me? This world is called Li, but it's not up to you, Li Yuanji, to do whatever you want."

Li Yuanji gritted his teeth and said, "Lin Ruo!"

He shouted again: "Are you all blind? Why don't you blind yourself..."

"Fourth brother, that's boring." Li Shimin interrupted him with a chuckle, stepped forward and stretched out his hand to Li Yuanji: "Shall I pull you up?"

Li Yuanji looked at the anxious servants around him, then at Li Shimin standing in front of Lin Ruo, stood up with a sneer, and said, "Lin Ruo, it's best that you are so lucky every time you have someone to protect you! "

He snatched the reins from the guards, got on the horse and galloped away.

The mourners of the Lin family had been sent back by Lin Boyuan long ago, so once Li Yuanji's men left, only the Lin family's nephew, Li Shimin, and a coachman from the Lin family were left in Taniguchi.

Lin Ruo asked the coachman to drive ahead, looked at Li Shimin and said, "Does His Royal Highness King Qin still want to be the crown prince?"

Li Shimin walked side by side with him, and said, "Didn't you tell me not to be wishful thinking?"

"One moment and another moment," Lin Ruo said indifferently, "If it wasn't for His Royal Highness King Qin, I'm afraid I'd still be in prison right now, and I wouldn't even be able to give him a ride... There must be something in return."

Li Shimin smiled wryly: "I finally made enough mental preparations, can you tell me that there is a way to not see the blood?"

Lin Ruo said lightly: "Will you win if you see blood?"

After a moment of silence, Li Shimin smiled bitterly and said, "Say it."

Lin Ruodao: "At this moment in the capital, there is a person whose situation is quite similar to that of His Highness King Qin, why don't His Highness see what he does?"

Li Shimin's thoughts turned, and he said, "Pei Ji?"

Lin Ruo nodded: "Pei Ji."

Li Shimin and Pei Ji, two seemingly irrelevant people, are in a strangely similar situation at the moment. They both suffer from the same enemy, both contribute to the foundation of the Tang Dynasty, and are tabooed because of their merit. Li Yuan has the same feelings for them. complex.

Li Shimin was silent, Lin Boyuan opened his mouth and said: "Yesterday, Wei Zheng conspired to make Pei Ji resign and return to his hometown." He has a lot of connections and well-informed information, so it's okay to say something earlier that can't be kept from anyone.

Li Shimin paused, and Lin Boyuan said: "His Royal Highness King Qin is in Chang'an. To put it nicely, he is being held back everywhere. To put it badly, he is at the mercy of others. The longer the time, the more unfavorable it will be for His Royal Highness Qin. Why don't you take a step back?"

Li Shimin pondered for a moment, and said, "Take a step back...go back to Luoyang?"

Lin Ruo shook her head and laughed: "What are you going to Luoyang for? Bring troops back to Chang'an?"

Li Shimin smiled wryly, if he went to Luoyang, even Li Yuan would be restless, and the final result would be either that he was recalled to Chang'an, or the father and son would completely turn against each other.

But if he doesn't go to Luoyang, where can he retreat?

He looked at Lin Ruo, but Lin Ruo stopped talking, gave him a slight bow, got in the car and left.

After getting into the carriage, Lin Boyuan frowned and said, "Why bother to anger King Qi?"

Lin Ruo opened the curtain, looked at the wilderness slowly moving outside the window, and said lightly, "Don't provoke him, don't let him realize that he is not powerful enough, why would he jump out so eagerly? If he doesn't jump out, how can he let him go?" He has nothing? It would be too cheap to stab him to death with a sword."