The war in the north was raging, and the imperial court had to go to the north before the New Year's Eve. As the prince who led the troops, the King of Chu was authorized to enter the palace every day to accompany Wu Taifei.

So Xie Ci, who came out of Weiyang Palace, and Shen Rongyan, who came out of Fuhua Palace, bumped into each other on the way out of the palace.

Xie Ci is actually not so embarrassed to see Shen Rongyan now, after the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, the two of them never talked in private.Xie Ci didn't look for him, and he never came to see him, the two seemed to have reached a strange tacit understanding, as if they had forgotten the secret relationship between Wei Lang and Shen Rongyan.

Xie Ci bowed to Shen Rongyan with a calm expression, and the two walked side by side in the snowy sky, speechless all the way.

"Master Xiangguo, how is your recovery?"

As he was walking, the person beside him suddenly asked.Xie Ci suddenly remembered that he seemed to be using the excuse of blocking Shen Rongyan's sword to claim his illness, and he couldn't help feeling a little guilty in his heart.

"It's okay, Your Highness is worried." His tone softened a bit.

Shen Rongyan snorted and said, "Who is worried about you?"

The atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and there was a smile in Xie Ci's voice, "That's because I'm being sentimental."

The snowflakes rustled on the umbrella surface, and the other sounds in the world seemed to be absorbed by the white snow, making it seem more and more quiet.

There are very few moments of such harmony between them. At this time, I don't know whether it is because the King of Chu is about to go out or because Minister Wei is less cold due to illness. The two of them are walking slowly under the palace wall with their umbrellas. Shen Rongyan's mood is unexpectedly is peaceful.

"Your Highness will leave tomorrow, right?"

"Ah."

"I'm here to wish His Highness Xiang Ke Jie first, and the teacher will return to the court as soon as possible."

"According to your auspicious words."

"Your Highness, I wonder if Empress Dowager Wu is in good health?"

These words seemed to break the spell of calm, Shen Rongyan paused, his tone suddenly turned cold, "What does Xiangguo mean by that?"

Xie Ci immediately realized that the other party probably misunderstood, so he could only stop and said helplessly, "Your Highness misunderstood..."

"Misunderstanding?" Shen Rongyan interrupted him with a sneer, "What is there to misunderstand? Shouldn't your lord know more about my mother's health than anyone else?"

Xie Ci was dumb for a moment, and said: "I want to ask, I don't know if the body of the concubine can't help the bitter cold in the north."

Shen Rongyan's face froze, thinking that he had heard wrongly, he couldn't help asking: "What did you say?"

"It's bitter cold in the north, ordinary women may not be able to bear it, but I think the empress dowager is in good health, so she shouldn't be afraid..."

"Wei Lang, what do you mean?" Shen Rongyan's voice tightened.

Xie Ci looked at him calmly and said, "Jin Zhi, take your mother to the north."

It was eerily quiet.Shen Rongyan stared blankly at the man opposite, his expression told him that he was not joking.

"……why?"

"Being by your side should be a better home for her than the deep palace."

"why?"

"Your Highness is unwilling?"

"...This is against the rules." Shen Rongyan said subconsciously.

"Rules are made by people," Xie Ci smiled softly and asked him, "Do you want to take your mother with you?"

Shen Rongyan stared at him for a while, then turned his face away suddenly, and said in a low voice, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Xie Ci shook his head and walked forward first.

Before parting ways, Shen Rongyan suddenly stopped him.

"Wei Changqing."

Thank you and turn around, "What's wrong?"

Shen Rongyan stood there hesitated for a moment, but still asked: "You...why did you save me then?"

Xie Ci thought for a while, but did not answer his question, but said: "Your Highness, it will be a smooth journey."

Before leaving, Xie Ci glanced back in a strange way.The man stood quietly in the snow all over the sky holding an umbrella, his beauty became a picture.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month in the second year of the Yuan Dynasty, the king of Chu led an army of [-] troops to the Northern Expedition.

Before leaving, Emperor Shao personally led hundreds of officials and ministers at the gate of the city to see the three armies farewell, and ordered the king of Chu to be the "Marshal of the World's Soldiers and Horses" and bestowed the seal of commander.

The wind is hunting, the war drums are beating, Shen Rongyan, with silver armor and red tassels, kneels solemnly.

"Chen, I will not disgrace my life."

***

Three years later.

"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense!"

Liu Tan threw a memorial to the ground, trembling with anger.

The memorial almost hit Zheng Yushi's feet, Zheng Yushi was so frightened that he avoided it, and said: "Master Tai Tu..."

Liu Tan is now an official residence of the Taifu, but he still retains the fiery temper of the imperial censor back then. When he is excited, he is easy to blow his beard, stare and throw things.

On the memorial that was thrown on the ground, the words "Prince Huai", "Rebellion", and "Wei Lang" on it seemed shocking.

Liu Tan breathed calmly, glared at the censor, and asked, "Are all the above statements true?"

"There is no falsehood," Zheng Yushi said, "These words were obtained by personally interrogating Duke Huai's cronies. The letters between Duke Huai and Xiangguo were also found in Duke Huai's mansion. There are witnesses and evidence. Here is the matter. Since you are big, I dare not hand over the memorial to His Majesty rashly, so I came to ask Lord Taifu for advice, and I hope you can give me some pointers."

Liu Tan pondered for a moment, and said: "I will pass this memorial to His Majesty for you, please don't leak the news for now."

Zheng Yushi bowed gratefully and said, "Thank you, Tai Tuo!"

Huai Yu stopped the notification from the housekeeper of the Wei Mansion, and walked towards the study with ease.

Three years is enough time for the little girl to grow into a slender girl. Huaiyu walks briskly through the veranda, the corners of her skirt fluttering like butterflies.

When he was about to reach the door of the study, Huaiyu saw the young man who had been by his uncle's side for many years standing by the door with his hands down.

Tianshu saw the young empress coming to the prime minister's mansion in person, and was about to pay homage, Huaiyu immediately stretched out a finger to his lips and made a "shh" gesture to him, Tianshu smiled knowingly, stepped back a few steps and stood with his head bowed.

knock knock knock.

Huaiyu knocked on the door lightly, and heard a low cough coming from inside, followed by a low "come in".With a mischievous smile on her face, she reached out and pushed the door open.

It was still early winter, but the room had already been lit with silver charcoal. Huaiyu felt unbearably hot when she walked in. However, her uncle was still wrapped in a thick velvet blanket and curled up in an armchair with a bleak face, holding a small celadon bowl. He was drinking the medicine, revealing a pale wrist that was so thin that the wrist bones were sticking out.

"What is it?—Your Majesty, why are you here?"

Huai Yu ran over, pressed back the thank you words that were about to get up and saluted, and asked, "Why did uncle light the charcoal so early, and why did he drink the medicine again? Are you feeling unwell again?"

Xie Ci drank the concoction in the celadon bowl, and frowned slightly, "I feel a little cold in winter, and the imperial hospital prescribed some warming and tonic prescriptions."

Huai Yu, however, caught Xie Ci's frown so quickly, he was amused, and said with a smile: "Haha, it turns out that uncle is also afraid of suffering?"

"Who is not afraid of suffering?"

"I don't think that Uncle Huai is not afraid. He hangs a gall in front of the bed every day, imitating the king of Yue to taste his courage." Huaiyu's face was flushed with heat, and she sat on the small couch by the bookshelf, her calves dangling on the edge. In a flash.

King Huai is Huaiyu's cousin, one of the few vassal princes.Some time ago, I couldn’t think of rebelling for some reason, but I was suppressed by the central government who knew the news beforehand. Now a large family has been sent to the sky prison, waiting for the emperor’s final blow.

"How does Your Majesty plan to deal with Duke Huai's lineage?"

"That's why I came here," Huaiyu wrinkled her little nose, "I really can't make up my mind, what should uncle say?"

Xie Ci picked up a candied fruit, "Your Majesty has been in power for more than a year, so it's up to you to make up your own mind."

"But I really don't know what to do," Huai Yu said distressedly, and leaned over to please Xie Ci's cuff and shook it, "Although Uncle Huai has done treasonous things, he is my son after all. Uncle, if I punish him severely, will the common people think I am unkind? But if I punish him lightly, shouldn’t others think that I am easy to bully? Uncle, you can help Yu’er make up your mind.”

"Your Majesty can punish you however you want, you are the Son of Heaven, who dares to speak to you," Xie Ci let her tug on his sleeve, calmly, "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

Huai Yu glared at him angrily, seeing that he really had nothing else to say, she pouted her mouth and said angrily, "Hmph, I'm going back to the palace to eat, so I don't dare bother uncle!"

After Huaiyu left with a displeased face, Xie Ci hastily tore off the velvet blanket, took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck.Tianshu walked in quickly and extinguished the burning charcoal fire.

Xie Ci loosened his collar and let out a long breath.

Three years ago, Xie Ci handed over the Tiger Talisman to Huai Yu, and the progress bar jumped up to 20%, but in the next two years, it slowly rose very slowly. It was not until Huai Yu took office that the progress bar began to rise rapidly. Now it has risen to 80%. After three years of resistance, Xie Ci seemed to see the dawn of victory beckoning to him.

If he continued to pretend to be sick like this, he would probably go crazy.

"Master, there is news from the north."

"how?"

"Already reached Langjuxu Mountain, King Zhenbei doesn't seem to have any intention of continuing to fight north."

Xie Ci paused, "Are you coming back?"

"It should be within this month or two."

The king of Chu went out to fight in his reign, and the battle lasted for three years.It took Daxia more than two years to completely drive the Huns out of the pass. The army's morale was greatly boosted, and they pursued the victory. They drove the Huns all the way to the north, and beat them all the way to Langjuxu.Xie Ci also heard that Shen Rongyan was not an idiot in the army, and he also commanded several victories, which was very impressive. Now when officials mention His Highness the King of Chu, most of them don't think of the embroidered pillow dude back then. Head off.

Will Shen Rongyan's return from victory pose a threat to Huaiyu's throne?

Xie Ci subconsciously chose "No", but this kind of trust is groundless, and if you are not careful, the whole mission will fall short.Shen Rongyan has now established a certain prestige in the army, and tens of thousands of troops can be deployed under his command, and Taifei Wu went to the northern border with him three years ago, so he no longer has any worries in the capital.Once Shen Rongyan and He Zhengfeng conspired to rebel, there was a high probability that Huaiyu, a young emperor who had not been in power for a long time and had yet to establish a solid foundation, would be suppressed by them.What's more, Huaiyu has such a treacherous minister by his side, which simply provides an excellent living target for the "Qing Emperor's side".

Because of inheriting Wei Lang's memory, Xie Ci felt that he was too reassured about Shen Rongyan.Before letting Concubine Wu out of the palace, he thought he had done a good person and a good deed.

In fact, Xie Ci didn't have this worry until half a year ago, but after the incident with Duke Huai, he suddenly realized the threat that he had ignored before.

Xie Ci has always planted eyeliner in the Northern Expedition Army. At first, it was just a habitual action, but as Shen Rongyan's return to Beijing approached, once the opponent made any changes, the hidden line he planted would become the assassin to assassinate the King of Chu.

What Xie Ci didn't expect was that half a month later, news came from the north that Shen Rongyan had disappeared.

The author has something to say:

The first story is almost over~

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