Ruthless debt

It was said that the day was already at dusk, Prince Che had been wearing a python robe for a whole day, and stood on the city gate for half a day, already dripping with sweat.He couldn't stop looking into the distance, but he couldn't see the team escorting the proton. Zuo Qi saw him licking his lips from time to time, so he took off the water bag from his waist and handed it to him: "Drink first, I don't think it will be a while. "

Prince Che took the water bottle and raised his head to take a few sips. The scars on his neck that were originally covered by the collar were immediately exposed.This wound was obviously left not long ago, he didn't return all night yesterday, only heard Jin'er said that he went to discuss something with the king, but he didn't say a word about what happened.

"What's the matter with the injury on your neck?" Zuo Qi asked.

I saw him hastily adjusted his neckline, covered the wound, pretending to be relaxed and said: "It's nothing, just scratched by a branch in the morning, it's not a problem."

During the three years of being together day and night, how could Zuo Qi not know that he had something to hide from him, but he didn't want to say it, even if he asked again, he couldn't find anything.He said: "Did you take any medicine? I think the wound is quite deep."

"A little injury, no need."

Last night, under the threat of his death, the lord not only agreed to change the hostage candidate, but also agreed to another matter, and this matter can only be known to him after all the dust has settled.However, he overlooked one thing. There was a lot of discussion in the palace about the candidate for the proton, how could Zuo Qi not know?

After waiting for about half an hour, the sky was already dark, and a dozen guards on the tower lit torches one after another. The torches were separated by a distance of one foot, and the flaming flames illuminated the surrounding area red and deepened the night. .

Suddenly, a soldier ran up the tower, walked behind them panting, and knelt on one knee and said, "His Royal Highness, someone from Shuo Kingdom came to report, saying that the escort of the Ninth Prince had traveled a mile away and could not come out." It will arrive in a moment."

Hearing this, Prince Che immediately squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, it seemed that there was really a dense group of people walking in this direction.After waiting for almost a day, the person finally arrived. He couldn't help but be overjoyed. He turned around and said to the soldier, "Drive your horse back to the palace and tell your father that Uncle Nine Emperors has arrived."

"Little one obeys." After saying that, the soldier went down the tower in three steps at a time.

Shuo Kingdom's troops advanced further and further, Prince Che and Zuo Qi had already descended from the city tower, and the hundred soldiers following behind them were divided into two rows, and the two stood in the center of the city gate.At the same time, the King's Luanjia had also arrived, surrounded by hundreds of forbidden soldiers, and there was a lot of dust where the people and horses passed by.

This was the first time that Prince Che saw the Ninth Prince. Dozens of torches lit up the city gate brightly. The flickering flames made the expressions on everyone's faces unrecognizable. The silent soldiers, the earnest courtiers and The lord of the country, and the Ninth Lord Qianyu who finally returned to his homeland.

Ninth Prince Qianyu went to Shuo Kingdom at the age of eight, which was the year when the current ruler Qianqi succeeded to the throne, 23 years ago.

The king walked forward slowly, and the Ninth Prince on the other side also walked slowly. After more than twenty years, the two of them were no longer the same as they remembered.Qian Yu knelt down and worshiped, and said: "Brother Emperor, my younger brother is back..."

The phrase "I'm back" shouted out his longing for many years, and no one has ever been able to describe this bitterness.He was speaking to his imperial brother, to the solid and cold Luohe city tower, to the faces of people who had changed before him, and to the land of Qu Country under his knees, he, who used to be nine Prince Qianyu...has finally returned.

Qianqi bent his knees and helped him up, the handsome young man in front of him was already in tears, but at this moment, he couldn't say a word, he could only nod frequently in response.

Zuo Jiyun waited for a while, he didn't want to disturb the moment of reunion after a long absence, but the gate of the city is not a place to reminisce about the old days, besides, a group of people are still waiting in the palace to welcome the Ninth Prince, so delaying it is always bad, Then he went forward and said to the two who were still immersed in the joy of reunion: "Your Majesty, Wang Ye, everyone is still waiting!"

The king came back to his senses, quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said to Qianyu: "Ninth brother, let's go back."

The Ninth Prince rides with the lord of the country. This great honor has only been enjoyed by the prince Che over the years. He has not seen each other for many years. The two brothers have too many things to talk about. Along the way, Qianyu asked the most questions. The elder brothers are still well, and the mother and concubine are also well, but he doesn't mention the grievances he has suffered in these years.

The Fengfeng Banquet was held outside the Xuanling Hall, and the surrounding lights were brightly lit, the candles were flickering, and layers of gauze curtains plated with gold rims decorated the front and rear of the palace even more luxuriously.Hundreds of rows of seats formed a large square formation. On the central high platform, dozens of palace dancers were as graceful as dragons in feathers, and all around the audience were busy maidservants in their prime, waiting for the guards. Holding up the torches to guard closely, he froze to warm up the cold spring night.

During the banquet, all civil and military officials, high-ranking concubines and the mother of the country were seated in the harem, the princesses brought the prince, and Zuo Jiyun, Ye Yibiao and Qi Ming were the heads of the ministers, so they naturally sat closest to the main seat. The prince Che and the Ninth Prince sat on both sides, and his father-in-law Qian Hai was also waiting beside him.And the envoy of Shuo Kingdom, who had been in Qu Country for a month, finally got his own master, the proton who came here to exchange—Mu Sichen, the prince of Shuo Kingdom.

Mu Sichen is only seven years old this year, he has just entered the Qu country, and caught up with such a big scene, even though he is a descendant of a dragon and a grandson, he can't help but seem timid.The envoy of Shuo Kingdom didn't seem to take this young prince seriously, and only wanted to reminisce with the general who escorted the proton, and threw Mu Sichen aside.He must have known that he was an outcast, and he dared to be so indiscriminate without any threat to himself.

Perhaps because he shares the same fate as himself, Prince Che feels a little pity for this proton of Shuo Kingdom who came from afar, and he always pays attention to it.At this time, he was like a lost chick who was ignored by no one, with a dazed look on his face, he couldn't bear it, so he left the mat and walked towards him.

Prince Che sat down directly, and said to him: "I've driven for a long time, I must be hungry now, why don't I see you eat something, but it doesn't suit your taste?"

The person in front of him was smiling slightly, and his appearance was also good-looking. Mu Sichen was ignored for a long time, and people in Shuo Kingdom ignored him, but this person was so gentle that he wiped away his wariness.Without rushing to answer, he asked, "Who are you?"

The prince Che smiled, and then said: "I am the eldest prince of Qu Country, Qian Che."

The young man rolled his eyes, and said in a childish voice: "I know you, my father once told me that I came here to exchange with you, right?"

These words inevitably aroused Prince Che's curiosity, so he asked: "Oh..., your father actually knows about me, so what else did he say?"

Mu Sichen nodded: "Father said you are a crybaby."

"..."

Prince Che smiled awkwardly, he didn't want his reputation of being a crybaby to be spread thousands of miles away in Shuo Kingdom, and he was not the only one who lost face.Thinking of this, I can't help but feel a little guilty, I'm afraid that because of him alone, even my wise father will be laughed at.

I wanted to have a few more words with Mu Sichen, but unexpectedly, the sound of music, dancing and the intermingling of cups and cups stopped abruptly.Looking up, the maikos on the high platform had retreated one after another. The king carried the dragon robe and was supported by his father-in-law Qian Hai to walk up the high platform. Everyone held their breaths and waited for the next move of the king.

After he stood still and looked down at the surrounding area, he said slowly: "Everyone, tonight's banquet is not only for the second prince's full moon, but also for my ninth brother to welcome the wind. To continue Qu Shuo's two The country’s century-old restoration was completed, and he traveled thousands of miles to Shuo country alone as a hostage. This trip lasted 23 years. Today, he completed his mission and finally returned to the old land, and I... Since I became the throne, I have been hand in hand For more than [-] years, Chang has governed by doing nothing, which is really ashamed of the people of the world..."

Speaking of this, more than a thousand people in the audience knelt down.

The Lord said again: "This time Shuo Kingdom took the initiative to send back the Nine Emperor Brothers and brought his eldest son with him. The intention of continuing the repair could not be more clear. For hundreds of years, the ancestors of generations have tried to make the two countries have a good relationship forever. The matter of exchanging protons has become an unchanging system throughout the ages, and I have repeatedly discussed with all my lovers, and I have decided on this hostage candidate." After speaking, he turned his head to look at Qian Hai.

Qian Hai had been waiting by the side for a long time, seeing that the time had come, he immediately took out the imperial edict rewritten last night in his sleeve.He stood up, pulled the scroll away, paused for a moment, and then said: "Prince Qian Che, come to receive the order."