bluestone

The war broke out, and the situation in the Three Kingdoms suddenly became tense.

The Rong tribe and Gudan are coming in menacingly, the northwest is fine, Han Tuo has become famous at a young age, and he can already take on the heavy burden; the future of the south is indeed unpredictable, and it is gloomy. Although there is the trust and support of Han Lao and the emperor, people still have a lot of love for Lu Yunshu. I have doubts about my ability, but there is no other way but to believe.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qing Ming postponed the concubine selection that was under preparation on the grounds that the situation was serious and the war was urgent. As for how long it would be extended, no one knew.

If the hidden danger is not resolved for a day, he has a reason to postpone it, but Qingming is not sure how long he can postpone it. After all, there is still a 20-year agreement. Even if he can escape for a while, he cannot escape forever.

next day

Civil and military officials went out of the city to see them off.

Qingming took half of the ministers to Qiliting to send off Han Tuo and the Zhenxi Army; Prime Minister Lu took the rest to the south gate to send off Han Lao and Lu Yunshu.

Qiliting

Sitting on the horse, Qingming looked at the soldiers in front of him, his eyes swept over the vigorous faces of Lao Wei, Hou Zi and Daniel, and finally looked at Han Tuo.

In fact, he wanted to send Lu Yunshu off, but with Lu Xiang around, he couldn't deprive his father and son of the right to see him off.

"Everything is up to General Han." Qing Ming asked solemnly.

Han Tuo knelt on one knee, lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "I will definitely not disgrace my life."

When the time came, Han Tuo got up, got on his horse, pulled the reins, waited for a while, but couldn't hold back after all, turned his head and took a deep look at Qing Ming, and then rode away.

The army set out, and the mighty chariot and horse soldiers marched towards the city in the northwest of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Qingming stared at that figure, not moving for a long time.

"Don't worry, Han Tuo is highly skilled in martial arts, and nothing will happen; Lu Yunshu has Mr. Han watching over there, so there will be no problems. What's more, didn't you send the imperial guards to follow? Don't worry." Zi Guice The horse came to his side and persuaded in a low voice.

"Let's go back."

Qing Ming nodded, and returned to the Imperial City with everyone.

Early March, when spring begins.

Han Tuo has already arrived at Xishan City, and Lu Yunshu will arrive at Fenshui City in five days.

In the open space outside the Imperial Study Room, Qing Ming asked the palace servants to turn over a spot of soil, and planted the crabapple seeds he bought from Tang Town himself.

March [-]th is the day of ancestor worship.

After three days of worshiping his ancestors according to the rules, Qingming quietly returned to the foot of the ancestral mausoleum on the day he returned to the imperial capital, accompanied by Zigui.

Originally, he wanted to come back alone, but Zigui stared at him rather closely, and he found out that there was a slight movement, and because he couldn't explain clearly, he simply let him follow.

Standing at the foot of Zuling Mountain, Qingming raised his head to look at the top of the mountain that he couldn't see clearly.

【"Father, my son has one more request."

The Supreme Emperor stopped by his side, "Speak."

"My son agreed to my father's agreement, but I still have to demote myself to be a commoner, and I requested that the test be carried out in advance. Even if my son completes the test, he will fulfill the agreement with his father as an emperor and cultivate an excellent heir."

The Supreme Emperor looked at his son kneeling at his feet in surprise, and confirmed, "Have you really decided? In this way, you have no way out?"

"Yes." His voice was firm without any hesitation. 】

Royal father, this is the punishment my minister gave me.

Qingming looked up at the top of the mountain.

From the time I fell in love with him, I am no longer worthy to be the king of a country, so even if he no longer loves me in 20 years and we can't be together, I will leave the palace as a commoner, alone, and leave my hometown, never Returning to Beijing, I will never see him again.

Ha~ If it was half a year ago, I probably would not have imagined that I would make such a decision for just one person.

I thought I could let it go easily but found that I couldn't let it go anymore, I would become such an emotional person!

"Plop~"

When Zigui didn't expect anything, Qingming knelt on the ground and kowtowed respectfully.

If the ancestors have spirits, please forgive the unworthy descendants, Ji Yuehuang.

Then, take two steps on your knees, lift your bent legs, and step up the first step, then the second step, and the third step...

Zigui wanted to stop him, but Qingming ignored him at all and could only follow him silently.

It was much more difficult than imagined. Even with not-so-weak martial arts, when he reached the No.30th level, his knees still had bursts of pain; Almost lost consciousness; at the [-]th step, cold sweat drenched his clothes...

The sky is getting gloomy a little bit, the wind is gradually filled with the smell of soil, and the spring rain is coming.

After three hours, the sky finally released thin raindrops, and the pattering rain did not seem gentle and hazy. At least to Qing Ming, the needle-like raindrops hit his face and body, it was simply a kind of pain. torture.

"Qingming, let's go back~ The weather is too bad." Zigui stopped him and said anxiously.

Qingming's blurred vision due to exhaustion and pain stayed on his face for a while, the arm that had been hanging by his side slowly and heavily lifted, pulled away the hand that was on his shoulder, and then looked straight up ,move on.

The black mud mixed with rainwater stained his white robe, and the fine stones tore through his fabric and scratched his skin; the clothes soaked with rainwater became heavier and stuck tightly to his body, making it sticky. It almost made him breathless; the long black hair was wet in strands, sticking to his shoulders and cheeks, and the rain kept sliding down from his forehead, which not only blocked his sight, but also made his eyes feel a kind of bewildered. The soreness of the foreign body entering, the thin lips parted slightly, panting unceasingly, the abnormally red lips were full of blood cuts bitten open due to the pain, the rain mixed with the blood on his lips, and a pink line was drawn from the jaw Traces of color...

No matter how much Zigui tried to persuade him, it was useless, so he had to ask the hidden guard who followed him to get an umbrella, and followed him with the umbrella on his own.

It has been raining for a long time, sometimes big and sometimes small, but it has not stopped.

At some point, a line of blood spread from under Qingming's body. Although it was quickly washed away by the rain, every time he moved his knees to climb higher steps, the blood would be particularly thick. Only then did he realize that Qingming's knees were already covered in blood and flesh.

Qingming didn't feel any pain a long time ago, he just climbed up step by step mechanically, his legs were so heavy that he couldn't lift them up, and when he knelt back down again, he supported the ground with his hands, and lifted his legs up little by little, so, in the end, Not only has the white clothes turned into black clothes, but there is no clean spot on his body, even the fingers of his hands are covered with black mud, and some places have even been scratched by stones on the ground.

In stark contrast, his face without a trace of blood, and his unusually red thin lips.

After all, it was early spring, and it was still cold, no matter how strong a person was, I'm afraid it would be unbearable.

I don't know how long it has passed, how long it has been raining, and I don't know how many steps he still has. Qingming looks up at the steps that still can't see the end. on the steps.

"Qingming!"

Two days later

When Qingming woke up, he found that he was already in the emperor's bedroom.

Lifting the quilt, slowly sitting up from the bed, and found that the scratched hands had been bandaged with medicine; propped up the mattress with both hands, and wanted to get out of bed, but found that my legs could not move, if I had to move , It was a sharp pain.

"Squeak~" The door opened.

Zigui walked in with a medicine bowl, saw that he woke up, and said pleasantly, "You finally woke up! Is there any discomfort? I'll call the imperial physician over."

"Wait a minute, Senior Brother!" Qing Ming called him quickly.

But Zigui had already run out to call the imperial doctor.

After a while, the imperial doctor came over to check his pulse, and then checked his leg, saying, "Fortunately, the diagnosis and treatment was timely this time, and after a good recuperation, he should be able to recover. It's just that the cold air enters the body. The joints will be sore and painful. If you pay more attention to keeping warm, there should be no major problems. For the next month, the emperor will try not to walk, so as not to aggravate the injury; after a month, he can walk properly, but not for too long... ..."

After talking about the things that need attention, the imperial doctor left.

After the imperial doctor left, Zigui brought him the medicine, Qingming took the medicine bowl, drank the soup, looked at him and asked, "Senior brother, how many days have I slept?"

"Two days, you suddenly fell into a coma the day before yesterday, and I brought you back directly, and then the high fever persisted. It was only said that you caught a cold, and the wind and cold were severe. The government affairs are handled by King Liu, and I also helped a little, so you don't have to worry."

"Really?" Qing Ming sighed, looking at his immobile legs, "It's a pity, it seems that it won't be finished within three days."

"If you're talking about climbing the ancestral mausoleum that day, don't worry, Uncle Huang sent Eunuch Hai over to pass on the message," Zigui said while helping him make up the mattress, "He said: 'The emperor is kind enough to allow you to Complete it in two parts, this time it will be the first, wait until the agreed time, and then complete the rest.'”

Qingming glanced at Zigui in surprise, then smiled shamelessly, "Father finally softened his heart."

Zigui moved a stool and sat beside his bed, and said solemnly, "I know this is an agreement between you and Uncle Huang, so I won't ask you about the content of the agreement, but for other things, please rely on me a little bit." Yes, otherwise it will lose the meaning of my coming back. At least, when you need help, don’t hold on alone. As long as you ask, as long as I can do it, anything is fine, no matter how willful your request is. "

Zigui smiled slightly, "I see, senior brother, thank you." Then, he also looked at Zigui seriously, "In this case, senior brother, please promise me something."

"what?"

"Please don't feel guilty to me," he looked out the window, his voice was slightly cold, "At first, even without your persuasion, I was not sure that I could keep rejecting him. , Before he realized it, I had already noticed those strange feelings. Therefore, it is not your fault, senior brother, that this situation is caused, and you don't have to feel sorry."

Zigui looked at his quiet profile, closed his eyes, and sighed, "You're still so sharp~"

Qing Ming raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "It should."