The prince is hard to serve

Yangzhou City.

Although Yangzhou and Suzhou are not far apart, they are somewhat different from Suzhou City. Suzhou is a city of ancient rhymes, and it is the favorite place described by literati and poets. Although it is considered prosperous and lively, it still cannot be compared with Yangzhou.

Yangzhou is located in a favorable geographical location, close to the canal, convenient for sea transportation, and numerous wharves. It is a place rich in salt merchants. The business development is comparable to that of the capital city. Once night falls, it is even more lively. Brothels will open their doors to welcome customers, and the girls inside are all Jiangnan women, gentle and soft, and there are so many guests who come here because of their fame.

Jiang Xi and his party have been in Yangzhou for seven days. On this day, they finally got the news that the official road to Suzhou has been opened.After hearing the news, Jiang Xi, who had been keeping a straight face these days, finally showed a slight smile.

Tang Zhuang, the magistrate of Yangzhou, heard the news from his subordinates that the official road to Suzhou was cleared, so he guessed that Jiang Xi, who had stayed in Yangzhou for seven days, would leave for Suzhou immediately, so he immediately wrote a letter and asked him to add [-] Li He hurriedly sent it to Shi Buyuan, but he himself was thinking about how to hold Jiang Xi, and thought about it for a while, suddenly, the corner of his mouth curled up, and he straightened his robe, then turned around and rushed to the station in person.

He figured out a way.

Post office.

After ordering the man to pack his luggage, Jiang Xi sent the servant away, then went to the window and stood alone, silently looking at a peach tree outside the window, his eyes were a little dazed, as if he was in a daze.

It's autumn now, and the peach blossoms have long since faded. On the branches of the peach trees, there are only withered and yellow leaves, which are gently swaying in the breeze.

An Yi jumped down from the roof with his sword in his arms, stood under the tree and looked up for a while, then asked softly: "Since the luggage has already been packed, why don't you start?"

Jiang Xi replied: "Not yet." After speaking, he turned around and walked into the house.

Glancing at Jiang Xi's back, An Yi leaped over the window and entered the house.

Hearing the sound of footsteps getting closer, Jiang Xi raised his finger and pointed to the position opposite him, and said slowly: "It will take some time for that person to come, and the left and right are all fine now, why don't you come and play a game of chess?" .”

"it is good."

After nodding his head, An Yi sat down as he said. He put the saber in his hand aside, and sat with his back straight.

Holding the sunspot in his hand, Jiang Xi made the first move. After that, he raised his eyes to An Yi and motioned, "It's your turn."

An Yi nodded slightly, then stared at the chessboard for a while, and dropped a white piece.

This time, Jiang Xi didn't get distracted like last time, he almost pressed An Yi's chess step by step, forcing An Yi's chess to the point where he could not retreat. When it was Jiang Xi's turn to make another move, he simply He also blocked An Yi's final retreat, making An Yi completely without a chance to stand up, and directly decided the victory or defeat.

After winning the chess, Jiang Xi seemed to be in a good mood, he lowered his head, put the chess pieces back into the chess box one by one, after a while, he smiled again: "This time, I won. "

Staring at him intently, he secretly said: "I said earlier that I am not good at chess, but I just know a little bit about it. The reason why you lost the previous time was because you had something in your heart and restlessness, not because of me. ability."

Hearing this, the movements of Jiang Xi's hands suddenly stopped for a while, and after a while, he smiled and said: "I thought you were just being modest, but in today's game, I have to believe it." A stick of incense is not available, and An Yi has been in a backward trend since the beginning.

Naturally, he didn't let Jiang Xi's pause just now go, but An Yi didn't say anything else, he just looked at Jiang Xi quietly, with a strange flash in his eyes, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Put all the chess pieces on the chessboard back into the chess box, and then, Jiang Xi put the chess box containing the white pieces back in front of An Yi, raised his eyes, and said with a smile: "Can we play another game? Game, I will let you five chess pieces."

An Yi looked at his smiling face, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said: "Okay."

Naturally, this game was still a secret loss, but it was probably because Jiang Xi let the five sons go, but it took a long time, when they were discussing the winner, they just heard someone from outside reporting: "My lord, the magistrate of Yangzhou is looking for an audience. "

After hearing the report, An Yi asked in surprise, "Are you waiting for him?"

Jiang Xi nodded and said: "Yes, Tang Zhuang, the magistrate of Yangzhou, is from Shibuyuan. He should have heard that the road to Suzhou has been opened today. Naturally, he must try to keep me so that he can have time to send a letter to Suzhou. So, I naturally want to give him this chance."

When An Yi heard the words, he couldn't help frowning and said: "You... If Shi Buyuan got the news, you will be very dangerous."

Glancing at him, Jiang Xi's eyes were calm, he grabbed the chess pieces, and said calmly: "Your Majesty sent me to 'go on tour' on behalf of the heavens, and deliberately made it very loud, so that I could be used as bait. The one who diverted Shi Buyuan's attention, according to Shi Buyuan's ruthlessness and temperament, if he knew that I was about to go to Suzhou, he would definitely set up a trap on the way and put me to death."

He stopped and smiled at An Yi, and he continued: "At this time, Your Highness and the others should have arrived in Suzhou City, what I have to do now is to delay as long as possible so that they can inquire about the news. After leaving Suzhou City, in order to prevent the news from leaking, Shibuyuan and the others will definitely strengthen their defenses and try their best to whitewash the peace, so I can’t go to Suzhou yet.”

At this time, the servant's report came from outside again.

He tilted his head and glanced outside the door, pursed his lips secretly, concealed what he was going to say, and said instead: "Be careful, I will always protect you in secret." Go up the beam.

"and many more."

Stopping An Yi's movements, Jiang Xi shook his head and said with a smile: "You just stay by my side, there is no need to hide anymore. Although you are a dark guard, I am not the Second Highness, you just follow along."

After watching Jiang Xi for a long time, An Yi didn't hide anymore, but grabbed his sword, walked to Jiang Xi's side and stood up.

Seeing this, Jiang Xi smiled at An Yi, and after a while, he suppressed his smile and said, "Master Tang, please come in."

As soon as his voice fell, the door was pushed open, and then a man about 27 or [-] walked in. The man was wearing a dark official uniform. When he saw Jiang Xi, he raised his hand and made a bow. , Said: "The lower official has seen Mr. Jiang."

Earlier, when the guard of honor of the imperial envoy arrived in Yangzhou, they had already met, but that time, Jiang Xi pushed back the clean-up banquet they specially set up for him, and came directly to the post station, and the next few days, it was also a routine Walked around once or twice, but didn't deal with them.

"Master Tang, please sit down." Signaling Tang Zhuang to sit down, Jiang Xi asked: "I don't know what is the purpose of Master Tang coming here today?"

Tang Zhuang glanced at the room calmly, his eyes flickered when he saw the luggage on the side, he looked away, and then said with a smile: "I heard that the official road to Suzhou is open, so I want to My lord must be leaving Suzhou soon, so I specially invited my lord to have a gathering at the "Yangliu Pavilion" at night. My lord has been in Yangzhou for a few days, and has been busy observing the people's sentiments, so I declined my invitation several times. I am too busy Let’s make friends, you haven’t experienced Yangzhou City at night, so let’s let the lower officials be the hosts today, how about asking your lord to play for a while?”

"This……"

Hearing the words, Jiang Xi frowned, pretending to be hesitant, and after a while, he cupped his hands and said with excuses: "I'm afraid I'm going to win Lord Tang's heart again, Your Majesty asked me to walk around and understand the people's sentiments, now I have stayed in Yangzhou for seven days, I must not delay any longer, I will leave for Suzhou today, if I have time later, when I am lucky enough to come to Yangzhou, I will bother Mr. Tang again."

How could Tangzhuang let Jiang Xi just leave like this? He thought for a while, then glanced at the sky outside, his eyes lit up, and said: "I think it's getting late today, if we set off at this time, I'm afraid we will arrive at night." I can't go to the next town, and now it's autumn, the night will be much cooler than the day, if my lord catches a cold because of sleeping in the wild, won't it delay the time even more?"

As he spoke, he paused for a moment, and then said again: "How about, my lord, you can stay in Yangzhou for one more day, and then set off tomorrow. My lord, practice it, what do you think?"

Already done enough drama, so after listening to the words, Jiang Xi pretended to frown and pondered for a while, as if he was very embarrassed, and after a while, he turned his head and asked An, and got an answer After a while, he reluctantly agreed: "If that's the case, I'll stay for another day, and then I will have Mr. Lao Tang."

Seeing that Jiang Xi agreed, Tang Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, and then he suddenly found another person in the room. He sized him up for a while, then asked with a smile, "I don't know who this is. ?”

Jiang Xi introduced: "He is the guard in the palace, and he is responsible for the safety of this trip."

Nodding his head, Tang Zhuang did not doubt that he was there, he retracted his gaze from An Yi, and said with a smile: "Well, there are still some things to deal with in the lower official yamen, so I won't bother you, please be sure to come tonight , the next official will be waiting for you at the 'Yangliu Pavilion'."

"En." In response, Jiang Xi said: "I will go."

Only then did Tang Zhuang smile in satisfaction, he stood up, bowed to Jiang Xi, and said, "The next official will take his leave first."

After Tang Zhuang left, Jiang Xi turned her head and said to An Yi: "You come with me tonight."

Looking down at him, he said in a deep voice, "If you don't tell me, I will go with you and protect you." After a pause, he added: "Whenever."

Stretching out his hand to pick up the teacup on the table, Jiang Xi used the tea cover to shake the finely broken tea leaves floating on the surface of the cup. Hearing this, his expression changed. After a long time, he lowered his eyes and said softly: "It's been so many years Come on, you are the first person to say that you want to protect me, even though it was ordered by the second prince, I still want to thank you, thank you, really."

The tea in the teacup was still steaming, and wisps of hot steam overflowed, covering his eyes, making his eyes blurred and unable to see his eyes clearly.

A moment of pity flashed in my heart, I opened my mouth secretly, and said in a slightly blunt tone, "No."

Even if it wasn't His Royal Highness' request, he would protect Jiang Xi.

After taking a sip of tea, Jiang Xi looked up at him and said, "What are you saying?"

Averted his gaze, secretly shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

Jiang Xi blinked, then stared at An for a while, his eyes were full of confusion.