then Li Sao

Zhou Tang stretched out his hand and pointed at the hall: "Father gave me a reminder before coming."

Putting down the teacup in his hand, the emperor stepped down from the hall, followed his hand to look over, with a sullen face, noncommittal: "Really, what hint did I give?"

The several princes also looked up, wondering in their hearts: Where?This little seven is talking nonsense, where is there any hint?

"Father, the boxes and boxes in the hall are all tributes from neighboring countries this year, right?"

"Yes."

Zhou Tang walked to the middle of a pile of tributes: "These jades are warm and translucent, and they must be high-quality azaleas. Nanlai is rich in this kind of jade, so these large boxes should be tributes from Nanlai."

Then he went to the pile of tributes in the middle: "There are a lot of kits here, and they are so fragrant. They must be Xizhao's spices, so this is Xizhao's tribute."

Finally he walked to the right side of the main hall: "Then this is the tribute of Beiling. I heard that Beiling is rich in iron ore, and the weapons made of cold black iron there are the sharpest and toughest. But it's strange, here are all There are some gold and silver jewels, but there are very few iron wares."

Zhou Tang picked up a big pearl: "This is a South Sea pearl. Although it is also very precious, why would the King of Beiling go far away and spend so much effort to find a South Sea pearl? It would be better to give a few pieces of special Hanxuan iron to save trouble."

Putting down the big pearl, Zhou Tang stated his conclusion: "The tributes of Xizhao and Nanlai are almost the same as in previous years, but Beiling did not pay as many iron wares as tribute, so I guess the king of Beiling is hoarding iron wares. Hoarding The biggest use of iron is of course to forge weapons, and weapons are used for fighting, so wouldn't King Beiling's intentions be suspicious?"

Jade, spices, ironware, these are all he saw from the miscellaneous books Luo Ping gave him, such as "Tongzhou Chronicles", "Ohara Guangji", and "Shanshui Notes", Luo Ping let him read them as leisure books. I didn't bother to memorize it, and I didn't expect it to be applied to the exam questions given by my father.

Whatever was in his mind, he said it.

After Zhou Tang finished speaking, the second prince Zhou Ning glanced at him, then quickly looked away, frowning and remaining silent.

The fifth prince, Zhou Hang, hurried forward to look at it, and picked up the list of Beiling's tribute. There were many entries on it, but the item of iron was missing: "Father, the seventh brother is right, and the horses that Beiling paid tribute to in previous years At least [-] horses, but this time there are only a few [-] horses, so the King of Beiling really has objections!"

As soon as the words came out, the princes immediately became nervous, and they all speculated about King Beiling's ambitions.

The emperor didn't talk about this topic with them anymore, he showed a rare smile to Zhou Tang, pointed to the treasures in the hall and said to him: "Tang'er, you can choose any one of these treasures, I will reward you. "

"Thank you, Father!" Zhou Tang quickly thanked him, and happily went to choose the reward.

This was the first time his father gave him a reward, and he was so excited that he didn't know what to do.

What to choose... big pearl?Pearls are useless, change to another.Ambergris?The last time I saw that my father gave it to my eldest brother, it should be used for curing diseases, what do I want him for, just change it.Wow, this dagger is so sharp, how about it... Wait, where's the little box just now?What exactly is in it?

After a long circle around the tribute, Zhou Tang finally chose the unremarkable small wooden box.

The emperor didn't say anything, just let him take it.

After the princes retired, the emperor sat in the hall, picked up Zhou Tang's note, thoughtful.

Zhou Tang held the wooden box carefully, impatiently going out of the palace to sweep Hexuan, he wanted to see the little master quickly, and wanted to show off to him quickly: Look, the emperor rewarded me!

……

Luo Ping didn't see Zhou Tang, and felt strange.

Usually, the child would wait early in the sweeping Hexuan, and sometimes when he appeared, Zhou Tang had already finished practicing calligraphy on a few sheets of paper.But today, he didn't show up until noon, so he couldn't help feeling a little worried. Could it be that he was sick?

After flipping through a few pages of the book absently, Luo Ping decided to go and see him.

It was easy for Zhou Tang to leave the palace to meet him, but it was quite troublesome for him to enter the palace.When the guards asked about him, he could only prevaricate in the name of official business. Fortunately, the leader of the forbidden army recognized him and knew that he was a celebrity in front of the emperor, so he didn't interrogate him too much.

When passing Chaoyang Palace, he saw the eldest prince Zhou Feng coaxing the coquettish Zhou Heng.

Zhou Heng shouted: "Heng'er wants to go home with Daddy, Heng'er should not live here, there is no one here to play with me!"

Zhou Feng was not feeling well, and was swayed by him, reluctantly said: "Heng'er is obedient, it is a great kindness for your grandpa to let you live here, others can't ask for it, so don't be willful."

"I don't want to stay here! Those old men want me to read and write all day long, and want me to learn some martial arts. I'm exhausted and in pain! Look, Dad, Heng'er is injured!"

Zhou Heng rolled up his sleeves, revealing a pinkish-white arm with a red mark on it. It seemed that some martial artist accidentally hit him a little harder when teaching him.

Zhou Feng felt a little distressed when he saw it, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "Heng'er, you are the safest in the palace. Listen to the emperor's grandfather and don't lose your temper. In a few days, cough cough, come and accompany Dad when he recovers." you."

The father and son argued for a while before Zhou Heng let his father go.

Luo Ping watched this scene from a distance, feeling emotional in his heart.

Zhou Heng is an innocent child who is loved by thousands of people, but because of this, he is coveted by various forces.

The emperor kept him in the palace to strictly protect and teach him carefully. It was said that he was favored by the holy grace, but for a child like him, such a life was too boring.

There are people who yearn for this kind of life, and they yearn for it so much, but they can't get it no matter what.

Thinking of how Zhou Tang used all kinds of naughty means to attract others' attention back then, Luo Ping couldn't help showing a smile.

Probably really owed him, since the last life, I can't let go of this person.

----

Not long after Luo Ping saw the second and third princes leaving the palace together, he understood in his heart.

It must be that the emperor summoned their princes, that's why Zhou Tang was not able to sweep Hexuan, it seems that he was too worried.

But since he has already entered the palace, let's go and see him.

Thinking of this, Luo Ping walked in the direction of Fudong Palace.Walking to the middle corridor, I just saw Zhou Tang rushing over.

Zhou Tang also saw him. He was taken aback for a moment, then grinned and shouted, "Little Master! Are you coming to see me?"

Luo Ping put his index finger on his lips to signal him to keep his voice down.

Zhou Tang finally recovered from his over-excitement, looked around and saw that there was no one around the middle corridor, so he felt relieved to talk to him.

He put the wooden box in front of Luoping as if offering a treasure: "Look, little master, this is a gift from my father!"

At a glance, Luo Ping felt that the box looked familiar, and it was only after Zhou Tang opened it that he realized:

"This is... Wanlian?"

"Huh? Is this flower called Wanlian? It's really appropriate. Look how delicate it grows in this white jade bowl, and it can be kept for a long time. Even if the flower dies in the future, I can keep the bowl. wrong?"

Zhou Tang spoke excitedly, not noticing Luo Ping's strange expression at all.

"Your Highness, how could the emperor...reward you with this?" Luo Ping didn't understand, wasn't this rewarded to him by the emperor in the previous life, how could it be in Zhou Tang's hands now?What happened, why did things change like this?

"I answered Father's exam questions correctly, and Father asked me to choose it myself."

"Exam questions? What exam questions?"

After telling Luo Ping what happened in the Zhenyang Palace, Zhou Tang proudly said: "This time, it's thanks to you, the books you gave me are very useful."

Luo Ping thumped in his heart, thinking to himself that this was a bad thing, and was about to ask carefully, when Zhou Tang took Wanlian out of the box.

A few drops of clear water spilled out, hanging by the side of the white jade bowl, crystal clear.

"Little master, do you like this bowl of lotus? Why don't I raise it in the Sao He Xuan!"

He smiled brightly, and Luo Ping swallowed back the words that came to his lips—forget it, he was having a good time, so it's better not to talk to him about those things at this time.

Taking the jade bowl, Luo Ping couldn't help stroking it with his hands when he saw the pattern exactly the same as in the dream.

The white jade bowl is carved with delicate lotus leaves, and the few drops of clear water condense on it like morning dew, against the snow-white flowers, it is really hard to put it down.

His thoughts seemed to overlap with those of that year, and Luo Ping expressed the same emotion as at that time: "It's so beautiful, isn't it?"

"Ah."

——Your Majesty, do you want to pay off all the debts owed to the minister?Then you still send me a bowl of lotus flowers.

——Luo Qing, Luo Qing, I just caused you to break a bowl of lotus when I was a child, but do you still hold grudges to this day?Now I can give you as much as you want, so why are you dissatisfied?

——Back to the emperor, the minister does not hold grudges.The minister just can't forget and can't let go, some things are broken, and they can't go back.

Can not go back.

Even if everything starts over now, he is no longer the Luo Ping of the past, nor is he the Zhou Tang of the past.

He taught Zhou Tang carefully, and unintentionally changed the opening, so there must be such a change...

Luo Ping looked at Wan Lian, and couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality.

It was Zhou Tang who focused on him, with Luo Ping's obsessive gaze reflected in his eyes, as if he was also obsessed.

Strange to say, when he was choosing, he obviously wanted the dagger that cut iron like mud, but when he saw the bowl of lotus in the box, he thought that the little master would definitely like it.

He chose it just because the little master would like it.

There was a breeze blowing through the corridor, lifting a strand of long hair, passing over the top of the jade bowl, and softly entwining the thousand fingers of the lotus flower.

Zhou Tang suddenly smelled a sweet fragrance, graceful and distant, for a moment he couldn't tell whether it was the smell of the flower or the smell of the person beside him.

Suddenly, he stretched out his hand to grab the strand of black hair, and followed it all the way to Luoping's temples.

Luo Ping froze: "What are you doing?"

Zhou Tang said in a daze, "Your hair is messed up."

Zhou Tang was about to withdraw his hand after pinning the messy strands of hair behind his ears.But when he saw the slightly red tip of the ear, he couldn't help reaching out to touch it. Unexpectedly, just as his finger touched it, Luo Ping backed away violently as if frightened.

There was a crisp sound, and the wooden box fell to the ground.

The jade bowl inside was broken into several petals, the rhizome of the lotus flower was also broken, and the clear water flowed all over the ground.

Both of them were stunned on the spot.

Zhou Tang was stunned for a while, staring straight at the mess.

It was Luo Ping who reacted first: "Your Highness, I'm sorry."

Zhou Tang looked at him and then at the ground, his face was pale at first, and then turned red: "This is a reward from my father! The first reward he gave me! How could you break it! Luo Ping You bastard! What are you going to pay me for!"

Scolding him angrily, Zhou Tang's eyes were red with anger.

Tears swirled in the sockets of the eyes, but they stubbornly refused to fall, and the wetness made people feel distressed.

Luo Ping picked up the fragments and residual flowers into the wooden box and handed them to him, with the same words: "Your Highness, I'm sorry."

"I don't need you to tell me you're sorry! I don't want your apology!"

Zhou Tang didn't know what he was angry about.

The thing was broken, and he knew it was irreparable, and he also knew that the little master couldn't be blamed entirely.

But he just couldn't stop being sad.

It was even more sad to hear Luo Ping apologize to him.

There were bursts of pain in the chest, as if I was the one who made the mistake, as if I should be the one who said the apology, but this person snatched it away.

"Go away!" Holding the wooden box and fleeing the middle corridor, Zhou Tang didn't want to face Luo Ping at the moment.

I also don't want to face the messy self.

Luo Ping looked at his back and sighed.The world is impermanent, and there is always too much helplessness.

After all, this bowl of lotus was broken, just like a trick of fate.

In the previous life, Zhou Tang deliberately pulled him, causing his Wanlian to fall from his hand. In this life, the owner of Wanlian was replaced by Zhou Tang, and he was the one who caused it to break.

Obviously it's just an insignificant object.

But no matter in the previous life or in this life, they will all be troubled by it.