A traitor

At night, in the inner room, the gauze lamp depicted by orchids is dancing with candlelight, which is reflected on the screen not far away. The birds and flower branches painted on it are vivid and vivid.

Su Qinglang took off his robe, turned to Mei Liusheng and said, "The slaves in the mansion are not sensible, so I had to invite Brother Mei to spend the night."

Mei Liusheng stood behind him, heard the words and looked over at him, only to see Su Qinglang wearing a snow-white undershirt with his back turned to him.

Although he is a man, his stature is shorter than that of ordinary men, and his two black hair hang down from his shoulders. Although he is too old, he still looks like a full-fledged boy.

In fact, after careful calculation, since he met Su Qinglang, he hadn't looked at Su Qinglang's face carefully.

First of all, they are all men, and it is strange and impolite for a man to pay attention to the appearance of another man;

Secondly, on Su Qinglang's body, whether it's those arrogant and domineering ridicules, or those treacherous and calculating insidiousness, people can ignore his appearance and only remember his youthful demeanor.

Compared with men, they are less upright and heroic, and there will be no such domineering spirit of fighting for strength among men.

If you stand between women, but you don't look delicate and beautiful, like willows and willows in the wind in March, with a very clear and hearty breath in the faint fresh green.

Even he, who is also a man, couldn't help but want to get close...

He also walked over, took off his robe, and said to Su Qinglang, "As long as you don't disturb Brother Su's rest, that's fine."

The servants in the mansion brought hot water, the two of them finished washing, and lying on the bed, Mei Liusheng looked at Su Qinglang sideways, then turned around, looked at Su Qinglang again, and turned around again.

There has never been a woman next to Lord Shangshu's pillow, and now there is a man, which is already quite heartwarming, but this man is still unrecognizable, shaking his head like a rattle, even with a thick face like Su Qinglang. It's a little embarrassing.

He looked at the bed curtain above his head: "Brother Mei, do you have something to say?"

Mei Liusheng also sensed his impoliteness, his expression was a little unnatural, he pursed his lips, cleared his throat, looked away and said, "Actually, I want to ask about Master Cai..."

"Cai Jun?"

Su Qinglang was a little surprised, and then sneered, "Ask him what to do?"

Mei Liusheng replied: "I have been working with Mr. Cai these few days, and I found that he is an unusual person, so I am a little curious."

Su Qinglang was silent for a moment, then asked: "Brother Mei said that it is unusual, what do you mean?"

Mei Liusheng hiccupped, but couldn't say anything. This Cai Jun, on the surface, was nothing, an ordinary person, but it made people feel a little different.

As for asking him what is different, after thinking about it carefully, it seems that there is nothing to say.

So his tongue became knotted and stiff for a while, and he could only helplessly say: "Actually, I don't know, but I always feel that something is wrong..."

Hearing what he said, Su Qinglang smiled again: "Brother Mei, have you ever seen a bonfire?"

Mei Liusheng turned his head to look at him, and saw Su Qinglang was still looking at the bed curtain, looking thoughtful, so he nodded.

He also heard him say: "Although they are both bonfires, they are different from bonfires. Some are burning, bringing warmth and light to people, while others are still a pile of firewood. They neither want to warm others, nor Willing to sacrifice myself.

And some are the embers after the fire was in full bloom, leaving only a cold pile, but some bonfires, from the outside, look like dead ashes, but there is still warmth. If you add more firewood, say Might not be able to light up again. "

"Actually, this person is the same. No one can stay committed forever. Everyone will experience sadness and disappointment, so that they want to give up everything. Some people really give up after thinking about it, and there is no recovery. possible.

And some people, even if they have been disappointed and given up, one day in the future, they will pick it up again.

After all, deserts may turn into mountains, and mountains may be ground into deserts, but there are some things in my heart that are difficult to change..."

Hearing this, Mei Liusheng smiled slightly: "I think I understand what Brother Su said."

Su Qinglang snorted, and continued: "The person who originally thought that he would eat and wait to die, still has such a little enthusiasm hidden in his heart, but if he is like Brother Mei, he has a firm mind, but he is not necessarily so. After all, he has been beaten. It is easy to remember the lessons from the past, and the next time you do something, you will inevitably be timid."

Mei Liusheng asked: "Lord Cai... have you encountered injustice before?"

Su Qinglang fell silent when he heard this, and turned around after a while, obviously he didn't want to answer this question.

Turning his back to Mei Liusheng, he said: "This is his private matter, if you really want to know, you might as well ask him in person in the future."

Mei Liusheng hummed, and said with emotion: "In Master Cai's situation, if no one helps him, it is very likely that this situation will continue. Once an opportunity arises, the situation may be different. Although this case It's tricky and dangerous, but for Master Cai, it should be considered an opportunity."

Su Qinglang didn't answer, and after a long time, he said meaningfully: "The extent to which his situation can be changed depends on how much he can bear and how much he can achieve."

Mei Liusheng silently agreed, but at the same time, a question gradually rose in his heart.

Whether it was the letters from the past or the scheme against Zhao E, while advancing the case, everything Su Qinglang did seemed to be forcing them to move forward again.

From an outsider's point of view, it was just Master Su's negligence and writing a letter of favor for Cai Jun's sake.

From his and Cai Jun's point of view, it was Su Qinglang who wanted to take this opportunity to eradicate his opponent, Zhao E, Minister of the Household Department, and hide behind his back to advise them.

But he and Su Qinglang have known each other for a long time, and he knows his scheming and methods, so he always feels that everything is not as simple as it seems on the surface.

But, thinking about it again, from Su Qinglang's standpoint, why would he help Cai Jun who has never had any special friendship and is not in the same camp?

But if the suspicion in his heart is not established, it seems a little unreasonable.

For a long time, Su Qinglang, who was known as a treacherous official, seemed to be a little too tolerant towards him and that servant...

So, he thought for a moment, and then tentatively said: "Actually, Liu Sheng was a little puzzled. He didn't know whether to speak or not. Combined with what Brother Su said, I just thought about it a lot, and found that the person who is pulling Mrs. Cai in the dark seems to be you, Brother Su. ..."

But Su Qinglang hesitated, and then replied: "I really want him to leave, but you are thinking too much."

"What I need is someone sitting in this seat who can really help me, Cai Jun. Obviously, what I ask him to do, he won't do it, and he won't want to do it. Keeping him in the Ministry of Rites will only get in the way." Rather than this, I might as well let him go, so that it will be more convenient to do things in the future, but..."

He paused: "If you send him away in this way, wouldn't it be that you have created a strong enemy for yourself? I'm not that stupid."

Mei Liusheng fell into silence when he heard the words, and said mockingly: "That's true." After speaking, he fell silent again.

Seeing that he hadn't moved for a long time, Su Qinglang guessed that he had nothing to say, so he turned over and fell asleep by himself.

Mei Liusheng was left alone, lying on the bed like a log, his eyes were open like copper bells, because there was someone sleeping next to him, he couldn't fall asleep at ease, and kept staring at the bed curtains thinking about things.

Su Qinglang was annoyed by his disturbance, and after a while, couldn't help turning around, seeing that Mei Liusheng was really awake, so he asked, "Brother Mei doesn't seem to be used to sleeping with people."

Mei Liusheng came back to his senses, and smiled faintly: "I'm a widow, and I'm used to sleeping alone, so I'm really not used to it."

Hearing this, Su Qinglang immediately understood: "So that's the case, I was negligent, there is still a small couch in this room, if Brother Mei is not used to it, I'll sleep over there."

As he said that, he lifted the quilt, and just about to get up, he heard Mei Liusheng hurriedly say: "Don't..."

He glanced sideways outside: "I saw that small couch when I came in just now, it must be used by Brother Su to enjoy the cool and study in summer, let alone Brother Su.

Even if it is me, if I go up to lie down overnight, I am afraid that I will be seriously ill, but it is only for one night. I was thinking about something just now, but it is actually not something I am not used to. "

Seeing this, Su Qinglang had no choice but to give up, and lay back down again, but he felt a little regretful in his heart, if he knew it earlier, he wouldn't be lazy and feel troublesome, so he asked someone to move another bed in.

I thought that two big men would go to bed, just to stay overnight, and they didn't do anything shameful, so what's there to be ashamed of?

Who would have thought that Mei Liu was cheerful in her daily life, but she turned out to be a mother-in-law when she was in bed, like an awkward girl.

He lay down and felt that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, so he said: "I am the opposite of Brother Mei. I have liked to cling to my mother since I was a child. When my mother passed away, I was still very young. At that time, I was afraid at night and dared not sleep alone. , I have to have Er Niang to accompany me before I give up, for which I have been scolded many times by my father..."

He paused, and then said: "When I grow up, I will move to the Imperial College to study and live in the school. I can only go home once or twice a month. Fortunately, the school was tight at that time. I live alone, besides me, there is another student who has not adjusted, and it looks like I have lived there for seven or eight years."

Mei Liusheng let out a sigh, and the atmosphere really became lively: "Then Brother Su, the relationship with that classmate must be very good."

Su Qinglang was silent for a moment, then said: "Not entirely, at first, there was a quarrel for a while."

He lay quietly for a long time, and then said to Mei Liusheng: "Actually speaking, you are somewhat similar to him. Seeing you always reminds me of the time when he was..."

Mei Liusheng heard this, and said with great interest: "So, if there is a chance, Liusheng would like to meet this person."

Su Qinglang fell silent completely, looking at the dim light in the inner room, fell into a long silence.

In the darkness, a sad atmosphere quietly spread, like a pool of poisonous water, expanding his wound circle after circle.

After a long time, he turned over, pulled the corners of his lips, closed his eyes and said, "Go to sleep..."