After the rebirth, I became the darling of the tyrant

Afterwards, Xiao Tingshen gave Gu Chen both the inner court secret report and the correspondence. It was a thick stack, and roughly estimated that more than half of the officials in the court were involved in it.

The two sat facing each other in front of a desk in the study.Gu Chen sorted out the list that needs to be investigated, while Xiao Tingshen crossed some people off the list of "excusable circumstances".

"These people don't need to investigate any more." Xiao Tingshen held the ink pen and checked off the names while looking at the list, "The evidence is solid and undeniable, and I don't plan to let them go."

When I got busy, I forgot the time, and soon it was dark.The palace servants turned on the lamps, and Wei Dequan came in to replace them with a brighter glazed lamp.After several more hours, they finally finished the list. Gu Chen finished writing the last word and let out a long breath.He turned his head to look at Xiao Tingshen, who lowered his head and furrowed his brows, holding a booklet in his hand, reading it very intently.

His heart softened again.

Xiao Tingshen himself has never said how much suffering and suffering he has been able to sit in this position, but Gu Chen has been able to get a glimpse of it from the things along the way.Xiao Tingshen was isolated and helpless in his previous life, without a trustworthy person around him, but in this life he can finally change.

He also had Gu Chen with him.

For the sake of his difficulty, and to make the world less misunderstood Xiao Tingshen, and to let him put down the sword in his hand, and give up the blood-stained road of thorns in his previous life, Gu Chen thought, even if he was passed down as the former court A courtier with the surname of Chen left a reputation as a sycophant in the history books, and he was also willing to do this for Xiao Tingshen.

No turning back, no regrets.

He picked up the list and folded it in his sleeve, and a slight noise alarmed Xiao Tingshen.He raised his head from the mountain of bookcases, and the glazed light dispelled the darkness between his brows, making his handsome eyebrows and eyes soft.

He watched Gu Chen stand up, and simply asked, "Leave?"

"Ah."

"Don't be too tired." Xiao Tingshen urged naturally, "It's getting late outside, I will send someone to take you out of the palace."

Gu Chen smiled: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

In the next half month, a silent investigation was launched inwards.This investigation was like a drizzle in early spring, delicate and silent, it didn't cause too much splash, but it slowly penetrated into the officials.

According to his own idea, Gu Chen adopted a method completely different from Xiao Tingshen, secretly screened and investigated, and tried his best to save the officials' impression of "cold and tyrannical" Xiao Tingshen.After all, he was acting on behalf of the emperor this time, so what he did was equivalent to what Xiao Tingshen did, and what he said was equivalent to what Xiao Tingshen said... Although Xiao Tingshen didn't care about other people's opinions at all, Gu Chen couldn't help but care.

Half a month later, one day, Xiao Tingshen ordered someone to send a verbal order, asking Gu Chen to enter the palace.

Gu Chen thought he must be inquiring about the progress of the investigation, so he entered the palace with a note.Xiao Tingshen was still waiting for him in the study of Ganquan Palace. When he entered, Xiao Tingshen did not sit behind the imperial case where he usually sat, but sat in front of the window where they sat at the small table last time, as if he was flipping through a book .After Gu Chen came in, he waved his hand to stop Gu Chen's salute, and casually pointed to the opposite side: "Sit."

After Gu Chen sat down, he said, "There will be no foreign ministers in the future, so you don't have to salute me, I feel dizzy looking at it."

Gu Chen: "Your Majesty, this..."

"...I don't agree with etiquette, I know." Xiao Ting smiled deeply, "Etiquette is set for outsiders, and you are not an outsider."

Gu Chen's ears turned red.

Xiao Tingshen put a cup of tea in front of Gu Chen: "Try it, plum tea, I remember you like it."

Gu Chen took a sip, and it really tasted the same old. There were a few pieces of crushed ice floating in the porcelain bowl, which was refreshing and delicious, with a hint of sweetness, dispelling the heat from his body.However, he still had his business in mind, so he immediately pulled out the notebook from his sleeve: "Your Majesty, I have already completed half of the investigation."

He handed over the booklet. The handwriting on it was neat and beautiful, with clear lines, and the investigation results of each minister involved were clearly written. The key points were marked with a red pen. All year-end account books are good-looking.Xiao Tingshen looked carefully for a while, then raised his eyes to look at Gu Chen, and curled his lips: "As expected of my Lord Shangshu."

Now Gu Chen's face also turned red.

"The errand is done beautifully, so I'm going to reward you." Xiao Tingshen slapped the folder on the case, with a smile on the corners of his brows and eyes, "I'm looking for you today because of this."

He paused for a moment: "I want you to serve as Minister of the Household Department, and remove the positions of Commander of the Beijing Camp and Minister of the Ministry of War."

Gu Chen was startled: "What does your majesty mean?"

Now that he holds the Ministry of War, it is equivalent to holding the lifeblood of the world's soldiers and horses-food and grass supply, salary distribution, registered soldiers, weapon transfer, war horses, deployment, etc. are all under his control. Although he has no power to mobilize the army, he manages Power is actually in your hands.

In addition to the Beijing camp—almost all the military power in Shenjing City is in the hands of the emperor or the servants, including the inner court guards and Longxiang guards, and the east and west battalions of Shenjing are equivalent to the emperor's guards.But the Jingying is different. The Jingying is the only establishment that allows foreign ministers to control it, which is equivalent to the only real military power in Shenjing City.

But Xiao Tingshen said that he would remove the real military power from Gu Chen and let him become a civil servant... Almost at the same time, what Gu Chen thought of immediately was that after dealing with the Wang family, Xiao Tingshen also started to treat the Gu family. I'm afraid.

However, he immediately denied this, it was impossible, Xiao Tingshen would not do this.

Then why did he...

Even though he was thinking a lot, Gu Chen didn't say a word, nor showed it on his face.He was only stunned for a moment, and then smiled slightly: "How dare I refuse to follow His Majesty's orders."

Xiao Ting stared at him deeply for a while: "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Gu Chen paused imperceptibly: "No."

"In this case, let's go to the Ministry of Household Affairs to take up the post." Xiao Tingshen said, "I will choose another person to take your place."

Gu Chen raised his hand to salute, but was stopped by Xiao Tingshen.He looked at Gu Chen with a half-smile: "You just forgot when I finished speaking just now. Looking at the inside and outside, only Mr. Gu dared to resist the order."

He picked up the plum tea on the side and put it in Gu Chen's hand: "Drink it."

Gu Chen was taken aback: "Your Majesty...?"

"Stay with me for a while." Xiao Tingshen lowered his voice.He leaned back and his eyes fell on Gu Chen: "I haven't seen you for half a month, and you are so anxious to leave when we meet?"

The last sentence added a bit of complaint for no reason, and Gu Chen couldn't bear him being like this in front of him the most, so he had to sit back again.

After leaving Ganquan Palace, Gu Chen didn't look back at the mansion, nor did he go to the household department, but turned his head and walked out of the city.

There is a small wooded hill outside Shenjing City, half of his brother's remains are buried here.The Battle of Huaihe River was a brutal battle, and countless soldiers died, which dyed the water of Huaihe River red.And his elder brother fell by the river, already completely changed, someone recognized him through the sword on his body.

It rained heavily on the day his elder brother was transported back to the capital. Gu Chen was only a child of thirteen or fourteen at the time. Hearing the bad news, he rushed out and saw his elder brother's broken body despite his family's obstruction.A soldier sent his brother back, and brought back his relics—a xun, a sword, and nothing else.

The tomb was also dug by Gu Chen himself in the rainstorm. This small hill was the favorite place for the two brothers when they were young. It was here that the elder brother taught Gu Chen how to draw a bow and shoot an arrow.

Gu Chen came to his brother's tomb full of thoughts, lit three sticks of incense, and put them in the incense burner after paying his respects.He sat down in front of the tomb, put his hand on the cold tombstone, and was silent for a moment before he spoke: "Wang Yongke's rebellion has been defeated by Yan Sheng, and he should be captured in a few days. Your Majesty promised me that he will be punished by you at that time." A due justice."

He paused, resisting the sour feeling in his heart, took a deep breath, and then patted the tombstone, just like patting his elder brother's shoulder when he was a teenager.

"Don't worry, brother." He said, "I have worked hard and searched for so long, and now I can finally avenge you."

"But I... I have some things I can't say to my mother, and I can't tell my father either." Gu Chen smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty is very good, I know...he likes me."

"...We have long been more than just classmates."

"But Your Majesty said today that I should relinquish my military power and go to the household department to take Mr. Qi's seat."

Gu Chen lowered his head slightly when he said this, and sighed: "I am not greedy for military power. In fact, military power is not important to me. But my Gu family has been a general since the first emperor, and I have been a military general since my father. One generation has gone through four dynasties, all of them are military generals, controlling one hundred thousand cavalry in Yanbei."

"Back then... after you were gone, my father hoped that I could take over the army of Yanbei..." Gu Chen recalled that at the beginning, his elder brother Gu Heng wanted to take over the army of Yanbei, but later Gu Heng died in battle, so he could not Do not replace it.For this reason, parents had a quarrel.

"I'm already the last member of the Gu family who can hold military power." Gu Chen said in a low voice, "But now that I've been transferred to be a civil servant, I can no longer be what my father hoped for. He must be very disappointed."

And when Gu Chen was transferred to be a civil servant, Xiao Tingshen could keep him by his side, open and aboveboard, without hindrance, and no one could say anything... Gu Chen was a little confused for a moment, he even felt that Xiao Tingshen had removed his military power, Just to keep him... Although he likes Gu Chen and has feelings for Gu Chen, but more, he wants to keep Gu Chen by his side.

Gu Chen leaned on the tombstone and talked to Gu Heng for a while, but the fog in his heart became heavier and heavier.Seeing that it was getting late, he had to go back home, so he patted the dust off his body and stood up.Turning around, he saw a slender figure standing behind the tombstone.

!! ?

Gu Chen was startled, and immediately went to touch the saber at his waist, only to remember that he entered the palace today without any weapon on him.So he took a step back and watched the man warily.

The man stepped out from between the shadows of the trees and stood in the light.Wearing a long black cloak, with handsome features and deep eyes, who is it not Xiao Tingshen?

Gu Chen was inevitably taken aback: "...Your Majesty?"

Xiao Tingshen didn't speak, just took two steps forward and stood in front of Gu Chen.He looked down at Gu Heng's tomb, then looked up at Gu Chen, and after a while, he let out a sigh from his chest.

He stretched out his hand to grab Gu Chen's wrist, and pulled Gu Chen into his arms with a firm gesture that could not be refused.

"I just think you're unhappy." He whispered, his breath passing Gu Chen's ears, causing a shudder, "You have something on your mind, but you refuse to tell me."

"..."

"If you want to leave, I won't stop you." Xiao Tingshen's voice was particularly depressed in the gradually falling night, "I don't want to let you go, but if it's what you're looking forward to... I have no reason to stop you. Yun Ting, I will not keep you by my side like a pet."

"..."

"What do you think of yourself? What do you think of me?" Xiao Ting gritted his teeth deeply and said fiercely, "Do you think you are just a canary in the palm of my hand? What I like It has never been a canary, but a Costin soaring into the sky."

"His Majesty……"

"Listen to me." Xiao Ting took his hand deeply and tightened it, "I removed your military power, not to make you a caged bird. Yun Ting, your heart is too soft, you are not suitable at all. Fighting and killing. You can't even bear to watch a dog die, and asking you to kill is simply torturing you."

"I don't know what you have gone through, what you have endured to be able to guard Yanbei for six years, and even won countless battles, big and small, so that the Donghu people will flee when they hear your name... But I know that you are not Happy."

"This is not what you want, nor is it what you hope. When you were studying, you told me that in the future your brother will be an invincible general, and you hope to be a civil servant who dares to speak out, serve the country with what you have learned, and let the world Everyone can live a better life."

"I was down and out at the time, and I could only watch you walk the road I didn't want to go. But now I can." Xiao Tingshen tightened his arms and whispered to himself, "I can give you what you want, you I will help you realize the wish that could not be fulfilled back then."

Gu Chen didn't say a word, just let Xiao Ting hug him deeply in silence.However, when Xiao Tingshen talked about the days when he had to go to Yanbei, a string in his heart suddenly snapped at this moment.His nose was sore, his eye sockets were hot, and his tears almost lost control, blurring his vision for an instant.

He thought Xiao Tingshen wouldn't care.

He thought Xiao Tingshen would not understand.

Everyone only saw him holding Yanbei's [-] cavalry, everyone only saw his outstanding military exploits, everyone only stared at the battle report he sent back, but no one ever noticed... In fact, it is reluctant.

From the very beginning, he didn't want to become a general, let alone go to the battlefield to solve problems in such an extremely violent way.He didn't like to wield a sword, he didn't want to draw a bow and arrow, and he hated the feeling of sticky blood splattering all over his head and face even more.

Every time after a battle, he would sit on the battlefield and wipe his sword repeatedly with his clothes to wipe off the blood on it.Then he wiped his hands repeatedly, as if this could wipe away the feeling of blood staining his hands when he killed someone.

After he went to Yanbei in the previous life, Xiao Tingshen was as indifferent to him as a passer-by, he had no one to talk to, nowhere to talk, he could only sit on the wall of Yanbei in the middle of the night, playing the Xun left by his brother alone .The sound of the xun was bleak and faint, like the sobbing of countless innocent souls on the battlefield.

In the previous life, Xiao Tingshen was isolated and helpless, walking alone, trudging through the coercion of the Wang family and officials with different ideas in the court; and Gu Chen in the previous life was not alone. He struggled in the sea of ​​corpses and blood, forcing himself to lift the sword Fighting with the enemy's life, but no one can speak, no one can speak, and no one understands.

Until the reunion with Xiao Tingshen in this life.

Xiao Tingshen stretched out his hand to him, and handed him a ray of light from the endless blood killing and darkness.He saves him from the abyss, giving him the chance to rediscover his boyhood dreams.

——Be a civil servant who dares to speak out and speak hard.

"Thank you." Gu Chen said softly.His eyes were blurred, and for the first time he stretched out his hand and hugged Xiao Tingshen back.