Raising Wolves

When the bloodbath started in the capital, Lu Qing had just boarded Duan Lingguang's cargo ship at the ferry.

After he escaped from the posthouse, he rode away from there. When the sky was brighter, he finally saw a village ahead.

Running fast all night, even though he was wrapped in a thick cloak, Lu Qing felt cold all over his body and his limbs were stiff. After thinking about it, he patted the horse, let it go back to the post station, walked into the village, and asked the villagers I ordered some hot soup to warm my hands and feet.

The village seemed to be holding a funeral. Seeing a passer-by, the villagers enthusiastically handed over a bowl of hot soup.

The sky was bright, and the villagers were not very willing to light candles and oil lamps. They all relied on the glimmer of light refracted by the heavy snow to see the road. In the vagueness, they only felt that this passing-by was polite and graceful, clear and bright, and seemed to be an extraordinary person.

But didn't care too much.

When traveling from south to north, many businessmen would also rest their feet when they passed by the village, and no one had ever been there.

Lu Qing took a sip of the hot mutton soup. The mutton dispelled the cold, and the warm current flowed through his limbs and bones. Is it gone?"

The villagers couldn't help muttering a few words: "People are dying, and the village is preparing for it. I didn't expect to put them in the coffin, and I suddenly woke up again!"

And so on?

Lu Qing said with a smile: "The new year is approaching, which is also a good thing."

"That's right, it's unlucky for a dead person who celebrates the Chinese New Year." The villager sighed softly, "Is this young master on his way home?"

Lu Qing paused and shook his head: "I just came out of home."

The villagers scratched their heads in doubt, and wanted to ask again, but Lu Qing turned his eyes and saw a donkey in the shed, estimated his physical condition, and asked in a friendly voice: "Brother, do you sell the donkey?"

After finishing the bowl of soup, Lu Qing rode a newly bought donkey, put on a hood and hat, and walked slowly towards the ferry, his figure gradually disappearing in the wind and snow.

A few hours later, a team of royal guards rode to the village on fast horses, hurriedly bought the unused coffins in the village, and spent a lot of money. Because it was too urgent, they didn't pay attention to the casual chatter of the villagers. The youth who bought the donkey.

Lu Qing didn't know what happened after he left, but even if he knew, he wouldn't care too much.

The silver mask that was often worn on his face had been thrown into the fire, and it was probably melted, just like everything bound around him suddenly disappeared with his departure.

Worry about all that should be worried about, he is no longer the emperor teacher.

Lu Qing was not in a particularly urgent hurry.

Most of the things on his body were thrown into the fire and burned, only the two bottles of pills, a few taels of silver, the road guide that Xu Shu had given to him before he set off for Mobei, the road guide he had secretly forged, and the dry food and water bought in the village bag.

On the way to the ferry, he deliberately avoided places where Jin Yiwei might pass by, so as not to bump into a few acquaintances by coincidence.

The news of his death should have spread by now, and the capital should be very lively.

With this matter, Ning Juan can follow the vine, attack those princes and nobles who were difficult to deal with before, and eliminate some old diseases that have existed since the time of Emperor Chong'an.

When the people who should be cleaned up have finished cleaning up, the spring will be Chun Wei, and fresh blood will be added to the court. He believes that under Ning Juan's hands, the pruned Daqi will be full of vitality and become strong again.

As for the rest...

Ning Juan should be very sad now.

It will be fine after a while.

Ning Juan is still very young. Even if he is His Majesty, the things he has seen now are too few due to the age limit. After a few years, the boy will transform into a young man with rich experience and maturity. This paranoid feeling should be It will also fade away.

Maybe when Ning Juan thinks back in the future, he will still feel incredible that he thought so much about his teacher.

Lu Qing thought to himself, after walking for a few days, he finally arrived at the pier agreed with Duan Lingguang, and waited secretly near the pier for a day. There were many people wearing hoods and bamboo hats near the pier, and he was not very conspicuous.

That night, Duan Lingguang's boat arrived as scheduled, docked at the pier, and disembarked to buy some food.

When seeing Lu Qingze walking leisurely with the little donkey, Duan Lingguang heaved a sigh of relief and thought it was funny. He invited the man and the donkey into the boat, looked him up and down, and joked: "I thought I saw him Zhang Guo is old."

As he said that, looking at his overly conspicuous face, he couldn't help but said, "Why don't you wear a mask? You're not afraid of attracting attention."

Lu Qing didn't quite understand this logic: "No one wears a mask on the road. If I wear a mask, wouldn't it be more noticeable?"

Then he turned his head and begged, "Be nice to my donkey."

Duan Lingguang was at a loss for words for a moment, unable to talk to him, seeing that his face was blown pale by the wind, almost transparent, he quickly led him into the cabin, poured a cup of hot tea and pushed him over, then slumped on the chair: "You're making such a fuss, do you know what your little emperor is doing? I went down the boat along the way, and I really broke out in a cold sweat when I heard it. Thinking about how I would meet such an old enemy if I followed the original track, people It's all going to pass."

Lu Qing could imagine the movements in the capital, and took a sip of hot tea comfortably: "I'll just think you're praising my little brat."

Duan Lingguang raised his eyebrows: "Look at you, on the way here, you must have avoided all the places that might have the eyes and ears of Jingzhong. You haven't heard the news from Jingzhong, so I guess you must not have thought of it."

"what?"

"The little emperor put your 'suspended spirit' in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and personally guarded your spirit in the hall. I heard that a group of officials were so angry that they knelt in the palace for a long time." Duan Lingguang looked at him jokingly, "Have you thought about this?"

Lu Qing rubbed the fingertips of the teacup for a while, drooped his long eyelashes, and said in a voice that could not be heard, "Nonsense."

Duan Lingguang took out his fan and shook it as if he didn't think it was cold: "It seems that your little emperor cares about you more than you think."

Lu Qing just drank tea and didn't talk about it.

Duan Lingguang integrated his rich theoretical knowledge in his mind and reminded him: "In short, you have to be careful. If your little emperor finds out that you are not actually dead, but just pretending to be dead to escape, then how painful and sad he is now, how sad will you be?" You will be so furious at that time, your body probably won't be able to sustain a text that abuses your body and mind."

Lu Qingze's eyelids twitched, and he put down the teacup in a bad mood: "How many messy things have you seen?"

Duan Lingguang: "It's okay, what's your tone, are you looking down on my hobbies?"

"..."

Lu Qing was quiet for a while, and he couldn't help thinking along the lines of what Duan Lingguang said.

Ning Juan hated being betrayed the most in his life, and his current behavior is tantamount to betrayal in Ning Juan's heart.

According to that wolf cub Ning Juan's temper, if he found out that he escaped by feigning death, he would not only be furious, but would...hate him, wishing he could kill him.

Lu Qing lowered his eyes, remembering the letter he left in Lu's mansion.

After all, he was still not at ease with Ning Juan.

If it was okay for Ning Juan to see the letter in the Lu Mansion when he went to Mobei, at most he would feel that it was not easy for him to explain these things to him face to face. It is indeed inappropriate to say.

But if Ning Juan only read this letter after he faked his death, after he calmed down, he would inevitably become suspicious because of this letter, and at that time, he might have to investigate and interrogate all the people who had contact with him one by one.

He wasn't worried about the others. The only ones who knew about it were the death row prisoner and Duan Lingguang.

Counting the time with pinching fingers, the death row prisoner was buried in his place today.

He made a deal with that person, sending his family away from the capital, donating ten thousand taels of silver to ensure a lifetime of prosperity.

An inconspicuous death row prisoner in the imperial prison should not fall into the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor. As long as there is no definite evidence, Ning Juan will not easily dig the grave to check the corpse, let alone a charred corpse. what.

Ning Juan wouldn't be looking for Duan Lingguang, would he?

After thinking about it, Lu Qing still told Duan Lingguang about this possibility.

Of course, Duan Lingguang was also afraid of the cold, so he poured a glass of wine, drank it to warm his body, and said with a smack of his tongue: "I see, you are still too soft-hearted, no wonder your little emperor is spoiled by you. I will beat the draft in advance, But it shouldn't matter, in the eyes of the little emperor, we only had one contact in Lin'an, he has no substantive evidence, and he will not come to me."

Lu Qing's throat was a little itchy, and he lowered his head and coughed a few times.

Duan Lingguang was terrified when he heard him coughing: "Go and rest, I'm really afraid you'll cough yourself up."

Lu Qing walked in the wind and snow for a few days, and was indeed a little tired. He responded hoarsely, and went to the cabin prepared by Duan Lingguang to rest.

Facts have proved that Duan Lingguang guessed half of it, but not completely.

The cargo ship went all the way south, and after less than two days, it was stopped when it docked again.

A group of guards in Tsing Yi and Jin Yi rushed to the pier, the leader was an acquaintance, and Lu Qing glanced through the crack of the door. It was Xiao Jin, Zheng Yao's right-hand man.

Xiao Jin took out his token and yelled coldly: "By the order of the emperor, Duan Lingguang will return to Beijing for inspection, and anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

Lu Qingze: "..."

Did Ning Juan still notice Duan Lingguang's crow's mouth?

But looking at Jin Yiwei's movements, he only came to take Duan Lingguang to question him, not to search the cargo ship to find someone. It seems that Ning Juan didn't suspect that he had faked his death.

But how could you suspect Duan Lingguang?

No matter how much he doubted, he doubted Chen Xiaodao, Lin Xi and others.

Because he was mentally prepared earlier, Duan Lingguang was not surprised, and patted Lu Qingze on the shoulder: "You stay on the boat and hide, I'll be back soon."

After speaking, he calmly walked out with his fan, and followed Jin Yiwei.

Duan Lingguang had two attendants who seldom spoke, and according to Duan Lingguang's order, they docked the boat at the pier and waited for Duan Lingguang to come back.

Jin Yiwei galloped all the way, and in the middle of the night, Duan Lingguang was escorted by Jin Yiwei and brought into the deep palace.

To Duan Lingguang's surprise, this time he was not facing the vicious Commander of Jin Yiwei. After waiting in the side hall for a long time, he met the rumored Emperor His Majesty.

The youthfulness on the young emperor's body has been grinded to almost disappear. After all, he is the noble and unparalleled Tianhuang nobleman. From his young and handsome face, there are not many traces of sadness and depression. When he looked down from a height, he looked dark and sharp There is only a sense of oppression in the eyes of the emperor.

That gaze was so piercing that for a moment Duan Lingguang even had an illusion, as if the little emperor saw that he was not the original Duan Lingguang.

This ridiculous idea was quickly thrown behind him.

how is this possible.

When Duan Lingguang secretly looked at Ning Juan, Ning Juan was also looking at Lu Qingze's fellow countryman lightly.

Perhaps the soul in this person's body, like Lu Qingze, does not belong here.

He withdrew his scrutinizing eyes, and his voice was slightly cold: "You sent someone to do this?"

Duan Lingguang was wondering about something when he saw something in the eunuch's tray next to His Majesty the Emperor.

Seeing that thing, Duan Lingguang was terrified, and finally understood why he was brought here.

It is a spirit card.

When Lu Qing followed Ning Juan passing through Lin'an Mansion, after visiting the ancestral house of Lu Mansion, he wanted to put a spirit tablet on Yuan's body to enshrine, and asked him for help.

It was nothing more than a little effort, after they left, Duan Lingguang asked someone to make a spirit tablet, and hid it under the mourning hall of Lu's ancestral home, to receive incense as offerings.

Unexpectedly, this spirit card was found by the little emperor's people and sent to the capital!

It’s over.

Duan Lingguang suddenly felt his scalp tingle, and he couldn't find an explanation in a hurry.

How should he explain that when Lu Qingze was fine, there was an extra spirit card in the ancestral house?

What if the little emperor thinks that he cursed Lu Qing to death?

Ning Juan stared coldly at Duan Lingguang, who was speechless for a while, and thought indifferently, Chen Xiaodao had been interrogated, Lin Xi had been interrogated, and even the officials under Fan Xingyan and Lu Qingze had been questioned. Having said that, all the people who are acquainted with Lu Qingze have never noticed anything unusual.

The body he had seen with his own eyes was no different from Lu Qingze's figure.

The slight and absurd hope that had arisen in his heart was completely wiped out when this spiritual card was delivered.

Ever since I was in Lin'an, the teacher has had the will to die, do you want to leave?

As smart as he is, he knows how many people in Beijing have murderous intentions towards him, but he has long been prepared to die, and even wrote a last letter in advance...

Ning Juan's face didn't fluctuate, but his heart seemed to be pierced with a poisonous sharp knife, slowly stirring his internal organs.

Is this a spiritual token to bid farewell to this place?

Where will the teacher go?

Has his soul returned to the place he can't explore, to the hometown he longs for?

He doesn't know how far it is. After a hundred years, will he still see Lu Qingze?

He used to fear that Lu Qing was a wandering soul all day long, and he would go back one day, allowing his dark desire to possess to swell and want to hide him.

After all, Lu Qing went back.

He failed to keep his Huai Xue.

Duan Lingguang was so stared at that his hairs stood out, and he couldn't help but admire Lu Qingze deeply. He looked so weak, but he managed to deal with such a terrifying little emperor. He really deserved to be his fellow countryman.

He typed his stomach full of manuscripts, thinking that he should not appear to be too familiar with Lu Qingze, and waited a little nervously for Ning Juan to ask again.

However, in the end, the little emperor didn't ask anything, he just stared at him for a long time, and said flatly, "Let him go back."

This is the teacher's fellow countryman.

The teacher must be unwilling to see what he did to Duan Lingguang.

When the teacher was still there, he made him unhappy from time to time.

Now he wants to make the teacher happy.

Chang Shun thought that His Majesty asked someone to arrest Duan Lingguang for something, but he didn't expect that he only asked one sentence from the beginning to the end, and he was a little puzzled in his heart. Seeing that Duan Lingguang was taken away again, he couldn't help asking in a low voice. : "Your Majesty, you..."

Seeing that the corners of Ning Juan's mouth were pursed straight, he swallowed his words and ordered someone to send the spirit tablet to the mourning hall for offering. When he came back, His Majesty had disappeared.

Changshun was stunned for a moment, and he knew it when he heard the beeping outside.

His Majesty has gone to the Lu Mansion again.

Since Master Lu was buried, His Majesty had to go to Lu's residence every night to sleep.

He walked out of the side hall, looked at the cold moon in the sky, and sighed.

After Mr. Lu left, it seemed that the whole capital became more desolate and lonely.

Chen Xiaodao went to Mobei to look for the young prince of Wu Guogong's family. He occasionally went out of the palace when he was free, and there was no one to talk to.

Not only His Majesty, even he couldn't help but miss that trace of warmth.

Lu Qing spent a sleepless night on the boat.

Although Ning Juan is a biter who can bite people, he is still very obedient most of the time. Before he left, he told Ning Juan and got a promise. He had the shock of his death. He was not worried that Ning Juan would attack Duan Lingguang , but worried that the feigned death would be revealed.

In case of being exposed, I really don't know what terrible reaction Ning Juan will have.

Maybe you can't wait to really kill him.

Fortunately, in the early morning, Duan Lingguang was sent back by Jin Yiwei on a fast horse.

As soon as he boarded the boat, Duan Lingguang immediately ordered the anchor to be lowered, and continued to go south. After speaking, he got into the cabin, drank a cup of strong tea, and exhaled: "I'm alive."

Lu Qing looked at him: "If... His Majesty doesn't care about you, does he?"

Duan Lingguang's back was still whizzing cold, he shook his head and said: "Just brought me into the palace, and asked a few words, he found the spirit card you asked me to help make, no wonder he called me over suddenly."

Lu Qing was silent, wondering how Ning Juan would feel when he saw the spirit card, he didn't think that he had a will to die early on, or that he would rather die than surrender, right?

Duan Lingguang still had lingering fears: "Your little emperor is really scary."

Lu Qing didn't even think about it, subconsciously defended Ning Juan, and retorted: "What's the matter? He's very cute."

cute?

Thinking about the pair of dark eyes staring at him indifferently without any emotion, Duan Lingguang's face suddenly became a little weird: "...Are you serious?"

Lu Qing didn't change his face, and said affirmatively: "Of course."

At least before learning to bite, Ning Juan was like a clingy puppy, really cute.

Duan Lingguang wanted to say something and stopped for a while, but swallowed the words back: "It's so cold in the north now, will you go back to Lin'an with me? It's not easy to walk in winter, or you and I will stay together until spring."

Lu Qing shook his head and said: "If there is one, there are two. Once your majesty's suspicion arises, it will not be completely eliminated for a while, and he will probably send someone to pay attention to your movements. I will easily be discovered when I return to Lin'an with you, and I will walk around by myself. Just go, let me go next time you dock."

Duan Lingguang counted the days, and then asked to stay: "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, how pitiful is it for you to celebrate the New Year alone? You can follow everyone on the boat to celebrate the New Year before leaving. Don't worry, everyone on the boat who knows your existence is mine." , They don't know who you are, so they won't go out and talk nonsense."

Lu Qing smiled and nodded.

On New Year's Eve the next day, Duan Lingguang's boat was still sailing on the river without docking.

Originally, the wind on the river was cold, and the winter was even harsher. Duan Lingguang paid out of his own pocket and distributed a red envelope to everyone on board.

Lu Qing sat quietly on one side, watching everyone laughing and discussing family matters loudly, with a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Everyone knows that he is Duan Lingguang's friend. Seeing that his complexion is pale and sick, but not detrimental to his complexion. There is a little tear and mole at the end of his eyes, and he looks like a fairy. It's been a long time, and you still don't know the name of this son?"

Lu Qing blinked, and said the pseudonym he wrote on the guide: "Lu Ling."

Everyone asked again and again, such as how old you are, what you do, and how your family property is.

Lu Qing got dizzy when he asked.

"What are you talking about?" An old lady couldn't stand it anymore, she turned her head and looked at Lu Qingze kindly, "I'll just ask directly, Mr. Lu, are you married?"

Seeing Tuqiongdagger, Lu Qing thought to himself, and said calmly: "I have a son."

What?Are the sons that old?Can't tell wow!

Everyone looked at Lu Qingze in astonishment, their faces were full of regret, and they scattered like birds and beasts.

After dismissing the marriage urging groups everywhere in the world, Lu Qing walked to the deck by holding the side of the boat, and looked back at the direction of the capital.

This is the first new year when Ning Juan parted ways after coming to this world.

To be honest, he was a little weary.

The palace should be bustling right now, right?

After a person dies, the living always have to look forward. Ning Juan has already got everything he wants, and he is at a high-spirited age. No matter how hard he suffers, he can quickly rejuvenate.

It's time for Ning Juan to get used to his absence.

He should also get used to days without restlessness.

Duan Lingguang searched everywhere for someone, and when he came out, he found Lu Qing standing alone on the side of the boat, his thin back shrouded in silence, and he hissed, afraid that he would fall: "It's dark outside, what's there to see?" ? You are not afraid of getting sick, so come in and eat dumplings."

Lu Qing suddenly came back to his senses, turned around and smiled: "Here we are."

The atmosphere on the cargo ship was lively, and on New Year's Eve, there were lights and festoons in Beijing, but the atmosphere in the palace was cold and quiet, and there was almost no sense of festiveness for the New Year.

First, the death of General Shi, and then the assassination of the emperor's teacher. Under the two blows, this year's New Year's Eve banquet was also canceled by His Majesty, but the rewards were all distributed, and no one was dissatisfied.

Ning Juan has always disliked that kind of hustle and bustle. Ever since he was a child, he has hated the hustle and bustle that is incompatible with him. No matter how lively it is, it is false.

What's more, the only person he wanted to accompany was no longer there.

When Chang Shun brought the dumplings cooked in the kitchen, he realized that His Majesty had disappeared again.

Undoubtedly, he went out of the palace to the Lu Mansion again.

The little apprentice Anping scratched his head: "Master, you must eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year. Do you want to send them to His Majesty?"

At this time last year, the New Year's Eve banquet was over, and Lu Qing was brought into the palace to eat dumplings with Ning Juan.

His Majesty is probably thinking of Lord Lu again.

Chang Shun hesitated for a while, but still shook his head: "Your Majesty probably doesn't want to see anyone right now, so don't bother Your Majesty."

Anping respectfully responded, a gust of cold wind hit, he couldn't help crossing his arms, muttering and complaining: "This year's winter seems to be colder than last year, and the heavy snow keeps falling."

Hearing these words, Chang Shun was inexplicably sad.

Since the death of the emperor, the winter in the capital seems to be getting colder, but the snow scene is no longer what it used to be.

Most of the time, Chang Shun could guess how Ning Juan was feeling. Ning Juan did think of Lu Qingze again, but he didn't actually leave the palace.

After standing in the South Study Room for a long time, he put down his pen and put on his cloak, ordered someone to carry the lamp, and made a rare visit to the Eagle Room to take a look at the sea dongqing.

Hai Dongqing was fed well by the falconer, with bright feathers and a leisurely life. The only trouble was that his only favorite, Lu Qingze, hadn't come to feed him for a long time.

Seeing Ning Juan coming, the eyes of the hawk who had been lazy just now sharpened instantly, and he made a vigilant gesture, showing a little bit of hostility.

When Lu Qing was there, he kept trying to persuade him to release the eagle back to the grassland.

At that time, he only felt that Lu Qingze's words had another meaning. He wanted to be released and fly away from him like this eagle, so he overturned the previous decision and flatly rejected it.

Now that the teacher has gone, there is no point in keeping this beast.

After Ning Juan stared blankly at Hai Dongqing for a long time, he resisted the urge to make this broken bird into soup, and lightly ordered: "Send it back to Mobei when spring begins."

The falconer was stunned for a moment, knowing that the death of the emperor's teacher was a sad matter for His Majesty, no one dared to mention Mr. Lu in front of His Majesty, and he didn't dare to ask more questions, so he lowered his head and answered.

After personally ordering this matter, Ning Juan left the palace and went to the Lu residence.

Without being accompanied by a guard, nor riding a horse or taking a carriage, he walked over quietly alone.

When entering Lu Qingze's bedroom, Ning Juan knocked on the door and whispered, "Teacher, I'm here."

He has been sleeping in Lu Qingze's bedroom recently.

Lu Qingze's health is not good, and he gets sick from time to time. There is a smell of medicine in the house all year round, which is not unpleasant, only bitter, and the rest is the faint plum fragrance he is familiar with, but that smell has become more and more faint up.

As if obsessed, Ning Juan found out all the clothes that Lu Qingze had worn and spread them on the bed, trying to make Mei Xiang's breath more intense.

The potted plant by the window didn't know whether it had survived the winter or Lu Qingze's poisonous hands, it was completely withered, it seemed to have taken away the vitality in the room, everything became cold, no longer like He was as warm as when he came here.

Ning Juan often suffers from insomnia and palpitations, waking up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, and the fire in the dream is a nightmare that he can hardly get rid of.

In the daytime, he is the emperor over ten thousand people, holding the military and political power, sitting on the golden throne, making all the decisions, all the people knelt and kowtowed in fear, and shouted long live.

At night, he seems to be a wandering soul with nowhere to go, and only by returning to the plum fragrance can he be at peace.

Ever since Lu Qingze left, long live, long live, seems to have become a sinister curse.

When the plum fragrance dissipated, Ning Juan didn't know if he could sleep again.

He curled up on the bed, hugged the clothes Lu Qingze wore tightly, sniffed the plum fragrance that was about to dissipate, and murmured: "Teacher, are you still angry and refuse to enter my dream?"

He never dreamed of Lu Qingze again.

"Tonight is New Year's Eve."

The ice lamp swayed faintly by the window, and the light was dim, like a lamp that guides wandering souls back home.

"Come back and see me, okay?"

Ning Juan closed his eyes, his consciousness gradually withdrawn, and he let himself fall on a bed of messy clothes. Surrounded by Lu Qingze's breath, his severe headache was relieved, and his empty heart was slightly filled.

It seems that when the time comes, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers all over the city is resounding, crackling and lively, and everyone is celebrating.

Lost Lu Qingze, the new year has arrived.