Survival countdown

The palace banquet dissipated, and the night was quiet, and no one could sleep.

As soon as Chen Shidao got out of the sedan chair, he passed by the attentive servants and almost tripped over the threshold. The boy guarding the door exclaimed again and again, and the lights in the mansion came on one by one, and everyone was alarmed.

"Don't make a big fuss, go back to sleep, turn off the lights, don't waste oil." Chen Shidao waved his hand, gave him a few words of advice, and asked someone to make some refreshing medicinal soup for him. After the order, he returned to the hall and sat down, staring blankly. Looking at the hazy night, he moved his mouth: "Why don't you want to live anymore?"

His most proud student, the most distressed child, was forced to not want to live.

Knowing that Zhao Baiyu's wisdom will hurt, he knows in his heart that he is more suitable to be a hermit who looks at mountains and rivers, understands that he is too upright, too sympathetic to the common people, and often says 'there is no right and wrong in the officialdom', and it is not without compromise. But one day, when the common people's justice collided with the officialdom's way, and when he was in a dilemma, he would rather be smashed to pieces to earn justice for others.

Zhao Baiyu is not suitable for officialdom.

He clearly said so at that time, why did he try his best to encourage him to make contributions?Why did you still lobby him to become the prime minister of the two governments?

Knowing that the two rivers are dangerous, they still urged him to go.

He got his wish and got a student who is the most famous student in the sky, but what did Zhao Baiyu get?

You get him to be ashamed of the officialdom, you get his disillusionment with the injustice in the world, and everyone is only running for fame and fortune, and you get a fatal knife that is uncertain about life and death.

Chen Shidao trembled and raised his hands to cover his face: "I'm also the one who forced Wulang to death."

He was repeatedly asked to compromise and give in, but the letter sent to Liangjiang thought he was saving Zhao Baiyu, how could he know that it was not the straw that crushed him?

How terrified should Goro be after beheading three hundred officials?

To establish life for the living and the people, and to create peace for the eternal world, but he is just seeking justice for a murderer to pay for his life. Everyone from the king to the teacher and friend went against him and advised him not to leave.

Stop, compromise, give in, don't be stubborn, don't be stupid, it's not worth it!

How lonely must he be?

Although tens of thousands of people are going for me, he is the only one who walks that road alone.

How desperate must Goro be to want to die?

***

Same prefect.

Gao Tongzhi took the calming soup from the servant and blew on it, let it cool down a little before handing it to Mrs. Gao who was still in shock: "Drink it and go to bed early."

Mrs. Gao opened her eyes, drank the calming soup slowly, and sighed after a long while: "I want to go to Hongfu Temple tomorrow to light a blessing offering lamp, and bless Xiao Qingtian to escape safely."

Gao Tongzhi: "Donate some sesame oil money for me too, and pray that Mr. Zhao is safe."

He heaved a long sigh, and had to say that the scene of Zhao Baiyu refusing the imperial doctor's treatment after blocking the knife for the saint was shocking.

To be able to sit in the position of prime minister like him has long been an old fritter in the officialdom, not to mention fighting in the battlefield in the early years, what bloody scenes have you never seen?

Even to kill thousands of people, he once gave the order without changing his face.

Only tonight when I heard Zhao Baiyu's words 'I don't want to live', my heart trembled and I was very moved.

Gao Tongzhi did appreciate Zhao Baiyu, but this appreciation was more or less mixed with interests. For example, the Liangjiang case would undoubtedly involve a dispute between the crown princes. He also didn't hide his intention to straighten Huo Jingtang in front of these old ministers.

Due to the complicated interest entanglement in the officialdom, Gao Tongzhi did not hesitate to help Zhao Baiyu, but if the fundamental interests run counter to him, he would also throw trouble without hesitation.

This is the officer.

When there are no conflicts of interest, they will be alone, and when there are interests, they will look forward and backward, and resort to various methods. In fact, the ultimate goal is to protect themselves, or to be alone, who remembers the common people?Who can oppose the court and the king for the justice of "killing people for life"?

But studying and becoming an official has never been for the sake of self-care. To be a man is to rely on the principles of heaven and conscience, and to be an official is to rely on the principles of heaven and conscience. Unfortunately, no official remembers it.

The bigger you become an official, the more you walk on thin ice and be cautious. Only yourself is left in your eyes, and how can there be people in the Li people?

Gao Tongzhi boasted that even if he could not be regarded as a virtuous minister and general like Wei Zheng, he should still be a loyal minister with His Majesty, the court and the world in his heart, but after Zhao Baiyu came out, Fang was surprised that he had ignored the common people under his feet for too long up.

Can't even give a basic justice, what kind of loyal minister and good minister?

That's why Gao Tongzhi was particularly shocked, and his appreciation for Zhao Baiyu mixed with profit calculations also turned into admiration from the bottom of his heart.

"I hope there will be no surprises or dangers, and I will be safe every year."

***

King Kang's Mansion.

Gao Duzhi helped Kang Wang with weak legs to sit down, and took a wet towel to help him wipe his face and hands. Kang Wang held his arm instead, pulled him forward, hugged his back, and buried his face in Gao Duzhi's arms inside.

"I didn't expect Zhao Baiyu to block the knife, nor did I expect him to want to die."

The voice was muffled, and the uncomfortable emotion was beyond words.

Gao Duzhi patted him on the back and comforted him softly: "No one can know foretelling. You only want to save Zhao Baiyu from the predicament, and your original intention is for his own good."

"At the beginning, I was cowardly and didn't dare to say that the two rivers were dangerous. If I had told him about the 180 official joint name Bao Ma Deyong earlier, if I hadn't said a word, maybe he would be able to prepare mentally in advance, and maybe he would have concerns. It’s not that...it’s not that I’m going to put myself into a sea of ​​swords and flames, and I’m not going to cut my own back, so far.”

Gao Duzhi sighed in his heart, his well-clothed prince has never understood the real reason why Mr. Zhao killed three hundred officials and didn't want to live. Where is it because of the dangerous Liangjiang?

It is clear that one pile of soaring grievances cannot be settled, it is clear that officials who are unwilling to plead for the people make this officialdom dark, it is clear that he is alone and too lonely.

***

Dufu.

As soon as Du Gong returned to the mansion, he sent his wife to wash up. However, before he took off his blood-stained robe, he was entangled by the deputy envoy of the household department. The wailing and crying made my brain tingle.

The Deputy Envoy of the Household Department, a half-old man with a wrinkled face, half-white hair, and a limp scorpion flower on his sideburns, was lingering in the front lobby of the Du Mansion at this time, sobbing and crying when he saw his best friend... When the Holy Lord blocked the knife and heard that his best friend said that he didn't want to live anymore, his heart was broken.

When the emotion reached its peak, he burst into tears, howling until Du Gongxian's ears hurt.

He thought blankly, very good, he has been honored as a close friend from a confidant, but Master Xiao Zhao didn't even invite him to spend the night at the Prince's Mansion in Lin'an County, how could he be so embarrassed?

"Master Xiao Zhao is a bodhisattva with immeasurable merit. Auspicious people have their own celestial appearance, so nothing will happen."

"What do you mean? Just touch your lips and say a few words and you'll be fine? Du Gongxian, you're too cold-blooded."

Du Gongxian: "..." Looking indifferently at the night sky outside the lobby, what he was thinking about was how to break off relations with his colleagues for many years.

When the Deputy Envoy of the Ministry of Households had almost stabilized his mood, Du Gongxian hurriedly drove him away. After finally persuading him to the door, he found Fan Wenming, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, passing by. Eyes met, and for some reason, the two returned to the front hall of Du Mansion and sat down.

Du Gong first looked at the red eyes of his two colleagues and lost his temper.

Love something.

Fan Wenming whispered to the deputy envoy of the Ministry of Household Affairs: "Tomorrow, my lord, can you come to the palace to visit Mr. Zhao?"

Du Gongxian: "Whether you can wake up or not, I'll talk about it. They all rushed in to disturb the doctor's treatment--" The voice stopped abruptly under the red and fierce eyes of the deputy envoy of the household department and Fan Wenming. Said: "Master Xiao Zhao will definitely wake up. Definitely."

The two of them looked away.

The Deputy Envoy of the Household Department: "Don't bother me, just listen to the news. You and I will try our best to do other things in the court. For example, the mastermind behind the Liangjiang case must not be let go, and the heads of those Jiangnan officials have been chopped off." It is also necessary to investigate to the end, and their crimes must be made public, so that the truth of the unjust case can be revealed to the world."

"It makes sense." Fan Wenming nodded again and again: "We should redress our grievances, we should punish them, we can't just ignore the suffering people after being arrested by officials, we must give them innocence and justice, and the compensation that the court should pay must also be implemented."

The deputy envoy of the Ministry of Household Affairs: "It's just that you and I can't intervene in this case."

Fan Wenming: "I do know that His Majesty handed over the case to Zhao Zaizhi. Although everyone in the capital knows that Zhao Zaizhi hates Mr. Zhao, he is still fair and will not take personal revenge."

The deputy envoy of the household department curled his lips: "I'm just afraid of what happens." He doesn't like the prudish Zhao Boyong, and he is completely partial to his best friend Zhao Baiyu.

Fan Wenming hissed: "I see that when Mr. Zhao was injured, Zhao Zaizhi and his wife's grief was definitely not fake, and they always felt that there was something hidden."

"Is there?" Du Gong interjected first.

"Of course!" Mrs. Du, who had changed into clean clothes, suddenly jumped out from the side, clasped her hands, very excited but quite restrained: "I remember that Changping hated Mrs. Zhao, who didn't have any maternal love, but Zhao Zaizhi and his wife I am very concerned, especially Mrs. Zhao. And you haven’t noticed that before the palace, Zhao Zaizhi and Mrs. Zhao frequently looked at Mrs. Zhao, with that expression, those eyes, eager to see..."

Mrs. Du was eloquent, telling the biggest secret she had unearthed during the palace banquet.

The three big men present were completely engrossed in listening, guessing the final truth, they couldn't help gasping in unison: "It's really unbelievable!"

"If it's true..." the deputy envoy of the household department and Fan Wenming murmured to themselves, "Master Zhao is really suffering a lot."

***

In the Ciming Hall, the Empress Dowager knelt in front of the statue of the merciful and compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

The nanny said softly outside the small Buddhist hall: "Queen Mother, it's dawn, and His Majesty is still waiting ahead."

The Queen Mother opened her eyes, burned a stick of incense in front of the Bodhisattva, and then walked out of the small Buddhist hall. The maids and eunuchs hurried forward to serve her.When they arrived at the flower hall in front, Emperor Yuanshou stood with his hands behind his back, and when he heard the movement, he immediately turned around and walked over to salute.

The queen mother lifted him up and led him to sit on the couch.

Emperor Yuanshou lowered his head: "The son came to plead guilty to his mother. I failed to protect Changping, and I also failed to save her."

Forcing the palace to rebel, even his own son should be killed, let alone his sister?

He came here specifically to apologise, because he didn't want to let Changping go from the very beginning. The empress, Donggong and Changping forced the palace to rebel and the rebellion would be quelled quickly. Emperor Yuanshou couldn't possibly be ignorant.

Taking another [-] steps back, why did Changping take the risk of rebellion?

Probably because she felt that she couldn't protect herself, she wanted to preemptively play this splashy game.

As long as Emperor Yuanshou can do something after returning to Beijing in Changping, even with a few words, he can appease Changping.

But no.

While furiously ordering Zhao Baiyu to return to Beijing, while the thunder was heavy and the rain was light, he hastily issued a ban order, found excuses to delay the interrogation of the major Jiangnan case, and banned Changping. Now he does not intend to pursue Huo Jingtang and Chen Shidao He and others joined forces to kill Changping's plan.

Maybe they contributed to the flames, or maybe they just stood by and watched Changping commit suicide, but neither could deny Emperor Yuanshou's murderous intentions.

The Queen Mother stared deeply at Emperor Yuanshou. He single-handedly contributed to the death of his own sister, so he felt sad and guilty.

The emperor is ruthless.

"It was Changping who was domineering and rebellious, and she was to blame for this end. Don't be too sad, the emperor, and worry about your health."

Tianjia is ruthless.

"If you fall down, what will happen to the country and the people?" The queen mother fiddled with the beads, looked down at the Buddhist scriptures carved on the edge of the low table, and recited word by word silently. "I heard from the court ladies and eunuchs that Zhao Baiyu stepped forward when the emperor died a hundred times and blocked a fatal knife for you. Now he is still going through life and death?"

Emperor Yuanshou nodded.

"That's why the emperor indulged Zhao Zaizhi's personal affair and agreed to take Changping away for interrogation?"

"Zhao Qing is kind to me, but it's not for this reason." Emperor Yuanshou still felt owed, not much, but it was enough to make the emperor feel guilty. "The Empress Dowager doesn't know that it was Changping who secretly replaced Zhao Baiyu and Zhao Yuzheng when they were just born."

The Queen Mother looked up: "What?"

"Zhao Baiyu is Zhao Zaizhi's son, and Zhao Yuzheng is Changping's son."

Shocked beyond words, the Empress Dowager snapped off the Buddhist beads, and hundreds of bodhi beads rolled to the ground: "Really?"

"It's true."

"Do evil, Changping do evil." The Empress Dowager couldn't help shaking her head and regretted: "I know she is arrogant and paranoid, I thought she had a little conscience, at least she wouldn't do evil to children, I never thought that she could lay hands on a newborn child."

She sighed: "Destroying the Zhao family 20 years ago, and destroying it again 20 years later, is really a karmic fate."

But what does this grievance, debt and evil fate have to do with Zhao Baiyu?

After [-] years of suffering, in the end, only Zhao Baiyu died forever.

"Sure enough, it is the Bodhisattva who came to the world to cross the catastrophe, so he suffered so much." The queen mother sighed heavily, looked at Emperor Yuanshou and said, "The emperor also went back to rest, I am tired."

Emperor Yuanshou got up and said, "My son will leave."

***

Walking out of the Ciming Hall, facing the newborn sun, Emperor Yuanshou looked puzzled, rubbing his fingers with his hand behind his back.

Forced the palace to rebel, lost the queen and the east palace overnight, and almost died in Huangquan. If it was normal, the queen mother would have been busy caring for her and ordering people to cook soothing soup. It was a few indifferent scene words, and he didn't even touch his hand, pat his back, or touch his head to express comfort.

"It's still my fault."

***

The gate of the Ciming Palace was closed, and the Queen Mother stared blankly at the scattered Buddhist beads. The mother who had taken care of her for four or fifty years came over and whispered to her that she should go to bed first after staying up all night.

"How can I sleep when I'm so worried?" The Queen Mother silently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She was the one who was most distressed by the slaughter of her sons and daughters. "Help me to the small Buddhist hall, and copy more Buddhist scriptures, so that I can atone for Changping's sins."

Mammy couldn't persuade her, so she had to agree.

The queen mother suddenly said: "Go to my treasury to find some rare medicinal materials and send them to the imperial hospital. They say they are for Zhao Baiyu. Also, find a time in these two days to get a tooth card and go to Hongfu Temple to help me Light a prayer lamp."

Mammy asked cautiously: "Is it for His Highness Changping?"

The queen mother was silent for a long time before saying: "Pray for Zhao Baiyu... pray that he will be safe and sound in the future."

Let's assume that she feels ashamed and pay off the debt for others.

***

Zichen Hall, Nuan Pavilion.

Three days had passed, and Zhao Baiyu still showed no sign of waking up.

The bleeding stopped, the wound was sutured smoothly, the high fever subsided, the precious medicinal materials for nourishing blood and qi flowed in, the imperial physician was standing by outside the warm pavilion, and even Xu Mingbi was escorted into the palace by Huo Jingtang to treat Zhao Baiyu .

The first day was really dangerous. The knife almost pierced through the internal organs. After confirming that the bleeding had stopped, the imperial doctor started to sew up the wound. He was unconscious throughout the whole process, and his pupils were dilated, indicating that he was in danger and could die at any time.

Fortunately, the wound was sutured without any risk, but it was followed by a terrible high fever, which lasted for three hours, and he had to keep an eye on Zhao Baiyu all the time, and strictly follow the time to help his body cool down and reduce the fever. The wound cannot burst open, nor can it become infected.

Race against time and the spirit is highly tense, in just a few hours, there are two teams of people from eunuchs and maids to imperial doctors, and they are still tired.

Fortunately, the fever subsided and the wound was not infected, but Zhao Baiyu still did not wake up.

After much thought, the imperial physicians came to a conclusion: "According to common sense, Mr. Zhao should wake up at this time, but he didn't say it, it just means..." After hesitating for a moment, he still gritted his teeth and said: "It can only mean that I have a weak will to survive, and I don't want to. wake up!"

Huo Jingtang fell silent, and asked after a while: "Is there any way to help Xiao Lang wake up? Is there any way to strengthen Xiao Lang's will to survive?"

All the imperial doctors looked at each other, and it was Master Xu who came out and said: "I once saw a patient who fell and fell into a coma for several months when traveling among the people. Because of the perseverance of his family, the patient burst into a strong will to survive, and finally woke up. Afterwards, the patient said that when he was in a coma, he could still clearly sense everything that happened in the outside world, and he could also hear his relatives talking in his ears. newborn."

Huo Jingtang: "You mean that although Xiao Lang is unconscious, he can hear us now?"

Doctor Xu paused and said, "Maybe." He wasn't very sure.

Huo Jingtang: "Does it mean that if you talk to Xiao Lang, he won't want to die?"

Doctor Xu was silent for a long time before saying: "It depends on the degree of nostalgia Mr. Zhao has for the human world."

In fact, it is precisely because Zhao Baiyu's nostalgia for the world is too low that he has been in a coma until now.

This answer is well known to each other, and no one is stupid enough to say it.

Huo Jingtang wiped his face vigorously: "Understood. You go down and think of other ways first, no matter whether it can be used or not, whether it is useful or not, let's talk about it first."

Dr. Xu saw that the two bruises under his eyes and the red blood in his eyes were particularly obvious. The clothes on his body were still the same as when he attended the palace banquet a few days ago. The taste and appearance looked exhausted and embarrassing, so I gently advised him to take a rest first.

"What?" Maybe it was because he hadn't slept for a long time, or maybe he was restless, Huo Jingtang was unresponsive, and when he came back to his senses, he said, "I'm afraid that I won't be the first person Xiaolang sees when he wakes up. I'm afraid. I'm also afraid that if I don't whisper in Xiao Lang's ear, he will misunderstand that there is nothing worthy of nostalgia in the world..." After a pause, he asked a little unconfidently: "Will Xiao Lang miss me? Will he do it for I wake up?"

Doctor Xu choked.

He has known Huo Jingtang for many years, this person seems to be born with high spirits, even if he was defeated in the past and lost a lot of soldiers who were born and died in his hands, he was depressed and sad for a while, and then he quickly regained his strength and killed the enemy. No piece of armor was left behind, and the blood and heads of the enemy army were used to make his soldiers rest in peace.

The devil king who is famous all over the capital will also become unconfident in front of Zhao Baiyu.

Huo Jingtang pinched his mouth and said: "Someone brought Yan Bing, Wei Bo, and Nurse Xiu into the palace. They have been with Xiao Lang for more than ten years, even if they have no blood relationship, they are better than relatives. Maybe in Xiao Lang In Lang's heart, the weight is heavier than mine."

After being stunned for a moment, he said to Dr. Xu, "That's it."

Doctor Xu and a group of imperial physicians had no choice but to retreat to the outside room and let Huo Jingtang accompany the unconscious Zhao Baiyu non-stop.

Huo Jingtang sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Zhao Baiyu's pale face, helped him brush his hair behind his ears, and wiped his body with a damp cloth.

At this time, Zhao Baiyu, who was unconscious, was clean, but Huo Jingtang, who was in good health, looked more like a patient.

"Xiao Lang has persisted for so long, but he is actually reluctant, right? How can you say that there is nothing worth cherishing in this world? Is Xiao Lang willing to abandon me? Xiao Lang hasn't seen Yan Bing get married yet. By the way, Li Yiru promised Xu Mingbi Ask for marriage, and we will get engaged at the end of the month. There are also Nanny Xiu, Wei Bo, and the people in the county prince's mansion are waiting for you to go home. Chen Shidao and the others will come to ask about your injury every day... Many people I hope you are well, many people are waiting for you to wake up. Changping was interrogated, and many crimes will be appealed to the world. Whether it is the unjust case of Kuang Shishang or Yang's injustice, they can all be rehabilitated. You want to give the people of the world The justice has been given, and you want to tell everyone that there are grievances to redress grievances, and killing people to pay for their lives, and they all heard it. The government and the opposition are running around for you, and they are all helping you to excuse the killing of three hundred officials by Liangjiang Wuzhao, Your Majesty I also intend to change the accountability into a reward—"

After rambling on here, Huo Jingtang was speechless.

He grabbed Zhao Baiyu's hand and covered his face, warm tears fell down, wet Zhao Baiyu's hand, and also wet the bed quilt.

"Xiao Lang wake up, okay? Don't leave me behind."

"If you really are the little Bodhisattva who came down from the sky to cross the catastrophe, can you go back after crossing?"

Huo Jingtang begged Zhao Baiyu, praying for gods and Buddhas who didn't know if they really existed. In the past, offering to Buddhas was something to be desired, and there were too many distracting thoughts, but now he only prayed for Gods and Buddhas for Zhao Baiyu alone. To cultivate a sense of reverence for him, can you return Xiao Lang to him?

"I know, I know that Xiao Lang has suffered too much. Those surnamed Zhao, and Mrs. Xie, have often sent posts these days wanting to enter the warm pavilion and seeing you, pretending to be pitiful and regretful , but moved the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, and agreed to let them in, but I beat them out. I know... I heard it all when I was at the station, and I only knew—" Huo Jingtang's eyes were red, and Tears of sadness, "I just realized how vicious my little man has suffered in the past 20 years. My little Bodhisattva was supposed to be raised by jade leaves and golden leaves, and he was supposed to grow up surrounded by thousands of pets. Ma, you are full of energy, you will be the most eye-catching young man in the capital, the most beautiful little champion, if you want to earn justice for the common people, why bother to beat your heart and lungs? Why do you need to be so desperate that you even count your life? Your people will escort you and let you walk your own way, walk your way of the blue sky and the common people..."

"You should."

"I didn't let the Zhao family come in. I know you don't want to see them, but I also know that you are soft-hearted. If I do something wrong, you just wake up and scold me...but if you don't do anything wrong, you praise me Praise me once, or my conscience will be troubled."

The most unconscionable debt collector would be ashamed to say that he has a bad conscience?

Emperor Yuan Shou, who had just stepped in, was almost out of breath when he heard these words, coughed heavily, but did not get a response from Huo Jingtang, coughed twice, and finally got Huo Jingtang's sharp eye knife that wanted to kill.

"..." Emperor Yuanshou asked embarrassingly, "You haven't woken up yet?"

Huo Jingtang: "Don't bother people if you have nothing to do."

Emperor Yuan Shou lifted up the anger that had just come down, but looking at Huo Jingtang, who looked distressed and tired, his heart took over the anger, and he advised him like all the fathers in the world: "Take a break, and you will be here soon." Move a sleeping couch next to her, and sleep well for a while. I asked people to keep an eye on her all the time, and if Zhao Qing made any movement, even if her eyelids fluttered, I would wake you up immediately."

Huo Jingtang: "Your Majesty is talking about these?"

Emperor Yuanshou frowned: "Zhao Zaizhi and his wife Xie Shi wait outside the Zichen Hall every day. Xie Shi is sick with a high fever and insists on coming here for a few hours every day. Going back that day for the palace banquet, and going to the court the next day, Zhao Zaizhi's hair was more than half gray, and he was obviously full of remorse—"

"If you say this again, don't come here in the future."

"You!" Emperor Yuanshou was annoyed, but still lowered his voice: "Are you so stubborn?"

Huo Jingtang slumped his shoulders, with a dull expression: "Father, please, can you ask me about the crime of disrespect later?"

"I……"

Emperor Yuanshou choked, feeling extremely sad. When Huo Jingtang was young, he didn't remember anything. He called his father, was beaten and scolded by him. Since then, the difference has been clear, and then he was sent back to Prince Jing's mansion and he was poisoned. He sent the sixth child to the Jizhou army, and Huo Jingtang completely separated from him.

Getting along with each other has never crossed the line, and even the unruly attitude when angry with him is firmly grasped in the duty of a monarch and minister, and he no longer gives 100% trust and respect like before, let alone calling him father.

Calling his father now is begging him to question him later.

But he didn't want to ask for guilt.

He just hoped that Huo Jingtang would disobey him and be angry with him like before, and hope that he would be a little angry, instead of being lifeless like he is now, as if he died with the unconscious Zhao Baiyu.

"Father, I won't talk anymore. But you listen to what my father said, and you fell down first before others woke up."

Huo Jingtang didn't respond, he didn't know who he looked like with his stubborn temper, but Emperor Yuanshou couldn't help it.

He knew he was in debt, and he owed both to the two people in front of him.

***

After leaving the Zichen Palace, Emperor Yuanshou asked the eunuch beside him: "I heard that the Empress Dowager lit a lamp at Hongfu Temple to pray for Zhao Baiyu?"

The eunuch: "Yes. I lit a prayer lamp."

Emperor Yuanshou: "Very effective?"

The eunuch: "It is said that it is very effective. Hongfu Temple is inside the mansion, and Baohua Temple is outside the mansion. There are many pilgrims and traffic. If it is not effective, it is impossible for anyone to go."

Emperor Yuanshou: "Go and light one for me."

The eunuch hurriedly replied: "Yes."

***

Mrs. Xie couldn't enter the Nuan Pavilion, and couldn't see Zhao Baiyu, so she could only inquire about the situation from other people, and she couldn't help crying when she learned that Zhao Baiyu's will to survive was weak.

On the way back to the mansion, she suddenly turned to Hongfu Temple, because she was the most devout pilgrim, so as soon as she arrived at the temple, she could go directly to see the abbot, and when she opened her mouth, she smashed the lamp that was used to pray for Zhao Yuzheng.

The abbot looked at her steadfastly, with no abnormal expression on his face: "Ma'am, have you made up your mind?"

"It's smashed." Xie said again: "Please trouble the abbot to light another lamp for me to ward off disasters and pray for blessings. It is not a problem if I want to eat fast and chant Buddha, or copy Buddhist scriptures every day, but please, please be kind." From now on, Lin Nu will be safe, safe, and disaster-free."

Abbot: "Please follow me."

Bright lanterns were offered in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. When they got there, Mrs. Xie found that the entrance of the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the large square above and below the railings were all filled with bright lanterns. It was the setting sun, and the bright lights were dim. The lamp is especially spectacular.

But this is not unusual.

Every once in a while, Hongfu Temple will hold a ceremony for thousands of people to offer lamps, and Baohua Temple outside the government will also hold a ceremony, and even some small temples will also hold a ceremony for thousands or hundreds of people to offer lamps.

The reason why Mrs. Xie knows is because she has been to all of them. She once knelt down to the gods and Buddhas for the frail and sick Zhao Yuzheng, and every temple has traces of her devout offerings.

But the blessing she coveted didn't fall on her youngest son, but it's not because the gods and Buddhas didn't appear, it's because she recognized the wrong person, and it's because she cruelly angered the innocent child.

"As the saying goes, parents' debts are paid by their children. Is it because I committed too many crimes in my previous life, and my children have to repay the debts in this life? Why doesn't the retribution be repaid on me, but on innocent children?"

Xu Shi felt great grief and pain, even Mrs. Xie was surprised that when she asked this question, she was very calm.

"Everything in the world is determined by cause and effect. There are too many variables in the past life, which may not necessarily affect the results of the present life, but the results of the past life are not necessarily the cause of oneself, and it may be the cause of others. The fruit planted on the lady. Or maybe someone else has influenced the cause you planted, and the result will fall on another person."

"Is it fair for that innocent person to suffer the consequences for no reason?"

"Cause and effect are fixed, not fair." The abbot looked back at Mrs. Xie, and said in a gentle voice: "Those who eat the evil fruit may plant new causes, which may be evil or good. Bearing good fruits, good fruits fall on others, but the merits are immeasurable."

Xie's face was expressionless, even though the abbot seemed to have insight into everything and had great wisdom, she still felt unwilling.

Why should others plant evil causes and bear evil fruits, instead of eating it themselves, but come to harm her little son?

Why should her little son Lang eat evil fruits and bear good causes but not fall on her own head, so what kind of merits are she accumulating?

Seeing this, the abbot didn't try to persuade him any more.

At this time, a man came out from the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, saw Mrs. Xie and came to salute: "Oh, Mrs. Zhao is also here to salute the Buddha?"

Mrs. Xie raised her eyes and saw that it was the eunuch next to Emperor Yuanshou. He didn't intend to greet him, so he just responded hastily: "You too?"

The eunuch bowed his hands to the sky: "As ordered, I came to offer a blessing lamp for Mr. Zhao, and I almost missed it." He turned his head and said to the abbot, "You are the abbot of Hongfu Temple? Why are you still short of lamps? If Mrs. Zhao came to ask I am afraid that the blessing lamp will never come back, there is no lamp inside. Well, it has been ordered to go down."

Xie's expression changed, and he suddenly looked at the abbot, who asked the little novice to ask, it was indeed gone, and it was too late to restock.

The abbot: "Why is it gone? It's not a ceremony of offering lamps by thousands of people recently. Why are there so many pilgrims coming to light lamps?"

The little novice said: "Not only our Hongfu Temple offered thousands of lanterns, but the Baohua Temple outside the mansion, and the small and medium temples in the mansion probably have run out of lanterns. Recently, people from inside and outside the mansion have crowded in like crazy to ask for a green lantern. First, a few wives who had orders came to ask for it, and not long after, the common people poured in, and several of them jointly offered a lamp... and two days ago, the Queen Mother also offered a green lamp in our temple, somehow Let the word out, all the lamps will be lit today."

It happened that three civilians walked by, holding a suitable lamp in their hands. Mrs. Xie stopped them and asked if they could sell it to her, and the three showed embarrassment.

Mrs. Xie hurriedly said: "I can offer ten times and a hundred times the price, and beg you to give me the lamp."

In fact, she could wait a few days, and knew that the so-called blessing lamp was just for comfort and could not wake Goro, but she didn't know what to do.

As if lighting a green lamp can comfort the painful soul, she has nowhere to go, and can only grasp the only barren comfort she can grasp, driving her to pester three pilgrims here just to buy a lamp.

One of the three said, "It's not that we raised the price on purpose, it's just that we offer this lamp just out of our hearts."

Xie asked, "Why do you want to?"

Three people: "Pray for one person."

Xie Shi: "For whom?"

Three people: "Master Zhao Baiyu Zhao."

Mrs. Xie was stunned, even the chief eunuch showed a look of surprise, and the little novice said to himself: "These ten thousand bright lamps are the blessing lamps offered by the people in the mansion for Mr. Zhao. I still remember a pilgrim coming from outside the mountain gate. Come here on your knees, sincerely, and beg [-] gods and Buddhas to free that little Qingtian from the boundless sea of ​​suffering and return him to the human world."

He looked back at the two of them, scratched his head in puzzlement and said, "Don't you know? Master Zhao pleaded for the people, and even blocked the knife with his body to save the Holy One. Lamps are hard to come by. Our Kyoto prefecture is not bad. I heard that there is a longevity monument in Liangjiang, and green lanterns are offered day and night at home."

All the people in the world offer green lanterns, and only one person's lucky star shines brightly.

At this time, Xie's face was full of tears.

***

Zichen Palace Nuange.

"Justice lies in the hearts of the people, and there is a steelyard in the hearts of the people." Huo Jingtang whispered in Zhao Baiyu's ear, and just now Yan Bingxing said so when he mentioned the [-] bright lanterns in the capital to pray for Zhao Baiyu. "Xiao Lang, the common people of the Li people for whom you gave your life are begging the gods and Buddhas to return you."

"Xiao Lang, little Bodhisattva, you are not that lonely, don't go back to heaven, okay?"

"Xiao Lang..." Huo Jingtang buried his head in Zhao Baiyu's neck, and the warm liquid slipped down again. "The world isn't that bad, right? You're not walking alone, there are me, relatives and friends, and all the people in the world. You care so much about them, why are you willing to leave them behind, right?"

He didn't move, and he didn't notice that a pale hand was lifted slowly and weakly, and it was gently placed on Huo Jingtang's shoulder.

Huo Jingtang didn't dare to move, he was too scared and it was an illusion.

Then he heard a gentle voice from above his head: "The one I can't bear to leave behind is you."