To The Land of Nevernight

"...Come to me."

The emperor's voice was intermittent, almost incoherent.

Tang Shen walked to the dragon couch, he looked down, his mind was shocked.

He could barely recognize Zhao Fu now!

The ancients always said that the oil is exhausted and the lamp is dry. To Tang Shen, that is the four words on the paper.But now looking at Zhao Fu's sallow and thin face, he suddenly understood the meaning of these four words.

Zhao Fu really won't live long!

Zhao Fu opened his eyes, looked at him for a long time, and said with a smile, "You know why I called you in alone."

Tang Shen lowered his head and said, "I don't know."

Zhao Fu: "To this day, I want to ask you one more question... In the end, am I a good emperor?"

Tang Shen's throat was astringent.

Twenty-one days ago, Zhao Fu summoned him in the Chui Gong Palace and asked him exactly the same words.At that time his answer was...

"Yes, in my heart, His Majesty's generation of Mingjun."

Zhao Fu suddenly gained strength, he propped up half of his body, stared at Tang Shen, and said word by word: "Then you follow me and say it again, I killed my brother and forced the palace, I banned the Songqing Party, I forced my death Zhong Taisheng, your mentor Liang Bowen also committed suicide because of me...but I am still a good emperor!"

Tang Shen slowly raised his head, quietly looking at the emperor in front of him.

Zhao Fu: "You follow my words and say it again."

Tang Shen still looked at him, not saying much.

Zhao Fu's voice was stern: "Tang Jingze, do you want to disrespect the order?"

Tang Shen and Zhao Fu were the only two people in the huge Chuigong Hall, but he knew that Zhao Fu only had to shout casually, and the Imperial Forest Army guarding outside the hall could come in at any time and take him into the dungeon.

The Song Dynasty did not kill civil officials, but civil officials might die in prison.

Such as Sun Shangde, the leader of the Xingzhou case.

Such as Zhong Taisheng.

But Tang Shen still didn't speak.

Zhao Fu stared at him, his eyes were about to burst.

Tang Shen finally opened his mouth. He saluted first, and then said: "Your Majesty murdered his brother and forced the palace, His Majesty banned the Songqing Party, His Majesty forced Zhong Taisheng to death... My mentor Liang Bowen also committed suicide because of His Majesty. However, you are still a generation of Mingjun. "

Zhao Fu suddenly lost his strength, he lay on the dragon couch, pillowed on the bright yellow bed, laughing almost to tears.

"Your Majesty can understand why Liang Bowen died."

Zhao Fu's laughter stopped abruptly, he raised his eyes and stared at Tang Shen firmly.

Tang Shen said calmly: "I was born in Kaiping 11 years ago. I have never had the honor to see the outstanding demeanor of the former prince, nor have I had the honor to meet Zhong Daru. But I have heard more than one person say how knowledgeable Zhong Taisheng was 37 years ago. Knowledge, how did the former crown prince master Mingrui."

Zhao Fu just looked at Tang Shen, and didn't interrupt him again.

"I heard that the former crown prince was nailed to death on the Xuanwu Gate by His Majesty's arrow."

"Tang Jingze!" Zhao Fu yelled almost angrily.

Tang Shen was still calm: "I heard that before that day, Your Majesty had a very good relationship with the late Crown Prince, the late Crown Prince treated His Majesty very well, and Your Majesty admired the late Crown Prince extremely." After a pause, he said: "These are all from the late Emperor's time. It is 'heard' in the "Life Notes". Your Majesty knows that I have the ability to remember with a photograph, and I will never forget what I have seen."

Tang Shen: "I don't know, is your Majesty's admiration for the former crown prince just pretending?"

Perhaps because of being so angry, Zhao Fu actually became a little angry.At this moment, Tang Shen still had the heart to think, if Zhao Fu was really mad at him, then someone must die in the Chui Gong Palace today, and that person would probably be him.

Zhao Fu laughed back in anger. He looked at Tang Shen and said, "I have pretended many things, but I have never pretended to be this one."

Tang Shen: "Then why did Your Majesty shoot Zhao Zhen to death with one arrow?"

Suddenly mentioning this name, Zhao Fu's body trembled, and he almost blurted out: "You don't deserve to say this name!"

Tang Shen was taken aback.

Zhao Fu was also stunned, and he gradually calmed down.In the cold vertical arch palace, the emperor gradually calmed down.He smiled: "I have always felt that you are different from other people. But I really don't understand why you are different. You really don't understand why you really want to shoot Zhao Zhen and take his throne?"

Tang Shen bowed his head and remained silent.

Zhao Fu: "Tang Jingze, look up at me."

Tang Shen raised his head.

Zhao Fu asked him with a smile: "If it is said that I want to give you the throne now, would you like it?"

Tang Shen was stunned. Before he could answer, Zhao Fu said, "You don't want it."

Tang Shen was silent, and said: "A minister is not a wise gentleman."

Zhao Fu: "Look, when others say this, they may think it's hypocrisy, but when you say it, I think you mean it. Ask Wang Zifeng and Su Feiran about this sentence, maybe they don't understand it either. Yes, but the moment I asked them, they were absolutely shaken, they would think about it. But only you, you don't even have the slightest thought about the throne."

"Who in this world doesn't want to be an emperor?"

"I have lived for more than 60 years, and I have never met a person who does not want to be an emperor. Even if it is only for a moment, they will."

"But you don't want to, you really never think about it."

Zhao Fu was silent for a long time, his voice was quiet: "Why don't you want to be emperor?"

Tang Shen looked at Zhao Fu's deathly face for a long time, and then he said, "I think, why must someone be above ten thousand people."

Zhao Fu's expression seemed to collapse suddenly, and a crack appeared.

After a long time, Zhao Fu seemed to have lost all his strength: "Is this why you are different from them?"

Tang Shen respectfully said: "If there is a difference, I think it is so."

Zhao Fu sarcastically said: "If you think this way in your heart, then why are you humble and respectful to me now, why do you call yourself a 'subject'?"

"The development of social relations does not happen overnight. In today's Song Dynasty, there is an emperor and a wise ruler, which is the most suitable path." Tang Shendao, "The so-called do as the Romans do, I know that your Majesty may think that I am talking nonsense, but I have no shame in my heart. I may not see that day coming in this life, but I am willing to push Song Dynasty to that distant place."

"You know, with just your words, I can kill you!"

Tang Shen: "Your Majesty knows. Now it's Your Majesty's turn to answer your question. Why did Your Majesty shoot... the first prince Zhao?"

Zhao Fu seemed to have heard something funny: "Who in the world doesn't want to be emperor?"

Tang Shen was taken aback.

Zhao Fu said it again: "Except for you, Tang Jingze, in this world! Who doesn't want to be an emperor! I want to be an emperor, is there anything wrong!"

"I am not wrong, I have never been wrong!"

"Why can't this world belong to me? Why did I shoot Zhao Zhen? Because I want to be the emperor, be the emperor!"

Tang Shen: "Then the former Crown Prince, Zhong Taisheng, Songqing Party...are there any mistakes?"

Zhao Fu's eyes were sharp: "Win the king and lose the bandit."

Tang Shen looked at Zhao Fu quietly, as if trying to see through him.Zhao Fu had lived for more than 60 years, and for the first time he was afraid to look a young man in the eye.Then, Tang Shen smiled, for the first time since he entered the Chuigong Palace, he laughed: "Yes, the king was defeated. The crown prince was defeated, so he was shot in the palace gate; Zhong Taisheng was defeated. , so he was poisoned to death in prison. Everything in this world is nothing more than the four words of success and failure. But your majesty, as you said, no one in this world wants to be emperor, but since you have already won, why don't you want to be emperor? Give them a clean reputation in history!"

Tang Shen felt angry for the first time: "Scholar Yang died, because he wanted to smash his life into the bronze bell in the history books, and tell the world that the Songqing Party was wronged."

"Mr. Liang died because he wanted to tell the world that the Songqing Party was wronged!"

"In many places you can't see, there are small officials and old juren in the countryside. They all died. Their deaths can't leave a word in the history books, but they only want to have a clear conscience, only for the A little fairness in my heart!"

"Yes, who in this world doesn't want to be an emperor?"

"But why don't you even want to leave the last bit of fame to them?"

"Since that day 11 years ago, I don't understand what is more important than a name in this world, and what can make my husband show his ambition with death."

"But I never need to understand, I just need to know that the death of Mr. can not make them innocent."

"And what I can do is to use my whole life to give them an everlasting history!"

Zhao Fu's voice sounded like a slap in the face: "Tang Jingze, the winner is the king and the loser! I want you to die here today, and you will be like them, and go underground as a companion!"

Tang Shen said in a loud voice: "Yes, the winner and the loser. If I die here, it will be nothing more than a life. But I believe that there will always be people who are not fair. Your Majesty, you can kill a Tang Jingze, and you can kill the people of the world. !"

"Emperor Zhao Fu of Kaiping murdered his brother and father for disloyalty and filial piety; Emperor Zhao Fu of Kaiping killed Zhongliang for inhumanity and injustice."

"But Kaiping Emperor Zhao Fu, he quelled the rebellion in the northwest and regained lost land; he built dams and repaired official roads; Building cages is a blessing for the world."

"He let a traitor speak loudly in front of him, but he has never killed him so far!"

Tang Shen looked at Zhao Fu's shocked expression, his eyes were red, and he said with a smile: "If you know the king is like this, Da Song is so lucky."

"Take a different position, I can't be one tenth of yours in this life. It's the 37-year uninterrupted early dynasty, how can Zhao Sui be as good as you."

"Your Majesty, why can't you forget others? You are you, the Kaiping Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty."

"It is you who made me willingly bow my head and surrender."

"I don't know Zhao Zhen, I only know Kaiping Emperor of Song Dynasty!"

Five years ago, in the Chuigong Palace, Zuo Xiang Ji Wengji left a sentence when he left in a huff -

"Who in the world doesn't like Zhao Zhen! 』

Now, Tang Shen's words came to the fore—

"I don't know Zhao Zhen, I only know Emperor Kaiping!" 』

Zhao Fu stared blankly at Tang Shen, he suddenly smiled, but muddy tears fell down along with his smile.

"Now can I guess again, who deceived Zhong Taisheng 37 years ago and helped me win the throne?" Like a persuasive elder, Zhao Fu looked at Tang Shen with a smile and asked him gently.

Tang Shen was silent for a moment.He clenched his fingers into fists, only to realize that his palms were already covered in sweat.

"understood."

Zhao Fu smiled and said: "History books are not easy to change. If you change them, my son will not agree, and neither will my son's son. Tang Jingze, the winner and the loser, I give these four words Here it is. If you can really change it, remember to burn a book and give it to me at that time, so that I can also see how I lost after I died."

Tang Shen: "Your Majesty!"

"Go down."

Tang Shen gritted his teeth, turned and left.

"I forgot."

Tang Shen stopped and turned around.

On the dragon bed, Zhao Fu said with a smile: "I still don't understand the matter of the cage, but such strange tricks always make me feel uneasy. This thing is not a good thing."

Tang Shen remained silent.

Zhao Fu: "I gave Wang Zifeng a gold medal to avoid death. There is only one in the world, and there is no second one. But I left an edict for you behind the three-character plaque in the Qinzheng Palace."

Tang Shen looked at Zhao Fu in shock.

"What is written in the imperial edict, I won't tell you now. I believe that you will not open it unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Go down."

Tang Shen didn't move for a long time.

Zhao Fu said helplessly: "This time I really let you go down!"

Tang Shen took a deep look at him, turned and left.

In the vertical arch hall, the tranquility was restored again.

After a long time, a tall and majestic figure stepped out from behind the bright yellow Qianshan screen.

Taishi Zhou had gray hair all over his head. He strode to the bed and held the raised hand of the emperor.

Zhao Fu looked at his teacher and felt the rapid passing of life. He could no longer restrain his fear of death: "Grand Master, Grand Master, I am afraid, I am afraid..."

Taishi Zhou firmly grasped his hand.

"Your Majesty, the old minister is here."

"Have you seen Zhao Zhen?"

"His Majesty."

"He's waiting for me there, waiting for me to find him..."

Taishi Zhou was choked with sobs and could not speak.

After murmuring nonsense for a long time, Zhao Fu suddenly calmed down again.

He said weakly: "After I die, how long will the Grand Master guard Song Dynasty?"

Taishi Zhou looked at him and guarded the northwest for many years. He was used to parting from life and death. For the first time, Taishi shed tears: "Why does your majesty ask such a question? After you die, this Great Song Dynasty will have nothing to do with you. Why is it that old minister?" I don't know, whatever you want in your heart. You did it, you really did it."

There was a bright light in Zhao Fu's eyes, but the next moment, the light suddenly dimmed.

He held Grand Master Zhou's hand, and said intermittently but firmly: "Shoot... shoot... Zhao Sui... In the past 37 years, I, I have never regretted a single day..."

There was a helpless smile on Taishi Zhou's resolute face.

The Emperor Song opened his eyes wide, staring at the bright yellow bed curtain, and then slowly closed his tired eyes.

On March 37th of the [-]th year of Kaiping, the emperor died, and the world wept bitterly.

The country cannot be without a king for a day. The left minister Xu Wei and the right minister Wang Quan issued an edict to pass the throne, and passed it on to the second prince Zhao Shang, and named him Yuanhe.

At that time, by the edge of a fish pond outside Gusu City, two old men were leaning on their desks to fish.

An old man said: "After all, he is the eldest son."

Another old man said: "Isn't it the same for everyone? That person has no one else in his heart, only himself."

"I guess he regretted it in the end."

"I guess not."

"You old man, do you dare to bet with me?"

"Why don't you dare, but how will this bet be revealed?"

"I heard that your student Tang Jing was the last one to go in to see him."

"Heh, you still don't understand Ji, the last one he saw would definitely not be Tang Jingze."

After hearing this, the old man was silent for a long time, sighed and nodded: "Yes, it must be Taishi Zhou!"

The two smiled at each other.

"Don't gamble, don't gamble, can you still go and ask that evil Yama!"

Outside the city of Shengjing, there is a small courtyard in Liuqi.

The new emperor ascended the throne, and the officials were busy for more than a month before they finally calmed down.

Originally Liuqi Courtyard was only the size of Wujin, but since Wang Qin lived in the first rank, he recruited craftsmen to renovate Liuqi Courtyard.Now in the garden, there is a huge pond.It is not as good as the Taiye Pond in the palace, but it is also enough for people to drift away and drift with the tide.

Tang Shen was lying on the small wooden boat, beside Wang Qin lying side by side.

Now it is May, when the pond is full of frogs and the grass grows and warblers fly.

The sky is full of stars falling into the water, which is extremely quiet and beautiful.

Tang Shen couldn't help but chant: "When you are drunk, you don't know that the sky is in the water, and the boat is full of clear dreams and crushes the galaxy!"

When Wang Qin heard this, he turned to look at him, and said, "Stars are beautiful, poems are beautiful, and people are even more beautiful. The younger brother always speaks clever sentences frequently."

Tang Shen asked back: "Have you ever heard any clever words from me? Oh, a dangerous building is a hundred feet high, and you can pick stars with your hands?"

Wang Qin's eyes flashed, and he sighed: "It's really a wonderful sentence!"

Tang Shen thought of teasing him: "Oh, articles are made naturally, and you can get them by chance."

Wang Qin continued to praise: "Excellent!"

"The stars hang on the plains and the fields are wide, and the moon flows in the rivers."

Wang Qin nodded: "Wonderful!"

Tang Shen laughed: "Don't you think I'm a genius!"

Wang Qin feigned astonishment: "I feel it, when did I not feel it. If you are not a genius, how can you say the phrase 'Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world' at the age of 13!"

Tang Shen's smile froze on his face, and he slowly turned sideways.

Wang Qin laughed, hugged him from behind, and embraced him in his arms.He rested his chin on Tang Shen's shoulder and said in a low voice: "I still remember that day, it was afternoon. I came to Mr.'s house from the household department. Mr. was very angry, and he took a letter and said to me, 'Liang Bowen is really serious. Extremely arrogant, he just accepted a student and wrote letters every day to show off'. I asked him how did Master Liang show off?"

"My husband said, 'That 13-year-old boy told Liang Bowen that everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world!'"

"Mr. thought, how could a 13-year-old child say this casually, so he decided to find out. But he searched through ancient books, but couldn't find this sentence."

"That's when I had a name in my heart. Guess who it is?"

Tang Shen snorted angrily.

Wang Qin was tickled by his humming, and said with a smile: "I have a lot of guesses about this person, but I never wanted to meet him, so he called me... Fuqin boy. He pretends to be quite cute. If I were really a Boy, I will definitely be tricked by him. But I am Wang Zifeng... Ahem, I know I was wrong, stop hitting me hahaha."

Tang Shen was also very annoyed: "I didn't know at that time that you, Wang Zifeng, are such a person. If I had known, I would have played tricks in front of you, a con artist like you?"

Wang Qin said leisurely: "Little brother, you praised me again. How nice, I praised you as a genius, and you also praised me as a talent."

Tang Shen sneered: "I am born to be useful, and I will come back after all my money is gone!"

Wang Qin was stunned: "Sometimes I really wonder if you have hidden a great talent somewhere. Why are most of your poems and essays relatively mediocre, just neat, and occasionally you can come up with good lines... ... Cough, not mediocre, how can the second place appointed by the late emperor be mediocre!"

Tang Shen withdrew his fist and said, "Do you want to listen to a few more ancient poems, or do you want to see the great talent I have hidden first?"

Wang Qin's eyes lit up, and he realized that he was about to tear apart the person in his arms and put everything in his pocket.

But on the surface, he pretended to be indifferent, and wrote lightly: "It's okay."

Tang Shen thought for a while and said, "Then I'll start from the beginning..."

On the fourth day of September in the first year of Yuanhe, Zuocheng Chen Linghai was impeached by the imperial censor, and he was charged with many crimes.Chen Xiang knew he was guilty and was ashamed, so he resigned from Beijing and returned home.

In the fourth year of Yuanhe, the emperor died, and it was said that he was located in Prince Zhao, and the year name was Anjing.

In the fifth year of Anjing, outside the city of Shengjing, there was a small courtyard in Liuqi.

Tang Shen threw a newly compiled history book by the Imperial Academy into the brazier and watched the fire devour the thin book.

Wang Qin hugged him into his arms, and Tang Shen hugged him back.

After a long time, he said: "I often feel these days, brother, we will never see that day again."

"Is it the prosperity you mentioned?"

Tang Shen was silent, "Yes, and no. I'm ashamed to say that when Mr. Liang was still alive, I boasted more than the phrase 'Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world'."

"What else did you brag about?"

Just as Tang Shen was about to say something, he closed his mouth again: "Stop talking, lest you laugh at me."

Wang Qin thought to himself: Do you seldom tease me on weekdays? Is this one missing?

But he is such a caring lover, he is considerate of Tang Shen's thin skin, and knows the truth that too much is too much, so he said softly: "Okay, I will listen to you."

Tang Shen was very moved, and unknowingly fell in love with Wang Zifeng even more.

Only after he had love did he realize that love is not equal and constant. As the years passed, his love for this person did not decrease, but increased day by day.

Tang Shen thought for a while: "I'll tell you, but you are not allowed to laugh."

Wang Qin said seriously, "Don't laugh."

Tang Shen leaned close to his ear and finished speaking quickly.Wang Qin was taken aback for a moment, and then couldn't help laughing.

"Brother, you can't laugh!"

Wang Qin suppressed his laughter again, and looked at Tang Shen seriously: "I only laugh because I love you."

Tang Shen: "..."

"Laugh if you want."

Wang Qin smiled and kissed his lips: "I don't think you are bragging. Isn't what we are doing step by step guiding the way for future generations and walking towards that day?"

These words were extremely sincere, under the sky full of stars, Wang Zifeng's fairy-like face did not fade due to age, but became more restrained, and Tang Shen was moved by his deep glance.

Tang Shen couldn't help kissing her.

Wang Qin hugged his waist, deepening the kiss.

There are cicadas and frogs in your ears, and the moonlight in the water under your feet.

Amidst the noisy voice, the words Tang Shen whispered in Wang Qin's ear echoed in the gurgling pool.

I want to make the country level, the world invites me, and I will sing to the sky in the blink of a thousand years!

-【Finish】-

The author has something to say: finished writing~~~

Thank you for seeing the little baby here, hey, I am quite satisfied, do you feel guilty~

Then let’s see you in the next new book. The new book is a salty egg. I already have some clues. I know what to write [I know, but I won’t say it, eh~], you can see it in my column, called "The Next Salted Egg", please ask for advance order~~~

Finally, I will give you all a chirp, I hope to see you in the next book~~~~