Shadow Guard stand-in

In the 13th year of Chongming, Zhong Jin tragically died in Hulugu, and Jin Lie killed Wolf Smoke Cavalry and died in battle at Yushi Pass.

On the surface, both of them seem to be loyal ministers and good generals, but later the emperor ordered the world, Jin Lie surrendered to the enemy and treason, and deliberately led the wolf smoke to ride into Yushi Pass, causing hundreds of thousands of people in the pass to be tortured, Zhong Jin desperately rescued, and was besieged in Gourd Valley .Three days later, Jin Lie rushed back to Yushi Pass, fought to the death with Wolf Smoke Rider, and regained the pass but was too late to rescue Zhong Jin.

The tragic death of Zhong Jin caused an uproar across the country.However, why Jin Lie abandoned the pass and fled, and why he rushed to defend the pass, is unknown.

Both parties were buried in the dust, and the surviving evidence sealed the case.Jin Lie was killed by the Chijiu clan. The eldest son and the second son died in battle at an early age, and the only youngest son is said to have committed suicide by taking poison with his mother.Jin's married daughters and her husband's family were all implicated. Those who were close to each other were beheaded, and those who were distant were exiled and imprisoned, even the masters, teachers or servants hired by the Jin family were no exception.

It was a bloody case, which was the biggest haze in the early days of the first emperor's reign.

At that time, He Jue was less than two years old, and he was sent to the side of the long-lost Empress Qin. The Empress Qin was a gentle woman, but her body was weak, so she rarely had the chance to raise him herself. When I arrived at the Qianyuan Hall, I lived with all the princes.

When he was young, his impression of this matter was almost the same as nothing. He was still a child learning to speak, but Jin Jiuye was sent to a brutal place like the life and death camp.

How difficult is it to survive in that place?His brother Ye is only four years old. How can he resist the pain of losing all his family and be alone in the world, and face a dark and helpless future full of blood and carnage?How would he pick up the sword, how would he kill the first man?Was he particularly frightened when his hands were stained with blood?He Jue didn't dare to think about it, just thinking about it made his heart hurt so badly, his whole body was shaking like pain.

Especially after those many years, when he saw the true face of the first emperor and learned the truth of the whole case, everything was just a victim of the struggle for power, and when he, the prince, was also a pawn in the hands of the superior, He felt a pang of sorrow that could not breathe and struggle.

"Lin Chi, take him down." Jin Jiuye said suddenly.

Lin Chi glanced at He Jue, then agreed, and took Zhong Wanxiu out, leaving only Jin Jiuye and He Jue in the room.

The sunlight was very bright, and the man was standing in the sunlight at the door. He was dressed in black, but behind him was a dazzling light. He Jue felt a little dazzled, it made his eyes hurt, and he wanted to cry.

Everything was silent, and he only had eyes for men, and one glance was like ten thousand years.

He stepped forward and hugged the man fiercely into his arms. The man's body was thick, caring, strong, and warm.

"Brother Ye..." He Jue was speechless and could only call the man by his name.

Those names hit his heart, and he understood more and more at this moment, what this man has endured, and what he is suffering now.

He was originally the son of the general's mansion, and he should have been as glorious, pure and innocent as Qi Lezhi, with a beautiful wife and concubines, and then display his wisdom to make contributions in the court and become a young talent who attracted the attention of the family.

He Jue knew that if Jin Jiuye was Qi Lezhi, he might do better.

Because this man, after going through all the darkness and pain, still retains tenderness and tolerance towards him, and has never been torn into a monster by conspiracy and calculation.

"Brother Ye, why are you so nice?" He Jue asked beside his ear.

Jin Jiuye said: "Master, are you crying?"

He Jue didn't speak, Jin Jiuye was silent for a while, and said again: "I didn't know my life experience before, and I don't remember anything about my childhood. Later, when the Xuanyi Division was established and the life and death camp was purged, I saw it."

He Jue paused, let go of Jin Jiuye, looked at the man's face, and asked, "And then?"

Jin Jiuye said lightly: "It's nothing, master doesn't need to care, what's past is past."

He Jue said excitedly: "But at that time, we had already forced the truth out of the mouth of the first emperor. As long as we took the time to investigate, we would always be able to reverse the case for the general, so you will not be moved at all?"

In fact, there is something hidden in your heart, He Jue wanted to ask but didn't dare to ask, so don't you feel resentful at all?

If there is resentment, then he, the master, is the son of an enemy who ruined his family and tortured his whole life. Even if there is no grudge between them, there is no way for them to be the same as before.

He Jue didn't want to get such an answer, but he didn't expect that Jin Jiuye just looked into his eyes and said softly: "If I check, how can I stay by Master's side?"

The man's voice was very soft, like a wisp of smoke, but to He Jue's ears, it seemed to be covered with a weight of tens of thousands of catties. The two looked at each other, and his eyes were red.

Jin Jiuye reached out and gently wiped He Jue's face with his thumb, "Master, don't cry."

He Jue replied hoarsely, "I didn't cry."

"Okay." Jin Jiuye didn't know what to say.

Ten years of fighting, 20 years of staying together, thousands of words are just one sentence.

It wasn't until this moment that He Jue deeply felt what it was like to be emotional. It wasn't about being obsessed with the other person's body, nor was it because of the throbbing heartbeat of a certain stare at each other, but because he stood in front of you, and your heart was soft. one slice.

He smiles at you, and your chest hurts like being shaken, but you are willing.

In the past, the person he loved on his own will was not called liking, but now the person he feels distressed and wants to hug is his true love.

The two were silent for a while, and Jin Jiuye mentioned Lang Di at the right time, "That man has something to do with the Prince of Northern Qi, should we interrogate him?"

He Jue pondered for a moment, then patted Jin Jiuye's shoulder reassuringly, "No need, let's deal with the concubine first, I have some questions I want to ask her."

"Hmm." Jin Jiuye said that he would follow He Jue's wishes. The concubine's actions only happened after the Ninth Princess of the Northern Qi Dynasty entered the palace. It is obvious that Lang Qing's handwriting was involved in it. Finding out Lang Qing's purpose is better than interrogating Lang Di. Much more urgent and useful.

Shoukang Palace.

Concubine Toffee had a severe headache, no matter how much she massaged it, it didn't get better. These days it was always hurting, and her temper became worse and worse.That little girl from Zhong's family dared to fight against her today, which made her even more angry, and her chest was tight, and she was unhappy for a while.

While barely taking a siesta, the palace servants outside came in to report: "Toffee Concubine, Your Majesty has come."

"Your Majesty?" The concubine opened her eyelids, her mind was blank for a moment, but soon she realized something, and her face became stiff.

"Concubine Tai, I heard that you have a headache, so I came to see you." He Jue stepped into the door, not caring about etiquette, he waved his hand to signal the palace people next to him to retreat. "I want to talk to the concubine for a while, you don't have to wait on her, just stay outside."

"Yes." Both palace servants bowed their heads and went out.

The concubine sat up from the couch, took a deep breath, brought out her usual routine, and forced a smile, "Why are you here today, Your Majesty?"

He Jue dragged a square stool by himself, and sat opposite the concubine, "Ming people don't say dark words, I thought the Zhong family was a loyal family, no matter how many evil things they did, they would never Treasoning the country and collaborating with the enemy, but now it seems that the concubine really impresses me."

"Collaboration with the enemy and treason?" The concubine was particularly sensitive to these four words, "Is Your Majesty talking about Aijia? Why can't Aijia understand?"

He Jue looked at the concubine for a while, then sneered, "Lang Qing asked you to conspire to kill Jin Jiuye, right? What kind of dirty tricks did you use?"

"Your Majesty, are you here to question Aijia because of a shadow guard?" The concubine suddenly became furious.

"So what?" He Jue twitched the corners of his mouth contemptuously, "Concubine, stop threatening me with your biological mother. Your present honor is all given by me. If I want to take it back, I can't do it." It's a matter of one sentence."

"Don't you dare to kill Ai's family?" When the concubine asked this sentence, her confidence was gone.In fact, after the last time, she knew that she should restrain herself. When she agreed to the proposal of the nine princesses, she was also ready to die.But in the end, she was still not reconciled.

He Jue didn't answer, but his eyes told the concubine that there was nothing to dare.

The concubine felt guilty about this, and said more and more sternly: "Your Majesty said collaborating with the enemy and treason, huh, what a big crime! The so-called collaborating with the enemy and treason, is it a family? Don't your majesty know how your grandfather died? ? You keep that evil seed, let him live for 30 years, how can you not avenge your father with a desperate fight?"

When this matter was mentioned, Concubine Toffee was particularly excited, and her voice was frighteningly shrill.

He Juejing waited for her to finish, and then said coldly: "How did old General Zhong Jin die, the concubine should ask the late emperor herself."

"You!" He Jue interrupted without waiting for the concubine to say anything more, and told the truth mercilessly: "The former emperor suspected the loyal minister and good general, sent the wrong marching signal, and secretly ordered Jin Lie to leave Yushiguan. Let Zhong Jin die under the iron hooves of Lang Yanqi."

"Impossible!" Toffee's expression twisted.

He Jue was expressionless: "This is the third year of Baoyuan, when I was imprisoned by the first emperor, Jin Jiuye went to the Palace of Qinzheng to interrogate me..."

"Nonsense! What nonsense!" The concubine couldn't accept this fact, and she was almost crazy, "It must be the lie made up by that brat to get rid of the crime!"

"At that time, Jin Jiuye only knew that he was a bloodless shadow guard. How did he ever understand his own life experience? Later, I heard what the late emperor said with my own ears." He Jue glanced at the concubine disdainfully, crossing his arms Leaning back in the chair, she continued: "The concubine may wish to think about it. In the 13th year of Chongming, how prosperous the Zhong family was. The old general fought south and north, and his reputation was so great that even the great general of Zhenguo couldn't compare. Most of the military generals in the army are his disciples. The former emperor was suspicious, how could he tolerate an important minister who controlled most of the military power with every response?"

"Great master! The people on the border only know that the old general doesn't know who he is today. If the Zhong family has a little ambition or disobedience, will the former emperor still be able to secure his seat? This taboo concubine thinks that the former emperor can Tolerance? He can't even bear the excellent prince, and tempted our brothers to kill each other, how could he let the Zhong family go?"

Following He Jue's words, the concubine gradually became depressed and lost her voice.He Jue knew that she was not stupid, but she almost wanted to pass the test.

"The concubine has lived in the palace for a long time, and the methods in the harem are unpredictable, but I'm afraid I can't understand the battles of the previous dynasty. Now, do you still think that the general of the country should die? He rushed back to Yushiguan thousands of miles away, defying the predecessor The emperor's order was to go back and rescue the old general Zhong Jin! He saw through the plot of the late emperor, and was punished by the late emperor to the point of whipping the corpses of the nine red clans!

He paid the lives of all the family members for the jealousy of the former emperor. As his only young son, Jin Jiuye never even had a single day of peace.Concubine, it is Nan Tang who is sorry for the Jin family, it is the He family who is sorry for the general, it is you and I who are sorry for Jin Jiuye! "

"As for the Zhong family, we should be most grateful to General Zhen Guo. If he hadn't been there, I'm afraid that hundreds of members of the Zhong family would have been wiped out that year!"

He Jue's words were resounding, like a slap in the face that knocked the concubine into a daze.

The truth was cruelly uncovered layer by layer. Under the skin was a bloody wound, which people dared not touch or look directly at.

Does it hurt? It hurts.

A king is not benevolent, and treats the people of the world as straw dogs.

He Jue was feeling the pain in the chest area at the moment, but his brother Ye had hugged him, so he was not afraid of anything.

For a long time, neither of them spoke, and the mother and son sat face to face in silence.

He Jue looked at the concubine quietly. After years of training, this woman can still see the beauty of the past, but she is his mother, but he can't feel the slightest intimacy, maybe even strangers Not as good.

The concubine supported the small table beside her, her body seemed to be on the verge of falling, and her tone was like gossamer, "What else do you want to ask?"

He Jue said, "There is a problem."

"Ask." The concubine sighed.

He Jue said, "When did you poison Jin Jiuye?"

The concubine smiled slightly, and slowly sized up He Jue, "Brother Jue, you came here today to find Aijia on purpose and tell the truth back then, probably for revenge. Kill people and punish your heart, you let Aijia In the days to come, even if you are alive, you will be tortured, and it will not be easy."

He Jue didn't deny it, the concubine said: "He is your sweetheart, the Ai family didn't believe it at first, but now they do."

"When was that?" He Jue asked.

The concubine narrowed her eyes, her gaze drifted away, recalling the past, "It was the winter of Chongming 17th, when the late emperor called him into the Evergreen Garden, and he must have been in the life and death camp for a long time at that time."

In the winter of Chongming's 17th year, He Jue's heart skipped a beat, as if he had a premonition.

"That year, the Ai family was one of the few concubines who went to the Evergreen Garden from the palace to accompany them. Your third elder brother had reached the age of discussing marriage, and the Ai family had to be cautious, so he kept inquiring about the late emperor's movements. Later Unintentionally, I learned from the old palace that the child looks like Mrs. Jin back then, and after careful inspection, it really is..."

The concubine's voice was ethereal and ethereal, as unpredictable as the memory of twenty years ago.

"Jin Lie still has a son alive, and the late emperor still kept that child on purpose. I don't know why, but the Ai family can't let him live." The voice of the concubine was ruthless, with the words hidden for many years. With hatred and depression in his heart, "He stayed in the Evergreen Garden for two days and one night, and the Ai family secretly poisoned his food. The palace people saw him drink it with their own eyes, and thought he died. But Unexpectedly, the next day, he disappeared."

"Disappeared?" He Jue was surprised.

The concubine nodded, "Yes, it's gone. At that time, the Ai family thought he was discovered and dealt with by the late emperor, and they were worried for a long time. Until half a year later, when he was brought back from the life and death camp by you, he was still alive. The Ai family knew that he not dead."

He Jue was silent, as if thinking about something, and the concubine did not speak.So far, it seems that there is nothing more to say.

But suddenly, He Jue asked another question: "The two days when he entered the Evergreen Garden, was it when I fell into the lake?"

The concubine froze suddenly, "You..."

He Jue asked: "Is it really that time?"

"You always knew?" The concubine's face was pale, and she felt unprecedented fear when facing He Jue for the first time, "You remember the matter of falling into the lake, you know it's Aijia..."

"But at that time you said you didn't know, the late emperor was so skeptical, you said nothing and didn't see it, you said you didn't remember..."

He Jue didn't speak, just stared at the concubine, watching the woman gradually be enveloped in despair, lose all vitality, and collapse like a puddle of mud.

"Brother Jue..." Two lines of tears fell from the corners of her eyes, He Jue looked at it blankly, and finally opened his mouth, "Yes, I know everything, and I once thought about why there is such a bias in this world With such a mother, is it true that I am not your own? I imagined that there must be some misunderstanding, but... no."

The concubine closed her eyes without daring to face it, and said in deep pain: "Brother Jue, you should know that you are not my son at that time, and if you follow Queen Qin, the Ai family can no longer pin their hopes on you. Your grandfather is gone, the Zhong family must have a prince to inherit the throne, your third elder brother has been by my side since childhood, and is very close to the Zhong family, and he still has a lot of face in front of the late emperor, the Ai family can only protect him."

He Jue only let out a sneer when he heard the words, "Forget it, what's the use of saying this now? Do you want to pretend to be pitiful and beg for mercy?"

He disdained this, stood up awe-inspiringly, and walked out without wanting to look at the concubine again.

The concubine looked at He Jue's determined back with tears in her eyes, she knew that this might be the last time between their mother and child.

"Brother Jue! It's..." A trembling voice sounded, crying hoarsely, "I'm sorry for you!"

He Jue paused, but didn't look back.

"No, I have to thank you for sending the best person in the world to my side."

With Jin Jiuye around, He Jue never felt lonely and helpless for the rest of his life.