Hello Chang’an

That day, Yu Zeng met his mother, his biological mother.

Only then did he realize that his mother was still alive.

But my mother's legs were completely disabled, she seemed to have experienced a lot of unimaginable torture, and her spirit was not very good, but she still recognized him. When she saw him, she called out his name in surprise the first moment she saw him.

He was afraid, but could not refuse to recognize his mother. He owed her a lot, far more than mere kindness.

That day, in that dim room, there were only mother and son, and King Rong Li Yin, who were hugging each other and crying.

"At that time, I was extremely grateful that my mother was still alive, but I was more afraid of the fact that the identity of the son of a sinner would be exposed..."

The tone of Yu Zeng's recollection no longer contained the joy and fear at that time. He looked like a bystander and said numbly: "But King Rong told me that when he was traveling around the mountains and rivers a few years ago, he once passed through Yanzhou and met my father by chance. , they are quite compatible... He also believes that my father is of great virtue and cannot do anything corrupt, even though he has not been able to find any evidence to prove my father's innocence. "

It was also then that he learned that Princess Rong's father was one of the officials responsible for investigating the Yanzhou corruption case. Therefore, Prince Rong accidentally saw the wanted portraits of him and his mother.

"Prince Rong told me at that time that he spoke softly and did not want to get involved in the muddy waters of officialdom, so he could not reverse my father's case, but he could keep my secrets and take care of my mother."

Many years later, he couldn't help but wonder, was what King Rong said at that time really true? Do King Rong and his father really know each other?

He had no way of tracing it back.

But the nine-year-old him at that time believed deeply and was extremely grateful.

After listening to this past incident, Chang Suining said with no emotion in his tone: "So, he initially treated you as a favor, not as a coercion."

No one knew whether King Rong had different intentions at that time, but what she knew was that her little uncle was indeed very good at "being kind to others."

He also smiled and taught her at a young age that it was important to form good relationships with others.

She remembered it very well, and he himself did a good job.

"Yes..." Yu Zeng lowered his eyes and said, "I was a little uneasy at first, but he never asked me to do anything, not even to inquire about information."

Year after year, King Rong remained free and easy, and his mother was well taken care of, so he slowly let go of his uneasiness and regarded King Rong as a kind-hearted and respectable benefactor.

"Until that year, I was self-righteous and wanted to find a relative for you." Chang Suining's eyes were a little distant: "But you still chose to keep the secret."

"Your Highness is so kind to me that I am extremely grateful and frightened..." Yu Zeng clearly remembered that he was in the army that year, and His Highness was only thirteen years old. There were just a few people around him who were willing to follow him, and he was beginning to grow some meager wings. , thinking about finding his mother and younger brother for him.

He was very panicked, so he reasoned that maybe he was no longer alive after so many years.

But His Highness smiled and told him that he must give it a try.

Therefore, he could only hand over the wooden safety lock that he had always carried with his hands to His Highness.

Afterwards, he asked His Highness several times about the progress, but His Highness said there was no news yet.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, but suddenly one day, His Highness had something to do and left the military camp. Chang Kuo, who was just a young general at that time, found him with a smile and told him that he had been found.

He also told him that he was not sure before, and His Highness was afraid that he would be disappointed, so he said that there was no news yet.

He was unprepared when he saw the mother and son.

The woman had gray hair on her temples early. Even though she had changed her clothes, she could still tell that her life was extremely hard.

The boy she was holding was very thin, only eight or nine years old, so when they separated, the boy obviously didn't remember anything. When he first saw an "elder brother" whom he could rely on, he jumped up to him without hesitation and called him "elder brother" and held the hand. Produce an identical wooden security lock to prove your identity.

The woman obviously hesitated, and asked in Yanzhou dialect: "A Zeng, is that you?" You’ve grown so big, my mother-in-law can’t even recognize you...]

But even if her son's name is Yu Zeng, the safety lock will not go wrong.

[Of course eight and fourteen years old look different! 】Chang Kuo laughed and said: 【I checked it, there will be no mistake, you three just talk! 】

Chang Kuo left, leaving only the "mother and son" of the Yu family in the tent.

The woman came forward, held Yu Zeng's arm, lifted up Yu Zeng's sleeve in panic, and looked at his left arm.

No birthmark there…

The woman's tears suddenly fell like rain.

The second son is still calling "brother" eagerly.

"Yu Zeng" knew that the woman already knew that he was not the original Yu Zeng, and could even guess that her real eldest son was dead.

But what surprised him was that when the woman raised her head, she cautiously asked him if he still remembered what happened when he was a child.

"Yu Zeng" understood her thoughts.

This woman living with her little son is in so much pain and fear.

[While escaping, I had a high fever and couldn't remember many things...] He temporarily ignored the mistakes and said vaguely: "I only have this wooden lock on my body, and I only remember the name." 】

The tears in the woman's eyes became more intense, but she burst into laughter and hugged him tightly, like holding a life-saving straw: "It can't be wrong... you are my mother's son!" My poor son! 】

He originally didn't want to keep it a secret.

But he was only fourteen years old at the time and did not understand the true importance. When he returned to Beijing with the army the following year, when he went to see his mother, he asked his benefactor whether he should confess all this to His Highness -

At that time, King Rong sighed and said to him: "Ashang is young and vigorous, and has just been exposed to the spirit of the army. He has a clear distinction between love and hate, and he is most taboo about deception... Let's wait for the right time." 】

He chose to "wait a little longer". During the waiting process, he became more loyal and diligent because of his guilt and uneasiness, so His Highness treated him more highly.

Later, His Highness became the Crown Prince, and he became the most important attendant around the Crown Prince.

He began to think with luck that maybe he could continue like this. He had no objection to His Highness. He just kept a secret about his life experience with King Rong, and His Highness and King Rong were so close... All of these things could coexist with each other.

Everything is just between this thought.

He thought about it a long time later and realized that if King Rong had even shown a hint of threatening His Highness in those years, he would never dare to take such a chance...

"I was so self-righteous and stupid back then that I never had any defense against King Rong..." Yu Zeng burst into tears, suffering from regret: "At that time, I was full of thoughts that His Highness treated me so well that I didn't dare to risk him. The truth is clear, I am afraid that His Highness will be disappointed and disgusted at all with his slaves..."

"But you unknowingly took the biggest risk in the world." There was no joy or anger in Chang Suining's voice.

What happens next is already easy to imagine.

The mother and son from the Yu family in the capital were indeed members of Yu Zeng's family. She had never made a mistake back then - the fake one was Yu Zeng beside her.

Therefore, over the years, Yu Zeng could accept letting the mother and son act as a cover under the emperor's feet, making the emperor mistakenly think that they controlled everything about him. This is the truth of human nature.

But the weakness that he really cared about was always in Li Yin's hands.

"That year, King Rong found a slave and asked him to write a letter to Yuchi. The letter said that he asked Yuchi to secretly drug him to help His Highness leave Beidi..."

Yu Zeng was not stupid. He immediately realized that this plan was ridiculous.

After a moment, he realized that this was not to save His Highness, but to kill His Highness.

But he had no doubts about Prince Rong, and he subconsciously asked: "Your Highness...who wants to put His Highness to death?" Are those officials? Or His Highness's mother? 】

Do you not want His Highness to become a hostage in Beidi during the war? To save Your Highness from humiliation? To prevent it from affecting military morale? So you want His Highness to die? !

Or is there someone who knows His Highness’ secret and doesn’t want His Highness to come back?

[Those officials were indeed afraid that Ashang would become a hostage. In the morning meeting, they had tactfully explained their worries. ] At that time, Li Yin speculated in a tone of bystander: [As for Ming Hou, she probably doesn’t want anything to happen to Ashang. Ashang is a sharp blade, and she is the only one in the world who can control this sharp blade. people. 】

He said frankly: [I don’t want Ashang to come back. 】

At that moment, Yu Zeng almost froze.

There is no warning or transition in the transformation of the benefactor.

Even at this time, his tone was still calm: [I didn't expect Ashang to be able to survive until today, she is so proud... I thought she wouldn't last long. 】

Li Yin even had some real pity: [In these three years, thousands of days and nights, I can't imagine how she managed to survive, but that's why even I can't imagine...]

[If she can come out alive from what the world sees as a desperate situation, she is no longer a mortal. 】

[If she is not broken, she will be better than before. I feel respectable, but also terrible about this kind of Ah Shang. 】

[I don’t want to have a confrontation with her, so let her stay in Beidi as Chongyue. 】

Yu Zeng couldn't remember exactly what he said at that time. It was probably some confusing questions and weak pleas with confusing words.

When Li Yin stood up and was about to leave, he said to him: "Ashang's life is very miserable. You should just help her get rid of it." 】

relief?

How could it be relief? Your Highness has been holding on for so long, how could he want such relief?

He hurriedly grabbed King Rong's robe: "Your Highness is willing to marry Beidi for the sake of the stability of the country. This time in front of the battle, he will definitely use his last ounce of energy to help our country win. You can't..."

[I can't look down on her like this, do I think she will escape? 】 King Rong did not look back and said: "I have never underestimated her ambition, but she is not an ordinary person. She has subordinates who are more loyal than you. She will not have nothing to do in Beidi during these three years." When dealing with extraordinary people, it is natural to ask for more security in order to feel at ease. 】

In other words, he knew that Li Shang might die for his country, but he still wanted to take action.

King Rong left and asked people to guard the place.

Yu Zeng didn't eat for two days. On the third day, King Rong sent his mother to "persuade" him.

His disabled mother cried and hugged him, only half conscious. She said, "You have to survive," "Those people will eat people," and "You must listen to your benefactor."

For the next two days, my mother only complained that she was hungry.

It was this "hungry" that finally defeated him.

He thought about what happened when he fled. He could die, but he couldn't leave his mother behind again.

He couldn't remember how he wrote the letter. At that time, he was extremely awake and tense, but also in chaos.

After sending the letter away, he hoped that Yuchi would not obey the arrangement, and it would be best to report him in front of His Highness!

But... how can he ask others for loyalty that he himself cannot fulfill?

On the contrary, his betrayal will only encourage Yuchi's betrayal, right?

He waited in fear until he heard the news of His Highness's death.

His Highness committed suicide... He suddenly felt morbidly grateful - so, could it be that His Highness never drank poison at all? Then he wouldn't be considered a betrayal!

Until he heard that Yuchi was still alive... Yuchi shouldn't be alive, but she survived. His Highness had secretly arranged something, and it was His Highness's arrangement that saved Yuchi.

Yuchi survived, but also went crazy.

He met Yuchi once, but Yuchi didn't dare to look at him, and didn't mention his letter... At that moment, he understood that Yuchi had betrayed him.

Yuchi's betrayal also confirmed his betrayal.

His delusions of self-deception were shattered.

He was seriously ill. Ironically, people in the old days believed that he was so affected by His Highness's death that his temperament changed drastically, so no one criticized him for his indifference and morbidity.

Only he knows that he has gone crazy.

He once hated everyone, hated Li Yin, hated Empress Ming, and hated himself even more.

But his mother is still alive...

He has to continue to live like crazy.

That year, the defeat of the Beidi Cavalry greatly deterred the forces that were ready to take action, and also allowed the Ming family, who held the Xuance Army, to further tighten the political scepter in her hands.

She began to purge the government and opposition parties, and purge dissidents. Even seemingly idle people like Rong Wang went to Yizhou and took his mother away.

The Empress chose to use him. After all, people must be employed. At least their abilities and loyalty have been tested by His Highness.

He became the head of Sigongtai, a confidant of the emperor, and a puppet of Prince Rong of Yizhou.

The breeze ruffled the water's surface, and the fish's tails swayed in circles.

"Until last autumn... Nu Duo's sick mother passed away." Yu Zeng's voice was hoarse and slow: "Prince Rong didn't tell you, but I already know."

To put it bluntly, the moment he heard the news, he felt that the shackles on his body disappeared.

He could finally do something...what could he do?

No matter what he does, His Highness will never come back.

But now...

Yu Zeng finally plucked up the courage and raised his hand to grab a piece of soft gauze. He knelt there with his head raised, as if he was no longer the master of the palace, but the little chamberlain of the past. Still calling: "Your Highness..."

He wanted to say, "It is the most fortunate thing in this slave's life that you can come back," but he knew he was not worthy of saying this.

"I've finished listening to your story." Chang Sui Ning lowered his eyes and looked at him: "I think I should thank you for two things."

"I want to thank you for all these years, no matter what, at least you have not exposed the existence of Deng Tailou and Meng Lie, allowing them to live in peace."

"I would also like to thank you for choosing your mother when you were in a dilemma, so that I would not have to bear such a heavy favor without knowing it."

"You have done nothing wrong in this matter, and I may not do better than you." Chang Sui Ning said: "But this is the death of human nature. Although I can understand it, I cannot forgive it. "

Yu Zeng shook his head with tears in his eyes: "How dare I ask His Highness for forgiveness..."

"But Azeng, after hearing this, I just feel very sorry." Chang Suining looked at him and said, "This dead end didn't have to happen in the first place."

She asked: "In more than ten years, have you never thought of confessing your identity to me?"

"I've thought about it... I've thought about it a hundred times." Yu Zeng's eyes filled with tears of self-deprecation: "But Your Highness treats you too well, and I'm too greedy and afraid..."

After having such an experience, he received so many good things, so he became the most timid person in the world.

He didn't want His Highness to be disappointed in him at all, and he didn't want the trust he had gained by chance to have any flaws...

However, if he could predict that these minor flaws would one day become a big mountain between him and His Highness, he would never...

"Although I was young at that time, I should have some courage to find out whether there is sincerity behind the lies." Chang Sui Ning also fell into this "what if" for a moment: "If only you could tell me earlier. Who are you, your mother exists, although I will still go to Beidi, or I will still die in Beidi-"

"But today, when you and I meet again, it doesn't have to be like this."

This was what she regretted.

Yu Zeng also followed her words and imagined it. This hypothesis was so wonderful that it completely defeated him.

He let go of the piece of clothing, fell to the ground, pressed his forehead to the ground, and burst into tears.

Time seems to be frozen in this pavilion.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Zeng heard a voice above his head, asking: "So, what is your name? Your original name."

Vaguely, this voice seemed to overlap with the voice of the eight-year-old girl in the side hall of Xiangyuan many years ago.

And he wanted to replace the little chamberlain back then, so he changed his answer: "My name is Liu Mingke, a native of Yanzhou, the son of the sinner Liu Shen. He was separated from his mother on the way to escape..."

Time will not turn back, he answered too late.

"Liu Mingke—" Chang Suining said, "I won't kill you today, so you can leave first."

Yu Zeng slowly and startledly raised his head.

"There is someone else I want to kill." The girl stopped looking at him. She changed her sitting position, her legs hanging outside the pavilion, facing the water, and said calmly: "Besides, I don't need to acknowledge her love. Follow her instructions step by step."

Chang Sui Ning never said clearly who "she" was, but Yu Zeng understood clearly.

"You should have thought that you came to Jiangdu because she was suspicious of you." Chang Sui Ning said: "But she was just suspicious and could not confirm it. She sent me a secret message and she must also try to 'remind' her. She wants to use Li Yin's hand to verify your authenticity. If you are Li Yin's person and the world is in chaos today, Li Yin will definitely choose to abandon you and try to kill you on your way back to Beijing to prevent you from telling the truth. Secrets that need to be revealed.”

"But why did she tell me specifically?" Chang Suining analyzed: "In addition to showing kindness to me and making me suspicious of Prince Rong's Mansion, there is probably another consideration - she must be able to think of it. Even if you are innocent, Li Yin may kill you."

Pushing the boat along with the current, in order to confuse the line of sight and protect the real internal response of Prince Rong's Mansion in the capital.

"In this case, I can be useful." Chang Sui Ning said: "She reminded me that with my temperament, I will definitely confirm to you whether you have colluded with King Rong. As a former master and servant, Now that you are trapped in Jiangdu, it will be much easier for me to check with you face to face."

"If you are really a traitor, you don't need to be killed by King Rong, and I can't tolerate you."

"If you have been misunderstood and wronged, I will do my best to protect you from King Rong's men. If I encounter King Rong's people with swords and swords, I will probably be able to form a feud with King Rong's Mansion in Yizhou."

"I probably have other considerations...but forget about it." Chang Sui Ning was too lazy to say any more and just said: "Right now, I am the one who knows the most about the whole situation. There is no reason to act according to other people's expectations."

The empress only suspected that Yu Zeng was King Rong's spy, but she didn't know that King Rong poisoned her back then.

King Rong knew everything except who she was.

Under such circumstances, she should do the opposite and do whatever is beneficial to herself.

After Yu Zeng heard this, he tried to ask: "I wonder if I can still be of some use..."

"The situation is unpredictable." Chang Sui Ning stood up noncommittally and walked out of the pavilion: "In short, you should leave Jiangdu as soon as possible. Right now, I will not let you die and let others get their wish."

Yu Zeng responded with tears in his eyes: "Yes, thank you Your Highness...", bowed his head and knelt down to see her off.

When Chang Suining stepped off the wooden bridge, he paused slightly and looked back, only to see Yu Zeng still kneeling in the pavilion, motionless.

The garden is bustling with spring scenery, fragrant flowers and plants, and new butterflies passing through.

Chang Suining was walking on the path and came under a camphor tree. He stopped and looked at the bright sky through the gaps between the branches and leaves. He didn't know what he was thinking.

Not long after, A Dian ran over along the path.

A Dian called her, but she didn't answer.

A Dian followed her example and looked up at the sky. After looking at it for a while, he asked in a low voice: "Your Highness, why are you unhappy?"

"A Dian is a puppy, right." Chang Suining retracted his gaze, turned to look at the tall A Dian, and asked curiously: "Why else can you always smell my unhappiness?"

A Dian looked proud and forgot to explore for a moment. He picked up the wreath that he had woven in his hand and handed it to her: "Don't be unhappy, this is for you!"

Chang Suining looked at it and saw that it was made of tender willow branches and had goose-yellow winter jasmine flowers.

Seeing that she didn't answer, A Dian raised his hand and simply helped her put it on, nodding in appreciation: "It looks good!"

Chang Suining raised his hand to support him and said with a smile: "It turns out that A Dian can not only smell it, but he can also prescribe medicine."

A Dian scratched his head and giggled: "Then I will be the puppy doctor!"

He doesn't like to be called a puppy, but in order to make Chang Suining happy, he is willing to call himself a puppy.

He even rolled his eyes pretending to be smart and said, "I also know a better prescription!"

"tell me the story."

"It's delicious!" A Dian said seriously, "It can also cure unhappiness!"

"Well...it's time for lunch."

Chang Suining nodded in agreement, finally raised his feet and walked forward.

The answer she wanted was clear and everything she wanted to say was said. She could no longer be trapped in the past and regrets. There were still many things waiting for her to do ahead.

Just because we don’t want any more regrets to happen, we have to take the road ahead.

Things are unpredictable, there will be gains and losses.

Just like this afternoon, after the reception banquet set by Jiangdu officials for Chang Suining, Chang Suining met the person she had been looking forward to for a long time.

It contains 6,000 words. Daily updates and 2,000 additional words are posted together. It is not divided into chapters, so you can read it in one go.

(When I was sorting out the plot, I looked back at Chapter 418 and found that I had missed a part of the logic of the Empress’s actions. I made it up in the early hours of the day before yesterday, so that the logic of the Empress letting Yu Zeng come to Jiangdu would be more complete and smooth. (But there is no need to look back specifically. This is roughly stated from Ning Ning’s perspective. From time to time, small flaws in the front will be fixed, but they will not affect reading as a whole, and the genuine channels will be updated accordingly.) Here, I would also like to thank everyone for supporting original and genuine reading.

Good night! sweet dreams~