the enlightener says

"In that case, what else do you have to say?" Gao Yishui snorted, "Going to the palace is not an outing. Any concerns may cause problems. You tell him not to use this passage as much as possible. Question, how do you apologize to your prime minister? Use your head?"

"Jing Yu's head is not worth much. If the prime minister really wants me to throw my head and shed blood, I can just take it." Jing Yu shook his head and stood quietly, looking quite lonely, "It's just... if With this channel, maybe I, Jing Wu Erlang, can die a lot less..."

Qin Ke was taken aback. He had heard from the old shopkeeper that many people were lost in the burning of the palace last time, but the old shopkeeper didn't reveal the details, so Qin Ke didn't dare to ask.

But now, after thinking about it, he asked again: "The last time, when you captured the Five Elements Division, how many people died?"

Jing Yu closed his eyes. In fact, he could remember that number without recalling it.Those faces are still fresh in his mind, and sometimes he can't even be sure that those people are really dead.

For the business they do, it is actually a very normal thing for friends and comrades-in-arms to die quietly one day, but this does not mean that they do not deserve to have emotions.

After a while, Jing Yu opened his eyes and said in a serious tone: "21 people, 11 died in the fire to keep the secret, five committed suicide, two were beheaded after being tortured, and three eunuchs were not found to be ours. , but was beaten to death by the court stick because of the crime of 'ineffective supervision'..."

Qin Ke lowered his head and his eyes were complicated. He could hear the pain in Jing Yu's words. The comrades who worked together had to move forward for the same goal. Even if they stepped on the bones of their comrades, they still had to move forward. The mastermind was Jing Yu himself.

What if one day he had to order his friends to do something that was almost certain to die?

No, there won't be such a day, because he can't say it at all.Fortunately, he believed that he was not suitable to be a general or a superior, and to some extent avoided the moment when he needed to make a choice.

If it is possible... He hopes that everyone can live well, live, and live happily.

"I'll give it a try." Qin Ke said.

Gao Yishui frowned: "Don't think too much, you are not a savior, and you can't be a savior either, you save your little life first, and then talk about other things."

Qin Ke said seriously: "You must try it? If you can really keep that passage..."

"If you had the ability of Zhuge Wanling, I wouldn't say anything." Gao Yishui sneered, "But you should also weigh it up. Your little thoughtfulness is probably worse than that of Mr. Jing in front of you. Yesterday What did I say later? Do you really think your luck is unparalleled in the world?"

Qin Ke bowed his head and remained silent. He knew that what Gao Yishui said was right. He always thought that many things could be both, but in fact, how could there be so many ways to achieve both in this world?

He remembered that when his master taught him to play chess in Daoxiang Village, he always couldn't play chess well.

The master would often sigh and tell him that only if you give up, you can get something. On the chessboard, if you don't be the person who holds the piece, you have to be the piece.Those who can't give up anything can get nothing.

At that time, Qin Ke didn't understand it very well, but now, Qin Ke whispered to himself: "Master, Ah Ke seems to understand a little bit."

The two sides could not settle down, and Qin Ke didn't insist on his own ideas. Gao Yishui finally finalized the route, and the time was set at twilight three days later. This time is when Yang Taizhen's birthday banquet is about to start, and the whole court will be very excited at that time. Busy, best for pretending to sneak in.

But Qin Ke thought of a headache.

At that time, Cai Yan agreed... at noon three days later, and asked herself to go to Cai Zhu's mansion to find him, so should she go or not?

If I go, is it possible that I really want to take him to travel the world together?

Stop it... Now that I haven't passed this level, if I go into the palace and never come out, isn't everything behind it all nonsense...

If you say no, isn't it a little broken promise?Thinking of Cai Yan's appearance that night, I am afraid that he really wants to leave this bustling and beautiful city, but it is like a cage for him.

This is really a question worth pondering, fish, what I want; bear's paw, what I want...

Qin Ke was thinking wildly in his mind, but he didn't come up with any results, but he felt a little hungry, or let Mr. Jing prepare a pot of delicious fish soup later?

Jing Yu arranged everything.The information on the bamboo slices was transmitted to various places through the rice bags, and passed through the hands of different people. Countless "rats" hiding in the shadow of Ding'an City were awakened and activated, and began to exercise their due abilities along their own channels. duty.

Although it is difficult for Qin Ke to understand how the entire organization works, he can also sense from the small pieces of bamboo that Jing Yu keeps receiving that an invisible net is being slowly opened.

But Qin Ke now needs to do his best to memorize that map, and even engrave it in his mind and penetrate into his bone marrow.

So, for two consecutive days, Qin Ke's mind was full of maps, maps, maps, and even when he was eating, he couldn't help mumbling words such as "Hanyuan Hall", "Linde Hall", "Sanqing Hall" "...and so on the name of the palace.

It has to be said that after that reconstruction, the royal palace of the Tang Kingdom has expanded too much, including [-] buildings. Such a scale, in the former Ji Dynasty, is enough to be called "overstepping". , I am afraid that the Tang Kingdom has not yet built such a palace complex, and it has already been crushed into powder by the iron cavalry of the Ji Dynasty.

It’s just that a dynasty as powerful as it was back then has now turned into smoke and dust. With the rain and wind, the former princes stood up one after another, and the rituals and music collapsed. etiquette.

Even if someone really stood up and said, so what?

Could it be that they can still let the former founding emperor, the iron and blood lord, return to the world with hundreds of thousands of cavalry?The Mohists claim to "inherit the ancestral heritage of the Great Ji, help the world, restore etiquette, and save the people", but for the common people, it is nothing but empty talk.

What the common people want is a peaceful and peaceful life where they can eat enough and wear warm clothes, without wars and cruel officials. As for who is the official and who is the prince, no one cares.

"where are you going?"

On the morning of the third day, Chaoyang gradually climbed to the mountain, jumped up, hung in mid-air, and began to exude its enormous energy that never stopped.

Gao Yishui and Jing Yu have been discussing for two days, and their eyes were a bit tired. He saw Qin Ke walking towards the outside of the rice shop, and said softly: "You will follow the team into the palace in the evening. If there is nothing special For the matter, don't run around, so as not to cause trouble."

Qin Ke nodded, but he didn't stop, and replied with some embarrassment: "I'll be back soon. I have a small matter. I'll be back soon."

In fact, it is not a trivial matter. He now has to resolve the promise he made to Cai Yan. In the past two days, he has memorized the map by heart. It was to find the artifact and the trace of the master, and I didn't know how many dangers I would encounter. If I pulled him in, it hurt him instead.

Just talking about today, I have to go to the palace to do the "gentleman on the beam" once, even if I get out of the palace alive by luck, what about the next time?What about next time?Could it be that he went to the vast sea, under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of tigers and leopards?Or go deep north of the Great Wall, standing among a group of beasts holding a sword?

2Chapter 17 Cai Zhuguo Mansion

Of course, Qin Ke doesn't think that he has even the slightest ability to compete with tiger and leopard riders. This is just an exaggerated fantasy.

But during the intervals of memorizing the map in the past few days, every time he thinks of that unrestrained and unrestrained nobleman, he can't help but feel a little apologetic in his heart, and it seems that he still has a little regret.

But think about it from another angle, although he has been controlled by his family, he is better than Qin Ke, like a catkin flying in the wind, or duckweed in the water, if he is a little careless, he will end up in doom. What energy is there to take care of others.

Thinking of this, his heart to reject Cai Yan became more and more determined. Although he knew that such a sudden change of mind might arouse Cai Yan's dissatisfaction, it seemed that he could only deal with it in this way.

Cai Zhuguo's mansion is located in the north of Ding'an City, where there is an unbelievably prosperous and peaceful Chengtianmen Street. The palace gate opens towards this street, and the street is named after this palace gate.

According to the ancestral system of the Tang Dynasty, grand ceremonies must be held in this street for national grand ceremonies, military expeditions, triumphant return, welcoming distinguished guests, announcing amnesty, celebrating festivals, etc.

Therefore, the center of the street is actually a square with a width of [-] paces. It is more than enough for a whole branch to pass side by side, or [-] horses lined up.

And many of the mansions here were given to his subjects by the Lord of the Tang Dynasty himself. Naturally, there was a saying in Ding'an City of the Tang Dynasty: Although it is noble to worship a general, it is better to have a mansion in Chengtian.

It is enough to show how precious and rare a mansion on Chengtianmen Street is. Only high-ranking officials who have made great contributions to the country, or royal relatives who have a close relationship with the Li family, are eligible to be given a mansion here. Mansion.

Cai Zhuguo is called Gong, his real name is Cai Yong.

In the Tang Kingdom, there are three honors: Zhu Kingdom, Shangzhu Kingdom and Dazhu Kingdom. Zhu Kingdom is the second rank, and Shangzhu Kingdom is the second rank. Although it sounds like it is still one level behind the top first rank Dazhu , but in fact, the Dazhu Guoxun below the lord has never been bestowed on anyone. After so many years, even the entire court of the Tang Kingdom is about to forget this honor.

The Shangzhu Kingdom of the second rank, the Tang Kingdom, has had it, but it has only been bestowed three times since the establishment of the Tang Kingdom, so Cai Yong, the second-rank Zhu Guoxun, can be said to be the best in the Tang Kingdom, almost unmatched.

And Cai Yong's position is also from the second-rank Shangshuling Zuo Pushe, and concurrently served as the second-rank general of the Tang Dynasty, which raised his noble status to the top.

Li Qiuhuang did not set up a ministerial decree, and now he has no heirs, let alone a prince, grand master or grand master. If Cai Yong goes up further, he will either make up for the vacancy of the ministerial decree, or do it for the country. Master's Taifu!

"Under one person, above ten thousand people", Cai Yong is only one step away.

Qin Ke looked at the high courtyard wall and fell into deep thought for a while. He had read a lot of classics of the Tang Dynasty in the cellar in the past two days. When he read the book before, he only thought that Cai Zhuguo was a high-ranking official, but he never thought that this "big" would be so big.

And Cai Yan has such a father, the strict family education is also expected.

However, how should I go in and meet him?Thinking of this, he jumped over the two mighty and majestic stone lions, climbed the steps and approached the vermilion gate, stretched out his hand, held the copper rings held by the two copper basalt heads, and knocked gently on the door.

The door slowly opened a corner, revealing an old man's face full of wind and frost. He coughed twice, looked at Qin Ke strangely, and said, "This..."

He looked at the cotton shirt on Qin Ke's body, and a bit of disdain flashed in his eyes, but his self-cultivation still allowed him to ask calmly, "Young master, who are you looking for?"

Of course Qin Ke can see the old man's disdain for him, but Qin Ke is used to this kind of look. The nobles in the world have always looked at the people like this, even their servants have followed suit. When they were in Daoxiang Village, those yamen servants All of them rushed their nostrils to the sky.

So Qin Ke is quite experienced in this matter, nodded and smiled: "Let me find Cai Yan."

"Cai Yan?" The old man was startled, then shook his head and was about to close the door, "There is no such person in the house."

"What?" Qin Ke subconsciously stretched out a hand to block the door, preventing the old man from closing it, "How could it be? This is Cai Zhuguo's mansion, right?"

As a practitioner, Qin Ke's strength is stronger than that of ordinary people, but Qin Ke could feel that the power to close the door was not small. He was slightly surprised, and he was probably sure that the white-haired old man in front of him was actually He is also a practitioner, such a powerful family is really extraordinary, even an old servant is not simple.

The old man frowned and tried hard, feeling that Qin Ke's hand was as motionless as Mount Tai, and immediately confirmed Qin Ke's identity as a practitioner.It's just that he didn't show timidity, but looked at Qin Ke coldly and said: "Let go, don't think that you can mess around with a little cultivation. This is Cai Zhuguo's mansion. If you continue to be rude, I will send you away." Go to the Yamen to punish the crime."

Qin Ke saw his anger, let go of his hand carefully, and said softly: "I'm sorry. I was a little anxious." But he still didn't give up, "Is there really no such person as Cai Yan in the mansion? He should be Cai Zhuguo His son, he also has an elder brother named...Cai Xiang, otherwise you let me meet Cai Xiang?"

The old man said indifferently: "It's true that Cai Xiang is the eldest son of the master, but who do you think you are? You are a commoner, and you have to see the royal doctor of the dynasty if you name him? Don't come again. For your own life, it is best Be more self-reliant."

After finishing speaking, he closed the door forcefully, and the tall vermilion door made a muffled sound, and then the old man had already locked the bolt behind the door.

Qin Ke stood there blankly: "Doctor Yushi?"

He inquired about Cai Yong's official position, but he didn't pay attention to Cai Xiang. He didn't expect that the man in his thirties was also a senior official from the third rank. This Cai Zhuguo's mansion is really a double hero... or , Sanjie?

He thought of the second elder brother who was in the army that Cai Yan said, since there are two jewels in front, this one shouldn't be a stickler.

However, Qin Ke shook his head helplessly and said to himself: "Then Cai Yan... who are you?"

The old man said that there was no such person as Cai Yan, but they clearly traveled together that night... There are only two possibilities. The first one is that he was crazy, and he was actually the only one that night.

But Qin Ke thought he was very normal, and didn't show any signs of a fool, such as giggling around, or poking dog dung on the ground with a wooden stick?So this is unlikely.

The second type, of course, is that Cai Yan lied to him, and his name is not Cai Yan at all!

As for whether his name is Cai Er Cai San or Spinach Cabbage, it is even more unknown.

Thinking of this, Qin Ke had a headache: "What kind of thing is this?" He turned around a few times, and occasionally pedestrians passed by on the empty street. Seeing him wandering around in front of Cai Zhuguo's mansion, they all had faces Contempt: This kid looks poor and sour, and he is still wandering around the gate of Cai Zhuguo's mansion. Could it be that he wants to follow Cai Zhuguo's way to get a petty official?

Cai Yong, as Shang Shu Ling Zuo Pu She, and the position of Shang Shu Ling is vacant, Zuo Pu She is equivalent to half a prime minister, if it is a back door, there is no more magnificent back door in the court.

It's just that in the eyes of everyone, Qin Ke is just a poor young man who thinks he's talented, and it's impossible for Cai Yong to look down at him. Standing here, he really seems overconfident.

Qin Ke stood for a while, feeling those unkind eyes, and smiled wryly, thinking that this is really because there are many eyes and ears in front of the rich and powerful. Now that he can't see Cai Yan, it seems that there is no other way but to leave.

But he looked at the sun again and realized that it was not yet noon, maybe... he should wait?

Cai Yan, where are you?

Chapter 248 Missy

What Qin Ke didn't know was that at this moment in Cai Zhuguo's mansion, a clear and sweet voice was coming from a woman's boudoir, but the voice was not reciting poems against each other, nor was it chatting, but... simple complaining.

"Do you have to make me dress so grandly today? It's as if I don't deserve to talk to the lord if I don't dress like this. I usually sneak into the palace by myself a lot. When did the lord ever control what I wear? "

"Miss, don't complain. Sit up straight. I'm still combing my hair. If I haven't finished it when the time comes, the master will punish me again." Maid Xiaolan held the ivory comb, Smiling, she held the waterfall-like black hair in her hands, her hands and feet were slow, but she was extremely dexterous, while the eldest lady sitting on the carved stool was a little unhappy, her mouth was pouted, and she couldn't move left and right easily , I had no choice but to reach out and pick up a candied fruit from the plate on the dressing table, and threw it into my mouth neatly.

Xiaolan couldn't help but pursed her lips and chuckled, thinking that her master was really different, Miss Bie wanted to stay in front of the dressing table all day, even touch a few boxes of rouge for a long time, she was as gentle as water, and she spoke in a soft voice Language, more capable of embroidering a good female celebrity.

And my master, with his face up to the sky all day long, made her stay in front of the dressing table for less than half an hour and had to jump. If he hadn't specially prepared this small plate of candied fruit and forced her to sit, I'm afraid she would have run away in a hurry. I went to read a book on a tree or in a rockery.

"Xiaolan, what are you laughing at?" The young lady had candied fruit in her mouth, her words were a bit vague, and she snorted, "Don't think I can't see, there is a bronze mirror in front of me."

Xiaolan grew up with the young lady, naturally she didn't have too much restraint, she still smiled and said: "Miss, if you can calm down and let me do it well, I should have done it long ago." At this point, she sighed and said: " If you move like this again, I will be blamed by the master today, but Miss, why do you keep running out to look at the sundial? The sundial has been in the mansion for so many years, and I have never seen you like looking at it so much. "

The young lady snorted and said, "I'm willing, you can leave me alone. Hurry up and comb your hair, so that I can do business with Daddy, and you can also do business with Daddy."

Xiaolan pursed her lips and smiled, and combed another lock of hair. In fact, the young lady's hair is very smooth. In the morning, she bathed in hot water soaked in orchid petals in advance. fragrance.

Today is Concubine Yang's birthday, and everyone inside and outside the palace dare not be negligent. Naturally, the Cai family also received the invitation. Cai Yong ordered several maids to dress up the young lady at the same time, but she couldn't stand being surrounded by a group of maids. After tossing around, they forced the group of people out of the room, leaving only Xiaolan to serve.

Xiaolan smiled sweetly: "Now you know the urgency?"

But after a while, the young lady turned her head slightly again and asked Xiaolan, "Go and help me see, what time is it?"

Holding her comb, Xiaolan walked to the window, glanced at the sundial in the yard from a distance, and said softly: "It's time...it's time for the palace to send someone to invite me at noon."

"Oh." The young lady nodded, seemingly calm, but one hand couldn't help clenched into a fist in the sleeve, and murmured: "It should be soon."

Xiaolan thought she understood what Miss meant, and smiled even sweeter: "Miss, are you in a hurry to enter the palace to meet the king? That's right, the king even wrote poems for Miss last time..."

The young lady rolled her eyes, reached out and picked up another candied fruit and threw it into her mouth. The candied fruit was so big that it bulged up one of her cheeks. She smiled mysteriously: "Guess."

Xiaolan shook her head helplessly. Since she was a child, she had tried countless times to guess what Miss was thinking, but she was still in the fog.

At this time, there was a knock on the door, and an old and deep voice said outside the door: "Yan'er, how are you?"

"It's the master!" Xiaolan shook her body quickly, quickly matched the comb in her hand with her fingers, and began to help the lady roll up her hair, while answering in a loud voice: "Ah, master, it's almost time, it's almost here Comb your hair."

Cai Yong was obviously dissatisfied outside the door, and said: "What time is it, you are still combing your hair, dawdling, the carriage in the palace will arrive at noon, is it possible that everyone in the palace is waiting for you?"

Xiaolan has always been afraid of Cai Yong, so naturally she was obedient and dared not answer, but at this time the young lady had no scruples, she turned her head and shouted outside: "Wait! If you don't want to wait, go back! I won't go! "

"What did you say?" Cai Yong's voice was tinged with anger.

"Miss, don't..." Xiaolan hurriedly wanted to cover Miss's mouth.

However, the young lady yelled louder and louder: "I said, then I won't go! Anyway, it's not like you can't see the king on weekdays, so you don't have to rush today!"

Cai Yong was suddenly furious: "What nonsense are you talking about? Why don't you have to hurry today?" He stretched out his hand to push the door, but thought of the etiquette, and immediately took his hand back, "You are hand-picked by the lord, and Yang Guifei recognizes that you must If you appear at the dinner, your father may not go, your brother may not go, but you must go! The king appreciates your literary talents, what an honor is this?"

It's just that the young lady didn't care that much, she stood up and ran to the door, pushed open the door and said to Cai Yong face to face: "So what, the king is not as particular as you, you are the one who has the most things, huh, old stubborn."

"You..." Cai Yong was at a loss for words for a while, full of civil and military affairs, even his political opponent - the right servant who had a close relationship with Yang Taizhen, did not dare to shout the three words "old stubborn" in front of him.

But his daughter, Cai Yan, is his old daughter, the only jewel in his palm, and she is the only one who can be so presumptuous in front of him all the time.

"Stubborn? I, I'm your father!" Cai Yong stomped his feet like a child, staring at Cai Yan with wide-eyed eyes, and kept repeating in his mouth: "Unfilial daughter...unfilial daughter..."

"Father." At this time, Cai Xiang seemed to have heard the movement here, and ran over with a wry smile on his face. Before he reached Cai Yong's side, his hands had already stretched forward, supporting him very smoothly. The old father who got up shaky, seeing his skillful movements and calm expression, it was obvious that he had done this kind of thing countless times.

"Why do you need to be angry? My little sister didn't mean to make you angry. She doesn't like to dress up, and she has been like this for so many years. Now, if you say a few angry words, why should you take it seriously..." Cai Xiang helped Cai Yong to comfort her, while Desperately winking at Cai Yan, Cai Yan looked at Cai Xiang's begging eyes, she didn't speak again after all, but closed the door forcefully, and continued to sit back in front of the dressing table.