Between the vast sea of ​​clouds

The first break of the shower, water droplets slipped from the eaves of the blue tiles, and there was an intermittent ticking sound in the silent night.Qing Ping stood outside the palace gate, Liu Zhen carried a palace lantern to see her out, stood beside her with some hesitation, but didn't know how to speak.There seems to be a natural moat between them, and they are no longer the way they used to get along.

Liu Zhen was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Go back and have a good rest, maybe in a few days, His Highness will call you into the palace again."

Qingping didn't answer, but just cast his eyes into the deeper night.

She suddenly realized that the person who occupies the throne is a princess who is under one person and above ten thousand people, not a lover who is snuggling under the window eaves and watching the snow.She once walked forward in the snow for several days, and rushed to the front of the Moon River overnight. In the cold wind, they looked at each other and entrusted each other's hearts;But now, these have become a blurred corner of her memory, no matter how hard she tries to recall the ups and downs of her mood at that time, she will never be touched in the slightest.The clearest thing in my mind is the days when I fled without sleep from the grassland to Yunzhou.

"Thank you." She whispered, her expression a little sad, "I have my own measure."

Liu Zhen couldn't bear it, and she could read some kind of deep pain and forbearance from her usual calm.She couldn't be more clear about Chu Jun's methods. Although she knows most of the things, she still can't do anything for Qingping. The guilt and powerlessness make her feel extremely tormented. She suddenly said: "Qingping, if you want to leave—"

Qingping suddenly pressed her hand and covered her mouth.

There was the sound of horseshoes kicking outside the wall in the middle of the night, Liu Zhen suddenly stopped talking, a thin layer of sweat covered her forehead, Qingping let go of her as if nothing had happened, took the lamp from her hand, and said: "The way back is too dark, I will lend this lamp to you, and I will return it to you when I have a chance in the future."

She held up the lamp and looked out, Tianshu came to her in a carriage and said, "Master Li, please get in the carriage."

Liu Zhen stared at her in a daze as she got into the carriage with a lamp. The light illuminated her face like a sharp sword. The corners of her eyes and brows faded from their original softness, and became sharp and cold. The light and shadow outlined the lines from the bridge of her nose to her lips. Lines, showing a kind of soul-stirring beauty.

Liu Zhen couldn't help being a little startled, she and Qingping knew each other well, how could she not know what kind of person she was?But looking at her appearance at this time, she can't even find a trace of her past, it seems like she has been completely reborn!

Qingping looked at her, with a faint light in her pupils, she smiled slightly, and opened her mouth to say something silently.

The sky turned white, and the palace guards closed the door.Walking on the palace road, Liu Zhen followed Qingping's silent words before leaving with her lips.

"Remember what you said."

Liu Zhen's eyebrows twitched heavily, and an ominous premonition shrouded her heart.She somewhat regretted what she said at the time, and advised Qingping to leave, but where could she go?Could it be that the king of the world, if he wants not to be discovered, he has to hide his name for the rest of his life, hide in the mountains, and be a farmer and village woman. Is Qingping willing to do this?

Liu Zhen sighed, the past was vivid in her mind, she straightened her attire, lowered her eyes, and when she stepped through the gate of Chonghua Palace, she became that Liu Shangnv who was so relied upon by the empress dowager again.

After a night of heavy rain, the glazed tiles on the roof of the palace were washed clean, reflecting an incomparably dazzling golden red in the morning sun. Looking at the clear sky after the rain, Liu Zhen suddenly felt that even if Qingping really wanted to leave, he would do this from now on. It's okay for people.

It was broad daylight when Qingping returned to the mansion. Seeing her return, Zhang Wei greeted his servants in the hall to prepare meals.

Qing Ping set down the table by the table, and a servant brought the bowls and chopsticks. Zhang Xing said nonchalantly, "It rained all night last night, but I didn't expect it to clear up this morning."

"Sunny days are naturally good, so people take out the quilts in the house to dry in the sun. It won't be sunny for a few days, and then it will rain again." Qingping scooped up a bowl of porridge and drank a few mouthfuls.

Zhang Wei stared at her and said, "...I didn't know you were so familiar with Chang'an."

Qingping paused in his hand, glanced at him and said: "I used to study in Chang'an, and I also lived in Chang'an for a few years. I am familiar with it, and I am not familiar with it."

Zhang Wei was a little embarrassed, he bowed his head and ate without saying a word.The two each had secrets in their hearts, so there was nothing to say, Qingping went back to the study in the backyard after dinner, and whispered before leaving: "Watch out for those servants, don't let them walk around at will, things in the house need to be done. Please take care of it."

Zhang Wei suppressed his doubts in his heart, no matter how much he guessed about what he saw last night, at this moment he had to pretend to be ignorant.The carriage appeared in the middle of the night, and the woman dressed as a guard, he took a deep breath and understood that they both needed to wait for the opportunity, and this kind of waiting happened to be the most tormenting.

Qing Ping sat in the study and flipped through the ledger. Naturally, the book in her hand was not the original, but a copied copy. She flipped through a few pages, then slowly closed it and put it by her hand.

The things recorded in the account book in her hand can almost subvert the entire Hezhou officialdom. The aristocratic family stretched out their hands so long that they carved up Hezhou. Officials were sent to rectify, but they couldn't do anything, and they all returned without success.Hezhou has even become an iron plate. Whoever dares to kick it will face fierce counterattacks and revenge.

This is just the scene of one state, what about other states, are they also so dark and corrupt?The aristocratic family has been entrenched in the land of the six states since the beginning of the dynasty. At that time, the imperial court needed to rely on them, but after various changes, they have become behemoths who can intervene in the imperial court's decision-making today.By continuously recommending and inserting suitable officials in the DPRK to achieve the purpose of profiting for them, and then through marriage to make their relationship closer, this is already a huge chain of interests.

The so-called freezing three feet does not happen in a day, and the formation of this situation does not happen in a day or two.Just as there was a war in Yunzhou, the imperial court wanted to transfer grain from other states to Guangyuan, but they did not receive the expected amount.The power gathered in the local area has become a huge obstacle to the implementation of the new law of the imperial court, not to mention the selection of scholars through scientific examinations. If no one recommends them, how can ordinary people be qualified to study in government schools?Hezhou places the most emphasis on family background, for this reason, countless beginners change their surnames, but it's just to get a clan surname.

The account book in her hand is divided into two books, one is for incoming accounts and the other is for outgoing accounts, which records the flow of various taxes in Hezhou in the past three years. Wu Yue probably didn't read this account book, otherwise she would understand that here The tribute to the important ministers of the central government that the head said was just the tip of the iceberg. After deducting the various subsidies issued by the central government for the implementation of the new law, as well as the tax revenue, it finally pointed to a clear place. The remaining 530 million taels were all taken by the Hezhou family. Divided by the big clan.This is true of Hezhou, let alone the other five states.

Originally it was still on Zhang Wei, Qingping believed that he would naturally hide such things well.The frequent wars in Yunzhou have attracted the attention of the whole country, and everyone wants to know the success or failure.It is related to the state system, and it is even more related to whether the successor can be recognized and successfully succeeded to the throne. She clearly understands that this war is very important to Chu Jun.With the retirement of the Empress and the invisible transfer of power, Chu Jun had been supervising the country on the surface during this year, but in fact the six cabinets had faintly respected her.What officials need is a king who can decide the overall situation. If we say that in the first 30 years, the inaction of the empress pushed them to the front of the family and participated in the struggle between the two parties. But now, many have been exiled to power The officials outside the center saw a glimmer of hope. If Mingjun is in power, then this corrupt officialdom will be completely governed one day.

She asked herself, what is the purpose of returning to Chang'an?With indignation in her heart, she wanted to ask the reason for Sun Congshan and his colleagues who died in Anping; she recalled the scene of trekking in the snow, and wanted to ask what happened for the displaced people along the way.Despite all the plots, she didn't want Wu Ying to die in vain... Various reasons prompted her to return to Chang'an and step into this land again.

Sitting in the study, thinking about the past, she just wanted to laugh and cry.Chang'an has carried too many memories for her. How could she not feel emotional when she saw the old houses and streets?

But this year's experience gave her a new understanding, the so-called feelings are the most undesirable.To this day, she only feels as if she has been reborn. After going through the dangers of life and death, some changes will always occur.The past days are not fake, and the feelings that people give are not so easy to forget. She thinks of her classmates in Chang'an, Anping's colleagues, or those who taught her, those who came and left in her life, she Deep helplessness surged in her heart, and only now did she truly realize her past mistakes. She was indeed the pawn being pushed away.

If she had left early in the morning to travel around the six states and stay away from all the right and wrong, wouldn't there be the situation today.Wu Ying will not die, Anping will not fall, and everything that has not happened can be changed?She clearly and painfully understood that this was impossible, but she fell into regret and couldn't extricate herself like drinking poison to quench her thirst.But she didn't have the idea of ​​giving up on herself because of this. If she was so casual with herself, she should have died in the abandoned temple in Fengfeng County long ago.

Qingping watched the shadow of the sun slowly fall from the side of the window coffin to the ground, she thought of the phrase "long-term hatred is not as good as water, wait for the calm to make waves", her heart was full of depression, but she couldn't tell anyone.Those who can say it are no longer there, and those who are there have gone in opposite directions, going further and further away.She hated herself for being indifferent after all kinds of experiences.

She was disappointed and thankful at the same time, after the complete disappointment, she just felt empty in her heart.Although she is extremely heartbroken, she also understands one thing, the so-called feelings, you can get as much as you don't pay.Her devotion may be just a joke.Now it is not too late to stop and rein in the precipice.

While mocking himself, Qingping took out a piece of paper to write down what he had experienced, so as to deepen his memory and organize it more clearly.The sun outside the house was shining all over the place, and a bird stopped in front of the window and chirped non-stop. She looked up and suddenly smiled.

She may have paid affectionately by mistake and was ridiculed by others.But she can also pick it up and put it down, she has studied hard for several years, her daughter has the world in her heart, and she has her own upright mountains and rivers in her heart.Love is a small matter, if it hurts or hurts, just treat it as passing smoke.