long friend

Xiong Wu is the lowest-ranking official in the Tingwei Mansion. He has been in office for four years. He has seen many important cases tried over and over again. The original ambition.

Yawning, he opened the gate of Tingwei's mansion as a daily routine, but saw a woman in white standing outside the gate.

The woman was so weak that a gust of wind could blow her down.Seeing that her eyes were swollen, Xiong Wu seemed to be crying, and the corners of her eyes were still a little red, he immediately felt sorry for her, and said softly: "This girl came here early in the morning, but she is looking for Mr. Ting Wei?"

"My little girl... my little girl wants to sue someone."

Xiong Wu frowned when he heard this: "Girl, this is the Tingwei, not the Jinling government office. If you want to sue ordinary people, you can go there. The trials here are all big cases, so you can't be presumptuous here."

That woman was Qiu Xi, raised her face when she heard the words, frowned slightly, and her voice was trembling all the time: "...the girl who wants to sue is not ordinary people, but King Zhao Xiao Qiyu."

After she finished speaking, she knelt down with a "plop", and took out a roll of white paper from her sleeve, with fine black writing on it.

Xiong Wu hastily snatched it away, opened it and read a few lines before breaking out in cold sweat.This is a big matter, if it is true, it will really turn the world upside down, he helped Qiuxi up and said: "Young lady, come with me."

The gate of the government office was closed heavily, but two figures slowly walked out of the alley opposite.One is an apricot-colored gown with a delicately carved jade pendant around its waist, with a hint of a smile on it, and the other is a purple-colored dress with a sword and cuffs tightly tied up, dressed as warriors——Xiao Qichen and Su Yan, behind them There is a shadow, it is Tianhui.

Su Yan said: "She still has old feelings for Zhao Wang, how can she be sure that she will not retract the confession in court?"

Xiao Qichen said indifferently: "It is she who has always loved the emperor. I told her that this matter should be told by her, and there will be room for change during the trial. If I go with the evidence, then none of them will be able to hide - actually How could it be, if I hold this testimony, Ting Wei will not believe it."

Su Yan frowned, looked at him in disbelief, and his voice changed: "You threaten her? Let her expose the person she loves? Xiao Qichen, you—"

"Little Lord, pay attention to your wording." Tianhui reminded without losing the opportunity.

Xiao Qichen waved his hand, then turned to Su Yan and said: "Ayan, I know you can't accept this, so I said it when I saw her alone after you left yesterday. I'm different from you, I just do what is good for the result, No consideration was given to whose feelings this behavior might hurt.”

After he finished speaking, he touched his cuffs slowly, without even giving Su Yan a look, and turned his head to leave.

"Wait." Su Yan called to him, and when Xiao Qichen looked up, he found that Su Yan's expression was unfamiliar like never before, as if he was not seeing his most familiar friend, "You admit what you said just now... you are Force her?"

Xiao Qichen and Su Yan looked at each other hastily for a while, then turned away immediately.He was still guilty, and he couldn't tell his plan like a normal person.He felt stuffy for a while, and immediately felt a little short of breath, but Xiao Qichen pinched his palm, looking calm and breezy.

"Yes," he said calmly, "I told Qiu Xi that she would choose one of her prince and sister. The crime of poisoning the prince is too serious. If it is directly said that the emperor ordered her, her sister might still survive."

Seeing that Su Yan was speechless, Xiao Qichen smiled slightly: "What's wrong, Ayan, aren't you used to it? This is what they deserved. Is there anything worthy of sympathy or pity?"

Su Yan: "..."

Xiao Qichen's smile slowly subsided, and he had an expression of reluctance: "Ayan, if I have compassion for all the weak like you, and always hesitate and hesitate, how many days can I live? "

What he said was rather harsh, but it was sincere.

Xiao Qichen was on the cusp of the storm recently, the more the emperor valued him, the more the emperor's brother regarded him as a thorn in his flesh, there were so many lives in the deep palace waiting to send him to see the King of Hades for his own benefit.

He didn't want to be the second Xiao Qiping at all.

The morning sun looked very cold in early winter, Xiao Qichen stood in front of him, his shadow was stretched long.

Su Yan finally bowed his head like a compromise and said: "...Father said that I am a woman's benevolence, so I did not admit it."

As soon as he succumbed, Xiao Qichen immediately felt that what he said was too serious, and added an explanation: "I don't think anything about you... Ayan, I thought that you and I are of the same mind, this level is not a sacrifice at all."

This had already stopped, but the faint contempt in Xiao Qichen's words made Su Yan feel a little uncomfortable - why in his mouth, these are not human lives?

In normal times, he would just pretend not to hear, neither agreeing nor opposing.Su Yan knew that Xiao Qichen was often ill, maybe he didn't think so in his heart, and he had to say a few mean words to feel comfortable.But today he didn't know what medicine he took wrongly, and he refused to ignore it, and his mouth smelled of gunpowder.

"Okay, 'sacrifice'?" Su Yan sneered, "Your Highness is still not broad-minded enough, this is indeed not a sacrifice, it is a bet on the feelings of others. If His Highness has someone who cares, he can empathize with it, otherwise he really thinks the matter is irrelevant Self, how can they bite a dog without hurting you at all? Others know, your Highness, guess they will think you are very cold-blooded?"

The last question was hardly human, and Xiao Qichen couldn't help igniting an unknown fire: "Su Yan, what do you mean? You just think I use her? Yes, I use her, but for peace elder brother--"

"Forget it, Your Highness, you are for yourself."

"you--"

"Am I wrong?"

Su Yan's voice was soft, but these words pierced his ears like thunder, making Xiao Qichen's breath, which was not breathing evenly at first, scurry around in his heart, until his limbs were so tormented that he couldn't stand still.

He knew that these things would be shameless, and it would be embarrassing to say them out, but as long as the goal could be achieved, wouldn't it be negligible if he threatened or investigated someone in the middle?

But at this time, the result is about to come. The person he trusts the most, the closest friend who talks about everything, accuses him of being selfish, cold-blooded, heartless?

Xiao Qichen stretched out his hand to prop up the wall, managed to regain his sanity, gritted his teeth and said, "Su Yan, from what you and I said in the Yanyu Tower, you should know that I am no longer the kid who followed His Royal Highness to ask for sweets. , I also have what I want. You can't be cruel, but I can - if this is called cold-blooded and ruthless in your eyes, I have nothing to say. "

Hearing what he said was righteous and strict, Su Yan suddenly thought sarcastically, "Xiao Qichen and Xiao Qiyu are really brothers, they are just as cruel."

"Yes, I don't understand emotion, but I know how to use its value."

Following what he said, Su Yan's expression became more and more strange. When the last sentence fell, Su Yan seemed to hear something cracking in his heart.

He originally thought that Xiao Qichen was at least profitless to him, so he treated him sincerely. It turned out that in his eyes, all things and people could be used.

Today is Qiu Xi's love for Xiao Qiyu, Han Guang's loyalty to Xiao Qiping, how long will it be his turn?The lingering black and white words "with Changyou Xi" seemed to have suddenly become a wishful joke of his.

Su Yan shook his head and said, "...Achen, you let me down."

Xiao Qichen simply said: "Because you think I don't value feelings?"

Su Yan remained silent, and clenched the saber by his side, his heart was in a mess and he had nowhere to vent, and his breathing became heavier and heavier.

"Because no one has taught me, and no one in the palace likes me." Xiao Qichen seemed to think of something, and there was light in his eyes, "The person who loved me the most in the world is long gone, how do you want me to understand?"

A few words popped out from between his teeth as if he had gritted his teeth, Xiao Qichen finished speaking in a hoarse voice, quickly wiped his face, turned his head and left, Tianhui quickly followed behind him.He left Su Yan in the alley, and the sun rose in the distance, and the leaves of the pagoda tree cast shadows in disorder on the dusty ground, as if a good piece of ground was torn into pieces.

This time Xiao Qichen didn't look back, and Su Yan didn't call him either.

In the winter of Tongning's 30th year, it has been more than five years since the deposed prince Xiao Qiping suffered from eye problems.There was a lot of trouble in that incident, and many conspiracy theories emerged one after another, but in the end it could only end badly. Who would have thought that the case that was thought to have died down would have a turning point one day.

The woman who claimed to be Zhao Wang Xiao Qiyu's concubine gave evidence to expose the real culprit. It was not the little eunuch who died inexplicably in the sky prison back then, but Wan Qing who had served His Highness the Crown Prince for many years.When Ting Weisi sent someone to fetch her, Wan Qing even carried a wooden tray with freshly dyed clothes on it.

The people in the Royal Hospital couldn’t keep up with the heat when they ate feces, and when they were all taken to the court lieutenant for trial, they ran to the uninhabited East Palace and took out the magical plant. After more than ten days of pretending to study it, they finally came up with a in conclusion.

Wood Guanyin and red sandalwood are non-toxic, but they can miraculously cause many organs to lose their original functions when they are in the same room.

With all the witnesses and material evidence available, the case was brought before the imperial court, and the truth finally came to light——

The case involved a lot, and the trial went on for almost a month in a mess.Wan Qing was under strict guard, but she never admitted that she was instructed by King Zhao, only saying that it was her own idea.Tingwei couldn't, so he had to hand it over to the emperor himself for judgment.

The emperor's power strategy emphasizes balance, and it is impossible to get back what has been lost.

When the prince is involved, no one dares to be negligent. How will King Zhao punish him?

There was a lot of quarrels in the Tai Chi Hall every day, and the quarrels continued throughout the winter and twelfth lunar months.With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yan drove them all back home on the grounds of the New Year's Eve, and squatted in Taicheng with bitter hatred.On New Year's Eve, there was no big event, the queen went to the Prince Chu's mansion, and cried in front of the emperor's son, Xiao Yan stayed in the palace and lived a boring year.

When I heard that Xiao Qichen went to Changlu Temple to light an everlasting lantern for his dead mother on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Xiao Yan suddenly felt that among the three sons, Xiao Qiyu was keen on power and tactics, and he always said three words to Concubine Li that he couldn't do without the "prince prince"; Xiao Qiping doesn't care about worldly affairs, and his relationship with the queen is gradually estranged.Only this youngest son... seems to be a little filial.

After the beginning of spring, the case continued to be heard.

Wan Qing is ultimately a capital crime.

After the results came out, Xiao Qiping begged twice to change his sentence to be exiled in Youzhou, but after being scolded by Xiao Yan for a while, he fell silent.According to the law, she was imprisoned until the autumn of the next year and executed together with other death row prisoners, and her sister Qiuxi was also implicated. Unlike Wan Qing, it was not King Zhao who saved Qiuxi this time, but herself.

Qiuxi is pregnant, so she is naturally the flesh and blood of King Zhao and the royal blood.

Xiao Qiyu hurriedly wrote a letter, Chen Ming can punish himself in any way, and don't hurt Qiuxi, it can be seen that there is still some affection.Qiuxi was detained symbolically for a few days, and after she came out, Xiao Qiyu took her back to Fuzhong to serve her well.

When Su Yan heard about this from Xie Hui, Su Yan had just come down from the martial arts arena. He wiped the thin sweat from his forehead, took a big sip of water, and said, "Then she is really lucky...Has Your Majesty dealt with King Zhao?"

"Wan Qing's confession does not admit that it was Zhao Wang's instigation. Even if everyone is like a mirror in their hearts, it is not good to directly accuse Zhao Wang'an of poisoning the prince." Xie Hui spread his hands. Seeing that Su Yan was thirsty, he quickly gave it He poured a glass, "Your Majesty fined him with one year's salary, and drove him back to the fiefdom to think about it—the reason was flimsy, saying that King Zhao was not strict with his orders."

Su Yan chuckled and said, "That's the only way to go. By the way, I haven't congratulated you on your promotion yet. You were appointed Minister of Ministers before, and each of you will take care of you in the future."

It stands to reason that Su Yan is now in command of Xiaoqiwei's defense in Gyeonggi, and his official position is already above him.It's a pity that Su Yan seems to be born with little strings in this regard, and has no concept.

Xie Hui spat, and said: "Who told you that you didn't come when His Highness was in charge that day! This cheapskate finally got rich and set up a banquet in Yanyu Building. I thought I would call out many people, so I ran to see, you Guess who he invited - invited my grandfather! I couldn't enjoy the whole meal, but His Highness and my grandfather had a very happy chat."

When he mentioned that name, Su Yan was stunned for a moment, and then he said in a daze: "Oh... oh, what? Isn't Mr. Zhao Wangdang Xie?"

"Don't dare to talk nonsense." Xie Hui sniffed, and said, "How could my grandfather be in this kind of team... How come you have such a big advantage in this martial arts arena, don't you feel cold in a single shirt?"

Su Yan shook his head, and opened the neckline a little more, revealing the young man's thin collarbone: "I feel hot. I just practiced archery, and I fell back a lot. Five shots missed the target."

Xie Hui is a serious scholar, like all the gentle scum, he can't lift his shoulders or lift his hands, and after running for a few steps, he becomes exhausted and panting.This day, seeing Su Yan draw his waist-high longbow lightly, and hearing him say such self-effacing words, he felt that he was contemptuous of himself, and wanted to hit someone very much.

However, Xie Hui didn't dare to fight Su Yan.

Su Yan seems to have grown a bit taller recently. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old stands on the school field, like a vigorous tree. The branches are still soft, but the inside is tall and tough day after day.

He looked up and down Su Yan's more stylish and stylish body sourly, and simply changed the subject: "I have been wanting to ask, why haven't you been hanging out with His Highness lately? He spends all day in the Imperial College, or he will go to Taiji West Waiting outside the hall to see His Majesty, and then ask some nonsensical things—Don’t tell me, Your Majesty is quite happy to be coaxed by him.”

"what?"

"Where is Beiming, how big is Pengniao, and why there are so many Taoist believers in the land of Bashu. How many people can be fed in the South China Sea if rice can be grown, how many floating population are in Jinling every year, the flood in Qingguang County, the trade route of Yumen Pass... Ask everything, His Majesty will answer some, some will not answer, and sometimes he will scold him, but he will not be angry."

The first ones sounded a little funny, but the latter ones were about the national economy and the people's livelihood. Su Yan had an imperceptible smile on his lips, but he immediately restrained him and said seriously, "What do you have to do with me?"

Xie Hui hissed, took a few steps back, looked him up and down with his eyes, then beat the palm of his right hand with his left hand, and suddenly realized: "You quarreled with His Highness!"

Su Yan looked at him blankly, as if he couldn't understand why Xie Hui's eyes lit up with excitement.

Even though Xie Hui pestered him in every possible way, Su Yan finally didn't tell him the reason.He calmed down for a winter, carefully analyzed the ins and outs of the conversation between himself and Xiao Qichen that day, and finally came to a conclusion:

He broke Xiao Qichen's heart.

I have thought about apologizing to Xiao Qichen countless times, but Su Yan is immature, easily attacked, and too blunt, all together, he is an overly righteous victim, no wonder Xiao Qichen was so angry that he was incoherent.But he held on to that bit of self-esteem, and when he was busy with military affairs, he "forgot" by the way.

Su Yan drew the three feathered arrows again, and he let go of the bowstring a hundred steps away.

All three arrows missed the target.