After being mistaken for a fellow by Long Aotian

The dark guard saw the solemn expression on the emperor's face, thinking about the emperor's intentions in his heart.

Shen Huanju had retired many years ago, and the Black Clothes Envoy had long since fallen apart.Even so, his reputation on the bright side, and his reputation on the dark side... are still beyond the reach of others.

Centipedes are dead but not stiff.The power in the hands of the courtiers is too great, no matter which dynasty they are in, they are worthy of the king's fear.The "Hongmei case" when Gaozong was there-that is, the case of General Shen, is the best lesson.

Is it...

There was a thrill in the dark guard's heart.

Is the emperor worried that Mr. Zhou will secretly form a party with others for personal gain?

Just as he was about to speak, he heard the emperor worryingly say: "This Shen Huanju is so powerful, why did he ask Brother Xun to come here?"

Dark Guard:  …

Emperor: "Brother Xun is so simple, will he be deceived by him?"

The hidden guard thought about the simple Zhou Xun who found his follower on the road, silently kept his essence as a tool man of the hidden guard, and closed his mouth.

"From today onwards, you and I are masters and apprentices. Since this is the beginning, we don't care about the past." The old man said.

Hearing the voice outside the window, he smiled suddenly: "Since someone is waiting for you outside, old man, I won't keep you today. You will... no, I will go to bed tomorrow. You will come to Youhuang Alley the day after tomorrow to look for him." me!"

Zhou Xun saw that he had a delicate expression and was smiling at himself, so he had no choice but to say: "He... the emperor, he is also worried about my safety."

"Your Majesty? Yes, Your Majesty. The old man can still tell about this." The old man glanced at the phoenix badge on his waist, squeezed the chess piece and smiled, "A secret guard came here just now, but it's completely Not close enough to hear you and me talking—just blinking outside the door to find out the identity of the old man. The emperor is very caring and trusting of you now. But—"

"But how?"

"However, this trust is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes a bad thing." Under the candlelight, the old man stared at Zhou Xun, "For a subject, the emperor's favoritism is sometimes a favor, and sometimes it is a catastrophe." disaster."

There is a rustling night wind blowing through Hongmeifang.The extremely gorgeous red plums in the winter snow are just dead branches like ghost claws in the summer night.Zhou Xun closed his eyes in the rustling sound and opened them again: "Can you explain in more detail what Master said just now?"

"The Hongmei case." The old man said slowly, "The Hongmei case is the name for General Shen's case. General Shen and Gaozong met when they were most humble, but they ended up like this... The tragedy of this matter is rare in history. .The general passed away prematurely, and the king died of depression...do you know what the fundamental reason is?"

Zhou Xun was silent, and said: "The cunning rabbit is dead, and the hunting dog is cooking."

The old man smiled: "Not only that, you may not know that when Emperor Gaozong issued three edicts in a row, General Shen was in a row and counted cities. The battle in southern Xinjiang was at the most critical moment. If we took advantage of the victory and pursued it, the whole southern border would be a great scene land."

Zhou Xun was taken aback when he heard the words. As a commoner, he naturally didn't know the details of what the old man said.

According to folklore, the Battle of Southern Xinjiang started with Nanjiang's active invasion of the southern border of Jingguo, when Gaozong was still a prince.After Gaozong came to power, General Shen brought a brief peace to southern Xinjiang, and the chaos in southern Xinjiang was temporarily suppressed in that battle.Afterwards, Emperor Gaozong paid no attention to Southern Xinjiang during his reign for decades, as if he had completely forgotten that there was such a place.It wasn't until the first emperor was there that he remembered this side and signed a peace agreement with Southern Xinjiang.

It was the first time he knew that Gaozong had summoned General Shen back to Beijing when Gaozong had the most advantage in his country!

"In the Hongmei case, they all chose the most impulsive and irrational way to deal with it. This way is suitable for close friends, confidants, relatives... and even lovers, but it is not suitable for monarchs and ministers." The old man looked at him when he was talking, he seemed to be talking about old things, and he seemed to be touched by Zhou Xun's current situation, "Ordinary monarchs and ministers should not have this kind of relationship... Impulsive, emotional relationships exist."

"As King Gaozong, when he got the secret letter of General Shen's rebellion, he could send people to collect evidence first, secretly control General Shen's relatives in Beijing as a handle, or send spies to sneak into the army to maintain stability during the incident. ...Just like what he did methodically when he was 40 years old when he faced the rebellion of King Pingnan. Besides, General Shen was fighting in southern Xinjiang at that time. Even if he wanted to rebel, he was not in a hurry. But Gaozong chose He chose the worst way to deal with it—issuing three edicts in succession ordering him to return to the capital, and easily dealt with this suspicion with the greatest anger, just as he could not tolerate General Shen's betrayal at all, and he didn't even consider that this method would only It will hurt both of them.”

"As for General Shen... Gao Zong supported him all the way when he was humble, and fought for him when he was an adult. In fact, before the three edicts, there were already big and small quarrels between Gao Zong and General Shen Disagreement. It is indeed chilling to suffer jealousy from a loyal heart, but he chose to retaliate in the most violent and irreversible way. If he had made preparations to find a way to make amends for this matter before returning to the city... Perhaps, there may be a trace of life."

When referring to General Shen, even after many years, the old man's eyes flashed with sadness: "However, General Shen did not make such preparations at all. He led the army all the way back to Beijing, and when he saw the envoys at the gate of the city, he He was already in despair when he didn't see the emperor. He might have thought that the emperor would come here to meet him. Therefore, he is here..."

The old man was clearly talking about other people's affairs, but Zhou Xun gradually understood the old man's intentions at this moment.

He looked at the phoenix badge on his waist.The old man may have noticed that his relationship with the emperor is extremely unusual.

Gaozong and General Shen, himself and the emperor... Zhou Xun closed his eyes.

"The relationship between the two of them is extremely out of line from the perspective of the relationship between the monarch and his ministers. It contains too much irrationality and impulsiveness. All this is only because they were completely sincere to each other-holding a piece of sincerity. Friendship is the most important thing, and I always put impulse above expediency, so I can't tolerate the other party's betrayal. Therefore, I can't make a better choice for both of them." The old man said slowly, "I also came later Get that."

"I know what Master means." Zhou Xun said suddenly, rubbing his finger on the phoenix waist badge, and said slowly, "My Majesty and I are not the kind of monarch-subject relationship between Gaozong and General Shen, to be honest..."

Thinking of the emperor, he narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Even I myself don't understand what kind of relationship we have. A competent minister can have friendship with the king, but he can't really treat each other as ordinary people. friend. Is this what Master wants to say?"

"Complete mutual dependence and excessive love-hate passion are fatal to the relationship between the minister and the emperor." The old man said, "I can see that you want to be a minister. You are not a civil servant who can add icing on the cake and sing praises for the court. But a true courtier."

When the old man said this, Zhou Cai's figure flashed in Zhou Xun's mind.

"But it may be too early to tell you this now. Even between a husband and wife who are united by love, there will be a few days when they have different dreams in the same bed 360 days a year. But love does not guarantee that two people will leave forever On the way to the same direction." The old man smiled, "But you must always understand what you want to do, what you are entering the court for, or as far as you are-"

Your Majesty, what the hell is it.

"I am different from General Shen, and the emperor is also different from Gaozong. The emperor has a pure heart." Zhou Xun said firmly, remembering a word from the emperor, "He is... an idealist. And I agree with him ideal."

"Idealist?" The old man chewed the word, "It's a good thing to be in love with an idealist, but with an idealist, there is always someone who thinks more and walks harder to be able Go longer, longer, further."

Under the candlelight, Zhou Xun smiled.

His smile was firm and bright.

"I don't think it's hard work," he said, "I think it's a kind of happiness."

……

As long as the lights in the temple were on, the emperor stayed in the courtyard outside.Mosquitoes are buzzing in the plum grove on a summer night.The emperor finally couldn't bear it anymore after doing a lot of movements similar to gymnastics on the spot, and looked at the head of the dark guard.

Emperor: "I heard that you are very skilled?"

The head of the dark guard: "What is the emperor's order?"

Emperor: "I entrust you with a very important task. In this forest, there are many assassins who are as light as swallows..."

The head of the dark guard: "..."

Emperor: "I order you to fight mosquitoes for me."

After the head of the dark guards killed No.13 assassins with black and white patterns, the figure in blue finally emerged from the temple.

Zhou Xun walked behind, and in front was the old man with white beard—the emperor now knows that his name is Shen Huanju.Shen Huanju walked out of Hongmeifang, Zhou Xun stood there for a long time, as if thinking about something.

After he came out, the emperor hid behind the stone and watched him secretly.Seeing that his whole body was in good condition, he was relieved.

"By the way," the emperor suddenly said to the dark guard, "You said just now that Brother Xun has found us?"

The dark guard nodded.The emperor said: "Oh! Then I will go out in a dignified way!"

As he spoke, he took a step out and then retracted.

Emperor: "Forget it, it's a bit embarrassing to go out at this time, or else, I will confess after he returns?"

Head of the Dark Guard: ...

Zhou Xun waited in front of the temple for a while, and saw a movable corner of his clothes behind the stone from a distance.He thought about it, and decided to take care of the emperor's self-esteem - pretending he didn't see it.

He returned to the palace by car.On the way, he said to the coachman, "Please slow down."

The coachman didn't understand what he meant, Zhou Xun said slowly: "Give him a chance to go back to the palace earlier than me and take care of his self-esteem."

Coachman: ...

"Forget it, entering the palace late at night is too eye-catching." Zhou Xun thought for a while and said, "Let's find an inn nearby and stay here. You don't have to go too far."

He saw that the lights seemed to be still on in the distance. Although he didn't know where it was, it must be a very prosperous commercial area, so he said, "Live near there."

Not far behind Zhou Xun.

Looking at Zhou Xun's carriage heading west, the emperor's face turned blue.

The hidden guard: "Your Majesty..."

"What are you still doing?!" The emperor tremblingly said, "Catch me!"