Chang'an [Rebirth]

Chai Yuandao is a good painter, he has a nose and eyes, and the word "Zhao Qian" is mentioned on the tortoise shell. Based on this, Chai Zheng is indeed his own.

Seeing Li Duan approaching with a lantern from a distance, Chai Yuandao probably knew that the time had come, and he was a little upset, "It's fine if you want to kill me. Friends who have been friends for many years have gone through life and death, can't you pick a sunny day to send me back to the west? Before dying You got caught in the rain, do you think I'm not wronged enough?"

Li Duan didn't know how to deal with this problem, so he could only lower his eyes and wait slowly for the Duke to finish his scolding. Fortunately, Chai Yuandao was not a storyteller who aspired to tell stories in his later years, so he stopped after a few complaints.

"Okay, let's go," Chai Yuandao rolled up his sleeves, "Just give me an umbrella, Zhao Qian wants to kill me at this time, but he is thinking about my wife and children who are still at ease, and he still can't win after planning half his life. Fat self-esteem, I'm afraid I'm going crazy if I'm crushed to ashes."

Chai Yuandao knew Zhao Qian too well, and every sentence was on the point, so that Li Duan felt that moving the Duke of the country to the Holy Lord to pierce his heart would make the current Holy Lord cry for his mother.

"Don't worry, my lord, your family will not be exposed to the rain. I have already prepared an umbrella." Li Duan is a well-behaved person and always considers everything.

In addition to the officials of the Ministry of Justice, there were more than a dozen guards who escorted Chai Guogong to the execution ground. After all, the Guogong’s mansion is a general, and he can escape from prison at any time if he doesn’t look strict. Chai Yuandao asked again, "Who is the supervisor and beheader?"

Li Duan replied, "The Holy Majesty said that he should send you this journey after many years of friendship."

"It's best to be closer to me when you deliver it," Chai Yuandao gritted his teeth, "I'll make him bleed!"

Li Duan wanted to laugh, but he just bent the corners of his mouth slightly, and invited the Duke out respectfully. Chai Yuandao was wearing handcuffs and shackles. Chai Guogong, who danced an Overlord Spear so vigorously, had to settle down.

There was a long distance between the Heavenly Prison and the Meridian Gate, and it was raining heavily all around. Li Duan held an umbrella for Chai Yuandao, and the raindrops hit the edge of the umbrella. The surroundings are humid, and it always feels thicker than sunny days.

"When I entered the palace for the first time, it was pouring rain. It seems that Eunuch Li held up the umbrella for me?"

Chai Yuandao asked suddenly.

Li Duan nodded, "It's rare that the Duke of the State still remembers...you were still a child at that time."

"You're young too," Chai Yuandao smiled, "You look like a fool."

"My lord is laughing, I was 27 that year." Li Duan responded in a low voice, "I still don't have the ability to serve the late emperor."

"How many years did Eunuch Li serve the late Emperor?" Chai Yuandao asked again.

"Ten years or so," Li Duan said with emotion, "but at that time I was not considered a close minister, and all the close ministers of the late emperor were cut off by the current emperor."

"So, the current sage is your Bole?" Chai Yuandao shook his head again, "But it doesn't count. If the late emperor hadn't promoted him, Eunuch Li would still be a little eunuch holding an umbrella outside the door, and he had to be arranged by the late emperor. , you will appear in the place where the holy majesty can see today."

Silence fell, and only the sound of Yutong's footsteps could be heard in his ears. Li Duan sighed, "After all, the current emperor is young and energetic. The late emperor watched him grow up, so he naturally knows his nature."

The usual peace in the summer thunderstorm was suddenly shattered by the flames. Half of the guards brought by Li Duan were hacked by the knife before they could react. Ruan Linshuang landed on the shoulder of the wall with a lantern and an umbrella. His gaze was even colder than it looked a few days ago.

The road from the Heaven Prison to the Meridian Gate has always been a calamity in her heart. It was also raining the day Chai Zheng was beheaded, and the blood washed down the high execution platform with the rain. There was too much blood, it was scarlet. The color is not light, you can only trace along the cracks of the bricks, and when you look up, it is all part of the Chai Zheng.

A lot of people died here today, blood flowed like rivers, Li Duan took out the key from his sleeve and was locking it for Chai Guogong, but Ruan Linshuang was very calm in her heart, she thought she would never be able to walk this distance again, He couldn't see the blood, but he was standing on the shoulder of the wall, wearing the gold bracelet he made for himself with a Chai Zheng, and those old wounds seemed to have been scarred, leaving only innocuous marks.

The wind blew the rain on Ruan Linshuang's face, the bottom was already ending, and the rain had also subsided. The rain like a cow's hair fell on the back of Ruan Linshuang's hands, but she caught off guard and felt the pain like a needle prick.

Not only that, the night wind itself was not cool, but penetrated through Ruan Linshuang's clothes, like gangrene on the tarsus, and the cold material was as sharp as ice knives, and then spread everywhere.

Ruan Linshuang's fingers were a little stiff when holding the umbrella, but her face was still unmarked, like a bystander hiding in the shadows, until Zhao Linlang, who came back from business, landed beside her, Ruan Linshuang said in a suppressed voice, "Mother, I have been poisoned."

The poison of "Long Worry" is aimed at people with high martial arts skills. Internal strength and toxins are entangled. The higher the martial arts, the faster the poison will develop, but the possibility of survival is also greater. It was only just now that the poison was released, and the offense he suffered at the beginning was not as serious as that of Chai Zheng.

"It's Zhao Qian? When?" Zhao Linlang's face was more serious than Ruan Linshuang's, "My elder brother never wanted to be disadvantaged since he was a child. He used you as a bait to arrange everything. He came here for me. It seems that no matter what time Whether he caught me or not, he doesn't want you to live on."

"After all, only if I die can Zhao Qian close the net." Ruan Linshuang looked far away, "Mother, I want to send a letter to Chai Zheng."

Zhao Linlang didn't know how to comfort the little girl. She wasn't even sure whether Xiao Ruan needed her own comfort. After a while, she could only respond, "Okay, mother will find you the fastest pigeon."

Chang'an City is not peaceful yet, Zhao Qian still has the strength to fight, but the people who betrayed their relatives, even if they can win for a while, it is difficult to win forever. Zhao Qian thought that the power he held in his hands was, after all, the appearance given to him by the late emperor. Even Li Duan has been pleasing to the eye all his life with low eyebrows, so how can he be sincere to him.

"Grandpa, princess, let's leave this place as soon as possible," Li Duan said as a rebellious minister and thief who robbed the death row, but he still looked gentle and cowardly. I am old, since the eldest princess has rescued the Duke, there is no need to stay in the palace."

"I knew that the old man is good at calculation, and he likes to play chess with others the most in his life. It is impossible that the biggest chess game has been arranged properly, but there is no confidant around Zhao Qian." Chai Yuandao moved a little bit. With blood-stained hands, "Eunuch Li, do you want to go back to Zhao Qian?"

"Of course I have to go back," Li Duan smiled, "Master Guo is right, I am just a pawn, when should I use it, when should I discard it, the previous emperor has already made arrangements, if the current emperor is not dead Even if there is an edict in hand, if Her Highness the Eldest Princess wants to kill her elder brother to inherit the throne, she will still be criticized by the world. The position of the Eldest Princess must be clean and clear for a long time."

Chai Yuandao looked serious, "Why, Zhao Qian can still show his own evidence?"

Based on his understanding of Zhao Qian, even if the end of the road is dead and there is no chance of a comeback, Zhao Qian must maintain his dignity even if he dies. He can lose, but he can't be ruined. Otherwise, he would have shamelessly killed those who shared weal and woe back then. Even his own sister was not spared, and these labor-intensive conspiracies were saved.

"I have to thank Miss Ruan for this matter."

Li Duan rushed to Ruan Linshuang who was on the height and nodded slightly, "Miss Ruan has already cooperated with Priest Mu Sang, and the current Holy Majesty tried to control Miss Ruan with puppetry. Everything has a cause and effect."

In Zhao Qian's original plan, as long as Chai Zheng died and the Chai family was punished for conspiracy, Ruan Linshuang would come out to testify that the Musang people were the culprit for using puppet techniques, and then he would blame all the crimes on the Musang priests. Claiming that he has also been hit by the puppet technique... In order to be true, Zhao Qian will definitely let Mu Qing play tricks on him.

However, no matter how much Zhao Qian lowered his vigilance, he would not really rest assured that he would be controlled by the puppet technique. I am afraid that only Mu Qing and Zhao Qian knew exactly how the hands and feet moved.

Mu Qing originally relied on him, as long as he could trap King Keqin for injustice, let Da Jing and Mu Sang go to war, both sides would have no peace, Mu Qing was willing to gamble with his life, but Ruan Linshuang dismissed her idea again——

If Yueqing's daughter is still alive, if she is really the high priest of Wuheng, Mu Qing will not be in a hurry to die, she just wants to hand over the country to Yaoyao, not just fight to the death, she will be happy under the nine springs.

Zhao Qian had been planning for half his life, how could he think that he would get the first emperor whose bones were turned into ashes, down to the close minister who was promoted by one hand, even the accomplice who purely used the relationship and hoped that the other party would die was not sincerely on his side, the agency counted In the end, he was defeated by the hearts of the people.

"My lord," Ruan Linshuang turned to Chai Guogong, "All the rebels have been properly deployed inside and outside Chang'an City. I told them not to reveal their identities. I just wait for you to ascend... You have experience in eliminating rebellious parties. , I’m afraid we’ll have to do it again today, we don’t have much time, and only when we settle down here will we have the energy to support Chai Zheng and Wang Wan.”

"I know," Chai Yuandao didn't want to delay, "After three hours, I will be able to occupy the city gate, but if I want to go to the palace, I need the cooperation of Eunuch Li."

Li Duan nodded slightly, "I should do my best."

"In addition, I also hope that the Duke of the State will bring my father. Once Zhao Qian finds out that everyone has escaped, my father will become the only target." Ruan Linshuang's physical strength was rapidly draining, and the blood on her lips had faded. Her figure was shaking slightly, Zhao Linlang paid close attention to her, for fear that Xiao Ruan would fall off the wall.

But Ruan Linshuang stood upright, her gaze didn't waver, Zhao Linlang finally understood why Xiao Ruan had such a cold temper, so she recognized Chai Zheng.

In fact, in the final analysis, the two little girls are similar in their bones. There are so many elders around, and they will find a way to support them when the sky falls. Unless they really fall, people in the world will not be crushed with.

"I will personally go to the mansion to pick up brother Yuzhang," Zhao Linlang interrupted her endless worries, "Little Ruan, didn't you just say that you wanted to send a letter to Zheng'er? Your uncle and I will clean up here." Endgame, you go to the inn to find Zhang Fan and the others, write a letter and send it out of Chang'an City, and I will let someone protect the pigeon."

Ruan Linshuang was indeed a little tired. She had seen Chai Zheng's poisonous hair before, and she thought she would be prepared for it. However, when it really happened, Ruan Linshuang felt that Chai Zheng was more annoying. Being troubled by "long worry" and being able to smile happily, this kind of pain Being tightly blocked, it turned out that what I saw was only one ten-thousandth of it.

She didn't try to be brave any more, she just whispered, "Mother, I'm the only one who knows about this matter, otherwise Zhao Qian will be blamed."

Zhao Linlang nodded, "I know, take care of yourself."

Fortunately, the inn was not far away. Zhao Linlang sent two more guards to send Xiao Ruan out of the palace. Zhang Fan was not a questioner. He had been hiding in the middle of Chang'an City for several days. Ten people packed up the inn.

Those who joined the army were light sleepers, and when they heard the movement below, they hurried to open the door, and saw that Ruan Linshuang's complexion was not good, and his whole body was cold, Zhang Fan quickly ordered to boil hot water, and then asked, "Military teacher, are you right?" I'm sick, do you want to call a doctor?"

Ruan Linshuang shook her head, she only had a little strength left to shake her head.

Even if her poison brought Zhang Xingzhong back from the land of two rivers, it would only delay her time. She was no better than Chai Zheng back then, and the "Changyou" just hit was like a weed growing wildly, and she didn't have deep internal strength to fight against it.

Zhang Fan was at a loss for a while, but caution and tact were engraved in his bones. When he was in Mobei, he had seen Chai Zheng poisoned. The symptoms of the military division now were similar to it. He suddenly lowered his voice, Let the other people in the room go out first, and tell them to keep their mouths shut. No one can tell what happened to Ruan Linshuang today.

Immediately, Zhang Fan bolted the door. He half-kneeled in front of Ruan Linshuang and said, "When the little general left, he entrusted me with the general division, and asked me to take good care of it no matter what. It's a bad situation, and if you can't speak, I'll ask and you nod or shake your head."

Ruan Linshuang's vision was a bit blurred, Zhang Fan's words came to his ears forcefully, and he said again, "The little general was seriously injured back then, and he survived because of you, Miss Ruan, please don't give up."

Without wasting time, Zhang Fan continued, "Are you poisoned?"

Ruan Linshuang nodded slightly.

"Is there an antidote to poison?"

Ruan Linshuang nodded again.

Zhang Fan's heart fell back to its original place, "Is the antidote on you?"

Nod a third time.

"It's important to save people. This subordinate has offended you." After Zhang Fan finished speaking, he touched Ruan Linshuang's cuffs and chest, and found out a white porcelain bottle, which looked like there were more than a dozen pills in it. Zhang Fan hurriedly asked, " Is it this one?"

This bottle of antidote was originally used to save Chai Zheng, but at that time, the residual poison of Chai Zheng had already disappeared, and taking the antidote would mess up the doctor's rhythm. Ruan Linshuang also knew what kind of person Zhao Qian was. Well, since the poison of "Changyou" is so effective, there may be other people after Chai Zheng, so she always carries this bottle of medicine, just in case it is needed.

This unforeseen need was so guarded against myself.

After taking the medicine and drinking water, the ubiquitous pain finally dissipated. When the "long worry" broke out, it turned out that even breathing was painful. The air poured into the lung cavity like gravel. There was a faint smell of blood in his mouth, which couldn't be covered up no matter how much water he drank.

She closed her eyes and rested for a while, then asked Zhang Fan, "I want to write a letter to the little general, do you have any ink here?"

Zhang Fan nodded. He kept squatting all the time. Seeing that his military adviser had slowed down, he started to move his legs and feet, and he hopped around with his left foot like a limp. The pigeon was originally used to communicate letters with Mobei, it is not as clever as the little general's old raven, and not as fierce as the Duke's eagle, if you don't mind it, you can release it tonight."

"It's enough to have pigeons. No matter how good eagles and ravens are, after all, they will recognize people but not their way. I'm afraid Chai Zheng is on the battlefield right now, and those who recognize people can't find her."

When Ruan Linshuang mentioned Chai Zheng, her tone was always a little more gentle, and she said again, "Get ready to write."

Zhang Fan agreed.

The letter was not long, but it was not until dawn that the pigeons were released. Zhang Fan also asked his own people in Chang'an to watch, so as not to be shot down halfway through the flight.

There were only nine words written on the letter, "There are so many mountains and rivers, I suddenly miss you."

This letter is irrelevant, but Ruan Linshuang just felt that she had to write it. Her heart was hanging, she couldn't go back to the cage, and she had to wait for the pigeon to fly out. This thought was better, so that she finally had something to think about besides Chai Zheng. Nothing else.

"How many pigeons do you have?" Ruan Linshuang asked.

Zhang Fan blinked, "Master Military Advisor, if you want to drink pigeon soup, I'll go outside and buy you specially raised meat pigeons. I can't eat these because it has no meat."

"..." At night, he was quite reliable, but as the sun rose, he gradually became mentally handicapped.

But these days, everyone's spirits are tense. It's rare to close the net soon, and I'm afraid of the last flick of the fish in the net.

Ruan Linshuang said, "I'm going to send another letter to Chai Zheng. Seriously, how many pigeons do you have?"

"There are four in total. One flew to Liangzhou two days ago, and another one was released just now." Zhang Fan pinched his fingers.

"Leave one bowl for Wang, it's just right." Ruan Linshuang is very good at settling accounts, she looked up at Zhang Fan who was hesitant to speak, "I really have something important to discuss with Chai Zheng, and I will pay you a pigeon house later." This is what moved Zhang Fan.

Zhang Fan wasn't in charge of feeding pigeons originally, but no one else in Chang'an city could raise them. Chai Zheng also did a lot of work to drive ducks to the shelves. At first, he bought ten spare pigeons, but in the end only these four survived. Treating them as their own, they are very precious. Chai Zheng didn't even get one when he went to the south of the Yangtze River, so he could only barely use it with the eagle and the old raven.

This time the letter was sent very quickly. It was easier for Ruan Linshuang and Chai Zheng to do business than to say "I miss you". When Zhang Fan brought the pigeon over, Ruan Linshuang was stuffing the note into the bamboo tube.

She looked up and asked Zhang Fan, "Is there any food in the kitchen?"

"There should be more," Zhang Fan was busy tying the bamboo tube to the pigeon's leg, "but it needs to be warmed up, and I can ask someone to make it now."

"No need," Ruan Linshuang stood up from behind the desk and stretched, "It's fine if you have steamed buns... I'm going out later. If the Duke and the Princess come back, let them not hesitate. The timing should be right." arrive."

"Where is the military advisor going...?" Zhang Fan looked up, but Ruan Linshuang had already disappeared from his vision.

There were no steamed buns in the kitchen, but there were two drawers of pastries, lined with hot water underneath, just right for the entrance, warm and soft, Ruan Linshuang didn't eat much, she needed to recover her strength after what happened last night.

Most of the palace that was burned down was not bright even in daytime. The imperial study room, which was originally well-lit, always seemed to be covered with a layer of veil. Zhao Qian sat behind the counter, and there was no one around. Duan is not here, and neither is Mu Qing.

A mess of memorials were piled up in front of him, with stamps on them. The one in Zhao Qian's hand was written to him by Ruan Yuzhang more than a month ago. The child is good, when he left Beijing, he could take an official job back, and now Liu Chuan and the others also accept him, so he can be regarded as a successor to Chai Yuandao.

Zhao Qian had seen this memorial a long time ago, and gave instructions, but it was still the same way, saying that he trusted Ruan Yuzhang, and he could do whatever he wanted... Ruan Yuzhang has been working hard to clean up Liangjiang's officialdom these years, but he just met here. When it is clear, Zhao Qian will follow suit, and it is just an endless loop.

Today's sage knows that Ruan Yuzhang is a talented person, but Liangjiang is rich and the main source of money and food for the treasury. Zhao Qian is not at ease if there are Ruan Yuzhang's people all over the place, but he arranges the past to be flattering and incompetent, although he can do it Whenever there is a trouble, they will report it to the police, but most of the time they add fuel and vinegar. The Liangjiang government has produced a lot of heads in recent years, and they have cut off one crop after another.

Ruan Yuzhang's student friends had long since withered, and he had gradually seen His Majesty's intentions, and he had already been completely disappointed, otherwise, how could such a loving person like Ruan Yuzhang let him go to the end of his life if they would kill each other.

My heart is so cold, sitting in this empty study, I suddenly feel lonely and helpless.

The falling curtain was blown by the wind, Ruan Linshuang stood in the shadow, Zhao Qian didn't know how long she had been here, half of the guards in the palace couldn't believe it, even a small task like escorting Chai Yuandao to the execution ground could go wrong, let alone protect emperor.

"I thought it would be Lin Lang." Zhao Qian didn't show any sign of depression because of his crushing defeat. In such adversity, he is still the emperor who stands aloof.

"His Royal Highness the Princess will not be coming." Ruan Linshuang came out from behind the curtain. Apart from her pale face, there was nothing wrong with her. She even changed the wet clothes from last night, and she leaned lazily on the On a scarlet pillar.

She was like a handful of snow, and every word she uttered in this empty imperial study was like icicles colliding with each other, and the ground was deserted and deserted.

Zhao Qian looked at her for a while, "Are you not poisoned?"

"The Holy Majesty personally put the poison in my teacup, can I avoid it?" Ruan Linshuang smiled, "In order to make you let go of your guard, I am willing to risk my life."

"But you now..." There was an echo in the imperial study, and Zhao Qian hurriedly cut it off with a sentence, colliding with the echoes from all around, "So it's you, so you've already figured it out, hahahahaha Haha, I actually lost to a little girl!"

Ruan Linshuang had been poisoned, but now she appeared in front of him without incident, which meant that she had an antidote in her hands, and the antidote for "Changyou" was rare, and it was hard to make up the medicine. Only the porcelain bottle he gave Ruan Linshuang back then It contained the antidote, but the antidote was to save Chai Zheng.

Chai Zheng didn't use the antidote—from the moment they arrived in Chang'an City, they were already calculating.

The muffled laughter lasted for a long time, and Ruan Linshuang didn't interrupt him, until Zhao Qian was tired of laughing, and said coldly, "Those antidote can only save you for a while, and you will die when they are exhausted, little one." Ruan, I don't know why you are so young, why you are trying to harm me, but on Huangquan Road, I am afraid that none of our uncles and nephews will be one step behind."

"Your Majesty," Ruan Linshuang was not afraid, "If I were to die, Chai Zheng, my father, the eldest princess, and even the Duke... they would all try their best to save me, but Your Majesty, open your eyes and see, the imperial city is hundreds of miles away. , the country is vast, but there is one person who is willing to do his best for you?"