Dingjiangshan

"Does the third brother know about the fourth brother?" Ning Yan asked suddenly.

When Ning Yu forced a confession to usurp the throne, Ning Zheng had already been crowned king and came to Anqing Mansion away from the capital.The uproar started vigorously, but ended quietly. It was forced to be locked in the palace city, and there was almost no news.

Ning Zheng didn't know what happened that day at first, but after Ruan Yin wrote him a letter explaining what happened that day, Ning Zheng learned that Ning Yu was even bolder than him, and actually had the guts to force the palace to rebel at the banquet.

"Xiao Liu, do you want to use the results of the fourth child to warn me, or do you want me to use him as a lesson for the past and thank you for your compassion." Ning Zheng bit the accent deliberately, and then smiled nonchalantly: Forget it, Xiao Liu, why bother with the defeated general."

Ning Yan stared at Ning Zheng for a while.

I haven't seen him for ten years, but his third elder brother has changed from a young man in prime of life to a middle-aged man who has experienced many vicissitudes. His temples are gray and his eyes do not live up to the demeanor of the "eldest son". Bent, although it looks like the back is still straight, but no matter how you look at it, there is a taste of bravado.

Time has carved deep marks on his face, and it also completely distinguishes Ning Zheng from the third brother in Ning Yan's impression.

Ning Yan averted his eyes lightly from his face, and turned to look at the mountains outside the pavilion.

The gentle smile on Ning Yan's face was slightly restrained, which made him look cold.

"Perhaps the third brother doesn't know that when the fourth brother forced the palace to usurp the throne, I stood beside the late emperor." Ning Yan said flatly: "At that time, the fourth brother pointed at my nose and scolded me and the late emperor, asking Why did the first emperor lie to him? Did he not regard him as his son at all? It's just that before he finished speaking, he was pierced by an arrow and died in front of my eyes. Although I was young at the time, the appearance of my fourth brother at that time Still fresh in my memory.”

Ning Yan's throat choked up, and he pursed his lips, unable to speak further.

Ning Zheng looked up at him.

Ning Yan noticed Ning Zheng's gaze, but he didn't turn his head, still staring at Lin Hai in the distance, and remained silent for a long time.

"Third brother." Ning Yan finally said, "You and fourth brother are both my elder brothers...we are blood brothers."

Brother Tian, ​​no one has ever talked to Ning Zheng like this.

Ning Zheng's two brothers died early, and he used the name of the eldest son to fight with Ning Yu, the son of the favorite concubine, for so many years. They conspired with each other countless times, and occasionally they sat down and chatted, all of which were hidden schemes. , never really confided.

As for Ning Yan, he and Ning Yu were in their prime at the time, and Ning Yan was just a child who was not as tall as a human thigh. The little ones brought up by the palace are ignored.

At that time, in order to win the title of "eldest brother" in front of Ning Zongyuan, Ning Zheng also did a lot of respectful things in front of Ning Zongyuan.He still remembered that the sixth younger brother was afraid of hardships and sourness, loved sweets very much, and would occasionally bring him some small snacks when he was out of the palace.

In fact, if it was Ning Yu sitting in front of him today, Ning Zheng would either stand up and wipe his neck without saying a word, or he would never stop dying. .

But it happened to be Ning Yan.

In fact, Ning Zheng never hated Ning Yan when he learned the truth afterwards.

Just like Ning Yu back then, he was resentful, confused, and smashed a whole study decoration. He only felt that half of his life planning was a joke, a play under Ning Zongyuan's hands.

But after he calmed down later, he found it very ridiculous - because Ning Yan was too young, he was ignorant, he couldn't fight or rob, and he didn't have a capable uncle to help him, and he didn't have a shrewd mother and concubine to help with calculations .Being able to get this throne is just a pawn played by their wise and mighty father, essentially no different from him.

Ning Zheng could not hate his younger brother intellectually, nor could he hate his father emotionally, so he could only hold on to the last bit of hope, thinking that one day he would fight back to the capital with his own ability and take down the dragon chair with his own hands.

"Why is third brother so stubborn to rebel." Ning Yan said, "Is that dragon chair really so beautiful?"

"People are the most generous only with what they have." Ning Zheng said, "Sitting there, you naturally feel that there is nothing special."

"Really?" Ning Yan gave a low laugh and said, "...Maybe it's true."

Ning Yan lowered his eyes halfway, he didn't look happy, but rather lonely.

Ning Zheng had to admit that whether it was showing his true feelings, or just playing the emotional card again, he couldn't help but be moved by Ning Yan's "brothers" for a moment.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Ning Zheng said.

"I have nothing to say." Ning Yan turned his head, raised his chin towards the carriage parked not far away, and said, "I have made a good status for my third brother - neither prominent nor rich, But barely making ends meet is not a problem. The third brother is going all the way north to find a small place in Liangzhou, and live the rest of his life An Ansheng."

"I won't kill you, but I will announce that you are dead." Ning Yan said: "Today is probably the last time between you and my brother—how about this tea?"

Ning Zheng looked down at the half bowl of tea in front of him and said, "It's very fragrant."

"That's good." Ning Yan said: "It's getting late, let's go on the road after drinking."

Ning Zheng was silent for a while, and instead of touching the bowl of tea, he asked, "What do you want me to do, just say it."

Ning Yan withdrew his gaze, glanced at him in surprise, and asked back: "Is there anything else worthy of my conspiracy?"

Ning Zheng was speechless——Ning Yan let him go and announced his death to the world. He didn't get the safety of cutting grass and roots, and he didn't get the reputation of caring for his siblings. What is he plotting.

"If you have to say something, then please ask the third brother to take pity on the person in front of you." Ning Yan glanced lightly at Shen Tinghe, who had been looking at this side not far away, and said: "The third sister-in-law is infatuated with the third brother." .”

Ning Zheng also looked back subconsciously when he heard the words, Shen Tinghe in the distance couldn't hear the conversation between the two of them, so he could only keep looking at this side worriedly, trying to get closer from time to time, but was pulled back again, looking It's so pitiful.

"I don't owe you any favors." Ning Zheng turned his head after only one glance, sneered, and asked coldly, "Brush, ink, paper and inkstone, take it with you."

Ning Yan raised his eyebrows, but he didn't pretend to refuse anything.He waved his hand, and the guard behind him swiftly took the tea tray from the table, and laid out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone.

By the looks of it, they came fully prepared.

Ning Zheng reached out to pick up the pen, thought for a while, and wrote a letter to Ruan Yin.This thing is his last favor to Ning Yan, whether to use it or not depends entirely on Ning Yan himself.Regardless of whether Ning Yan is false or false today, at least Ning Zheng believes that he will not be able to do the dirty thing of intercepting and killing halfway, and this letter should return the life he gave him.

Ning Yan was not too polite, and sat quietly on the side, drinking tea and waiting for Ning Zheng to finish writing the letter.

When he returns to Beijing in the future, with Ning Zheng's handwritten letter, Ruan Yin's side will indeed be much easier to deal with.Ning Yan kept this convenience and had to take it.

After writing the letter, Ning Zheng felt that he had repaid Ning Yan's debt, so he didn't want to continue to act like a brother and brother with him. He drank the remaining tea in the bowl, stood up and turned to listen to Shen. He walked in the direction of Ho.

The guards outside the pavilion wanted to reach out to stop him, but Ning Yan stopped him.

Ning Zheng paused, as if he suddenly remembered something, turned his head, and said to Ning Yan: "Today you beat me because I made a mistake in chess, but it doesn't mean that you will be able to sit back and relax forever. You It's best to change your compassionate heart. Even a courtier like Xie Jue can let him lead the elite to fight in the hinterland of the Central Plains. Let the Xie family's reputation become louder and louder in the Central Plains, and his prestige is getting higher and higher. I really don't like it. I know if you're stupid or something."

Ning Yan shook Ning Zheng's handwritten letter in the air, wiped away the ink, raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and replied with a smile: "Third brother's words are wrong, if even a courtier with a heart like Xie Jue needs I can only work for me by intimidating and luring me, so I am a failure as an emperor."

Ning Zheng choked when he turned against the general.His face changed and changed, he hesitated to speak several times, and finally he turned and left without saying anything.

He was speechless.

The Xie family has served as generals for several generations, and they are loyal. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are stupid and loyal. They are the pillars that the imperial court can rest assured.It's one thing to know, but it's another thing to be as innocent as Ning Yan.

Before getting into the car, Ning Zheng couldn't help but glance back at Ning Yan.At that moment, he suddenly felt that what he had worked so hard to plan for the past ten years was really meaningless.

His father's eyes were vicious, just like in the past, and he was not confused at the end - Ning Yan was indeed the most arrogant child in their generation.

"Third brother." Ning Yan suddenly called to stop Ning Zheng.

Ning Zheng turned his head when he heard the sound, and saw that Ning Yan had already walked to the edge of the gazebo.He stood with his hands behind his back, with a faint smile on his face, but his eyes were calm and calm, so that he looked a little cold.

"It's not easy to survive, but it's better to do it yourself." Ning Yan said: "As long as you keep your duty, you will have a good death."

Ning Yan paused, and said, "Zhen will always watch you."

The mountain breeze was slightly cool, and under the setting sun, a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on Ning Zheng's back. His fingers clutching the car door unconsciously tightened a little, and his heart almost missed a beat.

After saying this, Ning Yan turned around and didn't look at him again.Ning Zheng got into the carriage in silence, the driver pulled the reins and shouted to drive, the old horse pulling the cart reluctantly took a step, and soon turned around the winding mountain road and was out of sight.

Until this time, Ning Huaijin, who had been listening quietly by the side, seemed to have come back to his soul again. Shi Shiran straightened up, turned past the imperial guards, walked to Ning Yan, and pulled out the letter from him. A personal letter left by Ning Zheng.

"Your Majesty." Ning Huaijin didn't look at the contents of the letter, but looked directly into Ning Yan's eyes and said, "It's better to retreat first."