Biganchun

The weather is bitingly cold, the tiles are cold and the eaves are clear, and it is already the season of light snow.

Between the courtyards of Jinglue Mansion in Qingzhou City, the figures of generals and post soldiers pass through from time to time.It has been more than a month since Fan Zhongyan returned from patrolling the front line of Dashun City.Confidential affairs in the mansion are busy again, especially in the evening every day.

Zhan Zhao walked out of Fan Zhongyan's study, he had just delivered several urgent tasks, he was relieved at first, but he saw a personal guard waiting outside the study door approaching, leaning over to say a few words to him.He frowned, and before he could tighten his fur coat, he went straight to the backyard.

In the wing room at the end of the courtyard, the door is closed.Zhan Zhao pushed the door open and hurried into the house.

The fire was slightly drunk, the candlelight was dimly melting, and the smell of medicinal herbs lingered in the room.Qingcheng was lying on the couch in a daze.On the pier in front of her bed, Deng Ruinian sat holding his breath, taking her pulse.

The bitter cry at the head of Dashun City seemed to consume most of her energy.On the way back to Gyeongju with Fan Zhongyan, she caught a cold, and the illness has lingered to this day.A few days ago, Japan seemed to have gradually improved, but this afternoon, the symptoms aggravated again.

Zhan Zhao took a few steps to the couch, gazed at Qing Cheng's sick face, and asked Deng Ruinian in a deep voice, "Mr. Deng, how is the Princess?"

Since Zhong Shiheng passed away, Deng Ruinian followed his will and came to Qingzhou from Qingjian City to accompany Fan Zhongyan.This time when Qingcheng fell ill, Fan Zhongyan ordered him to take care of him for diagnosis and treatment.He used to take care of Qingcheng in Slender Waist City, but seeing that Qingcheng was seriously ill this time, he was even more conscientious and stayed around in Qingcheng's room for days.

Seeing that it was Zhan Zhao who came, Deng Ruinian quickly got up and replied, "Lord Zhan, the princess has a high fever again in the afternoon, and it's quite urgent. I've ordered her to take Bupleurum Powder. If the medicine is effective, I'll have to wait for the pills. Recurrence of typhoid fever is also a common occurrence. Her pulse is weak at the moment, but there is no danger at the moment, Master Zhan need not worry too much."

Zhan Zhao experienced it himself, and he was very convinced of Deng Ruinian's medical skills, but Qingcheng is not a very human body, and the disease has dragged on for so long, he was worried, leaned over and sat on the head of the bed, and sighed deeply.

Qingcheng faintly heard the voice of Zhan Zhao and Deng Ruinian talking, and reluctantly opened his eyes.Seeing Zhan Zhao sitting beside her, she smiled at him with a relaxed brow.

Zhan Zhao saw that her eyes were dark and her cheeks were slightly blush, unlike usual, when he stretched out his hand towards her forehead, he felt hot when he touched it.He felt a pain in his heart, his brows were furrowed, and he remained silent.

Seeing this situation, Deng Ruinian said in a low voice: "Lord Zhan, please sit down for a while, I'll write down the princess' evening prescription and send it to the pharmacy, and I'll be back soon."

Zhan Zhao nodded his thanks, Deng Ruinian got up and left.

Qingcheng sighed softly and struggled to sit up: "I'm fine, and Mr. Deng is a famous doctor. Your words and expression just now are too nervous. If Mr. Deng will misunderstand that you have doubts about him, what should you do?" Is good?"

Zhan Zhao carefully helped her sit down, took off his fur coat and put it on her shoulders: "Mr. Deng has always known that I am a human being, so he will not blame me. You have been sick for the past few days, and it was easy to see you better yesterday, but today you suddenly feel hot , how can I not worry?"

Qingcheng wrapped up her fur clothes tightly and leaned against the head of the bed: "Illness disappears like silk. I have nothing to do right now, I just need to rest slowly. Why are you so anxious?"

She paused, stretched out her hand from under the pillow, put her palm in front of Zhan Zhao, and said in a low voice, "Your guess about that matter is really good."

Zhan Zhao's eyes trembled, he stared at her palm, his face was serious, his eyebrows trembled slightly.

After a long time, he let out a long sigh, stretched out his hand to take what was in Qingcheng's palm, put it away in his arms, raised his head and looked into Qingcheng's eyes: "How did you get it?"

Qingcheng lowered her eyebrows and said, "I went to get it myself at four o'clock last night."

Zhan Zhao's brows suddenly tightened: "You... Do you want me to tie you by your side before you are willing to recuperate quietly? How cold is it in the middle of the night in this season? You are already so weak, why do you still not know?" Cherish half of yourself?"

His voice was heavy and filled with deep anger.Qingcheng seemed to be expecting it, and lowered her head and said: "This matter is of great importance. I can't let go of it for a while, so I will make my own decisions. I didn't expect it to be like this... Now I am dizzy and very sad. If you want to scold me Can I wait until tomorrow?"

Zhan Zhao looked at her for a long while, shook his head and sighed, and gently put his hands on her shoulders: "Your tricks of showing weakness and begging for mercy can no longer fool me... Tomorrow I will go to Yanzhou to meet with Pang Da to discuss the military situation. Next, I still have to go to Qinfeng Road and Jingyuan Road. I'm afraid it will take two or three months before I can come back. How can I go with peace of mind if you are in such a situation today... Sigh, even if there are thousands of tricks in my heart, why can't I Think for yourself... If I knew you would be so brave, I would never have told you about it yesterday..."

Qingcheng leaned into his arms helplessly, and said softly: "The matter has come to this point, it is useless to talk more... Now that the arrow is on the string, how do you want to deal with it?"

Zhan Zhao said slowly, "I have my own reasons for the rest of the matter, so you don't have to worry about it."

Qingcheng raised his head, and there was a faint worry in his eyes: "This matter must involve a lot, how can I not ask?... What's more, he is a person who is cold on the outside and hot on the inside. hurt him."

Zhan Zhao sighed: "This is the end of the matter, I'm afraid there will be no way out...I'm going out soon, and the decision on this matter must be made tonight, and there can be no further delay."

He felt that Qingcheng's body trembled slightly, took off her fur coat from her shoulders and put it aside, and helped her lie down again: "Don't worry, I will take care of it properly. Your first priority now is to get a good sleep, other things No need to ask."

Qingcheng saw that he insisted on semantics, not allowing herself to get involved, so she shook her head and sighed.She was trying to cheer herself up when she was ill, but now seeing Zhan Zhao by her side, she calmed down, closed her eyes, and fell asleep leaning on the pillow within a short while.

Sitting quietly in front of the couch, Zhan Zhao saw that her sleeping face had turned peaceful, with thin sweat on her forehead, knowing that the decoction she had just taken had taken effect.He felt emotional in his heart, and just wanted to be by her side, but after thinking about it, he finally sighed softly, got up and went out.

Walking through the corridor and courtyard, turning around the atrium, the night is getting darker.The side room under the court is quiet, and there is no sound.

Zhan Zhao came to the door, held his breath for a moment, raised his hand and knocked twice.The footsteps were soft and approaching, the door opened, revealing a green shirt and sarong, it was Nalan.

She looked up and saw it was Zhan Zhao, feeling slightly surprised, she hurriedly let him into the room, leaned over and said, "Lord Zhan, Lord Di is in the Shenji camp, and I'm afraid he won't be back until after Xu. If Lord Zhan has something important to do, please return." Please send someone over there to find him."

Zhan Zhao nodded and said, "I know Di Qing isn't here. I'm here to find you."

Nalan paused suddenly, turned around slowly, and raised his hand to close the door.She bowed her head and thought for a moment, then turned around: "Does Master Zhan have any orders?"

Zhan Zhao was silent for a while, then said in a deep voice, "Do you have anything to say to me?"

Nalan lowered his head and said, "This servant is dull, and doesn't know how to convey the meaning of what your lord said."

Zhan Zhao stared at the expression on her face: "In the same way, if you say it, it may change the world and bring the dead back to life, but if it's me, it's a matter of business, and there is no way to change it."

Nalan stood with his eyes downcast, but his face was still extremely calm, as if the situation here was expected.

She smiled wryly: "Nalan has nothing to say."

Zhan Zhao seemed to have expected her to do so, nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll talk about it."

He walked away two steps slowly, and said slowly: "A thousand miles away, under the northern peak of Helan Mountain, there is a village called Bayan Village. There are forests of sand willows and clear streams like streams. For generations, Wuhuan has lived tribe."

Nalan's shoulders trembled, he raised his head, and looked in front of Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao said again: "20 years ago, Nabayan Village was brutally poisoned by the party. The patriarch endured humiliation and made a covenant in order to preserve the blood of the clan. Life, but the blood and tears of every family, the mourning of every family, can no longer be full of flesh and blood."

He paused, Nalan's eyes darkened, and he lowered his head again.

Zhan Zhao sighed: "There is a family in the village. The couple are both hunters, and they have a daughter and a son. The eldest daughter is named Wu Min, who is very talented. She likes to play with birds since she was a child. A man who raises poultry. When Wu Min was 15 years old, she was forcibly conscripted into the Wayao village by Dangxiang. Two years later, the Wayao village was destroyed by Ren Fu, and she was also sent to the Yanzhou military camp with many Qiang slaves."

Nalan shook his head slowly and said, "Wumin is already dead. She has been dead since the day she left Bayan Village."

Zhan Zhao shook his head and said, "I always believe that even if you change your name and appearance, there is still something in people's heart that will never change. Even if the person standing in front of me is no longer the same person as Ba Wu Min, who is carefree in Yan Village, will never be a party member who helps the evildoers and discriminates right from wrong."

Nalan held back his tears and said, "Master Zhan, how did you know all this?"

Zhan Zhao said in a deep voice: "Two years ago, Zhang Yuan's letter appeared in the Jinglue Mansion in Yanzhou. I already knew that there was a secret party hidden in the Song Ying. I searched all the clues in the Jinglue Mansion that night. , but found nothing. Later I found out that the person who left the book for Zhang Yuan was ordered to go to the Chinese army's tent with the girls in the clothes tent that night by chance."

Nalan said sadly: "If I knew that I would meet him in the Chinese army tent that night, I would never go there."

Zhan Zhao said quietly: "From that night on, you have been arranged by him to live in the Jinglue Mansion and serve him around. Fan He once arranged for you to be a maidservant in the inner courtyard, but you refused to accept it and continued to live in Ma The house does rough work. This is unusual, and I noticed it at the time. It’s just that you have always kept yourself safe, and there is no change. I only think that I am nervous and too nervous.”

"Until later, you came to Gyeongju with us, and by chance, Fan He assigned you to clean the pigeon loft. The pigeon loft gets up every morning, and when the pigeons are feeding and defecating, they are dirty and messy. Many handymen are unwilling to take the morning shift. .You were supposed to be in the afternoon, but you specially changed to the morning with others. Fan He mentioned this to me inadvertently, and I suddenly became vigilant in my heart, so I made up my mind and sent someone to investigate the details of your origin. If not, you Normally, under the shadow of him, no one may have the slightest suspicion of you."

Nalan Huoran raised his head and said in a trembling voice: "Lord Zhan, the ins and outs of this matter have nothing to do with him! He has always been extremely cautious, and his military situation is confidential. He never brought it to the room, and never confided the matter to me. At this point, I have nothing to say, but please don't implicate him."

Zhan Zhao frowned and said: "If you really care about him so much, why are you still willing to let the party drive you?... I heard that the party party's intentions in using it are mostly not about assassination, but about military affairs. I have always known that he is cautious and never I will disclose the secret to you, so I deliberately left several military documents in Fan He's room in September. On top of the documents, there are all news about the transfer of Huanqing Road. These news were later learned by Dangxiang. Xia Junhou is here On the way, troops were sent to ambush. It’s just that I had informed the receiving battalion in advance, so they changed the route, and they were not troubled...In Fan He’s room, except for your daily cleaning, no outsiders came in and out. At that time, I concluded , you are the secret room of the party. But I checked all the pigeons in the loft, but there was nothing unusual. The inspection of the military pigeons has always been very strict, and no foreign species has been mixed in. For a while, I can't verify that you and the party The method of scouting internal and external communication."

He sighed: "Fortunately, the Uighur lineage is also a master of this way. Princess Gan Ning has been ill since she came back. Yesterday I saw that she was in better spirits, so I couldn't help but mention this to her. She told I am proficient in raising poultry, and I can make secret bait to feed the carrier pigeons. If the carrier pigeons are on the way, if they encounter such bait, they will fly down and peck at it, and the information they carry will also be leaked. I had an urgent matter last night. In the middle of the night, the Princess took advantage of illness to check the two hundred pigeons in the house."

Zhan Zhao stretched out his hand, holding three slender feathers in the palm of his hand: "She exhausted all night and finally found out that the red spots on the underarms of the three carrier pigeons were caused by eating the secret bait. One of the three military pigeons , is the one that sent the news of Huanqing Road's transfer that day! She worked hard and finally got the evidence, but because of this, the course of her illness has become more acute, and she is still in a coma at the moment."

Nalan lowered his head with tears in his eyes: "Master Zhan, I have committed a serious crime, and there is no more forgiveness for it. I will let you deal with it."

Zhan Zhao said in a deep voice: "Do you know that if the enemy's secret room is verified to be true, they will be cut and divided?"

Nalan nodded slowly: "I knew it early on."

Zhan Zhao took a deep breath: "I know that you are forced by the party and cannot help yourself. If you give out the contact details of the party's scouts with you, I will ask Mr. Fan to give you a lighter sentence. If you are punished as a criminal and a meritorious service, you may be saved from death. "

Nalan said with tears in his eyes, "Master Zhan, thank you for your kindness. I will receive whatever punishment I deserve, and I don't need to bother you any more."

Zhan Zhao shook his head and said, "You are serving the party to protect your family. If you die here, you will never be able to go back and reunite with them."

Nalan held back tears and looked up and asked, "Master Zhan, when you sent someone to visit Bayan Village, was my family all right?"

Zhan Zhao sighed, "Your parents are still alive, barely able to get by. Your younger brother was conscripted into the Young Master's Army in the winter of last year, and now he is dead or alive."

Nalan was shocked, stepped forward and grabbed Zhan Zhao's sleeve: "What did you say..."

Although Zhan Zhao couldn't bear it in his heart, he finally nodded slowly.

Nalan stood there in a daze, and murmured: "No...they clearly promised me that within three years, Luo Ying would not be recruited...they clearly...promised me..."

She suddenly let go, her body softened, and she knelt down on the ground, crying bitterly.

Zhan Zhao sighed, "Now that you know what kind of people they are, do you want to keep a secret for them?"

Nalan cried for a long while, then suddenly stopped crying: "Master Zhan, you don't need to say any more. They still have hundreds of members of my clan. If I reveal half of the secrets, not only those members of my clan will die for me, but all the people in our village will die for me." The people who stay here can't survive at all. I don't regret my death, but I can't implicate the lives of my whole family."

Zhan Zhao felt a deep pain for her, but the matter was far-reaching, so he had to say again: "But even if you keep your mouth shut, will your clansmen be safe and sound? The party has always been back-and-forth, and has no sincerity. Your brother's matter, Isn't it just an example?"

Nalan's breath fluctuated, and he said slowly: "Lord Zhan, I have made up my mind and I will never change it. If you try to persuade me again, I will immediately bite my tongue and cut off my voice."

Zhan Zhao shook his head and said, "Do you know that if I am engaged in military law and send you to the prison camp, even if you cut off your own tongue, they will still torture you severely to extract a confession. Those inhuman sufferings, your fragile body , must not be able to bear it.”

Nalan smiled sadly: "Lord Zhan, if you knew what I had suffered in Wayao Village, you wouldn't worry about me. There is Daoshan Hell inside the prison camp, and it is nothing to me. "

She got up quietly: "Master Zhan, you don't have to make things difficult for me. I will let you go to the prison camp. Please wait a moment, I will take care of it, and then I will let you go."

She bent down, neatly stacked the thin quilt pillows on the low couch in front of Di Qing's bed, and put it aside, then folded the low couch and put it under the bed.

Although Zhan Zhao has always been close to Di Qing, this is the first time he has entered his bedroom.He didn't pay attention to it just now, but now he suddenly realized it.He had always thought that Nalan was the favored maidservant in Di Qing's tent, but he never expected the truth to be so. He was surprised and said in a broken voice: "You and him, aren't you..."

Nalan smiled wryly and said, "Master Zhan, are you surprised...Actually, before I met him, I never thought that there would be someone like him in this world... In the past two years, he wanted me Living together with him is just to protect me. We live together under the same roof, but he has never had half a love for me..."

She raised her hand to pick up the Kunlun servant's face on the table, and pressed it tightly to her chest: "Usually he is either training soldiers or going out to battle, and he rarely comes back... Every time he comes back, there is his breath and words in this room, Then I would feel that I am still alive in this world, instead of being a marionette..."

The bronze was firm and cold, held in her slender palm, it seemed to be the last thing in this world that could be relied on.

Zhan Zhao was touched by her words, recalling the situation when he was separated from Qingcheng, his heart suddenly felt sad.He thought for a while, and suddenly became alert: "The news of the defeat in the Dingchuan Village Battle came that day, Master Fan planned to send Di Qingchi to help Weizhou, but he fell ill on that day, and Master Fan had to send Fan Chunyou to go to the battle ...Could it be that you were actually the one who suffered Di Qing's sudden illness...?"

Nalan said slowly: "At that time, the Tiandu Army had hundreds of thousands of people, and the limelight was in full swing. Even though the Shenji Battalion was brave and traveled a long distance, how could they compete with them? If he really obeyed the order to leave, it would be difficult Turning back to Qingzhou... I have no face to bear the kindness he treated me. In my life, this is the only chance to repay him. What I have done, I have no face to see him again. I died today, It's a worthy death, no regrets..."

She looked up at Zhan Zhao, and said deeply, "Master Zhan, please don't tell him about this...Master Zhan, can you help me?"

The blue stone is like a rock, and the cattail grass is like silk. Only the heart's wish gathers the sand between the eyebrows.

Zhan Zhao's heart was ups and downs, sinking like a vast sea, but he was helpless in the end.Finally, he nodded slowly, turned around and raised his arms, and stretched out his palm to push open the door, but he was shocked.

In the dark night, a stern figure stood in front of the door for an unknown amount of time.

With heavy boots on, step into the house step by step.The sound of gold and iron on his green armor is as cold as ice.

Nalan trembled all over, watching Di Qing gradually approaching him.

Finally, he walked in front of her, his black pupils were deathly silent, not showing any signs of expression.

She quietly looked at his handsome face, and suddenly her waist tightened, and she was held tightly in his arms.

The green dagger was like ice, it pierced into her heart from his hand in an instant, pierced through her body and disappeared.

The Kunlun slave's face fell from her hand, and hit the stone ground with a ding, bursting with blue light, chilling the bones.

This change happened suddenly, Zhan Zhao exclaimed, but it was too late to stop him.

A desperate pain pierced through his heart, making Nalan unable to breathe.She frowned, her eyes were blurred, and with all her strength, she climbed onto Di Qing's armor.

The slender fingers clenched the sharp armor, and the blood was like crimson pearls, gradually converging into a meandering trickle.

Still holding her in his arms, Di Qing sat down on the ground with her.

She struggled in his arms and raised her head, her dark chestnut eyes were filled with deep worry.

"You... kill the enemy privately... I'm afraid you will be... convicted..."

Di Qing said slowly: "I know."

Nalan tried his best to open his eyes, but the darkness in front of him gradually faded away, and he could no longer see the extremely familiar face.

"I... didn't want...to lie to you..."

But seven words, but exhausted her last ounce of strength.

Di Qing closed her eyes and said word by word: "I know."

She lowered her arms weakly, with a faint smile on her face, as if she was satisfied.

He closed his eyes tightly, and suddenly pulled out the dagger.

Blood gurgled out, penetrated his military uniform, and soaked the skin in front of him, still carrying her faint warmth.

Eyelashes tremble slightly, Qingdai fades away, like a distant mountain in a dream.

The embrace is empty, and the breath is silent.

Only a little bit of cinnabar is still shining between the brows.

The author has something to say: To the many readers who are looking forward to the love scene of Master Di, Ah Yi puts the lid on his head and apologizes with tears in his eyes.