then Li Sao

A ochre-colored rosary was rolling on the table, and gradually stopped. Luo Ping carefully read the handwriting on the tissue paper, the corners of his lips were slightly curved, but his eyes were icy cold.

Lu Rujiang.

The name strikes him as ironic.

When He Yuzhi mentioned this person, he still felt that it was irrelevant. After all, this person was recommended by Zhou Tang and Fang Jin after he entered Beijing. Whether it was the previous life or this life, he never thought that Lu Rujiang would do it. out of that kind of thing.

However, this is often the case. The more impossible something seems, the closer it is to the truth.

At that time, Lu Rujiang, who was only the captain of the guard, turned his back on the He family because he didn't want to be instigated by King Ning and become a fool in the wall.When Zhou Tang's army came under pressure, he defended the gate of the East Palace, General Zhenyuan was killed in battle, and Princess Zhaorong's Phoenix Dance was about to be unstoppable, so he refused to admit defeat.

Fang Jin said that Lu Rujiang was the most spine-chilling person he met when he was cleaning the palace. He poked the tip of his sword on his back to force him step by step, but he couldn't force him to leave the East Palace for half a step.

Later, that fire burned down several courtyards of the East Palace. Lu Rujiang was captured before Feili Palace. Fang Jin cherished his talents and was unwilling to kill him. Afterwards, he was handed over to Luo Ping in a coma.

At that time, Luoping put a group of people under house arrest. These people were all loyal ministers and generals who refused to submit to Zhou Tang, including his own good teacher and friend Li Yuanfeng.It took him a month to dispose of them. Some were beheaded, some were dismissed from office, some were exiled, but most were persuaded to surrender by him.

Lu Rujiang was one of those who were persuaded to surrender.

In fact, Luo Ping didn't do anything to him, he just told him that Zhou Heng escaped and ascended to heaven in exchange for his loyalty, and from that day on, the king he should be loyal to is Zhou Tang.

He told it to him over and over again, in his delirium, in his despair, in his renewed desire to live, in his complete conviction that he had no other way .

In the end, Zhou Tang got a cold and capable commander of the imperial army. Fang Jin secretly tested his loyalty, and later admired Luo Ping's ability. Mu Quan." Zhou Tang laughed at him contentedly: "Ten years? If you live another lifetime, you will never be able to compare with him."

Is it just such a loyal person who commits collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country?

If it wasn't for Concubine Zhi's conclusive writing, and Fang Jin's investigation into the recent movements of Master Xizhao, Luo Ping really didn't want to believe it.

So, it was Lu Rujiang who had an affair with Concubine Xiang back then?It was he who set up a puzzle of "usurping the throne, plotting rebellion, and poisoning the emperor's heir", so that Prime Minister Luo, who had tried his best to assist the emperor, would be defeated by the hearts of the people he had manipulated?

Thinking back to the futile death in the previous life, Luo Ping smiled sadly.

Before he was imprisoned, he had already found out that the person had been involved with the He family, and he thought it was revenge from the remaining party after the He family was exterminated. Now that the He family has not been exterminated, he started to investigate from the beginning, and only then did he find him.

If he could have known the truth earlier at that time...

Luo Ping shook his head, that's all, Zhou Tang wouldn't listen to anything he said at that time.

In the final analysis, he did not die in the frame of a traitor.

Under the pretense of "reconciliation", Fang Jin sent a letter of greeting to the Prime Minister's Mansion, and invited Luo Ping to attend a play in Nanmeng Garden.Luo Ping reluctantly agreed, and later heard that Master Xizhao followed him.

The theater was lively and lively as usual, Luo Ping meant that listening to the opera in the lobby was the most interesting, Fang Jin spent a long time persuading him to enter the private room.

Luo Ping held his gun and rod and said, "Master Fang, what are you doing that is so shameful that you have to enter the private room?"

Fang Jin's expression was not hesitant, and the national teacher hurriedly acted as a peacemaker: "Prime Minister Luo is worrying too much, Taiwei Fang is just trying to keep quiet."

"Okay, be quiet." Luo Ping said in a disdainful tone, beckoning a servant to pour wine.

"Lord Luo, private rooms also have their benefits." Fang Jin pulled the servant and said a few words, the servant nodded in agreement, and after a while a girl holding a piano came up.

Fang Jin: "What's your name?"

Le Nu: "Cui Hua."

Luo Ping choked on the drink, but fortunately he endured it in time.

Fang Jin enjoys it, and he doesn't want to wrong himself by making plays every time.This woman is not just called "Cuihua", she is the most favored singer in Fang Jin's house, Luo Ping has seen her before, she is called Ruan'er or Nuan'er, in short, she is not called Cuihua.

Before the play started, Cuihua played the piano and sang a few lines, the voice was melodious, Luo Ping finally stopped quarreling with Fang Jin.

The national teacher seemed to have something to say to Luo Ping all the time, but was always interrupted by the sound of the piano.Fang Jin saw it, but he didn't point it out, let alone help.It wasn't until the song was over that the national teacher had the opportunity to speak.

"Lord Luo, I see that your body shape and complexion are quite similar to those of our Xizhao people, and your facial features are somewhat familiar. May I ask, where is your hometown?"

coming.Luo Ping's heart trembled, and his face remained calm: "The national teacher has good eyesight. Luo's hometown is indeed in the Dacheng West Territory. I heard from my father that it seems that the eighth generation of the ancestors married a woman from Xizhao. What did the national teacher say?" The sense of familiarity probably comes from the eight generations of Luo's ancestors."

The national teacher naturally knew that he was fooling himself, and was about to ask again, but was interrupted by the raised curtain.

One of his attendants came in at the door, whispered something in his ear, the national teacher nodded solemnly, and said goodbye: "I'm sorry, I can't accompany you two to the theater today, the concubine Xiang is looking for me, the emperor called me into the palace to visit. "

Fang Jin got up and saw him off: "Since that's the case, it's inconvenient for me to force you to stay. The national teacher will go slowly."

Luo Ping raised his glass to say goodbye in a lazy manner, the national teacher glanced back at him, and left in a hurry.

After the national teacher left, Fang Jin breathed out and said, "Mu Quan, now you can enjoy the show."

Luo Ping said: "The audience just started singing, it's Mr. Xu's "The Story of the Winter Plum Blossom"."

Fang Jin shook his head: "That's not what I want to hear today."

Luo Ping looked at him with raised eyebrows: "Oh? What does Master Fang want to hear?"

"I want to hear you talk about a play, the play that you told me about resurrection from the dead."

"Oh, that play..." Luo Ping hesitated for a moment, drank his glass of wine, and said with a smile, "Okay, I'm in a very good mood today, so let me tell you about that play in detail."

Outside the courtyard is a bridge between wits and beautiful women, babbling and talking to each other, and the two of them in the room are sitting opposite each other, as if they have never heard of it.Cuihua Suzhi plucked the strings, and the slow tune flowed in the elegant room.

Luo Ping rolled up the sleeves of his robe, and began to speak eloquently.

This play is about that man poisoning the emperor's heir, usurping the throne and plotting rebellion...

----

On that day, Luo Ping once again refuted Fang Taiwei's remonstrance about conscription in the court hall, but there was still no result. The emperor announced his withdrawal from the court, and he walked out of the palace gate amidst the accusations of a group of generals.

Luo Ping knew that conscription was the emperor's will, and he also knew that the emperor didn't veto his opinion in public because of his prime minister's face. He also knew that Zhou Tang felt that he had meddled too much, and sometimes he would dislike him. bother.But he couldn't control himself, he wanted his king to be a benevolent king.

A while ago, the bloody case of the He family had already brought a lot of negative influence on the emperor. The more the imperial court banned the "Jiuzhirui", the faster it spread. The manuscripts were traded in the black market, and literati could often be heard talking about it in the streets and alleys. There was a lot of discussion.Although it is not a climate, Ke Luoping is really worried.

In addition, he faintly felt that Zhou Tang's attitude towards him had changed when he came in.He looked at him with guarded eyes, and tentatively asked about his family background.Luo Ping didn't know how to explain the relationship between his mother and Xi Zhao, so he didn't elaborate.

When the day was happy, Zhou Tang sniffed the smell on his neck and asked him: "Luo Qing, you smell very good."

"Hmm..." Luo Ping responded in a low voice, only taking it as love words and not paying attention.

The relationship between him and Zhou Tang began shortly after Zhou Tang ascended the throne. Zhou Tang no longer called him his little master as before, but treated him in a completely different way, like a lover, and it seemed that it was just a momentary fascination That's all.

Of course there is loss, but what else can he expect from his standpoint, he just wants to be by this child's side and be closest to him.A month ago Zhou Tang married Princess Xiangwan of Xizhao as his concubine, and the relationship between them is still the same, so Luo Ping occasionally thinks that maybe he is different to Zhou Tang.

Zhou Tang bit his collarbone inch by inch: "This scent is very special, once you smell it, you will never forget it."

Luo Ping came back to his senses: "Fragrance? What kind of fragrance?"

Zhou Tang stared at him, this was the first time Luo Ping saw him show such cold eyes to himself.

"Luo Qing, the smell on your body is very similar to that of Concubine Xiang."

In an instant, he woke up with a start.

Zhou Tang didn't delve into it, but that sentence was a warning to Luo Ping.

Knowing that he was suspicious of him, Luo Ping was depressed for a while, so he accepted the invitation of the prince of Nan'an to go to Huajie to drink and enjoy the lanterns.

On weekdays, he never took part in these romantic affairs, and at most drank tea and chatted with a few good officials. It was a coincidence that the emperor went to the prime minister's mansion in disguise that night to look for him, but he was in vain.

When it was time to die, Luo Ping came back smelling of alcohol and powder.

Zhou Tang frowned and asked, "Where is the joy?"

Luo Ping said in a daze, "The prince of Nan'an invites his ministers to appreciate the lantern."

Zhou Tang snorted coldly: "Appreciate the lanterns? The lanterns in Huajie and Liuxiang are probably more beautiful than the ones in my palace."

"No, I..."

"Luo Qing, you've gotten very close to many officials recently, why, you started to show off when you have a little power?"

"I dare not."

"I know about the fact that you receive benefits in private, but I just don't want to care about it. Luo Qing, I just let you sit and play with this position of prime minister. As long as you don't betray me, how do you want to play?" It's okay, understand?"

Luo Ping didn't know what he meant, he broke out in a sweat and didn't dare to answer.

Zhou Tang calmed down: "Okay, come here and let me ask you, what does Prince Nan'an want you to do for him?"

Luo Ping faltered: "The son asked the minister to say something nice for his younger sister on the matter of choosing a concubine."

"Choosing a concubine? Are you meddling in this kind of thing again?" Zhou Tang laughed angrily, "Okay, then I will listen to your good words!"

Luo Ping pondered for a while, and then popped out six words to him: "Big buttocks, easy to give birth to."

Seeing his slightly drunk and dull appearance, Zhou Tang was a little funny, and said deliberately: "How does it compare with my concubine Xi Zhao?"

Luo Ping narrowed his eyes: "Naturally, it's not as good as Concubine Xiang."

Zhou Tang's face darkened: "Luo Qing, I can give you power, but I can't tolerate everything you do. Don't have any delusional thoughts about Concubine Xiang, do you understand?"

"Delusion?" Luo Ping was puzzled, looked at him and said, "No delusion, not at all."

He has no illusions about anyone.

Because even the person he loves with all his heart and soul cannot belong to him completely.

Luo Ping didn't want to disobey Zhou Tang's wishes, but he still went to get close to Concubine Xiang on purpose.

Four months later, Concubine Xiang became pregnant.Zhou Tang was very excited. Although he didn't like to have sex with his concubine, and he only had that one time with Concubine Xiang, he still felt very happy to have his own child.He told Luo Ping about this joy, and Luo Ping bowed deeply, blessing the little prince, but his eyes were full of sadness.

Bitterness in his heart is one thing, but more importantly, at that time he was suspecting that Concubine Xiang had an affair with a remnant of the He family.

He even suspected that the child in Concubine Xiang's belly was not Zhou Tang's.

At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet four months ago, Master Xizhao made a special trip to send greetings and gifts from his hometown to Concubine Xiang, and Huihui, a court lady bribed by Luo Ping, heard their conversation.

Huihui said that the national teacher gave Concubine Xiang a package of things and told her to order Zhou Tang to have sex with her within three days, and said that the package could slightly delay the birth of the child.

They mentioned a person, but Huihui didn't hear it very clearly, only heard that that person had been involved with the former minister of the guard, and the national teacher hoped that Concubine Xiang would be more careful in contact with that person.

Luo Ping has enough reasons to be suspicious, but considering the diplomatic relations between Dacheng and Xizhao, he has never been sure how to deal with it.If he told Zhou Tang, according to his temperament, he would definitely kill Concubine Xiang—what he hated most in his life was an unfaithful woman, which would remind him of the mother who cursed him.

And once he does this, the relationship between Xizhao and Dacheng will inevitably become tense, and even break into a dispute.Seizing the throne and peacefully rebelling against the party have brought too much slaughter. Dacheng should not have been in continuous war in Zhou Tang's hands. He should be an emperor in a prosperous age, not a war-loving tyrant.

So Luo Ping met Concubine Xiang in private.

He brought her a bowl of abortion medicine and said to her: "Drink this bowl of medicine, and you will cut off contact with that person. You tell me who he is, and I can find a way to make him leave, otherwise you Both him and the child in your belly will die. After drinking the medicine, you are still the imperial concubine of Dacheng."

Concubine Xiang suddenly laughed: "Luo Ping, what right do you have to say about me? We all have the blood of the Xizhao royal family in our bodies. I won't expose you, and you don't want to expose me. After many years, sitting on this dragon chair What's wrong with that will be our Xizhao's descendants?"

"I am the great successor."

"Really? What do you think he'll think after he finds out that your scent is so similar to mine?"

"I'll explain it to him."

"Prime Minister Luo, you are really loyal to the emperor." Concubine Xiang looked at Luo Ping with complicated eyes, "Do you know that the emperor misses you very much too. That night after he was drunk, he had a good time with me on the bed. It was your name that was called..."

Luo Ping pursed his lips and remained silent.

"He doesn't love me, why can't I love others? Don't you understand the feeling of not being able to get what you love?"

Luo Ping felt a sudden pain in his heart, but he woke up from the pain.He took a deep breath, and put the medicine bowl to Concubine Xiang's mouth: "I have already got what I want from him. You drink it, and I will keep you safe."

Concubine Xiang slammed the medicine bowl on the ground and scolded angrily: "Luoping, you are so bold! How dare you poison the emperor's heir! No matter how much you hate me, the emperor in my stomach is innocent!"

Luo Ping was startled for a moment, then slowly turned around, knelt down and made a statement: "Your Majesty, isn't this subject..."

Zhou Tang looked down at his former little wife: "I knew you were dissatisfied with Concubine Xiang, did you secretly approach her out of jealousy? I gave you a chance to change, but Luo Qing, you are still stubborn."

"..."

"You treat me well, what do you want from me? The position of the prime minister? Glory and wealth? Yes, I gave you all these, but you want to murder my child! Don't you understand? Maybe you will always be alone, I am no longer that little Tang who has nothing!"

……

Why, such a coincidence?

Zhou Tang was summoned by the guards. This was a calculation. The timing was calculated, and his most despicable moment was calculated.

Luo Ping looked directly at the grief and disappointment in Zhou Tang's eyes, and suddenly he didn't want to refute anything.

He knelt there, and his aloof king was no longer in his sight.

Having said that, Luo Ping paused.

Fang Jin asked him: "Why didn't you tell me? What happened to that despicable prime minister and arrogant emperor in your story?"

Although all the characters in Luo Ping's trick have been changed, Fang Jin feels that he has been involved in that play.It was a scene that seemed to be close in front of the eyes, and the soul of each of them could see it.

Luo Ping asked the servant to warm him another pot of wine, pointed to the Tsing Yi in the hall and said: "Listen to her sing a few words, I like this character, this girl named Qin Xue is the only one in "The Story of Han Mei". The most charming, you can listen to her flowing water turn high..."

Qin Xue sings:

A tree of plum blossoms looks at the couple, who is envious.

The world of mortals is broken, and the twilight is falling again.

Indulge in a cup of wine and throw a thousand gold, and the boy will not turn his head back.

You are here today, and you are drunk today.

"Zhongli, after listening to this song, I will continue to talk to you."