mountain river road

The afternoon was sunny, and Zhenqing asked Youfu to help drag the beauty out.Wrapped in a fluffy rabbit fur blanket, he was leafing through a book in his hand.The general nestled beside him, squinting his eyes, and waving his tail from time to time.

Chu Xi, who was tired from training, ran over and forcibly occupied the general's seat.The milk cat howled to get Zhen Qing's attention. Chu Xi pinched the nape of the general's neck and lifted it up with a smile. She put one hand on her lips, showing a bright smile in a sinister manner, and then lifted the general's neck. The cat that occupies the magpie's nest is thrown away.

When Zhenqing is working hard, it is as if she is in meditation, and she will not have leisure time to care about it.

Chu Xi simply squeezed on his beauties and asked Liu Mu to read some books.The books that Zhenqing read were not all that he didn't like, most of them were military books, such as the complete set of "Seven Books of Martial Arts", some history books, some miscellaneous books and novels, and a lot of poems and travel notes.

Chu Xi flipped through the travel notes, the sun was so bright, he started to wander after a while.Throwing down the book, she turned her head to stare at Zhenqing. Zhenqing's side face was white and translucent under the sun, her lips were thin, her complexion was better, a little pink, her eyelids were drooping, and her eyelashes were cast on the eyelids. a little shade.Staring at the shadow, Chu Xi felt that her heart was as soft as cotton - Chu Xi looked at him quietly for a while, then quietly turned her head and continued to read his travel notes.

The silence was quickly broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.

Chu Xi raised her head in the direction of the voice. Everyone who came was tall and burly, wearing the same clothes as Liu Muyi. It was Lu Qian, the guard beside Chu Shu.

Lu Qian said: "The prince is in the study, ask the little prince to come over."

Chu Xi stood up and looked back at Zhenqing.Zhenqing raised her head and saw him looking at her, so she raised the corners of her lips condescendingly.Chu Xi suddenly felt that today's sunshine seemed to shine into his heart all the way. He walked briskly towards the study, and bumped into a disheveled man—an old eunuch.

"Your servant is reckless, I have seen the young prince." The old eunuch said submissively.

Chu Xi waved her hands in disgust, and walked straight into the room.

Chu Shu stood by the window like an iron tower with a sullen face.

"Father, why is there someone in the palace? Why do you..."

"Don't mention it, the emperor's new eunuch holding a pen, the eunuch surnamed Yan, sent gifts everywhere in the civil and military courts. An eunuch has a lot of thoughts." Chu Shu said, changing the subject, and said: "Chuxi, Next year will be your crowning year, so you have to be careful about what you do and what you say. Today is peaceful, and I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Let your mother and I worry about it earlier."

Chu Xi stood upright, knowing that this was just the beginning of every conversation, she replied, "My son knows."

The sun is shining brightly outside the window, but the study room is not sunny, and it looks a bit cold.The father and son stood opposite each other and stood silently for a while.

"I made an agreement with the emperor to defend the western border in three days." Chu Shu said, "there are some rebellions in the western border, but the situation is not large. You will be able to come back as a father before the coronation ceremony next year. You are at home, don't worry about it." Make your mother angry."

"But isn't father at home already unemployed?" Chu Xiqi asked.

"If it weren't for the fact that no one is available, I think the emperor would not come to me." Chu Shu looked a little lonely, but he quickly put this loneliness away, and said seriously: "A general, he just wants to go to the battlefield at any time. The Chu family is a family of military generals, and it is only natural to fight for the country."

When he said this, a strange look appeared on Chu Shu's already slightly old face, as if a young man who had practiced martial arts for many years had finally stepped onto his own battlefield, with burning eyes.

Chu Xi stared at his father for a while, then whispered, "My son understands."

Chu Shu smiled, raised his palm and stroked his son's shoulder, and said, "It's a shame for a general that Yu An died on the roof in his sleep. It's an honor to be shrouded in horse leather."

In an instant, a pigeon fluttered past outside the window, and a shadow flashed in the sunlight.

Chu Xi stood up straight: "Follow your father's teaching."

With a light touch on his shoulder, Chu Shu withdrew his hand and turned back to take a few steps towards the window, "Mr. Xu will go with me this time. Tell Zhenqing, by the way, remember to be kind to others."

Chu Xi frowned. Since Xu and his son came here, his father has attached great importance to these two. Not only that, but also often asked him to treat Zhenqing well.He didn't understand why. "I don't know my son, why do you value those two so much?"

Chu Shu turned around and looked at Xu Zhenqing who looked confused, and sighed, "No wonder your mother has been delaying your participation in politics, why can't you even understand this point. Mr. Xu is a good man who governs the world. And Xu Zhenqing, You are a talent in troubled times. You have a pure mind, even if you have the talent to lead the army, you don't know the tricks. How can you lead the army without a reliable counselor by your side. If you treat him kindly, he will treat you with sincerity."

Those words were like thunder falling into the sea, and monstrous waves stirred up in the young man's heart.

This is asking me to trade kindness for his loyalty.But me, I originally wanted to be nice to him sincerely, so I am nothing.Can such a deliberate exchange for his loyalty be called open and aboveboard?

Can kindness with purpose still be called kindness?

"Zhenqing, so far, he has succeeded in using it and defending the Zhou Dynasty." Chu Shu didn't notice the undercurrent of his son's calm, and said to himself, "His father hopes that he will be a minister capable of governing the world."

"My son is retiring." Chu Xi said stiffly, turned around and walked out.

As soon as he took a step, he saw a fluffy ball rushing towards him, followed by a thin boy.Zhenqing picked up the cat and said to Chu Xi: "The general is in a good mood today, and he is running around."

A faint smile hung on his lips just right.The beautiful thin line of the neck is submerged under the light shirt.

Chu Xi opened her mouth and said, "Careful, you're cold! Dress like this..." As soon as she opened her mouth, her throat seemed to be choked.

Words of concern could no longer be uttered, as if they were tainted with copper stink as soon as they opened their mouths.

Like a fishbone stuck in her throat, Chu Xi closed her mouth, still feeling uncomfortable.

As if she didn't hear it, Zhenqing rubbed the tip of her nose affectionately against the general, and said softly, "It's okay."

it's OK.

I don't know that there is never any kindness without reason, and I happen to hear it, it's just a confirmation.

The words that my mother had been chanting came to my mind again.

Even though there are many wrinkles, the charm of the past still stubbornly stays in the corners of the woman's eyes and brows.Looking at the bronze mirror, the woman carefully smeared herself with rouge, and murmured, "Zhenqing, no one in this world will treat you sincerely except your relatives. And I am your only relative."

These words he had heard thousands of times stretched out monster-like sharp claws from the shadow of the past, dragging him into the endless darkness, as if that was his place to stay.

Zhenqing and Chuxi walked side by side on the gravel road.

The sun fell warmly on the shoulders, and the general in his arms was gently grasping the skirt of his clothes.Zhenqing looked down at the general, as if it was the only thing he could see.

In autumn, the weather is still very good.Since Chu Shu married the princess, he has never been separated from her.This is the first time that the husband and wife have been together for more than ten years.Chu Xi was afraid that her mother would be sad, so she chatted with her after lunch.

Ye Shangzhu was wearing a cloak, sitting in front of the tea table and slowly sipping tea.He was carrying a blue-field jade bracelet, which Chu Shu had found on purpose.There was no worry on her face, just a tired look.

After a while, Ye Shangzhu said to Chu Xi: "Don't you always hang out with Mr. Xu? Why are you always here with me now? Your father is going to go to war tomorrow, and you will accompany your father at the right time."

Chu Xi smiled and said, "If I go to my father, he will definitely ask me to accompany my mother."

Ye Shangzhu smiled so much that she showed two dimples, and touched Chu Xi's head: "Go if you're told, I'm tired too, don't make me have a headache here." Chu Xi stood up He said "yes" and ran away with a smile.As soon as he stepped out of the door, the smile on Chu Xi's face disappeared without a trace. He kicked a pebble away irritably and walked straight into the study.

In the past few days, my father stayed in the study and talked with Mr. Xu, but he didn't know what he was talking about.It's just a small rebellion, why is it like a big enemy.

Before he arrived, he saw a thin moon-white figure standing in front of the closed study door.

Even if the figure is seen from a distance, it feels like a sword light, which makes people faintly hurt.

Chu Xi unconsciously slowed down and let herself stare at the figure.

"Little prince?" Zhen Qing turned around with an unnatural expression on her face.

"You have really good ears. Most people can't detect me." Chu Xi sighed.For a moment, Chu Xi could almost feel that Zhenqing was in a trance.But soon, those glazed eyes looked at him with a slight smile again.

A burst of irritability welled up in my heart.Chu Xi was very familiar with this kind of smile. It was the smile he used to face the prince, the servants, and anyone who met by chance.

Chu Xi: "What are you doing here?"

"Father will go to Xijiang with the prince tomorrow, and I feel a little bit sad. The prince is talking about something, and I am waiting here."

Xu Zhenqing gathered the cloak on her body.

"Why didn't you send someone to report?"

"It will disturb."

After saying this, the two fell into silence.

With a "click", the door was opened.Chu Shu looked at the two of them, "What are you doing here?" Mr. Xu stood aside, with the corners of his mouth slightly bent, and paused when his gaze caught Zhenqing.Chu Xi almost felt that Zhen Qing's body became stiff for a moment.

Mr. Xu said in a gentle voice, "I see that Zhenqing's complexion is still bad. Today's weather is a bit cold, why don't you bring a hand stove."

Zhenqing said: "The sun is still good today, so I don't care. Father should pay more attention to his health."

Chu Shu bent down slightly, and lovingly touched Zhenqing's head. "Go back and get some clothes."

Zhenqing bowed, turned and left.

Chu Xi stayed where she was for a few seconds, then turned around and chased after her.As he walked, he took off his cloak and handed it to Zhenqing.

Xu Zhenqing looked up at him, turned her head and walked straight forward without saying a word.

Chu Xi followed behind, looking for something to say: "I feel like you and your father are strangers."

Zhenqing's figure paused for a moment, and said, "I just respect him."

Chu Xi suddenly recalled that although the father and son entered the mansion together, they lived separately.Mr. Xu didn't come to see him very often, except for a few polite chats during meals every day, he didn't see any gossip.A layer of mist slowly came to mind, the more Chu Xi thought about it, the more she felt that the cut was not clear, and the reasoning was still chaotic, so she simply gave up and ran up to forcefully cover Xu Zhenqing's head with the cloak.

Xu Zhenqing lowered her head, raised her two slender wrists, pulled the cloak over her shoulders, straightened it, and said in a low voice, "Thank you." A short section of her thin chin was buried in the fox fur, and her eyelashes drooped, covering her eyes. complex emotions.

Chu Xi was a little dazed.

In the cool autumn wind, Xu Zhenqing raised her eyes to look at him, her glazed eyes contained a kind of helpless softness, and deep sadness was hidden behind.

Chu Xi only received that bit of tenderness, felt the heavy weight in her heart suddenly disappear, and smiled instantly.

who cares.

I'll give him my full loyalty in return.

Chu Xi finally thought of Yun Kai seeing Yue Ming.