Si Tian Guan

When he got on the horse again the next morning, Ding Lekang felt that his legs and feet were a little weak, and he stepped on the stirrup with his first foot and swayed. Looking at the other two still in good spirits from the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but sigh, it's good to be young.

Before sunset, they lodged in the next town.

After traveling for several days, and following the intense physical cultivation for half a night, even if he is a martial arts practitioner, he still feels a little tired.

When I sat down at the table, I didn't have much energy to speak, but I saw Liu Chongming on the opposite side with a smile on his face, and put his sleeves under his nose to smell from time to time, so he couldn't help asking. One sentence.

"What is Chongming thinking? So happy?"

"I thought yesterday that the beauty was in my arms, I slept soundly in my arms, and my sleeves are still fragrant." Liu Chongming licked his lips as if he was still unsatisfied: "I didn't expect that there would be stunning beauty in the backcountry."

Ding Lekang quickly glanced at Qu Chenzhou at the side, and saw that the other party was concentrating on questioning Xiao Er, but he didn't know if he was ignoring it on purpose, or if he really didn't hear it.

I don't know if this elder son said this because he thought it was his destiny to meet a real beauty, and he would never forget it, or if he just wanted to annoy others.

Anyway, the one sent to his room can only be regarded as average.

After a while, Qu Chenzhou's gaze turned back as expected, and his words were not kind: "It's good to be happy, I look at Zhongming as if I'm having fun, but I don't know if the person in my arms is satisfied?"

Seeing Liu Chongming's face turn dark, Ding Lekang couldn't help coughing, thinking that Qu Sitian's mouth was also too poisonous, which was obviously saying that the prince was not good enough.

"That's for sure, for sure." He smoothed things over on both sides.

Liu Chongming took a sip of tea and laughed: "Where's Shen Zhou? Did the people help you sleep well last night?"

Qu Chenzhou pursed his lips, but couldn't say the word "yes", he held back for a long time before saying: "No."

"It's not exactly right," Liu Chongming immediately said, "It looks good here, let's try again tonight?"

Ding Lekang hadn't understood what it meant, and was about to hint to Liu Chongming not to continue fighting, when he saw Qu Shenzhou put his hand into the purse.

"Second Brother, is there a Prime Minister in this town..."

"Shen Zhou!" He tensed his scalp and interrupted hastily, but the young man is full of energy and needs. It is understandable that he can't stop it openly, especially when the two roosters are fighting, he can only remind gently: "The journey is still going on." Far away, save a little money for traveling."

"Brother Ding said so," Qu Chenzhou followed the good advice, put the gold ingot between his fingers back, and took the silver ingot and put it on the table: "Please trouble me to find a young husband for me, and send it to the guest room."

Liu Chongming immediately said, "Find me one too."

Ding Lekang suppressed the old blood that had already vomited into his throat, and said bravely: "Give...Give me one too."

Liu Chongming changed the window this time, and when he jumped in, he saw that Qu Shenzhou had finished bathing, and he was sitting calmly at the table waiting for him.

My heart is both funny and sad.

He knew early on that the little fox's stubbornness and stubbornness would not be softened in a short while, and the shell formed by ten years of loneliness would not be melted so easily.

But he has enough patience.

Even if no one leaves him a door or window, even if he is not allowed to enter this room, he still has enough patience.

Let alone right now.

They didn't talk about anything last night.

When they were kissing lightly by the bucket, Qu Chenzhou still struggled a little, when he picked him up from the water and hummed a tune they were all familiar with, the little fox was curled up in his arms motionless.

"Chongming..."

He was sitting on the bed with someone in his arms, and when he heard the familiar call, he habitually responded, "I'm here."

The person in the arms was silent for a long time before saying, "I'm not calling you."

"I know," he pulled the quilt over to cover the two of them: "He's not here, I'll answer you for him."

Qu Chenzhou tilted his head, didn't know what he was thinking, and said, "I hate you."

"I know," Liu Chongming wiped his wet hair patiently: "You said that only those who can't forget can have love and hate."

"It's not you that I can't forget." Qu Chenzhou bit his lower lip as if he was afraid that he might not speak clearly, and said word by word: "You are not him."

"I know, he asked me to take care of you."

Qu Chenzhou's eyes were hidden in the shadows, and he clenched his hands behind Liu Chongming, and finally calmed down, breathing evenly.

For the first time in more than half a year, Liu Chongming felt that the miasma around him was slowly settling down, and everything was bright again.

It's his fault, he thought, not only did he not teach Shen Zhou to cherish himself, there is another thing that none of them learned before.

Out of two people, one of them should know how to be honest with the one he loves.

"Please trouble your son to come over late at night." Qu Chenzhou had already let go of his long hair, as if he was ready to go to sleep before he sent people out: "When Xiaoer mentioned Shimao County yesterday, what did my son find?"

Liu Chongming had expected that he would ask, so he brought a map with him and laid it on the table.

"Shen Zhou, do you still remember, I told you before, before and after the incident of my brother's murder, a family that was forty miles south of Dingling Hill disappeared."

Qu Shenzhou naturally remembered that at that time they guessed that the family was most likely Zhou Huaishan who kept his name anonymously.

"That family is within the jurisdiction of Shimao County."

Liu Chongming drew a triangle on the map.

"More than that, Linghe and I sorted out all the murders related to strange trees in advance, all of which happened in Shimao County, Yunan County and Dingling Hill, within the range of these three connections."

Qu Chenzhou frowned: "Could it be possible that there is a tree that eats people? I thought it was just a rumor."

"It's groundless, there must be a source of origin, and to tell you the truth, some of the people I sent out didn't come back because of this, so I believe it."

"But even if there is a man-eating tree, how could it be so big?"

Qu Shenzhou pointed at the surrounding area.

"The roots of the tree alone can extend for forty miles. How tall is the tree? How can such a huge tree not attract attention? But I have never heard of such a big tree anywhere along the way. "

The two looked at the map and stopped talking.

After this trip, if there is nothing that can be handed over, the emperor will definitely not let it go and investigate seriously, maybe he will find out Liu Chongming's hands and feet in it.

What's more, Qu Chenzhou has already vowed that "monsters are causing trouble", and he has really given the emperor a heartache. If he returns empty-handed, his fate will not be better than that of his predecessors.

The day of returning to Beijing is the time of decapitation.

"Have you found any useful hexagrams along the way these days?"

Liu Chongming leaned against the window, listening to the sounds outside. The inn is not big, and the sound insulation is average. You can hear a sweet voice calling restrainedly in the room at the corner.

"Not yet." Qu Chenzhou was a little tired from spending his energy aimlessly on everyone who passed by on the street, and he couldn't do everything: "There is no hexagram on Shizi's side, maybe it's still far from the goal."

Although he said so, no one knew what this "target" was.

Liu Chongming made a decision: "Then go to Dingling Hill first, maybe we can find some clues when we get there."

Now apart from this goal, they have no better place to go, although Shimao County will go sooner or later, but now Ding Lekang is following.

Thinking about it with his toes, he knew that if Liu Chongming got a little troubled, Ding Lekang would probably not sit idly by.

"Ding Lekang, what are you going to do?" He asked earnestly, "You don't plan to just kill him like this, do you?"

Qu Chenzhou endured it for a long time before suppressing the emotion of bickering with him.

"His goal is not me, so it's not what I plan, but what the prince plans."

Liu Chongming naturally knew it in his heart.

"It's hard to get such an opportunity to bring Ding Lekang out. We can't let him go back alive. The key is when to do it."

"He is important to King Huai, and Mu Jingyan will definitely transfer people to follow us. If we start early, I will not be able to do anything good. It is best to finish this trip and get to the capital soon."

"Where are the sons of the world?" Qu Chenzhou asked: "Mu Jingyan may not have the patience to wait until that time."

"I'm rushing over here. But to tell you the truth, both sides are in the dark, and no one can figure out which one is. And it's okay to walk in the crowd. If you walk in the wild, you can't get too close. You still have to rely on it." Be alert yourself."

A short sword wrapped in leather lay on the table.

Qu Chenzhou picked it up silently, his hands were not heavy, and when he pulled out the sword edge, it left a scratch on the edge of the Ge clothes inlaid with fine silver.

He first learned the dagger from Liu Chongming, but due to his status, the dagger was inconvenient to carry, and he didn't replace the flying thorn until a dagger that could be folded and buckled in the slave ring was made in the iron shop.

It felt cold to the touch, as if it was going up the blood, but it made his heart boil.

"Sir..."

Liu Chongming stopped him: "Just keep it if you tell me, I can do business on credit, and just give me the money after I return to Beijing."

Qu Chenzhou didn't say anything anymore, put away the dagger, got up and lowered half of the curtain.

"Come back, son, we have to hurry tomorrow."

But the son didn't come back, not only refused to go back, but also tried to sit on the bed.

Qu Chenzhou opened his hands to protect the entire edge of the bed: "My son respects himself!"

Liu Chongming could only take a few steps back, and dragged the two chairs together.

"Those two people were arranged by me in my room, and they were having a good time. Now that they go back, everyone is embarrassed. Don't drive me out, can't you just sit on the chair?"

The other half of the curtain was also lowered, and the figure on the bed could not be seen. Fortunately, no one chased him away.

He went to blow out the candle, and lay down on his back on the chair. His body was hard and cold, but it was much more comfortable than the bed in the other courtyard.

To be so close to people again, he had nothing else to ask for.

But the two chairs were a bit short after all, his feet were still on the ground, and he had nowhere to put them. He was about to drag another chair over when he heard someone turn over on the bed.

Very vague words squeezed out from between the cracks in the curtain.

"……come over."

Without needing a second order, Liu Chongming lifted the curtain with windy steps, then moved lightly to the edge of the bed, and saw that there was already a space vacated.

Until he lay down, Qu Shenzhou kept his back to him.

In the small space with only the two of them, a sweet smell gradually permeated.

Liu Chongming slowly stretched out his hand, gesticulating vaguely on the slender waist, carefully considering whether he would be kicked out of the bed or slapped if he dropped his hand.

"Why did your son ask me to come with you?"

He was not surprised, he had already guessed that Qu Shenzhou would not be able to help asking.

"Shen Zhou, I can also get news about things in the palace. Do you know how the Queen Mother is looking for you now?"

He didn't get an answer, so he continued talking on his own.

"That's right, you are in charge of Xiaoying, so you must know. The emperor has people watching the queen mother, so as not to let her have a chance to walk around the palace, let alone contact you."

"Now that Concubine Yu has been demoted and Mu Jingyan has been placed under house arrest because of drunkenness, King Ning is in the prime of his life. The Queen Mother must be unable to hold back and wants to avenge her son."

"If you are still in the palace, no matter what the Queen Mother does..."

"Okay!" Qu Chenzhou suddenly yelled: "Liu Chongming, leave me alone!"

Liu Chongming was quiet for a moment, and begged in a low voice: "Shen Zhou, I am willing to listen to you, but don't put yourself in danger every time, okay? Even if you don't think about others, you should think about it..."

He paused for a while, and changed his mouth tactfully: "We should also think about my aunt and the others..."

"If you really listen to me," Qu Chenzhou interrupted coldly: "Then listen clearly, we have nothing to do with each other. Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you."

Liu Chongming was speechless, and could only retract the hand that was hanging on his waist.

The curtain covered the last bit of moonlight, and the shadow and darkness merged together. He was afraid that he would sleep for an hour, and he still maintained a little awakening in the half-dream and half-awake.

"Your Majesty." Someone called him softly.

He flicked up, the familiar voice followed by the familiar heart palpitations.

For so long, I have gotten used to this kind of dream, used to force myself not to wake up, at least I can see that person again, at least I have to open my eyes to see clearly the suffering that Shen Zhou has suffered for himself.

"Where is Shen Zhou?" He asked as if possessed, "Where is Shen Zhou?"

"Qu Chenzhou? You killed him with your own hands, his body..." Sanfu responded with a strange laugh: "His body is still hanging at the entrance of the downtown area."

Although he had heard these words countless times, it was still like a sharp knife piercing his heart. He slowly curled up and wept bitterly.

"No! Shen Zhou... Shen..."

A few crisp sounds suddenly rang in his ears, and Liu Chongming was still in a daze until he opened his eyes, unable to react for a while.

After such a long nightmare, this is the first time someone has used this method to wake him up.

"In the middle of the night, why cry!" Qu Chenzhou lay down again in disgust, with his back facing him: "Go back if you don't sleep, disturbing people's dreams."

Liu Chongming touched his cheek, the burning pain was spreading to the root of the ear, it couldn't be more real.

He suddenly became happy, he didn't care about anything, he stood up and threw himself on the pillow beside him, wrapping him tightly in his arms.

"Shen Zhou, did you hit me just now? You hit me twice! Hit me a few more times!"

Qu Chenzhou couldn't struggle to get away several times, and he didn't dare to make too much noise, so he shouted angrily, "Are you crazy!"

"Hit me again..." Liu Chongming begged softly.

A soft hand landed decisively on his face, but it didn't fall again the second time.

Before the person turned over impatiently, he grabbed the thin wrist and kissed lightly.

"Thank you."

Starting early the next day, Ding Lekang lost the spirit he had when he left Beijing. It wasn't until he walked for a while that Liu Chongming looked a little different from yesterday.

"Chongming, your..." He couldn't hold back his curiosity, and gestured: "Your face..."

Liu Chongming touched his red-stained face and grinned.

"I played tricks last night."

The author has something to say: Ding: I'm a real girl, I thought about it, it turns out that the son is an M