I became the leopard cub of the paranoid emperor

The Dagel people have withdrawn from the border, but the news keeps coming from the capital that Chu Yu has proclaimed himself emperor, and will hold a grand enthronement ceremony ten days later.

The courtyard where Chu Yuzhao lived was full of people in the main hall, including Xin Yuan and Liu Huaifu, the prime ministers of the left who escaped from the capital, and some loyal courtiers.

"Dager's vitality has been severely injured, and the severe winter is coming, they will definitely not move again. We have hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses, although they are comparable to the soldiers and horses of Chu Yu and several vassal kings , but they are not in the same heart, and each has their own calculations. As for the left and right battalions in the capital that have defected, although they seem to have surrendered, they are actually unstable. As long as His Majesty leads the army outside the city, they will naturally have civil strife."

After fleeing for a few days, the Minister of Rites who still had frostbite on his face made Xin Yuan and other courtiers nod frequently after he finished the call.

"Yes, Your Majesty, we can definitely fight to the capital. A rebellious courtier like Chu Yu is definitely not an opponent."

"I implore Your Majesty to send troops immediately and lead the soldiers back to the capital."

"I implore Your Majesty to send troops to attack the capital immediately!"

Although all the ministers were passionate, Chu Yuzhao sat at the head but remained silent all the time.

During this period of time, he has become thinner and thinner, and the contours of his face have become sharper, like an unsheathed sword, making people feel less approachable than before.

Liu Huaifu carefully asked, "What worries does Your Majesty have?"

Chu Yuzhao said after a long time: "I understand everyone's feelings, but have you ever thought about what will happen to those people if we start a war in the capital?"

The courtiers who were talking loudly in the room fell silent after hearing the words, and all looked at Chu Yuzhao.

Chu Yuzhao slowly raised his head, his deep eyes were like a churning deep sea: "If I lead troops to attack the capital, within ten days, it should be able to take down the capital, but once the war burns to the capital, the most prosperous capital of Dayin will be destroyed." What will become, even if I don't say it, you should know it."

"Ningzuo, which has less than 10 people, was once reduced to a battlefield. The homes of the people in the city were destroyed, and the bones were piled up like a mountain. When I went out to patrol yesterday, there were groups of orphans wandering on the street. If it were a capital with millions of people , have you ever thought about the consequences of that?"

The ministers fell silent for a moment, with a look of sadness on their faces.

Although they fled to the border by themselves, some were lucky enough to bring their wives, children, and mother with them.But some courtiers could only escape alone, and their family members remained in the capital. Hearing this, they couldn't help but raised their sleeves and quietly wiped the tears overflowing from the corners of their eyes.

"I know the consequences of fighting back to the capital, and so does Chu Yu. He is well aware of my concerns and knows that I will not lead troops to attack the capital. Although the emperor's uncle has deep plans, he is also the person who understands me best."

Chu Yuzhao lowered his eyes, and his voice was full of exhaustion.

"Your Majesty's kindness is the blessing of the people of the world." Xin Yuan knelt down in admiration, and all the ministers also knelt down.

Xin Yuan kowtowed, then straightened up and asked, "Your Majesty, what shall we do next?"

Chu Yuzhao shook his head slowly: "Wait, wait for an opportunity."

After the discussion was over, Chu Yuzhao stepped out of the front hall and went to the backyard.He pushed open the door, went to sit by the bed, and looked at the sleeping Luo Bai tenderly.

There was a charcoal fire burning in the room, and it was warm. He lifted the quilt, turned Luo Bai over skillfully, and massaged the muscles of his limbs.

"It's the coldest days on the border now. When the winter is over, spring will come. Don't you like playing in the snow the most? Wake up before the snow melts, and I'll take you to ride a horse and pile up the biggest Is your snowman okay? When I was on patrol a few days ago, I saw someone build a snowman by the side of the road. It has a nose and eyes, and those eyes are big and round, very much like you..."

The door was pushed open, Yuan Fu came in with a basin of hot water, Chu Yuzhao took off Luo Bai's pajamas, naturally twisted a handkerchief from the basin, and wiped his body with his own hands.

Luo Bai's skin was exposed in the air, smooth and soft, still a delicate porcelain white, but when Chu Yuzhao touched the butterfly bone on his back, he noticed that it was getting thinner, and his hands paused slightly.

"Has Hong Si not come back yet?" Chu Yuzhao asked.

Yuan Fu said: "It should be back soon."

When all the doctors were helpless, Chu Yuzhao thought of the legend about Nanya Mountain.

It is said that there is a Taoist temple on the top of Nanya Mountain, inhabited by spirit leopard guardians, who have been guarding Nanya Mountain for generations.

If this legend is true, can the guardian heal Luo Bai?With a glimmer of hope, he sent Hongsi to Nanya Mountain yesterday to find out what happened. He thought that if there were no accidents, he should return today.

Luo Bai fell into a deep sleep, Chu Yuzhao wiped his body, changed into clean pajamas, laid him down again, covered him with a quilt, and tucked in the corners of the quilt.

He just picked up the ginseng soup next to him, stirred it with a small spoon, and fed it to Luo Bai after it was warmed up, when the door was suddenly pushed open, and Hong Si stood there with a weathered body, still panting heavily.

Chu Yuzhao looked at him without any reaction, as if he was stunned, but Yuan Fu dragged him in quickly and closed the door.

"Come in quickly, don't let the cold wind blow Luo Bai."

Chu Yuzhao's heart was beating fast, and the upper and lower walls of his throat were sticking together dryly.He wanted to ask, but he didn't dare to speak out. Yuan Fu asked for him: "How is it? Did you interview anyone?"

"I visited." Hong Si said.

"What was the result?" Yuan Fu asked.

Hong Si was silent for a moment, Chu Yuzhao hurriedly looked down at the ground, holding the small spoon without moving.

"There is a Taoist temple on the top of the mountain. I knocked on the door for a long time before someone answered. After hearing what I said about my visit, the man said through the temple door that he can indeed save Mr. Luo, and the method is not difficult."

With a crisp clang, the spoon in Chu Yuzhao's hand fell to the ground, and he stood up all over.

"He can really save Luo Bai?"

"Yes, although he has not opened the door, his tone is very firm, and he also said that Mr. Luo's current illness can only be cured by him, but..." Hong Si stopped talking at this point.

"Just what?" Chu Yuzhao asked hoarsely.

"It's just that he has one condition."

"I can promise him any conditions, you say."

"But you want money? You can give him all these, give him." Yuan Fu also ignored Chu Yuzhao who was beside him, and interjected excitedly, "It is also possible to rebuild the Taoist temple, and it will be beautiful."

Chu Yuzhao followed and said: "Yes, give him everything he wants, not only money, but also a title."

Hong Si hesitated for a moment, then bit the bullet and said in a low voice: "The minister also asked, and he said that he didn't want any money or wealth. It's just that His Majesty owed Luo Bai this disease. If he wants to cure the disease, His Majesty has to come up with it." The most sincere way, he must feel His Majesty's sincerity before he rescues Young Master Luo."

The room was quiet, Yuan Fu looked blank, but Chu Yuzhao walked to the window and murmured: "Take the most sincere way to feel the sincerity..."

After a while, he turned his head to look at Luo Bai's peaceful sleeping face on the bed, and said, "I understand."

Nanya Mountain was snowed heavily, covered in silver.It was the coldest winter of the year at this time, the whole mountain was shrouded in wind and snow, there seemed to be no living thing in the world, only the rustling sound of falling snowflakes.

On the long stone steps covered with snow, someone is walking slowly towards the top of the mountain.Every time he reached a step, he knelt on the snow, kowtowed reverently, and continued to go up one step.

In this wind and snow where drops of water turned into ice, Chu Yuzhao was only wearing a layer of single clothes, his lips were already blue from the cold, and his eyebrows were covered with ice scum, but he still kowtowed step by step and walked slowly towards the top of the mountain.

The stone steps seemed to have no end, winding upwards in a dense fog, Hong Si followed not far away with Chu Yuzhao's clothes in his arms, his eyes were red, but he couldn't stop him, he could only grit his teeth and follow.

Chu Yuzhao's whole body was frozen to the point of unconsciousness, only his heart was still warm. Hong Si rushed forward, pulled out the cork from the leather bag containing spirits, and handed it to Chu Yuzhao.

"Your Majesty, take another sip, or you won't be able to make it to the top of the mountain."

Chu Yuzhao did not object, and stretched out his hand to pick up the leather bag, but his fingers were as stiff as wooden sticks, and he couldn't even hold the leather bag. Hong Si hurriedly brought the mouth of the bag to his trembling lips.

After taking two sips of wine, Hong Si shook off the clothes in his hands and said, "Your Majesty, put on a big cloak."

But Chu Yuzhao pushed aside the big cloak, looked up at the endless stone steps, and continued to go up firmly and silently.

His footsteps became slower and slower, and finally he fell into the snow.Hong Si yelled in shock, and was about to rush forward to help him, but saw his body move, and actually stood up again.

In the boundless wind and snow, although he walked very slowly, he kept staggering upwards without stopping for a moment.

Fortunately, although the snowstorm at the foot of the mountain and the mountainside was heavy, the top of the mountain was shone with faint sunlight. When Chu Yuzhao finally reached the top of the mountain, he saw a small Taoist temple.

His physical strength was at its limit, but he still insisted on not allowing Hong Si to help him. He moved to the gate step by step, raised his hand and knocked on the wooden door twice.

As if he had been waiting for his arrival, the gate opened in response to the sound, and a Taoist priest with a long beard fluttering in the air stood at the door, looking at him with a smile on his face.

When Chu Yuzhao saw him for the first time, he recognized that this was the Taoist priest Wu Yazi who had been to the palace and helped Mrs. Xue pass on a message to take care of Luo Bai.

"Taoist...save Luo Bai."

After saying these words, the strength that had been supporting him was finally exhausted, and his body fell backwards.

When Chu Yuzhao woke up, he found that he was lying on a bamboo bed, and there was no one else in the room, only Wu Yazi was sitting beside him, flicking a pot of charcoal fire in front of him with tongs.

"Are you awake?" Wu Yazi asked without raising his head.

Chu Yuzhao hummed in a low voice.

Wu Yazi used tongs to pull out a few black things from the charcoal brazier, picked them up and beat them again, making a hissing sound in his mouth, then broke them apart, and the smell of baked potatoes immediately wafted out of the room.

Chu Yuzhao watched him put those baked potatoes on a white porcelain plate, and put two crossed bamboo leaves on the side for decoration, and brought it to him.

"There are no other good things in the temple, so your Majesty can make do with it." Wu Yazi said with a smile.

Chu Yuzhao was indeed very hungry, so he didn't refuse, took the plate of potatoes and started eating.Wu Yazi took out some potatoes from the bamboo basket beside him and threw them into the charcoal brazier, saying: "That subordinate of His Majesty has gone down the mountain."

"Yeah." Chu Yuzhao ate the potatoes with big mouthfuls.

"Your Majesty, the skin has to be peeled off."

"It's okay, the skin is also very fragrant."

After eating a plate of hot potatoes, Chu Yuzhao felt that his physical strength had recovered again. He already had an extra leather robe on his body, which should have been put on by Hong Si when he fell asleep just now.

"Master Dao, it turns out that the legend about the guardian spirit leopard family is true, and you are the guardian." After putting down the plate, Chu Yuzhao got to the point.

Wu Yazi looked at the charcoal brazier, said: "Yes, Pindao has lived on this mountain with his master since he was a child, and when Luo Bai's mother died, he was sent away by Pindao."

Chu Yuzhao turned his head and thought for a while: "Master Daoist, I'm actually a little puzzled."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Since the Taoist priest is the guardian of the spirit leopard, according to common sense, Mrs. Xue should entrust Luo Bai to the Taoist priest's care. Why should he be sent to the palace?"

Wu Yazi glanced at him sideways and said, "Hasn't Your Majesty already seen it?"

Chu Yuzhao didn't understand what he meant, so he frowned: "What did I see?"

"Your Majesty has been to the underworld not long ago, so you should have seen Luo Bai's body, right?"

Chu Yuzhao was a little surprised that he even knew this, but he replied honestly: "Yes, I went to the underworld and brought back Luo Bai's soul body, and saw his body, which is a colorful Leopard."

"Then His Majesty should also know that Luo Bai is missing a soul."

"One soul and one soul are missing..." After repeating in a daze, Chu Yuzhao suddenly opened his eyes wide, and said as if waking up from a dream: "Yes, the colored stripes on the little leopard's body are indeed two less than the other souls. , I was thinking at the time, is it missing a soul and a soul."

Wu Yazi didn't say any more, just gave him a meaningful look, and then continued to rummage through those few potatoes.

Because of Wu Yazi's words, Chu Yuzhao's thoughts began to spin.

When he was in the underworld, Luo Bai's body was missing a soul and a soul, but when he saw his reflection in the water, not only did he have a dragon, but also a little leopard with two colored stripes.

Could it be... Could it be that...

Chu Yuzhao's mind seemed to be struck by lightning, and a guess suddenly flashed. Because of this guess, his blood suddenly became cold to freezing point, and his teeth also made a slight clashing sound.

After a long time, he heard himself utter a hoarse voice: "Master Dao, what do you mean... Luo Bai...he once gave me his soul?"

Wu Yazi hummed lightly.

Chu Yuzhao asked slowly, "When did that happen?"

As soon as he asked, he seemed to be recalling, with a strange expression on his face, "By the way, it should be the time when he was scratched by a bear. After all, I wonder how I survived. It turns out that it was Luo white……"

"Yes, he knew that his father almost died before, and his mother used magic to save him, so he also wanted to use the same magic to save His Majesty who was scratched by a bear. But he only peeked at the records from Madam Xue. I didn't even recognize the words in the booklet of spells, and I just followed the pictures. As a result, when I reached the critical step, I used spells to create a soul and a soul for His Majesty, but he couldn't. His Majesty was dying at the time. , In his desperation, he simply filled his own soul into it."

After Wu Yazi finished speaking, he looked down at the charcoal fire in front of him, and said calmly: "Because he lacked a soul, he became a fool."

Chu Yuzhao clenched his teeth, his knuckles turned white, and his nails sank into his palm.His throat seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand, the air in his lungs was about to be drained, and his chest was throbbing unbearably.

Wu Yazi continued: "After His Majesty returned to the palace, Mrs. Xue once went to His Majesty to take away the soul that belongs to Luo Bai."

The scene of that night reappeared before Chu Yuzhao's eyes. Amidst the thunder and lightning, Mrs. Xue pointed a long sword at his chest, her eyes were as cold as the sword's edge.

"Then why didn't she take it away?" Chu Yuzhao asked in a hoarse voice.

"She wanted to, but when she arrived at the palace, she found that His Majesty's body turned out to be a real dragon, and she couldn't move at all." Wu Yazi glanced at him, twitched the corner of his mouth, and said, "Mrs. She wanted to keep His Majesty's life, but she couldn't take it away. She didn't say the real reason, but just wanted His Majesty to accept her kindness."

Chu Yuzhao said with red eyes: "If she tells me, I will hand over the soul with my own hands, and save Luo Bai from suffering for so many years."

Wu Yazi continued: "She sent Luo Bai to the palace, not only wanting him to stay by your side, but also wanting you not to be too close to him, because even though she couldn't take Luo Bai's soul away, that The soul can feel the existence of Luo Bai, and it will speed up the repair of your body, which is also called soul cultivation. When the soul cultivation is successful on a certain day, that soul will be able to leave your majesty's body and return to Luo Bai's body .”

"And she was worried about what you would do to Luo Bai when you realized all this. After all, the best way to keep the soul is to get rid of the original owner of the soul. Therefore, Mrs. Xue asked His Majesty not to get close to Luo Bai. Just like raising a cat or dog, just throw it in the palace."

Wu Yazi sighed at this point: "The old Taoist told His Majesty all these reasons, and please Your Majesty be considerate of Madam Xue's loving heart, and don't blame her."

Chu Yuzhao stared blankly at the pot of charcoal fire, and there seemed to be water in his eyes: "What right do I have to blame her? Luo Bai was stupid for saving me for so many years, so what right do I have to blame her?" ?”

Both of them fell silent, only the occasional beeping sound of the charcoal fire exploding in the room.

After a long time, Chu Yuzhao calmed down, and asked: "Master Daoist, I went to the underworld to find Luo Bai's soul body, but he has been sleeping all this time, is it because he is missing a soul? "

Wu Yazi said: "Yes, he is missing a soul and a soul, usually there is no major problem, but once something happens, his soul and body are incomplete, unable to fully integrate with the body, so he cannot wake up."

"Is there any solution?" Chu Yuzhao asked calmly.

Wu Yazi turned his head to look at him, with some probing and scrutinizing eyes, but Chu Yuzhao had a calm expression, allowing him to look at him.

Wu Yazi put down the tongs, got up and walked to the window, opened the wooden window, and let the clear wind blow in the snowflakes.

He just looked out of the window like this, turned around suddenly after a while, and said in a cold voice: "Yesterday, the fourth commander of the Red Army came to the temple to seek medical treatment. The poor Taoist said that he must see His Majesty's sincerity and sincerity before agreeing to treat Mr. Luo." Today, His Majesty wore only single clothes in the wind and snow, and reached the top of the mountain step by step, and Pindao saw it, so he opened the gate."

"Pindao said those words not deliberately to make things difficult for His Majesty, but to truly heal Luo Bai. His Majesty is the only one in the world. As for whether he should be cured or not, it all depends on His Majesty's sincerity and sincerity."

Chu Yuzhao seemed to know the answer, stood up and walked around the brazier, bowed deeply to Wu Yazi, and said clearly, "As long as he needs it, as long as I have it, let him take it."

The author has something to say:

The soul is still with me, don't you think that Luo Bai went to the underworld, and the soul is all there.