comeback [rebirth]

Eunuch Rong led the two of them directly to the announcement room. On the way, Cen Yuan routinely asked about Emperor Ning's physical condition.

"A few days ago, Tai Changqing drew up the procedure for the day of your highness's wedding with your lord, and handed it to your majesty." Eunuch Rong seemed to be in a good mood, and kept smiling cheerfully, "Maybe it's because of joy, your majesty My health is quite good, my appetite has also improved, and the number of times I wake up at night due to pain is significantly less."

"..." Cen Yuan was silent in his heart, thinking that he was just getting married, how to put it like some kind of panacea.

But it's not a bad thing after all, Cen Yuan nodded: "That's good, I have to trouble Eunuch Rong to take good care of my father."

"This is what old slaves should do." Eunuch Rong smiled apologetically, and just arrived at the announcement room at this time, "Then old slaves will not go in, Second Highness, Lord Yan, please."

Cen Yuan glanced at Yan Xuan, and walked in with him, and the door was tightly closed behind him.

The weather was good that day, so several windows in the announcement room were open, and the indoor sunlight was extremely bright.

Emperor Ning had always been less interested in calligraphy and painting, but today he didn't know where the interest came from, and he spread a large sheet of drawing paper on the table, and was painting on it.

"Coming?" He didn't look up, he added two touches to the painting, then put down the brush, and waved to the two, "Come, let's see how my painting is doing."

Cen Yuan exchanged glances with Yan Xuan, and walked towards the table with him at the same time.After getting closer, he glanced at the table, and saw that the painting actually showed two mandarin ducks crossing their necks.

Cen Yuan: "..."

"Hmm..." Cen Yuan thought for a while, and then flattered, "It's been a long time since I saw my father painting, and the way this line is drawn is even more exquisite than before. Besides, the mandarin ducks are vivid on the paper, and their expressions are vivid. I felt as if I really saw two mandarin ducks—"

As soon as his flattery was halfway through, Emperor Ning picked up the folding fan on the side and tapped him on the head: "I see that your tongue is more slippery than before."

Cen Yuan pursed his lips, bowed his head and fell silent.

"Forget it, I can't expect you to tell me the truth." Emperor Ning looked at the other party, suddenly pulled the corner of his mouth and shook his head.He didn't ask Yan Xuan to answer again, but said: "Since you like it so much, you can take it back, it's a congratulatory gift I drew for you."

After finishing speaking, he pointed to Cen Yuan again: "Hang it up for me."

"..." Cen Yuan had no choice but to salute: "Thank you, father, my son obeys orders."

Emperor Ning didn't let people come in to clean up immediately, but walked around the table and took the two of them behind the screen: "It's lunch time, have you eaten yet?"

Cen Yuandai and the two replied: "Return to father, not yet."

"Then together."

Stepping into the back room, you can see that the table has already been set with bowls and chopsticks.Emperor Ning took his seat first, and then pointed to two empty seats: "Don't stand still."

After the palace servants served the food and all retreated, he moved his chopsticks and asked, "Did Tai Changqing tell you about the procedure of the wedding day?"

This unprecedented wedding ceremony also gave the officials in charge a headache for a while. After all, it seems that there is something wrong with the process of marrying a princess or a prince marrying a concubine.After discussing for several days, a new set of procedures was finally formulated and the two were informed separately.

Cen Yuan said: "I said it."

Emperor Ning stopped his chopsticks after taking two bites: "Since that's the case, don't make any trouble for me that day."

"How could it be, father." Cen Yuan said with a smile.

"You still say?" Emperor Ning raised his eyes and glanced at him, then turned to Yan Xuan, seeming to stare, "I really don't know whether it was right or wrong to give you marriage back then, but it made you more unruly."

Then why did you come up with such an idea in the first place...

Cen Yuan cursed inwardly, and followed the other party's gaze to look at Yan Xuan calmly.

Although a little guilty, he still whispered: "No..."

Emperor Ning looked at him: "Then who was the one who left the city without permission during the curfew a few days ago?"

The two parties who left the city without permission: "..."

Cen Yuan was not too surprised that Emperor Ning knew this, after all, this is Chang'an City, even if Emperor Ning was lying on the collapsed bed and couldn't see, he could still "see" every corner of Chang'an.

What's more, they were rampant when they left the city that day, but they didn't show any signs of shyness...

In terms of status, since Cen Yuan is here, Yan Xuan usually doesn't have the time to speak, and he is happy to remain silent.But at this moment, he quietly put down his chopsticks and shouted, "Your Majesty."

"Say."

Yan Xuan said: "That day was the minister—"

As soon as he spoke, he was suddenly interrupted by Cen Yuan: "Father, let me tell you."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head and quickly blinked his left eye at Yan Xuan, signaling the other party to keep quiet.

Emperor Ning snorted and laughed: "Before we got married, you started flirting with me in front of me. Second child, you really don't take me seriously."

As he said that, he looked at Yan Xuan with a hint of meaning: "I don't know who spoiled you more and more unscrupulously."

Yan Xuan: "..."

Apart from the favoritism gained by relying on Jiang Zhaoyi, the reason why Cen Yuan was able to smile around Emperor Ning for so long was also because he knew well what all the changes in Emperor Ning's expressions represented, and he accepted when things went wrong.Just like now, the emperor who laughed at Yan Yan was not really angry, but more like teasing.

If you really want to count, Emperor Ning was really furious in front of Cen Yuan, probably only in the last life when they talked in the hall for the last time.

Cen Yuan didn't think too much about the past, if he was young, he could go up and hug Emperor Ning's thigh directly, but now he definitely won't and doesn't want to do that.So he cleared his throat and said with a smile to Emperor Ning: "Thanks to Father's favor. Father, my son was bored in the city for a long time that day, and I heard that there are songs and dances in nearby counties and towns to welcome ancestors during the Ghost Festival. Then I had a whim to join in the fun, and dragged General Yan out of the city. However, I got lost before I reached the place, so I finally gave up and took a rest at a nearby house."

After listening to his explanation, Emperor Ning didn't ask any more questions, and snorted: "I see that you are not bored every day."

Cen Yuan smiled and said: "It is the father who governs the country well, making the city peaceful and peaceful outside the city, so my son has the capital to be so bored."

"Come on, it's enough to say good things once a day, and you should get tired of it if you say more." Emperor Ning said.

Cen Yuan immediately nodded kindly, and put some food in Emperor Ning's bowl: "I know."

Emperor Ning glanced at him, lowered his head to eat the food in the bowl, and said inadvertently, "Since you said that you are bored in the city, do you want to go to Chu State for a while?"

"Okay." Cen Yuan said subconsciously, and then came back to his senses: "Huh?"

After answering, he glanced at Yan Xuan again, and saw confusion in the other's eyes.

Emperor Ning calmly wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Yan Qing, I have read the brochure you handed over a few days ago."

Yan Xuan: "Your Majesty."

"After you get married, I promise you to transfer the affairs of the Nanting Division to others to manage." Ning Emperor said, "I haven't visited the South for several years, but the Jiangnan Fengshui is still vivid in my mind. I see you usually There is not much chance to go to the south of the Yangtze River, so why not take advantage of the newlywed Yaner and go to the Chu country to travel together."

It was impossible for Emperor Ning to put these two things together for no reason. When the two heard this, they also understood his real purpose.

——It's called traveling, but it's actually an investigation.

Cen Yuan slandered: No wonder the old fox is so patient today, the original intention was here, he really took the opportunity to use them as pawns.

It's just to throw away a trace of unpleasantness, which is exactly what they want.Therefore, he and Yan Xuan looked at each other again, and then they said: "Thank you, Father, for your grace." "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

Emperor Ning gave a "hmm" and said again: "But don't play this game for too long, the wolves in the north have been yelling a lot recently, maybe when the sound will reach Daning, disturbing people's peace .”

These words were mainly addressed to Yan Xuan, who replied in response: "I understand."

"Just chatting here, I don't think you have moved your chopsticks a few times." Emperor Ning pointed to a few dishes with his chopsticks, "It is said that this cook is from Chu State, second child, your mother and concubine have praised him. The craftsmanship is good, you should try it more.”

Cen Yuan responded with a smile, "Thank you, Father."

At the end of this lunch, Emperor Ning did not mention the matter of Chu State again.He called Eunuch Rong to come in and tidy up the mandarin duck painting, let Cen Yuan put it on by himself, and let them go.

This day Yan Xuan didn't need to go to the Nanting Division, so he left the palace with Cen Yuan and headed back home.

On the carriage, Cen Yuan asked softly: "Mobei is not peaceful recently?"

"Yeah." Yan Xuan sat opposite him, "The spies from Hanlin reported that the Huns in that area are stockpiling grain, and the number is several times higher than in previous years. I don't know if it's for winter or something else."

The Hanlin area is located in the northernmost part of Mobei, and it can be regarded as the most marginal area of ​​Daning. If the Huns really choose to attack the border of Daning, Hanlin will definitely bear the brunt.

Due to the terrain, snow often begins to fall in this place from the end of August, and there is a shortage of food and grass almost every year.Therefore, from July onwards, the imperial court will send people to support the people there, and the person in charge of this matter this year is the Fifth Prince Cen Yi.

After hearing Yan Xuan's words, Cen Yuan remembered that Cen Yi also mentioned this matter in the early court in his previous life, but it should not be at this time, but later.It's just that until next January when he assassinated the prime minister, Mobei was still in the cold winter, so it was considered peaceful.As for the days to come, it was beyond his knowledge.

In this life, many things have not developed according to the original progress, so Cen Yuan can't confirm what the situation in Mobei will be this time, but even the Huns should not be so stupid as to choose to raise troops in the severe winter .

But then again, if there was a fight, it would most likely be led by Yan Xuan...

Cen Yuan pondered for a while, at this time the carriage probably just passed in front of Yixian Tower, the sun was still strong, and there were few pedestrians on the road, which was quite different from the noise at night, and the old bustard's familiar accent was particularly noticeable in the surrounding voices.

Cen Yuan paused for a moment, suddenly thought of something, conditioned reflex raised the curtain behind him - but his side happened to be opposite Yixian Tower, and there was only one bare wall.

As the daylight flickered, Cen Yuan always felt that he saw a black figure leaning against the wall in a trance.

He suddenly remembered that it was the Mid-Autumn Festival when he heard about Mo Bei in his previous life.

——In other words, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the previous life, Yan Xuan told him outside the Yixian Building that he just met his fifth younger brother by chance and discussed the matter of the Huns in Mobei. Isn't that an excuse?

At that time, because Yan Xuan had already complained about his behavior, he also subconsciously developed a prejudice against the other party, including the explanation that day.

Looking back on all the things he has been through since his rebirth, the little general has always been sincere to him, thinking of him everywhere - this attitude must not have been formed because of the few insignificant changes he made after his rebirth this time, It's like he only found out after he was reborn that the little general came to watch him secretly in the middle of the night when he was unconscious.

But what about him in his previous life?

Ignoring the good intentions of others because of my own willful will, I mercilessly discarded the friendship between the two for many years; and because my eyes were blinded by hatred, I blindly stepped on the other's sincerity under my feet.

No matter what his mentality was, and who was the instigator of everything, he felt that his behavior in the previous life was really stupid.

Maybe it was because he was in a daze for too long, Yan Xuan asked: "What's wrong?"

Cen Yuan woke up like a dream, put down the curtain and remained silent for a while.

In any case, he can't go back to his previous life now.

"I was just thinking..." Cen Yuan murmured, picked up the painting given to him by Emperor Ning and unfolded it. He didn't look at it carefully in the announcement room just now, but now he looked carefully again, only to find that there were actually two male birds in the painting.

He was startled, and after realizing it, he smiled suddenly, and moved to Yan Xuan's side in a bowed body in the carriage, and spread the painting side by side on their laps.

"Tell me, where should this painting be hung?"

"..." Yan Xuan turned his head and glanced at him: "See if you like it."

"You always see what I like, so can't you talk about your own preferences?" Cen Yuan said.

Yan Xuan responded, "Just hang it in your room."

"I'm sitting on the bed alone, looking at the two mandarin ducks..." Cen Yuan paused for a moment, and then changed his words, "Two mandarin ducks are playing in the water in front of me. Put yourself in your place and think about it, will it make you feel better?"

Yan Xuan's eyelashes trembled, and his eyes lightly fell on the two male birds, his Adam's apple slipped up and down suddenly.

"What do you want to say, Your Highness?" He asked in a low voice.

Hearing this, Cen Yuan suddenly sat up straight, and looked away at the swaying curtains on both sides of the carriage.

The carriage seemed to have left the busy city and entered the small alley, the surroundings became quiet, only the sound of the wheels.

"Just..." he murmured softly, "It's going to be cold right now, one person is no better than two people; although the west wing is close to the main room, it's still a bit off, it's inconvenient to talk about something after all; and , if we still sleep in separate rooms after getting married, maybe one day the emperor will find out about it and call him into the palace to give a lecture..."

Although Emperor Ning covered the sky with one hand, he would not even take care of other people's boudoir affairs, but Yan Xuan didn't say anything about it, just waited silently.

Cen Yuan withdrew his gaze, and glanced at the two mandarin birds crossing their necks out of the corner of his eye: "As the main house, you might as well live here."