Emperor Que Shaohua

All kinds of turmoil inside and outside Wanjian Villa cannot be transmitted to Juxian Building for the time being.Jiang Wanli was short of breath at first, but when she heard King Jing's words, she somewhat recovered her composure. She glanced at Mu Shaoqing, but seeing that his brows were full of hostility, concealing his former glory, she couldn't help sighing, and turned back silently. After the bead curtain.

Mu Shaoqing felt another strange feeling in his heart.Having not seen her for many days, Jiang Wanli seemed to have lost some weight. Her gaze and sighs were full of worry, as if she was saying: Don't do this, it shouldn't be like this.

Before deliberately suppressing it, this feeling gradually spread like ripples, subtle but impossible to ignore, just like seeing Luo Yanhua for the first time half an hour ago.He felt a little distracted, and didn't even notice when he sat down.

The melody of the guzheng flowed out like spring water again, and a small bowl of fish soup was served downstairs. This is one of the famous dishes of Juxianlou. It is cooked with four-gill squid in the river. delicious.

"When I was in Luocheng, I often heard people talk about the scenery in the south of the Yangtze River. The river is mighty, and the fish and rice are swollen. You can't taste fish soup like this in the north." Luo Yanhua took a sip and said leisurely, "I miss Yu At the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, Langhuan originated from Huxiang and rooted in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, such as the Xiao family in Dongting, the Bai family in Gusu, the Guan family in Luzhou, and your Mu family in Jinling. , the boundary of the south of the Yangtze River is a place for me to retreat and recuperate. Shaoqing blamed me for staying in Luocheng for a long time, but have you ever thought about what the north of the Yangtze River means to us?"

"You asked me to come here just to talk about these commonplaces?" Boss Mu Shaoqing was impatient, and sneered, "Speaking of it, you're not coaxing everyone to work hard for the court with the principle of serving the country and the people!"

"Langhuan followed the heart of people in the martial arts, and never existed for the court." Luo Yanhua said lightly, ignoring his attitude, "The reason why the twelve orders have been issued in Jiangbei for more than a hundred years, or The civil strife in the Central Plains of Xieping, or going to the frontier for military opportunities, is because everyone knows that if the mountains and rivers are turbulent and foreign captives invade, one day, the Jiangnan with warm mountains and soft waters will not be safe. From Jinzhou, Yuzhou to Jizhou, Zhangzhou, and then to Shaoan on the border, there are countless sacrifices and blood of ancestors in the north. Participating in the Guiyan summit battle is not for the emperor, but for the country and ourselves. Liao people are our enemies. Shaoqing rushed to Didn't the Taiping Valley jointly attack Pin Martial Hall have the same idea?"

Mu Shaoqing was at a loss for words for a while, the battle outside Yumen Pass, although he walked alone from the beginning to the end, and claimed to Zhu Jin that he did not follow orders, he finally went.It seems inconvenient to blame Hengdao and Lingxu for participating in the war.

"So what?" He said through his teeth, "You didn't go to the battlefield. When others were feasting on the wind, drinking dew, and bathing in blood, you were sitting in the palace of the king in Los Angeles, waiting to exchange the results of battles and victories for the opportunity to enter your body. Jie, this is not selfishness! If you are as righteous as you said, where can you not be the suzerain and have to stay in Luocheng?"

"There must be a limit to being unreasonable!" Rong Feisheng couldn't bear it anymore, "You think the conditions set by the court with us eight years ago are child's play, if you break it, you will break it, if you say revenge, you will take revenge, and there is no need to pay the price? What if the Lord leaves? Prince Jing's Mansion, do you still have a comfortable life today at Wanjian Villa? You know that in order for everyone to return to Jiangbei smoothly, the Lord will take care of him..."

"I think he's in good shape, what could be the matter?" Mu Shaoqing interrupted, with a contemptuous look on his face, "I heard that in Luocheng, there were two princes fighting to protect him, and in Jinling, there are a bunch of princes like you." Surrounded by your faithful servants, isn’t that enough?”

Rong Feisheng's face turned pale with anger. Given that this person is unreasonable at the moment, even if he tells about the poison in King Jing's body, the other party will definitely not believe it and it will be useless. Considering that there are outsiders such as Nan Gongchen present, he suppressed his anger and moved The second half of the sentence endured and went back.

Luo Yanhua shook his head slightly, indicating that there is no need to argue any more. Obviously, the more others speak for him, the harsher Mu Shaoqing's response will be.

"Luocheng is the imperial capital, and it is also the place where Langhuan was wronged and persecuted in the past." His voice remained indifferent, without any ups and downs of emotion, "The battle report of Shao'an's fall was spread to Beijing, and his mother was forced to commit suicide in Fengyi Palace. The crimes against him were suppressed one by one, the blood of the officials in the Zichen Palace was splashed on the steps, the companions died overnight, and the traitor and traitor rose to the top. All these happened in Los Angeles. You ask me why I refuse to seek escape. If I go away, the traitor The hatred of inflicting harm, the injustice of treason, the humiliation of losing the city gate, the thousands of loves in the past, and the deep hatred in the sea, how should all these belong? Can it really be resolved with a sword?"

"So there is no other way to think about it. You can only rely on you, Luo Yanhua, to stay in Luocheng to judge the situation until the time is right, right? One day the court will be willing to vindicate its grievances. You have never always said this, let everyone accompany you Waiting bitterly!" Mu Shaoqing couldn't hear these reasons the most, and put the wine glass in his hand on the table heavily, "You know that when Jiang Zuo envoy passed away, Wan Li...Jiang girl even set a memorial ceremony in front of the coffin. I solemnly swear, as long as your cousin still suffers in Luocheng for Lang Huan, she will not marry for a day, and she will never enjoy comfort alone! How is it now? Those sworn enemies have been comfortable for another ten years. On a good day, the prince is still the prince, the concubine is still the concubine, and what about us? Do you know what it's like to endure hatred and suffering day and night?"

King Jing frowned, different from the pure accusation and ridicule just now, Mu Shaoqing's words contained complicated and entangled emotions, which seemed to be a bit of a cover-up.During the time when my uncle passed away, it was very difficult to transmit messages between Jiangnan and Luocheng. Not many people heard about Wanli's oath, perhaps because of some kind of tacit understanding, no one mentioned it to herself.In fact, it was only when I lived in Huaibizhuang these few days that I learned about it.

Jiang Wanli behind the curtain should be concentrating on playing, Lingling's voiceless voice is like flowing water, but Luo Yanhua can still feel the subtle tremor in it.

"I think I know the feeling of suffering and waiting very well." He said calmly, "In recent years, Shaoqing has kept emphasizing that only when I give up my status as prince and return to Jiangnan will I be recognized as suzerain. Glass?"

Mu Shaoqing was caught off guard, and his face flushed instantly: "How can this happen, don't talk nonsense!"

He has always been arrogant and competitive. Jiang Wanli was originally the younger sister of the Jiang family, but when she got older, she developed a good impression of her. What she saw and heard was often the admiration and longing of the girl she liked for another person. He was concerned about his cousin Luo Yanhua who was far away in Los Angeles.As a subordinate, Master Mu Shaozhuang would not show the slightest affection in this situation. Not only would he not announce it to the outside world, but he also tried his best to suppress his emotions.There are not many opportunities for the two to meet. Jiang Wanli lives in Mingyue Building in Hangzhou most of the time, and only goes to Jinling to discuss important matters.Time passed amid hesitation and temptation, and Wan Li's figure was always in his heart. Since he couldn't let go, he became more hostile towards the Suzerain who had heard nothing but heard from him. From dissatisfaction to resentment, it gradually became deeper.

Everyone in Langhuan was busy trying to regain their vitality. Even if they were as careful as Zhu Jin and Zhen Zixian, they might have noticed subtle clues. For example, when Jiang Wanli participated, they could see Mu Shaoqing, but the sound of the sword made the master arrogant and alienated. The elegy makes the master's mind difficult to understand. With the hatred of the country and the family, there is really no energy left to dismantle the fairy game, so no one has ever asked.

This secret, which was so secret that even I didn't want to face it, was clarified by my opponent in the Juxian Building where I went to the meeting alone, and it was still in front of Jiang Wanli. Filled with hatred and anger, at this moment, it was also shocked by the temporary situation of extra problems.Instinctively denying again and again in the mouth, but unknowingly hearing it in the ears of others, it is already trying to cover up.

"Grudges between family and country, and love between children and children are all human. These years, no matter what reason you have complained against me, I have never blamed it. I think that one day the misunderstanding will be solved." Luo Yanhua He said lightly that it was about his cousin, and it was not the right time to get to the bottom of it, so he stopped short, and the conversation suddenly became sharper, "However, it is another matter to split the Ming sword from the ring ring. Shaoqing I decided that I was unwilling to avenge my grievances for my own selfishness, not to mention whether it was fair or not. Now you don’t care about it and insist on establishing your own family. Even if I don’t stop you and let you form the Mingjian League, then what is the next step? What method are you going to use? Asking for justice? Could it be that you are leading your trusted subordinates to Los Angeles to assassinate with a sword?"

Mu Shaoqing's mind has not been freed from the chaotic state, and he is a little overwhelmed by a series of sharp questions.How to start revenge should be the purpose of his planning and action, but in the past few days, what he lacks most is careful consideration.He froze for a moment before saying in a deep voice: "Collecting together and working together, having your own way, is worse than living in ignorance and being a tool for you to seek power." He still did not show any weakness in Cifeng, but his momentum was not as good as before.

"Well said, it really is bloody." Luo Yanhua nodded and said, "It is still unknown whether you can kill the enemy with your own hands. Have you ever considered clearly, even if it can be done, how many casualties and losses will be paid, and the lives of you and everyone else?" , Do you still want the reputation of Langhuan's foundation?"

"I have never forced anyone, and those who follow and participate are all voluntary." Mu Shaoqing said coldly, "Mingjian has already left Langhuan, no matter what I do next, it will be my own responsibility, and it has nothing to do with others. "

"In your opinion, is this enough to take on?" Luo Yanhua sighed, as he thought before, Sanskrit music will grab the weakness of others' hearts and keep amplifying it until it obscures reason.Just like Nalan Yu once tried to provoke Luo Pingyuan's knots and fears, while Mu Shaoqing hated the court, because of Jiang Wanli, he also buried complex emotions towards himself, his old friend and suzerain, and the resentment came from Born from this, it is out of control.But his feelings for Langhuan and Wanli are true.If not, it would not be so difficult to deal with.

"Have you ever thought, Shaoqing, that what you are about to do is neither good nor good, so why did the Sanjiang Gang, Duanmen Dao and others rush to take effect?" He then asked, "Could it be that they are also in the court The Qiu family still has a deep friendship with you, so as soon as you see the martial arts post, you immediately share your hatred and are willing to live and die together?"

"Corrupt officials are rampant, and there are injustices everywhere," Mu Shaoqing was a little annoyed when he was told, "Since you are willing to join, you have your own reasons. You don't know the inside story, so why should you comment?"

"That's right, how to judge friend and foe is up to you. I only know that in just three months, these mob gangs have been using the banner of Wanjian Villa and Mingjian League to provoke Hengdao, Qibi, and Lingxu." More than a dozen times, just yesterday, several disciples were injured!" Luo Yanhua's calm expression suddenly became stern at this moment, and every word was as cold as ice, "From the moment you set foot on Juxian Tower, you have condemned me Question, now you call yourself a person in Langhuan, you keep complaining for everyone, and take revenge as your ambition, but what have you done? The Langhuan Linglings have always been a family, and they are like brothers and sisters. After returning from a life-and-death struggle, why did you still suffer humiliation and bleed in the south of the Yangtze River? Just because they were worried about you, and they didn’t want to draw their swords easily, so they deserved to be hurt by Xiaoxiao? Let me ask you, how did the Sanjiang Gang know about Qi? Where is Bi's stronghold? What did Zhu Jin do wrong, and he has been imprisoned for no reason? Just because they follow my order, and because you are dissatisfied with me, can you do whatever you want? Shaoqing, you Ask yourself, don't you feel that you are too arrogant?"

His deep eyes finally showed the sharpness of a sword: "You said that you can't wait to be rehabilitated, and you are eager to take revenge, but seeing what you have done these days, who is secretly happy, who sneaked in with ulterior motives? Who is it, and who is being hurt? You really don’t know who it is? Or, as long as you oppose me, Luo Yanhua, even if you love and hate, it will make Langhuan suffer again, and you will do it without thinking. ?”

The last two sentences were precisely on Mu Shaoqing's heart disease.He also didn't understand why he was always on fire and restless, and he didn't care about the clown who had attached himself to him jumping up and down, as long as he could deal with King Jing, he would feel happy from the bottom of his heart.

"That's enough, what's going on again, it's another scaremongering and demagogic rhetoric!" He looked irritable, and subconsciously rubbed his temples.

He always thinks that he should hate Luo Yanhua very much, and he should even disdain the conversation, but after talking face to face for a long time, apart from the growing restlessness, it seems that there is not much disgust.Is it because Jiang Wanli is there, or is it because Jing Wang, who is so close to each other, has no overlap with the pre-set hypocritical image in his mind, so it is difficult to arouse the fierce hostility in his heart, but instead arouses a certain kind of love from time to time? A subtle and strange nostalgia.

"Until now, Langhuan is still waiting for your change of heart, but tolerance has a limit. If you continue to form alliances with villains with ulterior motives and allow villains to attack your former companions, then swords and swords will inevitably be fought. And this It's just an internal crisis." Luo Yanhua said, "Although our enemies in the court and the opposition have been injured, they are always looking for opportunities to resurface. Your words and deeds are no different from sending them a ready-made loophole. Mingjian not only breaks away from Lang Huan, and openly recruiting people, intending to be detrimental to the court. Once someone deliberately makes a fuss about this matter, the most likely reaction in the court is to regard you and Ming Jian as traitors and order Lang Huan to wipe them out on the spot Put down the chaos to prove my innocence; if I don't want to obey orders, then Langhuan will be charged with treason again, and the efforts of the past years will be wiped out. The truth, the blood of Zhaoguan’s murder, there is no chance to prove his innocence. Master Mu Ling, Master Mu Shaozhuang, please think about it calmly, are these the results you want? Even if you are skilled in swordsmanship, you really have a chance To go to righteousness, to be kind and enmity?"

The four buildings were silent, and Mu Shaoqing clearly felt a deep chill in his heart, extending and spreading to the whole body, almost covering the evil fire that was burning all day long, as if there was a voice in his heart saying, this is not a great truth, it is not alarmist talk , but a reality that could indeed happen.In a trance for a moment, he seemed to see the blood splashed by the river again, and the familiar figures that fell among the swords.If the chaos continues, will those tragedies really happen again?He will become a sinner of Ming Jian and Lang Huan, and he will have no face to face relatives, friends and companions during life and after death.

There was only silence in Juxian Tower, and everyone seemed to be waiting for his response with anticipation, including Wanli who was still playing the zither behind the curtain, she was also listening.

Mu Shaoqing looked at King Jing who was sitting across from him. In this short moment, he suddenly understood the burden on the other party more than ever before.Because a choice must be made for everyone, one cannot make a wrong step, no amount of pain and hatred must be endured, or even ignored, and only correct judgment has meaning.

It was also at the moment when he realized this, he hated Luo Yanhua more than ever before, and the adversity that had lingered for several months swept back again, turbulent and unstoppable, trapping his mind in it, that glimmer of clarity was fleeting, He can't catch it.Another scene flashed through my mind: the longing on Jiang Wanli's face, the brilliance she had when she talked about her cousin, Pei Suxue's cold singing voice, the dead Wei Cheng...

It's just a statement that is difficult to distinguish between true and false, so why should I back down on this?

"If it is true as you said, it is you, not me, who should decide whether to obey the court. From the beginning to the end, what I advocate is to abandon the agreement across the river and seek revenge on my own." He let out a breath stuck in his throat, Gritting his teeth, he said, "You are very eloquent, but you will only know if you are right or not. If you say a thousand things and ten thousand things, you, as the suzerain, have not been able to redress your grievances. I just refuse to accept it!"

The conversation has turned back to the original point so far, and it is unsustainable, and no one speaks for a while.Even Li Fengxing, the deputy leader who has always supported Mu Shaoqing, felt powerless sadness in his heart, and more of it was tense and alert spontaneously. The situation was difficult to turn around, how would the suzerain make a decision?

Li Fengxing's eyes unconsciously stared at King Jing's right hand on the table. He wasn't sure if today's meeting had hidden murderous intentions. Maybe in the next moment, this slender hand would throw a cup on the ground, and then What came was an ambush from all sides.

The strings of the guzheng are lowered, and if there is no place to harmonize with the sound of rain that has gathered outside the window at an unknown time, it seems to be an unresolved melancholy.King Jing got up in the silence, walked to the window, and silently stared at the river under the rain.

"You and I first met in Jinling 14 years ago, and it was also a rainy day like today. Looking back, it seems like it happened a lifetime ago, and it seemed like it happened yesterday." Rather than aiming at Langhuan, then, do you dare to make a bet with me?"

Mu Shaoqing paused for a moment, a little surprised, his heart was full of hostility, but he felt somewhat lost for no reason: "What do you want to bet?"

"From now until the fifth day of May, stop organizing the Mingjian League, restrain subordinates to be cautious in words and deeds, and no longer allow those affiliated gangs to act in the name of Wanjian Villa. As long as you can do it, I will try to deal with the Pei Suxue incident. Before the sword meeting ends, I will give you a satisfactory explanation." Luo Yanhua said, "This is the cause of the sudden breakup. You believe that Miss Pei is the orphan of Langhuan under my control, and also a spy I sent to monitor. My personal reputation It's still the second thing, but since this matter is already related to the future fate of many children of the Twelve Ling, we cannot let it pass without knowing what is right and what is wrong, and someone should be responsible for it."

"I know the facts clearly enough, what else do you have to say?" Mu Shaoqing sneered habitually, "With your ability, it's very easy to make up a story and find a few people to give false testimony. Why should I agree?"

"Since I dare to bring it up, I will convince you sincerely. Even if other people present think it is enough, as long as you are still not convinced, I will lose. In other words, Shaoqing can't even trust her own judgment, and dare not stand up for Lian Yue. Take responsibility for your words and deeds?" Luo Yanhua turned around and said lightly, "If I sort out the ins and outs and prove my innocence, you must return to Langhuan with Ming Jian and wait for disposal, and you must not act on your own; on the contrary, if I If you can’t do it, just let you leave with your subordinates who are willing to follow, no matter how the situation changes, the rest of Langhuan will not trouble you.”

Mu Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, King Jing's condition was so straightforward and decisive, he had never expected it.The matter of Pei Suxue can't be explained clearly in a few words, the winning or losing of the bet depends on one's own thoughts, it can be said that she has retreated to the extreme, but also seems to be extremely confident and reckless, as if she can convince herself with absolute certainty.

Could it be a trap?Such a thought flashed through Mu Shaoqing's mind.But with his arrogance and conceit, if his opponent even dared to take this kind of bet, wouldn't it be ridiculous and generous, and it would be the same as giving up in discouragement?

He thought for a moment before he said coldly: "Even if I agree, so what, you said it yourself, Pei Suxue is just the cause, as long as the blood feud is still there, not only me, but the subordinates and old friends will never feel at ease."

"I haven't finished my words yet," Luo Yanhua smiled, with a calm expression, and said slowly, "Clarifying the misunderstanding at the sword test meeting is just a part of the bet. It lasts for one year. If at this time next year, I If Huan still fails to clear his grievances, I will give up the position of suzerain, and those who are capable will take over."

After a long time, Rong Feisheng, the head manager of Huaibizhuang, still clearly remembered the scene of signing the contract in Juxian Tower that day.Mu Shaoqing's eyebrows were darkened, and he stood up reluctantly, stepped forward, and slapped the suzerain three times with the suzerain who was standing quietly by the window.Looking from their sides, the transparent rainwater is covering the ancient city of Jinling, the streets paved with bluestones, the houses with gray walls and black tiles, and the white-faced Yangtze River outside the city walls.

The Lord didn't have to back down so far.At that time, he watched the agreement that was about to determine the future of Langhuan come to fruition, and he thought unexpectedly in his heart, but strangely, he didn't feel worried, and he never distracted himself from thinking about the sword test meeting in more than ten days. There is only a piece of sadness that is as vast as the river.

He also said that one year lasts, Luo Yanhua's life has long been counted by months rather than years.The aggressive owner Mu Shaozhuang didn't know, and didn't know how to care. In order to fulfill this fateful responsibility, the suzerain had already given everything alone, except for the lack of glory and wealth.