After the failed attempt to pretend to be dead, the sickly child was favored by the treacherous mini

Having recently lost his job in the Ministry of War, Xun Zhan finally has some free time.

Now that his son was no longer at home, Xun Zhan spent all his free time with Xia Yu.

He would send Xia Yu off when he went to court, pick him up when he left court, and serve him whenever Xia Yu returned to Prince Ming's Palace.

He doesn't look like Xia Yu's teacher. Instead, he looks more like a steward than the steward of Prince Ming's Palace.

After all, a butler would not climb onto his master's bed and warm the quilt for him.

Xun Zhan did this for a reason. His father was accompanied by his mother, and his brother was busy with the affairs of Prince Ling's Palace. It was naturally more useful for him to stay in the Prime Minister's Mansion every day than in Prince Ming's Palace.

He has only one Xiaojiu in his family.

Yesterday, Xun Zhan received the news that King Ling decided to go to the East Border in person tomorrow to summon Han Zhou back to the Divine Capital. Today, he waited at home for a whole day, which was rare.

It was not until the lights faded that Xun Zhan waited at the gate of the mansion for the person he wanted to see.

The personal servant trotted to the pavilion to clean up. Xun Zhan stepped forward to take the lantern from Xun Lan's hand, shook it in his hand for a few times, and felt that the lantern from the Prince Ling's Mansion was really bright.

It was so bright that Xun Zhan’s eyes felt sore and painful.

"Brother, you came back really late today. When you have a sister-in-law in the future, she might get angry and not let you go back to your room. You will be wrong then."

A lot of herbs to repel mosquitoes were smoked around the pavilion, and three or five side dishes were placed on the stone table. The aroma of wine wafted from the exquisite white jade wine pot.

Xun Zhan fanned the aroma of wine toward Xun Lan's nose: "Brother, do you want some?"

This was wine brewed by his mother herself and buried in the plum blossom forest in the mansion. It was originally intended to be used as a betrothal gift when the two brothers got married.

His mother is always very close to him, and even Xun Xiang couldn't be deceived.

Xun Lan knew without a doubt that it must have been Xun Zhan who stole such a jar of wine this time.

However, scholars should not use the word "steal". "Pilgrimage" would be more appropriate.

Xun Lan actually seldom drinks, but today he took the wine jug and poured a glass for himself and Xun Zhan respectively.

A few glasses of wine went down his throat, and the mellow aroma nurtured by the years of plum blossoms and snow broke the heaviness in Xun Lan's heart.

Ever since returning from the encirclement and suppression at Hutou Mountain, everything related to Xun Lan can only be described as hopeless.

He could not break free from the clutches of the giant beast of power. Although he became famous at a young age and was full of talent, he could neither protect the people nor save those he wanted to save.

"Why don't you accompany your little wife today, but come to accompany me instead?"

Xun Lan was playing a riddle, but Xun Zhan was well prepared: "Brother, have you already guessed the current situation?"

Xun Lan smiled sweetly. In fact, he was somewhat envious of Xun Zhan's courage, but he could not do something as courageous as Xun Zhan.

The biggest difference between him and Xun Zhan is that, no matter as Xia Yu's teacher or as Xia Yu's sweetheart, Xun Zhan has complete trust of Xia Yu.

Xia Ling is not Xia Yu.

Xia Ling is getting further and further away from the wise ruler in Xun Lan's mind.

"We are both born by our parents. I have eaten white rice for a few more years than you. Even if I am not as adept as Ah Zhan, I am not stupid, right?"

Xun Zhan raised his wine glass and drank three bottles of wine by himself: "Brother is the smartest, he was smart when he was young, and he is even smarter now."

"Ah Zhan is good at coaxing people. Your young wife must have been coaxed by you."

A seemingly casual but actually sincere joke opened Xun Lan's heart, which was soaked in wine:

"Two days before the princess asked me about the warship construction, I had already planned to ask my mother to go to the Zhongqin Marquis's mansion to propose marriage on my behalf."

Even though his master Xia Ling had proposed to marry Han Shu but was unsuccessful, Xun Lan still wanted to marry Han Shu home.

But that night when Han Shu asked him for help in building a warship, Xun Lan knew for the first time what it meant to be destined not to be together.

Xun Zhan leaned close to Xun Lan's ear and said something that neither of them took seriously: "Brother, wait for the princess to return and take her away. I will help you kill Xia Ling."

Xun Lan raised his glass to the bright moon and drank another glass: "That man is getting crazier day by day. How could he allow the eldest son of a powerful minister family to marry a female general from a military family who fought on the battlefield to win the hearts of the army and the king's merits?"

The difficulty of Xia Ling can be overcome, but no one in the court can stop the king’s suspicion.

How could the Xun family, with hundreds of years of foundation, be nailed to the pillar of shame and exterminated because of the love of one man?

"Does the princess know what my brother is thinking?"

When Fang asked, Xun Zhan answered by himself: "Brother is such a person, how can you be willing to let yourself become a concern for her progress?"

How could Xun Lan selfishly use his love to restrain Han Shu's wings that were destined to soar when Han Shu was burdened with the hatred of the country and family?

There is nothing wrong with love, there is nothing wrong with the ambition to serve the country, and there is nothing wrong with the desire to protect the country.

What was wrong was that they met an absurd monarch, who ruined the world, which was already prosperous, into one of stupidity.

Xun Lan chuckled again: "The one who understands me is A-Zhan."

"She is the moon on that day, and I am at best just a star that accompanies her for a while."

There are countless stars, Xun Lan thought, and he is inconspicuous.

I am content to be able to accompany the moon for a while.

"Brother, when did you know that the princess would marry Prince Ling?"

He closed his eyes slightly, and when he opened them again, he was a little more drunk: "Maybe he used the Qiling Army to frame Shen Jinmo and still saved his life."

"It's possible that he killed Suiji and was only removed from the position of Crown Prince."

"It may also be that after he said he wanted to marry the princess, no one dared to propose marriage to the princess who was of marriageable age."

Xunlan, you knew very early on that Han Shu would not belong to you.

But Xunlan, even though he knew he couldn't get it, he still couldn't let go.

The woman who grabbed his hand and pulled him out of Hutouzhai, the woman who walked side by side with him in the sunset and talked about their ambitions, the woman who gave up her dowry to build ships for war, the woman who held a long sword and could kill bandits and protect the country, should not be swallowed up silently by the imperial power.

Xun Lan wanted to do his best to hold an umbrella for Han Shu.

Xun Zhan's smile was a little sour, and the sourness slowly turned into sweetness: "My mother used to say that our Xun family was born to make a living by scheming, and it seems that we are the least likely to have romantic people, but in fact, everyone of us is a romantic person."

Xun Lan also laughed: "It's all because of my father's good example. If the prime minister of his new dynasty can marry my mother, a princess of the previous dynasty, why can't we?"

Xun Zhan dared to love Xia Yu, and Xun Lan dared to fall in love with Han Shu, all because they knew since childhood that there is no right or wrong in love.

When two people love each other and are in love with each other, love can overcome all difficulties.

The reason why Wu Cixiu of the previous dynasty was able to become the Taifu of Daxia, and the princess of the previous dynasty was able to marry the Prime Minister of Daxia, was because the founding emperor and empress had broad minds enough and were able to look down on others. They could tolerate everything that the mountains and rivers could tolerate.

But Xia Hong is not the late emperor, nor does he want to be the late emperor.