Half in the river wind, half in the clouds

Jiang Feng was afraid of getting into trouble, so he put his arm around Shen Guxing and said, "Yi Ye, you may have seen it wrong. We've been out for too long, let's go back early."

Shen Guxing forced a smile: "Okay."

The two men led the horses over and just after walking a few steps, the group of people turned back and stopped 20 to 30 meters ahead. The two men were shocked and looked at each other.

The leader looked shabby, but he was burly and still looked very imposing. He pulled the reins and his horse neighed, "Is that the Zuo Buque Shen Guxing in front?"

"It is indeed the prince! Something seems to be wrong. If anything unexpected happens, don't worry about me and ride your horse towards Chang'an." Shen Guxing said in a low voice.

He had been an official in the turbulent political center for more than two years. He was such a smart man with extremely high political savvy and sensitivity. Although he was not sure what had happened to the prince's party, he knew that something had probably happened, and it was a big thing.

Jiang Feng was worried that he was going to fight against a rock with an egg. "I will follow you whether I live or die. If you still remember the promise you made to me just now and don't want me to die too early, then don't be so bookish and think about how to get out of this situation."

Shen Guxing felt warm in his heart, and he clenched the hand tightly. With a firm heart, he faced the prince and said loudly: "Shen Guxing pays respect to His Royal Highness. I, a humble commoner, have been abandoned by the wise ruler. Now I am just a commoner, and I dare not take up the position of filling the vacancy again."

Crown Prince Li Chongjun dismounted and walked up to the two men. The soldiers behind him followed him and drew their swords.

Li Chongjun stopped, waved his right hand, and then stopped sharpening his knife.

His eyes were sharp and ruthless. He glanced at Jiang Feng and said to Shen Guxing, "Yi Ye is full of knowledge and has the talent to help the world. Unfortunately, my father is confused and only believes the words of the women in the deep palace. He demoted a pillar of talent because of his children's affairs. This palace is really sorry."

Shen Guxing felt even worse when he heard him wantonly criticize His Majesty, so he could only pretend to be nice to him, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am not talented enough to take on the title of a pillar of the country."

Li Chongjun was a little anxious, but he suppressed his impatience and said, "As the Crown Prince, I am trapped in the midst of slander and jealousy every day. Seeing the treacherous and corrupt officials running rampant in the Li Tang Dynasty, and the virtuous ministers scattered, I can't sleep at night. Wu Sansi is lewd and evil, and Wu Chongxun is arrogant, and everyone has the right to kill them. I have already enforced justice and killed the father and son of the Wu family! In addition, Empress Wei, Shangguan Wan'er and Anle are interfering in government affairs, and they are like hens crowing at dawn. I intend to eliminate them in one fell swoop, but my father is weak and is unwilling to hand over his concubines!"

Shen Guxing's shoulders trembled slightly.

Li Chongjun couldn't tell what Shen Guxing was thinking, so he had to continue, "My father was deceived by the Wei family and wants to punish me. I am going to Junzhou to reunite with my brother! Is Yiye willing to work with me to achieve great things?"

In Li Chongjun's words of instigation, Jiang Feng could sense his political immaturity:

First, Li Chongjun felt that his position as the crown prince was in jeopardy, so he took the initiative and killed the obstacle. But in an imperial society, the king is the king, the minister is the minister, and the father is the father, and the son is the son. As a son, he coerced his father and killed his mother; as a minister, he led troops to attack the palace and challenged the imperial power. Whether it was ethics or laws and people's hearts, he was at a disadvantage.

Second, since ancient times, every rebel had to have a legitimate reason. Cao Cao "held the emperor hostage to command the princes", and Zhu Di called for "clearing the emperor's side". Although Li Chongjun was not as strategic as the above two, he wanted to win over Shen Guxing, but he did not whitewash his actions and consequences, and said nakedly that the emperor wanted to punish him! If the emperor wanted to punish, as a minister and a son, you should admit your guilt. Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor. If everyone thinks that the emperor's treatment is unreasonable, they will rebel, and the world will be in chaos.

Jiang Feng was nervous and could not help but hold Shen Guxing's collar tightly. Shen Guxing stood tall and bowed, saying, "Wu Sansi and his son were lewd, evil and arrogant. Your Highness killed them, which made people happy. But the son cannot be self-determined while the father is still alive. Although the prince is determined to kill the rebels, he is guilty of absolutism! I think that since Wu Sansi and his son have been killed, the prince should withdraw his troops and plead guilty, and listen to your majesty's decision!"

Li Chongjun's face darkened, and a general behind him drew his sword: "Shen Guxing! He who knows the current situation is a hero! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince values ​​talents, so he is wasting his time arguing with you. If you are not willing to submit to His Highness, you will not be able to stay!"

Li Chongjun continued to play the role of a good cop and tempt: "Yiye, I know you have always been dissatisfied with what Empress Wei and Anle did, and you have defended me in front of others many times. I appreciate your affection and value your talent. If we rise together, I will ensure that you will be rich and prosperous, second only to the emperor and above everyone else."

After the prince finished speaking, he stared at Shen Guxing steadily. The air instantly became quiet. The guards held their breath and stared, silently drawing their swords. If Shen Guxing said "no" again, they would chop him without hesitation.

Jiang Feng was puzzled. Why did Li Chongjun want to persuade Shen Guxing to rebel? Although Shen Guxing had some talent and fame, he was not worthy of being wooed like this. Her mind was spinning rapidly. Why! Why?

Shen Guxing had figured out the reason, and was touched. He bowed and said, "Your Highness has been defeated, but you still have a kind heart. Please accept Yiye's greetings!"

Jiang Feng understood what was going on and looked at Li Chongjun, who already had a look of sadness on his face.

He took a step forward and helped Shen Guxing up with both hands: "I, the disciple of Xuanwu Sect, cannot bear to fight with my father, and I am unwilling to hurt your lives just to escape!"

A man behind him said anxiously, "Your Highness, don't hesitate any longer! The pursuers are coming. If they reveal your whereabouts and we can't reach Junzhou, we will be killed!"

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness!"

"..."

The soldiers behind shouted in unison, saying that they had entrusted their lives and property to the prince, so how could they allow the prince to be so soft-hearted and leave the man alive.

Jiang Feng understood: they had fled to Zhongnan Mountain to avoid the pursuers and were going to Junzhou by a detour. But he and Shen Guxing happened to see them. The prince might have had an old relationship with Shen Guxing, or he might have admired his talent, or he might have been compassionate by nature, so he gave them a chance to choose.

Forget about the nonsense of integrity, and don't even consider that Jiang Feng knew about Li Chongjun's tragic ending. But if the two of them were stupid enough to follow him to Junzhou, it would be considered treason, and their relatives would be beheaded!

Jiang Feng felt a chill on his neck!

Shen Guxing stood as tall as a bamboo, his eyes determined. He pulled Jiang Feng behind him and retreated cautiously.

Li Chongjun looked up to the sky and sighed: "Kill!"

The guard received the order and rushed over with bloodshot eyes.

"Wait!" Jiang Feng walked out from behind Shen Guxing, trying his best to make his voice sound strong.

When everyone heard Jiang Feng's shout, they were stunned for a moment. Jiang Feng took advantage of this opportunity to shout: "Your Highness! Some of these people want to kill you! It's not a pity for us to die, but we are grateful for your kindness and can't bear to see your body and head separated. There are villains around you who want to kill you to win your favor!"

Jiang Feng's voice was loud, and the prince looked suspicious. A guard behind him shouted, "You are spreading rumors to confuse the people! You are alienating the prince and his servants!"

Jiang Feng only knew that Li Chongjun was killed by his subordinates, but she didn't know who killed him. In a hurry, she pointed at the person who spoke and said, "It's you! It's you who wants to kill His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

In order to save his life, Jiang Feng knelt on the ground in front of Shen Guxing's surprised eyes, walked to Li Chongjun on his knees, pulled his Ming Guang armor, and said firmly: "Your Highness, Li Duozuo, Li Sichong, Li Chengkuang, Dugu Yizhi, and Shazha Zhongyi were all beheaded. Wang Qianxi of the Thousand Cavalry Camp turned against his side in the battle, all because of this man."

Li Chongjun was shocked. It had only been half a day since the coup. They had fled all the way from Chang'an City. It was impossible for the news to reach here so quickly!

But how did she know that Wang Qianxi had defected? How did he know that Li Duozuo and others had followed him in the coup and were killed? Who was she? She must have known the inside story? Could it be...

Li Chongjun turned around and looked at his generals. They all looked terrified, especially the person Jiang Feng pointed out. He was speechless.

Li Chongjun's voice trembled: "Pingqing, is it really you?!"

The man was anxious and angry, and shouted: "Your Highness, I have followed Your Highness since I was a child, how could I murder Your Highness!" He also cursed at Jiang Feng: "You witch, how dare you frame me!"

As he said this, he swung his sword towards Jiang Feng.

The blade whistled, and Jiang Feng's scalp tingled, but he still did not dodge or evade, his eyes chasing the prince: "It is better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one escape! Your Highness!"

Shen Guxing stood sideways in front of Jiang Feng, snatched the long sword with a chop of his hand, and kicked the man to the ground.

Jiang Feng continued to deceive him, "Your Highness, the journey to Junzhou is difficult and dangerous, and the soldiers have entrusted their lives to you. If someone has second thoughts, how can he reach Junzhou! At that time, not only will his wealth and glory be gone, but his parents, wife and children will also have to burn paper money to comfort the dead!"

The guards were also beginning to doubt it. For the sake of their own lives, they could only believe it and not believe it.

Li Chongjun's troops were already morale-destroying, and Jiang Feng's disruption made their morale even more demoralized.

Li Chongjun didn't believe that the retainer who had followed him since childhood would betray him, but Jiang Feng's words made sense in every way. He looked around, the autumn was getting thicker, the dusk was getting darker, and he felt sad.

He looked at Ping Zhenshen, his face stern and murderous, and hardened his heart.

Ping Zhenshen knew that Li Chongjun had murderous intentions, and he raised his head and shouted to the sky: "Your Highness, if you can't distinguish between loyalty and treachery, you will never accomplish great things! We risked our lives to follow you, but we were suspected without reason! Brothers, follow me to kill the rebellious prince, and submit to Your Majesty, and I will grant you wealth and honor!"

Ping Zhenshen raised his arm and someone responded. The prince's team immediately split into two camps, and the situation became tense.

Although Shen Guxing had many questions, he also knew that this was Jiang Feng's counter-espionage plan. He prepared the last straw that broke the camel's back and swung his knife at Ping Zhenshen, shouting, "I will kill this traitor on behalf of the prince."

The two groups that were originally hesitant finally fought each other like firecrackers with the fuse lit.

Shen Guxing took advantage of the situation and helped Jiang Feng up, and the two of them began to slowly retreat.

At this moment, another burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from afar, and a dozen masked men in black arrived in the blink of an eye.

The men in black were obviously coming for Li Chongjun. Without a word of nonsense, they attacked with a killing move. Shen Guxing and Jiang Feng looked at each other. Who were these men in black? Besides the emperor, were there other forces that wanted to kill the prince?

Li Chongjun's side was already falling apart, and with the black-clad men's fighting power off the charts, Li Chongjun was already at a disadvantage amidst the flashes of swords and sabers.

Shen Guxing saw the right moment and dragged Jiang Feng onto the horse while freeing his hands to fight the enemy. Jiang Feng knew that they could escape if they got on the horse. The two groups of people were fighting to the death, and she and Shen Guxing were just there to make a cameo appearance.

She gathered her energy, grabbed the reins, stepped on the stirrup, turned over and got on the horse, her movements smooth and seamless.

After she sat firmly, she reached out to pull Shen Guxing, but Ping Zhenshen got entangled with Shen Guxing and could not get away for a while. Seeing that Shen Guxing was at a disadvantage, Jiang Feng was anxious and came up with a plan. He shouted: "Prince! Prince, be careful!" He deliberately pronounced the word "Prince" in a heavier and more urgent tone! As expected, the man immediately turned around to look, but Shen Guxing ran towards Jiang Feng without delay.

The man saw that Li Chongjun was fine, and realized that he had been tricked. He cursed in frustration and swung his knife at Shen Guxing even more viciously.

Jiang Feng shouted: "Watch out behind you!"

By the time Shen Guxing reacted, the knife had already fallen. He had no choice but to raise the knife and fight hard.

Shen Guxing was a scholar who practiced martial arts just for fun and to keep fit, but he was already a little exhausted after the fight. The other party was a martial artist who made fighting his profession, and this time he used all his strength and actually cut Shen Guxing's knife off.

It would be strange if Li Chongjun could succeed in his rebellion using such weapons.

Before Shen Guxing could react, the opponent had already chopped him down again.

Shen Guxing dodged to the side and heard the girl calling him on horseback. He wanted to hold the girl's hand, as they had agreed to enjoy the moon and play the piano tonight.

He wanted to be with her through life and death, but how could he bear to let her die here!

He used all his strength to throw the broken knife in his hand towards the horse's butt. The horse felt pain, neighed, and ran away.

Jiang Feng didn't expect that such a good situation would be shattered in an instant, and she was heartbroken. She never believed in the idea of ​​love that would last until life and death, but in the moment of life and death, she converted to love without hesitation.

There is no reason, no trade-off, only recklessness and determination.

The phoenix trees on the ground grow old together, and the mandarin ducks in the sky do not fly alone.

At worst, we can die together.

She stood up by stepping on the stirrups and leaped in the direction of the running! The physics teacher said that considering the inertia factor, jumping off a train should jump forward, the same principle.

Shen Guxing exclaimed: "Afeng! Don't!"

Jiang Feng forced herself to keep her eyes open and keep walking in the air, which gave her a greater chance of landing safely.

At the moment she landed, someone rode up on a horse and picked her up. Jiang Feng was shocked and struggled desperately. The other person was masked and didn't say a word, letting Jiang Feng do whatever he wanted.

The power disparity was too great, and Jiang Feng could not break free no matter how hard he tried. Shen Guxing looked sad and relieved, unaware that the enemy was chopping him with a knife.

Jiang Feng screamed: "Yi Ye..."

Seeing that she was acting like a madman, the man in black slapped Jiang Feng on the back of the neck. A deep sense of powerlessness and fate came over him, his eyes turned black, and he fainted.

She woke up in a valley. The top of the mountain was lit by the last rays of the setting sun, but the valley was dark.

Two horses are eating grass leisurely in the distance, they are... Huangcong and Piao!

Jiang Feng looked back in surprise. In the afterglow of the setting sun, Li Longye was sitting on the green grass, drinking from a wine bag.

In the midst of thunder and lightning, Jiang Feng figured out everything. She was furious and strode forward, reaching out and knocking over Li Longye's wine bag. The wine bag fell to the ground, but the wine did not spill out, which showed that it had been drunk up.

"Where is Shen Guxing!" Jiang Feng asked loudly!

Li Longye said nothing, just looked at her.

At this moment, he wanted to have a confidant sitting next to him, listening to his pain and self-blame, and sharing his planning and cruelty.

Seeing that he didn't reply, the girl was extremely angry. She stepped forward and tore his clothes, her eyes red as she screamed and asked, "Where's Shen Guxing! What did you do to him? Where's Shen Guxing!"

Li Longye looked sad, but Jiang Feng couldn't see it at all. She only cared about her lover, and her mind was full of the butcher knife behind Shen Guxing, which was flashing with the cold light of death!