The prince is not doing his job [traveling]

The emperor was buried on the third day after sending Xiao Junmeng away from Chang'an.

It was still the night before, when Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze entered the palace, and shared dinner with Xu Lishan, the three men didn't feel so sad when they got together, they only served wine on the table, and they didn't sleep until they were drunk.Of course, Xiao Yanzhi only had tea.

Finally, after setting up the two drunks with the palace people, the unusually sober Xiao Yanzhi took Lian Sheng to wander around the palace with He Yan, from Liangyi Hall to Wanchun Hall, it was inconvenient to go to the Forbidden Garden at night, Xiao Yanzhi In other words, he went south to the Hongwen Museum.

Although every part of the palace has not changed, but after the change of owner, nowhere looks the same, only the Hongwen Library has an unchanging energy, and the faint candlelight in the library is also growing day by day Tomorrow has become the only constant scene in the palace.

When they arrived at the door of the library, He Yan and Lian Sheng stopped at the door just like they did when they first came. Xiao Yan pushed the door in and saw Ji Wencheng sitting alone under the candlelight.

The scene when they first met suddenly flashed through his mind, Xiao Yanzhi smiled, walked to the short desk, and sat cross-legged on the futon.

"I have always wanted to tell Mr. Ji that the books in the library will not disappear out of thin air. Mr. Ji should stop staying up late to read books. It is not good for your health."

Ji Wencheng raised his head and looked at Xiao Yanzhi, with an expressionless expression on his face: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern."

"I am no longer His Highness."

There was a sudden smile in Ji Wencheng's eyes, and he said softly, "It has nothing to do with titles, whether you are the King of Shu or a commoner, you will always be the eldest son of the first emperor, and this blood relationship will never change."

Xiao Yan was startled, then shook his head and laughed: "What Mr. Ji said is true, but I am narrow-minded."

"It's okay," Ji Wencheng said again, "Not everyone is as open-minded as His Highness, so let's just take it as an explanation to those who are bound by form."

Xiao Yanzhi looked around and asked Ji Wencheng, "Does Mr. Ji still plan to stay in the Hongwen Museum? If Mr. Ji wants to go elsewhere, I can still help you for the time being."

Ji Wencheng shook his head and said, "This old man has read poetry and books all his life, but he is a dead-headed one. The first emperor was tolerant, so he allowed this old man to settle down in the Hongwen Museum to study and educate people. If he leaves this Hongwen Museum, the old man will have nowhere to go."

"Then... Mr. Ji, take care."

Ji Wencheng nodded and said, "Your Highness, take care too."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled, got up and left.

Bringing He Yan and Lian Sheng back to Daji Hall, Xiao Yanzhi saw a person sitting at the gate of Daji Hall when it was still far away, and it was only recently that he saw that it was Pei Ze sitting on the stone steps.

"Where did you go?" Hearing the sound of footsteps, Pei Ze turned his head to look at Xiao Yanzhi, but he put on an ugly expression because he was extremely uncomfortable after being drunk.

"Why did you come out?" Xiao Yanzhi rushed over and squatted in front of Pei Ze, "Isn't it uncomfortable?"

"Uncomfortable," Pei Ze rubbed his forehead, "but you're not here."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and said: "Walk around in the palace, and even went to the Hongwen Museum. I will help you in."

"To see Ji Wencheng?" Pei Ze helped Xiao Yanzhi stand up, then hooked Xiao Yanzhi's shoulders, and unceremoniously leaned half of his body weight on Xiao Yanzhi.

"Probably." Xiao Yanzhi scratched the corner of his mouth.

Pei Ze stared at Xiao Yanzhi and said, "You really miss an old man!"

Xiao Yanzhi immediately rolled his eyes.

Pei Ze's wine hasn't sobered yet, has he?

After a good night's sleep, the whole palace got up early the next day. After washing up, Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze put on mourning clothes and went to the funeral palace. Standing in front of the incense table.

"When did you come here?" Xiao Yanzhi walked up to Xu Lishan and stood still, on the other side was Pei Ze.

Xu Lishan turned his head to look at Xiao Yan, and then sighed: "Even I have something to say to father. I didn't expect you to come in the morning."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled lightly and said, "What I want to say has already been said."

After a long silence, after hesitating again and again, Xu Lishan said again: "The enthronement ceremony is scheduled for more than a month later, you..."

"No matter where we are, we will let Pei Ze come back and show his face."

"What about you?" Xu Lishan turned to look at Xiao Yanzhi, "Brother Pei is back, you will come back too, right?"

Xiao Yanzhi glanced at Pei Ze, and said, "I will come back with him, but I will not attend your enthronement ceremony."

"Is this to completely cut off the relationship with me and Xu Li's family?"

Xiao Yanzhi shook his head and said: "How can the blood relationship be broken? I just don't want to shake the loyalty of the officials, otherwise if there is another commotion, all the painstaking efforts of the emperor will be in vain."

Xu Lishan sighed, and said, "It's fine if you really think so. In short... your family is not limited to the Xiao family."

Xiao Yanzhi turned his head to look at Xu Lishan, and jokingly said, "What's wrong with you today? It's really rare to talk so much in front of the emperor."

"I just want to say it in front of my father." Xu Lishan rolled Xiao Yan's eyes, "otherwise I will probably be fooled by you, but you will never lie in front of my father's coffin."

Xiao Yan was startled, then smiled and said, "What a shrewd emperor."

"I dare not be shrewd in front of you."

When it was time for the funeral, Xu Lishan, Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze left the funeral palace first, and then the eunuchs rushed into the funeral palace, and carried out the coffin according to the previously discussed method.

The three of Xu Lishan went directly to Chengtianmen, looking at this pure white team, Xiao Yanzhi felt a little headache.

Three days ago, he sent off a fiery wedding procession, and today he changed into white clothes to lead this pure white funeral procession to the imperial mausoleum. His mood was really not easy to change. Fortunately, the mourning team was a group of eunuchs And the task of the maid, the two and a half sons only need to ride a horse and follow the guide to the imperial mausoleum.

After Xu Lishan's wife and some courtiers had arrived, the team started to march. They heard mourning and music along the way, and Xiao Yanzhi's expression gradually became dignified. Not to mention heavy, but also very depressed.

Because the eunuchs and maids were on foot, the team walked for half a day to reach the imperial mausoleum.When the group arrived, the altars inside and outside the imperial mausoleum had already been prepared.

Xiao Yanzhi got off his horse, stood side by side with Pei Ze, and stood half a step behind Xu Lishan, quietly watching the accompanying people take their positions, and then heard the mournful voice of the master of ceremonies presiding over the funeral.

After bowing outside the imperial mausoleum, Xiao Yanzhi, Pei Ze, Xu Lishan and Xu Lishan's two sons entered the underground palace under the guidance of a young eunuch, followed by a dozen or so eunuchs carrying the late emperor's coffin.

Entering the underground palace, Xiao Yanzhi and the others just stopped in the first stone room, and after listening to a lengthy speech by the master of ceremonies, the dozen or so eunuchs carried the late emperor's coffin and continued to walk in, while Xiao Yanzhi and the others continued to walk in. In the first stone room, follow the guidance of the master of ceremonies or offer incense or bow down.

Xiao Yanzhi seemed to understand the specific reason why he knelt down, but he didn't even remember a single word. The muffled sound made when the heavy stone door was closed on the ground, one after another, each sound closer, was engraved in the mind, and it was extremely clear, until the stone door in front of them fell with a crash, Xiao Yanzhi's eyes flashed, Only then did I feel a little more conscious.

It was dusk when he walked out of the underground palace, Xiao Yanzhi breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the half-round sunset at the end of the vast land.

Weddings and funerals are delayed for too long, the strong emotions gradually become commonplace, and then gradually fade away, making it impossible for people to cry with joy or tears at the ceremony, but the final emotional precipitation is always boring. Uncomfortable, after finishing the ceremony in a daze, I don't feel anything real, I can't even remember what I did a quarter of an hour ago, and I only feel a sense of loss in my heart.

Pei Ze leaned close to Xiao Yanzhi and secretly held Xiao Yanzhi's hand.

Xu Lishan, who was already surrounded by officials, took a look here, then walked to Xiao Yanzhi's side, raised his hand and patted Xiao Yanzhi's shoulder, and said: "You should go, if you are not here, your sister will Do not feel at ease."

Xu Lishan also felt that this period of time was indeed hard work for Xiao Yanzhi, not that he was physically exhausted, but that the younger sister of the Xiao family would not feel sad for the passing of the late emperor, and her life-long events could not be delayed, and Xu Li's family would not He would be happy for the Xiao family sister's marriage, and the late emperor's funeral could not be delayed either. If Xiao Yanzhi, who was involved in both sides, did not want to disappoint either side, then he must be very hard in his heart.

"Yeah, it's time to go." Xiao Yanzhi smiled habitually, but that smile looked very thin.

Xu Lishan looked at Pei Ze again, and nodded at Pei Ze when his eyes met, as if some agreement had been reached in an instant, then Xu Lishan got on his horse and led the team back to the palace.

Xiao Yanzhi stood in front of the imperial mausoleum for a while before turning around and leaving.

In a dense forest not far from the imperial mausoleum, He Yan and Kong Qing led four horses and hid in it.

"My lord." Seeing Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze coming together, Kong Qing took a step forward and handed a bundle to Pei Ze, "This is the prepared clothes."

Pei Ze took the bag and opened it, and saw that there were two sets of clothes in the bag, one was purple and the other was snow blue, obviously specially prepared clothes for Xiao Junmeng's big wedding.

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and said: "I am really suffering. There is probably no one in this world who is as sad and happy as I am."

Pei Ze only raised his hand to touch Xiao Yanzhi's head, but did not speak.

After He Yan and Kong Qing turned their backs, Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze changed their clothes on the spot, and then the group of people jumped on the horses and headed southward.

I don't know if Xiao Ren'an and the others deliberately slowed down to wait for Xiao Yanzhi to catch up, or if Xiao Yanzhi was running too fast day and night because he was afraid that he would not be able to catch up. up.

The first to hear the frenzied sound of horseshoes was the Yan family walking at the end of the wedding procession. They turned around and saw four people galloping towards them. The people of the Yan family yelled and passed the news to the front. As soon as Xiao Junmeng heard that Xiao Yanzhi was coming, he immediately called to stop the team, kicked open the sedan door and jumped out, so frightened that Xiao Xiangsheng, who came here specially, exclaimed repeatedly.

"My little aunt, what are you doing down here?"

"Brother is here!" Xiao Junmeng, who hadn't seen a smile for several days, finally showed an incomparably bright smile, and Xiao Xiangsheng was speechless with just this smile.

Stretching out his hand to pinch Xiao Junmeng's cheek, Xiao Xiangsheng said with a smile: "Yes, yes, brother is here, and your little aunt finally smiled."

Xiao Junmeng wrinkled her nose and said, "I'm afraid that my brother will run away!"

Her brother was originally a restless person, but after the death of the first emperor, she felt that his brother was more erratic, as if he would leave at any time.

"You girl just loves to think about things!" Xiao Xiang gave Xiao Junmeng a blank look, "How could my brother not attend your wedding?"

But Xiao Xiangsheng just said so, in fact he and Xiao Junmeng also felt the same way.

Reining in the horse and stopping beside the wedding sedan chair, Xiao Yanzhi looked at Xiao Junmeng in surprise, and said, "Why are you running outside?"

"Brother!" Xiao Junmeng ran to Xiao Yanzhi's eyes in two steps, jumped hard and hugged Xiao Yanzhi's waist, hanging in the air.

"Hey! Don't make trouble!" Xiao Yanzhi was so frightened that he quickly reached out and grabbed the clothes behind Xiao Junmeng, and then carefully turned over and got off the horse, "Why are you jumping around like a girl? What if you fall?"

"How could it be possible to fall with my brother?" Xiao Junmeng looked up at Xiao Yanzhi with a smile on his head, "Why did you come here so soon?"

Xiao Yanzhi raised his hand and patted Xiao Junmeng's forehead, and said, "I'm not afraid of you being naughty."

Xiao Junmeng pouted and said: "I am very obedient, if you don't believe me, you can ask the second brother!"

"Is there still a need to ask? Your second brother appointed you." Xiao Yanzhi took Xiao Junmeng's hand and led Xiao Junmeng to the wedding sedan chair, "A bride looks like a bride, go in quickly."

"En!" Xiao Junmeng nodded, then bouncing into the wedding sedan chair.

Xiao Yanzhi smiled, turned back to the horse, stepped on the horse again, and walked to the front of the team, while asking Xiao Xiangsheng: "Did you encounter anything along the way?"

"No," Xiao Xiang said with a naive smile, "whenever anyone approached suspiciously, the prince's guards would put on a straight face and scare them away."

"That's good." Walking to the front of the line, Xiao Yanzhi reached out and patted Xiao Ren'an's back, and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Where is Han Qing?"

Xiao Ren'an replied with a smile: "He has already returned to Suzhou. If we stay in Luzhou for a day, we will probably meet him after leaving Luzhou City."

Xiao Yanzhi frowned and said, "If he can't make it in time, let him wait ten miles outside Suzhou city."

Xiao Ren'an said: "It was Liu Hanqing who insisted on coming to Luzhou, and said that he was sincere."

Xiao Yanzhi sneered: "Is he afraid that I will rob Jun Meng halfway?"

Xiao Ren'an just smiled and said nothing.

It's not all about the elder brother leaving a psychological shadow on people.

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and said, "Then go on, and take a good rest when you arrive in Luzhou."

"it is good."

So the order to set off was passed on again, and this red team continued to move forward.

Pei Ze rode up to Xiao Yanzhi's side, and asked in a low voice, "You seem to be in a better mood."

"En?" Xiao Yanzhi's eyes flashed, he looked at Pei Ze and smiled, "Am I in a bad mood?"

Pei Ze looked at Xiao Yanzhi seriously, and said firmly, "Yes, since the death of the first emperor."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and said, "I am really loved by others. I obviously feel that I haven't shown it, but you can also notice it."

Pei Ze snorted softly, and said, "It's not by others, it's by me, deeply loved by me."

Looking at Pei Ze's complacent side face, Xiao Yanzhi laughed heartily.

When they arrived in Luzhou, Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze went into the city together with Xiao Ren'an brothers and sisters, and found an inn to rest. The rest of them stayed outside the city and camped together with their dowry, under the care of Kong Qing.

After staying in Luzhou for a day, the group set off again, heading south all the way to Suzhou, and met Liu Hanqing not far away.

There were not many people in Liu Hanqing's welcoming team, but everyone's outfits showed the pride of a wealthy businessman in the south of the Yangtze River. After some handover, the Xiao Yanzhi brothers retreated to the back, leaving the leading position to Liu Hanqing.

The team continued to travel south, and after arriving in Suzhou, they stayed outside Suzhou City for two more days before entering Suzhou City on an auspicious day. , kicking the sedan chair door and stepping over the brazier amidst crackling firecrackers, Liu Hanqing was so excited that she personally led Xiao Junmeng into the door, while the specially invited matchmaker followed beside him helplessly.

Xiao Yanzhi took advantage of this time to enter the Liu residence.

"Patriarch Liu, Mrs. Liu, long time no see. I'm really sorry, because there are still some things to deal with in Chang'an City, so I came late and caused trouble for Patriarch Liu." Xiao Yanzhi smiled like a spring breeze, and when he saw the Liu family and his wife, he was like It was the enthusiasm of seeing friends for many years, but in fact this was their second meeting.

Master Liu laughed heartily and said: "Hahaha, it's okay, it's okay. People say that scholars should treat each other with admiration for three days. This is true. Mr. Xiao's status is more and more noble now. Thanks to Mr. Xiao for not giving up , I would also like to make this marriage with my Liu family."

"Patriarch Liu is being polite," Xiao Yanzhi said with a smile, "as long as Jun Meng is happy."

"Hahaha, good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good!" Liu family head smiled and welcomed Xiao Yanzhi into the door, "elder brother is like a father, but the seat in the high hall of the Xiao family is for young master Xiao to sit?"

"It's the younger generation, I'm really sorry for Patriarch Liu." Xiao Yanzhi cupped his hands at Patriarch Liu.

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter." People are in good spirits on happy occasions, and this worthless boy in the family has married a nobleman. At this time, no matter what Xiao Yanzhi wants to do, the head of the Liu family probably doesn't mind, "Then Madam...?"

Xiao Yanzhi glanced at Pei Ze in the crowd, and said, "That... I came here by myself today."

"Oh ha ha ha, please sit down, Mr. Xiao, the old man sees that they are coming in soon."

"Patriarch Liu, Mrs. Liu please first." Xiao Yanzhi politely declined.

After a few more polite words, Xiao Yanzhi was finally able to sit down on the seat, and the chair was not warm, so Liu Hanqing led Xiao Junmeng into the main room.

Probably the mood of marrying a daughter is different from that of marrying a daughter-in-law. Looking at the happy Liu family couple beside him, Xiao Yanzhi was still depressed, but he still had to smile happily in such an occasion.

Accepting Liu Hanqing and Xiao Junmeng's respect to Gao Tang calmly, watching the crowd clamoring to push the couple into the bridal chamber, Xiao Yanzhi stood up and found Pei Ze in the crowd.

Seeing Xiao Yanzhi striding closer, Pei Ze was a little surprised: "Aren't you going to visit the bridal chamber?"

Xiao Yanzhi replied amusedly: "My sister and sister-in-law's bridal chamber, what am I going to do? Seeing my sister making out with other men, I might rush up and beat him up."

Stopping beside Pei Ze, Xiao Yanzhi grabbed Pei Ze's hand, and with a twist of his wrist, his fingers interlocked with Pei Ze's.

Pei Ze raised his eyebrows, and whispered into Xiao Yanzhi's ear, "What's the matter? Envy?"

"What are you envious of?" Xiao Yanzhi looked at Pei Ze in puzzlement, then thought of something interesting, and said, "I just wanted you to sit next to me."

Pei Ze was startled, and then teased, "Then should I sit in the father's seat or the mother's seat?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan was startled, and then laughed.

Seeing the familiar smile, Pei Ze put his arm around Xiao Yanzhi's shoulder and said, "In the future, all you need to do is laugh beside me like this."

"What a big tone!" Xiao Yanzhi tilted his head and looked at Pei Ze, "You have to be able to make me laugh every day."

"We'll see." Pei Ze tilted his head and lightly pecked Xiao Yanzhi's cheek.

After sending Xiao Junmeng into the bridal chamber, Liu Hanqing came out to toast again.

Xiao Ren'an and Xiao Xiangsheng wanted to take this opportunity to greet and get acquainted with the merchants in the south of the Yangtze River, while Xiao Chunyue mingled with the maidservants and accompanied Xiao Junmeng in the bridal chamber, except for Xiao Yanzhi, the eldest brother who acted as father He had to sit beside Patriarch Liu to socialize, but fortunately Pei Ze sat beside Patriarch Liu silently and as a matter of course, so he blocked a lot of wine for Xiao Yanzhi with his cold face.

Halfway through the banquet, Liu Hanqing, who pretended to be drunk, was supported and sent back to the bridal chamber. Seeing that the others were almost drunk, Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze slipped out.

He Yan and Kong Qing had sharp eyes, and as soon as they sensed that they were going to slip away, they hurriedly followed, and shrewdly walked away with the four horses in Liu's mansion.

The horses they rode when they came were led to no one knew where they were, and if they went looking for them now, they might alarm others.

Stepping out of the gate of Liu Mansion, Xiao Yanzhi looked up at the starry sky and let out a long sigh of relief, then turned his head and asked Pei Ze, "Where are we going next?"

Pei Ze was taken aback, and asked in surprise, "Are you leaving now?"

Didn't Xiao Yanzhi say hello to Xiao Ren'an and the others?

"Well, let's go now," Xiao Yanzhi smiled, "Don't let them know, otherwise it will be difficult to leave."

Especially today is a day of great joy, it is not suitable to talk about such a sad parting with others.

"Then let's go." After taking a horse from Kong Qing, Pei Ze got on the horse, and then stretched out his hand to Xiao Yanzhi, "Come on."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and held Pei Ze's hand, got on his horse and sat behind Pei Ze.

Hugging Pei Ze's waist, Xiao Yanzhi put his chin on Pei Ze's shoulder and asked softly, "Where are you going?"

Pei Ze shook his horsewhip, and said loudly, "Go to the place where there are only you and me."

The night was as dark as ink, three riders and four people rushed out of Suzhou City and headed for the four seas.