Chang'an ancient meaning

The lid of the pot is lifted, and the milky white mutton soup rolls up and down, sometimes wrapped in meat slices and sometimes broken cakes.The rich hot fragrance spreads like a cloud in the midwinter cold air. People who have been waiting in the snow for a long time are blown in the face by this thick, slightly greasy warm wind, and the body fluid in the mouth is extremely active. It seems to smell some kind of rich and happy smell.

Xue Chongjian had been waiting impatiently for a long time, and while breathing on his two palms, he leaned towards the pot and asked, "Is it ready?" The old man holding the spoon glanced at him, grinned and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Xue, it's overcooked!" It’s delicious when the soup goes into the pancake!” He stirred the pot with a spoon, and the heat steamed more cheerfully, enveloping him in a fairy-like mist.

Li Chengqi was moved by the strong aroma of the broth, but he still hesitated when he looked at the rather dirty wooden table and bed, and asked Xue Chongjian, "Do you often come to eat this?" Xue Chongjian said with a smile: "This yokan [1] is the best in the gods, and it was Lao Shi who found it. You will know after a taste. Even if my cook is killed, he can't make this taste." Shi Chun said with a smile: "This old man came from The method of cooking mutton is a bit different from ours." Xue Chongjian shook his head and said, "I've eaten from Ashina Suizi's house, and it's not as good as this." The old man smiled and said, "To tell you the truth, my lord, this skill is something that the old man has never eaten before. I learned it from Chang'an, but away from that place, the yokan will be three points inferior, like a flower and tree whose roots have been removed, and it will lose a little vitality." Xue Chongjian looked at Li Chengqi and said with a smile: "In the future, we will go to Chang'an to taste the authentic one."

Xue Chongjian is 15 years old this year. In the past two years, his stature has increased dramatically, and he is even a head taller than Li Chengqi.He has a clean and handsome face. He wears a brocade robe and leather boots in winter, and a horsewhip with a coral handle on his waist. He is also like the fashion of honorable teenagers nowadays. He is equipped with a Tubo scimitar studded with gems, exuding a heroic spirit. Come.This elegant young man's attire does not prevent Xue Chongjian from favoring street food like he did when he was a child.I think everyone who eats yokan on this street recognizes him. Although they are a bit nondescript among a group of common people, everyone just smiles and looks at him, not surprised.

After a while, two bowls of fragrant yokan were placed in front of Li Chengqi and Xue Chongjian. The emerald green onion, garlic sprouts, coriander, red-brown mutton, yellow yellow flowers, against the white and crystal-clear vermicelli, and the black fungus, were very attractive .Xue Chongjian took a deep sniff, and pulled out two pairs of chopsticks. Li Chengqi hurriedly called him, took out a clean white handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped the chopsticks carefully before giving it to Xue Chongjian.Xue Chongjian said with a smile: "You see, other people don't eat the same thing. How can we eat it badly?"

He took a bite first, and was so hot that he breathed out. Seeing that Li Chengqi was about to put his chopsticks into the bowl, he hurriedly taught him: "Don't disturb! Eat from the side, there is a saying called 'nibbling', so as to preserve the freshness. Not to leave." Li Chengqi saw that he looked like a connoisseur who was good at being a teacher, smiled, and took a sip according to his instruction. Although it was hot, it was full of mellow taste, and the smell of meat penetrated from the mouth to the lungs, warming the pores of the whole body Relaxed and comfortable, she couldn't help but amazed and said: "It's really delicious!" Xue Chongjian winked at him and said, "I'm not lying to you! You are always cold, and mutton warms your stomach. This is the best." Li Chengqi said: "Can you Bring some back to Cheng Yi and the others?" Xue Chongjian said with a smile, "This is the best fresh out of the pot, and it will go away after soaking, next time I will kidnap them to eat." He took another two bites, and suddenly hit the bowl with his chopsticks On the side, he praised loudly: "Life is like this, what more can a husband ask for!" Li Chengqi laughed and said: "You should be a little more reserved." You have to enjoy this delicacy first." Li Chengqi said with a smile, "I'm not happy today, so I'll get rid of the yokan." Xue Chongjian tapped the side of Li Chengqi's bowl lightly with chopsticks and said, "Eat while it's hot."

After eating, both of them felt full and warm, so they didn't ride horses at all, but let Shi Chun lead the horse, and wandered freely in the snow-covered market place.Xue Chongjian asked Li Chengqi: "Has the Supreme Being called you into the palace these few days?" Li Chengqi's expression was a little gloomy, and he said: "No." Although Li Chengqi and his four younger brothers are away from their residence, they can always enter the palace every New Year's Day Meet your parents.Unexpectedly, a few days ago when they entered the palace to worship the festival, they only looked at their father from a distance at the banquet.Xue Chongjian said: "I told my mother to ask her to beg the Supreme One again." Li Chengqi smiled shyly and said, "If the Supreme Being is unhappy, don't make things difficult for my aunt."

While the two were talking, a businessman carrying a burden came towards him and yelled loudly: "Hubing! Freshly baked pancakes!" He blocked the way, and said with a smile: "My lord, how about some pancakes?" Xue Chongjian smiled. Shaking his head, the man refused to give way, and said with a smile, "You two won't taste it, Mr. Li also likes this pancake!" Xue Chongjian laughed and said, "We've already eaten, so we really don't want it." Shi Chun waved his hand and said, "Give him some money." The businessman suddenly looked at Li Chengqi squarely, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, life is a disaster, so buy some pancakes just in case!"

Xue Chongjian wondered: "Do you recognize him?" After the businessman finished speaking, he immediately changed into a pleasing and lazy expression, and said with a smile: "Do you want pancakes, sir?" Li Chengqi suddenly remembered that he had just mentioned Li Zhaode, Trembling all over, he firmly held Xue Chongjian's hand, motioned him not to speak, and ordered in a low voice: "Shi Chun, take the money." The businessman smiled, bent down, wrapped two cakes in straw paper, and handed them to Li Chengqi Said: "This is yours." He bit the word "you" a little harder, and Li Chengqi's heart beat wildly, but he didn't dare to speak, and nodded silently.The businessman took the money and went away yelling all the way.

Xue Chongjian only felt that the hand held by Li Chengqi turned from hot to cold quickly, and also saw that this was strange, so he asked in a low voice: "Is this pancake weird?" Li Chengqi put the pancake in his sleeve and said: "We'll talk about it when we go back. He raised his eyes and looked towards the end of the market square. It was just after a heavy snowfall, trees were hung on ice edges, and Qiongyao was everywhere.Some people are in a hurry, some are picking goods patiently, some are shouting loudly, their expressions are full of anticipation.These are the most common people in the market, but Li Chengqi knew that maybe one of them had a pair of eyes fixed on him, and he could see that the owner behind those eyes was Lai Junchen, His Majesty the Emperor.

Over the past few years, the spies sent by the empress are like a net, covering the entire sky of Shendu and even Datang.The queen's use of the law of informants to govern the country is not just for the purpose of discovering treacherous people. This fear of being watched will slowly wear away people's yearning for justice and justice in the bottom of their hearts like a shadow that follows them everywhere.

Back at the Five Princes' Mansion, Li Chengqi took out the two mustard cakes and broke them into pieces. Sure enough, he found a small piece of paper, but there were some messy words: "Tomorrow will be the first narration, please eat with your highness." Meat." Xue Chongjian was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "Ashina Suizi! What the hell is that Huer doing!" Li Chengqi asked in surprise, "How do you know it's Suizi?" Xue Chongjian said with a smile: "His bad handwriting , it’s best to admit it, but he must have been too busy to come up with a way to tease us.” Li Chengqi frowned and thought carefully, today the baker said that people have misfortunes and blessings, and when it comes to Li Zhaode, it’s not like It was a prank, and he shook his head slightly.

On the second day, Li Chengqi came to Princess Taiping's mansion, and after noon, he reported that Ashina Suizi had come to visit.Ashina Suizi is the eldest son of the current Xingxi dead Khan Ashina Yuanqing. He is the grandson of the first generation of Xingxi dead Khan Ashina Mishe who was proclaimed by Emperor Gaozong in the past. Khan's seventh grandson.After the famous general Pei Xingjian quelled the rebellion against the Tang Dynasty by the Western Turkic Ashina Duzhi, in the first year of Chuigong, the Empress Dowager named Ashina Yuanqing as the second-generation Khan who died in the past, and Ashina Yuanqing has been building the gods. Remotely control the affairs of the left wing of the Western Turks.

Ashina Suizi was the same age as Xue Chongjian, he was born in Hu'er, he was good at arching horses, he got to know Xue Chongjian well since he was a child, he was indispensable for hunting and hunting.Although Suizi grew up in Shendu, he still kept his Turkic attire, wearing a fur and a small cap, and his hair was not tied in a bun, but braided into several braids hanging down.As soon as he entered the door, Xue Chongjian punched him on the shoulder and scolded with a smile: "Are you impatient, you Hu'er? Are you making such a mystery?"

Although Suizi was rough and bold, he also respected Li Chengqi's identity, knelt down respectfully and saluted, then got up and said with a smile: "I went hunting the day before yesterday, and the animals were frozen in a heavy snowfall, and I killed a few deer and pheasants. My father picked some to present to His Majesty, and I brought a deer and a few pheasants over here. Doesn’t your house have a quiet pavilion? Let’s go there to barbecue.” Xue Chongjian smiled and said: “You also recognize Qingyou Er Words? I'm afraid you'll spoil my plum blossoms with your fishy body." Suizi laughed and said, "Admiring the snow under the flowers is nothing but a pity for you. We should eat meat under the flowers."

He ordered people to hang a whole deer that had been washed and stripped in the pavilion, and then set up a charcoal fire. Suizi smiled to the slaves, "You all go down, I'll roast it myself." Li Chengqi's heart moved, and he asked The servants around the waiter smiled and said: "Young Master Ashina's picture is quiet, you go down too, don't disturb his elegant mood." Suizi raised his eyes and glanced at Li Chengqi, then turned his head sideways and used a knife on the venison Draw out a series of knives.

Suizi just chatted casually with Xue Chongjian about shooting and hunting. When the meat was cooked, Xue Chongjian took the blade off the most familiar part of his leg, sprinkled the seasoning and handed it to Li Chengqi.Suizi suddenly smiled and asked: "Your Highness, how did yesterday's pancakes taste?" Li Chengqi smiled lightly and said, "This plate of venison is what you want us to guard against in the future?" Suizi stared at the fire and said, "Yesterday was As a last resort, I have to test it out to see if His Highness has been targeted by A Laizi's people."

Xue Chongjian's heart trembled, and he said, "That's why you wrote a few completely irrelevant words, even if you were caught, it was only a joke? What is Lai Junchen staring at my cousin?" Suizi said in a low voice while cutting his flesh : "Your Highness, can you know why your majesty will feast on the Vientiane Shrine on New Year's Day this year, using Wei Wang Yaxian and Liang Wang Zhongxian, and leaving the emperor's heir aside?" Dare to say more, just said: "The Supreme Dotes on Wei Wang and Liang Wang."

Suizi sighed, picked up a pair of chopsticks, wiped them with a handkerchief in his sleeve, and handed it to Li Chengqi.Li Chengqi suddenly saw the words on the veil, but it was a half-copied poem: "The north wind is cool, and the rain and snow are squishy. You are kind to me, and we will walk hand in hand. It is empty and evil, and it is urgent." [ 2] He was stunned by the handwriting: "This is... how should I say it?" He had seen Li Zhaode's handwriting several times, and the handwriting on this handkerchief was exactly what he meant.

Suizi calmly took the handkerchief from his hand and threw it into the fire, said in a deep voice, "Did your Highness recognize this is Li Xiangguo's handwriting? Then I will stop rambling. Your Highness's mother Liu Concubine and the mother of His Highness Linzi King Concubine Dou, she has been missing for many days." Li Chengqi and Xue Chongjian dropped their chopsticks to the ground at the same time, and said in surprise, "What did you say!" Suizi sighed, "On the second day of this month, the two ladies went to Jiayu Palace to report to Your Majesty as usual. Say hello, and no one will see them come out again." Li Chengqi felt his eyes darken, and his face turned pale immediately, Xue Chongjian supported him and said, "Cousin, don't worry." He turned his head and asked Suizi sharply: "This matter even my mother You don’t even know, how do you know? Why did Li Zhaode write that thing to my cousin? Who asked you to come? If there is a false statement, I will kill you right here!”

Suizi looked at Xue Chongjian and said: "It was Li Xiang who asked me to come. As for how Li Xiang knew, I dare not ask." Xue Chongjian gritted his teeth and said, "You mean? Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi harmed me The two aunts?" Sui Zi said: "The incident started with a court lady named Wei Tuan'er, Wei Tuan'er reported to His Majesty, and the two ladies cursed His Majesty with the technique of hating saints, and His Majesty ordered people to search the residence of His Highness the Emperor's Heir , Sure enough, a few wooden figures were dug out from the courtyard.”

When Li Chengqi heard the name Wei Tuan'er, he was frightened to pieces, and murmured: "My mother won't, my mother won't... This must be framed by Wei Tuan'er, I want to meet the Supreme Master." Suizi held down Li Chengqi and said, "Your Highness, what is the use of seeing the Supreme? Wei Tuan'er, a little maid, how dare she frame the emperor's heir and concubine if she is not instructed? How can the Supreme be able to do such a clumsy method?" I don't know?" Xue Chongjian said angrily: "Then we have to save them!" Suizi shook his head and said, "There are more important matters than the lives and deaths of the two ladies. Since the second year of junior high school, even His Highness the Emperor's Heir has never shown up. The people sent to watch closely, Li Xiang and several courtiers are very worried..." Li Chengqi felt chills all over his body, and his fear was like a cold lake in the dark night, and waves of him were about to be swallowed.He tremblingly said: "I...I have to go to the palace."

Suizi said: "Li Xiang also knows that His Highness's Xuanxin parents have contacted Xue Daxin, General Guoyi of Baijian Mansion, and General Fan Yunxian, the guard of the gate guard, and asked them to escort His Highness to the East Palace to meet the emperor's heir." Xue Chongjian said anxiously: "Cousin , you are not allowed to enter the palace at this time. It is clear that they want to inquire about Uncle's safety, but they use you as a shield!"

Why didn't Li Chengqi understand Li Zhaode's intention?For several years, the emperor confines his father and strictly prohibits ministers from visiting him.Now that the Wu family brothers framed his mother, and his father's life and death are unknown, Li Zhaode and other ministers who cared about Li Tang naturally wanted to find a way to meet his father, but they were afraid of the emperor. Entering the palace in violation of the order is a much lighter crime.

No matter what the crime is, be it whipping or beheading, if Li Zhaode and others don't enter the palace, he must enter the palace too.The net was stretched before him, but he couldn't refuse it. That kind of blood and heart is a kindness that he can't repay in a hundred deaths. Even if he dies, he must find out the safety of his parents.He finally understood what Mencius said, although tens of thousands of people will go to the same place, it is not just courage, the world does not always leave a way out for people.

He raised his eyes carelessly, wanting to see what the sharp sword hanging above his head looked like, but he saw the iron horse at the corner of the pavilion, blown by the north wind, swaying linglingly.He remembered that after his father abdicated, his father took him by the hand and returned home, and his mother leaned on the door to look at her, and there was a little golden bell on her arm, which rang so peacefully and joyfully.That was all he was looking forward to, to be able to eat and drink with his parents and brothers under the lights every night.He doesn't want the noble title of the county king, the fief of five hundred households a year, and the dignity of Taizong's grandson. He only wants the safety of his family. If he can't even guarantee his survival, who would dare to expect anything else.

But his worries over the years, all the things he didn't want to imagine on himself, turned into reality so quickly.He always hoped that his grandmother would have a little more pity for his father, and he couldn't bear to pick off the vines, so that his family could survive under the sword.He is still too stupid. Grandmother established the Zhou dynasty of the Wu family. How could she and her nephews tolerate the father who was the emperor of Li Tang?

He supported himself to stand up and wanted to speak, but his body was soft, and he never fainted by relying on Xue Chongjian's body, and his chest seemed to be blocked by something and was about to split open.In desperation, he suddenly and firmly grasped the edge of the short knife that Xue Chongjian left on the table. Warm blood immediately flowed to the blade like frost and snow.But is that soft heart actually harder than it?Even his own flesh and blood can be cut apart?

Xue Chongjian let out a low cry, and opened Li Chengqi's fingers: "What are you doing!"

Li Chengqi felt a pain in his hand, and the blood seemed to start flowing again. He gathered his strength and sat up straight and said, "I'll go, please ask Li Gong to arrange it quickly." Suizi nodded and said, "If your highness's jade body is fine. That is, tomorrow night, Hwarang took His Highness into the palace to play ball, and then His Highness pretended to be drunk, and stayed in the princess's academy. In the evening, someone will pick up His Highness. It's just—this matter is very careful, and even the princess should not tell it. .”

Xue Chongjian frowned and said: "Why?" Suizi hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "Princess, after all, she is a Wu family wife..." Xue Chongjian was furious, and slapped Suizi on the face.Li Chengqi stretched out his hand to grab Xue Chongjian's arm, panting, "Huanu... listen to him and keep my aunt from knowing, it's also for my aunt's benefit."

The author has something to say: Note: [1] Yangkan is steamed mutton, my life.And I really feel that if it leaves Shaanxi, it will taste as bad as oranges in Huaibei.

[2] That is the first paragraph in the Book of Songs "North Wind".It's urgent!