Mu Hanzhong

It was the New Year's Eve of the first year of Yunqing, and Emperor Yunlie gave a banquet to all the ministers, and all ministers above rank four could bring their families to the banquet.

At night, the main hall of Chongrui Hall was filled with the sound of toasting.When the wine was hot, the emperor on the main seat waved his hand, and dozens of women came out from the small door, performing several dances.

Most of the ministers present are already a little dizzy from drinking, and only a few of them can maintain their usual behavior at this time.This is the second banquet tonight, only the emperor and some confidant ministers, and the family members who came earlier, except those who quit the palace early, the rest are mostly males at home, bringing them to see the world and make friends with future friends contacts.Kneeling and sitting behind his father, Zuo Chengyuan, the eldest son of Zuo, appeared here for this reason.

After the dancer finished dancing, everyone applauded and applauded, and the Lie Emperor rewarded her.Zuo Manting, Prime Minister of the Yin Kingdom, nodded slightly, with a slight smile on his delicate and gentle face, as if he didn't seem to be drunk at all.Lie Di made a move. At this moment, a military general was yelling drunken words, and the officials around him made a fuss. Lie Di was not annoyed, but slowly swept across the audience with somewhat warm eyes.

"Is Prime Minister Zuo tired?"

Emperor Lie suddenly became interested, and turned his gaze to Zuo Manting.

"I don't dare." Zuo Manting bowed and saluted.

"So you think this banquet is boring?" Otherwise, why did you still have that calm face?

There was no joy or anger in Lie Di's voice, Zuo Manting leaned down again: "No."

When Sihuang Yunyi heard the answer, he snorted softly, and was about to say something more, when suddenly his eyes fell on the young man behind Zuo Manting: "It has been rumored in the court that the eldest son of Prime Minister Zuo is already very handsome at a young age. See you tonight , there is really no falsehood."

Zuo Chengyuan is just fourteen this year, but his stature is not low. He is tall and straight, with a slender and well-proportioned body.Unlike Zuo Manting, the young man didn't have a trace of a scholar. In Sihuang Yunyi's view, it was more convincing to say that he was a child from the Quan family.

"Chengyuan, thank you for your majesty's praise." Zuo Chengyuan calmly and respectfully saluted without panic or panic. He was neither humble nor arrogant, as if the emperor's praise was just like the praise of a roadside lady.

"Haha! Prime Minister Zuo, this kid from your family is really nice, I like it!" Si Huang Yunyi was overjoyed, and praised the young man a few more words, then suddenly thought of something, frowned, and sighed: "If Yun Xiao had your family It’s good that half of you are well-behaved and calm..."

No one answered, and everyone drank and ate food in silence.

The banquet was still going on, and after a long time, Zuo Chengyuan was much calmer than his peers, and he felt a little bored, so he couldn't sit still.Sensing his son's emotions, Zuo Manting turned his head and said in a low voice: "It will take a while here. You might as well go out for a walk and watch the fireworks by the way."

Zuo Chengyuan was startled, then bent over to salute: "Yes, my child understands." After finishing speaking, he got up and walked out through the side door.

As soon as he went out, the cold wind hit his face, which made him shiver severely.The indoors are warm as spring, while the outdoors are cold and lonely. The snow accumulated in the past few days has only half melted, and there is a faint blue light under the cold moonlight. A trace of warmth.

Zuo Chengyuan stood under the porch, looking around from afar.For tonight's banquet, the guards also adjusted accordingly. In the Baifu Hall south of Chongrui Hall, Emperor Lie even summoned a troupe to perform for officials with lower ranks.The distant noise came with the night wind, he thought for a while, and then walked towards Baifu Hall.

After standing outside and watching for a while, Zuo Chengyuan left again.The scene was very similar to that in the Chongrui Hall, except that there was no emperor, and there were more troupes, so there was no reason for him to stop.

He looked up at the sky, then looked down again.His mother and younger sister must have arrived home. New Year's Eve was supposed to be a day when the family sat at the dinner table in harmony. However, in his memory, such situations were rare, and he couldn't help feeling a little depressed.

He walked with his head down, his mind drifting far away, and he accidentally bumped into the oncoming person.Immediately, there was only an ouch, and Zuo Chengyuan, who was caught off guard, fell to the ground.

"How did you walk?! Don't you have eyes? Where's the slave—!" The clear boy's voice rang out above his head with some anger.

Zuo Chengyuan slowly raised his head, then froze there.

Under the sky full of stars, an extremely delicate face was staring at him with a hint of impatience and anger.The black pupils in Shang Yang's phoenix eyes are crystal clear, the bridge of his nose is tall and straight, and his thin lips are slightly pursed, indifferent and ruthless.The purple golden crown raised his black hair high, and the white clothes embroidered with complicated golden patterns of coiling dragons were lifted up by the wind, and matched with the silver silk amber belt around his waist, it made the young man even more handsome and unparalleled, like a heavenly man.He stood there quietly, sizing up Zuo Chengyuan inch by inch with his eyes like a knife, and the overwhelming momentum overwhelmed Zuo Chengyuan's mind, and he almost forgot to even breathe.

After a long time, An Wu couldn't help but smile wryly when he thought of this scene.At that time, in his heart, if he really wanted to say it, he was probably more amazed than panicked.It's just that the young man who was inexperienced at that time couldn't tell the difference at all, only the fact that he couldn't speak for a long time after looking at it was so clear.

"——Who are you?" The young man asked suddenly after finishing his scrutiny.With that kind of dress and demeanor, she is not a slave in the palace at all.

However, Zuo Chengyuan didn't answer him, but just maintained the posture of falling, motionless, and stared at him blankly.

The young man frowned impatiently, glanced coldly at the people on the ground, then turned around and wanted to leave.Looking at his appearance, he might be a fool or something... Fortunately, he was still somewhat interested in this person just now...

In the end, after walking a few steps, the boy in white turned around again.He resented his actions, but the trace of curiosity in his heart was like a feather scratching at the tip of his heart, preventing him from leaving directly like this.

He squatted down in front of Zuo Chengyuan, squinted his eyes and took another close look.

...It looks really good...it's a pity...

He pouted.

"...Ah?!" Suddenly exclaimed, Zuo Chengyuan, who was still stunned just now, suddenly came back to his senses, and as soon as he met the young man's gaze, he subconsciously stood up and backed away.

Unpredictably frightened by him, the young man burst into anger again, stood up from the ground with a bang, stretched out his arm, grabbed Zuo Chengyuan's left shoulder and pressed it down hard, and fixed him there, his eyes sank , frowned, and said coldly: "What is it called?!"

Zuo Chengyuan worshiped Zuo Manting's friends when he was young. He is a well-known swordsman practicing martial arts in Jianghu. In addition, he has a fairly good understanding and can be said to be diligent in practice. Although he is still young, his skills are already good.This slender young man pressed lightly, but he couldn't break free, Zuo Chengyuan couldn't help being shocked.

"...What's your name...?" The boy asked with his eyes locked on Zuo Chengyuan.

"Left...Chengyuan." Being stared at by such eyes, his mind went blank again, and he didn't come back to his senses until his shoulders were loosened.

Hearing the answer, the boy finally looked a little better. He played with the name he heard just now, and suddenly his eyes flashed: "Are you the son of Prime Minister Zuo?"

"...Yes." Zuo Chengyuan replied in a low voice, and took two steps back without any trace.Although this young man was very handsome, but the unprovoked aura emanating from his body made him subconsciously want to avoid it.On weekdays, when he met such people, he avoided them as much as he could.After all, young people are very angry, and the chances of fighting if they disagree with each other are too high. ...Recalling Zuo Manting's reprimand to him in the long memory, Zuo Chengyuan quietly retreated back.

"I'm Yun Xiao, Si Huang Yun Xiao." Unexpectedly, the person on the opposite side suddenly smiled at him, "You just came out of Chongrui Hall... isn't it boring to listen to a group of old men talking nonsense?"

"Uh..." The rumored Prince Yong not only smiled at him, but also said these words to him, Zuo Chengyuan was completely at a loss as to what the prince wanted to do.

In fact, Si Huang Yunxiao's purpose is very simple and obvious, if he had changed the intention of making friends so clearly, if he had changed to someone who was smarter, he would have smiled and walked over, but today he happened to meet Zuo Cheng deep.

Zuo Chengyuan swallowed slightly nervously: "No, no!..." Sensing the sudden cold gaze of the person opposite, and the following words, his brain heated up, and he said casually, "No , No... yes... some... but, the food is good... eat... the dance, the dance... the dance is also good, um, the dance is also good."

But under Si Huang Yunxiao's gaze, he changed his mind halfway and then turned back, which was barely an ambiguous answer.

Zuo Chengyuan was born in a family and he was the only son in the family. Although Zuo Manting taught him very strictly on weekdays and stayed with his master in the arena for a few years, after all he was young and loved by his family a lot. I have never seen the world through storms, and I heard the young prince in front of me say this for a while, and even the words became intermittent in a hurry.

"Pfft." Si Huang Yunxiao, who had a calm face, finally couldn't help laughing when he heard the words behind him.Talking to him was originally on a whim, but unexpectedly, unexpectedly, I met a young man from an aristocratic family who had such a simple mind and could be seen through at a glance.

"The dance looks good too... Is it the dance that looks good, or the dancer?" Si Huang Yunxiao laughed narrowly, rubbing his chin, looking thoughtful and meaningful .

At first, Zuo Chengyuan didn't know why Si Huang Yunxiao had such a tone, but after staring at him for a while, he gradually understood, and with a buzzing sound, most of his face turned red.

Teenagers at this age are mostly hazy and shy with a little longing for the opposite sex.Of course, he was no exception. Being teased like this, he blushed and shook his hands before he hurriedly explained: "No, no... Absolutely not... I... Absolutely..."

Seeing him flustered and flustered, Si Huang Yunxiao felt a sense of joy in his heart, he raised his eyebrows, let out a fluttering sound, and continued: "No? Really?...No, right? , look, I asked you if it was boring to listen to those officials talking nonsense, but you didn’t answer me. But I also said that the food is delicious and the dance is beautiful. Now, isn’t that very clear?”

He walked in step by step, winking at Zuo Chengyuan: "——The truth is, you didn't listen to them at all, you just paid attention to those dancing girls."

His words were firm and unquestionable.From what Zuo Chengyuan heard, it seemed that even he himself thought that he had been staring at those dancers all night.

"What's there to deny? ... Which one do you like, tell me. I will send her to you tomorrow." Even Si Huang Yunxiao himself was a little puzzled by the increasingly rambling words. .But he didn't even have time to think about the words that just jumped out, and he blurted them out...

"You...you..." Seeing what he said seriously, Zuo Chengyuan had no doubts about him, and when he thought of what would happen if the person in front of him really sent one of the dancers to him and his father saw it, he really I was in a hurry, for a while, I didn't know how to open my mouth. After a long time, my face was flushed, and I was so stunned that I couldn't say another word.

Looking at the appearance of the person opposite, the smile on the corner of Si Huang Yunxiao's mouth became deeper and deeper, almost enough, if you keep teasing, when this person reacts, he will probably jump his feet.

Thinking of this, just as he was about to explain, he heard a loud pop that exploded above his head.

In an instant, the dark winter night was as bright as day, and the two subconsciously looked up at the place where the sound came from. On the thick black night, countless lights poured from one point to the surroundings, drawing dazzling lines on the sky. The curvature is very beautiful.Zuo Chengyuan stared blankly, and in the next moment, another spot of light spread out in a big way, forming a completely different dazzling pattern from the first one.

For a while, only the sound of fireworks continued, and the vast sky was covered with colorful and gorgeous patterns, one after another, overlapping and interlacing, spreading and disappearing, forming a magnificent picture scroll.

——Fire Trees and Silver Flowers Never Night and Sky are an excellent description of this.

The noise filled my ears at some point, all the officials in Baifu Hall stood up and looked up to enjoy the fireworks, and even the actors on the stage couldn't help but stop.In the Chongrui Hall, Emperor Yunlie led a group of courtiers out of the main hall, stood with their hands behind their backs, and looked up at the sky.

The New Year's bell rang amid the roaring fireworks, one by one, from inside the palace to outside the palace, to the inner city, and to the outer city.The people in Xuanzhu City took to the streets one after another, eagerly watching.

Under the reflection of the colorful flames, Si Huang Yunxiao withdrew his gaze, walked up to Zuo Chengyuan, and suddenly patted him on the back: "—Hey! Your eyes are straight..."

After being photographed by him, Zuo Chengyuan regained his thoughts from the beautiful scenery in front of him.Fireworks are set off every year, which has almost become a ritual.But watching it in your own backyard and watching it in the palace, the effect you see and the shock you feel are completely different.He lowered his head and murmured to himself, "It's really... so beautiful..."

"Nonsense." Si Huang Yunxiao leaned closer to his face, "It's a few 10 taels of silver, it won't look good."

What he said was half teasing, half disdainful, saying it at this moment, it would be a bit disruptive to the atmosphere, but he didn't care about it at all, what he cared about was that after talking about it for a long time, the boy surnamed Zuo in front of him still didn't pay attention look at him.

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth with hatred.He has an excellent appearance, and he has a flamboyant personality since he was a child. Wherever he goes, he sees admiration and admiration.

"..." Seeing him getting very close, Zuo Chengyuan's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, he hurriedly broke away and took a few steps to the other side, and found an excuse to leave, "...I, I'm going first. Dad He...was waiting for me."

Si Huang Yunxiao didn't speak, just narrowed his eyes slightly, folded his arms, stood behind him, stared at the person who was about to flee in a hurry, and lowered his voice: "It's too early to end... Hey, Zuo Chengyuan, I'll take you to a place, it's guaranteed to be much more fun than a banquet."

"Are you going?" Si Huang Yunxiao rarely wanted to make friends, and he would never let the opportunity slip by like this.

Zuo Chengyuan stopped in his tracks, and after a while, he turned around, his eyes filled with curiosity: "Where is it?"

With a puff, a firework exploded just above Zuo Chengyuan's head, and in an instant, those unabashed, crystal-clear eyes pierced straight into his heart.Si Huang Yunxiao was startled, and then slowly smiled: "...you will know when you go."

Until the two sat down under the eaves paved with glazed tiles, Zuo Chengyuan was still a little dazed.

Didn't you say go to a place?Why... now is the roof of this unknown palace?

Xu Shi could see his confusion and astonishment, and Si Huang Yunxiao, who was lying on his back beside him, explained a few words: "There will be fireworks later, you have to see, this place is an excellent location."

He casually pulled two small jugs of wine from the side, patted the clay off one jar, sniffed it, and threw the other jar to Zuo Chengyuan without looking at it.

Zuo Chengyuan stared blankly at the things he caught, and then at the young man over there who was lying on his back with a wine jar and poured it down: "...we haven't reached the crown yet...drinking...not too much... All right."

The Zuo family's family rules are extremely strict, and Zuo Chengyuan has never violated his father's orders since he was a child.Right now, it's already unseemly to accidentally go to the room, drinking... how to say it... it's too much.

Si Huang Yunxiao was stunned for a moment, then slowly put down the wine jar in his hand, turned his head, looked at Zuo Chengyuan as if he was looking at some monster, and after a long time, he said: "...the wine that this king treasures, I like to drink it Don't drink."

After finishing speaking, he turned around again, took out a few side dishes with wine from a plate of food boxes brought up, and put them on the side, then crossed his legs, took the wine in one hand, and grabbed a few peanuts in the other, and threw them high on the ground. In the air, catch and swallow with your mouth.

Zuo Chengyuan was dumbfounded watching from the side, of course not because of the accuracy, but because this should be done by a prince in front of him, but there is someone who is not shy about doing it quite skillfully and with a sense of leisurely complacency.

Zuo Chengyuan hesitated for a long time, until the sky was filled with fireworks again, he still didn't open the jar of wine.

Sitting on the roof, they felt closer to the sky than standing on the ground. The bright fireworks seemed to explode inches above their heads, so close they seemed to be within reach.Zuo Chengyuan stared intently, while Si Huang Yunxiao leaned on one side, drinking and eating food on his own, there was a moment of silence between the two of them, but there was a strange and unusually harmonious atmosphere lingering between them.

With the fireworks in full bloom, the long silent palace boiled, and the ladies, eunuchs, guards and ministers gathered in groups to watch the fireworks, laughing, beating and scolding, and the New Year's excitement was everywhere.

...And the side around him was no longer as lonely as it used to be.

Si Huang Yunxiao took another sip of wine, and when he wiped the spilled liquid from his sleeve, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth unconsciously.

"Hey, you really don't want to drink?"

"...Don't drink." Zuo Chengyuan firmly resisted the temptation.

"It's such a pity." Si Huang Yunxiao sighed, "This is a specially made treasure, and it is definitely not of the same grade as the ones sold outside. If you lose this opportunity...you will never be able to taste it again in the future."

Continue to seduce, plus deadpan lying.The wine he drank was excellent, but it was by no means a treasure.

Zuo Chengyuan couldn't help but looked down at the exquisite wine jar, he seemed to smell a strong aroma of wine.

"Zuo Xiang must have drunk a lot himself...you only drink a little, he will never notice."

"Whether scholars or warriors have loved the things in the altar since ancient times... You really don't want to taste what it tastes like?"

"Really don't want to?..."

"Weak crown? Judging by your appearance, it's only two or three years away..."

"I'm fourteen."

Zuo Chengyuan spoke suddenly.

Si Huang Yunxiao, who had been chattering endlessly and launched a seductive offensive, sat up suddenly: "Are you fourteen?"

"Yeah...wh, what's the matter?" Zuo Chengyuan replied matter-of-factly after being stared at by the other party again, embarrassed.

Si Huang Yunxiao frowned in dissatisfaction, crossed his arms, and looked up and down: "You are actually older than me?" The frown deepened a little, "—I don't believe it."

"Fourteen is fourteen. I don't need to lie to you." Zuo Chengyuan said every word with seriousness on his brows.In his world, one is one, and two is two, and there is no consciousness of lying and covering up.

"..." Si Huang Yunxiao saw that he was looking at him seriously, his thoughts were turning, but his face was raised with long eyebrows, and he suddenly realized, "I am thirteen." After finishing speaking, he stared at him quietly Zuo Chengyuan watched, and by the way, his gaze turned to the wine jar beside him from time to time.The meaning is clear at a glance.

"So?" Zuo Chengyuan asked blankly.

"So..." Si Huangyun raised the wine jar in his hand, raised his head and took a sip, "I didn't reach the crown, but I drank it. And you, you also didn't reach the crown, besides, you are one year older than me... "

He put down the wine jar, leaned his upper body in front of Zuo Chengyuan, "So, you should drink too."

This is a "so" without any logic at all, but at that time Zuo Chengyuan's mind was already muddled, looking at the young man's radiant black eyes, he actually nodded.

Si Huangyun Xiao was overjoyed, stretched out his arm, hooked the altar of wine to his side, slapped the seal open with one palm, and handed it to Zuo Chengyuan.

Only now did Zuo Chengyuan realize what he had promised, but he could no longer go back on his word.Once a man speaks, it is hard to follow.He nodded, it was true.

So he hesitated for a while, took the wine jar, followed Si Huang Yunxiao's example, raised his head and gulped it down.

Then, I was choked and coughed again and again.

Si Huang Yunxiao laughed unceremoniously at the side.

Zuo Chengyuan blushed inexplicably.

Si Huang Yunxiao laughed loudly, he hadn't laughed so freely for a long time.Listening to the sound of setting off fireworks beside my ears, a thought came to me deep in my heart.

——This boy is not bad.

God knows how His Royal Highness Prince Yong got such a good evaluation.Anyway, the 13-year-old Sihuang Yunxiao really felt that the person in front of him was, um, very nice.

Si Huang Yunxiao smiled and handed out a handkerchief casually.He handed it naturally, and Zuo Chengyuan accepted it naturally. He didn't react until he wiped off the wine stains on his face with the towel.

"...Thank... Thank you." Zuo Chengyuan blushed and returned the scarf to Si Huang Yunxiao, thanking him obediently.

Si Huang Yunxiao moved towards Zuo Chengyuan, then pointed to the wine jar: "Drink slowly, take one sip, don't rush."

Zuo Chengyuan followed the instructions and drank in small sips, but finally the scene just now did not happen again.

After drinking too much, it tasted a little strange, but it can also taste a trace of fragrance and indescribable meaning.Zuo Chengyuan, who was a little drunk, told the boy who fell on the tiles with him very honestly about his feelings.

"I didn't lie to you, did I...?" Si Huang Yunxiao was quite complacent.

"Well, you didn't lie to me." Zuo Chengyuan said seriously.

"Hehe..." Can't help laughing, Si Huang Yunxiao's original evaluation of Zuo Chengyuan has been upgraded from good to very good.

So in the middle of the night, the two of them lay on the roof, drinking wine and eating side dishes while the cold wind was blowing.

When the fourth watch sounded in the palace, Si Huang Yunxiao squinted his eyes and said to Zuo Chengyuan, who was a little drunk, rubbing his eyes: "It's almost time, you can go back to Chongrui Hall."

"Ah?" Zuo Chengyuan didn't react for a while.

"...Remember to take a shower first when you go back. Well, this way they won't find you drinking." Si Huang Yunxiao stood up, stretched his limbs, and said while adjusting his robe. Seeing that the person in front of him was silent, he added : "I've used this method many times, and it works!"

Only then did Zuo Chengyuan truly wake up, and he answered yes with his head bowed.

"Okay. I have to go back soon too... Goodbye, Zuo Chengyuan." Si Huang Yun Xiao smiled, and then leaped lightly a few times, jumped off the roof, and walked towards a place.

Zuo Chengyuan watched his leaving back, feeling a little bit of reluctance slowly in his heart.At this time, he couldn't think of Zuo Manting waiting for him at all, his mind was full of Si Huang Yun Xiao's frown and smile overnight.

"Ah—that's right!" The person who had already walked away suddenly turned back again, and ran back quickly, looking up at the person on the roof, "This is for you!" He said, taking something from his waist, Raising his hand vigorously, a beautiful arc was drawn, and the thing fell into Zuo Chengyuan's hands.

...It is a token with the word Xiao engraved on the back.

"When you come to me, use this as your proof, no one will dare to stop you..." Si Huang Yun Xiao increased his voice, "Remember, I live in Jinghe Palace!"

"If you still can't find it, just say my name! Do you remember—" With the last sound, Si Huang Yunxiao raised his voice.

"I remember." Zuo Chengyuan nodded and squeezed the token in his hand tightly.

"Hehe... that's good, we'll see you another day!" After finishing speaking, Si Huang Yunxiao smiled at him, then turned around and ran again, and soon disappeared among the palaces.

Zuo Chengyuan held the token and stared down.

After a long time, a gust of cold wind blew, he came back to his senses, shivered, and finally put the token in his arms carefully, and then went down the roof, taking the wine jar, jade plate and food box that the man threw on the roof.

When we returned to Chongrui Hall, the ministers were almost gone.Zuo Manting sat in his original position, watching Zuo Chengyuan's return, he sighed quietly, got up and took his son's hand, and went out of the palace to go home.

Less than four days after returning home, Zuo Chengyuan fell ill.By the time he recovered, April had already passed.

In May of the same year, the Zuo family conspired to rebel, and more than 300 people died in less than half a month.Among them, Zuo Manting was included.

Zuo Chengyuan, the only son of the Zuo family, was secretly brought out of Xuanzhu by Zuo Manting's friend and his master.

After he woke up, he was already far away in Wanzhong.He fainted from crying in front of Zuo Manting's spiritual tablet, holding a token tightly in his hand.

- Well, we'll see you another day.

Zuo Chengyuan didn't expect that it would be 15 years before that day.

"Mr. Xiao, brother Xu is a man, and everyone in the world knows it. There must be a misunderstanding. Why don't we sit down and have a glass of wine and talk?"

With just one glance, he recognized someone.Light rain pattered down, and the young man on the opposite side was unparalleled in beauty, with a long sword shining coldly, looking into his eyes, cold and ruthless.

When we met again, he was An Wu.