Rui Hegui

Zhao Liangyue and Youbai headed northwest, bypassing the backyard of the abandoned house, and saw a carriage waiting when they went out from the back door, the attendants at the side saw Zhao Liangyue, and came to ask him to get on the carriage.

Zhao Liangyue remembered the face of this attendant, it was Chu Bandit's subordinate, so he gave a slight nod as a signal, got on the horse stool and got into the carriage, Youbai followed the attendant to drive, the carriage quickly disappeared around the corner of the abandoned house.

Zhao Liangyue bowed his hands to Bandit Chu who was inside the carriage to thank him.

Although Youbai alone was enough to escape, the plan of Xing Shuo and Chu Bandit obviously solved a lot of worries for the future.

Chu bandit leaned over and stretched out his hand to grab Zhao Liangyue's robe sleeve, let him sit down, and said, "Why should Xilin and I be polite? It's just that Zhao Wu and Zhao Banxian died today, so I won't be able to inquire about news in the future."

Zhao Liangyue sat down leaning against the wall of the car, calmly pulled his robe sleeves out of Bandit Chu's hands, and said: "The so-called Zhao Banxian is an unexpected encounter, too eye-catching, destined not to last long, It will be a matter of time before she sheds this layer of identity."

Chu bandit raised his brows and teased, "Then next time I'm on the streets of Kyoto, can I see Xi Lin pretending to be a candied gourd vendor, Xi Lin pretending to be a juggler, or Fu Fen Tu Zhu pretending to be a girl?" What about the stream scales?"

Zhao Liangyue: "..." The more you say it, the more outrageous it is.

The two of them were relatively silent for a while—in other words, Zhao Liangyue unilaterally didn't want to talk, while Chu Gui couldn't find a way to talk for a while.

Finally, after looking at Zhao Liangyue who deliberately sat far away from him for a long time, Chu bandit reminded: "Wouldn't Xi Lin be closer to me?"

Zhao Liangyue said: "It's good to sit here, so as not to crowd Mr. Chu."

"Tsk, what's wrong with this crowded place?" Chu Bandit said, he moved suddenly, got up and sat down close to Zhao Liangyue, the carriage also swayed, Chu Bandit bent his peach blossom eyes and smiled at Zhao Liangyue in satisfaction.

Zhao Liangyue only felt that it was a bit weird for the two of them to stick so close together, but there was really nowhere to hide here, and the two of them were big men, so they also acquiesced, and asked about the business: "Master Chu and Lord Xing came here so quickly to save me , did you already know something?"

"Naturally, I have been paying attention to the matter of Xilin all the time, and I dare not relax in the slightest." Chu Bandit paused, until he saw Zhao Liangyue's delicate brows slightly frowned, showing impatience, and then smiled, "As for today The one who wants to kill Xi Lin is none other than the Crown Prince Ji Xuan."

"When the crown prince?"

"I heard that at a banquet a few days ago, a blind man told him that a fortune teller Zhao Banxian suddenly came to the capital, and he was better than a living god. "Chu bandit said, raised his hand to take an orange and began to peel it, and continued, "Our highness the prince has always been like this. He supports his father's great prosperity of Buddhism on the surface, but sneers at the way of gods and Buddhas in secret, wishing to kill them all." quick."

Zhao Liangyue rejected the oranges Chu Bandit handed over, thought for a while, and said: "Most gods and ghosts are nonsense, it is wise for the crown prince not to like it, but it is a bit unexpected that he came here personally today to kill me."

"It's not difficult to explain. Today is the day when the prince accompanied the prince to go to Heng'en Temple to offer incense. As usual, the emperor wanted to reward a lot of things. The prince must be disgusted in his heart, and because the emperor and his ministers had to endure it, so he turned his anger to the nearest The sound touched Zhao Banxian in Kyoto."

Unpredictable emotions and unpredictable killings, this is the royal family.

While talking, Bandit Chu insisted on giving the oranges to Zhao Liangyue, Zhao Liangyue could only take it, broke off a piece and put it in his mouth, who knew it was extremely sour, Zhao Liangyue immediately frowned, lost his thoughts, and looked up at Bandit Chu harshly , but the person on the opposite side laughed happily, as if he didn't know much about his childish tricks.

"Although it's a little sour, it's fresh." Chu Bandit leaned over to look at Zhao Liangyue's expression. Zhao Liangyue was furious, but he swallowed it based on the principle of not wasting food, and then returned the rest to Chu Bandit .

Chu Bandit took it, threw it in the air, and then ate it in two mouthfuls without changing his expression. Zhao Liangyue felt sore between his teeth when he saw it.

Chu Bandit smiled and said: "Many years ago, when I was young, there were three oranges in the yard every day. I always ate the sour one, and I was used to it."

Zhao Liangyue was about to say that you are willing to torture yourself, but I don't, but seeing a flash of sadness in Chu's smiling eyes, he didn't say it.

After eating one sour orange, Bandit Chu picked up another and began to peel it, asking, "Xilin, do you still want to eat oranges?"

Zhao Liangyue frowned upon hearing this, and shook his head, seeing that Chu Bandit was in a good mood.

"By the way, the prince went crazy this time, did you say anything nonsense?"

Zhao Liangyue sighed lightly, and said, "I asked me a hexagram about when the Holy Majesty died."

Chu Bie snorted and said: "He dared to say, probably because among the princes, there are too many wastes except him."

Zhao Liangyue took a look at Bandit Chu, and said, "Lord Chu dares to say it."

At this time, there was a sudden sound of horseshoes approaching quickly, and then stopped abruptly.

Bandit Chu raised his hand to lift the curtain of the car, and saw Xing Shuo's red eyes.

Chu Bandit guessed almost instantly: "There is an accident in the palace, isn't it?"

Xing Shuo nodded heavily, and said, "Aunt Meng...is gone."

In an instant, everything around was tinged with pale sorrow, and even the wind blowing in seemed to be howling.

Zhao Liangyue saw that all the smiles on Chu Bandit's face, real or fake, concealed real, disappeared in this instant.

After being silent for a long while, Bandit Chu calmed down, got up and got out of the carriage, asked his attendants to send Zhao Liangyue back, and rode with Xing Shuo towards the imperial palace.

Zhao Liangyue watched the two horses disappear into the twilight sky, and he couldn't help feeling a little sad.

"My lord, are we going back directly?" Youbai turned his head and asked.

Zhao Liangyue withdrew his gaze, nodded his head, and the wheels of the car started rolling immediately.

Zhao Liangyue asked: "How about the matter I asked you to investigate?"

Youbai: "I have checked two of the three yards, and they all have superficial problems, but in fact there is no problem. Then I opened the next step you wrote, and sure enough, I went to the place called Luming to check for clues."

"Is there any specific discovery?"

Hearing this, Youbai was discouraged and said: "It's very hard to find out. It looks like a private house where a luthier lives, but it turns out to be like a wall of iron and steel, and you won't even show a single hair."

"Then it seems to be it, but then you don't need to check the specific life experience of the people in the court, most of them are fake, and it's useless to check." Zhao Liang thought for a while, and said, "You check from the side, if The servants in the courtyard go in and out, and the dealings with all parties outside, especially the merchants, you should pay more attention, even if it is a seemingly ordinary deed, don't let it go."

Yubai nodded.

The winter in Kyoto came as expected in the first night of snow, and the north wind was blowing the bone-chilling chill, spreading the news of the demise of the imperial concubine all over the capital. At the same time, the emperor ordered to stop all entertainment in the capital.

Zhao Liangyue hasn't been sleeping soundly lately. Yesterday he fell into a light sleep after a night. He didn't get enough sleep, but he really couldn't fall asleep. When he woke up at dawn, he held the stove and read a book.

In fact, what he was looking through were all things he was familiar with by heart, but he felt that his mind was a little messed up, and he really should calm down and sort it out.

After breakfast this day, Zhao Liangyue planned to continue reading, when he just got up from the dinner table, a guest knocked on the door.

Uncle Song went to open the door, and Zhao Liangyue saw Han Ting holding two jugs of wine, smiling at him from the air.

Zhao Liangyue stood up to meet him.

"I'm finally free today. Last time I said I would find you, but it's snowing this year. No, I brought you good wine. I wish you high school in Japan." Han Ting said, looking at the person opposite. Xiao Zhai said, "When I heard Brother Zhao's address at the beginning, I thought it was familiar, but today I found out that Rongge's house is next to you."

"It's also fate." Zhao Liangyue said, "Why don't you invite Mr. Xiao to gather together?"

Han Ting shook his head, followed Zhao Liangyue into the courtyard, shook the snow on his body, and said: "I will only go to Xuefangyuan to find Rongge, this is an unwritten agreement between me and him."

Zhao Liangyue saw that Han Ting seemed to have something to say, so he didn't ask any more questions, but turned around and told Uncle Song to make a bowl of ginger tea for Han Ting.

Han Ting hurriedly asked Uncle Song not to go, raised the wine in his hand, and said, "With this, why do you drink weak ginger tea?"

Zhao Liangyue nodded slightly, and asked Uncle Song to fetch the small stove instead.

The wine was quickly warmed, and the red charcoal fire in the small stove crackled, giving people the warmth of winter.

Han Ting looked at the small stove, was silent, struggled for a while, finally sighed, and said: "To be honest, I have been locked up by my father these days, just to prevent my father from joining Yushitai to impeach Mr. Wei. "

Zhao Liangyue asked: "But Wei Xing, the servant of the household department, came to Mr. Wei?"

"That's right." Han Ting turned on the charcoal and said, "Regarding this year's Zhennan Army's military funds, Mr. Wei felt that there was something wrong, so he went to the court to conduct a thorough investigation, and it turned out that there were indeed many ambiguous accounts. But when the two parties were at a stalemate, But there was an urgent delivery from the southwestern border, saying that there were southern barbarians gathering crowds to plunder and make trouble. It was time to spend money, food and grass, but the warehouses behind the soldiers were empty. So it seems that the Ministry of Households took the lead in delaying the military situation. It is said that At the court meeting that day, several generals who had returned to Beijing to report on their duties got angry and pointed their finger at Mr. Wei."

Zhao Liangyue frowned slightly, and said: "The Zhennan Army has tens of thousands of acres of farmland in the three southwest states, and there has been no large-scale war in the southwestern border for the past ten years, and the government's appropriation has only increased, how can it be short of military expenses?"

"But the Zhennan Army cried poorer than anyone else." Han Ting sighed and said, "Actually, although the disaster situation in Mobei and Ningzhou this year is not as bad as in previous years, it is still quite serious. Mr. Wei, he... oh, in the end It's me who can't help."

Zhao Liangyue sorted out and deduced the matter in his mind, and guessed the approximate cause and effect, but he didn't expect that Han Ting would disobey his father for this matter.

But in the end, the capital is turbulent, and one has to be careful at every step. As Zhao Wu, he may be able to talk freely with Han Ting, but as Zhao Liangyue, who has just entered the capital, he cannot confide in the second son of the prime minister's family this time.

So Zhao Liangyue didn't say anything, but gave the warm wine to the two of them.

Han Ting and Zhao Liangyue drank a cup together, rubbed the rim of the cup with their fingertips, felt the wall of the cup scalded by the hot wine gradually cool, and said: "Brother Zhao, in fact, I am here today not just to drink a few cups with you Drink, complain to the court."

Zhao Liangyue saw the hesitation in Han Ting's eyes, and said: "Brother Han, if you have something to ask, just tell me directly."

Han Ting nodded slightly, and said: "I once met Zhao Banxian, who has recently become famous in the capital, at Heng'en Temple, and I knew something about his deeds to help the world, and I felt that I was very close to him. Unfortunately, he disappeared shortly afterwards, and I have no way to find him. .” Han Ting looked at Zhao Liangyue while speaking.

Zhao Liangyue understood, and said bluntly, "Brother Han is sure that I am that Zhao Banxian?"

Seen through his mind, Han Ting was stunned for a moment, and said with a smile, "I'm not so sure, but after thinking about it carefully, I suddenly felt that Brother Zhao was somewhat similar to the figure in front of the Heng'en Temple's mountain gate that day."

Zhao Liangyue smiled: "It's my honor to be similar, but I'm definitely not Zhao Banxian."

Han Ting heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the words, and said: "Fortunately, Brother Zhao is not. In fact, Zhao Banxian is too famous, and his father has already become suspicious. It is said that even the prince has murderous intentions. If he stays again, he may be killed. .”

While the two were talking, they had already drank half of the jar of wine, and most of them were drunk by Han Ting one cup after another, Zhao Liangyue laughed and said, "Brother Han said that this wine would wish me high school, why did it all go to you in the end?" in the belly?"

Han Ting smiled after hearing the words, but after a long time, his brows became frowning again, and he continued to drink several cups by himself.

Zhao Liangyue comforted him: "Master Wei is the elder of the two dynasties, and His Majesty is looking for him, so nothing will happen."

The worry on Han Ting's brows remained undiminished, and he said, "But the issue of Zhennan Army's military funds has not been curbed." Zhao Liangyue drank the strong wine in his cup and said with a wry smile, "Although I am not an official, I will grow up In the Prime Minister's Mansion in Kyoto, how can you not see or hear anything? Over the years, how many things did father and elder brother do to harm Zhongliang, and how many things did they do to endanger the state."

Zhao Liangyue: "Brother Han..."

Han Ting waved his hand and said, "What's the matter with Brother Zhao? In the Feixia Tower that day, Brother Zhao was dressed in a simple Tsing Yi, surrounded by a group of rich and beautiful young masters, calm and poised. , using words and prose to criticize the current disadvantages, and expressing the heart of helping the world, it is a figure that I have not seen for many years."

When the wind and snow were getting heavier, Han Ting got up and walked to the eaves, looked up, and there was a vast expanse of white catkins between the sky and the earth, covering people from short-sightedness.

Han Ting stretched out his hand to hold a few flakes of flying snow, which quickly melted into water stains and dripped down the palm lines. Zhao Liangyue also stood up and stood side by side with him.

Han Ting withdrew his hand, and said: "At this time next year, Brother Zhao must already be in court. I hope in my heart that Brother Zhao is walking on an unprecedented road."

Zhao Liangyue looked at the snow falling in front of him, thought of many things, kept silent, and asked, "I don't know what kind of road is the unprecedented road that brother Han said?"

"A road that truly serves the country and the people." Han Ting said, "In today's court, there are powerful ministers like the king and Han family, like the loyal ministers of the Meng family, but there are no great talents who truly put the common people first. "Han Ting said, as if thinking of something, he smiled wryly, "Actually, he carefully cultivated a student with such a peerless talent, but it is a pity that after all, wealth and money are alluring. Not only did that student not inherit his long-cherished wish, Instead, he betrayed him."

Zhao Liangyue faintly sensed something, and asked, "Who is this 'he'?"

Han Ting said: "Former Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishments, a generation of emperors, Wang Taboo."

Although Zhao Liangyue was prepared in his heart, when Han Ting said it himself, he couldn't help being startled.

Zhao Liangyue asked again: "Who is that student?"

Han Ting sighed: "The Minister of the Ministry of Punishments is Chu bandit."

Almost instantly, Zhao Liangyue's mind came up with those smiling and coquettish eyes, sly and hidden, just like its master, the city is extremely deep and his actions are treacherous, making it impossible for people to see through.

But Zhao Liangyue never thought that Chu Bandit would be the teacher's student.

Times change and people change.

Has that original heart really changed beyond recognition?

Zhao Liangyue didn't say anything, he already had a plan in his heart.

"Brother Zhao." Han Ting called out, turned to look at Zhao Liangyue, and asked, "Do you know that the Wang Taboo I just mentioned is the criminal minister of the treason case 13 years ago?"

Han Ting laughed suddenly and said, "But I can clearly tell Brother Zhao that they were wronged."

It is not "he" that refers to the teacher alone, but "they".

Zhao Liangyue looked at Han Ting's eyes full of sadness, he was far from the bright young man when he first met in Xuefangyuan, and couldn't find words to comfort him or comfort himself.

"In the past, I always felt that Chu Bandit was a villain. He betrayed his teacher and became a high-ranking official and rich salary, but now, I feel that I am nothing more than that." Han Ting laughed and looked at the white world , I felt a pain in my heart, and after a long time, I slowly said, "Brother Zhao, you know... Mr. Wei was also my teacher."

After Han Ting finished speaking, his exhaled breath was trembling. He seemed to be tired and impatient, but he was unwilling to sit down, so he strode hard and walked into the yard.

Flying snow fell on his shoulders.

Step by step, Han Ting stepped on the snow and walked to the stone table in the corner of the yard. The stone table had been covered by snow, but a red corner was faintly exposed. Regardless of the cold, Han Ting dug up the snow and took out a hidden one. Little paint cow.

"This is from the kid named Youbai in your yard, right?" Han Ting showed it to Zhao Liangyue, "I used to have ten of them too, and they were all given by Mr. Wei. He has been my teacher for ten years and gave them away every year. One for my birthday gift." Han Ting said, he smiled to himself, and said, "Why do you think of these little things from childhood again, probably in the huge capital, it has been a long time since no one is as willing as brother Zhao Listen to me confide, no one can make me willing to confide like Brother Zhao."

Zhao Liangyue stood behind Han Ting all the time, and said after hearing the words: "Brother Han told you what he said from the bottom of his heart, I will definitely remember this friendship in my heart forever."

Han Ting smiled: "I hope that after a long time, you and I can still have fun talking over wine."

The snow was heavy, and the sky and the earth gradually became dark and dull. When the two returned to the banquet, the wine that had been served before had been warmed up.

Han Ting offered a drink for the two of them, raised his hand to invite them, and said, "Respect, we hit it off right away."

After saying that, Han Ting drank first, and then drank one cup after another, as if he wanted to drink away his sorrow, he drank very quickly.

I don't know how long it has passed, the heavy snow has covered the whole capital in white, and the surrounding is extremely quiet, only the sound of falling snow and whistling wind can be heard.

Zhao Liangyue looked at the drunk Han Ting, then raised his eyes to the wind and snow outside the window, and called Uncle Song.

Zhao Liangyue's tone was flat: "Take good care of Brother Han, and send him back to the Prime Minister's Mansion when he wakes up. I'm going out for a while."

"My lord, where are you going with such a heavy snowfall? We can do it another day if we have something to do."

"No need."

As Zhao Liangyue said, he took the umbrella and insisted on breaking into the wind and snow, and soon disappeared.