In fact, people are not disappearing, just riding horses out of the city, all the way west, drilling forests, walking on small roads, day and night, only one day and one night, they came to the border of Xishu.

Guo Cai looked at the tall city pass, his face was haggard that could not be concealed, and his unmodified beard was messy, which was completely different from his former spirit, and he didn't need to dress up more, he could become another person, so as to sneak into this border city without danger.

Huaizhou is mountainous, it is an important military town, here is also the last pass to enter Xishu, backed by Hunan land, the land of fish and rice, the grain and grass are sufficient, the people are fierce, Xishu has entered the east several times, all were stopped outside the door, Huaizhou is seated, but also the current head of the Chu State Wang's family, Wang Weixiao.

Different from the Guo family, the Wang family, which moved south from the Taiyuan Wang family, was full of clansmen, and when the power was at its peak, there were high-ranking officials of the Wang family in the three kingdoms, and there was a place for the Wang family in the family of the five clans and seven hopes. In the old days, Wang Xie Tang Qianyan flew into the homes of ordinary people, and he could barely describe his status.

Wang Weixiao fought at a young age, and when he became a general in the west, he was only thirty-five or sixteen, and he guarded the frontier for more than ten years, but he returned to Beijing every two years to report on his work.

Wang Weixiao is a general that even Guo Shun admires, but on the other hand, the problem of the Wang family is that there is no successor. Wang Weixiao's eldest son is mediocre, and the eldest son is outstanding, but unfortunately he is a civil official, and he is destined to not inherit the title, as for the others, they are either short-sighted or mediocre, and the younger generation is even more lonely so far, which causes Wang Weixiao not to dare to grow old easily, and is still under great pressure to guard the western border. However, it is said that he has been in poor health over the years because of his old illnesses, and even the defense of Huaizhou is not as strict as before. It is precisely because of this that Guo Cai can take advantage of it.

When he entered the city, the inventory was not strict, which made Zhuang Hanliu breathe a sigh of relief, but before he walked a few steps, he saw a woman in plain clothes and a hat standing on the side of the road.

Zhuang Hanliu looked at Guo Cai, his whole body was tense, for fear of some accident, Guo Cai's face was pale, but he still got off the horse, walked over and said.

"Xiao Shu, don't come unharmed. ”

The teahouse is not big, but the privacy is very good, Guo Shu held a cup of tea, frowned for a long time, almost stared at a flower in the cup, and failed to drink a sip of tea, so he could only put it down, but his voice was much hoarse.

"The third brother is leaving, why don't you say hello in advance?"

"I didn't know I was going to be in such a hurry, so I ......"

"So what's wrong with the Emperor of Shu? Guo Shu sneered.

Zhuang Hanliu was not used to Guo Shu's appearance, "The county lord said carefully, Your Majesty is in good health, and there is nothing wrong with it." ”

Guo Shu's eyes swept over Zhuang Hanliu coldly, "You said this, so I am more sure that he is not good, his body was going downhill five years ago, and now I am afraid that he will not be able to survive." ”

Zhuang Hanliu didn't move, "Why is it that the county lord knows better than the imperial doctor that my emperor's body is not successful." ”

"I know a little bit better than you," Guo Shu pinched the tip of his little finger and gestured at Zhuang Hanliu, "Unfortunately, when I followed my master into the palace to diagnose a few years ago, I happened to know that little bit, at most two years, at least half a year, this is the deadline, I heard that Emperor Ru has been out of court recently?"

Zhuang Hanliu was a little surprised, not like he was pretending, but he soon realized that this was inappropriate and restrained his emotions. But this can't be blamed on him, he has worked hard enough to hide and hide along the way, and the domestic news is probably not very well-informed.

"You go out first, I'll talk to Xiao Shu for a while. ”

Zhuang Hanliu looked at the two of them, seemingly unmoved, and even very precautionary. Guo Shu sighed and said: "Since the third brother has decided to go with you, I naturally won't turn him back again, if I am really ready to intercept people, I won't appear so openly, it's just a conversation, brother and sister say goodbye, what's the matter, you are also ready to listen to our family affairs, in case you hear something that shouldn't be heard, do you say you listen? or not?"

It's all come to this point, Zhuang Hanliu can't continue to listen, he can't disobey Guo Cai's order at this time. When Zhuang Hanliu closed the door, Guo Shu picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, but it was very difficult to swallow, but it could be regarded as relieving the dry and flaky lips.

Guo Cai wanted to stretch out his hand to give her a smooth breath, but halfway through it, he had some scruples and withdrew his hand again.

"Have you relapsed?" asked Guo Cai with concern.

"Sort of," Guo Shu smiled bitterly, the tea on the table was already slightly cold, Guo Shu easily breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up the teapot, and poured most of the pot down, his voice was not so hoarse, "I know you have a lot of questions, and there is a piece of the past mixed in here, before you leave, let's listen to it." ”

"Daddy...... I've traveled with His Majesty before, you know. Guo Shu said tentatively. Guo Cai nodded, the Xu family was met by Guo Shun when he traveled, and he also married a wife, this matter is a gossip worth talking about for a long time in the entire capital.

"In fact, they once went to Xishu and met a woman in the rivers and lakes, once my father and His Majesty were injured in distress, but it was the woman in the rivers and lakes who rescued them, and both my father and His Majesty owed the woman a favor.

Later, my father came back, and the woman from the rivers and lakes also entered the current Emperor Shu by chance, and was still an errand in King Jin's house at that time, and then she was taken in as a concubine. Later, King Jin ascended the throne, she also became one of the four concubines, but the queen was unkind and jealous, she gave birth to several children, only one princess was saved, and later Emperor Shu inspected, not in the palace, she was also pregnant, dystocia during childbirth, coupled with the blow of losing the child before, her health was already very bad, but just at that time Emperor Shu was besieged by a sudden rebel army, life and death were uncertain, and the queen was eyeing her, so she sent a letter to her father......

Then the Xishu Palace was assassinated and lost the newborn prince. Guo Shu said this, looked at Guo Cai's reaction, and saw that everything was not bad, so he continued: "At that time, my father took my mother and relatives to guard the frontier together, and I was not in the capital, plus you and the second brother and the fourth brother are also a few years apart, so there are very few people who know about this matter, probably because our family and Your Majesty, they didn't say that they also hope that you can live a good life......

Guo Cai nodded, "I know what my father and mother mean," and then was silent for a while, "What happened later?"

Guo Shu looked at him, but deliberately didn't tell the story behind, "Later, my father returned to Beijing, and the fourth brother was also born at that time, so naturally no one went to investigate this matter, until now, I don't know how Zhuang Hanliu came to the door." ”

Guo Cai's eyes glared at Guo Shu like a knife, he knew that she was caring about him, although he vaguely heard some of these things from Zhuang Hanliu, she deliberately ran over just to give him a ride, saying that these were just worried that he went to Xishu and was not familiar with life, and some things were not understood, and life was difficult. But deliberately hanging his appetite like this, that is, Guo Shu, his dear sister has such a bad taste.

Guo Shu was glared at, but he was a little happier, at least Guo Cai was not as silent and gloomy as before, so he continued: "That woman disappeared after a month, when Emperor Shu rushed back, he only saw a tomb, the queen's younger brother reported to the rebels, the queen was exterminated and given death, and the woman was posthumously named Empress Chende, Emperor Shu lost his love, missed his deceased wife, and then had no heirs, and now there is only one eldest princess of Rouqing in the royal family of Shu. ”

Guo Cai lightly picked the corner of his mouth, "It's really a familiar market story." ”

"Zhao Huaishan, that woman's name," Guo Shu said in a gentle voice as much as possible, "She is your biological mother, and the blue jade butterfly on your body is actually a promise that my master lost to her back then, and later went to Guo's house with you," Guo Shu took out the jade pendant, after Guo Cai sent her to Tinghua Mountain, this jade pendant was left in Tinghua Mountain as a stepping stone to meet the gift, "Now it is still your ......"

Guo Cai was suddenly a little excited, "You are my sister, this thing was originally given to my father, it is most appropriate to use it on you, you don't have to exchange it back, even if you know it at the time, I ...... the same"

"I didn't plan to be polite to you," Guo Shu blinked, "The promise back then was indeed used, but this is what I gave you, after you arrive in Xishu, go to Chunming Tea House, take this to the shopkeeper, he will help you, there is also a promise of mine on it, you get over there, this thing is also a bargaining chip for you to prove yourself, what do you think?"

Guo Shu's soft and glutinous voice floated into Guo Cai's ears, as if a milk cat's paw gently scratched him, making him soften a little, looking at the jade pendant, and finally accepted it. For his sister, he can't talk about politeness.

Guo Cai looked at Guo Shu's face was really bad, but seeing that she could still talk and laugh, he didn't plan to ask more, he didn't practice martial arts every day like his brother, he was talented and intelligent, and he was more in the rivers and lakes to increase his knowledge, so among the Guo family, his time was the freest, and he also saw Guo Shu when he was dying when he was sick, and he felt that it was nothing.

Dayue's imperial examination is not like the Ming and Qing dynasties that Guo Shu is familiar with, it is not confined to Confucian classics, but also has Taoism, law and ink. In addition to the Jinshi and Ming Jing examinations on current affairs and politics, there are also separate specialties such as engineering examinations, engineering ingenuity, medical examinations, medical classics, etc., and the specialist part is sandwiched at the end of the test paper, which is somewhat similar to the form of additional questions, but if you rely on the specialist examination, then after admission, you will be automatically classified into the department where the specialty is located, such as the Ministry of Engineering and the Tai Hospital, and there will be restrictions on the future future.

But in general, if you want to enter the Jinshi in the Dayue Examination, it is absolutely impossible to study behind closed doors, and it has greatly reduced the number of nerds who do county orders, and as a result, the governance of the local area depends on the phenomenon of masters who have no reputation. It is precisely because of this that the officials of Dayue are at least stronger than the Northern Zhou and Western Shu in terms of ability, and they can basically be regarded as knowledgeable and talented, and there will basically be no situation where a person who does not understand at all comes to be the boss and ends up blindly commanding.

This may be the reason why Guo Shun is willing to let Guo Cai leave, Guo Shu thought. Guo Cai is actually the eighth Jinshi on the first list, if he is really recognized, he doesn't have to worry too much that he won't be able to deal with it, but if he is just alone, the Liu clan, especially those who are counting on being stepsons to inherit the throne, may not be so easy to deal with. This is also the reason why Guo Shu came here desperately, if she wasn't willing to leave, Yu Wenjing would never have taken her away. This meeting can't be known to others, otherwise, the hole cards given by Guo Shu will be exposed, and it is better to put them in the dark than on the bright side.

Guo Shumo held the jade pendant, "Father really still values you the most, he never hides anything from you, he doesn't avoid you in anything, he always protects you, and he never lets you get involved."

Guo Shu felt like he smelled a sour smell and smiled, "I know that my father didn't say anything about this, my father didn't say anything, I can know that the assassin back then was just my master, my master was responsible for stealing people, and my father was responsible for retreating and escaping, that's all." ”

Guo Cai couldn't laugh or cry, "Steal...... Cultivation made him still not say the next word, can't you be more elegant?"

"Then ......" Guo Shu thought for a moment, "stealing you?"

The corners of Guo Cai's mouth couldn't help but crooked, happy, although it was a joke, Guo Cai felt that maybe he would not be so lonely in the future, because he believed that his Guo Shu would definitely make another hand to prepare for him, such care, putting himself in his shoes, planning for him, is more real than those people saying a thousand things and ten thousand.

He suddenly understood a little why Xiao Hengyan must have asked to marry Guo Shu. When they reach this status, marrying a wife who is the right person, helping to take care of life, managing the inner courtyard, and caring for the concubines and concubines, if there is no sincerity, it is not absolute, but more is nothing more than a career, and the two of them live together. When you meet a woman you like, you usually inevitably cater to calculations and want to fight for more benefits for yourself. Of course, there are also good feelings, weal and bene, couples are deeply affectionate, and meeting such a person is a lifetime of happiness, and beauty to old age.

But Guo Shu treats each other sincerely, digging out her heart and lungs, as long as something happens to the person she cares about, she will do her best, and she will leave no room for it, even if it is contrary to everyone and enemies of others. is not standing beside the wind and rain, but blocking in front of you, which makes people feel distressed and moved, and it is really powerful. She is not an absolutely good person, she will calculate, she will ask for benefits, she will hide behind her and be coquettish, she is idle, and she usually looks a little ignorant and simple, which makes people want to protect.

But you just know that when it comes to a critical juncture, she is a reliable and trustworthy person, who does not need extra protection, only absolute trust. Kind and not rotten kind, ruthless but not vicious, calculating but not cold, transparent but not naïve, the most important point, she pays unreserved sincerity, even if it is easy to be hurt by betrayal, but still holds the most sincere expectations for life. Even if he was covered in bruises, he can always have the most sincere feelings for other people. How can such a person not like it?

Thinking of this, he shook his head, feeling both lucky and unlucky. Luckily he was the one she really cared for, and unfortunately she wouldn't belong to him.

Seeing him shake his head, Guo Shu naturally stretched out his hand and rubbed his head, and asked with a bright smile: "What's the matter, you don't really want to steal ......" Guo Cai couldn't listen to it, and covered her mouth with her hand, "Girls, don't make such jokes casually, you are going to get married, and you are not ashamed." ”

Guo Shu held Guo Cai's hand away from the corner of his mouth, Guo Cai's fingertips touched the soft and warm lips, obviously a normal action, but after the truth was clear, it suddenly became a little ambiguous, like cat hair rubbing his fingertips, and his heart was quietly alarmed, so frightened that Guo Cai desperately squeezed out this idea.

Guo Shu didn't feel anything, she didn't notice Guo Cai's strangeness at all, because the two of them were like this before, she didn't notice any changes in Guo Cai for a while, she just said coquettishly: "He still has a big box hidden by himself, and he is not a serious person." ”

Guo Cai saw that there was a smile in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows when she said it, and she couldn't help but feel happy, no matter what, in his heart, she was still his sister, and this kind of affection was incomparable to others.