In the northwest, the weather has dripping into ice.

Although it was Chinese New Year's Eve, there were more soldiers patrolling the walls of the city than before, and they did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

The outside of the walls was pitch black, and there was nothing living in sight. The wind was stronger and harder than elsewhere, and when you looked out of the wall for a while, your face was blown almost unconscious, and you had to quickly retreat under the wall to avoid the wind for a while.

"Hot and sour soup is here!" There was a shout from under the city wall, and several sergeants came up carrying large wooden barrels, and a sour and spicy smell suddenly spread, and several soldiers on the city swallowed their saliva.

"One bowl per person, it's hot even if you drink it." The sergeant with the big wooden spoon lifted the lid of the wooden barrel, put the spoon in and stirred it, turned his head and squeezed his eyes at everyone, "This is the new Zhou Qian, who took out the silver and gave you extra shredded meat." ”

"Zhou Qian overall shirt. Zhou Qian's total grace. The soldiers responded in a hurry, and each came to receive a large bowl of hot and sour soup, and without looking out for the time being, they squatted under the wall and drank it.

The soup is very strong, and in addition to the usual shredded tofu and frangipani, there are indeed a lot of shredded meat, which is rare in the barracks. It's just that although the soldiers chewed shredded meat, what they said didn't match the meat at all, and they didn't mention the general manager Zhou Qian: "This pepper is a strong flavor when it comes to soup, and I'd better take this bite." Nowadays, if I don't put this in my home, I feel tasteless. ”

"Not really. And when you drink it, you will be full of heat, which is no worse than the sorghum wine. ”

"I heard that this pepper was planted in our northwest by the princess of the county......" Someone suddenly said this, but only halfway through it, he was glared back by the captain who was squatting opposite: "Drink your soup!" I can't stop my mouth with soup. ”

"What, what's wrong?" The little soldier was stared at by the captain, but he was still confused.

The captain finished his soup in silence, picked up the bowl and walked away. When he walked away, a soldier next to him gently punched the little soldier: "Which pot is not opened, which pot you can lift." You don't know? The princess of the county is gone......"

"What, what?" The little soldier was stunned, and he didn't notice that he had knocked over half a bowl of soup, "Don't talk nonsense!" Obviously, I only heard a few days ago that the princess of the county was happy again, so I didn't come to the northwest with the prince. ”

"I don't blame you." The companion sighed, "You were on duty in Qingzhou City a few days ago, I'm afraid you haven't heard the news yet - the capital just sent the news yesterday, and the princess of the county has a sudden illness and is ......gone."

Although some people in the city also heard some rumors, they couldn't believe it, and at this time they couldn't help asking, "But really?" The princess herself is a miracle doctor, how can she ......"

"It's a document sent by the imperial court, how to fake it?" The soldier sighed, "No matter how much the princess of the county is a miracle doctor, she is not an immortal after all. Besides, people say that doctors don't treat themselves, and the princess of the county can save others, but she may not be able to save herself. Alas—" He let out a long sigh again, picked up the bowl he had drunk, and got up to go on patrol, "but the princess still has a child in her belly, and the princess is ...... now."

On Chinese New Year's Eve, the soldiers were in the barracks. Not being able to reunite with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve, but staying in the barracks is already a habit for the officers and men of the Northwest Army. At this time in previous years, although alcohol was not allowed in the army, it was indispensable to add a few meat dishes, and everyone beat the tooth sacrifice, even if it was the New Year.

This year's dishes are a little richer than usual. First, this year's household department is particularly happy, and the food and salary have been allocated on time, and the deduction is much less than in previous years. The second is that the thousands of commanders and the like in the new army all took out their own money and added some meat and vegetables to the soldiers under their command. Therefore, this year, it is fatter than in previous years.

It's a pity that in such a fat year, there is not much joy in the barracks, but it seems to be even more silent. The sergeants of each battalion had eaten early, and went back to their camps, and even the laughter seemed to be less. Only in the barracks of the generals, there is still some laughter, and occasionally the sound of pushing glasses and changing lamps - although it is not allowed to drink alcohol in the army, it is common for generals to drink three glasses, and everyone tacitly agrees.

The Northwest Army imitated the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies and divided 100,000 soldiers into five battalions. Because the last fake pox vaccine incident involved the most in the Houjun camp, almost all the people from the capital were □□ Houjuncamp, and they were gathering together for a banquet at this time.

After three glasses of wine, some people got up and left the table. The camp outside was quiet at the moment, except for the glow of the dead wind lanterns hanging from the flagpoles, which broke through the darkness slightly. The man took advantage of the light and walked towards another barracks.

Although the soldiers were waiting for the north outside the city and did not laugh wantonly, since it was Chinese New Year's Eve, a few laughs could still be heard from time to time. Only this one barracks, quiet as a grave, and instead of laughter, even those who came in and out were light-footed, as if they were afraid that the slightest movement would disturb something.

As soon as the visitor walked to the door of the barracks, he saw a guard carrying a food box and came out dejectedly, and when he bumped into him, he saluted perfunctorily: "Why did Mr. Zhou Qian come over?" ”

"On the first day of junior high school, is the prince available for dinner?" Mr. Zhou Qian didn't care about the attitude of the guard, and asked with a smile. In fact, seeing the appearance of this guard, he already knew the answer - after the news of Princess Anjun's death came, King Anjun did not show up in the barracks again, and it has been two days, and it is said that how the food is delivered will be served out. Fortunately, the Northern Barbarians have not attacked Chengguan in the past few days, otherwise he would have missed the fighter plane like this.

Chu Yi said angrily: "The prince used it a little." What is the matter with Mr. Zhou Qian? ”

He is the personal guard of King Anjun, and he does not belong to the army, so Zhou Qian can't manage him, and his attitude is a little presumptuous. But at this time, where would Zhou Qian worry about this with him, raised his hands, and shook a wine bag in his left hand: "I'm here to find the prince to drink three glasses." He also carried a snack box in his right hand, apparently to accompany the drink.

Alcohol is not allowed in the military. Although the generals have some privileges, Dingbei Hou's father and son and Shen Shu have always set an example, and they don't drink anything in the camp. Chu Yi frowned and looked at the skin bag that could hold at least two catties of wine: "The prince never drinks in the camp. ”

Zhou Qian always touched a nail, but he was already prepared in his heart, and only smiled: "Today's Chinese New Year's Eve, it doesn't hurt to drink a few cups." What's more, this is the rear barracks...... "Even if there is a war, the front army will meet the battle first, and the rear barracks will be early."

Chu Yi was hesitating, and Shen Shu's somewhat hoarse voice was already heard in the barracks: "Who is outside?" ”

"Lord Wang, the next official Zhou Yan." Zhou Qian always seized the opportunity and bypassed the first path to enter the door, "Everyone is at the table, but I don't see the prince, and they are all worried about it." The subordinate sent wine and food over, and the prince also drank a few glasses to drive away the cold. ”

There was only one ordinary oil candle lit in the room, which was not only dimly lit, but also smelled of choking. Of course, Mr. Zhou Qian didn't use this kind of candle in the barracks, and subconsciously coughed, as if he wanted to cough out the smell of oil smoke.

The clothes on Shen Shu's body were crumpled, and his eyes were full of red silk, as if he hadn't closed his eyes for a few days and nights. He glanced at Mr. Zhou Qian, his eyes fell on the wine bag in his hand, and after a little hesitation, he still stretched out his hand and motioned for Mr. Zhou Qian to sit down.

Chu Yi followed in, with a worried look on his face: "Lord Wang-"

Shen Shu interrupted him with a swing of his hand, took the wine bag and poured a few sips with his head tilted first. He looked haggard, his chin was full of stubble, and he seemed to want to pour all his troubles with it. Chu Yi was full of worries, but in the end he didn't stop him, he only opened the food box in his hand again, and rearranged the contents on the table: "The prince will drink a bowl of porridge first, so drink on an empty stomach, if it is - it is not good for the body......"

Although he swallowed his words back in time, even Zhou Qian could hear that he originally wanted to say "If the princess knows". Shen Shu naturally understood better, and pushed the porridge bowl to the ground with a flick of his hand, and said in a dumb voice: "Get out!" ”

He was also forbidden in the army, and he didn't dare to say much on the first day of junior high school, so he quickly picked up the debris on the ground and withdrew. However, listening to the footsteps, he knew that he did not leave, but just stood outside the door.

Zhou Qian didn't care. He knew that the first year of junior high school was Shen Shu's henchman, so it didn't hurt to say anything in front of him, not to mention that he was guarding outside, and he was not afraid that someone would eavesdrop.

"Lord Wang-" Mr. Zhou Qian opened the snack box he brought and took out a few plates of snacks from it, "You still have to take care of yourself, otherwise the princess will know underground and miss the prince." ”

"Shut up!" Shen Shu widened his eyes, and it seemed that he was about to smash the leather wine bag on Zhou Qianzong's face, "The princess is in the capital, what kind of underground knowledge, you dare to curse her!" ”

Zhou Qian didn't expect him to be so sad that he didn't even want to face the reality, and couldn't help but be secretly happy in his heart - if Shen Shu was not sad, he was afraid that this lobbying would be difficult to succeed, but since he cared so much about the Jiang family, the big thing could be decided.

"Hey-" Mr. Zhou Qian sighed first, "What the prince said is also true, the princess is in the capital, although I am afraid that there will be no chance in the future, but after all, people are still alive......"

"What did you say?" Shen Shu was pouring wine with his head up, only glancing at him with slanted eyes.

Zhou Qian deliberately showed a hint of surprise: "The prince doesn't know? Hey-it was the lower official who lost his words, lost his words, and the lower official didn't say anything. The prince drank slowly, and the official said goodbye-"Put on a look of getting up and leaving."

Shen Shu threw the wine bag in his hand and grabbed him: "What did you just say!" ”

His hand was extremely strong, holding Zhou Qianzong's wrist, those fingers were like iron bars, holding Zhou Qianzong's teeth, only to feel that the bones of his hand were about to be crushed, and he barely endured the pain and said: "Xiaguan didn't say anything......

Shen Shu stared at him coldly, and suddenly sneered: "You are from the Yu family!" ”

Among these people sent to the northwest by the imperial court this time, Zhou Qian is well known to everyone, and they were appointed by the emperor and do not belong to the party. But now that Shen Shu said this, he was only slightly stunned, and then smiled: "Sure enough, I can't hide it from the prince." ”

Shen Shu was still holding his hand: "What do you want?" ”

Zhou Qian also learned some boxing and foot riding and archery at home, and claimed to be admitted by Wuju people, but they were all fancy fists and embroidered legs, and at this moment, he was held by Shen Shu for a while, and he felt that he couldn't hold it anymore, and hurriedly said: "The prince doesn't want to know what happened to the princess?" ”

Shen Shu stared at him for a moment, and slowly let go of his hand: "Don't pretend to say that you lost your words?" ”

Zhou Qian didn't care about his sarcasm, and sat down with a slight smile: "The prince is a smart person, and the officials pretend to be posturing, which makes the prince laugh." It's just that the lower officials came over today, and they really have something to discuss with the prince. ”

Shen Shu bent down and picked up the wine bag that had just fallen to the ground - half of the wine had been spilled by that fall, but fortunately there was still some in it. He raised his head and took another big sip before he said coldly: "I have nothing to say to the Yu family." ”

"The prince's words are wrong." Zhou Qian said unhurriedly, "Doesn't the prince really want to know where the princess is now?" ”

Shen Shu poured a few sips of wine, his eyes were already red, and he stared at him viciously, and only after a while did he say, "Where is she?" ”

Zhou Qian always lowered his voice: "The princess is now living in the Qiuliang Palace." ”

Shen Shu was stunned for a moment, and the hand holding the wine bag trembled slightly. Mr. Zhou Qian looked at him coldly, and said: "Since the person is in the palace, why did the news of his death come out, the prince must also understand it in his heart, right?" ”

What else is not understood about this? The emperor is the only one who can make such an arrangement. Mr. Zhou Qian spied on Shen Shu's expression and said slowly: "Xia Guan heard that the princess is quite similar to the late emperor's eldest concubine. It's not just that the appearance is similar, I heard that the late eldest princess of the emperor was also a compassionate person, helping the poor and benevolent, and being benevolent and benevolent, which is what resembles the princess. ”

Shen Shu grabbed the wine bag fiercely, and held the hard raw skin into shape: "What do you want to say?" ”

Zhou Qian always looked at the wine bag, and only felt that the wrist that had been grabbed by Shen Shu just now was hurting again: "Xia Guan wants to ask, does the prince still want to reunite with the princess?" ”

"How to reunite?" Shen Shu asked in a hoarse voice, and then sneered, "Do you still remember the Yu family, how did my mother die back then?" ”

This question, Mr. Zhou Qian had already been instructed, and replied confidently: "Speaking of this, the prince is afraid that he has misunderstood." ”

"Misunderstanding?" Shen Shu's eyes rolled, his gaze sharp, "Could it be that the Queen Mother wants to say that the death of my mother was not given by her?" ”

"Of course not." Zhou Qian was stared at by him so that his back was a little hairy, and he said calmly, "The prince thinks about it, the so-called queen mother does not allow the first concubine, it is nothing more than for the position of the prince." However, at that time, Jin Shang was eight years old, and he had been studying in the study for several years, and his talent was not bad, and he was raised in the middle palace, and his status was not low. And although the status of the ancestor concubine is precious, after all, she is not a queen, and the prince is not a concubine. Since ancient times, if you are not a successor, you will be a long, the prince and the present are not descendants, and now they will grow up, and the prince is just born, so why should the queen mother be afraid? ”

Shen Shu sneered: "She is afraid of my mother's mother's maiden family." "I'm afraid of the Dingbei Hou Mansion in the northwest, which holds military power.

This was also expected, and Mr. Zhou Qian continued to say the words that had been prepared a long time ago: "If the name is not right, the words are not good, can the Marquis of Dingbei still raise troops to rebel?" Just to have a child, how can the people of the world talk about it? ”

These words seemed to refute Shen Shu, and he said silently for a moment: "Then why did my mother die?" I don't believe it's a postpartum disease, and I don't believe it's because of Dr. Jiang's misdiagnosis. ”

The Imperial Physician Jiang he was talking about was Jiang Fanghui, who was the grandfather of Princess Anjun. The so-called love house and Wu, Zhou Qian always knew that no matter how stupid he was, he couldn't put the responsibility on Jiang Fanghui. Fortunately, he already had this answer, and coughed lightly: "It's not a secret, although it wasn't the Queen Mother's doing, but it has something to do with the Yu family." ”

"What do you mean by that?"

Mr. Zhou Qian coughed dryly again, with an unspeakable look: "Imperial Doctor Jiang's medicine has been changed." It was the mistaken medicine that the sage concubine mistakenly took, which caused her to die of a blood collapse. ”

"Who?" Shen Shu's eyebrows rose suddenly, with a murderous expression.

"It's the wife of Imperial Physician Jiang...... "Zhou Qian said while spying on Shen Shu's expression, "The prince must know that she is also the daughter of the side branch of the Yu family, and she wants to cling to the old branch of the pavilion in Su Rili, but she doesn't have a chance." The birth and childbirth of the sage concubine were all served by Imperial Physician Jiang, and she thought that she had a chance to please the Queen Mother, so she secretly changed Imperial Physician Jiang's pills...... The Queen Mother only slowly learned about this matter after the Jiang family's daughter entered the palace. ”

Shen Shu got up abruptly and grabbed Zhou Qianzong's collar: "You are talking nonsense!" How could it be-" He was also shocked in his heart, he and Taohua had speculated many times about his mother's so-called postpartum blood collapse, because according to Taohua's statement, although the medicine used by the Queen Mother would kill, it would not be in the form of a blood collapse. Unexpectedly, I heard the answer from Mr. Zhou Qian today, it turned out to be Yu Shi who secretly changed the medicine!

Zhou Qian was lifted up by him like a chicken, and he was out of breath, and he broke his hands with both hands, but he couldn't break them at all: "Lord, cough, cough, Lord-"

Shen Shuzhi strangled him so much that he was about to roll his eyes before he suddenly let go of his hand. Zhou Qian sat down on the chair and coughed for a long time before he recovered: "Lord Wang, what the lower official said is true." After the Yu family sent his granddaughter into the palace, he mentioned this matter and asked the queen mother to take care of Jiang Chongyuan - hey, it was still Jiang Cairen at that time. Speaking of the Jiang family, if there is no queen mother, how can Jiang Cairen be favored, and how can he rise all the way to his current status? ”

Of course, what he said was indeed true, but he concealed a lot of things - for example, this sneaking pill was actually instructed by the Queen Mother, that is, the pill was all stolen by the Yu family Jiang Fang Hui to make a finished medicine, and then the Yu family found a useful imperial doctor to make a fake medicine with the smell. Otherwise, Yu Shi does not understand pharmacology at all, how can he confuse the truth with the false? If the pill was too fake, Jiang Fanghui could tell it as long as he held it in his hand, so how could he give it to Concubine Xianxian?

"You-" Shen Shu froze in place for a long time, as if he couldn't believe that it was the Jiang family, and only after a moment did he squeeze out a sentence from between his teeth, "That's also the Yu family!" ”

Mr. Zhou Qian fully understands his mentality. Yu, that is the wife of Mrs. Jiang, is the grandmother of Princess Anjun. Shen Shu loves the Jiang family so much, and now he hears that although Jiang Fanghui is not wrong, it is still Jiang's family who killed his biological mother when he goes around, this mood is ...... It's better to continue to be angry at home, and it's better to accept it.

"The Yu family is a big family, it is inevitable that the good and the bad are mixed......" Zhou Qian sighed, "Over the years, the Queen Mother has always felt a little sorry in her heart......"

Shen Shu suddenly interrupted him: "Posture! ”

"Huh?" Mr. Zhou Qian was about to perform again with emotion, but was suddenly interrupted.

Shen Shu sneered: "The Queen Mother has always regarded me as a thorn in her side, you don't have to pretend anymore!" Even if my mother was not killed by her, she will never have any regrets! What is the purpose of your coming today, it is better to say it directly. ”

Zhou Qian was choked for a while, and then he thought of what Yu Ge Lao told him, saying that King Anjun looked reckless, but in fact he was sharp, if he couldn't be moved by human feelings, he might as well state the benefits directly. At this time, he finally understood, so he coughed dryly, and said straight to the point: "The elder just wants to ask the prince, do you still want to reunite with the princess?" ”

"Naturally!" Shen Shu also replied happily, "What does Elder Yu Ge want?" ”

The stakes are very high, and Zhou Qian always knew that no one would eavesdrop, but his voice still couldn't help lowering: "As long as the prince ascends the throne, he will naturally be able to return the pearl to Hepu and reunite after breaking the mirror." ”

Shen Shu sneered and laughed: "Yu Jiaken arches me to the throne?" It's a ridiculous joke! ”

Zhou Qian sat firmly and did not move: "Although the death of the prince's biological mother has nothing to do with the Queen Mother, the emperor's biological mother did die at the hands of the Queen Mother. ”

"What?" Shen Shu was taken aback again.

"The queen mother borrowed her womb to give birth to a child, and in order to avoid future troubles, she removed the emperor's biological mother." lest the emperor succeed to the throne in the future, but share power with another queen mother.

"No wonder the emperor wants to bring down the Yu family......" Shen Shu said as if talking to himself.

Mr. Zhou Qian nodded and said, "Exactly." Now that the emperor is aggressive, the queen has not come out for more than ten years, and he is going to kill all of his family. Now the Yu family is willing to help the prince, just hoping that the prince will ascend the throne in the future, so that the Yu family can live in peace. ”

Shen Shu sneered: "How do you know that I am willing to cooperate with the Yu family?" ”

"Only the Yu family can help the prince regain the princess." These words have been rehearsed many times by Mr. Zhou Qian in his stomach, and he is talking eloquently at this moment, "Yu Ge Lao knows that the emperor wants to unite with the prince by borrowing the hand of the Zhao family, but that is just using the prince to bring down the Yu family." Now that the prince has just left the capital, the emperor has taken the princess, if he really joins forces with the prince, how can he act like this? ”

These words were like a knife stabbing Shen Shu's sore spot, causing him to bend down slightly, showing murderous intentions, but in the end he held back and only said: "This matter is not trivial, I have to think about it again." ”

The so-called thinking is to discuss with the Marquis of Dingbei. Mr. Zhou Qian understood in his heart, and immediately got up and said: "That is the case, the lower official is waiting for the prince's reply." ”

He walked away as quietly as he came. Shen Shu stood still, but a person came out of the inner room, tall, it was Dingbei Hou: "Sure enough." ”

"Uncle what do you think they will do?" Shen Shu swept away Fang Cai's painful and decadent expression, and his eyes lit up, "At least this time, we can beat Beiban hard." ”

For many years, the battles between the Northwest Army and the Northern Barbarians have always been delayed by logistics, and now that the Yu family is counting on them, then this time there will definitely be sufficient supplies in terms of food and ordnance.

"Not bad." Dingbei Hou nodded, but then asked his nephew with some concern, "Where is your daughter-in-law...... really not worried about what the emperor will do to her?"

Shen Shu smiled slightly: "Taohua said that she can trust the emperor, even so, I can also trust it." ”