This quiet garden in the middle of the chaos of Qibei has blocked the noise of the world.

This pavilion on the island in the middle of the lake is even quieter after nightfall.

On the flower path in the courtyard connecting the curved bridge, there is a white cat with rich coats walking with graceful steps, and the pavement made of fine gravel on the flower path does not make a sound.

I leaned back on my pillow, flipped through a few pages, and blew out the bedside light.

…… When the morning sun shone in, Cui'er came upstairs to wake me up.

She looked at me suspiciously, and I couldn't help but turn my eyes to her.

"What's wrong?" I looked at her with a smile and asked.

"Did the girl sleep late yesterday, or did she get up today, when were the magnolia flowers on the desk picked?" Cui'er glanced at the vase on the desk and asked in a low voice, "Did you change the flowers that the slave put up yesterday?" ”

I was stunned, stood up and walked a few steps to the window, the magnolia in the vase in the morning light was dazzlingly white, and the fragrance was refreshing.

I silently watched the magnolia flower in distraction, and Cui'er shouted in my ear a few times before I reacted.

"What is the girl thinking, is this magnolia beautiful?" Cui'er said with a grin.

"It's beautiful, you add some water to the bottle, don't let it go quickly." I stretched out my fingers and rubbed the white petals, very gently.

…… In the morning, I got a few stewards to go to the Huxin Pavilion to discuss the matter.

This was the first time since he had received me from the docks that many of the stewards of the garden had gathered, including of course the three brothers, the right-hand men who had been assigned here by my senior brother.

I let Cui'er serve tea and said to the eldest of them, "I came to you today, I really have something to ask you about." ”

"Miss Xiaoling is polite, if you have anything to do, just tell us to do it." The boss bowed to me.

"Sit down first." I smiled and beckoned them to sit down, and they gave in and sat down.

"Cui'er. You take the two little guys up to the study and carry my sand table down. I turned sideways to Cui'er, my tone relaxed and my demeanor leisurely.

Cui'er nodded, and soon went up with the two little guys. lifted the huge sand table down with a sigh.

The sand table was placed on the ground in the center of the room, and I looked at the stewards with a smile.

Although Cui'er had turned a blind eye, it was the first time that several stewards had seen this behemoth.

The above coefficient distributes the topography of Qibei City and the surrounding areas of Qibei. Important locations are marked, including Qishan, the river within the range.

When the stewards saw this sand table, their eyes showed a hint of surprise.

"I don't know what Miss Xiaoling means by showing us this?" The boss of the steward, as the default chief of the gang, was the first to ask.

"I think you all have a map of Qibei," I was silent for a few seconds. Faint words. "Even if not. At least I've seen it, and I'm somewhat impressed. ”

"Some of you have been in Qibei for a few years, and as my senior brother's right-hand man, I believe that you know more about the topography of Qibei than I know as a newcomer."

I pointed to the model in the sand table and said, "This sand table was sculpted according to my understanding of the documents found in my brother's study. ”

"In this way, there are several benefits." I said in a soft tone without hurrying.

"First. The area around Qibei that you have learned from the topographic map in the past is on the floor plan, so you have a three-dimensional intuitive impression. ”

"Second, I have a clear direction for me to arrange you to do things, I will say a location, and it can be pointed out directly on the sand table, which is clear and clear."

The boss leaned over and carefully observed the sand table for a while, then raised his head and said to me: "Miss Xiaoling, the Lord will do the same thing, but it is generally used to set up the battle situation." ”

"You're right," I looked at the boss with some appreciation, "I am from the same school as my senior brother, and some ideas will always be the same. ”

"I'm sure you've heard a little bit about the current situation in the Land of Lakes." I picked up the teacup that Cui'er handed me, lifted the lid, took a sip to moisten my throat, and continued.

"After the battle between the country of the lake and the country of flames, the coach Xuanyuan Jingya was buried underground, and the two princes who came after him disappeared one after another, and I received a report from my senior brother that Bai Ziyao, the king of Dongping of the country of flames, has risen up and seized the real power of the country of flames."

As I spoke, I noticed the expressions of the stewards in the room, some sighed, some were surprised, and some expressed concern.

"Of course, from the current point of view, Qibei, which lives in a corner, will not have much impact, after all, if the war is to be broken off again, the first thing that will be affected must be the city of the Lake Country that is closer to the Flame Country, even if it really starts, the war will burn here, and our news has arrived one step earlier."

Several of the stewards nodded at me, agreeing with me.

"However, as the old saying goes, if you are less than 100 years old, you will often have a thousand years of worries." I put down the teacup, stood up and said, "The reason why current affairs are called current affairs is because of this time. “

"Bai Ziyao, the king of Dongping, will naturally appease the people as soon as he takes the throne, if he can't let the Yan Kingdom surpass the previous reign of the faint monarch under his rule, what is the point of him winning this country."

"But in my opinion, this is just a short-term expedient measure, and in the long run, there will inevitably be a war between the Flame Country and the Lake Country, it's just a matter of intercepting the distance of the time point."

"The general trend of the world has always been that if you are united for a long time, you will be divided for a long time, and no dynasty or generation will inevitably suffer."

The one who sat furthest away from me also stood up and said, "Miss Xiaoling, what if Bai Ziyao is just a monarch who is only determined to govern his own country?" “

I turned my head to look at him, and said with a slight smile: "Bai Ziyao alone doesn't count, there are also the strategists under his command, there is the Night Country in the north, and the henchmen of the Lake Country in the south, I don't think he can always be content with the status quo, he can endure it, his strategists can't bear it!" “

"Bai Ziyao has been cautious for many years, and when Xuanyuan Jingya was in power, he looked like a prince begging for food under women."

"But you have also seen that once the time comes, how powerful his methods are, how much time has passed, and the entire situation in the Flame Country is completely in the palm of his hand."

"Such a person, I absolutely do not believe that his purpose is only to replace the faint king. Stable governance of the Flame Country. “

"In less than ten years," I said in a low tone, "there will be another fight." “

"As for whether the next war will be with the Night Country to the north or the Lake Country to the south, this is not in the scope of our current consideration, because I have already said it. The situation is ever-changing, and the night kingdom in the north will also launch a provocation first. “

What I didn't say was the Night Star Soul. The intersection with him flashed in front of me, and I always felt that it was also a big hidden danger, a big hidden danger that had to be guarded against.

It's just that in this case, there is no reason and no need to discuss it with my senior brother's subordinates.

"Miss Xiaoling, a few of our brothers have heard you say this today, but they don't seem to have made it clear about the intention of letting us come, do you have any tasks to give our brothers to do?"

I looked at the stewards here with a sparkle in my eyes and said with a smile: "I'm going to talk to you about the situation." Nature is for the sake of foreshadowing. Besides, it's not for nothing. You will have a better understanding of my purpose. ”

"Come and see!" I turned back to the edge of the sand table and pointed to a corner of the plate.

"This is a piece of land near Qibei on the southwestern border of the Lake Country."

"Years ago, no one would have noticed this corner of the place, because it was almost isolated, made up of virgin mountain forests."

"But I'm talking about the fire of the changing times. It is very likely that it will burn to this side of the land in the near future. ”

I stood up straight and said with a light smile: "I came to you today to ask you to discuss and send a team of people here to contact the leader of that place. ”

The boss took a few steps forward, walked up to me and said, "Miss Xiaoling, the Lord once mentioned to us in the letter he sent us that if you want to send someone over, we will fully cooperate." “

"Did my senior brother say that this might be a head-off mission?" My face was expressionless, but my tone was much more solemn.

The stewards exchanged glances and said without hesitation: "Since the Lord has an order, we are naturally determined to die, not to mention that we may lose our heads, even if we must lose our heads, even if we are sent to death, we will definitely achieve our mission." ”

"No, don't," I stared at them for a few seconds, and then suddenly smiled, "It's okay to lose your head, and we're still waiting for everyone to reunite in the garden for the New Year." ”

"Remember, keep your head." My tone was full of affirmation, "No one is missing." ”

I turned around and picked up the teacup and said loudly: "I'm here, replace wine with tea, and do it first as a respect." ”

"This mission is to get in touch with the leader of the wasteland in the southwest hammer."

"I will have a letter entrusted to you to bring, and your men and horses will have a reply from the leader of the other party to bring back."

"That's a complete success."

"If possible, I intend to use that place as a base for future retreat."

"!"

…… On my desk by the windowsill, I was intently playing with the magnolia flowers in the bottle, which were bigger and more beautiful than those that grew in the garden.

I don't know where I found it, I thought to myself.

Cui'er stood across from me, slowly moving towards me.

I didn't look back and said, "Cui'er, what's wrong?" ”

"Slave, slave," Cui'er staggered behind me, "Slave thought...... The girl seems to be ...... It's like a different person. ”

I laughed, couldn't help but turn around and pat her on the shoulder and said, "Actually, it hasn't changed, it's always been like this." ”

I winked at her and smiled slyly, "Sometimes it's hidden." “

"It's just the first time you've seen this side."

"You won't show this side until you need to, you have to adapt, because you may always follow me in the future."

Cui'er was stunned, and then said in surprise: "What the girl said is true, they all said that you will leave Qibei soon, and the slave's heart is still hanging, so do you plan to take the slave and maid with you when you leave?" ”

"Look at you." I looked at Cui'er amusedly, and was about to reply to her when I heard hurried footsteps.