Chapter 13: The Caged Bird (I)

The wind was cold on the night, the weather was gloomy, and the snow in Chudu was getting heavier and heavier, although he was very careful, Xiao Jingrong's shoulders were still stained with a lot of snowflakes. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info but he couldn't bear to brush away the snow, thinking that it would be good to quietly let them melt in his body temperature.

Looking up at the Xiao Mansion in front of him, his heart was full of melancholy, this was his hometown where he had lived for more than 20 years, but it made him feel both familiar and strange. He knew he would never feel at home again. The figure of my loved one is flying in my mind. At this time, he was lonely and helpless, and he seemed to feel the true coldness and tranquility of early winter.

His background is destined to have nothing to do with a comfortable and elegant life, whether he wants to or not, he will be stained with the rust of power. In this Taishi Mansion, he never dared to think about how much rotten darkness there was under the prosperity, and he always walked in a hurry when he walked in this mansion. I don't know when it began, in his mind, this is just a cold exchange.

Looking at the empty corridor in front of me, the wind outside was blowing snow in my face. Can't help but think of those warm times, a tear under his eyes, at this moment his heart is full of contradictions, he thinks that it is just a dream now, but he understands that once the dream wakes up, he is facing a boundless purgatory.

After returning to Beijing, he stayed in the Pony Mansion and hid from his father. After his sister was sent to the palace by his father, he didn't want to come back. He began to mix in the wine shop teahouse, and the life of making friends and visiting friends in the imperial capital, as if this was the only way to make his heart happy.

Since the plaque of the mansion in front of him was replaced by the Taishi Mansion, Xiao Jingrong felt that the place called home in his heart had been destroyed, and he was gradually moving away from it.

For so many years, after the wedding, he has been living in his own horse mansion, and he does not want to return here. Now walking on this familiar corridor again, I feel that the snow on those shoulders has fallen on my heart, and it hurts my heart.

I walked along the bluestone path to the end of the corridor, which is the main hall of the Taishi Mansion. This place once kept his most unforgettable memories, but now it is gone, after all, I still missed too much.

"Young master, you are finally back, the master has been waiting for you." , Listening to this voice from a distance, it was full of bitterness, so that Xiao Jingrong couldn't even hear who it was for a while. I saw a man in black standing in front of him, Xiao Jingrong looked at it for a long time, and then recognized that it was the old housekeeper in the house.

After only a few years, his appearance has changed drastically, his hair is gray, and his waist is a little rickety. "Uncle Fu", Xiao Jingrong looked at this person who was often by his and his sister's side back then, but he didn't know what to say. After looking at Uncle Fu for a long time, he had to let out a soft cry and continued to walk inside.

In the main hall, Xiao Yunting was sitting on the main seat, and he was also like "Fu Yuan", his former black hair was now gray, and the corners of his eyes began to be full of wrinkles.

When Xiao Jingrong came in, he saw his father lying on the table with one hand diagonally, already asleep, and he didn't know how long he had been waiting here. Hearing the sound, Xiao Yunting opened his eyes and saw that Xiao Jingrong was already standing in front of him, and he had mixed feelings in his heart for a while, but he only asked lightly, "I'm back". Hearing his father's question, Xiao Jingrong didn't answer, just looked at him in a daze. Is this still the father in his memory, Xiao Jingrong finally understood that he was old and had lost the straight waist he had at the beginning.

Seeing that Xiao Jingrong didn't talk to him, Xiao Yunting felt even more sad in his heart, but he still secretly suppressed it. "Today, Your Majesty went to the family banquet in King Mu's Mansion to commend Mu Zifeng, the young marshal of the Guangming Army. is also a leading general who has made meritorious contributions to suppressing bandits, why don't you go to the banquet? When Xiao Jingrong heard this, the little bit of unbearability in his heart disappeared in an instant, and he replied coldly, "Why am I going?" Hearing him say this, Xiao Yunting's face changed, and his tone became cold, "You took the Min Yu army to kill the bandits, but the Guangming Army led by Mu Zifeng fled in disgrace, no matter how you say this, you should have a share of this credit." Now that he has been rewarded by His Majesty, are you willing? Saying this, the look on Xiao Yunting's face seemed to be smiling, but Xiao Jingrong's face was already cold and about to freeze. He didn't care about listening to Xiao Yunting anymore, and directly interrupted his next words, "I won't go!" ”。 Xiao Yunting's words were intercepted, and he stopped talking, and there was a sudden silence around him.

After a pause, Xiao Yunting continued to speak, but his tone was very different from before, "Jing Rong, my father knows that since your sister entered the palace, you have a grudge against your father in your heart.

Over the years, the work of being a father has not been as easy as it was when I was a university scholar, do you think that being a father has changed? Hearing Xiao Yunting suddenly say this, Xiao Jingrong's heart also calmed down, and he listened quietly. Seeing that he didn't interrupt him, Xiao Yunting continued, but his tone had become a little cold, "You have to understand, it's not for your father, but for Your Majesty, it's forced by this world." ”

Xiao Jingrong's heart burned at this moment, when he was twelve years old, he followed his father to visit Mu Wangfu and met the first friend in his life.

It was then that Xiao Jingrong realized that it was so wonderful to be understood.

A phantom suddenly appeared in his mind, and the country and the city were overwhelmed. He once thought that she would definitely belong to him, and his sister would eventually become married to Zifeng. But now everything has become different.

He calmed down the anger just now, and his cold face showed exhaustion, "Father, I have never been a person who values fame and fortune, the child doesn't want to fight for anything, and he doesn't want to fight for anything, when he first married the princess, it was no longer the child's wish, and now you sacrificed my life's happiness, isn't it enough?" You obviously know that your sister and Mu Zifeng are childhood sweethearts, but you still sent her to Emperor Chu without hesitation, do you know your sister's helplessness and struggle when you dream back at midnight, and how desolate and miserable her heart should be in those dark days.

Today, the child understands that in the face of the Spring and Autumn Period, my sister and I are both pawns that you use to consolidate your position.

"Enough, rebel, you shut up for me! Everything that the Father has done today is because of this family, and one day you will understand. You have to remember that everything your sister gave was because of you. ”

"Why, father, I don't understand what this is for? For the sake of power, I squeezed out the position of my best friend and lost the person I love the most, even if I have this, what is the use? Children will not be happy in this life, father, why do you bother to be like this, why do you ...... it.

"Emperor Chu has been preparing to get rid of King Mu by all these years, how can your father bet on the happiness of your sister's life here, and you can't afford to gamble for your father. Jing Rong, our Xiao family does not have the power of Mu Wangfu, if those people with ill intentions want to deal with us, then our Xiao family may be gone. And your sister's temperament, if there is no father to help her run around, I'm afraid... You haven't thought that if my Xiao family can be as powerful as Mu Wangfu, why would your sister enter the palace, and why would you have to cling to the princess? In this troubled world, those who have no power will be like a mustard, and their lives will be precarious. Tonight, at the banquet in the palace, whether you go or not will not force you to be your father. But if you still remember the love of the Xiao family and the sacrifice your sister made for this family, then hold this power tightly in your own hands. ”

Listening to his father talk about these things that he had never thought of, Xiao Jingrong could hear his father's unwillingness. Maybe over the years, I and my sister have been simple-minded and don't know how to scheming. If there is no father's secret care, he may really not know where his fate will end. Xiao Jingrong looked at his father by himself, and found that he, like Uncle Fu, was really old. has lost his original arrogance and righteousness, he is no longer the sharp-tongued bachelor in the court back then, and has become the eight-sided exquisite Master Xiao.

For so many years, he has been taking care of his sister and himself with his best efforts. No matter how many courtiers he is for the world or not, he has been working hard to fulfill his responsibilities as a father and has been wholeheartedly safeguarding the interests of the Xiao Mansion. After my mother left, no one really approached my father's heart. For so many years, only Uncle Fu helped his father take care of the Xiao Mansion, and now that his father and Uncle Fu are old, the lintel of the Xiao Mansion should be propped up by itself. Thinking about all this, Xiao Jingrong stepped forward and hugged his father, "Father, you don't have to worry about the affairs of Mu Wangfu." The child will take care of these things in the future. It's getting late, father, go to bed early. After sending Xiao Yunting to the wing, he repeatedly told him to rest early, and then found Uncle Fu and asked him to take care of his father. After arranging everything, Xiao Jingrong left with confidence.

After passing through the corridor again and leaving the gate, I saw my own green horse going back and forth at the door. When Qinghu saw Xiao Jingrong come out, he immediately ran to his side, rubbing Xiao Jingrong affectionately, and the warm breath from the horse's nose made Xiao Jingrong feel warm. Turning over and sitting on Qinghu's back, Xiao Jingrong patted it, and Qinghu ran happily. The wind and snow are still there, but Xiao Jingrong's heart is no longer confused, and he runs towards Mu Wangfu in a green horse.