The afterglow is scattered, illuminating the busy Suzaku Street beautifully.

At this time, the streets are scattered, shouts and drums are constantly intertwined, the east is beginning to fall, the west is suddenly rising, hidden in the bustling crowd, gradually connected.

Shocked by the strange hustle and bustle outside, Li Zhi lifted the sedan curtain and asked the accompanying servant: "What happened outside?" ”

The little servant stepped forward and replied: "King Chang is in prison, and the enemies of the whole city are cheering for it..."

King Chang did a lot of evil, and the people complained, no wonder these enemies were so indignant. Compared with the crown prince, the prince has taken great pains to live for these enemies, but the prince has always been low-key, and those enemies will not understand the prince's hard work. In their eyes, they only have hatred for King Chang and hatred for Fengren.

In their hearts, the people of Mocang are their enemies of Lisang, and those who are hated are destined to be unforgiven no matter what they do.

As long as the prince does not stand up for a day, he will always be regarded as a wicked person who is in collusion with King Chang and is a traitor.

Li Zhi tightened his expression, nodded, and lowered the sedan curtain, and the noise outside the curtain did not stop.

"The Mocang soldiers are here, everyone run."

"Kill all the troublemakers and slaves."

... ...

On the bank of the Qinhuai River, a huge high wall rises from the ground, as if it is about to rise into the sky, and a rain flower platform is born in this wall.

The people outside the wall had no way of knowing what it was like inside, only the rumbling of machinery, and the only way to see slaves pulling carriages in and out of it.

Some say it's a daunting tomb, while others say it's the second building as magnificent as the Futu Palace, which makes people flock to it.

With a hundred speculations and fantasies, the day of completion is near.

Outside the tent, a soldier entered the tent.

"Master Qiqi, Taifu is here."

Ji Qingyun was busy in front of the case, and when he heard this, his brows suddenly furrowed: What is he doing?

I didn't dare to slack off at all, put down the work at hand, and got up and walked out of the big tent.

In front of the big tent, I saw Taifu Li clinging to a crimson robe, and he didn't even wear an official hat, so he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Master Taifu." ”

Li Zhi returned the salute, and then raised his hand to dismiss the entourage that had come with him.

"I don't know what Lord Taifu is doing here?" Ji Qingyun asked respectfully, but unexpectedly, Li Zhi said.

"Master Ji doesn't need to be nervous, Ji just comes to take a look."

He replied: "Since Lord Taifu wants to know about the construction of Yuhuatai, why do you need to come in person? It's good to order someone to spread the word, and if the lower official gets the news, he can go to your house to report in person. ”

Seeing that Li Zhi was silent, he thought for a moment, arched his hand and took a step back: "It seems that it is the dereliction of responsibility of the lower official, and the lower official should have taken the initiative to report the situation to Lord Taifu." ”

Li Zhi didn't say anything, but let the atmosphere when the two met naturally slide into embarrassment and embarrassment.

He is now an official and a master, why should he be restrained like this in front of him, is he like many enemies - superficial fear of wind and people? Or is he Ji Qingyun an official who is humble and close to the people, and has no official authority at all?

He didn't look at it, it wasn't.

Being stared at by Li Zhi was cramped and uneasy, Ji Qingyun couldn't help but question: Could it be that he was overexerting himself and backfired? He tensed his heartstrings, turned sideways, and stretched out his hand to please: "It's windy outside, please be in the tent of Master Taifu!" ”

"I have heard that the scenery around Qinhuai is beautiful, and Taishi Ji has taken root here for many years, I wonder if I can fulfill the friendship of the landlord today?" Li Zhi asked calmly.

Hearing this, it was surprising, Ji Qingyun was a little unpredictable, so he had to say lightly: "Ji's honor." ”

Li Zhi smiled, moved his gaze from the big tent to another place, and sighed: "Let's go, it's not too late, so that Li can feast his eyes!" ”

"Master Taifu, please."

Yang Liu clinged to each other, caressing the gorgeous or simple clothes of the two of them, stepping on the bits and pieces of sunlight, and in a blink of an eye, the two of them stepped into a straight causeway.

"Taishi Ji also saw that Li came in a private sedan chair and was wearing civilian clothes, and this trip was definitely not for the affairs of the imperial court." Li Zhi temporarily paved the way.

Not for the sake of the court? Ji Qingyun was a little surprised.

To put it nicely, the two of them have not been officials in the same dynasty for a long time, but they can be regarded as colleagues; To put it worse, Li Zhi represents the Mocang Emperor, everything he does is for the benefit of Mocang, and they can only be enemies between them!

Ji Qingyun was ashamed and said: "Ji is stupid, I really don't know what the Taishi is doing. ”

It is impossible to really want to find him to accompany him to visit Qinhuai, right? Now that Prince Mocang has been missing for seven days, the East Palace is in crisis, does he have this leisure?

Ji Qingyun could see that since he stepped into this amorous causeway, the surrounding scenery had never entered Li Zhi's eyes. 7 Q

It's absolutely impossible to come here for the view.

Li Zhi smiled faintly, thinking to himself where he was stupid, he just wanted to listen to himself tell the matter of persuasion in person, so that he could grasp the sovereignty of speaking.

"I heard that Master Ji has sat in the position of Shangshu from Zhuangyuanlang in only three years, and since he is wise, he must have guessed the purpose of Li's trip." He stopped, looked at Ji Qingyun, and said, "Master Ji still remembers what Li said to you when you and I went to Qinzheng Yuan together, right?" Taishi Dao, no matter who is in power, for the well-being of the people, as long as the Taishi is in his position, he will definitely do his best. Ji also asked, if the current situation is not as the Taishi wants, can the Taishi still keep his original intention? ”

Seeing that Ji Qingyun wanted to explain, he immediately said, "Taishi doesn't need to rush to give Ji a reaction. Li didn't want to listen to the Taishi say anything similar to dullness, Li knew that there would be another rhetoric in the Taishi's heart, and those unspeakable words were often the answers that Li wanted to hear the most. ”

He held out his hand and motioned to move on. If Taishi still doesn't want to say it today, Li won't force it, after all, Li doesn't have to get an answer from Taishi. Taishi was able to give Li a chance to say what was in his heart, and Ji was grateful. ”

As he expected, he came for that event. Ji Qingyun was quite calm, and responded: "Master Taifu is serious, please speak!" ”

"Taishi has served the Mocang monarch for a few days, and the situation in this imperial court, Taishi should also see it clearly. Is the princeling and the Changwang party fighting openly and secretly just to stabilize their position in the court? Presumably the Taishi has also heard that King Chang has now been dismissed from several positions due to his attempted rebellion and imprisoned in the prison of dead slaves. King Chang's heart is clearly revealed. And what about the Prince? The crown prince is a collection of thousands of favors from the monarch, does he really not know how to reciprocate, and he wants to be a rebel who will take revenge? Li Zhi said.

"It's hard to guarantee that the prince won't be selfish, but he did it not only for himself, but also for the people of Li Sang and for the future of Li Sang. The prince can not believe the prince, but the prince must see that the prince did not hesitate to risk being suspected by the monarch for the sake of the people of Li Sang, and begged for an order not to kill. On the Blazing Cloud Palace, for the sake of the lives of several of your Li Sang's maidservants, King Zongchang stepped on his head, and he finally drank the cup of wine. Maybe the Taishi will think, knowing that the night banquet sacrificed many innocent people, why did he avoid the prince's birthday banquet in the first place. But how do others know that the prince doesn't think so? But the prince is only the prince after all, where can he fight the real dragon, many things are not something he can stop if he wants to stop it. ”

Li Zhi sighed, and there was a lot of helplessness in his tone.

"Of course, it is precisely because of this that he has no choice but to embark on the road of rebellion, as long as the power is in his hands, he can really protect these people."

Ji Qingyun said: "The prince can have this heart, it is the blessing of my Li Sang people, Ji doesn't know what others think, but please rest assured, Ji must believe in the prince." ”

Hearing this, Li Zhi's eyebrows stretched slightly, and there was a sudden brightness in his eyes, and he stopped and said: "Since the prince also believes in the prince, why don't you help the prince and the people of Lisang?" ”

Ji Qingyun smiled ashamedly and continued to walk forward, "Master Taifu said with a smile. ”

Seeing this, Li Zhi's heart suddenly tightened, and he seemed to understand something.

"Could it be that the Taishi could not bear to watch those people die one by one by the swords of the soldiers? Right now, the politics you support will only harm those people and your people in the future! Only by overthrowing it and choosing a clear path can we truly benefit them! He caught up, speaking in a somewhat agitated voice.

Ji Qingyun suddenly paused, and his lonely heart could no longer be calm. He turned to Li Zhi, who was full of confusion and disappointment, and said quite calmly: "Thanks to Lord Taifu for believing in Ji, he is willing to say these words to Ji, and I also want to thank Master Taifu for being willing to look down on Ji and invite Ji to join the prince's command." It's just that Ji has a lot of ability, Ji is very clear in his heart. ”

He laughed at himself, "Ji Mou is a slave of the dead country, and he survives in the world only because of the monarch's grace of not killing, and no one can really understand what it is like to be under the fence, unless he has experienced it himself." Ji walked very carefully, tensed his nerves all the time, and did not dare to make any mistakes. The current Ji seems to be in a high position, but in fact he is like a sand gull in a huge wave, struggling to live every moment, Ji is also like a duckweed on the river, and the monarch is like the river, Ji can only rely on the river forever, floating, and at the same time, he must bear the pressure of being overturned by the river all the time. To say that helping the prince really makes Ji feel ashamed, Ji himself is difficult to protect, how can he help, I am afraid that at that time, he will hurt the prince. ”

Li Zhi said solemnly: "The prince is not afraid of your injury, but I am afraid that you will not dare to get close, as long as the prince is willing, from now on, the prince will be the gust of wind that helps you break free from the shackles, and it is also a ferry worthy of your anchorage." ”

"Ji often hears others say in the court, accompanying the king is like accompanying the tiger, whenever this time, Ji has to laugh at himself in his heart, you are still like this, and Ji Mou's enemy should be like this? Got into the claws of the tiger? Oh, Ji can't jump out! Ji Qingyun sneered.

He can't jump out, he clearly doesn't want to jump out!

Li Zhi's face was full of disappointment, and he asked: "In the face of the life and death of the people, will the Taishi still be afraid of life and death!" Above the court and the monarch mediated, you are alone step by step, why are you retreating now? ”

"With his life hanging by a thread, Ji had to risk his death!" Ji Qingyun said with a straight face: "Ji Mou is not a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death, but in such a situation, Ji Mou has to learn to protect himself!" ”

There are only two paths in front of him, one is to attach himself to the monarch, stepping on the blade of the knife every moment, and he can't live in fear! One is to fight a bloody road with the prince! is also between his fate hanging by a thread, he should choose the latter, not the former!

Li Zhi's neck was flushed, and he said solemnly: "Master Ji gave Li a lot of explanations, just because he didn't want to take risks!" ”

"That's it!" His eyebrows stood up, and his tight lips finally loosened: "It's as if Ji and the prince died and were blind, misheard the rumors that the folk master loves the people like a son and asks for the people's life, and mistakenly regards the prince as a brave, resourceful, and far-sighted person!" ”

With that, he waved his sleeve and looked at him no more.

was insinuated by Li Zhi with a burst of resentment in his heart, and between honor and disgrace, Ji Qingyun couldn't help but argue for himself: "Tao Li doesn't say anything, and the bottom is its own." Thank you Taifu and the prince for looking up to it, no matter what happens in the future, Ji's love for the people will never die! Even if the monarch is suspicious in the future, Ji will die to make his will clear! ”

"Ji Qingyun - you!" Li Zhi couldn't bear it, and when he looked at the stupid person again, his eyes were already wide open. He gritted his teeth and said angrily: "Ji Qingyun, since it comes to this, I might as well tell you, if it wasn't for the recommendation of the prince and me, where would you have served as the supervisor of this Yuhuatai!" In the court, if it weren't for the princelings' efforts to protect you, with the monarch's many suspicions and temptations in the open and open, you would have died countless times! ”

"So Mrs. Li is admitting it? appreciated that Ji was fake, and raised Ji as a puppet in the court step by step, in order to help the prince ascend the dragon throne one day! Now that you are here to persuade Ji, it is the first step for you to control the puppet, right? Ji Qingyun asked with a sneer.

was speechless by his question, Li Zhi stared at Ji Qingyun for a while, he didn't know how to speak, he was right, his original purpose and ultimate goal were for long-term interests.

There is no so-called bosom friend in this court, and if you can't be a comrade-in-arms, you can only be an enemy!

Suddenly, Ji Qingyun took a step back and arched his hand: "Master Taifu, no matter what your purpose is, Ji is destined to not be able to become a sharp sword in the hands of the prince, it is Ji who has disappointed you!" It's getting late, Ji Mou said goodbye first! ”

Respectfully pulling the atmosphere of dead silence to a soothing, Ji Qingyun tightened his expression, turned around and left, and Li Zhi behind him suddenly stopped.

"Ji Qingyun - you just left like this, do you know what the fate is?"

He froze and replied calmly: "Lord Taifu, please rest assured, I have never seen Lord Taifu today!" ”

Li Zhi couldn't help but smile, how could he be afraid that he would expose the crown prince in front of the monarch!

"You have to remember that in the future, above the court, you will be the enemy of the prince's party!"

Forced him to retreat, don't be afraid that he won't turn back!

Hearing this, Ji Qingyun's heartstrings tensed suddenly, and he couldn't help but speed up his pace.

On the horizon, a trace of remnant sun quietly soaked into the water, dyeing the water of the Qinhuai River blood-red.