In autumn, the year-end feast arrives quickly. The battle of Hexi was won by the imperial court, and the full moon of the prince born by Mrs. Li was a double joy and congratulations, which was extremely lively.

The banquet was full of vermilion and purple, all of them were princes and nobles, and only the queen participated in this banquet in the harem in the past, and the emperor and the courtiers welcomed the arrival of the new year with wine. And this time, Mrs. Li was added to the king's side, in addition to the joy of the prince Liu Bo Miyue, more importantly, Li Yan won the holy favor, so she won this honor.

The bronze chime rises, its sound is magnificent, showing the wind of the majestic Han, the orchestra is harmonious, and the clear and melodious is clear. The sound of the two musical instruments complements each other, and the graceful atmosphere feels quiet and bright, which is refreshing.

Liu Che couldn't help but be overjoyed, and asked: "This song is melodious in the thousands of weathers, and the aftertaste is endless, why did you make it up?" ”

Li Yannian, the lieutenant of the co-ordination, bowed forward and replied: "Back to Your Majesty, this song is composed by the subordinates, and it is the luck of the subordinates to take the beauty of the orchestra into the majesty of bronze, and to be able to get His Majesty's blue eyes!" ”

Liu Chelong's face was happy, and because Li Yannian was Li Yan's brother, he said loudly: "Give me a seat!" ”

At the end of the year, the hall gave a seat, what an honor, Li Yannian was full of joy, bowed to the ground and thanked Longen, and sat down along the seat. Li Yan was also overjoyed, nodded slightly towards her brother, and the brother and sister met with a smile.

"In the first battle of Hexi, the hussar general made great contributions, and after this battle, the Huns' vitality was greatly injured, and I was very relieved!" Referring to the victory in Hexi, Liu Che couldn't hide his complacency, Huo Quzhi got up and raised his bottle and saluted: "This is God bless the big man, Your Majesty is wise!" ”

The courtiers at the table raised their bottles and saluted: "Your Majesty is wise! ”

Liu Che was full of spring breeze, and laughed loudly: "I have hussar generals, generals, and humerus in my court, and the great Han can be stationed in the majestic wind, and the century-old foundation can be continued!" I am worthy of the gods and ancestors, and I am worthy of the people of Li! ”

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty's martial arts are comparable to Yao Shun! The words of beauty were endless, and the hall was filled with joy.

Immediately afterwards, the heads of each department and department raised the bottle in order to pay tribute to the emperor and queen, implying that the country and the people will be safe in the coming year, the wind and rain will be smooth, and the emperor and queen will live for a thousand years, and the happiness will be endless. After the whole ceremony, music was played, danced, and the monarchs and ministers were happy.

Liu Che was in the right position to enjoy the wine, and from time to time with Wei Zifu and Li Yan on the left and right sides of the smile and chatted a few words, and the courtiers in the seat also raised their bottles to each other to salute, only to see that the nobles in the hall frequently invited each other to salute Wei Qing and Huo Quai, and talked very happily, while Li Yannian lived at the end of the banquet, and no one paid attention to it at all. Seeing that her brother was snubbed, Li Yan was very unhappy in her heart, she was also a relative, but her treatment among the courtiers was high and low. Li Yan sneered in her heart, swallowed this breath shengsheng, and still talked and smiled freely on her face, without revealing anything.

The night was dark, the feast ended, and the kings and ministers dispersed. Wei Zifu saw that Liu Che was very drunk, so he asked the little yellow door who was waiting to help him to the inner hall to rest, but Liu Che was still drunk and shouted: "Yan'er, Yan'er..."

Li Yan hurriedly approached and said, "Your Majesty, Yan'er is here." After saying that, he stretched out his hand to support Liu Che and said to Wei Zifu: "Queen, Your Majesty is drunk, and the concubine will help Your Majesty to go to Zhaoyang Hall to rest." ”

Wei Zifu's eyes trembled slightly, and in an instant, he disappeared without a trace like a light feather, and said with a slight smile on his chin: "Then please take good care of Your Majesty." ”

A hint of pride flashed in Li Yan's eyes, nodded slightly, and said, "The concubine has written it down." ”

The figures of everyone in front of the stairs gradually blurred, and a gust of night wind hit, giving rise to a lot of chills. Wei Zifu couldn't help but hug each other, and at this time he suddenly felt a warm shoulder, and turned his head to see that it was Yun Niang who gently put on the cloak for her, "The queen is late at night, rest early." ”

Wei Zifu smiled softly and said, "Okay." ”

----

The most important thing at the beginning of the new year is the ceremony of sacrificing to the sky, the place of sacrifice is in the Yongdi outside the city of Chang'an, since the founding of Gaozu, the kings of all dynasties will go to Yongdi at the beginning of each year to seal the altar and worship the sky, in order to seek a smooth wind and rain in the new year, the country and the people.

To the Yongcheng Palace, the local officials have already been ready to welcome the holy car, the altar is dedicated to the six animals, buried the jade, jade cong, with jade as the six instruments, in order to worship the four directions of heaven and earth.

Liu Che led everyone to stand according to the rituals, and the emperor and queen went to the middle of the altar side by side, burning incense to worship the Eastern Green Emperor, the Southern Red Emperor, the Central Yellow Emperor, the Western White Emperor and the Northern Black Emperor, in order to seek national peace and prosperity and prosperity. Taiwei Five Emperors ceremonies, and then burn incense to sacrifice Houji, Houji is the god of the five grains, the ancestor of farming, in order to seek smooth weather and abundant grains in the coming year. After the ceremony, the altar is sealed with five-colored soil to show auspiciousness.

After the ceremony, the monarchs and ministers feasted together, and Li Yannian presented a new work "Suburban Song", whose sound was solemn and solemn, and the tone was ancient and pale, which was quite appreciated by Liu Che. Seeing that her brother won the favor of the king, Li Yan was naturally happy, and her eyebrows and eyes were also full of energy.

"My Han Dynasty is prosperous, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and I and you are listening to the "Suburban Song" in Yongdi. I heard the Hussar General After the Battle of Hexi, the Xiongnu sang a tragic song: 'Death of my Qilian Mountain, so that my six animals will not rest; I have lost my mountains, and my women have no color. 'I don't know at this time, did the Xiongnu Shan Yu regret being the enemy of my Han? ”

Before Liu Che's voice fell, a courtier got up and replied: "My great Han is mighty, Your Majesty is wise and martial, and I think that Yi Zhi will inevitably regret not being at the beginning!" ”

"Now my army is flat in the south of the desert, Hexi, the elite of the left and right of the Huns have been hit hard, the first emperor when I still want to show goodwill to the Huns, now just a few decades, Your Majesty has beaten the Huns to no power to fight back, no place to stand on the cone, Your Majesty is wise!" Another courtier got up and replied, and everything he said made Liu Che happy in his heart.

Liu Chelang laughed a few times and said: "These are not enough, I still want that Yizhi to bow down to my Han and pay tribute!" There are still remnants of the strength of the royal court alone, which cannot be underestimated, and when I am strong, I will definitely eliminate the power of the Xiongnu royal court, and let it know that there is no two masters in this world! ”

"Your Majesty is wise!" Respond to the mountain with the ministers.

"My wish also depends on the general and the hussar general!" Liu Che looked at Wei Qing and Huo Qubing with a smile and groaned, and said: "The Xiongnu alone led the remnants to live in the depths of the desert, and their troubles were not eliminated for a day, and I could not sleep in peace for a day. ”

"Your Majesty is relieved, the ministers will definitely live up to Your Majesty's expectations!" Wei Qing and Huo Qubing responded loudly, "We must sweep away the Huns and raise the prestige of our Han Dynasty!" ”

"Bring the wine!" With a wave of his hand, Liu Che laughed loudly and said, "Pour wine for the two generals!" ”

Liu Che walked down the jade steps, picked up the wine bottle on the waiter, handed it to Wei Huo and the others, and said, "I'm waiting for good news!" ”

Wei Qing and Huo Quzhi bowed down to take the wine bottle, and said respectfully: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" ”

Wei Zifu sat upright, looking at his eyes and smiling, which made Li Yan feel extremely unhappy, and a sneer appeared on his lips.

----

After the sacrificial ceremony, Luan will also return to Beijing, the autumn is deep, and the autumn breeze adds a little cooler. The night was dustless, the moonlight was shining outside the window, Liu Che hugged Li Yan, embroidered incense, and gently stroked Li Yanru's fat skin, Liu Che couldn't help but sigh: "Yan'er, why didn't I see you earlier?" ”

Li Yanjiao smiled: "What if you saw it earlier?" The concubine can't be like the queen to relieve His Majesty's worries. ”

Liu Che smiled sideways: "Why did Yan'er say this? ”

"The queen had a general and a hussar general in the previous dynasty, and her prestige was very high, and the queen was the head of the harem, and her majesty gave birth to a prince." Li Yan lowered her eyes and said in a low voice: "But the concubine brother can only tune music and compose music, and he can't share His Majesty's worries." Speaking of this, his eyelashes drooped lower, and he curled up into Liu Che's arms, and said in a low voice: "The concubine has only His Majesty, only His Majesty, if His Majesty no longer favors Yan'er one day, then Yan'er... Yan'er..."Speaking of this, Li Yansheng couldn't suppress it, and she was a little more delicate with pear blossoms and rain.

"Yan'er..."Liu Che patted lovingly, "I only hate to meet you too late, how can I no longer favor you?" ”

"Your Majesty..."Li Yan leaned closer and closer to Liu Che, calling softly.

"I would refer to a fief and think it would be a prince and a king. Your brother Li Yannian is very talented in music, and the music he composed has won my heart, although the official position is the assistant lieutenant, but after all, he is by my side, and he can't stand the grievances. Liu Che caressed Li Yanqingsi lightly, and said slowly: "You are a lady, you have my protection, what else do you have to worry about?" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Li Yan gently closed her eyes, leaned against Liu Che's chest, and muttered, "With Your Majesty here, the concubine doesn't have to worry about anything." ”

"Hmm." Liu Che bowed slightly, and his eyes closed slightly. At that time, when he first ascended to the throne, the government was subject to his imperial grandmother, and the power of his relatives controlled the entire court, and he secretly swore at that time that his court would never be like this in the future. The oath is still in my ears, but now I have to rely on the unintentional words of a palace woman to remind myself that I really have a rash heart. Over the years, her Wei Zifu has been generous and virtuous, and he Wei Qing is loyal and good at fighting, but who said that they are not for the prince and for themselves? When the crown prince ascends the throne in the future, they will be the most powerful family in this court, who knows if they will not repeat the disaster of their relatives back then?

The more Liu Che thought about it, the more frightened he became, he couldn't help but breathe deeply, the hall was quiet, only smelling incense lingering, hearing Liu Che's deep exhalation, the corners of Li Yan's mouth inadvertently climbed a smile. The moonlight outside the hall dissolves, casting shadows on the ground through the window, which seems to be clear, but it is blurry, like a human heart.

----

Early the next morning, the royal car set off, the carriages and horses were reeling, the pennant was unfurled, the civil officials sat in the sedan chair, and the military generals and horses accompanied them. Less than thirty miles out of Yongcheng, Wei Qing saw that Huo Quai's face was blue, and his legs tightened the horse, and he couldn't help but ask with concern: "Go sick, are you uncomfortable?" ”

Huo Quzhi smiled reluctantly and said: "Uncle, Xu ate something bad last night, and I feel very uncomfortable in my stomach right now, please let me go sick and leave the car for a while, and then return to the team when it is convenient." ”

"If it's uncomfortable, you have to say it early, so let's go quickly." Wei Qing was still a little worried, "If you are still uncomfortable, my uncle will go and ask the imperial doctor to order me to come over." ”

"Thank you, uncle!" Huo Quzhi nodded, rode his horse away from the official road, and ran over to find a less crowded path.

When there was no one around, Huo Qubing finally couldn't help it and almost rolled off the horse. I saw that his face was pale, and the green tendons on his hands were prominent, but fortunately, he was covered by clothes just now, and his arms were covered with red spots when he lifted his sleeves, especially one of the crimson lines was the most conspicuous, extending from his arms to the palms, so shockingly red.

Huo Quzhi held down the two acupuncture points on his body, then took out a porcelain white vial from his arms, poured out two black pills and put them in his mouth, and closed his eyes to breathe after swallowing. After a long time, Fang let out a long breath.

When I opened my eyes again, my face had improved a lot, and when I lifted the cuffs, the red line from my palm to my arm had faded a lot, and I could hardly see it if I didn't look closely. Huo Quzhi re-tied the cuffs, stood up, kicked on the saddle, turned over the horse, and galloped all the way in the direction of the pennant.