April of the eighth year of Hongwu, Qingzhou.

Ruan Hongque followed the quiet path and went to the orchard in the backyard. Under the shade of the pear tree, on a stone table, Liu Ji was playing flags with himself.

Seeing Ruan Hongque coming, he beckoned and motioned for Ruan Hongque to be opposite. Nguyen sat down obediently and continued the halfway game of chess.

After going down for a long time without saying a word, it was supposed that Ruan Hongque was in the upper hand, but the situation gradually reversed, and finally Ruan Hongque was one step behind and was generalized.

He stood up and said calmly and politely, "I am no enemy of my father-in-law." ”

Liu Ji coughed twice: "It's you who have something on your mind, otherwise we can still stick to another twenty steps, and the outcome is unknown." ”

Ruan Hongque didn't admit or refute, came to Liu Ji's side and helped him up: "My father-in-law is unwell, he should rest more, and he shouldn't suffer from the wind here." ”

Liu Ji waved his hand, and without Ruan Hongque's support, the two of them walked to the front room. In fact, he knew very well that his limit had come, and he also understood what his righteous son had in mind to come all the way to see him.

"Guinan, now that you have a reputation, power, wealth, and fame, you only need to splash me with a sword and blood in five steps, right?"

Ruan Hongque's face sank.

"Next time you want to bring people to surround someone, remember to let them walk lightly, don't make the smoke and dust billowing again, it's too conspicuous. ”

Liu Ji grabbed his cloak, wrapped it tightly, and walked into the house. Nguyen Hongque followed up and closed the door behind his back.

Liu Ji pointed to the teapot and motioned for Ruan Hongque to pour tea.

"Well, I should tell you, even if there are indications that your parents died in a man-made accident, it is not me. The country is undecided, the war is chaotic, and there is wolf smoke everywhere, and your father and I have relied on each other. Walking on the tip of the knife, we can't protect ourselves by supporting each other, so how can we harm each other?"

Ruan Hongque poured Liu Ji a cup of tea, and his tone was unwavering: "Striving for merit and profit, what name can't you? For so many years, you have been hiding from my bright swords and hidden arrows, there are ghosts in your heart, and you have never been silent, what are you arguing about now, what else is there to say?"

"Then tell me, what are my ghosts?"

"Comforting the homeless people all day long, making the posture of a sage, selling his reputation and reputation, and other filthy officials and traitors are the same raccoon dogs, and he is a personal skin, and the real villain is a hypocrite. I also want to occupy the land of Mingyang Dragon Qi as my own mausoleum, and I want to rebel. In vain, my parents repeatedly helped you when your career failed, and I believe that you are a great tool to help the country at the time, but I don't expect you to be ungrateful. ”

Liu Ji moistened his throat and put down the teacup: "Back then, it was a little maid who told you that she heard me instruct someone to seal the Ruan Mansion and kill people to kill people, right?

"Actually, when I went to Ruan's house that day, I didn't bring a single maid, only soldiers with me. What you think is all arranged by me, it is me, I make you think that I am not with you. ”

"When I saw you, I went on a hunger strike, and lost my soul. There is really no hope for you at that time, so the method of waking you up is unlikely to succeed. I know it very well, and it hurts even more. ”

Liu Ji's expression was stuck in memory: "Guinan, you are a child who was hugged by me the day you were born, and I have witnessed you grow up." If you are allowed to feel that your family is ruined, there is nothing left, and there is no hope. You're really, and you've died in that little place. ”

"Only hatred can give you a new goal, let you stand up when you are discouraged, and let you lose your distraction and have light in your eyes......"

"Even if it's the light of hatred, you can find the emotions that you should have as a living person. ”

Ruan Hongque clenched the teacup in his hand: "Do you think I will believe you as cunning and cunning?"

Liu Ji coughed, but because he didn't have any air, he couldn't cough loudly.

"Gui Nan, good boy, you already believe it. ”

Small! Villain! Old thief! Shameless!

Ruan Hongque threw the teacup on the ground: "Do you think that I will believe only a few words of that maid? If it weren't for the people of the Night God Sect who think that I am worthless, I wouldn't be alive today!"

He finally couldn't hold back his emotions, stood up and yelled at Liu Ji: "Back then, my father and mother stayed there and didn't leave, just because I believed that you would come! That's why I fell to that fate! I was the only one who survived the Ruan family! After that day, a nameless fire broke out in my house, and the flames soared to the sky, and corpses were scorched everywhere! I saw you! I saw you! You said to your subordinates, 'Well done, don't leave a single one!'"

Liu Ji seemed to be very dizzy, leaning on the table and supporting his forehead: "Yes, I came one step late to take your family away safely." When you heard what I said, I found the corpse, and in order to ensure the safety of the people, I ordered the burning of Ruan's house......"

Ruan Hongque's palms were sweaty, his pupils were trembling, and he hesitated.

"At this point, it is useless to argue, but it is more useful for you to say some last words. ”

Liu Ji's breath couldn't keep up, and he slowed down for a long time: "If you don't believe it, it's okay, my limit has arrived, if you want to vent your anger, you can kill me in advance." But please don't be angry with your sister and brothers. ”

Liu Ji is talking about his own child. As a parent, he is always willing to plan for future generations, although sometimes he may do bad things, after all, parents who really have bad intentions are also very few.

Liu Ji raised his head and breathed as hard as he could: "My ...... In my arms, there is a notebook...... You keep it, keep it, and don't let outsiders know about it......"

"Good boy, don't let yourself be miserable...... No one can be trusted...... When I'm old, every day is ...... Torment......"

When Shen Rong came in, Ruan Hongque's face was bloodless, sitting in front of the door, looking at the folded notebook in his hand.

Behind him, the door was open, and Liu Bowen sat crookedly in the main seat of the hall, his head bowed, and he was already out of breath.

Shen Rong stepped forward on his knees and squatted down to check if Ruan Hongque was in trouble.

Ruan Hongque looked at Shen Rongknee steadily, hesitant in his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking. Seeing Shen Rong's nervous look, he suddenly smiled: "Why you? Why are you the last to be left?"

Shen Rongknee was stunned by this brainless question, and didn't know how to answer.

Too suspicious that no one can be trusted, will this be the end of oneself? Ruan Hongque shook his head weakly, looking tired: "It is not the sun and the moon that are obscured by the clouds and mist, it is us. ”

In the eighth year of Hongwu, Liu Bowen died of old age and illness at the age of 60, and was buried in Wuyang Xiashan, Qingzhou.

The rumor circulating in the market is that he was framed and persecuted, and he died of poisoning after taking the tonic sent by the right prime minister.

The Liu family has two sons, Lian and Jing, and a daughter. Ruan Hongque is the son of Liu Jiyi, who passed on the will from generation to generation, with the eldest son Lian as the head of the Liu family, and inherited the title in the future.

And Shen Rongknee found that Ruan Hongque had been extremely careful to preserve the folded book since then.

Ruan Hongque said that it was written by Liu Bowen before his death, and if the right-wing forces of the DPRK and the center of the country fell in the future, he would participate in this book to rehabilitate Liu Lao.

Rehabilitating Liu Ji? Ruan Hongque firmly believes that the hatred that has supported him for decades of exterminating the clan can really be completely dissipated because of the death of the enemy? Shen Rongknee felt that he would not.

So he didn't know why Ruan Hongque's attitude changed so much after Liu Bowen's death, and he had no way of knowing.

What he knows is that Ruan Hongque's revenge has been avenged, and his long-cherished wish has been fulfilled, so he no longer needs himself.

"I know my thoughts very well, and I am disgusting. ”

Ruan Hongque said this to Shen Rongqian.

"Go back, you should go back too. I can't give you any good endings, you deserve to live a peaceful, good life that is good enough to leave me behind. ”

He knew that he loved the wrong person, and he shouldn't have fallen in love with Ruan Hongque. Not because Ruan Hongque is a man, but because he is a person who will never respond.

Ruan Hongque treats him as a brother and never lets him risk his life, but he will not accept him and will not do more for him.