In the evening, the tired birds return to the forest, and the sunset pours on the lush mountain forest, as if putting on a colorful dress for this quiet paradise.

Qin Mubai and Li Ke walked in front, and You'er and Shuang'er and a few little orphans held hands with each other, and then the attendants of King Wu's Mansion drove the carriage and followed slowly behind. The group walked on the tree-lined mountain road and walked and chatted.

"Mu Bai, what are your plans?" Li Ke said: "With all due respect. Judging from the current situation, it seems that you are not very suitable to continue to stay in the palace and work as an errand in the palace. Although my father has always been broad-minded, he will not really hate you or be jealous of you, but this time Gao Yang's matter has made such a big fuss, and the father who is full of rumors may think about changing you on an errand out of consideration to avoid suspicion. You might as well take the initiative yourself. ”

"What Your Highness said is very true. I've thought about it. Qin Mubai said: "The hundred horses began at the beginning of the construction, it was an attempt, although the emperor did not need to use suspicious people, but some troubles were indeed unavoidable. There are many female relatives in the harem, which inevitably makes the outside world gossip and discussions. Plus this time, Princess Gaoyang's matter was touched...... I think the emperor may even disband the hundred horses. ”

"Not really." Li Ke said: "Baiqi is a very good army, and my father and emperor have praised Baiqi many times in private, and he has also praised you." It's just that it's in the limelight right now, so you might as well avoid it for a while, and then go back to Baiqi, and there will be no problem. After all, it is not easy for the emperor to find a suitable hundred horsemen. He wouldn't really want to drive you away from the Hundred Horsemen. I think that's what he meant by granting you leave this time. I hope you can stay out of the limelight and wait for things to calm down before you make a decision. ”

Qin Mubai wondered in his heart, did Li Ke take the initiative to tell me this, did he mean to imply that he had already shown me a place to go? So why don't I take the initiative to tell him?

"Now I can only rest at home for the time being, and there is no other good place to go for a while." Qin Mubai said casually: "If Your Highness has a way, you might as well point it out next time?" ”

"Don't say you really have." Li Ke smiled mysteriously.

"Really?" Qin Mubai blinked a few times, "What's the way out?" ”

"I was summoned by my father to the palace today." Li Ke said: "Originally, my father planned to let me re-enter the stage in Gaoyang's marriage. Now such a troublesome marriage has to be postponed. So my father pointed me out another way. Just this morning, the Jiangzhou Prefecture Government made an urgent report, highlighting the serious flood situation, and the prefecture capital was not manpower enough to provide disaster relief, requesting the imperial court to help. So His Majesty was ready for me to take the lead in this matter. ”

"It's late summer and early autumn, with little rain and dry season, why is there a flood at this time?" Qin Mubai asked.

"I don't know now. It is said that it was not the overflow of the Yellow River, but the bursting of a lake embankment. Li Ke said: "The specific situation will not be clear until after the investigation." The immediate priority is disaster relief. His Majesty has issued a military order, and 5,000 soldiers from Jiangzhou Mansion and nearby prefectures and counties are gathering in Jiangzhou at night. It was the king's entourage and several officials from the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household who were sent to preside over the overall situation. ”

Qin Mubai thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness means to take me with you?" ”

Li Ke smiled slightly and said, "It's not about bringing it, it's please." You are a dignified commander of the hundred horsemen, the royal command, how can you go anywhere? Just now, when I was talking to my father, I vaguely heard the overtones in my father's words. He said that the floods in Jiangzhou in the autumn caused disasters to the Li people must have been punished by the Son of Heaven for his immorality. Therefore, it is up to the Son of Heaven to go to the disaster to help the people and pray for their sins. But now that the society is busy with many affairs and government affairs, I went on his behalf, and he said, "Everywhere I go, I am like a dear dear", which means that I was sent out as a messenger. ”

"I see." Qin Mubai said: "Since it is a Qincha, it is generally equipped with a personal guard, usually a person from Qianniuwei and Jinwuwei. And you are a prince of the royal family, so it is only fitting to send a team of 100 horsemen with you. ”

"You're so smart." Li Ke smiled: "That's what my father said." Although he did not explicitly send you with me, but everyone knows about your personal relationship with me, didn't he mean that he deliberately said this to me? Flood control is a long-term task, and in addition to flood control and disaster relief, it is also necessary to repair water conservancy and control the victims. It is estimated that it will take three months just to settle the houses of the victims and redistribute their farmland and livestock. If you take the troops and leave with me, wouldn't it be in line with the emperor's wishes? did not expel you from the hundred horses, but also temporarily left Chang'an, a land of right and wrong, and the best of both worlds. ”

"Not bad." Qin Mubai blinked a few times, his eyes thought for a moment, and he said, "Then I should find an excuse to enter the palace to see the emperor as soon as possible?" ”

"Yes." Li Ke said: "And don't take the initiative to talk about the Jiangzhou flood, the emperor will take the initiative to talk to you." ”

"Got it." Qin Mubai nodded and said in response: This Li Ke is really very similar to Li Shimin. He is very smart, and the city is very deep, and he can penetrate people's hearts, and he is deeply darkened by the emperor's heart. He didn't let me take the initiative to talk to the emperor because he didn't want the emperor to know that I had discussed it with him in private, and that the matter had been properly discussed. Pretend to be ignorant and everything will take its course. Otherwise, the emperor will be jealous of me and Li Ke - vain and reckless of holy will, which is a big taboo for the king.

A courtier can be capable, he can be smart, but he must not be too clever and find out all the plans and ideas that the king has hidden in his heart. Otherwise, the king will lose face. Although he will praise this courtier on the surface, he will really be jealous of him in his heart. Because he will feel that he is a king, and he looks very stupid and naïve in front of this courtier, and he can't hide anything. In other words, an ordinary person would hurt his self-esteem and disregard the king's authority? - Wasn't Yang Xiu killed by Cao Cao because of this repeated self-cleverness?

After walking for two or three miles all the way, Li Ke stopped everyone and said, "Demon girl, you have come out a long way, go back quickly, and it will be dark." ”

"Well, it's fine." You'er smiled: "Anyway, it's the same for me when it's dark and dawn." ”

"But it's different for others, haha! Some bad people like to come out and do bad things when the night is dark and the wind is high. Li Ke smiled: "Let's go back." ”

"Well, that's fine. You will not be far away. "Farewell to the demons, those little orphan girls also know how to salute politely.

"Go back with Sister You'er, I'll come back to see you tomorrow when I have time!" Qin Shuang'er said to the little girls with a smile.

Everyone also broke up here, Qin Mubai and his sister rode on the horse together, Li Ke boarded the car, and the demon took a group of little girls back to Lichenju.

When I got home, it was getting dark. Qin Mubai, brother and sister, got off the road and came to the lobby to greet their parents, but now Qin Shubao was sitting in the hall, and there was a red-robed official.

"Mu Bai is back." Qin Shubao raised his hand and pointed at the red-robed official, "This is Tobu Lang, who has been waiting for you for a long time." ”

The red-robed official hurriedly got up and saluted: "Humble Su Yuan has seen General Qin. ”

Hubu Langzhong's rank is slightly lower than Qin Mubai's rank from the fifth grade, which is actually considered a flat level. But because Qin Mubai had such a family background, Qin Shubao was present, and with the prestige of the hundred horsemen, Su Yuan's courtesy was very thoughtful.

"Su Langzhong is too polite." Qin Mubai returned the salute and said, "Lang Zhong came to me for advice, what do you have to say?" ”

Su Yuan said: "The household department received His Majesty's holy decree that he would send a house to General Qin. It took three days for the lowly post and his subordinates to complete the arrangement, so they came to inform the general to go and inspect it. Unexpectedly, the general was not at home all day today, so he had to wait here. ”

"I see, it's rude to take my little sister out to play with me today, so it's rude to wait here for a long time." Qin Mubai said with a smile: "It's getting late at this time, why don't you go tomorrow?" ”

"The house is very close, just across the street from the Qin Mansion, and it is only a stick of incense time to walk." Su Yuan said with a smile: "Why don't you accept it today, everything has been packed up, and you can move in immediately." ”

"Really? Then go for it! Qin Mubai said happily.

In any case, if you have your own house, you will be able to stand on your own, and you will have a private space. Although living in Qin Mansion with my father is pleasant, I always feel a little restrained.

"General, please."

Qin Mubai stepped forward to Qin Shubao and said, "Father, do you and mother want to go and have a look together?" ”

"I'm not going, you can ask your mother and sister-in-law!" Qin Shubao said indifferently.

"It's fine." Qin Mubai bowed his hand and retreated, thinking that the arrogance of the peak martial artist in his father's bones would probably never linger. He may have thought that the reward given by the emperor this time was not for meritorious deeds, and that the reward was not justified enough, but for ulterior motives, so he was not too interested in this house.

But the Liu family and Shuang'er didn't know this, and they were so happy that they couldn't do it when they learned that Qin Mubai was about to settle down in a new home, and they didn't need Qin Mubai to ask them to take the initiative to follow Qin Mubai to their new home under Su Yuan's guidance.

Qin Mubai's new home was indeed not far from Qin's mansion, just across the street, and it didn't take long to arrive.

The courtyard is brand new, and the stone carvings at the entrance are wrapped with red silk. Although it is not as grand as the Halberd Twelve's Xunmen Qin Mansion, it can be regarded as neat and atmospheric.

The doors are still freshly painted and open to the outside. Su Yuan stepped in first, clapped his hands, and walked out of a row of men and women to greet him: "Welcome to the master." ”

Qin Mubai was stunned: "Who are these people?" ”

Su Yuan arched his hand and smiled: "These six men are handymen, cooks, porters, gardeners, and grooms, etc., plus the four maidservants, they will all be General Qin's people in the future." The five rank of Beijing officials are independent, and the servants range from six to ten, ranging from the laws and regulations of the dynasty. ”