The day before the Chinese New Year's Eve, snow fell. Thousands of miles of snow in the customs are covered in silver makeup, and there is a vast expanse.

On the field of the big school of King Wu's mansion, there was a scene of roaring thunder and blood boiling. Hundreds of sergeants formed a circle in the snow and shouted loudly and passionately.

In the circle, Qin Mubai rode on a horse with a gang bare, fighting Yuwen Hongtai and Yin Yang!

During this period of time, as long as there was time, Qin Mubai often dragged the two of them together to practice martial arts competitions, and gradually the soldiers in the palace knew about it, so they came together to watch the fun. After a long time, more and more people gathered to see the excitement, and gradually formed a little scale, as if their daily martial arts competition had become a must-see event.

Yuwen Hongtai is a natural martial artist, usually simple and silly, as long as he gets on the horse and fights, he immediately becomes murderous and energetic, as if he has been reborn. The weapon he made was a relatively rare heavy weapon - the phoenix winged gilded bell!

It is the kind of weapon that Yuwen Chengdu made in the legend of Romance. If it weren't for the fact that Yuwen Chengdu was a fictional character of a historical novelist, Qin Mubai would have thought that Yuwen Hongtai was a descendant of Yuwen Chengdu - what a coincidence!

This weapon weighs more than 100 catties, and it is impossible for people with infinite strength to use it. In the middle of a phoenix mouth curved spear, on both sides like a phoenix wing-like blade, can be chopped, cut, picked, stabbed, split, sweeped, closed, such as a knife, such as a sword, such as a gun, such as a stick, such as an axe, so that the majesty of the eight sides of the lethality is very strong. At the turn of the Sui and Tang dynasties, the casting technology of armor was very developed with each passing day, so many heavy armor-piercing weapons began to be popular, and the phoenix-winged gilded bell was one of the best.

Yuwen Hongtai's martial arts are indeed extraordinary. At first, Qin Mubai was still very difficult to fight with him. Yuwen Hongtai is also very straightforward, he never knows what "releasing water" is, even if Qin Mubai is his top boss, but as long as he is on the horse competition, he will do his best. Several times, Qin Mubai was almost seriously injured by him.

However, after a period of hard training, especially after the special training of Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie, Qin Mubai's martial arts have improved by leaps and bounds, and he has completely surpassed Yuwen Hongtai!

Yin Yang, the weapon of the envoy is a mountain-opening knife. This kind of weapon is not a conventional weapon of the army, but a special one made by himself, a bit similar to the Qinglong Glaive, and is generally only used by generals in the army who are successful in martial arts. Yin Yang was born in a military family and has practiced good swordsmanship since he was a child. got on the horse, and he was still used to using a knife. He thought that the horizontal knife was too short and he was not used to using a gun, so he designed and built a long-handled double-edged broadsword. His martial arts have always been outstanding among the many military schools in King Wu's Mansion.

Now, Yuwen Hongtai and Yin Yang are together to fight Qin Mubai. There have been dozens of rounds of back and forth between the two sides, and there is still no victory or defeat. The military academies who watched the battle cheered loudly and frantically, all of them were crazy.

The snow scene is picturesque, the battle is like a madness, and a unique show is being staged in the palace of King Wu.

I don't know when, Li Ke came outside the crowd. Immediately someone spotted him and hurriedly bowed and gave way. The crowd consciously dodged a way, and Li Ke walked into the circle and admired the battle from the closest distance.

"It's a close fight." Li Ke admired it for a while and praised, "I thought that Qin Mubai was just an elegant and pretty boy who was good at music and rhythm, but I didn't expect that martial arts were so amazing, I really deserved to be a general!" ”

Li Ke's arrival made the enthusiasm of the military academy restrain a little. Qin Mubai and the others also found out, and only then did they see Li Ke coming. So they ceased fighting together and came to pay homage to King Wu.

"Very good, the martial arts of the three of you are extraordinary. Especially Captain Qin, who can be called the tiger general of the world, is worthy of being the son of Qin Shubao, the god of war! Li Ke praised a few words in public and said, "It's freezing and snowing, go back to take a bath and change clothes." Mu Bai, clean up and go to my room to talk. ”

"Yes, Your Highness." Qin Mubai agreed, laughed happily with Yuwen Hongtai and Yin Yang, and changed their clothes and took a bath.

Li Ke invited Qin Mubai into his living room for the first time, lit the fire, and cooked fragrant tea. The room is as warm as spring, and the fragrance of tea is even more pleasant.

"Looks like he has something private to talk to me about today." Qin Mubai thought so much and sat down with Li Ke. When he entered the room, he glanced and found that there was a large pile of books next to Li Ke's bed, piled up at the head of his bed like a hill. Although he didn't look closely to distinguish which books they were, Qin Mubai saw the books on the top layer. Among them, there is a book of soldiers, a book on current affairs and politics, and an ancient book of Legalism in the pre-Qin period.

Li Ke locked himself in his room for more than half of the time, and few people came in. Today, Qin Mubai only knew that although this guy was Taoguang and obscure, he usually didn't cultivate less. The way he cultivates is to read books! The nobles of Chang'an are all collecting books from time to time, showing people with a scholarly family. In the study rooms of many large families, a large number of books are abundant, but many of them are used as decorations.

But Li Ke's books are clearly not decorations – because they are all placed at the head of the bed. But any book that is placed at the bedside must be read often.

Military Books, Political Treatises, Ancient Books...... But there is no such thing as a book that is now popular among aristocratic sons and brothers, poems, books, music scores, and travelogues.

"Why, Mu Bai also likes to read?" Li Ke saw that Qin Mubai was interested in the pile of books and asked.

"I usually watch a little bit of it." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "But the books I read are very miscellaneous, most of them are superficial toys like wild history notes that hunt for curiosities and bewitch people's laughter. Unlike His Royal Highness, they are all studied some broad and profound classics. ”

"Heh, I'm just very bored and flip through it." Li Ke smiled casually and said, "But I see that you seem to be very desperate in your martial arts training recently, why?" ”

"Huh? Why did His Highness suddenly ask about this? Isn't it within one's duty to practice martial arts for generals? Qin Mubai said, but there was a faint wall in his heart: Could it be that Li Ke also heard the wind?

Li Ke smiled, poured tea with the kettle casually, and said, "Mu Bai, I called you here today, in fact, I have something to tell you." As for this matter, you actually wanted to tell me for a long time, but you didn't dare to say it, it was difficult to say it, and it was inconvenient to say it, so I had to take the initiative to come to you. ”

Listening to Li Ke's tongue twisters, Qin Mubai understood in his heart: This guy does know. Well, sooner or later, you'll have to face it, and it's good to be clear.

"Then Your Highness, please speak."

"Yesterday I went to the palace for the annual royal family dinner. At the family banquet, the father and emperor talked about a trivial matter, and after the Chinese New Year, his old man would form a personal guard to defend the inner palace. Li Ke said, "About a few months ago, there was a palace guard general who drank too much wine and rode a crazy horse, and actually broke into the inner palace until the emperor's palace. frightened the two younger brothers and sisters of the emperor beside his father, and the emperor was furious. Hence the idea - this pro-order guard is mainly to protect the emperor and the people around him. ”

"The emperor also brought the little prince with him?" Qin Mubai asked.

"Yes. After the death of the empress, his father took the youngest Nine Emperor brother Li Zhi and the younger imperial sister and son born to the empress with him and raised them personally. This pro-honor guard, to put it bluntly, is actually the personal nurse of the father. Li Ke said, "Mu Bai, these days, I have seen you practicing martial arts crazily, and at first I thought you were on a whim. After attending this family banquet yesterday, I realized that you are preparing for being selected for this pro-honor guard, right? ”

"Yes." At this point, Qin Mubai didn't want to hide it anymore, and said frankly, "My father has already registered me, and I am more interested in this matter." ”

"Very good, very honest." Li Ke nodded with a smile and said, "Good birds choose trees to perch, if I were you, I would do the same." ”

Qin Mubai frowned slightly: "Is Your Highness blaming me?" ”

"No, absolutely not." Li Ke waved his hand and said, "If I have a grudge against you in my heart, I will never call you here today and tell you about this matter openly and honestly." To tell you the truth, I have always thought that you are a rare talent, and it is really condescending to stay in my backwater palace like a small lieutenant in King Wu's mansion. What if I promote you to the rank of the Five Rank Army? Trapped in my palace, you rarely have any great benefits. Since I regard you as a brother, I hope you can have a good way out. I wouldn't be so selfish as to keep you by my side and be an insignificant petty sesame official. ”

"Your Highness can have such a heart, it really makes me both grateful and ashamed." Qin Mubai bowed his hand.

"It's nothing, it should be." Li Ke smiled calmly and said, "After I was demoted back this time, many of my former friends hid away from me and treated me Li Ke as a plague god. In the past, some court ministers who were good to me also stayed away from me, as if I, Li Ke, would really let their wives and families be separated. I don't blame them, though. I know that now I am a thorn in the side of the crown prince and the king of Wei, and no matter how low-key I am, they all think of me. My Wu Wangfu looks like a pool of stagnant water on the surface, but in fact it is a turbulent undercurrent. Mu Bai, do you know how many princes and King Wei's eyeliner are in my mansion? ”

"And this kind of thing? Then why didn't His Highness find a way to get these people out? Qin Mubai couldn't help frowning, he hadn't been in contact with the prince and King Wei yet, and it was indeed the first time he had heard of such a thing.

"What are you going to do with it? They like to stay here, so let them stay. Li Ke smiled indifferently and said, "I don't have anything to look out for, and I don't have anything to worry about." On the contrary, if I drive these people away, it will make the crown prince and the king of Wei even more suspicious. Maybe I want to figure out what is wrong again, and go to my father to sue me. ”

"In this way, His Highness is indeed wise." Qin Mubai said, thinking: This is the first time Li Ke has told me about the contradictions between him and the crown prince and the king of Wei. Although there is only one scaly claw, it is enough to see that the party struggle above the court has infiltrated every corner.

"You are the son of Qin Shubao, and you were the one who was raised by your father at the beginning. Although I am an official in the palace of King Wu, I have never regarded you as my subordinate, in fact, you should always be the emperor's person. Li Ke smiled and said, "Do you still remember the scene when the emperor wanted to confer your official position in your house?" I was just pushing the boat for a personal favor. You should have jumped out of King Wu's Mansion and become an official by your father's side. ”

"His Highness said so, then there is nothing to say below." Qin Mubai arched his hand and said, "No matter what, I am very grateful for His Highness's promotion and kindness. ”

"It's all clichés, and I don't like it." Li Ke waved his hand and said, "You and I, as well as Sister Shuang'er, have all played together since childhood. Although I have grown up and gone our separate ways, my friendship with you is still there. You may not feel what a prince is like. True camaraderie is very rare for us. Friendship, love, and even family affection are all indifferent and scarce in power struggles, and sometimes seem more like a sarcastic joke. Mu Bai, tell you frankly! I love Frost and I've always wanted to marry her. But I also know that if I marry her, I may harm her, or even your Qin family. Now, the crown prince and the king of Wei are incompatible with me, I really don't know where I offended them, I am very helpless and helpless. During this time, I thought carefully about each other, love each other, but it doesn't have to be together. I used to try hard to marry Frost, but now I've changed my mind. ”

"What did you think?" Qin Mubai asked.

"Friendship is unparalleled, and true love is rare." Li Ke shook his head and said with a light smile, "When you really love someone, you will really want her to live well, and that's enough." Instead of necessarily keeping her by your side and owning her. ”

Qin Mubai was silent, this Li Ke is indeed an amorous seed and a man of temperament.

"For you Qin Mubai, although our identities are very different, I have always regarded you as my good friend, not a subordinate or a slave." Li Ke said, "Since you are friends, then I hope you can live a better life." It is a great thing to leave the palace of King Wu and go to the emperor's side to take office. I'm sticking with you. ”

"......" Qin Mubai was silent for a long time, frowned slightly, and said, "Your Highness, what about you?" ”

"I'll be fine." Li Ke smiled slightly and said, "Although the crown prince and the king of Wei are bent on targeting me, I will not give them any leverage. I'm just a prince, and if you want to say that you want to compete for the heir, you can't get my turn. All I want now is to be a prince of peace, enjoy wealth and prosperity, and have enough wishes. After a long time, they will know that I will not pose any threat to them, so it will be fine. ”

Qin Mubai shook his head, speechless. Li Ke's words, not to mention whether they were sincere or false, but the fact is that he did never make any moves against the crown prince and the king of Wei, and directly expressed any obvious ambitions in competing for the throne. The crown prince and the king of Wei were bent on targeting him, nothing more than because he was too capable, and he was a potential threat because he was so capable and all-round in civil and military affairs.

If being able is also a mistake, then Li Ke is indeed guilty and deserves death.

But this is not necessarily too ironic!

"I have few friends, and I have always cherished them, and Mu Bai is one of them." Li Ke raised his teacup, "Come, replace wine with tea, I'll give you a ride." Good birds choose trees to perch, I hope you can prosper after you leave the palace! ”

"Your Highness!" Qin Mubai raised his glass to meet him and clinked glasses with him, and drank dry tea in one gulp, but it was quite unpleasant in his heart.

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