Liu Shuang followed the strange man from Qingqianmen all the way to the north, and ran along Qingyun Street to the palace.

If the city is the heart of Dachen, then Qingqianmen is the most solid guard of the heart. Although it is called a gate, the huge walls that are so tall and majestic that they look like mountains make people even feel intimidated. On the forehead of the door, the three dark golden characters of "Qingqianmen" carry the majestic spirit that is about to come out, revealing the fierce wind bones of Liu Lianggong, a calligrapher a hundred years ago.

The thickness of the magnificent Qingqian Gate is almost 100 feet, and dozens of horses can be accommodated side by side on the city wall. And such a strong city wall that is several feet high and 100 feet thick has been surrounding the city all the time, forming an impregnable defense system.

Although it was a spring day, and the sun was still shining, the uniformed sergeants guarding the gate were still extremely strict, and they did not dare to relax for half a minute, and they did not slack off in checking the business travelers entering the city.

Passing through the wide palace-like Qingqian Gate, the gate was flanked by heroic soldiers, their soldiers swaying with a deterrent that could not be desecrated.

Passing through the front door, what catches your eye is the straight and smooth Qingyun Street that is paved with blue bluestone, hundreds of feet wide, as the central street of Nanshi, the street is always bustling, hawkers, pawns, civilians, children, young ladies, plays, scholars are endless, pedestrians are also all-encompassing, and many of them have never seen before are also very luxurious. It is obviously a characteristic costume from the five ethnic groups. On both sides of the street, there are a variety of products from all over Jingyue, and there are no surprises.

From a distance, the solemn and mighty forbidden palace can still be seen, and the wide bluestone platform in front of the forbidden palace is the Qingyuntai that is famous all over the world, "please go straight to Qingyuntai, and the prince will not know".

Although he had long heard that Jiancheng was the heart of Dongchen, and he had been here with Chu Qingqing earlier, Liu Shuang was still dazzled by such a prosperous and magnificent scene.

"Liu Gongzi, please come here." The middle-aged man who called himself Li Jue respectfully led the way ahead.

In the morning, this young man in a green shirt who looked like a scribe, with the seal sword of Marquis Xiao and claimed to be the chief administrator of the Anguo Mansion, actually came to the Shenzhu Division to respectfully ask Liu Shuang, saying that it was Marquis Xiao who invited him to meet.

"Why does Master Hou want to see me?" Liu Shuang had a bad premonition, at this juncture, before he had time to secretly investigate An Guogong, he was actually approached by the other party on his own initiative, could it be that the matter was exposed?

"My son Xiao has been attacking the Duke of Anguo since the beginning of last year, and he is for the Marquis of Xiao." Li Jue explained with a smile, but did not directly answer Liu Shuang's question.

"So, Marquis Xiao knows me?" Liu Shuang couldn't help but be curious, although An Guogong would blatantly invite him to the Divine Capture Division immediately, then he would definitely not harm him at such a time.

"Liu Gongzi may not remember Li, but Li has always remembered Gongzi, Li Jue heard Hou Ye say that Liu Gongzi used to be called Hou Ye Xiao's eldest brother." With a template smile on his face, Li Jue gently spit out such a sentence.

"Brother Xiao......" Liu Shuang's eyes widened when he heard this name, his face was full of disbelief, and he even stopped his steps, as if he had heard an incredible strange talk.

That familiar name is the big brother who he and Yuan Bao have spent more than ten years in Chengyin Temple, playing from childhood to adulthood!

Among the many pilgrims in Chengyin Temple, there are also many children and grandchildren of dignitaries, in order to seek peace, they will stay in the temple when they are young, burn incense and chant Buddha every day, and ask for a pious Buddha.

And among them, there is the big brother Xiao who is four years older than him.

Compared with other noble sons and young ladies Jiao, Brother Xiao is such a different person, although he wears silk and satin every time he comes, but he always dislikes those clothes that get in the way, he must change the coarse linen clothes in the temple, carry water and chop wood with the novices, walk the dog and the cat with himself and the ingots, and sweep the fallen leaves.

Although he only lives in the temple for three or five months every year, every time Brother Xiao comes, Yuan Bao will be very happy. With the company of Brother Xiao, the stories he told him about the mountain, and the people under the mountain, Liu Shuang felt fresh and interesting.

So Liu Shuang called him Brother Xiao.

Yuan Bao called him Brother Xiao.

His name was Liu Shuang Xiaoshuang.

It's called the ingot girl.

originally thought that Brother Xiao was just an ordinary son-in-law, but he never thought that such a big brother who ran crazy with him was actually Marquis Xiao of Dachen's Anguo!

Unconsciously, a majestic mansion stood in front of Liu Shuang's eyes, and the four big characters on the door were strong and powerful: Anguo Mansion. It is much more magnificent than the mansion of Lord Gongsun of the Ministry of War. The gilded roof, the vermilion gate, and the stone lions stand on both sides with the momentum of shocking all things. The guards stood on either side, holding halberds to guard the mansion. And behind each of the guards, there was also a pole and a huge parasol, which shielded the guards from all the annoying sunlight.

Liu Shuang recognized the attire of those guards, which was unique to the forbidden army.

"Here, Gongzi Liu, this is the Anguo Mansion, and the Hou Ye has already prepared a reception wine for the son." Li Jue bowed down and invited.

"Thank you, Brother Li." Liu Shuang came back to his senses and thanked him.

As he spoke, the vermilion door slowly opened, and the young man in the light robe walked out of it.

The man's eyebrows were higher than the peaks, his eyes were like stars, his long black hair was tied up like a waterfall and flowed behind him, a purple Yunxiang Fu narrow-sleeved long shirt, a white jade ribbon around his waist, and a vermilion glazed jade pendant.

On the side of the man is a young girl, combed with a peach heart bun, a hibiscus bead hairpin obliquely inserted between the black hair, two curved eyebrows like a crescent moon, Qiong's nose is slightly upturned, the nose is slightly flashing, and the cherry lips are round. Dressed in a pink soft smoke shirt, with a pleated skirt of scattered flowers and mist and green grass, she is really like a goddess.

The two of them walked out of the Zhu Gate, like heavenly beings.

"Master Hou, county lord." Li Jue stepped forward and bowed.

An Guogong Xiao He walked down the steps, hugged Liu Shuang, who was still in a daze, stroked the top of Liu Shuang's head like a younger brother, and said: "Xiaoshuang hasn't seen you for three years, but she has grown taller!" ”

"Brother Xiao!" Seeing the old man who had not been seen for a long time, and although the other party was the dignity of the Hou Ye, he did not treat himself as someone else at all, Liu Shuang also called the familiar and strange man in front of him with a look of doubt and disbelief.

"Brother Xiao deceived me so hard!" Liu Shuang was still angry, and said with his arms clasped to his chest.

"Hahaha, how can I be, I also inherited the title last year, this inherited the title is different, I can't leave the royal capital casually, I haven't been able to see you, now it's okay, Xiaoshuang is here in the royal capital, don't go!" Xiao He laughed heartily.

"Come, I'll introduce you." Xiao Xiaohou Ye motioned to the jade-like woman behind him: "This is the master disciple of the Wisdom Master, Liu Shuang." This is my sister, Xiao Ru, the county lord of Mingxiu. ”

"I've seen the county lord." Liu Shuang arched his hand, he couldn't lose his courtesy, and he couldn't be too polite.

"I've seen Liu Gongzi." Xiao Ru bowed.

"Come, come in and talk, we will all be a family in the future, haha!" Xiao Xiaohou Ye led Liu Shuang into the Zhu Gate.

In the crowd of pedestrians outside the door, a small man with a black hood quietly disappeared around the corner.

The Anguo Mansion is truly extraordinary.

Compared with the barren Ningguo Mansion last night, this Anguo Mansion is not that decadent at all. The high courtyard wall, the green green trees, the building is even more colorful, carved beams and paintings, every pillar is carved with complex and beautiful patterns, and every tile is shining with dazzling light. The imperial capital is different!

Liu Shuang was attracted by the faint fragrance wafting around in the mansion, and when he looked closely, there were incense burners burning in many places, and the refreshing fragrance was emanating from the incense burner, and the fragrance was particularly misty in the evening sun, with a mysterious atmosphere.

When they came to the dining hall, the three of them sat opposite each other, as if they had been friends for many years. And in fact, it is indeed an old friend for many years. Counting up, Xiao He has been worshiping the Buddha in Chengyin Temple for three or five months every year, and he only stayed in the house to take care of him when his father was weak, even so, he has known the younger brother in front of him for seven or eight years.

After the three of them sat down, the people rushed in, each holding a delicious meal or a jade cup of wine, displayed on the table, and then stood beside him.

The two men seemed to have endless words, Xiao Ru didn't interject, smiling and watching her brother talk happily with the long-lost old man.

"Come, Xiaoshuang has worked hard all the way from Lizhou!" Xiao He raised his wine glass and drank it all.

This is a high-grade cloud wine produced in the Yunshui Valley of the Southern Tang Dynasty, with a mellow taste but not intoxicating, which is most suitable for friends to drink.

Liu Shuang picked up the wine glass, and the scholar Xiao He drank it all, and the bitter and spicy taste made Liu Shuang cough.

Seeing that Liu Shuang was still not used to drinking, Xiao He waved his hand, and the subordinate respectfully changed the tea cup for Liu Shuang.

Xiao Ru looked at the tiny details and tacit understanding between the two and smiled.

"How's the master?" Xiao He gave Liu Shuang the best hibiscus crisp, "Try this." ”

"Master is very good, when we went down the mountain, we also mentioned Brother Xiao, I haven't seen you in the past few years, and I always sigh." Hibiscus crisp melts in your mouth and is sweet and delicious.

"It's a pity that the girl didn't go down the mountain with you!" Xiao He is heart and soul miss that playful little girl, always with short hair like a monk, just like a tomboy, whenever he thinks of ingots, Xiao He always shows a doting smile.

"Master said that the ingots should stay on the mountain to practice." Liu Shuang also misses the girl who has been by his side, and it has been more than a year since he went down the mountain, and he has lost a little follower like a fart, and Liu Shuang was quite unaccustomed to it at the beginning.

"At that time, the three of us had a headache all day long, so he wanted to drive us away, and when I really wanted to go down the mountain a year ago, the master and his old man were reluctant to hold my hand!" Facing his old friend for many years, Liu Shuang chuckled, turned his expression away, and sighed, "If only Brother Xiao could go back, Master would be very happy." ”

"Hey, I can't help myself!" Xiao He sighed, "I can only wait for you to go back to the mountain to greet the master on my behalf in a few days." ”

"After Brother Xiao left, I didn't think about the rhubarb tea and rice for several days!" Liu Shuang shook the crystal cup in his hand and looked at it curiously.

"Hmph, that broken dog is still trying to bite me!" Xiao He pretended to be annoyed, with a gentle smile on his face.

"Hehe, Rhubarb, that's thinking about Brother Xiao!" Liu Shuang remembered that the rhubarb in the backyard was chasing Brother Xiao all day long, and he couldn't help but smile and lean back.

"If you hadn't protected it, I would have stewed him a long time ago!"

"Amitabha, the pure place of Buddhism, do not kill!" Liu Shuang imitated the master's tone and "persuaded" Xiao He is.

"I don't know who secretly fed the rhubarb in the winter!" Liu Shuang changed hands and revealed Xiao He's shortcomings.

"Expose Brother Xiao's shortcomings again! Now I'm a person with a sister, I'm not afraid of you! Xiao He is pulling Xiao Ruzhuang's momentum.

"My brother is very happy in Chengyin Temple, but my sister hasn't heard you say it!" Xiao Ru could see the joy on her brother's face, made up for it, covered her mouth and smiled.

"Okay, you're laughing at my brother too, aren't you?" Xiao He turned his face away and pretended to be angry.

The jade plate is delicacious, the chips are staggered, the old friends are reunited, Liu Shuang replaces the wine with tea, Xiao Xiaohou Ye drank a lot of cloud wine, fortunately, the cloud wine is not intoxicating, Xiao Ru is not willing to mix with the reunion of the two men, and went down early to rest.

"Brother Xiao, how do you know that I came to the royal capital?" The servants left early, and there were only two men in the dining hall who had reunited after a long absence.

"Brother Xiao is imprisoned in this mansion, bitter!" Xiao He drank the wine, felt a little drunk, held Liu Shuang's arm, his eyes began to blur, and in the face of his old friend for many years, he couldn't help but confide in his heart.

Although he couldn't put himself in Brother Xiao's shoes, Liu Shuang was still silent when he saw Brother Xiao, who was always smiling, showing such a look.

I have long known that since the time of King Zhaowen, after the Duke of Zhenguo, Duke Anguo, and Duke Ning Guogong were cut in power, they were like a canary, they were kept in captivity in the Guogong Mansion, and comforted the great achievements of the founding of the country with worry-free treatment of food and clothing, and also used such an ending to warn all subjects.

"I'm sorry, Xiaoshuang, Brother Xiao lost his word." Xiao He woke up from his depression, sorted out his spirits, and said, "It's Li Jue, I can't go out at will, I can only send Li Jue to keep an eye on all the movements in the royal capital." He used to follow me in Chengyin Temple, but Xiaoshuang didn't pay attention. ”

No wonder Li Jue said that he always remembered himself, it turned out that he had seen himself when he was in Chengyin Temple.

"Brother Xiao, it's okay." Liu Shuang sighed and shook his head, but he didn't know how to be relieved, it turned out that everyone has their own shackles, but some people are hiding bottomless.

"I heard that you entered the Divine Capture Division." Xiao He is bitter color, such a good reunion day, he is too disappointing as a big brother like this, "Congratulations!" ”

"Brother Xiao also knows about the recent murders of three important ministers." Liu Shuang felt a little embarrassed by himself, because he happened to investigate An Guogong, but he never expected that An Guogong was his eldest brother Xiao, so now, should he suspect Xiao Heyi?

"Of course, is there any difficulty with Xiaoshuang?" Xiao He could see the embarrassment on Liu Shuang's face, and straightened his clothes and sat firmly.

"Don't hide it from Brother Xiao, I found condensation balsam in the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Industry." Liu Shuang hesitated slightly, and said categorically, what he hesitated was whether An Guogong should also be involved in this matter.

"Xiaoshuang has really grown up!" Xiao He naturally knew what Liu Shuang was worried about in his short hesitation, and he looked at Liu Shuang, who was four years younger than him and was now just over twenty years old, and said with relief.

"Don't worry, although Brother Xiao has no power or power, there are few people who know more about these secret anecdotes than you, Brother Xiao." Xiao He patted his chest and guaranteed his confidence.

"I secretly inspected the Ningguo Mansion last night." Liu Shuangyuan said to his brother Xiao originally.

"What's the catch?" Xiao He asked with a frown.

Liu Shuang shook his head and indicated the result.

"Wang Wenzhou, I don't think he has such guts." Xiao He is rare to face his old friend, and he is glad that this younger brother now has the talent to take charge of himself, and he knows everything.

"Brother Xiao, do you know that how many of the seven princes of the country had balsam?" Liu Shuang didn't hide it, he chose to believe the big brother in front of him who had known each other for more than ten years.

In the dining hall, the air suddenly became solid, because Xiao He is calm words:

"It's just me."