"Master, you have traveled for many years just to survey the terrain and mineral deposits, and draw this map?" I disagreed, "Since Master lives in seclusion in the mountains and forests, he should no longer take care of foreign affairs, why should he take the risk of drawing a map of the world and the earth, don't you know that this will attract the covetousness of careerists and invite great disasters?" ”

The master's face always showed a kind of firmness, "The ambition of the world is not done by the master alone, but the painstaking efforts of the ancestors of several generations of the Heavenly Machine, and it is the last wish of the master, and it must be completed for the teacher." ”

"Heavenly Mechanic?"

Mr. Shuijing, the ancestor of the Heavenly Mechanic, was founded in Yuxi Mountain, Mr. Shuijing was accustomed to the royal family's dumping and fighting, intrigue, and had prejudices against the imperial court, and had a world-weary heart, so he lived in seclusion in Yuxi Mountain, and did not want to lose his education to the world, so he accepted the apprentices and set up the rules. Very few people know that hundreds of years ago, Zhuge Kongming, the famous prime minister of Shu State, had studied under Mr. Shui Jing, Zhuge Kongming was good at Tao strategy, calculated no last resort, knew the heavens and the earth, was proficient in the art of war, and strategized, and has always been regarded as the embodiment of wisdom by later generations. But later, Zhuge Kongming was also expelled from the division because of his entry into the division, which was not recognized by the division, and was ordered not to disclose the division. For hundreds of years, the disciples of the Heavenly Mechanic Master have adhered to the rules of the door, or as a doctor, traveling all over the world to save people from illness; or for Mr. Private School, educating children; or as a sorcerer, divining for others, and avoiding disasters. No one worked for the imperial court, and it was passed down to the master's generation, and there was a change.

The next disciple, because of jealousy of the master's preference for the eldest disciple, ran down the mountain in a fit of anger and told the secret hidden by the Heavenly Mechanic for a hundred years to the Nanliang royal family at that time, and the Heavenly Mechanic suffered a catastrophe. The master was also ruined by this family and was hunted down and killed by the Nanliang royal family.

"What's the secret?"

"It is said that the ancestor had the world in his mind, but he suffered from the troubled times and had no clear ruler to support, so he had to hide from the world. But he was good at celestial divination, and before his death, he had calculated that after more than 300 years, the emperor star descended into the world, and there was a king in the world, ruling the troubled times and disputes, and creating the world with holy virtue. He secretly instructed his disciples to write a plan for the world and the earth, and after 300 years, find the master of the Ming Dynasty, help him unify the world, and save the people from fire and water. The disciples of the Heavenly Machine Master inherited his master's order, and several generations of heads traveled the world, visited the famous rivers and mountains, and the important places of the soldiers, surveyed the mineral deposits, collected the painstaking efforts of several generations of ancestors, and worked hard to write this amazing map of the world and the earth without ancient and modern times. ”

The Nanliang royal family wanted to get this map of the map, but the master denied it to death, which angered the Nanliang royal family and caused the disaster of annihilation.

After listening to Master's narration, I was half confused and said, "Master has never told me this. ”

Master sighed softly, "In the past, I didn't want you to get involved in these things, but now you are involved in it or not. ”

At this time, the maple leaves of the stove "snapped" and burned, and the sparks "sizzled", bringing up a thin column of blue smoke, soft and unfathomable, and the smoke blurred people's eyes.

——

In the Yilan Palace, it was silent and suffocating.

"Qing'er, you didn't talk to me all the way, and you didn't look at me, what's wrong?" Chen Qian gently touched my face with one hand, and couldn't help it.

I still cast my eyes elsewhere and said coldly, "When did Your Majesty know about my relationship with Master?" ”

Chen Qian's hand froze, thought about it, and finally said, "Once, Zuo Qing was sick and delirious, and he called your name." ”

"No wonder Your Majesty has been refusing to let me go, it turns out that it's not just because of Yu Wenyong." I laughed to myself, and my tone was heavier, "It's more because of my master." ”

First mistook me for Yu Wenyong's lover and used me to contain Yu Wenyong, and then found out that I was actually the apprentice of the head of the Tianji Master who held the Tianxia Zhitu Heavenly Machine, and thought that I was a strange commodity to live in and more useful, so he was so resolute and used such extreme means to make me his person. I really thought he liked me a little, but in the end, it was still a use.

"Even if there is no Yuwen Yong, there is no Zuo Qing." Chen Qian looked at me steadily, increased the strength of his hand, held my face, and forced me to turn to him, "I will never let you go." ”

I was unmoved, and looked at him coldly, "Your Majesty, what do you want from Master through me?" ”

Chen Qian was a little panicked and looked at me nervously, "It's not like this, maybe I once had such thoughts, but ......" Chen Qian paused for a moment, and finally said firmly, "You have to believe that I am sincere to you." ”

"Really?" I smiled sarcastically, "Your Majesty doesn't have to be wronged to say this, what Your Majesty wants, just tell Qingqiang well." ”

Chen Qian looked at me nervously, and when he saw my cold face, his eyes slowly sank, and his eyes narrowed dangerously, "You have always looked at me like this?" No matter what I did, no matter how much effort I put into it, you turned a blind eye, because you didn't have me in your heart at all. ”

"You can use me however you want, but don't beat my master's idea, or ......" I gritted my teeth and stared at him like a torch.

"What else would you do?" Chen Qian's cool voice trembled slightly.

I replied fiercely, "I'll fight with you!" ”

Chen Qian was stunned for a moment, and suddenly smiled, "You are really your master's good apprentice, and you will not hesitate to fight with me for him." He's so much more important than me, I'm nothing, I'm nothing in your eyes. ”

Chen Qian let go of his hand, with a little sadness in his eyebrows, "Are you sure that I am using you?" I'm so unbearable in your eyes?. ”

"Oh, why should I care about your opinion, you can think whatever you want."

I turned my face away, unwilling to look at him again, until he left, I turned my head silently, and let out a sad sigh, like a glass of wine, a wave of heart, falling slightly.

That day, I turned my face with Chen Qian on impulse, Chen Qian never took me to see the master again, without Chen Qian's consent, I couldn't get a step close to the Yihe Palace, I couldn't help but regret in my heart, I really shouldn't be angry and annoy Chen Qian. So he simmered a bowl of nourishing decoction and went to the imperial study to please him, and spoke softly, but only in exchange for Chen Qian's cold ridicule.

Coming out of the imperial study, I walked to the rockery in Hualin Garden, and suddenly stretched out a hand, grabbed my wrist and dragged me, and the wind dragged me into the overlapping rockery.

"Lord Wang!" Qing Lan, who was following behind, exclaimed, and I saw Chen Ji's eyes as dark as night.

Chen Ji motioned to Qinglan, "This king has something to discuss with Hua Shurong, you go out and watch first." ”

Qinglan obediently retreated, and before I could speak, he heard Chen Ji ask: "I got a piece of news, the imperial brother has taken you to the Yihe Palace, but is it true?" ”

"It's true."

Chen Ji pondered suspiciously, "The people in the Yihe Palace, the stakes are very important, and the imperial brother is extremely guarded, how can he take you there?" ”

"If it's really like what the prince said, Qingqiang is also strange, why did Your Majesty take me somewhere, isn't he afraid of secrets being leaked?" My bright eyes turned to Chen Ji, "Now that the matter is over, the prince might as well be honest with me, maybe Qingqiang can still help the prince?" ”

Chen's eyes flowed quietly on me like water, and he looked at me carefully, as if he was considering whether to tell me or not. Then I realized that his hand was still tightly gripping mine, and the two of them were so close that they could smell each other's long, thin breathing. The breath, like a soft white feather, gently fell on the face, tickling.

Chen Ji also noticed it, and hurriedly let go of my book, leaned back, distanced himself, and apologized embarrassedly with a slightly red face, "I'm sorry, I offended." ”

I didn't dwell on this topic, but asked, "Lord Wang, you and I cooperate, why do you need to hide it anymore?" What can't be told to me, what are the secrets of the people of the Jardine Palace? If you don't be honest with each other, how can I cooperate and how can I help you?! ”

Chen Ji's eyelashes moved, and he said quietly: "Since you have fallen into it, then I will tell you." ”

"Zuo Qingtian is a genius, resourceful and decisive, astronomical and geographical, good at mathematics, well-read and strong, all the books of Tao Luo Dunjia, all of them know, he is proficient in medical science, and also cultivates calligraphy and painting, and his attainments are extremely high. Chen Ji praised Master's talent and said solemnly, "The most important thing is that he holds the Ambition of the World and the Earth that everyone in the position of power covets and fears. ”

After years of investigation, Chen Qian learned the whereabouts of his master, and sent someone to arrest him and imprison him, using both soft and hard methods in an attempt to force his master to submit.

Chen Ji said: "I don't know how many people in this world covet this world's chronicles, and the fine work named Lan Yao is here for this." The imperial brother knew that there was a Zhou State hidden in the palace, and he was trying to find out all the hidden works in the palace, and he was even more strict against the affairs of the Jardine Palace. He is willing to let you contact Zuo Qing, there must be a purpose. ”

"Whatever the purpose of the imperial brother, you must be careful. During this time, we will not meet again, you can find Qinglan if you have any questions. Chen Ji suddenly turned his gaze to me, and a faint layer of worry appeared in the center of his eyes.

"We won't meet......," I asked, "does the prince have something important to do?" ”

"Dongyang Taishou left the rebels, and the imperial brother has ordered to send Hou Andu to the southwest with me to quell the turmoil, and the journey will be on the same day. I haven't been there for a year and a half and can't come back, you have to be careful in the palace alone. Chen Ji's dark eyes stared at me, staring at an indescribable concern.

I raised my eyes and smiled, "Don't worry, Qingqiang will take care of herself." It's you, the prince, on the battlefield, the sword has no eyes, you have to be careful. ”

Chen Ji's eyes brightened up in an instant, like a jade streamer, and even my eyes were reflected in brilliance, "Is this concerned about me?" ”

I was a little embarrassed by him, and turned my head sideways, "Of course, Qingqiang will chant and pray for the prince, may the prince win the victory as soon as possible and return safely." ”

Chen Ji smiled unconsciously, and the whole person was like a pearl and jade, shining brightly, "I will definitely return safely." ”

Exegesis:

(1) The title comes from Wei Jin Zuosi's "Yongshi" "Lush Streams and Bottom Pines"