Zhu Yunwen's mood has been very bad recently because of King Yan's rebellion, and he has been sleepless all night. Shen Ruoyu began to get busier and busier, not only did he rarely go home for dinner, but he also had to be on duty in the palace for several nights in a row to accompany the frightened Son of Heaven. Occasionally, when I was free, I was invited by Fang Xiaoru to my home for dinner and discussed some government issues together.

The Son of Heaven now trusts the imperial guard around him more and more, and more often he likes Shen Ruoliao to chat and walk with him, rather than his wife and children. When Shen Ruoyu talked to him, he always used that kind of equal and heart-to-heart tone, although he also called His Majesty the Emperor from time to time, it sounded as cordial as calling his own nickname, and he often expressed his criticism and sarcasm to the emperor mercilessly; There will never be a second person in the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty who dares to talk to the Son of Heaven like this. But Zhu Yunwen fell in love with Shen Ruoyu's special tone, and even said to him once:

"It's only when I'm alone with you that I feel like I'm alive and being treated like a real person by you."

The Son of Heaven trusted this close guard, and the queen mother naturally couldn't say anything. And Queen Ma was still wary of Shen Ruoliao at the beginning, but now it has completely disappeared, often the little prince Zhu Wenkui is noisy to play with Shen guards, as long as Zhu Yunwen agrees, Queen Ma will rest assured that her son will be handed over to Shen Ruoliao. He likes to carry Zhu Wenkui around in the rockery of the imperial garden, or even take the little prince out of the palace and play on the street. Queen Ma has never resolutely refused to let her son eat anything in the palace, and Shen Ruoyu often takes Zhu Wenkui to steal meat outside; Sitting on a roadside stall and eating a bowl of duck soup vermicelli, and then holding a candy man and licking it all the way like other children, it is the happiest show for the lonely little prince.

It was very late that day, and Shen Ruoliao returned home. As soon as he entered the house, he heard Nangong Qiu's happy laughter coming from the house. He was a little surprised. These days, he has become busier and busier, rarely going home, and Qiu'er's laughter has become less and less. He hadn't heard such a happy laugh in a long time.

He walked to the door of the house, and as soon as the sound of "Qiu'er" reached his mouth, he swallowed half of it again.

Hong Jiang was sitting at the table and talking and laughing with Nangong Qiu. Seeing him come in, Nangong Qiu immediately reined in and said a little shyly:

"Ruoxiao, who do you see coming?"

Hong Jiang stood up, a little embarrassed, but still smiled: "I'm here, Brother Ruoyu." ”

Shen Ruoyu couldn't help but turn his head and walked out. Hong Jiang immediately grabbed him and shouted:

"Hey-don't get me wrong, I've just arrived in Yingtian, and besides, I'm not here to rob Qiu'er, I'm here to apologize to you."

Shen Ruoyu thought about it, looked back at him, and asked arrogantly, "Apologize to me?" What have you done to me? ”

Hong Jiang said sincerely: "When I was away, my mother was very lonely, and I should be grateful to you for taking care of her and doing my filial piety for me." But I didn't know what to do, so I drove you away and fought with you. I was jealous that you had the county lord by my side, and I was afraid that you would rob my mother, so I was dizzy, don't take it to heart. ”

"Of course not," Shen Ruoyu couldn't help but feel a tingling in his heart, full of gunpowder: "Thank you for reminding me to remember that I killed my own mother." ”

Hong Jiang said guiltily: "I'm sorry, I was also in a faint moment, it was all taught to me by the master......"

"So, this time, it was your master who instructed you to come to Yingtian? What did he calculate? ”

Hong Jiang said in a low voice: "Don't mention it; I fell out with him. ”

Shen Ruoyu was slightly taken aback. "Falling out? Are you with Tan Wuying? ”

"Actually, I can't say," Hong Jiang looked at the ground uneasily, glancing at Nangong Qiu from time to time. "But I had a very stiff fight with him, I thought he was too much of me, and he also got angry, scolded me for being a white-eyed wolf, and told me to get out. So I got out. I don't know what to do in the future yet. ”

"You're gone, what about your mother? She's a person again. ”

Hong Jiang sighed: "Maybe it's also because I left home since I was a child, and my concept of home is actually very indifferent now, and I can't stand to do nothing in one place, just stay idle for a long time." But at home you will always be like that. ”

Shen Ruoyu said coldly: "I left my aunt to you to take care of, so you took care of her like this?" Why did your son go all the way back to Beiping, just to drive me away? ”

Hong Jiang was a little upset: "Don't say that, I didn't mean it at the time." I grew up in Kunlun Mountain, except for the master, basically never saw the second person, and then out of the mountain, I felt that my martial arts were high, and I had never met an opponent. As a result, I didn't expect to be defeated by you, the girl I love has already followed you again, and when I see that my mother also likes you, I feel that I have nothing, and everything has been snatched away by you, so I will be jealous and angry and fight with you. Now I know that I can't blame you, I can only blame myself, I thought of Ying Tian to come to you, but Master didn't do it, we were in a stalemate for two days, he became more and more angry, no one could convince anyone, and finally turned his face. I came over, and the people on the streets of the capital are rumoring that you and the county lord are saying that you are a big celebrity around today, so it is easy to find out where you live, so I came directly, but I didn't expect you to be there. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to rob the county lord, I hope you can be a good brother with you, regardless of your past suspicions. ”

Shen Ruoyu saw that he was very sincere, and he lost his temper. He asked:

"Where do you live? What do you plan to do in the future? ”

"I haven't thought about it yet," Hong Jiang hesitated, "I don't know where to stay, it's my first time in the capital." ”

"How much money do you have?"

Hong Jiang blushed: "Basically, no, the money is all in the hands of the master." ”

Nangong Qiu said timidly on the side: "Ruo Yu, since this is the case, it is better to invite Brother Hong to live in our house." ”

Shen Ruoyu knew that she would definitely ask for this. He said to Hong Jiang:

"You come outside with me, and I'll talk to you alone."

He turned around and walked out of the house, Hong Jiang followed him, out of the alley, came to Sanshan Street, and entered an elegant small teahouse. Shen Ruoyu went up to the second floor, picked up a table by the window and sat down, gave a small twenty or fifty small bills, and ordered a pot of New Year's Gwangju tea. He was wearing a neat and beautiful light-colored round-necked hakama shirt, which was open to the waist, and the hem hung down to the ankles. The little two in the teahouse recognized him when they met, and it was obviously not the first time he had received this distinguished guest; Hong Jiang only felt that he was eclipsed by his side.

Xiao Er poured tea for the two of them and served two plates of dim sum. Shen Ruoyu tasted half a cup of tea before finally speaking:

"You don't have a penny on you, you're out there alone, do you know you're going to starve to death?"

Hong Jiang said: "I think, I should always have a way to support myself, if I always rely on the master, then I will have to be under his restraint for the rest of my life." ”

"It seems that you have endured it for many years," Shen Ruoyu smiled lightly, "but now you must solve this problem immediately, that is, how do you live." It's not impossible for you to live in my house, but you embarrass me, you have made it clear that you want to get Qiu'er, I am busy outside all day long, leaving my rival at home to accompany my daughter-in-law, do you think I'm a little unreasonable? ”

Hong Jiang said: "I didn't say I wanted you to take me in. I'm not a girl, where is the reason for you to raise me for nothing. I do want to ask you to help me find a living, though. ”

"Where do I have that much ability?"

"Aren't you a big celebrity next to the Son of Heaven?"

Shen Ruoyu was slightly stunned; It dawned on him what it was.

He said, "If I don't, maybe I can really help you." But right now, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. ”

"Why?"

Shen Ruoyu said: "Brother, didn't you let me go through the back door for you?" ”

Hong Jiang was a little surprised and said, "This is not a difficult thing for you, is it?" ”

Shen Ruoyu said: "Let me tell you bluntly, I am just a royal guard, the commander of the Yulin Army, and I don't have the power to select personnel. The personnel decisions of the court and the army are made in the Ministry of Officials and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, and if an irrelevant person helps you find something to do, I must go to the officials of the Ministry and the Five Armies; You are just an unknown commoner, who has not done anything, and no one has heard of your talents, and suddenly you are stuffed into a position, and there is no reason why I have to use my influence around the Son of Heaven, or secretly give them some favors, in order to succeed. But this thing violates the law of the country, to put it bluntly, this is called **, do you understand? ”

Hong Jiang said: "Violating the law of the country, is it so serious? Why is it that I have heard that no one in the current government does not do this? ”

Shen Ruoyu said solemnly: "That's someone else's business." I don't do it anyway. Besides, I don't believe it, the court officials all go through the back door. I think that most of the people under the Son of Heaven are at least Qing officials, regardless of whether they have the ability or not. I've heard that the former Yuan court was indeed the best, but now it's the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Gao has been strictly rectifying the rule of officials in the past 31 years, otherwise he would not have made a big deal about the two cases of 'Guo Huan' and 'Empty Seal', killed so many people, and gained a reputation for brutality, he was just to put an end to the unhealthy trend of the imperial court; whether he was brutal or how many people were unjustly killed, you have to admit that he has received the effect, and now the official rule of the imperial court is very clear, and there must be people who are corrupt and bend the law, but they are definitely a minority. In any case, if a new dynasty that has only been established for 30 years has already been abolished as if it had been established for 300 years, then the court should also fall. In this case, everyone still needs to save their lives, and those who are already in the DPRK are desperately trying to quit, so why do you still want to go in. ”

Hong Jiang sighed. "I don't have to enter the court, I'm not like you, I don't have any opinions on government politics, and I don't have any interest; But I have to find something to do, and I can't starve myself to death. What do you think I should do? ”

"You should always have an idea of your future, right?" Shen Ruoyu asked, "What do you want to do, what do you like to do, of course you know better than me, what ideas I can give you." ”

Hong Jiang asked, "What do you want to do?" It seems that you have a very thorough plan for your life. ”

Shen Ruoyu smiled. "Who can plan the days ahead, it's not up to heaven to rely on luck. I'm just a little guard, and even if I had that heart, I wouldn't be able to do anything. I just want to help the Son of Heaven solve problems and contribute to the suppression of Yan Bing. Anyway, cannibal, I have to do my best for him. ”

Hong Jiang was a little surprised: "But, aren't you doing things for King Yan?" ”

Shen Ruoyu thought about it, looked at him, and couldn't help laughing: "If you say this in the teahouse, you can let me go to prison immediately, do you know?" Or did you do it on purpose, so that you could kidnap Qiu'er? ”

Hong Jiang was taken aback, blushed and said, "I definitely didn't mean that, I don't know." I'll just pay attention to it in the future, and I will never be so careless again. ”

Shen Ruoyu said: "Brother Hongjiang, otherwise, I think so, I will lend you a little money first, you can find an inn to live in, and then slowly find something to do." You don't have to be in a hurry, the capital is so big, there will always be a suitable place for you. Before you land, if you are short of money, you can just keep me alone. ”

Hong Jiang said: "Sure enough, he is a big celebrity around the Son of Heaven, and he is wealthy." ”

Shen Ruoxiao was slightly stunned and frowned: "If you say that again, I won't borrow you." Do you know that I have to feed my family of four and two horses? How edible Qiu'er and second-rate seeds are, you haven't seen it; I have a pitiful amount of money a month, but my expenses are so heavy that I have a headache; In addition to eating, there are also a lot of expenses that must be spent by officials of the three grades, and if they don't spend what they should spend, they will not only be despised by their colleagues, but they will also be impeached by courtiers. There are also coping with favors, as well as the necessary pomp and circumstance as a guest of honor and the county lord, as well as those things that Qiu'er likes. I'm still complaining here, it's better for you to say that I am rich? I shouldn't have done this too much and starved yourself to death. ”

Hong Jiang said: "Don't be angry, don't blame those who don't know, I really just learned that the court officials had so many unavoidable expenses." In that case, then it is even more difficult for me to borrow your money. I'd better figure it out myself. ”

Shen Ruoyu said: "It's not easy to find a way to talk about it by yourself." It's going to be hard at first, so shouldn't I be able to do you a little favor? It's not that you're incompetent, and you'll never have a way out. I think I ran to Beiping alone, it was really unaccompanied, even the only martial arts that can be used to mix rice and eat, I wandered blindly in a huge Beiping city for more than half a year, and there is no difference between a starving ghost, at that time, except for the beggar on the street corner, who wants to pay attention to my stubble? ”

"After all, you still have the ability," Hong Jiang said, "Isn't this the Shen commander who has become famous in the capital today?" ”

Shen Ruoyu muttered softly: "I'm lucky." Besides, I don't know what kind of heart the people in this capital are safe. ”

His face suddenly changed, he slammed the autumn wind, jumped up, and turned to face Jing Yuluo behind him.