Yuan Xiu had already approached, dismounted and walked slowly, with a rare calm.

Gao Cheng raised his head and only looked at Yuan Mingyue, "Say goodbye today, I don't know if we will see each other." ”

Yuan Mingyue saw Yuan Xiu not far behind him, and withdrew his gaze, looking at Gao Cheng with tears in his eyes.

"Forget about it." Gao Cheng let go of Yuan Mingyue, turned around and walked outside the pine forest, as if there was nothing in front of him.

"Stop!" Yuan Xiu walked with the sword at his waist. After all, he is the emperor, he has a fierce blood, and he can't tolerate Gao Cheng's ignorance of him. What's more, what did he just do? "She is a lonely person, and Lone has long said it." Yuan Xiu said word by word.

Yuan Mingyue no longer knew who to persuade or how to persuade her, so she could only cry.

"Is it only the princess of the plains that the Lord asks?" Gao Cheng stopped and turned to look directly at Yuan Xiu and asked rhetorically. Without waiting for Yuan Xiu to speak, he asked, "Or will the Lord only blame the monarch for his dictatorship?" ”

Yuan Xiu woke up suddenly, but he didn't speak. Even this freshly humble child who has just come of age has great ambitions, let alone him?

Gao Cheng suddenly pulled out his sword and pointed it at Yuan Xiu.

"Don't hurt the lord among the high servants." Yuan Mingyue immediately walked quickly in front of Yuan Xiu's body, her mind eager.

Yuan Xiu gently pushed Yuan Mingyue away and protected her behind him. Why be afraid of death?

"Since Lone is the son of Great Wei, why not be afraid of martyrdom." His tone was calm. witnessed the killing of the second emperor, and his heart had already stopped. He is a descendant of the Yuan clan, and his life will be used to sacrifice to the Sheji of the Great Wei. This is his destiny and his hatred. suddenly remembered Gao Changjun, and his heart was soft. If there is an afterlife......

"The Lord is not even afraid of martyrdom, why is he afraid of a powerful minister? His life has been put aside, are you still afraid of reviving the Great Wei? He slowly removed the blade of the sword and pointed at the sky with the sword, "Tianxingjian, the gentleman is constantly striving for self-improvement." If the demons in the Lord's heart are not removed, they will not be the true destiny of heaven, and the destiny will naturally return. ”

"You ......" Yuan Xiu hesitated.

Gao Cheng returned the sword into the sheath, turned around and walked out of the ancient pine forest.

Yuan Mingyue hugged Yuan Xiu on her back and cried, "I already have the blood and bones of the Lord." The Lord must not speak lightly of life and death. ”

Yuan Xiu suddenly heard the news, his heart was excited, and he turned around and hugged Yuan Mingyue tightly.

The summer in the north is long, and the south is good at that time.

The golden crow, which had been dulled by the light, slowly fell to the edge of the sky, and shrouded low in the river. The black gold color renders the surface of the river, and the river swells in waves that never retreats and beats rhythmically against the cliff bank. In the evening, the riverside is silent, and there are large high, dense reeds on the muddy bank behind the rocks. In the midst of the reeds is a modest ship, unadorned.

A tall man stepped out of the cabin and walked slowly to the bow of the ship, dressed in the afterglow of the setting sun, leaning on the railing to look south of the Yangtze River.

"Childe." The white and chubby Cui Jishu walked out of the cabin and walked to his side while calling Gao Cheng, who was independent by leaning on the railing.

Gao Cheng looked back at him. Looking at Cui Jishu's expression, it doesn't look like it's okay.

"Tell me, do you still need me to ask?" Gao Cheng looked at Cui Jishu and said impatiently.

Cui Jishu opened his mouth several times, frowned, and finally said, "Childe, it seems that someone has been following me and waiting." And...... He is also a Northlander. ”

"How do you know?" Gao Cheng asked rhetorically. He didn't look nervous at all. Who would dare to follow him? What if you dare to track it?

"I don't know......" Cui Jishu replied honestly. It was a stranger from the Northland, not a great prime minister. ”

Gao Cheng was silent. Cui Jishu's words, he believed. Although sometimes Cui Jishu's words are unfounded, he knows that Cui Jishu is a person who feels very accurate. Still not paying attention, did not speak, and took two steps away. It's getting darker, and it's getting into the night.

"Come on, it's just a boat." With that, he walked into the cabin. I have decided to go to the hinterland of this prosperous Nanliang capital.

The prosperity of Jiankang at night is only prosperous, which is different from the desolate blood of Luoyang, elegant and quiet. The hometown of poetry and ceremony, the literary atmosphere is well-known, and Jiankang City seems to have never suffered from charcoal. Even the air was quiet and peaceful. On the banks of the Qinhuai River, the smoke is shrouded in the moon, and the light songs and dances are sung; The gait by the Suzaku Bridge is dignified, and the poems are tired.

Gao Cheng had never seen such a city. Thinking about it, he was born and gradually grew up, all with his father Gao Huan fighting and fighting, not a day is not lived between the white blade blood with me and without you, and every day is not born in your life-and-death strategy. Comfort was a strange thing to him. Stopping quietly was also a new feeling for him.

The two rode strolling, gradually moving away, and no one said a word. Gao Cheng has never seen such a scene, while Cui Jishu is the old home of Shili, and he has heard a lot about the customs and customs of Jiangnan. Although he has been contaminated with the customs of the northerners for a long time in the northern Wei capital, and now that he has witnessed it with his own eyes, it is inevitable that he will miss the rumored grand occasion of Jiangnan ritual music.

The night of Jiankang is coming. The noisy capital during the day is always quiet at night, and the population gradually thins out, which makes it easier to see the true face of Jiankang. Tongdu Dayi, the shops and houses are lined up one after another, the roads are wide and accessible, and it is more wonderful to be transparent and beautiful surrounded by mountains and rivers.

"What smell? So fragrant? Gao Cheng suddenly stopped his horse and looked around.

Cui Jishu also followed the horse and looked forward. Actually, he didn't smell any strange smells.

Before the two of them knew it, they had gone up a small hill. The horse's hooves are lightly trompped, very soft, elastic, and are weeds all over the mountain. But there are few trees on the mountain, because even on a dark night you can have a good view. Not far in front is a belt of green tiles and white walls, and two closed wooden doors, like an ordinary house. The strong fragrance that Gao Cheng smelled came from here.

Gao Cheng couldn't help but dismount and walked towards the wooden door. Cui Jishu followed behind him. I couldn't stop being scared in my heart, this is Liang Du after all, not Wei Du. If someone finds out, it's hard to say what the consequences will be.

Luckily, there was no one.

Over there, Gao Cheng tried to push the wooden door, but the door was silently pushed open. There was still no one inside. Gao Cheng was even more surprised to find that there was a magnificent Buddhist temple hidden in this inconspicuous wooden door. Behind the empty square of dozens of zhang is a high platform of several zhang. The high platform is surrounded by an intricately carved fence, and a grand Buddha hall is built on the platform, which is brightly lit. The fragrance is all over the place, permeating the air, smelling it, the fragrance is in the heart and spleen, and the whole person feels as if it is fluttering in the wind, and the mind is comfortable and quiet, not thinking about the worldly and mundane.

Gao Cheng involuntarily walked towards the main hall, and Cui Jishu also involuntarily walked behind him.

The hall is resplendent and brilliant. The palace in the clouds, the fairy mountains on the sea are all on the wall. The gods of Buddhism and Taoism stand tall in front of them, their clothes fluttering, participating in Zen and discussing the Tao, forgetting their form and forgetting themselves, such as real and illusory. The Western Heavenly Buddha Kingdom in the strange fragrance seems to have reappeared in reality. Gao Cheng and Cui Jishu felt in a trance that this was the real fairy world.

Gao Cheng was determined, looking up at these murals and sculptures, and was fascinated.

Cui Jishu was also amazed. There seemed to be whispers from the porch outside. He came back to his senses, hurriedly tugged at Gao Cheng's sleeve and whispered, "Childe, someone is here." ”

Gao Cheng quickly sobered up and quickly pulled Cui Jishu to hide behind the door.

As soon as I hid, two little novices came in. The two novices were young, and they looked like dough, and they were very cute. For some reason, Gao Cheng's heart suddenly softened, and he remembered Princess Yuan Zhonghua of Feng Yi, who was far away in the mansion of the Prime Minister of Luoyang. The hand that was holding Cui Jishu's arm tightly was released, and the murderous intent that arose from vigilance at that moment was suddenly consumed.

Because of their young age, the two novices were not tall enough, so it was difficult for them to cross the high threshold. The two children entered the hall to add incense to the incense ding, added oil to the oil lamp, and chatted with a clear voice.

"Patriarch Bodhidharma came to the East from the Buddha of the West Heaven to transform sentient beings, and we are fortunate to listen to the patriarch's teachings, and we will definitely increase our cultivation."

Listening to the excitement in Xiao Shami's voice, Gao Cheng didn't take it too seriously, but Cui Jishu seemed to be thoughtful.

Another novice replied, "Although the patriarch will come to me to discuss Zen with the temple master, he doesn't necessarily live here for a long time. ”

This little novice is obviously young but has a clear mind.

"Speaking of which, the temple owner has sacrificed himself to enter the temple several times, but he always has to go back to the palace to be the emperor, and he probably won't be born in the Tongtai Temple for a long time. And I am in the south of the Yangtze River, the hearts of the people are to the Buddha, and the Tongtai Temple is ordered by the temple owner to be built, and the Bodhidharma Patriarch will be welcomed by the temple owner to live here. When the time comes, the people will compete to make offerings, and the temple will prosper. ”

The previous little novice was doing things while talking about what he thought was a reason. The two children said a word, and they walked out of the Buddha hall together before and after they finished acting.

"Childe, it seems that the emperor of the Liang Dynasty is in the temple?" Cui Jishu's heart trembled, as if he was asking Gao Cheng, and seemed to be asking himself again.

Emperor Xiao Yan of Liang has been on the throne for 30 years. Jiangnan is peaceful, and the emperor has been giving Buddha and Zen for a long time. Unexpectedly, on this night in Jiankang City, I happened to meet here in Tongtai Temple, which was unguarded.

"Jiangnan is a good Buddha, and my Great Wei is also a good Buddha." Gao Cheng didn't seem to hear what Cui Jishu said just now, and said this to Cui Jishu inexplicably.

"Yes. Since the ancestor Empress Dowager Wenming and His Majesty Emperor Xiaowen to the present, my Great Wei has believed in Buddhism. Cui Jishu replied.

"Let's go, go find this Tongtai Temple Master." Gao Cheng's words came, and the person had already left this Buddha hall and went outside.

Only when I walked carefully did I know that the scale of Tongtai Temple was grand. The Buddha Pavilion hall is overlapped. Sometimes the main hall is solemn and solemn; Sometimes it is like a secluded house, a thatched hermitage, dotted with scattered Qihua Yao grass, and a small bridge of lake stones. In the distance, a tall tower was faintly visible, towering in the clouds, and a little light on the tower was like a star shining very high and far away. In the autumn of the south of the Yangtze River, the evening breeze blows, and the tower bell comes sparsely, which seems to be far and near. Such a quiet world made Gao Cheng and Cui Jishu feel emotional.

There aren't actually too many guards in Tongtai Temple. I don't know if Jiangnan Chengping has been unvigilant for a long time, or because the temple master emperor Xiao Yan is quiet and unwilling to put too many guards on his side. The novices were so busy chanting and meditating on their bodies that they probably didn't expect anyone to break in. I would not have thought that the intruder was a Korean and Chinese official of the Great Wei in the north.

After a long time of entering the house, there was no gain. Although Gao Cheng was still searching with interest, Cui Jishu suddenly stopped him.

"Childe, someone is following us." Cui Jishu's face was suspicious. "And it's not just one person."

He didn't feel very good, not only strange, but also murderous hidden in the dark. It scared him even more. Who would be murderous at this time? This feeling of being followed is certain, just like the feeling I had when I came all the way south and crossed the river a few days ago. But beyond this feeling, there is a new and strange sense of being watched.

Gao Cheng looked left and right, and naturally couldn't see anything. "Let's go, let's go out." He frowned slightly, his emerald eyes scanning the house in the distance. Jiankang is not Luoyang, he knows it very well in his heart.

However, just when he turned around, he accidentally saw a thatched hall by the lotus pond in the side compartment. The house is low and delicate, and the lights are bright. The open door of the hall hangs a bright veil, the evening breeze blows the gauze curtain, the purple air is diffuse, and a person meditates on the futon in the hall. This man was dressed in yellow and golden-faced, over the age of old, with a thin body, sitting on a futon with his eyes slightly closed. This person has white hair, long eyebrows and hanging to the corners of his eyes, long eyes and plump lips, and both earlobes.

Gao Cheng's heart moved, his mind turned quickly, and he crossed the small stone bridge on the lake and walked towards the thatched hall. Hidden outside the palace gate, Cui Jishu also followed.

"Is this the Emperor Xiao of the Liang Dynasty?" Cui Jishu asked in a low voice.

"Yes." Gao Cheng only replied in a low voice, but he was very sure. When he is old, he will be broken

It must not be a novice, nor can it be a guard, and no one dares to disturb meditating here, it must be Emperor Xiao Yan of Liang.

Gao Cheng looked at Xiao Yan from outside the palace gate. I heard that this person has also dominated the world, and he has also been a powerful general, and now he has converted to Buddhism. Is it really honest? Didn't even notice that there were two people hidden outside the door? Or is it a meditation meditation that has no vulgar thoughts?

Just as I was thinking about it, a cold wind suddenly came to the back of my head, and I was shocked. Gao Cheng reacted and quickly stepped back. Before Cui Jishu could exclaim, he saw a small halberd with a cold light flying by, and it flew into the hall through the curtain. Cui Jishu was so frightened that he turned around and ran, hiding behind the pillar.

Gao Cheng watched the small halberd fly into the hall. Before I had time to think about the result, the result changed. It was really like a dream, and the old emperor Xiao Yan seemed to unintentionally reach out his arm to catch the hidden weapon flying from the door. It seems to move inadvertently, as if it is lazy and stretching its waist. It really makes people wonder if he deliberately connected the hidden weapon or accidentally coincidentally.

"Strangers, if you are together, you will stay, if you don't agree, you will go, why bother, it is good, it is good." Xiao Yan placed the secret weapon on the low table beside him for the Buddhist scriptures, and recited it in his mouth. He never opened his eyes, and when he finished speaking, he re-entered his composure.

Gao Cheng was really scared at this time. Xiao Yan is not ignorant, but insightful; It's not that there are no guards to protect the Son of Heaven, it's that there is no need for guards to protect the Son of Heaven at all. Xiao Yan was like a mirror in his heart, he knew that Gao Cheng was at the door, and he knew that it was not Gao Cheng who wanted to hurt him. And Gao Cheng also knew in his heart that the halberd was obviously coming for him. What's even more terrifying is that it can be said that it is coming for him or Xiao Yan. If it's Gao Cheng who dies, it's fine. If it was Xiao Yan who died, Gao Cheng would not be able to escape the result of being hunted and killed by the guards, Jiankang would be unimaginable after all, and the consequences would be unimaginable. Gao Cheng sweated coldly, and knew in his heart that it was he who was really going to be put to death, and the old emperor Xiao Yan was just a matter of incident.

turned around and fled, shouting while flying, "Where is Cui Jishu hiding?" Why don't you go quickly? "He knows Cui Jishu too well.

"Here." Cui Jishu heard the call before he appeared from behind the pillar and desperately kept up with Gao Cheng.

The temple shuttled between the houses and ran to the wooden door from which it came. Strangely, there were no guards of Emperor Liang or novices in the temple to chase him. What's even more strange is that I always seem to inadvertently see a figure following on the ridge of the roof and between the wall pillars, and I can't shake it off, and the murderous aura comes. When I was afraid, I finally found the wooden door. Break out of the door, fly on the horse, and run away.

It is getting farther and farther away from Tongtai Temple, but the sound of horses' hooves is getting closer and closer. Who exactly is it?

"Childe, it's the one who came all the way from the Northland." Cui Jishu gave up his life and galloped wildly, while shouting loudly to Gao Cheng.

Since he came from the Northern Wei Dynasty, why did he only kill when he arrived in the Southern Liang? Gao Cheng didn't have time to think about it, but this thought hurriedly crossed his mind. As he was running, he suddenly heard the neighing and wailing of horses behind him, the dull and heavy sound of falling, and Cui Jishu's exclamation. Hurriedly stopped and turned around to take a closer look.

Cui Jishu's horse was injured by a stray arrow and fell to the ground, causing Cui Jishu to fall as well.

Gao Cheng immediately flew off his horse and ran towards Cui Jishu. Because he had clearly seen that there were three men in black with hakama folds, they all dismounted and walked towards Cui Jishu with their knives.

"Childe! Son! Cui Jishu was frightened when he saw the shiny blade in the darkness. He turned back and anxiously called for help to Gao Cheng.

The three men in black slowly approached Cui Jishu, but obviously they didn't mean this, although they raised their knives to each other, their eyes looked at Gao Cheng.

Gao Cheng also slowed down. He stopped not far from Cui Jishu, looked at the three men in black, and slowly drew the saber at his waist.

Cui Jishu was surprised to find that the three men in black rushed to Gao Cheng with their knives without even looking at him, and the three of them raised their knives together and stabbed.

Gao Cheng defeated three with one.

Cui Jishu stood up and drew the saber at his waist. I wanted to raise my sword and rush forward, but I was timid in my heart. The contradictions go back and forth several times.

Suddenly, he felt cold on his neck, and a sharp pain spread, as if something sharp was cutting through the skin, so frightened that Cui Jishu's body stiffened and did not dare to move again.

"Who are you?" Cui Jishu asked cautiously. But I don't think this person is like the three men in black together.

"If it's my house slave, what's the use of keeping you?" The voice of the sword-wielding person was full of magnetism, and he was not in a hurry.

"You ......" Cui Jishu didn't know how to answer, and suddenly felt that the sharp sword had been withdrawn. A man in a black cloak had jumped up from behind him, landing between the three black-clothed men and Gao Cheng who were being inextricably beaten, as if he was protecting Gao Cheng's body.

Gao Cheng bundled his hair in Hanfu, had difficulty moving, and gradually lost with one enemy and three.

The man in the cloak drew his sword and stepped forward to help. The point of his sword seemed to force back the three men in black with a slight and dexterous edge. In the face of a fierce opponent, the man actually had the leisure to turn around and face Gao Cheng and smiled, "It's really not easy to meet the high servants here. As he spoke, he raised his sword again and forced back the three men in black who pounced again.

Recognized at first glance, Gao Cheng was startled, and put away his sword to take a closer look. This man is over a weak crown, with delicate and thick sword eyebrows, a pair of huge eyes, rhinoplasty and plump lips, a slight smile, extremely heroic, and full of confidence. He didn't know this man, and this was the first time he had met. But he must know him well.

"The Prince...... Gao Shizhong ...... "There were a few more urgent calls from afar.

Gao Cheng, Cui Jishu, who rubbed over, and the man in the cloak looked into the distance together.

The three horsemen galloped to the front, and the three men in black quickly dismounted. Before he could speak, he killed the three black-clothed men who raised their knives and forced Gao Cheng and the others to kill. It seems that the killer is painful, but the previous three men in black are extraordinary after all. In the end, the three men in black with knives gradually retreated and fled.

"Shizi, I'm too late." The hair-haired man stood with his head bowed.

"Who are you?" Cui Jishu asked.

"We are ordered by the prince of Puyang County, the officials and other scholars, and the secretary to wait for Hou Jing, all the way from Jiangbei to protect the son."

"Hou Jing?" Gao Cheng frowned, surprised and unhappy in his heart. returned the sword to the sheath, and was silent for a long time, not knowing what he was thinking. "I'm fine, you wait to go back to Hou Jing and thank me." Gao Cheng's tone was calm, and he couldn't tell whether he was happy or angry.

The three haircuts replied "yes" and bowed their heads.

When I looked at it again, the man in the cloak who had been helping him with a sword just now didn't know when he was gone.

Suddenly, it was quiet again.

"Childe, how did Hou Jing know that I was waiting here? Besides, all the way to the north, why didn't the guard show up earlier? Cui Jishu asked as he looked at the expression on Gao Cheng's face.

Gao Cheng didn't answer, but he was thinking about it in his heart. After a long time, he suddenly turned around, held the hilt of the sword at his waist and looked at Cui Jishu, and said with a thin face: "What's the difference between showing up early and showing up late?" ”

Cui Jishu lowered his head and didn't know what to say. He's really cowardly, and he can't help himself.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of the ancient bell and jade law coming from a distance. In the quiet night, like the river slowly flooding out, it is not abrupt. The music is solemn and clear, as if to cleanse the dust of the world, drown the excessive desires in people's hearts, and like a faint joy to calm people's hearts. Gradually, the sound of the flute overflowed, clear and clear, and the hearts of the people were penetrated. Gao Cheng and Cui Jishu were unconsciously attracted by the sound of the flute.

"Where is that?" Gao Cheng looked into the distance and couldn't help but ask.