Late at night, the Penglai Hall of the Imperial City Luoyang Palace burst into flames.

It illuminated one of the darkest and most critical nights of the Great Song Dynasty.

The people of Luoyang were all concerned and panicked. Not long ago, the king of Luoyang just died violently, and now there is a palace fire, is there a connection between the two? Moreover, there seems to be a fight on the Jiyuan side of the Yellow River, and countless refugees are pouring towards the Guannai.

It is said that hysterical shouts and deafening roars could be heard all night long.

It is said that too many boats and corpses sank into the Yellow River, staining the river red and blocking the river.

The sky above the ancient capital of Luoyang is surging and earth-shattering.

……

Chu Tianya stood in front of the Penglai Palace, watching this ancient hall built in the Wu Zhou Dynasty slowly turn into ashes in a raging fire.

The fire burned all night. Chu Tianya stood here all night.

He stared at the fire in front of him, not saying a word or moving. There was no expression, it was the expression on his face.

It's almost dawn.

A group of people walked towards Chu Tianya. The one who is at the head is Mende.

"Lord, General Meng is here." Suzaku whispered in Chu Tianya's ear.

Chu Tianya turned around for the first time tonight and strode towards Meng De.

Meng De took a deep breath and also strode towards Chu Tianya.

The two hugged each other tightly.

Meng De waved his hand and motioned for everyone to stand down.

Suzaku and the other Qingwei and the Tiger Ben Guards and others quietly retreated far away. The official Zhao Huan walked tremblingly among the green guards, and a pair of eyes only dared to look at his toes.

"Seventh Brother......" Chu Tianya was hugging Meng De with almost all his strength, "Fortunately, you're fine." ”

"Good brother, Meng Qi can't give your orders, where do you dare to die?" Meng De hugged Chu Tianya tightly and said in his ear, "At first, when the nobles came to me, I didn't believe it. I can't believe that Bai Xu is such a person...... If it weren't for the nobleman's insistence, I would have prepared first. Meng Qi is indeed a corpse now. ”

"Why is this ......happening?"

Chu Tianya closed his eyes. Only then did I feel that my eyes were astringent and sore.

From a pain in my heart to my eyes.

"Power, wealth, status, women, ideals, retribution, ambition, humiliation, and glory......" Meng De sighed softly in Chu Tianya's ear, "In this life, men are destined to be inseparable from the shackles and staggering of these things from birth. Bai Xu ...... He's smarter than all of us. Maybe it's because he's so smart that he ......"

At this moment, Chu Tianya really wanted to lie on Meng De, his brother's shoulder, and cry fiercely.

Not only because of Bai Xu, but also many, many pain and sorrow that others cannot understand, and can only be buried deep in his heart.

"Seventh brother, today, I cut off one of my arms." Chu Tianya said in a hoarse voice, "I don't want to lose another ...... You can't leave me again! ”

He shed two lines of tears and quietly slipped onto Mende's armor.

"Good brother...... If you want to cry, cry happily; If you want to get drunk, Meng Qi will accompany you. Meng De whispered, "After being drunk and crying, you still have to put on your armor and ride a war horse, take your tiger and wolf army, and go to Jiyuan to personally supervise the battle...... I know you're tired and want to rest. But this is your fate, and you can't escape it. ”

Chu Tianya took a deep breath, again, a deep breath.

He let go of Meng De, still facing the fire in front of him.

"Seventh brother, do you know what Bai Xu said before he died?"

Meng De shook his head.

Chu Tianya also shook his head, "He said that his bloodline and soul are extremely noble. He cannot die at the hands of any lowly man. His bones and blood must be with the inheritance of the royal family. ”

"So, you let Penglai Hall turn into ashes with him?"

Chu Tianya nodded, "I know that this is a monument from the previous dynasty, a priceless palace. But Bai Xu's request, I really can't refuse. Though he deserves death, he has all his heart to take my life, to kill my brothers, and to harm my whole house; But...... I really don't hate him at all. ”

"Me too." Meng De sighed softly, "Bai Xu's talent and wisdom are incomparable to none of us. When he inserted a silver needle into the acupuncture point on my waist, at that moment, I was really heartbroken by him. At the same time, I feel extremely sorry for him. The only thing that is not is hatred. I don't know why, a man who wants my life, I can't hate him. ”

Chu Tianya shook his head gently, perhaps his eyes were smoked by fireworks, even if he squinted, he was a little red and swollen, and said: "I can have today, and Da Song can have today, Bai Xu is indispensable." No matter what kind of heart he has, merit is merit, and this is indelible...... I still remember the first time I met Bai Xu in Taiyuan. That qiē seems to have happened yesterday......"

Every scene of getting along with Bai Xu in the past flashed in Chu Tianya's mind like a movie. Taiyuan first acquaintance, rescued Xue Yu, dealt with Tong Guan, cleaned up Yelu's remnants, conspired to resist Jin, and then Chu Tianya was rescued from prison, guarded Taiyuan, and even later the Battle of Huanglong Valley, walked to Qixingzhai, and rebuilt Qingyun Castle...... Until today, the fire of the Penglai Temple.

All of them seem to have a white figure in everything Chu Tianya does.

The 100,000 Jin army and the Great Song Dynasty, every person and every inch of the country seems to have the imprint of Bai Xu.

……

Meng De stepped forward and patted Chu Tianya's shoulder gently, "Good brother, if you change the world and fight in the south and the north, you will always die." The things that Bai Xu did, except for today's things, are all worthy of recognition. As...... Let him die by lighting a candle by mistake and be buried in the fire! ”

Chu Tianya gritted his teeth, desperately held back his tears, and nodded heavily.

"Woo-woo!!"

The Bell and Drum Tower of the Imperial City did not ring the bell or beat the drum today, but sounded the abrupt sound of the horn.

This is a warning of war, and it is also a warning of great events.

Hearing this voice, Chu Tianya suddenly knelt down on his knees against Penglai Hall and kowtowed three times.

"Bai Xu, you and me, don't leave it at that!!"

Standing up, Chu Tianya shouted, "Armor!" ”

Qingwei went and returned, quickly draped Chu Tianya's armor and saber on him, and then led the war horse.

The official Zhao Huan stood aside with his body shrunk, glancing at Chu Tianya from the corner of his eye, trembling and pale.

Chu Tianya walked up to Zhao Huan and hugged his fist.

"Ahh - Don't kill me! ”

Zhao Huan screamed in fright and collapsed to the ground on the spot.

"Official, Weichen has an urgent military situation!" Chu Tianya said.

The left and right Qingwei pulled Zhao Huan up from the ground and made him stand up straight.

"Love, love, please take care of yourself, please take care of yourself!" Zhao Huan's face was pale, and his eyes trembled.

"Weichen dares to lead all the forbidden troops in Luoyang and go to Jiyuan to resist the Jin army of the southern invasion!" Chu Tianya said in a deep voice, "If Weichen dares to invite again, the official family will go to Jiyuan to supervise the battle!" ”

"Huh?" Zhao Huan was stunned for a moment, his teeth thumping, "You, you want to make ...... I, my relatives? ”

"Faint King!" The nobleman standing on the side was really furious, "You colluded with the traitors to murder the loyal ministers, you should have been abolished a long time ago!" Now the king of Luoyang doesn't care about the past and asks you to go to the royal car to conquer in person, which is to give you the opportunity to atone for your crimes, and it is good to show your face in front of the people of the world and the soldiers of Jiyuan, and you have a little prestige, but you still don't appreciate it! ”

"Shut up, don't be so rude to the officials!" Chu Tianya let out a low snort, and the noble man gritted his teeth and retreated. With that expression and eyes, he almost tore Zhao Huan to pieces on the spot.

"Uh...... Okay, good, just according to Aiqing's play, I immediately drove the expedition and went to Jiyuan to supervise the battle! Although Zhao Huan was frightened, fortunately he was not scared stupid, so he hurriedly grabbed this life-saving straw.

"My emperor is wise."

Chu Tianya breathed a sigh of relief, raised his feet and slowly walked to the crossing of Longwei Road.

Under the Longwei Road, it was all the generals in Luoyang brought by Meng De, more than 1,000 people.

Seeing Chu Tianya appear, these generals were all overjoyed, no one gave an order, they all knelt down, "Meet the King of Luoyang!" ”

"The men, generals, heroes, and heroes of the Great Song Dynasty!" Chu Tianya suddenly pulled out his sword, "Foreign enemies have entered the country, and the country is in danger!" - Who dares to fight me to the Yellow River and fight to the death with the enemy?! ”

"Swear to follow the king of Luoyang !!"

"Swear to follow the king of Luoyang !!"

"Swear to follow the king of Luoyang !!"

……

The roar is like thunder, and the mountains and rivers are magnificent!!

Half an hour later, south of the ancient capital of Luoyang, the main gate of Changxia.

Ten miles away in the southern suburbs, 100,000 soldiers and horses are urgently assembled, and the golden drums are shouting and neighing, and the group is majestic.

Under the Changxia Gate, countless people in Luoyang looked forward to it and were pleasantly surprised.

Chu Tianya, the official Zhao Huan and the civil and military officials stood at the head of the city together, looking down on the people of Luoyang under the city tower.

"Look—the official!"

"The person standing next to the official family is His Royal Highness the King of Luoyang?"

"Nonsense - such a big Chu character banner, don't you see it?"

"It's really the King of Luoyang! - King Luoyang is not dead, great! ”

"The king of Luoyang is not dead!"

"The king of Luoyang is going to lead his army to resist the enemy! - Luoyang is saved, Da Song is saved!! ”

"Luoyang King Chitose!"

"Chitose!!"

……

The cheers, deafening and enduring.

There is no need to say anything, as soon as Chu Tianya appears here, all the rumors will be self-defeating; The people's hearts and morale instantly rose up with high spirits.

"Tianya, I can't go with you this time." Xiao Linglong whispered beside Chu Tianya, "Promise me, win the battle, and come back early." ”

Chu Tianya turned his head and smiled slightly, picked up Xiao Linglong's face, and kissed her on her red lips.

"Hahaha!"

Meng De and the others laughed loudly and heartily. Zhao Huan and some officials couldn't laugh or cry when they saw it...... Hey, it's immoral!

"King Luoyang, I have done everything I promised you." Another woman standing next to Xiao Linglong, Xiao Ta said without smoke, "Now, can you trust me?" ”

Chu Tianya slowly let go of Xiao Linglong, looked at her, and smiled slightly, "There is one more thing that has not been implemented." ”

"You mean that Western Liao went to war with Western Xia?" Xiao Ta smiled without smoke, "I don't need to do anything, they will naturally go to war." ”

"Why?"

"I know Jerodashi too well." Xiao Ta Buyan said, "Although his goal is to restore the Liao Kingdom and make you the ultimate enemy. But he is very realistic and rational, I will only expand my strength step by step, and deal with the nearest enemy first if I eat whales. The Western Xia Kingdom was deceived by you, and they were worried that Luoyang would fall and the Great Song Dynasty would perish, so they hurriedly sent 50,000 main jockeys Iron Harriers to attack Yan Zonghan's side. In this way, the interior of Western Xia is empty, and Yelu Dashi will definitely take advantage of the weakness to attack Western Xia. He has been in obscurity for so long, and it is time for the 200,000 troops under his command to show his minions. ”

"You're really a woman you can't mess with." Chu Tianya shook his head gently, "Okay, if Western Xia and Western Liao really go to war, I will really believe you." ”

"Just believing?" Xiao Ta raised his eyebrows.

"And what else do you want?"

"Where do you think a woman who has betrayed her husband and her country can go?" Xiao Ta Buyan took a deep breath, "In my life, I can only rely on you to raise me and protect me." ”

Chu Tianya twisted his head and glanced at Xiao Linglong.

Xiao Linglong pursed her lips, "Don't look at me." This is your national business, and I can't control it. ”

"Then I'll think about it." After Chu Tianya said this, he strode away.

Xiao Ta was in a hurry, "What does he mean by this?" ”

Xiao Linglong shook her head, "When he comes back, you'll know." ”

Not long after, in the large military camp in the southern suburbs of Luoyang, the official Zhao Huan presided over the sacrifice and oath ceremony, and then, with the assistance of Chu Tianya, he drove the expedition and went to Jiyuan to supervise the battle.

Meng De still stayed in Luoyang.

In the evening, Meng De and Xiao Ai were invited to Luoyang Palace, where they enjoyed the dinner prepared by Xiao Linglong.

This is the first time that Meng De and Xiao Ai have appeared in front of the public at the same time.

Xiao Linglong smiled when she saw the two of them walking side by side for the first time.

Xiao Ai's face was flushed on the spot, and she was at a loss.

"Xiao Ai, I haven't seen you for a long time, and you are becoming more and more beautiful." Xiao Linglong stepped forward and took Xiao Ai's hand and said with a smile, "Why are you so alienated from me?" Could it be that you have forgotten that when you were in Taiyuan, you slept with me every day, like sisters? ”

"No, Xiao Ai doesn't dare to forget Jì......" Xiao Ai blushed and whispered, "It's just ...... The first time I came to Luoyang Palace, I was not used to it. It's so luxurious and magnificent, I can't see it. ”

"Don't detain, just like in your own home." Xiao Linglong said with a smile, "Seventh Brother and Tianya are brothers, and you and I are sisters." Moreover, you are about to marry Seventh Brother, that's kissing and kissing! ——In the future, Luoyang Mansion will also be your home! ”

"Huh?" Xiao Ai suddenly blushed to the base of his neck, "I, when did I say that I wanted to marry him?" ”

Meng De smiled on the side, "I'm afraid that you won't agree, so I'm going to ask Lord Xiao to help me intercede today." Xiao Ai ...... You, marry me! ”

"Huh?!" Xiao Ai was stunned on the spot.

Uncle He also came out of the house, still habitually sitting under the eaves and laughing, "Girl, don't forget that you still have my father-in-law." Marriage has always been the order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker - I have the final say, you have to marry Meng Laoqi! ”

"I, I'm ......" Xiao Ai was so embarrassed that she didn't know how to speak.

Xiao Linglong took her hand and said, "Xiao Ai, if Seventh Brother really dies at the hands of Bai Xu this time, what will happen to you?" ”

"I'm going to go with him!" Xiao Ai replied without thinking.

Xiao Linglong smiled, "Then you'd rather be a ghost couple with him than marry him?" ”

"No......" Xiao Ai sighed softly and lowered his head, "I'm not worthy of the ...... of Seventh Brother"

"Xiao Ai, where are you not worthy of me?" Meng De was anxious, "You are young and beautiful, gentle and virtuous; I, Meng Laoqi, are the five big and the three coarse, and I am useless. Being able to marry you is a blessing I cultivated in my last life! ”

"I, I...... I used to fall into the dust, my body is too dirty......" Xiao Ai's voice was so low that she could barely hear it, and her head was lowered deeply.

Meng De took a deep breath and walked up to Xiao Ai, covering her shoulders with both hands, "Xiao Ai, I love you!" I don't care about your past! I only hope that I can be with you in this life, stay with you forever, and never give up! ”

Xiao Linglong smiled, "Xiao Ai, don't you hurry up and agree?" …… To get married, you need to marry Meng Qilang. How many more men in the world are as affectionate and open-minded as Brother Qi? ”

"Girl, if you don't agree, the old man will beat you with a cane!" He Bo was over there, and the urn sounded and the urn said.

"Seventh brother!"

Xiao Ai threw herself into Meng De's arms and couldn't cry.

The two hugged each other tightly.

"Oh, today's feast, good feast, good feast." He Bo giggled for a while, turned around and walked inside, "Queen Xiao, hurry up and call someone to serve wine!" The old man wants to have a few drinks with Meng Laoqi today! ”

"Okay, I'll be right away!" Xiao Ta is not smoking in the back room, and he answers very cheerfully.

Meng De and Xiao Ai were stunned for a moment, "Empress Xiao? ”

Xiao Linglong couldn't cry or laugh, and said in a low voice, "The old man has called her as the housekeeper of the palace." ”

On top of the banquet, the wine passed three rounds. He Bo was extremely happy today, and pulled Meng De to drink non-stop.

Xiao Linglong and Xiao Ai chatted intimately, just like when they were trapped in Taiyuan and slept in the same room, they talked about being like sisters.

"Lord Xiao, in fact, I came here today...... I have one thing to ask for. Xiao Ai said suddenly.

Xiao Linglong smiled, "Why be polite between you and me, let's talk about it!" ”

"Actually......" Xiao Ai said and glanced at Meng De, hesitated for a moment, and still said, "Seventh Brother wants to tell the King of Luoyang by himself." But he was afraid that he would not be able to speak, and he was afraid that the king of Luoyang would not agree. That's why he asked me to tell you, and you will convey it to His Royal Highness the King of Luoyang. ”

Xiao Linglong's heart was blocked, and she had a vague bad premonition. She frowned in silence and nodded lightly, "I know what you're trying to say." ”

"You...... Can you help us? Xiao Ai looked at Xiao Linglong cautiously and with longing.

Xiao Linglong frowned, looked embarrassed, thought for a moment, and said, "To be honest, I'm not sure. No one knows what kind of relationship there is between the King of Luoyang and Meng Qige. I know. The incident of Bai Xu dealt a great blow to the king of Luoyang; If Brother Meng Qi wants to leave again, I guess ......"

Xiao Ai sighed softly, "I also know that it is a bit impersonal to make such a request at this time. However, Brother Qi and I have actually had such a plan for a long time. You also know that the seventh brother is a person, he has no intention of fighting for power and profit, and he has no intention of being in the army. Especially now that the throne of Luoyang has been completed, the seventh brother finally decided that he could retire to the mountains and forests and live the idle life he wanted. ”

Xiao Linglong nodded lightly, "Everyone has their own ambitions, and they can't be forced." Seventh Brother must have a reason for making such a decision, and I will definitely respect him. But...... I guess the king of Luoyang will definitely not agree. ”

"Then we can ......," Xiao Ai said halfway and bit his lip, "Leave before the king of Luoyang returns triumphantly." ”

"This ......" Xiao Linglong's expression froze, "This is not good!" ”

"In desperation, I had to make this decision." Xiao Ai pleaded in a low voice, "Lord Xiao, you also know that Seventh Brother has always been like a murderous black-faced Yan Jun since he came to Luoyang, and I don't know how many people want to pick his skin and eat his flesh." Can such a person stand on the court for a long time, and have good results? Moreover, now the king of Luoyang is surrounded by a lot of talents, and there is no shortage of seven brothers. Brother Qi himself was also disheartened and unable to continue to stay here and make any contribution to the King of Luoyang. Instead of letting Seventh Brother suffer the risk of having a vegetarian meal in Luoyang, why not let him get where he is and live the life he wants? …… I think that if the king of Luoyang really regards the seventh brother as the best brother, even if he is reluctant, he will be able to figure it out sooner or later and be willing to fulfill him! ”

Xiao Linglong was silent for a long time, glanced at Meng De over there, and sighed lightly, "Where are you going to go?" ”