Although Beibi Mountain is only twenty or thirty miles away from Luoyang, compared with the prosperous Luoyang City, it is quiet and peaceful. In the blink of an eye, Fengxue had been practicing with Mrs. Lu in Jinglu in Bishan for half a month, and Liu Xiu was so busy with the wedding that he didn't have time to see her, until the wind came to resign, and he remembered that it was time to go and see Fengxue.

Wang Chu prepared some wine, food and clothes, and went with Liu Xiu with the child, which has also made her tired a lot these days, and it is also a very rare enjoyment to have the opportunity to go to Jinglu in Bishan for a few days.

The carriage drove out of the Tai Chi Taoist Hall and headed north along the avenue west of Luoyang City. Liu Xiu hugged his daughter, pointed to Luoyang City in the distance, and told her the names of the city gates one by one. Xiao Liu He blinked his big black eyes, quietly looked at the smiling stranger, and glanced at the grandmother sitting next to him from time to time. Although Liu Xiu has been back for a while, he has not spent much time with her, and in her world, Liu Xiu is just a person who suddenly appeared.

But looking at the smile on her mother's face, she knew that this person was not in danger.

Wang Chu leaned against the wall of the car, looking at the husband who was holding his daughter and nagging like a mother-in-law, and a warm current of heat surged in his heart. What she was most worried about was that she only gave birth to a daughter, and she couldn't add an heir to Liu Xiu, who was in urgent need of inheritance, but now seeing Liu Xiu's heartfelt love for her daughter, all worries disappeared, and all that was left was a thick sweetness.

These sweetness diluted the worries caused by the wind and snow, she believed that Liu Xiu would not forget her because of the wind and snow, of course, taking advantage of Liu Xiu's opportunity to have another son at home was the most important thing. Thinking of this, Wang Chu couldn't help but feel hot at the root of his ears, and his whole body trembled a little.

"What's wrong with you?" Liu Xiu turned his head and looked at her with a smile: "Uncomfortable? ”

"No, no." Wang Chu blushed, and quickly shook her head to deny, she knew that Liu Xiu would not easily believe her explanation, but she also knew that since Liu Xiu began to study the room technique, the progress has been thousands of miles, and those hands seem to have the power to make people enchant, and now as long as Liu Xiu touches her body, the condition will definitely be worse. She was afraid that Liu Xiu would come over to check, so she hurriedly asked, "What happened outside, the car is moving so slowly?" ”

Liu Xiu knocked on the carriage, Liu Bei rushed over, and after listening to Liu Xiu's doubts, he smiled, "Jiuyang Pavilion is now a settlement for people from all over the world who come to Beijing. Recently, it is rumored that the capital is going to fight with the Xianbei people, including the northern army and the Lang officials in the palace are going to go out, many people come to ask for divination, the business is several times better than usual, and even the avenue is occupied, and it is also for safety to slow down. ”

"Really?" Liu Xiu's mood was a little heavy, and he silently lowered the curtain. Yuan Shao has returned to Luoyang, these days the guests are full, the demeanor of the scholar leader is revealed, and he is dwarfed by Yuan Shao's boss in the past, although the business of the Taiji Taoist Hall is not bad, but there are very few celebrities who are willing to visit, he is not in Luoyang during this time, the Taiji Taoist Hall is far from the glory at the beginning of its opening.

Of course, he was not jealous of Yuan Shao, although he was indeed a little jealous of Yuan Shao, he was worried about the war in northern Xinjiang. Although the Son of Heaven has not yet issued a final edict, judging from various signs, the Northern Expedition is a foregone conclusion, Yuan Shao is likely to be the main general, Situ Yuan Kui is using the power in his hands and the unimaginably powerful connections of the Yuan family to collect this year's taxes from all over the country, and make every effort to prepare for the Northern Expedition.

Grain and grass are actually not a problem, in the past two years, Jiaozhou has sold rice to a certain amount of savings, and the harvest in May this year is also good, plus the grain and grass allocated by the imperial court, it is enough to support a few months of war. The problem is that a few months can't solve the final problem, Liu Xiu always feels that the Yuan family is actually planning to use the Northern Expedition to fight for military exploits, as long as they win a battle, whether they can finally solve the Xianbei problem is not in their consideration, maybe it is more convenient for them to control the military power by poking a big basket.

To put it mildly, this is a political achievement project with the strength of the whole country, but the problem is that not only the Yuan family needs this political performance project, but also the Son of Heaven, so everyone tacitly agrees, you and I are willing, and no one will say anything. As for how to die in the future, it is not the most important question now, and everyone should make some preparations in their hearts at most.

Wang Chu saw that Liu Xiu was not in a good mood, thinking that he was feeling sad about the loss of military power again, listening to the noisy sound outside, she remembered the Xiangshi she met in the Northern Plains Mausoleum, and couldn't help sighing, and was thinking about how to relieve Liu Xiu, when she suddenly felt that there was a familiar voice. She sat up and listened intently. Liu Xiu looked at her in surprise, and soon noticed something unusual, lowered his voice and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

Wang Chu gently pulled the window and beckoned to Liu Xiu: "Husband, come and see, it's the long-faced man holding a green flag." ”

Liu Xiu looked at her fingers and immediately understood. It was a middle-aged man with a long face of medium stature, holding a green banner of about one zhang in his left hand, and eight big characters on the flag: "Congenital easy to count, iron mouth divine judgment", surrounded by a group of people in front of him, as if he was fascinated to listen to him. The corner of the man's mouth accumulated some white foam, and he was talking happily, I don't know if he felt the murderous aura in Liu Xiu's eyes or saw something, his eyes suddenly swept over to this side, and his expression was obviously stunned.

"You're holding the baby." Liu Xiu stuffed his daughter into Wang Chu's arms, got up and got out of the carriage, and was about to beckon Liu Bei and others to chase after him, but he looked up, but he was stunned.

The priest is gone.

Liu Xiu was secretly surprised, this guy is not just pretending to be a ghost, just this kind of alertness and speed is enough to be called a master. He quickly glanced at the crowd, pointed to the fruit seller in the distance and shouted, "Alas, the fruit seller, come here." ”

When a few fruit vendors heard this, they all gathered around at once. Liu Xiu chose a few of each, paid the money, and then returned to the carriage with a pile of fruits, signaling Liu Bei to continue forward. Wang Chu was very surprised when he saw it, but Liu Xiu didn't have time to explain to him, knocked on the carriage on the other side, and Hao Zhao answered softly outside the car.

"Bodao, don't turn around, turn back later, and observe about ten steps on the left, whether there is a Xiangshi wearing an earthy yellow single robe and a green banner of about one zhang in his hand, about forty years old, with a long face, short beard, and a scab on his left chin."

"Whoa." Hao Zhao sat quietly on the horse, and as the carriage continued to move forward, after walking more than twenty steps, he quietly left the convoy.

"What's wrong?" Wang Chu hugged his daughter nervously.

"Nothing." Liu Xiu took his daughter and said with a smile: "That Xiangshi is very vigilant, I only glanced at him, and he seemed to know, and he hid without giving me a chance." Liu Xiu thought for a while and shook his head again: "It's probably that the carriage sign of our Daoist Pavilion is too obvious. ”

"That'...... What a shame. Wang Chu sighed in frustration: "If you catch him and hand him over to Your Majesty, maybe you will be able to clear Your Majesty's doubts." ”

"It's okay, Bodao has already gone, I believe that as long as he doesn't run far, he shouldn't be Bodao's opponent."

"Bo Dao is still a child, can he do it? You should let Chung Kang go. Wang Chu was a little anxious, and rarely accused Liu Xiu. She always felt that it was that sentence that planted the seeds of distrust in Liu Xiu in the heart of the Son of Heaven, and she didn't want to let go of the opportunity to prove her innocence at this moment.

"A woman's opinion." Liu Xiu smiled and pinched Wang Chu's nose and shook it: "Zhong Kang's physique knows that he is a master wherever he goes, and that Xiangshi is born with a dog nose, and he smells murderous about ten steps away." Although Zhong Kang's strength is good, he is not known for his speed, how can he catch up with the extremely slippery guy. Although Bo Dao is only fifteen years old, his martial arts skills are very good, and he has a good archery skill that pierces Yang in a hundred steps, as long as that guy is in his eyes, it will not be easy to escape. ”

Wang Chu breathed a sigh of relief, knocked off Liu Xiu's hand, and said coquettishly: "Husband is talking about a dog's nose, why do you want to pinch my nose?" ”

Liu Xiu was happy, withdrew his hand, and nodded his daughter's little face.

Hao Zhao never came back, Liu Xiu gradually became a little uneasy, and was about to send a few tiger soldiers to answer, when Hao Zhao came on horseback, looking ashamed. "My lord, my subordinates have searched around several times, but I haven't seen what my lord said."

Liu Xiu frowned, thought for a moment, and didn't say anything more. Wang Chu was very disappointed, and couldn't help complaining a few words, Liu Xiu comforted him and said: "It's okay, probably because he saw my carriage and was careful, so he didn't dare to show up." However, I see that his business was quite good just now, and I don't think he will leave Luoyang so soon. When I draw his portrait and give it to Your Majesty, let Your Majesty arrest him. ”

Wang Chu replied with a sigh of relief. After arriving at Pishan Jinglu, the first thing Liu Xiu did was to ask people to find a pen and paper, and quickly drew a portrait of the Xiangshi, and asked Liu Bei to go to the palace by the way when he went back, and handed the portrait to the Son of Heaven, believing that the Son of Heaven would arrange someone to be wanted.

Seeing that Liu Xiu was properly arranged, and the portrait was painted vividly, as long as the Son of Heaven made a move, the possibility of success was not small, even if it was unsuccessful, at least the Son of Heaven would smell the conspiracy when he saw this portrait, and alleviate some suspicion of Liu Xiu, Wang Chu's mood was a lot lighter, and he talked and laughed with the wind and snow that came out, as if he was a sister, without revealing a little mustard.

Feng Xue was even more anxious to talk to Liu Xiu, she took Liu Xiu's hand and said, "Husband, the Heavenly God War you mentioned is also available in our hometown. ”

Liu Xiu was stunned for a while before remembering what she meant. "You have too?"

"yes, yes." Feng Xue clapped his hands and shouted, "As soon as I heard Master Lu talk about it that day, I remembered the story told in the ancient scriptures, Ahura? Mazda and Angra? The war between Manuel lasted for 12,000 years, and they also used many powerful weapons, and the dust stirred up during the battle blocked the sun, and there was darkness between heaven and earth. Manuel almost destroyed the Seven Substances and let the Dark World rule over the entire human race, is it Ahula, the god of light? Mazda illuminates the heavens and the earth with omnipotent light, drives out evil gods, and saves us, so we all thank the God of Light......"

Liu Xiu was very curious, China has such myths and stories, and the Persians also have such legends, which is a bit strange. He asked Fengxue about the story in detail, but although Fengxue wanted him to convert to her religion, he didn't know much about the story, and when he asked about the details, he couldn't tell the details.

Wang Chu saw that Liu Xiu and Feng Xue were talking hotly, but they left her aside, and his heart couldn't help but feel a little sour. When Lu Shi saw it, he pulled her to talk, and asked the Zhang Lu brothers to come out to visit, with their mother and son's interruption, Wang Chu's mood improved, especially when she saw the lively and active Zhang Wei, the more she looked at it, the happier she became.

"Why didn't Sister Yingzi come?" Zhang Lu asked with some disappointment.

"She, she's been busy losing weight for the past two days, and she's messing with the queen every day." Wang Chu laughed happily when he thought of Tang Yingzi. Liu Xiu said that Tang Yingzi was too fat, Tang Yingzi fell into his heart, and never dared to eat the Quartet with a big mouth, his face was full of convulsions when he saw the food, he was hungry, and he didn't dare to eat a good meal, but after Liu Xiu came back, the food in the gym was a few points better than usual, Tang Yingzi endured the torment every day, and finally couldn't help it, I heard that the queen was also losing weight, so she hid in the palace.

Hearing Wang Chu talk about weight loss, Lu also remembered that Liu Xiu had asked about it, so he smiled and said, "Madame also wants to practice weight loss?" ”

"Me?" Wang Chu glanced at Lu Shi in surprise, and then turned his gaze to Liu Xiu, Liu Xiu hurriedly shook his hand and said, "Madam misunderstood, I didn't mean her." Achu is just right now, not fat at all, it can be said that one point is too fat, and one point is too thin......"

"What do you mean by that husband, I used to be too thin?" Wang Chuqiang held back a smile and feigned anger.

"Uh...... At that time, it was too fat to gain one point and too thin to lose one point. ”

"Or do you say I'm too fat now?"

"No, it's not." Liu Xiu's head is a little big, and he really can't talk about this kind of fat and thin thing with a woman. "At that time you were an unmarried woman, and now you are a young woman with children, this cannot be measured by a standard." Liu Xiusheng was afraid that she would ask again, so he hurriedly turned to the Lu clan and said, "Madam, what is the danger of cultivating the Bigu Technique?" ”

Lu Shi couldn't help but smile when she was amused by the quarrel between their husband and wife, and after listening to Liu Xiu's words, she reluctantly suppressed her smile, shook her head and said: "As long as we do it according to our method, there will be no danger, whether or not it can succeed depends on whether this person's will is firm enough, whether he can endure that process, and the feeling of hunger is not comfortable." However, just as you will have backache and numbness at the beginning of your practice, as long as you get through this hurdle, you will be able to experience joy that is difficult for ordinary people to experience. ”

Liu Xiu thought about it and felt that although Queen Song was not smart enough, she still had tenacity, and for the sake of their Song family, she should be able to survive. He told Mrs. Lu about Empress Song, and when he heard that it was the queen, Lu was both a little excited and a little nervous, and promised that after meeting Empress Song, he would make proper arrangements according to her own situation.

…… Jian Shuo hurriedly walked into the main hall and handed the portrait to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven just glanced at it, and his body shook suddenly: "Where did you come from?" ”

"Kitakaro will just send someone." Jian Shuo said: "People are still outside the palace. ”

"Announce him into the temple at once, and I will ask him personally." The Son of Heaven waved his hand, frowned, and was a little angry: "Why didn't he come to this kind of thing himself, just sent someone, did he stay at home for a long time, and he was a little scattered." ”

Jian Shuo didn't dare to say much, and hurriedly asked people to announce Liu Bei, not for a long time, Liu Bei arched his hands, walked in in a hurry, and knelt down and kowtowed as soon as he saw the Son of Heaven. "Yongle Palace attendants, meet Your Majesty."

When the Son of Heaven saw that Liu Bei was tall, dignified, and spoke loudly, his eyes lit up. After listening to his self-report, I remembered that he was the attendant who was often seen in Yongle Palace, and I heard that he was the person that the Queen Mother liked.

"You are Liu Bei? I heard that you are a descendant of King Jing of Zhongshan? ”

"Your Majesty, that's exactly the case." Liu Bei replied loudly.

"Hehehe......" The Son of Heaven clapped his palms and said with a smile: "In the clan, there are also young people like Qing, I am very happy. Get up and tell me what's going on. ”

Liu Bei said that he had just accidentally met the Xiangshi on the road, and especially mentioned that the Xiangshi was very vigilant, and even Liu Xiuming repaired the plank road and secretly Chen Cang's plan failed to catch him, and his skills were ridiculously high, it seemed that it was not as simple as a Xiangshi.

Liu Bei spoke with twists and turns, and the Son of Heaven listened with great interest, and was also very satisfied with Liu Bei's expression ability, especially when Liu Bei spoke elegantly, not as straightforward as Liu Xiu's speech, with a hint of ruffianism.

"Have you read a book?"

Liu Bei said modestly: "The minister reads the "Book of Shang" with Mr. Zigan, but the minister is stupid and can't be Mr. Eleven." ”

The Son of Heaven laughed: "Yes, at least in terms of reading, you are better than Liu Xiu, he can't say so many warnings in the scriptures." Now that the crown is about to weaken, do you have any plans? ”

"The minister intends to take this year's exam and then serve the country."

"Exams?" The Son of Heaven smiled for a moment, his face was a little unnatural, he was silent for a moment before he asked lightly, "Do you think there is still a future for the exam?" ”

"Yes." Liu Bei said without thinking: "The minister thinks that the monopoly of the classics and the competition with the country, just like the strong and the country's wealth, are the root of the party's selfishness. Only when everyone in the world is loyal to His Majesty rather than to private families can this kind of thing be put an end to the formation of a party. ”

The Son of Heaven nodded again and again, and asked Liu Bei a few more words, which made him retreat. He called Jian Shuo, "Go and ask Zongzheng to check this Liu Bei's genealogy and see his generation, this is a usable talent, I was a little negligent before." He frowned, and was a little unhappy: "Liu Xiu too, knowing that such a person is by his side, why don't you recommend it to me." ”

Jian Shuo said with a smile: "Your Majesty, this Liu Bei entered Yongle Palace, isn't it recommended by Liu Xiu." ”

The Son of Heaven smiled at himself, and knew that this responsibility was more his own, not Liu Xiu's. He looked at the portrait in his hand and praised it again: "Liu Xiu's painting is really exquisite, although these brushstrokes are simple, but lifelike, exactly the same as in my memory, it seems that this Hongdu Menxue sacrificial wine belongs to him." ”

Jian Shuo didn't say anything. The Son of Heaven is preparing to build Hongdu Gate School recently, but because the Northern Expedition not only kept him busy, but also exhausted every money he had, Hongdu Gate School has been stuck on paper.

"Call Wang Yue."

Wang Yue soon came to the main hall and saluted the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven handed the portrait into his hand, gritted his teeth, and said, "I will leave this matter to you, find this man, and bring him to me." ”

"Yui." Wang Yue didn't dare to slack off, took the portrait, and bowed down.

…… Liu Xiu swaggered into the Lantai, Yuan Hui hurriedly stood aside to greet him, Liu Xiu calmly accepted her disciple salute, nodded, sat on the chairman let by Yuan Hui, took the tea handed over by the palace maids with one hand, and opened the study painting handed over by Yuan Hui with the other, swept his eyes, and nodded approvingly: "Yuan Meiren is really smart and makes rapid progress, at this rate, at most two months, I have nothing to teach you." ”

"Mr. has won the prize." Yuan Hui modestly returned the courtesy, but he was a little worried in his heart. "Sir's wonderful skills, the disciple has not yet obtained one hundred and one, how can Mr. bear to abandon the disciple."

"Hahaha......" Liu Xiu glanced at Yuan Hui, seeing that Yuan Hui was weak for a while, and hurriedly lowered his head. Liu Xiu put down the sketch, looked at the sky outside and pondered for a moment: "Is Yuan Meiren always in this courtyard and rarely goes out?" ”

Yuan Hui glanced at it inexplicably, and said in his heart, what does this have to do with painting?

"The person in your painting has a kind of humility, but no brilliance, and the scene in your painting is beautiful, but it is a little twilight." Liu Xiu got up and hung up the paintings, and pointed them to Yuan Hui one by one: "Look, although your color is fine, it is too gray, how can there ever be a trace of bright color in the whole picture?" Although this lady is holding a book in her hand, her eyebrows and eyes are very humble, if not to mention her clothes, just from the look of her look, is she like a maidservant, not a young and lively girl? Even if it is a red shirt, is the color dull and not bright enough? ”

Yuan Hui was convinced, she felt that this painting was already very good, and after the Son of Heaven saw it, he also praised her for her rapid progress, her brushwork became more and more sophisticated, and the characters were also very vivid, but they looked very depressed. At that time, she didn't know what the reason was, but now listening to Liu Xiuyi, she knew why the Son of Heaven felt depressed.

"If you go out and walk around a lot, and always be with these old things as your companions, people will become twilight." Liu Xiu pointed to the stone houses where the books were stored: "And here are either stones or water that has been prepared for a long time, cold and impersonal, which is naturally good for book collection, but it is very lonely for people." If you stay for a long time, your mood will be affected and you will become ...... Murky. ”

Yuan Hui was stunned for a moment, her eyes were a little gloomy, and Liu Xiu's words suddenly hit the most secret pain in her heart. She forced a laugh: "Thank you, sir, for your advice." ”

"Haha, I said, what you see in your eyes, what you think in your heart, you will draw." Liu Xiu laughed twice, broke the somewhat dull atmosphere, and pointed to the painting again: "For example, this woman, judging from her demeanor, it is estimated that she is holding a book that focuses on conspiracy instead of a saint's classic, and the smile on the corner of her mouth is not something of conspiracy?" ”

Yuan Hui's face was a little unnatural. "Sir, I'm thinking too much."

"It's from the heart." Liu Xiu touched his chin, looked at it for a while, and suddenly laughed at himself: "Am I very much like a monk who pretends to be a ghost and talks nonsense?" ”

Yuan Hui was silent for a moment, then replied with a smile: "What Mr. said is very true. ”

Liu Xiu laughed.

(To be continued)