On the last day of August of the twentieth year of Hongwei, there was one day left before the battle of the pinnacle.

In the evening, Prince Bao, who had not been out of the mountain for a long time, put on his helmet and armor, changed the style of living in the past, and entered the palace with a group of guards.

At this time, the palace was already full of murderous atmosphere, three steps and one post, five steps and one sentry, and the forbidden soldiers carried bright swords on their waists, as if they were on the battlefield.

In stark contrast to this, the south study where Emperor Hongwei lived, even at such a critical moment, it was still full of birds and flowers, and even the guards of the forbidden army were driven far away.

Prince Bao's guards were naturally also left outside the South Study and entered the South Study alone.

The pillar of the empire had forgotten how long it had been since he had set foot in this place, and the moment he walked in, he felt a little like a world away.

"Squeak", pushing open the door, Prince Bao cautiously stepped into the south study, and couldn't help but pause.

In the huge south study, only Emperor Hongwei sat alone on the dragon chair.

On this day, Emperor Hongwei seemed to be in much better spirits, and after deliberately putting on the dragon robe, he seemed to have recovered his former might, so that when Prince Bao saw him for the first time, he thought that he had returned to the green years of his youth.

At that time, Emperor Hongwei, Prince Bao, and Hong Guangli, who was much older than them, jointly supported this vast empire.

I still remember the first day after Emperor Hongwei ascended the throne, and finally survived the lengthy celebration, so he sat on the dragon chair in the south study as he is now, smiling and waiting for the arrival of the two old friends.

Emperor Hongwei removed the dragon robe, Prince Bao and Hong Guangli also took off their battle armor, and the three of them seemed to have forgotten their identities, drinking and chatting in this south study, and talking freely about the empire and the future.

The youth is full of pride, and the blood is sprinkled with youth.

The beauty of memory gilds those pictures that have long passed away with a layer of brilliant gold, illusory and difficult to part.

Gradually, the brilliance dissipated, and the memories gradually became reality.

Twenty years have passed in a blink of an eye, and the high-spirited Emperor Hongwei on the dragon chair, waiting for his ambitions, has become a terminally ill and dying man.

Prince Bao sighed in his heart, clasped his fists and bowed: "The ministers meet the saint, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" ”

Emperor Hongwei raised his head, his sunken eye sockets overflowing with a bit of brilliance, and a smile squeezed out of his stiff face.

"You're here?"

It was exactly the same words as twenty years ago, but in the ears of Prince Bao at this time, there was only a thick sadness.

"The minister has arrived, and in accordance with the will of the saint, the palace has been sealed."

Prince Bao pressed the emotion in his heart and reported it aloud.

I don't know if it was because of the lack of energy, or if I remembered something, Emperor Hongwei was silent for a while before beckoning to Prince Bao.

"Come, come, talk to me."

Prince Bao nodded, got up and came to Emperor Hongwei's side, but he still adhered to the courtesy of the monarch and ministers, and did not trespass at all.

Emperor Hongwei glanced at Prince Bao, who had always kept a distance of half a zhang from him, and his eyes revealed a touch of imperceptible satisfaction, and said abruptly: "I know that you have deliberately retreated from the court all these years, why didn't I keep you?" ”

"Know ......"

This sentence also seemed to arouse Prince Bao's heart, and the emotions that he had finally suppressed came out again, and he sighed: "The saint is a sympathetic minister, a loving minister, and a trusting minister." ”

Emperor Hongwei glanced at Prince Bao, as if he wanted to see the truth of this sentence from his face, and he didn't know what conclusion he had finally reached, and suddenly laughed.

"You're right, especially the last point, if I have to say who I trust the most in this world, it's none other than you, and the reason why I acquiesced in your withdrawal from the court was because I wanted to hand over my aftermath to you.

After my death, those ambitious sons will definitely compete with each other, and only you can help the new monarch stabilize the situation quickly, so you can't have too much to do with the court, and can only stand on my side.

The court is a big dye vat, as long as you are in it, you will inevitably be disturbed by the spirit of the rivers and lakes, and the interests of the situation will be involved, so that you will lose your heart and can't help yourself. ”

When Prince Bao heard this, he said emotionally: "The ministers all understand, so the ministers are grateful to the Holy Lord for his protection." ”

Emperor Hongwei waved his hand: "Don't be so restrained, although you and I are monarchs and ministers, we are also brothers and old friends. ”

"Yes"

Prince Bao nodded, although Emperor Hongwei said this, it was obvious that Prince Bao did not really treat himself as an outsider.

Emperor Hongwei seemed to be aroused to talk about sex, and suddenly looked into the distance faintly, and muttered: "I know that you and Ling Yi are childhood sweethearts, and you have always loved her deeply, otherwise you would not have married a wife until you were over thirty years old, and you have not taken a concubine in your life......"

"The minister has no thoughts about the queen, and I ask the Holy Lord to see ......"

Hearing Emperor Hongwei mention this matter, Prince Bao suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, and before Emperor Hongwei finished speaking, he knelt down with a "plop".

But Emperor Hongwei didn't let Prince Bao explain more, and said with a faint smile: "Don't say those words against your will, my fair lady and gentleman are good, there is no sin in liking a good girl, and I am not such a jealous person."

On one side is the beloved woman, and on the other side is my brother, your emperor, I can imagine the pain in your heart.

You have survived for so many years, it is not easy, it is indeed bitter for you, but it is a pity that Ling Yi's life is thin, and he left you and me early, leaving only the prince as an unsuccessful son, but this child is really not successful, and he can't be the emperor of my Great Wei, alas......"

Prince Bao lowered his head and did not speak, as if he was wandering out of the world.

Emperor Hongwei continued: "Although the crown prince is not successful, he is also the only blood and blood left by Ling Yi, I know that you want to protect him, so I have not convicted him for a long time, I promised you to leave his life, but you also have to help me do one thing." ”

Prince Bao came back to his senses and said: "The will of the saint, the minister must do his best, and there will never be a little difference." ”

Emperor Hongwei smiled: "This matter is not a will, or an ordinary will, you listen well." ”

As he spoke, Emperor Hongwei's face appeared with a touch of calm, and he said a series of names to Prince Bao, the first of which was the champion Hou Xu Rui.

Prince Bao's face became whiter and paler the more he listened, and he was already sweating when Emperor Hongwei finished speaking.

Because Prince Bao knew that these people were all the people that Emperor Hongwei wanted him to kill, and none of them were not important figures, and they were not guilty.

It's just that because their existence may threaten the rule of the new monarch, they can't be condemned openly, and they can only let him do it for him.

However, when all obstacles are removed, the new monarch will inevitably give an explanation to the world and the court, and at that time his knife is useless, can he still survive?

At this moment, a small sound suddenly came from outside the door of the south study, and Prince Bao was startled: "Who is outside?" ”

Emperor Hongwei frowned, and also looked out the door.

Without waiting for Emperor Hongwei's order, Prince Bao immediately rushed to the door with a waist knife, only to see a small eunuch standing there trembling with a piece of paper.

"The slave is giving it to deliver things for the ancestors."

The person who came was none other than Hu Miao's godson Zhengyu.

After Hu Miao's death, he was recommended to King Yu by Xu Rui and became a good helper of Gonggong Cao in the celebrant supervisor.

"Did Wang Shun ask you to come?"

Prince Bao asked suspiciously.

Zhengyu nodded again and again, raising the note with both hands above his head.

Prince Bao stared at him for a moment and hesitated, but for some reason he didn't delve into it, but just took the note in his hand and said in a low voice: "Go back and report to your ancestors." ”

As if he had been pardoned, he hurriedly thanked him, turned around and hurried out of the south study.

"You didn't kill him?"

In the south study, seeing Prince Bao coming in with a note, Emperor Hongwei asked lightly.

Prince Bao shook his head and said, "I'm sure he just came, and he didn't mean to eavesdrop." ”

Emperor Hongwei didn't say anything, just took the note from Prince Bao's hand and opened it, and there were only a few words on it, "The prince's matter has been done."

Emperor Hongwei smiled faintly, and threw the note into the brazier on the side and turned it into ashes.

"New news?"

Prince Bao looked at the burning note and asked tentatively.

Emperor Hongwei shook his head and changed the subject: "Remember, you and I are both descendants of the previous emperor, and anyone and anything, compared with these thousands of miles of rivers and mountains and the ancestral inheritance, are just a speck of dust and insignificant. ”

When Prince Bao heard this, he bowed his head and said, "The minister understands. ”

Emperor Hongwei seemed to know that Prince Bao was worried, and continued: "You don't have to worry about the death of a cunning rabbit after I die, the lackey cooks, there is only one of those people who is the most difficult, it is Xu Rui, I have already sent a brocade guard to deal with it, you just need to help from the side." ”

When Prince Bao heard this, he was relieved, nodded and said, "The minister will arrange it." ”

Emperor Hongwei nodded and said no more.

Seeing this, Prince Bao slowly withdrew from the south study, and at the moment of going out, his footsteps paused slightly, and he slowly glanced at the corner of the wall, and then without hesitation, he strode forward.

Behind the corner, Zhengyu, who went and returned, hurried away from the other side with a solemn face.