Hatred and memories made Mu Zhixun a little disturbed, he closed the partition, closed his eyes and concentrated, not wanting to let his mind have a trace of confusion.

After a long time, he opened the partition again and ordered outside the carriage: "But the wind is closed, and it will be diverted to Qinzhou." ”

Mu Zhixun had also heard of the climate in Qinzhou, but the chill he felt when he got off the carriage was still beyond his expectations, and he couldn't help but shiver at the sudden huge temperature difference in the silver fox fur.

And the Lu Ziyu in front of him, who was holding a spear and wearing a military uniform, and his face was mixed with a little frost because he was in the cold outdoors all year round, surprised him even more, shouldn't he be in the Wind Pass?

"Minister Lu Ziyu has seen His Royal Highness King Chang." Lu Ziyu put down his spear and saluted on one knee.

"Hurry up, Ziyu." Mu Zhixun hurriedly smiled and went to help, when his hands touched the iron claw on Lu Ziyu's shoulders, the biting coldness spread from his palm to his back, Mu Zhixun's heart couldn't help but sigh Lu Ziyu's tolerance and toughness.

"I have long heard that His Royal Highness is going to Beiye to mourn, and my father has already prepared to take over at the Rinfeng Pass. Why did His Highness come to Qinzhou? Lu Ziyu said curiously while leading Mu Zhixun to the camp of the Beiping Army.

"Haha, don't bother the old prince." Mu Zhixun said politely, "Xiao Wang is forced by his identity, and it is rare to have the opportunity to go out of Beijing, since I have a new construction of Daning and Yuansu, I naturally want to come and see it, haha." ”

Soon, the two entered the camp tent, and Lu Ziyu specially ordered someone to bring in two large pots of charcoal, but it was only a little warmer, and it was better than nothing.

On the stove, the rough and bulky iron kettle was steaming, it seemed that the water was boiling, Lu Ziyu laughed at himself while looking at the tea for King Chang: "Qinzhou is too remote, if it weren't for the opening of the field this year, the merchants brought some tea bricks here, Ziyu is afraid that he can only entertain His Highness with white water." ”

"Hahaha, the border doesn't have to be in the mainland, you can drink a sip of hot tea here, which is much more expensive than the delicacies in the Imperial Palace." Mu Zhixun quipped with a hot tea cup in both hands. Immediately, he deliberately said with concern: "Father is also ruthless, sent you to such a ghost place to garrison, and I beg my father to transfer you back to the Rinfeng Pass." ”

Hearing this, Lu Ziyu hurriedly shook his hand and said with a wry smile: "No, no, it wasn't Your Majesty who asked Ziyu to come, it was Ziyu who came here voluntarily." ”

"Huh? Why did you come here to suffer? ”

"It's not a secret, Ziyu is worried that the Yuanfu people will have an attempt on Qinzhou." Lu Ziyu said in a low and serious voice.

After Lu Ziyu told Mu Zhixun about the worries and worries in his heart, Mu Zhixun was greatly moved, he praised Lu Ziyu's keen observation and resoluteness in protecting the country, and said that after returning to Beijing, he must explain this matter to his father, so that his father can give enough attention and support.

"It's just that Xiao Wang is worried about Ziyu, how can these three thousand warriors and such a simple city wall withstand the tens of thousands of iron horsemen living outside the pass." Mu Zhixun said worriedly.

"If there is really a war, it will be difficult for my people to resist the attack of the Yuansu Iron Cavalry, but our purpose is only to delay the reinforcement of the main force of the Beiping Army, the mountains and forests in the north of Qinzhou have been covered with organs and hidden posts, once it is found that the Yuansu side has increased a large number of troops to Qinzhou, you can report to the Rinfeng Pass as soon as possible, and the Yuansu people in the city are also under my surveillance, once there is a suspicious connection with the outside world, I will know it as soon as possible, so that the Yuansu people will be difficult to cooperate with the outside, as for the city wall of Qinzhou, Since the day I arrived, it has begun to be rebuilt and reinforced, as well as the 3,000 tiger head battalions I brought, all of them are the elite of the Beiping Army, and they are all men who fought hard with the evil people back then. It's better not to fight, and if it does, it's okay to drag it out for a while. ”

"Daning can have such a talent as the son, it is really a blessing for the family and the country. It's a pity that Xiao Wang is a gentleman and has no power to restrain the chicken. I don't know if the prince can lead Xiao Wang to visit the garrison here, and it is not in vain for Xiao Wang's side of the pass. Mu Zhixun's admiration is undoubtedly revealed.

"Okay." Lu Ziyu's tone concealed the momentary hesitation in his heart.

The goose-feather-like snow fluttered in the sky above Qinzhou City, the thickness and size of the snowflakes here are incomparable to the Yunjing snowflakes, Mu Zhixun braved the heavy snow under the leadership of Lu Ziyu to come to the Qinzhou field, he didn't expect that under such bad weather, there would be so many herdsmen from Yuansu and the people of the Central Plains trading here.

Dressed in bulky coarse cloth clothes, they carried herds of cattle, sheep and horses, pulling a cart full of tea bricks and porcelain, Mu Zhixun even saw Lingjin from the south of Daning, he couldn't imagine what kind of difficulties and setbacks these merchants who crossed the entire Daning mountains and rivers and the Yuansu herdsmen who came from the north experienced along the way, because they didn't know and couldn't know what life meant to these low-level people.

When they took each other's coins and silver tickets with trembling hands, their faces that had already turned purple from the cold showed joy and satisfaction after the successful transaction.

"Xing, the people are bitter; Death, the people suffer. In fact, the people are the most innocent, they are just for life. Lu Ziyu said with emotion on the side after seeing the incomprehension on Mu Zhixun's face.

Mu Zhixun was silent, his attention was mainly on the interlocking posts arranged by Lu Ziyu, and after visiting the defense of the city with a solemn expression, Mu Zhixun proposed to go to the mountains and forests outside the city to visit the hidden posts and institutions. In order to save time and find out Lu Ziyu's defense in the mountains and forests as soon as possible, he refused Lu Ziyu's kindness to let him ride in the carriage, and chose to ride with him instead.

The wind rose, and heavy snow filled the valley. The military flag printed with the word "Beiping" whistled in the wind, a team of light horsemen galloped through the valley, and Mu Lu and the two drove at the front of the team, one wearing armor and the other in a plain silver robe.

That day, Mu Zhixun's expression and movements did not look like a pampered prince at all, this was not the Chang King that Lu Ziyu knew.

For King Chang, the feeling of riding a horse in the forests of the Great Snow Mountain was really too harsh, but he never wavered from the moment he got on the horse.

They set off in the morning and returned late at night, and after the rapid inspection, even Lu Ziyu, who had been trained in this environment since childhood, felt a sense of powerlessness from hunger and cold, and Mu Zhixun couldn't hold it anymore after rushing back to Qinzhou City, and as soon as the horse stopped, he fell off the horse and passed out.

The anxious crowd wiped his body with snow again, wrapped his body in a warm fur, made a charcoal fire, and stewed ginger soup. After a lot of tossing, Mu Zhixun slowly woke up.

But Mu Zhixun, who woke up, didn't want so many people to surround him, and after comforting Lu Ziyu and everyone, he hurriedly asked them to retreat.

The howling cold wind penetrated through the cracks in the walls and doors from time to time, and Qinzhou was broken, and it was difficult to find even an impermeable house. Under the cover, Mu Zhixun's body was still trembling, he found a pen and paper, under the dim oil lamp, against the sharp pain in his head and the heat all over his body, he drew the layout of the dark posts and the location of the organs seen inside and outside the city today, and then he carefully hid the drawings in his arms, took a long breath, and the solemnity in his eyes gradually eased.

The moonlight outside the window penetrated into the house, and Mu Zhixun couldn't help but sigh in his heart about the subtlety of Lu Ziyu's defense, Lu Ziyu's appearance in Qinzhou greatly surprised Mu Zhixun, and he had to admit that it was his negligence. If it weren't for the fact that he temporarily changed his mind and came to Qinzhou to protect himself, I am afraid that Yuan Su Tieqi would inevitably suffer a lot in Qinzhou, and the development of the situation would be difficult to be as expected before.

Mu Zhixun knew in his heart that only drawings were not enough, and he must not let Lu Ziyu spoil his big things.

Early the next morning, Mu Zhixun, who was still a little weak, resigned to Lu Ziyu on the grounds that the weather in Qinzhou was too cold and it was not suitable to stay for a long time.

Came suddenly, left suddenly, Lu Ziyu felt that Mu Zhixun's trip was not like a passerby, but more like intentional, he always felt that King Chang was a little weird, but it was difficult to have a reasonable explanation after thinking about it.

Yunjing, Jiangxun Palace.

Today's weather is exceptionally good, it is the warmest day in Yunjing since the beginning of winter, and the afternoon sun fills the courtyard of the entire Jiangxun Palace. Flowers such as plum, camellia, and poinsettia stand in the wind make people feel like they have entered spring in a trance.

"Who said that there is no spring, please move to the Jiangxun Palace temporarily, hahaha." Emperor Ning looked very happy, he took off his yellow warm coat as soon as he walked into the courtyard of the Xuan Xun Palace, and said to Concubine Hui: "Today's weather is good, some days have not been so warm." ”

Concubine Hui, who was cutting and taking care of the flowers, took the warm fur with some unease, "Your Majesty, let's put it on quickly, so as not to catch a cold." ”

"It's finally a sunny day, I'm here to bask in the sun today, it's good for you to let me wear such a thing, how uncomfortable it is." Emperor Ning said aggrieved like an old naughty boy.

"Okay, good, don't put it on, don't put it on." Concubine Hui shook her head helplessly and smiled, "Li'er, make tea." ”

Concubine Hui also asked someone to bring a warm and wide rocking chair and a short stool from the house. Under the warm sun, the two sat side by side, speaking from time to time, simple and happy.

"I'm curious, why isn't this Luo Wenzhao in a hurry at all, he is in his thirties, and he doesn't have a home yet. You're a sister, you have to rush him. Emperor Ning frowned and said with concern.

"In the past ten years, he has returned to Beijing to report on his work and visited his concubines several times, and the concubines have also persuaded him to start a family earlier, but he always says that he is busy with official affairs and has no time to take care of it, hey, the concubines can't do anything about him."

However, it is also true that he is busy with official business, and I have heard that he personally leads a patrol around the Honghe River every day, and if there is a flood season in the Honghe River, he eats and lives on the boat, and walks barefoot on the deck every day. I also hinted to him that the young master of the Ming Frontier Kingdom was still in Yunjing, and they didn't dare to act rashly, but he just didn't feel at ease. Thinking about it this way, I asked him to be the envoy of the Jing Navy, but it was a mistake for his life. Emperor Ning laughed at himself.

"Your Majesty, don't say this, in fact, the concubine knows him best, Wen Zhao, this kid has been high-spirited since he was a child, very picky, and naturally treats lifelong events even more so, unless he meets someone he really likes, otherwise he won't easily start a family, so as not to lose himself, but also to others." Concubine Hui said seriously.

Concubine Hui didn't expect that her unintentional words reminded Emperor Ning of his past thoughts, his eyes drooped, and he wanted to speak several times, but finally spoke: "I ...... I have also lost one person in my life. ”

"Your Majesty......"

"Do you know why I spoil you alone in Nuoda's harem."

"Your Majesty is the lord of the world, and naturally the lord of the harem. In the harem, no matter who His Majesty favors, there is His Majesty's reason. Concubine Hui bowed slightly.

"You're always like that...... It's too similar to her. Emperor Ning's wry smile was full of memories, "The reason why I favor you alone is because you are the only one in the entire harem now...... Most like the queen of the year, your appearance is a little like her, your voice is like her, even your temperament is very similar, you both like flowers, the only difference is probably that she likes begonias, and you like plums. ”

"The concubine knows...... In fact, the concubines also heard from the mouths of some palace people. Concubine Hui rubbed the back of her hand and smiled indifferently.

"But you know...... Before you, I met someone who was almost exactly like the Queen. Emperor Ning closed his eyes, and his slightly trembling voice was mixed with remorse and self-blame, "I ...... I shouldn't have met her. ”

"She's ...... Who? Concubine Hui asked tentatively.

“…… The biological mother of the search. ”

"Isn't King Chang's biological mother Concubine Shun?" Concubine Hui wondered.

"It's not." Emperor Ning shook his head, "Actually, King Chang's biological mother is called Ni Yan, and she is an ordinary palace maid in the North and South Palaces. After the queen left, I was very painful, often walking around the north palace alone, always looking for some memories of the queen, until that day, I came to the vegetable garden of the Siyuan Bureau, at that time she was carrying a vegetable basket, in the garden to pick the fruits and vegetables needed for the royal meal, the sight of her, I will never forget...... I really thought she was ...... It's my queen. Emperor Ning recalled affectionately.

"And what about later? Why did King Chang's biological mother write about the late Concubine Shun? Concubine Hui was puzzled.

"At that time, the first queen mother was still alive, and after Niyan was pregnant, I went to the first queen mother and asked her to make an exception to make Niyan a concubine."

"What did the Empress Dowager say?"

Emperor Ning shook his head helplessly, "The Queen Mother is very angry, her old man said that the emperor's concubines can only be selected from the women selected in the official palace once every three years, which is the rule set by the ancestral dynasty. In the final analysis, the palace maid is just a miscellaneous servant sent into the palace by ordinary people's families, once Niyan is established as a concubine, then the matter of the emperor and the palace maid will be known to the world, the Mu royal family can't afford to lose this person, and the Daning Dynasty can't afford to lose this person. ”

"Your Majesty......"

"I'm really ...... Powerless, royal face...... Bigger than the sky. Emperor Ning said this sentence helplessly, "For fear that the news would spread, after she gave birth to Zhixun, she was sent to Shuyun Pavilion. I was afraid that Zhixun knew that this past would cause him unnecessary harm, so I declared his mother to be the late Shun Concubine. ”

"If you don't know, unless you don't do it, the later search still knows, the child also secretly went to his mother, and the mother and son wept that day...... I...... Ay. Emperor Ning choked up.

"And then?" Concubine Hui's eyes were also red.

Niyan finally saw her son, and the only reluctance in her heart was also put down, maybe she knew that she would never be able to get out of Shuyun Pavilion in this life, and she committed suicide under all hopes. At that time, Zhixun was only five years old, and he was armed with a knife to kill me, and he kept saying that he wanted to avenge his mother...... I beat him hard, and after that incident, the Queen Mother felt uncomfortable, and soon died of depression. All this ...... It's all because of me. As soon as the words fell, a string of tears slipped from the corner of Emperor Ning's eyes.

"Your Majesty, don't blame yourself, people in high positions naturally have pain and helplessness that ordinary people can hardly understand." Concubine Hui wiped her tears and comforted.

"I can't live with Mother and Son, the reason why I don't reuse it now is not because of his concubine, but because I don't want him to be like me, burdened by fame and power, I ...... I want him to be a real ...... in this life. Free and happy people. Emperor Ning expected.

"His Royal Highness King Chang is docile and respectful, and His Majesty's painstaking efforts must have understood him."

"I hope so, Zhice is kind-hearted and tolerant, and after a hundred years, he should be kind to Zhixuan." The sun gradually went west, but I don't know whether Emperor Ning's eyes were filled with sleepiness or longing.