He Jingying pushed open the door of the Nanjun Mansion and walked in, the Nanjun Mansion has not been inhabited for a long time, but it has not been affected by the Longchang disaster, and everything in the mansion is still the same.

Liu Yinzhou walked into the palace, quickly brought a bucket of water from the well in the backyard, and cleaned the Yiyue Pavilion first.

Concubine Fan followed Emperor Qi Wu all her life, and her political skills were also very tough. She first ordered the Anxi army to control the situation in the capital, put Zhou Fengshu in charge, and then ordered Xiao Lian to reorganize the Yulin camp, and also rewarded and punished the ministers of the court and the central government, and regathered the already scattered Daqi.

It's just that the country can't be without a king for a day, and there are disputes between the court and China about the choice of the prince.

This time, most of the royal family members suffered. Except for Xiao Ziqing and Xiao Zimao, who was imprisoned in Jiangzhou, the rest of the heirs of Emperor Qi Wu died in the Longchang Disaster. The Xiao family, there are still those sons rescued by Xiao Ziqing, but most of them are young, and now the national disaster has just passed and is waiting to be revived, and it is difficult for the young sons to take on the big responsibility.

Now there are only two people in the side branch of the Xiao family who can be candidates for the emperor. One is Xiao Yuanda, and the other is Xiao Luan's sister-in-law Xiao Baojuan. Xiao Yuanda is meritorious and loyal to Sheji, but he is not a descendant of Taizu, and Xiao Daoci's lineage is only a side branch of the Xiao family. What's more, Xiao Daoci's reputation in the matter of Zhuyi was ruined.

Although Xiao Luan usurped Xiao Zhaoye's position, Xiao Luan was Xiao Luan's cousin. Xiao Baojuan is far more convincing than Xiao Yuanda.

The ministers of the DPRK and China argued endlessly over this. Even Concubine Fan had a headache. Daqi can no longer afford such a difficulty, Xiao Baojuan has nothing to achieve, if Xiao Baojuan is established as the emperor, it is likely to be the next Xiao Zhaoye. However, Xiao Yuanda may also be criticized in the future because he is not a member of Xiao Daoci.

He Jingying was placed in the palace for a few days, and then she discussed with Concubine Fan and returned to live in the Nanjun Palace.

The peony plant in front of Yiyue Pavilion had already withered, leaving a dry flower branch. He Jingying was about to reach out and pull out the withered peony flower. Liu Yinzhou walked over from behind: "Don't move, princess!" Liu Yinzhou squatted down and looked: "Princess, you look at the roots that are still green." If you cut it up, you might be able to grow longer. ”

Liu Yinzhou turned back to the house and took a pair of scissors and cut off the dry one. "Princess, the concubine said that I would like to ask you if you want to add a few more maids to the palace?"

"No, I'm used to being alone."

Liu Yinzhou looked at He Jingying with a smile: "Slave guess you said the same thing." Therefore, the slave and maid asked the concubine for a decree, and the slave and maid will follow you and serve you in the future. ”

He Jingying is not reluctant to have maids to serve, but since Chun'er died, it has been difficult to find someone who is lovely. But she is very close to Liu Yinzhou. "However, in this palace, it can't be compared to the palace."

Liu Yinzhou tidied up the bed in Yiyue Pavilion: "Where can't it be compared?" ”

"You don't have to do this menial work."

Liu Yinzhou said with a smile: "I used to do these jobs at home, and the concubine was kind-hearted, but she still raised me lazy." The concubine said, if there are trustworthy people around you, the fewer people the better. Can the princess still trust me? ”

"Nature is trustworthy."

"Then the princess should not refuse again. You can't have no one in such a big palace, right? Tomorrow I'll go to the street and buy some honest rough maids and come back. Gotta hire another gardener! Guarantee that the palace will be cleaned up beautifully. ”

He Jingying said gratefully: "Yinzhou, thank you." ”

Liu Yinzhou stopped what he was doing and looked up at He Jingying: "Princess, have you forgotten?" You saved my life. ”

Liu Yinzhou said seriously: "You not only saved me, you saved all of us in Yongzhou, and you also saved the prisoners who were almost sacrificed." We will never forget your kindness. ”

He Jingying's heart moved slightly, yes, there are not only people like Yan Wuyi in this world, there are many people like Liu Yinzhou who are still growing towards the sun although they are in the dark world.

While Liu Yinzhou was talking, there were several dog barks in the yard.

As soon as He Jingying turned around, she saw the fat tiger rushing out of the corner, shaking her head and burrowing into He Jingying's arms.

The black mud on the fat tiger's body seemed to come out of the firewood room, and I don't know how it survived during this time, and how it ran back to the Nanjun Palace.

"Hidden boat, look! It's actually here. ”

Fat Tiger often runs happily in the palace, and Liu Yinzhou has also seen it. Seeing Fat Tiger again by chance after the war is like meeting an old friend.

Liu Yinzhou checked the fat tiger and said, "I guess it has been hiding in the kitchen for a while, and it is covered with ashes from the stove." I see that this dog is almost finished, and he knows how to hide in the kitchen. ”

He Jingying hugged the fat tiger's head and rubbed it, and found that although it had lost a lot of weight, it obviously didn't let herself be hungry these days. The fat tiger was spreading joy in He Jingying's arms, and Xiao Lian walked in outside the courtyard with wine and a bag of beef in his hand. As soon as the fat tiger smelled the beef, the dog's tail swept over He Jingying's face.

Xiao Lian's eyes were full of He Jingying, where did he calculate that he would kill a fat tiger halfway, and the oil-paper wrapped beef in his hand was snatched away by the fat tiger.

He Jingying said with a smile: "The dignified leader of the feather forest lost to a dog. ”

Xiao Lian watched as the fat tiger tore open the oil paper with one paw and gobbled up the beef. Xiao Lian saw that his flesh hurt, he only had a lot of money a month, a bag of beef is not cheap!

As soon as Liu Yinzhou saw Xiao Lian coming in, he obediently retreated from Yiyue Pavilion: "Princess, I'll go clean up the backyard." ”

Liu Yinzhou glanced at Xiao Lian with a smile and passed by Xiao Lian. This is also one of the reasons why Concubine Fan asked Liu Yinzhou to take care of He Jingyingdi. The matter between Xiao Lian and He Jingying, Concubine Fan saw it in her eyes. Concubine Fan felt sorry for He Jingying, and did not blame her for He Jingying's relationship with Xiao Lian, but she couldn't support it explicitly.

If the matter of He Jingying and Xiao Lian reached the ears of those old ministers, it would also be a big trouble.

Xiao Lian and He Jingying sat down on the steps in front of Yiyue Pavilion, just in time to see the sunset on the horizon.

He Jingying looked at the sunset outside the courtyard and became distracted, suddenly her waist tightened, and the whole person was light, He Jingying was picked up by Xiao Lian and jumped on the roof.

Xiao Lian put He Jingying on the roof: "You can see it more clearly here." ”

He Jingying glanced at Xiao Lian with disgust, and took a sip of the wine jug from Xiao Lian's hand, the clear and sweet aroma of wine crossed the tip of the tongue, the wine was not strong, but it was very delicious: "What kind of wine is this?" ”

"The sour plum wine I made sour plum po."

He Jingying smiled sweetly: "It's delicious." ”

The sunset fell a touch of glamour in Xiao Lian's amber pupils. Sitting next to He Jingying, Xiao Lian had a smile in his eyes, but his eyebrows were still slightly twisted.

"What's wrong? Got something on your mind? ”

Xiao Lian leaned behind him with his arm on his pillow: "Xiao Yuanda came to me today." ”

This is not surprising, although Xiao Lian is not a member of the royal family, but with his prestige in the court, both Xiao Yuanda and Xiao Baojuan have to win Xiao Lian's support.

"What do you think?"

Xiao Lian sighed: "I'm thinking that if they can't stop arguing, Gongzi Yu on the Northern Wei side will calm down the civil strife." I didn't kill Tuoba Hong, I just tied him up and gave him to Gongzi Yu, and now Tuoba Hong is back in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the civil strife is enough for them to consume for a while. However, if the civil strife in the Northern Wei Dynasty subsided and the Southern Qi Dynasty was still so chaotic, it would still be impossible to avoid the Southern Wei Dynasty going south. ”

"So you prefer Xiao Yuanda to be the emperor?"

Xiao Lian nodded and said: "Naturally, Xiao Yuanda is loyal and upright, and he has the world in mind, so he will be a wise man." ”

He Jingying took a sip of sour plum wine: "Ji Shang also had the world in mind, and he also had the talent of a Ming Jun. ”

Xiao Lian's eyes darkened. He Jingying is right, in order to achieve a prosperous era, the right time, place and people are indispensable, it is not enough to just have the world in mind, but also to be able to balance the court and balance the ministers. Presumably Concubine Fan is very clear about this, so she has not expressed her position.

He Jingying asked, "What happened to the people who were provoked by Yan Wuyi to rebel against the Anxi Army?" ”

"Da Meng locked them up in the Criminal Department, waiting to be dealt with."

"These people...... What do you think? ”

Xiao Lian said coldly: "Kill the most vicious people." ”

He Jingying's expression darkened: "Yan Wuyi is right, those people's hatred for the Shi clan is real. He just stirred up the hatred. ”

He Jingying's life experience since she was a child has sandwiched her between the nobles and the commoners. She has the identity of a nobleman, but she has sympathy for the common people, but the contradiction between the two is originally irreconcilable in this era.

Xiao Lian saw that He Jingying's expression was not worried, put the wine bottle on the roof at will, took He Jingying's hand and said, "Follow me." ”

Xiao Lian jumped off the roof with He Jingying and went straight out of the palace.

Xiao Lian took He Jingying to the street. The streets were cleaned of blood, rocks and wood. In addition to the bell tower, it has not yet had time to be repaired, but there are no traces of the war left on the streets.

On the summer street, several liquor stores are open, and a few people with red noses are talking in the liquor shops. There are craftsmen on the side of the street who are setting up stalls and making lanterns in their hands, and there is an artist selling lanterns opposite, and there are many children gathered in front of the stall.

Xiao Lian led He Jingying and walked on the street: "A-Ying, have you seen it?" Not everyone only hates, there are many people, just like the shopkeeper of the wine shop, like the old man who made lanterns, and the uncle who sold horse lanterns, they are living a good life. If we have the ability, we must protect the people, to quell the rebellion, and to protect the Great Qi from being trampled on by foreigners, but in fact, the people are stronger than you think, even stronger than you and me. People like Yan Wuji are thugs, people who want to destroy this country for their own selfish desires. And what we want to protect are those who are willing to live on the territory of Southern Qi and are willing to make Southern Qi better with their own meager efforts. ”

Xiao Lian can always see the beautiful side of this world, find sunshine in the dark, and find direction. Suddenly, He Jingying was no longer confused by Yan Wuyi's words.

He Jingying looked at Xiao Lian with a smile, and watched Xiao Lian open his arms and smile proudly on the street. The uncle who sells lanterns, the uncle who sells horse lanterns, and the aunt who sells hairpins don't understand what Xiao Lian is talking about, and he only feels that the young man in front of him has a passion that this world does not have. even simply felt that this young man looked very good-looking when he spoke, as if he had enjoyed a good-looking show, and laughed one after another.

Xiao Lian walked up to He Jingying and took her hand, his eyes were terrifying: "A-Ying, do you understand what I said?" ”

He Jingying nodded. If everyone in this world can have a pure heart like Xiao Lian, then will those killings and those darkness never happen again?

Xiao Lian looked at He Jingying seriously: "If you want to help these people, we can reopen the Six Diseases Hall, we can open a porridge shed, we can do a lot of things, I'll accompany you, okay?" ”

"Okay." He Jingying had a little tear in her eyes. It's happy, it's joy that I've never had. Xiao Lian knew what she was thinking and what she was ashamed of. A sentence of "I accompany you" is better than all mountain alliances and sea oaths.

Xiao Lian sent He Jingying back to the palace, still holding a marquee in his hand. It was bought by Xiao Lian in the middle of a bunch of children for He Jingying, which provoked those children to chase Xiao Lian all the way.

Xiao Lian handed the marquee into Liu Yinzhou's hands, and said softly: "I'll come to see you tomorrow after I finish my job." ”

"Okay."

"You have a good rest."

"Okay."

Xiao Lian watched He Jingying walk into the palace before leaving.

He Jingying returned to Yiyue Pavilion, turned out the lights in the house, and lit the lantern. The whole room was filled with starlight.

After Liu Yinzhou waited for He Jingying to change her clothes, he said with a smile: "I always thought that General Xiao was a big grin, but I didn't expect to be so careful." ”

He Jingying smiled: "Sometimes it's like a child." ”

Liu Yinzhou looked at He Jingying with a smile: "The princess should rest early." ”

"Okay."

After Liu Yinzhou left, He Jingying hugged Bo and stared at the marquee.

Suddenly, there was a soft noise outside the window. He Jingying laughed.

Xiao Lian, dressed in black, jumped in from the window lightly and dexterously. As soon as I entered the room, I saw He Jingying smiling a little narrowly: "Didn't General Xiao say that he would see you tomorrow?" How do you flip through a window? ”

Xiao Lian cheekily jumped to the bed and hugged He Jingying: "I haven't seen you for a long time, I miss you." ”

"We've just separated."

"That's been a long time."

Haven't you seen each other in a long time? It's been more than a month since Stone Town was too guarded to be the mansion to today. can suffocate General Xiao.

Xiao Lian buried his head in He Jingying's neck, and his eyes were a little dark. He wrapped his hand around He Jingying and tightened it again, and his voice was a little hoarse: "A-Ying, can you stop lying to me in the future?" ”

The tip of He Jingying's nose was a little sour, gently covering Xiao Lian's hand around her, and said softly: "Okay." ”

The heat from Xiao Lian's body gently enveloped He Jingying.

The marquee was gently extinguished, and the starlight in that room no longer flowed, but the gently flickering bed curtain revealed a little gentleness and a little fragrance. He Jingying clings to this gentleness inch by inch, and the people who embrace each other draw warmth in the dark.

Even after He Jingying fell asleep, Xiao Lian still hugged He Jingying tightly, and only when he held He Jingying in his arms did Xiao Lian feel that it was real.

The world is real, and so is he.