When the war raged in the land of Zhongzhou, and various countries were involved in wars and turmoil, only the Fox Hill Country in a corner of the fertile land of Zhongzhou was particularly peaceful.

The previous king was not good at governance, and there were too many boiling grievances under the backlog, Yan Beixuan has been busy dealing with these thorny issues and appeasing the people's emotions since he took over the throne.

A slight itch on his cheeks stirred Yan Beixuan's good dream, and he was reluctant to open his eyes, only to see the water mandarin duck and the water duck dangling in front of him with their goose feathers, and the appearance of covering their mouths and snickering together made people laugh.

"You two naughty ghosts, won't you even let me sleep well in the afternoon? If you're so naughty, I'm going to ask Nanrin to take you to school. Stretched out his hand and scraped the tip of the duck's nose, Yan Beixuan smiled.

"Your Majesty is so stupid, if Uncle Nan doesn't allow it, how can we come in?" The water duck sneered, and scratched Yan Beixuan's neck with the goose feather, and the water duck next to him also followed suit.

"Okay, okay, can't I admit defeat?" Yan Beixuan smiled bitterly, and couldn't help but be a little curious, "Strange, Nan Rin took the wrong medicine today, why did he let the two of you leave the school so early?" Isn't he arguing with the tutor again? ”

The water mandarin ducks shook their heads in unison, giggled a few times, and invariably pointed their little fingers out of the courtyard, and said in unison: "No, it's because the beautiful brother is here!" ”

Yan Beixuan was confused for a while, pondered for a moment before realizing who the brother and sister were talking about, and jumped from the half-couch to the ground, and the joy in his eyes flashed endlessly: "Little resignation?!" Quick, let him in! ”

Every time Chu Ci returns, Yan Beixuan is very happy, and this time is no exception, especially when he sees Chu Ci's face coming slowly and calmly, Yan Beixuan has a sense of relief.

"Xiaoci, you're finally willing to take the initiative to go home."

Yan Beixuan stepped forward quickly and pulled Chu Ci to sit on the chair.

Chu Ci doesn't like to be pulled very much, and he deliberately avoids outsiders on weekdays, but Yan Beixuan is obviously an exception. After taking a seat, the expressionless Nan Rin also entered the inner room, standing upright next to him without saying a word, still looking like a loyal guard.

"Why do you want to go home at this time? I've heard that the fight is raging on the Yuanguo side, and I thought you'd be busy. ”

Chu Ci sat lazily and looked leisurely: "Well, the fight is tight, Dayuan's words are still in an unfavorable situation at present." ”

"And what are you doing here?" Nan Rin moved his eyebrows, and said in an unhappy tone, "Every time you come back, you have to mess up for a while, if you don't want to stay for a long time, it's better not to come back." ”

Yan Beixuan knew that Nan Rin was talking angry, but he didn't mind, but followed Nan Rin's words: "What Nan Rin said is not wrong. Now that you are the advisor of the new emperor of the Great Abyss, it is easy to expose your identity when you return to the Fox Hill Country frequently - of course, I am not pushing you away, you know, I expect you to come back more than anyone else. ”

With the same earnest gaze that has not changed over the years, and the tone of the same expectation, Chu Ci was a little speechless, and he replied after a long while: "I'll talk about this later, it's rare to come back, give me a chance to get down to business!" ”

was rejected again vaguely, Yan Beixuan was slightly disappointed, but he still sat next to him gently and listened carefully to Chu Ci's explanation.

"The last time I came here, in addition to persuading my eldest brother, I also said that there is another matter to discuss in the future, do you remember it?"

Yan Beixuan nodded: "Naturally remember." In fact, at that time, I didn't know the bottom of my heart at all, after all, my father had been in power for many years and had a solid foundation, and I wanted to force my father to abdicate the throne by strong means, and I was worried that I would be opposed by the courtiers and the people in the future. However, after the matter was completed, I was slowly relieved, and sure enough, as you said, many ministers expressed their willingness to withdraw from the alliance and avoid this multinational war, and they did not pretend to be unrebellious to me. Although I always feel very sorry for my father these days, I am not afraid to bear this sin when I can see the people living in peace. ”

In the stage of the alliance of the five countries, the sudden withdrawal of the Fox Hill Kingdom undoubtedly surprised everyone, except for Yan Beixuan and Nan Rin, who knew the inside in the matter, no third person in the world knew that all of this was facilitated by Chu Ci, a strategist with the talent of the emperor in the Yuan Kingdom.

Chu Ci didn't talk too much about what had passed, he picked up the teacup to warm his hands, and his slender and delicate eyebrows were reflected in the water: "Fox Hill has had continuous natural disasters in the past hundred years, and it is not easy to persist until now, and what I am most afraid of at this time is man-made disasters." The reason why I persuaded my eldest brother to take control of the government was to protect Fox Hill from being used, and now, I hope that what my eldest brother will do is to protect Fox Hill for a long time. ”

"What is so important?" Yan Beixuan was full of curiosity.

After being quiet, after Nan Rin's complicated gaze left his face, Chu Ci said lightly: "To put it ironically, the reason why my uncle has always hated me is that 'if you are not of my race, his heart will be different', and this is also the reason why I want to persuade my eldest brother." The Fox Hill Kingdom has stood in Zhongzhou for hundreds of years without being tilted by other countries, on the one hand, thanks to the sedimentary foundation, and on the other hand, the other countries in Zhongzhou do not care about the land of Fox Hill. At present, the war in Zhongzhou is spreading, and the army of the Hosdu Empire is approaching the capital of the most powerful Yuan Kingdom step by step, once the Yuan Kingdom is destroyed, what will happen to Fox Hill, didn't the eldest brother think about it? ”

"How could you not want to? I can't wait to think about it every day and every night, but no matter how much I think about it, I can't see it as clearly as you are. Yan Beixuan sighed, a little sad between his eyebrows.

Yan Beixuan couldn't do this kind of thing to help the Hosdu Empire, but he knew very well that the move to withdraw from the alliance would definitely have annoyed the Hosdu Empire, if the Yuan Kingdom lost Hosdu and won, then the next one that the Hosdu Empire's army would be flat would definitely be the Fox Hill Country.

How to mourn a small country?

Chu Ci inadvertently looked at Yan Beixuan's sad face, the corners of his lips were lightly raised, and his arc was indifferent: "So has the eldest brother considered joining forces with Dayuan to resist foreign enemies in order to prevent the Fox Hill Kingdom from becoming the next victim?" ”

Bang, Yan Beixuan shook, and the teacup in his hand fell on the table.

Nan Rin quietly picked up the teacup, turned around and drove the water duck out of the room, and then hugged his shoulders and said coldly: "You want to pull the fox hill into the war?" ”

"If you don't fight, you can only wait for someone to fight. The previous time, I opposed my uncle's alliance with Hosdu, and the prevention was that Hostur crossed the river and demolished the bridge after destroying the abyss; Now I am persuading the eldest brother to do it in order to completely eliminate this possibility - the eldest brother doesn't trust the Hosdu Empire, right? Whether it is the Duo Kingdom or Nanqing, if Hostud wins, they will inevitably become the destroyers after the Great Abyss; If Da Yuan wins, helping foreign countries to invade the country of their blood compatriots, does the eldest brother think that Da Yuan will let it go? ”

In fact, Yan Beixuan had also thought of Chu Ci's analysis, but he had never been able to make up his mind, after all, from the alliance state of Hosdu to the counterattack of the allied army with Dayuan, the change was too great.

More importantly, can the Fox Hill Country, which has just entered a stable country, really withstand the flames of war? Even if he, Yan Beixuan, had the courage to stand up, where would the materials needed for the march and battle come from? Ask for it from the people who have been suffering from natural disasters and hunger for many years?

As if he had expected the source of Yan Beixuan's hesitation, Chu Ci tapped the rim of the cup, and after the crisp sound, there was a light and slightly lazy voice: "The people are also reasonable, as long as the pros and cons of the eldest brother explain the situation, the people of Huqiu are never willing to be slaves of the country who are greedy for life and afraid of death." In addition, there is no need to worry about the problem of materials, grain and grass, as a reinforcement in the snow, the military expenses required by Fox Hill this time will be fully repaid. In addition, I can guarantee that once the Great Abyss wins, I will obtain enough food from the Great Abyss side for Fox Hill to alleviate the famine, and Your Majesty will not refuse this. ”

Chu Ci's final conditions were undoubtedly a huge temptation for Yan Beixuan, in the case of four consecutive years of nationwide drought, enough food for the people to survive the year of famine was more important than anything, Yan Beixuan even felt that if he could really let the desperate people live, his throne could be given away.

Yan Beixuan's vacillation was not bad at all, looking at Nan Rin's eyes, he snorted coldly, and Nan Rin suddenly spoke: "Only these two benefits are too thin, at least add one." ”

Chu Ci's face did not change, and his eyebrows raised slightly: "Nan Rin, I said are you annoying?" You are always the one who has embarrassed me since I was a child. ”

"Because I'm not as stupid as him, I'm always led by your nose." Nan Rin ruthlessly uncovered Yan Beixuan's old bottom, and Yan Beixuan's face became more serious in Yan Beixuan's helpless wry smile, "He doesn't say anything about this matter, if you want to send troops, you must listen to me." I only add one condition, if you agree, tomorrow I can mobilize a large army to enter the Yuan Kingdom with you; If you don't agree, you know the door and the way, don't wait for me to drive you away. ”

It was easy to persuade Yan Beixuan, to shake Nan Rin, a wood that was colder and harder than stone, Chu Ci was really helpless.

After a while, Chu Ci had an unhappy expression on his face: "Okay, tell me about your conditions, I will discuss with Your Majesty as much as possible within the acceptable range." ”

"There is no need to discuss with Emperor Yuan, only you can decide this matter." Lowering his eyes slightly, Nan Rin's voice suddenly became much softer, "I will do my best to help the Yuan Kingdom win, and my condition is that after the victory of the Yuan Kingdom, you must return to the Fox Hill Country to assist Bei Xuan, and you will never wander in another country from now on." ”

At that moment, Chu Ci's expression changed slightly, and he was silent for a long time.

※※※

There is a Rouge Mountain in Qingyue Country, which is the most beautiful and unique place in the whole Qingyue Country; In the Rouge Mountain, a magnificent but slightly empty palace has just been completed, carved beams and paintings, glazed tiles, no less than the most prestigious Qinglian Palace in the Yuan Kingdom.

"I want to open a patio here, plant some flowers and raise a few birds, it will be beautiful when the moon shines in at night. What does the prince think? Lian Song walked leisurely outside the palace, talking a few words with the prince of Nanqingguo behind him from time to time.

Prince Nanqing was already impatient, and he was annoyed by the question, and his tone couldn't help but be hurried: "After walking for half an hour, is this what even the adults want to tell me?" If I had known that, I might as well send a gardener! ”

"Why should the prince be in a hurry? At present, Dayuan is still at a disadvantage, and the combat strength of the 180,000 soldiers of the forbidden army camp is not as good as the 80,000 soldiers of the border army, and it will not have any impact on the situation except for delaying it for a while. Lian Song did not change leisurely, and his face was as plain as water.

"Even the adults spoke lightly, but as a result, didn't you and Concubine Yun still be driven out of the Yuan Kingdom?" Prince Nanqing sneered, "I also heard that Lord Lian was actually kidnapped by a woman, and let people chase them all the way before escaping back to Qingyue, are these all true?" If it weren't for the rumors, then I would have to carefully consider the matter of forming an alliance with Qingyue Kingdom, thinking that apart from those tens of thousands of soldiers who were in a dilemma, there was nothing Qingyue Country could handle. ”

Prince Nanqing's words were full of mockery and contempt, but Lian Song was not annoyed by this, and stood with his hands long, and his snow-colored hair fluttered silently in the breeze.

"What is the difference between having and not having such a thing as an alliance? Nanqingguo wanted to avenge the crown princess and wash away the shame, and the Duo Kingdom vainly tried to carve up the land of the Yuan Kingdom to expand its power; One was slapped in the face and didn't dare to speak, the other was reckless and brainless and only knew how to take by force, this alliance was just a joke to me. All I want is to see the mountains and rivers stained with blood and the lives ruined. ”

Turning around slowly, Lian Song, who had always stood in a no-man's land with cold eyes, showed a cold smile, which froze people's hearts in an instant.