One day, the joy came to naught, Wei Dongting came to Yuepeng Store, and saw that Mu Zixu and a few other people were not there, only Wu Ciyou was sorting out the books. At this time, it is really a mouthful of words, and a stumble of deeds. Seeing that Wu Ciyou's face was pale, as if he was suffering from a serious illness, he thought it was caused by the heat, and was about to open his mouth to condole, but he heard Wu Ciyou say: "Huchen, I already know about Wanniang's renunciation, you don't have to comfort me, I ...... Think about it. ”

Even Wei Dongting didn't know about this. He was very surprised when he heard this, and hurriedly asked, "Why did she want to become a monk?" You listened to Mingzhu, right? ”

Wu Ciyou didn't answer, and said for a while: "You don't have to ask who said it." The emperor is extremely holy and treats me with deep kindness and righteousness. Wan Niang's affection for me, I also know it very well in my heart. As long as these things are like one heart, why care about the morning and twilight? Huchen, I can think about this, don't worry! ”

This seemed to be comforting Wei Dongting. Wei Dongting was dumbfounded and didn't know how to answer. Wu Ciyou's face was pale, and he said slowly: "Wan Niang is a talented woman, her status is precious, my Wu Ciyou is not worthy of her, but she is as affectionate as a mountain, how can I be a negative person!" At this point, he was silent.

"What are you going to do, sir?" Wei Dongting couldn't hold back and finally asked.

"Retreat to the spring forest, wander the world, go with the water by boat, and dance cranes in the world of shengping."

"Yikes!" Wei Dongting couldn't help but be shocked, "I know that the emperor's heart is no less than Xiong and Suo Zhugong." Mr. is frustrated in love, how can he be down? ”

"You're telling the truth," Wu Ciyou nodded, "We've been getting along for a few years. But neither the king nor the pearl know me as well as they do now, and I expect that the emperor will definitely grant my request. ”

"Have you already bowed to the excerpt?" Wei Dongting asked in surprise.

"Well," Wu Ciyou said calmly, "I am lazy by nature, and I can't bear the disturbances of this Jingshi, and I am even more tired of the ups and downs of the sea of eunuchs, intrigues, and mutual conflicts." Huchen, I have been getting along with the saint for several years, the righteousness of the monarch and the minister is getting heavier, and the love between teachers and students is deeper, I shouldn't have been such a philistine person for a woman. But over the years, I have experienced some personal accidents and experienced some political turmoil, and I thought that at this time, I could retreat detachedly, and I could have my whole body, my full name, and my whole section; As soon as you enter the sea of eunuchs, you will be smoked for a long time, and you will not be able to extricate yourself. ”

He still talked eloquently: "Huchen, in recent years, you have also read a lot of books, has there been anyone with such a temperament as me who has assisted the emperor to the end since ancient times?" You shook your head, which proves that what I saw was true. Some talented people only know and don't know how to retreat, and eventually fall into injustice! This is one layer; On another level, the emperor now has to do two major things: cutting the evidence, there is no need to use my weak scholars; advocating the holy way, and there is no need for me to take the right in the court; Swimming on the rivers and lakes, singing for the prosperity of the Holy Dynasty, is it better than being in the court? ”

The words that followed were all written by Wu Ciyou in the recital, Lao Zhuang smelled very strong, but Wei Dongting had never heard of it. Thinking of his own home, he also sighed: "Mr. wants to learn from Li Qinglian to give gold back to the mountain, the high wind and bright festival can be praised, but it is only for Mr. to be like this, I always feel that it is a pity." ”

"I expect the emperor to think the same way," Wu Ciyou said with a smile, "but the emperor is far-sighted, very human, and he will definitely be able to go here." ”

"I'm going to learn from Mr. too!" Wei Dongting smiled sadly, "Boating on the five lakes and wandering the world, you will not lose your original face as a hero." ”

Wu Ciyou smiled: "Why bother? You're different from me, just think about it. I heard Mingzhu say that the emperor intends to let you go to Jinling on an errand. In my opinion, it's not bad that you'll be in Jinling for the rest of your life. Speaking of this, he hesitated for a moment, "I only say this to my close friends, if it is not as good as you want, just because I didn't say it!" ”

Wei Dongting returned to the bottom of the Hufang Bridge with sadness, changed into court clothes, and wanted to enter the palace to see Kangxi. He really wanted to cry in front of the emperor to vent the depression in his heart. Fang was about to go out, but when he saw a stranger in his thirties coming in, he said to him: "The slave will be separated from the general from now on!" Wei Dongting couldn't help but be surprised: "I don't know Zuxia, who are you?" ”

The man smiled: "I've been with your uncle for five years, and now I don't know the slave?" ”

Wei Dongting was stunned for a moment, and after careful study, he suddenly woke up and said, "You are not an old man...... How do you ......"

"The slave was originally from the Thirteen Yamen." The man smiled, "Lord Xiong saw that the villain was poor, and recommended him to wait for the uncle, but I was afraid that you would be too young and not old, so you pretended to be like this, and actually deceived the uncle for five years!" Now that the villain's mission here is over, this is a long vacation, and please forgive me! ”

Wei Dongting only felt dizzy, almost slumped on the chair, barely froze, and said with a smile: "It's all the emperor's envoys, but I have wronged you." There is nothing to give today, these two hundred taels of silver will show my heart! ”

Sending off the "old men", Wei Dongting felt weak and his legs were weak, but he still got up and rode to the Forbidden City to meet Kangxi. When they arrived at the Longzong Gate, they happened to meet Suo Etu accompanied by Wu Liuyi and Xiong Ci, and the four of them looked at each other silently for a moment, without saying anything, and then said goodbye with a solemn expression.

Fang walked a few steps, and the iron beggar suddenly turned around and stopped Wei Dongting.

"Brother Huchen," the muscles on the iron beggar's face twitched, "I don't know you yet, Hao Laosi has an accident!" ”

Wei Dongting asked in horror, "What's the matter?" ”

"It's not a big deal." The iron beggar said, "It's about a rebellion with Bambul, and he has been handed over to Dali Temple to be imprisoned!" ”

"How so?" Wei Dongting was shocked into a cold sweat, supporting Wu Liuyi to say goodbye, until he entered the Heart Cultivation Palace, and he still felt his heart pounding.

Kangxi seemed to be casual at this time, and when he heard Wei Dongting sign up, he said in a loud voice: "Come in, I'm about to send someone to find you!" It seems that Wei Dongting's courtesy and grace are the same as usual, and he doesn't seem to even care much about Su Malagu's affairs.

Mingzhu and Wolf Eyes both stood in the hall. Wei Dongting still followed the etiquette of the guards to meet the emperor, asked for a thousand children, got up and said with a smile: "The emperor has stayed up late again, his eye circles are a little black, and the holy bow should be cherished!" ”

"Xiao Weizi!" Kangxi smiled, "Look at what is written on this palace pillar post, these three major events can't be done, and I will have to eat and sleep for a few years!" ”

Wei Dongting looked up and saw that a banner had been re-hung on the pillar, which read "Three Feudatories, Caoyun, and River Affairs". He had heard Su Malagu say that the emperor had written these six words in his own hand, and then put it away after writing, but who knew that it was hung out again at this time, which was particularly eye-catching. Wei Dongting pondered for a while, then smiled: "The emperor's talent is admirable!" It's just that the major events here have just been dealt with, and the vitality has not yet recovered, so I'm afraid it's not appropriate to make a big move, right? ”

Kangxi laughed heartily: "Song Taizu said that day, on the side of the couch, how can others be allowed to sleep soundly?" It's your words 'vitality has not recovered' that are very meaningful. The matter of withdrawing the feudal domain should be slowed down, and the next two things are to recover their vitality! ”

Wei Dongting had to admire Kangxi's far-reaching scheming, and hurriedly bowed down and said with a smile: "The emperor is clear, the temple is far-reaching, and the ministers are beyond their reach." ”

"I have issued an edict," Kangxi said, "Sukh Saha died too unjustly, and his position was restored, and his nephew Baiertu has made such a great contribution, and he has also ruined Aobai...... Let his son inherit it. Mingzhu has already searched for his orphan, and this matter can be done immediately. After that, he changed his tone and said, "The enclosure has been going on for so long, and now it's time to end." I heard that some places are still enclosures, so they have to be dealt with strictly! I have issued an edict to prohibit it forever, and I must pay back what I have taken from others, otherwise who in the world will still have the heart to live a peaceful life! ”

"Hooray!" When Mingzhu heard this, he couldn't help but interject, "The slave thinks that the former scholar Sunahai, the governor Zhu Changzuo, and the governor Wang Denglian should also start to deal with the aftermath. ”

"Of course!" Kangxi said categorically, "This matter has been handed over to the Ministry of Rites for discussion, not only to show Xue, but also to give advice." - I'm afraid you haven't considered it yet, Mo Luo, the governor of Shanxi, and Bai Qing, the governor of Shaanxi, are clinging to Aobai, others can not ask, these two people must be dealt with, otherwise there is something in the south, and the west will pay it back! Which of you is going to do this? ”

Wei Dongting was about to agree, but Mingzhu took a step forward and said, "The slave is willing to go!" With that, he looked at Wei Dongting with a smile.

Kangxi also said: "Xiao Weizi, you have gone through great dangers with me in the past few years, and you have just settled down a little at this time, and I can't bear to let you suffer from the saddle horse again." This trip will make you let the pearl go! Wei Dongting knew that this was Kangxi's intention to use the pearl, but his words were so considerate that he drove away the cold in his heart before entering the palace, and he couldn't help crying. Kangxi was surprised and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with you?" ”

Wei Dongting hurriedly knelt down and replied: "Long live the lord treats his ministers with great affection, and he can't help but be happy and sad. ”

"I'm afraid not!" Kangxi pondered for a moment and said, "Is it for Hao Chuncheng?" ”

"Hao's slave only heard about it, and I don't know what crime he committed that caused him to be angry."

"He claims to respect heaven and earth and respect the emperor, and he is the 'fourth', but in fact, it is a big mistake!" Kangxi said slowly, took out a note from a few books and handed it to Wei Dongting, "I know that you have a strong relationship with righteousness, you can see for yourself, his sin is unrepentant?" ”

Wei Dongting took the note with both hands, and was frightened when he read it! It turned out that there were only five small words written on the note: "The emperor is not in Baiyun" - a closer look, it was indeed Hao Laosi's clumsy handwriting, and he couldn't help but "boom" in his heart, and almost fainted.

In an instant, the scene of the siege of the Baiyun Guanshangu store reappeared in front of Wei Dongting's eyes. It turned out that Hao Laosi didn't come back to ask for help at all, but reported to Ao Bai and Bamburshan. Wei Dongting now understands the reason why Ao Bai is willing to exchange the pearl for Mulima. He thought about it again, why did Ao Bai withdraw the siege immediately and wait until it was dark to change people? Just as he was about to ask this question, Mingzhu seemed to have seen the suspicion in his heart, and interjected from the side: "He seems to be in a hurry to take refuge, and Ao Bai and Bamburshan don't believe him!" Wei Dongting felt empty in his heart, and he couldn't think of a clue for a while, so he hurriedly kowtowed again and again: "The slave really doesn't know that Hao has such a thing!" The slave is the chief of the emperor's guards, and the crime of negligence is hard to escape, and he asks the emperor to punish him heavily! Suddenly, when I thought of the old man's matter, my heart suddenly shuddered, and I trembled.

"Get up!" When Kangxi saw him like this, he couldn't bear it, and sighed, "People's hearts are unpredictable, how can you gain insight into his privacy?" The matter has now been confirmed, and he is not taking refuge in Aobai, but Bamburshan. ”

"Hooray!" Mingzhu, who was standing beside him, bowed down and asked, "Although Hao has committed a mortal crime, it is inconvenient for the slaves to intercede for him, but I beg the emperor to allow the servants to go to the court to pay tribute to the old love." ”

"That's it." Kangxi muttered, "Dali Temple has not yet been tried, and how he should be convicted will be discussed by the ministry." Speaking of this, Kangxi suddenly thought for a moment, raised his eyes and looked at Wei Dongting and Mingzhu and said, "I will give him a whole corpse for your sake." As he spoke, he got up and went to the side of the imperial case, lifted the Zhu pen and approved a line of words, handed it to the wolf, and said: "You quickly go to Dali Temple to bring people out, and still send them back to Yuepeng Store!" ”

Wei Dongting cried: "The emperor's benevolent heart, the minions and others remember it from the bottom of their hearts, even Hao Laosi should be grateful underground!" ”

After a while, Kangxi nodded and sighed to Wei Dongting: "It's not easy for me to get together with you, your mother and son have been by my side for many years, and I really want to reuse you in terms of your talents, but I think you have been exhausted for several years, and I really can't bear to let you take risks again." You can work hard by my side for a few more years, and in the future, you will be on a bad day, and you will take your mother with you, do you think? ”

These words are even more sincere and heartwarm. Speaking slowly, Wei Dongting was moved to tears, and Mingzhu and Wolf Eyes also felt that Kangxi was benevolent, and they were silent. But listening to Kangxi's continued eloquent words: "After this extraordinary change, the more I believe that there is a certain number in the sky. I was blessed by God and helped by the people, so that I could turn the crisis into safety. From now on, no matter what risks I experience, I will no longer be afraid! Speaking of this, he let out a long sigh and said, "After all, manpower is limited, and the destiny of heaven cannot be violated. As far as the matter of Mr. Wu and Su Malagu is concerned, I am the Son of Heaven, and I can't even help it, how can I sigh! ”

"Although Wan Niang's matter cannot be reversed," Mingzhu said busily, "whether Wu Ciyou returns to seclusion or not is still determined by the emperor." Mr. Wu's qualifications, the slave thinks it is rare in the world, please pay more attention to the saint! The wolf also said: "The slave is soft-spoken, and he shouldn't have spoken much, but according to the servant day and night, listening to what the ministers said, they all praised Mr. Wu, I don't know why the saint allowed him to hang the crown and return to the mountain?" ”

"Where do you know about Mr. Wu!" Kangxi tapped his hand on the table, obviously hiding the excitement in his heart. "He did not match what the Manchu Dynasty had learned in civil and military affairs. The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it; If you are above the world, you will not be the others. Now everyone says that he is good, he is a Shunfeng banner that beats me, but in fact, some people have long been jealous of him, and they hate him so much! Mr. Wu's Geng Jie, if he does not experience the world, he will fall into the trap of the retainers in the future, it is a certain thing, how will I deal with it at that time, and how will I deal with myself? This is one. Second, Mr. Wu is a contemporary talent, famous all over the country, if he is placed on the rivers and lakes and travels among the Han Confucian scholars, no one can replace this identity and this action! This so-called reason that the Son of Heaven can be a friend and cannot be a minister! It's also very interesting to be friends with me. Dongting, you can tell him what I said, and hope that he will remember my teacher-student friendship for many years, and he will not return to his heart. Wherever there is a request for impeachment, it can be done as always, and each department and yamen must not use excuses to obstruct it! ”

"Wow!" Wei Dongting hurriedly responded, and couldn't figure out whether it was astringent, bitter or sweet, so he swallowed the dates and swallowed them, "The master has such deep affection for Mr. Wu, and the servants also admire it for life!" ”

Kangxi talked at length about this time, and he also felt tired, so he said: "Kneel down!" Xiao Weizi can also go to Zhongcui Palace to see Aunt Su Mala, you have been together for seven years, and they are different from Mingzhu. "Mingzhu was originally most afraid of seeing Aunt Su Mala; Hearing Kangxi say this, he naturally didn't have to go, anyway, it was what he wanted.

Wei Dongting came out with the order, braved the scorching sun to come to Zhongcui Palace to see Su Malagu, and several white-haired palace maids in the cold palace told him: "Master Huizhen has gone to participate in Zen with the Empress Dowager." Wei Ye either goes back first, and if he has something to say, he can leave it to us; Or just wait here for a while, and you'll be back after lunch. ”

Only then did Wei Dongting know that after Su Malagu shaved her degree, she changed her legal name to "Huizhen". He also thought of the ending of Yingying in "Huizhen Ji", she took this legal name, it is very likely to take this homonym, and his heart became more and more sad, and he immediately said: "I came by holy order, how can I not meet and return?" You just have to make it convenient, I'll just sit here and wait. With that, he sat down on the bluestone steps in front of the hall.

Wei Dongting sat in front of the small Buddha hall, but when he heard the wind moving the bamboo and wood in the imperial garden, and the cicadas chirping, he couldn't help but be moved. He meditated on Kangxi's words, remembered the scene of the first meeting with Wu Ciyou along the West River and the past of Yuepengdian helping to cook wine and talk about fame, and suddenly recalled the love with Hao Laosi that day. Thinking of this, he felt more and more discouraged, and he made up his mind to ask the emperor to allow him to abandon martial arts and follow literature. If he can accompany the breeze like Mr. Wu, wave the wolf to the bright moon, and chant with a long howl, he will be satisfied.

In a trance, I heard the palace maid say: "Master Huizhen is back!" ”

When Wei Dongting hurriedly looked up, he saw Aunt Su Mala dressed in a disguise; With a white coat and a face like frost, he slowly walked in, and couldn't help but be stunned. Seeing that it was Wei Dongting, Aunt Su Mala folded her hands and asked coldly, "Layman, where did you come from?" ”

Wei Dongting wanted to answer with a smile, but suddenly thought of his own thoughts, hurriedly restrained his smile, and saluted back: "Fang came from the saint and was instructed to visit the master." ”

Aunt Su Mala didn't answer, and walked in. Wei Dongting didn't know the essentials, so he had to follow in. Seeing that Su Malagu had already sat on the futon in front of the Buddha, she also sat down casually and said: "In the next generation, Mr. Wu will greet the master, Mr. Wu will return to the south soon, whether he can enter Beijing in the future, the matter is between the two." If the master doesn't have any wishes, he can do his best to transfer them in the future. ”

"He is also a man who understands the affairs of the times, and sees the world more thoroughly than laymen." Su Malagu's face turned slightly red, "The layman is a person in Vanity Fair, and he doesn't know that people should be 'from where they come from and go where they go'." After a while, Su Malagu said again, "According to the poor monks, among your group of people, if you are a pearl and a smart person, I hope you can do it yourself!" With that, he tapped the wooden fish and muttered with his eyes open.

"Come from where you come from, go where you go" is a Buddhist Zen saying. Hearing Su Malagu's words, Wei Dongting was secretly ashamed: Why didn't he think of it? He had a lot to tell Aunt Su Mala, and he also wanted to ask Aunt Su Mala what was on his mind, so that he could say it straightforwardly, and he would be better to tell Mr. Wu, but who knew that Aunt Su Mala seemed to want to cut off the dust with a knife and no longer pay attention to him. He smiled and said, "The great hidden in the court has been chosen by the master; Hidden in the wilderness, occupied by Mr. Wu; I had no choice but to hide in the city. I'll bother the Master again in a few days! With that, he retreated. Su Malagu didn't get up to send it off, and the sound of the wooden fish still kept "tuk", but suddenly it became high and urgent.