Yongle Palace.

As soon as he sent his mother away, Gu Xuan's side began to worry about another thing.

The envoys of the merman clan came with great fanfare this time, not only to strengthen the cooperative relationship with Liang Guo, but also because Emperor Liang's birthday was approaching, which reminded Gu Xuan that it would not be long before his father's birthday, and he had to prepare a suitable gift quickly.

It's a pity that she went to Longxuan Pavilion with Lao Huo last time, but she was humiliated by the third child and others, and afterwards she learned that Longxuan Pavilion turned out to be one of the Xu family's industries outside, and it was the field where the eldest young master Xu Huaiying personally sat down, although the other party didn't seem to have any other reaction afterwards, but Gu Xuan still had no intention of going again.

Moreover, the underground market is a shady place to choose a gift for the birthday of the king of a country, how strange it is, Gu Xuan is really not optimistic about this way.

Thinking about it a little annoyed, he also knew that it was useless to work behind closed doors, Gu Xuan immediately stood up and put on a thick jacket, put on a coat and cloak, and wore a mink hat, pushed open the door and walked out, without notifying the coachman outside, but went out of the palace by himself, ready to go to Jinglong to ask a question or two.

More than ten years have passed, Jinglong has been promoted to the position of battalion commander in the Xiao Cavalry Guard, and he was given a name by the emperor very early, his status is extraordinary, and he has a private residence of his own outside the palace, which is not unusual, and Jinglong has also told Gu Xuan more than once that he does not like to stay in the palace with strict rules all year round, so as soon as he is free, he will go to live in a residence outside the imperial city.

It's not the first time Gu Xuan has visited his home, and he came to the edge of Xicheng District, outside the alley where Jinglong's private mansion is located, and saw from a distance that a middle-aged man dressed in luxury had just walked out of it at the door of his house.

Gu Xuanzheng, who was slowly approaching, was secretly puzzled, and Jinglong, who was waiting at the door over there, was already shouting hello.

"Fifth son. ”

Gu Xuan agreed, while speeding up his pace, and walked into Jinglong's mansion quickly.

Said to be a mansion, in fact, it is an ordinary two-entry small courtyard, Jinglong has never married a wife, and he is not beautiful, he lives here alone as a rough old man on weekdays, so the furnishings in the house are also very simple, it is some basic objects, he can't cook, even the kitchen in the backyard is completely deserted, it looks like it has not been used at all, even the cobwebs around it are full of dust, and the yard is piled with some training stakes and weapon racks, which looks very rustic.

"Who was that guy just now?"

Gu Xuan asked directly without thinking about it, when he was born, Jinglong personally guarded the door, and he has been taught martial arts by the other party for thirteen years after his intellectual enlightenment, and he has already been a teacher and friend, and he is not as angry as other people in the palace, so he asked directly, and the expression of the person just now was really a little abnormal, as if he knew himself, because he was puzzled about this, otherwise he would not have spoken.

Jinglong didn't explain much, but said, "A friend in the palace came to me to chat." ”

Since he is a person in the palace, it is not strange to know himself, out of trust in Jinglong, Gu Xuan didn't think much about it, and did not continue to ask, but followed Jinglong all the way to the back room, and as soon as he pushed the door open, a strong smell of wine floated out.

Gu Xuan took a closer look, but saw that there was a jar of opened spirits on the table inside, and a large bowl containing half a bowl of turbid liquor, and there were still undried wine stains on the table, which seemed to indicate that someone was drinking here just now, and there was a pair of clean-wiped armor on the bed next to it, but the style was ordinary and crude, it should only be for ordinary soldiers, and it could barely protect the key parts.

Gu Xuan teased: "Why is Uncle Jinglong drinking here alone, and he doesn't even have a snack to eat, isn't he degrading the identity of Xiao Cavalry Guard?"

Unexpectedly, Jinglong's expression was even more depressed, and he stepped forward to pick up the bowl and dried it directly.

Gu Xuan saw it in his eyes, and did not continue to talk without knowing each other, but picked up the jar, took out a large ceramic bowl from the side, and poured another bowl of wine for each of them.

"I'll drink with you. ”

Gu Xuan picked up the bowl, Jinglong didn't refuse, the two men touched it gently, and then they each raised their heads and drank it.

After drinking wine, Jinglong took the initiative to speak: "Fifth prince, you know that I am not from the capital, right?" ”

"Naturally, I know that you are originally from Youzhou, and you are originally from the Youzhou army. Gu Xuan nodded, he naturally knew the true origin of this Xiao Cavalry Guard battalion commander, anyway, these things are not particularly important secrets, he is also the prince of a country, so he can naturally be verified through many methods.

Jinglong's original name has been crossed out on the file of Xiao Caiwei, I only know that he is originally from Youzhou, and he was originally a squad leader in the Youzhou army, because he committed a serious crime, he was originally going to be beheaded, but he just read his past achievements, and at that time, it happened that a thousand households of Xiao Caiwei recommended him, so he could be transferred to the capital to be a guard of the forbidden army.

"I was originally from Huangsha County, Hedong County, Youzhou. Jinglong poured himself a big sip of wine and said loudly, "My parents died when I was a child, and I survived by relying on the help of my neighbors, and then I joined the Youzhou Army early, and I dare not say what great achievements I made, but I fought bravely to kill the enemy, never hid in the rear, and never turned my back on my comrades." ”

Gu Xuan was silent and didn't answer, just quietly added wine to Jinglong and listened to him speak slowly.

If Ye Zhihuai saw it here, he was afraid that he would say a confession, the dignified five princes, how could he pour wine for a courtier, but Jinglong was different, just drank the wine in a big gulp while continuing to tell.

"Then I made a mistake. Jinglong shook his head, his eyes were a little red, as if he didn't want to recall the events of the year, and said again, "It's been twenty years since I left the Youzhou Army, and I have been a guard for Your Majesty for twenty years in this imperial city, but it's the fifth prince, do you know how to scold?" I wake up in my dream every night, and at that time I thought I was on the battlefield in Youzhou. ”

"Some people, when they go to the battlefield, can't come back. Jinglong stretched out his hand and poked his chest hard, and said sadly, "My heart is still there, but people can't go back." ”

The young man joined the army, fought the horse field, and then entered the palace in a daze, and served as a guard of the forbidden army for twenty years, Gu Xuan understood the distress of the middle-aged man in front of him.

"I've made so many mistakes that I never had a chance to make up for. Jinglong slapped the table hard and shouted, "Can you understand these sons?"

"I send all my money every year to the wives and children of the widows of my colleagues, and I hope that my sins can be lightened a little, and I want my conscience to feel better, I don't want to wait until I die, and when I go to the underworld, I will be poked in the back and scolded, and I will be scolded for stealing my life!

"Because it's my fault, how can it be that they are dead? How can a sinner like me enjoy the glory and riches? Damn me!"

After drinking most of the altar in one go, Jinglong's emotions that he had hidden for many years finally broke out in an all-round way, and the middle-aged man who was nearly forty years old lay on the table and began to howl and cry.

"Childe, can you beg Your Majesty for me? I just want to go back to Youzhou, even if I die on the battlefield, I really don't want to stay here, for twenty years, I live in torment every day, please let me be free!"

Gu Xuan was silent, but lowered his head helplessly.

How can I beg my father, I am just a fifth prince who is not taken seriously, and I may not be allowed to ask to see my father.

It's not that he doesn't want to, but he doesn't dare, Jinglong has his own sad things, why don't he have it, he doesn't even want to see that person, the man who has mastered the entire Liang country.

However, there was one person who seemed to be able to help him, Gu Xuan suddenly thought, that was the prince of the East Palace, Gu Cang!

"Uncle Jinglong don't worry, I'm willing to help you with this matter. ”

Seeing Jinglong's heartbroken appearance, Gu Xuan couldn't help but speak, but he didn't finish his words, you must know that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, and now he gave Jinglong an absolute promise, if he can't complete it in the future, he will not only lose his own face, but also hurt the other party's heart.

Jinglong only supported his head with one hand, his drunkenness surged, his eyes couldn't open, and he said in a daze: " Two days ago, I received a letter from my sister-in-law, saying that the local dog officials did not do anything, only cared about making money, and those dogs in the desert came to loot and kill people every day and no one cared about them, and even the garrison of the entire Huangsha County was transferred to the county government to be a personal guard for the dog officer, and they lived in fear every day, and they had to pay the dog officer for three days and two ends, so it was enough, but I still have a sister-in-law who was occupied by the dog officer, but what can I do, who will tell it, and who will care?"

In the end, his voice was almost like a mosquito, and Gu Xuan heard it in his ears, and he only felt that it was a surge of anger, he was born in the palace since he was a child, although his life was a little harder, but he was also a little more clothed and fed, at least he didn't have to worry about food and clothing, he really didn't have to hear of these things that Jinglong said, just as the officials from all over the Liang country didn't say what their talents were, at least they should be honest and honest, but they didn't want such a tragedy to happen on the border Youzhou border.

Gu Xuan immediately stood up and comforted: "Uncle Jinglong, don't worry, I'll go and ask to see the second brother immediately, this matter will definitely give you an explanation." ”

Jinglong's whole person had collapsed on the table, and he could only mumble to himself: "Gongzi Xie, thank you Gongzi。。。。。。 ”

Gu Xuan put on the shabby thick clothes next to him for him, Jinglong opened his eyes that had been blurred by tears, looked at the wall in front of him in a daze, and was still muttering to himself: "Wang Er, Brother Zhang, why are you here?" Alas, I know that you are here to scold me, it is me who did not take good care of my sisters-in-law, and I deserve to die." ”

He slapped himself in the face, so hard that his weather-beaten black face turned red.

He fanned himself hard, apologizing as he fanned himself.

"It's me who is wrong, I shouldn't be greedy for merit, it's me who should report the enemy's situation, I'm wrong, I know it's wrong. ”