The Son of Heaven sat in the center of the Jinluan Palace, looking at the courtiers who were arguing, the surface was as calm as water, but the bottom of his eyes was already cold.

These courtiers, who keep saying that they are all righteous about their family and country, are secretly thinking about how to benefit themselves. There is oil and water, fighting openly and secretly, dumping each other, there is no oil and water to fish, so they pass the buck to each other, and no one wants to get involved. When the first emperor was in power, there was still the deterrence of the Imperial Guard, but now that Shen Hanxi is sick and can't go to the court, the ministers have no eyes to see, so they gossip and it is difficult to unify their opinions.

The atmosphere of the entire court hall is not an exaggeration to describe it as a miasma.

Freezing three feet, not a day's cold, this is a perennial accumulation of drawbacks. To put it bluntly, the root of the disease still lies in the treatment of officials. At the beginning of the year, he investigated some corrupt officials with great fanfare through the hands of Xiao Yan, the secretary of the Criminal Department, if it were not for the intervention of the Imperial Health Division, I am afraid that half of the officials of the imperial court will be implicated.

In the early days of this day, the officials were still arguing, and several old ministers of the cabinet almost fought.

The two officials were scolding each other, and suddenly heard a leisurely voice: "This official hasn't come to the court for a few days, and the tempers of Lord Liu and Lord Xue are really good." ”

In the surprised or panicked eyes of the officials, a man in a blue and white satin official uniform stepped forward leisurely. His voice was not loud, and there was a faint smile, but it made the originally chaotic hall instantly quiet.

Someone swallowed his saliva and said secretly, how can this surnamed Shen be willing to come to the court today? Isn't he dissatisfied with the Holy Lord's rectification of the Imperial Guard, and has always refused to show up? It is also rumored that he is seriously injured and cannot get off the ground, but when I see him today, isn't it good?

Could it be that the Holy One finally compromised and invited him to the town?

Shen Hanxi still had that proud posture: "You go on, this official is just here to listen today." I still wanted to recuperate for a few more days, but after all, I had the court's money, and I never went to the court, where was it worthy of the support of the first emperor. ”

The Son of Heaven looked at him, his starry eyes were as cold as water, but his mouth was concerned: "It doesn't matter if Shen Aiqing's injury is serious, who assassinated Aiqing that day, can it be clarified?" ”

Shen Hanxi raised his slender eyebrows: "I have to ask Commander Xie about this, as soon as Weichen came out of the Chengqi Gate, those assassins fell from the sky, and before Luan Yiwei arrived, they disappeared without a trace, if it wasn't for Commander Xie to stop Luan Yiwei, he couldn't let people run away." ”

Xie Qi was named by him, only slightly hooked his lips, and said: "This official is just a routine matter, if Lord Shen is unhappy in his heart, this official will compensate you here." ”

"Commander Xie is polite." After Shen Hanxi finished speaking, he turned his face to the Son of Heaven again, "Weichen's serious injury has not healed, and the imperial doctor said that he can't stand for a long time." ”

The Son of Heaven's face sank again, and said, "Come here, give a seat to Lord Shen." ”

He Shi Shiran sat down and turned to the official who had just cursed: "Where did Lord Liu scold him?" Go ahead. ”

After the court, several officials walked in groups and exchanged views in low voices.

"Shen Hanxite is bold, when the first emperor was in power, he still had a trace of restraint, and now he dares to sit on an equal footing with the saint, it's simply the opposite."

"Shhhh Let's think about how to stand in line in the future so that we can not be implicated. ”

Xiao Yan looked at his colleagues who were far away from him, lightly trimmed his sleeves, and looked back at the Jinluan Palace.

On the dan pier leading to the throne, I don't know how much blood is sprinkled. Some are still warm, others have long since cooled. But throughout the ages, how many people have rushed to their lives one after another.

He withdrew his gaze and slowly walked down the stone steps. Someone caught up and walked side by side with him, with a leisurely smile in his voice, calling him: "Lord Xiao, after today's release, how about finding a place to have a drink with this official?" ”

Xiao Yan stopped: "You and I are both officials of the imperial court, according to the rules, the Son of Heaven is not allowed to drink alcohol within 100 days." ”

"In your eyes, is this official the kind of person who abides by the rules?"

He paused: "That's just as well." ”

In the Song house, Uncle Zhong prepared the appetizers and sent them to the small hall by Liuniang.

After the little girl withdrew, she closed the door, and the suspicion in her heart lingered for a long time. It is rumored that Lord Shen and Lord Xiao are not incompatible political enemies, why are they mixed up today? Moreover, why did he run to his house when the two of them were drinking?

Also suspicious is Shaoyuan, the second son of the Mo family. He pressed his ear to the door desperately, listening intently to the movement inside.

What the hell are this Shen Hanxi and Xiao Yan doing?

In the small hall, the man in the silver-gray brocade robe withdrew his gaze from the door and turned to the young man in front of him. The other party's eyebrows are clear, and he is wearing a white lightly embroidered robe, which is Xiao Yan, the secretary of the Criminal Department.

"I really didn't expect that Lord Shen would invite me to drink here."

"Looking at this Ling'an City, where else is there this place that is pure?" The corners of Shen Hanxi's lips hooked slightly, and he poured a full glass of wine, "I have been a political enemy for many years, and I never thought that one day, I would be able to sit at the same table with Lord Xiao again." ”

"The Tao is different, and it is not the same."

"When I was in Yaozhou, who often pushed the cup and changed the lamp with me and had a long talk?"

"When I was young, I couldn't know people clearly, and I couldn't polish my eyes when I made friends, and now I think about it, I regret it."

"Lord Xiao is a rare clear stream in the court, and he can't be in the same stream with a minister like me."

You came and I exchanged a few words, Xiao Yan asked, "I don't know if Lord Shen invited me to come, what is the matter to discuss?" ”

"Without him, I just want to find someone to get drunk and rest."

"There are so many people who are willing to get drunk with Lord Shen, but I'm afraid that it won't be Xiao's turn to line up."

"They follow me, they flatter me, and to put it bluntly, they are just 'like flies chasing away the smell and like ants clinging to the body'. It's like Lord Xiao, who doesn't have the slightest bit of yang and yin, so he just hopes that someone Shen will be unlucky quickly. Drinking with people like Lord Xiao makes me feel no burden in my heart. ”

"In this world, no one can compare to Lord Shen in terms of self-knowledge."

"In this world, there is no one who can compare to Master Xiao."

As he spoke, the two looked at each other and smiled, raised their lamps together, and drank all the contents of the cup.

The night is getting darker, and the little boy outside the door has long since disappeared. He couldn't hear anything, he didn't say anything, and there were so many mosquitoes in the summer that he was bitten all over his body, and he wouldn't be stupid enough to continue to stay there and listen to the corner.

Xiao Yan's amount of alcohol is not as good as Shen Hanxi's, and he is already slightly drunk after three glasses, he is a person who is strictly self-disciplined on weekdays, and he will never allow himself to lose any control, and after drinking the third glass, he will no longer add wine. Shen Hanxi knew his habits, raised his eyebrows, and let him replace the wine with tea and clink glasses with him.

"Lord Xiao lives so soberly all the time, isn't he tired?"

"Many things are like a man drinking water, and he knows himself bitterly."

Shen Hanxi smiled, his eyes were more drunk, and he became more and more dissolute: "Also, Shen has been deviant for a long time, and it is difficult for him to understand Lord Xiao's cautious and unique life realm. ”

Xiao Yan pinched the tea cup, and the celadon lined his fingers were as warm as jade: "I still remember that day when you came to my house to raid your house, you once said that not everyone likes to stand under Lang Lang Qiankun." You are right, not everyone in this world can walk into the sun, especially if they stay in the dark for a long time and cannot see a trace of light. In that case, the things that need to be scorched by the sun will be left to me to do. ”

These words were exchanged for a ridicule from the other party: "Heh, what a big breath." ”

Xiao Yan was not moved by his mockery, took a sip of tea, and suddenly said: "At the beginning of the Wu'anhou case, I took your love." ”

"Why did Lord Xiao say this? It's clear that I stepped in and robbed you of your credit, and also arranged charges to arrest you and put you in prison, what kind of love did you receive? ”

Xiao Yan smiled.

He thinks he's an elm head, and he can't figure out the twists and turns until now. When the Criminal Department investigated the case of Wu Anhou, it was already about to touch the person who could not be reached, and the saint wanted to borrow his hand to investigate, and he would inevitably be sacrificed in the end.

Ting Weisi deliberately intervened, whether to harm him or protect him, now it seems that it is self-evident.

Shen Hanxi said drunkly: "Since you are a political enemy, you must have the appearance of a political enemy, I hope that Lord Xiao will not be soft in the future confrontation." ”

Xiao Yan drank another cup of tea and said, "You should be like this." He asked, "Miss Mo's matter, I don't know what Lord Shen's plans are?" Seeing that the other party's hand was slightly paused, he sighed from the bottom of his heart, "She is a very good girl." ”

"Since it's so good, why didn't Lord Xiao want it in the first place?"

Xiao Yan smiled: "Such a good girl, but she is not destined to be mine." Master Shen knows that Miss Mo has a person in her heart who has been thinking about her for more than ten years? ”

"I've heard of it. Isn't that person Lord Xiao? ”

"I have a story here, if Lord Shen is interested, you can listen to it, and it should be used as a wine."

"If Lord Xiao wants to speak, just talk about it."

"It all started on a New Year's Eve more than ten years ago......

In the candlelight, the man's voice sounded lightly, and he talked about the handkerchief that changed hands several times from the girl's loss in the first night, and said: "Poor Mo girl, I still don't know who this person is, let alone that he is actually in front of her. If she knew that this person who had made her remember for more than ten years didn't even remember that incident, she didn't know what her mood would be. She was afraid that she thought that that person had already married and had children, and would never appear in her life again. ”

After that, he looked at him: "Lord Shen, you and I, I don't know who bears her more." ”

At that moment, he saw a rare look of astonishment on the face of the man who was powerful in the world, and then saw him raise his eyebrows and smile: "Lord Xiao's story is really bizarre, Shen doesn't remember such a thing." ”

Xiao Yan smiled and said nothing, but he knew that the man in front of him was going to stay awake all night for this story today.

At this time, the young woman was standing under the corridor of the deep palace, looking at the full moon in the sky, looking stunned, not knowing what to think.

The Son of Heaven was afraid of alarming her, so he only watched from a distance and did not come forward.

The night wind stirred the light veil on her body, and when she looked away, she looked like an immortal who was about to run to the moon.

It wasn't until he heard the urging of the ministers beside him that he withdrew his gaze and said, "Go back." ”

The ministers who accompanied him were puzzled, and they had already sent someone to Mo's house to deliver the marriage letter, and there should be a letter in a few days, and at that time, the saint could justifiably include Miss Mo in the harem, and now what kind of strength is he being reserved?

In the middle of the night, Xiao Yan pushed the door out and said to the little girl guarding the door: "Lord Shen is drunk, I'm afraid I will stay in your mansion today." ”

Before he had finished speaking, the man walked up behind him, his hands propped up on the doorframe.

His clothes are half-untied, not as solemn as usual, and the moonlight falls on the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, outlining a bit of charm.

"Who said the official was drunk. Where is the second son? The officer has something to say. ”