The first day of the fourth month of the thirteenth year of Sui Ning

In Luofu, Yuzhou, Feng Zinan took Qin Shu to the main hall, and Gao Zhen sat on a chair, as if he was closing his eyes and recuperating.

The wind saluted from the south and called, "Second son."

Gao Zhen slowly opened his eyes, and in his brown eyes, there was less immaturity and more perseverance.

Qin Shu also saluted respectfully.

"Second son, I'm back."

"Yes." Gao Zhen nodded and responded lightly.

Qin Shu said, "This time, I came back from Ningzhou, and I don't have any news from my master."

The expression on Gao Zhen's face did not change, but the hand he originally put on the chair was unconsciously bent.

Feng Zinan said, "Second son, Jinling news."

"Say."

"Concubine Shu's son died young."

Gao Zhen walked out of the main hall, looked in the direction of Jinling, and muttered to himself, "Today is the first day of the fourth month, two years...... Arlo ......"

Feng Zinan continued, "There is still no news from Luo Chen."

Qin Shu leaned on the stone pillar and also looked in the direction of Jinling, "If I had known that this was the end, no matter what, I would not have left that day."

He paused for a moment, "As a result, the master didn't, and even Luo Chen was gone......

Gao Zhen didn't have any response, looking at the dark clouds, "It's going to rain, let's stop here today, you guys go first."

「...... Yes."

In Yuzhou at the beginning of April, although spring has begun, once it rains, it is still cold and abnormal.

Gao Zhen sat under the porch, watching the drizzle in front of him, and drinking the wine in the wine jug.

He remembered that in the last conversation with Luo Qingzhi, he didn't get an answer.

"Arlo, is it because of love, or is it because of guilt?"

The only thing that answered him was the sound of the rain, and no one gave him this answer.

He closed his eyes, wishing that he could fall asleep, at least in his dreams, he could still see Luo Qingzhi from time to time.

This time, unlike usual, he could not only see Luo Qingzhi, but also feel Luo Qingzhi's touch, she wiped the raindrops on his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Erlang, it's cold here, let's go back to the room."

Gao Zhen held Luo Qingzhi's hand and asked, "Ah Luo, where have you been?" Why don't you come back?"

Luo Qingzhi just smiled and didn't answer.

Gao Zhen took Luo Qingzhi's hand, with a slight force, and pulled her to his side, Luo Qingzhi smiled, "What do you want to do?"

"I miss you so much, Arlo." Gao Zhen closed his eyes and kissed her lips reverently.

This kiss has no lust, just full of longing and carefulness.

Gao Zhen opened his eyes, and there was nothing in front of him, except for the sound of rain and tears in the corners of his eyes, there was nothing else.

He grinned, touched the white jade jue on his waist, and imagined that Luo Qingzhi would also grope like this before, and he felt as if Luo Qingzhi had always been by his side.

The sound of the rain gradually decreased, and the aroma of the earth dispersed in all directions, Gao Zhen took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked towards the study.

There was a sound of shortness of breath footsteps.

"Second son."

Hearing the shouting, Gao Zhen turned around slowly.

Qin Shu was a little anxious, breathed steadily, and said, "There has been, master, it has appeared!"

Gao Zhen was stunned and said, "Who? Who did you say found it?"

"Master, it's the master, the second son."

Gao Zhen's breathing paused slightly.

"Second Son......

"Let's go," Gao Zhen said anxiously, "Let's go, take me quickly."

On the West Street of Yuzhou City, a woman who looked like Luo Qingzhi shrank in the corner, staring at the black-clothed man in front of her and trembling.

Gao Zhen rode a horse and rushed over, pushed aside the crowd, and stared at "Luo Qingzhi" who was cowering in the corner

"Ah, Arlo?"

Gao Zhen was a little excited, and hurriedly stepped forward to hold her arm.

"Luo Qingzhi" shouted and retreated, "Go away, go away."

Gao Zhen let go of her hand and sighed deeply, "No, it's not her."

Qin Shu shouted, "Why not, it's the same as a touch."

Gao Zhen said, "She's not."

"Luo Qingzhi" looked frightened, staring at the person in front of him, motionless.

Qin Shu didn't want to give up, squatted down, and saluted, "Master, I'm Qin Shu."

"Luo Qingzhi" shook her head repeatedly, "Go away, go away."

Gao Zhen turned on his horse and said to Qin Shu, "Send her back."

Qin Shu looked at Gao Zhen, "Second son, I'm ......"

"Needless to say." Gao Zhen interrupted him, "I'm used to it."

After Gao Zhen finished speaking, he walked away, and the night finally returned.

He walked to the city wall and looked at Yuzhou City at night, Yuzhou is not prosperous, and there are no lights of Jinling City.

"Arlo ....."

"You know me?"

The sudden voice made Gao Zhen vigilant.

Gao Zhen looked at the corner in the darkness and scolded, "Come out!"

The man came out of the shadows and couldn't help asking, "Why are you angry when you called me by my name?"

Gao Zhen looked at the man in coarse linen, obviously plain, but he had an indescribable temperament.

"My name is Ah Luo, and you are calling me."

Gao Zhen shook his head, "It's not for you."

Ah Luo stepped forward and looked Gao Zhen up and down, "You look so good."

"Presumptuous!" Gao Zhen scolded.

Ah Luo disagreed, "What? Can't you praise you?"

"I don't see blood today, so let's go." Gao Zhen said.

Ah Luo smiled, "You want to kill me?"

Gao Zhen turned away, he didn't want to pay attention to him at all.

Ah Luo picked up the dead branches on the ground, peeled off the leaves, and pointed at Gao Zhen, "It just so happens that the master hasn't found anyone to practice today, although you look good, but when you are unlucky."

Gao Zhen snorted coldly, "Do you know who I am?"

"And who are you?" Ah Luo asked with a smile.

Gao Zhen glared angrily, but finally prepared to turn around and leave.

Ah Luo picked up the rattan and began to attack Gao Zhen.

Gao Zhen dodged quickly, and Ah Luo tried several times, but he couldn't get close.

"Interesting." Ah Luo smiled, "I've been in Yuzhou for so long, and I've finally met someone who has good kung fu."

Ah Luo's kung fu also made Gao Zhen a little surprised, the other party just attacked with rattan, and he almost couldn't parry.

"You look like you're eighteen." Gao Zhen said.

"Nature." Arlo said, "I'm twenty-five."

Gao Zhen was a little distracted, but it was only for a moment, "Go and join the army."

"What?" Ah Luo smiled, "Joining the army? Surrender to the Northern Army?"

Gao Zhen was puzzled, "In Yuzhou, it is natural to surrender to the Northern Army."

Ah Luo sighed slightly, "It's a pity, the master's fate is difficult to disobey, and I can't surrender to the Northern Army."

Gao Zhen was about to ask the reason, when a flute sounded.

Ah Luo said, "I'm leaving, and there will be a time later."

After he finished speaking, he didn't give Gao Zhen any chance to react, and turned over and jumped off the city wall.

Gao Zhen looked down and couldn't help but sigh, "Light work is really good."

In the night, Ah Luo shuttled on the eaves, came to the dense forest, and saw a man in black, making a salute, "Master."

The man in black turned, revealing his face, which turned pale in the moonlight.

"Ah Luo, why is it so late tonight?"

Ah Luo explained, "When I met an interesting person on the city wall, it took a few tricks."

"Oh," the man in black asked, "who is it?"

Ah Luo said "oops", "Just now, people obviously wanted to report their own door, but I didn't listen."

The man in black smiled, "It's okay, you remember, in Yuzhou, you should never appear in front of the Pingbei Army and Gao Zhen."

"I know." Ah Luo nodded, "Master, you've said it many times."

The man in black sighed, "Okay, don't be long-winded, when we find the king, we will go back to the northern frontier."

"Yes." Ah Luo nodded.

"Go and rest." The man in black said.

Ah Luo saluted and left.

Looking at the back of Ah Luo leaving, the man in black put away his smile, turned around and said, "Come out."

A dark guard appeared, kneeling and saluting.

"Mr. Xia, Your Majesty has an order."

Xia Ji knelt down on one knee, "Xia Ji listens to orders."

"Take the defense map of Yuzhou."

Xia Ji hesitated, but he also took the letter with both hands.

"Yes."

Ah Luo returned to the hut in the suburbs, lay on the simple bed, and laughed out loud thinking about Gao Zhen's appearance.

The door was opened, but Ah Luo did not look panicked.

"Luo Chen, you came back quite late today." Ah Luo said.

"Uh, uh, uh." Luo Chen couldn't make a sound, and gestured with his hand.

Ah Luo got up from the bed, looked at Luo Chen, who was in the dust, and asked rhetorically, "Is your task today not going well?"

Luo Chen shook his head.

"Hey." Ah Luo sighed, "Sometimes, I really don't know what you're talking about, anyway, you can't speak, but it's always okay to write, you tell me, who hurt you like this, I will meet you in the future, help you take revenge."

Luo Chen shook his head again.

Ah Luo lay back on the bed, and Luo Chen took out the pastry from his arms and put it on the table.

"This Yuzhou, I'm obviously here for the first time, how do I feel, so familiar."

Luo Chen's hand trembled, but he still opened the brown paper that wrapped the pastry, it was hibiscus cake, he walked to Ah Luo's side, shook him, and motioned for him to eat.

Ah Luo smelled the smell and opened his eyes suddenly, a little surprised, "Hibiscus cake, Luo Chen, you are so good."

Luo Chen smiled and picked up the pastry again.

Ah Luo picked up a piece and ate it with relish.

Filling his stomach, Ah Luo began to speak, "Tonight, I met a man on the city wall, well, a man to be exact."

Luo Chen knelt on the edge of the bed, listening intently to the follow-up.

"That man, he's really good-looking, even better than the second brother."

Hearing this, Luo Chen felt bad in his heart, but he couldn't speak, so he could only gesture with his hands.

Ah Luo seemed to understand what he meant, and explained, "Name?"

Luo Chen nodded.

"I haven't asked yet, I'll definitely ask next time I see him." Ah Luo smiled.

Luo Chen shook his head repeatedly.

"You're not curious?" Ah Luo asked.

Luo Chen shook his head again.

Arlo sighed, "Okay, then don't ask."

She lay back on the bed and yawned, "I'm really sleepy, I'll go to bed first, and you should go to bed early."

Luo Chen nodded.

Ah Luo slept very well, and after a while, he fell asleep deeply.

Luo Chen got up and gently closed the door, just as Xia Ji came back.

"She slept?" Xia Ji asked.

Luo Chen nodded.

Xia Ji handed the letter to Luo Chen.

He looked at it quickly, shaking his head excitedly.

Xia Ji nodded, "I know, this mission, I won't let Ah Luo go."

Luo Chen patted his chest, which meant, "Let me go."

Xia Ji hesitated, "But, they are too familiar with you, you ......."

Luo Chen pointed to the room, and then to himself.

「...... Well, be careful."