After a night, Sima Liang returned to the Tang Mansion.

He dismounted and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's finally back."

It was a wonderful night.

Sima Liang has seen everything he should have seen and what he shouldn't have seen. But the situation is not clear, but more chaotic.

"Who the hell did it? It's not the third sister and the prince. The fifth brother appeared in Pingnan like this, and it didn't look like it. After all, his own hands and feet are not clean, or does he have a foolproof solution? ”

"Could it be that the second brother is on the border? I heard that the war in the northwest may start. He didn't have time to care about it. Could it be that his advisers did it privately? ”

Sima Liang, who couldn't think of being a bureaucracy, covered his headache and pushed the door into the small courtyard.

It just so happened that the maids in the courtyard had breakfast together.

"Your Highness, you're back."

"Your Highness, do you want to eat?"

……

Although they were taken aback, these maids still greeted them as soon as possible.

"It's okay, you don't have to worry about me, I'll just rest."

Sima Liang didn't have the heart to talk to others, so he waved his hand, signaling that he didn't need to serve.

He then entered the West Wing alone.

By the time Xiao Yao entered the room after breakfast, Sima Liang had already fallen asleep.

Seeing that he didn't take off his clothes and shoes, he was lying on his side on the bed.

In addition to being distressed, Xiao Yao felt a little funny.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid I haven't rested all night."

After sighing, Xiao Yao carefully helped Sima Liang take off his shoes, then put the other party's body on the bed, and finally helped him cover the quilt.

Then sit at the head of the bed and watch quietly. This is what Xiao Yao often does, and it is also her favorite thing to do in the palace.

It's just that after coming to Yancheng, the number of times I can do this is getting less and less.

Looking at Sima Liang's sleeping appearance, Xiao Yao remembered the scene of taking care of each other for the first time.

Recalling the embarrassing scene at the beginning, she felt a little warm.

The corners of the mouth unconsciously raised.

If only you weren't going to grow up, that's fine. If you stay in the palace, you won't have so many worries. Xiao Yao thought to herself.

A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

When Xiao Yao walked out of the door, the voices of Bao'er and Mu Yu came from the courtyard.

Thinking about it, Sima Liang only left one sentence and did not return overnight, which made them very worried.

After learning that the other party was resting, the two women were relieved and returned to their respective rooms.

Wait for Sima Liang to wake up.

In a flash, the time came to the afternoon, and Sima Liang woke up in a daze.

The feeling of a splitting headache makes me feel like I have a hangover.

"Your Highness, do you want to eat? I'm keeping some porridge warm in the food box. ”

Noticing that Sima Liang opened his eyes, Xiao Yao, who was beside the bed, greeted him immediately.

"Water." Sima Liang pursed his dry lips and closed his eyes again.

"Your Highness, wait for me."

Xiao Yao quickly ran away, and then came back quickly.

Sima Liang leaned on the side of the bed and drank two bowls of warm water before he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is Junko back?"

"Nope."

Sima Liang closed his eyes again and hit the side of the bed with the back of his head.

Where you go, nothing will happen. He thought to himself.

Last night, after Sima Liang and Xiao Sanzi entered Pingnan City, they planned to leave as soon as possible.

But on the way out of the city, I met excellence.

The other party also came on horseback, preparing to enter the city.

When the two saw each other, they were a little puzzled.

This excellence is the scholar who was in Fengyue Tower before, and Lu Dashao grabbed Fluttershy.

Although he stuffed a note, Sima Liang did not find the other party in private.

Now that he has the opportunity this time, he wants to talk to Excellence.

If the other party is willing to become a dark line, then you can get some news from the Yang family in the future.

Although Excellence has just entered the Yang family, there may be unexpected gains. In addition, the other party came here, most likely for the sake of Pingnan's affairs, and if you contact it yourself, you may be able to know the situation on the third princess's side.

However, given that there is a high probability of eyeliner in the city. Sima Liang did not find excellence at the first time, but left Pingnan first, dressed up in disguise, and then turned back.

Then through some irrelevant people, agree on the place.

The place Sima Liang was looking for was a place similar to Fengyue Tower, called Xueyue Pavilion.

If you want to come to these places, the names are almost the same.

It's not that Sima Liang has a sense of leisure, but since he has been to Fengyue Tower.

He knew that there were many secret passages in this kind of place.

In addition, there are more people here at night, and it is better to hide your identity.

Let the little third son inquire about the exit of the secret passage of the Snow Moon Pavilion.

Sima Liang stood at an exit, waiting for the other party to bring excellence.

It may be that you need to go to contact someone, and by the time you go to the appointment, it will be late at night.

After letting the little third son look at the wind, the two seized the time to chat.

Due to the tight schedule.

After a little understanding, Sima Liang made his intentions clear.

Excellence is also very simple, expressing his willingness to help Sima Liang and become a dark line.

And told him the purpose of the trip.

is an excuse to follow Liu Dongyang, and then report the information he hears to the dark line in the city. The third princess didn't tell him the specific reason. I don't trust it.

But Sima Liang knew the general reason, combined with what the other party said.

After a brief analysis, he felt that the third princess might have nothing to do with this matter.

When Sima Liang was about to think about it, Zhuo Zhuo knelt down.

"Your Highness, there is nothing else to ask for. I only hope that the Lu family will completely disappear in Yancheng. ”

The other party's words were excited, and he didn't look like he was productive. It's exactly the same as when Sima Liang first met.

For Fluttershy, a woman of the moon, excellence is also infatuated.

But his infatuation is not so valuable in Sima Liang's eyes

Let's not talk about the benefits I just received from the Lu family. Let's just say that a dark line that is useful when I don't know the time, there is no need to pay so much. He didn't know how to answer.

Seeing that the other party did not answer, Excellence knew that his current value was not enough for the other party to do it for himself.

Deflated, he sighed.

"Your Highness, I don't expect you to agree now. I just hope that in the future, when I do enough, you will be able to deliver on your promise. ”

Seeing that the other party had retreated, Sima Liang also followed the other party's ladder and came down. After all, who can say the future well, maybe the other party will be useful, and it just so happens that the Lu family is declining.

After talking about the matter, the conditions were also discussed, and the two said goodbye like this.

Combined with his own knowledge, coupled with excellent news, Sima Liang temporarily excluded the third princess.

It was also because of this windfall that he decided to stay in Pingnan for a while, ready to explain the situation to Xiao Shunzi before leaving.

However, when it came to finding a place to contact the other party, it took a lot of twists and turns.

waited for the sound of the husband beating the ugly, Sima Liang found a place.

After entering, he didn't see Xiao Shunzi. The other party also left no information.

Looking at the empty house, Sima Liang was a little worried. I thought to myself: nothing will happen.

was flustered, knowing that he might be discovered, he still sent his third son to the post station to contact Liu Dongyang.

I want to know if the other party has seen Xiao Shunzi.

As a result, the little third son who went out came back soon. also brought a message that Sima Liang couldn't understand.

That is Sima Yun, the fifth prince, who came to Pingnan City.

"Why is the fifth brother here?"

"Will Junko's disappearance have anything to do with him?"

"Did he do it this time?"

A series of question marks appeared in Sima Liang's mind.

After calming down, he began to think about the possibility of the other party coming here.

Looking at the moon in the west, Sima Liang decided to leave first, and then think about it on the way.

"Forget it, let's go back first. Since the fifth brother is also here, I don't want to stay long. Let's hope Junko is okay. ”

The five princes came to Pingnan with a swagger, not to mention eye-catching. It will definitely attract a lot of people's covert attention.

If Sima Liang was because of the other party, his whereabouts would also be exposed.

It is estimated that more people will pay attention to Pingnan.

If Sima Liang wants to resolve the situation, it is even more impossible

In this way, he returned to the Tang Mansion with uneasiness.

After drinking the porridge and resting, Sima Liang's head cleared up a little.

Sitting in the courtyard, he recalled the events of last night and had a new insight.

"Could it be that Junko did it? Or are those old guys setting up a bureau? ”

After weighing the pros and cons, Sima Liang found that after the situation became bigger, he was the biggest beneficiary.

It's just that this benefit is the kind he doesn't like.

It does sound unreasonable, but it's just the way it is.

Four princes were involved in the illegal salt incident, and three were unclean hands and feet. As long as it's big. Some clues. All three will face more or less responsibility.

Although Sima Liang is nominally in charge of transporting salt, he has only been in office for a month. Even if they are implicated, they will not be held accountable too much.

In the case of both losses, the one who suffers the least is the vested interest.

Thinking of this, Sima Liang's head hurt even more.

If it is really as he expected, then the situation in Pingnan will determine the direction of the court.

As long as it is not handled well, Sima Liang will also be involved in the seizure of the reserve.

Then his ordinary life as a prince will never be possible.

"We have to find a way to solve this problem."

Sima Liang was looking up, his eyes focused on the sky that was about to erupt.

"Not only the sky of Yancheng, but the sky of Li Kingdom may also change." After sighing, he returned to his room.

At this time, the central capital city is still clear sky.

An old man with white hair and a black and red official robe knelt down at the emperor's table.

"Your Majesty, the minister is guilty. The lax discipline of the criminal ministers led the prince astray and involved in the affair of private salt. Now that the Pingnan incident has happened, the culprits cannot escape the blame. Please take your responsibility seriously. ”

looked at the prime minister who knelt on the ground and had been with him for many years. While Emperor Sima Ao shook his head, he couldn't stop sighing.

"You don't have to take the blame. I know it's none of your business, and you don't have the guts. The three princesses who are sure of me are caused by instigating the horses. ”

Although he didn't leave the palace, the emperor knew a lot of things.

It may even be better known than the person concerned.

Hearing the other party's words, the old man crawled on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, and didn't dare to say a word.

Looking at the document in his hand, the Emperor closed it.

Then, he walked up to the old man.

Since the other party did not dare to look up, the emperor could only see the other party's full head of silver hair.

"You're old, and I'm old. But the children have grown up after all. Nothing is to blame for everything that is happening now. It's just that I am a little indecisive in the face of these children. ”

"The sinner is old. But Your Majesty is still in the prime of life, how can he make mistakes. ”

This compliment made the emperor laugh.

Although it was a laugh, he heard something else in the old man's ears.

"Your Majesty, the sinners said the truth. Now the life of the people of Lebanon is getting better day by day. Doesn't this mean that Your Majesty is energetic and can handle state affairs well? ”

The Emperor smiled again.

"Yang Zhong, I allow you to look up."

The old man listened to the order and slowly raised his head.

"Look at me, you say it again." The Emperor finished the sentence in a tone that did not fluctuate.

At the same time, he put away his smile and looked at the old man with a gloomy face.

I saw the other party's pale temples and wrinkled faces. The old man looked surprised.

After his eyes flickered, the old man's lips touched slightly. I thought: The years are not forgiving.

"Your Majesty, you are old. The sinner, too, is old. ”

Then two helpless, feeble sighs came from the imperial study.