The person who spoke was none other than Li Bing, the crown prince of the East Palace and the future heir of the Holy Tang.

Murong Xue didn't dare to be rude in front of him, and hurriedly straightened up and said, "See Your Highness." ”

As soon as they saw Murong Xue saluting and greeting, the soldiers above and below the city, whether they were Xuanjia or Qilin, also bowed one after another: "See His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

After hurriedly finishing the salute, the soldiers on both sides did not wait for the prince to say "flat", and immediately straightened up, each holding a sword, and continued to confront each other.

Li Bing didn't care about everyone's rudeness and slackness, he just stared at Murong Xue with blazing eyes, and said word by word: "This palace remembers, you are a member of the forbidden army, right?" There was a time before when I was stationed in the East Palace to listen to errands, right? Now that the palace wants to get out of the city, how dare you stop it? ”

"I also hope that His Highness will forgive his sins, and his humble duties are also acting according to orders." Murong Xue's tone was very firm: "The emperor has just issued an edict, and the entire emperor has been edicted to implement martial law, and no one is allowed to enter or leave the city without being called. Therefore, I beg His Highness to return to the East Palace as soon as possible. ”

Li Bing's eyes showed a complicated expression, and he asked calmly: "Murong Xue, Murong Xue, have you forgotten the last life of the young master before his death?" ”

Hearing the other party suddenly mention Nian Jinsong, Murong Xue's heart couldn't help but be shocked, and the whole person was slightly stunned.

In the entire imperial capital, there were few people who really knew the relationship between Taifu Nian Jinsong and Murong Xue. Emperor Li Chengwu is barely one, and the crown prince Li Bing also knows a little. In the eyes of those who don't know, the young Murong Xue is the young master of the Murong family, a giant merchant in Bashu, but in fact, he is the illegitimate son of Nian Jinsong.

Nian Taifu's family background is not prominent, and he can have the prosperous status later, completely relying on his personal hard work, step by step. However, even if Nian Jinsong is a very popular minister, he has always been alone, with neither a wife nor an heir, so he was once praised by the government and the opposition as a "lonely minister".

He didn't marry a wife and have children, not entirely because he was concentrating on state affairs and busy with official business, but the most important reason was that Nian Jinsong didn't want to live up to the person he had always loved.

Murong Xue's biological mother is the current head of the Murong Gate Valve and the sister of Murong Xue's father Murong Qianqiu. Back then, she and Nian Jinsong met and fell in love, but they couldn't get married because of the disparity in their relationship, and they could only separate with regret in the end. But who knows, the girl was already pregnant with Nian Jinsong's flesh and blood at that time, and later suffered a difficult birth and unfortunately passed away. Murong Qianqiu felt sorry for her sister and felt sorry for the newborn child who was lonely, so she agreed with her wife and declared that the child was her own and named Murong Xue.

Later, Nian Jinsong won fame and gradually emerged in the court, and his status has undergone earth-shaking changes compared with before. He planned to return to his hometown and go back to reunite with his lover, but he didn't expect to learn everything that happened from Murong Qianqiu, and he couldn't help but feel sad and hateful, and he almost fell ill.

In order to maintain the honor of his lover before his death, and to protect little Murong Xue, Nian Jinsong, under the advice of Murong Qianqiu, reluctantly promised to bury this regret deep in his heart from now on, and not recognize Murong Xue's father and son.

It wasn't until some time ago that Taifu Nian was too nervous to return, so he sent someone to secretly find Murong Xue when he was dying, and told him everything truthfully. Over the years, although he didn't dare to recognize his son, he had always been silently protecting Murong Xue in secret, and now that the deadline was approaching, Nian Jinsong could no longer suppress the feelings in his heart, and finally decided to face his own blood and bones.

In fact, there is no need for him to say that Murong Xue had already learned the whole thing from Murong Qianqiu, so Murong Xue was not surprised by Nian Jinsong's recognition, on the contrary, he was very grateful to this biological father for his care over the years, and even more admired Nian Jinsong's deep affection for his mother, and always kept his promise of "not marrying if he is not married".

For his son's understanding, Nian Jinsong was very pleased, and couldn't help but think of his lover in his heart again, crying all over the place.

On the third day after the father and son recognized each other, the Taifu Mansion sent someone to invite Murong Xue over. Murong Xue was worried that Nian Jinsong would not be able to hold on, so without saying a word, she hurried over. But who expected that when he came to the inner house of the Taifu Mansion, he was surprised to find that in addition to Nian Jinsong, there were two people in the ward that he didn't expect at all - Li Chengwu, the Emperor of the Holy Tang Dynasty, and Li Bing, the prince of the East Palace!

Obviously, the condescending appearance of the emperor and the crown prince here was specially to visit Nian Jinsong.

The young man, who was leaning on the couch, beat his spirits, pointed at Murong Xue and said, "Your Majesty, this young man's name is Murong Xue, and he is the son of Murong Qianqiu, a friend of the old minister. He is currently serving in the Forbidden Army's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and is also the guard of the East Palace, so he can be regarded as the close guard of His Majesty and the Prince. This child is quite shrewd and capable, and he is also affectionate and righteous, and he is a seedling. ”

When Li Chengwu heard this, he carefully looked at Murong Xue, who was kneeling on the ground, and nodded appreciatively; Li Bing's eyes showed a look of intimacy, and he gave him a friendly smile.

Nian Jinsong continued to say with difficulty: "Little Murong, the old man is afraid that his life will be short, I want to ask you two things in the end, do you think it's good?" ”

"Father...... Master Taifu, please just give orders," Murong Xue choked with tears: "Humble duty...... Humble duty to go to the soup and fire, do not give up! ”

"Okay, I know, I didn't see the wrong person." Nian Jinsong smiled with relief: "The first thing the old man wants to ask you for is to swear to be loyal to His Majesty, and secretly take care of the forbidden army for the emperor with a secret identity." If it comes to a critical moment, if you can serve Your Majesty to the death and turn the tide, even if it is broken bones! ”

When Murong Xue heard this, she hurriedly kowtowed to Li Chengwu: "Weichen Murong Xue, swear allegiance to my emperor to the death, unswerving!" ”

Li Chengwu smiled and didn't say anything, because he was waiting to hear Nian Jinsong say the second thing.

I only heard Nian Jinsong continue: "The second thing is for you to protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and do your best to ensure that His Royal Highness is thorough." The old man is a witness to the covenant of the Holy Church, and from now on, this burden can only fall on the shoulders of the Great Commander He Jingming. ”

Murong Xue was confused when she heard this, but she still hurriedly bowed to Li Bing: "Weichen is willing to use Taifu and He Da to lead the horse head and assist His Highness." ”

Li Bing, like the emperor's uncle Li Chengwu, didn't say much, just smiled and nodded, and ordered Murong Xue to flatten himself.

Murong Xue couldn't help but wonder in his heart: he knew Nian Jinsong's intention to call him at this time. To have the opportunity to meet the emperor and the crown prince directly, and to be personally affirmed by the prince, will inevitably be reused by the imperial court in the future, and it is not impossible to pay homage to the prime minister. However, the emperor and the crown prince are one, and they are also a symbol of the orthodoxy of the imperial power of the Holy Tang Dynasty, but why should the words of allegiance be said separately by him?

Nian Jinsong specifically mentioned the "Holy Sect Covenant" to him, and Li Chengwu and Li Bing's expressions and attitudes were very meaningful, which not only made Murong Xue deeply feel that this matter was by no means unusual.

With unintelligible and incomprehensible doubts, Murong Xue left the Taifu Mansion alone, and until Nian Jinsong died, he never went to the door again. And since that time to see the emperor Li Chengwu and the crown prince Li Bing, these two have never summoned him, as if the meeting in the Nian Mansion had never happened at all.

Who would have thought that today, Murong Xue would see the emperor and the crown prince in a row in one day, it was really "either not coming, or all coming", annoying people!

Just like now, in front of thousands of soldiers of the Qilin Army and the Xuanjia Army, the crown prince Li Bing stood under the city and pointed his nose and asked him: "Have you forgotten the last life of Nian Taifu before his death?" Immediately, Murong Xue fell into a dilemma.

Oh my God! Murong Xue secretly said in her heart: There were two orders that Lao Tzu's father confessed that day!

"At the critical moment, we must serve Your Majesty and turn the tide!"

"Do your best to make sure Your Highness is well-thought!"

Nian Taifu, Nian Adult, Nian Dad! There is no such trick! Murong Xue sighed secretly in her heart, and said that you have learned from the past and the present, and you can pinch and calculate, could it be that you expected that there would be such a day, so you deliberately set up a chain set for my son and me to drill into, right?

In the face of the current situation, if it were Shen Lie's presence, or other generals loyal to His Majesty, they would definitely not be like Murong Xue, there would be no entanglement. The blackest and most advantageous way must be to reprimand the East Palace for colluding with the generals, intending to rebel, and then directly waving the army to fight, and then taking advantage of the chaos to attack, and then taking advantage of the chaos to make a move, resulting in Li Bing.

In this way, the rebels will no longer have any backers to rely on, and they will inevitably collapse without a fight, and the emperor will have less fetters and save a major matter in his heart.

However, others can do this, but Murong Xue can't.

In an instant, he suddenly deeply realized Nian Jinsong's hardships for the past twenty years: on one side is the emperor, on the other side is the prince, no matter who he must be loyal to and assist wholeheartedly. However, in a sense, both of them have different positions, and the relationship is particularly sensitive because of the issue of the succession of imperial power.

What can be done to balance these complex relationships? And how should we protect the covenant of the Holy Church, which is only a piece of paper?

This requires not only extraordinary wisdom, but also a pure heart to endure humiliation and bear the burden and have the courage to take responsibility, so that the emperor and the prince can live in harmony, so that the Holy Tang Dynasty will not encounter the catastrophe of overturning and chaos.

Murong Xue thought in her heart that her biological father who had never been with her for a day, and finally made up her mind.

At this time, if Li Bing is not allowed out of the city, then His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will only have two ways to go: either break through and be killed on the spot in the melee, or obediently return to the East Palace to wait for the order.

Seeking to usurp the throne, Tianwei was furious, and even if the prince obediently went back, he could not escape the fate of being beheaded.

So no matter which way you go, you will live up to Nian Jinsong's dying entrustment.

And if Li Bing is allowed to leave temporarily, no matter what, at least the blood of the first emperor can be temporarily preserved. If the rebels really want to break the ban on attacking the city in the future, then he Murong Xue will fight to the death and sacrifice his life for the emperor, which should be the fulfillment of his original promise to Nian Jinsong.

Thinking of this, Murong Xue put down the sunset bow, slowly bowed her hand to Li Bing, and said earnestly: "Since His Royal Highness has decided to go out of the city, then the ministers will no longer stop it." I hope that Your Highness, you will not forget the hard work of Mrs. Nian, and do not be used by traitors and go astray. Take care! ”

Seeing this, Li Bing finally showed a relieved expression, and also solemnly arched his hand to Murong Xue: "General Murong, your words, this palace has its own consideration. I hope you cherish yourself, thank you! ”

With that, he strode towards the Xuanjia Army not far in front of him, and the Xie Fu convoy in the rear hurriedly followed closely and left the city together.

Murong Xue secretly savored Li Bing's last sentence "so self-cherished", and couldn't help but show a wry smile on her face: Still precious? Just let you go, and when Your Majesty and the courtiers find out, it's no wonder if they don't pick my skin.