The fifth year of auspicious charm, the fifteenth day of the first month.

The news of Huo Jian'an's arrival in the imperial capital spread far and wide, and countless scholars in green shirts gathered in front of the ordinary post house. The most famous writer of the dynasty did not see anyone, and when he received the coffins of his children, he began to work on the matter of returning to Jiangnan.

His almost cold-blooded calm and the surging tide in the court complemented each other, making this bloody case even more secretive.

Huo Jian'an didn't care who and whose heads were beaten into dogs' heads in the court, he just waited calmly.

Until one day, the wind and snow stopped and the sun was fine.

A little beggar was begging for food at the back door of the post house, and Huo Jian'an ordered the post man to give him a bowl of gruel. The little beggar stopped Huo Jian'an and handed him a letterhead. The letterhead was depicted with golden moire, the handwriting was strong and powerful, and the sharp strength penetrated through the back of the paper.

"Who asked you to give this to me?" Huo Jian'an didn't answer immediately.

"A big lady." The little beggar said.

Huo Jian'an opened the letterhead, and there was only a concise sentence in it: "Today, Guozijian mutinied and demanded a thorough investigation of Huo Wenqing's death." ”

Huo Jian'an snorted.

It is rumored that Huo Wenqing died of a sudden illness at the palace banquet. Huo Jian'an knew that his daughter had no chronic illness, and the wound in his heart was irrefutable. She committed suicide, and as for why she committed suicide, no one stood up to give Huo Jian'an an an explanation.

After Huo Jian'an privately revealed the news of his daughter's health, there were different opinions in the court.

"Take me to the eldest lady." Huo Jian'an said.

——

The branches and leaves of the old trees in the courtyard are withering, and the withered yellow leaves are falling slowly. A pebble burst through the air, shattering the dry leaves and shooting them at the wall. A shallow layer of wall ash shook down, and there was a small pit in the wall.

Chu Zhixia threw the stone in his palm, looked at the six roads and listened to the eight directions, and the next fallen leaf was about to fall from the branch, and the stone flew out.

Throwing copper coins and stones are all secret weapon methods, Li Qingbai teaches perfunctory, and Chu Zhixia learns casually, not as proficient as Shen Zhou. Chu Shixia didn't like this kind of trick very much, and when he picked it up and practiced it, he realized that it was not easy.

"That uncle asked me to bring him to you, but I didn't agree." The little beggar shook his head and said, "There are many people kneeling in front of the post house, and the cries have shaken down the tiles, and there is a lot of paper money on the ground. Miss, who died? ”

"It's a female bodhisattva," Chu Shixia said, "and there is also a champion lang." ”

The little beggar's eyes widened, "Why did they die?" ”

Chu Zhixia's throat was sour, and he couldn't answer for a while.

Why did they die?

is to resist the overthrow of power, to protect the younger brothers and sisters under him, and to protect the family members far away in Jiangnan from being swept up by the whirlpool of power.

Chu Shixia couldn't say it, the change of imperial power and the marriage of the family were too far away for this child who had eaten the last meal but not the next, and it was like another world.

She had no choice but to say, "Everyone is going to die." You don't care how others die, are you full today, are your younger brothers and sisters at home full? ”

The little beggar shook his head.

Chu Shixia said: "Go to the kitchen to get food, I thank you this time." ”

The little beggar followed the maid in a hurry, and there was not a single stone left in Chu Zhixia's hand. Chu Zhixia exhaled a breath of white air, and the hot sweat on his body poured out as if the floodgates were opened. She turned around and went back to the porch, staring at the broken pebbles in the yard in a daze.

The news of Huo Wenqing's suspected suicide spread widely in private, and all the various things that Bai Huan had carefully designed before were all reversed.

The scholars of Guozijian insisted that the abolished prince could not force him, and Huo Wenqing had a strong temperament and finally committed suicide. The indignant scholar demanded a thorough investigation into the fire in the post house and the death of Huo Wenqing, and severely punished the murderer.

Hundreds of scholars gathered in front of the Guozijian and shouted like a tsunami.

Chu Zhixia leaned against the pillar with some headaches.

Yuzhu suddenly came to report: "Miss, there is a guest." ”

"Who?"

Yuzhu was also quite suspicious, "It's Huo Jian'an, Mr. Huo." ”

Chu Zhixia immediately reacted that he was followed by Huo Jian'an when the little beggar replied to the letter. She would not have made such a big omission, but she was exhausted by what had happened in the past few days, and she was not prepared for such a trivial matter.

"Ask someone to come in."

——

Chu Zhixia's impression of Huo Jian'an came from the posts he copied when he was young, and the poems passed on by the staff of the house. There are many staff members in the Zhenbei Palace, and they have all the three sects and nine streams, but their evaluation of Huo Jian'an is surprisingly consistent.

"Born at the wrong time."

If it is in a peaceful and prosperous era, Huo Jian'an's talent may become the most precious pearl of the Great Zhou; But he happened to encounter this chaotic era, his poems, his writings, could not save anyone, but only added to the sourness of a scholar for him.

When Chu Shixia stepped into the main hall, he saw a thin middle-aged man drinking tea. As soon as the man raised his head, Chu Zhixia's heart couldn't help but tremble, his sideburns were all white, his appearance was not old, but his eyes were very tired, like an old man who was about to die.

"Chu clan in the clouds, Chu Zhixia has seen Mr. Huo."

"I know you, you are Chu Mingyan's sister." Huo Jian'an held the teacup and said straight to the point, "Why did you send me a letter?" ”

"Because the Huo family can't have any more accidents." Chu Zhixia told the truth.

Huo Jian'an's eyebrows did not move, and he stared at her coldly.

"I know that you revealed the news of Miss Wenqing's suicide, as a father, you want to seek justice for your children, I understand. But have you ever thought about it, even if Miss Wen Qing really dies unexpectedly, which involves the abolished prince, will Your Majesty really give you this 'justice'? ”

Chu Shixia shook his head and said, "He won't." Our majesty cares about power, royal face, and the last thing he cares about is the truth. Abolishing the crown prince is pushing the boat down the river, and it is the only one who can give you an explanation to the Huo family. ”

Huo Jian'an smiled desolate and said: "Wen Song just started studying when he was a child, and he was determined to help the world, and later resigned hastily to return to Jiangnan to teach, he said that what he couldn't do, maybe someone in the future can do it." Among his students there must be someone who can save the country. ”

Huo Jian'an looked at Chu Shixia in disappointment and asked, "Are all today's children like you?" ”

As Chu Zhixia, she must have been present on the day of the palace banquet. How Huo Wenqing died, Chu Zhixia knew better than Huo Jian'an himself. The Chu clan in the clouds is known for being upright, if even Chu Zhixia comes to persuade him to calm things down, Huo Jian'an is afraid that it will be difficult to fulfill his long-cherished wish.

Without waiting for Chu Zhixia to answer, Huo Jian'an could not restrain his anger and pressed the corner of the table, almost standing up, "Killing people pays for life, it is an iron bar of the law!" The prince broke the law and was guilty of the same crime as the common people! These are all written on the law of the Great Zhou! He killed my son and forced my daughter to die, and the position of the East Palace and the grounding are enough to pay it off? Is it because he is the crown prince that his life is expensive, and the life of my sons and daughters is cheap! ”

The more Huo Jian'an spoke, the more sad and angry he became, and he swept his sleeves and smashed the teacup to the ground.

Chu Zhixia calmly endured his anger and waited for Huo Jian'an to calm down. Huo Jian'an wiped his face, and his back, which had always been straight, suddenly bent down, as if it was difficult to carry the weight of the two lives of his children.

"The eldest son and Miss Wen Qing are gone, but you are still alive." Chu Shixia said softly, "You will get this justice, just have to wait." ”

Huo Jian'an raised his head from the palm of his hand with difficulty, looking at this child who was two years younger than his youngest daughter.

Chu Zhixia poured him a cup of tea and presented it to him thoughtfully, "You are far away in Jiangnan, and you must have heard that Wang Xianfu, the eunuch who had done all kinds of evil before, is dead. ”

Huo Jian'an didn't understand what the connection between these two things was, he was stunned for a moment, and then nodded.

"It's the same with the Waste Prince."

Chu Shixia stared at his mournful eyes and promised: "The abolished prince will die, the regent will die, and Zhuang Songbai will die." You want to live, live until that day, the peaceful and prosperous world, the Haiyan River is clear, and comfort the heroic soul. ”

Huo Jian'an said sourly: "Can you wait?" ”

"Wait for it." Chu Zhixia said firmly.

"Your Majesty still feels guilty about the Huo family now, and Guozijian can't make trouble anymore. Otherwise, not only will you not get what you want, but if you are used by someone with a heart, only the Huo family will suffer. Chu Zhixia said, "The imperial capital is too cold, you can go back to Jiangnan." ”

"Go back to Jiangnan and wait for the second son to return home."

Huo Jian'an's ice-like eyes were finally defeated at this moment, and he cried out out in gaffe.

——

Crimson Pavilion.

Jiangnan is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and is very proficient in cooking fish and tart. Huo Wenbai didn't know what sauce he used, and he baked the fish very deliciously. The smell of the fresh smell of the fish pot washed the ambiguous incense in the room, and it was as lively as a wine shop.

Chu Zhixia pushed the door in, and Bai Ziche sat opposite Jiang Qiao and Huo Wenbai, sweating profusely. Bai Ziche saw her coming, and patted the seat next to her to signal her to sit.

The moment Chu Zhixia sat down, Huo Wenbai put down her chopsticks, knowing that she had something to say.

"Your father left for Jiangnan today." Chu Zhixia said, "I sent a personal guard to follow secretly. ”

Huo Wenbai's expression was gloomy and he said, "Thank you, Miss." ”

"Are you really not going to see each other?"

"It's gone." Huo Wenbai sighed, "I broke my legs and survived, and it was another kind of torture for my father. Let him think that I am still at ease, living in some corner of the world. ”

Chu Shixia didn't force it: "It's okay." ”

There was silence at the dinner table for a while, except for the sound of fish soup tumbling.

"Why don't you speak?" Huo Wenbai forced a smile.

"I think of my father." Jiang Qiao smiled with relief, "He's a greedy and short-lived bastard who doesn't care about his life." ”

Bai Zi Cheyun said lightly: "It's okay if my father doesn't mention it." For many years, he couldn't remember having a son like me. ”

The eyes of the three people converged on Chu Zhixia.

Chu Zhixia played with the Buddha beads, leaned back in the chair and sat down, and said angrily: "Look at what I'm doing, who doesn't know the king of Zhenbei?" The Northern Expedition swept through the thirteen tribes of Beidi and shocked the world; There are more women than flowers in the backyard, and the depth of the blessing is the envy of men all over the world. ”

Chu Zhixia remembered the fart that the regent put "Your parents can be called a husband and wife", which was completely inappropriate.