As soon as the Spring Festival ceremony dispersed, the three princes turned their heads and wanted to settle accounts with Chu Shixia. But Chu Zhixia's figure disappeared without a trace, and even Bai Ziche, who was standing next to him like a piece of wood, was gone. The third prince grabbed the chamberlain in a hurry, asking him to find Chu Zhixia, and his shoulder was gently pressed.

"Brother?" The third prince looked at the visitor with a little confusion.

Bai Huan hadn't untied his auspicious clothes yet, and asked him with a tired face: "What are you making trouble again?" ”

"It's not Chu Zhixia who sent me a pot of peonies, and I have to say that it was cultivated by the peony planted by my father himself." The third prince muttered weakly, "This time she came to provoke me first, she just got it right, I didn't dare not want it, and deliberately disgusted me!" ”

The third prince was ready to be reprimanded, but unexpectedly, Bai Huan just said "um" softly and didn't speak again.

"Brother, don't you discipline me? You don't protect Chu Zhixia anymore? The third prince asked a little unaccustomedly.

"It's just an ungrateful person, how can I protect her, but I'm afraid that you will cause trouble." Bai Huan wiped his sweat and said lightly, "Bo gift to the prince, the Chu clan in the clouds is really contemptuous, it is time to teach her a lesson." ”

was deposed from the position of the East Palace, and when he was thinking about it in the mansion, Bai Huan suddenly remembered many details that he had overlooked.

For example, Bai Ziche entered the cell of Dali Temple and saw the tragic death of the edict of the painting academy, how did he, a prince with no foundation, get in? As we all know, Chu Zhixia is a flying eagle lackey in the imperial capital, and the son of Dali Siqing must be saddled before and after.

For example, at the begonia banquet, Huo Wenqing was originally a person who listened to the edict, but because of Chu Zhixia's babbling, a large group of people were attracted, Huo Wenqing refused the reward in public, and Bai Huan had to make a sacrifice. Was she really so curious about the prince's majesty?

When Bai Huan pulled out Chu Zhixia's shadow from one incident after another, he found that the slightest bit of those wisps led to his today's results.

Who did Chu Shixia choose?

Bai Ziche, who has nothing, or the six princes who are young and ignorant but have their backs to the Pei family?

No matter who it is, the Chu clan in the clouds will not be on Bai Huan's side after all. Therefore, the Queen Mother took Chu Zhixia into the palace under house arrest in disguise, and Bai Huan pretended to be deaf and dumb.

Since it can't be used, then kill.

——

Today's Spring Festival, the business in the Jade Workshop is obviously lonely. But the girls in the building were not willing to be lonely, and they all smiled and cut spring flowers with red paper, and gave spring money to the maids and maids.

"Your Highness's birthday, what do you want?" Chu Zhixia asked lightly.

The two of them sat and stood silently by the unlit window. The downstairs was full of people, and the lanterns came and went like fireflies in the deep sea. The brass wind chimes hanging overhead swayed as if singing a crisp minor.

"Me?" Bai Ziche looked at her with some surprise.

"I heard that His Royal Highness and the Third Prince were born on the same day, the same month, the same year, but the Third Prince didn't like it, so His Highness's birthday was forced to be moved back a month."

Chu Zhixia said slowly, "However, in our clouds, the birth of children and teenagers in Japan is taboo to celebrate in a big way, for fear that the ghosts and gods will know about this and take the lives of children. Therefore, His Highness does not need to worry about this matter, and he should just avoid disasters. ”

"But birthday gifts, I still want them." Chu Shixia said with a smile.

The fireworks in the city had not yet finished, and in the deafening sound, Chu Zhixia was leaning on the vermilion railing with a pot of wine, and her skirt was flying. Countless flowers rose from the night sky behind her, delicately outlining each strand of her hair.

"Me? I didn't want anything. ”

Bai Ziche showed a faint smile, exhaled slowly, tried his best to relax, and dissected word by word, "Do you know what the third brother told me when I was a child? He said that I was a lowly person, and that I should not have been born on the same day as him, let alone have the same surname as him. My life is just a thing he holds in his hands. At that time, every year at the Spring Festival, I had to present the queen with many Buddhist scriptures that I had copied by hand, pretending to be very close to her, so that the third brother would not kill me on a whim one day. ”

"Maybe it's been too long, and I think it's good to live until the next birthday. So, I didn't have much to want. ”

Chu Zhixia frowned slightly.

Maybe for Bai Ziche, the birthday gift is just a luxury, something that he can't dream of.

"Why should Your Highness's mind be so heavy?" Chu Zhixia flicked his fingers on Bai Ziche's smooth head, and with the rich aroma of wine between the words, Bai Ziche was stunned.

"His Royal Highness now has Sun Yan by his side, Cheng Yuan, Mr. Pei and Female Officer Pei, and Huo Ergongzi. You are no longer the little prince who is trembling and snorting, even if His Royal Highness wants to move you now, he must take care of His Majesty and this complicated relationship. ”

Chu Zhixia withdrew his hand and smiled brightly.

She looked at the stunned Bai Ziche and said, "Time has changed, and the days of precariousness will never have to be passed by His Highness." Of course, there is a chance to celebrate the birthday, and His Highness doesn't want this gift today, so let's leave it for the future. ”

"That'...... What about you? Bai Ziche's cautious voice was drowned out by the roar of the fireworks.

There are many people around me, who may be seeking fame and fortune, perhaps for the great cause of their family and country, or for the truth. Then what do you ask me for, what do you want, and will you ...... Always by my side?

"What?" Chu Zhixia only saw his lips open and close, but he didn't hear clearly, so he asked rhetorically.

Bai Ziche shook his head and said with a smile: "It's nothing. ”

After all, I was too greedy.

——

Gangnam.

This is a house deep in the mountains, with white walls and tiles, and a layer of moss crawling from the damp walls. The full moon slipped into the mid-heavens, and the deep green forest undulated like waves in the wind. The moonlight sprinkled on the wall, and the sunken cat walked lightly on the wall in the moonlight, and sat down towards the north.

He was bathed in the silver-white moonlight, and he played with the long, slender stalks of grass in his hands.

"What are you looking at?" Luo Shuangyi, who approached silently, asked.

"The moon of the north." Shen Zhou said softly.

The supple grass was folded and wrapped around his fingers.

Since the explosion of the painting boat on Jiangnan Lake, Shen Zhou and Luo Shuangyi have been hunted and killed by the mountain ghost clan, abandoning the dilapidated and damp courtyard and fleeing all the way. They have been living in this house deep in the mountains and old forests for three full months.

Luo Shuangyi is not a person of many words, but Shen Zhou is even more silent, except for breathing and heartbeat, he is like a dead man.

"Today is the Spring Festival." Luo Shuangyi said.

"Don't tell me, the assassins shoot spring too." Shen Zhou said lightly.

Luo Shuangyi shook her head, pointed to the mansion behind her and said, "There are guests here, and I want to see you by name." ”

If you want to see such a thing as "expression" from the face of the Nine Shadows Assassin, it is better to spy on the change in the speed of her heartbeat. Shen Zhou just glanced at her, and jumped straight down the wall, leaving a straw cricket where he was sitting.

The sunken boat skirted the overgrown courtyard and headed for the only lighted hall in the house. However, he stopped in the middle of the courtyard and did not go any further. Shen Zhou looked down at the strings hanging more than three feet high on the ground, like a spider silk blocking his way.

This is the kind of weapon used by Luo Hongye, which looks weak and harmless at first glance, but it can take people's lives silently.

The door panel in front of the hall was broken a long time ago, and now only a thin bamboo curtain hung down. The shadow of the person inside was cast on the bamboo curtain by the light, and it was as thin as a shadow puppet.

"It's called Shenzhou, right?"

"Who are you?" Shen Zhou asked unceremoniously.

"Nine Shadows, the head of the Luo family." The man behind the bamboo curtain replied softly, "Don't be so hostile to me, every assassin in the Nine Shadows is my child, and even if you don't want to, I will admit you." ”

Shen Zhou sneered in his heart, this person is really shameless.

"You saved Frost Clothes, I should thank you."

"It's just a good deal." Shen Zhou said without saltiness.

"You already lived the life of an ordinary person, and you didn't want to come back to kill for the Nine Shadows, why did you agree later?" The head of the family asked a little puzzled, "With your skills, if you don't want to be found, we can't do anything." ”

"Do you still care what the Assassins think?" Shen Zhou asked rhetorically.

"Assassins shouldn't have ideas, but you don't seem to be the same. After all, he didn't grow up in the Nine Shadows. The head of the house sighed faintly, "But I'm not going to kill you." ”

Shen Zhou pursed his lips and didn't speak.

"The assassins of the Nine Shadows are either seeds like you but far inferior to you, or children like Frostcoat who have been raised from birth. A person like you is a variable for the Nine Shadows. The shadow of the head of the house raised his head slightly, as if looking up at the moon in the sky, "Variable, it means danger, but also means...... New possibilities. ”

"What new possibilities do you want?" Shen Zhou sensed a hint of subtlety.

The head of the house smiled mysteriously, and instead of answering, he said, "You can go down the mountain." After the explosion of the painting boat, more than half of the ten ghosts were damaged. This time down the mountain, the assassins with frost clothes and rank below her are at your disposal. ”

Shen Zhou was a little bored: "Who are you going to kill?" ”

"Find the assassin of the mountain ghost clan, unscrupulous means, blood debt and blood repayment." The head of the house said lightly, "You don't have to resist, anyway, people are dying every day under the mountain now." One more, one less, black and white impermanence will not say anything. ”

"Yamashita is dying every day now...... What is the meaning? ”

——

Imperial capital, Scarlet Jade Pavilion.

Huo Wenbai lit the candle, and the handwriting in front of him became clearer. He hugged a big leg cover, the spring cold was precipitous, and gusts of cold wind blew in, making the pages rattle.

Jiang Qiao pushed the door in, put a plate of hot spring cakes on the table, and went around and closed the window.

"The body of the second son should not blow the wind." Jiang Qiao sat opposite him and said, "Today's spring festival, according to Jiangnan customs, you should eat spring cakes." ”

Huo Wenbai thanked her softly, picked up a piece of spring cake and chewed it slowly.

"My hometown is far away, and I am hiding in a place like mine, and I have wronged my son." Jiang Qiao said suddenly.

Huo Wenbai was stunned for a moment and asked, "Did I offend the girl?" ”

Offense is far from being said, Huo Wenbai respects and restrains Jiang Qiao, and is not half frivolous because she has fallen into the dust, let alone relying on the prince's teacher to be a blessing, and he has done a good job of the false identity of the musician. Jiang Qiao's various musical instruments, he is well organized.

"It's not." Jiang Qiao denied it and lowered his eyes, "It's because I feel that I am not worthy of Gongzi Qingxiu here." ”

Huo Wenbai suddenly remembered that a difficult guest chased Jiang Qiao all the way to the gate of the small courtyard a few days ago. Jiang Qiao couldn't refuse strongly, so he could only persuade him gently and carelessly, and most of his clothes were half stripped off on the spot, revealing his white shoulders.

Jiang Qiao looked back and saw Huo Wenbai's eyes flashing through the crack in the door.

"I didn't mean to snoop on ...... that day," Huo Wenbai found it difficult to speak.

"Since I've done this, am I still afraid of people looking at me?" Jiang Qiao stroked his falling hair indifferently and said, "It's just that the son is a scholar, and His Royal Highness is also a valuable person. ”

"Miss Jiang, you can drive me away because you're tired of me. But you're fine, don't bother yourself. Huo Wenbai said firmly, "You saved me and took me in, if I have a disrespectful heart, I should not die well, and I will never have peace." ”

Huo Wenbai looked down at his weak legs, and half-jokingly: "Of course, I might as well die like this now." ”

Jiang Qiao felt outrageous, and actually laughed out loud.

Outside the window, the fireworks are like day.