The roses of the Akiba Mountain House are blooming.

It is said that when the Akiba Mountain Residence was first built, the house was full of maple forests, and the frost and red leaves were drunk in autumn, as if the sunset would never sink, and it was also a dazzling scenery. Since the mansion was given to the king of Zhenbei, the maple forest has been cut down, and only the courtyard is full of roses.

Xu Yan looked at the person sitting under the red corridor from a distance, his body was thin and thin like a piece of paper.

It was already warm spring, but Huo Wenbai's knees were covered with a layer of felt, and the pages spread out on it were full of rose petals. Huo Wenbai raised his head slightly to stare at the spring color on the wall, and his lips were so pale that there was no trace of blood. Bai Ziche stood behind him, put on a cloak for him, and whispered to him about the homework of the past few days. Huo Wenbai didn't say much, often nodding lightly, occasionally nodding a few words at him.

"The second son's legs are ......," Xu Yan's voice trembled slightly.

"I was injured in the fire at the post house, and I looked for a lot of doctors, but they all said there was no way." Chu Zhixia shook his head and said.

"The eldest prince and Miss Wenqing suffered this catastrophe, and it is not easy for the second prince to survive." Xu Yan bowed to Chu Shixia, "I know that hiding the second son is a huge risk, and Xu thanked Miss Chu for the teacher." ”

"Your teacher?" Chu Shixia had a guess in his heart.

"Family teacher Huo Jian'an."

Huo Jian'an, Huo Wenbai's father, is a literary master in the world and the spiritual leader of countless readers.

Xu Yan's face condensed, and he said, "The world only knows that I studied in the Huo family's academy, but very few people know that I am a closed disciple of the teacher. Before I went to the imperial capital for the scientific expedition, the teacher told me to ask the eldest lady a word. ”

"Please."

Xu Yan paused and said, "The teacher asked me to ask: 'In my lifetime, can I wait until Wenbai comes home'." ”

This time, Chu Zhixia did not answer immediately.

Chu Shixia was silent for a long time, waved his hand at Xu Yan, led him to the study, and turned out a stack of pulse cases and handed them to Xu Yan. Xu Yan read a little ominous omen from her silent actions, and hurriedly flipped through the pulse case.

"In the past three years that His Royal Highness and I have been in Jiangnan, Huo Ergongzi's health has been bad, with nightmares and minor illnesses. The young master of the Pei family searched for a good doctor, but he was helpless. The results given by the doctor are the same: caused by leg disease, physical weakness; exhausted, the oil ran out, and the lamp dried up. ”

Chu Shixia said softly: "Young Master Xu, please go to Jiangnan and let Mr. Huo come to see him." ”

——

Under the corridor, Huo Wenbai spoke softly to Bai Ziche.

"Have you finished reading all the history books I asked you to read?" Huo Wenbai coughed twice and asked.

"I'm done." Bai Ziche stood beside him and replied respectfully.

"Reading history can be wise, and you have to keep in mind that you don't make the same mistakes."

Huo Wenbai said, "In all dynasties, treacherous people, corrupt people, and the fall of power are all signs of the country's ruin. Mo Xue said that this poison is deeply rooted in the heart, and if you want to save the country from danger, you must scrape the bones to cure the poison. Eliminate evil, she is right. But you must remember not to be in a hurry, these people have penetrated into every vein of the Great Zhou, and it will not work to cut through the mess quickly, you should try it slowly. ”

"Yes, the students remember the teacher's teachings."

Huo Wenbai was obviously talking to Bai Ziche, but his eyes were looking at the empty courtyard. The courtyard was empty, except for pale pink rose petals swept in the wind, and the sun was dazzling. Huo Wenbai stared blankly at the open space covered with sunlight, and did not speak again in a trance.

Bai Ziche called him worriedly: "Teacher? ”

Huo Wenbai suddenly came back to his senses, and then said: "I don't have a good memory lately. In the past three years, I have written many articles in a book, which may be useful to you. Later I will ask the maid to bring it to you. ”

"The student thanked the teacher." Bai Ziche touched his cold hand and said worriedly, "I'll send the teacher back to rest." ”

Huo Wenbai shook his head and asked in a daze: "I haven't seen Miss Jiang for some days, I have repaired her piano, when will she come to pick it up?" ”

Bai Ziche's face was pale and pale, and his chest was full of something for a while. After a long time, Bai Ziche said with difficulty: "Miss Jiang Guangling has gone, and she will come back to get the piano after a while." ”

Huo Wenbai didn't answer Bai Ziche, he lowered his eyelashes and fell asleep quietly. Bai Ziche reached out nervously and touched his pulse, until he touched his faint pulse before he was slightly relieved.

——

Qin Wangfu.

"Xu Yan went to the Autumn Leaves Mountain Residence?"

Bai Huan was holding three sticks of incense in his hand, and he had just finished worshipping the Buddha, but he was interrupted before he could make incense. Bai Huan scribbled the incense onto the incense burner, walked to the outside of the Buddhist hall and sat down. Chen Boyan looked playfully at the golden Buddha behind the screen, and repeated the news just now.

"Isn't Xu Yan the eldest princess's person, why did she get involved with Chu Shixia again?" Bai Huan frowned unconsciously when he thought of Chu Zhixia.

"There is no definite news yet, but Xu Yan is a student of the Huo Family Academy, and the Huo family has an unknown Huo Wenbai...... So far, it is claimed that it was in the hands of the assassin, but in fact, who was the assassin that night, and whether Huo Wenbai was dead or alive, we all have guesses in our hearts. Chen Boyan spread out his hand and smiled delicately.

"You're blaming me for not doing things cleanly and keeping my tail." Bai Huan said coldly, "I really shouldn't be soft-hearted, can you say something useful?" ”

"After Xu Yan entered Beijing, he did not refuse to come, and he was exquisite. How can anyone who doesn't want to participate in the politics of the DPRK and rise step by step? These eldest princesses can't be given to him, so why did he choose the eldest princess? Either the eldest princess is just a springboard for him, or he has other plans. Uncle Chen said earnestly, "This person is a great talent, if he can't use it, he doesn't have to keep it." ”

Bai Huan was silent, thinking about countermeasures in his heart. After Huo Wenqing's incident, Bai Huan no longer dared to despise Chu Zhixia, Bai Ziche is now prestigious, Bai Huan can't make a mistake, the best way is to eradicate Xu Yan.

"How's it going, Your Highness?" Chen Boyan urged him, "As long as you speak, I will arrange it." It must be done cleanly and without leaving a trace. ”

"Then kill him."

——

It was night, and I was boating on the mirror lake for a while.

There were two tables of people sitting on the boat, and the woman holding the lute plucked the strings in the bow of the boat and sang in a low voice. There were not many people on the boat, all of them were scholars from the land of Jingchu, and Xu Yan was surrounded and sat in the middle position.

"According to the usual practice, the Ministry of Rites should open the list today, but I don't know why, the list has not been announced for a long time. Brother Xu, do you have any news? A scholar asked with some eagerness.

"What can I say? It should be a judgment that needs to be considered. Xu Yan didn't show the mountains and water, shook the wine in the cup, and said heartily, "Good wind and good moon, don't live up to it." Don't talk about these disappointments, now that you've come to this, why not take advantage of it. ”

Xu Yan has no heart and no lungs, but the others are a little cowardly. Xu Yan has a backer, Bole, and talent, even if he falls down, he will not worry about having no way out. The scholars didn't say anything, they were jealous and disdainful of the invitation he received for the famous assassin - Jiangnan Huo would rather resign than go along with it, and there was such a protégé.

Xu Yan didn't care, he looked out from the railing alone, and the cool breeze blew away a little drunkenness.

A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and forcefully poured the wine from his glass. Xu Yan turned around in surprise and put on a silver ghost mask. This person appeared on the boat quietly, without saying a word, but Xu Yan didn't have time to be afraid.

"Poisonous, don't drink it." Shen Zhou's voice was light, concise and powerful.

Everyone else was so frightened by him that they left their seats, and Shen Zhou Huo Ran took out his sword and took the eyebrows of a scholar with a flat head and a straight face who was not good at words. Xu Yan was shocked and didn't say anything to stop it, but he saw that the scholar's face suddenly changed, and two short knives were drawn between his sleeves to hold the sword, and the bulging muscles held the long shirt to a crumbling position.

Shen Zhou's sword blade walked diagonally, and slammed towards the scholar's seal hall, a line of blood slowly dripping, and the human skin mask cracked silently. The scholar was so angry that he turned to retreat from the panicked reader, but he was firmly kicked by the boy in the back and fell to the ground.

The calm water of the lake under the boat was suddenly torn apart, and five or six wet shadows rushed onto the boat. Shen Zhou grabbed Xu Yan behind him, and asked him without looking back, "Do you know water?" ”

Xu Yan: "Huh? ”

Two feathered arrows with fire flew out of the darkness and shot the colored ribbon on the top of the ship impartially, and the fire burned at once. Shen Zhou pressed Xu Yan's head, and the assassin's two swords went into the air, and he propped himself on Xu Yan's back, flying and kicking the ribs of the two assassins.

Another feathered arrow with fire struck, and the whole ship burst into flames, and in the blink of an eye the flames swept over the whole ship.

Shen Zhou grabbed Xu Yan and jumped into the water.

——

Xu Yan was pinched by Shen Zhou's neck and lifted out of the water, lying on the shore and vomiting a lot. Xu Yan was poured a stomach full of water, his hands and feet were weak and he barely supported himself off the ground, looking at the people in front of him who were looking at him.

Chu Zhixia carried a bow, half-squatted to look at his embarrassed appearance, and smiled at him without seeing him, "See you again, Xu Gongzi." ”

"You're here to save me?" Xu Yan looked at her with difficulty.

"Isn't it like?" Chu Shixia raised his eyebrows.

"It feels a little bit schadenfreude."

"I can't say that there is nothing at all." Chu Shixia said frankly.

"Dare to ask where I offended you?" Xu Yan vomited enough, turned over and sat on the ground, and asked weakly.

"What is your relationship with the eldest princess?" Chu Zhixia asked.

"The eldest princess has been widowed for many years, what can I have to do with her. Can't she just appreciate my talent? Xu Yan refuted her, "Dirty." ”

Chu Zhixia brushed his face with a bow and smiled, "You know I didn't mean that. The eldest princess has lived in a simple house for many years, and she actually gave you a palace face saint. Even if that fu was written by your teacher and his old man himself, it is too exaggerated. ”

Xu Yan's face was strangled with a red mark by the bowstring.

"You went to see Your Highness, what did Mr. Huo mean, or did the eldest princess mean?" Chu Zhixia asked clearly.

Xu Yan gasped, pushed her bow away, and said in a good voice: "Seeing the second son, it's my teacher's meaning." Asking His Royal Highness King Qi to solve the case of fraud in the imperial examination is a test for the eldest princess. ”

"Go on," Chu Shixia sat down cross-legged, his smile warm and bright, "I don't deal with liars. If I find that you have a word or a word that is wrong, I will immediately throw you into the lake to feed the fish. ”

Xu Yan licked his lower lip and said slowly: "Since you doubt me, why do you want me to see Huo Ergongzi?" ”

"Because I can shut you up at any time." Chu Shixia said, "From the moment you left the gate of the Autumn Leaf Mountain Residence, my people have been staring at you. If you have the slightest hint of revealing Huo Wenbai's traces, you will be dead before these people arrive. ”

Shen Zhou sat on the side and twisted his hair and clothes, and Chu Zhixia took the time to cover him with a cloak. Shen Zhou sat beside her obediently, staring at Xu Yan boredly. Xu Yan was a little apprehensive by Shen Zhou, and when Shen Zhou carried him underwater, it was like carrying a dead man.

"Okay," Xu Yan sighed in compromise, "let me think about where to start." ”