Nine years of auspicious charms, mid-May.

Huo Wenbai sat at the head of the bed, and the bitter smell of medicine was between his mouth and nose. He barely opened his eyes, but there was a blur in front of him, and he could only see a shadowy figure. Huo Wenbai knew that his father was coming, so he tried his best to pull the corners of his mouth and smile.

Huo Jian'an was so laughed by him that tears fell from his eyes.

"Ziche." Huo Wenbai called him softly.

Bai Ziche, who was kneeling on the edge of the bed, held his hand and replied firmly and forcefully: "Teacher, the student is here." ”

"Is Mo Xue back?"

"Mo Xue has returned, safe and sound." Bai Ziche's eyes were pantothenic and said.

"You are my only student and my best student. I've always been too you because I know I don't see the day when you can accomplish great things...... I know that I will not be able to hide from this day. ”

Bai Ziche's tears fell on the hands of the two of them.

"You didn't have a good time when you were a child, so you can understand the difficulties of others better. Mo Xue is also a good child, she will never, never do anything harmful to the society. When people walk on a high place, they will not be able to see the way they came, and they will not be able to see the people around them, and sometimes, it is not that others have changed, but that your eyes cannot see. ”

"Don't be obsessed, when it's time to let go...... Just let her go. ”

"Ziche, don't forget the way you came."

After Huo Wenbai said this, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength. His eyes were completely darkened, and only the faint cry in his ears showed that he was still alive. Huo Wenbai heard Bai Ziche's unbearable crying, "Student, remember the teacher's teachings", so he closed his eyes with peace of mind.

"Daddy," Huo Wenbai muttered like a child, "I want to go home." ”

I have thought countless times that it would be better if I were the one who died in the fire; If only I had died at the palace feast; If...... It's good that I didn't survive at all. I'm too weak, I'm too lonely, what a tyrant, what an emperor, I actually just want to go home.

"Wen Bai is not afraid, Daddy will take you home."

The rough and warm hand touched his forehead and said tremblingly.

Huo Wenbai fell asleep contentedly and never woke up again.

A smile on the corner of his lips.

——

Dali Temple in prison.

"Someone, someone! I want to sue the Yunzhong Chu clan for plotting to kill the first emperor and seize the government! Someone! Zhuang Songbai grabbed the iron fence hysterically and yelled, the roar echoing on the empty corridor.

Zhuang Songbai was imprisoned half a month ago. The Hanlin Yuan collectively wrote a letter to impeach Zhuang Songbai for forming a party for personal gain, selling official positions and selling lords, no less than ten counts. The students of Guozijian knelt down in front of the noon gate in the rain, and their voices were hoarse, demanding that the culprits of the fraud in the imperial examination be severely punished, so as to exceed the outline.

The emperor naturally threw Zhuang Songbai into the prison of Dali Temple, and it was only three days from Huo Wenbai's fall in front of the Hanlin Courtyard to Zhuang Songbai's fall. The emperor refused to see Zhuang Songbai, but personally met Huo Jian'an, rewarded countless elixirs, and appeased the father who was about to send the white-haired man to the black-haired man.

"Stop shouting."

Zhuang Songbai looked at the visitor vigilantly and in surprise.

The regent half-squatted down, looked at Zhuang Songbai and said, "I detain you alone here to prevent you from talking nonsense." ”

"Chen Bang! You! ”

"Chu Ao, the king of Zhenbei, a peerless general who swept the thirteen divisions of Beidi, do you think he is a fool? The death of the Spirit Emperor has long tied our two families together. This secret leaked out, the Chu family died, and the Chen family couldn't live. The regent stretched out his hand and patted his face, and said in disgust, "You actually use this to blackmail Chu Zhixia?" ”

"You're teaming up?!"

"It's not a team." The regent said, "It's just that I want to bury this secret once and for all." lest my good nephew find an excuse to kill them all. ”

The Lord Regent looked up at the black stone cell, the uneven ground filled with water. Since the prison of Dali Temple was built, I don't know how many people have died here, such as peddlers, pawns, kings and grandsons, everything.

Countless unjust souls can't break free, and they are here.

"It's a good place," said the regent, "and it's just right to make your coffin." ”

In the ninth year of auspicious charm, at the end of May.

Zhuang Songbai, the head of the powerful cabinet, committed suicide in fear of crime in the cell of Dali Temple. It is said that before his death, he wrote countless filthy words cursing the emperor in blood in his cell, and the Dali Temple ordered the illiterate jailers to bulldoze the wall.

In June, Pei Xuemin, the former deputy assistant of the cabinet, was appointed as the first assistant of the cabinet.

——

On the day when Huo Jian'an helped the coffin go south, countless scholars from the imperial capital came to see him off.

Jiang Qiao stood on the dock and lowered his hood, which was pulled by the wind. Chu Zhixia stood beside her, looking at the scholars kneeling on both sides of the long street from a distance. Chu Zhixia handed a five-stringed guqin to Jiang Qiao, and Jiang Qiao plucked the strings gently.

The feather sound is loud.

"After the Crimson Jade Pavilion was burned, I found this instrument. Huo Er Gongzi has been repairing it for a long time and repaired it, but you have already left the imperial capital and traveled far away. Chu Zhixia said softly, "The thing will return to its original owner." ”

Huo Jian'an went north this time, borrowing Yan Ruhai's fleet, taking the lightest and fastest road, and rushing to the imperial capital as quickly as possible. Jiang Qiao is now managing the silver number under Yan Ruhai, which is quite important, and escorting Huo Jian'an to the north is both official and selfish.

Jiang Qiao lowered his head, and a tear hit the crystal clear strings.

"Second son Huo, it's always been like this...... Continue. Jiang Qiao took the guqin, hugged it tightly in his arms, and saluted Chu Zhixia. There were tears in her eyes, but she still saw through Chu Zhixia's pain and guilt.

"I have a message, I want you to tell Mr. Huo for me." Chu Zhixia's heart was like a knife, and he said slowly, "I'm sorry, I broke my promise." ”

Jiang Qiao shook his head and said, "Mr. Huo also has something for me to tell the eldest lady." ”

Chu Zhixia was slightly stunned, and looked up at Huo Jian'an, who was alone under the mast. Huo Jian'an, dressed in linen mourning clothes, stood on the deck and bowed to Chu Zhixia.

Mr. Huo said that this was chosen by the second son himself. The world is like this, it's not the second son, it's someone else, it's not your fault, it's not your fault. Jiang Qiao said lightly and with difficulty, "But, Mr. Huo doesn't want to see you anymore." ”

When Chu Shixia heard this, what appeared in his heart was not grievances, but guilt and pain.

Huo Jian'an was in Jiangnan, waiting day and night for the bloody rain in the imperial capital to stop, so as to take his only remaining youngest son home, but what he was waiting for was the news that the second son had run out of oil and dried up. After collecting his son's corpse with his own hands, Huo Jian'an still had to endure the emperor's show and win the hearts of the scholars. He was flawless, unintentional, and unable to take care of Chu Shixia's mood anymore, let alone face this person who protected and used his son - Chu Shixia gave him hope, and let this flame of hope be shattered in front of his eyes.

Chu Zhixia has waited, and Chu Zhixia understands.

So Chu Zhixia has nothing to say, there is no language that can alleviate Huo Jian'an's pain, only waiting for time to torture, numbing people, and making people forget the feeling of pain.

Jiang Qiao looked at Chu Zhixia with a worried face, wanting to say comfort, but he had insight into human nature like Jiang Qiao, and knew that the last thing Chu Zhixia needed was comfort.

"Miss, cherish." Jiang Qiao said.

Chu Zhixia looked up and saw Huo Jian'an standing on the deck. Huo Jian'an, dressed in mourning clothes, suddenly glanced at her and bowed to her for a long time. Chu Zhixia knew that this was a farewell, and he also bowed down to him, and withdrew far away before turning to leave.

Chu Zhixia couldn't help but think about the day he first met the Huo family brothers and sisters.

Several people had hands and faces full of flour. Huo Wenqing is arrogant, reserved and cold, and he doesn't even care about the prince of a country. Huo Wensong and Huo Wenbai hid in the room and eavesdropped on the conversation between Chu Shixia and Huo Wenqing.

The sweet aroma of wheat cake steamed in the kitchen.

The rain and snow are falling, and the cooking smoke is curling.

It's like a world away.

——

Akiba Mountain House.

Cheng Yuan fulfilled Huo Wenbai's promise to Xiucai and let him go back to the ghost city.

Before leaving, Xiucai boldly grabbed Cheng Yuan's cloak and asked him if Huo Wenbai was really dead. This dwarf is doing business that violates the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, avoiding the government like a snake and scorpion, and mustering up enough courage to entangle Cheng Yuan.

Cheng Yuan understood his thoughts, Huo Wenbai could fake his death once, and he could fake his death a second time.

"Mr. Huo Jian'an, I have taken Huo Wenbai's coffin away and returned to my hometown today." Cheng Yuan said, "He is really dead." ”

Cheng Yuan was a little sad indescribably, the begonias that were so brilliant in winter that they seemed to have been in their previous lives. If he knew that letting Huo Wenbai go for a moment that day would lead to the current ending, he would definitely not get out of the way.

Although everyone knows that Huo Wenbai's death is only a sooner or later difference.

"You have a relationship with the Huo family?" Cheng Yuan remembered that Xiucai agreed to Huo Wenbai's request without hesitation, and said curiously.

The dwarf shook his head and said, "No." ”

"Then you care so much about him."

"That's Huo Wenbai!" The dwarf said honestly, "Scholar, who doesn't know that the Huo family has three champions, and who doesn't admire the Jiangnan Huo family?" ”

Cheng Yuan was stunned.

The law of the Great Zhou Dynasty decreed that those with disabilities were not allowed to conduct scientific examinations, but he forgot that this unattractive dwarf was a strange person who had the ability to catch swords for others, and he was also a scholar.

——

It's raining.

The warblers and swallows in the jade fang stopped, and the sound of flutes, pianos, songs and dances came through the vast wind and rain, like the sound of another world. The warm light from the pavilions and pavilions smeared in the rain, like an undried painting, drenched in color.

Chu Zhixia walked in the heavy rain with a pot of wine, drinking as he walked, and his steps staggered. Shen Zhou followed behind her, holding an umbrella that covered most of her body. From time to time, Shen Zhou reached out and pulled her to prevent her from falling into a puddle.

Huo Wenbai died.

Chu Zhixia was in a very bad mood.

Shen Zhou simply linked these two things, and he was also a little sad for this unknown Huo Ergongzi. The person who can make Chu Shixia feel sad should be a good person. Shen Zhou felt that good people should not end up like this.

"They're all dead." Chu Zhixia suddenly whispered.

"It's not your fault." Shen Zhou replied seemingly incorrectly.

Chu Zhixia shook his head, his face covered with damp rain. Shen Zhou wordlessly stepped forward and hugged her from behind. The hot body temperature penetrated through the wet clothes and ironed onto Chu Zhixia's skin. She grabbed Shen Zhou's sturdy arm with one hand, buried half of her face under his forearm, and finally cried uncontrollably.

"It's not your fault." Shen Zhou repeated again.

"All of them ...... I'm stuck here, and I can't go home. ”

Shen Zhou only felt that his chest was stuffy, and he couldn't say that it was blocked. Chu Zhixia's tears were too much, Shen Zhou couldn't catch them with both hands, and those tears were like crackling golden beans, smashing on his heart, densely painful.

"Chu Zhixia, it turns out that you are here."

Shen Zhou and Chu Zhixia froze at the same time, and Chu Zhixia reacted immediately and stopped in front of Shen Zhou to cover his face. The richly decorated carriage stopped in the rain, and the third prince lifted a corner of the curtain with a whip, revealing a childlike innocent face. A group of forbidden soldiers followed behind the carriage, their eyes restlessly shuttling back and forth between Chu Shixia and the third prince.

"Tsk, crying so pitifully. Huo Wenbai was hidden by you, right? The third prince raised his hand, and the forbidden army surrounded the two of them.

"Do you have proof?" Chu Zhixia's drunkenness dissipated by half, and he looked at him coldly.

"I don't need proof. The former Huo Wenqing and the latter Huo Wenbai, the Huo family is really a fierce seed, and they have to pull a cushion when they die. A trace of hideousness appeared on the childish and innocent face of the third prince, and he said viciously, "I should have known that I should have let their entire family die in the imperial capital." ”

"It's raining so hard, you want to talk about this when you come to me?" Chu Zhixia smiled contemptuously and said, "Third prince, you'd better be a child for the rest of your life." I hid Huo Wenbai, do you dare to say this to Your Majesty? Your good brother, do you dare to mention half a word of the Huo family to Your Majesty? ”

The third prince's face twitched slightly, and he said angrily to the forbidden army: "What are you waiting for? Don't hurry up yet! ”

"Your Highness, His Royal Highness the King of Qin said that you are not allowed to do anything unless your safety is endangered." The Forbidden Army said euphemistically, "Let's go back." ”

"Rubbish!" The third prince jumped to his feet in anger, and jumped out of the carriage without saying a word.

Chu Zhixia coldly watched the third prince approach, motionless, and stretched out a hand behind his back to grab Shen Zhou's wrist, so that he couldn't step forward. A cadre of forbidden troops nervously held the hilt of the knife, for fear that Chu Zhixia would burst out and strangle the third prince.

"Huo Wenqing framed my brother, she is a slut. Scholars all over the world still tout the hypocrites of their Huo family, who are simply blind, and all the books have been read in the belly of a dog. The third prince paused word by word, and his words were full of contempt, "Do you think Huo Jian'an can return to Jiangnan safely?" ”

Chu Zhixia's face changed irrepressibly, and the wine jug slammed on the third prince's head. The third prince was smashed to pieces, covering his bleeding forehead before he could react, and his abdomen had already been firmly kicked.

"So, what are you waiting for? The Chu clan in the clouds intends to murder the emperor's heir, so don't hurry up and correct her on the spot! The third prince was furious, but he could only be picked up by Chu Zhixia by the collar and slapped him heavily.

The forbidden army was shocked, the knife had not yet been unsheathed, and had been forcefully pressed back by Shen Zhou, and the tendons were almost broken. The other tried to subdue Shen Zhou, but he hit him in the mandibles from the bottom to the top with a palm, and he fell backwards dizzily.

"You move Huo Jian'an's hair to try." Chu Zhixia gritted his teeth and lowered his voice, "You and your good brother are going to bury them together, do you believe it or not?" ”

"You dare!"

"I dare." Chu Zhixia stared at him deadly, "If you don't believe it, just try." ”

The male voice thundered down in the rain.

"What are you doing? Chu Zhixia, are you going to rebel! ”

Chu Zhi Xia Shi Ran let go of his hand, and the third prince staggered back. Bai Huan jumped down from another carriage that had arrived in a hurry, hugged the third prince in his arms in distress, and examined his puffy cheeks. The third prince pursed his mouth and was about to cry aggrievedly.

"Chu Zhixia, you-"

Bai Huan was furious, but when he turned his head, he saw Shen Zhou's face, and all the sounds disappeared. Shen Zhou looked back at him calmly, his water-stained face like nephrite soaked in a hot spring, and his tentacles warmed. It was as if a scoop of biting cold water was pouring down Bai Huan's backbone, and the memory of the sudden awakening was so late that his heart was almost trembling.

Chu Zhixia waited for Bai Huan's rebuke, but he didn't make a sound for a long time, and looked at Shen Zhou suspiciously. Shen Zhou stared at the third prince in Bai Huan's arms expressionlessly, his gaze was like a knife.

"Even if Ah Yu is wrong, he is still a daughter. Chu Shixia, don't be too presumptuous. Bai Huan squeezed out this sentence, pulled the third prince and turned around and left.

The third prince's eyes widened in shock, he couldn't believe that he had been slapped in the face, and the matter was settled. However, Bai Huan's hands were extremely strong and cold, like a pair of shackles. The third prince was reluctantly dragged by him for a few steps, and suddenly broke away from his hand and rushed to Chu Zhixia.

The third prince slapped Chu Zhixia's face.

Chu Zhixia had a hundred ways to dodge, but Shen Zhou's movements were too fast, and he broke free from Chu Zhixia's shackles almost instantly, and pushed his palm on the wrist of the third prince. The third prince only felt a numbness in his hands, and one hand grabbed his neck violently, and a series of sounds erupted from his cervical spine, which was about to penetrate the skull.

Shen Zhou looked gloomily at the red and purple face of the third prince, lifted him up expressionlessly, and lifted his feet off the ground.

"Let him stop!" Bai Huan roared angrily, "Chu Zhixia, aren't you afraid that your father will punish you for your crimes?" ”

"Your Majesty punishes me, what are you anxious about?" Chu Zhixia said lightly, "Sink the boat, let go." ”

Shen Zhou's five fingers were loosened, and the three princes sat in the rain. Bai Huan hurriedly helped the third prince up, ignored his crying, and took him into the carriage.

"Thank you for your support, this is a supplement that was promised to everyone and then delayed for a long time~"