[The winter of the thirty-fifth year of Jianchang. Emperor Liuzitang Xijian returned with troops when Emperor Guang was seriously ill, surrounded the palace and served the sick, and the emperor collapsed that night.

The next day, the eunuch of the palm seal read out the secret decree, passed on the throne of the emperor's six sons, congratulated the ministers, the new emperor ascended the throne, and changed the name of the year to Qianyuan. 】

- "Da Liang Tongjian"

-

On the third day of the Cold War in Hetang Creek, it snowed all night in Yingdu.

The snow covered the walls and gardens, and finally covered the blood that had been in the palace for many days.

Although it is located in a remote area, there are palace people who have separated the warm pavilion before the winter and sent the royal beast gold charcoal.

There was plenty of charcoal fire in the warm pavilion, so it wasn't until the next day that Zhu Qingwu opened the door and found that the thick snow was covered with incense trees in the courtyard and green bricks on the ground.

It has always been deserted from the juniper palace, and there were three people living in the past, but later Tang Xijian ascended the throne and moved into the most noble palace in the world, and there were only two people left here, he and Yuzhu.

Yuzhu sat alone under the porch, holding a few pastries wrapped in oiled paper in her hands, looking up at the cold sky.

Hearing the movement coming from the doorway, she turned around, tried to make the same appearance as usual, and shouted, "Brother Zhu." ”

The outside and the warm pavilion are two worlds, so Zhu Qingwu gathered his clothes and walked out.

"Brother, I'll go to the dining room to get the pastries in the morning." Yuzhu said, opening the oiled paper in her hand, revealing the finely wrapped pastries inside.

"You eat too." Zhu Qingwu first took out a piece and stuffed it for her, and then picked up a piece of jujube flower cake and ate it.

However, today's Yuzhu is abnormal, obviously a person who can be excited about getting a fruit on weekdays, but today he just stared at the pastry in his hand blankly, as if he had something on his mind.

"What's wrong?" Seeing this, Zhu Qingwu also put down the pastry in his hand and asked.

Yuzhu hesitated for a moment, but finally opened her mouth, her voice suddenly took a bit of crying, and Zhu Qingwu's heart trembled when she heard it, "What's wrong?" ”

"Nope." Yuzhu shook her head, trying to restrain her emotions, "I went to the dining room this morning and heard them say that Gonggong Li ...... last night Nope. ”

Zhu Qingwu's fingers couldn't help shaking when he heard this, and the pastry in his hand almost fell off.

A cold wind blew, rolling up the hem of the clothes hanging on the ground, and it was even more and more cold, even though it was daytime.

-

Zhu Qingwu walked out of the gate of the palace with a pot of wine, the snow on the royal road has not yet been cleared, and there will be a "crunch" sound when stepping on it.

This used to be Zhu Qingwu's favorite game in winter, but today he is in no mood.

His mind was full of Yuzhu's words, "Gonggong Li is gone, I heard that it is a sudden illness." ”

Gonggong Li is the eunuch in charge of the Siyuan Bureau, and he is also a friend of the year, and when he was the most difficult time to leave the Junigong Palace, he always sent someone to secretly send melons and fruits.

Zhu Qingwu has always been a person who will repay his kindness, and he has always remembered this kindness.

He thought there would always be a chance to repay it.

Who's going to think about it...... In just a few days, the world and man were separated forever.

Obviously, Gonggong Li has just passed his fate, and he is about to be released from the palace.

Obviously, he had told himself a few days ago that he had told the chief eunuch that there was a special shelter outside the palace, and he would spend his old age there in peace.

also told himself that he had the opportunity to go out of the palace to see him and drink a pot of wine with him.

Why is it that in just a few days, people are gone?

Zhu Qingwu came to the Siyuan Bureau with the wine in his arms, there was silence inside, Gonggong Li's body was covered with a white cloth, and several little eunuchs were preparing to carry it out.

Eunuchs were not allowed to die in the palace, and they were originally to be removed before they died, but not long after the new emperor ascended the throne, the palace had not yet been cleaned up, and Gonggong Li was in a hurry, so the body was left to this day.

I wish Qingwu can see him for the last time.

"I wish my father-in-law." When the little eunuch in the courtyard saw him, he immediately respectfully stopped what he was doing and shouted.

Although Tang Xijian has been on the throne for half a month, Zhu Qingwu is still just a little eunuch, but the people in the palace have respected him from top to bottom.

After all, no one doesn't know that he has been in the cold palace for eight years.

Now that Tang Xijian has succeeded to the throne, he will naturally ascend to heaven with the Tao.

It's just that even after half a month, Zhu Qingwu is still not used to their attitude towards him, but he didn't say anything, just silently took a few steps forward.

The thin white fingers reached to the white cloth covering the corpse, trembling and hesitating for a long time, but finally did not lift it.

Just left the wine in his arms.

Father-in-law Li said that he had nothing else to ask for in his life, but to drink, and only hoped that he would go all the way and not look back on the Huangquan Road.

Zhu Qingwu looked at the corpse covered with a white cloth and was stunned for a long time, until the little eunuch on the side opened his mouth to remind him, and then he came back to his senses and stepped back.

Then, just as he was about to leave, a cold wind blew and lifted a corner of the white cloth.

The little eunuch on the side was quick-eyed, and hurriedly pressed down the white cloth that was blown by the wind, but that short moment was still enough for Zhu Qingwu to see clearly.

Gonggong Li, who had died, had his eyes closed, his face was pale, his lips were dark purple, and there were dried blood stains at the corners of his lips.

This is poisoning, not illness.

But......

Who in this palace can kill the eunuch in charge of one of the eight bureaus?

Zhu Qingwu walked out of the Siyuan Bureau in a trance, and the cold wind from nowhere desperately drilled into his body, the sky was low, green and cold.

The palace people on the royal road are still sweeping the remaining snow on the ground.

Zhu Qingwu passed by them, and everyone bowed down to salute him.

Obviously, the surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of footsteps falling on the green bricks could be heard.

However, for some reason, Zhu Qingwu suddenly heard a lot of conversations.

"Your Majesty is killing again."

"Before Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Qianming Hall was besieged for three days, and all the ministers who did not obey were beheaded, I heard that ......"

"What did you hear?"

"Mrs. Liu touched the pillar and died, and before she died, she scolded His Majesty for being disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust!"

"And then?"

"Your Majesty was furious, and listened to the palace people guarding outside the hall say that in those three days, the blood river in the Qianming Hall gushed out, penetrating the gold bricks on the ground, and the blood and dirt in the brick cracks have not been cleaned up so far."

"Alas, that old lady Liu is His Majesty's teacher."

"Teacher? Even all the brothers who are related by blood have been imprisoned, not to mention teachers. ”

"After all, it's a brother, Your Majesty may still open the net, but the big witch ......"

"The Great Witch is a messenger who can pray for a wish, how dare Your Majesty punish Ling Chi on him."

"A full three thousand three hundred and fifty-seven knives are set up on the stargazing platform."

"Your Majesty is so brutal, everyone in the palace is in danger, who knows if they will be implicated."

"Now it's probably the safest place to leave the Hinoki Palace."

"Yes, except for the Hinoki Palace, where is it not stained with blood."

“……”

"Wu, Wu." Zhu Qingwu came back to his senses, and the chaotic voices in his ears suddenly dispersed.

Only then did Zhu Qingwu react that someone was really calling him.

He looked up, and then realized that it was Xiaodouzi, who he hadn't seen for a long time.

He and Xiaodouzi met in the "knife maker" (1), and later after entering the palace, he was assigned to the five princes, while Zhu Qingwu was assigned to the Lijuni Palace and followed the six princes.

Although they were assigned to different places after entering the palace, they were still in close contact because they were of the same age and were fellow villagers.

The most difficult years when the six princes were rejected by the emperor were also Xiaodouzi who often sent all kinds of things they needed to help them get through the difficulties.

A few days ago, he and Yuzhu had been trapped in the Lijuni Palace, and they didn't know anything about the outside.

I could only occasionally hear a few gossips from the palace people passing by on the palace road.

He could guess that there would be many people in Tang Xijian who would not have a good time succeeding to the throne, and if Tang Xijian wanted to liquidate, in addition to the light emperor who had died, it would be several princes who were connected to his blood.

Xiaodouzi is the most favored eunuch around the five princes, so Zhu Qingwu has always been worried about his accident.

I didn't expect to meet here today.

"Little Bean." Zhu Qingwu stepped forward and held the hand of the person in front of him.

Xiaodouzi is only sixteen this year, a few years younger than him, wearing a gray-blue eunuch suit, there are no injuries on his body, but he has suddenly lost a lot of weight.

The clothes on his body were wide and wide, and they were obviously freshly made, but they didn't fit.

"Ahh Xiaodouzi didn't know what she had been through these days, her eyes were full of despair and exhaustion, and her eyes turned red as soon as she opened her mouth, "I finally saw you." ”

"You ......" Zhu Qingwu wanted to ask him about his current situation, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he saw Xiaodouzi kneeling down.

"What are you doing here?" Zhu Qingwu said that he wanted to help him up.

However, Xiaodouzi refused to stand up no matter what, but kowtowed one by one.

Soon, there was blood on his forehead.

"Little Bean." Zhu Qingwu hurriedly squatted down and forcibly stopped his movements, "What are you doing here?" ”

"Ahh Xiaodouzi raised his head at this time, his forehead was already broken, and the blood that flowed down was stained with the ash on the green bricks.

"I know how hard my request is." Xiaodouzi said, his fingers suddenly grasped the hem of Zhu Qingwu's clothes, as if grasping a life-saving straw, "But I really don't know who else to go to?" So, so ...... Can you please help the five princes? ”

When Zhu Qingwu heard this, he suddenly raised his head and looked around.

The palace people who were sweeping the snow around still lowered their heads, and they didn't seem to be aware of the situation here, but their eyes still drifted here intentionally or unintentionally.

However, Xiaodouzi couldn't take care of it anymore, "Ah Wu, six...... Your Majesty, the only thing he will listen to now is your words, so I beg you, can you beg Your Majesty not to kill the five princes. ”

"Little Bean......"

"All the princes have been imprisoned, the third prince has already died last night, the next one, the next one ......"

Xiaodouzi raised his eyes to look at him, his eyes full of sadness, "Ah Wu, please save the lives of the five princes." ”

Zhu Qingwu looked at the little bean who kowtowed to the point that his head was bleeding, and he only felt powerless, and he wanted to say, "I'm just a eunuch."

But he still couldn't bear it, he remembered that he had just worn here many years ago, and he didn't understand anything, and at that time, Tangxijian was being disgusted by Emperor Guang and imprisoned in the Lijuni Palace.

It was Xiaodouzi who hid the food and medicine in his chest and sneaked in from the backyard while the guards were changing.

Saved his life and Tang Xijian's life.

At that time, it was also the middle of winter, and Xiaodouzi was afraid of being discovered, so he squatted outside the juniper palace until midnight.

When I came in through the wall, my hands were red from the cold, but my eyes were full of smiles.

Obviously a head lower than him, but the eldest brother patted his chest and assured him, "Ah Wu, don't be afraid, I will protect you and His Royal Highness Six." ”

However, today's little bean is no longer what it used to be.

His emaciated back shot to the ground like a tight bow, one hand tugging at the hem of his clothes, and the other hand was dripping with blood from the rough green bricks.

"Fifth Highness......" Xiaodouzi's throat suddenly choked a little, "No matter what happened to others in those years, only the Fifth Highness has never bullied Your Highness, and I sent food and medicine to Lijuni Palace by His Highness's acquiescence, so can I beg Your Majesty to spare His Highness's life." ”

"Although His Royal Highness has never said anything, he actually cares about His Majesty's younger brother."

"His Royal Highness the Fifth has never harmed His Majesty, so ......"

Xiao Douzi's lips couldn't help but tremble, "Your Majesty shouldn't treat him like this." ”

When Zhu Qingwu heard this, he finally realized something, and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with the Fifth Highness?"

When Xiao Douzi heard this, his eyes instantly turned red, "The Fifth Highness was thrown into the edict, and the chains passed through the pipa bone...... People are dying. ”

A cold air suddenly inhaled into his heart, and Zhu Qingwu only felt that the blood in his body was frozen in an instant.

The whole person was terrifyingly cold.

For a moment, this coldness brought him back to before Tang Xijian ascended the throne.

Tang Xijian took the initiative to ask for a border outside the plug, and it was rare to come back once a year.

When Emperor Guang was seriously ill, Tang Xijian sent someone to send him a secret letter, saying that he would return soon.

After Zhu Qingwu received the letter, he secretly climbed on the roof of the Lijuni Palace every day after the palace ban, as if he could see the Tangxi stream as soon as possible.

It's cold in winter, and it's even colder in the middle of the night.

Zhu Qingwu often felt that his blood was frozen with cold, but he didn't want to go back.

Wuzi sat there and waited.

Wait until the sound of the Iron Rider rings from the north.

Wait until the fire in the palace is in the sky, and the wailing will not be extinguished day and night.

When Tang Xijian ascended to the throne, he became the master of this palace.

Wait until the gate is locked.

Everyone understood that this was protection, and in such a chaotic moment, Tang Xijian also specially sent a team of people to guard him and Yuzhu.

Zhu Qingwu couldn't get out, so he could only get a glimpse of the wind and rain outside by guessing and occasionally drifting into the juniper palace.

Tang Xijian suddenly besieged the palace under the pretext of serving illness.

The Qianming Hall was full of blood.

The fighting and fire continued for three days.

Emperor Guang died, and the prince was imprisoned.

Da Liang believes in witchcraft, but the first thing Tang Xijian did when he ascended the throne was to enshrine the great witch of the whole country, Ling Chi on the stargazing platform.

The long criminal sentence lasted for three days, and all the palace people had to watch it with their own eyes.

The blood of the stargazing platform has not dried up yet.

When Zhu Qingwu saw Tang Xijian again, he had already changed into the bright yellow dragon robe.

I haven't seen it for half a year, and the young man's body draw is generally taller.

Obviously, he had just passed the weak crown, but I don't know if it was because he was stained with too much blood, but when he stood in front of him, he really had a bit of imperial majesty.

Zhu Qingwu suddenly felt a little confused and unfamiliar, but the young emperor with a face like a crown of jade seemed to have not changed.

Standing not far away, he stretched out his hand to him, "Ah Wu." ”

Zhu Qingwu was stunned for a moment, and finally walked over.

The boy hugged him as he had done before.

Zhu Qingwu realized that he didn't know when, but he only reached his shoulder.

"I miss you so much." Tang Xijian said in his ear.

Soft, warm breath sprayed in his ears.

For some reason, Zhu Qingwu suddenly felt a little cold, as if he had suddenly been thrown into a snowy wasteland.

-

Zhu Qingwu walked towards the imperial study with the freshly made milk cake.

It has been three days since the cold war between him and Tangxijian.

Zhu Qingwu still remembers the way he looked at him after the argument with Tang Xijian three days ago.

Although he didn't say a word, he clearly understood the meaning.

With his own identity, how dare he be so presumptuous?

Thinking of this, Zhu Qingwu's footsteps couldn't help but slow down.

But he soon came back to his senses and tried to put aside such thoughts.

How so?

He had been with Tang Xijian since he woke up in this strange place for eight years.

He accompanied him to read and write under countless dim candles, practice martial arts and practice swords.

accompanied him through the ups and downs in the palace, with open guns and hidden arrows.

Watch him grow little by little, with full wings.

watched him win the Sacred Heart and lead the troops out of the customs.

Zhu Qingwu sometimes feels strange to him, but Tang Xijian seems to be the boy in front of him forever.

He would cover his eyes and say to him, "Don't be afraid."

He would ride a BMW for a month to drive back from outside the Cypriot just to see him.

He said, "Ah Wu, you will always be the closest person to me."

He said, "We never have to see each other, and you can always speak up to me."

Yes, Zhu Qingwu's hand clenched the food box in his hand little by little, trying to ignore the dispute three days ago.

In any case, they lived together for eight years.

Zhu Qingwu walked all the way to the imperial study.

As soon as he approached, he saw the eunuch Hain, the chief steward of Tang Xijian now, walking over hurriedly.

"I wish my father-in-law." Hain said politely, "Your Majesty and a few adults are discussing matters, let me pass it on to you?" ”

"No need." Zhu Qingwu hurriedly said when he heard this, "I'll just wait here." ”

"Okay, a few adults have been in for a long time, and they must be coming out soon."

Zhu Qingwu nodded, and was about to retreat to the side, but suddenly heard a faint voice inside.

"Your Majesty, the ancient language rewards and punishments are strict, and the material for governance is also, you have been on the throne for many days (2), and your deeds are according to your words, which can be described as a model of the world, only ......"

"Only what?" A cold voice sounded, like a misty pine cloud smoking.

"Only ......" the minister's voice suddenly trembled, "Your Majesty's relatives for more than eight years have not received any rewards since the Qiandi Palace, and they live alone in the Imperial Palace, this does not seem to be in accordance with the rules, and it should be ...... as soon as possible."

The minister's words came to an abrupt halt, and the surroundings seemed to suddenly fall silent, leaving only a somewhat uncomfortable blank space.

Zhu Qingwu knew that he shouldn't have heard the conversation inside at all, and he should leave now.

However, his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he couldn't move a bit.

Hain, who was on the side, seemed to want to speak, but he didn't dare after all.

Therefore, Zhu Qingwu was able to listen to the following words clearly.

After a deathly silence, suddenly there was a very soft laugh from above, which was the laugh of the superior, cold and indifferent, with a bit of careless contempt.

"I didn't expect Lord Zhang to be so concerned about a little eunuch next to me."

As soon as these words came out, it was the sound of "plopping and plopping" one after another.

"What reward does Master Zhang want for him?"

"Heap gold and jade, or add officials and become knights?"

"Minister......

"Master Zhang......" Tang Xijian interrupted him, his tone soft and slow.

"Reward?" Tang Xixi's voice was not sad or joyful, but only a little mockery and disdain, as if the things he talked about were as despicable as the mud accidentally stained on the soles of his shoes.

"Have you forgotten?"

"The man you mentioned."

"It's just ...... A eunuch. ”