When Shen Qiyu woke up, he was greeted by a bright yellow bed curtain.

Slowly, some words crept into my ears

"Father, the people are suffering. Whether it's Dengzhou or where, you look at the edge of the imperial city......"

"My people...... Lin'er, you say, is it that I have lost the will of heaven, this is God's punishment for me. ”

Shen Qiyu heard a "plop" sound, and it was Li Lin who knelt down: "My father governs the country with 'benevolence', and since he succeeded to the throne, what day has he not been conscientious and diligent. When his sons were young, they didn't see their father all day, either in the study or in the council room. In the past 10 years or so, the country has been stable and peaceful, is this not your credit? Man-made disasters have been avoided, but in the face of natural disasters, how can human power be able to control them? Why should Your Majesty be arrogant and self-indulgent!"

"Son, get up. I'm worried. Forget it, you've been running around for two months in a row, so let's rest first, and then go to the council hall in the evening to find me, and then discuss. So saying, he stood up and looked at the door.

Emperor Li's foot, which had just been raised to cross the threshold, suddenly paused in the air, and then he retracted it, turned to the prince Li Lin, who was bent down to send him off, and said, "What are you planning to do with this child?"

"The grace of saving his life, Erchen thought, raising him as a younger brother to protect his life. At this age, it's good to be with Yun'er. ”

"You're in charge. ”

Li Lin watched the emperor's figure drift away, thinking about taking a look at the benefactor's orphan, but he didn't want to, he was facing a pair of black and white eyes.

Fear, worry, and a face that is so hungry and thin that you can see your bones makes people feel distressed.

Li Lin walked over, probed the heat on his forehead with his hand, and softly soothed: "Don't be afraid, this is the palace, don't be afraid." ”

Shen Qiyu's mouth was very dry, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt uncomfortable. He uttered a syllable, and his throat ached. He asked, "Where is my father?" and his voice was hoarse and weak, but he did not know how to answer the question.

Li Lin paused for a moment and said, "Your father is a warrior, he saved my life, but he is no longer alive. ”

Shen Qiyu knew, but he didn't believe it, and at this time, it came out of other people's mouths, so that he didn't believe it. The nine-year-old child, who had lost his mother and father in quick succession within a month, was in this dream-like palace, surrounded by only a pleasant stranger, and he was terrified, afraid.

A pair of hands tightly grasped the corners of the stranger's clothes, and the original low sobs turned into an irrepressible howl, and there was a very desperate sentence in the cry: "Dad, what should I do!"

"Brother, I've come to see you, are you okay. With the voice, a little girl in a scarlet dress ran in, white and tender, so cute.

A group of palace maids behind him stood outside the door, saluting inside.

The little girl, who was as tall as a table, was startled when she saw the crying heart-rending people in the room. ran over with his skirt, wanting to touch his head like the imperial brother comforted him when he usually cried, but Shen Qiyu sat on the bed, much taller than her, and that hand could only fall on the hand he was holding his clothes, patting one by one: "Don't cry, don't cry." ”

Maybe it's because children can give people a sense of security, Shen Qiyu's crying gradually stopped, sobbing and matching, with tears in his eyes and red on the tip of his nose.

He hadn't eaten for too long, and his mood swings were so big, Shen Qiyu had no strength anymore. He wanted to be dizzy like he had done last night, but he was so conscious that he was too embarrassed to ask for food, so he was silent.

Big Brother Li Lin asked with a look, "What's your name?"

“......”

"My name is Li Lin, I am the prince of Li Kingdom, this is my sister, Princess Yuyun, what about you. ”

"Shen Qiyu, I, I'm not a prince or a princess......"

"Good boy, don't be afraid, are you hungry?"

Shen Qiyu hesitated for a moment and nodded as if he had used all his strength.

The prince Li Lin summoned a palace man and gave some orders. He turned back to Shen Qiyu and said, "This is my dormitory, you can rest in peace and eat something later." Yuyun, you play with this brother for a while. ”

Li Lin got up and went to the study, and as soon as he stepped out of the door, the sleepiness in his eyes could no longer be hidden. He stood still for a moment, pressed his eyes, and heard a shout behind him: "Prince, my father is ...... now"

The man turned his head to a reassuring face: "The benefactor has been buried." ”

Shen Qiyu moved his lips, and finally couldn't say anything.

It may be a good thing to take in a fatherless and motherless child, but in the royal family, Shen Qiyu's little stone has made a big wave.

The emperor has few heirs, and there is only one son and one daughter under his knees, so the entire harem is not so calculating, and it is quite harmonious and harmonious with ordinary people.

Li Lin has not yet been crowned, nor has he been crowned king, and now he is just a noble prince living in the harem.

If you just take him with you as a scholar, it's nothing, but on the contrary, this prince values kindness, and finds a "younger brother" for himself, and finds another prince for the ministers.

No matter how Shen Qiyu looks, he feels a little uninvited.

But with that life-saving grace there, no one can say anything.

Li Lin was sent by the emperor to visit Dengzhou some time ago, in short, it is a tragic word.

The emperor sat behind the desk, and after listening to Li Lin's report, his brows furrowed: "You said the canal? But my Li country has little water, where should the canal be dug from?"

"Nanjiang country. The territory of Jiangguo is not large, but the water area is much more than ours."

The emperor pondered and motioned for him to continue.

"The two countries have been friends for generations, and the current emperor of Jiang is also a benevolent person. If the people are in trouble today, he should not embarrass us. ”

"No matter how much water there is, it will not be given to us in vain. Lin'er, between the two countries, who has more weight in benevolence and righteousness or interests? Don't be too naïve? ”

"Erchen has thought about it, and there is a change. Exchanging the city for water, and adding a name of benevolence and righteousness -- praising his benevolence and righteousness......, who wouldn't want to?

The emperor was shocked: "City, do you want to exchange the city of Li Kingdom?"

"Yes, but not any city. First, it has to be between the two countries of Li and Jiang, and second, it is a dry city. ”

"But, once it comes to the city. If Jiang Guo gets the sweetness from it......"

"Can the country of Li continue to be dry forever? Even now, the country of Li is not necessarily at a disadvantage. What's more, now that the country of Li has an urgent need, in comparison, this method can be tried. ”

"But when the canal is dug up, manpower and material resources are a heavy drain, and I am afraid that if the canal is not dug open, the people will be tired and fall down first. ”

"Father, why don't we just wait for the rain? Now that the displaced people are fleeing in all directions, riots are frequent, and the opening of the canal is hope for the people and hope for the Li country! As long as there is hope, the Li country will have a future. ”

"I don't know, it's just that the excavation of the canal is too laborious and costly, and this is a long-term project, but now it is urgent, and I am afraid that it is contrary to our original intention. After a long pause, he seemed to leave all his hesitation behind and said, "But it's still okay to try." ”

"Lin'er, the heavy responsibility of sending Jiang Guo to Jiang Guo falls on your shoulders. If you have the guts to come up with such an idea, you have to have the ability to do it well. ”

"Yes, Father. ”

Shen Qiyu had been in the palace for a few days, and his mood gradually stabilized. Although he is still skinny, he gradually has his spirit.

In the past two days, Li Lin was busy persuading some ministers who had objections to the envoy to Jiang Guo, and at the same time began to prepare for the envoy, and he was busy with the group, and he had no time to take care of Shen Qiyu anymore.

So, the emperor also took time out of his busy schedule to take a look at this extremely auspicious child.

During this period, the emperor jokingly asked: "Your name is praying for rain, can you pray for rain for our country." ”

Shen Qiyu was both respectful and afraid of this noble person, and replied seriously: "My father said that I don't know if I can pray for rain, but I have to hold the mood of praying for rain, look forward to it every day, and work hard for it." If you don't get it, you will want it more, and if you get it, you will be ecstatic. It's a good reincarnation. ”

The emperor is seized: "Do you understand the meaning of this?"

Shen Qiyu shook his head honestly.

Then he asked, "Do you want to study?"

From that day on, the emperor invited the lecturer of the original prince to give a lecture to the five-year-old princess, and "by the way" asked Shen Qiyu to learn together.

Speaking of Shen Gongzi in the palace, there is no one in the court who does not know. On the one hand, his origins are questioned, and on the other hand, his talent is amazing.

Of course, these are the results that Shen Qiyu's teacher boasted all day long in private.

So when the prince who sent the envoy to Jiang returned to the capital of Li two months later, he was also surprised and delighted by the courtiers' good evaluation of Shen Qiyu.

Of course, what is even more gratifying is the result of the mission.

In the court.

"The crown prince Li Lin is the king of the south, and he is fully responsible for the excavation of the canal, with Shang Shuye as the overseer, and the sooner the canal project starts, the better. ”

Nanwang Li Lin was full of joy when he ate with Shen Qiyu and Yuyun, and even ate an extra bowl of rice.

Although Shen Qiyu escaped the famine, he still remained in the fear of being dominated by hunger, so he had been eating carefully, and not letting a grain of rice fall.

While eating, the high-spirited King Nan described his ambitions to the two children, leaving behind the most basic "food without words".

There was a sound during the meal, and Shen Qiyu was also much more relaxed, and when he heard Nanwang say, "Even if there is another five years of drought, our Li country can pass" casually asked: "Why doesn't it rain in so many places in Li country? Why is there no drought in Jiang country?"

In the palace, the gossip that Shen Qiyu heard was no longer "Uncle Li's house on South Street has entered the thief", but "what happened to the imperial court" and "what happened to the two countries", so what he said also had a certain "breadth".

"I don't know...... Don't say that again. The seriousness of the tone made Shen Qiyu at a loss, so he had to try his best to eat.

Who knows what is going on in heaven?

Princess Yuyun gradually grew up, Shen Qiyu also gained a little fatter, no longer looked like a bone like before, and the canal project was carried out smoothly.

The money in the treasury was smashed on the canal, and although the head of the household shouted poverty every day, he still picked it up, and smashed all the money on the canal without reluctance.

Fortunately, part of the canal is already functioning and has brought about a significant change in the area.

In the fifteenth year of the Li Kingdom, the sky is still not merciful.

Leaning on this canal, Li Guo barely held on.

It's just that at this time, a piece of bad news came from Jiang Guo - the emperor of Jiang Guo collapsed.

To say that the emperor of a neighboring country collapsed would not have much impact on the country, and the interests of the two countries have not been deeply involved for hundreds of years.

Even if it was about the canal, the canal had been in place for so many days, they wouldn't have blocked the canal anymore.

But the bad thing is that the newly succeeded Emperor Jiangguo calls him young and vigorous, or he is ambitious, in short, the first thing he did after succeeding to the throne was to build an army and stationed it in Jiangguo Yuecheng.

Yuecheng This city is located in the southernmost part of the Jiang Kingdom, adjacent to the Li Kingdom, and was originally just a lonely corner. However, the Shangzhou of Chengzhou, Yuecheng and Li Guo, which were changed in the past two years, happened to be located in the triangle.

Sure enough, someone tasted the benefits from changing cities.

As a monarch, who doesn't want to expand his territory and bring greater benefits to his country - it is better to be able to reach "the whole world, it is not the king's land".

In the first year of Wu Kai, the new name of Jiangguo, an army continued to disturb the border in Shangzhou, breaking the peace of the past century.

At the same time, the country has not yet recovered from five consecutive years of drought. Both in terms of military strength and financial resources, they are at a loss.

Shen Qiyu felt that the emperor's hair was a degree whiter.

But these troubles of the big people outside can't affect the growth of children.

In the spring and March of the sixteenth year of Li Ping, Shen Qiyu spent his twelfth birthday in the palace.

The half-grown children did not fanfare about the entire birthday banquet, plus the entire royal family of the Li Kingdom was very frugal in terms of food and clothing, and Shen Qiyu ate a bowl of longevity noodles and a poached egg on this birthday.

In the past two years, King Nan has been busy outside, and the emperor is also up early in the palace and greedy for darkness, and no one cares. Shen Qiyu himself is also trying to adapt to life in the palace, to adapt to the gossip of the palace people, and to study and practice swords desperately in the appreciation of King Nan and the emperor. Therefore, it was his first birthday in the palace.

The weather was already a little hot, and Shen Qiyu didn't let go of the bowl of steaming noodles.

King Nan was ready to cry, but what could come out from behind the dense steam was a smiling face.

Shen Qiyu picked up a chopstick noodle, controlled the soup on the noodles, and stuffed a big mouthful. After a while, even a green onion was missing at the bottom of the bowl.

Shen Qiyu finished eating noodles and listened to King Nan's teachings for a while as usual. When Nanwang's words were finished, the satiety of the noodles he had just eaten disappeared.

So Shen Qiyu carried the sword, crossed the threshold, and ran to practice the sword.

Nanwang couldn't laugh or cry.

Shen Qiyu's figure is a little small, not like an ordinary twelve-year-old child. Perhaps because of the famine, I have not been able to eat enough for many years, and my nutrition has not kept up.

It's just that Shen Qiyu is too sensible.

He practiced swords every day, read books, had no entertainment activities, except for talking to Yuyun usually, he didn't walk around with others, and he lived himself as a little old-fashioned.

After Nanwang finished educating Shen Qiyu, he began to educate his sister again: "Learn from your second brother, you see that you are greedy for fun every day, how are you reading?"

Yuyun said that she didn't want to pay attention to such a big brother.

Jiangguo disturbed the border, although it did not raise troops to attack wantonly, but disturbed the border people were not peaceful.

Shangzhou has also had some slight drought in recent years, but because of the canal, it has been much better, and the people of Shangzhou were originally grateful to the imperial court of the neighboring country, but now, they are only willing to curse them.

Gradually, the people of Shangzhou moved north.

Large tracts of cultivated land were deserted, and weeds grew out one after another, as if in preparation for a battlefield.

What the imperial court feared most was the complete outbreak of war.

The sky is endless.

In mid-April, during the usual rainy season, heavy rains began to fall in the area of Ngengzhou.

I don't know if the day saved all the rain of the previous five years and left it for today, and the torrential rain has been raining for three days and two nights.

More and more rain began to fall in more and more places, until all the rivers and lakes that had dried up were filled with water, until the land cracked into lumps and mud, until people laughed "enough is enough".

The sun is getting less hot, too.

Although there is no hope for spring planting, autumn planting is finally guaranteed.

The emperor was overjoyed, and ordered the household department Shangshu to immediately start preparing wheat seeds, and strive to distribute the seeds to the people before autumn.

After the disaster, the country of Li was in ruins.

The emperor and the king of the south are even more busy, their feet do not touch the ground, and their buttocks do not touch the bed.

So no one knew that Shen Qiyu pulled the princess of Jin Gui to stand in the rain for half an hour, if it wasn't for Yuyun's fever, it is estimated that he would be able to stand for another half an hour.

It is said that on that day, Shen Qiyu was practicing swords. Princess Yuyun acts as an audience when she has nothing to do.

As soon as the rain hit Shen Qiyu's face, he immediately stayed in place. He grabbed the sword with his right hand, but he was already his child, and he didn't jump up and shout happily, just a smile bloomed on a bitter gourd face.

Shen Qiyu is already handsome, and coupled with the thinness, he looks a little angular and resolute. The joyful smile on his face made him much brighter, but there was only Yuyun present, a child who didn't look at beauty and ugliness, and no one could praise him.

Compared with Shen Qiyu, the little girl Yuyun exploded directly on the spot, excitedly like a kick being kicked around, jumping and couldn't stop.

Shen Qiyu is young and his love has not yet opened, so although he knows how to write "pity the fragrance and cherish the jade", he doesn't know how to pity the law.

He stood silently excited in the pouring rain, completely forgetting the little princess next to him.

After standing for a while, Shen Qiyu was completely poured with a cold heart, and the fire in his heart was also extinguished, and his eyes were full of tears. Only then did he realize that the little girl who was chattering just now looked a little listless.

Shen Qiyu summoned the imperial doctor, and the princess's mother and the princess's mother, Concubine Yan, were startled by two soup chickens when they arrived. But fortunately, it was just a fever, not too serious.

Shen Qiyu thought that it would be good if it could rain earlier, so that he would not be fatherless, motherless, and without relatives.

As soon as she thought of this, the princess shouted: "Second brother, are you okay?" ”

Who said there are no relatives!

Shen Qiyu said softly: "The second brother is fine, but the second brother is a little sorry for you." ”

Shen Qiyu apologized to Concubine Yan again, and said to Yuyun with a smile: "Second brother usually practices martial arts and reads more, so his health will be better." If Yun'er also wants to be in good health, she must read more. ”

Yuyun: "......"

In the past two years, there have been many happy events in the country. After the fruitful autumn harvest in the second year of Yulai, in October of the seventeenth year of Liping, the only prince under the emperor's knees, that is, the twenty-three-year-old King Nan, finally began to choose a concubine.

In the past, Li Lin was not very old, there were few people in the harem, and neither the emperor nor Concubine Yan wanted Li Lin to get married, be crowned king, and set up his own mansion.

Since the crown of the king of the south, one is a natural disaster, and the envoy and post-disaster affairs are busy, and there is no time to think about this matter.

As a result, our handsome, talented, resolute, and promising King Nan was left. Some of the sons of the same age as him have already given birth to a bunch of babies, and he doesn't even have a pillow person.

Now that Li Guosheji is gradually getting better, Nanwang can also be idle. Concubine Yan thought about doing these things for him.

King Nan chooses a concubine, from family background to talent to appearance, she has to be top-notch. But none of the daughters in Li Du is bright and moving, and has excellent conduct.

Concubine Yan plunged into a bunch of household registrations and calligraphy and paintings, and she didn't have eyebrows after choosing for half a month. She thought that the new princess must first be able to please her in-laws, and she must have the dignity of a princess, so she picked out a bunch of them, and the rest was withdrawn.

But there are about twenty or so pieces singled out, and Concubine Yan can only continue to worry. She also thought that the new princess had to be able to live in harmony with her husband's brothers and sisters, so she found Shen Qiyu and Yuyun to be her counselors.

The two children followed and joined in the fun, and Concubine Yan had no choice but to continue to have a headache.

Finally, under the "mastermind" of Concubine Yan, Cheng Xuan, the daughter of the Ministry of Rites, was finalized.

Cheng Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites was born in Jinshi, did not have any of his own henchmen, and worked hard for the imperial court. His daughter is seventeen years old and has read poetry since she was a child.

Nanwang naturally had no objections.

The wedding date is set for December. According to the meaning of the emperor and Concubine Yan, the sooner it is done, the better, but King Nan is married to a concubine. In addition, the other party is a scholar of the Ministry of Rites, and the number of etiquette is even more comprehensive. As soon as the process of etiquette is down, it will not be too early to go.

In the cold winter, Lidu is a red fire, and no one feels cold when it is lively.

Everyone is happy. Shen Qiyu was even a little wasteful - he ate too much during the banquet, drank some fruit wine, and vomited on the carriage that was not bumpy when he returned to the palace in the carriage.

It's just that no matter how peaceful and peaceful the Lebanese are, the enemy troops on the border are still endless, perseveringly coming to visit the border soldiers of the Lebanese border from time to time.

It is said that Jiang Guo sent the son of the prime minister and the brother of the new emperor who had been in the palace together since childhood, to the border.

I don't know what kind of character this is, in short, there are very few legends about him in the market, whether they are good or bad.

It stands to reason that such a person has a noble status, even if he is mediocre in appearance and mediocre in qualifications, there are still people who can make up a legendary story in his name.

There is no story, which makes him more mysterious and wary of the Li people.

With these premises, when General Shen organized two successful invasions of the border, the emperor of Li was indeed a little anxious, lest the longer it dragged on, the more it would consume Li Guo.

However, the kingdom has not returned to its pre-disaster heyday. It is impossible to successfully resist foreign intrusion in one fell swoop and drive the enemy to his hometown. Therefore, no matter how anxious he is, he can only recruit more troops to garrison Shangzhou.

Shangzhou has no danger to defend, it can only be the troops, and things can only be man-made.

The other party is a little mysterious, I don't know the depths, who can Li Guo find to test him and contain him?