"After arriving at Beiliangguan, don't reveal my identity, the iron cavalry escort will return after being sent to Beiliangguan, and I and Liu's guards will ride lightly, which is more hidden," Li Shouyi explained on the horse.

Beiliang City opened, the two horsemen went straight south, the iron horse returned, and Qingluan took more than a dozen clansmen to the city to guard the mansion.

"Lang'er, your mother and I will go to Beigu to pay homage to the Hou Ye in a few days, Beiliang will be handed over to you for the time being, and you must ask Uncle Guo for important military and political matters, and I will propose marriage for my son on this trip, haha." Pan Shuang confessed to his only son Pan Lang.

Pan Lang quietly glanced at Qingluan, overjoyed.

"General rest assured, everything is in order in Beiliang, and there has been no war for many years, the market is peaceful, I will assist the major general until the general returns," Deputy General Guo Kaishan replied with a fist.

"That's good, there's Brother Lao Xian. Zhou Da stick mallet, order 10,000 personal guards, bet 100,000 stone grain and grass, bring our family's dowry, let's go to Beigucheng to marry a daughter-in-law, in exchange for a war horse!"

"Gotta go," General Zhou is known as a big stick, and his weapon is an iron-toothed mace, which is jokingly called a big stick mallet in the army.

Qingxuan said goodbye to his father and brothers, and followed the crazy man, but did not take the official road, but first crossed the Soyu River to the north, turned west, bypassed the Beiliang Pass, and after traveling hundreds of miles, he then found the way south.

Approaching the Spring Festival, the pass outside the month of Layue is a bleak, the snow is boundless, this day the sandbank city is in sight, and then the line is to enter the Hexi Corridor, which is considered to be the entry of the customs, the crazy Taoist stopped: "Qingxuan, your father handed you over to me, you are my disciple, there are many injustices in the world, it is better to live like crazy, the poor road number 'crazy', from today on, the word Qingxuan can not be mentioned again, for the teacher to give you the road number 'mad', you look back at the scene of the north, maybe at this moment is goodbye." ”

When Qing Xuan heard this, he suddenly remembered his father, brother and sister, his mother had been dead for several years, and he had always been his father, brother and sister who had taken care of his growth, and he was drinking and fighting together a few days ago, but suddenly he said goodbye, and his tears couldn't help but gargle down, and he couldn't stop it anymore.

"Crazy, let's go, after a while, maybe your father and brother will come to pick you up, there are no absolutes. ”

"Master, where are we going?"

"Go to Jiangnan, meet an old friend, Saibei Jiangnan, there is no news, this old friend walks in the river and sea all day long, maybe he can bring a little information to the teacher. ”

"Master, what are you looking for? Oh, yes, is Master looking for Master?"

The madman closed his eyes and was silent, sitting on a horse, like a sculpture, Qing Xuan could only shut his mouth and be alone in a daze.

Crazy, crazy master and apprentice two people a day, after entering the customs, fast horses, along the Hexi corridor, facing the heavy snow from the west gate into the imperial capital Chang'an City, the mad Taoist took the apprentice in the city to buy a cotton robe, a package of dry food, played ten catties of liquor, then through the city, out of the south gate, continue to go south, do not stop, Qingxuan saw the imperial capital prosperous, but not in the mood to play, with the master fast horse hurry.

When the mad Taoist master and apprentice arrived in Chang'an, Li Shouyi and Liu Buping also happened to enter the city from the north gate, and the two of them galloped all the way to the palace, "Father, you must wait for me to come back." ”

"Who's coming, the inner city of the palace, dismount and check," the palace gate guard immediately shouted when he saw the two horses flying over.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been instructed to open the palace door quickly," Liu Buping immediately threw out the token.

"It turned out to be Lord Liu, the minister has seen His Royal Highness the Prince, the Holy Lord has accidentally passed on the will, and the concubine Niangniang will serve the sick, if His Royal Highness the Prince returns to Beijing, it is advisable to return to the East Palace first, and wait for the order to see the driver. ”

"Presumptuous, this palace has an emergency military situation in the face of the emperor, get out," Shouyi is a small guard, and the horse breaks into the city.

Waiting to enter the inner city jade bridge, hurriedly dismounted, all the way to the dormitory, Liu Buping followed, to the dormitory warm pavilion, only to see a palace woman curling Tingting, standing outside the door.

"Erchen has seen the concubine Niangniang," I want to come all the way to the very loud movement, I have already heard to report that God has entered the palace to report, although Shouyi is anxious, in front of this woman, but he has to lose the courtesy.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, the Holy Lord has taken the medicine and rested, come back tomorrow to say goodbye," the concubine behaved elegantly, her eyes were like torches, she was neither humble nor arrogant, but she was also a powerful character.

"No, this palace is under the dictation of my father, I need to face the saint immediately, and I can't delay for a moment," Shouyi turned his head to look at the uneven willow in his eyes, and nodded.

Liu Buping understood, clenched the sword, and did not unsheath it, blocking a group of palace people who tried to step forward to stop him, Shouyi stepped forward quickly, pushed open the door of the warm pavilion of the dormitory, and walked quickly to the front of the dragon collapse, "Father, the child is back, father....Father," Li Mingyue walked on the dragon collapse, seemed to be asleep, and did not answer.

Shouyi lifted the curtain, but saw that his father's eyes were dark, his lips were pale and shriveled, and he was angry, so he hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, "Father, the son is back." ”

Li Mingyue squirmed her lips, as if she wanted to speak, Shouyi hurriedly stepped forward, "Shouyi my son, my old sores burst out, and I haven't seen any improvement for a long time, this time I'm only afraid that I will be weak to return to the sky, fortunately, when you return, I saw Zhenbei Hou on this trip? cough... Ahem.." , Li Mingyue coughed again and again, and felt exhausted in a few words.

"Father, the son has told the Hou Ye all the best, the Hou Ye suggested that the northern army move south as soon as possible, the southern army should go north, and the north and south should change their defenses, so as to eliminate the trouble in the north, and the iron-clad army will first resist foreign insults, and then Jingyu will be inside. ”

"Ahem... Cough... Okay, good, Long Xiang, Tiger Ben two battalions of 40,000 elite troops in the southern suburbs, under the collapse of the dragon there is an inner court and a tiger talisman to transfer troops, you quickly rely on the inner court and my private seal, go to the Inner Hidden Division to take over the palace guards, under the protection of the secret guards, with the tiger talisman to transfer troops into the palace, take over the nine gates, I... I... Immediately the decree will be taken by you. ”

"Father," Shouyi had already burst into tears, the former generation of Tianjiao, wearing perseverance, taking the lead, making Siyi frightened by the lord of the Great Wei, at this moment like a candle in the wind, Li Shouyi couldn't help but mourn inexplicably, but still according to his father's words, groped several times on the dragon collapse and found the mechanism.

The so-called organ turned out to be a disc, and there were six circles of characters on the disc, each of which was written Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Li, Gen, Dui, and Kan.

"From the inside to the outside, they are Kan, Dui, Zhen, Li, Kun, Qian, Gen, Xun, dial to the position of the dragon's head, cough...cough....," Li Mingyue coughed and panted repeatedly, her body curled up, obviously extremely uncomfortable, "Son, Cunyi has already returned to Beijing, he and his mother Liu Guifei have already removed the people in the palace, what he is worried about, but I am personally with my secret guard, but I don't know what the situation in the city is, without further ado, I need to prepare in advance," Li Mingyue finished speaking in one breath, panting heavily, and at the same time raised his finger to point to his shriveled lips.

Shouyi opened the mechanism and solemnly took the Kanhe and Tiger Talisman in the dark grid into his arms.

"Where is the secret guard?" Li Mingyue called softly.

Suddenly, from the roof and behind the screen, several black-clothed figures quietly floated out, and Shouichi was shocked when he saw this, but he didn't know how these people usually hid and hid.

"Quickly go to the Inner Tibetan Division to spread my will, the crown prince will take the throne, take over the secret guard, you must be loyal to the new master," Li Mingyue said and waved his hand, and the secret guard was silent, like a shadow, and he lost his figure.

As soon as Shou saw his father coughing repeatedly, he hurriedly got up, poured a bowl of ginseng soup from the jade pot, helped Li Mingyue, fed it slowly, and gently patted his father's old back.

There was a bang, the door of the dormitory was pushed open, Liu Guifei, Li Cunyi and a cadre of ministers appeared at the door, Liu Guifei pointed at Li Shouyi and scolded: "You chaotic ministers and thieves, just forcibly broke into the Shengshang dormitory and pulled the imperial concubine, do you want to rebel, all the palace ministers are here today, just to be a witness," Shouyi turned his head to look at Liu Guifei, thinking that this woman was not crazy, she dared to be so presumptuous in front of her father, and then looked at the second brother Li Cunyi who was standing behind Liu Guifei, and the corner of Cunyi's mouth oozed a sneer.

Liu Xiaquan, the secretary of the military department, rushed forward from the side, and roared with a frightened face: "Holy Lord, Holy Lord," crawling on the ground like a ghost.

Seeing this, the rest of the palace ministers looked into the hall, and they all showed frightened expressions and knelt down in unison.

Li Shouyi was surprised inexplicably, he felt a warm feeling in his right hand, and when he turned around, Li Mingyue, the lord of Great Wei, was bleeding from all his orifices, and the black blood was splashing on his right hand and placket, and his soul flew for nine days, "Father, father, what's wrong with you?

"Come on, Li Shouyi broke into the palace to humiliate his mother, killed the monarch and killed his father, and captured the stolen goods, and the imperial guards quickly arrested him and his comrades," Liu Guifei said with grief and indignation, but gave an order competently.

"Huh," outside the door, several burly Han generals and imperial guards entered the hall with guns and knives, and rushed towards Li Shouyi.

"Presumptuous, this palace is the crown prince, you dare to be rude, the following crimes, what should be the crime, I was ordered to enter the palace, listen to the holy oracle, who is it? Who poisoned the emperor's ginseng soup? It's you, the poisonous woman," Shouyi understood that Liu Guifei did not deliberately stop herself from facing the saint at first, but invited the king into the urn, at this moment Liu Buping's life and death are uncertain, he is a horse and a single gun, and the enemy is not but these people in front of him, so he must find an opportunity to go to the Inner Hidden Division, take over the secret guard, and go out of the city first, but how many people are there in the secret guard?

"Don't quibble, I, the King of Jin and the ministers have all seen you kill the saint with our own eyes, can this be fake?"

Shouyi snorted coldly: "Liu Xia is your brother, Cunyi is your own son, today on duty are all you and other friends, it should have been a heart of disobedience, my father has long known that you are a poisonous woman, but I didn't expect to have such a thief guts, ginseng soup to hide poison, kill the king and usurp the rebellion," with a sound of changing his hand, he pulled out the emperor's sword hanging in front of the bed in the dormitory, "Whoever is rebellious today, this prince swears to behead him," he rushed out as he spoke, and as soon as he jumped out of the palace gate, he handed over his hand with the guards.

"What's the injustice," Li Shouyi jumped up, crossed the jade steps, and desperately killed in the direction of the Inner Tibetan Division, more than 100 Han generals and guards also desperately intercepted and killed, and the golden gourd, axe, and long knife were killed from different angles, clearly to kill the prince on the spot, and make a conclusion about the coffin.

Li Shouyi's left arm was hit by a golden gourd, the pain was unbearable, although the sword was sharp, how could the guards be layered, the weapon was strong and heavy, and it was gradually impossible to resist.

"Your Highness, be careful," I saw a person jumping over the guards, turning around with a sword, the sword roared like thunder, the sword momentum opened and closed, and the white marble paved square was suddenly sneered and several sword marks were drawn, more than ten guards or broken arms or legs, forced to retreat a few steps by the power of a sword, Liu Buping finally arrived, and pushed Li Shouyi in the direction of the corner gate, "Your Highness retreats first, I will stop them," I saw Liu Buping with his hair and feet, his clothes were torn, and it was obvious that there was a fierce battle," Wei Chen was waiting outside the palace, and found that all the guards inside and outside the palace were replaced, and when the minister went to check outside the courtyard wall, he was attacked by several yellow doors, and these yellow doors were all pretended to be masters of the stargazing platform, and the minister could only resist for a while, and His Royal Highness quickly found his way out of the palace. ”

Li Shouyi burst out of the corner door with tears, slashed to death the two guards outside the door with a sword, and ran towards the inner courtyard like crazy.

"The eldest prince, uneven and dull, today Fang comprehends the slight sword intent of the Guizang sword, but unfortunately, it is in this desperate situation," he sighed when he looked up to the sky, the long sword gently swiped in front of him, rubbed his body and jumped several feet high, the sword walked ethereal, and there were no complicated moves, but a sword turned into nine swords, and then jumped down from the air, the sword pointed at the guards, suddenly as fast as a meteor, falling rapidly, and a white light burst out from the guards.

"Ah, ah," the guards in the front row fell down, struggled a few times, but couldn't get up, the hamstrings were cut off by this sword, Liu Buping staggered to the ground, a sword consumed too much internal strength and mind, at this time, several yellow doors with knives jumped behind, their temples protruded, and they were obviously masters of the inner family.

Li Shouyi ran all the way, his body was wounded several times, drenched in blood, and finally saw the small door of the inner library, the inner library is located in the deepest part of the inner courtyard, the door is cold, a depression, gloomy, ordinary palace people dare not approach, Shouyi is desperate, hit the door and enter, fell to the ground, and the pursuers behind then covered up, but the small door was quickly closed from the inside, just shouted to kill the thunder, and suddenly quieted down.

"By the Holy Order, the palace will take over the secret guard with the inner court, and go to the southern suburbs of the military camp quickly," Li Shouyi was seriously injured, his left hand supported the ground, and his right hand held high in the shape of a dragon.

The blue bricks on his side suddenly opened, and two masked black-clothed men flew out, erected the prince left and right, and quickly entered the inner hall of the inner storehouse.

"The old slave has seen the prince, please give instructions to make a cut," The inner hall was dark, and he couldn't see his five fingers, and a hoarse voice seemed to come from Jiuyou, which made people feel cold all over his body.

"Kan, Dui, Zhen, Li, Kun, Qian, Gen, Xun," this is the bright moon and wind seal, Shouyi touched out his father's private seal in his arms, and he didn't know if the other party could see it.

"It's right, the old slave has seen the new emperor. ”

"The slave knocks to see the new emperor," a sound of kowtowing came from all around.

"Burning the incense of the heavens, after the two parts of Gen and Xun are left behind, the incense will be completely dissipated; Zhen, the road will be opened from the front, and the carriages and horses will be prepared; the four departments of Qian, Kun, Kan, and Dui will follow and immediately rush to the camp in the southern suburbs," the hoarse voice decisively ordered.

"Wow. ”

The two helped Li Shouyi up, and quickly ran deeper into the inner hall, only to see a squeaky and heavy dull sound from the depths of the inner hall, a copper door slowly opened, and there was a rustling of footsteps, and after Shou entered, it slowly closed, at this time, the sound of swords and swords had been heard in the courtyard, and Shouyi looked back, it turned out that there were more than 100 people behind the door twisting the gears, this door was actually opened from the inside, a deep tunnel like leading to hell, only a few sparks, all of them were dressed in black and robes, covered with black scarves, and only showed a pair of eyes.

The group walked in the tunnel for about an hour, only to hear another squeak in front of them, and another bronze door opened a hole, and everyone rushed out, and the door closed again.

The sun was dazzling, and when I opened my eyes, I actually arrived at the Baiyun Temple in the south of the city, and the exit was behind the statue of Emperor Zhenwu.

There were already carriages and horses waiting outside the door, and the secret guards were silent, they got on their horses one after another, and the black-clothed leader personally drove for the prince and galloped towards the camp in the southern suburbs.

"Sect Master, the camp in the southern suburbs is surrounded on all sides, about 100,000 soldiers and horses, the meaning is unknown," a horse flew over.

"Explore," the black-clothed man who was driving the car waved his hand, and he rode back immediately.

"Holy Lord, there are heavy troops besieging outside the camp, please give instructions. ”

"Rush in," the man in black replied, hesitating slightly, "obey the order, please get on the carriage and get on the horse." ”

Li Shouyi put on his horse under the service of the man in black, held a shield and a knife, and rushed towards the men and horses in the north of the camp in formation.

"The cadres guarded the saint, and the rest intercepted the incoming enemy, and at any cost, quickly entered the camp in the southern suburbs," the black-clothed leader pointed at the horsewhip, and the remaining five departments were about 500 people, and Shouyi didn't know how this secret guard usually hid and hid, and how it was assembled now, so he didn't think much about it, so he followed the war horse, without saying a word, rode wildly, and pressed towards the army, and a hundred Chinese troops guarded Li Shouyi desperately towards the camp.

"Boom", the war horses in front collided, handed over, the arrows on both sides rained like flying, the war horses neighed, Li Shouyi held a shield to block the arrows, brandished a long knife, and did not leave a hand.

"Long Xiang and Tiger Ben Battalion are coming to meet the Holy Driver," the Chinese army drank together as they rushed, and then, the six secret guards followed suit.

There are more than 20,000 iron horsemen in the north of the camp, and five hundred dark guards are like sand into the Ganges River, and they are annihilated in an instant, each fighting for itself, seeing that more than 100 secret guards of the Chinese army keep falling off their horses, the black-clothed leader didn't care, and stroked the arrows casually.

The black-clothed leader immediately took off the iron spear, waved his hand and threw it, assassinated several people in a row, galloped forward, pulled out the iron spear, and did the same, but no one dared to be in front of the big camp, and when he rushed to the front of the big camp, a burst of feather arrows shot out in the direction of the big camp, and Shouyi and the black-clothed leader and others had to stop their horses outside the range of the feather arrows.

"Stop," warned from the Arrow Tower.

"Please ask the two generals Chu and Wang to take the order," Li Shouyi held up the tiger talisman.

"It's the Holy Tiger Talisman. ”

With a bang, the arrow tower of the camp shot a burst of powerful crossbows, knocking down the enemy troops who were chasing Li Shouyi.

The camp gate was wide open, and an iron cavalry flew out like the wind, bypassing the dark guards, intercepting and chasing the enemy, and the two horsemen approached, "The last general Longxiang camp Chu Tiannan, and the tiger camp Wang Linghui has seen His Royal Highness the Prince, please give the tiger talisman." ”

The two generals of Chu and Wang put the tiger talisman together, confirmed that it was correct, knelt on one knee, and returned the tiger talisman, "Long Xiang and Hu Ben obey the prince's orders." ”

"The two generals should change their words to the Holy Lord, the first emperor has been passed on to the crown prince," the black-clothed leader said coldly.

"What?"

"The father has controlled Bintian, the concubine and the king of Jin rebelled, killed the first emperor, the crime is unforgivable, and the two camps entered the palace Qin Wang. ”

"Yes. ”

"Please call back the two generals and close the camp gates, the enemy has 100,000 troops, and our army needs to be considered in the long run," Li Shouyi ordered.

There were less than one out of ten secret guards who returned, and the army outside the camp was still besieged on all sides, only besieging but not attacking.

"The holy decree has arrived, Chu Tiannan and Wang Linghui have received the decree," a sharp shout suddenly came from outside the door.

"Fengtian carries the emperor, the edict said, the former prince Li Shouyi committed rebellion, stole national weapons, stealed tiger talismans, betrayed the imperial city, and tried to kill the monarch and stand on his own. ”

"Someone is coming, the future envoy will be pushed out and beheaded, and the first three armies will be transmitted," Shouyi is manic, a good Li Cunyi, who actually supports the army and respects himself, and conspires against him.

"Holy but please be relieved, the Longxiang Camp has always only worshiped the Holy Tiger Talisman," Chu Tiannan waved his hand, and he had already walked out quickly, and from time to time there was a miserable cry outside the tent.

Li Shouyi sat paralyzed on the chair, the six gods have no owner, Li Cunyi has long been prepared, the border army is powerful, and Liu Xiaquan, the secretary of the military department, is his uncle, who has been in business for many years, the guards in Beijing have all installed his henchmen, the queen mother died early, and the inner palace is under the control of his mother Liu Guifei, and if he wants to rely on 40,000 pro-troops to enter the palace Qinwang, it is tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg, how is it good! Shouyi sighed and looked helplessly at the black-clothed leader.

"Shengshang, except for Beigu and Beiliang, the northern border is under the jurisdiction of the King of Jin, and Chang'an is currently under the control of his henchmen, the King of Jin has been planning for a long time, when this situation is not suitable for hard fighting, all the cities in the south are the first emperors from the dragon's generals, it is better to wave the army south, temporarily garrison the army in the south, the old slave and the saint will gather the generals in the south again, Xu Tuzhi," the black-clothed leader said.

"What the Lord said is very true, control the rich land in the south, rely on the Yangtze River moat, and the land of Xutu Guanzhong, great things can be expected," Chu Tiannan seconded.

"By the way, I don't know what the sect master will call me, don't call yourself an old slave," Shouichi said, turning his head.

"Old slave Nie Jingtao, it's not worth mentioning," the black-clothed leader knelt down and replied.

"Nie Jingtao, Shangzhu Guonie Jingtao, Twenty years ago, you weren't?" Chu Tiannan and Wang Linghui were shocked when they heard this, but they were busy kneeling on one knee and saluting, "I have seen Shangzhu Kingdom, Shangzhu Country is my Great Wei God of War, more than 20 years ago, I followed the first emperor to fight in the south and the north, and the battle was brilliant, Chu Wei Sumeru Mountain battled, guarded Taizu, and then led the Great Wei elite cavalry with the first emperor, killing the main force of the Chu army millions, and moved the world, it is rumored that in order to protect the first emperor, he was injured by the assassin and died in the country, how can it .....?"

"When the world was decided, the old slave felt that he had killed too much, in view of the frequent assassination of the swordsmen of Chudi, so the first emperor and the old slave agreed, so as to escape into the inner court, the establishment of the secret guard of the eight departments, the arch guard of the Son of Heaven, the eight departments are only loyal to the lord of the Great Wei, the first emperor treated me like a mountain, and the Nie clan was placed properly, and moved to the outside world, and the old slave's remnants can still be driven, and he will serve the new emperor for life. ”

"With Shangzhu Country here, my heart is at ease," Li Shouyi swept away the decadent Tang Dynasty one by one, "In this way, according to what Nie Qing said, there are two battalions of Longxiang and Huben, one is more to make rice, the second is to pull out the camp, and the third is to break through, General Chu sent the military center to the belly, holding my token golden arrow, and quickly went to the Dongyue Wangcheng, so that Su Changfeng, the commander of the Donggong guard, led the army to respond. ”

Long Xiang and Hu Ben are all emperor's own army, with Li Mingyue to fight in the south and north, well-equipped, strict orders, the whole army retreated to the south, with the intention of attacking unprepared, breaking through the blockade of the northern army in the south of the camp, not waiting for the northern army to be encircled, but also Nie Jingtao in the middle of the command, waiting for the sunrise and dawn, it will be like a dragon returning to the sea, and the whole army will return to the south.

"Shengshang, the whole army should march at full speed, go south as soon as possible, after General Wang Linghui and General Su Changfeng joined forces, they went straight to Jing to control the situation, General Chu and the old slave went up with the saint to appease the southern border," Nie Jingtao said to Shouyi immediately.

"Where to go?

"Go to Yangzhou, Yangzhou is the first important town north of the Yangtze River, the people are rich and rich, the advance can be attacked, the retreat can be defended, the Longxiang battalion and the Yangzhou defenders can hold the Jianghuai, the northern army can not go down, and then the saint in the name of orthodoxy, appease the whole army in the south, control the transport, goods and money and grain shall not go north, establish a line of defense, in time, Xu Tu Northern Expedition, then the world is decided, the north is lonely 100,000 iron clothes are loyal to the first emperor, and Zhenbei Hou and General Pan Shuang are about to become in-laws, the day of the Northern Expedition, the north and the south will attack, and the recovery of mountains and rivers is just around the corner. ”

"Wonderful, ...... Go to Yangzhou. ”

Emperor Mingyue of the Great Wei Dynasty died, and there was mourning in the imperial capital of Chang'an, and the second son of the emperor, Li Cunyi, was the emperor, and announced to the world that the former prince Li Shouyi killed the monarch and rebelled, and he should be punished for his crimes.

Under the instruction of Nie Jingtao, Li Shouyi promptly passed the news to the state capitals in the name of the new emperor, and the second son of the emperor, Li Cunyi, colluded with the northern chieftain to kill the monarch and usurp the throne.

For a moment, the world was shocked, and the two holy decrees were issued before and after, and the state officials were shocked and inexplicable.

When the Beijing army was divided, the crazy and crazy masters and apprentices also galloped on the official road.

"Master, where are we going?" Qing Xuan was puzzled.

"Go to Yangzhou, go meet an old friend," the madman sighed lightly.