Yan Qi walked.

When I can no longer call myself sick at home, I will still go back to Weiyang Palace to continue to be the imperial chief.

I wrote down what I had written during my recuperation and what I had seen and heard in the Xiongnu and handed it to the emperor, so that he could discuss it with his close ministers, and I returned to my old life. The Military Science Department, Weiyang Palace, spent more time in the examination room to improve crossbows, make longbows, and supervise the production of ring swords and heavy armor equipment.

Although the conversation that night shook my heart badly, I still had to do what I had to do. What if the guess is wrong? What if the Hetian jade is really broken? What if......

I didn't know what to do, so I had to try to keep myself busy, and every night I would go home and go to bed without thinking about anything. The only pistachio is the lover Xiao Huo, since winning the championship BMW, his riding skills have grown more and more, and he began to practice riding and archery. Every bit of progress he made brought me great comfort. The child's temperament became more and more cheerful, and his smile was as bright as the sun in front of me.

A few days ago, Yi Zhixian finally began to invade the Han Dynasty, and this time it was Daijun who suffered. The goal of the Xiongnu was money and food, but fortunately, the Han army was always on high alert and did not suffer many losses, but there were still more than a dozen famous soldiers killed in battle.

On the day that the bodies of the martyrs were sent to Chang'an City, Liu Che, the son of Han Tianzi, personally led hundreds of officials to the gate tower of Chang'an City to greet them. When rows of coffins were carried by carriages and entered the city one by one from under the noses of the Han Emperor in the fierce cold wind, Liu Che locked himself in the Xuan Room for a day and a night, without eating or resting. The first thing I did when I came out was to transfer me to the position of the examiner, and to fully supervise the manufacture of weapons and equipment.

The work was transferred to the examination room, and the chances of seeing the emperor were greatly reduced, which was exactly what I wanted.

At the same time, Liu Che implemented a series of new economic policies, expanding the scope of taxation, further lightening the peasants' burdens, and cracking down on wealthy merchants; implementing the official management of salt and iron to increase state revenue; reforming the monetary system and bringing the minting rights of various localities to the central government; regulating transportation, balancing prices, and establishing a government-run commercial network; and innovating the liquor rights law, which provided raw materials to private brewers by the government, unified control of the products, and implemented monopoly sales, so as to supplement the state's financial resources.

All of them are aimed at "strengthening the army".

In fact, I also admire his "cultural and martial arts". What's more, the love of children and family and state affairs, in the end he chose the latter, this is Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and he deserves my respect.

I can't imagine what it was like for an emperor to be trapped in love, so the emperor's love is always just a legend.

Under the influence of the whole atmosphere of developing an economy and strengthening the armed forces, I have invested in the manufacture of weapons with a great enthusiasm that I have never had before, not for the sake of one family and one surname, but for the sake of the entire Han nation.

On this day, a new group of blacksmiths entered the examination room, among which was a big man of about forty years old, named Deng Donkey, this guy was as his name suggested, a donkey tempered, sour and fierce, and the best at drinking. If you want to say that there are all kinds of weirdos in this world, he doesn't buy anyone's account in the entire examination room, just because he lost to me because of a drink, so he met my eyes, and since then "the two brothers are good".

He showed me a bamboo slip, saying that it was left to him by his master before his death, and I was overjoyed after reading it, it turned out that it was a relevant record of the "steel frying" process. Of course, there is a big difference between the lines, but it is indeed an experimental note of "frying steel". I only know a little about the knowledge of steel, the so-called fried steel, is the steel and its process made of wrought iron through carburizing and forging. The method is to blow air into the molten pig iron, and at the same time stir to oxidize the carbon in the pig iron and become wrought iron, and then after carburizing and forging, the carbon content of the pig iron can also be controlled to fry the carbon content to the required extent, and then forged into steel products.

The old gentleman's notes provided a very detailed process and experience, and with my half-claws, the time was quite ripe for a bold decision to "make steel".

According to archaeologists, the technology of frying steel appeared in the late Western Han Dynasty, but archaeology is only a word after all, not to mention that since some aspects of history have changed, it is not a big deal that steel products appeared in advance.

I lived in the examination room, and studied the matter of "frying steel" with the craftsmen and masters day and night, and I was so busy that I forgot about Liu Che, Yan Qixing and all kinds of troubles. Originally, things were going well, but when it came to the carburizing forging level, it got stuck, and after countless tests and countless failures, it was not possible to fry the carbon content to a proper level. The whole examination room has been working tirelessly to study solutions for this.

Later, it was Deng Donkey, who mentioned that there was an old craftsman surnamed Tie on the outskirts of Chang'an City, who had been engaged in metallurgical work all his life, and had unusual inspiration and rich experience in this, so we decided to ask him for advice.

Mr. Tie lived in a small village in the east of the city, and the old man knew that we were from the examination room, and received us warmly, and even answered all questions, and put forward many useful insights and valuable experiences. At our request, the old gentleman went to Chang'an with us and personally participated in the work of "frying steel".

With the help of Mr. Tie, the progress of the work of "frying steel" has been greatly improved, under the guidance of Mr. Tie, day and night "melting, stirring, carburizing, forging", repeatedly trying and improving the method, the third night, finally the emperor lived up to his heart, and made the first piece of steel!

The people in the examination room are crazy, and everyone knows that this moment is of great significance, and history will enter the peak of the cold weapon era.

Liu Che listened to my report, and was overjoyed to reward me with a lot of money, and ordered me to manufacture a large number of steel weapons.

A long time ago, I ordered the examination office to make a few weapons for Xiao Huo, and after returning from the Huns this time, I made some modifications on the original basis. Taking advantage of the success of steelmaking, I worked day and night with my masters, and it took a few days for the "Blue Wolf" sword made of stainless steel to finally come out, plus the super strong longbow, and a month later it was Xiao Huo's birthday, and I planned to give it to him as a birthday gift.

And then......

Then I was going to leave.

I figured it out, Hetian Yu took me to the Han Dynasty and disappeared, for a few years my life has been revolving around it, the flies camp dog chasing and chasing and chasing and regaining and losing, making me physically and mentally exhausted. Now I finally realize the old saying: what is yours is yours, and it is useless if it is not yours. If Providence wants me to stay, I will be okay with what happens, do I really want to use the rest of my life to find Hetian Yu? Even if Yu Zhen is in Liu Che's hands, he doesn't admit it, I can't do anything about him, how many times has Weiyang Palace been in and out of the dark, not to mention the upper house and the lower floor to cut bricks, it's almost the same, in a word, it's no fun! I can see it, unless Liu Che takes the initiative to return it to me, I won't be able to find it in this life.

It doesn't matter, it's good if the jade is not in Liu Che's hands, this Weiyang Palace can't stay any longer. After Xiao Huo's birthday, I gave him a crown to retire and say goodbye.

What about Yan Qixing?

After Yan Qi left, I found that I began to miss him, worried about whether he would be in danger, and hoped that he would come back soon. But I don't allow myself to indulge in missing, since I have decided to be a brother, I shouldn't have feelings other than brothers, I have too many troubles, and I don't want to add to my troubles.

On this day, I went to Weiyang Palace on an errand as usual, and went to the Imperial Garden to walk around in my spare time, and I actually met a person who should not have appeared here-Red Butterfly! What surprised me even more was that Red Butterfly was actually named Jieyu, Wang Jieyu!

She was very happy to see me, took my hand and thanked me repeatedly, saying that if it weren't for my strength, she wouldn't have the honor she has today, which really made me ...... I didn't expect to be a matchmaker unintentionally. (Actually, I'd rather say Picker, but that word really detracts from my reputation.) ）

No wonder the emperor recently saw me and ignored him, he didn't mention what I was worried about, it turned out that he already had a new love.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but I felt guilty again, because I thought of Wei Zifu. Farewell to the red butterfly and go to the Zhaoyang Palace, and learned that the emperor's favor for her has not diminished because of the red butterfly, so she is relieved. But I got another bad news, Queen Chen was extremely dissatisfied with me because of the red butterfly.

"You have to be careful. Wei Zifu reminded me worriedly. "The queen, she was very jealous of you, if it weren't for His Majesty's constant pressure, she was not allowed to see you without his permission, and she was not allowed to trouble you, could you still be this female official in Weiyang Palace so easily? Later, I heard that you had no intention of entering the palace, and the queen's hatred for you became weaker, and now a red butterfly suddenly appeared, alas, in short, you are good at cherishing yourself. ”

I have been on an errand in Weiyang Palace for so long, and the number of times I have met with the queen is limited, and each conversation is only two or three sentences, although Empress Chen is cold to me, but the difficult thing has never happened, I think I am lucky, it turns out that there is an emperor behind me to block it. Liu Che was really good to me, but it was so good that it was worrying.

Out of the Zhaoyang Palace, standing in the vestibule and looking around the Weiyang Palace with strict barriers, it was like a huge palace, only I was alone, with nothing to rely on, no place to belong, and suddenly a trace of coldness rushed from the top of my head to the center of my feet.

The palace is deep, not a place to stay for a long time.

With Wei Zifu's warning, I was more cautious in my words and deeds, and the excuse was that the examination office was busy, and I tried not to enter the palace unless necessary. The emperor doesn't know what's wrong, during this time, he has admitted a lot of beauties to the palace, busy implementing his new policies during the day, and busy pampering the new beauties at night, I really don't know where he got the energy. But it did me a lot of good that he was busy—he didn't ask too much about my whereabouts. The lack of pressure on him was a great relief.

And so the days passed.

At this moment, the emperor's new favorite Wang Jieyu was happy, and when the news came out, naturally some people were happy and some were sad. Under the mixture of joy and sorrow, the atmosphere is naturally very strange.

Since ancient times, the most important heir of the royal family, after Liu Che ascended the throne, he has not come out, and the government and the opposition have discussed it a lot, and there are rumors that Liu Che cannot have children. Later, although this rumor disappeared due to the birth of Princess Wei, it was also true that Liu Che had never had a son, and the clan and the court were very concerned about it, and Liu Che himself was deeply worried. In the past few days, he has frequently visited the concubine, and it is estimated that he also has this consideration.

After the good news came out, regardless of whether they were happy or unhappy, all the close branches of the clan, the foreign ministers and the internal ministers all went to the table to celebrate, and those who were a little closer did not go to the court in person, including Wei Qing.

I haven't been in the palace for a few days, and I'm honestly too lazy to go. Usually people have children is a happy event, but it is difficult to say in the palace, but I am afraid that there will be a lot of open and secret fighting, and it is better to avoid this troubled water.

I want to go in the end. When I had dinner with Wei Qing last night, his brother told me very solemnly: "Your Majesty asked you today, and he said ......" learned the emperor's tone and said: "Liu Dan hasn't entered the palace for a few days, could it be that she is busier than me?"

Hearing this, do I dare not go?

The day I entered the palace was the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It rained early in the morning, and my mood could only be described in four words: not sad autumn.

Liu Che and Mr. Dong were discussing something in the Xuan room, and asked me to wait outside, and after waiting for more than half an hour, Lu Guang said: "Your Majesty is busy with political affairs, let you go back first, and come back tomorrow." ”

Touching his nose in a gray way, when did he become an unseen person? Hmph, it's just right not to see. Turning around and wanting to leave, Lu Guang kindly reminded me: "Since you are here, it is better to go to Xiuwei Palace, Wang Jieyu's mother is expensive with her son, so she must be congratulated." ”

If it weren't for the emperor's place, I wouldn't have wanted to go to Xiuwei Palace at all. Although this red butterfly was "introduced" into the palace by me, based on the principle of first-come, first-served friendship, psychologically more biased towards Wei Zifu, after all, it is Wei Qing's sister Xiao Huo's aunt, and it is not bad to have a personal relationship with me, so I should go to see her at this time.

But the emperor's attitude today, tsk, this is a bad sign. Before leaving, I still have to maintain a friendly relationship with him, lest this old brother be unhappy and do something unbelievable, and I will not be able to eat and walk away.

Liu Che values his heirs, and he has to take advantage of the situation to curry favor.

Alas, poor woman, and poor me, in the palace, it is impossible to detach.

Walking slowly east along the imperial garden with an umbrella, the chrysanthemums under the fence are hidden in the rain and mist, shivering in the autumn rain, the chrysanthemums are proud of the frost, but they still can't stop the shower. No matter how lonely you are in the world, you will eventually succumb to the strong. It's not a dry bone, it's just a rule, and so is the flower thing, and the same is true for personnel.

The autumn mood of slaughter is strong, mixed with the autumn rain and penetrates the bottom of the heart.

Just looking at the flowers, a delicate call came: "Lord Liu, Lord Liu......"

Turning his head to see, it was the palace maid Qingshang beside Wei Zifu, who ran over in a panic with an umbrella in one hand and a food box in the other, her little face was flushed, and as soon as she arrived, she put the food box in my hand and said: "The slave is in a hurry, there is Lord Lao Liu's ......" Before the words were finished, the person had already "sighed" and ran away.

I laughed dumbly, but I don't wonder this girl, and I don't know which brainless guy has no bathroom in a huge garden.

I had to stand and wait with a food box in my hand...... I don't know what delicious things are in the food box, there is a faint aroma oozing, and my stomach can't help but "gurgle", it is almost noon, it is time to have lunch.

Endured and endured, maybe it was the side lock reaction, the stomach was "growling" more and more, and seeing that there was no one around, I secretly lifted the lid, intending to steal a little. As soon as the crack was opened here, the Qing merchant over there trotted over and shouted out breathlessly, "Lord Liu, what are you doing?"

I put my hand down a little embarrassed and laughed "hey, hey".

Qing Shang has always been familiar with me, and he is not polite when he speaks, he pursed his lips and chuckled: "This thing is not eaten by Lord Liu, it is for pregnant women to replenish their bodies." ”

I was stunned when I heard this: "Wei Niangniang is also pregnant?"

"No, it was the mother who boiled it herself, and the slave gave it to Wang Niangniang. Qing Shang pouted, looking unhappy.

I know it in my heart.

"Is your mother okay?"

Qing Shang sighed slightly: "Your Majesty goes to the palace more often than before, the mother is docile, just don't say it." In fact, the heart ...... It's very bitter, if the adults have idle flaws, it's good to go around often, and talk to the mother. ”

"Good. "I promise.

Qing Shang walked away, and then he remembered that he was also going to Xiuwei Palace, but his mood suddenly deteriorated, and he couldn't raise his interest anymore. The red butterflies on the left and right are now celebrities, and even Wei Zifu has to show favor every time, and I don't want to do the icing on the cake. Forget it, go home.

The rain fell intermittently, and it became heavier and heavier at dusk. Maybe God is comforting me with this: even if the Hetian jade is intact, but there is no moonlight, you will not be able to return home this Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival was not a festival for the Han Dynasty at that time, so Chang'an was very quiet.

My mansion is also very quiet, and the servants are all on vacation under my pretext, and even the drama is kicked out to have fun. A huge mansion, only I am lonely.

I cooked two small dishes myself, took out the jar of good wine, and sat in the study to drink alone under the lamp. At first, he could still chant self-deprecatingly: "Who sits alone with the lonely lamp? I have two shadows, and when the lamp is sleepy, the shadows also throw people away." There is no such thing as that, what a miserable me. "The original work of "Lonely Lamp" "Bright Moon" has no moon tonight, only one lonely lamp, and one widow.

After reciting it several times, a sense of desolation overflowed my heart, and poems such as "a hundred years of loneliness on my head, loneliness through the ages" came one after another, appearing in my mind one by one.

I was stunned by the beating lights, and after a while, I took out the wooden ring that Yan Qixing gave me from my body, rubbed it with my hands, and my thoughts seemed to return to the distant desert, as well as the poplar tree that stood alone in the desert for a thousand years without dying, not falling down for a thousand years after death, and immortal for a thousand years after falling.

Three thousand years, it's left alone, it's eternal, is it happy? The remaining decades of my life can be used to prove it.

Is it really necessary to fulfill Wei Qing's words, die alone and live this life?

The sound of the rain outside gradually became quieter, and there seemed to be a strange noise, and I got up and pushed open the window with a "bang......

Outside the window stood a person who couldn't have dreamed of it - Yan Qixing!

Maybe it's because I haven't seen it for too long, maybe it's because it's raining, maybe it's the weakness of my heart, and suddenly I feel that my eyes are hot, and some heat waves rush from the bottom of my heart to my eyes. He looked at me under the umbrella, his face was the color of the wind and dust of a long journey, but his eyes were as bright as the lights of a cold night, with a warm smile, and he did not move or speak.

The autumn rain turned into gentle notes, flowing in the night sky, converging into the softest melody in the world.

"How are you?" I smirked and sniffed. "Why are you back?"

Yan Qixing smiled but did not answer.

"Oh, yes, come in and talk about it. I went to open the door in a daze, and the door was open for a long time, but no one came in.

"What's going on?" I was taken aback, and suddenly my eyes lit up, and through the ghostly light, I saw Yan Qixing standing at the table, holding something in his hand, and it was from there that the light came from.

I looked at the window, and then at what he had in his hand, and it looked like a round bead. He walked up to him and asked, "What does it glow?"

Yan Qixing held the thing up in front of me and said, "Give it to you, even if the lamp is asleep, the shadow will not throw you away." ”

I smiled embarrassedly and took the bead.

The beads were round and large, and the light was soft and beautiful, and I asked in amazement, "This can't be the legendary pearl of the night, right?"

Yan Qixing said: "If you have a vision, it is the pearl of the night." ”

Now it's developed. I was surprised and delighted, and I couldn't put it down at the Night Pearl, and asked one after another: "Is it really the Night Pearl? Really give it to me?" I heard that this is very expensive, are you willing to give it to me?"

Yan Qixing saw that I was so happy, and said with a relieved expression: "There is no moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the pearl is like the moon. ”

Holding the night pearl in my hand, my heart fluctuates. This Yan Qixing came to comfort me.

Hanging beads on the wall, he poured a cup of wine for him, touched the cup gently, and the two of them drank it all.

The pearl halo was dim, Yan Qixing looked at me, Eqing, and said softly: "I haven't seen you for a month and a half, you have lost a lot." ”

"You too. "I poured wine from a jug, hiding the emotions in my heart.

"It's dark and thin, is it not going well?"

Yan Qixing smiled but did not answer.

It's still the same, when it comes to court secrets, it becomes an iron mouth and steel teeth.

"Are you going to leave this time?" I asked him in a different way.

Yan Qixing nodded and said, "Leave tomorrow morning." ”

"So fast?" I was surprised. Suddenly I thought that he actually came to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with me, and my heart suddenly became hot.

Wordlessly clink glasses and drink them all......

There should be a lot to say at this time, but what about after that?

Let's talk about irrelevant topics.

"How's your injury?"

"Healed. ”

"It's been a hard time these days. ”

"It's not hard. ”

"Take care of yourself. ”

"I will. ”

"Thank you for everything. ”

"I miss you. ”

I was stunned.

Yan Qixing looked at me steadily, such a single straight entry did not make him feel half cramped, his eyes were firm and bright.

I twitched the corners of my mouth and couldn't speak, and I heard my own heartbeat in my ears. His hand reached out to me, and the two hands were folded on the table. His fingers were long, thin, steady and firm, and his palms had thick calluses, which were caused by holding a sword and holding a knife for many years. His hands were warm, as warm as a fire in an autumn night, and the warm current slowly spread from my hands to my body, all the way to my heart, making my whole person warm, my reason gradually blurred, everything in front of me became hazy, only two overlapping hands remained.

How I longed for such a hand, holding me, pulling me, facing the unknown fate with me, if there was such a hand, firm, warm, never left the side. Help me up when I fall, wipe my tears when I cry, and rely on me when I am weak, that is happiness.

At one time, I thought it would be Xiao Jian, but what was in front of me today was Yan Qixing.

"After I left Beijing, I thought about one thing every day. His voice was soft.

"Oh?" I was a little weak.

Yan Qixing's expression became warm, diffusing a dense aura: "I'm wondering: In addition to you, will there be a second woman in the world who can be bloody with me on the battlefield, sharing life and death?

His gaze is as deep as an abyssal pool, and the abyss is deep and passionate.

He held my hand tighter, and I could feel him tremble slightly: "At last I finally understood that there will be no second, never a second woman like you, in my life. Therefore, I rushed back from Huaiyin day and night, and I just want to ask you for one thing. ”

I opened my mouth, but I found that my mouth was dry and my voice was hoarse: "What's the matter?"

Yan Qixing's eyes flashed a hint of childlike shyness, but his tone was very firm, he said: "We, don't be brothers and confidants, can we be lovers and confidants?"

The autumn rain outside the window disappeared in an instant, the sound stopped, the world was quiet, and only the heart was beating hard. My face must have been very pale, for I felt the blood rushing down my cheeks, but my face was burning hot. I was like a young girl who was just beginning to fall in love, panicked and faced the embarrassment and joy of being confessed for the first time in my life.

"Liu Dan?" he reminded me that it was time to answer his question.

"There are some things that you don't understand. "My mind was a mess, and I struggled to say. "I, perhaps, will bring you great disaster. ”

Although there is Wang Jieyu again, although the emperor is not salty to me, I always have a strong premonition in my heart, he will not let me go, otherwise I will not use it as a crown to abscond.

Yan Qixing closed his eyes and let out a long breath as if he had received some kind of pardon.

"I understand. His voice suddenly became lighter.

I looked at him in amazement: "What do you understand?"

Yan Qixing was a little apologetic, but said frankly: "Since the beginning of the mountain village, I have been ordered to monitor you. ”

I know that.

"So I know everything you have. Then he added: "Clearer than Your Majesty." ”

Yes, what the Emperor knew, wasn't reported through him? But what did he know and the Emperor didn't know?

"For example, Xiao Jian. He spoke astonishingly. "He's not Lingzun. ”

My body shook and my eyes widened.

My hand pulled out of his hand: "How do you know him?" The name came out of Yan Qixing's mouth, feeling very strange. For the first time, I took him seriously as the messenger of embroidered clothes.

Yan Qixing's eyes darkened, staring at his own hand on the table and said, "I just want to confess to you." ”

He stood up, looked up at the night sky, his figure was a little lonely, and said slowly: "Naturally, I listened to what Your Majesty said. Although what he said was limited, it can be inferred that what you said to His Majesty from beginning to end was a lie. ”

I asked quietly, "Why do you say that?"

Yan Qixing said: "Because there is no woman in the world who will hang her father's picture all over the bedroom, tell her heart to it every night, and even cry?"

He turned his head to look at me, and I was silent, my heart fluctuating, and even more embarrassed after being exposed.

He walked up to me, hesitated, and finally put his hands on my shoulders, and with a soft but firm force, he said slowly: "The past is like a wind blowing clouds, and then disappears without a trace. Now you should have a new beginning. He squatted lightly in front of me, looked at me at eye level, and said earnestly, "After forgetting, you can be happy." ”

His face was so close to me, and the faint smell of wine overflowed my nose, and I couldn't ignore his earnestness.

But I don't know how to answer, although the name Xiao Jian is destined to be forever sealed in the depths of my memory with the passage of time, I really can't say forget it, at least not at the moment. What's more, the biggest problem is no longer Xiao Jian, but the one who is at the pinnacle of power in this era.

"Seventh Brother ......" called him like this for the first time, it was very natural, there was no imaginary obstruction, as if he had been called like this eight hundred years earlier.

A smile overflowed from the corner of Yan Qixing's mouth and went straight into his eyes.

I hesitated, wondering whether to tell him about my plan, and if he did, he would have to face a choice, whether to continue to be his official and enjoy glory and wealth, or to wander the world with me, and probably live a life of being hunted down for the rest of his life.

I'm sure he'll choose the latter, but is that really what I'd like to see?

"Give me time, let me think about it. I had difficulty saying this. "When you return to Chang'an, I will give you the answer. ”

I can't make any decisions tonight.

Yan Qixing didn't force me, just said, "Okay, I'll wait for you." ”

The night is getting deeper, the autumn rain is gradually stopping, and I hope that maybe tomorrow, there will be a sunny day.