The Imperial Garden of the Imperial Palace, the lake is rippling with clear water, the plum blossoms on the central island are not left, the spring plum has been spouted, the snow is flying in the sky for days and days, the plum blossoms on the ground are dancing with the wind like snowflakes, several fine houses in the plum forest are simple and elegant, a plaque is hung in the middle, the title is the snow plum wind, the spring couplets on the porch pillar are somewhat old, and the handwriting of Juanxiu is like flowing water in the same way.

"The sparse plum remnants are not over in winter, and the wind and drizzle are coming in spring."

The crown prince walked with the old king in Merlin for a long time, and his mood gradually relaxed, but when he approached the house, he suddenly became sad again, and stared at the plaque couplet for a long time, and the old king did not say a word behind him.

"If the queen mother knows that Merlin is still the same, and the Spring Festival couplets in her handwriting have survived to this day, she must also feel relieved in the fairy mansion, father, even today, have you ever regretted the beginning?"

The prince did not look back, the words implied blame, the old king's eyes flashed, slowly paced to the door of the house, and rubbed the spring couplets with the palm of his hand.

"Back then, you also knew that there was no choice for your father. The old king pushed open the door, glanced at the familiar furnishings, but did not move forward, and stood in front of the door to comfort his beloved son, who still could not let go of his heart.

"Your mother persuaded me to give up the throne and retire to the mountains and forests with her, but when the sun set, the army was strong, and your uncles were good at fighting cocks and horses, playing the flute and playing the piano, and the splendid articles written were enough to be passed on to future generations, but if they wanted to lead the army to meet the enemy, they would only lose the lives of the soldiers, thinking that the father had to conquer himself. At that time, he had only been on the throne for two years, and the monarch was outside, and no cronies and important ministers stayed in the prison country. ”

The crown prince was excited, ignoring the etiquette of the monarch and ministers, and impulsively shouted to the old king: "But the queen mother has been depressed since then, and hates you for stealing her popularity and prestige in the clan and dyeing the lake next to Xuemei Island red with blood. Seven years, seven years of shame and shame, taking care of the interior of the empire for you, won the war, but what about the father, when the victory returned to the dynasty, the beautiful women were accompanied by the left and right, you had two more beautiful concubines, and I added two lovely brothers, but what about the queen mother, she couldn't afford to be sick, and died in just a few months, the queen mother-"

The prince's eyes were full of tears, and he hissed and yelled at the old king: "I would rather not have this Qinghui Empire, as long as my mother is alive, as long as my Ying'er is always with her knees, but what about you, you will not stop if you kill your mother, Ying'er is only twelve years old, you will send her to the children's camp, there are dozens of emperors and grandchildren, why choose her as a daughter's family!"

The hidden guards in Merlin quickly retreated when the prince cried, and no one wanted to hear the conversation between father and son, the more they knew about the secret past of the royal family, the faster they died. The secret guards were even more curious, why the prince, who had always been famous for his benevolence and filial piety, so that his brothers regarded him as weak, was so out of shape that he dared to shout at the old king.

The old king did not say a word, and let his son vent until his voice was hoarse, and then he walked over, and wanted to wipe his tears with his sleeve, but the prince turned his head away, unwilling to look at his father.

"Why did you choose her, Wang'er, do you really not understand, or don't want to understand?!" The old king was angry and heartbroken, and his voice also raised his voice: "You are the crown prince, the prince of the empire, and she is your only bloodline, and this reason is enough." ”

The conjecture in his heart was confirmed, and the prince's crying stopped, and he stood in place, without the slightest joy on his face, but even more melancholy, and couldn't help but turn his head, look at the silver-haired childish face, and hang his head and say nothing.

"To be honest, you've disappointed my father. The dignified crown prince, the only son of the queen, has been the regent of the country for six years, not only did he not cultivate the power of his cronies, but let your brothers become more and more arrogant, how can you rest assured that the empire will be entrusted to you after a hundred years of loneliness. In the court today, the Minister of Military Affairs seems to be debating military aircraft, and his heart is really punishable, doesn't he know that the Ministry of Civil Affairs does not have the consent of your prince, how dare he issue a general order to prepare for war in the whole country. Wang'er, he is tempting, testing the bottom line of your tolerance, and testing how far your father will protect you. ”

The crown prince listened attentively to his father's teachings, waited for the old king's words to pause, and explained in a low voice: "Father, the Minister of Military Affairs and the third brother are close, and the sons and daughters know it, but they can't just punish him for this, it will make the Manchu ministers feel cold, and it will attract the hatred of the third brother." ”

"Cold-hearted, punished! Why do you want to punish him, above the temple, generously speaking, for the peace of the empire, he will not hesitate to offend you, the prince, a rare loyal minister. ”

"Father-" The prince wanted to speak and stopped, and the old king saw the doubts in his son's heart, sighed and lowered his tone: "Don't worry, my father won't kill him, and killing the minister for no reason will make the civil and military generals chill." Isn't he getting close to your third brother, well, tomorrow you will pass on the edict of solitary order, add him the title of prince and princess, and go to inspect the border pass on your behalf to comfort the students, and the affairs of the Minister of Military Affairs are temporarily handled by the Minister of Civil Affairs. Let Gu see again, how will he, the Taibao, protect you. ”

"Father Xie, it's just Ying'er's business, is my father-"

"You have a weak personality, your father is over sixty years old, even if you have crossed the hurdle of the martial saint, and you have already passed the age of recruiting disciples of the immortal family, you will only live for decades, and your old age and declining spirit will eventually be limited, if you don't let her grow up earlier and have enough strength to protect your own safety, how can your father rest assured that you will be in charge of the empire, that throne is to suppress the corpse mountain and sea of blood, you will understand in the future. ”

"Ke Ying'er is in the Lingbo Standard Camp of Xiangyun County, and the retainer wants to recruit her back, and asks her father for permission, she is not yet sixteen years old, and she is not yet the age of imperial conscription. ”

The old king hesitated for a while, looked at the prince's haggard face, stared at the pleading in his eyes, and nodded helplessly: "Then recruit it back, alas, in fact, why don't you want Ying'er to grow up in the royal palace and be her imperial lord without worry, if you don't want to have any more heirs, you can only suffer her, I hope Ying'er will not complain about my grandfather in the future." ”

The crown prince was overjoyed, and was about to open his mouth to thank his father for his grace, when Merlin heard a secret guard report: "Your Majesty, the prince of the prince's mansion Ying County Lord asks to see you." ”

The father and son were stunned for a while, forgetting to reply, and when the secret guard reported for the second time, the old king ordered repeatedly: "Quick, quickly pass on Ying'er to meet you, and let the imperial kitchen prepare a banquet." Before the words fell, the prince had already strode towards Merlin, four years of separation, his beloved daughter returned today, and the worries caused by the regent of the prison country disappeared in an instant.

"Father-" The gentle instructor let the secret guard stop outside Merlin, Mei Ying ran to the depths of Merlin alone, and saw the prince running towards him from afar, his eyes were full of tears, and he ran away with a coquettish cry, and the father and daughter hugged each other and cried, and the old king rubbed his hands on the side to watch, and couldn't bear to alarm the father and daughter who had reunited after a long absence.

"Go and see Grandpa. The prince held back a thousand words, and pushed his beloved daughter to the old king's side, and Mei Ying was about to bow to the ground and bow, so the old king pulled it up, and the old face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"The three of them gossip, don't be polite, let grandpa see, hehe, the standard camp uniform, worn on my royal county lord, looks even more heroic. ”

"Thank you grandpa for your painstaking arrangement, Mei Ying was young and ignorant at the time, and she blamed her grandfather for a while, and asked her grandfather for forgiveness. ”

"Mei Ying?" The old king remembered Merlin's past, and then looked at the granddaughter in front of him and felt more relieved, the granddaughter grew up, and realized the hard work of the year, this surprise was more valuable than any gift, and said with a smile: "Don't blame grandpa, hehe, Mei Ying, you have a good name, follow your grandmother's surname." ”

Mei Ying shyly hugged her grandfather's arm and shook it, and whispered embarrassedly: "It's not that Ying'er doesn't want to use my royal surname, and it's not that she doesn't want to reveal her identity according to her grandfather's instructions." ”

"Who scolded grandpa back then, and left the palace and no longer had the surname Dugu. The old king made fun of his granddaughter, regardless of the prince's changing face, Mei Ying said coquettishly: "I said that I asked my grandfather to forgive my sins, and you also mentioned old trivial matters, besides, I am a hero, a heroic son and daughter of the Mei family." ”

"Dugu Ying, okay, grandpa changed the genealogy, just call Dugu Ying, I am the Dugu Royal Hero County Lord, hahaha. ”

The three ancestors and grandchildren gossip, the topic revolves around Mei Ying's four years of experience, the old king and the prince are shocked and happy, the prince has more murderous anger on his face, the old king's smile remains the same, but he hides a few names in his heart, I heard that Mei Ying went to the Remnant Soldier Academy for the New Year, the old king asked more and more details, and did not let go of every detail, almost let Mei Ying reveal her tone and expose her children's private affairs.

"Chain marksmanship, Hua Zizi's chain marksmanship is transferred to you, double-headed chain gun, show it to grandpa." ”

"I handed it over to the guards in front of the palace gate. "How can the palace carry a sword, the crime of an assassin, the county lord can't afford it, Mei Ying and the gentle instructor honestly handed over the soft whip and chain gun before entering the palace.

"It's grandpa who is happy and confused, hehe, come here, go to the palace gate and get the main blade of Yingjun. The Praetorian Guards were ordered that in the future, the lord of Ying County should enter the palace, and he was specially allowed to ride a horse in the palace, carry a sword with him, and no one should intercept and search without a lonely decree. ”

Riding a horse in the palace, wearing a sword, and sitting in the court, that is the royal family's additional grace to the ministers who have made great contributions to the empire, Qinghui Manchu Dynasty civil and military, now only two people have this honor, the prince and the minister of military order, and the minister of military order still does not enjoy the court will sit, Mei Ying is a county lord, and he is treated the same as him at a young age, the prince feels that it is too conspicuous, and he is busy persuading his father to take back his life.

Mei Ying rolled her eyes at her father unhappily and muttered, "The war horse blade is a samurai's companion, and I feel like a captive when I hand over the blade." Others may harbor evil intentions, my father is the prince, how can I do a great rebellion and thief. "It's a small voice, but it's just enough for Grandpa to hear clearly.

"Your father's prudence has become a habit, don't pay attention to him, grandpa's military orders remain unchanged, you are allowed to ride a horse in the palace, and carry a sword with you, if even you intend to assassinate, what fun does grandpa deserve as a king. ”

The prince said that I have been worried day and night for the past six years, lest I accompany the king like a tiger, and inadvertently invite disaster, this girl has been out for a few years, and her courage has become too big, and she can't stop her father's edict, so she retreats to the second: "That's grandpa's favor, it's good to know, and you have to follow the rules when you enter the palace." ”

Mei Ying pursed her lips and did not refute, the old king smiled secretly, the prince was cautious, he never dared to enjoy preferential treatment before he was imprisoned, this granddaughter was not afraid of heaven and earth, like her own style when she was young, if she can develop a decisive killing, it will just make up for the prince's weak character, which is a blessing for the royal family and the empire.

After the banquet was set up while speaking, the old king returned the double-ended chain gun to Mei Ying, and advised: "The lotus seed marksmanship is fierce and domineering, and it is really not easy to practice. ”

"Grandpa, the best cultivation is on the battlefield, I am a student soldier of the Lingbo Standard Battalion, and I still have two years to finish, so I have to go to the front line of Jicui City according to the order. ”

The knife and fork in the prince's hand fell, and he shouted angrily: "As the lord of the county, how can you go to the battle to fight, this matter must not be mentioned again, otherwise don't blame you for being grounded in the mansion." ”

"Father, just because I am the lord of the empire, I can't run away from the battle, the royal samurai, glory is higher than life, the mission of the nobles, the first thing is responsibility, if I become a deserter when the empire is facing a crisis, how to stand in the group of sisters and brothers in the future will only become their laughing stock. ”

The prince ignored it, and his attitude was extremely resolute: "Don't go, if you have three long and two short, how can I explain to your mother, she has been missing day and night in the past four years, and her condition has not improved, do you want to be an unfilial rebel!"

Thinking of the loving mother who had been sick and bedridden for a long time, she hurriedly visited, the mother and daughter didn't have time to say a few words, and left the prince's mansion, the tears in the corners of her mother's eyes broke Mei Ying's heart when she left, and she listened to her father's harsh reprimand, bowed her head to wipe away the tears on her face, and stubbornly raised her head to look at the silent grandfather, the old king of the Qinghui Empire.

"Grandpa, father, Ying'er also wants to be with her knees to be happy, but she was born in the emperor's family, and four years ago she went to the standard camp alone, wearing a military uniform, Mei Ying is an imperial soldier, and the military order is like a mountain, and you can't mess up the imperial law because of a county lord. I am a lonely royal family, and there is no shortage of dragons and phoenixes, but for many years when no one has been in the bleak cold land of Biansai, the imperial nobles will inevitably secretly laugh at my royal children and despise my royal might. Ying'er went to win and came back, who would dare to say that women are inferior to men, wouldn't my father's knot be untied for many years, if Ying'er went to die here, the imperial county lord who died at the border would only win the love of his subjects for my Dugu royal family and earn supreme glory for my mother. ”

The prince was silent when he heard this, how could he not understand the reason, if this matter spread in the future, how could his beloved daughter block the mouths of the people in the world, even if he ascended to the throne, how could his prestige serve the public, but the battlefield was dangerous, how could he rest assured that she would go, and he couldn't think of the best of both worlds for a while, so he looked at his father for help, hoping that he could come forward to persuade and use the king's authority to resolve the dilemma.

"Forty years ago, my grandfather led the troops to the border, and after seven years of fighting, he killed the sunset thief and sued for peace, winning decades of rare peace. If you go back more than ten years, grandpa will put on his horse and let them taste the evil consequences of provoking my Qinghui Empire again, but grandpa is old after all, and this war is being waged among the soldiers, and the regular armies of the three countries do not dare to enter the Sanzhi zone at will, and many fetters are entangled, and it is inconvenient for your father to lead the troops forward. ”

"Father-" The prince heard the attitude of the old king's words, and was shocked and couldn't help but stop him, that can still take care of the etiquette of the monarch and the minister, if the love of the daughter is in trouble, what joy will the couple have!

"Someone came, and the minister was ordered to enter the palace to see Lonely. ”

The old king gave an edict, turned his head to look at his granddaughter, his face was swept away, and he laughed loudly: "Ying'er don't worry, if you need it, just ask your father for it, I, the county lord of Qinghui Hall, how can I let the mercenaries be frightened." Wang Er also sent an order as soon as possible, the children of the nobles of Kyoto, whether they were royal or relatives, who were over 16 but under 20 years old, and who had never experienced the battle array, went to the border with the Kyoto standard camp, and if anyone dared to escape, the Inspectorate was listed and deprived of the qualification to inherit the title of noble, and they were not allowed to be officials for life. ”

"Thank you grandfather, and thank you father, Duguying will never insult my royal prestige. ”