Longtai competed with Xiao Shaozong Yizi, and the chessboard battle of wits was obviously very thoughtful.
After Qi Ning saw Long Tai make a move, Xiao Shaozong pondered for a long time, just staring at the chessboard without making a move, thinking that Long Tai's chess skills were not weak at all, so Xiao Shaozong didn't know how to deal with it for a while.
He couldn't help but look at Xiao Shaozong, only to find that Xiao Shaozong's face was a little pale. What surprised Qining even more was that there was blood overflowing from Xiao Shaozong's nostrils, but Longtai and Xiao Shaozong both stared at the chessboard and seemed not to notice.
"Your Majesty!" Qi Ning hurriedly reminded him. Xiao Shaozong raised his head slightly and looked at Qi Ning. At this time, Long Tai also saw Xiao Shaozong bleeding from his nose, and said anxiously: "Come here, please announce the imperial doctor!"
Xiao Shaozong realized something at this time. He raised his hand and wiped his nostril with a finger. The finger was immediately stained with blood. He took a look and smiled very calmly. He took a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped his nostril. It's just that the blood in his nostrils keeps flowing out, and it can't be wiped clean for a while.
He raised his head slightly to prevent his nose from bleeding too quickly. At this time, the eunuch had already gone to find the imperial doctor. Longtai had already stood up and frowned.
"Your Majesty, don't worry." Xiao Shaozong covered his nose with a handkerchief and said softly, "I'm used to it now. It won't be a serious problem."
At this time, a eunuch brought hot water in to clean Xiao Shaozong's blood. Xiao Shaozong stood up and took only two steps, but his figure began to shake and was on the verge of falling. Qin Ning had quick eyes and quick hands and stepped forward to help him. If it was a moment later, Xiao Shaozong must have fallen to the ground.
Xiao Shaozong's face turned even paler at this time. He glanced at Qi Ning and forced a smile. Long Tai had already ordered: "Hurry and help the prince to rest in the ancient training hall."
Several people helped Xiao Shaozong to the ancient training hall next to the imperial study room. There was a couch here. After helping Xiao Shaozong onto the couch, Xiao Shaozong's chest and skirt were already stained with blood, but his expression was still very calm and he said: "Thank you. ." But he closed his eyes and Longtai ordered: "Come here, help the prince clean up first."
Several eunuchs crowded forward. Qi Ning looked at Xiao Shaozong who was lying on the couch with a complicated look on his face, but he didn't hesitate. He put his hands behind his back and walked out of the ancient training hall. Qi Ning followed behind. Long Tai didn't say a word. He went back to the imperial study and stood beside the chess game, silently.
Qi Ning stood on Long Tai, unable to speak for a moment. After a while, Long Tai walked to the chair and sat down. He glanced at Qi Ning and raised his hand to signal Qi Ning to sit down next to him.
After Qi Ning sat down, Long Taicai sighed: "His body is getting weaker day by day, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on for long."
Qi Ning was slightly frightened and asked: "Your Majesty, could it be...?" But he did not continue. Longtai knew what he was going to say, nodded slightly and said: "The prince is terminally ill and his time is short."
When Qi Ning was at Daguangming Temple, he heard that Xiao Shaozong suffered from a strange disease, and once it struck, he would go crazy. He always thought that Xiao Shaozong had a mental problem, similar to indirect mental illness, but when Long Tai told him, he It was really surprising to know that Xiao Shaozong was suffering from a terminal illness.
"Your Majesty, what kind of terminal illness is this? Is it incurable?" Qining asked.
Longtai shook his head slightly and said: "His disease had already occurred many years ago. At that time, he asked the imperial doctors with superb medical skills to see the disease, but they were unable to do anything. The King of Huainan also secretly searched for some powerful doctors among the people, but to no avail. This The symptoms are getting worse year by year. Earlier, the Imperial Hospital had secretly reported to me that the prince would not survive a year."
Qining thought that Xiao Shaozong was a relative of the emperor. As the King of Huainan, if he wanted to treat his son's illness, he would of course try his best to find any Xinglin masters he could find. After so many years, Xiao Shaozong still couldn't be cured, so then It shows that his terminal illness is indeed no trivial matter.
"The Emperor seems to have a very good relationship with...the Crown Prince." Qining whispered.
Longtai sighed: "I was born in the royal family and grew up in the palace. Apart from eunuchs and maids, I had few people to talk to. Later, I started studying. My father specially ordered the prince of Huainan to come to the palace to study with me. The prince was better than me. He is older, and he is gifted and has a photographic memory. It will naturally be of great benefit to me to have him by my side as a reading companion."
Qi Ning understood a little bit and said: "In this way, the prince and the emperor can be regarded as classmates."
"Classmate?" Longtai was stunned, then smiled and said: "You can say that, but I regard him as a teacher in my heart. Not only does he accompany me to study, but in this palace, he is the only one who plays with me and does not treat me as a teacher. Not as a prince, but as a playmate of brothers." He smiled and said with emotion: "You don't know, when he was young, he sometimes annoyed me, and I even started to fight with him. Although I am a few years younger than him, he I have been weak since I was young, and even if I start a fight, I am not inferior to him, and both of us are often left with bruises and bruises."
Qining laughed, thinking that young people don't know what it's like to be sad. At that time, the two young people had a sincere relationship, and they formed a deep friendship.
"Sometimes he is hurt by my beatings and will not enter the palace for ten days and a half, avoiding me. When he is not here, I miss him in my heart, and I will have someone bring him to the palace for a day or two. Then they reconciled." Longtai said with emotion: "Later he got sick, so he came to the palace much less often. In recent years, he only came to the palace once a month."
Qi Ning whispered: "Your Majesty, what about King Huainan...?"
"He is different from the King of Huainan." Longtai shook his head and said: "I grew up with him. He was indifferent and had no desire to compete. And...!" His expression was slightly gloomy: "He was seriously ill and died soon. I won't argue about anything anymore." He pondered for a moment, then waved his hands and said: "Let's not talk about this anymore. By the way, Qining, you did a good job on this errand. I am happy in my heart. Tell me, what reward do you want? I will reward you well next time."
Qi Ning said with a bitter face: "Your Majesty, I'm actually a little tight on money recently. If it's... if it's convenient for you, just give me a few thousand taels of gold."
"Don't talk about gold and silver with me." Longtai rolled his eyes and said, "Don't you feel ashamed when you talk about these vulgar things?" He smiled, calmed down, and then whispered: "Do you know Bei Prince Beitang Yu of the Han Dynasty has fallen into our hands? This person was hiding in our Chu Kingdom in disguise, but his whereabouts were revealed, and he was captured by the people of Shenhou Mansion and brought back to the capital."
Qi Ning chuckled and said: "Your Majesty, this is a happy event, but I still have something happy to report. Your Majesty will probably be very happy after hearing this."
"Oh?" Long Tai leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "What's the happy event?"
"Does the Emperor know that civil strife has broken out in the Northern Han Dynasty?" Qi Ning said: "Beitang Huan died, and his sons are now fighting fiercely to inherit the throne."
Longtai laughed, and then whispered: "I have been reported earlier, and it is for this reason that Beitang Yu is very important to us. Beitang Yu is the prince of the Northern Han Dynasty and knows the situation in the Northern Han Dynasty best. If he If you are willing to cooperate with us, we can know more about the situation in Beihan."
"Does Your Majesty know that Beitang Yu, the fourth prince of the Northern Han Dynasty, is traveling with Beitang Feng?" Qi Ning said solemnly: "This person escaped pursuit when he was in Xiangyang."
Longtai nodded and said, "Yes, Beitang Feng and Beitang Yu were together, but they broke out and no trace of them was found."
"I found them." Qi Ning said: "And if nothing else happens, Beitang Feng is now on his way to Xianyang."
"Xianyang?" Longtai thought for a while and understood: "Xianyang is guarded by Qu Yuangu over there. Qu Yuangu should be from Beitangfeng...!" While thinking about it, Qining already said: "It's Beitangfeng." Tang Feng’s uncle.”
"That's right." Long Tai nodded and said: "Now the only ones in the Northern Han Dynasty who have the strength to compete for the throne are Lao Si Beitang Feng, Lao Wu Beitang Liang and Lao Liu Beitang Sheng. But as far as I know, when Beitang Huan was alive, , Beitang Feng is very favored, and Xianyang is guarded by Qu Yuangu, who is Beitang Feng's biggest backer." Looking at Qi Ning, he asked doubtfully: "Yes, how do you know that Beitang Feng is going to Xianyang? "
Qi Ning naturally did not hide anything, and immediately recounted what happened in Xiangyang in outline, fearing that others would hear him, so he spoke very quietly.
Longtai heard that Qining had disguised himself as the leader of the Beggar Clan to attend the Aoki Conference, and even took the position of the leader of the Beggar Clan. He opened his eyes wide and felt that it was incredible. When Qining finished speaking, Longtai opened his mouth and said no for a moment. After speaking for a while, he suddenly slapped a hand on Qining's shoulder and shouted: "Grandma, are you telling the truth?"
Qi Ning said with a bitter face: "How dare you lie to the emperor? Your Majesty, I have suffered a lot this time. Do you think...!" Before he could finish speaking, Long Tai had already laughed and said: "Interesting, Qi. Ning, it’s so interesting. It’s a pity that I can’t go with you. By the way, no one could recognize you at that time?”
Qi Ning chuckled and said: "If the emperor doesn't believe it, I will go find that disguise master someday and I can disguise myself for the emperor."
"Okay." Long Tai laughed and said, "You kid, you have accomplished a lot of great things this time." Then he frowned and said, "You said that Lu Shanghe was rescued by someone and disappeared. Who is he? made?"
"Your Majesty, Lu Shanghe and Bai Hu want to usurp the position of the leader of the Beggar Clan. If they are not mistaken, they must have a huge conspiracy." Qi Ning said seriously: "What they want to do may even endanger the imperial court and plan these conspiracies. Yes, he should be the person who rescued Lu Shanghe. That person is extremely skilled in martial arts and may even be a great master."
Longtai also looked solemn and said: "Last time I asked Zhu Qianyi to keep an eye on Lu Shanghe secretly, he probably didn't find out the real culprit behind the scenes. I know that there are five great masters in the world, but I told the master and me that those few Everyone is aloof from the world and will not interfere in worldly affairs...who would come out to cause trouble?"
Qi Ning knew that Master Xiang that Longtai was talking about was the palace swordsman Xiang Tianbei, and said softly: "Your Majesty, if it is really the grand master who is planning behind the scenes, things will be a bit tricky."
"It is indeed a bit tricky." Long Tai nodded slightly and said: "But the whereabouts of Lu Shanghe must be found." He added: "If Beitang Feng successfully reaches Xianyang, Qu Yuangu will definitely raise troops under the banner of Beitang Feng. If so, It is a great good thing for our Da Chu." He stood up and walked to the chess game that he had not finished playing with Xiao Shaozong again, and murmured: "I hope God will bless me, Da Chu!"