After a long time, Duan Baiyue took his hand back and put the box in the cabinet without opening it.
Duan Yao leaned on the crack of the door and peeked nervously, until she was sure that her brother was really sleeping, not secretly weeping or crying, and then slipped out of the courtyard lightly.
Although he had been in seclusion for three years, he did not hold a reunion feast when he returned home. Only Aunt Jin made a few dishes that he liked on weekdays and brought them to the small dining room.
Nan Moxie opened the door with a jar of wine.
Duan Baiyue put down his chopsticks.
Nan Mo wickedly said: "Why, even the master doesn't want to see him?"
"After staying in that dark cave for three years, it's really uncomfortable to come out." Duan Baiyue smiled bitterly.
"After ten days and a half months, I gradually get used to it." Nan Moxie sat opposite him, "Yunguang three years ago was just taken out of the wine cellar. This is the last jar."
"Where's Feixia?" Duan Baiyue asked.
"I sent it to Wangcheng two years ago." Nan Mo said evilly, "After drinking it, I have nothing to think about."
Duan Baiyue nodded: "Thank you, Master."
Nan Moxie poured a bowl of wine for him: "The little emperor is really amazing. For three years, he has worked hard to improve laws and reduce taxes, and the lives of the people are getting better every day. It won't take long for this big Chu to be written in the history books. In the same way, in the prosperous world, all nations will come to congratulate you."
Duan Baiyue laughed dumbly: "Master can still read history books?"
Nan Moye: "..."
What kind of apprentice is this
"He doesn't have to be under my protection all the time. He has never let go before, but he just can't bear it." Duan Baiyue said, "This time is just right."
Nan Moxie reminded: "When the New Year is turned over, the three-year contract expires. If you refuse to return to the royal city for a long time, he will definitely go south in person. Have you thought about how to deal with it?"
Duan Baiyue said: "It's better to avoid it."
Nan Moxie sighed, sure enough.
"After all, he is the king of a country. No matter how big things happen, it is impossible to live in the southwest for a lifetime." Duan Baiyue said, "Besides, according to his thoughts, letters have become less and less in the past three years. He should have guessed it long ago. Some things." It won't be too sudden until the day of parting.
Nan Moxie comforted: "If Tianchensha—"
"Master." Duan Baiyue interrupted him and whispered, "No need to say."
"Never mind." Nan Moxie sighed and touched the bowl with him, "I will accompany you to get drunk today as a teacher."
Duan Baiyue raised his head and drank it, his heart was utterly cold.
After the five-color Laba porridge was eaten, it was New Year's Eve. Compared with the past, the Southwest House is much more lively this year, with red lanterns hanging everywhere, in order to remove bad luck. Even the purple toad was wrapped in a red ribbon, croaking in the courtyard, looking really festive.
Many of the servants in the house have been dismissed in the past two years, and the old ones are all left behind. Jin Niang still lives in the mansion, her son is three or four years old, he can run and jump, and adults like to rush to hug him. As for why the prince became reclusive after leaving the customs, and why he had to wear a mask at all times, everyone tacitly did not ask, but only said that the prince was back, which would be better than anything else.
Duan Baiyue sat in the garden for a while, and just wanted to go back to her room when she got up, but Duan Yao ran over, followed by Zhao Wu, Hua Tang, and Nan Moxie, hula-la.
"Brother, brother." Duan Yao was panting.
"What's wrong?" Duan Baiyue frowned.
Everyone didn't speak.
Duan Yao looked into his eyes before saying cautiously, "The emperor is here."
Duan Baiyue had a bang in his head.
Duan Yao stammered again and asked, "What, what should I do?" It should be at least until the end of the new year before leaving, and it will take a few more months on the road, and it will not arrive until late spring and early summer. But I didn't expect it would come years ago, this...
Duan Baiyue asked, "Where are the people?"
Duan Yao quickly replied: "At the gate of the city, it is estimated that he will arrive at the palace in half an hour. There are no other officials, only a dozen shadow guards, and Duan Nian seems to have not returned."
"Big brother." Xiao Wu asked tentatively, "Can you... go see the emperor?"
Duan Baiyue shook his head.
Duan Yao still wanted to speak, but was pinched on the back by Nan Moxie, so she shut up.
"I'll go to the back mountain first." Duan Baiyue said, "Just do as I said earlier."
Duan Yao raised her hand: "Well, I'm going to the back mountain too." I can't even think about what will happen in a while, so it's better to stay away.
Watching Duan Baiyue and Duan Yao leave, Hua Tang frowned slightly and looked at Zhao Wu.
"You guys should stay away for a while." Nan Moxie waved his hand, "After all, there are two levels of identities, so it's not easy to get involved in Chasing Shadow Palace."
"It's not a long way from Wangcheng to come here, the emperor is afraid that he wants to pick up the big brother out of the customs." Huatang said, "But this time..."
"Otherwise, what else can be done." Nan Moxie shook his head, "Be ruthless and cut the mess with a quick knife, even if it bleeds, it's better than cutting it slowly with one knife at a time."
Huatang was speechless.
That's true, but it's kind of cruel.
Zhao Wu took her shoulder with one hand and sighed deeply in his heart.
During the New Year, the streets are always lively. Chu Yuan rolled over and dismounted, looking at the imposing Southwest Mansion in front of him, but for a while he didn't even have the courage to climb the steps.
"This son, do you want to buy a marriage card?" A small businessman smiled and sold it. "It's a good sapphire. Give it to your sweetheart to get a good luck, and you will be able to tie the knot in the coming year."
Chu Yuan smiled and handed him a piece of broken silver.
"Many thanks, son, thank you son." The little guy happily took out the best looking one from the basket and sent it to him, "Young Master is a friend of the King of Southwest, right? I see you standing here all the time."
Chu Yuan nodded: "Well."
"Then go in quickly, it's cold outside, and I'm going home for a reunion dinner." The little shopkeeper was very enthusiastic, "My son hears that his accent is a foreigner, so you can have a good time here in Dali City for a few days. Although the place is small, it is There are views like nowhere else.”
Chu Yuan nodded: "Thank you."
The little trader carried the burden and hummed a folk song all the way home. Chu Yuan looked at the marriage card in his hand, stepped forward and tapped the copper ring lightly.
The person who opened the door was Nan Moye.
"Senior." Chu Yuan looked at him, "Long time no see."
"Your Majesty." Nan Mo smiled evilly, "I was thinking of going out of the city to meet me, but I didn't expect to arrive this time."
"Master Nan is joking." Chu Yuan entered the door, "According to the eyeliner that the Southwest House has placed in this city, I'm afraid the news will have been sent back an hour ago."
Nan Moxie coughed twice and turned to close the door.
Chu Yuan asked straight to the point: "What about others?"
Nanmo evilly said: "I'm still practicing in the back mountain."
Chu Yuan said: "When will you leave the customs?"
Nan Moxie was extremely calm: "Five years later."
Chu Yuan said: "Five years?"
"Yeah." Nan Moxie replied eloquently, "When I was practicing, I accidentally made a mistake in my practice, so it took five years, or six years, or even longer." It was very unlucky to hear it.
"I came here this time because I just want to know the whole thing." Chu Yuan was not angry, and even forced a smile, but he couldn't hide the bitterness between his brows, "It's been three years, it's time to say it, right? "
Nan Moye said sincerely: "It's really another five years."
"Senior has figured it out." Chu Yuan raised his eyes and looked at him, "If it takes five years, then I will go back and wait another five years, and if there is an accident after five years, I will wait another ten years, twenty years, thirty years. If he wants to stay in the ice room all his life, I will wait for him in Wangcheng for the rest of his life, but does this really have to be the case?"
Nan Moxie opened his mouth and said, "Ah."
"Excuse me." Chu Yuan said, "Five years is fine, it's not too long, I just continue to wait."
Nan Moye: "..."
"Farewell." Chu Yuan's tone was calm, and he turned and walked out.
This... Nan Moxie gritted his teeth in his heart, and then stopped the person: "The emperor should forget it."
"Senior is finally willing to say it?" Chu Yuan did not turn his head, but his shoulders trembled slightly.
"Tianchensha is useless, I can't untie the golden silkworm thread." Nan Mo evilly said, "Use the Bodhi Heart Sutra to save one's life in a desperate attempt. In this life, the sun will never be seen again. The seven emotions and six desires of children are long, so they can only give up."
Chu Yuan clenched his fists, as if trying to calm himself down: "Why?"
Nanmo evil said: "The Bodhicitta Heart Sutra is a southwestern evil art. If you practice it, your appearance will be completely ruined, and you will be half human and half ghost."
"What if you ruin your face?" Chu Yuan turned around, his eyes flushed, "What about half-human and half-ghost? Does it matter?"
"There is poison in the blood, so the golden silkworm thread can be removed." Nan Mo said evilly, "The Southwest Mansion is a den of poison, but if ordinary people encounter it, they will not live long after a long time. How could he be willing to harm him? you."
Chu Yuan's voice was hoarse: "I just want to see him once."
"What can we do when we meet each other." Nan Moxie sighed, "The fate is determined by God, and no one can change it. The emperor should return to the royal city earlier, don't wait any longer, forget it. Forget him, maybe I The foolish apprentice can still feel better."
"Forget it?" Chu Yuan wanted to tell that person face to face, how, bit by bit, over the past thousand days and nights, he had thought over and over again about the situation between the two of them before, for fear that he would miss half of it.
It has long been engraved into the bones and flesh, how to forget, how to forget
"Your Majesty." Nan Mo said evilly, "Please come back."
"Senior, please tell me." Chu Yuan's eyes were bloodshot, "I can wait for three years, and I can wait for thirty years. If he wants to hide for a lifetime, I will wait for him for a lifetime. Whoever dies first will win."
Nan Moye was stunned: "Why is this, Your Majesty?"
"On the way to the Southwest Mansion, I met a team of assassins." There was a trembling in Chu Yuan's voice, "I don't know who sent it, the kung fu is not low, the big inner shadow guards were retreating, and finally Duan Nian shot. , only to repel him, but he himself was injured and is still recuperating in Moonlight City."
Nan Moxie didn't speak.
"For so many years, I have relied on his protection to be less anxious when doing things, and even do whatever I want." Chu Yuan said, "Now that things have turned around, he doesn't want to rely on his likes, preferring to avoid them. ."
Nan Moye asked, "How about meeting each other?"
"At least I can tell him personally that some things are really not that important." Chu Yuan smiled, "If I have poison on my body, I will stay away from him, and I should eat at a table for one person. If my appearance is ruined, I like it. What are others doing? I said earlier that in another twenty years, I will give up this world and return to Dali to see the flowers and the sea. Now the descendants of several uncles have already entered the palace, but the Southwest Mansion does not want me anymore. , how can there be such a reason in the world?"
"Your Majesty." Nan Moxie felt a pain in his heart.
"I just got out of the customs, I will not be able to think about it, I know." Chu Yuan's mood seemed calm as usual, "It's okay, I just said it, at least 20 years, it's nothing, just continue to wait."
Nan Moxie opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say.
"Excuse me." Chu Yuan wrapped his cloak tightly, his face pale, "Farewell."
Nan Moxie watched people leave, but felt that his walking posture was a bit wrong, as if his leg was injured.
Thinking of the assassination he just said, Nan Moxie slapped his head fiercely and hurried to the back mountain.