It was early in the winter in the capital, and when it was still drizzling in the south, it was already snowing in the capital. Today on the winter solstice, the whole city is covered with goose feather snow, the sky and the earth are white, the air is refreshingly cold, and the whole cavity seems to be frozen with just one breath.
Xia Houlin let go of the office and walked towards the door with a group of brothers shoulder to shoulder. They got on the horse, disappeared into the wind and snow in the blink of an eye, and Xia Houlin walked home. In fact, he also had a horse, which was given to him by Shen Jue, a good Mongolian horse. But he doesn't have a cent left on his monthly salary until the end of the month. It's enough to buy horse grass. He can't afford a saddle at all.
The ice and snow hit his face, and he stabbed his collar like a knife in the wind. Xia Houlin walked while rubbing his hands, thinking of Shen Jue.
The end of the year was approaching, and Shen Jue was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground. He was asked to intervene in all the plans of the Ministry of Officials, offering sacrifices to heaven in the suburbs, and feasting in the Hall of the First on the first lunar month. Shen Jue had been living in the palace for nearly half a month, and Xiahou Lin rarely saw him once. After living for more than 24 years, the twelfth lunar month of this year turned twenty-five years ago, Xiahou Lian tasted lovesickness for the first time. He went to Lianxiang's to eat and talk every day. In fact, he wanted to try his luck to see if he could see Shen Jue. As a result, he met Shen Jue once. Just wait and don't make trouble." He returned to the palace again.
Halfway through the road, I caught a glimpse of a wine shop. Xiahou Rin wanted to go in and make two jugs of wine. A carriage drove over and stopped beside him. A plain chariot and a white horse, with a light on the lintel of the chariot, blocking the darkening night, revealing a small clear light. Shen Wenxing sat on the side of the driver, beckoning to him. Shen Jue lifted the curtain, revealing half of his face, and greeted, "Come up."
Xia Houlin was pleasantly surprised, but his face didn't show, he climbed into the carriage according to his words and sat face to face with Shen Jue.
"Why are you free to leave the palace today? Don't you want to have a banquet in the palace?"
It was dark in the carriage, and Xia Houlin couldn't see his face clearly, but he could only hear the irritability in his words, "Don't worry, come out and take a breath. The most important thing in the palace is people, I don't have to do everything myself."
"Alright," Xia Houlin said, "it's time to take a break, don't tire yourself out."
The carriage walked leisurely, and the ground was uneven and bumpy. Shen Jue leaned his head against the perimeter of the car and closed his eyes, while Xiahou Lin looked at him quietly, although there was only a vague outline in the dim light, it was still beautiful. The moon came out, the carriage drove into the street at the entrance of his hutong, the night market opened on the winter solstice, and there was a lot of people along the way. Xia Houlin lifted the curtain and looked at it. The moonlight mixed with the lights of the car lintel came in. Xia Houlin turned his head and saw a bruise on the corner of Shen Jue's forehead.
"What's wrong with your forehead?" Xia Houlin asked.
Shen Jue opened his eyes and said casually, "If you're not careful, you fell."
Can you fall while walking? Xia Houlin thought it was strange, but he didn't ask any more questions. He was speechless all the way. When he got home, Xia Houlin was about to get off the bus. It only took half a month to see such a good time, and he was actually reluctant. Xia Houlin said goodbye to Shen Jue and jumped out of the carriage. The moonlight shone on the snow, and it was white and bright. He took a few steps and stepped on a few deep and shallow footprints. Do you want to keep him? Originally, he was able to say it very smoothly in the past, without changing his face or heartbeat, but now that he has moved his mind, everything is different, and he can't say a word.
By the end of the year, Shen Jue will only get busier and busier, so why don't you see each other every two weeks? Xia Houlin finally made up his mind, turned around and called "Young Master", just at this moment, he also heard Shen Jue calling him from the carriage. The two calls collided, and it was not clear who called first.
"What's the matter?" Shen Jue asked him through the window.
"It's nothing," Xia Houlin said. "This winter solstice, why don't we have a drink together? There is a top restaurant in front of you, and you can see the street view from the second floor. Would you like to come?"
"Row."
Shen Jue also got off the carriage, wrapped in a thick cloak and holding a stove in his hand. Shen Wenxing lit a lamp for them, entered the restaurant, and asked for a private room facing the street. Shen Jue went to change clothes first, and Xia Houlin and Shen Wenxing were waiting at the door.
Xia Houlin tilted his head and asked Shen Wenxing, "The governor doesn't seem to be in a good mood?"
President Shen Wen made an "uh" sound and said, "I don't dare to guess what my godfather is thinking. Master Xiahou, you can ask your godfather yourself."
What he said was concealed, Xia Houlin noticed that there was something tricky, and asked, "What's the matter with the green patch on the forehead of the Governor?"
Shen Wenxing scratched his temples and said, "What else can happen, Godfather, the old man didn't pay attention when he walked, and he fell."
These eunuchs never write a draft when they lie, they can make up a series with their mouths open. The ground is full of snow slag, how could it be possible to drop such a big piece of green? Xia Houlin knocked on his forehead and said, "Tell me the truth."
Shen Wenxing said with a bitter face: "Godfather won't let me say it."
Xia Houlin carried his collar to the edge of a water tank, pressed his head and threatened: "If you don't tell me, don't tell me I'll throw you in."
Shen Wenxing hugged Xia Houlin's waist and didn't dare to move, and said bitterly: "It was Your Majesty who smashed it. Today was originally going to be a prayer banquet, but His Majesty stayed in the leopard room and refused to leave. Godfather knelt down and asked His Majesty to go to school, you know, His Majesty is still a child, with a big temper, he will make trouble when he doesn't care about it, and smash things. Godfather is also unlucky. It just happened that a handle flew out and hit his forehead, isn't it blue?"
It turned out to be so. Xia Houlin let go and sighed with dry brows. No wonder he came out of the palace. Dareqing was beaten on the forehead by the little emperor. Also, with such an identity, what does he look like with a head full of youth? Show a joke.
Shen Wenxing started, and the old man sighed desolately: "This time is different from the past, the godfather is determined to be a loyal minister. A few days ago, the procuratorate impeached Master Jinyiwei Tongzhi Liu for accepting bribes. Hundred taels of silver, if it was in the past, it would be enough to teach him a few lessons, but now the godfather has directly dismissed his official. It is easy to dismiss the official, but who is willing to work for the people who have no money? Well, if you want him to stop at once, cutting people's fortunes is equivalent to killing people!"
"Are they going to leave the overseer?" Xia Houlin asked.
"It's hard to say." Shen Wenxing shook his head with drooping eyebrows, "Yuanfu is going to reform the law, and the first one is to abolish redundant officials, and Dongchang is also included. He cut his own wings again, how can this be good? Next to Your Majesty, there is a new saint named Gao Decai, who sees the heaven and earth urging His Majesty to set up the West Factory. Fortunately, the ministers in the past few days have been arguing about removing the empress from the jade. His Majesty was removed from his name, and he was not even allowed to enjoy the Taimiao Temple. His Majesty also relied on his godfather to mediate with his ministers, so he did not let go. Otherwise, our life would be even more difficult than now."
"Shen Wenxing, don't you want your mouth?"
Suddenly, Shen Jue's voice sounded from behind, Shen Wenxing gave a shock, and hurriedly slapped his waist and mouth, "Son talk too much! Son deserves a fight!"
Xiahou Rin restrained him and said, "I asked him to say."
Shen Jue took a look at Shen Wenxing, and walked into the house with his sleeves. Xia Houlin gave Shen Wenxing a piece of silver, told him it was okay, let him buy wine and drink, followed Shen Jue into the door and closed the door.
Shen Jue had already changed out of his official uniform, dressed in his usual jade-colored auspicious cloud, and straightened his body with dark lines, leaning against the rhombus window, looking at the bustling street below. There were shouts and shouts in the street, one after another, and a whole line of lanterns hung up. Shen Jue didn't look at Xia Houlin, and only said: "You don't need to worry about those things, I care about it myself."
"I know. You can do it if you think you should, and I won't advise you." Xiahou Lan opened two pots of wine and handed one to Shen Jue. The two touched the wine pot and took a sip each. "Does your forehead still hurt?" Xia Houlin asked him.
Shen Jue shook her head to say it didn't hurt, and added, "Actually, I came out today to tell you something. I've thought about it for a long time, but I still think it's good. There is a vacant seat for a thousand households in Taizhou Wei, so you can pack your luggage tomorrow. Go there and take office."
Xia Houlin was stunned for a moment and asked, "What do you mean?"
Shen Jue frowned and said: "What's the point, let you go to Taizhou Wei to work. You are in the Dongchang factory, and it's not a problem to be an unprofessional person all day long. A manly man, you have to have a serious job. You have fought in Taizhou, and you are familiar with it. The Japanese pirates are pretty much leveled there. You only need to go there to suppress a few bandits and make a little merit. If you have merit, you will be promoted. Talking about your gossip, if you come back to Beijing to take up a post, you will be a serious military attache."
Xia Hourong wanted to speak, but Shen Jue raised his hand to restrain him, and continued: "At the end, slowly draw a line with me and go to Qingliu to make some friends. After a long time, no one will remember that you were with me. It's been done under my hands."
Xiahou laughed angrily and said, "Then what? I'm an official in the same dynasty as you, and I'll meet each other, and I'll pretend to have no friendship. I'll call you the factory master respectfully, and ask if you're eating well in the morning, right?"
"A-Lian," Shen Jue softened his tone when he saw that he was unhappy, "This is for your own good. It's not easy to wear a gelding dog's hat, you have a serious official position yourself, you can protect yourself, and you can help both in the open and in secret. me, isn't it?"
What help? All coaxing. Xia Houlin also frowned. When he frowned, there was a suffocating aura between his brows, which made people dare not approach. Shen Jue sighed, his brows showed exhaustion, and he called out again, "A-Lian."
"You don't want me to help you, but you are afraid that if you fall, you will kill me too." Xia Houlin said.
Shen Jue was silent, he shook the jug, and the smoke of Su Hexiang came up from the square table, enveloping his face, hazy, and he couldn't see his expression clearly.
"A-Mang, this is for your own good." Shen Jue put the wine jug on the windowsill and pressed his eyebrows, "Do you know what happened to the past dynasties of the Dongchang factory supervisor? The most recent one, Weide, was killed by me. The other one, because he bought a mansion that was said to be a king, lost his holy favor and was banished to Nanjing by Emperor Muzong, and died inexplicably on the way. There is also Liu Yao, who was famous in the Jinghe period, who served as the factory superintendent for eight years and dismounted. At that time, Ling Chi will be executed." He paused, looked up at Xiahou Lin from the misty smoke, his face neither sad nor happy, "I can't escape either, A Lin."
"Really?" Xia Houlin stretched out his hand and held Shen Jue's hand lightly. He has always been like this. This is the root of the disease that fell from kneeling in the snow when he was a child. His body temperature is always lower than ordinary people, and he is most afraid of the cold. Xia Houlin put his hand in his palm to warm it, and said slowly, "I don't seem to have told you that I became Garuda before I left Garan." A single person is the killing of the heart. Do you know what happened to the Garudas in the past? My mother was the Garuda of the twenty-eighth generation. The hand was cut by the pulling wire, and it was broken into pieces. The twenty-sixth generation Garuda Soma died in the Garan Rebellion. He was probably hacked to death by a random knife. I can't remember the previous ones, but it was nothing. Good end."
"You're different, Ah Lian, you're no longer Garuda."
"But I'm Xia Houlin," Xia Houlin shook his hand, "You are so strange, young master, you worked so hard to get me back, but you always wanted to push me away, and it was also this time last time. Don't push my young master away, how many times do you want me to tell you before you understand, Xia Houlin's life is yours, even if this road leads to destruction, I will walk with you."