When they parted from each other, Duan Ling rode a horse, walked side by side with Yelu Zongzhen, left Ye City along the west gate, and came to the hilly area where he and Wu Du entered the city.
It snowed last night. The rolling hills and mountains were covered with snow and became very beautiful. It seemed that once the desolate wilderness was covered by heavy snow, it would never be seen again.
Duan Ling and Yelu Zongzhen came to the end of the hill. After passing this area, the plains and rifts were in the distance. Walking along the official road, he would enter Shanxi County in three days.
The wind blows the snowfield, the tributaries of the Xunshui freeze into ice, and the pale sun shines on the glaciers that stretch for thousands of miles.
"Send you a thousand miles, and we must say goodbye." Duan Ling stopped by the river, and complex feelings surged in his heart.
"You have one more thing to do." Finally, Yelu Zongzhen said to Duan Ling.
"I understand." Duan Ling replied.
He knew this would be the most important thing - he had to try to convince Lang Junxia to regain his crown in the near future.
It was also one of the memories he was most reluctant to face.
"If I'm not mistaken," Yelu Zongzhen said, "you haven't looked for him in the past few days."
"You guessed right." Duan Ling said helplessly, "If we didn't look alike at all, I would almost suspect that you were also born to my father."
Yeluzong laughed out loud. Although Duan Ling's words were very rude, Yeluzong really understood what he meant.
"If it wasn't for you and Batu, who had become An Da." Yelu Zong was really funny, "I would like to bow down to the sky and worship the earth with you, and become friends of eight worship."
Duan Ling said: "I didn't have a brother since I was a child. I don't even dare to think about having a brother like you."
"You are like a piece of beautiful jade. I wouldn't dare to think of a younger brother like you." Yelu Zongzhen put his hand on Duan Ling's shoulder, and the setting sun stretched their figures and cast them on the surface of the glacier. The two remained silent. .
Duan Ling thought to himself, even if Batu and I are both An Da, I would really like to become brothers with you, but Yelu Zong is really not Batu, they still represent two countries, feelings return to feelings, state affairs return to state affairs, and they know each other well. Apparently, if everyone is ordinary people, it doesn't matter.
But Yelu Zong really didn't say that, so Duan Ling didn't mention it again, knowing each other clearly, that's enough.
"Did you say this is the last of our lives?" Duan Ling asked with a smile.
"I hope so." Yelu Zongzhen replied.
As an emperor, one must never leave their respective capitals easily. Apart from being defeated and captured, the only reasonable reason to leave the capital has been one since ancient times—the imperial expedition.
If they go back to Liao and Chen, and never see each other again, it means that there will be no more war between these two countries.
"Then..." Duan Ling said, "I don't see each other in life."
"... It's like participating in business." Yelu Zongzhen said with a smile, "Let's say goodbye, but after all, I can't say too much. Maybe after a few years, we will meet again."
Duan Ling was feeling sad, but Yelu Zongzhen really made him laugh.
"You will be a good emperor." Duan Ling said, "I wish you a long life."
"You too." Yelu Zongzhen turned on his horse and said, "Wait for my good news, drive!"
Yelu Zongzhen led the guards, crossed the glacier, and disappeared under the setting sun. On the plain on the other side of the river, Duan Ling was wrapped in a fur cloak and his hat was fluttering in the wind. Standing by the river bank, a long shadow was drawn, and he was silent. Until the sunset gradually turned dark red, and then gradually sank into the end of the long river, Fang slowly turned around and walked towards Wu Du.
Wu Du led Ben Xiao and always waited by the shore, with his personal guard behind him.
At that moment, Duan Ling suddenly felt that he was the real owner of the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains in this world.
"When will he get to Yubi Pass?" Wu Du asked.
"Change the route to Tongguan." Duan Ling replied, "When his subordinates sent a letter earlier, Helian will send a team of soldiers to pick him up at Tongguan. As long as he arrives at Tongguan, he will be safe."
Wu Du let Duan Ling mount the horse, and when he returned to Yecheng, the snow was already flying. After entering the ninth year, Hebei County officially entered winter.
Duan Ling was a little reluctant to be here again.
"When will I go back?" Duan Ling asked Wu Du.
"Wait for the news of your emperor's friend." Wu Du still didn't trust Zongzhen, but Yelu Zongzhen always showed great restraint in front of him. Compared with the "Yuanren Manzi" and "Party Fools", Wu Du has not been right. Yelu Zong really gave birth to obvious hostility.
Now the outsiders are almost gone, and the rest are almost all of their own.
"Going for a walk?" Wu Du said, "Just in time to spend the winter in the south."
Duan Ling said bitterly: "What are you kidding? The prefect is not in his own city, so he and the school captain went to the south for the winter, be careful not to be beheaded by the imperial court."
"Who dares to say that?" Wu Du asked back.
"It's not a matter of saying or not." Duan Ling said, "Although the Yuan army has withdrawn, there are still so many things to do, and they can't be done."
"I'll do it for you." Wu Du replied, "How many things can you do?"
Duan Ling said: "Back to the mansion, first check the accounts, listen to their report on the winter plan, review the winter budget submitted by Shi Qi, and the plan for the spring. What about your recruitment letter? I will mention it to the court together. The imperial envoy of Yan and Tie must be appointed. Although Changcheng is exempted from taxes, he must go to inspect the surrounding villages and towns, and send civil officials to look at it. Will you listen to the report?"
"Okay." Wu Du immediately changed his tune, "If I didn't say it."
"Yaohou has to write a letter of thanks, right?" Duan Ling said again, "And the Prime Minister..."
"I wrote it for you." Zheng Yan stood at the door, and when Duan Ling came back, he raised his head and said.
"Thanks." Duan Ling sighed, sitting side by side with Zheng Yan on the threshold, Wu Du walked across the corridor and went back to his room to change his clothes.
"No thanks." Zheng Yan looked at Duan Ling, smiled maliciously, and said, "Are the outsiders sent away?"
"Finally sent off." Duan Ling replied, "We have to prepare for the winter."
Zheng Yan added: "That's my turn. Seeing that you have a turn in state affairs and political affairs, I didn't sleep well at night."
Duan Ling thought that he had hardly entertained Zheng Yan these days, and felt guilty in his heart, and said, "Yao Hou's soldiers didn't come, right?"
"I asked someone to persuade them to go back." Zheng Yan said, "Most of the letters sent earlier today have already been dispatched. If you encounter a messenger on the way, you have to go back again. You can punish me."
Duan Ling laughed, put on Zheng Yan's shoulder, and said, "Your town is going to be gone."
"I just wanted to tell you about this." Zheng Yan said nonchalantly, got up and let Duan Ling in, and closed the door.
Duan Ling had a premonition that Zheng Yan would say something very important, and a heart couldn't help but mention his throat.
Feng Xue was blocked from the outside, Duan Ling looked at Zheng Yan for a moment, then suddenly changed his mind and said, "Sit down."
Said Bi Duanling turned around and sat down on the couch comfortably, this time he changed from passive to active, Zheng Yan couldn't help looking at Duanling seriously, and suddenly showed a look of admiration.
"Lord Wang." Zheng Yan said, "I have thought about it over and over in the past few days. There are some things I have to ask."
"Master Zheng, please, but it's okay." Duan Ling replied, knowing that since Zheng Yan opened his mouth like this, he was implying that if he wanted to open his mouth to talk about official business, he might even show the imperial decree.
A tall figure appeared outside the window, it was Wu Du after changing his clothes. Duan Ling glanced in front of the window, but Wu Du didn't come in, he turned sideways, leaned his back to the door, and guarded the door.
"Excuse me." Zheng Yan rarely used a respectful name for Wu Du.
"You're welcome." Wu Du's voice came, meaning to watch the door for them, and at the same time remind Duan Ling that he was here.
The room was silent. In this silence, Duan Ling suddenly had a strange feeling. Zheng Yan opened a topic so seriously, it seemed that the real purpose was not just about a sword. He had a hunch, and he also had a hunch that Zheng Yan also had his own hunch.
"Wu Du told me that you know the whereabouts of Zhenshan River." Zheng Yan said.
"It doesn't count." Duan Ling answered Zheng Yan without much hesitation, "It's just that Yelu Zongzhen told me that maybe he can find this sword and will send it back."
"After sending it back, who are you going to give it to?" Zheng Yan said again.
Duan Ling replied, "Whoever gets it first will give it to him."
Zheng Yan: "Your Majesty wants this sword, you have to think about it first."
"What use does your majesty want it for?" Duan Ling replied, "Zhenshanhe is the sword of Baihutang. The person who obtains this sword has a mission closely related to Dachen Jiangshan. Your majesty is already the esteem of the emperor, and it is reasonable to say that there is no need to Zhenshanhe. Yes, even the late emperor held it before he was in power."
Zheng Yan pondered for a moment and said, "I don't understand one thing, I have to ask you, Lord Wang."
Duan Ling raised his eyebrows, indicating that he would speak if he had something to say. Zheng Yan walked a few steps in the hall, and then said, "Wu Duruo gets it, according to the principle that the holder of Zhenshan River will lead the four assassins of Baihutang, he will be the general of Zhenguo."
"General Zhen Guo was not sealed with a sword, Master Zheng." Duan Ling was dumbfounded.
"I know." Zheng Yan replied, "In addition to inheritance, of course, there must be corresponding strength. Recognition of this sword is also one of the strengths. In any case, Wu Du takes it and has to protect the court. Guarding the imperial court means guarding your majesty and the prince. But according to what he said earlier, he was unwilling to accept the position of the prince and the chief guard when he entered the East Palace. Don't tell me, he wanted to be upright and upright, and wait until he got the township. After the mountains and rivers, I am not a child when I enter the East Palace as an assistant."
Wu Du replied from outside the door: "Zheng Yan, you guessed in the wrong direction. Although the origin of Zhenshan River is related to the imperial court, its function is not only to protect the emperor, but also to correct the mistakes made by the emperor."
Zheng Yan: "..."
"Of course, it also includes killing the monarch for the safety of the country in some cases." Wu Du said lightly, "If the temple is not upright, then Baihutang must take action. It doesn't matter. Zheng Yan, don't you think so?"
Duan Ling immediately felt the arrogant momentum of Wu Du outside the door, as if guarding the door, he was really a gorgeous fierce tiger in the courtyard.
"It turns out that Lord Wu Du was thinking of this idea." Zheng Yan said lightly, "Then, just pretend I didn't say it."
"The emperor also understood this." Wu Du said, "Fang held Zhenshanhe in his hands. What did he say back then? If you want to pass the sword of the country, you can do it. Among the four assassins, except for Lord Changliu, Everyone has tried to fight with him, and they are really convinced."