When night fell at Xu time on the next day, Qin Mubai used the special order from the governor's office to open the city defense gate of Xiangyang City and sent Princess Gaoyang, Li You and his party out of the city.
After walking about a mile or two, Princess Gaoyang stopped the car and got out of the car.
"Mubai, go back, there's no need to send him off." Princess Gao Yang walked to Qin Mubai's horse and said softly.
Qin Mubai got off his horse and said, "Didn't I agree to take you to the ferry?"
"No need." Princess Gao Yang smiled slightly and said, "You have to accompany the prince brother to Yangdi Mausoleum tomorrow to continue the sacrifice. It's better to go back and rest early! You have been exhausted these two days. Look, the circles under your eyes are a bit blurry. Hey, I didn’t sleep well. I feel bad, you know?”
"Okay..." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled. He stretched out his hand and called Yin Yang, the general responsible for the escort, over.
"General Yin, thank you for your hard work." Qin Mubai said, "Remember, don't be conspicuous along the way, and move forward quickly with few stops. You must personally escort the princess and King Qi into the palace before you can return."
"Yes, I will keep this in mind." Yin Yang solemnly promised with fists clasped.
Qin Mubai took a look at the soldiers accompanying him, including ten capable Baiqi, twenty of the most outstanding soldiers in Prince Wu's palace, and with Yin Yang as the commander, a general who had always been prudent and careful in handling affairs, he felt slightly relieved.
"Okay Mubai, say goodbye to my mother-in-law and go back early to rest!" Princess Gao Yang said softly, "I will definitely miss you when I return to Chang'an. If I have time, I will come again."
"Okay." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, then got on the horse, "Take care along the way!"
"Qin Mubai!"
Just when he was about to turn around and leave, a voice came from the car - Li You!
Qin Mubai then patted his horse and walked over, asking, "Is there something wrong, Your Highness?"
Li You lifted up a corner of the curtain of the carriage, looked at Qin Mubai seriously, and said, "I only knew you were wise and brave before, but now I see your benevolence and righteousness. I entrust my sister to you. Don't worry. If I can survive this trip to Chang'an, I will definitely come back and have a drink with you and be your brother forever!"
Qin Mubai nodded gently and said, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself!"
"Goodbye!"
Li You lowered the car curtain and said no more words. Since the conversation over tea on the ship yesterday, this is the only thing Li You has said to Qin Mubai.
Princess Gao Yang got into the car, Yin Yang took stock of the people and horses, and the group headed across the river.
Qin Mubai stood on his horse and watched for a moment, then turned his horse back to Xiangyang.
At this moment, he felt very complicated. Firstly, he was a little disappointed and regretful. Princess Gaoyang came happily, but encountered such a family change and left in such a way; secondly, there were some things he didn't want to say to Princess Gaoyang, and that was... her feelings for Li Shimin The attitude may be a little too optimistic.
It is true that Li Shimin is a wise king, and Qin Mubai has also seen his "loving father" side, but as a king, he has a bottom line that cannot be violated.
No matter who it is, even his children and close relatives, as long as they dare to rebel, there will be no other consequences!
In fact, not only Li Shimin, but any king cannot tolerate rebellion in others, let alone put it into practice!
That is to say, Li You's trip... is full of misfortunes!
But Qin Mubai couldn't bear to tell Princess Gaoyang these words. She is not stupid, she understands Li Shimin better than Qin Mubai, but at this moment, she has a beautiful and cruel fantasy in her heart, that is, it is best if one of her closest relatives dies. For this reason, she Don't hesitate to give your last and all efforts...
If they try, there is little hope of success; if they don’t try, Li You and Yin Hongzhi will die!
How could Qin Mubai have the heart to extinguish the last remaining flame of hope in Princess Gaoyang's heart with his own hands
"Do your best and obey fate!... Ling'er, take care of yourself!"
We rode back to Xiangyang County. It was past midnight. Even the most lively Beigang Flower Street had more than 90% of the lights turned off, leaving the whole city in darkness and silence.
Qin Mubai was thinking that he would have to get up early tomorrow to go to the prince's residence to do some business, so he had to rest early. In recent days, the inns in Xiangyang City have always been full, and it is inconvenient to go to Prince Wu's Mansion in the middle of the night to cause trouble... Forget it, let's go to Mei Niang's house to "stay" for a night!
The whip horse came to the gate of the original Zhengchang Lianghao, and Qin Mubai stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a long time, a sleepy doorman came to answer and said impatiently: "Who is this in the middle of the night?"
"I, Qin Mubai."
"Ah, it turns out to be my general! Please wait a moment, I'll open the door right away!" That servant was a servant brought by Wu Meiniang from Chang'an's home. Like the housekeepers around her, they were used to calling Qin Mubai this way.
The door opened, and Qin Mubai saw from a distance that there were still lights on in the back house, and there were also people looking forward to it. He asked, "Is Mei Niang not sleeping yet? What are you busy with?"
"I don't know," Menzi said. "I only saw that in the afternoon, my boss bought a lot of things from outside and piled them into the back house."
"Oh, it's okay. You can go to bed." Qin Mubai handed the horse to him and walked towards the back house.
Wu Meiniang is sitting in the hall, with an abacus in her left hand and a pen in her right hand, counting carefully. The candlelight reflected her stunningly beautiful and somewhat shrewd and capable face, shining brightly.
When Qin Mubai came closer, Wu Meiniang noticed something. She hurriedly took off the abacus and put it beside her. She smiled happily: "Why are you here in the middle of the night?"
"Why put away the abacus? Why do you have any scruples in front of me?" Qin Mubai said with a smile.
The abacus originated in China and can be traced back to 600 BC. It is said that the "abacus" existed at that time. Later it gradually evolved into the style of today's abacus. This invention still plays a huge role until the 21st century when computers are popularized. Many foreigners compare it to China's four great inventions.
Today in the Tang Dynasty, abacus was generally only used for business travel and became one of the symbols of businessmen. Due to the low social status of merchants in the Tang Dynasty, abacus seemed to have become a "vulgar" thing. If someone is said to be "good at calculating", it means that the person is only interested in profit and is good at calculating, which is a big derogatory connotation.
Wu Meiniang smiled sheepishly: "I'm used to it. Outsiders don't like to see us using abacus - why are we here if we don't sleep so late?"
"Come stay overnight!" Qin Mubai said with a smile, "What are you busy with in the middle of the night?"
"Oh, I want to open the branch of Qinxian Pavilion as soon as possible in Zhangluo. I have been busy running around outside all day today and purchased many items for opening the store. I plan to open the Yongye opposite in ten days. The Yanfang shop will be renovated and opened as soon as possible, so we worked overtime to check the items," Wu Meiniang said.
"Why are you in such a hurry? You have plenty of time." Qin Mubai said with concern, "It's not good to stay up late. It's harmful to your health. Go to bed early!"
"You don't understand this." Wu Meiniang smiled mysteriously, "Now is the busiest time in Xiangyang. Wouldn't it be a pity if I didn't take this opportunity to expand my influence? Moreover, the prince, the king of Jiangxia, and many nobles and celebrities are now They all gathered in Xiangyang. If I could invite them to come during the opening, wouldn’t it be more effective with less effort?”
"Smart!" Qin Mubai slapped his forehead and suddenly realized, smiling in his heart: Mei Niang is really a genius, she actually knows how to use the 'celebrity effect'! In the 21st century, advertisements are always overwhelming in television, movies, and online media. As long as it is a branded thing, people will not forget to find people to endorse the advertisements. Whether in the 21st century or today in the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people have the habit of advocating celebrities and following the crowd in consumption. This seems to be a "fine tradition." Especially in this era of the Tang Dynasty, the royal family and celebrities are the kings who lead the world's fashion. The success of Qin Xianjiu is the best proof.
"Okay, I'm tired too, so I won't do it anymore." Wu Meiniang said with a smile, "Go to bed!"
"Okay!" Qin Mubai suddenly smiled with joy in his heart. Even he himself felt that this smile was shameless and slutty.
"You bastard, don't even think about it!" Wu Meiniang obviously smelled the "fishy smell" in his smile. She laughed and scolded, "I'll ask the housekeeper to arrange a place for you. Go and have a rest early! Look at you. , with a haggard look on his face, he must have been very busy these days. "
"Seeing that I am so haggard, don't you want to comfort me and feel sorry for me?" Qin Mubai said with a sly smile.
"Stop coming! There are so many people here, and you are still talking nonsense - go, go, go!" Wu Meiniang's face turned red, and she pulled him up and pushed him out.
Qin Mubai left the hall with a smile, went to a clean and comfortable room, washed and lay on the bed, closed his eyes and thought: Until I came to Xiangzhou, there were constant turmoils one after another, and one after another. Things are getting tough, and the risks and crises are also increasing. Maybe I am really tired and want to live a comfortable life. Ling'er went to Chang'an, I really hope there will be a good ending, otherwise...
Thinking about this, he fell into a deep sleep...
A few days later, in Chang'an City.
Looking at the familiar city of Chang'an and the imperial palace, Princess Gao Yang and Yin Yang let out a long breath together.
"Finally arrived safely!"
Li You sat in the car, closing his eyes and concentrating, not knowing what he was thinking. Soon, he would face his majestic father. At this moment, he felt a little bit of fear and anxiety in his heart.
"Your Highness Princess, it's still early, so let Wei Chen escort you into the palace as soon as possible! Wei Chen should also return to Xiangzhou as soon as possible, so as not to worry about King Wu and General Qin." Yin Yang said to Princess Gaoyang.
"Okay, then don't stop and enter the palace immediately." Princess Gaoyang thought for a moment and said, "Don't take the Zhuque Avenue and the Zhuque Gate to enter the palace. Once you enter, there are all the imperial yamen, and everyone in the court will know about it. I ordered most of the guards to disperse and rest on their own. We only need a few people to escort us around the inner lane and enter the palace through the Xuanwu Gate of the Daming Palace. I know the guards there, so I don’t need to interrogate them."
"Yes, I will do as you please." Yin Yang accepted the promise with his hands raised, and thought to himself: This Princess Gaoyang is so thoughtful and smart at such a young age, she really cannot be judged by her appearance!
Yin Yang only brought three or five soldiers with him. Li You and Princess Gao Yang also rode in an ordinary carriage. The group bypassed the crowded Zhuque Avenue and Xishi Street, and walked around Lifang Street. After traveling for more than an hour, we finally arrived at the north of Daming Palace in the imperial city.
Yin Yang looked at the majestic Xuanwu Gate of Daming Palace in front of him and sighed in his heart.
At this time, Princess Gaoyang spoke from the car and said: "General Yin Yang, just send it here. Thank you for escorting us all the way. Please come back now. You only need to leave one driver!"
"Should we let Wei Chen take you to the palace before leaving?" Yin Yang said, remembering Qin Mubai's repeated instructions.
"No need. The rules of the Xuanwu Sect are very strict. Except for the royal family members and the Imperial Guards officers who are doing official duties, no one else is allowed to come near." Princess Gaoyang said, "The distance here is only three to four hundred steps, so it's not expected. nothing."
Yin Yang was a meticulous person and knew that the reason why Princess Gaoyang insisted so deliberately was because she wanted to put them aside and had something to say to King Qi in private. He raised his eyes and glanced at the Xuanwu Gate in front of him. This place was already a forbidden area of the imperial city and was heavily guarded. He thought that nothing would go wrong again. So he no longer persisted and said: "In that case, I will resign!"
"Thank you, General Yin Yang. You have worked really hard on this journey. I will tell the King of Wu and let him reward you." Princess Gao Yang said.
"Thank you, Your Highness, Your Highness! Please take care of yourself, Wei Chen and others are leaving!" Yin Yang bowed, thanked her, and left with the others.
Princess Gaoyang ordered the coachman to drive slowly to the gate of the imperial city, there was no need to be in a hurry. Then he sat back in the car and leaned side by side with Li You, and said softly: "Brother, you refused to talk to me all the way. Now, do you want to talk to me?"
Li You had been closing his eyes to rest, and then he finally opened his eyes, looked at Princess Gao Yang solemnly, and said, "Ling'er, what do you want me to say to you?"
"You are very scared, right?" Princess Gao Yang said.
Li You sighed and closed his eyes again: "The matter has come to this, there is no point in being afraid."
"I also have something I've always wanted to say to you, but I didn't dare." Princess Gaoyang said.
"Now, tell me!"
Princess Gao Yang nodded lightly and said: "Actually, you must also know in your heart that even if we come to plead guilty, we can't escape the responsibility. Conspiracy and rebellion are the first of the ten heinous crimes, and they will not be forgiven. Moreover, my father has always And what I hate the most is that our children hate and kill each other. So... I have decided. If the father refuses to forgive you, I will die with you!"
"You're crazy!" Li You suddenly opened his eyes in shock and shouted in a low voice, "No!"
"Brother, don't get excited! Listen to me first!" Princess Gaoyang hurriedly grabbed Li You and said, "If this were not the case, my father would most likely not let you go!"
"No, no, no matter what you say, it just won't work!" Li You sternly reprimanded, and shouted excitedly, "I would rather die than I deserve. The reason why I am willing to come to Chang'an with you is not for you and my mother and concubine. ? Now you are betting on me, and I won’t do it! Otherwise, why don’t I commit suicide in Xiangyang?”
"Brother..." Princess Gao Yang burst into tears and choked, "You are willing to commit suicide for us, why don't we want to live and die with you? We are a family!"
"Ling'er, it's my fault. I'm sorry for you!"
Princess Gao Yang's tears also touched Li You's heart. In sadness, he held Princess Gaoyang in his arms with tears streaming down his face.
At this moment, the carriage suddenly sank, and the driver outside the carriage let out a muffled groan, but the carriage did not stop.
Li You was quite alert and hurriedly let go of Princess Gao Yang and shouted in a deep voice: "Who?"
With a "swipe" sound, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted, and a man's head was poked through.
Seeing this person, Li You suddenly turned pale: "Zan Junmo, why is it you!"
Princess Gaoyang's eyes widened in fear and she was about to scream. Zan Junmo grinned with an evil smile, suddenly raised his hand, and a cloud of gray mist fell on the faces of Li You and Princess Gao Yang.
"Your Highnesses, I'm really offended!"
…
After a long time, Li You woke up leisurely. He felt that his eyes were dark, his body was sore and his throat was dry. He immediately realized that he had been unconscious for a long time.
At this time, the sound of a firelight suddenly came from not far away, and an oil lamp lit up like a chrysanthemum. In the light and shadow, a familiar figure appeared.
"uncle!"
Li You was frightened, completely forgetting his own weakness, and sat up in shock.
"You'er, you're fine." Yin Hongzhi put down Huo Yizi, walked over with a cup of soup in his hand, and said in a soft voice, "Drink quickly, ginseng soup."
"I...this...how..." For a moment, Li You was stunned and stuttered, not knowing how to express his words.
Yin Hongzhi's face was full of a look of wisdom, and he said softly and unhurriedly: "Don't be anxious, drink some ginseng soup to soothe your throat and nourish your body first."
Li You swallowed hard, drank the warm ginseng soup in the cup, and asked anxiously: "Where is this? Where is Ling'er? How is Ling'er?"
"Don't worry, Ling'er is my heart, what can I do to her?" Yin Hongzhi said with a calm smile, "This is outside Chang'an City, in an inconspicuous house. Don't worry, it's very Safety."
"You think it's safe, but I think it's extremely unsafe!" Li You suddenly shouted hysterically, "Uncle, what exactly do you want to do?"
"Save you." Yin Hongzhi said firmly and concisely.
"Save me? You are harming me!" Li You yelled.
"Calm down, You'er." Yin Hongzhi put his hands on his shoulders, frowned slightly, looked directly into Li You's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "If I want to harm you, my purpose has been achieved, isn't it unnecessary now?"
After hearing this, Li You seemed to be possessed by a demon, and his violent emotions immediately calmed down. He nodded blankly, and Yin Hongzhi held him down and sat on the edge of the bed, saying, "Then... what do you want now?"
"Youer, you are so confused!" Yin Hongzhi sat next to him and said earnestly, "How could you run to see your father at this time? Do you know how dangerous it was at that time? As soon as you step in Xuanwumen, your life is at stake."
Li You did not deny it. He took a deep breath and nodded: "I also know that my father will probably not forgive me. But... it is not completely hopeless. After all, my mother and Ling'er are still here."
"Cowardly! Pedantic!" Yin Hongzhi scolded, "As a man, how can you put your life on the bodies of women? Even though they are your closest relatives, you cannot have such illusions! Your father is Who is he? He is called a wise king and a sage king, which is true; but the more wise the king is, the more cruel and cold-blooded he is, because no emperor does not kill people, but the wise king and the sage king kill more skillfully. You have to be more righteous. The mistake you made now is to offend his "righteousness". How can he not kill you? If he is a foolish king, he may let you go. The more wise the king is, the less likely it is! It’s absolutely impossible for you to be his biological son!”
Li You's face suddenly turned pale. He looked at Yin Hongzhi in surprise and murmured: "No way... After all, I didn't succeed, and I didn't really murder the prince."
"It's wrong, wrong, wrong!" Yin Hongzhi shouted repeatedly, and said heartbrokenly, "I have repeatedly warned you beforehand, either you don't do it, or if you want to do it, just work hard to the end. Look, now you Are you regretful or afraid? After all, you still have worries and fears. If you had known this, why would you have thought about it in the first place? "
"What's the use of talking about it now that things have come to this?" Li You said, "Although what you said makes sense, I always feel that Ling'er will not lie to me. She is a persistent girl, and what she is determined to do, It will definitely be done. She told me that if my father did not pardon me, she and my mother would accompany me in praying for death. In this way, there might be a chance of survival... "
"Confused! Stupid!" Yin Hongzhi yelled, "You saw that before, Ling'er pretended to be crazy and acted like a fool to threaten death, and finally won your father to change his mind and allowed her to be with Qin Mubai, right? Now you want to Follow the example of last time? Then I can tell you clearly that you will all die and no one will survive!"
"Why, why?" Li You murmured, stammering a little.
"It's very simple. The previous conflict was just about the different opinions about marriage between your father and Ling'er. In the end, after Ling'er made a fuss, Fang Yiai was kicked out of the house, and the Fang family took the initiative to cancel the engagement. The Emperor What else can he do? Even if he kills Ling'er, he can't save anything. Besides, that matter is just a little bigger than your matter. "How can it be compared to Yin Hongzhi? Like a barrage of words, he said, "What you have committed now is a heinous crime of treason. How can he tolerate you? You and your whole family went together to beg for death. Isn't this a threat of death? This will only infuriate you more." For him - the result is that you will all die! No one will be left alive!"
Li You's body trembled involuntarily, and his temples were cold. He widened his eyes and said with a trembling voice: "Then, what should I do now?"
"There are only two ways to go now." Yin Hongzhi squinted his eyes, a cold and sharp light flashed in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "First, you take Ling'er to fly away or go to the sea, and escape to Tufan, Western Regions, Baekje, Silla and even Japan!”
"No, no, no!" Before Yin Hongzhi could finish speaking, Li You shook his head, "We can't escape so far. As long as people like Father, Li Ke or Qin Mubai are aware of it, Hai Qiu will I've been arrested before I even left the Tang Dynasty. Even if I went to these places... who would dare to take us in? Even if we remain anonymous, how can we survive? How can I let Ling'er suffer such a punishment with me?"
"Then there's only one choice left." Yin Hongzhi's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth and burst out these words, "If you don't do anything, don't stop, go back to Dengzhou, and start an army to start trouble!"
"Ah!!" Li You screamed, his face suddenly froze. He looked at Yin Hongzhi in surprise: "You... want me to raise a flag for rebellion?"
"That's right. You have no choice!" Yin Hongzhi said solemnly, "It's the only way to put yourself to death and survive. Otherwise, you will face death on both sides. It's better to let go." Fight!”
Li You had cold sweat all over his head and face, his breathing became extremely rapid, his eyes widened for a long time without retracting, and his expression remained frozen.
After a while, he said: "Then, what should I do with Ling'er? What should I do with my mother and concubine?"
"Of course Ling'er was brought to Dengzhou together." Yin Hongzhi had obviously thought about it carefully and said without hesitation, "Ling'er is your father's beloved daughter, the most beloved woman of Qin Mubai, and the brother and sister of Li Ke. The sentiment is also very deep. If we cause trouble then, we can spread rumors that King Wu of Xiangzhou and Qin Mubai conspired with me and conspired to kill the prince. Although such rumors appear to be false. Few people will believe it, but one person will hesitate, and that’s enough.”
Yin Hongzhi continued: "At that time, we may have the opportunity to instigate Li Ke and Qin Mubai to join us in revolt! Li Ke has a noble bloodline and a great reputation, and Qin Mubai has a very wide network and is a rare general. With the help of talented people, and these two people control a rich and dangerous place like Xiangzhou, our chances of winning will be greatly increased. When the time comes, Xiangzhou and Dengzhou will work together, and nearby states and counties can decide whether to force them to do so or not. Submit to us. From this... we can at least separate ourselves. Even if we can't take over your father's kingdom, we can at least have the ability to negotiate with him!"
Every word, like thunder, fell on Li You's heart. He looked at Yin Hongzhi in fear and said, "You just said that the only person who would believe this rumor is me." Father? Is it really possible for us to force Li Ke and Qin Mubai to join us?"
"Of course. No king is unsuspicious. The friendship between Ling'er, Li Ke and Qin Mubai is extraordinary. Knowing that Ling'er will live and die with us, can Qin Mubai come? ? If Qin Mubai comes, Li Ke will be inseparable. Moreover, haven't you and Li Ke, the third brother, always had a close personal relationship? Despite the sin and injustice, the fate is equally ups and downs and bitterness," Yin Hongzhi said, "Not only is the emperor definitely hesitant about such rumors, there is at least a 50% chance that Li Ke will work with you - if it works! If Ling'er catches the big fish like Qin Mubai first, we will have a solid arm, not to mention the thousands of soldiers and horses he has at his disposal, and even his current reputation in Xiangzhou. Defeated Li Ke! Moreover, it is difficult to find a general after a thousand troops! Qin Mubai needs to be enlightened by Li Jing, and the people around him are very capable, and Li Ke will definitely not be able to sit still. We will surely advance and retreat with him. When the time comes, we will have two powerful arms - nothing to fear!"
Li Ke was stunned for a while after hearing this. Fear, excitement, excitement, and hesitation were all struggling in his heart. After thinking for a long time, he felt as if he had lost the ability to think and had only one thought left, so he said: "Then I will Are you taking advantage of Ling'er now? If the emperor finds out, won't he want to execute my mother and concubine?"
"Don't worry, it won't happen." Yin Hongzhi said confidently, "She has escaped into Buddhism and spent the whole day with the green lanterns and ancient Buddhas. What crime is she guilty of? Your father claims to be fair and strict, even though he is angry in his heart , and he won't do anything to her by taking out his grievances on her, otherwise he will be called a bad king, which is the last thing he wants. Therefore, your mother will be fine in the future, and we will discuss the terms with him. , let him send your mother and concubine to Dengzhou, our family will be truly reunited, and she won’t have to stay in the cold in the cold Taoist palace. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? "
Li You's face trembled, and he knew that he had been persuaded. But in my heart, there are still some bottom lines that cannot be crossed, and I am not willing to become a traitor who rebels against the country and the emperor.
He made a final low resistance and said: "Even if Deng and Xiangzhou were to fight together, and Li Ke and Qin Mubai came to help, we would not be able to compete with the entire Tang Dynasty! In the end, not all Instead of this, it would be better for me to go to the palace and die alone, so as not to involve more people."
"You'er, don't you always say something?" Yin Hongzhi was no longer excited or yelling at this time, but said in a calm and unhurried voice, "Life is like a gamble. Only when you put it to death can you survive." Winning the final big prize. You have always been a courageous person, why are you so indecisive now? If you really want to die, my uncle will never stop you. You are an ambitious man, and I have been trying to persuade you for so many years. Unexpectedly, when the critical moment came, you turned into a coward who was greedy for life and afraid of death. Your uncle and I are really blind. You’re old! —Go away, I won’t keep you anymore!”
"Uncle!" After hearing these words, Li You finally became angry and evil grew up in his heart. He gritted his teeth and shouted in a desperate manner: "Anyway, it means death, so it's better to give it a try and make a big splash! - Life is like a gamble. I’m betting on this!”
[7800 words super long chapter, please give me some red votes. Please don't talk about how many updates a day. I can definitely follow the example of some KKK and split it into three chapters, right? ]