Xia Dong's gaze stayed on Mei Changsu's pale face, and after a long time he slowly retracted into the drooping eyelashes. Before she came to Ningguohou's mansion today, she had imagined what kind of person Su Zhe was, but after seeing it, she realized that he was far more profound than rumors and imagination.
"Since Mr. Su has this spare time, Xia Dong should listen carefully."
Mei Changsu nodded slightly to her, turned his face sideways, looked away from the face of his only audience, cast his gaze towards the gloomy and yellow sky, and said calmly: "Speaking of a certain country and a certain dynasty, there is a vassal king who holds hands with him. Hu Xiongbing was stationed at the border, and he has always been favored by the emperor and trusted. One year, the feudal lord brought his daughter to Beijing, and the small county master was left in the palace, and he met many children of the royal family. One of them was a high school student. The only son of the marshal, who was two years older than her, was the most lively and naughty, arrogant and flamboyant, and the two often played together. The queen mother saw that they were innocent, so she decided to set up a marriage for them. Although the palace and the marshal's palace did not have any deep friendship, But after all, the two families were in the same household, and neither of them had any objections. Who would have guessed that only one year after the engagement, the Grand Marshal was involved in a counter-case, and both father and son died. In the end, it was inevitable that he was affected by the marriage of his son and daughter. The emperor had doubts about him, and everything about military supplies was not as handy as before. After two years of wear and tear, the fighting strength of his subordinates was naturally affected. The country suddenly prospered and invaded the territory, resulting in invincibility in World War I and death in World War II, leaving behind orphans and weak children, no main soldiers and generals, all mourning. The little county lord was filial piety, leading the army for his father, and after a bloody battle, she was able to stabilize the city defense. Master Xia, do you think this little county lord is a strange woman in the world?"
Xia Dong's eyes were deep, and he sighed silently. In front of him, he seemed to see the girl in plain armor with a determined face that he had seen on the city wall when he was heading south with the reinforcements. Even though she is ten years older than her, and even though she has been in the mirror for many years and has read the world, but after going through hardships and dangers together, she has only respect for this unyielding girl. If it weren't for the pain of blood feud like a knife in the heart, the friendship between Xia Dong and the two heroic women of Princess Nihuang should not be inferior to those of the righteous men who had a life-and-death relationship.
Mei Changsu only glanced at her expression briefly, and then continued: "Although the crisis is resolved, the situation is still unstable. The county master stood strong in the battle, and all the iron cavalry of the feudal mansion bowed their heads. The right person will allow her to temporarily take over the military and political power of the feudal town. After ten years, she has supported her alone in many dangers, and everyone only sees her powerful and powerful command of the soldiers. Who can appreciate her heart? Hardship and pressure. Not even many people know that just two years ago, she encountered a crisis that was almost irreversible."
Hearing this, Xia Dong couldn't help but be moved: "There is such a thing, haven't you heard the court newspaper?"
Mei Changsu motioned her to calm down with his eyes, still maintaining the original speed of speech: "The commander of the county master is good at field warfare, good in offense and defense, and is indeed a mighty division, but there is one weak point, that is water battle."
Xia Dong knew the Yunnan cavalry fairly well, and nodded involuntarily, clearly agreeing.
"That critical situation was caused by an expert in a neighboring country who formulated a very ruthless water attack strategy. First, use a surprise attack to forcefully seize the river crossing, using giant ships as battalions and small ships as blades. , the river is the road, and as soon as it should be supplied, it is all transported from the water, and the vast navy army goes straight to the hinterland along the river. Although the army is dangerous, it has a miraculous effect. If the county master attacks the ferry with all his strength, the enemy navy will Taking advantage of the emptiness to go ashore to cause chaos, if you attack the enemy on the water, you will use your own short to attack the enemy's long. You can imagine the worry in your heart." Having said that, he coughed a few times and stopped to drink tea.
"What happened after that?" Xia Dongzheng was fascinated, and seeing him pause, he couldn't help but ask.
"At a difficult time, a young man came to the camp, recommended himself to be the best at water warfare, and asked to serve in the camp. The county master has a discerning eye, and made an exception. The man really didn't brag, he was indeed a sailor prodigy. After half a month For planning, he personally went to the battle and defeated the enemy in one fell swoop. After the war, he reported good news to the imperial court. The county master wanted to report him for his first deeds and asked for an award, but for some unknown reason, he insisted that the county master not report his name. Please reward."
"Oh?" Xia Dong was taken aback, "He doesn't even want the credit for the bloody battle, which is surprising."
"Perhaps this person has no intention of officialdom." Mei Changsu replied lightly, and added, "In the second half of the year, this young man stayed in the county main office, rebuilding the training navy for her, to make up for the leaks in the past. . This person has a bright temperament, a handsome appearance, and is very funny. The two are of the same age, and they have been together for a long time. Naturally, they have good feelings for each other. It's just that the timing is often inappropriate, and they always fail to confess to each other, which makes people a little regretful. ."
Hearing this, Xia Dong thought about it carefully, and couldn't help but get angry. Since everyone has a favorable opinion, this time the county lord publicly chooses a son-in-law, which is a great opportunity for that person to get his wish. Obviously, this person did not appear, I am afraid that he has a bad heart. She has always been a person who loves to fight injustice, not to mention that it is about the princess, how can she not be angry? He immediately stood up and asked with a tight face, "Who is this person? Where is he now?"
Mei Changsu did not answer her question directly, he lowered his head halfway, and still told his story unhurriedly, but his tone gradually became low: "One day after half a year, the young man suddenly left without saying goodbye, and only left behind. A brief letter was sent to the county lord, with the words 'in the alliance, called upon to return as ordered.' We sent experts to track them all the way, but who knew that after entering Tuzhou, he disappeared like a buffalo in the sea, and there is no trace of traces left."
What a keen person Xia Dong is, he immediately grasped the point: "Tuzhou is already within the scope of Jiangzuo, there are fourteen provinces, when will there be a second gang other than Jiangzuo League?"
Mei Changsu neither admitted nor denied it, but still said: "It has been another year since then, and there is still no information about the young man in the mansion. Although the county master is silent, everyone in the mansion feels this. The people are cold and thin, and they do not understand very much. At this time, the young brother of the county master is coming of age and entering the capital. The court intends to openly choose a son-in-law for the county master, and seek her advice in advance. Accepting this method of public selection, she did not expect that she would agree after only a few additional conditions."
Xia Dong's heart was touched, and she couldn't help but sighed and said with a lonely face: "Women are infatuated, always better than men. Although she looks safe on the outside, in her heart, she is still looking forward to the young man. Take this opportunity to apply for the election..."
Mei Changsu lowered his head and did not answer, his eyes were bleak. At this point, the story is only halfway through, but I don't know where the future ending will go
The gloomy clouds on the horizon are getting lower and lower, the winter solstice is about to snow, and the wind is strong at night. Xia Dong put down the teacup, stood up and walked to the pavilion to look into the distance. Against the backdrop of the dark fog and dark clouds in the sky, her tall and slender figure became more and more flexible and powerful, and her sinister and handsome face was expressionless, as if she was contemplating, and she seemed to be only breathing and breathing, without thinking about anything. However, the tranquility before the storm is always short-lived, just a moment later, she took a deep breath, turned around suddenly, her eyes blazing like flames, rolled Mei Changsu straight away, and her voice was even more stern: "You already know this story. , then when you can tell me, since we love each other, why doesn't he come?!"
"Why didn't you come?" Mei Changsu smiled miserably, his face was like snow, he slowly closed his eyes, and said to himself, "You can ask me about this... but I... how can I ask him?"
Since we are in love, why not come? Why don't you come
Just because there is a person who has already fallen into hell and is still alive in this world, he can only struggle and suffer, suffering from left and right.
For that person, the love affair between a man and a woman is as pure and beautiful as water, but the friendship between brothers is not like gold and jade. Even if he is the most unrestrained and unrestrained person in the world, he will inevitably have some obsessions and do not want to be half ashamed of his friends.
It's just the word love, which has always been evasive. On the surface, he is as unrestrained in chatting and laughing as before, which can't hide the sadness in his heart. The words came to his lips, the same pain when he wanted to ask a difficult question, it was an inner emotion that no amount of calm and strong mask could hide.
When I sent him to help Nihuang, I didn't expect this ending, but now facing such two hearts as pure as ice and snow, how can I have pedantic thoughts and become an obstacle? Lin Shu was already ill-fated, just because of the marriage contract that had nothing to do with love when he was young, he has been tired of Nihuang for many years.
So I prepared tea to entertain guests today, and when Xia Dong came, I finally asked for this.
"Master Xia," when Mei Changsu opened his eyes again, there was only Ning He and warmth in his eyes. He stared at Xia Dong softly, his voice was steady and serene, "Su Mou and the county master do not have a deep friendship, so some words are not easy to tell face to face, so today I borrowed tea to entertain guests and tell this story to the adults, just because I wanted to. Sir, please speak on behalf of Su: Although the county master has been hesitant and did not ask me directly, but I know what her doubts are. That person is indeed in my Jiang Zuo alliance. My mind, for fear of any misunderstanding, I don't want to ask him more. But since I met the county master, I have seen clearly what I should see clearly. Therefore, please rest assured, the county master, that person's mind will never be better than the county master. It’s a little bit thin, but there are still some affairs involved, and I can’t enter the capital for the time being. If the county master can trust Su, please give him some more time as thanks.”
After Xia Dong heard these words, he did not rush to react for a while, but pondered it carefully for a while, then frowned and said: "Men and men should be more simple, love is love, if you don't love, you don't love, what's the big deal? business, so that he will not make a trip to Jinling?"
Mei Changsu didn't explain much, just said lightly: "People in the rivers and lakes can't help themselves, please forgive me, Lord Xia."
Xia Dong snorted coldly, but still said after all: "Since this matter is related to the county lord, and you are so frank about it, I might as well run this trip for you. But you also tell that kid that you will meet him in the future. , my summer and winter are not so easy."
Mei Changsu smiled and said, "It's really rare for the county master to have such a good friend as Lord Xia."
Hearing this, Xia Dong's eyes suddenly turned cold, and said coldly: "She is not my friend yet, and I will admit the word friend after she gets married."
"Really?" Mei Changsu didn't seem to care about this sentence, and said casually, "Is it because of the marriage contract back then? If the county master does not marry another day, she will be a member of the Lin family for one day. Say, the Lin family are your mortal enemies, right?"
He seemed to have said these words unintentionally, but when Xia Dong heard it, her whole body froze, and her eyelashes trembled violently. She was not surprised that Mei Changsu knew about it. Because this old case was deliberately downplayed by the imperial court, but it was a major event that involved thousands of people. With the strength of the largest gang of the Jiang Zuo League, as long as there is a deliberate investigation, it is naturally not difficult to find out. What really shocked her was the feeling she felt when she heard this sentence, the torrent of uncontrollable emotions that suddenly surged up in her heart.
Although more than 12 years have passed, and even though I can no longer cry when I dream in the middle of the night, years of practice and recovery have not brought about the slightest real recovery. The simple word "Lin Family" by that elegant scholar can suddenly evoke the bloody pain and deep hatred in his heart, like a strand of white hair between Wusi, always so bright and eye-catching, it can't be ignored anytime, anywhere.
Mei Changsu looked away from Xia Dong, as if he couldn't bear to see the vulnerable side she suddenly showed. Xia Dong, who is a hanging mirror, is naturally the strongest among the strong, but after peeling off her proud identity and strong mask, she is still one of the thousands of sad and angry widows left over from that tragedy. One.
I still remember when she was first married, she was young, beautiful, and full of vigor. She just lifted her hijab and walked out of the new house to keep her husband from drinking alcohol. The pair of bi men under the red candle of the bright moon, one is a famous general in the Red Flame Army, and the other is a high-ranking apprentice under the hanging mirror. I thought that happiness would last a long time, but who knew that seven years of love would turn into ashes in retrospect. It was as if the ancient road had just seen the two of them saying goodbye, and seeing her again was already a widow of twelve years.
Fortunately, she is Xia Dong, and her duties and tenacity as a mirror envoy supported her to withstand the blow, and her brothers did not show any sadness in front of them; unfortunately, she was Xia Dong, and in the chaos, everyone was because of her strength. But she was negligent and rest assured, only when she suddenly found her with white hair on the temples and eyes like ice, did she suddenly feel the anger and sorrow in her heart.
Perhaps only Princess Nihuang has a little sense of Xia Dong's state of mind. The girl who was forced to mature quickly was the most arrogant and powerful woman in the world, but she tolerated her during the first time she was with Xia Dong. Even after the two of them fought the enemy side by side and formed a deep friendship, they still silently accepted her cold declaration of "If you don't marry, you won't be my friend for a day".
But Mei Changsu knew in his heart that if anyone in this world dared to harm Princess Nihuang, the first person to stand up would be Xia Dong. Whether she is married or not, whether she is nominally or not the daughter-in-law of the Lin family, she is Xia Dong's closest friend.
Because the friendship forged on the battlefield is the most difficult friendship in the world.
"Mr. Su," after a moment of silence, Xia Dong suppressed his excitement and asked coldly, "What exactly are you coming to the capital for?"
Mei Changsu smiled and said, "Why, Lord Hanging Mirror didn't even find out about this?"
Xia Dong snorted coldly and said, "I know what you say about the unicorn talent, and I also know that you have great ambitions, and sooner or later you have to choose the master. But what I don't understand is that even if you want to participate in the battle between the prince and the king, you will not be able to. Is it necessary to investigate so clearly what happened so long ago?"
Mei Changsu didn't care about her cold attitude at all, and still smiled: "Every minute of the present is a continuation from the past. If you don't know the past, how will you know what to do now and what not to do? What? No matter how long it is in the past, what cause is planted, what is the result. Hanging mirror has always tried to act justly, doesn’t it also hold this belief?”
"The things of the past naturally have their meanings, I just can't figure out what they have to do with you?" Xia Dong's eyes lit up Mei Changsu's face, "Could it be that the old case twelve years ago would have Does it affect the current situation of the Crown Prince Yu Wang's rivalry?"
"As long as they are involved, it will have more or less influence. Does Master Xia think that they have nothing to do with the events of the year?" Mei Changsu asked indifferently.
The female hanging mirror pondered for a while, "Yes, I admit that they contributed to the flames at the time and accelerated the demise of King Qi, but if it wasn't for King Qi himself, who had wolf ambitions and plotted great rebellion, and if it wasn't for the Chiyan Army to help Zhou and act vilely, how could it be? Is there a consequence for the crime behind it?"
Mei Changsu didn't change his face, but his teeth were clenched secretly. After a while, he let out a breath and said, "I think... This is why you and His Royal Highness Prince Jing have been avoiding seeing each other, right?"
Xia Dong's expression became condensed, he took a deep look at him, and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this, sir?"
"Master Xia has always believed in the court's conclusion on King Qi's rebellious case, but King Jing has defended King Qi from beginning to end. If it weren't for the kindness of His Majesty the Emperor, he has already verified that he was just bewildered by brotherhood, and has nothing to do with the rebellious case. , I am afraid that he has already been implicated in the crime. But even so, he was still suppressed by banishment. After more than ten years of field exploits, he could not earn the title of a prince, so that the Crown Prince and Prince Yu did not put him on the list. In the eyes. The two of you have opposite views. Once you meet, you don’t need to mention it. If you don’t mention it carefully, there will inevitably be conflicts. So it’s better not to meet if you can’t meet.” Mei Changsu looked directly at Xia Dong eyes, "Su guessed correctly?"
Xia Dong looked at him fixedly, his eyes seemed to be scrutinizing, and he seemed to have no other intentions, but after all, he did not deny it, and said lightly: "His Royal Highness King Jing is the prince, Xia Dong will not provoke it if he does not provoke it. Rebellion, His Majesty is lenient, what can Xia Dong do to him?"
Mei Changsu leaned back to refill her with hot tea, and said, "Lord Xia thinks that it must be King Jing's fault?"
"Of course King Jing was wrong." Xia Dong's gaze was as firm as iron. "Since Mr. Su has deliberately investigated this old incident, who should know who investigated King Qi's rebellion?"
The corners of Mei Changsu's lips pursed secretly, unobservedly, and turned his head, still with an air of elegance, and said with a smile, "Everyone knows this, it's the head of this generation's hanging mirror envoy, Master Xia Jiangxia."
When Xia Jiang's name was mentioned, Xia Dong's eyes showed respect and solemnity, and his tone was even more certain: "Since his debut, the teacher has assisted His Majesty, and has been ordered by the emperor to investigate countless cases, and so far there has been no mistake. If Mr. Su dares to ask questions again. , Xia Dong must be regarded as disrespectful to the teacher."
"Su does not dare," Mei Changsu spread his hands and smiled, "Master Xia sits in the Xuanjing Division. He is just and fair, and everyone respects everything. How dare Su, such a boy, dare to question him? Thinking of King Jing, I stopped talking here. Please don't blame Master Xia."
"Mr. Su is a state scholar, how can he suddenly become interested in King Jing, who has always been far away from the court?"
Mei Changsu rolled his eyes lightly, and said, "In front of Master Xia, people of the Ming Dynasty do not speak secretly. A prince with high martial arts like King Jing, who can lead troops, and who is not a threat to the heirloom, no matter who can pull him. It will be a strong help when it comes to the flag, right?"
Xia Dong stared at him blankly for a while, then suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed so hard that tears were about to come out.
"What, is Su Mou's words funny?"
"Isn't it funny?" Xia Dong gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and sat upright again, "Even if you have the talent of a unicorn, you have the ability to balance the world, even if you have the largest gang in the palm of your hand, and there are countless eyes and ears around you, it's a pity You can find out the past and the past, the branches and branches, but you can't find out the people's heart after all."
"Isn't that true? King Jing is suppressed by His Majesty, and his concubine has no special favor in the palace. Even if he doesn't want to add more honor, he should make an early decision when he can use it now for future plans. By the side of the hand, when the dust settles in the future, I am afraid that there will be no more days to serve."
Xia Dong sneered and said: "It really is the words of a counselor, it only depends on the pros and cons of the situation, regardless of people's hearts. I dare not say anything else, I only dare to assert here, no matter whether the lord you will assist in the future is the prince or the king, you will always be There is no way to bring King Jing under the banner of any of them."
"Oh?" Mei Changsu groaned slightly, "Sir Xia is so sure? But knowing that the situation is changing, people's hearts will naturally change. King Jing has been depressed for many years, and if there is a good opportunity, I am afraid that he will not let it go in vain. Have you been?"
Xia Dong slightly curled the corner of his mouth and turned his head away, as if he didn't want to talk about this topic again. Although she does not resent that King Jingyan Xiao Jingyan has been stubborn and stubborn for many years, at least his affection for his eldest brother King Qi and his good friend Lin Shu is extremely sincere and deep. I have a trace of respect for him in my heart, so I am disgusted by Su Zhe's cold speculation and stop talking.
But Mei Changsu's chest warmed softly because of her reaction. Although the purpose of what he said just now was just to mislead the Mirror Envoy and make her think that all her future interactions with King Jing are for wining and calculating, so she will not pay more attention, you can see that she has a clear position. Xia Dong, who was on the opposite side of King Qi and Lin, couldn't bear to say bad words about King Jing's actions over the years, and he was naturally moved in his heart.
Xiao Jingyan's 12 years of persistence and forbearance, no matter how much injustice and poor treatment he faced, he did not want to soften his back, and took the initiative to bow to his father and apologize for his original position. He is known as a prestige general in the army. As long as he expresses a little bit, the crown prince and Prince Yu will be very willing to accept him as a wing; he is an adult prince who has made great achievements in Jingbian. As long as he bows his head and repents softly, the emperor will also It will not be hard-hearted and indifferent for many years, and merits will not be rewarded. However, he did not do all these seemingly easy actions. He just silently accepted the orders one after another, rushing between various battlefields, occasionally spending time in his own palace and the military camp outside the city. Huanhuan, far away from the center of imperial power, willing not to be valued by the government and the opposition, just for a bit of anger in his heart, resentment and hardship.
However, it is precisely such Jingyan King Jingyan, who was the best friend of Young Marshal Chi Yan in the past, and the future lord that Mei Changsu is ready to support today.
Jiang Zuomeng's calm and deep gaze swept across the dark and snowy sky, looking at a thin bright line in the dark and thick twilight clouds. For the sake of King Jing, to win over all the forces that can be used, the Mufu of Yunnan needn't bother any more, and the next one is Xia Dong, the envoy of the hanging mirror.
Nie Feng, the Crimson Flame striker who was arrogant in the past, was sent to the dead by the head coach maliciously. The entire army was surrounded and his bones were incomplete. This conclusion is a thorn in the hearts of all the survivors of the Nie tribe, and it is also the source of Xia Dong's hatred. The handsome Tan Lang who held his hand to bid farewell to him came back with a broken body and half a blood robe. Even if the teacher's family is famous, even if the hanging mirror makes everyone in awe, it is hard to resist her being alone and isolated in front of the Qingming grave every year. Such a heart-wrenching pain, a bone-shattering hatred, how can she not complain, how can she not hate
This knot is puzzled, and the Xuanjing Division will always be Lin's mortal enemy. It's just that the old case has already been settled. Although Xia Jiang, the head of the hanging mirror, has gone into hiding, he is still alive. It is easier said than done to unravel the old blood knot.
The only way to do it now is to slowly figure it out.
"I heard that Master Xia was attacked in the suburbs of Beijing?" Mei Changsu raised another topic with a smile, "Jing Rui came back with injuries that day, and everyone in the Hou residence was shocked. Asking a doctor to apply medicine can be regarded as disturbing... I wonder if your injury is better?"
"What does it mean for a boy to be injured a little bit? The eldest princess is too spoiled for the child." Xia Dong said indifferently, "My injury is not serious, I will be healed long ago, Mr. Lao will ask."
"But the new injury has just recovered, and there are always obstacles between actions. My family was just rude, please forgive me."
Speaking of Fei Liu, Xia Dong's eyes flashed with the warmth of a martial artist, and said: "The guard really lives up to its reputation. I am defeated today, but I am convinced. But please don't relax. I have always been defeated and not discouraged. Xia Dongri is going to add logistics and practice, and I will come again to ask for advice."
Mei Changsu smiled without saying a word, as if not worried. Due to the limitation of his mind, Fei Liu has nothing to worry about. He also practices while he is playing. For him, practicing is just playing. In addition, he has excellent martial arts qualifications. Even if he is twice as diligent, it is difficult for ordinary people to catch up with his speed.
Xia Dong drank the remaining tea in the cup, put it back on the table, stood up and said: "Today is disturbing. I will do my best as asked by Mr. In the future, what you want to do in the future is also your own business. But Xia Dong is still I want to warn you in advance, even if you have the ability to reach the sky, please don't touch the net of the law, and don't go against the holy will. Otherwise, you will not be able to tolerate Mr.
"Master Xia's good words, you should keep them in mind." Mei Changsu got up to send them off, smiling Yan Yan, "Your Excellency so earnestly instructed that Su dare not repay the favor? Therefore, there is also a warning below: Loyalty may not be loyal, and traitor may not necessarily be loyal. Traitor, I think there are not only dignitaries in the DPRK, but also the rivers and lakes, and there are no traces of those who drive the deadly killers, how many people can there be?"
Xia Dong's heart trembled, but when he turned around suddenly, he saw that the other party's face was light and peaceful, as if what he just said was just a homely whisper.
Facing her questioning gaze, Mei Changsu did not intend to explain any further, her green shirt was slightly raised, she walked forward to lead the way to see off guests, and said softly, "Sir, please walk slowly", which was a real idle talk. language.
Xia Dong officially started her apprenticeship at the age of 20. In her 17-year career as a Mirror Envoy, I do not know how many serious cases I have encountered, so just one sentence can already point out the direction of her investigation.
Fei Liu's figure flashed between the branches next to him and appeared beside Mei Changsu. Although his face was expressionless, the look in his eyes was clearly very happy that the guest was finally leaving. Xia Dong looked back at his handsome and innocent face, suddenly his feet stagnant, and a sense of exhaustion came to his heart.
A major case in hand has not yet been tried, and the turbulent waves in the capital are even more in the ascendant, as if they are going to sweep and destroy everything, making people feel powerless to resist or even avoid.
Xia Dong felt that he needed Nie Feng's arms more than ever before.