Li Jianting's figure was quickly obscured by Qi Yu. She was a leftover cloud in this majestic temple, and it dispersed so fast that she couldn't even be called an "opponent". The city gate of the main east gate kept vibrating with the sound of "squeak", Luo Mu, who re-boarded the city wall, tried his best to mobilize the soldiers in the city.
"Archer ready-"
Before Luo Mu's transfer order was issued, Tantai Hu shouted loudly in the rain: "Break the door!"
In the words, Zhongbo's single-pointed artillery has already launched its shelling, and the capital army who has lived in the capital for a long time can't stand it, but the miscellaneous soldiers brought by Luo Mu still have spare strength. Luo Mu was good at defending in Chazhou, and he was not afraid of bandits. Now Tantai Hu is a bandit in his eyes!
"Bah!" Luo Mu spit out the dirt in his mouth, and watched the garrison attack under the city coldly. "The city wall of the city will not fall for a hundred years. With just a few single-pointed cannons, it will still be impregnable until next year." He supported him. Wall Duo shouted to Tantai Hu below, "Tantai Hu, you and I have worked together. If you want to save face today, you might as well surrender to the court with me. You can't win this battle!"
Tantai Hu remembered that he hated Luo Mu for framing him, and he was full of anger. Hearing him say this, he couldn't help burning with anger.
When he kicked like this, the soldiers immediately rose up, followed Tantai Hu and pushed the crashed car into the city gate again, causing the city gate to make a loud noise.
Unexpectedly, Luo Mu sneered for a moment, then waved and shouted, "Let's go!"
The stones that the miscellaneous soldiers had prepared for a long time flew down from the six-zhang high wall, and fell on the garrison like a shower of hail. Even wearing helmets could not bear it. kill. The soldiers near the crashed car hugged their heads to dodge, the wheel of the car was hit, and the whole body suddenly tilted. Because of the amazing weight, only a few people could not stop it, and they could only watch the crashed car roll into a mud puddle.
Tantai Hu wiped the muddy water on his face, knowing that he was in the middle of a fucking trick again, Luo Mu was just irritating him!
"Tiger!" Fei Sheng rode his horse around, grabbed the Zhongbo military flag with one arm, and shouted at Tantai Tiger from a distance, "I'll pass on the words of the lord of the government—you fight this battle happily!" He waved the flag violently, Pointing at Ye Du, "Whether you succeed or fail, you Tantaihu is a good man of Zhongbo!"
good boy!
Tantai Tiger's blood surged up suddenly, filling his chest, making his palms tremble slightly. He was personally taught and guided by Xiao Chiye, but made many mistakes under Shen Zechuan's seat, but Shen Zechuan still gave him a chance, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped his cheek a few times.
The slap was so hard that it sounded especially loud in the rainstorm.
Tantai Hu's cheeks were slapped red, his eyes covered by the scars opened slightly, his momentum still remained, but he calmed down a little. He replied savagely, "If we can't win this battle, I, Tantaihu, are no longer worthy of being a minister of the government and a general of the second master! Today, even if my body is shattered, I will open this door for my lord!"
* * *
The eunuchs Gong E in the palace were vying for things, and the sound of fighting at the city gate spread throughout the capital, and they all wanted to escape before the city was broken. There was only one lamp in Mingli Hall, and Fengquan took off the eunuch's robe and sat beside the tea table. His slender figure was like a young man between the overlapping and flying white gauze.
The sound of the rain was like the sound of a piano, and the light of the sky was dim like a long night.
Fengquan held the weak lamp, raised his head between the flying yarn, revealing half of his face, and saw a pair of jet-black boots parked in front of the gauze, the rain dripping along the opponent's scabbard, on the mirror-like ground A narrow light shone out.
"Who do you think you'll see," Fengquan said softly, "Shao Fengquan?"
Qiao Tianya was holding the scabbard, with wet strands of hair hanging down, unable to see through the layers of white gauze. His heavy sleeves fell to the side, as if trapping the hand holding the sword.
Feng Quan stroked the lamp, half of his face smiled slowly, even with that eye full of smiles, he said softly, "You're late."
Qiao Tianya raised his eyes.
Fengquan stood up, they were too far apart, as if they had never known each other. The friendship of those chief roles has passed in the long rush, and Songyue, who has returned to the place, is still holding the piano, but gradually found that none of the people who left have come back.
"You left Yedu with your sword and became the swordsman you said. Qiao Songyue, I hated you so much in those years," Feng Quan raised his head slightly and pointed to his ear, "I only carry this."
The inconspicuous piercing hides dirt.
"I only bring this..." Feng Quan lowered his voice and his expression became more gloomy, "Look at me, what do I look like?"
He looks so young, his pale face retains the melancholy of a teenager, and even his limbs still haven't grown.
"My father gave you the sword, and my grandmother took me to Zhongbo, where I met Lei Changming." Feng Quan squeezed the words between his teeth, "I really want to die... I almost got free, but Lei Jingzhe Pick me up from the ditch, just like those puppies he raised, let me live in Gedal for five years, five years... I'm smarter than those bastards, Amur likes me, he wants me to be A four-legged snake, leading the scorpion of Da Zhou for him, but I just want to come back."
Amur let him back.
"Go back to your hometown," Amur handed Fengquan a dagger in front of the golden tent, "Meet your father and friends, if they are the same as before, you will be free."
Fengquan took it seriously, he returned to Dazhou and reunited with Shao Chengbi as he wished. Feng Quan looked at Qiao Tianya's shadow, as if telling someone else's story: "I saw my father, he was very happy. He stroked the top of my head, then knelt down in front of me and wept bitterly."
"He sent you," Qiao Tianya said in a hoarse voice, "to the palace."
"That was just one step in the plan. Father spent the second half of his life atonement, and it was useless to seek Buddhahood, and the East Palace was still his nightmare. The Taifu did not die, this was their only hope for the old officials of the East Palace. Father kept anonymity outside the gate of Zhaosin Temple. , waiting for Qi Huilian's activation, in order to avoid suspicion, he asked me to take those medicines." Feng Quan pointed to his chest, the vicissitudes in his eyes contradicted the youthful face. He mobilized the expression on his face and looked very strange at this moment, "Who would doubt me? Even if my name is Fengquan, no one will believe that I am Shao Fengquan."
Xue Xiuzhuo was so cautious, but he never doubted Fengquan's identity; Li Jianting was so vigilant, but he still listened to Fengquan's lies. It was not that they were not smart enough, but that Fengquan's appearance had long been incompatible with his age. Shao Chengbi's son is thirty-six years old this year, but Fengquan doesn't seem to have reached the crown. This error makes him not under any suspicion.
Fengquan's eyes were dark, he was tired of crying and laughing, this face was not real. He said, "What's the use of Qi Huilian? The old madman has been trapped in Zhaosin Temple for twenty years, like a dog wagging its tail begging for food, still thinking about the success or failure of Dazhou."
Qi Huilian didn't know that Amur was in the pool at first. After Shen Zechuan left Zhaosin Temple and entered the court of Tianchennian, Qi Huilian recalled the defeat of the Zhongbo soldiers, and vaguely sensed the irresistible strange force in it. It's just that Qi Hui didn't even think that this was such a huge and intricate situation, and he didn't even think that Fengquan would be the scorpion sent back by Amur.
"You admire Qi Huilian," Fengquan's face was covered by white veil, "you are so pitiful, what's the difference between Qi Huilian and Xue Xiuzhuo? These self-proclaimed martyrs of righteousness, they all regard people as chess pieces. My father is willing to take me Trapped in this body," Fuquan looked wearily at the top of Mingli Hall, "let me be neither human nor ghost, neither male nor female,"
"Donggong was injured, and the disaster affected the fish. Shao Bo's debt was already paid off when he ransacked his house." Qiao Tianya's eyes were fixed on the double image of Bai Sha, "You don't owe anyone."
Feng Quan opened his arms, his wide sleeve robe was dragged on the coffee table, he giggled, his tone was both envious and mocking: "Qiao Songyue, it's good to be a swordsman... Why do you think my father did this? Because' Faithful'?"
The tiny candle was about to go out.
"The thing that prompted the downfall of the East Palace was the treason document forged by Jin Yiwei. Who can imitate the handwriting of the prince and the staff of the East Palace so similar? The staff of the East Palace belong to him." Feng Quan smiled restrained, "Qiao Kanghai dared to join the enemy, precisely because he stood With merit, he brought down the prince for the queen mother by imitating the handwriting of the East Palace."
Qiao Tianya suddenly clenched the hilt of the sword.
Fengquan took a step closer, and turned over the coffee table with his sleeve robe. He said, "My father asked Hua Siqian to raise his hand in order to protect your family, but Hua Siqian refused, so my father could only ask Shen Wei."
Qiao Tianya's breathing was a little disturbed, and he said, "Zhong Bo—"
"That's right!" Feng Quan yanked the white veil in front of him and said cruelly: "The defeat of Zhongbo is all due to the disclosure of the military chart of the Ministry of War, which was given to Shen Wei by my father, and Shen Wei gave it to Amur. meet and greet!"
The muffled thunder outside the hall made Qiao Tianya's face turn pale.
"The machete slaughtered the city of Liuzhou," Feng Quan approached with wide sleeves, his eyes were crazy, "Shen Zechuan's entire family died in that defeat, thanks to you and me!"
Qiao Tianya held the knuckles of the sword hilt with a light sound, and Feng Quan looked at his expression, as if he was looking at the embarrassment of his retreat. Qiao Songyue has been stained with dust, but this is not enough, he is still enviable, and wandering is also freedom.
Fengquan went further, and his face was divided into black and white in the thunder and lightning. His hatred built up in his chest and burned people beyond recognition. He said, "I went back to my father, but he turned me into a monster to pay debts." He grabbed Qiao Tianya's collar, bent his body slightly, raised his head and said in a chilling voice, "Every day, every day I've been asking myself all day, who am I, am I a scorpion, an old minister, or a dog of countless people!" His face became grim, "Shao Chengbi repented for his bullshit and killed me with his own hands! Look at me! , Qiao Songyue, do you know who I am?! Qi Huilian is too cruel, he doesn't believe me, but he wants to put me here. I disguised as Mu Ru's younger brother, took the place of Xiao Fuzi, and imitated a teenage boy Pretentious. Ah..." He gritted his teeth, "Is it a good thing for Qi Huilian to die for these self-righteous people? I did everything possible to remove Wei Huaigu for him!"
"It's you," Qiao Tianya raised his hand, but did not touch Fengquan, "replaced the post that Yang Cheng sent to the Ministry of Punishment."
"It's me..." Feng Quan's hands trembled, it was excitement, "Qi Huilian is so smart, he didn't even think that he would die here, but he brought me up himself. Without Shen Zechuan, the world would be a sand table for me to play with. ."
Yang Cheng accused Wei Huaigu of reselling military rations, and the post should have been sent to the Ministry of Punishment, but the brand was replaced by the brand of the Ministry of Household in the middle. This move made Wei Huaigu suspect that he had been exposed, and in order to ensure the safety of others, he chose to surrender, indirectly prompting Xue Xiuzhuo to do it.
"Tianchen's epidemic case," Qiao Tianya curled his fingers slightly, "you did it too."
When the official ditch on Donglong Street was blocked, the Ouhua Building collapsed, and the epidemic broke out, Qiao Tianya once said when negotiating with Xiao Chiye that the epidemic did not start from Donglong Street, but from the palace.
"If Li Jianheng died on that day," Fengquan spit out his core like a snake, "I will win this game."
The scorpion, the old genus, hides the eyeliner in the inner court, Fengquan is the one who has the upper hand from beginning to end, and his multiple identities allow him to have information about the overall situation. He is like a poisonous spider dormant in the center of the spider web, constantly pondering and observing everyone's every move.
There was no emotion in Qiao Tianya's red eyes, his Adam's apple rolled, and he did not let go of his sword in Fengquan's tug. He looked at Fengquan and said, "But you still let Shao Bo go out."
The rainstorm blocked the footsteps outside the hall, and Fengquan's eyes were numb at this moment. He blushed, raised his chin slightly, and said contemptuously to Qiao Tianya, "Because I don't want to play anymore."
His twisted, eerie shadow crawls on the floor, following him crawling in this deep palace, he gradually can't tell who he really is in the alternation of day and night - he does things for everyone, but betrays everyone. He is not a winner at all, he is an ant in the chaos, an ant out of control.
Qiao Tianya said, "I've been waiting for you in Zhongbo for a long time. Over the years, no one has looked back."
Fengquan was in tears when he rolled his eyes, shook his head and said, "Songyue..." He seemed to have returned to the day when he parted, his eyes were complex, both like envy and hatred, "Everyone feels dead."
Qiao Tianya felt a great pain in his heart. The hand he held the sword couldn't stop shaking. He seemed to wake up from the sound of the rainstorm, and finally came to understand after breaking away from the endless dream.
All are dead.
* * *
"The forbidden army has entered the city!" The south gate opened wide, and the army ran hard, spreading news to all channels, "Reinforcement!"
"There are no reinforcements!" The miscellaneous army pushed the Du Jun who was blocking the way, and looked at the main east gate in the rain, "The rebels have surrounded the capital."
"Where are the reinforcements from Huaizhou and Huaizhou!" Chen Zhen held up her robe, "After Tao Ming left, the imperial court sent someone!"
"There was no response to the order issued," Liang Luoshan wiped the rain on his face and looked outside the city, "I'm afraid it won't come."
"There are still carriages and horses at Ximen," Xue Xiuzhuo suddenly turned around, stepped over the heavy rain in a few steps, and held Li Jianting's arm tightly, "Your Majesty, I can't hold it anymore, Juexi still has room to turn around!"
Li Jianting's body trembled slightly in the sound of the chaotic army fighting, but she held Xue Xiuzhuo instead, with a resolute expression, and said, "I and the teacher guard the country together."
Xue Xiuzhuo looked at Li Jianting and said, "The master humiliates the death of the minister, the minister is still alive, there is no reason for the emperor to guard the gate."
"I can't abandon the teacher and run away," Li Jianting's voice was hoarse, she was drenched in the rain, her long eyelashes were wet with rain, as if she was crying, "Even if the city is broken, I should live and die together with the princes."
Xue Xiuzhuo's temples were wet. In just one year, he had changed a lot. He seized the position he held from Hai Liangyi's hands, and he had already done his best in the face of the court that went its own way. The downfall of the Moderates started with him and ended with him, and he wanted to accompany Da Zhou on his final journey.
"I have no regrets for the emperor's words." Xue Xiuzhuo raised his body, slowly tidying up his clothes in the heavy rain, and said, "I have a meeting with the emperor, teachers and students... In the last part of the journey, let the teacher walk for the emperor."
Li Jianting lost his voice and choked up.
The last collision of the Zhengdong Gate, only to hear a loud noise from the city gate, the unbearable gate opened a narrow path, and the knives of the garrison had stabbed in. The miscellaneous army and the capital army on the inside pushed and shoved the door panel together, and Tantai Hu led the crowd to force the city gate to slide inward.
Xue Xiuzhuo turned around, waved off his sleeves, and said loudly, "Escort the emperor out of the city!"
Li Jianting refused to leave, and the guards had already swarmed up. She looked at Xue Xiuzhuo dejectedly in the rain, the courtiers all turned their backs to her, and no one looked back. She called out, "Teacher..."
Xue Xiuzhuo strode up the steps of the city, and he looked calm amid the pounding of the trebuchet. He said to the outside of the city, "Is Shen Zechuan here?"
The raindrops beat on the armor, and the wind tread frost clothes stand in it is particularly conspicuous. Behind Shen Zechuan was the hunting flag. He turned his head slightly towards Xue Xiuzhuo, as if observing the real opponent.
Xue Xiuzhuo's front was soaked by the rain, and the animal pattern on the patch was blurred. He didn't wipe the rain off his face, and that stubbornness hasn't diminished until now. He raised his hand, revealing the waist card he was holding.
"When I helped you to be the same knowledge of Jinyiwei," Xue Xiuzhuo's eyes were calm, "I suspected that you were a scorpion, I was wrong, you are far more terrifying than a scorpion. You go back to Qidu, cross that door, and take your With the name of Shen Wei, he is a sinner of all ages."
Raindrops dripped down Shen Zechuan's face, his expression was gloomy, and his affectionate eyes were extraordinarily indifferent. He finally said, "From the moment I stand in front of this door, I am a sinner. I am alive or I am dead, you can't be sure. Today I can bear the scolding of thousands of people, and tomorrow I will bear the infamy of the ages."
The strong wind blew Shen Zechuan's hair, his lips moved slowly, showing a cold smile in the rainstorm.
"Give me back my husband, my advisor, and my brother."
The city gate fell to the ground with a bang, and Tantai Hu led people into the passage. The wall stacks were smashed by the rubble, and the debris splashed, and both doors in the capital were broken. The forbidden army and the garrison echoed in the south and east, and killed together with the capital army and the miscellaneous army in various streets and alleys.
Xue Xiuzhuo's cheek was cut by the rubble, and the blood flowed non-stop. He clutched his waist card tightly, and could only watch the stele that symbolized Da Zhou's dignity collapse.
"You came to collect this debt, and I am willing to pay it with my life," Xue Xiuzhuo said abruptly in the turbulent chaos, "It was me who killed Qi Huilian, and it was me who killed Yao Wenyu, stop! Shen Zechuan - I'll give you my head!"
Tantai Hu chopped down the army in front of him, and noticed a familiar smell when he raised his knife. He wiped the blood from his face, turned over the corpse of a miscellaneous soldier with his feet, leaned over in a strange way, and peeled off the other's clothes.
Shen Zechuan didn't answer, only to see a rain of arrows shot from the crossbow on the wall. The wind stepped on the frost clothes, and the sound of rain urged. Fei Sheng's ears suddenly moved, and then his expression changed. He almost rolled down from the horse's back, jumped up with the shield of the garrison, and shouted: "Master beware!"
There was no cover in front of Shen Zechuan, and Fei Sheng couldn't see it, when he suddenly saw Shen Zechuan open the folding fan in the rain, and he just blocked it. But the bamboo body was too brittle, and the next moment it broke with a "crack".
But this time is enough!
Fei Sheng couldn't draw the knife, so he held the sharp arrow in his empty hands and landed steadily in a split second.
"Did you know?" Feng Quan raised his index finger and pointed it in front of him, "The smartest people are also the dumbest people. I think they fight each other too hard, so I build a ring for them here."
Fengquan deceived Qi Huilian, deceived Xue Xiuzhuo, and played with Amur, causing these brilliant chess players to capsize in the gutter. His deceit escaped invisibly and became a sharp blade that did not reveal any trace.
He is not controlled by anyone.
"I will throw the dice," Feng Quan opened his arms and chuckled in the empty Mingli Hall, "Whoever can step into the palace gate alive today will be the winner of this game."
"Fuck you..." Tantai Hu had already seen the tattoos on the corpse, he raised his head and looked at the dense army of soldiers in front of him, his scalp was numb, and he spat, "... these army of soldiers are all scorpions!"