Ever since Li Hong led officials and Li Dan and Li Zhe to test the steam train back to the palace from outside Chang'an City, Li Lingyue reported it in order to attract attention, and since Li Hong beat Li Lingyue out of personal anger, the two of them were They have formed an incomprehensible feud. In short, they have to fight each other for a long time when they meet. Everyone dislikes them, and no one can persuade the brother and sister to leave.
Li Xian looked at the brother and sister speechlessly, and no longer stopped him, but stood up on his own. In order to clear his ears, he walked out of the Penglai Hall and wandered around the small garden not far ahead, thinking about what to do next. How to stabilize one's advantage in negotiations with Dashi and Japan.
Over the years, he has long lost his ambition to fight for supremacy. Even when he sometimes takes a shower, looking at the knife mark on his arm, the hatred in his heart for Li Hong slowly dissipates unconsciously and without knowing why. .
So even now, when faced with the knife on his arm, he could face it calmly, without any haze or hatred in his heart.
Even he himself didn't know when this change happened. Sometimes he would think that when Fang Muqing went to Jiling City to visit him, he always supported Cordo in private in accordance with the imperial court's orders. Family, or is it because these years on the battlefield of Dashi and the various crises in Jiling City made him look down on life and death and at the same time gain a new understanding of life
He doesn't know it himself, and he can't explain clearly, but what he can be sure of is that both Fang Muqing and Li Hong have paid a lot for themselves behind their backs in these years.
Even if one of his arms was cut off by Li Hong, even if he was exiled to Bazhou and then to Jiling City, although he never regained his status as the Prince of the Tang Dynasty during this period, his status in Jiling City would still be the same. How could he possibly do what he did without Li Hong's support
Even the power in his hands is greater than that of a prince!
Sitting in the small gallery pavilion, the big tree in front of the Penglai Hall, the big tree planted by you, Li Hong, and your father, the thick branches and leaves have also extended to the top of the gallery pavilion, making it The pavilion looked somewhat dim under the cover of dense leaves.
This towering tree has grown for more than thirty years. Neither Li Zhi nor Wu Mei herself allowed anyone to prune the branches and leaves of this tree, even if it was far away from Penglai Hall. Wu Mei would rather lower the eaves than cut off the branches that would affect their natural growth.
"When the leaves fall in late autumn, the courtyard will be covered with golden leaves. The queen mother will not let the eunuchs and maids clean them, but they will cover the entire courtyard layer by layer. Under the sunshine in the afternoon, It looks golden. Sometimes the Queen Mother will ask someone to move a deck chair and sit under the tree, and then silently watch the golden leaves falling silently from the sky, even if they fall to her covered with blankets. The queen didn't care if it happened to fall on her body or happened to fall into the steaming tea cup. She gently flicked it to the ground and picked up the leaves that fell into the tea. It was very leisurely. "
I don't know when, Li Lingyue, who had finished arguing with Li Hong, slowly walked behind Li Xian, and Li Xian saw Li Hong not far ahead, waving to him, and walked out of Penglai Hall, saying that he wanted to Go to the Shangshi Bureau to see how the queen mother's lunch is being prepared.
"This tree is like Lao Wu. From the day it was born, it has never obeyed any rules in the palace. My father and mother just let Lao Wu grow up naturally and wantonly like this tree. . No matter what outrageous things Li Hong did, even when he was the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he made the Ministry of Revenue a mess and a mess. He had a quarrel with Dai Zhide, the Minister of Rites, in the court, with red faces and angry eyes. His mother and father were both angry. Didn’t you really discipline Lao Wu?”
Li Xian pointed to the lowered eaves and the huge branches that stretched out and pressed down on the top of a side hall in Penglai Hall, and continued: "Most of Lao Wu's temper is like that branch, whether it can be stretched or not. He was willing to give in, so in the end, even the queen mother or the father had to make way for him. The queen mother lowered the eaves, and the father changed the court. "
Li Lingyue sat down opposite Li Xian, her beautiful eyes unabashedly staring at Li Xian's empty sleeves that were gently lifted by the breeze, and she said with a somewhat empty expression: "The Queen Mother has overcome all obstacles for the Emperor's brother. , My father has paved a smooth road for my brother. In fact... I have not had a deep impression of my brother since I was a child, and I don't think I like him the most. He is thirteen years older than me. By that time, the emperor had already served as the Minister of the Ministry of Finance for four years, and soon he went to Anxi. In my memory, I, His Highness, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, always thought it was you. "
Li Lingyue gathered her hair that was messed up by the breeze, lowered her head and continued with a smile: "At that time, my mother and father told me that the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty is not your sixth emperor brother, but your fifth emperor brother Li Hong, but he I'm not in the palace now. At that time, I would think wildly, was it that the fifth emperor brother was expelled from the palace by his father and mother? Or was it that the fifth emperor brother died in infancy? Brother Huang is a real person, he is not in the palace, he is out fighting and killing bad guys.”
"You didn't like me when you were a child, is it because I always took care of you and didn't let you do this or that, but Li Hong always doted on you, let you follow your own temper, and relied on you in everything, just like That year at Ci'en Temple, you, Guan Wan'er, and Li Dan had a conflict after they met Prince Zhenla, and then Li Hong rushed over and cut off his fingers without thinking about anything. "
"That was all arranged by him. The imperial brother's palace is very deep. Afterwards, I followed Guan Wan'er and figured it out because of Li Dan's words. I thought it was true at the time."
"Then you don't hold a grudge against Lao Wu? Even you dare to take advantage of me." Li Xian said with a magnanimous smile.
"Why do you have to hold a grudge? He has used me less over the years? And having said that, who can escape being used by him? My father and mother are not immune, and now "Fang Jian Tian Xia" is still using me? Is he such a person? , The purpose of using you is for your own good. This method... cannot be learned by others, right?" Li Lingyue blinked her beautiful eyes, as if her eyes could also speak, staring straight at Li Xian, Waiting for Li Xian to give him a satisfactory answer.
Li Xian did not answer immediately, or even nodded. He just looked into Li Lingyue's eyes with the same smile, frank and sincere, as if he had opened his heart to Li Lingyue.
After a while, Li Xiancai sighed and said, "You are right, and among us brothers and sisters, you are all smarter than me. I am the only one who understands the latest. Thank you Ling Yue."
Li Xian's words were very sincere, and there was no trace of falsehood or pretense at all.
"Actually... In fact, Li Hong is the least free and the one who sacrifices the most. "Fangjiantianxia" I like this job very much. It can gossip and make people respect me, the princess of the Tang Dynasty. And Li Dan does the same What he likes, what about Li Zhe... Although he doesn't like what he is doing very much, he is used to being loose-tempered and cannot be as knowledgeable as Li Dan, but he also likes to wield swords and guns, but the emperor's brother cannot give him military power. , after all, if that was the case, the courtiers would probably have to kneel down in front of the Xuanzheng Palace, so the emperor seemed to follow his own temper and placed him closest to the military power, but he was out of reach, but he was willing to do so. As for the matter, Taiyi City’s Medicinal Food Room has always been a top-secret place in the Tang Dynasty. Even I can’t come in and out at will. Even if Li Dan wants to come in or out, he must have the consent of Li Zhe. This not only satisfies Li Zhe His vanity prevented him from becoming an idle prince in Chang'an." Li Lingyue said as if she felt a little regretful that she had forced the Sixth Brother so hard, and she couldn't express what she meant.
"I understand what you mean, so Lao Wu put me in the position of a courtier negotiating with Dashi and Japan. I am closest to the Ministry of Rites, but I am not a member of the Ministry of Rites. Just like Li Dan, I gave myself two seals. In the Imperial Academy, he finally felt bored and gave up the position of offering wine. Li Zhe was also the same. He appointed himself an official when he had nothing to do, but he resigned after not exceeding three days. , Brother Huang does not feel that he is being used by Lao Wu. Even if he is being used, I have the same idea as you, and I am willing to do so. "
Li Xian bent down and picked up a green leaf, looked at it in his hand, and continued slowly: "I have paid a lot for Jiling City, but I knew from the beginning that Jiling City has nothing to do with me, and it must belong to Li Hong. Li Hong gave me the opportunity to atone for my sins. In fact, it was for the purpose of restoring my identity as a prince. As long as I did not make any big mistakes in Jiling City, no matter what the situation in Jiling City would be in a few years, , Li Hong has excuses and reasons to restore my status as prince, and most importantly, he can silence the ministers in the court. "
"If it weren't for you, he could have found a capable minister and went to Jiling City with Narshiye. There are so many capable ministers in the Tang Dynasty, and they are loyal to Li Hong, right? "Li Lingyue stood up and asked with a smile.
"Yes, I am not the most suitable candidate, but he is willing to take this risk for me, so now whether it is to repay him or for my country and country of the Tang Dynasty, I should fight for Lao Wu in this negotiation. More benefits and chances of winning." Li Xian also stood up and looked at Li Lingyue and said firmly.
Li Lingyue looked at the open-minded Li Xian and nodded: "I also went to see what the queen was doing at the Shangshi Bureau. Why did you think of inviting us to Penglai Hall for dinner today, out of charity?"
After saying that, Li Lingyue jumped down the steps as if she was a child again, then waved to Li Xian and started walking outside Penglai Hall.
(End of chapter)