"I knew he would rebel."
Li Ce talked on his own, Chu Qiao didn't make a sound, she knew that he didn't need someone to answer now, all he needed was someone who would listen quietly.
"I've been waiting for him for many years, but I also have a glimmer of hope, that he doesn't want to go against his will."
Li Ce laughed at himself, raised his head and drank a glass of water and wine, turned his head and smiled at Chu Qiao: "You know, Li Luo has been less intelligent than me since he was a child, and his military skills and martial arts are not as good as me, but poetry is better than me. When he was a child, he said that he hoped that when he grows up, he would be able to call all the world-famous Confucian scholars, find a beautiful place to open a government office, and compile the most detailed Simon's Canon."
The center of his brows curled slightly, and the moonlight leaked in through the plain veiled panes and sprinkled on his handsome cheeks. He said quietly: "Actually, he doesn't know. I have established a library of ancient books for him in Anqing since the day I became the crown prince. It's a pity that after Fu'er died, I never had a chance to tell him about it."
His brows were suddenly furrowed tightly, and his voice was filled with a hint of hatred, he forced out a few words from between his teeth: "You said him, why did you have to turn against him?"
The wine cup shattered into two halves with a snap, the sharp jade pierced into his tiger's mouth, and bright red blood spurted out, like blossoming begonias.
Chu Qiao suddenly remembered that many years ago, in this palace, under the autumn night phoenix trees, a man in a green shirt stood there quietly, and said to her softly, "I am Luo Wang."
Vaguely, in the dust-covered corner, the wind gently blows the water waves of the years, and the time goes back many, many years ago. Three young children used to play and run in this empty hall. Laughter is like the smoked wind in June, blowing through the thick fog in this cold and lonely palace, blowing through this dark and unpredictable imperial residence...
"Fu'er, you agreed to be my daughter-in-law today. It was him yesterday and the day before yesterday. Today it's my turn."
"I do not want!"
"Why? Your words don't count!"
"Just don't!"
"Hmph, I'll tell my father that I will marry you right now."
"I don't want, I don't want, I don't want!"
"Ah! Damn girl, why do you bite?"
"Okay, stop fighting, you two, it's time to go to the study room for class."
"Brother Luo, the prince bullied me."
"Brother what? I want to call you Uncle Huang! Uncle Huang, Fu'er is sick and biting people. I'm going to the medical center to find the imperial doctor. I can't go to class today."
…
The night was as cool as water, and the flashy light and shadow of the past gradually dissipated, leaving only a faint brilliance. The cold moon is like frost, and the plains are suddenly cold and chilly. In such a hot midsummer, the skin is aroused with a thin tingling numbness. The wind climbs up the back, and finally entrenches in the mind, spreading a luxurious decadence.
Li Ce drank too much wine, his back was thin, and he walked out of the gate of Mi Heju crookedly.
Little by little, it disappeared into the moonlight of the phoenix trees.
Standing in front of the window, Chu Qiao watched him gradually leave, feeling empty in her heart, like a broken ice lake.
The struggle for imperial power has always been cruel and bloody, either you die or I die.
Just like between Yanbei and Daxia, there is no way to reconcile.
She suddenly thought of Yan Xun and how he felt when he killed Mr. Wu and others.
Maybe the situation is slightly different, but it is all a power struggle after all. Today's Li Ce will be sad because of the death of King Luo, so at this moment, Yan Xun will regret what he did that day
The desperate roar before his death and the last scream of the Xishuo army by the Hanshui River merged little by little, like sharp roars, surging in his mind.
The edifice of power rises up little by little, and only one person can step on it after all. Before that, thousands of people must fall down and build the cornerstone of progress.
There are a few faint water stains on the small ebony table, without the aroma of wine, and under the moonlight, it is shining with crystal color.
"There is a string of wind chimes over there, which are covered by dust. If you have time, girl, you might as well ask the palace servants to clean them. The autumn wind is cool, and the chimes are crisp, very pleasant."
A faint voice sounded leisurely in his mind.
Chu Qiao walked over slowly, stretched out her fingers, and gently touched the string of wind chimes. With a shua sound, the silk thread hanging the wind chimes suddenly broke, and the whole string of wind chimes fell down immediately, and fell into the Taiqing Pond below at once, creating a white splash and rolling ripples. On August 20, 780, Li Luo, King of Luo in Meishan, was defeated in Hanshui. On September 11th of the same year, Li Luo's three sons and two daughters were beheaded at Wutong Terrace in Meishan, and twenty-one powerful generals under him were brutally beheaded. General Xu Su personally supervised the execution, and after a single order was thrown away, there were dozens of ghosts without owners.
That day, Mei Xiang came in from outside the hall, a few snow-white petals fell on her body, and she looked a little dazed. Qiusui called her a few times before she came to her senses and murmured, "I just heard that Luo Wang's side concubine Xu has been found."
Xu? Xu Su's younger sister Xu Peining
Qiu Sui patted his chest quickly and said: "It can be considered that I have found it. I heard that General Xu Su lost his father and mother when he was young. There is only such a sister who depends on each other and loves her very much. Now he has made great contributions to His Majesty. If Miss Xu It would be a pity if something happened.”
Mei Xiang frowned slightly, her expression seemed to be shrouded in a layer of faint green smoke, the tall candle as thick as a forearm shone brightly, making her complexion a little pale. She lowered her voice, her voice was thin and deep, "I heard that it was found on Luofu Mountain. It was hung on a dead tree in Luofu Mountain, and both legs were taken away by wild wolves."
After hearing that, Qiusui screamed "Ah", and her face turned pale instantly.
Chu Qiao's heart turned cold, and a trace of chill surged up from the bottom of her heart, like milky white cigarettes in an incense burner, circling and turning leisurely.
On a cold moonlit night, singing and dancing in the Roufu Palace resumed, and silk and bamboo were in full swing. Mrs. Ziming is now Concubine Rou, the most powerful and highest-ranking concubine among Li Ce's concubines. A few days ago, she was diagnosed as pregnant by the imperial hospital. In two days, she will go to the palace outside the palace to raise her baby. .
This long night, amidst the hustle and bustle, was filled with dead silence, so long.
In this way, another half month passed, summer went to autumn, and after a few cool rains, the air became cold and humid. The summer lotuses are scattered, and there are black lotus leaves on the Taiqing Pool. In Jinwu Palace today, no one has the mood to invite a pool of hot springs to stay in bloom.
The Southwest experienced great turmoil, Xuefu City was close to Meishan, and the student inn that Chu Qiao carefully managed was also destroyed in the flames of war, leaving only a ruined building. Mei Xiang, Jing Jing and the others couldn't help feeling a little more sad when they heard this. Li Ce said that he could rebuild it for her, but Chu Qiao lost interest. After all, this Simon, she won't live long.
Chu Qiao stayed in the Jinwu Palace like this, day after day, watching the sun shining through the vermilion window lattice, waiting for another day to come.
She seldom saw Li Ce. After Luo Wang's incident, although Bian Tang's army was at a loss, the Southwest clan was wiped out, but the treasury was full and flourishing. Li Ce seemed to have changed his temper and became extremely busy. Even the singing and dancing in the harem hadn't been heard for a long time.
Autumn is fading, light and shadow are floating, and two months have passed quietly. Chu Qiao got up early in the morning and pushed open the window, only to see that there was a thin snowfall outside, and a few sycamore trees outside the window had accumulated a layer of white hangings. Living in the school, it has been a long time since I saw snow. Mei Xiang and the others were very happy to see it, while Jing Jing took a group of little court ladies out to play, wearing a bright red satin cloak, looking cute and cute.
Zhuge Yue's letter arrived again. In the past few months, due to the impact of the Bian Tang war, Li Ce's pressure on Daxia's border has been greatly reduced, giving Zhao Yang a chance to breathe. Last month, under the pretext of training, Zhao Yang drove the Southern Army to quietly enter the Western Day Camp, 30 miles outside Zhenhuang City. At that time the northern Hu land was hit by a snowstorm, Zhao Che went to the northern Hu and was not in the capital, Zhuge Yue immediately took five thousand Qinghai guards to the West camp, and confronted Zhao Yang for more than three hours.
If Wei Shuye hadn't arrived in time, there might be a big mess.
When he wrote the letter, he didn't mention it at all. Chu Qiao only learned about it from the mouth of Tie You's guards. Thinking of the danger of 5,000 troops confronting 30,000 southern troops, she only felt a trace of sweat on her back. Beads come.
Emperor Xia's time is running out, and he has not gone to court for more than two months. The struggle for imperial power in Great Xia is intensifying, and if you are not careful, you will be in danger of defeat. When Chu Qiao has nothing to do, she will go to the Buddhist hall and copy two volumes of "Ping An Jing" and "Lan Zhi Jing". I have someone in my heart that I want to bless.
Sandalwood incense was wafting from the Buddhist hall, and through the lingering smoke, looking at the majestic Buddha statue, Chu Qiao suddenly thought of the Empress of the Tang Dynasty whom she only met once. That afternoon, when she woke up from her sleep, the gentle woman looked at her quietly, and told her very calmly that she was going to persuade Li Ce not to tear down this Buddhist hall to enshrine Huanxi Buddha.
At that time, Li Ce was still the prince of the Tang Dynasty who was messing around, but now, he is the emperor of the Tang Dynasty who lives and kills, talks and laughs.
Qiu Sui is now the aunt in charge of Mi Heju. The little girl grew up in the palace, she has clear ears and eyes, and she knows autumn leaves. From time to time, she looks at Chu Qiao suspiciously, frowns and whispers: "This time I met the girl , I feel that the girl has something more than last time."
Chu Qiao raised her eyebrows slightly, and asked, "Oh? What's more?"
Qiu Sui smiled lightly, and ran through Chu Qiao's black hair from top to bottom with a horn comb in his hand, and said quietly: "The girl came back from Yanbei last time, and she was like a lotus at the end of summer. gone."
"Really?" Chu Qiao tilted her head, her pale fingers ran through her thick hair, her face in the mirror was like a willow on the shore of a lake that has survived the cold winter, the sharp look in her eyes was gone, as if she had only fought once in those ten years Water moon mirror flower. Now she is living in the Jinwu Palace, waiting patiently, the years are like water, and finally gave her a few moments of peace.
At the end of the year, she met He Xiao once.
The winter wind was chilling, she was wearing a silver-tipped fur cloak, and when she and Mei Xiang passed the Baizhe Pavilion in Shanglin Garden, they happened to run into He Xiao who had just come out of Yixin Hall.
He is now the envoy of the military department of Bian Tang's South Battalion, and he is an official of the third rank, which is highly regarded by Li Ce. Even this harem is frequented.
Since Chu Qiao left without saying goodbye, it was the first time they met again, and the first time they met, they were both a little embarrassed. He Xiao's lips twitched for a moment, as if he wanted to call your lord, but in the end the words remained on his lips, and he called in a low voice: "Miss Chu."
Chu Qiao waved back and went up to Baizhe Pavilion with only Mei Xiang.
He Xiao was dressed in a navy blue court dress, calm and handsome, with a charm and demeanor tempered through hardships on his face.
Mei Xiang stood outside the pavilion. When the wind picked up, it blew up the hem of Chu Qiao's cloak, like a wisp of green smoke. She didn't speak for a long time, just stood facing the wind, the pavilion was very high, below was the outlet of Taiqing Pond, which was also repaired into a stream of running water, and the clear water flowed, making a rushing sound. He Xiao's voice sounded from behind, quietly and calmly.
"It's windy here, and the girl is weak, so let's go back earlier."
"The wind in Yanbei, isn't it stronger?" Chu Qiao turned her head, her face was very calm, her eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of light, making it difficult to see through, "He Xiao, are you blaming me?"