The Prince with the Sword Goes to the End of the World

In the ten-mile Qinhuai River at night, there are faintly painted boats and lights.On the hazy high platform, the poem excerpts of "Liu Yong" "Yu Linling" came intermittently: Passionate since ancient times hurt parting, even more so, and neglected the Qingqiu Festival!Where are you sober tonight?Willow bank, dawn wind and waning moon.After many years, it should be a good time for a good time.Even if there are thousands of styles, who can I tell?

Although it's not a cool autumn, the desolation in the words is vivid. The woman's weak mourning seems to have gone through a lifetime of vicissitudes, making the last sentence "Even if there are thousands of styles, who can I tell?" It's even more meaningful...

Strolling along the waterside pavilions, you will be amazed a lot.I recalled Zhu Yuanzhang's expression just now. Although he had the majesty of killing, he also had the terror of fear.Strange appearance, high forehead and thin eyes, concave nose and wide lips, small ears but thick ears, protruding cheeks but thick chin; long and arched back, long legs and arched knees, thick waist and narrow shoulders, broad hands and thin fingers ; He moves like a shrimp in water, and his voice is like an eagle and an ape, how he came to the throne of the emperor step by step, maybe only the strands of white hair on his forehead can tell a thing or two...

But no matter what kind of stories I heard, the Zhu Yuanzhang I saw in front of me, the man who ruled the Ming Dynasty, is nothing more than an old man in my eyes, an old man with children and grandchildren...

On the streets of the city, it seems that there is a "Yuelai Inn" in every place, so it's no wonder that Su Haitang came here when she was looking for her.Walking inadvertently made me come to the door of this inn like a ghost. I looked up at the door plaque and knocked lightly on the door that had already been erected. When there was no response, I shouted a few times. .

As the light from the gap between the door panels became clearer and clearer, the expressionless waiter, with soft, sleepy eyes, gradually appeared in front of me, "Guest officer, it's so late, do you want to stay overnight?"

Perhaps, no matter what kind of upheaval happened in the court, it could not disturb the peace of an ordinary citizen.I looked at him and smiled slightly, "I'm not lodging, but I will give you a lot of silver taels, definitely much more than a guest staying overnight."

"Guest officer, what do you mean? This shop is an inn. You are not a lodging person, but you want to give me a lot of money. Are you joking?" The waiter in the shop said in surprise.

"It's definitely not a joke. I gave you a lot of money because you are a guy at the Yuelai Inn. Since you are a guy at this inn, you will definitely get the money." I said.

"Guest officer, if there is anything that needs a little help, please tell me directly." The shop waiter said.

When I was in Suzhou, although Su Haitang left in a hurry, she secretly stuffed wooden crabapple flowers into my clothes.She might think that I didn't know it at all, but I knew it from the beginning to the end. The reason why she didn't make a sound was that her abnormal expression at that time was more worthy of my attention.

"This is a wooden crabapple flower, you can just place it on the square table in front of the inn, and someone will find it." I lowered my head, took out the wooden crabapple flower, and said softly.

"Then...if someone who comes to find you asks where you are, how should you answer?" the waiter in the shop said, startled slightly.

"I don't know, do you have good wine in this inn? I have been very interested in good wine since I drank the extremely beautiful jade liquid just now." I said slowly.

"Excellent wine? The guest officer has come to the right place. If you want to ask about the fine wine in Yingtian Mansion, I, Yuelai Inn, still have enough jade liquid." The waiter said proudly.

"Haha, that's good. This is a piece of silver. In addition to what I said, I will prepare an upper room and several jars of fine wine tomorrow. If it is not enough, this will be regarded as a deposit." I laughed. .

"Enough, enough, enough. No matter how many pots of wine the guest officer drinks tomorrow, it will be enough. But...Why can't the guest stay here tonight? Why do you have to wait until tomorrow?" The shop waiter, with a surprised expression on his face, said.

"Haha, I might spend tonight on the roof of Yingtian Mansion..." I said with a calm smile.

"What? The roof?... The guest officer has money, but he doesn't stay in the hotel, he goes to sleep on the roof?" The waiter in the shop asked with a confused expression on his face.

"Yes, the roof. Not only the roof, but also the highest roof in Yingtian Mansion." I said.

"........."

"Haha, I like some open places tonight, and places where I can calm down." Looking at the speechless waiter, I smiled and turned away...

.....................

The next day, early in the morning.

Su Haitang hurriedly came to the Yuelai Inn in Yingtian Mansion, looked at the wooden crabapple flower she picked up from the square table, "Where is the person who asked you to put this thing?"

"I don't know, but last night the guest officer only said that he was going to spend the night on the highest roof in Yingtian Mansion... I have never seen such a weird person before..."

"By the way, the guest officer also asked me to prepare an upper room and jars of fine wine for him. He must come here today." The waiter in the shop looked at Su Haitang's handsome face and said hesitantly.

"The guest officer is a silver-haired man?" Su Haitang said.

"Exactly." The waiter said.

"Okay, I see. I'll wait for him in the room." Su Haitang breathed a sigh of relief and walked upstairs to the guest room.

Su Haitang, the well-known 'Prince Yumian', has always been known for her calmness, elegance and elegance, but for the second consecutive appointment with wooden crabapple flowers, she always looked flustered, obviously not her usual style .

And I learned from the waiter in the shop that she walked to the guest room with a disappointed face because she couldn't see me immediately, which made me even more puzzled, and I faintly felt that this Su Haitang already had some other feelings for me...

"Okay, I got it. This is another ingot of silver. If you see a tall and strong man passing by with several guards in brocade clothes, tell him that I'm here." I said to the waiter in the shop.

Actually, the time I came to Yuelai Inn today is not too late, it can also be said to be very early.Originally, he wanted to go to the prepared guest room to change clothes and wait for Su Haitang's arrival, but he never thought that she would arrive first instead.But right now, after hearing the short narration of the waiter, Xiao Zuo's figure appeared in my mind.

It can be seen that my Brother Xiao loves Su Haitang very much.After thinking about it, I decided not to meet Su Haitang in the room first, and when Xiao Zuo came, I went to meet Su Haitang with him.

On the first floor of Yuelai Inn, the lobby is very deserted. On one table, there is a jug of fine wine and a plate of vegetarian food. I am at the table, and not far above my head, it may be Su Haitang who is waiting anxiously...

.....................

"Lord Xiao, three of our brothers have disappeared inexplicably..." On the road leading to Ying Tian Mansion, a Jin Yiwei said in horror.

"Everyone hold hands and stay vigilant!" Xiao Zuo shouted.

"Lord Xiao, what...what is going on here? Every time we stop, a brother will disappear inexplicably, but no one around him has appeared...this..." Another Jin Yiwei looked around, with a terrified expression on his face , trembled.

"Brothers, don't get confused. The more this is the case, the more we should be calm!" Xiao Zuo frowned, with a serious face, and shouted.

"Ah... what's wrong with me? It's so uncomfortable, it feels like ten thousand ants are walking on my arm, it's extremely itchy... No! It's still climbing up... There's something in my arm that keeps going up...Master Xiao! Help I..." Yi Jinyiwei, who was farthest from Xiao Zuo, hissed and screamed.

"Brother, don't panic, I'll go right away." Xiao Zuo said.

The Jin Yiwei held a knife in their right hand and huddled together, while their left hand tightly grasped the clothes of the person in the middle of the group, lunged forward and backward slowly, looking back and forth anxiously.

Xiao Zuo hurried towards the screams, and as soon as he arrived in front of the Jinyiwei, he saw his hands clutching his chest tightly, his eyes staring sideways at the sky without expression; Breathing; after a while, his face became extremely horrified, and he fell to the ground instantly...

Xiao Zuo's body trembled, and he became distraught, he had never seen the brothers around him so ordinary.His trembling hands moved down slowly, and when they reached between the mouth and nose of the fallen Jin Yiwei, he suddenly retracted, and there was another chill...

"He...he...dead..." Xiao Zuo said in a daze.When all the guards in Jinyi heard the words, they surrounded him even tighter, their hands, feet and jaws were trembling constantly...

"Lord Xiao, look..." Although Wang Pu was also extremely scared, he still slowly came to Xiao Zuo and said.

"This... the blood on the wrist... is exactly the same as the blood on the wrists of the eleven Jin Yiwei who died outside Suzhou City..." Xiao Zuo said in surprise.

"Yes, Master Xiao. We are Jinyiwei... May I ask... in this world...is there anything that can kill a Jinyiwei silently without anyone noticing, and still have such an attitude..." Wang Pu said slowly.

"That's right... don't stay here for long, brothers, get on your horse quickly, don't delay any longer, let's go straight to Yingtian Mansion!" Although Xiao Zuo, who was in a panic, was covered in cold sweat, he couldn't help thinking about it at this moment, so he gritted his teeth, shouted.

Everyone was like a runaway horse, and they didn't care about anything. The sound of driving the horse was hoarse and weak, and they galloped towards Ying Tianfu in a mess...

.....................

In front of the originally peaceful imperial city gate, the calm was broken by several fast horses, and the guards on the horses still did not dare to let go. After entering the Yingtian Mansion, the horses were thrown at full speed, all of them looked dull and expressionless, just staring ahead …

"Guest officer, the other person you are looking for has arrived." In front of Yuelai Inn, the waiter looked at Xiao Zuo who was leading the horse from a distance, and said loudly.

"Oh? I'll go out and have a look." I put down the wine glass in my hand and smiled.

Stepping out of the inn, Xiao Zuo came to meet me, I hurriedly said, "Brother Xiao!"

Xiao Zuo didn't seem to hear it, and didn't respond, just kept whipping the horse and galloping past.Seeing this, I quickly jumped up and took him down. He stared at me, his eyes were bloodshot, his expression flustered, but he didn't say anything...

"What's wrong with you? Brother!" I said.

Xiao Zuo still didn't say anything, his eyes were dull, and his body was abnormally tense. When I wanted to call him again, I was startled by a basin of cold water that suddenly poured onto his face. , drops of water dripping down the face...

"The dignified Jinyiwei Qianhu looks like this, it's really disappointing!" Su Haitang obviously heard my shout and saw what happened downstairs in the inn. She seemed a little angry and said sharply.

"Oh...Brother..." At this time, Xiao Zuo was a little sober, he hesitated.

"What's wrong brother? Let's go to the inn first." I said.

I took Xiao Zuo's hand and walked towards Yuelai Inn. When I came to the guest room, I poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, "It's okay, brother. What happened to you?"

"No matter what you encounter! A big man is so afraid of being like this!" Su Haitang, who came after him, noticed Xiao Zuo's terrified expression, and said.

"Brother, after we parted from you, the Jin Yiwei and I also rushed to Yingtian Mansion. We stopped three times on the way, but every time, one of the Jin Yiwei disappeared inexplicably, and another Jin Yiwei died in front of me... It's exactly the same as the eleven Jinyi guards outside Suzhou City...Brother, what is this?" Xiao Zuo frowned.

"So, did you become like this?" Su Haitang sneered.

"There are so many strange things in this world, and it is inevitable for brothers to be frightened for a while. You must be accompanied by masters in your journey, but you have not noticed it yet." I said.

"It's normal for Jin Yiwei to capture a companion under Jin Yiwei's nose. Although you Jin Yiwei think of themselves as noble, if you encounter a real master, how can you resist? As for the Jin Yiwei you said died in front of you... What kind of death and wound?" Su Haitang said.

"The appearance of death is horrific, there is no wound, just another small piece of blood on the wrist..." Xiao Zuo said.

"If I'm not wrong, this is a kind of Gu insect. This Gu insect comes from the Western Regions, and no one in the Ming Dynasty should understand it." Su Haitang said slowly.

"There may be another force that wants to prevent us from looking for evidence that is beneficial to Lanyu." Although I already know that Zhu Yuanzhang has made up his mind to kill Lanyu, if he wants to kill someone, he can only say a word.It is impossible for such a troublesome move to be done by the current Holy Majesty. Naturally, there is another force that desperately wants Lan Yu to die.

"Indeed! Yesterday, wherever I went, I felt as if someone had been following in secret. Anyone related to the Sapphire case was killed before I found them." Su Haitang thought about it.

"Who could it be? Miss Haitang, as you said, isn't there no progress?" Xiao Zuo hurriedly asked.

"It's not that there's no progress. My 'mother' entered the palace last night to plead for Lan Yu. It's just that when she came back, it was too late, and I couldn't bother her any more. I think there should be some progress from my mother. Today, As soon as the day dawned, I received a secret report from my subordinates that Guo Mingxuan was looking for me, so I rushed here first." Su Haitang glanced at me and continued.

"Miss Haitang and Brother Xiao, I won't hide it from you. I went to the palace last night and met the current emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. It is a foregone conclusion that Lan Yu is mortal." Maybe it's time to tell them, because I can no longer see They looked a little hopeful.

"What? Brother! Have you met the emperor? Is Lan Yu really hopeless?" Xiao Zuo said in surprise.

"Yes! Your Majesty is well aware of Yan Wang Zhu Di's ambitions, but the crown prince Zhu Biao is dead, and Sapphire must die too. Let me ask, if you were asked to choose between your own child and a founding general, would you choose to live alone?" Who to choose?" I said.

"This... the emperor is not afraid that King Yan will rebel in the future? Why do you have to kill a person?" Xiao Zuo asked doubtfully.

"Lan Yu holds the world's soldiers and horses, and the Holy Majesty feels threatened. Once Zhu Biao dies, can the young emperor's grandson Zhu Yunqi control him? It must be impossible, so he simply killed him. And the Holy Majesty is also sure that the Empress Dowager Sun Renci, after succeeding to the throne in the future, he will definitely not harm the King of Yan. Since there is no threat, how can the King of Yan have an unknown teacher?" I said.

"Indeed! No... Once Lan Yu dies, the most powerful soldier will be the King of Yan. I have a vague feeling that the person who prevented us from investigating the Lan Yu case is the Yan King Zhu Di! He dominates the north and has many capable people and strange people under him. Of course there are people who use Gu insects!" Su Haitang said resolutely.

"However, we don't have any evidence pointing to King Yan. Even if the investigation is final, he can definitely push this matter to people in the Jianghu..." I hesitated.

"Hey... don't we have anything to do? Are those Jinyiwei who died just like this?" Xiao Zuo sighed.

"Some things, in the end, are often left alone." I comforted.

With a dignified expression, Xiao Zuo stood up slowly, and looked out the window, "When Crown Prince Zhu Biao was still around, he was so united and peaceful. Now... hey..."

"Perhaps, peace is only on the surface. These years, the imperial court has always been at war." I said.

"Then at least the court is integrated, at least there is no battle between the crown princes!" Xiao Zuo said emotionally.

Su Haitang and I didn't speak any more, because at this moment, no matter how much we speak, it will be futile.From ancient times to the present, the struggle for power has never stopped, and the battle for the crown prince is even more turbulent. What can we outsiders who have no power do?

"I miss the orphans in Tian Ao Village...I think...it's time to visit them." Xiao Zuo said weakly.

"Tian Ao Village? What is that place?" Su Haitang asked in surprise.

"When Crown Prince Zhu Biao was still alive, he took in many women and children displaced by the war, as well as some orphans of martyrs, generals, etc. Seeing that the number was increasing, he ordered me to find a secret place and place them. Tianao Village was established." Xiao Zuo said.

"It seems that Ao Village should be a very good place today." I said slowly.

"By the way, big brother. You can bring your daughter Yunjin to live in Tian'ao Village, so that you can live in harmony with the world and help you clean up." Xiao Zuo said hastily.

"Qingxiu?" Su Haitang asked in surprise.

"Haha, who can say for sure what will happen in the future?" I looked at Su Haitang and said with a dry smile.

"At the moment, I still need to stay by the side of the emperor's grandson Zhu Yunqi to prevent the king of Yan Zhu Di from harming him. Brother, you have nowhere to go with your daughter, why don't you go to control Tian'ao Village, where there are plenty of money and food .Brother, you can also develop it according to your own wishes. In short, it is enough to let the people in the village live a good life and not be bullied." Xiao Zuo said with a surge of emotion.

Su Haitang didn't speak any more, but kept her eyes on me, eager to know whether I should deal with this matter...