The Quling River running through the city is carrying fallen flowers and rolling forward. The fine spring rain enveloped everyone who was in a hurry. The rain was so dense that it seemed like you couldn't touch the rain with your hands, but it was covered in mist.
Xie Sui'an stood by the bridge, recalling every detail of Xu Zhou's body in the past few days.
She didn't pay special attention to the unusual things these days, because every day went by the same way, and she was a little confused, and even lost the concept of time. He likes painting in his free time, and she vaguely remembers that he has been painting plum blossoms these past few days. A lot of rice paper was scrapped from the painting.
It seemed like he remembered something again... He was painting plum blossoms. This is not surprising. Scholars all prefer plum blossoms that bloom in the bitter cold. He accidentally mentioned that when they were avoiding the Qi people in the Tiger Kneeling Mountain, they passed by a plum forest. At that time, he only took a quick look and left. If there was a chance in the future, he would like to visit again.
He just mentioned it lightly, and she just listened to it, thinking it was a chat after dinner, and didn't even pay attention to it. Some details became clear in her memory again, and she recalled that when she spoke, Xu Zhou's eyes felt a little sad.
There happens to be a ferry in Tongjifang that leads to Hukou Mountain... Xie Sui'an had a vague guess in his mind. He won't go to the mountains, right?
Xie Sui'an immediately decided to go to Hukou Mountain and asked Nan Yi to stay in the city to observe the situation. If she found someone, she would send a signal to notify Nan Yi.
Fortunately, Xie Sui'an guessed correctly.
As soon as Xu Zhou stepped onto Tiger Kneeling Mountain, Xie Sui'an followed him with his hind legs and intercepted the man at the pavilion near the ferry.
The peach tree next to the pavilion is in bloom, and several branches extend diagonally into the pavilion. The faint fragrance of flowers fills the side, and it becomes more fragrant with the drizzle.
The spring scenery in the mountains is pleasant, but no one appreciates the beautiful scenery.
The two stood facing each other in silent agreement.
After all, this is a monarch. Even if Xie Sui'an is angry in his heart, he can't let it happen on his face.
"Your Highness, please follow me back."
Xu Zhou was a little embarrassed, like a child who had done something wrong, but he still insisted, "I don't want to go back yet."
Xie Sui'an took a strong breath, suppressed the anger that surged to his mouth, and tried his best to speak calmly: "Your Highness, you don't even plan to go back, do you want to be a savage in the mountains?"
"Just today."
"Then what is your Highness going to do?"
"Don't I even have the freedom to do what I want to do?"
"Do you know how many people in the city will be worried about you if you leave so willfully?!" Xie Sui'an finally couldn't help it, and his voice was a little louder.
"Didn't I get discovered? Can't you pretend you don't know and give me this day?"
"One day? Do you know what changes may happen in one day? In order to send you to the city, Pang Yu died, the eldest brother died, and there are those strong men who you and I don't know. It would be better for you to run back to Huhu by yourself. Kneeling Mountain - Are you afraid that Qi Ren will be blinded and want to send him forward?"
These are her closest relatives, but she has never mentioned these people in front of him, because this is also her deepest wound. But now she was furious, even if it was to safeguard their justice, she would scold him.
Xu Zhou knew that he was unreasonable, and his head hung lower and lower as he listened to the scolding.
In the beginning, Xu Zhou always had some unrealistic fantasies in his mind. I imagined that I suddenly had God-given power overnight. Gods can kill gods when they block them, and Buddhas when they block Buddhas. He wears the armor of a king and leads his people to fight a bloody path to intimidate the West and revive the power of God...and then these The fantasy slowly shattered as the people who protected him died one by one, and he was still powerless. He began to wonder why God chose a person like him to be the monarch.
He is not strong enough, he cannot protect his people. This is the original sin of the monarch.
He felt that his virtue was not up to par, and he was in panic all the time. He was torn between wanting to do something and being unable to do anything.
"Yes, it's all my fault...I'm sorry for these people," Xu Zhou lowered his eyes, his voice was not loud, and even seemed a little frustrated, "If I were caught by the Qi people, , then everyone will be relieved."
Xie Sui'an couldn't answer the words for a moment. She was sad, angry, and a little helpless - as if she was rowing with all her strength in the middle of the water, but found that the people around her were not on the same page as her, and the small boat could stay in place. Turning feebly.
She couldn't accept it, and her stubborn temper rose. She stared at Xu Zhou with a face as cold as frost: "Say it again."
Xu Zhou did not look at Xie Sui'an, but only stared at the flower branches behind her: "I said, even if I am caught and die, you find someone similar to me, call him Xu Zhou, and help him become the emperor. , isn’t it the same?”
What kind of shocking remarks are these? How dare he say this?
With a snap, Xie Sui'an was extremely angry and slapped Xu Zhou on the face.
"Then simply kill the old courtiers and build a new dynasty. It's all about this land and these people anyway. What difference does it make about who is the master? What are we still running for? - We all give in, we all compromise, Bones If you soften first, why should you stand up again?"
Xie Sui'an couldn't control the strength of his hand at all, and Xu Zhou was stunned by the beating. His mind was buzzing, but her words echoed in his mind word for word, deafening.
The surroundings were extremely quiet. He felt his cheeks hurt and blood rushed to his head. But the pain woke him up again, and his chaotic five senses became clear. He suddenly smelled the crisp air, mixed with the smell of soil and new branches. , every plant and tree under these mountains and rivers seemed to be laughing at him silently at this moment.
He was ashamed.
He allowed the mortal part of himself to collapse first, knowing that this was not a prison for him alone, but a prison for everyone.
They are all chess pieces in the two realms of Chu and He. The soldiers, ministers, chariots, horses and artillery take turns in the battle, one after another. Although the general is trapped in a small space, he still decides the life and death of the game. Unless he fights to the last man, he will firmly hold his position.
The world is divided and reunited, dynasties will eventually perish, and people can only live for a few decades. No matter how hard you pursue, you will eventually turn into dust and ashes, but this does not mean that everything you do now is meaningless, and future generations will Imitate, comment, and live according to the backbone of our predecessors.
People live day and night, day and night.
What they are willing to use their lives to maintain is an order and a spirit. The most important thing is that the ministers should observe their duties and the monarch should behave accordingly. His subjects did not just regard him as a symbol, but prayed that he would become a good monarch and regain the lost mountains and rivers inch by inch.
These things may seem illusory, but they are enough to support people all over the world.
He didn't know how long he stood there in silence. He inexplicably remembered that when he was a child, he sneaked out of the main hall of the early dynasty and saw many ministers inside the door, while the monarch sat in the high hall, solemn and solemn. One day... such a scene will appear again. He is no longer a child outside the door. He will walk to the top of the mountains step by step, even if he steps on the bones of his courtiers, he will go forward and tell the world what happened in the darkness.
However, when Xu Zhou didn't speak for a long time, Xie Sui'an frowned hard, but his anger gradually subsided, and his heart began to beat. She should never have beaten the king... She felt a little regretful - how could this end well?
At this time, Xu Zhou suddenly raised his eyes. Xie Sui'an was startled, and his knees went weak. He wanted to kneel down to plead guilty, but he had to give the monarch a step down first.
"It is my fault."
"It is my fault."
The two of them said in unison, and they were both stunned after speaking.
Xu Zhou leaned over and helped Xie Sui'an up, and said seriously: "If you kneel to me again, I will really be ashamed of myself."
Xie Sui'an was a little surprised. She didn't expect that Xu Zhou would take the initiative to apologize in such an embarrassing situation. She took advantage of the situation, with a look of guilt on her face.
She also knew that being locked up in one place for three months was like being imprisoned. Everyone would go crazy. Xu Zhou had suppressed it until he broke out today. It was already very difficult.
After standing up, Xie Sui'an's tone obviously softened a lot: "Whatever your Highness wants to do, I will accompany you. But before it gets dark, we must look back at the snow dock."
Xu Zhou's eyes slowly moved back to Xie Sui'an, with mixed feelings in his eyes, as if he was hesitating whether to say anything. After a long time, he whispered the whole story of today: "Today is the Cold Food Festival. I originally wanted to find a plum forest to build a tomb for Pang Zixu... He died in the wilderness, and no one burned paper for him. I wonder if he can find his way back to hell." road."
Xie Sui'an opened his mouth, but seemed to have lost his voice. He couldn't even pronounce a syllable.
Song Muchuan secretly sent her a secret letter a few days ago. The letter said that at that time Xie Queshan buried Pang Yu's body in a plum forest in Hukou Mountain. , he tried to arrange it.
But Xie Sui'an pretended not to see the letter and did not send a response. She didn't want to worship Pang Yu. These rituals were forcing her to admit that Pang Yu was really dead, but she just didn't want to face it.
But Xu Zhou's words made Xie Sui'an sober up. Could it be that... the souls of the dead were wandering around, waiting for them?
Pang Yu, have you seen the monarch's innocent heart?
……
In Tiger Kneeling Mountain, there is only one plum forest. Now the plum blossoms have withered, and the petals are covered in the soil. The bottom layer has become rotten, but the ones that just fell are still beautiful.
The new cry mark presses the old cry mark, and the heartbroken person remembers the heartbroken person.
On that small mound of earth, there was a new monument erected, with only the words "Tomb of Beloved Friend" engraved on it, but no one's name. Someone came to worship not long ago. The weeds in front of the grave were cleared and a jar of new wine was placed.
Xu Zhou put a picture of plum branches he had brought into the brazier and burned it.
Pang Yu is the best person in the world. He was ordered to escort him, they were just new acquaintances last year. Originally, he brought a team of a hundred people, and they fled all the way. They were wiped out by the Qi people, and they captured many prisoners. In the end, only a few remaining generals were left. When he felt hopeless, it was Pang Yu who led him out of nowhere.
Privately, he is a gentle person, sympathizing with his fears and always chatting with him.
Pang Yu told him frankly that his liking for Mei was just arty. A long time ago, he had two good friends, and their random poems in praise of plum blossoms could be sung by the whole city of Bianjing. He was a little inferior in literary talent, so he stayed up late at night and read, composed hundreds of poems in praise of plum blossoms, and chose the best ones. The song still can't compare to them.
He didn't feel unconvinced either. Because actually compared to Mei, he still liked that girl the most.
He is a gentleman, and a glimmer of hope blooms in the bitter cold. A gentleman loves one person and all things. A gentleman is like a plum blossom.
None of them spoke, and it was so quiet that you could hear the sound of the flames licking the paper. After a long time, Xu Zhou looked sideways and saw Xie Sui'an's face covered with tears silently.
He felt sad in his heart, and the tears he had been holding back for a long time fell.
"Xie Xiaoliu, I kind of hate you."
Xie Sui'an came back to his senses, slightly stunned.
"You had to come to take Pang Yu's place...Every time I see you, I will think of him."
Xie Sui'an wiped away her tears and said stubbornly: "Then I have to be inseparable from you so that you can remember him and these people who died for you all the time. They are the souls of injustice that you must bear. Until you become a As long as you are a good monarch."
