Chapter 113 Chapter 35

Chu Qiao was awakened by the intoxicating aroma. The moon was hollow, with few stars, and the moonlight leaked out like mercury, pouring in softly through the hollowed-out window, falling on the couch, like a large snow-white pear blossom in full bloom.Chu Qiao wore a pearl-colored soft skirt in the inner room, her black hair was scattered on the couch, she frowned slightly, and slowly opened her eyes, only to see the water shimmering outside the window, reflecting the soft moonlight, making her look more and more beautiful. Elegant and dusty, beautiful shadows are scattered. I slept a lot during the day, but felt sleepy at night.

Chu Qiao sat up, without disturbing the maid outside, walked to the window, and gently opened a corner of the window. But I saw a crabapple in full bloom in front of the window, with its flower branches slanting out, like a red rosy cloud, like a large piece of rouge dyed drunk, swaying gently in the cold night wind, with a faint fragrance, rushing towards the face, the petals are lightly clustered, stretching out. With a light touch of a finger, red fluff fell down and sprinkled between the wide sleeves of the robe. On the Qingchi not far away, there are palace people rafting and rocking gently, the sound of the flute rustling, leisurely like an empty valley and secluded mountains, urging people to sleep.

All of a sudden, eight years of hard work seemed to be gone, Chu Qiao stood by the window, like a naughty boy who broke into the fairy world, not knowing what night it is. Not wanting to disturb the maids outside, she raised her skirt and stepped lightly on the soft-soled embroidered shoes inlaid with pearls, stepping on the tall branches, gliding over, walking along the newly built waterwheel, and walking along the second floor. When he fell, he turned his body and landed firmly on the ground. The soil for the crabapple was newly added, apparently it had just been moved from somewhere else, remembering what he saw on the street before, Li Ce laughed and said that he wanted to move the flower tree into the palace, but unexpectedly he took it seriously.

I don't know why, my heart moved slightly, I turned my head and didn't look any further, as if I was afraid of some kind of ripples in my heart. It is now the end of summer, the heat of the day is no longer at night, and it is slightly cooler at the beginning.Chu Qiao was holding up her skirt and wearing court embroidered shoes that didn't fit well, walking slowly on the ebony bridge around Qingchi. The breeze on the pond was blowing gently, making her skirt rustle.The sky is empty, the stars are sparse, and under the cover of clouds and fog, a crescent moon shuttles quietly in the palace, the light and shadow are dizzy, and the ground is white, like a puddle of clear water where the ice breaks.

The fragrance of flowers on the shore is overflowing, and the large white, red and light pink flowers are intertwined in one place, overlapping closely, and shrouded in a leisurely silver. Chu Qiao's expression was very serene, she hadn't had such a peaceful state of mind for a long, long time, the night wind was blowing on her face, everything was like a fantasy in a dream.As he was walking, a koi suddenly jumped up and smashed into a pool of spring water with a bang. The ripples were faint, but it was even more peaceful. There was no one around, Chu Qiao simply sat on the wooden bridge, holding on to the ebony railing, looking at the shallow ripples on the lake, and gently resting her head on the growth rings of the logs.

I forgot how long it has been, it has not been so quiet. The trip to Bian Tang in the past few days seems to have washed away all the hostility and fatigue in her body. The secluded landscape, the summer flowers in the garden, the graceful cornices and brackets all show the charm and tranquility of the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River.She could finally breathe a sigh of relief, and then tell herself that this is not Zhenhuang, not Daxia, away from killing, not chasing and killing, she is safe for the time being, and can take a little, a little, a deep breath. It's been eight years, even if she doesn't say anything, no matter how strong she is, in the end, she is still a little tired.

I wonder if the wind in Yanbei is as warm as here? Thinking of this, Chu Qiao suddenly chuckled. how could be?Yanbei is covered with snow all the year round, and the cold wind is fierce. Only the generation of Huihui Mountain has green grass and valleys, where horses can gallop.According to Yan Xun, there is a fairy from Yanbei on Huihui mountain, the goddess who protects the people of Yanbei, she stands on the coldest mountain all her life, staring at the star map of the earth, watching the world of the lower world with her big and meaningless eyes All living beings compete with God for sunshine and warm days, and strive for the hope of survival for her people.

Yanbei, Yanbei, even the gods of Yanbei are mother-like fighters. Every inch of Yanbei's land is filled with the blood and tears of the people fighting against natural disasters, man-made disasters and military chaos. It is a nation reborn under the bones of the dead. At the root of a flower, there are the flesh and blood of soldiers defending their homes and the country, and in every ray of breeze, there is the spirit of giving their lives for freedom. That is Yanbei, a land full of suffering, but never bowed its head to yield. She has never seen the plateau covered with tall grass with her own eyes. She just heard people talk about it over and over again, talking about Yanbei and talking about it in those dark, difficult days, when pigs and dogs were worse than dogs and pigs. The snow-capped mountains and grasslands are the greatest pleasure for her and Yan Xun.They huddled in a dark corner, imagining the herds of wild horses and the rushing river, as if they saw great hope in the cold winter night.

Those who have not experienced it cannot understand the emotions of their mutual dependence. In that suffocating, vomiting, and maddening imperial city, they were two hairless little wolves, back to back, stretching out their inconspicuous paws. There was no wall or piece of carbon in all directions. Nowhere to rely on, no way to warm.We can only rely on the other party, tightly, and find the courage to survive from the other party's eyes and body temperature. They are inseparable comrades-in-arms, close allies, and family members who cannot be separated. This kind of complex emotion has already broken through the simple love between men and women, and has become flesh and blood, a part of the body.Most of the time, Chu Qiao didn't have time to think about her daughter's family. In her short life, she seemed to be running, fighting, and planning carefully, so she buried many things.But at this moment, she thought about it carefully, but couldn't think of any clues.

She's a sane person, always has been. She knows what she wants, what she should not be contaminated with, and what awaits her in the future, so she walks seriously according to all these, and she can't make mistakes in her errands.Perhaps such a character is very boring, dull and boring, but she is such a person, stubborn and stubborn like a buffalo. Chu Qiao slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He was coming soon. She could already smell the wind in the distance. She knew that it was because he was missing her. "How long are you going to sit there alone?" Chu Qiao was startled, and turned her head abruptly, only to see that Li Ce was wearing a turquoise robe, loosely tied at the waist, the skirt was slightly opened, revealing half of his strong chest, and his hair was tied with satin on the back. His hair is light, his temples are light, his eyes are like willows in March, they are slightly narrowed under the moonlight, like a sleepy fox, looking at Chu Qiao with a smile, then stretch out his slender hands, gently He yawned lightly.

Chu Qiao frowned slowly: "How long have you been standing here?" "Just a while." Li Ce came over staggeringly, sat beside her carelessly, handed a silver flagon, and said, "Drink?" Chu Qiao shook her head: "I never drink alcohol." Li Ce shrugged slightly: "Your life is really boring." "Did you stay up in the middle of the night just to mock me?" Li Ce took a sip of wine, his alcohol capacity was obviously not very good, after just a few sips, his cheeks turned slightly red.His eyes turned slightly on Chu Qiao, then pointed to a small island in the middle of the lake and said, "Do you know how many years that tree has lived?" Chu Qiao was taken aback for a moment, she didn't expect him to say this suddenly, so she didn't say anything. Li Ce asked himself and answered, "It's been more than 400 years, I didn't expect it, it's older than the ancestors of Daxia." Then he pointed to a small flower beside the ebony bridge: "Do you know what kind of flower this is?" The little flower was lavender, and the disc was extremely small, swaying in the wind, looking very pitiful, as if it would be swept away by the strong wind at any moment. "It's called Youyan. It blooms at midnight and withers in the morning. It only blooms once in a lifetime. It's only a few hours, but it will last a year." The silver flagon was engraved with small patterns of small flowers, which looked very similar to You Yan. Li Ce raised his head and took a sip of the wine, then turned his head and said with a smile, "Qiao Qiao, life is short, Morning dew epiphyllum blooms in a blink of an eye and white hair, you must have fun when you can, don't let down the good time." Chu Qiao shook her head slowly, and said in a low voice: "But if I have a choice, I'd rather be that quiet face that flashes in the pan than an ancient tree that will be mediocre for life." "Hehe," Li Ce smiled, "everything has its own way of life. The smiling old tree is busy all its life, and it can't be amazing, but it doesn't know that its long-term existence and standing is a kind of beauty. A kind of strength, the magnificence of time, how can a mayfly understand it?" Chu Qiao turned her head and saw Li Ce's bright eyes and free and easy smile, she couldn't help but stare at her, and she asked in a deep voice, "What about you? Do you want to be the beauty of the day and night, or the beauty of the years?" "Me?" Li Ce turned his head to look, with a bright smile on his face: "My ambition is relatively big, I hope to be like an ancient tree that lasts for years, and I also hope to be as gorgeous as a ghostly face all the time, haha .” Chu Qiao shook her head slightly, and said lightly: "You must be happy to be happy in life, don't let the golden cup be empty to the moon." "Good poetry!" Li Ce smiled, raised his head to drink, and said calmly, "I didn't expect Qiao Qiao to be a talented woman." Chu Qiao smiled lightly and did not refute. "Qiao Qiao, I have something to say, I don't know if I should say it." Chu Qiao smiled lightly and said, "If you treat me as a friend, then it's fine to just say it." Li Ce tonight is very different from usual. Although there is no lack of laughter and outrageous words in his conversation, but he is sitting quietly and serenely under the moonlight, surrounded by flowers and trees, and his voice and words are less A little bit of the usual absurdity, and a little more of the peace like a bright moon.The breeze brushed the sleeves of the two of them, and the pearl-colored skirt and the turquoise hem were intertwined, which was a little less surprising and more soft. Chu Qiao stretched out her hand to brush the messy hair on her temples, Li Ce looked at her, his eyes suddenly became a little more serious. "Although the great summer is in chaos now, the princes of all parties are ready to move, and the people are everywhere. However, the tree has deep roots, and the century-old foundation has a solid hull. Although a storm comes, as long as the rudder is steady, it is easy to turn over. On the other hand, the Yanbei regime seems to be showing its sharpness. , forced Daxia to move the capital and retreat, but the internal instability, the power is mixed, there are dogs coveting in the north, and Daxia tigers in the south, and they are not recognized by the regimes of various countries. The possibility of the boat being destroyed." After saying these words, Li Ce suddenly smiled, pulled up the Youyan tree with one hand, smiled charmingly, and said: "Yanbei and Daxia are like Youyan and ancient trees. Immediately see, win or lose immediately." A gust of wind blows, and the small purple flowers go with the wind, and after a few hits, they fall into the clear pool and green lake, echoing faintly with waves of ripples. Chu Qiao looked at Li Ce, and suddenly felt that there was a thick layer of fog in front of her eyes, and she couldn't see clearly, and she couldn't see clearly. A long time later, she told Yan Xun what Li Ce had said. The man was sitting on the horse at that time, the wind from Yanbei blew fiercely over his eyebrows and eyes, and a thin wind and snow swept over his temples. Yan was not as stunned as she was that day, but just silently did not speak.After a long time, he said in a low voice, "If that's the case, then let this long night never pass." She didn't understand what Yan Xun said at the time, she just quietly thought that Li Ce didn't understand Yan Xun after all.Daxia is indeed a thousand-year-old tree. The tree is big and deep, and it is inserted across the entire Hongchuan Plain. However, in addition to the advantages of an ancient tree, it also has too many branches and leaves. These branches and leaves need nutrients, water, and sunlight. They depend on the roots of the big tree like vampires, each has its own lush branches and full of descendants, and there are many regimes, but none of them has a mouth. And Yan Bei, even though he was weak, had the tenacious vitality of a quiet face.As long as there is an inch of land, it can grow up, whether it is midwinter or scorching heat, it will quietly dormant, waiting for the opportunity.And Yan Xun, how could he wait for the dawn quietly, sit and watch his own demise, and watch himself turn into flying ashes. However, these are things that happened a long time later. Chu Qiao on the cold moon night looked at Li Ce quietly, and suddenly felt that she hadn't seen him through. There are too many things, so deep, like a deep pool of thousands of feet, the water is faint, and it is impossible to detect.And just now, this man's heart opened slightly for a moment, and he put his own shadow in it shallowly. She asked in a low voice, "Li Ce, are you my friend?" Li Ce chuckled like a fox, and replied seemingly irrelevant: "I am the prince of Bian Tang." Chu Qiao remained unmoved, and continued to ask: "Will you help us attack Daxia?" Li Ce shook his head and replied softly, "No." "Then will you help Daxia attack us?" Li Ce was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Peiluo Zhenhuang took the eighteen prefectures of Hongchuan from Bian Tang back then, and the disputes between the two countries have continued for a hundred years. No matter how shameless I am, I can't just sit back and watch myself become Sinner of the family." Chu Qiao raised her eyebrows: "So?" "In the battle between Daxia and Yanbei, Bian and Tang did not help each other. Don't say that Zhao Zhengde married his daughter to me, even if he married his wife to me, it is useless, haha!" Li Ce burst out laughing while talking, Chu Qiao pulled the corner of her mouth, and smiled slowly: "In that case, you are my friend." The girl slowly stretched out her hand, her eyes were bright, and there was a smile on the corner of her mouth. Li Ce was laughing, he couldn't help being taken aback when he saw her, but in an instant, the man laughed lightly, and he followed Chu Qiao's example, slowly stretched out his hand, and held her tightly! Then Chu Qiao smiled lightly, she looked at Li Ce with bright eyes, her smile was suddenly so dazzling, she raised her head slightly, her chin was pointed, the moonlight sprinkled on her face like fine silk, she had a radiant halo dizzy. She smiled and said: "Li Ce, Yanbei is not Youyan, and we are not mayflies. Although the tree of Daxia is big enough, its roots have already begun to rot. Only a few ambitious princes can do it. It can’t be supported. Haven’t you heard that the one who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.” At that moment, Li Ce suddenly felt a little dazzling, he frowned slightly, and muttered to himself: "The one who wins the hearts of the people wins the world?" Chu Qiao smiled lightly, for these slavery ruled too many regimes, this kind of remarks may really be too unbelievable.She nodded, looked ahead, and said slowly: "The monarch rules the people, and the power of the people is infinite. All the troops, arms, gold, silver, and food come from those who are despised by the nobles and Despised slaves and ordinary people. They are the most tolerant people, as long as they have a mouthful of food and a field, they are willing to give most of the food to support others, but what if they can't survive?" Chu Qiao turned her head, looked at Li Ce fixedly, and said in a deep voice: "No one is willing to wait for death, Li Ce, if the people of the whole world are against you, then in this world, you can still sit still." Is it stable?" Li Ce was taken aback, frowned and said, "How is that possible?" Chu Qiao smiled: "How is it impossible? What never happened, wouldn't it happen? Three hundred years ago, did you ever think that a foreign race outside the customs would rise up and break through the Yin Mountains, and rule Hongchuan eighteen prefectures to become kings? Fight against Bian Tang? Have you ever thought that the family leader Nalan would rebel against the empire and become independent Huai Song?" Li Ce stopped talking immediately, and frowned tightly. Chu Qiao chuckled, the current empires may be the Xia Dynasty in Chinese history, because the people have never questioned their authority, so they thought that their authority was granted by the gods, and that those untouchables would be like this for thousands of years obedience and endurance? "Li Ce, just look at it. Everything has changed. It will not work to cling to the glory of the past. Sooner or later, you will see how powerful the angry common people are. That power is enough to open mountains and fill seas, enough to Calling the wind and calling the rain is enough to turn the world upside down. Da Xia, Yanbei, Bian Tang, Huai Song, and even the alien dog army outside the pass will be as weak as an ant in the face of this force. Whoever can adapt to the situation will be will be the winner in the end." There was no trace of a smile on Li Ce's face, he frowned, stared at Chu Qiao steadfastly, without saying a word. Chu Qiao turned her head, looked at Li Ce with a smile, and said in a deep voice, "Li Ce, you are my friend, so I hope that when the big wave comes, you will not be the first person to be involved in it." When the cold wind blew, the man's eyes were suddenly a little cold, and then a blade-like sharpness flashed, like a sharp arrow, he looked at Chu Qiao fixedly, without blinking or speaking.The wind blew between them, icy cold, with the chill of night.After a long time, he calmed down.He chuckled lightly, and then said, "Jojo, I've never heard these words, but I think it's interesting, and I'll think about it carefully." Chu Qiao knew that at that moment, Li Ce became murderous. However, he did not make a move after all. Although they represent different powers, different positions, and different regimes. As she said, they were friends, or something else, but they couldn't tell. Suddenly, Chu Qiao understood something that had troubled her for many years. Why did Emperor Xia want to attack Yanbei for so many vassal kings back then, and why did he kill Yan Shicheng who was the most loyal to him.If the emperor wants to cut the vassal, shouldn't it start with other vassals?Like King Ling, like King Jing, like those rebellious iron hats? But now, she suddenly understands that the reason is very simple, just because Yanbei has entered the Datong Guild, Yanshicheng has accepted new ideas, and different flowers have bloomed on the cold Yanbei Plateau, and different flowers have grown. fruit.From a standpoint, Yanbei has run counter to the empire. This is the same as a capitalist country suddenly has a political party loudly advocating that all property should be republican, and it is impossible to be accepted and allowed. It is blatant hostility and unforgivable betrayal. Although, at that time, the king of Yanbei may not have expected this result, and he still doesn't even know what he did wrong. Chu Qiao sighed softly, and the voice was soft, slowly drifting in the silent wind. What Chu Qiao didn't know was that that night, those words changed the fate of many people.Sometimes, she is like a seed, which unintentionally sows some green shoots. These seeds are hidden under the cover of ice and snow, quietly waiting for the opportunity. The root is inserted very deep. "Qiao Qiao," Li Ce turned his head suddenly. He frowned slightly, as if he had considered it for a long time, and then asked, "Can you tell me? Why are you so confident? Those you and I have seen have been brainwashed." What makes you so swear by? Is it because of... Yan Xun?" "No," Chu Qiao shook her head, she smiled lightly, and then said, "Because I have seen it with my own eyes." Li Ce was taken aback for a moment: "What?" "You won't understand." Chu Qiao looked at Maimai Bihu, the corners of her mouth curled up, and she suddenly smiled softly. No one will understand, yes, she has seen it with her own eyes, she knows what the world will develop into, the old system must die, and the new system must be reborn. I firmly believe that everything just needs a guide. "Li Ce, do you understand? This is my belief and the meaning of my existence."