Chapter 163 Chapter 7: Sweet Dreams

On the first day of the first lunar month, there is a night banquet at the beginning of spring, and the Zixiao Hall is adorned with brilliant lights, various delicacies, and dancing sleeves like clouds. Zhao Yang was dressed in a black brocade, embroidered with gold patterns and dragons, accompanied by sun, moon and five-color brocade clouds. He was wearing a high crown of nine crowns wrapped in sapphire and gold. One seat, entertaining the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. Today is the spring feast of Daxia. Although the winter outside is cold and snowy, the war in the northwest has not stopped, there are foreigners in the northeast clamoring to establish themselves, the food harvest is poor, the river is flooding, and the Chinese and military ministers of the government and the opposition are attacking the cold war, but the superficial luxury and prosperity are still undiminished. Delicacy and delicacies, beauties with jade-like faces, slender waists like willows, wine pots poured over, pulp as fragrant as honey, and the hall illuminated by thousands of white cowhide lamps are brightly lit.Baizhi, Xiliao, Chaoge, Yaoxing, Beihai, Dongjin and other major military commanders, as well as vassal princes, garrison generals, court and field civil and military, and family heads, all gathered together. In this traditionally peaceful and luxurious festival, celebrate the majestic Another spring of "smooth weather" in Daxia.

Today, no one will mention those unsatisfactory battles and rivalries between the ruling and opposition parties. When the wine is full, the mortal enemies on weekdays are all sitting together shoulder to shoulder, drinking and having fun and teasing the beautiful women in their arms, and singing and dancing in the hall.From time to time, the dignitaries of the empire raised their wine glasses and turned their heads to look at the throne, but it was not the throne, but the fourteenth prince who was young and in power. If it was three years ago, perhaps no one would have thought that such a day would come. Even Wei Guang, the old fox of the Wei family who has always been known for his venomous eyes, did not expect that in just three years, a person who used to live in muddy water would be able to make a living. The young man who was struggling and rolling in the middle took this position in one step.

However, now that the royal family of Great Xia is withered, Zhao Qi and Zhao Jue are dead, Zhao Che is demoted, and Zhao Song is disabled with a broken arm, only the fourteen princes are left to support the building alone, so even the respect of the Wei Clan has to bow down here Under the sect of a prince, he wholeheartedly assisted his superior. Zhao Yang sat on the high hall, and Chao Ge's generals came forward to toast, he lightly raised his glass and nodded, the wine entered his throat, Chao Ge's generals showed their admiration and loyalty to Zhao Yang, finally he nodded slightly Next, overjoyed to step back from the stage.

Light and shadow filled the air, and a group of singers came up to the hall, with their cloud sleeves raised high, their bare waists were as soft as water snakes, which immediately attracted everyone's attention. In the shadows, Zhao Yang raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and sneered in an imperceptible sneer. He still remembered the general, but it was only four years ago, and he was also in this hall. Because of his low status, he was placed in the lower seat. The general accidentally stepped on his robe on the way to toast Zhao Qi, and the cup The wine was poured all over him, but the general at that time just looked at him with a frown, then gave a cold snort of disdain, and left with his hands.

In just four years, this general has become so polite and courteous to others. The transformation of human nature is really breathtaking. Zhao Yang turned his head slightly, and glanced lightly at the throne hidden in the shadows from the corner of his eyes. He looked at it for a long time, and the shadow of the lamp shone on his face, and his expression became hazy for a while. Now he is sitting here, What his eyes saw was a canopy all over the sky, and what his ears heard was nothing but praises and praises. He suddenly felt that the distance that used to be so far away to him was now within reach.

At the last moment when the singing and dancing stopped, he turned his head resolutely and continued with his previous expression and manner.The moonlight outside penetrated the door of the main hall, and with the gentle wind, a corner of the soft gauze curtain was lifted, the cautious guard sniffed slightly, and whispered to the guard beside him: "Why is there a smoky smell? " The guard also smelled it, but shook his head blankly: "You smelled it wrong." "is it wrong?" The guards didn't dare to make a sound, this is the imperial inner courtyard, the spring banquet in the main hall, who would dare to light a fire nearby?

The moonlight passed through the main hall and drifted into the deep palace gate with the wind all the way. The Chengguang Ancestral Temple, which had been locked for many years, was lit up with soot. The dust was choking. Once together, it was torn into scattered pieces. In the dark depths of the hall, the gems and pearls on the emperor's seat are like streamers in the dark night, sharply dispelling the dead silence of the place, but those floating dust are like ghosts who don't want to disperse. Circling around messily. Emperor Zhengde, who was supposed to be sitting in the Zixiao Hall, was sitting alone in the empty and lonely Chengguang Ancestral Temple. Opposite him was a tall and majestic mourning hall, densely filled with ghostly spirit seats, so tall. , so dense, towering all the way to the roof, like pairs of faint eyes, staring at him quietly.The years came from Guixu, carrying the wind of the underworld along the way, passing through the spiritual place, making a humming sound, like a low murmur.

A crisp sound of "pop" suddenly dissipated the dead silence of the hall. A glass cup in the emperor's hand fell to the ground and shattered into seven or eight halves. The bright red wine juice inside poured on the ground, with a strange Fragrance, along the grain of incense ash, flows all the way. The emperor, who was sleeping soundly leaning on a chair, was awakened. He opened his eyes dimly, with an old smile on his lips, and said softly, "Come mess with me again." The voice was warm, even with a hint of a smile, but in such an environment, it seemed so weird and cold.The little eunuch guarding the door trembled slightly, squinting his eyes carefully to look in, but was kicked hard by the old eunuch with a bang.

"Stay outside." The old eunuch said unhurriedly, and the young eunuch quickly knelt on the ground, so frightened that he didn't dare to breathe, and after a while, he backed up and crawled out. The old eunuch picked up the water and wine on the side, walked forward slowly, put it on the table next to the throne, and filled another glass for the emperor. The eunuch's unique soft voice said: "Your Majesty, the empress is playing with you again!" gone?" "That's right." The emperor turned his head and said with a smile: "You know, she just likes to mess around and has an outstanding temper. How can she have the demeanor of a mother?"

The old eunuch didn't laugh either, but replied in his usual voice: "The emperor said this, and the empress heard it, and I'm going to annoy you again." The emperor chuckled, shook his head, then changed into a comfortable posture, leaned on the wide dragon chair, and said softly, "I'll go and see if she's upset." Then, he closed his eyes. In the past few years, the palace has changed and changed. Empress Mu He has long since passed away, and her successor is vacant. Before Empress Mu He, the emperor also canonized several empresses. I don't know what he called "she" at this time. one.

The old eunuch lowered his head, and didn't pick up the broken colored glass on the ground. He just picked up a small grass stalk in the wine pulp, carefully put it into a golden box, and then stood back in the shadows beside him. The cyan robe blended into the dark night of the funeral, as if falling into the boundless black sea, and disappeared. The auspicious time for the Spring Banquet is approaching. The palace people holding the lanterns pass through the palace gate and light up all the lights one by one. The translucent brilliance breaks through the lonely deep palace and makes this magnificent building even more dazzling. Like a twinkling pearl.Lively laughter and laughter came from the front hall, like heavy waves, and the sound of congratulations to the emperor pierced the tranquility of the night. When the bell rang, thousands of civil and military people bowed down like a tide, from the Zixiao Temple to the continuous clouds. The road spread throughout the imperial court, and the sound of the mountain's shout of longevity and boundlessness shook the Zhenhuang night. A nocturnal crow flew over the sky. The young guard didn't know where to go, raised his head and called "crow", but was immediately caught by the crowd at the side. The head guard kicked. "What do you know? That's a magpie!" On that day, there was continuous heavy snowfall in Zhenhuang City, and the Guanshan Mountain was like iron. The emperor frowned slightly in his sleep, and called softly: "Anfu, who is making noise outside, please keep their voices down." The old eunuch agreed in the shadows, and said softly: "Your Majesty, it is the ministers who are greeting you in the Zixiao Palace." "Greetings to Father Emperor?" The emperor seemed drunk, and murmured: "Tell Shicheng, wait for me after the banquet." The old eunuch nodded: "Yes." That was many years ago, and the emperor forgot how many years. The emperor was not an emperor back then, but an unfavored prince. His mother was a beauty sent by Qingqiu, but since the child was born, she seemed to be forgotten by her husband. He and his mother were quiet in the palace. Living quietly, like a docile cat, no one cares about it, so much so that his father even forgot to give him a name. It wasn't until he entered school at the age of seven that the royal family finally remembered his existence. He still remembered that day when the chief eunuch reported to his father, his father was taking an afternoon nap in the bedroom of the most popular Concubine Hua at that time. He could only kneel on the cold gold and stone ground for more than two hours before waiting for his father to wake up.The father lay in the arms of the concubine Hua's jade-like snow, frowned slightly, looked at the strange mother and child outside through the curtain, seemed to be trying to remember their appearance, and finally smiled lightly: "Just Call Xu." After leaving the door, the little eunuch continued to congratulate his mother: "Xu Tongxu means Chaoyang, it seems that His Majesty loves His Highness very much." The mother wept happily, and took out her meager money to reward the greedy palace servants.But he was thinking quietly, Xu Tong was slow, and Xu Xu meant to slow down, did the emperor say that he was a belated son? He grew up very quietly until the age of nine, when his mother finally passed away on a rainy night. She coughed and covered her mouth, for fear that the loud noise would disturb the sleep of the nuns outside. In the palace, all the year round A concubine who has no favor and no background is equivalent to the dirt on the side of the road, anyone can step on it, and in this prosperous palace of the prince, his status is not necessarily higher. These days, they Mother and son have been scolded several times for this. The mother was still dead, and when she was found early the next morning, her body was already stiff.He was standing under the flower porch in unlined clothes, and watched his mother being carried out covered by a white cloth. The morning wind was a bit cold, and a corner of the white cloth was blown away from his mother's forehead. The face under the cloth was pale, like a rolled up rice paper. He turned his head, tears fell down his small face and into his neck, he quickly wiped away the tears, although his mother gave birth to him, but because of her low status, she has no place, so she is not his His mother, on the royal roster, his mother was the queen of Zhaoyang Palace, and he couldn't be sad when a woman with no status died. He was then taken to Zhaoyang Palace. The queen's three sons had all grown up and left the palace to build a mansion. After his mother died, he had a chance to be raised by the queen.The eunuchs and maids who looked down on him before were all busy congratulating him, saying that they had long seen that His Highness is a dragon among men, a sign of great wealth, and now that things are turning around, they are really happy, so happy. Amidst the congratulations from everyone, he knelt on the Fengming Hall of Zhaoyang Palace and kowtowed seriously. He thought that his mother died. This is really a happy thing. It came out, bitter in the mouth. The queen frowned and looked at him for a while, then said in a deep voice to take him down quickly, since she didn't have to come to pay her respects every day if she had nothing to do, the child looked uncomfortable with a smile. That afternoon, he met Shicheng. He was the child of the second emperor's uncle, King Yanbei. At that time, the king of Yanbei was not named Yan, but Zhao.When Shicheng saw him, he jumped up happily, and shouted: "I've even had breasts from Shu Hemeiren!" After that day, Shicheng bothered him all day long, following him no matter he was eating or sleeping, Shicheng would wrestle with anyone who dared to give him shame. Although he was young, he was very energetic. All wrestling kings were thrown to the ground by him. Since then, no one dared to provoke the Ninth Prince. But he still finds him annoying. He doesn't like the smile on his face. He thinks that smile is too fake. The chill in that smile.But when Shicheng laughed, it was too pure, he couldn't see any darkness, he told himself, this person is too cunning, he needs to stay away. Once, he was so annoyed by being entangled, so he lied to him that we would meet in the ice cave at night, we would see each other, Shicheng happily patted his chest, and said that the men in Yanbei don't lie, and even spilled blood as an oath. Stop it, he doesn't feel sorry for him, but as a prince, he will be punished for self-injury. As a result, the next day, Shicheng really disappeared.Prince Yanbei disappeared in the palace, and the whole palace went crazy. Everyone searched through boxes and cabinets, trying to dig up almost every inch of soil. Even the queen and father were alarmed, and the guards ran away in the huge palace. Throughout the day, crackling footsteps were like rumbling drums, urging him to come closer to him step by step. He was terrified, he knew where Shicheng was, but he didn't dare to say it.After being frozen in the ice cellar for a day and a night, he must have died a long time ago, but he was also afraid, afraid that he was still alive, if others knew that he had gone to Shicheng, then he would be in great trouble. That night, a court lady who fetched ice finally found Yan Shizi who had been frozen into a ball. The imperial doctors came in and out, and kept saying that Yan Shizi might be ill, so please inform His Royal Highness Yan Wang. He was hiding behind the pillars of the main hall at that time, quietly thinking: Die quickly, die quickly, don't come back to life. But Shicheng still survived, and after more than a month, he finally recovered.When King Yan found out, he laughed and said that the climate in Yanbei is cold, Shicheng can soak in snow water for an hour since he was very young, and the cold is still bearable. He was terrified during those days, he was woken up by nightmares every day, afraid that he would be carried out of the palace with a white cloth rolled up like his mother. But after Shicheng got well, he came to him quietly, staring at him and asking: What happened to you that day?Why didn't you come? He was stunned at the time. In fact, he had thought of so many seamless excuses and reasons, but at that moment, his mind went blank and he couldn't think of a word. He hesitated for a long time before whispering: I forgot up. Shicheng laughed, saying that I knew you didn't mean it.After I finished speaking, I seemed to suddenly think of something, and quickly lowered my voice and whispered that I must not let others know, or you will be in disaster. At that time, Shicheng was only seven years old, like a calf from the northwest, with sparkling eyes, and he could only reach his ears by standing on tiptoe. Many years later, he came to Shicheng, aren't you angry?Have you ever doubted me? Yan Shicheng, who was already a boy, looked at him strangely, frowned and said why should I doubt Brother Xu, we grew up with the same mother's milk! Yes, Shicheng was born in the capital back then, Princess Yan didn’t have enough milk, and it happened that his mother Shu Hemei’s second child was stillborn, so he was carried to Shu Hemei to raise him for a few days. It's only a few days. The years are so fast, they are like two poplars growing side by side, they grow when the wind blows, and in a blink of an eye, they both grow into strong young men.The days began to become brighter. They practiced martial arts together, rode horses together, arched arrows together, deduced the art of war together, and joined the army together. .It wasn't until that year when Uncle Wu Huang went south and met the person who changed their lives on the side of Qingshui in Yashan, that fate was like a torrent of water, turning a big bend with a swish. He still remembers that day, he, Shicheng and Mengtian quietly left the post house to visit the local scenic spots.The sky was blue and clear that day, the weather was excellent, and the sun hung warmly on it. The girl was supporting a black-pailed boat, dressed in lake green clothes, with a beautiful face, her eyes were like the brightest pearls, she stood barefoot On the bow of the boat, a small section of white and smooth calf was exposed, and he waved at the three of them with a smile, and shouted in a crisp voice: "Hey! You three big guys, do you want to get on the boat?" So many years have passed, and many times, he thought that he was about to forget, the time, the place, and the smile on his face back then.But that voice was something he would never forget for eternity. He watched the girl approaching slowly, his palms were sweating nervously, as if he had returned to his childhood, and he couldn't open his mouth when he wanted to say something. At this time, Shicheng laughed and said: Hey, little girl, your boat is so small, can it fit the three of us? With a bang, a stone was thrown into the long river of time, which stirred up a small white spray. Perhaps many things decided the future direction from the very beginning. The war was ups and downs, and he was finally forced to the edge of life and death. He walked up that road step by step with difficulty. Some people blocked him and died. Some people guarded him and died. Some people were unarmed and did nothing. But with the speeding of the sword, they all died in the chaos of power change. Shicheng led the Yanbei Army and followed him all the way. Even until now, whenever he closes his eyes, he can still hear the young voice constantly ringing in his ears: Brother Xu, here I come! Brother Xu, we are not afraid of them, the worst is to die together. Brother Xu, you have to live no matter what. Only if you live can you avenge your dead brothers. Brother Xu, the way of the road is to do good to the people, as long as you remember this sentence, even if I die, it will be worth it. Brother Xu, whoever dares to be unfaithful to you, I will kill him! Brother Xu, Brother Xu, Brother Xu... The tide-like crowd knelt down in front of him, and the title of "Long Live King" finally rang in his ears. The bright yellow color on his body was like a lake of golden water, shining brightly. Xia's throne.On the back seat next to him, wrapped in the deep phoenix robe, was only the jade pendant that one party had not had time to give away. It was a relic of his mother, and it was very shabby, just like his meager courage back then. In the dark depths of the hall, there was a swirling wind blowing, the emperor felt a little cold, and slowly opened his eyes. The old eunuch came up from behind and put a cloak on him, but he threw it on the ground childishly, frowning and said, "Why hasn't that kid Yan Xun called?" The old eunuch had already realized the strangeness, and said, "Your Majesty, King Yan is still outside Yanming Pass." "It's really impossible. If it was Shicheng, the pass would have been breached long ago. The children of today, it's really impossible." The emperor shook his head and stood up, looking very sorry. "A Sheng doesn't believe that I didn't kill that kid, so I have to tell him to come and show A Sheng." The emperor's back was slightly bent, and he muttered softly. The cup on the small table was empty. There was a kind of grass in the red wine, called yellow beam. A golden dream is just too precious, and such a huge amount of money is spent for a dream, even the rich and powerful in the world can hardly afford it.But this kind of grass can be seen every day in this imperial palace. "Anfu, you said how tired the emperor is in front of him, why do they always want to rob him?" The emperor suddenly turned around and asked, the old eunuch lowered his head in silence, the emperor turned around and walked away without expecting his answer, his temples were covered with frost, and under the reflection of the moonlight, they were scorching white. Your majesty, it's because they haven't done it before, they don't know, but even if it's you, after Huang Liang passed away, wouldn't you still want to keep the country for thousands of miles? Life is like a chessboard, everyone is a chess piece on it, who can jump out of the longitude and latitude? The wind blew outside, and the snow was blowing all over the ground, and the figure gradually moved away.