Chapter 38 season finale
Li Yan three years, winter.
Goose feathers and heavy snow were flying in the air, covering the entire imperial palace with a thick layer of silver.When Yi Fei stepped into the Hundred Words Hall, Jiang Chenyu was discussing something with Xue Cai in a low voice, while the others were working silently. The firewood in the red clay stove was burning vigorously, occasionally making crackling sounds, which seemed The whole secret room was extremely peaceful.
"No, no, I clearly calculated that it is 372 miles away from Yongchuan, how come it is 369 miles from you?" Jiang Chenyu was holding a book, confused.
Xue Cai also showed some surprise, thought for a while, and replied: "Maybe the measurement is wrong?"
Yi Fei shook his snow-covered fur coat, and leaned behind Xue Cai to look: "What are you doing?" Xue Cai also saw a book in his hand, densely packed with numbers.
Jiang Chenyu beckoned and said: "Hanako, you came at a good time. We are surveying and mapping the latest territory of Bi Kingdom, but the data obtained in several places are different. Please help to find out what's going on."
The corners of Yi Fei's eyes twitched slightly, and he sighed: "Hey, hey, don't really give me such an ugly name, it sounds like I'm only a word away..."
"If you don't like Huazi, you can call him Feizi." Xue Cai buried her head in the numbers without looking up.
Yi Fei rolled his eyes, and went to sit down at the table: "It's only three miles away, what's the matter, you guys are really bored to do such trivial things by yourself. Hey, I brought a big Do you listen to the anecdote?"
Both Jiang Chenyu and Xue Cai showed lackluster performance, especially Xue Cai, who even yawned.
Yi Fei made a fool of himself: "Forget it, anyway, it has nothing to do with Li Country, the people of Yi Country are most worried."
Hearing the word Yiguo, Jiang Chenyu raised his head: "What happened to Yiguo?" I haven't heard of any major events happening there recently.
Yi Fei chuckled, showing an expression of "What? Want to hear it now? Unfortunately, I don't want to say it anymore", crossed his legs, and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
Xue Cai didn't lift her head and said: "What can reach his ears must be just some trivial matters of the parents and the west, and there will be no serious business."
"Ah, you are wrong this time. What I said is not only a major event, but also more or less related to Li Country, and even you, Prime Minister."
Jiang Chenyu became curious, but he was unwilling to fulfill Yi Fei's wish, so he looked around the room and asked, "Where is Zizi?"
"Here we come, the minister is here!" Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived, and after the door of the secret room was opened, Zi Zi followed Luo Heng and hurried in. In such a cold winter, he was sweating profusely from running. Panting, as soon as he entered the door, he said excitedly while paying homage, "Your Majesty, something happened to Yiguo!"
When everyone present heard this, they all turned their heads to look at Yi Fei, showing expressions of "Look, it doesn't matter without you".
Seeing that Zizi stole the limelight from him, Yi Fei could only touch his nose and said with a smile: "Sure enough, Zizi will not lag behind anyone in terms of the level of knowledge of this kind of news."
"Zizi, talk slowly about what's going on." Jiang Chenyu ordered.
Zizi wiped his sweat with his sleeve, and didn't care to sit down, he hurriedly said: "It's like this, the seventh day of November is the birthday of King Yi Heyi, and he is thirty years old this year."
Hearing this, Jiang Chenyu suddenly remembered what He Yi had said to her, and vaguely guessed what their so-called accident was pointing out.I don't know why, it's something I've known for a long time, but when it's time to face this moment, my fingers still tremble uncontrollably, and when I speak, my voice is a little dry: "King Yi...who did you choose... ...to be queen?"
Who is the one?
In Yi country, is there any famous daughter who can be worthy of that romantic and suave king?
Which woman might play chess with him?Maybe play for him?Maybe travel with him?Maybe help him govern the world of Yiguo?
No matter what... Since He Yi chose her, then that person must be able to do it.
Jiang Chenyu lowered his eyes, feeling sore in his heart, he couldn't even tell what it was like.At this moment, a sentence came to the ears: "King Yi has not married anyone." At first, the voice was still hazy, faintly visible, but suddenly, there was a thunder on the ground, and the words became clear in six tones.
"What did you say?" She stood up in shock.Xue Cai at the side finally looked up from the book, but gave her a blank look.
Seeing that he had successfully aroused the king's reaction, Zizi was very proud, puffed up his chest and said loudly again: "King Yi didn't marry anyone."
Six words, every word is beautiful.
Like snow melting, like flowers blooming, like sunlight breaking through the clouds, like a baby growing new teeth...so so beautiful.
Jiang Chenyu only felt his heart thumping, beating so fast, and then he heard his own voice, brimming with joy like a bud bud waiting to bloom: "Why, why?"
"It's like this. From half a year ago, the veterans of Yiguo began to choose concubines for their emperor. They selected more than 300 famous ladies, and painted them into portraits one by one, and presented them to him for him to choose. King Yi His Majesty picked the ones from the left to the right, either because the eyebrows of this one were too thick, or the earlobes of that one were not good-looking... In short, the reason he gave was enough to piss him off. In the end, the veterans had no choice but to ask him which one he liked. So, His Majesty King Yi..." Zizi said here, his eyes turned to look at Xue Cai, and he smiled, "He did something that shocked the whole country like Xue Xiang."
Seeing that the topic was brought up to him, Xue Cai frowned unhappily.
What kind of person Jiang Chenyu is, he can see through it at a glance, "Ah" and said: "Could it be that he also used Mrs. Xihe's portrait to block everyone's mouths?"
Zizi immediately fell down: "My emperor is wise! Back to the emperor, King Yi used this trick. Therefore, now everyone in the world knows that His Majesty King Yi once coveted Mrs. Xihe of our country wholeheartedly. No wonder When the wife was alive, he secretly came to the country of Bi several times! Now, there is a book of "Apricot Blossom Dream" circulating in the streets and alleys, which alludes to Mrs. Xihe's life-changing life, and the emotional entanglement with several emperors and generals. The words are vivid It's lively, but it's not ugly, I bought a copy, does the emperor want to read it?" As he spoke, he took a blue book from his bosom and handed it to her in a fawning manner.
"..." Jiang Chenyu stared fixedly at the crookedly written "Apricot Blossom Dream" on the book, his eyelids twitched for a while, and finally pushed it away stiffly, and said to Xue Cai, "Let's continue. Xiangyang Shan Gao Jiu Fourteen feet, is that true?"
Xue Cai nodded: "It used to be over a hundred, but it has been eroded by wind and frost, and now it has become shorter."
Seeing that no one paid any attention to his words, Zizi had no choice but to put the book back in his arms and find a seat obediently.
Yi Fei leaned over, patted him on the shoulder, and said mysteriously: "I still have the unabridged version here, do you want to see it?"
Zizi was startled immediately, and hurriedly looked at Jiang Chenyu's face, seeing that she looked normal, she probably didn't hear what she said just now, so she was relieved, didn't speak, just stretched out her hand under the table.
Yi Fei blinked and raised a finger: "One hundred taels per book."
"you……"
"It's too expensive, so I won't sell it." Yi Fei raised his eyebrows, turned around and wanted to leave.
Zizi quickly grabbed him, and stuffed a piece of money in the past without saying a word.
Yi Fei smiled, and also took out the book from his arms and handed it over.Everything happened under the table without anyone noticing—but it didn't escape Xue Cai's eyes.
His brows furrowed deeper, and finally he stared at Jiang Chenyu and said in a low voice: "You don't care about them doing such nonsense?"
Jiang Chenyu smiled sweetly, and said in an unusually good-natured manner: "Food and sex can't be banned, so let them go."
Xue Cai stared at her for a long time, "humph", said dissatisfied: "You just heard that He Yi can't get married, so you are in a good mood..."
Because his voice was too low, Jiang Chenyu couldn't understand it for a while: "Huh? What did you say?"
"No, I didn't say anything." Xue Cai stopped talking, turned her eyes back to the book, and didn't look up again.
The snow outside is getting heavier and heavier.
In a blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve again.
Xinye is four years old, but he can't speak for a long time, and his personality is relatively introverted. He always sits alone in a daze. He doesn't look lively and sensitive at all.
Early in the morning on New Year's Eve, Jiang Chenyu went to the prince's bedroom and helped him dress himself.Although he matured late in other aspects, he grew up quite quickly, his eyebrows and eyes combined the advantages of Zhao Yin and Jiang Huayue, very, very handsome.Many old people in the palace said that she was even more beautiful than Xue Cai back then.Therefore, I chose the clothes for him with great care: a small padded jacket, with yellow flowers on a red background, embroidered with dark patterns of a four-clawed little golden dragon, small pink flowers on an apricot-yellow background, and snow-white circles around the cuffs and neckline. The sable fur reflects a tender little face, which is indescribably cute.
Seeing that Jiang Chenyu liked it so much, she couldn't help but poked his cheek: "Fen Zhuang Yuzhuo, it's you."
Xinye stared at her with big black eyes like lacquer, without blinking, his facial features were clearly beautiful, but his expression was still dull, and he didn't know if he understood.
Jiang Chenyu sighed inwardly, helped him put on the hat, then held his hand and said, "Let's go. Aunt Huang will take you to cut plums."
The so-called plum-cutting is a custom that has gradually emerged in recent years. Before New Year’s Eve, a plum blossom is cut and buried in the ground, which means "cut away bad luck and let the bad luck return to the dust".
There were no red plums in the palace, so a few were specially planted outside Enpei Palace.
Since Jiang Chenyu became the emperor, he moved to the Jingyang Palace, and the permanent residence of the empresses of all dynasties - Enpei Palace was empty.At this time, when he walked to the uninhabited Enpei Palace, he saw that the maids and eunuchs were ready early in the morning and were waiting under the tree.In the snow-capped background, a few plum trees are blooming proudly of the snow, with bright red spots, and the scenery is extremely elegant.
The palace maid came forward with an ebony tray in her hand. After removing the red scarf, there was a pair of brand new scissors inside, and the scissors were still tied with colorful ribbons.It is said that the color of this ribbon is also particular, colorful and looks very festive.
The eunuch set up the ladder, and Jiang Chenyu picked up the scissors to climb the ladder.
Speaking of it, this is actually a very annoying custom, especially - the first cut of the year has to be cut by the emperor himself, and the taller the plum blossoms, the better.Yi country and Yan country are fine, the emperors are all men, but when it comes to Bi country and Cheng country, the two queens will have a headache.
Last year Jiang Chenyu stepped up the ladder with her hands bound and her feet bound, and almost fell off, so this year she wore a horse-riding hu suit and stepped on her riding boots. It really wasn't as embarrassing as last year.
For a moment she felt very proud, and after climbing to the top shelf, she tiptoed to cut the tallest branch of plum blossom.
The underground people cheered everywhere.
Jiang Chenyu lowered her head and shook the plum blossom in her hand towards Xinye, but the crossbar under her feet suddenly broke, split in two from the middle, and she immediately became unstable and slipped down.
"Aunt Huang—" A childish voice sounded first.Only then did the others exclaim in alarm, and stepped forward to rescue them one after another.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?"
"Your Majesty, how is it? Does it hurt from the fall?"
Jiang Chenyu, who was surrounded by everyone, didn't care that he sprained his foot when he slipped, hurriedly pushed everyone away, walked up to Xinye with a limping voice, and said in a trembling voice: "Xinye, just now you... called me ?”
There was still a look of fear in Xinye's big eyes, and then he rushed to hug her and cried.
Jiang Chenyu was stunned for a moment, then squatted down, hugged him back and said, "Xinye, so you can talk! That's great! That's great! Call again and listen!"
"Aunt Huang..." The timid voice seemed very stiff because she had never spoken before.
But Jiang Chenyu seemed to hear the most beautiful sound of nature in the world, weeping with joy: "That's great... Great... Xinye! Great..."
Xin Ye is not dumb, nor is he mentally handicapped, he can speak, he can speak, and the first sentence he said was to call her.
Jiang Chenyu suddenly felt that all the pain that Jiang Huayue bestowed upon her was compensated by Xin Ye at this moment.
"Xinye, so good, so good..."
She was so happy that she shed tears.
Reluctantly, the flowers fall, and the familiar Yan returns.
Once it is settled, time will pass quickly, and the water will go back to the cloud, and in a blink of an eye, another two years will pass.
After five years of Li Yan, God finally did not treat each other as generously as before.
First of all, in the beginning of spring and April, Mrs. Jiang peacefully ended her happy and simple life surrounded by lies in her sleep.Naturally, Jiang Chenyu was deeply saddened, and held a grand funeral for her mother.Jiang Zhong didn't go back to Jiang's mansion, but chose to build a hut next to his wife's tomb, fished and planted flowers every day, and lived a life of a hermit.
After the summer, the plague broke out. In just two months, seven major cities including Hanqu and Hankou were infected, and hundreds of people died of the disease every day.
Jiang Chenyu sent seventy doctors and pharmacists to follow the army to the Seven Cities, but none of them were well controlled. In the end, Xue Cai asked for orders to go and inspect in person.
Jiang Chenyu hesitated for a long time, and finally agreed.
Once Xue Cai went, it took half a year.
Within half a year, Jiang Chenyu could only learn about him by relying on the memorials he submitted and a few words from the Seventh Son.
It is said that the first place he went to was Hanqu City, where he met Jiang Wanyi.After entering the city, he inspected the city without looking at the sick people first, and finally found that the ditches in Hanqu City had been sluggish for a long time, and the silt had stopped accumulating, which caused the hot weather to turn into plague.So Xinggong cleared the ditches.
At the same time, six disease halls were specially set up to isolate all infected people.This move aroused great opposition, calling it inhumane.Xue Cai didn't say a word, and threw the person who took the lead in objecting into the Six Disease Hall. Since then, there has been silence, and no one dared to resist.
Since then, he has also made a series of measures such as "establishing a leaky garden to bury sick corpses" and "give a gold tael as a reward to those who bury hundreds of corpses". Finally, with the joint efforts of him and Jiang Wanyi , in winter, the plague finally passed.Seeing that fewer and fewer people died every day, and nearly ten thousand people survived under the treatment of the prescription developed by Jiang Wanyi, a tragedy that shocked the world happened——
Xue Cai was infected.
Medication is not effective.
Knowing that the treatment was hopeless, he said, "I am the leader of all officials, and I should lead by example", and moved into the Liuji Hall on his own initiative, and never went out again.
Jiang Chenyu from the imperial capital heard this report in the early court, and immediately jumped up from the dragon chair, her face was bloodless, and then her eye disease broke out, her vision darkened, and she passed out.
The civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty were in a panic.
After Jiang Chenyu woke up, she immediately ordered to go to Hanqu. Regardless of the opposition of all the ministers, she led Pan Fang and the personal guards, and a group of more than a hundred people hurried to Hanqu.
When she arrived at Hanqu, it was already ten days later——
"Caomin Jiang Wanyi, see the emperor." After hearing the news, Jiang Wanyi and a group of officials rushed to pick him up outside the city, and were about to bow down, but Jiang Chenyu grabbed his arm and pulled him up.
"Where is Xiang Xue?"
"Xue Xiang is still in the Six Diseases Hall..." Before Jiang Wanyi finished speaking, Jiang Chenyu ordered: "Take me to the Six Diseases Hall."
Before he said anything, more than a dozen officials, big and small, knelt down and said, "No way! The emperor is a man of gold, so don't go there! If even the emperor is infected, what should we do?" what!"
Jiang Chenyu didn't even look at them, just stared straight at Jiang Wanyi and said, "Brother, take me there!"
"emperor……"
"Senior brother!" Jiang Chenyu shouted all of a sudden, her pupils constricted and her face full of determination, "Could it be that I put aside state affairs and came all the way here without sleep just to see people like you cry?"
This sentence was so powerful that Jiang Wanyi couldn't refute it. In the end, she could only sigh, "Okay. Your Majesty, please follow me."
Thus, Jiang Chenyu finally arrived in front of the Six Diseases Hall.
It was a bungalow built in a barren land in the outskirts. It was built hastily, so it was very simple.It was bare all around, not even a tree.The east wind howled, the crows croaked, and Jiang Chenyu's eyes became wet all of a sudden.
Jiang Wanyi handed her a pill and said, "Just in case, please take this medicine, Your Majesty."
Jiang Chenyu took it, and the eunuch beside her was about to test the medicine, but she swallowed it in one gulp, jumped out of the car and ran towards the gate. At this moment, she forgot that she was the emperor of Bi Kingdom, whether she could show her feet and laugh or not. A toothy aristocratic woman, she just used her fastest speed to run as hard as she could, shouting as she ran, "Xue Cai! Xue Cai!"
However, the door of the Six Disease Hall was tightly closed.
Jiang Chenyu knocked on the door: "Xue Cai! Xue Cai! Come here, open the door for me! Open the door!"
The accompanying guards showed hesitation.
Jiang Chenyu said angrily: "How dare you disobey the order?"
The guards hurried forward and were about to knock on the door when a clear and clear voice came from the door: "Don't come in."
Jiang Chenyu immediately realized that it was Xue Cai's voice, so he knocked on the door and said, "Xue Cai? Is that you? Open the door quickly! It's me! Here I come!"
There was silence on the other side of the door for a long time before slowly saying: "Your Majesty... please go back."
"Are you kidding me? Did I put aside state affairs and come all the way here without sleep just to see such a door? Open the door for me!" She brought up this reason again.
But Xue Cai is obviously not Jiang Wanyi, nor any other official, he is him, Mr. Bingli Xue Cai.Therefore, he still didn't open the door, and said calmly: "My minister is sick, and if the emperor approaches, he will be infected. Although the courtesy of the emperor and ministers is important, the health of the emperor is even more important. I dare not be the sinner of the ages. Therefore, the emperor Please leave Wei Chen with a clean name."
"Xue Cai!" The first time he yelled, he was angry, but when he yelled the second time, it turned into full of grievance and sadness, "Xue Cai... don't be so angry, can you open the door? I, I... I'm really worried about you... In the past ten days, I'm afraid I'm late and I won't see you again... Open the door..."
The miserable choking sound, even the people on the side couldn't bear to hear it anymore.What's more, she begged a courtier like this with the honor of ninety-five.
Those who were familiar with the relationship between her and Xue Cai were not very embarrassed; those who were not familiar with it or saw the emperor for the first time were dumbfounded - it was impossible to imagine that there would be such a disrespectful courtier to the emperor.
Facing Jiang Chenyu's begging, Xue Cai remained unmoved, and his tone was almost indifferent: "Your Majesty, I will never open this door. Give up."
"You! You! How dare you resist the decree!" Jiang Chenyu jumped up angrily, "I will kill your whole family and copy your nine clans!"
"The minister's family has long since died."
"You, you, you!" Jiang Chenyu couldn't move him, so he turned around and ordered the courtiers who could move, "Come here, break open this door for me, there will be a lot of rewards!"
Before the guards had time to move, Xue Cai said coldly: "If the emperor gets sick because of this, all of you will ransack your home and destroy your family. Come here if you have the guts."
The guards looked at each other in blank dismay, and all of them dared not make a move.
Jiang Chenyu was angry and in pain, so she had to knock on the door herself. She slapped so hard that her entire palm started to become red and swollen: "Xue Cai, how dare you treat me like this, you bastard! You are not human! You are ungrateful You ignore Huangwei..." She cursed all the words she could think of until her voice became hoarse and she exhausted her strength, and finally her legs gave way and she slid along the door wall and sat on the ground.
"Your Majesty..." Xue Cai let her scold her in silence before, until now, she slowly said, "Your Majesty, a country cannot be without a king for a day, you... go back quickly."
Jiang Chenyu sat on the ground without image, covering her face, trembling all over.
Xue Cai waited quietly for a while, but she couldn't hear her response, so she said again: "I have two things to tell the emperor, but I didn't expect the emperor to come, so I asked Zhu Long to write a memorial and bring it back to the imperial capital. Son, it should be here too. After the emperor returns, he will understand after reading the memorial."
Jiang Chenyu still did not respond.
Xue Cai's voice seemed to be sighing: "Your Majesty...you...really...shouldn't have come."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Jiang Chenyu said bitterly, "How can you judge whether I come or not?"
"Your majesty, my humble minister... time is running out." He suddenly said these words softly, Jiang Chenyu was startled, and then tears flowed down her cheeks.
The eunuch behind him wanted to please her with a handkerchief, but Jiang Chenyu turned around and said, "You all stand back and stay far away. I am talking to Prime Minister Xue, and you are not allowed to listen!"
Everyone quickly retreated a hundred feet, the place was empty and desolate, and it was getting dark soon, a group of people waited shivering in the cold wind, watching the pair of monarchs and ministers from a distance, thinking whatever they wanted.
But the person concerned himself didn't care about other people's eyes at all, and cried in a mess in front of the door: "Xue Cai, please open the door. I will see you once, and I will leave after seeing you. Open the door... Xue Cai , don't treat me like this, don't treat me like this, okay?"
The sound of Xue Cai's breathing came through the door, what expression would he have at this moment?What are you thinking in your heart?
The face that cannot be seen, the mind that cannot be fathomed.To her, that child has never been a subordinate, not a younger brother, but an elder brother, but a reliance!
Jiang Chenyu wept and said: "Do you know that I have only one thing on my mind these days? That is - why did I send you to Hanqu? I killed you. If you die, I will I will feel guilty and blame myself for this for the rest of my life—it was me, I let Xue Cai's fifteen-year-old life die in a foreign land!"
"Fifteen years old..." Xue Cai repeated these three words, as if he was a little crazy, "Wei Chen... turned fifteen three months ago."
"Yes, on the eighth day of August, I sent you a gift, have you received it?"
"Yeah." After a pause, he said again, "I like it very much."
What Jiang Chenyu gave him was a painting she had drawn by herself. It was a scene of Xue Cai and Ji Ying competing against each other on Tubi's father's birthday in the second year.
That was the first time she met Ji Ying.
That was also the first time she met Xue Cai.
After so many years, that scene is still vivid in her mind, every detail is clear.So, she drew it and sent someone from the imperial capital to Hanqu.
Xue Cai didn't respond at all at the time, so she thought for a while that maybe he didn't like this gift very much.But at this moment, hearing him say "I like it very much" with my own ears, why is every word so heartbreaking while being happy?
"Xue Cai, you open the door. I will try my best to save you. You will be fine, and you will be fine. I will not let your legend end at the age of fifteen! So, you open the door Bar!"
Xue Cai took a deep breath: "Shen Yu."
Jiang Chenyu's hand, which was about to knock on the door again, stopped in mid-air.
Xue Cai called... called... what did you call her?
He has always used honorifics, or even called by his first and last names, but it is the first time that he only speaks two words like this now.
Jiang Chenyu responded in a daze: "What?"
"Fifteen years old." Xue Cai said these three words again, and then her voice suddenly became very soft and very sad, "When I first saw you, you were also fifteen years old. "
Although Jiang Chenyu saw Xue Cai at Jiang Zhong's birthday banquet, she was hiding behind the curtain and Xue Cai did not see her.Later, he beat Xihe into the lake, and then rushed to the Jingyang Hall to plead guilty. In fact, it should be the first time he saw him, but at that time Xue Cai was only concerned with pleading guilty, and didn't notice that there was another she.
The first time they really looked at each other face to face was when Xue Cai was demoted to slavery and Jiang Chenyu took him to meet Xue Ming in the cold palace.She still remembered that when she reached out to him, he took a step back and said, "Xue Cai is a slave, so I dare not hold Miss's hand."
That year - she was fifteen years old.
Jiang Chenyu's heart suddenly tightened tremblingly.
"I don't like eight, do you know why?"
Jiang Chenyu shook his head.
Xue Cai seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally said: "Because, there is a full eight-year difference between you and me."
Jiang Chenyu's eyes opened to the maximum.
Xue Cai smiled softly: "Shocked? Actually, I am too. When I suddenly discovered that the reason why I hate the number eight so much is because subtracting your age from mine is the answer, I myself , was also shocked."
"Xue Cai..." Jiang Chenyu couldn't help calling his name, but after calling him, she didn't know what to say.
"If I was born eight years earlier, on the first day of Tubi's fourth year, when you reach Ji, the person who is most suitable for you in the four countries is not Ji Ying, but me—isn't it? "
Jiang Chenyu felt that an invisible hand grabbed her heart at this moment.
"Eight years... no matter how precocious I am, no matter how supernatural I am, no matter how hard I try to grow at three times the speed of others, but these eight years, I can't make it through..." Xue Cai's voice became louder Depression, like talking in a dream, "I have overdrawn too much for life, so now is the time to pay back..."
"What repayment? What overdraft?" Jiang Chenyu suddenly became anxious again, "You are only fifteen years old! You should still live for eighty-five years! I don't allow you to say that!"
"Face the reality, Chen Yu. In your whole life, every time you encounter something you don't want to face, you choose to escape, but this time, I won't allow you to escape."
Jiang Chenyu was shocked again.
"Listen to me, what I'm going to say next is very important - I've found out Ji Hu's whereabouts, and I've asked Zhu Long to bring you the details; and now among the courtiers, how many people can be vigorously cultivated?" , there are a few people who need to be dismissed quickly, you know it very well in your heart, but for the sake of insurance, I also wrote it on it... For five years, I have inherited Ji Ying's behest, and the daily hard work has finally paid off—— Now, the country is prosperous and the people are peaceful, and the relations among the four countries are good, so there will be no war in a short time. So!" His voice suddenly became agitated, and he said word by word, "If you want to abdicate and marry someone, this is the time!"
"What did you say?" Jiang Chenyu never expected that what he was going to say was this, and almost suspected that he had heard it wrong.
But Xue Cai's voice became more high-pitched, clear and urgent: "You like He Yi, don't you? But because of your identities, you can't be together, right? Now, you have a chance."
"I do not know what you're talking about!"
"Ji Hu is the owner of the Four Kingdoms Genealogy. In order to avoid you for the past five years, she chose to live in seclusion, but as long as you invite her out of the mountain again and entrust Xin Ye to her, she will still help her nephew. And your mother has passed away It's time to invite your father back. The two of them, one is the scarecrow and the other is the old fox. Although they are very ruthless, they will do their best to Xinye. So you can finally get out of this maelstrom. "
"You...you..." Jiang Chenyu was speechless.
"Chen Yu, there is a saying that may be cruel, but it is true—you are not made to be an emperor. In the past five years, the reason why you have been able to be successful is not only because you are magnanimous and popular, but also because you The reason is - I have done all the dirty, dirty, and things you don't want to face for you. Now, I am going to die, unless you use Jiang Zhong to help you again, but you must not want to face it anymore His, so... it's time to retreat bravely. Get married, Chen Yu."
Get married, Chen Yu.
The last five words rang loudly and echoed non-stop.
So all of a sudden, the sky and the earth are repeating these five words - marry someone, Chen Yu.Get married, Chen Yu.Get married, Chen Yu...
Jiang Chenyu let out a scream and covered her ears.
Xue Cai's voice was a little choked up, but she held it back forcefully: "I forced you to proclaim yourself emperor because I had selfish intentions, and I didn't want you to continue entangled with He Yi, I was afraid that you would really abandon everything to be with him Go, so, I will use everything to keep you. I know that Jiang Huayue and Xiao Luo are in collusion, so I kept silent on purpose, and I gave her a chance to break with you. In fact, if you don’t give the chance, you can still continue. Go on as sisters in harmony; I know that you went to see He Yi twice, and I was so jealous, but I must give you two a chance to end it, so I took the risk of losing you and gave it to you in my own carriage. You are the cover... I have worked hard every step of the way, and I thought... as long as you give me a few more years, there will be hope. Since I was a child, I wanted the wind and the rain, and even if I fell down for a while, I was honored and favored. Therefore, the things I can’t get in this world don’t exist at all—including you. Therefore, God finally couldn’t stand it and gave me this final fatal blow.”
"Xue Cai..." Jiang Chenyu pressed the door tremblingly, unable to imagine Xue Cai's expression on the other side of the door when he said these words, is he crying?The only time he cried was when he persuaded her to become emperor, but that time, although he was emotional, he was still not excited.
ice glass.
The title given by King Yan is actually a true portrayal of Xue Cai.Persistent as ice, clear as glass.
Such a person, unexpectedly, unexpectedly... actually likes her...
This kind of truth makes the whole world feel sad.
"Let's go." Xue Cai said softly.
"I won't go! I won't go! No matter how you chase me away, I won't go! Unless you come with me!" Jiang Chenyu shook her head stubbornly.
Xue Cai took a deep breath, and smiled helplessly: "You...you really are my nemesis..."
"Xue Cai...you, do you really like me? Then, then..." Jiang Chenyu bit her lower lip, struggling to say every word, "As long as you get better, I, I will marry you Here...I'll marry you, okay? So, Xue Cai, don't give up, come out, I don't believe that there are so many famous doctors and so many wonderful medicines in the world, they can't save you!"
At the other end of the door, there was a long silence.
Jiang Chenyu waited for a while, and couldn't help knocking on the door again: "Xue Cai? Xue Cai, did you hear me? Did you hear what I said? Since you have been planning for so long and forced me to become emperor, A flat road has been paved between you and me, so how can you stop here? Don’t you like me? Then come and marry me! Marry me!”
"It's too late..." Xue Cai's voice was very, very hoarse, so hoarse that one felt that her voice might burst at any moment.
Jiang Chenyu turned pale: "What?"
"Do you still remember that time in Xihe, I covered your head with a quilt and refused to let you see it? This time... the same..."
Jiang Chenyu stood up tremblingly: "Xue Cai, what's wrong with you? Your current appearance...is it scary?"
"Yes. So, you can't see. If you see it... you will have nightmares for the rest of your life, and every time you think about it, you will suffer once. And I will never leave this pain to you. So... "Xue adopted a gentle voice she had never heard before, and said softly, "Don't look. Chen Yu, don't look."
"Xue Cai..."
"That's all I have to say, you... let's go."
"Xue Cai!" Jiang Chenyu burst into tears.
The sound of footsteps faintly came from the other side of the door, followed by Xue Cai's last words: "Actually, I'm really... happy that you can come here to see me today."
The last string in his heart was also broken because of these words, Jiang Chenyu felt his eyes suddenly blurred, and then, a thick scarlet fog covered up, covering everything in front of him.
She passed out.
When Jiang Chenyu woke up again, her eyes were covered with gauze, and she could vaguely feel that she was in a carriage, with the wheels rolling and bumping up and down.
She touched the gauze: "what's the matter?"
Beside him, Jiang Wanyi's voice sounded softly: "Your Majesty, your eye disease is attacking, this time it is more serious, so you need to recuperate well. And... Prime Minister Xue ordered us to send you back to Beijing, so now you are returning to Beijing on the way."
"I won't leave!" Jiang Chenyu struggled to sit up, "I won't leave, I still want to talk to Xue Cai, I still want to..."
"Xue Xiang is dead." Jiang Wanyi said lightly, but she was terrified.
"What did you say?"
"After the emperor fell, Prime Minister Xue was very anxious and ordered us to take you back to the capital, but halfway through the order, there was no sound. We quickly sent people in and found that he had... stopped breathing."
"That is to say... I haven't even seen him for the last time?" Perhaps because of not being able to see, Jiang Chenyu became quiet, and was no longer as irritable and agitated as when he knocked on the door before.
Jiang Wanyi looked at her with pity, and said "Yes".
Jiang Chenyu was completely motionless.
Jiang Wanyi held her hand lightly and said in a low voice, "If you want to cry, just cry."
"I do not cry."
"emperor……"
"I can't cry. My eyes are covered with medicine. If I cry, tears will wash away the medicine." When Jiang Chenyu said this, although his voice was trembling, his expression was terribly calm.
Jiang Wanyi touched the gauze over her eyes: "In three days, take off the gauze, and the emperor will be able to see again."
"I know. So, I don't cry." Jiang Chenyu held his hand instead, as if she was holding her last support, and said word by word, "I want to get better soon, and then I will send him off personally. Xue Cai is leaving. According to my will, Xiang Xue's body will be burned into ashes, and then the ashes will be packed in a box and brought back to the imperial capital. I will personally preside over the funeral for Xue Cai!"
The winter sun shines on her face through the car window.虽然看不到眼睛，但那坚毅的唇角、紧绷的下颌，无不一一透露出这位女王的意志与决心来。
江晚衣心中肃然起敬，再也没有说话。
梨晏五年，丞相薛采受帝命赴七城处理疫情，不幸染疾，甍于寒渠。帝闻讯流涕，命将相体火化，运骨灰归京。
十二月初一，帝亲为相赐葬。
相入土日，大雪如泣，举国哀殇。
帝失臂膀，大病，三月后驾崩，禅位太子新野，命前相姜仲、前贵嫔姬忽辅佐之。重改国号璧，年号新平。
后人为作区分，将梨朝之前的称为前璧，将梨朝之后的称为新璧。
美人的画像悬于壁上，衣裙轻扬，被风一吹，仿佛要从画上活生生地走下来一般。
但因为天天风吹日晒的缘故，某些地方开始发黄，令得她在傲绝世人的同时，又多了几分说不出的寂寥之意。
这幅画像，就挂在宜国最繁华的大街一家名叫“龙凤楼”的酒楼二楼。而这个酒楼的老板不是别个，正是宜王本人。
自从两年前他挂出这幅画像，杜绝了一干大臣想给他说媒的心思后，也吸引了无数文人骚客来此，他们有的是来看看传说中的曦禾夫人究竟是长啥模样的，有的则是来将之与自家女眷暗中比较的……人人都听说了那么一幅画像，人人都跑到那里吃饭。总之，赫奕此举，不但成功推掉了自己的婚事，还大赚了一笔。
但，也彻底地耽搁了他的终身。以至于宜人提起自己的皇帝时，都是一副长辈般犯愁的模样：“你说说咱们皇帝，岁数都不小了，还那么挑。怎么就不肯找个女人踏实下来呢？”
“你知道啥，现在皇上他想去哪儿就去哪儿，想做什么就做什么，没人管多好。而且他虽然没娶妻，红颜知己、一夜风流那必定是少不了的，嘿嘿，这才是做男人的最高境界啊：有权，有钱，有女人，还有自由！”
“但没个子嗣的终归不成啊。”
“怕什么，咱们还有小公子呢。反正皇上长年累月也不在皇都，要没有小公子，他能那么舒坦吗？”
“也对。小公子真的很厉害啊……对了，他今年也该有十六岁了吧？也可以成家了吧？你说，咱们宜国，哪家的千金能配得上咱们小公子啊？”
“唔，这个嘛，就得好好想想了……”
这样的讨论声，在酒楼里比比皆是，听在某人耳中，便忍不住泛出了点笑意。此人身披黑色的斗篷，沿着楼梯匆匆走上二楼，走到了画像前。
画像里的女子，站在铜镜前，从背影看身姿极尽曼妙，秀发如云飘逸，而从铜镜里又可以看见她的脸——眉深唇艳，非人间颜色。
这幅画像，从薛采传到赫奕，帮两个出色的男子都挡掉了婚事，由此可见，画得有多么的美。
然而，身穿黑斗篷的人站在画像面前，看着由自己亲手勾勒出来的这个神话，却深知——她所画出的，不过曦禾夫人的七分。
也许是她站在画像前的久久凝望，引起了几个客人的注意：
“啊？你看，又有人对着那幅画像发呆了。”
“别看了，每年不都有这么几个愣头小子的，已经不稀奇了……”
“啊！快看！”
“有什么好看的……”
“快看啊！那人把画像摘走了！”
“什么？光天化日之下，居然有人偷画像！”
整个一楼的客人们全部沸腾了，看向二楼的焦点所在，猜度着是哪个不怕死的，竟然连这画像都敢强摘。
但从他们的角度往上看，都只能看见那人的黑斗篷，从头盖到了脚，竟是连一丝肌肤都不肯示人。
立刻有店伙计冲上楼准备擒拿。但这时，黑衣人说了句话：“听说，若想嫁给宜王陛下，就需得比这画像上的人美，对吗？”
声音细细软软，清灵如烟，绵延如水，又脆磁如铃。
——女人？
在场众人全部呆住了，店伙计也停在了原地。
然后，黑衣人又说了第二句话：“那么，我来应征了，请带我去见宜王陛下。”
酒楼里死般的安寂了一会儿后，爆发出一片哗然。
在众人的哗然里，酒楼掌柜走上楼梯，对黑衣人拱一拱手：“小姐请跟我来。”
两人很快就消失在了楼梯的拐角处。
“那是个女人？女人！她比画像还美？”
“既然敢掀那画像，肯定应该是吧。不然可是欺君，要砍头的……”
“天啊，刚才怎么就没把她的斗篷扯掉呢？好想知道她长什么样子！”
“别傻了。如果那人真的比曦禾夫人美，且真的成了宜国的皇后的话，她的容貌能轻易就让你见吗？”
“话虽如此，但还是好想知道啊啊啊啊啊……”
哀叹声、惊讶声、好奇声以及七嘴八舌的声音汇集在一起，令得酒楼比平常越发热闹。
而此时，黑衣人，已在酒楼掌柜的带领下，进了二楼的其中一个房间。
两名侍卫上前准备搜身，里室的赫奕摆了摆手：“不要唐突美人啊。你们退下，让她进来。”
黑衣人慢慢地走到了他面前，距离一丈处停下。
赫奕将她从头到脚打量了一番后，笑了：“你运气真好，竟然朕今天还真的在这里。”
“不要小看我在宜国的人脉。”
“哈哈。”赫奕开朗而笑，“我自然是清楚你的势力的，只不过我却不知原来这些势力如今还能为你所用。”
侍卫们听到这里，算是明白了——原来这位姑娘和皇上竟是旧识！
黑衣人拿起画像，缓缓道：“我听说，要想嫁给你，就需得比她美。”
赫奕笑吟吟地看着她。
黑衣人放下画像：“可我没她美，还能嫁给你吗？”
赫奕的眼神一下子幽深了起来：“把斗篷脱了吧。”
黑衣人缓缓解开带子，双手一松，原本从头罩到脚的斗篷就如水一样地滑到了地上。
侍卫们在见到来人的容貌后，无不睁大了眼睛。
赫奕环视了一下众人的反应，微微一笑：“如果你在看到这些人的反应后，还不够自信的话……”他站了起来，走过一丈的距离，停在来人身前，抬起手，轻轻地拉住了她的手，“那么让我告诉你，在我眼中，曦禾夫人，根本不及你之万一。”
那人战栗，颤声道：“三年之约已过……又是两年，可还有效？”
赫奕柔情无限地凝视着她：“对你……我想应该是永远有效的吧……”
停一停，叫出她的名字：
"Xiao Yu."
新平一年，有女子揭了龙凤楼上的曦禾画像，自称容颜比伊更美。宜王见后，果然大悦，遂娶之，藏于深宫人未识。
新平二年，宜王禅位其侄——宜人昵称“小公子”的贤王——夜尚。
宜王携其后退隐后，四海经商，好不惬意。
新平三年，有史官恳请重书璧史，落笔于姜沉鱼时，词多诋毁，谓之祸国。
璧王新野适逢九岁，看后，命人杖责之。
史官大慌，欲做修改，璧王却于朝堂上，淡淡道：“就这样吧，不用改了。”
于是，璧史记载——
梨王姜沉鱼者，前璧右相姜仲小女，容貌甚丽，为璧王昭尹所喜，娶入宫中，赐封淑妃，后又晋封为后。伊善谋权术，心狠手辣，兼涉文史，极富才气。于加冕当夜，毒杀璧王，令其卧病不起，趁机临朝称制，掌握政权。图璧六年，璧王病逝，姜氏姐妹争权，伊得丞相薛采相助，杀其姐，自此得以即位，自称睿帝，改国号梨。
梨晏五年，薛相病逝，不久姜氏亦甍。
后附评述：
梨王在位期间虽然做了许多好事，但她先杀夫后杀姐，并连其父也不放过，因为与姜相意见相左，而将他罢免，数年不得归京，因此此人可以说是寡情冷血之至。泱泱图璧，险些毁在这一妇人之手，哀哉痛哉！望后人引以为鉴……
“青山远近带皇州，霁景重阳上北楼。雨歇亭皋仙菊润，霜飞天苑御梨秋。茱萸插鬓花宜寿，翡翠横钗舞作愁。漫说陶潜篱下醉，何曾得见此风流……”
悠然的语声，在青翠苍柏间轻轻回旋，轻袍缓带的男子边吟边行，显得说不出的惬意。
他身后，一个丫环模样的人搀扶着一个大腹便便的女子，女子闻言一笑：“瞧你如此高兴，重阳将至，难道你就半点没有遍插茱萸少一人的忧愁么？”
男子迅速回身，示意丫环退开，自己搀住了女子的手道：“我有娇妻在身边，又有未出世的儿子在等待，有什么可忧愁的？”
女子眨眨眼睛：“你就这么肯定是儿子？”
“女儿更好，像她娘一样美丽，就又是一个祸国的料。”
女子刚待要笑，这时前方来了十几人，看样子也是来登高踏青的，那些人全都做文士打扮，边走边谈论道：
“啊，你听说了吗？璧王命人新编了前璧史册，里面把梨王写得可坏了！”
“她本来就祸国殃民，依我看，那么写还轻了呢。”
“难怪她死后自己的墓前没有碑。不像前唐时期的武后一样还立了块无字碑。”
“武则天再怎么样，也没对丈夫下毒啊，比起姜沉鱼，可仁慈多了。”
“可我也听说那毒不是梨王下的，而是那个所谓的四国第一美人曦禾夫人下的。”
“得了吧。哪有人会下毒下到自己身上去的？别忘了曦禾最后死得有多惨……肯定是姜沉鱼嫉妒她的美貌，璧王一病，她就立刻把曦禾给处死了，还对外宣称是病死的，谁信啊！”
“那看来这个姜沉鱼果然是大祸水一只啊！”
“幸好老天有眼，让她也病死了。作孽太多，就是这种下场。”
“我觉得，让她病死还便宜她了，这种恶毒妇人，就该拖出来游街凌迟鞭尸才解恨啊！”
“算了，谁叫咱们皇帝心慈手软呢，不管怎么说，他可是那女人一手带大的，就跟母亲一样……换了我也左右为难。可怜的皇上，才九岁就要面对这些……幸好他还有疼爱他的外公和姬太后……”
文人们的谈论声渐行渐远，谁也没朝这边看上一眼。
而等他们都走得看不见了，丫环才“呸”了一声，恨恨道：“这些所谓的读书人最是讨厌，乱议时事，胡说八道！”
男子嘻嘻一笑：“那依怀瑾看，应该怎么罚他们？”
“嗯……让他们都去种田！看他们还有没有这个闲情逸致！”
男子露出惊悚之色，转向女子道：“你这个丫头，还真是够狠啊！”
女子微微一笑。
怀瑾不满道：“小姐，他们这么说你，你都不生气吗？还有，皇上是怎么搞的，竟然同意让史书这样写你！还有老爷，他怎么也同意呢……”
女子柔柔地打断她道：“一朝天子一朝臣，为了巩固政权，把过错都推到前朝之上，是明智之举。”
"But……"
“没关系。反正……姜沉鱼已经死了，后人如何评述她，她也无所谓的。”
“对嘛对嘛！”男子凑了过来，目光里满是欣赏，“我家小虞最是想得通透，所以才能每天都如此幸福。”
小虞抬起头，仰望着比自己高了半个头的男子，眸光闪烁着，有点感慨，又有点感谢：“我的幸福……难道不是夫君所赐吗？”
两人纵然已经成婚多年，但此刻对视，依旧是情意绵绵。
一旁的怀瑾早已习以为常，转过头去当做没看见。
女子忽然发出一声轻呼。
男子顿时变了脸色，急声道：“怎么了？”
“宝宝……踢我了……”
“走，我让小周他们把车赶来，我们快回去！”男子说罢就要叫人。
“别……别这么急急躁躁的……只是踢了我一下而已，又不是要临盆……”女子被他的反应逗笑，横了他一眼，“你总是不让我出门，都把我给憋坏了。今日好不容易肯带我出来爬山，说什么我也要到山顶了再说。”
“我哪是不让你出门。”男子满脸冤枉，苦笑道，“是你之前胎位不正，动不动就呕吐，你师兄说你气虚体弱，不易多行。”
“师兄师兄师兄，你到底是听他的，还是听我的？”
“我当然是……”男子说到这里，眼珠一转，忽地俯下了身，“听我们家双黄连的喽！”
一旁的怀瑾“扑哧”一声笑出来，捂唇道：“姑爷真不厚道，竟给未来的小少爷起这么难听的名字！”
“虽然难听，却是独一无二的贴切啊。你想，我曾经是皇帝，而我的夫人曾经也是个皇帝，两个皇帝连起来，有了这个孩子，可不就是'双黄连'么？”
“你怎么不叫双蛋黄？”女子嗔了他一眼，转身前行。
男子居然还很认真地想了想：“双蛋黄……好像也不错啊！”
“喂，我只是随便说说的！若你真敢这么起名，我可不依！”
“哈哈哈哈……”三人往山上走着走着，竟又遇到那帮文人下山，他们的讨论声仍在继续，却是换了另一个话题——
“听说程王上月被暗杀死了？”
“嗯，而且听说就是她的兄长干的。”
“她的兄长不是都死了吗？”
“还有一个逃亡在外呢。就是那个害死咱们淇奥侯的！”
“哦……好像叫颐什么、颐非来着？”
“对！他可真够能忍的啊，整整十年，终于被他复国成功了。”
“果然是狼一样的男人啊……”
议论声远去了。
怀瑾想起那个被评价为“狼”一样的男人的真实面貌，不禁又“扑哧”一声笑了出来：“哪儿是狼啊，分明是只孔雀！”
“十年……”男子的眼中则满是感慨，“原来，已经十年了……”
“是啊，我风云变幻的十年，却是颐非卧薪尝胆的十年。”女子说到这里，也露出了复杂的表情，“他虽然表面笑嘻嘻的没个正经，但真的是个很了不起的男人。幸好，他也不是我的敌人。”
男子诡异一笑。
女子不禁道：“你笑什么？”
男子悠悠道：“颐非不可能是你的敌人的。”
“你为何如此肯定？如果我当年不肯答应收留他……”
男子打断她：“你一定会收留。因为，你发过誓要为师走报仇，绝不原谅颐殊。那么，还有什么比收留颐殊的眼中钉肉中刺更好的报复办法呢？”
女子定定地看了他一会儿后，嫣然而笑：“你果然很理解我呢。”
“而我之所以说颐非不可能与你为敌，除了你们的敌人相同以外，还有一个原因就是……”
"What is it?"
男子忽然卖关子，不肯说了。
“快说啊！快说快说……”
"Do not say."
“赫奕！”
“大丈夫说不说，就不说。你叫我的名字也没用。”
一旁的怀瑾，目光在两人身上转来转去，然后也笑了。其实，那个原因她也知道，不过小姐……好像是真的真的不知道呢……
小姐果然是很迟钝的人啊。
当年眼睛里只有一个姬婴。别人对她的心思如何，完全不知道。如果不是姑爷最勇敢地第一个表白，估计今天跟小姐在一起的，就不一定是姑爷了。
这样说起来，最可惜的就是丞相，他要是早点儿说就好了，偏偏临死前才说，害得小姐哭得眼睛都差点儿瞎掉了……
一想到当年种种，她打了个寒噤，再看一眼前面依旧询问不休和诡异地笑就是不说的两个人，一种情绪慢慢地从脚底升起来，软软地蔓延到全身。
这种情绪的名字就叫——幸福。
千秋功过，后人评说。
幸福欢喜，却在今朝。
新平二年冬，程颐非称帝。四国历史，再次更写——