Vol 2 Chapter 71

When the bloodbath started in the capital, Lu Qing had just boarded Duan Lingguang’s cargo ship at the ferry.

After he got out of the inn, he rode away from there. When the sky was a little brighter, he finally saw a village in front of him.

Traveling fast all night, even when wrapped in a thick cloak, Lu Qing was swooning cold all over, and his limbs were stiff. After thinking about it, he patted the horse, let it go back to the station, walked into the village, and asked the villagers I ordered some hot soup to warm my hands and feet.

The village seemed to be holding a funeral, and upon seeing a passer-by, the villagers enthusiastically handed over bowls of hot soup.

The sky is bright, and the villagers are not very willing to light candles and oil lamps. They rely on the dim light refracted by the heavy snow to see the road. In the blur, they only feel that this person is polite and graceful, clear and clear, and does not seem to be an ordinary person.

But didn’t care too much.

Traveling from the south to the north, many businessmen will stop when they pass by the village, and no one has ever visited.

Lu Qing drank a mouthful of hot mutton soup. The mutton warded off the cold. Warm currents surged through his limbs and bones, and his body was not so cold. He felt a lot more comfortable. Is it?”

The villagers couldn’t help but say a few words: “People are dying. The village has prepared them. I didn’t expect to put them in the coffin, and people suddenly woke up!”

And so on?

Lu Qing smiled and said, “The new year is coming, which is also a good thing.”

“Yeah, how unlucky the dead people are during the Chinese New Year.” The villager sighed in a low voice, “Is this son on his way home?”

Lu Qingze paused and shook his head: “Just came out of the house.”

The villagers scratched their heads suspiciously, and wanted to ask again, but Lu Qing turned to see a donkey in the shed, estimated his physical condition, and asked in a harmonious voice, “This big brother, is the donkey for sale?”

After drinking that bowl of soup, Lu Qing rode a newly bought donkey, put on a hood and hat, and walked slowly towards the ferry, his figure gradually disappearing into the wind and snow.

A few hours later, a team of Jinyi guards rode fast horses to the village and hurriedly bought the unused coffins in the village for a lot of money. Because it was too urgent, they did not pay attention to the casual chats of the villagers. A few hours ago, there was a coffin. The young man who bought the donkey.

Lu Qing didn’t know what happened after he left, but even if he did, he wouldn’t care too much.

The silver mask that was often worn on his face has been thrown into the fire, and it was probably burned and melted, as if everything bound around him suddenly disappeared as he left.

Those who should be worried are finished, and he is no longer an imperial teacher.

Lu Qing did not hurry with any particular urgency.

The things on his body were basically thrown into the fire and burned, and all that was left were the two bottles of pills, a few taels of silver, the road guide that had been forged in secret, and the dry food and water bought in the village before leaving Mobei. bag.

On the way to the ferry, he specially avoided places where Jin Yiwei might pass by, so as not to accidentally bump into an acquaintance.

The news of his death should have spread by now, and the capital should be very lively.

Through this matter, Ning Juan can follow the vines, attack the princes and nobles who were not easy to deal with in the past, and clear some old diseases that have existed since the time of Emperor Chong’an.

When the people who should clean up have finished cleaning up, the beginning of spring will be the spring season, and fresh blood will be replenished to the court. He believes that under Ning Juan’s hands, the Daqi after pruning the branches and leaves will be revived and prosperous again.

As for the rest…

Ning Fan should be very sad now.

It will be fine in a while.

Ning Juan is still very young, even if he is His Majesty the Emperor, the things he has seen today are too limited due to the age limit. In a few years, the teenager will transform into a young man with rich experience and mature. This paranoid feeling should be will also fade away.

Maybe in the future, Ning Juan will look back and think about it, and it will be incredible that he has moved his thoughts about his teacher.

Lu Qing thought to himself, after walking for a few days, he finally arrived at the pier he agreed with Duan Lingguang, and waited for a day near the pier. There were many people wearing hoods and hats near the pier, and he was not very conspicuous.

That night, Duan Lingguang’s boat arrived as scheduled, docked at the pier, and disembarked to buy some food.

Duan Lingguang breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lu Qing was walking leisurely with his little donkey, but he was amused again, so he even brought the donkey into the boat, looked him up and down, and joked: “I thought I saw Zhang Guo is old.”

Then, looking at his overly conspicuous face, he couldn’t help but say, “Why don’t you wear a mask? You’re not afraid of attracting attention.”

Lu Qing didn’t quite understand the logic: “No one wears a mask on the road. If I wear a mask, wouldn’t it be more noticeable?”

Then he turned his head and begged: “Take my donkey better.”

Duan Lingguang was at a loss for words and could not talk to him. Seeing that his face was pale and almost transparent from the wind, he quickly took him into the cabin, poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it over, then slumped on the chair: “You are so noisy, do you know what your little emperor is doing? I went down the boat along the way, and I was in a cold sweat when I heard it. I thought that if I followed the original trajectory, I would encounter such an old enemy, people. It’s all over.”

Lu Qing could imagine the movement in the capital, and took a sip of the hot tea: “I’ll take it as if you’re complimenting my little brat.”

Duan Lingguang raised his eyebrows: “Look at you, on the way here, you must have avoided all the places that may have eyes and ears in Beijing. I haven’t heard the news from Beijing, so I guess you must not have thought of it.”

“what?”

“The little emperor ‘stops your spirit’ in the Hall of Mental Cultivation and guards you in the hall in person. I heard that a group of officials were so angry that they knelt for a long time in the palace.” Duan Lingguang looked at him playfully, “Have you thought of this?”

Lu Qing rubbed the teacup’s fingertips for a while, lowered his long eyelashes, and said, “Nonsense.”

Duan Lingguang took out his fan and shook it as if he was not too cold: “It seems that your little emperor cares more about you than you think.”

Lu Qing just drank tea and didn’t continue.

Duan Lingguang integrated his rich theoretical knowledge in his mind and reminded him: “In short, you have to be careful, if your little emperor finds out that you are not dead, but only escaped by suspended animation, how painful and sad he is now, to How mad you will be at that time, 80% of your body will not be able to support an abusive essay on your body and mind.”

Lu Qingze’s eyelids twitched, and he put down the tea cup a little embarrassedly: “How many messes have you seen?”

Duan Lingguang: “It’s okay, what’s your tone, are you looking down on my hobby?”

“…”

Lu Qing was quiet for a while, and couldn’t help but think along the lines of Duan Lingguang’s words.

Ning Ruan hated being betrayed the most in his life, and his current behavior was tantamount to betrayal in Ning Ruan’s heart.

According to the temper of that wolf cub Ning Juan, if he learned that he was feigning his escape, he would not only be furious, he would hate him, and would like to kill him.

Lu Qing lowered his eyes and remembered the letter he left in the Lu Mansion.

After all, he was still not worried about Ning tired.

If Ning Juan saw the letter in Lufu when he went to Mobei, it would be fine. At most, he would feel that it would be difficult for him to explain these words to him face to face. It’s not right to say.

But if Ning Juan only saw this letter after his suspended animation, after calming down, he would inevitably become suspicious because of this letter, and I am afraid that all the people who had contact with him would be screened and questioned one by one.

He didn’t worry about the others. The only ones who knew about it were the death row prisoner and Duan Lingguang.

Counting the time, the death row prisoner was buried in his place today.

He made a deal with the man and sent his family away from the capital, giving him 10,000 taels of silver to keep him rich for a lifetime.

An inconspicuous death row prisoner in the imperial prison should not enter the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor. As long as there is no definite evidence, since he has already been buried in the ground, Ning Juan will not easily dig the tomb to check the corpse, and he can’t see a charred corpse. out what.

Wouldn’t Ning Juan find Duan Lingguang?

Lu Qing thought about it, but still told Duan Lingguang about this line.

Of course Duan Lingguang was also afraid of the cold, so he poured a glass of wine, drank to warm his body, and smacked his tongue: “I see, you are still too soft-hearted, no wonder your little emperor is spoiled by you. I will play the belly in advance, But it shouldn’t matter, in the eyes of the little emperor, the two of us also had contact once in Lin’an, and he has no substantive evidence and will not come to me.”

Lu Qing’s throat was a little itchy, and he lowered his head and coughed a few times.

Duan Lingguang was frightened when he heard him coughing: “Go and rest, I’m really afraid you’ll break yourself down.”

Lu Qing walked for a few days in the wind and snow, and was indeed a little tired. He answered hoarsely and went to the cabin prepared by Duan Lingguang to rest.

It turns out that Duan Lingguang guessed half of it, but not completely.

The cargo ship went all the way south, and after less than two days, when it landed again, it was stopped.

A group of Tsing Yi Jin Yi Wei swarmed on the dock, the leader was an acquaintance, Lu Qing glanced between the door, it was Xiao Jin, a capable general next to Zheng Yao.

Xiao Jin took out the token and shouted coldly and sternly: “According to the imperial order, Duan Lingguang will return to Beijing for review, and those who disobey will be beheaded!”

Lu Qingze: “…”

Duan Lingguang’s crow’s mouth, did Ning Juan still notice it?

However, looking at Jin Yiwei’s movements, he was only here to bring Duan Lingguang to question him, not to search the cargo ship to find someone. It seemed that Ning Juan didn’t suspect him of faked death.

Just how could he suspect Duan Lingguang?

No matter how much you doubt it, you should doubt Chen Xiaodao, Lin Xi and others.

Because he was mentally prepared earlier, Duan Lingguang was not surprised. He patted Lu Qingze on the shoulder: “You hide on the boat, I will be back soon.”

After speaking, he calmly shook his fan and walked out, followed by Jin Yiwei.

Duan Lingguang was surrounded by two attendants who rarely spoke. After Duan Lingguang’s instructions, they docked the boat at the dock and waited for Duan Lingguang to return.

Jin Yiwei galloped all the way, and in the middle of the night, Duan Lingguang was escorted by Jin Yiwei and brought into the deep palace.

Contrary to Duan Lingguang’s expectations, this time he was not facing the vicious Jinyiwei commander. After waiting for a long time in the side hall, he met the rumored emperor.

The youthfulness of the young emperor has been negotiated to the point of disappearing. In the end, it is the noble and unparalleled Tian Huang. From his young and handsome face, there are not many traces of sadness and depression. When he looked down from a height, he was dark and cold There was only the oppression of an emperor in his eyes.

The gaze was so piercing that Duan Lingguang even had an illusion for a moment, as if the little emperor saw that he was not the original Duan Lingguang.

The ridiculous idea was quickly thrown out of his mind.

how is this possible.

When Duan Lingguang peeked at Ning Juan, Ning Juan was also looking at Lu Qingze’s fellow countryman.

Perhaps the soul in this person’s body, like Lu Qingze, does not belong here.

He retracted his scrutinized eyes, and his voice contained a few hints of coldness: “Is this what you sent someone to do?”

Duan Lingguang was wondering something when he saw something in the tray of the **** beside His Majesty the Emperor.

Seeing that thing, Duan Lingguang was horrified, and finally understood why he was brought here.

It’s a spirit card.

When Lu Qing passed through Lin’an Mansion with Ning Juan, after visiting the ancestral house of Lu Mansion, he wanted to put a spirit tablet for the original body to enshrine, and asked him to help.

After they left, Duan Lingguang asked someone to make a spirit tablet and hid it under the mourning hall of Lu Fu’s ancestral house to receive incense offerings.

Unexpectedly, this spirit card was actually found by the little emperor’s people and sent to the capital!

Done.

Duan Lingguang felt his scalp go numb, and he couldn’t find an explanation in a hurry.

How should he explain that when Lu Qingze was still fine, there was an extra spirit tablet in the ancestral house?

What would the little emperor do if he thought he cursed Lu Qing to death?

Ning Juan stared coldly at Duan Lingguang, who was speechless for a while, and thought indifferently, Chen Xiaodao has been tried, Lin Xi has also been tried, and even the officials under Fan Xingyan and Lu Qingze have been questioned. By the way, all the people who knew Lu Qingze had never noticed anything unusual.

The corpse he had seen with his own eyes was no different from Lu Qingze’s figure.

The faint and absurd hope that had arisen in his heart was completely extinguished when this spiritual card was delivered.

Ever since he was in Lin’an, the teacher has always wanted to die, did he want to leave?

He’s such a smart person, he doesn’t know how many people in Beijing have murderous intentions against him, but he was already prepared to die, and even wrote a letter in advance…

Ning Juan’s face did not fluctuate, but a poisonous sharp knife seemed to be inserted into his heart, slowly stirring his internal organs.

Is this a spiritual card to bid farewell to this place?

Where will the teacher go?

Has his soul returned to the place he couldn’t explore, to the hometown he longed for?

He didn’t know how far it was there. After a hundred years, would he still see Lu Qingze?

He used to be afraid that Lu Qing was a wandering soul and would go back one day, letting the dark desire for possession expand and want to hide him.

In the end, Lu Qing still went back.

He failed to keep his Huai Xue.

Duan Lingguang was stared so coldly that he could not help but admire Lu Qingze deeply. He looked weak and could not help but manage such a terrifying little emperor. He really deserved to be his hometown.

He typed a full belly, thinking about not being too familiar with Lu Qingze, and waited nervously for Ning Juan to ask again.

However, in the end, the little emperor didn’t ask anything, just stared at him for a long time, and said plainly, “Let him go back.”

This is the teacher’s hometown.

The teacher must be unwilling to see what he did to Duan Lingguang.

When the teacher was still around, he made him unhappy from time to time.

Now he wants to make the teacher happy.

Changshun thought that His Majesty asked Duan Lingguang to be arrested, but he didn’t expect that he only asked one sentence from beginning to end. : “Your Majesty, you…”

Seeing that the corners of Ning Juan’s mouth were straight, he still swallowed the words and ordered someone to send the spiritual tablet to the mourning hall for offering. When he came back, His Majesty was gone.

Chang Shun was stunned for a moment, and he knew when he heard the beating outside.

His Majesty went to the Lu Mansion again.

Since Lord Lu was buried, His Majesty had to go to the Lu Mansion every night to fall asleep.

He walked out of the side hall, looked at the cold moon in the sky, and sighed.

After Lord Lu left, it seemed that the entire capital became more desolate and lonely.

Chen Xiaodao went to Mobei to find the young prince of Wuguo Gong’s family. He occasionally went out of the palace when he was free, and there were no people to talk to.

Not only His Majesty, but even he couldn’t help but miss that trace of warmth.

Lu Qing stayed up all night on the boat.

Although Ning Juan is a bitch, he is still very obedient most of the time. Before leaving, he told Ning Juan, and he received permission. He was shocked by his death. He was not worried that Ning Juan would attack Duan Lingguang. , but worried that the suspended animation would be exposed.

If it is revealed, I really don’t know what kind of terrible reaction Ning Juan will have.

Might as well want to really kill him.

Fortunately, in the early morning, Duan Lingguang was sent back by Jin Yiwei on a fast horse.

As soon as he got on the boat, Duan Lingguang immediately ordered to retract the anchor and continue south. After speaking, he got into the cabin, drank a cup of strong tea, and exhaled: “I’m alive.”

Lu Qing looked at him: “Guo… Your Majesty has nothing to do with you, right?”

Duan Lingguang’s back was still whizzing cold, and he shook his head and said, “Just brought me into the palace and asked a question. He found the magic card you asked me to help make. No wonder he suddenly called me there.”

Lu Qing was silent, wondering how Ning Juan would feel when he saw that spirit card. Wouldn’t he think that he was determined to die early, or that he would rather die than give in?

Duan Lingguang still had lingering fears: “Your little emperor is too scary.”

Lu Qing didn’t even think about it, he subconsciously defended Ning Wan, and retorted: “What’s the matter? He’s very cute.”

cute?

Thinking about the pair of dark eyes staring indifferently at him without any emotion, Duan Lingguang’s face suddenly became a little weird: “…Are you serious?”

Lu Qing did not change his face, and affirmed: “Of course.”

At least before he learned to bite, Ning Juan was like a clingy puppy, really cute.

Duan Lingguang stopped talking for a while, but he swallowed the words back: “The north is so cold now, will you come back to Lin’an with me? It’s not easy to walk in winter, or you can stay with me until spring begins.”

Lu Qing shook his head and said, “If there is one, there will be two. Once His Majesty’s suspicion arises, it will not be completely eliminated for a while, and he will probably send someone to pay attention to your movements. I will follow you back to Lin’an to be easily discovered and walk around by myself. Just go, let me down next time you land.”

Duan Lingguang counted the days, and insisted: “Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. How pitiful are you to celebrate the New Year alone? Follow everyone on the boat and go after the New Year. Don’t worry, the people on the boat who know you exist are all my people. , they don’t know who you are, and they won’t go out and talk nonsense.”

Lu Qing nodded with a smile.

On New Year’s Eve the next day, Duan Lingguang’s boat was still on the river and did not dock.

Originally, the wind on the river was cold, and in winter it was even more bone-shattering. Duan Lingguang paid out of his own pocket and sent a red envelope to everyone on the boat. The cook on the boat made dumplings.

Lu Qing sat quietly on the side, watching everyone laugh and discuss things at home loudly, with a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Everyone knows that he is Duan Lingguang’s friend. Seeing that his face is pale and sickly, but his face is not damaged, there is a tear at the end of his eye, a three-pointed beauty, and he looks like a fairy. It’s been a long time, and you still don’t know this son’s name?”

Lu Qing blinked and said the pseudonym written on Lu Yin’s handwriting: “Lu Ling.”

Everyone is asking again and again, such as how old are you, what do you do, and how is your family property.

Lu Qing’s head froze when asked.

“What are you talking about?” An old aunt couldn’t get past it, so she leaned over and looked at Lu Qingze kindly, “I’ll just ask, Mr. Lu, do you have a marriage partner?”

When Tuqiongda saw him, Lu Qing thought to himself, and said calmly, “I have an eighteen-year-old son.”

What? Is your son that old? Can’t see wow!

Everyone looked at Lu Qingze in surprise, their faces filled with pity, and they scattered like birds and beasts.

After dismissing the marriage urging groups everywhere, Lu Qing walked to the deck with the side of the boat, and looked back at the direction of the capital.

This is the first New Year that I have parted with Ning Juan since I came to this world.

To be honest, he felt a little tired.

The palace should be busy at the moment, right?

After a person dies, a living person always has to look forward. Ning Juan has already got everything he wants. He is at a high-spirited age. No matter how hard he suffers, he can quickly rejuvenate.

Ning Juan should get used to his absence.

He should also get used to the days without rest.

Duan Lingguang looked for someone everywhere, only to find that Lu Qing was standing alone on the side of the boat, his thin back shrouded in silence, he snorted, for fear that he would fall: “It’s dark outside, what’s there to see? You are not afraid of getting sick, come in and eat dumplings.”

Lu Qing suddenly came back to his senses, turned back and smiled: “Come on.”

The atmosphere on the cargo ship was warm. On New Year’s Eve, Beijing was also full of lanterns, but the atmosphere in the palace was cold and quiet, and there was almost no sense of New Year’s celebration.

First, General Shi died, and then the emperor was assassinated. Under the two blows, this year’s New Year’s Eve banquet was also cancelled by His Majesty, but the rewards were all distributed, and no one was dissatisfied.

Ning Juan has never liked that kind of liveliness. From childhood to adulthood, he hated the hustle and bustle that was incompatible with him, no matter how lively it was, it was false.

Besides, the only person he wanted to accompany was no longer there.

When Changshun brought the dumplings cooked in the kitchen, he found that His Majesty was gone again.

There is no doubt that he went out of the palace to the Lu Mansion again.

The little apprentice Anping scratched his head: “Master, you can’t eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year. Do you want to send them to His Majesty?”

At this time last year, when the New Year’s Eve banquet was over, Lu Qing was taken into the palace to eat dumplings with Ning Juan.

Your Majesty is probably thinking of Lord Lu again.

Chang Shun hesitated for a while, then shook his head: “Your Majesty is afraid that no one wants to see you at this moment, so don’t disturb Your Majesty.”

Anping responded respectfully. A gust of cold wind hit him. He couldn’t help holding his arms and muttered to complain, “This year’s winter seems to be colder than last year, and the snow doesn’t stop.”

Chang Shun felt sad when he heard this.

Since the death of the emperor, the winter in the capital seems to be getting colder, but the snow scene is no longer what it used to be.

Most of the time Changshun could guess how Ning Juan was feeling. Ning Juan did think of Lu Qingze again, but he didn’t actually leave the palace.

After standing in the South Study Room for a long time, he put down his pen and put on a big cloak, ordered someone to carry a lamp, went to the Eagle Room for a rare time, and glanced at the Costin.

Haidongqing was fed very stockily by the falconer, with bright feathers and a leisurely life. The only trouble was that Lu Qing, the only one it liked, hadn’t come to feed him for a long time.

Seeing Ning Juan coming, the sluggish Eagle Falcon’s eyes instantly sharpened, and he made a vigilant gesture, revealing a few traces of hostility.

When Lu Qing was there, he kept trying to persuade him to release the eagle back to the grassland.

At that time, he only felt that Lu Qingze’s words had another meaning. He wanted to be released like this eagle, and flew away from him, so he overturned the previous decision and categorically rejected it.

Now that the teacher is gone, there is no point in keeping this beast.

After staring blankly at Hai Dongqing for a long time, Ning Juan resisted the urge to make this broken bird into soup, and instructed lightly, “Send it back to Mobei when spring begins.”

The falcon trainer was stunned for a moment, knowing that the death of the emperor was a sad event for His Majesty. No one dared to mention Lord Lu in front of His Majesty, and he did not dare to ask any more questions, and bowed his head in response.

After personally instructing this matter, Ning Juan left the palace and went to the Lu Mansion.

No guards were called to accompany him, no horses or carriages, and he walked quietly by himself.

When entering Lu Qingze’s bedroom, Ning Juan knocked on the door and whispered, “Teacher, I’m here.”

He has been sleeping in Lu Qingze’s bedroom recently.

Lu Qingze’s health is not good, and he falls ill from time to time. The house has the smell of medicine that has been infiltrated all the year round. .

Ning tired as if enchanted, found all the clothes that Lu Qingze had worn and spread them on the bed, trying to make Mei Xiang’s breath stronger.

I don’t know if the potted plant by the window has not survived the winter, or has not survived Lu Qingze’s poisonous hand. He was as warm as ever.

Ning Juan often suffers from insomnia and palpitations, and wakes up from a nightmare in the middle of the night.

In the daytime, he is the emperor above ten thousand people, holding the military and political power, sitting on the golden palace, making decisions, everyone kneeling down and kowtow, with sincerity and fear, long live.

At night, he seems to have become a wandering spirit with nowhere to go, and only by returning to this plum scent can he be safe.

Since Lu Qingze left, Long Live Long Live, it seems to have become a sinister curse.

When the scent of plums dissipated, Ning Wan didn’t know if he would be able to fall asleep again.

He curled up on the bed, hugged the clothes Lu Qingze had worn tightly, sniffed the fragrance of plum that was about to dissipate, and murmured, “Teacher, are you still angry and refuse to enter my dream?”

He never dreamed of Lu Qingze again.

“Tonight is New Year’s Eve.”

The ice lantern swayed faintly by the window, and the light was hazy, like a spirit lamp guiding wandering souls back home.

“Come and see me, okay?”

Ning Yan closed his eyes, his consciousness gradually pulled away, and he let himself fall into a messy bed of clothes. Surrounded by Lu Qingze’s breath, the severe headache was relieved, and the empty heart was filled with a few faint traces.

It seems that the time has come, and the sound of fireworks and firecrackers all over the city is blaring, crackling, and lively, and everyone is celebrating.

For those who lost Lu Qingze, a new year has come.