Although the streets are cold these days, scholars still have to study. There are people coming and going on Huaizhou Street every morning and evening.
Shen Lie originally planned to wait for the army to go north and the city ban was lifted before going to Dongping Academy, but now Shen Xu's letter told him to stay home for the past few days due to illness and not to go out, including not to report to Dongping Academy.
"The power of the court is about to be suppressed, and the Guo family is in danger. Coming to Beijing at this time is no different from being a hostage. Although you are not named Guo, the Guo family has favored you since you were a child, and the whole world has heard of it..."
Moreover, Shen Xu directly stated in the letter that he should not forget who asked him to come to the capital to study and urged him to come quickly.
Shen Lie understood what Shen Shu meant and knew what he was referring to.
"Don't think too much." Shen Lie said softly.
Shitou was bringing tea over. Hearing this, he raised his head and looked at Shen Lie: "What are you talking about, young master."
Shen Lie was still looking outside. The light of the setting sun fell on his handsome face through the carved window, as if covered with a layer of warm white jade.
He didn't look back and said calmly: "I'm talking to myself, don't pay attention to me."
"Tea, Master." Shitou put down the tea cup.
"Okay." Shen Lie responded.
He was finally willing to look away from the outside, lowered his head and picked up the book on the desk again. He looked at the profound words on it, his eyebrows still furrowed.
Shitou saw that he was in a daze and knew that he liked to be alone, so he said: "Well, young master, I will leave first, there is something else happening outside."
"Yeah." Shen Lie nodded.
Shi Shi left, and the study door was gently closed.
Shen Lie was quiet for a long time, took away the paperweight, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink, but when he was writing down the words, the tip of the pen stopped again.
In the letter, Shen Xu not only asked him to pretend to be sick, but also told him about the situation of the rebels and some recent major events in the capital.
He only put a little more emphasis on mentioning the Guo family, and stated other things concisely and without personal emotion. After telling them one by one, he was told to reply.
Shen Lie paused and finally replied with four words, "Received, Read."
……………………
Compared with the depression of the past few days, the capital city today is extremely lively, even after dark.
There were more people walking on the streets, but there were few civilians, most of whom were officials and soldiers.
Tomorrow Emperor Xuanyan will come to Chongtiantai to pray for blessings, and all the etiquette details will have to be rethought and checked. The six departments, including the Ministry of Punishment, are in trouble, because Emperor Xuanyan seems to intend to grant amnesty to the world.
Xia Zhaoyi did not go back to the inn, but went to the lake.
She looked at the inn bedroom where Lin Qingfeng was on the other side of the lake. There was no candlelight and it was completely dark.
The lake breeze blew up, and some of her loose hair was blown up, and the broken hair was messy around her face, but her heart seemed to have never been as calm as it is now in a long time.
From the time she vaguely learned that something was going on in the Duke's Mansion, to later not daring to know the truth, to then having to go through all the obstacles to get here and reveal the bloody situation with her own hands, she has never been able to calm down.
But now, it's surprisingly quiet.
Xia Zhaoyi raised his head and looked at the night sky, suddenly stunned.
There are more stars in the south, like an inverted fairy pool; in the east, the stars are dim, flickering bright and dark; in the north, a star lives alone, alone and outshines the stars in the sky; in the west, there is nothing and seems to be covered with many dark clouds.
Xia Zhaoyi pinched it gently with her fingers and frowned slightly.
Another bad omen, how could it be tomorrow?
The day to go to heaven to pray for blessings must have been chosen by the Taishi Bureau, but with the current ominous situation, things will definitely not be small tomorrow.
Xia Zhaoyi doesn't like Emperor Xuanyan, but tomorrow he will go to the rooftop to pray for the northern march. If something happens tomorrow, how can the military's morale be stabilized?
It's a big taboo to mess up one's own steps before the troops start successfully. This is a big taboo.
Xia Zhaoyi looked up again, but paused again.
She was stunned and looked at the lake in the distance.
The wind was still strong and seemed to blow her awake.
There is still the sound of wind in heaven and earth, and she is a guest of heaven and earth.
And in this world, she has indeed become a "guest".
So, should she take care of Emperor Xuan Yan’s affairs? Can she take care of it?
As a guest, why should she care?
Regardless of the culprit who ordered the destruction of her family...
Xia Zhaoyi had never felt the hatred growing in her heart so clearly. It was very slow, but also very painful.
The sudden pain seemed to tear her apart from the inside of her body, shattering her bones, splitting her flesh and blood, and she was in agony.
She licked her dry lips to stop herself from thinking about it any more.
Moreover, what she should do now is to take a good rest. After walking so much back and forth in one day, her body was exhausted to the extreme and she was extremely tired.
"Let's go." She said to herself softly, and finally turned and left.
The way out is still secluded, avoiding the main roads and crowds.
A group of people "passed by" her across three long streets, and the sound of horse hooves on the empty long street was crisp and quiet.
Song Qingtang suddenly reined in his horse. The men following him stopped in a hurry, and many horses stood up.
Song Qingtang was riding on his horse, looking coldly at the closed Huiping pawnshop in front of him.
There was no follow-up after the man threw a stone to him last night, and it was not convenient for him to show his face at that time, so he didn't dare to continue looking for it.
But the question is, does the other party know it’s him?
This feeling made Song Qingtang feel unhappy.
At this time, the sound of horse hooves came from the front, and a soldier rode up to him: "General Song Lang! General Zeng has summoned you for something urgent."
Song Qingtang looked over impatiently, pulled off the horse's reins, and said, "I know."
"Better hurry up! The general seems to be in a hurry." The soldier said again.
"Oh." Song Qingtang responded, clamping his long legs on the horse's belly, "Drive!"
However, when he rushed to Zhibei Yamen, what he saw was a table of food and wine.
Zeng Tangzhi had taken off his armor and was sitting there in plain clothes, smiling and saying, "Come, drink with me."
Song Qingtang frowned, walked over and said, "General, now is not the time to drink."
"There is no need for us to do the work of patrolling the city. It's still night and it's early. Come on, have a drink." Zeng Tangzhi said, raising the wine bowl.
Song Qingtang felt puzzled. He didn't know how he thought of letting him come over for a drink, but even though he was muttering in his heart, he still picked up the wine bowl after sitting down cross-legged.
I took a sip and it was not spicy, but a bit bitter.
"This wine..."
"Eat meat, eat meat," Zeng Tangzhi shouted again. He stuffed a large piece of meat into his mouth and said as he ate, "Let's say goodbye. I don't know when we will see each other next time. There won't be any meat for the next meal."
You know when you’ll have something to eat.”
"Very quickly." Song Qingtang said.
"Come, drink." Zeng Tangzhi raised the bowl again.
Song Qingtang poured half a bowl for himself, raised his head to drink.
This taste is still not right.
He shook his head, feeling increasingly dizzy.
He raised his head and looked at Zeng Tangzhi: "General, this..."
Before he finished speaking, his body tilted and fell to the ground.
The curtain at the back was opened, and a tall and thin figure came out.
Cao Youyun looked at Song Qingtang on the ground and snorted coldly.
