After Yu Zeng left, he felt uneasy for a long time.
Chang Suining held a family banquet today and did not invite him to come, but there is nothing wrong with this move - he came as an imperial envoy on this trip, and she was promoted to the military envoy of Huainan Province. It was a wise choice to avoid suspicion with him.
.
But he took the initiative to come here in private, but she still refused to see him. She didn't ask him why he came here, so she postponed the discussion until tomorrow. It didn't make sense in terms of emotion and reason...
Yes, she was rushing back to Jiangdu City all night long. Although it was true that she was tired, it was not enough to explain her carelessness.
Today, Yu Zeng is no longer angry because of the neglectful behavior of a junior who is not very close to him. He is more surprised and confused by the strangeness hidden under this neglect.
Countless speculations emerged in his mind, and Yu Zeng looked towards the deep night. At this moment, he was in it, and felt that for a moment, everything hidden in the darkness lost its true form and became unpredictable, representing the eternity of the past.
Overlapping upside down.
The paper lanterns hanging in the corridor moved gently in the wind in the night.
The door to the study room was closed tightly, and occasionally a woman's cheerful laughter could be heard.
After the banquet was over, Chang Suining left Princess Xuan'an to talk alone.
On the third day of the new year, Princess Xuan'an, who stayed in Jiangdu secretly to celebrate the New Year, immediately left for Xuanzhou to handle matters. However, she came to Jiangdu again about five or six days ago.
In the words of the eldest princess, she thought it was time for Chang Sui Ning to leave for Jiangdu, so she came here to congratulate her again.
Chang Sui Ning didn't know that he, a mere provincial governor, could have such great dignity that he could allow the always proud and arrogant Princess Xuan'an to come in person, twice, and in private——
But since the face was given to her, she had no reason to expose it.
So Chang Suining thanked the eldest princess, along with Xuanzhou's many previous acts of help.
"What are you talking about those who are not worth mentioning?" The eldest princess smiled and her face relaxed: "From now on, our little Xuanzhou will have to bother Changjie Envoy Duoduo to take care of it."
"Your Highness has embarrassed me." Chang Sui Ning said with a smile: "Your Highness has done many things to help others in times of need, and I should remember them in my heart."
Even though he knew that those actions were mostly due to Chang Kuo and Chang Sui'an, Chang Sui Ning was still very willing to accept this favor.
Huainan Road and Jiangnan West Road are adjacent to each other, and friendly exchanges benefit both sides.
Speaking of Chang Sui'an, in the following conversation, the eldest princess asked a few questions about Chang Sui'an's current situation as if she asked about it accidentally.
Chang Suining did not hide that she had been to Youzhou and met her brother. At this moment, facing the concern of the eldest princess, she tacitly informed her brother's current situation. Everything she said was true, but she wanted to talk more about Chang Sui'an's glamor.
or interesting deeds, appropriately omitting the more sinister part.
The eldest princess Xuan'an was vaguely aware of her "appropriate details", and she felt a soft feeling in her heart.
And the "appropriate" feeling that Chang Suining gave her was far more than just this moment. This young girl had the right advance and retreat, the right depth, the right sincerity and the right boundaries...
The eldest princess even felt that the other party was aware of her secret, but had not gone into it deeply.
This is not the sense of propriety that a girl of her age should have.
But then I thought about it, what is there about the girl in front of me that an ordinary girl of this age can do?
The eldest princess did not reveal anything, and her thousands of words were turned into one sigh: "Marquis Zhongyong is really a great blessing..."
Why did this reckless man pick up such a huge treasure?
Oh, it wasn't him who picked it up, it was her nephew Li Xiao who picked it up. It was just that there was smoke coming out of his ancestral grave and the treasure fell into his hands.
Speaking of her sincerity, the eldest princess took Chang Sui Ning's hand across the small table between them, patted it gently, and said with a smile: "Let me tell you what you may think is frivolous.
From the first moment I saw you in Xuanzhou, I felt like I was in love with you... It was as if we had met you a long time ago and we were part of the same family."
The eldest princess's smiling eyes fell on Chang Sui Ning's face: "I don't know why, but I have this inexplicable illusion of déjà vu."
Chang Sui Ning listens to it and does not feel it is vain.
The eldest princess may have this "illusion" for two reasons.
One is either because of her, the other is because of Ah Li, or both coexist.
Chang Sui Ning smiled sincerely and said, "When I see His Highness, I feel as close to you as if you were an elder."
The smile on the eldest princess's cheeks became a little deeper.
After all, she knew that Chang Sui Ning was tired. No matter how much she got along with her, the eldest princess Xuan'an did not stay long. She told Chang Sui Ning to have a good rest and left with her maid.
On the other side, Wujue Menglie and Chang Kuo were also walking on their way out.
Before they had gone far, Chang Kuo signaled his followers to retreat further and followed him in the dark. When there were only three of them, he lowered his voice and asked Meng Lie: "...What did you find out? What happened back then is really true.
Was it Yu Zeng’s doing?”
His Highness's attitude toward Yu Zeng today may seem ordinary, but it is unusual.
Meng Lie did not speak, which was equivalent to acquiescence.
Chang Kuo and Wu Jue's expressions were not relaxed for a moment.
After being bored for a long time, Wujue sighed: "Who is bad? Why is it him..."
Chang Kuo's voice was so low that it was inaudible, and he frowned and said, "How could any cat or dog fool His Highness..."
"What is your Highness's plan?" Wujue asked Meng Lie in a low voice: "...Kill?"
Meng Lie, who knew the inside story more clearly, said without any fluctuations in his voice: "He is still alive, so he is still of some use."
He added: "But if Your Highness wants to kill you, you can kill him."
When weighing one thing, whether it should or should not be done from the perspective of interests, and what His Highness subjectively wants or doesn't want to do, for Meng Lie, the latter is more important.
Wujue sighed again, walked a few steps, and suddenly paused. As if thinking of something, he grabbed Meng Lie with one hand and Chang Kuo with the other. He put his head between the two of them and looked to the left and right with his eyes.
He asked in a low voice: "You said that Yu Zeng, as a regular attendant at the palace, has been in Jiangdu for several months and the saint has not called him back. Have you noticed something?"
"Could that person want to send a favor to His Highness, or have some other plans?"
After finishing his words, he waited for the reactions of Meng Lie and Chang Kuo.
Meng Lie knew enough information, but he didn't want to tell it, so he took out his sleeves.
Chang Kuo didn't know much information, but he insisted: "His Royal Highness has his own discretion, no matter what you mix in."
He finally realized that it was best not to inquire about anything related to that saint. His Highness made his own decision, and outsiders could not grasp the sense of proportion here.
So Chang Kuo also withdrew his hand.
Wujue had no choice but to shake the sleeves of his Taoist robe: "Okay, don't get involved, don't get involved..."
But he quickly got involved in other things, stretched out his hand to support Chang Kuo, and said: "Let's talk about something else... The Lady Rong at today's dinner is clearly the eldest princess of Xuanzhou, right?"
Why do you want to hide your identity and come to Jiangdu?"
Originally, the three of them were walking at night, whispering in low voices. After this sentence, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Chang Kuo's voice suddenly became normal: "How do I know? Ask her yourself!"
Because the voice suddenly became normal, it seemed that the person was abnormal.
Wujue's mind was quick, his eyes moved, and he struck while the iron was hot and asked: "...Old Chang, when you were seriously injured and unconscious at sea, which one of you was muttering about waiting for you to give up in the end?"
Chang Kuo's dark face suddenly turned as red as a pig's liver: "...remember your current identity, go back to your front yard, and stop asking about what's available!"
While talking, he walked quickly on crutches.
Wujue was stunned: "...if I say a few more words, he might be able to lose the kidnapping, right?"
Meng Lie took a side road, and Wu Jue caught up with him, saying in a low voice: "Old Meng, you have some people, go and check Lao Chang's old things..."
Meng Lie didn't squint his eyes: "We are all girls. If you have an idea, go find a girl yourself."
Hearing that he had changed his title, Wu Jue came to his senses and left Lao Chang separately. There was no lookout in the dark. Although the governor's office was heavily guarded, there was no harm in being careful...
Wujue scratched his heart and lungs, but carefully swallowed his words.
…
Chang Sui Ning washes away the fatigue. Most of his dreams are related to old things.
The next day, she got up as usual, practiced her marksmanship in the yard, washed herself, and put on the clothes Xi'er had prepared.
The gauze robe is light and soft, made of brand-new material, with light azure soft gauze and wide sleeves. The shoulders are embroidered with patterns of auspicious clouds and auspicious animals, all of which have good meanings.
It is March in spring, and the back garden of the Governor's Mansion is a reduced view of the south of the Yangtze River.
Huating is built in the middle of the pond in the garden. The water is green, the lotus leaves are green, and there are several koi carps passing through it.
Chang Suining sat on the railing of a pavilion facing the water, with one leg bent and the other hanging on the outer edge. He folded his arms and leaned against the railing, looking at the scene on the other side, fascinated.
All the people nearby were ordered to leave her, but no restrictions were set on A Dian.
Small animals seem to be able to smell harmless smells, and A Dian has a bright and cheerful nature, so he easily gained Hei Li's trust.
At this moment, A Dian was playing with Orange and Black Li under the willow tree. Orange Bang Bang punched Black Li twice, then quickly climbed up the tree, and Black Li raised his head and barked at him.
Not far away, Luo Huo and his family of three horses were grazing under a tree, wagging their tails in a leisurely manner.
Chang Sui Ning sat here, watching from a distance, with a brief moment of leisure and tranquility between his brows and eyes.
Until she heard footsteps coming towards here.
The pavilion is built in the water and connected to the shore by a wooden bridge.
A man wearing a red robe and with a fairer complexion than ordinary people walked across the wooden bridge step by step and came to the pavilion. He first looked at the people in the pavilion.
She did not sit on the stone bench in the pavilion to wait, but sat leaning on the pavilion railing in a casual posture. From the perspective of an elder looking at a younger generation, she did not even look like a serious sitting statue.
She was wearing a sky blue gauze gown with wide sleeves and new white-soled boots. She was sitting with her arms folded. Her thick black hair was neither combed into a daughter's bun with beads on it, nor tied up in a neat ponytail.
He took a ribbon and tied it casually behind his head, with a shorter strand loose. He looked like he was just relaxing, without any supervision, and not at all what he should look like when meeting guests.
But it was this kind of laxity that made Yu Zeng stop, and he did not immediately step into the pavilion.
Until the person in the pavilion said: "Now that you are here, please sit down and talk."
This voice was just like hers at this moment, exuding a casual and casual attitude.
Yu Zeng's heart was slightly shaken, and he looked towards her, only to see that she did not turn to look at him, but was still looking at the water and the other side.
He raised his feet and entered the pavilion.
But under this angle of light, he couldn't see her face clearly. The early morning sunlight fell on the water, creating layers of ripples and blurring the outline of her face.
Facing the girl from the Chang family, Yu Zeng admitted that even if the other party was an official at Huainan Road and had a large number of troops, he would never be at all cautious or uneasy——
But this nervousness and uneasiness actually appeared at this moment. Some instincts actually responded faster than the answer.
In the past few months, he had thought about many details that he had never delved into before in the governor's house in Jiangdu, so he had too many incredible thoughts. At this moment, those thoughts were rushing towards him, making him unable to move.
He remained motionless for a long time, and the girl finally looked back at him, her eyes calm and indifferent: "Aren't you going to sit down?"
Meeting those eyes, Yu Zeng's slightly raised eyes trembled slightly, and his voice was as blank as he had not heard in many years: "I don't know...if I should sit down."
The four eyes looked at each other, and Chang Sui Ning also stared at him for a long time.
Yu Zeng is only in his thirties this year, and he has a handsome appearance that is indistinguishable from male to female. Time has not left many marks on his face, but has greatly changed his overall temperament.
Therefore, facing this face, Chang Suining could easily see the past.
She didn't say much to test him, and she had no intention of testing him. She just asked him calmly: "Azen, can you tell me why?"
This question brought about earth-shaking changes in Yu Zeng's eyes.
In an instant, countless voices exploded in his head.
Did Chang Kuo and the others discover something, and what did the mysteriously missing Yuchi say? So they asked this Chang family girl to pretend to be a royal highness to test him and deceive him?
But all doubts based on common sense were instantly crushed under that gaze and turned into floating dust flying under the morning light.
It should be noted that he has followed His Highness for more than ten years, more than ten years...
No one can pretend to be His Highness in front of him without being noticed, let alone two dissimilar faces.
As a result, he finally became as tiny as those dust particles and slowly knelt down.
He put his hands on the ground, looked up and his eyes were flashing with tears, and his voice was as trembling as dust particles, broken and shapeless: "Your Highness... when did you..."
"Should I answer you?" Chang Sui Ning looked down at him and asked, "Should I answer one question, have you ever participated in killing me?"
These words were like a sharp blade, cutting an icy chasm between the life and death of master and servant.
For a moment, the tears in Yu Zeng's eyes seemed to have solidified.
Under the gaze of those eyes, he could only lower his eyes, and tears fell on the scarlet robe.
He took out something from his sleeve, lowered his body, picked up the object with both hands, and said in a hoarse and firm voice: "...I only ask Your Highness to grant this slave death!"
Chang Suining looked at the dagger in his hand and smiled silently and complicatedly.
After so many years, he still carries the dagger she gave him back then, but he also admitted the fact that he participated in killing her.
People, the human heart, it is so difficult to decipher it.
