On
the second day, the parrot woke up under my glaring gaze. He patted me on the head and said, “Good morning, girl.” Then
he got up to change his clothes.
“You come back!” I gritted my teeth and said, and the parrot turned his head and smiled, still not very seriously: “What’s the matter?”? Did you get tired of your brother after a nap?
Get out! I’m asking you about yesterday’s story. Did you come up with some nonsense to deceive me? When
the parrot saw that I was still thinking about it, he couldn’t help chuckling: “I swear I didn’t lie to you, or my whole family will die a terrible death.” Seeing that I was about to ask, he smiled again: “Want to hear the following?”? That’s tonight. During the day, my brother doesn’t have a habit of telling stories.
With a story tail, actually picked up the shelf to come. Not being threatened by him,
I gave him a cold smile and said, “Who wants to listen to your shit?”? Even if you want to talk about it tonight, I won’t accompany you. Then
I stepped over the parrot and tried to get out of bed, but he suddenly raised his leg and tripped me. “Oh, are you angry?”? Are you even angrier now? When I
fell on him, I had no place to put my hands. Embarrassed and worried, I said, “You are so bold that you dare to trip!”! Hurry up and spread out!
The parrot had never heard me sound so worried. He wrapped me around the waist and said playfully, “You’re sticking yourself to your brother. Why did you tell him to let go?”
Seeing that I was about to pull out the dagger in my sleeve, the parrot smiled again and said, “Oh, if you don’t agree with me, will you draw your sword?”? Don’t do this. My brother is too timid to be frightened. Although
he said so, he grabbed my dagger very quickly and cut my backhand so that I could not move.
“Are you itching to be beaten?” I’m a little angry. “To tell you the truth,”
the parrot said to himself, “Chou Wen couldn’t have been unaware that you’d come looking for me, but he didn’t stop you. Don’t you think he’s afraid something will happen to us?” After thinking for a moment, the parrot suddenly said, “Girl, doesn’t he want you?”
I was stunned by his question and immediately glared at him: “If you continue to talk nonsense like that, I will really be angry.”
The parrot chuckled. “Answer me a question, and I’ll let you go.”
“You say!”
“What do you like about Chou Wen?”
“Are you finished?” Will you die if you restrain your desire to gossip!
The parrot sneered, “It’s up to you. If you don’t tell my brother, we’ll spend the whole day here. When Chou Wen’s eyes go back and say something, my brother won’t care.”
I took a deep breath and finally calmed down: “His Highness, the eldest grandson, who used to love his disguise, regarded him as a bright moon in his heart and was willing to die for him. Later, when I learned his true face, I felt sorry that he had been used by his closest relatives since he was a child, and wanted to bring him back from hell to the world with my own hands.” The smile on
the parrot’s face froze a little. “All right, I’m going to ask you a question. Don’t you think it’s tiring to say so much? My brother is tired of listening to it.” Seeing that I was stunned, he added, “Don’t tell me about your gossip anymore. It’s so boring!”
This fellow was sick, and it was clear that he had asked me on his own initiative. Seeing that the parrot was about to leave, I grabbed his sleeve and said, “You haven’t finished your story last night!”
The parrot retaliated with a smile. “What’s the story?”? My brother made that up! The girl I was engaged to was a distant relative of my mother’s family, and my brother had never seen her. Later, when he heard that my family was in trouble, she remarried.
I was stunned. “You …” You’re making this up, and how dare you swear like that? Can you believe such a thing
as swearing? I’m a man who has had his whole house raided. Why should I be afraid that my whole family will die?
Then he laughed at himself and left. Before
that, the parrot had hardly taken the initiative to mention the matter of ransacking the house, but now I heard him say it as a joke, and I felt a little uncomfortable.
Sure enough, old age, the heart will become soft, probably because of this trace of pity, I did not care about him last night he lied to me.
Perhaps because of the unpleasant morning, today’s parrot play is very off the chain, not only grabbed my favorite cake at the table, but also like an uncle after dinner, let me pinch his shoulder.
The princess probably noticed something strange. She frowned and asked me, “Are you two at odds?”
It’s awkward, but I’m the one who should be angry. I tugged helplessly at the corners of my mouth. “I don’t know what this guy is doing.”
The princess gave a bad smile. “Did you talk to him about the dog emperor?”
Seeing me nod my head, the princess patted me and said, “You have to coax her. Anyway, it’s a pain in my heart when my wife is robbed.” Where did
this come from? We’re clearly acting.
I am not a person who likes to pretend to be confused. Since the princess has come to such a view, there must be some misunderstanding in it.
So I decided to ask the parrot. When
I went to look for the parrot, this fellow was reading a book of martial arts stories in his study. When he saw me come in, he frowned and said, “What are you doing here?”? You have something to say? My brother has seen the crucial round.
My question was not urgent. When I heard him say this, I had to leave. “Then I’ll come back when you are free.” When
the parrot heard this, he was angry again. “Wait a minute!”
He put down the book, walked quickly up to me, and closed the door. “Is there anything you can do like this?”? Come and tease me, and you want to leave? There’s no such bargain in the world!
What is flirting? I was a little unhappy, but I didn’t want to pick words with him. I asked him directly, “The princess said you were jealous of Chou Wen. Is that true?”
The parrot almost lost his breath and coughed violently. After a moment, he said, “What do you think?”
I said earnestly, “I don’t think so. I’m not interested in you. You’ve known for a long time. Isn’t it silly to like a girl who has someone else in her heart?”?
The parrot’s face turned white and finally smiled. “Don’t worry..” My brother is a wise man and would not do such a foolish thing. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe him, he added, “I have someone I like.”. I’m going to propose marriage next year. When I
heard him say this, I was finally relieved, so I asked the princess about her little tricks in the mansion.
The parrot’s eyes darkened a little and told me that the princess had sent someone to send a letter to Xizuo of Tubo. The letter was intercepted by him. Strangely, the princess did not contact anyone to escape. She just secretly told Xizuo a few things and stayed in Youzhou Lufu.
According to reason, the princess in today’s situation, how should not stay in the central plains, only to go home is the safest, but she just don’t go, this is really strange, received the letter that night, I ordered the horse to report the information to Zhou Wen.
All that night, I was disturbed by this secret letter.
Think about it, the princess does not go, there is only one reason. Behind the situation of this marriage, the Tubo forces were in contact with Zhou Wen’s courtiers.
They take the opportunity of marriage, inside and outside collusion, want to do something not conducive to Zhou Wen, not conducive to the court, the princess in her special capacity as a messenger, so she can not go, until they want to complete the plan.
In this way, I understand that the small Tubo, even if bold, dare not confront the Dynasty, but if there is the help of the power of the court, it will be different.
After the Tubo knew that Zhou Wen was dissatisfied with them, if the forces of the court lobbied them at this time to hold the new monarch together, and then promised to give the Tubo enough benefits, I was the king of the Tubo, and I would take a risk. After
thinking of this layer, I began to worry about Zhou Wen’s situation, however, at this time I can not go, now look at the princess, timely message, is the only thing that can help Zhou Wen. After
that day, I stayed in the mansion for a long time, but I didn’t get a reply from Zhou Wen. In contrast, the princess was surprisingly quiet, and there was a kind of calm before the storm.
Perhaps because of restlessness, I drank a lot of wine in silence in the back garden. When it was almost midnight, the parrot came out to look for me, with some uncomfortable look on his face.
“Come back to the house with me. I have something to tell you.”
I nodded and got up to go, but the steps were superficial. The parrot seemed to be in a hurry. He hugged me directly and sent me back to the bedroom. In the
room, he didn’t say anything directly, but looked straight at me. I was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t help saying, “If you have something to say, just say it. What do you think I’m doing?”
The parrot was silent for a moment, then finally said, “Bell, have you ever thought about what you would do if Chou Wen was killed in this political struggle?”
I was a little surprised and asked him why he suddenly said that.
The parrot looked gloomy: “Although I am on the border, I am an official at home, and I understand the political situation. Although the Eight Kings are dead, his influence has not been completely uncovered. Chou Wen was not a good person in the first place. These people must be afraid that he will settle accounts after autumn. So this time, the undercurrent in the court may be beyond his imagination..” If Chou Wen hadn’t wanted to promote the Thirteen Princes to the throne, he would have had all the power in his own hands, and he would have been able to cope with it. Now he’s diluting his power in order to abdicate to the Thirteen Princes. In this case, if there is trouble, he will be doomed.
Glancing at my expression, he took out a secret letter and continued, This is the letter I just intercepted. Zhao Wuliang, who had been killed all over Puzhou, caught the prefect of Puzhou and forced him to admit that Zhou Wen had framed his family and executed five members of his family. After the Satrap of Puzhou was arrested, Zhou Wen, in order to give the people of the world an account, went to Dali Temple to ask the case in person, but on the way he was ambushed by Zhao Wuliang, a rumor in the court.. Chou Wen was wounded by a poisoned arrow, and his fate is uncertain.
How did this happen?
I couldn’t believe that Chou Wen, who had no plan, would fall into the trap. The parrot also felt that this was very strange, and only sighed faintly: “Maybe there are things we don’t know about this.”
I looked dark, and after a moment, I got out of bed with drunkenness. The parrot stopped me and asked me what I was going to do? Without saying a word,
I dressed, girded my sword, and mounted my horse.
The parrot finally got a little anxious and grabbed my arm. “Girl!”! You are so afraid of me. Answer me, where are you going?
I told him calmly, “If Chou Wen has an accident, I will certainly avenge him. When I can’t kill him any more, I will accompany him to die.”
The parrot sighed lightly. “It’s easy to break just now. Is it so funny to die?”
I pursed my lips and said, “Thank you for acting with me these days. Keep an eye on the princess when I leave. If I can’t come back, please hand her over to the house of the Thirteen Princes.”
Say, I want to beat a horse and go, parrot seems to be sent ruthless, unexpectedly fished me down, blocked in the doorway.
Soon, he bent over and said in a particularly serious tone, “Did you ask your brother if he was jealous of Zhou Wen?”? Back then, my brother didn’t have the guts to tell the truth.
I looked up at him in shock, but the parrot smiled, lowered his head and kissed me. When the kiss was over, he raised the corners of his mouth and said, “Now you know the answer in my brother’s heart.”
Seeing that I was about to get angry, the parrot covered my mouth. “What do you want to say?”? Dirty? Mean? Nausea? It doesn’t matter what you think of me. I just want you to know that besides Chou Wen, you have a way out like me. My family has no throne to inherit, and no world to look after. If you want to go to the south of the Yangtze River to gather lotus, we’ll go to the south of the Yangtze River to gather lotus. If you want to go to the border to see the wind and snow, we’ll go to the border to see the wind and snow. As he
said this, he looked at me deeply. “Think of it this way. Is it better than dying with him?”
I did not expect that the parrot would say such a thing to me at this juncture. My face darkened for a moment, and finally I only uttered eight words: “If I say goodbye today, I will see you forever.” Then
I pulled him away from me and got on the horse. The parrot laughed at himself and said, “You girl, you are really cruel. My brother is like this, but you only reply to me that you will never see me again.”
I did not reply to his words, nor did I dare to look at him again. I raised my whip and turned around. Looking back, I was a stranger.
Wait until after Changan, I know, the situation is far more serious than I imagined, Zhou Wen was seriously ill, thirteen prince generation, courtiers attack, unexpectedly to impeach Gu Taifu.
Small thirteen forced by helplessness, let Gu Taifu said sick home to recuperate, this is to save him from the imperial edict. In
Gu Taifu’s mansion, I saw Gu Taifu again and found that he had lost a whole circle of weight and looked a little old.
I asked him what happened to Zhou Wen? Gu Taifu’s eyes were somewhat sour: “Your majesty wants to abdicate the throne without telling me. He thinks he’s done enough, but he didn’t realize that the hidden arrows buried in the court are not just the remnants of the Eight Kings.”
Zhou Wen probably did not expect that after his intention was perceived, the first person to stand up against him was the father of Empress Zhou Wen, Zhongshu Ling Chang Sun Ce. During the reign of
Emperor Zhangsun, Zhangsun Rou became the imperial concubine of Zhou Wen, and Zhangsun Ce stood behind Zhou Wen all the way, together with Gu Taifu, to help him slay the forces of the Eight Kings.
When Zhou Wen appointed Zhangsun Ce to assist small thirteen, the original intention is to compensate the Zhangsun family, in the future small thirteen ascended the throne, casually find an excuse, you can turn the princess into an imperial concubine, carry the daughter of the Zhangsun family to do the queen.
In this way, the emperor changed, but the power behind the queen has not changed, is already a great favor that Zhou Wen can give.
For this matter, the eldest sun ce was acquiesced at first, but never thought that the small thirteen unexpectedly is also a kind of love, he for the princess at the expense of self-injury after the spread of the body, the eldest sun ce will believe that the exchange of interests proposed by Zhou Wen is not feasible.
In the future, little thirteen ascended the throne, there will always be a place in the heart left to the princess of the Tubo, even if there is really a girl of the Zhangsun family to do the queen, it is just one more Zhangsun Rou in the palace, experienced the things of Zhangsun Rou, Zhangsun Ce is not willing to use another daughter to bet on the heart of an emperor.
For this reason, he wants to help Xiao Shisan leave Zhou Wen’s control completely, and also wants Xiao Shisan to become a puppet in his hands.
As Zhou Wen gradually dispersed the power in his hands, Zhangsun Ce openly helped Zhou Wen, but secretly linked up the remaining parties of Tubo and the Eight Kings, and wanted to completely control the political situation in his own hands.
Gu Taifu told me that Zhou Wen was assassinated outside the Dali Temple, not because of carelessness, but because Zhou Wen never thought that Zhangsun Ce would kill him before he officially abdicated.
Zhangsun ce had been Zhou Wen’s confidant to Xiao Shisan, according to reason, if he had action, Xiao Shisan could not not know. I can’t believe that Xiao Shisan would acquiesce in their entrapment of Zhou Wen. When
Gu Taifu heard this, he gave a bitter smile. “The Thirteen Princes are a kind man. If it weren’t for his kindness, Your Majesty would have been assassinated by now.”
It turned out that after Zhangsun Ce approached the Thirteen Princes, he had instilled a lot of things into Zhou Wen to calculate him. Now, Little Thirteen already knew that Zhou Wen’s so-called “no way” was false. He even knew that Zhou Wen just wanted to be free and easy, but pushed himself to this position who was not familiar with the world.
In other words, if I were Xiao Shisan, I would also be angry with Zhou Wen. What’s more, this is not the only thing that Zhou Wen did secretly.
Gu Taifu sighed to himself: “Now your majesty has been hit by an arrow, and has been secretly put under house arrest by them. Three days ago, the war on the border was already burning. Your majesty’s trusted generals have been sent to the border by them, and the civil officials are being cleaned up by them one by one. There are courtiers inside, and there are worries outside. If we don’t think of ways to rescue your majesty now, we will be in danger!”
Remembering that the princess was still in my hands, I promised Gu Taifu to negotiate with Xiao Shisan. After
Zhou Wen was seriously ill, because he had no children, Xiao Shisan had entered the East Palace with the support of Zhangsun Ce. I walked into the cold Forbidden City step by step with the waist card I had given when I begged the little thirteen to save the princess.
Little Thirteen sat on a chair, dressed in a beautiful court dress, and his face was much less green and a little more dignified.
Seeing me coming, there was a trace of softness in his words: “Sister Bell..” You’re back.
“Where is Chou Wen?”
Little Thirteen’s eyes flickered a little, and finally he pointed to the dragon bed next to the curtain. I pulled open the curtain of the bed and found Zhou Wen lying there like a little sick cat, and his whole face had begun to turn blue. Where is
the Imperial Physician? What did the Imperial Physician say? I’m a little anxious.
Little Shisan sighed, “Zhongshu Ling told the king that the arrow was set up by your majesty himself. Even if you don’t save your brother, he won’t die.”
“You didn’t ask for a doctor?!” I can’t believe that little Shisan is so easy to cheat.
Little Thirteen smiled bitterly and shook his head. “I’m waiting for my brother to wake up, so I can ask him why he’s doing this to me.”
I couldn’t understand why he did this. I asked him directly, “Can you believe the words of Zhongshu Ling?”? Do you know that your brother was going to abdicate to you! Now, you have joined forces with Zhongshu Ling to get rid of his trusted followers and let him wait for death here. It’s a superfluous act!
Seeing me say this, Little Thirteen looked directly at me and said, “Sister Ling Dang, have you ever thought that Brother Huang might never have planned to abdicate?”. The Eight Kings have just been destroyed, and there are still remnants of their party. In addition, there are quite a few aristocratic families left over from the previous Dynasty. Brother Huang pretended to bring me up. Perhaps it was only because he needed a baited hook to help him catch all the filth and disease out of the water, so that he could catch them all. At this point, little Shisan smiled faintly and said, “I’m his own brother. Those who have had two minds about him for a long time can’t imagine that he would use me to make this fishhook. That’s why he got into the net one after another. My brother, the emperor, really knows how to calculate.”
I don’t understand why he said such a thing, but when I think about it, I know that it must be what Zhongshu Ling and Xiao Shisan said.
Little Shisan took out a secret letter found in Gu Taifu’s mansion. On the secret letter was Gu Taifu’s character. On the letter, Gu Taifu told Zhou Wen that Shisan had a gentle personality and was close to Zhou Wen. He was the best touchstone.
Once Zhou Wen’s intention to abdicate is seen, there will be rebellious forces hidden in the court to make an issue of Xiao Shisan. At that time, they will be able to catch all of them.
I can’t believe that at that point in time, Gu Taifu would never have known about it, let alone such a letter.
Therefore, I decided that the letter was forged, but Xiao Shisan had some hesitation.
He shook his head and looked at a loss. “Sister Ling Dang, I don’t know what to do. There was a voice in my heart that made me believe that my brother would not harm me, but another voice reminded me that from the beginning to the end, he didn’t treat me as a brother. I was just a fishing hook in his hand. He wanted to watch me help him out of the dirty mud.” And then with the mire, be cast out of this world forever.
I don’t know where the courage came from, but I slapped Xiao Shisan on the spot. Xiao Shisan was stunned and there was a slight anger in his eyes.
I have seen Zhou Wen’s most helpless moments with my own eyes, and I have heard his promise with my own ears. I believe that he hugged me that night and said that he wanted to abdicate. He really wanted to retire.
I also believe that he really loves Xiao Shisan, otherwise he would not know that there is such a sharp blade as the princess, but for the sake of Xiao Shisan, let her go.
At this point, I finally confessed to the small thirteen, the princess that thing, is Zhou Wen’s instruction, perhaps Zhou Wen was a cold-blooded monster, but now, he has been trying to change, sadly, no one is willing to believe him.
Today, no matter how little thirteen, I must take Zhou Wen away. I don’t know where Zhongshu Ling got the message and sent the imperial guards to stop me.
Zhangsun Ce urged Xiao Shisan to realize that Zhou Wen must not walk out of the palace alive, otherwise once he was given a chance to breathe, they would all die without a burial place.
Little Shisan was silent for a long time. Finally he looked into my eyes and said, “How is the princess?”
“Is Wang Yeh willing to believe her?”
At this moment, the only one who can save Zhou Wen is Xiao Shisan. I know I’m betting that Xiao Shisan is willing to believe that his brother once treated him sincerely. After
a moment, Xiao Shisan smiled and said, “Take him away and never come back to the Central Plains again.”
I finally breathed a sigh of relief, and little Shisan whispered in my ear, “Actually, I don’t believe in my brother anymore, but I believe in you. When I was in the Shisan Palace, I knew that you looked cold, but you were a very kind person.”
At the beginning, Zhou Wen arranged me in the Thirteen Palace and secretly told me to take care of Xiao Shisan. Whenever there was a sign of trouble, he asked me to tell him. At that time, Xiao Shisan was fond of playing and often hid his identity to make friends outside. Many of them were ignorant. When Zhou Wen knew it, he was worried that Xiao Shisan would be bewitched and wanted to separate them, but I dissuaded him.
Making friends is originally a great pleasure in life, which should not be distinguished by three or six or nine grades, not to mention that every generation of butchers who are loyal to justice are mostly ungrateful scholars. A low position does not mean a low character; a high position does not mean a high character. It is a kind of happiness to be able to make a friend who is willing to treat each other sincerely by his own temperament all his life.
Xiao Shisan later learned about this from Zhou Wen and was very grateful to me. The carefree days of drinking with friends outside were probably the best time in his life. When I heard what
Little Thirteen had said, I smiled at him and said, “When Wang Yeh becomes emperor, remember what he said to me, and don’t turn into another Chou Wen. Your brother has been suffering all these years, and I don’t want you to do the same.”
Little Shisan nodded his head and finally stopped looking at me. “Pass on the king’s order and send Miss Ling out of the city. Those who set up an ambush on the way and make trouble in secret will be punished by the nine clans.”
Zhongshu was deeply disappointed, and his words were already somewhat harsh: “Wang Ye!”
Little Shisan did not raise his eyes to look at him, but said lightly, “If the emperor’s brother doesn’t get out of the Central Plains alive, Zhongshu Ling and his family will go to bury my brother with him.”
Little Shisan looked at me for the last time and said, “The princess is fine, but I’m going to sell her to the emperor in this life, so I can’t give her happiness any more. When the situation is settled in the future, you can let her go back to Tubo, where she can have her own life freely.”
I nodded and turned away. After
walking out of the palace, I wanted to pick up Gu Taifu and leave with Zhou Wen, but Gu Taifu didn’t want to go. After he found a doctor for Zhou Wen, he asked me to talk to him alone.
In the study, Gu Taifu handed me a letter in blood and asked me to take it out anyway and hand it to General Chen Zilong of Longwu.
I don’t understand what Gu Taifu meant. “Do you think Zhongshu Ling will really listen to the Thirteen Princes and let you go?”
I was at a loss, but Gu Taifu smiled and said, “Zhangsun Ce, that old scoundrel, can do this step now, because he sees that the thirteen princes are good and can be bullied.”? If Chou Wen really dies, the Thirteen Princes won’t really punish his nine clans. Without his brother’s decision, Little Thirteen is only qualified to be a puppet in his life!
With that, Gu Taifu looked at me deeply: “After walking out of Chang’an, every step is full of thorns and bells. You have to protect him to survive..” He must survive!
Gu Taifu’s words seemed to have a profound meaning, but I didn’t hear them very clearly for a moment. I only answered him according to my own understanding: “Don’t worry, Taifu. After we leave the Central Plains, we will live incognito, not care about Jianghu affairs, and just live our own lives.”
Gu Taifu smiled, and Han said, “In this way, the old minister will be relieved.”
He was relieved, but I could not rest assured: “If Taifu stays in Chang’an alone, it will be dangerous. Why don’t you come with us?” When
Gu Taifu heard me say this, he seemed to have heard a very funny thing: I have gone through three Dynasties and several storms, and I have long been ready to die for my country. Now that the traitors have not been eliminated, I have walked away. I am not only unworthy of the instructions of the late emperor, but also unworthy of the loyalty of the Gu family. They want my life, and I use this life to poke their death. Make them beyond redemption!
I wanted to persuade him again, but Gu Taifu raised his hand to stop me. “You don’t have to say any more. I’ve made up my mind. Before I leave, I have a few words to tell you.”
“You say.” With a
faint smile, Ku Tai-fu seemed to sigh with regret: “In my life, I have never regretted losing your mother. As far as I am concerned, she is just a pawn to decorate my reputation.”
I probably didn’t like to hear him mention my mother. “I know,” he said impatiently.
Gu Taifu smiled again and said, “You are very similar to her, but not quite the same. Your temper is more like mine. After seeing you, I began to regret my absurdity. If you had been raised under my knee, you would have been the most decent girl in Chang’an.”. I will never be like Gongsun Ce that old man, send her daughter to the palace to accompany the emperor, I will pick the best in-laws in Chang’an for you, to support you. You are such a good child, and you should have the best thing in the world. It was my incompetence as a father that allowed you to grow up in such an environment and experience a life you shouldn’t have experienced.
At this point, he sighed lightly: “If there is a next life, I hope I can be your father again and make up for you.”
I heard the desolation in Gu Taifu’s words, and understood that he chose to stay in Chang’an, and should also know that it would be ominous. So I felt a sense of compassion and said, “Taifu must live well. If we can meet again in the future, the bell will call you father.” When
Gu Taifu heard this, he smiled. “It’s getting late. You should be on your way.”
