While Liu Mingzhi and the film host were chatting and laughing, the group finally reached the main tomb of the imperial mausoleum.
Looking at the mausoleum guards patrolling in batches on the criss-crossing paths not far away, Liu Mingzhi looked at the shadow master beside him with a slightly surprised look.
"What? Didn't senior clear the place?"
The film owner heard Liu Dashao's slightly curious questions and silently shook his head, bowed and bowed several times to the imperial mausoleum a hundred steps away.
"The mausoleum guarding army is the soldiers and horses that protect the peace of His Majesty the late Emperor and your empresses. I, He De, dare to let them withdraw from the imperial mausoleum.
I am already satisfied to find a place to hold a banquet here.
This old man has dared to disturb the late emperor’s spirit in heaven, and for this I am truly terrified. "
"Senior, death is like..."
Liu Mingzhi listened to the film owner's somewhat heavy words and wanted to say some words of comfort, but the words "death is like a lamp going out" were stuck in his throat but he couldn't say it out.
For people like the film owner, many concepts are not feasible here.
They actually understand everything in their hearts, but they can't say it outright.
If I had to say something, it would be nothing more than the word loyalty.
Liu Mingzhi himself also likes people like the film owner and others, but it is a pity that fate has played a trick on people, and such people have happened to be on the opposite side of him.
Just like what Liu Mingzhi said to the third princess Li Yan in the study a few days ago, in fact, they were originally like-minded people, but things are unpredictable, and like-minded people eventually turned to the opposite side.
Liu Mingzhi himself has never denied anything about the film owner and all the spy agents. The loyalty they insist on is something Liu Mingzhi admires.
Even though the film master and the others are a group of enemies who want to kill him all the time, Liu Mingzhi still admires the film master's character very much.
This point can also show from the side that his father Li Zheng lived up to his reputation as an unparalleled hero. After his death, there are still such a group of loyal and courageous soldiers who worked hard for his Li family. If he is alive in heaven, If you are spiritual, you should be very pleased to see this!
Liu Mingzhi breathed a silent sigh, put the Heavenly Sword on his waist, and walked silently towards the entrance of the main tomb with the food box in his hand.
"Today, I may disturb my father's spirit in heaven, so I have prepared some sacrifices at home and send them to my father first.
I will come back as soon as I leave. I will not keep Senior Shadow Master waiting for a long time. I would like to trouble Senior to wait here. "
"Xuan'er, you are also waiting here.
Senior is an expert and will not deliberately embarrass you. Of course, you are not allowed to make senior angry.
Otherwise, if you make your seniors angry, it will be difficult for me to explain to you. "
Liu Mingzhi's plain words later seemed to be addressed to Liu Xuan and the others, but people who understood immediately realized that this sentence was actually an allusion to the film owner next to Liu Xuan and the others.
Liu Xuan and the others didn't know whether they heard the profound meaning of Liu Dashao's words, and bowed respectfully to Liu Mingzhi.
"We obey."
When the film owner heard Liu Mingzhi's pointed words, he raised his head slightly and glanced at Young Master Liu's back holding the food box, and nodded lightly without answering anything.
As for whether the nod is in response to the content of Liu Mingzhi's first sentence or the content of the following sentence, only the film owner knows best.
Liu Mingzhi walked further and further away, and finally reached the entrance of the mausoleum outside the main mausoleum's Broken Dragon Stone.
Outside the Broken Dragon Stone, there is still the same old scene as before, a portrait, an incense burner, an offering table, a low table, a futon, a set of coarse porcelain tea sets, an old whisk, and a person sitting cross-legged on the futon. Above is an elderly man who silently turns the rosary beads in his hand.
Quietly looking at the old man's back on the futon, which was more stooped than before, Liu Mingzhi couldn't help but feel sour at the corners of his eyes.
It will be eleven years soon. This rickety-backed old man has been sitting alone on this ordinary futon, guarding outside the Broken Dragon Stone for nearly eleven years.
How many springs and autumns can there be in a life, and how many eleven years can there be?
Walking into the cave entrance with light steps, Liu Mingzhi turned his head and glanced at the spotless portrait on the cave wall, and gently placed the food box in his hand in front of the altar table.
"Lao Zhou, when we last met, I saw that you still had some inconspicuous black hair on your head, but now it is completely white, as white as snow in winter.
Time will not spare me, let alone you!
Next time... next time I come here again, will you and I, old friends, have a chance to meet again? "
Lao Zhou, who was sitting cross-legged on the futon, listened to Liu Mingzhi's sad words, his rickety figure trembled slightly, and he slowly turned around and saluted Mr. Liu who was standing in front of the altar table.
"Prince-in-law, I'm here to greet you."
Liu Mingzhi hurriedly supported Lao Zhou on the futon. He didn't care whether the floor was clean or not, and sat cross-legged opposite Lao Zhou.
"Old Zhou, you have met again. When my father was alive, although you and I were the chief steward of the inner court and the official of the foreign ministers, our friendship was quite deep.
Now that I am in my position, there are not many old friends with whom I can truly be close to each other. I don’t want to see even you, one of the few old friends, treat me respectfully.
In that case, I, Liu Mingzhi, would really become a loner.
You have served your father for decades, and you naturally know how your father spent those decades. You should also understand better than anyone else how uncomfortable it feels to be a loner!
I have heard the title "Your Majesty" too many times over the years, and I have already felt that my interest has waned. When I hear your words of "Husband-in-law", to be honest, it warms my heart!
Except for you and Lao Qian, who serves your mother, I haven't heard the title Prince Consort for many years.
Now that you are shouting, I feel like I have returned to the high-spirited time more than ten years ago.
I was in my prime at that time, and my life was full of endless pursuits. But now I can no longer do that, and I am already late.
In the blink of an eye, I will be forty years old before I know it. I am afraid that I will have to apologize to my father in a few years. "
Lao Zhou looked at Liu Mingzhi's melancholy expression with his dim eyes and nodded with emotion: "Whatever the consort says, I will listen to you."
"Just listen to me. Listen to me and don't be so open-minded between us. Not only are your hair all white, your eyes also look a lot cloudier. Are you presbyopic?"
"Yes, old lady, my vision is a little blurry. Every time I clean His Majesty's portrait, I have to be careful, for fear of accidentally breaking His Majesty's portrait.
But it’s okay, it’s not to the point where I can’t see anything. "
"Then you have to take care of yourself. If you go again, I don't know who else I can have an intimate conversation with from now on.
I think you also know the purpose of my visit this time. No matter what, since I came, I can't come in vain. I have to come to pay homage to my father.
At home, I asked Yan'er to cook a few home-cooked dishes. Yan'er said that what she cooked was the food that my father liked to eat when he was still alive. I guess his father would be satisfied this time.
Today's circumstances do not permit it, so I did not bring my wife, concubines, and children to pay homage to my father. A few sacrifices are just a small token of appreciation for us juniors.
Maybe this time will be the last time I come to pay homage to my father, but things are unpredictable, who can say for sure! "
After speaking, Liu Mingzhi stood up and walked to the altar table under Li Zheng's portrait, squatting on the ground and taking down the food boxes layer by layer.
Lao Zhou on the side saw this and hurriedly walked to the altar table and carefully cleaned the tabletop, which had no stains. He took the dishes from Liu Mingzhi's hands and placed them one by one on the altar table.
Eight home-cooked side dishes with meat and vegetables, plus a jug of the palace's royal wine, were neatly placed on the table.
Liu Mingzhi finally took out a handful of incense from the bottom of the food box, lit it against the half-burned candle on the table, and inserted it into the incense burner.
Looking at the rising smoke, Liu Mingzhi tossed his robe, knelt down and kowtowed several times.
"Father, my child is unfilial, and I may have to wield a sword or a gun in front of your mausoleum today.
If you have a soul in heaven, I hope you won't blame the child. "
