"Only by conferring the title of king on you...can I allow you to take charge of the Jingbei Army in a legitimate and legitimate manner."
The middle-aged Emperor Zhou paused for a moment, and for the first time in his profound gaze, there was an unprecedented moment of hesitation and hesitation. But soon, the expression of this heroic figure returned to his normal state. The leader of the most powerful country in the world is calm, solemn and calm, with a strong and resolute tone.
The emperor stood by the window. The pleasant summer breeze outside the window blew through Emperor Xuan's temples, which had been decorated with a few touches of silver, making his already messy hair even more unruly. On the middle-aged emperor's slightly slender cheeks, a piece of Calm, the extremely fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to be there or not, as if condensed with countless cold and sharp rays. Only the dots of white hair sandwiched deep in the frost on the temples could faintly reveal his true age and the reason he had been there all year round. A body that is getting old due to working hard on state affairs.
I think back then, he was such a high-spirited and heroic "No. 1 general in the Eastern Continent". He personally led an army to conquer the north and south. Finally, relying on his illustrious military power to charge out from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, he conquered this land today. The vast land allows every citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty to live happily in the country at their feet.
However, starting from last autumn, the eunuchs and maids in this palace noticed a sensitive issue. His Majesty is getting old, especially the longer he stays with this lonely king. Day after day, year after year, His Majesty becomes older. His age is becoming more and more obvious day by day; under the oil lamp, in front of the imperial case, the thin figure of the Emperor of Zhou is reflected in his clothes, reviewing the memorials; on the soft couch in the imperial study room, there are several slight coughs of the emperor; the dragon seat in the Tai Chi Hall On the top, I saw this thin middle-aged man, frowning tightly again and again, and slightly spreading his brows again and again. The ruthlessness of the years has finally left a deep imprint on his face...
A brilliant bright yellow stood quietly in front of the window. The bright sunlight shot straight into the palace along the owl-kissed auspicious beast at the top of the palace. It happened to hit the golden dragon pattern on Xiao Longxian's bright yellow single clothes, embellishment of the temple. The golden light was dazzling; the thin dragon robe was well made, and it fit perfectly when worn by an emperor. The fine material, coupled with the emperor's strong waist, increasingly showed that he was the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Lord's is high.
Xiao Long first put his hands behind his back and stood alone.
Those steady hands were always behind his back and never let go for even a moment. An innate kingly demeanor spread all over the hero's body.
At this moment, Xiao Changling still did not move from his position, standing beside the emperor, standing solemnly, motionless, always dressed in white, always handsome and noble, always young and graceful; but at this moment, this He became famous at a young age before he even reached the throne. He crossed the mountains, rode his horse across the north, and galloped undefeated. He established great power on the battlefield. The most dazzling and brightest white-robed commander in the capital during the Great Zhou Dynasty stood with a cold and arrogant face. Next to the father, only the expression on his face was as calm as a deep pool, without any waves, and between his handsome brows, there was a cold smile, like a sharp sword. The scimitar shimmered with piercing light and wind.
At this moment, Xiao Changling's eyes suddenly became slightly cold. Two clear gazes were like two sharp arrows shooting straight into his heart. They hit the emperor's abyss-like mirror lake, and his heart was instantly covered with a layer of fear. Frost, just like him dressed in white at this moment, is walking alone on the boundless snowy wilderness. It seems that it will never end, leaving only a lonely back, letting the wind and snow blow away. dust.
After looking at each other for a moment, the emperor's eyes immediately moved away slightly and fell on the bright summer light outside the window. He couldn't help but feel a little absent-minded for a moment.
Xiao Changling raised his eyes, and the coldness in his eyes eased slightly. He stared calmly at his father's upright and solemn face. After a while, he revealed the young man's unique bright face and spoke.
"I was wrongly loved by my father, and I dare not forget it for the rest of my life. It's just that... my father, all the princes are weak and can be crowned kings. This is the rule set by Emperor Taizu since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty. The sons have little talent and poor morals, and have rough temperaments. Moreover, And he has not yet reached the crown. If the father makes his son the king, I am afraid it will be against the rules..."
"rule?!"
Xiao Long lowered his head slightly and lazily played with the green jade pendant tied around his waist. He looked very nonchalant, as if he didn't care much.
"I haven't made the rules yet! You are the son I rely on the most. If I say you are worthy, you are worthy. I want to see if I designate my own son as King of Qin. Who dares to object!"
As the emperor of the Ninth Five-Year Plan, Xiao Longxian's tone was as plain as the curl of smoke, but it also contained the iron-bloodedness and determination of life, death, and control in one person, which made people shudder.
At this moment, the huge Manna Palace was filled with ice cubes needed for cooling off, sweeping away the rolling heat waves coming from outside the palace, and felt faintly cool; in the corner of the palace, there was a gilt black bird tripod, a A female official in palace attire was holding a golden fire tongs that was more than a foot long. She skillfully pushed aside the remaining incense ashes in the furnace, sprinkled a handful of ambergris, and rekindled the spices, making a slight "crackling" sound. The sound of "pop" makes the air of Ganlu Hall as quiet as a pool of spring water, and even annihilates the midsummer heat.
Suddenly, the emperor's calm face flashed with a look of relaxation that was not easily noticed by others.
"Erlang, actually, I have a deeper meaning in making you king."
"Please enlighten me, father." Xiao Changling straightened up slowly, his long and well-jointed fingers hanging naturally beside his body. His black pupils, like cold mirrors and black ice, glanced at the wrinkles on the emperor's cheeks. He stayed on his father's face for a moment, then turned to the side again, his eyes solemn and calm.
Emperor Xuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty Xiao Longxian, who was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, had a calm face and said with a slight smile.
"Although the Jingbei Army is the elite division of our Great Zhou Dynasty, it is a new army after all, and its foundation has not yet been established; besides, the world of our Great Zhou Dynasty was conquered with one sword and one shot on the battlefield. The strength of the military is The strength of the country and the strength of the country's military fortune are unprecedented in the previous decades." The emperor's eyes were extremely indifferent, "Therefore, to be the commander-in-chief of my great Zhou Dynasty, he does not just know how to fight, he must He has an iron-blooded wrist and a tough heart; otherwise, how could he have suppressed this million-strong army!"
Then, the corners of Xiao Longxian's lips curled up slightly, and he turned around very calmly. A deep gaze fell on Xiao Changling's angular features, and his eyes were slightly lowered.
"Erlang, I can see that you have experienced well and matured a lot during the two years at the border. With your current prestige in the army, if I don't give you a prince's crown, even if the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty don't say anything, What, I'm afraid those subordinates who have followed you for many years will not agree. In the past, you could lead a Peking Camp; now, I believe that you can also control these 120,000 elite soldiers, because, in my In my eyes, only you, Erlang, are the true master of my Great Zhou Jingbei Army!"
"My son, I understand."
Xiao Changling looked solemn.
"The reason why my father made an exception and made his son the king is to let his son, in the name of King Qin, order the men of Jingbei to resist the enemy's attack and protect our country in the Great Zhou Dynasty for the rest of his life, and to guard the northern frontier forever."
After hearing his son's words, Xiao Long nodded happily.
"Well, child, it's good that you understand. It's not just you, your eldest sister has been in the northwest for almost five years. I plan to canonize your eldest sister as the eldest princess next year and let her officially take charge of the West Army; from now on, you siblings The two of them are my two emperor's swords. One is thrust towards Xiyan, the other is thrust towards Rouran..." The emperor paused slightly and continued, "However, Erlang, I still want to give you a few words. King Qin of Zhou Dynasty, the commander-in-chief of the Jingbei Army, you must always bear in mind the responsibilities on your shoulders. Even though there are mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, as long as I am here, the 120,000 Jingbei disciples will fight to the death and carry forward the Jingbei Army. , since I am the youngest king since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, let the people of the world see the ambition of the younger generation and never let me down."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a rare smile on the face of the world's number one overlord, without the solemn aura that he had just pointed out.
Father's slightly aged smile reflected in the depths of Xiao Changling's eyes, revealing a hint of fatigue. He looked both clear and kind. After all, he was almost fifty years old, so after all, he was not as good as They are young and capable people. Although they have not reached the point of senility, they are still not as strong as they were when they fought in the north and south.
At this moment, the wrinkles at the corners of his father's eyes, the slightly white silver hair on his temples, and the appearance that had lost his youth suddenly made a scar in Xiao Changling's heart like a sharp blade picking at the bones; at the same time, an inexorable The thought of good things flashed past his eyes, as if blood would drip from his eyes in an instant. Is his father really old?
Outside the Manna Hall, cicadas chirp noisily in summer, and the scorching rays of the sun send layer after layer of summer waves into the quiet hall. Although at this time, Yan Yan's heat has spread little by little in the palace, but at this moment, for Xiao Changling, the white hair on his father's temples is like the snow on the top of Tianshan Mountain, weighing heavily on his face. His chest made it difficult for him to breathe.
But soon, Xiao Changling put away his hesitation and pursed his thin lower lip tightly. A bright yellow figure reflected in his deep pupils, which also reflected his ups and downs of thoughts; his strong will, Prompting him to quickly become firm and cheer up. Because he is the King of Qin, the future ruler of the three northern states, and the commander of the 120,000 Jingbei army. He has no right to act arbitrarily. Whether it is his father or the Great Zhou Empire, they (they) need He is an invincible warrior, not a sentimental young man, so he must be strong.
"My father has taught me earnestly and earnestly, and I will keep it in mind. The child must do his best to live up to his father's trust." Xiao Changling's fingers gradually tightened into fists, and the young Prince of Qin worked hard to remove the ghostly look on his face. The color was suppressed, and his bright eyes showed unprecedented perseverance, and he spoke loudly.
Following Xiao Changling's voice, Emperor Xuan slowly turned around, with a sense of calmness in his majesty. He finally left the map and finally let go of the hands he had been carrying. His quiet eyes were full of extremely powerful power. Confident and oppressive, he stared at the Erlang dressed in white in front of him. Ever since the child grew up, Emperor Xuan had never looked at Xiao Changling as closely as he did today. At this moment, he was no longer a king, but just a man. A father.
Looking at it from Xiao Longxian's perspective, Xiao Changling's eyebrows are indeed a bit like his youthful style. His face is as bright as a clear moon, his sword eyebrows are slightly raised, his expression is as cold as a cliff, and under his long eyelashes, a pair of clear black and white eyes. The starry eyes were reflected in his Ling Jue sight. In the palace, under the sunshine, the second son of the Xiao family, dressed in pure white, looked like a tall and handsome figure, rising suddenly from the sea and sky. foreign land.
Time flies so fast.
The king's thoughts slowly drifted to many years ago, when the little baby was born and the little prince was still playing with the stone lion in front of the mansion. Now, he has grown into a handsome and graceful young man. All of this seems to be... The same thing that happened yesterday is still vivid in his mind. How come he has grown up.
Suddenly, Emperor Xuan stepped forward and gently patted Xiao Changling's slender shoulder, with a hint of teasing emerging from the corner of his mouth.
"Erlang, I heard that you have been very busy recently."
This ordinary sentence shocked Xiao Changling's frost-covered heart and secretly shuddered; he lowered his eyelids, restrained all the murderous cold light in his eyes, and tried not to look directly at his father's deep look. His eyes were wide open, but his figure was still as straight as a pine tree. After a while, he spoke in a deep voice and said.
"My son is stupid,... I don't know what my father means by these words?"
…
There was a moment of silence.
Suddenly, a long laugh, with an elusive sense of comfort and laziness, sounded continuously. In an instant, it broke through the dullness of the hot summer and gradually dispersed the shade of the trees outside the palace. The cicadas chirped noisily; this laughter was neither shudderingly cold nor arrogant, but just laughter.
The emperor laughed.
"What?! Are you still pretending to be confused with me in front of your father?"
The gentle words of the king of a country floated into Xiao Changling's ears. He listened quietly, with a slightly uncomfortable look on his expressionless face, and his lips curled into a thin line. , he could only force a smile, and stared at the ground with his eyes lowered, as if he wanted to pierce a small crack in the bluestone floor carved with white marble.
Xiao Changling was silent, but Emperor Xuan was looking directly at him.
At this time, Xiao Changling was dumbfounded, his whole state was like being struck by a thunder, and his eyes were blank. He didn't understand why his father suddenly asked such a question. Could it be that... the matter between himself and Wan'er was spread so widely? Come on, does even his father know this? Thinking of this, Xiao Changling felt a palpitation in his heart. He slightly raised half of his cheeks, still standing upright, staring at his father's unpredictable face. . In Xiao Changling's eyes, he saw that his father was looking at him with a smile on his face, and his deep pool-like eyes became more and more bottomless; it seemed that the emperor was telling him with his sharp eyes , Boy, don’t think that I don’t know what happened between you and the girl from the Xie family, so you are still a bit naive to play tricks on me.
The eyes of a generation of heroes were as bright as a torch. Even though Xiao Changling was a commander who had experienced hundreds of battles, he was completely covered by this supreme imperial power and looked so insignificant. But now, Xiao Changling changed his mind and simply Acting stupid in front of the emperor.
He frowned and was silent for a while, then let out a calm sound between his teeth.
"Oh, Father, the military affairs of Beida camp were very busy a few days ago, and my son indeed..."
Before Xiao Changling could finish his words, a smile that had been building up for a long time had already lingered on the face of the Emperor of Zhou, and it never disappeared for a long time.
"I'm probably busy having sex with the beautiful lady."
The emperor's words were still lingering in the air. He just looked at his outstanding beloved son calmly. The teasing meaning in his eyes became stronger and stronger, as if he could see all Xiao Changling's thoughts. .
Although he tried his best to hide it, his father still saw through it. Xiao Changling looked embarrassed and had to lower his eyes silently. His bright pupils, as bright as stars, instantly lost the brilliance of the bright moon in the sky. Although Aoan's expression was still as bright as Now, after all, there is a bit less Gao Kuang.
"I……"
Seeing Erlang being so at a loss, Emperor Xuan's heart was touched for a moment; his son had always been famous for his straightforwardness, unrestrainedness, and unruliness. He thought back then, thousands of Rouran cavalry could not shake him even a little bit. Unexpectedly, his few words actually caused him to become confused, and he couldn't even speak clearly.
Xiao Long smiled first and walked towards Danqi. However, he did not climb up to Danqi. Instead, he sat on the ground on the first step. The emperor rolled up his dragon robe, closed his eyes and said in a daze.
"Your father was also young, and he didn't do a few ridiculous things."
"You are still very young now." Xiao Changling stood in front of his father, his two deeply frowning eyebrows finally slowly unfurling.
Emperor Xuan looked up to the sky and laughed loudly, and said, "There is an old saying, 'If you want to stop drinking, you have to look at the drunk with a sober mind.' Son, you are a drunk now. Tell me what kind of woman she is that makes you so obsessed." , for her sake, he even ignored the rules of our ancestors and took her in and out of the military camp."
A sharp, arrow-like gaze shot straight at Xiao Changling's handsome face.
"Woman?! What woman?" Xiao Changling tilted his head slightly, pretending to be confused, but the bitterness and embarrassment in his eyes could no longer be concealed, and he could only try his best to maintain his composure on his face.
The emperor raised his head and stared at the sixteen-year-old young prince in front of him, his eyes filled with countless favors. Since Emperor Xuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty Xiao Longxian came to the throne, he has made great efforts to create peace internally, and conquered foreign heroes to expand the territory. The subjects of the Great Zhou Dynasty are all afraid of His Majesty's power; but only when facing the elegant King of Qin in white, the emperor who has always been unsmiling Your Majesty, you will show your truest self.
"I don't object to getting a lot of women, but it doesn't take so much effort and effort." The emperor laughed lightly.
"Dad, Wan'er is different from other women." Xiao Changling responded in a deep voice.
Suddenly, Xiao Longxian, who was sitting in front of the imperial steps, felt that his forehead felt a little heavy and his temples were a little swollen and painful. He couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his eyebrows. After rubbing for a while, he put his hand down and glanced at Xiao Changling.
"What's the difference? After all, a woman is a woman."
Until this moment, Xiao Changling finally stopped hiding it. He raised his head proudly, and the corners of his lips that had been tight before slowly loosened. His sharp eyes suddenly swept away the remaining wandering and confusion in his eyes. And the light met his father's majestic eyes, his eyes were deep and unpredictable, and he had the demeanor of the Lord of Jingbei.
"Dad, Wan'er... is the true love of my child's life. My heart is fond of her, not because she is Xie Situ's beloved daughter, nor because of the Xie family of Chen County behind her. What I like is her as a person, and It's not her family and family status. Just like you and your mother, you didn't fancy your mother's Xianbei family background, but you fell in love with your mother as a person. Dad, all the women in the world admired the Zhou Dynasty. The King of the City, the Commander-in-Chief of Beidaying, and the current second prince of His Majesty, not me, Xiao Changling; they love my powerful position, not me. But Wan'er is different, Hai'er and her childhood sweetheart, she loves As a person like me, no matter I am a prince or a humble beggar, she always treats me the same and will never leave me. Therefore, father, she is the woman that my son has recognized in this life. Since my son has recognized her, in this life Unswerving.”
Having said that, Xiao Changling retreated slowly and stood tall and graceful in the palace corridor with his hands behind his back. Today, he was not wearing a military uniform, but was dressed in white as usual. However, even without the armor, Xiao Changling's expression was , still has a unique demeanor, solemn and noble, unparalleled in the world.
Xiao Long raised his eyebrows and smiled. His gaze, which had calmed down, looked up and down at his Erlang, with a little more approval in his eyes.
"It seems that these four girls of the Xie family are really capable. You have only known her for a long time, and you are still protecting her like this. Okay, this old guy Xie Hao is really good at teaching his daughter. In the end, her daughter , let my son bow down under her pomegranate skirt."
Immediately, Emperor Xuan smiled slightly, patted the imperial steps, and motioned for Xiao Changling to come and sit down.
"Erlang, sit down."
"Yes, Father."
Then, Xiao Changling straightened his clothes a little, then moved forward and sat next to his father. However, he saw Xiao Changling, dressed in white, sitting upright at the foot of the steps, with his head and neck held high and his hands flat. He placed his emphasis on his demeanor, and between his brows, he always maintained a stubborn and arrogant attitude. At this moment, he was like a child who was angry with his parents, not at all like a commander-in-chief who ordered the three armies.
Emperor Xuan patted the back of Xiao Changling's hand and spoke earnestly.
"Erlang, you have grown up and are not a child anymore. You are a man, and you must share the responsibilities with your father. What's more, you will soon be the commander of the 120,000 Jingbei army, and countless pairs of eyes are staring at you. Don't be emotional. You have to remember that long-term love between children cannot achieve great things. However, since you have your heart, I, as a father, can't consider it. After all, the Xie family is a century-old family with a scholarly family. I have watched the fourth girl grow up since she was a child. Let’s find a time to take that girl into the palace and let me have a look.”
Hearing this, Xiao Changling was stunned for a moment, his two thick black eyebrows slightly raised, his eyes as bright as stars were filled with incredible joy, and he looked straight at his father's bright yellow figure. , a smile appeared on his face, and he asked tentatively in a low voice.
"Father, do you agree?"
Unexpectedly, Emperor Xuan raised his lips proudly and said the next sentence coldly.
"Don't be too happy too early. If you want to enter my Xiao family, you have to meet your mother and me first."
"Then...Father, I will take this as your consent."
Emperor Xuan stopped talking.
In the main hall, there was silence like water. The father and son were sitting side by side on the imperial steps. At this moment, Xiao Changling's originally unruly and cold expression gradually calmed down, and the tense facial muscles also slowed down. Slowly unfold, as warm and gentle as spring in March.
The bright morning sun blended into the extremely gorgeous halo, forming a thin layer of red clothing, which shimmered in Xiao Changling's field of vision of the sea of stars, reflecting the majesty of the general in white looking proudly at the sky.
…
Two days later, the decree was announced:
Beidaying and Dongdaying were combined into one army, the "Jingbei Army";
The second son of Emperor Xiao Longxian of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he was the former commander-in-chief of the Northern Camp and the general of Zhenbei. He was appointed as the city king Xiao Changling. He was granted the title of General of the Northern Campaign, the Mu of Youzhou, the Governor of You and Ji, and the military commanders of the three states and the marshal of Xingtai in the northern border. The king of Qin, who was subordinate to the king of Qi Xiao Changyao, commanded 120,000 Jingbei soldiers, established a government and established a festival, and took charge of the military power of the three states.
——Jingbei Army with 120,000 soldiers!
——Sixteen-year-old King Qin!
