Ten days later, the sky was clear, the wind was gentle, and the whole place was desolate and desolate.
Gyeonggi, Phoenix Mountain.
At this time, it was the season of early autumn, and the autumn scenery inside and outside Shangjing was picturesque; for several days in a row, dense raindrops floated in the sky, gradually gathering into dense rain curtains, dispersing the gloomy clouds, shrouding the Phoenix Over the magnificent palace of Shanxing Palace, the layers of eaves are pecked high and piled up to the sky, almost reaching the lead-gray clouds, changing unpredictably, stirring up the wind and rain in the sky.
The highest mountain south of Beijing - "Phoenix Mountain", under the cover of the autumn sun and stars and moon, looks like a steep jade. It stands on the Phoenix Ancient Road that stretches for more than ten miles. The rain is like a thin layer of clear water. The gauze, covering it freely and unrestrainedly, sets off the nobility and pride of Phoenix Mountain and illuminates the mountains. It is worthy of the title of "King Mountain".
It's sunny after the rain, and the Phoenix Mountain has experienced the baptism of wind and rain. It makes people feel refreshed. The fragrant air is mixed with cool water vapor, and the smell makes people feel refreshed. It feels refreshing and refreshing; the rain-soaked soil is warm and moist, mixed with the unique faint aroma of grass.
In the early morning, the wind is gentle and the sun is beautiful, the waves of the Qinghe River are calm, the sycamore trees are lined along the bank, and the wild chrysanthemums are blooming among the peaks; the cool breeze rises at the end of the day, and the fiery maple leaves bring the chill and chill of early autumn. As time goes by, yellow leaves pile up all over the mountains and plains.
Under the lingering morning light, Phoenix Mountain is covered with lush vegetation, steaming clouds, and countless green tree shades, surrounding the rolling mountains, just like a fairyland on earth; the early morning on the mountain is slightly bright, and the bright sunshine passes through the layers of trees. The top of the tree casts a large mottled light and shadow onto the Phoenix Palace, onto the pavilions, corridors and pavilions...
The mountain of Phoenix Mountain is very steep, with plank roads on both sides and cliffs behind it. There is only one way up the mountain. It took a long time to climb up the rugged mountain road along the stream, bypassing the "Green Pot" whose water flow is not as abundant as in spring and summer. "Waterfall", they saw a huge temple towering over the clouds, suddenly appearing in front of everyone, standing on a stone cliff between two mountains, withstanding the disturbance from the mountain wind.
Phoenix Temple on Phoenix Mountain.
This is a suspended ancient temple built on the mountain. Looking at the layout and structure of the entire temple, it seems both mysterious and solemn. The tall and broad Phoenix Temple relies on the stone pillars in front of the two hundred steps of the temple. The first floor is built up, even the widest place is only more than two feet. It looks like a mural made with a few strokes of brush, randomly pasted on the bluestone wall by a pair of divine hands.
At the moment, the autumn wind in the mountains is strong, and the fierce wind whistles through the golden wild chrysanthemums until it blows in front of the Phoenix Temple standing alone on the top of the mountain. The viewer can't help but feel awe-inspiring. I can't help but worry that this ancient temple, which stands on the cliff, will collapse under the impact of the strong wind.
It is said that this is the largest temple in the history of the Zhou Empire. It was built stone by stone by local extremely devout monks, nuns and Taoist priests. It took a total of ten years to build it. Later, due to the Zhou Dynasty's new policy, this temple was built. The magnificent "Phoenix Temple" was immediately returned to the royal family and became a secluded garden for the Northern Zhou royal family outside of Shangjing, for the royal children to play here.
The early autumn morning is still so bright. A large area of red and gold sunlight cast a looming phantom on the wide river surface. There was no wind on the river surface, and not even a single ripple appeared.
The antique Phoenix Temple is located on the top of the quiet Phoenix Mountain. Compared with the majestic palaces in the Imperial City of Shangjing, the Phoenix Temple is slightly lonely, but it still retains its ancient style. It still has bright windows and black tiles. Decorated with apricot wood carvings, it shows the tallness and nobility of the gold-painted dragon foil, and increasingly embodies the elegance of jade from the ancient temple, giving it the quiet beauty of a thousand-year-old temple.
The high cornices, under the sunshine of autumn, seem to be covered with colorful clothes, making the simple temple pavilion more dignified and solemn. And on the stone steps leading from the temple to the temple gate, no matter what remains, Rain, or fallen leaves floating all over the ground, I don’t know when, they have been cleaned up, leaving no trace of dust, and the light is discernible, as if it had just been born.
September in the golden autumn is the season when chrysanthemums are in full bloom; at this moment, the forests on Phoenix Mountain are dyed in color, and the green mountains are covered with bright and dazzling mountain chrysanthemums, and a fragrant wind of lonely frost blows towards your face.
Today is the forty-seventh birthday of the Emperor of Zhou Dynasty, and the annual "Tian Chang Qianqiu Banquet" is not held in the palace as usual, but is held here - Gyeonggi Phoenix Mountain.
As we all know, His Majesty, the current Emperor, has been a proud man of heaven since his youth, leading troops to conquer the north and south, conquering thousands of miles of rivers and mountains in the Great Zhou Dynasty. He has also commanded hundreds of thousands of warriors, opened up new territories and conquered the barbarians. "The number one general in the Eastern Continent", so he has an active nature; for this king who is still as majestic as he was in his early years, the cool palace can never satisfy his vision and ambition as an emperor. He wanted to go further and see further. He even dreamed that one day, in his lifetime, he could lead the most powerful army and the most elite cavalry of the Zhou Dynasty to patrol the north and south of the Yangtze River to take a good look at the beautiful south of the Yangtze River. The vast Northern Great Wall, and the vast Western Region; in short, his footprints will follow the soldiers and iron hooves of the Northern Zhou army to expand the frontier, covering every inch of mountains and rivers, and traveling through every inch of fertile land. The power of the Great Zhou Empire will also be displayed in Spread all over the world, spread thousands of miles...
Therefore, taking advantage of this holy birthday, Emperor Xuan, in the name of avoiding longevity, led the princes, court dignitaries, father-in-laws, relatives, and harem women, followed by the imperial guards, to Phoenix Mountain to hold the "Forever" event here. "Feast", have fun with the people and share peace.
However, if we really talk about it, the Northern Zhou royal family is currently underpopulated. The emperor only has three sons and one daughter. Except for the three older princes and princesses, Prince Xiao Changyao, Princess Pingyang Xiao Yingxue, and King Qin Xiao Changling, the youngest prince, Prince Xiao Chang of Yuzhang, Che, is only nine years old this year; and His Majesty the Emperor does not have many brothers.
Everyone in the world knows that Emperor Xuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty Xiao Longxian is the eldest son of Emperor Jing Xiao Li. Under him, there are four younger brothers, namely King Xiao Longxu of Chu, King Xiao Longzhi of Jin, King Xiao Longqing of Han, and King Xiao of Song. Long'an, among them, King Longzhi of the Jin Dynasty died early; King Long'an of the Song Dynasty suffered from impotence due to his excessive drinking in his early years, wandering around the flower shop playing songs every night, and has no heirs to this day; King Longxu of Chu had only one daughter, but King Longqing of the Han Dynasty had many wives and concubines. He has eight sons and three daughters. From this point of view, among the Northern Zhou clan, the younger generation of Tian family children, including the prince and the King of Qin, totaled no more than twenty.
Therefore, Emperor Xuan held the birthday banquet in Phoenix Mountain. Firstly, he did not want to be trapped in the palace and wanted to go out to the capital to get some fresh air. Secondly, he also wanted to take advantage of his birthday and the prince was newly established to take the opportunity to reconcile the prince and the King of Qin. The conflict of interests between them appeased the restless heart of Qin Wang Xiao Changling. At the same time, it also allowed the royal family members to deepen their understanding of each other and enhance their feelings.
Of course, in addition to the presence of the emperor, concubines, princes, and clan members, the emperor's thousand-year birthday banquet will also invite some in-law families who are related to the royal family, and even the families closest to the royal family to participate. According to the practice of previous years, the Langya Wang family The two great families of the Xie family in Chen County and Chen County are naturally an indispensable part of it. Needless to say, the Xie family is one of the brothers Xie Hao and Xie You. He was also the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and held a high position in the court. Moreover, when Xie Hao was a young man, he was an old minister of Emperor Xuan's residence when he was the crown prince. Consolidate their position in the court, and then step by step become a prominent family with the same name as the Xie family. For example, Concubine Wang Xian, one of the "four concubines" in Emperor Xuan's harem, was from the lineage of the Langya Wang family and was quite favored by the emperor.
From the king and Xie on down, there are several families of the old princes who have made great contributions to the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, as well as noble families who are entitled to enjoy the temple of Taizu after their death and are posthumously named kings with different surnames, as well as several newly promoted families. In the Duke's Mansion, there were several powerful officials, such as Li Yunchao, the king of Zhongshan, Pang Yu, the king of Changshan, Liang Shiyan, the king of Kaiping, and Ling Tao, the Duke of Xuan.
At present, on Fenghuang Mountain, in front of the Fenghuang Temple, princes, nobles, and dignitaries gather together, and the red silk and silk ribbons compete with each other. In addition, the wild chrysanthemums blooming all over the hills highlight the atmosphere of elegance and wealth. In the northeast corner of the temple, there is a wide open space. In the open space, there is a large carriage platform. In fact, it is a huge parking lot with a radius of seventy or eighty feet, and the carriages of various princes and princes are parked in it.
The bright autumn sun rises slowly and hangs high on the top of Phoenix Mountain, instantly dyeing the mountains crimson. Gradually, gradually, the faint morning light penetrates into the depths of the mountains, spreading out bit by bit. , until the last touch of crimson color is also painted with rosy shadow, and the entire Phoenix Mountain is now completely shrouded in autumn.
The autumn wind is getting stronger and stronger.
At this moment, the 20-year-old Crown Prince Xiao Changyao, dressed in a Yuan suit with black bottom and red patterns, stood on the gallery on the second floor of the Phoenix Temple, leaning on the railing and overlooking the autumn scenery of the suburbs of Beijing.
I saw that the handsome crown prince of the Great Zhou Empire, with his slim and tall figure, was motionless, with his hands behind his back, his eyes lowered in thought. This was also the first time that he had acted as the crown prince since he took over the East Palace. Appear before the people of the world.
Different from the aloofness and coldness of King Qin Xiao Changling, the appearance of Prince Xiao Changyao has a different flavor. But it can be seen that this young prince has a pair of narrow red phoenix eyes, which are deep and bright, revealing the nobility that is difficult to conceal as a prince. His straight nose gives people a sense of unwavering belief; his figure is slender. Tall, with tight and powerful shoulders, but a slightly thin figure, he not only maintains the dignity of the royal family, but also demonstrates the personality and pride of being the vice-president.
Xiao Changyao stood silently in the corridor, with a stern look on his face and a heavy gaze. The collar and cuffs of the yuan uniform he was wearing were all made of the most exquisite silk threads and embroidered with patterns of colorful clouds and the sea, showing a majestic and majestic look. The noble status of Prince Zhou.
The rustling west wind blew across Xiao Changyao's chiseled face; at this moment, his clear eyes, like the wind in the mountain, slowly swept across the endless mountains of Phoenix Mountain. In his broad field of vision, the foothills on which the Phoenix Temple rests are faintly sunken inward, like a "well" shape, and this mountain field is actually covered with all kinds of chrysanthemums, with golden flower shadows. , reflected in the deepest part of Xiao Chang's dazzling pupils.
At this moment, a handsome young man from Huangmen, holding a wine case, walked up to His Royal Highness and offered him a cup of rich chrysanthemum wine.
Xiao Changyao held up the wine glass, smelled the light and strong aroma of the wine in the glass, took a sip of the chrysanthemum wine, and then put it back again.
However, the moment he put down the wine glass, Xiao Changyao was suddenly startled in front of his eyes. The prince of Zhou Dynasty, who was inferior to one person and superior to ten thousand people, seemed to be stagnant, and fell into a moment of despair. Only then did the two sides still look like each other. At this moment, his eyes as clear as obsidian jade showed an inexplicable look of confusion. This was a kind of gaffe that he had never seen before.
A beautiful figure of a young girl, like a peerless beauty walking out of a scroll, appeared in front of the Crown Prince of Zhou Dynasty with her fairy mantle flowing and her skirt covering the moon.
What kind of woman is this?
To be precise, she is a beauty who is extremely gentle and beautiful in the typical sense. At the age of fifteen, she was actually very slim, with a slender figure, a slender waist, and long hair like a waterfall. With her beautiful skin, two soft curves of willow-leaf eyebrows, and a pair of bright, gazing eyes, how can people not be addicted to her stunning beauty? No matter what kind of dress, as long as she wears it, she will immediately show her unique temperament, dignified, elegant, and quiet. She has the delicacy and elegance of Jiangnan women and the gracefulness of northern girls.
Let me ask, when faced with such an outstanding woman, even if Xiao Changyao is the Vice President, will he not be moved at all? Even though he was already married, even though he already had the princess whom the matchmaker was marrying, when he witnessed the graceful grace of the woman in front of him, he still couldn't help but want to take a few more glances. At this moment, two fresh poems popped up in his mind - "Smiles are beautiful, beautiful eyes are looking forward to".
Suddenly, the more Xiao Changyao watched, the more he became obsessed with it. He was like a green lotus facing the wind, trapped deep in it and unable to extricate himself. A kind of enthusiasm that had not been seen for a long time quickly occupied the heart of the Crown Prince, the kind that came from spending too much time with his wife Cao Qingxi. Emotional fatigue, the kind of playfulness when having sex with other concubines, at this moment, he was immediately deeply attracted by the beauty of the woman in front of him.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
Just when Xiao Changyao was selflessly immersed in an illusory dream, an inappropriate call from the Huangmen servant directly brought her back to reality from her wild imagination and narcissistic imagination.
Xiao Changyao looked back slightly, with a bit of displeasure on his face, glanced at the Huangmen, and then spoke calmly, his tone as cold as ice.
"What's the matter?!"
"Your Highness, the birthday banquet hall has been decorated. The Crown Princess sent someone to report that she would like to invite Your Highness to come and have a look. Look at this..." Huang Men said with his voice in his mouth and his body as stooped as possible.
"Is everyone here?" Xiao Changyao asked casually with a sullen face.
"Well..." Huang Men hesitated for a moment, then spoke cautiously, "Back to Your Highness, almost everyone is here except His Highness King Qin. However, King Qin's guard came to report that King Qin will be arriving soon."
As soon as he heard the word "King of Qin", Xiao Changyao's dark and thick eyebrows frowned slightly unconsciously, and his eyes became cold, but they soon became calm again.
"Okay, I know."
Then, Xiao Changyao restrained his cold gaze, reluctantly moved away from the girl, and then walked slowly upstairs without looking back, accompanied by several Huangmen servants.
The autumn wind rises again.
The small pool under the Phoenix Temple was originally calm and calm, but under the blowing of the morning breeze, it rippled gently, creating large circles of beautiful ripples; the thin autumn light reflected on the sparkling water, creating a wave-like effect. The brilliant wrinkles and ripples of Xinghan are dazzling.
…
"Wan'er!"
A resounding sound embodying the power of the golden sword, sword, and halberd. Amid the sonorous coldness, mixed with a trace of rare tenderness, it rose into the sky, like the sound of a yellow bell, continuous, gentle, heavy, gentle. The lightness echoed over the small pond and spread to everyone's ears.
The next moment, a beautiful young girl sitting quietly by the rugged rocks in the pond watching the fish, followed the clear voice and slowly looked back.
This glance back was a startling glimpse.
Reflecting the sunlight projected from the sky, a peach-like smile lightly rippled on Xie Wanxin's red lips.
At the same time, the three girls, including Li Yan, Ling Zhilan, and Ming Yurou, also looked back and stared at the past with Miss Xie's tender glance.
Under the shadow of the rising clouds in the early autumn morning, Xiao Changling was dressed in white and had a dark cloak over his shoulders. The autumn wind lifted up his dark cloak, making a hunting and rolling sound; the melting sunshine poured in. Xiao Changling's fair and handsome face outlines a somewhat unruly demeanor. It is as indifferent as ever and as clear as ever. The unique face carved on it increasingly shows the beauty of this person.
Under the long black mantle, the white clothes are better than the snow, reflecting the handsome and proud figure of the Jingbei commander, casting a long shadow.
Under the sunlight, Xiao Changling's face was sharp and angular. He had a calm demeanor and a free and easy demeanor. He had a warm smile on his lips. He was walking straight forward with a striding stride, and the wind was blowing under his boots.
"You came!"
Xie Wanxin stood up happily, her eyes filled with autumn water contained extremely clear tenderness, and the moment she stood up and looked back, Xiao Changling's face appeared in front of her very clearly. It seemed that as long as he stretched out his hand, Being able to touch the man's high nose and elegant sword-shaped eyebrows, the young girl in love rolled up her elegant skirt and walked towards him with graceful steps.
"Why are you here? I've been looking for you for a long time just now."
It can be heard that Xie Wanxin's soft voice obviously has a bit of the coquettish voice of a young daughter, but without losing the unique charm of a woman.
What is even more unexpected is that in the face of Xie Wanxin's undisguised complaint, Xiao Changling's face unexpectedly lost the coldness and coldness that he usually had as frost, and lost all the iron and blood that he had when he ordered the Jingbei army. There was a rare warmth.
"Sorry, Wan'er, I have military duties these days and I really can't leave. No, yesterday I rushed over from the camp overnight. I originally wanted to pick you up, but I didn't expect you to come first."
"I came here with dad and the others." Xie Wanxin smiled.
"I see."
Xiao Changling softly said "Oh", his face was as warm as the spring color in the garden, as if he was about to melt away the stubborn ice; he slowly raised his hand, caressing Xie Wanxin's thin shoulders, and those deep eyes, With a doting look on her face, she stared directly at the girl's beautiful face.
In public, Xiao Changling's behavior was obviously a bit intimate, not to mention, in front of Wan'er's close friends; I saw that Xie Wanxin's bright cheeks suddenly had a large amount of blush, subconsciously The ground tilted its head slightly.
"Don't make trouble, someone is here."
"I don't."
Unexpectedly, the shyer Xie Wanxin acted, the stronger Xiao Changling's desire to conquer became, arousing the domineering heart of the King of Jingbei; his generous and powerful hands locked Xie Wanxin Su Yingruoxue tightly His bright wrist is like a prey caught in a snare.
Seeing that the two of them were so disgusted, Li Yan couldn't stand it anymore. She looked at Xiao Changling with a bright smile on her face.
"Your Highness King Qin, you are frightening our Wan'er."
Xiao Changling smiled mockingly to himself, but his expression remained calm.
"Miss Ayan, don't entertain yourself here. You should use your own discretion."
"Thank you Miss Fourth."
Just when the boy and girl were still loving each other as if no one else was around, a slightly green female voice came slowly like a gentle breeze, stopping the two of them from being intimate with each other, and also stopped the movements of Xiao Changling's hands. The strong hand released softly in an instant.
Xiao Changling looked back, and Xie Wanxin also looked back; only to see a young female official in palace clothes appearing behind them.
"You are..." Although Xie Wanxin was a little surprised, her face was still calm.
"The fourth young lady, your servant Yunying, is the female officer beside Her Royal Highness the Queen."
"Oh...is something wrong, girl?" Xie Wanxin asked softly.
"Fourth Miss, Her Royal Highness the Queen would like to invite you to sit in the small building over there." Yunying replied.
What?
The queen wants to see her.
Xie Wanxin didn't react for a moment. In fact, when she was very young, she heard her father mention that Erlang's mother, Empress Dugu, was a great female hero. As the eldest daughter of the Dugu family, she had Inheriting the tenacity and freedom that are exclusive to Xianbei women, someone once said that if the queen were a man and could lead troops in battle like a man, her military achievements would not be inferior to that of the dazzling Emperor. Not to mention the younger generations like Xiao Yingxue and Xiao Changling.
After a while, Xie Wanxin was slightly startled, and turned to look at Xiao Changling who was standing next to her with a pleading look, as if seeking shelter.
Xiao Changling smiled softly and patted Xie Wanxin's jade arm gently.
"It's okay. Mother just wants to see you. Don't worry, I'll go with you."
After saying that, Xiao Changling took Xie Wanxin's hand and was about to walk towards the small building; but at this moment, Yunying moved, blocked in front of Xiao Changling, and spoke in a clear voice.
"Your Highness King Qin, the Queen has said that only Miss Xie Fourth will be allowed to go up alone."
After finishing speaking, Xiao Changling's footsteps slowly stopped on the spot, with a hint of confusion on his face, and his eyes stared at the top floor of the Phoenix Temple.
"Can't I go up alone?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Yunying nodded and replied.
But soon, Xiao Changling's doubtful expression immediately disappeared, and he was filled with joy in his heart. Could it be that the mother wanted to meet her future daughter-in-law in advance? Thinking of this, Xiao Changling could no longer hide the joy in his heart, but his elegant and handsome face was still as deep as the sea water.
Immediately, Xiao Changling laughed brightly, whispered against Xie Wanxin's ear and temples.
"Don't worry, Queen Mother is very nice. Go ahead and I'll wait for you here."
"Okay." Xie Wanxin's charming smile made Xiao Changling's heart flutter.
Seeing Wan'er's fresh and refined figure gradually disappearing into the dark door of Phoenix Temple under the guidance of Yunying, the warmth in Xiao Changling's eyes was like a stone sinking into the sea, returning to calm little by little.
…
The cool breeze of hunting tugged at the cloak on the shoulders of the King of Jingbei, scattering frost all over the ground.
