next day
"So, you are going to Tuzhou tomorrow?"
Gu Qi looked at Yan Churong and nodded.
Yan Churong put down the medicine bag in his hand, turned around and ran towards the backyard.
Gu Qi followed him to the backyard and saw him hurriedly packing his things. Bottles and jars were placed on the table with a crisp sound.
"What are you doing?"
"The notice was too short, I have to hurry up."
"You can't come with me."
Yan Churong paused and looked at Gu Qi: "What do you mean?"
"Oh," Gu Qi stepped forward and grabbed Yan Churong, and the two of them sat at the table: "I blame me for not making it clear. I thought that Yuan Chengxi would send me to Zezhou if I handed over the detailed plan for water control, but I didn't expect that I would go. The place is actually Tuzhou. I don’t know Tuzhou well, and it’s not within my expectations. I’m a little undecided about this matter, and I still need to discuss it with the Lord... and Han Zizheng.”
Yan Churong said: "You mean, let me wait for news here?"
"That's right. Xue Peilin is going to Tuzhou with me. He is originally from Tuzhou. I can't be sure of the itinerary. It will be more difficult to contact Han Zizheng."
Yan Churong lowered his head and thought for a while and said, "Then tomorrow I will find a way to send a message to Han Zizheng and ask him to send someone to Tuzhou. I will set off to find you on the sixth day of the lunar month."
"The sixth day of the lunar month?"
Gu Qi suddenly remembered the conversation in Jinxiang Pavilion yesterday. After thinking about it carefully, he slowly said: "There is one more thing."
"What else?" Yan Churong couldn't help asking when he saw that she was hesitant to speak.
"Yesterday Yuanzhe invited Liu Jigang and Chang Bin to Jinxiang Pavilion."
"Who is this Chang Bin?"
"Chang Bin is a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and one of the candidates to go to Zezhou this time."
Yan Churong understood: "The other candidate must be Liu Jigang."
"That's right," Gu Qi continued: "From what Liu Jigang said, he seemed to be preparing to leave on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, but Yuan Zhe asked him to leave on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. I suspect there is something fishy in this."
Yan Churong was full of doubts: "So, Liu Jigang still has things to do in the county. What can be done in one day?"
Gu Qi shook his head: "I can't guess."
“Until you reach the realm of life and death, your friends cannot be trusted.”
"I can kill you at any time."
There is clearly something behind the words!
Gu Qi grabbed Yan Churong's arm and said tremblingly: "I seem to have guessed something."
Yan Churong looked at Gu Qi and asked lightly: "Is it related to you?"
Gu Qi swallowed and nodded hesitantly: "I'm not sure if Yuan Zhe still doubts me. On the way back yesterday, he said some strange things. If he wants to know about the secret chess in Junzhou, and After we set off tomorrow, we can send any news out of the city. Liu Jigang stayed one day specifically for this reason."
Yan Churong thought for a while and said puzzledly: "This was arranged by Yuan Chengxi in the court. Many ministers couldn't find anything even if they checked."
"Do you know that Yuan Zhe set off on the fifth day of the lunar month, apart from Yuan Chengxi, there are only a few people who were in Jinxiang Pavilion yesterday."
Yan Churong finally understood, and at the same time anxiety appeared on his face.
Gu Qi smiled bitterly: "As expected of Yuan Zhe, as soon as the news is leaked, no matter today or tomorrow, he can immediately target me, just because I left the palace. If it is delayed for two days, even if the news is sent out, the opportunity will be lost. .”
"Not necessarily," Yan Churong said from the side: "If we take the waterway, the news will be much faster."
"I never knew that we still have water routes. With Yuanzhe's temperament, it is not difficult to think of strictly checking the water routes. Besides, if you take the water route, Zezhou is a must-pass, but by that time, I'm afraid Liu Jigang has already arrived Zezhou. How to ensure that the information will not be discovered?"
Yan Churong smiled, stood up and said, "Don't worry, the news will definitely be sent to you. Can I set off with you tomorrow?"
Gu Qi waved her hand: "It's better not to. This is just our guess. Liu Jigang's purpose of staying for one more day needs to be carefully investigated."
Yan Churong sighed: "Okay, then I'll go two days later. Traveling day and night, it shouldn't be difficult to catch up with you."
"I will take care of myself, but don't forget, I am Gu Qi."
After looking at each other and smiling, putting all the troubles behind, Gu Qi seemed to have relieved the heavy burden in his heart, and felt much more relaxed when he went back.
Back in the small courtyard, Yuan Zhe was still reading.
"Your Highness, we are leaving tomorrow, why don't you pack your luggage?"
Yuan Zhe looked at the book and said casually: "I have nothing to deal with."
"Oh." Gu Qi ignored him and went to pack her luggage.
I packed a wooden box full, but I always felt like something was left behind.
I walked around the house and couldn't think of anything.
Gu Qi glanced under the bed. When he was picking up the box, there seemed to be something behind it.
Night clothes!
I haven't used it for so long that I forgot about it.
Seeing Yuan Zhe drinking tea leisurely and not seeming to have any intention of going out, Gu Qi was a little anxious and didn't know what to do.
"That, Your Highness."
Yuan Zhe raised his eyes and said, "What's wrong?"
Gu Qi held her ankle and pretended to be in pain: "The injury on my ankle suddenly occurred. It seems to be a little swollen."
Yuan Zhe glanced at it, still holding the book in his hand: "When I went out, I didn't see anything wrong with your injury. Isn't it already healed?"
"When I came back, I accidentally bumped it. The old wound was scabbed, but it opened again after the bump."
After saying that, Gu Qi tried to squeeze out a few tears, and her jaw twitched.
Yuan Zhe didn't seem to be interested, but he still put down the book in his hand, came over, helped Gu Qi up, and helped him sit down on the couch.
"Why are you so careless? Where is the medicine you used before? Where did you put it?"
Damn it, the medicine is on the windowsill behind you!
Just when Yuan Zhe turned around to look for medicine, Gu Qi jumped at him like a tiger!
He was caught off guard and was pushed to the ground by Gu Qi.
Gu Qi took the medicine in her hand and quickly stuffed it into the quilt.
Watching Yuan Zhe's face change from white to blue, and then from green to black...
"Pei Qihuan!"
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
He stood up angrily, and Gu Qi covered her head in fear: "I seemed to have seen the medicine there just now, and wanted to get it, but accidentally bumped into you."
Yuan Zhe's clenched fist slowly relaxed: "Where is the medicine?"
"Your Majesty, I saw it wrong."
Yuan Zhe's face twitched, and his clenched back molars rattled.
Gu Qi quickly raised her legs: "Oh, it seems to be serious. What should I do? We will set off tomorrow."
"That's all." Yuan Zhe closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened his eyes and said, "I'm going to the Imperial Hospital to get medicine."
Yuan Zhe strode out of the house, and Gu Qi turned around and rushed out, pulling her neck and shouting: "Your Highness! My previous medicine was prepared by an imperial doctor named Qin. He knows the situation better!"
He didn't seem to hear it, and Gu Qi was a little frustrated.
After a while, I heard Yuan Zhe say from outside:
"knew."
Gu Qi looked outside to make sure he was out of the small courtyard. He quickly got up and took out his night clothes from under the bed, stuffed them into the box, put some dark clothes on top, and put the box on the couch.
I've been seeing him reading for the past two days, but I don't know what he's reading.
Gu Qi sat at the table drinking tea, picked up the book in front of her and started reading.
“Heaven and earth are unkind and regard all things as gullible dogs. The saints are unkind and regard the common people as gullible dogs.
Between the heaven and the earth, is it still like a river?
Virtual and unyielding, moving and out.
It is better to keep the center than to talk too much. "
What is this talking about?
Although I could recognize the words, I still didn't understand what they meant.
Gu Qi flipped back and saw another sentence in the book:
“Forever and ever.
The reason why heaven and earth can be long-lasting is because they do not generate themselves, so they can live forever.
Therefore, the sage follows his body and comes first, and his body exists outside his body.
Isn’t it because of his selflessness?
Therefore, it can be done privately. "
I still don’t understand, if we are in a whirlpool, how can we “exist within ourselves”?
The three characters "Tao Te Ching" are clearly written on the cover.
Gu Qi had never seen this book before. Most of Han Zizheng's previous books were "Warring States Policy". What impressed him most was what Han Zizheng often said: "A country must have its reputation. Loyal ministers will defame themselves, and reputation will be theirs." superior."
"It seems like your feet don't hurt much."
At some point, Yuan Zhe stood at the door, startling Gu Qi.
A man leaned out from behind Yuan Zhe and said with a smile: "Master Pei."
Gu Qi asked doubtfully: "Who are you?"
Yuan Zhe came over, took the book from Gu Qi's hand, and carried Gu Qi back to the couch.
"Xu Shuo. Mr. Pei, we have met once before." The man answered standing at the door holding a medicine box.
"So that's it." Gu Qi looked up and down, as if he had some impression, but couldn't remember when he had seen it.
"I asked His Highness to help me get medicine, why did I call for an imperial doctor?"
Gu Qi looked at Yuan Zhe, and Yuan Zhe replied impatiently: "Qin Geng is not here, Xu Shuo has good medical skills, why not let him take a look at you."
Gu Qi hugged his knees with his arms and covered his ankles with his sleeves. He grinned and said, "Well, I just checked and the scabs were just knocked off. It's not serious."
Xu Shuo stood nearby and smiled and said: "If there are really scabs, I might as well help Master Pei clean them up." After that, he started to get started.
"No need, Doctor Xu!" Gu Qi stood up and stepped aside, jumping twice: "Look, nothing happened. I'm sorry to have you make this trip in vain."
"Your Highness, this..." Xu Shuo looked at Yuan Zhe.
Yuan Zhe closed the book and put it on the table, walked over and grabbed Gu Qi's neck with one hand, and dragged her to the couch again.
"Your Highness, I'm fine!"
Ignoring her screams, Yuan Zhe stepped forward and pinched Gu Qi's calf. He took off his shoes and socks and saw that there was nothing on the ankle except a shallow mark.
Xu Shuo looked surprised and pointed at Gu Qi's ankle: "It's not hurt at all..."
"Doctor Xu, please go back first."
"I excuse myself."
When Xu Shuo walked out with the medicine box, Gu Qi saw Yuan Zhe's face and became a little darker.
He quickly pulled out his feet, gritted his teeth and said with a smile: "Your Highness, this, this minister can explain."
"Okay, explain." Yuan Zhe sat on the couch, crossed his hands, and looked at Gu Qi blankly.
Gu Qi swallowed, put on her shoes and socks, stood up and said, "If I want to make a joke, what would you do?"
"Kill you."
"Hehe, let me tell you, who dares to tease the Prince of Zhenguo? I am not joking, I am... I am..."
The atmosphere was a little awkward, and I really couldn't make up the reason.
"Well, I have no reason, but! I really felt pain just now. After you left, I checked and found that you were not injured. I thought you were going, so why not get some medicine and come back. The journey is long, so it is always good to be prepared. "..." Gu Qi lowered her head, her voice getting smaller and smaller, and she didn't know what Yuan Zhe would do after hearing this.
"Forget it, it'll be fine."
Yuan Zhe stood up, walked into the inner room with the book, lay down on the bed, and covered his face with the book.
Gu Qi looked at Yuan Zhe and rubbed his eyes.
Is it an illusion? I actually saw that the roots of his ears were red.
