An hour later, Li Yuan and Peng Qingying were not taken to Prince Yan's Mansion in the east of the city. Instead, they passed by the magnificent Prince Yan's Mansion and headed east out of the city. The team galloped all the way to the edge of the Qingxi River far away from the city.
Under the warm sunshine of winter, behind a yellow and silent forest, there is actually a huge, remote and deep courtyard hidden. After entering the courtyard, after everyone passes through several curved corridors with carved eaves, they see an ingenious artificial lake. Appeared suddenly in front of you.
"His Royal Highness King Yan and Duke Peng are in the pavilion in the center of the lake. They also invited Governor Li and his wife to go by boat." Then the chamberlain named Wang Shoucheng leaned over and explained why he did not go to King Yan's Mansion.
Li Yuan didn't care. Compared with the splendid Prince Yan's Mansion, it was really better to go to this courtyard hidden in the mountains for peace and security. Why didn't he know that the reason why Prince Yan didn't openly summon him in his own mansion was of course To avoid suspicion. The identity of the town official here is really eye-catching. Not only the courtiers need to avoid private interviews, but as the prince, King Yan also has to avoid it.
The three of them got on the boat, which swayed in the howling north wind and rowed towards the small island in the middle of the lake. Like all royal gardens, the lake is an artificial lake and the island is an artificial island.
It is entirely because of the Feng Shui pattern that if there is a lake, there must be an island. Otherwise, there is no need for such a small island, because the artificial lake is very small, and the lake water is diverted from the Qingxi River. As a result, the island in the middle of the lake is only fifty steps square. There is only room for a two-story lake center pavilion above.
As the boat approached the side of the lake center island, Li Yuan could already see the two figures sitting on the upper floor of the lake center pavilion. The person with the golden crown and jade belt is Li Hongji, King of Yan, and the other person with a tall and straight figure is Peng Shiyu.
"Brother-in-law, little sister!" Peng Shiyu stood on the pavilion and kept waving down, obviously very excited to see Li Yuan and Peng Qingying.
Li Yuan cupped his hands and smiled from afar. Although he was a little far away, he could still feel the gloominess revealed in the faint smile of His Highness Prince Yan next to Peng Shiyu.
After getting on the trestle, he walked about ten steps along some bluestone steps and arrived at the pavilion in the center of the lake. Li Yuan climbed up the steps and heard a cool and familiar voice from the pavilion in front of him: "Old slave, I have seen Li Da. Governor."
Li Yuan looked up and almost couldn't believe his eyes, but he saw Liu Shaojian, a popular figure in the palace, actually bowing down to him at the entrance of the pavilion. What on earth was going on? Is it that King Yan is hiding deeply, or is Shaojian Liu pretending to be clever? Who would have thought that the most favored chamberlain around the emperor and empress would secretly work for a prince?
Li Yuan didn't allow him to think too much, but he heard Peng Qingying beside him say "Huh". Li Yuan hurriedly looked back, only to see Peng Qingying blushing and shaking her head.
Although he had huge doubts in his heart and Li Yuan didn't know what was going on, he still walked up to the pavilion in three steps and two steps at a time. He clasped his fists and saluted Liu Shaojian and said, "It is Liu Shaojian who is waiting here to greet us. We meet again."
Liu Shaojian smiled quite calmly and said: "Yes, Grand Governor, it's only been a few days since you last met with me, and we meet again. This is your lady, Peng Guogong's sister, right? I'm extremely sorry. He looks neither male nor female, haha, it scares the lady."
Only then did Li Yuan understand why Peng Qingying made a sound of surprise. This girl, who had never seen a eunuch, turned out to have seen Liu Shaojian's condescending old face with heavy makeup and light makeup. This bumpy old man's face was forcibly covered with a thick layer of white and pink blush. I think I was out of curiosity when I first saw him in Tanzhou.
Peng Qingying gave a blessing as an apology, but Liu Shaojian smiled and said: "Grand Governor, madam, please go upstairs quickly. His Royal Highness King Yan and Duke Peng are both up there."
As soon as he finished speaking, at the stairway on the second floor of Huxin Pavilion, Peng Shiyu had already put his head in and called again: "Brother-in-law, little sister, come up and talk."
Li Yuan and Peng Qingying hurriedly climbed to the second floor of the Huxin Pavilion. Peng Shiyu greeted them with a smile on his face and gave him a bear hug. He laughed and said, "I finally see you. I heard the news that you came to the capital a few days ago. I originally wanted to see you right away, but His Highness King Yan said that you must be busy with a lot of things when you return to the capital, so I didn't dare to disturb you."
Li Yuan smiled and said, "Haha, thank you very much, Duke Peng, for your concern."
Peng Qingying on the side
I couldn't help but call out softly: "Brother."
Peng Shiyu let go of Li Yuan and saw Peng Qingying standing aside with tears in her eyes. He hurriedly stretched out his hand to hold his sister's arm and said with a smile: "Little sister, you really miss your eldest brother. Although we have only been separated for two or three months, the thought of eldest brother not being around you Without you, it feels like there are a lot of things missing in my heart. Hey, you are more beautiful when you are born. It is a pity that I, the most beautiful woman in Dongxi, ended up taking advantage of others...
Come, tell me, brother-in-law, is my brother-in-law nice to you? If he bullies you, tell your eldest brother that regardless of whether he is the Grand Governor or not, even if your eldest brother, Peng Guogong, is not the right person, he will not be spared. "
Peng Qingying burst into tears and said angrily: "Brother, what are you talking about? My husband treats me very well, very well."
Peng Shiyu chuckled and said: "That's good. Actually, I can't cure him, he is my immediate boss haha... But His Highness King Yan can cure him, hahaha."
King Yan Li Hongji laughed dryly. Only then did Li Yuan realize that he had not yet paid homage to the real master, so he pulled Peng Qingying to salute Li Hongji. Li Hongji smiled and waved his hands and said, "No need to be polite, just take a seat."
After some commotion, he sat down and calmed down. Li Yuan's eyes fell on an unfinished game of Go on the stone table. It seemed that Li Hongji and Peng Shiyu were playing chess just now.
"His Royal Highness and Mr. Peng Guogong are having a good time. It turns out they are playing chess. But I didn't know that Mr. Peng Guogong can also play Go." Li Yuan said with a smile.
Peng Shiyu waved his hand and said with a smile: "Can I also be called good at playing chess? Hey, it's a pity that I didn't inherit my grandpa's chess skills. I just learned it a few days ago. I am just accompanying His Highness King Yan to relieve his boredom."
Li Hongji smiled and said: "Don't be too modest, Mr. Peng Guo. You are very smart. Your chess skills have skyrocketed after just a few days of learning. In the past few days, the king ordered people to teach you how to play chess and draw, and the results turned out to be very good. Mr. Peng Guo is indeed extraordinary." .”
Peng Shiyu smiled sheepishly, but he also held his hands up and said very knowingly: "His Royal Highness, King Yan, is going to embarrass me to death with his words. That's all, my little sister and I went to have a conversation under the pavilion. Little sister, I I have a lot to tell you, come on, let’s go downstairs and talk.”
Peng Qingying responded and looked at Li Yuan, who smiled and nodded.
Peng Shiyu then took his sister's hand and went down to the pavilion and hid beside the plank road by the lake to talk about their parting feelings. When only Li Yuan, King Yan Li Hongji and Liu Shaojian were standing in the pavilion, the atmosphere instantly became silent and solemn.
Li Hongji stood up slowly, stood by the railing with his hands behind his hands and looked at the quiet pool of the artificial lake below. After a long while, he finally said: "Li Yuan, I can't believe that you are now the leader of Langzhou University with a heavy army and the sole command of one side." Governor, Wu Ping Jiedushi. I still remember that when I met you for the first time, you were just a lieutenant in the imperial army. Who would have thought that you would be where you are today."
