The person who spoke was none other than Li Bing, the crown prince of the East Palace and the future heir of Shengtang.
Murong Xue did not dare to be rude in front of him, so she hurriedly saluted straightly and said: "In this humble position, I see you, Your Highness."
As soon as they saw Murong Xue saluting and saying hello, the soldiers above and below the city, whether they were Xuanjia or Qilin, all kowtowed in the same manner: "See you, Your Highness."
After hurriedly completing the rituals, the soldiers on both sides did not wait for the prince to say "make peace", and immediately stood up, each holding a weapon, and continued the confrontation.
Li Bing didn't care about everyone's rudeness and neglect. He just stared at Murong Xue with piercing eyes and said word by word: "I remember, you are a member of the Imperial Army, right? You were posted as a servant in the East Palace some time ago, right? ?Now that I want to leave the city, you actually dare to stop me?"
"I hope your highness will forgive me. I am acting in accordance with your orders." Murong Xue's tone seemed very firm: "The emperor has just issued an edict, stating that the entire imperial capital will implement martial law. No one is allowed to enter or leave the city without permission. Therefore, I am daring in my humble position. I sincerely request Your Highness to return to the East Palace as soon as possible."
There was a complicated look in Li Bing's eyes, and he asked calmly: "Murong Xue, Murong Xue, have you forgotten the last words of Master Nian before his death?"
Hearing the other party suddenly mention Nian Jinsong, Murong Xue's heart couldn't help but trembled, and she was slightly stunned.
In the entire imperial capital, few people really knew the relationship between Grand Tutor Nian Jinsong and Murong Xue. The emperor Li Chengwu barely counts as one, and the prince Li Bing also knows a little bit about it. In the eyes of the uninformed, young Murong Xue is the young master of the Murong family, a wealthy businessman in Bashu, but in fact, he is the illegitimate son of Nian Jinsong.
Taifu Nian's family background was not prominent, and his subsequent heyday was entirely due to his own hard work and step-by-step progress. However, even though Nian Jinsong was a highly respected minister, he was always alone, with neither a wife nor any heirs. Therefore, he was once praised as a "lone minister" by the government and the public.
The reason why he doesn't marry and have children is not entirely because he is focused on state affairs and busy with official duties. The main reason is that Nian Jinsong doesn't want to let down the person he has always loved.
Murong Xue's biological mother is the biological sister of Murong Qianqiu, the current head of the Murong clan and Murong Xue's father. Back then, she and Nian Jinsong met and fell in love, but they couldn't get married because of their different family status, and they had to separate with regret. But who would have known that the girl was already pregnant with Nian Jinsong's flesh and blood, and later suffered from dystocia and died unfortunately. Murong Qianqiu felt sorry for his sister and pitied his newborn child for being alone, so he made an agreement with his wife to declare the child as his own and name him Murong Xue.
Later, Nian Jinsong obtained the imperial examination and gradually rose to prominence in the court. His status had undergone earth-shaking changes compared with before. He planned to return home in fine clothes and reunite with his lover, but unexpectedly he learned from Murong Qianqiu what had happened. He couldn't help but feel sad and resentful, and almost fell ill.
In order to safeguard his lover's reputation during his life and to protect little Murong Xue, Nian Jinsong, under Murong Qianqiu's suggestion, reluctantly agreed to bury this regret deeply in his heart from now on and not recognize Murong Xue and his son.
It was not until recently that Grand Tutor Nian Jinsong was seriously ill and could not recover, so he sent someone to secretly find Murong Xue on his deathbed and tell the truth about everything. Over the years, although he did not dare to recognize his son, he had always secretly protected Murong Xue. Now that the deadline was approaching, Nian Jinsong could no longer suppress the feelings in his heart, and finally decided to face his own flesh and blood.
In fact, needless to say, Murong Xue had already learned the whole story from Murong Qianqiu. Therefore, Murong Xue was not surprised by Nian Jinsong's recognition. On the contrary, he was very grateful to his biological father for many years. He also admired Nian Jinsong for his deep affection for his mother and always abided by his promise of "not marrying anyone who is not your wife".
Nian Jinsong was very pleased with his son's understanding. He couldn't help but think of the lover in his heart again, and burst into tears.
On the third day after father and son recognized each other, the Taifu Mansion sent someone to invite Murong Xue over. Murong Xue was worried that Nian Jinsong could not hold on any longer, so he hurried over without saying a word. But who would have expected, when he arrived at the inner chamber of Taifu's Mansion, he was surprised to find that besides Nian Jinsong, there were two people in the ward that he had never expected - Li Chengwu, the Emperor of the Holy Tang Dynasty, and Li Bing, the Prince of the East Palace!
Obviously, the emperor and prince condescended to appear here specifically to visit Nian Jinsong.
Taifu Nian, who was leaning on the couch, steeled himself, pointed at Murong Xue and said: "Your Majesty, this young man's name is Murong Xue, and he is the son of Murong Qianqiu, an old friend of the old minister. He is currently serving in the Forbidden Army's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and also serves as the commander of the East Palace. The bodyguard can be regarded as the close personal guard of His Majesty and the Crown Prince. This child is quite smart and capable, and he is also very affectionate and righteous. He is a young man."
Hearing this, Li Chengwu looked carefully at Murong Xue who was kneeling on the ground, and nodded in appreciation; Li Bing had a look of intimacy in his eyes, and gave him a friendly smile.
Nian Jinsong continued to say with difficulty: "Little Murong, I'm afraid I'm not going to die soon. I want to ask you two final things. Do you think it's okay?"
"Father... Grand Tutor, please do as you please," Murong Xue choked with tears: "A humble position... A humble position. I will go through fire and water, and I will do whatever it takes!"
"Okay, I knew I was right." Nian Jinsong smiled happily: "The first thing I want to ask you is to swear to be loyal to His Majesty to the death, and to secretly look after the Imperial Army for the Emperor in a secret identity. If it comes At the critical moment, I must serve His Majesty with my life and turn the tide, even if it means being broken into pieces!"
After hearing this, Murong Xue quickly kowtowed to Li Chengwu: "I am a humble minister, Murong Xue, and I swear to be loyal to my emperor to the death. I am determined to do so unswervingly!"
Li Chengwu smiled and said nothing because he was waiting to hear the second thing Nian Jinsong said.
Just listen to Nian Jinsong continue: "The second thing is for you to protect His Highness the Crown Prince and do your best to ensure His Highness' safety. I am a witness of the Holy Religion Covenant. From now on, this burden can only fall on you." When it comes to Commander He Jingming, you must put aside your selfishness, only think of loyalty, and help others as much as possible."
Murong Xue was confused when she heard this, but she still hurriedly kowtowed to Li Bing: "I would like to see Taifu and He Datong as leaders to help protect His Highness."
Li Bing, like his uncle Li Chengwu, didn't say much. He just nodded with a smile and told Murong Xue to get up.
Murong Xue couldn't help but feel confused: he knew Nian Jinsong's intention of calling him here at this time. Being able to have the opportunity to meet the emperor and the prince directly, and get the personal approval of the Taifu, he will definitely be reused by the court in the future, and it is not impossible to achieve success even if he is granted the title of Marquis and Prime Minister. However, the emperor and the prince are one and the same, and they are also symbols of the orthodoxy of the imperial power of the Holy Tang Dynasty, but why do they have to say the words of loyalty twice separately?
Nian Jinsong specifically mentioned the "Holy Cult Covenant" to him, and the expressions and attitudes of Li Chengwu and Li Bing were both profound, which not only made Murong Xue deeply feel that this matter was unusual.
With doubts that she could not figure out, Murong Xue left the Taifu's Mansion alone. Until Nian Jinsong's death, she never visited the house again. And since meeting Emperor Li Chengwu and Prince Li Bing that time, these two have never summoned him, as if the meeting in Nian Mansion never happened.
Unexpectedly, to this day, Murong Xue actually saw the emperor and the prince consecutively in one day. It was really "either you don't come, or you come both", it was so annoying!
Just like now, in front of thousands of soldiers of Qilin Army and Xuanjia Army, Crown Prince Li Bing stood under the city and pointed at his nose and questioned him: "Have you forgotten Taifu Nian's last words before his death? "Immediately, Murong Xue fell into a dilemma.
Oh my God! Murong Xue thought to herself: My biological father gave me two final orders that day!
"At this critical moment, we must serve His Majesty to the death and turn the tide!"
"Try your best to ensure that Your Highness is safe!"
Tutor Nian, Lord Nian, dear father Nian! It's not that deceptive! Murong Xue secretly sighed in her heart, they say that you have learned a lot about ancient and modern times, and are good at calculations. Could it be that you had anticipated that such a day would come, and then deliberately set up a trap for my son to get into?
Facing the situation at hand, if Shen Lie was present, or if it were other generals loyal to His Majesty, they would never be as confused as Murong Xue. The most sinister and advantageous approach is definitely to rebuke Donggong for colluding with the generals and intending to rebel, then directly launching the army to fight, and then taking advantage of the chaos to take advantage of the situation and kill Li Bing.
As a result, the rebels no longer have any backers to rely on, and they will inevitably collapse without a fight, and the emperor will also have less fetters, saving him a major worry.
However, others can do this, but Murong Xue cannot.
In an instant, he suddenly realized deeply what Nian Jinsong had been struggling with for the past twenty years: on one side was the emperor, on the other was the prince, no matter who he was, he must be loyal to him and assist him wholeheartedly. But in a sense, both of them held different positions, and the relationship was particularly sensitive due to the issue of the inheritance and ownership of imperial power.
What should be done to balance this complex relationship? How should we protect the holy covenant that is just a piece of paper?
This requires not only extraordinary wisdom, but also an innocent heart that endures humiliation and has the courage to take responsibility, so that the emperor and the prince can live in harmony, and the Shengtang Dynasty will not encounter the disaster of overturning and chaos.
Murong Xue thought about her biological father who had never been with her for a day, and finally made up her mind.
If Li Bing is not allowed to leave the city at this time, then His Highness the Crown Prince will have only two options left: either to break in and be killed on the spot in the melee, or to return to the East Palace to wait for the order.
The prince plotted to usurp the throne, and Tianwei was furious. Even if the prince obeyed and returned, he would not be able to escape the fate of being beheaded.
So no matter which path he takes, he will live up to Nian Jinsong's dying instructions.
And if Li Bing is allowed to leave temporarily, no matter what, he can at least temporarily preserve the flesh and blood of the late emperor. If the rebels really wanted to break the ban and attack the city in the future, then he, Murong Xue, would fight to the death and die loyally for the emperor, which would be regarded as fulfilling his original promise to Nian Jinsong.
Thinking of this, Murong Xue put down the Sunset Bow, slowly raised her hands to Li Bing, and said seriously: "Since His Highness is determined to leave the city, I will no longer stop him. I hope that Your Highness will not forget Taifu Nian's painstaking efforts, and never be The traitors take advantage of you and lead you astray. Take care!"
When Li Bing saw this, he finally showed an expression of relief, and also solemnly bowed his hand to Murong Xue: "General Murong, I will consider your words at my own discretion. I hope you will respect yourself, thank you!"
After that, he strode towards the Xuanjia Army not far in front of him, and the Xie Mansion convoy behind him quickly followed closely and left the city together.
Murong Xue secretly savored Li Bing's last words of "take care of yourself", and couldn't help but reveal a wry smile on her face: Do you still take care of yourself? If I let you go like this, it would be strange if Your Majesty and the courtiers don't peel off my skin after they find out.
