In the past two or three years, whenever he stayed in the inner city, Tsuneshiro always liked watching the snow. Only the snowy scene in front of him reminded him that it was almost the same time when his old friend Qing Jun passed away.
"Lord, the military advisor is here."
Changshiro nodded and turned around silently. Since the death of old Zhongde, he found that he was less and less happy as before.
"Chang Sheng has met my lord."
"No need to be polite, just tell me if you have something to say."
"The iron execution platform reports that the envoys from Western Shu have already brought more than ten ceremonial cars and are preparing to enter the inner city."
"Gift?"
"Exactly." Chang Sheng frowned, "Judging from King Xu Shu's temperament, I always find it a bit strange."
"He used to give them to me, and I often gave them to him. Back then, he gave me wine and I gave him rice. Everyone was very happy——"
Perhaps thinking of something, Tsuneshiro smiled and stopped talking.
Although Chang Sheng was suspicious, even with ten brains, he couldn't imagine the relationship between Li Che and Huo Rong.
"Now that the gift has been given, it's time for us to return the gift." Chang Silang raised his head, "Some time ago, several aristocratic families in Hebei presented two jade sculptures. Let them be sent to Xishu as a first gift. I know he Don’t like these, but I’m… too lazy to pick now.”
He didn't ask about the ceremonial car from Xishu, nor about the envoy's arrangements. After saying that, Chang Shiro raised his head again and faced the snow outside the palace.
Once the New Year is over, this snow scene will have to wait until next year.
After a long time, he found that Chang Sheng hadn't left yet, so Chang Shiro turned around.
"Brother Sheng, is there anything else?"
"I thought about it, and the Huo family's affairs are a bit strange. The time he died, and at this juncture, I always feel a little strange."
"You mean, the Huo family has other ideas?"
"Based on the situation, Huo Fu is not a fool. He must have chosen Beiyu. But I... just find it strange. The specific things need to be investigated by Iron Prison before I can understand them clearly."
"Chang Sheng, you weren't like this before."
Chang Sheng smiled and said, "Brother, it wasn't like this before."
Chang Shiro rarely laughed loudly and put his arms around Chang Sheng's shoulders.
"Once Lao Zhongde leaves, I won't be able to find anyone else to talk to except you and Chang Wei."
"Lord, the emperor should be careful about the city."
"It's too early to say this." Chang Shiro smiled, "There is no way in this world. I suddenly understood why little Taotao was like this back then. There is really no way but to give it a try."
"My lord, please don't forget that you were the one who wanted to pull out the tree back then."
"Of course, not only do I have to pull out the tree, I also have to replant a good one."
Stretching out his hand and spreading it into a palm, Changshiro followed the falling snow velvet, and his eyes became radiant.
…
Hachihachi.
Sitting on the carriage, Huo Rong was knocked out of breath. He was exhausted from drinking and eating, and traveling all the way made his life worse than death.
If you are a bastard, you can't help but curse at this time. But Huo Rong didn't dare. If he managed to save his life and angered those people, everything would be over.
Outside the carriage, Shangguan Yan's handsome face was red with seven or eight spots of frostbite. He was wrapped in a thick robe and looked ahead at the border of Tongcheng.
To return to Dingzhou, the front is the last defensive barrier.
"Is there a path?"
"Chief Shangguan, our people from the secret hall of Xishu have come to take care of us. We should have some ideas."
Shangguan Yan breathed a sigh of relief, then dismounted and walked towards the carriage.
Just opened the curtain——
Huo Rong screamed "Ouch" in fright.
"Don't be afraid." Shangguan Yan smiled, "Master Huo, the matter was urgent earlier and we couldn't help ourselves. Please forgive me, Master Huo."
"What, what?"
"Your father didn't tell you? I thought he should talk to you about this matter first." Shangguan Yan was "stunned."
"say what."
"The matter of entering Shu...that's all, you will know when the time comes." Shangguan Yan looked confused, turned around, took some meat and wine, and put them in the carriage.
"Don't worry, Young Master Huo. I will protect you later on this journey. Once you get to Xishu, you will be safe. By the way, General Huo is still waiting for news. Why don't you write a note to say that you are safe. "
Even if he is a fool, Huo Rong now almost understands that his father has indeed surrendered to Shu.
Not daring not to write, Huo Rong hurriedly wrote a few sentences under Shangguan Yan's gaze and handed them to Shangguan Yan.
After looking at it and finding that there was no problem, Shangguan Yan smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry, Mr. Huo, it'll be okay."
"Very, very good."
Pulling back the curtain and holding Huo Rong's autographed book, Shangguan Yan thought for a while, called the dead man, and gave a serious explanation.
Not long after, the dead soldier suddenly disappeared in the snow and fog.
…
"Spring is about to begin."
In an alley in Chengdu, Huang Zhizhou sat in a wooden pavilion outside a wine shop, put down his book, looked at the scenery in front of him, and murmured.
Beside him, the little book boy held a stove and yawned long.
"Sir, are you going back to the general hall?"
"Come back later."
Huang Zhizhou raised his head, his eyes suddenly lost focus, and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a long while, when a figure came over, his expression quickly became calm.
The visitor was an old woodcutter. He was carrying a load of dry firewood on his back, which he probably couldn't sell, so he walked into the wooden pavilion to rest.
Huang Zhizhou sighed, poured a cup of tea himself, and handed it to the old woodcutter.
The old woodcutter took the hot tea and drank it in one gulp.
"When I went into the mountains today, I found that many winter beasts in the mountains started to move. First, a wolf ran over, and then, the other one also ran over."
"When I entered the mountains, I understood early on that sooner or later I would encounter two wolves. How to survive is not an easy task."
Huang Zhizhou said nothing and stood behind the old woodcutter with a silent face.
In the sky, the sun sets toward the west of the city. There is no red glow in the sky, and no birds return to their nests.
"A long time ago, I knew that the Food King's dirty move could no longer be kept there. If I continue to stay there, I will only be buried with him."
"In these troubled times, we often have no control over our own actions." The old woodcutter looked up at the sky.
Huang Zhizhou remained silent.
"Come here to see you, then I'll leave. I know what you think. Although you are not from Shu, but after eating rice from Shuzhou for two years, you finally feel that you are already half a Shu person."
"Have you chosen yet?"
"It was already chosen."
The old woodcutter nodded, "In the past two or three years of truce, the people from Beiyu Iron Execution Platform should sneak into Xishu to find you."
"Don't you ask me who to choose?"
"I guessed it." The old woodcutter shook his head, "What you do with this move is up to you. Dongling was defeated and the Grain King lost power. I took the opportunity to cut off a large piece of meat. I will send it to you when you want it. As the capital of your choice.”
"Do you know why I went around being a grandson?"
"Save the family and find another opportunity to cut off King Liang's thigh. If not, King Xu Shu will not keep me."
"What a big boy."
The old woodcutter smiled with satisfaction, put down the tea cup, picked up the dry wood again, waved his hands and left.
In the dusk, Huang Zhizhou turned around and walked back, sitting down again. When he just opened the book, his eyes suddenly turned red.
