Xiao Yu looked at Zhu Yi again. He had already stood up from the ground. With the moonlight that had just broken through the clouds, Xiao Yu could vaguely see his expression clearly.
He was smiling, a smile that was a bit unpredictable, and his beard with water droplets was still trembling slightly.
"He doesn't look like a good person." Mao Mao said. He spoke very straightforwardly and didn't care about Zhu Yi's identity or feelings at all.
Zhu Yi didn't seem angry at the little girl's childish talk.
"Haha... little girl, how can you say that to Aweng?"
As he said this, he wanted to step forward and pinch the kitten's chubby face.
The kitten was unhappy and hurriedly ran away, staring at him with hostility, just like a kitten with exploded fur.
This made Zhu Yi look very embarrassed, but he still stroked his wet beard and smiled to himself.
Mao Mao stuck out his tongue at Zhu Yi, turned to Xiao Yu and said, "I'm leaving, and all the favors I owe to the young prince have been paid off."
"Kitten, side hall..."
"Bring it here?" the kitten replied, "This bad guy has been waiting here for the young prince!"
Having said this, Mao Mao waved and motioned for Xiao Yu to bend down.
Xiao Yu did as he was told.
Mao Mao put his mouth to Xiao Yu's ear: "I think that person is very bad and has no good intentions. Little prince, please be careful."
Xiao Yu nodded calmly. He still didn't know who Zhu Yi was.
Then the kitten suddenly kissed Xiao Yu on the cheek, which seemed to be a bit beyond Xiao Yu's expectation.
"Little prince, I'm leaving!"
After saying goodbye, the kitten turned and left without looking back, and soon disappeared into the night.
Xiao Yu straightened up and stared at the direction where the kitten disappeared for a long time. He reached out and touched his cheek. It seemed that the warm lips were imprinted on it and would not dissipate for a long time.
Zhu Yi walked up to Xiao Yu and said, "Little prince, who is that girl? She is just like Weichen's grandma, she is very cute, haha..."
Xiao Yu raised his eyes and looked at Zhu Yi with a strange look in his eyes: "A little palace maid who is willing to lead the way for me."
Zhu Yi's expression changed slightly: "Is the young prince complaining about the minister?"
"You've been waiting for me here, right? You clearly know where the side hall is, but you never told me. You had your own little plans in mind."
Zhu Yi opened his mouth and thought for a long time before explaining: "The young prince has wronged Wei Chen. Wei Chen didn't know about it at first, and he only came here after asking about it all the way."
Xiao Yu sneered: "That's because Jiankang Palace is full of rebels. It's too late for the palace people to escape. Who has the heart to lead you? Could it be that the Suwei rebel led you here?"
"Young prince, I respect you, but I can't arrange people like this."
"Tell me all your little thoughts and let me hear them."
Zhu Yi said solemnly: "I am selfish, but in my heart I stand with the young prince and the prince. On the way, the young prince did not care about him, leaving his ministers behind and just running on his own. The minister is a scholar, and the prince did not care about him. Is Wei Chen’s wealth safe?”
"I..." Xiao Yu blinked, "I care. It's just that you ran too slow and I couldn't see you when I turned around."
"The humble minister is already over forty years old, but his legs and feet cannot keep up with the young prince's youth."
It's just a lack of exercise, Xiao Yu thought, but his original irritation with Zhu Yi dropped a bit.
"Then tell me how you got here!"
"Weichen met several imperial guards. They recognized Weichen. Weichen told them where Weichen was going. They were willing to lead the way, so they escorted me all the way."
"What about them?" Xiao Yu said contemptuously.
"They... just now, when we arrived here, more than a hundred rebel soldiers rushed out nearby. In order to help the minister escape, they led the rebel soldiers away."
"In the end, some people were not lured away and followed you. In the end, I killed one of them and left him lying there?"
Zhu Yi nodded quickly: "Exactly, exactly."
"More than a hundred rebel soldiers, are there that many?"
"Absolutely true!"
Xiao Yu thought for a while, Zhu Yi was very thoughtful, and even if he was making up things like this, he wouldn't go so far as to make it up.
He raised his head and looked at Zhu Yi.
"The young prince doesn't believe me? I, Zhu Yi, have been talking to the young prince with my head up until now, and the young prince still doesn't believe me?"
Xiao Yu was noncommittal.
People's hearts are complicated, especially for a scheming person like Zhu Yi. He should not be considered a good person, nor a completely bad person, but he is a real profit-seeking person.
This kind of person is easy to deal with and promises huge profits. He will lead the way for you and follow his lead. But you also need to be careful at all times. For the sake of profit, he will also backfire on you at any time.
But Zhu Yi has always been exporting profits, but never mentioned what he wants. This can only show that... he wants more, and it is not the time for the final showdown yet.
"The side hall is just ahead. What else does Zhu Shizhong say?"
Zhu Yi sighed: "I didn't want the young prince to come to the side hall earlier because I had some considerations. Now that I'm here, I can only take advantage of the situation!"
“How to go with the flow?”
A flash of light flashed across Zhu Yi's eyes: "Bring Prince Jiangxia out of the palace. With the prince's prestige and the support of the Five Guards Army, it is expected that the prince will ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor."
Zhu Yi glanced at Xiao Yu again: "My little prince, it is fate that the prince ascends the throne. The emperor of Daxing has no heirs, so choosing a virtuous person to ascend the throne is the general trend of the world. If there is any delay, he will suffer chaos! Xiao Wei Even if a young man unexpectedly ascends the throne to a great treasure, the kings of the world and the important officials in the frontiers may not obey him, and there will inevitably be chaos in the end."
Xiao Yu nodded, Zhu Yi actually spoke to his heart.
His heart suddenly went up and down, and the ambition that had been buried deep in his heart for a long time began to gradually emerge.
If the father ascends the throne, with his ability and the assistance of a prince who has foresight and foresight at a fixed historical node, why worry that peace will not prevail within the country? The Central Plains cannot be restored? He, Xiao Yu, can't lead thousands of horses to seal the wolf as a subordinate?
"Fuck, fuck!"
Xiao Yu uttered a curse word that had been in his heart for a long time. Zhu Yi probably had never heard it before.
Xiao Yu looked up and looked ahead. There was a palace-style courtyard in front of the overgrown road. There was nothing special about it in the night. It should be the side hall!
When he thought about meeting his father soon, Xiao Yu felt nervous and uneasy. He raised his spear and ran towards the palace in front.
Zhu Yi had just caught his breath and saw that the young prince was like a runaway horse that never seemed to get tired. He took a deep breath and had no choice but to follow.
When Xiao Yu came closer, he saw that the place was really dilapidated. Several parts of the palace wall outside the main hall were in disrepair and were close to collapse. Mottled traces of peeling off the wall could be seen everywhere.
However, although the stones on the steps in front of the outer door are damaged, there are no weeds growing on them. It is obvious that people come and go here often.
Xiao Yu walked up the steps and pushed the door hard. The thick door didn't move at all. He thought it must have been bolted shut behind him.
Xiao Yu didn't know what the situation would be like inside. In his impression, there might be a few renovated cells inside, specially used to imprison his father and his seventh uncle, Prince Xiao Ziqi of Jiujiang. At the same time, there should also be A certain number of Ouchi guards lived there to watch over them.
Now that the situation was urgent, the outer door was already in a mess. Xiao Yu didn't want to waste time on hesitation, so he knocked on the door hard several times.
There was no response from the door for a long time, but it seemed that men's yelling and women's wailing could be faintly heard around them.
Xiao Yu became a little anxious and knocked "dang dang dang" several times in succession. There was still no movement inside, as if there was no one living inside at all.
At this time, Zhu Yi had also rushed over, and the two looked at each other.
"I can't knock the door. Is this really this place?" Xiao Yu asked suspiciously.
"The old housekeeper's surname is Feng. I recognize him. He used to call out often, but he's getting old and his ears don't work very well." Zhu Yidao said.
Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes: "You know all this?"
Zhu Yi smiled flatteringly: "It happens... I just happen to know."
Xiao Yu didn't believe what he said, but there was no need to fight him at this time.
He turned back and went down the stone steps and looked around. Although the palace wall was high, there were several collapsed gaps. Xiao Yu felt that he could climb over the wall and enter.
"Zhu Shizhong, would you like to climb over the wall with me?" Xiao Yu asked.
Zhu Yi immediately looked surprised: "How can a gentleman climb over the wall and enter the house? What's more, this is a palace wall?"
Xiao Yu couldn't understand the brain circuits of these ancient aristocratic families, especially how could a profit-oriented person like Zhu Yi have character?
"Then I'll climb over the wall and open the door for you!"
"Young prince, how can you do this with your status?"
Xiao Yu was about to scold him for being rigid and pedantic, when a voice suddenly came from the door.
"Who...who...kept knocking...knocking on some door in the middle of the night!" The speaker yawned, his high-pitched tone showing his age.
"Feng Gong! It's me, Zhu Yi!" Zhu Yi said in a low voice.
"What, who's out?"
Xiao Yu frowned, and Zhu Yi smiled helplessly. It seemed that Feng Neiguan's ears were really hard to use.
"My father lives with him?" Xiao Yu asked.
"Well, Mr. Feng takes care of the daily life of the two princes?"
"Then King Huainan doesn't live here?"
"He lives in the West Hall behind Taiji Hall. He is different from the two princes. Although he is banned from the palace, he has always played the role of the emperor's personal attendant."
Thinking of Xiao Yuheng's cruelty and cruelty, Xiao Yu seemed to have some sympathy for his situation.
"Accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger, it's really hard for him..."
"That's what he wanted, no one forced him to do it." Zhu Yi replied calmly.
While the two were talking about this, the outer door was finally opened.
An old white-haired official appeared in front of the door carrying a lantern. He squinted at Xiao Yu and Zhu Yi, as if he didn't know what was going on outside.
"Who did you just say was successful?" the old official asked repeatedly.
"I said I am Zhu Yi!" Zhu Yi repeated.
The old official suddenly realized: "Zhu Shizhong, why are you here in the middle of the night? What are you doing here?"
"Is my father in there?" Xiao Yu asked hurriedly.
The old eunuch looked at Zhu Yi and then at Xiao Yu, with a scrutinizing look on his face: "When did the prince go outside? When did he lose weight again?"
Xiao Yu was helpless, unable to communicate with this old internal official who had passed his age.
Zhu Yi held up his hand and said: "Mr. Feng, this is the prince of Jiangxia. We have an extremely urgent matter to see the prince. Please forgive me."
As he spoke, he pushed the old eunuch into the door, and the two of them squeezed in through the crack in the half-open door.
The old internal official couldn't stop him even if he wanted to, and kept following behind, shouting: "It can't be done, it can't be done without His Majesty's will!"
The three of them came to the inner courtyard noisily.
The lights in a side room suddenly turned on, and someone wearing a robe stood at the door and asked, "Mr. Feng, why is it so noisy outside?"
The old internal official was hard of hearing, but when he saw the man, he was polite and courteous: "Your Majesty, Shizhong Zhu is here. He said he wants to see the prince...which prince?"
Xiao Yu turned his head and saw that the man in front of the door was of medium build and honest appearance, and his facial features were somewhat similar to his own, but he was not his father.
Just when he saw this, he saw that Zhu Yi had turned around and faced the man, stepped in and bowed.
"King Jiujiang, long time no see, but you are still well."
"Zhu...Zhu Shizhong! I am fine, but... deep in the palace and forbidden courtyard, why is Zhu Shizhong here? That person is..."
When Xiao Yu saw Jiujiang King Xiao Ziqi turning his attention to him, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: "Well, uncle."
Xiao Ziqi narrowed his eyes and took two steps forward holding the lamp in his hand: "You are...Azhu..."
Azhu is Xiao Yu's nickname. In Xiao Yu's memory, this name has not been called by anyone for a long time.
The sound of "Azhu" seems to have awakened many fragments of Xiao Yu's childhood memories, including the fact that he often heard a woman's voice calling him like this in his dreams.
Xiao Ziqi was naturally very excited and walked down the stairs quickly to get a closer look at his good nephew.
He said sadly: "Okay... Azhu, your madness is indeed cured. My uncle is really happy for you."
"It's all ready, uncle."
Xiao Ziqi looked at Zhu Yi again, surprise gradually appearing on his face.
"Why are you here? What's going on outside..."
"It's a big deal." Zhu Yi said, "I want to see Prince Jiangxia."
Xiao Ziqi knew something must be going on, so he waved to Feng Neiguan to close the outer door, and hurriedly said to the two of them: "Brother is in the wing over there, I will take you there!"
Xiao Ziqi led the two of them to the largest palace in the middle of the courtyard.
The palace pavilion is dilapidated, and through a small window, you can faintly see the faint candlelight inside the house.
Xiao Ziqi didn't knock on the door, just pushed the door open and entered.
"Brother, look who's coming!"
Behind the desk in the room, a fat man wearing a white long-sleeved robe slowly raised his head.
That was Xiao Yu's father, Xiao Ziqian, King of Jiangxia.
Xiao Ziqian squinted his eyes and looked at the visitor, with a look of surprise on his face.
Xiao Yu walked to the table in two or two steps and bowed his head.
"Father..."
Xiao Ziqian's surprised expression flashed past, and he took a deep breath of relief. He was not as overjoyed or sad as outsiders expected.
He seemed to have expected the encounter tonight. He sighed, stood up and helped Xiao Yu up.
"My son, get up."
Xiao Yu was gently lifted up by his father. When father and son met again, it was like traveling through endless time and space, through thousands of mountains and rivers. Although there were endless words in his heart, at this time, he could not say a word.
Xiao Ziqian is getting older. Although he has gained a lot of weight, his face has gained a lot of wrinkles, and there is a little more weather on his temples, but his deep eyes have never changed, and he still cannot conceal his doting and pride for his children. feel.
Xiao Ziqian patted the back of Xiao Yu's hands. Those hands were still generous, but they had become much rougher with the passage of time, but they were still as warm and powerful as before, making people feel at ease.
Xiao Ziqian looked at Xiao Yu for a long time, and finally a smile appeared on his face: "I always dream about my son, and I am worried about my son not eating well or sleeping well, but I finally see my son again... My son has grown taller. , and he is getting stronger, and what makes me most happy as a father is that he can call me “Father” again.”
At this point, Xiao Ziqian's eyes were filled with tears. He turned his head, sniffed, and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, trying not to let others see his expression at this time.
Xiao Yu's eyes were also blurred, and his throat was as sore as if there was a ball of cotton stuffed in it. His tears and runny nose fell at the same time, and he only called out "Father..."
Xiao Ziqian sighed and said sadly: "The world is difficult, and my father knows it. Azhu, don't blame my father for being hard-hearted and refusing to see you. Father has his own reasons. Who gave us the surname Xiao? Father hopes Azhu can temper his will in the difficult world, refine it into steel, and become a good man who stands upright."
"Azhu understands."
Xiao Ziqian returned to his desk and looked at the three people in front of him.
"My son is here today, as well as Zhu Shizhong. Is there something going on outside?"
"Your Majesty has passed away." Zhu Yi stepped forward two steps.
Xiao Ziqian calmed down and picked up the tortoise shell copper coin placed in the center of the table.
"It's strange... I want to teach you a lesson first."
