In the palace, Wei Zhilin stood outside the Jixian Hall with an indifferent expression, listening to the sound of the retreating bell, and looking at the few plum blossoms in the snow outside the hall, he couldn't help but feel a little dazed...
I can't remember how long I haven't been here. Back then, the late emperor often discussed state affairs with his mentor here, while he himself taught the two princes.
Now that the late emperor has passed away, and the eldest prince is buried in a foreign land... Everything here seems to have remained unchanged. Every plant and tree, including the decorations in the palace, is still the same as it was then.
Everything here seems to have changed again, things have changed and people have changed, and the world has changed...
"Why are you standing outside the hall, teacher? Please come in quickly!"
Wei Zhilin glanced out of the corner of his eyes and saw a bright yellow dragon robe turning around in the corridor. Before the person arrived, hearty laughter came from the person who was none other than Chen Emperor Zhao Chang.
Wei Zhilin lowered his head solemnly and slowly knelt down: "Your Majesty... Wei Zhilin, I'd like to see your Majesty!"
"Hey... Teacher, no courtesy, no courtesy..."
Under the yellow umbrella, Emperor Chen wore a crown that reached the sky and stepped on cloud-climbing shoes. Behind him were several eunuchs and maids. He looked at Wei Zhilin with a smile. When he saw Wei Zhilin kneeling in front of him, he stretched out his hand to support him, but he walked slowly and slowly. Come forward.
"I... I haven't seen my teacher for a long time, and I miss you so much! Today, the teacher came here just to have a chat. There is no need for you to be polite. You are my teacher at any time!"
As he spoke, Emperor Chen took two steps forward, held Wei Zhilin's hand, enthusiastically helped Wei Zhilin up, and took his arm into the Jixian Hall.
Several eunuchs and maids filed in. Someone had already moved to Jindun. Emperor Chen helped Wei Zhilin sit down and asked the eunuchs to bring the brazier.
"Zhixingyuan has trained many pillars of the imperial court over the years. The teacher has worked hard and made great achievements. I... I heard that the Imperial Master is traveling abroad again? I don't know when he will return? I... really miss him!"
Emperor Chen picked up the tea cup, held the tea lid and gently moved the floating tea leaves. His face became hazy under the mist of water vapor.
"Mr. Dean, he has always been like this. He will naturally come back when it's time to come back!"
Wei Zhilin picked up the tea cup, blew it gently, and took a sip.
"Hehehe... that's what the teacher said! When the Cui family planned to build Longmen Academy, they also wanted to contribute to the imperial court, so... I'm sure! I... wasn't targeting Zhixing Academy. The teacher must have listened to what was said outside. Rumors... I have to deal with a lot of things every day, and it is inevitable that I will make some omissions, and some young people will catch the wind and spread rumors, which will inevitably cause the teacher to misunderstand!"
Emperor Chen's tone was gentle. Seeing that Wei Zhilin didn't answer, he took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, rubbed his mustache and said: "As long as it is beneficial to the court... I will adopt it! I remember that when I came to the throne, the country Mr. Shi once told me that I should be a good emperor! I will always bear in mind Mr. Shi’s teachings!”
Having said this, Emperor Chen stood up and looked around the Jixian Hall.
"Back then... it was here that my father and the Imperial Master were discussing world affairs. I... and my brother were listening to the teacher's teachings. This scene is just like yesterday... I thought of my brother's tragic death in Qinzhou City, and this revenge has not been avenged. , I can’t sleep or eat well. In my opinion, teacher...now...can we send troops to attack Xiliang?"
"The king of Xiliang is terminally ill, and the two princes are fighting openly and secretly for the throne. Why don't your majesty wait for the hard work and reap the benefits? When war breaks out, life will be ruined. Given time, if you can defeat the enemy's army without fighting, that is the best strategy!"
When Wei Zhilin saw Emperor Chen looking at him with stern eyes, he put down the tea cup in his hand, smoothed his long beard, and smiled meaningfully.
"It's exactly what the teacher said! Although our country, Chen, is increasingly rich in military supplies, money and food, it still has external troubles and internal worries."
Emperor Chen let out a long sigh, sat down again and took out a stack of memorials from his sleeves. His expression was full of worry and he said: "Jizhou, Yizhou, Yizhou and other places have been suffering from severe drought for three years, and there has been no harvest. Every year, the imperial court Fundraising for disaster relief is not a long-term solution after all!”
Emperor Chen's face was solemn, and his bloodshot eyes looked at the slowly falling snowflakes outside the palace.
"For the sake of all the people in the world, I decided to build a canal to divert the water of the Yangtze River in Hanyang County, and collect the Huaihe, Ruhe, Luohe, and Haihe rivers on the way, and connect it all the way to Jizhou and other places. At that time, the fertile land of Jiyi was thousands of miles away, and there was no more The suffering of drought, and the canal is connected, and canal transport operators, this move can solve it once and for all!”
"The project is huge and the cost is huge. Your Majesty needs to be careful..."
Wei Zhilin was secretly surprised, stroking his beard and pondering for a long time.
"I have made the Ministry of Industry acceptable. I understand the teacher's worries in my heart. I am prepared to spend three years taxing the national treasury and levying half a million from the people... For the sake of the common people of Li and for the sake of future generations, even if I bear the reputation of wasting money and wasting people, I... …Also admit it!”
Emperor Chen's voice was not loud, but it was loud. In a trance, the wind and snow outside became much lighter.
Wei Zhilin looked at this former student, the once resolute and courageous second prince, and suddenly felt familiar and unfamiliar, and a touch of complicated emotions arose in his heart.
Emperor Chen asked the young eunuch to refill the tea, and talked with Wei Zhilin about the management of the Yellow River, the reform of the tax system and other state affairs.
Two hours passed before Emperor Chen held on to Wei Zhilin's hand and reluctantly sent him out of the palace...
Emperor Chen stood in front of the Jixian Palace, squinting his eyes, silent, watching Wei Zhilin's leaving figure until the figure disappeared into the palace palace in the snowy sky...
Wei Zhilin walked out of the palace in the wind and snow. Looking at the vermilion palace gate behind him and the guards with guns and armor, he suddenly felt a bit unreal.
In just a few short years, this palace, which is so close to Zhixingyuan, seems to be far away. I can’t remember the last time I came here...
Wei Zhilin was sighing to himself as he was walking on the road, when he saw a sedan coming towards him, carried by four powerful men, walking with strong steps on the snowy ground.
The wind and snow blew through the sedan curtain, opening a gap, and Wei Zhilin's eyes were reflected in a flash of scarlet.
The four men carrying the sedan chair walked in unusually neat steps and suddenly stopped.
"Is the person coming here the head of Zhixingyuan?"
A voice sounded leisurely in the sedan, and the wind and snow in the sky seemed to be stagnant.
"Who are you?"
Wei Zhilin calmed down and was secretly on guard.
The four people carrying the sedan chair had long auras, and they looked like they were no ordinary people. Although the people in the sedan chair did not show up, a strong aura filled the air from the sedan chair.
"Hahaha, I've heard for a long time that Zhixingyuan is famous all over the world, and the two heads of the school are even more amazing. I just don't know whether you are the head of the Literature School or the Martial Arts School?"
With harsh laughter, a hand as white as jade opened the sedan curtain, and a man walked out of it.
This person was wearing a scarlet gown, with black hair on her shoulders, light eyebrows and narrow eyes, and fair skin. If it weren't for the beard on her thin lips, people would have thought she was a woman. He exuded a strong aura and looked indescribably charming and strange.
The other party's words were rude and his dress was so evil. Wei Zhilin couldn't help but his face darkened and he snorted coldly.
"Hahaha, I have long wanted to ask for advice from the head of the hospital, but unfortunately, I have never had the chance. It is a rare meeting today!"
The man in red clothes said, clasping his hands into fists. Following his movements, the snow under his feet exploded one after another. In the snowy mist, two air currents were like blue dragons, rolling towards Wei Zhilin.
It had been a long time since anyone had dared to take the initiative to attack him. Wei Zhilin smiled slightly, with three strands of long beard floating in the air, and took a step forward.
Just taking one step, his figure became like a mountain, oppressing several sedan bearers not far away and making them breathless.
Two strong air currents collided like mountains and dispersed instantly.
A faint red shadow came forward suddenly, like a halberd finger, piercing Wei Zhilin's eyebrows.
When the finger was less than two inches away from Wei Zhilin's eyebrows, Wei Zhilin fell backwards. His body was like a willow branch, as if it was broken by the finger, and he fell backwards in an extremely strange posture.
Using his heel as the axis, he drew a semicircle. In just an instant, his whole body was like a light smoke, drifting behind the red shadow, silently, and flicked out with a light palm.
There was a crisp "pop" sound, and a hand as white as jade came forward and slapped her.
Both palms struck each other, Wei Zhilin's figure remained motionless, and the man in red took two steps back, a hint of surprise flashed across his face.
Wei Zhilin's palms were white with a layer of frost on them. He made a gentle circle with his palms and clenched them into fists, instantly dispelling the cold energy of the other party.
"Xuan Yin Ji Dao? Who are you?"
The other party's Yin Han technique is the "Xuan Yin Ji Dao" which is as famous as the Han family in Xiliang. When such a master appears in the Imperial Capital, Wei Zhilin can't help but be a little confused.
"Xin Wuming is here at Longmen Academy. The head of the academy is really good at it. I'm leaving!"
After the man in red finished speaking, he turned around and backed away, got into the sedan chair, and four strong men carried the sedan chair away quickly.
Longmen Academy, Xin has no life?
The other party turned out to be from Longmen Academy. Wei Zhilin looked at the sedan chair going away indifferently. It was obviously heading towards the palace. Could it be that he was also going to see the emperor?
Xin Wuming sat in the sedan and gently opened the curtain. The cold wind was biting outside. He clutched his chest and couldn't bear it anymore. He spat out a mouthful of blood. The bright red blood fell on the snow, which was shocking.
"It's amazing. Zhixingyuan, its reputation is indeed well-deserved!"
He wiped the blood stains from the corner of his mouth, and was secretly shocked. The other party had dissolved his cold energy in an understatement, and that palm obviously did not use all his strength. He had underestimated the other party's strength.
When Wei Zhilin returned to Zhixingyuan, the snow gradually stopped, and there was a thick layer on the trees and roofs. He walked to the small courtyard where he lived, pushed open the ajar door, and Wei Zhilin habitually glanced at the black bamboo in the corner.
The dark bamboo leaves, covered with pure white snow, are lush and green with clear black and white, which looks very beautiful.
Wei Zhilin suddenly felt that something was wrong. The black bamboo seemed to be missing a branch. He looked carefully and found a few bamboo leaves falling on the ground. His expression suddenly changed.
Someone dared to steal the black bamboo that he regarded as a treasure. Despite his calm temperament, he couldn't help but get furious.
Wei Zhilin stood in the yard and clapped his hands. The sound was not loud, but it was clearly heard in all directions.
Not long after, a figure floated into the courtyard like light smoke. It was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, standing in silence with his head bowed.
"Go and check, who came into the yard and broke off a branch of "Purple Thunder Bamboo"!
Wei Zhilin leaned over and picked up the fallen bamboo leaves on the ground, a trace of regret flashed across his face.
The middle-aged man accepted the order with his hands, and his figure turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared in an instant.
