After the Lantern Festival, the government opened its doors and merchants opened their doors. The carriages returning from visiting relatives trampled the white snow at the city gate into mud.

The whole city of Shangjing was once again lively with people cheering and horses barking.

On the 16th, Rong Shu and Shen Yizhen went to Shuntian Mansion early in the morning to change her household registration.

From then on, she was a member of the Shen family, no longer a member of the Rong family.

When the news reached the East Palace, Gu Changjin had just left the court.

Emperor Jiayou rarely went to court today, and all the officials gathered in the Jinluan Hall. He stood under Emperor Jiayou and held a red pen to criticize the memorial for him.

The ministers below all knew what Emperor Jiayou meant by this move.

The emperor's body is not sick anymore.

After the New Year, all the officials were in high spirits. Only Emperor Jiayou, who was sitting high on the dragon table, looked paler than before. If he hadn't looked as calm as ever, everyone would have suspected that Emperor Jiayou was seriously ill again.

Seeing the emperor's body deteriorating, the prince's accession to the throne may be sooner than they thought.

After the following dynasty, the East Palace received many invitations to pay homage.

The person who sent the message to Gu Changjin was Chang Ji. Xiao Fu had been eliminated. Apart from him, the only person in the world who knew Rong Shu's true identity was Queen Qi.

Since returning from Daci'en Temple, Queen Qi had hardly summoned him.

When Gu Changjin went to Kunning Palace to say hello, it was just to say hello, and he left after less than half a cup of tea. Regarding what happened at Daci'en Temple that day, the two of them tacitly said not a word.

"Master?"

Seeing Gu Changjin's eyes darkened and his mind wandering for a rare moment, Chang Ji couldn't help but speak.

The master said that no matter whether Xiao Fu is dead or not, he must not relax for a moment in protecting the young lady. After delivering the message to his master, he had to go back to Mingluyuan to continue protecting the young lady and Madam Shen, but he didn't have time to accompany his master in wandering around in Taixu.

Gu Changjin came to his senses and hummed, indicating that he understood.

"Then your subordinate has gone back?" Chang Ji asked tentatively: "Master, does he have something to tell me to bring to the young lady?"

"No need to bring anything." She knew what he wanted to say, and what she wanted to do was what he wanted too. Know.

"Be careful when you go back to Minglu Courtyard. Don't let anyone find any traces."

Chang Ji frowned, "Is someone spying on the master? Or... spying on the young lady?"

Gu Changjin pondered for a moment, "I've already been in the palace. I haven't seen Gui Zhong in a while."

Chang Ji straightened his face and said, "Master, don't worry, I will be careful."

Gu Changjin said, "Just go back and

wait until Chang Ji arrives at the door. " As if he remembered something, he suddenly stopped him: "Tell her that the situation in Datong Mansion is very good now, and there will probably be good news from General Mu at the end of the month."

After Chang Ji left, Gu Changjin took out a booklet and turned it over. Well, what I’m talking about above is the snow disaster that happened in several places in Huguang. But he only read two lines of words and could no longer read them.

After a while, he folded the folds, got up and walked to Zichen Hall.

There was no one in the inner hall, and there was only one chamberlain guarding the door in the corridor. Seeing him coming, the chamberlain bowed and saluted.

"Go down."

Gu Changjin pushed open the door and walked in. The bedroom was still the same as when she left.

There was a brand new moon pillow on the couch. The man sat on the couch, took out the moon pillow, put it in his hand and squeezed it lightly.

The words he asked Chang Ji to pass were to let her know that he could send her away from Shangjing to Datong immediately.

She should be very happy.

Gu Changjin lowered his eyes and looked at the smiling and curled eyebrows on the pillow cloth, and raised the corners of his lips: "I guess, as soon as you hear what Chang Ji said, you will definitely start packing your bags. When the time comes, you will Leaving Shangjing without looking back. "

Mingluyuan. "

Two maids brought several wooden boxes from the pharmacy, and Yingque wondered: "Why do we have to pack it up now? Didn't the girl say it's not so soon? It's not even mid-February yet." The girl had clearly said before We won’t know when to leave for Datong until February.

"The girl said that the situation in Datong is very good, and we can probably start the journey at the end of the month." Yingyue took the medicine boxes from the servants' hands and picked out the medicines that would be used on the road according to the list made by Rong Shu.

Yingque sat beside her and picked up the medicine with her. When the servants went out, she looked at Yingyue and said, "Do you think we will come back?"

Yingyue glared at her: "Wherever the girl is, we will be there. Where,

what ? If the girl doesn't come back to Beijing, why don't

you come back secretly? The big secret that was pried out from the cigarette holder was suddenly heard from the corridor as the voices of the servants and ladies greeted him.

The girl is here.

Yingque quickly closed her mouth.

After Rong Shu came in, he handed over a list and said: "Chang Ji will escort us to Datong, so just bring some more medicine to be prepared." Behind Chang Ji was a group of Jinwu Guards. You have to prepare enough.

Yingque opened her tightly closed mouth, Chang Ji was from His Highness the Crown Prince.

"Girl, are we still going back to Beijing?"

Rong Shu heard this and without raising his eyes, he flipped through the medicine in the medicine box and said, "I don't know. If you feel happy living outside, it's me and If A Niang wants it, then she won't return it."

Yingque glanced at her quietly.

A girl can live happily anywhere, and most likely she will never come back.

On January 29, good news came from Datong. Murong led tens of thousands of elite soldiers to drive the Tatar army out of the border of Dayin.

When the good news was delivered to the Qianqing Palace, Wang Dehai laughed out loud.

Emperor Jiayou also smiled and rewarded the messenger who sent the message.

Wang Dehai had just sent off the messengers, and was about to say a few words of flattery while Emperor Jiayou was delighted, when a familiar figure hurriedly walked under the jade staircase.

Wang Dehai took a closer look, wasn't it Guizhong who had disappeared for quite some time?

This time Guizhong brought many members of the Imperial Guard out of the palace to carry out Emperor Jiayou's secret order. Wang Dehai only vaguely knew that the secret order was related to Daci'en Temple.

Wang Dehai and Gui Zhong were both from Emperor Jiayou, and they had a good relationship with each other. Seeing Gui Zhong with a frosty face, he waved his fly whisk and greeted him, saying with a smile: "The good news just came from Datong, the emperor is in a good mood now. Let's go, Guizhang, we will enter the palace with you!"

Gui Zhong walked slowly, looked at Wang Dehai and shook his head slightly, with a very solemn expression.

Wang Dehai's eyelids twitched and he stopped in a hurry.

Guizhong turned around and pushed open the palace door, closed it carefully, gave Wang Dehai a look and went in.

Wang Dehai held his breath for a moment, clenched the whisk in his hand, and said to the two servants guarding outside the palace: "You don't need to serve me here, please go down!"

In the palace, Emperor Jiayou saw that the person entering the palace was Gui. Guizhong put down the good news in his hand and said warmly: "Were it found out?"

"It was found out."

Guizhong stepped forward quickly and presented a secret letter to Emperor Jiayou with both hands.

Emperor Jiayou opened the letter with a normal expression.

Guizhong always lowered his eyes, staring at the gold bricks in the palace.

After a long while, Emperor Jiayou slowly lowered his hand holding the secret letter and sat quietly for a long time.

Guizhong kept his bowed posture and waited motionless for Emperor Jiayou to speak.

"Besides the Crown Prince, the Queen and Master Fan Qing, does anyone else know about this matter?" Emperor Jiayou's voice was still calm.

Guizhong bowed his head and responded: "No, it was Master Fanqing who learned this secret by eavesdropping on the conversation between Princess Yunhua and her nanny. When the servant left Daci'en Temple, Master Fanqing locked himself in the small Buddha A fire broke out in the hall. "

Emperor Jiayou said, "Does he have any last wishes?"

"Master Fanqing knew that his crime was unforgivable, so he only asked the emperor to retain the status of Daci'en Temple and let him go. His evil disciple Xuance, who has been expelled from the Daci'en Temple, works for the prince, but he doesn't know about it."

"I agreed to let Master Fanqing's junior disciple Fan Chi succeed him to the Daci'en Temple. The abbot of Da Ci'en Temple will still be the first national temple in Dayin in the future."

Guizhong responded with a "yes", and suddenly thought of another person and said: "Aunt Gui of Kunning Palace is the Queen's nanny, and she was also the nanny that day. She quietly went to the East Palace to send Ji Guo, and she thought... she knew it."

As soon as he finished speaking, the palace fell into silence again.

Guizhong kept his head lowered, and he didn't know how long it had passed before he heard Emperor Jiayou's calm voice coming from above: "Guizhong, come forward. I want you to do something, and you have to do it." You have to do everything before you can come back. "

The clouds are thick and the snow is as heavy as a bucket.

The white marble steps were covered with snow, and a row of palace lanterns under the corridor cast a dim yellow light.

Wang Dehai stood outside the door with his ears pricked up, not daring to move. He had no idea what Emperor Jiayou and Guizhong said in the inner hall.

As soon as he caught a glimpse of Gui Zhong's face like a burdened cow and his sweat-stained back when he came out, he knew that what Gui Zhong reported today must be extraordinary.

The more such a thing happens, the less likely it is to inquire about it.

The moment the door opened, a violent coughing sound came from the inner hall.

Wang Dehai exchanged glances with Gui Zhong and then quickly entered the inner hall. When he saw blood oozing from the bright yellow veil covering Emperor Jiayou's lips, he breathed heavily and immediately took out a bottle of medicine from the desk.

"Your Majesty, take the medicine quickly!"

Emperor Jiayou's snow-white lips were stained with dark red bloodshot eyes, but he took the medicine calmly, slowly raised his eyes, looked at Wang Dehai, and said, "Your Majesty has never been to Qianqing Palace today. "

Wang Dehai responded hurriedly: "Yes, Your Majesty, don't worry, only the old slave was guarding outside just now." Emperor Jiayou

nodded and threw the blood-stained handkerchief into the charcoal together with the secret letter presented by the noble loyalty. In the basin.

He looked at the secret letter that was burned to ashes and slowly closed his eyes.

The news of the Mu family's army's victory soon spread to everyone in Shangjing.

Rong Shu had received a message from Mrs. Mu last night, and today he went to the General Protector's Mansion to say goodbye to Mrs. Mu.

On a cold day, the energetic old man was practicing boxing in the snow. When he heard that she was leaving for Datong, he couldn't help but said: "Murong and Nijing will return to Beijing in April. Why don't you wait two more months to join them?" Back to Datong?"

Rong Shu poured a cup of hot tea for Mrs. Mu and said obediently: "The horse ranches bought by the Shen family in Datong and Suzhou are waiting for me to pick out horses. I can go there earlier. If you choose well, those horse seedlings may come in handy next year. "

The horse plague that happened in Datong next spring has always been on Rong Shu's mind. If she can't stop it, she will pick the ones this year. Adult horses can just solve the urgent need for Datong to be short of horses next year.

"Besides, I heard that the scenery there is perfect in March, so I thought it was time to go enjoy the scenery earlier."

The little girl's voice was soft and gentle, but the look on her eyebrows was very firm.

Mrs. Mu didn't try to dissuade her. She only mentioned a few names, then pulled off a waist badge and put it in Rong Shu's hand, saying, "If you encounter any trouble that you can't solve in Datong, just take this badge." Go find them with the badge."

Rong Shu knew that this was Mrs. Mu's love for her, so she accepted it without hesitation.

Early the next morning, a dozen carriages set off from Mingluyuan and headed for Datong amidst the rumble of horse hooves.

When leaving Shuntian Mansion, the gloomy sky was completely dark. Chang Ji went to the inn to prepare everything in advance, and everyone took advantage of the night to settle down at the inn.

As soon as Rong Shu got off the carriage, Chang Ji came forward and said in a low voice: "Girl, I will take you in first, His Highness is waiting inside."

Rong Shu was slightly startled, then quickly nodded and said "Hmm", and then He turned back to Luo Yan and Ying Yue and said, "You go to the post house and wait for me first."

After saying that, he picked up a silk lamp and followed Chang Ji to a guest house in the corner of the post station.

She was not surprised to know that Gu Changjin was here.

He is too busy these days.

She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to him, but she knew he would be waiting somewhere. This inn was the last inn under Shuntian Mansion, and it was the cheapest place to say goodbye to her.

The night wind blew her hood "whirring". When she arrived at the guest house, Chang Ji stopped and pushed the door open, bowed and said, "His Royal Highness is in the inner room."

Rong Shu stepped in and the door just opened behind her. After closing it, the candle lights in the room were lit. Gu Changjin held the copper lamp in his hand, opened the curtain and looked at her.

"Come here." He said, leaning the lamp forward to illuminate the path under her feet, "Careful where you are."

The room was indeed not bright enough, but Rong Shu still had the lamp in his hand, so he refused to come out. She also sees the road clearly.

The two of them entered the inner room. Gu Changjin put the candle lamp on the table and brought her a cup of honey water.

"You have to be on your way early tomorrow morning. I won't have any tea right now. I'll prepare honey water for you with sleeping herbs added to it, which will help you sleep better at night."

She has a bad habit of recognizing the bed and the house. Sleeping in this guest house, I have long been prepared to keep my eyes open until dawn.

Unexpectedly, he had even considered her little problem thoroughly.

There was still a thin mist hanging over the honey water. Rong Shu put down the silk lamp, quietly took the honey water, and sipped it slowly.

Gu Changjin was sitting next to the table, looking down at her. After she finished a glass of honey water, he asked, "Why don't you set off with your mother?"

"Something went wrong with the Shen family's business in Daming Mansion. My mother and uncle Shiyi wanted to detour there for a few days, so they simply asked me to go to Datong first and settle the matter of the horse ranch. They will come after they have taken care of the matter of Daming Mansion."

When something happened suddenly, Shen Yi said. As soon as Jane received the news, she led the caravan to Daming Mansion in a hurry.

Rong Shu was escorted by Chang Ji and Jin Wuwei, so they were not worried.

Gu Changjin said "Yeah": "I will send someone to Daming Mansion tomorrow."

This means sending someone to help Shen Yizhen and the others deal with the trouble in Daming Mansion.

Rong Shu opened her lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally said thank you. After all, she owed Gu Changjin quite a favor.

The room soon became quiet again.

Rong Shu waited for a long time, but when he didn't speak, he subconsciously raised his eyes, looked into his calm eyes, and quickly lowered his eyelashes.

In fact, she knew what he wanted to say.

He probably also knew that she couldn't give him an answer, so it didn't seem to matter whether she said it or not.

Just as he was thinking about it, the man opposite him suddenly spoke.

"I was able to draw a bow when I was three years old. When I was less than five years old, I could go to the mountains with my father to shoot small prey. After leaving Fuyu Mountain, my riding and archery skills have never fallen behind." Gu Changjin slowly said He said word by word: "Rong Zhaozhao, I can also teach you archery, teach you horse riding, and teach you to do many things you want to do."

Rong Shu raised his eyes blankly, and for some reason, she heard what he said. A little jealous.

But... where does his jealousy come from?

She looked so clueless that Gu Changjin felt helpless and amused.

Forget it, when she arrives in Datong and knows Mu Rong's thoughts, she will probably understand what he means by what he said today.

"I will leave for Liaodong in two days. If you want to see me for anything, ask Chang Ji to send me a message." Gu Changjin raised her silk lamp and said warmly: "Go back, the honey water just now should make you sleepy." I'm satisfied."

Rong Shu was indeed a little sleepy. He said "yes", took the silk lamp, and turned towards the door of the guest house.

Just as she was about to raise her hand to open the door, the man behind her suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly.

Gu Changjin lowered his voice and finally couldn't help asking: "Rong Zhaozhao, I've been waiting for you for three years. Can you wait for me too?"