Chapter 18 Farewell

　　Outside is still the sound of the wind and rain, but the charcoal will be this simple wooden house baked warm, a room full of spring. 　　I quietly crouched in Xiao Qi's arms, motionless, my long hair draped around his chest, a few locks of hair moistened by sweat, sticking to his bare chest, intertwined with the deep and shallow scars on his copper-colored skin. He actually has so many old wounds on his body, and there is even a slash that crosses from the shoulder and almost runs through the back ...... Although it has long since healed, leaving only faint traces, it is still shocking to the eyes. 　　That ten years of military career, how much life and death killings, step on how many people s bones, in order to kill from the sea of blood, step by step to today ...... I do not dare to imagine that in those ten years, he walked through the days alone. 　　At the moment after the intense love, he wrapped my eyes and lie down, seems to fall into a peaceful slumber, eyebrows are still cold, lips are still tightly pursed, sheathed long sword in his hand, but there is a wind blowing, he will be ready to press the sword and get up, there is not a moment to be able to slacken off. I gazed at his calm sleeping face for a long time, there was a slight pain in my heart, mixed with a slightly sour sweetness. 　　I reached out my hand and gently smoothed the crease on his brow with my fingertips. His eyes were closed, motionless, and the tightly pursed corners of his lips relaxed slightly, evoking a very faint smile. I explored my body, pulling over the already half-dry outer robe to cover his naked body. He suddenly hooked my waist, rolled over and pressed me underneath. 　　I let out a cry of anger before I could speak it froze on the edge of my lips, only to see Xiao Qi's eyes flickering with light, his face grave, pressing the sword and bending his knees to stand up, protecting me under his body. I hold my breath and do not dare to move, clearly did not hear any movement, but vaguely aware of what is approaching ...... Xiao Qi eyes change, suddenly shook his wrist and shook the tip of the sword, the snow bright long sword issued a cool dragon roar, in the quiet night in the low pass away. 　　Outside the room a sword whistle corresponding, and then came a resounding low man's voice, "subordinate to come late, so that the master is frightened, the crime should be ten thousand deaths!" 　　My heart was relieved, then embarrassed, busy with the outer robe to get up, for Xiao Qi to organize the robe and crown and belt. 　　Xiao Qi returned his sword to its sheath and said with a faint smile, "Very good, your movements are getting swifter and swifter." 　　"My subordinate is terrified." The man answered respectfully, stopped walking outside the house, no longer approaching, the voice sounded like déjà vu. 　　"Where is the assassin going now?" Xiao Qi's voice is cold and majestic. 　　"The assassins in the eastern suburbs and subordinates encountered, seven dead nine wounded, the remaining twelve people to the outskirts of the city retreat. General Tang Jing has already led a pursuit, General Song has closed the whole city to search for them, my subordinate did not dare to delay, and then rushed to meet my lord." The man s voice was cold and hard, with a thick Guanwai accent ...... Guanwai, my heart suddenly moved. 　　Xiao Qi opened the door of the room, the cold wind with the rain straight into, I cold shivering, but saw that the door outside the rain, a full body iron armor strict warrior standing with his head down, behind more than a dozen riders stood solemnly in a few feet away, holding a pine oil torch, in the rain and wind, still body like iron, not moving at all. The torch soaked with pine oil swayed in the wind, burning out thick black smoke, not extinguished. 　　The figure of Xiao Qi standing with his hand on his sword, against the firelight, had a kind of careless arrogance. 　　A guard came forward with an umbrella, Xiao Qi took the umbrella, turned back with a smile and extended his hand to me. 　　I swept the hair on my temples, walked to his side, handed over my hand to his palm, and stepped into the wind and rain with him. The rain rustled on the umbrella, cold wind blowing hair flying, but his shoulders blocked the rainy night cold, the warmth will continue to transfer to me. 　　We walked to the open space outside the house, the more than ten knights together rolled over and dismounted, kneeling on one knee, bowing down to Xiao Qi. The cold iron armor brought up a neat clanging sound, which was particularly shocking in the sound of the wind and rain. 　　Mo Jiao and Xingyun are really following the guards, and they are very excited and happy to see us. 　　I looked sideways at the sturdy iron armor general, finally saw his face, he also slightly raised his eyes to look at me, I returned with a heartfelt smile - it was really him, it was the gray-clothed man who received me in the post station. 　　No one in the palace knew our whereabouts better than Yuxiu and Feng. 　　Back at the royal residence, Xiao Qi ordered all the servants who knew about the incident to be imprisoned, including the maidservant and the coachman, all of whom were put in jail to await trial. 　　When the guards came to take Yu Xiu away, she didn't say a word, she didn't cry, she stubbornly bit her lip and let the guards drag her away. When she reached the door, she suddenly looked back at me, her thin body was dragged askew by the guards, but her eyes gleamed with determination. 　　"Yuxiu did not betray the crown princess." She only softly said this sentence, and was instantly dragged out by the guards. 　　I pursed my lips and looked at her fixedly, watching her go farther and farther away, and finally said offhandedly, "Stop." 　　The two guards turned back and stopped, Yu Xiu fell to the ground, biting her lip and looking at me, her gaze miserable and sad. I know this kind of gaze, this is the misery of being abandoned by someone you trust and admire, it is the helplessness I have felt before. Only at this moment, I looked at this thin and stubborn girl, my heart surged with deep emotion. Without any reason, I just believed her. 　　"It's not Yuxiu." I turned to the guards and blandly said, "Release her." 　　Yuxiu looked up at me violently, tears welling up in her eyes. The two guards looked at each other with some hesitation. 　　I slowly stepped forward and extended my hand to Yu Xiu, personally lifting her from the ground. The guards looked at each other in embarrassment and had to bow and retreat, only then did Yu Xiu let out a cry, wiping her tears on one side and kneeling down to me on the other. 　　I pulled her back and patted her shoulder, softly saying, "Yuxiu, I believe you." 　　She cried so hard that she couldn't say a word. Behind her, the maids stood in silence with their heads hanging down, each with red eyes, lamenting. 　　That night, Feng's husband, the senator actually killed himself at home. Feng was tortured in prison, but finally confessed that she had informed her husband of Xiao Qi's whereabouts. She did not realize that her husband had been coerced by someone to act as an informer for the mastermind behind the assassin. 　　The assassin fled to the official road in the eastern suburb and was surrounded by Tang Jing's men, leaving three alive and the rest dead in the battle. 　　Song Huai'en closed the whole city of Ningshuo in time, and searched closely, and arrested a middle-aged scholar in the crowd of merchants and traders in the south of the city. 　　This person is Xu Shou went to Ningshuo with the army to treat the deputy envoy, the Ministry of War left minister, Du Meng. 　　This name is not unfamiliar to me. This person is over thirty years old, his appearance, from the north of the family, not only brilliant, riding and shooting martial arts is also very good, but also the right prime minister Wen Zongshen hand in hand to promote the favorite students. Such a talented man, but because of the narrow and eccentric nature and anachronistic temperament, and the power and nobility out of place, become the laughing stock of the crowd. 　　When the world's most famous men are kept by horses and ponies, cranes and dogs, but only this man loves cows, his family has more than ten plowing oxen, and often compared to the ox, the self-titled "cow madness", stubborn than the old ox temperament. Many officials have been impeached by him for a small mistake, even my father has been his face many times, only in the way of the face of the right prime minister, only to take this strange person can do nothing. 　　I still vaguely remember that sallow face, wide robe and big sleeves, always a look of angry appearance of Minister Du. But I would never have expected that he would have ordered the dark person kept by the Right Minister to assassinate an important court official. 　　Dark people, is a shadow like mysterious existence, I know uncle under a group of sworn allegiance to the king's dark people, no one knows who they are, where to hide; but there is an order, they will appear at any time like a shadow, to carry out the orders of the master. 　　The upright and wild Squire Du would be the leader of the dark men. My father, who is a man of clear reputation and high prestige, will pretend to violate the king. The heroic king of Yuzhang will make a blatant attack on the court....... Loyalty and righteousness or treachery or sycophancy, I know for the first time that there is no absolute loyalty and treachery in this world. In the end, but the "king loses the enemy" four words - everyone is the same flesh and blood, all have the same desire for selfishness, in the severed head knife, life is also the same fragile. For example, at this time, Du Meng's head is hanging at the head of Ningshuo City. 　　He was once an eloquent speaker in the courtroom, commanding the dark people to come and go as if they were shadows, and was loyal and brave all his life, repaying the kindness of Minister Wen with his death. However, one day, his head will be cut off under the butcher's knife, and it will only be a three-foot splash of blood. 　　Xiao Qi made Song Huai'en failed to pacify Du Meng, no more words, and ordered him to cut off his head with a knife - if he can be used, he will be treated with great kindness, if he can't be used, it is a dead end. Father may have the benevolence of the talent, Xiao Qi will not, he is a powerful minister of the tent, but also the generals killed in a laugh. Killing Xu Shou and Du Meng, with the sword pointing directly at the court - the Helan clan was executed, Xu Shou was killed on the spot, and even Du Meng, the last one who refused to confess, is now hanging over the city. 　　My father's second secret letter arrives immediately afterward. 　　In the capital, there is another change - the right minister's party is not clean, and even on the day of the execution when the market to rob the prisoners, want to save Wen Zongshen away. Luckily, his uncle's imperial guards repelled him, and his uncle, who was ordered to supervise the execution, was injured by the assassins. Wen Zongshen was then taken to the Heavenly Prison, where his aunt went to kill him with a cup of poisoned wine for fear of further changes. 　　In the capital, the wind and clouds are treacherous and have reached the situation of incompatibility, Jiangnan Jian Ning Wang has also drawn the sword, the vanguard of the army quietly pulled out camp, just at this time, the right prime minister's party sent a secret assassination of Yuzhang Wang - all of this gives Xiao Qi the best reason to send troops to the south. The Ningshuo garrison was well-trained and organized, and the food and provisions were ready. Xiao Qi left 250,000 garrison troops to guard the border, and personally led 150,000 iron cavalry brigades to attack the capital three days later. 　　I accompanied Xiao Qi to the city tower to review the drill of the three armies. 　　This is not the first time I witnessed the military might under his command, however, when the three armies raised their halberds, shouted in unison, the hooves of the horses rolled up the sky full of sand and dust, rolling like thunder moving the ground at the time of the ...... I was once again shocked by the scene of the iron blood, as three years ago in the Chaoyang Gate. I looked back at Xiao Qi's side face and saw the embroidered gold coiled dragon crest on his basalt-colored robe, which was dyed brilliantly by the setting sun. 　　Today's Xiao Qi has already had his wings enriched, and his sword blade is now brightly lit. 　　Although the sky and desert of Ningshuo is vast, I am afraid that it can no longer accommodate his iron bones and ambition. 　　That night, I instructed Yuxiu to organize her traveling clothes and prepare to go south with the army on the same day. 　　Yu Xiu's first trip away from Ningshuo was with the army, so she was nervous and excited. 　　I saw that she had packed a lot of heavy clothing, and couldn't help but laugh, "The farther south you go, the warmer it gets, and when you get to the capital, you won't be able to wear anything heavy, so you don't need to bring any of this with you." 　　Behind him, Xiao Qi's voice faintly smiled and said, "Bring them all." 　　He strides into the inner room, his armor has not been removed, the maidservants bowed in panic and retreated. 　　I looked at him with a smile, "This you do not know, at this time, if in the capital, already is the gauze sleeve Luo Yi, neon clothes, who want to wear this bulky ugly." 　　Xiao Qi did not speak, only looked at me, that gaze to see my heart vaguely some uneasiness. 　　I went forward to help him untie his chest armor, laughing and teasing: "Returning to the house also do not change into regular clothes, so cold and icy all very comfortable?" 　　"You are homesick." He held my hand, his gaze deep, "Very eager to return to the capital, is that right?" 　　I slightly choked, silently turned my head away, the most unwilling to touch the thoughts in my heart by his words, a moment some gloomy, only reluctantly smiled, "Anyway, will be going back, but also a little reluctant to give up Ning Shuo." 　　He reached out and stroked my hair, a trace of guilt in the bottom of his eyes, "When the war situation is slightly settled, I will take you back to the capital, will not let you wait too long." 　　I was stunned and took a step back, looking at him steadily, "You don't want me to come with you?" 　　"Not this time." He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to my eyes, "A letter from the left minister, you can read it now." 　　It was that letter from my father's family, which he refused to give me yesterday, asking me to read it when I returned from my trip. 　　I was in a trance for a moment, my heart was empty for a moment, I took the letter but did not have the courage to open it. 　　When I know that he wants to go on a southern expedition, without hesitation, I have never thought of the danger of war, only feel that with him together, it is a matter of course. What's more, there are still my parents and relatives in the capital, they are still under the watchful eye of King Jianning's army, in this time of crisis, I am the daughter of the Wang Clan, always have to live and die with my family, in times of trouble, there is no place to retreat. 　　"I want to return to the capital." I coldly raised my eyes and met Xiao Qi's gaze, "You don't want to leave me alone here." 　　He looked at me and slowly said, "Tomorrow morning, you will start traveling to Langya County." 　　"Langya?" I was skeptical that I had heard wrong, he said Langya, how could he mention our Wang Clan's hometown for no apparent reason? 　　"The Eldest Princess has already traveled to Langya." Xiao Qi lightly pressed my shoulder, "You should go with her." 　　Mother even at this time to go to Langya hometown, this sudden news makes me freeze, vaguely thought of something, but a panic ...... hand that thin letter only feel heavy over a thousand pounds. 　　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get a good look at this, but I'm sure I'll be able to get a good look at this, and I'm sure I'll be able to get a good look at this. 　　Xiao Qi didn't say a word, only holding my shoulder, silently looking at me. 　　Father only said in the letter, mother body infected with a slight illness, it is appropriate to leave the capital to recuperate, has been together with Aunt Xu went to Langya hometown. This is a long way to go, she was alone, thinking of her daughter, hoping that I can be with her. 　　I cover my face, my heart is confused, but also seems to be dipped in snow water general clear and crisp understanding. 　　Mother, poor mother, in this moment of tension, but no one thought of her situation, even I almost ignored the past. Who cares about a woman in the bosom of a marquis, her name is almost forgotten, leaving only the honorary title of a Princess, or the identity of the left minister, Duke Jing's wife. 　　That weak prince under house arrest in the palace was not only the emperor, but also her handler. The royal family that had been chipped of its power and dignity by her husband's family was a family she was proud of. She is the eldest princess of Jinmin, the only sister of the current saint, and the noble bloodline of the royal family flows through her body. I do not believe that the mother will choose to escape at this time, although she is soft and kind, but not a coward. 　　This trip to Langya, she must have been forced - it was father who forcibly sent her away, unwilling to let her witness her husband's family and relatives turn against each other. 　　Should I say father is kind and generous, or cruel? 　　Thinking of my father said that she was slightly ill, thinking of his daughter, I could not hold back my grief, and turned in Xiao Qi's arms, tears streaming down my face. 　　I still have his embrace, and poor mother, this time around not even a family member, only the company of Aunt Xu. 　　Xiao Qi gently patted my back, did not interrupt my sobbing, let me bury my face deep in his chest, tears wet his lapel. 　　After a long time, he sighed softly, "Be strong, when you see your mother, don't cry like this anymore." 　　I choked and nodded, he lifted my face, not as usual as gentle comfort, only hold my shoulders, in an unquestionable tone: "Here I do your support, to Langya, you are the support of others!" 　　"Yes, I understand." I forcefully held back my tears, bit my lip and raised my head, "Tomorrow I will set off." 　　Four eyes opposite each other, speechless for a moment, the cold determination under Xiao Qi's eyes gradually melted, revealing a few helplessness, but also a deep sense of longing. 　　Yesterday, he refused to let me open the letter, so he left the urgent military affairs, and took me to see the pasture outside the city, so that I spent the most enjoyable day ...... in Ningshuo In fact, that is also the most enjoyable and unforgettable day in my life. 　　He was aware that the parting was tomorrow, but he just didn't want me to be sad for one more day. 　　Parting, again, parting - when Zi Tan went far away to the imperial tomb, I thought the rest of my days would lose their luster, and I didn't even dare to see him off in person. This time, however, I secretly said to myself that the parting was for the purpose of reuniting with him, just as he had left on the day of his wedding, but in exchange for the present day, I hated to see him again. 　　The red candle was burning high, the night was already deep, but I still wanted to talk to him for a while longer and see him more. He forcibly carried me to bed, forcing me to sleep peacefully. I closed my eyes, but held onto his sleeve, refusing to let go. 　　"I'll be back soon." He dotingly kissed the corner of my forehead lightly, his words contained helplessness, "Wyvern is still waiting in the west hall, I will come to accompany you after I dismiss him." 　　I lowered my eyes without saying a word, my fingers lightly scratched his collar coiled dragon pattern, negatively said: "Without me as a burden, you begged for it!" 　　He laughed lowly: "You such a tough woman, on the battlefield as a front also have more than, how can be a burden." 　　I was angry, in his arm twisted hard, he caught my fingers, kissed my lips hard ...... 　　I flopped on the pillow, recalling Xiao Qi Fang just breath rush, confusion, almost uncontrollable appearance, I do not feel low laugh out loud. He struggled to get up in a mess, and before leaving in a hurry, he said in my ear in annoyance, "I'll clean you up later!" 　　My cheeks burned straight up, I couldn't help but think back to last night's scene in the cabin, my cheeks got hotter and hotter as if on fire. 　　Tossing and turning on the pillow, I couldn't sleep, I rolled over and got up, seeing the unfinished outer robe on the embroidery shelf in front of the case, I couldn't help but sigh. Since I was a child, I do not love to learn women's work, those needle and thread work all my life can not be my turn to do, was forced by my mother to learn, in the end, or crude and clumsy. That day also do not know how to listen to Yu Xiu's bad idea, actually took the material to sew ...... although most of them are Yu Xiu good, only the lapel pattern to be embroidered on my lapel, but so complicated coiled dragon pattern, I do not know how much work to be done. 　　I took the embroidered half of the robe, stared blankly for a long time, re-clothed, lighted the lamp and candle, and began to embroider one stitch at a time. 　　The time of the night had passed, and I didn't realize that the fourth watch had passed. Xiao Qi has not yet returned, I really can not support the drowsiness, crouching on the pillow, thinking of a little rest for a while, and then embroidery ....... 　　In a haze, it seems that who wants to take away my hand robe, in a hurry, I woke up suddenly, but Xiao Qi. 　　He saw me wake up, then snatched the robe, do not look at the throw away, a huffy face, "you do not rest properly, and in what nonsense!" 　　I froze, seeing that the outer robe was thrown on the ground, with one dragon claw left unembroidered, I was instantly annoyed, "Pick it up!" 　　I pointed at the robe and said angrily, "I embroidered it all night, if you dare to throw it on the ground, in the future, don't expect me to make it for you again!" 　　"Do to my ......" Xiao Qi froze, honestly bowed to pick it back, shook it open and looked at it, but was stunned there, unable to say a word. I was amused by his dull appearance, casually threw an embroidered pillow at him, snapped: "Anyway, you don't want, I don't do it." 　　He just laughed, folded the outer robe carefully, put it back to my pillow, and said: "If you don't want to do it, I'll wear it out like this, and tell everyone to come and see the three-legged coiled dragon embroidered by my family's A Charming." 　　I laughed and laughed, raised his hand to hit him, but was he smiled and swept down on the pillow ...... silver hooks swaying, plain curtains scattered as smoke Luo. 　　Outside the curtain, the morning sun reflects the long sky of the border. 　　Wake up in the morning, I personally for the Xiao Qi to organize the crown belt, his body size is too high, I tiptoe to help him on the hair crown. He hooked my waist, low laugh: "When I married you, I thought it was a child ......." 　　I was stunned, I did not realize that my eyes were a little hot, and tersely said, "In the twinkling of an eye for three years, the little girl at that time, has grown up." 　　"This time, will not let you wait too long." He held me tight, "the cliff edge of life and death, you and I also came together, the future woes and blessings of life and death, I also with you to bear ...... Ah Charming, I want you to remember, when the day is like this, this life is like this." 　　Four eyes opposite each other, his gaze seems to be able to accommodate my life's joys and sorrows. 　　I smiled and nodded my head vigorously, unable to speak, trying my best to hold back the tears, not allowing myself to cry at the moment of parting. 　　As it was on that day, so it is in this life - these faint eight words, from this moment into the heart, can never be erased. 　　Xiao Qi sent his trusted deputy general Song Huai'en to escort me to Langya. 　　I stepped out of the door of the mansion, did not stop to look back, and did not let Xiao Qi to see me off. 　　Boarded the carriage, the guards lined the road, the horse's hooves galloped, the roadside scenery flew backward. 　　Until then, I only looked back, let the tears weep and slide down. 　　When I came to Ningshuo, I had no choice but to leave, but now I am in the same hurry. 　　When I came here, I was all alone, not knowing whether I would live or die, but now when I left, I was no longer alone and miserable. 　　In three years, the fate of the ups and downs, a big circle, and finally went to the other side of the destiny. 　　He is still there, I am still here, have not gone away, and will not miss.