Qingchuan History

430 Empty City
In the 28th year of Longping in Baiguo, on the ninth day of the seventh month, there were no pedestrians in the streets and alleys of Yunshui City, which was full of joy all year round.

The windows and doors of every house are closed, the shops are closed, and the noise of the market is not heard. Only the endless high-riding armor on the main roads proves that this place is not an empty city.

A hundred years ago, the national war did not care about the suffering of the people.In the beginning of a war, short-handed combat, burning, killing and looting, whether intentional or not, it is always logical for the people to suffer.

It was Gu Yecheng, the Taizu of the Qi State, who ordered the whole Ji under the gate of the palace to not harm the people or houses when he raised his troops.

For the first time in Qingchuan in the past 200 years, such a scene similar to the battle of the empty city appeared.

The soldiers gathered and went straight to the gate of the palace, but the streets and alleys in the city were empty, as if no one lived there.

The second time in the 300-year history of Qingchuan happened today.On the ninth day of July in the 28th year of Longping, the 50-year-old Bai Jun stood on the Yinhuang Terrace at the highest point of the palace overlooking the entire Yunshui, and issued an empty city decree.

The whole city was empty, only the main palace gate was opened.

Ruan Xueyin woke up from a long nightmare. She didn't know what day and night it was. She stared at the pattern of the bed curtain for a long time, feeling that the atmosphere around her seemed familiar.

After going down the mountain for a year and a half, such scenes appeared repeatedly, from Xiling to Qujing.Woke up inexplicably and lay on a completely unfamiliar bed, exhausted and hurt.Xiling is saving people for Fenghuangqi, Qu Jing is being plotted by Fenghuangqi, where is he at this moment?

In the last scene, on the carriage, Chunfeng chattered with a worried face.

wrong.

There is another scene after the carriage.Still Chunfeng, she asked her a word.

"Sister is awake."

I can't remember life and death, but I hear another familiar tone playing outside the tent.

The heavy brocade curtain was pulled back halfway, and Duan Xirun's waxy white face appeared in the gap between the curtains, "Is it all right?"

Ruan Xueyin stared at her for a while, "I came in?"

"My sister was sleepy. It was my sister who asked Mr. Shen to send you outside the gate of the North Palace, and I came to pick you up in person."

probably.The questioning with Chunfeng who couldn't remember the content of the scene seemed to be around that time.

"Is this your bedroom?"

"Lan Dian."

It took Ruan Xueyin another long while to remember whose palace Lan Dian belonged to.

"How can-"

"The queen mother said that my sister has a deep relationship with Mrs. Ming, and it is more suitable to sleep here than to sleep anywhere."

In the evening after leaving the palace half a month ago, she had already visited with Duan Xirun.

There is really no need to stay again.

This orchid hall has been uninhabited for many years, but it is clean and always new. It is said that there are special personnel to take care of it day after day.

Don't bother to drag these. "Where's your mother?"

"In her palace."

"That--"

"According to my sister, I met several of them when I returned to the city that day, and everything was settled within two days. They entered the palace on the third day, that is, yesterday, and they have been in my mother's palace until now."

Ruan Xueyin's heart dropped to the ground. "Where is your father, where is it now?"

"On the Yinhuang platform."

Ruan Xueyin was startled, and forced to turn her head, "What day is today?"

"Ninth day. My sister slept for three days and three nights."

Three days have passed. "Where are they?"

"It's all here."

"The palace gate is also closed?"

"Not yet." Duan Xirun said softly, "My cousin refused to enter the palace gate. Before I came to see my sister, there was still a confrontation. Half of the imperial guards are blocking the gate of the palace." She thought for a moment,
"If he comes in, will father close the palace gate and kill him directly?"

"No. There are many Luo Wang's cronies in this palace, and behind closed doors it is a fierce fight, and the outcome is uncertain."

Duan Xirun was shocked, "This kind of fighting, what kind of plan did my father and sister plan? Is it to give the throne to Uncle An?"

"I didn't think so." Ruan Xueyin replied, throwing the quilt to the ground, exhausted, barely standing up with Duan Xirun's arm.

"what?"

"Your father didn't think about it well, and couldn't make a decision, so he made this list and made a final decision. Is there a shelter near the Phoenix Terrace?" The clothes were already prepared, and Ruan Xueyin took them and put them on behind the screen, "I have to go. "

The entire imperial palace is covered by tall trees, even the Yinhuang Terrace is covered with thick shade, which is naturally covered, and there are natural barriers everywhere.Ruan Xueyin wore a light blue to whitish light skirt, standing among the clumps of flowers and plants, looking at the deserted space inside the palace gate.

The gate of the palace was wide open, and the imperial guards blocked the outside.She squinted her eyes and saw that there were a lot of people about ten miles away from the main palace gate. It must be some kind of formation around a person.

King Luo.

"Didn't you say that King An is also outside the palace gate?"

"Here." Duan Xirun said softly, "He didn't lead any troops, and he seemed to have found a place to drink tea and wait."

Standing on the wall and waiting for others to start, it is true that one move will go all over the world. "Is Princess An here?"

"I don't know." Duan Xirun was puzzled, "Do you want to ask?"

"Well. If you can pass a letter smoothly, bring a note to King An."

"Sister, let's write first." Duan Xirun turned around, "I'm going up to ask Father."

Ruan Xueyin quietly watched for a moment her back as she walked up to the Yinhuang Terrace step by step.Suddenly, he felt that he was no longer the same girl as the girl on the Yuanluo path in the Imperial Garden of Qi Palace.

The extremely small and exquisite bamboo tube was handed over, and the note was stuffed into it.Duan Xirun hid it in his sleeve and left quickly, and returned after about three cups of tea, still standing by Ruan Xueyin's side.

"What exactly does father want to see? Will King Luo turn his back on this, and how will King An behave? Use this as a test to make a final decision?"

"Yes and no." Ruan Xueyin stared at the movement outside the palace gate and answered casually, then turned her face and raised her eyes to look at the old man with a phoenix pattern on the Yinhuang Terrace through the shadows of trees, "Whoever decides today, the other person will never be able to live Out of rhyme. He can't move the sword to make a final decision."

"It's already in such a formation, how can there be no reason not to use weapons." Duan Xirun snorted lightly, and also looked at the dark clouds pressing down on the city outside the palace gate, and suddenly reacted, "What if my father orders to pass the throne to King Luo right now?"

"I want to fight too. King An won't let it go."

"He didn't lead troops."

"If you don't bring it, it doesn't mean you don't have it."

There was a long silence.

"What's so important about Princess An?"

"I answered you earlier, yes or no," Ruan Xueyin looked back, "I'm not playing tricks. I only heard about something when I was in Qujing, so I understand why His Majesty followed my advice and did this. He probably wants to take this opportunity to ask some questions one last time. Well, meet some people."

There was movement at the gate of the palace where the sound of these words fell.

Wearing black riding ocher clothes, he also looked close to his fifties, entered the palace gate alone, calm and relaxed.

The man got off his horse and stood in the middle of the open space, kneeling down with his clothes lifted:

"Sir, see Your Majesty."

"I haven't seen you for many years, but Uncle An is still so handsome." Duan Xirun whispered.

"Compared to your father?"

The other party was startled, and his tone was slightly lower: "My sister's words are disrespectful."

"It's really inappropriate to make a joke. I will apologize to His Majesty later."

Just as he was talking, he heard King An's voice resounding in the open space. It was as thick as a bell, and the entire imperial city echoed:
"Good nephew, His Majesty invited us to have a drink together. Uncle has already come in. Do you still want to put on airs with the elders?"

Seeing that there were two tables and two sets of wine on the open space, King An finished his speech, chose the table on the west side and stood still, poured himself a cup and held it with both hands to pay respects to the Yinhuang platform.
"I wish Your Majesty the holy body health and prosperity, and a long life."

The second sound of horseshoes finally sounded from outside the palace gate.

"Why didn't Uncle Wang wait for his nephew when he invited wine? It seems that my nephew is not polite and disrespectful to His Majesty."

King An smiled, raised his glass and turned around,

"What kind of etiquette is it for a good nephew to enter the palace gate wearing armor and not taking off his sword? The forbidden army protects the emperor, but at this moment they blocked Yunshui City; [-] cavalry marched all the way south without defending the northern border. Your Majesty does not blame you for the great grace." , as an uncle, I have to say a few words."

(End of this chapter)