Golden Knife 17 years

In the study, Li Zhaoxu looked curiously at the things on the plate in front of him, and asked the young man standing beside him: "Guard Zhou, is this the folk amber?"

Zhou Cong glanced at it quickly, and replied loudly: "His Royal Highness, this thing is not called amber in the folks, it is called candied haws, and it is also called sugar-wrapped mountain red. They are all things that children eat."

Li Zhaoxu was anxious to cover his mouth: "What are you doing so loudly! Call Eunuch Liu over in a while, and my hard-won things will have to be taken away again!"

Zhou Cong was covered by him, and he looked around belatedly, but he didn't see Eunuch Liu coming, and after hearing it again, he pulled Li Zhaoxu's hand off, and whispered in his ear: "The surroundings of this study No one, Eunuch Liu is not here."

Li Zhaoxu's hand was pinched by him, and he glanced at it subconsciously. Zhou Cong's hand was wide and thick, with distinct bones and calluses on the palm due to years of martial arts practice.Unlike his hands, they were too delicate and fair, like a woman's hands.

Li Zhaoxu pulled out his hand, picked up a candied haws and put it in his mouth to eat, but Zhou Cong snatched it away: "Your Highness, this thing may not be very clean, just take a look, and you won't have to eat it." Li Zhaoxu Just as he was about to take it back, Zhou Cong turned his face straight and said, "Eunuch Liu is here." As he spoke, he put the paper bag on the table into his arms. Li Zhaoxu was teased like this not once or twice. , was about to get angry, but heard the sound of Eunuch Liu’s footsteps outside the door, he didn’t dare to open the door, he just spoke outside: “His Royal Highness, Commander Zhou is in the front hall, and he wants to take Zhou’s guards back to the Golden Pavilion. The guards followed the slaves to the front hall."

Li Zhaoxu lost his energy all of a sudden, walked around behind the desk and sat down: "You go." Zhou Cong walked out the door after saluting with him, Li Zhaoxu called him again: "Are you coming tomorrow?"

Zhou Cong shook his head: "Go back to His Royal Highness, I don't know, I have to listen to the commander." Li Zhaoxu waved at him feebly and let him go.

When Zhou Cong came out, Zhou Shen was standing under the eaves with his back to the palace door. Zhou Cong obediently went up to salute Zhou Shen. Zhou Shen glanced at him, said lightly, let's go, and stepped down the steps first.Seeing that he was carrying a food box in his hand, Zhou Cong knew that His Majesty the Emperor had given him refreshments again.He didn't know it when he was young, and wanted to help adults, so he went to carry the food box, but was beaten by Zhou Shen and his palms were swollen. After the beating, he knew that only his master could touch this snack box.

It was completely dark when they left the palace gate, and the guards wanted to question Zhou Cong, but kept silent about Zhou Shen—who would dare to check the commander of the Golden Pavilion without seeing the three folds of autumn frost on his body? clothes?There is a saying, if you don't die with hundreds of lives in your hands, and if you don't dye the three stacks of autumn frost red, check Zhou Shen, it's purely too long.

After leaving the palace, you can ride a horse. The master and apprentice rode back to the Golden Pavilion Duwei's mansion one after the other.Zhou Cong led the two horses to the stable, and when he came back, he saw Zhou Shen being stopped in the yard.

"Brother Zhou, you haven't eaten yet. I cooked some of your favorite dishes and brought them to your study." The one who stopped Zhou Shen was Han Liuxian, the daughter of Governor Han Huaizhang. A tray with a few side dishes on it.Zhou Shen showed no expression, and raised the food box in his hand at her: "No need, I have something here."

Han Liuxian was embarrassed by him, but thinking of what to ask, he opened his mouth cautiously: "Brother Zhou, is there any news about my father?" Zhou Shen didn't make things difficult for her, and told her again what he said to the emperor , Zhou Shen left after finishing speaking, only showing Han Liuxian a back view.

Looking at the direction Zhou Shen was walking into the mirror, he said angrily: "I don't know good people! Master Xiao Zhou is getting more and more tempered!" After finishing speaking, he looked at the food in his hand and couldn't help asking Han Liuxian: "Miss , this dish..." Han Liuxian lowered his head, and there was a hint of crying in his voice: "It's okay, take it and share it with the people in the kitchen."

Jin Jing agreed, and went to the kitchen with the plate.

Han Liuxian was standing in the yard. It was already winter moon, and it was getting cold after all. She had only stood there for a while, and the wind became bitingly cold.She wrapped her cloak tightly, and went to Huai Xuexuan on the west side of the yard to shelter from the wind.Huai Xuexuan was her father Han Huaizhang's study, facing the crabapple tree in the courtyard of the Golden Pavilion.

In fact, few people know that there is a very beautiful crabapple in the courtyard of the Golden Pavilion Duwei's Mansion.This crabapple blooms in clusters of light purple-pink flowers in March. Because of the thin and thin flower stems, the flowers hang low, like a shy cardamom girl, and it is cute to look at.When she has nothing to do, her father, Han Huaizhang, always likes to sit under the crabapple and drink by himself. A glass of rice wine, accompanied by the breeze and the crabapple, occasionally falls at three or five o'clock, and it becomes a two-line poem when he sees it.

But now Haitang is still there, but her father doesn't know where he went.

Han Liuxian's mother was so sick that she didn't know what to do in the early years, and she couldn't leave her mouth all day long. Her father cooked it himself and fed it to her. Mrs. Han was confused all day long, talking incoherently, except hugging a pillow and shouting at her. Baby name, don't know anything, even eat and dress have to be waited on.As far as Han Liuxian can remember, it was Han Huaizhang who brought her up single-handedly. He probably felt sorry for her and had no mother to take care of her. He doted on this daughter a little. Learn martial arts from a martial artist in the Golden Pavilion.

Standing in front of Huaixuexuan, Han Liuxian watched the crabapple branches being swayed by the night wind, and suddenly remembered the day before her father disappeared, when the sun was just right, Han Huaizhang sat drinking under the crabapple again, and she made a new plum cake, Just bring it to Dad to eat.Han Huaizhang took the cake but didn't eat it, but looked at her for a long time, which made Han Liuxian feel uncomfortable, and he said: "Liuxian has grown up, and it's time to get married."

Han Liuxian listened to this sentence every year. Seeing that he had heard it for almost ten years, he lost his shyness. He poured him a glass of wine and handed it to his mouth: "Daddy can just drink, and marry me What a waste of time, if I get married, who will make plum cakes for you?"

Han Huaizhang took the glass, drank it slowly, put down the glass and looked at her again: "Liu Xian, you don't blame Xianchen, you don't blame Daddy, Zhou Shen doesn't blame you, don't make yourself miserable." Han Liuxian lowered her head to cover her red eyes by giving her father cloth vegetables, she put a piece of plum cake on Han Huaizhang's plate, and finally couldn't help saying: "I blame myself, if it wasn't for me, Brother Zhou They shouldn't have had such a hard time."

Perhaps it should be retribution, Zhong Xianchen was missing for three years because of her, and now she should experience the feeling of missing a close relative.

Han Liuxian stood for a while, his feet were a little cold, so he turned around and started to walk. This time, he saw Zhou Cong standing there staring at her quietly.She felt suffocated, looked at Zhou Cong and forced a smile, Zhou Cong silently bowed to her from a distance, and then went to Zhou Shen's study.

When Ru Jing came back from delivering food in the kitchen, he passed by Zhou Cong in the yard, and was almost stumbled by him. Who is really teaching such apprentices! The big one has a big temper, and the young one has a small heart! Miss Kui is so kind to them!"

Han Liuxian has a resolute personality since he was a child, and he has practiced martial arts with martial arts masters since he was a child. He doesn't have many boudoir habits, and he doesn't like to gossip behind people's backs.Hearing what Ru Jing said, he stopped her: "You still don't shut up?" Ru Jing was very wronged, with tears in his eyes: "Miss, I have been with you for so many years, if someone else kills me, I won't say a word , I can’t do it either. But we were so good in the past, but now that we’ve become like this, I’m just not worth it for the lady, and it’s not the lady’s fault..." The more I talked in the mirror, the more wronged I was, and I cried when I said it When she got up, Han Liuxian felt sore from her crying, reached out to pat her on the back, and said to her softly, "Don't cry, it's cold outside, I'm going to catch a cold if I stand for a while." Entering the mirror, he quickly raised his head Wiping away her tears vigorously, she waited for Han Liuxian and went back to the house.

When she arrived at the house, Ru Jing helped Han Liuxian put away the bath water and then retreated. She knew Han Liuxian's habits and never let anyone take a bath.

Han Liuxian took off her clothes and soaked her whole body in the bathtub. She dared not let anyone see her body. Although she was a girl, her chest was as flat as a slate. She never had a monthly letter, no matter how much she ate. The medicine was useless, and she didn't dare to tell her father about it, and mother... She seemed to have never had a mother.

Han Liuxian soaked in the bathtub blankly, the steam rose up, slowly blocking her sight.

Zhou Cong hid at the corner and watched their master and servant walk away, and he heard everything that came into the mirror.Zhou Cong is not a wooden person, but some things are not the same as before. Between the past and the present of this group of people, there is a name that they dare not mention, and they are still different after all.

Zhou Cong didn't go to his master until he saw the two of them entering the inner courtyard.When we arrived at the door of Zhou Shen's study, we happened to meet Liu Bo from the kitchen to deliver a regular dinner. Today is the first day of the winter month, and people in Zhongning want to eat mutton noodles on the first day of the winter month, but Zhou Shen's door is closed, and he doesn't Dare to knock, turned around and saw Zhou Cong coming, Liu Bole handed the dough to Zhou Cong without seeing his teeth, and stuffed two pieces of candy for Zhou Cong, which embarrassed Zhou Cong——Liu Bo still regarded him as a As a kid back then, every time he saw him, he was given candy, but he didn't eat it, so he made a pile of it to attract ants in the house.

Zhou Cong was standing at the door with a tray in his hand, and the shadow of his master was reflected in the window. He knew that his master was sitting alone facing the food box again, so he didn't dare to disturb his master easily, but now he was holding two big bowls of mutton noodles. I feel my hands are sore, and when this surface is cold, it will become a layer of sheep oil, which will be fishy and smelly, so I have to pour it out.Zhou Cong has no habit of wasting food. Zhou Shen picked him up from the street eight years ago. At that time, he had been begging for food outside for two years.When he was hungry, he grabbed dog food and took out slops. What did he do?

"Master," Zhou Cong was afraid that his face would turn cold, and called Zhou Shen through the door: "Master, Uncle Liu has brought mutton noodles over. If you don't eat cold noodles, you will throw them away." The figure on the window moved, and then the door creaked. It opened with a sound, Zhou Shen stood behind the door and looked at him.Zhou Cong felt a little guilty, coughed dryly, and raised his face higher: "Master, today is the first day of the winter month, and it is reasonable to eat a bowl of mutton noodles."

Zhou Cong was often taught by Zhou Shen because of eating, and now he didn't dare to look up at his master's expression. When he was feeling uneasy, he suddenly heard Zhou Shen say: "You can eat in this room, and you can eat as soon as you finish eating." Pack up your bags and ask Lian Qi’s team to wait under the bell tower in the north of the city the day after tomorrow.” Zhou Cong looked up from behind the tray and asked, “Master, where are we going?” Zhou Shen ignored him and went back to the house He picked up the food box and walked out, and before leaving, he gave Zhou Cong a look. Zhou Cong had behaved himself this time, and went into the house to eat noodles without asking a word.

The Zhou mansion is in the west of the city, and it is not on the same side as most of the mansions in the city. This is also the arrangement of the Emperor Shengzu.Since the founding of the country, the Zhou family has been doing the work of arresting and instigating rebellion, arresting people and sending them to prison, and they can be regarded as people who have been walking in the dark for generations.Therefore, the Zhou Mansion was built on the eye of the white tiger in the capital of Wenzhou, which can be regarded as guarding the killing spirit in the west for the emperor.

As soon as Zhou Shen rode his horse to the gate of the Zhou mansion, someone went in to report to his wife. Zhou Shen handed the horse over to the young man at the gate, and went into the second gate to greet his mother.

Mrs. Zhou was still the same, with plain clothes and a plain face, and only a silver hairpin tied her hair on her head.When she got the letter, she sat by the window and saw Zhou Shen enter the yard from the window, so she stood up and went to the door to wait.

Zhou Shen hadn't come back for more than ten days, and when he saw his mother suddenly, he felt that her face was a little bit older.When Mrs. Zhou was young, she was one of the eighteen Shu of Wenzhou, with picturesque eyebrows and roses. She should have been like those official ladies in the city, her face was not frosted, but it was a pity that she was Mrs. Zhou, and she did not have the comfort that others had. However, she has all the pain that others don't have.

Mrs. Zhou pulled Zhou Shen to sit down at the table, and looked at Zhou Shen carefully under the lamp: "Shen'er is a little thinner, but are you tired from too much business?"

In fact, Zhou Shen was born more like Zhou Kun, only his eyes were exactly the same as Mrs. Zhou's, the pair of phoenix eyes with peach blossoms in a smile, but Zhou Shen never smiled, and what he did was prison, so when people saw his eyes, they just felt There was a bone-chilling coldness in those eyes, which was frightening.

Zhou Shen looked around the room, and saw a half-made children's clothes at the corner of the bed. Mrs. Zhou also saw it, and was a little embarrassed: "...I always dreamed that Ji'er said that he was cold. , I just made him a piece of clothing, I didn’t...cough cough..." Mrs. Zhou became anxious and coughed, and Zhou Shen silently patted her on the back.When she calmed down, Zhou Shen held her hand, not looking at the scars on her wrist: "Mother, I will go out of Beijing to Meicheng the day after tomorrow, and I will come back to see you first."

Mrs. Zhou pulled her hand away as if she had been burned by a branding iron, and immediately held Zhou Shen's hand firmly: "What are you talking about?" Zhou Shen looked at her with a little bit of unbearable eyes: "Mother, I'm going to Meicheng." Zhou Shen The madam clenched her hands tightly, and her complexion instantly turned pale. She stared fixedly at Zhou Shen's eyes, and her voice was filled with death-like despair: "You can't go, I'm the only one left, you can't go."

Meicheng has been forbidden by the Zhou Mansion for the past six years. Six years ago, Zhou Kun's body was found in Meicheng, and his death condition was terrible.Zhou Shen personally went to Meicheng to pick up the coffin. In order to prevent his mother from seeing his father's death, he sealed the coffin with copper water. No matter how much his mother cried and quarreled, he never let go and told her how his father died. Law.Since then, Meicheng has become a hole in Mrs. Zhou's heart, bleeding during the day and crying at night.

There is her pillow soul in Meicheng, and she is a widow of Meicheng.

Mrs. Zhou tugged on Zhou Shen's sleeve and cried, Zhou Shenan put her arms around Mrs. Zhou's shoulder quietly, letting her cry in his arms.He remembered that Mrs. Zhou used to love to laugh. When he was three or four years old, Mrs. Zhou hid behind the door with him to scare Zhou Kun, and took him to climb a rockery and fish for carp raised by his father by the pool. No matter how angry she is, as long as she smiles, it will be fine.Later she was still laughing, and later she gave birth to a younger brother named Zhou Ji, and later the younger brother was kidnapped, and then she stopped laughing.Later, Zhou Kun also died, and she became a Mrs. Zhou who could only cry.

Zhou Shen didn't want to lie to her. They lied to her for many years, saying that they would definitely find Zhou Ji. Later, he lied to her too, saying through gritted teeth that his father died peacefully. If he never comes back this time, who will come? lie to her?

Mrs. Zhou was tired from crying and fell asleep in Zhou Shen's arms. Zhou Shen waited for her to sleep on the couch and handed her over to Mama An.Mother An looked at Zhou Shen, wiped her tears and sobbed, "Eldest son, it's not good to be a servant. A few days ago, when I was packing up, I accidentally let my wife see the old things of the young master, which made my wife sad..." Zhou Shen After covering Mrs. Zhou with a quilt, she was silent for a while and said, "Mother An, let someone clean up Yuji Pavilion."