Chapter 403: Being in the same room for the second time (6k)
Meet again... Meet again...
In the room, as Zhao Duan said these words with a smile, Princess Wenzhu's whole mind buzzed, and countless astonished emotions suddenly exploded in her heart.
Her mouth opened slightly, her eyes widened, and she stuttered a bit: "You... Link... it's you..."
Zhao Duan nodded, looking extraordinarily calm.
Well, although his identity was revealed at this juncture, it was indeed beyond his expectation, but he didn't think that this vest could be hidden for long...
Tsk, but why is it at this time? Zhenbao couldn't have already investigated it clearly and arranged it deliberately, right?
Princess Wenzhu didn't know what he was thinking, and the "Madonna" of the Western Regions had a huge look on her face.
Mr. Lin, who was greatly admired by him and even wanted to recommend him to his niece many times, turned out to be Zhao Duan in front of him... How could it be possible? The two men were clearly completely different.
At this moment, she even suspected that the empress had assigned Mr. Lin's identity to Zhao Duan, but when she thought about it carefully, she realized that it was not reliable.
"It's disguise." Zhao Duan explained calmly before the other party asked, "I'm sorry, I used disguise as a token to get acquainted with Her Highness the Princess under a false identity."
Princess Wenzhu looked at him blankly for a moment, then suddenly turned to stare at the empress:
"Did His Majesty arrange it?"
Xu Zhenguan pursed her lips, shook her head calmly and said:
"Auntie, do you think it is necessary for me to play such a trick?"
Then, she gave Zhao Duan a meaningful look, to the effect of:
We need an explanation.
"..." Zhao Duan took a deep breath, suddenly felt a chill on his back, and hurriedly explained:
"This incident was purely accidental. On that day, I did go to Dongcheng Shantang to deliver winter clothes, and I did happen to meet Her Royal Highness the Princess. I just thought that my identity was a bit sensitive after all, so I never told my real name."
Shantang...yes...Princess Wenzhu suddenly remembered that day in the orphanage, the scene where Zhao Duan met the orphans. That could not be faked.
So... this treacherous minister had indeed disguised himself as "Link" for a long time, and went to the East City to donate alms... It was purely a coincidence that he bumped into him.
Zhao Duan said helplessly:
"Although it is indeed a coincidence, it is indeed true. Moreover, if it is a coincidence... wouldn't it be an equally great coincidence that the princess took me to Huangting Lane."
Princess Manju was convinced.
Just...
Still hard to believe!
Seeing her falling silent, Zhao Duan seemed to have misunderstood her meaning and said with a smile:
"After the chess game that day, the reason why I disappeared and never appeared again was because I didn't want the Buddhists in the Western Region to misunderstand that it was the princess who took me there specially. Well, I also think that the fact that I am Link is limiting. Among a few people, there is no need to make it known to everyone.”
This sentence was a bit cryptic, but Princess Manzhu understood it.
Then she suddenly woke up from her daze and realized the trouble of this matter.
If the news that Zhao Duan was the chess player who defeated Dan Che was made public, then her actions of taking Zhao Duan to Huangting Alley that day would almost certainly be considered intentional by the Buddhists in the Western Regions.
Playing chess on the front foot, debating scripture on the back foot... It's like a TV series...
Who would believe it if it was a coincidence? She didn’t even believe it...
And once the Buddhists in the Western Regions become suspicious and hostile to Wenzhu, her status and that of the Wangting Tribe in the Western Region Kingdom will decline - the Dharma King of the Western Regions will definitely be able to deprive her of her current power.
Zhao Duan took the initiative to speak at this time and said that he would hide his identity. He suddenly seemed to be showing his kindness and said that he did not want to involve Wenzhu in taking the blame.
But is it not a threat?
If Wenzhu has an elbow turned out and is not sincere in the trade with Yu State next year, then Zhao Duan only needs to reveal his identity and the King of France will suppress Wenzhu.
Zhao Duan had not considered this level before, but after he became aware of this handle, he immediately realized that he could use this "accident" to put pressure on Wenzhu
——Solve the trade issue next year that the empress was worried about not long ago.
As long as Princess Manzhu is willing to do her best and mediate, even if the Red Sect master is angry, the impact of the failure of the debate on next year's trade can be minimized...
All these thoughts happened in an instant, which surprised Zhao Duan himself.
Unexpectedly, what was originally an unintentional act of pretending to test the bottom of things would actually turn into a sharp weapon hanging over Wenzhu's head through a series of coincidences.
After Princess Manzhu realized this logic, she was both angry and shocked.
Shocked by...
She seemed to have made a mistake in judgment from the beginning.
In that rumor, the infamous Zhao Duan was not the gold-plated male favorite he had guessed, but a truly evil figure.
At least, the chess game that could be recorded in history was witnessed by her. In this way, the divine baptism after the debate also has a reasonable explanation. The records of the achievements of this person are also recorded in the data. It's probably all true.
Is there such a strange man in the world?
That's right, considering that my niece is so arrogant, how could she be tempted by such a man just because of his handsome appearance? So intimate and ambiguous with him?
Manju smiled bitterly.
It turns out that her aunt was responsible for everything.
"So... that's it." She sighed softly and put down the folding book in her hand.
As the knot in her heart was untied, she suddenly felt uninterested. She stood up slowly, looked at the pair of immortal couples opposite with some envy, and smiled:
"I'm full, so I'll take my leave now."
Xu Zhenguan stood up: "Auntie, walk slowly."
Princess Manzhu turned around, dragged her long skirt, and walked a few steps outside. When she was about to step out of the threshold, she suddenly turned back and blinked:
"By the way, Your Majesty seems to have said that you want to give Mr. Lin to me and take him back to the Western Regions?"
"..." Xu Zhenguan was stunned. His first thought was to deny it, but then he thought of the emperor's golden words, and he felt a little confused.
"Pfft." Seeing her like this, Princess Manzhu suddenly smiled brightly, her whole body returned to the appearance that an elder should have, and she joked:
"It's just a joke, can my aunt still compete with her niece for a man?"
No... Even if you are old, you can't talk nonsense in the open atmosphere of the Western Region, old lady... Zhao Duan complained in his heart.
After Princess Wenzhu left these words, she walked out of the courtyard and went straight out of the palace.
"Princess!"
The tall female warrior was guarding outside the palace. When she saw the longed-for princess coming back, she couldn't help but take a step forward.
Princess Manzhu said calmly: "Go back."
Then, this miserable woman who married off to the Western Regions when she came of age looked back at the red wall and black tiles, with a mixture of envy and self-pity in her eyes.
Maybe Zhenguan was right, he was very different from her.
……
Inside the palace wall, in the dining hall.
Watching "aunt" leave, the servants also retreated tacitly, and the sunlight skirted the threshold and illuminated the corners of their clothes.
"Zhao Qing." The empress suddenly looked at the courtyard and said softly.
"I am here."
"You are very powerful. You are so amazing at playing chess. Tell me, what kind of monster have you become?" Xu Zhenguan turned his head and stared at him with faint eyes.
Zhao Duan held his tail between his legs and behaved with an honest face:
"I was lucky for a while."
A moment of luck...Xu Zhenguan snorted and didn't tangle with him on Go. But there was a little bit of surprise in my heart.
Although she had wildly doubted whether "Mr. Lin" was Zhao Duan as early as the day the chess game was reported, her suspicion at that time was also a baseless delusion and not certain at all, otherwise she would not have been able to do it just now. Will blurt out angry words about sending Link to his aunt...
But the guess came true...are the people chosen by the ancestral dragon souls so evil?
"Tell me, why did you get close to Manzhu in disguise? Don't use coincidence to deal with me."
Xu Zhenguan's eyes narrowed into a straight line, and his tone was dangerous.
She felt that this guy was very dishonest. Either he was favored by Prajna or he was close to Manzhu. There seemed to be a stepmother in the family... Wait, so this guy wouldn't like older people...
Zhao Duan felt that he had been wronged and hurriedly swore to explain that he was just aware that Wenzhu was investigating him, so he went to inquire about the enemy's situation, so as to persuade Zhenbao to stop worrying about the matter.
"Your Majesty, let's continue eating. The food will be cold later." Zhao Duan walked back to the stool diligently and sat down.
Xu Zhenguan glared at him: "Sit aside! Are you still addicted to acting?"
Zhao Duan recalled the brief touch when his right hand moved down from the waistline. He wanted to nod and say yes, but his survival instinct made him silently move the chair.
Xu Zhenguan sat down angrily, and the two continued to eat. When they were full, she wiped her mouth and said lightly:
"To avoid trouble from those monks, you should go home tomorrow."
Zhao Duan was stunned: "Where will I sleep at night?"
Xu Zhenguan hesitated and said calmly:
"My aunt lives in the palace and has not left yet. She is performing a full set of plays. You will sleep in the warm hall tonight."
After leaving these words, she stood up and left.
Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment before he suddenly came back to his senses - so, just like last time, he allowed himself to sleep in the same room with her?
……
……
That afternoon, the story that happened during the debate went viral in Beijing, causing an uproar.
Zhao Duan stayed in the palace, wandering around the garden for several hours with nothing to do. He wanted to take a nap, but he was so energetic that he couldn't sleep.
He simply ran to the Wugong Hall and chatted with Hai Eunuch. He boasted about his wonderful operations in the morning, especially the special book about the baptism of the Lord. Hearing this, Eunuch Hai was stunned and amazed.
After finally staying up until night, the empress finished her official duties for the day and returned to the palace. She saw Zhao Duan waiting eagerly at the entrance of the courtyard.
When he entered the empress's room again, it was already dark outside.
Tonight the bright moon hangs high, the starry sky is clear, the remaining white snow in the courtyard reflects the shining light under the moonlight, a few thin clouds brush across the sky, the ancient night sky is as beautiful as the cold wind in winter has become gentle.
In the warm hall, the lamp has already been turned on, and the candles diffuse bright light.
"Bang."
She took off her thicker regular clothes and wore only a thin long skirt. Her long hair was lazy and disheveled. The barefoot Empress hugged a new quilt, passed through the curtain that separated the living room from the bedroom, and threw the quilt away. On the "living room" floor.
"You will sleep here at night. Be honest. If you mess around like last time, I will throw you to sleep outside in the ice and snow."
Xu Zhenguan said with a look of disgust.
She was referring to the last time Zhao Duan tolerated and bewitched the real soul to lose his mind and be dominated by desire.
No... I was clearly beaten very badly last time, okay... You still disliked me... Besides, can you blame me that time? After all, there is an old saying: "Big-headed son, small-headed father." It is only natural for a son to obey his father...
Zhao Duan curled his lips secretly and agreed.
When the empress turned around gracefully, she twisted her waist and entered the bedroom next door.
He just breathed out softly, carefully took off his outer robe, and placed it neatly on the Arhat's bed.
When only the inner clothes were left, he secretly glanced at the blurry figure lying on the bed on the other side of the curtain, lifted the quilt and got into bed.
Because of the floor heating, even if I sleep on the floor in the living room, I still don't feel cold inside the quilt, but it gradually gets warmer.
During the long night, one slept on the bed in the inner room and the other slept on the floor in the outer room.
Zhao Duan's eyes widened, he couldn't sleep, and sighed softly, thinking about the boring nightlife in ancient times, without even a mobile phone, how uncomfortable it was to be unable to sleep...
"Why are you sighing? Don't you want to sleep?" Xu Zhenguan's voice came from the other side of the curtain.
Zhao Duan looked at the ceiling innocently and said aggrievedly:
"It's not that I don't want to sleep, but that I am in high spirits and not sleepy at all."
Xu Zhenguan lay in the gauze curtain and frowned, thinking that this guy was not serious. Then he thought of something, his brows relaxed and he said with relief:
"It should be because of the Lord's baptism, so there is no need to panic."
Zhao Duan asked curiously: "Your Majesty, what happened to the baptism?"
It was a mess all day long, and it was only in the dead of night that I remembered this.
Xu Zhenguan patiently explained:
"It's a good thing. I remember that the green lotus loomed between your eyebrows when you were baptized. At this moment, a green lotus should be planted in the sea of consciousness. The World Honored One holds wisdom, and this green lotus will nourish this soul and make your energy endless... You are now If you don't adapt, you will have insomnia. You will be fine after a few days.
With this green lotus here, even if you suffer a physical injury in the future, you will heal faster than others... Not only that, if you really have wisdom, you may be able to learn Buddhist techniques from the green lotus mark...
However, its real benefits will probably not be realized until you step into the world. I don’t know the specific details, but I have only seen vague descriptions in books. ”
Buddhist magic?
That's right... Lao Xu's "Martial God Path" is to cultivate both martial arts. It doesn't mean that he can only learn the spells in the stone tablets left by Lao Xu... Like the spiritual flame I learned from Pei Niannu, even if it is from outside. Of...right?
There seems to be nothing wrong with those who secretly learn some Buddhism...
Well, so I have learned things from the royal family, Buddhism, and even the Qingshan inheritance...I also learned some martial arts from that Chai Keqiao...but I didn't learn anything from Tianshi Mansion.
Bah, Lao Zhang is really stingy, Lao Bai is a weird prostitute, he doesn’t teach me anything...
Zhao Duan silently despised Lao Zhang, but said:
"Nachen strives to reach the worldly realm next year."
Xu Zhenguan, who was lying on the bed, was stunned by his sudden firm tone. He wanted to say that there was no rush, but suddenly he came to his senses... What this guy wouldn't have thought about was that after he stepped into the world, he would Have you met the minimum requirements for dual cultivation with yourself?
In the dark winter night, Xu Zhenguan's cheeks turned red inexplicably, accompanied by anger.
But Zhao Duan didn't say anything clearly, so she made random guesses, and it was even harder for her to speak.
But he thought of something in his heart and said softly:
"Next year, I will also try to reach the true realm of heaven and humanity."
Zhao Duan was stunned and became anxious for a moment. He thought to himself, "It won't happen to me. If you make a breakthrough, wouldn't it mean that even if I become a human being, I would still be squeezed into a dregs by forcing dual cultivation across the realm?"
Let’s not go that far. Co-authoring is really like the carrot in front of the donkey. You can’t eat it, right?
He sat up directly and looked across the curtain, only to hear the empress continue:
"When the imperial treasury calms down and the New Deal gradually takes shape, my uncles and Kuang Fushe's rebels will not sit still and wait for death, and will definitely take action in advance.
I have a hunch that if I cannot advance to the true heavenly realm as soon as possible, there will be a big crisis... Not to mention other things, the mysterious seal of Shenlong Temple makes me very uneasy. ”
Old monk Xuanyin?
That's right... this guy is weird. If the Celestial Master Lao Zhang can still communicate, this seemingly strongest Buddhist man seems to have truly become a human Buddha.
He has been hiding in the Buddhist temple for many years without showing up, letting Bian Ji walk outside instead. He clearly has the ambition to merge the East and West and unify Buddhism, but he almost allows the entanglement of multiple forces in Shenlong Temple...
It feels baffling no matter what.
"Your Majesty is worried about that old bald donkey causing trouble?" Zhao Duan asked softly.
Xu Zhenguan said:
"It's hard to say, I can't see through the mysterious seal. But even if he doesn't do anything, I must step into heaven as soon as possible. Wait until next year, three years after I ascend the throne, and the blessing of dragon energy is stable, I can leave the capital and try to become a Zen. If successful, Once and for all, if it doesn’t work..."
Feng Chan? Does this thing exist in this world?
No, isn't this a matter of reputation? Is it related to the promotion of cultivation? Zhao Duan was puzzled.
But it was obvious that Zhenbao didn’t want to say more, so he branched off after a few words and took the initiative to change the topic:
"The New Year is getting closer. Have you figured out how to deal with Zhuang Xiao next year? Oh, you postponed the matter this time due to illness, but if you don't take any action after the New Year, even if I don't say anything, some people in the court will People are going to make a fuss.”
This certain person naturally refers to the faction of Prime Minister Li Yanfu.
The feud between Zhao Duan and Li Yanfu has only come to an end temporarily, but it is far from over. When Li Yanfu handles the internal issues within the Li Party, he will have a battle with Zhao Duan sooner or later.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. Since I let Zhuang Xiaocheng go, I will definitely capture him back."
Zhao Duan said firmly, then lay down again and said with a wry smile:
"But what I care about right now is more about the Duke who is going back to Beijing during the New Year. I heard that not only the Duke of Zhen is coming back to celebrate the New Year, but also the other Dukes and generals guarding the border are also going back to Beijing to report on their duties?"
At the end of the year, the border army generals return to Beijing. This is the tradition of the Yu State.
It was not only a matter of going home to reunite with relatives for the holidays, but also a need to report to the emperor on official matters what had happened to the border troops in the past year.
As for why it is the end of winter, it is easy to understand:
In the cold winter, the border is the most stable and no large-scale war is likely to break out. At this time, if the border guard generals are mobilized back, there is no need to worry too much about problems at the border.
Xu Zhenguan gave a soft "en".
Zhao Duan heard the hidden worry in Zhenbao's tone, and he suddenly said:
"General Zhao Shixiong will also come back, right?"
Last time, Xue Shence told him that Zhao Shixiong, who was guarding the border in the southwest, had an eye contact with King Mu.
Xu Zhenguan remained silent for a little longer this time and said: "It is reasonable to come back."
Zhao Duan also fell silent.
"It's late at night, go to sleep." The empress suddenly said: "You can try to meditate on the Six Chapters Sutra more to consume excess energy and then fall asleep."
"Okay."
Zhao Duan blew out the candles in the warm room, and the room suddenly fell into darkness, with only the moonlight shining in through the window paper.
A man and a woman ended their conversation and each tried to fall asleep.
However, this time, it was Xu Zhenguan's turn to be unable to sleep...
I was confused, not knowing how long it had been, maybe an hour, or two hours.
The empress on the bed suddenly felt bladder distension and pain, and was awakened by the urge to urinate...
Well, monks in the worldly realm are not gods. They still need to eat, drink and have diarrhea every day, and fairies will also wake up at night.
There was even a chamber pot under her bed in the bedroom. In the past, she would just use the chamber pot when she got up at night.
But today is a bit inconvenient.
Xu Zhenguan turned over, and the hand that subconsciously grabbed the chamber pot suddenly stopped, and his eyes looked straight at someone lying in the conservatory opposite the curtain.
A little sleepiness dissipated immediately.
In the darkness, her little eyebrows slowly wrinkled.
"...Trouble..."
Hold it in forcibly? It didn't seem easy...but even if there was a curtain, she couldn't take off her panties and relieve herself. It was impossible when she thought about it.
"Hey...are you asleep?" Xu Zhenguan hesitated and called softly.
She wanted Zhao Duan to go out for a while and then come back in after she solved the problem.
There was no response, and only the sound of the man's even and steady breathing came from the warm hall.
"Are you really asleep?"
Xu Zhenguan's face wrinkled, and he suddenly regretted telling this guy how to fall asleep.
It belongs to being trapped in a cocoon.
Of course, as the emperor, she could wake him up roughly, but she hesitated and decided not to do so.
Finally fell asleep... Just don't wake him up...
Take the opportunity to relieve yourself? no!
Even if you don't consider the issue of catcalling, even if you install a soundproof barrier, this is still unacceptable.
Therefore, it seems that I can only go out by myself... Going out at night in the winter, even if the empress is not afraid of the cold, it is not a good experience.
"Oh." Xu Zhenguan sighed softly, and reluctantly pulled out his legs from the quilt, exposing his crystal white feet to the air.
Standing up, he gently opened the curtain and entered the conservatory.
A pair of bright black phoenix eyes looked down at Zhao Duan, who was sleeping soundly with his head up and eyes closed. She looked at it for a while, and after confirming that this guy was indeed asleep, she lightly stepped on the carpet, passed him, and walked to the door. side.
He casually put on a pair of shoes, opened the door gently and walked out of the room, heading to the hut not far away.
Zhao Duan was the only one left in the room.
However, what the empress didn't know was that Zhao, who seemed to be sleeping at the moment, experienced several visualizations, and after Pei Niannu once again opened his skull and threw out the "Six Chapters Sutra", his consciousness drifted and fell. Wandering in the sea of consciousness, a green lotus appeared in front of me.
"Qinglian? Is this the one given by the World Honored One? Why did I see it..."
Zhao Duan was in a daze and his thinking was not very clear.
The soul was stunned, floating on the sea of consciousness, and subconsciously approached the green lotus that was gently swaying in the sea of consciousness.
And then the next second.
With a "boom", Zhao Duan felt the sea of consciousness suddenly expand. In an instant, his soul power, which had already exceeded the normal "Shenzhang Realm" range, spread crazily.
Taking the center of the eyebrow as the center, it quickly spreads to the surroundings of reality.
He did not wake up, but he clearly "saw" every furnishing and detail in the empress's palace, and saw the "empty" bed on the bed next door.
Then, the soul power continued to spread out of the room and towards the night.
……
Update first, typesetting later
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(End of chapter)