After exhausting myself to death

The yard where Shen Minghuan lives is close to the corner. He chose this by himself just so that he could plant a bamboo forest outside the yard.

Look at Qi'ao and see the green bamboo.

There are gangsters and gentlemen who are as good as discussing and polishing.

He conforms to all the beautiful imaginations people of this era have for a noble man.

The yard looks very simple, without too many decorations and eye-catching colors, it is simple to the point of being a bit shabby. However, if you look closely, you will find that everything is exquisite, and even every arc has an ingenious design.

Pushing open the small courtyard door, there is a chessboard always placed on the stone table facing the door. Most of them are "Shen Minghuan" and Shen Changqing playing chess. However, today there are already two people sitting at the stone table, playing chess opposite each other.

Shen Changqing dropped a piece, and the jade stones collided with each other, making a crisp sound. He turned his head and glanced past Shen Duo to Shen Minghuan, who was approaching from the door. He was kind and tolerant, "Minghuan, are you back?"

Shen Duo turned his head in a hurry, his movement was too big and he knocked over the chessboard, causing the pieces to clatter to the ground.

His eyes were burning, his breathing was rapid, his fingers were trembling slightly, and he could not tell whether he was excited or angry.

In Yanling in winter, even if there is no snow at the moment, the sky and the earth are still white.

Only the bamboo forest outside the courtyard still has greenery.

As the courtyard door opens and closes, the lush greenery pours into the small courtyard, but it willingly turns into a leaf on the young man's shoulder, eager to add more glory to him.

——Even though he is dazzling enough.

It is better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo.

Behind Shen Minghuan was a rustling bamboo forest. It was as if the bamboo forest came to life just because he walked through it.

And only if he lives here can the existence of the bamboo forest be meaningful.

Shen Duo has not seen Shen Minghuan for nearly fifteen years.

The little child who used to hold back tears with red eyes and salute solemnly to wish him a safe journey has now grown into an outstanding young man.

Just looking at his demeanor, you can tell that he is extraordinary.

Shen Duo once looked at his hometown from Xiqiu across many mountains and passes, day after day and year after year.

He sent away the spring flowers and autumn leaves, sent away the wife who had supported him for half his life, and sent away the returning geese that traveled from south to north and then from north to south.

He described Shen Minghuan's appearance in every letter, and learned about Shen Minghuan's elegance from the sender's words. He felt extremely happy and proud in these countless moments.

The imperial edict calling him back was unclear, and it only praised him for having an outstanding child. Shen Duo was thinking about it all the way, what price did Shen Minghuan pay to get the emperor to agree to his return?

He didn't expect it, but the rumors since entering Beijing told him the truth.

Those emotions, relief, and pride... dissipated inch by inch, and the joy of returning to my homeland was also covered up by anger. If words can lie, then how much of the letters he has received and the news he has heard are true?

Shen Duo looked at Shen Minghuan with complicated eyes.

Shen Minghuan just pretended not to see him and answered Shen Changqing with a smile: "Yes, I came back and made grandpa worried."

Shen An suddenly realized, "It turns out that the owner of the house had known that the old man would come here!"

After he finished speaking, he realized that his interruption was too impolite, and he covered his mouth as if to accuse him.

There was a smile in Shen Changqing's eyes, "I also know that you know."

Shen Minghuan said "hmm", as if he thought it was funny, and he said seriously: "I also know that grandpa knows that I know."

After saying this, he actually made himself laugh. Shen Changqing looked at him fondly and shook his head helplessly.

Shen Duo: "..."

Didn't anyone notice that there was another person here?

He coughed loudly several times without giving up, trying to attract the attention of the people present.

So Shen Changqing, Shen Minghuan, and Shen An, who were chatting happily, all turned their heads and stared at him with questioning eyes, as if they were waiting for the prisoner who was about to be executed to make his final appeal.

Shen Duo: "..."

Shen Changqing looked disgusted, "Such a big man can still scatter Ming Huan's chess pieces all over the floor."

*

Shen Changqing didn't stay long. After confirming that Shen Minghuan was unharmed, he found a reason to leave, creating conditions for the father and son who had reunited after a long separation to talk.

"Che, the water is clear." Shen Duo looked at him and sighed, and then spoke after a long time: "I named you Che. I hope you will be clean and clear in your life and have no regrets. I chose the name Minghuan for you, and I wish you good luck. No worries, always cheerful, full of joy.”

He squatted down and used the action of lowering his head to pick up the chess pieces to hide the surging emotions in his heart. "If I asked you to stop now and stay away from the dispute over the inheritance, would you be willing?"

The system burst into tears, [Woo woo woo, host, I'm sorry. ]

[Why are you crying? I'm not doing all this just for you. ] Shen Minghuan was so shocked by the cry that his face froze, and he comforted him awkwardly.

Shen Duo interpreted Shen Minghuan's silence as rejection. He stood up and put the chessboard on the stone table. He nodded and smiled bitterly: "I know you are better than me. You are a young talent. You need ambition, but why do you want to Is it the second prince?”

Shen Duo can accept Shen Minghuan working for Luo Xiuyuan. As he said, when the children are older and eager to show their talents, even if there is danger, parents have no reason to stop them.

The premise is that it is the right path.

"Because the second prince is better..." Lie.

Shen Minghuan smiled slightly, "The eldest prince cannot let you return to the capital, father."

"Then do I still have to thank you?" Shen Duo tried his best to endure it, but there was still a bit of sarcasm in his tone.

He was angry that this man had ignored Da Qi's future for some benefits, but he was also afraid that this man really chose the second prince for his own sake.

If that's the case, then isn't he the source of all these sins?

Shen Duo's voice was trembling: "Do you know what people outside are saying about the Shen family now?"

Shen Minghuan sighed, "Why care about what the world thinks? History is written by the victors."

"You..." Shen Duo's eyes widened in surprise, and his expression was complicated: "How can you say such a bastard?"

Before Shen Minghuan came back, Shen Changqing had already talked with Shen Duo.

Shen Duo didn't understand why his father, who in his memory could not tolerate a grain of sand in his eyes, would so firmly support Shen Minghuan's ridiculous approach fifteen years later, but refused to explain the reason to him.

"Si Ming, I don't care how much confusion and dissatisfaction you have, you have to remember that the current head of the Shen family is Ming Huan."

Shen Changqing's tone was serious before ending the conversation, which sounded like a reminder and a warning.

Shen Duo closed his eyes slightly and said, "Shen Che, you are the head of the Shen family. The Shen family is not just you, me, and father living in the ancestral house. You have to be responsible for the Shen family members."

"You are right." Shen Minghuan nodded in agreement, "The best way is for you to sever the father-son relationship with me and drive me out of the house, so that I will not involve the Shen family."

"Shen Che!" Shen Duo was furious. He believed that Shen Minghuan was angry, but even if he said it out of anger, his words were too hurtful. "I am your father, can't I say a few words?"

He said sarcastically: "You are the current leader of the Shen family. How can I drive you out of the house? If you want to leave, I should leave, right, head of the family?"

Shen Minghuan seemed not to notice the anger in his tone, and nodded again: "Ah, yes, I am the head of the family, so I expel myself from the house?"

Shen Duo took a breath.

He thinks this won't work. He and Shen Minghuan had not seen each other for a long time. Day and night in Xi Qiu, he also drew courage from missing his child.

After fifteen years, this relationship should not be wasted in meaningless quarrels.

"Shen Che, it's not the right time to talk anymore. Let's all calm down." Shen Duo stopped his losses in time and walked away.

Shen Minghuan sighed regretfully. He really wanted to be kicked out of the house.

[Host? ] The system probed carefully.

It didn't know why Shen Minghuan spoke like this. In its opinion, Shen Minghuan was fully capable of solving the problem in a better way.

If its host wants to have a good relationship with someone, no one in the world can refuse.

Shen Ming happily placed the chess pieces on the chessboard one by one without answering.

*

Luo Xiuqi has been enjoying the spring breeze recently.

At the dinner that day, the emperor personally spoke out to restore General Zhuo's reputation. He was still an invincible general who fought against Da Qi.

But Zhuo Feichen faintly showed that the only second prince was following the lead, which really made Luo Xiuqi steal the spotlight.

Even the famous Prince Lilan, who came all the way to be a hostage, respected him first-class.

During the banquet, Luo Xiuqi listened to the compliments and was a little intoxicated.

After that night, he was so busy that he couldn't even find time to find his Mr. Shen. Too many people came to visit, coaxing Luo Xiuqi to the point where he couldn't find him.

He demonstrated his strength vividly at the dinner party. Shen Minghuan, Li Chengzhuo, and Zhuo Feichen, just three of them, could compete for the throne, not to mention the prince's position.

Nowadays, there are many people in the court who are arrogant and obsessed with fame and fortune. They have no other skills. What they are best at is to adapt to the wind.

The words were particularly beautiful, and Luo Xiuqi, who had suffered so much at Shen Minghuan's place, never wanted to leave.

Because Luo Xiuqi's attitude of liking to be praised was too obvious, the people below naturally liked him.

"I have wanted to pay my respects to His Highness before, but every time I saw His majesty, I felt ashamed of myself. Therefore, I kept missing the opportunity. It is a pity."

"Your Majesty, what you say makes sense. In my humble opinion, His Highness's majesty is comparable to that of His Majesty."

Luo Xiuqi was shocked at first when he heard someone comparing him to the emperor. Later, the more he heard it, the more he became more and more calm.

It only took three days to go from "indistinguishable" to "out of reach of your majesty". Luo Xiuqi raised the corners of his mouth and said "don't dare, don't dare", but did not try to stop it at all.

Such a big movement naturally reached the emperor's ears.

Its speed and complete content are just like the sudden rumors that were heard by Luo Xiuqi quickly. It is so miraculous that it makes people scratch their heads.

No one wants to be degraded to praise another person, let alone the emperor who has always been aloof.

No matter how much he loved Luo Xiuqi, he couldn't help but feel a little grudge when he saw the other person's attitude of letting things go and even enjoying it.

——The throne will be yours sooner or later. I love you so much, pave the way for you, and eliminate threats for you. Are you really so impatient to wait?

——Or am I also one of the threats you want to eliminate?

His Majesty the Emperor, who was filled with a fatherly heart, suddenly felt chilled.

However, once something is given, it is difficult to take it back.

Although the emperor no longer planned every detail for Luo Xiuqi as before, among all his children, Luo Xiuqi was still the special one.

Shen Minghuan quietly listened to his subordinate's report and happily placed a piece on the chessboard. There was no one across from him. It was more like playing with black and white than playing chess.

The storm outside was clearly caused by him, but he turned out to be the most leisurely and at ease.