The evening drums are like thunder, resounding through thousands of streets and hundreds of arches in Chang'an.

Dayefang, Qingshi Lane.

When the old people come to the new people, the alleys of countless generations have been passed by, a layer of white snow was covered with a layer of white snow, and scattered footprints remained on the snow surface and spread forward until the source of the fragrance of wine.

The Sun family shop is still the same as before. Three old wine tables are placed in the wine shop. The old shopkeeper puts a towel on his shoulder and wipes them next to several large wine jars, muttering:

"The New Year is coming to an end, and I feel that this year is not very lively. If it were the past, the wine would be sold out at noon, so I can go back and take a break soon..."

The winery was as quiet as ever. Beside the fenced wine table, the middle-aged man in a Confucian shirt held a warm broken jade roast. In front of him were two plates of side dishes, drinking and drinking.

Behind the middle-aged man is a young man with fair skin. He is less than thirty years old and looks feminine. He is not as tall as an ordinary young man. He always bends his waist and has a respectful and humble expression.

Hearing Manager Sun's words, the middle-aged man recalled the past and looked at the alley where he could line up to the entrance of the alley in the past:

"Yes, I often sat here to drink with Song Yu and Xu You. Song Yu secretly glanced at the woman who was traveling from north to south. Xu You looked at it openly. After drinking, I paid the bill every time. Alas... Times have changed and I have become a lonely man. After thinking about it, it is quite interesting..."

Manager Sun smiled with wrinkled corners of his eyes: "That's not. He was not carefree when he was young. He was old now. If he wanted to be as unruly as a young man, he would be powerless."

"hehe……"

Song Ji picked up the wine glass, took a sip of the broken jade soup, and looked at the heavy snow in the alley with deep eyes.

Manager Sun wiped the wine jar, looked at the young young man standing next to him, felt his face, and frowned and said:

"After your old man, you won't leave, right? That old guy is a little older than the young man. When I was an apprentice, I often came to drink with Ling Zun, and I always looked good..."

Song Ji shook his head: "He also watched me grow up. He has been a servant all his life. He is old and has poor health. People pay attention to falling leaves returning to their roots and go back to their hometown."

"That's good." Manager Sun smiled a little: "It's a blessing to be able to return to the roots of fallen leaves. The wine shop was passed to the old man, and I couldn't throw away the things from my ancestors. I didn't even have the chance to go out for a walk, so I'm afraid I have to stay in this small shop until I die."

Song Ji was silent and looked at the towering Chang'an City:

"It's all the same... It's a blessing to be able to hold on until death. It's better than losing halfway."

"hehe……"

...

During the trivial chat, it was already dark and the wine was cold.

Song Ji rarely left the palace, so he stayed away from the cumbersome government affairs for a while, and did not rush back.

Just being in his position, sometimes if you don’t do things, you will come to you.

Step on the pedal-

The sound of footsteps sounded in the dark alley. The secret guard Lao Yi, who had three straight knives behind him, stood outside the wine shop and bowed slightly.

"Go away."

Song Ji's face returned to the old ancient well Wubo. He took out a few copper coins from his sleeve, placed them on the table, and slowly walked out of the winery.

Manager Sun wiped his hands with a towel, stood under the dim wine banner, watching three figures disappear from the end of his vision, and then shook his head and sighed, wanting to sigh a few words, but he didn't know where to start.

I have lived in this small restaurant for a lifetime and have seen too many people. There are countless lonely people who can sit alone in the restaurant and drink.

Everyone has seven emotions and six desires, even the son of the heaven and the emperor are no exception.

But the position of "Son of Heaven" was destined to be a lonely man. The temptation of imperial power was too great, ranging from friendship, love, and even blood-thickness to family affection, sometimes not worth mentioning.

There are too many examples in history books: sons kill their fathers and brothers kill their brothers. Do these people have no fathers and sons and brothers? There must be some, but before the imperial power, this kind of friendship was like snow flying all over the sky, and the wind was blowing away and was shaking.

Song Ji was a very qualified emperor, so he was never confused or private emotions. In the face of the betrayal of his brothers, he treated him as a pawn without hesitation because this was what an emperor should do. His former brother became a tiger beside the couch, and he began to reduce the vassal states without hesitation. This was also what an emperor should do.

Compared with the country, there is nothing that cannot be given up. You must always regard yourself as a cold-blooded person without feelings, and you cannot feel any pity or hesitation in your heart.

But emperors are also human beings. Being able to give up something for the sake of the overall situation does not mean they will not miss it.

Sitting in this small wine shop where she used to drink with her deskmate, Song Ji also missed the scene of drinking and chatting with Xu You in the past, and the blushing face when she argued with her younger brother Song Yu.

If we can have the best of both worlds, we can not only be peaceful in the world and also maintain the friendship between brothers and sisters, who wouldn’t want to have a few confidants to drink and have fun in our old age?

But this is the way of the world, and the position of the emperor is like this. Only one can be chosen between the two, and Song Ji can only choose the world. Giving up everything except this is destined to be a lonely person.

Manager Sun sighed softly, shook his head and smiled.

This loneliness that belongs to the emperor is probably the only one in the world, who can see the tip of the iceberg...

---

In the dark alley, Song Ji walked slowly with his hands behind his back, while the eunuch held an oil-paper umbrella in his hand to block the heavy snow of goose feathers falling.

Lao Yi walked in front of him, took out a note from his sleeve, and said respectfully:

"Master, Song Ying has another news."

Song Ji's eyes were always on the sky above Chang'an City, where the New Year atmosphere was very strong, and he said softly:

"Song Ying is a little utilitarian. The Tang family's affairs were not done well. He wanted to make up for the merits, but he was too impatient. With this matter alone, even if he brought Xu Buling back to Chang'an, I have no reason to detain Xu Buling. Has he found a new evidence of his crime?"

Lao B nodded: "The day before yesterday, a small chaos occurred in Leting County, Liaoxi County. Someone asked the county magistrate to summon civilians to dig up the underground of Bodhi Island. A bunker was found below, leading to Yuetuo Island. There were signs of fighting near the area, but the traces of the bodies were wiped out, making it difficult to identify the identity."

Song Ji frowned slightly: "Xu Buling went to western Liaoning?"

Lao Yi nodded: "No trace was found, but it is very likely that he was present. Song Ying has been following Xu Buling's traces, and happened to be in western Liaoning. He heard the news and rushed to Bodhi Island for investigation. From the martial arts moves left by the underground palace, it may be the seclusion place of Zuo Zhexian, the founding general of the Great Qi Kingdom. Then he found a secret room in the bunker, with the body of a eunuch of the Great Qi Dynasty. Looking at the accessories, it may be the eunuch in the Great Qi Palace... the one who was missing in front of Jiazi."

"Um?!"

Song Ji paused suddenly, turned his head and looked at Lao Yi:

“Confirm that?”

Lao Yi bowed and said seriously: "It's just speculation, but it's almost the same."

“…”

Song Ji's hand behind him clenched his fists, was silent for a moment, then paced back in the alley, his face getting darker and darker.

Lao Yi bowed and saw that Song Ji had not given orders for a long time, he spoke:

"The Master, it's important. The Investigation Department ran away and killed two postmen to send back the news. Xu Buling is likely to be related to this matter and should have not left Youzhou yet..."

Song Ji's eyebrows frowned like a lion that was about to explode. He walked for a moment and waved his sleeves:

"I am sent to the Liaoxi Protectorate. From now on, I am sent to the entire border of Youzhou, Jeju and Qingzhou, and the entire border of Qingzhou will be closed. Those who dare to cross the border will be killed. Those who dare to block the coast, stop all shipping and fisheries, and those who dare to go out to sea will be killed. All the wolf guards in Waitian, who will immediately rush to Youzhou and you will be dispatched with all your power."

"promise."

Lao Yi respectfully possessed himself and thought for a while: "If Xu Buling is stopped, King Su..."

"Since you fight with someone, there must be others who intervene. The thing may not be in Xu Buling's hands. After intercepting Xu Buling, be sure to ask about whereabouts. If you can't ask, you will be detained. From now on, Guo Zhongxian will be the commander of the Guanzhong army, and the troops will be mobilized to the western front until the jade seal is found. Xu You really dares to come and guard against me."

"this……"

"go!"

"promise."

Old Yi was silent and hurriedly retreated...

-----
Chapter completed!