About ten miles outside the west city of the royal capital, there is a rolling grassland, with a clear river flowing from one side, and a dense forest on the other side of the river bank. Because of the quiet scenery, complete terrain, and proximity to the official road, it has always been a noble place.

A place where young men go horse racing or practice riding and shooting.

The sound of hoofbeats was like rain. Two riders were galloping along the river bank, one behind the other. The horses were like dragons, the people were like brocade, and the bridles were decorated with carved saddles. It was rare that the riding skills matched each other. They were extremely superb.

Turning the horse's head and stepping into the river, water splashed up, soaking the soap boots and arrow coat.

"Jing Rui! Don't be crazy, it's winter, come up quickly!" The man on the shore reined in his horse and shouted loudly.

The knight in the water didn't seem to hear anything, and just stepped on the water with his jade crotch, and the water depth gradually reached the horse's belly.

"Okay!" The people on the shore also got angry, "You're not coming up, are you? Then if I go down, I'll freeze for a while and get sick like before..."

With these words, the man on the shore rushed down without hesitation. His companion finally reacted and moved his horse to block it. The two rode side by side and ran diagonally up. After crossing a small slope, Xiao Jingrui suddenly pulled back the reins and jumped.

He dismounted, ran a few steps with all his strength, fell to the ground, and buried his head in the deep weeds.

Yan Yujin shook his head, swung his stirrup and dismounted, walked over and kicked him softly in the stomach: "Hey, are you pretending to be dead?"

The man on the ground didn't even hum. His black hair was scattered on his cheeks, and the weeds covered his face tightly.

"I really can't do anything about you." Yan Yujin sat down next to him, pulled off a piece of grass and held it in his mouth, "Don't you love to pretend to be generous since you were a child? Who doesn't know that Mr. Xiao has a broad mind?

He is a gentle man and a rare humble gentleman. What's causing trouble now? Brother Su didn't say anything, so why did he make you so angry?"

Xiao Jingrui suddenly turned over, his face tensed up, and his eyes stared straight at the sky.

"After drying your back, why don't you dry your belly instead?" Yan Yujin smiled and lay down next to him, playing with his ears with blades of grass. "Are your shoes and socks wet? Take them off and dry them together."

"Go away, don't bother me!" Xiao Jingrui opened his hand.

Yan Yujin suddenly raised his eyebrows: "Hey! You see clearly, it's me. I'm not your punching bag. If you get a cold reception from other friends, don't make it up to me. I've never made it up to anyone.

habit!"

Xiao Jingrui turned over and sat up, staring at him angrily: "What did you say?"

"You're glaring at me and I'm afraid of you?" Yan Yujin stared back, his voice getting louder and louder, "You're angry just because you feel you've been left out! Ever since Brother Su said to you, 'Jing Rui, please stop asking.

When it's none of your business, you've already started to feel uncomfortable, right?"

"I don't……"

"Stop pretending in front of me," Yan Yujin blocked him with one sentence, "Then when he left the palace, he didn't want to take the carriage. He said he wanted to walk slowly by himself for a while, and if he had something to think about, you

I couldn't see your expression at that time... Later, I chased him to accompany him, but was rejected, right? That wasn't polite, it was rejection. It was a clear expression that he didn't want you to come with him. Why don't you understand? "

"I understand!"

"I understand, why are you still so angry? When you said that like a child, you said, 'Then you go on your own, I'll go play polo.' How do you expect him to answer you? Do you want to hear what he says?"

Jing Rui, why are you like this? I'm sick and you still leave me to play? Please, how old are you? Brother Su's answer is right. You can do whatever you want. You don't need to tell him. This

It’s just a truth, so you won’t be so angry that you turn around and leave, right?”

"But we are friends," Xiao Jingrui bit his lower lip, "Shouldn't friends care about each other when getting along?"

Yan Yujin shrugged his shoulders and said with a flat mouth: "You still said you understood. Let me tell you, Brother Su didn't say that to refuse you to care about him. He really, really wants to

Walk back slowly by yourself! As for why he wanted to walk alone on the street, I haven't figured it out yet. I originally planned to follow him secretly, but you idiot turned around and left, so I had to chase you.

.”

"You mean..." Xiao Jingrui asked in a daze, "Brother Su wants to go alone, not only to think about things, but also for other purposes?"

Yan Yujin laughed a few times and looked sideways at his friend, "Jing Rui, don't you still think that Brother Su came to Jinling with us to recuperate?"

"I..." Xiao Jingrui hesitated, "Of course I'm not that slow... He didn't seem to deliberately hide it from us, he just let things develop naturally..."

"Brother Su's involvement in this series of events after arriving in the capital must not be accidental. All his actions should have his specific purpose. Unfortunately, we don't know what he wants to do."

Xiao Jingrui's thick and clear eyebrows were drawn toward the center, squeezing out two lines, and he let out a long sigh, "I think I know..."

"You know?" Yan Yujin's eyes immediately opened wide, and he suddenly pressed on him, "Then tell me!"

"I asked Xie Bi about it, and the 'Qilin Talent' he mentioned at that time turned out to be the master of Langya Pavilion. The prince and Prince Yu were competing to recruit him, and the root cause is here," Xiao Jingrui pushed the pile of things on his body.

The weight didn't push it, so forget it, "I think, with Brother Su's ability and the power of the Jiangzuo Alliance, he couldn't have known about this until he arrived in the capital..."

"Yeah," Yan Yujin nodded, "That makes sense, continue."

"Since Brother Su has known for a long time that the Crown Prince and Prince Yu are interested in him, even if he doesn't come to the capital, trouble will still come to him. Maybe it will not only be him who will be involved, but also the entire Jiangzuo Alliance.

Already."

"So in order not to bring trouble to Langzhou, the lord of the sect went to the capital to handle it himself?" Yan Yujin tilted his head and smiled, "It makes sense. This is what someone like you would guess.

.”

"Of course I'm not that naive anymore!" Xiao Jingrui beat his head hanging above him with some embarrassment, "But Brother Su is very passive in this matter! The power of the Crown Prince and Prince Yu is definitely not something that a gang can compete with.

, Besides, Brother Su is full of talents, knowledge, and good judgment, and he is indeed worthy of the reputation of a Qilin talent. Even if he came to the capital to really want to choose his master, there is nothing wrong with it. When a man is in this world, who doesn't want to make contributions?

Winning unparalleled fame? Besides, you and I can see how much he cares about his Jiangzuo Alliance. If he succeeds in the capital, Jiangzuo Alliance will be supported by the imperial court. This can be regarded as one of his goals...

"

"Then what are you going to do?" Yan Yujin looked at him deeply, "He is a man of the rivers and lakes, but he wants to get involved in political disputes to gain fame. You are obviously a descendant of the Hou family, but you always hope to stay away from government affairs.

, you are obviously two completely different people, why do you still value him so much?"

"These are two different things! I value Brother Su because he is a good friend worth making. It has nothing to do with whether he will enter an official career in the future, right?"

"But the path he chose is not the same as that of the world's scholars," Yan Yujin's tone gradually revealed a coldness, "Jing Rui, Brother Su is obviously going to participate in the battle for the right to inherit the throne, so you just

Don’t you feel a little uneasy?”

Xiao Jingrui pursed his lips and thought for a long time, then sighed softly, "Yes, I am a little worried, what if the side he chose loses in the future..."

"That's not what I meant," Yan Yujin immediately interrupted him, "I don't care which side he chooses, but what about you? Aren't you afraid that Xie's position is exactly the opposite of his?"

Xiao Jingrui really never thought about going up to this level. He stayed for a long time before he said: "There won't be such a problem. Although Xie Bi is more biased towards King Yu, my father is very neutral..."

"It is impossible for your father to remain neutral forever!" Yan Yujin asserted, "Your father and my father are different. Although my father has a title, he is a sinecure. Your father is the head of the military ministers and the pillar of the imperial court.

The reserve position is the most important thing for the royal family in the past dynasties, how can it be so easy to stay out of it."

"But...but..." Xiao Jingrui thought about it carefully, and when he thought of the worst place, he suddenly felt horrified and broke into a cold sweat.

"Hey, hey," Yan Yujin quickly patted his pale cheek, "The odds are 50-50, which is not low. You don't need to scare yourself like this so early, right?"

Xiao Jingrui pushed his friend away with a heavy expression, "No, I still have to persuade Brother Su. The water here in the court is too muddy, so he'd better not come in..."

"Tch, you said yourself that he is passive. Even if he agrees to you, will the Crown Prince and Prince Yu agree?" Yan Yujin patted the grass clippings on his hands and sat up cross-legged, "Jing Rui, to be honest,

Things have long been beyond our control. I just want to remind you that he may not be a friend or an enemy in the future, so don't be too fond of him."

Xiao Jingrui's whole body froze. He didn't know whether it was because he was surprised because he didn't understand why the other party said that, or because he was shocked because he understood the deep meaning of his words. He stared blankly at Yan Yujin for a long time without answering a word.

"Alas," the uncle-in-law, who has never been serious, rarely showed a serious expression, placed his hands heavily on Xiao Jingrui's shoulders, and whispered, "You should also understand that Brother Su is a different person from us.

, how deep and hard his heart is, and what kind of thoughts are contained in it, we can't see through at all... But you are different, your heart is too hot, too soft, and too real, so listen to me

Yes, it’s better to put some distance between us and just keep the relationship as casual acquaintances. Now he is no longer the Brother Su you brought to Beijing and promised to take care of him. I’m sure he doesn’t have any thoughts in his mind now.

I think of you in my spare time, if you still treat him as a good friend as passionately as before, you will definitely be the one who suffers and gets hurt in the future, do you understand?"

"Yujin..."

"I am telling you these things because I am a good friend. From now on, you have to say to yourself that Su Zhe is a friend you met by chance and have no deep friendship. You two went to Beijing together and he stayed in your guest house, that's all. You

Don’t unilaterally regard him as your confidant. I don’t know how close he is to you. I only know that in his eyes, you can’t be his confidant too. Because to put it bluntly, Su

Brother is a bottomless person, neither you nor I, no matter how prosperous we are, we are not qualified to be his confidant."

Xiao Jingrui had almost never seen Yan Yujin talking to him so seriously and seriously. He couldn't help but be shocked. He lowered his head and thought for a long time. After thinking about it, his words were correct, but the subtle feelings between people were so different.

Is it possible to distinguish these three words clearly?

"Okay, that's it. You can think about it slowly." Yan Yujin jumped up, dragged Xiao Jingrui's arm to pull him up, and showed a heartless smile, "Now accompany me to Miaoyinfang

Listen to music. I haven’t been there for a long time. Miss Gong Yu must miss me. I heard that there is also a new tune by Mr. Thirteen. How about we take a boat ride to the lake and watch the lanterns in the evening? "

"What else can I do?" Xiao Jingrui rolled his eyes at him, "Your eldest young master asked me to accompany you. Do you dare not to accompany me?"

"Haha, that's how I got to know you. I see you're not afraid of the cold even though you're wet. Let's go quickly. We'll have some clothes to change when we get to Miaoyinfang..."

"Yujin..."

"Um?"

"I'd better go back and change clothes..."

"Please, your home is close to the city, and Miaoyinfang is at the west gate. Can't you tell which one is closer?"

Xiao Jingrui's eyes wandered on the ground for a while, and he whispered: "I still want to go back and take a look first... I wonder if Brother Su is home alone..."

Yan Yujin's shoulders were slumped, his expression extremely helpless.

"I turned around and left. What was your reaction when you saw him?"

"There was no reaction at all." Yan Yujin said with a straight face, "He was really thinking about things at that time. He didn't notice that you were angry at all. He still walked at his original pace, slowly and step by step.

Gone far."
To be continued...