White Jade Crossbow (2)
Madam Wen was the Empress Dowager's cousin. Although she was given a grand funeral after her death, with most of the dignitaries in Huajing City attending, the current Marquis's wife, Concubine Liao, claimed she had cried so much over the previous wife's passing that her eyes were injured. Later, it was thought that Concubine Liao's two pregnancies were either miscarried or prematurely lost. The third would have also died if it weren't for the court physician's meticulous care. The last child who barely survived was a little girl, but her brain was damaged by a burn at the age of six, leaving her mentally retarded and confused.
This was discovered by the secret agents of Buhuo City recently.
"If that's the case, the Nanyang Marquis' Mansion might not be as peaceful as it seems." Tang Xixu asked the servant to add hot water, pour a cup of tea, and present it to the woman in front of him.
Xu Ning's throat was dry, so he took it over and said, "The Nanyang Marquis' Mansion is only a suspect, and the list of condolences still needs to be carefully examined."
His hands were free, but his mouth didn't want to be empty either, so Xu Ning finished all the pastries on the plate without realizing it.
"I just ordered a bowl of lotus seed soup. I guess you're tired of it. Have some." The young man didn't know when the soup was served, but he had already put the spoon to Xu Ning's mouth.
With his mouth half-open, he noticed a strange gaze fixed on him. Feeling uneasy, Xu Ning raised his hand to take it away, "I'll do it myself."
The soup was topped with osmanthus honey, and the sweetness was just right for Xu Ning's taste. He took a sip and nodded with satisfaction. The smile on the young man sitting opposite him deepened.
Pei Yuanchi was stunned. If this wasn't his residence, he really wanted to turn around and leave.
…
After reading the letter in her hand, a layer of gloom covered the woman's bright eyes. Zhao Mingchang called her personal maid, "Cuizhu, tell mother that the young lady misses the queen."
Zhao Mingshang's mother, Jiang, was personally conferred the title of second-rank lady by His Majesty. Before the Empress entered the palace, she and Jiang were close friends. In her spare time, Jiang would bring her children to the palace.
"How come Mingchang has time to come and see me today?" The Queen had a kind face, but her faint smile held a hint of darkness.
Also visiting today is the lady from the Nanyang Marquis’ Mansion, Ms. Liao.
"I heard that the Empress is interested in studying Buddhism, so I copied a few volumes of Buddhist scriptures a few days ago and are about to bind them, hoping to send them to you soon."
The maid took the lacquered and gold-painted scroll and unfolded it for display.
The fine lines at the corners of the queen's eyes became more pronounced, and the scarlet flower on her brow became brighter. "Good, good, Mingchang is thoughtful."
Liao, standing by, thought of her own daughter, only a year or two younger than Zhao Mingchang. How could there be such a huge difference? She often complained about why her daughter looked like that, why she wasn't a boy. If she were a boy, the noble ladies in the capital would look up to her and wouldn't look down on her merchant background.
"Since Miss Zhao is so thoughtful, why don't you just copy the entire book? Wouldn't that show your sincerity more?"
The elegant and graceful face on the phoenix chair suddenly turned cold, and his thumb twirled the Buddhist beads in his hand.
"I believe that the most important thing in copying Buddhist scriptures is piety, not complexity. If one is sincere and respectful, even a few lines can resonate with the Buddha. If one is careless, even if one piles up a mountain of work, it will still be difficult for the Bodhisattva to pay attention."
Liao was speechless, her face flushed, and she glared at Zhao Mingshang secretly.
The queen looked satisfied and became more and more fond of the woman she had chosen at the beginning.
While everyone was enjoying their tea, a palace maid came in and kowtowed, "The Queen is not well."
"How unbecoming of you to be in such a panic!" the queen scolded harshly.
After a while, the maids quieted down. The queen spread out her robe and said quietly, "Tell me, what's the matter?"
The young palace maid's shoulders trembled as she spoke shakily, "Your Majesty, I was only away for a moment to change some refreshments, and when I returned, the young lady from the Nanyang Marquisate had a rash and fainted on the ground."
Liao stood up immediately, not caring about her manners at all, "What! My daughter, take me to see her." She stood up in a panic and walked so quickly that she even ignored the person on the phoenix chair.
The queen lowered the corners of her lips, showing an unhappy expression. She held her forehead and, thinking of how worried she was about her daughter, waved her handkerchief and let her go without saying anything.
The palace maid understood and took Liao there.
Zhao Mingchang lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and raised her red lips slightly.
I don't know which lady couldn't stand Liao's behavior. "In my opinion, if your daughter is in such a state, she should not come to the tea party and disturb the Queen's mood."
"She is indeed from a merchant family. She has none of the elegance and grace of Madam Wen back then. She only managed to win the favor of the Marquis of Nanyang by relying on her charming demeanor in her youth. Otherwise, how could she have had this opportunity to climb the social ladder?"
Liao paused, clenched her handkerchief, and turned around. The whites of her eyes turned red as she glared at the people who had just been gossiping. She wanted to say a few words back, but then she remembered that the Marquis of Nanyang had told her to be restrained when she went out and not to cause trouble. So she suppressed her anger and left quickly.
Those noble ladies were also bullies who only feared the strong and bullied the weak. When Liao turned around and glared at them, they were really frightened and shrank their necks. The situation returned to its previous state only after she left.
The tea party was the same as usual, and the conversation was nothing more than which shop had the new snacks and what kind of clothes and jewelry were popular this year. Zhao Mingchang was not interested, and when he calculated that it was almost time, he made an excuse to leave.
Xu Ning had been waiting at Jinxin Pavilion outside the palace gate and had eaten several plates of cakes.
She was sitting on the second floor facing the palace gate. She saw the Zhao family's carriage from afar and asked someone to bring more cakes.
"You guessed right. Madam Wen's death was not that simple. I'm afraid it had something to do with Liao." Zhao Mingshang took off the veil and took a small bite of the red bean cake.
When Liao learned her daughter was in trouble, she took care of her until no one was around, crying, "It's all my fault. The Wen family has the support of the Empress Dowager, and Wen Ting was very much loved by the Empress Dowager when he was alive. The Wen family must have known about what happened, and the Empress Dowager used it to attack my son. It's all my fault. I've let you down."
Liao's daughter Handing suffered from wind poison. Zhao Mingchang only asked people to replace the soft cakes on the plate with some crispy cakes with almond powder, so her life was not in danger.
Xu Ning pondered for a moment. "The Liao family came from a merchant family and was well-off. Madam Wen, though she had the support of the Empress Dowager, had a father who was a minor official and lived in poverty. She had never received any favors from the Empress Dowager. Han Jishan came from humble beginnings, with no family background. The beautiful appearance of the Nanyang Marquisate's current residence is entirely thanks to the Liao family."
Zhao Mingchang also thought so in his heart, "If Liao Shi's emotions were not so clearly revealed, today's plan might not have been feasible."
It was said that the Marquis of Nanyang did not allow Liao to talk much outside, and she was not allowed to show her face unless it was an important banquet.
The sun was about to set, leaving only a sliver of orange and red. Yong'an Street, in front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace, was bustling with people. Xu Ning finished his last sip of tea and said with a smile, "Thank you, Mingchang, for today. I'll come to Buhuo City some other day."
When Zhao Mingchang learned that Tang Xixu was still alive, he sighed and the guilt in his heart eased a little.
The woman opposite smiled but said nothing. Thinking of the current relationship between Xu Ning and Tang Xixu, her red lips opened and closed again, and then opened and closed again. Seeing the woman's figure about to disappear around the corner, she finally spoke, "Xu Ning."
Xu Ning turned around, a puzzled look on his face.
"If you and Ah Xu need any help from me in the future, just ask."
Xu Ning smiled faintly, twirling the string on her clothes with her hand, and said nonchalantly, "When have I ever been polite to you?"
Then he turned and left.
Cuizhu was puzzled. The young lady was the eldest daughter of the Shangshu Mansion and the most talented woman in Huajing City, so why did she trust a person from all walks of life so much and even relax her bottom line?
"Zhu'er, you don't understand. In this situation, it's still unclear who will win."
The woman put on her veil and stood up to leave. "I remember the Third Prince invited me to go rafting a few days ago. Let's get ready. I have some free time now, so I should relax."
The maid was overjoyed to hear that her mistress had finally agreed to the Third Prince's request.
Imperial City, Shoukang Palace.
"Oh? Why did you faint out of nowhere?"
The voice of the woman in her sixties revealed majesty. The empress dowager was pruning branches and heard about what happened at the tea party.
The personal maid and Aunt Chun replied, "The Empress has sent the imperial physician, who says the young lady already had a case of wind poison and today ate some almond powder, which is why she got into trouble. Fortunately, she ate very little, so her life isn't in danger."
The Queen Mother frowned slightly and squinted her eyes as she searched for the dead branches.
After searching for a long time, I finally found it and cut it off with one knife, clean and neat.
"Those people in the Imperial Food Bureau are supported by the imperial court, and they don't work with all their heart. Small punishments will serve as a warning to others, so let's fine each of them half a month's salary."
No matter how big or small the banquet in the palace is, a list of the guests’ dietary restrictions will be drawn up and submitted to the Shangshi Bureau. Such a situation is rare.
When Aunt Hechun thought of this, the empress dowager naturally thought of it too. She did not pursue the matter because she believed that the person behind the matter could not cause much trouble. What's more, this was a family affair of the Nanyang Marquis' Mansion, and there were more important things to do at the moment.
"Noble Concubine Shen has been gone for so long, and I heard that the Emperor still can't let her go."
The Queen Mother put down the scissors, grabbed some broken grains and scattered them into the pond. Bubbles appeared on the calm water surface and the red carps scrambled for the food.
Aunt Hechun lowered her eyebrows and replied, "That's right. Last month, His Majesty ordered the construction of a tower and named it after Concubine Shen's nickname to mourn the late concubine."
The Empress Dowager sneered, "Whether this is a tribute to the deceased concubine or not, only the Emperor knows for sure."
"Yesterday, Censor Hua was outspoken and reprimanded Your Majesty at the morning court. However, he did not impeach Concubine Shen like other court officials did. Instead, he believed that Your Majesty should not be obsessed with the path to immortality, but should be more concerned about the people's livelihood."
"Hua Mingru." Empress Dowager Feng raised an eyebrow and threw down the broken grain in her hand. "What a pity."
The Empress Dowager was only five or six years older than Emperor Ganping. After Yuwen Zhan's biological mother died, he was sent by the late Emperor to be raised by Feng Jin, who was the Empress at the time, when he was thirteen years old.
In his early years, Emperor Ganping devoted himself to state affairs and neglected food and sleep. As he grew older, he wanted to live forever, so when he was "secluded to cultivate immortality", Empress Dowager Feng often took charge of state affairs. It was Empress Dowager Feng who Hua Mingru impeached a few days ago.
"Next month is Wen Ting's death anniversary. I wonder how Li Er is preparing."
Aunt Hechun understood and secretly summoned Handi the next day.
…
When Xu Ning returned, Tang Xixu was playing chess alone. The white pieces were surrounded by black pieces, and he was left with only one breath.
The young man looked up and saw the woman staring intently at the chessboard.
"If it were Ningning, how would she make the next move?"
Xu Ning frowned. All the paths on the chessboard were occupied by two pieces. If the white piece made its last move, the whole game would be lost.
"If it were me, I would destroy this chess game and start over."
The young man raised his lips slightly, "This is also a good idea. It doesn't require much effort."
Xu Ning tilted her head. Why did she feel like he was saying that I was simple-minded but strong-limbed?
Since that was the case, she would like to see what Tang Xixu thought.
Unexpectedly, the young man got up and went into the inner room.
"What are you going to do? Are you going to play chess?"
After a while, Tang Xixu came out with a square wooden board in his hand, which he put together with the original chessboard.
He picked up another white piece with his long fingers and placed it at the last breath of his life. Suddenly, the chess path became clear, and one breath turned into three breaths.
Xu Ning's pupils dilated, and she stood up immediately. "You're breaking the rules. I've never seen anyone add to the board while playing Go."
"But the rules don't say you can't add a chessboard." The man smiled gently.
"You are really good at finding new ways."
Xu Ning couldn't argue with him, so she turned and went into the house to change clothes, kicking stones on the road as she walked.
Tang Xixu looked at the woman's back, smiling without saying a word.
The moon tonight is rounder than usual, the stars are covered with black, and the light on the road is much dimmer.
The green bamboos swayed in the wind, the moonlight cast a light shadow, and the space under the triangular pavilion was as clear as a pool of water, with algae and water chestnuts intertwined, and the slanting shadows of bamboo and cypress trees mottled. A man in the pavilion leaned against a chair, and the swaying bamboo shadows outlined his face.
"The price of Lord Wen's deal is too high. I can't do it." Su Zhanfeng crossed his arms and closed his eyes. The darkness around him merged into the night.
Wen Liang was burning incense in the stove. White smoke swirled up, and the sandalwood rushed into his nose. The elegant and clear fragrance swept away a lot of Su Zhanfeng's boredom.
"Really? Don't you want to see that person?"
Su Zhanfeng didn't open his eyes and said coldly, "I don't want to." He was a little curious at first, but when he saw Wen Zhao, he didn't want to get involved in this mess.
Seeing that he couldn't be persuaded, Wen Liang resorted to another tactic, "The Qu family was wiped out half a year ago. I heard that the Qu family's daughter studied medicine in Medicine King Valley since she was young, and received the true teachings of both Medicine King Valley Master Sun Baoyi and Poison King Xue Bushuo. My Southern Sect has been persecuted recently for some reason, and has suffered heavy casualties. We are in need of a doctor like this who can bring people back to health."
The man suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils were bright, reflecting the full moonlight.
After a while, he said, "It's okay if you want me to help you, but I have one condition."
The man on the stone pier had a cold look on his feminine face. "You say."
"I don't know what kind of deal you are making with the one sitting on the throne. From now on, An Feng will not get involved in anything involving people or things in the court." His voice was cold, with a hint of solemnity.
After the former leader Wei Yunzha left, Su Zhanfeng, one of the two evil spirits of Dark Front, defeated all the top 100 killers on the killer list and became the new leader of Dark Front.
Wen Liang thought for half a minute and said, "Okay."
The light from the silver hook on the man's waist suddenly flashed, and Su Zhanfeng stood up, his expression unclear in the darkness.
"Why do I see that Master Wen has beard growing at the corners of his mouth?"
A needle suddenly pierced Wen Liangxin's heart, and her pupils trembled slightly. After a moment, she regained her composure.
The man laughed, "I think it's because it's dark and the shadows are thin. Chief Su must be dazzled and seeing things wrong."
Su Zhanfeng raised the corner of his lips slightly and left. Outside the pavilion, where he couldn't see the direction of the road ahead, his voice echoed, "Don't worry, I won't say anything I shouldn't."
With the corners of his lips lowered, his whole body felt as cold as frost, and Wen Liang recalled the elusive figure.
Wen Ran, who was hiding on the eaves, saw people leaving and flew down.
"Master, there are two more letters from the palace."
Wen Ran held the candle in his hand, Wen Liang took it, quickly glanced through it, and his solemn expression eased a little.
"The Xin people are really good at dog-eat-dog. Who do you think will win?"
Wen Ran lowered his head, remained silent, and did not dare to look Wen Liang in the eye.
"How is things at home?" Wen Liang leaned on the railing, looking at the shaking bamboo leaves in the distance, feeling happy.
"The master is seriously ill, and the heir has not yet been decided. The eldest son can no longer bear it."
"What's happening in other tribes?"
"King Yisha heard that the master was still alive and wanted to marry his beloved daughter to the master." Wen Ran said in a deep voice, a cold gaze already fell on the top of his head.
Wen Liang sneered, "A tribe that was only established in recent years also wants to marry into the largest tribe, the true royal court of Xizhou. How ridiculous."
"The princess often visits the queen and is very much in her good graces. She seems to be very fond of her master."
As soon as the last sentence came out, Wen Liang glanced sideways at the person next to him, and Wen Ran lowered his head again and dared not speak.
The next day, Buhuo City.
There was no one in the city during the day, the streets were empty with a few dead leaves floating on them, and there was a dead silence.
Xu Ning wandered around the city for a long time but didn't see Tang Xixu.
It's strange, where did he go today without informing me in advance?
When I looked up, I saw a dark blue figure about to fall to the ground.
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