White Jade Crossbow (6)
"What do you want to do?" Handi said in a low and cold voice, protecting the unconscious woman.
Xu Ning grabbed the woman on the cushion with one hand and said, "Prince Han, I'm sorry."
Although Handi has some skills, he is still at a disadvantage against Xu Ning and the others.
In a few seconds, Handi was subdued by the two men, and his hands were grabbed from behind, "Let me go!"
That night, Nancheng Temple.
"Who are you?" Handi was tied to a wooden stake and his eyes were covered with a black cloth.
"I'm sure the Handan family would like to know how Liao's first two children died." Tang Xixu struck the fire, slightly cupped his palms to protect the flame and lit the wick.
The man on the stake was stunned, stopped struggling, and relaxed completely.
Han Li thought for a while, "What do you want?"
"We don't want anything, we just want to find out something from you." Xu Ning found a few pieces of dried fruit from the cloth bag and ate them.
"During the first month of the twenty-fourth year of Zhenning, what else did you do when you went to Qujiazhuang besides custom-making a white jade bow and crossbow?"
Han Li was stunned for a few seconds, "Nothing else, just visiting an old friend."
"Really? Why don't you think about it again, or tell me if you have anything to talk about." Tang Xixu poured a cup of tea.
Handi still refused to say.
"There is a rumor in the capital that Nanyang Marquis Han Jishan loves Madam Wen very much, but from what I understand, that doesn't seem to be the case." Xu Ning has sent people to visit everywhere these days, from the little maids of noble ladies in the capital to senior beggars, and asked everything he could.
Xu Ning squatted down, curled her lips into a faint smile, and spoke in a gentle tone, "I'm very curious about how Madam Wen lost her eyes. People say she went blind from years of embroidery, but from what I understand, her eyes were gouged out."
The next second, Han Li struggled, veins popping out on his forehead. He didn't care, "No way! The so-called love between husband and wife is just a facade!"
"That beast, Han Jishan, would do anything to advance his rank! Emperor Gan Ping overworked himself in his early years and damaged his eyes. A Taoist priest said that only by eating a pair of eyes that were pure and bright could they be healed."
Xu Ning felt a heavy blow in her heart, her pupils trembled in disbelief. She stood up suddenly, and her ears were suddenly covered by cold palms. Tang Xixu half-circled her in his arms, and the surroundings became quiet.
Handi opened and closed his mouth and started laughing again. Xu Ning didn't hear a word of what he said next.
Under the candlelight, the man on the stake had tears streaming down his face.
…
Finally, Handi was knocked unconscious and thrown into the carriage. By this time, the sky was already turning pale and a few birds were singing in the woods.
"Actually, you've already found out." Xu Ning raised his head to look at the face with half of it still covered in blue lines.
"yes."
"Then you have to tell me later that my tolerance is not that bad."
Tang Xixu exposed her on the spot and said with a smile, "But it seems to me that Ningning almost vomited just now."
Xu Ning's face turned red.
"Then everything makes sense. On the surface, it was Liao who framed Madam Wen, but the real culprit was Han Jishan. After the incident of offering his eyes, Han Jishan gained the trust of His Majesty. Han Li was unable to deal with him, so he turned to the Queen Mother."
"But why did the Queen Mother send Han Li to Qujiazhuang to trick Qu Xiaotian into collecting the names of the soldiers who died tragically? Given the power and status of the Queen Mother Feng, wouldn't this be a superfluous move?"
Tang Xixu served a bowl of porridge and placed it in front of Xu Ning.
"Do you remember what Han Li said at the end? He said that when Wen Liang went to supervise the army, he sent martial artists to kill most of the Mo family soldiers."
Xu Ning, regardless of the risk of exposure, blurted out, "Those ten thousand soldiers of the Mo family army who were slaughtered back then were actually because they had been poisoned and were easily contagious. By the time General Mo discovered it, it was already too late to save them. There were still civilians in the city at the time, so the general had no choice but to execute them. Wen Liang was just the first to act."
After a while, Tang Xixu spoke, "I know." The young man's voice was low.
Xu Ning was surprised. "You knew? When did you know?"
"I only learned this yesterday from a letter from the spy I sent to Ye County."
"Aren't you curious about how I know that?"
Tang Xixu shook his head, a smile on his lips. He stroked the top of Xu Ning's head and said, "I'm not curious. I just hope you're safe."
Xu Ning met those starry eyes, remained silent for a while, and then threw herself into Tang Xixu's arms, "I'm sorry."
Tang Xixu laughed, "Why should I say sorry? It's clearly me who has let you down. Now that I'm behind bars, you're willing to stay with me. This is already a great blessing in my life."
Handi told Qu Xiaotian that it was Wen Liang who harmed the Mo family. It was obvious that the Queen Mother was targeting Wen Liang and was clearly trying to kill someone with a borrowed knife. If Xu Ning had not appeared and stopped it in time, the same mistakes as in the previous life would have been repeated.
Thinking of this, could it be that the Queen Mother knew all along that Tang Xixu was alive?! That's why she chose Tang Xixu to help her get rid of Wen Liang? Xu Ning looked back at Tang Xixu.
The little girl's emotions were all written on her face. Tang Xixu curled his lips into a faint smile, guessing what Xu Ning was thinking. "Don't worry, the truth is still unknown."
The young man clasped his hands on the back of Xu Ning's head and pressed him into his arms. Where Xu Ning couldn't see, Tang Xixu's expression was gloomy and his eyes were cold.
Tang Xixu had a good impression of Empress Dowager Feng, but the kinder a person appears to be, the less kind they appear. Tang Xixu couldn't figure out Empress Dowager Feng, so how could he let Xu Ning take such a risk?
Tang Xixu thought of the dreams he had been having recently: the red of the palace, the white of the sky, and Xu Ning who was pricked like a hedgehog. Thinking of this, Tang Xixu felt a chill on his back, and he couldn't help but tighten his hands a little.
Not long after, the news of the death of Nanyang Marquis' wife Liao spread throughout the capital. Perhaps Nanyang Marquis knew that his wife was not well-liked in the capital, so he held a hasty funeral and the only guests who came to pay their respects were members of the Liao family.
Imperial City, Shoukang Palace.
Empress Dowager Feng was sitting cross-legged reading a book when Aunt Chun came in and whispered a few words to her.
"He's dead, but Marquis Nanyang is still alive and well. He won't leave." Empress Dowager Feng's eyes were always fixed on the book.
"I am afraid of Prince Han..."
"He won't do that. The hatred for killing one's mother is irreconcilable. Besides, even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. Don't underestimate our Prince Handan."
Empress Dowager Feng gazed at the sunlight outside the window.
…
It was two or three months later that Hua Xing returned to Buhuo City. Xu Ning had an indescribable feeling when he saw him again. When Xie Taohua was still there, the smile on this man's face was much more genuine. At that time, he didn't have such a gangster air. Even when he was in the city, he still had the air of a young master from a noble family.
"Oh, you're quite smart. You've found your way here." Hua Xing still had the actor's eye makeup on his face. The area around his eyes was thick black, and the outside was thick red. But he was still smiling, which gave people a sudden sense of weirdness.
Xu Ning rubbed his hands together and laughed, "I'm the fourth disciple of Xu Qiubai, the master of Wangyue Tower. It shouldn't be difficult for me to find this place."
Hua Xing thought for a while and looked at Tang Xixu behind Xu Ning. Never mind, these two are still the same as they were when they were children.
Hua Xing thought of something and asked again, "Have you seen your third senior brother?"
Xu Ning's brows jumped, and she waved her hands and said, "I haven't seen him for many years." Logically speaking, Xu Ning didn't know that Pei Yuanchi was her third senior brother.
The actor nodded, "Indeed, I heard from Master Xu that after you returned to Wangyue Tower, you were severely injured by the Southern Sect. Coupled with your congenital heart disease, you have been in a coma for many years."
Sleeping? Didn't "I" live in Wangyue Tower since I was a child, never leaving until I went out with my second senior brother Xu Lian to seek medicine and treat my heart disease? How could "they" think I was sleeping?
Xu Ning was full of doubts. He wanted to ask but was afraid of being exposed, so he held it back. He decided to wait for Guangyu to come back and ask it. Thinking of this, Xu Ning realized that he hadn't heard Guangyu's voice for several months. For the first time, Xu Ning became worried about the existence of this person who could barely be considered a partner.
"His Majesty wants to see you." The actor looked into Tang Xixu's eyes and said quietly.
Tang Xixu narrowed his eyes slightly, and his dark pupils became more profound.
Ten days later, in the Imperial City of Daxin.
It was already the hour of Xu, and most people had already gone to bed except for those on night duty. Tang Xixu came at the hour of You and had been sitting quietly in a side hall since his dinner. He had just seen Eunuch Dequan half a quarter of an hour ago. "Mr. Tangxi, please come in." Li Dequan took him to the Qinzheng Hall. Emperor Ganping was resting with his eyes closed outside the screen.
"I wonder why Your Majesty summoned me here tonight?" The old man bowed his head in worship, his scarlet official robe was loose, and his skinny figure looked even thinner.
"Please take a seat." Emperor Ganping waved his sleeves, and the palace servants brought a chair for Fang Ji to sit down.
Emperor Ganping sat cross-legged on the futon with his eyes closed. He was not fat to begin with, but he looked much older after Concubine Shen left. With two wisps of white beard at the corners of his lips, he really looked like an immortal.
"I heard that Taifangfu has learned the art of divination during his years of recuperation in the countryside. Could you please calculate for me how my beloved concubine is doing down there?"
Fang Ji stood up, clasped his fists, and said, "I only understand a little bit. Besides, Concubine Shen is gone. Your Majesty should be more open-minded."
The elderly emperor slowly opened his eyes, and his gray eyebrows and eyes looked even more majestic and solemn under the dim candlelight.
"Forget it. Then you tell me how to find the immortal mountain and let me live forever." Emperor Ganping looked fierce and obviously dissatisfied.
The black gauze hat stood up in the candlelight, and the pair of eyes covered with white film under the sunken eye sockets turned into sharp swords, "Your Majesty, people's lifespans may be long or short. There is no immortal mountain in this world, nor is there a way to live a hundred years. I hope Your Majesty will focus on the country and the people." At the end of the words, the two wide crimson sleeves overlapped, and Fang Ji bowed again.
Emperor Ganping was wearing a light wooden Taoist robe with a loose belt. He stared at Fang Ji with his eyes lowered. Li Dequan, who was standing beside him, lowered his head and dared not breathe.
Without the emperor's permission, the minister could not get up. Fang Ji bent his body and maintained this posture for an incense stick, until the slightly feminine voice of a eunuch was heard, which resolved the deadlock.
"Your Majesty, I have recently obtained a kind of elixir that will allow me to see Concubine Shen again in the fairyland."
Wen Liang covered his lips and laughed, his eyebrows raised, and his narrowed eyes looked like a fox.
Tang Xixu looked through the screen. The dim candlelight outlined the shadow of the person entering the hall. If it weren't for the voice, Tang Xixu might not have recognized it as Wen Liang.
A look of joy flashed in the emperor's eyes, and the folded sleeves of his wooden robe unfolded. Emperor Gan Ping waved his hand, and Li Dequan, seeing the expression, pinched his throat and said, "Sir Wen, please present it."
In the center of the black wooden box was a black pill as big as a lotus seed. Li Dequan tested it with a silver needle before presenting it to Emperor Ganping.
Wen Liang saw that Emperor Gan Ping was satisfied with the water and asked, "Why is Fang Hanlin like this? Why is he hunched over?"
It was going to rain tonight, so the Qinzheng Hall wasn't exactly hot; it was still cool inside. Hanlin Fang, hunched over for a long time, had his black gauze hat brim soaked with moisture.
After a long silence, Li Dequan said, "Your Excellency, I heard that Fang Hanlin is proficient in divination. Your Majesty has been missing Concubine Shen for a long time and wanted him to tell her fortune, but Fang Hanlin is unwilling."
Wen Liang raised an eyebrow and folded his hands, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine cares about the people and regards Your Majesty as the heaven. You will definitely return to the Jade Pool and protect Your Majesty every day."
Emperor Ganping frowned for a while before offering him a seat and serving him tea.
Wen Liang turned his head and caught a glimpse of the familiar figure behind the main seat screen.
"I have heard that Grand Tutor Fang loves the beauty of mountains and rivers, and is even better at composing poetry than fortune-telling. This poem is about mourning the death of Concubine Shen. I have the audacity to ask Grand Tutor Fang for a poem in remembrance of Concubine Shen on behalf of Your Majesty."
Emperor Gan Ping was playing with a walnut in his hand, and looked up at Wen Liang who was leaning over.
Soon, Wen Liang became aware of the deep gaze above him. He added, "My brother's mistakes are beyond the reach of heaven. I did this for Your Majesty."
He was neither hurried nor slow, calm and composed, without a trace of selfishness in his words, which was all due to the loyalty of a minister to the emperor.
"Never mind. I never thought Wen Yan would be so bold all these years, impersonating you to seduce my beloved concubine. The Wen family is guilty of deceiving the emperor for their poor parenting and should be executed. However, considering that you are also a member of the Wen family and have devotedly assisted me for many years, I will spare the Wen family and only kill Wen Yan."
Having said that, Tang Xixu's guess was confirmed.
There were originally two "Wen Liangs". The sons of the Wen family were twins. Even if Wen Yan committed such a serious crime, Wen Liang was the emperor's favorite, and Concubine Chen's reputation had long been ruined. After all, she was just a concubine. As long as Emperor Gan Ping wanted Wen Liang, he could still be his eunuch.
It was just past midnight when Wen Liang and Fang Ji left the palace. "I've heard that Min Township has beautiful scenery. Why doesn't Lord Fang stay in such a warm and gentle place? You are already at an age where you can enjoy your retirement and spend time with your family." Wen Liang was walking in front and stopped to glance sideways at the old man behind him.
Fang Ji walked forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Wen Liang, his back straight. The old man's weathered eyes gleamed with the morning light. He looked Wen Liang straight in the eye and said, "As long as I am still here, I will do my best to assist Your Majesty and safeguard the Daxin Kingdom for the late emperor."
Wen Liang turned around, his eyelids tightened, and he met those eyes nonchalantly, the corners of his lips slightly raised, "Everyone in the court knows that Lord Fang is concerned about the country and the people. You don't have to express your loyalty in front of me."
"However," Wen Liangqi approached and whispered, "You can't overturn the Mo family's case. Even if Tang Xixu makes a scene before the emperor, so what? He's just a nobody."
Fang Ji paused, then regained his previous determination after a moment.
"What do you think you can do by joining forces with him? The waters of the court are already muddy and cannot be cleared."
…
The palace maids prepared breakfast and Tang Xixu was asked to stay and eat with them.
"Yin Zhao, I've been waiting for a long time. I specially asked the imperial kitchen to make your childhood favorite crab rolls with golden thread. They are still hot now, come and try them."
Tang Xixu picked up his chopsticks and took a little bit. The crab meat wrapped in golden threads melted in his mouth without any fishy smell of seafood.
"When I heard that you survived, I immediately sent people to look for you. Who knew it took me half a year to find you." As he spoke, Emperor Gan Ping's eyes became wet.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine." The young man lowered his eyes and clasped his fists.
Seeing Tang Xixu's distant and cold attitude, Emperor Gan Ping stopped smiling, but continued in a gentle voice, "The Mo family case has been a source of worry to me for many years. Now that you're back, it's time to put this matter to rest."
Emperor Gan Ping narrowed his eyes and looked at the face that was about 70% similar to his old friend, and it was also the face that often brought him back to his dreams at midnight.
Tang Xixu lowered his eyebrows to look at the patterns on the pier, then raised his eyes to meet the emperor's. "The past is gone, the old friend is gone, I would rather look forward."
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