Build a golden house (3)
"A trap..." The gold, gleaming with a dim light, pierced Li Qi's eyes like a needle tip, causing her to feel a sharp pain. She couldn't help but squint slightly. "This is Feng Siji's trap."
Ye Lan didn't understand what this meant, and he gently bumped Shengxiang's shoulder in confusion.
When Feng Siji just returned to Kyoto, Shengxiang was worried that he would bear a grudge against Li Qi because of the Qianzhou incident and take revenge on her.
Although he didn't know what Li Qi was referring to, he could understand her implication and couldn't help but look worried: "Did Envoy Feng do something?"
Li Qi pointed at the gold and said, "This golden house belongs to him. What do you think he wants?"
Shengxiang had personally experienced Zhang Zhouzhu's control, and she understood Feng Siji's intention almost as soon as she took a glance at the terrain of the Gold Cang Pavilion.
She took a deep breath and said, "I knew it was like that. How could he not have a desire for revenge after what you did to him in Qianzhou? Not long after we split up and returned to Kyoto, Feng Siji caught up with us, just as you said."
After leaving Qianzhou that year, Li Qi was worried that Feng Siji would catch up with them halfway, which would be disadvantageous to them, so she proposed to go in separate ways shortly after they set out.
She took Ye Lan on horseback and took a crooked path, while Dong Mingrong and others continued to take the official road.
Half of the official road is closer by water. Dong Mingrong and his men were resting at the dock. When they were about to board the ship, Feng Siji came riding on his horse, exhausted, followed by Ye Shu who was equally exhausted.
Feng Si quickly dismounted. Even though he was usually the most particular about etiquette, he didn't greet Dong Mingrong. Instead, he scanned the group with his dark, silent eyes. After confirming that Li Qi wasn't among them, he looked at Mingrong coldly and asked, "Where is she?"
Mingrong didn't care about his disrespect and just said, "She left. Halfway through the journey, she regretted her decision and said she didn't want to go to Kyoto. I don't know where she took Ye Lan."
Feng Siji stared at her for a long time with his dark eyes, as if to confirm whether she was lying or not. Perhaps he couldn't see anything, so he rode away.
Shengxiang remembered that his eyebrows were deep and calm, his face was as calm as a lake mirror, and he was wearing a lifeless black robe. His sleeves and hems were covered with mud, and his hair was covered with a layer of mist from the river bank. He stood motionless in the river breeze, a living man, but he exuded a sense of death from head to toe.
Later, I heard Mingrong say that the reason why his face was calm, his eyes were distant, and he was so quiet that it was impossible to detect his true emotions was because he had been numb for too long, lost his spirit and soul, and probably had no desire to live, but he didn't know why he was holding on.
He walked farther and farther in the vast river fog, and the river breeze lifted a corner of his black robe and made it fly in the air.
Shengxiang helped Mingrong onto the boat, frowning as she said, "Your Majesty, Lord Feng doesn't look right. Look at the look in his eyes just now. Is he harboring hatred and seeking revenge?"
Mingrong seemed to be quite open-minded, and said calmly, "Every wrong has its perpetrator. It's understandable that he would want revenge after being wronged by Li Qi."
Shengxiang couldn't help but shudder when he thought back to the past. There was probably only hatred left between Feng Siji and Li Qi.
In a relationship maintained entirely by hatred, what kind of cruel action will Feng Siji take?
Shengxiang hurriedly grabbed Li Qi's arm and urged her, "Why don't you leave Kyoto? We are here for you."
Li Qi stared at her for a long while, slowly calmed down, and suddenly no longer felt anything was scary. He was just Feng Siji, her former defeated opponent.
She said, "No, I could beat Feng Siji in Qianzhou, and I can still beat him now."
If she gave up so easily, she would not be Li Qi. She has always been confident and outspoken, and firmly believed that any situation can be under her control.
Feng Siji was just a simple, well-educated man, and she didn't believe that he could do anything great in her hands.
So what if it’s a golden house? He can build it high, but she can knock it down.
-
Palace of Fortune and Longevity.
Empress Zhang leaned back on the imperial concubine couch with her eyes closed to rest. She dismissed her attendants, and only she and Li Qi were left in the hall.
She propped her head up with one hand, closed her eyes to avoid looking at Li Qi's disgusting face, and asked, "What evil wind brings you here?"
A charcoal stove burned in the hall, creating a warm atmosphere. Li Qi felt a little hot, so she took off her cloak and said, "Your Majesty, do you want to escape your half-brother's control? After all these years, you must be tired, right?"
Zhang Wan paused, then sat up straight abruptly, parted the bead curtain and looked at the person in front of her. She was not mistaken, she was Li Qi.
Zhang Wan frowned suspiciously: "Can you be so kind?"
Li Qi didn't argue with her, only asking, "Just tell me whether you want to or not? Beneath this throne lie the bones of your husband and son. Don't you want to seek revenge on Zhang Zhouzhu?"
She pulled a list from her pocket and handed it to Zhang Wan. "This is the list of exiles from Yunzhou during the war. Zhang Zhouzhu and He Zhangjing secretly tampered with many of the names. Besides this, I have more evidence to bring Zhang Zhouzhu down."
Zhang Wan casually flipped through the list and saw that there were indeed traces of changes. Because it had been so long, the list smelled of dust. She covered her nose and threw it away, saying to Li Qi, "You are not so kind as to help me. Tell me, what do you want me to pay?"
"Tomorrow, you take people to Xianglai Inn, and I will make all the arrangements."
Zhang Wan was somewhat dissatisfied with her tone and rolled her eyes at her angrily: "What's your attitude?"
"It's already a sign of respect for me to call you my queen. Do you think it's still the same as before?"
The situation is different now, and she doesn't need to endure it anymore.
Li Qi walked up the stairs, walked in front of Zhang Wan, grabbed her hand, and stared at her coldly: "I'm not here to discuss with you, I'm here to inform you. You have to agree to what I just said, even if you don't agree, otherwise I can kill you right now."
This was the first time Zhang Wan saw Li Qi like this. In the past in the palace, Li Qi could do nothing but act coquettishly and cutely to Emperor Liang and Concubine Li, but now the look in her eyes was murderous.
Li Qi smiled, but her eyes were hostile: "You should be thankful that you are still useful to me now, otherwise, based on what you did to Concubine Li, I would have cut you into pieces."
She pushed Zhang Wan to the ground and warned her, "If you dare not come tomorrow, I won't keep you here anymore." After that, she turned around and left.
Zhang Wan angrily clutched the soft silk blanket beneath her and stared at Li Qi's back with gritted teeth.
She didn't like Li Qi before, so she could only embarrass her a little when there were many people around, because because of the crowd, Li Qi would not violate the etiquette of respecting the inferiors.
But if there was no one around, Li Qi would be just like Zhang Zhouzhu and could easily crush her to death.
"My queen, the ground is cold, you'd better get up first." A snow-blue figure slowly walked out from behind the screen. Feng Siji stood by the stove with his hands behind his back, looking at her with a cold expression, except for a red plum blossom on his collar that was so hot that it was an eyesore.
Zhang Wan got up from the ground and sat back on the chaise longue. Zhang Zhouzhu often treated her like this in private, and she was used to it. She didn't feel embarrassed at all because of being seen in such a miserable state. She said, "You heard everything just now. What should I do?"
Feng Siji was silent for a moment and said, "Do as she says. She is sensitive and suspicious, so don't let her get suspicious."
"But... this is risky."
"You want her to disappear forever and not obey the imperial decree to enter the palace. You have to pay a price. Otherwise, do you really want to wait for her to enter the palace in a month?"
Zhang Wan naturally didn't want to. She could only appease Emperor Liang to compete with Zhang Zhouzhu. If Li Qi entered the palace, she would really have nothing left.
"I understand."
"Keep your mouth shut about what happened today, or even I can't help you."
Zhang Wan nodded lightly.
-
After leaving the palace, Li Qi did not go to the Treasury, but went straight to Feng's Mansion.
When passing by the County Lady's Mansion, I found that it had been renovated. From the outside, it looked as exquisite as before, and you couldn't tell that no one lived inside.
Li Qi arrived at Feng Siji's house, but did not see him. She waited in the study for a while before seeing him push the door open and come in.
He untied his snow-covered cloak and casually hung it on a pole. He took the tongs and lit the charcoal stove, saying, "It's so cold, why don't you light some charcoal?"
Li Qi hugged him from behind and leaned on his broad back: "I'm lazy."
Feng Siji put down the tongs, pulled Li Qi in front of him and hugged her.
He leaned on the chaise longue while she leaned in his arms. Looking at her drooping hair, he couldn't help but reach out and grab a strand to play with it. "Why did you think of looking for me today? I thought you were going to look for Zhang Zhouzhu."
Li Qi asked knowingly, "Why are you looking for him?"
Feng Siji didn't say anything, just stared at her without blinking.
Li Qi felt a little uneasy. She leaned on his arm and turned over, not wanting to look. She took his hand, which was right in front of her, and said, "Zhang Zhouzhu forced me to get rid of He Zhangjing at Xianglai Inn. You know, He Zhangjing has the support of the people. What if many people come to attack me like He Mu did?"
Feng Siji looked at the back of her dark head and said, "Are you sure it was Zhang Zhouzhu who forced you to do this?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
She turned over, hugged his waist, and looked up at him in his arms: "I'm afraid of those people punishing me, I'm afraid of death. Can you come to help me tomorrow? If I die, there will be no one to help you investigate the case that was solved in Yunzhou."
Feng Siji stared at her for a moment, then gave her an ambiguous smile. "Are you sure you want me to help you, and not to trick me into falling into your trap and then kill me at Xianglai Inn?"
Without waiting for Li Qi to deny it, he put away his smile and stared at her with a hint of coldness: "Li Qi, if that's really the case, you've killed me three times."
He turned over and pressed her under him, lifting her chin with his fingertips: "If you really kill me three times, then no matter what I do to you, it won't be too much, right?"
Li Qi felt the slight coolness of his fingertips on her chin, and her heartbeat quickened. How could he have such a look in his eyes? Dark and luminous, like the eyes of wolves in the jungle at night, radiating a predatory coldness? And how could he have such a question? She couldn't help but wonder if he had discovered something.
Li Qi reminded herself again and again that he was just Feng Siji, her defeated opponent, and as long as she beckoned her finger, he would definitely kneel down.
In this way, coaxing herself to feel at ease, Li Qi hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him, gently nibbling his Adam's apple between her lips and teeth. His tall figure suddenly stiffened.
The tip of her tongue gently slid across his prominent Adam's apple. She slurred her words, "Envoy Feng, despite your reputation as an honest official, is willing to help me conceal the case of Concubine Li. How could I bear to kill you?"
He grabbed her back and moved her away, not allowing her to kiss him.
"Li Qi, I know what your intention is," so he wouldn't be easily fooled. He moved the hand that was holding her neck to her lips, gently tracing the shape of her beautiful lips. The strength of his fingertips was so gentle that it was a little strange. "Save your useless energy, so that you can have the energy to please me in the future."
Otherwise, he could not guarantee how he would treat Li Qi in the Treasury Pavilion.
Li Qi was stunned, feeling that his words were not good, but she could not ask out loud. She only saw that the look in his eyes when he looked at her lips became darker and darker, so dark that it was unfathomable and made her shudder. She gave up, turned over under him, and stopped looking at him.
-
The next day, the snow that had been falling all night stopped.
When Li Qi woke up, she found herself lying on Feng Siji's couch. This was his most private personal space, filled with his own unique scent, a faint soapy scent lingering in her nose.
She suddenly didn't want to get up, somewhat reluctant to leave the place. She stretched out her arms to cover her eyes and just lay there motionless.
I couldn't help but think of Feng Siji's words last night. If I attacked him again today, it would be the third time I wanted to kill him.
Li Qi was a little irritated. After lying down for a while, she thought about the important things that happened today, and finally struggled to get up.
Walking out of the inner room, he found a warm charcoal stove burning in the hall outside. Two plates of side dishes and a bowl of porridge were placed on the small square table. Li Qi took a bite and found that it was Feng Siji's cooking.
There was a basin of warm water on the corner of the table, with a clean towel placed on the edge of the basin.
She carefully prepared everything she needed when she got up. When she washed and had her meal, she walked out of the house but found no one there.
She felt a little strange, but didn't think much about it and rode to Xianglai Inn alone.
-
Ever since Zhang Zhouzhu slaughtered all the people in Xianglai Inn, he has been spending money to maintain the inn in order to leave Shengxiang with a last bit of thought.
He was not good at business, and the inn suffered losses all year round. Gradually, almost no people came, but because of Shengxiang's obsession, he still used money to maintain the appearance of the inn.
Every table and chair was new and expensive, but not many people came. It was still early, so there weren't many people around.
Li Qi pushed the door open and entered the private room where she had made an appointment with He Zhangjing a long time ago. He seemed to have been there for a while. The tea on the tea table in front of him was already boiling, emitting the fresh aroma of hot tea.
She closed the door, walked slowly to sit across from him, and looked up at him.
He was wearing a light blue robe today, with a silver fox shawl on the outside and a crescent-shaped ring on his chest.
He was thinner than most men, with more solemn features and an indescribable bitter look, like a poor scholar rather than the eldest son of an official.
He Zhangjing poured her a cup of tea and broke the silence: "It's been a long time since we sat down and had a good chat like this. I remember when you first came to Kyoto, you followed Zhang Zhouzhu and often met with me and played chess with me."
Li Qi said in a cold tone: "I didn't come here today to reminisce about the past with you."
He glanced at her empty chest and asked himself, "Why aren't you wearing that necklace anymore?"
"When Yunzhou City fell, it was you who sold the reinforcement route to Nanyan, wasn't it?"
He Zhangjing leaned back in his wheelchair, humming calmly, "At this point, I have nothing to hide. Feng Yijun, who knew the truth, is dead. What can you do to me now that you know the truth?"
"You are indeed a man of extraordinary skill, but you didn't think I would come to see you alone, did you? I came to see you today because I have something else to ask you."
Li Qi looked at him without saying anything. He continued to ask, "Why aren't you wearing your necklace anymore?"
Li Qi's hand tightened as she was about to bring the tea. She said, "I don't know when that person will come, or if he will come at all. Maybe it will be the day after tomorrow, the year after next, or in the next life. I don't want to pin such a slim hope on someone else. If I don't think it's necessary, I won't wear it."
He Zhangjing's fingers tapped lightly on the tea table, making rhythmic sounds. He stared at Li Qi quietly for a while, then suddenly laughed out loud, revealing two sharp fangs.
He is thirty years old this year, and still has a noble character. His simple and austere appearance easily arouses people's sympathy.
But there was a hint of cruelty in those small eyes.
He suddenly changed the subject and talked about their ages: "I am five years older than Feng Siji and ten years older than you. Eight years ago, I was twenty-two, and I was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, assisting the Grand Marshal in handling military affairs.
"That year, Prime Minister Zhang and I were nearly caught swapping exiles, and we were anxious to get rid of those old, weak, sick, and disabled people who were filling in the gaps. Yunzhou happened to send a message needing reinforcements, so I thought, how can I get rid of those old, weak, sick, and disabled people without revealing my identity, and still make a killing."
Li Qi's brows furrowed more and more, not understanding why he suddenly talked about his past.
He smiled at Li Qi. "I'm taking reinforcements to Yunzhou. Dong Yan told me Yunzhou's military defense map and told me to take the reinforcements through Qiangu Bay."
Li Qi knew that Qianguwan was the mountain with the most complex terrain in Yunzhou. There were small valleys one after another inside, and it was easy to get lost if you were not very familiar with it.
It is also a pass close to Southern Yan. As long as Qiangu Bay is not lost, Yunzhou will be difficult to break.
He Zhangjing smiled and said, "I brought reinforcements, but I also sold the route to Qiangu Bay to Southern Yan. After Yunzhou City fell, the old, weak, and sick all died in Qiangu Bay. I quietly eliminated them and gained wealth that rivaled that of an entire nation."
He paused, then suddenly stared at Li Qi's chest and said, "But when I was returning to Beijing, I met a twelve-year-old girl on the road who begged me to save her daughter."
Clang——
The teacup in Li Qi's hand fell over, and the scalding hot tea spilled out, leaving a large red mark on the back of her hand.
She didn't react at all, but only raised her gloomy eyes and stared at him: "Is it you?"
He Zhang looked up at her and smiled, then took a sip of hot tea. "I saw that she was very ambitious and wanted to recapture Yunzhou, which died in my hands. I suddenly felt playful and wanted to see how a mere ant could change his fate.
"But I didn't expect you to actually come to Kyoto. I underestimated you and Dong Mingrong's abilities. I felt extremely bored, as if I had lost a game, so I thought, then I won't show up. Seeing you always looking forward to my appearance, and the way you torment yourself every day is quite interesting."
Li Qi lowered her head, suppressing the heat in her eyes. When she raised her head again, there was only a dark and inexplicable cruelty in her eyes.
She chuckled: "Heh."
It has been eight years. Yunzhou was conquered for eight years, and she has been wearing that necklace for eight years.
She mistook the thief for a god and hope, and the person she had been waiting for turned out to be the culprit who personally led to the destruction of Yunzhou City.
Li Qi smiled at him, but her hand reached under the tea table and gently took out the dagger she carried with her.
The scabbard was slowly pulled out without making any sound. Only she could see the cold light that flashed by when the dagger was unsheathed.
Wisps of hatred and disgust crept up her eyes and eyebrows, and the atmosphere gradually froze. She asked softly, "Is it true that people like me can only be your playthings? The rich and powerful are like this, while ants are greedy for life? Then, when you saved your half-sister He Mu, was it just because you thought it was fun?"
"That's not the case. Blood relatives and you are naturally different." He Zhangjing took a sip of tea leisurely.
Li Qi was still smiling. A beam of sunlight came in from the window and enveloped her body, but it did not bring out any brightness at all.
She was emitting chills all over, as if she had been to the nine springs of hell, and a murderous intent slowly gathered at her fingertips.
When she was in desperate situation, He Zhangjing came in like a ray of light that saved her, gave her all hope, and supported her to survive and walk to Kyoto. Because she firmly believed that there would be people and hope waiting for her, she was willing to give up Feng Siji.
He used hope as a blade and light as a knife to play with her until she was completely torn apart. Although he was not an actor in this life, he really performed a big show to entertain people.
Li Qi, who had been sitting calmly, suddenly stood up. A cold light flashed in his hand, and the dagger stabbed straight into He Zhangjing's vitals.
He Zhangjing stood still like a mountain, still looking at her with a hazy smile, neither dodging nor avoiding, as if he was certain of something.
Li Qi saw that the dagger was only a millimeter away from his throat, but an arrow came like a gust of wind and shot her dagger with a bang. The huge force knocked the dagger off and it fell on He Zhangjing's knees without making any sound.
The private room fell into dead silence, even the breeze disturbed it.
Li Qi's mind was filled with thoughts of venting. She wanted to see He Zhangjing die, to see him suffer a thousand times more than she did. She was no longer calm, breathing rapidly, her chest rising and falling.
She wants He Zhangjing to die!
She wanted to pick up the dagger, but the door of the silent private room suddenly banged open and someone kicked it open. She looked over in panic and saw two knives crossed across her neck.
The blade was sharp and reflected her distorted and angry appearance.
His eyes were red, his teeth were gnashed, his hair was messed up by the wind, and his eyes were as terrifying as a murderous evil spirit.
She was so sad and angry that she couldn't control her shaking. She turned her head and saw Feng Siji walking towards her in a scarlet official uniform. The cuffs of the robe were embroidered with auspicious patterns of clouds and dragons, which floated as he walked.
She trembled even more violently. The moment she saw Feng Siji, she couldn't hold back her tears, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
She understood the feeling of having hope used as a knife.
When he was in Qianzhou, he was also in a desperate situation and could not survive. It was she who forced her way into his life like a beam of light, deceived him with tenderness, used affection as a knife, and stabbed him fiercely, pushing him into a deeper desperate situation.
"Envoy Feng..." she murmured softly.
Feng Siji didn't look at her. His expression was so cold and distant that it seemed as if he was not the person she knew. He ordered the soldiers following him: "Capture them all!"
Li Qi was shackled, and He Zhangjing was no exception.
The heavy shackles gradually brought Li Qi back to his senses from his grief and anger, and he realized something was wrong.
She suppressed her sobs and asked, "He is the mastermind behind the destruction of Yunzhou City. Why are you arresting me?"
Feng Siji finally looked at her, but didn't say anything. He remained silent until He Zhangjing was pushed out. Then he walked closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Three years ago in Qianzhou, have you forgotten what you did? Forged an imperial edict, confiscated the Jiedushi Mansion, and personally killed the Jiedushi...
"The Jiedushi case has been reopened. Li Qi, you are finally in my hands."
Li Qi was stunned and trembled all over: "Wang Mo?"
"Are you trying to put me in jail?" She raised her voice, "Is a scoundrel like Wei Ming really worth overturning the case?"
I feel cold all over. Isn't he a good man? An honest official?
Li Qi stared at his face, trying to find any flaws, but he only smiled faintly and didn't respond. He only said slowly to the two soldiers who had captured her, "Send her to my carriage. If you don't want to die, shut up."
Li Qi was pushed from the back and was pushed forward to Feng Siji's carriage.
There was no charcoal fire inside, and the cold air penetrated every skin. She lay on the ground, her hands and feet were shackled.
After a while, Feng Si's heavy and slow footsteps were heard outside. He walked into the carriage, lowered the curtain, and then squatted in front of her.
A corner of the scarlet official robe caught her eye, stinging her eyes. The pair of brocade boots were close at hand, emitting a scent of soap.
He gripped Li Qi's chin tightly, lifted her face and stared at her, with a cruelty in his eyes that she had never seen before.
But he was smiling at her, and his smile was so beautiful, just like the one in Qianzhou, but the force with which he gripped her chin was so strong that it almost crushed her.
He smiled and said, "Li Qi, do you think this is similar to when you tied me to the carriage in Qianzhou three years ago?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
