Hanging Knife (6)
"So of course I won't do anything to my wife." Feng Si said coldly, observing Yun Shanmin's expression. Seeing him frowning tightly, the depression in his heart immediately dissipated.
But now, with all the circumstances, he was not in a good mood. Feng Siji turned the dagger Li Qi gave him in his palm and said, "I'm here to pass on a message for my wife."
Seeing that Yunshanmin didn't seem to want to invite him in, Feng Siji took the initiative to suggest: "This matter is very complicated, why don't we go in and talk?"
Yunshan Min subconsciously wanted to reject this man. He felt that the other party must be lying, because in all the years he had followed the county lord, he had never heard the county lord or anyone around her mention that she was married.
But the snake-shaped dagger in Feng Siji's hand could not be fake.
Ever since Shan Min met the county princess, he knew that she had all kinds of daggers.
General Dong said that when she was in Qianzhou, she not only had to protect herself, but also everyone else, so she always carried daggers with her, and gradually developed a habit of collecting daggers.
This snake-shaped one is her favorite and she never gives it to others easily.
"Brother Shanmin, the sun is strong, let's go inside and talk." At this time, a boy of the same age as Yun Shanmin came forward and bumped Yun Shanmin's shoulder to remind him: "This dagger doesn't look fake."
Yunshanmin looked at Feng Siji again.
Even if he didn't like him, Shan Min had to admit that Feng Siji's appearance was one in a million, no matter if it was five hundred years ago or five hundred years later.
Shan Min had not read many poems and didn't know how to describe Feng Siji's appearance. He only felt based on his most real feelings that Feng Siji, wearing the red official robe and standing in the spring breeze, looked aloof and cold, with dark eyebrows and eyes, and an incomparable oppression and coldness poured down like a tidal wave.
His appearance is a perfect match for the county lady in red.
It's as if they were a perfect match made in heaven.
Shan Min lowered his eyes slightly and saw the coarse linen clothes and straw sandals that he would never pay attention to normally. Suddenly, they had a strong sense of presence. They brought with them something called inferiority, which penetrated deeply into his heart.
The patches on the cloth made his cheeks hot and his heart beat fast. How could he compare with the noble and arrogant Feng Siji in front of him?
Regardless of whether the county lady married someone else or not, it was actually just his wishful thinking all along.
"Brother Shanmin? Are you not feeling well? You don't look well." The young man next to him patted his shoulder with a look of concern.
Yunshanmin shook his head and said it was okay, then he led Feng Siji into the village with his men.
-
The village is newly moved, clean and tidy. Because there are many people in the village, the atmosphere of life is as strong as before.
It was afternoon, and smoke was rising from the roofs of every small wooden house. As he walked along, the owners of the houses greeted Yunshan Min with a smile, and then looked at Feng Siji with strange eyes.
Although he didn't say it, Feng Siji knew that they were all curious about his identity.
Feng Siji was calm and composed, displaying the snake-shaped dagger where everyone could see it. Every time he received a curious look, he would take the initiative to explain, "I am the county lady's husband."
The villagers looked as if they had suddenly realized something, and then happily gave their blessings, and finally looked at Shan Min with pity.
Shan Min walked very fast and returned to the house in half the time than usual.
The other brothers and Feng Siji followed him, stepped over the threshold and entered the house.
There are three small wooden houses lined up together. The two back ones have two small beds, which are the residences of Shan Min and Aunt Yun respectively. In the center of the outermost one, there is a square small table and four low stools, a large water tank and some household items. There is nothing else.
The house is bare, but clean and complete.
Aunt Yun bent over the water tank to draw water, and placed the water on the small table in bowls according to the number of people. Then she slowly returned to her room with a hunched back.
Feng Siji pulled a low stool and sat down, picked up a bowl of water and drank half of it, then raised his eyes to look at the five or six young men standing in front of him. They looked younger than Dong Linche, about seventeen or eighteen years old.
They are full of vigor and youthful recklessness, and there is a fearless stupidity in everyone's eyes.
Feng Siji put down his bowl and finally stated the purpose of his visit: "You live deep in the mountains, so you must be unaware of the outside world. The county lady was arrested the day before yesterday and is now detained in the prison. In six days, she will be beheaded at Qingqi Temple."
As soon as his trembling voice fell, Yun Shanmin slammed his palm on the table with a loud bang. He said angrily, "The county lady obviously saved so many refugees. She is a good person. How could she possibly kill the queen? These people are so blinded by greed that they don't understand anything. Yet they all want to act as the knife of justice and slash the county lady!"
The ones who really deserve to die are obviously all the people in the He family!
At this time, Aunt Yun in the room heard the noise, walked out slowly, held the door frame, frowned and listened to them talking.
Feng Siji said slowly, "The county lady ordered me to come here because she needs your help. For so many years, you have lived in Ping'an Village under her protection. Now it's time for you to step forward for her."
Yun Shanmin patted his chest. The young man's temper faded quickly. He completely forgot the inferiority complex he had felt because of Feng Siji. He held his head high and said, "Whatever the county lady has to say, just tell us. We in Ping'an Village will absolutely do our best to fulfill it!"
-
Kyoto.
The market bell is about to ring. Today, the sky is much darker than usual, and a gray haze covers the bustling and busy market shops preparing to pack up and close.
Some shop owners live in their shops, while others have to go home.
On their way home, they would pass by the wide streets where the dignitaries lived. Although they could not go in, they could observe from afar.
At this moment, they were all blocked at the street corner, looking at the chaos outside the He Mansion.
A hundred or so people came from nowhere. They were wearing coarse linen clothes, with sweat towels wrapped around their heads, and their bodies were dirty. They all rushed into the gate of He's mansion together.
The dozen or so leaders were extremely strong and agile, and they knocked down the family soldiers who rushed out of the mansion in a few moves, while those who followed them rushed in, smashing and looting, shouting things like "wolf-hearted and dog-hearted", "my father was in his sixties and they still wanted to send him into exile, causing him to die on the way", "if you hadn't sent people into exile for that little bit of silver, how could Qian Gu Bay be breached", "my brother is lame and can hardly take care of himself, yet you sent him into exile" and so on.
Everyone was angry, with distorted faces, and they wished they could eat the people in the He Mansion alive.
This looks very much like the county lord's mansion that was attacked by the angry crowd that day.
In the corner of the street, opposite to the crowded side, a carriage was parked there quietly and low-key.
Ye Shu leaned against the carriage, a knife at his side, and stared intently at the commotion in the distance. After a moment, he turned back to the closed curtain of the carriage and said, "It worked."
The carriage was silent for a moment before Feng Siji's emotionless words drifted out: "Make it bigger, go to the night market. I want the voices shouting 'Kill the He father and son' louder than the voices shouting 'Kill her.'"
Ye Shu bowed his head and said, "Yes."
"Go to Chen's house."
-
-
Chen Hu didn't feel that he had anything left to say to his former boss.
The former boss sat before the chessboard, holding a handful of black pieces in his hands, his expression indifferent. The open window let in some night wind, blowing his hair, messily blocking his deep, unfathomable brows and eyes.
"We used to play games often. I've been back in Kyoto for so long, but I haven't found the time to play with you. Let's play a round."
Chen Hu knew Feng Siji was not interested in drinking, but he couldn't just ask him to leave. He lifted his robe and sat across from Feng Siji. He picked up the white piece and placed it on the board first. "What on earth do you want from me?"
At this time, Chen Hu's wife Wang came forward to make tea. The lingering aroma of tea filled the air. Wang also added some fruits, sweet snacks and the like and placed them on a small plate beside the two of them before leaving.
Feng Siji stared at her back and put down a black piece, "Your new wife?" When he was in Beijing before, he remembered that Chen Hu's wife was not this person.
Chen Hu frowned and looked at Wang's departing figure, "Why are you paying attention to my wife?"
Feng Siji smiled gently, "Sorry, I'm being rude. I just thought she looked familiar, as if I've seen her somewhere before. Is she... Wang Xiu's sister?"
His voice was full of apology and he apologized gently, but what he said suddenly aroused Chen Hu's nerves.
Chen Hu's scalp tightened, and he absentmindedly placed another chess piece. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Feng Siji picked up the tea brewed by Wang and took a sip. The taste was average. It was obvious that it was not familiar, but perhaps it was the greatest achievement she could learn in her position.
Feng Si swallowed his tea quickly and said slowly, "A wise bird chooses its tree to roost in. I just want you to see the situation clearly before choosing a master. The He family has nothing now, while Li Qi has General Dong's military power and Eunuch Li's political power. The only power she didn't interfere with was the prison system, which is why it fell into your hands."
He placed down another chess piece, and his black pieces surrounded Chen Hu's white pieces on the chessboard, leaving the white pieces with no way to retreat.
Then he smiled and said, "What can you gain by continuing to stand in the He family, which has nothing? Besides, you were once my dog, and I know more or less about your shameful deeds."
When Chen Hu saw that he had lost the chess game, he was stunned for a moment, then dropped the white piece in his hand, turned his head to look at the jade toad outside the window, and did not immediately answer Feng Siji's words.
Feng Siji waited patiently, without urging anyone and without making any noise. He quietly drank tea and tasted the tea cakes that Wang had brought him.
In the night sky outside the window, dark clouds were blown by the wind, covering the moon. The shadows of the trees in the courtyard were swaying like ghosts.
Chen Hu blinked his dry eyes and turned to look at Feng Siji: "What do you want me to do?"
"Find a way to delay He Zhangjing's punishment and hand him over to Li Qi personally."
"What about He Rucheng?"
"As long as he's not alive, it's up to you." Feng Siji stood up and prepared to leave, lowering his head to straighten his wrinkled official robes. "Give me all the evidence in the case of your queen that He Mu gave you."
Chen Hu was silent for a moment, "If I do so, the relationship between my wife and Wang Xiu..."
Feng Si laughed and said ambiguously: "It depends on your performance."
At this time, Wang came in again, holding a black ebony wooden box in her hand, and handed it to Chen Hu.
Chen Hu then handed it to Feng Siji, "This is the evidence He Mu gave me regarding the Empress's case."
Feng Siji took it and opened the box in front of him. Inside was a letter written in blood by Wang Xiu and a dagger by Li Qi. After confirming that everything was correct, he closed the lid of the box, looked at Chen Hu with a smile, and left with the box.
-
-
It was already midnight when Feng Siji returned home with the so-called evidence.
It rained today, the sky was gloomy, and there was not a single star in the dark night sky.
Feng Siji walked into the study, Yeshu followed him. He went to light the incense burner, then retreated to the table and sat down and said, "Yunshan and Min are all done. Now the He Mansion is blocked by them. People outside can't get in, and people inside can't get out."
Feng Siji put the box on the table and opened the lid.
Ye Shu continued, "He Mu is trapped in the mansion. I believe she won't have the chance to go to the prison tomorrow. The Phoenix Seal in her hand was also snatched away by Yun Shanmin.
"Yunshan Min looks young, so I thought he couldn't do it. I didn't expect that I underestimated him. Even the Phoenix Seal was snatched away by He Mu." Ye Shu took out the Phoenix Seal from his body, held it in both hands and placed it next to the box that Feng Siji opened.
Only then did he notice what was in the box. A bloody dagger was placed on the glaring red blood letter. He knew who the dagger belonged to at a glance.
Ye Shu was slightly stunned and asked, "What's this, sir?"
"It's Li Qi's evidence."
As Feng Siji spoke, he reached out and picked up the blood letter, scanning its contents with a sharp gaze.
It was written by Wang Xiu when he was being arrested by He Rucheng. It accused Li Qi. He saw with his own eyes that Li Qi harmed Concubine Li and was worried that she would kill him next to silence him.
He left a blood letter, saying that if anything happened to him, it would be Li Qi's fault.
Feng Siji laughed inexplicably. The queen wasn't dead at all. Who could tell whether this blood letter was true or not? He wanted to convict Li Qi based on just these few things.
He spread the blood letter on the table and told Ye Shu, "Bring me paper and pen."
Ye Shu hurriedly stood up and took out paper and pen, placing them in front of Feng Siji, then stood aside and ground ink for him.
Feng Siji picked up the pen and ink and copied Wang Xiu's handwriting on a clean piece of paper.
He has always been a quick learner. By the late night, he had copied Wang Xiu's handwriting very closely, and even the essence of the strokes of the characters were almost identical.
Feng Siji ordered Ye Shu to find a piece of paper of the same texture as the blood letter, spread it out in front of him, then pricked his index finger with a needle and wrote a new blood letter on the paper.
After finishing it, he picked up the new blood letter and handed it to Ye Shu, "Go make a charcoal fire and bake it to make its color older." If you bake it for a few days in a row, it will surely fool everyone.
Ye Shu carefully held the blood letter and walked to the charcoal stove, lit the charcoal, and made the already warm study room even hotter. The hot air felt a little stuffy when it hit his face.
Ye Shu's face was burned red. With the light from the charcoal stove, he could see the contents written in blood. The more he read, the faster his heart beat.
My Lord, you are... determined to drag He down with you!
Ye Shu carefully glanced at Feng Siji and saw that he was staring at the dagger in the box in a daze, and it was unclear what he was thinking.
-
Feng Siji spent the second half of the night in his study. He read all the letters sent by his subordinates from Yunzhou, but as usual, there was no news about Dong Mingrong.
When I finished watching, the sky was already getting light and dawn was about to break.
He fell tiredly on the chaise longue beside the charcoal stove and closed his eyes to rest. After a while, he was warmed by the charcoal stove and his mind seemed to be warmed as well. He was confused and couldn't think straight.
In the chaos, Feng Siji seemed to see Li Qi's face. It was when she was in Qianzhou, wearing a red cloak, smiling and waving at him in the rustling snow.
But the scene suddenly changed, and her red cloak was covered in blood, and a dagger was stabbed into his abdomen.
Li Qi pulled back mercilessly again, and the blood from the dagger splattered on his face.
Feng Siji felt the warmth of donated blood splashing on his face. He was startled, opened his eyes wide, and suddenly woke up from his dream.
It was already bright outside, and the person baking the blood letter by the charcoal stove had changed to Qinglan. Qinglan was startled by his sudden awakening and frowned worriedly: "What's wrong with you?"
Feng Si was breathing heavily and staring at Qinglan for a long time before he came back to his senses. He lay back on the chaise longue and rubbed his eyebrows tiredly, "Nothing." Maybe he was just too tired these days.
Even though he realized it was a dream, Feng Siji couldn't calm down for a long time. He hadn't dreamed about Qianzhou for a long time.
Why did I suddenly have this dream? It was so real, as if I was back to the year when Li Qi abandoned me. The scar on my abdomen was aching slightly.
He put his hands over his abdomen, unable to ignore the phantom pain there, and soon, beads of sweat covered his forehead.
Qinglan thought the room was too hot, so she quickly moved the charcoal stove further away and placed the blood letter on a stool. She stood up to pour a glass of water, then returned and handed it to Feng Siji: "Drink some water. I see you are not feeling well."
Feng Siji took it and drank it all in one gulp.
The cup was empty, and he stared at the few drops of water remaining at the bottom, lost in thought.
He suddenly remembered the failed wedding wine drink with Li Qi.
Li Qi betrayed him in Qianzhou. Will she betray him again here?
Feng Siji suddenly realized that he couldn't just take the blame for Li Qi. He had to at least have a real charge against her in his hands to prevent her from betraying him like Qianzhou did.
Feng Siji really didn't like this uncontrollable feeling of anxiety, and he didn't like scheming against Li Qi in this way.
But Li Qi's personality made him anxious and calculating.
He also felt that no matter what, this should only be the last time.
If she betrays him this time as before, he will no longer care about anything and will just keep her firmly under his control.
"Sir?" Qinglan called out, "Give me the cup of water."
Feng Siji was brought back to his senses by Qinglan, and he came to his senses and handed the cup back.
Qinglan put it away, sat back by the charcoal stove, picked up the blood letter and continued to bake it.
The matter of the blood letter was of great importance and could not be delegated to others, so she and Ye Shu had to take turns baking it.
Qinglan picked up a corner of the blood letter, turned it over and continued to bake it. Feng Siji, who was sitting on the chaise longue, suddenly moved and got off.
Qinglan asked hurriedly, "What does the lord want?"
Feng Siji shook his head, put his hands behind his back and continued to walk out the door, "Nothing, go ahead."
Feng Siji walked out of the study with his hands behind his back, fetched some water to wash up, went to the stable to untie the horse rope, led the horse out of the house, and rode away.
Riding on a horse, I took a quick look at the street scenes on both sides and found that today was a little different from usual.
In the past, when there was no business, vendors would sit down and chat with each other while passers-by hurried by. But today, the owners of restaurants and vendors simply close their doors and decorate their stalls in bright and festive colors while chatting.
It's like celebrating the Spring Festival, where people only focus on festive decorations but not on attracting customers.
Feng Siji was a little surprised. He pulled the reins, slowed down the horse, and glanced sideways at a stall owner who was struggling with where to put the flowers. He asked, "What are you doing?"
When the stall owner saw that it was Feng Siji, he took time out of his busy schedule and replied with a smile: "The county lady is about to be executed, and the people are very happy. They say it's like Chinese New Year, and they are replacing everything in their stalls with new ones to get rid of bad luck and welcome the new year, which is good luck!"
After saying this, he picked up the pot of flowers that had been placed somewhere and held it high up to Feng Siji's hand. "I'm giving this pot of flowers to you, sir, to ward off bad luck! It's free!"
"Really?" Feng Siji smiled but didn't reach out to take it.
The man thought he didn't believe it and wanted to persuade him again, but he saw him looking at him with a cold gaze. This look of condescendingness revealed endless pressure and disgust.
The man was stunned for a moment, thinking it was an illusion. How could Lord Feng have such a look? By the time he reacted, Lord Feng had already ridden away.
The pot of flowers he was holding was still hanging in the air in a funny way.
-
As Feng Siji rode his horse all the way to the prison, he saw that no house was an exception. They all hung new lanterns and posted new couplets. Fresh spring flowers were placed on the steps at the door, and young willow branches were hung on the top of the door frame to ward off disasters and evil spirits.
Some wealthier families even arranged for a troupe of actors to come to their homes and open the show to everyone, having the actors perform a monster-catching play.
It goes without saying how bright and prosperous these would be at night, lively and grand, as if Daliang was still prosperous.
Feng Siji dismounted outside the prison and walked into the cell where Li Qi was.
Li Qi supported her head with one hand, leaning against the table and flipping through the storybooks sent by Feng Siji, occasionally grabbing a piece of dried fruit and chewing it.
In the past, it was Dong Mingrong who read the storybooks. Li Qi had never read one before. The time in prison was difficult to kill, so she picked up a book and found it interesting. She was so engrossed in reading that she didn't notice Feng Siji had come in.
Feng Siji couldn't bear to disturb her, so he tiptoed up behind her, bent down and got close to her. The moment he got close to her, he could smell the faint fragrance on her body and feel her gentle breath.
At this moment, Li Qi also noticed him and was inadvertently startled. She turned her head hastily, and her lips accidentally brushed his cheek. "When did you come?"
Feng Siji felt a flash of softness on his cheek and turned his eyes to the side, staring at her lips with burning gaze, "You just arrived. What are you looking at so fascinated?"
Li Qi thought of the stunningly beautiful and erotic descriptions in the storybook, her face flushed, and she quickly reached out to cover the book with her hands. "It's just some clichéd story about a talented scholar and a beautiful woman."
She hurried to change the subject: "What do you want to see me about?"
After saying this, he stretched out his hand, and the next moment his chin was lifted up. His slightly cool fingertips gently stroked Li Qi's lips. Li Qi's body stiffened slightly, and the scenes of her previous intimate entanglement with him invaded her memory savagely, playing in her mind in a series of fragments.
She was so angry that she didn't know where to look.
At this moment, Feng Siji gently parted her lips, his deep gaze fixed on her white teeth. "I came here to ask you, if I take the blame for you this time and you plot to betray me again like before, what should I do?"
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