Chapter 34 They were almost snuggling together...
Seeing Zhou Xinren twitching in front of him, Long Zhaoming took a few steps back with disgust on his face.
"Where did you get that information? Who told you?"
After finishing his cigarette, he suddenly lunged forward, grabbed the iron pillar, and shook it violently, as if he couldn't believe that his secret, which he had kept hidden for so many years, had been so easily revealed.
Seventeen and Mingyue's expressions hardened, and they stepped forward from the left and right, simultaneously drawing their swords and pointing them at Zhou Xinren.
With two sharp blades pointed at him, Zhou Xinren finally calmed down. He had only one thought in his mind: it's really over, there's no way to turn the tide.
"Where are the late emperor's own children now?"
Zhou Xinren looked gaunt and slumped to the ground, shaking his head and muttering, "I don't know. He's at the master's house. The master only asked me to do this one thing."
The host.
Long Zhaoming had heard that the Zhou family's business was very large, covering the whole country. If this family really wanted to rebel... then it would be a bit difficult to handle.
"There's one more thing: why did you harm Li Yan's mother?"
"Li Yan?"
Zhou Xinren scratched his messy hair and thought for a while, then suddenly realized, "That embroiderer, right? It was also the master's order. They said that this embroiderer knew about the matter of Consort Ling switching babies, and that she was now with me. They told me to get rid of her at all costs."
That's why.
Seventeen was so angry that his chest heaved. Mingyue stepped back and stood beside him, offering silent comfort.
Long Zhaoming was speechless for a moment, then laughed in exasperation: "Her mother knows nothing, yet you listen to the master so obediently?"
“Of course we must listen to what the master says…”
Zhou Xinren looked up at the three people with a determined look in his eyes. Long Zhaoming frowned, feeling that the other party's expression seemed a little strange.
"What about Yuan Man? Was that also an order from the master?"
Zhou Xinren thought for a moment, seemingly unable to recall who Yuan Man was, and after a while hesitated before saying, "Is it a boy? If it is that boy, I don't really know why."
Long Zhaoming frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the answer: "Sent to your side, and then poisoned and rendered mute! And you're telling me you didn't know!"
Zhou Xinran was so frightened that she backed away repeatedly, her voice trembling as she said, "I...I really don't know! The child was mute when he was brought here! You...you can ask the steward in my manor; he came with the child!"
Seeing that Zhou Xinren truly knew nothing, Long Zhaoming had no choice but to give up.
After the three of them came out, they learned that the manager had also been temporarily detained. After discussing it for a while, they decided to let them wait and see before making any further plans. They went straight back to the inn. As soon as they sat down, Xiao Wu came to them happily: "Distinguished guests, the notice board in front has written down the matter of the Zhou family and this master."
This idea was inspired by Ye Jing. Seventeen glanced at Long Zhaoming and asked, "Did His Highness give this order?"
Long Zhaoming paused in his actions, glancing at Mingyue beside him out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that she showed no reaction, he could only nod in agreement.
"His Majesty once said that he stands with the people."
Seventeen recalled that day on the city wall, when the sunlight shone on her body, and she felt only peace and tranquility.
Long Zhaoming paused, and the three of them remained silent.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Wu returned with a beaming smile, carrying the food with a joyful tone: "Distinguished guests, a doctor has arrived from Yejing. He examined everyone and found it to be some kind of poison. I don't understand it myself, but he can cure it."
Long Zhaoming said with a smile, "It's good that you're alright. They're not bold enough and don't dare to go too far."
"Yes, although... but anyway, everything's alright now."
Xiao Wu also looked somewhat dejected. If he had discovered the conspiracy of these masters earlier, would all those old people have survived?
"Thank you very much to the three distinguished guests this time. To be honest, I really didn't expect this matter to be discovered."
Xiao Wu bowed respectfully, and Long Zhaoming smiled and lifted him up with his fan: "No need for that, it's just my duty."
The three of them finished their meal in silence when Seventeen suddenly said, "Your Highness, I would like to go see Li Yan."
After putting down her chopsticks, Mingyue said calmly, "I'll go with you."
Long Zhaoming looked left and right, feeling as if he were being isolated by these two people.
"Go ahead, go ahead, I won't go."
But he also knew that if he interfered at this time, his elder brother would tear him to pieces.
He nodded at seventeen, unusually silent.
After noon, Seventeen finished getting ready and prepared to go out. Mingyue, seeing that he looked somewhat dejected, asked in confusion, "What's wrong? You seem unhappy."
Seventeen sighed softly: "I still feel like... this matter isn't over yet."
"It's definitely not over yet. We still don't know the Zhou family's purpose in promoting this master, and we also don't know where their biological son is, even though he's with the main family..."
Seventeen asked curiously, "What is the head of the Zhou family like? Judging from your and His Highness's expressions, they seem quite troublesome."
"The Zhou family isn't the problem; the problem is the evidence."
The two walked side by side down the street, their shadows stretching long and thin, almost touching.
"When you went to see Zhou Xinren just now, did you feel that something was off about him?"
Seventeen thought for a moment and said, "I feel like he's very afraid that we'll find out about the relationship between the main family and the late emperor's biological son."
"Well, as a member of a collateral branch, he shouldn't be reacting so strongly to this."
"Then why?"
Seventeen was somewhat puzzled. If it was out of concern for his own life that he was so agitated, it would be understandable. But the matter of the late emperor's son had nothing to do with Zhou Xinren. At most, he was only guilty of fraud.
Mingyue pondered for a long time, but received no answer.
"I don't know. The Zhou family... I don't know much about them."
The Zhou family only gradually rose to prominence after Consort Ling entered the palace. Although they relied on Consort Ling's name, it is undeniable that the family did have business acumen. In just a few years, they expanded their business to all parts of the country.
They are in the fabric business and have close ties with the imperial city. To this day, the palace still uses fabrics provided by the Zhou family to make clothes.
Mingyue pondered to herself that when she first ascended the throne, she hadn't expected the Zhou family to have problems, so she continued to use the old system.
If he had known earlier that the Zhou family was involved, he would have exposed them long ago.
Seventeen gently nudged his shoulder and laughed, "Alright, don't think too much about it. Anyway, we handled this matter well, Master. Maybe His Majesty will reward us with something later."
After saying that, his smile faded a little: "I wonder how His Majesty is doing now."
Mingyue rubbed her temples, thinking to herself that she had really dug a hole for herself.
"It should be fine. There haven't been any news from the palace recently."
As they spoke, the two arrived at Li Yan's door. Seventeen stepped forward, knocked on the door, and called out, "Li Yan, are you home?"
He then heard a series of hurried footsteps approaching, and the front door opened, revealing a much cleaner and tidier interior than before.
"Brother! You've come!"
Li Yan was clearly very happy; her little braids swayed with her movements, making her look cute and lively.
"You look beautiful! Who dressed you up?"
"My neighbor's auntie!"
Li Yan sat on the edge of the newly renovated bed and said with a smile, "My aunt is so kind. She changed my clothes, braided my hair, and even changed everything on the bed!"
Seventeen asked with gentle eyes, "What are Li Yan's plans for the future?"
At this point, Li Yan's innocent expression softened slightly. She was not a foolish child, and she knew that she had been cursed as a jinx since her parents passed away.
At that time, she didn't have much ambition. She had no parents and was looked down upon by everyone, so she just let things take their course and live day by day.
But one day, a handsome young man suddenly appeared, cleaned up her house, and helped her clarify that she was not a cursed loner. Her aunt, who had been worried about her, was finally able to take care of her without worry, which rekindled Li Yan's hope for life.
"Brother, I want to learn embroidery, just like Mother."
Li Yan looked up at Seventeen with a serious and focused gaze. Seventeen suddenly wondered if Li Yan's eyes looked a lot like her mother's.
"Okay, how do you want to learn?"
“My mother used to teach students in town. That older sister now runs an embroidery shop. A few days ago, she came to ask me if I wanted to learn from her.”
Li Yan's gaze was firm, clearly indicating that she had already given the answer she wanted.
Since that's the case, Seventeen didn't say anything more, patted her fluffy little head, and smiled as he said goodbye.
Just as the two were about to leave, they were suddenly stopped by a small figure.
It was Yuan Man. He was standing at the door of Li Yan's house, not sure if he was waiting for Li Yan or Seventeen.
When Seventeen and the other two came out, Yuan Man looked up at them. Seventeen was surprised to find that the child's eyes also had double pupils.
He thought of the abbot of Miaofa Temple, and doubts arose in his heart.
Mingyue, who was standing next to Seventeen, naturally thought of this as well. He paused slightly, glanced at the bewildered Li Yan, and simply took Yuan Man back to the inn.
Long Zhaoming was surprised to see that they had brought a child back, but upon closer inspection, he was also drawn to the child's double pupils.
“Those eyes… are just like the abbot's of Miaofa Temple.”
Seventeen nodded, and Mingyue, who was standing to the side, closed the door and asked, "Yuan Man, is there something you want to say to me?"
Yuan Man nodded vigorously, looked around. Long Zhaoming didn't understand, but Seventeen did: "Your Highness, is there any paper or pen? Yuan Man can't speak."
"Oh, yes, I'll go get it."
A short while later, Long Zhaoming returned with paper and pen. Yuan Man took them and wrote something on them before handing them to Seventeen and the others.
There was a line of small writing on the white paper. The handwriting wasn't very good, but it was enough for them.
The paper read: "Brother, the master sent me here to be hypnotized by Zhou Xinren."
It's clear that Yuan Man isn't very good at writing complex characters yet; his writing is a bit crooked, but it doesn't affect the viewing experience.
"Hypnosis? What's that?"
Seventeen asked in confusion, as she was somewhat unfamiliar with the term. Mingyue and Long Zhaoming also showed expressions of confusion.
Yuan Man scratched his head, thinking about how to say it, and then wrote for a long time: When I was at the master's house, I overheard their conversation. People with double pupils can hypnotize others, but they need others to cooperate with them.
Yuan Man seemed afraid they wouldn't believe her, so she leaned forward to show them her double pupils. Seventeen frowned and asked, "When we saw you before, your eyes didn't seem to be like this."
Yuan Man opened his mouth and made a few "ah ah" sounds, seemingly afraid that Seventeen would doubt him, and then quickly wrote a few more sentences: The steward gave me something to wear on my eyes when I don't need hypnosis, so that others can't see my double pupils.
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