Chapter 035 Chapter 35
Night.
Xie Qingya returned to the study.
He came back a little late tonight. When he entered the yard and saw Lingji coming towards him anxiously, he had some vague guesses in his mind.
At this time in the study.
After listening to Lingji's report of what happened today, Xie Qingya held the teacup, closed his eyes and said nothing.
Chang Feng, who was standing by, frowned and asked, "You said that the girl named Shi Yu who was with the princess took the suspicious maid away on the way?"
"And then?"
“And what happened?” he then asked Ringgit.
Lingji did not dare to hide anything, and told everything he knew: "Our brothers saw that the maid came out of Linfeng Pavilion and sneaked around to avoid people, trying to go to the prince's study, but before she got close to the study, Shi Yu suddenly came and took her away."
"Because the prince had warned us in advance, our brothers did not dare to get too close, fearing that Shi Yu would notice. I do not know what they said at the time. We only know that Shi Yu took the maid back to Linfeng Pavilion, and the maid has not appeared since then."
"But Shi Yu waited until dark and waited for the princess at the screen wall. It was obvious that he had something to say."
"Half an hour ago, the princess returned, and the master and servant went back to Linfeng Pavilion... We have no way of finding out what happened inside."
"I have asked someone to continue guarding there. If anything happens, someone will report it in time."
After Lingji finished speaking, he looked at Xie Qingya.
Changfeng also turned his head to look at the man beside him who had been silent the whole time: "Prince..."
He whispered to him.
Changfeng frowned, looking unhappy: "What should we do now?"
They have already discovered the person with the problem, but they don't know what the princess means by doing this... But obviously, the princess also knows that there is something wrong with the maid beside her.
I just don’t know what role the princess plays in this?
Why did she take him back halfway?
Thinking about what the princess and the prince said at the wall that day, it is still fresh in my mind. Now that something like this has happened, I really don’t know what to say.
That day, Changfeng was thinking, if one day it was discovered that there was something wrong with the princess, what would the prince do then...
I didn't expect this day to come so soon.
Xie Qingya never spoke a word.
Lingji was about to speak, but Changfeng grabbed his arm and shook his head at him.
Although he didn't know what it meant, Lingji still closed his mouth in confusion.
After a while, Xie Qingya put down the teacup in his hand and said, "Since we already know who the person in question is, let's keep an eye on him. As for—"
As for what.
Xie Qingya was silent for a moment, and finally said nothing. He only said to the two people in a low voice: "Don't make trouble for now."
The two of them naturally accepted the order and answered "yes".
After Lingji agreed, he turned around and went out, planning to instruct the secret agents to keep an eye on the maid in question.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I went out, I saw a man in black coming in.
The man in black is one of the secret agents.
These spies are the secret guards left behind by the Grand Princess Liu Yi.
These secret guards have been divided into several groups over the years. Some stayed in the mansion to protect the three siblings, while the other part was sent out by Xie Qingya to work in various industries and gather information. For example, Furong was bumped into by Xu Duanyi that day... Outside, she was not only Xie Qingya's "close friend", but also an intelligence expert.
The spy who appeared in the yard at this time was one of the people ordered by Xie Qingya to watch over Linfeng Pavilion.
Lingji was very surprised to see him coming.
"Why are you here?" Lingji said, "It's just right. The prince wants me to tell you something."
The spy said, "If it's about that maid, then that's great. I'm here for her."
"So fast?" Lingji was shocked.
Just as he was about to speak, Changfeng heard the noise outside and came out.
He said to the spy, "The prince wants you to come in."
Although there were people guarding outside and would warn people if anything happened, after Changfeng finished speaking, he still took a look outside and immediately let the spy in first.
The spy did not dare to delay, nodded to Changfeng, and went in immediately.
Lingji was waiting outside.
Changfeng accompanied the spy in.
Xie Qingya had just heard the noise outside. When he saw the man in black coming in, Xie Qingya didn't know what to feel, but he instinctively clenched his hands.
He was afraid that he would say something he didn't want to hear.
This grasp.
Xie Qingya found that his palms were sweating without him noticing.
He frowned at this realization.
The spy and Changfeng saw this scene but did not think much about it. They just thought that the prince was unhappy about what happened today.
"My Lord."
After the spy entered, he first bowed and greeted Xie Qingya.
Xie Qingya hummed calmly, and put his palms on his knees, so that the two of them would not notice his abnormality. After the spy got up, he asked, "What did you find?"
The spy dared not hide the secret.
He told Xie Qingya what had just happened in Linfeng Pavilion: "Today we found that the maidservant with a problem suddenly left Linfeng Pavilion and went to Fushuiju."
"Floating Water Residence?"
Xie Qingya frowned, not knowing where this place was.
This book is compiled exclusively for you by the LK team. Changfeng had done some research beforehand, so he had some impression of it. He then added, "Is this where the princess keeps her dowry?"
The detective nodded: "Exactly."
"Why is she here so late at night?" Changfeng was puzzled.
Although Xie Qingya didn't say anything, his eyes were on the spy, waiting for him to continue.
The spy did not dare to hide the truth and answered truthfully: "I followed and inquired for a while and learned that the maid was sent away by the princess. It seems that the maid will stay in Fushuiju in the future and will not serve in Linfeng Pavilion. As for why she was sent away, I don't know, but the maid's eyes were red, as if she had cried, and the girl named Xiuyu beside her kept comforting her."
This is even more confusing.
Chang Feng frowned and thought, but couldn't figure it out. He could only look at Xie Qingya: "Master..."
As soon as he finished speaking, a bronze bell rang in the house.
The sound is particularly clear at night.
And there is only one person who can cause this bell to ring.
Chang Feng put his thoughts aside for a moment and whispered to Xie Qingya, "My Lord, it's Master Mei."
Xie Qingya naturally knew who the visitor was.
But instinctively, he didn't want to see Mei Xuezheng tonight, and he didn't want him to know what happened in the mansion tonight.
The hands on the knees suddenly became clasped tightly.
The five fingers with distinct joints now appear tense.
But Xie Qingya only remained silent and evasive for a moment before loosening his fingers, lowering his eyelids and saying, "Go open the door."
"yes!"
Changfeng took the order and went forward.
The spy also knew Xiaomei Xuezheng's identity, so he did not hide his whereabouts, but turned to Xie Qingya and asked: "Prince, what should we do now?"
Xie Qingya hasn't answered yet.
Then I heard footsteps coming from behind.
"I thought you should be here by now." Mei Xuezhen said this casually after coming out.
Just about to look where Xie Qingya was.
Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of a figure.
When he suddenly saw the man in black, Mei Xuezheng's face, which had been relaxed and smiling, suddenly froze.
When the spy turned towards him, he bowed and called out "Master Mei".
Mei Xuezheng seemed to have suddenly woken up.
"Why are you here? You found something wrong, right? Who was it?" Mei Xuezheng asked anxiously as he walked.
The spy first glanced at Xie Qingya.
Seeing that he did not say anything to stop her, she did not hide anything and told Mei Xuezheng what happened today.
After hearing this, Mei Xuezheng's panic turned into confusion. Just like when they first learned about this, he frowned and said, "He was taken away halfway and assigned. What is the purpose of the princess doing this?"
"Is there any other news?" Mei Xuezheng asked the spy.
The spy shook his head in embarrassment.
"The prince has told us that Miss Yu's martial arts skills were quite good at that time. We were afraid that if we approached Linfeng Pavilion rashly, we would be discovered..."
Mei Xuezheng said nothing more.
He just sat down opposite Xie Qingya in silence.
After a while, he looked up at Xie Qingya: "What do you think?"
Xie Qingya said: "Just keep watching."
This is the only way for now. Mei Xuezheng has no other good solution.
Seeing that there were no other instructions, the spy said, "Then I will go back first and have someone continue to keep an eye on Linfeng Pavilion and Fushui Residence to see if we can find any more clues later."
Xie Qingya nodded. This book is compiled exclusively for you by the LK team. The spy did not stay any longer, bowed to the two people, and left.
After he left.
Changfeng also poured a cup of tea for Mei Xuezheng.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard Master Mei ask, "What do you mean by the eldest princess?"
Changfeng paused.
But he did not dare to look back, for fear that Lord Mei would notice something and cause Lord Mei and Prince Wang to argue about it.
He continued to walk out in silence.
"have no idea."
The prince's voice came from behind.
Mei Xuezheng didn't realize anything was wrong at this moment.
I just thought that Xie Qingya really didn’t understand.
So does he.
"No matter what she means, one thing is now clear: our eldest princess is not completely ignorant."
“Qingya, you have to be careful.”
When Mei Xuezheng said this, he suddenly raised his head. He looked at Xie Qingya with deep eyes and obvious alertness.
Xie Qingya's hands, which were on his knees, tightened unconsciously again.
他看着自己緊繃的手指，嘴上輕輕應着一聲嗯，過了一會，他主動撇開視線，岔開話題，問梅雪征：“你這麽晚過來，有什麽事？”
他們事先說過。
這陣子沒有要事的話，私下就先不見面了。
梅雪征經他提醒，倒也想起今日過來的緣故了。
“被剛才那事吓得，我差點忘了。”梅雪征說完之後，就跟謝清崖說了自己今天的來意，“全方同已經準備來京了，估計再過半個月，就能正式抵達京城。”
“我已經跟陛下事先說過你的打算，陛下也沒意見，到時候我會去接觸下全方同，與他提下陛下屬意他當巡鹽禦史一事。”
“嗯。”
謝清崖點頭。
“不過清崖——”
梅雪征忽然話鋒一轉，他愁眉道：“你真覺得這樣有用？全方同向來害怕曹達，他真的會忤逆曹達的意思嗎？”
“曹達這些年給他的東西，并不少。”
梅雪征是怕這事沒用。
要是沒用的話，那他們能控制住全方同，讓他們兄弟反目，讓全方同說出當年的真相嗎？
謝清崖倒是不似梅雪征這般擔心，他說：“全方同向來貪心，豈會滿足曹達給他的那點東西？”
全方同那有他的人。
他知道全方同的德性，也知道他的貪得無厭。
在這一點上，他從來都不擔心。
全方同和曹達雖是兄弟，卻并非一母所出。
親兄弟間，都難保不會有嫌隙，何況他們？這兩人之間，從來就不是那麽親密無間。
“何況——”
謝清崖話鋒一轉，忽而又沉聲說道：“他究竟肯不肯忤逆，這不重要，重要的是離間他們兄弟之間的感情，讓全方同意識到自己對曹達并不重要。那樣我們才能從他口中，知道當年的真相，還有當年，究竟是誰僞造了現場。”
四年前。
也正是長野之戰後的第二年。
那年，他在經歷了父兄和母親的先後離世之後，整日渾渾噩噩，醉生夢死，忽然，一日，一個黑衣蒙面人找到了他，與他說了當年長野之戰不為人知的真相。
當時，他被那黑衣人帶着，見了一位全身燒傷的老将。
那老将面容全毀，聲帶也因受傷，而沒法再說話。
通過那個黑衣人的提醒，他才知道這老将，竟是當年他父親的部下。
當年，他父兄領兵出去的時候，這老将也在其中。
他那時才知道。
當年長野之戰，他的父兄和那麽多将士死在其中，是有原因的。
而這致命的原因，便出自他們身上的盔甲！
歷來将士征戰，最重要的便是盔甲與武器。
冀州營和遼東營，是大夏最厲害、也最重要的兩大營地。
因為他們的總兵，一個是南安王，一個是武安侯，威名在外，地位崇高，他們每年得到的東西，也都是最好的。
只要打仗，他們的東西就從來就沒有短缺過。
可當時全方同送去的那部分盔甲，竟都是些殘次品。
好的盔甲，能抵擋鋒利的武器，能在戰場保人性命；可這些殘次品的盔甲，卻是能要人性命的！
當時父親和兄長怕他年輕氣盛，入了敵軍的陷阱，只能帶兵來追，偏就是這麽不巧，他們着急換上的這批盔甲，就是全方同帶來作為替換的。
因時間緊急，他們連檢查都顧不上，就這樣奔赴戰場。
之後與敵軍作戰的時候。
這本該保命的盔甲便成了要命的玩意。
父兄即便再厲害，也抵不過那麽多人，就這樣，他們死在了戰場上。
等他知曉此事，領兵追過去的時候。
父兄他們不僅了無生息，還身陷于火海之中。
他當時以為是敵軍放得火，目的就是為了事後折辱父兄他們，以及向他們挑釁。
當時他看到那一幕。
萬念俱灰之外，怒火和殺性也充斥了他整個身體。
他瘋了一樣去打仗。
抓了一批又一批敵軍，去質問他們，究竟是誰放的火。
卻沒人承認。
沒人承認，他就一個個殺。
可即便殺到最後，也沒人承認是誰放了火。
他當時以為，是那些人怕了他，才不敢承認。
直到一年後，那個黑衣人帶着那個受傷的老将找到他，他才知道當年之事，另有隐情。
那老将當初亦是九死一生。
卻因傷得并不是要害，而逃過一劫，最後掙紮出了火海。
可他雖然在奄奄一息的時候，被黑衣人所救，卻因重傷過度，一直處于昏迷之中。
等他醒來已是一年之後。
他被黑衣人帶着來到他的面前，親筆手書，與他說了當年之事。
謝清崖也是那個時候才知道，原來當年那把火是他們自己人放的，就連他們身上那些殘次品的盔甲，也在死後被人扒下來換了正常的，那老将在醒來之後，感覺到不對，便偷偷藏下幾片甲片，之後等大火燒起的時候，他又忍耐着等他們離開才從火海之中爬出。
只可惜，當年做這事的究竟是誰，那名老将并未看清。
只知道是他們自己人，官職恐怕還不低。
也不可能不高。
若不是他跟全方同裏應外合，掩蓋了盔甲一事，這事早就被揭發了，全方同怎麽可能還茍活到今日？
而全方同，當年作為戶部郎中，本來做得好好的，忽然被曹達派到了江寧，要說曹達與這件事沒關系，怎麽可能？
或許這件事正是曹達授意，也不無可能。
只是冀州營裏，這個和全方同裏應外合的人究竟是誰，謝清崖至今心中，還未有結果。
父親部下一共有七名将領，除了當年跟着父兄一起離開人世的岑副将，還剩下六名。
如今這六名副将，一個成了如今的冀州總兵，兩個依舊還在冀州營擔任副将，還有三個都已致仕回鄉。
這些年，他不是沒見過他們。
甚至都與他們打過交道，那些人，有人對他如今的狀況，搖頭哀嘆，有人則對他恨鐵不成鋼……
這些曾經對他而言倍感親切的叔伯們，如今謝清崖，卻一個都不敢信任。
要不然這些年，他也不會與他們絲毫接觸都沒有。
若曹達可恨該殺，那這個幫全方同掩蓋真相的人，同樣該殺！
只要想到這人，曾是他阿父的左膀右臂，卻為了掩蓋真相，眼睜睜看着他的父兄身陷于火海之中。
若不是當年他去的及時……
恐怕他的父兄，早就要被燒成灰燼，連具全屍都留不下來。
想到這。
謝清崖的神情，便不受控制地變得陰暗，甚至扭曲起來，他放在桌子底下的手，也再次用力合握了起來。
他一定要查清當年的真相，為他的父兄報仇！
梅雪征見他神情，就知道他又沉浸于過往的記憶和痛苦之中了，他知道當年之事，一直是清崖心裏的痛。
他也想盡快查清當年之事，好告慰姨夫他們的在天之靈。
因此他自然不會阻攔。
他今日過來，也是為了跟謝清崖商量之後的安排。
“曹達是個聰明人，他這些年，一直都在堤防你，全方同回京之後，他肯定會派人仔細看着。”
“要是查出全方同有背叛他的意思，他肯定不會放過全方同。”
“……我知道。”
謝清崖從痛苦之中抽身出來，他啞聲說：“到時候，我會派人保護好全方同的安危，在當年之事查清之前，我不會讓他出事的。”
梅雪征相信謝清崖的本事。
也知道這些年，并非只有曹達在堤防他做準備；清崖也一樣，他這些年，并非什麽準備都沒有。
“全方同的事，交給我，至于你這府中——”
說到這，梅雪征還是沒法不皺眉，他知道清崖因為文昭太子和武安侯的緣故，并不想對他們這位長公主動手。
可他們身處這個洪流之中，任何一點小麻煩，都會引變河流的走向。
何況這位長公主若真的有問題，那就不可能是什麽小麻煩。
而是會讓他們滿盤皆輸的致命要害。
“清崖，我不知道那位這麽做，究竟是想做什麽？又究竟是為了什麽？或許她并不是我們想的那樣，或許她是好心，可也有一種可能，她是故意做給我們看的……”
梅雪征能看到他對面的俊美青年，在他這番話之後，眸光在燭火的照映下，閃爍了好幾下。
梅雪征知道。
這些事，清崖肯定也是清楚的。
他能想到的東西，清崖怎麽可能想不到呢
只是他骨子裏，始終有那麽一份道義和責任在。
本書由LK團隊為您獨家整理 這個看似冷漠，除了報仇之外，什麽都在乎的人，其實骨子裏，比誰都心軟，都要重視感情。
可道義和責任——
有時候，只會害了他們。
“清崖，我們賭不起。”梅雪征說着，輕輕拍了拍謝清崖的胳膊，然後未等他說什麽，就先只身朝暗道走去。
暗道的門重新被關上。
這屋內，一時只剩下謝清崖一個人。
燈火搖曳。
謝清崖獨自靜坐于燈火旁，低着頭，一言不發。
“主子這是怎麽了？”
Outside, Lingji looked around quietly and wanted to go in, but Changfeng grabbed him and asked him this question.
Changfeng said nothing.
…
late at night.
All was silent.
Xie Qingya couldn't sleep tonight as usual.
In the past, he would do a set of boxing, sweat a lot, get tired, and fall asleep easily.
I just can't sleep tonight.
I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
All the candles in the house had been extinguished, and only a little moonlight shone in through the window covered with white gauze.
Xie Qingya put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes silently, and looked up.
suddenly--
He threw back the quilt, stood up and walked out.
Near midnight.
At this time, there was no sound in the palace.
Xie Qingya shuttled through the darkness, like a shadow, walking towards Linfeng Pavilion.
It was very quiet outside Linfeng Pavilion.
In order to avoid being discovered by Xu Duanyi and Shi Yu who was beside her, there were actually no spies near Linfeng Pavilion.
Xie Qingya climbed over the wall and entered the yard.
Except for a few lanterns in the corridor, there was no light in Linfeng Pavilion.
Xie Qingya stood under the peach tree, looking at the house in front of him.
He didn't know why he came here.
At that moment, I just came here uncontrollably.
Now that I’m here, I don’t know what to do.
I stood there in a daze for a long time.
Xie Qingya frowned and held his forehead. He knew he should turn around and leave, but his steps were uncontrollable as he walked towards the window step by step.
The place where I grew up.
No one knows this place better than Xie Qingya.
Walking to a window, Xie Qingya stretched out his hand and gently opened the window.
Sure enough, this broken window has not been repaired yet.
Xie Qingya quietly opened the window and jumped in.
Xie Qingya had long been accustomed to the darkness. He scanned the house through the moonlight. The layout of the house was still the same as before, and nothing that belonged to him was missing.
Nearly half a month has passed, but the situation here has not changed.
But it's not that there hasn't been any change.
This room, which originally belonged to him alone, now has many more objects in it. Even if the people who use it have tried their best to avoid it, how could there be no traces of it in their daily life?
Xie Qingya could smell a fresh, light fragrance in the room.
After standing quietly for a while, he suddenly walked towards the bed.
The bed curtains are still the same as that day.
The bright red mandarin ducks are playing in the water, looking very vulgar and vulgar.
Xie Qingya lifted a corner and looked inside calmly. What caught his eye were first two pillows and then a familiar face.
It was such a big bed, but she was curled up alone, taking up only a small space.
For some reason, those beautiful eyebrows were wrinkled, and his lips were tightly bitten. He looked even uglier than the day when he was sleeping on the recliner.
The quilt on my body was only half covered.
It was on their wedding night that Xie Qingya realized that Xu Duanyi was far less dignified when she was asleep than when she was awake.
That night, he didn't know how many times his quilt was picked up by others.
In the end, he even wanted to take a rope and tie up the person and the blanket together.
The same is true today.
Xu Duanyi was curled up like a kitten, with only half of her body covered. Her feet, including those above the ankles, were not wearing socks and were completely exposed.
After all, it's only April and the nights are still cold.
She didn't know how long it had been like this.
Xie Qingya could only see that she was getting colder and colder. She tried to hide her feet, but she couldn't hide them under the quilt that had fallen on her feet.
Xie Qingya did not pick up the quilt immediately.
He looked at her so calmly, even indifferently.
Let her struggle in the cold.
It was like looking at a stranger and not caring whether she lived or died.
Xie Qingya's ears seemed to still be ringing with Mei Xuezheng's previous words.
Of course he knew.
But what he had thought before was that maybe Xu Duanyi didn't know, maybe she sent the maid away for other reasons, and they were worrying too much. He even...he had thought that maybe Xu Duanyi was helping him?
This is the most secret wish in his heart.
But Mei Xuezheng was right.
...They can't afford the risk.
If there is any problem with Xu Duanyi, everything they are doing now will become in vain, and even become a sharp blade stabbing them.
He didn't dare to gamble.
So I didn’t dare to ask.
I should stay away from her, really treat her as a stranger, avoid her from a distance, and not give her any chance to get close to her or influence her.
Or... kill her.
If Xu Duanyi died, he wouldn't be so troubled now.
He shouldn't have been so upset.
There are enough things to consider, there shouldn't be one more.
It's like being bewitched and haunted by a nightmare.
Xie Qingya suddenly reached out his hand to Xu Duanyi. His fingertips rested on Xu Duanyi's slender neck. He could even feel the beating pulse there.
If he could just close his hands around that neck, he could kill her.
From then on, no one in this world could affect his mood.
Thanks to Qingya——
Finally, I closed my eyes.
His fingers left Xu Duanyi's neck, he opened his eyes, remained silent, looked at Xu Duanyi again, then bent down and picked up the half-fallen quilt for him.
The pair of jade feet that had been hiding from the cold finally found a warm place.
Xie Qingya noticed that she was no longer curled up like before.
He looked at it for a while and prepared to leave.
But just as Xie Qingya was about to leave, he suddenly heard a soft sobbing sound.
The steps stopped immediately.
Xie Qingya frowned and looked back in disbelief. Sure enough, he saw a string of crystal clear tears falling from the corners of Xu Duanyi's eyes.
Even when Xu Duanyi cried, she did so in a low voice.
If he hadn't been so close, he wouldn't have noticed that she was crying.
Xie Qingya didn't know why she was crying in her sleep.
Haven't you grown up?
Aren't you already independent and fearless?
I didn't cry when he humiliated me in public, so why am I crying now?
Xie Qingya didn't know.
But he knew he couldn't leave.
He could never leave when she was crying.
Xie Qingya sat on the edge of the bed.
The faint light that shone in enabled him to see her face clearly.
There was no expression on Xie Qingya's face, but he reached out his hand to her and gently wiped away the tears on her face.
But I don't know what happened to my tears, the more I wiped them away, the more they shed.
Xie Qingya finally looked at her, sighed, and said, "Xu Duanyi, why are you crying?"
He just said it casually.
He never thought of asking the person who was sleeping to answer his words.
He had never thought that she would wake up.
Therefore, when Xie Qingya saw Xu Duanyi open his eyes, he froze.
He didn't dare to move, his mind was numb, and he looked at her.
What shocked him even more was that the next moment, Xu Duanyi hugged him with red eyes.