Chapter 46
“Odds change, but evens don’t… odds change, but evens don’t…” Xiao Cheng silently recited the so-called Xixia code, and for a moment he was completely at a loss. "You have seen the memorial for a while." Xiao Cheng said, "If you have any ideas, just say it."
The Prime Minister thought deeply: "'Odd' is the opposite of 'even'. 'Odd' changes, but 'even' does not change... I think this is a reference to the time of the Xixia army's march: march on odd days, and stop on even days."
The Minister of War considered carefully: "The word 'change' is particularly worthy of discussion. I think this is a change in the formation. I'm afraid that Xixia will use a formation with many changes to attack our army."
The Prince's groom pondered: "The theory of odd and even is often used in mathematics. I think this sentence is alluding to a certain mathematical method."
The Minister of Revenue disagreed and questioned: "What does mathematics have to do with marching and fighting?"
…
Several people discussed for half a day, and everyone's statement was a little far-fetched and could not completely convince others. Xiao Cheng watched the ministers' argument calmly, and waited until they quieted down before he slowly asked, "Are you done?"
The Prime Minister respectfully asked, "May I ask what your Highness the Crown Prince thinks?"
Xiao Cheng blew the mist off the teacup slowly and said, "Gu Fuzhou said this was Xixia codeword, and you believed it?"
Everyone looked at each other. Lying about military intelligence is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor. Given General Gu's character, how could he do such a thing?
The Minister of War probed, "What does your Highness mean?"
Xiao Cheng put down the teacup and said, "In the past three months, Gu Fuzhou's temperament has changed drastically, and his behavior is suspicious. A while ago, he was clamoring to return to the capital, and today he made up a strange Xixia codeword." Xiao Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly, "I wonder if this codeword is related to the reason why he is committed to returning to the capital."
The Prince's groom said, "After hearing what Your Highness said, I also feel that there is something wrong. If the five words 'odd changes but even does not change' are really the secret of Xixia's military, how can they be 'publicized'? Even in the capital under the feet of the emperor, there will inevitably be spies from the enemy. General Gu wants us to do this, aren't you afraid of alerting the enemy?"
"General Gu is a warrior after all. He is eager to win, so it is normal for him to make some mistakes." The Prime Minister said, "Your Highness, the battle in the northwest is at a stalemate. It is better to believe the secret code than not. In my opinion, this secret code still needs to be solved."
Xiao Cheng curled his lips and sneered, "Of course I have to solve it. After all, I also want to know what Gu Fuzhou is up to. But I can't solve it according to his wishes." Xiao Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Forget about 'publicizing it'. Go find those scholars from the Hanlin Academy and ask them to slowly solve it in the side hall of the Qinzheng Hall. If they can't solve it, just stay inside. In addition, I don't want irrelevant people to know this code. Do you understand?"
The scholars in the Hanlin Academy are all talented people picked from thousands of thousands. If they can't figure it out, how can ordinary people in the society know it? The Minister of War praised him highly: "Your Highness is wise."
The next day, there was not a single scholar to be seen in the Hanlin Academy located at the west gate of the imperial palace, and no one knew where they were doing except themselves. Everything was going on as usual in the Imperial Medical Service, which was opposite to the Hanlin Academy.
Most of the people who came to the Imperial Medical Bureau to seek medical advice were palace maids and eunuchs from various palaces. Just by looking at their clothes and posture, one can tell their master's status in the palace. For example, a palace maid who came today was not dressed particularly gorgeously, but she had a generous demeanor and quite a good temperament, and the eunuchs from the Imperial Hospital were also particularly warm to her. It turned out that this person was a maid in Fengyi Palace, Luyao.
As soon as Lu Yao entered the Imperial Hospital, Chu Zhengde stood up and said, "Miss Lu Yao, you are here, is the Queen ill? I will pack up for a while and go to Fengyi Palace right away."
"Doctor Chu, there's no need to bother." Among the many doctors on duty, Lu Yao spotted the most eye-catching one at a glance, "The Queen specifically asked Doctor Lin to check her pulse."
Chu Zhengde shook his head and looked at Lin Qingyu fiercely, his beard shaking with anger: "Him? How can a seventh-rank medical officer who just entered the Imperial Hospital take care of the Queen's body?!"
Lin Qingyu glanced at Chu Zhengde and carried the medical box.
It's also brainless. The Queen definitely didn't come to him for Ping An's pulse. If he guessed correctly, it should be for Lu Wancheng.
Lu Yao said indifferently: "I don't know about that. Doctor Lin, please follow me to Fengyi Palace."
Chu Zhengde stared at Lin Qingyu's back as he left, his beard almost smoking: "Disrespectful to the senior!"
Lin Qingyu arrived at Fengyi Palace and paid his respects to the Queen. He knelt on the ground and was about to open the medical box when he heard the queen say, "Don't bother. This is not why I'm looking for you today. Stand up."
Lin Qingyu stood up. The queen looked him up and down and said with satisfaction, "You look really good in this official uniform."
Lin Qingyu lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind."
"Is everything okay in the Imperial Hospital?"
"It's OK. Thank you for your concern, Madam."
"I have read the suicide note of the Prime Minister." The Queen looked disappointed. "Every word he wrote was about you, and he earnestly begged me to give you your freedom. How could I, as your aunt, refuse? Of course, it was also because you have the ability, otherwise you would not be able to enter the Imperial Hospital."
Lin Qingyu was not in the mood to talk to the Queen and just stood there in silence. The Queen sighed and said, "If the spirit of Wan Cheng in heaven sees your current state, he will probably feel relieved. It has been more than three months since Wan Cheng passed away."
Lin Qingyu's eyelashes trembled slightly: "Yes. There are still three days to the hundredth day."
"Time flies by so fast." The Queen said sadly, "I ordered someone to light a long-lasting lamp for Wan Cheng at Changsheng Temple. If you have time, go to the temple and burn some incense for him."
Lin Qingyu bowed and said, "I obey your command."
Two days later, Lin Qingyu took advantage of his day off and brought Huantong to Changsheng Temple.
The beauty of April on earth has faded, and the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are beginning to bloom. March has passed and the long winter is finally over. This day last year was also the time when that person was most energetic.
The tablet of Lu Wancheng is enshrined in the side hall of Changsheng Temple. Lin Qingyu borrowed fire from the eternal lamp to light three incense sticks, bowed three times, and inserted the incense in front of the tablet.
"Doctor Lin."
Lin Qingyu turned around and was not surprised to see the person coming: "Guard Shen."
Shen Huaishi was still wearing the same black outfit with a sword at his waist. As long as he was not with Xiao Cheng or in the palace, he could be described as dignified and imposing. "Doctor Lin seemed to have anticipated my arrival."
"I only guessed that you would come to see me, but I didn't know you would come to Changsheng Temple to see me today." Lin Qingyu said calmly, "It seems that Guard Shen has been following me."
"I... I don't want to either." Shen Huaishi whispered, "But it's always inconvenient to talk in the palace, I can only look for opportunities outside the palace - sorry." He walked to the eternal lamp, looked at Lu Wancheng's tablet and said, "Doctor Lin, is the pain of losing your husband difficult to resolve?"
"It's okay, just find something to do for yourself."
Shen Huaishi smiled sadly and said, "If everyone was as open-minded as Doctor Lin, there wouldn't be so many infatuated men and women in the world."
Lin Qingyu didn't have the patience to be sad with Shen Huaishi: "You came to me because of the mark on my medical box?"
Shen Huaishi nodded: "That is the secret code of the mechanism known only to the Shen family's Tianyumen. But now, I am the only one left in Tianyumen..." Shen Huaishi's Adam's apple rolled, "How did Doctor Lin know it?"
Since all of this was planned by Jiang, there was no need for him to hide it: "I don't know. This medical box was given to me by my late husband."
"Young Marquis Lu? How did he..." Shen Huaishi frowned and thought for a moment, "Doctor Lin, where is the medical box now?"
"I carry it with me almost everywhere, in the carriage."
Lin Qingyu asked Huantong to bring the medical box. Shen Huaishi ran his finger over the strange mark and asked, "Doctor Lin, can I open it and take a look?"
Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment and said, "Please go ahead."
Shen Huaishi took out all the things in the medical box. After several extremely fast sword lights, countless cracks appeared on the surface of the mahogany medical box, and then with a "bang", it broke apart.
Among the countless sawdust, a hint of green appeared. Shen Huaishi's breath trembled, and he picked up the emerald green - it was a jade plate, and on one side of the jade plate, the words "Heavenly Prison" were engraved.
"How could it be..." Shen Huaishi murmured in a low voice, "The people of Tianyu Sect died, and the jade tokens were all destroyed... Is there anyone still alive?"
Lin Qingyu said: "There is a line of small characters on the back of the jade token." Judging from the marks on the small characters, they should have been carved recently.
Shen Huaishi flipped over and took a look: "Xuzhou, Suicheng..."
Lin Qingyu seemed to be thinking: "Xuzhou?"
The man surnamed Jiang wants to lure Shen Huaishi to Xuzhou to find the owner of this jade token?
Lin Qingyu asked: "Are you going?"
Shen Huaishi said without hesitation: “Of course!”
Lin Qingyu sneered: "You are a shadow guard with high martial arts skills, but your mind is as innocent as a child. Do you trust my late husband so much?" She has always been led by the nose, no wonder she is so devoted to Xiao Cheng. Mr. Jiang probably did this because he knew this.
Shen Huaishi's chest rose and fell violently, his eyes slightly red as he said: "As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will, will..."
"When do you plan to go?" Lin Qingyu asked, "Will the prince let you go?"
There was a trace of confusion in Shen Huaishi's eyes, which was soon replaced by determination: "I will find a way."
Tianyu Gate... He had never heard of it before. Seeing that Shen Huaishi was distracted, now was not a good time to ask him questions.
"If you come up with a solution, please let me know." Lin Qingyu said, "I also want to go to Xuzhou to see what my late husband is planning."
Shen Huaishi held the jade token tightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Okay."
When Lin Qingyu walked out of Changsheng Temple, it was almost dusk. The setting sun jumps like a flame, and when it burns out, the day will be almost over. Just as he was about to get on the carriage, a young monk called out to him, "Donor Lin."
Lin Qingyu remembered this young monk. The last time he came to Changsheng Temple with a man named Jiang, it was this man who invited the man named Jiang to see Xu Junyuan.
Xu Junyuan...
Lin Qingyu's heart moved, and he asked, "But the Imperial Master is looking for me?"
"The Imperial Master is still in retreat and will not see anyone." The little monk said, "Before he went into retreat, he asked me to hand over something to Mr. Lin." As he spoke, the little monk took out a brocade bag from his bosom, "Mr. Lin, please."
Lin Qingyu took the brocade bag and opened it. Inside was a note with ten words written on it - birth date and a name.
"This is……"
Looking at the familiar handwriting of that person, Lin Qingyu's eyes were a little dry due to the wind. He was just laughing at Shen Huaishi's gaffe, but now, his hands began to tremble.
On the ninety-ninth day after that man left, he finally learned his name.
I didn't expect that the salted fish that never gets enough sleep would be called this name.
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