Chapter 419 Third Brother, Be Careful When You're Out and About
419、
When Yu Sui returned to the palace, Nangong Ming had not yet set off, nor had Qin Shan returned to the palace. She avoided all the patrolling imperial guards and successfully returned to Chaoyue Palace.
Wu Huaiwei and Tang Qing did not return either.
The hall was empty. After adjusting her breathing, she looked in the direction of the Star Gazing Hall. She guessed that Queque would be worried for a while because of what happened tonight.
Zhong Lique listened to Qin Shan's words and stayed alone in Gufeng Tower. The smell of blood and burnt food filled her nostrils. Zhong Lique stood with her arms around the window frame, feeling the cool night breeze blowing in, which gradually lowered her body temperature, but made her mind become calmer.
She was prepared that if the person who broke into the Star Gazing Hall at night was not caught by Qin Shan, and His Majesty found out that she had secretly learned the Nine Schools of Arts, she would have to bear the consequences and die herself, and she absolutely could not implicate the Zhongli clan.
When Qin Shan returned, there was a sound in the hallway. Zhong Lique recognized it as Qin Shan's footsteps, so she didn't panic.
After he entered the house, he saw the girl crouching under the window, her face slightly pale, probably from fright.
Qin Shan paused for a moment, then said to Zhong Lique, "It's alright now."
Zhong Lique asked, "Have they caught the person?"
"No," Qin Shan answered truthfully.
Zhong Lique tightened her grip on her sleeve, a strange sense of disappointment rising in her heart. She had thought Qin Shan wouldn't fail.
Unexpectedly, the person who broke into the Star Gazing Hall at night was even more skilled.
"A major event also happened tonight." Qin Shan told Zhong Lique about the night attack that killed Nangong's grandmother.
Zhongli Que covered her mouth in shock: "Gongsun Qi... he was the God of War General of Yan, I heard he passed away many years ago, how could he still be..."
"The person who broke into the Star Gazing Hall at night has a deep connection with Gongsun Qi. Their sword spirits are very similar. Can you pre-register for Gongsun Qi's position?" Qin Shan asked.
"I... I'll give it a try." Zhong Lique calmed herself down, "but I'm not entirely confident."
Zhongli Que had heard of Gongsun Qi before. He was a general from an enemy state. If the person who broke into the Star Gazing Hall at night was in cahoots with Gongsun Qi, then the other party would definitely find an opportunity to harm the Zhongli family.
Zhong Lique did not want such a thing to happen.
Qin Shan handed the sacred wood divination stick to Zhong Lique, looking at her with a slightly encouraging gaze.
Having obtained the Divine Wood divination slip, Zhong Lique could see some blurry light and shadow, and she lowered her eyes to stare at the dark slip.
This time, instead of using the power of divine divination, the nine schools of divination techniques were used for the purpose of divination.
Zhong Lique used the simplest method of star-gazing and divination, searching for the answer in his heart from the information given in the divination slip under Qin Shan's guidance.
“No southern suburbs tomorrow night,” Zhong Lique murmured.
Qin Shan stared at the words on the fortune slip and fell into deep thought.
He reached out and patted the girl's head to comfort her: "Don't worry, the things you're afraid of will never happen."
Zhong Lique asked in a low voice, "Does my father know about this?"
Qin Shan said, "I didn't have time to tell the General."
Zhongli Que: "Please inform him, Venerable One."
Qin Shan nodded, and seeing the girl's worried face, asked gently, "Is there anything else you're worried about? Tell me all at once."
Zhong Lique paused, finding it difficult to speak. Such a major event had occurred in the Nangong family; she was worried about how Sui Sui was doing.
Since being brought into the palace, Zhongli Que has been learning the Nine Schools of Arts and has no idea what is happening outside.
At this time, she was unaware that Yu Sui had been stripped of her Nangong surname.
"Besides what happened tonight, is there anything else from the Nangong family?" Zhong Lique asked softly.
Qin Shan observed the girl calmly and patiently began to speak to her.
When Zhong Lique learned that Yu Sui was no longer the princess of the Nangong Prince's Mansion, she was both surprised and angry. Even without Qin Shan activating the Mind-Observation Array, he could tell what she was thinking at that moment.
"Sui Sui...Is Princess Nangong in the palace right now?" Zhong Lique couldn't help but ask.
"You want to see her?" Qin Shan asked with a smile.
Zhong Lique lowered her head and did not answer, feeling conflicted. She was worried about Yu Sui, but also afraid that Yu Sui would get involved in her troubles.
Qin Shan said, "The fewer people who know about your presence here, the better. Even if you have a good personal relationship, you should keep your distance for the sake of both of you."
Zhong Lique nodded sullenly, his expression revealing his worry.
If Qin Shan were to activate the Mind-Observing Array at this moment, he would be able to know the secret of the Wind-Listening Ruler. Unfortunately, he thought it was a friendship between two little girls that they kept hidden due to family prejudice, so he had no intention of prying into it.
After receiving the divination results from Zhong Lique, Qin Shan comforted her and began to work on the plans for the next night, then went to discuss the matter with Wang Jingshu.
Later that evening, he went to the General's Mansion in person to tell Zhongli Ci what had happened at the Star Gazing Hall that night.
Qin Shanxin first praised Zhongli Que's talent and comprehension, and then told him that he had failed to win her heart.
Zhong Li Ci looked at him expressionlessly without answering.
Qin Shan suppressed his smile and said sincerely and earnestly again, "I have divined several times, and this person and this matter will not have the slightest impact on her."
Zhongli Ci said, "If all divinations in the world are accurate, then the prophecy of the strange fire is a predetermined fate, so why waste energy trying to defy fate?"
Qin Shan gently shook his head: "I know you are dissatisfied at this moment, but I also keep my word. What are your plans regarding Gongsun Qi?"
Zhongli Ci: "His Majesty has already ordered a city-wide search and immediate execution."
Qin Shan: "You're going in person?"
“If it really is him, then I shall go.” As Zhongli Ci said this, he thought of the sword wound his son had brought back from outside the city.
Although Gongsun Qi withdrew the sword shadow fire poison from Zhongli Shan's body, Zhongli Ci still saw through it but did not reveal it to anyone.
...
When the palace staff arrived, Tang Qing and Wu Huaiwei had not yet returned.
Nangong Ming personally led his men to the gate of Chaoyue Palace. Out of respect for Tang Qing, even the announcement was made from outside the palace, and no one went inside.
When Yu Sui came out, the first thing she saw was Nangong Ming, whose expression was indifferent. She had spent a fair amount of time with Grandma Nangong, and they would have family dinners together a few times a year on major holidays. The old lady would give the children holiday gifts every year, and in return, the children would give her gifts at her birthday banquet every year.
Just deciding on the gifts to give each year is enough to give Yu Sui a headache for a long time.
When she came out, she had her head down, looking somewhat worried and troubled. If Nangong Ming wanted to see her cry her heart out for her grandmother, he was simply dreaming.
Perhaps because of the loss of his mother, Nangong Ming did not say anything sarcastic to Yu Sui. He just glanced at her and said, "Let's go."
Yu Sui raised her face and said to him, "Father, please accept my condolences."
Nangong Ming walked forward without turning his head.
Yu Sui followed behind him as they left the palace and returned to the Prince's residence.
When Nangong Ming entered the palace, the two ladies in the household were already preparing for the funeral. Lady Su was too weak to help much and could only go back to her room to rest. Lady Hui was the most heartbroken, kneeling before the mourning hall, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the old lady in the coffin.
Mrs. Hui cried and regretted why she had left the old house a few days ago.
Although Nangong Ming punished her by sending her to the old house to take care of the old lady and forbidding her from leaving the capital, the old lady always doted on Madam Hui. Whenever Madam Hui got tired of it and wanted to go out to play, she would turn a blind eye and let her go.
Madam Hui had made plans with many of her friends to go to the outskirts of the city to admire the autumn leaves several months ago. Now that the day was approaching, she was confined to her quarters, so she went to plead with the old lady. The old lady softened and let her go, but she never expected that such a major incident would occur in the old mansion only two days after she left.
She cried uncontrollably in the hall, while Su Feng breathed a sigh of relief.
Heaven knows how anxious and distressed he was when he went to the burnt-out old house to search for the remains, fearing that the corpse he found would be recognized as his own mother. When his hands trembled with anxiety, he saw his mother rushing back in a carriage, and he felt both angry and amused. But when his mother cried and asked him where his grandmother was, Su Feng's nose also tingled with sadness.
Chu Jin didn't want to be idle and was also thinking about how to please her father. She had only recently recovered from her illness when she led a group of people out to find Gongsun Qi. Su Feng had just returned with Madam Hui and was learning about the situation, leaving only Han Bing and Sheng Fei busy with various matters in the mansion.
When the news came from outside that the prince had returned, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked outside.
Yu Sui looked up and glanced at the white silks that were everywhere, which added a lot of sorrow and desolation to the exquisite and magnificent Nangong Prince's Mansion. As they walked along, the people who bowed to them were somewhat fearful and cautious.
Nangong Ming walked ahead and asked her calmly, "Are you aware of Gongsun Qi's actions?"
"How would I know?" Yu Sui looked up in confusion.
Nangong Ming did not answer, and Yu Sui continued, "Father, even if you suspect me, I would not do such a thing. What good would it do me to kill Grandmother? Before entering the palace, Grandmother reminded me to act quickly."
She deliberately conveyed the message that Grandmother Nangong was on her side.
Yu Sui glanced casually at the mourning hall: "I can't do something as heinous and inhumane as killing my own flesh and blood."
Unless someone takes my life first.
"Your Highness." Madam Han was the first to step forward. She glanced at Yu Sui, who was following behind, and whispered to Nangong Ming, "That sword shadow and fire poison is a bit difficult to deal with."
Yu Sui had just stepped forward when she turned her nose and backed away, saying, "Why does it smell so bad?" Madam Han's eyes twitched at the sound of her voice.
As she said this, her gaze was fixed on the mourning hall.
Upon hearing Yu Sui's words, Su Feng and Han Bing quickly walked over and took Yu Sui aside before Nangong Ming could get angry. Only Sheng Fei watched this scene expressionlessly.
"My grandmother was poisoned by the Sword Shadow Fire. Even after she died, her body will be corroded by the poison, festering repeatedly and emitting a foul stench." Han Bing explained to Yu Sui in a low voice, telling her to be careful not to say anything she shouldn't in front of her father.
Yu Sui asked innocently, "Is there no solution?"
Han Bing shook his head.
Su Feng said, "We can only suppress it with other flavors."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Sui saw the maids carrying a large number of white flowers and plants to place in the mourning hall. The flowers had a fresh and rich fragrance, which alleviated the stench of decay.
Led by Han Bing, Yu Sui entered the mourning hall to burn incense and kneel in worship. Looking at the old man's memorial tablet and coffin, she felt no emotion.
After the kneeling ceremony, the mute woman came forward and led her back to change her clothes. By the time she returned to the mourning hall, it was almost dawn.
Sheng Fei stood by the roadside, watching the girl return. As she walked past, he asked in a low voice, "Do you know about Gongsun Qi's operation this time?"
Yu Sui ignored him and walked straight ahead, only to be stopped by Sheng Fei, at which point she looked up. Sheng Fei's gaze was sharp, not like a question, but more like a confirmation.
Opinions on the relationship between Yu Sui and Mei Liangyu are divided. One group believes Yu Sui is love-struck, while another believes Mei Liangyu is love-struck; Sheng Fei belongs to the latter group. While others in the Qingyang capital believe that Princess Nangong is unwaveringly in love with Mei Liangyu, Sheng Fei feels that Mei Liangyu is very accommodating to Yu Sui, giving her whatever she wants.
Therefore, Mei Liangyu likely told her about Gongsun Qi's existence and whereabouts.
She had known all along that Gongsun Qi would come to the capital of Qingyang.
Yu Sui had just returned to the capital of Qingyang when Gongsun Qi made his move in the outer city. Was this just a coincidence?
In any case, that's not how Sheng Fei sees him now.
No matter what happens now, Sheng Fei's first suspect will be Yu Sui.
“If I have contact with Gongsun Qi and can learn about his actions, then the first person I would have him kill would be you.” Yu Sui tiptoed closer to Sheng Fei’s ear and said, “Third brother, be careful when you’re out and about. If you encounter Gongsun Qi coming to kill you in the capital of Qingyang, then it will prove that your guess was correct.”
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