Chapter 95 Kaifeng Weird Things
Since ancient times, the imperial palace has been a symbol of majesty and dignity, as well as a symbol of supreme power. It is the residence of the king, shrouded in sacred and inviolable splendor.
But this place has been a den of filth and evil since ancient times. Countless innocent people have died here, and countless foolish men and women have wanted to leave here all their lives.
Human eyes can only see the gorgeous appearance, the superficial noble status, but cannot see the lost souls wandering under the palace walls, nor can they hear the crying and resentment that never stops in the silence.
As soon as the beauty with long hair like clear sky landed, rolling flames rose from the shadows under her feet like a nine-day suspension chain, connecting head to tail, tail to head, floating around her body in circles.
Like a python waiting for an opportunity, it prowls around, waiting to bite its prey.
The cries and curses that were inaudible to mortals came to an abrupt end, and the souls that had been lingering under the palace walls day after day trembled and huddled in the narrow shadows. They all lowered their heads to their chests, their necks stretched out, and their pale hands wrapped around themselves. They dared not raise their heads, let alone make the slightest sound.
The flames of hell are inhumane and inhumane. Its master needs peace and quiet at this moment, so anyone who dares to annoy the master at this moment must die!
Bai Yutang was very close, only one step away. The flames rose so fast that he had no time to react. A flash of red light appeared before his eyes, and he was already in the rising flames.
But the strange thing is that these flames, which only need a little bit to burn a powerful evil ghost into ashes, did not hurt him at all. Even the horrifyingly high temperature that he could clearly feel did not burn him.
Bai Yuting was extremely surprised. Hesitantly, he stretched out his hand and reached into the flames that swirled in a snake shape. The formless flames flickered, making a faint beeping sound, and pushed his hand away as if to reject it.
But it doesn't hurt.
He withdrew his hand and looked through it carefully.
No burns, no scalds, not even a bit of red.
Why is this?
Is it the same for Zhan Zhao?
Because Lady Jia was particularly tolerant towards him and Zhan Zhao?
Master Wu pondered for a moment and felt that the above guesses were not accurate enough.
"Do more good things, it doesn't hurt good people."
The great witch said this while holding her forehead with her back to him.
The 46.9% synchronization rate on the light screen gave her a headache, and she wished she could clear it all with one click.
How long has it been and it’s already 46.9 percent?
Next time she will have to change to a vest card that is not as compatible.
Theseus comforted her: [It’s not that bad actually, it’s only 46.9 percent.]
Tarona's eyes were dull: [Yeah, it's only 46.9% - I want to set the palace on fire.]
Theseus: ...
He tapped out a number and showed it to his partner who was about to act impulsively.
Is it the points needed for reconstruction?
Tarona only took one look and the impulse in her heart was extinguished. Although it was just a small number, how could it add fuel to the fire of her small treasury?
Good person?
Bai Yutang's expression became a little subtle*. It was universally acknowledged that Zhan Zhao was a good man, but... was he also a good man?
The witch turned around and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Of course you are the same. Don't underestimate yourself, Xiao Yutang."
Although he is young and frivolous, it is undeniable that he is a young hero who hates evil and has a kind heart and good deeds.
After a pause, she continued, "Keep your voice down, it's a little noisy."
Now she finally understood why those evil knights were always so crazy. She didn't even need to listen carefully, people's inner voices echoed in her ears so clearly. The good ones were fine, but the bad ones were played in stereo loop... How could she not be crazy?
It’s so noisy, it’s all burnt!
Bai Yutang was stunned for a moment, then reacted. His ear clips quickly turned red and he looked away, too embarrassed to look at Miss Jia who had a teasing expression on her face.
How can this be heard?
Tarona burst out laughing, patted his shoulder and comforted him that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. After all, she was much older than him and it was just like an elder looking at a younger person. There was nothing to be shy about.
After saying that, she looked forward, narrowed her deep red eyes slightly, and asked: "Xiao Yutang, where is that?"
Master Bai Wu, with red ears, tried to calm himself down and looked over there. After thinking for a while, he said uncertainly: "That place... should be the dining room."
He had only been to the palace once, and that time he met the emperor. After the meeting, he left the palace without staying in the palace for long. Now he could vaguely distinguish that the place in front of him was the Yu Kitchen. Or was it because the cat had mentioned to him many times that there were several Yu chefs in the Yu Kitchen who cooked delicious meals? He smelled the aroma of cakes that the cat had brought back a few times before. Those cakes were only available in the palace.
The kitchen?
Very good, it matches.
Tarona walked towards there.
Bai Yutang followed behind her, feeling somewhat worried.
This fire won't hurt good people, but who can guarantee that everyone is a good person? If someone is hurt in the palace...
But he changed his mind and thought that this was obviously not something that Madam Jia should be concerned about. If someone in the palace was burned by fire, it should be the government's business.
Although it was past lunch time, the kitchen was still bustling with activity. Not only was it responsible for the emperor's meals, but it was also responsible for the meals of the concubines and other members of the royal family, especially the princes and princesses. So they had to be very careful, very cautious, and very careful again.
The emperor has only a few children now, and they are all... The imperial physician has repeatedly reminded that all meals for the princes and princesses must be prepared with their own family in mind, and even the amount of salt to add must be thought about again and again.
If we were to name the job in the palace that requires life-threatening work every moment, the imperial physician and the chef would undoubtedly be the ones to take the top spot.
There was a lot of clanging and clattering inside, and Tarona came in through the gate with Bai Yutang, with a fire snake as thick as a thigh wrapped around them - they finally decided the winner, the winner swallowed the loser, and became the biggest greedy snake, entwining itself around its master contentedly, pretending to be a large decoration.
The Blood Dragon, pretending to be just an ordinary crown, rolled his eyes: Childish!
"Hey, who are you?"
The young man holding firewood was the first to notice the two strangers breaking into the kitchen. His eyesight seemed to be poor, as he stared with his eyes, but his voice was quite loud, and everyone looked over at him.
Bai Yuting was about to speak when he saw Madam Jia casually wave her hand. The greenhorn who had just questioned who they were suddenly seemed to have forgotten about it and turned around and left with the firewood in her arms. The people who had poked their heads out of the kitchen also retracted their heads. Chef Yu, who was about to curse at them, picked up the spoon again. Everyone continued to concentrate on what they were doing, as if they didn't exist.
Tarona looked around, then walked into the kitchen, which was filled with the smell of hot pots, with a clear purpose. No matter what the people in front of her were doing, they would immediately make way for her and wait for her to pass before continuing with what they were doing.
Bai Yuting watched in amazement. Following Madam Jia, he could be considered to have seen the world.
The fire snake spitting fire moved its head, which was half the size of a man's head, and looked at the group of humans like it was picking the fattest and the thinnest. After a while, it let out a terrifying hiss, and its eyes, which were sparking with sparks, locked onto one direction.
The snake's tail, which was wrapped around its master's waist, swayed slightly, and the fire snake made a sound of asking for instructions. The Lord of Hell understood what he meant: "Drag him out and burn him."
The fire snake rubbed its master's cheek, turned into a red lightning, and rushed towards the direction it had just locked onto.
Bai Yutang didn't see its movement path clearly at all. No matter how hard he concentrated, he could only catch a glimpse of a gradually disappearing red shadow.
And in the direction that was locked by the fire snake... two eunuchs who were assisting Dr. Yuzen were missing.
Bai Yutang blinked and didn't ask.
Tarona stopped in front of a large water tank, which was big enough to hold five white jade turtles. He opened the heavy lid and saw several perches and mandarin fish swimming around inside, each as long as an arm.
There were still some cold ghostly auras lingering around the water tank. Not long ago, there were several ghosts surrounding this place, lying on the water tank and devouring the only remaining catalytic power inside.
It was not until the horrifying aura gradually approached the palace that they scattered in terror.
Tarona lowered his eyes to look at the fish for a while, then suddenly reached in, pinched the gills of the fish, and lifted up the largest one.
The big fish looked like it was dead. When it was lifted up, it lay still, with only its mouth opening and closing constantly.
Bai Yuting took a look and saw that it was a perch, very plump and delicious. It looked like it had been carefully raised.
despair.
The lid of the tank was put back on. The witch held the fish and walked towards the most experienced doctor in the kitchen: "Where did you get this fish?"
Doctor Yushan was flipping the spoon in one hand and adding seasoning to the pot with the other, and he mechanically replied, "Xiangyang, this is the tribute fish that King Xiangyang sent to the official family. It is fed with precious medicinal herbs. The imperial physician said it is very suitable for the princes and princesses to eat."
Because of its preciousness, this tribute fish is only provided to the emperor, the empress dowager, the queen and several princes and princesses. So far, it has only been used to entertain Bao Da and Zhan Huwei.
Tribute fish...
After hearing this, Bai Yutang frowned. Since Lady Jia asked about the fish, it meant that the cat was tricked because it ate the fish.
But the question is, how did the fragment end up in the fish's stomach? Was it there from the beginning, or did it get there along the way?
Whether it's at the beginning or halfway, it's not a good thing.
Tarona was also thinking about this problem. No matter whether it was there from the beginning, or appeared when the water was changed halfway or at other times, it was such a small piece that it might not be absent nearby.
Moreover, if she remembered correctly, this King of Xiangyang was also a villain, one of the important characters. According to the connection between the anomaly she discovered and the mission world, this King of Xiangyang was quite interesting.
She had to go see.
不過在此之前，她還得查查吃了這魚的人有沒有第二個着道的，要是有……這個世界的氣運之子可只有一個。
……
趙祯一行人好不容易才緊趕慢趕地趕過來，汗還沒來得及擦一擦，擡頭就見展護衛口中的酆都大帝化身正在禦膳房外的小橋上坐着，手裏提着一條魚，側着頭和白玉堂聊天，眉眼帶笑，果然很是親和。
仙人坐的不是凡物，是一條盤曲的火蛇，碩大的蛇首輕輕點在仙人肩上，迸濺着火星的眼睛一瞬不瞬地盯着前方。
趙祯被吓了一跳，但仔細一看，那火蛇瞧的并不是他們，而是橋頭兩堆灰燼。
灰燼……
趙祯回想起展昭的話，心下微沉。
他整理好因疾步而來略顯得淩亂的儀容，回頭看了一眼與他共進的包拯，頓時懸空的心有了實處。
堂堂一國君王，面見大神之時，也會如三歲小兒一般忐忑。
他們才走過來幾步，與白玉堂聊天的仙人便看了過來，臉上的笑容倏地沒了，深紅色的眸子裏閃着滿含審視的冷光。
恍惚間，趙祯仿佛看見了一只被火焰缭繞的巨大眼睛。
天幕黝黑，無星無月，只有火焰騰起的火光，周遭滿是灼燒着什麽的聲音，倘若仔細傾聽，竟能從這聲響中分辨出凄厲的慘叫聲！
那只巨眼冰冷地俯瞰着下方，眼中沒有倒映出任何存在，只能翻湧碰撞的火焰，似在審視着這世間一切的罪惡與虛僞。
沒有人能在這樣的審視中隐藏，沒有人沒在這樣的審判中例外，火焰平等地焚燒着一切罪惡與虛僞，任憑你如何不甘、如何巧舌如簧。
這是一尊無情且公正的神明。
趙祯瞳孔微顫，呼吸一窒，好一會兒才從那漩渦一般的幻象中會過神來。
風一吹過，他不禁打了一個冷顫。
自己竟然是大汗淋漓了。
趙祯穩了穩心神，強令自己鎮定下來，雖被仙人浩大威勢震懾得額頭冷汗密布，但他還記着包拯在路上告知他的話。
這位仙人掌懲戒、辨善惡，只要未行惡事、未起惡念、問心無愧，自不會觸怒仙人分毫。
他不知自己算不算一位明君，但他自認，執君位以來勤政愛民，未有一日懈怠，必不是一個昏君。
這樣想着，趙祯心裏更覺鎮定幾分，他擡手拜下，行的是祭天時的拜禮。
這位仙人既不喜凡人跪祂，那他便行祭天拜禮。
“拜見珈娘子！”
走到仙人面前的只有趙祯和包拯，其他随行人等一律遠遠候着，免得沖撞了仙人。
塔羅納滿意地點點頭，這個趙祯确實要比趙佶那個狗屎玩意兒好幾十倍。
她站起身來，火蛇舒展着身子，重新盤繞在主人身上。
“帶我去看看吃過這魚的人。”
白玉堂解釋道:“官家，這魚是襄陽王送來的貢魚，裏頭有些問題，恐會要人性命。”
适才珈娘子已經把展昭的事告訴了他，見他着急，便安慰他，只要她在，展昭就不會有事。
這句話比任何發誓保證都要管用，白玉堂提起來的一顆心落了回去。
可展昭不會有事，并不代表別人就不會有事。
趙祯一聽，頓時眼前就是一黑，若不是包拯和飛身過來的白玉堂一左一右扶住了他，他便要軟倒在地了。
這魚，除了包卿和展護衛，就只有大娘娘、皇後，還有他的子女吃過！
無論這裏頭誰出了事，都無疑是在他心上狠狠紮了一刀。
行善積德不當昏君是有用的，這麽些人都吃了魚，中招的只有展昭一個。
趙祯大大地松了一口氣，軟坐在下首，懷裏抱着最小的孩子，手都是抖的。
不過他這口氣還是松得太早了，只聽上首的仙人淡聲道:“趙祯，瞧見那兩堆灰了嗎？”
趙祯道:“瞧見了，是那兩人做了什麽不可赦的惡事嗎？還請仙人放心，此番以後，我定會嚴查宮中，絕不放過任何惡行。”
他是知道這偌大的皇宮中總有藏污納垢之處的，但他沒有想到，竟已經到了引得仙人震怒的程度。
福兮禍兮，于他也是當頭一棒，叫他警醒。
仙人側目看他，似笑非笑:“确實是做了不少惡事，若繼續留他二人在宮中，你這幾個小崽子，一個都活不了。”
那兩個根本不是太監，也不是經由篩選程度正經選進來的，而是被某些人通了關系，悄悄塞進來的細作，手上很不幹淨。
她在那兩人身上看到不少血債，光是小孩子，就有兩手之數，故而被地獄火一眼鎖定。
人類雖然生來就有原罪，但是相比較而言，沒有固定三觀意識的嬰幼兒是這世間最純粹的。這個時候的他們雖然已經誕生于世，成為了人類一員，但他們還沒有長到選擇向善還是向惡的年紀，他們依舊如水晶一般，是透明的。
而殺死他們是比殺了善人還要大的罪，其血債之深，足夠兇手在地獄裏當釘子戶了。
都說皇宮守衛森嚴，如同鐵桶一般，可這是不可能的，總有看不見的陰影在蠕動。
就算是珈珈百德，她也需要定期對地獄的惡魔和惡靈殺雞儆猴，讓它們知道她的統治地位不可動搖，她定下的規矩絕不可以違背。
地獄主宰尚且如此，人間的帝王呢？
凡人之力怎敵非人？
該慶幸趙祯沒有心髒病，不然今天他非得厥過去不可，連續聽聞兩個噩耗，旁邊撫心口的太後看着都比他健康精神。
在皇後疊聲呼傳太醫和孩子們慌張叫爹爹的背景聲中，塔羅納淡定地喝完最後一口茶，順便把吐着信子的地獄火按回了體內。
她屈指敲了敲桌面，進了門就和六面魔方死磕的白玉堂這才猛的從自己的思維裏醒過來，“走吧，回去了。”
皇宮裏沒什麽好待的了，至于展昭這一次中招是意外還是人為，等她親自去襄陽走一趟就知道了。
塔羅納剛剛站起身來，殿門外就傳來了宮人禀報的聲音，說是龐太師求見官家。
包拯搖搖頭，暗暗嘆息。
倘若是旁人也就罷了，太師位高權重，此事确實還有颠倒的可能。但龐昱觸怒的不是旁人，更不是凡人，而是一位貨真價實的仙人，且還是一位大神。
沒有立時要了龐昱的性命，都是仙人在入城前答應了展護衛和白少俠，不會在開封內要了人的性命。
他與龐太師也算是高手多年，今日如此急切進宮，言語之間盡是致人死地之意，可見龐昱傷重，已然是人不可想象的程度。
想到這裏，包拯再度嘆息，若龐昱果真已經改過自新，哪裏還有今日之事？
如此，何嘗不是過往惡行的果報呢？
塔羅納聽完了包拯的心聲，對這位龐太師的微末好奇也消失了，她現在沒興趣見一些無用之人，回去确定展昭狀态是否有變才是重中之重。
保險起見，她去襄陽也得帶上展昭。
趙祯是少有的心軟的君王，龐吉是老臣了，且他衆後妃之中就有一個是龐吉的女兒。龐妃平素裏孝敬太後，對皇後恭謹有加，對他也是全心全意，更對宮中皇子公主視為己出，時常送去吃食用品。
即便知道龐昱是因為觸怒了仙人才招來神罰，可龐太師素有功勞，此番這般急迫，以至于失了禮數，也是為父心切，可以諒解幾分。
正當他想為龐太師說情幾句時，仙人仿佛已然洞悉了他的想法，深紅色的眼眸同他在幻象中看見的那只巨眼一般，直直朝他看了過來，但眼中卻沒有他們的倒映，靜默的火焰甚至連光都能夠悉數吞沒。
趙祯湧到嘴邊的話一個字也說不來了，他下意識将懷中幼子抱緊，垂下眸去，以示對大神的恭敬。
皇後也覺查到了氣氛的微妙變化，她伸手将幾個孩子攏到身邊，哄着他們止住呼喊。
然而小孩子比大人更加敏銳，他們紛紛捂住嘴巴，葡萄似的眼睛直溜溜地望着上首黑衣服的姐姐，眼中滿是好奇和向往。
【惡靈騎士】總是願意為善良和純粹垂眸，她本來就沒打算說重話，此刻被幾個小豆丁眨巴着眼睛瞧着，冰冷的唇角慢慢揚起一個弧度，露出一個淺淺的微笑來。
見狀，太後提着的心也放松了下來，微微顫抖的貼身宮女攙扶着她起身，老人嘆息一聲，正要俯身拜下，舍了一張老臉為貿然沖撞上來的龐太師求求情。
仙人率先開口:“不必拜我，我不佑人。”
太後彎腰的動作一頓。
仙人又道:“我答應了展昭和白玉堂，不會在這座城裏縱火焚魂，但龐昱冒犯了我，我賜予他焚身之刑。告訴門外那位，他的兒子不會死。”
似是回想起了那些人的慘叫聲，地獄主宰好心情地笑了一下:“至少在他的陽壽走完之前。”
所以，不要想着自殺，除了自然死亡，沒有第二條死路可走。
聞言，太後驚愕不已，接連看向趙祯和包拯。
Zhao Zhen lowered his head in shame, while Bao Zheng bowed and nodded.
——It’s true.
Pang Yu offended the immortal!
The empress dowager roughly knew what kind of person Pang Yu was, but she always remembered the relationship between Grand Tutor Pang and Concubine Pang. She chose to turn a blind eye. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and fainted amid the screams of everyone.
The old lady's mental quality is not good.
Tarona said something cool in his heart and hooked his finger at Bai Yutang, who had watched the whole show quietly.
Bai Yutang understood what he meant, put the Rubik's Cube into his sleeve pocket, bowed to Mr. Bao who was still relatively calm, and then handed his hand to Miss Jia.
Mr. Bao was also unlucky. Who could have thought that he would be unable to leave after visiting the palace?
Lady Jia's hands were very hot, and Bai Yutang shivered slightly.
Before he could prepare himself mentally, scorching flames suddenly burst out from under his feet, like an inverted sea of fire, engulfing the two of them in an instant.
The flames before my eyes flickered only for a moment, then retreated back into the shadows on the ground just as quickly as they had come.
Bai Yuting was a little confused. He blinked to make sure he was not hallucinating. In just a moment, they returned to Kaifeng Prefecture from the palace.
Is this the magic of the gods?
Lady Jia patted his shoulder and said, "Go back and get ready. Come with me to Xiangyang in a few days."
Bai Yutang asked without thinking, "What about Zhan Zhao?"
Without Lady Jia around, what if Zhan Zhao gets harmed by that evil creature?
This question caused Lady Jia to look at him strangely: "Of course the little kitty will go with me."
What a joke! She only has two air fresheners. If one is missing, she will feel that half of the sky has become ugly.
Besides, she might be gone for several days. Today, she hadn't seen Zhan Zhao for half a day, and he had eaten something dirty. If she hadn't been watching him for several days, she might not see him when she came back.
Although Bao Zheng is righteous and this is the capital of a country, she is still worried. What if the fragments accumulate energy and rebound?
So it’s best to go together.
Bai Yutang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He touched his nose and said, "Then I'll go send a letter home first, so that my brothers won't be unable to find me when they need me."
He had been out for quite some time. He should have written a letter back when he found that bastard in Jingzhou, but things kept coming one after another and he was so overwhelmed that he didn't even have time to write a letter.
This time he was going to Xiangyang again, so he had to write a letter to his family to explain everything before he set off, and also tell his brothers not to walk at night or go to gloomy places.
Madam Jia said that not everyone can kill evil spirits like him and the cat.
Tarona waved his hand to let him go, and then he put his hands in his pockets, chatting with his partner while walking towards Zhan Zhao's yard.
The maids and servants they met on the road all avoided her until the beautiful woman with long hair was out of their sight. Then they raised their heads with lingering fear, looked at each other while panting, rested for a while, and then continued to move forward.
What Mr. Gongsun said was what a majestic and awe-inspiring immortal he was!
It is a great blessing for them to be able to live in the same palace with an immortal and even witness the immortal's true appearance with their own eyes!
However, it must be that Mr. Bao is honest and wise, and a first-class official in the world. Otherwise, why would the immortal come to Kaifeng Prefecture alone?
How to say it?
It can be considered the correct answer.
If Bao Zheng was not a good official, Zhan Zhao would not have decided to follow him and protect him with his life, right?