82 Chapter 82
◎Uproot◎
The bright winter sunlight leaped in through the glass window, casting a long shadow on the desk and the pen holder on the desk.
Xie Mingzhuo raised his head from the memorial and looked out the window to relax his sore eyes.
It was winter now, and the flowers and plants in the palace had lost their color. Only a few plum blossoms in the imperial garden had quietly blossomed, adding a bit of vitality.
"Your Highness," Feng Caiyu walked in from outside the palace, "a letter was delivered from outside the palace. It was sent by Wei Sanlang."
Xie Mingzhuo leaned his head lazily and asked, "What did you say?"
Feng Caiyu opened the invitation and replied, "Wei Sanlang invites you to go to his other courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing to appreciate the plum blossoms the day after tomorrow."
Is this his way of pleasing girls?
Xie Mingzhuo's evaluation of him became increasingly low, and his expression was indifferent: "Reply and say I agreed."
"yes."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Qing entered the palace again and reported, "Your Highness, Madam Liu requests an audience."
"Please ask her to come in."
Women of noble birth had to be summoned to enter the palace. Except for royal relatives, few people could ask for an audience and enter the palace casually.
Liu Ying is not a person who does not know her limits. She is so anxious to see her, so there must be something important.
She was wearing a cumbersome dress for a lady of noble birth. When she saw Xie Mingzhuo in the side room of Wenhua Palace, she was about to kneel down to greet him, but was helped up by Jiang Qing in time.
Xie Mingzhuo's expression remained calm: "Madam Liu, there's no need to be so polite. Please sit down."
"Thank you, Princess." Liu Ying sat down and said, "Princess, I have come to see you today to offer you some advice. If I have offended you, I will accept your punishment."
Xie Mingzhuo couldn't help but become interested. He sat up straight and said, "You can talk as much as you want."
"Princess, do you remember how Princess Fukang, Princess Baoqing, and many other princesses died of depression because their husbands weren't good people?" Liu Ying's eyes were filled with genuine worry. "I don't want to gossip about others behind their backs, but your ambitions are as high as yours. How can you let such mundane matters ruin your mood?"
This was a rather bold statement. If Xie Mingzhuo really fell in love with Wei Sanlang, even if he didn't react immediately after hearing this, he would still feel resentful. If he was more petty and thought Liu Ying was overreaching and became tired of her, then Liu Ying's future would end there.
But Xie Mingzhuo could see that she was genuinely thinking about him and didn't care whether he would suspect her or not.
"I know what's going on. Madam Liu, don't worry." Xie Mingzhuo wouldn't easily reveal his thoughts. He only gently reminded her, "I appreciate your kindness."
Liu Ying realized that she had underestimated the princess and almost ruined her plans, so she immediately knelt down and apologized.
"You have a straightforward and honest nature, which is very good." Xie Mingzhuo stood up and walked away from the desk. He helped her up and said with a smile, "Is your duty at Yuanma Temple going well?"
Liu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Princess, for your consideration. Thanks to you, my humble position is going very smoothly. However, there are few good and strong horses in the temple. We need to introduce better breeds and improve the breeding methods."
As his identity changed, his self-proclaimed title naturally changed as well. Even if a clerk was not a high-ranking official, he was still an official of the imperial court.
"You will decide on the feeding matters yourself. Just submit a report to Wenhua Palace every month."
"yes."
Xie Mingzhuo gave Liu Ying a few more words of encouragement before she respectfully took her leave.
"Your Highness, I've inquired and found that Wei Sanlang has a very good reputation among the ladies of high rank. Even those with daughters of wealthy families are interested in marrying him," Jiang Qing asked in amazement. "Why did Madam Liu conclude that he wasn't a good match?"
Xie Mingzhuo smiled and sat down. "She trained wild wolves in the Gobi Desert before, so it's no surprise that her vision is higher than that of ordinary people."
"I understand."
In a blink of an eye, it was the day to appreciate the plum blossoms in the villa. Xie Mingzhuo took a day off from the court meeting on the pretext of caring about the health of the court officials. He put on a slim and comfortable outfit and left the palace by car.
Wei Zheng had already been waiting outside the palace.
In order to show his heroic appearance, he did not ride in a carriage, but held a maroon horse in his hand. His carefully trimmed face looked even more handsome and heroic.
Judging from his appearance alone, he is indeed a handsome young man.
"Sanlang greets Her Royal Highness the Princess."
He bent his knees and was about to fall, but Xie Mingzhuo helped him up. His peach blossom eyes were full of tenderness and he said with a smile, "Your Highness still cares about me."
Xie Mingzhuo: “…”
If it wasn't for the purpose of catching them all in one fell swoop, I wouldn't be able to continue acting with goosebumps all over my body.
She couldn't help but recall in her mind the pitiful look on Lin Fan's face when he leaned close to her neck and said, "Don't leave me." Very good, the effect of washing the eyes was very significant.
One expresses his true feelings, the other is hypocritical and artificial. There is no doubt about the difference between them.
She did not respond, but climbed into the carriage proudly. She lowered the curtain to block her view and breathed a sigh of relief.
The carriage started and headed for the Wei family villa in the eastern suburbs.
Wei Zheng drove the horse and accompanied on the left side of the carriage. He never stopped talking all the way, changing the topic to make Xie Mingzhuo happy.
Xie Mingzhuo would occasionally give him some face and chuckle a few times, which made Wei Sanlang even more excited.
A plum forest has been opened up in the Wei family villa. From a distance, it looks like a piece of brocade, with the sky blue and the red plum blossoms like fire. Clusters of plum blossoms are crowded together, competing with each other for beauty, which is a rare and lively scene.
Enjoying plum blossoms is also inseparable from delicious food.
Wei Sanlang clapped his hands lightly, and immediately a servant brought food. It was the so-called delicacies on a jade plate, but this was all.
"Your Highness, this is plum blossom soup cake, which has the effect of stimulating appetite and clearing away heat; this is plum blossom porridge, which soothes the liver and regulates qi; plum blossom cake, which is sweet but not greasy, and has the right softness and crispness. In addition, there is plum blossom chicken soup..."
"It turned out to be a plum blossom banquet," Xie Mingzhuo interrupted him. "Sanlang's idea is quite unique, not bad."
When Wei Zheng saw the smile in the corners of her eyes, his heart beat faster.
If I could serve the princess, it would be fine. However, the princess could say she disliked Song Tanhua, so maybe she would give him up soon.
He had to resort to some means.
Your Highness, don't blame me.
Wei Zheng secretly found excuses for himself in his heart, a smile on his face like a spring breeze, and his mind kept digging out funny words to make Xie Mingzhuo laugh.
Xie Mingzhuo was very considerate and endured it until three quarters past noon. When he couldn't bear it anymore, he raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows.
"Your Highness, are you tired?" Feng Caiyu immediately understood, "It's getting late, it's time to return to the palace."
Xie Mingzhuo stood up and said, "Wei Sanlang, you are thoughtful today. The scenery and food are both very good."
"Sanlang, please send His Highness back to the palace." Wei Zheng was also thirsty from talking, and if he continued, he would be exhausted, so he did not try to keep him.
"No need. You've put in all the effort to prepare these things. You can just rest here."
How could Wei Zheng give up halfway?
"Sanlang will be worried if I don't personally escort Your Highness back to the palace." He said this with sincerity, his eyes full of love. "Your Highness, please let me accompany you."
Xie Mingzhuo: "...As you wish."
The carriage returned to the capital from the eastern suburbs. On the way, Wei Zheng stopped chattering on the grounds of "not disturbing the princess's rest."
The entire team seemed exceptionally quiet, which made it easy for Xie Mingzhuo to catch the sounds of an argument not far away when he approached the checkpoint. One of the voices sounded somewhat familiar.
"parking."
The driver obeyed the order and stopped immediately by the roadside.
"Your Highness, please give your instructions." Feng Caiyu stood beside the carriage, bowed his head and waited respectfully.
Wei Zheng naturally did not forget to compete for favor: "Your Highness, are you tired or thirsty? Do you want..."
"Aqing." Xie Mingzhuo interrupted him directly, "Go over there and take a look."
Jiang Qing had good hearing and heard the sound as well, but since the princess didn't say anything, she couldn't possibly meddle in other people's business.
She took the order and left, but a moment later, she brought back a young woman, who was none other than Xu Zhixiu, with whom she had dealt in Fuliang County, Jiangxi Province.
Xu Zhixiu was extremely surprised to see Jiang Qing, especially after Jiang Qing helped her drive away the ruffians who had been harassing her for many days, she was even more grateful.
She wanted to say a few more words to her, but Jiang Qing had no intention of speaking and just gestured for her to follow.
Xu Zhixiu was full of questions until he arrived in front of a group of luxurious carriages.
The guards around her were awe-inspiring, much more impressive than the "big world" she had seen since arriving in Beijing.
She didn't know who was in the carriage and was at a loss for what to do.
Wei Zheng was eager to show off and immediately shouted, "How dare you! Seeing the public——"
"Wei Zheng." Xie Mingzhuo lifted the car curtain. His tone was calm, but it made people feel nervous for no reason and they stopped talking.
It is true that "serving the king is like serving a tiger". He was chatting and laughing in the Plum Garden just now, but now he is so cold and majestic.
Wei Zheng felt a surge of grievance, indignation, and a vague unwillingness in his heart.
Before Xu Zhixiu could blurt out "Master Meng," Jiang Qing interrupted, "This lady was being harassed by scoundrels, and I've already chased them away."
"In broad daylight, someone could harass a woman in the street. Are the inspectors in the capital city so negligent in their duties?"
Xie Mingzhuo immediately used this incident as an excuse and instructed Jiang Qing: "When you return to the city, pass on my order to increase patrols inside and outside the capital to prevent such incidents from happening again."
Even if she had not met Xu Zhixiu, she would have found an opportunity to say this to Wei Zheng in person.
Catching them all in one fell swoop requires advance deployment, but it is easy to alert the enemy. Having a reasonable excuse will lower the other party's vigilance.
Jiang Qing accepted the order.
Feng Caiyu smiled and said, "My lady, if you encounter this kind of thing again, you must report it to the authorities immediately."
"Report to the authorities?" Xu Zhixiu understood them well, knowing they didn't want to reveal their mutual acquaintance. So, she restrained her expression and continued the conversation, "If the authorities could help, I wouldn't have to worry about this for so long."
In this world, it is indeed not easy for a woman to live alone.
Xie Mingzhuo sympathized with her situation and admired her tenacity. Since he had the chance to meet her, he naturally would not sit idly by.
She took out a talisman from the secret drawer in the car, "Ayu."
Feng Caiyu immediately took it and placed it in Xu Zhixiu's hand, reminding him, "If you encounter any trouble again, take this to report it. The government will not ignore it."
"I bow to thank you for your kindness, sir." Xu Zhixiu knew that the Jinyiwei was very powerful, and the badge given by Lord Meng must be something extraordinary.
She knelt down and kowtowed without hesitation, but was stopped by Jiang Qing.
"My lady, take care."
The carriage slowly drove out. Xu Zhixiu stood there, holding the talisman tightly, tears in his eyes.
Lord Meng helped her several times, but she had no way to repay him.
When they were about to reach the imperial city, Wei Zheng no longer saw them off.
Before leaving, he asked softly, "Your Highness, will I ever have the honor of inviting you on a trip again in the future?"
Xie Mingzhuo naturally gave him this opportunity and said gently, "You have made very good arrangements today. We can talk about it when you have time."
This is consent.
Wei Zheng's heart leaped with joy, and his voice was as gentle as water: "Sanlang will respectfully escort His Highness back to the palace."
He did not turn back until the carriage was no longer in sight.
As soon as we arrived at the yard, Tong Qinnan came to inquire about the progress.
"The princess is very satisfied with me. She said that she would go out with me again when she has time." Wei Zheng recalled the details of today, and the corners of his mouth could not help but curl up.
Tong Qiniang was delighted: "My son is really lovable. Did you use perfume today?"
"Today, when we go to admire the plum blossoms, if I use perfumed powder, it will taint the pure and elegant fragrance of the plum blossoms. If the princess dislikes it, I will lose more than I gain."
Tong Qinniang: “…”
She did not blame or force him, but said earnestly: "Next time we meet, you must put on perfume and powder, so that the princess will not easily dislike you."
"I know, mother, don't worry."
Two days later, the princess accepted the invitation again. Wei Zheng happily dressed up and was about to go out, but was stopped by Tong Qinniang.
Tong Qinniang's usual gentle demeanor changed, and her face became serious as she asked, "The number of patrol officers and soldiers patrolling the streets has suddenly increased these past two days. Do you know why?"
"Patrol?" Wei Zheng thought carefully, then shrugged and said, "That day, when the princess was returning to the palace, she encountered hooligans harassing decent women on the road. She became angry and decided immediately to order a rectification of this rogue behavior."
"Is it really like that?" Tong Qinniang's expression softened.
Wei Zheng laughed and said, "Why would I lie to you? Mother, don't worry. I invited the princess to the teahouse to listen to a story today."
After today, the princess will be his.
Tong Qinniang was completely relieved, her beautiful eyes gleaming with a hint of brilliance, "Sanlang, I'll wait for your good news."
When Xie Mingzhuo woke up in the morning, the sky was bright with rosy clouds. When he drove out of the palace, dark clouds covered the sun and the sky suddenly became gloomy.
There was still a huge queue in front of Xunxian Teahouse.
In the invitation, Wei Zheng said that he wanted to invite the princess to experience the hustle and bustle of the city, so he did not book the entire teahouse, and the teahouse remained open to welcome guests.
Sometimes when there are many people, it will be more secretive.
After reading the invitation, Xie Mingzhuo "understood" and put on ordinary clothes, drove a low-key carriage, and took only Feng Caiyu and Jiang Qing with him.
When she arrived at the entrance of the teahouse, Wei Zheng greeted her personally and led her to a private seat on the second floor.
From the elegant seats, one can lean on the railing and look down. If one wants more privacy, one can lower the curtains on both sides to block out other people's sight and just listen to Mr. Gu's storytelling quietly.
Wei Zheng poured tea attentively, called the waiter to serve snacks, and lit the candlesticks.
"Your Highness may not know this because you haven't been here before. When the storytelling begins later, the doors and windows of the building will be covered with black cloth to block out the light. This way, you will feel as if you are actually there."
He moved closer to Xie Mingzhuo, stared at her pretty face, and explained in a low voice.
It's the same as turning off the lights in a movie theater.
Xie Mingzhuo nodded.
With the bang of a gavel, the teahouse suddenly fell into darkness, with only a few candles flickering in the gloom.
Mr. Gu stepped onto the podium.
He wore thick glasses and a long blue cloth robe. He looked ordinary, but his "fame" gave him an air of mystery.
Xie Mingzhuo has a good memory and she remembered this person.
One time when I went to Huanghuafang to see Lin Fan, he fell in the rain and his glasses fell into a puddle. It was Aqing who helped him pick them up.
If Lin Fan hadn't reminded him, who would have guessed that a small teahouse would actually deceive and mislead people under the guise of storytelling.
She agreed to recruit a prince consort in order to get close to Wei Sanlang in a reasonable way and follow the clues to get to the bottom of the matter, and also to give a deep shock to the court officials who submitted the memorial so that they would never dare to mention the matter of "recruiting a prince consort" again.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Those screening processes are also established to divert attention and delay time.
During the time she was keeping Wei Zheng hanging, her second brother and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been secretly investigating the Xunxian Teahouse and closely monitoring everyone working in the teahouse.
The Tong family in Yangzhou Prefecture was also thoroughly investigated.
The transaction of power for sex is not uncommon, but using beauty to facilitate missionary work has already touched the bottom line of the court.
Xie Mingzhuo could not allow them to continue to develop. At least the branch that had infiltrated the capital must be thoroughly wiped out this time.
Under the pretext of "rectifying bad practices," all Sun Moon Sect strongholds inside and outside the capital were brought under the control of government officers and soldiers.
Just waiting for the arrest signal.
Inside the Xunxian Teahouse, the storytelling had reached its climax, and everyone's emotions were fluctuating with the banging of the gavel.
Xie Mingzhuo gradually revealed a "longing" look and stared at the downstairs motionlessly. Feng Caiyu and Jiang Qing behind him did the same.
The air seemed to be filled with a strange fragrance that made people let down their guard.
Wei Zheng stood up and walked around the tea table, his eyes filled with affection. He wanted to bend down to get closer, but when he met the princess's slightly sharp eyebrows, he subconsciously knelt on the ground.
He was wearing a wide robe with big sleeves today. When the cuffs were lifted, perfumed powder flew everywhere, floating in the small private room.
"Your Highness..." Wei Zheng was already immersed in this dreamlike scene. He slowly placed his hands on the princess's knees and reached towards the back of her hands.
Xie Mingzhuo suddenly lowered his head and looked at him, his eyes cold and calm.
"What are you doing?"
Wei Zheng subconsciously replied: "I am getting close to His Highness..."
wrong!
He suddenly raised his head and saw that Her Royal Highness the Princess suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood. The two maids behind her shouted "Assassin" loudly and overturned the candlesticks on the tea table. The tea spilled all over the floor and the candlelight was stepped on and extinguished.
Before Wei Zheng could react, his hands were tied behind his back and he was pressed hard to the ground, almost breaking his nose.
Mr. Gu on the podium wanted to escape in the chaos, but was knocked unconscious by the elusive Yang Yunkai with a knife.
The officers and soldiers who had been deployed for many days rushed out in full force, rushed into the teahouse, subdued the teahouse owner and waiters, and took control of the teahouse in an instant.
The "poisoned" princess, supported by her maid, boarded a carriage and rushed back to the palace at lightning speed to be treated by the imperial physician.
At the same time, officers and soldiers arrested believers in many strongholds in the capital, and a number of strongholds similar to the "Xuanping Marquis' Mansion" were also closely guarded by officers and soldiers.
Those who watched this incident just felt their heads buzzing.
It was not until the news came out from the palace that they knew what had happened.
Her Royal Highness Princess Rong'an, at the invitation of Wei Sanlang from the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion, went to the Xunxian Teahouse to listen to a story, but she was poisoned and her life was almost in danger.
The emperor and empress were furious and ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ministry of Justice, and the Dali Temple to work together to thoroughly investigate the case.
It is understandable that Wei Sanlang and the people from Xunxian Teahouse were arrested, and Xuanpingbo's mansion was surrounded, but why did soldiers appear in various markets in the capital to arrest criminals?
Due to sufficient preliminary preparations, the evidence was laid out directly on the table.
It was the remnants of the Sun and Moon Sect who poisoned the princess!
Mr. Gu is the leader of the Sun Moon Sect's branch in Beijing, and Boss Tong, who adopted Tong Qinnan, is the leader of the Sun Moon Sect's branch in Yangzhou Prefecture.
Xunxian Teahouse is the largest stronghold of the Sun and Moon Sect in the capital. It deceives the people of the capital through storytelling and other spiritual suggestions.
Wei Zheng used the evil magic of the Sun and Moon Sect to bewitch the princess and attempted to poison her in a teahouse. He deserves death penalty.
The arrested Wei Zheng tried his best to argue: "If I bewitched the princess, why would I poison her?"
Unfortunately, no one paid attention to his shouting. The powder on his cuffs was tested and confirmed to be a drug that could bewitch the mind. If he had no ulterior motives, why would he apply it so carefully on his cuffs?
Wei Zheng was speechless.
The huge network that the Sun and Moon Sect had carefully woven in the capital was uprooted in this way.
The Xuanping Marquis's Mansion was implicated by Tong Qinniang, and the entire family was thrown into the Sky Prison and subjected to harsh interrogation.
Besides him, there are other officials involved in the case.
The ministers could never have imagined that the princess, who was merely selecting a prince consort, could uncover such a horrific case.
The huge net was closed, and the case that had been unsolved before began to have some clues.
The man who smuggled firearms, Ku Ding, was actually a follower of the Sun and Moon Sect. He was ordered by the leader of the sect to steal the secrets of the Arms Administration.
Over the years, they stole hundreds of discarded firearms and even the materials for making gunpowder.
And he was not the only believer in the Armory.
Previously, Xie Mingzhuo ordered a change of personnel in the Military Equipment Supervisory Office, which caused dissatisfaction among many parties in the court. They believed that her methods were too harsh and she was practicing collective punishment.
Now that they heard the news, they were all filled with shame and wished they could kowtow and apologize in front of the princess's bed.
Those officials who were dismissed from the Military Equipment Bureau were originally quite dissatisfied, but now they are extremely grateful that they were only dismissed. The Military Equipment Bureau is full of loopholes, and they have an unshirkable responsibility, and beheading them is not an exaggeration.
Her Royal Highness is truly kind.
At the court meeting, Xie Changfeng announced directly: "Rong'an is out of danger, but still needs to rest. This incident was extremely dangerous, and the Queen and I are still in shock. Rong'an has also lost heart. In the future, please do not force her to choose a prince consort. Anyone who mentions this matter again and hurts Rong'an's feelings will be punished by me."
The ministers bowed their heads in shame and agreed.
The princess finally picked one of them, and just when the two of them were about to get along well, she knew that Wei Sanlang had evil intentions and was involved with the Sun and Moon Sect.
Everyone can understand that the princess was heartbroken and didn't want to find another prince consort.
only--
Were those officers and soldiers arresting people too quickly?
As soon as the princess vomited blood, the arrest operation began. Who would believe that there was no advance deployment?
But these ministers now only dare to criticize in their hearts.
No matter what, the princess's conspiracy was victorious in this struggle, and no one can mention the princess's marriage again in the future.
Is it possible that among all the young men in my country, there is no one who can catch the princess's eye?
In the prince's residence, Xie Mingzhuo leaned on the couch and "rested".
"Your Highness, Commander Yang requests to see you." Jiang Qing went inside to report.
After receiving permission, Yang Yunkai bowed and stepped into the inner room, his eyes fixed on his toes, and said respectfully: "Princess, Cen Kui has encountered an accident again."
After Lin Fan reminded him that day, Xie Mingzhuo sent someone to follow Cen Kui.
Over the past few months, he has encountered no less than five accidents, each of which was fatal, but Cen Kui narrowly avoided vital points and escaped death.
There is no pattern to the accident, and even the Jinyiwei who are secretly watching cannot provide help in time.
It is necessary to find an opportunity to meet Cen Kui.
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