Chapter 334 Secret Letter
The next day, the morning light was dim.
Inside the Zhennan Pass barracks, Yan Shixu looked at the quiet girl in front of him and said, "Miss Yun, you can go back to Yunjia Village on your own today."
Yun Zhi lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyes, covering up the hint of surprise in her eyes.
Yan Shixu continued, "If the antidote is still not found after two months... I will trouble Miss Yun to give General Luo acupuncture to prolong his life."
When Yun Zhi raised her eyes again, they were calm.
She knelt and saluted, saying, "Everything is up to the general's arrangements."
After saying that, she said goodbye to Yan Shixu, turned around and left, her slender figure quickly disappeared outside the gate.
After more than ten days, the secret guard responsible for monitoring Yun Zhi came to report her daily actions to Yan Shixu.
"Your Majesty, Miss Yunzhi wakes up at noon every day, takes care of her grandmother's medicine, and then goes up the mountain to collect herbs. She returns at noon. She dries the herbs in the courtyard. In her free time, she either chats with the old woman or studies medical books under the lamp. She has no unusual behavior."
"She would go into town every five days to sell the dried herbs to the Jirentang Clinic in town, and then buy some rice, flour, oil, salt, and other necessities for her return."
"I have carefully inspected every bundle of herbs she sold and have not found any secret notes or letters hidden within."
The secret guard paused and added, "When she was talking to the shopkeeper at Jirentang, I could hear her lip reading from a distance. She only spoke about the usual matters, such as asking about the purchase price of medicinal herbs and settling payments. There was no unnecessary conversation, and she had no private contact with anyone else."
Yan Shixu nodded and said in a deep voice, "Keep watching, don't let your guard down. How do you know... she hasn't already noticed and is deliberately acting this ordinary?"
The secret guard received the order and left in a flash.
On this day, Zhang Sicheng, who had sneaked into the Nanzhao Kingdom, finally sent back a secret letter.
Yan Shixu quickly opened the wax-sealed letter.
In the letter, Zhang Sicheng's handwriting was a little sloppy, revealing urgency.
[Your Majesty, I have been unable to contact Su Shaoyin. However, I have received a lead from a security company in the Nanzhao capital. A month ago, Su Shaoyin disguised himself as a warrior and infiltrated Nong Zhigao's residence, serving as a guard. I risked my life by sneaking into the palace to search for him, but found no trace of him.]
Time is running out. I've divided my men into three teams: The first team continues to secretly investigate Su Shaoyin's whereabouts; the second team has successfully captured two 'Green Phosphorus Toads' in the Poisonous Miasma Mountain and is currently escorting them back to the pass at full speed. They should arrive soon.
When he saw the three words "Bi Phosphorus Toad", Yan Shixu's frown relaxed slightly.
This crucial medicine has finally been found.
However, the second half of the letter made him hold his breath again.
The third team, led by a subordinate, originally intended to seize the opportunity to capture Nong Zhigao, the Fifth Prince of Nanzhao. However, while following Nong Zhigao, they unexpectedly learned a secret from the Nanzhao court: Nong Zhigao was not related to the Nanzhao royal family by blood! He was actually the son of the late Nanzhao Empress Dowager Ji Qiantao and her ex-husband.
Yan Shixu frowned tightly and continued to read.
[I led the third team to conduct extensive research and finally confirmed:]
Nong Zhigao was indeed the son of Ji Qiantao and her ex-husband when she was twenty years old. Her ex-husband died early, and Ji Qiantao remarried Nong Chonglou, the former monarch of Nanzhao, with the two-year-old Nong Zhigao.
Nong Chonglou doted on his stepson immensely. To avoid criticism of his identity, he publicly announced that Nong Zhigao was the son of Ji Qiantao, whom he had fallen in love with while on an incognito tour. Over time, his origins were gradually forgotten, and Nong Zhigao was subsequently enthroned as the Third Prince of Nanzhao.
After Ji Qiantao married Nong Chonglou, she gave birth to only one daughter, Nong Zhiyun, the sixth princess of Nanzhao.
[Now, Nong Zhigao's father died young, and his mother, Ji Qiantao, also passed away several years ago. Therefore, the only living relative of Nong Zhigao who is related by blood is the Sixth Princess, Nong Zhiyun. Therefore, to rescue General Luo, either Nong Zhigao himself must be captured, or his sister, Nong Zhiyun, must be abducted.]
【But...】
Zhang Sicheng's brushstrokes reveal helplessness.
[My subordinates have learned that this Sixth Princess was infected with a strange poison since her mother's womb, causing damage to her appearance. Rumor has it that she is extremely ugly and has a weak constitution, frail and vulnerable.]
Therefore, Nong Chonglou and Ji Qiantao kept him hidden deep in the palace. Even when he occasionally appeared in public, he would always cover his face with a half-mask.
After much trouble, I could only find a picture of Nong Zhiyun wearing a mask...
Yan Shixu unfolded the portrait that was delivered along with the letter, and his brows were furrowed into the shape of a "川" character.
The person in the portrait only showed one lip and a pair of eyes, with the rest covered by a metal mask.
After reading it, Yan Shixu handed Zhang Sicheng's letter and the painting to Wen Zhiyan who was standing beside him.
Wen Zhiyan held the portrait and couldn't help but twitched his lips: "How can I identify it?"
Therefore, it is more difficult to capture Nong Zhiyun than Nong Zhigao.
…
Capital city, imperial palace.
Wen Li'er leaned against the chaise longue covered with soft brocade, one hand unconsciously covering her still flat belly, her brows full of tranquility and satisfaction.
Ever since Doctor Wu diagnosed her as pregnant that day, her previous depressed mood seemed to be swept away by the good news, and her body regained its former vigor.
"Master, the abortion-preserving medicine is ready."
Qingmei carefully came forward holding a white jade bowl. The dark brown medicinal juice in the bowl exuded a slightly bitter smell.
Wen Li'er frowned slightly, showing a hint of childish resistance.
But when his eyes fell on his lower abdomen, he took a deep breath, pinched his nose, and drank the bitter medicine in a few gulps.
Qingzhu quickly handed over some water and candied fruit.
Wen Li'er ate a candied fruit and wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief before asking, "Is Nanny Qin feeling better today?"
Nanny Qin had caught a fever a few days ago and had a severe cough. Worried that the disease might spread to her master and several young masters, she took leave to recuperate and has not been seen for several days.
Qingzhu replied gently, "Master, don't worry. Imperial Physician Wu went to see Madam yesterday and said she's in good health. She needs to take two more doses of medicine and rest for two or three days, and she'll be well again."
Nanny Qin is an old lady in the palace, and is also the capable nanny in charge of Wen Li'er.
When she was sick, Wen Li'er specially asked Doctor Wu to treat her under the pretext of asking for her pulse, and also gave her the best medicinal herbs, which helped her recover much faster.
Wen Li'er nodded and asked, "Will Wan'an return to the palace in the next two days?"
Wan'an's father also had an accident a few days ago.
He was attacked by gangsters while walking at night and was seriously injured.
A message came from home saying that they were worried that Wan'an wouldn't make it, and asked him to go back.
Wan'an went to Wen Li'er crying and begging.
Wen Li'er not only approved his leave, but also gave him a sum of money so that he could take it back home and hire a good doctor to see his father. She also gave him a token to leave the palace, stating that he could return to the palace to take up his post after his father's injuries recovered.
Fortunately, Wan'an returned in time and the doctor he hired was very skilled, so his father survived.
Wen Li'er was also happy for Wan'an.
She has always been particularly considerate and close to the first few palace maids who followed her.
Qingmei glanced at the sky outside the window and replied, "Master, based on the distance, Wan'an should be back at the palace tomorrow. He also said that when he returns, he'll bring you some spicy and sour dried konjac made by his mother. He's worried that with all the finer things in the palace, you might not like these crude morsels."
When Wen Li'er heard this, her eyes lit up instantly and a genuine smile appeared on her face.
"No problem, no problem! I loved eating this when I was a kid at my grandmother's house!"
The dried konjac made by her grandmother comes in sour, sweet, spicy flavors... every one of them is delicious.
But my mother couldn't touch konjac. If it touched her hands, she would break out in rashes all over her body.
She was young at the time and didn't learn...
I haven't tasted that flavor since I came to Beijing in all these years.
Wen Li'er thought about it, her face full of nostalgia, and then she smiled again.
Now that my grandmother and my uncle and aunt have settled in Beijing, I think I'll be able to eat it often in the future. But...
Her smile faded slightly. The last time she went to her grandmother's house, she had to turn back in a hurry because of the urgent news from eight hundred miles away. Since then, she has never left the palace again.
The emperor was not in the capital, and Wen Li'er felt uneasy, so she never went out again.
Even though the emperor gave her the privilege of leaving the palace twice a month, she would rather stay safely within the palace walls at this moment.
Seeing her master's expectant look, Qingmei couldn't help but chuckle, "This servant is also greedy after hearing this."
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