Chapter 452: Strange Golden Bell
As soon as he entered the quiet and solemn Zichen Palace, he dismissed his attendants.
The heat that Yan Shixu had just forced himself to suppress at the banquet, although relieved after leaving the scene of the seductive ringing sound, did not completely disappear.
Looking at Li'er beside him, who looked even more fragile because of worry, the remaining strange impulse suddenly rose up again.
He suddenly pulled Wen Li'er into his arms, his breathing becoming a little anxious and disordered, his arms tightening.
Wen Li'er was startled at first, then she felt his body tense up and instantly understood the reason.
She hugged him back gently.
Yan Shixu was, after all, the emperor with an iron will.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the surging blood, buried his face in her neck for a moment, and when he looked up again, his eyes had regained clarity.
There were only beads of sweat on his forehead, and his voice was a little hoarse from suppressed emotion.
"...It's okay, Li'er, don't worry."
But Wen Li'er couldn't help but worry: "Your Majesty is still affected by it and needs to resist it with his will, what about the other court officials..."
She took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead with concern, and her worry deepened.
Yan Shixu's face was so gloomy that it looked like water was dripping out of it. He immediately raised his voice and said, "Call Wu Junnian!"
Wu Junnian hurried over and carefully took the emperor's pulse.
After a long while, he withdrew his hand and replied respectfully:
"Your Majesty's pulse is steady and strong, and your Qi and blood are abundant. Everything is normal. I...have not diagnosed any signs of aphrodisiacs or poisons."
There is no physical abnormality, but the behavior is out of control, which is more frightening than clear poison.
The facts soon confirmed the emperor and empress's concerns.
Those civil and military officials who attended the palace banquet today and knew about the matter, almost without exception, were eager to embrace their wives and concubines after returning home, and make love with them until late at night or even dawn.
However, those ministers who had less concentration were calling out to the noble princess of Xiyu.
Although this matter was kept secret, it involved a large number of people, and the news eventually leaked out, revealing an indescribable weirdness everywhere.
At the same time, Yongtai's investigation also yielded results.
The "Jiuxiao Huanpei" is very old and it took some effort to verify it.
He presented a yellowed booklet with both hands and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, that Nine Heavens Ring Pendant came from the residence of Lord Lin Xun, the Minister of Works. It was one of the gifts presented by the Lin family on Your Majesty's birthday the year after he ascended the throne. It is recorded here."
"Lin Xun?"
Yan Shixu was not very impressed by this name.
This man has been an official for many years, but has done nothing. He has been in the position of Vice Minister of Works for a long time, and his promotion is as slow as a snail's pace.
Wen Li'er's heart skipped a beat.
Lin Xun is the biological father of her former friend Lin Fujia.
Twelve years ago, Lin Fujia entered the Eastern Palace with her.
At that time, Lin Xun was just a small fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel, and his family background was not prominent. As a result, Lin Fujia was often suppressed and excluded by Yang Xishan, who came from a prominent family at the time.
Now, twelve years have passed, and Lin Xun's official position has only risen to the fourth rank of Minister of Works, which is indeed unremarkable.
Thinking of Lin Fujia, Wen Lier felt a complicated trance in her heart.
The palace debauchery incident in Meixiang Pavilion that shocked the court and the country resulted in the deaths of several concubines, and Lin Fujia was one of them.
She was stripped of her title, demoted to a commoner, and sent to Jingsi Temple outside the capital to practice asceticism.
However, Lin Fujia was different from the concubines who were later sent to Jingsi Temple.
Most of the others were just innocent victims and did not commit any serious fault themselves.
His Majesty had promised that they could stay in the nunnery for a year or two and then leave on their own, marry freely, and have no further connection with the royal family.
The only one was Lin Fujia, who had evil intentions towards Wen Lier during that disaster and even tried to frame her.
His Majesty has punished her to be a Buddhist monk for life and not to step out of Jingsi Temple without his order.
Now, nearly eight years have passed.
Thinking of this old friend again, Wen Li'er felt a strong sense of vigilance in addition to the long-standing sigh in her heart.
Why is there a strange golden bell in the Lin Mansion that is the same as the one on Princess Xiyu?
The one Princess Yuyao was wearing today was exactly the same as the one she had hidden in the golden tortoise, in terms of shape, material and unique sound.
Wen Li'er whispered to Yan Shixu about Lin Fujia's matter, along with the uneasy intuition in her heart.
Only then did Yan Shixu remember that there was such a sinful concubine who was forgotten in the corner.
His eyes became even colder, and he immediately ordered:
"Quickly investigate the Lin Mansion's personnel exchanges, financial changes, and other anomalies over the past ten years!"
"Send another person to Jingsi Temple in disguise to investigate Lin Fujia's recent situation and see if there are any unusual movements."
…
There is a square pavilion and a stable in the side courtyard.
The night was dark, and the air was filled with the smell of grass and livestock.
Su Muyang was wearing coarse clothes covered with grass and dust, squatting beside a packhorse.
In the light of the dim oil lamp hanging on the wooden pillar, he combed the horse's mane with skillful and focused movements.
His rough fingers brushed across the horse's back, his expression no different from that of a real low-level groom.
The core members of the delegation all went to the palace for the banquet, and only some low-level clerks and servants were left in the side courtyard. The atmosphere became much more relaxed, and there were more whispers and discussions.
He seemed to be concentrating on the work at hand, but his ears were like the most sensitive hound, capturing all useful sounds around him.
The clerks were grumbling about the hardships of the journey, and a few servants were gathered in a corner, talking excitedly in low voices about what they had heard about the banquet in the front yard.
The focus was Princess Yuyao's stunning dance and the strange ringtone.
"...That bell sound is so sinister! It makes my heart tingle, like a cat's claws scratching me, but I can't help but prick up my ears to listen..."
"That's right! We didn't see it, but I heard that the eyes of those civil and military officials of Dayan at the banquet were almost popping out of their heads! They all looked like their souls had been taken away!"
"Hey, our princess's figure, her dancing style... Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, the Emperor of Dayan is so blessed! If only..."
"Shh! Shut up! Are you looking for death? Watch your tongue!" A slightly older servant shouted sternly.
The rhythm of the bristle brush in Su Muyang's hand did not change at all, but his heart was in turmoil.
Evil nature? Bell sounds?
As he accompanied the Xiyu envoys to the capital, he had indeed heard the sound of bells coming from the gorgeous phoenix sedan chair many times.
Sometimes it is high, sometimes it is low, sometimes it is melodious like an oriole's song, sometimes it is charming like a whisper.
At that time, I just thought it was a hobby or decoration of an exotic princess. Now, after hearing the description of these servants, combined with the abnormal reactions of the ministers at today's banquet.
The word "evil nature" is by no means a figment of the imagination.
Besides Princess Yuyao, he had also heard this strange golden bell sound from another person—
She was the girl who claimed that she wanted to "commit herself to Luo Yunzhen", but was later discovered by him and wanted to kidnap her and send her back to the bully.
When the girl struggled to escape, her body made a crisp "ding-ling" sound.
Afterwards, he made many inquiries and confirmed that the girl was a spy from Xiyu, but she disappeared without a trace.
Now, this ringtone actually has such a strange effect...
Su Muyang's eyes were as sharp as stars in the dim light.
A vague clue seems to be slowly emerging from the fog.
…
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