Chapter 43: Vibration
The matter was of grave importance, so they left the shrine and went to the palace gate, carefully escorting Bai Zhaosu back to the palace. Qian Deng personally sought an audience with the King of Kucha and explained the matter to him.
The King of Kucha was still seriously injured and was lying in bed while the imperial physician changed his dressings.
Qiandeng glanced at his injuries and felt that they were even more frightening than before. He couldn't help but exchange a glance with Li Yingshang.
Li Yingshang slowly shook his head at her, signaling her not to speak.
Qiandeng only reported to the King of Kucha everything that had happened in the temple, and explained that he hoped to find the palace musicians to verify the truth of the bell ringing that day.
"What? So the bell sound that day... was also the work of the assassins pretending to be ghosts?" Although the King of Kucha had difficulty in speaking, he was slightly cheered up after knowing this. Obviously, the incident of the "death knell" that day had been stuck in his heart and he had not been able to let it go.
He managed to catch his breath, then said to her with relief and gratitude, "I've long heard that the County Master is exceptionally intelligent, and indeed... your reputation is well-deserved. Now, you've first saved Kucha from dire straits, and now you've single-handedly apprehended the hidden murderer who murdered our Kucha royal family... The people of Kucha are completely relying on the County Master, and we are eternally grateful!"
"Your Majesty, you are too kind. Kucha is the land of my ancestors. I will do my best and it is my duty." Qiandeng said hurriedly.
After leaving, Qiandeng walked down the stairs with Li Yingshang and Cui Fufeng, and saw the two most famous musicians in Kucha already standing under the bell tower waiting.
"Did the county lady notice?" As she walked towards the palace gate, she heard Cui Fufeng's low voice, "This king keeps saying 'I, Kucha'."
Qiandeng naturally knew what he meant.
Even though she returned thousands of miles away, even though she cleared her grievances and worked hard for Kucha, even though her surname was Bai and she had the blood of Queen Guishan, it seemed that in the eyes of the King of Kucha, she had never been classified as a member of his family, or even as part of Kucha.
But she just lowered her eyes silently and said, "Time will tell. Take it slow. He and Kucha will accept me."
Li Yingshang said, "I'm afraid there won't be much time left."
Qian Deng knew that he was more sensitive to death than ordinary people. Seeing his determined expression, she couldn't help but purse her lips.
Thinking of the incurable wounds on King Kucha's body and his dying appearance, she felt complicated emotions, knowing that King Kucha would not be able to survive for much longer.
Cui Fufeng said coldly, "It might not be a bad thing. After all, the county lady can no longer return to the Tang Dynasty."
Yes, there is no going back.
She knew very well that as long as she could endure it, bury the grievances of her mother, Uncle Fu, Shi Jingning, and Ji Linyou completely, never reveal them, and never break up with the prince, then she could return to Chang'an, continue to close her eyes, and be a wealthy and prosperous county lady, living a worry-free life.
But she couldn't do it.
She finally tore off his cover, completely exposing his true face and also declaring his inevitable death.
Therefore, her only choice now is to do her best to gain a foothold in Kucha, take root in the ancestral land far away from Chang'an, and move forward with the people of Kucha.
"Indeed, there's nothing wrong with the Northwest. This remote place is at least freer and more comfortable than Chang'an. Furthermore, although the King of Kucha's current situation is not favorable for you at the moment, it may not be a bad thing in the long run."
The determined look in Li Yingshang's eyes made Qiandeng unconsciously recall what Cui Fufeng had said to him.
She subconsciously looked at Cui Fufeng, and he was looking at her. He lowered his voice and said, "County Lady, you can still consider my proposal."
Qian Deng naturally knew what he was referring to——
She could take his place and take advantage of this great opportunity to become the ruler of Kucha, becoming a queen far away in the northwest, and go down in history like her grandmother.
However, in the end, she just shook her head and walked towards the clock tower in front of her, and also towards the people of Kucha who were waiting for her: "Let's talk about it after the case is concluded. Many people in Kucha are still waiting for me."
Under the bell tower and outside the palace gate, everyone was waiting for Qiandeng.
Now that the royal family is almost wiped out, she is entrusted with investigating the case and organizing the fight against the powerful enemy. She has become the backbone of Kucha.
Seeing her figure appear, the Grand Commandant hurriedly came forward with two Kucha musicians and asked her: "The musicians have arrived. I wonder if the county lady can verify it?"
Qiandeng nodded, looked up and saw Daimao waiting beside him with a rattan box, so he gestured for her to take out the bronze chime borrowed from the temple and hand it to the musician.
She asked General Yuchi to mobilize the guards to guard the bell tower strictly and not let anyone approach.
"Don't worry, I will go up to the bell tower myself and watch it carefully!" Yuchi Yiyao patted his chest and strode up the stairs.
After everything was arranged, she looked at Xue Xiyang and said, "Mr. Xue, would you be willing to lead us along the way and walk the same route we took the day you borrowed the bronze chime?"
Xue Xiyang smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid I can't help it even if I don't want to. I'd better accompany the county lady."
Although everyone followed him, they didn't quite believe that a small bronze chime could move such a huge bell. Seeing that he still looked relaxed, they couldn't help but feel skeptical.
Xue Xiyang did not deceive or fool around. He walked along the karez towards the palace. There were several small platforms along the way, which were where the fishermen gathered to sell fish. It was indeed the route he was most likely to take.
"I bought the flower-finned fish from here, then went to the temple behind, borrowed a bronze chime, and then carried it back to my residence..."
"Really? Did Master Xue return immediately?" Qian Deng took the booklet from Cui Fufeng and flipped to the testimony of the fishermen and people who visited the market that day. "Luckily, Master Xue was a man of great character. Many people at the market remember the fish in the chime constantly jumping. So you held the fish and walked around to the corner of the palace wall behind you, saying you were going to pick some leaves to cover the chime."
"The county lady is really attentive. She even knows such a small matter clearly." A helpless smile appeared on his face. He turned a corner in front and found that it was indeed an angle of the palace wall. Several tall Ayi (fig) trees with lush branches and leaves covered the corner tightly.
There is a clock tower above and the area below is secluded, making it the perfect location.
"It seems that this might be the most suitable place to trigger the bell."
The musicians discussed it, raised the chimes, and tried striking them from light to heavy.
Unfortunately, no matter how many times they tried, the bell above remained motionless and showed no sign of ringing.
The two musicians were at their wit's end and looked helplessly at Qiandeng, saying that this chime could not move the bell above.
Xue Xiyang sighed and said to Qian Deng, "County Lady, you're a complete layman in music theory after all. You question me based on just a few words, which makes me feel so wronged. Actually, the sound of a flute can't shatter glass, and a small chime can't move a huge bell. My only mistake was that I didn't want the princess to wake up because I was worried about you."
"Indeed, your technique is very clever and invisible. Not only does it leave no trace, but it also requires superb musical ability." Qian Deng ignored his excuses and said firmly, "But no matter how you argue, you can't cover up what you've done!"
As she spoke, she took the bronze chime from the musician, weighed it, and then said, "I remember that in the temple in Luoyang, the chime that rang in unison with the bell was scratched a few times by the musicians. Because the pitch was different, it stopped ringing on its own. This means that the pitch of this chime may not match the bell's own. But Master Xue, with his extraordinary skill, changed the chime's sound so that it could induce the bell's tone."
Under her steadfast gaze, Xue Xiyang's smile finally became forced. "County Lady, this is a borrowed large chime from the Buddhist temple. If I chip or dent it, the people in the temple will see it immediately. How can they let me go?"
"Why bother changing the appearance? Master Xue can easily use other methods to change the sound of the chime without changing the chime itself."
As she spoke, she gestured for Daimao to fetch a bucket of water. "I remember that Master Xue borrowed the chime to raise fish, right? In that case, of course we have to fill it with water."
Xue Xiyang pursed his lips and said nothing, just staring at her movements.
Qiandeng slowly poured water into the chime until it was mostly covered, enough for the fish, and then signaled the musician to strike it.
The musician raised the chime and struck it hard. The sound was indeed very different from before and much deeper.
However, although the tone changed, the large bronze bell hanging high in the bell tower above remained motionless.
Qian Deng thought for a moment and signaled them to place the already heavy chime on the bluestone below, then gradually add water and try to strike it again.
As the water was almost filled to the brim of the chime, the knocking sound became deeper and deeper.
Finally, under the heavy blow of the musician, the sound of the chimes rebounded on the bluestone. With a "dang" sound, as the lingering sound spread, the bell above suddenly shook, and then a buzzing sound was heard, shaking and vibrating on the tightly guarded bell tower.
The huge bell sound was transmitted far and wide to every corner of the Kucha King City, echoing in everyone's ears and hearts.
The people who were trading and bargaining in the market outside suddenly raised their heads and looked in surprise at the direction where the bell sound came from.
"What the hell!" Yuchi Yiyao blurted out from above. Then, he poked his head out of the bell tower and shouted to the people below, "What's going on? I'm guarding here alone, and I haven't seen a single person, let alone a ghost. How come the bell suddenly rang?"
Qiandeng did not answer, but only signaled the musician to strike again.
The sound of the chimes under the city wall was not noticeable amid the hustle and bustle of the surrounding streets.
However, the invisible sound waves reached from the bottom up, and again set the hanging bell in motion, causing it to vibrate and hum as if it had been hit.
Yuchi Yiyao, who was lying on the edge of the building above, was dumbfounded. His eyes were fixed on the bronze chime in the middle of the group of people, his face full of disbelief: "Actually... what the county lady said is true, the chime can cause the bell to ring by itself!"
Qian Deng signaled the musicians to stop beating and looked at Xue Xiyang, who was speechless beside him. "Well? It seems my guess is correct."
His pale face turned slightly blue, and he finally had no strength to defend himself.
"Master Xue, when the bell rang, you were borrowing the bronze chime here. When the glazed lotus shattered, you were playing nearby. When the princess wanted to tell the truth, you wanted to kill her! All the evidence is on you. Now that things have come to this, what else do you have to say?"
Qian Deng stared at him coldly, then spoke with unwavering clarity, "You stole the sacred national treasure, allowing your accomplices to take advantage of the situation to kill the Northern King, annihilate the royal family, repeatedly target the princess, and exterminate the entire Kucha royal family! To pin the blame on me, you even disguised yourself as one of my ancestors' former subordinates, killing two birds with one stone. Your intentions are so sinister, and now that your crimes are so obvious, how can you deny them?!"
Even though she was still the slender girl he was familiar with, Xue Xiyang subconsciously took a step back in her rage, not daring to face her.
"Mr. Xue, you, as an official of the Tang Dynasty, colluded with evil and wantonly massacred my Kucha royal family. Not only my country, I believe the Tang Dynasty court will not tolerate you!"
In the rear, General Yuchi had already led his troops out of the palace and rushed to the scene. Realizing that he was among those who fell for the trap, he nearly gritted his teeth and signaled his men to arrest Xue Xiyang. "I, Kucha, have no grudge against you. Why did you commit such a brutal act against my royal family? Who are you colluding with? Confess the truth."
"It's just a small country, a bunch of clowns. If you want to kill them, just kill them. What's there to say?" At this point, Xue Xiyang lost his fear and even smiled at Qian Deng. "This can be regarded as revenge for your grandfather, the county lady. You don't have to be polite."
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