Chapter 87 It's You
Shang Nanliu comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Now that Princess Gao's mansion has collapsed, they can no longer harm you."
Shang Luo exclaimed, "No way! How long have I been imprisoned? How come they're gone all of a sudden? Is there no way I can get revenge? Are the clues I found before still useful?"
This series of questions made Qiandeng smile, feeling relieved. Fortunately, this drastic change did not affect Shangluo, who still looked so innocent.
Shang Nanliu helplessly stroked his son: "The rain has passed and the sky is clear, everything is fine, why are you still thinking about these things? It's important to get better soon."
Shangluo nodded repeatedly: "It's better to go to school! I can't wait to go back to school right now and catch up on all the lessons I missed these days!"
"First, take good care of yourself. As long as you grow up safely, you can put your studies aside for now." Shang Nanliu sighed and added, "When you have time, ask Cui Shaoqing and Yan Langjun for advice. Cui Shaoqing was able to write thousands of words while riding a horse at the age of seven, and Yan Penglai won the first prize in the poetry competition at the age of thirteen. It is your blessing to be able to share the same courtyard with these two geniuses."
"Really? I know Cui Shaoqing is very powerful, but I really don't know Brother Penglai. He seems to never read serious books."
Yan Penglai was given his name by the late emperor only after he came to Beijing at the age of sixteen, so Shangluo did not know that the poem hanging in his study was written by him.
"After all, he later entered the government as a doctor of medicine, divination, and astrology. Why would he need to study these things?" Shang Nanliu sighed. "But a smart person is always smart. Even if he turned to the ways of gods and Buddhas, he still shined brightly in the Taibu Bureau and became a mainstay."
"No wonder..." Shangluo mused. "Before, when Brother Guangling got into trouble, the county lady took us to the Imperial College. County lady, do you remember that time, you asked Brother Penglai to help you create a smoke screen and stage a play? I was left behind with Brother Penglai at the time, and I saw him looking at the desk and books in the study. The expression on his face seemed very... Oh, I don't know how to describe it, as if he seemed a little sad, and seemed very distant... Because Brother Penglai is usually a little absent-minded and doesn't pay much attention to what's going on around him, I thought it was very strange to see him like that, and I've never been able to forget it."
He couldn't quite describe it, but everyone understood how he felt.
Yan Penglai's daily appearance was truly extraordinary. His thoughts and emotions seemed to transcend this reality, floating in another world.
It is really surprising that such a person would be moved by an ordinary student in the study.
But at this point in his life, whether good or bad, he was destined to abandon Confucianism. He had no connection with worldly affairs and could only become a noble and ethereal immortal, wasting his life in the vain immortal way.
Qiandeng suddenly remembered the poem Yan Penglai wrote when he was young.
The tragic songs of Yan and Zhao leave behind a shabby scene, while the lofty aspirations of the Three Qins remain in the humble alleys.
What's the use of being a melancholy scholar? The Qingming Festival is the beginning of the day.
At that time, Yan Penglai wrote down his ambition for peace and prosperity at the place where the soldiers of Yan and Zhao were buried. I believe that deep in his heart, he also had the ideal of working for peace in the world as a scholar, just like Lin Xiangru.
But now, his fate in this life has already been determined, and he has no idea what will happen next.
An inexplicable sadness and regret rose in her heart. She said to Shang Nanliu, "I'm afraid Yan Penglai will not be able to teach Shangluo anymore. He will leave tomorrow."
Shangluo was surprised: "Ah? Brother Penglai is going home?"
Shang Nanliu said, "In that case, I'll take Xiao Luo back first. Xiao Luo is having trouble getting up right now, but it's naturally inconvenient for outsiders to come in and take care of him in the backyard of the palace. When I was exiled from the capital, my master took his anger out on Xiao Luo and criticized him harshly. Now that Princess Gao has passed away and I've returned to the capital, I will certainly take good care of him."
Shangluo was terrified when he thought about how he had been trapped in the darkness for so many days, but he was still reluctant to leave.
Qian Deng sighed softly and said, "It's better to go back. Perhaps I am indeed destined to suffer misfortune, and there will be troubles in the mansion. After Xiao Luo's accident this time, I am still afraid. If Xiao Luo really does get into trouble, I really don't know how to explain it to your family."
Shang Luo was still stubborn: "I'm not afraid! I will stay with my sister, the county lady, and live well for a hundred years, so that those people can see!"
Qian Deng was touched but helpless: "Be obedient, wait until you go home and recover, and if you want to come over to play with me, you can come anytime."
Shang Nanliu chatted with his son for a while before reluctantly returning home to arrange for Shang Luo to return home. He made an agreement with Qiandeng to pick him up after the purification ceremony tomorrow.
After his father left, Shangluo remembered something and said, "County Lady, I have a favor to ask of you. If you meet the man who fed me in the Princess's Mansion, please thank him for me. I just don't know who he is..."
Qian Deng was in a complicated mood and only replied, "Okay, I'll thank him for you."
Shangluo was stunned: "Does the county lady know who he is?"
"Well, that's how I figured out the whole story."
Qiandeng slowly sorted out all the threads in his mind. Inferring from Shangluo's experience, the truth, which had been hazy and unclear as if separated by a layer of fog, now became completely clear.
"Originally, I didn't know the inside story, but thankfully you pointed it out. No matter how meticulously the people behind this case planned, or how flawlessly they laid out their plans, the clues you provided will eventually reveal all the hidden secrets."
"Really?" Shangluo was surprised to hear that he had made such a great contribution. He suddenly felt that the inhuman experiences of the past few days were not so terrible.
He looked around, motioned for her to lean over, and lowered his voice, "Then I'll tell you another secret. Hmm... Anyway, it seems very strange to me. I wonder if it will be of any help to you."
Qian Deng saw that he was being cautious and collected his thoughts. "What's wrong?"
"Actually...actually, before you rescued me, I was dozing off under the carriage when I was awakened by a man's screams. Then I heard the screams of Princess Changyi."
Qiandeng immediately knew that he had witnessed the moment when the coachman and Princess Changyi were killed.
"I heard her scream, 'It's you! The murderer at Jianfu Temple...' and then... she lost her voice, as if the rest of her words had been cut off..."
It was indeed cut off, just like Shi Jingning whose throat was cut in Jianfu Temple. They could no longer utter any words.
Shang Luo looked at her ugly face and asked cautiously, "Sister County Master, the murder at Jianfu Temple... are you referring to Brother Jingning's death?"
Qian Deng shook his head. "I don't know yet, but I will investigate this matter thoroughly. You must remember to keep this matter to yourself and not mention it to anyone. If it gets out, it will get you into trouble, understand?"
Shangluo turned pale with fear and nodded hurriedly: "Okay, I won't tell anyone!"
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