Fang Zhan and Heng Qiao of "Jingwei" have already quietly sneaked into Cuiwei Palace. As for what they have found out and where to report to their master, they naturally have their own ways.
Li Hong followed Wufa and Wutan into the mountain from the other side of the mountain road. None of them could go back to their own homes. This made Li Hong become extremely gloomy. He didn't say a word along the way. Naturally, the five people who followed him didn't dare to speak either.
Only on the way up the mountain could I occasionally hear Xiaoxue whispering, "Master, be careful where you step."
As we climbed up, the atmosphere among the five people was naturally extremely tense and depressing. After climbing to the middle of the mountain, we could already get a glimpse of the entire Cuiwei Palace. The entire building was built against the mountain, and every place that conflicted with the mountain was cleverly and reasonably integrated by the ancient sages.
Looking at the layout of Cuiwei Palace, one can't help but feel a strong sense of "Tao follows nature". Li Hong couldn't help but be a little dazed. Such natural harmony could only be built in the era when Taoism was still respected.
The mountain breeze blew, bringing a hint of coolness and the sound of vague voices.
Wufa and Wutan immediately became alert. Xiaoxue hurriedly huddled close to Li Hong. Liebao and Jingzhe protected the prince from the front and back. The five of them instantly formed a solid triangular protective combination.
Li Hong's hearing was naturally no match for others. Looking at the puzzled looks on their faces, he instantly knew that they had discovered something.
"Let's continue climbing the mountain, to the top!" Li Hong felt very depressed. He was blocked outside the door of his own royal palace by others. This anger had been weighing on his mind, otherwise he would not have had the leisure to climb to the top of the mountain.
...
...
Wufawutian walked and explored cautiously in front, while Liebao and Jingzhe protected and guarded behind. Xiaoxue followed closely behind Li Hong, holding a swallow-wing crossbow tightly in her hand.
It was noon and the sun was shining brightly. On the relatively flat area halfway up the Cuiwei Mountain, which was full of tall trees and dense forests, there were actually two people sitting. One of them was about fifty years old and carried a bamboo basket on his back.
The other one looked like... an old Taoist priest with a head full of silver hair, a gray beard, and a gaunt face.
Li Hong looked at the two people who suddenly stopped. The sound just now was obviously made by these two people.
Could this old Taoist priest be Sun Simiao? Li Hong muttered to himself.
In history books, Sun Simiao is like an unknown person in his previous life. Until now, we still don’t know when he was born, we only know when he died.
While Li Hong was thinking, the two men also heard footsteps beside them. They still had relaxed smiles on their faces and looked over at the same time.
I saw a young man surrounded by five servants, who seemed to be going up the mountain.
Li Hong looked at the people looking at him, and regardless of Xiaoxue secretly pulling his sleeve, he tried his best to calm down the depressed mood in his heart and tried to relax the muscles on his face.
"Excuse me, old men, are you picking herbs here?" Li Hong waved to Cheetah and others who were protecting him, signaling them to go aside, and then he walked to the two men.
"Old Immortal, the little kid has a question for you." A man in his fifties nearby said with a laugh.
"Little kid..." Li Hong was speechless. You have a medicine basket on your back, and you want me to ask him? Although I mainly want to ask him.
The old Taoist watched Li Hong slowly approaching. He was not alert like his servants, but walked towards them with a smile on his face, like a boy next door.
"Yes, I just found some herbs." His gray beard looked a little sparse as time went by, but his eyes were still bright and sharp, not like an old man at all.
"What herbs did you find? Let me see." Li Hong's ability to be two-faced and to be familiar with others has really reached the extreme.
The man in his fifties was obviously stunned. This young man was too familiar.
But before he could say anything, Li Hong walked up to him, squatted behind him, stretched out his white fingers and started rummaging around.
"You also know about medicinal herbs?" the old Taoist asked curiously.
"I don't understand." Li Hong answered as he flipped through the pages.
The old Taoist didn't expect Li Hong to answer so straightforwardly. After a moment of hesitation, he instantly regained his innocent smile.
"You are the old immortal Sun, right? How old are you?" Li Hong clapped his hands. If he didn't look through the herbs, the old Taoist probably wouldn't talk to him.
"Young man, you have good eyesight. I am none other than Sun Simiao. I am... probably... 102 years old this year." Sun Simiao answered every question.
"Great." Li Hong gave Sun Simiao a thumbs up and sat down next to him.
Xia Zhi wanted to use a silk handkerchief to pad Li Hong's butt, but Li Hong naturally pushed her away and refused.
"Young man, what are you doing here? Do you know that there is a royal palace in Cuiwei Mountain? Are you afraid of being seen and driven out?" The fifty-year-old man asked Li Hong who had just sat down through Sun Simiao.
"I knew it was Cuiwei Palace, and I almost went in through Jinhua Gate just now. I was chased out after taking only two steps, so I found this path to climb up. I didn't expect to meet a fairy in the mountains." Sun Simiao shook his head and smiled bitterly at this little flattery. This young man was really very outgoing.
Li Hong took the water bottle Xiao Xue had prepared and was about to drink from it when he suddenly stopped, stretched his head to look at Sun Simiao and the man, and asked, "Did you bring water? I'll give you some?"
"Thank you so much." Sun Simiao had lived for a century and had seen all kinds of people, so he took the gift without hesitation.
The man in his fifties looked at it and gave Li Hong a thumbs up, praising him.
"I wonder who this person is...?" Li Hong watched Sun Simiao drink a few sips, then handed the kettle to the man without minding.
"He is the county magistrate of Lantian County. Today he made an appointment with the old Taoist to go up the mountain to collect herbs. He is another close friend of mine who I have made over the years." Sun Simiao answered for the man.
“Oh… ? What about your other friend regardless of age difference?” Li Hong asked.
"He died a few years ago."
"..." Li Hong was petrified instantly. Damn, he's so old, but he still speaks in a clichéd way.
The magistrate of Lantian County listened to Sun Simiao's words, put down the kettle and laughed twice, then said to Li Hong: "Don't mind, little brother, Immortal Sun has regained his youth now, this is because he has a good relationship with you, otherwise, Immortal Sun would not easily tell others about his other friend regardless of age difference."
"Yes, yes, then you should be careful." Li Hong was thinking about how long Sun Simiao could live, and didn't pay much attention to what the Lantian County Magistrate said, so he just said it casually.
"Haha..." The Lantian County Magistrate laughed out loud again without minding.
"Hehe..." Sun Simiao was also amused by Li Hong and laughed.
"Young man, you really are a person who never suffers a loss. The old immortal teased you a little, and now you have to win it back from his other friend who is much older than you." The magistrate of Lantian County also liked Li Hong and continued.
"I haven't asked you yet..."
"My name is Zong Chuke. I am from Wannian County, Chang'an. Now I am the county magistrate of Lantian County." Zong Chuke said.
Counties around Chang'an City, such as Lantian County, belong to the capital counties, and their magistrates are one level higher than those in other places, and they are of the upper sixth rank. They are only lower than the magistrates of the two red counties of Chang'an and Wannian in Chang'an City, and they are of the upper fifth rank.
This Zong Chuke, judging from his appearance, should be around fifty years old, but he only managed to get a sixth-rank official position. However, among the many officials of the Tang Dynasty, this was already pretty good, after all, he was the county magistrate of Ji County, so he should have connections in the court.
If this happens by chance and he is under the emperor's rule, it is possible that he will be promoted three levels.
Li Hong took the kettle from which Sun Simiao took another sip. Xiaoxue looked at Li Hong with fear as he was about to drink from the spout of the kettle, and said hurriedly, "Sir, please use this kettle." Xiaoxue took out another one that was exactly the same and said.
"It's okay, nothing to be afraid of." Li Hong said to Xiaoxue nonchalantly, then picked up the kettle and started drinking.
"Young man, do you have any difficulties that require your help?" Sun Simiao's bright eyes swept over Xiaoxue and the others, especially Jingzhe and Liebao at the back, and immediately became puzzled about Li Hong's identity.
In Sun Simiao's opinion, no matter how well Jingzhe and Liebao disguised themselves, he could tell at a glance that they were two eunuchs and must have come from the palace.
Then the identity of the little boy next to him is self-evident.
But just now, the young man said that he was driven out as soon as he entered Jinhua Gate. It didn't look like he was lying, because there was a hint of anger between his eyebrows when he spoke.
But if he was not a prince of the royal family or a prince of the royal clan, how could he have eunuchs around him?
Sun Simiao turned his gaze to Li Hong, only to see that Li Hong looked calm. He thought for a moment and said, "Well... I hope you can take my pulse to see if I have any disease."
"Oh? Looking at the young man's expression, complexion and spirit, he doesn't look like someone who is ill." Sun Simiao became even more curious.
"What if some diseases cannot be diagnosed? How about you please feel my pulse?" Li Hong stretched out his fair arm with his sleeves pulled up high, waiting for the doctor to feel his pulse.
Xia Zhi and the others behind him were all puzzled. Although Dr. Sun was an excellent doctor, who would seek illness when there was nothing wrong? Why would he insist on having his pulse checked? This was not an auspicious thing, so why did he insist on it?
They didn't know it in their hearts, but Li Hong knew his purpose, what it was all for!
Because according to historical records, the cause of his death was too strange. When he was 23 years old, his father had been unable to attend court for a long time due to illness, so he intended to abdicate the throne to him.
As luck would have it, just after his father planned to abdicate, he went to Luoyang with his father and mother, and soon died suddenly in the Qiyun Hall of the Hebi Palace in Luoyang.
Historical records show that he died of tuberculosis. There are also records that he died of his mother's murder.
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