Chapter 16 Chen Zhejiang, please answer me
Shen Zhejiang was taken to the interrogation room, and the person who interrogated him happened to be Han Zitang.
At that time, Han Zitang was wearing an official uniform and sitting opposite the interrogation table. No one knew what he was thinking about, and he seemed a little absent-minded.
Just as the jailer was about to tie Shen Zhejiang to the rack with chains, Han Zitang came to his senses and waved his hand to signal them, "All of you leave. His Majesty has ordered that this case be tried by me."
The jailers didn't dare to say anything more and left the cells one after another.
Seeing that they all retreated one by one, Shen Zhejiang got straight to the point and asked, "What does the emperor mean?"
Han Zitang did not hide it from him, and took out a confession that had been prepared long ago from his sleeve, handed it to Shen Zhejiang, and said, "He wants you to die."
Each word is pronounced with emphasis.
Shen Zhejiang unfolded it and read it through.
It was written in black and white that Shen Zhejiang and the Minister of War Wang Shouxu intended to rebel and colluded to harm the emperor. The evidence was conclusive and they were to be executed immediately.
"Oh, that's nonsense."
Shen Zhejiang put down the paper lightly and sneered.
If you want to accuse someone of a crime, you can always find a pretext.
It was impossible for him to admit to something he had never done, and the emperor clearly wanted to block his way out.
There was silence in the prison for a moment.
"The emperor originally wanted to kill two birds with one stone by taking advantage of this opportunity, stripping Wang Shouxu of his military power and sending you to Wuxi Prefecture. But the problem lies with the arrows." Han Zitang picked up the two arrow feathers on the table, which were the same two arrows from that day. "Do you see anything unusual?"
Shen Zhejiang took it and compared it carefully. At first glance, there was no difference. Upon closer inspection, he found some strange symbols engraved on the tip of one of the arrows.
His fingertips touched the cold arrow tip, and he said, "These are the characters on the letters my father exchanged with King Shen, used to confirm the other party's identity."
Han Zitang nodded approvingly and said, "That's right, this case must be closely related to Prince Shen."
"Prince Shen wants to kill the emperor?" Shen Zhejiang asked himself. The scene of that day suddenly flashed through his mind. He tightened his grip on the arrow, "No, the person Prince Shen wants to kill is me."
Han Zitang asked: "Why do you think so?"
That day, he was standing right in front of Emperor Wu Kun, and the marked arrow was clearly aimed at him, but unexpectedly, it was blocked by Wang's arrow.
Shen Zhejiang was terrified when he thought about it. So, could his fall into the lake also be related to King Shen?
So, what was King Shen's intention in hunting him down?
Shen Zhejiang shook his head and said, "I'm just guessing."
"......"
Han Zitang didn't ask him anymore. Shen Zhejiang didn't want to drag him down any more. It was useless to ask more. Shen Zhejiang wouldn't tell him.
"Let's leave the capital." Han Zitang said.
"I can't leave. This time the emperor wants me to die," Shen Zhejiang said indifferently, "I should have died ten years ago. Now I am a broken body, and I can't clear the name of the Shen family."
Two months later, it was already midsummer in June, but on the night before Shen Zhejiang was to be executed, a cold wind suddenly blew through, and fine snow began to fall with distinct grains of snow.
The people exclaimed.
In just one night, the capital city was covered with silver frost and white snow, like a silent funeral.
At dawn, Shen Zhejiang was taken to the prison van. He sat cross-legged, the icy cold corroding him, he could not bear the cold.
The wheels left two crooked ruts in the snow, leading to the execution ground.
-
Xiao Zhinian returned to Yanqing Palace.
When I saw the falling snow, the first person I thought of was Shen Zhejiang.
He is afraid of the cold.
"Bring me the cloak that I ordered the maids from the Weaving Bureau to sew. Sir, you cannot stand the cold. I'm afraid you won't be able to endure such heavy snow."
Xiao Zhinian stood in front of the bronze mirror with his arms outstretched, letting the palace slaves help him put on his clothes layer by layer, while he muttered to the servants about his duties.
After waiting for a long time and not hearing Liubao's response, he turned his head and saw that Liubao was staring at his toes in a trance, as if he didn't hear what he said.
Xiao Zhinian coughed twice with a hint of dissatisfaction.
“Ahem!”
Liubao was still in a trance, standing there stiffly like a lifeless wooden sculpture.
Xiao Zhinian let out a click of his tongue, casually grabbed a silver comb from the table next to him, exerted some strength, and smashed it at Liubao, hitting him squarely on the forehead.
Liu Bao woke up with a start and covered his aching forehead: "Ouch!"
"I am speaking to you, what are you thinking about?"
The silver comb was thrown away by Xiao Zhinian and could no longer be used. The palace servant hurriedly found a new one and combed Xiao Zhinian's black hair into a smooth shape.
The jade crown was presented and tied on Xiao Zhinian's head, finally tidying up his hair.
Liu Bao said in fear, "Ah... I really deserve to die for being so disrespectful in front of the palace! Whatever your Highness wants me to do, I will do it right away!"
Xiao Zhinian looked at his own free-flying figure in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction.
He was in a very good mood today and was too lazy to argue with Liu Bao, so he repeated, "Go and get the cloak I asked the Textile Bureau to sew last month. The weather is getting cold, so it's a good opportunity to buy new clothes for you, sir."
Without waiting for Liu Bao to reply, Xiao Zhinian put on a cloak embroidered with golden python patterns from Mushi, and excitedly prepared to go out to find Chen Zhejiang.
Before leaving, he asked again.
"Where's the gentleman?"
Liu Bao followed behind him, hesitating: "Uh... Master Shen... "
Xiao Zhinian paused and looked at him sharply.
"explain."
"Master Shen is dead."
After saying that, Liu Bao fell to his knees on the ground, trembling.
All the servants in the hall fell to their knees on the ground, prostrating themselves, not daring to move.
Xiao Zhinian pinched his collar, his fingertips hanging down at his side, his expression relatively calm: "Say it again."
Liubao was trembling, his body shaking like a sieve, and he said nothing.
"I asked you to say it again!"
Xiao Zhinian knocked down a vase at hand, causing it to break into pieces with a loud bang. Liubao was not spared and was left with a bloody mark.
Liu Bao didn't dare to breathe, his voice trembled like snowflakes falling: "Your Highness, Master Shen is gone."
"I will ask you to come over right now. If you dare to tell a lie, I will hold you to account!"
The shoes stepped on the broken porcelain all over the ground.
Xiao Zhinian pursed his lips, his black dragon robe embroidered with gold thread billowing as he strode out of the palace gate.
Liu Bao caught up with him, shouting, "Your Highness, please don't go! Master Shen's body has been cremated, and it would be useless for you to go. Besides, His Majesty has already ordered the closure of the Shen family, so where can you find him?"
Xiao Zhinian didn't believe it. He only believed in himself that Shen Zhejiang couldn't be dead.
The biting cold wind blew the snow onto my face, like a knife scraping against my face, cold and painful.
"Wait a minute, Your Highness."
Hai Sanqing came towards him. He didn't have an umbrella and appeared in front of Xiao Zhinian in the snow.
Xiao Zhinian was anxious to find someone, and glared at the old eunuch who was blocking his way, and his tone was inevitably bad: "Get out of here!"
Avoiding Hai Sanqing, Xiao Zhinian took two quick steps, but he didn't expect Hai Sanqing's voice to come over.
"Your Highness, I have brought you the person you are looking for."
Xiao Zhinian paused for a moment, without looking back, staring blankly.
Hai Sanqing walked up to him again and presented the wooden box in his hands to Xiao Zhinian. The lid of the box was covered with a layer of snow and its original appearance could no longer be seen.
Xiao Zhinian vaguely guessed what was inside, but refused to accept it. He shook his head and murmured over and over again: "What I want is Chen Zhejiang, not some messy stuff..."
Hai Sanqing handed the wooden box to Xiao Zhinian.
It has no weight, just like Shen Zhejiang.
Xiao Zhinian lowered his head, and what was reflected in his moist eyes was still a vast expanse of white, so bright that it was dazzling.
"This is Master Shen," Hai Sanqing sighed, "Pass on His Majesty's oral order. From now on, Your Highness will reflect on yourself in Yanqing Palace, study classics and history books, and assist in government affairs. Your Highness, please go back."
"Impossible! I don't believe it!" Xiao Zhinian threw the wooden box hard on the snow, closed his eyes, and then opened them again, with water glittering inside, "Chen Zhejiang..."
Fortunately, the wooden box was locked and rolled twice before landing safely under a tree.
Xiao Zhinian couldn't say any more, his throat was choked with sobs and his eyes were red.
Shen Zhejiang......
How about it?
What if he doesn't believe it?
Xiao Zhinian touched his face and found white frost on his eyelashes. He couldn't tell whether it was snow or condensed tears on his face.
It chills me to the core.
He walked quickly outside, faster and faster. When he was almost at the palace gate, he suddenly stopped, his shoulders trembling.
After a long while, he turned around and ran towards the wooden box.
The snow was too slippery, and he stumbled as he ran, almost falling several times, looking very embarrassed.
Although the distance was so short, he seemed to have been running for half his life. Finally, as if he had gone mad, he hugged the wooden box tightly in his arms and fell down on the snow.
Cry loudly.
Liubao's face was full of worry and he wanted to go forward.
Hai Sanqing shook his head at him and said, "Let His Highness cry for a while. Go back to the house to light charcoal and make a bowl of ginger tea later."
"......yes."
Liu Bao stood aside with his head down.
Xiao Zhinian's face was covered with tears. He hurriedly brushed away the fallen snow on the box, and said incoherently: "Sir, are you cold? I'll wipe the snow off you, and you won't be cold anymore. You're not feeling well, how could I have forgotten? Come, wear my clothes..."
He then untied his cloak and covered the wooden box tightly with it.
"Are you warm? You are too thin. You can't even fit into my clothes..."
At the end.
"Chen Zhejiang, please answer me..."
One broken sound after another.
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