Chapter 225 Storytelling and Quelling the Rebellion
After Xiao Mo's team arrived in Henan, they did not take any action except that he met a storyteller.
At first, the soldiers had no idea what the general was up to. Only after a few days, when the story of the real and fake unicorn became widely circulated in the local area, did they feel something was amiss.
The story is about a woman who fell in love with a man named Zhu.
After the man died, the woman went to the man's home and said frankly that the children around her were his descendants.
The family of the man surnamed Zhu was overjoyed and decided to raise the child to the position of head of the family. However, they did not expect that someone would reveal that the child was neither from the woman's womb nor the man surnamed Zhu's offspring.
The child's biological mother was just a geisha who was close to this girl, and as for the father, he was just one of the geisha's lovers.
The story seems ordinary, but it miraculously became popular.
The reason is simply that the name is well chosen.
Furthermore, the allusions in the story are too obvious.
Originally, the people of Nanyang and the surrounding prefectures firmly believed that Zhu Ruilin was a saint chosen by heaven, but the story sung by the storyteller clearly implied that he was born from the belly of a dancing girl.
People don't care who the storyteller is, but they are familiar with the detailed description of the story.
The subordinates of Prince Chun and Prince Liang, who had originally supported Zhu Ruilin, felt even more humiliated after hearing this story.
Not only that, there is also Madam Yueyi.
If the child was not from her womb, why would the believers support the son of a maiko?
People cried out that they had been deceived, and scoffed at the saying that when the Qilin appears, a saint will arrive.
After the blind followers dispersed, those who were left were the people who had been chasing Prince Liang and Prince Chun, as well as Madam Yueyi's followers.
The people of Prince Liang and Prince Chun were dissatisfied with the late emperor's trapping and killing of the two princes. Previously, Madam Yueyi introduced Zhu Ruilin, and the several parties hit it off. The calculations against the current emperor and the Xiao family began in full swing.
Who would have thought that such an ordinary story would drive a wedge between several forces that had hastily formed an alliance.
After the fish and shrimps dispersed, only the big fish were left. That night, Xiao Mo led his troops to surround the fort where Zhu Ruilin was.
At this point, the soldiers who followed Prince Xiao finally understood that the general had not sent out troops because he was planning a big move!
Suppressing banditry is no easier than fighting on the border, because the bandits use ordinary people as cover, which makes it more complicated.
Soldiers are faced with a dilemma whether to attack or defend.
Otherwise, the Minister of War Ren Sheng would not have been defeated!
Wuying originally knew his master's plan, including the other party's meeting with the storyteller.
In Wuying's opinion, the journey was very smooth, but the master still seemed to think it was not fast enough.
Originally, after the news spread, they should have waited for the internal strife among the parties and then defeated them one by one. However, the master changed his strategy after receiving a secret letter from the capital yesterday, and now he is heading straight for Zhu Ruilin's lair.
To catch a thief, you must first catch the king. Zhu Ruilin is not the king, he is just a puppet.
At present, many of these things seem to be an attempt by grassland forces to use the Shenyue Sect to overthrow the Dayan Dynasty. However, without the puppet, these people can be quiet for the time being.
In the capital, the Duke Cheng's mansion had been under siege for five days, and the atmosphere in the mansion had gradually calmed down from the initial tension and fear.
On the sixth day, Chen Shuyao and Wuming went to Jiyunzhai together. According to Xiao Mo's instructions before leaving, she indeed found the painting.
Watching the Crown Prince's wife knocking on the wall, Wuming lowered his head for a moment.
Shen Shuyao asked with some doubt, "Don't you know?"
"I knew it when I was digging, but I don't know where the mechanism is to open it." Wuming answered truthfully.
"What about the old lady and the Duke's wife? Do they know?" Chen Shuyao asked again.
"The master didn't tell me, but he told the lady. He must have believed in her." The guard answered seriously and indirectly spoke for his master.
After the tunnel Xiao Mo mentioned appeared before them, Shen Shuyao stopped talking.
She went down the tunnel and indeed entered a space that looked like a hall. Just as Xiao Mo had said, it was filled with endless food, water, quilts, warm clothes, and other daily necessities...
After seeing the tunnel, Chen Shuyao went to Songhe Hall to meet Old Madam Xiao.
The old man didn't seem surprised. "The tunnel already existed, but it wasn't as big as you say. Have you seen the space inside? If everyone in the mansion went in, would there be any problems?"
Shen Shuyao shook her head, and Madam Xiao smiled after hearing this, "This brat!"
Since the day when Duke Cheng’s Mansion was surrounded, the old man has never smiled again.
But when she spoke of her most beloved grandson, although her words contained a hint of blame, they were also filled with pride and relief.
Chen Shuyao's heart ached as she watched, "Grandma! My husband will be fine. Yaoyao believes he will come back safely soon."
"I know your grandmother too." Old Madam Xiao sighed, "The sons of the Xiao family have always been good!"
The two of them were originally sitting not far from each other. The old woman reached out and held her hand, "Yaoyao! Grandmother has lived a fulfilling life. In her lifetime, she was able to see Mo'er get married, to see him marry such a wonderful wife like you, and now she sees him having a child..."
Old Madam Xiao's hands were dry and warm, and the look she gave her was full of kindness.
Chen Shuyao had once felt the warmth brought to her by these hands, but at that time she was just a bewildered and helpless orphan.
Hearing the weariness in the other person's voice, Chen Shuyao hurriedly said, "How can that be enough? Grandmother still wants to see Yaoyao's child born and watch him grow up, and we won't just have one child."
Madam Xiao shook her hand and said, "You are right!"
Then he smiled himself.
"It took time for the Xiao family to reach where they are today. Our sons and daughters have also paid their own price. The emperor's mind changes rapidly, but our Xiao family only does things that have a clear conscience."
"Mo'er has been smart since he was young. He is a qualified general, brave and resourceful, but not a good lover. He is proud, selfish... and a lonely child. Grandmother hopes that you will support each other in the future. After I pass away, Yaoyao will help me look after him, okay?" Chen Shuyao nodded with tears in her eyes, feeling a little sad.
Even though the Xiao family was suspected by the emperor, she never became pessimistic.
Even before this, when the Xiao family was surrounded, she firmly believed that Xiao Mo would definitely rush back to resolve the current dilemma.
However, the old lady's words made Shen Shuyao feel inexplicably uneasy.
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