Chapter 452: It's so lively, do you mind having me? (6k)
Capital city.
Early in the morning of that day, the entire capital of the Yu State was plunged into a grand atmosphere. Before dawn, the imperial guards in the city lined up and crossed the street. Each soldier personally carried a bucket of water and swept the main road leading to the south gate of the imperial palace.
Notices were posted in all the major government offices and all the officials were dispatched. The Red Flower Society warned the people to restrain themselves and not to cause chaos.
All this commotion is just because Her Majesty the Empress will go south to offer sacrifices to the gods today.
Inside the imperial palace.
Xu Zhenguan spread her arms and stood in front of the huge dressing mirror in the room. Two palace maids dressed her in the dragon robe and put on a crown with a pearl curtain.
"Your Majesty, it's done." The accompanying maid spoke.
Xu Zhenguan's eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes, looking at himself standing in the mirror. The hem of his gorgeous dragon robe hung on the ground, dragging out very long. Majestic eyes were embedded in his icy skin.
"Your Majesty, the sword." Another palace maid stepped forward and respectfully held up the Taia sword left by the ancestor with both hands.
The Tai'a Sword was locked tightly in its scabbard, and was unusually quiet. This divine weapon, representing the royal family of the Yu Kingdom, had been taken out of the Taimiao last night and would follow the empress south to Luoshan.
Xu Zhenguan reached out, grabbed the scabbard, and hung it around his waist himself. He turned around and walked out of the palace on the shiny marble floor.
At the door, Mo Chou, the Sixth Lady of Shang, and Sun Lianying, the Supervisor of the White Horse Guards, stood on either side, their heads bowed. "The carriage is ready. Your Majesty, please come out of the palace!"
"Let's go." Xu Zhenguan said calmly and stepped out of the door. Mochou and Sun Lianying personally took over from the palace maids, holding up the extremely long hem of the dragon robe on the left and right to keep it free from dust.
The dragon chariot had already been parked in the Meridian Gate Square. Xu Zhenguan boarded the chariot and left the imperial city, accompanied by a team of hundreds of people.
As a result, the group of people following him expanded to hundreds of people.
The procession was mighty and marched south along the main road, Zhuque Street. Along the way, the imperial guards had already cleared the streets on both sides of the road, and the people were allowed to watch from afar.
On both sides of the road, at intervals, officials from various government offices, dressed solemnly, stood to welcome the emperor, and followed the carriage as it passed by.
There were also palace maids holding flower baskets, scattering petals from time to time.
Amidst the sound of ritual music, the empress walked out of the city gate and arrived at the south dock. The entire dock had already been under martial law.
Important officials such as Li Yanfu, Yuan Li, Dong Xuan, and Xue Shence were waiting here.
There is only one ship in the dock today, and it is the largest warship of the Yu State. It is almost as tall as a city wall, freshly painted, and the bow is decorated as a dragon head.
It was so majestic and solemn that it frightened the people who were watching the farewell outside the dock.
"Mom, what a big ship!" Zhao Pan stood in the crowd, looking at it with longing:
"Your Majesty, are you going to Luoshan? The place that my elder brother went to earlier? It would be great if we could go together to watch the ceremony."
Eugene Hua was dignified. She pinched her daughter's buttocks with her hand and said with a fierce face:
"How dare you say anything? Do you think you can ride a dragon boat?"
Zhao Pan was very unhappy:
"Maybe after the Fengshan ceremony is over, my elder brother will take this ship back with His Majesty. When the time comes, I will ask my elder brother for help. Let me go up and take a look."
Eugene Hua had a stern face, but she had some thoughts in her mind.
"My dear ministers, please stop. While I am away in the south, I rely on you for all matters of the court. If you have any questions, please consult Grand Tutor Dong."
Xu Zhenguan said to the ministers.
"We, your servants, will not let down your grace and will do our utmost."
Xu Zhenguan nodded and stepped onto the first-class battleship-class dragon boat. This time they were going south to offer sacrifices to the gods, and the journey was long. They would pass through various places along the way, and each place would welcome them.
Before she left, she had made many arrangements to ensure the stability of the court in Beijing. Apart from officials from the Ministry of Rites, the only people accompanying her on this trip were Mo Chou and Sun Lianying, two of her confidants from the time when she was the third princess.
After climbing up the gangway and onto the wide deck, Xu Zhenguan walked to the dragon head position, feeling the huge dragon boat warship slowly vibrating as it sailed away from the capital.
She looked towards the south and thought:
"By now, you should have arrived at Jianning Mansion."
"The southern nobles have deep roots for hundreds of years. You are alone and powerless, how can you defeat them?"
"But it's okay. I'm here to help you."
…
…
"A letter from He Xiaolou?"
Inside the Canal Transport Office, Ning Zechen was stunned for a moment. This hardworking and important official of the State of Yu frowned, walked over, handed the sword in his hand to Master Wen, and raised his hand to grab the envelope.
As the governor of the Grand Canal, Ning Zechen was no stranger to He Xiaolou, the leader of the Grand Canal Gang.
Knowing that this man was generous and charitable, he came from a humble background. When he was young, he joined the Cao Gang. Whenever he got gold and silver, he would not keep it for himself, but distribute it all to his subordinates. As he said, "Others save money, I save favors."
At that time, he already had the potential to be a hidden dragon. After successfully replacing the previous gang leader and taking over the canal transport gang, he used his skillful manner to maneuver between the government, local nobles, and even the forces of Prince Jing's Mansion.
Ning Zechen did not dare to underestimate him.
"He wanted to find me instead of coming to my house in person. He wanted to see what he was up to."
Ning Zechen tore open the envelope, shook out the letter, and glanced at it. He was struck by lightning, his face suddenly pale, and then he was filled with anger: "How dare you!!"
Master Wen was startled: "Sir, this is..."
Ning Zechen was breathing heavily and his eyes were red as he handed the letter to him. After reading it, Master Wen's expression also changed.
The content of the letter was simple. He Xiaolou heard that the governor's wife was kidnapped by "water bandits" on her way back to the city and has now disappeared. The letter attached an address, and specially invited the governor to come this evening to discuss the matter in person.
He immediately drove out the official who reported the news, and then said in panic: "Sir, this matter..."
Ning Zechen's face turned ashen, his lips turned pale, but his eyes flashed like lightning: "It was He Xiaolou who did it."
What kidnapping by pirates... He wasn't stupid. Where on Jiancheng Road did pirates come from who had the ability and the guts to kidnap his wife and daughter? He Xiaolou's attitude was clear.
Master Wen said, "He Xiaolou is being unreasonable. He must be doing something for someone else."
Ning Zechen bit his lip, his eyes turned red, and he suddenly smiled:
"It seems that some people are disgusted with me, the Governor, who is in the way. Finally, they can't bear it anymore and are willing to make me surrender at the risk of being beheaded."
Master Wen hesitated and said, "Should we send someone to confirm the authenticity first..."
Ning Zechen shook his head. This kind of thing was no joke. He pondered for a moment and said:
"Don't tell anyone about this. I'm going to the banquet alone tonight."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and grabbed the sword in his master's hand, suppressing his anger:
"What a bunch of scoundrels from the Cao Gang! What a bunch of evil spirits! Even my sword is not at all weak against them!"
…
It was when the Governor of the Grand Canal and He Xiaolou were preparing to meet for negotiations.
Without anyone knowing, a group of people from the north had changed their appearance and quietly entered Jianning City as a merchant caravan.
Zhao Duan sat in the carriage, opened the curtain and looked at the busy streets with cars and people coming and going, and said with emotion:
"It's indeed a wealthy place. Just looking at the atmosphere of the city, it's not inferior to the capital."
Damn, the territory that Prince Jing has devoted himself to managing for many years is indeed not simple.
Just from the appearance, it has the aura of a python swallowing a dragon.
While I was thinking about it, I saw that many shops on the street were hanging white lanterns and white silk, in a funeral style.
However, it is not a shop selling coffins, paper money, etc., but there are all kinds of shops. They are open for business as usual, but there is a sense of dejection.
"What does this mean? Is it popular to decorate for funerals in Jianning Mansion? Isn't this depressing? Surely everyone hasn't died? Then why are they still open?"
Zhao Duan was a little confused.
"You are joking, my Lord. Although Jianning Prefecture is far away from the capital, some local customs do not consider funerals as good deeds."
The Governor's wife, sitting in the same carriage with her daughter, was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. She glanced out the window and said,
"These shops are all owned by the Shen family. If my guess is correct, it must be the Shen family's second master who was seriously ill and died."
The Second Master of the Shen Family? Zhao Duan was stunned.
"The local, most powerful family with centuries of history? The Shen family, which produced three prime ministers and two generals?"
Madam Ning nodded: "That's right."
Zhao Duan's expression became subtle. Of course he remembered the Shen family.
Back then, in the Taicang Silver Mine case, it was this member of the Shen family who went to Beijing to cause trouble, instigating a wider rift between Zhenbao and the "Li Party".
He killed the Taicang County Magistrate in prison. He was the second master of the Shen family and the second son of the head of the family. Later, Zhao Duan was imprisoned and killed Gao Lian. Zhenbao sent people to deal with the aftermath. He learned some inside stories from Mochou.
When he heard Madam Ning say that the second master of the Shen family was in critical condition after returning from Beijing... Zhao Duan understood very well that this man's death was clearly a trick played by Zhenbao to threaten the Shen family.
It’s just… He seemed to have lost his life, but he was able to hold on for so long before dying… I can only sigh at the profound heritage of this big family.
"So, Madam Ning means that when someone from the Shen family dies, all the subordinate shops have to wear mourning clothes? What a grand ceremony... Tsk tsk, but is it such a coincidence that he died just a few days after I arrived?" Zhao Duan joked.
Madam Ning shook her head and said, "I think he's been dead for a while, but the burial rules of the wealthy families here are very strict, so it will take a long time."
After she explained it to him, Zhao Duan finally understood.
In ancient times, when a person died, it was generally required that they could not be buried for the first three days. Sometimes they could not be buried for the first seven days, which was called "the first seven days". The general idea was that the soul would return home to say goodbye seven days after the person died...
However, this is just a folk rumor. The truth is that ordinary people don't have the technology to preserve corpses. They can only keep them for seven days at most. If they are not buried, they will stink...
The same goes for burials. For example, when the old emperor died, his body was kept for a full month or two. During this period, on the one hand, the aftermath of the coup was calmed down, and on the other hand, a series of rituals for burial in the mausoleum were prepared. In addition, the palace's embalmers were given enough time to handle the body, disinfect and sterilize it, and marinate it with precious materials to keep the body fragrant after death... and various antiseptic methods were used.
The Shen family is a noble and aristocratic family. Although they are not as powerful as the emperor, they also have a large set of burial procedures.
"But ordinary members of the Shen family wouldn't be treated like this. Second Master Shen is very much favored by the old lady of the Shen family, so it's not surprising that he receives such extraordinary treatment." Madam Ning analyzed calmly.
Old Madam... the "grandmother" of the Shen family in the records? The de facto controller of the family? Hmm, perhaps similar to the role of Jia Mu in Dream of the Red Chamber?
Zhao Duan's mind was full of chaotic thoughts. Seeing the expressions of the mother and daughter, he smiled and said:
"Thank you for the information. I know Madam is eager to return home, but the attack on her indicates the complicated situation in the city. I'm afraid it would be inappropriate to show up rashly. I hope you will be patient."
He was smiling as he said this.
What Zhao Duan did not tell the mother and daughter was that when they were on the boat, he ordered the palace servants to use harsh means to "persuade surrender" some of the surviving Cao Gang killers.
And from Zuo Rong, he learned the means to contact He Xiaolou.
He simply ordered the Cao Gang killer to send a message back to inform He Xiaolou of the false news of "successful kidnapping", and at the same time contacted the royal "shadow guard" hidden in the city of Jianning Prefecture.
Want to see what exactly happens.
At this time, the convoy arrived at the reserved inn. The group entered the inn and did not encounter any accidents like the one they had experienced in Binhaidao where they were surrounded.
Zhao Duan met a strange shadow guard who was waiting in the room of the inn.
"So, He Xiaolou arranged to meet the Governor of the Grand Canal at a restaurant called 'Zhuge' in the city that evening?"
Zhao Duan sat cross-legged, looking at this ordinary shadow guard in surprise:
"Sure?"
The shadow guard bowed and said, "Your Excellency, it is absolutely true. Ning Zechen has ordered the news to be suppressed and is preparing to attend the banquet alone."
Zhao Duan was very interested: "Your intelligence work is very powerful. Even the governor of a place can't block it?"
The shadow guard slowly raised his head, revealing Master Wen's face, and said calmly:
"Your Excellency, I am so grateful for your compliment. It is my duty."
In the past, the old emperor dared to use Ning Zechen and appointed him as the governor of the grain transport system, a position with heavy responsibilities. Later, the empress also had special confidence in him. How could it be simply because of "don't use people if you doubt them, and don't doubt people if you use them"?
Only the roster of the capital's shadow guards records the true identity of this man, who has followed Ning Zechen for ten years and is both a close friend and a capable subordinate.
Name: Wen Liang
Codename: "Master"
A "gold medal" shadow guard in the royal intelligence system of Jianchengdao, who has much more experience than the "scholar".
"Not bad." Zhao Duan nodded with satisfaction, pondered for a moment, and asked:
"Do you think that behind He Xiaolou is Prince Jing's Mansion?"
Master Wen was taken aback by this question and hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Prince Jing's Mansion cultivates its own spies."
The implication is: Although Prince Jing has the motivation to do such a thing, it seems unnecessary for him to use the Cao Gang as a pretext.
Zhao Duan nodded, thought for a while, and said:
"I understand. You can go back first."
Master Wen bowed his head and asked, "Your Excellency, I'm curious about what the Governor would do when faced with a threat."
Zhao Duan glanced at him, and a smile spread across his face:
"A long time ago, someone taught me a lesson: don't test human nature."
He waved his hand: "Go ahead."
Wen Liang had no choice but to retreat.
Wait until the people leave.
The door was pushed open again, and Song Jinxi, who looked like a monkey, asked:
"Sir, Eunuch Hai asked if you have any instructions."
Zhao Duan sat cross-legged in front of the low table characteristic of Jianning Mansion, with his eyes closed, and said after hearing this:
"Please ask the father-in-law to bring a few people with me to the Zhuge Pavilion tonight."
"Okay." Song Jinxi responded and was about to close the door and leave when Zhao Duan suddenly stopped him:
"Wait. Let me ask you something. Second Master Shen, when you were in the capital..."
This most skilled assassin among the Imperial Palace masters had his back to the room. Upon hearing this, he paused, turned around and smiled harmlessly, "It was done by a humble servant."
"Well, well done, go ahead."
…
…
In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun shone down, and the green willows in Jianning Mansion were all dipped in a layer of red.
Ning Zechen, who was over fifty years old, with a strong physique and thick black hair, sat upright in the carriage with his eyes closed to rest.
As the carriage shook, the long sword placed across his knees also shook slightly, and a slight sound came from the gap between the blade and the scabbard.
"arrive."
The carriage stopped, and Ning Zechen, who was only in casual clothes, opened his eyes, grasped the scabbard, stepped out of the car, and looked up to see half of the sun blocked by a red restaurant.
On the plaque, the words "Zhu Ge" were clearly written.
At this moment, the entire restaurant has been booked out, and there are thugs from the Cao Gang standing guard downstairs.
Ning Zechen was alone, striding straight over: "Where is He Xiaolou?"
The Cao Gang thug leader's eyes flashed and he said with a smile:
"The Governor has come in person. We are sorry for not welcoming you. The gang leader has been waiting for you upstairs with some fine wine."
Ning Zechen walked in with a blank expression, sword in hand.
The leader of the thugs raised his hand to stop them, forcing a smile. "Why would you need a sword to eat? How about I keep the Governor's sword for you?"
Ning Zechen stared at him with a sneer, without saying a word.
The two sides were in a stalemate for a moment, and suddenly the red-painted window upstairs was pushed open, and He Xiaolou's voice came out:
"Don't be rude. Why don't you invite the distinguished guest up?"
The Cao Gang thugs then humbly made way.
Ning Zechen looked at him coldly, strode into the building, climbed the stairs, and soon saw He Xiaolou standing next to a large table full of delicious dishes with a kind smile on her face.
There were only two of them on this floor.
The Cao Gang leader had a scholarly air, wearing a long green robe and holding an antique folding fan in his hand. He was almost gentle and courteous, and greeted us with a bow.
"The Governor is coming in person, why didn't you inform me in advance so I could go downstairs to greet him?"
Ning Zechen walked to the table with the swift steps of a tiger and a dragon, a sneer on his lips:
"Boss He, you are so majestic! I entered the capital without taking off my armor, and you, your men, actually dared to take off my sword."
He Xiaolou smiled apologetically and said seriously, "If the Governor is unhappy, how about I give him an arm to go with his wine?"
He looked serious, as if he would really give the order to do it as long as Ning Zechen said "yes".
Ning Zechen stared at him expressionlessly and said, "I have underestimated you in the past."
He Xiaolou smiled slightly and raised his hand to make a "please" gesture:
"I know the Governor likes special dishes. The chef of Zhuge is best at special dishes. If you have anything to say, please sit down and discuss it."
Ning Zechen stared at him and actually smiled. He pulled out a chair and sat down with his sword beside him, ready to be drawn at any time.
He Xiaolou seemed to ignore the murder weapon. He gently waved a paper fan, picked up the wine pot himself, and poured wine for each of them.
Ning Zechen's face was half covered by the red light coming in from the window: "Where are my wife and daughter now?"
He Xiaolou was surprised:
"Governor, didn't you read my letter? My fellow Canal Gang members only heard that they were robbed by pirates, and their whereabouts are unknown. But please rest assured, Governor. Although my Canal Gang members are far inferior to government officials, we are better at knowing both sides of the canal very well, and we are also well-informed in the underworld.
When I learned that the Governor's wife was in danger, I immediately ordered the entire Cao Gang to search for her. I believe that it won't take long before the Governor's wife and daughter are rescued."
Ning Zechen stared at him with his tiger eyes and said:
"This is the place you chose. I came here alone. Is there any need to tell such lies?"
He Xiaolou smiled and didn't respond.
Ning Zechen suddenly sighed, not just with hatred, but also with admiration: "Boss He is very cautious."
He Xiaolou sighed softly, put down the wine jug, sat down slowly, and said with some sadness:
"My Lord, you were originally a carp. After cultivating for five hundred years, you jumped over the Dragon Gate, married into a family, and became a dragon.
As for me, I was originally just a loach. I first cultivated for a thousand years to become a carp, and then cultivated for another five hundred years before I luckily jumped over the Dragon Gate... No, it's not really a Dragon Gate? At most, I jumped from a river into a lake... But at least I have some wealth.
If you fall, you will still be a carp, but I will become a loach. How can I, a humble person, not be cautious in my actions?
Ning Zechen was silent for a moment and sighed:
"I don't like beating around the bush. Tell me what the conditions are. What conditions can help me...get my wife and daughter back?"
He Xiaolou laughed and said, "Why would the Governor ask such a question when he already knows the answer?"
Ning Zechen stared at him and said, "This new policy is not just mine, it's the government's new policy!"
He Xiaolou said seriously, "But the person who did it was you, Governor."
The two men stared at each other, neither giving in. The light coming through the red carved windows of the Zhu Pavilion seemed to be stained red, shining on the banquet table between the two of them, and all the dishes became bloody.
Ning Zechen suddenly grasped the hilt of the sword, stood up without warning, unsheathed the sword, and pressed the sharp blade against He Xiaolou's brow!
"If my sword moves forward even one inch, you will die!" he said word by word.
He Xiaolou sat quietly in the chair with a smile on his face. He slowly raised the folding fan in his hand and gently pushed away the bloodthirsty sword with the extremely precious fan bone.
He said slowly:
"The Governor is a smart man. He should know that even if he kills me, he won't be able to find Madam Ning. The kidnapped person can't be in my hands either."
Ning Zechen sat back in his chair dejectedly, and his sword fell to the table with a bang, knocking over the dishes.
Yes, how could he not know? After being kidnapped, they would definitely not be brought back to the city, but directly handed over to other people.
There was no way it could remain in the hands of this gang leader.
He Xiaolou had a strange smile on his face, as if he was very interested in the fact that a governor and a second-rank official had behaved so mischievously in front of him.
He stood up with a smile, picked up the chopsticks, and personally picked up some food for Ning Zechen, saying:
"The Governor is also a human being. He is not an emotionless sword in the hands of the emperor. Why would he risk his life for someone thousands of miles away and destroy his family?
In fact, this matter is very simple, not that difficult. The Governor does not even need to do anything too extreme. The New Deal can still be carried out. He just needs to relax a little and take it slow. Everyone will be happy. Isn't it wonderful?"
Ning Zechen remained silent.
Seeing his expression, He Xiaolou smiled even more. He was about to persuade him again when he suddenly heard a noise coming from downstairs, as if his men were interrogating someone.
Immediately, short exclamations and screams erupted from downstairs, accompanied by the sound of bones breaking. All the sounds lasted only a few breaths before disappearing.
As if it had never appeared.
Then, there were the sounds of someone coming up the stairs.
As Zhao Duan slowly walked up to this floor, his eyes swept over the scene calmly, and his lazy, casual voice rang in the ears of the two:
"Tsk, it's so lively, you don't mind having me here too?"
…
Change the layout first and then modify it
(End of this chapter)
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