Shangqing was a monk, detached from the secular world, and he had not violated any secular laws. The emperor originally planned to send him to the Wuliang Temple after a few days and leave it to the abbot to make the decision.
But now, the situation was different. The emperor had already developed murderous intentions towards Shangqing.
"Zhao Rang." The emperor cleared his throat and ordered majestically, "Bring Shang Qing."
Zhao Rang received the emperor's oral order and withdrew.
It was time to wait, so Gu Yanfei casually threw the motionless poisonous insect into the box that had been filled with incense before, sealed the lid, and said to Anle, "Princess Anle, I'll bleed you to remove the poison."
After a pause, she added, "It doesn't hurt this time."
"Yeah." Anle nodded vigorously, with a light blush on her fair cheeks.
Gu Yanfei forced the spiritual power in his body to the tip of a needle, and stabbed a needle into each of the five fingers of Anle's left hand. His movements were so fast that Anle couldn't even see clearly.
The little girl widened her eyes in amazement, but in a flash, she saw a drop of dark blood oozing out from each of the five fingertips of her left hand. Each drop was as big as a fish eye, forming a sharp contrast with her snow-white skin.
The emperor standing by felt so distressed when he saw his daughter that his eyes became more sour and red.
If the occasion was not inappropriate, he really wanted to hold his daughter in his arms, pat her back and call her "Nannan".
Little Anle was not frightened at all and looked at Gu Yanfei with even more admiration.
My elder sister is so amazing. She can play pot-throwing, wield a whip, turn into a butterfly, and catch insects... She is even more amazing than my elder brother!
The little girl's pair of distinct black and white eyes were as clean, pure and sparkling as black and white chess pieces.
Chu Yi stood silently aside, his deep gaze fixed on Jingzhao Yin who had been standing quietly for a long time.
The cold wind blew up a few strands of black hair, which scattered on his handsome cheek, half-covering it and forming a light shadow.
Since arriving here, Jingzhao Yin has been standing there quietly, with no panic or fear on his face, but a very calm expression, as if he is waiting for something.
Jingzhao Yin Feng He was born into the Feng family of Qingzhou and was a member of an aristocratic family.
Not only the Jingzhao Yin, most of the officials holding important posts in the court are from aristocratic families.
It is precisely because of this that they dare to be so unscrupulous.
For their own selfish desires, they easily took the eldest princess' life as a bargaining chip.
The shadows under Chu Yi's eyes became deeper and deeper, the dark ink color was like the endless dark night without any stars or moon, and the red mole at the end of his eye was as red as blood.
It was as if the demon beast sealed in his body was suddenly awakened, and a dangerous aura silently spread around his body.
"Chu Yi."
A white shadow flashed before his eyes, and in his hand appeared a soft, white handkerchief. On one corner of the handkerchief was embroidered a curled-up calico cat.
"Clean and bandage it." Gu Yanfei pointed at the black blood on Anle's fingertips, signaling Chu Yi to get to work quickly.
Chu Yi held the handkerchief in his hand, staring at the girl in front of him with wide eyes.
Suddenly, as if his soul had returned to its place, the haze in his eyes quickly dissipated, and his expression gradually softened.
"Yeah." Chu Yi responded softly, with a slight curve in the corner of his eyes.
He bent down slightly, held a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the drops of black blood from Anle's fingertips. His movements were incredibly gentle.
Without any words, everyone could see how much the Crown Prince loved his sister.
No matter how noble the status of this brother and sister is, the brotherhood between them cannot be faked.
And the Emperor...
Many people also looked at the emperor standing next to the wheelchair.
Only when the emperor walked down from the high city wall did they feel a sense of reality.
It is said that the imperial family is the most ruthless, but in fact it is not absolutely true.
The emperor is not only an emperor who is high above and untouchable, but also a father.
If his daughter is sick, the emperor will be worried; if his daughter is murdered, the emperor will also be sad.
The emperor is a mortal with flesh and blood just like the common people.
In the midst of such mixed emotions, an old Taoist wearing a green Taoist robe and with gray hair was escorted over by seven or eight tall and mighty imperial guards.
The old Taoist's robe was wrinkled, and there were several messy strands of hair scattered around his bun. He was so thin that he looked like a dried corpse with skin and bones wrapped around it. His deep eye sockets made people think of a white skull.
When the wind blew, the wide Taoist robe became empty, as if it was draped directly on the skeleton.
If it wasn't broad daylight, many people would have thought they were seeing a ghost.
Everyone present was startled. Before they could react, they heard the white-faced, beardless eunuch in front of them say to the emperor, "Your Majesty, Shangqing has been brought here."
This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone present.
"Is this Shangqing?!"
I don’t know who shouted in shock in the crowd.
Everyone looked at the old Taoist in green robe with horrified eyes again, with deep shock in their expressions.
Wuliang Temple is the largest and most famous Taoist temple in the capital. Shangqing Zhenren is well-known in the capital and is admired by believers. Many people present have seen Shangqing Zhenren before.
Some people saw Shangqing from close or far away when they went to Wuliang Temple to burn incense or listen to sutras; some people saw Shangqing from afar when she went to other houses to perform rituals; even if they have not seen her, they have heard people describe her, and those who have seen her all said that Shangqing was a person with an immortal appearance and like a god.
However, the Taoist priest in front of him with a haggard appearance and gloomy temperament was not a god at all. He was more like an evil ghost in human skin!
Shangqing, escorted by the imperial guards, walked forward leisurely, as if he was just visiting the place for a visit.
After being captured by the emperor yesterday, Shang Qing was not afraid or panicked. He meditated in the palace all night last night and simply regarded the house arrest as a form of spiritual practice.
He was very sure that the emperor would not do anything to him!
In those days, Tian Gang Zhenren repeatedly saved the life of Emperor Taizu and helped him build this great Jingjiangshan.
After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he appointed Tiangang Zhenren as the state teacher. As a result, Wuliang Temple also enjoyed an extraordinary status in Dajing, which was his backing.
What's more, it was the emperor who wanted to save the eldest princess, and he was just proposing a method in response to the emperor's request.
This magic is like a sword, there is no distinction between good and evil. It depends on whether to use it or not. Everything is decided by the emperor himself.
What crime has he committed?
At most, he would be escorted back to Wuliang Temple after a few days and given a minor punishment by the temple master.
Shangqing walked slowly towards the direction of the emperor and Anle, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
When he approached, an old woman in the crowd stared at his face for a while, then pointed at Shangqing excitedly and shouted:
"This Taoist priest is indeed Shangqing. I remember that Shangqing Taoist has a mole on his forehead."
Soon after, others joined in, pointing out some of Shangqing's characteristics, such as his height, hump nose, hooked little finger, etc.
As more and more people spoke up to identify him, the people were all convinced that the Taoist priest with a terrifying appearance before them was indeed Shangqing.
"But how could Master Shangqing become such a horrible state?" someone else asked in a loud and clear voice.
Gu Yanfei also heard the voices in the crowd. She secretly sighed twice in her heart, and casually tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears. Her hair ends fluttered in the wind, and her sleeves flew up like a flowing cloud.
Shangqing walked forward while casually glancing around. When his eyes swept over Gu Yanfei, his originally expressionless face suddenly sank, and his eyes were as sinister as an owl, scraping across Gu Yanfei's cheek like a knife.
"It's you!"
Shang Qing spoke word by word, not seeing the emperor, Chu Yi, or anyone else, only Gu Yanfei in his eyes.
It was as if Gu Yanfei was the only one here who was worthy of his attention, and everyone else was just insignificant ants.
"Shangqing, do you recognize this?"
Gu Yanfei picked up the wooden box, opened the lid, revealed the hideous-looking centipede blood insect in the box, and questioned it directly.
“……” Shangqing widened his eyes in shock and doubt, his skinny face twisted like a devil.
This is the blood parasite! But how could the blood parasite be taken out? ! Shang Qing's original calmness disappeared in an instant, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
After the Murong family incident, Shang Qing had reviewed the whole thing over and over again, thinking carefully about it:
Gu Yanfei could tear off the talisman paper of the Murong family, Gu Yanfei could see through the art of getting married and borrowing luck, and Gu Yanfei could see that his Taoism had been hindered in recent years...
When she spoke that day, her logic was rigorous and orderly, and it didn't sound like someone had given her instructions beforehand. All the clues pointed to one thing: Gu Yanfei was a person with extremely high attainments.
This realization did not make Shangqing feel relieved, but made him even more confused: a person who has attained the Tao should retreat from the world to practice and cultivate the Tao. Why should he care about worldly affairs? !
"Do you recognize this?" Gu Yanfei asked again, with a frosty and cold smile on the corner of his lips.
Her eyes were clear and deep like the vast starry sky, and she understood everything.
Shangqing once again felt the feeling of being suppressed by Gu Yanfei at Dingyuan Marquis Mansion in December of last year. She felt the humiliation of being looked down upon, and the sense of distance that was out of reach.
He couldn't help but look away, but he saw that the eyes and expressions of the people around him had changed when they looked at him.
In the past, they looked at him with admiration, but now they looked at him with hatred, spitting, disdain, and contempt... Every look seemed to be filled with thorns.
Shangqing's heart tightened. He could imagine that the development of things had exceeded his expectations.
Just now, Zhao Rang brought people to escort him out of the palace. Shangqing thought that he was going to be sent back to Wuliang Temple. Now he finally understood that he was afraid that he could not let this matter go easily.
But even so, Shangqing did not show any fear.
He stood up with his head held high, collected himself, looked directly into Gu Yanfei's eyes, and denied loudly, "I don't recognize him."
Zhao Rang glanced at the emperor's ugly face and scolded, "Shangqing, you cast a curse on the princess. Now that the evidence is irrefutable, you still dare to deny it!!"
"I am innocent!" Shang Qing did not even bow, but just stood there with his hands down, defending himself calmly, "I have never cast a spell on Her Highness the Princess."
"Everyone in the Imperial Hospital and the palace knows that I have saved the eldest princess from critical illness several times in the past five years, but I have never used this to ask the emperor for wealth and glory."
"The eldest princess is seriously ill this time. I suggested using the Heart Pill to save her, but I am afraid that the emperor will blame me for my incompetence. In the end, it is up to the emperor whether to do it or not."
"I have a clear conscience."
Shangqing's words sounded high-sounding, clearing himself of all charges and holding his back straight.
Since the current emperor wants to be a benevolent monarch, he is inevitably bound by his own hands and feet. If it were the former decisive and ruthless Emperor Taizu, he would not have been given the opportunity to stand here and defend himself.
"Why waste your time talking?" Gu Yanfei took a step closer to Shangqing and said calmly, "This Gu will recognize its master. It doesn't matter whether you recognize it or not."
The fingers of her right hand tapped lightly on the wooden box.
In the box, the blood insect that had been lying motionless and pretending to be dead suddenly flapped its wings and flew out of the box rapidly, flying towards Shangqing, so fast that it turned into a red shadow.
However, Gu Yanfei's move was faster than that of the poisonous insect, as fast as lightning and as fierce as wind. With just a casual pinch, he accurately pinched the tentacles of the blood poisonous insect between his fingers.
The red and ferocious blood insect was only two inches away from Shangqing's nose. Its wings were still buzzing, but Shangqing did not move at all, showing neither fear nor uneasiness.
Shang Qing looked into Gu Yanfei's eyes with a calm expression and said calmly, "I am from Wuliang Temple, an orthodox Taoist school. How could I know any witchcraft? Second Miss Gu, this is groundless, so please don't wrongly accuse an innocent person."
Shangqing was quite confident when he said this, and his eyes and expression did not waver at all.
This poison was definitely not cast by him.
Even if the poisonous insect recognizes its master, it cannot bite him.
Gu Yanfei stared at Shangqing for a while, then took back his right hand that was holding the insect, and said with regret and helplessness: "It's not yours..."
After she finished speaking, a talisman appeared between the fingers of her left hand, and she said in a clear voice: "This is the Flame Sun Talisman, which burns all the evil things in the world until they die."
She slapped the Flame Sun Talisman onto the blood insect's body, and the next moment, the talisman paper spontaneously combusted, and a cluster of bright yellow flames ignited the blood insect's tail.
"The Gu...is burning!" Someone in the crowd screamed in shock.
The flame burned rapidly upwards along the insect's body. The blood parasite struggled and twisted in the flame in pain, but it was in vain. The flame burned more and more vigorously and turned into a ball of flame the size of a baby's fist.
Gu Yanfei chuckled slyly, pinched the insect's tentacles and shook them, and the burning insect shook like a fireball.
The flickering firelight reflected on Shangqing's haggard face, forming strange light and shadows on his face.
The sight of the poisonous insect spontaneously combusting shocked all the onlookers. They all watched intently, amazed that such a paper talisman could burn to death this strange and terrifying poisonous insect.
Everyone's attention was attracted by the burning poisonous insect, and no one noticed that there was another talisman on the palm of Gu Yanfei's left hand, cleverly covered by his sleeve.
The talisman paper flew out with the wind and rolled up with a fallen leaf...
"ah!"
As soon as this talisman appeared, Shangqing suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream, and kicked his feet repeatedly in a state of panic, looking a bit frustrated and embarrassed.
Two balls of fire suddenly appeared on his shoes out of nowhere.
The blazing flames spread rapidly along the Taoist robe and knee-length pants. In just a blink of an eye, the area below Shangqing's knees was burning fiercely. The golden-red flames danced wildly and greedily climbed up to the upper thighs...
Shangqing, who had turned into a "fire man", was struggling and roaring in pain in the raging fire; the red poisonous insect in Gu Yanfei's hand was also twisting its body and struggling desperately in the fireball.
At first glance, the man and the insect looked exactly the same, twisting and struggling in the flames. There was an indescribable weirdness in them, as if there was an invisible bond between them.
Everyone saw Shangqing spontaneously combusting. The scene was so horrifying that everyone was so frightened that they couldn't make a sound.
Zhang Min and his daughter and the middle-aged woman next to them could almost feel the burning heat from Shangqing's body, and they all took several steps back in fear.
"The poisonous insect recognizes its master." Gu Yanfei touched his small chin and sighed faintly, "The insect dies and devours its master."
The last word was dragged out with a slow ending, like a mockery and a smile, revealing its sharpness.
The word "Lord" she mentioned refers directly to Shangqing.
"The insect dies, and the master is devoured" these four words echoed repeatedly in everyone's ears. The crowd was silent, and only Shangqing's screams echoed in the cold wind.
After a brief silence, the crowd once again erupted in indignation.
"Backlash!" The young man in green, with a corner of his black shirt showing at the collar, pointed at Shangqing and said with certainty, "The Gu worm was burned, so it backlashed against its master."
The irrefutable evidence was right in front of us, and so many people had witnessed it with their own eyes, so now everyone believed it.
Two chapters merged~ (End of this chapter)
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