Mrs. Hua shouted at the top of her lungs, just like a traveler who had been hiking in the dark night and finally saw a ray of light ahead and wanted to grab that light desperately.
Zhenren Xuancheng and others also looked towards Madam Hua. Among them, an ordinary-looking scholar in blue looked at her thoughtfully.
Mrs. Hua was so panicked that she almost lost her mind and her head was in a daze.
"Only you." The girl's ethereal and cold voice once again resounded in Madam Hua's mind, like a bell ringing in her soul.
Madam Hua rushed forward with a blank mind, shouting, "Master, quickly open the Hall of the Rebirth, someone has cast a sorcery on those tablets!"
A middle-aged Taoist priest's expression changed instantly, and he shouted, "Female believer, stop talking nonsense!"
Their Wuliang Temple had already produced a demon, Shangqing, which was already a blemish on their reputation. Today, a crazy woman came and wanted to tarnish the Wuliang Temple's statement! "I didn't!" The other party's words instantly stimulated Madam Hua.
Madam Hua's eyes were bloodshot, and she said to Master Xuancheng without hesitation: "Master, what I said is true! There really is someone who is using the offering tablets to perform evil magic!"
"My son is dying because of this evil magic. He was cursed and a ghost marriage was arranged for him..."
Madam Hua spoke incoherently, telling her how the Hua family had formed a secret marriage with the Lu family, and that her eldest son Hua Xi would die because of some secret technique and would not live past noon the next day.
"Everything I said is true!" She emphasized, and handed the family tree in her hand to Master Xuancheng, "Master, look, in the family tree, there are males around 18 years old in every generation of the Hua family who died in this way... More than a dozen people have died!"
Mrs. Hua was in an extremely excited mood and completely immersed in her own world. She didn't notice the stunned looks of others at all. She kept talking to herself and making eloquent arguments, almost like a madman.
"Madam, what nonsense are you talking about!" The man's stern voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Mrs. Hua's next words.
The several scholars surrounding Master Xuancheng were forcibly pushed aside, and an elegant figure walked into Madam Hua's sight in a rage.
Mr. Hua looked at Mrs. Hua in shock, his face so gloomy that ink seemed to be dripping out, and he forcefully snatched the family tree away.
"Master." Mrs. Hua never expected that Master Hua would appear here.
She was startled at first, and then anger and hatred surged over her.
If she still had a little uncertainty in her heart before, now she can be completely sure that the master will appear here, it must be for those tablets, which means that her idea is correct.
Under the furious gaze of Mr. Hua, Mrs. Hua took a big step towards him and asked, "Is it you?"
"You deliberately killed him in order to have a secret marriage, right?"
"You said before that a ghost marriage can ensure his health in the next life. You lied to me, right?"
Although Master Hua did not answer a word, they had been married for twenty years and Mrs. Hua actually knew her husband very well. She just didn't doubt him before, but now, as long as she observed carefully, she could see clues from the subtle changes in Master Hua's expression.
Her heart was filled with sorrow, anger, despair and heartache. Her heart felt hot and a ball of foul air was stuck in her throat that she couldn't swallow or spit out, and her teeth were chattering.
She used to think that they were a couple who respected each other, had a pair of legitimate children, and her husband always respected her and was a loving father. But within one day, her world was turned upside down.
"You're crazy, Tang, you're really crazy!" Master Hua gritted his teeth, his face changing from gloomy to bright.
"It is as expected!" Tang laughed bitterly, looked at Master Hua angrily, and called him by his name, "Hua Lan, for the sake of the prosperity of our family, you are willing to sacrifice our eldest son!!"
"Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. You have such a cruel heart!"
Tang's heart was filled with sadness and she was extremely angry, as if she had never known the person sitting next to her.
“Bang!”
A loud slapping sound was heard.
Hua Lan slapped Tang's face hard, leaving a bright red five-finger mark on her left cheek.
Tang's teeth bit his lips, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He looked in a miserable state.
At this moment, the students around were so shocked that they began to doubt their ears.
Tang's words overturned their imaginations again and again. They couldn't imagine how someone could be so cruel! This person was simply not worthy of being a human being!
Hua Lan was about to go crazy with anger. He almost wanted to rush over and cover Tang's mouth. He angrily warned: "The eldest prince is here, you must not be rude!"
The eldest prince? Tang was slightly startled and looked at the young man in white next to Master Xuancheng.
Although she did not recognize the eldest prince, in terms of demeanor, only this young man in white stood out among so many young people, so he was the only one who could be the eldest prince Chu Yi.
The eldest prince is actually here! Tang was a little confused at first, but soon she came to her senses and stood there with her back straight. Her expression was more justified and confident: With the eldest prince here, the master would also be afraid... Her son is saved!
Chu Yi raised his eyebrows and looked at Tang, then asked, "Who are you? What did you mean by what you just said?!"
His voice was as gentle and pleasant as the sound of jade hitting each other, neither fast nor slow.
The students around them also wanted to know the truth, so they couldn't help but look at the Hua couple.
"You..." Han Shusheng, who was dressed in blue, exclaimed in a low voice, his eyes widened, and he quickly pursed his lips, looking at Tang with hesitation.
Chu Yi turned to look at Han Shusheng and asked, "Do you know this lady?"
"Your Highness, I can't say I know her, we just met once." Han Shusheng bowed to Chu Yi and replied, "She is Madam Hua from Wancao Hall!"
He quickly glanced at Tang and added, "It was this Madam Hua's son who fell off his horse and was sent to Wancao Hall."
The students were stunned at first, then in an uproar, looking at each other with expressions of extreme shock.
At noon, they went to the Meridian Gate with Han Shusheng to file a complaint, and as a result, the eldest prince came to the Meridian Gate Square to meet them.
As a representative of a group of scholars, Han Shusheng complained to the eldest prince about the various crimes of the second Miss Gu. He accused the daughter of Gu Ce of bewitching the eldest prince and using evil magic to harm people in order to avenge Gu Ce, and that her heart was not right.
The eldest prince asked at that time, do they understand what evil magic is?
Of course these students don’t understand.
The eldest prince then said, since they don’t understand, how can they casually accuse others of abusing evil magic?
At that moment, Han Shusheng and others thought that the eldest prince wanted to protect the second Miss Gu. Who would have thought that the eldest prince would propose to go to Wuliang Temple together and ask the abbot to go to Wancao Hall to check on the young master of the Hua family to see whether he was sick or had been bewitched by some evil spell.
Everyone thought that what the eldest prince said made sense, so they followed the eldest prince to Wuliang Temple.
They were with the eldest prince throughout the whole process, and his every move was in front of them.
They saw with their own eyes that the eldest prince asked Master Xuancheng about sorcery and about saving lives.
From the beginning to the end, the eldest prince has always been sincere and honest, and his words and actions are impeccable. There is nothing wrong with him.
Gradually, these students began to waver, thinking that the eldest prince looked handsome and upright, and acted in a logical and reasonable manner, and did not seem like someone who had been blinded by beauty.
Just as they were about to leave for the capital, unexpectedly, Mrs. Hua, Mrs. Tang, suddenly rushed over and said the shocking words just now incoherently.
Many students were a little confused, and it was not until this moment that they matched the incredible story told by Tang with the events of Wancao Hall.
The one with the most complicated expression probably was Han Shusheng.
The shock made his mind a little confused, and he couldn't think calmly. He blurted out to question Tang: "Madam Hua, wasn't your son cast under a spell by Miss Gu?"
After saying this, Han Shusheng felt that he had spoken out of turn, and hurried to see Chu Yi. Seeing that he did not look unhappy, he felt relieved.
The other students around had the same doubts as Han Shusheng, and they all looked back and forth between Hua Lan and Tang.
Chu Yi stroked his sleeves gently, his every move as graceful as flowing clouds, and he seemed to be talking to himself: "So it's the Hua family."
Hua Lan's breath was slightly choked, but he quickly suppressed his violent emotions and looked elegant and refined again.
"Your Highness," Hua Lan bowed to Chu Yi solemnly and said, "My son has been weak and sickly since he was young. Now his life is hanging by a thread. It is only God's will. But Madam loves her son so much that she has hysteria. What she says cannot be trusted."
"I lost my composure in front of Your Highness. It was my fault. I am truly ashamed. I beg Your Highness to punish me."
Hua Lan bowed his head and made a long salute. He looked dignified and sincere, completely different from the man who had just slapped his wife.
"I'm not crazy!" Tang said harshly. Half of her face was swollen and a few strands of hair were scattered around her cheeks. She looked like a mad woman.
Chu Yi looked at Tang calmly, neither saying whether he believed it nor whether he didn't. He just asked Hua Lan, "Hua Lan, are both of your sons like this?"
"Yes." Hua Lan nodded with difficulty.
This simple word was so difficult for him, it was like giving up his second son.
But he had no other choice.
After all, the eldest prince only cared about the Hua family's affairs for the sake of his beloved. Now that he had gotten rid of the second Miss Gu, the matter could be put to rest.
Chu Yi smiled but said nothing.
Han Shusheng frowned deeply and looked back and forth at Hua Lan and his wife. He could vaguely see Hua Lan's intention.
Chu Yi smiled faintly: "Go ahead."
Han Shusheng sorted out his thoughts and said solemnly, "Your Highness, I was also outside Wancao Hall at noon. At that time, Madam Hua clearly said that the second Miss Gu was harming people with evil magic!"
"In addition to the students, many people heard it with their own ears. The rumor has spread. If Miss Gu is innocent, then wouldn't it tarnish her reputation?"
"Your Highness, please make sure to find out the truth. Don't wrongly accuse good people, and don't let the evildoers go unpunished!"
Every word Han Shusheng spoke was powerful and echoed clearly in the air.
Another student walked up to Han Shusheng and bowed, saying, "Three people can make a tiger, and many mouths can melt gold. Your Highness, please investigate!"
The other students around also agreed with this, and they all bowed to Chu Yi and shouted in unison, "Your Highness, please investigate this matter clearly," showing that they were united in purpose.
Hua Lan really wanted to kill this fool, but he slapped Tang because she was his godwife, and he couldn't do anything to a successful scholar.
What's more, the eldest prince is still here!
"Han Zhanghe, do you want the truth?" Chu Yi asked in a gentle tone with a slight smile that made people feel like spring breeze.
Han Zhanghe didn't understand why the eldest prince asked this, but he nodded affirmatively and said, "The truth should be revealed to the world."
"In that case, let's investigate." Chu Yi smiled again, looking as if he was following public opinion.
Seeing this, Han Zhanghe and other students all felt favorable towards him. They all thought that since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince could listen to their advice, just like he did now, he would surely be a benevolent ruler in the future.
Compliments came one after another from the crowd.
Tang's red and swollen face also showed anticipation. She knelt down with tears in her eyes and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Your Highness, please find out the truth!"
What she thought was that as long as the truth came to light, the eldest prince would be able to save her two sons.
"Hua Lan, present the Hua family genealogy." Chu Yi said.
"..." Hua Lan's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously clenched the family tree in his hand tightly. His eyes were wandering, but he still held on.
A tall and imposing young man with a mustache walked out from the Imperial Guards. He strode towards Hua Lan and extended his hand. "Master Hua?"
He looked at Hua Lan sternly, his eyes grim.
Hua Lan did not move, still holding the family tree tightly.
At this time, his behavior was tantamount to a guilty conscience.
The young man with a small mustache was not going to be polite to Hua Lan. He used courtesy first and then force, and pinched the acupoints on the other's wrist with lightning speed.
A piercing pain suddenly hit Hua Lan. He cried out in pain and his hand unconsciously loosened, and the family tree slipped out of his hand.
The young man with a small mustache took the family tree skillfully and presented it to Chu Yi with both hands.
At the same time, several Taoists from Wuliang Temple brought in tables, chairs, and coffee tables, and served tea to Chu Yi.
Chu Yi sat down under a lush Bodhi tree. The shadow of the tree above him fell on him, making his temperament elegant, like the moon on the water and the wind on pine trees.
He leisurely flipped through the thick Hua family tree, turning page after page, each page was turned very quickly...
Everyone around was staring at Chu Yi's every move with burning eyes.
Tang, who was kneeling on the ground, said hurriedly: "The first ten pages of the family tree are all about this branch of the clan..."
"Since my master's father, every generation..."
Chu Yi finished reading only ten pages in less than a cup of tea. He looked deeply at Hua Lan, who was ten feet away in front of him, and said slowly:
"Hua Xiang was born in the 12th year of the Tianli calendar and died on February 16th of the 30th year of the Tianli calendar."
"Hua Rong was born in the tenth year of Hongwu and died of illness on the third day of the seventh month of the eleventh year of Tianli."
"Hua Yan was born in the second year of Yuan'an and died on May 20th of the twenty-first year of Yuan'an."
“…”
Chu Yi reported six or seven names in succession. Although he had just glanced at them briefly, he had already remembered the birth and death dates of these people clearly without any pause.
Han Zhanghe and several other students were somewhat surprised and somewhat impressed, thinking to themselves: Could it be that His Royal Highness the First Prince has a photographic memory? They calculated in their minds and found that, as Tang had just said, there were male members of the Hua family who died young at the age of eighteen in all generations.
This inevitably makes people feel strange.
Hua Lan's heart sank again, but he still said calmly, "Your Highness, many of our clansmen are weak and have few offspring, which is a real pity for our family."
He sighed softly, looking sad and helpless.
"The Hua family is a noble family with a history of three hundred years. Many famous people have emerged from the family throughout the generations, and they are the best of their time," Chu Yi said. "Hua Sheng is powerful in the court, Hua Chun is a man of great literary talent, and Hua Yan is a world-renowned calligrapher..."
Hua Lan listened and couldn't help showing a look of pride and puffed out his chest.
"Everyone envies the Hua family for producing so many talented people, but they didn't expect that the family is in such a difficult situation. It's really like God is jealous of talented people." Chu Yi seemed to have just sighed casually, but it gave people a meaningful feeling.
At first glance, it seems that he is not questioning anything, but it makes people think a lot, because all the outstanding figures of the Hua family died of old age.
Han Zhanghe's frown deepened, and he asked, "Your Highness, may I borrow the Hua family tree to have a look?"
Hua Lan wanted to say no, but he had no room to comment here. Chu Yi directly handed the family tree to Han Zhanghe.
Han Zhanghe respectfully took the family tree with both hands and slowly turned a few pages...
If there were no doubts in his heart, this would just be an ordinary family tree. However, when Han Zhanghe already had an expectation in his mind, many words made him feel shocking.
This family tree is stained with blood! The wind blew, and the shadows of the trees above swayed, making Han Zhanghe's expression dark and abyssal.
Hua Lan's face became increasingly gloomy, his lips were as tight as iron, and his whole body seemed to be stuck in a cold quagmire. Even if he didn't move, his body would sink little by little, sinking deeply into the mud.
Hatred was surging in his heart, and he had no place to vent it, so he could only direct it at Tang, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
A son can be born again, but what she did is to destroy the entire Hua family! Zhao Ge'er is also his son. Will he watch their only remaining son die? ! He said he would save Zhao Ge'er, but his wife just didn't believe him! Hua Lan swallowed hard, his body stiff as if frozen, and bowed to Chu Yi again and said: "Your Highness, please understand, there is no one in any family who has died of illness. Madam is really hysterical."
Chu Yi drank a sip of tea elegantly before asking, "Tang, do you think you are hysterical?"
Hua Lan couldn't help but find it absurd when he heard this. Which madman would admit that he is crazy!
He hurriedly said: "Your Highness, this hysterical person..."
Halfway through his words, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his right shin.
He cried out in pain, staggered to his knees, and knelt shoulder to shoulder with Tang.
At the back, the mustache-wearing imperial guard withdrew his kick with a smile and said condescendingly, "Hua Lan, His Highness is not asking about you."
It's all this bitch's fault! Hua Lan was in so much pain that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He glared at Tang Shi in anger, but Tang Shi stared at Hua Lan firmly, without any sign of cowardice.
She felt confident: With the eldest prince around, the master would definitely not be able to do anything to her! She was his first wife, and the master could not divorce her. The two sons were the only blood of this family. At most, she would be neglected by him after this incident. If he wanted to take in a few concubines or even concubines, he could do it. At her age, she would soon have grandchildren, so what was there to be afraid of!
She is a mother, and her two sons are everything to her. When a person dies, it is like a light going out. She wants her sons to live!
"Your Highness, I am not suffering from hysteria!" Tang no longer cared about anything and told him everything she knew.
Just now, when she hurriedly came to ask for help from Master Xuancheng, she was very emotional and just wanted to quickly destroy the tablets enshrined in the temple, so she spoke incoherently. But now, she has calmed down a lot and her speech has become more organized.
Starting from the time when her eldest son was married to the Lu family, she said that she thought Hua Lan just wanted to bring good luck to her eldest son, but who would have thought that Hua Lan's purpose was to marry into the ghost family; she said that the Hua family had the custom of marrying into the ghost family for their offspring throughout the ages, and all of the women in the marriages were living people, and all of them died early because of the ghost family. The women's death memorials were recorded in the family tree and could be checked; she also said that the purpose of Hua Lan and his father and ancestors doing this was to prosper the family, and they also enshrined those tablets in the Wuliang Temple.
Han Zhanghe and other students also heard it clearly and found it shocking. Their faces showed horror and disgust. Some of them could not help but gasp, with deep resentment on their faces.
The truth is already very clear. The reason why Hua Lan and Tang's son became sick was because of Hua Lan, and it had nothing to do with Miss Gu Er.
The Hua family is not only vicious and cold-blooded, but also lawless! Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. When they recalled that they had said that it was Miss Gu who used evil magic to kill people when they went to file a complaint, they couldn't help but feel ashamed.
At that time, what the eldest prince said was just what we heard.
Yes, hearsay is not necessarily true.
They have studied hard for more than ten years, and all of them think they are well-educated, but they don’t even understand such basic principles and are deceived by the appearance of things!
The purpose of studying is to gain knowledge, but they are really unworthy of being called scholars.
All the students lowered their heads slightly, feeling hot and burning from their faces to their hearts, and felt so uncomfortable that they felt they had no face to stand there any longer.
(End of this chapter)
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