Chapter 184: Got it wrong
The old monk rolled his eyes and said, "You stay up late at night and wander around the temple every night. It's hard for me not to see you."
Wei Qingyan smiled, "Jingzhe, go get some red yeast rice for the old man."
She didn't know how skilled the black-clad man who took Prince Feng Zhao away was in martial arts, but he appeared beside her without her noticing. The old monk was definitely a top master.
Jingzhe subconsciously wanted to look at Shi Yu, but soon thought that the prince was so eager to empty the palace to prepare the betrothal gifts, so what was a big deal for the future princess to just give some tribute wine from the cellar as a gift?
The prince would certainly agree. If he asked, it would make the future princess' words seem insignificant. Thinking of this, Jingzhe turned around and ran towards Prince Rong's mansion.
The old monk smacked his lips when he heard this. "Girl, you're right, but I'm afraid I can't drink this wine. Why don't you tell me first, girl, what do you want me to do?"
"I would like to ask you, Senior, what kind of martial arts does the man in black use, and what kind of martial arts does the scholar use?"
Top-level martial arts can never be acquired behind closed doors. Advanced martial arts often require actual practice. In this process, masters are bound to see the methods of various schools.
The old monk smiled faintly upon hearing this. "Girl, do you know that these people are not from the Wei Dynasty?"
"I know." Wei Qingyan also restrained his expression and pointed at Xiao Zhian beside him, "He is the Second Prince of Feng Zhao. He came to Wei to look for the Crown Prince of Feng Zhao who disappeared many years ago.
I, under the order of His Majesty, will cooperate with the Second Prince Feng Zhao in finding someone. Once this is accomplished, Feng Zhao is willing to conclude a business deal with the Great Wei."
Wei Qingyan was willing to tell the truth because she saw that the old monk had a patriotic heart.
Moreover, the old monk had the clues they were looking for.
"So, you were out every night those days looking for Prince Feng Zhao?" the old monk asked again.
Wei Qingyan always believed that Shi Yu was Prince Feng Zhao, so she nodded.
The old monk took a sip of wine and said, "Then have you ever considered that the disappearance of Prince Feng Zhao might be related to the Wei Dynasty?
What if you help them find someone, and instead of being grateful, they seek to settle accounts with Wei, leading to a war between the two countries?
Xiao Zhian hurriedly said, "I have promised that no matter what happened back then, I will never implicate the Wei court or the people."
At this point, he also understood that the old monk had seen through their identities from the beginning and did not tell them the truth.
"You are a young prince who is not in power. You can't make the decision."
The old monk took another sip of wine and looked at Wei Qingyan, "I like peace and don't want to see wars and chaos everywhere when I am old.
When this woman gets ruthless, no man can handle her."
Wei Qingyan received the old monk's faint gaze and turned to the followers behind Xiao Zhian.
I had previously received a verbal promise from Xiao Zhian, and agreed to sign a written agreement after the Fengzhao envoy arrived in Beijing, but I didn't expect to get a new clue so soon.
The old monk's request was exactly what she wanted.
Shi Yu also looked at his followers.
Shi Yu asked, "Would General Lin be willing to join the Second Prince in making a promise to the Great Wei?"
If Prince Feng Zhao cannot be found, Xiao Zhian will be the only heir to Feng Zhao and must not be allowed to fail.
In today's Fengzhao Kingdom, the person who has the ability to protect Xiao Zhian and has the trust of Queen Fengzhao is Queen Fengzhao's younger brother.
Lin Lanting.
Ever since Wei Qingyan told him last time that Xiao Zhian had given the prince's jade pendant to his attendant for safekeeping, she had doubted the attendant's identity.
He then sent a pigeon to ask the pharmacy in Fengzhao to check Lin Lanting's whereabouts.
A few days ago, he received a letter from the medicine store, saying that Lin Lanting had not appeared in Fengzhao Kyoto for nearly a year.
Combined with Wei Qingyan’s previous words, it is not difficult to guess that this follower is Lin Lanting.
Xiao Zhian was not angry even though he was despised by the old monk.
The old monk was right. Although he was the only prince of Feng Zhao, he had never really participated in politics.
It's not that his mother doesn't allow him to participate, but he has no interest in being emperor or governing the country. This is one of the reasons why he is anxious to find his brother, the crown prince.
With the Crown Prince as his brother, he no longer has to read those endless memorials and deal with the endless state affairs.
To be honest, his words were indeed not as important as his uncle's, so he also looked at Lin Lanting.
Before Lin Lanting could argue, Xiao Zhian betrayed him first, "I told you that you should be nicer and more respectful to me, and now you've exposed yourself."
Lin Lanting glanced at his prince nephew who had been against him since childhood.
If he hadn't been disobedient last time and ran away secretly, and was captured by Princess Yu's men, and those people had pawned his prince's jade pendant, would he have been worried that he would lose the jade pendant again and kept it personally?
If he wasn't so indifferent and used to making decisions for others, would Miss Chang and the others have noticed something?
He cursed Xiao Zhian in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He bowed to Shi Yu and said, "I am here to protect you. I didn't mean to hide my identity."
He bowed to the old monk again and said, "I, along with the Second Prince, would like to promise to the Great Wei that no matter who takes the Crown Prince away, the Great Wei court and the people will not be implicated. This statement is written as a testimony."
The old monk not only knew their identities, but also knew that Xiao Zhian had no say in the matter.
A monk in Dajue Temple could know all this in such a short time. He had no choice but to follow them.
When they found the old monk, the old monk must have seen that they were not from the Wei Dynasty, so instead of telling them the truth, he became suspicious, followed them, and found out about their affairs.
Lin Lanting's back was soaked with sweat, and he let out an inopportune sigh, thinking that the old monk's martial arts must have reached the pinnacle.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for him and the many secret guards to fail to notice the old monk's tracking.
The old monk obviously knew something about the inside story.
Now that things have come to this, it is important to find the prince. Fortunately, before he left, the queen had foresight and granted him some power.
Wei Qingyan quickly brought the pen, ink, paper and inkstone.
Lin Lanting wrote the agreement and stamped it with the seal of the general and the prince.
After the agreement was written, Lin Lanting handed it to Shi Yu.
The old monk glanced casually for a few times and then looked at Wei Qingyan, "Why hasn't that boy with the wine come yet?"
"It's almost there." Shi Yu replied on behalf of Wei Qingyan.
"Are you a couple?" The old monk had some free time and couldn't help gossiping.
Xiao Zhian, anxious to know his brother's news, continued, "They are an engaged couple. Master, can you tell me now who the man in black and the scholar are?"
"Don't worry, the monk will tell you after he drinks the red yeast rice."
Thinking of red yeast rice, the old monk frowned in disgust at the wine jug in his hand, but finally took another sip with a look of compromise on his face.
With a gulp, he swallowed the wine and looked at Xiao Zhian, "There is only one throne in your family, aren't you afraid that your brother will come back and fight with you for the throne?
Or do you want to find him first so you can take action against him?"
"Pooh, pooh, pooh, I respect you as a master, please don't talk nonsense, what's so good about the throne? If it weren't for the busy state affairs, my father might have lived a few more years.
No matter how well my mother took care of herself, her temples still had white frost at a young age. My great-grandfather also died of exhaustion at a young age.
My father said that to be a wise ruler, one must work hard. Those who don’t work hard are incompetent rulers. I don’t want to work hard, but I don’t want to be a incompetent ruler either.
The most important thing is that I don't have that ability, so let the prince do it."
The old monk laughed heartily upon hearing this. "You are right. A tyrant ruler cannot be like this. If he is, he will not be able to sleep soundly at night."
Xiao Zhian wanted to say something casually, "You haven't been a tyrant emperor, so how do you know that tyrant emperors can't sleep well?"
Just at this time, ten jars of wine arrived, hung around the Waking of Insects.
Xiao Zhian was anxious to get news from his brother and didn't bother to speak. He waited for the old monk to slowly open the wine jar, waited for him to sniff it, and then lick the rim of the jar.
Finally, he tilted his head back, and red liquid flowed from the jar into the old monk's mouth. After a few gurgling sounds, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the old monk burped, "The Imperial Palace Secret Guard."
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