Chapter 121 Chapter 121 I bet Duan Wenpei will not lose
Nan Xu did not step out of the room that day. She waited until it was getting dark before calling someone in to clean up. When Yin Ruizhu came, she saw Nan Xu leaning on the couch with a bright face but a listless expression.
Yin Ruizhu's face was filled with disbelief. "What are you doing..." She took the teacup handed to her by the maid and placed it on the table, her eyes fixed on the red mark on her neck. "Do you have a new lover?"
Nan Xu bashed her with her fist, "You're talking nonsense!"
Yin Ruizhu jumped up to avoid her punch, laughing heartily. "It seems my worries were unnecessary. This isn't a new love, it's clearly an old one." She pointed at the green plum blossoms in the vase in the corner. "It's so cold, coming and going without worrying about getting cold. It really is..."
She didn't say what it was, but it was more embarrassing than if she had said it.
Nan Xu blushed and casually threw the pillow at her. "If you don't shut up, I'll have you kicked out."
Knowing that she was shy, Yin Ruizhu teased her a few times and knew when to stop. She smoothed her hair that was messed up by the pillow, lifted her skirt and sat down.
"Okay, I won't tell you. I came here to tell you something serious," she said, putting away her playful expression and winking around.
Nan Xu understood and waved his hand to let everyone else in the room leave.
Only when they were alone in the room did Yin Ruizhu lean in and whisper, "When I came back from the pharmacy, the governor had a few sealed boxes delivered. Curious, I waited until they left and took a peek. Guess what it was?" She tapped the tea with her finger and drew something on the table that looked like a crossbow, yet not quite. In a barely audible voice, she said, "A firearm."
Upon hearing this, Nan Xu's narrowed eyes suddenly widened and stared at her solemnly, "Are you sure?"
Yin Ruizhu said confidently: "I saw it with my own eyes, how could it be false? When I came out, I asked someone to lock the innermost warehouse in the backyard. I also kept the key with me, for fear that someone would break into the computer case." As she spoke, she took out a bunch of keys from her waist and handed it to Nan Xu.
"I'm afraid I might lose it, so I'd better give this key to you for safekeeping."
Yin Ruizhu would not make something up. Since she had personally checked it, it couldn't be false. Stroking the key that was still warm, Nan Xu sat up straight.
He asked, "Did anyone see the box being delivered?"
Yin Ruizhu thought for a moment, "It was almost closing time, and there were only a few employees in the store. The officials were in disguise, so if you didn't look carefully, you would think they were the herbs we were buying."
The boxes used by herbal medicine merchants to transport medicinal materials have fixed specifications. In order to distinguish them from other medicine shops, they put a white paper strip on the ordinary wooden boxes with the three words "Fukuzawakan" written on it in red ink. From a distance, it really looks like a seal.
Sima Xun asked someone to deliver the things to the pharmacy without even saying hello. The boxes were very similar to the ones used to transport medicinal materials, so he must have thought about it carefully.
Time is short and things are urgent. Apart from this, Nan Xu can't think of any other possibility.
Fukuzawakan was able to open successfully only with the help of the government, so Fukuzawakan had to help the government.
But Yin Ruizhu was worried about something else. "Back then, the theft of the Sky-shaking Thunder Bomb in Kyoto caused quite a stir, and it was eventually linked to the Zhao family. Now, firearms have appeared in Shuzhou City. Ah Xu, do you think the governor should take action?"
The fire gun is a government-made weapon. Unlike ordinary swords, spears, swords, and halberds, which have limited lethality, once this kind of weapon is used, blood will definitely be drawn.
Thinking back to the ambition revealed by Prince Yi at the flower viewing banquet that day, Yin Ruizhu unconsciously clenched the teacup in her hand.
Nan Xu felt a soft touch on the back of her hand and patted her comfortingly, "This was bound to happen sooner or later. The fact that Kyoto sent people to Sichuan has long aroused the vigilance of the Zhao family and King Yi. After so many years of planning, they will not give up just because of Zhao Huaijue's chess mistakes. I guess the reason why Zhao Mingcheng stopped King Yi at the flower viewing banquet was because the time was not right. Now, although it seems that everything is peaceful on the surface, both sides are actually taking action in secret. It depends on who is more swift."
"Who do you think will win then?"
Looking at the expectation in Yin Ruizhu's eyes, Nan Xu remembered that King Yi had also asked her at the flower viewing banquet if she thought he would definitely lose.
She didn't know how to answer this question, but she knew that Duan Wenpei hated the Zhao family. Since the Zhao family wanted to support King Yi in a rebellion, he naturally would not sit idly by.
Not to mention that he had helped the current emperor ascend the throne. King Yi would only be his enemy, not his other choice.
"I don't know who will win, but I bet Duan Wenpei won't lose."
Only in this way can the Yong'an Marquisate fight for a glimmer of hope in the cracks, and only in this way can the government and the country avoid turmoil.
When my father returned the certificate of immunity from death, he had considered marrying her to Duan Wenpei in the hope of regaining his protection. Now it seems that his wish has come true...
*
In the days that followed, everything in Fukuzawa-kan remained the same, except that people were not allowed to walk around the warehouse in the backyard.
It just so happened that the weather was gradually getting warmer, the reconstruction of the disaster victims was put on the agenda, the population was moving around a lot, and the business of Fukuzawakan was getting better and better.
The waiters and the doctor were busy seeing patients and prescribing medicine, so they didn't pay much attention to the sudden rule.
As time went by, those boxes of muskets were gradually forgotten and were left there quietly.
Duan Wenpei still came over every night. Nan Xu made a fuss a few times, but she couldn't resist his insistence. Since she also liked night activities, she just let him go.
When he mentioned his plan afterwards, he held the back of Nan Xu's hand and whispered to her contentedly. Those conspiracies and plots became the best soothing soup.
*
After the New Year, King Yi left the farm outside the city and returned to the palace.
On the second night after returning to the palace, he quietly drove out of Shuzhou City through the back door and headed straight for a barren mountain.
There were already people waiting at the foot of the mountain. When the torches were lit, they all showed familiar faces.
In front of King Yi, Zhao Mingcheng bowed to Jingyi and apologized, saying that it was natural for him to hate her because of Zhao Huaijue, and he hoped that she could understand.
Jingyi, with her bulging belly, looked at him arrogantly for a long time. It was not until Li Zhan coughed against his lips several times to remind her that she reluctantly said a few meaningless words.
A reconciliation was apparently reached, and several people were back on the same boat.
The purpose of their gathering here tonight was the 'three' that Jingyi had compared last time.
King Yi urged Jingyi to lead the way, but Jingyi acted as if she didn't hear him. She raised her head, stroked her belly, and looked ahead without moving. King Yi followed her gaze for a moment, and asked someone to give Jingyi the sedan chair prepared for him to go into the mountains.
Jingyi sat on it without any hesitation, holding her cloak and walking in front with an arrogant attitude.
The people around King Yi looked at her arrogant back with anger, wishing they could dig a few holes in her body.
King Yi glanced at him and signaled him to stay calm. When he turned around, he saw Li Zhan with an expressionless face, so he walked forward and walked side by side with him.
"I heard that the person in the palace wanted the Prince Consort to take this opportunity to avoid my power. Last time I asked the Prince Consort, he didn't answer. I wonder if he has figured it out in the past few days?"
Because of his relationship with Nan Xu, he was no stranger to Li Zhan Yi Wang.
But times have changed, and he still wants to hear what Li Zhan thinks in person.
The mountain road was difficult to walk on, and they could only grope their way forward under the light of the torches. Li Zhan stared intently at the road under his feet and casually replied, "A general is not subject to military orders when he is away from home."
Prince Yi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Your Highness is quite interesting. It's a pity that our almighty Emperor is only willing to marry his spoiled and vicious sister to you, and won't give you any real power." He patted his shoulder and promised, "As long as your Highness is willing to lend a helping hand, when he ascends the throne, he will definitely reward you with the rank of general."
The palm of his hand slapped on the shoulder with considerable force, and he didn't look like a seriously ill person at all. Li Zhan glanced sideways and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Zhao Mingcheng walked silently behind the two of them, and when he heard the words "Rongdeng Dabao", a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes.
Before they knew it, they had reached the middle of the mountain. The steep mountain suddenly opened up. In the valley ahead, there was a man waiting with a torch. When he saw everyone approaching, he hurried over to greet them.
As they got closer, King Yi and Li Zhan frowned at the same time.
The man who came was a eunuch with a fair face and no beard.
The eunuch bowed to Jingyi and led everyone into the depths of the valley. There was a hidden world deep in the dense forest.
There are many simple wooden houses here. People of all ages coming out in groups of three or four holding torches are all eunuchs, just like the man in front.
At a glance, King Yi even suddenly saw a few faces that he was somewhat familiar with.
Jingyi was helped down from the sedan chair and proudly introduced herself as she walked, "This is all thanks to the late emperor who ruthlessly threw me into the cold palace. There was nothing in the cold palace except for these servants who were sent to the palace to await punishment and who were lucky enough to have their lives saved."
A beautiful eunuch bent forward to serve, and Jingyi leaned most of her weight on him as usual. "At first they bullied and humiliated me, but later I scolded them like crazy and tamed them. Finally, in my desperate struggle to survive, these people completely prostrated themselves at my feet. While I was here, I had them secretly brought out of the cold palace to transport and guard my belongings. This is also my first gift to Brother Yi, Prince."
As she finished her words, the eunuchs on both sides knelt down towards King Yi.
King Yi pinched his nose in disdain and asked in confusion, "What kind of a gift is this?"
Seeing his contempt, Jingyi did not get angry, but just clapped her hands. Then she saw the eunuch who was supporting her stand up and bow to her respectfully. Then he shouted loudly and ran towards the tree trunk next to him without looking back.
With a bang, his head exploded.
Everyone was stunned, and Jingyi's eyes became more and more proud. "Things are dead, but people are alive. If we want to make the most of those dead things, we still have to rely on people. What do you think, Brother Yi Wang?"
As they were talking, everyone had already stood in front of a tall wooden house. The guard opened the door, and the smell of sulfur and saltpeter mixed with the smell of earth hit their noses.
There were dozens of wooden barrels stacked up in the room, each with a crooked number three carved on it.
Someone exclaimed "Thunder!"
Li Zhan controlled the fear in his heart and finally understood why Jingyi's number three caused King Yi's attitude to change suddenly.
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