Chapter 51 Chapter 51 “Every day with you…
Xu Qing'an asked that question suddenly, but when Shangguan Xu looked up at him, there was not much hope in his eyes, as if he could accept any random answer.
Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes and thought about his previous question, then suddenly smiled and said, "Of course..."
Will kill you without hesitation.
"I will appoint you as my prime minister." She raised her eyes.
Xu Qing'an's eyelashes flickered as he spoke calmly, "I am truly blessed to have heard your words, Your Majesty. Your Majesty..." He suppressed the anger within him and smiled, "Every day I'm with you..."
I want to strangle you to death!
"I admire you." A gentle smile spread across his face.
Shangguan Xu smiled. "I have always known your feelings, Lord Xu, and I will... respond generously."
After he finished speaking, Shangguan Xu turned around and loosened his hand at the same time. His sleeve brushed across his palm, causing a sharp pain.
Shangguan Xu walked straight forward and opened the door, while Xu Qing'an lowered his gaze and turned over his palm. The sunlight shone in, and the red mark on the palm became more obvious.
——
Shangguan Xu walked quickly to the gate of the mansion and stopped beside the carriage.
Xun Yang stood beside her with his hands hanging down. Seeing her coming, he immediately bowed and said, "Your Highness."
"What happened? Why did you faint?" Shangguan Xu spoke quickly but his voice was still soft.
Xun Yang replied, "I just gave Madam A Zheng acupuncture. Her body needs some time to adjust, and she's just recovered from a serious injury, so she's temporarily exhausted and has fallen asleep. But don't worry, Your Highness. She's fine and just needs to rest. That's why I asked Headmaster Qinghe to tell Your Highness that I'll be returning to the palace as soon as possible."
Shangguan Xu glanced into the carriage and asked, "Are there any other things I should pay attention to?"
Xun Yang pondered, "Perhaps after this acupuncture treatment, Madam A Zheng will experience a headache due to memories of the past. Your Highness could then offer some relief through massage. By the way, Your Highness, please wait a moment. I have already prepared the herbs Madam A Zheng needs for this period. I will go get them right away."
Shangguan Xu nodded: "Thank you."
——
Only after the empress dowager's carriage left did Xun Yang breathe a sigh of relief. He turned to look at Xu Qing'an beside him and saw that his eyes were still fixed on the direction the convoy was leaving.
When Xun Yang was about to speak when he saw this, Xu Qing'an turned his head back.
"Go inside and talk."
After Youyou said this, Xu Qing'an turned around and walked into the mansion.
Arriving at the front hall, Xu Qing'an found a seat and sat down at random.
Xun Yang followed closely behind: "Did she ask someone to check your pulse just now?"
Xu Qingan: "Yeah."
Just now, when Xun Yang was taken to the carriage to examine A Zheng, he found out that she was accompanied by an imperial physician, and the imperial physician got off the carriage after Xun Yang got on. At that time, Xun Yang saw the imperial physician enter the mansion through the gap in the window, and he knew that all this might have been arranged by Shangguan Xu a long time ago.
They detained him early in the morning, and then sent him out to let the imperial physician in. Isn't it obvious that they wanted to find an excuse to examine Xu Qing'an while he was away?
Xun Yang asked with lingering fear: "What did the doctor say?"
"He didn't say anything. He just took my pulse and left." Xu Qing'an kept his eyes downcast, his gaze unfocused, as if in a trance.
Xun Yang nodded: "That's right, if I really see something, I will only say it in private, and will never say it to your face."
Xu Qing'an opened his right palm and looked over: "Don't worry, I hope nothing will be noticed this time."
"I took three poison-slowing pills when I came here," he added.
"Three!" Xun Yang was shocked. He pulled his hand over and placed it on the table, then took his pulse.
The residual poison in Xu Qing'an's body was tenacious. In order to suppress it, he usually took the poison-slowing pill, which was stronger than ordinary medicine. Therefore, he only took one pill every three days. Now that he took three pills at once, Xun Yang couldn't help but feel that this would have a great impact on his body.
Xu Qing'an said calmly, "Don't worry. This method was given to me by Doctor Xu. He said it's fine to use it once. I just need to take good care of myself over the next few days to let the effects of the medicine wear off."
Xun Yang: "My master actually said this to you?"
Xu Qing'an said truthfully, "Before he left, I asked him one more question to prevent a situation like today."
Seeing that his pulse and expression were normal, Xun Yang felt relieved and said, "No wonder I saw a scar on your palm. Did you get it when you turned over the medicine in a hurry?"
Xu Qing'an shook her hand back. "Yes. When I heard she was coming, I felt something was wrong. I wanted to go look for you, but then I heard you were held captive in the front hall. Fortunately, in a moment of desperation, I suddenly remembered the method your master taught me to temporarily conceal the pulse, so I was able to get away with it."
At that time, Xu Qing'an's eyes were covered with a veil and he could not see anything, so he accidentally scratched his hand.
Xun Yang sighed softly, "Although the process was a bit urgent, fortunately we were able to conceal it. Although she is suspicious this time, she has personally verified that you are in good health, which I think will dispel her suspicions for a while."
Xu Qing'an pondered, "I hope so. This way, it won't be in vain for all the effort I put into putting on this show in front of her today."
He put on a play that could explain why he left without saying goodbye.
Xun Yang said no more, "I can't help you with what happens next. I'd better write a letter to my master and ask him if those three pills will really make you okay." He patted his head and walked out, "I still have to think about how to take care of you."
Xu Qing'an lowered his eyes and closed them, his mind becoming confused again.
——
After returning to the palace, Shangguan Xu asked the imperial physician who had accompanied him questions.
"How is his health? Does he seem to have any chronic illness?"
The imperial physician replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, Mr. Xu's pulse is thin, stringy, and rapid. However, he just fought and was poisoned by... aphrodisiac powder, so his qi and blood are inevitably depleted. Therefore, this pulse is normal under the current circumstances. As for the chronic illness Your Majesty mentioned... apart from his pulse, his expression and demeanor don't seem to indicate any underlying illness."
Shangguan Xu said in disbelief: "Not at all?"
The imperial physician nodded and said solemnly, "Even his internal organs are better than those of ordinary people."
Shangguan Xu felt something was wrong when she heard this. She said, "He once said that he suffered from a congenital deficiency as a child and had been treated with medicine ever since. He even used tonics like ginseng pills to stay alive. And yet you say his internal organs are better than those of ordinary people? Although he said he recently found a cure, his body has surpassed that of an ordinary person in just this short period of time. Do you really have such a method in medicine to reverse this by supplementing it with acquired medicine?"
"This..." The imperial physician hesitated, not saying anything definitive. "There are always people better than you. There are many skilled doctors in the world. Perhaps there is someone who can achieve this level. Or perhaps my medical skills are not good enough, and I was unable to identify the source of Lord Xu's hidden illness."
Shangguan Xu understood what he meant.
She said, "I understand. Imperial Physician, just as I said before, give him some tonics based on his pulse. Remember to make sure he looks as good as possible."
The imperial physician agreed.
After the imperial physician left, Shangguan Xu was still thinking about what he had said.
Even if the imperial physician in the palace cannot be called a master, his medical skills can still be described as first-class in the world. Moreover, the one she called this time was the most experienced imperial physician in the Imperial Hospital. Even he could not find any trace of Xu Qing'an's previous hidden illness, which means that there is a high possibility that there is something wrong with Xu Qing'an's illness.
However, this was the opposite of what Shangguan Xu had expected. She had thought he had lied to her about whether his deficiency had been cured, but now she realized that he might not have had any deficiency at all.
But he did vomit blood twice in front of her, and each time he looked painful, which didn't seem like he was pretending at all.
And if Shangguan Xu could still find something strange to convince herself the first time he vomited blood, then she would not be able to find any reason the second time.
First of all, their meeting was full of uncertainty. She had just decided to return to Shangguan Mansion today, so it was difficult for him to know her movements in time. The people who were chasing him were indeed ship merchants, and it was impossible for them to play such a drama with him.
Besides, he had absolutely no reason to deliberately vomit blood and faint in front of her. He had already said that his illness had been cured, and such behavior had no meaning other than making her doubt the truthfulness of his previous words.
And if he hadn't left without saying goodbye after waking up, she wouldn't have suspected his illness in the end.
He said that he left immediately because he didn't want to show his miserable state to others. Even if that was the reason as he said, how do we explain the result that the imperial physician diagnosed that he might not have any hidden illness?
You know, if a healthy person vomits blood, he must be under great stimulation. Although he fought with others today, he did not suffer serious internal or external injuries. Even with the effect of the aphrodisiac, it would not cause a healthy person, or even a person with better internal organs than ordinary people, to vomit blood and faint.
The more Shangguan Xu thought about it, the more confused he became.
——
In Shangguan Mansion, Shangguan Li took a bath, changed his clothes and sat on the bed. Su Ning came from the outer room and handed him a bowl of calming soup.
"I think you haven't had enough rest these days. Drink this soup to calm your mind."
Shangguan Li looked at her and smiled slightly. After taking the porcelain bowl, he said, "Thank you, An Ning."
Su Ning looked at him helplessly, then sat down beside him and scolded him, "Why do you have to say these things to me?"
Shangguan Li smiled and apologized, "I made a mistake."
However, after not seeing each other for a few days, Su Ning clearly noticed that he had lost weight. Even though he was smiling and trying his best to tell her that he was fine, he could not hide the fatigue on his face.
She suddenly sighed, "I was really worried to death this time. I thought you really..."
"What happened between you and Dad that day? Why did he completely ignore your affairs this time?"
There was even a suspicion of taking advantage of someone's misfortune. Su Ning didn't finish her words, but only thought secretly in her heart.
She had witnessed her father's cruelty with her own eyes during the incident with Su Silang, but she never imagined that one day his cruelty would be directed at her husband, and without any warning.
No, if you think about it carefully, there were some signs.
I remember that on the eve of Shangguan Li's accident, they went back to the Su Mansion together. On that day, Shangguan Li and Su Wang were talking alone in the room, but when the two came out, Su Wang looked at Shangguan Li with a clearly gloomy look in his eyes, and Shangguan Li's expression was also much darker than usual.
Su Ning wanted to ask what happened, but Shangguan Li took her hand, smiled at her and said it was okay.
Thinking back on the past, it was still vivid in his mind, and Su Ning was even more frightened.
Shangguan Li noticed that she was uneasy. He put down the porcelain bowl, put his arm around her shoulders, and said softly, "It's all over. Don't worry."
——
The day after Shangguan Xu returned to the palace, the news of Xu Qing'an's assassination also spread in the court.
In fact, on the day the incident happened, Xu Qing'an went to Jingzhao Prefecture and filed the case.
A court official was assassinated under the feet of the emperor. This was of course a major event concerning the reputation of the court. Jingzhao Prefecture sent people to search for the murderer that night. However, according to Xu Qing'an, those people were all masked men in black, which made it difficult to find useful clues for a while.
However, the case still needed to be investigated, and since the matter was of great importance, Xu Qing'an and the Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture were summoned to the inner court after the court meeting to explain the details in detail.
Su Wang had a headache today and did not appear at the court meeting, but the next generation leaders of the Su family, Su Shang and Su Ran were still present.
Inside the hall, Xu Qing'an stood solemnly in his official robes, a fu hat on his head, and a dignified posture. He spoke the details of the assassination in a very serious tone, attracting the attention of all the ministers. However, there was a red mark on his fair and handsome cheek, which made those who saw it frown. As he narrated, they pictured the scene of the fight when he was assassinated.
His scar was not too slanted or straight, and even from the angle Shangguan Xu was sitting at, he could clearly see the red color dancing as he spoke.
Su Shang raised his eyes and glanced casually at the seat above him, then moved his eyes back to look at the person who was speaking in the hall.
However, his eyes suddenly fixed.
It was because he saw that the man was wearing a sachet around his waist, which he had never seen on that person before.
"I didn't see anyone's face, and they used a crossbow, and they were wearing black clothes. I think this was planned long ago." After Xu Qing'an finished speaking, Shangguan Xu said, "Did Xu Qing offend anyone recently?"
Xu Qing'an bowed and said, "In reply to your Highness, I have been busy with government affairs recently and have not had any contact with anyone outside the court. Therefore, I have no idea who I have offended."
"However..." He added seriously, "If we really catch the assassin who escaped, perhaps we can answer the question of who I offended."
He said this lightly, but his implication was directed at the people in the court - he had been busy with official business recently and had only interacted with his colleagues. Wasn't this an indication that the person who wanted to kill him was an official in the court?
Shangguan Xu said, "Mr. Xu is right. I'm afraid the many mysteries can only be solved after the real culprit is apprehended. If so, Jingzhao Prefecture will have to put in a lot of effort. Assassinating an imperial official within the imperial city is a serious matter, and an explanation must be given as soon as possible."
The Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture bowed in response.
Su Ran snorted softly when he heard that.
Su Shang was brought back to his senses by his voice and turned his head to look at him. Su Ran turned his head and looked at him, but his expression was the same as usual and he didn't say much.
——
After the inner court was over, Su Shang and Su Ran walked out of the hall together. Su Shang asked, "Fifth brother seemed to have a different opinion on what was discussed in the hall just now?"
Su Ran looked at him, then raised her eyes and looked into the distance: "Did you know that after the empress dowager's carriage left Shangguan Mansion yesterday, she did not return directly to the palace, but went to Anyifang instead?"
"Anyifang?"
"It is the residence of the assassinated Lord Xu."
Su Shang's expression changed instantly: "She went to his house?"
Su Ran sighed softly, "I just got the news too. It's said that he went to express his gratitude to the emperor's uncle for saving his life. But they had already met yesterday, and the assassination happened before they met. So what details couldn't they discuss yesterday, and why did they have to wait until today to tell the emperor? So what they said today was deliberately said for the people in the palace to hear."
But why? What's the point?
Su Shang and Su Ran pondered at the same time.
There was a sound of conversation behind them, and they both turned around to look.
It was Xu Qing'an who was talking to the Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture.
Jingzhao Prefecture Shaoyin: "Okay, then I will record this first. If Lord Xu wants to add anything, or if he finds any useful clues, we can discuss it later."
Xu Qing'an smiled and said, "Thank you, Master Shao Yin."
After leaving the palace, the two bowed and said goodbye.
Su Ran watched Xu Qing'an chatting and laughing, and suddenly remembered what happened in the mansion yesterday. He felt even more that this man was ungrateful. After the Junior Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture left, he said, "Master Xu."
Xu Qing'an stopped and looked at him, his eyebrows raised and he smiled, as if he had just noticed the two people standing aside: "Su Zhongcheng, Su Shilang."
Su Ran said coldly, "I see that Lord Xu has injuries on his face. I think he had a thrilling fight with those assassins yesterday."
Xu Qing'an smiled and said, "It's not that bad. I just got a scratch on my face. It was a close call."
Su Ran: "However, if Lord Xu had listened to my uncle's words and had dinner at home yesterday, there might not have been any danger or worry."
Staying for dinner meant agreeing to Su Wang's solicitation. With Su Wang's protection, those ship merchants naturally wouldn't dare to attack him again. How could Xu Qing'an not understand the meaning of Su Ran's words?
Xu Qing'an smiled politely, "How could I have thought of this at the time? Su Zhongcheng didn't even remind me."
Su Ran frowned and retorted, "Master Xu, that's strange. Could it be that I could have anticipated what would happen after this? I was just giving you a good reminder."
Xu Qing'an nodded and said, "Thank you, Su Zhongcheng, for reminding me. I will pay attention to it."
"Lord Xu is a double-prize winner. Since the founding of the Great Jin, there have only been two people who were selected as double-prize winners in the same year in the Spring Examination."
When Xu Qing'an turned around to leave, Su Ran suddenly said, he stopped and looked back.
Su Ran continued, "One is Lord Xu, and the other is an official surnamed Lu who served during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Coincidentally, you both served as Censors after being selected. However, Lord Xu, that other official was dismissed and executed. Now, your paths to officialdom are so similar. As your former superior, I would like to offer a word of advice: Don't be like him and choose the wrong path, only to regret it too late."
Xu Qing'an smiled nonchalantly and said, "Speaking of that person, I have heard of some of his deeds. He served as the Chief Censor, but he colluded with the Jiangnan noble families, abused his power for personal gain, and secretly communicated with the bandit leader. He repeatedly attempted to harm his colleagues. Fortunately, his evil deeds were finally exposed and he was sentenced to death. So, Chief Censor Su, don't worry about me. I will definitely not follow his path. But Chief Censor Su, I think you should keep a closer eye on him. You see, not only do you hold the same official position, but you both have close ties with Jiangnan..."
Xu Qing'an didn't finish his words, but his meaning was fully expressed.
The corners of Su Ran's mouth twitched.
Su Shang pressed Su Ran's arm and smiled at Xu Qing'an, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Xu. However, you are really worrying too much. Lord Xu is in danger this time, and the murderer is still missing. Such a desperate person may resort to a second plan if his first plan fails. Lord Xu should pay more attention to these matters."
Xu Qing'an smiled and responded, "Okay, and thank you Minister Su for your kindness."
——
After the inner court session ended, a palace maid came to report to Shangguan Xu about the situation on A Zheng's side. Shangguan Xu felt nervous when he heard it and immediately hurried over.
When I arrived at A Zheng's bedroom, I saw her half lying on the couch, clutching the quilt, leaning against the soft pillow, sweating profusely, and her expression was in a trance, as if she had just experienced a very terrifying nightmare.
Shangguan Xu sat down beside her couch and wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. "What's wrong, A Zheng? They said you were anxious to see me."
Ah Zheng then slowly raised her eyes and said weakly, "I...remembered something..."
Shangguan Xu stared intently and listened quietly.
A Zheng: "My real name is Yao Zheng. I have a younger brother, but I don't remember much about him. I guess I haven't remembered him yet, but I remember the scene when my family was in trouble."
Her pale lips opened and closed weakly, yet she spoke the most heartbreaking words: "My family didn't suffer because of the flood in Luozhou, but because someone came to exterminate us."
Shangguan Xu was shocked for a moment.
She was stunned for a moment before she said, "Then do you remember who did it?"
Ah Zheng shook her head with a blank look in her eyes. "They were all masked men, I couldn't recognize any of them, but my father said something at the time."
She slowly shifted her gaze and met Shangguan Xu's: "He said... Can't Lord Su just let our family go?"
Although the voice was small, it was like thunder roaring in my ears after the words were spoken.
Shangguan Xu's eyes flickered and he clenched his fists.
It’s...Su Wang again!
——
At the palace gate, just as Xu Qing'an was about to go to the office, a eunuch rushed in from the palace.
"Master Xu, please stay!"
Xu Qing'an turned around and said, "My Lord, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"It's the Empress Dowager..." the eunuch said anxiously, "The Empress Dowager's servant, Madam A Zheng, has some health problems, so she sent this servant to ask for Lord Xu's help."
"Master Xu, could you please send your family's miracle doctor to the palace?"
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