Chapter 59 Chapter 59 A touch of red on the collar.
When Su Shang walked into the hall, Shangguan Xu was sitting at the desk, and Xu Qing'an was standing tall in the middle of the hall.
After Su Shang looked up at Shangguan Xu, he couldn't help but turn his gaze to look at Xu Qing'an beside him.
Xu Qing'an also tilted his head and nodded at him with an ambiguous smile.
Su Shang took in his expression clearly, and saw that he had a slight curl of his lips. Today his lips were obviously much redder than usual, and that red did not look like the red that came from blood, but rather like the red left after lipstick was carelessly wiped off.
Even his collar had a hint of red.
Su Shang frowned.
The smile on the man in the hall seemed to have been seen by Su Shang. Before he entered the hall, the man casually wiped off the lipstick remaining on his lips.
Su Shang stared deeply for a moment.
"Your Highness," he said, bowing to Shangguan Xu, "I have come here to discuss something private with Your Highness."
Shangguan Xu pondered for a moment, looked at Xu Qing'an, and then looked at Su Shang beside him.
Su Shang lowered his head, his expression unseen. However, Shangguan Xu knew that Su Shang was no joker. She said to Xu Qing'an, "Go ahead and do what we just agreed on."
Xu Qing'an nodded, bowed and took his leave.
After the others left, Shangguan Xu spoke first, "What did Xu Bai want to say to me?"
Su Shang raised his eyes and said, "I want to ask Your Highness a question."
"Who?"
"A Zheng."
The air in the hall was silent for a moment.
Seeing Shangguan Xu remained silent, Su Shang continued, "It was A Zheng who attempted to assassinate my father on Chang Street that day, right?"
Without waiting for Shangguan Xu's response, Su Shang continued, "I haven't seen the body, but judging from His Highness's reaction after the incident, it must have been Ah Zheng."
"Also, there have been some unusual movements in Jingzhao Prefecture in recent days. Is Your Highness trying to find a way to get A Zheng's body back?"
"Your Highness, are you trying to tell me that the matter has nothing to do with A Zheng? Then could Your Highness tell me where A Zheng has been recently?" Seeing that Shangguan Xu looked like she was about to open her mouth to make excuses, Su Shang quickly stopped her.
However, after he finished speaking, Shangguan Xu did not try to quibble as he had expected, but directly admitted: "You are right, it was A Zheng. I sent people to Jingzhao Prefecture to replace her body."
She asked in return, "She's been with me for several years. I should do these things for her after she dies, right?"
Su Shang was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect her to admit it so thoroughly. He thought she would eventually deal with him, but not only did she not, she even asked him back about it.
Su Shang replied, "Of course it should be. Your Highness values feelings, and I have always known that. I just think it is not appropriate for Your Highness to send someone to do this."
"Then who do you think is the right person to do it?"
"Your Highness, have you never thought of me?"
Shangguan Xu frowned suspiciously.
Su Shang: "I know what your Highness is worried about, but I also have a friendship with A Zheng. Regardless of why she did that, even though I won't forgive her, she is already dead. I can always collect her body for her, right?"
After knowing that A Zheng survived, Shangguan Xu still did not stop her actions in Jingzhao Prefecture, because she knew that if she wanted A Zheng to live safely, she had to make others, especially Su Wang, feel that she, who was close to A Zheng, already believed that A Zheng was dead.
But what she didn't expect was that Su Shang also paid attention to this matter.
It is not surprising that Su Shang would help her "collect the body" of A Zheng, but what is strange is that he would pay attention to her actions in Jingzhao Prefecture.
You know, based on past experience, Su Shang never got involved in matters outside of his duties in the court.
Similarly, paying attention to her movements was more like what his father Su Wang would do, while these things were previously the responsibility of Su Ran.
Shangguan Xu realized something - Su Shang had begun to take over the affairs of the Su family, and with his identity, he was definitely not replacing Su Ran's position. He would only have more power in the Su Party than Su Ran. Therefore, if he wanted to do something, he would only do it more thoroughly than Su Ran.
Shangguan Xu didn't know how cruel his heart could be, nor did she know whether he would be cruel at all. Even though he had always been gentle and not involved in those party disputes, she could no longer judge him when she guessed that he was starting to take over Su Wang's power.
Fortunately, he is still only in the Ministry of Rites...
However, Shangguan Xu had to keep him steady no matter what, because after so many years of getting along, not only did she know him, but he also knew a lot about her.
Shangguan Xu said, "Of course you can. However, you've already revealed the reason for this matter. This matter involves your father. Even if you think you can 'collect her body', the final decision cannot be made by me."
Yes, that was the person who assassinated his father. How could she ask him to collect the body of the murderer?
Su Shang was silent for a moment, then said with his Adam's apple rolling, "Your Highness is right."
Shangguan Xu breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Shang was silent for a moment before he spoke slowly, "I am not coming to see Your Highness today with any resentment. I just want to tell Your Highness that if there is anything you want to do but is not convenient to do in person, please tell me and I will do my best to help you."
As he spoke, he raised his eyes, and there was a burning sensation in his deep and quiet eyes.
Shangguan Xu looked at him and said, "Xu Bai and I are friends. I am lucky to have Xu Bai's help."
"Then Your Highness should stay away from those outside the palace."
People outside the palace...
Shangguan Xu pondered for a moment what Su Shang meant, and then he understood who he was referring to.
From the scene when he entered the temple just now, to the words he said today, especially the last sentence, all of these undoubtedly pointed to one person -
Xu Qingan.
Xu Qing'an contributed a lot to Su Ran's incident, and even from the perspective of others, he was also present in many aspects of the development of the incident.
Su Ran and Su Shang have lived together since childhood, and the brothers have a deep friendship. Now that Su Ran is dead, it is inevitable that Su Shang feels resentment.
But now he found her, first he talked about A Zheng, then he quickly turned the conversation to Xu Qing'an, and he actually wanted her to express her attitude as well.
Shangguan Xu asked without giving it much thought, "Why should I stay away from him? He's a court official. If I deliberately distance myself from him, wouldn't that be putting public interests above personal ones?"
"However, not everything he does is for the public good. Using public power for personal gain is a serious offense!"
"Then what did he do that was an act of using public power for personal gain?"
Su Shang was paused by the question.
Shangguan Xu continued, "Xu Bai, please tell me about all the things that happened recently. Is there any suspicion of using public power for personal gain?"
The evidence in Su Ran's case is solid and there is absolutely no doubt about it. Even if Su Shang is angry about it, he cannot argue here.
Su Shang was speechless.
She really started to lean towards him...
Su Shang lowered his eyes and bowed, saying, "I have absolutely no intention of stirring up trouble. I simply hope that Your Highness is well and not deceived by others."
He didn't give her another chance to speak, and continued, "However, fortunately, Your Highness now has his own plans and will not be easily deceived. This puts your mind at ease."
As he spoke, his voice softened. "I have already found a way to replace Ah Zheng's body and have chosen a good place for her burial. If Your Highness has time later and wishes to visit her, please let me know and I will arrange it."
Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes and said, "It's time to go see her. Let me find a suitable day."
Su Shang responded: "Okay."
——
When Su Shang retreated to the hall, Xu Qing'an was talking to the eunuch about the arrangements for the next lesson for the little emperor, and asked the eunuch to prepare things accordingly.
When Su Shang saw Xu Qing'an, his brows subconsciously frowned.
When Xu Qing'an saw Su Shang coming out, he raised his eyes and smiled, greeting him, "Master Su, you finished your speech so quickly and came out."
Seeing the two important figures talking, the eunuch who was waiting beside Xu Qing'an also tactfully took his leave.
Su Shang remained expressionless in response to Xu Qing'an's greeting. "Even if it's an important matter, just be brief and concise. Why waste time making other plans?"
Su Shang's words were full of sarcasm, and Xu Qing'an was no less sarcastic: "Oh? What kind of abacus? Can you use an abacus just to say something? From what Lord Su said, Lord Su knows the profound meaning of this. So why not enlighten me?"
After Xu Qing'an was promoted to the fifth rank, the color of his official robe changed from green to red, which made his whole temperament even more outstanding, and he looked more golden and jade-like, and dignified.
Su Shang snorted coldly, looked up and down at the man in front of him, who was wearing a brand new crimson official robe, and said sarcastically, "I want to teach you? Lord Xu has dyed his red robe with the blood of others, and he still needs my teachings?"
Xu Qing'an feigned surprise and raised his eyebrows. "Huh? My red robe is dyed with blood?"
"So be it." Without waiting for Su Shang to say more, Xu Qing'an buried his head and chuckled softly. When he raised his eyes again, his brows were deliberately furrowed, his expression showing disgust. "However, the thief's blood stained my robe. I deeply hate it and spit on it. If it happens again, I will stay away from him before he dies, so as not to be stained by his dirty blood."
Su Shang's chest heaved, his eyes threatening as he took a step closer, no longer disguising himself, "I told you to stay away from her!"
Xu Qing'an stood there, curling his lips and saying, "I've already said that, do you really know what she wants?"
"No matter what she wants, you are harming her and dragging her to hell!" Su Shang said sternly in a low voice.
"Who do you think you are? Do you know that from her childhood, to her marriage, to..." Su Shang paused, his eyelashes trembling, "to her new widowhood, I have been by her side every step of the way."
"What about you? What do you have? You're in this position now only because you happen to have what she needs right now. Without that, what qualifications do you have to stand by her side?"
"No, you can't stand by her side even with all this. She's just using you. Her heart has never been with you, and it won't be with you."
Xu Qing'an still had a smile on his face, and even his thumbs, which had been clenched tightly due to Su Shang's previous words, slowly loosened at his last words: "So what? It's my great fortune to have the Majesty's attention. Even if it's just for use, so what? At least it's useful to the Majesty. After all, there are people in this world who just want to be used by the Majesty, but the Majesty will not look down on them."
"It doesn't matter whether her heart is with me or not. As long as I can see her and my heart is with her, that's enough."
"Why do such meaningless and vain things?" Xu Qing'an raised his eyebrows at Su Shang, hinting, "Often the more you want something, the less you get. Seeing others so complacent only makes you unhappy."
Su Shang laughed angrily: "Okay, then I want to see how long you can be so proud."
After saying that, Su Shang walked straight forward, bumped into Xu Qing'an's shoulder and strode away.
Xu Qing'an raised his head slightly, looked around, turned around, and returned to the inner hall.
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