Prince Andaman interrupted Pushen with a serious look, his eyes piercing Pushen like a knife, "Tell me in detail, when the Five Cities Army handed you guys over to the Imperial Guards, what was their attitude towards each other?"
Pushen frowned deeply, trying hard to recall the details of the time, and said in a low voice: "I remember that Commander Liu, who was in charge of the transfer of the South City Military Department, was very respectful to the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."
"However, it is normal that everyone in Da Qi is afraid of the Jinyiwei."
Pushin was not sure and looked a little hesitant.
The muscles on Andaman's cheeks were tense. He didn't say anything, but his eyes were fixed on Pushin's face. His thoughts were churning, and a cold murderous look flashed between his brows.
Long before coming to Northern Qi, he had already investigated the political situation of Northern Qi.
The throne of the Northern Qi emperor was actually not stable. Most of the Northern Qi generals were members of the Chen Wang party. For example, the current commander of the Five Cities Army, Su Mubai, was a member of the Chen Wang Gu Jue's party.
The Jinyiwei were naturally loyal to the Emperor of Northern Qi.
Logically speaking, given the irreconcilable relationship between the Northern Qi Emperor and Prince Chen, the Jinyiwei and the Wucheng Bingmasi should also be in opposition to each other.
But this time the process of transferring the prisoners was very smooth, without any tension at all, as if the Nancheng Bingmasi kept Pushen and others in prison just to hand them over to the Jinyiwei personally.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Andaman's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and the muscle of his right eyelid twitched several times.
Pushin, who was kneeling on the ground, became increasingly uneasy when he saw Andaman was silent, and was worried about his future.
He had been hiding these past few days, and had neither had a good rest nor a proper meal. He felt tired and weak. In this highly tense situation, it seemed as if all his strength was drained away, and his body was shaking.
Andaman raised his hand and stroked his right eyelid. Suddenly, an idea emerged in his mind and gradually became clear: all this was just like Prince Chen Gu Jue allowed them to set fire next to Prince Chen's mansion in order to lure them out, capture them, and hand them over to the Emperor of Northern Qi.
Andaman clenched his fists, his eyes darkened, and a piercing chill burst out from them.
He came here with an important mission, and the more important it was at this time, the more cautious and calm he had to be. After all, one of the tasks that Emperor Hao had given him in Northern Qi was to form an alliance with the Emperor of Northern Qi through a marriage between the two countries.
If his guess is true, then the marriage between the two countries...
Andaman immediately suppressed this speculation, without thinking about it any further, and said, "Pushin, go on."
Pushen pulled himself together and continued, "We were taken to the Northern Pacification Office by the Imperial Guards and rescued by Bichawen and the others."
Speaking of the Bichawen and others who sacrificed themselves to save them, Pushen's expression became more complicated and his face darkened.
"It's a pity that soon after we escaped from the capital, we were caught up by the Jinyiwei. Those Jinyiwei were arrogant and unreasonable. They didn't care that we were from Hao country and killed us ruthlessly. Bichawen and Yela all died... I was the only one who escaped by luck."
Pushin lowered his head again as he spoke, not daring to look directly into Andaman's eyes, which were deep and gloomy.
After he escaped death from the Jinyiwei alone, he repeatedly recalled and carefully sorted out the series of events on his way to the Hunting Palace.
Strictly speaking, Yela and his men were probably implicated by the five of them. After Bichawen sacrificed herself to save them, the Royal Guards had been chasing them, which meant that they led the Royal Guards to Yela, which led to Yela being killed by the Royal Guards.
But now that things have come to this, what's the point of saying this again.
Pushen's eyes flickered, but his expression was very steady. He was a little vague about how the others died at the hands of the Jinyiwei, and just mentioned it in a few words.
Andaman was holding his breath in his chest, looking a little agitated. He turned around in a circle in a distracted manner and did not notice Pushin's abnormality.
On the one hand, he was glad that Pushin escaped from the Jinyiwei and brought back the news about the whereabouts of Wuhajia Tower, but on the other hand, he secretly sighed that Bichawen was too impulsive and took the initiative to rescue people without consulting him.
Alas! Andaman sighed in his heart.
If he had not been in the Hunting Palace and unable to contact Bichawen and the others in the capital, Bichawen would not have been so passive. She could have waited until Yala arrived in the capital and made a thorough plan before taking action.
But now that the person is dead, it is useless to worry about these details.
Andaman thought about it again, sorted out the whole thing again and again, and confirmed with Pushin again and again: "Are you... sure that the people who ambushed you are Jinyiwei?"
Pushen suddenly raised his head, his gray face with an unusually firm look in his eyes, and he said with certainty, "It's the Jinyiwei!"
He was sure it was the Jinyiwei!!
Pushen gnashed his teeth in hatred, his facial features twisted, and in an instant, an extremely strong hatred burst out from his eyes, as if he wanted to drink his blood and eat his flesh. His whole expression became extremely sinister.
Seeing that Pushin's expression and tone were very certain, Andaman's face changed, and his heart was agitated again, like a huge rock falling into a lake, which could not calm down for a long time.
The situation in Northern Qi was far more complicated than he and Emperor Hao Uhaduluo had expected.
If he takes a wrong step, it may affect Emperor Hao's important affairs, so he must be cautious and careful at every step.
Andaman stopped walking and asked again, "Have you told them that you are a member of my Dahao envoy group?"
"Yes." Pushin nodded affirmatively.
He was sure that Bicham had told the Royal Guards that they were the Prince of Andaman's men, but even so, the Royal Guards did not let them go and killed all of them, clearly intending to silence them.
Andaman: "..."
Andaman's face became even gloomier, almost dripping with ink.
A biting cold wind suddenly blew into the small alley, making the pig shed at the back creak. A rotten and broken piece of wood fell from the pig shed and landed on the ground with a thud, breaking into pieces.
It was like a heavy hammer hitting Pushin's heart, causing his heart to shrink suddenly.
The atmosphere in the alley was almost stagnant.
Andaman stiffened for a moment, then asked one last question: "How did you... escape?"
"I was in a panic when I was running away and accidentally fell down the hillside. At that time, I pretended to be dead and didn't move. They looked at me from above with a torch and then left..." Now when Pushen talks about what happened at that time, he still feels a little scared and his face looks very ugly.
It was almost, just almost, and he would have died like Bichawen, Yela and others, and would not have been able to return to his homeland.
Pushin swallowed his saliva, his whole body felt cold. After calming himself down, he carefully and secretly went to see Andaman standing by the high wall.
The old mud wall beside the alley was mottled after years of wind and rain. The tall mud wall cast a faint shadow on Andaman's face, making him exude a sinister aura.
Andaman was in a heavy mood and couldn't help but think of the hunting night on November 11, because Suke accidentally heard Princess Chen mention "the capital" and "the emperor" when talking to someone. He was worried and went to test the Emperor of Northern Qi in person.
At that time, the Emperor of Northern Qi kept avoiding the issue and sent the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard back to the capital that night. His actions were really suspicious.
Thinking about this, Andaman's eyes gradually became darker and darker, and the same doubt as before once again emerged in his mind -
The discord between Prince Gu Jue and the Emperor of Northern Qi is probably just on the surface!
The details he discovered recently all prove this point.
Andaman lowered his eyes slightly, and in his turbid pupils, there flashed an extremely complex and tangled light.
Winter was hanging high in the sky, casting a large expanse of golden light. The thick snow on the ground and on the eaves gradually showed signs of melting, and the weather became colder.
The cold wind was like a knife, shaving off the snow on the trees layer by layer.
Chu Qianchen was glad that he came back in time and hid in the house obediently without going out.
She and Gu Jue never left the house, but they were still very well-informed. As soon as Andaman returned to the palace, Jingfeng reported the news to Gu Jue immediately.
"Your Highness, the Prince of Andaman returned to the Hunting Palace at the beginning of the twelfth month and went to Chongming Palace to see the Emperor. He has not come out yet."
As Jingfeng spoke, he quickly glanced at Gu Jue and Chu Qianchen in front of him.
A four-foot-high, twenty-five-string red sandalwood vertical konghou is placed on a wool carpet. The konghou is shaped like half a wooden comb, with a phoenix carved on the head of the instrument, and the base and pillars are painted with double dragons playing with pearls, cloud patterns, etc., which is gorgeous and exquisite.
It just lies there quietly, exuding an elegant and ethereal aura.
Gu Jue and Chu Qianchen bought this konghou from a musical instrument shop in Xiping Town.
In the previous dynasty and even longer ago, the konghou was a court instrument that was highly sought after by nobles and literati. In this dynasty, the konghou gradually declined like the tea, and fewer and fewer people could play it. This konghou changed hands several times before it came into the hands of the owner of this shop.
The boss put it out because he knew that the emperor was coming to hunt at night, hoping to find a good hunter.
It was the first time that Chu Qianchen saw a konghou, so he looked at it a few more times. As a result, Gu Jue bought it and asked the boss to send it to the Xiyuan Palace.
It had been less than an incense stick of time since the konghou was delivered to Zichen Palace. Chu Qianchen was enjoying the experience. He raised his right hand, plucked the string lightly with his slender jade fingers, and said nonchalantly, "Andaman won't confront the emperor, will he?"
As soon as the strings moved, the clear music sounded like a flowing spring, much louder than the sound of a pipa.
Chu Qianchen curled his lips and smiled like a child who got a new toy.
If Chu Qianchen was just playing around casually, then Gu Jue was obviously much more serious than her.
He sat behind the guzheng, stroking the strings with his left hand, tuning the sound leisurely, and every move he made was so graceful.
This guzheng suits his temperament very well. When his fingers stroke the strings, it is like a gentle breeze and drizzle, or as if he is surrounded by green mountains and mist. The picture is beautiful and harmonious.
“No.” Gu Jue stroked the konghou string again and said calmly, “People are suspicious of each other, let alone countries.”
"Uhagaru said that Andaman was always cautious, and that was why Uhadra sent him to the capital."
"But too much is as bad as too little."
The key to this plan lies in the fact that the two countries of Nanhao and Beiqi have been opposed to and wary of each other in the past hundred years.
As the old saying goes, either the east wind prevails over the west wind, or the west wind prevails over the east wind.
Both Nan Hao and Bei Qi were afraid of making a wrong move, so they gave each other the opportunity to break the north-south division and unify the Central Plains.
The two countries may be able to achieve temporary peace, but both sides know that this peace is time-limited and will be broken one day, perhaps now, perhaps in a few decades, or even a hundred years later.
The antagonistic relationship between the two countries meant that neither side would be too frank when dealing with each other. Everyone wanted to protect their own interests. Therefore, the Hao people would not directly question the emperor about their doubts and concerns. They would only test the emperor in a roundabout way and then make subjective judgments.
This is the natural barrier between them.
And this is the opportunity that Gu Jue and Wuhejialou took advantage of.
Gu Jue's slender fingers plucked the konghou strings twice again. The sound of the strings under his fingers was much smoother and clearer than Chu Qianchen's.
Chu Qianchen stared at Gu Jue's beautiful and slender fingers.
When his fingers touched the strings, blue veins appeared on the back of his hand. His nails were trimmed neatly, and there was a small red mole on the third joint of his left ring finger.
Chu Qianchen interrupted absentmindedly: "Besides, the emperor has always been suspicious..."
Because Andaman had some doubts about the emperor, he would test him, but the emperor was not only suspicious but also arrogant.
In addition, the emperor has been taking elixirs in recent years, which has accumulated elixir poison in his body and made his internal fire too strong, so his temper has become more and more violent.
Given the emperor's temperament, he would probably regard Andaman's test as a provocation from the Nanhao people and then make speculations.
Under this premise of mutual vigilance, it is absolutely impossible for both parties to sit down and talk face to face.
Chu Qianchen smiled and added: "They are destined to be suspicious of each other."
Next, not only will Andaman confirm his own judgment, but the emperor will also come to his own conclusion, and the "misunderstanding" between the two sides will only deepen...
Chu Qianchen smiled with narrowed eyes, and turned to look at Gu Jue behind her. The prince is really cunning!
Gu Jue looked at her with a smile in his eyes, "This is our chance."
Chu Qianchen nodded, a gleam of understanding flashing across his eyes.
Chu Qianchen knew best about Gu Jue's current situation in Da Qi.
In Da Qi, Gu Jue is only a prince. Although he has hundreds of thousands of northern troops under his command and the support of most of the generals in the court, the current emperor Gu Lang is the legitimate emperor, and this Da Qi territory belongs to Gu Lang.
In comparison, Gu Jue is naturally at a disadvantage.
Wuhejialou's position in Hao Kingdom is even more embarrassing than Gu Jue's. The false emperor Wuheduluo has ascended the throne, and Wuhejialou, the eldest prince left by the previous emperor, has become unjustified.
Although Wuhejialou has the connections of the previous emperor, Wuhaduluo has already obtained the support of most of the vassal kings of Nanhao, and his current strength is obviously stronger than Wuhejialou.
Under such circumstances, Gu Lang must not be allowed to form an alliance with Uhaduro, otherwise the situation will only get worse.
Therefore, if Gu Jue and Wuhejialou want to go upstream, they must take the initiative to attack.
A clear and soft string music sounded in my ears, beautiful, ethereal and gentle.
Chu Qianchen was immersed in it, intoxicated.
But Gu Jue stopped after playing only one section.
Chu Qianchen blinked, not noticing that Jingfeng had retreated at some point.
Gu Jue asked with a smile: "Do you want to learn?"
These three words made Chu Qianchen realize that Gu Jue not only could play the guzheng, but also played it quite well.
Chu Qianchen blinked and looked at Gu Jue in surprise.
She knew that Gu Jue knew a lot of things. He was not only good at martial arts, but also good at reading. Several tutors in the past had praised his knowledge, saying that if he took the imperial examination, he would definitely be among the top three. He was also proficient in other arts such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She didn't expect that he could even play the guzheng.
This was something she didn't know in her previous life.
"Prince, how come you know everything?" Chu Qianchen couldn't help but sigh, his eyes filled with admiration and praise.
Gu Jue felt very touched by the little girl's compliment. The smile on his face deepened and his heart was moved.
He asked again: "Do you want to learn?"
When he was young and frivolous, he wanted to learn everything he saw. Some things he would get tired of after playing with for a few months and never touch them again. For example, he hadn't touched the konghou for at least seven or eight years.
When he saw this konghou in Xiping Town today, Chu Qianchen took a closer look at it, and then he decided to buy it.
This time, Chu Qianchen nodded hurriedly: "Yes!"
Her eyes brightened with anticipation and she was eager to try.
Gu Jue stepped back a little, let Chu Qianchen sit in front of him, held her in his arms, and explained and taught her step by step.
The konghou is a plucked instrument like the qin. Chu Qianchen can play the qin, so he finds it much easier to learn than someone who has no basic knowledge at all.
After learning for an hour, she was able to play a melody of "Spring River Moon Night". She then turned to look at Gu Jue happily and asked, "Did I play well?"
When she moved, she realized that they were very close, so close that she could feel his warm body temperature from behind her, and his elegant and clean scent penetrated her nose.
His left hand was resting on the pillar of the zither, as if it was around her slender waist.
Chu Qianchen liked this intimate feeling, but also felt inexplicably embarrassed, with a feeling of heat rushing to his face.
It was clearly the coldest time of the year, but she suddenly felt a little hot.
"Okay." Gu Jue smiled slightly, but saw that Chu Qianchen turned around and sat back like a frightened deer, with her eyelids slightly drooping and her lips slightly pursed. She looked well-behaved and gentle, with a calm temperament, and there was no sign of the wildness in her bones.
The girl, who had been so relaxed in his arms, suddenly seemed a little uneasy.
Gu Jue was stunned at first, then he noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed, and he curled his lips into a charming smile.
"I'll play the next section, please watch carefully." Gu Jue raised his other hand and stroked the strings left and right.
Another pleasant sound flowed out, swirling and lingering in the air...
Glass palace lanterns were lit in the house, while the sky outside the window gradually darkened, with the moon and stars being sparse.
In the courtyard, the silver moonlight poured down like frost and snow, a few red plum trees swayed in the wind, the snow fell down, and the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, giving people a sense of leisurely peace and tranquility as if the years were peaceful and the clouds were light and the breeze was gentle.
Chu Qianchen, who was sitting in Gu Jue's arms, looked at his fingers seriously at first, but gradually, his eyes couldn't help but move up along his fingers.
As he played the strings, his wide sleeves slipped down slightly, revealing a white, thin and strong wrist, which made his slender fingers look even more graceful and effortless, which was pleasing to the eye.
Chu Qianchen stared at his forearm without blinking for a while... until he felt the warm touch under his fingertips, he realized that he had pinched his arm by accident.
“Zheng!”
Gu Jue's arm trembled slightly, and a string on the guzheng broke.
The sound of the guzheng also stopped abruptly.
Chu Qianchen: “…”
Gu Jue: “…”
Gu Jue looked at Chu Qianchen's restless right hand with subtle eyes.
Chu Qianchen didn't understand what was wrong with her. At that moment just now, she suddenly wanted to touch him and get close to him.
Her face, which was originally just a little hot, became hot. She hadn't experienced this feeling called shyness for many years.
In an inexplicable emotion, she got excited and blurted out in a disgusted and coquettish tone: "You are too thin!"
That’s right, the prince is too thin, she has to feed him and make him fatter.
Chu Qianchen widened his eyes and stared at Gu Jue without blinking, as if he was a cat that had made a mistake and was looking at the two-legged beast with a pair of innocent cat eyes.
Anyway, as long as she is not embarrassed, it is others who are embarrassed.
6◇9◇Book◇Bar
She appeared calm and composed on the surface, but her heart was pounding like a drum.
Gu Jue laughed, his smile spreading across his face.
In response, he raised his hand and gently pinched her fair and soft arm, saying seriously, "You are too thin."
"..." The heat on Chu Qianchen's face, which had not yet subsided, suddenly became even more intense.
就在这时，惊风恰好从正殿进了这间暖阁，他在外面时就听到了楚千尘说顾玦太瘦的那句，深以为然。
王爷总是三餐不继，自己说再多，王爷也不停，现在可好了，有王妃管着王爷了。
这大概就叫做天道好轮回，苍天饶过谁！ 惊风想着，脚下的步履就变得轻快极了，走到了距离那箜篌三步远的地方，抱拳禀道：“王爷，安达曼郡王从重明宫离开了，听说，他的脸色比去时看着还要糟糕。”
“皇上的心情也不太好，安达曼郡王离开后，又在重明宫的御书房里砸了不少东西，后来还把太子殿下宣了过去，把太子骂了一通。”
皇帝这火暴脾气啊！楚千尘这下也顾不上那断弦的箜篌了，注意力被惊风说的这件事吸引了过去，琢磨着：皇帝这是丹毒快攻心了吧！
皇帝从前还是太子时，就信道，只不过那时候顾忌先帝，最多去道观上上香，听听经，可自他登基后，就肆无忌惮了。
玄净道长也不是第一个被皇帝所宠信的道士，这些年，皇帝为了追求长生，丹药可没少吃。
但丹药中含有朱砂，多少是会有丹毒的。
上一世，皇帝在世的最后几年，就因为丹毒攻心，脾气越发喜怒无常，把大齐在短短几年内就弄得千疮百孔，分崩离析。
她与秦曜之所以能成事，一半靠他们自己，另一半却是皇帝自己作死。
现在看来，皇帝身上已经多少有了一点上一世的苗头了。
对于楚千尘来说，皇帝丹毒攻不攻心的，压根不关她的事，反正这种皇帝还是早死早超生得好，也省得给王爷添麻烦。
楚千尘默默地盯着惊风，等着他继续往下说，兴致勃勃。
惊风被她看得头皮发麻，绞尽脑汁地想了想，终于又补充了一句：“不过当时，御书房里只留了倪公公，所以不知道皇上和太子具体说了什么……对了，到现在太子还跪在御书房里没出来。”
惊风实在是说不出来了。
本来，这么点小事等于没什么进展，惊风根本不会跑来禀王爷，是因为王爷说，王妃想知道进展，让他事无巨细地来禀，惊风这才又跑了这一趟。
惊风求助地看着顾玦，那眼神似乎在说，王爷，您好歹说一句啊。
顾玦淡声说了一句“下去吧”，惊风如释重负，一溜烟地跑了，生怕被楚千尘叫住似的。
琥珀默默地转过头，窃笑了一下，又转回来，若无其事地垂手而立。
楚千尘有些失望，本来还指望能听到更多进展的。
顾玦拉着她的手起了身，摸摸她的头道：“去用膳吧……我们太瘦了。”
这箜篌的弦断了，今天肯定是不能再弹了。
楚千尘：“……”
琥珀：“……”
当夜，两人早早地就歇下了。
次日一大早，她是被一阵呜咽的号角声吵醒的。
茫然地眨了眨眼后，她才意识到今天是圣驾启程回京的日子了。
现在不是前世，她也不是在军营里。
楚千尘盯着上方天水青的纱帐，在心里告诉自己，然后又合上眼。
今天皇帝会在猎台那边举办祭祀，在祭祀仪式后，圣驾就会在吉时起驾。
楚千尘没参加祭祀仪式，美美地睡到了日上三竿。
她与顾玦在未时出现在了猎宫广场的队伍中，这时，其他府邸的车马也都已经聚集在那里，一眼望去，人山人海，熙熙攘攘。
来了猎宫这九天，楚千尘玩得十分开心。
她尝试了很多前世没做过的事，更重要的是，她与他在一起。
坐在朱轮车的楚千尘信手挑开了窗帘一角，朝那连绵起伏的山林远眺过去。
覆盖在皑皑白雪下的山林清冷幽静，与京城的热闹繁华迥然不同。
想着这些天的回忆，楚千尘弯唇笑了。
她望着马车外的风景，而顾玦正专注地看着她。
看着她明亮的眼眸，看着她娇艳的笑靥，看着她豁达的神情。
只是这么看着她，顾玦就觉得自己的心一片明朗。
他知道他的小丫头从来不是一个甘愿被束缚的人，她并不喜欢京城那片四四方方的天空下，她像是雏鹰，展望着更辽阔的天空，更广袤的大地。
所以——
顾玦在心里暗暗地发誓，他还要更加努力努力才行。
他要拼出一条路来，带着他的小丫头去北地，去那更广阔的天地。
她会高兴的！ 顾玦眸光柔和，一如他唇畔的微笑。
楚千尘似乎感受到了什么，转过头时，撞进他如春风般和煦的目光里，下意识地冲他笑。
她的笑又娇又美，宛如枝头的繁华瞬间绽放，又似那春光乍现。
“以后我再带你来。”顾玦轻声许诺道。
“嗯。”楚千尘笑得更欢快了。
她知道王爷从不轻易许诺，既然许下诺言，他就一定会带她来……她也会为之努力的。
楚千尘对着他抬起了小手。
顾玦也抬手。
“啪！”
大掌与小手彼此相击，击掌为誓。
与此同时，马车外面传来了內侍蓄意拔高的声音：“起驾回京！”
于是，一行车队就开始慢腾腾地上路了，从皇帝的龙辇到最后的禁军离开行宫，又花费了足足半个多时辰。
虽然前两天下过雪，但是禁军的先发部队已经提前清扫了路上的积雪，这一路，车队所经之处全都顺畅无阻。
来的时候，皇帝慢慢悠悠，可回京的这一路，皇帝倒是一改来时的作风，好像迫不及待地想要赶回京去。
但是，无论皇帝的心再急，圣驾出行自有祖制与规矩要遵循，一个个步骤、一道道礼仪实在繁琐至极，也不是说简化就能简化的，毕竟皇帝又不是回京奔丧，所以车队的速度也还是快不到哪里去。
对楚千尘来说，只要没有防碍到王爷休息，就好，她反正只跟着车队上路，该干嘛就干嘛。
来时，他们费了足足五天，回时只用了三天。
京城那边早就得了消息，满朝文武都聚集在西城门外迎接皇帝的銮驾，不少平民百姓也来附近围观圣驾，场面极为隆重。
“恭迎圣驾回京，万岁万万岁！”
当众臣齐呼万岁时，喊声震天，群臣皆是俯身作揖行礼，那些百姓又是下跪，又是行礼，全都不敢轻易抬头瞻仰圣颜。
如果是平时，这种场面必会让皇帝觉得意气风发，有种君临天下的高高在上。
可是现在皇帝却是心不在焉，他一眼就看到了群臣中的锦衣卫指挥使陆思骥，对着倪公公吩咐了一声，倪公公就去把陆思骥招上了龙辇。
只有极少数的人注意到了这一幕，大多数的人就是盲目地跟随圣驾进城，只想快点回府。
车队慢慢地进城，金碧辉煌的龙辇一如既往地驶在最前方。
龙辇内的空间远比普通的马车要更宽敞，陆思骥单膝跪在里面，不敢抬头看皇帝。
气氛压抑。
皇帝的第一句话就是不悦的质问： “陆思骥，你有没有命人去伏击那几个被劫走的昊人？”
皇帝的视线如利剑箭般射向了陆思骥，冰冷，阴沉。
“……”陆思骥懵了，下意识地抬头，睁大了眼。
前几天，皇帝之所以派他火速回京的目的，表面上是从五城兵马司领走那五个南昊人，实际上，是要他调查出他们潜入宸王府的目的，皇帝一直有些怀疑顾玦是不是把乌诃迦楼私藏在宸王府。
皇帝也提醒了陆思骥不要对那五个南昊人动刑，暂时把他们关在北镇抚司的诏狱里，打算回京后，再把这五人作为礼物赠还给安达曼。
这一方面是他对昊帝乌诃度罗的示好，另一方面也是为了向安达曼表示，这里是京城，是大齐的地盘，让安达曼他们老实点。
可陆思骥怎么也没想到的是那五个南昊人竟然从自己的手里被人给劫走了。
当日，陆思骥听闻南昊人从西城门出去了，就带着锦衣卫一路往西追击过，然而，一无所获。
这几日，他也派人在京城以及周边的几个城镇搜寻五个南昊人，还是没有找到他们的踪迹，他们就像是凭空消失似的。
陆思骥也正头疼着这件事，不知道皇帝回京后该怎么交代，此时听皇帝说他命人去伏击了昊人，完全反应不及。
他先是懵，再是惊，然后是惧，只是弹指间，神色就变了几变。
陆思骥立刻就把另一个膝盖也跪了下去，然后将头伏下，额头抵在羊毛地毯上，沉声道：“皇上，臣不曾！”
皇帝的视线死死地钉在陆思骥身上，眼神尖锐，仿佛在确认他说的是不是真的。
陆思骥双手撑地地跪伏在地，恭谨而又谦卑，一动不动，也没有抬头去偷看皇帝。
There was dead silence in the dragon chariot. Lu Siji held his breath, and his body swayed slightly as the chariot swayed.
The emperor slowly turned the jade ring on his thumb and did not speak for a long time.
At dusk on November 17, Andaman came to Chongming Palace specifically to ask for an audience with him. He talked to him about the laws of Da Qi and Dahao regarding the punishment for theft and robbery. He said that in Dahao, if the stolen goods were less than ten coins, the person would be fined for thirty days of hard labor. He also said that the laws of Da Qi were very strict, and anyone who simply climbed over the wall to enter a house would be put to death.
Andaman spoke in a roundabout way, but the emperor still understood that the other party was testing him. Andaman was not talking about the laws of the two countries. The thieves who climbed over the wall and broke into the house were clearly the five Hao people who broke into the Prince Chen's palace at night.
Moreover, the meaning revealed in Andaman's words seemed to indicate that the five Hao people were dead.
Since the other party emphasized so much that it was the "Great Qi Law", it was obvious that he was suspecting that he had sent people to rob and kill the five Hao people.
The emperor was so angry that he almost got angry.
But the other party's words were not made clear at the time. It sounded like they were just discussing the laws of the two countries. If the emperor turned against him, it would seem that he, the King of the Great Qi, had no magnanimity.
The emperor asked Eunuch Ni to discuss the laws of the Great Qi Dynasty with Andaman on the spot, and then sent Andaman away.
In the past few days, the emperor had been only speculating about this matter, not knowing what had happened in the capital. Until he saw Lu Siji today, he couldn't wait to ask.
Lu Siji, who was kneeling on the ground, was sweating profusely and his heart almost jumped into his throat when the emperor looked at him.
I don't know how long it took, but I finally heard the emperor's voice from above: "Look up and tell me what's going on."
Lu Siji secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and did not dare to wipe the sweat off his face. He remained kneeling on his knees and raised his head, his temples wet with sweat.
Lu Siji sorted out his thoughts and started from the time when he picked up the people from the South City Bingmasi, and said that they encountered a group of thieves who looked like Hao people robbing prisoners on Maoer Street, and that he had been searching everywhere for the whereabouts of the Nan Hao people in the past few days.
Finally, he added in a dry voice: "I have sent people to conduct strict inspections at the four city gates in the past few days, and no suspicious persons have been found leaving the capital."
The emperor's lips were pressed into a straight line, and his expression became increasingly uglier as Lu Siji spoke. It was stern and gloomy, as if layers of dark clouds were piled on his face.
At the feet of the emperor, at the gate of the Northern Pacification Office, Lu Siji actually had those Hao people kidnapped in the street. This not only disgraced the Jinyiwei, but also the emperor himself!
Of course Lu Siji could feel the emperor's wrath, and he quickly lowered his head again. Cold sweat was still pouring out of his body, and he looked like he had just been fished out of the river.
Lu Siji also knew that this explanation would not satisfy the emperor.
This time, he made such a big mistake that he might even lose his position as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He has offended many people while sitting in this position. If he is deposed, he will probably have a hard time in the future...
There was another long silence; the noise outside the dragon chariot seemed so far away at this moment.
The emperor remained silent for a long time, but his cold eyes were still fixed on Lu Siji who was kneeling on the ground, as if examining him, considering him, and deliberating over him.
Lu Siji was a person promoted by the emperor since he was the crown prince, and he had followed him for nearly twenty years.
The emperor trusted Lu Siji.
but--
If it was true that the prisoners were kidnapped by the Nanhao people as Lu Siji said, then why did Andaman come to Chongming Palace and talk about it that day? ! The emperor had been thinking about this matter over and over again in the past few days. Now, after hearing what Lu Siji said, his doubts were not only not explained, but even more.
If it was the Hao people themselves who kidnapped the five people, why did Andaman insist on implying that it was Da Qi who did it, and also hinted that he killed them to silence them?
The emperor began to turn the jade ring on his thumb again, his eyes flickering.
At this moment, the emperor recalled that Andaman had shown goodwill to Gu Jue several times during the winter hunting, and he became even more puzzled.
What on earth do these Hao people want to do? !
The emperor suddenly stopped turning the jade ring and asked, "Is Wuhejialou in Prince Chen's Palace?"
Lu Siji: “…”
Lu Siji was speechless. They couldn't even enter Prince Chen's Mansion, so how could they know?
But the situation at the moment did not allow him to remain silent. Lu Siji coughed dryly and said cautiously: "Your Majesty, I don't know."
They had never entered Prince Chen's Palace, nor had they had time to interrogate the five Hao people.
"Useless!" The emperor's anger suddenly surged up in his heart, and he scolded angrily, thinking that Lu Siji had done a terrible job this time, and that he had wasted his trust and reliance on him.
The emperor's heart was filled with feelings of irritability, worry, anger, suspicion, etc., all mixed together and weighing heavily on his heart.
Finally, it turned into a question he had thought about many times: Did Gu Jue really bring Wuhejialou back to Beijing? ! Today is Wan Niangniang, no chapters, do you have monthly tickets? This book has too many emotional scenes compared to the other two books, so the plot line is relatively slow. It seems that I should not write articles with so many emotional scenes. I am tired of writing them, and you don’t like to read them... Later, I will reduce the emotional scenes and speed up the plot rhythm.
This book is not long.
(End of this chapter)