Killing two birds with one stone
Zhong Yujing was excited. "When I first met Marquis Dingyuan in the court that day, I actually felt a little pity for him. At some moments, it seemed as if I saw myself and you in him..." Her expression darkened, but she suddenly realized and hurriedly said, "I have overstepped my bounds..."
Shangguan Yichen raised the corner of his lips, and said with a half-smile: "If we talk about the crime of usurping power, I remember that Prime Minister Jing has already committed many crimes and his life is in danger."
Zhong Yujing suppressed her emotions, lowered her head and remained silent.
But Shangguan Yichen added, "I don't want to pursue this matter for now, but I want to keep it in mind."
Zhong Yujing raised her eyes to look at him, only to see that he had a smile in the corner of his eyes, looking at her playfully. Then she realized that he was deliberately teasing her, so she curled her lips in anger.
"Now, your life is in my hands. Your life or death will be decided by me."
The moment Zhong Yujing's eyes met his, she felt burned, and her cheeks flushed. She quickly lowered her eyelids, remained silent, and tried to calm her mind. In a panic, Shangguan Yichen opposite her was looking at her with a smile, and he saw everything. A small splash of water appeared in her heart, and with a splash, the ripples spread out, creating several layers of ripples in the lake of her heart, which made her feel happy.
So he said proudly, "Jing Xiang hasn't finished what he said just now." He inexplicably enjoyed this wonderful atmosphere, like a greedy child, who was still unsatisfied and eager to ask for more, but he still had the rationality of an adult, so he had to restrain himself and could only urge her in a teasing manner.
Zhong Yujing was just about to collect his thoughts when he was suddenly asked. He assumed it was a formal question, and since he also wanted to get back to business, he naturally said in a serious tone, "Later, I realized that this Dingyuan Marquis was far from someone who could be easily exploited. Although his behavior was elegant and easygoing, his conversation was deliberate, as if he had planned it all along, but he always managed to make it seem unintentional, making it difficult to detect. Upon closer reflection, I realized that he was unusual."
She frowned and recounted her experiences with Marquis Dingyuan as she recalled them.
"If all my previous suspicions were unfounded, then his sudden abduction from the Heavenly Prison proves all my worries were justified," Zhong Yujing said seriously. "If he were truly innocent, a mere pawn, he would never have been abducted before Emperor Feng's victory. Wouldn't it make the Qing Kingdom's painstakingly crafted conquest strategy a mockery if he were rescued before Emperor Feng's reputation for benevolence was established?"
Shangguan Yichen smiled and nodded after hearing this, and finally said, "I heard an old story about the Qing Kingdom. Do you want to hear it?"
Zhong Yujing naturally became interested and nodded, "I want to listen!"
The story begins during the reign of Emperor Huan, the sage ruler of the previous Qing state. Young Marquis Dingyuan Zishu Xingzhi's father, the older Marquis Dingyuan, was a distant relative of Emperor Huan, a branch of the authentic Zishu clan. The Zishu clan, a family with a long and rich history in Qing, already existed during the reign of Emperor Xuanyuan. They accompanied the Yellow Emperor in his campaigns for the Central Plains, making significant contributions. Legend has it that Emperor Xuanyuan was guarded by the families of two generals, the Tiger Master and the Wolf General. The Tiger Master was from the Chengsang clan, while the Wolf General was from the Zishu clan. As dynasties shifted and events unfolded, the Zishu and Chengsang clans either retreated into seclusion or served at court, prospering and standing strong until Emperor Huan bestowed a title on Qing. During a period of great strife, the Zishu clan rose to the forefront of history, proclaiming themselves emperors and founding a new state. The Zishu family has a large number of branches. In Emperor Huan's branch, his father Zishuyi has only two sons, him and Zishuduan. Emperor Huan was born to the main wife, and Zishuduan's mother was a concubine. She tried her best to marry into the Zishu family, but she could not win her husband's heart. To vent her anger, she had an affair with the servants in the mansion. Everyone in the mansion said that Zishuduan was not the son of the head of the family. Zishuyi still kept Zishuduan and his mother in the mansion, but executed the servants, which was considered to be the utmost kindness to the mother and son.
The Zishu family, a powerful and prestigious noble family, kept the truth secret, though it remained hidden. Naturally, they harbored both overt and covert dislike for Zishuduan and his mother. Raised in this environment, Zishuduan's inner shadow grew larger and larger, his personality gradually warped. He harbored self-consciousness about his impure bloodline and resented fate's favor over his older brother. As an adult, he remained a humble follower of his brother, yet harbored a deep desire to usurp his throne. After his brother ascended to the throne, his envy turned to greed, ultimately leading him to murder his brother and seize the throne.
"After Emperor Huan passed away, what happened to the old Marquis Dingyuan?" Zhong Yujing asked.
Shangguan Yichen took a sip of tea and narrowed his eyes slightly. Every time he squinted, moisture seemed to rise from his eyes. At this moment, his eyes were hidden behind the teacup's mist, dim and unclear. He continued, "Although Emperor Huan and Marquis Dingyuan were scions of two different branches of the Zishu family, their relationship was closer than that of brothers. The elder Marquis Dingyuan was a founding hero of the Qing Kingdom, accompanying Emperor Huan on his conquest, consolidation, and creation of the new empire. Emperor Huan was suddenly assassinated, and the cause of his death remains a mystery. Many veteran officials in the court are furious and are seeking the truth. Among them, the faction headed by the elder Marquis Dingyuan is the most indignant."
Zhong Yujing suddenly felt something was wrong, his face darkened, and he asked, "Could it be that the old Marquis Dingyuan was…"
Shangguan Yichen's expression was serious as he said, "Yes, he was first knocked unconscious by a colorless and odorless drug, and then he was stabbed to death in the study while he was unconscious."
Zhong Yujing stood up suddenly, his face changed drastically, "This is exactly the same as King Yao's death!"
Shangguan Yichen nodded, looked at her and continued, "If I tell you that Emperor Huan was also poisoned in his tea, and assassins stabbed him to death after sneaking into the palace..." He lowered his eyes, his expression somewhat solemn, "He died on the imperial desk where he usually reviewed memorials."
Zhong Yujing exclaimed, "The appearance of death is also the same as King Yao's?"
Shangguan Yichen closed his eyes.
"So it was Emperor Feng who did it all! Then his murder of King Yao was also a premeditated plan to seize the territory of Qi."
Shangguan Yichen said nothing more.
Zhong Yujing pondered for a moment and said, "It seems that this Dingyuan Marquis is not what he appears to be. He lost his father as a child and knew the truth about his father's murder, but he has been hiding under the cover of adversity, biding his time, and lying dormant for many years. I think this time he has found a good opportunity, so he has placed himself as a pawn in the game, taking advantage of the situation and also fighting back against it."
"Emperor Feng ordered him to go on a diplomatic mission to Qi State, and he gladly accepted the order." Shangguan Yichen smiled meaningfully.
Zhong Yujing also smiled, shook her head, and said, "Those rumors about his romantic affairs must have been intentional to conceal his true intentions and make Emperor Feng let down his guard." She couldn't help but sigh, "Emperor Feng wanted to use Marquis Dingyuan as bait to kill two birds with one stone and devour Qi State, but he didn't expect Marquis Dingyuan to turn the tables on him. He not only escaped, but also used Qi State's power to eliminate Emperor Feng and avenge his father's murder. This young marquis truly killed two birds with one stone." She pondered for a moment, then continued, "Your Highness defeated the Qing State and took Emperor Feng's head. He not only defended Qi State from foreign invaders, but also avenged a blood feud. He also killed two birds with one stone."
Shangguan Yichen took a sip of tea and smiled without saying anything.
It started to rain in the evening, and the pearly curtains were drawn in the early winter twilight. The silver-white pearl curtains fell densely, and the cold air was pressing.
After leaving the Xianwang Mansion, Zhong Yujing listened to the rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting the car roof, like the sound of wooden fish struck during the chanting of monks in a temple. It calmed her previously turbulent mind. The ups and downs of life, all of this, are now in the past. Yet, caught in the torrent of troubled times, they are forced to continue drifting with fate, not knowing where to go. How much of this is beyond their control, how helpless, only those in the play can truly understand. Shangguan Yichen once used a play as an analogy to explain the worldly affairs that one is unwilling to face but must pretend to accept. Now, she realized that everyone's fate is like a play, each chapter and song following the plot of the story. As for the ending, no one can know until they see it to the end.
Zhong Yujing's carriage headed west at the end of the street in Linlanghai City. Later, another carriage turned onto the opposite road at the same intersection and headed east.
The carriage journeyed from dusk to nightfall, from the bustling main road into a narrow alley, turning countless corners before winding its way into a secret passage and stopping at the end. A man in black, dressed in a tight-fitting suit, stepped out of the carriage. At the end of the passage stood an old, rusty door with faded paint. He looked up, then pushed it open and stepped inside.
The ground paved with bluestone slabs was free of dust. The stone table under the shade of green bamboo was as clean as new. A celadon teacup was simmering on the stove, bubbling with steam. The man's back was thin, and his drooping hair spread on his black ball gown, forming a seamless whole without any color difference. He heard the footsteps behind him and turned around. It was even colder after the rain. The hand that was stretched to her mouth to breathe was still at the side of her lips, but she smiled when she saw him, curved the corners of her eyes, and a cloud of white mist suddenly came out of her mouth, blending with the ethereal scent of the teacup, adding a lot of warmth to this courtyard in the suburbs, far away from the hustle and bustle and rarely visited.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time. Why did you come just now?" Zi Shuxing pretended to be slightly annoyed.
"How are you? After a few days of recuperation, are you feeling better?" He walked around and sat down across from Zi Shuxingzhi. The teacups were already set, the oil lamp flickered in its shade, the porcelain cup like carved mutton-fat jade. Zi Shuxingzhi raised an eyebrow across from him and said with a cheerful voice, "You've been nourished by good soup and water, so you've naturally gotten better. Thank you for your hospitality over these many days."
He rolled his eyes at Zi Shuxing, knowing he was being deliberately polite. He then listened to him continue, "These past few days, besides staying at the embassy, I've also been enjoying all the delicious food of Qi Country here in your mansion. The variety is even greater than when I came here with my father as a child. Your years in Qi Country haven't been in vain."
He curled his lips and smiled. "I know you have two great hobbies in your life: poetry and painting, and gourmet food. I don't like poetry and painting, but as for gourmet food, there are many famous chefs in our mansion. Whatever you want, we have it all ready to cook. Knowing you were coming, I had to do my best to be a good host and treat you well."
Zi Shuxingzhi laughed heartily and said with satisfaction, "Before I went to the prison, I wandered through Linlanghai Market from beginning to end and visited the calligraphy and painting shop you mentioned. The works on display there are indeed top-notch masterpieces! I only regret that I didn't have enough time to buy even one or two. I also bought some vegetarian food and had a great meal. I had a very pleasant conversation with the shopkeeper, especially when we discussed Buddhism and scriptures. I was particularly captivated. Before I left, the shopkeeper invited me to come back someday, but unfortunately..." He sighed, "There's no such thing as a future."
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