Chapter 57 Heavenly Fragrance

As soon as Ming Huashang entered Chang'an, she was shocked by the majestic and solemn atmosphere. The empress moved the capital for more than ten years, but Chang'an's prosperity was not affected at all. The streets of Chang'an were still full of cars and horses, and business was prosperous. Many people from the Western Regions with high noses and deep eyes walked leisurely on the streets, and passers-by looked as if they were used to it.

Ming Huachang was shocked. He looked at the streets of Chang'an and the caravans of the Western Regions. He felt dazzled and overwhelmed. Seeing this, Ming Huazhang said, "Although you were born in Chang'an, you have been away for many years and I am afraid you have no impression of it. This is your first time in Chang'an. Where do you want to go?"

Ming Huashang was startled and tried to ask, "But isn't Second Brother's matter urgent? Why don't we go find Brother Xie first?"

After leaving Zhongnan Mountain, they can call each other by their real names. The code names are mainly to prevent someone from betraying Xuanxiaowei and exposing everyone, but it would be strange to continue calling each other by code names after returning to the civilian world.

They had agreed on the way that if five of them went into the city together, they would attract too much attention. Ming Huashang was not very experienced in riding a horse, so Ming Huazhang would accompany her and walk slowly behind. Xie Jichuan and the other two would go into the city first and meet at Yueman Tower.

Ming Huachang thought that Ming Huazhang would go straight to Yueman Tower after entering the city, but unexpectedly, Ming Huazhang seemed to be unhurried and said leisurely: "No hurry, you are new in Chang'an, I will accompany you to look around first."

Ming Huazhang was a very reliable man who always had a plan for everything he did. Ming Huashang did not refuse and took the horse and strolled with him in Chang'an City.

The setting sun melted gold, the sky was ablaze, Ming Huashang and Ming Huazhang walked side by side in the evening in Chang'an. On both sides were pedestrians of various hair colors, Hu Ji was as beautiful as flowers, drums and music were played, and talented men and beautiful women walked in groups. Ming Huashang's mood also unconsciously relaxed.

They walked to a temple, where many people gathered in front of the wall, writing poems and commenting on them. The wall, which was originally clean and tidy, was now covered with various ink marks, some of which were flowing, some were neat, and some were wild and chaotic. At this moment, they were all crowded on the same wall, writing the same Chang'an.

Chang'an was famous all over the world, and all the talented scholars, young and old, wanted to come to Chang'an to try their luck. The way to become famous was both simple and difficult: writing poetry.

Temples, nunneries, taverns, teahouses, banquets of the rich and powerful, all places could become their paper, and writing poems on the big white walls of temples was undoubtedly the cheapest and most popular way for the poor.

The nuns in the temples are used to this. Writing poems can bring the fragrance of books to the temples, and pilgrims are willing to stay in the temples for a while after offering incense. The large flow of visitors to the temples also brings audiences and popularity to the literati. Both sides benefit from it. After a wall is filled with poems, the temple will even be considerate enough to paint it so that the literati can write more.

In this atmosphere, poetry could be found in every street and alley of Chang'an, and even a five-year-old child could recite poetry.

Ming Huashang also stopped in front of the wall and read the poems one by one. Through the different handwriting styles and contents, Ming Huashang could almost imagine what kind of person stood in front of this wall and wrote these words.

Ming Huashang was fascinated by the reading. When she saw a wonderful poem, she turned around and called Ming Huazhang, only to find that Ming Huazhang had taken out a pen from somewhere and wrote a five-character quatrain on a small blank space at the corner of the wall.

Ming Huashang was surprised and hurried over to take a look: "Second brother, what did you write?"

In the gaps between the aggressive cursive script, there is a line of neat and elegant characters. Ming Huazhang's characters are thin and upright, flowing smoothly, and the turns are sharp and powerful, with a sense of style. In contrast, this poem has no highlights. The poem describes four scenes, with neat parallelism, elegant and simple. It cannot be said to be bad, but compared with his characters, it is somewhat unmatched.

Ming Huazhang grabbed Ming Huachang's wrist and said lightly, "It's just random writing, not worth mentioning. Let's go and take a look at the front."

Ming Huazhang's slender fingers gently wrapped around Ming Huachang's wrist. Ming Huachang looked back as he walked, and praised him earnestly, "Second brother, when you are in the mood, you can write so neatly and freshly. It shows that you have read a lot of poetry and have a solid foundation. If you go back and polish it for a while, you will definitely be stunning!"

Ming Huazhang chuckled and said, "There are so many talented people in Chang'an. My reckless writing is nothing."

"That's because you don't fight for it." Ming Huashang said, "People who are more talented than you are not as hardworking as you are, people who work harder than you are not as clear-headed and well-planned as you are, and people who are more sober than you are not as upright and virtuous as you are. If you pick out one of them alone, you may not rank first, but if you can rank among the top in every aspect, then comprehensively, you are the best."

In Xuanxiao Guard, Xie Jichuan has a photographic memory that can be called a cheat, and he is the first in the literary examination; while Ren Yao is determined to win glory for her father, and she works very hard in martial arts training. No one can compare with her in terms of diligence. But when Han Jie arranges tasks, he still gives it to Ming Huazhang to take the lead.

Because Minghua Zhangwen.

He may not be the best in a single event, but he can do well in all events at the same time. If Xie Jichuan is a gift from God, Ren Yao is fighting with God for food, Ming Huazhang is trying to become God.

He is good at both offense and defense, and fights steadily. As long as he wants, he can accomplish anything, no matter how difficult it is. Even God would shake his head at such a person.

Ming Huazhang always felt that he was not good enough, but in Ming Huachang's eyes, he was perfect in every way. Ming Huazhang laughed: "You, instead of studying hard, just say nice things to please others. I'm afraid you would say the same thing to anyone who is your brother."

"That's not necessarily true." Ming Huashang said, "I just want everyone to be happy. It doesn't mean that what I said is a lie."

"You always make sense." Ming Huazhang stopped, pointed to the lake ahead, and said, "That's Qujiang Lake. Let's go to the lake and take a look."

Ming Huashang readily agreed. They tied their horses to the tree and walked side by side by the lake.

Qujiang Lake is a royal garden, and both high officials and common people like to come here to play. Even if the golden crow sets in the west, there are still pleasure boats on the lake, and the sound of silk and bamboo can be heard.

Ming Huashang squatted by the lake and played with the water gently.

She washed her hands and was about to turn around to call Ming Huazhang when she saw someone walking towards them. The other person was dressed like a scholar and held a scroll with the inscription "Traveling to the Immortal Cave" in his hand. When he saw them, he said enthusiastically, "Are you two here to tour the lake as well? I know a few places with nice scenery nearby. Why don't we go together?"

Ming Huachang thought this man was very frivolous. She was about to refuse, but she heard Ming Huazhang say, "Okay."

Ming Huashang choked and looked at Ming Huazhang in surprise. Ming Huazhang looked calm and indifferent. The scholar glanced at them and asked with a smile: "You two look unfamiliar. Have you just arrived in Chang'an?"

“I just arrived today.”

"Where are you from, Your Excellency? Why did you come to Chang'an?"

"I came from the south, and have long admired the beauty of Chang'an. I came to the Western Capital to look for ancient monuments and paintings."

"You have such a refined taste. It turns out that you are a fellow traveler." The scholar smiled and said, "I wonder whose paintings you would like to see?"

"From the Right Prime Minister Yan."

"It's hard to find paintings by Right Prime Minister Yan," said the scholar. "Nowadays, his paintings are either in the imperial academy or enshrined in Buddhist temples. It's as difficult as climbing to heaven for outsiders to see them."

Ming Huazhang didn't have the patience to continue beating around the bush. He reached out his hand, and half of the token slipped out from his sleeve. He then took it back as if nothing had happened, and said calmly: "I am Shuangbi, and I have been ordered to come here to investigate. Please cooperate."

The scholar scanned the token calmly and said with a smile, "Shuangbi? This name is strange, I don't think I have heard of it before."

"A new name." Ming Huazhang said calmly, "I have issued a military warrant to find the lost property within ten days. I don't have time to mediate, please forgive me. I don't know the specific circumstances of Wei Tan's death."

Ming Huashang looked at them with wide eyes, already confused. Even if she didn't have a brain, she should have guessed at this moment that this seemingly frivolous scholar was the contact person of Xuan Xiaowei. What did she miss, and why did the plot develop to this point?

She was with Ming Huazhang the whole time and didn't talk to anyone. How did the scholar find them?

No. Ming Huashang suddenly realized that Ming Huazhang had not done nothing. Not long ago, he had written a poem on the wall of the temple.

That wall faced all the people of Chang'an, and anyone could get close to it and make changes without attracting anyone's attention. Ming Huazhang hid his identity and location in the poem, and then waited at the agreed location. When the person who was to meet him saw it, he followed him.

Ming Huashang felt a little complicated for a moment. It turned out that she was too young and really thought that Ming Huazhang was accompanying her for a walk. She even seriously argued that Ming Huazhang's poem was well written. Little did she know that the real purpose was not to drink. She was the big fool.

Ming Huashang felt extremely sad when she thought about her performance just now.

Seeing that Ming Huachang had not moved for a long time, Ming Huazhang turned around to look at her, pulled her up from the water, and carefully dried her fingers: "It's getting dark, be careful not to catch a cold. This brother, I still have to take her to dinner, let's make it quick, and talk quickly if you have anything to say."

The scholar glanced at Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang, but did not ask what their relationship was. He said, "I don't deserve it. My name is Yuehu, and my symbol is a fox."

Ming Huazhang and the scholar exchanged secret signals to confirm that the other was not an imposter. The three of them would be too conspicuous standing alone, so Ming Huazhang suggested walking around the lake and talking as they went.

They pretended to go boating together, and Ming Huazhang asked, "Were you there on the day Wei Tan died?"

"I wasn't there." Yuehu said, "Wei Tan was Yan Liben's only disciple, and he thought highly of himself. He invited his close friends and talented people to the banquet. I was just a small scholar, and I was not in Wei Tan's eyes at all. But I received an order yesterday saying that Wei Tan died suddenly at a family banquet, and the reconstruction of the Daming Palace he had just painted disappeared. The thief is suspected to be Wei Tan's good friend - Zhang Ziyun. Zhang Ziyun is the third child in the family, and everyone usually calls him Zhang San."

Ming Huashang and Ming Huazhang looked at each other, both a little surprised. It turned out that Zhang San was really called Zhang San.

Ming Huazhang asked: "Zhang San... who is Zhang Ziyun?"

"He was a Jinshi in the fourth year of Chuigong, but he was never successful, so he gave up the officialdom and devoted himself to poetry and painting. He was intoxicated with elegance and had a good relationship with Wei Tan. It was beyond imagination that he would kill Wei Tan to steal the painting, but the superiors asked me to keep an eye on Zhang Ziyun, so I followed him to Tianxiang Pavilion in Pingkangfang. He was lucky enough to be favored by the courtesan Yu Qiong, who invited him to the second floor alone. I didn’t have the honor to have a chance to kiss her, so I just drank wine and listened to music in the lobby, secretly staring at their door. But later, a distinguished guest came and asked for Yuqiong to accompany him. The madam went to invite Yuqiong, but Zhang Ziyun naturally refused and had a big fight with the madam. It was very ugly, and I saw it all in the lobby. In the end, Yuqiong came out, comforted Zhang Ziyun, and then left with the madam.

Although Ming Huashang had never been to Pingkangfang, she knew what Tianxiang Pavilion was just by the name. She was a little embarrassed, but she was really curious about Zhang Ziyun. When she heard that Yuqiong and the madam had left, she exclaimed in disbelief, "She just left like that?"

"What else?" Yuehu looked at her, sized her up and down, as if she was surprised by what she had seen before. "In brothels, whoever offers the highest price and has the power will be the one who gets the upper hand. Zhang Ziyun has nothing, so what can she use to compete with others?"

Ming Huashang was stumped by the question. She knew that the women in brothels had no choice, and even the oiran had no choice. But she did not expect that the men who went there for pleasure would actually agree with this set of rules so much.

Ming Huazhang exerted force on his hands and gently pulled Ming Huashang behind him. His action was simple, but Yuehu immediately understood what he meant.

Yuehu stopped staring at Ming Huashang and continued, "The madam wanted to replace Zhang Ziyun with another lady, but Zhang Ziyun refused. I heard him in the lobby, and he seemed to be shouting that he wanted to wait for Yuqiong to come back in the room. The madam was in a hurry to receive the distinguished guests, so she ignored him and ordered someone to bring wine, closed the door and let him stay alone. I continued to wait in the lobby, pretending to be half drunk and half awake, and only waited until midnight, then sneaked into the room to get the painting. But before I could do anything, the madam screamed that someone was dead. I took the opportunity to grope my way to the second floor, and sure enough, I saw Zhang Ziyun lying in the room, with blood all over the floor. Later, I found an opportunity to check his crutches, and it was empty."

Ming Huashang became interested and asked, "There were so many people in the brothel, and one person died, but you didn't hear anything?"

Yuehu shook her head. "Not at all. Although Shancha was performing a dance that day and the music was heard all night, the sounds of killing and fighting were so obvious that even if I couldn't hear them, others in the lobby would have heard them. I'm sure there was nothing unusual."

Ming Huazhang immediately thought of many possibilities: "Drugs, poison, hidden weapons, slitting the throat, hanging, all of which may not make any sound."

But to kill someone using these methods, you at least need to see the person. How can you kill someone in a secret room where no one can enter or leave?

Ming Huashang tried to test him: "Among these methods, only poisoning can delay the time. Before, Yuqiong and Zhang Ziyun were alone together. Could it be that Yuqiong poisoned them?"

"Not necessarily." Ming Huazhang said, "Later, the madam sent some wine, and it may have problems with the wine as well."

"Why did you think of Yuqiong?" Yuehu sneered, thinking that women are women. He described the circumstances of the murder so carefully, but she asked such a stupid question. She really had no brains at all.

Why did the higher-ups send two people like this to take over the mission? One is so young, and the other is a woman. What can they accomplish?

He was disdainful in his heart, and his face couldn't help but show contempt: "Even if she poisoned Zhang Ziyun, she was called to accompany the distinguished guest afterwards and never left. She was still with the distinguished guest when the madam found the body. If it was her, how could the painting be lost?"

"Was the wine poisoned?"

"That's impossible," said Yuehu. "Whoever poisoned the room, no one entered or left the room. I followed the madam in as soon as she opened the door. Tell me, how was the painting stolen?"

That's true. Killing people can be controlled remotely and delayed, but stealing things always requires doing it yourself, right? Ming Huashang ignored the contempt in Yuehu's tone and continued to ask with great interest: "Are you drunk? You thought you were pretending to be drunk, but in fact you were really drunk. When you weren't paying attention, someone sneaked in, killed Zhang Ziyun, took the painting, and escaped when you were not paying attention."

"Impossible." Yuehu denied it flatly. "I didn't drink at all, how could I be drunk? I was right across from Zhang Ziyun's room, and I could see his door as soon as I raised my head. How could I not notice someone walking past me?"

"Is there a window in that room?" Ming Huashang asked, "Could the murderer have entered or exited through the window?"

Yuehu still shook his head: "I have seen that house. It only has one window facing the street. We have people watching the street. He also said that he didn't see anyone coming in or out."

Ming Huashang pondered for a moment and found it interesting. The window was closed, no one entered the room, but the person inside died in full view of everyone. Murder in a closed room, interesting.

Yuehu saw Ming Huashang asking stupid questions repeatedly and questioning him, and disdain was clearly visible on his face.

Ming Huazhang didn't like Yuehu's attitude, but he endured it because he was the contact. When Yuehu told him almost all the details, Ming Huazhang immediately said coldly: "Okay, we know the matter, and we will go to Tianxiang Pavilion to find out everything. If I need your cooperation in the future, I will leave a letter for you on the temple wall like I did today."

Yuehu said, "Okay, if I can't come because of something, or if someone follows me, I will go to the west side hall of the temple and place a white velvet flower on the altar, and then try to contact you with a secret code. This copy of "Youxianku" is the original copy of the secret code. After you see the secret code, look for the corresponding page and line, and you will know it."

Ming Huashang was a novice and had not yet learned this step. He only understood vaguely, but Ming Huazhang understood it at a glance. He took the book and bowed, saying, "Thank you. It's getting late. We'll go first. Take care."

"Take care." Yuehu also bowed and then waved and left like a stranger who had just met and had a pleasant conversation.

None of them said goodbye, and for them, not seeing each other again was a good thing.

After Ming Huazhang received the letter from the contact in Chang'an, he went to the agreed location, Yuemanlou, to find Xie Jichuan.

Yue Man Lou has an elegant name, but it is actually a base of Xuan Xiao Wei in Chang'an. When Ming Hua Zhang and Ming Hua Shang walked into the store, the waiter immediately came out to greet them warmly: "Two guests, are you here for a meal or to stay overnight?"

Ming Huazhang said calmly, "Do you still have the 17-year-old Yingjianghong in your building?"

The waiter paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes. How many tables would you like, sir?"

"Forget it. I have something to do later. It's too much trouble to drink Yingjianghong. I'd better switch to Zhuyeqing. I'll pack up a pot and take it away."

The waiter responded attentively, bowed and said, "Okay. Gentlemen, please follow me."

This sounded like a very ordinary sentence. Ming Huashang would not have paid much attention to it before, but today, she could hear a lot of clues from it.

The seemingly random ordering of dishes was actually full of code words. The name of the wine represented the nature of the mission, for example, Ming Huazhang said Yingjianghong, indicating that they were here to make a connection.

The year of the wine was the secret code, which was discussed by Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan on the way. Xie Jichuan came first and ordered the 17-year-old Yingjianghong, telling the waiter that they were waiting for someone. Even if outsiders knew the meaning of Yingjianghong, they would not be able to match the secret code if they did not know the internal code.

As for the waiter asking them how many bottles they wanted, that was a trap. To prevent the secret code from being leaked or someone accidentally hitting the secret code, the waiter would verify it. Once they agreed with the waiter, it would mean that this person was unreliable. So the correct thing to do was to refuse and order another drink. As for Bamboo Leaf Green, it was also a corrected secret code that Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan had agreed on in advance.

The waiter led them upstairs and led them to a private room before leaving. Ming Huazhang pushed the door open and saw Xie Jichuan, Jiang Ling, and Ren Yao sitting inside.

Jiang Ling heard the voice and turned around and said, "We have finished our meal, you are finally here."

Ren Yao said, "The dishes on the table are getting cold. Let's order a few more."

"Don't bother." Ming Huazhang sat down and said, "Time is urgent, so we need to complete the mission first. I have already told you the mission on the way, and I repeat, what we are looking for is the painting stolen by Zhang Ziyun. Zhang Ziyun was killed in the brothel, and the painting in his cane disappeared. I initially guessed that the painting was taken away by the murderer. Now, we have to go to the brothel where Zhang Ziyun died - Tianxiang Pavilion to investigate. We will split into two groups, one in the open and one in the dark, to find the murderer who killed Zhang Ziyun."

The four nodded. In this situation, it was not difficult to guess that Zhang Ziyun was Zhang San. Ming Huazhang continued to arrange: "Xie Jichuan and I will stay in the dark and sneak into Tianxiang Pavilion to investigate in secret; Jiangling, you, Er Niang, and Ren Yao will stay in Tianxiang Pavilion as guests to attract their attention and cover us when necessary."