Fu Chulin asked two questions, and Yuan Siyi immediately spit out a name after hearing it. He didn't know whether the answer was "If the emperor's grandson is not dead, where is he?" or "Someone went to find Zhang Xuan."
"My grandpa made a brilliant plan and it is this boy." Fu Chulin said: "When I rushed to Zhongnan Mountain, I happened to see Xue Bai coming down from the entrance of Chiyu."
"You saw him, did he see you?"
"I didn't see it. I was feeling sick in my stomach at the time and hid myself in the forest. Besides, he saw me dressed as a commoner, so how could he recognize me? He would have thought I was just a traveling merchant."
Fu Chulin was very sure about this. After all, he was not as conspicuous as Xue Bai. He was just an ordinary eunuch among the countless eunuchs in the palace. He had never had contact with Xue Bai in the past. This was not something he had discovered during this trip.
The biggest secret, he lowered his voice and continued to talk about his experience.
"When I climbed the mountain and found the place where Zhang Xuan lived in seclusion, I found that Zhang Xuan had been silenced by Xue Bai first, and all the paintings left by Zhang Xuan had been destroyed by Xue Bai. In addition, Xue Bai's saddle
There is a scroll hanging on it, which must be an important item he took away from Zhang Xuan..."
Yuan Siyi narrowed his eyes and saw clues from Fu Chulin's expression. Fu Chulin was obviously a step late, but in words he described the matter as his great discovery.
Back to the matter itself, why did Xue Bai get involved in such secret affairs of the Tian family, even at the expense of killing people to silence them? What on earth is he hiding?
An idea immediately came to Yuan Siyi's mind, like a piece of driftwood floating on the water, but he couldn't press it down.
"I was not deeply involved in the case of the three common people, but I remember that the child did die that year. Gao Lishi and Chen Xuanli personally disposed of the body. It must have been buried in Tanshan, Fuping County."
"Then...maybe it's just a fake thing?"
"How can we still find out after so many years?" Yuan Siyi murmured.
He casually flipped through the documents that Li Linfu reviewed before he died, and found that although Zhang Xuan's picture of Concubine Xue holding her son was also freehand, in just a few strokes, it outlined Concubine Xue's temperament so well that he recognized it at a glance.
It turns out this is Concubine Xue.
When he put this painting together with the map of the burial place, he suddenly had an idea.
"There is a way."
"Grandma, what do you mean?"
"This is the appearance of the emperor's grandson Li Qian." Yuan Siyi pointed to the picture and said: "You only need to use this painting to ask the person who buried the body, and you will naturally know whether the person who died that year was the real emperor's grandson."
Fu Chulin couldn't help but admire it and asked: "How can we know who buried the body back then?"
"You go find Chen Xuanli..."
Halfway through the words, Yuan Siyi shook his head and said, "No, I'll go find him and ask him personally."
~~
Haitang Tang Palace.
After Yang Yuhuan took a nap, she thought that today was Chinese Valentine's Day, but she had not yet gone to the Palace of Eternal Life to fulfill her vow, so she asked the maid: "Where is the saint?"
"The saint summoned Yuan Zai, and they had a lively conversation. He was about to give him a banquet."
"That's because this flower-and-bird envoy has been successful in his work and won the Holy Heart." Yang Yuhuan sarcastically said.
She has a fierce and jealous temper. Normally she would inevitably have a fight, but today she was not interested. In fact, she could not really care about the saint finding a new love, nor could she stop him. It was just for fun.
Too much is not enough. People in the world say that she is the only one favored by the saints, as if the saint is the only one who loves her, but people ignore the countless beauties that the Flower and Bird Envoy pays tribute to every year.
Her mind suddenly turned around, and she inexplicably thought of the poem she heard last night, "The cold autumn light of silver candles paints the screen, and the small light fan flutters the fireflies." She was sure that Xue Bai wrote it from the perspective of a Yeting palace maid, and there was a vague sense of loneliness.
The desolation of resentment is also the fate she fears most.
I remember that on Chinese Valentine's Day that year, she made a wish in the Palace of Eternal Life. She should have revealed this fear... so did Xue Bai write it in the poem?
Yang Yuhuan turned over and dispelled such nonsense thoughts. She knew that in this life she could only serve the old king, and the freedom to fall in love with handsome young men only belonged to those lucky girls.
Although she is a noble concubine, she considers herself to be a woman who has encountered many misfortunes.
"Are there any fireworks to watch today?" Yang Yuhuan did not dwell on her misfortune, but deliberately indulged her playfulness, "Go and ask Abai, if you can make it."
"Slave, go and ask now."
Over there, Zhang Yunrong came over and said softly: "Your Majesty, Du Qiuniang has entered the palace. She has made Qiqiao cake and sent it to you."
Du Qiuniang was a disciple of Yang Yuhuan. Because she was favored by Chen Xuanli, Li Longji took the initiative and rewarded Du Qiuniang to Chen Xuanli. Although Yang Yuhuan was dissatisfied that the disciples he taught personally were being sent around like objects, there was nothing he could do about it.
Fortunately, Chen Xuanli dotes on Du Qiuniang very much. Taking advantage of this matter, Yang Yuhuan also used Du Qiuniang's ears from time to time to inquire about the affairs of the Longwu Army General's Mansion, so that he could easily grasp the saint's whereabouts.
This was the most strictly forbidden thing for the concubines in the palace. Once discovered, there would be serious consequences. Yang Yuhuan enjoyed doing it because of the danger it contained.
That day, she took the Qiqiao cake from Du Qiuniang's hand and asked, "The saint has been a little worried these days. Does General Chen know why?"
"The general has never mentioned this matter in private. He is not a man of many words."
The news that Du Qiuniang could hear was often eavesdropped when others were talking to Chen Xuanli. For example, today, she took a huge risk to find out something.
"Disciple is here today to ask your concubine to be careful."
"how?"
Du Qiuniang stepped forward and whispered: "Superintendent Yuan came to see the general early in the morning. When I was serving tea, I heard him mention Wu Huaishi."
Wu Huaishi's case led to the death of the longevity king Li Long, and Yang Yuhuan was almost implicated. Therefore, after Du Qiuniang heard the three words "Wu Huaishi", she ignored Chen Xuanli's instructions to retreat and went around to the back of the hall to eavesdrop for a long time.
Yang Yuhuan sat there and listened, the curiosity in his eyes gradually turned into seriousness, and a little panic.
The matter was complicated, but she understood it. Almost two years after Wu Huaishi's death, Yuan Siyi finally believed the ridiculous things he said. The son of the deposed prince Li Ying who was accidentally killed might not be dead, and might be Xue
Bai, and Yuan Siyi also found a way to confirm this.
"This is a secret. You must not tell anyone else. Remember it."
Yang Yuhuan told Du Qiuniang to go back and pretend that nothing happened, and then sent someone to summon Xie Aman.
"Go to Third Sister's place and talk to Xue Baiyan..."
In the middle of speaking, Yang Yuhuan thought that the matter was confidential and should not be passed on by others, so he changed the topic and said: "Tell Xue Bai that you must bring fireworks to present. I have something urgent to tell him."
Xie Aman listened and said with a smile: "Is your concubine planning to deceive Lang Xue in order to watch the fireworks?"
"Just take it as such, you have to bring him into the palace no matter what, even if you have to tie him up." Yang Yuhuan stood up without explaining, holding the ribbon, "I'll go to Yangsheng and watch the fireworks tonight. If he
Not to come is to deceive the king."
~~
Li Longji also likes fireworks, but not because he likes to see the dazzling brilliance, but because the fireworks can add color to his dazzling achievements.
He had a dream this morning, in which he dreamed that Gao Xianzhi defeated Dashi, took the black flag as a trophy, and sent it to Chang'an together with the captive King Dashi. During the prisoner presentation ceremony, fireworks filled the sky.
.
Now he increasingly believed that he had been favored by heaven, and felt that the dream was a sign and that victory was inevitable. After waking up, he temporarily put this matter behind him and enjoyed the beauty sent by Yuan Zaijin.
He was very satisfied with the service, so he summoned the new flower and bird envoy to encourage him.
There were many ministers in the court, and no matter how outstanding they were in their positions, the chance of being called by a saint was very rare. Yuan Zai seized this opportunity and made many witty remarks during the audience, which made Li Longji very happy and ordered a banquet.
At this time, the palace people reported that the imperial concubine asked to see him.
Li Longji laughed loudly and smiled with Yuan Zai: "Taizhen has always been jealous, and he is here to cause trouble for you, the flower and bird envoy."
"Then, I will resign?"
"Why retreat?" Li Longji said with a straight face, "You have to bear Taizhen's anger for me."
Yuan Zai was stunned for a moment, then saw the narrow-mindedness in the saint's eyes, and realized that this was another joke. He quickly smiled bitterly and said: "I am scared."
He felt that the saint was really a wonderful person. Not only was he unprecedentedly wise, he was also approachable.
Not long after, Yang Yuhuan arrived, but she was not looking for trouble. She didn't even look at Yuan Zai, she just looked at Li Longji and said, "Sanlang, it will get dark soon. I want to see the fireworks."
Li Longji, on the other hand, could understand the difficulty of making fireworks and said: "Fireworks are not easy to make. Xue Bai probably doesn't have many on hand, and there are only a few days left before the Qianqiu Festival..."
But while he was talking, he saw Yang Yuhuan's pitiful look, and immediately waved his hand and said with great pride: "Let it go! I summoned Xue Bai into the palace and told him how many fireworks he still had in his hand to show to Taizhen."
"
"Sanlang is so nice."
Yuan Zai hung his head aside. Seeing this scene, he once again realized the gap between him and Xue Bai. He acted as a messenger of flowers and birds and selected the peerless beauties to present to the palace. He could only be regarded as doing better than ordinary people; and what Xue Bai said
What he does is something that no one else can do. It is unique in the world, so he can be valued by saints and noble concubines.
If nothing unexpected happens, tonight will be another feast, and Li Longji is ready to enjoy this relaxation and pleasure.
But occasionally, something unexpected would happen. Yang Guozhong once again sent a memorial stating that he "did not dare to specialize". When Li Longji opened it, his face instantly darkened.
"Is this true?" His tone was like the weather before a rainstorm, dull and faintly containing thunder.
Yang Guozhong quickly lowered his head and replied: "I have sent a post to Anxi for confirmation. It may take some time..."
Before he could finish his words, the memorial hit him on the head.
Li Longji angrily scolded: "How did you become the prime minister?!"
In his eyes, the most inferior thing about Yang Guozhong compared to Li Linfu was that he could not handle all political affairs on his own and allow him to delegate power with peace of mind, but now he was doing such a terrible thing to give him a headache.
"My minister... Gao Xianzhi is domineering and does not obey my orders." Yang Guozhong had no choice but to put all the blame on Gao Xianzhi.
Li Longji said angrily: "Summon the military envoy here and I will question you personally."
Seeing this situation, Yang Yuhuan did not dare to disturb him anymore and quietly exited the hall.
She knew that the saint was in a bad mood and it was not appropriate to set off any more fireworks. But just because the saint was in a bad mood and she could not let what Yuan Siyi was investigating be revealed, she sent someone to urge Xue Bai to enter the palace.
~~
Xue Bai was painting with Yan Yan and Li Tengkong that day, and what he painted was last night's fireworks.
Both of them are good at calligraphy and painting. Among them, Yan Yan is good at painting, which Xue Bai has known for a long time, while Li Tengkong is good at painting, which Xue Bai gradually understood after talking about Li Sixun in the past few days.
He increasingly felt that Li Tengkong was a treasure with many things to discover.
"Sister Xiaoxian's painting is more like a lantern market." Yan Yan glanced at Li Tengkong's painting and said.
Xue Bai looked around and saw that Li Tengkong's painting not only had willow treetops, but also lanterns. Above the painting lanterns were the fireworks like stars and rain. With just one glance, he understood her thoughts, and Li Tengkong also felt it.
When I saw his eyes, my ears turned red.
The two of them have recently been testing the boundaries of their relationship. When they want to stick together the most, Xue Bai can't help but think that he might be able to go to her house tonight...
It was at this time that Xie Aman arrived.
After hearing what she conveyed, Xue Bai didn't think that Yang Yuhuan was deceiving him to watch the fireworks. He had given her many gifts, but he had never seen Yang Yuhuan use such roundabout ways to ask for them before.
It is done openly and honestly.
"There is indeed another firework, so I will bring it into the palace."
The fireworks Xue Bai brought today were actually bigger than those last night, but when he entered Huaqing Palace, he learned that the saint was discussing important government affairs and it was not inconvenient to disturb them.
He then asked Gao Lishi: "I am from Zhongshushe. Did the saint call me to draw up an edict?"
From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to participate in military affairs rather than just being summoned for fun. However, the only reply he received was a cold "The saint was not summoned."
After waiting until dark, Xie Aman came over again and said that the imperial concubine had fulfilled her wish in the Palace of Eternal Life. After fulfilling her wish, she couldn't wait to see the fireworks, so she asked Xue Bai to take the fireworks to Xixiuling to set off.
"The terrain there is high, so it looks good when placed there."
"But……"
"Xue Lang, there is no need to be helpless. The saint has already agreed. The imperial concubine has already set off to climb the mountain. Go quickly."
Xie Aman was very excited and wanted to reach out and snatch the fireworks from Xue Bai's hand.
When I revisited my old place, I found that several palace walls had been built on Xixiuling, and the guards were tighter than before.
When Xue Bai climbed the mountain, he saw that all the female crowns in the Palace of Eternal Life had heard the news and were crowded in front of the palace gate, waiting expectantly. They cheered when they saw him coming.
"The fireworks artist is here."
Xie Aman was afraid that Xue Bai would be surrounded by them, so he quickly led Xue Bai to the observatory nearby.
The observatory is built very high. Once you climb up, you can overlook the Huaqing Palace. It is indeed the best place to set off fireworks.
"The dangerous building is a hundred feet high. You can pick the stars with your hands. You dare not speak loudly for fear of frightening the heavens."
"Xue Lang also likes Taibai's poems?" Zhang Yunrong, who had been waiting on the observatory for a long time, said with some surprise after listening to Xue Bai's poems.
She really didn't speak loudly, lowered her voice, handed a fire certificate to Xie Aman, and said: "In a moment, you can light the fireworks. The imperial concubine has something important to tell Xue Lang, I will take him away for a while."
After hearing the first sentence, Xie Aman was very surprised at first. When she heard the next sentence, her face became strange. When she thought about it, what else could happen to the concubine who went through so much trouble to see Xue Bai secretly?
"yes."
Taking the fire certificate, she responded in a low voice, staring at Xue Bai's back, secretly wondering what was so good about him that so many women liked him.
Led by Zhang Yunrong, Xue Bai came down from the small ladder on the other side of the observatory and went around to the back of the Hall of Eternal Life. A small door was opened. He went in quietly and turned into the Hall of Eternal Life.
This time, the interior of the Hall of Eternal Life was brighter than last time.
Yang Yuhuan was kneeling in front of the divine case with his hands clasped together. When he saw Xue Bai coming, he quickly got up and went behind the curtain, beckoned him to come closer, and told Zhang Yunrong to go out and watch.
She was wearing the underskirt that he gave her. She was so beautiful that she moved so furtively that people couldn't help but think that she had invited him here for a date.
Xue Bai took a few steps forward, feeling like Altair had crossed the Milky Way and met Vega.
"Sister."
"You're here."
Only then did Yang Yuhuan think of the poem that Xue Bai had recited here, "Slender clouds make tricks, flying stars spread hatred." After calming down, he remembered what he was about to say.
She then said in the tone of a sister lecturing her brother: "You are in trouble again, you know?"
"Please give me some advice, sister."
"Tell me first, is there anything you haven't told me?"
"There are many." Xue Bai asked: "Which one do you want to know?"
"Your life experience."
"I am Xue Xiu's adopted son. As expected, I will be the son of a commoner, one of the working people."
"I don't believe it." Yang Yuhuan said, "Wu Huaishi said that you are the emperor's grandson. There are only you and me here today. Do you dare to be honest with me?"
Xue Bai shook his head and said: "I am not the emperor's grandson."
To Li Tengkong, he said this out of trust; to Yang Yuhuan, he said this out of caution. Yang Yuhuan's identity was too complicated, and he didn't think she could keep his secret.
Yang Yuhuan had already trusted Xue Bai once, but she no longer believed him this time. She said leisurely: "But this time you are being targeted by Yuan Siyi again. I don't know why they are always interested in your life experience."
Xue Bai thought about it and asked: "Does Yuan Siyi have evidence?"
"I can tell you." Yang Yuhuan turned around and picked up the wine bottle, poured two glasses, held it up, and handed one glass to him. At the same time, he said: "But the premise is that I have to make sure that what you are doing is not taking advantage of me.
.”
It is a great honor for a noble concubine to give Xue Bai a glass of wine. Usually only famous generals who have made great achievements can have such an honor at the imperial banquet. But tonight, Yang Yuhuan seemed not to intend to just give Xue Bai a glass of wine, but rather to make him drunk.
Him, forcing him to tell the truth.
Xue Bai hesitated for a moment, took the wine glass, held it in his hand, and muttered: "I will never harm my sister, and I will do my best for her. I can swear this."
"I need to know your purpose." Yang Yuhuan had already drank her glass of wine, "Drink."
Xue Bai had no choice but to raise his glass and drink it all in one gulp. He found that the wine was very choking. After one glass of wine, he felt a surge of warmth. His body felt warm and his head felt a little dizzy.
The next moment, Yang Yuhuan took another cup and handed it to him.
"Drink."
"I can only drink so much."
"No matter. Otherwise, you will let Yuan Siyi get killed, and you won't even think about me helping you."
"Sister, don't worry, I'm not the emperor's grandson. Yuan Siyi can't find any evidence to kill me."
"Let's talk after drinking, unless you don't believe me."
Xue Bai looked around and saw that the alluring face was very close. Yang Yuhuan was so beautiful that he was not as confident as usual in his determination, so he couldn't help but take a step back. But she was approaching again, and he had no way to retreat.
I retreated and had another drink.
"Say it."
Yang Yuhuan's voice was pleasant, as if she was bewitching him.
"You are the son of the deposed prince Li Ying, right? You survived by chance and got the teachings of Zhang Jiuling, He Zhizhang and other famous ministers, and wanted to regain the throne. So you approached my third sister and took advantage of me, right?"
Xue Bai didn't answer, and sat on the ground against the pillar, his eyes blurred.
Yang Yuhuan looked down and saw a blush on his handsome face, completely different from usual.
Inexplicably, she reached out and pinched his face.
"Have you and my third sister, Yang Yuyao, slept together?"
"Yao Niang? Hmm."
"Did you and Li Qiniang sleep together?"
Xue Bai shook his head, slightly distressed, and said, "No...she's too shy."
Yang Yuhuan couldn't help but chuckle and asked again: "Are you the emperor's grandson Li Qian?"
"no."
"Then who are your parents?"
"They are just the most ordinary people." Xue Bai closed his eyes and murmured: "I miss them very much..."
Yang Yuhuan was stunned, bit his lower lip in annoyance, and said to himself: "You have always been cunning, I don't believe you."
She was not sure whether Xue Bai was really drunk or fake. She rolled her eyes and said: "Well, you also know that I have no children. If you are really the emperor's grandson, I may not be able to help you and recognize you as a good man."
Sun."
"It's really not true."
"Can you prove it?"
With that said, she patted Xue Bai's face again.
Xue Bai opened his eyes, and where he looked, he saw plump red lips.
He felt his cheeks were hot and his head was also hot, and he whispered: "Sister."
It was just two words, but it was inexplicably full of some kind of emotion. Yang Yuhuan felt his heart numb when he heard it. He understood that he wanted to kiss him to prove that he was not a good grandson.
The flask fell on the blanket, the liquor spilled out, and the air became hazy with drunkenness.
"Boom - bang -"
Suddenly, the window was lit up by fireworks.
Yang Yuhuan came back to her senses and turned around to look, but she could only see the fireworks she had been thinking about through the window paper.
"You are awesome, I can't find out your details..."
"Boom - bang -"
The fireworks went off again, for a long time. Xue Bai was still drunk, but he felt much more comfortable.
He admired Yang Yuhuan unscrupulously in the flickering light, looking at her raised profile face. His eyes were deep, as if filled with thousands of years of curiosity, regret, exploration, love, complaint, sympathy...
He has been a human being for two lifetimes, and all his impressions of Yang Yuhuan have only materialized at this moment.
It wasn't until the world was quiet that Yang Yuhuan looked back and smiled.
"As my sworn brother, at least you still follow my wishes."
However, before she finished speaking, she actually heard Xue Bai reciting a poem softly.
"The Emperor of the Han Dynasty was obsessed with beauty and wanted to overwhelm the country. He couldn't get it from Yu Yu for many years."
"There is a daughter in the Yang family who has just grown up. She was raised in a boudoir and no one knows her."
"It's hard to give up on natural beauty. Once you choose it, you will be on the side of the king."
"Look back and smile with all your beauty. The pink and white in the Sixth Palace have no color."
"..."
Yang Yuhuan was stunned. She forgot that she was also sitting on her knees and looking at Xue Bai face to face. She forgot that he was looking at her face blankly, and she forgot that the wine on the carpet had soaked her.
skirt.
She just listened to this long poem and suddenly understood where Xue Bai's inexplicable affection for her came from.
Her feelings were not wrong. He was filled with an indescribable emotion for her that was deeper than the love between a man and a woman. Sometimes she thought it was sympathy, sometimes she thought it was closeness, and sometimes she thought it was admiration. But no matter what, tonight she
It is certain that he treats her differently from everyone else in the world.
Otherwise, how could I write such a poem.
Just like he once said, "It takes a thousand years for a beautiful woman to meet", this poem also seems to condense a thousand years.
"..."
"The blue clouds are rising from the heights of Li Palace, and the wind of fairy music can be heard everywhere."
Just when I thought about this, Zhang Yunrong suddenly ran over and interrupted the meeting.
"Your Majesty, time is running out. I have to send Xue Lang away."
Yang Yuhuan only felt his heart being pinched, thinking that he hadn't finished reading the poem yet.
After that, she remembered that there was something important that she had not told Xue Bai. She looked around anxiously, picked up a glass of cold water, and poured it directly on Xue Bai's face.
~~
Fuping County, Tanshan.
In mid-July, the wheat field at the foot of the mountain was already golden, and the heavy wheat ears bent the wheat stalks.
In a farmhouse next to a wheat field, a farmer was sharpening his sickle, while his plump wife was mending sacks, making final preparations before the harvest.
Their two sons and daughters were chasing each other and playing, singing strange songs.
"I came from the mountains and brought orchids and grass..."
From a distance, five knights came galloping towards them. They ran straight to the house and then stopped the reins.
"Hush!"
The horse's hoof kicked away the pebbles, and the wheat under the horse's hoof fell between the rocks and soil.
The farmer sharpening his knife turned his head and glanced at the wheat without saying a word.
"Lu Shishi, is that you?!" The knight on horseback looked at the farmer and asked, "The handyman of Beiya more than ten years ago now has a house, farmland, and children."
"It's a villain."
"I am here to ask you something by your noble order."
Lu Shishi put down the sickle in his hand and responded respectfully: "Can I ask how it works?"
"Did you bury a child back then and have been ordered to guard the tomb here?"
"yes."
"You have good eyesight, come up and take a look."
Lu Shiwu hunched his back, pointed to his house, and said: "It's useful, why don't you go inside and drink a glass of water, and let me take a look at it slowly."
"That's fine."
The five knights dismounted and walked into the house.
Lu Shiwu timidly stepped aside, took the hands of his wife and children, and hid aside.
After a while, shouts, slashing sounds, and screams rang out in the house.
"Bold, do you know who I am?!"
"puff."
"puff."
"Let's go!"
Soon, the knight who had just asked the question stumbled out, dripping with blood. Every time he dragged his injured leg forward, blood dripped onto the ground.
Then, a tall man with a scar on his face walked out slowly, grinning from time to time, raising the Mo Dao in his hand, and not forgetting to say hello to Lu Shishi.
"Cover the children's eyes."
Lu Shiwu quickly followed the instructions.
The man then walked up behind the knight and chopped off the sword in his hand neatly.
"puff."
A head rolled past and blood dripped on the ground next to the wheat grains.
"Five."
The murderous man shouted into the room: "Just put the painting away."
"Take it, let's go, take the witness with you."
Someone came out of the room, speaking with a strong Longyou accent, and holding a scroll wrapped in cloth.
"Where's the body?"
"Keep it."
This time, their way of dealing with the danger was so simple and crude, as if they were afraid that the matter would not cause a big enough fuss and that the enemy's suspicions would not be deep enough...