Emperor Que Shaohua

Chapter 29 Yu Yujia City

The next morning after returning to Luo City, Luo Pingyuan went to the Jingyu Guard.

Yu Chiyan came up to meet him, with an uneasy expression on his face, and said: "After receiving His Highness's order, my subordinate has not tortured him alive for three days, but he is not allowed to sleep, and interrogated every one or two hours. He stayed up last night. I can’t stop confessing, but when I was drawing the charge, he accidentally took the pen and stabbed my throat with the pen tube to kill myself." He was a little ashamed, "This subordinate is negligent, please punish him."

King Ning frowned slightly, and said, "It's not the fault of Deputy Commander Yuchi that this person wanted to die. So, his confession is useless?"

Yu Chiyan said: "I haven't drawn a bet, I'm afraid it won't be accurate."

Luo Pingyuan thought for a while and asked, "Are there any marks or suspicious things on the assassins?"

Yu Chiyan shook his head: "The subordinates have checked carefully, and there is no such thing as a tattoo or waist plate that can identify their identities, but they all have the same poison hidden in their teeth, so that they can commit suicide after failure."

Luo Pingyuan said: "The well-known killer organizations in Jianghu all have their own logos. Qianye Pavilion has a maple leaf on its shoulder, and Undercurrent has a waist card. None of these killers have it on them. It can be seen that they are not entrusted by Jianghu. Its origin and purpose must be ascertained."

Yu Chiyan said: "This subordinate thinks that Liu Kedu might be able to take action."

Luo Pingyuan took over the confession he brought and browsed through it, and saw the word Donggong not surprisingly.He returned the confession to Yu Chiyan, and said indifferently: "I know that I am unlucky, so I grabbed and bit at random, so I should burn it, so as not to tarnish the reputation of the second emperor." He then asked: "When will Liu Kedu be released? arrive?"

Yu Chiyan said: "At the latest one or two days, we will definitely arrive in Luo City."

Luo Pingyuan stayed in the Jingyu guard for nearly two hours, finished handling the affairs of the past few days, ordered the four personal guards to return to the Jing Palace by themselves, and then rode slowly towards the city alone.

He still had a fresh memory of the directions and roads, and after walking for a while, he saw the front of the small shop in the distance: Chai Ji Tofu Nao.

On the way back from the Wulan paddock, he had already made up his mind to come here as soon as he returned to Los Angeles.What happened nine years ago when he wasn't there.He could no longer bear his ignorance.

King Ning got off his horse in front of the shop, so he couldn’t go through the hall and enter the house like last time. He still remembered the rules that Chai Ming said. After entering the shop, he picked up a table and sat down, ordered a bowl of tofu nao, and waited for the shop assistant to deliver On the last day, he said in a low voice: "Please pass it on from generation to generation, junior Luo Pingyuan asks to see Senior Chai."

The clerk didn't answer after hearing this, but looked him up a bit, then turned around and left.

When the bowl of tofu nao on the table was about to be finished, the waiter came back and bowed to King Ning: "The owner said that the visitor is a guest, so please come in yourself."

Luo Pingyuan then put down five cents of silver on the table, got up, walked through the back hall, and walked into the residence of King Ming of Shoushan Mountain again.

Chai Ming was doing a set of palms under the ancient tree in the courtyard, Luo Pingyuan didn't want to disturb him, so he just stood aside.It is taboo for people in the martial arts to watch from the sidelines while practicing, but since Chai Ming let him in, there is no need to avoid it.He has a great understanding in martial arts, seeing the movement of palms rising and closing, like continuous waves, magnificent waves, he couldn't help but be fascinated: "Good palm technique!"

Chai Ming made Bi the last move, staring at his expression, said indifferently: "You are so young, you can talk casually, what's so good about you?"

"The junior forgets his form for a while and oversteps it." Luo Pingyuan bowed and saluted, "It's just that the senior's tricks are intended to be the first in the palm, and the inner meaning is long. Seeing the strangeness in ordinary times, and returning to the heart, I feel it." He is sincere. Feeling good, the words reveal admiration.

To Chai Ming, compliments are like passing clouds, but Shicai's palm technique was created by him, and after hearing what King Ning said hit the point, he couldn't help feeling a little fond of this young man.

He didn't ask why he came, and said: "You can say this, your understanding is good. Mo Hanshan and my peers are friends, if you like this set of palms, the old man happens to have a flaw today, so how about passing it on to you?"

This is an opportunity that can be met but cannot be sought, if it is normal, Luo Pingyuan will be overjoyed, but at this moment he still has more important things in his heart, if he doesn't figure it out, he will be restless.He lowered his hand and said: "Senior, it's my honor to teach you this, but I really need to clear up my doubts when I come here today. Senior, please allow me to see Yubo."

Chai Ming was displeased: "It's rare for an old man to have fun. How can you take the time to learn the Qianfeng Jingxiu palm? After today, you will never mention it again. What are you looking for Yubo? Ruyan, if you can't even break through this layer, it will be difficult for you to improve in martial arts."

Luo Pingyuan felt that the person in front of him had a dignified aura, he had practiced martial arts for many years, and he was fascinated by the exquisite martial arts.Besides, even if he saw Yubo, would he really know anything?

He calmed down, and saluted again: "If you can't figure out the whole story of Fengyi's accident, this junior will be confused and have trouble sleeping and eating. If your mind is not clear, and you can't tell right from wrong, right from wrong, no matter how many advanced martial arts you have learned, what's the point?" I have no choice but to live up to the kindness of my predecessors, and I hope you will forgive me."

Chai Ming was not angry when he heard the words, he looked at King Ning with a smile on his face for the first time: "That's right, the old man was already disappointed to see that you didn't come for so long, but now it seems that you are okay."

He turned his back, walked towards the backyard, and said slowly: "For people who practice martial arts, it is clear that worldly affairs come first, and martial arts is second. Otherwise, if you use martial arts to do harm and help the evildoers, the higher your cultivation level, the more disaster you will have. If you Only thinking of your own self-interest, ruthless and ungrateful, not only will this old man not teach palm techniques, but maybe he will waste your kung fu. Last time it was your emperor brother present, I see his favor, otherwise you will treat this tofu shop as a joke Did you just come?"

Luo Pingyuan followed behind him, and a thin layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.

He was led to a wing in the backyard, and Chai Ming turned around and left.Luo Pingyuan was sitting alone in the quiet room, and after a while a woman came in through the door, with a slender figure, she was just like Yubo.

She saluted King Ning and said in a low voice, "I have seen His Highness the Fifth Highness." Her voice was still as hoarse as when they met last time.

Luo Pingyuan stood up and faced the old man again. Seeing those scars, he still felt shaken.

"Yubo, you don't need to call me Your Highness. Let's sit down and talk." He said, "Qingluan is still alive or dead. You are the only one who survived Fengyi Palace nine years ago. Tell me, the empress What happened?" He paused, and after some effort he said again: "Why...would she kill Niang Niangniang?"

"His Royal Highness Ning Wang," Yubo still said, "these slaves sometimes think that in this world, only slaves are left to tell the truth about what happened to Empress Langhuan back then. Who is willing to listen? Everyone pours sewage on the empress. She has done so much for Yuzhou and the emperor, and all she has left is innocent injustice. The lord wants the slaves to live well, but if the truth cannot be revealed to the world, Even though I am alive, it is as if I am dead."

She stared at Luo Pingyuan's face: "Yubo still remembers His Highness's appearance back then. He was only eight or nine years old, and both the empress and the lord liked you. Seeing His Highness and the lord coming together that day, the servants really had mixed feelings. The lord should be I won’t say anything, since His Highness wants to ask, Yubo will tell you. It’s just that His Highness has to agree, whether you believe it or not, let the servant finish the sentence.”

Luo Pingyuan's heart became tense, and he tried to keep himself calm: "Okay, let's start from the beginning, those assassins who entered the palace, where did they come from?"

"My servant also remembers that it was snowing heavily that day, but it started a few days ago at the earliest." Yubo said, with an almost bleak tranquility on her face, "At that time, the empress received a top-secret biography from Xiao Youshi. Xiao Youshi has been in Zhaolin, the capital of the Northern Liao Dynasty, for many years, presiding over spying on the enemy and supporting the border guards. After reading this secret letter, the empress's face changed drastically. After thinking for a long time, she ordered the subordinates of Langhuan in the area of ​​Luocheng to Immediately leave Beijing and rush to Shaoan to support Hengdao, especially to guard against traitors in Shaoan city, which is not good for us."

Luo Pingyuan nodded: "What did you say in that letter?"

"The maidservant couldn't help asking at the time, and later in the evening, the empress said that Xiao Youshi intercepted a secret letter in Zhaolin, which was actually written by a concubine in the palace. Provide assistance, help remove obstacles, let her prince succeed to the throne, not only willing to cede the sixteen prefectures of Youyun, but also donate a large amount of gold, silver and cloth every year. In order to show sincerity, a date has been agreed to cooperate with the army of the Northern Liao Dynasty in Shao'an , sent people to open the city gate, and took Shao'an as a gift of alliance. Xiao Youshi knew that the matter was important, so he only informed the situation with flying pigeons. I didn't expect someone to be so frenzied, the most urgent thing is to defend Shao'an first, catch the traitor at the border, and wait for the envoy Xiao You to arrive in Beijing before dealing with the collaborating Concubine Han."

Even though Luo Pingyuan had been prepared for a long time, when he heard the last three words, his face couldn't help but change: "You said Concubine Han Gui, if that's true, how could she become a queen and be prosecuted later?"

"Because there was a traitor in Langhuan, and the news about the Empress's handling of this matter leaked out from Fengyi Palace, letting Concubine Han know about it." Yubo's expression was still calm, but her lower lip was already biting white, "She I understand that when Xiao Youshi arrives in Luocheng, she will have no luck. Of course, the best way is to bite back and put the blame on the empress. We were negligent back then, and the empress has to be distracted every day inside and outside the palace. There are too many things to think about, and I don’t realize that the people around me are no longer the original thoughts, and they are no longer trustworthy. The slaves can’t forget their harm, Wei Wuze, who is so bright, and the concubine who comes to serve the empress every day.”

Luo Pingyuan couldn't bear it any longer, and stood up abruptly: "What evidence do you have to slander my mother and concubine like this?"

His face was stern and his voice was almost trembling, but Yubo was not moved or frightened by it, but looked at the angry King Ning with a complicated expression: "Your Highness Fifth, you don't have to listen or believe me, but this servant is just telling the truth about my experience. There is no lie. The slaves are waiting for justice, so why lie to you." As she spoke, her eyes became distant, as if she had seen the original scene again.

"In the next few days, the empress was very busy, and even A Su who was beside the Lord was sent out. Before obtaining the proof, she had to act in secret. Apart from waiting for Xiao Youshi, she also had to catch the traitor at the border, and she also had to pay attention to Concubine Han's actions. .On the night before the assassin entered the palace, the master went to Fengyi Palace to find his wife, and said that Wei Wuze and his subordinate You Ming had not been ordered to go to Shao'an, and only Xuanshuang had gone. He felt something was wrong. The slaves heard them Discussion, it was already very late at that time, the empress told the Lord not to think too much, and go to the court as usual to deal with state affairs, and let her handle it."

Luo Pingyuan recalled that night, he still dragged and entangled with his elder brother, insisting that Luo Shenhua agree to accompany him to build a snowman the next day.He sat down slowly, and said in a low voice, "What happened after the assassin entered the palace?"

Yubo's eyes were clouded with moisture: "The empress originally ordered Wei Wuze to enter the palace to interrogate at dawn, but there was still no sign of Wei's thief until near noon. Youming did have a sense of resentment at that time, but everyone Unexpectedly, Wei Wuze would have a different heart and betrayal. Most of Langhuan's subordinates in Luocheng had already rushed to the border, so it was difficult to react for a while. The servant girl remembered very clearly that the empress was about to send someone to let the master go back to Fengyi Palace, and there were servants coming one after another According to the report, His Majesty was assassinated, His Majesty was seriously injured, His Royal Highness and the little princess fell into the water and were frightened, and they were all in a coma. Mishaps happened one after another, and all of them needed to be resettled by the empress."

"The servant girl went to Changning Palace with the empress, and the master suffered seven or eight injuries. When the imperial doctor treated them, the basins brought out in the bedroom were full of blood. We watched all night, and the master only woke up once. Then he said to the empress that those assassins are not right, they are all dead soldiers, not like the Beiliao people, but more like from the Western Regions. He finally said, beware of the dark. After hearing this, the empress decided to report to His Majesty Han Guifei's collusion with the enemy immediately. But wait for us When I returned to Fengyi Palace, I found that in the empress's study, Xiao Youshi's biography and the well-received Langhuan Ling were gone. Fifth Highness, you have been sent back at that time, but you have been feverish and lethargic."

Hearing this, Luo Pingyuan took a deep breath, and he already had a rough understanding of what happened afterwards: "The empress suspected that my concubine mother did it, so she was executed in a fit of anger, but is that so?"

Yubo nodded slowly, then shook her head slightly: "Your Majesty ordered people to close the palace gate to investigate, and the maidservant remembered one thing at that time, and said it out: On the second day after receiving the secret letter from Xiao You, Your Majesty When I was resting, I saw Rupin come out of the study room quietly with my own eyes. She explained at the time that she went in to look for it because she was afraid of you running into the study room because of the disappearance of the Fifth Highness."

She paused for a moment: "Your Majesty heard the words, and she retreated from the others, leaving only the slaves and Ruoye to question Rubi in person. Rubi immediately admitted it."

"She admitted it?" Luo Pingyuan asked in disbelief.

"Ru concubine said that both the letter and the Langhuan decree were taken by her, and they have been handed over to those who need them, and they will be used to the fullest." Yubo said, "Your Highness, do you know what else she said at that time?" Speaking of which, A shuddering hatred flashed across her face: "She knelt down and said: 'Miss, suzerain, empress, your doom is imminent, Rubi bids farewell to you, and will no longer serve you in the future. , when you set off on the road, the servants will definitely come to visit you." Yubo still remembers the smug and sarcastic look on her face."

Luo Pingyuan felt chills all over his body when he heard it, and when he was alone with Rupin when he was a child, it's not that he had never heard his mother and concubine utter resentful and sneering words in a soft voice, which was completely different from the usual tactful catering in front of people.He grabbed the armrest of the seat: "I don't believe it! The queen is dead, what good is it for my concubine mother? Everyone knows that she followed the queen into the palace, and she was also born in Langhuan. What kind of favor can Concubine Han promise? To make her willing to do something like this...?" He really didn't want to describe what Yubo said was like a concubine's deeds, so he could only mention it indiscriminately.

"Your Highness Fifth, don't you really understand?" Yubo said, "She is for you. Do you know how stupid she is in the eyes of Concubine Han? Just pretend to be caring and considerate, and promise to let her be the Palace Mistress in the future If she can raise you personally, Rupin will betray her mother who has been taking care of her. Concubine Han Guifei said that the lord will use her status to suppress you in the future, and she will only treat you as a servant. She and the people who were good to you, including her own life, were betrayed and buried. The empress did not kill her. At that time, the empress just let us leave and wanted to have a few words with Rupin alone. It was Wei Wuze who actually killed Rupin .”

Luo Pingyuan felt his head buzzing, and Yubo's words hit his ears like a heavy hammer:

"It was the queen who killed Rupin. I saw it with my own eyes. I didn't see Wei Wuze at all!" He heard himself say, as if denying it loudly could overturn everything he heard.Memories surged up wave after wave, and gradually merged with Yubo's narrative. The only breaking point he could find was the scene where the queen drew her sword.

"The slaves are indeed not present, I don't know what kind of scene His Highness the Fifth Highness witnessed." Seeing his expression, Yubo said softly, "But the empress told the slaves later that Wei Wuze killed him. With him coming, Concubine Han would not be able to enter the closed Fengyi Palace. The empress will not lie to her servants, and if the concubine dies, the empress will not be able to tell the whereabouts of Langhuanling and her grievances , the only one who gets the benefits is Concubine Han Gui."

Luo Pingyuan sat blankly, indeed he only saw the queen draw her sword.After a long while, he reluctantly asked: "What about Xiao Suyu? Didn't he return to Luocheng from Beiliao, why no one mentioned him?"

Yubo lowered her eyes, and her body felt numbness caused by constant grief: "Later, your majesty was accused, and your majesty came down, and threw a letter on your mother's face, insulting her angrily. This servant will always remember your empress's expression at that time." If she hadn't been thinking about the lord, she wouldn't have tried to defend her anymore, but His Majesty wouldn't listen. The Fengyi Palace was sealed off, and the empress sat there for three days without saying a word. There were many guards outside, and we The only hope is the letter in Xiao Youshi’s hand, and Shao’an’s progress. But Xiao Youshi has never heard from him. On the fourth night, the emperor sent someone to send a cup of poisoned wine, a white silk, and a handle. Sword, and then Concubine Han came, and she said to the empress that Xiao Youshi participated in the conspiracy, resisted arrest and committed the murder, and was killed on the spot. Shao'an fell because of the Langhuan rebellion. She also said: "Your Majesty does not want to see you again. Jiang Biyao , do you know where you really lost, half of the country and half of the country, which king can tolerate others taking half of the country, the more dedicated you are, the more taboo you will be, so as long as I give the emperor a reasonable reason, he will be right You are ruthless. I respect you as a person, and I specially pleaded with His Majesty to give you a good time. You should be grateful.'"

"Your Majesty listened in silence, and only asked one question, how is your lord? Concubine Han smiled at her and said, if your lord dies, your lord may still have a chance to live. Please rest assured, your lord, she will definitely remember her old friend." Love, good life to take care of care."

Luo Pingyuan stumbled out of Chai Ming's residence and walked through the lobby of the tofu shop. In just one afternoon, it seemed that he had exhausted all his strength and willpower, so he didn't run away from the door or yell at Yubo.He was actually still asking, and then forced himself to listen to Yubo's answer.The cold despair in my heart continued to expand, and many details could not be made up unless I experienced it myself.

At this moment, her parting voice seemed to be echoing in her ears: "His Royal Highness Ning, the lord is really difficult. Yubo tried her best to blame and tell all this, not only for the sake of the innocence of the empress, but also for the sake of the lord. The empress raised you Ten years, I only hope that you can still remember how well she and the lord treated you. Every time I look back on the past, I feel very regretful. If I saw Rubi stealing into the study, I would carefully interrogate and report, maybe everything can be saved But I hope His Royal Highness the Fifth Highness can distinguish right from wrong, don't be like a servant girl, only regretting all day long when the time passes."

Luo Pingyuan led the horse and walked slowly on the street, he didn't even notice that the sky was getting dark.The twilight is like smoke, blending into the vast night sky, and his heart seems to have sunk into the boundless night, unwilling to wake up, unwilling to face the majestic and beautiful Chonghua Palace, the heavy curtains and deep palace walls seem to be pressing on him. In my heart, it was too heavy to bear, it was my concubine's sin, and it was also my destiny that I had to bear.Her mother and concubine are both victims and perpetrators.

Many fragments of memories are flying in front of his eyes. The Queen, Rupin, and Fengyi Palace are where he came from. If he ever had a home, it is only there. He has guarded his own in the ruins of memories all these years. Resentment is like a chick guarding its last eggshell, which is the only comfort and self-deception he wants to keep.Empress Langhuan was wronged, Han Guifei wins over Ru concubine inside and Wei Wuze outside, is that so?What happened to the blood test? Why did Rupin make such an irreversible choice.

He walked in a daze, and before his eyes were not the streets and alleys of Los Angeles, but the palaces of the past.The quiet and gentle queen, the emperor brother with a soft smile, the court maid who shuttles back and forth, the charming and lively Ruoye, the quiet and elegant Yubo, Guan He who loyally follows the emperor brother; Silly paranoia has brewed a cavity of resentment over the long time.

He walked for an unknown amount of time without knowing the direction, and finally walked back to Prince Jing's Mansion.He didn't even notice that the gatekeeper came over and led the horse to salute.

Turning around the hill, the lotus in the lake was in full bloom, and the faint fragrance of the lotus came from far away from the lakeside, elegant and fresh, so gentle that it was almost painful, just like the care King Jing gave it these days.

The candles of Lancangju were faintly ahead, Luo Pingyuan didn't have the courage to go there, so he walked to the small octagonal pavilion by the lake and sat down. When he first arrived here, King Jing used to sit in the pavilion and play the piano.How did you treat him then?

I also heard that Prince Jing's mansion was in disrepair earlier and was desolate everywhere, but Brother Huang planted brocade-like flowers on top of the dilapidated buildings.

The night wind was blowing, Luo Pingyuan looked at the graceful lotus in the lake, and when he came back to his senses, he felt the wetness on his face.He buried his face in his palm and said in a low voice: "Mother Concubine, how could you do this, what do you want me to do now?"