On the day of the assassination, at an "appropriate" hour, a certain caravan passed the road.
When the prefect of Huzhou City personally brought a group of yamen to the scene, what he saw was: twenty corpses lying on the official road, their fur stained red with blood, lying on the side of the road. There was also a carriage far away from the corpse, which was broken into pieces. In front of the fragments of the carriage lay the corpse of a horse with a dagger stuck in its butt. frightened horses and brought them back.
"Have you found someone?" The Huzhou Prefect trembled as he walked towards the returning yamen.
"Master, we only found three frightened horses, and we brought them back. Other than that, we didn't see anyone."
Hearing the yamen's answer, the prefect of Huzhou's legs went weak and fell to the ground.
"My lord, my lord, it doesn't matter!"
"Look, send me all the personnel, look for it along the road, be sure to find it."
"Yes!" The yamen ordered to disperse.
The prefect of Huzhou looked desperately at the pool of dried blood, and shouted desperately, "My life is over!"
Then, rolling his eyes, he couldn't stand the blow and fainted.
That night, the prefect of Huzhou, who had been unsuccessful in his search, finally had to accept the "reality" and ordered his master to draw up a book, and personally took the book to Beijing to report the situation overnight.
The eldest princess was assassinated in the territory under his jurisdiction, and the whereabouts of the prince together with the prince of Pingyang Hou are unknown. Now, this trip to Beijing may be a life-threatening trip, and His Royal Highness Prince Yong can't protect himself...
It's a pity that I gave away those white flowers. I knew it would be like this today. At the beginning, he wouldn't say anything, and he bought the prefect of Huzhou. I want to die with me...
On the third day after Li Xian "disappeared", Li Zhao received a report from the prefect of Huzhou. At that time, Li Zhao had already slept in Concubine De's bedroom. The chief eunuch saw that the situation was urgent and took Li Zhao from the dragon bed. called.
After Li Zhao took the report presented by the eunuch, blood rushed to the top of his head immediately, "Huo" lifted the quilt and got up from the dragon bed with a "smack" and gave the chief eunuch a mouth, and twisted the eunuch's fan on the spot. He circled and fell to the ground.
Seeing this posture, Concubine De immediately kept silent, until Li Zhao walked out of the bedroom angrily, before she dared to recruit a palace maid to wait on her and get up.
Li Zhao strode to the front of the prefect of Huzhou, who was kneeling on the ground. No matter where he was, he kicked his feet.
The poor prefect of Huzhou was not too young, plus he had to travel day and night for three days, and he was frightened along the way.
Li Zhao looked at the Huzhou prefect who was lying on the ground and still couldn't breathe, and said to the guards beside him: "Drag this dog out to the widow and chop it up, execute it immediately, and pass on the decree. All the property of the Huzhou prefect will be confiscated, fourteen years old. All the males above were beheaded, and those under the age of fourteen who were exiled to Yizhou to repair the city wall had to die, and the females became officials and prostitutes, and their three clans were not allowed to serve for life.”
"Yes!"
The guard got the order and dragged out the unconscious Huzhou prefect swiftly, with his head low, for fear of angering the emperor's Tianwei, and he didn't know what mistake the Huzhou prefect made to make His Majesty so serious. 's will.
And the official who recorded the words and deeds of the emperor also wiped his sweat silently beside him, and wrote quickly:
In the twenty-eighth year of Yuanding, autumn, September thirteenth, the emperor was furious...
The poor prefect of Huzhou spent all his wealth to please King Yong to get such a position. Now that his ass has not been hot, he came to the capital day and night, and was beheaded in a coma.
Concubine De also came out of the bedroom at this time, and she had already understood the general situation from the mouth of the chief eunuch.
Concubine De is one of the few concubines in the deep palace who can bear her own title. She is indeed very virtuous. She had a good relationship with Li Qingcheng when Li Qingcheng was still alive. Concubine De had two children. The son, the prince Li Huan, was sixteen years old, and he should have taken the title of prince to the fief after a while. The second son, Li Pei, was twelve years old.
But Concubine De did not compete for favor on the basis of the wealth of her sons, and sat last among the four concubines.
Concubine De came behind Li Zhao, put a black cloak on Li Zhao's body, and said softly: "Your Majesty, it is autumn, and the night is dewy, so please take care of the dragon's body."
Hearing Concubine De's voice, Li Zhao's face softened, and he turned around and said, "Xian'er was assassinated, along with Li Zhong, the prince of the Marquis of Pingyang, disappeared together, let the people know who has such courage, and the people insisted cut him alive."
Hearing Li Zhao's words, Concubine De smiled bitterly, who is it? Still guessing? Deliberately attacking a princess who has lived in the deep palace for a long time, is there anyone else besides the ones you love, but Concubine De understands that there are some things she should say and some things she should not say.
Moreover, Concubine De was convinced that Li Zhao was not confused. How many of those who could sit on that throne were confused? The means they are using now are probably all the rest of the way that His Majesty played in the past. Concubine De does not believe that Li Zhao has no idea, but she doesn't mind accompany Li Zhao to pretend to be confused.
Concubine De lightly patted Li Zhao's chest, which was obviously heaving due to anger, looked at Li Zhao's gray hair, and comforted: "Your Majesty, it is important to take care of the dragon's body, the concubine thinks, it is good news that no one is found."
"Well..." Li Zhao held Concubine De in his arms and looked at the Changxin Palace lantern at the entrance of the hall, wondering what he was thinking.
Almost at the same time, even earlier than Li Zhao's side, the news of Li Xian's assassination and disappearance spread to the various houses.
The King of Qi, the King of Chu, the King of Yong, the Marquis of Pingyang...
The information about Li Xian's assassination and disappearance was immediately obtained.
After reading the silk paper in his hand, King Qi smiled playfully: "I'm really impatient, the father is old, but he hasn't reached the point of fainting, so the two brothers are not afraid of backfire?" After speaking, King Qi burned the silk paper.
Wushuanghou stepped forward, lowered his voice and asked, "My lord, who is going to kill the princess? My subordinates don't understand, it's better to take the prince once and for all than to spend so much money on dealing with the princess, and the princess is only a girl. , in the end it's just a marriage and a husband, why bother?"
"Ah."
King Qi Li Zhen smiled, looked at Xiahou Wushuang and shook his head and said: "Wushuang, it's not enough that you only know how to fight. When the world is at peace, you still have to use your brains. Right now, although the father and emperor are old, they are not yet. To the point of being faint, do you think the father and the emperor do not know about their little tricks? Although the prince is young, he is still in the East Palace. He dares to make trouble under the eyes of the father. It's just wedding clothes, but moving the princess is different. You are right about one thing. No matter how much the father loves the emperor's sister, she is still a daughter. If the action is successful, the father will be sad, but in the end, he will still prefer his son. Here, in the end, it will be over, but for the prince, after losing the only sister who truly protects him, they can slowly figure it out and have a buffer time."
"So this time the princess is less fortunate?"
"Don't underestimate my imperial sister. I have said several times that if she is a man, she will be the best choice for the crown prince. Do you think my two younger brothers can fight her? My sister's intention is to disappear along the way, just avoiding the edge is unknown..."
"My lord, there is something I have not understood. Now that the queen has passed away, you are the eldest son of your majesty. You have made outstanding military achievements and are supported and loved by the people. It is not impossible for you to sit in that position. Why are you? …”
"Wushuang, one day you will understand that this glory and wealth is just like the fleeting moment. Life is too short to be happy in time. This king only loves beautiful people, not the country."
"But my lord, if you are on the Dabao, what kind of woman in the world can't get it?"
King Qi looked at Xiahou Wushuang, smiled noncommittally, and said nothing.
That night, dozens of summoners rushed out from the capital overnight. They all carried pictures of Li Xian and Li Zhong and the imperial edict that they gave death orders.
On the other hand, Lin Wanyue drove the donkey cart westward according to Li Xian's plan, heading towards Liancheng.
Lin Wanyue whipped the donkey's ass with a small leather whip in one hand, while thinking back to what Li Xian said to her just now, Lin Wanyue suddenly realized that her original eyes were so narrow, and Li Xian's understated words , made Lin Wanyue suddenly enlightened, she was extremely surprised, extremely happy, and found that the original problem can still be thought in this way, and the original way of dealing with things is still in this way.
At this time, Lin Wanyue's incomparable admiration for Li Xian also sparked a longing in Lin Wanyue's heart. She longed that she could become a person like Li Xian one day, and she longed that Li Xian could give her more Pointing, teaching her more knowledge...
It could be said that Li Xian gave Lin Wanyue a new direction in life, a path that Lin Wanyue felt was very suitable for her.
Without a word, Li Xian rode in the donkey cart driven by Lin Wanyue, heading towards Liancheng along the suburban road.
After walking for a long time, Lin Wanyue finally saw a farm in the distance. She looked up at the sky and said, "Gong... Xian'er, I think there is a farm in front of me. Why don't we stay here tonight? Go forward, I'm afraid you will be sleeping rough today."
"Fei Xing, you decide."
"it is good."
Lin Wanyue drove the donkey cart to the gate of the village and got out of the cart. She took the reins and led the donkey to the village. When she reached the deepest part of the village, Lin Wanyue tied the reins to the old locust tree and came to the side of the donkey cart. : "Xian'er, I'll go in and ask if I can stay overnight. You wait in the car for a while."
"Um."
Lin Wanyue came to the bamboo fence in a yard and saw a white-haired old man sitting on a wooden stake in the yard, fanning his palm fan to enjoy the cool air.
"Old man!"
"Hey? Who called me?"
"The old man is me."
The old man looked up and saw a black and thin young man standing outside his fence, so he got up from the wooden pier and came to Lin Wanyue: "What's the matter?"
"Uncle, the younger generation's surname is Lin Mingfei... I took my wife to Liancheng for marriage. When I came here, I didn't have a place to stay. Seeing that it was getting late, I wonder if you could make it convenient for my husband and wife to stay overnight."
"What's the matter, old man?"
Hearing the sound of conversation in the yard, the old woman who was cooking staggered out of the house.
"Passing by, young couple, want to stay overnight."
As the old man turned his head to answer the old woman's words, he stooped to the front of the courtyard and opened the door for Lin Wanyue: "Come in, we are the old couple at home, you two will live in my son's room tonight. "
"Thank you, old man!" Lin Wanyue bowed respectfully to the old man, then turned around and went to pick up Li Xian in the donkey cart.
"Old lady, it's been a long time since we lived in Westinghouse. It's very cold. You light up the fire wall to drive out the cold, and by the way, steam a few more buns."
The old woman went to do it, and Lin Wanyue came to the donkey cart and lifted the curtain: "Xian'er, it's done, come down."
Lin Wanyue reached out her hand and carefully helped Li Xian down.
The two walked into the old couple's farmyard. The yard was not big, with a jujube tree planted and a large yellow dog tied to the west. There was a firewood room between the two rooms. The smoke was slowly rising from the chimney.
"Thank you old man." Li Xian politely thanked the old man.
"Hey... no need to thank you, young man, you are so lucky to have married such a beautiful lady!"
Hearing what the old man said, Lin Wanyue smiled awkwardly, but in the eyes of the old man she became honest and shy.
The Westinghouse was connected to the fire wall, and the old woman came out and saw a peasant woman's coarse clothes, but she was still beautiful like a girl who came out of a New Year's picture, and a tall, swarthy young man standing beside her, so she warmly greeted her. : "Come on, go to the room and sit, dinner will be ready soon."
The two entered the room with the old woman. The furnishings in the room were very old. Looking at such a room, Lin Wanyue felt that it didn't matter to her, but when she thought of Li Xian beside her, she immediately felt extremely guilty, almost subconsciously reaching out. She rubbed her arms and sleeves on the stool Li Xian was going to sit on. After she helped Li Xian to sit down, she suddenly realized that it was rude to do so. She was about to turn around and apologize to the old woman, but she saw the old woman looked at her and smiled lovingly. , The wrinkles on his face are deep: "Young man, did you just get married not long ago?"
Lin Wanyue's face heated up: "Well... Yes, it won't be long."
"Is she a lady from a big family?"
Lin Wanyue scratched her head and replied, "Yes."
Seeing that she had guessed everything correctly, the old woman saw Lin Wanyue's restrained appearance, she laughed even more, and continued to ask, "Did you kidnap me?"
"Yes, it's for me... no no no, old man, it's not what you think."
When Lin Wanyue heard that the old woman actually made such a guess, she was in a hurry and hurried to defend herself, but after thinking about it, she couldn't find any excuse, so she could only say no.
Seeing that Lin Wanyue was more certain, the old woman said to Lin Wanyue earnestly, "You will be blessed in your future life, treat others well."
After speaking, he stopped talking to Lin Wanyue and turned around to go out.
In fact, it's not that the old woman thinks too much, but she also secretly eloped with her wife at the beginning. She was originally the daughter of a local wealthy gentry. A widow, life and death do not agree with this marriage. In the end, the old woman clenched her teeth and took her boudoir to run away with the old man. Elopement is a reckless act. The old woman used to be uneasy, but now more than 40 years have passed in the blink of an eye. Poor, her son died in battle more than ten years ago, but she never regretted marrying her husband.
As a "come here", the old woman knew from the first sight of Li Xian that such a girl was definitely not something that an ordinary farmer could raise, and when she saw that after entering the house, the lanky young man's diligent and caring energy seemed to I saw myself and my wife back then.
Thinking that when I eloped with the old man and lived in a dilapidated house, the old man of his family also took care of her like this...
"Gong, Xian'er..."
Li Xian knew what Lin Wanyue was about to say, so she gave her a consoling smile, and said, "It's okay, as soon as it comes, it's okay."
"I just feel a little wronged to you." Lin Wanyue said guiltily.
Li Xian shook her head firmly, "I think it's good to be able to come out and take a look. Some things can only be done by seeing them with my own eyes."
Lin Wanyue tasted the meaning of Li Xian's words, and a trace of emotion flowed in her heart.
Dinner is very simple, just one bun per person and a bowl of wild vegetables.
Lin Wanyue secretly looked at Li Xian while she was eating, and saw that Li Xian did not dislike it at all. Although she inadvertently frowned when she first entered, Li Xian still ate half of the steamed bun and some wild vegetables.
Leftovers are always bad in such a peasant family, and Lin Wanyue knows this.
So she took the half of Li Xian's leftover buns and wild vegetables and ate them in big mouthfuls.
Li Xian was shocked when she saw Lin Wanyue like this. She was about to say something to stop her, but she saw the two old people lovingly looking at Lin Wanyue, who was burying her head in the meal, so she had to endure it.
However, there were still two faint blushes on Li Xian's fair face. The thought of what she had eaten was eaten by a man made Li Xian feel shy. Although... this person is not strictly defined. man up.
After eating, the hot sun just happened to go down the mountain. The old man took out his axe to chop some firewood while it was cool, but Lin Wanyue snatched it away.
"Old man, let me come."
"This is impossible, the visitor is a guest, you can give it to me."
"Come on, old man, you can rest for a while, you can't eat and live for nothing, and I want to boil some water for... my wife and let her take a bath... I don't know if it will work."
"Okay, why not? I'll let the old lady burn it for you."
"Then thank you old man!" Lin Wanyue smiled at the old man, and then picked up the axe and started chopping wood.
After joining the army for more than two years, Lin Wanyue has already cultivated her strength. Now this job is like a child's work for her, but in half an hour, Lin Wanyue has split all the wooden stakes in the old man's house into pieces. After getting the firewood, the old man Le couldn't close his mouth and praised Lin Wanyue.
Lin Wanyue was embarrassed to be praised, and seeing that it was still early, she went to ask the old man where the water source was, and then took the wooden bucket and pole in the yard to fetch water.
There was a well in this village, and it was only a few dozen steps away from the old man's house. Lin Wanyue filled the old couple's tank in one breath, and there were two extra buckets. This time, the water for Li Xian's bath was enough.
Lin Wanyue herself didn't know what she was thinking. She was obviously running for her life, but she subconsciously didn't want to hurt Li Xian, and always wanted to provide Li Xian with the best conditions for her escape.
The road back to Beijing was still long, and they didn't have much entanglement. There might be cases of sleeping in the wild in the future. Now, while there was still a chance, they could do something for Li Xian.
After eating, Li Xian sat in the Westinghouse and did not come out. She just heard a sound from the yard and got up to have a look. Seeing that Lin Wanyue was helping people chop wood, she turned around and sat down again.
Lin Wanyue surprised Li Xian when she came in with a large wooden bucket. Before Li Xian could speak, Lin Wanyue wiped the sweat from her forehead and said to Li Xian, "Xianer, I'll ask old man to burn it. Some water, I'll bring it in for you later, after a day's journey, you can wash it."
After he finished speaking, he turned and left.
Li Xian stared blankly at the wooden bucket standing in the room, a little surprised: This person is chopping wood and carrying water, does he just want to boil water for himself
After a while, Lin Wanyue came back, carrying a wooden bucket in and out one after another, and the water was ready in a few seconds.
"Xian'er, wash it up, I'll go outside and watch it for you. Call me when you're done."
After saying that, Lin Wanyue went out, moved a stool and sat outside the Westinghouse door.
Li Xian walked to the wooden bucket and put her hand in the bucket. She felt that the water temperature was just right, but she couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in her heart again.
Li Xian took off her clothes and immersed her body in a wooden bucket. The warm water wrapped her body. Li Xian slapped the water on her body and thought about it a lot...
She is the eldest princess from the main palace. Her father favored her and gave her 8,000 households. She enjoyed the same treatment as the vassal king. From childhood to adulthood, the most important thing she did not lack was people who would please her. There is nothing to get.
As she grew older, Li Xian gradually understood that those so-called flattery and obedience all had their own purposes.
But today, Li Xian was moved by this bucket of bathing water. Over the years, this Lin Feixing was probably the first person to do things for herself without any purpose...
Thinking of this, for some reason, Li Xian felt a sense of complexity in her heart.