When Zhao Mian returned to his room, Bai Yu was actually waiting for him inside, her bare face full of anxiety and worry.
Bai Yu woke up in the middle of the night, and was worried about the prince next door, so she thought of coming over to take a look. This look scared her so much that she almost had a heart palpitation. Fortunately, she was not Zhou Huairang, and guessed that the prince might have gone out by himself. She waited patiently for half an hour, and finally waited for her prince to come back.
Zhao Mian told Bai Yu everything about how he and Wei Zhenfeng sneaked into the warehouse at night - really everything, including how Wei Zhenfeng called him stupid because he bumped into a stool.
"I don't know who the stupid person is." Zhao Mian said.
Bai Yu couldn't help but smile. What was going on with this arrogance? She asked, "What did His Highness find out?"
Zhao Mian asked her: "Why did we come to Dongling?"
Bai Yu said without hesitation: "For the Xixia treasure."
Zhao Mian passed the gift list to Bai Yu without being questioned by Wei Zhenfeng. Bai Yu saw an eye-catching name at a glance - Gu Ruzhang, the son of the Duke of Xixia.
Bai Yu's beautiful eyes widened: "... It turned out to be him? The last Prime Minister of Xixia, Gu Ruzhang?"
Zhao Mian nodded lightly: "Teacher Gu of the sixteenth year has not yet entered the cabinet and has no official position, so he is naturally just the 'son of the Duke of Xixia'."
Sixteen years later, this "son of the Duke of Western Xia" succeeded his father and became the actual ruler of the late Western Xia.
Gu Ruzhang was born into a family of powerful officials. He was able to write at the age of six, passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen, and was appointed Minister of War at the age of thirty.
Famous at a young age, a man of great talent.
Unfortunately, Gu Ruzhang was born at the wrong time, when the Western Xia was weak. Even though he was fortunate enough to become the prime minister when he grew up, he was powerless to save the country when the Western Xia was about to fall. He exhausted all his energy and devoted himself to the cause, and his hair turned gray at the age of thirty. In the end, he only helped the Western Xia survive for a few more years.
Two years ago, the capital of Western Xia fell and the Yuan army broke through the gates of the imperial palace. The young prince of Beiyuan sat on the dragon throne of the Western Xia emperor and ordered the Yuan army to search for treasures in the imperial palace to fill the Beiyuan treasury.
However, the Yuan army searched the Xixia imperial palace and turned it upside down, but the valuables they found were not enough to fill a carriage. Not only that, the Yuan army later raided many mansions of Xixia dignitaries, but the money they got was still very little.
Along with the endless treasures of Western Xia, the Imperial City Division, the Western Xia military and political intelligence agency that had been personally led by Gu Ruzhang, also disappeared.
The young prince suddenly realized what Grand Tutor Gu, who was defeated by his men in the Battle of Luyang and the Battle of Lingzhou, did in the last few months of Western Xia's survival.
When a country is about to be destroyed, it hides its weapons and waits for the right time, so as to plan for the future.
It was said that the young prince, who was only sixteen years old at the time, was furious. After destroying the country, he did not return to Beiyuan to report, but rode his horse and lance across several countries in the world, determined to extinguish the last hope of Xixia with his own hands, and then return with his spoils of war.
This was all Zhao Mian knew about the details of the war between the two northwestern countries.
After the fall of Western Xia, Gu Ruzhang's life and death were unknown. Some said that he died for his country on the day when Yuan's army broke into the city, and he died with the emperor and empress.
Some people also said that Gu Ruzhang had already left a way out for himself and escaped through the secret passage in the palace.
Others said that Gu Ruzhang had become a prisoner of Beiyuan and was tortured every day, but he gritted his teeth and refused to reveal a word.
The only thing that is certain is that the "spark" that Gu Ruzhang left for Xixia has not yet fallen into the hands of the little prince of Beiyuan. The remnant Xixia army of the Imperial City Division is still hiding in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to restore the country.
According to the news reported by Nanjing Qianjiyuan, although Gu Ruzhang's whereabouts are unknown, his most trusted nephew Gu Shaodeng has appeared in Dongling several times after the fall of Xixia. This is also the reason why Zhao Mian went to Dongling in person. If he can find Gu Shaodeng and then find the Xixia relics left by Gu Ruzhang, he can at least solve the military pay of Nanjing for ten years, and at the same time suppress the two countries of Beiyuan and Dongling, and stabilize Nanjing's position as the overlord among the Three Kingdoms.
What was irritating was that he was bewitched by Wan Huameng as soon as he arrived at Dongling, and had to put his original plan on hold to free up his hands to deal with the matter at hand. But he didn't expect that he would see Gu Ruzhang's name on the gift list of Xuyuan sixteen years ago.
Is Gu Ruzhang related to Wan Huameng's quirk of matchmaking
Do these two have any secret relationship that is unknown to the public
Did Gu Ruzhang's nephew appear in Dongling to seek protection from Wan Huameng
How much does Wan Huameng know about Gu Ruzhang's "Fire Strategy"
Zhao Mian had a hunch that perhaps Wan Hua Meng was the key to finding the Xixia treasure. If he could bring the treasure back to Nanjing before Bei Yuan did, the expression on the young prince's face would be particularly interesting.
It's really exciting.
Bai Yu knew His Highness's intentions and advised, "Your Highness, the most urgent matter is the Gu in your body. We can discuss the rest after we have cured the Gu."
"I know." Zhao Mian memorized the contents of the gift list and burned the paper on the lamp. "But these two things don't conflict. We can do them together."
Bai Yu was surprised and asked, "What does your highness mean?"
Gu Ruzhang loved painting and had a great style, which attracted many scholars. Now that he can no longer paint, the paintings that are circulated outside are naturally expensive and hard to find. When Zhao Mian was on a tour in Nanjing, a local official presented him with a landscape painting by Gu Ruzhang.
"I have been carrying the painting with me. Find a way to pass the message and have Zhou Huairang deliver it." Zhao Mian instructed Bai Yu, "Then, present the painting to Wan Huameng and say that you got it by accident and want to borrow the painting to honor the Imperial Master."
Bai Yu understood and said, "I understand. I will do it right away."
The next day, the bridesmaid came to Zhao Mian's room and taught him the rules of the wedding. From which foot to step first, to when to bend down and how much to bend, every aspect was very strict.
"When you pay your second respects to your parents, your husband will turn around and stumble toward you. Remember to support him with both hands."
Zhao Mian asked: "Why?"
Even such seemingly unnecessary details were stuck to so tightly that it seemed more like... trying to imitate or replicate something rather than holding a wedding.
At that wedding sixteen years ago, was there also a scene where the groom accidentally stumbled while bowing in the hall
Previously, the maid asked Zhao Mian to eat more and fatter his waist, and even asked Wei Zhenfeng to eat shorter. Could it be that she also hoped that their body shapes would be similar to those of the newlyweds when they got married
The maids really brought five meals a day, each with a rich meal of fish and meat. If Zhao Mian were to eat alone, he might not be able to finish it in three days. The maids also stayed by his side, constantly urging him, which was very annoying.
Finally, Zhao Mian said coldly: "I have even less appetite with you guys here."
Just as the maid was about to scold him, Bai Yu hurriedly said, "My brother is just like that. If you force him to eat, he will vomit it out. Ladies, don't worry, I will persuade him to eat. You don't want my brother to not gain weight and fail to complete your mission, do you?"
The maids looked at each other, thinking that Bai Yu was right, and left one after another.
Faced with a table full of delicious food, Zhao Mian, who had already eaten his fill, was not interested in eating. He just picked up the fish with chopsticks. Before eating the fish, he had to pick out the fish bones himself, and he refused to let Bai Yu help him.
Zhao Mian asked: "Is it done?"
Bai Yu said: "It's all done. If nothing unexpected happens, Gu Ruzhang's painting is now in Wan Huameng's hands."
"Well done." Zhao Mian nodded and praised, "You are much more reliable than Shen Buci and Zhou Huairang."
"Of course." Bai Yu smiled sweetly, "I am the oldest sister in the East Palace, Your Highness."
Zhao Mian also laughed: "Indeed."
Zhao Mian was talking to Bai Yu while eating fish. Suddenly, a young voice sounded behind them, with a relaxed and cheerful tone: "On such a beautiful day, how can we have meat without wine? I'm here to give you a pot of wine, I hope you will accept it."
Zhao Mian was stunned for a moment, then turned around and saw Wei Zhenfeng's dark face. He said expressionlessly, "Can the disguise on your face be removed?"
Wei Zhenfeng raised his eyebrows while holding the wine jug: "Do you care so much about this? This is the second time you've asked."
Zhao Mian ordered Bai Yu to stand guard outside and said to Wei Zhenfeng, "I don't want to talk to the ugly man."
Wei Zhenfeng came uninvited and sat down in front of Zhao Mian. "I told you, of course it can be solved, but it requires a special potion. I didn't think I would need a solution beforehand, so I naturally wouldn't carry the potion with me. Now I don't have the time, and there's no need to go back and get it."
"Then don't wear your black skin and use your original voice to say such elegant words in front of me," Zhao Mian said coldly, "I feel disgusted."
Wei Zhenfeng said "Oh" and changed his words: "Would you like to drink, brother? The wine I brought is very fragrant and goes perfectly with your big pig's trotter."
Following Wei Zhenfeng's words, Zhao Mian looked at the bowl of greasy and plump pork elbows on the table. His stomach, which had already been filled to the brim, suddenly felt nauseous.
Wei Zhenfeng saw Zhao Mian's face turn pale and blue, and finally he seemed to be unable to help himself and turned his head to the air: "Hmm—"
Wei Zhenfeng: “…?”
Zhao Mian coughed twice, closed his eyes, and tried to calm himself down. Wei Zhenfeng poured him a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him: "Are you okay?"
Zhao Mian threw the blame onto Wei Zhenfeng without a second thought.
"I told you I can't get too close to ugly guys, or I'll throw up." He tried to hold back his nausea, opened his eyes and glared at Wei Zhenfeng, "Do you think I'm kidding you?"
Wei Zhenfeng was stunned. He never expected that Zhao Mian clearly ate too much and wanted to vomit, but he was blamed for it. How amazing!
To be honest, the face he borrowed wasn't really ugly, it was just an ordinary dark-skinned face. Even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince couldn't stand it, and he would probably poke his own eyes out when he sees a real ugly man in the future.
Wei Zhenfeng wanted to laugh but felt that it would be rude to laugh at someone at this time, so he suppressed his laughter and said, "It's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Now, I'll finish my business with you and leave."
Zhao Mian discovered that every time Wei Zhenfeng came to see him, no matter how unreliable he acted, he would always come to discuss serious matters in the end.
That's right, they have no personal relationship at the moment, so why would he talk to him about anything other than serious matters
"I just got the news that Wan Huameng wants to meet us in person." Wei Zhenfeng said, "And it's not in Xuyuan, but in Nangong."
Zhao Mian put on a surprised expression: "Is this true?" Wan Huameng wanted to meet them, most likely to present the painting. He was not wrong, there was indeed something between Wan Huameng and Gu Ruzhang. "In this case, don't we need to disguise ourselves and can sneak into Nangong legitimately?"
Seeing Zhao Mian acting so naturally, Wei Zhenfeng sneered: "Stop it. Tell me, what did you do behind my back?"
Zhao Mian asked: "What do you mean?"
"Wan Hua Meng never shows up in front of the newlyweds before their wedding, so why do we suddenly have to go to Nangong to meet him?"
Zhao Mian wiped his hands slowly with a handkerchief: "You ask me, who should I ask?"
"Sir, Mr. Xiao," Wei Zhenfeng picked up a handkerchief from the table and imitated Zhao Mian in wiping his hands. "Since we have formed an alliance, it is better not to hide anything from each other. I don't want to be in a life-and-death battle with Wan Huameng, only to find a fire in my backyard the next moment." Wei Zhenfeng smiled, but there was a warning in his eyes, "That would be no fun, Your Highness."
Zhao Mian looked back at him: "It's the same for us, Your Majesty."
(End of this chapter)