The Jinzouyuan was the emperor's minion, holding the emperor's edict, and could summon any royal relatives, dukes, generals, and ministers, including Wei Zhenfeng. But given the young prince's status, even if the Jinzouyuan wanted to ask him questions, they would politely invite him over, and it would be no harm for the young prince to bring a few followers with him.
Wei Zhenfeng's method of taking Zhao Mian to the theater was simple and crude. After Ji Chong returned to Beijing, Zhao Mian never saw him again. It must be that his "old illness" relapsed and he was trapped in the pleasure of the boudoir for a while, so he could lend his face to Zhao Mian.
Ji Chong's figure was similar to Zhao Mian's, and his appearance was above average. Zhao Mian changed into Bei Yuan's clothes, put on a human skin mask, looked at himself in the mirror, and said unhappily: "Wei Zhenfeng, don't look at me, I'm so ugly."
Wei Zhenfeng stood beside Zhao Mian, stroking his chin and looking at the Crown Prince in the mirror: "Hmm..."
Zhao Mian said: "Do you suddenly understand how I felt when I faced Heipi?"
"No." Wei Zhenfeng smiled, "On the contrary, I find Ji Chong's face much more pleasing to the eye. I always wanted to beat him up when I saw him before. I'm really not a superficial person. I'm attracted by your inner qualities and temperament."
Zhao Mian would never believe such nonsense: "Okay, then on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, I will change my face and go to bed with you to give you more freshness."
The smile on Wei Zhenfeng's face gradually disappeared: "It's getting late, let's go."
Zhao Mian followed Wei Zhenfeng to the Jinzouyuan, where Yuan Zhang, the dean of the Jinzouyuan, was waiting at the gate to greet him. Behind Yuan Zhang stood many Jinzou officials, including Peng Ou, whom Zhao Mian had met before.
In the Qianjiyuan in Nanjing, there is a "blacklist" of Beiyuan officials, which are all people who hold real power but have unclear positions. The secret agents of Qianjiyuan have tried for many years but have not been able to find out the details. The dean of Jinzouyuan is one of them. Zhao Mian watched him exchange polite greetings with Wei Zhenfeng. There was no subjective intention in his words and deeds, which showed that this person was not easy to deal with.
On the other hand, Wei Zhenfeng still looked lazy and sluggish after a hangover. The two of them started the interrogation by alternating between tension and relaxation.
It was the early morning of a bright day, but inside the Jinzouyuan it was dark as if dusk was approaching. Oil lamps were lit in the hall, a square room with doors and windows tightly closed. If one stayed inside for a long time, one would inevitably become restless and upset.
Yuan Zhang ordered someone to serve tea to the young prince. Wei Zhenfeng picked up the teacup, and just as his lips touched the edge of the cup, he heard Yuan Zhang ask, "Has the prince been too close to the people of Nanjing recently?"
Wei Zhenfeng took a sip of the tea that was near his mouth, then calmly put down the teacup and said, "Are you accusing me of collaborating with the enemy, Mr. Yuan?"
Yuan Zhang was thinking of proceeding step by step, from the simplest to the complex, using small questions to see the big picture. Unexpectedly, Wei Zhenfeng threw out the biggest question right at the start, completely disrupting the rhythm of the questioning.
Yuan Zhang said calmly: "Your Highness, your words are too serious. Nanjing is a friend of our Beiyuan, not an enemy, so how can we say that we are collaborating with the enemy?" Yuan Zhang retreated to advance and regained the right to speak: "Your Highness, it is understandable that you are making friends with officials from Nanjing as long as it does not infringe on the interests of our Beiyuan. But I heard that your Highness gave all the property he had accumulated over the years to Nanjing. Is this true?"
"The king and Xiao Jue are both infected with a strange poison, so it's hard not to be close." Wei Zhenfeng said frivolously, "Besides, it's my own things, so I can do whatever I want with them."
"The prince's own things?" Yuan Zhang shook his head. "The whole world belongs to the king. The prince's things are also the emperor's things."
Wei Zhenfeng was quite impatient: "Do you think I want to? At that time, Nan Jing had important clues to find the Xixia treasure. If I want to cooperate with them, I will have to pay a price."
Zhao Mian, who was standing behind Wei Zhenfeng, couldn't help but frown slightly. What was wrong with Wei Zhenfeng? He was so emotionally unstable and was always being led by Yuan Zhang - was the hangover affecting him so much
Yuan Zhang nodded and said, "So that's how it is. I thought that the prince was willing to spend a fortune to buy the beauty's smile in order to please Mr. Xiao. It seems that I am just a mean person."
Zhao Mian watched coldly.
It is impossible that the Jinzouyuan was unaware of the alliance between Nanjing and Beiyuan for the Xixia relics, and Yuanzhang did not need Wei Zhenfeng's explanation at all. He specifically mentioned this matter, presumably to pave the way for something bigger.
Wei Zhenfeng sneered: "If Lord Yuan invited me here just for such a trivial matter..."
Seeing Wei Zhenfeng showing his lax side, Yuan Zhang said, "When you were in the Desert Palace, Your Highness and Lord Xiao were in danger. In order to save Lord Xiao, Your Highness offered to exchange Gu Ruzhang. I wonder if Your Highness remembers this?"
Wei Zhenfeng was stunned for a moment: "Did the king say such a thing?"
Zhao Mian felt more and more that something was wrong.
On that day in the desert underground palace, they fell into Gu Shaodeng's hands. Wei Zhenfeng did say this, but it was just a delaying tactic. Wei Zhenfeng could have explained it clearly to the Jinzouyuan, why did he deny it so vaguely, exposing more flaws
This can no longer be explained by a hangover, this is like having your brain eaten by a dog.
Since Wei Zhenfeng could be so stupid, he had nothing to worry about - Wei Zhenfeng was not pretending, he immediately went to the bathhouse on the street to take a bath with others.
Yuan Zhang said slowly, "After the fall of Western Xia, Gu Ruzhang's whereabouts have been unknown. Could it be that Your Highness knew where he was but chose to conceal it? If so, Your Highness might be suspected of deceiving the emperor."
Wei Zhenfeng said with a sullen face: "Who told you that?"
Yuan Zhang looked at Peng Ou and said, "Bring the person up here."
Soon, Yu Lin was brought up. When the young man saw Wei Zhenfeng, he was like a broken-legged vicious dog whose bones were robbed, and his ferocious face was revealed: "Wei dog...!"
"Who did I think it was? It turned out to be him." Wei Zhenfeng laughed, "Sir Yuan, do you believe the words of an ant?"
Yuan Zhang said: "As the director of the Imperial Court, I cannot let go of any clues. Gu Ruzhang's whereabouts are a mystery. The last person he saw before he disappeared was the prince, and his seal of the Grand Tutor also fell into the hands of the prince."
"Master Gu is in Wei Gou's hands!" Yu Lin said in hatred, "He admitted it himself—Master Gu is in Fuxue Tower! He lied to all of you. Wei Zhenfeng wants to rebel!"
Yuan Zhang scolded, "Shut up, you have no right to speak here."
"If Lord Yuan didn't want him to talk, why did he bring him up? It's just that you think the word 'rebellion' is too strong and you can't say it out loud." Wei Zhenfeng sneered mercilessly, "We are all thousand-year-old foxes, Lord Yuan doesn't have to play this game with me. But Lord Yuan, don't you think it's outrageous? If Gu Ruzhang is really in my hands, I won't hide him far away, but keep him in Fuxue Tower. Is this reasonable?"
Even though he was pointed at and called an old fox, Yuan Zhang did not lose his composure: "Your Majesty, have you ever heard of 'the darkest place under the lamp'? The most dangerous place is also the safest place."
Wei Zhenfeng narrowed his eyes in displeasure: "What exactly do you want?"
"Fuxue Tower has been sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter or leave. In order to clear His Majesty's name, today the Jinzouyuan will conduct a thorough investigation and interrogation of Fuxue Tower and its personnel." Yuan Zhang said, "I just want Your Majesty to drink a few more cups of tea in the Jinzouyuan and wait for the results of the thorough investigation with me."
Wei Zhenfeng's eyes were cold: "What if I say no?"
Yuan Zhang said calmly, "This is the emperor's intention. Please don't embarrass me, Your Majesty."
Wei Zhenfeng was silent for a long time, then said, "I am hungry, is there anything to eat?"
Before finding definite evidence, the Jinzouyuan did not dare to neglect the prince who had made great contributions, and the snacks presented were quite exquisite. Wei Zhenfeng invited "Ji Chong" who came with him to sit down and eat with him.
"It will take more than a short time to check out the Fuxue Tower." Wei Zhenfeng said, "Just wait."
The wait lasted from day till night. The two were under house arrest in the Jinzouyuan, where they played chess to kill time after eating and drinking.
Zhao Mian placed a white piece and whispered, "Will the show end once the Jinzouyuan has finished its investigation?"
Wei Zhenfeng said absentmindedly, "That's about right."
"Then this scene isn't very good either." Zhao Mian commented sharply, "It lacks some exciting twists and turns."
It was not until the next morning that Yuan Zhang appeared again. As soon as he arrived, he bowed to Wei Zhenfeng and said, "I have wronged Your Highness for the whole night. Please go back now."
Wei Zhenfeng raised his eyebrows: "From what you said, sir, you didn't find anything?"
"That's right." Yuan Zhang said calmly, "Your Highness brought up Gu Ruzhang in front of the Imperial City Department. I think it was a desperate ploy. Why didn't Your Highness tell me earlier?"
"It's not a plot." Wei Zhenfeng emphasized, "I said that I never mentioned Gu Ruzhang in front of the remnants of the Imperial City Division. It was the Jinzouyuan who casually listened to the words of a captive and made rash judgments about me and Fuxue Tower. Aren't you ashamed?"
Yuan Zhang remained calm, as if he had already guessed that the Jinzouyuan would not be able to find anything in Fuxue Tower: "Your Highness, calm down."
Wei Zhenfeng laughed: "Why didn't Lord Yuan say it was Father's intention now?"
At this time, Peng Ou hurried in and said, "Your Majesty, Dean, Yu Lin has recruited."
Yuan Zhang asked, "What did he confess?"
Peng Ou glanced at Wei Zhenfeng and said with difficulty: "This..."
Yuan Zhang knew Peng Ou's concerns and said, "The prince has cleared his eyes from suspicion, so you can speak freely."
Peng Ou said: "Yu Lin admitted that he was framing the prince. He said this because he was instructed by someone to use the Gu Ruzhang incident to drag the prince into the water."
Yuan Zhang's calm face finally darkened: "Who?"
Zhao Mian suddenly understood.
It turns out that this is the most exciting part of the play.
Yu Lin was instructed by someone, and this "someone" could be anyone who had a motive to harm Wei Zhenfeng: civil and military officials who advocated suppressing him, the Crown Prince of Beiyuan and his cronies, and even the Empress Dowager.
Peng Ou shook his head: "He refused to confess. He... kept laughing."
Yuan Zhang said angrily: "What is he laughing at?"
"Laughing at me being manipulated by others in the court," Peng Ou said with difficulty, "like a dog that bites wherever it points..."
"That's enough." Yuan Zhang tried hard not to lose his composure. "Continue to torture him until he confesses."
Although Zhao Mian didn't know Yu Lin, he knew Wei Zhenfeng. Yu Lin couldn't say such a thing. Killing people and destroying their hearts was clearly Wei Zhenfeng's style.
Yuan Zhang used Yu Lin's mouth to bring up the word "rebellion", and Wei Zhenfeng used Yu Lin's mouth to curse the Jinzouyuan as a dog that bites whatever it points to.
Of course Yu Lin would not confess, and Wei Zhenfeng would not let him confess. This question will never have an answer, but it can plant a seed in the hearts of all those who are unaware of it, making them suspicious of each other and in constant fear.
Especially Emperor Yuan, when he learned that someone wanted to frame his second son, who would he suspect first
There was just one thing Zhao Mian couldn't understand: how Wei Zhenfeng made Yu Lin so obedient.
After leaving the Imperial Courtyard, Zhao Mian asked Wei Zhenfeng about his doubts. Wei Zhenfeng said, "It's true that Yu Lin hates me, but for him, there is something more important than dragging me down. Think carefully about when Yu Lin's reaction was the most special in the Desert Underground Palace."
Zhao Mian suddenly had an idea: "When you mentioned Gu Ruzhang."
Wei Zhenfeng nodded and said with a smile: "Gu Ruzhang is a big treasure. The more the Imperial City Bureau cares about him, the more his weaknesses are exposed."
"I see. Youlong Spear is your little treasure, and Gu Ruzhang is your big treasure." Zhao Mian concluded, "This scene tells us that we should not have Bai Yueguang in our hearts, otherwise once we are controlled by others, we will be eaten to death."
"That's true for Yu Lin and the others." Wei Zhenfeng said nonchalantly, "The likes and admiration of the weak are not only worthless, but they are also likely to hinder us, so it's better not to have them."
Zhao Mian thought thoughtfully: "So, Gu Ruzhang is indeed in your hands."
At this point, Wei Zhenfeng no longer had to hide anything from Zhao Mian: "Well, he is my trump card for self-protection."
Zhao Mian smiled and said, "I think I know where you hid Gu Ruzhang."
Wei Zhenfeng was surprised and asked, "Is this true?"
Zhao Mian motioned Wei Zhenfeng to come over, and Wei Zhenfeng leaned over and put his ear close to his lips.
Zhao Mian whispered the answer. Wei Zhenfeng was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "When did you know that?"
"Now." Zhao Mian was a little proud. "I was just guessing, but judging by your reaction, I guessed right."
Wei Zhenfeng smiled and asked, "Then how did you guess that place?"
Zhao Mian said, "At yesterday's banquet, only the young master of Fujian Villa was a martial artist. And the master of the villa is one of the four masters who is as famous as Wan Huameng. You already knew the relationship between Gu Ruzhang and Wan Huameng, so you should be prepared for Wan Huameng to come and snatch him away. Fujian Villa is not restricted by the court, and you and the young master of the villa are close friends. If I were you, I would hide Gu Ruzhang there too."
As Zhao Mian was talking, he suddenly had a new question. He didn't know whether Wei Zhenfeng first made friends with the young master and then hid Gu Ruzhang in Fujian Villa, or whether he made friends with the young master in order to get Gu Ruzhang into Fujian Villa.
However, this is just an irrelevant question, so it’s better not to ask it.
"Zhao Mian is so smart." Wei Zhenfeng said happily, "You are so smart, you deserve a hug as a reward."
Zhao Mian wanted to say, "I'm giving you face, if you want me to hug you, if you don't want me to hug you, get lost." But when the words came to his lips, he changed his mouth and said, "Sure, hug me whenever you want."
"I'll hug you when we get back."
"Don't go back. Come hug me now and give me a couple of kisses. Kissing is best." Zhao Mian raised his head and urged Ji Chong in the face, "Hurry up."
Wei Zhenfeng: “.”
Zhao Mian said expressionlessly: "Do you know how I felt when I had to sleep with you when you used Li Erlian?"
Wei Zhenfeng said sincerely: "I kind of know. I'm sorry."
(End of this chapter)