30.
Chenming Palace is located in the east of Jiumeng City. It was originally the bedroom of a favorite concubine of King Tisu in ancient times, in order to allow this beauty to see the first ray of sunshine every day in Jiumeng City. However, after countless changes in the throne, this gorgeous palace eventually became the seat of Tisu's highest school. The veil and cloud curtains were torn off and replaced with bookshelves like mountains; the maidens and servants were also lost in the years, and only the tutors and scholars in dark green robes walked among them.
In front of Chenming Palace, the statues of gods symbolizing royal power have long been destroyed in the war, and now a huge sundial welcomes the rising sun, and the precise white jade dial projects a constant circle year after year.
Under the sundial is engraved a line of small characters in the southern dialect: only time is eternal.
I don't know if it was a coincidence, but on the Eternal Terrace that is far away from Chenming Palace, after Queen Adu Lier was burned on the platform, the king regretted it so much that he also carved a line of words on the platform for the sake of his soul - death is immeasurable. Immortal, death is eternal.
At noon on the second day after talking with Zhou Buyi, Fang Tinglan went to Chenming Palace. When we arrived at Qipan Street, the sundial in front of the palace gate had already left more than halfway. It was the time when school was over, and the street was bustling with cars and horses, as well as pedestrians. He also took a special look at the passers-by, and found that the girls did not have small faces as Zhou Buyi said, and their smiles under the half-covered light veils were as delicate as the hibiscus sunflowers in their ears.
It can only be said that the girls here don't eat Zhou Buyi's set. Fang Tinglan raised the corner of his mouth.
It didn't take him much effort to find the residence of Lord Jonoel. If it weren't for the bronze plaque nailed to the side, Fang Tinglan couldn't believe that this is the place where a viscount should live, except that there is no mud and dirt on the walls. Besides, at a glance from the outside, it is almost the same as the civilian residences in Anwana District - only a few pots of vigorous flowers planted by the door can be seen to be carefully cared for by the owner of the house.
After he knocked a few times, someone finally opened the door, and it was Mrs. Yonoel who opened the door herself. The old lady followed her husband through the prosperity and belittling, and also experienced the abduction on the line of life and death. Apart from the fine lines carved on the corners of her eyes, these encounters made the whole person's temperament more elegant and quiet. She looked at Fang Tinglan with a pair of blue eyes in surprise, but kept a friendly smile at the corner of her mouth: "Are you...?"
"Please forgive me for not handing over a greeting card first, ma'am," the Dongzhou man gave her a tisu courtesy, "I wonder if your husband is at home?" Although Fang Tinglan had already inquired about today's old lord I didn't go to Chenming Palace, but I still have the necessary courtesy.
"He's here. But..." Madam hesitated for a moment, "He just took his medicine and is resting."
"It's like this," Fang Tinglan took out a book from behind, "Is this book edited by the Sir? I read it several times when I was in Dongzhou, and I couldn't put it down. Su, this is a rare opportunity, so I want to visit the author." When he said this, he paused slightly, and smiled again, "But since the Sir is not feeling well, I have no choice but to come again...in another year."
Fang Tinglan was about to leave as he said that, but his wife quickly stopped him: "Wait a minute." She glanced at the book in Fang Tinglan's hand, and bowed to him, "Wait a minute, I'll ask the master .”
Fang Tinglan agreed with a smile.
After a while, the old lady opened the door: "Please come in, the master is waiting for you upstairs."
Perhaps it was the kidnapping three years ago that emptied all the viscount's family assets, and the interior decoration of this home is also a bit simple and monotonous, even silverware is rare, not to mention the gold rims and precious stones that fit the nobles' house. . Apparently, every new guest to this house will have the same gaze as Fang Tinglan, and the old lady said softly when she led him upstairs: "Our house has suffered accidents before, and since then we no longer use luxury goods. "
"I see." Fang Tinglan nodded, and he saluted the old lady again before walking up the stairs.
After the new visitor went upstairs, Mrs. Jonoel returned to the living room and continued to trim the extra branches in the vase. When the scissors cut off the last small flower branch, there was a sound from the small study next to the living room. There was a soft sound, as soft as a breeze touching the window lattice.
The old lady looked at the small study and shook her head: "I've said it many times, you can come in by knocking on the door."
"I'm doing it right now."
Hai Lian came out of the small study with a smile. He raised a paper bag in his hand: "I haven't forgotten your favorite pastries."
"Let's put it away." The old lady stood up, and put aside the fine flower branches scattered on the table, "I'll get you a glass of water."
"Where is the old man?"
"In the big study upstairs, a guest came to visit him today."
The old man has a wide range of knowledge, and it is common for people to pay a visit. Hailian didn't ask too many questions, and went straight to the business: "Then you can help collect today's money." He moved his eyes slightly to the side, and then turned back, "This I followed a big wave merchant once, and I made a lot of money, which should be enough for a long time... "
"Hailian," the old lady interrupted him with gentle eyes, "we don't need your money anymore."
Helian was taken aback.
"Before, the old man used the money you gave to buy a small piece of land at Xiaoye Dock, and placed all the children you rescued there, and opened a school. It was handed over to the Gubei United Chamber of Commerce for operation, and now there is some balance every month. Calculated on both sides, our family is no longer short of money. And..." Madam held Hailian's finger holding the purse with one hand, and touched it with the other hand. Touching the corner of his mouth, "You don't need to trade your life for money anymore."
Hailian's fingers trembled: "You... all know?"
"You are not a child who can lie," the old lady smiled, "You said that you worked as a bodyguard for a rich Bolang merchant, but you didn't say who the employer was. Once the customs asks, everything will be clear.”
The people downstairs are lying, and the people upstairs are lying too.
"This book has indeed been turned over and over again. There are annotations on it, and it was indeed published in Dongzhou. But guest, you forgot one thing." The old man is over half a century old, but his back is still straight, Even if he was waiting for the countdown to death in the thief's den, he was still so upright, "You should read it yourself, and then recognize Tisu's characters more." He turned to a page and showed it to Fang Tinglan, "This is my book. The original owner of this book is probably my student, I don’t remember teaching a student from Eastern State.”
"Oh, if I had known, I wouldn't have gone to the second-hand bookstore." Fang Tinglan didn't panic after being exposed, he bent down and apologized sincerely, "Please forgive my poor methods, Your Excellency Viscount, but I do have an important matter. There are things I want from you."
"What's up?"
"I found out that you were the King's valet eight years ago. You were present when the Amber King received everyone, right? Later, you were upright and unyielding, and because the king didn't like it, you were reprimanded. An upright person like you is I have always admired the object of my admiration, so if you ask me anything, I will be absolutely honest, and I just want to use this honesty to exchange your answer to a question."
"what is the answer?"
"Eight years ago, did King Amber secretly meet a general from Dongzhou, Fei Yi?"