It was getting dark, and it was night time.
Zhao Yanran was walking by the Narcissus Lake with four bamboo-bone powder silk umbrellas, and the snow fell on her umbrella in the dark air. Occasionally there were two or three guards and three or four palace maids passing by, and the rest of the place was quiet, except for the sound of Xueluo pressing loose.
Zhao Yanran stood there, her eyes falling on the blue lake. On a snowy night, there was thin ice floating on Narcissus Lake, and Zhao Yanran couldn't help trembling slightly, but she still stood by the lake, as if waiting for someone.
She was indeed waiting for Sheng Jiayan.
Zhao Yanran has waited too long for today. She had already found out that Sheng Jiayan had a night banquet with the ministers in the previous dynasty, and when the banquet was over, he would walk down this road to Fengyi Palace, and stand outside the door to see Meng Eqi, who might have rested.
Zhao Yanran specially imitated Meng Eqi's usual look today to dress brightly and attractively. She is wearing a crimson peony skirt, a peach-colored jacket, and a circle of white fox velvet tied around her neck, which makes her face with bright eyes and eyes very stunning. It is also somewhat similar to Meng Qiqi.
She was looking forward to Sheng Jiayan drinking more wine today, and seeing her when she passed by here, she could temporarily mistake her for Meng Qiqi. Zhao Yanran has no other chance, she can only seize this hard-won opportunity. Usually she can't see Sheng Jiayan, even if she secretly uses the minister's hand to pressure him to punish Meng Qiqi, but this is far from enough for Zhao Yanran. Because even if Meng Eqi's threat is removed, and she can't even see Sheng Jiayan's face, then everything will be in vain.
As long as... As long as Sheng Jiayan can get close to her, even for a moment, she is 70% sure that she will completely entangle Sheng Jiayan.
She clenched the hand holding the umbrella handle tightly, and there seemed to be something hidden in her pale pink nails.
At this moment, there was a slight noise behind him. It seemed that someone was walking with a long knife, and the blade scraped on the ground making a monotonous sound. It looked weird and terrifying in this silent environment of Xueluo.
Zhao Yanran turned around suspiciously, but saw no one.
The guards who just passed by are no longer coming, and even Fang Ling, who went to inquire about the news, has not returned.
Zhao Yanran didn't know why, but she looked around in fear. In front of her was a dark lake, and the night made everything around her feel dark.
At this time, she wanted to back down, but she was unwilling to think that her efforts for many days would be given up at this moment.
Then he reassured himself that he just thought too much for a while, there is no sound of the knife dragging on the ground, I am afraid that some branches are scraping on the ground.
But as the voice got louder and louder, Zhao Yanran finally felt that the man was getting closer and closer with the knife.
The sound of the blade rubbing against the ground gave Zhao Yanran goosebumps.
"Fangling? Is that you?" Zhao Yanran didn't dare to look back, she asked with a trembling voice, but there was no response behind her.
After a moment, the sound of the knife stopped behind her.
The ground returned to silence, but Zhao Yanran felt her scalp tingle, and she clearly felt a terrifying gaze fell on her from behind.
She mustered up her courage and turned her head slowly.
Before she could scream, her eyes were red with blood, and she saw the white ground and the terrifying smile on the other side.
It snowed a little more.
Sheng Jiayan was drinking with the ministers tonight. He pretended to be drunk and left the table in the middle. Everyone saw the emperor walking staggeringly, so they didn't dare to leave him. After Sheng Jiayan left, the crowd was hilarious again, which was even more lively than before.
Sheng Jiayan took Mo Chunfeng and Xiang Dingchen until he returned to Jianzhang Palace to unload his pretentious drunken state.
He took the sobering plum soup handed over by the palace servant, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Mo Chunfeng just suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall, eager to speak to Sheng Jiayan. The two have been masters and servants for many years, and with just one look, they can read whether the other party is in an emergency. Therefore, Sheng Jiayan left the table early on the pretext of being drunk.
"Zhao Yanran is dead." Mo Chunfeng said with a serious expression: "The guards who patrolled just now found her dead by the Narcissus Lake, with a big hole in her chest and scars on her face, as if she was killed by a sickle or something. The murderer has also been caught, it is Gao Lan who was sent to the capital that day."
"I didn't expect that Sister Gao is still alive," Xiang Dingchen exclaimed: "Looking like a madman, when the guards went, they found her lying on Zhao Yanran's body eating flesh and blood. The scene was terrifying. Seeing Zhao Yanran dead He couldn't stop laughing wildly, but it was the name of Qiqi who was chanting and scolding."
Mo Chunfeng pushed him secretly, looked at Sheng Jiayan and said, "Gao Lan was brought into the capital by the prince at that time, and the prince must have forgotten that there is such a person. Hearing that Gao Lan was later rewarded by the prince to the eunuch. , everyone forgot her existence, who would have thought that she would jump out and kill now."
"Then Zhao Yanran's figure is indeed a bit like Qiqi," Xiang Dingchen recalled the scene that he saw just now and felt a little uncomfortable: "Gao Lan hates her so much, it's really dangerous. Fortunately, when the guards first discovered her, they thought she was some kind of living creature. A beast, a few imperial soldiers wrapped ropes around her head and limbs and pulled her around, and Gao Lan was already subdued."
When Sheng Jiayan heard the news, there was a hint of relief on his face.
It would be better if something happened to Meng Qiqi...
Mo Chunfeng asked worriedly, "Now that Zhao Yanran is dead, what should I do about the extension of Qiqi's life?"
Zhao Yanran's death at this juncture is really troublesome, Sheng Jiayan frowned: "Call those Taoists over."
Four Taoist priests in green robes filed in, ranging in age. The oldest looked only twenty years old, and the oldest had gray hair and beard.
They are talented people from all over the world that Sheng Jiayan had been looking for half a year ago. These four people come from different places, but they have the same ability.
It is to be able to communicate yin and yang, and some skills.
At this time, they were arguing in Jianzhang Palace about finding a substitute for Meng Eqi.
"Zhao's horoscope is the most suitable for Miss Meng, but she is now dead. Caomin suggests that His Majesty find another woman whose horoscope matches Miss Meng. As long as she is found within ten days, Miss Meng will still be saved." The younger Taoist said. .
"Ridiculous!" The old Taoist retorted: "And how to find a woman with a similar character in the whole country in just ten days, and prolong her life, besides the match of the character, it is also related to luck. Even if you find a similar woman The person who has a different fate will not be compatible with Miss Meng!"
The two were arguing with each other, and the other two Taoist priests frowned at each other.
Sheng Jiayan reclined on the dragon chair and listened to them arguing for a long time, and suddenly asked lazily—
"What if I extend my life to her?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the four people who were originally noisy suddenly looked at the emperor in silence.
Sheng Jiayan supported his head, his eyes were heavy: "You don't have to hide from me, I know about life extension. In addition to finding someone who is suitable for eight characters, you can also find emperors or eminent monks. Someone has calculated, if I want to give her It's not impossible to live longer."
"This..." The old Taoist hesitated: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this is inappropriate. If this is the case, the poor Taoist dare not do it."
It is absurd for an emperor of a country to treat his lifespan as a child's play. If someone else settles the accounts for the emperor, he will not be able to live in the future.
Not only the old Taoist priest, but also the other three people are in a dilemma.
Sheng Jiayan was not in a hurry to let them express their views, but just waved to let them back down, giving them another day to think about it.
After they left, Mo Chunfeng was the first to kneel to Sheng Jiayan.
"Your Majesty," Mo Chunfeng begged bitterly, clutching Sheng Jiayanming's yellow robe, "I still can't understand why you are so persistent. Is what Zhang Ge said mean? Is it really impossible to survive? Why do you have to give your life to her!"
Xiang Dingchen knelt down beside him and said anxiously, "I don't believe in any intentions or intentions, and I don't believe in any catastrophe! I only know that you are the only one in the world. You can easily ignore it, but we can't."
Sheng Jiayan looked at the dead branches that were being played with by the wind outside the window, and said only: "Ping Wang is about to enter the capital. He will take over the throne at that time. You take Qiqi and Nie Houye to Chu State, and you must keep her safe."
Seeing that Sheng Jiayan had made up his mind, Mo Chunfeng stood up abruptly: "If King Ping wants to be the emperor, let's give him the throne first! It's okay to continue his life to Qiqi, right?"
"Otherwise...otherwise..." He murmured in despair, "Ding Chen and I will rush to various places within ten days, and we will definitely find another character that matches Qiqi!"
Sheng Jiayan said lightly: "I have been looking for so many years, but I have only found one Zhao Yanran. Where can I go to find another one now? We can wait, I'm afraid Qiqi won't be able to wait."
Mo Chunfeng and Xiang Dingchen wanted to do more, but Sheng Jiayan didn't give them a chance.
He stood outside the window and looked at the Fengyi Palace where Meng Qiqi lived from a distance.
Seeing that the candles in Fengyi Palace were extinguished one by one, Sheng Jiayan knew that Meng Eqi had fallen asleep.
Calculating that he still has twenty-two years of lifespan, that means that Qiqi can live comfortably into the forties without him. I don't know if she will get married during these days, will she be comforted when she is angry, and will she think of herself when she is sad.
After Sheng Jiayan returned to the underworld, life in the mortal world was just a flick of his finger. But he vaguely felt that the waiting days would be very long.
"You know what," Sheng Jiayan said to the two who were wiping tears at each other—
"Death is not parting, maybe the beginning of encounter. Maybe one day, we will meet again."
It was time for him to go back. The underworld had been delayed for too long, and the judge might not be able to handle it alone.
Mo Chunfeng and Xiang Dingchen didn't understand the meaning of Sheng Jiayan's words, they just looked at Sheng Jiayan's back and sobbed. His Majesty himself looked up at the night sky with his hands behind his back. The golden dragon pattern on his robe was looming, and it seemed that he would turn into a dragon in the next second, and then leave in the clouds.