His current situation was already difficult. He must not let Xie Changgeng have any doubts about his actions, let alone let him know about Xier's existence, so as not to make the situation worse and create unnecessary complications.
Although she was extremely reluctant, temporary separation was inevitable. Mu Fulan's rationality reminded her what she should do now.
After arranging everything, she didn't dare to delay for too long. She suppressed her reluctance and had to say goodbye to Xi'er who had just returned to her today.
She stood at the back mountain gate leading to Tallinn, staring at the tiny figure being sent down the mountain.
Such a young child, clearly didn't want to be separated from me, yet was so well-behaved, without crying or making a fuss, just kept looking back at me, his tearful eyes filled with reluctance to leave me.
Mu Fulan stood there, watching her son disappear from her sight before she turned and left.
When she entered the city and returned to the mansion, it was already evening. Just like the previous days, Xie Changgeng had not returned at this hour, but as soon as she entered the door, the steward told her a piece of news.
News came from Hexi that there were unusual movements by the northerners. The Jiedushi could not stay in Shangjing for the new year and had to set off back to Hexi in three days.
Mu Fulan didn't show any big reaction on her face. She just told someone to pack his luggage as soon as possible, but the tension in her heart immediately grew.
I originally thought that he would not leave until after the New Year at the earliest, leaving me at least half a month. Unexpectedly, something unexpected happened, and I only had three days left.
He was leaving, and her next destination, or the direction of her "fate", was suddenly before her and there was no time to lose.
While feeling fortunate that she had decisively arranged Xier's important event today, Mu Fulan immediately thought of an idea that she had been weighing over and over in her mind for the past few days.
She doesn't have much time left, she must act quickly.
That night, Xie Changgeng came back later than usual. The steward must have told him that Mu Fulan had gone to the Huguo Temple to worship Buddha during the day. He didn't say anything. When he came back and met her in the room, he just gave her a cold look and went to the study. He came back very late. By then, Mu Fulan had gone to bed and had drawn the curtains.
He was still sleeping on the couch, just like before.
The next morning, after Xie Changgeng left, Mu Fulan was summoned into the palace by Empress Liu, who told her that Hexi was in unrest and Xie Changgeng was about to return to Liangzhou, and asked her what her plans were next.
Mu Fulan still pretended to be stupid and said that he was very busy these days, leaving early and returning late, and he had not mentioned this to her yet, and she was not sure in her mind. She could go with him to Liangzhou or return to Xie County to serve her mother-in-law, it all depended on her husband's arrangement.
Empress Liu did not stay with Mu Fulan for long. She stared at her back and walked out, asking Eunuch Yang beside her: "What do you think?"
Eunuch Yang said, "Envoy Xie is about to leave the capital, but Mu still doesn't know where to go. It's obvious that Envoy Xie doesn't care about her."
Empress Liu nodded and said, "I think so too. This Mu is just a pretty face, but she is submissive and boring. Even if she won Mr. Xie's favor with her beauty at first, it won't last long."
Eunuch Yang smiled and said, "Indeed. The Queen Mother doesn't have to worry about her trying to sow discord between Xie Jiedushi and the Emperor."
Empress Liu smiled and said, "Of course you don't have to worry about that, but since I have summoned her to the capital, I will have to keep her here for a while longer."
Eunuch Yang was stunned at first, then he suddenly realized.
Although Changsha is a small country with weak soldiers, it is also a place where kings can be enfeoffed. Although the queen mother does not intend to take action now, there is no guarantee that the other party will not be honest and take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. I heard that Mu Xuanqing loves the prince's sister very much, so leaving Mu as a hostage will naturally be useful.
"The Queen Mother wants to use her as a hostage to intimidate Mu Xuanqing?"
"What do you think?"
Eunuch Yang pondered for a moment and said carefully: "Empress Dowager, I have always been puzzled as to why the Empress Dowager did not take Jiedushi Xie's mother to the capital as well? Jiedushi commanded a large number of troops, especially Jiedushi Xie. Although he was loyal to the Empress Dowager, people's hearts were unpredictable. What if..."
He paused.
"I heard that he is a filial son. Why not find an excuse to bring Old Madam Xie to the capital? In this way, it is only natural for Madam Mu to stay and serve her mother-in-law. The Queen Mother has both the hostage of Jiedushi Xie and the hostage of Changsha. Isn't this killing two birds with one stone?"
Empress Liu shook her head.
"I will find a reason to detain Mu, and Xie Qing will not object. But if I bring his mother here as well, he will surely suspect that I am not confident in him and am using his mother as a hostage."
She was lost in thought for a moment.
"Even if we need to take someone as a hostage, it's not now. We are in trouble both internally and externally. It's the right time to use him. There's no need to create unnecessary trouble."
Eunuch Yang bowed hurriedly: "Yes, yes, the Queen Mother has considered it carefully, and I have spoken nonsense."
Empress Liu smiled and said, "Then it is settled. When he comes to see me, I will explain this matter to him and hold Mu hostage in the capital."
Eunuch Yang flattered: "The Queen Mother is wise, no one can compare to her!"
…
Mu Fulan left the palace and returned to Xie's house. After noon, she went out under the pretext of visiting the wife of an official in Beijing. Halfway through the journey, she found an excuse to send away the steward who was accompanying her, changed into inconspicuous clothes in the carriage, got off the carriage, and took a pre-prepared sedan chair, heading to a restaurant in the west of the city.
Internal historian Zhang Ban has received a secret letter signed by Changsha Prime Minister Lu Lin, asking him to meet in this restaurant at the end of 3 p.m. today.
Zhang Ban was very doubtful.
Last time, he accepted a large bribe from Lu Lin and acted as a lobbyist for the State of Changsha in front of Empress Liu. Today, he suddenly received a secret letter from him again, which was very unexpected. He didn't know why the other party was so bold as to come to Shangjing secretly, and he didn't know what he wanted to do by asking him out again. As the saying goes, "When you take someone's hand, you're soft-hearted." He was uneasy and even more unhappy.
But since he had received the invitation, he knew that if he did not meet the invitation, the other party would definitely not give up. He had no choice but to take off his official uniform, disguise himself and quietly go to the private room of the restaurant mentioned in the letter.
Zhang Ban arrived at the door of the private room, looked behind him to make sure there was no suspicious person following him, and pushed the door open and walked in.
The private room was quiet, with no one around. Only a figure could be seen faintly behind the screen.
Zhang Ban stopped, stared at the figure and said, "I'm here, what do you want?"
The figure moved and came out from behind the screen.
It turned out to be a young woman who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed like a woman. She was extremely beautiful and nodded at him with a smile.
Zhang Ban's gaze fell on the other person and froze for a moment. After a moment, he reacted and was shocked.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
Mu Fulan said, "I am the sister of the King of Changsha. Today, I borrowed the name of Prime Minister Lu to arrange a meeting with the Internal Affairs Secretary."
Zhang Ban became more and more surprised.
He knew that Mu Xuanqing's sister had married Xie Changgeng and had come to the capital some time ago. But he never expected that she would dare to trick him here under the name of Lu Lin.
What is the intention
His expression changed slightly and he quickly glanced behind him.
Mu Fulan walked towards him slowly and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Mr. Zhang. I have invited you here today with no ill intentions, but I have something to discuss with you."
Zhang Ban finally calmed down and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Without even looking at her, he said coldly, "What's the matter?"
Mu Fulan said, "It was thanks to the kindness and righteousness of Secretary Zhang that Changsha was able to achieve peace. My brother is very grateful. When I came here, I specifically told him that if I had the chance to meet Secretary Zhang, I must thank him on his behalf."
"That's all. You are a woman, and you came to see me here pretending to be Lu Lin. I'm sure you didn't do it just to say thank you. What else do you want?"
Mu Fulan smiled and said, "I have long heard that Nei Shi Zhang is not only a capable official, but also a straightforward person. When we met today, it was indeed true. I like dealing with people like Nei Shi. Since Nei Shi asked, I will not be shy. To be honest, I took the liberty of inviting you here today because I have something to ask of you."
Zhang Ban heard that she wanted to ask him something, so he couldn't help but glance at her. Her beautiful eyes stared at him without blinking, and he suddenly felt light. He raised his chin unconsciously: "What is it?"
"The Internal Secretary is in an important position, and he is a close official in front of the Queen Mother. He must know that my current situation is not easy because I was born in Changsha. Xie Changgeng will leave the capital in two days, and I am afraid that the Queen Mother will detain me in Shangjing and use me as a hostage. I boldly asked the Internal Secretary to come out today, hoping that he would lend me a helping hand for the sake of my brother. If I can persuade the Queen Mother to give up this idea and let me leave the capital, not only will my brother thank me, but I will be extremely grateful to the Internal Secretary."
Zhang Ban looked at her again.
"Mu, I don't understand this. You and Xie Changgeng are husband and wife, so you have your own feelings. Why didn't you go to him for this kind of thing? Why did you ask me, an outsider, for help?"
Mu Fulan said, "Doesn't Nei Shi Zhang know what kind of person he is? How can there be any love between him and me? As long as the Queen Mother asks, let alone taking me as a hostage of Changsha State, even if it means taking my life, I'm afraid he won't even frown."
Zhang Ban shook his head and sighed: "You have such an understanding, but you are not a foolish person. It's a pity that your father married you to the wrong person. Since you have come to me for help, I am not unwilling to help. It's just that I am afraid it is difficult to help..."
His gaze stopped on Mu Fulan's face.
Zhang Ban, who looked dignified on the surface, was actually a lecher. How could Mu Fulan not see the strange color in his eyes when he looked at her? He smiled and said, "I know this is not easy. If the Internal History is willing to help, I will definitely give you something in return after the matter is accomplished."
Zhang Ban knew that he should not act rashly when it came to Xie Changgeng's wife. However, he did not want to reject such a beautiful woman who came to him for help. Hearing her words, it seemed that there was another meaning behind them. He coughed and his expression became more serious.
"What do you mean?"
Mu Fulan walked a few steps towards him and whispered, "I'm afraid the Internal Secretary doesn't know yet, Xie Changgeng is plotting a rebellion. Others don't know about this, but he and I are husband and wife, and we sleep in the same bed every night. How could he hide it from me?"
Zhang Ban was stunned, the frivolous look on his face disappeared instantly, his eyes stared at Mu Fulan, his expression became extremely solemn.
"Mu, are you serious?"
Mu Fulan nodded. "It's absolutely true! I heard him talk about treason in his sleep. If he didn't think about it during the day, how could he dream about it at night? He is ambitious, how could he be willing to be driven by others and serve others for a long time? Even if I didn't happen to hear him talking in his sleep, I'm afraid the historian would know it clearly."
Zhang Ban and Xie Changgeng, one is in charge of the interior and the other is outside the interior, both are regarded as "trusted confidants" by Empress Liu. Now that Xie Changgeng's power is growing, Zhang Ban seems to have fallen out of favor. With his character, how could he not be moved at all
She looked at Zhang Ban, and seeing that he didn't say anything, she continued, "My father promised me to Xie Changgeng in the past, with the intention of seeking an ally for Changsha. But he turned out to be such a cold-hearted person, who only cared about his own advancement. How could he care about Changsha at all? Changsha only wants to protect itself. Instead of relying on him, it is better to rely on you, Internal Affairs Minister Zhang."
"If the Internal Secretary can help me escape and I don't have to stay in Shangjing as a hostage, I am willing to monitor Xie Changgeng's movements for the Internal Secretary, and once I get evidence, I will present it to the Internal Secretary."
Zhang Ban seemed calm on the surface, but in fact, countless thoughts had already gone through his mind.
In just a few years, Xie Changgeng rose so fast and made many great contributions. Seeing that he was becoming more and more favored by Empress Liu and his own position was threatened, Zhang Ban did not show any sign on the surface. When the two met, they were very harmonious, but in his heart, he had already begun to feel anxious and even extremely jealous.
At the beginning of the year, he secretly instigated a minister to go to Empress Liu and make a statement, implying that Xie Changgeng had the potential to rebel, and reminded Empress Liu to take precautions. Unexpectedly, Empress Liu was not moved, and she also punished the man for false accusation. Since then, no one in the court dared to say a word about it.
All along, Zhang Ban only regretted that he could not get any evidence of Xie Changgeng's treason, and today the opportunity came.
Mu was Xie Changgeng's bedmate. No matter how much Xie Changgeng guarded himself, he would never have thought that she would be his.
Given the current situation of Changsha State being small and weak and dependent on others, Xie Changgeng cannot be counted on. If I am willing to help him now, he will be more than happy. I believe that Mu will not dare to cross the river and make a fool of me. If I can be used by myself and become an eye and ear planted by Xie Changgeng, and if I really get some real evidence in the future, I can report it to Empress Liu. Why worry that Empress Liu will not believe it
Zhang Ban suppressed the excitement surging in his heart and slowly a smile appeared on his face.
He looked at Mu Fulan and nodded.
"Mu, then it is settled. From now on, Changsha's affairs will be my responsibility. I will also do my best to help you with your current problem."
…
Mu Fulan came out and took the sedan chair back to where the carriage was parked. She went upstairs to change back into her original clothes, and when she saw that nothing was wrong, she called him back.
The carriage returned to the door of Xie's house and stopped. She came out and was helped down by the maid. Just as she was about to go in, a voice came from behind her: "Princess, please stay!"
Mu Fulan turned around and saw a servant dressed as a servant of a wealthy family running out of an alley nearby. He ran up to her and bowed, claiming to be sent by the Princess of Qi. "I'm here to deliver a letter to you from my Princess..."
As the man spoke, he reached into his arms to feel for the letter. At this moment, there was a sound of horse hooves behind him. The man turned around and saw from afar that Xie Changgeng had also returned. He immediately remembered his master's instructions, and hurriedly retracted his hand, saying that he could not find the letter and was afraid that he had accidentally lost it on the road, and said that he would go back to look for it first. After saying that, he turned around and left in a hurry.
Mu Fulan was puzzled for a moment. First, she didn't know why the Princess of Qi suddenly sent her a message, and she didn't know what she was going to say. Second, she felt that the servant who delivered the message was a little strange in his words and deeds. But since everyone had left, she didn't take it to heart. She glanced at Xie Changgeng who was riding back on horseback, and turned around and walked in.
Xie Changgeng quickly arrived at the door and dismounted. The doorman came to greet him.
He looked at the direction where the person who had suddenly turned around and ran away when he saw him come back had gone, and asked.
The doorman said, "It is said that the Princess of Qi sent someone to deliver a letter to the princess. The person came a long time ago, but when he learned that the princess was out, he refused to give the letter to me and insisted on waiting. The princess came back just now, but he couldn't find the letter."
Xie Changgeng once again looked at the direction the man had gone, called an attendant, gave him an order, and went in, waiting behind the screen. Not long after, the attendant came back and reported, "We just caught up with the man, subdued him in a few moves, and found this letter on his body." Then he handed it over.
Xie Changgeng took it and opened the letter.
As he expected, the letter was not sent by the Princess of Qi, but was written by Zhao Xitai from the Palace of Prince Qi.
Xie Changgeng glanced at the contents of the letter and his face suddenly became gloomy. He called a maid who was passing by and asked her to deliver the letter to Mu Fulan.
"Tell her I told you to deliver it!"
Seeing the host’s grim expression, the maid was a little frightened. She took the letter, turned around and hurried away. After taking a few steps, she heard another voice behind her: “Stop!”
The maidservant hurriedly stopped and turned around. She saw Jiedushi Xie walking towards her. She wanted to reply to the letter, so she held it in her hand and strode inside.