The door panel fell to the ground with a bang, dust was flying, and the room was dark. Fei Sheng covered his mouth and nose and stepped into it, not letting go of any corners.
This is the former residence of the King of Qin. Although it has been in disrepair over the years, it is still recognisable of its former magnificence. Fei Sheng lit the candle he carried with him, extinguished the fire, and went to bed.
"The tent and bedding are new." Ge Qingqing lifted the curtain and looked at the bed.
"There were still people living there a few days ago," Fei Sheng stayed at the table, opened the lid of the teapot, and there were still tea stains inside, "Drinking Juexi Baimazhou spring tea, it seems that Xi Hongxuan did not treat them badly."
When Ge Qingqing checked the bed, he saw bloodstains, his chest jumped up quickly, tore off the whole quilt, and then took a step back.
There was a smelly corpse hidden on the bed, with obvious corpse spots, apparently it had been dead for a few days. Fei Sheng held the light and inspected the body.
"This man was pinched to death," Fei Sheng pointed to the throat of the corpse, "it was directly pinched."
"There is blood," Ge Qingqing said. "He was stabbed before he died."
"Not only that, you can see that there are two stick marks on his neck, which means that he failed to strangle him for the first time. How could the people from Jianghu invited by Xi Hongxuan be able to force this master to this point?" As Sheng said, he pressed the knife against the corpse and slowly turned the corpse over, "The corpse is not abnormal, and there should be no poisoning. The knife wound on the back is so messy, it is obvious that a layman who does not understand swordsmanship cut it indiscriminately. That's why he chose to strangle him. This man should have been killed by their joint efforts. I suspect that the master was injured, and it may be that he was not physically strong. As a last resort, Mr. took the knife himself."
The more Ge Qingqing listened, the more alarmed she said, "Since the corpses can be placed so neatly, does it mean that the teacher and the master are not panicking yet? As long as..."
"The corpse may also have been placed by someone else," Fei Sheng looked around again, "there is no sign of a fight here... I think Master was injured and couldn't use his fists and feet freely, so I had to use the strength of my husband. But they were transferred again. , It must not have been arranged by Xi Hongxuan, because none of the Jianghu people he hired dared to oppose Jin Yiwei for a few money. Whether this body is a Jianghu person still needs to be said, if it is not a Jianghu person—"
Fei Sheng's voice stopped abruptly. His willingness to do things for Shen Zechuan was for the fat man. If it wasn't a personal grievance, it would involve court disputes. He didn't want to put himself in it, so he didn't finish the second half of the sentence - if it weren't for Jianghu people, then only Ouchi had such a master, and this corpse might have come from Jin Yiwei himself.
Ge Qingqing knew his concerns, and the two fell into a silent deadlock. This house is full of ghosts, and there is no way to stay like this.
Fei Sheng took back the knife and said: "The people must be in Yedu, and all the official residences and palaces are guarded by special guards. Their high gates are closed and there are secret passages inside. It's easy to hide a few people. I'm sorry. I can find this place for Lord Shen!"
After saying that, he surrendered to Ge Qingqing, went out the same way, and got on his horse to report back.
Ge Qingqing stayed where she was, seeing the blood trail dragging to the ground, she knelt down along the blood trail and looked under the bed. It was darker under the bed, and there seemed to be something. Ge Qingqing reached out and took it out, but it was a handful of ashes. Ge Qingqing blew off the ashes, leaving only a fingernail-sized piece of paper in his palm.
It was the remnants of Qi Huilian's unburned handwriting.
* * *
Shen Zechuan closed his eyes and dozed off, holding the burnt-yellow piece of paper between his fingers, with only a few words left on it, but he was most familiar with it.
Qi Huilian's handwritten notes involve many things, which are the strategies they once discussed in Zhaosin Temple. Everything he taught Shen Zechuan, as well as the details of the eunuchs he knew when he served as Taifu, are all on it. During the epidemic, Qiao Tianya was transferred to the attic together and kept by Qi Huilian himself.
In order to prevent information leakage, Qi Huilian has his own set of reading methods. What and how to read it, he figured it all out in his spare time in the temple. If he looked at it in the usual order, many things would appear disorganized, like crazy talk, and there was no beginning or end at all.
But was he burned because of circumstances, or because he feared that his captors would be able to read it
Qiao Tianya leaned against the wall, and when he saw Shen Zechuan coming out, he could not help straightening up. Shen Zechuan hurried down the steps and said, "Prepare the car."
Qiao Tianya saw that it was getting late and knew where he was going. The unremarkable ordinary carriage drove out and circled Shenwu Street twice before arriving at the Mei Mansion.
"Where is Lord Hou?" Shen Zechuan got out of the car and asked.
Seeing his solemn expression, Ding Tao didn't dare to play, and said truthfully: "Master Hou just went out, and I invite Master Xue to have a drink and come back later. Sir, do you need me to invite Master Hou back? It's just across the road. a few streets."
Xiao Chiye invited Xue Xiuyi to have a drink at this moment, and he must be inquiring about Xue Xiuzhuo's bottom line.
Shen Zechuan walked into the yard and said, "Just tell him that I will rest here tonight, let him come back after drinking, and don't stay out all night. But I also told him not to be in a hurry, don't rush back immediately, Xue Xiuyi can't be casual. Send."
Ding Tao responded, and Qiao Tianya followed Shen Zechuan and asked, "Why are you so anxious all of a sudden?"
"Xi Hongxuan doesn't believe anyone, but he believes in Xue Xiuzhuo." Shen Zechuan went up the stairs in the dim light of the lantern, "The last time Xi Dan cheated on him, he would rather doubt Xi Dan than Xue Xiuzhuo. He used to ask Xue Xiuzhuo about everything. , this time I hold Mr., and I definitely don't dare to make my own decisions."
Before his death, Xi Hongxuan was so sure that Shen Zechuan would definitely lose, why? He must know something that Shen Zechuan doesn't know yet. It was Xue Xiuzhuo's suggestion that Xi Hongxuan was promoted to the Examination Division. He listened to Xue Xiuzhuo so much—why did he listen to Xue Xiuzhuo so much
Shen Zechuan paused in footsteps and suddenly stood in place.
The Xue family has been in decline for a long time, and Xi Hongxuan will never listen to the messenger of a poor man, and he will never be easily convinced by anyone. The two of them got along because of the friendship of classmates. Because of the in-law relationship between the two generations, they are still related, but what did Xue Xiuzhuo use to stabilize Xi Hongxuan? Xi Hongxuan's greed is for profit, even his eldest brother can kill him if he wants to. With that thin blood relationship alone, it is impossible for Xue Xiuzhuo to gain such trust from him.
Shen Zechuan became anxious for no reason. He looked at the eaves. The shadow was like a beast with claws and claws. It had already bited half of his figure between the sharp teeth. The clues that were unclear were like dense water plants, entangled with Shen Zechuan as the night darkened. His hands and feet made him aware of the danger.
* * *
Xiao Chiye invited Xue Xiuyi to have a drink, and when he saw Ding Tao come in halfway, he knew that Shen Zechuan had returned to the house. While socializing with people, he nodded slightly to Ding Tao, indicating that he knew.
Xue Xiuyi was half drunk again. He wanted to ask some prostitutes to come down to accompany him, but Xiao Chiye didn't mention this, and he didn't dare to call anyone rashly. At this moment, the wine belch continued, and he was still holding the wine glass, and said to Xiao Chiye: "He... Xue Yanqing! The group of young children raised in the mansion are specially placed in a large yard, and they are usually invited... Please, please sir Going to some private school... I see him, it's not like raising a prostitute."
"Really," Xiao Chiye went down a few glasses of wine, but he didn't get drunk at all, Chen Yang next to him filled Xue Xiuyi with wine again, he touched the glass casually, and said, "Then he buys this group of people. For what? There has to be a reason."
"Xue Xiuzhuo is weird!" Xue Xiuyi took a few sips of wine and then continued, "If it wasn't for the reminder from Lord Hou, I wouldn't have noticed... The people he bought are of similar age, but they are all good-looking, and both men and women are pleasing to the eye. I know There are many people in the court who like the masculine style. The Rabbit Masters in Donglong Street are all petite and soft, and they are not worse than real and real women! Does he think that the ones bought outside are not clean, and it is easy to be honest, so he is self-sufficient. I secretly raised a batch of them, waiting to be used for relationship management in the future?"
Xiao Chiye didn't listen to his words. After drinking, he said, "Then he will have to work hard. The Rabbit Master who can be named on Donglong Street is all smashed with real money. The boy he bought. There are both girls and boys, please go, sir, and only teach boys?"
"The weirdness is here!" Xue Xiuyi was drunk and indecent, he buried his head and slowed down for a while, and finally stopped his hiccups, and said to Xiao Chiye, "Master Hou, he let those girls learn piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, I know what this is for. , What man doesn't like red sleeves and fragrance? But what he taught those boys to learn is strategy."
Xiao Chiye turned his eyes quickly, looked at Xue Xiuyi, and repeated: "What he taught those boys to learn is strategy theory? Is it only strategy theory?"
Xue Xiuyue shook his head vigorously, stretched out his finger, and said, "He set up an elementary school in the yard, and sometimes he also goes in to give lectures. Lord Hou, do you know what he talks about? It's all serious books. I heard the day before yesterday that he taught these boys... current affairs!"
* * *
Xiao Chiye returned home very late. Seeing that the house was still lit, he knew that Shen Zechuan was still waiting for him. Chen Yang dispersed the servants, leaving only a few of them guarding the courtyard.
Xiao Chiye entered as usual, and a glazed lamp was lit inside. Shen Zechuan looked at the case in front of Xiaojie, took off his crown, and wore Xiao Chiye's robe, as he looked before going to bed.
Xiao Chiye leaned over Shen Zechuan's back, tilted his head and kissed his earlobe, and said, "Leave a note if you have something to do. It's the same when you wake up tomorrow morning and talk about it."
Shen Zechuan hummed and looked sideways at him.
Xiao Chiye got up, took off the knife, took off his coat, and sat cross-legged beside Shen Zechuan.
Shen Zechuan held the pages of the book with his fingertips, but did not turn them over, and said, "Some things have to be interviewed, and I can't explain in a few words."
Xiao Chiye finally relaxed, unbuttoned his buttons, and said, "According to the order, you or me first?"
Seeing that he didn't pull for a long time, Shen Zechuan raised his finger and unbuttoned his clothes for him. After thinking for a while, he said, "I have a lot of things I haven't figured out yet, so let's talk about it first."
Xiao Chiye supported the small table with his elbows, took out other booklets from the large cabinet beside him, handed them to Shen Zechuan, and said in the gap he looked at: "The group of people that Xue Xiuzhuo bought, the oldest one is eighteen years old, and the youngest ten years old. Four years old, boys and girls mixed in the same yard, the only thing they have in common is that they are all born well."
"Badacheng, Zhongbo, Juexi," Shen Zechuan walked along the name with his fingertips, "he buys people without looking at their origin."
"This may be to confuse the public and make people unable to start even if they want to investigate." Xiao Chiye saw that Shen Zechuan suddenly stopped somewhere, and looked closer, "Have you seen this name?"
Shen Zechuan looked at the name and said, "Lingting... I heard this name in Xiangyunfang."
"They're all from Xiangyun," Xiao Chiye said. "She likes clever children, so she used 'Ling' as her surname earlier and changed her name to these young children."
"You were drinking with Xue Xiuyi tonight, what did he say?"
"He said a weird thing," Xiao Chiye paused for a while, "He said that Xue Xiuzhuo bought this group of people back to the mansion, and the girls learned all the things taught in the brothel, but the boys went to the serious ones. School. Xue Xiuyi has invited gentlemen to these boys, not only will they have the examinations in Taixue, but also talk about current affairs.”
Shen Zechuan was silent.
Xiao Chiye said: "If he wants a student, he can choose from a serious family. There are people in Taixue who want to worship him as a teacher. But he taught the boys he bought from the brothel like this. Even if these people are real What kind of fame has he learned, because he can't get into the official position because of low status, what good is it for him? Unless he intends to raise a group of people from the palace."
"Xue Xiuzhuo..." Shen Zechuan seemed to be wandering outside. He listened to Xiao Chiye's words and quickly sorted out his thoughts, "If he wants to support Qingke, there are better candidates. You and I have missed a bit before, Xue Xiuzhuo and Xi Hongxuan Okay, he wants to approve the youngsters of the brothel, can't Ouhualou afford it? But he specially spent money to buy it at Xiangyunfang, which shows that he is going for one of them."
The image flashed in Shen Zechuan's mind. Although he didn't have the ability to remember as Ding Tao, he tried his best to think about everything and every sentence in his heart in his past interactions with people. He remembered it, and he would not forget it. any details.
"As long as there is Li's blood, it is the emperor's heir."
Taifu Qi's words were like thunder, splitting Shen Zechuan's confusion at the moment. He thought of this sentence and thought of more. He knelt down abruptly, flipping the pages on the small table with his sleeves.
"The late emperor..." Shen Zechuan held Xiao Chiye's arm, his voice gradually stabilized, "The late emperor had been in power for more than eight years, but Shen's wounds did not heal, and the offspring withered. Only Wei Concubine was pregnant. The Hua clan rebelled at the Nanlin hunting ground. That night, Hua Siqian had the courage to do something because it was Concubine Wei's child, but after that night, when we returned to the capital, Concubine Wei had already been thrown into the well. I initially suspected it was you, and then I suspected it was Hai Liangyi's faction. In order to completely cut off the family's obsession and let Li Jianheng ascend to the throne, they killed Wei Concubine first. But now that I think about it, there is something wrong. Even if Wei Concubine is pregnant, I don't know whether it is a man or a woman, let alone a woman. Competing with Li Jianheng, who already has the support of Libei, killing Wei Concubine is superfluous for Hai Liangyi."
"Let me push it forward. Before Emperor Xiande, Emperor Guangcheng was in power, and the Crown Prince of the East Palace committed suicide at Zhaosin Temple because of a treason case. At that time, the emperor's grandson was still in his infancy. If he hadn't died, he would have been twenty-six years old this year. However, this case was handled by Ji Lei and Shen Wei together. In order to show his loyalty to Pan Rugui, Ji Lei must not dare to be careless, let alone leave such a big disaster. Then this world can still be called the emperor's heir people, only—”
Xiao Chiye held Shen Zechuan's cold hand instead, and said in a deep voice, "The oldest is 18 years old and the youngest is 14 years old. If it is the heir of the emperor, only Emperor Guangcheng can match the time. Tu, in the next ten years, there was no concubine in the palace who could give birth to an imperial heir under the eyes of the Queen Mother. Although Emperor Guangcheng was ill at that time, he was not too weak. He could not get rid of the constraints of the Hua family, so he only I can think of a way outside the palace."
"Only Xue Xiuzhuo knows about the hollowing out and filling the tank under the Ouhua Building. The collapse case is to kill Li Jianheng. This is what I can't figure out. Now if he really holds an emperor, then everything can be done. It makes sense. He killed Wei Concubine, and then wanted to kill Li Jianheng." Shen Zechuan's secret unease became clearer and clearer.
Xiao Chiye was also shocked by this sudden conjecture. He said, "If this is the case, then the emperor is among those people."
When the two faced each other, Shen Zechuan lowered his voice and said, "This imperial heir—"
"I can't stay." Xiao Chiye squeezed Shen Zechuan's chin, drew closer, and his eyes were deep, "Lan Zhou, none of these people can stay."
He didn't speak quickly, and the killing intent seemed to be a turbulent wave buried under the depths. They all thought a lot at this moment, what does the emperor mean? It means that everything that exists will become passive. Will the family holding the imperial heir be easily defeated? Think about the queen mother who has been in power for 20 years, the controlled Li family can only become a puppet, the rich and powerful parties are bound to rise again, and Hai Liangyi will also be beaten again!
There was a sudden knock on the door, breaking the solemn atmosphere of the two.
Xiao Chiye said, "Speak."
With a subtle urging, Qiao Tianya said, "Master, the person who chased Xi Dan overnight has returned."
Shen Zechuan got up immediately, pulled up his clothes and opened the door. Qiao Tianya dodged to make way, Shen Zechuan looked at Ge Qingqing, who was kneeling on one knee in the courtyard, went down the steps, and said, "What's wrong?"
"Sir," Ge Qingqing raised her head, her throat jerky, "Xi Dan opened the Xi family's treasury, which has already been emptied."
The branches and leaves in the courtyard were rustling, and he turned his head to look at Ge Qingqing, and the moonlight whitened the ground, like a thick layer of frost. In the dead silence, Shen Zechuan looked back halfway and said to Xiao Chiye, "Erlang, we are being tricked around by him."
His tone was soft, causing all the guards in the yard to bow their heads.