When the morning light fell on the earth, a news spread from the palace to the capital, and countless fast horses came out from the city gates on all sides to announce this important event to all parts of the Zhou Dynasty.
The royal family decided to make King Wenjun, the son of King Xiu, the crown prince and give him the name Wei.
Emperor Longqing of the Great Zhou Dynasty finally had a successor. To celebrate, the emperor, who was suffering from illness, announced a general amnesty. The entire capital was decorated with joy, which was even more lively than the Chinese New Year. Officials from the six ministries of the DPRK and Central Government were all busy, preparing for the next few days. Preparations for the final canonization ceremony.
Under this situation, other work has been postponed, so Gu Hai's new appointment has not been received, but this is also a rare time for him to have some free time, spending time with his mother at home or studying poetry and books.
Thinking of the upcoming ceremony for the canonization of the prince, Gu Hai's heart couldn't help but be twitched, which meant that the moment that decided his sister's final fate had also arrived.
"Master, it's time to eat." The little maid called softly from outside.
Gu Hai came back to his senses, put down the book in his hand and walked out. In the living room, Mrs. Cao was sitting alone at the dining table, with a dejected look on her face, and she looked particularly lonely. She seemed to be in a state of mind and did not notice Gu Hai walking in.
"Mom?" Gu Hai sat down next to her and called softly with a bit of exploration.
"Oh, it's here." Mrs. Cao came back to her senses with a smile on her face, "Eat quickly."
Gu Hai's eyes swept over her face, and he saw that Cao's eyes were swollen and bloodshot. It was obvious that he had cried and had not slept well. His eyes fell on Cao's hair, and he didn't know when there were a lot of white hairs.
My mother is only in her thirties... Gu Hai couldn't help but be shocked.
"Eat quickly, I made your favorite tofu with cabbage..." Mrs. Cao smiled and gave him some food, "It was so easy to buy tofu. I don't know why all the tofu in the capital has been bought these days. No, I don’t know who wraps up all the tofu in the capital... I still have people go outside the city to buy it..."
Gu Hai's chopsticks suddenly fell down, making a clear sound.
"What's wrong?" Ms. Cao was startled and looked at him.
The maid on the side had already picked it up and changed it for Gu Hai.
"It's okay," Gu Hai concealed his emotions and said with a smile, while offering food to Mrs. Cao, "I still think the stir-fried pork with stir-fry is delicious..."
"That's it, then let's do it tonight." Ms. Cao also smiled.
The mother and son changed the topic at the same time, had a hasty meal and then left.
Gu Hai went directly to Gu Shiba Niang's study. It was said that the study was also a small pharmacy. There was a shelf of books and various processing tools.
"What are you looking for, young master?" Lingbao asked from behind.
"Find a book and read..." Gu Hai replied, taking out a medicine book from the bookshelf and opening it to read.
Lingbao was puzzled, but he didn't ask any more questions and started wiping gently.
The room was quiet, except for the gentle sound of turning books. At some point, Lingbao noticed that the sound of turning books had stopped. She straightened up and looked over, and saw Gu Hai holding the medicine book in his hand, his eyes fixed.
"Master?" Lingbao walked over and asked softly, "Miss, there are still some books in the bedroom..."
"No need," Gu Hai came back to his senses and shook his head, his eyes focused on the pages of the book.
Arsenic is highly poisonous and can be dissolved by cooking it with tofu.
"Let's get started..." He couldn't help but murmured in a low voice, gently stroking the pages of the book.
Three days later, the Crown Prince's canonization ceremony took place.
As the home of a court official, Gu's residence also got ready early in the morning. Gu Hai changed into official robes, Cao also wore makeup, and a group of servants stood outside the door on the street.
The street has long been paved with loess and evenly swept. The imperial guards of the Great Zhou Dynasty wearing black armor have stood on the street. They all look cold and expressionless, holding swords tightly in their hands. They have been ordered to kill anyone who is disrespectful in the street. kill.
In order to let all the people admire the graceful appearance of the crown prince, the emperor specially ordered Prince Wen to set off from the Prince's Palace to the palace to attend the ceremony. Therefore, before dawn, almost all households in the capital were empty, and everyone flocked to the road where Prince Wen's ceremonial guard passed by. , on this day, restaurants and tea shops on the street sold seats at sky-high prices. If it hadn't been for the government's advance ban, I'm afraid the eaves and trees would have been full of people.
True and false news kept coming from the front.
"It's time to go out. It's time to go out..." The maids of Gu Hai's family passed on the latest news, chattering excitedly.
As a member of the lowest class, I am afraid that this is the first and last time that I will be in such close contact with such a noble person. Even though the pressure of the Forbidden Army a few steps away is like a mountain, it cannot stop the tide of noise.
After hearing the news of the Crown Prince's arrival for an unknown number of times, the long guard of honor finally appeared in everyone's sight, and the noise on the street suddenly reached its climax.
"Look...what a gorgeous carriage."
"I saw the king"
"You want to die, you are the Crown Prince"
The people sitting in the seats bought at a huge price in the restaurant finally realized the advantages of money. They were the first to clearly see the full picture of the Crown Prince's honor guard.
A guard of honor, headed by the important ministers of the court, accompanied by palace maids and eunuchs, and guarded by the Imperial Guard, slowly arrived, leading a seven-horse horse drawn canopy chariot carved with clouds and dragons.
Jade silk gauze hangs from the carriage, allowing the Crown Prince sitting in it to be looming. People can clearly see that this is an extraordinary handsome man. He is wearing an extremely gorgeous Crown Prince's dress, with a high vertical collar and a golden crown. Her hair is tied up with a white jade belt, a cloud-dragon pendant hangs on her head, and she wears cloud-patterned gold-rimmed boots.
"Ah" a burst of women's screams and cheers erupted from the upper floors of the restaurants and teahouses facing the street. If the imperial army had not searched and inspected in advance and the government had warned them in advance, these women would not have dared to bring flowers, for fear that the crown prince's carriage would arrive at this moment. To be overwhelmed by flowers.
Although there were strict warnings in front of them, they could not stop the enthusiasm of the women. Surrounded by countless pearls and emeralds, women of various shapes and sizes leaned out of the windows, waving their hands and flying silk handkerchiefs.
The atmosphere on the street was once again set off to a climax.
Wherever they went, people knelt down and worshiped.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a thousand years old." Cao Gu Hai led a group of servants to kneel down on the street and watched the guard of honor pass by from a distance.
Gu Hai helped Mr. Cao stand up and once again glanced at the Yunlong Huagai carriage that was going away.
"Mom, let's go back." He whispered.
Mrs. Cao nodded, sighed imperceptibly, and turned around while holding her son's hand.
In the midst of the bustle and joy, the mother and son looked as if they were alone in another world.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived"
High-pitched voices sounded one after another inside and outside the imperial city, while at the same time the melodious bells echoed solemn ancient music.
After the canonization ceremony, a grand banquet was held in the palace, and the singing and dancing continued until deep into the night.
"Your Highness, please come this way."
The eunuch wearing a cloud-patterned robe held a fly whisk and respectfully led the way. A large number of palace maids and chamberlains surrounded Prince Wenjun, no, Crown Prince Wei walked towards the East Palace.
This is a magnificent palace, even more majestic and magnificent than the former county prince's palace. The steps everywhere are made of white jade. In front of the palace, the maids and chambermaids stand like wild geese wings. Seeing them approaching, they all knelt down and shouted. A thousand-year-old voice suddenly rose.
Prince Wenjun stood before His Highness, standing in awe with his hands behind his hands.
"Everyone, please step back."
In the prince's palace, accompanied by Huang's voice, everyone sang in unison and filed out.
"Your Highness, please go to bed." Huang Chamberlain whispered, while stepping forward to support Prince Wen, his tentacles were wet.
This fine dress is already soaked through.
Waiter Huang couldn't help but tremble, and he didn't dare to say another word. He supported him and walked quickly behind the heavy curtains.
In the small cubicle, Gu Shiba Niang and Peng Yizhen sat opposite each other.
"I've always been curious. You said this preparation is really magical. It can detoxify this highly toxic arsenic cannon, leaving only the medicinal properties..." Peng Yizhen said with a smile, while taking a sip of tea, he threw a pill into his mouth. Haricot vert.
"It's actually very simple. Wrap the arsenic in white cloth, embed it in tofu, and cook it slowly. If the tofu turns black, change it and cook it again. After cooking it three times, take it out and grind it into powder, and mix it with other medicinal powders. , but this is more laborious to stir, and it is also my Liumen’s exclusive secret recipe, which requires stirring a thousand times day and night..." Gu Shiba Niang said with a smile.
Peng Yizhen listened at first, then suddenly smiled and covered his ears, "Mrs. Gu, I have no intention of becoming your teacher..."
Gu Shiba Niang also smiled, reached out and picked up a green bean and threw it into her mouth like a needle.
There was silence, and the atmosphere in the small room suddenly became heavy.
"Um..." Gu Shiba Niang suddenly took out a roll of paper from her sleeve and pushed it in front of Peng Yizhen, "I'll leave this to you..."
Peng Yizhen held the beans in his hand and pushed the paper away with his elbow. When he saw the dense and neat small regular script, Liu Gong's Seventeen Methods came to his eyes. As if he had touched live coals, his arm suddenly retracted.
"Gu Shiba Niang, what do you mean?" he said.
"I guess..." Gu Shiba Niang smiled at him, "No matter what happens, I will go first..."
"Why should you go first?" Peng Yizhen slammed the table and stood up, knocking out the green beans in the bowl. "Why should you go first? Gu Shiba Niang, let me tell you, I have long seen that you are not good at this." It's pleasing to the eye, you say, at the beginning, I had bad intentions and almost hurt you. I, old Peng Yu, owe you everything emotionally and rationally. At my age, you don't regard me as an elder. Forget it, now you still treat me as your grandson..."
"Sit down," Gu Shiba Niang shouted in a low voice, "What are you shouting for?"
Panting and with red eyes, Peng Yizhen sat down heavily, grabbed a handful of beans and threw them into his mouth, making a crunching sound.
"I don't have anyone I can trust. It's too late to find someone. Just keep it as a family heirloom..." Gu Shiba Niang said with a smile, "My family won't need it anymore. If my brother has a child in the future, it will also be a family heirloom..." People who study and become officials are different from your family..."
"Bah." Peng Yizhen spat heavily.
The door was pushed open with a creak, and their conversation came to an abrupt end.
"Ms. Gu..." Waitress Huang's low voice sounded, "Please."
"Yes." Gu Shiba Niang stood up, picked up the tray beside her, and stepped out.
Looking at her back, Peng Yizhen behind him reached out, grabbed the roll of paper and stuffed it into his arms. He hit his head on the corner of the table and let out a muffled whimper.
"I have met His Highness the Crown Prince." Looking at the figure reclining on the luxurious bed behind the curtain, Gu Shiba Niang put down the tray and knelt down to worship.
"No need to be polite." Wen Jun's weak voice came out.
Waiter Huang hurriedly went to help, Gu Shiba Niang kowtowed and stood up, carrying the tray and walked over step by step. The curtains were opened one by one and then fell down one by one.
"Too..." Gu Shiba Niang looked up at him and saw Prince Wen opened his eyes and looked over.
His eyes scanned her face carefully.
"It's okay..." He whispered, lowering his gaze.
Gu Shiba Niang had no intention of trying to figure out what he meant. She took a few steps closer and knelt down in front of him again, pushing the tray forward.
Lifting the red cloth, two bowls and cups with lids were revealed.
"Here are two bowls of medicine." Gu Shiba Niang said.
"How is it?" Prince Wen looked at her and asked.
"My daughter is willing to take this medicine with Your Highness..." Gu Shiba Niang kowtowed and said.
Waiter Huang on the side suddenly expressed approval and sighed, and couldn't help but reach out to wipe away tears.
"What do you want?" King Wenjun asked calmly with no expression on his face.
"I just want Peng to be pardoned and not die with one injection." Gu Shiba said with her head bent to the ground.
King Wenjun chuckled, and suddenly leaned forward and raised her chin, looking at the indifferent face.
"They are all going to die. Why do you think your life can be exchanged for his?" he asked.
"Because the prince can." Gu Shiba Niang looked into his eyes and replied solemnly.
"In your eyes, am I a good person?" Prince Wenjun asked with a smile.
"Yes." Gu Shiba Niang replied, looking directly into his eyes, "I knew it from the time we were in Xianren County."
The two looked at each other for a moment, and Prince Wen took back his hand, leaned back on the soft pillow, and closed his eyes.
The room fell into silence.
"Gu Xiang..." Prince Wenjun suddenly said, "Why are you here?"
"Peng Yizhen was raped by me..." Gu Shiba Niang lowered her head to the ground and wanted to answer.
"That's not what I'm asking." Prince Wen interrupted her, "You've obviously escaped, why did you come back?"
Gu Shiba Niang did not speak.
"Is it because of me that your brother was able to give birth?" King Wenjun continued as if talking to himself. When he said this, he chuckled. Without waiting for Gu Shiba Niang's reply, he stretched out his hand and said, "Bring me a pen and ink." "
"Thank you, Your Highness." Gu Shiba Niang bowed her head to the ground, choking with sobs.
He wrote a few words on the silk paper, then took the prince's seal and stamped it. With a wave of his hand, Huang Chamberlain rolled up the silk paper, held it in his arms, wiped his tears and left.
"Get up." Prince Wen said.
Gu Shiba Niang thanked her and stood up.
"Sit down." King Wenjun said, patting and pointing to the opposite side of him.
Gu Shiba Niang responded, took off her shoes, sat on it, and placed the tray between the two of them.
"Your Highness, please." She stretched out her hand to break the bowl and opened the lid.
Prince Wen looked at her and smiled, "I have no strength, please feed me."
"Okay." Gu Shiba Niang pursed her lips and smiled, "I'm rude, little girl."
After saying that, he knelt down on the bed and walked to Prince Wen's side and sat down.
Under the two soft lights beside the bed, the two of them were so close that they could feel each other's warm breath.
"It's even more bitter than the original medicine." Gu Shiba Niang said with a smile, scooping it up with a spoon and bringing it to Prince Wenjun's mouth.
Prince Wenjun smiled and stuttered.
"Actually, I don't know how bitter it is, so let me try it..." Gu Shiba Niang scooped up a spoonful from another bowl and ate it herself.
"How is it?" Prince Wen looked at her and asked.
Gu Shiba Niang wrinkled her face and stuck out her tongue, "It's really bitter..."
"I think it's not bad." King Wenjun smiled and opened his mouth to eat another spoonful she handed him.
"Your Highness must have taken a lot of medicine when he was a child." Gu Shiba Niang asked with some curiosity, scooped up a spoonful and ate it herself.
Prince Wen nodded, "There was a time when I ate a lot, but then I stopped eating. It's no use eating, but it's okay if I don't eat."
He then took the medicine and swallowed it, "What about you?"
"Me?" Gu Shiba Niang ate a spoonful of her own, frowned slightly and thought for a moment, "I was weak and sick when I was a child. In fact, it was not a big deal. It was because my father was too careful. If I felt slightly uncomfortable, he would give me some Give me the medicine, but now that I think about it, there is no need to take it..."
"They say a father loves his daughter, and it is true." Prince Wenjun said with a smile. After taking the medicine, he suddenly raised his hand to Gu Shiba Niang's mouth and wiped away some medicine stains from the corners of her mouth.
Gu Shiba Niang smiled and thanked her, swallowed a spoonful of it, and sighed sadly as she thought of her father.
"My father loved me very much, but unfortunately at that time I didn't care, and I didn't think about it. I just enjoyed it with peace of mind... Even..." Her eye circles were slightly red, "I even complained and looked down on him when others laughed at his family background. …”
"People always know how valuable they are when they lose it." Prince Wenjun replied, swallowed a mouthful of medicine, reached out from under the pillow and took out two pastry paper packets, and shook them at Gu Shiniang, "Would you like some candy?"
Gu Shiba Niang lost her sadness and a smile appeared on her eyebrows, "Has Your Highness prepared this?"
"I took two pieces of the dried fruit preserves that were served at the banquet just now. They were originally just for myself, so..." Prince Wen said with a smile on his lips.
Gu Shiba Niang had already taken a piece from his hand.
"I have never eaten royal candy in my life..." She smiled, stretched out her hand to open it, put it to her mouth and took a bite, nodding with satisfaction, "Yeah, it's so sweet."
It was just this piece of candy, so she simply picked up the bowl and said, "We can't waste this candy..."
Prince Wen Jun stretched out his hand to stop him, and Gu Shiba Niang looked at him with some confusion.
"This one's for you too." He looked at her and smiled softly, "Drink slowly, we can talk for a while longer."
Gu Shiba Niang smiled, reached for the piece of candy in his hand, opened it, and handed it to his mouth.
"It's okay, we'll continue talking on the way." She said with a smile.
Prince Wen looked at her, opened his mouth to eat, and gently rolled his tongue over her fingers.
"Actually..." Gu Shiba Niang fed him a sip of medicine with a spoon and said after a moment's hesitation, "Actually... death is not what you imagined... maybe, death is life... born at a time that you can't even imagine..."
"When?" Prince Wen was puzzled by her choice of words.
"That is to say..." Gu Shiba Niang took the medicine and thought about it, "If you can come back from the dead, when would you like to go back to your life, Your Highness?"
Prince Wenjun laughed, "I never speculate on what-ifs."
"Oh, you are so boring..." Gu Shiba Niang pursed her lips and smiled, then fed him another mouthful of medicine, and the medicine bowl reached the bottom.
"The past is the past, there is no use thinking about it, and tomorrow's will still be tomorrow. If you live well today, it will be good tomorrow, so why waste time." He smiled.
"Yes." Gu Shiba Niang replied in a long voice, and drank the remaining medicine. "Then now, let's not think about anything and go to sleep."
She turned around and touched the soft and luxurious bedding with a bit of envy. "It's worth it this time. I can still sleep on a thousand-year-old bed..."
Prince Wenjun smiled again and saw that she really lay down on the side and suddenly got up again.
"Oops, what if...if I still wake up...according to my over-the-top behavior," she frowned with a bit of fear, "then...am I going to be dragged out and beheaded?"
"Let's talk after you wake up. Why bother worrying about tomorrow?" Prince Wen Jun stretched out his hand to push her, and Gu Shiba Niang fell inside.
"Then Prince, you have to think of a way for my little girl... My little girl can't die so easily... If she dies like that... it's too..." She fell on the soft quilt, and the medicinal effect gradually came up, and she felt that the first wave of pain was getting stronger. He was so angry that he wanted to explode, and he couldn't speak clearly, "...Because if you die like that...it's not worth it...I'm not afraid of death...I just feel like I'll die when I don't deserve to die...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for my parents..." I'm sorry...Master...I can't be sorry, Master..."
"Okay..." Prince Wen was even more serious than her. He just controlled it forcefully. At this time, he could no longer resist his tiredness and slowly closed his eyes. "I will think of a way for you..."
The room fell into silence, and darkness enveloped the entire imperial city.
Prince Wen felt like he was walking in the darkness, drifting endlessly, until a little fire appeared around him. Although it was tiny, it made him feel warm in his heart.
There was a noisy sound, sometimes far and sometimes near.
"How about it?"
"Shut up and get out."
"The golden needle I want is the Pi needle."
What is this doing? King Wenjun had a thought in a trance, and he felt that the fire in front of him was getting bigger and bigger, as if it was burning his body. The warm feeling gradually turned into stinging pain, which became more and more painful. It hurt so much that he wanted to shout, but found that he Can't seem to make a sound.
Losing control, he never allowed himself to lose control of himself. If he couldn't control himself, could he still be alive
alive? By the way, is he still alive? Familiar memories came flooding in, drowning him instantly.
He seems to be dead, right? No
Now that he is conscious and feels pain, how can he be considered dead for a moment, even if he is still alive
Along with this realization, the flames intensified, surrounding and burning his whole body, causing a crushing pain, and King Wenjun shouted.
With this shout, he opened his eyes...
At this moment, the thousand-year-old ancient bell in Jiankang Xinglong Temple rang out of thin air, shocking everyone in the temple to stop what they were doing and looking in the direction of the ancient bell with horror and confusion.
In the Zen room, Master Zhiran, who was kneeling on the futon, opened his eyes suddenly.
"Changed..." he murmured, "Insects turned into dragons, jumped out of the four seasons, changed..."
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Today I accidentally cut off half of my nail. It was bleeding profusely, and my fingers were squealing with my heart. I will never have long nails again~~~~~~~~~
This is a 6,000-word chapter. I’m so amused, haha! I have such a bad memory that I can’t even remember the ages and names of the characters in the book. I can’t help but remember the foreshadowing of the old monk’s death. I applaud him.