At the end of the morning court, Jiang Yuanhan sent someone to invite the Princess Regent to come over.
The people from Huaqing Palace responded and said that she went to Zhuangzi on the Lingyun Mountain to escape the summer heat and might come back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Jiang Yuanhan was immediately stunned. Xiao Fangzi asked his subordinates to reward him with money and asked the person who replied to step back.
After pushing away all the people waiting, Xiao Fangzi helped him sit down and said, "Your Majesty, it's time to change the dressing."
Jiang Yuanhan nodded blankly, not knowing what he was thinking.
Outside the capital, a carriage was moving steadily in the direction of Lingyun Mountain.
Wen Qingzhu was sitting inside, holding a book in his hand and reading.
Not long after, there was a noise from the carriage, and soon their carriage also stopped.
Lu Tao opened a corner of the curtain and looked outside, finding many carriages heading towards the capital.
"What's going on?" Wen Qingzhu put down the book and looked up.
Lu Tao lowered the curtain, turned around and said, "Too many carriages are coming to Beijing, blocking the road ahead. We may have to wait for a while."
Wen Qingzhu moved to the front of the carriage with a puzzled expression and reached out to lift the curtain.
There were all kinds of horses and carriages appearing. He didn't know how long this situation lasted. Wen Qingzhu saw people from the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division in the crowd maintaining order.
Withdrawing his hand, Wen Qingzhu thought of the thick smoke the night before.
She said to Lv Tao Suo: "Get out of the car and inquire about where they come from?"
Lu Tao followed the order and got back into the car about half an hour later.
"Most of them came from Kangcheng. They said they came to the capital to ascend the throne. There was a fire in Kangcheng the night before yesterday. Many merchants' warehouses were burned down. I asked an acquaintance in the Military and Horse Department and they said they were from Kangcheng. The prefect asked them to come to the capital to ascend the throne, and they can meet and pay taxes according to the amount of losses."
Wen Qingzhu pondered, tax relief
Can't I register in Cannes? Why do you have to come to Beijing
Thinking of Jiang Yuanhan telling her that the Shen family was wiped out by him, and the remaining people who did not escape may not be completely fine.
With the resources here in the capital, especially the people from the Ministry of Punishment and the Department of Punishment, it would be very easy to catch the spies from the Shen family.
After thinking about this, Wen Qingzhu couldn't help feeling that Jiang Yuanhan was indeed very different from before.
No matter from every aspect, his action was perfect.
But Wen Qingzhu still had some doubts in his heart. Shen Jiao was not such a simple person.
Jiang Yuanhan was actually unscathed
"Lu Tao, have you asked what the fire situation is over there?" Wen Qingzhu asked again.
Lu Tao replied: "I asked, and they said that a third of the area in the north of the city was burned. The warehouses of three large merchants were directly destroyed. I heard that hundreds of people died! The government office is still surveying and registering."
The north of the city is generally where rich and noble people live, and most of the old-fashioned houses are preserved.
It is less prone to fire than the dense south of the city.
From this point of view, this fire was not an accident, but more like a premeditated strangulation.
After being stuck on the road for about an hour, the carriage started slowly.
By the time they arrived, it was almost noon.
After getting out of the car, Wen Qingzhu entered the courtyard.
The person who greeted her was Tian Chong, who said as she walked: "I have made all arrangements for the matters that the princess has told me. You can go up the mountain this afternoon."
"Thank you for your hard work, no one discovered it, right?"
Tian Chong stepped into the house, pointed at the people inside and said, "No, Yin Niang helped the villain do it this time."
Wen Qingzhu followed him in and saw Yinniang standing up.
"See you, Princess." Yin Niang saluted, and Tian Chong turned around and left.
Wen Qingzhu went over to help her up and sit down: "Why are you so polite? This time I will trouble you."
The two wanted to discuss things, so Lu Tao went to the door to wait.
Yinniang looked into her eyes, full of worry: "Do you still want to go to the northwest?"
"Yinniang asked knowingly. I don't want anything to happen to Fu Lie." Wen Qingzhu reached for the tea cup and blew it gently.
There was a sigh from beside her, and Yinniang said what was in her heart: "Actually, Brother Yang and the prince have the same idea, they don't want you to go to the northwest to take risks, but as a woman, I think it is normal for the princess to go to the northwest. .”
"Yinniang really thinks so?" Wen Qingzhu looked up and found that her eyes were a little hazy.
Just listen to Yinniang slowly say: "If I were as persistent as the princess, maybe Brother Yang would not be like this now, so when Brother Yang asked me to help the emperor hide you, I even refuted him. For this matter , and he was still angry with me."
Wen Qingzhu couldn't help laughing: "Brother Yang is angry, but he still can't trust you after all. In the future, he will have to rely on you."
"Princess is really good at joking." Yinniang finally had a smile on her face. "After all, I have always been relying on him. I was angry at the time and was almost instigated by Jiang Yuancheng to rebel. Fortunately, Jiang Yuancheng took the initiative later. , only then did I see clearly what he is like, he has the same temperament as Jiang Yue, he will do whatever it takes!"
In the last two sentences, Yinniang's words still contained resentment.
Wen Qingzhu was silent, thinking that Jiang Yuanguo was so good at it that even Yin Niang was almost tempted.
"By the way, do you really want to go to Jiang Yuancheng's village? After he left, the place was basically abandoned, and there is no trace of it."
Yinniang turned to business and was a little confused about Wen Qingzhu's arrangement.
She smiled and replied: "I know you think I should go directly to the northwest, but Jiang Yuancheng must have a back-up plan here in the capital. Zhuangzi in Lingyun Mountain is the only stronghold I can think of. No matter how you check, I You have to go and see it for yourself!”
After having lunch in this courtyard, Wen Qingzhu disguised himself and went up to Lingyun Mountain.
Following her original memory, it took her more than an hour to find this place.
Standing in front of this villa, Wen Qingzhu felt a little emotional.
The small villa that had been neatly maintained in the past was in dilapidated condition at this time.
The plaque was crooked and covered with cobwebs.
The door was ajar, and there were deep and shallow mouse footprints on the moss-covered steps.
Wen Qingzhu looked away and said, "Go in."
Pushing the door open, the courtyard becomes even more deserted.
The whole place is covered with weeds, and the tallest one is half as tall as a person.
The untrimmed trees were extremely lush and lush, and birds built their nests on them during the period.
Beidou couldn't help but took two steps forward. He seemed to like this environment very much.
Wen Qingzhu did not come alone this time. There were about ten secret guards accompanying him.
Leaving two people behind, the rest went in to search.
About half an hour later, the secret guards came back one after another. Based on the map given by Wen Qingzhu, they pointed out that several secret rooms were intact.
They all tried to enter, but the mechanism and combination lock seemed to have been replaced.
Wen Qingzhu smiled and nodded. As expected, this place was not abandoned yet.
"So are there any traces of human activity here?" Wen Qingzhu wanted to confirm whether anyone had appeared here recently.
The secret guard captain replied: "Not yet, but I don't rule out that there are other ways to enter the secret room."
Wen Qingzhu nodded: "There is a high probability that there will be more, but we don't have to rush now, just take our time."
After choosing the house at the front, Lu Tao and Xi'er began to clean it and prepare it for Wen Qingzhu to live in.
Under her instructions, the two of them successfully found pens, inks, paper and inkstones, various tea cups and cooking utensils, and even new fabrics and other daily necessities.
When it gets dark, the east room in the front yard has a completely new look.
Wen Qingzhu had already drawn a new map at this time.
Lu Tao brought tea over, looked at the things on the table and asked, "Is the princess familiar with this place?"
"More than familiar, I can't forget it." Wen Qingzhu put down his pen and raised his eyes to look out the window. The orange sunset was shining on the ground, giving people a particularly warm feeling.
Lu Tao wanted to ask something else, but the captain of the secret guard knocked on the door.
Wen Qingzhu went over and said, "Come in."
As soon as he entered the room, he said: "According to the princess's instructions, the first secret room has been opened. It is full of raw materials for making gunpowder and is well preserved."
"He really didn't give up!" Wen Qingzhu's eyes darkened, and his fear of Jiang Yuancheng deepened.
She had never looked down upon Jiang Yuancheng because he was not in the capital.
If it was Jiang Yuansheng and Jiang Yuanan, she really wouldn't worry at all, but Jiang Yuancheng was different.
He seems to be dealing with the toughest cockroach. As long as there is a slight chance, he can give you an unexpected counterattack.
Wen Qingzhu still felt a little regretful about what happened to the Shen family.
If she could have warned Jing Yinuo earlier, things would not have developed like this.
The Shen family and Jiang Yuancheng were enemies in the previous life, but the Shen family was forced to side with Jiang Yuancheng in this life.
Sometimes Wen Qingzhu thinks that things in the world are not up to people to choose.
There are thousands of thoughts in my heart, but reality is just passing by.
Wen Qingzhu ordered the secret guard captain: "The newcomer I asked Yinniang to give you earlier is very familiar with gunpowder. Give him all the materials and let him configure them! Before going to the northwest, prepare as much as you can. When I leave, I want all this gunpowder to be taken with me!"
"Bring gunpowder on the road?" The secret guard captain was very surprised.
Wen Qingzhu had a smile on his face: "You don't believe me?"
"I don't dare!" The secret guard captain immediately lowered his head and turned around to go down.
After he left, Lu Tao came over and asked, "Isn't gunpowder unstable? And it's difficult to preserve. Will there be any problems if we take it with us on the road in the future?"
Wen Qingzhu looked confident: "Don't worry, the man recommended by Yin Niang is different. Even though he is lame in one leg and has no wife and children, he is the real Fengzi genius!"
At night, the temperature drops suddenly.
Lv Tao brought a brand new blanket over: "Princess, cover her up at night. It's July. Although it's still hot during the day, it will be much colder at night."
Wen Qingzhu waved her over to sit down: "You and Xi'er will sleep with me at night. It won't be cold if there are more people. Give this blanket to Beidou. The long hair on his body has fallen off. He is no different from ordinary people, but he needs more Care about him."
"Yeah." Lu Tao turned to leave.
Wen Qingzhu stopped her: "Wait! Let Xi'er give it to you."
Lu Tao answered in surprise, but saw Wen Qingzhu's eyes had a special meaning.
As she was about to fall asleep, Xi'er walked in while slapping her arms and complaining.
"This Beidou is so disgusting! I told you that the princess asked me to get the blanket for him, I didn't take the initiative! But he is still so excited!"
Seeing Lu Tao sitting on the bed inside, Xi'er paused for a moment and saw Wen Qingzhu waving: "Come here! Sleep here!"
After a good night's sleep, when Wen Qingzhu woke up, Lu Tao had already prepared breakfast.
Just as Wen Qingzhu was about to go and sit down, the captain of the secret guard outside hurried in: "Princess! There is something wrong with the second secret room you mentioned!"
"What's the problem!" Wen Qingzhu stood up immediately, feeling faintly worried in his heart.
Following the captain of the secret guard to the second secret room, Wen Qingzhu saw a room that had been burned by fire.
There are also some copper, iron, porcelain bowls and vases lying staggered on the ground.
The door to the secret room had been broken open, and there were two secret guards guarding it. Wen Qingzhu walked in slowly.
Squatting down, he stretched out his fingers and slid them on the ground. Suddenly there was a layer of gray and black on his fingertips.
Wen Qingzhu crushed the gray-black color on his fingertips, and his heart suddenly sank.
There is residue of kerosene in here!