After listening to her, the gentle smile on Luo Shuangmei's face didn't change. She sighed with half truth and half lies, "If Yaohua is really the daughter of the Lin family, it's suitable for her to enter the palace."
When it was time to be ruthless, she would be ruthless, and when it was time to be gentle, she would be gentle. When dealing with her superiors and subordinates, she knew when to advance and when to retreat. Even when most people at the Mu Manor were trying to cover her eyes, she was still able to see through the situation clearly.
For every ambitious man, he hoped to have a virtuous wife like Empress Zhangsun, who was both a wife and a comrade-in-arms. She knew how to avoid taboo court matters, and she could remonstrate at the right time. She could lead a harmonious harem and make the emperor, who was tired for a day, go back to the harem and relax.
Of course, for the emperor, although this "Empress Zhangsun" was born in a noble family and was gentle and virtuous, it would be best if her family was simple and didn't have any outstanding father, brothers, or uncles.
It had to be said that except for her bloodline, Mu Guiyi was almost a perfect candidate for the empress.
After putting down Mu Guiyi, Luoshuanga signaled Liang Yu-an with his eyes. Liang Yu-an bowed slightly and took out an envelope from his sleeve. Bai Suyan took it and opened it. It was a few riddles and answers of the Liumi Nunnery.
The first one was naturally the poem on the screen wall. As Mu Guiyi hinted, the answer to the riddle was "Matchmaker". It was the former Imperial Noble Consort Rong, who was now Madam Ochre Dress, Wu Yingting. The Wu Family was both prosperous and defeated by her.
The other name, Que 'er, was very strange to Bai Suyan. She looked at Luoshuanga for an explanation, but he looked a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat, "Liang Yu-an, you can say it."
Liang Yu-an said implicitly, "This person was originally Lady in ochre's favorite maid. Because of her, the late emperor met Lady in ochre."
Bai Suyan silently lowered her eyes, hiding the strange look in her eyes. If she remembered correctly, because of Madam Ochre's beauty, she was invited into the palace by the Emperor of Yue Ming at the age of thirteen. Since then, she had been doted on by the Emperor of Yue.
Therefore, the late emperor actually climbed over the wall to meet Cui Yingying at night just like Zhang Sheng, and even climbed over the high wall of the imperial palace's Forbidden Garden.
As for the third name, Bai Suyan was even more unfamiliar with it. It was probably a title, but ever since she was old enough to remember, she had entered the palace many times. Among the previous imperial concubines she had visited, she was certain that she had never heard of this name. Could it be that she was a concubine of another member of the royal family?
This time, it was still Liang Yu-an who explained, "This is the youngest daughter of the previous dynasty's Empress. Her title is Lan Zhi. Because of the internal strife in the palace, she didn't have time to escape to the south and was offered to the late Emperor. After her death, she was given the title of Concubine Shun and was buried in the old tombs of Đại Việt."
For a moment, her mood was a little complicated. This Concubine Shun should be her aunt now, and she was buried with the title of submitting to Da Qing. This was a great humiliation to her and the royal family of Đại Việt.
This youngest princess of Đại Việt was only nineteen years old when she died. Both Bai Suyan and Bai Suyan were not born yet. Because of Princess Tumi's status, she would definitely strictly forbid people in the mansion to talk about this poor sister.
Luoshuanga said, "This poem was written by Concubine Shun."
This sentence shocked Bai Suyan. From the poem, it was not difficult to see that Concubine Shun hated Da Qing to the bone. At the same time, she also hated those rebels and surrendered officials who offered her as a gift. She hated even more the Emperor Qing Ze who trampled on her country of Đại Việt and occupied the palace of Đại Việt.
After thinking for a while, Bai Suyan said, "This Liuming Nunnery is the stronghold of Đại Việt's rebels?"
Luoshuanga nodded and said, "Not exactly. Those who knew … uh, the past, either died in the civil strife or were grounded in the cold palace with Madame Ochre. There were also people like Que Er, who was concentrated in Liuming Nunnery. Her Buddhist name was Huai Zhi."
Looking further down, it was the origin of Liuming Nunnery. Liuming Nunnery was originally not Liuming Nunnery, nor was it this strange cross pattern. After a big fire, believers donated money to rebuild it, and there was the current Liuming Nunnery. In addition to this random riddle, it attracted countless tourists and pilgrims.
Among them, there were nobles and powerful officials to ordinary people. What they said and what they inadvertently revealed, not only others, but even they themselves didn't know.
In most people's hearts, the temple was a quiet and holy place that made people feel at ease. Many people were willing to bring the words that they couldn't tell others into the temple and slowly talk to the clay statues of Buddha or the kind and benevolent monks.
In the face of clay statues and monks, people often spoke without any scruples. As long as they stayed there, they didn't need to deliberately lead the conversation. The people who spoke would talk endlessly and tell everything about themselves.
Using religion to collect information, Bai Suyan's first reaction was to think of Đại Việt's priests, Zhiming. Đại Việt was a dynasty ruled by both politics and religion. The high priest Zhiming was even more important than the monarch in the hearts of the people.
Over time, the royal family of Đại Việt became more and more afraid of the priests. There was a turbulent undercurrent between them. Later generations of Đại Việt monarchs tried to weaken the power of the priests.
"Only Zhiming has such a method, which he is most familiar with." Luoshuanga sighed. "It took him two years to investigate the Liulian Nunnery. While Zhiming protected the royal family, he could also plant spies in the capital. It was a mistake that he didn't attack the Đại Việt Holy Church first. Many old people still believe that their priests can restore the glory of Đại Việt."
Bai Suyan didn't say anything. It was said that monks stood aloof from worldly affairs. How could they be independent in this complicated world? If they didn't look for trouble, trouble would come back to them.
Buddha loved all living beings, so he didn't have to distinguish between Đại Việt people and Đại Việt people.
Liang Yu An took out a piece of paper that was folded into a square from his sleeve. When he unfolded it, it was a small portrait. The girl in the portrait was estimated to be sixteen or seventeen years old. Her fine black hair was tied behind her head. Under her pair of curved eyebrows was a pair of round watery big eyes. Under her jade nose was petal-like lips. The corners of her lips were curved but not curved. Her figure was thin.
Bai Suyan felt that the portrait looked familiar. After thinking for a while, she asked uncertainly, "Was the double-faced Guanyin carved in the image of Princess Shun?"
"Yes." Luoshuanga pointed at the eyebrows and eyes of the woman in the portrait. When he looked up, he saw her expression changing. "What's wrong?"
Bai Suyan remembered Mu Guiyi's words, "I have no fate with Buddha, but I have fate with this Guanyin statue." Did she know something? Or did she know from the beginning to the end?
After hesitating for a long time, Bai Suyan replied, "It's nothing." However, she couldn't help but be shocked by the thought. For more than a year, she couldn't hide in front of Mu Guiyi. Mu Guiyi just sat in her seat and watched her perform with cold eyes.
Luoshuanga didn't continue to care about it and changed the topic. "For more than a year, you've been by Mu Guiyi's side. Do you think there's anything special about her?"
Bai Suyan felt strange. In fact, in her heart, Mu Guiyi was very special. She was very different from the impression she had in the past.
"Forget it." Luoshuanga shook his head. "Let's look at the next riddle."
The second riddle only had two words: Six Monkeys.
Bai Suyan's first thought was Six Ears Macaque. In Journey to the West, the real and fake Monkey King, Six Ears Macaque turned into Sun Wukong, injured Tang Sanzang, and stole the luggage. The gods couldn't tell the difference.
Mu Guiyi was born in the Six Mysteries Nunnery, the real and fake Monkey King. For some reason, the image of Mu Guiyi pointing his fan at Xu Dangui's back suddenly appeared in her mind. He said, "This is the real pearl covered in dust, not the fish eyes passed off as pearls."
At that time, she thought he was secretly warning Zhao Zhao to be careful with his words and actions. Now that she thought about it, she felt there was a hidden meaning in his words. Another image appeared in her mind. Mu Guiyi waved his fan and didn't care much. "It's her. I thought she was just an orphan."
"Xu Dangui is the real Mu Guiyi." She blurted out without thinking.
Luoshuanga asked in a puzzled voice, "Who is Xu Dangui?"
"Didn't … didn't I tell His Majesty?" Bai Suyan was a little hesitant. "I accompanied Miss Mu to fulfill a vow and met the mother and daughter of the Xu family. I heard that Miss Xu grew up in the nunnery. If the two babies were swapped from the beginning …"
Luoshuanga pointed at the table and ordered, "Liang Yu-an, send someone to investigate Xu Dangui."
"Yes." Liang Yu-an bowed and left. He didn't mention it again.
"I never thought that the real Miss Mu would still be alive." Luoshuanga played with the jade thumb ring on his thumb and said, "In this world, the best person to keep a secret is the dead. The most deceptive person is to live like that from the beginning. Everyone tells you that you should be like that."
Bai Suyan felt that these words seemed to have a hidden meaning. She and Mu Guiyi grew up in a similar way. Everyone told her that she was the daughter of General Bai Wei of the Great Qing. She should be loyal to the Great Qing and the House of Bai. Everyone who invaded the territory of the Great Qing was her enemy. It was her duty to kill these enemies.
She was like this, and so was Mu Guiyi. But the latter lived a sober life, or at least lived a sober life than her.
Unknowingly, it was almost three o 'clock. In the letter, there were four riddles and answers to the mysteries of the Six Mysteries Nunnery. Each of them made Bai Suyan feel that her past was so sad and ridiculous.
"Okay, it's three o 'clock. Go to sleep." Luoshuanga took the paper from her hand and led her to lie down on the bed side by side. Bai Suyan didn't know if it was because she had slept for too long during the day or because she read the letter, but her heart was in turmoil and she couldn't fall asleep.
Bai Suyan whispered, "If Xu Dangui is the real Miss Mu, how will His Majesty deal with them?"
It's them, not her.
Bai Suyan's back was to Luoshuanga. She didn't know what kind of expression he had on his face. His voice was as gentle as ever. "Don't think too much. Tomorrow, the Imperial Physician Of Qin will come to perform acupuncture. You've been away from the palace for a long time. Take this opportunity to listen to what happened during this period of time, so that you won't let the cat out of the bag in the future."
Bai Suyan clutched the quilt. "In a year, everything will be over, right?"
Luoshuanga said, "Maybe." He couldn't sleep that night.
The next day, after the acupuncture, Bai Suyan lay on her stomach in bed. Her limbs and back were all pricked with needles. Fine pain and itchiness came from her joints. It wasn't unbearable, but the constant pain made her break out in a cold sweat.
Dong Zhi originally wanted to bring a basin of warm water to wipe her, but no matter how soft the scarf was or how gentle the technique was, once it touched her skin, it caused her to cry out in pain weakly.
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