Xiao Shao, Mo Cong, and Xia Qing sat together in a private room in Dongfeng Restaurant. Mo Cong seemed to have just arrived from outside. He looked travel-worn. As soon as he came in, he sat down on a chair, picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it. After drinking the tea in one breath, he panted and said to Xiao Shao, "Third brother, everything is arranged. Xuan Li is also ready. This time, there is absolutely no problem. You just wait to get the beautiful woman. "
Xia Qing was very confused and hurriedly asked, "What do you mean get the beautiful woman? Third brother has a sweetheart, which girl is it? How does it have anything to do with Xuan Li? "
"You idiot." Mo Cong knocked his head, "You don't care about third brother's marriage. You don't know that third brother has finally become enlightened. Unfortunately, the falling flower is interested, but the water is heartless. The girl is cold, so third brother is trying to increase the girl's good impression. But this girl is beautiful, and eldest brother has some military power in his hands, so Xuan Li is also thinking about her. Third brother is angry for the sake of the beautiful girl, so he is making things difficult for Xuan Li. "
Mo Cong was teasing, but Xiao Shao just drank tea without saying anything. He didn't take Mo Cong's words to heart. Instead, he was slightly lost in thought, but no one knew what he was thinking.
When Xia Qing heard this, he shouted exaggeratedly, "What? Who? Falling flower is interested, but the water is heartless? Third brother was rejected. Seventh brother, don't lie to me. "
What kind of person was Xiao Shao? When he was young, he rode a horse through the alleys of the capital. He must have stepped on the fragrance of flowers all the way — the young girls and young wives who watched on the streets and alleys would throw their fragrant silk sachets at him. Of course, the end result was that Xiao Shao's horse always carried a fragrance of flowers. Later, when he studied on Jianan Mountain, there were countless girls who had ulterior motives, clamoring to go to Jianan Mountain to learn martial arts. Naturally, this was impossible. At the foot of Jianan Mountain, there was a formation personally arranged by Mr. Hakone Serpent. Once you fell into the formation, there would be danger everywhere. At that time, many young ladies deliberately "broke" into the formation with the idea of Xiao Shao having tender feelings for the fairer sex, but Xiao Shao always ignored them. Xiao Shao had to clean up Xiao Shao's mess because of the trouble he had caused. At that time, Xia Qing and Mo Cong were still young. What they did the most every day was to search for people all over the mountains and plains.
It was fine if they fished people out, but the disappointment in the eyes of the people they fished out was enough to become a nightmare for every disciple of Jia Nan Mountain — it was too hurtful to their pride.
In fact, there was no lack of handsome youths among their group of fellow apprentices. It was probably because Xiao Shao was young and mature, and he had a kind of elegance and coldness that was engraved into his bones. Among the group of young boys, he stood out like a crane among a flock of chickens, possessing a unique charm. When they were still young, when they were chasing after beautiful girls, only Xiao Shao remained motionless, with an otherworldly appearance. The rest of the martial brothers also secretly discussed in private that Xiao Shao would certainly enter the Shaolin Temple to become a monk in the future.
Who knew that hearing Mo Cong's words today, Xia Qing was shocked. He didn't know what to feel in his heart. He probably didn't think that the person who was like a god in his heart would finally walk down the altar and hit a wall. Even if this baby-faced youth was pure and kind, he couldn't help but feel a trace of schadenfreude. It really was the cycle of fate. If he didn't believe it, he would look up and see who would be spared by the heavens.
"Oh, you also saw her today." Mo Cong saw Xia Qing's expression and knew what he was thinking. He said with a mischievous smile, "It is the master who escaped today because you helped to examine the corpse. Hong 'an Junzhu, the person you saw was the person who was framed."
"It's her!" Xia Qing was stunned. He thought of the young girl in the throne room who was dressed in prison clothes but didn't lose her charm. She was naturally beautiful and charming, but that calm and unhurried expression made Xia Qing feel a little afraid. Xia Qing thought about it and said seriously, "So Third Brother likes the beautiful and charming type. I understand. I will write to Fourth Brother later."
Mo Cong rolled his eyes. The fact that Xiao Shao had fallen in love with a girl was really going to be made known to everyone. He wondered what kind of expression Mr. Hakone Serpent would have when he found out. He looked at Xiao Shao and put away his playful expression. He said solemnly, "After the bestowal of marriage, you will go to the border to crusade against Tian Jin?"
"Yes." Xiao Shao lowered his eyes, "At that time, you will be in the capital to provide support. You must be careful."
"Xuan Li will definitely do something behind the scenes." Mo Cong muttered, "Even if you have made arrangements, he has the advantage in the capital. How will you distribute the three hundred thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards?"
"One hundred thousand troops will follow me. One hundred thousand will remain in the capital. "Xiao Shao said," The Xi Rong are not content with their lot. I fear that there will be suspicions of a pincer attack. If Xuan Li really makes a move, he will certainly take this opportunity to make a move. "After a pause, he said," In the capital, protect her for me. "
'Her' naturally referred to Jiang Ruan. Mo Cong didn't know what to feel and only said, "I know. You should also be more careful. "
"The Xi Rong, the Southern Frontier, Tian Jin and the traitors in the court. If we can't catch them all in one fell swoop this time, there will be more trouble in the future. I have already written a letter to recall Qi Si. The two of you will stay in the capital. After I leave, there will probably be big movements in the court. Keeping Xuan Li alive is to fish, but if he really is deranged, just kill him. "A trace of hostility flashed between Xiao Shao's eyebrows," If anything happens, I will bear the responsibility. "
Xia Qing was stunned, "What are you talking about? Why don't I understand?"
"Xia Wu, you also stay in the capital. Today, you entered the palace, so it is inevitable that you will be targeted by Xuan Li. It is not safe to return to Jin Ling. At least in the capital, there will be people to protect you. I will assign you men and horses. With you here, you can also take care of Jiang Ruan for me. "
"Ah?" Xia Qing touched her nose, "I am a divine physician, not a doctor in your fu. How can I specialize in treating one person? Besides, why would the Eighth Prince target me? I examine people's corpses, I am upright and aboveboard …"
Seeing that Xia Qing wanted to continue speaking, Mo Cong said, "Shut up. If you want to die, go back to Jin Ling now. Third Brother is doing this for your own good. If you die without knowing the reason, don't say that we don't care about the friendship between fellow disciples."
Xia Qing was originally a pure and kind medical fanatic. After hearing Mo Cong's words, she immediately shut up and said, "I was just speaking thoughtlessly. I will listen to Third Brother."
…
Just when Jiang Ruan was almost unable to defend herself against the murder charge, there was suddenly a turning point. The appearance of the Crown Prince and the Thirteenth Prince brought a turning point to the case, and the divine hands of Jin Ling found something fishy. Finally, the Emperor personally interrogated Jiang Ruan and found many suspicious points. Jiang Ruan was proven innocent, but the Fourth Prince, Xuan Lang, became the suspected murderer.
A few days later, the Emperor brought people to personally interrogate Xuan Lang again, but for some reason, Xuan Lang voluntarily admitted to the crime. After the investigation by the Ministry of Justice, they indeed found evidence of the crime. With both witnesses and material evidence, how could Xuan Lang deny it? Immediately, he was sent to the Heavenly Prison. Everyone was guessing how serious the crime Xuan Lang would be sentenced to this time. After all, Princess He Yi had been favored by the Emperor. Empress Shu would not let her daughter die in vain. Naturally, she would spare no effort to put Xuan Lang to death.
But before the verdict was announced, Xuan Lang committed suicide in prison. He had committed suicide by ingesting poison. The prison was heavily guarded, so it was impossible for anyone to silence him. But Xuan Lang's sudden death really made people suspicious. However, no matter how suspicious they were, the person was already dead. Without evidence, they could only drop the matter. In a rage, the Emperor removed Xuan Lang's name from the Imperial Jade Butterfly and demoted him to a commoner. Even in death, he could not enter the Imperial Tomb.
The day after the news of Xuan Lang's death arrived, Consort Xian hanged herself in the palace. This pair of mother and son went to their deaths, immediately stirring up quite a storm in the palace. The Emperor hated the house and its crow, so he did not have a good attitude toward Consort Xian's suicide. He found an excuse to have Consort Xian's family collect her body. In the end, he remembered that Consort Xian had accompanied him in the palace for so many years and had her be buried with Xuan Lang.
Consort Xian's death seemed to have brought a great blow to Consort Shu. But because Princess He Yi had died, of the four consorts who had been powerful in the palace, only Consort Shu and Consort De were left. Consort De still had Xuan Hua to rely on, but Consort Shu had no children. Furthermore, on the day of the interrogation, Xuan Pei's words had already made the Emperor hold a grudge against Consort Shu. Consort Shu could clearly feel that recently, the Emperor had already begun to distance himself from her, intentionally or unintentionally. If this continued, it would not be far from the day she would fall out of favor. Consort Shu was a tactful person. Since she felt that there was no place in the palace for her to stay, sooner or later she would end up like Imperial Consort Chen and Consort Xian, she asked to become a nun to pray for Princess He Yi.
The Emperor did not say anything. The next day, Consort Shu moved out of the palace and went to a temple outside the palace to cultivate. She swore that she would never enter the palace again. Empress Dowager Yi De was grateful and gave her the name Qinghong. This was a story to be told later.
The court and the harem were always closely related. The fall of the Fourth Prince had disrupted the balance that had been maintained in the harem for decades. Now, out of the four consorts, the positions of three consorts were vacant. Only Consort De was left. The Empress had suddenly become very popular. Consort De was even more careful in her actions, making it almost impossible for anyone to find fault with her. But even so, the balance in the palace had to be maintained. The Emperor had already begun to choose suitable candidates from the new batch of beauties who had entered the palace.
The beauties knew that this was a rare opportunity, and they all tried their best to win the Emperor's favor. They only wished that they could firmly grasp this opportunity and soar to success. Every day, they spent a long time dressing up. On this day, the beauties gathered together to talk again. They were talking about Princess Yi.
Assistant Minister Wang's daughter was sixteen years old this year. She was quite beautiful and played the lute well. She said as she ate some snacks, "The palace has become colder and colder these days. The eunuchs and palace maids all have cold faces. It's quite scary to look at." She had always been a bit lively. The atmosphere in the palace had been tense these days, making her very listless.
A woman at the side patted her hand and handed her a cup of tea. "Sister Wang, don't say that. Be careful not to be heard by others." She lowered her voice. "I heard that the Emperor has been in a bad mood these days. He's always angry. That's why everyone is so careful with their words and actions."
Miss Wang looked at the woman opposite her and sighed. "I know. But we're at such a good age. It's really boring to be placed in this palace."
The woman opposite her was wearing a light yellow dress that made her figure look even more like a willow. It was none other than Jiang Dan. Jiang Dan smiled. "We're much luckier than those people. At least we still have our lives. For example, the Fourth Prince a few days ago. So what if he's a son of the royal family? In the end, he still can't save his life. The riches and honor of the royal family are in danger. "
Miss Wang immediately revealed a frightened expression. She patted her chest and said, "You're still talking about it. Every time I think about it, I feel cold all over. Say, the Fourth Prince is the Emperor's biological son. He's gone just like that. We can't compare to the Fourth Prince's noble status. If we make the slightest mistake, we'll die without a burial place. In short, I don't dare to fight for the riches and honor of the royal family. "
Jiang Dan patted her hand and comforted her a few more times. A hint of a smile flashed in her eyes. The assistant minister of the Wang family was considered a mid-level figure in the court. Although he looked inconspicuous, his wife's family was the Left Commandant's Office. Miss Wang naturally had a rich family. What's more, she was beautiful and played the lute well. If she was really visited, it would be hard not to be favored. In this palace, she could be considered a strong opponent.
Unfortunately, a glimmer of light flashed in Jiang Dan's eyes. Although she had unique conditions, she was an idiot. She believed whatever she said. With a little provocation, she would believe her words without a doubt. Now, the more dangerous the palace was, the more nervous Miss Wang would be in front of the Emperor in the future. The Emperor would never like a woman who was afraid of him. This kind of woman was the most unappetizing to men. If Miss Wang made the Emperor unhappy, how could she be favored in the palace?
Jiang Dan's heart was full of twists and turns, but the smile on her face was even more gentle. Miss Wang took her hand and said, "Good sister, you're still the most considerate. In this palace, only you are the most sincere to me."
As they spoke, another of the beauties, Miss Li, came in. She walked to the table and sat down. She said somewhat indignantly, "Hey, have you heard? The Empress Dowager has arranged a marriage for Jinying Wang. "
"Jinying Wang?" Miss Li's words immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding beauties. One by one, they looked at her and asked, "Is it that rebel, Jinying Wang Xiao Shao?"
Although they said 'rebel', the faces of these beauties showed a touch of love. It seemed that just the mention of this name was enough to make them fall head over heels. This was natural. This peerlessly beautiful, elegant and cold young man was the dream of countless girls in the Great Jin. Even if they entered the palace and became the Emperor's woman, they would always maintain a fantasy of the magnificence of their youth.
"Exactly." Miss Li said, "Then do you know who the Empress Dowager has arranged for him?"
Everyone shook their heads. Miss Wang said, "Jinying Wang's charm is outstanding. The person the Empress Dowager has arranged for him must be an immortal. Let me guess, is it Miss Yao from the Governor's fu in Binhai?"
The young lady of the Yao family had a good background, good looks, good character, and good talent. She was one in a million. If there was anyone in the Great Jin Dynasty who was worthy of Xiao Shao, it would probably be this fairy-like person.
Miss Li shook her head, her tone of voice filled with jealousy, "No, the person the Empress Dowager has arranged for Jinying Wang is the di daughter of the Jiang family, the current Hong 'an Junzhu, Jiang Ruan!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone froze in place. Even Dong Yinger, who was sitting far away embroidering, could not help but tremble. Immediately, a bead of red blood the size of a grain of rice emerged from her index finger. She slowly put her index finger to her mouth and sucked away the blood. However, her gaze unconsciously drifted towards the person who had spoken.
Jiang Dan frowned, but her tone carried some probing, "This … why was my eldest sister suddenly appointed to Jinying Wang?"
"Who knows." Miss Li glanced at Jiang Dan unhappily, perhaps venting her anger towards Jiang Ruan on Jiang Dan. She said, "Although she is a junzhu, in the end, it is only the Empress Dowager's request. She is not a real golden branch or jade leaf. Moreover, she only looks slightly better. However, she is too foxy and is not a dignified and virtuous person. I don't know what the Empress Dowager was thinking, not wanting a good Miss Yao, but choosing the Eldest Miss of the Jiang family. "
Jiang Dan's eyes turned as she heard the displeasure in Miss Li's words. In fact, it was not only Miss Li who was unhappy. Everyone present was more or less dissatisfied with Jiang Ruan. People always felt that others should not be able to obtain those that they could not obtain. Even if they could obtain someone, it should only be with conditions that were much better than their own. However, among the people present, there were people whose family backgrounds were not lower than Jiang Ruan's, and there were also people who were not inferior to Jiang Ruan in the four arts, but still, they could not become Jinying Wangfei. How could jealousy and sourness not be felt?
It must be known that entering Jinying Wangfu meant that one was a proper master of Jinying Wangfu. These years, although Jinying Wangfu was known as a rebel, in reality, he had received the protection of the royal family. The glory, status, and power he had enjoyed were immeasurable. The wealth and fame that Jinying Wangfu represented was simply plated with a layer of gold. Who would not be envious? Moreover, Xiao Shao was not bad looking. A husband who was born with good looks, and a husband's family that was as wealthy as a country. Without in-laws, she had her own, illustrious, enormous, and exquisite. This was simply the dream of all women. What virtue or ability did Jiang Ruan have to become the female mistress of Jinying Wang fu?
"Of course, Eldest Sister would like such a handsome person like Jinying Wangfu, but … why did the Empress Dowager suddenly bestow marriage?" Jiang Dan timidly asked, "I have never heard Eldest Sister mention it before."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's gaze was suddenly filled with deep thought. It was unknown what method Jiang Ruan had used to gain the favor of Empress Dowager Yi De, but Empress Dowager Yi De had personally asked the Emperor to bestow her the title of Hong 'an Junzhu. If Jiang Ruan had taken the initiative to ask Empress Dowager Yi De to bestow marriage to Xiao Shao, it was not impossible. The more everyone thought about it, the more they felt that it was highly possible. They all thought that Jiang Ruan must have taken a fancy to Xiao Shao's talent and the wealth of Jinying Wangfu, so she had taken the initiative to mention it to Empress Dowager Yi De. Only then did Empress Dowager Yi De appoint the marriage. It was just a pity that such a peerless talent like Xiao Shao had to be matched with such a woman who only had good looks.
"She really has no sense of shame." Young Miss Li angrily said, "There are actually such shameless people in this world."
"It's really a pity," Young Miss Wang said, "I just don't know what Xiao Wangye will think when he finds out about this marriage."
"What can he think? The good cabbages have all been taken by pigs. It's a tragedy in the world," another woman said regretfully.
Jiang Dan lowered her head, but her fists, which were hidden in her sleeves, were secretly clenched. A trace of darkness flashed in her eyes.
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