Chapter 190 Come with us, my master invites you
Chapter 190 Come with us, my master invites you
The Buddhist temple is filled with the smell of incense.
Zhao Duan's heart couldn't calm down for a long time.
Princess Yuan? Li Yinglong? It was really hard for him to connect these two names together.
He didn't know much about the old emperor's widows.
But thanks to his service as a guard in the imperial city, he knew something about the concubines through what he saw and heard.
Concubine Yuan had been in the palace for nearly ten years. She was the daughter of a grain transport official in the capital.
The old emperor was old at heart, and although he was old, he never stopped thinking about choosing a concubine.
But Zhao Duan really didn't expect that Li Yinglong and Yuan Ru had any connection.
"Was it before or after entering the palace? If it was after entering the palace, it would be exciting... No, it shouldn't be that difficult. It is extremely difficult for an outsider to enter the palace, and the Li family is not an outsider's family. Li Yinglong has no chance to enter the palace to flirt with someone... Not to mention that she is the emperor's woman..."
"That was before she entered the palace... Well, her age does match. Hiss... I've never heard of it. And a concubine must have a physical examination before entering the palace. Concubine Yuan should still be a virgin... If nothing unexpected happens, the two of them are still in a pure love relationship..."
Zhao Duan was lost in thought, feeling as if he had eaten a large melon in the hottest days of summer.
He frowned and said, "Did Li Yinglong tell you this?"
He was a little skeptical, because Li Yinglong was a cautious person and would not casually talk about such explosive information.
Madam Lin shook her head and said:
"He only told me that I looked like his former lover. As for my name, I learned it by accident."
Zhao Duan pressed on: "Unexpectedly learned?"
Madam Lin was silent for a long time before she said calmly:
"He called out this name when he forced himself on me."
Zhao Duan: “…”
Now that Madam Lin had made the decision, she was no longer as weak and timid as before, and she said this without hiding anything.
Just kneel before the Buddha and wait for his instructions.
Zhao Duan paced slowly in the hall, thinking about how to make use of this incident.
After a moment, he had a plan in mind and said:
"Very good. This clue is very valuable."
He was not worried that Mrs. Lin was lying.
Because this answer is very easy to verify. With his current status, it is not difficult for him to get a portrait of Princess Yuan, or even find a chance to see her with his own eyes.
"Sir, what do I need to do?" Madam Lin was eager for revenge and was particularly proactive. When she spoke, there was an urgent look in her eyes.
So, never underestimate women.
Especially a woman who grasps hope again in desperate situations.
"So..." Zhao Duan pondered for a moment and asked:
"Can you find a way to come out again in the near future?"
Madam Lin hesitated and said:
"It's a little difficult, but if I pretend to be nice, it should be possible. I can say that I will come to Shenlong Temple to fulfill my wish. Li Yinglong doesn't put too much pressure on me with some of my requests, and he usually agrees to them."
Zhao Duan nodded and said:
"Well, I need you to find a way to get as much information as possible about him and Yuan Ru, but you can't let him know that you are deliberately trying to get information.
If possible, it would be best to get an instrument that Li Yinglong used all year round, something that can represent him personally, or more precisely, something that Yuan Ru can recognize."
In the Jiangnan area, how could a geisha who was once just one step away from becoming an oiran be considered a stupid person?
Madam Lin knew the elegant meaning of the music by hearing the music, her eyes flickered, and she vaguely guessed what Lord Zhao was thinking.
But he wisely didn't point it out, just nodded:
"I understand. Is there anything else you want to say, sir?"
Zhao Duan shook his head:
"Just do these things. I will send someone to keep an eye on the Li family. Don't think too much when you come out. Just find a way to create an opportunity to be alone, and someone will contact you."
Now that he is in charge of Lihuatang, he has no shortage of trusted and capable men under his command.
Mrs. Lin said she would take note of it and said:
"I have been in the palace for a long time..."
“Well, go back. Remember to be careful and don’t let the Li family notice anything unusual, otherwise... I won’t suffer any loss, but your safety is uncertain.” Zhao Duan said lightly.
This time, he just tried to make a plan, and the worst result for him was no result.
After all, he and the Li family had already fallen out, so Zhao Duan was not worried because Li Yinglong knew that he was causing trouble.
But if the Sixth Lady fails, her fate can be imagined.
"Don't worry, sir. This is my own choice. I just hope that after the matter is accomplished, sir, you will not forget what you said today. I will be grateful and will never forget your great kindness."
Madam Lin bowed gracefully.
"Go."
Zhao Duan took a step forward and disappeared behind the curtains on both sides of the Buddhist temple.
Madam Lin looked at his disappearing back, then raised her eyes to look at the huge and compassionate Medicine Buddha in the hall.
I wondered, could it be that my prayers had really come true?
Shaking her head, she quickly tidied her appearance, and when she pushed the door and walked out of the Buddhist temple, there was no longer any strange expression on her face.
Below the stairs.
The waiting maid and guard looked over at the same time, and were stunned when they saw the tear marks on her face, but they were not surprised at all.
It is no secret that the Sixth Lady shed tears all day long.
"Go back home."
Madam Lin spoke calmly, with a hint of the dignity of a lady.
Performing... for her, a geisha who was once famous in Jiangnan, it is what she is best at.
……
Wait for the three to leave.
Inside the Buddhist temple, Zhao Duan walked out slowly and stood still.
Soon, Hou Renmeng and Qian Kerou came from a distance:
"Sir, is the matter settled?"
"Well, how about those monks?" "Don't worry, sir. Although we don't like these monks, we have His Majesty behind us. No one in Shenlong Temple will 'remember' that you have been here."
"Very well, let's go."
"Sir, shall we go back to the government office? Or..."
Zhao Duan took two steps, hesitated for a moment, and asked:
"Have the master and disciple pair of Chen Zhengru and Xu Hanlin been released?"
On that day, the empress gave an order and Ma Yan carried it out. The literati who took the lead in scolding Zhao Duan were arrested and given a good beating.
But in the final analysis, it’s just a few curse words, not a big sin.
The main purpose was to kill the chicken to scare the monkey, so after a group of people were dealt with, they were released one after another, which could be regarded as a profound lesson.
Qian Kerou said:
"Oh, those two scholars from the Hanlin Academy were just released the day before yesterday. Sir, do you want to recapture them? We can arrest Hanlin Xu directly, but Chen Zhengru is a university scholar after all, so we have to ask the governor..."
"No need." Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes, as if he had thought of something interesting, and raised the corner of his mouth:
"No need to bother, like this..."
He whispered the order, and the two listened attentively, looking at each other.
All of them had the same thought:
My lord, he... is plotting against someone again!
……
……
evening.
Inside the Zuixianlou in Beijing, Xu Mingyuan sat in a private box, drinking and chatting with a group of literary friends who had also been released.
The day before yesterday, after paying a fine and receiving a punishment that was neither too light nor too severe, Xu Hanlin finally came out of the horrible place of the imperial prison and returned to the world again.
I went home first and reunited with my family.
Afterwards, he thought that with his connections, many scholars would come to welcome him.
As a result, Xu Mingyuan waited from day till dusk, but no one stepped into the Xu family's door, which was always crowded with people.
"A bunch of rats!"
Xu Mingyuan cursed.
I realized that it was those scholars who used to be so sanctimonious and always talked about the teachings of sages who were afraid to approach me.
He was afraid of offending the empress, the grand tutor, and even afraid of Zhao Duan.
I couldn't help but sigh that what the Grand Tutor said that day was not wrong.
After falling asleep angrily, he went to the Hanlin Academy the next day, but no one paid any attention to him.
However, teacher Chen Zhengru is treated much better than himself.
After he was released from prison, he was personally picked up by the young cabinet minister Li Yinglong, and it is likely that he even met the prime minister.
Although Chen Zhengru does not have much power in Li's party, he has a great reputation.
This time, Li Yanfu had to come forward to appease Li Yinglong to take the blame.
Xu Mingyuan had no choice but to look for the group of literati who were also released.
Knowing that everyone was in a similar situation, a group of people gathered together for warmth and drank to relieve their sorrow for two days in a revengeful manner.
Behind closed doors, he cursed the injustice and the thieves Zhao.
"Brother Xu! If we were to be treated as abandoned, it would be fine. But you are highly regarded by the Prime Minister and a disciple of Grand Secretary Chen. How come you are also being ignored? Why don't you seek help from the young minister?"
A drunken scholar said, breathing heavily from the alcohol.
Xu Mingyuan looked embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.
Another person nearby said:
"That's wrong. The court has been in turmoil these days. It can be described as chaos.
The Young Minister is the general of the central army. He is very busy with affairs and probably has no time to spare, which is why he neglected the meritorious official.
Otherwise, Brother Shan Mingyuan should be rewarded for his hard work in prison this time. Don't you think so?"
A group of drunken scholars echoed this.
But he didn't notice that Xu Mingyuan felt like he was being stabbed in the back and his face turned red.
Hero?
Oh, only those who win the battle are called heroes. What am I, a defeated general?
He didn't dare to say that he had visited Li's house privately yesterday but was turned away.
After all, after this incident, he had completely offended Grand Tutor Dong and the Xiuwenguan faction, and was even more hated by His Majesty. The only person he could rely on was Li Yinglong.
And all this is thanks to "Zhao Duan"!
Xu Mingyuan didn't dare to express his dissatisfaction with the young minister or his teacher, so he could only vent his anger on Zhao Duan.
If Zhao had surrendered and been attacked by him that day, how could he have ended up in his current situation?
If Mr. Zhao had not concealed his relationship with Grand Tutor Dong, would I have been so stupid as to walk into trouble?
"Zhao the thief misled me!"
Xu Mingyuan drank the wine from his bowl and said proudly:
"Today we have been humiliated. In the future, we will seek revenge on that thief Zhao a hundredfold!"
Everyone cheered and shared the same hatred for the enemy.
……
The song ends and everyone disperses.
Xu Mingyuan walked out of Zuixianlou drunkenly and walked towards his home on foot.
At this moment, the sky was completely dark, the stars were sparse in the night sky, and dark clouds covered the moon.
When Xu Mingyuan passed by a deserted street.
Suddenly, several men in black walked out from the dark shadows ahead.
The leader had a dark complexion and a rebellious face. When he grinned, his white teeth were exposed:
"Are you Xu Mingyuan?"
Xu Mingyuan shuddered, his drunkenness half gone, and he said cautiously:
"I'm not, you got the wrong person."
Hou Renmeng's smile became even brighter. He kicked him and with a bang, Xu Mingyuan bent over in pain like a shrimp. He was in mid-air and vomited all the food and wine in his stomach all over the floor.
"Xu Hanlin, please come with us. My master wants to see you."
Thanks to the Blue Most Beautiful Ball for the 500 points reward support!
(End of this chapter)