Chapter 86 Second Update

  The mansion of the King of Jin is located in the southern part of the capital city.

  What is called "the emperor's near minister" is roughly like this, and this area is the most "noble" place in the entire capital. Because it is closer to the imperial city, going to court is also convenient, and basically all the mansions of princes, nobles, and high-ranking officials are located here, with a luxurious and noble atmosphere that is different from other places in the city.

  It's also because they live too close, many secrets are no longer secrets.

  The black lacquer carriage of the King of Jin went out, and everyone's heart was convinced.

  In the Ning Wang Fu, which was only a few dozen zhang away from the Jin Wang Fu, under the warm and gentle spring sunshine, in the quiet backyard, among the nine-turning corridors, the most secluded place, the Lu'an Hall with green glazed tiles, was exactly where Ning Wang Zhao Xi lived.

  At this time, in the Le'an Hall, all the servants and maids had retreated to a distance. Zhao Xi sat quietly on that chair, his somewhat stout body squeezing out some of the elegance from the spacious chair.

  "Don't delay, go and handle it."

  A woman wearing a gauze hat sat quietly on the bench in the hall. Every move was gentle and elegant, and the slender figure wrapped in embroidered silk brocade was very eye-catching. And one corner of the gauze hat flew open, revealing a piece of skin as white as porcelain.

  "Good!"

  With one word, the woman tilted her head back and slightly raised her sleeve.

  "Is it really safe for Third Master to do this?"

  Zhao Xi stood up, handed her a small porcelain bottle from the table in front of her, and said, "People who do great things don't get bogged down in trivial matters. Sometimes you need to take a little risk."

  The woman looked at the porcelain bottle carefully, then pulled out the stopper and smelled it.

  "This is really good stuff."

  "Even the best things can't compare to your insight."

  "Good, it's convenient for others and also convenient for myself. In that case, I'll go first."

  "Go!"

  She lowered her eyelids slightly, and a head of black long hair fell behind her ears, making her fair skin even more striking. Zhao Xi's gaze flickered slightly, and his broad palm landed on her shoulder. And she subtly turned sideways, leaving her back to him.

  "It's really not possible to underestimate the power of women."

  Zhao Xi let out a soft sigh, and then heard the sound of the guard outside.

  "Third Master and Sixth Master have arrived."

  Zhao Xi glanced at the woman's figure and said, "I'll be right there."

  The main hall of Anle Temple.

  A man of about twenty-seven or eight years old, with his hands behind his back, gazed intently at a landscape painting of mountains and rivers in the hall.

  It is none other than the current Sixth Prince, Su Wang Zhao Kai.

  A robe of silk with a slanted collar, paired with black leather boots on his feet. His facial features were clear-cut and he looked spirited, but the slightly downturned nose added a hint of coldness and isolation to his overall demeanor.

  Zhao Xi pushed open the door and walked in, letting out a loud "haha" as he burst into laughter.

  "Lao Liu has arrived? Wang Fu, quickly look at the tea."

  Zhao Kai smiled and waved his hand, "Third Brother doesn't have to be polite."

  The two people sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries before getting straight to the point.

  These days, on the imperial court, the officials of the Ducha Yamen repeatedly submitted memorials to the old emperor, saying that King Jin had returned to the capital for so long, and now the military affairs of the three major camps in the capital were still in his hands. According to the system of the Ministry of War, he should have handed over the tiger tally and returned the military power to the Ministry of War as soon as he returned to Beijing, but he was slow to hand it over, which was a violation of the rules, and there was a fear that he had a disloyal heart. Of course, Zhao Xian directed the Ducha Yamen, and the actions of those officials were all done under his instructions.

  This is in line with the old emperor's thoughts.

  What was going on in the old emperor's mind, and who could understand it?

  It seems that he was supporting Zhao Mianze, fearing Zhao Zun, but following his thoughts and doing things, Zhao Xi always couldn't get his heart, every day's early court training him has become a daily routine, yesterday, almost stripped of his duties as the supervisor of the Ducha Institute.

  He couldn't wait any longer.

  In front of Zhao Kai, Zhao Xi asked very directly, "Old Six, what's the attitude on Old Nineteen's side?"

  "Just watching."

  "Hmph! He's indeed clever." Zhao Xi glanced at Zhao Kai, "As soon as the Qinggang County matter came out, I really thought he had no intention of taking that position. But, Old Six, who would spit out meat that's already in their mouth? Old Six, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, you and I must work together."

  Zhao Xi is the third son born to the emperor's wife, with ambitions to seize the throne. However, Zhao Kai was only a product of the old emperor's encounter with a palace maid after drinking, and he has always known how to avoid conflicts in the imperial court, earning the old emperor's trust. Now, not only does he control the Imperial City Guard, but also the entire defense system of the capital.

  It can be said that the old emperor's life is in his hands.

  After listening to Zhao Xi's words, King Su of Zhao, Zhao Kai, was lost in thought, with a hint of hesitation on his brow.

  "Third brother, shouldn't we think this over carefully before making a decision?"

  "Let's reconsider, if we reconsider again, everything will be over. Old Six, can't you understand the Emperor's mind? Whether it's Eldest Brother, Mianze or Nineteenth Brother, in his heart, they are all stronger than us two brothers! If we delay any further, let alone the imperial throne, I fear we'll become the knife and chopping board, and the fish to be sliced. Either on the Nine Tripods or at the bottom of prison, with such fate, we can't help but fight."

  His tone was very light, with a hint of sighing, saying it very euphemistically, yet somewhat heart-wrenching. Those words that seemed to cut like a knife and bleed like fresh blood seemed to have said all the sorrow of the princes of that day.

  The great hall fell silent for a moment.

  It was as if he had thought for a moment, then Zhao Kai nodded and changed the subject.

  "Third brother, where is Mian Huan?"

  With a sarcastic snort, Zhao Xi's voice was somewhat gloomy.

  "What else can he do? Every day, after eating and drinking, he's thinking about finding his wife. Hmph, how would he know that his wife not only has the ability to become the first favorite of the Jin Wang Houyuan, but now she's even become a guest in the princess's palace, and is going to be the son-in-law of the current dynasty."

  Zhao Kai smiled and teased, gently stroking his nose.

  "Isn't this better?"

  The two of them exchanged a glance, and Zhao Xi's face showed a triumphant smile.

  "Lao Liu understands me deeply. Let's go and see where he goes."

  In a ordinary small courtyard, there was an ancient well. On the edge of the ancient well, there was a wooden frame covered with green vines, under which a small square table was placed, and on the table were piled up all kinds of food and fruit. A tall and dark-skinned man sat beside the small table, his clothes were extremely luxurious, but he couldn't hide the silly look on his face.

  "Third Aunt, when can I see my Grass again?"

  Third Aunt stood beside him, peeled a few peanuts for him and stuffed them into his hand, smiling and saying, "Soon soon, you be good and listen to me, and you'll see her very quickly. Otherwise, Third Uncle won't let you see her."

  "Oh, I'll be good."

  The fool smiled happily and cracked a few peanuts, then looked at Third Aunt with an unsmiling face, his tone somewhat pleading.

  "This time when I see Xiao Cao, I won't part with her again, okay?"

  "Alright, whatever you say goes."

  Third Aunt smiled slightly, and as she raised her head, she saw Zhao Yi and Zhao Gui entering the courtyard. She first wiped her hands on her clothes, then performed a proper palace etiquette. Looking at her movements, they were familiar and tight, where was the rustic air of a country woman?

  "Give my regards to His Highness the Third Prince and His Highness the Sixth Prince."

  "You're welcome!"

  Third Aunt thanked her and went to pull the fool.

  "Zhuzi, come quickly and pay your respects to Third Uncle and Sixth Uncle."

  The fool glanced at those two people, muttered to himself and buried his head heavily.

  "I don't know them."

  Third Aunt comforted him, "Be good, Third Uncle and Sixth Uncle are helping you find a wife."

  The fool furrowed his brow, hesitated for a while, and still refused to cooperate. Obviously, he didn't have a good impression of Zhao Xi. Although he was living a life of luxury now, his heart was like being possessed by a demon, always muttering about finding his wife, which made San Auntie very headache. Sometimes when the fool's temper flared up, no matter how she coaxed him, it was impossible to calm him down.

  "Third Highness, Sixth Highness, the Emperor's eldest grandson has lost his mind, it's really..."

  Third Aunt was hesitant and somewhat embarrassed, but Zhao Xi just smiled nonchalantly.

  "It doesn't matter, how have you been these past few days?"

  Third Aunt immediately knelt down upon hearing his question and began to wipe away tears.

  "It's still like before, he was poisoned when he was young and his brain was damaged, now it can't be cured. I want to ask the Third Prince and the Sixth Prince to take charge of the imperial grandson and avenge our family's young lady..."

  Zhao Xi raised his hand and let out a long sigh.

  "Get up, don't kneel down at every turn. You've taken good care of Meng Huan all these years, that's a great achievement too. Don't worry, I'll keep my word as the king. Soon, I'll make Meng Huan acknowledge her ancestors and return to her roots."

  Third Aunt was overjoyed and wept, constantly kowtowing to thank her. But that fool seemed to have no feeling at all, scratched his head and asked: "Now that I've recognized my ancestors, can I marry my wife?"

  Zhao Xi coughed and exchanged a glance with Zhao Kai, smiling: "Of course it's possible. When the time comes and you meet your wife, if she doesn't acknowledge you, you must tell your father the king and your imperial grandfather that she is your wife. Otherwise, your wife will become someone else's, do you understand?"

  He let out an "oh" and nodded heavily, like a fool.

  ……

  ……

  Entering the Zixia Temple in the northeast of Beijing, I saw that the temple was grand and magnificent. On July 7th, I once again discovered that ancient people were more fearful of gods and ghosts than later generations. Almost every place I went to, the temples there were bustling with incense and people coming and going.

  Prosperous times look at temples, chaotic times look at people's lives.

  I knew it!

  "Two donors, please."

  A young monk came up and greeted him with extreme politeness.

  "Thank you, little master."

  Xia Zhi Qi very politely thanked him and followed the young monk to the Chan Institute inside the temple. As they walked, he couldn't help but glance at Zhao Zhu's calm and composed expression and that handsome face with a high cold demeanor, thinking that if this guy wasn't a prince, he would definitely be able to become a monk.

  She secretly licked her tongue, and muttered to herself, but didn't ask any more questions, just following along. Today, the Xiqiao Temple seemed to be holding some kind of Buddhist ceremony, aside from batches of devout pilgrims, the monks were also coming and going. The little monk led Zhao Zun to a quiet Zen temple to make tea, after waiting for a while, an old monk dressed in monk's robes floated into the room like a celestial being.

  The sound of the bell arrives before the man does.

  "Amitabha"

  The voice sounds somewhat familiar, Xia Qi's subconscious gaze drifted over.

  For a moment, she was slightly surprised.

  Isn't this the old monk from Pu Zhao Temple on Zhangren Mountain in Jin City Prefecture? The high monk who revealed the "Thousand-Year Stele" and demonstrated a warning sign with the "Push Back Chart", winning over the hearts of the people for Zhao Zhen, whose Dharma name was said to have been bestowed by the current old emperor, Daochang Dahe Shang?

  But how did he end up coming to the capital?

  When he saw him, Zhao Zun slightly bowed his head, and his demeanor was still extremely elegant.

  "Long time no see, Master! Wang pays his respects."

  "Your Highness has been polite." Dao Chang still had a kind face and eyes, his gaze swept over Zhao Zun with a hint of a smile, then fell on Xia Chuqi's face, "The young donor is polite, everything can be calm and peaceful."

  It is said that meeting old friends in a foreign land is one of life's greatest fortunes. On the seventh day of summer, it was the same for me, coming from Jin City to the capital, and now running into an old acquaintance from Jin City Prefecture again, my mood was also very cheerful.

  "Ah, Master, when did you arrive in the capital? Ah, you're still so vigorous and full of vitality, with an air of elegance and refinement that makes one feel as if they've entered a celestial realm. Ha ha ha ha, if I had known earlier that you were coming, I would have certainly come to pay my respects to you sooner."

  On the seventh day, this girl was particularly good at saying pleasant things. As long as she was willing, apart from being sarcastic to the point of killing someone, she could also coax people into a state of euphoria without them realizing it. Upon hearing this, the old monk indeed stroked his beard and smiled. It's said that outsiders don't have great joys or sorrows, but as long as he was human, who wouldn't be happy to hear pleasant things?

  "You overpraise me, Master. This time I entered the capital at the invitation of His Majesty. His Majesty couldn't bear that I would spend my remaining years in that poor and remote place, so he wanted me to return to preside over the Mid-Autumn Festival rituals, and also granted me the position of Right Rectifier of the Buddhist Registry Office. How could I dare not accept?"

  Right Vice Director of the Buddhist Registry?

  The Buddhist Registry Office is an institution under the Ministry of Rites that specifically manages Buddhist and Taoist affairs. It's known that this summer, on the seventh day of the seventh month, there were no monks in the capital? Moreover, the old emperor has been very "right" lately, making her the Right Chancellor of the Imperial Hospital, and giving Dao Chang Lao Shang a Right Expositor of the Orthodox Teachings. It's known that the great sage valued the left side as superior, so why didn't he directly give a "left" position?

  If Zhao Zun was someone she couldn't understand, then Xia Chuqi felt that the old emperor who had never seen her before was also someone she couldn't understand. In terms of being sinister, Zhao Zun was absolutely his biological son.

  It's known that Daochang had made those remarks in Jin City Prefecture, which were enough to get him severely punished for disrespect. Yet, not only was he not punished, but he was even appointed as the Master of the Buddhist Registry Office, which is simply inexplicable from a normal perspective.

  At this time, she still did not know the severity of Dao Chang and Shang, nor did she know that apart from being able to deceive people, calculate fortunes, and utter a few clever phrases, he was also well-versed in Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and military strategy, truly an exceptional talent.

  She cursed silently in her heart, but on the surface she remained calm and smiled lightly.

  "Congratulations, congratulations, promotion and wealth marriage... are all good things in life."

  The two words "wife" were swallowed by her, with a face full of embarrassment. But that person was naturally someone with excellent upbringing, and only smiled calmly, not bothering to argue with her, and looked at Zhao Zhu again.

  "Amitabha Buddha, when will Your Highness depart for Beiping? I will accompany you to the North and stay in the Chan temple for a few days. The Emperor has already granted his permission."

  Every time he mentioned going to Beiping, Xia Chuyi felt a little uncomfortable in his heart.

  Since that New Year's Eve when they talked about it in the haystack smelling of donkey dung, Zhao Zhu had never mentioned going to Beiping Prefecture together again.

  She was actually a bit contradictory, saying she didn't want to go with him was false. But if she went with him, what about her deep-seated grudge against Li Mo? If one day those grievances implicated the current emperor, what then? She couldn't let Zhao Zun commit patricide for her sake, could she? If she accidentally avenged herself and did something "treasonous", wouldn't she become Zhao Zun's father-killing enemy?

  The more she thought about it, the more confused her mind became. Those two people chatted for a while, mostly about the Mid-Autumn Festival and the current situation in the capital. But no matter how much she listened, there was nothing substantial to be gained from their conversation, leaving her completely bewildered. What did Zhao Zun come here for today? Was it just to pay his respects to an old friend?

  Inside the temple, apart from the three of them, there was no one else. After a while, when they mentioned the current situation in Jin City, that old monk sighed again and said that due to the flood control issue at Jiangyan Dam in Shu, the common people had suffered a lot. However, the old emperor now only pursued the crime of dereliction of duty by the river inspector, and allocated some disaster relief funds, and the matter was settled.

  "That day, His Majesty summoned me to the Jing Shen Hall and asked about this matter."

  "How did the master answer?" Zhao Zun asked casually while sipping his tea.

  "The old monk answers according to facts. If it is not man-made, then it must be a heavenly warning. The saying of 'Tui Bei Tu' should not be taken lightly."

  Is it man-made or natural disaster?

  At the beginning of summer, I heard it in my ears and admired this usual phenomenon.

  This sentence seems to be very moderate, but it is actually using the "Tianji Zhidao" or "superstition" method to put the old emperor on a pedestal. If the Xuanjiang Dam floodgate was opened without finding the person in charge, then it would be considered a natural disaster. If it was a natural disaster, then making Zhao Mianze the crown prince would go against the will of heaven. But if it wasn't a natural disaster, then the old emperor would have to find and punish the person responsible for opening the floodgate.

  At that time when the floodgate was opened, Xia Chuyi also wondered who did it.

  Now that I think about it, it's either Dongfang Qingxuan or Ning Wang Zhao Xi. Whoever it is, as long as they really did it, it's a beheading matter.

  So it seems this matter is far from over.

  While thinking, he heard that Taoist say, "The Emperor also asked me, Your Highness has guarded the land and fought bravely on the border, what arrangements should be made for you?"

  Zhao Zun smiled slightly and said, "What did the great master say then?"

  After reciting a Buddhist mantra, Dao Chang said, "I'm telling you, Your Highness, everyone says that being appointed as the vassal king of Beiping is a great reward. However, the Beiping Prefecture is located on the northern border, where the winds and sands are harsh all year round, and the terrain is treacherous. On the surface, it appears to be a strategic military outpost, but in reality, it's no different from being exiled. Such an arrangement will surely dishearten the people of the world who support Your Highness, the King of Jin."

  Zhao Zun glanced at him faintly and put down his teacup.

  "What's the point of this again, Master?"

  "The heart of this old monk is something Your Highness should understand, it's for the sake of all living things under heaven."

  Two people were talking in a low and mysterious tone, Xia Qi didn't fully understand, but she vaguely heard that the monk Chang was not like an outsider, he really didn't indulge in worldly desires. From his previous words at Jin Cheng Fu Pu Zhao Temple to his current words, it seemed that he wanted to advise Zhao Zun to contend for that supreme and revered position.

  What a restless monk!

  She was thinking about others, but didn't expect that the old monk would say a few words and suddenly bring it up to her head again. The heavy atmosphere in the room became clear and harmonious with his laughter.

  "I've said it before, young master's appearance resembles that of a noble person with three unusual features, and it seems I was right."

  Three Strange Nobles

  She smiled and joked, "Master, your calculation is not accurate. Didn't you say that if I were to be a man, I would live a lonely life? Now I've been chosen as the imperial son-in-law, which is a destiny with good fortune!"

  Dao Chang Lao and Shang stroked his beard, smiling at her with narrowed eyes.

  "However, you're not a man, are you?"

  Xia Chuqi was taken aback for a moment, almost choking on her own saliva. She carefully examined her clothes and believed that if she hadn't known beforehand, the old monk would never have guessed that she was a woman.

  So it seems...

  She swept a glance at Zhao Jinzhi who was sitting on the edge with an air of elegance and dignity, her eyes rolled around in a circle, and she smiled lightly.

  "That master was also wrong. You said that if a woman has the Three Talents and Noble Virtues, she would be a phoenix destiny, but now I've become a prince consort, what's going on? Besides, even if I weren't a prince consort, wouldn't I still be far from being a phoenix?"

  That tone often seems to be stuck in questioning.

  He glanced at her and his eyes lingered for a moment.

  "Could the young master please tell me his birth date and time?"

  He had asked once before, but at the beginning of summer, on the seventh day of the seventh month, he didn't know. Later, he met Li Mo and although other things weren't completely clear, it was during the previous year's New Year's Eve ceremony that his birth eight characters were figured out.

  It was extremely unfortunate that her birthday happened to be on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, which means that the day she drank with Zhao Zhuo by the river in Qinggang County and then "bathed" in the river was actually her 15th birthday.

  She smiled and handed over her birth certificate to Chang Nuo, but unexpectedly, his normally calm face suddenly looked shocked, and his speech also quickened.

  "Excuse me, young master, do you have a peach wood mirror?"

  Peach wood mirror?

  Xia Chuyi suddenly thought of Li Mo's words as she exchanged a glance with Dao Chang.

  "On your tenth birthday, a monk came to the Wei State Duke's mansion to beg for alms. He divined your fate and said something specific, but I don't know what it was. However, I heard my mother say that he gave you a peach wood mirror..."

  Is he the monk who begged for alms?

  What a coincidence!

  Since Li Mian mentioned the story of Taomu Mirror last time, she was afraid that her identity would be exposed, so she didn't carry it with her again. However, when Dao Chang asked like this, she still nodded subconsciously.

  "Yes!"

  As soon as he saw him nodding, Chang suddenly let out a long sigh. Then, he looked at Zhao Zhu in a strange way.

  "Your Highness..."

  His expression was unusual, but Zhao Zun remained quite calm.

  "The master has something to say directly."

  The Taoist priest half-closed his eyes, clasped his hands together and said a phrase "Amitabha", before continuing to speak.

  "It's Heaven's will. Your Highness, one cannot defy Heaven's will!"

  Can heaven's will be defied? On the seventh of summer, I heard a head full of fog and mist. Just as I was about to perk up my ears to listen to their detailed explanation, neither of them said another word about it. In an instant, they changed the subject, but between their eyebrows, there were even more withered and worried looks, furrowed even tighter.

  "The pigeon that Your Highness left behind can be taken back now."

  Having said that, he shouted out towards the outside of the Zen house.

  Before long, the little novice monk who had led the way earlier came in carrying a delicate pigeon cage.

  That pigeon has white feathers, white eyebrows and a white waist. The neck is also covered in white hair, all of which are white, except for a small bunch of gray-green down on the top of its head, just like wearing a small crown on its head, looking particularly good-looking and clever. Isn't that the "little horse" (a nickname for the pigeon)?

  Zhao Zun calmly looked at the pigeon and then turned his gaze towards her.

  "Take what's given you."

  "Give me?"

  Is this considered a gift? Did you come to Qixia Temple just to give me this pigeon? Thinking of Xiao Ma, Xia Chuyi was surprised and added more doubts. If she didn't remember wrong, this should be the messenger pigeon of Jin Yiwei, Zhao Zun shot it down, she originally thought it had other uses, but this master really doesn't take the usual path, as a result, he healed its injuries and gave it to her as a pet, is there something wrong?

  It was indeed so, Zhao Zun did not answer her that sentence without technical content, and slowly bowed to the monk who owed him a bow, and was about to bid farewell and leave.

  "Your Highness, slow down!"

  Zhao Zun nodded and turned his head to add another word before leaving.

  "Zhonghe Festival, Little Wang respectfully awaits Master's good news."

  "Amitabha..."

  ……

  ……

  On the horse-drawn carriage back to the city, Xia Qiuzi supported her cheek with her hand and stared blankly at Zhao Zhen.

  "Grandfather, I didn't understand what you and that old monk were talking about."

  "Got it, is grandpa still grandpa?"

  “……”

  He rolled his eyes, and for a man as chauvinistic as him, Xia Chuqi had never seen this before in her two lifetimes. Don't be fooled by how well he treats her, but the feudal air on him was so thick it was almost suffocating.

  She raised an eyebrow and teased the little horse in the birdcage, saying unpleasantly.

  "Boring, nobody tells me anything."

  After a long silence, Zhao Zhu suddenly said.

  "Ah Qi has done something, but did he ever tell this king?"

  Zhaoyou rarely calls himself "Ben Wang" in front of her. Generally speaking, when he uses this title, it means that the man's heart is not comfortable and wants to keep a distance from her. Xia Chuyi thought for a moment, and this sentence was not wrong either. So she pretended to be deaf and dumb, lifted the car curtain and looked out the window without making a sound.

  She didn't answer and Zhao Zhu also didn't ask more questions.

  After a brief silence, the horse carriage rode towards the city gate of Ying Tian Fu.

  Looking at the towering city building, Xia Chuqi was stunned for a moment, and suddenly saw dozens of riders galloping over to the main gate, with the sound of horseshoes ringing out, and the black flag flying high in the wind, with the words "Brocade Guard Commander's Office" written on it. In the midst of the crowd, Dongfang Qingxuan wore a beautiful red fish-scale robe, which dazzled her eyes for an instant.

  Monster!

  Wherever and whenever I see you, you're always so annoying.

  Maybe...

  She glanced at the pigeons in the birdcage under her feet and lowered her eyelids.

  "Your Highness, the Grand Commander requests an audience!"

  Chen Jing's voice was just like his master's, still unchanged after a thousand years, calm and peaceful.

  No matter what happens, he seems never to have been flustered.

  "Uh-huh."

  Zhao Zun did not refuse with just one word.

  Today, Zhao Zilong set out on a journey with only a dozen or so guards. Compared to the Brocade Guards who galloped out of the city gate, they were far outnumbered. However, in terms of momentum, even the arrogant and lawless Brocade Guards couldn't compare, and they had no choice but to humbly retreat to both sides of the road, paying their respects in unison.

  "Your Highness, it's been a long time!"

  The opening remarks of Dongfang Qingxuan's export, it seems that it has always been the case, with a gentle and soft voice, under the set-off of his elegant and charming figure, it really sounds very easy to make people misunderstand, thinking that he really misses you for a long time, and is also very much looking forward to meeting.

  However, even if Dongfang Qingxuan was extremely beautiful, the royal and noble families in the capital were all afraid of receiving a visit from the Brocade Guard. Once Dongfang Qingxuan came to their doorsteps, it represented that something bad was about to happen or had already happened. Therefore, using "calamity" to describe this beauty was perfect.

  "What important business does the Grand Commander have?"

  Zhao Zun's voice was neither salty nor bland, not rude, but also not enthusiastic. He always had a distant attitude that made it impossible for anyone to get close to him. However, as he gazed at Dongfang Qingyun's slender and narrow eyes with an air of mystery, he smiled softly.

  "I heard that Your Highness went to Qixia Temple and met with Master Daochang."

  "That's right, what then?"

  "I heard that Your Highness got a pigeon from Daochang Fashi."

  "That's right. So what?"

  "A carrier pigeon raised by Qingxuan has gone missing in Qinggang County. It was a top-notch carrier pigeon with extremely strong competitive flying abilities. Qingxuan had spent a long time domesticating it, and it's really heartbreaking. I don't know if Your Honor could allow Qingxuan to take a look at the pigeon to see if it's his old bird?"

  Zhao Zun's lips curled up slightly, his movements were not big, but the elegant and noble air between his faintly raised hands and feet was enough to make the nerves of the people around him move with him.

  "Is the Eastern Lord saying that I stole your pigeon?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan's expression eased, and he smiled, "Qingxuan doesn't dare, but only hopes that whoever mistakenly took Qingxuan's pigeon can return it to him, to alleviate the suffering of day and night thinking, and being unable to sleep."

  "As soon as I heard the words 'day and night thinking, almost unable to sleep', Xia Chui's heart almost stopped beating."

  The eyes and ears of the Imperial Guard are indeed not simple, no wonder they say that they can fully monitor the movements of various institutions in the imperial court. It seems that it is indeed the case. Not only did he know when she brought a pigeon to the Qixia Temple, but also her conversation with Zhao Mianze in the East Palace was known to him. Judging from this situation, probably which prince slept in which concubine's room at night, Dongfang Yaoguai is clear about everything.

  She was somewhat flustered, but Zhao Zun remained calm and composed, "The East Master has indeed made progress. With so many things to attend to in the imperial court, you enjoy the salary of a government official without thinking about sharing the emperor's worries, yet you have the leisure to look for a pigeon?"

  "I've made Your Highness laugh!"

  Dongfang Qingxuan only smiled, and in that gentle tone, there were hidden sharp edges. But Zhao Zun didn't have any other reaction, he just slightly raised his eyelids and asked him.

  "The Oriental gentleman's pigeon has characteristics."

  "The Qingxuan is a white pigeon with an all-white body, except for a small patch of grey-green down on the top of its head."

  Zhao Zun narrowed his eyes and glanced at Xia Chuqi.

  "Ah Qi, lift up the pigeon cage and show it to Master Dongfang."

  A burst of stifled laughter, Xia Chuiqi proudly picked up the birdcage and swung it back and forth in front of the car window, smiling slyly and asking, "Dongfang, is this your pigeon?"

  The Eastern Blue Mystic was taken aback for a moment, and his pair of light amber-colored eyes suddenly narrowed slightly.

  All that can be seen is that the pigeon's body is pitch black, and the light green crest on its head has been cut off clean, so it's impossible to tell whose pigeon it is.

  On the seventh day of summer, I laughed so hard that I almost choked.

  "Great Commander, take a closer look."

  The Eastern Blue Mystic smiled and her voice spread like a spring breeze.

  "Take a closer look."

  "Is that your family's pigeon?"

  Hesitated for a moment, Dongfang Qingxuan swept over Zhao Zun's cold and solemn face, then looked at her, and finally smiled coquettishly.

  "No. It seems Qing Xuan misunderstood."

  He put down the pigeon cage and hadn't waited until July 7th to tease him when he heard Zhao Zun's voice beside his ear.

  "If it's a misunderstanding, shouldn't Lord Dongfang compensate me for my losses?"

  The Eastern Blue Mystic's red robes fluttered as he trembled, "What does Your Highness mean?"

  "Wouldn't a hundred taels of gold be enough to compensate for the loss of reputation?"

  Zhao Zun said it lightly, but when Dongfang Qingxuan heard it, the corner of his mouth twitched again, and he almost didn't dare to believe his own ears.

  Indeed, greed is an illness and it's contagious.

  "Thank you, Lord Dongfang. Please deliver it to our palace by noon tomorrow."

  Listening to Zhao Zun's serious voice, Xia Chuyi felt a stifling laugh in her heart. Suddenly, she realized that this Zhao Jiu was actually a sinister and cunning god of calculation. Earlier at the Qixia Temple, when he had her cut off the small horse's feathered crown and apply ink to it, he probably had anticipated being intercepted by Dongfang Qingyuan.

  Don't underestimate the ancients; even more so, don't underestimate their wisdom.

  Now she really starts to suspect that if it weren't for her past life having received modern diversified knowledge education, in this world, she would probably have been sold and still helped him count the money.

  Having obtained the gold, Zhao Zun no longer had a reason to chat with Dongfang Qingxuan, and he faintly curled his lip, suddenly pulling out a book from the shelf in the carriage and handing it to Zheng Erbao, who was standing by the side of the horse-drawn vehicle, instructing him to give it to Dongfang Qingxuan.

  "The 'Fengyue Xingjing' annotated by Master Dongfang is indeed even more wonderful. After I, the king, read it and added some notes on moral virtues, I present it to Master Dongfang for his appreciation."

  Is it "The Plum in the Golden Vase" again?

  On the seventh day of summer vacation, her eyes were glued to that book, it was simply strange.

  Is the entertainment industry really so underdeveloped? To the point where a prince and a commander of the Brocade Guard are coming and going, studying a copy of "The Wind and Moon Heart Sutra"? It seems she's given up on medicine and is now writing erotic novels to make money.

  Of course, that's just a joke.

  In fact, in these repeated cycles of giving and returning books, she suddenly sensed a very strange atmosphere between Dongfang Qingxuan and Zhao Zhen.

  They say he's an enemy, so he must be an enemy. Dongfang Qingyun really bit onto Zhao Zhen and wouldn't let go.

  But if you say it's friendship, it can also be passed. Otherwise, two big men can look at the same book of romance and passion repeatedly, back and forth, countless times?

  Taking the book over, Dongfang Qingxuan flipped through it casually. Suddenly, he leaned in close to the edge of the carriage and said in a soft, gentle voice that only the three of them could hear...

  "In the previous episode, Qingxuan saw that woman making her bed and preparing to take off her clothes for sleep. However, in the corner of the room, she suddenly found a small golden tiger. In an instant, the small golden tiger transformed into a man who wanted to have an affair with the woman. Then, in another blink of an eye, the small golden tiger turned into thousands of horses and soldiers..."

  Digression

  Emma, 5,000 + 9,000 equals how many thousands?

  My brain is numb, can you calculate it for me? Hurry up and give me the result so I can pay the bill, come on!

  Hoo-hoo-hoo!