Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 76 Secret
Night Owl is Li Zhao's spy planted in the palace and will not show up easily.

At this delicate juncture, Li Zhao summoned Ye Xiao, which frightened Guan Ya greatly.

He immediately clasped his fists and said, "I understand."

In the middle of the night, a light rain began to fall quietly.

The raindrops fell gently on the banana leaves, making a slight rustling sound, and there was a layer of hazy water vapor between the sky and the earth.

The palace lanterns swayed in the wind and rain, the light flickered and became increasingly dimmer.

A dark shadow quietly appeared under the wall at the back corner of the East Palace. It paused for a moment, then leaped over the wall like a lurking black panther.

The night patrol guards had already been sent away by Guan Ya.

The corner door was gently opened, and then quietly closed again, without a sound, as if nothing had happened.

It was late at night, but Li Zhao had not yet gone to bed, and was writing alone in his study.

The prince has been obsessed with practicing calligraphy recently and was in high spirits. When Lai Fu came in for the third time to add water for him, there was a gentle knock on the door.

Li Zhao looked up when he heard the sound, and the wick made a slight popping sound at this moment.

He said calmly, "Go out."

At this time, no one is allowed to stay around His Highness.

Lai Fu responded respectfully, bowed his head, and slowly retreated.

The curtain swayed gently, and a figure walked in silently like a ghost.

The man who came was Night Owl. He was wearing a black night suit and his face was covered with a black cloth, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes. He was as silent as a ghost.

"I have met His Highness in this humble position!"

Li Zhao placed the wolf-hair brush in his hand on the pen holder and wiped his hands slowly.

"Did Prince Duan go to Yunlu Mountain on the orders of His Majesty?"

"Yes." Night Owl replied.

"Every year in mid-March, when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, His Majesty always sends people to Yunlu Mountain to pay homage."

The Yunlu Mountains are very high, forming a natural barrier and also the boundary of the "forbidden area" of the Old Mausoleum Swamp designated by the imperial court.

Back then, the emperor of the previous dynasty exhausted the national strength, spent ten years, and consumed countless manpower and material resources to build the resting place that carries the majesty and glory of the empire, just to the north of Yunlu Mountain.

It’s a pity that things in this world are unpredictable and the world situation can change at any time.

Li Huo, a king of a different surname who held a large number of troops, plotted rebellion. He did not hesitate to trick his brother-like general Xiao Chong and more than 200,000 soldiers under his command into the emperor's mausoleum which had just been completed, and brutally buried them all alive.

For a time, the war was raging and the mountains and rivers were in ruins.

The great general Xiao Chong died in unclear circumstances, and his elite troops were also wiped out.

The war lasted less than a year, and the military power of the previous dynasty quickly collapsed like a collapsing building.

The people in the court were demoralized and the country's prosperity came to an end.

Decades have passed in a hurry, and the uninhabited imperial tomb of the previous emperor is now only a pile of ruins and wild grass and crows, silently telling the past of the empire in the wind and rain.

No one knows whether there are really 200,000 innocent souls buried beneath the heavy stone gate.

But the new houses built on the ruins were disorganized and looked like slum alleys.

It is a mixed crowd, with people from all walks of life gathering here, where filth and corruption are rampant and black market transactions are rampant.

Everyone who has been there has come out with lingering fears, saying that the sky there is filled with an aura of injustice that lingers all year round, and that it must be the souls of those who died in vain, unable to rest in peace...

The locals are afraid of Yunlu Mountain and dare not approach it, saying that there is too much resentment there.

Those who go to the Old Mausoleum Swamp are either daring enough to try to make a fortune there.

Or maybe it was those nobles who had money to pave the way, with some ulterior motives...

The attitude of the Li court towards the Old Mausoleum Marsh was always ambiguous.

Since Emperor Taizu, strict orders have been issued that the descendants of the Li royal family and officials in the court are not allowed to set foot in the old mausoleum.

But the strange thing is that every mid-March, the emperor would send people to Yunlu Mountain to worship.

I don't know whether the memorial service is for the great general Xiao Chong who mistakenly trusted his brother and suffered a tragic tragedy, or for the 200,000 innocent soldiers who died in vain.

In previous years, Emperor Chongzhao always sent his mentor, Lord You Laoling, to handle the sacrificial ceremonies.

However, in the first month of this year, You Zhimu met with an accident in Qionglou. Since then, he has not been seen alive or dead. The court has not given a clear explanation so far.

You Lao Linggong lost his grandson and fell ill. He could no longer do any work for the emperor, so he temporarily appointed Prince Duan...

This is enough to show the status of Li Huan in Emperor Chongzhao's heart.

Ever since Li Zhao could remember, the Old Mausoleum Swamp had been a royal taboo.

Normally, you can't even mention it in front of the emperor...

When he was six years old, just because he was curious, he asked casually, "I wonder what secrets the old mausoleum pond has?" The emperor ordered him to be locked up in a confinement room for half a month, ordered him to reflect on his mistakes, and strictly ordered him to never mention it again...

From then on, whenever the Old Mausoleum Swamp was mentioned, a mysterious black fog would emerge in Li Zhao's mind.

Li Zhao asked, "Your Majesty, will you not investigate the matter of Pingle?"

Night Owl said: "In my opinion, His Majesty will not only investigate, but will also punish severely."

Li Zhao said "Oh" softly and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Night Owl continued, "It just depends on how far the investigation goes. If it comes to the princess, it will be extremely difficult."

In other words, other people involved in this case will definitely be severely investigated, but the princess will not be implicated.

Emperor Chongzhao always showed mercy to Pingle.

Early the next morning, Li Zhao first went to the Qianyuan Hall to kowtow and thank the emperor for his grace, then greeted Empress Xie, and then returned to the palace to give orders.

"Prepare the car. I will leave the palace for a while."
-
As for the Xue family, Xue Sui has recovered completely after these days of recuperation.

That day, she went to Shou'an Temple to pay her respects to the old lady, and said that she was going to Puji Temple to burn incense and fast for three days for the eldest lady to eliminate illness and disasters, and at the same time pray for the Xue family.

Old Madam Cui thought that Fu was pretending to be sick. She was afraid that she was hiding in Qinglan Courtyard and scolding them. Maybe even an old lady like her would be scolded...

But seeing that her granddaughter was so filial, she didn't say much. She just held Xue Sui's hand, looking relieved.

"Sixth girl, you are such a good child. You have such a kind and filial heart. You really deserve the four words bestowed by His Majesty."

Xue Sui smiled slightly.

"So many things have happened in the mansion recently, and Mr. Shu also said that I should go to the temple to fast for three days to fulfill my filial piety..."

Tianshu's decoction and acupuncture relieved the old lady's headaches that had lasted for many years. She now regarded Tianshu's words as sacred.

"Okay, okay, I'll go and listen to Mr. Shu..."

Having said this, she winked at Jinshu, signaling her to take the maid out of the room, and then said to Xue Sui:
"I heard that Princess Pingle has not recovered from her illness yet. Why not recommend Mr. Shu to enter the palace? That would be a great achievement..."

"Grandma, you can't do that." Xue Sui shook his head. In the old lady's hesitant gaze, he patiently explained: "If the doctor cures the disease, there may not be a generous reward; if the doctor fails to cure the disease, disaster is imminent. Grandma, our Xue family can't take care of ourselves now, so we must stay away from disasters." The old lady paused, broke out in a cold sweat, and patted her forehead as if waking up from a dream.

"Sixth sister is right. I am really old and confused. I am not as thoughtful as you. I didn't consider the pros and cons..."

There is no miracle doctor in this world who never fails. If he fails to cure the princess, not to mention whether Mr. Shu will be blamed, I am afraid that the Xue family will also be implicated.

The old lady felt that Xue Liu was more and more clever and intelligent, and she relied on her more.

He immediately asked Qian to take money from the public treasury and asked Xue Sui to take it to Puji Temple for offering.
-
When Xue Sui's carriage arrived outside the gate of Puji Temple, she asked the driver to go back and come back to pick her up three days later. She only brought Xiao Zhao and Ruyi with her.

The Puji Temple is huge in scale, with red walls and yellow tiles shining brightly in the sun, curling with incense and hearing bursts of Buddhist chants. Groups of devout men and women with different expressions shuttle between the various temples, kneeling down and praying devoutly, which is extremely solemn and dignified.

After offering sacrifices in the main hall, Xue Sui donated a lot of incense money and solemnly wrote down Old Lady Cui's name in the book of merits. He then called a young monk who was placing offerings and bowed slightly to him.

"Excuse me, little master, could you please let him know for me, I'm looking for Master Jingkong?"

The young monk looked up at her and saw a young girl in a plain long dress. He couldn't help but frowned.

"Master Jingkong has been devoted to spiritual practice in recent years and rarely goes out, let alone sees pilgrims."

Xue Sui smiled and said, "Master, just pass on my message and say that the Sixth Miss of the Xue Mansion wants to see you."

Most of the eminent monks live in seclusion and do not easily contact the outside world. Master Jingkong has a very high prestige and many people seek to see him, but only a few can be received by him.

As far as he knew, in the past two years, Master Jingkong had only predicted the fortune and given guidance to the princess of Prince Duan's Mansion.

The young monk did not think that Master Jingkong would meet this girl.

But seeing that she was beautiful, had a good temperament, and spoke in a soft and pleasant voice, he did not refuse.

He bowed his head and clasped his hands together in a salute.

"Please wait a moment, benefactor. I will report to you."

Ruyi looked at the little monk's back as he left, and couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Will Master Jingkong meet the girl?"

Xue Sui did not speak, but stood quietly in the Bodhi Courtyard, looking at the ancient banyan tree that blocked out the sun and had branches so lush and tall that they reached above the roof.

How deep must its roots be and how many years must it grow before it has the power to protect an area?

"Amitabha, female donor, please follow me."

When the little monk came back, his expression had become much more respectful.

He didn't expect that Master Jingkong would actually meet this Miss Xue Liu...
-
When the group arrived at the meditation room, the novice monk stood outside the door.

"Master Jingkong is waiting in the inner room. I am not allowed to enter. Please feel free to do as you please, female donor."

The house is unusually quiet, with simple but solemn decoration. At first glance, the windows are clean and bright, and a crabapple flower is inserted in an exquisite celadon vase, exuding a faint fragrance. On the wall hang several landscape Zen paintings painted in light ink, which add a bit of ethereal charm under the lingering sandalwood.

Xue Sui entered alone.

Sitting upright on the cushion was a kind-looking monk with deep and shallow wrinkles on his face. His grey robe was as clean as new.

"Xue Liu greets the Master!" Xue Sui saluted respectfully.

Jingkong stroked his beard and smiled, "It's been a few years since we last met, how are you doing, little donor?"

Xue Sui bowed: "Thanks to the master, I am fine and everything goes well."

Jingkong motioned for her to sit down and poured her a cup of tea personally.

"Why are you free today, young benefactor, to come and see me?"

Xue Sui knelt down opposite his desk, leaning slightly, his attitude respectful and sincere.

"Thank you for your kindness and help, Master. I have never thanked you. I should have come here a long time ago, but I was busy with worldly affairs, so I delayed it until now."

Jingkong smiled and said, "If you, my dear donor, had not come today, I would not be in the temple tomorrow."

Without waiting for Xue Sui to ask, he closed his eyes slightly, as if lamenting the impermanence of life.

"When I was young, I received guidance from Taoist Lingxu and benefited a lot from him. I didn't know that he had already been harmed by evil people. This time when I went to Zixiao Temple, I contacted several eminent monks and Taoist friends, and planned to find some of Taoist Lingxu's old things and arrange a ritual for him."

After hearing this, Xue Sui clasped his hands together and closed his eyes slightly.

"All dharmas are empty, but cause and effect are not empty. Taoist Lingxu made many good connections throughout his life, and his good thoughts and wisdom will naturally flow through the world."
-
After coming out of the Bodhi Temple, Xue Sui went to the small courtyard of the Zen room arranged in the temple.

The people in this temple also have to make a living, and providing some convenience to pilgrims is also a common practice in all temples.

As long as you give enough money for incense offerings, you can get a pretty good place to live.

Xue Sui went to Puji Temple, of course, not to pray for the eldest lady, but for the old mausoleum.

On this day every year, a solemn sacrificial ceremony is held at the Old Tomb Swamp.

The three masters would carefully arrange the altar, offer rich sacrifices, and devoutly chant scriptures and pray for blessings facing the tomb door overgrown with weeds and the stone statue lying on the ground.

When she was a child, she often heard crying on March nights.

Now she is no longer in the Old Mausoleum Swamp, but on days like this, she still wants to spend her best efforts.

Ruyi was very excited as it was her first time living in a temple. She followed Xue Sui around to look around and was full of curiosity about everything unfamiliar.

There is a small gate on the west side of Puji Temple, but it is far away and rarely visited by people.

Going down this small door is the village at the foot of the mountain.

Ruyi heard that some monks who could not keep the precepts would secretly go down the mountain to buy chickens and geese to fill their stomachs, and she talked to Xiaozhao about it in detail.

Suddenly, Xue Sui's hissing sound was heard.

The two of them immediately shut their mouths, not daring to breathe.

They looked cautiously over there across a row of lush green bamboos.

I saw a man and a woman standing in the quiet forest.

The woman had a pretty face and a graceful figure. Who else could she be but Xue Yueman, the eighth daughter of the Xue family?

The man was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had an extraordinary bearing. He was none other than Guo Zhaoxuan, the fourth son of the Duke of Zheng's mansion.

They didn't notice anyone peeking at them, they just leaned against each other, loving each other. I don't know what the man said, but Eighth Girl's pretty face was flushed, and her eyes were almost tearing...

Xue Sui stood there quietly, with a slight sneer on his face.

After the two of them lingered for a while and then reluctantly parted ways, she turned around and walked back along the path with the two girls...

The sun shone through the gaps in the shadows of the trees.

A young man was sitting on a rock not far away.

He faced the breeze, his stern eyes revealing a somewhat unruly smile...

Several guards stood behind him, as if there was no one there.

"Miss Xue Liu."

Li Zhao: Miss Xue Liu, I finally caught you. Let’s talk about this poison…

Xue Sui: Stocks, what stocks? Didn’t the A-share market collapse recently?