Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 64: Midnight Bell, Assassination

"Saint, what do you mean?"

Sensing the suspicion in the empress's eyes, Xiao Muchen couldn't help but ask.

Murong Huan shook Xiao Muchen's hand again and said to the empress, "Thank you for your gift, Your Majesty. I will now go with the official to change my clothes!"

Shangguan Wan'er was also a little surprised, but after seeing the empress's eyes, she immediately understood something. She raised her hand and made a gesture of invitation, and Murong Huan followed her to the back hall.

Xiao Muchen seemed to have thought of something, and his expression became nervous.

Seeing the undisguised worry in his eyes, the empress stared at him for a long moment before she couldn't help but smile. "Zicheng, I've never seen you so nervous about someone before. Do you fancy this young lady? Would you like me to make the decision for you and give her to you to keep by your side forever? This girl is of humble origin, and I'm afraid she's not a good match for your family, but she could be a good concubine."

"No!" Xiao Muchen interrupted immediately, then said tactfully, "Saint, to me, she is not only a doctor, but also a rare and good friend in this life. If I treat her as an ordinary concubine, it would be an insult to her, and I am ashamed of it. Please revoke your order!"

"Oh? A rare good friend in this life?" The empress seemed to find this amusing. "You've been by my side for so many years, and there aren't many people who have caught your eye and become your good friends. What's so special about her?"

Xiao Muchen said sternly, "To be honest, Your Majesty, after spending a few days with her, I believe she is exceptionally gifted, and her abilities are likely even greater than mine."

This sentence shocked the empress.

"Oh, there's someone more talented than you?" The Empress grew increasingly curious. "Tell me, what has she done to earn your high regard?"

Xiao Muchen said, "Your Majesty, Zicheng's evaluation is actually nothing. If Your Majesty wants to hear, then listen to what the people of Luoyang City, and even the entire world, think of her. If Your Majesty grants, Zicheng is willing to make a bet with Your Majesty. It's that she can graduate from the Imperial Academy within five years, become famous throughout the world with the best grades, and even become a pillar of our Great Zhou!"

Having said this, the Empress's eyes showed even more interest.

"Imperial College? Zicheng, are you trying to trick me into falling into your trap and allow her to study at the Imperial College?"

"I simply wish to fulfill the Sage's wish. I know the Sage does not discriminate against women's talents. If possible, allowing women to study and take the imperial examinations like men and serve the court would be a way to recruit more talented people. However, due to the thousands of years of Confucian constraints on women and the numerous obstacles from the powerful families, the Sage dared not make such a reform.

If there is such a girl who can enter the court with her own ability, compete with those noble families, and work for the stability of our Great Zhou, I think this should be something that the saint would like to see."

Upon hearing this, the Empress finally burst into laughter. "Haha... Zicheng, Zicheng, you always manage to convince me with your words. Very well, then, as you wish, I will make this bet with you today. Let's see if in five years, she can truly become as famous as you said and become a pillar of our Great Zhou like Wan'er."

Xiao Muchen was overjoyed and quickly raised his hand and said, "Yes, thank you for your help, Saint!"

The empress nodded, then suddenly changed the subject: "The King of Wei explained to me that what Qiu Shenji and Guo Hongba did was not his instruction. Zicheng, what do you think?"

Xiao Muchen's heart was moved, and he replied, "The sage is wise and discerning. I dare not speak rashly. I will only listen to the sage's words and help him to rectify the government!"

There are now two factions in the court. One is headed by Fengge Sheren Zhang Jiafu, who suggests that the empress depose Li Dan and support Wu Chengsi as the crown prince. The other faction is headed by Prime Minister Cen Changqian and Ge Fuyuan, who oppose changing the ceremony of the royal heir.

But no matter which faction he belongs to, the empress would not want him to be involved.

Obviously, this answer satisfied the empress.

A moment later, Murong Huan walked out from the back hall. She was wearing a light golden and glittering dress, which made her figure look even more slender and graceful. She looked like a phoenix ready to fly high at any time, noble and awe-inspiring. Especially her clear and fearless eyes made the empress feel a little dazed.

Facing the empress's questioning gaze, Shangguan Wan'er and the old female official both shook their heads. The empress then raised her hand and gave up. She looked at Xiao Muchen and said, "Alright, I've asked everything I need to ask. You can all go back!"

"Here!"

After Xiao Muchen and Murong Huan left the hall, the empress looked at Shangguan Wan'er again.

"Are you sure you don't see any birthmark?"

Shangguan Wan'er shook her head. "This girl's skin is whiter than snow, practically flawless. Not to mention birthmarks, not even a mole can be found."

"Then the King of Wei is truly worrying too much. Well, as long as Zicheng hasn't colluded with my two sons, these conflicts between him and the King of Wei will serve as a warning to Chengsi, so that he won't become complacent due to my favor!"

The Empress said this and then said, "Wan'er, go and call Di Qing to me!"

On the way back to the Xiao family, it was almost curfew, but some restaurants and teahouses in Zhengpingfang were still brightly lit and bustling with activity, especially everything that happened at the Peony Flower Banquet. Every single one of them was enough to be a topic of conversation for some scholars after dinner.

"I never thought that Xiao Zhongcheng is not only a good poet and qin player, but can also perform puppet shows so well. How can those puppeteers who make a living by performing puppet shows survive?"

"Mr. Xiao is merely using puppetry to get rid of treacherous figures. He has lofty aspirations and will not be complicit with villains. How could he possibly be trying to steal the jobs of puppeteers? Brother Yang, you're really worrying too much!"

"If you ask me, the most interesting thing about Her Royal Highness's Peony Banquet this time was that young lady named... Murong Huan. Do you think her flute playing is truly enchanting? I heard that the guests attending the puppet show were so enchanted by her flute playing that they felt like they were possessed. Some even felt like they were experiencing a dream themselves."

"Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there have been many talented and extraordinary people. Back then, Ming Chongyan was enshrined in the imperial court for his skills in shamanism, physiognomy, and medicine, earning him the deep respect of the Emperor and Empress. It's said that he learned some Taoist techniques for summoning spirits and gods from a Taoist priest since he was a child, so the mere sound of his flute is nothing surprising."

"I'm afraid this young lady can control people's hearts with her flute music. If you offend her, she might even make you die in your dream, hahahaha..."

The scholars were chatting and laughing when they suddenly heard a bell ring from somewhere. It sounded extremely miserable, and a female voice sang: "I am from Congtai, and you are at the border of Yanmen. The long song of the Qi River flows, and colorful swallows fly into the mulberry branches..."

The woman's voice was sobbing and trembling, which was particularly creepy.

One scholar couldn't help but curse, "Who the hell is singing this? It sounds so eerie and creepy... Someone go catch this singer for me!"

……

The laughter and joy in the roadside restaurant did not affect Xiao Muchen's carriage which was still speeding through the night.

Looking at the gorgeous clothes Murong Huan was wearing, Xiao Muchen felt a little uncomfortable. A saint would not give her a piece of clothes for no reason, and he also ordered Shangguan Daizhao to watch her change clothes in person.

"Is the Saint trying to find something from you?"

He thought of what Guo Hongba had said about Murong Huan's life experience, that extremely secret possibility.

"That should be it. The old woman, the daughter of Prince Huo, told me before that Prince Wu Chengsi of Wei had been searching for a girl with the plum blossom mark on her body, saying that this person would affect the fortune of the Great Zhou. You were not there at the time, so only Lu Shaoqing, Lu Shiyilang, and I knew about this."

"You mean, the King of Wei informed the Saint of this matter, so today the Saint wants to see if you have the plum blossom mark he mentioned?"

Murong Huan nodded. "Yes, including the corpses at the bottom of the well in Prince Huo's house, they were all killed by Zhou Jiulang for this reason. And this matter is very likely related to my mother as well."

"your mother……"

No matter what, the fact that the sage let Ah Huan go meant that Ah Huan did not have the plum blossom mark that Wu Chengsi mentioned, and this also helped to dispel the sage's doubts.

Xiao Muchen couldn't help but feel a little happy in his heart.

At this time, Murong Huan suddenly asked, "Xiao Muchen, have you ever doubted anyone in your Xiao Mansion, especially the maids given to you by the Saint? Have you investigated their identities?"

Xiao Muchen said, "I have indeed checked. Although those four women were sent by the Saint, they also came from various noble families. Three of them, like me, were also women officials promoted by the Saint after their families were raided for suspected treason and sent to the imperial palace. Although they were not as favored as Shangguan Daizhao, they also had their own strengths.

But there's one person whose origins and true identity I've never been able to find out. However, I've had Aunt Ning arrange for someone to monitor her every move, and over the past six months, besides obediently tending the flowers and plants in my house, she hasn't done anything out of the ordinary.

Murong Huan nodded: "Then who is she?"

"Poetry and books!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Murong Huan's expression suddenly changed. He grabbed Xiao Muchen's hand and asked, "Wait, Xiao Muchen, did you hear the ringing?"

"ring?"

Xiao Muchen also looked suspicious. He listened carefully and lifted the carriage curtain. As the night fell, the streets of Luoyang City were still lit by lights, illuminating the road ahead. Amidst the clatter of horse hooves and the whimpering of the wind, he heard no unusual sounds. But then, suddenly, an arrow appeared in the night sky, piercing through the air as his pupils gradually widened...

(End of this chapter)