Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 77 Reversal
After Hong Xian left, it was almost time for the rooster to crow. Xiao Muchen asked Murong Huan to go and rest quickly, but Murong Huan said no. Instead, he asked Xiao Muchen to bring pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and painted a long scroll.

After she finished drawing, Xuan Yu couldn't help but ask curiously, "What is this?"

"These are all the memories in Hong Xian's mind. She was originally just a poor girl. Because of famine in her hometown, her father sold her to a masked man. There, she received cruel training, and she became the ruthless killer she is today."

"This is Qiu Shenji, this is the King of Wei, and this is the place Hong Xian fears the most in the depths of her memory. I don't know where it is, so I can only draw it. And here..." Murong Huan said, pondering for a moment, and pointed to a place where people of all shapes and sizes, all intoxicated and reveling, "This is a place Hong Xian often goes. After looking at this scroll, perhaps you will understand something."

Xiao Muchen and Xuan Yu began to study carefully. After about a cup of tea, Xuan Yu suddenly realized, "So this is what happened with the so-called murder in the secret prison and Qiu Shenji's disappearance? If it wasn't Hong Xian who took Qiu Shenji away, who else could it be?"

"He is her companion, perhaps the Nan Ke prefect that Ah Huan mentioned." Xiao Muchen continued.

"Then where did he take Qiu Shenji?"

Xiao Muchen looked at the scroll again, and his gaze finally stopped at the place where everyone was reveling and indulging in luxury.

There were people playing the zither, some playing the pipa, some throwing dice and placing bets, some women dancing and singing, some dignitaries sitting in the hall drinking together, and there were even beautiful prostitutes lying half-naked in the arms of those dignitaries.

"My dear, what kind of place is this? I've even been to all the major brothels and mansions in Luoyang City, but I've never seen a place like this."

Xiao Muchen once again looked intently at the painting. Although there was a lot of content on the picture and many people were just simple outlines, Xiao Muchen could still recognize some familiar figures among these people, such as King Wei, Xue Huaiyi, Qiao Buque... and some dignitaries in the court.

The faces of these people were hidden in the darkness of the dancing candlelight. There were also some waiters who seemed to be urging the dancers to dance, or singing in unison with the gamblers to place their bets, or even pouring tea to please these dignitaries.

All the waiters wore hoods, but some of them still had bare bald heads.

"Monk! Xue Huaiyi?" Xiao Muchen pondered for a moment, then suddenly saw a flash of light before his eyes. "Could this be the White Horse Temple?"

When Xuan Yu heard the words "White Horse Temple", he almost screamed out loud.

"If this is really the White Horse Temple, then what are these monks doing? Are they helping these powerful people accept bribes and abduct women?"

"During last year's autumn harvest, I accompanied Prime Minister Di to privately inspect the harvests and taxes in the fields and temples surrounding the White Horse Temple. The villagers there all said that the taxes collected by the White Horse Temple were extremely heavy, and that they were often exploited, causing many people to sell their children because they could not pay the taxes."

At this point, Xiao Muchen continued, "The year of famine in Hongxian's memory should be the first year of Yongchun. Famine broke out in 26 places in Guanzhong and Shannan Prefecture. The Emperor and Empress moved to the Eastern Capital Luoyang. Our Xiao family and some children from other noble families also accompanied them. Many people starved to death that year. Even the soldiers who accompanied them starved to death on the way. The areas between Chang'an and Luoyang were full of starving people. People were eating each other. It was like hell on earth.

Even in this situation, the Emperor and Empress still wanted to confer titles on all the Five Sacred Mountains and build the Fengtian Palace in the south of Mount Song. At that time, my grandfather and several other ministers in the court advised Your Majesty not to engage in large-scale construction projects that would cause heavy labor, but Your Majesty did not adopt my grandfather's advice.

In the second year of Yongchun, which was the following year, Emperor Li Zhi moved to Fengtian Palace. His rheumatism became more and more serious, so that the imperial physicians were helpless. Later, a doctor cured the emperor's eye disease, but the emperor still died of the disease.

Shortly after the late emperor's death, Crown Prince Zhanghuai, Li Xian, was murdered in Bazhou by Qiu Shenji. Not long afterward, my grandfather and father were secretly accused of conspiring with Li Xian to rebel. At the same time, a letter accusing my mother of being a spy for the enemy nation also reached the Saint.

Having said that, Xiao Muchen smiled bitterly silently, and once again picked up the "evidence" that he wanted to frame him for treason using the same method: using the same old trick again, it really works every time!
Upon hearing this, Murong Huan's eyes showed a hint of surprise: the second year of Yongchun seemed to be eight years ago. Eight years ago, his Xiao family was falsely accused of treason, and her father and mother also died in this year.

"What's wrong with you?" Noticing that she looked a little tired, Xiao Muchen quickly supported her and held her waist tightly. "Don't hold on, go to sleep. You can sleep here with me." Xuan Yu clicked his tongue and shifted his gaze to indicate that he didn't see it.

"Xiao Muchen, have you ever thought about why the red thread can freely enter and leave your Xiao Mansion without you noticing?"

Xiao Muchen was slightly stunned.

"I'm really tired and want to sleep. I'll leave the rest to you!"

After Murong Huan finished speaking, she really closed her eyes and fell asleep. Xiao Muchen felt pity for her, so he carried her to his couch, covered her with a quilt and let her sleep peacefully.

Xuan Yu watched all this in silence. When Xiao Muchen finally stood up from the bed, he couldn't help but ask, "My dear, what are you going to do now? That Hong Xian, you're just letting her go like this. Is she really reliable?"

"Burn this. I'll write another letter! As for the red thread, a single thought can turn her into a Buddha or a devil. It all depends on her own choice." Xiao Muchen said, pausing again. "Send someone to secretly investigate the White Horse Temple and find this hidden location! No, send someone to follow this red thread now."

"Here!"

Xuan Yu was about to leave when he heard Xiao Muchen say:

"Also, I need to send a letter to Dali Temple Junior Official Lu Ling. Write the words 'White Horse Temple and Re-investigation of the Old Case' on it, and attach this picture."

"Re-investigating an old case?"

"Many things happened in the year of the late emperor's death. Clans were exterminated, some starved to death, children of the poor disappeared, and military pay sent to the border was robbed and never found again. These became unsolved cases at the Dali Temple."

"I understand. My dear, you suspect these cases are related to the White Horse Temple?"

After Xuan Yu left, Xiao Muchen sat in front of Murong Huan's couch for a while again. He couldn't help but stroke her cheek gently. Seeing that she was sleeping soundly without nightmares, he picked up a quilt and simply made a bed on the floor not far from the bed and fell asleep.

……

After Hong Xian escaped from the Xiao Mansion in a panic, she ran towards the White Horse Temple. Finally, when she was about to enter a bamboo forest in the White Horse Temple, the man in black wearing a ghost mask appeared in front of her again.

"Is everything done?"

Hong Xian immediately knelt on one knee and replied, "Master, everything is done. Hong Xian followed Master's instructions and deliberately entered Xiao Muchen's room to attract their attention with a fake secret letter. They believed what I said, and I have already placed the real secret letter in a secret place where they will never find it."

"Well! Well done!" The man in black looked up at the brightest star in the night sky and said, "The Xiao family can finally be eradicated!"

(End of this chapter)