Chapter 26 Section VI

"I heard that the master has been refining for a long time, and I only had the opportunity to meet today. I didn't expect to be so young." Just a few days after the Zhonghe Festival, the sun became brighter, and the yellow tiles of the Daming Palace seemed to be sprinkled with a thin layer of gold powder, reflecting each other with Guo Guifei's long crimson dress inlaid with gold threads. , dazzling. Guo Nianyun looked very good.She didn't care about exposing her face to the bright sun, and her well-maintained skin was as smooth as fat, without any blemishes.Pei Xuanjing was surprised to find that from a certain angle, Concubine Guo Gui and the emperor's appearance were somewhat similar.This is not surprising, they were originally aunts and nephews.But beyond the outline of the facial features, what is more similar is the demeanor of the two people.

Everyone that Pei Xuanjing saw in Daming Palace had a hint of fear on their bodies.Only Li Chun and Guo Nianyun didn't have this kind of fear - they were fear itself. Pei Xuanjing was quite surprised to be suddenly summoned by Concubine Guo Gui to the Longevity Court in Daming Palace today.Even though the murders happened one after another, and they all revolved around the Daming Palace, she had never dealt with this woman with the highest status in the Daming Palace until now. Pei Xuanjing didn't like Daming Palace, and even less liked the people in Daming Palace. Before Du Qiuniang was murdered, Pei Xuanjing thought that the case of the Fushi wooden box had reached a partial conclusion: Song Ruoyin made a poisonous wooden box in an attempt to kill her own sister while holding the Qisha, but ended up poisoning herself.What is still unclear is why Song Ruoyin killed Song Ruohua and what her motive was.And was her own death an accident or suicide?Besides, Pei Xuanjing didn't want to completely rule out the possibility of homicide.Although judging from the environment and method of the crime, the possibility of homicide is very small, but after all, Song Ruoyin also left a clue of the immortal copper leak, and the meaning of this clue is still confusing.

It was Song Ruohua who stopped Pei Xuanjing from digging deeper into the case. She asked Pei Xuanjing to wait until the supporting spirit was completed before investigating. With the wish of the deceased and out of sympathy, Pei Xuanjing agreed.Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the worse, Song Ruoyin made two wooden boxes and gave one of them to Du Qiuniang.The female official in the palace and the famous prostitute in Kangfang, these two irrelevant women are connected in such a weird and frightening way.What caught Pei Xuanjing even more off guard was that Du Qiuniang died right after him.

Now the mystery that Pei Xuanjing wanted to solve became: Why did Song Ruoyin kill Du Qiuniang?Pei Xuanjing found that this question was as incomprehensible as Song Ruoyin's killing her sister. Song Ruoyin is really a mysterious woman, but she is extremely cruel and full of hatred. Dissatisfied with desires - this is the evaluation of Aunt Ruoyin by Duan Chengshi, a brilliant young man.If she can unravel what her desire refers to, maybe all problems will be solved.Pei Xuanjing wondered if she should go to the Persimmon Garden again to find some clues. Before she could make the trip, someone from the palace invited her to the Longevity Court.

Guo Guifei sat upright on the couch to welcome the guests in a stately manner. At the age of thirty-five, she has a plump face and beautiful makeup. The golden sunlight casts on the huge screen behind her, and then reflects back, illuminating the phoenix crown on the imperial concubine's head, which is inlaid with jasper and precious stones. , gorgeous color, magnificent.The Luanfeng skirt woven with gold thread is placed beside the couch, forming a huge fan like a peacock spreading its tail. This scene reminded Pei Xuanjing of a golden statue of Empress Zetian that she had seen when she was young, and it was so lifelike to Concubine Guo Gui in front of her.There is also the jade leaf crown of Princess Taiping, which is said to be a priceless treasure owned by the Tang royal family. Could it be the crown on Concubine Guo's head?

Probably not.Pei Xuanjing secretly speculated that the glorious era of women has long gone.Empress Zetian, Princess Taiping, Empress Wei, Shangguan Wan'er...these names that once adorned Daming Palace colorfully have become history.Today's Concubine Guo, although she has the status of the emperor's wife and the prince's biological mother, still cannot ascend to the top as a queen.From a certain point of view, it can be regarded as a frustrated person.But from her appearance, she can't see the slightest loneliness, only the arrogance of the supreme being alone in the world.

After exchanging pleasantries, Guo Nianyun brought the topic to the Zhonghe Festival case. "Has Master Alchemist found out the cause of Du Qiuniang's death?" "Du Qiuniang probably died of poisoning." Pei Xuanjing told about Song Ruoyin's making of the poisonous wooden box. "From what the refiner saw, Du Qiuniang was killed by Song Ruoyin on purpose?" "From the clues, it should be so." "Why, why did Song Ruoyin kill Du Qiuniang?" Pei Xuanjing said in shame: "The concubine has not been identified yet." Guo Nianyun nodded: "I have an idea."

"Concubine?" Guo Nianyun smiled slightly, and said: "It's no wonder the refiner can't figure it out, there are some things you don't know yet." You don't know yet, do you?Pei Xuanjing suddenly thought that Cui Miao had said the same thing—what did she not know? "Is the noble concubine referring to something related to Du Qiuniang?" Guo Nianyun nodded slowly. "What's up?" "Everyone knows that Du Qiuniang is the top card in Beili. Just to see her face, you need to pay a thousand dollars, let alone hear her sing a song. However, she has the most wonderful song "Golden Thread Clothes" ", even if you ask for gold and silver mountains, she will not sing to you. If you have to, you dare not. What's more strange is that every once in a while, Qiu Zhai will close the door to thank guests one day. At this time, no matter who comes to invite anyone under any conditions, they can only be shut out." Guo Nianyun stopped, glanced at Pei Xuanjing leisurely, and said in a tone of sarcasm, helplessness, and resentment, "Refiner Being so smart, I can definitely guess why."

Pei Xuanjing was too shocked to speak. That day she followed Duan Chengshi into the Qiu residence, wasn't Du Qiuniang thanking the guests behind closed doors?She once thought it was because of the blockage of the well water, and even wondered whether Qiuniang declined other benefactors because of a private meeting with Cui Miao... She just didn't expect it—it was because of the emperor! In this way, when she left the Du residence that day and wandered alone in Pingkangfang, she was kidnapped into the emperor's carriage, which can be perfectly explained. That was no coincidence at all.The emperor didn't simply visit in private, he was going to visit a prostitute!

Recalling that day, the emperor probably noticed something strange there before he went to the Du mansion, so he decided to return temporarily.At this moment, he saw Pei Xuanjing walking on Fang Street. It's unbelievable - the majestic emperor of the Tang Dynasty, disregarding Wan Cheng's dignity, condescended to a prostitute, which greatly overturned his impression in Pei Xuanjing's mind.In Pei Xuanjing's view, the current Holy Majesty is a wise, resolute and resolute monarch, but also a shrewd, cold and extremely conceited man.His dignity cannot tolerate the slightest violation.It was this that both frightened Pei Xuanjing and admired her.

But it was this monarch who actually disregarded the three thousand women in the harem and visited Huajie and Liuxiang in disguise.If his whereabouts are spread, let alone other things, it will be difficult to guarantee his safety alone. Didn't Cui Miao sneak up on Du Qiuniang's side?If the emperor hadn't turned back temporarily that day, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Pei Xuanjing was full of worries and thoughts.Guo Nianyun looked at her attentively from the opposite side, and saw that the expression on this clean and dusty face first changed from confusion to surprise, and then from surprise to panic... Finally, Pei Xuanjing looked over to Guo Nianyun.What Concubine Guo Gui could read from those eyes was only sympathy. Guo Nianyun's heart ached fiercely.Of course she understood the meaning of this kind of sympathy, but she absolutely could not accept it.Why, being the crown of the Sixth Palace, the birth mother of the crown prince, and the future empress dowager, would she want a humble female Taoist to show her sympathy? Guo Nianyun's summoning of Pei Xuanjing was a planned action, and she also had a goal to achieve.But at this moment, she found that the humiliation still made her unable to bear it. All of this was brought to her by that person! Guo Nianyun chewed his hatred for the emperor carefully again in his heart.Her heartfelt hatred for him was the source of her courage. Concubine Guo Gui smiled calmly at Pei Xuanjing: "So the refiner already understands." On the contrary, Pei Xuanjing felt embarrassed. In the face of other people's misfortune, those who give sympathy often have such a feeling of shame.At this moment, Guo Nianyun's smile made Pei Xuanjing's heart turn towards her - after all, we are both women. Pei Xuanjing smiled back, and asked another question: "But why did Song Ruoyin want to kill Du Qiuniang?" Guo Nianyun asked back: "Master Lian wants to say that Song Ruoyin is an official in the palace, not a concubine. There should be no conflict between her and Du Qiuniang, right?" Pei Xuanjing once again felt strongly guilty.She could even feel the torment in Guo Guifei's heart at this time.Every word and every word in this conversation is actually slapping the face of this supreme woman, and it is rare that she can still maintain a graceful demeanor. Sure enough, everything has a price. "The refiner doesn't know that Song Ruoyin entered the palace ten years ago, which was when the Holy Majesty was just enthroned. At that time, she was only twenty-four or five years old. Because she was about the same age as me, I remember it very clearly. The Song family sisters also Strange, a well-behaved daughter of a good family, who has learned a lot of economics, but refuses to marry in peace, but wants to enter the palace to be a female scholar. You should know that once a woman enters the palace wall, she has no chance with ordinary men. Three thousand, this is the ancestral system, there is nothing wrong with it. But the identity of the female scholar is unclear. At that time, Ruohua, the eldest sister of the Song family, had entered the palace for more than ten years. She has passed away, but in the end she is still alone. So I think that Song Ruohua may not be willing for her sisters to follow their own old path. But they have all entered the palace one after another. Later I found out that among the Song family sisters, Song Ruoyin is particularly keen to please the Holy Majesty. The Holy Majesty likes talented people, and Song Ruoyin tried her best to show her cleverness in front of him. The Holy Majesty worked hard every day in state affairs, and in his spare time, he was willing to play with some strange things for a little entertainment. The room was full of beautiful things. The Holy Majesty gave her money and things, and allowed her to enter and leave the palace freely. It was nothing at all, but she was treated as a special favor by her. It's different..." Guo Nianyun paused for a long while, and said with a smile, "I don't even dare to pretend to be like this. I really don't know where her confidence comes from." Pei Xuanjing understood.In other words, she finally found the most reasonable explanation for Song Ruoyin's "dissatisfaction with desire". The answer was right in front of my eyes, but I never thought about it, just like Du Qiuniang's secret. The emperor, or the emperor—the only man in this Daming Palace. Concubine Guo probably felt that since she was ashamed, it would be better to throw it to the end once and cleanly.That's why Pei Xuanjing was summoned, and she simply revealed the royal family's secrets. In the final analysis, the murder case of the Fushi wooden box was a woman's crazy behavior due to jealousy. Song Ruoyin was infatuated with the emperor, but the emperor was either stuck in his status, or just not interested in her, so Song Ruoyin's love was wasted.After wasting ten years in the Daming Palace, Song Ruoyin was close to the emperor, and often had the opportunity to meet and talk, but she still couldn't get his favor.The emperor seemed to prefer her as a playmate rather than a woman.From the standpoint of the emperor, this is not surprising at all.After all, in his harem, there are many women, but playmates are rare.So it's not surprising that he treats Song Ruoyin very kindly, pampers her, and even spoils her.Sadly, this kind of preferential treatment was not what Song Ruoyin wanted. It is very likely that in Song Ruoyin's eyes, the three thousand in the harem are not worth mentioning.Just like what Guo Nianyun said, Song Ruoyin thought she was special compared to all the concubines, and enjoyed an extraordinary position in the emperor's heart.She spent her youth in vain in the harem, and seeing that she was about to become a woman like her eldest sister, that man would never be available, Song Ruoyin could only use this self-deceiving way to comfort herself. But Du Qiuniang shattered Song Ruoyin's dream. There is also the barrier of status, but the emperor is willing to bend down for Du Qiuniang.He fell in love with Du Qiuniang, and could have directly brought her into the palace, but he didn't.Maybe Du Qiuniang didn't want to enter the palace and lose her free life; or maybe the emperor himself preferred to be a mysterious benefactor, visiting the autumn house from time to time to enjoy the excitement and freshness of courting outside the palace... No matter how absurd Du Qiuniang's attitude is, it is also a way of pampering a man only to a woman.He is not for Song Ruoyin. Perhaps it was this that triggered Song Ruoyin's killing intent.There are three thousand beauties in the harem, it is impossible for Song Ruoyin to kill them one by one, and she does not regard them as competitors.But Song Ruoyin absolutely couldn't bear Du Qiuniang who had been favored, she had to get rid of him as soon as possible. Inferring Song Ruoyin's death from this, the possibility of suicide is very high. She arranged the killing plan against Du Qiuniang, thinking that it was safe, so she took her own life first.Song Ruoyin is a smart person, she understands that her crimes will be exposed one day, and the victim is the emperor's most beloved woman, and the first person who can't forgive her is the emperor.Although she wanted Du Qiuniang to die, she couldn't face the emperor's hatred, so she chose to go first. Thinking of this, Pei Xuanjing felt that the blood in her whole body became cold.