Chapter 8 Section VIII

"Your family, didn't your family visit Pingkangfang yesterday? I heard that there was an erotic show in Pingkangfang last night. If your family went, it would be a feast for the eyes." Back from stepping on the plate at Princess Taiping's mansion, Chang Baixing held back his bad luck. He originally wanted to sleep well and go to the Tai's uterus at night to have a look. Who would have thought that this overly attentive tea servant would call the door at dawn? , making him really dumbfounded. "Your family is planning to kill something today, and the small ones can be prepared."

"Go away, don't kill." "What about tomorrow?" "roll." Chang Baixing wondered if he had the courage to kill a living person. He decided to take a look at Chongwen Hall, where the prince works every night.In the past ten days, Chang Baixing shuttled between Princess Taiping's Mansion and the Crown Prince's East Palace. He had already figured out the way to advance and retreat, and the evasion plan, but he had not seen the real face of the Crown Prince. Although there are many imperial guards guarding Princess Taiping, there are also many omissions, so it is very convenient to come and go.However, after secretly observing for a few days, he didn't appreciate Princess Taiping, especially the way Princess Taiping controlled ministers with official positions and money made him disgusted.

Chang Baixing mobilized all his connections in Chang'an in the past ten days, and carefully collected information about the situation in the two camps of the prince and Princess Taiping for him. Occupy a considerable advantage, and this advantage may be further expanded. First of all, Princess Taiping has been at the center of power since her mother Empress Wu Zetian was in power. She has experienced Zhongzong, Webster, and even the current three dynasties, making her power in the government more and more. It can be said that Princess Taiping has great influence on the central government. The mastery of understanding and manipulating the political power is unmatched by anyone in the current dynasty.

On the contrary, Prince Li Longji had been a foreign official for a long time. He was young and inexperienced. Although he was once the king of Linzi, he knew almost nothing about the operation of the central government before he was transferred to the capital.The prince has only been in Beijing for one year. Secondly, Princess Taiping has participated in politics for decades, from the Wen to the prime minister, to the general in Wu, and there are countless officials, big and small, who have been appreciated and promoted by Princess Taiping or their martial arts.Although Princess Taiping is corrupt in government, this view is just a kind of impotent resentment from the common people. In the Taiping era, this kind of resentment would not solve any problems. On the contrary, her corruption actually woven for her A fairly large, if not terribly strong, network of relationships at stake.

The prince was not so lucky.His original coup was only based on the low-level generals with whom he had a close personal relationship and people's aversion to the women in power in the two dynasties. More assistance came from his current opponent, Princess Taiping.If there was no support from Princess Taiping at that time, the prince would have passed away by now. Finally, the current emperor is the elder brother of Princess Taiping, and more importantly, the emperor has always believed that his regaining the throne is all thanks to his capable sister, so since Princess Taiping personally raised the young emperor from the throne From the time when the emperor returned to the present emperor, this regime is destined to have half of Princess Taiping.

However, Li Longji's position as the prince is not stable, because he is not the eldest son, and there are two elder brothers above him who are alive and well.Li Longji's position as prince is a reward for his support of the emperor. Therefore, once Princess Taiping's power is strong enough, "belonging to the eldest son since ancient times" is the best way to abolish his prince status. Fair grounds. There are many other reasons that can be cited. Chang Baixing believes that in the final analysis, Princess Taiping has a considerable advantage in the situation, and most of the crown prince Li Longji's status will not be guaranteed.

Such a conclusion was not what Chang Baixing wanted, and he was even afraid of the conclusion he had drawn.In terms of common sense, no matter how the situation develops in the future, he must stand on the winning side after the two break up in order to save his life.However, if he succeeds in assassinating the prince and helping Princess Taiping gain power, Chang Baixing is not sure about keeping his life and money, because he is just a small tool for Princess Taiping. You can throw him out and use it again. Chang Baixing thought to himself: Chang Baixing, Chang Baixing, at that time you will be the real murderer of the assassination of the prince, and under the torture, you have to identify Princess Taiping's political opponent as an accomplice.This move was used by Princess Taiping's own mother, Wu Zetian, and it was very effective.

So what if he sided with the prince?Since killing the Wei family and helping his father ascend the throne in June last year, Prince Li Longji has done nothing. On the contrary, the prince has shown surprisingly weak and timid.Facing all kinds of oppression from Princess Taiping, all he showed was patience and retreat.However, the two ministers who fully supported the prince—Song Jing and Yao Yuanzhi showed great courage and talent. They showed extraordinary courage and wisdom whether in rectifying the administration of officials or in maintaining the dignity of the prince. However, Chang Baixing knew very well what these noble young men were all about. If they worked together, if they succeeded, the achievements and glory would all belong to them;

However, what if the prince's weakness in recent months is just an illusion, just to confuse powerful political opponents and make them lose their vigilance, and he is indeed as brave and courageous as he showed six months ago ?If this is the case, Datang will be fortunate to have a great master of ZTE. For this reason, Chang Baixing made up his mind that he must meet the prince and see with his own eyes how the prince is like, so that he can make arrangements for his future actions. What surprised him was that no one had looked for him since the two rivals arranged tasks for him on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

"Your house has a distinguished guest." At some time, the tea servant quietly appeared outside the door. Chang Baixing opened the door, and saw that the person who came was none other than one of the characters he had just thought of—Yao Yuanzhi. Yao Yuanzhi's short and fat body was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe today, an equally luxurious soft-footed toe on his head, and a pair of famous Beijing soft cowhide lazy boots on his feet.These boots have a very low upper and are easy to wear, which is the product of the increasingly flashy world style in recent years. People wearing Yao Yuanzhi's attire are the most in Chang'an West City. This is also a unique kind of character in the capital, the kind of rich idler who wakes up every day just looking for something to do.No matter what age, this kind of people are the most in Beijing, and it is precisely because of this that Yao Yuanzhi's appearance will not attract attention.

In front of the tea servant, both of them looked very polite.Chang Baixing stood at the head of the door crossing his hands to ask how old Yao Shibo was well; Yao Yuanzhi also followed the polite rules of the people in Beijing, greeting Chang Baixing from his good dream last night to this morning's joy. After closing the door, Yao Yuanzhi took out a piece of mulberry paper from the wide sleeve of the brocade robe and handed it to Chang Baixing. After that, he said politely, "I'm wrong," and sat down on the seat without hesitation. the top of the head. The word "mansion" is written at the beginning of the paper, and below is a map.Obviously, this is a sketch drawn entirely from memory, and the person who drew it did not have a clear understanding of what was drawn, and there are traces of alteration in many places in the picture.However, Chang Baixing recognized at a glance that this was the residence of Princess Taiping of Xingdaofang. Chang Baixing turned around and took out a small bamboo tube from his luggage, sat down on the small table with Yao Yuanzhi, and said, "You always look at this." He poured out a small paper roll from the bamboo tube, When I unfolded it, it was a detailed map of Princess Taiping's mansion, with a small word "Fu" emblazoned on the corner of the map.However, Chang Baixing's picture was drawn with tissue paper and then covered with a layer of wax, so that it would not be damaged by water.Chang Baixing also has a map like this, but there is a small palace character on it. A slight comparison of the two maps shows the difference between the professional level and the amateur level.Yao Yuanzhi repeatedly nodded in praise: "Okay! Good! The work is well prepared, I saw you right." "It should be of service." Chang Baixing was secretly cursing Yao Yuanzhi for ruining his peaceful life for this troublesome matter he had brought to him.As soon as his mind was distracted, Chang Baixing asked something that shouldn't be asked: "Master Yao, shouldn't we do it in these two days?" "What? Is there something wrong?" "That's not true, I'm just curious." Damn, I said the wrong thing again.Chang Baixing was a little overwhelmed by the old man's inner majesty and the danger of the matter, and quickly said: "I'm always waiting here, I'm afraid that something might go wrong and miss your important event." "If you have any worries, I can find you a safe place." "Forget it, I can still take care of myself. If you have anything to say, you should just tell me." Chang Baixing thought to himself: The prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice is the safest place in his mother's mind. You will arrange my old man to go in. I will never think about it in my life out again. Seeing the tension and shrinking that Chang Baixing suppressed in his heart, Yao Yuanzhi became a little hesitant. The person in front of him was somewhat different from the heroic assassin Yao Yuanzhi had heard introduced.Maybe this is Xiaoxing's true face, he must have been frightened by this big event. Yao Yuanzhi reassured himself, and at the same time exhorted a few more words, "You should know that this action is related to the country of the Tang Dynasty, so it can only be successful." Speaking of this, Yao Yuanzhi paused intentionally, looked at Chang Baixing's reaction, and said, "Princess Taiping is also stepping up her activities right now, if we decide the winner at the court, you won't be needed. If we fail, Datang may become Great Zhou again, and then we can only count on you." "First month, February, just look at these two months." Yao Yuanzhi's originally melancholy gaze suddenly became sharp like an eagle, and he said to Chang Baixing: "I will not be able to come here again in the future. People come, take this as a token." As he spoke, Yao Yuanzhi raised his right arm, and the number beads bestowed by Wu Zetian were on his right wrist, and the pearl the size of a longan radiated a precious light from his sleeve. "Yes." Chang Baixing forced himself to hold himself down, and did not ask rashly: If you die and there is no result, will I also wait here? You should change your talkative habit.Chang Baixing was very disappointed with himself in his heart. If Xiaoxing was on this occasion, he would definitely appear calm and calm, and he would be able to cope with it freely, instead of being so distraught and like an apprentice who hadn't graduated from the teacher.