Chapter 9 Chapter 4 Pepper Flowers Falling Red among Wet Clouds
The severe winter of the four hundred and eighteenth year of the Qingkui calendar.At the end of the year, the Chunming Pavilion is shrouded in a harmonious tranquility.Yingdu is located in the warm and humid green water, and there is little winter snow, but this day, since the morning, there has been a fine snowfall.The servants swept away the snow from the courtyard to welcome the guests.But the withered distant trees and the towering roof ridges are all covered with a thin layer of white.The world seems to have been replaced with a glazed world.
Under the guidance of the Spring Concubine Bai, the maids in full attire broke off branches of bright red plum blossoms and put them in the jade vase.Holding it to the banquet, it won the praise of the guests.Bai Yongrong sat quietly on the porch, sniffing the fragrance of the fresh snow, and the distant sea and the years rushed towards his face, but what was set off by the bright red plum blossoms was an aging face.
Rows of compass carts were pushed into the arena, and there was a strong warrior on each cart, and the golden-skinned boy stood among the crowd, holding a long spear, and his armor shone dazzlingly in the snow.The fine snow fell on his slender eyelashes and was wiped off by him inadvertently.These trivial movements caused the maids to cast envious glances at him.
Concubine Chun secretly glanced at King Qing.Qing Ren sat beside her, sipping a bowl of green tea, as indifferently as if waiting for a scene he knew by heart.
Those guide cars turned one by one.The sky is full of white snow, and the dance is flying.With the beeping of the machinery, the guide car turned faster and faster, and the wind wheel stirred the snowflakes, flying and splashing like sparks.White snow and dust rose up in the field, and it was foggy for a while, making it difficult to see the details.Suddenly someone noticed that those light frames gradually left the ground.
"Oh no!"
The guests thought that the wind was too strong, and the guide car was blown over, and they all shouted.
However, the vigilant person immediately shut his mouth.Through the fog of wind and snow, they saw those sea warriors with calm faces, manipulating them skillfully.Careful people glanced quietly at Qing Wang and Bai Dinghou, and found that they were talking peacefully.
Soon, those "guide cars" rose into the air.The pale golden-skinned boy in the first car waved the flag, so all the cars turned around and flew in the direction of Yingdu City, and disappeared after a while.
Everyone watched this scene helplessly.Some people recognized it as the mythical Yunfu Speeding Car, but no one dared to ask, let alone get up and leave.After the car left, they continued to drink as if they hadn't seen anything, but they were all glad to be invited to this banquet by King Qing.Because they know that those who don't come will be unlucky.
At this time, in the Nanqing Mansion in Yingdu City, the chief assistant, Qing Yannian, had just finished his breakfast.Because of the banquet in the Chunming Hall, King Qing canceled the early court, so Qing Yannian got up very late.He watched the servants remove the untouched food and picked up a history book from the table.In such windy and snowy weather that is not suitable for travel, warming up by the fire and reading books are rare opportunities for the elderly Shoufu to rest.
Before reading half a page, I heard the crackling sound of a giant falling to the ground in the yard outside.He raised his head and saw a group of heavily armed warriors breaking through the door, blowing in a biting cold wind.
Qing Yannian scolded in a shrill voice: "What are you doing breaking in! Don't you know where this is?"
The young warrior at the head said coldly: "I was ordered by King Qing to arrest the chief assistant, Qing Yannian."
What flashed across Qing Yannian's heart at this time was not surprise, but a sense of failure.He has fully understood.Originally wanted to assassinate King Qing, but in the end it was a step too late, and the success fell short.He and his family were subdued by these sea warriors who spoke cold dialects with strange and exotic weapons.
"May I ask what the crime is?" Qing Yannian asked proudly, shaking his sleeves.
Hai Ruo said: "Deliberately rebelling."
The old Shoufu opened his eyes wide in disbelief.He stared at Hai Ruo's face for a while, and then shouted loudly with his trembling and skinny body: "Treason? What evidence do you have! I am the chief minister of a country, and an important minister in the court. How can you be so bloody!"
Hai Ruo was indifferent, and ordered the warriors around him to take down Shoufu immediately.
Qing Yannian suddenly went berserk.He yelled hoarsely like a trapped animal, and rushed out the door.The warriors froze for a moment, they never thought that the always dignified and arrogant Shoufu would have such a reaction.But a man outside the door stretched out a spear and stopped Qing Yannian.The old man fell on the steps and passed out.A pool of blood flowed out from under his ear, staining his pale hair like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow.
There was still silence in the Chunming Pavilion.Everyone has already guessed that the capital city of Ying at this time may have been turned upside down.But King Qing and Bai Xiyi were still sitting quietly, so no one dared to move.
The wind was very cold, and Qing Wang Qingren coughed violently a few times.Concubine Chun quickly poured him a cup of hot tea, but Qing Ren just waved his hand.
After an unknown amount of time, a fast horse broke into the Chunming Pavilion.
As if a boulder was thrown into the dead water, the arrival of the messenger made everyone stand up involuntarily.
"The first assistant rebelled, and the Imperial Forest Army has surrounded the rebellious party's lair. Rescue is late, please forgive me."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the messenger's next sentence shocked everyone including Concubine Chun and Bai Xiyi: "Concubine Yun was killed."
Qing Wang Qingren was silent.The sake in the glass has been blown with a thin layer of ice by the cold wind.He grabbed his glass and drank it down.
Concubine Chun was horrified.
Qing Ren said indifferently: "Let's talk about it after returning to the palace."
The military chaos in the city immediately spread to the court.Concubine Xia Cailan's face was pale, and she kept praying, hoping that King Qing's actions this time were only aimed at Shoufu.Her father is just a mediocre official who is about to retire, or won't he bring disaster to the family?However, when the news of Concubine Yun's death came, the last trace of luck in her heart was extinguished.
Concubine Xia bit her lip.She called her confidant maid to tell her about the funeral, and explained to the people around her one by one, and then she finished her makeup before rushing to Concubine Yun's Purple Bamboo Palace.
Concubine Yun Qing Luoru's death was tragic.According to the servants of Zizhu Palace, Concubine Yun woke up in the morning without any abnormality, and ordered the maid to make a cup of "Yunzhong" for her, which was the recipe of Concubine Xia's mother back then.After drinking it, it took less than a stick of incense to see her fall to the ground.Everyone carried her to the bed, only to see that she was bleeding continuously from the lower part of her body, and they couldn't stop it no matter what.When the imperial doctor came in a hurry, he said that the miscarriage caused the hemorrhage. Before the prescription could be written, Concubine Yun passed away.
Concubine Xia looked over from a distance, the big bed carved with dragons and phoenixes in the bedroom was completely stained with Qing Luoru's blood, it was red like a giant beast opened its bloody mouth.
The body of the young girl who died prematurely was soaked in a pool of blood like a thin piece of paper, and was annihilated.
Concubine Xia paced slowly in the room.The cup that Qing Luoru used was still on the table, and there was still half a pot of tea in it.Concubine Xia picked up the teacup and sniffed it.She is proficient in tea art, and the tea "Yun Zhong" is her masterpiece.Just by smelling it, she knew there was something strange in this cup of tea.
Suddenly, she remembered something, and a chill ran up her spine.
"You can put down the evidence." Qing Wang Qingren's cold voice came from behind.
Concubine Xia's heart suddenly sank deep into the ice cave.
She couldn't believe it, and didn't even dare to look back at anyone.She tightly clutched the boxwood cup in her hand, trembling violently, "The concubine doesn't understand what the Lord is talking about!"
"I said—you can lay down your evidence."
As if being scalded by fire, Concubine Xia threw away the boxwood cup abruptly.She knelt down and kowtowed to King Qing again and again, "My lord misunderstood, this cup of poisoned tea was not brewed by my concubine, my concubine was wronged, my concubine was wronged!"
Qing Ren ignored her.He was silent for a while, then slowly said: "I've always wondered why you were so enthusiastic about bringing Concubine Yun into the palace. It doesn't look like you Cailan."
Concubine Xia's pupils shrank.Qing Ren's strange voice made her break out in a cold sweat, "Master, what are you talking about?"
Qing Ren said: "You don't understand?"
Concubine Xia shook her head.
Qing Ren narrowed his eyes for a while, and suddenly said: "Then you tell me exactly why you recommended Concubine Yun?"
Concubine Xia was silent for a moment, and said: "Just as the Lord suspected, he answered Qing Shoufu's request. He...he threatened me with my father's official position and my mother's illness..."
"So, you don't like Qing Luoru too much?"
Concubine Xia nodded blankly.
"That's it. Then, are you going to beg for my forgiveness?" Qing Ren said coldly.
"The concubine didn't do anything wrong!" Concubine Xia was anxious and said incoherently, "The concubine has been in charge of the harem since taking over from Queen Qing, and has been walking on thin ice every step of the way. She is afraid that if she doesn't do one thing well enough, she will cause trouble for the lord. All these years, I haven't had a single night's sleep. The concubine asked herself, she had never done anything wrong to the lord or the sisters in the palace. Even in the matter of introducing Concubine Yun to the palace, even though Qing Shoufu The hope...but the concubine thinks...that she has done nothing wrong. Concubine Yun is naturally beautiful and has a gentle disposition...Could it be...does the Lord not like Concubine Yun in his heart? The idea of her being queen..."
Concubine Xia stopped suddenly, and she realized that Qing Ren was not listening to her pleading at all.It was no longer important to say anything, she finally realized something.So she stood up and faced Qing Ren directly.
"Then, what is the crime of the concubine? It's... jealous of Concubine Yun, right?"
Qing Ren turned his back to Concubine Xia.He noticed that there was an unprecedented coldness in Concubine Xia's eyes, stabbing at him straightly.He felt a tinge of fear.Even a woman who has never had feelings for him actually has the ability to read his mind, "Don't you think so?" He couldn't hold back the anger in his heart, and said in an almost vicious tone.
"Your Majesty's guess is right." Concubine Xia said, "I really have such thoughts. The women in the palace, from Queen Qing down, don't want to trample all the other women to death except myself. I answer like this, Is the Lord satisfied?"
"Presumptuous!" Qing Ren stopped.For so many years, the docile and introverted Concubine Xia had never spoken in front of him like this.
"I don't think it has anything to do with it. Concubine Yun had to die, who made her the granddaughter of the first assistant. Even if she is pregnant with the Lord's flesh and blood, even if she was still in bed yesterday, she still has to accompany her family today Go die." Concubine Xia knew that she was unlucky, and she would never utter words lightly, and now she burst out, "It's just that the Lord is a little annoyed that such a lovely person died. But this can't be the Lord's death." It's my fault, so I always have to find someone to take this responsibility. Since there is no queen in the palace, then——this person is not me, who could it be? It is the honor of a concubine to be able to share the worries of the master again. "
Qing Ren said coldly: "You are thinking too much. As a member of the Qing Clan, you cannot be cleared of your crimes no matter what, so why bother to drag out so many causes and effects. Originally, the crime is not fatal, so why do you have to force it? Do you want me to kill you?"
"It sounds good, the lord will not let me go, everything I say is the same." Concubine Xia laughed, "The whole family is in trouble today, and I don't expect to escape. We queens and concubines, In the Lord's mind, he has always been just a puppet. Those who should be buried with him should be buried with him, and those who should die should be sent to die. But why did the Lord charge me with unnecessary crimes for my death? Could it be that after you blamed Concubine Yun's death on me, you really Can you trust your hands to be clean?"
Qing Ren frowned, "You say I'm unclean?"
"Haha, are you clean? Who would believe it! Why bother to pretend, you are just a selfish and hypocritical person."
At this time, the joy that suddenly rose in Concubine Xia's heart was slightly burning her excitement.In fact, she had already made up her mind to die peacefully.But Qing Ren's words and deeds deeply stimulated her, and the mask of being respectful and sophisticated that she had worn for many years burst in an instant.
But she was happy.She looked at King Qing in amazement who was desperately trying to maintain a calm appearance, and even wondered whether Queen Qing, who didn't know who died, had such a chance to tear off King Qing's hard shell, and stabbed the poisonous needle deeply into his heart. ?
"You step back." Qing Ren said weakly.This was the last sentence he said to this concubine in his life.
Concubine Xia bowed respectfully to King Qing, gathered her clothes and retreated.
Qing Wang finally turned around and nodded to her.Concubine Xia slowly retreated to the door, with one foot outside the threshold, and suddenly turned her head with an extremely arrogant smile, "Even if you kill all of us, it's useless. The one you want the most, will always be It won't be yours either."
Qing Ren ignored her.
The boxwood cup that poisoned Concubine Yun Qing Luoru was still swirling on the floor.
Qing Ren lifted the curtain, stared at Qing Luoru's pale face, wondering what he was thinking.The smell of blood lingers in this exquisite embroidery room.
After Concubine Xia returned to her bedroom, she hanged herself to death.On that day, all the palace servants enshrined in Lubo Palace and Zizhuyuan were executed according to the criminal law.
On that day, Chanjuan still went to the temple to study.When I came back at noon, the whole city was in chaos.Across the street, she found her home surrounded by guardsmen.She immediately turned around and ran towards the temple.
Zhu Xuan was taken aback by Chanjuan's sudden visit.At this time, he had already heard about the incident in the city, but he didn't know that the incident was so serious that it affected Chanjuan.He hid in an ear room next to the living room, and heard the familiar voice coming from Aunt Wu's living room. Chanjuan told Aunt Wu about the military chaos in the city and asked Aunt Wu to take her in.
Aunt Wu pondered for a moment and said, "I can't be your refuge either."
Chanjuan could hardly believe her ears, "Master?"
Aunt Wu said: "If they can't find you, they will definitely think it's me, so you still can't hide."
"But, master," Chanjuan said, "who can go to the temple to arrest people?"
"I don't know if they will. The world is in chaos, and anything can happen. I can't take this risk." Aunt Wu said, "If the temple is disturbed by outsiders, the consequences will be disastrous. So no one has ever been able to stay in the temple. , you know."
Chanjuan understood.If the person who arrested her went to the temple to search, then Zhu Xuan's secret would be exposed.That was a secret that Aunt Wu would keep no matter what the price.In comparison, her safety was nothing.
"Can't you make an exception for me?"
Aunt Wu said apologetically, "I can't. I will ask King Qing to pardon you. Then you can come to me in a legitimate way."
This is just a slightly tactful refusal.Chanjuan heard it, her heart was empty and confused, like a drowning person who finally stepped on the bottom of the river, only to find that it was just a deep swamp.She looked at her master in bewilderment, seemingly crushed by sadness and disappointment for a moment, and no longer recognized this familiar face.However, her innate reason immediately emerged.
Chanjuan bit her lip, said "Thank you Master", and walked straight out of the temple.
Seeing that Chanjuan had gone far away, Aunt Wu said, "Zhu Xuan, come out."
Zhu Xuan next door was already heartbroken.He stared at Aunt Wu's calm face, not knowing what to say.
"Do you think I'm cruel?"
Zhu Xuan was silent.
"When I was her age..." Aunt Wu sighed, but didn't continue, "The ruin of a family is nothing."
"Master," Zhu Xuan said suddenly, "Just now Chanjuan said that King Qing and Bai Dinghou captured Qing Shoufu's family, using the Yunfu speeder?"
"Yes. Otherwise, how could we wipe them all out."
"I mean, is it our Ice Race's cloud speeder? It was you who gave them the blueprint?"
"yes."
Zhu Xuan was silent for a while, and said, "Because Qing Shoufu knew of my existence, so their house has to be washed in blood?"
Aunt Wu gave him a meaningful look, but didn't answer.
The teenager was irritated by her silence.For the first time in his life, he felt completely puzzled and saddened by her actions, "Perhaps, in your opinion, the destruction of a family is really nothing."
"It is King Qing's wish to completely wash Qing's family with blood, and I just facilitated him." Aunt Wu said indifferently, "You have forgotten that only a person's wish can truly accomplish something, and other methods just promote it." It is the same with spells and schemes. If it is not for the strong desire to swallow people's hearts, then no matter how powerful the curse will be, it will not work."
He stared at her for a long while speechless, but clenched his fists tightly.
Aunt Wu noticed that there was a bead gray ribbon on his wrist.At that moment, she thought of something, as if she had been slapped in the face.She wanted to call Zhu Xuan, but he left without looking back.
Chanjuan stepped out of the gate of the temple.When she was young, she realized for the first time that the whole world had turned its back and abandoned her.With her eyes fixed, she wandered aimlessly along the long street, waiting for passing soldiers to apprehend her.The snow fell harder and harder, burying her trekking feet.At this time, a thin voice came from the wall.
"Miss Cai..."
Following the prestige, there was a young woman hiding in the corner, wearing coarse clothes that obviously didn't fit, her face seemed familiar.Chanjuan was about to inquire, but the woman had already come over, "Miss Cai, you are indeed here. Before leaving, Concubine Xia asked me to give this to you."
She only felt that there was something cold in her hand, and the woman disappeared suddenly, as if it was just a sad shadow left by an old dream.Looking down, the thing in his hand turned out to be a shiny brass key.
Chanjuan shed tears again, her aunt is no longer alive, everything happened so fast.
The key was extremely hard and thin, almost able to cut her delicate fingers, but it was the last savior in front of her eyes.She subconsciously squeezed it tightly.
Because of an accidental foreshadowing, Chanjuan escaped from her first real disaster.She walks alone to the desolate north of Yingdu City. The Gaotang Temple stands like a stubborn stone left over from the beginning, standing between indifference and oblivion.With complicated emotions, she tried the big rusty lock with the brass key.Surprisingly, the door opened with a single poke.She got in panicked, and the whole subverted world was left far behind her, and she escaped into another eternally static time and space.
As soon as she stepped into this territory, she felt a sense of persecution.She found that the sky of Gaotang Temple was different.The practice field left by Mrs. Xiang can even block the heavy snow in the sky.Here is a perpetual cloudy sky, even the clouds are an unchanging lead color, which seems to have an unusually dignified texture.It seems that thousands of years of sacrificial bones have been burned and refined, washed and frustrated, and finally accumulated here, becoming a heavy ashes on the top of the head, making people breathless.Even the sunlight, blocked by the incense ash, became dark and cold, like the back of an ice peak.
Chanjuan shivered.
She couldn't help wondering, what was the mood of the fifteen-year-old Aunt Wu imprisoned at this time many years ago?She spent all her youth in this temple, and she is still secretive in her old age.What kind of terrible incident happened in this Gaotang Temple?The Chanjuan at that time, and the Zhu Xuan at that time, hadn't come to this world yet.Only the black tower in front of him once overlooked all this like a god.
Chanjuan looked up at the black tower, amazed.On weekdays, in certain corners of the city, one can occasionally glimpse the figure of the Black Tower, except that it is dark and annoying, and there is nothing special about it.But when she came to the tower, she realized that it was unfathomably high.The top of the tower is invisible under the clouds.She had no doubt that if she sat on the top of the tower, she would be able to have a bird's-eye view of the entire Qingkui land.It turns out that it is the real core of Yingdu, the cold and ruthless heart of this gorgeous city.
With such awe and anticipation, she ran towards the Black Tower without hesitation, just like towards the final ending.The questions in her mind for many years are about to be answered.The deterrent power of the black tower made her forget her own situation and also kept her safe.The Gaotang Temple, where no one approached, isolated her from the slaughter.Therefore, regarding the bloody coup d'état in the winter of Qing Kui's 418th year, she was somewhat of an outsider.She left this place later, and never had the chance to see her relatives, friends and clansmen again, and she didn't know what happened to them at that time.
In Qing Kui's official history, there is not much ink left for the losers of the coup.Later, in some unofficial histories and literati notes, Chanjuan read such a record: "The king of Qing borrowed the power of Yunfu's speeding car to directly smash into Qingyannian's mansion. Qingyannian was killed. The hidden weapons in the mansion were all confiscated and raised privately." The soldiers were strangled on the spot. The family and servants were surrounded in the ancestral temple, guarded and whipped. At the same time, the admiral of the Imperial Forest Army took the master's handbook and searched the homes of Situ, Ruan Yu, Mubao, Daoheng, Caimengxi and other twelve courtiers. It was the day At noon, King Qing announced the ten major crimes in Qingyannian. Execution of the relatives of the nine clans was not enough to cover his crimes. His cronies, teachers and friends also sat together, calling it the punishment of the ten clans. Then they arrested people according to the book, searched and arrested them all over the city, and exhausted tens of thousands of people. All men over the age of ten will be executed. All women and children will be sold into slavery and prostitution. The speeding car patrols the city day and night, and there is nowhere to hide. Those who resist the arrest will be executed on the spot. In the past, mourning was everywhere. Kings, grandsons and nobles threw corpses on the road. The daughter of the Xiangfu lived in Goulan. Qing Kunlun, the youngest son of Qingyan, raised his troops in the north of Qingshui, and drove them by speeding cars. The Lord said that they could be killed, so he buried thousands of soldiers and Hans alive. In the past Caimengxi, the censor of the ceremonial supervisor, committed suicide against the decree, and the corpse of Yan Lu was buried. For a long time, no one collected it, and the wild dogs fought for food..."
It has been many years since I saw these.At that time, she had already been displaced and experienced many vicissitudes, and she was so exhausted that only one sigh was left to comfort the dead souls.
In the last years of Qing Kui, the historical records are vague.Qing Wang Qingren, who has always been gentle and introverted, suddenly provoked such a large-scale bloody massacre in his later years, so that his 20 years of benevolent government and clean name were ruined, so that the temple name behind him can only be "Dongjun", which cannot be compared with his father. "Eastern Emperor" Wu Xiang.Why did Qing Ren act like this?There is no explanation for this in the official history.Some people speculated that Qing Ren was already terminally ill and unconscious at that time, so he had such a random life.In fact, Qing Ren's temperament in his later years was indeed unpredictable, but it may not have reached the point of frantic killing.Someone else said that King Qing's decision must have been carefully considered.He spent more than 20 years fighting against the powerful and powerful nobles. If Concubine Yun gave birth to an heir, all previous efforts would be wasted, so he had to start early.And because the time of illness is not long, I am worried that the heir will not be capable enough, so I would rather give up the reputation of Qingming, and clean up the Qingkui government in a deep pool of water, leaving no hidden dangers.However, with the thoroughness of Qing Ren, one should also think that excessive slaughter will bring more complex hatred and conflicts, which will be the bane of the country's subversion in the future...
Some people also made a more poetic conjecture, saying that Qing Ren loved Wu Gu Yao Ji in his early years, and wanted to establish her as a queen, but was blocked by Qing Yannian's arbitrariness, and even gave him his daughter, breaking up the couple.Qing Ren's forbearance for many years finally broke out, killing ten Qing clans to vent their anger.So it is said that beauty is a disaster...
This explanation is of course more ridiculous.In fact, everything is Qing Ren's own choice.Even when he was powerless to choose, he could only try his best to pick out a move, go on, step by step, and couldn't calculate the price he had paid.
The bloody storm at the end of the 418th year of the Kui calendar lasted the whole winter.The slaughtered aristocrats staged a small-scale resistance, but under the control of Qing Wang's iron fist and the shock of Yunfu Speeding, they all suffered a disastrous defeat.At the beginning of spring next year, the mess is almost cleared up.The ice and snow melted, washing away the blood stains on Yingdu City Avenue, and everything seemed to be back to normal.Therefore, King Qing rewarded Bai Dinghou and his sons who had made great contributions to calming the chaos, and especially rewarded Hai Ruo, a young man who controlled the speeding car.His outstanding performance doubled the pace of Qingqing party, so Qingren appreciated him very much.At the Zichen night banquet where King Qing bestowed gifts on his courtiers to celebrate the New Year, Qing appointed Bai Xiyi to bring Hairuo into the palace to drink and have fun with his confidant ministers.
Thus, at the Zichen night banquet, something happened that shocked the government and the people of Kui Kingdom.Everyone was unexpected, everyone was stunned by the sudden thing, and they didn't know what to do.
Bai Dinghou suddenly asked Qing Wang, the crown prince had been vacant for more than 20 years, and the pregnant concubine Yun died again.At this moment, who does King Qing want to choose to inherit the throne?
The air in the hall seemed to freeze suddenly.This question has always been the core of everyone's confusion, but no one has ever dared to ask King Qing.
Qing Ren said indifferently: "Unfortunately, I am destined to have no children, so anyone who has the royal blood of the Qing family can inherit the throne."
Everyone was confused for a while.After Wuxiang's Southern Expedition and Northern War and the Qing Dynasty's coup d'état, there is no one who has the blood of the Qing Dynasty royal family except Qing Ren himself.Careful people think of Lian Ning, the youngest son of Mrs. Xiang, who was living in Jiuyi.However, Lian Ning is a fool. It is impossible for him to inherit the throne after becoming a monk in Jiuyi Mountain.Besides, he was not married and had children.
"My will has been written, and we will see for ourselves in the future." Qing Ren explained with a smile, raising his wine glass to the ministers.
These words were very unlucky, and everyone hurriedly toasted in response, perfunctory.Unexpectedly, Bai Dinghou spoke again, "My lord, there is a suitable candidate in front of me. His courage and ability have already won your favor, my lord."
Qing Ren frowned slightly.
Bai Dinghou calmly got up and left his seat, kowtowed to King Qing, and said: "I am bold, please consider Li Hairuo as the crown prince. Because he is your child."
Qing Ren stood up, trembling all over, unable to speak.He turned to look at Concubine Chun, Concubine Chun lowered her head and said nothing.At this time, everyone present was sensitively aware that the seemingly dissipated political crisis had suddenly returned to the sky above Yingdu.They held their breath, and their faces were stern, showing no expression.Except for the pale golden-skinned boy himself, standing on the ground, raised his eyes, and showed a strange smile at Qing Ren.
"Qing Yannian guessed right after all." Aunt Wu thought to herself after hearing the news.
According to Bai Dinghou's words, in order to avoid the murderous hand of the prince in the palace, Hai Ruo was sent out of the palace by Concubine Chun when he was just born, and was brought up by Bai Dinghou.
There are new rumors in the palace.It turned out that Concubine Chun, who had been silent for many years, was actually fertile?But it's not like it.During the whole process, Concubine Chun kept silent, or this child was not her own, but just adopted by a palace man.
Qing Wang didn't seem so happy, he began to doubt the ambition of Bai Dinghou's family.He seemed to see that Bai Dinghou and his son in front of him quickly followed the old path of Qing Yannian's family.However, what Qing Ren can't help but be afraid of is that they have heavy soldiers in their hands, and there is a man named Hai Ruo.A boy who can control the flying car.
He accepted Hai Ruo with a smile, but announced that the high priest of the temple, Wu Gu, was needed to verify Hai Ruo's integrity.
The government and the public were in an uproar. The Blood Mirror Ceremony, which verified the royal lineage, was only held a few hundred years ago, and now it has finally moved into Qing Kui's history again.
Simultaneously with the order from the Blood Mirror Sacrifice Palace, there was also a secret order from King Qing that was sent to Aunt Wu's desk.Wang asked Aunt Wu to ask for the secret method to restrain Yunfu Speeder, and also, no matter what, Hai Ruo's prince status could not be recognized.
Aunt Wu was a little at a loss.
There is only one way to restrain the Yunfu Speeding Vehicle, which is to create a more advanced Yunfu Speeding Vehicle.That's not something that can be done in a day or two.Another thing puzzled her even more.
Of course, no one knows whether that young man named Hai Ruo is really Qing Ren's child.Who can guarantee that what Bai Dinghou and his son said are true.However, if it is true, why is Qingren unwilling to accept Hai Ruo?Is it just to prevent Bai's power from getting bigger?
What does that young man named Hai Ruo really look like?She thought curiously that although she hadn't met yet, she would see her soon.What is strange is that Concubine Chun has remained silent, and Bai Dinghou and his son did not come to visit her, as if they didn't care about Aunt Wu's divination.This is completely different from the attitude of Qing Yannian at the beginning.
After much deliberation, Aunt Wu suddenly realized a shocking fact:
"Could it be that Qing Ren already knew about Zhu Xuan's existence?"
Concubine Yun Qing Luoru's funeral was held secretly.After being a guilty minister, Concubine Yun could not enjoy a ritual burial, and her coffin could not be buried in the royal tomb, but could only be buried in the wilderness in the suburbs like a commoner.During the turmoil, Qing Ren kept her body in the purple bamboo garden, ordered people to beat drums and burn incense, and prayed day and night.It wasn't until the day before the Blood Mirror Festival that they were secretly sent out of the city and sent back to the Qing family's hometown in Mianzhou.It is said that on the day of Concubine Yun's funeral, Qing Wang Qingren personally helped the coffin out of the city.Even Concubine Xia, who had been with her for many years, did not receive such courtesy from King Qing after her death.
In fact, when sending off Concubine Yun, Qing Ren did not personally help the coffin—this was probably a later rumor.Although the prestige of the former Chief Assistant Qing Yannian was not good, the princess who died young won unanimous praise from later generations, and everyone was willing to believe that she died innocently, and that Qing Wang Qingren's love for her was sincere.
Qing Wang Qingren was only wearing a green shirt and riding a mottled horse, following behind and watching from a distance.
Spring trees in the evening clouds, fragrant grass in the sky.Concubine Yun's hearse finally disappeared on the horizon.Qing Ren believed in the rein and wandered on the green grassland outside the city for a long time.At that time, the spring was cold, and the courtiers whispered to persuade King Qing to return, but King Qing seemed out of his mind.
On the other side of the cloud, there is a white shadow flickering.
This scene seems familiar.Drifting, but firmly attracted him.Qing Ren reined in his horse and watched intently.The white shadow was like a low-flying bird, getting closer and closer.A light human figure appeared in the green mist.
--It's him?
Qing Wang recognized it.In fact, from such a long distance, he couldn't see the face of the person at all, but he clearly recognized the person, and he couldn't help but feel agitated.He immediately rode up to meet him.
A step apart, they stopped each other.The visitor has long boots and a cloak, and is dressed as a wandering calculator.A young face was exposed under the hood. Although the eyes were tightly covered with a bead gray ribbon, it could still be seen that this was a young man with a beautiful face.
Qing Ren was silent for a long time.In this situation, every single word is so weak that I dare not say it out of my mouth.I'm afraid that if I say it, it will be blown to pieces by the wind on the green grassland, irreparable.And the boy obviously felt the same way.The ribbon obviously did not affect his eyesight, and he quietly looked at Qing Ren at a level, with a subtle sadness hidden in his eyes that no one could see.
"Is Prince Qing safe?" the young fortune teller finally said.
"well."
"May I see your fate?"
Qing Ren stretched out his left hand.That hand was pale and thin, like the fallen leaves of a cycad tree that had been washed and faded by time, but it was still hard and crisp.The young alchemist held such a hand in his palm and looked at it carefully, as if he wanted to read all the past and past from these mysterious leaf veins, the origin and extinction.Finally he finally said: "Your future..."
Qing Ren waved his hand, signaling that he doesn't need to say more.
The young operator was stunned for a moment, then said: "Please take care."
Qing Ren thought for a while, then suddenly asked, "What's your name?"
The boy said: "My name is Zhu Xuan."
"Zhu Xuan, Zhu Xuan, Zhu Xuan..." Qing Ren repeated the name over and over again, "Zhu Xuan, where are you going?"
"Leave Yingdu and go where I should go."
Qing Ren took off a crystal pendant from his bosom and put it in Zhu Xuan's hand.Zhu Xuan's hand trembled.Qing Ren said: "This is a body talisman I have carried for many years, let it give you a ride."
Zhu Xuansui took it, carefully hung it on his neck, and said: "Then let's say goodbye."
Qing Ren nodded.
He watched the young man turn and leave, stepping on the green grass in the early spring, towards the silent wilderness, feeling a pang in his heart, as if the person who left was not Zhu Xuan, but an unknown soul of his own.It slowly leaves life like a silk thread, with slow steps and mixed feelings.
He suddenly blurted out: "Please stay—"
Zhu Xuan stopped.
"Please stay," he said almost desperately, "you will be the ruler of Yingdu."
Qing Ren seemed to see a generous smile on the boy's blindfolded face.Of course Zhu Xuan didn't respond.This calm young arithmetician has embarked on a journey against the sky, and will never look back.And Qing Ren could only watch his back, disappearing into the green grass like flying.Everything happened so quickly, like a hallucination that was too late to recall, like a dream that had been lost before it even started.
Under the blue sky, he was the only one left.
Qing Ren drew up his longbow, shot an arrow through the air, whizzed across the blue southern sky, and disappeared out of the clouds.
The courtiers chased after him and congratulated him again and again: "After all, it is the Lord, and the archery skills will not decrease in the past."
Qing Ren suddenly felt a tear in his chest.He suppressed his cough and tucked a bright red handkerchief into his sleeve.
In the four hundred and nineteenth year of the Qingkui calendar, the first full moon eve after the beginning of spring, was jointly selected by King Qing and his ministers to identify the blood of Mr. Hai Ruo.It is said that the moonlight on this day has been impregnated with the eyes of the gods, and has the power to see everything in the world.
暮色初笼，一个淡青色的影子飘到了神殿前。青王公大臣们尚未莅临。殿门洞开，空无一人。彼时月华初上，微红地挂在门廊上方淡蓝的天空里，仿佛一块洗不净的血迹。
大殿上架起了一面巨大的铜镜，是巫姑用于作法的道具。镜子上本来蒙着厚重的幕布的，此时揭开了一角。巫姑跪在铜镜之前，低头默默地祝祷。
殿中并无旁人，巫姑的默诵只有她自己聆听。这样的祝祷词并非出自某一部上古典籍，而是全由她自己随口说出，就像行吟者唱给自己听的歌。很多年以来，都没有人知道这一点，他们只是远远地瞻仰她神秘莫测的身影，却并不了解——神秘莫测的巫姑，她到底发出了怎样的声音。
巫姑抬起头。风吹帷幕，面前的铜镜在微光中闪着莹莹的幽光，仿佛遥远的绿野上，灵异的湖泽星罗棋布。镜光中映现出一张熟悉却又陌生的面容。那一刻，她仿佛看见青水上的那个少女，面朝山水，笑靥如花——却只在宿命的刹那间，鬓发都已斑白。镜光烟水之中，乍见熟悉的一袭青裙，不知何时浮现在她身后，如不定的浮云。
巫姑张了张嘴，却不知说什么。
“公主，你老了。”
巫姑骇然。
傀儡的声音，永远清澈而平静，但“公主”这个称谓，已经很多年没有人呼唤过了。她颤颤地站起来，转过身，正视着薜荔。
惟有这个幽灵一样的女子不曾老去。傀儡凝视着她的、她们的年华飞散如风，只露出一个永恒的微笑。
“薜荔……你为什么回来见我？我并没有召唤你。”
薜荔牵裙跪下，恰与她比肩。镜中的两个面孔，奇异地重叠在了一起，“我很久没有见到你了。公主……我们本来就应该一直在一起的。”
很久，是二十年的意思吧。
“二十年前，因为你的孤独，我来到你身边。后来你有了朱宣，我就随那人而去。如今我回来看你，是因为朱宣走了，你重又孤独了。”
“朱宣走了吗？”巫姑淡淡道。
“他逃走了，你知道的。”
"Ok."
“为什么不拦住他？”
“他的心已经走了，拦住又有什么用？”
“你可以看到他在哪里，难道你不想看看？”
“我不想看。”
薜荔道：“你觉得，只有放他在遥远的地方，遥远到自己都不知道……他才会永远属于你？”
“也许吧……”
“没有关系，公主，我陪着你。即使他们都走了，还有我留下来。你终究会像一朵花那样枯萎，但我还会永远陪伴你。”
巫姑垂首默然。再抬头时，镜中依然只有她自己苍白的面影。
月上华堂，人都来齐了。
巫姑第一次看见了少年海若。春妃白雍容亲自领着他来到神殿之下，就仿佛他是她自己的亲生儿子一般。少年身着华服，高大英武，月光镀上他挺拔的鼻梁，像冰刀一样锐利。
巫姑一见之下，心中大为宽慰。
“他绝对不会是清任的孩子，”她心想。
为什么会有这样的结论，她也说不出所以然。然而这么多年的巫祝生涯，使她拥有了一种超乎占卜的直觉。何况是与自己息息相关的人和事情。
这样想着，她的脸上露出了一抹微笑，不提防正撞上了春妃的目光。白雍容笑容中的深意，竟令她不寒而栗。
青铜镜已经被抬到了神殿前的台阶上。
空地里，放了一只巨大的水晶方鼎。鼎中满晃晃地盛着淡绿色液体，那时巫姑用各种独特的草药提炼出的汁液。东方射来的月光，穿透水晶方鼎，投射到青铜镜上，碧沉沉的镜光随着水波宛转，扭出无穷无尽的奇特图案。
线香燃尽，时辰已到。巫姑站起身来，远远望向对面廊檐下，万众簇拥中的那个人。
她已经不记得，距离上一次看见他，已经隔了多么久远的时间，多么漫长的距离。她依稀还认得他。他两鬓斑白，面带病容，就像是老去的树，翻旧的书。任谁也不难看出，他的身体里已经堆积了太多太多不堪承受的重负，即使君王的华丽衣饰也难以掩盖他临近溃灭的身体状况。只是她的眼睛已经被岁月磨得模糊，再难辨别他的神情；她的面容已经被风雨冻得僵冷，再难浮现哀伤笑容。风从神殿大堂中穿过，她的视线里飘过一丝雪白头发，像是凝重的空气中撩动一丝不安的情绪。她想那大概是他的，他像她自己一样，也老了。
她只是如常行礼，示意万事皆备。
朦胧中看见，清任微微抬了下手，示意可以开始了。
海若走到巫姑面前，跪下。巫姑则站在台阶上，漆黑的裙裾直拖到丈外。她念着咒语，然后高高举起了一把银色的匕首。当海若把手伸向她的时候，脸上露出了一个近乎蔑视的笑容。巫姑被他直视的目光逼得有些恼怒。她凌厉地扫了一眼这个倨傲的少年，旋即抓住他的手指，一刀扎下去。
三滴滚烫的血液滴入了水晶鼎，一缕烁目的红沿着水纹迅速滑开。
少年挣出他的手指，急速地离开。
巫姑专注地凝视着水晶方鼎，一面从侍从的金盘中端起琉璃羽觞，将其中粘稠的红色液体缓缓注入鼎中——那是青王清任的血液。
如游蛇吐信，如风卷烟霞。两人的血液，在淡绿色的药水中凝结成线。碧悠悠的水晶方鼎中，两条红丝延伸着，缠卷到了一起。
人们期待着这两股血液能够融合。它们扭在了一处，彼此并行，不断拉长，拉长，却始终不肯合为一体。
月光穿过水晶方鼎，投射在青铜镜上。镜光闪烁中，只见两条青夔在缠斗，一个身姿遒劲，咄咄逼人，一个略显老态，却灵活机变。一时间未分胜负，只是并在一处飞舞。
已有明白人，看出些端倪了，不免暗暗诧异。巫姑凝望着铜镜上的图腾，一动不动，谁也不知道她在想什么。此时万籁俱寂，大家都等着她的阐释。
“他不是青王的儿子。”
巫姑终于开口了，声音不大，但所有人都听得清清楚楚。
人群死寂。过大的震惊使他们不敢擅出一语。他们等待着青王的评判。
“那么就此作罢。”清任道，“白定侯，你……有何可说？”
他忍不住瞪了春妃一眼。是帝王的震怒，然而震怒之下却掩饰不住失望与伤感。他第一次对白雍容感到不解，她为什么会这么做，为什么会——欺骗他？
春妃沉默不语。
老白定侯不慌不忙地站了出来，“主上明察，臣并未一口咬定海若是主上的儿子。”
众人大骇。
“臣妾和臣妾的家人都只是说，海若——他拥有帝王之血。这一点，巫姑也不能否认吧？”
巫姑猛然抬起头。远远的廊檐下一团漆黑，她看不清白定侯的脸，却分明感受到了他的目光，犹如利剑向自己刺过来。她快速搜寻着清任的眼睛，想知道他的意愿。然而，他离她太远了。
“巫姑，我相信，刚才你的话并没有说完——你为什么不说完呢？其实你早就看出来海若的真实身份了吧？”
巫姑已经察觉出了事情的蹊跷，是以不肯言尽。
按清任的想法，无论这孩子是不是王子，巫姑都将予以否认。但是巫姑决定说实话，她并不希望清任以朱宣为继承人。何况朱宣已经走了。
但可怕的是，这孩子竟然真的不是王子，非但不是，他还有着更为令人诧异的身份。是什么使得白定侯一家，竟然走出了这么险恶的一步呢？她静静地立在铜镜面前之时，脑子里想的全是这个问题。此时白定侯咄咄威逼。他们的武士，正守在城池的各个角落。他们敢于这么做，显然是成竹在胸了。
“清任，你居然也有今天。”巫姑有些苍凉地想着。
青铜镜上的图腾，不停地虬曲，争斗。
“巫姑，请你把话说完。”白定侯重复了一遍。
巫姑想要探看青王的暗示。遥远的廊檐下，似乎只传来一声苍老的叹息。
“不错。海若，他，不是，青王的儿子。”巫姑一字一句地说，似乎还想拖延着，听到清任的回应。然而青王什么也没有说。“但他，确实拥有纯正的帝王血脉，并且——与青王极其相近。”
Everyone was in an uproar.
巫姑凝视着青铜镜上的图腾，“两龙并驾齐驱——所以，他是青王的亲兄弟。”
说完这句话之后，她就失聪了。她不敢去倾听众人的话语。虽然她仍旧不明所以，却已经感觉到阴谋的潮水，正在地平线上汹涌，转瞬就要到了眼前。
然而此时的青夔国诸臣，仿佛还不曾了解。他们听到了“亲兄弟”，觉得豁然开朗。清任的父亲武襄，一生妃嫔无数。众所周知者有息夫人之子——便是青王清任，以及湘夫人之子濂宁。濂宁是个傻孩子，早已流落九嶷山。而这个海若，应该是青王武襄宫中某个不知名的小宫女，甚至是某个被武襄偶然临幸过的民间女子所生的孩子。
“所以，请主上恕臣大胆举荐海若。二十年多年前，他还在襁褓中时，湘夫人将他托付给臣抚养，一直隐瞒身世。臣担心惹人多言，使得主上不愿为其验明血统，故而事前未曾说明。如今真相大白，主上既无所出，幼弟成为王储，也是合情合理。”白定侯道。
神殿中一片安宁。如雷雨降临大地前的死寂。
白定侯利用了青王无子的焦灼心理，畜养一个拥有青王族血统的孩子，并且带入京城散布传言说是青王所出。种种因缘之下，清任也确实喜欢上了这个勇武的海若。只要青王肯立海若为储，继而为新君，将来的青夔国，必然是北方白定侯的天下，如同当年的绵州庆氏一样。谁说白定侯一家忠肝义胆，就完全无所图谋呢？
惟一遗憾者，便是这个海若，并非是青王之子，却还是他同父异母的弟弟。宫中的知情者一直猜度，多年来，青王对其口口声声尊崇的“先父青王武襄”的态度，其实是相当厌恶的。他必定不愿接纳这个或许是通奸所出的兄弟。
也正是为此，白定侯才大费周章，怂恿青王弄出神殿验血的一幕，逼迫青王。
其中尤其可怖的是，据白定侯所言，是湘夫人将这个孩子交给了他。那个传奇女子在她的一生中究竟埋下过多少伏笔，竟然在她身后二十余年，还能对青夔的朝政产生不可估量的影响。
事已至此，清任只能表态支持海若了。毕竟，白定侯是他的自己人，这个“自己人”现在有一百精锐驻扎在郢都城内，并且拥有制胜的绝密武器——云浮飞车。
清任并不是执拗的人，当暂处下风，他一样能够面不改色等待时机。所有人都这么猜想——这个时候，清任会用他一如既往的端睦态度，走下大殿，扶起自己的亲兄弟，流着眼泪说一些祝福的话语，仿若失散的家人重聚。
所有的人都等着这一刻，并打算为青王和他年幼的兄弟山呼万岁。
然而青王只是沉默，长久地沉默着。
甚至白定侯父子也开始猜疑，如此作为是否已经超越了青王的忍耐限度。他孤注一掷，却并不完全知道清任的心里面究竟会如何想。而青王的沉默，一点一滴地加深了他的惊惶。
只有春妃忧虑地皱起了眉头。她离清任很近，听得见他的呼吸声急促而带着嘶声，像是溺水的人在拼命挣扎。她猜测清任身体里的某件东西，忽然碎掉了。他正在压抑着剧烈的痛苦。春妃本能地想上前搀扶他，但立刻止住了。假如让人看见青王在这个地方病得无法正襟危坐，那么等待他的将是彻底的倒下。王座就是这样脆弱的一个位置，明明从臣无数，却不能向任何人呼救。春妃只能和众人一样，看着他挣扎而不置一言。她下意识地望了一眼远处那个黑裙的女子。巫姑立在铜镜前，似乎正朝这边看过来。
这时候有一个人打破了尴尬沉默，就是眼前的主角海若。只有他，毫不在意周围的气氛和旁人的感受，自顾自地露出带有残酷意味的笑容。他再次走到巫姑面前，问了一个奇怪的问题：“巫姑能否查知我的母亲是谁？”
“难道你的母亲不是湘夫人？”巫姑道。
“湘夫人是我的义母，我想知道生母是谁。”
“那么你去问湘夫人好了。”巫姑冷笑道。
淡金肤色的少年说：“我以为巫姑是仁慈的。”
忽然，一个人影从神堂的后面冲了出来。本来紧张肃穆的人群，被惊了一下，立刻骚动起来。有人甚至准备逃跑了。
然而不久人们就看清，来者是个手无寸铁的少女，并非白定侯手下的精壮武士。谁也不知道这少女是怎么进来的，祭典之前，神殿中肃清了闲杂人等，然后锁紧了大门。来人仿佛是情急之中翻墙越树而入，发辫弄得散乱，衣裙也被枝条划破了，沾着星星点点的云萝叶子。她满面通红，不顾一切地推开人群，忽然扑向了巫姑。
“婵娟——”春妃看清了她的脸，惊呼一声。
忽然出现的婵娟，根本没有留意到神殿里在发生着什么。她冲到巫姑面前，大声说：“师父，我全都知道了。”
“你说什么？”巫姑漫不经心道。
婵娟“呵呵”地笑了两声，重复道：“我全都知道了——高唐庙的秘密。”
巫姑明显地抖了一下，她张了张嘴，却发不出任何声音。她呆呆地望着昔日的徒弟，宿命的恐惧袭上心头。
“您放心，师父，”婵娟忽然抹去了嘲讽笑意，底下尽是哀戚绝望的面容，“我是来恳求您的。”
“什么？”她竭力镇静。
“我求您救救朱宣，他离开神殿了。”
巫姑听见“朱宣”二字，面上一滞，慢条斯理道：“那又如何？”
“他走了！他走了你不知道么？”婵娟绝望地嘶叫着，“我终于能够逃出来找他，却发现后院的小屋已经空了，到处都没有，我都找遍了！”
巫姑不语。
“离开神殿他会死的！”
“难道不是你怂恿他走的吗？”巫姑愤怒道，“不是你给了他月影绡，他怎么走得出去？他在神殿中住了十七年安然无恙，现在如果他死了，也是你害了他！”
殿中众人皆不知朱宣为何物，面面相觑。巫姑的事情本来就神秘，此时似有重大的秘闻揭晓，人人侧耳倾听。
婵娟听见巫姑的话，脸色煞白，“我从来没有害过他。走出神殿是他最大的心愿，我只是帮助他去实现。我爱他，所以要让他得到自由——”
“得到自由？那么他就同时得到死亡好了！”巫姑怒道。
婵娟呆住了，她渐渐悟了过来，“原来你是……宁愿他死？”
“对他而言，自由和死亡是等同的，但他执意要做这样的选择，怎么叫做我宁愿他死？”
“可是你救他不过举手之劳啊，师父！”婵娟仍然不肯放弃。
巫姑瞳孔缩了缩，背过身，不再答理她。她从铜镜中，看到了自己依然镇定的脸，看见婵娟支着地，慢慢地站了起来，年轻的脸上写满了轻蔑和愤恨，那种神情令她害怕。
终于婵娟不再哀求，“你无耻地欺骗了朱宣……和我，其实你心里最明白，为什么他不能走出神殿，恰恰是你自己的诅咒，害了你亲生儿子的一生！”
“你住嘴！”巫姑狂喝道。
“你拦着我没用了。”婵娟毫不示弱，反而提高了声调，“我一早就告诉过你，我全知道了。高唐庙的秘密，你的秘密。”
巫姑浑身发抖。她抓起银匕首朝婵娟掷过去。少女躲闪不及，前额被撞破了，鲜血沿着眼角面颊流下，仿佛判官的朱笔，画出了猩红触目的一竖。
这一幕惊呆了所有人。巫姑有一个亲生儿子的事实，神秘诅咒的存在，这些东西忽然间浮出了水面。大家看着这个大胆冲撞了巫姑的少女，不知所措。
有人偷看清任，青王只是沉默着，呆呆地盯着巫姑和婵娟。春妃垂着头。白氏父子也说不出话，事态的发展完全超出了他们的想像。没有人敢于开口说话，更没有人敢上前拉住这对几乎要发狂了的师徒。
婵娟没有擦拭血迹，她只是瞪大了眼睛，不敢相信平素文雅的巫姑竟会有如此举止。“我曾经那么仰慕你，师父。”她慢慢地说，“甚至你不肯救我，将我逐出神殿的那一天，我都不曾怨恨你。我对自己说，师父太过于爱护朱宣。可是我在高唐庙中看见了什么？我看见了前所未见的可怕诅咒。令人作呕的是，那粉墙上的咒语，还是用尚未凝固的人血写成的！你们——你们这些巫姑的信徒，你们知道那上面写的是什么吗？那上面写着：我用这个死去婴孩的血液，诅咒他的家族将不会有后代，诅咒他所有的血亲在罪孽中度过残生，诅咒这个王国终将以最可怖的形式覆灭！”
即使最谨慎的人，也在这句话的震撼下，发出了恐惧的惊呼。
“甚至——这个诅咒最终也害了朱宣，你都不肯取消它！对你而言，亲生儿子的性命，甚至比不上一个复仇的意愿。你根本不爱他，你根本不懂得什么是爱，你只会无止境地占有！”
“你懂得什么？”巫姑根本没有被婵娟的话语击倒。那些恐惧愤恨的人群，反而使她高高地扬起了她的头，“你不过是个养尊处优的大小姐，你根本不懂得任何苦难！你看见过你最尊敬的人在你面前血溅三尺吗？你经历过自己的国家在入侵者的铁蹄下覆亡、亲族们沦为贱民被异族的武夫蹂躏吗？你曾经有一个不到十岁的亲妹妹一边叮嘱着你复仇一边跳河自杀吗？你知不知道被人当作猎物来射杀来进贡是什么滋味？你知不知道被凌辱是什么滋味？那种如蛆附骨永不超脱的孤独和绝望，像烙印一样打入灵魂，生生世世都无法解脱！你的那些牺牲的情趣，那些正义的幻想，跟这些比起来根本不值得一提！哈！但愿你有机会将这些苦难一一经历，否则你对我的指责永远都是苍白可笑的！”
她站在神殿前高高的台阶上，骄傲地望着惊惧不已的人群，就如同征服者睥睨失败的敌人。呜咽的夜风吹起了她长长的黑袍，像一只鬼魅的大鸟在乘风起舞。很多年前那个毅然绝决的少女瑶姬，似乎又回到了她身上。
“不要谴责我对你们施下残酷的诅咒，没有一个孩子是我杀死的，”她说，“任何诅咒，都需要人心的信愿才能实现。而你们——你们这些贪婪虚伪的青夔人，本来就心怀恶意，罪孽深重。你们末日不远，先谴责你们自己罢！”
巫姑凄厉的话语，就像刀锋扫过众人的胸口，冷得让他们哑口无言。神殿的上方，犹如被死亡的神灵所俯视，从而一片死寂。
“公主……”忽然，一个微弱的声音飘了过来，“公主……”
巫姑悚然一震。那熟悉的声音就像一盆清凉的冷水兜头浇下。声音的来处不远，就在台阶下不远处，然而听起来，却像是遥远的虚空中有人在叹息。青裙傀儡的脸上，浮着难以言喻的哀伤。
“公主，你看看清任，你看看清任啊……”
巫姑蓦然抬头，并不遥远的彼方，隔着重重的人墙，她看见清任惨