Chapter 20 Section VII

Just like the Da'an Guo Temple during the Shangyuan Festival, today's Ximing Temple is surrounded by crowded crowds and loud voices.Han Xiang and Duan Chengshi crossed the crowd in front of Ximing Temple, but their anxiety was even worse than on the day of Shangyuan Festival.The number of Jinwu Guards, which had increased several times, stood guard, but they still couldn't stop the surging crowd.The memories of the deaths and injuries of several people in front of the gate of Da'an Guo Temple have long been forgotten. People only know that the relics left by the Buddha in the world will bring supreme blessings and wash away all sins.

However, Han Yu clearly pointed out in "Remonstrating the Buddha's Bone Table" that the Buddha's bones were originally the remains of the deceased and could only prove that the Buddha was dead.How can the dead Buddha bring blessings to the living world? Han Xiang suddenly understood why his uncle's copy of the "Remonstrance Buddha Bone Table" would make the emperor so angry that he almost killed him.The emperor's reason was that the uncle's advice was correct, but he should not be cursed to death. It was not the uncle who cursed the emperor, but someone else!Uncle was punished for admonishing, just because he inadvertently exposed the emperor's fear!It turned out that everything originated from the emperor's fear, and what was even more frightening was that the emperor's fear had obviously not been dispelled, but intensified instead.Like a beast caught in a trap, although it is still struggling, the premonition of the end of the future is getting more and more turbulent.

Finally arrived in Dongshi. At dusk, there are fewer pedestrians on the street than in Jing'an Square.Han Xiang and Duan Chengshi went straight to the Huihui Building. When there was still a side street, Han Xiang stopped suddenly and pulled Duan Chengshi hard, dragging him behind a white wall. Looking out, the opposite side of the horizontal street is the main entrance of Huihui Building decorated with lights.I saw several tall horses parked in front of the door.Surrounded by the Shence Army, a purple-robed general walked into the Huihui Building with a murderous look.The drinkers rushed out with their heads in their hands.

Duan Chengshi clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Tut Tu Cheng Cui!" The two looked at each other's pale faces.Tutu Chengcui was the emperor's most trusted servant, and it was impossible for him to rush to the Huihui Building at this time for other reasons. Han Xiang asked, "Did you hide that thing well?" Duan Chengshi stared at Huihuilou intently, without answering. Han Xiang's heart sank all of a sudden. "So you're here!" Suddenly a person jumped up, "I've been looking for you everywhere, and I'm going crazy!" It's Guo Huan!

"I just heard from my mother today that the Holy Majesty was furious in the palace. I don't know who showed him "Xin Ping Shangxian". , "Mother took a page back, I knew it was bad when I saw the ghost flower, Duan Chengshi, you got into big trouble this time!" Duan Chengshi asked him: "Did the Holy One order Tutu Chengcui to investigate this matter? Since they have recognized the ghost flower, why don't they go to my house to arrest people?" "My dad has already been there..." Guo Huan wiped his sweat and said, "That's why I know you're not at home. I'm worried that you'll hit Tutu Chengcui's hand and rush to Huihui Building to block you. Thank God, Finally met!"

Duan Chengshi asked sharply, "How are my parents?" "Don't worry about that. The Jinwu Guards are only guarding the gate of the mansion, and no one is allowed to come in and out at will, for fear that someone will tip you off. It is also to catch you directly when you go home." Han Xiang and Duan Chengshi looked at each other. It seemed that if they hadn't rushed to Huihui Building first, they would have been caught by the Jinwu Guard at the gate of Duan's mansion. "Duan Chengshi, run away!" Guo Huan took out a bronze medal from his arms and stuffed it into Duan Chengshi's hand, "I stole my father's waist card, you should find a place to hide first, wait After the evening drum beats and the city gates are closed, they will never think of you using this badge to leave the city."

"……What about you?" "I'm fine." Duan Chengshi pushed back the bronze medal: "Thank you, I don't need this." "What are you going to do?" "One person does things and the other person is responsible. I'm going to see Tutu Chengcui right now!" "You!" Guo Huan stomped, "That guy is a monster, you can't beat him!" Han Xiang also stopped: "Duan Lang, don't be impulsive. Tutu Chengcui has been in for a long time, and it seems that it is not easy to find the original manuscript. Why are you in a hurry to throw yourself into the trap?"

Duan Chengshi said calmly: "He will definitely not find it. I hid it very well. But it will not help. I believe that Tutu Chengcui will definitely come up with a copy of "Xin Fairy Shangxian" written in my handwriting. Present it to the Holy Majesty. He came to Huihui Building today just to make a show. It is best to find the original manuscript, and there is a way if you can’t find him.” Guo Huan said: "Tutu Chengcui dares to forge evidence? The sage is so wise, how can he be easily deceived by him! If he sees it through, can Tu Tucheng Cui afford the crime of deceiving the emperor?"

"I believe in His Majesty's wise decision regarding military and national affairs. But this matter..." Duan Chengshi shook his head, "Comparing your heart with your heart, please tell me. Can you still keep your head calm?" He sneered, "I've finally figured it out now, this matter is a big trap from the beginning to the end. I, Duan Chengshi, don't know who I offended, to resort to such insidious and vicious methods." Escape? Could it be that the whole world is a king, where else can I escape? I don’t want to escape either. What I have to do now is to never implicate other people, especially my parents!"

Someone shouted from the front of Huihui Building, and Tutu Chengcui stepped out of the gate with a gloomy face. Duan Chengshi nodded towards Guo Huan and Han Xiang, and then strode towards the Shence Army. Guo Huan still wanted to rush out, but Han Xiang firmly held him back: "You will only add fuel to the fire if you go out at this time, and you won't be able to help Duan Lang at all!" The two watched helplessly as Duan Chengshi was detained by the Shence Army, and Tu Tu Cheng Cui led the crowd away in panic. "Cough!" Guo Huan punched the wall. Han Xiang's heart also seemed to be boiling with oil, confusion, annoyance, and gratuitous hatred all mixed together.Seeing that Guo Huan was about to cry, he wanted to comfort him: "Don't worry too much. Duan Lang is extremely smart and will never sit still. In my opinion, there is still room for improvement in this matter. If Duan Lang can face To see the Holy One, just tell the truth about what happened. We can all see that he was framed, so how can the Holy One not see it?"

"But Duan Chengshi's words have no evidence at all!" "evidence?" Guo Huanhong said with red eye circles: "Actually, Duan Chengshi has become weird since he went back to Lishan to hunt last time. I questioned him for a long time, but he refused to tell the truth at first, and only asked me to help him go to the official department to investigate. , Are there two county lieutenants named Xin Gongping and Cheng Shilian?" "Oh!" Han Xiang had an epiphany, "How is it? Have you found it?" "I thought of many ways to find connections, and finally found all the records of the Ministry of Officials in the Yuanhe period. There are no such two county lieutenants at all." "Then... how about going further?" Guo Huan glanced at him: "At that time, Duan Chengshi was the same as you, and asked me to investigate further. I quit, and he had to explain what was going on, so he told the story of the night hunting in Lishan. Having said that, he also showed me "Xin Gong Shangxian", which almost scared me to death." Han Xiang couldn't help sighing.Although Guo Huan is not as talented and intelligent as Duan Chengshi, he is more intelligent than Duan Chengshi when it comes to right and wrong.Duan Chengshi has been immersed in the legends of demons and ghosts all day long, and has lost a little sensitivity to the ways of the world. Guo Huan continued: "I went to check the list of officials from Zhenyuan to Yongzhen..." There was a hint of fear in his voice, "There are no such two people." Han Xiang understood what Guo Huan meant: even if Duan Chengshi told the whole story about his adventures, it would not be convincing to the emperor.Lishan, the ruins of Huaqing Palace, and the two county captains who didn't exist at all, all of these are more like Duan Chengshi's nonsense or false excuses. It seemed that Duan Chengshi was really doomed this time. Han Xiang murmured: "At least, you and I believe that he is telling the truth..." "It's useless for us to believe!" "Don't worry, don't worry." Han Xiang said, "Think carefully, what else can I do to help Duan Lang?" Guo Huan slapped his forehead: "By the way, he even asked someone to check. I just found some clues, and I didn't have time to tell him." "who?" "Duan Chengshi said that he met a person in Huaqing Palace, and it was that person who put him in a carriage and took him to meet Xin Fair." "Yes. It should be that person who went to Ghost Blossom Room to leave a book for Duan Chengshi, and made an appointment with him in Huaqing Palace." "Duan Chengshi said that the man claimed to be Li Liang. So I also checked Li Liang's background, but after a long time, there was no result." Han Xiang urged: "Did you find out?" The situation was urgent, why did Guo Huan become verbose? "Until yesterday, I tentatively mentioned this name to my mother, but she immediately changed her face and asked me how I knew this person. I tried to evade it, and she told me—" After a pause, Guo Huan said, " In the first year of Yongzhen, a man named Luo Lingze rebelled, Li Liang was Luo Lingze's rebellious party, and both were executed." "Executed?" Guo Huan nodded and said: "Li Liang once served as the Duzhi inspector and Zuo Shiyi for a few months during the first emperor. After the current emperor ascended the throne, he was demoted to the county magistrate of Pengcheng. So he held a grudge and fought with Ni Thief Luoling colluded with each other in an attempt to rebel, and was eventually killed because the conspiracy was revealed." "Could it be that...Duan Lang really met a ghost?" Han Xiang felt terrified. "I don't know. My mother only told me that this person's name is Liang, and the words are repeated. I don't know anything else." Han Xiang was stunned.