Chapter 21 Section VIII

When Han Xiang returned to Han Mansion, it was completely dark. An oil lamp was lit in the ear room, and when the servant saw Han Xiang coming back, he hurriedly opened the door to welcome him in, muttering, "I thought Mr. Lang would not come back for dinner today, so I didn't prepare." "Forget it." Han Xiang said, "I don't have any appetite. Where's Li Erlang?" "I've eaten, and I've already waited for him to sleep." "...Where's Li Fuyan?" "That friend of yours? He didn't eat anything. Alas, this man is also strange. Except when your husband is around, he hardly eats. I don't know how he survived..."

Han Xiang interrupted him: "Do you still remember when he came to the mansion as a guest?" The servant's eyes widened: "A doorman? No way, Ah Lang has never had such a doorman." Han Xiang stared at him: "Why didn't you say it earlier?" "I... I always thought he was a friend brought back by Mr. Lang." The servant looked innocent. "It's okay, it's okay." Han Xiang took the lantern from the servant and walked into the dark courtyard. The sundries scattered all over the floor had already been picked up when I first came back, and the courtyard was even more empty.On the long corridor, for the sake of economy, no lanterns are lit.On a moonless night like today, it was so dark that you could hardly see your fingers.

This Han Mansion seems to be dead. The door of the west wing was half-closed, and the flickering candlelight came out from the gap under the door. A long figure came to the door and stopped.Han Xiang also stood still outside the door.The two sides confronted each other silently for a moment, and with a "squeak", the door opened. Li Fuyan said: "Han Lang is back, are you looking for me?" Han Xiang nodded. "Please come in." Li Fuyan pointed to the couch, "Han Lang, sit down?" Han Xiang stood still: "How long has Brother Li stayed in my house?"

Li Fuyan coughed a few times, Fang said: "But I can't remember." "Can't remember? Didn't brother Li come here a few days before the Lantern Festival? I can't even remember such a close thing?" "When Han Lang reaches my age, he will find that the closer things are easier to forget, but the more distant things are remembered more deeply." Li Fuyan said meaningfully. Han Xiang asked coldly, "Who are you?" "I'm Li Fuyan, Master Han's disciple." "My uncle didn't have such a guest." Li Fuyan remained silent, neither admitting nor denying.

"Is Fuyan the name of Brother Li, not his name?" The corners of Li Fuyan's lips twitched: "It turns out that Han Lang even found out about this?" "Impossible! You can't be Li Fuyan!" Han Xiang said sharply, "Li Fuyan is already dead!" Li Fuyan nodded slightly: "It seems that Han Lang knows everything." Han Xiang took a step forward, looked directly at the other party and said, "I only know that there was a person named Li, Liang, and Fuyan who participated in Luo Lingze's rebellion against the party and was executed as early as the first year of Yongzhen. .” Paused, and added, “That was exactly fifteen years ago!”

Li Fuyan sighed: "I remember that incident clearly. In a blink of an eye, fifteen years have passed..." "You!" Han Xiang clenched his teeth, "Are you really a ghost?" "The difference between humans and ghosts is only one breath, so why should they be so clearly distinguished?" "That makes sense!" Han Xiang said, "Okay, I'll treat you as the ghost of Li Fuyan who died fifteen years ago. Please tell me, what exactly do you want to do?" "Did I do anything?" "Why did you frame Duan Chengshi?" "Framed? I just provided him with a ghost story. Doesn't that young gentleman like such stories the most?"

"But that's a story about cursing the king, Duan Chengshi has already been captured by the Shence Army!" "Is it my fault?" Li Fuyan sneered. Han Xiang was very angry: "Why did you do this, what kind of enmity does Duan Chengshi have with you?" "Han Lang just mentioned my death..." "Your death?" Li Fuyan said sadly: "Look up that part of the past carefully! You will understand what I did, it was just the wail of a person who died in vain from hell—you are wronged!" The last two words spit out from his mouth At that time, it seemed that he was full of blood and tears, which made Han Xiang shiver involuntarily.

Han Xiang regained his composure, and said again: "Duan Chengshi was just born in the first year of Yongzhen, even if you were wronged and died, it has nothing to do with him. Why did you harm him?" Li Fuyan replied leisurely: "I just want to kill him." "You!" Han Xiang said angrily, "Okay. Now that you have admitted it, follow me to Jingzhao Mansion. I don't care if you are a human or a ghost, as long as you say what you just said, and then say goodbye to me." Master Jing Zhaoyin, say it again!" He stretched out his hand to pull Li Fuyan, but as soon as he touched the other's sleeve, a biting coolness passed over his fingertips, and he retracted his hand involuntarily.

Li Fuyan laughed "hehe". Han Xiang suddenly thought: This Li Fuyan, who doesn't know whether he is a man or a ghost, came to live in Han's residence while setting a trap for Duan Chengshi. !He asked: "Why did you come to the Han Mansion, are you playing with other ghost ideas?" "I'm a ghost, what else can I do if I don't think of ghosts?" Han Xiang's right hand couldn't help but put it on the hilt of the sword.Li Fuyan saw his movements, and the smile on his face deepened. Han Xiang asked sharply, "Are you still trying to harm my uncle?"

Li Fuyan let out a violent choking cough, as if he was about to cough up his lungs, and gasping for breath, he said: "These days I was in the mansion... Han Lang was with me all the time, what did I do... Could it be that Han Lang looked at me?" Don't you see?" Han Xiang decided not to fight anymore: "Okay, just ask Brother Li to come with me!" "Okay, okay." Li Fuyan really walked out unsteadily, "I will follow Han Lang's request and tell Mr. Jing Zhaoyin that I heard Duan Chengshi's story from me. At the same time, I will I will also tell Master Jing Zhaoyin that I heard my story from Master Han."

"You!" Han Xiang was so mad at him that he reprimanded loudly, "Master Jing Zhaoyin wouldn't believe such nonsense!" "Could he rather believe that I'm a ghost?" Han Xiang was taken aback. "Master Han was relegated because of the dispute over the Buddha's bones, so he held a grudge against the Holy One. He had already spoken badly in "Admonishing the Buddha's Bone Table" and cursed the Holy One. This time he made up the weird story of "Xin Gong's Immortal", and Using Duan Chengshi's mouth to make it widely spread, do you think——this story, Master Jing Zhaoyin will believe it?" Han Xiang gritted his teeth and said, "No!" "But he must not dare to hide it, and he will definitely report this statement to the Holy Majesty. Then, will the Holy Majesty believe it?" Li Fuyan smiled grimly, "What is the most taboo and most hated thing by the Holy Majesty? What about it? I believe that the Holy Majesty will not let anyone involved in "Xin Gong's Shangxian", no matter who they are. Therefore, as long as you dare to send me to Jingzhao Mansion, I will bite you with my mouth open. Anyone who bites, will definitely make a bloody storm in this city of Chang'an, and there will be no peace!" Han Xiang was so angry that he couldn't say another word. "In short, either send me to Jingzhao Mansion, which will implicate more people; or let me go, but what your friend Duan Chengshi said will be regarded as nonsense to deny the crime. Don't try to save him." Han Xiang pulled out his sword with a "chuckle" and said, "I don't believe I can't tell you the truth! Even if you are a ghost, the sword in my hand, Han Xiangzi, can kill you!" He pointed the sword at Li Fuyan's Chest, "Do you want to die again?!" Li Fuyan was stunned, and suddenly screamed strangely and rushed out the door: "Come on, someone! Help!" "Stop!" Han Xiang chased after him with his sword raised. The two rushed up the corridor one after the other.It was too dark, only the gray shadow when the cloth robe in front was flipped was faintly discernible.Maybe Li Fuyan was really a ghost. He usually looked sick and weak, but now he was running very lightly and fast. Instead, Han Xiang was bumping and stumbling, and the footsteps in front of him became farther and farther away. When he was anxious, a red light suddenly shot out. "Lang Jun? What are you doing?" It was the servant who heard the noise and came looking for him with a lantern. Han Xiang yelled: "Stop him quickly, don't let him run away!" The servant stopped Li Fuyan when he heard the words.The two pushed and shoved each other, the lantern fell to the ground, and the flames burst out.Han Xiang arrived in a few steps, and the servant had already been strangled by Li Fuyan and was struggling desperately. Han Xiang raised his sword high and shouted, "Let go!" In the distorted red light, Li Fuyan's face was ferocious like a demon.The servant was already rolling his eyes, and let out a desperate cluck in his throat. Han Xiang's sword stabbed out. The blood burst open, staining Li Fuyan's gray cloth robe red.He didn't even utter a word, and fell down. The servant screamed: "Wow, murder!" Han Xiang rushed forward.The blood on his hands was still warm.Li Fuyan moved his lips and said with difficulty: "Han Lang... Hurry up, go away... Li, leave... Chang'an..." The last beating on the neck stopped. Han Xiang said to himself: "Did I kill someone?" "Isn't it, sir! How can this be done!" Han Xiang stared at this bluish-white face—Li Fuyan was indeed a human being, not a ghost.But now, he is dead.He was the first person Han Xiang killed in his life, and Han Xiang could see clearly that he sent his chest up by himself. Han Xiang never thought that one day he would really kill someone, let alone that at this moment, his heart was pierced like a knife. It seemed that the person who had just been buried by his hands was not an enemy with evil intentions, but a close friend who had been separated for many years.I was supposed to help him and protect him, but killed him by mistake.Han Xiang intuitively felt that even if one day he could solve the mystery of Li Fuyan, this regret would haunt him for the rest of his life. At that time, a horse-drawn carriage came out of Chang'an Chunming Gate silently.After walking for a while, it stopped quietly in the shadow of Zhongnan Mountain. In the carriage, Han Xiang cupped his hands to Guo Huan and said, "Thank you very much." Guo Huan said proudly: "Thank you. The waist card is stolen anyway, so there is no need to be a pity." "Won't Jing Zhaoyin notice it?" "It's okay, I'll put it back for him right now, he won't know anything." Guo Huan said again, "Fortunately, I was in Duan's mansion tonight, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help, and you just happened to find me , otherwise you will not be able to pass the night ban, so go to my house in Anxingfang." "Yeah, my luck is pretty good." Han Xiang said with a wry smile, "You don't think I'm a deserter, do you?" "How could it be! It's the principle of a sage that a gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall!" After a pause, Guo Huan said angrily, "It's Duan Chengshi who has a brain, otherwise I'd join him too. Sent away." "Do you know where he is now?" "I heard that Tutu Chengcui was going to bring him into the palace for interrogation, but the sage ordered him to be held in Dali Temple first." "Is it better in Dali Temple?" "Of course. If it really falls into the hands of Tutu Chengcui, even ten Duan Chengshi can't handle it." Han Xiang nodded: "Presumably the Holy Majesty knows this too." "Yes. My father also said that even for the sake of the dead Mr. Wu, the Holy One has to be merciful." "That's why Duan Chengshi knows what's going on in his heart." Han Xiang forced a smile, "This elf, knowing that he won't suffer a big loss, is willing to surrender himself. Otherwise, he must run faster than a rabbit." "Hehe, that's right." Guo Huan also squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying. Han Xiang said again: "I was thinking, Duan Lang insisted that Xin Gonggong's story was heard. Although there is no way to prove it, others have no way to prove that he is talking nonsense. The so-called ghosts and gods are not clear. It’s not always said that it’s better to believe what you have than to believe what you don’t have.” Guo Huan patted his thigh: "That's right! Besides, our Majesty, we have always believed in these things." Han Xiang said seriously: "But you must try to notify Duan Chengshi as soon as possible, and you must not mention Li Liang's name!" "why?" "Because once this person is mentioned, it will involve the past events and grievances many years ago, and it can no longer be pushed to ghosts and gods." "But……" "Listen to me, framing Duan Lang is definitely not something that Li Fuyan can do alone. He must have accomplices. We don't know anything about his accomplices, and we don't know what they will do next. But there is one thing It is certain: their targets should undoubtedly be the Wu family and the Han family, and only by finding out the relationship and secrets behind it can we truly help Duan Lang get rid of his grievances and avoid future disasters." Guo Huan nodded frequently: "What should I do?" "Let Duan Chengshi continue to pretend to be a fool in front of Shengshang and Tutu Chengcui, and make Xin Gonggong's story as evil as possible. Anyway, everyone knows that Duan Lang likes legends about demons and ghosts. It doesn't matter how outrageous the story is. I I have hidden Li Fuyan's body in the backyard of the Han Mansion. After you go back, find a chance to go there and transport the body to a proper place for preservation. The servants in my family will help. I have told the servants to wait for the body to be transported away. Afterwards, he will go to Chaozhou to join his uncle. Then you can find a way to find someone who handled the Luo Lingze conspiracy case in the first year of Yongzhen. If you can find an old person from the past, you will take him to identify the dead body. Is it Li Liang?" "I understand." Guo Huan thought for a while and asked again, "What if I can't find the old man?" "If you can't find it, just find a suitable place and bury him." Han Xiang sighed. After the explanation was almost finished, both of them fell silent.Han Xiang looked at Li Mi who was sitting opposite.Up to now, he still looks detached, as if he didn't see or hear anything, just immersed in his own world, still holding the tattered golden hairpin firmly in his right hand. Han Xiang sighed: "If it wasn't for him, it wouldn't matter if I stayed. But what if something happened to me or I was arrested, what would he do? Since Jing Niang entrusted him to me, I will be responsible to the end." Guo Huan asked: "Where is Han Lang planning to go? If I get news from here, how can I tell you?" "I will go to Taiyuan Mansion to join Mr. Pei. If you have any news, you can send it there." "Success." Guo Huan raised the curtain and looked out, "It's getting late, I have to go back." When Guo Huan got out of the car, Han Xiang called him again: "Guo Lang, if you have a chance to meet Pei Lianshi, please tell her that I will take Li Mi away, so she can rest assured." "no problem." "Also... Please tell Duan Chengshi a word." "What words?" "Please tell him, 'Ghost flowers don't talk, laugh frequently' is the most touching story I have ever heard. I believe he will be able to survive this disaster safely, because all things have spirits, and Duan Chengshi was born for them The one who wrote the story, so they must protect him too."