Chapter 44 Section five

Pei Xuanjing returned to Yuchen Temple in Daming Palace. Princess Yong'an stood far away under the eaves, watching Pei Xuanjing walk into her room without saying a word.The autumn wind suddenly picked up, and the yellow leaves fell one after another.Because no one cleaned it, there was a thick layer of fallen leaves in front of Pei Xuanjing's house.Walking on the corridor paved with stones, the soft rustle under the skirt has become her most real feeling about everything in the world during this period of time. The harsh winter is coming.This winter must be very long, so long that it will never end.

Pei Xuanjing knew that the duel with the Tang Emperor was coming to an end.She has even been able to confirm that she will win the final victory.Although it was a narrow victory, it was even more tragic. Layers upon layers of corpses paved her way to victory, and Pei Xuanjing would not let them down. In fact, when Pei Xuanjing deduced everything that Li Zhongyan had arranged, she also had doubts: Since he has been planning for more than ten years and has been able to put the acrostic poems directly on the emperor's desk, even if he wants to kill the emperor, he can't Not impossible.But why didn't he do that?

Only now did Pei Xuanjing fully understand Li Zhongyan's intentions.Revenge was of course Li Zhongyan's only goal, but in Li Zhongyan's view, killing the emperor directly would be too cheap for him.Li Zhongyan didn't want the emperor to die quickly, on the contrary, he wanted to torture the emperor and hit him from all sides.Li Zhongyan cleverly set up a plan and implemented it carefully. Step by step, the emperor lost his most dependent courtiers, most trusted female officials, and even the affection of brothers, wives and children, until he became a real lonely man, and finally lost his health and the most admirable willpower in the world. .

When the emperor swallowed the golden pill in front of Pei Xuanjing, his collapse was clearly visible. The emperor can't last long. Li Zhongyan is the mastermind behind the word change in "Tui Bei Tu", including the first and second developments of Lingyan Pavilion, which must be his masterwork.Song Ruozhao knew it in his heart, but he couldn't express it, because even if he reported to the emperor, he would not be able to keep Shilin Court out of the matter.With the emperor's suspicion and coldness, what awaits Song Ruozhao and his younger sister Ruolun is still a catastrophe.So Song Ruozhao could only try his best to emphasize the power of ghosts and gods, and even arranged the appearance of the thirty-third elephant himself, hoping to get rid of this terrible chaos that would inevitably lead to misfortune.But in the end, she couldn't even save her own life.

Pei Xuanjing believed that it was Li Zhongyan who killed Song Ruozhao.It stands to reason that causing innocent people to die should make Pei Xuanjing feel angry, but now her conscience seems to be a little numb.Moreover, Li Zhongyan had already atoned for his crime by committing suicide.Before he died, he went to visit Pei Xuanjing and let her realize that he was just a poor person.After living in the mausoleum of the first emperor for more than ten years, the only strength supporting him was his hatred for the emperor.Today, Pei Xuanjing completely understands him. It has to be said that Li Zhongyan's elaborate revenge plan is full of blood.Before he died, he handed it over to Pei Xuanjing because he believed that she would help him complete it.

If the emperor had not committed the crime of patricide, he would not be as terrified and desperate as he is now.What Li Zhongyan planned was to use the emperor's own conscience to kill.The most brilliant thing is that the emperor will use his own death to plead guilty. Everything proves that the emperor deserved what he deserved. When Pei Xuanjing believed that Pei Du was deceiving herself with Cui Miao's life and death, she also abandoned the last sliver of illusion. Pei Xuanjing believed that Cui Miao was dead, and there was no way she was still alive.When she witnessed Pei Du shooting Cui Miao with her own eyes, Pei Xuanjing still tried her best to abandon her hatred for her uncle.Now she no longer makes that effort.In fact, when she watched her uncle go away, she didn't feel much hatred in her heart, but a kind of relief.

In today's Daming Palace, there is no living person that Pei Xuanjing misses, she only wants to be close to those who died.Their faces were vivid in her heart, and Pei Xuanjing decided that the time when she would meet the deceased was not far away. A short, soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Master Pei Lian! Master Pei Lian, open the door!" A female voice whispered outside the door, so nervous that even the tone of her voice changed, but the unchanging sweetness and coquettishness made Pei Xuanjing feel familiar. It turned out to be already night.Only then did Pei Xuanjing realize that the room was pitch black, and fumbled around to light up a candle at hand.During the days of being imprisoned in Tai Chi Palace, she has become used to living in darkness day and night, forgetting that people need light.

The candlelight was like beans, drawing a red halo in front of her. The people outside the door were still calling: "Master Pei Lian, are you there?" The voice became more and more anxious. Pei Xuanjing came to the door holding a candle and opened it. "Ah, Master Pei Lian, I finally saw you! Great!" Du Qiuniang exclaimed in surprise, "Let's go in and talk, and let no one see you." She wanted to squeeze in the door, but was blocked by Pei Xuanjing. "What's wrong?" Du Qiuniang looked at Pei Xuanjing's face, "Master Pei Lian, I came here specially to find you!"

Pei Xuanjing was silent. Du Qiuniang said: "Oh, do you think I shouldn't be here? Oh, it's a long story. I came to you secretly, please let me in first." Pei Xuanjing remained motionless. "Master Pei Lian, why don't you speak?" Du Qiuniang suddenly remembered, "Ah! Could it be that what they said is true? You were really consecrated...he..." Pei Xuanjing nodded silently. "My God!" Du Qiuniang's eyes suddenly burst into tears, "If Cui Lang finds out about this, he will die of heartache..." Before she could say a word, she was dragged into the room by Pei Xuanjing.

While Du Qiuniang was still in a daze, Pei Xuanjing quickly closed the door, took a pen and paper, and handed it to her in front of her. There were only two words written on the paper: Cui Miao? Du Qiuniang clutched her chest and said, "My God, how did it become like this!" She grabbed Pei Xuanjing's arm and shook it vigorously, "Master Pei Lian, listen to me, Cui Miao is still alive! It was he who planned to send me to Daming The palace came here just to find you!" Pei Xuanjing stared at Du Qiuniang with a pale face, her eyes still full of doubts. Du Qiuniang calmed down a bit: "Master Pei Lian, don't worry, let me start from the beginning. If you have any questions, just write them down on paper."

So she sighed coquettishly, and told the whole story of Cui Miao's search for herself at Xue Tao's villa at Huanhuaxitou, and how she came to Chang'an with Nie Yinniang and his wife.Finally, he said: "Master Pei Lian, although I, Du Qiuniang, am a prostitute, I have always envied chivalrous demeanor. Back then, Cui Lang and Master Pei Lian were kind enough to save their lives. This time they are in trouble, so I will repay them. It's just that In the past few days since I entered the palace, I have been afraid to inquire about the whereabouts of Master Pei Lian easily, so I delayed until today. I finally found out that Master Lian is here, and I just happen to be with him..." She suddenly stopped talking, and a burst of inexplicable expression appeared on her face. "The sage ordered someone to send a message to me, saying that I am not feeling well today, and I will not let me go. That's why I have such a free time, and sneaked out to find a refiner." Du Qiuniang finally finished speaking, and stared blankly at Pei Xuanjing, waiting for her to write a few words on the paper, or at least show some expression.But Pei Xuanjing seemed to be in a trance, the red light of the candle illuminated her face like jade, in Du Qiuniang's view, she was more beautiful than she remembered, she was simply extraordinary, like a fairy. Du Qiuniang asked timidly: "Master Pei Lian, did you make any mistake? You still made the Holy Majesty unhappy..." Pei Xuanjing suddenly picked up a pen, and added two words after the original "Cui Miao" on the paper: dead. "Huh?" Du Qiuniang was stunned, "I told you, Cui Lang is not dead, and now he is outside the Chunming gate, waiting for the master to meet him." Pei Xuanjing put the written paper on the candlelight.The flames burned rapidly, and pieces of black ash danced like butterflies. Du Qiuniang seemed to realize something: "Master Pei Lian, you don't believe my words?" Pei Xuanjing's eyes crossed with hers. Du Qiuniang almost jumped up: "Master Pei Lian, what did I do to lie to you! I faked my death and stayed away from the capital, and now I come here by myself, just to tell you a few lies! I'm so full! Seeing that Pei Xuanjing still looked unmoved, Du Qiuniang was really angry, "Well, anyway, I brought the words to the table, and I am worthy of you and my own conscience! I can't care about anything else!" " She made a gesture to get up to leave, but Pei Xuanjing didn't even look at her.Du Qiuniang rolled up her sleeves angrily again, took off a small sachet hanging under her jade wrist, and threw it on the table in resentment. "Cui Langzhong asked me to bring it to you. It's useless for me to keep it, so take it!" Pei Xuanjing still didn't move. Du Qiuniang was so angry that she picked up the sachet from the table and brought it under Pei Xuanjing's nose: "I, Du Qiuniang, always do things with the utmost benevolence. Well, Cui Langzhong said, what kind of ecstasy spice is in it, you may use it Got it. And..." She took out another pill from the pouch on the outside of the sachet, "There is also this kind of small pill, which is said to be more effective than ordinary chicken tongue incense. As long as it is contained under the base of the tongue, it will It will not be harmed by the ecstasy incense. There are more than ten capsules in it, and you use it slowly! Cui Lang also said that the taste of this incense will be covered by ambergris, and this method can be used to deceive people. Alright! All that needs to be said It's over! Anyway, he repeatedly asked me to emphasize to you that he doesn't care about his life experience, he only wants you to return safely!" She had given up hope, but she was surprised to see Pei Xuanjing suddenly raised her face, and two balls of fire ignited in her eyes. Pei Xuanjing opened her mouth, as if about to say something, but then went to hold the pen again. At this moment, there was a rapid knock on the door, and someone whispered outside the door: "Qiu Niang, come out quickly, the Holy One has sent someone to see you!" Du Qiuniang turned pale with fright.Pei Xuanjing rushed over to open the door, and the pale moonlight illuminated a slim figure—it was Zheng Qiong'e. Seeing the second daughter coming out, Zheng Qiong'e hurriedly said: "The father-in-law who sent the message is waiting in the front hall of Qinghui Pavilion. I lied that the lady has already fallen asleep, so I ask him to wait for a while. Hurry up, any delay will arouse suspicion!" Du Qiuniang quickly followed her, walked a few steps, and asked, "How did you find this place?" Zheng Qiong'e said: "I see that you have been inquiring about Pei Lianshi these days, and just now another person sneaked out of Qinghui Pavilion and came in the direction of Yuchenguan. I guess you are probably looking for her." Du Qiuniang opened her eyes wide: "Are you watching me?" "Oh!" Zheng Qiong'e said anxiously, "I'm worried about Qiuniang." "What else did you see? What did you hear?" "I don't see anything! I don't hear anything!" Du Qiuniang said sharply: "I warn you, don't try to blackmail me with this matter! Now who is the person who cares most about the Holy Spirit, you must be able to see!" I have heard about the struggle in Pingkang Square for a long time, and jealousy was unavoidable in Pingkangfang, so I am extremely vigilant.Zheng Qiong'e is so beautiful and has a special status. Du Qiuniang was already quite afraid of her in her heart, and she didn't want to fall into her hands today. Zheng Qiong'e was taken aback for a moment, and then said with a wry smile: "Don't worry, Qiu Niang. Master Pei Lian has been kind to me, even for her sake, I wouldn't gossip. Why bother to hit a stone with an egg." The last sentence was full of bitterness, but also a kind of indifference that sees through the world. Du Qiuniang couldn't help being stunned.Zheng Qiong'e raised her hand, gently inserted a phoenix hairpin at her temple, and said softly: "Be sure to stay calm, he is the most shrewd, and you must not let him see the flaws." The figures of the two women disappeared into the night.Pei Xuanjing stood alone in the middle of the room, but waves of turmoil arose in her heart. Cui Miao is really still alive! Du Qiuniang was telling the truth, and my uncle wasn't lying either! The tower of vengeance that had just been built fell apart in an instant.Why, why did she get the news now? !