Emperor Qingming said this in his heart at this time, not without reason——
Half a month ago, he wrote a secret edict in his own hand and had it sent to the Dingnan Palace in Ningyang.
Just yesterday, he received a reply from King Dingnan——
When he thought of the letter that didn't even seem to be written by Wu Jun himself, the emperor felt a fire burning in his heart, burning his internal organs with dryness and pain.
He explained the current situation and the difficulties faced by the imperial court in detail with Wu Jun based on the secret decree, but the old man only replied to him - since the situation is like this, I hope your majesty can come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible to solve the predicament.
Doesn't he know that he needs to deal with it as soon as possible?
And the reason why he passed on this secret edict was obviously to let the Wu family try to help him resolve the chaos as soon as possible!
This old guy is simply pretending to be confused, waiting to see his joke...!
He had long seen that the Ningyang Wu family, which always prided itself on being superior, had never put him, the emperor, in their eyes at all!
Even when he sent a daughter to the palace to be the queen, he was very high-spirited, as if he didn't think highly of his royal family, so agreeing to his marriage proposal was like a great grace and condescension...
He has been thinking since he received the reply yesterday, if it were his second brother sitting in his chair today, would the Wu family still stand by and watch with such cold eyes?
And no matter how many times he thought about it, the answer was the same - never!
Therefore, these so-called nobles are actually the most hypocritical and hateful people!
Even his queen has never been of the same mind as him...
In the sight, the willow branches are swaying gently, the breeze ruffles the blue waves, and the cat is sleeping soundly on the boulder. This is a cool and leisurely scene, but it cannot calm the anger in the emperor's heart at all. On the contrary, it makes the anger that has no place to bloom intensify.
Sheng, eager to find an outlet to vent.
"Stop—" Emperor Qingming suddenly said.
Hearing this command, the dragon chariot was quickly put down smoothly.
"Your Majesty, you want to enjoy the cool weather?" Li Ji said with a smile: "This is indeed a clean place. Your Majesty can go and sit in the pavilion for a while."
Emperor Qingming was noncommittal and walked towards the boulder unhurriedly.
The sun shines through the willow branches and leaves, and sprinkles little bits of gold on the cat's body, making the shiny fur even more beautiful.
However, as Emperor Qingming approached, the shadow brought by his tall figure slowly fell, and the golden color around Mao'er was completely blocked.
At this moment, Tianfu seemed to sense the danger approaching and suddenly jumped up vigilantly.
The moment he met those sinister eyes, the hair on the cat's body stood up, a fierce expression began to appear on his face, and he also let out unfriendly sounds.
Seeing this scene, Emperor Qingming let out a sneer from his lips and teeth.
It’s not like I’ve never seen him before, but he still looks like he’s ready to pounce at any time. He is indeed a good cat raised by the Queen!
"Catch this beast..." Emperor Qingming's eyes were cold, but there was also a hint of vague excitement: "Be careful, if you accidentally fall into the pool, the queen will be sad.
"
After understanding the meaning of these words, Li Ji couldn't help but be startled.
Why is the emperor still competing with a cat?
This is clearly someone who is dissatisfied with the Wu family, but doesn't want to show off, so he wants to vent his dissatisfaction on the Queen's beloved cat...
Although His Majesty's layout has always been small, but to be so small... Could it be that he is about to be driven crazy by the many recent unfavorable situations?
Looking at the vigilant cat with a silver lock hanging around its neck, it was obviously a cat that was carefully raised. He also raised two cats in private. Li Ji, who is also a cat lover, felt a little unbearable. However, the emperor's
The instructions must not be disobeyed.
He had no choice but to order the palace officials to come forward and surround the tabby cat.
Behind the tabby cat is the pond, and seven or eight palace servants have surrounded it without leaving any gaps for escape.
A eunuch rushed forward to catch the tabby cat.
The cat was nimble and quickly avoided it. However, at this moment, a guard took out the slingshot used to drive away cicadas, and a flying stone hit the cat heavily on its hind legs.
"Meow!"
Tianfu was shocked and in pain, and let out a shrill scream.
Emperor Qingming felt inexplicably more comfortable, but also a little regretful - it's a pity that he didn't hit his head.
As soon as this idea appeared, his pupils suddenly shrank the next moment.
The tabby cat seemed to have gone crazy, jumping up and rushing toward him!
The cat, which didn't look very big, jumped up like that and looked ferocious. It was as frightening as some kind of beast. Emperor Qingming subconsciously backed away, but it was still too late——
The tabby cat pounced on his chest, its four paws hung tightly on his robe like sharp hooks, and raised its two front paws, hitting and scratching him!
Li Ji was shocked.
How could he not know that once a cat is frightened...it is a different kind of animal! Despite its small size, it can beat you to the point of doubting your life if you really use its hands!
Although he inevitably felt that the emperor deserved it, the emperor was still the emperor. Li Ji could only shout "Guard me!" while trying to pull the cat off.
With the combined efforts of the two, the tabby cat was "pulled out".
A group of internal prisoners gathered around him again.
In the chaos, an internal prison guard tripped over something and fell down with an "ouch!"
Tianfu took advantage of this opportunity, jumped over the prisoner's body, and ran away quickly.
The eunuch climbed up and sat up, and the face he raised was that of Xiao Chenzi.
"Where's the cat?"
"Looks like he ran away!"
"You don't care whether it's a cat or not... help His Majesty go back quickly and ask for the imperial doctor!" Li Ji said nervously, looking at His Majesty the Emperor who was scratched so badly.
Emperor Qingming, whose neck and jaw were scratched so hard that blood could be seen, was helped back to the dragon chariot, trembling with anger.
He was beaten by a cat!
And these losers actually let the cat escape!
After quietly taking a look at the embarrassed emperor, Li Ji sighed in his heart.
So, if you're in a bad mood, it's not good. Why bother with other people's cats...
Does the emperor feel now that he was in a good mood before?
…
Tianfu was so frightened that he ran out of the imperial garden, followed the deserted path, and ran outside the dark court.
Even in the daytime, the door to the dark court is closed.
The cat found the dog hole in the corner and got in.
The door of the old courtyard had long been damaged. Tianfu squeezed in through the gap under the door panel and came to a house with half of the roof collapsed and a large hole leaking out.
The house, which had long been uninhabited, was filled with a musty smell due to rain leaks. The bed and wooden cabinets were all very old.
Tianfu came behind the wardrobe placed against the wall.
It was said that it was placed against the wall. Because the corners of the cabinet were against the wall, there was some space in the middle. It was along this gap that Tianfu was able to follow the entrance hidden under the cabinet and go down to the basement - head
When he came back, the tabby cat thought he was lucky to have discovered the mouse nest and was ready to kill him.
There was a stone staircase at the entrance, and the cat's claws stepped on it lightly and silently, but the people in the secret room were still aware of it.
"You're here..."
It was a hoarse and somewhat slow voice.
Tianfu said "meow" as if in response.
In the darkness, the man sat up and stretched out his hand towards it.
Tianfu ran over and rubbed his head affectionately on that hand.
He held it in front of him with his big hands, and soon discovered something was wrong: "Is it injured?"
Tianfu couldn't answer, and the man didn't need it to answer. For the time being, he put the cat on the blanket in front of him, moved his body, stretched out his hand, fumbled for the fire break on the small table beside him, and lit an oil lamp.
The small secret room was quickly filled with light.
The man's appearance also became clear.
Her gray hair is tied loosely on her head with an old shiny wooden hairpin, she is wearing a gray robe, and her complexion is unusually pale as she has not seen the sun all year round.
He sat there and looked at the cat's injured leg.
"Fortunately, it's not serious... having thicker skin is also beneficial." He took out a bottle of medicine from the box at the end of the couch, crushed it and pressed it on the cat's injury, tore open a cloth and wrapped it tightly
Live, and there is a small bow tied at the end.
"Remember to be more careful next time. I have taught you so many times that it is best to avoid people when you see them..." He sighed: "It is a good thing to be cared for and enjoy, but don't let your guard down.
"
Tianfu didn't know if he understood what he said, but he let out a "meow" from time to time.
While talking, the man's hand touched its neck and skillfully opened the longevity lock.
It's a reply...
Realizing that there was something hidden inside, the man took out the note with trembling fingers.
From the moment the cat walked into the secret room, he was wondering whether it would bring a reply. He first chose to bandage the cat with medicine. Although it was something he sincerely wanted to do, the other purpose in his subconscious was a bit like not daring to do it.
Anxious to check it out...
He is afraid of seeing bad news.
Over the years, he has endured things that ordinary people cannot even imagine. The reason why he can survive to this day is because of his responsibility to his wife and children. This responsibility has long become his only sustenance for survival...
If something really happened to my wife and children...
Even if he just thinks about this possibility, he feels unable to face it and accept it.
But after taking out the note, his movements became uncontrollably urgent.
When he looked closely at the lamp, the man's eyes were shocked and delighted.
It's Tian'er...!
When he left that year, Tian'er was over twelve years old. He had been teaching the child personally since he started learning calligraphy at the age of four. Even though the handwriting has changed after improvement, as long as you distinguish carefully, it is not difficult to find that this is true.
It was written by Tim!
His son is safe.
The man breathed a heavy sigh of relief, feeling relieved.
But looking at what was written on the note, I couldn't help but feel worried and doubtful in my heart.
Some time ago, he was indeed ordered to prepare poison. The person who came to deliver the message brought many requests, which were colorless, tasteless, and had no symptoms and no solution. He had to do his best to comply...
As for whom the poison was used against, it was not his place to ask, nor was it even his concern.
A person who has been locked up here for eighteen years can no longer even be called a complete person. He has long been numb to all the so-called right and wrong outside.
The note was small, and there was very little room for writing. It was just a few sentences, which was difficult to explain in detail, and it also couldn't allow him to distinguish much.
How did Tian'er find him step by step?
There must be help from others...
Looking at the tabby cat lying in front of him, the man's eyes were hesitant.
Human death can also be divided into two types.
One is physical death, the disappearance of consciousness from this world.
The other kind is like him - no one knows that he is still alive, and he can no longer appear in front of people.
Therefore, he has always felt that he has been dead for many years.
But at the moment when his family knew that he was still alive, he seemed to suddenly come back to life, regaining his original identity and position in this world, and having a new relationship with the world... "Resurrection from the dead", naturally
It is the great joy of life.
But he would rather die forever——
It's better than now that Tian'er is taking all kinds of risks for his own affairs, and he doesn't even know if he is being used by someone with ulterior motives, thus being dragged into an extremely dangerous whirlpool!
His purpose is not to be a life-saving talisman for Tim...
If Tian'er is safe and stable and does not make trouble, everything is easy to talk about, but if he really touches the secret that he dare not touch...
Because of all these uncertainties, the man didn't know whether he should reply to the letter or not.
While hesitating, the sound of a wooden cabinet being moved suddenly came from above.
The man's eyes changed. He wanted to blow out the oil lamp but didn't. After the oil lamp was lit, it would leave a smell that could not be dissipated for a while. The more eager he was to put out the lamp, the more he tried to cover it up...
So I just put away the note and picked up the medical book beside me.
"Don't make any noise..."
He whispered to the tabby cat in front of him and hid the cat behind the couch.
A eunuch with gray hair walked in. He was thin and not tall. He was holding a food box in his hand.
"The lamp is on." The eunuch's tone was casual.
"Well." The man looked at him while holding the medical book, "Why are you here so early today?"
I usually come here at night.
"I had other errands in the evening, and I couldn't help others, so I had to come here earlier." The eunuch came over, bent down in front of the case, and put out the food in the food box: "Roast meat with eggplant, braised chicken breast...
They’re all still warm.”
The man said nothing, took the bowl of rice, and started eating with chopsticks.
His food and drink should be unmatched by anyone else in this dark court.
After all, there are people who need him to live well and live as long as possible.
After eating, the man asked the eunuch as usual: "Is there any news about my son recently?"
This is a question he asks every few days.
"Everything is fine, I just ran to the city a little more frequently..." The eunuch told him the news: "I met an old friend and had a great time drinking and eating."
This is a question he must answer. This information is used to prolong the other party's life.
But to be honest, he didn't know whether it was true or false.
I think most of them should be true.
After all, the other party is still very useful and has a very thoughtful mind. If what he brought from the beginning to the end was all lies, I don’t think he could have kept it a secret for eighteen years.
"Old friend?" Qiao Tian asked, "Are you the second master of Zhenguo Gongfu?"
Although he has never left this secret room in these years, he still has a general understanding of Tian'er's situation. Some of it is out of a father's genuine concern, and some of it is an extended test to distinguish whether what he heard is true or false.
"That's right, I heard that I went to that 'Pingqing Pavilion'..." The eunuch was already used to his probing, so he only answered truthfully what he knew.
The man nodded, with nothing strange on his face.
Tian'er visited the city frequently and met a lot with the second master of the town's Duke's Mansion...
