Xiao Chenzi ran very fast, and his figure quickly disappeared into the night.
…
When Qiao Bingying was sent back to the dark court, someone was already waiting for him in the dark room.
With some effort, he supported his body and sat down on the low couch. He looked at the food placed on the small table in front of him and asked, "What kind of food are you getting at this hour?"
The old eunuch who had been providing him with meals for eighteen years was sitting opposite him, sighing and smiling: "I didn't allow it at first, so I stuffed some money into it, and then gave me some thin noodles...
…”
While speaking, he raised his hand to lift the wine bottle and filled the glass.
He poured two glasses of wine.
Qiao Bingying lowered his eyes and saw two pairs of bowls and chopsticks.
On the small table was a lantern brought by the old eunuch, and the firelight illuminated the dark room dimly.
Qiao Bing took out the fire stick and lit the oil lamp at hand.
The old eunuch glanced at it but didn't care.
"Eighteen years have passed, and this seems to be the first time the two of us have had a meal together. It's a pity that I can't bring out any decent wine..." The old eunuch held the wine glass and spoke in a low voice as if to himself:
"Next time, let's go have a drink outside the palace. I heard that there is a very good place called Zhuangyuan Tower, with good wine and good food..."
Next time——
Qiao Bing also picked up the wine glass.
It's probably the next life.
"I've been to the Zhuangyuan Tower." He said, "The food and wine are indeed quite good. It's one of the best in Beijing."
"It's been so many years, do you still remember?"
Qiao Bing nodded and said "Yeah".
"Since you are familiar with the road, then take me there..." The old eunuch raised his wine glass and said hoarsely: "Come, drink this wine and have a good sleep..."
Qiao Bingying looked at the wine in the glass and shook his head slightly: "But I don't want to die yet."
Especially recently, after having contact and interactions with the outside world, he has gradually become a little greedy for life.
Then there is the prescription in the Nourishing Heart Hall tonight——
He was afraid that the emperor was deliberately testing and did not want to expose the affairs of the Duke of Zhenguo, and was afraid of implicating Tian'er and the queen, so he temporarily chose to change several key medicines in the prescription. And if his wife was really poisoned, he would be even more worried.
Can't die now...
The old eunuch sighed slightly: "It's not up to you, and it's not up to me... Just drink it, and you won't have to suffer like this again in the future."
"No, I'm different from you." Qiao Bing put down his wine glass and said, "I still have some unfinished business."
Seeing him put down the wine glass, a trace of sadness and helplessness flashed in the old eunuch's eyes: "You and I can be considered companions, why do we have to be like this..."
While talking, he also put the wine cup back, but took out something from under the food box beside him——
The slightly curved dagger shone with a sharp cold light.
The old eunuch looked old, but his movements were agile. When he stood up with a short knife in hand, he leaned over and stretched out his hand across the narrow table to pin Qiao Bing on the low couch.
Qiao Bingying did not struggle.
When it comes to strength, his disabled body has no room for resistance.
But the old eunuch could not see any sign of waiting for death or fear in his eyes.
The old eunuch secretly felt that something was strange, and in order to eliminate the uneasiness rising in his heart, he immediately raised the knife to stab him - this knife could easily cut the other person's throat, and the other person was freed, and he was free from then on!
However, as soon as the short knife in his hand was raised above his eyebrows, the old eunuch's movements suddenly stopped.
The next moment, I felt the numbness and powerlessness quickly spread throughout my body. The short knife fell from my hand, and I fell on the narrow table in front of me, breathing heavily and hard.
"...You...you were poisoned..." The old eunuch stared at Qiao Bingying, who was standing up with his eyes wide open. He couldn't figure out when he was poisoned!
Qiao Bingying glanced at the flickering flame of the oil lamp.
Today he was suddenly going to be taken to see the saint, and he had already expected it——
Now that you have made up your mind and want to live, how can you do it without taking some precautions in advance?
The old eunuch struggled to touch the dagger, and the sound of his gasping for breath was like the harsh sound made by the old window lattice beating and shaking in the strong wind on a rainy night.
It was because of the other party that he fell into this errand and ended up in this situation. How could he die and the other party live! No, he couldn't die alone!
Just when the withered fingers were about to touch the dagger, Qiao Bingying picked up the knife and held it in his hand.
"Pfft——"
The blade sank into the flesh and blood of his chest.
Medical practitioners, especially those who are geniuses, naturally know how to kill the victim with one blow and minimize the suffering time of the other party.
"In the next life, neither you nor I will ever enter the palace again... When we meet outside the palace tomorrow, I will take you to the Zhuangyuan Building to have a drink and make amends."
Qiao Bing moved down from the low couch.
However, at this moment, an impatient urging came from the entrance of the darkroom: "Why don't you come out yet? You are still waiting to reply to Mr. Ji!"
"Go down and have a look!"
Qiao Bing's heart tightened upon hearing this.
There are indeed people outside!
This realization flashed through his mind, and he immediately grabbed the wine bottle and threw it down.
"Bang!"
With a sound, the wine bottle was smashed to pieces.
No one had agreed with him in advance to use movement as a signal——
He is gambling!
He bet that since the queen had found out about him, she would not let him be killed easily by the emperor!
And if the Queen was paying attention, she would definitely not have failed to find out what the Emperor was trying to do to him tonight!
But in this deep palace, everyone has scruples in everything they do, and he is not 100% sure...
Qiao Bing moved his body with difficulty, pulled out the short knife from the old eunuch's chest, pressed it under him, and remained motionless.
The emperor never wanted to let too many people know about his affairs, so he thought he would not send too many people. If the people outside heard the noise and came in together at this time, they would definitely come forward to see if he was still alive——
During this time, they would inhale the poison in the lamp oil. If he was lucky enough and delayed long enough, he might still have a way to survive!
Qiao Bing fell beside the old eunuch, tightly clutching the bloody dagger under him.
However, no footsteps were heard.
What he couldn't see was that the two guards guarding the dark room had been knocked unconscious by two ghostly black shadows behind them.
A black shadow was about to descend into the dark room, but his companion grabbed his arm: "Wait, someone is coming..."
The two looked at each other, dragged the two unconscious guards to a dark place, and temporarily hid and watched.
A figure walked over quietly.
The cabinet blocking the entrance to the darkroom had just been moved away by the two guards. At this time, the darkroom with lights on had firelight flashing out from the entrance, which was particularly eye-catching in the darkness.
"There really is a darkroom..."
Xiao Jiezi swallowed nervously and left the darkroom.
"Is anyone here?"
He lowered his voice and asked tentatively while descending the stone steps.
When he entered the secret room, he looked around and saw two figures beside the table, and he couldn't help but be startled.
Dead...dead?
Could it be that he came late?
Xiao Jiezi hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
He even noticed that his hands and feet were a little weak - he had been in this dark court for a long time and had never seen any corpses. Normally, he shouldn't be so scared...
He walked forward and knelt down, and when he was about to turn the man over to check, he saw the man suddenly opened his eyes, pushed him down, and covered his mouth and nose with something.
