A few days later, in the early morning, it started to rain in Ningyang City.
The rain was light, but the chill was deep.
In the main courtyard of Prince Dingnan's palace, Princess Dingnan is doing morning prayers in the Buddhist hall. Although her back is kneeling on the futon, she is still upright. Although green fragrance is lingering, sandalwood rosary beads polished by years are slowly falling between her fingers.
Turning slowly.
On a rainy day, the vision was dark, and the door of the Buddhist hall was not completely closed. From time to time, a breeze blew across the threshold, blowing away the green smoke rising slowly from the incense burner.
"Crack!"
At this time, the rosary in Princess Dingnan's hand dispersed along with the wisps of fragrant mist.
The bead string suddenly broke for some unknown reason, and the rosary beads lost their restraints and fell to the ground, flying everywhere.
Princess Dingnan, who was concentrating on silently reciting scriptures, was slightly shocked.
The two nuns on the side knelt down and picked up the rosary beads.
Princess Dingnan held the bead thread and the only two rosary beads left in her hand, looked up at the golden Buddha statue with a compassionate expression on the sacred case, and gradually had a bad premonition in her heart.
"It's supposed to be time to replace the beads..." The two nuns gathered the remaining 106 beads and put them into the jade plate.
Princess Dingnan put the two pills in her hand into it, and when she was about to say something, she heard a girl entering the hall, saying softly: "Old madam, the second master, the third master, and the fourth master are here to greet you.
.”
Princess Dingnan nodded, raised one hand, and was supported by her nanny to stand up. She bowed three times to the Buddha statue before leaving the Buddhist hall.
The three uncles and nephews waiting in the front hall saluted the old man and said hello.
"Ah Ling came just in time, mother was about to send someone to look for you." Princess Dingnan sat in the chair and looked at the handsome man in the hall wearing a willow-yellow gown.
"I wonder what your mother's instructions are?" Wu Jinling's tone was respectful, with a faint smile on his face that seemed to be the same as before, but the tired look in his eyes could not be concealed.
"Have there been any letters from your father, your eldest brother, your sister-in-law, and Ayuan recently? It's supposed to be time for them to come back -" Princess Dingnan's tone contained a trace of unnoticeable worry.
When Wu Jinling heard this, the smile on his face faltered, and his eyes quickly dodge for a moment.
Wu Jingyi on the side also looked at him: "Yes, second brother, didn't I say that my father sent you a letter earlier, and the letter only said that you can return home in about seven or eight days at most?"
He is the younger brother of Wu Jingming and the daughter of Princess Dingnan.
Wu Ran, who came with him, also looked at his second uncle.
Ever since he learned that his grandfather, father, mother and second brother were coming back together, he had been looking forward to it every day.
He doesn't yet have a clear and profound understanding of the road ahead for his family, and he also knows that the situation in Ningyang is tense now, but as long as the family can be reunited, there will be nothing to worry about.
It is undoubtedly a very happy thing that my father, mother and second brother can leave the capital safely and return to Ningyang.
Under the gazes of several people, Wu Jinling could only force a smile and said: "I think we should be arriving soon. Two days ago, my son sent someone secretly out of the city to meet him."
"Two days ago?" Princess Dingnan had already vaguely sensed something was wrong. She stared at Wu Jinling closely and asked, "Tell your mother the truth. What happened to your father and the others?"
As soon as these words came out, the demeanor of Wu Jingyi and Wu Ran immediately changed.
Looking at the second uncle beside him, Wu Ran slowly realized something strange - the second uncle's usually fair face now actually had a light green beard, which is rare to see!
It should be noted that the second uncle has always loved beauty, and every part of his body is exquisite. His level of attention to detail can be regarded as a model that does not leave any way for young men to survive. When did he allow himself to be described like this?
Wu Jingyi also noticed this, but previously he just assumed that his second brother was staying in the flower house again, so he didn't have time to take care of it in detail——
However, if I think about it carefully now, my father, eldest brother and A Yuan are not at home at the moment. Ningyang is in such a situation. People in the clan are panicked. The second brother is pestered by the clan members all day long to discuss matters. Even if he wants to visit the flower house, he is afraid that he will be distracted.
Lack of skills.
During this interval, Wu Jinling had already picked up the corners of his robe and knelt down.
"It's because the son is not doing things well. Now... there is no news about his father and brother."
"No news yet? What does this mean, second brother?" Wu Jingyi was greatly surprised: "How could there be no news when we were about to return?"
Princess Dingnan had already had a premonition about this. After hearing this, she slightly tightened the Tuanfu pattern embroidered on the edge of her sleeves, and said calmly: "A Ling, you don't need to worry about me, just tell me everything you know."
!”
Wu Jingling responded "Yes", bowed his head and said: "... After receiving a letter from his father before, knowing that his father would arrive in Ningyang in the near future, his son sent someone out of the city early to meet him. However, someone responded early yesterday morning, but he did not receive the message.
I found my father and the others, and... I also found traces of carriages, horses, and fighting in Longqi Mountain, as well as the body of a person who was close to my father..."
"What?!" Wu Jingyi's face tightened: "Father and eldest brother...could it be that they were attacked?"
Princess Dingnan's heart also sank, and she forced herself to calm down and said: "If it is someone from the imperial court, he will definitely kill him... Has anyone searched carefully in the mountains? Are there any other traces and clues?
"
In other words, if something really happened to Bento, someone should...should be found!
This is the thing I fear the most. I have taken every precaution, but I still can’t avoid it?
"The mountain has been completely turned over, not a single trace has been left behind..." Wu Jingling's voice became hoarse: "Judging from the tracks of the carriages and horses, or..."
"Or what?!" Wu Jingyi asked urgently.
"Or... fell to the bottom of the cliff."
"..." Wu Jingyi's body trembled.
——Fall off a cliff?!
"Impossible!" Wu Ran, who had been listening and could not make a sound because he was too shocked, suddenly spoke, shaking his head with red eyes: "With grandfather and second brother here, it is impossible for such a thing to happen.
Happened!”—not to mention the father!
"I don't believe it!" The boy's eyes were shaking with tears, struggling not to fall: "I want to go to Longqi Mountain to find my grandfather and my father and mother's second brother!"
With that said, he turned around and ran out.
"Quick, follow up and keep an eye on A Zhang!" Princess Dingnan quickly ordered her servants.
A nun and two girls hurried after him.
"My son has sent extra manpower to search the area at the bottom of the cliff, but the area is too large and the terrain is complicated, so nothing has been found yet..." Wu Jingling knelt there, slowly clenching the palms on his sides, and raised his head to look.
Princess Xiang Dingnan: “Although the carriage and horse fell off the cliff, my father and brother
But they may not necessarily be in the car. There is no news at this time or it is the best news. It is precisely because of this possibility that the son did not tell his mother immediately, fearing that her mother would be worried and nervous about it, which would drag her body down.
I originally planned to discuss it with my mother in detail after the results were clear..."
Wu Jingyi hurriedly nodded in agreement and said: "Yes, the person may not be in the car! A Yuan is always the best at adapting to changes, or he may have escaped!"
Princess Dingnan nodded with a pale face.
She naturally wants to think so.
But things in the world often don’t give people the best possibilities...
Still, we have to prepare for the worst...
She slowly let out the uneasiness and stagnation in her chest, tried her best to calm her mind, and told Yao Zi: "First help your second brother up."
"This is all due to my son's poor arrangement. If we could have moved it two days earlier to have enough manpower to respond, it might not have happened..." Wu Jingling tensed his body and refused to get up. He lowered his head and burst into tears.
The pieces hit the ground.
"I can't blame you." Princess Dingnan looked at him and said, "Your father returned to the city in order to avoid being seen and heard. He did not dare to make any noise all the way. But now Ningyang City, and even within the clan, are not alone.
They are all trustworthy people, I don’t know how many
Your eyes are watching the troubles in the palace. If you move too much, your whereabouts may be exposed. No one can do this without fail. Get up quickly. The rest depends on your brothers.
Let’s discuss countermeasures together.”
"Mother is right. Second brother shouldn't blame himself too much. The most important thing now is to find his father." Wu Jingyi raised his hand and pulled the man up.
But at this moment, a maid who was guarding outside the hall walked in.
After bowing, he said: "Wu Gui, who is beside the second master, is here. He said that he has something important to report to the second master, and asked my maid to convey it quickly..."
Uncle Gui is the old man in the house, and he has always been the most calm, but the look on his face just now seemed like something big had happened...
"Wu Gui?" Princess Dingnan looked at Wu Jinling: "Is he responsible for this?"
Wu Jinling nodded: "Back to mother, my son handed over the matter of Longqishan to Uncle Gui——"
"Let people come in!" Princess Dingnan ordered immediately.
Come back at this time, or there may be progress or even results.
I hope God has eyes...
Princess Dingnan looked extremely calm on the surface, but deep down she was praying all the time.
That was her husband, her biological son, daughter-in-law, and her only grandson...even if we put aside all the big things, they were still the most important people in her life.
The failure of the Wu family to protect Zhenzhen back then was the most painful thing in her heart. Now she can no longer fail to protect Ayuan!
Wu Gui walked in quickly.
Princess Dingnan looked at the person saluting and said, "I already know everything - is there any information about the whereabouts of the prince and the others?"
"Go back to the old lady, I think... I found it."
After Wu Gui answered, he knelt down.
This kneeling seemed to weigh a thousand pounds and hit the hearts of Princess Dingnan and others.
"What does 'should be' mean?" Wu Jingyi looked at Wu Gui steadily, his whole body tense into a straight line: "Speak more clearly -"
"The villain led people to search at the bottom of the cliff for a long time, and indeed found the fallen carriage and horses." Wu Gui's voice was muffled, with a hint of uncontrollable trembling: "The carriage fell to pieces, and the horses' bodies had been eaten by wild beasts.
…”
"Where is the person?!" Wu Jinling stood up from his chair, his red eyes not daring to blink: "It must be... that there is no trace of the person, right?"
But he saw Wu Gui knocking his head on the ground.
"I waited near the carriages and horses and found several corpses...the corpses were already in pieces after falling from the cliff, and they all showed signs of being eaten by wild animals and birds...but they could be distinguished by their general descriptions and clothing.
It is indeed like the prince, his descendants, and his wife..."
His voice became deeper and deeper as he went back, almost making it difficult to hear clearly.
There was a moment of dead silence in the hall.
"Even though it's a resemblance, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the same!" Wu Jinling came back to his senses and said in an almost evasive tone.
Wu Jingyi asked: "Did you bring it back?"
"They have all been transported back, entered through the back door, and temporarily placed in the backyard..."
"Mother..." Wu Jingyi reluctantly raised his hand to salute and said, "Son... I want to see you."
"..." Princess Dingnan nodded lightly.
"Apart from the body... I also found some personal belongings nearby, and I have brought them all back." At this point, Wu Gui paused and then asked: "I wonder, old lady... do you want to take a look at it?
?”
"Bring it here, bring it all..." Princess Dingnan closed her eyes and spoke very softly.
"Old Madam..." The grandmother on the side held the old man's shoulders uneasily.
The things were quickly handed over to a maid and brought in.
In the black lacquer tray, there are some objects placed on a piece of white cloth.
There is a sachet embroidered with asparagus, a girdle embroidered with auspicious clouds, a jade hairpin broken into several pieces, and a jade pendant that is still intact and stained with blood...
Princess Dingnan held the jade pendant in her hands tremblingly.
Wu Jinling also looked over and said to himself in a daze, "Father..."
This is my father's jade pendant...
The jade pendant that my father never left!
"when!"
The jade pendant slipped from Princess Dingnan's hand and fell to the ground.
"Old lady!"
"Mother!"
"Please call the doctor quickly!"
Princess Dingnan was already suffering from an old illness. Last year, she got better thanks to the medicine prescribed by Doctor Qiu. She was greatly stimulated by this. Although she did not shed a single tear or show any signs of losing her composure, it was all locked in her heart.
, in the end it can’t be sustained.
This morning, he fell ill.
After Wu Jingyi personally inspected the body and walked out of the room where the body was parked, his whole body seemed to slump.
Seeing that his face was as white as snow and his feet were floating, the attendants rushed forward to help him.
"Third Master..."
"I don't know..." Wu Jingyi shook his head and said in despair, "I don't know..."
The follower's eyes were sore and he didn't say much.
After Wu Jingyi left, the servants guarding the backyard couldn't help but start talking quietly.
"Are you really the prince and his descendants..."
"It's no longer in shape... but judging from the general appearance, it should indeed be the case."
Moreover, the body of the coachman was also found, and it was indeed the person beside the prince...
There can't be other people at the bottom of the same cliff, and they all happen to match up?
Then Wu Jinling and Wu Ran also arrived.
Although the uncle and nephew have not made any assertions, under this premise, as long as they do not deny it, it is equivalent to confirmation.
This matter is destined to be hidden, and there is no reason to hide it.
The news quickly spread among the Wu clan, like thunder, no, thunder——
Something happened to the owner!
Something happened to the prince and his wife too!
Even the grandson who had established prestige in the clan in recent years and had already taken charge of his own business, and was regarded as the next head of the family by the clan directly over the crown prince... is gone!
Losing the head of the family, the son and the grandson at the same time overnight is an unimaginable blow to any family.
After just a few days of fermentation, the Wu family has been firmly enveloped in emotions of grief, uneasiness and even panic.
But they know better than anyone else that the current situation will never allow them to immerse themselves in grief...
At the moment, what is before them is a thorny and severe problem——
