Shun Teng touched the melon to investigate, and the few attendants only accidentally wet the fuel that was originally transported to Jingzhou from elsewhere, and they were afraid of being punished, so they happened to meet someone peddling cheap fuel, and bought it indiscriminately to make up the number. However, when the goods were inspected, the fuel was burning more slowly, and I never thought that this would happen.

The clue was broken here, and several people were beaten half to death and couldn't explain who bought this fuel mixed with saltpeter sulfur into the palace, and I really don't know.

No longer expecting to get any clues from them, Chu Zikai changed his mind and secretly investigated the fuel trading records in Jingzhou, if he bought them in large quantities, the shops would definitely have records. However, some people generally buy fuel on a large scale, and most of them are used by the magnates of Jingzhou to make lamps or fireworks for wedding and birthday banquets, and every time they buy, they will record the reason.

However, in half a day, his subordinates presented the account books and lists found in various shops, and read out the trend and reason for the bulk fuel sales in Jingzhou in recent years to Chu Zikai. I have been reading for most of the day, and most of the reasons are the same, but Chu Zikai didn't dare to miss a single one, but he didn't feel that there was any problem.

"The 50th birthday of the Imperial History Lord Sun Le, in March of the same year, 50 catties of fuel were used to make blessing lamps......"

"Zhang Yunzhong, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, advanced one hundred pounds of fuel in a year, and used ...... for his mother's 70th birthday firecrackers and fireworks"

"Zhonglang used 100 catties of fuel for Chen Nan in a year to pray for the New Year's blessing to make firecrackers and fireworks......"

"General Wen's Mansion ...... before October"

"Wait!" As if he had discovered something wrong, Chu Zikai instructed someone to bring up the list, looked at it carefully, and after confirming that it was not a mistake, he asked the person next to him: "When did Yu Cheng's deceased wife die?" ”

The man pondered and replied, "Before the New Year's Festival last year, because she was guilty of sin, and she was afraid of sweeping away the joy of the New Year, she did not have a big funeral. ”

There are signs, Zhonglang will make the Chen family the maiden family of Mrs. Yu, and the old lady is alive, she is a highly respected figure in the house, and her daughter is dead, how can she buy fuel to celebrate the New Year and welcome the New Year? Chu Zikai immediately ordered: "Send someone to watch the Chen Mansion and invite Chen Nan to enter the Son of Heaven Palace." ”

Someone did it immediately. This strange thing is indeed not easy to find abnormalities, but Chu Zikai remembered the farce that he went to Yu Lu Mansion with Yu Zhao to catch ghosts before, and it was Yu Yao's revenge not long after Mrs. Yu's death, so he found out that it was inappropriate. Hurriedly wanted to go to the Son of Heaven Hall to discuss with Emperor Yuan.

As soon as I went out, I met Zhang Liangyuan, carrying a food box to this side. Seeing Chu Zikai, he hurriedly stepped forward to be concerned. "His Royal Highness stayed up all night last night to check the fireworks of the sky lanterns, and he never rested during the day, and the concubine boiled ginseng soup to refresh His Highness."

Chu Zikai's footsteps hurriedly bypassed her. "I have a business to do, I don't have to."

For the few women that Yu Zhao picked for himself, Chu Zikai was helpless. They are all girls from good families, and they really don't belong to their hearts, so they have to be ordered to eat and drink well, but they really can't inject any affection.

Especially not long ago, after Liu Wanrou's seizure, she became more and more vigilant and kept her distance.

There are six servings of ginseng soup received every morning and evening, and I don't know how to pass it, but fortunately, Zhanxiao can sometimes help me block it. Chu Zikai was unhappy in his heart, thinking that if that person brought him soup, he would not feel supported if he drank ten bowls and eight bowls in one go. As soon as he turned out of the palace gate, he met Zhanxiao again, and hurriedly pointed inside, please: "This king has important business, and he is troublesome to the princess." ”

Zhan Xiaoying went down and pulled Zhang Liangyuan to speak, and Chu Zikai got on his horse and galloped all the way to the palace. Last night's snow had not melted, but today the sun shines, and the whole palace is bright. Before entering the Son of Heaven Palace, he saw Chu Ziyi's small figure walking alone from a distance, Chu Zikai hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed him: "What about your grandmother?" ”

Seeing that it was him, Chu Ziyi begged: "They won't let me come out, can the third brother take me to find my mother?" ”

Estimating that Chen Nan would arrive in a while, Chu Zikai took him to the wing where Yu Zhao was, Zhuo Yao saw the two of them and greeted him: "Why did the Fifth Highness come out?" ”

Chu Ziyi replied: "If you want to see the concubine, the grandmothers won't let me." I just want to see the concubine, not noisy. ”

The well-behaved appearance couldn't bear to refuse anyone who saw it, Zhuo Yao took him in, and Chu Zikai followed. Yu Zhao had already woken up, lying on the cushion and flipping through the book, and when he saw Chu Ziyi coming, he hurriedly reached out and held his little hand: "It's cold, who brought you out?" ”

"He escaped by himself," Chu Zikai also came in around the screen, and after being told, he sat down and looked at Yu Zhao, without any intention of leaving.

Because of Chu Zikai's hooligan behavior in the early morning, Yu Zhao didn't want to look at him, so he pulled Chu Ziyi and instructed: "No one will follow him in the future, don't you know if you don't want to come out?" ”

It's just a little bit, it's Chu Ziyi who is lying here today, which makes Yu Zhao have to be more vigilant in the future. So he instructed Zhuo Yao: "Please also ask my aunt to watch Ziyi in person these days, and you don't have to guard me." ”

Zhuo Yao nodded in response.

Not long after, it was almost dark, Zhuo Yao took Chu Ziyi out for dinner, and Chu Zikai told Yu Zhao: "Maybe it has something to do with the Chen family." ”

Yu Zhao replied politely: "Well, I'm tired." ”

Seeing that she was neither surprised nor angry, Chu Zikai said again: "If it is true, deal with it with your thoughts." ”

Yu Zhao said lightly: "Just don't let go of the mastermind behind the scenes." ”

This tone was so light that Chu Zikai felt that it was not a taste, and stepped forward to sit down on the edge of her bed, Yu Zhao's face was facing away from him, a green silk hung down from the cushion, and Chu Zikai quietly picked up a wisp and wrapped it around his fingers. "Zhaozhao, if you don't want to, I will discuss with my father and the emperor, let you go to the title of Concubine Chen in advance, and when everything is stable, I will take you back."

Yu Zhao said: "No, this is my mission, and retreating in advance is no different from a deserter on the battlefield." I just hope that His Highness will raise his noble hand and let me go in the future. ”

Still reluctant to stay, Chu Zikai spoke cheekily again: "Zhaozhao, when you really stand by my side, I will block these injuries for you."

There was no response, Yu Zhao didn't move, and Chu Zikai didn't want to leave. After being silent for a long time, Yu Zhao sighed: "Your Highness, I have seen it thoroughly in the past few years. I feel that in this palace, the best way to block the damage is not to be favored by the emperor. The concubine is like the carbon, the grace is like fire, and when it makes people hot, it disappears little by little, and when it is completely red, it becomes ash that is blown away by the wind. It has always been like this, and the power of true love is insignificant in the face of people's hearts, and His Majesty and Concubine Niangniang are examples. ”

Indeed, the harem is a woman's world, and after it spreads, it is linked to the inheritance of the country. The emperor's favor and love for these women are as tempting as the fame of the previous dynasty, and whoever wins it will have to deal with the open guns and hidden arrows that follow. Now Yu Zhao is the most favored one, and the scars on his body are also confirmed, and the fatigue is born from the heart, and he is more and more reluctant to stay here. But for Chu Zikai, Yu Zhao was willing to do his best to help him eradicate the threat of the Emperor's Road. After that, the affection was deeply hidden, and life and death were gone.

Chu Zikai's tone was lost: "Zhaozhao, but you like me." ”

"Your Highness, but I also want to be stable."

Not only that, Yu Zhao was even more afraid of becoming a liability, and he didn't want Chu Zikai to take risks and be unstable because of protecting himself.

also faced up to where his emotions with Chu Zikai came from. Maybe it was the cloak he handed to himself in the cold wind, which made him feel what warmth was when he had been cold for more than ten years, and he couldn't help but be greedy. From thrift to luxury, from luxury to thrift, this is as warm as fire, he is like a moth with reason, no matter how difficult it is, he understands that he can't have it.