At this time, it was already after noon, the winter sun was slanting early, and there were a man and a woman sitting in the main hall of the flower hall where the guests of the East Palace were entertained. The man sat on the carved chair of sandalwood without moving, his cold and heroic face was not smiling, the corners of his mouth twitched unintentionally, his thick eyebrows were deeply locked, and his eyes were solemn. The girl in white sitting opposite him also looked bad, clutching a silver token tightly in one hand.

More than a dozen copper charcoal basins are burning red charcoal at the same time, and the smell is inevitably unpleasant, and although several bottles of uniquely pruned plum blossoms are placed, it is still difficult to hide the smell of charcoal. Ordinary mansions like to place narcissus and lilies when burning charcoal in winter, but the East Palace is different.

Ling Fengchen set his eyes on the vase, the gorgeous and exquisite furnishings in the East Palace do not need to be elaborated, only to say that the dignified prince likes elegance, and he actually prefers plum blossoms, not like the vulgar prince of the prince. There are a few wax plum plants in the bottle, the color is like beeswax, golden and brilliant. It's a pity that no matter how fragrant and fragrant the plum blossom fragrance is, it can't withstand too many charcoal pots in the palace.

Bai Muguan was careful, and when he saw that Ling Fengchen was so hot that his head was sweating, he couldn't help but explain with a chuckle: "Your Highness has been afraid of cold since he was poisoned, and he was still cold and hot yesterday, so there are more charcoal basins. ”

Ling Fengchen nodded in understanding. After being dumbfounded for a long time, he suddenly asked, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince likes plum blossoms?" ”

"His Royal Highness loves plum blossoms, elegant and pleasant, and not falling into the ordinary." Bai Muguan replied to him with a smile, and there was something else in his voice.

Ling Fengchen disagreed, and sighed leisurely: "The plum blossoms are high and bright, I hope that His Royal Highness the Prince's style of action is also like plum blossoms." ”

With a sound of footsteps from far to near, I saw Wang Quan as the leader, leading a few maids to walk in, and said with a smile: "Commander Ling, General Xiaobai, please wait a while, Your Highness is having lunch in Qiushui Pavilion and will come later." His Royal Highness instructed the old slave to prepare some snacks and tea, and the two of them used it slowly. ”

Ling Fengchen got up and thanked him when he heard this, and glanced at Bai Muguan again, and the two looked at each other.

After Wang Quan led the maids to withdraw, Bai Muguan took a sip of the cloisonné tea cup and said with a smile: "Second Brother Ling, try it, it's my favorite Lushan rain and fog." ”

At this time, Ling Fengchen was in no mood to taste tea, but seeing her say this, it was inconvenient for him to refuse. I tasted it according to my words and just praised a few words casually. As for the few pastries brought by the maid, although they were full of color and flavor, no one cared for them, and they did not feel hungry before they had eaten lunch.

It was estimated that he waited for two more teas before Yu Wenye appeared.

"I've kept the two of you waiting for a long time, I don't know what Commander Ling is talking about?" Yu Wenye walked straight to the top and sat firmly, waving his hand to avoid vulgar etiquette.

Ling Fengchen's eyes wandered, and he said tentatively: "Why did the lower official come to the East Palace to disturb, does His Highness really have no idea?" ”

"Commander Ling came suddenly not sooner or later, this prince really can't guess what's going on." After a pause, Yu Wenye suddenly changed his words, "Could it be because of the assassination of the eldest brother last night?" ”

Ling Fengchen has always disdained to form a party for personal gain, and even treats the prince with respect but alienation, and only wholeheartedly loyal to the court and the emperor. Therefore, he and Yu Wenye have a flat personal relationship, unlike his brother Ling Fengxu, who often comes to the East Palace to visit.

Bai Muguan handed the silver token in his hand to Yu Wenye, and asked softly, "Can His Highness recognize this token?" ”

Yu Wenye took it and took a look, shock flashed subconsciously on his face, and then he sneered as if he was already prepared in his heart, and he didn't hurry to speak.

The palm-sized token is tied with dark blue tassels underneath, with the word "Donggong" engraved in the center of the front and a silver python carved on the reverse. The token is finely made, the silver python totem is vivid, smooth all around, moderate thickness, and there seem to be some traces of deliberate wear and tear at the edges.

"This token came from the East Palace of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and was found by Xia Guan and General Xiaobai from the assassin who was shot last night. I think His Royal Highness knows that according to the temper of the officials in the past, he should go directly to the palace to meet His Majesty. Ling Fengchen's lukewarm voice suddenly drifted into Yu Wenye's ears.

Yu Wenye listened coldly and hooked his lips, and shifted his gaze to Bai Muguan.

Bai Muguan said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, it was I who persuaded Ling to lead this matter quite strangely, and I should come to the East Palace before entering the palace to report to His Majesty, so as not to go directly to the palace and lose face." After all, just a token could not prove that the assassin was a person from the East Palace. ”

In the same tentative tone, Yu Wenye slowly opened his mouth: "Presumably, Commander Ling has already decided in his heart that those assassins were ordered by this prince to assassinate the eldest prince last night?" ”

Ling Fengchen fearlessly met Yu Wenye's cold gaze, and said: "You are already the prince, and after the funeral of Your Majesty for a hundred years, you will inherit the unification naturally, and the lower officials really can't think of a reason for you to send someone to assassinate the eldest prince." ”

As far as his heart was concerned, Ling Fengchen naturally wouldn't believe that the assassin who assassinated Yu Wencheng last night was from the East Palace. His impression of Yu Wenye is not bad, at least he is stronger than Yu Wencheng, the eldest prince who is greedy for money and lustful, has a party and is vicious.

Hearing this, Yu Wenye laughed loudly, his eyes flickered slightly, and he said firmly: "The token you brought is not made by my East Palace, but a fake that has been counterfeited. ”

Ling Fengchen was taken aback, stepped forward suspiciously, and waited for Yu Wenye to explain in detail.

"But if there is a small 'Ye' character engraved on both sides of my East Palace token, because it is engraved in a diamond-shaped pattern, it cannot be found without careful observation." As he spoke, Yu Wenye personally untied the token behind his waist and handed it to Ling Fengchen to see.

I saw that the size, shape, and weight of the two tokens were exactly the same, and the only slight difference was on the side. Taking a closer look through the light, it was indeed as he said, the token that Ling Fengchen found only had a diamond-shaped pattern on the side, and there was no lettering.

In the Cullinan Dynasty, both princes and generals and clan nobles had their own tokens as tokens, either for secretly transmitting news, or for facilitating the command of their secret guards and government soldiers. In order to prevent someone from forging tokens to pass commands, each token is often marked with features that are difficult to detect and imitate in hidden places. For example, the token of the East Palace, with extremely small "Ye" characters carved on both sides of the side, implied the name of the master.

Ling Fengchen returned the true token to Yu Wenye, his eyes deepened: "The twenty people who sneaked into the Great Prince's Mansion last night to assassinate were all nameless, and the government couldn't find a black household with a surname. It would not have been easy to investigate their origins, but now this fake token is pouring dirty water directly on you, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. ”

Yu Wenye's expression became cold, and he asked instead of smiling: "So Commander Ling is in a hurry to come to Xingshi to ask for the guilt?" ”

Ling Fengchen suddenly froze, and hurriedly said that he didn't dare twice. It's just that the tone doesn't show panic.

"Even if this token is genuine, it doesn't prove that it was instructed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Bai Muguan frowned and helped to play the round, "There are as many as thousands of guards, government soldiers, and secret guards below, and anyone at or above the captain level can hold a token, who can guarantee that they will not be bought?" Or if they accidentally lost the token and someone picked it up, wouldn't it be natural to put it on last night's Assassin? Therefore, with just a token, there is no way to explain anything, and Commander Ling does not dare to doubt His Highness. ”

Ling Fengchen nodded slightly: "Your Highness can rest assured, the officials will truthfully report this matter to Your Majesty." ”

Yu Wenye raised his eyebrows lightly: "This prince has a clear conscience, and he is not afraid of how Commander Ling will return to his father." ”

Ling Fengchen vaguely heard the clue of this, and lowered his voice and said: "Your Highness seems to have something to say, forgive your official for being stupid, and ask Your Highness to make it clear." ”

At this time, the maid entered the hall to change tea, Yu Wenye took the opportunity to take a sip of the enamel color amphora teacup, and the lid of the cup couldn't help but touch it lightly and knocked on the rim of the cup. The porcelain cup was already thin and brittle, and when he touched it like this, the sound was crisp in his ears, and Ling Fengchen became inexplicably alert.

Yu Wenye casually put down the teacup, and after a pause, he asked, "I don't know where Jingzhao Yin Yan Yijing is now?" ”

Bai Muguan didn't think twice: "Lord Yan should be handling the case in Jingzhao Yin Mansion at this time." ”

"I'm afraid not." Yu Wenye snorted lightly, and the coldness in his eyes became more and more obvious, not knowing whether it was Ling Fengchen or the person mentioned in his words.

Ling Fengchen didn't pay much attention, but deliberately glanced at the gradually thinning sunlight outside the hall, got up and arched his hand: "The hour is not early, the lower officials will leave first." ”

Yu Wenye nodded casually and acquiesced to his departure.

As soon as he left, Yu Wenye got up and walked to Bai Muguan, the haze and chill in his eyes were swept away, and he changed into a gentle look: "Coming from Jingzhaoyin Mansion, you definitely didn't have time for lunch?" Hungry? ”

The girl's eyes widened, ready to laugh lightly: "Of course, there is no place to eat, not only me, Commander Ling is also hungry, and His Royal Highness is so stingy that he refuses to entertain others." ”

This is her teasing Yu Wenye for being stingy, and Ling Fengchen came to the door to ask for the guilt. In fact, Ling Fengchen was loyal and upright to the imperial court, Yu Wenye admired it very much, how could he really not understand him?

"How can there be a rule that the prince should leave a courtier alone for dinner? What's more, he is a confidant of his father. I'm afraid that no one will praise me as a corporal of Lixian, but will only say that I bought people's hearts and formed a party for personal gain. ”

It was a great grace and honor for the prince to leave his courtiers to dine in the East Palace, and it undoubtedly told others that this courtier and the prince had a personal relationship, unless it was a person of meritorious service. Not to mention that Yu Wenye will not easily open his mouth to keep people if he wants to avoid suspicion, even if he intends to give grace, he is afraid that Ling Fengchen's temperament of never flattering and tending to be inflammatory, will definitely not stay.

Bai Muwan shook her head a few times in understanding, and then she stood on tiptoe as if she suddenly remembered something, and reached out to touch the full and white forehead of the person in front of her, which was not normal and hot made her quickly withdraw her hand.

"You're still feverish, it's so cold outside, you've been tossing and turning since last night for a moment, do you have to be tired to be satisfied?" As she spoke, the girl pulled him up and walked behind the eight screens of Meilan Zhuju, and the difference of twenty or thirty steps, the temperature of the warm pavilion was much higher than that of the front hall.

Yu Wenye knew that she cared about herself, although she obeyed her to the warm pavilion, a look of indifference inevitably appeared on her face: "The wind cold causes a fever, and it will be fine to eat a few ice bowls to lower the fire." ”

Unexpectedly, she became more and more angry, staring at the black round apricot eyes, and couldn't help but be disgusted: "Your Highness is messing around, what kind of ice bowl do you eat in the cold winter Layue." ”

"Xingxingxing little ancestor, I listen to you, I don't eat." Yu Wenye pinched her pink face with a smile, and skillfully changed the topic, "Your cousin went to the Great Prince's Mansion for me today, in order to thank her, I will go to Qiushui Pavilion for lunch to accompany her." ”

Hearing him say this, Bai Muguan couldn't help frowning and sighing. He thought she was displeased because she was jealous, but she said in a low voice: "My cousin is the crown princess you are marrying in the media, Your Highness, won't you embarrass her by thanking her?" You are husband and wife, and husband and wife should not see each other. ”

Yu Wenye was slightly stunned, he didn't expect their cousins to have such a deep relationship, far better than he imagined. Small things in a few words are often the most clear to see people's hearts.

It's really strange to say, no matter what Bai Muguan in front of him says or does, he will never be displeased and disgusted, on the contrary, he just wants to get used to her and spoil her, and treat her as a baby. On the contrary, no matter when and where his crown princess Ye Shiying, whenever he noticed the evasion and alienation in her eyes, he was displeased, and he couldn't even force a smile. Perhaps what he cherishes most is Bai Muguan's frank and enthusiastic sincerity.

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