The moon and stars are scarce, the lights and shadows in the palace wall are longing, and the palace maid walks with her head down with a small white gauze lamp.

A group of menacing eunuchs slapped open the door of the painting courtyard, and the little handyman who came to open the door slapped his head before he could stand firmly. The little handyman was knocked down by this slap and looked at the big eunuch in front of him for some reason.

"What about the stewards? Tell you to get out of here! The big eunuch pinched his sharp throat and threw the scroll in his hand to the ground domineeringly.

The yellowed scrolls spread out on the ground like flowing water, revealing the statue of Guanyin with kind eyebrows and kind eyes on it. The painter is skilled in fine brushwork, Guanyin's compassionate expression, strands of hair, and the folds stacked between the clothes are depicted in the slightest, and the bamboo branches in the water purification bottle are verdant, which has its own style.

This is the famous painting "Guanyin Dashi Tu" made by Zhao Fu in the previous dynasty.

The painting attendant who came in a hurry was disheveled, and he rushed to the ground with a rolling belt, and stuffed two pieces of broken silver into the eunuch's hand with great eyes, "I don't know which noble palace my father-in-law is, but what happened?" ”

The eunuch threw the broken silver in his face with his backhand, and spat it and said, "You cuttleworms are in great trouble, and you dare to fool the queen with fakes!" What is the crime of damaging the royal face like this? ”

The edict of the academy is over 60 years old, full of gray hair, and the road is not very stable. On that day, he was kicked in the chest by the third prince, and he almost fainted directly, and he has not been able to do it all so far.

He was so frightened that he didn't know what to do, so he lay on the ground and looked at the "Guanyin Dashi Tu" carefully.

Zhao Fu is the best at Zen painting, and is proficient in fine brushwork, the brushstrokes are smooth and delicate, and the ink lines are never more than one point or one point less. Although this "Guanyin Dashi Tu" is also good, it can still be seen that there are sharp corners in the subtleties, and the most fatal thing is that the cinnabar on Guanyin's lips is too bright, and the bamboo branches are too green.

Zhao Fu has left this masterpiece for nearly 70 years, and although the real painting is treasured and carefully maintained in the academy, it is impossible to have such a bright and vivid color.

It's a copy!

——

Dali Temple.

"There is a painting lost in the palace, a masterpiece of the previous dynasty. The edict of the Academy of Fine Arts was accused of dereliction of duty and was already imprisoned. Deng Mian piled osmanthus candy and glutinous rice cakes on the table, and even took out a string of sugar gourds, so he shook his empty sleeves.

The art academy has nothing to do with Chu Shixia, but she is very unlucky, and she happened to have been to the art academy recently, so she was called over for questioning as usual.

Chu Zhixia nodded to indicate that he understood, and unceremoniously picked up the osmanthus candy and sipped it in his mouth, "What kind of painting, so exciting?" ”

"Zhao Fu's "Guanyin Dashi Tu". Deng Mian's expression was exaggerated, "You know Zhao Fu, right?" "Wading Hibiscus" and "Two Zen Hearts" were both painted by him, and "Guanyin Dashi Tu" is his masterpiece and is worth a thousand gold. ”

Chu Zhixia didn't know this picture and that picture, although she read through the poetry and books, and knew a little bit about the music, but she didn't understand Danqing. However, Zhao Fu's name hung in front, and she knew that this painting must be very valuable.

"No one has been to the academy once in 800 years, why did someone think of this painting recently?" Chu Shixia asked curiously.

"It seems that the queen mother invited Master Qingxuan of Yongzhou to open the altar to give a lecture, so she specially ordered this painting to admire, and it turned out that it was a fake sent to Changxin Palace." Deng Mian said excitedly, "If you want me to say, it is obvious that the painting academy is guarding and stealing." ”

Chu Shixia felt that it was not necessarily.

The queen devoted herself to worshiping the Buddha, and Zhao Fu's "Guanyin Dashi Tu" is also famous all over the world, even if the pearl is dusty for a while, there is always a time to think of this painting. Once the incident occurs, the death penalty can be avoided and the living crime cannot be escaped.

If you want to guard your own theft, you have a better target.

"Guanyin Dashi Tu" is eye-catching and hot, so a fool steals it out and sells it.

A dangerous thought flashed, Chu Zhixia raised his eyes to look at Deng Mian, and a cold light bloomed in his eyes, "You just said that the queen mother wants to see this painting?" ”

"yes, yes." Deng Mian was confused, "What's wrong?" ”

The chill hit his heart, and Chu Zhixia thought to himself, the four princes are finished.

——

Dali Temple Prison.

The edict of the painting academy was locked up here for three days and two nights, and the water and rice did not enter. He was stripped of his official uniform, removed his hairpin, and was driven into this cage with no dignity.

During the day, a little light came in through the narrow and slender skylight, and he looked at his hand through that light, remembering when the painting had been lost; At night, he fell asleep listening to the snoring of the other prisoners in the cell, and rats squeaked and ran by.

This is the fourth day he has been held here.

At first, he was just hungry, then thirsty, and the saliva he swallowed mixed with the blood in his throat.

The door to the cell was finally opened, and he was called twice, and when he could not move, he took a bowl of muddy water and poured it into his mouth.

Filthy water beads rolled into his white beard, and the painter gradually regained his senses, and standing in front of him were Dali Siqing and several fierce and vicious jailers. Before he could beg for mercy, the jailers dragged him out and tied him to the torture rack, making his old bones rattle.

"Dali Siqing, I didn't steal the painting." The edict of the painting academy shook his head, extremely bitter, "I have no children and no daughters, I neither gamble nor prostitute, what do I want money for?" ”

Dali Siqing bowed slightly, and said softly, "I heard of Mr.'s magic pen when I was young, and this painting must not have been stolen by Mr. ”

"Yes, yes!" The waiter of the painting academy nodded again and again, and said embarrassedly, "I didn't steal it!" ”

"But this painting disappeared from the academy, and Master Qingxuan arrived in the imperial capital in a few days, which damaged the royal face. So we have to solve the case quickly. Dali Siqing was reasonable, "Since it wasn't stolen by you, it was stolen by someone else." ”

The edict of the painting academy pondered for a long time, searching for suspicious faces in his mind, and suddenly heard Dali Siqing speak slowly and logically.

"Did the four princes steal it?"

The edict of the painting academy was shocked and stared at Dali Siqing in horror.

He knew where the painting was.

Dali Siqing is the person of the regent, and the Chen Dang is a certainty.

"The fourth prince lost his mother at a young age, saying that he grew up with the queen's mother, but in fact, no one taught him. Occasionally do something wrong, I believe His Majesty will not blame him. Dali Siqing smiled and whispered to the edict of the painting academy, "Did you say that?" ”

"No, it's not." The edict of the painting academy panicked but firmly denied, "It wasn't the four princes who stole it!" ”

——

Rain cats and dogs.

The tarpaulin carriage struggled out of the palace gate in the heavy rain and drove along the straight official road. On weekdays, the streets were empty, and the overwhelming rain swept the entire imperial capital. The man in the cloak and hat jumped out of the carriage and plunged into the alley.

With such a heavy rain, the clothes and hats were useless, and the man was drenched in an instant.

He stumbled through the rain and found the house with the plaque "Akiba Mountain Residence" and banged on the door.

"Who?" The porter asked cautiously.

"The fourth prince, Bai Ziche. I want to see your eldest lady. The young man's low voice came from the crack in the door, "I'm sorry to open the door." ”

——

Chu Zhixia hurried to the flower hall and saw a string of water-stained footprints on the ground. When she looked up, she saw the wet Bai Ziche sitting in the hall, like a crumbling porcelain doll, which would break into thousands of pieces when touched.

"How did you serve, why didn't anyone serve tea to His Highness?" Chu Zhixia scolded, "Fetch a dry suit for Your Highness!" ”

The maids were speechless, and as soon as Bai Ziche entered the door, he sat in the flower hall in a daze, and didn't say anything, just begged them to invite Chu Zhixia to come. He refused to ask for tea, nor did he ask for clothes, which frightened the maid.

"Miss Chu, please help me!" As soon as Bai Ziche bent his knees, he was about to kneel.

Chu Zhixia quickly supported him, so that Deng Mian and Cheng Yuan, who were following behind, saw the reversal of this monarch and minister. Chu Zhixia is a person who practices martial arts, and her arms are far more powerful than Bai Ziche who is fiddling with a paintbrush, and Bai Ziche can't kneel on her hands.

"His Royal Highness is serious," Chu Zhixia said, "You can't do that." What do you want your minister to do for you? ”

"Please, help me enter the prison of Dali Temple. I want to see the edict of the Academy. Bai Ziche was drenched in the rain, his lips were white and his whole body trembled, but his mouth was such an insignificant request.

Chu Zhixia pondered for a moment.

Today in Dali Temple, listening to Deng Mian talk about this Guanyin pattern, she knew that the mastermind behind the scenes was the regent.

Bai Ziche's picture of the beauty hooked the emperor's heart, and the eunuchs took the pictures to look for similar people, which annoyed the Chen family - the regent is a relative who interferes in politics, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he has gained power from the harem, how can he let anyone get involved in the harem.

The emperor's six sons, the crown prince and the third prince, were born to Empress Chen; The second prince is disabled and has inconvenient legs and feet; The five princes are stupid and rude, and the six princes can't see anything when they are young.

As for the fourth prince, Bai Ziche, he was originally a forgotten character, but he accidentally became the fire trigger for the eunuch party to provoke the regent.

For the regent, it was just a matter of time to get rid of him, and who knew if the beauty picture was unintentional or intentional?

"Dali Temple prison, His Royal Highness will naturally go. But what is Your Highness doing? Chu Zhi half-truthfully excused himself, "Did the edict of the painting academy really steal that painting, does His Highness know the inside story?" ”

"Teacher...... No, the edict of the painting academy is more than half a hundred years old, there is no disease, no disaster, no children and no daughters, and there is nothing good except Danqing, just waiting for the day when the limit comes, and bury himself with a handful of loess. Bai Ziche's voice was harsh, "What does he want money for?" ”

So, this is a planting.

Chu Shixia also had a slight impression of the edict of the painting academy, an old man in his old age, who was kicked to the ground by the third prince and had to be helped by several people to get up.

Chu Zhixia was even more sure that this was a farce operated by the regent.

"The edict of the painting academy was entered into the palace before the emperor ascended the throne, and it was known as the 'hand of the gods' when it was among the people. Everyone thought that his talent in the future would not be inferior to the six previous dynasties. Bai Ziche lowered his eyelashes, his eyes were dim, "In order to protect himself, he begged his colleagues in the painting academy to protect himself...... I have knelt down, flattered, and been beaten, but I have not stolen. ”

The pen and ink are the indestructible backbone of his life.

He may not be worthy of being called a gentleman, but he is a good man. Should good people end up like this? Bai Ziche's eyes were sad, but his voice was sad and heavy.

Deng Mian and Cheng Yuan were both a little moved.

"Even if this is the case, what can His Highness do when he sees him?" Chu Zhixia was calm to the point of being cold-blooded, allowing Bai Ziche to see the reality clearly, "You don't know where the painting is, and you won't solve the case, let alone rob the prisoner." ”

"A good person shouldn't end up like this, but Your Highness, with all due respect, you can't save him." Chu Zhixia said cruelly.

The sound of knuckles tapping on the table was heard, and everyone's eyes were drawn.

Shen Zhou, who suddenly appeared in the corner of the flower hall, held his sword, withdrew his ice-white knuckles, and made a string of sign words at Chu Zhixia.

Deng Mian stumbled over the reading, and asked Chu Zhixia for help, "Boss, what is Shen Zhou talking about?" ”

Chu Zhixia frowned and didn't speak.

Shen Zhou patiently fought again, but it was obviously not the same gesture as before.

Chu Zhixia said a little irritably: "What's the matter with you?" Go back to your yard. ”

Shen Zhou remained silent, gave her an ultimatum, and turned around to leave.

Chu Zhixia was so angry that he couldn't wait to bring people back and hang them up and beat them, "Come back, I'll go with you." ”

The other three watched in confusion as they played dumb riddles.

Chu Zhixia breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "Deng Mian, you take His Highness to the prison of Dali Temple, so that no one can find out His Highness's identity." I'm going to look for a painting. ”

Deng Mian was ignorant, nodded and said, "Okay." ”

Chu Zhixia saluted Bai Ziche, strode over and carried Shen Zhou's collar, and dragged the person out.

Bai Ziche looked at Shen Zhou's face a little stunned, and only after a long time did he retract his gaze and follow Deng Mian.

——

Shen Zhou's first sign language was to say, "I can save him, I'll go find the painting." ”

The second paragraph says, "If you don't tell them, I can get the painting back." ”

The third paragraph reads: "Then I'm going to look for a painting." ”

Chu Zhixia pushed the person's back against the wall tightly, pointed to his nose and asked, "Give me a reason." ”

Shen Zhou slowly pushed her fingers away and gestured, "He will be the emperor." ”

Chu Zhixia was terrified.

Shen Zhou's words have no beginning or end, and spreading it will inevitably lead to death. But he said it so lightly, as if he was expounding an established fact, that people couldn't help but be unconvinced.

Shen Zhou is not a complicated person, he is simple-minded, and he does not understand the affairs of the court.

Why would he say such a thing? Chu Zhixia was a little hesitant.

"This highness is indeed not a simple person, but don't say that again." Chu Zhixia slapped him on the head, "You don't want to live anymore?" ”