Since Zheng Xun, the edict of the academy, committed suicide in fear of crime, and Bai Ziche briefly took over the academy and then switched to participating in the government, the academy has been deserted. A few painters scribbled in the academy, and their paintings were mediocre and kitsch. Bai Ziche occasionally came to dry the scrolls, so as not to get damp and moldy on the scrolls, which added a little bit of popularity here.

This white-walled and black-tiled courtyard resembles a deserted, forgotten tomb in the middle of a majestic court, and Bai Ziche is the only ghost hovering here.

"You said you were sick and couldn't go to court. I specially sent someone to look for you in the mansion of King Qi, but you taught the childish Danqing pen and ink here. National events, rivers and mountains, are they not as good as the flowers, birds, fish and insects in your pen? The emperor's face was gloomy, and he shook his head and said, "If I knew this, I should have let you go to the fiefdom to be an idle king, why bother to leave you in the imperial capital, and waste your good time in the mountains and rivers!" ”

The vassal king's release to the fief shows that the emperor has no intention of establishing a prince. This sentence is very serious, and the emperor is extremely disappointed in Bai Ziche.

"If the son is guilty, I hope my father will punish him." Bai Ziche didn't argue, just knelt obediently on the wet and cold ground in the hall.

Bai Yan came out of the inner room in a hurry, and was dizzy by the emperor's heavy words. When he was at a loss, he saw Bai Ziche kneeling straight and upright, and he was so anxious that he immediately knelt beside Bai Ziche.

Because of Pei Zhang, the emperor couldn't say anything about Bai Yan, and said with displeasure on his face: "What are you kneeling here for?" ”

"Ah Yan, don't be presumptuous. Don't hurry up yet. Bai Ziche said lightly.

"Father, it's not like that!" Bai Yan was so anxious that he forgot his honorific title, and said anxiously, "If the fourth brother has no intention of national politics, why should he work hard in Jiangnan for three years, offend countless officials and businessmen, and seek the well-being of the people?" He said that he couldn't go to court because he was sick, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. ”

"Yan, shut up. Don't talk nonsense. Bai Ziche scolded softly.

The emperor narrowed his eyes and said, "Let him speak." ”

Bai Yan was reprimanded by Bai Ziche, his eyes were red with grievances, and he said with a stalk around his neck: "The fourth brother has been bullied by the third brother since he was a child, and when he meets people, he will say that the fourth brother is from a low background. It was obviously the same day's birthday, but the fourth brother had to let him every year, and he postponed it for a month to secretly celebrate. Even a birthday banquet, the third brother is so aggressive, not to mention that now the fourth brother is participating in the government? ”

Bai Ziche sighed and explained, "That's not the case. ”

"That's it!"

With tears in his eyes, Bai Yan said loudly, "The officials of the DPRK and China were assassinated, and so many people scolded you and speculated about you openly and secretly, but if you had such a skill, would you still let him bully you for so many years?" He just can't see Hanlin Shizi say hello, compare King Qin! If King Qin is really a bodhisattva, how can he see you being bullied for many years and pretending to be deaf and dumb! ”

Bai Ziche looked at the emperor helplessly, and arched his hand: "Father, it's not like this. ”

"And what do you say?" The emperor took his eyes off Bai Yan, who was wiping his tears, and fell on Bai Ziche, and asked unhappily.

"The eldest brother is the eldest son, and according to the ancestral etiquette, the son is not qualified to rob him of anything. Erchen is young, late in school, and has no sense of proportion, so he should retreat. If it is to fight for a breath and cause the trouble of the brothers' wall, it will damage the ancestral foundation, and the gains outweigh the losses. ”

These words were extremely compromised, and Bai Ziche grew a plain and harmless face again, quenching a cold pale in the heavy snow in early winter, which became more and more unbearable.

Bai Ziche explained calmly, and said: "The eldest brother and the third brother are brothers of the same mother, and the sons have no such blessings, only envy, and never have the heart of arrogance. If the father wants to punish the crime, let him punish the crime of deceiving the king. ”

The emperor stared at Bai Ziche's eyes quietly for a moment, and said, "Although you are late in studying, the young master of the Pei clan in Guanzhong is famous all over the world. He himself taught you that you are no worse than the eldest son of the emperor who was enlightened at the age of six. I handed over the Jiangnan matter to you, you did a good job, I am very happy, you don't have to be presumptuous. ”

The emperor personally helped Bai Ziche up, patted his hand, and said, "If you don't come to the court tomorrow, I won't spare you." ”

"Yes." Bai Ziche bowed slightly.

——

In the ninth year of auspiciousness, the first day of November.

Dali Siqing, who had been ill for a long time, suddenly struggled to get up from the sickbed, claiming to have seen the characteristics of the assassin in the Xijinghu assassination case. He wrote to the cabinet, saying that because of his noble and sensitive status as an assassin, he had been silent, and now he finally could not bear the torture of conscience and decided to risk his life to admonish him.

Dali Temple in prison.

Chu Zhixia was wearing shackles on his hands and feet, sitting cross-legged on the straw pile, raising his hand to support his chin, and asked Yan Jue, who was ordered to come to interrogate, boredly: "So, he said that he saw more than a dozen assassins, and the inscription on one of the swords was the three words 'Drinking Stream Snow', the sword light was like snow, and the blood was like rain." But he was afraid of the Chu clan in my clouds, and he didn't dare to speak out. ”

Yan Jue nodded and said, "That's the idea." ”

Chu Zhixia covered his face and took a deep breath to calm his mood.

"There are not many people who can penetrate the wall of the carriage with a sword, since the murder of Shangshu of the Criminal Department, Yu Linwei has been investigating the talented people in the rivers and lakes inside and outside the imperial capital. Unfortunately, you, the eldest lady who studied under the Sword Saint Li Qingbai, have such a ability. Yan Jue also felt ridiculous, and took the plunge to explain Dali Siqing's testimony.

"That's a good point." Chu Zhixia Yan applauded insincerely, "Is there anything else?" ”

"On the day of the assassination in Xijinghu, if the eldest lady has a witness who can prove that you are not in Xijinghu, Dali Siqing's testimony will be self-defeating." Yan decided to give her an idea.

"I was at the Akiba Mountain House that day." Chu Zhixia said.

"What are you doing," Yan Jue said, "but there is anyone besides your personal guard and maid who can prove it?" ”

"Peeling crabs." Chu Zhixia coldly spit out a few words, and said, "There were no visitors that day, and no one else could prove it. ”

Yan Jue was helpless, but there was no other way.

After Chu Zhixia and Bai Ziche returned from Jiangnan, although no one noticed the delicate relationship between them, it did not prevent the people who were chasing the wind and shadows from using this assassination case to link the two. The heavy lives of Chen Party officials, and the tense atmosphere between Bai Ziche and Bai Huan, how can it sound like a bloody case of power struggle.

I believe that soon after, someone will impeach Bai Ziche.

"If you hadn't done it, I'd have cleared you." Yan decided, "Before that, I had to ask the eldest lady to be in prison. ”

"It doesn't matter." Chu Shixia shrugged and said.

"In the fourth year of Xiangfu, the new waiter of the Ministry of Rites was killed in the post house of the imperial capital. I always felt that there were similarities between that case and today's case. Do you remember when the shipwreck pursued the Assassin and was nearly killed? Yan Jue suddenly asked.

In the fourth year of Xiangfu, the assassination case that occurred before the Mid-Autumn Festival has not been solved so far. It was a blood debt committed by Luo in order to take away Shen Zhou, so as to force Shen Zhou to compromise.

Chu Zhixia was stunned, and said without changing his face: "I just remember that those people are indeed very capable of fighting." ”

Yan Jue was silent for a moment, and handed her the large piece wrapped in oil paper through the crack in the iron bar.

"This is what Miss Yuzhu asked me to bring to you. It's cold in prison, and she asked me to tell you to get dressed. ”

Chu Zhixia smiled and said, "She's just so verbose. ”

——

Dali Siqing was awakened from a coma by the cold water on his face. His eyes were covered with a black cloth, and only the faint light of candlelight fell through the gap in the fibers, leaving a vague shadow. Dali Siqing's hands and feet were tied to the chair, and there was no room for struggle.

"You know that there is a punishment for burying a man in the snow, and when he is so cold that he is unconscious, and then pouring boiling water on him, the flesh and skin of his whole body will fall off like a snake." A soft, cool female voice whispered in his ear, "Do you want to try it?" ”

"You are...... The assassin of Washing Mirror Lake," Dali Siqing said tremblingly, "You really have something to do with Chu Zhixia. ”

The female voice snorted contemptuously, not admitting, and the frosty fingers clasped around his throat.

Dali Siqing did not coerce and tempt as she imagined, or threatened with fierce words, but shed tears bitterly and said: "Gongzizhou, I don't think I have the ability to make friends with wanderers, and I am not a good person who has a good relationship. So you left me alive because you knew my son Deng Mian? It was Chu Shixia's order...... Do you want you not to kill me? ”

"She spared your life, but you wanted to make up testimony to kill her. The murder of the court official will take her own life at best, and the Chu clan in the clouds will also be implicated. You who read poetry are cruel. The female voice mocked coldly.

Dali Siqing shook his head, and the surging tears soaked the blindfold, "The regent ordered me to frame Sun Yan, the prince of Qi, but I turned to frame Chu Zhixia. Your Majesty reuses the Chu clan in the clouds, and without ironclad evidence, Your Majesty will not convict Chu Zhixia. ”

"I am guilty, I will confess my sins, and I will pay for it with my life. But Deng Mian didn't harm Chu Zhixia, I beg you, for the sake of your acquaintance-" Dali Siqing choked up and said, "Gongzizhou, you save him." ”

The teacup was placed on the table with a "click", and the young man's low voice overwhelmed the wind and snow whistling outside the window.

"What happened to Deng Mian?"

——

Blacksmith Alley.

As he walked, Shen Zhou untied his coat and hat to cover the snow and threw it in the corner of the room. Pei Zhang sat calmly by the fire and turned the charcoal fire, Bai Ziche was accustomed to beckoning Shen Zhou to come and sit, only Xu Yan observed him with some trepidation.

"Dali Siqing's testimony is false." Shen Zhou said, "His son was taken away and hidden by the regent, and as the only survivor of the assassination at Xijinghu, he was supposed to identify Sun Yan." ”

Pei Zhang's eyes froze.

"He framed Mo Xue just to stall for time. If the regent really succeeds and burns this fire on Bai Ziche, he will no longer have any use value, and Deng Mian will really be hopeless. Shen Zhou said calmly and coldly.

"If you find Deng Mian, will he retract his confession?" Pei Zhang was a little skeptical, "In such a big case as the assassination of an official of the imperial court, false testimony can be convicted of death." Even if His Majesty lets him go, can the regent let him go? ”

"He has already written a new testimony and a recital." Shen Zhou took out the fold and testimony from his arms, and the handprints on the testimony were as red as blood.

Pei Zhang took the recital and testimony and looked through them one by one, his expression changed from inquiry, shock to stastage calm. Xu Yan was baffled by Pei Zhang's changes, and couldn't help but be curious, and fell silent after reading it.

"In addition to the testimony of the retracted confession, the recital also wrote evidence that the regent had formed a party for personal gain and committed adultery over the years." Xu Yan said in a low voice, "He really doesn't plan to live." ”

Bai Ziche looked at Shen Zhou and asked keenly, "Why does he believe in you so much?" ”

"Because I was the one who let him live." Shen Zhou said expressionlessly.

"Either don't do it, or do it absolutely, I thought you knew this truth better than me." Bai Ziche said with a cold face, "If you had killed Dali Siqing at that time, Mo Xue would not have been imprisoned for his false testimony." You know that he is a Chen Party official! ”

"He is also Deng Mian's father."

Shen Zhou also said indifferently: "I don't understand what you said about father, son, filial piety, brothers, friends and brothers, I have studied for so many years, and I can't understand it." But I knew that if I had killed him at that time, both Deng Mian and Mo Xue would have been disappointed in me. ”

Pei Zhang held down the faintly angry Shen Zhou with one hand, and Xu Yan rushed over to appease the indignant Bai Ziche. The air in the room was extremely cold, and the fire seemed to be frozen.

"If Dali Siqing is not a good father, he will not retract his confession for Deng Mian, and we will be helpless; But on the other hand, if he wasn't a good father, Shen Zhou wouldn't let him go, and there would be no predicament now. ”

Pei Zhang comforted: "Today's situation is not the worst. ”

——

In the ninth year of auspicious charm, the fourth day of the first month of November.

Chu Zhixia has been imprisoned in Dali Temple for three days.

Zhang Gui, the imperial historian of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, questioned the credibility of Dali Siqing's testimony, and mercilessly scolded Yu Linwei, who was investigating the case, and accused Yan of being ineffective. Chen Party officials flocked to the city, and some people continued to try to prove the extraordinary relationship between Chu Shixia and Bai Ziche with the Jiangnan counterinsurgency, and extended the assassination case to the unscrupulous seizure of power between the princes.

"Shops, houses, Zhuangzi, and even the wharf," Luo Shuangyi said, "There is no trace of Deng Mian." Chen Boyan and King Qin were very cautious, except for being on duty, going to the court, and socializing, they did not go to a certain place in particular. ”

Shen Zhou sat by the window, looking sideways at the snow-covered courtyard. The snow shone on his soft side face, which was thrillingly beautiful. Rao is a cold-blooded and ruthless assassin like Luo Shuangyi, and he also sincerely sighed that this face is so dazzling that he is not suitable to be an assassin.

"There are two places left." Shen Zhou said.

Luo Shuangyi said that he was listening.

"The Chen family."

Luo Shuangyi nodded, the Chen family must have a mountain ghost assassin hoarding, and reckless actions will only startle the grass and snakes, so the Luo family has not sent someone to investigate.

"The Imperial Palace."

Luo Shuangyi's eyes widened slightly.

"Today's queen is the eldest daughter of the regent, and the queen mother is the regent's sister." Shen Zhou said gloomily, "If you want to hide something in the palace, it couldn't be easier." Didn't they imprison Mo Xue in the Queen Mother's Luhe Palace? ”

"Then let's send two teams of men, one team to the palace and one team to the Chen family, and act at the same time?" Luo Shuangyi said.

"No, there will be someone going to the palace." Shen Zhou shook his head, peeled off a piece of osmanthus candy with his thin white fingers and put it under his tongue, and said, "Let's concentrate our hands on going to the Chen family, and the Mountain Ghost Clan must be there." ”

Luo Shuangyi glanced at the frosting on Shen Zhou's fingertips twice, and said, "You seem to like sweet food very much." ”

Shen Zhou's eyebrows lowered, and his smile was fleeting, "This is the last one." ”

The candy that Chu Shixia bought at the store he knew filled a treasure box. Shen Zhou would eat candy when he was anxious, and only this last one was left in the treasure box.

The last candy is gone, and I'm going to take you home.

"Bai Ziche: Good tea."