Su Shi asked again: "What is the purpose of playing chess?" ”

The ultimate goal of playing chess is naturally to capture the opponent's veteran and win the game. It's as if they want to find out the real culprits of the crown prince's murder and bring them to justice.

Su Shi smiled bitterly: "It's just that we don't know who the other party's veteran is, and we haven't even found out where the other party's pawn is." ”

Since they didn't even find the enemy, they naturally didn't know how to attack, so they made this plan, hoping to lure the other party out.

But now Su Shi said that their plan was useless.

Su Shi said: "That's because the other party knows that you can't threaten them, so they don't need to make a move at all." Just like in chess, as long as you move a chess piece, no matter how delicate the layout is, it will reveal flaws, so the opponent will never act until you feel a real threat. ”

Zhou Xuan asked: "So for the other party, what is the real threat?" ”

Su Shi suddenly fell silent, with a solemn expression on his face.

Zhou Xuan and Su Shi didn't rush him, because they also knew that this matter was too serious, and no one knew what the consequences would be, so they didn't have any opinions on Su Shi's caution.

After a long time, Su Shi said slowly: "I believe that if the other party feels a real threat, then their actions must be very swift and cruel, and they will never leave any room for the other party." ”

Speaking of this, Su Shi couldn't help but sigh: "So you have to think about it carefully, if you really want to track it down, you will die." ”

Then he added: "A lot of people will die, and probably even ourselves." ”

Su Zhou suddenly asked, "Are you sure that the prince was murdered?" ”

Su Shi asked rhetorically, "Haven't you always been sure?" Why do you ask me? ”

Su Zhou also became silent, and at this time, Zhou Xuan sighed faintly on the side: "Although we suspect that the prince was murdered, there has been no evidence to confirm it. ”

"Then why do you think that the prince was murdered?"

This has always been something that Su Shi has been puzzled about, since even the three imperial doctors believe that the cause of the prince's death is not suspicious, why do they still suspect it, and they still believe it.

No one spoke anymore, and the study fell silent, leaving only the endless sound of wind and rain.

After a long time, Qin Nan looked straight at Su Shi and asked slowly, "Do you believe that anyone can predict the time of their death?" ”

This sentence was simply strange, Su Shi didn't know how to answer for a while, he looked at Zhou Xuan blankly.

Zhou Xuan's face was solemn, it didn't seem like he was joking, and Su Zhou didn't seem surprised, which made Su Shi puzzled.

He thought for a moment and said, "It doesn't seem difficult for a person to predict the time of his death. ”

Zhou Xuan and Su Zhou couldn't help but ask in unison, "Why?" ”

Su Shi smiled and said, "I heard a story about a Taoist priest who predicted good fortune and evil very accurately, and was very famous in the local area. One day, the Taoist priest had nothing to do and calculated a hexagram for himself, which showed that he had a life expectancy of fifty-six years, and that he would die on his fifty-sixth birthday. ”

Zhou Xuan looked at him in a daze: "And then?" ”

Su Shi continued: "He was only forty-three years old at the time, and then thirteen years passed without incident, and the time came on his fifty-sixth birthday. ”

"On that day, the Taoist temple was full of guests, and the entire Taoist temple was crowded with people." Su Shi suddenly asked, "Do you know why so many people went to that temple that day?" ”

Su Zhou said silently: "These people go to that Taoist temple naturally to know whether the Taoist priest's fortune-telling is accurate. ”

Su Shi clapped his hands and smiled: "Not bad." Many people went to the Taoist temple early in the morning and waited for the news of the Taoist priest's death. ”

Hearing this, Zhou Xuan couldn't help but ask, "What is the result?" ”

"Just after the end of the day, the Taoist priest feathered and soared."

Feather Ascension is dead, Zhou Xuan and Su Zhou couldn't help but glance at each other, as if they could see the shock in each other's eyes.

But Su Shi looked extremely indifferent.

Zhou Xuan couldn't help but ask, "Don't you think this is a very magical thing?" ”

Su Shi smiled and shook his head: "I don't think so." ”

"Why?"

Su Shi said lightly: "Because although the Taoist priest said that he was a feather ascension, he actually committed suicide." ”

Zhou Xuan was stunned: "Suicide? Why did he kill himself? ”

Su Shi smiled and asked, "If you are in his situation, what should you do?" ”

Zhou Xuan suddenly stopped talking again, and even Su Zhou frowned.

After a long time, Zhou Xuan muttered: "If it were me, I'm afraid the only way to go was suicide." ”

If that Taoist priest does not die, it means that his fortune calculation is not accurate at all, not only will his own reputation be ruined, but he is afraid that his Daomen will also be affected.

So when he told his fortune for himself, then everything was already predestined.

Su Shi smiled: "Don't you think it's ironic." ”

At this time, Su Zhou suddenly said: "But the prince is not a Taoist priest, and no Taoist priest has told him his fortune." ”

Although Su Shi had already been mentally prepared, Su Zhou's words still shocked him.

He looked at Su Zhou in disbelief, and after a long time asked, "You mean that the crown prince knows the date of his death?" ”

Su Zhou said slowly: "The prince was born on the twenty-ninth day of the winter month of the seventh year of Hexing. He came to me on the twenty-fifth day of the winter month. ”

Su Shi was listening quietly.

Su Zhou said while recalling: "At that time, the prince asked me to meet at Hechanglou at noon, I still remember that day the snow was falling, the weather was cold, and it was not suitable to go out at all, and I don't know why the prince summoned me that day." And he was not summoned in the East Palace, but chose to be in Hechang Building. ”

"At that time, I guessed that the prince might want to come out to relax, so before noon, I had already arrived at Hechang Tower."

"And then?" Su Shi finally asked.

The prince arrived after noon, but when he came, he sat there without saying a word, as if he was preoccupied. At that time, I knew that the prince's political affairs were heavy, and some political affairs were not handled smoothly, so I expressed relief. ”

"Heavy on politics?"

Su Zhou nodded: "At that time, the crown prince had already helped the emperor deal with the affairs of the court. ”

Su Shi let out an "oh", and then continued to listen carefully.

Su Zhou continued: "The prince didn't like to drink, but he drank a lot that day. ”

"He's borrowing wine to drown his sorrows?"

Su Zhou sighed: "Maybe." ”

Then his expression became strange, as if he was a little sad, and with a hint of dazedness, after a long time, he said slowly: "When the prince was about to get drunk, he suddenly said a few very strange words to me, and even after ten years, I still remember these words clearly. ”