Chapter Twenty-Eight: Bringing News
At this time, Li Xian, Li Qiu took Youming and Ouyang Yucheng all the way, and they rushed to Kaifeng City non-stop.
The four of them led the horses and walked on the huge Kaifeng street, looking around to investigate. Youming opened his mouth and said, "Dad, uncle, Kaifeng City is so big, where are we going to find our senior sister?"
Li Xian looked at the people on the street, not knowing how to start.
Ouyang Yucheng, who was anxious on the side, grabbed a passer-by and asked, "Uncle, have you seen a beautiful girl holding a horse and holding a sword in a hurry..."
Passers-by shook their heads and waved their hands: "I didn't see it, I didn't see it..."
Then, Ouyang Yucheng pulled a woman carrying a basket and asked the same thing. The same answer was obtained.
"Dad, Brother Ouyang, how should we start? We can't ask one by one like this, if Senior Sister really comes to Kaifeng, where do you think she will go?"
"The Imperial Palace, yes, it must be the Imperial Palace, let's go to the Imperial Palace to have a look," Ouyang Yucheng suddenly realized.
"Senior brother, do you know which direction the palace is?" asked Li Qiu.
"Of course I know, let's come with me" So, Li Qiu led the three of them all the way to the direction of the palace.
A few people walked around the palace gate and didn't see anything unusual. At this time, two eunuchs walked out of the palace gate, Ouyang Yucheng hurriedly walked up and asked, "May I ask the two fathers-in-law, is there anything abnormal in the palace?"
The eunuch was taken aback and scolded: "Where did you come from?
"Please forgive my father-in-law, I don't mean anything else, I just want to know, is there anything abnormal in the palace today?" Ouyang Yu rushed to the hospital as if he was ill and asked the eunuchs of the deep palace for news.
"The palace compound is heavily guarded, what can be abnormal, this is a security area, no one is allowed to trespass, if you ask around here again, I will let the guards arrest you and put you in prison." Don't get out of here," the eunuch scolded.
"Let's go, let's go" said that, and the four of them left the palace gate. Ouyang Yucheng said as he walked: "It seems that nothing should happen in the palace, Dan'er may not have been here yet."
"Maybe Senior Sister has already come, she saw that the palace was so heavily guarded, and then she gave up and went home early," Youming said.
"You underestimate your sister's determination to take revenge, your mother and I have watched her grow up since childhood, I know too well what her personality is, if she doesn't do this, she will never give up," Lixian said.
Ouyang Yucheng asked: "Then what should we do? We can't wait for her to appear at the gate of the palace, besides, there are twelve gates in the southeast, northwest, and northwest of this palace, even if we keep guarding them, there are not enough people?"
Li Qiu thought for a while and said: "If she wants to enter the palace, she must find a way, she is not familiar with life here, and she must find out the news."
"Yes, this is the method that all of us who walk the rivers and lakes know," Li Xian said.
"If she wants to find out the first news, where will she go?" asked Li Qiu.
"In my previous experience, it's easier to find out at the Tea House Inn, and I've told her many times," said Lixian.
"Okay, let's go to the teahouse and inn, and look for it door to door, although this method is very stupid, but it has been tried and tested, and it really works," Li Qiu said.
"Yes, I also agree, then let's divide the troops into four routes, in the southeast, northwest, and four directions," Ouyang Yucheng suggested.
"Okay, whether there is news or not, let's meet at the largest 'Let's Gather Teahouse' in the center of the city in the evening," Li Qiu said.
So the four of them acted separately and inquired about Yi Dan's news in four directions of Kaifeng City.
In the evening, Yi Dan fidgeted in the room arranged for her by her mother Tongfei. After a while, Mu Tongfei entered the door and said happily: "Miss Yi, great, our people came back with a message, saying that the file of Concubine De has been found, and according to the file records, Concubine De's surname is Zhang Mingzihan." The dossier says that she is Zhang Guiba's daughter, but according to the eunuch who managed the dossier, in fact, this concubine was picked up by the deposed emperor Zhu Youqi in Chang'an more than ten years ago."
"Yes, it's really good, her name is Zihan, may I ask how old this Concubine De is?" Yi Dan asked.
"According to the eunuch, Concubine Nade was only eight years old when she was picked up, and according to this calculation, she should be twenty-three this year," said Mu Tongfei.
"That's right, that's right, the men in the teahouse also said that she followed Zhu Youqi at the age of eight, yes, it must be her, it must be her" Yi Dan said excitedly.
"Miss Yi, you said that this Concubine De is your old friend, who is she?" asked Mu Tongfei.
"Brother Tongfei, since we are also in the same boat, I won't hide it from you. My father followed a famous chivalrous guest You Bailin to assassinate Zhu Wen together, at that time Zhu Wen was still the envoy of the Xuanwu Army of the Tang Dynasty, the king of Jiliang, and Zhaozong gave the name Zhu Quanzhong" Yi Dan said to his mother Tongfei word by word.
"Aren't you talking about the current Great Liang Taizu, Zhu Wen?" asked Mu Tongfei.
"That's right, it's this Zhu Wen. My father assassinated him with the ranger, but unfortunately he was betrayed by a traitor and fell into a trap. The ranger was captured, and my family was beheaded because of this. I was the only one in my family who was saved by Master and survived. And there may be another person alive, she is You Zihan, the daughter of You Daxia, she was exactly eight years old at the time, three years older than me" Yi Dan talked about his life experience and told this mother and Fei eloquently.
"So you suspect that the current Concubine Zhang is the daughter of the ranger back then?" asked Mu Tongfei.
"That's right, at that time, Sister Zihan, she was very scared, crying and begging for mercy from the Zhu brothers, Zhu Youqi saw that she was very beautiful, so she left her behind, and I heard that she was later rescued by Zhang Hui, the wife of Wei State, and adopted as a righteous niece, and passed on to Zhang Guiba. It's her, it must be her, she's Sister Zihan," Yi Dan said with a wistful expression.
"I see, that's why you said before that she could help you assassinate the Dog Emperor?" is that the reason?" Mu Tongfei asked.
"That's right, if this Concubine De is really Sister You Zihan, I believe that she must have had a very painful life over the years," Yi Dan said.
"Well, that's right," Mu Tongfei said secretly with joy.
"May I ask Brother Tongfei, do you have any other news about this Concubine De?" Yi Dan asked.
"Our people have just entered the palace, and their status is low, and they can't move around casually, so they can only find out this news. However, according to him, every year during the Midyear Festival, Concubine Nade has to pray for blessings at the Queen Mother Temple in the western suburbs of the city," Mu Tongfei replied.
"Isn't today the 15th day of July, the Midyear Festival? Great, God help me," Yi Dan said happily.
"Yes, today is July 15, so our people hurriedly came over to tell me after finding out the news," Mu Tongfei said.
"Great, I'm going to the Queen Mother Temple in the western suburbs, may I ask Brother Tongfei, can you lead the way for me?"
"Of course it's no problem, let's go together," Mu Tongfei replied.
"Okay, do you have a pen and paper, do you have a pen and paper, I need to prepare something first," Yi Dan asked.
"It's... I can't hide it, and I can't read or write, so I don't have a pen and paper," Mu Tongfei said embarrassedly.
"It's okay, I still have a few blank pieces of paper on me, just ask Brother Tongfei to help me go to the room to find a carbon stick," Yi Dan said.
"Well, no problem," Mu Tongfei nodded repeatedly.
"If it doesn't work then, let's..." Mu Tongfei nodded and smiled with satisfaction while listening.
Mu Tongfei and two believers led Yi Dan to the vicinity of the Queen Mother Temple on the outskirts of the western suburbs of the city. At this time, the sun has only the last rosy sunset left. Yi Dan hid behind a big tree, and saw a group of guards from a distance, blocking the road, and no one was allowed to enter or leave the temple of the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother Temple is brilliantly lit, and there are many guards and palace maids guarding inside and out. Yi Dan stood up from behind the big tree and tried to fly to the top of the temple from the side with light skills. I don't know, but I was discovered by the guards, and a guard came over and asked, "Who?"
Yi Dan hurriedly stood up and said with a smile: "Hello eldest brother, may I ask Concubine De Niangniang, is she incense in the Queen Mother Temple?"
"Who are you, what are you doing with these?" the guard asked, after glancing at Yi Dan.
"Big brother, can you help me spread the word and tell Concubine De that she has an old friend who wants to see her," Yi Dan said.
"I don't have the authority, this is not the place for you to come, so it's better to avoid it quickly, or I'll arrest you as an assassin," the guard reminded.
"Big brother, you misunderstood, I'm not an assassin, I'm really the old friend of Concubine De, please help me pass it on, okay?" Yi Dan said innocently.
"Do you think the rules in the palace are child's play? Concubine De Niangniang is something you can see if you want to see it? If you don't leave, I will order someone to be arrested," the guard warned Yi Dan repeatedly.
"Big brother, don't, don't, you listen to me say the last sentence" Yi Dan explained, while taking out a note, and a piece of silver and said: "Big brother, please give this note to Concubine De, if she sees the note, she will definitely come to see me"
The guards weighed the silver, thinking about it. Yi Dan continued: "This is for the brothers, if Concubine De is happy, then you will also be considered a credit, just hand over a note, and there will be no loss, right?
Under Yi Dan's coercion and temptation, the guard put away the silver and said, "Okay, but there are rules in the palace, I have to read the content of your note first."
"No problem, please take a look at it first" Yi Dan handed over the note, and the guard opened the note and looked at it and said: "A poem? So it seems that there is nothing disrespectful, okay, I will help you pass the note, but if Concubine De Niangniang doesn't see you, you can leave quickly and don't entangle anymore" The guard scanned the contents of the note and said.
"Okay, it must be, then it will be troublesome big brother" Yi Dan thanked again and again.
At this time, in the temple of the Queen Mother. A beautiful woman dressed in rich clothes was kneeling in front of the statue of the Queen Mother and burning incense, and four palace maids stood at the door to serve at any time. The guard who received Yi Danyin came over and whispered to a palace maid: "Sister Qiu'e, there was a woman just now, who claimed to be the deceased of Concubine De Niangniang, and there was a note to be handed to Niangniang, do you think this is convenient?"
"Didn't you see that the lady was praying for incense? Why are you bothering at this time? I really don't know the rules," the palace maid Qiu'e reprimanded.
"Yes, yes, but the woman said that if Concubine De Niangniang read the note, she would definitely see her, and the last general would only be responsible for passing on a message, please Sister Qiu'e not be angry" The waiter was afraid of offending the palace maid, so he said in a low voice.
"I have followed Niangniang for so many years, moved the capital to Luoyang and Dingdu Kaifeng, and walked so many places, except for the Zhang family's mother's family, I have never heard of Niangniang's other old people, have you been fooled?" Qiu'e said.
"Yes, yes, yes, the last general is confused, you shouldn't listen to the woman's one-sided words, please Sister Qiu'e calm her anger, don't disturb the concubine Niangniang" The guards apologized again and again.
"Concubine De Niangniang is the emperor's favorite concubine, if anyone dares to make Niangniang unhappy, be careful that you can't eat and walk around," Qiu'e said.
The conversation between the two was overheard by the woman kneeling in front of the statue of the Queen Mother not far away. She closed her eyes and asked, "Qiu'e, what's going on?"
Qiu'e hurriedly turned around and bowed, lowered her head and replied: "Back to Niangniang, the guard said that there is a woman outside, who claims to be Niangniang's old man who wants to see Niangniang, and the slave guesses that someone must have made a mistake, so I didn't dare to alarm you."
"Is there a mistake with my old man?" asked Concubine De.
"Yes, Niangniang, the slave also thinks it's ridiculous, Niangniang has always been a person, how can there be any old people," Qiu'e said.
Concubine De opened her eyes when she heard this, and said, "You say so, is it possible that the palace is flooded by the Yellow River and washed down from the sky?"
Qiu E hurriedly knelt down, and said in horror: "Niang Niang is angry, Qiu E didn't mean this"
"Then what do you mean, can't there be an old man in this palace?" said Concubine Nade.
"Please Concubine De Niangniang to calm her anger, Qiu'e has never seen Niangniang visit from the deceased, for fear that Niangniang will be fooled. There are many people in the palace who are jealous of Niangniang's exclusive grace, and have a lot of complaints about Niangniang, and deliberately spread rumors outside, slandering Niangniang's reputation, Qiu'e is also thinking about Niangniang's reputation, so please Niangniang Mingjian" Qiu'e said reasonably.
"This palace is not a three-year-old child, do you still need to teach this palace to distinguish between right and wrong? The emperor sent you to wait for this palace, didn't he let you take care of this palace everywhere," Concubine De replied.
"Yes, yes, please forgive your sins, please calm your anger" Qiu'e kowtowed again and again and begged for mercy.
"Alright, you get up first. However, Bengong is also very curious, who is the person who dares to call himself the old man of Bengong?" asked Concubine De.
"Hui Niangniang, a girl in her twenties, she also asked her subordinates to hand Niangniang a note," the guard replied.
"What is the note, what is written?" asked Concubine De.
"It's a poem," said the guard.
"Could it be that those folk literati wrote sour and rotten poems to insult the palace?" asked Concubine De.
"Back to Niangniang, the last general has already reviewed it, and I can't see any disrespectful words at present. But the woman said that if the lady saw this note, she would naturally meet her," the guard said respectfully.
"Okay, where is the note, show me," Concubine De stretched out her hand and waited for the note.
"It's here under my subordinates, please take a look at it," said the guard, the guard handed the note to the palace maid Qiu'e, and Qiu'e took the note into the temple and presented it to Concubine De with both hands.