Xi Xia’s Palace Hall
The small garden in front of the palace hall, the flourishing flowers started to wither, there were only several lovable and colorful yellow chrysanthemums that were still blooming unexpectedly. There was a woman who was wearing a dark purple dress and holding a scissor on her hand, she was pruning the branches and leaves carefully, her soft and smiling expression appeared to be gentle and loving.
The old momo’s footsteps came in softly and quickly, she saluted behind her (the purple dress woman) and said; “Mistress.”
Her intonation was clearly happy, Yang Zhi Lan did not turn her head, while she was concentrating on sprigging the plants with the scissor, she smiled and said: “Is there any good news?”
The old momo’s face was filled with smiling expression, and she answered; “Lou Xi Yan’s old illness relapsed yesterday, the Imperial physicians had already gone to diagnose and treat him, they only said repeatedly that the Imperial physicians were helpless and unable to do anything about it. So it seems that he will die in prison before this case is investigated completely.”
Mistress surely had foresight, for the past many years, for the purpose of searching for Lou Xi Yan’s medicine, she actually gave him a fine medicine, even though the prescription suppressed his illness but it also contained an addicted drug, it made him unable to abstain from the drug for the past many years, it could be put to good use today!
Everything was within her anticipation, Yang Zhi Lan did not look happy, on the contrary, her eyebrows were slightly knitted, and she asked: “What did the Emperor say?” Since young until growing up, Tian-er and Lou Xi Yan’s affections were deep and she knew this clearly, she was afraid that with this one illness, he would be softhearted!
Looking at Yang Zhi Lan’s worry, the old momo hurriedly answered: “Mistress, no need to worry, Yang and Li Daren are leading the other officials to pressure, and the Emperor has not let Lou Xi Yan to get out of the prison to treat his illness. The Emperor only put out an Imperial decree to exchange his prison cell in the prison.”
“Good.” In all of the Imperial past dynasties, the Imperial household could not tolerate any crime related to rebelling scheme, Tian-er was not even lenient to his own younger brother, even more to one subject!! She could still think over many things! Yang Zhi Lan’s expression was dark, but her eyes had a trace of unknowing happiness or sadness, was it injury or sorrow!?
“Assign someone to always watch attentively at those two leaders of the traitors, do not let them talk randomly. If they change sides as they are not able to endure the heavy punishments, just kill them, we can not be careless on this matter at all.” Yang Zhi Lan caressed the lovable flower with her hand, gently, softly and with affection, but the words that came out of her mouth was nevertheless, cold and bone-chilling, with no emotion……
“Yes.” The old momo’s heart was slightly shivering, and she did not dare to have a trace of hesitation.
*****
“I have finished writing it, you look at it first, this writing is good or not good?” Bai Yi lightly put out a writing brush and paper, taking out and spreading up the letter on the table.
Zhuo Qing examined it meticulously, and she could see the two different handwritings clearly, even though they were using the chinese calligraphic styles. One style was nevertheless, wild and bold, but it did not lose its steadiness, the other style was elegant, bold, unrestrained and completely graceful. All of the letters were written very well, however, one could not see that both letters were written by the same person.
While looking at the content of the letters, Zhuo Qing asked with a sort of inadvertent accusation: “How many styles of handwriting can you write?”
Bai Yi nodded his head, then modestly smiled and said: “I am rather fond of calligraphy, so I can write some.”
Slightly raising her head, Zhuo Qing smilingly said: “Can you write woman’s handwriting also?”
Shaking his head, Bai Yi smilingly said: “Not too good, I can write it but it is not good.”
“Let me have the knowledge and experience.”
Looking that she had an interested appearance, Bai Yi did not evade any longer, picking up a piece of paper that was on the side, he wrote a few sentences subsequently.
The calligraphic style was dense and delicate as a whole, elegant and graceful, one look and one would know that it was a woman’s handwriting. Zhuo Qing earnestly looked at it for a while, then she lowly smiled, sighed and said: “Your handwriting is better than mine.”
Zhuo Qing examined the content of the letter carefully, Bai Yi was standing unhurriedly at the side, to allow her to see. He did not write many ideas of the rebellion plots at all, for an average person, this letter seemed to explain that Su Ling and him were very familiar at the most. Moreover, it often discussed about the matter related to Xi Yan’s Imperial court, nothing more. But in the eyes of the sovereign king, those Imperial courts and important ministers, Bai Yi clearly understood what this meant.
Looking at it for a while, Zhuo Qing did not express any objection at all, picking up the rough calligraphic style of those letters that had Su Ling’s name on them, Zhuo Qing asked with her fingers that were staying on the blank space of the papers: “When I find Su Ling’s personal seal, can I just put it on here?”
Bai Yi nodded his head and smilingly said: “En, I will put a few more of my seals, wait until you manage to get Su Ling’s seal, I will give all of them to you.”
Taking the letters and put them inside her sleeve, Zhuo Qing deeply breathed and said: “Good, the matter should not be delayed, I am going to the General’s manor.”
Zhuo Qing turned around to go, her wrist was suddenly tight, turning around again, Bai Yi’s worry face was looking at her, and he lowly said: “Ling-er jiejie, you must be careful.”
Smiling, Zhuo Qing nodded her head and answered: “I will, you can be at ease.”
Finished speaking, Zhuo Qing’s meager figure ran out of the courtyard.
The dark eyes that were watching attentively with anxiety, saw the figure that was gradually getting further apart, Bai Yi sat down on the spacious mahogany chair, his hand was softly tapping the wooden chair handle. Looking one glance around at the spacious but empty study room, his thin lips were raised unconsciously and gently, a woman was always acting like an impetuous creature.
The strong and fall figure appeared without making any noise one more time from the outside study room, after he was certain that nobody was around, the big person reminded and said in a low voice: “Master, can she really able to obtain Su Ling’s personal seal? She is going to the General’s manor this time, just in case this plot falls through and is exposed……”
A muffled laughter that was somewhat complacent and arrogant, Bai Yi lightly raised his eyebrows, sneeringly said: “She is not a fool, if she has not had any certainty, she will not act blindly without thinking. Moreover, the stuffs that she is taking with her, they are only several letters, nothing more, on top of that, the handwritings are not the one that I usually use normally, it is not my seal either. Even if the matter falls through and is exposed, there is no relation to me?!”
Looking at Bai Yi’s complacent appearance, the big person hesitated for a while, but still answered: “Master is brilliant.”
There were a pair of white jade carving qilins on the table (Chinese unicorns or other mythical Chinese animal), the white jades were sparkling and bright, the carvings were extremely refine when one was caressing it, one could only feel a burst of cool thought that penetrated deeply into one’s heart. The objects that were on the table, were within reached, they must be Lou Xi Yan’s beloved things, right. Taking one of the jade qilins and playing with it with his hand, Bai Yi seemed to have a laughter and said: “We just wait to watch a good show, ok.”
*****
Early autumn season, when the sun set in the west, it should be the most beautiful time, right, the sunshine was not too hot any more. The sunset would finally be able to bring people some warmth, this warmth would absolutely not burn you. But unfortunately, even though the sunset is good, but it did not stay too long.
It was already two shichen time (4 hrs), Bai Yi’s complexion that was always pleased, slowly changed profoundly, when he was about to ask someone to go and look over, that trace of fine and beautiful shadow appeared to run towards the direction to the study room urgently.
Bai Yi immediately met her up, looking at her complexion that was somewhat pale, he urgently said: “Ling-er jiejie, are you alright?”
Zhuo Qing was shaking her head, while she pulled his hand and walked to the inside of the study room.
Entering the inside room, Zhuo Qing impatiently took out that folded letter from inside her sleeve, and handed it over to Bai Yi, urgently said: “You look at it quickly, is it alright like this?”
Bai Yi unfolded the letter to look at it, there was an impressive red color seal on the bottom of the blank space, scarlet square, that was exactly Su Ling’s seal! The corner of his mouth flashed through a trace of smiling expression, Bai Yi smilingly said: “En! It is exactly this one!”
After the happy event, Bai Yi’s heart raised a trace of suspicion, how did she take a hold of Su Ling’s personal seal after all? Covering up his radiant eyes, Bai Yi pretended to be curious and asked: “Ling-er jiejie, how did you take a hold of it?”
Slightly gasping for air, Zhuo Qing shook her head, and answered: “I……”
Just barely opening her mouth, two figures who were nagging and quarreling, came over towards the study room, Bai Yi narrowed his eyes to look. It was the Lou family’s servant who was in the middle of stoping one petite but rude and unreasonable woman. The woman’s movement was quick, she had an impatient face, the person who came was __ Qing Mo?
Bai Yi lightly frowned, but he remained calm and collected, and he slightly retreated a step, and when Zhuo Qing saw who the person was, she hastily put the letter back into her sleeve.
“Miss Qing, you can not go in a rush like this!”
“Go away.”
The two people were nagging all the way, they reached the front of the study room quickly, the family servant awkwardly looked at Zhuo Qing one glance, and answered: “Madam, she simply wanted to come in a rush…..”
Zhuo Qing naturally knew that they would not hinder her (GY) because of her (GY) identity as her (ZQ) sister and would not dare to use violence on her (GY), even if they tried to stop her (GY) from coming in, she would still come in a rush.
Waving her hand, Zhuo Qing lowly said: “You withdraw, ok.”
Gu Yun entered the door, swept one glance at Bai Yi who was behind Zhuo Qing, Bai Yi was looking at her innocently, both of them were looking face to face for a moment. Gu Yun turned to look at Zhuo Qing, with a cold voice, she said: “You follow me out, I have some words that I want to speak to you.”
Finished speaking, Gu Yun turned around to go out, who would have thought that Zhuo Qing actually answered coldly: “I am not feeling well, if there is something, we will discuss it another day, ok.”
Gu Yun’s feet were rigid, recovering, her serene and hidden black eyes were watching attentively and tightly at her (ZQ) eyes, approaching step by step, Zhuo Qing moved her line of sight and did not look at her (GY). Grabbing Zhuo Qing’s shoulder, Gu Yun said this sentence: “You are lying!”
Zhuo Qing was still not looking at her (GY), absolutely did not want to look face to face with her (GY), since she (ZQ) was still not denying it, Gu Yun’s complexion was uglier, she chased to ask: “You came to see me at the General’s manor today, it was a trap from the beginning, you made me take you to the study room to find that so called evidence. Then you said that you had a stomach ache and made me go to find a physician. After I went away, you completely had an ulterior motive! Was it right?”
“You rummaged through all over the study room, what did you want to find? What do you want to do?” Gu Yun’s tone was overbearing, Zhuo Qing closed her eyes painfully, but she did not speak all along. Gu Yun angrily roared and said: “Say it!”
For a very long time, Zhuo Qing finally opened her eyes, with a cold tone, she answered: “I do not have anything to say, you leave, ok.”
She (ZQ) unexpectedly asked her (GY) to leave?! Gu Yun did not dare to believe and opened her eyes big, firmly grabbed her (ZQ) shoulder, she (GY) scolded: “Whatever matter that we had in the past, did we not resolve it together? I will surely help you out, you should sober up a little, all right? Do you even know what you want to do on your own?”
Zhuo Qing did not pay any attention to her painful shoulder, but Gu Yun’s cold expression nevertheless, made her hurt even more, finally, Zhuo Qing met with her (GY) puzzling eyes, tranquilly but with persistence, she said: “I have never felt so clear before in my life, what I want to do on my own, I will wait the time when you understand what loving someone is, you will just understand it. Everything that I wanted to do today, it might be wrong, but it was all worth it!”
Loosening up the tight hand that was grasping her shoulder, the two of them were gazing at each other so neither of them was giving away to the other, Gu Yun secretly clenched her teeth, lowly asked: “Even if you wanted to deceive me, and even making use of me?! Will you actually not hesitate?”
Trembling, not only because of Yun’s voice, but also Zhuo Qing’s heart, her hand that was clenching into a fist, Zhuo Qing carelessly closed her eyes again.
“Fine! Very good!!” Gu Yun did not know whether it was anger or disappointment, she was unexpectedly laughing heartily.
Bai Yi’s dark eyes slightly narrowed, she was always watching silently at the two people, it seemed that Qing Ling had not spoken about their plan to her younger sister at all, but she (QL) rather deceived her (GY)!
Gu Yun suddenly looked towards Bai Yi at this moment, Bai Yi was startled, his worry and slight alarmed expressions returned to look at her. Gu Yun clearly did not believe his behavior, pointing her finger at his innocent face, Gu Yun said with a cold voice: “You should be a little careful!”
Finished speaking, Gu Yun looked one glance at Zhuo Qing, then turned around to rush out of the study room.
Looking at Gu Yun’s leaving back, Zhuo Qing was staggering, she was somewhat standing unstably, Bai Yi hurriedly advanced one step to support her. With great difficulty, her energy came back slowly, she grabbed Bai Yi’s hand and urgently said: “Hurry! Seize the moment, she will surely go back to tell Su Ling, once he finds out that his seal has been used by someone else, it will be bad.”
Bai Yi lightly patted her shoulder, comfortingly said: “You do not need to be anxious, I will help you with the seal.”
“Good.”
Finished speaking, Bai Yi immediately took out the seal from his waist, he put his own seal on the other part of the letter.
Taking the letter that was given by Bai Yi, Zhuo Qing carefully examined whether or not there was a clear seal impression on the back, then she said lowly: “Thank you.”
Bai Yi shook his head and smilingly said: “Ling-er jiejie, you do not need to be so courteous, I am very happy that I can help Prime Minister Lou to come out earlier. But the Ministry of Justice and General’s manor are hearing this case, if this is handed over to the Ministry of Justice, I am afraid that there will be a disturbance once again! It will be better if you directly enter the Imperial palace!” If this thing was handed over directly to Yan Hong Tian then it would be more interesting, was it not so?!
Zhuo Qing nodded her head, and answered: “It is also good! Then, you leave quickly, ok, I will go.”
Bai Yi cleverly smiled and said: “En, you do not need to worry about me. On the contrary, you should be careful on the road.”
“I will.” Finished speaking, Zhuo Qing took the two letters and folded them properly, put them inside her sleeve, then she advanced to the door and went out.
Half leaning against the door frame, and still waving his hand, Bai Yi called out reluctantly: “Ling-er jiejie, we will surely meet again some day.” If they still had an opportunity to meet again!
Walking to the door of the courtyard, Zhuo Qing stopped her footsteps, and turned around to give him a bright and soft smiling expression, then she answered: “I am sure that we I’ll meet again some day.”
Bai Yi looked distracted, because of that trace of excessive bright and soft smiling expression, he was not sure what feeling that he had, he unexpectedly had this kind of uneasy misperception…… The big person appeared quietly from behind him, and lowly asked: “Master?” Qing Ling entered the Imperial palace now, they must leave immediately now!
Bai Yi covered up to ignore the restless feeling that raised in his heart, he waved his hand, and said: “Just leave now, ok.”
“Are we returning to Liao Yue?”
Bai Yi lightly shook his forefinger, his excited face was smiling and he said: “We can actually find and stay at a secluded place in the capital city, I still have not seen the good show, how am I willing to leave?”
“Yes.” This moment actually should not be too dangerous, but the big person could only wrinkle his eyebrows in the end, and did not dare to say anything.
Seventh Prince appeared to be a good Master, but one would know by looking at what trick that he was using, by all meant, one could not disobey him……