All the ancestors in the capital begged me to be a substitute

Shen Lingxi came out of Heming Tower and went directly to Tianxiang Pavilion opposite.

She did not change her appearance today, only wearing a simple light blue cotton-padded robe.

It's just that face, so pure and beautiful that even in ordinary clothes, it's eye-catching enough.

Li Xiaoqing recognized her at a glance through the bead curtain, and felt uneasy for no reason.

She knew that Shen Lingxi came to the door for no reason, so she sent her maid to invite Shen Lingxi into the inner hall.

Shen Lingxi followed the maid into the inner hall. Mrs. Li came up to greet her and said apologetically: "There are too many guests outside. The Crown Princess came incognito. She must not want to disturb others, so I am good at making my own decisions and waiting here."

"No need to be polite." Shen Lingxi smiled and glanced at Xu Yuanshan who followed her into the room, then looked at Mrs. Li and said: "Today happens to be the day when the lady is leaving the house. I have two things about Xu Yuanshan that I would like to ask the lady for. I wonder if Madam is willing to tell the truth?"

Li hesitated for a few moments, thinking of the methods she saw Shen Lingxi use when she was in Yunjiang before -

She turned away the maid, stretched out her hand to ask Shen Lingxi to sit down, and answered with lowered eyes: "I would like to ask, if I know anything, I will tell you everything I know."

When Xu Yuanshan saw this, he immediately glared angrily, "Bitch, this bitch! I should have killed you in the first place!"

Shen Lingxi's lips curled up slightly.

"I heard before that Xu Yuanshan was born weak and could not carry his shoulders or lift his hands, so he could only stay in the capital and take care of some common affairs in the palace. Does the lady know when he got the disease from his mother's womb? Okay? How to cure it?"

Shen Lingxi also asked his ancestor about this matter on the night he killed Longpo.

The ancestors didn’t know.

If she had known that Xu Yuanshan had recovered, she would have seen the clues before he went to kill Longpo out of anger.

The person who knows the most about this matter, besides Xu Yuanshan, is the person next to him.

Shen Lingxi only remembered this detail after hearing about the quarrel between the Li brothers and sisters from Liu Meiren.

After all, Sheng Kun originally wanted Yun Xi's body to resurrect Taishu Mei.Chu Yan, who is of similar age, must have been the container that Sheng Kun found for his soul.

Shen Lingxi also asked Chu Yan repeatedly later that day at Zhanlongpo, if Xu Huan had not arrived in time later, would he and Xu Yuanda have died?

Chu Yan answered clearly, yes.

But Shen Lingxi knew that if Sheng Kun wanted Chu Yan's body, he would only use the Ming Yin jade to drive away his soul and replace it.Never let him die.

Therefore, the killing plot set by Zhan Longpo for Chu Yan, even though it was blessed by Wuerda Zhuyoushu, seemed very suspicious.

What's more, if Sheng Kun wanted to seize Chu Yan's body, it would not be a wise move to kill Emperor Xiaode before he could take Chu Yan's body.

All kinds of doubts made Shen Lingxi have no doubt that she, Chu Yan and Sheng Kun were not alone in the whole situation.

The mantis catches the cicada, the oriole is behind
There must be another person.

When Xu Yuanshan heard Shen Lingxi's question, his eyes flashed, and he turned away, staring directly at Mr. Li with his eyes.

Li felt a chill on her back for no reason.

But despite this, she tried her best to think and replied: "When my brother asked me to marry Xu Yuanshan, he said that although he was weak, he was not incurable. He also said that Xu Yuanshan had great talents. As long as I married him, My brother will definitely find an expert to treat him."

"After we got married, my brother asked me to take him back to the Yiyang Marquis Mansion every first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year. My brother opened a small hospital near Jiaomen, and there were doctors waiting in the hospital to treat him. Acupuncture."

"After nearly two years of this, Xu Yuanshan's body became stronger day by day, and later he gradually began to practice martial arts. Although it is not as good as my uncle's martial arts, it is enough to make some tricks to bluff people."

Shen Lingxi's eyebrows moved slightly.

"For two years, did the doctor come rain or shine?"

Those two years were during the time when the war between Dazhou and Beidi was intense and the borders were closed. With Urda's status, if he stayed in the capital for a long time, he would definitely arouse suspicion.

She originally thought that Urda was the one who treated Xu Yuanshan, but now it seems that this may not be the case.

Just as Shen Lingxi guessed, Li hesitated for a few moments and nodded.

"Come here, everyone. He is in the Taiyuan Hospital. He comes here quietly on weekdays and acts more secretly, so no one will notice."

"Too hospital?" Shen Lingxi raised her eyebrows.

Li covered her lips, leaned towards Shen Lingxi, and whispered in a low voice: "It's the doctor Liu, Liu Shichang, who was beheaded by his family after Emperor Xiaode died suddenly."

Doctor Liu.

Shen Lingxi couldn't hide the surprise in her eyes.

She still remembered that Mu Xue'e, the head of Bingqing County, died at the hands of Danzhu, the daughter of Imperial Physician Liu.

Liu Shichang is a famous detoxifying expert in Tai Hospital.

Danzhu's confession at that time stated that on the morning of the death of Emperor Xiaode, her father Liu Shichang was plotted on the way to the Imperial Hospital and fell unconscious in a dark alley.

When Liu Shichang woke up, he found out that Emperor Xiaode had died suddenly, and that someone had taken leave of absence at the Imperial Hospital on his behalf that day.

Later, due to the sudden death of Emperor Xiaode, the late emperor ordered a thorough investigation of Tai Hospital. Liu Shichang's name was also secretly instigated by Mrs. Cheng'en to be added to the list of people who failed to receive adequate treatment. In the end, Liu's family was killed.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shichang also treated Xu Yuanshan's weak disease in his mother's womb.

But if Liu Shichang's medical skills were really so good, how could he be unknown in the Imperial Hospital and just do poison testing and detoxification on weekdays?

Seeing that Shen Lingxi didn't speak, Mrs. Li thought she didn't believe what she said, so she said, "It's no wonder that the princess didn't believe it. Xu Yuanshan didn't believe it at first either. After all, the medicine that Liu Taiyi gave him at the beginning was very strong. The medicine of tiger and wolf.”

"Xu Yuanshan was unwilling to take it at first. Later, my brother asked me to tell him that these are the prescriptions left by the previous dynasty. His Royal Highness Prince Rui's illness was cured by taking these medicines, supplemented by the golden needles of Imperial Physician Liu. Xu Yuanshan Only then did I believe it, and since then I have come to see him for treatment no matter what.”

"Prince Rui?" Shen Lingxi glanced at Xu Yuanshan, who had his back turned to her. Seeing his soul stiffen, she asked, "Is that the Prince Rui who was born with a disease in his legs and was unable to walk?"

Mrs. Li was shocked to realize that she had let slip the words, and a flash of panic flashed in her eyes.

She smiled and said a vague "hmm".

Shen Lingxi's eyes drooped slightly.

The last time I saw Prince Rui was when he was arresting Yun Chong in the East Palace.

She still remembered that King Rui used a wooden wheelchair to get around.

If he were like Xu Yuanshan, his body would have been cured by Doctor Liu long ago...

This thing is even more interesting.

Shen Lingxi saw that Mrs. Li was sitting uneasily and wringing her handkerchief, so she stopped asking questions and changed the question, "I heard that you had a big fight with your brother that night and said that Xu Yuanshan still had something with you. What is that in your hand?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Li sat up straight, her eyes filled with astonishment.

Shen Lingxi looked at her with a faint smile, not intending to explain how she knew about this.

But Li still guessed something and glanced around. "D-did... mother-in-law, mother-in-law tell my mother-in-law?"

Shen Lingxi: "You should know that my ancestors are not the only ones I can see. Everything in this world has a cause and effect. If you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have to be too afraid."

Li's breath trembled slightly, and she tightened the handkerchief in her hand.

"I, I was deceiving my brother." She hurriedly said: "My brother asked me to send Xu Yuanshan two messages. One was to persuade him to trust the medical skills of Imperial Physician Liu, and the other was... to tell Xu Yuanshan that he was a deadlock. , tell me, let me break the news to Xu Yuanshan, beat him up, and make him listen to my brother’s arrangements."

"Most of the time, my brother contacted Xu Yuanshan alone. He died in such a hurry and hated me so much, how could he leave anything for me."

Li said, fearing that Shen Lingxi wouldn't believe it, with tears in her eyes, she quickly added: "Brother cares about face the most. If I didn't say this, he would have given me away just like he did to Zhao Lang..."

Speaking of this, she laughed at herself: "You should have heard that the girls of our Li family are born to bring glory to the family. Although I am a compatriot with my brother and mother, in order to win over the Xu family, he asked me to marry him. If you give it to Xu Yuanshan, I have to marry Xu Yuanshan. If I do something that disgraces the family tradition, I can only die to apologize."

"Coming back from Yunjiang, I say this just to save my life. Princess, believe me, I really have nothing in my hands."

Shen Lingxi naturally believed what Li said.

From the beginning of their ancestors, the Li family sold their daughters to seek glory, relying on marriage and flattering the monarch, and this was passed down from generation to generation.

This is the style of the Li family.

And if Mrs. Li really knew something, she would not have revealed Dr. Liu's affairs to Shen Lingxi today.

After all, she is a member of the Li family.

Both are prosperous and destructive. If she knew what she said, it would involve a huge inside story.

No matter what, I don't dare to reveal it easily.

"I believe what you said." Shen Lingxi said warmly, "What you said today is very useful to me. Therefore, if one day in the future, you ask for something from me, I will also grant you one as long as it does not violate my principles. ask."

As she spoke, she stood up, nodded slightly towards Mrs. Li, and turned to leave——

"Princess, please wait."

Li called to her with a trembling voice from behind and begged: "The Crown Princess can communicate with yin and yang. I would like to use this request to ask you to let me see Zhao Lang one last time... He is the only person who has treated me sincerely so far..." A good man. If I can see him again, even if I die, I will have no regrets."

Hearing her say this, Xu Yuanshan was so angry that his face turned green.

"Bah! You ungrateful and despicable brat! How could you be coaxed away so easily? I have spent so many years in vain to regard you as my legitimate wife, and you have let me down like this!"

Shen Lingxi glanced at him and didn't hesitate to ask for him: "Isn't Xu Yuan nice to you?"

"He treats me well because I was born in the Yiyang Marquis Mansion." Li said mockingly: "When he asked to marry me, it was just to get close to my brother. After so many years of marriage, he only had his ambitions and ambitions in his heart. , how have you ever cared about my happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy? If there was really the slightest bit of affection, I wouldn't have known about Li Daitao's death until my brother told me."

Xu Yuanshan snorted coldly and said contemptuously: "A mere woman, her head is full of romance, haha."

Shen Lingxi looked at him mockingly, without looking back, and said quietly: "Zhao Long may not be as flawless as you think. I can't help you with this request."

She paused and then said: "Since you are trying your best to live, you should cherish your life. No one in this world is worthy of you dying for him. Otherwise, it will be a failure of your efforts to survive. Just do it for yourself." .”

After saying this, she strode outside.

Mrs. Li looked at her back in confusion, and did not come back to her senses for a long time...

*
Late at night, the flower shops crowded with brothels in the capital were bustling with singing and dancing.

Yun Chong changed into a brown short jacket and dressed up as a turtle. He held a dogtail grass in his mouth and turned left and right in the dark alley in the square with a frivolous step.

Finally, I walked into the most lively brothel in the flower shop through the corner door.

The brothel is called "Drunken Flower Courtyard".

The corner door leads directly to the backyard, which occupies a large area.

Rockeries and corridors divide the huge garden into several secret corners. There are many private courtyards among them, and from time to time, the teasing laughter of the flower girl and the benefactor can be heard.

Amidst the rich fragrance of powder, Yun Chong walked familiarly through the corridors, one after another of gorgeous crimson gauze curtains, and finally stopped in front of a heavily guarded courtyard.

He smiled and clasped his hands at the guard guarding the door: "Please let me know, please tell Shan Zong of Ying County that he has something to report to Mr. Chunshan."

Mr. Chunshan is the owner of "Zuihuayuan".

He is proficient in playing piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and is highly sought after by literati in the capital. He is also somewhat famous in the capital.

People in the capital who are keen on elegant things will always have a look of regret on their faces when they hear Mr. Chunshan's name.

Although Mr. Chunshan is very talented, his appearance was destroyed by a fire when he was young, so he has to wear a mask all day long.

If ordinary people want to meet Mr. Chunshan, it is simply harder than climbing to the sky.

The guard glanced at Yun Chong and was not impressed at all by him.

But despite this, he turned around and went into the courtyard to report.

Yun Chong estimated the time, simply found a stone at the entrance of the courtyard, and sat down swaggeringly.

In this way, after waiting for a full stick of incense, the guard who went in to report quickly walked out, walked up to him and said, "Follow me."

Yun Chong stood up and followed him into the yard.

However, as soon as he stepped into the yard, he felt numbness on the back of his neck, his vision went dark, and he fell softly to the ground.

When Yun Chong woke up again, he found himself in a secret room.

In the secret room, there was only a dim oil lamp and a stone bed that had been unoccupied for a long time.

In this still cold early spring, the secret room was so cold that people shivered.

There was a strong medicinal fragrance coming from nowhere, making Yun Chong sneeze.

"Sir, I'm here to give you a big gift. You treat me like this, which makes me feel a little chilled!" He said calmly.

"Ha ha……"

At this moment, an old laughter came from nowhere, "Yun Chong, weren't you captured by that boy Chu Yan and taken to Yunjiang? You are still alive. It seems that your life is very hard." "

Yun Chong smiled.

"It's not a hard life, but as you know, my sister is quite capable and can come back from the dead... She is the most affectionate person and is reluctant to let me, my only brother, die, so I am destined to give you this gift." A great gift.”

When the other party heard this, he seemed to be trying to discern the authenticity of his words.

He was silent for a few moments, then slowly said: "What a great gift, let me tell you."

Yun Chong: "Don't you always want Emperor Ru's curse to come true? Now there are only two descendants of the Chu royal family left. I have a way to kill them all. Do you dare to do what I say? Do?"