Mountains and rivers pray for peace

The wing room in the east courtyard of Guanyi is also brightly lit.

This wing room is very spacious. In addition to the ordinary couch and square table, a lot of furnishings have also been deliberately added. Pictures of flowers, birds and landscapes are hung on the wall, and incense sticks are burning in the double-ear Suan Ni incense burner on the kang table, which is Yungui incense produced in Suiyang. There was also a pot of gladiolus on the desk, which filled the garden with fragrance.

Yuan Shao was sitting in the official hat chair, playing with a folding fan leisurely with his fingers.

"Are you the secret agent buried in the Shangyi Bureau by Concubine Shu?"

Zitan lowered her eyebrows and said, "That's right, Master Hui. I have been working for Concubine Shu."

Yuan Shao raised his eyes and glanced at the woman kneeling on the ground.

Before leaving the palace, Concubine Shu told him that Zitan belonged to her and could be used if necessary. Along the way, fearing that Huo Qi would be suspicious, he never said a word to Zitan. It can be seen that Zitan took great care of Huo Qi and showed great concern, but it was not obvious that she was a concubine.

He withdrew his gaze and stared at the folding fan in his hand: "You can deceive Concubine Shu, you can deceive Huo Qi, but you can't deceive the eyes of this prince."

Zitan's face changed slightly: "Master, what do you mean by this?"

"You used to be the woman beside the second prince, right?"

"Slave... I don't understand what the prince means."

Zitan raised her head suddenly, only to see the man in front of her looking at her with a half-smile, which made her subconscious defense look pale and boring.

"In these years, you have been around the second prince, paying attention to Queen Mother Pei's every move for him, so as to help him invite favors. After the second prince fell, you set your sights on Changle Palace. But you did not go directly to Changle Palace as an errand, but I managed to go to Shangyi Bureau and then surrendered to Concubine Shu."

"Wow!" With a sound, the folding fan unfolded and its shadow fell upside down on Yuan Shao's face. In the semi-darkness, his tone was completely gentle.

"Your ambition is not small. Let me guess, after the second prince, your next target is the fifth prince?"

Rosewood narrowed her eyes.

She has been immersed in the palace since she was a child, and is used to seeing the flowers and gold and jade in the palace, but she is just a humble trace of mud. She is used to seeing wealth, but she cannot enjoy it.

Therefore, she told herself early on that she would climb up by any means necessary. And a man who is born noble is the shortcut. It just so happened that God gave her a good skin, which became her most flattering weapon.

She also knew that in front of the second prince, if she relied solely on her skin, she would be rejected soon. She also has to be a valuable person.

Therefore, she was good at dancing, peeping and patient, and all the eunuchs and maids in the palace could be used by her to deliver messages for her. Even a strict person like Queen Mother Pei could not find fault with her. The accumulation of soil formed a mountain, and the accumulation of water formed an abyss. Step by step, she accumulated bargaining chips for herself.

After the second prince died, she would look for the fifth prince who was in full swing.

The first step to get close to the fifth prince is to go to Concubine Shu. To climb up to Concubine Shu, you must first become the person Shu Concubine needs most. Among the six bureaus and one division of the harem, Concubine Shu was the weakest in the Shangyi Bureau. Therefore, she entered the Shangyi Bureau.

Rosewood's mind moved slightly.

But now it seems that the Prince of Zhenyuan is more suitable to be her big tree than the fifth prince who has long been committed to her.

She calmed down and raised her head, showing a charming face. Those eyes were looking at Yuan Shao, their eyes moving, making people's hearts itch.

"When people go to higher places, water flows to lower places. The slaves are just weak branches. How can they climb in this dangerous palace without a big tree to rely on? The slaves once relied on the second prince for survival, but now, the slaves think, The prince is the big tree."

Yuan Shao's smile gradually faded, and the time his eyes fell on Zitan became longer and longer.

"As far as I know, Huo Qi is good to you."

He put down the folding fan and looked at Zitan inquiringly: "If this prince wants you to do something to her, will you do it?"

Zitan's eyes narrowed: "As far as I know, Master Huo and the Crown Prince were childhood sweethearts. Since the Crown Prince can do something, what can't I do?"

Huo Qi chopped down the big tree of the second prince, leaving her with no branches to rely on. Now, tit for tat, Huo Qi happened to be in the Shangyi Bureau, and happened to be tolerated by Concubine Shu. She used Huo Qi to find a new big tree, which is really fair.

Yuan Shao smiled.

He stood up, walked to Zitan, and helped her up personally: "Since Concubine Shu is willing to use you, I will naturally trust you too."

He took the opportunity to stuff a small porcelain bottle into her hand.

"Let Huo Qi take it before going down the mountain the day after tomorrow."

Zitan grabbed the porcelain vase, and after looking at it for a moment, she looked at Yuan Shao: "May I ask the prince, what is this?"

"Of course it's a poison that seals the throat after seeing blood. After taking it, the medicinal properties will show up within two hours. I think it would be wonderful if the poison occurred on the way down the mountain? Even if I want to find a doctor, it is too late."

Zitan blinked her cat-like charming eyes, and a sharp light flashed in her eyes: "Your Majesty, if this poison is detected afterwards..."

Yuan Shao reached out and stroked Zitan's temples, and murmured with a smile: "Whether it's a doctor or a bastard, no one can detect this poison. When the Ningguo Palace asks for an explanation, it will be that Mr. Huo worked too hard and died suddenly."

"If this happens, you can stay with me from now on."

Zitan squeezed the porcelain bottle tightly and said without any doubts, "Yes."

The light was like a bean, and the light and shadow fell on the man's gentle face.

After Zitan left, Ma Fei on the side said suspiciously: "Your Majesty, that medicine is clearly a drug..."

"It's a drug." Yuan Shao nodded casually, "Is there anything in this world that can't detect poison?"

"So the prince wants to..."

Yuan Shao smiled slightly: "Hualing Peak is rugged and difficult to navigate, and car crashes and fatalities are common. If something happens in Suiyang, Magistrate Ge will definitely intervene."

"What about Rosewood? She is also on Mr. Huo's carriage."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

Ma Fei was slightly shocked, it turned out that the prince had this idea... The drug made Huo Qi lose the chance to resist. If something happened to the carriage, Huo Qi would definitely die. And if the red sandalwood hand has no power to bind a chicken, how can it survive?

Everything is dead without proof.

Finally, Magistrate Ge sent someone to find the accidental carriage. And since he is the prince, he will not cause trouble for himself, but will only fake this matter into a complete accident.

Ma Fei's eyes drifted to Yuan Shao, his eyes obscure.

Marquis Yuan Xianzhi has always been annoyed that his son's temperament and methods are not ruthless enough to achieve great things. Now, the prince has finally grown into what the prince expected, but he first used this cruelty on the woman he once cherished most.

He suppressed the sigh in his heart and said, "Master, why don't you do something when you go up the mountain? Once you take the princess back, I'm afraid there will be too many people."

"No." Yuan Shao shook his head, "Princess De'an is the best witness and the best talisman in front of Duke Ning's mansion."

"In addition, all the imperial guards must be arranged behind Princess Luanjia."

In this way, not even gods can save Huo Qi.

※※※

On the second day, the sky will be dark.

After washing and eating, Huo Qi carried his baggage and went to the entrance of the hotel with red sandalwood and usnea.

Everything is the same as yesterday, as if nothing happened.

Yuan Shao had long been sitting on the horse, as graceful as jade.

Ma Fei was taking care of the guards at the rear. When he saw Huo Qi approaching, he quickly took off the footstool and said, "Sir, get in the car."

Huo Qi nodded and got on the carriage without saying a word.

Taizhenguan, where Princess De'an lives, is located halfway up the Hualing Peak. Starting from Guanyi, it takes half a day by horse-drawn carriage.

The mountain road is bumpy, steep and rugged, but fortunately the scenery is beautiful and beautiful, with mountain flowers blooming like mist, which is enough to comfort you.

Usnea chirped about the flowers and birds outside the car, while Rosewood listened intently and occasionally smiled.

Huo Qi had no time to appreciate it.

What she was thinking about was Yuan Shao's eyes last night.

She has known Yuan Shao for two lifetimes and knows his character very well. Yuan Shao looks gentle on his face, but is actually cold. Moreover, he was raised as the head of the Zhenyuan Hou Mansion since he was a child, and he never did anything unnecessary. Concubine Shu arranged for her to come to Suiyang to meet Princess De'an, and he happened to be traveling with her, so there must be some fraud involved.

The way Yuan Shao looked at her last night... reminded her of the way he held his sword against her neck in the last life.

He may have murderous intentions towards her.

But how will he do it?

Poison? Stabbed to death with a sword?

No, he is not that stupid. If she dies, her body must be brought back to the capital. If there are any unusual signs detected by the widower, my father will not give up. He will definitely think of a perfect way to make her disappear silently.

A hypocrite like him who cherishes his reputation would never let her death have anything to do with him.

Huo Qi followed the car curtain opened by Usnea and glanced at the continuous mountains outside, his eyebrows twitching involuntarily.

Suddenly there was a "woo——" sound in the distance.

Usnea's ears twitched and her face changed slightly: "Sir, is this sound... the howling of a wolf?"

Ma Fei rode on horseback outside the carriage tent. When he heard the movement, he explained: "Master Huo, it is inevitable that there are wild wolves in the mountains and fields. The Imperial Guards are guarding here, please relax."

Huo Qi asked suspiciously: "There are wolves in the mountains. Wouldn't it be dangerous if they attacked the pilgrims and believers who went to Taizhenguan to offer incense?"

Ma Fei replied: "My lord, the incense in Tai Zhenguan is not very strong. Since the princess came to practice, she no longer receives pilgrims from outside the temple. On weekdays, only hunters come and go in Hualing Peak. The wolves are afraid of people, so they don't do it during the day." Dare to come out at will."

"I see."

Huo Qi lowered his eyes, covering up the vast meandering scenery.

They kept going all the way, and before noon, the carriage staggered to a stop at the gate of Taizhenguan.

Huo Qi was helped out of the carriage by Usnea and looked forward.

The mountain mist is deep, and the gate of Taizhenguan is blue-grey. In the milky white clouds, the walls look old and mottled. This Taoist temple is now specially built for Princess De'an's Qing Dynasty. As Ma Fei said, there are not even a single pilgrim at the entrance, making it look increasingly deserted.

The maid who had been waiting at the door came to greet him.

The maid walked straight to Yuan Shao and bowed Yingying: "I have met the Crown Prince. You are here, the princess has been waiting for a long time."

But he didn't even look at Huo Qi.

Huo Qi smiled. She knew this maid. She was Wen Yuan, the personal maid of Princess De'an.

Yuan Shao looked at Wen Yuan and smiled kindly: "How are you doing, Princess, these days?"

Wen Yuan smiled and said, "You will know when you see the princess later."

Huo Qi's eyes flickered, she curled her lips, took the initiative to approach Yuan Shao, patted his arm, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, there is dust on your sleeve."

Yuan Shao's meaning was unclear, and he didn't know what kind of medicine she was selling in the gourd.

Wen Yuan's smile was frozen on his face.