Chongxi [rebirth]

This? The news was too frightening, Jiaozuo was both surprised and delighted.Surprised by the twists and turns of the prince's life experience, but happy because of this, if they send troops again, it will be justified.

If the first emperor hadn't killed his brother, the current throne should belong to their lord.

Jiao Zuo lowered his head, but his eyes were filled with uncontrollable excitement.

However, Li Fengqi just held the portrait in his hand and looked at it quietly, without saying a word for a long time.The men and women in the painting cuddle together intimately, the woman is gentle and beautiful, and the man is graceful and phoenix.He looked down at the woman in his arms with tender eyes.This is a very loving couple.

Also his biological parents.

He recalled Jiao Zuo's words, the other hand resting on his knee was clenched into a fist, and the blue veins bulged.

When he first guessed his identity, he didn't have much emotion for the late former prince and princess.His biological parents, whom he had never met before, were too unfamiliar to him, and they could hardly stir up any waves in his heart.So the old princess didn't want to say anything, so he didn't force her to ask.Only after he freed his hand step by step, did he ask Jiaozuo to investigate.

But the few words Jiaozuo brought back made him see the determination and love of his biological mother.

Before the water in the East Palace, the nanny had already left with the newborn child. The first princess must have heard the news, and also knew that without her husband's protection, both herself and the child would die, so she used her own life to do it. ending.She ordered her confidant to send her child away, and went to Yong'an Palace for help, but she was willing to stay in the flames.

Jiaozuo's words were constructed by him at the time, Li Fengqi lowered his eyes, his heart was filled with anger, blue veins burst out on the side of his neck, and his breathing was heavy and heavy.

Sighing, Ye Yunting took his hand, without any extra comforting words, just stroking his tense back with the other hand over and over again.

He knew that what the other party needed at this time was not words of comfort, but company.

After a long time like this, Li Fengqi's tense body relaxed slightly, and he held Ye Yunting's hand tightly, as if drawing strength.

After a moment of silence, he managed to restrain his emotions, and pretended to calmly ask: "Where is Han Chan, did you find anything?"

However, the hoarse voice revealed his suppressed emotions and inner unrest.

Jiao Zuo secretly sighed, and said: "Han Chan has found something, but there is something strange. I'm not sure if someone is misleading me on purpose."

Then he picked out the strange things one by one: "Han Chan is not the orphan of the Zhao family. Although he was not in Shangjing before and his age is suitable, he is indeed not from the Zhao family. And I? If the news I got is correct , before he got the honor and entered the East Palace as a teacher, he was just a teacher from a poor family. He had no intersection with the former prince."

This thing is very strange.

He learned from the prince that Han Chan should belong to the former prince's former department.And during those days when he was in Beijing, he knew that it was Han Chan's effort to reverse the case of Zhao's case? Guidance, the purpose was to implicate the murder of the former prince.This? What you have done, no matter how you look at it, should be done by the old ministry who was loyal to the former prince.

But according to Han Chan's trajectory for most of his life, he has no intersection with the former prince.

"The subordinate suspects that Han Chan's identity may be false. Besides the subordinate, there is another group of people secretly investigating Han Chan." Jiao Zuo said.

It's a pity that two groups of people searched Han Chan's ancestral home and past, but found nothing? Something useful.

That's why Jiao Zuo always felt strange.

Li Fengqi raised his eyebrows: "Is there another group of people who are also investigating?"

"Yes, but the subordinates can't find out the origin of that group of people."

However, Ye Yunting glanced at Li Fengqi and asked hesitantly, "Could it be Li Zong?"

"There is no one else but him." Li Fengqi looked at him, confirming his guess.

***

At the same time, in the palace, Li Zong was indeed listening to Yinlongwei's report.

Yinlongwei is a secret force handed down from generation to generation in the hands of Emperor Beizhao.They are not in the palace on weekdays, only when the emperor needs them, they will be called.They are hidden in the dark, and no one knows except the emperors. They are the last sharp blade in the hands of the emperors.

So no one knew that Li Xing ordered Yinlongwei to investigate Han Chan.

The commander of Yinlongwei knelt down on one knee and reported the information he had found: "The subordinates have not found out that Han Chan and the former prince had any intersection."

"How could there be no intersection, it's impossible." Li Zong murmured when he heard the words, and said firmly: "You must have missed the key point."

He knows Han Chan too well. This person is like a handful of snow, dazzling white and piercingly cold.No creature in the world could enter his eyes.But this kind of person, in order to avenge the deceased prince, worked hard and worked hard for seventeen years at every step!

Li Zong closed his eyes, recalling Han Chan's life over and over again, and then seemed to have caught something, and suddenly opened his eyes: "You said that he was a scholar at the age of 12, and Jieyuan at the age of 15. After that, he no longer referred to the imperial examination. The county has been a teacher for three or four years, so why did he suddenly take the imperial examination?"

At the age of 15, he participated in the provincial examination to learn about Yuan, and he was able to participate in the general examination and palace examination in March of the following year.But Han Chan did not participate, instead he stayed in Chang County as a small teacher. After three or four years of silence, the reputation of the young Jie Yuan also dissipated, and no one cared about a "depressed" person anymore. Mr. Teach.

Everyone felt that he was living up to the old adage that "it's not necessarily good to be old when you're young".Zhong Zhiyuan was probably just out of luck for a while, otherwise why? He didn't even dare to participate in the exam?

But Li Zong knew that he didn't participate, it was just that he didn't want to participate.

But in March of the year when the crown prince had an accident, why did he suddenly take part in the examination?What? Made him change his mind?

"What happened in Chang County that year?" Li Zong asked.

The commander pondered for a long time, searched for the information he had found, and finally said hesitantly: "Nothing happened in Chang County that year. On the contrary, the previous year, the former prince had visited the Southland in private. According to the route, the former prince may have passed through Chang County." But then he hastily changed his words: "No, the prince must have stayed in Chang County before. The Weifu went south in May and June, but at the end of the year, several counties in the South, including Chang County, had a A large number of officials have been dismissed and investigated.”

The officials who were dismissed were because they withheld the money for building the dam, and this? It was also one of the reasons why the prince went to the Southland to manage the floods in the following year. He had been there once and was more familiar with it.

"If the former prince stayed in Chang County to investigate the case, it is not impossible to get acquainted with Han Chan." The leader said.

"So that's how it is." Li Zong seemed to have glimpsed something through this vague connection. The expression on his face became extremely pale, and he waved his hand as if extremely tired: "Go down, there is no need to investigate this matter again. "

The leader of Yinlongwei retreated quietly.

Li Zong came out of the darkroom, walked to the desk, and wrote a few words with a pen.

He looked down at the ink smudges on the rice paper, and said in a low voice: "A scholar dies for a confidant, and a woman looks for a pleasing one. Which one are you?"

***

After Jiao Zuo left, Li Fengqi hesitated for a long time, but he still took the portrait and returned to Weizhou together with Ye Yunting.

When the old concubine heard that the two had returned, she quickly ordered Yiqiu to tidy up the new mansion - the new mansion had been repaired, and when Ye Yunting went to Jizhou, the old concubine had already moved in with her servants.

On weekdays, the old princess was alone in the mansion, and she only asked the kitchen to make some porridge and side dishes.Now that someone came to report that the prince and concubine had returned, they specially ordered the kitchen to prepare their favorite dishes and set up a table full of them.

When the two returned to the new house, they were greeted by the lively mansion and the hot meals.

The old concubine looked at the two of them again and again, and said distressedly: "Yunting has been cleared." Then she looked at Li Fengqi with some reproach: "Weizhou has complicated affairs, even if Yunting is capable, he can't do it all. Leave him alone."

Over the past few days, with the knot in their hearts untied and Ye Yunting making peace in the middle, the relationship between mother and son is no longer as cold as it used to be.Even Li Fengqi couldn't bear the old concubine's preaching.

But today he just pursed his lips and said: "I? Got it."

Apparently in a bad mood?

The old concubine finished her meal full of doubts, and was about to ask Ye Yunting privately, but what happened? Li Fengqi stopped her first: "Mother, I have something... I want to ask you."

Seeing his expression, the old concubine vaguely realized what? She clenched her veil tightly and followed the two to the study, while Yiqiu and Ji Lian stayed outside to guard.

"Mother, have you heard the rumors outside?" After entering the study, Li Fengqi got straight to the point.

The rumors he mentioned naturally refer to the rumor that he is the posthumous son of the former crown prince.

The old concubine's expression was unnatural for a moment, her voice was calm, but her fingers tightly clenched the handkerchief: "I? I often live in the mansion to worship the Buddha, so I don't know. Since what you say is a rumor, it is natural to treat it as not true."

Li Fengqi sighed, and took out the portrait: "Jiao Zuo went to Beijing before, and found an old palace lady by accident. The old palace lady said that she once watched the personal nurse of the first princess walk in the east palace. She escaped from the East Palace with a baby in her arms before. The direction that the nanny fled was the Yong'an Palace."

"Father and the former crown prince were friends for a long time, and mother also had a good relationship with the former crown prince?"

"What do you want to ask?" The blood on the old princess's face faded, and her lips trembled slightly.

"Is that child me?" Li Fengqi bent slightly, held her hands, and said slowly: "Mother, I want to know what happened back then?"

The old concubine avoided his eyes and tried to pull her hand out, but she couldn't.He could only close his eyes and not look at Li Fengqi's pleading expression, but tears flowed from the corners of his eyes: "I swore a poisonous oath in front of your father, and I will never tell anyone about it."

She still clearly remembered that on the day her husband was dying, he held her hand tightly and told her to swear a poisonous oath that he would stick to this secret for the rest of his life and never reveal a single bit of it.Otherwise, the husband and wife cannot die together before death, nor can they share the same acupuncture point after death.

The two have been married for decades and have been in love for half their lives. This is the most important thing her husband has said to her. He even swore that they would not share the same acupuncture point after death. How dare she break the vow?He could only stick to the secret in his heart, not daring to reveal it to anyone.

But this kid is so smart that she can't hide it from him at all.

You don't need her to answer, just look at her attitude.Li Fengqi knew that this was all true.

He let go of his hand, no longer pressing the tearful mother, and said in a hoarse voice: "Even if mother doesn't say anything, I guessed it." He took a step back, his eyes were slightly red: "Nowadays, the right time, the right place, the people and the people are all in harmony. , the rebel army has approached Shangjing, I? After rectifying the troops, I will send troops in the name of 'supporting the orthodoxy of the royal family'."

The old concubine looked at him blankly and opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't know what else to say.

She struggled with her eyes for a long time, and finally said in a compromised way: "Forget it, what do you want to know? I? Tell you. After I die, I? Go to plead guilty to your father."

After all, she failed to bring this secret to the ground.

"Everything." Li Fengqi's voice was hoarse: "I? I want to know everything about that year."

……

The three of them sat opposite each other for a long time, and the old concubine was silent, not knowing where to start.

Those old things have been buried in the bottom of my heart for too long, and when they are dug out, the nose is full of stale and rancid smell.She lowered her eyes, and finally chose to start talking from the day when the East Palace passed away.

"Your father is more than ten years older than the crown prince, and he also taught the prince martial arts. The two of them are also teachers and friends, and they are very close. I? That's why I got acquainted with the former crown prince. I? I am several years younger than your father, Cheng? After marriage, I have been unable to conceive for a long time, and it turned out to be such a coincidence that I and the princess concubine got pregnant successively in that year, and there was only one month between them."

Thinking about it now, this? Everything may be God's will.

When the prince's body was sent back to the capital, the prince's Taifu Zhao Mingquan secretly told them that the prince's death was related to the second prince in the name of condolences.The Crown Princess is smart, even if she realizes that the second prince can do something to the prince, she must not be able to tolerate herself who is pregnant, so she secretly contacted the old King Yong'an, and performed a play to lure the second prince to do it.

She pretended to be frightened and had a difficult labor, but in fact she replaced the child that had been delivered smoothly with a stillborn child, and the second prince did what she expected, taking advantage of the difficult labor to move her hands.A fire killed all the insiders at the time and erased all traces.The child that was successfully delivered was sent to Yong'an Palace by the personal nurse at night.

The old King Yong'an quietly hid the child, originally planning to send him away secretly.But that juncture was too eye-catching, and finally after much deliberation, he decided to wait for his wife to give birth and treat this child and his own child as twins.

The difference between the two children is only one month at most, and when they are brought out to see people at the full moon, they should not be noticed.

It's a pity that God's will tricks people. When the doctor came to examine her, he said that the fetus in her womb might not survive.At that time, she was about to give birth, and when she heard the news suddenly, she felt like a bolt from the blue.

But the old King Yong'an discussed with her at that time, since the child in his womb was difficult to survive, he must find a way to keep the other one.

So she struggled for two days and chose to drink medicine to give birth prematurely.

What was born was a well-shaped baby boy, who was indeed out of breath.As for the other child, who was born less than ten days earlier, it would not be suspicious at all.The midwife, Mrs. Wen, is old and has been greatly favored by the old Yong'an Wang, so she will not leak secrets.Therefore, the matter was done very smoothly and did not attract any attention.But just to be on the safe side, they deliberately released rumors that it was unlucky for the twins to die again, and hastily collected and cremated the child she gave birth to.

Over the years, in order not to arouse suspicion, even the memorial tablet has never been erected.

"Hao Momo chose to kill herself after sending you to the palace. You only left a jade pendant in your baby. But? Over the years, your father was afraid that your identity would be discovered, so that jade pendant has been hidden by me. on."

The old concubine wiped her eyes: "Since you already know, I? There's no need to hide it anymore." She got up while supporting the table, ready to look for the jade pendant.

Li Fengqi quickly got up and supported her, his throat rolled for a moment, and he continued to ask: "I? I still have a doubt. Why did my father force my mother to swear that I will never reveal half of my life experience?"

When the old King Yong'an had an accident, he failed to return in time in northern Xinjiang.So I didn't know what happened at that time? Things?.

He didn't find it strange at first, but the more he listened to it now, the more strange his father's request became.Since it was the father and the crown princess who stole the sky and changed the sun from the East Palace back then, and the mother knew about it, why did the father force the mother to swear an oath before he died?

Don't stand up early, don't stand up late, why? Why is it this time?

"I, I? I don't know." The old concubine was stunned by his question, and after trying to remember with a frown, she showed a strange expression: "At that time, your father suffered from an old injury, and he will die soon. The news spread to After the palace, His Majesty also came to visit..."

"His Majesty?"

"Yes, it is Emperor Chengzong."

The old concubine seemed to be thinking of something, her eyes widened and her expression was even terrified: "At that time your father was already dead, so he forced me to swear poisonously. I can only swear according to his words , Then he said he wanted to drink the sweet soup I made. I hurriedly made it and brought it, only to find that His Majesty was also in the room."

Afterwards, her husband drank the sweet soup, closed his eyes, and never woke up again.

She was so sad that she ignored many things.Now that she was reminded by Li Fengqi, she suddenly recalled the doubts at that time - when she was forced to swear, she vaguely noticed a bright yellow corner of her clothes behind the screen.

That piece of clothing is exactly the same as the dragon robe handed down by Emperor Chengzong who appeared later.

That doubt only flashed in her heart at that time, because of the great sadness, she didn't think deeply about it.But when she recalled it now, she showed a panicked expression, her fingers firmly grasping Li Fengqi's arm, like a drowning person grasping a piece of driftwood: "Your father's body was well taken care of, but he suddenly suffered from an old illness. Sick!"

Her eyes were wide open, her lips opened and closed to say something? But she couldn't speak, her face was full of panic.