"Why is this?" Han Changmu asked.
Annan County Princess said calmly: "Because the royal family's bloodline is thin."
Han Changmu's eyebrows twitched: "Then their bloodline can still open the last mechanism of the treasure land?"
Annan County Princess shook her head: "Of course there is no more."
Han Changmu immediately figured out the reason why Emperor Yong'an was eager to have Princess Annan have children. It turned out that it was not because of love, but because he wanted a steady stream of protection.
He looked at Princess Annan and asked with some difficulty: "Then, why has Princess Annan never..."
"Prince Han wants to ask me why I haven't been able to get pregnant, right?" Seeing Han Changmu's embarrassment, Princess Annan's face was full of bitterness, and her tone was decisive and solemn: "When I married the prince, I wanted to give birth to a child. The child, but things didn’t go as planned. Not long after the wedding, he discovered my identity. I didn’t want the child to be taken advantage of, so I drank the Jue Si Decoction, but he still refused to let me go, and actually killed the county prince. , me." Tears were crumbling in her eyes. Every time she thought of those tragic years, her heart was cut by a knife: "To be on the safe side, every time he comes, I will drink another pill of the ultimate heirloom." She hated it. He gritted his teeth and his eyes were red: "I will never give birth to his child, and I will never let the child be used by him!"
Han Changmu sighed after hearing this. He originally thought it was a relationship that we couldn't stay together forever, but even though he knew about it, it was such a shady use.
He calculated the time and found that Yao Yao had almost finished tracing the picture, so he stood up, stretched out his sleeves, and walked out. Just as he walked out of the door, he suddenly turned around and said, "That Zhang Yan, I want to let him go. Does the princess have any objections?"
The princess of Annan County was stunned for a moment. She actually didn't know who Zhang Yan was. He was just a scapegoat who bumped into him by mistake. At that time, she thought Xia Yuanji was a member of Emperor Yong'an. After killing Xia Yuanji, she needed to give Yong'an a favor. The emperor gave an explanation, and Zhang Yan happened to bump into him, so he was simply blamed.
Who would have thought that she would eventually provoke the Department of Internal Health and force her to expose the truth to the sun.
This is really not as good as God's calculation.
She smiled bitterly: "Let him go, he is innocent to begin with, and he is unjustly accused of this unreasonable disaster."
Han Changmu pointed to the four beautiful pictures in his hand and said: "The Japanese official will send this picture to the palace tomorrow, and the princess will have no objections, right?"
Things have come to this point. How can Princess Annan have any objections? She only hopes that Han Changmu's method will work and make Emperor Yong'an think that the picture is fake.
She nodded: "We all rely on Prince Han."
Han Changmu looked at Annan County Princess and opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but felt that it was not appropriate to ask, so he closed his mouth in the end.
The princess of Annan County had never seen Han Changmu worry so much about gains and losses, and she laughed dumbly: "Prince Han, just ask whatever you want to ask. I have already said the things that should not be said to others, and there is nothing else that cannot be said."
Han Changmu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Prince, whose child is he?"
"So that's what I'm asking!" Annan County Princess burst out laughing: "The biological mothers of the crown prince and the two sisters he married were both born to the personal maid who accompanied me and escaped from the Ming Palace. She gave birth to He died in childbirth when he was the prince."
Han Changmu showed his original expression and nodded.
The islands in the middle of the lake were all used by mute servants, and there were no chirping birds. After staying in such a quiet environment for a long time, people felt faintly flustered.
After Yao Yao finished the last stroke, he looked up and looked at Han Changmu, who had been sitting quietly opposite him without saying a word. His heart was agitated and a little hairy.
She knows a little more than others, but she won't be silenced.
Thinking of this, she smiled nervously and flatteringly, and her attitude was unprecedentedly respectful: "Sir, you are in a humble position and don't know anything."
Han Changmu suddenly smiled and stared at Yao Yao deeply: "I don't know anything either."
He warned himself that Gu Yanyan's daughter died more than ten years ago. She died in the witchcraft case and even her bones turned into dust!
Yao Yao breathed a long sigh of relief, dried the painted picture and handed it to Han Changmu: "Sir, can we go?"
Han Changmu nodded: "Go back and let Zhang Yan go."
Yao Yao followed Han Changmu and said with a smile: "He must be going crazy. This time he has to thank me. Oh, yes, he also needs to thank you sir. His ranking in the provincial examination is excellent, and he will probably be close to it in the palace examination. I can definitely get a Jinshi, but it can’t be the same Jinshi. Jinke Jinshi owes me a favor. What should I order? He looks very poor, but he will definitely fly into the sky in the future. Why don’t I give this person a favor? Keep the favor.”
As she walked, she was chattering to herself. Han Changmu suddenly stopped without warning, and she bumped into Han Changmu's back.
There was a "bang", and her forehead pretended to hurt. She covered her forehead and raised her eyes to meet Han Changmu's beautiful smiling eyes. Her brain buzzed, and her anger disappeared in an instant. Baba said: "Sir, no, it didn't hurt you, right?"
Han Changmu curled his lips and smiled, his beautiful eyes seemed to have hooks, and his smile was particularly attractive, but his voice was unusually cold: "My favors are more effective than his."
Yao Yao said "Ah" in confusion, and when she saw Han Changmu turned around and got on the boat, she realized what she had said just now, and what Han Changmu had said again, and she couldn't help but patted her own cheeks a few times in shame and annoyance. forehead.
Color makes one's mind faint! Color makes one's mind faint. Beauty is misleading!
Han Changmu and his party were walking at night in brocade attire when they came, and they left without any fanfare. When they walked to the corridor, they were stopped by Xie Shenzhi, the prince of Annan County. I wonder if he misunderstood something. He looked at Han Changmu and his party. The look in his eyes was quite hostile.
"Your Excellency, you are so powerful. You can come and go when you want, and you can search whatever you want. Are you trying to deceive me, the Prince of Annan County, because there is no one there?" Xie Shenzhi looked like a playboy and glared at Han Changmu, asking in anger road.
Han Changmu raised his eyebrows indifferently: "Prince Xie, don't forget what your name means?"
Xie Shenzhi was stunned for a moment, his face turned pale and very ugly, but there were some onlookers standing outside the door. It was impossible to give in. It would be too embarrassing.
He stiffened his neck, took a step forward, raised his hand and punched Han Changmu directly in the face.
The onlookers were in an uproar and started fighting at the slightest disagreement. This Xie Shenzhi was really a ruthless gangster. He even dared to beat up the Chief Minister of the Internal Security Department! Han Changmu's feet did not move at all, but he turned slightly to one side. The weak wind of the fist missed his ears. He grabbed Xie Shenzhi's fist and pushed forward lightly.
Xie Shen then took a few steps back, his body was unstable, he fell down and squatted down with a "pop", and he didn't get up for a long time.
When the guards behind him saw that their master had suffered a loss, they immediately gathered around him, all gearing up and eager to try.
Xie Shenzhi's face turned red with anger. Hearing the roar of laughter from the onlookers, he sat on the ground unable to get up. He slapped his thigh angrily: "You idiot, help me up quickly!"
The people watching outside laughed even more, and some even pointed and started talking.
"They say that the prince of Annan County is a playboy, and it seems that the rumors are indeed true."
"That's not true. Prince Annan was a playboy at the beginning. He has no future as a father, but he has some abilities as a son."
"The upper beam is not straight and the lower beam is crooked."
Xie Shenzhi was so angry that he was shaking all over. He turned around and shouted at the door: "Look, whatever you are looking at, get out of here!"
The onlookers are not afraid of this. The people living in the Sixteenth Prince's House are all rich or noble. Those who can work in such people's homes have backgrounds. They just watch the fun and talk a few words. What can they do? Go ask for help on the street!
As a result, not only did the onlookers at the beginning not disperse, but many more spectators came one after another, blocking the long street in front of the Annan County Prince's Mansion, and the gate of the Annan County Prince's Mansion was also closed. Not on.
Xie Shen laughed angrily, turned around and roared at Han Changmu: "How dare you hit me!"
Han Changmu took a step forward casually: "Is this called beating? I haven't exerted my strength yet."
Hearing this, the onlookers burst into laughter.
The people of Annan County Prince's Mansion just felt that they had lost their face today. They had never been so embarrassed.
Xie Shenzhi was completely unaware of the embarrassment. He turned his head and took a look at the crowd outside the door. He saw a few familiar faces mixed in with them. They were not those who often come and go on this street. He turned his head and pointed at Han Changmu. Tiaojiao cursed: "Whatever you searched from the prince's palace, hand it over to me. Those things belong to me and are all my property!"
Han Changmu sneered and shook his fist: "Really? If you say it's yours, will he agree to it if you call him? Do you think you earned any of these things?"
These words pierced Xie Shenzhi's heart and lungs. In addition to fighting cocks and horses, looking for flowers and willows, and earning a copper plate, he almost didn't know what he could do to make a living after leaving the Annan County Prince's Mansion. Own.
However, this did not stop him from calling his slaves and maids, and provided him with fine clothes and fine food.
He roared with a pale face: "This is what my father left, and what my father left is mine. What kind of hero do you think you are when you steal what I left behind? What you are good at is robbing your own father's things!"
The onlookers burst into laughter and burst into laughter. There is nothing wrong with this. It makes sense to spend a lot of money on the things that your father left behind. If Han Changmu comes to rob them as an outsider, he is going too far!
Han Changmu narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Your mother gave this to me. If you are not convinced, go to your mother!"
When the onlookers heard this, they didn't dare to laugh. You looked at me, I looked at you. No one dared to say a word, but they were secretly planning in their hearts.
Princess Annan's hobbies are well known to everyone, and it is obvious to all that Han Changmu, the head of the Internal Security Department, is extremely outstanding. Considering this, it is not surprising that Princess Annan gave him something.
It's tolerable if others talk about it in private, but it's another thing to be humiliated in front of others.
Xie Shenzhi was furious, with veins on his forehead bulging with anger, but he could not be beaten or scolded. He had nowhere to vent his anger. He watched helplessly as Han Changmu got into the carriage leisurely and left in the dust. He was so filled with hatred that he looked at the people outside the door with eyes that were almost on fire, and said viciously: "Catch them all! Catch them all!"
The guards of Annan County Prince's Mansion hesitated and looked at each other.
Although the onlookers outside are not rich and powerful people, most of them are wealthy slaves from wealthy families, and they must have some background.
You can't be caught, but you can still curse a few times.
The guards swarmed forward, shouting obscene words and half-seriously beating them with their sword scabbards, and drove everyone away.
Seeing the door of Annan County Prince's Mansion slowly closing, blocking out the rumors, Xie Shenzhi finally calmed down. He put one hand on his waist and the other on the vermilion pillar, looking at the silent house in the distance. The cornices reflecting the light outline a silhouette in the high blue sky.
He sighed silently. There were too many nails in Annan County Prince's Mansion, which could not be easily pulled out, nor could they be pulled out cleanly. He could only act as a showman in front of others and think behind the scenes. Maybe such a scene would actually be of some use.
Coming out of the Sixteenth Prince's Residence, we headed south along the winding lane with pink walls and blue bricks. At the first intersection, we turned west. In less than two seconds, we arrived at the gate of the Internal Security Department's Yamen Office.
Han Changmu slowly opened the car curtain and looked out through the gap. He saw that the crowd that had gathered outside the Annan County Prince's Mansion dispersed, but a few people were standing opposite the Annan County Prince's Mansion and strolling back and forth. I am planning to leave soon.
Several other people followed the carriage at a distance, covering a full street distance.
Meng Sui walked to the carriage from a dozen horses away and whispered through the window: "Your Majesty, they have withdrawn."
Han Changmu hummed lowly.
In order to dispel Emperor Yong'an's vigilance, Han Changmu and his party went directly back to the Internal Guards Department without taking any detours after coming out of the Prince's Mansion of Annan County. He threw the reins to the internal guards at the door. He Zhenfu came up to them excitedly. With a smile on his face: "Sir, the two brothers from Chen Ji Charcoal Burning Shop have been arrested!"
Han Changmu said without any surprise: "If you have to work hard to catch two ordinary people with no roots, no background, and no skills, then you can give up the banner." He turned around and saw Yao Yao, raising his head He raised his chin and said, "I can let Yao join the army."
"..." He Zhenfu choked and was speechless.
Yao Yao pretended to be flattered, and his excitement was palpable: "Sir, are you telling the truth? What is the monthly salary of the general flag? Is it more than joining the army? Will we be divided into houses? Is it a big house or a single room? Three rooms a day. Is there any meat in the meal?”
"..." Han Changmu was speechless.
"..." He Zhenfu was even more speechless and rolled his eyes towards the sky: "Yao joined the army, there is no way he would rush in like this!"
Han Changmu had a headache and said in despair: "Forget it, you should join the army in Jingzhao Mansion. The Department of Internal Security is not suitable for you."
Yao Yao pretended to be regretful again: "Oh, I heard from my humble position that the Imperial Guard has a lot of meat, the house is spacious and clean, and the monthly salary is higher than that of the Shaoyin of Jingzhao Mansion. Don't be so ruthless, Sir." ah......"
"..." He Zhenfu watched helplessly as Han Changmu shuddered, and rolled his eyes even more: "I have been a sergeant for so many years, why didn't I know that Yao joined the army and spread rumors with evidence? "
Yao Yao snorted nonchalantly: "Do you still need evidence to spread rumors?"
"..." He Zhenfu was so angry that he couldn't speak. He turned his head and ignored Yao Yao. If he said one more word to her, he would be so angry that he died young on the spot for a long time. He took a breath and said, "Sir, the Chen brothers confess that they tampered with the saltpeter for revenge."
"Revenge?" Han Changmu asked in surprise: "Revenge for what?"
He Zhenfu said: "The Chen brothers have a sister named Chen Yueru. She was sixteen years old five years ago. She got married when she was in her hometown of Lantian County, but she was abducted by Huazi. The Chen brothers caught that Huazi and learned that Chen Yueru was sold. When they arrived in the capital, the two of them chased all the way to the capital, but it was still a step too late. Over the years, they had sent carbon to wealthy families and inquired about Chen Yueru everywhere. Finally, they learned a year ago that their sister had been raped by the two immortals from the Qingxu Palace. The master bought it and brought it to the palace to refine the elixir of longevity for the saint. He has long since passed away. They planned for a year before sending the tampered saltpeter to Qingxu Palace. When they learned that Qingxu Palace had been bombed, Both immortal masters were dead, and they immediately escaped from the capital. Perhaps knowing that they could not escape, they did not flee far away. After leaving the capital, they returned directly to Lantian County and set up a memorial ceremony for Chen Yueru. The tomb, and then waited in the old house. When the guards came to the door, they had even changed their clothes."
"You changed your clothes. What clothes did you change?" Han Changmu paused in his steps and turned around to ask.
He Zhenfu lamented: "Although these two brothers opened a charcoal-burning business, all their money over the years has been spent on finding the whereabouts of their sister Chen Yueru. The old house is about to collapse, and the two of them have little permanent property. The only one who can The clothes they wore to meet the guests were still half-worn, so when the guards arrived, the two of them changed into the half-old clothes, saying that they were suitable as shrouds."
Yao Yao is also full of emotions. The world has suffered from human traffickers for a long time. How many beautiful girls have died unexpectedly, and how many families have suffered from the separation of their flesh and blood. Now this world is different from her previous life. In the previous life, there were surveillance, facial recognition, and sky eye systems. It is not that easy to catch human traffickers, but in today's world where transportation is basically based on walking, communication is basically based on shouting, and finding people is basically based on touching, a person who is abducted will almost never see him again in this life.
She raised her eyes and saw Han Changmu standing against the light. His face was also moved, and his originally cold and distant eyebrows became a little more unbearable.
After a moment of silence, Han Changmu said slowly: "Let's go and have a look."
He knew very well in his heart that he had killed the saint's favored people and almost cut off the saint's desire for immortality. These two people would definitely die.
But there is a big difference between a sharp cut with one knife and slow torture with thousands of cuts.
The Chen brothers were just ordinary people with no martial arts skills and basically no uncontrollable dangers. However, the crimes they committed were too serious and they could only be imprisoned in the dungeon of the Department of Internal Security.
He Zhenfu had already compiled a file of oral confessions and was just waiting for Han Changmu to read them and submit them to Emperor Yong'an.
I don’t know how furious Emperor Yong’an will be after seeing it.
Han Changmu thought slowly as he passed through two heavy iron doors that were half open. The stone steps extending underground were covered with cracks. Dark moss emerged from the cracks and grew extremely lush.
The steps were wet and slippery, and the candlelight underground was dim. Han Changmu and He Zhenfu often came and went in this dungeon. Even with their eyes closed, they knew the way. But Yao Yao had a hard time. She only came here twice. That's all, although I remember the way, I still walk carefully for fear of falling.
The cramped dungeon is filled with the smell of dampness and decay. People have stayed here for a long time, and even breathing has become extremely difficult.
The Chen brothers were imprisoned in the first cell in the dungeon. It was far from the door. Sunlight could penetrate through the gaps in the tall iron doors. It was not as humid as the cells in the deepest part. The floor was covered with The top layer of yellow straw is actually still dry.
Hearing the footsteps, the Chen brothers sitting in the straw raised their heads together, revealing two numb and weathered faces, with frightened eyes in their eyes.
Han Changmu was stunned. The skin color of these two people was dark, their faces were rough, their lips were full of cracks, their foreheads had deep and dense wrinkles, and their temples were already gray, as if a thin layer of snow had fallen.
He moved his eyes downward and saw the two hands of the Chen brothers tightly grasping the hem of their clothes because of nervousness. The skin on their hands was a bit rougher than that on their faces, and the cracks and cracks were filled with black dust. , are the traces left behind by living in a pile of charcoal fires all year round.
According to the records in the files, the Chen brothers were only in their thirties, but looking at their appearance, some people believed that they were forty years old.
Yao Yao stood at the back and couldn't help but sigh when he saw the two old faces under the dim light of the oil lamp hanging high.
The world is hard, but not all hardworking people look old. The appearance of these two people is obviously due to Chen Yueru's disappearance and death, their non-stop search, resentment, and planning for revenge, and The constant panic after a great revenge is avenged is caused by several heavy pressures.
She suddenly shivered. Perhaps death was another new life for them.
The Chen brothers had never seen any high-ranking officials. The biggest officials they had seen were the li chief, Fang Zheng, and the like, as well as Wu Hou who patrolled the streets at night. When they saw Han Changmu and the other three, they moved their lips and said no in fear. He said something and even forgot to salute.
Han Changmu suddenly felt bored. He stood outside the cell, looked at the Chen brothers through the thumb-thick fence, turned around and left the dungeon again.
He Zhenfu was full of suspicion and was about to ask in a daze. Suddenly his sleeve was pulled by someone. He shut his mouth and turned around to see Yao Yao shaking his head slightly at him.
He couldn't help but suddenly realized that the chief minister from home was moved by compassion.
Han Changmu walked into the shadow of the slanting sun, and the warm breeze blew gently. He said in a long voice: "Take Zhang Yan to the signing room."
