The assassination case in Prince Qi's Mansion went from the Criminal Department to the Imperial Court, but because the assassin was not caught, it eventually became an unsolved case.
But Xiao Yuanmu's intention is not here either. He grasped the fact that the assassin's weapon was the crossbow of the Forbidden Army, and insisted that even ten thousand Forbidden Army would have nothing to do with it.
It can only be reviewed three or four times, and the Ministry of War is ordered to send people to conduct a detailed investigation. The Forbidden Army, starting from the captain, went through the heads one by one to check weapons, and finally found out all the fifty dead soldiers who had been mixed in.
When the assassination occurred, Marquis Wen never expected that he would be involved in these things. After the incident, he was delayed for half a day because of Lutang's injury. When he learned the inside story, he was already controlled and monitored by Xiao Yuanmu.
The Wen family realized later that Xiao Yuan was not interested in drinking. Unfortunately, it was too late. He ordered his wife to ask Prime Minister Yan for help, but the in-law had to withdraw her hand and secretly told Marquis Wen not to interfere, lest it lead to a big prison.
It is a taboo for military commanders to raise dead soldiers in the capital. It is no longer possible for the emperor to hand over the military power of the Imperial Guard to this person. With the emperor's suspicion, the prospective son-in-law Jin Wang Xiao Yuanhui was also eager to clean up and refused to help. He even threatened Marquis Wen that if he was involved in the Jin Palace, he would have to reconsider his marriage to Wen Hongyao.
Marquis Wen became an abandoned son of the party members for a while. With no reinforcements inside or outside, he could only wait to die alone. Fortunately, he knew that the emperor was very jealous and was very interested in fame. He wrote a letter of apology, covering up the fact that he was raising soldiers to die, and he only admitted that he was not strict in running the army and indulged his subordinates.
He also hinted to the emperor in his memorial that the case was unclear and must be related to the fight between the two princes, King Qi and King Jin, and he was just caught in the middle.
The emperor knew that there was something fishy about the case, so he secretly placed spies around the Marquis's mansion. Marquis Wen was banned from the mansion to think about his mistakes.
In order to show his magnanimity, he deprived Marquis Wen of his right to command the imperial army and cut off all his actual duties. However, he retained the title of marquis in consideration of his ancestors' merits.
But at the end of the imperial edict, he specifically stated that he would take back the seals and treasures of Prince Wenhou. This indicates that the prestigious Beining Houfu will no longer be hereditary.
The new commander of the Imperial Army was Ling Yuan recommended by Qi King Xiao Yuanmu. The balance of the capital's defense was completely tilted towards Xiao Yuanmu.
The big case of raising dead soldiers came to an end quietly. It seemed that everything was the same as before, except that the Beining Marquis Mansion was completely lonely.
Lutang was still staying in Prince Qi's Mansion to recover from her injuries. The Wen family seemed to have forgotten about her and did not even mention taking her back to the Mansion.
Although the injury on the shoulder has not healed, it is 60 to 70% better. Lutang couldn't help but feel a little worried when she heard that when the Hou Mansion was raided a while ago, the scene was more desolate than a house ransacked.
There are many precious herbs cultivated in the garden medicine garden, those precious ancient books and pharmacopoeias in the study, and the belongings and things left by my parents, I am afraid that they will be wasted.
"During the search in the Marquis Mansion, His Highness Prince Qi had already called Brother Su Jiu and the others to give instructions. He sent soldiers from the Prince's Mansion to guard the West Garden, and not even a blade of grass or a needle was allowed to be touched. Wherever the Second Miss asked for words, His Highness would I thought of it in advance.”
Su Su and Ling'er got to know each other well in Prince Qi's Mansion, and they felt that the good relationship between their young lady and His Highness Prince Qi was certain, and they were already a little happy to miss Shu.
"Then thank your highness for me."
Lutang was originally teasing the two girls, but didn't want Xiao Yuanmu's voice to be heard from behind the screen.
"Why don't you thank me in person and let the little girl pass on the message?"
The light was on, and he walked in wearing homely clothes, as if everything was taken for granted.
"Does it hurt?"
Xiao Yuanmu hugged Lutang from behind as if there was no one else around. Susu and Ling'er quickly looked at the sky and slipped out silently.
"After ten days of recovery, the wound has improved a lot. When does Your Highness plan to send my daughter back home?"
After these ten days of lingering, Lutang felt that his fighting spirit had been drained away by him. If I don't go back, I'm afraid I'll be intoxicated in the land of gentleness and be unable to extricate myself.
"Your uncle's whole family is under house arrest. Why are you going back?"
Xiao Yuanmu was in a very good mood these days. He overthrew Marquis Wen in one fell swoop and took back the power of the imperial army, and he was still enjoying her beauty every night.
"His Highness detained my daughter in the palace for more than ten days, and it can be said that he was angry at the assassination by Marquis Wen's men. After the Wen family was demoted and devastated, he did not let my daughter go back, for fear that more people would talk about it. Judging from the outcome of this case, my daughter , The Holy One did not kill my uncle, which means that he also knew that His Highness had used tricks in it. If I stay in the palace for a long time, I am afraid that it will arouse the Holy One's suspicion."
The autumn mood is getting thicker and the night wind is chilly, but the bed tent is still as warm as spring. Lutang leaned in Xiao Yuanmu's arms and whispered about the current situation.
There was the sound of rain hitting the window lattice outside the window, and the night was gloomy and the wind was blowing. There seemed to be a lot of wind and rain this autumn, which was extremely abnormal.
Xiao Yuanmu held Lutang in his arms, kneading the white and greasy skin unconsciously with his palms, and kissed her from time to time, with a helpless expression on his face.
"I know your little thoughts. The last time Yuan Zhen came and mentioned that he would become a female Taoist priest, you fell in love with it. After seducing me, you want to turn around and become a monk again?"
Lutang is indeed planning to do something about Kun Dao.
Seeing that the Wenhou Mansion was in ruins, she had to step out and stand on her own feet. If she can become a female Taoist priest under the auspices and protection of the eldest princess, she will definitely gain a foothold in the capital very quickly.
"What does the eldest princess mean by asking my daughter to be a substitute?" Lutang asked softly.
Xiao Yuanmu shook his head and smiled bitterly: "In order to win over Prime Minister Yan, the Holy One betrothed Yuan Zhen to Yan Shuqin. Yuan Zhen had been a monk since childhood, and suddenly she came back to secular life to discuss marriage, which became a joke in the capital. She herself was unwilling to marry into the Yan family, so for this reason she and The Holy Sage and the Queen have been at odds for a long time. Now the Holy Sage proposes to choose a girl from the noble family to replace the princess as the Kun Dao. This matter was brought up last month, but no girl in the family is willing to jump into the trap, so she has not been selected yet. What about you? I was detained in the Marquis Mansion at that time, so I don’t know.”
After hearing the explanation, Lutang was still confused, "Since you don't want to get married, you shouldn't take the initiative to ask your daughter to be a substitute. If your daughter agrees, won't the eldest princess have to surrender immediately?"
Xiao Yuanmu pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Yuan Zhen has already calculated that if she gets married on the ninth day of October, it will be unlucky. She wants to use this to cancel the engagement, become a Taoist priest again, and never return to the palace. The date is getting closer and closer. The closer she got, the more she came forward to ask you to be a substitute."
Judging from Xiao Yuanmu's expression, as an elder brother, he felt that his little sister's mysterious and mysterious calculations were very out of line.
Lutang also felt that this matter was unreliable. He lowered his eyes and thought about the situation in his past life. After a long while, he patted his forehead.
"October 9th is a solar eclipse!"
A total solar eclipse is also known as "Sun Zaidan" among the people, that is, there are two sunrises in one day. Two days in one day is an extremely ominous omen for the royal family.
If this happens during the wedding, the marriage contract will definitely be deemed invalid. In the previous dynasty, there was a tragedy in which the crown prince's wedding was preceded by a solar eclipse, and the crown princess returned to her parents' home and was forced to commit suicide.
Xiao Yuanzhen's wedding in his previous life did not encounter a solar eclipse, nor did it happen on the ninth day of October. Lutang didn't know who had become a monk for her, or who had changed her wedding date. So much so that she died miserably three years later.
"You also know about the solar eclipse? Can you calculate it?" Xiao Yuanmu smiled and tapped her forehead twice with his fingers.
"Last time I heard the eldest princess talking about the heavenly aspects, I also read a few books and made random guesses." Lutang smiled happily, "Your Highness will go and tell the eldest princess tomorrow that I am willing to become a monk for the eldest princess and become a monk! "
After handling Wen Hou's case, the emperor began to worry about Xiao Yuanzhen's avoidance of the wedding. But she insisted that she must find a suitable substitute before she can return to secular life and get married. She is a Taoist and talks about metaphysics and heavenly principles. The emperor and queen cannot speak to her, which is really helpless.
Lutang herself was an unlucky girl, and her marriage proposals were not harmonious several times. Legend has it that she defeated Yan Shuzhe to death. At this time, her uncle was convicted and the Beining Marquis Mansion could no longer stay. Marrying for the princess was her best way out. Therefore, as soon as Wen Lutang's petition to become a female Taoist priest was submitted, the emperor's approval document was approved on the same day.
Xiao Yuanzhen's first step worked, and he immediately petitioned the emperor and empress and made many demands.
The eldest princess's stand-in status is equally noble, and she must prepare to build the Kun Taoist Temple in the Imperial Street of the capital, which is as large as the eldest princess's mansion. Lutang is canonized as the temple master. When he becomes a monk, he will marry with him. The dowry and family property must be brought into the Taoist temple. These are just trivial matters of spending money, and the emperor took care of them all with a wave of his pen.
The Yujie Temple does not need to be renovated. The Ministry of Industry only sent people to renovate the building where Xiao Yuanzhen studied and chanted scriptures when he was a boy, and renamed it Jinting Immortal Temple. Therefore, the name of Lutang was derived from the name of the place: Master of Jinting.
The eldest princess Xiao Yuanzhen is extremely capable and quick in her actions. On the third day after the Immortal Pavilion was repaired, he ordered people to connect Lutang directly from Xiao Yuanmu's Qi Prince's Mansion to the Jinting Immortal Temple, and performed the ceremony of tying his hair.
On that day, she sent a team from the palace to lead a team to the West Garden of the Hou Mansion. They sealed and carried away the dozen or so servants left in the West Garden of the Hou Mansion, as well as all the property in Lutang's name.
"It's not like you're looking for a substitute to become a monk, it's like you're here to rob someone!"
Xiao Yuanzhen sent many Taoist classics that he often read in the palace to Xianguan, so that she could make up lessons at the last minute.
When Xiao Yuanmu saw Lutang again, she had already tied up her hair and wore a crown, dressed as a female Taoist priest, and was reading Taoist scriptures without letting go of her scroll.
She read around the stove in a simple cottage, waving her fly whisk and bowing her head in salute to Xiao Yuanmu.
"Her Royal Highness the Princess is very attentive. Not only did she snatch her away, but she even helped her dig out every plant and tree in the medicine garden of the Marquis Mansion."
Her appearance is charming and delicate, and she is dressed up as a Taoist, just like a prank, and she does not look like Xiao Yuanzhen, who is indifferent, peaceful and fairy-like.
The pretentious salute at this time made Xiao Yuanmu couldn't help but laugh. He leaned over and pinched Lutang's face. Lutang ducked away in panic, stamped her feet and complained.
"This is an immortal pavilion. My daughter is already a monk. Your Highness must not be rude!"
"Then, I would like to ask the Goddess Immortal, are you ready to go to the Daolu Department of Chongxian Temple tomorrow to receive the conferment?"
"My daughter is a monk for the eldest princess. Even if I am not familiar with the scriptures, those old Taoist priests can't do anything to me. And tomorrow, the eldest princess will stand up for me. How can the old Taoist priests eat me?"
The Taoist priests of Chongxian Temple fabricated divine punishment at will, slandering the eldest princess Xiao Yuanzhen as an "evil star sent from heaven" and Lutang as an "unfortunate daughter".
Lutang had already secretly prepared to give them some color.
