Longxi shuddered, sensing that something was wrong. At first, Xie Linghui didn't mind his subordinate's casual remarks, but when he heard Longxi making light of Chu Tong, he felt a surge of anger rising in his chest and he flew into a rage.
The servants carrying the sedan chair, knowing their master was angry, stopped in their tracks. Longxi dared not hesitate, and with a swift motion, slapped himself dozens of times, left and right. Soon his cheeks were swollen and red, and blood trickled from around his mouth.
Long Zhao knew Xie Linghui's temperament well and dared not step forward to plead for him. He simply lowered his head, unable to bear the sight of his younger brother's miserable state.
No one had ever seen Xie Linghui so stern, and they all fell silent in fear, with only the sound of slapping echoing through the room, sending chills down their spines.
After a long while, a voice came from the sedan chair: "Longzhao, tell him where he went wrong."
Long Zhao immediately went over and spat at Long Xi, saying, "Pah! You ungrateful wretch! How dare you spout such nonsense about the people in Second Master's room!"
Longxi immediately dismounted, knelt before the sedan chair, and kowtowed, saying, "Second Master, I was wrong! I was wrong! It was my dog mouth that talked nonsense! I will never dare to do it again!"
Xie Linghui said coldly, "If you don't keep your mouth shut from now on, don't blame me for not showing you any consideration for our past relationship!"
Longxi kowtowed repeatedly.
Xie Linghui gave the order to "lift the sedan chair," and the sedan chair slowly moved forward, returning to the Xie residence in silence.
Xie Linghui returned to Tanwu Garden. As soon as he entered, he saw Chu Tong sitting under the lamp reading a book. When she saw him come in, she quickly went up to him and said with a smile, "Second Master is back."
Xie Linghui took a few steps forward, then, slightly drunk, lay down on the soft couch in the small side hall. Leaning against the pillows, he closed his eyes and said to Chu Tong, "Pour me a cup of tea."
Chu Tong poured a cup of Lu'an tea for Xie Linghui, who took it, took a sip, and then placed the teacup on the small table beside him. He pulled Chu Tong's hand, making her sit down next to him, and then asked, "What have you been doing today?"
Chu Tong felt a little guilty about her secret meeting with Wang Lang, and chuckled twice, saying, "Nothing, Second Master, has anything interesting happened outside?"
Xie Linghui frowned slightly and said, "There's nothing new, but everyone's saying that a jade box obtained from the Jianghu has gone missing from the palace. The Emperor was furious, but the box still hasn't been found."
Chu Tong thought to herself, "I've sewed the box into my little cotton coat, so you naturally won't be able to find it." As she thought this, she felt a little smug. Looking up, she saw that Xie Linghui had his eyes closed and seemed to be asleep. Chu Tong called out softly twice but received no response. She then quietly brought over a thin blanket, but when she reached the bedside, she couldn't help but be momentarily lost in thought.
Xie Linghui lay on his back, his black hair casually draped over the couch, adding to his languid air. A long, white robe embroidered with gold bamboo leaves accentuated his tall and slender figure. The dim candlelight cast beautiful shadows on him, making his handsome face appear even more ethereal. Chu Tong was momentarily stunned, and sitting beside the couch, she reached out and touched Xie Linghui's face.
Suddenly, Xie Linghui felt a warmth in his hand and grabbed Chu Tong's hand. He opened his phoenix eyes slightly, the corners of his mouth turned up, and his eyes and brows seemed to contain a hidden radiance.
The two looked at each other, and Chu Tong murmured, "Second Master, I have something to give you."
Xie Linghui still held her hand and smiled, "Oh? This is the first time in years that you've given me something."
Chu Tong took out a large red plum blossom purse from her bosom and handed it to Xie Linghui. Xie Linghui took it and saw that the purse was very simply made, without complicated embroidery or piping, with only a small "Hui" character embroidered in yellow thread on the lower right corner of the front.
Xie Linghui's smile deepened as he held up the purse and asked, "Did you make this?"
Chu Tong nodded and said, "Zi Yuan taught me how to do it."
Xie Linghui's smile faded as he clutched the purse in his hand, his phoenix eyes solemn as he said, "I will definitely carry it with me at all times and will not let you down."
Chu Tong turned to look out the window and felt that the stars tonight were exceptionally bright.
It's impossible to escape a catastrophic disaster.
Hands clasped together, the small window clean, incense burning on the painted screen. A thousand strands of tender feelings arise, hidden behind the wisps of curtain.
Before they knew it, the year was over. That day, Xie Linghui laid out Xuan paper to paint, while Chu Tong grabbed some millet and teased the parrot on its perch. Suddenly, Xie Linghui asked, "You've been at the Xie residence for four years now, haven't you?"
Chu Tong turned around and smiled, "Yes, it's been exactly four years."
Xie Linghui put down his pen, took a towel and wiped his hands, saying, "This year is your coming-of-age ceremony. The Crown Prince has already promised me. In a couple of days, we will choose an auspicious day, set up an incense hall and candlesticks at the Crown Prince's residence, and you will perform the grand ceremony of three bows and nine kowtows to the Crown Prince. Then he will recognize you as his goddaughter."
Chu Tong thought to herself, "God-daughter, god-daughter, why does that sound like a brothel madam calling a girl?" Thinking of this, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Xie Linghui glanced at her and said, "What are you laughing at?"
Chu Tong said, "It's nothing, it's just that I find it rather ridiculous that the Crown Prince, who is not even thirty years old, has recognized me as his daughter."
Xie Linghui smiled faintly, his eyes suddenly shining: "What's so funny about this? The Crown Prince got married very early, and his eldest son is about the same age as you." Then he paused and said: "This is all for our future. If you become related to the Crown Prince, your status will be very different."
Chu Tong thought to herself, "It's all because Second Master was afraid that I came from a lowly background and would be bullied if I married him, so he found me a family with a powerful background to support me." Thinking of this, Chu Tong felt touched and a little sweet.
At this moment, Xie Linghui sighed softly: "Now the Xie family's future is closely linked to the Crown Prince. Not to mention that I became the Crown Prince's eldest son's study companion when I was ten years old, the Emperor also intends to bring the Crown Prince and the Xie family closer together."
Chu Tong tentatively asked, "Could it be that Second Master is unwilling to get too close to the Crown Prince?"
Xie Linghui said, "Although the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, the Emperor greatly favors the Third Prince, so the Crown Prince's position is still uncertain. I originally wanted the Xie family to observe the situation, but I'm afraid we're no longer in control of our own destiny." Xie Linghui pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Let's not talk about this. Come here." He then led Chu Tong to the table and said, "Look at my drawing."
Chu Tong looked closely and saw a girl in a light cherry blossom skirt with her hair in two buns drawn on the paper. She was smiling and teasing a green parrot, which was indescribably fresh and artistic.
Chu Tong nodded and said, "Second Master, your painting is excellent." Then, remembering what Xie Linghui had just said, she thought for a moment, and finally gritted her teeth and said, "Second Master, if you are unwilling to ask the Crown Prince, actually I..."
Just as he finished speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Longxi rushed in, his eyes filled with anxiety. He said, "Second Master, something bad has happened! I just saw..." He stopped abruptly when he saw Chu Tong.
Xie Linghui said, "It's alright, there's no need to hide it from Chu Tong."
Longxi took a deep breath and said, "Second Master, there has been a murder at Yiyan Pavilion!"
Xie Linghui frowned slightly and said, "Could it be that a fight between clients over a woman resulted in a fatality?"
Longxi said, “No. Today I went to Yiyan Pavilion to have some fun. I was chatting with Xiaotaohong in the garden... When we were chatting in the garden, I saw Zeng Yi, the Crown Prince’s confidant, and another middle-aged man enter the second room around the corner. I have some acquaintance with Zeng Yi, so I thought I would have a drink with him later. So Xiaotaohong and I... After chatting, I went to find Zeng Yi, only to find that the room door was wide open, the room was in a mess, and Zeng Yi and the man were lying in a pool of blood. When I went up to take a look, I saw that although the two of them were covered in wounds, they had both committed suicide by biting their tongues! At this moment, a strong man with a knife came over, so I hurriedly escaped through the window.”
Xie Linghui was shocked to hear this. He knew that the Crown Prince was secretly plotting something big, and if the plot were to be exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable! Zeng Yi was one of the Crown Prince's most trusted confidants, and if something like this happened to him, it would be no small matter!
Longxi continued, "As soon as I arrived at Yiyan Pavilion today, the madam told me that a young and wealthy man had visited the pavilion, spending money like water, and he was accompanied by several guards with swords. He specifically requested Yuping to serve him, and then asked a lot of questions about the Xie family."
Xie Linghui's phoenix eyes sharpened upon hearing this, and he asked, "What did Yu Ping say?"
Longxi said, "Yuping naturally wouldn't dare to speak recklessly; she simply denied knowing anything."
Chu Tong twitched her eyebrows, thinking, "This is bad! I wonder what the Crown Prince's confidant is talking about with others. What if it's some kind of rebellion, patricide, or regicide? That's a crime punishable by death!" Thinking of this, she couldn't help but touch her neck and swallow. Then she thought, "This happened in a brothel run by the Xie family. If anything goes wrong, the Xie family will probably be implicated. Besides, the Xie family and the Crown Prince are already intertwined. If the Crown Prince falls from grace, the Xie family will naturally be affected as well."
Chu Tong looked up and saw Xie Linghui's solemn expression. "Let's go to Yiyan Pavilion now!" Then, thinking of Chu Tong's cleverness and cunning, which were unmatched by anyone, and the fact that she was someone he trusted implicitly, he turned to her and said, "Chu Tong, you come along too."
Wax illuminates half a cage of golden jade, while musk faintly scents the embroidered hibiscus.
As dusk settled, the sounds of string and wind instruments and the seductive laughter of women drifted from the Yiyan Pavilion. Xie Linghui, Chu Tong, Steward Hong, and the Long brothers, their faces concealed by cloaks, entered the brothel through the back door, where the madam quickly led them into a private room.
Xie Linghui asked, "Is the second room around the corner occupied now?"
The madam said, "Second Master, that room has been booked by a young master. He ordered that no one is allowed to enter and has guards with knives standing watch at the door." Then she paused and said, "Now that young master is chatting and listening to music in Yuping's room, but there are still guards at that room."
Xie Linghui's phoenix eyes darkened. He waved for the madam to leave, then ordered, "Steward Hong, go and look around that side room. If it's convenient, go inside and investigate. Longzhao, go to the Crown Prince's residence now and report this to him, asking for his instructions. Longxi, return to the Xie residence and tell your father about this, asking him to make a decision." The three men obeyed and left.
After giving his orders, Xie Linghui frowned and sat at the table, tapping his fingers incessantly. Chu Tong cleverly suggested, "Second Master, why don't I disguise myself as a little maid serving tea and water and go to Yu Ping's place to scout out the enemy's situation?"
Xie Linghui wanted to refuse, but then he remembered Chu Tong's alertness, so he took her hand and said, "Be careful when you go, and don't be reckless."
Chu Tong nodded, picked up a tray of hot tea, and went out. Today, her hair was tied in two buns, and her clothes weren't particularly extravagant; at first glance, she looked no different from the most ordinary maid in the brothel. She carried the tea to the vicinity of Yu Ping's room, and seeing guards standing at the door, she lingered nearby. Suddenly, the door to that room opened, and a beautiful woman emerged, dressed in red and green. Chu Tong looked closely and recognized her as Yu Ping. Yu Ping walked straight towards the tea room. Chu Tong quickly followed behind her, thinking to herself, "Tsk tsk, being a top courtesan in a brothel really changes things. Before, at the Xie residence, she only wore plain colors, but now, with her head full of flowers, she's all bright and vibrant."
Upon reaching the tea room door, Chu Tong softly called out, "Yu Ping."
Yu Ping turned around abruptly and was taken aback when she saw Chu Tong. She covered her mouth with her hand and stammered, "You...you..."
Chu Tong hurriedly pushed her into the tea room, placed the tray on the table, and said with a smile, "Yu Ping, it's been a long time."
Yu Ping was filled with surprise and doubt, her face turning red and white in turns, feeling both embarrassed and ashamed, and she stood there frozen.
Chu Tong pretended not to see, took out ten taels of silver from her bosom and waved it in front of Yu Ping, saying, "I ask you, did you hear what that young master said in the room just now?" Looking at Yu Ping's expression, she thought to herself, "Prostitutes love money, girls love pretty faces. When Yu Ping was a young girl, she naturally liked the handsome Second Master, but now that she's a prostitute, she naturally loves money more."
Yu Ping's watery eyes followed the silver a few times. She reached out and took the silver, saying, "The young master's guards all call him Sixth Master. He only let me sing a few songs, and then asked about some things at the Xie family. He didn't say much else... Oh, right, his subordinate later came in and gave him a letter, and whispered a few words in his ear. He opened it, his expression changed a few times, and then he put the letter in his pocket."
Chu Tong nodded and smiled, "Yu Ping, now a good thing is coming your way. The Second Master is in this Yi Yan Pavilion. He has an important task for you to do. If you succeed, he will immediately reward you with a thousand taels of silver!"
Yu Ping was stunned upon hearing this. It had been over half a year since Xie Linghui had sent her to Yiyan Pavilion, and she had suffered terribly. The madam had beaten and forced her to serve customers, and later even drugged her with aphrodisiacs, causing her to lose her virginity in a daze. Always proud and arrogant, after losing her virginity, she only wanted to kill herself. Later, the madam and several other girls in the brothel took turns comforting her, and she gradually came to terms with it, accepting her fate and starting to serve customers. She only hoped to be noticed by a wealthy family and bought as a concubine, escaping this hellhole. The thousand taels of silver were just enough to redeem her, so Chu Tong's words made her heart flutter. She took a few quick breaths, then calmed herself and asked, "What does Second Master want me to do?"
Chu Tong said, "What Second Master asked you to do is very simple. The young master in the room is an old acquaintance of Second Master's. He has a bet with Second Master. You just need to coax him to stay in the room a little longer, and then drink this tea..."
Yu Ping raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is it that simple?"
Chu Tong nodded and said, "That's right." Then, after a moment's thought, she added, "To be honest, the young master in that room has arranged to have a sword duel with Second Master in a little while, with a wager of ten thousand taels of silver! Their skills are evenly matched, and Second Master isn't entirely confident he can beat him. You know, Second Master values his reputation above all else; losing money is a small matter, but losing face is an immense embarrassment. So, I added something to this tea." With that, she pushed the teacup on her left and said, "I put some croton seeds in this tea. After he finished drinking it, he ran to the toilet and had a terrible bowel movement, so he no longer had the strength to fight Second Master."
Yu Ping was stunned upon hearing this. She knew that Xie Linghui was fond of martial arts, so she believed Chu Tong's words to some extent. However, after a moment's thought, she couldn't help but sneer and say, "Hmph, who knows what you put in this tea? What if it's poison? Wouldn't I be in trouble with a murder case?"
Chu Tong thought to herself, "Impressive! Impressive! Yu Ping is very shrewd. She has a grudge against me, so it's only natural that she would think this way." Then she laughed and picked up the two bowls of tea on the plate, took a sip from each, and said to Yu Ping, "Do you believe me now? But I can't drink too much of this tea, or I'll have to go to the toilet all the time, which is really not good."
Yu Ping was relieved and nodded, saying, "Alright, go tell Second Master that I will definitely do what he asked me to do." With that, she picked up the tray and left.
Chu Tong stopped her, saying, "Wait a minute. I'll go in with you and watch that young master drink his tea before I leave, so I can give Second Master an explanation when I get back." Seeing that Yu Ping hesitated, she took out ten taels of silver from her bosom and stuffed it into Yu Ping's hand, saying, "Go quickly. Second Master will reward you handsomely after this is done." But in her heart, she thought, "Second Master will definitely kill you to silence you after this is done! I'll burn you lots of paper money then and send you on your way."
Yu Ping snorted and pushed the tray to Chu Tong. She turned and took a few steps away. Chu Tong picked up the copper kettle and said, "I'll add some more water." After saying that, she blocked Yu Ping's view with her body, and then she took out a packet of powder from her sleeve and quickly poured it into the teacup on the left. This powder was the sleeping potion that Chu Tong had found in Granny Yu's cabinet. After confiscating it, Chu Tong secretly kept a few packets. Today, Xie Linghui brought her out, and she suspected that something unusual was going on, so she grabbed a few packets to carry with her.
At this moment, Yu Ping impatiently urged, "Are you done yet?"
Chu Tong had finished what she was doing and quickly picked up the tray, saying, "All done." Then she followed Yu Ping out of the tea room and went straight back to the private room.
Yu Ping pushed open the door to the room and saw a young man in blue sitting behind the table in front of her. He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a tall and strong build, regular features, thick eyebrows and a wide mouth. Although his appearance was resolute, his eyes revealed a lively spirit.
Yu Ping immediately stepped forward and said with a smile, "Sixth Master, this tea wasn't hot enough just now, so I brewed it a little longer. Please have a taste; it's top-quality Pu'er." With that, she picked up a cup of tea on the left and placed it in front of the young man in blue. Chu Tong took the tray, lowered her head, and stepped aside.
The young man in blue gave a soft "Hmm," looking thoughtful, without touching the teacup in front of him.
Yu Ping smiled sweetly and said, "Sixth Master, I've fanned the fire and added water to bring you this cup of tea. Please do me the honor of drinking a cup, so as not to disappoint my efforts." As she spoke, she snuggled closer to him.
A scent of perfume wafted over, and the young man in blue snapped out of his daze. Seeing Yu Ping standing so close, he frowned, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust and contempt. Yu Ping's face stiffened instantly, but she quickly composed herself, still maintaining her charming demeanor, and offered the teacup to the young man with her slender hand.
Helpless, the young man in blue had no choice but to take the teacup, push open the lid, blow on it to cool it down, and take a sip.
Yu Ping was immediately delighted, and then said coquettishly, "Master, please have a few more sips. Hot tea is soothing and comforting."
The young man in blue took another sip. Chu Tong felt relieved and thought to herself, "It's done. I used enough medicine. These two sips should be enough for him to sleep soundly for a while."
At this moment, the young man in blue put down his teacup and said, "Miss Yuping, let me ask you, when you were at the Xie residence, who did you see Xie Linghui with..."
As they were talking, the young man in blue felt a sudden dizziness. He immediately noticed something was wrong, and his eyes sharpened instantly. He grabbed Yu Ping's wrist and asked through gritted teeth, "What did you put in the tea?"
Yu Ping was immediately startled and stammered, "I, I, I didn't..." At this point, she turned around and pointed at Chu Tong in the corner, saying, "It was her! She was the one who did it!"
The young man in blue flew into a rage, but a cold smile played on his lips. He shoved Yu Ping to the ground, drew a dagger from his waist, and abruptly stood up, thrusting it towards Chu Tong's heart with lightning speed. Chu Tong couldn't dodge in time; the dagger sliced her left shoulder. She cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. The young man in blue swayed, his eyes glazed, and with his eyes closed, he pressed himself against Chu Tong. Her head hit a stool first, then slammed heavily onto the ground, instantly drawing blood.
Hearing the commotion, the guards at the door burst in. Chu Tong, enduring the excruciating pain, feigned shyness and gently pushed the young man in blue, saying in a coquettish voice, "Master! Master! Don't stay on the ground. If you like me, let's go to bed..." The two guards were stunned to see their young master pinning a beautiful maid beneath him. Yu Ping, completely terrified, collapsed to the ground, utterly bewildered.
Chu Tong, taking advantage of the blue-clad young master blocking the two guards' view, kept kissing her hands, making "smack smack" kissing sounds, and said in a coquettish voice, "Master, you're so naughty!"
The two guards blushed and, not wanting to disturb their master's "refined mood," withdrew and closed the door.
Chu Tong let out a long sigh of relief; blood had stained her arm. She pressed acupoints around the wound to stop the bleeding, then struggled to push the blue-robed young man away and reached inside his clothes to search frantically. Yu Ping was terrified, tears streaming down her face, and cried out, "What did you give him to drink? Who is he? You..."
Chu Tong glared at her and said in a sinister tone, "Don't shout. If you alert the people outside, we'll both be dead!"
Yu Ping immediately fell silent, but her whole body continued to tremble.
As expected, Chu Tong took a letter from the blue-robed young man's hand. Her hands trembled as she opened it and read it, immediately turning pale with shock. The letter's contents subtly hinted at a plot to rebel! Upon seeing the lines, "To emulate Emperor Ming's swift coup at Xuanwu Gate, sweeping away the chaos and saving the people, is beyond my power alone... and Jingshan possesses the virtues of Fang Qiao, and will surely become a wise prime minister..." Chu Tong immediately lit the letter over a candle, thinking, "My God! The Crown Prince is plotting a rebellion! 'To emulate Emperor Ming's swift coup at Xuanwu Gate' clearly refers to Li Longji's alliance with Princess Taiping to force the abdication of Empress Wei and Princess Anle, ultimately securing the Tang Dynasty. The Crown Prince already has plans to seize power! And Jingshan is the Second Prince's alias! Fang Qiao naturally refers to the famous prime minister Fang Xuanling of the Kaiyuan era. Saying 'Jingshan also possesses the virtues of Fang Qiao, and will surely become a wise prime minister' means that the Crown Prince wants to promote the Second Prince to a high-ranking position after a successful rebellion! My God! My God! The Crown Prince is indeed committing patricide and regicide! If this letter gets out, and it mentions the Second Prince's name, the Xie family will surely suffer a terrible fate!"
She composed herself, turned around and saw Yuping sitting on the ground, and said, "Go to the fourth room on the left on the second floor. Second Master is in there. Tell him that I've taken care of everything, the letters have been destroyed, and he doesn't need to worry." After she finished speaking, seeing that Yuping was still in a daze, she couldn't help but shout sharply, "Go now! Do you want to wait here to die?!"
Yu Ping then seemed to wake from a dream, staggered to her feet, shakily adjusted her hairpins, and pushed open the door to leave. The guards at the door assumed that their master and the maid in the room had been having sex and had driven Yu Ping out, so they didn't think much of it and let Yu Ping go.