Southern Qi Fenghua Record

Before leaving the city, Yinxiang expressed her final loyalty to Xiahoushu.

According to Yinxiang's recollection, Yi Wu didn't make it public when she asked Mr. Cui Lang for a portrait, so not many people knew about it, even the boss of Sun Moon Zhai didn't know her identity.Moreover, she had already paid a deposit for the portrait before she was alive, and she only needs to settle the final payment when she picks up the portrait after it has been mounted.

Mr. Cui Lang's paintings have never been lacking in popularity, as long as his name is used, the paintings are always several times more expensive than others, and there is no market for them.However, Sunyue Zhai is also a place that emphasizes rules and reputation, and they will never sell the portrait of the owner casually.Fortunately, the news of Yi Wu's death didn't come out, and the people in Sunyuezhai didn't know the specific situation, so Xia Houshu put on a veil, claimed to be Yi Wu's maid, and answered a few questions according to Yinxiang's instructions, And after paying the bill according to the agreed final payment, I got the portrait easily.

When Xia Houshu saw the portrait, he couldn't help but marvel at Mr. Cui Lang's outstanding painting skills. He really penetrated into the woods and brought people to life, as if he could come out of the painting and dance in the next second.The beauty in the painting not only has an outstanding face, but also has a variety of styles that men cannot resist. The most fascinating thing is her weak and boneless figure, and the charming and pitiful look in her eyes. Wang Chonghou, who could be her father, would bow down under her pomegranate skirt.

With new clues, things went much smoother, and soon Xia Houshu figured out Yi Wu's ins and outs.

Yi Wu was originally a dancer in the Palace of the Mausoleum, she was born beautiful and charming, and she was incomparable.In the winter of the year before last, Wang Chonghou was ordered to go to the capital of the mausoleum, and Yu Wensheng, king of the mausoleum, hosted a banquet in hospitality.At that time, King Ling called all the advisers and ministers in his mansion to accompany him, and arranged a song and dance performance.Yi Wu was the one who performed the dance that night.

Outside the mansion is covered with snow, but inside the mansion of the Prince of Mausoleum, there is a school of singing and dancing. Wang Chonghou, who has always been a good drinker, is shocked to see the beauties dancing on the dance floor. He is actually drunk after a few drinks. The appearance is full of praise.

Seeing this, Yu Wensheng hurriedly called Yi Wu, the lead dancer, to serve him personally, and made a favor.

That night, Yi Wu dressed up and entered Wang Chonghou's bedroom.

Less than three days after Wang Chonghou returned to Beijing, the King of Ling sent Yi Wu to his mansion and let him enjoy it alone.

Perhaps because Yi Wu was standing behind King Ling, the domineering Princess Mingjia didn't object, but tolerated everything in the future, so the news that Yi Wu became Wang Chonghou's new favorite quickly spread throughout the capital. The aristocratic family in China.

Xia Houshu originally thought that Yi Wu was so handsome and skillful that he won the favor of Wang Chonghou, so it was inevitable that he would be arrogated by serving him, so he had deep grievances with other concubines in the mansion, so he could not rule out being killed by other concubines.But according to Yinxiang, Yi Wu usually lives in seclusion and is not good at interacting with others. Apart from dancing, she is having fun with Wang Chonghou.The women in the prime minister's mansion resented her because they were jealous of her beauty and love.But in front of Princess Mingjia, their jealous tactics are all paper tigers.

So, could Yi Wu's death be related to Princess Mingjia?

Princess Mingjia's stalwart reputation is nothing new in the noble circles of the capital, and it is reasonable to say that she did it.However, Yi Wu is a dancer who has been painstakingly trained by the Ling Palace. Yu Wensheng first sent her to Wang Chonghou's bed by all means, and then sent her to the first mansion in the capital.How could such a person be a weak woman with no heart?

Yi Wu's great favor is well known, if Princess Mingjia wanted to kill her, he would definitely not tolerate her for a year.Besides, Yi Wu died, Princess Mingjia was the first to be suspected.

And the other concubines in the Prime Minister's Mansion were not that capable of killing her.

Xia Houshu carefully went through the information he had collected from beginning to end, combined with Yi Wu's status and favor in the prime minister's mansion, and then related to the fierce quarrel with Wang Chonghou before her death, and finally focused on On Wang Chonghou.

Looking at the entire Prime Minister's Mansion, the only one who is capable of killing Yi Wu is Wang Chonghou, except Princess Mingjia.

Xia Houshu was about to boast that he was getting smarter and smarter, but he found another doubt - if Yi Wu was really killed by Wang Chonghou, then why should Wang Chonghou be so sad?

There were no outsiders present at the time, so Wang Chonghou didn't need to act for anyone.

There is still too little information.

After thinking about it again and again, Xia Houshu decided to take another risk to visit the Xiangfu at night.

At night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Xia Houshu lightly changed into night clothes and sneaked out of the house over the wall.Before going out, she went to Yunxi's room to have a look, and added a lot of spices to the incense burner, guessing that Yunxi would not wake up for a while.

Last time, due to her negligence, she lost the map of the Prime Minister's Mansion that Xia Houyi helped draw, and this time she can only find Yi Wu's house based on her memory.

Nearly a month has passed since the first night visit to the Prime Minister's Mansion, the previous security has been removed, and it is so quiet that there is not even a cat out for a walk.This eerie silence made Xia Houshu hesitate to take the risk, after all, sometimes the calmer the sea, the more dangerous it is.But after thinking about it, the longer the time dragged on, the fewer clues would be left.

Confused, she jumped off the roof and sneaked into Yi Wu's room through the side door.

The room was very dark, Xia Houshu blew on the fire book and rummaged carefully.The furnishings in the room are still the same as before, there is no dust on the furniture, hairpin jewelry, rouge lipstick, brocade clothes are all neatly and orderly placed where they should be placed, as if its owner has never left.

Xia Houshu patiently rummaged around, even opening the interlayer of the dowry carefully to look at it. I don't know if Yi Wu was too cautious in dealing with people, or the house had been searched carefully by Wang Chonghou's people long ago. She searched all the corners and found nothing. Can find any clues.

It seemed that the busy work was wasted again, Xia Houshu sighed in frustration.Just as she was about to blow out the fire and leave, she heard a loud noise—a big iron cage that seemed to have fallen from the sky tightly covered her.

In an instant, she was like a caught prey, with nowhere to escape.

Xia Houshu rubbed her eyes, but before she could figure out the situation, the room was suddenly brightly lit, and a group of people surrounded her.It took a while for her eyes to adapt to the change of light, and then she saw a tall, neatly dressed man striding towards her position, it was the prime minister Wang Chonghou who was all-powerful in the court.

Although Wang Chonghou is nearly fifty years old, he is still handsome and full of energy.Having been in the officialdom for many years, he has his own aura. Just by standing there, people can already feel his inner majesty.Yinxiang said that Yi Wu once lamented that the years are ruthless and beauty fades away when she asked a painter to take a portrait. Then these years are too kind to a man like Wang Chonghou. In addition to adding wrinkles to his face, more But it is the calmness and demeanor after precipitation.

Looking at the situation, Wang Chonghou seemed to have known that she was coming.Xia Houshu's heart suddenly "thumped", thinking that Wang Chonghou was like the man who was waiting for the rabbit, and he was that stupid rabbit.

Wang Chonghou walked around the iron cage at a gentle pace, carefully looked at Xia Houshu, who only showed a pair of eyes, with great interest, and finally stopped in front of her, while playing with the jade ring finger on his thumb, slowly He asked, "I don't know what you can do for a strong man to visit late at night?"

Xia Houshu carefully looked at the guards surrounding him, and at the roof outside the door, and suddenly lost his confidence.Not to mention that she can't fly with her wings now, even if she has great powers and can escape the iron cage, she will be shot into a hedgehog by the archers lurking on the opposite roof.

Wang Chonghou must have been skeptical about setting up this situation. Now that she is trapped here, instead of killing her directly, maybe he just wants to keep her mouth alive.So no matter what she said, it seemed inappropriate. If she was not careful, she might fall into the other party's trap and lose her chance of survival.

"At first I thought he was a smart person, but it seems that I overestimated it." Wang Chonghou deliberately lowered his tone, and then turned his face to the attendant beside him and said, "If he is useless, then kill him!"

"Wait!" Xia Houshu was shocked. She counted her pros and cons, but she never expected that Wang Chonghou, who is usually dignified and majestic and advocating etiquette and enlightenment, would be like this when he said the three words "kill it". Calm, as if saying "this cup of tea is cold, pour it out", as relaxed and ordinary.

While Wang Chonghou listened quietly, Xia Houshu sorted out his thoughts and collected clues a little bit.If she guessed correctly, the relationship between Wang Chonghou and Yu Wensheng, the king of the mausoleum, is extraordinary, and this relationship cannot be put on the surface. That's why they publicized Yi Wu's origin and used a romantic affair to cover up their truth. friendship.

Now that the matter has come to this point, Xia Houshu is unwilling to pretend to be a gangster like last time.What he was thinking in his heart was to use his tricks and cheat him once.So she mustered up her courage and pretended to be calm and said, "Maybe the Prime Minister has forgotten the gentleman's appointment with King Ling?"

"Prince Ling?" Wang Chonghou was stunned for a moment, his eyes were deep, as if he was thinking about the credibility of his words, or he was thinking of a certain agreement between them.

Xia Houshu thought he had guessed right, and heaved a sigh of relief.Unexpectedly, Wang Chonghou's expression changed suddenly, and he said with a sneer, "What does the truth have to do with King Ling to kill an assassin who sneaked into the mansion?"

This is to make it clear that you have to pretend to be confused.Xia Houshu rolled his eyes in his heart, and continued provocatively: "What about Mrs. Yi?"

Probably because the words "Mrs. Yi" touched a soft spot in Wang Chonghou's heart, or because Yi Wu's death was too tragic and weird, Wang Chonghou finally became angry, and his volume increased: "How about Mrs. Yi?"

Finally got it right once, Xia Houshu secretly rejoiced.Then he said seriously: "Mrs. Yi was personally trained by Prince Ling's mansion, and she was well handed over to the Prime Minister, but you let her die tragically for no reason. Do you think King Ling will trust you again?"

Xia Houshu spoke forcefully, but he didn't have a bottom line in his heart.Originally, she only guessed that Yi Wu was a pawn placed by King Ling in the prime minister's mansion, and Yinxiang told her that Yi Wu had a fierce quarrel with Wang Chonghou before his death, so she made a bold assumption, which was not conclusive. evidence of.

Wang Chonghou was silent for a while.

Xia Houshu couldn't guess what he was thinking, so he could only quietly observe the changes in his expression.

"Pretend to be smart!" Wang Chonghou said suddenly, "The matter of the truth and Mrs. Yi, is it something that you can talk about?" He looked at the cage with sharp eyes, "You should be honest. Who sent you here? Yes, what is your purpose?"

Xia Houshu thought that it was really over this time, and Wang Chonghou immediately saw that she was being instructed by someone.But she would never admit it, and insisted that she was the King of Mausoleum.

"It seems that you are unwilling to tell the truth." Wang Chonghou saw that she was so stubborn, and became more and more impatient. He waved his hand, "Kill it!"

"Wait a minute!" Xia Houshu stopped him again, staring at the guards behind him with one-third of their swords drawn, afraid that they would all pounce on him.He asked Wang Chonghou angrily: "Your Prime Minister, as the head of all officials, is so careless about human life, it really makes me ashamed!"

"So what if people's lives are ignored?" Wang Chonghou chuckled, and when he raised his eyes, his eyes were still stern, and he said coldly, "Then you can leave alive to prove that the truth is true."

"I used to think about how Mr. Ling's ruthlessness came about, but now it seems that he is in the same line as the prime minister." Xia Houshu sneered.

Wang Chonghou was noncommittal.

Now that the talk has come to this point, Xia Houshu is not afraid of offending him again, and simply said bluntly: "I heard that Mr. Ling robbed a woman from a good family on the street a few days ago, and that woman was so strong that she couldn't bear the humiliation and had hanged herself. Yes. The Prime Minister is not only teaching his son incompetently, but also persuading him to commit murder. My court has strict laws and regulations. If the emperor knows about this, there will be many people who want to sit in the position of the Prime Minister!"

Wang Chonghou seemed a little displeased when he heard about his son's assholes, he couldn't help clenching his palms into a fist, but he just showed a disdainful smile on his face, and said coldly: "It seems that you know a lot."

Unexpectedly, Wang Chonghou's weakness turned out to be the incompetent son he had with Princess Mingjia.Xia Houshu thought he had caught the other party's handle, so he couldn't help but secretly rejoiced, and continued to talk nonsense: "The King of Ling has long doubted the sincerity of the prime minister, and he knows more than that... If the prime minister treats each other with courtesy, I can tell the truth." to tell."

Wang Chonghou looked at Xia Houshu's eyes, and suddenly smiled cunningly, without any panic, and said slowly: "If the emperor knows about my son, he will at most punish him for the crime of incompetent discipline, and he will not punish him." As for King Ling..." He paused, glanced at Xia Houshu contemptuously, and continued, "If he knew that someone dared to offend the truth in his name, he would have done it faster. "

Xia Houshu's heart turned cold a little bit, she knew that she underestimated Wang Chonghou's wisdom and cunning.And as an assassin, she is not as good as an ant in Wang Chonghou's eyes, and she is trying to negotiate terms with him, isn't she pretending to be smart?

Xia Houshu felt a burst of despair, and slowly closed his eyes.Hearing Wang Chonghou's order, immediately a guard stabbed into the iron cage with a big knife and a long sword in his hand.