Chapter 2558: Don't Miss This Good Fortune

Suddenly, a heavy rain fell on Linzi.

The Xingwang Lou soared high in the rain, its flying eaves like Peng birds, spreading their wings above the dark clouds. At the old site of the Kuyong Yuan, the newly erected Guan Hai Tai, though assembled from starlight, was not illusory. Facing the Xingwang Lou to the east and west, also piercing through the rain curtain, its lofty structure had rain curtains hanging at its waist. Xing Shi shone brightly, standing and gazing east.

Everyone knew that an unprecedented major event was unfolding. Otherwise, for a great country like Qi, with Court Discussing Doctor Song Yao guarding the Zongmiao, it would not be unable to maintain even the order of the four seasons, causing the weather to change so whimsically. But what exactly was happening, very few people could know.

"From Yan Tu to Tian Anping… the accidents happening to the Zhuyu Duwei in succession, this is truly not an auspicious position." Zheng Shi stood outside the familiar gate of the Bei Yamen, folding the solemn black paper umbrella, holding it in his hand like a pillar sword. The water drops sliding from the umbrella surface tapped on the ground, as if responding to him.

The tall and imposing Huo Yanshan stood beside him, listening to the urgent rain, paused for a moment before saying: "General Zheng telling these to me, I may not understand."

Zheng Shi shook his head, then stepped over the threshold, entering the yamen.

Zheng Shangming, who had already received the news, was quietly waiting in the Bei Yamen.

In the office of the Bei Yamen Dutong, a green vertical plaque hung on the wall, inscribed with "Qing Bai".

Before the vertical plaque, father and son sat facing each other. Facing "Qing Bai", they were also divided by "Qing Bai".

Both father and son serving as Yaxun was indeed a good story in official circles. And the opportunity for their family status to leap was right in front of them— could the Zheng family, originating from a western border county but rooted in Linzi, become a first-class renowned family of Great Qi in one stroke?

"I heard you took the little young master of the Bao family out of the city to play?" As soon as he sat down, Zheng Shi first asked about this matter.

"This Bao family boy is innocent and lovely, and intelligent and outstanding. I initially wanted to befriend the Bao clan, but inevitably developed affection for this child." Zheng Shangming sighed: "He probably still doesn't know about his grandfather's matter, just for the one time we went out… the affairs of the world, change so whimsically!"

Zheng Shi looked at him: "If you get close to the Bao clan, it will be hard to maintain yourself. The Bei Yamen Dutong presides over the Shuofang Bo case, the world is watching, you must be upright."

Although this was not an upright handling, on the surface, it had to be clean.

Zheng Shangming also understood this principle, just shook his head, and said self-mockingly: "First close, then distant, fawning upon the powerful and attaching to influence, probably this is me!"

Zheng Shi said: "What others think is not important, what is important is what His Majesty thinks."

"Father don't worry, I have been in court for many years now, how can I be as naive as before!" Zheng Shangming had a slightly absurd smile: "Not to mention, my father will soon be the Jiu Jun Commander, originally it's not good to get closer to the Bao family. If Bao Zhenren is alive, I should be going everywhere to say bad things about Bao Xuanjing— the younger generation is timid as a mouse, pulling pants in the street or something."

"Be careful with your words!" Zheng Shi's expression was serious: "Jiu Jun Commander, a national important position, how can it be decided by you and me privately?"

"Just in front of you." Zheng Shangming said: "In front of others, I don't even smile."

Zheng Shi looked at that "Qing Bai" plaque: "It is for this vertical plaque that I have only lingered outside. The Emperor uses me. I have not stepped into Shenlin for many years. Now temporarily acting as Zhuyu Duwei, if officially appointed, I have confidence, within three years to achieve Zhen through the official path— how is your cultivation now?"

Zheng Shangming was somewhat ashamed: "If I resign today, I cannot reach Shenlin tomorrow."

Zheng Shi said: "With your current situation, there is no better place than Bei Yamen Dutong to temper the official path cultivation... but this position is also the target of many arrows. Don't know how many eyes are watching, you must not make mistakes."

"Father these years have not been easy." Zheng Shangming sighed: "I have been in office not long, and I already feel it deeply!"

Zheng Shi looked at him: "His Majesty now entrusts heavy responsibility to you, how do you plan to handle it?"

Zheng Shangming said seriously: "I will handle it impartially, absolutely not wrongfully accuse, and absolutely not leniently release."

"What if no problems are found?" Zheng Shi asked.

"General Tian is listed in our Great Qi military affairs hall. If he has no problems, it's for the best!" Zheng Shangming said earnestly: "Although the law is impartial, in my heart, I still hope Great Qi's rivers are clear and seas are calm, and civil officials and military generals are all for the country and the public. Also, let His Majesty get some comfort!"

Zheng Shi said again: "General Tian is not sociable, and holds a high position and power, which inevitably provokes the hatred of villains. Now suddenly imprisoned, don't know how many people are hoping for his death. Ten thousand men pointing fingers, a thousand saying it's not, even if innocent, there are still a thousand kinds of guilt."

Zheng Shangming said solemnly: "I will take the truth as the standard, investigate all clues. As long as there is ironclad evidence, I will absolutely not allow anyone to frame General Tian!"

Zheng Shi said impassively: "Such a big case, how long will it take to investigate?"

Zheng Shangming said righteously: "General Tian is a national pillar, a great official in military affairs. The Bei Yamen up and down will exert full effort, investigate until the truth is revealed, until he is cleared!"

"You can't investigate forever, right?" Zheng Shi asked.

"Of course not." Zheng Shangming said: "Although this case is important, at most, it will be investigated for twenty-five years."

Twenty-five years later... just the time when the Shenxiao world opens.

If by then no irrefutable evidence is produced to prove Tian Anping deserves death, then on the day Shenxiao opens for war, Tian Anping will be pushed onto the battlefield as a suspect. He will be used as war consumable on the Shenxiao battlefield.

This was not the thought of the Zheng family father and son, but the Emperor's promise!

Within the scope drawn by the Emperor, the authority of the Bei Yamen Dutong was utilized to the limit.

Zheng Shi looked at the Bei Yamen Dutong in front of him, actually feeling a strange sense of unreality. The child in swaddling clothes back then, unconsciously grew into the adult in front of him. The once pure and stubborn youth trudging through the mud, in a flash, was already like a fish in water in official circles.

"You have already grown up." Zheng Shi's eyes held inexplicable emotions, his voice yet calm: "In handling this matter, there is only one insufficient point. But this is not your problem."

Zheng Shangming's face was serious: "Not yet asked?"

Zheng Shi said: "You cannot be the Bei Yamen Dutong for twenty-five years. This is negligent to state affairs, and harmful to yourself."

"Even if investigated until I leave office, I must still thoroughly investigate justly." Zheng Shangming said: "Zheng Shangming can be incompetent in duty, but His Majesty cannot establish a place of suspicion. It is better not to find problems than to falsely attribute problems."

Only then did Zheng Shi nod, indicating approval.

"General Tian is now detained in the heavenly prison." He said: "Before coming to the Bei Yamen, I have, through appropriate channels, conveyed to Tian Anping the news that His Majesty ordered you to handle this case."

"What is the significance of this?" Zheng Shangming didn't quite understand: "He will know sooner or later anyway."

Zheng Shi said: "I can only say, a major matter concerning the national fate is unfolding— if he wants to escape prison, it is only during this period."

The matter of the Emperor raising his halberd to kill towards the Netherworld, now engaging in a decisive battle in the underworld, was only known to absolute Emperor confidants like Zheng Shi. Zheng Shangming sitting in this position today also had the qualification to hear it, but since he still didn't know, Zheng Shi didn't elaborate.

"I don't know General Tian well enough... will he escape prison?" Zheng Shangming was very cautious.

"General Tian is absolutely not one to sit and wait for death. If this game of chess has become a dead end, he will certainly think of ways to overturn the table. But under normal circumstances, overturning the table will only make him die faster." Zheng Shi said: "Now is not such a normal situation."

Zheng Shangming was somewhat incredulous: "I heard Duke Du is personally watching, and now his cultivation is sealed, how can he escape?"

"That is the problem he needs to consider." Zheng Shi said.

"Then from which directions should I prevent it?" Zheng Shangming asked.

Zheng Shi said: "Putting myself in his shoes, I also can't think of a way to escape prison, but one direction perhaps can be considered—"

He paused, and added: "Wanling Fengxue."

Zheng Shangming was suddenly shocked!

These simple four words involved extremely complex matters!

The death of the Eleventh Prince Jiang Wuqi, the former Lei Guifei case, the death of the famous catcher Wu Lie...

In this instant, Zheng Shangming thought of many things. He thought of how initially Jiang Wang helped Wu Lie and Lin Kuang regain reputation, and how he gave up the position of Bei Yamen Dutong, finally fleeing to Chu country to avoid danger— even Jiang Wang at that time, could not truly uncover that layer of black curtain, face that black wall directly!

And what Zheng Shi said now was undoubtedly verifying that truth.

The Tian family and the current Empress had cooperated before, and for many years. With the weight of their involvement, it could even be said that the Great Marsh Tian clan was a die-hard Crown Prince party!

Tian Anping's heavy usage was a reward to the Crown Prince, and Tian Anping's heavy responsibility was a blow to the Crown Prince.

Now, the Emperor was on an expedition outside, the Crown Prince held the title of regent, and the Empress was even the master of the harem.

So if Tian Anping wanted to escape prison, was it possible... to go through the Crown Prince's path?

Zheng Shangming's heart had ten thousand reasons that convinced him this wouldn't happen, convinced him the Crown Prince wouldn't be so unwise. But he couldn't deny this possibility.

What if on Tian Anping there was something the Crown Prince must step in to protect?

Or even as his father said, a major matter concerning the national fate was unfolding... what if that matter failed?

The more Zheng Shangming thought, the more alarmed he was.

He had never thought of the possibility of the Emperor failing, but since ancient times, who had never failed in all matters?

The current Crown Prince had sat on the Crown Prince position for many years!

His Majesty favored the Eleventh Prince, doted on the Third Princess, said the Ninth Prince was like the Martial Emperor, and seemed never to have shown favor to the current Crown Prince, but this Crown Prince, since entering the Dong Gong, had never been shaken from the position.

Firmly sitting in the Dong Gong without moving was in itself a manifestation of great momentum.

Although the Crown Prince had always not shown mountains or leaked water, not搶 not fight, the voices in court and the wild supporting him, maintaining the empire's orthodoxy, had never been dumb.

This was an absolutely not negligible political force!

"With Duke Du there, Duke Du should not overlook this possibility." Zheng Shangming said solemnly.

"Duke Du considers matters meticulously, naturally thinking further than you and I. But Duke Du..." Zheng Shi said: "Whom does he support?"

Just at this time, outside, the sound of copper gongs suddenly rang out. The sound was urgent, completely covering the rain sound, a series of clang clang, clearly celebration gongs!

What kind of joyous event, to be so clamorous in the official yamen?

Sure enough, the report of joy followed immediately—

"The Crown Prince today achieves Dongzhen, his words know the weight of the world! The Empress passes joy to Linzi, distributing reward money everywhere! Everyone has a share, don't miss this auspicious moment!"

Zheng Shangming momentarily looked up, meeting his father's eyes.

The Crown Prince actually achieved Dongzhen, at such an appropriate time?

Time was pushed forward, before this rain had not happened.

In the Changle Palace, it was as always peaceful and harmonious.

The Crown Prince was slowly handling ingredients, the stove was stewing soup. The fragrance quietly floated, having a kind of intoxicating beauty.

"Husband!"

Crown Princess Song Ning'er poked her head in from outside the door, blinked her eyes, and said mysteriously: "You are not too peaceful today."

"Oh?" Jiang Wuhua's appearance was not exceptional, but he had a pair of very good-looking hands. Even holding a kitchen knife to cut vegetables, it had the beauty of playing a qin. The knife cut the chopping board, with crisp dong dong sounds, actually quite rhythmic and pleasant to hear.

He thus leisurely did his own things, smiling without lifting his head: "How so?"

"I don't quite understand what you're thinking, your heart's matters are too many." Song Ning'er wrinkled her nose, and said charmingly: "But today outside, I smelled the food fragrance is a bit heavy— husband isn't it said, people's food is the world's matters, must be cautious. Cannot be heavy by a point, cannot be light by a point."

She hugged her arms, very proud: "With your culinary skills, you should not make such a mistake."

Jiang Wuhua's vegetable cutting action stopped, both hands pressed on the chopping board.

Don't know why, Song Ning'er's heart suddenly jumped, and she no longer had the joking mood.

Yet she saw Jiang Wuhua look up, still gentle with a smile: "Madam is so keen, so wise, truly the East Domain's Wenyue, Qi country's Zhuge! I just tried a new dish, added some northern flavor, not yet brought out of the kitchen, and you discovered it."

Song Ning'er at once became happy, cupping her hands: "Overpraised, overpraised!"

Jiang Wuhua took a cloth towel, slowly wiped his ten fingers, his tone forever with a bit of composure: "It is I who has always neglected. Ning'er these years in Changle Palace, how much have you been startled?"

"No, no such thing. I have the current glory and wealth, which is beyond past imagination." Song Ning'er's happiness solidified and withered at a visible speed, and she barely smiled: "How would husband think so."

Jiang Wuhua at this time had a bit of seriousness: "Certainly you will be startled, how could you not be startled? Changle Palace is a place of startlement, the Crown Prince is a position of startlement—"

He put down the cloth towel, lifted his head, and gently looked at the Crown Princess: "I am an inner treasury without divine powers, an outer building without obvious dao path. Internally not forming parties, externally not commanding troops. In this great contending world, it is hard to take responsibility for the country. How would madam not worry and fear?"

The voice of the Great Qi Crown Prince was gentle: "It's just that madam considers for me all around, not wanting to make me worry. You only pretend to be carefree all day, accompanying me to be happy."

Song Ning'er's tears immediately rolled out, hanging on her eyelashes, like dewdrops still trembling.

Yes, how could she not be startled and afraid.

But she knew she couldn't help the Crown Prince with anything, she could only try not to drag him down.

She was the daughter of a small assistant minister, and she didn't know what high incense she burned to be selected into the Dong Gong. For the peaceful harmony in the palace, she had ten thousand points of cherish. For the wind and rain outside the palace, she only had a small worry.

And this worry... had been noticed.

"But don't be afraid." The Crown Prince said.

His voice was gentle, thick, and very powerful.

Although in many people's eyes, he was not a very powerful person.

Hua Ying Palace Master self-opened Dao Wu, Yang Xin Palace Master was extremely like the Martial Ancestor. Speaking of power, who would think of this Crown Prince?

But he said: "Today please Crown Princess to re-recognize the Crown Prince, please madam to properly understand your husband."

"Because Changle Palace has arrived at a critical moment, I should not self-righteously call you unaware— especially when you already have worries in your heart."

He said: "Divine powers are the most precious secrets, not only having various extraordinary manifestations, but more letting people glimpse the door to the great dao. Dao path is the most valuable in the outer building, not only extremely in killing force, but more the necessary stairs to climb the absolute peak..."

"But what if I can see the great dao from the beginning?"

His gaze was abyssal, pointing outside the kitchen, as if for the first time extending his line of sight from the kitchen to the entire world.

Where in the world was not on the chopping board, under the kitchen knife?

"Shed divine powers, because they are just branches of cultivation. Just like this Tianzi great position, I only need to grasp one key point."

It rained.

The rain came and fell very intensely.

Jiang Wuhua stretched out that good-looking hand, across the entire Changle Palace, across the seemingly endless rain curtain, and grasped a wisp of purple starlight: "From roaming pulse to absolute peak, my cultivation has no barriers. As long as cultivation reaches, every step is natural."

Tap tap tap tap tap!

Raindrops knocked on the continuous glazed palace tiles.

The vast Linzi city seemed to be submerged by the storm.

Jiang Wuhua yet pushed open the door, walked out of the kitchen, into the courtyard planted with many scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Wind and rain all avoided him.

"Feng Hua is born to cut delusions, also needs to cut open barriers. Qing Yang is brave and diligent, inevitably翻 mountains and ridges. Only I, from the day of opening pulse, the front is all smooth paths."

"Peruse all heavens and myriad worlds, like I who lift eyes to gaze at the absolute peak, also only the proud fate of the sea clan."

"Ning'er, this matter today only you know. After today, everyone will have guesses."

"I need only time. My opponents are not only in front. Not only those few lovely and respectable younger brothers and sisters."

Song Ning'er shockingly discovered that the Great Qi Crown Prince in front of her so calmly ascended, from Shenlin to Dongzhen, just by walking out of the kitchen.

What heavenly gates, ignorant fog, heavenly barriers... the heavy barriers that buried countless cultivators, did not exist for this current Crown Prince!

But Song Ning'er did not feel at ease because of this, but fell into great worry.

The heavenly destiny pearl, its light hidden, once it shines brilliantly, must have a definitive result!

Jiang Wuhua had been Crown Prince for a long time. As long as he maintained the status quo, he was winning. He should be the one most unwilling to change! So for so many years, he was retreating again and again, silent!

Had the situation really reached this step?

To the point where the Crown Prince had to actively welcome change?

"Husband..." she said somewhat nervously.

Jiang Wuhua in this courtyard looked up at the sky, his voice also becoming distant: "Madam, have you heard the legend of the Martial Ancestor?"

"When the Martial Ancestor proved the absolute peak, Ziwei crowned for him. That night, the entire East Domain was dyed purple, the black night became purple night!"

"From then on, Great Qi values purple, and purple qi from the east is the omen of the emperor."

"Qi country lacks foundation. Sometimes opportunities are slim, but we still have to fight."

"Tracing back a thousand years, only that one still has possibility. Exhausting ancient and modern, only this once is the opportunity, right in front."

"Father Emperor is doing a very important thing, concerning the national fate."

"If this matter succeeds, then Great Qi can solidify for a thousand autumns. If this matter fails..."

Jiang Wuhua finally did not say what if it failed.

He just looked at such rain, such thick night, murmuring: "Purple night... can I see it again?"

Thanks to book friend "Most Handsome Feng Ge" for becoming the alliance leader of this book, as the 847th alliance of Red Heart Patrolling Heaven!

Thanks to book friend "Knocker of the Heart's Seeker" for becoming the alliance leader of this book, as the 848th alliance of Red Heart Patrolling Heaven!