Dongdu Pavilion Case Record

After Cuju ended, it was Youshi. This time, with the help of Tang Wuyi and Wen Tao, King Qi's team won the game.Everyone returned to their seats, and Qiu Jian, who had lost the game, looked unhappy and drank sullenly.Li Shu rewarded all the players as usual, clapped his hands, and started the music and dance performance.

Music and dance prevailed during the Great Zhou Dynasty, especially a hundred operas, whether it was the court's spring and snow, or folk folk juggling, as long as the performance was wonderful, all comers were welcome.

Wen Tao played a round of cuju and was exhausted. He watched the endless singing and dancing, and drank some wine. When the warm evening breeze blew, he became a little groggy.Tang Wuyi looked at his flushed face, brought him a glass of chilled ebony juice and said, "After drinking sober up, I'm afraid the banquet will last until Haishi."

Wen Tao took it and drank a little, it tasted sweet and sour, cold and refreshing, the greasy feeling in his chest was wiped away, and he drank half a cup unconsciously.The singing and dancing in the hall came to an end, the palace people carried a white cloth, and most of the candles in the hall were extinguished, Wen Tao blurted out: "Tang Yue, this is about to perform a shadow play."

Shadow puppetry is also a kind of Baixi, and it is quite popular in the court, but what surprised Wen Tao and Tang Wuyi was that the theater troupe who bowed their heads turned out to be Zhao Er, whom they met by chance in Xishi a few days ago. Spring hi class.Zhao Er was probably entering the palace for the first time, and he was very reserved, he didn't dare to raise his head, and naturally he didn't recognize Tang Wuyi and Wen Tao.

Seeing this, the queen asked, "Who chose the troupe this time?"

King Qi got up and replied: "I was chosen by my younger brother to return to the emperor's wife, and she performed very well in Xishi. This team is the Xiban. My younger brother made his own decision, thinking that there will be hundreds of dramas competing for beauty at the Dragon Boat Festival, and he doesn't care about the palace. The people here are still folks, so I invited them here."

"Folk opera is good, and during the Dragon Boat Festival, I can just have fun with the people." Li Shu praised.He, the fifth younger brother, has always been incapable of literary and military skills, but he is very proficient in entertainment, and the hundred operas he chooses every time are also highly praised by Li Shu.

However, Tang Wuyi and Wen Tao, who had watched the play "Double Dragon Seizing the Pearl" by Chunxi Troupe in Xishi, suddenly became nervous. , This time I actually want to play a shadow play in front of the emperor.Wen Tao couldn't help but grasp the corner of Tang Wuyi's robe and said, "Is there anything wrong?"

Tang Wuyi frowned, feeling uneasy in his heart, but he still comforted him: "Since it was chosen by King Qi, I don't think there will be any mistakes. King Qi is not a person who has no sense of propriety."

Wen Tao was cautious, but he still didn't let go of his mind. Zhao Er had already started to announce the curtain. The first play was "Magu's Birthday". Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.Tang Wuyi said: "Look, I told you not to worry."

The festive drama "Magu Xianshou" is performed every new year's festival, and the expressions of all the officials in the palace are all indifferent. Fortunately, the shadow puppets of the Chunxi Troupe are vivid. Although the repertoire is old, the performance is vivid and unique. After "Magu Xianshou", several historical legends were performed, all of which were selected from Li Shu'ai's book, Cao Mengde in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the old affairs of Emperor Taizong in the previous dynasty. One play is newly rehearsed, and it's called "Two Dragons Capture the Pearl."

Wen Tao and Tang Wuyi looked at each other, a sense of ominousness spread in their eyes, who the hell was alluding to the past in Luoyang and Chang'an, and led this shadow puppetry to the palace to be staged in front of all the officials? ?The two of them stared at the white cloth closely, and the scenes they saw in the West Market a few days ago reappeared one after another. Sure enough, when the third prince appeared to alienate the eldest prince and the second prince, Li Xu, the king of Yan, had a very ugly expression on his face. Although the corner of his mouth was still smiling, it was like a mask, and there was a creepy feeling in the candlelight.When Princess Xirong appeared, Li Shu's face had changed, he was holding a wine glass tightly, his complexion turned blue.Many officials didn't know the details of the former prince's affairs, and they feasted and drank all day, but they didn't see the clues. Li Shu couldn't get angry in front of all officials.

Suddenly, someone stood up from the seat, it was Qiu Jian who had just lost the game and drank a lot of wine, he pointed at Zhao Er and shouted: "Where did you come from, dare to act presumptuously in front of the palace?"

The whole audience was shocked. Zhao Er, who was performing a shadow puppet show, hurriedly knelt down, his face was pale, and he kowtowed like garlic, daring not to say a word.But Qiu Jian persisted, walked up to Zhao Er and tugged at Zhao Er's neckline, saying: "Who ordered you to act in such a mess? Tell me!" Qiu Jian smelled of alcohol and was already a little drunk. Holding Zhao Er's collar, it seemed that he was about to grab him.

Zhao Er was frightened out of his wits, his lips turned white, trembling but unable to speak.

Qiu Jian is a member of the military, and he can't see this kind of procrastination the most. He was in a bad mood after losing the game today, and seeing such bold insinuations about the dynasty, Li Shu felt uncomfortable, but he couldn't bear it.He has followed Li Shu since the time when Li Shu was in command of the Vermilion Bird Army for the King of Wei. How could there be room for this kind of sand.Seeing that Zhao Er didn't answer, he became angry from the heart, and punched Zhao Er in the chest, and the audience exclaimed.

Zhao Er, who was beaten, staggered and was knocked away several steps, terrified and frightened, Qiu Jian's attack was not serious, Zhao Er actually vomited a mouthful of blood.The people around quickly surrounded him.Everyone thought it was just a punch, at worst some trauma, but Zhao Er passed out.Seeing this, Li Shu hurriedly called the imperial physician, but when the imperial physician arrived, Zhao Er was already dead!

Qiu Jian was sober now, and all the officials in the hall looked at him, he was shocked and said: "I just punched him, but I didn't kill him!" Then he turned to face Li Shu and knelt down, " I beseech Your Majesty to be the master of the minister!"

Li Shu's face was full of embarrassment, although he said that only a commoner died, but Qiu Jian did beat someone to death in front of all the officials, and he couldn't argue with it.

"Your Majesty!" Qiu Jian was still kowtowing.

The admonishing doctor has already said: "Your Majesty, General Qiu kills people in front of the palace, and you cannot cover it up."

Li Shu said with difficulty: "According to Aiqing, how should we deal with this matter?"

The admonishing doctor bowed again and replied: "Naturally, it will be dealt with by the Ministry of Punishment."

"No!" Shang Shuling said, "Your Majesty will feast all the officials. The cause of death of the head of the class is unknown. It should be investigated internally and should not be announced. If it is handed over to the Ministry of Punishment, it will be in broad daylight. I am afraid that the hearts of the people will not be stable, and it will be an ominous omen."

As soon as this remark came out, many officials echoed it. It is really inappropriate to publicize the bloody incident in the palace. Once it is handed over to the Ministry of Punishment, the matter will probably be heated up and it will be difficult to suppress it.While Li Shu was hesitating, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Tang Wuyi who was sitting under His Royal Highness, and said with a flash of inspiration: "Tang Yue, if you leave this matter to Dongdu Pavilion, are you sure?"

Tang Wuyi was called out suddenly, and he quickly knelt down. Hearing that the Holy Majesty was going to hand over this matter to him, he felt uneasy for a while.He quickly calculated in his mind that this matter is probably far from being as simple as it seems. Who made this "Double Dragon Seizes the Pearl" and how did it come from the Chunxi Troupe, and how did the Chunxi Troupe perform it in front of all the officials of the emperor? ?These are all suspicious points, and he is really not sure that he can find out the truth.He raised his head, and was about to decline, when he suddenly saw Wen Tao say three words "Mr. Pu" with his lips.Tang Wuyi was startled, yes, there is also the matter of Mr. Pu, is it related to this?One of the purposes he decided to come to Kyoto at that time was to find out why Mr. Pu committed suicide. If Mr. Pu's suicide was related to this incident, then Tang Wuyi had to take over the case.

Thinking of this, Tang Wuyi said calmly: "I am willing to try my best!"