Chance encounter

When Li Yuandao thought about going home the night before, he found that it was almost dawn, and some eunuchs and maids had already started preparing for the morning court. He squeezed his frown, thinking about the morning court for a while Concubine Li Gui also wanted to carry the little prince to the court, and there were things he wanted to say. His brows that had been relaxed just now frowned a little bit. Sometimes he wondered whether it would be useful to do these things. What will happen if the imperial power is over?He doesn't have the time and energy to think about these things now, what happened the day before has already made him feel a little tired, he thought about going back to the mansion to rest after the morning morning, and going to Guo Yunfeng to ask about the situation by the way.

In the early court, all the officials knelt down to the crown prince, the child who had just been born and was currently being held by Concubine Li, who was sitting beside the dragon chair.The fact that the little prince didn't cry made Li Yuandao feel a little relieved. He thought in his heart, just for this, in the future he will die without any pain.

Li Yuandao stood at the bottom right of the dragon chair, and explained the prince's whereabouts to Manchu Wenwu. He said that when the prince was about to leave the palace, he asked himself to supervise the country and assist the government.He said that at his old age, he would spend the rest of his life at home, but he still couldn't let go of the country and the emperor. He wanted to assist the prince during the time when the emperor was not awake, and when the emperor woke up, he could explain something.

None of the officials standing inside or outside the hall believed what Li Yuandao said, but they were all silent, expressing their support and resistance in silence.

Li Yuandao looked at the little prince and Concubine Li who was holding him from time to time. Concubine Li Gui hadn't moved since she sat down, not only had she not moved, even the expressionless expression on her face hadn't changed.Li Yuandao didn't want to look at the expressionless face of his concubine's daughter anymore, and didn't want to say anything more, but this was the first time he stood at such a height to look down on the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty. At this moment, he felt as if he was looking down on him. The country and the world that are about to be handed over, thinking of these, his somewhat tired body seemed to be injected with new vitality, his heart was ecstatic, he wanted to reach out and touch, touch the imperial power that he couldn't see, he wanted to laugh out loud , but he knew he couldn't do it no matter how much he thought, so he had no choice but to hold back, hold back these thoughts in his heart, he finished talking about what happened in the palace, and then talked about the recent arrangements, he waited for the eunuch to shout: "There is a There is no reason to retreat from the court.” He waited and said to these officials: “I have something to wait for in the imperial study three quarters in the afternoon.” Just as he was happily waiting for all this to become a reality, he suddenly realized that something was wrong. Asked: "Why didn't the Prime Minister come today?"

At this time, a young eunuch said: "The prime minister's mansion sent someone to report that the prime minister is in poor health, and he didn't come today after asking for leave."

After hearing this, Li Yuandao didn't think much about it. Those officials who were submissive on the surface and resisted him in their hearts would always say that they were sick and couldn't come to court. Announcing his retirement, at this moment, he felt that there was no obstacle in front of him. Even though the prince appeared at this time, he was sure that he was only one step away from the throne.

But Li Yuandao didn't know, after all, he was happy too early.

Li Yuandao sat in the sedan chair, reminiscing about the feeling he had just gone up in the morning, as if he was already the one who was bowed down by all the officials.After the sedan chair left the palace and turned around twice, he asked the bearer to carry him to the prime minister's mansion.

The guards at the gate of the prime minister's mansion had already been replaced by his men. The guard told Li Yuandao that nothing happened here and everything was normal. The prime minister had never come out, and Li Yuandao felt relieved after hearing this.Sit back in the sedan chair again.

Just as the bearer lifted the sedan chair, Li Yuandao ordered them to put it down again. Li Yuandao thought to himself that he had already arrived, so he went in to have a look, and he also seemed to be sympathetic to these veteran ministers.

A guard followed Li Yuandao and walked inside. The prime minister's mansion was a little quiet. Li Yuandao didn't think much about it, thinking that it had something to do with the prime minister's illness. After all, whether the prime minister is sick or not, he also likes to be quiet at this time, and he doesn't want to be disturbed by others. .

When Li Yuandao came outside the prime minister's bedroom, a servant girl came over and said, "Lord Qin felt unwell last night. He lay down all night and hasn't gotten up yet."

Li Yuandao didn't say anything after hearing this, thinking to himself, could it be that he was really sick.

Li Yuandao stood outside the door for a while, but decided to go in and have a look. At this time, the servant girl picked up the washbasin under the eaves, and followed him in. After entering the room, the servant girl quickly walked two steps to Li Yuandao's side. A while ago, Li Yuandao knew that the maid was carrying the washbasin to wipe the prime minister’s face first, so she stopped outside and did not go inside again. When Li Yuandao was thinking about how to talk to the prime minister, there was an exclamation from inside. At the same time, there was a clanging sound from the washbasin falling to the ground.

Li Yuandao walked in quickly, saw the maid who was standing there blankly, and asked, "What's wrong?"

The servant girl said: "No, Mr. Qin is gone."

Li Yuandao hurried to the bed, and found another quilt under the bulging quilt on the bed.The maid next to him kept saying, "Why is this happening? Where did Master Qin go? He was obviously sleeping, so why did he disappear?"

After Li Yuandao realized that something had happened, he quickly asked the guards to ask someone to look for it elsewhere. Li Yuandao sat on a chair outside and waited for the news. He suddenly felt that the silence here was abnormal. Where's the lady?"

At this time, a guard said: "The three ladies went to the temple to offer incense. Two people followed them and said they would return this afternoon."

Li Yuandao knew that he would not be able to see the three wives this afternoon, not only the three women, but also the prime minister.

Li Yuandao sat quietly for a while and asked slowly: "Which temple did they go to?"

The guard said, "They often go to the one in the west of Beijing. There is only one temple there."

Li Yuandao stopped talking after hearing this. He knew that there was indeed only one temple in the west of Beijing, and the name of that temple was Qing'an Temple.At this time, he suddenly recalled that when he wanted to pray for the emperor and chant scriptures, and discuss where to invite a mage, the prime minister had no objection to Qing'an Temple.

Li Yuandao stood up without waiting for the guards to come back. He knew that those people could not find anything in the prime minister's mansion, so he asked the guards beside him, "Where is Qin Xiu?" If there is a problem in the speech of these guards, then the guard will be dead.

The guard said, "He went to Fireworks Lane."

Qin Xiu often stays in Fireworks Alley, he knows this, he asked, "Where is it on Fireworks Alley?"

The guard said: "Hiding the Golden Pavilion."

Li Yuandao didn't speak after hearing this, and took the guards to the Cangjin Pavilion. The guards outside the Cangjin Pavilion listened to Li Yuandao's order to see if Qin Xiu was still there. He walked out of the Cangjin Pavilion in horror, his expression already distorted , because he saw the suppressed anger in Li Yuandao's eyes.

The guard said, "I've been here all night, but I didn't see him come out. Why did he disappear?"

Li Yuandao came to the room where Qin Xiu stayed the night before, and asked Qin Xiu's friend, "Did Qin Xiu come here last night?"

The woman was a little scared, she said: "I have been here, as usual, I didn't stay overnight, I left that night, I don't know anything."

Li Yuandao said: "People who say they don't know anything usually know something."

The woman said, "my lord, I really don't know, he didn't say anything last night."

Li Yuandao said: "Let me ask you, is Qin Xiu different from usual last night? Let's talk after we think about it."

The woman said, "There is no difference."

Li Yuandao asked again: "Does he often come to your place?"

The woman said: "He has other lovers. He may have gone to someone else after he left my place."

Li Yuandao asked: "Why do you say that?"

The woman said: "When Mr. Qin came yesterday, he said that he went to Piaoxiangyuan first, but there were guests at Xiaohong's place, and then he went to Yanyulou, but Qing'er also had guests, and finally he thought of coming to me. here."

Li Yuandao asked: "Aren't you also his lover? Why did he think of others first, and finally came to you when he had no choice?"

The woman said: "Because the Zangjin Pavilion was built protruding from the water, the water vapor here is heavy, so he seldom comes here in this season. In summer, he is most willing to come to my place."

After hearing this, Li Yuandao finally understood. He lay down by the window and looked at the location of the room. He knew that Qin Xiu did not leave here.After Li Yuandao thought about it, he got up and left.

In the end, the guards found the place where Qin Xiu left in the back kitchen of the Cangjin Pavilion. There was a large piece of wood on the floor of the back kitchen, which was missing. Usually, the garbage was thrown into the water from this place. The guards found some traces here. .When Li Yuandao came out of the Golden Pavilion, he felt a slight headache. Where did Qin Xiu go? Did the prime minister arrange for him to leave, or was there someone else to meet them? Li Yuandao felt that he was only one step away from reaching the sky in the morning. slowly disappear.

Qin Xiu was dragged to the back kitchen of the Cangjin Pavilion and was beaten on the brain and then pushed down. At this moment, he felt some pain in the back of his head, so he reached out to touch it, and there was indeed a bag. He looked around, but it was I don't know where I am, but at this time, someone saw him wake up and came in to bring him some washing things. Qin Xiu sat up and found that she was only wearing her underwear, and seeing the handsome appearance of the person in front of her, she ignored her. Seeing the pain in the back of his head, he said, "But the young master brought me here?"

That person ignored Qin Xiu, and Qin Xiu said again: "Did you take off my clothes? When you took off your clothes, did you think about being responsible to me?" Qin Xiu walked forward as she spoke. , when his hand was about to touch that person, a sword was already on his neck, Qin Xiu was stunned at that moment, thinking, why didn't he see how this person made a move?

At this time, a woman came in from the door and said to Qin Xiu: "You worry-free bastard, you took off your clothes for your mother."

Qin Xiu's mother came in, and the man's sword was also withdrawn. The prime minister's third wife said to Qin Xiu: "You go and get dressed first, and then go to see your father, and put away your stinky problems." , something happened here, but no one cares about you."

After Qin Xiu saw the prime minister, the prime minister said that they had already left the capital, and this was the house of the benefactor who helped them escape successfully.They have to wait for news here temporarily.

Qin Xiu didn't know that his elder brother Qin Guan was rushing towards the capital with [-] soldiers, so he didn't understand why they escaped from the capital at first.

It's just that Li Yuandao finally thought of Qin Guan. He knew that the Northeast Army was no longer under Fu'an's control. I'm afraid Fu'an didn't know this situation at this time, so their situation was not good.

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