Chapter 420: Life and Death

Wang Chen stared and reminded:

"This person is a rebel!!!"

Hu Xiezhi stared and echoed:

"He is a rebel! This rebel cannot be spared!!!"

Wang Chen leaned over, striking while the iron was hot:

"And he is also a rebel leader! One of the rebel Prince's trusted advisors!"

Hu Xiezhi shook his head, decisively:

"Then he can't run away!"

"Is it accurate this time?"

"How can it not be accurate? Old Hu does things, two words, rest assured!"

Hu Xiezhi got on the carriage to return to his mansion. When he was almost home, a feminine man blocked the carriage alone.

"Guardian's carriage, get out of the way!"

"My master invites Guardian Hu to move to drink tea."

Several personal guards pressed their sword hilts, staring vigilantly at this uninvited guest.

Hu Xiezhi leaned in the carriage, the drunkenness hitting his head, his eyelids fighting, vaguely hearing the movement outside the carriage, muttering: "Drinking some turtle-hair tea in the middle of the night..."

He only heard the personal guard outside ask:

"Who is your master?"

"Xichang Marquis Mansion."

Hu Xiezhi's drunkenness woke up instantly!

"Wait a moment."

The guard hurriedly reported back.

Hu Xiezhi immediately said loudly:

"Drinking tea is good! I love drinking tea!"

The storefront of the Liuqing Pavilion tea room was narrow, with only a black lacquer wooden door, not even a plaque, looking like an ordinary small household at first glance. But once inside, one saw a different world.

The four corridors surrounded a courtyard, in which an old plum tree was planted, its branches twisted, occupying half of the courtyard. Scattered secret tea rooms were hidden at the end of the corridors, some behind rockeries, some hidden in bamboo forests, some separated by bridges and water, or hidden among flower trees.

Each one was naturally embedded in the environment, separated by stacked stones, bamboo, winding water, and flowers, forming its own world.

Hu Xiezhi was led by Seeing Lian San to a tea room. The interior had very little furniture, but everything was exquisite. The floor was covered with fine bamboo mats, the low table was split from a whole piece of ebony, and the shape was round and simple. On the table were a complete set of ancient and elegant tea sets, and the tea pot on the clay stove was bubbling with steam, the clear fragrance overflowing.

Hu Xiezhi smiled:

"There is such a good place in the capital; if it weren't for the Marquis's blessing, I wouldn't be able to find the way even if I were told. Eh, where is the Marquis?"

"Father Marquis has something to do; I invite the Guardian to drink tea."

Baoyue, with her hair tied up in men's clothing, tapped her folding fan and pushed the door in from the other side.

Hu Xiezhi only then learned that the tea room had doors on both sides. After a slight pause, he quickly recovered, hurriedly stood up and cupped his hands, smiling enthusiastically:

"So it's Noble Lady Xiao! Disrespect, disrespect! I haven't seen the Marquis since the last morning court; how is the Marquis?"

"Thank you for your concern, Guardian; Father Marquis is very well. Come, serve tea to the Guardian."

Hu Xiezhi didn't understand tea at all, although he had drunk a lot of good tea, it was all for show. But at least he had been mixing in the capital for nearly ten years, so he had the necessary posture.

He held the cup in one hand and the lid in the other, then used the lid to lightly brush away the non-existent foam, sipped a little, paused, and sipped again—

Suddenly, as if he were thirsty, he stopped pretending, blew on it a few times, and drank it in one gulp!

Putting down the tea cup, he laughed:

"I won't pretend in front of a real person; I'm a rough person, how can I understand tea? I won't waste Noble Lady's good tea. If you have anything to say, just order me. I will definitely do what I can, and if I can't, I'll stand on tiptoe to do it!"

Baoyue closed her fan:

"Guardian is straightforward. Good, then I'll be direct. Regarding the aftermath of the chaos on this trip, does the Emperor have any special instructions?"

"Yes! But the edict is Ru Gong's business; the edict is with him."

(Ru Gong is Secretariat Drafter Ru Faliang, although his official position is low, he is an old man from the late Emperor, and served as a Dianqian for the current Emperor when he was an Inspector, following him into the Eastern Palace and then into the Imperial Palace for many years, so he is respectfully called Ru Gong)

"I'm not asking about the pacification and appointment; I'm asking, does the Emperor have any special instructions regarding the rebel case?"

Hu Xiezhi's expression was a bit confused:

"Noble Lady Xiao, what special instructions do you mean?"

"Wang Yang."

Hu Xiezhi was bewildered:

"Who?"

Baoyue stared at Hu Xiezhi, her voice unhurried:

"Langya Wang Yang. You haven't heard of him?"

"Uh—seems to have some impression... is it the Wang Yang who is one of the rebel party?"

Baoyue's eyes were slightly cold:

"He is not a rebel party."

This was the thing Baoyue was most worried about.

Her father had already presented Wang Yang's secret letter to the Emperor and guaranteed that Wang Yang was trustworthy, but the Emperor had no reaction other than saying he knew!

Baoyue had always suspected whether her father had hidden something, but looking at Hu Xiezhi's reaction now, it seemed the actual situation was indeed so.

So what did the Emperor mean?

Did he not believe Wang Yang? Or did he not take Wang Yang's matter to heart at all? Or did he have other plans that were kept secret?

Hu Xiezhi was surprised to hear Baoyue say Wang Yang was not a rebel party:

"Isn't it said that he is one of the rebel Prince's trusted advisors?"

Baoyue sneered:

"Who said that? It's just nonsense. How long has he joined the rebel Prince to become a trusted advisor? And his joining the Prince of Badong doesn't mean he wants to join the rebellion—"

"Then what?"

Baoyue thought for a while and felt that what she needed most now was to stabilize. Since the letter had been submitted, there was room for maneuver. She couldn't be anxious; being anxious would lead to mistakes.

Matters are completed by secrecy, and words lead to failure. She was afraid of ruining Wang Yang's plan, so she didn't explain much, first drank a sip of tea leisurely, and then said lightly:

"I have a few words of good advice; would the Guardian like to hear them?"

"Of course! I am most willing to hear good advice! Noble Lady Xiao, please speak!"

"This matter is not as simple as it looks on the surface. When you arrive in Jingzhou, you will naturally know. I can tell you clearly that the situation in Jingzhou is very complicated. On this trip, you can naturally act according to the law, but the court definitely hopes that you will stabilize Jingzhou as soon as possible and definitely does not want to start a major prison case. So for those who are more involved, try to protect them as much as possible; even if you can't protect them, don't handle them arbitrarily, otherwise it will easily cause chaos. Wouldn't it be beautiful for you to return with full merit? Causing waves for no reason is not good for others or yourself."

Hu Xiezhi nodded repeatedly:

"Noble Lady Xiao makes sense! I don't understand the situation in Jingzhou; thanks to Noble Lady Xiao for the reminder! I'll replace wine with tea and toast Noble Lady!"

Hu Xiezhi drank another cup in one gulp.

"On this trip, Guardian, wearing armor and holding weapons, traveling far to Jingchu, I have nothing to send—"

Baoyue clapped her jade palm, and Seeing Lian San brought up a purple sandalwood box, inside which was a gold statue, exactly the same as the one the Prince of Luling had sent him before!

Hu Xiezhi opened his eyes wide, stunned for a moment!

"This statue was originally a pair, cast by Wei Xiao, later presented to Emperor Guangwu, and had always been treasured by the Han palace. Later, the two statues were passed down to Fu Jian. After the Battle of Fei River, the two statues were separated, one obtained by Liu Laozhi; after Liu Laozhi died, it was said to have been bought by the Du clan of Qiantang, and its whereabouts are unknown. The other statue drifted among the people, changed hands many times, and finally ended up in my hands. I heard that the Guardian believes in the Emperor Xi, so I present it to the Guardian as a farewell gift—"

So it's a pair in my hands?!!!

I'm amazing, Old Hu!!!!

Hu Xiezhi was overjoyed, waving his hands straight:

"Not appropriate, not appropriate, not appropriate, this is too inappropriate—"

Baoyue smiled slightly:

"What's inappropriate about this? Immortal herbs don't grow on cattle and horse land; treasures must have a predestined person. Since the General believes in the Emperor Xi, he is a predestined person for this object."

Hu Xiezhi waved his hands even more happily:

"No, no, no, no, this is really inappropriate, really inappropriate!"

Baoyue frowned:

"Guardian thinks the gift is light?"

"No, no, no! If this gift is called light, then what heavy gift is there! It's just that it's really inappropriate—"

"Where is it appropriate to send it?"

"The second carriage—eh, not appropriate, not appropriate, really not appropriate!"

Baoyue said directly:

"Send it to the Guardian's second carriage."

"Don't, don't, don't, don't—"

Hu Xiezhi waved his hand and said "don't" for a long time, and only after Seeing Lian San had disappeared did he put his hand down, looking embarrassed:

"How can I be embarrassed—"

"A small gift, it's nothing. Actually, inviting the Guardian today, besides the farewell, there is a small matter I want to trouble the Guardian to pay attention to—"

Hu Xiezhi immediately sat up straight, his heroism bursting forth:

"Noble Lady Xiao's business is my business!"

Baoyue's face calmed down, her expression solemn:

"After the Guardian leaves the capital, please take care of Wang Yang."

Hu Xiezhi's tone flew again:

"Must take care! The Emperor has instructed, this time, whatever needs to be pacified must be pacified!"

"Definitely?"

"How can it not be definite? Old Hu does things, two words, rest assured!"

Saying this, he patted his chest:

"Noble Lady, who else do you want me to take care of? Speak! I'll take care of them all!"

Baoyue looked at Hu Xiezhi calmly and said lightly:

"I only take care of him."

Although the voice was light, it hid a weight that was taken for granted!

Hu Xiezhi was stunned. At this moment, he suddenly had a feeling, he didn't know if he was overthinking—he felt that if he didn't take care of Wang Yang as agreed, if something happened to Wang Yang in his hands, this woman would kill him!

Not necessarily, not necessarily, I must be thinking too much...

However, Hu Xiezhi didn't pat his chest *dang-dang* like before, but nodded and said slowly:

"I will try my best."

At the mansion of Secretariat Drafter Ru Faliang, the current Emperor's own younger brother, the Prince of Yuzhang, Xiao Yi, wearing a sword and leading a team of guards, broke in directly!

Although there were many people in the Ru mansion, who dared to fight the Prince of Yuzhang?!

"Ru Faliang! Ru Faliang! Ru Faliang, come out!"

The Prince of Yuzhang didn't look at anyone else, striding straight inside, shouting as he walked, his voice urgent and sharp.

Everyone could only surround him on both sides to persuade and beg; those who had the courage to block the road were pushed away by the guards.

Ru Faliang, with his clothes and hat neat, stood in the center of the straight path, and bowed deeply when he saw the Prince of Yuzhang:

"Your subject Ru Faliang, pays respects to the Second Prince."

Second Prince was the title of the Prince of Yuzhang when he was a prince. Only the old people of the Prince's mansion called him that. But the Prince of Yuzhang had no touch at this moment, pressing the sword hilt, full of anger, rushing straight to Ru Faliang!

Not only did the people of the Ru mansion come to block, but the guards of the Prince of Yuzhang's mansion also hurriedly went to block! They were afraid that the Prince would cut Ru Faliang down in his rage!

"Get out of the way!"

The Prince of Yuzhang let go of the sword hilt, waving his sleeves to reveal his wrists!

The guards hesitated slightly, and the Prince of Yuzhang swept his cold eyes:

"Are you deaf?"

The guards didn't dare to delay any longer, retreating in fear.

Ru Faliang looked at the people in his mansion and scolded:

"Didn't you hear the Prince's words? Why don't you get out of the way!"

Everyone scattered in a panic; soon, only the Prince of Yuzhang and Ru Faliang were left on the path.

The Prince of Yuzhang stared at Ru Faliang:

"Ru Faliang! Don't try to stall me with words anymore! I want one sentence from you today! Whether he is alive or dead, you can nod or shake your head! Give me an answer, and I will leave immediately!"

Ru Faliang bowed:

"Your subject cannot give this answer."

The Prince of Yuzhang took a step forward, his sword clanking out of its sheath! A cold light flashed, pointing straight at Ru Faliang:

"Do you think I don't dare to kill you?"

Ru Faliang slowly knelt down:

"Your subject is the Emperor's house slave, and the Prince is also your subject's master. If the Prince wants your subject's life, it's just a matter of one sentence. But your subject doesn't dare to deceive the Prince. Because your subject really doesn't know—"

The anger in the Prince of Yuzhang's eyes exploded suddenly:

"You still say you don't know! Hu Xiezhi has no edict at all! Only you have it! Whether to kill or pardon, the Emperor must have an edict! You still dare to say you don't know—"

The Prince of Yuzhang's knuckles holding the sword turned white! The sword was trembling!

Ru Faliang kowtowed:

"Your subject really doesn't know. Even if your subject knew, I wouldn't dare to say. But what your subject can tell the Prince is—now the life or death of the Fourth Prince is not up to the Emperor, not up to the Prince, and even less up to your subject."

The Prince of Yuzhang's gaze condensed, asking urgently:

"Then who is it up to?!" ===== CHAPTER 421 =====