The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 700: Spring Farming Changes

The year of Ji Hai, the day of Hai in the middle of spring.

The weather is fine and everything comes to life.

In front of the sacrificial field under the Xiannongtan, Zhang Yunyi was boredly watching Emperor Wanlong welcoming the gods and burning incense...

After a series of cumbersome rituals, the emperor came to the sacrificial field and pretended to lead a group of ministers to work in the fields.

Zhang Yunyi started the water pump that had been installed in advance, and came to Emperor Wanlong holding one end of the water pipe alone.

Considering that the emperor might not be able to carry him, he held the water pipe while looking sideways into the distance, signaling to start the water valve.

When I turned around, I saw a flash of light the size of a fingernail coming from the bushes opposite.

Reflection?

Zhang Yunyi was subconsciously stunned, wondering where the reflective object in the bushes came from, but he saw two black arrows with cold blue light on their tips rushing towards him.

The roaring sound of steam covered up the sound of arrows hurtling through the air.

Zhang Yunyi's mind flashed with lightning, and he suppressed the urge to dodge. He charged like a bull and pounced on Emperor Wanlong opposite him, shouting loudly: "There's an assassin!"

Thanks to long-term training, the two arrows just grazed Zhang Yunyi's back and directly penetrated the chests of the two officials in scarlet robes who were watching the ceremony.

This sudden change caused chaos in the field. The guards not far away suddenly realized what was happening and gathered around, forming a human wall to block the emperor and Zhang Yun逸.

"Catch assassins!"

"Protect His Majesty and hunt down the assassin!"

The sounds came and went.

Zhang Yunyi, who was surrounded by guards, slowly got up from the emperor and looked in shock at Emperor Wanlong, who also had a gloomy face, was vomiting bitterness and coughing.

He immediately apologized, "This is an emergency. Your Majesty, please forgive me for offending the dragon!"

The situation was critical just now, and he didn't care about much else. He rushed into the arms of Emperor Wanlong with brute force. Just by looking at the emperor coughing non-stop, he knew that he was badly hit.

"Cough cough cough..."

Emperor Wanlong coughed and waved his hands.

But before he could recover, someone outside suddenly cried out, "It's poisonous!"

This sound sent a chill down Zhang Yunyi's spine.

Although the arrow hit his back just now, judging from the direction it was shot from, I was afraid that both him and the emperor would be included.

If he had not been trying to find the reflection in the bushes out of curiosity, whether he had run away alone or had hesitated for a moment, even if he didn't die, he would have to consider his future.

Although it was not his duty to protect the emperor, he could abandon the emperor and hide alone. Even if he escaped danger temporarily, he would not be able to escape death if he was held accountable later.

The emperor was not much better than him. His eyes were bloodshot and the anger in his eyes was almost bursting out. Only when he looked at Zhang Yunyi did he restrain himself a little.

"My dear minister, you have done a great job in protecting me..."

Before the emperor could finish his words, a man squeezed into the crowd, holding a letter, and knelt down and said, "The assassin has already committed suicide by taking poison! This is the letter found on the assassin. I failed to protect you, and I will die for it! Please allow me to escort you back to the palace first, and then I will apologize to you!"

Looking at the guard leader Qiu Duo kneeling in front of him, Emperor Wanlong gnashed his teeth and said, "He committed suicide by taking poison? Investigate! Investigate his eight generations of ancestors and make sure to find out who is behind him!"

Then, he took a deep breath and said, "Send the injured to the hospital as soon as possible. Zhang Aiqing, Gu Dashou, and Zhou Xianzu will accompany me back to the palace!"

At this moment, the old people in the Qiandi are still reliable.

It was said that he was returning to the palace, but even though the assassin committed suicide by taking poison, no one could guarantee whether there were any ambushes along the way.

The imperial sedan chair was too big and difficult to escort, so Emperor Wanlong had to be surrounded by a group of guards as if they were facing a great enemy. He walked back to the palace with the help of eunuchs including Xia Shouzhong.

He has been taking medicine for more than half a year, and although his body has not been completely drained, it is no longer as good as before.

In addition, he was frightened by the assassination and was hit by Zhang Yun逸. Even though he was supported by a group of eunuchs, he felt as if he had lost half his life when he returned to the palace.

But when he thought about how he almost lost his life today, he forced himself to cheer up and went to the imperial study.

As soon as Emperor Wanlong sat down on the dragon throne, the guard leader Qiu Duo immediately knelt on the ground and said, "I failed to protect you, and I am to blame for this. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Wanlong looked at Qiu Duo with a sharp gaze. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Tell me! How did the assassin get in?"

"I dare not quibble, but I did not expect that the thieves would be so patient and actually dug a secret room that could accommodate one person in the bushes beside the sacrificial field in advance. Judging from the situation inside, I'm afraid they have been lying in ambush for two or three days..." When the emperor traveled, not only were there many guards, but the area would also be cleared and checked in advance.

However, this kind of ambush by hiding in a secret room dug in advance is indeed hard to guard against, and even Qiu Duo was caught off guard.

However, this type of assassination also has certain limitations.

Not only did they have to know the emperor's itinerary in advance, but they couldn't make a big fuss about it, and it could only happen once and not again. This was probably why only two arrows were shot.

After hearing this explanation, the emperor's expression eased somewhat.

Qiu Duo was able to become the commander of the guards, so his trust is beyond doubt.

The emperor had just been assassinated, so he was inevitably frightened and did not dare to easily hand over the defense work to others.

"I will remember your crime first, and I am waiting for you to make amends for your crime!"

After pacifying Qiu Duo, he turned and asked, "What does the letter say?"

"This……"

Qiu Duo glanced at Zhang Yunyi with a guilty look on his face, and said carefully: "Rather than calling it a letter, it's more like a confession. According to the letter, the assassin is from Prince Beijing's men, and he couldn't stand Duke Wei's disrespect to Prince Beijing..."

He repeated the contents of the letter, then put the letter aside and said, "I have ordered people to surround Prince Beijing's mansion, and we are just waiting for your Majesty's decision."

After hearing this, Zhang Yunyi was also stunned. Only then did he understand why Qiu Duo looked at him with a guilty look on his face.

Before the emperor set out, the two officials who were shot by arrows had already died of poison.

Judging from the positions where the two were shot by arrows, if it weren't for his collision, the emperor would have died of poison even if he wasn't killed directly by the arrow.

As the commander of the guards, Qiu Duo naturally cannot escape blame.

It can be said that Zhang Yunyi's collision at least saved the lives of his entire family. It would not even be an exaggeration to say that he saved his entire clan.

But now, according to what was said in the letter, not only could Zhang Yun逸’s function of protecting the emperor be lost, but the emperor was also in trouble because of him.

After hearing Qiu Duo's words, the scene suddenly fell silent.

The conflict between Zhang Yun逸 and Prince Beijing is almost known to everyone.

Zhang Yunyi thought more than them. The first thing he thought of was the information he got when he asked Zhen Shiyin to investigate his background. He secretly said to himself that he was careless.

But on second thought, Prince Beijing's move was really taking a long way and adding unnecessary steps.

If someone wants to harm his own life, it would be easier to wait for his death in Quyuan Zatan than in the Spring Ploughing Ceremony.

What's more, there is suspicion of assassinating the emperor?
Although killing an official is tantamount to treason, and he is a duke who enjoys the emperor's favor, there is no need to give up on himself and add the crime of assassination.

All these signs seem more like a frame-up and deliberate misleading.

However, the letter clearly pointed to Prince Beijing, and he was used to seeing playboys like Jia Baoyu who did things in an unreliable manner, so he was really unsure.

With the spearhead pointed at him, Zhang Yunyi could only plead guilty: "Your Majesty, I... I am ashamed to have caused trouble for you. Please forgive me!"

At this point, he changed the subject and said, "However, I find this a little strange. If Prince Beijing wants to harm me, he has plenty of opportunities. Why must he choose the Spring Ploughing Ceremony? And if no one petitions, I may not participate in the Spring Festival..."

Although it cannot be ruled out that Prince Beijing is really mentally ill and really has to go far away to seek help, he does not care about the credit of protecting the emperor, but does not want the emperor to feel that he is implicated.

I would rather die than have a friend die. Moreover, he and Prince Beijing did not share the same ideals, so naturally he insisted that Prince Beijing intended to assassinate him.

Although it was inconvenient for him to expose his intelligence network, since he knew that several ministers who had written to the emperor had visited Prince Beijing's Palace not long ago, as long as he raised questions vaguely, the emperor would send people to investigate.

Moreover, he had once denied this matter in front of the emperor. With just a little hint, there was no doubt that the emperor would investigate in this direction.

"Yes! My dear, please get up quickly!"

Emperor Wanlong was also blinded by one thing just now, and he had just been assassinated, so he was paranoid and found everyone suspicious.

After hearing Qiu Duo's report for the first time, one could not help but think wrongly. Zhang Yun逸's words were like a wake-up call.

He quickly ordered, "Qiu Duo! Quickly take Shui Rong and the official who wrote the letter away for strict interrogation!"

……

(End of this chapter)