Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 48 Fetching Water from Bamboo Basket
Wei Xiaobao returned to the palace, feeling sad and scared. He lay on the bed and sighed constantly.

Shuang'er and Liu Xie, who were standing by, didn't know what Wei Xiaobao was doing. They asked him for a long time but he didn't speak. Until someone outside came with a message that Empress Dowager He summoned Wei Xiaobao.

Wei Xiaobao wondered, "How did He Lingsi know I was here?"

Seeing Wei Xiaobao finally get up from the bed, Liu Xie chased after him and asked, "Did you find out anything about the Seven Star Sword?"

Wei Xiaobao nodded and said with a bitter face, "I found out."

Liu Xie asked, "Useless?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "It is useful. One of the jade stones is a thousand years old. It must be useful."

Liu Xie noticed that Wei Xiaobao was acting strangely and said, "You kept clamoring to go back and sighing when you couldn't find the jade seal. Now that you've found a replacement, why are you still sighing?"

Wei Xiaobao opened his mouth, not knowing how to explain. If he said he couldn't bear to part with Diao Chan, it was because he had rejected Wang Yun. He couldn't say he was afraid of death. Although Wei Xiaobao had refused because he was afraid of death, he felt embarrassed to say it out loud.

Someone from Empress Dowager He's palace urged him again outside, and Wei Xiaobao hurried out and followed the person to Yongle Palace.

On the way, Wei Xiaobao suddenly remembered what he had promised Wang Yun, but it was too late to go back and inform Liu Xie. He could only regret that he had delayed his important business because of Diao Chan.

He Lingsi was also sighing in Yongle Palace. Finally, when Wei Xiaobao arrived, he dismissed his attendants and said, "So you really are Empress Dowager Dong's man."

Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, "I'm just hiding in Liu Xie's palace temporarily. I'm not Empress Dowager Dong's man. Besides, Empress Dowager Dong is already dead. What are you worried about? How did you find me?"

He Lingsi sneered and said, "You are now a famous person who saved the emperor. Isn't it easy to find you? Where did you go when you left the palace this morning?"

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "She even knows that I left the palace. It seems she has sent someone to monitor me."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Since you already know, why ask me? I promised to help you win over the Ten Eunuchs and make your son the emperor. Now I have done what I should do. What about the things you promised me?"

He Lingsi's face was embarrassed for a moment, and he said, "My brother was killed by the Ten Attendants, and the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal are unknown. I came to you today because of this matter."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "Lu Zhi said Dong Zhuo wants to depose Liu Bian and make Liu Xie the emperor. I'm afraid this is the real reason you came to me. If Liu Xie really does become emperor, it doesn't matter. Zhang Jue will escape with us anyway, and the throne will still belong to Liu Bian. It's a pity that I can't tell you the truth now. It's better to keep you worried for a few days so that you won't try to harm others again when you're safe. I'm afraid that the death of Queen Mother Dong in her fiefdom was most likely caused by you."

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Imperial Seal is lost. Why didn't you ask your precious son, the Emperor, to order a search? Why did you summon me? Can I, alone, find it faster than the dozens or even hundreds of high officials in the court?"

He Lingsi said, "I used to think so too. Unfortunately, Bian'er no longer has the final say in the court. All officials, big and small, listen to Dong Zhuo. And Dong Zhuo wants to depose Bian'er. By then, I'm afraid there won't be anyone left to help you find the imperial seal."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "It's really because of this matter."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Don't even mention Dong Zhuo wanting Liu Xie to be emperor. Even if he wanted to be emperor himself, he would need the imperial seal, right? You sent someone to follow me. Are you worried that I would join forces with Dong Zhuo to help Liu Xie ascend the throne?"

He Lingsi didn't expect Wei Xiaobao to speak so directly. She was shocked and quickly said, "How could I send anyone to follow you? Besides, even if Xie'er became the emperor, his mother is no longer alive. I am the empress dowager, so what do I have to worry about?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Then what are you worried about?"

He Lingsi said, "I'm worried that Dong Zhuo will usurp power and become emperor himself. If Dong Zhuo becomes emperor, even if you find the imperial seal, you won't be able to get it."

Although Wei Xiaobao didn't know that Liu Xie was the last emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he knew that Dong Zhuo was killed by Lu Bu before he became emperor. So he said, "Don't worry, Dong Zhuo didn't have that fate. He didn't become emperor before he died."

He Lingsi remembered Wei Xiaobao's prediction that He Jin would be killed by the Ten Attendants. Now, hearing him say with his own mouth that Dong Zhuo could not become emperor, a smile suddenly spread across her face. She said, "It seems you really are a fox spirit." Wei Xiaobao laughed inwardly, "This silly woman really thinks I'm a spirit, a fox spirit at that."

He Lingsi suddenly clapped his hands, and a person walked out from behind the screen.

After Wei Xiaobao saw the man clearly, he was shocked. It was Tang Zhou.

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, "This coward bastard is still alive! He took off his pants in front of so many people and was so scared that he peed all over the floor. I didn't expect him to defect to the Queen Mother in the end! What is he doing here now? Has he already reported my past in the Yellow Turban Army?"

Wei Xiaobao suddenly burst into laughter and said, "So it's Tang Dahuangmen!"

Wei Xiaobao didn't know that Xiao Huangmen was an official title, and his rank was only lower than Zhong Changshi. He thought that others called the younger Huangmen Xiao Huangmen, so he called him Da Huangmen in order to deliberately mock Tang Zhou's eunuch identity.

Tang Zhou had been filled with hatred since he saw Wei Xiaobao, but when he heard the sarcasm in his tone, he pointed at his nose and said, "Wei Xiaobao, you are just like Zhang Jue, a demon who confuses people."

Wei Xiaobao suddenly understood that Zhang Liang must have misunderstood Shuang'er's acupressure as a magic technique, so he guessed that he was a fox fairy or something, and later told Tang Qin about this idea, and then Tang Zhou learned about it from Tang Qin.

He Lingsi shouted angrily, "How outrageous!"

Tang Zhou put down his finger, stepped back to He Lingsi and stood still.

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "How could a ballless eunuch like you actually make He Lingsi believe you? What tricks did you use?"

He Lingsi said, "Now that there are no eunuchs or eunuchs in the palace, Tang Zhou's identity must be kept secret, otherwise your identity as a fox fairy will probably be known to others."

Wei Xiaobao cursed inwardly, "You grandpa, you're trying to blackmail me. Don't even mention I'm not a fox fairy. Even if I were, I wouldn't worry about you telling anyone. Anyway, I'll get the Seven Star Sword and run away. Even if you catch all the foxes in the country, you won't be able to find me. It seems you're trying to use your identity as a fox fairy to blackmail me into helping you get rid of Dong Zhuo. Unfortunately, your plan is going to fail. But I'm going to go to Dong Zhuo to borrow the Seven Star Sword anyway, so I might as well play along."

Wei Xiaobao said, "If you have something to say, just say it. If you have something to say, just fart. I have a lot of things to do. I don't have time to chat with you guys here."

He Lingsi felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to completely break up with Wei Xiaobao. But in order to protect her son's throne, she had no choice but to do so.

He Lingsi said, "Since you already know that Dong Zhuo will not depose Bian'er and replace him, it is better to get rid of Dong Zhuo as soon as possible and let Bian'er return to power. This will also help you retrieve the jade seal one day earlier."

Wei Xiaobao said, "In that case, we can each take what we need. I will help you get rid of Dong Zhuo and ensure your son's throne as emperor. However, immortals cannot kill people, so I can only help you. Do you have any good ideas?"

He Lingsi said, "You don't have to do anything, but I'd like to borrow your magic."

Wei Xiaobao asked, "Magic magic?"

He Lingsi nodded and said, "It's that magic of yours that can capture people's souls and make their hands and feet lose control!"

Wei Xiaobao was delighted: "Oh, Shuang'er's acupressure skills!"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I don't know this magic. Only my good wife Shuang'er knows it. I have to go back and discuss it with her. How about this, you two agree on a time to start, and then have someone notify me. Shuang'er and I will come to help you then."

On the way back to Liu Xie's bedroom from Yongle Palace, Wei Xiaobao was already beaming with joy, thinking that if he could help He Lingsi get rid of Dong Zhuo, then Diao Chan wouldn't have to marry Dong Zhuo as a concubine. Then, He Lingsi could find an excuse to kill Lu Bu as well, and Diao Chan would be his.

Since he had made up his mind to marry Diao Chan, Wei Xiaobao was no longer in a hurry to return to the Qing Dynasty. After returning to his bedroom and telling Liu Xie what Wang Yun had entrusted him with, he waited in the bedroom every day for He Lingsi to deliver the message. However, he received the news that Liu Bian was deposed, Liu Xie ascended the throne, and He Lingsi was killed.

(End of this chapter)