Qing Palace - Biography of Concubine Wan

Chapter 47: A Line of Sky (2)

After sizing it up for a while, Qing Ru suppressed the curiosity in her eyes, and Chang Xi also suppressed her smile and shouted at the people in the troupe: "What are you doing in a daze, come quickly and meet the nobleman Ru!"

After he said this, those people came back to their senses, knelt down and kowtowed in twos and threes under the leadership of a middle-aged man, as if suppressing a trace of timidity in their hearts, they said solemnly: "Which one of you is the leader?"

As soon as the words fell, the person who took the lead just now stood up: "You are as noble as you are, and the villain is the leader of this 'Colorful Cloud Class', named Zhou Zheng!" There was tension in his voice.

While they were talking, Zijin and Zijin had already moved a chair out of the room and placed it in a cool place, then they supported Qingru to sit down, and after she sat down firmly, Qingru pointed to the people in the field and asked: "Everyone in your troupe Are they all here?"

"It's all here, no one left!" Zhou Zheng replied with a smile on his face.

Qingru nodded without saying a word, staring at everyone one by one, the silent threat coupled with the gaze that seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts made everyone more or less uneasy, what's more, they did not dare to look at them with their heads down. touch.

Seeing that the goal had been achieved, Qingru slowly looked away, and asked in a gentle tone: "Team Master Zhou, I heard that you sang "The Romance of the West Chamber" very well. It's a play, I couldn't see it last time because of something, I don't know which two are the matchmaker and Cui Yingying, can you call me out and let me meet!"

"When...Of course!" There was a small pause in Zhou Zheng's answer, although he quickly continued, but he could not escape Qingru's eyes. In fact, she was not the only one, Chang Xi also noticed, Both chose to wait and see the follow-up.

After Zhou Zheng, two more women stood up: "The folk girl Yanhong, and Heyi are like nobles!"

"Exemption." The two of them are quite attractive, especially the woman named He Yi, who is dressed in dark green clothes, with a few pearl flowers scattered on her head, and her eyebrows and eyes are even more charming.

Qingru smiled silently, her first guess had been confirmed, He Yi was indeed a member of the theater troupe, maybe this time she could really solve all the mysteries, and at the same time, she felt sincere gratitude to Concubine Zhen in her heart.

Without her asking, Arlene, who was always watching behind her, had already bent down and whispered in Qingru's ear, Qingru nodded, and the butterfly wings inlaid with a few sapphires on her hair trembled slightly.

She put all her energy on He Yi, sized her up carefully, and said: "He Yihui brings Jue Xianchen (1), this name is well chosen, the person who wants to name you must have studied a lot! "

After being praised, He Yi didn't show any joy, twisted the corners of her clothes with her fingers, and didn't answer, but just smiled uncomfortably. For her behavior that doesn't show etiquette, Qingru just smiled and never reprimanded her, but Zhou Zhenggao He scolded her a few words, then changed his smile and said to Qingru: "This little girl is ignorant, I hope you don't get angry." After saying this, he turned his head to He Yi and said: "What are you still doing? , go back quickly, so that the noble master won't be upset when he sees you!"

He Yi nodded in panic, turned around and wanted to leave, Qingru who had been watching the scene with cold eyes said, "Wait a minute, I still have something to say to Miss He Yi!" How could she let this key person leave, otherwise? Isn't it a waste of time to come here, and the appearance of Team Leader Zhou just now was clearly acting, in order to take away He Yi, this person is very suspicious, in case there is any change, Qing Ru Chao Zijin and the others winked, The hands behind their backs quietly pointed in two directions. The two of them had followed her for many years, and they understood what Miss meant without words, and moved their steps without making a sound.

Now that Qingru had made it clear that he had something to ask He Yi, Zhou Zheng didn't dare to make any further moves, so he had to step aside embarrassingly. Qingru stood up while supporting Arlene's hand, and took a few steps forward and said politely to He Yi: " Have you ever heard the poem "Magpie Bridge Immortal"?"

Sure enough, just after she asked this sentence, He Yi, Zhou Zheng, and someone in the crowd turned pale, and He Yi lowered his head and muttered that he had read it aloud.

"Since I've read it, I think I can't be wrong!" Qing Ru suddenly said this, and before anyone could understand what it meant, she took out the folding fan hidden in her sleeve, and said it slowly in front of everyone. Unfold it, and turn the side with the poem inscribed on the lotus garment.

"Look, the title on this fan is the same as yours, but it's your belonging?" After she took out the fan, all the remaining redness on the faces of those people faded away in an instant, leaving only paleness. .

"I...I..." He Yi groaned for a long time but couldn't speak, glanced at Zhou Zheng beggingly, finally seemed to get some instructions, bit his lips and said: "No!"

"No?" Qingru was only surprised for a moment, then regained her composure, and said to Arlene, "Go get the Four Treasures of the Study, and ask the girl in lotus clothes to write a few words to check her handwriting. I have forgotten what my own characters look like!" Seeing her flickering words, she must have a ghost in her heart, otherwise how could she open her eyes and talk nonsense.

When He Yi heard that he was about to correct the handwriting, his legs and feet became weak in panic, and he knelt down on the ground. The square brick floor was scorched by the scorching sun. Come in: "Minnv knows it's wrong, this... This fan is indeed Minnv's."

Zhou Zheng next to him seemed to have something to say but didn't dare to say it. He swung his hands behind his back vigorously. Looking from Qingru's angle, he could just see the shadow of the hand on the ground. She didn't say anything, but just hooked the corners of her mouth. She wanted to see what this man could do. Compared to He Yi, Zhou Zheng was much more cunning this time, so it was easier to pry things out of He Yi's mouth.

Qingru sneered in her heart, she looked down at He Yi's head and said: "Then tell me, why did this fan appear in the Langfang of Changyin Pavilion? Aren't you forbidden to appear in places other than the stage and the backyard? ..." Qingru shook her fan a few times, staring at the pearl hanging on the fan pendant, her voice suddenly dropped: "This pearl is worth hundreds of taels of silver at least, you are just an opera singer, Where did so much money come from?"

The plain hands hold the pearls, and they add to each other's brilliance. In the eyes of some people, such a beautiful scenery is almost like a talisman, and He Yi's head almost fell to the ground.

Zhou Zheng took the opportunity to interject, "As the nobleman said, this bead is a treasure handed down from generation to generation by the He Yi family, and she did not buy it."

"Oh? Can't you see that Team Leader Zhou knows a lot about the affairs of the subordinates?" Qing Ruyu said jokingly, Zhou Zheng really wanted to laugh, but he couldn't laugh when he met Qing Ru's cold eyes .

Qingru glanced at the courtyard doors on both sides and said: "Let's put aside the matter of the beads for now, but why did it appear in the Langfang? Please ask the boss Zhou to give me a reasonable explanation. A few days ago, all the ladies in the palace were watching a play. Something happened when I was here, you have heard about it, and this fan was found at the place where the accident happened." After saying this, Qing Ru turned her back and stopped looking at him.

"This... this..." Just when Zhou Zhengzhi didn't know how to answer, there was a sound from the back door of the courtyard. There are two entrances to the backyard of Changyin Pavilion. The wall, to get out of the yard, you have to go around to the front door, which is the door that they came in just now.

Hearing the sound, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief: "Let's go over and have a look!" This was said to Chang Xi, as for the troupe, she believed that they would follow even if she didn't tell Yes, including that Zhou Zheng whose face was extremely ugly!
As soon as he left the courtyard, he saw Zijin and a man tugging over there, and there was a hole behind a plane tree in the corner of the palace wall, which was big enough for people to crawl through, and the surrounding vegetation showed signs of being picked. , it can be seen that the original hole should be covered.

Seeing someone approaching, the man panicked and tried hard to break free from the grasped arm. Despite Zijin's small size, his strength was not weak. He held on tightly and refused to let go. With this delay, it was too late to escape. , his complexion was like dead ashes after burning.

This man is clearly recognized, he was the one with the most restless expression among the troupe just now, and the certainty in his heart is now even greater.

"Aline!" she called out, looking away.

"The servant is here."

Qing Ru pouted at the man and said, "You're so good at admitting it, the maid who appeared that day is somewhat similar to him."

"Ah?" Arlene was a little dumbfounded. Isn't she a court lady? Why did she recognize a man? Not to mention, when you look at it carefully, you can really imagine, not only like that court lady, but also a person, who is he like?She frowned thoughtfully.

"Team Leader Zhou!" Qing Ru said coolly, "Who is this? How do you explain it?"

"He is a young student in the small class, named Shi Sheng." Zhou Zheng hung his head like a defeated rooster, and really didn't know how to answer her last question.

At this time, Arlene finally remembered who that person looked like, and hurriedly replied: "Master, this servant remembered that he is not only like that maid, but also the person who played Zhang Sheng in the play at that time."

Speaking of this, He Yi, who had been silent until now, suddenly rushed forward, knelt down and cried: "If you are a nobleman, the women are willing to admit that this door belongs to a slave, and the Langfang is also sneaked in by a slave, just to see What does the imperial palace outside this courtyard look like? It has nothing to do with others, and it can be seen as a lesson from a nobleman!"

Her appearance now is completely different from just now, she refused to admit it just now, but now she is taking things on herself, could it be...

Suspicious eyes swept across the faces of several people, and she finally saw some clues. She smiled and raised her eyebrows: "Mingjian? Okay, as you wish! Eunuch Chang?"

"Your servant is here, what do you order?" Chang Xi was stunned by one wave after another, but now he heard Qing Ru telling him to respond quickly.

Qing Ru pointed to Shi Sheng and He Yi and said: "The two of them are very involved in this matter, I want to bring them back to the palace for a closer interrogation, and trouble my father-in-law to report to the emperor for me to allow this matter!"

"Hey, this old slave will do it now, but if you are a nobleman, should you also report to the emperor to seal this place?" Chang Xi looked at the hole and suggested with concern.

Qing Ru followed his gaze, looked at him and smiled: "No need, anyway, they can't escape from the palace. Eunuch Chang, please go, I'm here to listen to your news."

"Yes!" Saying that, Chang Xi went straight to the gate of the courtyard, the matter has developed to this point and it is getting more and more complicated, I don't know what the emperor will do.

(1) The lotus clothes with the slender dust: from the Tang Dynasty poet Li Xun's "Ding Fengbo"

I am really exhausted today, more than 5000 words, I feel dizzy when I think about it, I am not sure when the next update will be, because there have been many emergencies in the past two days, but I will try to update as soon as possible
(End of this chapter)