Three days later, at the Xie Residence.
Shan Chao opened his eyes from meditation and looked at the snow-white walls of his cell.
Ever since Xie Yun fainted at the entrance of the Mercy Temple three days ago, he had been sealed by the Imperial Guards on all eight of his vital acupoints. He was forcibly 'invited' to be detained in the Xie Mansion. Since then, all communication had been completely cut off. The only person he could see every day was the little maid who came to deliver his meals.
Other than that, no one came to visit or interrogate him. It was as if everyone had suddenly forgotten about him. Xie Yun did not even show her face.
Shan Chao once guessed that Xie Yun's life was in danger after being poisoned, which was why there was a temporary calm before the storm. However, when he asked the servant girl who delivered his meals, he found out that she did not know anything and was a mute.
The only thing he could observe was that the Xie Residence was extravagant and rare.
Not to mention the flower arches and corridors he saw along the way when he was half-escorted and half-' invited 'into the residence, the underground chamber where he was imprisoned was spacious and clean. The bedding was clean and there was even a thick red carpet on the stone floor.
Other than the fact that the door was tightly locked by a wooden fence, this cell was even better than the monk's room he lived in at Ci'en Temple.
As for the food, no one deliberately mistreated him. There were three dishes and one soup for every meal. It was just that they did not avoid meat and fish.
Although Shan Chao was now a monk, he did not dislike eating meat. In order to save his strength to break free from the sealed acupoints, he had been silent for the past three days and ate whatever was given to him.
On the first day he was imprisoned, there were people who came to the door from time to time to keep an eye on him. However, Shan Chao seemed to be very calm in any situation.
Other than eating and sleeping, this black-clothed monk meditated every day. To outsiders, he looked like a silent stone statue. He would not even move for a few hours at a time.
The guards also knew that the eight acupoints on his body were sealed and he could not use his Qi to fight. Thus, they relaxed.
On the second and third days, there was no one patrolling outside the cell. Other than the servant girl who delivered his meals on time, the basement was very quiet. There was not a single sound.
On the evening of the third day, the sound of a key unlocking the iron chain came from the door. Dan Chao opened his eyes.
The little girl walked in with a box of food and looked at him warily. Seeing that this young monk was meditating silently as usual, she quietly walked to the table and put down the food box with her back to Shan Chao.
At this moment, Shan Chao suddenly stood up. No one had expected that he had already opened more than half of his acupoints. He quietly moved as fast as lightning. His first step was off the bed, and the second step was on the ground. Like a ghost, he appeared behind the little girl and struck the back of her neck with his palm.
The little girl's almond-shaped eyes were wide open. She didn't even make a sound before she fainted on the ground.
Shan Chao quickly checked her and made sure that she had only fainted. He then carried her to the bed and covered her with a blanket, pretending that she was sleeping.
The lock on the wooden fence was unlocked. Shan Chao walked out of the cell and saw that there was no one in the corridor. At the end of the corridor, there was a wooden ladder that led upstairs. It was obvious that the guards and the servant girl used to come and go from here.
Shan Chao climbed to the top of the wooden ladder. Above him was a movable secret door. As soon as he opened it, he saw a ray of candlelight coming in.
Did he escape?
That simple?
Shan Chao froze on the wooden ladder. For a moment, he was in a dilemma. Just as he was hesitating whether to open the door or not, he suddenly heard a deep and resounding male voice coming from outside.
"Commander Xie is indeed a man of sacrifice from the Dark Sect. You are immune to all poisons.
The Crown Prince is still in the Eastern Palace and his life is in danger. Unexpectedly, you have almost recovered. "
— — Yuwen Hu!
In a short moment, Shan Chao's mind was racing. Why is it that Xie Yun and Yuwen Hu are meeting outside? Could it be that the basement leads directly to the Xie Residence's study?
Also, what is a man of sacrifice from the Dark Sect? What is Yuwen Hu trying to say by visiting the Xie Residence?
Shan Chao gently closed the secret door so that the gap would not be easily discovered. At the same time, he made sure that the sound from outside could be heard in the tunnel.
Sure enough, after a moment, Xie Yun spoke. For some reason, her voice was a little hoarse.
"I just caught a cold. General Yuwen, if you have something to say, just say it. Don't waste my time … If you are here to visit me, we are not that close. You can leave now."
— — Her attitude of rejection could be described as cold.
However, unexpectedly, Yuwen Hu was not angry. He did not even show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. "Commander Xie, don't misunderstand me. If I am here to visit you, I will indeed turn around and leave. I won't be so thick-skinned as to pester you here."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"I am here today because the Empress ordered Commander Xie to poison Ci'en Temple's sour fruit soup. It has been tested."
In the tunnel, Shan Chao's hand that was holding the secret door tightened. The veins on the back of his hand immediately popped out!
The candlelight outside was swaying. After a moment of silence, Xie Yun said lazily, "I don't understand what you are saying.
The Crown Prince was poisoned because Liu Xujie fed him Red Crane. There are witnesses and evidence. What does this have to do with the sour fruit soup? "
In the magnificent study of the Xie Residence, Yuwen Hu stood in the middle of the hall with his hands behind his back. He stared at Xie Yun with bright eyes. The latter was sitting sideways behind a luxurious gold-threaded desk. She wore a silver mask and wore a loose robe with wide sleeves. Her hair, which was not tied up with a crown, fell from the side of her neck to her chest.
From Yuwen Hu's point of view, he could only see half of her soft chin, which was covered by her hair.
"Originally, the sour fruit soup should not have been poisonous. Liu Xujie and the other members of the Eastern Palace used the characteristics of the kiwi fruit to plan the poisoning case. Their original goal was to frame Queen Wu. In the original plan, the Crown Prince was poisoned with Red Crane, which had been diluted many times with clear water. The Crown Prince had already taken it before he arrived at Ci'en Temple."
Yuwen Hu moved his gaze away from Xie Yun and turned to look at the flickering candlelight on the desk. He said, "If this plan had been successful, the Crown Prince would have been poisoned after drinking the sour fruit soup. Liu Xujie would have used the snow lotus to save the Crown Prince. Then, he would have found the Empress's belongings in the monk's room. His Majesty already had the intention to depose the Empress. Coupled with this flawless poisoning case, he could have completely overthrown the Empress's faction and made them unable to make a comeback."
"However, despite all of Liu Xujie's calculations, he missed one thing."
"The news of the poisoning case had already been leaked before it was carried out. The Empress and you beat him at his own game. You put a strong poison in the sour fruit soup, intending to turn the act into reality and kill the Crown Prince."
Xie Yun sneered and casually put the teacup back on the desk. "Nonsense.
Where's the evidence? "
Yuwen Hu said, "The evidence is that although you broke the jade bowl, the dried traces of the sour fruit soup on the golden bricks of the Buddhist temple were still there.
After you left in a hurry, I had someone bring a dog over to lick the traces and fragments. Soon after, the dog was poisoned and died … "
"But the monk is fine. I am also safe and sound. How do you explain this?"
Yuwen Hu stepped forward and asked, "I don't know what happened to the monk. Are you really safe and sound?"
Xie Yun instantly looked up, but it was too late. Yuwen Hu strode forward and came close to her like lightning. Xie Yun raised her hand to block, but her movement was a moment too slow.
In a flash, the two of them exchanged several blows. Xie Yun's strength was exhausted. Her whole body was grabbed by Yuwen Hu and lifted up by the collar. Then …
Bang!
The collision was heavy and loud. Xie Yun was pressed against the wall!
The two of them were only a few inches apart. Yuwen Hu didn't seem to expect it to be so easy. With one hand on the front of Xie Yun's robe, he was stunned for a moment.
Xie Yun's face behind the mask was expressionless. She grabbed a pot of cold tea on the side table and splashed it on Yuwen Hu's face!
The whole action happened in succession. Yuwen Hu was caught off guard and was splashed with cold water. His whole body trembled and he reflexively let go of his hand. Then, Xie Yun kicked him half a zhang away.
Yuwen Hu staggered back and stood still. He panted a few times and slowly got up. "Xie Yun, you …"
Xie Yun straightened her collar and slowly tied her belt. Her movements and voice were calm. "How is it?"
"… Your zhenqi is exhausted. Your inner strength is empty. It's obvious that the poison has entered your dantian. You are now …"
"You can say that."
Xie Yun said impatiently, "Even if there was poison in the sour fruit soup, it was done by the Ci'en Temple monks. What does it have to do with me?
If you have the ability, go and report to the emperor. Kill all the monks in Ci'en Temple to pay with their lives for the Crown Prince. Who is stopping you? "
He walked straight behind the table and swept all the cups, plates, papers, and brushes to the ground with a flick of his sleeve.
With a few crisp sounds, the fragments even splashed half of Yuwen Hu's clothes.
This appearance left Yu Wenhu at a loss of what to do. Xiao Qi Great General gritted his teeth, and only after a long while did he regain his composure: "This one has no other choice, Commander Xie!"
He took a deep breath and continued, "Now that the Crown Prince's life is in danger in the Eastern Palace, the Imperial Court is in a precarious situation. Empress Wu took the opportunity to suggest that she would like to accompany the Emperor to Mount Tai after the Mid-Autumn Festival. She would like to present herself as a woman and be conferred the title of 'Two Saints' together with the Emperor.
If the Crown Prince really has an accident at this juncture, I can only tell you everything. At that time, the Empress and the Crown Prince will both be injured. Even you … "
Xie Yun said coldly, "You go."
In the tunnel, Shan Chao was a little surprised.
It wasn't because Xie Yun wasn't a match for Yu Wenhu. After all, Xie Yun still had poison in his system, and his inner energy was still weak. Winning or losing at this moment didn't count as a victory or defeat. It was because Yu Wenhu's tone when he said "even you" was different. At first glance, it sounded low and deep, but if one listened carefully, it sounded especially … emotional.
Maybe it was just an illusion.
But for some reason, Shan Chao instinctively felt a trace of hostility.
He didn't have time to figure out why he had this instinct. Then he felt that Xie Yun was not right.
Although he had only seen Xie Yun twice, this person's style of doing things was very skillful and had a very strong evil. He did not look like a person who would say "You go" to his opponent in a fit of pique. It was as if he was at a disadvantage and had no choice but to act shamelessly.
"I don't want to … I don't want to do this."
In the study, Yu Wenhu said, his voice somewhat hoarse. "All these years, all I've done is do my best to maintain the stability of the court. For people like us, the remnants of the previous dynasty, we can only find a chance to catch our breaths in the battle between Empress Wu and the Crown Prince. We can't truly overturn one side and allow the other side to grow without limit …"
"Rather than fight to the end, it's better to stop the boiling water."
"Xie Yun," Yuwen Hu said, "I know you stole the snow lotus from the Liu family. Give it to me to save the Crown Prince. I promise that this matter will disappear without a trace. No third person in the world will know what happened at Ci 'en Temple that day."
The study fell into a long silence.
After a while, Xie Yun's voice sounded faintly, "It's too late. I was afraid that the sour fruit soup was too poisonous and couldn't take it. I drank it first …"
Yuwen Hu was greatly surprised and immediately choked.
"There should be more than one snow lotus in the world, right?"
Immediately after, he reacted and immediately asked, "I heard that there was a rumor in the jianghu that Lotus Valley and Casting Sword Village used snow lotus water from Tian Shan to forge the Long Yuan and Taia Twin Swords … Since there is such a rumor, there can't be only one snow lotus!"
— — Long Yuan Swords!
Shan Chao's eyes instantly widened.
The Long Yuan and Taia Twin Swords that had appeared in his dreams for the past two years were mysteriously connected to the poisoning of the Crown Prince!
"Yes, there is such a rumor."
Xie Yun seemed to think for a long time before slowly opening her mouth, "However, Lotus Valley has disappeared without a trace. Casting Sword Village …"
Shan Chao concentrated and was about to listen carefully when Xie Yun's voice was suddenly interrupted by a violent cough.
The cough came so violently that she suddenly couldn't speak. Yuwen Hu was also shocked and hurriedly went forward to ask, "What's wrong with you?
Was it just now … "However, Xie Yun waved her hand to signal him to shut up while coughing. She only sternly shouted," Guards! "
Suddenly, there were footsteps outside the study. The servants were rushing in from outside.
There were many people here and if he left the secret door ajar, it would be easy to be discovered. Shan Chao immediately made a decision and closed the door again.
He looked back and saw that the underground corridor was still quiet. There was no trace of the guards. It seemed that Xie Yun's study was indeed above, so the security here was not tight.
Also, eight of his vital acupoints were sealed. It was reasonable to say that it would be difficult for him to even walk. Who would bother to look after a disabled person?
Shan Chao jumped down from the wooden ladder. His body was as agile as an ape. When he landed, he was as light as a feather. Even the dust around his feet did not splatter. It was obvious that his inner strength and Lightness Skill were very profound.
Otherwise, if a normal man with his physique jumped down, he would have smashed through the floor.
Shan Chao stood in the same place. His thick and sharp eyebrows slightly furrowed.
There must be another exit in this underground palace. Otherwise, did the guards and maids come and go from Xie Yun's study every day?
But the problem was, which direction should he search?
Just as he was thinking quietly, suddenly, there was a very subtle sound coming from the depths of the tunnel.
Shan Chao subconsciously realized that someone was coming. His first reaction was to hide. However, the sound came again. It was obviously not footsteps — it was moaning.
It was intermittent, and sometimes it was not. It seemed that the person was moaning in great pain.
Shan Chao suspiciously narrowed his eyes. He then deliberately softened his footsteps and followed the sound into the depths of the tunnel.
Although the moaning was light and fleeting, Shan Chao's ears were extremely sharp. After turning a few corners in the tunnels that extended in all directions, his eyes suddenly opened up.
He saw that what appeared in front of him was another prison cell!
What made him even more surprised was that the person in this prison cell was a little out of his expectations.
— — It was a beauty.
After the shock of the appearance to a certain extent, only a very simple and very direct impression was left — — beauty.
The person was facing the door with her side and was curled up cross-legged in the corner of the cell. Her long hair was drenched in cold sweat and was messily tied up with a hair tie. Although she was in a sorry state, she was still astonishingly gentle and beautiful. Even the simple hair tie was shining with the light of her hair. It was a feeling that people did not dare to easily look at her.
The person's whole body was wrapped in a white robe. The material was loose and thin, and it barely covered her naked body.
From Shan Chao's angle, he could still see half of her slender and beautiful shoulders, and the white fingers that were tightly gripping the cloth.
What made Shan Chao most surprised was not this.
But the other hand of the beauty was pierced through by a short dagger. It was nailed to the ground in the midst of the dried blood!
"… … Miss?" Shan Chao squinted his eyes and tentatively patted the wooden fence, "You … … What happened to you?"
The woman did not respond at first, but Shan Chao carefully patted a few more times. Then, as if suddenly awakened from the pain, she slightly turned her face to look at him.
— — It was only half of her cheek, and most of her spirit had been taken away by the severe pain and haggard. But her eyes were deep, beautiful, and impeccable. It gave people the illusion that they were suddenly hit in the heart.
Shan Chao could not help but soften his voice, "This … … Miss, what happened to you?"
In fact, in this dark dungeon, a beauty who was imprisoned and obviously abused, and even her robe was messy and wrapped around her body, would only give people a very bad and even vicious impression.
Therefore, after asking this question, Shan Chao felt that it was not very appropriate and immediately changed the topic, "… … Do you want to come out?"
The woman stared at him, and for some reason, a strange and unexpected look flashed across her face.
"… … Why are you here?"
Probably because she was dehydrated, her voice sounded extremely hoarse, and it was difficult to distinguish between a man and a woman.
However, Shan Chao did not pay attention to this detail, because the bloody scene in the cell gave him a very bad feeling. He even vaguely felt very uncomfortable. "It's a long story. I was also detained here.
Miss, you — — "
"… … Don't call anyone over."
The beauty interrupted him, turned her head, and wrapped her robe tightly around her body. She closed her eyes, and her long eyelashes formed a sharp arc at the tip of her eyes.
"Since you have already gone out, quickly go … … Don't stop to care about me."