CH 56

Chapter 56

The heavy rain that had been on and off for six or seven days finally stopped, the sky completely clear.

Two days later, Governor Xie was finally found. His corpse floated up downstream of the Cangjiang River. When he was found, his body was tied with a strong rope, and there were still marks of damages and cuts within his clothes. By the riverside, they also found incense burners, candles, and other sacrificial objects, which obviously meant he was killed by the remnants of the water bandits and he was sacrificed to the heavens to comfort the dead.

Xue Zaixing’s corpse had been soaked in the muddy waters of the Cangjiang River for two days. No one could have recognized his face. If it were not for the governor’s uniform on his body, and the concubines in his backyard identifying his body by a few birthmarks on his body, it could be said that no one knew that this man who was swollen like a pig was actually Xue Zaixing, the imperial court official who controlled over the soldiers of the two rivers and three provinces.

At this point, Wei Yan no longer dared to hide it, and hurriedly sent a letter to the capital.

The majestic high ranking official actually died at the hands of bandits, the Emperor was furious, so the imperial edict came very quickly, issuing the imperial court’s left prime minister to coordinate with the officials of the ministry of justice to get up overnight and rush to the Jiangbei camp to deal with the matter. Because it involves this kind of official rank matter, even grand prince Li Yuanqian was alarmed and followed the Jingguan team south.

After this accident, the water exercise was suspended, and the three armies were stationed in Xiling camp waiting for orders, but there was no joy in greeting the New Year, and a layer of clouds hung over the Jiangbei camp.

The night was as cool as the river, the wind suddenly rose and quite unstable.

Ni Lie was relaxed with his eyes closed in his tent, when a notice came from the door. Cao Gang looked at Ni Lie’s expression before letting the person in. 

It was the messenger.

“Commander Daren, it’s a letter from Lingnan.”

Lingnan, it could only be from King Guang’an mansion.

Cao Gang couldn’t help but look towards Ni Lie. The person in front of him didn’t show any special reaction. He only took the letter and waved to let the messenger go back. He tore it open and looked at it coldly, a hint of ridicule floating from the corner of his mouth.

As if there was nothing to say, he casually threw the letter paper on the table. Cao Gang saw the word “Miss you”.

“Red….” Cao Gang immediately changed his address: “Daren, this King Guang’an….”

As if he knew what he was going to say, before the words could be spoken, Ni Lie had already raised his eyes coldly. Cao Gang suddenly closed his mouth.

The atmosphere was more or less in a deadlock. In the middle of the night, Ni Lie dropped his expression and said disapprovingly: “After two lifetimes, you still can’t change this benevolent shortcoming of yours?!” 

Cao Gang hurriedly bowed his head.

Ni Lie glanced at him, felt a white object from his arms, and threw it on the table.

It was a white handkerchief with a hidden embroidery of a few orchids on the parfactual surface, very elegant. Amilitary man like Ni Lie was not the kind of gentleman who used this handkerchief. Since he had carried it on his body then it could be said to be a gift from a lover. 

And who this lover is, of course, is self-evident.

This kind of game between lovers, the person in front of him was obviously not interested, he only sneered and took another piece from the box next to him.

Cao Gang looked at each one of them carefully, the two handkerchiefs were exactly the same. Using the same material, the hidden orchid embroidery on it was even more similar.

“This…”

Ni Lie’s sneer grew heavier: “One piece was searched by Li Jin from Xue Zaixing’s body, and this piece… This morning I found it hidden in my undercloth. Hmph, he’s actually dealing with everyone equally.”

Cao Gang’s face changed and he was very surprised.

Ni Lie glanced at him, and a trace of coldness appeared on his face: “So this is what you said about sincerity?”

He snorted and laughed, putting the two pieces of the handkerchiefs together, before casually throwing it on the stove next to him. The handkerchief was covered with fire making several green smoke come out. The tongue of fire arose, and the two white handkerchiefs were burned with little effort.

“I didn’t think that ‘I’ was actually raised by that spoiled beauty to become blind by lust. Because of this hypocritical affection, because of jealousy and murder, I had put myself in such a dangerous situation – Although this matter is done well, it can’t be without possibilities. Besides, those people in the capital are not completely vegetarian! ”

He laughed at himself, his eyes cold and calm: “He really is skilled. A majestic governor of two rivers and three provinces has also been accepted as a guest of honor behind the curtain. This matter has been seen, but who knows how many people he has kept behind the scene. Plotting on my head, how truly hateful!” 

Cao Gang paused for a moment, remembering that extraordinarily beautiful man. His throat moved, but he couldn’t say anything.

How could Ni Lie not understand him, he only narrowed his eyes slightly, and pointed it out mercilessly: “A person who has died once has come back to life… Cao Gang, he doesn’t need your kindness at all, understand? ”

Cao Gang’s heart shook.

In the previous life, Emperor Chaoyuan died so tragically. It’s obvious how his hope had become dust before he died….the mental state of such a person who had been reborn, he could not be any clearer. 

A prince who was deeply disgusted by the emperor, resurrected for another lifetime. If he wanted to survive and live beautifully, he naturally had to use all kinds of extreme means. He was like a charm, if Xue Zaixing was interested in him, a powerless vessel state king like him could not hide from him. Since he could not hide, why should he be a chaste and martyr woman, it would be better to put him to use a bit.

Cao Gang did not despise anything, he asked himself honestly, if he was in such a situation, he would probably use various ways to win over Xue Zaixing, but this did not mean that he was ruthless.

Although there was not much contact, he could see that King Guang’an’s affection for Ni Lie was true, but people also had to live, and when they live, they have to do things they didn’t want to do.

But the problem now was that the Red Tiger King, who was reborn like him, didn’t believe in this love for even a little bit.

Somehow, Cao Gang’s heart suddenly burst with sadness.

“Alright, don’t mention this person, tomorrow the people in the capital will arrive at the camp, we better think about how to deal with this matter instead! ”

N Lie rubbed his fingertips, and his eyes were gloomy: “Even the Grand Prince Li Yuanqian has come, this affair is not small.”

Cao Gang straightened his face: “What kind of coping method can Daren think of?”

The corner of Ni Lie’s lips pulled, “Is it possible that counselor Cao didn’t think about it?” 

Cao Gang knew that he had thought of the same thing as himself. At about this point in time in the previous life, Li Yuanqian had already begun to work on the matter of cutting power in the Governor’s mansion, it may be assumed that he was already jealous of Xue Zaixing for a long time. This time he had obviously not come to liquidate the death of his confidant.

Ni Lie sneered, “Since there are so many people, then this water naturally needs to be stirred up as much as possible.”

Cao Gang immediately responded: ” I will go make preparations.”

“Good.”

Cao Gang was about to withdraw when the person behind him stopped him again, but he did not speak for a long while.

After a long time, he let out a long breath, his cold eyes eased a little, he clasped his fingers on the table, and slowly knocked on the table: “Has Ah Ying had a good life all these years?” 

Cao Gang’s heart turned hot. His mind suddenly came up with the sixteen-year-old boy who was carrying the dead body of a young girl in the previous life.

Fated destiny is really hard to explain in a few words.

He swallowed his saliva and hurriedly said, “Miss Ni has been good, she is now fourteen years old… Everything is in peace. ”

Ni Lie’s face softened unconsciously, he seemed to have something to say, but in the end he just whispered, “Go.” 

***

The Guang’an mansion, which has always been peaceful, has become lively in the past few days, with clay craftsmen plastering in and out. The whole mansion was under repair. 

Three days later, the grand prince’s carriage arrived at the Guang’an mansion.

Li Yuanmin led all the people in the Guang’an mansion to wait at the gate of the mansion to welcome his nominal brother and the future successor who actually held the ultimate power.

Eight years have passed, Li Yuanqian has become more and more reserved, and good at hiding his anger but he was born with a high nose and deep eyes, so when he did not smile, he looked a little gloomy at first glance. But now, he was smiling, his footsteps had just stepped down as he made a gesture to support the person who was kneeling on the ground.

“We’re brothers, why bother standing in such a grand ceremony!”

At the moment when Li Yuanmin stood up, Li Yuanqian paused slightly for a moment, and his gaze couldn’t help but stay on his face for a moment.

In the end the shrewdness was quite deep, and after a moment, Li Yuanqian let go of his hand and smiled: “I haven’t seen you for eight years, I didn’t think you would grow up managficantly like this. It really makes people envious.”

Li Yuanmin shrunk his neck in fear and trepidetion, with a little timidity on his face: “Imperial Brother, praised me too much.” 

He was a little flustered, and hurried to the crowd behind him, urging: “Hurry up and prepare some tea!”

Li Yuanqian calmed his heart and smiled then he was puzzled why he was smiling, and only leisurely followed Li Yuanmin in.

After entering the hall, Li Yuanmin became more and more ill at ease, and repeatedly reprimanded the servants, while hurriedly directing the next person to serve tea, and personally inviting Li Yuanqian to sit down, but he himself sat at the other end with his hands and feet constrained–it looked like Li Yuanqian was the master of this mansion.

Li Yuanqian casually took a sip of tea, but the corner of his eyes quietly looked at the uncomfortable Third Prince beside him.

Even if he was a vassal state king, he would still be too powerless in public. Essentially, he was still the lowly son of the Cold West Palace in the Imperial College.

It was just that this appearance….what a waste of resources.

Li Yuanqian sighed in his heart, but he sent compassion and said some polite words to him which eased the panic of the other person quite a lot. 

Li Yuanmin exposed deep affection of gratitude while being a yes-man.

Li Yuanqian put down the cup and said quietly: “Last time, thanks to Yuan Chongsheng’s confession sent by third brother, it made me able to  pull out the tumor of the Wang clan from the imperial court, so I wanted to take this opportunity to properly thank third brother.”

Li Yuanmin seemed to be excited by his words, and a trace of sadness appeared on his face, he forced himself to accept it, and tried to smile, “Being able to relieve the worries of eldest brother is a blessing for younger brother.” 

Li Yuanqian naturally saw his reaction and smiled: “Third brother seems to have something on his mind, just say it. I don’t come here often, but I can find a way to solve it for you.”

Li Yuanmin stared blankly. He pursed his lips before swallowing more and more saliva.

Li Yuanqian was impatient in his heart and was waiting to speak, but the other party seemed to have made up his mind: “As for what Imperial Brother has said just now, Yuanmin really does not dare to take credit… Only this credit should not be given to third brother! ”

“ Oh? What do you mean by that? ”

Li Yuanmin looked dejected: “How could Yuanmin have that kind of skill? If it were not for the guidance of the Governor General, how could I gain the affection of Imperial Brother, I did not think that a good person like Brother Xue would end up like this.”

Li Yuanqian heard a little bit of something fishy, and his pupils turned: “Could it be that this Yuan Chongsheng matter is governor’s doings?”

“ Yuanmin had deceived Imperial Brother!” Li Yuanmin, in a panic, put down his cup and knelt down, “Governor Daren died so miserably, how can I still bear the false reputation! Please punish me! ”

Li Yuanqian’s heart was surging with waves, but he supported him and said comforting words gently.

Li Yuanmei choked: “The people of Lingnan are fierce, if there was no governor daren, Yuanmin would have been swallowed whole already. Over the years, with his help, I have been able to gain a foothold here, such a good person… Actually killed by the bandits! Where is heaven’s law!”

He talked a lot, obviously very sad: “Daren said, sooner or later in this world…”

Before he could say anything, he knew that he was wrong, but he paused, “Daren said that I was weak, and if I didn’t show my face in front of my brother, the future days would inevitably be sad, so he put this credit on me…”

His eyes were red, he almost burst into tears: “No one will treat me so kindly in the future…”

Li Yuanqian’s face was the same, but his heart was already full of anger.

Seeing the person on the ground also clutching their fists in grief and indignation: “Imperial Brother, you must send troops to sweep the remnants of those water bandits to ease the spirit of  Governor Xue in heaven!”

“What are you saying!? Quickly get up. This is my duty.” Li Yuanqian supported him, but there was not much warmth in his eyes.

Sure enough!

The capital is right under his own eyes, but Jiangbei being far and remote had depended too much on the governor’s authority!

As early as before, he had felt strange that in the secret letter reported by Xue Zaixing, the King of Guang’an seemed to be quite different from the child in and out of the cold palace who was cowering and shrinking in his memory. If he hadn’t personally taken a trip, he’s afraid he wouldn’t have thought that everything was Xue Zaixing’s self-directed self-acting!

Thinking of the possible reasons behind this, Li Yuanqian narrowed his eyes, and his heart was full of dark waves.

The author has something to say: Update ahead of time, the two of them will meet next chapter.