Volume 5: Fellow Traveler Chapter 876: Dagger Encounter
"Baiyun Temple? Are you saying that my father-in-law sent someone to tell me that he wanted me to go to Baiyun Temple outside the city, saying that he had something important to discuss?" Zhang Shou, who was studying in the public school, felt puzzled by this familiar yet unfamiliar place name.
He was familiar with it because Baiyun Temple was a famous Taoist place in later generations, of course, this name was both good and bad. He was unfamiliar with it because he had not been there since he arrived in the capital, after all, he had very little free time. Of course, the most important thing was not familiarity or unfamiliarity, but...
There were a lot of people in the Duke Zhao's mansion. The Madam and Jiu Niang had always stood firmly on his side. Zhu Er had long been subdued by him. Now, Zhu Ying's two sisters-in-law were also very kind to him. The ones who had the most problems with him were Zhu Jing and Zhu Tingfang. Zhu Jing usually didn't specifically ask to see him, and he could see him at the Duke Zhao's mansion, why go to Baiyun Temple?
Seeing Zhang Shou was obviously hesitating, as if he was questioning whether this matter was reasonable, Ah Liu, who had come in to deliver the message after receiving a report from the doorman outside, took the initiative to ask, "Master, do you want me to go to the Zhaoguo Mansion to ask first?"
If it were normal, Zhang Shou would never refuse his father-in-law's appointment, but the situation was different now. He always felt that the recent events were fierce and strange. After thinking about it, he finally nodded. The boy left quickly and came back quickly. When Zhang Shou finished another class in Jiuzhang Hall, Ah Liu appeared in front of him again.
"Duke Zhao is not at home. The eldest young lady told me that he sent someone to deliver a message home saying that he had important matters to attend to in the next two days and would not be back for the time being." When he said this, Ah Liu's face was also somewhat suspicious. "I went to the Ministry of War to ask again, and they said that after the morning court this morning, Duke Zhao first entered the palace, then went to Minister Lin's residence to pay his respects, and then left the city, and only brought a letter asking for leave."
"Then I went to the Lin residence again. Since there were many people paying their respects, I sneaked in quietly. I heard people talking about how so many people followed the Duke of Zhao, who were all people who were trying to curry favor with the powerful. Some people also said that the Duke of Zhao came by car instead of on horseback today, and that he brought a lot of followers with him."
After saying this in one breath, Ah Liu saw Zhang Shou raised his thumbs up, as if praising his meticulousness, but he did not feel happy about it. Instead, he became more solemn: "Then I went to inquire about the whereabouts of Duke Zhao and his group. Someone saw that they did leave the city. However, after Duke Zhao got on the car in front of the Lin Mansion, he stayed on that street for a while before leaving."
Although Zhang Shou was not very familiar with Zhu Jing, he felt that what Ah Liu said was obviously different from Zhu Jing's usual style. Getting on the carriage but not leaving... Wasn't it because there was someone else in the carriage?
So, when he heard Ah Liu say that someone had gone to the palace to confirm that Zhu Jing had just come out of Qingning Palace and went to Lin Mansion to pay his respects, and then went to Zhaoguogong Mansion to verify it again, he learned that Zhu Jing had only brought eight followers with him today, and it was obvious that only eight people could not display the posture of being surrounded by guards as the servants of Lin Mansion said. He pondered for a moment, and finally made a decision immediately.
"Come with me to the girls' school to see Yingying. Something seems fishy and I need to discuss it with her."
Because the girls' school employed only girls from top to bottom, although Zhang Shou came to pick up Zhu Ying several times, he always at the main gate. At this time, he hurried over with Ah Liu, and waited at the main gate after having someone inform them. Unexpectedly, he ran into Princess Yongping coming out not long after.
He and this princess have known each other for a long time, but their personalities are not compatible, so they have not had much interaction. At this time, he just stepped aside and bowed. But Princess Yongping did not nod slightly in response to the greeting as usual, like she would to ordinary officials, but stopped beside him and asked: "Are you here to pick up Supervisor Zhu?"
Although Zhu Ying often jokingly called herself the Inspector of Girls' School, in fact, the emperor had ordered two seals to be carved. Princess Yongping was the Inspector General, and Zhu Ying was the Inspector. However, Zhang Shou never paid attention to this title, so when Princess Yongping used the three words "Zhu Jianxue" to refer to Zhu Ying so seriously, he was stunned for a moment before he reacted.
And then, Zhang Shou didn't care about such a title, but asked in a deep voice: "Why, Yingying is not here either?"
Princess Yongping saw that Zhang Shou's short words revealed a bit of anxiety. She couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, and then she said, "The Queen Mother in the palace sent someone to summon Yingying. Because the person came suddenly and was taken away by the side door, the gatekeeper at the main gate didn't know about it, so he reported it in. I happened to be returning to the palace, so I told you, Master Zhang."
"The Queen Mother again?" Zhang Shou blurted out these four words subconsciously. He didn't care about Princess Yongping's subtle expression at the moment. He immediately turned around and said to Ah Liu, "Let's go to the South City Military Headquarters first!"
Princess Yongping realized that Zhang Shou was going to meet Zhu Tingfang, and she suddenly realized that something might have happened. She wanted to ask, but seeing Zhang Shou walking very fast with Ah Liu, she changed her mind and finally decided that instead of chasing after him and getting bored, she might as well go back to the palace and ask the Queen Mother of Qingning Palace what happened.
One word "也" and one word "又", could something have happened again?
However, Zhang Shou had no hope of gaining anything from Princess Yongping. Especially when he came to the South City Military Division and finally learned that Zhu Tingfang had been out for some business about an hour ago, he finally confirmed that he had to go to Baiyun Temple.
Because the message about the meeting at Baiyun Temple that Ah Liu had brought before had not set a time, he did not leave the outer city immediately. Instead, he took Ah Liu back to Zhang Garden first. After getting a box, the master and servant went out of the west gate without stopping and headed west to Baiyun Temple.
It was already dusk when Zhang Shou took Ah Liu to the girls' school. When they arrived at Baiyun Temple, it was already completely dark. Zhang Shou quickly ate two snacks in Zhang Garden to fill his stomach and drank a glass of water. He was not hungry at this time, but the anger in his heart was quite intense.
At this time, Baiyun Temple was quiet, and the tall gate tower stood majestically, as if it was an ordinary Taoist temple. However, he heard the reminder from Ah Liu behind him, but he knew it was just an illusion. Because Ah Liu, whose hearing and eyesight were as sharp as his, was whispering to him where people were hiding and where people were spying, just like another pair of eyes and ears for him.
Although this place was like a den of dragons and tigers, waiting for people to fall into its trap, he still strode through the gatehouse without hesitation. As a young Taoist priest appeared like a ghost and bowed deeply with great respect, he asked in a deep voice, "Where is my father-in-law?"
Zhang Shou did not ask whether Zhu Ying and Zhu Tingfang were also here, and the Taoist priest who was in charge of reception obviously had no intention of answering any questions. He did not even say a word, but just bowed again, then turned around and led the way.
Zhang Shou, who was following closely behind, tried to keep himself calm. Soon, in this extremely quiet environment, he caught the faint breathing sound of the guide in front of him. However, the breathing and footsteps of Ah Liu behind him seemed to have completely disappeared, so that he couldn't help but suddenly turn his head to look back, and then his pupils shrank immediately.
There was not even a ghost behind him, Ah Liu was gone!
However, after a moment of surprise, Zhang Shou turned back and calmly followed the Taoist priest in front of him. Ah Liu had followed him for so many years, and there was absolutely no one in the world who could knock the boy down silently, so it was more likely that the boy took advantage of the situation and quietly sneaked into somewhere in the dark.
Although this was also very dangerous, he had made corresponding preparations before coming. Regardless of whether Princess Yongping would do anything after returning to the palace, the others would be able to carry out the corresponding arrangements to the end. So although he was nervous in his heart, he was definitely not too afraid.
After all, although he had made many enemies after entering the capital, the enemies who wanted to kill him most were undoubtedly the deposed queen and the eldest prince, the second prince and their mother and son. Now they are all dead. As for the rest, such as Lord Jiang, they could not use such means to take revenge on him.
Therefore, in this situation, even if he uses the process of elimination, he can roughly narrow down the suspects to a minimum range.
When the Taoist priest in charge of reception seemed to be unaware that one of the two people he brought was missing, and stood at the door of a side hall , knocked gently, and then quietly retreated into the shadows on the side, he spoke bluntly: "Eunuch Chu, what exactly do you want to do by asking me to see you in the name of my father-in-law?"
But a moment later, a voice came from inside: "Duke Zhao, what I said to you was right, wasn't it? Your son-in-law was very wary of me. You didn't believe it at that time, but now you listen, he said as soon as he opened his mouth that I was stirring up trouble behind the scenes."
"You have already done things to the point of no return. If he still doesn't expect it to be you, then you are not the husband Yingying would choose among millions of people." The other voice paused, then shouted, "Zhang Shou, knowing that there is a tiger in the mountain, you still go there. This is not like you!"
"Father-in-law, Yingying was asked to leave in the name of the Queen Mother, and Brother Zhu is not in the South City Military Division. Although I have let Princess Yongping know a little bit and arranged for the relevant people to do what they should do, I still have to come here in person."
After answering like this, Zhang Shou went straight into the side hall. In an instant, he saw the lights around him light up one by one as if controlled by someone, but his face and heart remained calm, and he didn't even blink.
He had seen too many bright lights and fireworks, too many magical magic tricks that could make a living person disappear, and even a skyscraper disappear... What was this little trick? Therefore, when the firelight appeared, he squinted his eyes slightly to adapt to the changes in light and darkness, and immediately saw the empty main position and Zhu Jing on the lower right.
As for Chu Kuan, he was standing a little behind the main seat, just like when he went to the Qianqing Palace and saw him standing behind the emperor.
"Master Zhang, you claim to have grown up in the countryside, and that you have your current talent and knowledge because of the teaching of Grand Tutor Ge. But Grand Tutor Ge took on the doubts that the outside world might have about you. Although he lived in that small village for a while, he was unable to teach you at all. In the eyes of the emperor and him, you have some connections with some wise men who are proficient in overseas studies, and they even taught you."
"However, the suburbs of Beijing are not those fishing villages on the seaside. There are often large and small ships coming from the sea, so ordinary people don't take it seriously. Especially in that small village, there are people planted by your father-in-law everywhere. If there are strangers, they will definitely leave a deep impression. Even if you use the bamboo forest and bamboo house as a cover, you can't hide it forever."
"So, there is no wise man who is proficient in foreign studies, no hidden wise man in the bamboo forest, and no one who suddenly became enlightened after a serious illness... There are only miracles like Emperor Taizu's dream of the Heavenly Emperor, who were born with knowledge!"
Even though Zhang Shou figured out that behind Chu Kuan's series of actions, he was probably trying to force something on him, but now that the window paper was broken, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
After traveling through time, other people changed from nerds, idiots, blind people, and losers into geniuses. Everyone thought it was no problem and took it for granted. But when it was his turn, he had quietly laid the groundwork in Rongshui Village for three years, but he was still targeted by someone with ulterior motives.
In the end, it was all because of what the Emperor Taizu did back then. It was too amazing! Emperor Meng Tian made a globe and drew a map... If he hadn't disappeared at sea, he might have conquered the world. By then, he wouldn't be Emperor Meng Tian, but the reincarnation of Emperor Tian!
Despite Chu Kuan's aggressive soul-searching, Zhang Shou had the leisure to consider such completely irrelevant matters. It was certainly not because he was calm or desperate, but because it was something he did completely from his heart. As long as he refused to admit it, could Chu Kuan still slice him up?
Therefore, he sneered and said unhappily, "Born with knowledge, Eunuch Chu, you take the word learning too lightly. I am too lazy to refute you. Since you insist that I am born with knowledge, then what on earth do you want to do by detaining my father-in-law and asking me to come here?"
Chu Kuan walked down from behind the main seat. "Since Liang Jiucheng has tried you with the books in the Ancient and Modern Collection and found nothing, I don't have the confidence to surpass him. It's useless to try you with the notes. As for the whereabouts of Emperor Taizu and his subordinates, the emperor has sent people to sea to search for them. If they persist for ten, twenty, a hundred or eighty years, they will eventually find the corresponding clues."
"After all, now is not the time for the globe to be shelved in the Armory Bureau, and the court officials don't care that Haidong has a vast continent. With the crops in Haidong that are completely different from those in Ming Dynasty as evidence, they can't just turn a blind eye and turn a deaf ear."
"However, Emperor Taizu fought many battles in his early years and won many victories. This was not only because he trained his troops well and won the support of his generals, but also because he recruited skilled craftsmen to make a batch of invincible weapons according to the drawings he drew. Therefore, since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the Military Equipment Bureau has been a top priority."
"And these blueprints, because of a fool before Weinan Earl Zhang Kang, have not been taken out to air and copy for several years, so they are damaged to the point of being almost unrecognizable. Also, because each craftsman is only proficient in one or two parts, and the assembler has died... For so many years, the Military Equipment Bureau has tried its best, but still cannot manufacture a small part. If you are born with knowledge, don't you feel it is your responsibility?"
