Among these people, apart from Song Yinghuai, the one who had the deepest “beef” with Sheng Jiangli was Zhu Xiao.
Thanks to Sheng Jiangli these days, Zhu Xiao often had to deal with the latrine. He hated Sheng Jiangli to the core.
The candlelight danced and flickered in Song Yinghuai's eyes.
He remembered the look in Sheng Jiangli's eyes when he looked at Caiyu. It must be the look of a man who had known and loved her for years. He was determined to capture Sheng Jiangli alive and force him to reveal Caiyu's background!
Caiyu might be a spy, but he wanted to know what her past was like.
Amid the discussions, Master Guangzhi brought out a tray covered with a cloth that had been on the table earlier.
Right in front of everyone's eyes, Master Guangzhi lifted the cloth.
There, right there—
A snow - white cap!
Everyone: ???
Zhu Xiao was the first to blurt out, “Master, I've heard of wearing a tall hat, wearing a green hat... but wearing a white hat? What's the meaning?”
Master Guangzhi said enigmatically, “I've been meditating in the mountains and observing the stars at night recently. I've discovered a secret of heaven.”
Suddenly, his voice boomed like a bell, like a Buddhist chant, “The flying dragon is in the sky, the crown prince will suddenly die, and the throne will be turned upside down for His Majesty.”
“This white cap is for Your Highness. The white on top of the 'king' character forms the character 'emperor'!”
Everyone was shocked. Looking at each other, they couldn't help but feel a chill.
This old monk was really bold!
Although everyone was dissatisfied with the crown prince's immorality, he was still the legitimate heir. Moreover, the Emperor was still alive!
How could he encourage Song Yinghuai to claim the throne?
The secret room fell into complete silence.
No one dared to make a sound.
After Master Guangzhi uttered this heretical prophecy, his face remained calm.
He neither expected Song Yinghuai to agree immediately nor worried about being arrested as a traitor.
Time ticked by.
After a long while, Song Yinghuai's gaze fell on the white cap, breaking the silence. His voice was calmer than ever:
“The crown prince's accession to the throne is the will of the people and the court. I once swore before His Majesty that I would whole - heartedly assist the crown prince. Although he has gone astray, it's not too late to bring him back. There are many in the court who support the crown prince... Master, it's too early to talk about this.”
Master Guangzhi chanted a Buddhist incantation and said meaningfully, “I've transcended the mundane world. I only observe the heavenly way, not the will of the people. It's the will of heaven. Your Highness will one day understand that the mandate of heaven cannot be defied.”
The cold moon was like frost, and the night wind was icy. It was a sleepless night.
The next day, everything was renewed. Spring was coming. The trees in Yanjing City were gradually sprouting new buds.
Although the envoy from the capital had been in the city for several days, today the biggest restaurant in Yanjing, Taifenglou, was bustling. It was a banquet hosted by Prince Yan, Song Yinghuai, specifically for the envoy Huang Shan to receive the imperial edict.
Although there weren't many guests at the banquet, they were all of high status. Apart from two of the five fierce generals of the Yan Army, Song Yinghuai, Master Guangzhi, the abbot of Dabaensi Temple, Huang Shan, and Sheng Jiangli, there were also more than a dozen powerful lords and marquises from Yan, as well as the prefect of Yanjing, Guan Baishan.
All the nobles were hand - picked by Huang Shan.
Although the eunuch was dissolute, he was also shrewd. Sheng Jiangli had inquired for a long time before he was sure of the list. All the nobles on the list had a strained relationship with Song Yinghuai despite their friendly facade.
If something went wrong when Huang Shan announced the edict at the banquet, how could Song Yinghuai explain it to all these nobles?
Would he kill them all?
After confirming the list, Huang Shan went to the banquet with confidence.
Song Yinghuai, for the first time, had gathered a group of young and charming dancing girls for Huang Shan to perform and had also prepared fine wine from the north.
Huang Shan had been bored in Yanjing for many days. Suddenly, he received this invitation. And with the imperial edict to announce and the prospect of returning to the capital soon, he was overjoyed.
The music was playing merrily. The golden lotuses bloomed side by side. The mist was like green clouds, and the moonlight was like flowing silver. The green tiles and red windows were bathed in the shallow night, and the rich aroma of wine wafted in the air.
Under the repeated toasts from Tan Xiong and Fang Kuan, both Huang Shan and Sheng Jiangli were drunk.
Especially Sheng Jiangli. He was born with red lips and white teeth, sword - like eyebrows and starry eyes. After getting drunk, his usually smiling black eyes were even more twinkling with a glint of light, exuding more charm.
If Song Yinghuai, sitting upright while sipping tea, was like a noble and ethereal immortal, then Sheng Jiangli was like a handsome and demonic king.
He even made all the dancing girls keep stealing glances at these two rare men.
However, when it came to being favored by women, Sheng Jiangli still had the upper hand.
He put his arm around a young dancing girl and stood up, swaying. He laughed and said, “Beauty, General here is going to pee. Care to join?”
The two dancing girls blushed, giggling, and walked out gracefully with him.
Han Fen was stunned for a moment. He wanted to follow, but Tan Xiong stopped him with a look:
“Even if he leaves Taifenglou, Fang is still outside. What are you in a hurry for?”
That's right.
Han Fen stopped and stood back behind Song Yinghuai.
Fang Kuan led a group of black - masked secret guards to lurk outside Taifenglou. They watched as Sheng Jiangli, with a girl in each arm, dragged the two dancing girls into the men's latrine.
Fang Kuan immediately spat in disgust, “Bah! What a disgrace! Absurd!”
The secret guards with him stifled their laughter.
They had heard that this Commander of the Huqi Cavalry from Kaiping was a romantic figure. Today, they finally saw it for themselves.
Dragging two women into the latrine. Was he going to pee or something else?
The giggles of the women came faintly from the distant latrine. Everyone could hardly bear to listen.
Just imagining the scene was disgusting!
After a while, a woman came out of the latrine. She staggered against the wall and vomited, then squatted in the corner, hardly moving.
Alas!
Everyone covered their faces and didn't want to look anymore.
It was so filthy!
Then, in the night, Sheng Jiangli and another woman walked out. He seemed drunk. Stumbling with the woman, their figures were blurred. Instead of going back to the banquet, they left the restaurant.
Fang Kuan cursed, “Damn it! Follow them!”
In the night, groups of black - clothed men leaped and disappeared among the bricks and tiles.
Suddenly, it became completely silent here.
Suddenly, the woman curled up in the corner moved and stood up.
Stretching his tall body, he tore the silk and satin on his body to pieces.
This person was actually Sheng Jiangli!
Sheng Jiangli wasn't the least bit drunk at the moment. His eyes were as cold as the stars on a winter night. He murmured to himself:
“Ugh, it stinks so much. Why didn't Subude replace the chamber pot inside beforehand?”
After saying that, he looked around to make sure there was no one. Then, with a light tap of his toes, he flipped over Taifenglou.
A jet - black Ferghana horse from the north galloped out of a small bamboo forest not far away.
Sheng Jiangli neatly flipped onto the horse's back. He clamped his legs hard on the horse's belly. After a neigh, the horse's hooves thundered, and it rushed straight towards the Prince Yan's Mansion, kicking up a cloud of dust behind.
Inside Taifenglou, after three rounds of drinks.
Huang Shan was getting impatient. He started looking around.
He was waiting for Sheng Jiangli to come back so he could announce the edict. But this guy had gone to the latrine and hadn't returned for a long time.
When on earth could he announce the edict?
Song Yinghuai sat upright at the main table. His eyes flashed, and he kept rubbing the teacup in his hand, deep in thought.
It seemed... something had gone wrong with Fang Kuan outside.
Sure enough.
Fang Kuan, in his night - suit, rushed in recklessly, scaring Huang Shan and more than a dozen nobles into screaming.
Fang Kuan ignored their screams and whispered something in Song Yinghuai's ear.
Song Yinghuai's long fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly, then slowly relaxed. He said with a gentle smile:
“It doesn't matter. Even if he runs away, Zhu and the others are guarding all the key city gates. Zhu will keep an eye on him.”
Huang Shan blinked doubtfully, listening to Song Yinghuai's audacious conversation.
Who had run away?
Who was Zhu Xiao supposed to guard?
Weren't the city gates already taken over by Sheng Jiangli's men?
Suddenly, Huang Shan gasped. He seemed to understand something.
Sheng Jiangli had run away?!
In an instant, Huang Shan felt his blood freeze. He frantically took out the imperial edict from his bosom and stammered, “I... I have His Majesty's edict on me... I'm going to announce it... Prince Yan... Your Highness, receive... receive the edict!”