"Watch a play? Where did you watch it? What's the play about? Is it good?" Su Huaisheng followed her side as they walked towards Mingzhu Garden together. His face was full of curiosity, but he felt quite annoyed inside.
He was really careless. He actually let Yuanbao go out alone. What if she accidentally bumped into some great traitor on the road and got into trouble? No, he must be more vigilant in the future and always stay by Yuanbao's side to protect her!
"It's good. This play is quite famous in Shengjing City. Do you want to hear about it too, Third Brother?"
Su Huaisheng's curiosity was completely piqued by Su Yuanyuan.
"Who told you not to take Third Brother with you when you went out today? You're punished to tell Third Brother about the play!"
The two entered the courtyard together. They told the maids to prepare fruits, pastries, and tea. Then Su Yuanyuan and Su Huaisheng sat in the courtyard, and she began to tell him about the play.
Su Yuanyuan would never tell Su Huaisheng what she had just done to Su Qingyu. What she told her third brother was a quite famous play in the theaters of Shengjing City about beating a treacherous official.
The treacherous official's name was Zhao Deyin. When he was an official, he often took advantage of his position to oppress the common people, exploit the countryside, accept bribes. He even wrongly judged a case and ordered that a pregnant woman be beaten to death with clubs on the spot, making the people suffer a great deal. They even gave him the nickname "Zhao the Tiger".
Later, there appeared an upright official in the court who was not afraid of power. He went through a great deal of hardships and even suffered the destruction of his family. Finally, he managed to send this great traitor to the execution ground.
On the day the traitor died, the common people sang and danced with joy. It could be seen that having such a traitor was not only a misfortune for the country but also for the people. Removing the traitor was the will of the people.
This play was very popular in Shengjing. In major teahouses and restaurants, the common people would order it every once in a while. However, for Su Huaisheng, who had grown up in Mobei since childhood, he had never heard of it before, so he listened with great interest.
After listening to Su Yuanyuan's retelling, Su Huaisheng said to her meaningfully, "Yuanbao, look, those who are called traitors never end well. They will always be punished by having their nine generations of relatives implicated..."
Su Yuanyuan: "..." Don't think she couldn't tell that the traitor Third Brother was referring to was not "Zhao the Tiger" in the play but Cang Xuan!
She couldn't help but defend herself, "Zhao the Tiger embezzled bribes, oppressed the people, and took human lives casually. All the evil things he did were intolerable to heaven. He deserved to die."
The implication was that Cang Xuan's name as a "traitor" was just a rumor for now, and he hadn't done anything harmful to the people.
Su Huaisheng was stunned for a moment. After thinking it over, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. "Who says one has to oppress the people to be considered a traitor? Manipulating power and turning the court into his own backyard, making it his own one - man show. Isn't this still a traitor?"
"But..." Su Yuanyuan wanted to say more. At this time, Su Huaisheng leaned over and whispered to her:
"Father came back from court today and brought us some news. This news shouldn't be told to a little girl like you who hasn't grown up yet for fear of scaring you. But after much thought, Third Brother thinks you still need to know."
Seeing how serious Third Brother was, Su Yuanyuan felt a chill in her heart and asked, "What news?"
"Do you still remember the reason why we came to Shengjing in the first place?"
Su Yuanyuan nodded. It was because Cang Xuan said to the emperor, "The imperial star is weak. There may be a rebellion in the northwest." So Father was deprived of his military power.
If they hadn't rendered meritorious service in protecting the emperor on Yandang Mountain, Father would still be just a idle duke without any real power in Shengjing.
Seeing Su Yuanyuan's expression turn serious, Su Huaisheng was satisfied and said, "Do you know that the great traitor told the emperor and all the court officials in the court today that when he was in seclusion, he received a divine revelation from heaven saying that there is a 'demon star' in the Great Chu!"
The words "demon star" made Su Yuanyuan's heart skip a beat.
She had been reborn from the dead. There was still a "system" named Xiaoba that had transformed into a rabbit in her body. Her eyes could even see the luck of others. She was very different from ordinary people.
Could it be that this "demon star" was referring to her?
Just when Su Yuanyuan was worried and afraid, Xiaoba spoke up:
[Little Yuanbao, you're not some 'demon star'. Don't listen to his nonsense! Xiaoba knew that Cang Xuan had no good intentions when he sneaked into your room that night!]
Reminded by Xiaoba, Su Yuanyuan suddenly remembered that Cang Xuan came to her room the night after he left seclusion. Could it be that he came to find out about her because of the "demon star" incident?
But... if he had malicious intentions towards her, why did he give her that pill that could protect her from all diseases?
Or was it that the "demon star" he mentioned was someone else?
And was this "demon star" related to his real purpose of becoming an official in the court?
Su Huaisheng's next words solved her doubts.
"Not long after the court was adjourned, news came from the harem that the queen had contracted a serious illness and was sent to Huguo Temple to avoid the illness. Concubine Tong, the biological mother of the Prince of Jin, was promoted by the emperor. Now she is the Imperial Concubine Tong. She is in charge of the phoenix seal on behalf of the queen and handles the palace affairs. The Tong family is about to rise."
The queen had contracted a serious illness and gone to Huguo Temple to avoid the illness. It was self - evident who the "demon star" was referring to.
But... how could this be possible?
That was the queen, and behind the queen was the Wang family, the number one of the three great aristocratic families!
Su Huaisheng didn't know how much of an impact the news he inadvertently revealed had on Su Yuanyuan. After he finished speaking, he sighed softly and said:
"Look, with just his own words, he can turn the court and the harem upside down. If such a traitor is allowed to hold power in the court, is there any hope for the Great Chu? Think carefully. If we hadn't been cautious and made no mistakes during our trip to Yandang Mountain, what would our end have been different from Yan Huan's?"
Su Yuanyuan came back to her senses. Although she was extremely worried, she couldn't show it at all. She just smiled at her third brother and said, "Okay, Third Brother, I know."
Getting his sister's assurance, Su Huaisheng finally nodded in satisfaction and touched her head.
"Good Yuanbao, it's good that you understand. You must be tired from playing outside today. Have a good rest. Third Brother will go back first."
Su Yuanyuan saw Su Huaisheng off. She watched as Su Huaisheng walked away until his figure disappeared. Then she turned around and went back into the house.
She sat down at the table, worried.
Now that the queen had left the capital and the Imperial Concubine Tong was being reused, the pattern of the court would surely change. The Wang family wouldn't sit back and watch the power of the Tong family expand. They would surely try every means to deal with the Tong family.
So, would the Wang family let Cang Xuan, who had proposed the existence of the "demon star", go?
A sense of anxiety arose in Su Yuanyuan's heart for Cang Xuan. She wanted to ask him in person what he was really up to.