Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 308 Returning to Beijing

"Brother Feng, I'm sorry. I shot that arrow just to make you and uncle dodge."

The man forced a smile.

Feng Ziying gritted his teeth and said, "Catch him for me!"

The four crossbow arrows on the second floor flew towards the man without hesitation!

The two facing him covered their heads and rolled away!

The man next to him raised his hand to block, and with two soft ding sounds, the long dagger hidden on his arm deflected two crossbow arrows!

The man himself did not hide, but stood there, allowing two crossbow arrows to pierce his legs with two puffs!

With a thump, he fell to his knees!

The guard smiled bitterly: "Everything is my own idea, and has nothing to do with my family!

"It's my fault that I owe too much gambling debt..."

The man next to him didn't say anything anymore, and rushed over! The dagger stabbed into his lower abdomen fiercely, and he dragged him backwards, and fell out fiercely!

Four powerful crossbows fired again!

Four soft sounds!

All four arrows hit the man holding the dagger!

Then, two people flipped over the side of the boat, fell into the water with a splash!

Feng Ziying was horrified and rushed over: "Hurry up and pick it up! Liao Changshi's confession is still on him!

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get him out! I've wrapped him in oil paper, so he won't get wet for the time being!"

Several boatmen who had been watching in shock hurriedly said, "I'll wait for the water and go get it right away!"

As they spoke, the boatmen kicked off their shoes and jumped in with four of them! The others were busy getting ropes and poles to help, and some smart ones sent torches over!

Feng Ziying strode towards the side of the ship, shouting non-stop while his eyes kept scanning the crowd.

No one moved anymore. Everyone was silent, watching out for their colleagues around them and helping the boatmen.

Feng Ziying turned his head from a distance and exchanged glances with Dai Quan on the second floor.

It should be safe.

After a long commotion, both bodies were fished out.

The dagger was still stuck in the guard's body.

Feng Ziying carefully took out the paper in his arms and saw that it had become wet and sticky.

Feng Ziying was heartbroken and stamped his feet in anger.

Then someone else came to report: "The assassin who claimed to be the East King's scout also died in the cabin!"

Feng Ziying spat fiercely into the canal: "This traitor knew that he couldn't escape on the water. So once he made a move, he wouldn't let anyone go."

He put his hands on his waist and cursed for a while, then ordered everyone to return to their posts, and he went upstairs to see the Supreme.

Aunt Meng had bled Feng Tang and bandaged him, and had also used detoxifying pills. Feng Tang fell into a deep sleep and was fine.

The Supreme had a gloomy face and remained silent.

Feng Ziying strode in and saw that besides the Empress Dowager and Dai Quan, there was only Zijuan in the cabin. He took a step forward and knelt on one knee without any hesitation.

He took out the confession of Liao Changshi that he had copied from his pocket and presented it with both hands: "I am following the order of the princess. Liao will write one page and I will copy one page.

“This is what I copied.

"What Liao wrote has been destroyed by the traitor."

Tai Shang did not say anything, but reached out to take it, and immediately read it page by page under the candlelight in Dai Quan's hand.

Then he threw it to the ground and snorted fiercely.

When the Queen Mother saw that he looked unhappy, she looked at Dai Quan.

Dai Quan could only gently advise: "Haven't you guessed it a long time ago? It's just confirmation. Don't be angry for now.

"Let's just pretend we didn't see it, return to the capital peacefully, and then check the rest of the people, and then we'll do whatever we need to do when the time comes.

"These people, not only you, I think His Majesty would have taken action against them a long time ago."

The Queen Mother did not even look at the paper on the ground, but just whispered: "Listen to Old Dai, go back and let the Emperor worry about it.

"Just pretend that you don't have this copy and didn't see it. Don't be angry."

Tai Shang took a deep breath, closed his eyes and lowered his head, and after a while, he smiled bitterly: "How can I still have the face to be angry?

"I promoted them all, and I've been the one protecting them until now. It's all my fault!

“Now, they are counting on me to protect them so that they can compete with the emperor, so they haven’t really tried to kill me.

"That day at the Jia family cemetery, if they really wanted to attack me, with the traitors and scouts, attacking from both inside and outside, how could I survive?!"

Feng Ziying lowered his head and thought: I'm afraid this is really the case.

"Don't think about it. The more you think about it, the more you think." The Queen Mother interrupted the Grand Master and looked up at Dai Quan, "Take that thing and put it away. Hand it over to the Emperor directly later."

Dai Quan's heart trembled slightly, he lowered his eyes, agreed, squatted down, picked up all of Feng Ziying's copies, folded them carefully, and put them in his sleeve first.

"There shouldn't be any trouble along the way." The Supreme Lord waved his hand and ordered Feng Ziying, "Take your father down to heal his wounds. There's no need to blame the Shandong Governor.

"Don't tell anyone that you made a copy.

"Don't stop the ship along the way, and go to Beijing at night."

Feng Ziying agreed, bowed his head and walked out.

As for the two traitors, it was finally found out that one was a royal guard and the other was a member of the Shandong Guard.

This means that killers and spies may be planted in the capital and in the local areas at any time and anywhere!

The atmosphere on the ship was heavy and depressing.

Lin Daiyu and Tanchun were later informed of the details and were shocked. After hearing the Supreme Lord's order, they understood:

This ship may not be safe.

There can be two traitors, four, or even six!

Although there are no witnesses or confessions now, it seems safe for the mastermind behind the scenes.

But who knows?!

Who among those who plot treason is not a paranoid lunatic?

The group walked along the canal in silence for eight days.

Eight days later, the ship arrived in Beijing.

Tao Xingjian came in person to pick him up with the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Carriage.

Flags were flying and swords and spears were standing tall.

Everyone finally put their hearts back in their stomachs.

Feng Tang, who still had his arm in a sling and had a pale face, and Feng Ziying, who was dark and thin with stubble on his lips, followed the large group of people to escort Tai Shang and his entourage into the Taiji Palace. Only then did they wipe the sweat from their foreheads.

Emperor Zhaoming had been waiting in front of the Ganlu Hall of the Taiji Palace for a long time. He saw that the Supreme Lord had returned safely. Although his face looked unhappy, at least he was safe.

He immediately knelt down and said, "Father, you scared me to death!"

When Tai Shang saw that he had lost a lot of weight, he felt a little warmed in his heart and recalled the rumors he had heard in Jiangnan.

Then he helped Emperor Zhaoming up with both hands and said in a friendly manner: "Your father is so willful in his old age, and I made you worried!

"Okay, I'm exhausted, I'm going to rest first. Tomorrow after you finish your court session, come and see me, and we can have a good chat!"

Emperor Zhaoming looked up in surprise, and was stunned for a moment. Seeing the kindness in the eyes of the Supreme Lord, he couldn't help but cough, his eyes reddened, and he choked with sobs:

"Yes. Father, please go and rest!"

The Supreme Lord patted him with a smile, then took Dai Quan's hand, hunched over, and slowly walked into the hall.

On the other side, the empress dowager didn't care about the witty exchange between the father and son. She was already exhausted and took Lin Daiyu and Tanchun directly back to Yanjia Palace.

As soon as he entered the palace, he ordered, "I'm going to rest too. If the emperor really wants to ask, please ask Zhaoqing and Yimin, not me!"

Seeing the empress dowager's exhausted face, Cheng Qian was already so distressed that she didn't know what to do. She repeatedly asked someone to go out and stop Emperor Zhaoming:

"Your Majesty, please go back and ask the guards who are following you!

"Pass on the Imperial Physician!"