Chapter 223: Killing someone with a knife

In Chang'an, night falls, warmth flows in the air, and the fragrance of peach and plum blossoms is floating in the dark. The dogs who have been silent on the street for a winter have begun to become active, and the sound of whimpering in the whimpering sounds are endless. It is still early, and there are still many pedestrians on the street. The lights of every household are bright, and most of the relatives who go out are rushing back. Today is the Cold Food Festival. On this day, every household is banned from smoking and eating cold rice and cold dishes. Tomorrow is Qingming Festival. Housewives work hard all night, wrapping green dumplings and making money for tomorrow's grave sweeping.

Li Qing's bedroom was brightly lit, and Jian'er sat cross-legged on the bed, sewing a small jacket for the child with needles and threads. From time to time, he looked at the sleeping child who was sleeping beside him. Although she was in power, there were countless servants in the family, Li Qing also had Yongyetian in Fengxian County. It was still a small farm, not to mention Li Qing's huge silk business, but Jian'er still maintained her kindness and simple nature, treated her kindness and doing it herself. None of the family members in the mansion have left so far.

"Sister Lian'er, otherwise we will go back to Yilong County tomorrow to visit your grandfather's grave." Xiaoyu was sitting at the table and practicing absent-mindedly. She grew up in the Xianyu Mansion. Mr. Xianyu is relatively open-minded. Children of old slaves in the mansion, both men and women, can go to private schools for several years. She has been smart since childhood and has also studied with her brother for several years. She has learned thousands of words in her stomach. Since she was with Li Qing, she has gradually begun to come into contact with the account books and picked up the books again.

Tomorrow is Qingming Festival. Seeing that every household is preparing to visit the tombs, Li Qing’s ancestral tomb is unknown where, and he has never heard him say it, Xiaoyu had the idea of ​​going to Yilong. If possible, go to Langzhong to see his parents again.

Yan'er carefully bit off the thread, glanced at the listless Xiaoyu and smiled, "Tomorrow is Qingming Festival. It's already past the time to sweep the tombs in Yilong. Besides, I asked someone to take care of me? Since Li Lang told us not to go out, there is always his reason, so stay at home honestly!"

Xiaoyu stretched out, held her cheek and looked out the window, with a smile in her eyebrows and eyes full of longing, and she said to herself: "Spring is in full bloom, I really want to go out for an outing!"

"Or otherwise, I will take you out for a trip the next day!"

The door suddenly opened, and a man wearing a bamboo hat strode in. The curtain was startled, but the familiar feeling made her feel surprised, "Li Lang! Is it you?"

The man laughed and took off the bamboo hat on his head. It was Li Qing who was thinking about day and night. He took the land route from Yangzhou five days ago and secretly returned to Chang'an in front of the canal ship. Lian'er and Xiaoyu shouted at the same time and threw themselves into their husband's arms. Li Qing hugged one with one hand. Seeing that they were all safe and sound, he felt as if they were about to explode. He sighed: "I have only been there for more than a month, but it seems like a few years have passed."

He kissed each of the two girls' faces, his eyes fell on the sleeping child, and couldn't help but smile, "Why can't my good baby get up to greet my father."

Lian'er suddenly remembered something, looked back and asked, "Where is Jingyan? She went to Yangzhou to find you, aren't you together?"

Li Qing smiled and waved back, "Come in quickly! Your Sister Lian'er is asking."

After a moment, a woman in black with a scarf covered with a veil was dashed outside the door. She took off her veil and revealed a beautiful face. It was Li Jingyan.

Although the three of them were so familiar with each other that they could say anything, Li Jingyan was nervous and shy at this moment, as if the new wife who had passed by the door on the first day had timidly stepped forward and gave a big gift to Jian'er. Jian'er was extremely surprised. She looked at Li Qing, then looked at Li Jingyan, and suddenly understood in her heart. She slowly sat back on the bed, and accepted her big gift with a serious expression.

Seeing that Lian'er was willing to accept Li Jingyan's courtesy, Li Qing felt relieved, waved his hand to the three of them, and laughed: "Everyone, sit down, let's discuss where to go for a trip the next day."

Unexpectedly, Lian'er ignored him, pulled Li Jingyan with one hand, and waved to Xiaoyu, "Let's go! Let's go to the next door to discuss, leave it here for Mr. Li to think about the affairs in the court."

When Li Qing saw the three girls walking away, he touched his nose with a bitter face, and his eyes fell on his sleeping daughter. He walked up slowly, lay on her side, stretched out his mouth and kissed her red face, smelling the milk smell on her body, and felt licking the baby naturally. His heart was filled with warmth and joy, his mind relaxed, and soon yawned, his eyelids gradually became heavier, and he fell asleep without realizing it.

The next day was Qingming Festival. One day of holiday in the court, letting all officials go to worship the ancestral graves. The three consecutive days were also a traditional outing day. Chang'an City was almost intriguing. Regardless of the citizens, bureaucrats and relatives would come out together to experience the warmth of spring by taking advantage of the opportunity to sweep the graves. Qujiang Pond and the crowds of people enjoying the original crowd. Even Zhongnan Mountains would have footprints of Chang'an citizens.

On this day, the business of the stores in the West City was obviously more deserted than usual. Only some merchants who came from afar patiently selected goods one by one, bargaining too hard. Li Qing's Shujin Store business was also relatively deserted. It had been a while since the door was opened before it started a business. The shopkeeper Zhang Yiming simply used this day to take stock of the goods and settle accounts. At this moment, he was standing on the stone bench in the yard to direct the guys to carry the goods.

"Be careful, don't confuse the quality. Look clearly, these are different."

When he saw the two friends carrying a few pieces of Shu brocade to the warehouse, he couldn't help but say anxiously: "You two wait a minute, those Shu brocades are all damp, so put them outside to dry them."

Suddenly, his two wind-catching ears moved. He seemed to hear the sound of horse hooves coming from afar. Soon the sound of horse hooves became closer and closer. He stopped near the gate, and then an anxious voice came, "Zhang Yiming, have you seen the skeleton?"

Li Qing’s butler Zhang Wang rushed into the door. His eyes quickly swept around and asked, “He is not in the wine shop, don’t you know if he is with you?”

"Maybe I can find him, do you have something urgent?"

Zhang Wangyang took a letter from Yang's hand and said anxiously: "This is an urgent matter sent by the master just now. There is a very important thing to tell him to do. Go and find him!"

"I understand. You wait for a while, and I will go to Honglingyuan to call him!"

At about noon, two rumors began to spread from restaurants in Chang'an. One was that King Yong had not ascended the crown prince and the reason for his failure was that King Qing made slanderous words on the emperor, saying that King Yong's family made wild words, which made the emperor angry and finally canceled the decision he had made.

Another news is that King Qing sent his son Li Qi to Yangzhou to assassinate Li Qing, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

I don’t know who released these two news, but it was like a cold virus, spreading rapidly in the streets and alleys of Chang’an. The more you said it, it became more and more vivid. Some people even came out to prove it. This matter was very true, and there was still a record of this matter in the yamen office of the Jingzhao Administration.

The news finally reached the Yongwang's mansion at dusk. Li Lin never knew about this. He immediately sent his son Li Shen to the Jingzhao Bureau to verify the matter with skepticism.

At this moment, Li Lin was paced back and forth in the study with his hands behind his back, waiting anxiously for his son's reply. It had been nearly three months since the incident, but he had never known why the prince was not deposed in the end. Although it was recognized that the prince was assassinated and the sympathy of his father, the deposed Eastern Palace was finally left unresolved, but Li Lin did not believe this statement at all. Since ancient times, there has never been any sympathy for the dispute over the throne. The prince's assassination was at most delayed and would never change this fundamental decision.

"Is it really that King Qing was stumbling behind his back?"

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was possible. King Qing was stupid and conceited, and was prone to extreme measures. Seven days ago, he sent his son to stab Li Qing in Yangzhou, and his life and death are still uncertain. He is also the most powerful competitor in his fight for the position of prince. It is difficult to guarantee that he would not use such despicable means. He would not allow others to take the position of prince if he could not get it.

"Father, I'm back." The son's voice came from a distance. The son of King Yong was still young and was not as young as the age of twentieth. He was in a state of great enthusiasm. He only went half an hour before finding the answer.

"How? Have you found something?" Before Li Tan sat down, Li Lin grabbed his son's arm and asked.

"Father, the news is true."

Li Shen whispered in his father's ear: "The child did find this in the file file of the Jingzhao Bureau, and asked Xian Yu Shuming again. He confirmed to the child that the night before the Lantern Festival, three families on our mansion on Chunming Street had told Li Qiuyan that the father would be the crown prince tomorrow and the emperor the next day. Unfortunately, the three families ran away while they were not caught."

"What!"

Li Lin simply couldn't believe his ears, and such a rebellious word would be spoken from his family.

"It's impossible. I've always been low-key and have strict restraints on my family. It's impossible for three families to go to the street to speak out against each other."

Li Lin tightly held the teacup on the table, and suddenly a thought came to his mind, "Is that true?"

He couldn't help but sneer: "I understand, these are not my three families. This is clearly the case set up by King Qing. Otherwise, how could those three families escape? It's so coincidental that they just told Li Qi. Li Cong! Li Cong! If you don't know, you will not do it yourself. If the news was not revealed, I would still count the money for you if I sold it."

"Father, how should this matter be corresponded?" Li Shen asked, looking at his father's increasingly gloomy face.

"If you have grudges, you will not avenge them!"
Chapter completed!