The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Capturing Zu Ting, Inquiring about Xiao Luan’s Past

A prayer for rain at the Bronze Sparrow Terrace once again spread the fame of Princess Consort of Lanling, Xiao Jinyu. From then on, stories about her became a legend known to every household in Yecheng. Some literati who had witnessed it firsthand even compiled them into storybooks, which were sung, spoken, and performed in various entertainment venues in Yecheng.

The largest brothel in Yecheng was Fengyue Tower, where Zu Ting often ate, drank, gambled, and played with his dissolute companions. Occasionally, when he heard those people praising the Princess Consort of Lanling’s stunning beauty and unparalleled wisdom, he couldn’t help but feel a little restless. Of course, he also paid a very painful price for his restlessness.

To this day, he still hadn’t figured out whether he had brought home a man or a woman that day. He had drunk too much and said too much. He was simply ecstatic and obeyed whatever that “woman” asked him to do. Otherwise, how could he have been beaten up without knowing who had done it?

But he still couldn’t help but sigh, “This Princess Consort of Lanling is truly extraordinary, so extraordinary. Not only is her beauty extraordinary, but her rebellious nature is also extraordinary. I wonder how it would feel to hug her or touch her?”

“Master, you’re still thinking about it? Wasn’t the last lesson enough?” The manager reminded him from the side.

Zu Ting shuddered, touched his still bruised face, and asked, “What did you just say? His Majesty has sent a decree?”

“Yes! Master, His Majesty has an urgent summons for you to enter the palace!”

Zu Ting instantly felt as if he had been slapped again and sighed, “It’s over. Could it be that His Majesty has discovered what I’ve been doing?”

“Then what are we waiting for? Quickly prepare my official attire. I’ll enter the palace immediately!”

After putting on his official attire, Zu Ting got into his ox-drawn cart and quickly arrived at the Vermilion Bright Gate. After walking the long two-mile imperial road, he straightened his clothes and arrived in front of the Grand Ultimate Hall.

The Grand Ultimate Hall was the main hall, used for court assemblies, banquets for officials, and receiving envoys. Like the Grand Ultimate Hall in Jiankang, it was divided into eastern and western halls.

Emperor Gao Zhan was currently sitting in the eastern hall. It was the end of the court assembly, and the officials had already left.

Seeing Zu Ting arrive, Grand Tutor Gao Guiyan mocked him with a smile, “Zu, the Assistant Minister of the Secretariat, what delicacies have you been eating lately? Why does it seem like the flesh on your face has become even more plump?”

Zu Ting smiled and replied, “This is how a real man should be. Don’t laugh at me, Grand Tutor!”

After saying that, he hurriedly rushed to Gao Zhan, knelt down with a thud, and said, “Your Majesty, I’m wronged! Please, Your Majesty, must investigate thoroughly and not wrongly kill me!”

Gao Zhan looked at Zu Ting strangely for a long time. After he finished crying, he asked, “Zu, my dear official, what heinous crime have you committed that you need to beg me for forgiveness?”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing!” Zu Ting looked up at Gao Zhan, then at another person who had appeared beside him, and his eyes instantly widened. “Li Yonghe, why are you by His Majesty’s side?”

Li Mi smiled, “Zu, the Assistant Minister of the Secretariat, your news is really slow. I am now His Majesty’s Regular Attendant and Drafter. If you have anything to say, tell His Majesty. I’m taking notes here!”

He looked like he was diligently doing his job, allowing them to continue, burying his head in writing, and ignoring them.

Zu Ting turned his gaze back to Gao Zhan.

“May I ask Your Majesty, what is the reason for summoning me?”

“I want to ask you, what’s going on with you taking leave and staying at home these past two days? How did your face get like this?”

Zu Ting’s face darkened, and he almost started wailing as he explained, “Your Majesty, two days ago, I brought home a woman who was impersonating the Princess Consort of Lanling. I drank and gambled with her. I didn’t expect that woman to take advantage of my drunkenness, tie me up, and beat me severely…”

“Wait, you just said a woman impersonating the Princess Consort of Lanling? Why did you bring such a woman home?” Gao Zhan quickly grasped the key point and asked.

Zu Ting instantly broke out in a cold sweat. His eyeballs darted around for a while before he answered, “I… I saw that the Princess Consort of Lanling was extremely beautiful, so I wanted to invite her to my home to discuss painting techniques…”

“Oh… Zu, my dear official, you’re very brave, aren’t you? Even I wouldn’t dare to have designs on the Prince of Lanling’s wife. You’re even bolder than me!”

Zu Ting quickly kowtowed repeatedly.

“Your Majesty, I deserve to die! I will never dare to have designs on the Princess Consort of Lanling again!”

Gao Zhan waved his hand dismissively, “Alright, whether you deserve to die or not, it’s up to the Prince of Lanling to deal with you!”

“I called you here today to tell you that in three days, I intend to personally select talented scholars in this Grand Ultimate Hall, to recruit virtuous and capable individuals for our Qi State. Among them is a talented scholar named Xie Zhen. I want you to personally compete with him in scholarship! What do you think, Zu, my dear official?”

A competition in scholarship! That’s good, that’s good! I was scared to death! I thought all that evidence had fallen into His Majesty’s hands!

“Yes, I will obey your command. I should select talented individuals for Your Majesty!”

“Alright, you can go back! Come to this Grand Ultimate Hall in three days!”

“Yes! I obey your command!”

Zu Ting wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, quickly stood up, and ran away as if fleeing. Before he had run far, he heard Gao Zhan ask behind him, “Regular Attendant Li, bring me the daily records you wrote so I can have a look!”

Fortunately, it wasn’t him being called. Zu Ting let out a long sigh of relief again. Li Mi’s voice came from behind him,

“Yes!”

“You’ve written no less than 30,000 characters in such a flowing manner. What have you written?”

That was Gao Zhan’s voice! What kind of daily records could be 30,000 characters long?

Zu Ting was puzzled when he heard Li Mi say in a serious tone, “Your Majesty, last night, you were very valiant, taking seven women in one night. I have recorded your great achievements. I believe it is enough to be passed down through the ages!”

Perhaps he was listening too intently, Zu Ting didn’t see the road clearly for a moment, and he fell down the steps with a thud. When he got up, the half of his face that had already subsided was bruised again.

✿✿✿

“Hahaha… That’s so funny. Fourth Brother, you didn’t see how Zu Ting fell flat on his face. It was hilarious!”

Gao Yanzong, who happened to see Zu Ting fall from the steps, couldn’t help but vividly describe the comical scene in front of Xiao Jinyu and Gao Changgong!

After laughing, he seemed to think of something and showed a slightly angry expression, “This Zu Ting often colludes with Lady Lu and He Shikai, and they’ve said a lot of bad things about us in front of His Majesty. My eldest brother was harmed by their slanderous words. I wonder what they said in front of His Majesty today?”

“Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law, you have to be even more careful in the future. Although Fourth Sister-in-law gained fame from the rain prayer and His Majesty bestowed the position of Director of Astronomy, Lady Lu is a very insidious person. I’m afraid she might act in secret if she can’t deal with you openly!”

Xiao Jinyu smiled after hearing this and nodded, “We will. Thank you, Yanzong.”

Seeing Xiao Jinyu’s smile, Gao Yanzong was momentarily mesmerized. He stared for a long time before replying, “You’re welcome. Fourth Sister-in-law, you don’t have to be so polite with me. It’s just that Fourth Sister-in-law is really too beautiful, especially when you smile. It always makes people lose their minds!”

He paused for a moment and then said,

“And I never expected that a beauty like Fourth Sister-in-law would also have such talent and courage, able to debate and contend with Lady Lu!”

“I’m almost envious of Fourth Brother!”

“Yanzong—” Gao Changgong interrupted him in a deep voice.

✿✿✿

Xiao Jinyu knew these were sincere words of praise, so she took the Prince of Lanling’s hand and said, “It’s alright, Changgong. Yanzong meant no harm. Let’s hurry up and do what we need to do!”

“Alright!”

Gao Changgong still replied gently, looking at her with focused affection.

“The Prince of Lanling really dotes on his Princess Consort. Not to mention Zheng Yue, I’m afraid no woman in this world can catch his eye!”

Since they were currently on the street in front of the prince’s residence, the words “Prince of Lanling” were inherently attractive. Therefore, at this moment, passersby who were watching them from afar had already spontaneously gathered, and the crowd was growing larger and larger.

Fenghuang followed behind them. He suddenly turned his head and looked towards the surging crowd. For some reason, he always felt that a pair of eyes were watching them, making him faintly smell a hint of danger.

“Qing Gege, get in the carriage quickly! I’ve arranged a meeting with that person for you!”

Fenghuang came to Xiao Jinyu’s side and whispered.

Xiao Jinyu also sensed something strange and nodded, getting into the carriage with the Prince of Lanling.

✿✿✿

As soon as Zu Ting returned home, he received a letter. The letter said, “The thing you lost is with me. Please come to the Grand Solemnity Temple for a meeting!”

The Grand Solemnity Temple was a royal temple of Northern Qi. If one wasn’t a person of noble status, they might not even be able to enter this temple.

Who exactly had asked him to meet at the Grand Solemnity Temple?

Zu Ting had indeed lost something. Forged official documents, evidence of corruption and bribery, none of that mattered. The most important thing was that he had lost a secret letter he had written to Lady Lu and her son, plotting for the future. If this letter fell into the hands of Emperor Gao Zhan, even if he had a hundred heads, it would be enough for Gao Zhan to chop them all off!

Therefore, when the housekeeper handed him this letter, his whole body began to tremble. Without saying a word, he got into his ox-drawn cart, took a few house servants with him, and headed towards the Grand Solemnity Temple!

As dusk approached, the Grand Solemnity Temple appeared particularly solemn and dignified. Zu Ting knocked on the temple gate. A little monk poked his head out, asked for his name, and then let him in.

Zu Ting followed the directions in the letter and came to the backyard of the Grand Solemnity Temple. There was actually a meditation room made of bamboo there. In front of the meditation room stood only an eleven or twelve-year-old Xianbei boy. Although the boy was still youthful, his appearance was exquisitely beautiful and very eye-catching.

Zu Ting only glanced at him and felt a sense of familiarity, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen him before. He could only step forward to greet him and ask, “May I ask if you are…”

“My master is inside this meditation room. Go in quickly!” Fenghuang said coldly.

“Who is your master? What grudge do you have against me? Why do you want to…”

“You’ll know when you go in. Why so much nonsense?”

Fenghuang glared at him fiercely, and Zu Ting didn’t dare to say another word. He hurriedly walked into the meditation room with a flattering smile. His house servants wanted to follow him in, but Fenghuang stopped them at the door with a single glance.

This young man was too ruthless, powerful, and terrifying!

This was the most intuitive feeling these house servants had when they saw Fenghuang!

After entering the meditation room, he saw two people wearing masks. One had a tall and slender figure, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist, with a noble and sharp aura. At a glance, one could tell he was a general who had experienced many battles. The other had a slender waist, a graceful neck, and skin as white as snow, with a graceful and charming figure. Even without seeing her face, one could tell she was a woman of extraordinary beauty.

“May I ask why you two have invited me here?” Zu Ting asked first.

The man took out a large stack of documents from his sleeve and placed them in front of Zu Ting. Zu Ting took one look and saw that they were the documents he had lost, the ones he had used to alter official documents.

He was so frightened that he immediately pounced on these documents, wanting to tear them up!

“Zu, the Assistant Minister of the Secretariat, you should know that it’s actually useless for you to destroy these documents. They were just copies anyway. Since these matters have already been discovered, the evidence is not just limited to what’s in front of you!”

“Oh right, didn’t you also write a secret letter to Lady Lu? Perhaps you pondered over it for a long time and haven’t sent it out yet?”

Zu Ting was so scared that he immediately knelt down.

“Who are you people? I have no grudge against you. Why are you trying to harm me like this?”

“Zu, the Assistant Minister of the Secretariat, if you acted uprightly, you wouldn’t be afraid of being harmed, would you?”

The man said with a smile, then took the hand of the woman beside him, and the two of them found a low table and let the woman sit down.

“We didn’t invite you here today to settle accounts for your selling of official positions, corruption, theft, or even your private affairs with the wives of many high-ranking officials in the capital. We just want to ask you about an old matter!”

Zu Ting couldn’t help but feel overjoyed when he heard this.

“What old matter? Ask away.”

“We want to know everything about Xiao Luan, the imperial physician and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness who served Emperor Wenxuan during his reign, including the cause of her death…”

Zu Ting’s expression immediately darkened when he heard this question.

“What do you want to ask about her? I don’t know much about her. I only…”

He stopped speaking halfway through his sentence and suddenly felt the surrounding light dim. A chilling coldness spread through the meditation room like a tide, and an invisible pressure forced him to kneel down again.

Before he could understand what was happening, a cold and sharp sword was already placed against his neck. At the same time, a dark shadow stood in front of him, blocking his view.

“Alright, I’ll talk, I’ll talk. Actually, I really don’t know much about Xiao Luan. This woman was too mysterious. When I served Emperor Wenxuan in the past, she never bothered to say a word to me. But she was an extraordinary woman, with exceptional medical skills and unparalleled talent. She knew many things that others didn’t know or couldn’t even imagine. Oh, just like the Princess Consort of Lanling…”

When he mentioned the Princess Consort of Lanling, Zu Ting’s expression changed subtly. He subconsciously glanced at the woman sitting silently on the low table and continued, “Emperor Wenxuan, although he was cruel and bloodthirsty, as long as this woman was by his side, he could stop the killing. Emperor Wenxuan, Gao Yang, also admired this woman very much. Any woman in this world, as long as he wanted her, whether she was his brother’s wife or a minister’s wife, he would take her if he said so. But only towards this woman, he was very respectful.

Xiao Luan once suggested to Emperor Wenxuan that he build the Great Wall to resist the invasion of the northern barbarians. Emperor Wenxuan adopted her suggestion. Later, he also thought of taking this woman as his consort, but she refused, so he gave her the position of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, a third-rank official.

There was once a beauty who wanted to compete with Xiao Luan for favor and slandered Xiao Luan in front of Emperor Wenxuan, saying that she wanted to control the emperor with drugs. However, Emperor Wenxuan not only didn’t suspect Xiao Luan but also killed that beauty. He even publicly extracted her thighbone and made it into a pipa to honor her!”

Speaking of this, Zu Ting’s expression became somewhat strange and puzzled.

“However, there’s one thing that’s very strange. Xiao Luan served as Emperor Wenxuan’s exclusive imperial physician for about eight years. For the first seven years, Emperor Wenxuan’s bloodthirsty nature could be controlled. But in the last year, for some reason, Emperor Wenxuan’s condition worsened drastically. He would often apply rouge and powder, wear women’s clothing, and sing and dance on the streets.

And he also did something very cruel in the end. He summoned all the male members of the Yuan clan and killed them, a total of over 700 people, not even sparing infants.

It seems that because of this incident, Xiao Luan had a falling out with Emperor Wenxuan, resigned from her positions as imperial physician and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, and returned all the treasures and residences that Emperor Wenxuan had bestowed upon her. She left Yecheng quietly without a trace.

After that, Emperor Wenxuan once drank excessively, his illness acted up, and he passed away just like that!

When Emperor Wenxuan died, he was still holding a piece of silk in his hand, on which was written: ‘I cannot save such an emperor!'”

Hearing this, Xiao Jinyu fell into silent contemplation. The Prince of Lanling held her hand again in comfort.

After Xiao Luan left Yecheng, she settled in Luoyang. Logically speaking, she had already left the political center of Yecheng. With her personality, she should have been able to live a peaceful life. What happened after that?

While she was pondering, she heard Zu Ting continue, “However, not long after Xiao Luan left, Gao Yan and the current emperor, Gao Zhan, launched a coup. First, Gao Yan seized the throne. After Gao Yan ascended, he ordered a search for Xiao Luan, but they couldn’t find her. Two years later, Gao Yan also contracted a strange illness. It was said that he often dreamed of the former crown prince, Gao Yin, whom he had killed, coming to find him. This illness tormented him for six months. Until one autumn hunt outside the city, he accidentally fell from his horse, and his condition worsened until he died. Finally, he passed the throne to the current emperor, Gao Zhan.”

“After Gao Zhan ascended, it seems that he also sent people to look for Xiao Luan, but whether they found her or not is unknown…”