Chapter 179 Sleeve Arrow
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Fu Mingzheng stood in the middle of the room, looking at Mingzhu with a smirk on his face, his expression wicked and his gaze sharp. Mingzhu felt a bit embarrassed under his scrutiny and angrily said, “Fourth Brother, don’t you recognize me? Why are you staring at me like that?”
Fu Mingzheng smiled, “Why are you in such a hurry? I’m just seeing if you’re doing well or not.”
Mingzhu’s embarrassment was suddenly pierced by his words. She felt like she had been deflated, “Did you really see it?”
Fu Mingzheng said seriously, “I saw it. Whether you’re doing well or not.”
Mingzhu knew he was well-informed, and her poisoning incident must not have escaped his notice. Afraid that he would mention it and make Madam Cui worry, she quickly said, “Should we go outside for a walk?”
Fu Mingzheng leisurely sat down, lifted his eyelids, and said, “Why go for a walk? Are you tired of living?”
Mingzhu chuckled and sat down beside him, lowering her voice, “Since Fourth Brother already knows, do you have any clues?”
Fu Mingzheng whispered, “It’s not who you think it is.”
“Who?” Mingzhu was surprised. She thought it must be the handiwork of Empress Dowager Min and her son, but she didn’t expect it to be someone else.
“The family is still investigating.” Fu Mingzheng frowned and whispered, “Although Ying Wang is afraid of causing unnecessary turmoil and deliberately covering up the news, such a big matter can’t be hidden from those who are determined to find out. The spices used in the mansion are supplied uniformly, and tracing them back will inevitably alarm the palace. Moreover, the palace people who distribute spices and manage the warehouse have already committed suicide out of guilt. Changxin Palace and Zhaoyang Palace naturally can’t hide it, and Empress Dowager Min was so frightened that she dropped the tea cup in her hand and rushed to defend herself in front of the Great Empress Dowager, almost banging her head on the ground to prove her innocence… Even our nephew, the little emperor, went to Changxin Palace for the first time in his life. Of course, such a thing cannot be judged by such a small action, but I have a hunch that it shouldn’t be them.”
Mingzhu snorted, “That’s not necessarily true. Didn’t they make camel soup back then? If I hadn’t been clever and wise, I would have been the unlucky one now.” At this point, she couldn’t help but think of Yuwen You, who knew she was plotting against him but still took the initiative to hurt himself, ultimately making himself a person who was neither dead nor alive. He had said that when they met again, they would be enemies. But could it be… she quickly denied it. Yuwen You currently didn’t have the power to do so.
Fu Mingzheng obviously didn’t pay attention to Yuwen You, but focused his attention on Empress Dowager Min and her son, “It’s not the right time for them. Although that Mother and son pair definitely want to take action more than anyone else, since their last attempt failed, they won’t act rashly this time. Otherwise, it will only make their situation worse. Although there are people in the royal family who support them, their bad reputation and cruel methods will also arouse resentment from others. I’m more inclined to think it’s a third party. Think about it, if we fight internally, or if we clash with Zhaoyang Palace because of this, who will benefit the most? After all, in such a world, everyone wants to take advantage of chaos.”
“In other words, it could be the Wusun, the various major mansions in the capital, or even the feudal lords in the distant fiefs?” Mingzhu suddenly understood, laughing, “Think about which prince has the most power. If there’s chaos, who’s most likely to ascend to that position? He’s the most likely one!” It’s still good to have Fourth Brother. She could think wildly, guess wildly, and even if he mercilessly mocked her for being stupid, how could she lose face? Both left and right were beloved brothers who would love and cherish her.
“That’s what I think too. I specially made a chart, listing all the people who are most likely to benefit, and then eliminating them one by one.” There was a gleam of light in Fu Mingzheng’s eyes. “Guess what conclusion I came to?”
Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly thought of someone, but when she remembered that person had never shown any ambition in her previous life, she subconsciously lowered her voice, “Zhongshan Wang…”
“Just as I thought,” Fu Mingzheng praised. “It’s only at times like these that I feel like we’re truly siblings. Other times, I always suspect you were swapped at birth.”
Isn’t that just you deliberately trying to annoy me? Mingzhu gritted her teeth. “You know, even if I’m not afraid of losing face, being mocked by you like this still makes me feel down.”
“Alright, alright. I was going to compliment you, but you still don’t appreciate it,” Fu Mingzheng showed no remorse. “I’ve always thought, this royal uncle is truly extraordinary. He holds significant military power, and within the royal family, his word is law. Even the Great Empress Dowager wouldn’t dare offend him easily. Yet, he can tolerate that brat, who’s nothing but trouble, still wet behind the ears, and destined to be a cruel and incompetent ruler when he grows up, squatting in that position. It’s really not easy.”
Mingzhu hurriedly asked, “Did you tell Father and Brother?”
“I did, but it’s useless. These matters require evidence to speak for themselves. He’s highly respected and has immense power. Who would dare accuse him without evidence? Not even the Great Empress Dowager. But I won’t give up. As long as he’s done something, I’ll surely find evidence. I must expose him and see how he hides in the shadows to harm people.” Fu Mingzheng took out a delicately crafted sleeve arrow from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is what you asked Ban Jian to make for you. He just delivered it yesterday. You can shoot twelve arrows in succession with it, swift and accurate. It’s lightweight and easy to use. Do you want to try it?”
Mingzhu immediately put it on and shot a few times at the wall. There were faint mechanical impacts, and several arrows with cold glints shot out and embedded deep into the wall.
“Wow, it’s really good. Ban Jian is truly a remarkable talent!” Mingzhu cheered, grabbing Fu Mingzheng’s arm to put it on him. “Here, wear it properly and don’t take it off.”
“Why? Are you afraid someone will kill me? They say it’s a curse lasting a thousand years. How could I die so easily? It’s made to your measurements, I can’t wear it.” Fu Mingzheng gently pushed her hand away, walked over to remove the arrows, and taught her how to load them. “These are specially made from fine steel. They’re not easy to polish, and even a slight deviation makes them ineffective. They shouldn’t be wasted.”
“Don’t you know your mouth is poisonous, and your temper is unpleasant? There are many people who dislike youm I’m worried that one day you’ll provoke someone you shouldn’t. Even if they don’t dare to provoke you openly, they might use underhanded methods behind your back. Let Ban Jian make one for you, and you must wear it at all times.” Mingzhu lowered her head to fiddle with the arrows, sneakily glancing at Fu Mingzheng, afraid he wouldn’t take her words seriously and go down the same old path again.
If we really need to investigate Zhongshan Wang, maybe this sleeve arrow will come in handy after all. Fu Mingzheng remained silent for a moment, then smiled gently. “It’s good to see you so filial. I’ll listen to you. It’s just a toy anyway.”
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