Chapter 116 Zeng Tai's Visit
After Di Renjie's careful counseling, Wu Zetian's depression was relieved and she decided to hold a grand ritual to help the dead souls to be reborn.

What happened to the Queen last night is too unbearable to mention, so the palace has to pretend that everything is normal and nothing has happened.

The sacrifice in Baocheng Hall was quietly withdrawn, and the eunuchs and palace maids were strictly ordered to keep their mouths shut.

But the news could not be concealed. When Zhao separated from Shangguan Wan'er and was leaving the palace to hand over his shift, he saw a young eunuch hurriedly leaving.

Zhao Ji followed him for a while and found that the man was heading to the residence of Wu Sansi, Prince of Liang.

Crown Prince Li Xian was better informed than Wu Sansi. He had already received news that there were spies in the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Li Xian was kneeling on a cushion at this time, burning incense and praying. A eunuch hurried in and whispered something to him.

"Really?" Li Xian was shocked when he heard this.

"It is absolutely true. Someone saw the palace maids around your Majesty come to summon Feng Chunlai. Feng Chunlai hurried into the palace in the middle of the night and then hurried back." The eunuch said firmly.

Li Xian suddenly stood up from the cushion, paced back and forth, and was extremely excited.

After a moment, Li Xian shook his head and said, "No, no, Feng Chunlai went back later, which means the emperor is fine. How can you say that His Majesty is critically ill?"

The eunuch said bluntly: "Your Majesty's condition, wouldn't it be clear if Your Highness went to the palace to visit him? It would also show your filial piety to His Majesty."

Li Xian shook his head like a rattle: "No, no. The news that the emperor is ill has not spread yet. If I enter the palace now, it is clearly an act of guilt and an intentional attempt to spy."

"Forget it, you can leave first." Li Xian waved his hand impatiently and asked the eunuch to leave.

After the eunuchs left, Li Xian let out a long sigh.

After returning from Huzhou, his life became more difficult than before. He had to live in constant fear, fearing that Wu Zetian would find some evidence against him if he was not careful.

What’s the point of visiting the palace?
The rift between mother and son is deep. Visiting will not only fail to repair the relationship, but may also cause more suspicion and misunderstanding.

"It is better to be still than to move." Li Xian took a deep breath, knelt down again, and began to burn incense and pray again.

As to whether he was praying for Wu Zetian to get better soon or praying in the opposite direction, it is unknown.
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It was almost noon and Di Renjie returned home.

Li Yuanfang stayed up late at night, waiting for Di Renjie to return.

After tossing and turning for half the night and providing psychological counseling to Wu Zetian for half a day, even though Di Renjie was full of energy, he couldn't help feeling a little tired.

But God did not want Di Renjie to rest. Just as he chatted with Li Yuanfang for a few words about the ghost things that happened last night, Zeng Tai arrived.

Zhao Ji could go directly to Di Renjie's study, but Zeng Tai was still a little behind, so Di Chun went to pass on the message first.

Although Di Renjie was a little tired, he was still very happy to hear that Zeng Tai had come, and immediately invited him to the classroom.

"Teacher! Teacher!" I heard his voice before I saw him.

Zeng Tai had changed into a crimson official uniform. He entered the room, pushed down the golden mountain and overturned the jade pillar, and bowed solemnly before Di Renjie.

"Teacher, I bow to you!"

The action seemed to have been rehearsed many times in advance, it was clean and neat.

Di Renjie quickly helped Zeng Tai up: "Please stand up, please stand up. You are now a fifth-rank magistrate of Jing County, why do you have to perform such a grand ceremony?"

"I will never forget the kindness of my teacher in promoting me." Zeng Tai said excitedly.

Di Renjie smiled warmly and said, "I am following the example of Qi Xi in the Spring and Autumn Period, promoting relatives without avoiding relatives!"

"I am ashamed to compare myself to the ancients." Zeng Tai said modestly. The three of them sat down as host and guest, and Di Chun immediately served tea.

However, Zeng Tai seemed hesitant while holding the tea, as if he had something difficult to say.

Di Renjie saw this and asked with a smile, "Zeng Tai, you came to my house at this time, do you have something to ask me?"

Zeng Tai's eyes lit up: "Master, please understand. I need your help!"

Di Renjie answered without hesitation: "You can say whatever you want."

Zeng Tai then spoke: "It's like this, a strange case happened in Yongchang County under my jurisdiction, and I would like to ask my dear teacher to help take a look."

When Di Renjie heard the word "strange case", he felt a little itchy: "What kind of strange case?"

Zeng Tai organized his words: "On the official road from Yongchang County to Luoyang, two people were killed and their heads and left arms were cut off at the same time."

Di Renjie frowned, a little disappointed, thinking that this case was not strange enough: "What else did you find?"

Zeng Tai showed an exaggerated expression on his face: "The carriage that the deceased was riding in was found beside the official road. On the inner wall of the carriage, an eagle painted with blood was found."

Di Renjie stood up from his chair abruptly: "Are you talking about the bleeding eagle?"

Zeng Tai was startled by Di Renjie's action and nodded quickly: "Yes. How come, Master, do you know?"

Di Renjie and Li Yuanfang looked at each other, and both realized the seriousness of the problem.

"Major murders occurred almost simultaneously in Yizhou, Shanzhou and Puzhou, with more than seventy deaths. There were no other clues at the scene, only a bleeding eagle painted in blood. Unexpectedly, the murders spread to Yongchang County, which is located under the feet of the emperor!" Di Renjie said solemnly.

Zeng Tai came to ask for help, hoping to solve the case quickly and put an end to the incident.

But now that the situation has escalated, the emperor is bound to hear about it, so Zeng Tai's face suddenly became ugly.

He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot: "What should I do? If this murder case is reported to the emperor, I really can't afford to suffer the consequences!"

Suddenly, Zeng Tai looked at Di Renjie like a savior and said, "Master, now I can only ask you to step forward so that the case can be closed as soon as possible."

Di Renjie sighed and explained, "Although Yongchang County is very close, I am accompanying the emperor as the internal historian and I have no official post to send. It is not convenient for me to directly interfere in the affairs of the foreign officials."

"Besides, your superior is the governor of Luozhou. Even if I want to intervene, I can only ask the governor for information first, and it is not easy for me to personally participate in the investigation. Otherwise, I will be easily impeached by the censor."

"Ah?" Zeng Tai's face turned pale when he heard that Di Renjie couldn't help.

Li Yuanfang saw Zeng Tai's bad face and said, "Sir, the case of 'Bloody Eagle' has already involved Jiannan, Hedong, and Longyou, and now it has spread to the emperor. As the prime minister, you should come out and take care of such a big case."

As he spoke, his eyes turned to Di Renjie.

Di Renjie looked at Li Yuanfang with a smile, stood up and paced slowly.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned around and said, "Well, I will first inspect the scene in a private capacity and then make a decision."

Zeng Tai was overjoyed: "Great! Thank you, Master!"

Li Yuanfang said with a smile: "When you encounter a strange case, it's like a gourmet smelling delicious food. You will never give up!"

Upon hearing this, Di Renjie laughed out loud: "The one who knows me best is Li Yuanfang. Let's change into casual clothes and set off immediately!"

(End of this chapter)