Chapter 115

Chapter 115

"On that big man's body!" Minghe declared.

"The big man who abducted you?" Pei Yanli inquired.

"Yes, right on his neck," Minghe pointed to a spot on the back of his neck, "Right here. I saw it when he was carrying me up the mountain that day."

Pei Yanli immediately brought the pattern closer to Minghe, "Are you sure it's this pattern?"

"Yes, it's the poppy flower," Minghe confirmed.

"You recognize the poppy flower?" Pei Yanli asked, somewhat surprised.

Minghe replied, "Yes, it's mentioned in the 'Compendium of Materia Medica'."

Pei Yanli was even more surprised: "You've read medical texts too?"

"I wasn't reading the medical texts, I was looking at the little drawings with my brother. Don't believe me? Ask him." Children are always interested in pictures, and Minghe and Danzi were no exceptions. They had seen many illustrations, remembering those with distinctive features. Seeing Pei Yanli's skeptical look, Minghe turned and called, "Brother, come here."

Danzi put down his pastry and hurried over.

Minghe pointed to the pattern and asked, "Brother, what flower is this?"

Danzi easily replied, "It's a poppy flower, from the 'Compendium of Materia Medica'."

"What's happening?" Xiao Yu and Lu Ming came over curiously.

Pei Yanli pointed to the pattern on the letter.

Lu Ming recognized it immediately: "Isn't this the emblem of the Southern Moon Kingdom?"

"Exactly," Pei Yanli confirmed.

Lu Ming was astonished: "Xu Da had connections with the Southern Moon Kingdom?"

Pei Yanli pondered for a moment, "He's a merchant, so it's not unusual for him to have business dealings with them. But the man who abducted Minghe is from the Southern Moon Kingdom."

"Are you sure?" Lu Ming couldn't believe it.

"Minghe saw the poppy tattoo on the back of the neck of that man," Pei Yanli turned to Minghe, asking, "Do you remember how you were abducted?"

Minghe recalled, "A big hand covered my mouth before I could even call for little uncle. I fainted immediately. When I woke up, I had no idea where I was, only the big man was with me."

"It must have been a drug made from poppy!" Given the man's large stature, abducting a child wouldn't have been difficult. Like Lu Ming, Xiao Yu, and Pei Yanli, they hadn't thought deeply about it until now. Hearing Minghe's detailed account, they realized the man had drugged Minghe before taking him away.

Pei Yanli nodded.

Xiao Yu felt a pang of heartache again.

"Then the opponents must be from the Southern Moon!" Lu Ming clenched his fist in anger. "I always thought they were just coveting the throne. I never imagined they would collude with external forces. It's utterly despicable!"

Minghe, not understanding, asked, "Who are the Southern Moon people?"

Pei Yanli explained, "The Southern Moon people live in the Southern Moon Kingdom, a small country south of the Great Jing. It's a land of treacherous terrain and poor resources, but it's famous for its Southern Moon poppies. Although they look similar to the Great Jing poppies, they are different in color and effects. They can be used for food, brewing wine, and even extracting a potent narcotic. They once used large quantities of this drug to attack Great Jing's people and seize our land."

"And they can also make poison," added Lu Ming.

Pei Yanli nodded, "Exactly. The Southern Moon poppy, combined with herbs from the Southern Moon mountains, can be powdered to make a poison. While not as deadly as the Liuyue Sha, it's more secretive and deadly over long-term exposure."

Xiao Yu, who had been listening, asked, "Does this mean the Zheng brothers might possess this poison?"

Pei Yanli and Lu Ming were visibly shaken by the suggestion.

All three of them thought of something and simultaneously looked at Danzi.

"What's wrong?" Danzi asked, puzzled.

Minghe was also confused.

Lu Ming said, "If those three brothers are really in cahoots with the Southern Moon Kingdom, then the Crown Prince leaving the palace and the Emperor's sudden demise..."

"...Would be the perfect opportunity," Pei Yanli finished the thought. "They could support Yuanping and legitimately claim succession."

Yes!

Zheng Weirong, as a reborn individual, originally planned to use his previous life's memories to turn Minghe evil, engaging in struggles with Pei Yanli, Danzi, and the Grand Princess. He must have been biding his time, waiting to reap the benefits.

But when Minghe disappeared for over a month and was found with heavy guard protection, Zheng couldn't find an opportunity to strike. Then he saw his own men, like Xu Da, being imprisoned, potentially exposing him.

Unable to stop it, he decided on a drastic measure, like Zhao Gao in the Qin Dynasty, taking advantage of Fusu's absence to elevate Hu Hai to the throne. He planned to eliminate Emperor Yongxi while Danzi was away from the palace, and install Xiao Yuanping in his place.

When Danzi and his supporters returned, Zheng, with his newly acquired military power, would frame them, wiping out Danzi's faction... Although Xiao Yu's perspective differed from Pei Yanli and Lu Ming, they all believed the Zheng brothers would poison the Emperor during the Crown Prince's absence, then support Xiao Yuanping's ascent. Thus, they unanimously decided: "Back to the capital!"

Their voices were loud, startling both Danzi and Minghe.

The three men quickly began packing their belongings.

Danzi, not quite understanding, asked, "Little Uncle, are we returning to the capital now?"

Xiao Yu replied, "Yes."

Minghe approached Xiao Yu, "But Xu Da's case isn't settled yet."

"We'll leave the rest to others," Xiao Yu said.

"Who will we leave it to?" Danzi asked.

"I'll arrange it!" Pei Yanli, holding several letters, walked out.

Lu Ming, with a grave expression, followed him, "I'll prepare for our return to the capital."

Danzi and Minghe were somewhat puzzled about what was happening with the adults.

Xiao Yu, with no time to explain, quickly packed and handed his luggage to Xiao Zhongzi, then, taking Danzi with one hand and Minghe with the other, said, "Let's go, back to the capital."

Lu Ming hurried back, "The boats are ready, we can depart now."

"What about Yanli?" Xiao Yu asked.

Lu Ming replied, "He's dealing with some complex matters. He asked us to go ahead, and he will catch up soon."

Xiao Yu decisively said, "Let's go."

They first took a carriage to Chuanyang Town's dock, then boarded a small boat, disembarked, walked a distance, and finally boarded a larger ship to sail upstream.

"Little Uncle, why hasn't Uncle Pei caught up yet?" Minghe looked back at the calm river.

Xiao Yu, worried about Pei Yanli, Emperor Yongxi, and Danzi's future, had too much on his mind. Yet, he suddenly calmed down and reassured, "Don't worry, Uncle Pei is very smart. He'll handle everything well and show up on time."

"We have to believe in Uncle Yan!" Danzi said.

"Alright then," Minghe agreed.

Xiao Yu gently patted the heads of the two children and asked, "Are you hungry?" After all the commotion, it was indeed time for a meal.

Danzi and Minghe nodded together.

Xiao Yu said, "Little Uncle will cook for you." The large boat was well-equipped, complete with bedrooms, a tea room, and a kitchen.

Danzi and Minghe hadn't eaten Xiao Yu's cooking in a long time and responded in unison, "Great."

Xiao Yu walked into the kitchen with a smile.

Danzi and Minghe followed him in.

Lu Ming stood at the bow of the boat, vigilantly scanning the surroundings to prevent any accidents.

The kitchen was stocked with chicken, fish, meat, and eggs. However, considering Minghe had just gotten over seasickness and should avoid heavy foods, Xiao Yu opted to make simple dishes like steamed wild vegetable dumplings, Moo Shu Pork, stir-fried mixed vegetables, and boiled pork slices.

He brought the fragrant dishes to the table, calling Lu Ming to join them.

Seeing the uncle and nephews in good spirits, Lu Ming laughed, "I thought you all would be too nervous and scared to eat or sleep well, but you're surprisingly calm."

"Being nervous and scared now is pointless. Better to eat well and stay strong. Even if we get nervous and scared later, at least we'll have the strength to face it," Xiao Yu reasoned.

"That makes sense." Lu Ming began to understand more why Pei Yanli was fond of Xiao Yu. Besides his handsome looks and exceptional abilities, Xiao Yu's mindset was something extraordinary.

Yet, Xiao Yu suddenly let out a sigh.

"Why the sigh again?" Lu Ming asked.

Xiao Yu replied, "So much has happened this spring. Many spring vegetables weren't cooked, and soon spring will be over."

"Little Uncle, when we get back, I'll help you cook!" Danzi offered.

Minghe added, "Little Uncle, I'll help too. Later, Pei Yiyang, the Second Prince, and Princess Ying can help you too."

"And don't forget Princess Yuan Yin. We can all help you. We'll catch the tail end of spring and cook lots of dishes," Danzi said.

Xiao Yu, hearing this, smiled and said, "That's right. Together, we can make a lot."

Both children nodded in agreement.

"Let's continue eating," Xiao Yu suggested.

The children picked up their chopsticks and started eating without even pausing to praise the food.

Lu Ming, however, kept complimenting the meal.

Xiao Yu joked, "Maybe I should open a restaurant in the capital. It might just be a hit!"

Lu Ming, thinking Xiao Yu was considering a plan for Danzi in case of his accession failure, felt uneasy.

At that moment, the large boat entered the territory of the capital.

Lu Ming announced, "In half a day, we'll arrive in the capital."

Xiao Yu, uncertain of what awaited them ahead and anticipating a battle, stood up and fetched two small crossbows, handing them to Minghe and Danzi, saying, "Load these for self-defense."

"What about Little Uncle?" the two children asked.

Xiao Yu patted his pocket, "I have one too." Pei Yanli had promised to make small crossbows for the children after the Lantern Festival. So, during the search for Minghe, Xiao Yu had crafted two small crossbows in his spare moments, adding to the one he already had, ensuring all three, uncle and nephews, were armed for self-defense.

Lu Ming, seeing this, became serious as well, "Once we enter the palace, everyone must be careful."

Minghe and Danzi, having learned from Xiao Yu that someone was after the Emperor and Danzi's throne, nodded solemnly in agreement: "Mhm."

Half a day passed, and the large boat docked.

Thousands of soldiers disembarked in an orderly fashion.

Seeing that everything was normal around them, Lu Ming escorted Xiao Yu and the nephews off the boat.

The four of them sat in the carriage, with Lu Ming still cautiously peering out of the lifted curtains.

Xiao Yu and the nephews were tense, highly alert.

However, they entered the imperial palace without any issues.

"We just entered like that?" Danzi remarked.

Xiao Yu also felt it was a bit too easy.

Lu Ming said, "That means we need to be even more cautious."

Xiao Yu and the nephews nodded in agreement.

Upon reaching the Third Palace Gate, they disembarked from the carriage.

The guards at the gate might have been bribed or oblivious, but Lu Ming couldn't help asking, "How is His Majesty today?"

"General Lu, I am not aware," replied the gate guard.

Lu Ming inquired further, "Has there been a large troop movement here today?"

The guard answered, "General Lu, I've only just started my shift half an hour ago and haven't seen any large troops."

It was a futile question, as expected.

"Let's go," Lu Ming said.

The uncle and nephews followed.

As they neared the Qianxin Palace, the soldiers couldn't proceed further. Lu Ming instructed them to act accordingly.

The soldiers acknowledged his command.

Lu Ming removed his saber and handed it to the palace guards.

The small crossbows held by the uncle and nephews were too small and, with the backing of the Crown Prince's status, they were allowed to keep them.

Xiao Yu felt a sense of relief touching the small crossbow in his pocket, recalling the great poet Du Fu's words, "To shoot the rider first, shoot the horse; to capture the thief first, capture the king." His little crossbow would soon be aimed at Zheng Weirong and his cohorts.

They walked swiftly, growing more tense as they approached the Qianxin Palace. Contrary to their expectations of chaos or guards on high alert, everything seemed normal until they suddenly saw four or five imperial physicians carrying medicine boxes, hurrying towards the Qianxin Palace.

"Father," Danzi couldn't help but whisper.

"Has something happened to the Emperor?" Minghe asked, stunned.

Xiao Yu's heart tightened with anxiety.

Lu Ming quickly grabbed one of the imperial physicians, "Palace physician, what's happened to His Majesty?"

The physician was startled, "General Lu?"

"What's happened to His Majesty?" Lu Ming asked urgently.

The palace physician replied, "His Majesty is fine."

Lu Ming was puzzled, "His Majesty is fine? Then why are you all rushing towards Qianxin Palace in such a hurry?"

"The Second Prince has suddenly fainted!" the physician said.

"The Second Prince?" Xiao Yu and the others exclaimed in shock.