allonlinenovel Chapter 1133 The Seashell Bracelet Given by a Mysterious Person
Chapter 1133 The Seashell Bracelet Given by a Mysterious Person
Zhang Qian led his men back to the Wu family ancestral home to search. The door to the Wu family's secret room was open, and there were still live baby toads inside, just like the situation in the Living Buddha Temple, where they were kept in pottery jars.
The government sealed off the Wu family's old residence, and now news has spread that Wu Yirong, the prefect of Jiangzhou, colluded with foreign bandits to raise poisonous substances and harm the people.
The Wu family's secret was exposed, and the entire city of Jiangzhou was in a state of panic. No one expected that Prefect Wu was the truly wicked villain.
As soon as Wu Yirong fled, officials throughout Jiangzhou wrote memorials accusing him of all the evil deeds he had committed over the years, including deceiving his superiors and concealing his wrongdoings.
On Jiang Fenghua's desk were piles of accusations against the Wu clan of Jiangzhou. She put down her wolf-hair brush, handed the secret letter to Xun Yao, and said in a deep voice, "Send this secret letter to the Emperor as fast as possible."
Xun Yao said, "The manpower is all ready. Does Your Highness really intend to go to the Northwest and not return to Shengjing? But His Majesty has ordered me to escort Your Highness back to Shengjing..."
"We won't go back to Shengjing; we'll go straight to the Northwest."
Jiang Fenghua knew she should go back, but Xie Shang was in the Northwest, and he looked exactly like Baili Shang. The Mu Qi family would definitely kill Baili Shang. The Mu Qi family's illusion magic didn't seem to work on her, and she guessed it was because of Danji Aruan.
The red spider lily flower decoration on her forehead has returned. Perhaps the spirit of the one from a thousand years ago was protecting her from the shadows!
"Hongxiu, send a message to Tan Wanqing and Fourth Brother, asking them to go to the Northwest to help..."
"Yes." Hongxiu took out an envelope from her bosom and said, "Your Majesty, news has come from Shengjing. It is a letter from the eldest princess to Your Majesty."
"Bring it here quickly."
Jiang Fenghua's eyes welled up with tears after reading the contents. Her daughter had truly grown up; she was taking good care of her younger siblings and told many amusing stories. The first person the Third Princess called out after she learned to speak was her eldest sister...
The court was always managed by ministers such as Grand Tutor Pan and Grand Tutor Jiang, and the inner palace was also quiet.
The letter was not delivered through official channels, but secretly by a merchant caravan from Xiangya Pavilion, and it had been there for some time.
Jiang Fenghua took out her mother's jade pendant and thought to herself: Someone must have sneaked into the Jiang family. They had arranged everything before leaving the capital, and it was impossible for an ordinary person to sneak in and steal the jade pendant. Who could have infiltrated the Jiang family and stolen the jade pendant?
Soon, news came from the Feng family in Yuzhen that everything was fine at home and that Old Madam Feng was safe and sound. Since the incident with the Bai family, the Feng family had become even more cautious.
With Old Master Feng in charge, Jiang Fenghua wasn't worried.
Jiang Fenghua went to see Hu Kui again.
Hu Kui was kept under guard. He neither made a fuss nor tried to run away; he was quietly imprisoned in the dungeon.
He saw Empress Jiang come to the prison in person and bowed respectfully, saying, "This humble subject greets Your Majesty the Empress."
Jiang Fenghua had the prison cell opened before saying, "I'm going to the Northwest to see the Mu Qi family. Do you want to come?"
Hu Kui paused for a moment, then said, "I have already avenged my brother's family, and their spirits can rest in peace now, so I will not go."
"Since the golden toads haven't been completely wiped out, your great revenge isn't complete, is it?"
Hu Kui was stunned. "I'm just an ordinary citizen, I don't know anything..."
"I find you to be clever and quick-witted. Would you be willing to stay by my side and serve me?"
Hu Kui was taken aback and didn't know how to answer. "This..."
"Speak, I want to hear the truth from you. Who exactly instructed you to come before me and accuse Wu Yirong of his evil deeds?" Jiang Fenghua asked in a deep voice.
Hu Kui knelt on the ground, "What...what does Your Majesty mean? My humble brother has been murdered."
“Hu San has no brothers at all. Wu Yirong wants to catch villagers to feed the golden toads, and he is looking for people who have no relatives or support. Hu San’s family lives in poverty in Plum Blossom Village and rarely has any relatives to visit. Whose side are you on?”
Knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Hu Kui finally said, "This humble subject is indeed not Hu San or Hu Kui. My master sent me to seek revenge for Hu San's family from Her Majesty the Empress. My name is A Tu."
He had a keepsake hidden in his hairband—a seashell bracelet with a uniquely carved pattern.
He handed the seashell to Jiang Fenghua, saying, "My master said that if Her Majesty the Empress recognizes this seashell bracelet, she will know his identity."
Jiang Fenghua took the bracelet and examined it repeatedly. Only then did she remember seeing this in her dream. Women in the Yinchuan Kingdom a thousand years ago liked to wear this style of jewelry.
Who would give her a woman's bracelet, like a token of love, that doesn't look a thousand years old, like a replica?
"What is your master's name? How old is he? ...Where are you from?"
A'Tu shook his head, "The Empress will know when she goes to the Northwest."
Jiang Fenghua frowned. "You're also from the Northwest?"
“Yes.” Atu added, “The Northwest is a vast region. Not only is the Yuezhi clan based here, but there are also other powerful families, such as Wuyan, Cila, and hundreds of other surnames.”
"These are all things your master told you to tell me." Jiang Fenghua also knew that the world was vast. In her previous life, she had always stayed at home. In this life, she had only been doing business to earn money and learn skills. She had never been to any more expansive places.
She added, "Your master wants me to eliminate the Yuezhi clan so he can reap the benefits."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Atu's face. "No, this humble servant does not know what Master is thinking."
"Do you know about the Yuezhi Holy Maiden? How much does your master know about their illusion magic?"
Atu shook his head, "I don't know. I haven't been with my master for very long. The Yuezhi people are a powerful force in the Northwest. No one dares to provoke them. As for what illusion is, I don't know either."
Atu wasn't lying. "I'm actually from the Central Plains. My master met me while traveling in the Central Plains. I was starving to death at the time, so I followed my master. Later, I traveled around with my master. My master is a very strange person. I don't even know what he looks like. He must be very old!"
Jiang Fenghua found it increasingly strange. Since he knew about Yinchuan Kingdom and the Yuezhi people raising toads in the Central Plains, why didn't he just go to Shengjing?
"Lead the way for me!" Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice. Who was pulling the strings behind the scenes? No one knew what had made that person so mysterious.
After settling matters in Jiangzhou, Jiang Fenghua and her entourage officially set off for the Northwest.
The Yuezhi elders didn't kill Bai Yuhan and Wan Qianshan, but instead took them away. This is probably related to the green-eyed toad of the Bai family, which has already recognized the Bai family as its master.
The weather gets colder as you travel northwest. Atu said that it had already started snowing heavily in the northwest, making the road ahead even more difficult. It would probably be even harder for the soldiers of the Great Zhou to fight against the Northern Xiao Kingdom in the northwest.
When Jiang Fenghua arrived in the Northwest, she couldn't help but marvel at the vastness of the land beyond the Central Plains.
The northwest wind is sharper than a knife.