The sandalwood in the study has burned out, leaving only a pile of cold ashes.
Yao Jingyi was sitting behind the desk, with an account book and a letter from the Treasure Pavilion in front of him.
The letter was just given by Yao Qing to Yao Jingyi.
The above records include the story line in which Liu Wenyuan and Yao Ke framed two hundred military bows on Zhou Mingde, and the story of Yao Ke asking Liu Wenyuan to frame Guiyuan Hall.
The sound of footsteps came from outside the door, not urgent nor slow, a rhythm he was familiar with.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, Yao Ke stepped into the study, bowed and saluted. "Father."
Yao Jingyi raised his chin and motioned for him to sit down.
Yao Ke sat down opposite, with his back straight.
He glanced at the account books on the table, recognized them as Treasure Pavilion, and said nothing.
Yao Jingyi leaned on the back of the chair and looked at him.
This eldest son has been the proud son of heaven since he was a child. He is good at both civil and military affairs. He is decisive and powerful in doing things.
Everyone in the house said that the eldest young master is like a father.
Yao Jingyi never refutes.
But now, when he looked at Yao Ke, he suddenly felt a little strange.
"Do you have any regrets about this matter?" He spoke in a calm tone.
Yao Ke thought for a moment, not sure which one his father was talking about, and finally replied:
"Treasure Pavilion, I do have some ambitions, but it's also for cultivation."
"Treasure Pavilion?" Yao Jingyi smiled softly, his eyes falling on Yao Ke's face, "I'm not asking about the Treasure Pavilion."
The study was quiet for a moment.
Yao Ke The expression on his face did not change, but his fingers tightened slightly on his knees.
Yao Jingyi picked up the letter paper on the table and threw it in front of him.
Yao Ke picked it up and took a look.
"Liu Wenyuan." Yao Jingyi spit out the name, his tone still calm, "You used him to frame Guiyuan Hall. Do you think the relationship between you and Liu Wenyuan is very hidden? No one can find out?"
Yao Ke raised his head and looked directly into his father's eyes. "Liu Wenyuan didn't miss anything. He was just acting in a show. Neither party is offended."
Yao Jingyi looked at him deeply, stood up, and walked to him.
"To achieve great things, either he doesn't need a handle, or if he does, he will never be able to stand up again." His voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail driven into Yao Ke's ears.
"What you are doing now is giving others a handle."
Yao Ke was silent for a moment, and then spoke, his voice a little lower than before. "Liu Wenyuan dare not retract his confession, he does not have the courage."
"He doesn't dare, but as long as things between you are leaked, everything will be lost." Yao Jingyi turned around, his eyes like daggers:
"You still think that your good-for-nothing brother is lucky?"
Yao Ke was blocked by this sentence.
He knew his father was right.
What he and Liu Wenyuan did before was not very clever, it was just that Yao Jingyi's identity was behind them.
And Liu Wenyuan did not follow him wholeheartedly, leaving plenty of escape paths for himself.
This was his problem. He was full of mistakes in his work, he didn't know how to treat people, and he didn't know how to control them.
"This matter ends here." Yao Jingyi walked back to the desk and sat down, picked up the cup of tea and put it down again, "I won't stop you from arguing with your brother, but don't get Yao Family involved."
Yao Ke stood up, cupped his fists and said, "Yes."
Come out of the study room.
Yao Ke stood there, looking at the darkness ahead, and the expression on his face became colder little by little.
Yao Ke villa.
Hu Zhong has been standing at the door of the study for half an hour.
He heard no sound inside, no footsteps, no turning of books, nothing.
After another moment of burning incense, the voice of Yao Ke came from the study, very soft, as if talking to himself.
"Who will win and who loses... it's not certain yet."
Hu Zhong subconsciously straightened his back and waited.
After a while, Yao Ke's voice came from inside, a little clearer than before. "Come in."
Hu Zhong Push the door and go in.
Yao Ke sat behind the desk with a gloomy expression.
There was an account book spread out on the table, but from the look on his face, it was obvious that he had not read a word of it.
"Go to Liu Residence to arrange some medicine." Yao Ke's voice was very calm, "Let Liu Wenyuan die in his sleep."
Hu Zhong's heart trembled, and he lowered his head and said, "Poison?"
"Didn't Guiyuan Hall just admit that there is a problem with the elixir?" Yao Ke sneered, "Then let him die here. It's logical and no one can find fault."
Hu Zhong hesitated for a moment, raised his head and lowered his voice. "Master, over there..."
"Don't worry." Yao Ke interrupted him, with a hint of impatience in his tone, "He doesn't care whether Liu Wenyuan dies or not, he is just a fifth-rank official."
Hu Zhong didn't ask any more questions and bowed to leave.
"Wait." Yao Ke's voice came from behind, a little colder than before.
Hu Zhong stopped.
"Do it more cleanly." Yao Ke said every word, "Don't bring back those who drugged you."
Hu Zhong paused, lowered his head and said "yes", turned around and exited the study.
Two days later.
Liu Residence.
Liu Wenyuan was lying on the bed, his face was peaceful, and there was even a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, as if he was asleep.
But he has been sleeping all day.
Madam Liu held her husband's hand. It was cold and could not be warmed no matter how hard she covered it.
There were footsteps outside the door, and the maid came in to announce that Imperial Medical Academy's people had arrived.
Madam Liu reluctantly sat up straight, wiped his face with a handkerchief, stood up and went out.
The person here is Dr. Wang from the Imperial Medical Academy. He has been practicing medicine in the capital for thirty years and has never seen anything like this, but the expression on his face is still a bit solemn at this moment.
"My condolences, madam." Doctor Wang clasped his fists and walked straight to the bed without saying anything else.
He first looked at Liu Wenyuan's face, then opened his eyelids and looked at his pupils, then took out a silver needle from the medicine box and pricked his fingertips and wrists.
When the silver needle is pulled out, the color remains as usual.
Doctor Wang frowned and felt for his pulse again. There was no pulse at all and his body was completely cold, but there were no traces of poisoning or trauma on the surface of the skin.
He straightened up and was silent for a moment, then turned to Madam Liu and spoke with a measured tone, "Madam, Mr. Liu... I'm afraid he is physically weak, exhausted mentally and physically, and the oil is exhausted."
Madam Liu was stunned.
She thought about many possibilities, but she never expected this result.
"Mr. Wang, you mean..." Her voice trembled, "My master is naturally..."
Doctor Wang nodded, shook his head, and said ambiguously, "Judging from the pulse and physical signs, there are no signs of poisoning or trauma. Mr. Liu has been weak these days, and he was frightened, and he is mentally and physically exhausted..."
He didn't finish what he said, but the meaning was already obvious.
Madam Liu opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
At this moment, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door.
The housekeeper Liu An stumbled in, his face full of panic, and he bumped his head against the door frame. He didn't even bother to be polite and threw himself directly in front of the bed.
"Madam! Madam!" His voice was shrill and hoarse, and he pointed at the corpse on the bed, trembling all over, "Guiyuan Hall! Guiyuan Hall's elixir must be poisonous! The master only got sick after eating their elixir!"
Madam Liu looked at Liu An, whose forehead was bleeding after being hit, and his face turned pale little by little.
She knew very well that Liu Wenyuan was not ill because of taking Guiyuan Hall's medicine.
But can this be said?
Dare you say it?
"Shut up." Madam Liu's voice suddenly sounded. It was not loud, but Liu An's voice stopped abruptly.
She looked at Liu An, her eyes were terrifyingly calm.
Liu An Something is wrong, he is too sure.
Liu An was so frightened by this look that he lowered his head and did not dare to say anything anymore.