The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 456 - 424: The Paintings Are Only Clues (First Update)

Chapter 456: Chapter 424: The Paintings Are Only Clues (First Update)

Looking at Xue Yinhuan, who didn’t seem to be lying, Song Yuanbao asked again, "Did he say anything before he left?"

"No, he just came to ask for a jar of wine and then left."

Song Yuanbao pondered for a moment, "May I ask boldly, why does Elder Qi like the wine Miss Xue brews?"

Xue Yinhuan no longer hid anything, "My biological mother is from Jiangnan. My ancestor once worked as a brewer in the palace. After retiring, he returned home and passed down the brewing skills. My mother taught me when I was young, and I have improved it a bit myself, so perhaps the taste is quite different from elsewhere."

Song Yuanbao understood, "Thank you, Miss, for the enlightenment."

Xue Yinhuan glanced at Zhao Xi subtly, seeing the other sit as still as a statue, she withdrew her gaze, "Is Young Master Song done asking?"

"Uh, yes, I’m done." Song Yuanbao nodded, "Tomorrow I’ll have someone deliver the only copy to you, Miss."

Xue Yinhuan looked happy, "Thank you."

...

Leaving the Minister’s Mansion, Song Yuanbao looked up at the sky, "It seems Elder Qi is intentionally avoiding us. Should we search or not?"

Zhao Xi, regretting not getting the mechanical beast into the palace, shook his head, "Forget it, let’s report back to the palace first."

Upon entering the Imperial City, Song Yuanbao returned to Yutang Palace, while Zhao Xi went to Qianqing Palace to see Emperor Guangxi, truthfully reporting Elder Qi’s departure overnight. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Emperor Guangxi frowned upon hearing, "So, it’s because the mechanical beast was exposed that he suddenly left the Capital?"

"I also don’t understand the reason," Zhao Xi dared not speculate wildly.

"Immediately arrange for the Jinyi Guard to investigate." Emperor Guangxi was determined, "Make sure to bring the man back unharmed."

"Father..." Zhao Xi said urgently, "Elder Qi’s character is peculiar and not easily subdued. If we do this, I’m afraid it might backfire."

Emperor Guangxi looked at him, "So, Xixi, do you have another idea?"

"I think the most urgent thing is for us to find the mechanical beast diagram first, then spread the word, and Elder Qi will naturally show up."

"By reason, that’s the way to do it, but the mechanical beast diagram..." Emperor Guangxi suddenly thought of something, called Mr. Cui in, "Summon Marquis Wu’an to enter the palace for an audience."

Mr. Cui whispered, "Emperor, have you forgotten? Recently, it was said that the Old Marquis was prohibited from entering the Imperial City."

Emperor Guangxi indeed did not remember, rubbed his eyebrows, "Then, do it like this. Pass my decree, and have the Wu’an Hou Mansion hand over those four paintings."

Zhao Xi, puzzled, could not help but ask, "Father, what paintings?"

"Aren’t you looking for the Divine Weapon Atlas? The diagrams are within Mr. Liu’s paintings."

Zhao Xi was even more confused, "Divine Weapon Atlas? In paintings?"

"It’s a long story." Emperor Guangxi decided to make it brief, "When the Jin Dynasty Liu Family was exterminated, one person survived. He was later famous for his calligraphy and painting, Mr. Liu. Mr. Liu devoted his life’s knowledge to embedding Liu’s Divine Weapon Diagram into four paintings, and now, those four paintings are in the hands of the Old Marquis Lu at the Wu’an Hou Mansion."

Zhao Xi, who had never heard of this secret, was very shocked, "Could it be that those diagrams really still exist?"

"True or not, find the items and you’ll know."

Before the mechanical beast appeared, Emperor Guangxi never believed the one-sided words of Old Marquis Lu.

But now, his mind was set on obtaining Liu’s Divine Weapon Diagram.

Such divine weaponry, no ruler can remain indifferent after seeing it.

...

Mr. Cui quickly went to the Wu’an Hou Mansion, only to be told that Old Marquis Lu was not in the Capital, so he immediately returned.

When Emperor Guangxi learned that Lu Feng had left with the four paintings, he looked displeased, "Did you ask where he went?"

"I asked everyone." Mr. Cui replied, "From the old lady to the cleaning boys, they all said they didn’t know."

Emperor Guangxi sneered, "They don’t know, or don’t want to say?"

Mr. Cui’s body shook, "Does the Emperor want to arrange people to search?"

"Of course, we must search. Those four paintings were sought by the late Emperor, they don’t belong to the Lu family. To dare to hide them is treason! Cui Fuquan, inform the Jinyiwei Commander immediately to take people and bring Lu Feng back."

Zhao Xi interjected to stop, "Father, since we know the paintings are with Old Marquis, we can negotiate terms with him to let him part with them. Deploying the Jinyi Guard seems too severe. The Old Marquis is also a reasonable person."

Emperor Guangxi did not listen, waving his hand, "Don’t get involved in this. Wait until the paintings are brought back, then I’ll send for you to decipher them."

"I still think it’s inappropriate." Zhao Xi insisted, "The Jinyiwei handles major cases. Old Marquis Lu himself has not committed any crime. If you send the Jinyiwei to seize him, it will surely cause public outcry. Then, it will be hard for us to handle."

"But what if he refuses to hand over the paintings?" Emperor Guangxi looked at Zhao Xi, "Do you know Old Marquis Lu that well? Yes, he is loyal, but his loyalty is to the late Emperor, not me.

Those paintings were sought by the late Emperor. Before the atlas is revealed, how could he easily give them up? Tell me, should I let him discover the atlas’s secret and secretly forge mechanical beasts to rebel, or should I act first, and before he gains the atlas, seize the paintings?"

These words fully indicated Emperor Guangxi’s deep-seated vigilance against the Lu family.

Zhao Xi realized that no matter what she said, she couldn’t change her father’s decision, so she shut her mouth and stopped trying to persuade him.

...

With the Jinyi Guard dispatched, it wouldn’t be difficult to track down the whereabouts of Old Marquis Lu.

Days later, the Jinyiwei Commander appeared in Ningzhou with his subordinates.

Old Marquis Lu was found in a farmhouse near Black Wind Mountain, accompanied by none other than Elder Qi, who had left overnight some days before.

Elder Qi was one of the mechanical masters left by the late Emperor to assist Old Marquis Lu.

The reason Zhao Xi was able to meet Elder Qi and that mechanical beast so smoothly was all part of the plot set up by Old Marquis Lu, aiming to make Emperor Guangxi believe in the existence of Liu’s Divine Weapon, so that his search for the diagram could proceed unimpeded.

But Old Marquis Lu calculated everything, yet did not expect that after Emperor Guangxi learned of the real existence of Liu’s Divine Weapon, he would not only fail to support his continued investigation but also directly send the Jinyi Guard to seize the painting.

The Jinyiwei Commander was an acquaintance of Old Marquis Lu, and it was difficult to act overtly, so he politely exchanged greetings.

Old Marquis Lu looked at him warily, "What wind brings Commander Yang to Ningzhou?"

Yang Yi smiled slightly, "It’s the Emperor’s decree."

Wherever the Jinyi Guard shows up, nothing good comes of it.

Elder Qi was filled with indignation, "What, are you planning to openly rob us?"

"If the two seniors willingly hand over the paintings, then the people I brought will be unnecessary."

Elder Qi glared, "What if we refuse?"

Yang Yi cupped his hands, "Then I have no choice but to act according to the law."

They haven’t committed any crime, yet come to seize their belongings under the guise of law enforcement?

Elder Qi’s face darkened.

Old Marquis Lu, fearing he would act rashly, reached out to stop him, "Forget it, give them the paintings."

"But we just got a lead..."

Meeting Old Marquis Lu’s gaze, Elder Qi swallowed the latter half of his sentence, turned, and went into the thatched hut, rolling the four paintings into scrolls and placing them in a box, which he then handed to Yang Yi.

Yang Yi took them, wearing a half-smiling expression, "Thank you, seniors."

Old Marquis Lu saw him hand the box directly to a subordinate and reminded him, "Commander isn’t planning to verify their authenticity? Once outside this gate, we two old fellows won’t take responsibility."

"No need to verify," Yang Yi replied confidently, "I trust the Old Marquis wouldn’t dare deceive the Emperor, nor would he gamble with his family’s lives."

Elder Qi watched the Jinyi Guard depart with a grim face and then turned to ask Old Marquis Lu, "We’ve already found clues to decode the diagram, why give up the paintings?"

Old Marquis Lu said, "Finding a clue doesn’t equate to finding the final diagram. Letting them take it is fine; the Emperor can likely find someone more capable to uncover its secrets."

"Someone more capable? Who?"

Old Marquis Lu smiled silently.

Who else could it be?

The only one with an appraisal ability comparable to his own was Song Wei.

With the paintings in the hands of his disciple, he wouldn’t be worried.

...

On New Year’s Eve, when Emperor Guangxi received the four paintings, he summoned Song Wei into the palace without waiting for him to finish his family reunion dinner.

On his way, Song Wei had already roughly heard from Mr. Cui about the reason for Emperor Guangxi’s sudden summons.

Upon entering the Imperial Study Room, he indeed saw the four paintings hanging side by side.

Emperor Guangxi waived his salute and got straight to the point, "Scholar Song, being an expert in this field, can you tell whether my paintings are real or fake?"

Before today, Song Wei had seen these paintings more than once and was already familiar with the critical points for determining their authenticity. After a quick glance, he concluded, "Your Majesty, they are all genuine."

Emperor Guangxi smiled contentedly, "It is said that these four paintings contain the Liu Family’s Divine Weapon Diagram from the Jin Dynasty. This task falls to you."

Song Wei moved closer to the paintings for a careful inspection and then turned to Emperor Guangxi, "In my humble opinion, these paintings are merely key clues; the real diagram is not within the paintings."

His remark intrigued Emperor Guangxi, "Then, where do you think the diagram might be?"

This question, since the last time his master brought the paintings to him for decoding, had been on his mind, "The Jin Dynasty was several hundred years ago, and there have been significant changes over these centuries. The person hiding the diagram must have chosen a location that would remain unchanged over hundreds of years, so descendants could accurately find it based on the clues."

Emperor Guangxi racked his brains but couldn’t figure it out, and looked at Song Wei again, "What kind of place?"