Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 76 Framed Perjury
"What a powerful hypnosis!"

Hong Xian sighed and asked Murong Huan, "Could it be that you also came from that place? Was your hypnosis technique taught to you by your master?"

"You don't have to try to trick me. My master is completely different from yours. He has compassion for all living things and is devoted to the Way. He wouldn't be like the man in your dream, who would take innocent children for training, letting them kill each other, and ultimately turning them into killing tools for his own profit. Where is the place where you train?"

"I don't know. It's an underground dungeon, a very secret place. My master blindfolded me when I went out, so I don't know where it is."

Xuan Yu was so angry that he pressed the sword blade against Hong Xian's neck again, and Hong Xian let out a low groan.

Xiao Muchen said, "Forget it, Xuanyu, let's check what she has on her first."

"Here!"

After Xuan Yu accepted the order, he began to search Hong Xian from head to toe. His lack of concern for personal matters made Hong Xian giggle.

"Shut up, what are you laughing at?" Xuan Yu said angrily.

"My dear young man, you have touched my whole body, and you still don't allow me to laugh? I am a woman after all, and it's not right for you to do this."

"Bah, why didn't you feel embarrassed when you seduced my husband just now?"

"How can you be the same as Xiao Zhongcheng? If Xiao Lang were to search me, I would still be happy to do so!"

After she said that, she looked at Xiao Muchen with a seductive look, and her eyes once again became affectionate and pitiful. What was this look?
"Shut up! Wait a minute..." Xuan Yu seemed to have thought of something and suddenly realized, "Are you that Si Lu? The little crybaby?"

"Yes! Xiaolang finally remembered me. You threw me to Yuquan Villa and ignored me, making me so lonely."

As Hong Xian spoke, she seemed to have suffered great injustice and began to sob.

"What a good performance!"

Murong Huan asked doubtfully, "Si Lu was given to Xiao Zhongcheng by the saint. How did you end up among the beauties given by the saint?"

"Who says a beauty gifted by a saint can't be replaced? Besides, Si Lu was originally from the Wu family. The King of Wei found this beauty from one of his daughters and sent her to the palace to serve as a female official for the Saint. But Si Lu was so disappointing that she couldn't even find a good job with the Saint. Instead, she was given to Xiao Zhongcheng by the Saint. However, it was a lucky coincidence that it happened to suit the King of Wei's wishes, so I came to the Xiao Mansion in Si Lu's place."

From this point of view, the identities of the other beauties given to Xiao Muchen by the empress are not simple and are very suspicious.

Murong Huan pondered this and returned to the subject, asking, "Did you poison Xiao Zhongcheng?"

Hong Xian's expression changed, and she smiled, covering her mouth. "You are wrongly accusing me. I only entered the Xiao Mansion in June of last year, and was kicked out not long after arriving. How long has Xiao Zhongcheng been poisoned? Besides, I like beautiful women, and I can't bear to poison a man as handsome as Xiao Lang."

"But your ringing will cause him nightmares and worsen his toxicity."

"Really? I really don't know. I just wanted to lull him to sleep." Hong Xian said this and then changed the subject. "As far as I know, Xiao Lang's former stepmother, Cui, treated him very badly. Why don't you suspect that it was Cui who poisoned him, but instead suspect me?"

At this time, Xuan Yu, who had searched her body thoroughly, was very distressed and reported to Xiao Muchen: "My dear, we didn't find any letters or anything else on her."

Xiao Muchen looked at the red line.

Hong Xian curved her lips and smiled: "Why don't you give it a try, Xiao Lang? Maybe you can find something from me."

"Bah, how can you be so shameless, woman!" Xuan Yu couldn't help but curse.

Murong Huan said, "Let me do it!"

"Oh, young lady also likes to search my body, are you attracted by my good figure?"

"You are indeed very plump and have big breasts!"

Murong Huan spoke bluntly, and Xuan Yu chuckled, nearly choking on his saliva. "But I just don't know if such big breasts are real or fake?"

Hong Xian's expression changed, and Murong Huan said to Xiao Muchen and Xuan Yu, "Turn around!"

When Xiao Muchen and Xuan Yu turned around, Murong Huan reached into her bellyband and pulled out two pieces of silk.

"Why are you so rude, little girl? Be careful that no man will like you!" Hong Xian looked at her breasts which had shrunk in size and said dissatisfiedly.

At this moment, Murong Huan, who had read all the contents on the silk, had a changed expression. A line of blood-red words seemed to flash through his memory:

Duke Xingguo Su Dingfang wanted to collude with Tubo and deliberately rebel!

"My dear, are you feeling unwell?"

Hong Xian's words made Xiao Muchen turn around immediately, support Murong Huan who was holding his forehead with a headache, and take the silk from her hand.

"This is a letter of treason, a false testimony intended by the King of Wei to frame you, Prime Minister Di, Cen Changqian, and others for treason."

As soon as Murong Huan finished speaking, Xuan Yu was furious and said, "What! This Wu Chengsi is truly too despicable and shameless!"

"Following the peony banquet, court officials led by Prime Minister Di and Li Zhaode have repeatedly impeached Prince Wu Chengsi of Wei for being both a prince and prime minister, claiming he wields excessive power. They have recommended his dismissal. This morning, during court, Prime Minister Li beat Wang Qingzhi, the man who had recommended him for succession, to death outside Xuanzheng Hall. This incident must have sparked his desire for revenge, and that day is bound to come sooner or later."

"Then, sir, what should we do?"

Xiao Muchen looked at Hong Xian and asked, "Besides using this treasonous letter against me, what other plans do they have to deal with Di Xiang and the others?"

"Xiao Lang is so kindhearted. He can't even take care of himself, so why would he care about the lives of others?"

"Stop talking nonsense and speak quickly!" Xuan Yu asked impatiently.

"What other plans could there be? What is Lai Junchen best at? That's bah!" Her red lips parted slightly, and she slowly uttered two words, "Snitch!"

"Even if the informing is without any evidence, it cannot lead to the imprisonment of many prime ministers in the court, right?" Xuan Yu said.

"That depends on whether the Saint wants to kill this person. Perhaps one letter of denunciation is nothing, but if dozens of letters of denunciation are presented to the Empress at the same time, what do you think the result will be?"

Xiao Muchen fell silent, but Xuan Yu became anxious.

Gradually, half of the night had passed. The darkness outside became darker, and the waning moon disappeared into the clouds. A white fox jumped down from the window frame and rushed straight to Hong Xian, making angry howling sounds.

"Hey, what is this?" Hong Xian shouted angrily.

"Xueli, come here quickly!"

Xiao Muchen called out, and the snow fox jumped into his arms obediently again, turning its head and looking at Murong Huan and squeaking.

"It seems that Xueli likes you very much."

The room was silent for a moment, and Xiao Muchen suddenly said, "Hong Xian, you can go now!"

Hong Xian's eyes lit up, as if she couldn't believe it: "Xiao Lang is really willing to let me go?"

As she spoke, she stood up and rushed out the door.

But at this moment, Murong Huan's voice came from behind, "Hong Xian, you are a smart woman. I think you should make the right choice. The monk who bullied you is Xue Huaiyi, the abbot of the White Horse Temple, right?"

(End of this chapter)