Lidu Prefecture has been under martial law.
The city that was still bustling with singing and dancing the day before seemed to be blown by an evil wind, and in an instant it was empty, with only the lanterns that had no time to take them down swinging in the bleak wind.
No one dared to walk around in the street for fear of bumping into the Qi people who were searching for them, and they would be labeled as rebels against the party and arrested and interrogated.
The Huafang withdrew, and Qi Bing searched the boat inside and out, only to find the body of a dancing girl. The dancer died from a sword wound that cut her throat. The corpse held a sword spike in its hand, as if it had been accidentally torn off the murderer's sword. Usha always felt that the sword tassel looked familiar, and couldn't remember whose it belonged to.
Then I went to check the identity of the dancer and learned that this person should be the singer of Huachao Pavilion, but she was wearing a human skin mask. Guilaitang said that this was a hidden stake they put on the boat.
The murderer must be someone from Bingzhusi's faction, but there is no clue about the owner of the sword spike, so it becomes an unsolved case.
As for Xie Zhu, he has long since disappeared, and King Ling'an, who caused a storm in the city, can't even be seen.
A big shot also died that night, Huang Yankun, the magistrate of Lidu Prefecture, was assassinated in his carriage.
The coachman committed suicide during the interrogation. The murderer was unknown, leaving no useful clues.
When further investigation, it was said that a soldier entered the gate agency room with the prefect's token, but at that time everyone was nervous about the movement on the river, no one noticed the soldier's appearance, and the clue was lost again.
There is one person missing from the city—Xie Queshan.
Xie Queshan was supposed to go up the boat at the Western Bridge, but he went up at the Yonggui Bridge ferry ahead of time, and then disappeared from the boat and was nowhere to be found.
Things became complicated and confusing, and everyone in Lidu Mansion was panicked.
Usha lost his wife and lost his troops. Afterwards, he bit like a crazy dog. Anyone who encountered him would lose a layer of his anger.
The most irritating thing is that he spent a lot of money on Zhang Yuehui's place and got nothing. However, the profiteer made it clear in advance that this news may not be true. Usha also patted his chest and made a promise. Whether it was true or false, it had nothing to do with him.
There is no place for this fire to start.
But Zhang Yuehui, who seemed to be the only winner, was not as happy as he imagined.
Hua Chao Pavilion was particularly deserted today. There were no patrons, only the waiters occasionally passing by to sweep the place.
The sporadic sound of the piano sounded a little distracted.
After dialing a few notes in a hurry, Zhang Yuehui stopped without interest. He was rarely immersed in such a thoughtful expression, but he was at this moment.
Luo Ci stood aside, and he was even more confused.
"My boss, since you have long suspected that Bingzhusi's plan is fraudulent, why did you let things develop..."
"Who is more valuable, Xie Zhu or King Ling'an?"
"Of course it's King Ling'an."
"I am a businessman, and I want to do the most valuable business. Doubt is doubt. Before there is definite news, everything is possible. What I am selling is the possibility that King Ling'an will come on board. If we ourselves To prove that the possibility is zero, wouldn’t it mean that you are cutting off your financial path?”
Luo Ci didn't understand. Now that his boss had settled the matter, what else was there that he still couldn't figure out? Is it because he lost the general Chang Yan?
Chang Yan's identity has been discovered by Bing Zhusi, and she has lost her way out for a long time. The boss did this to maximize their profits.
Zhang Yuehui sighed and said: "The other party has calculated it accurately. Even if I have doubts, I will not stop him because I am a profit-seeking person... I am also a part of his plan, and even the key to the success of his plan. "
Only then did Luo Ci feel a chill go down his back - usually only the boss plots against others, and no one can plot against the boss.
Who is the other party?
Zhang Yuehui closed his eyes and frowned slightly: "The strangest thing is, why did Xie Queshan disappear? The plan has been completed. There is no reason for him to get burned at this time."
"By the way, Master, the widow of the Xie family you asked to keep an eye on suddenly fell ill yesterday and was moved to the Zhuangzi outside."
Zhang Yue laughed back: "It seems that this person is no longer in Lidu Mansion."
"What are they doing?" Luo Ci also felt more and more confused.
After a long silence, Zhang Yuehui still had no idea. Xie Queshan and the Qin family disappeared together. This was a very strange thing that others might not notice.
Who is this little widow, and how can she be related to anyone? However, I couldn't kill him several times, which was very difficult.
"Let's keep an eye on Xie Liu first." Zhang Yue rubbed her brows away in worry and said slowly.
*
Wangxuewu has become a territory ruled by the Qi people again. There are Qi people guarding the area to the west, and it is even more airtight than before.
Xie Sui'an sat calmly in front of the dressing table, looking at the girl in the mirror. Her long black hair fell on her shoulders, and there was no makeup on her face. All she had to do was done.
After sending away her third uncle's family and sister-in-law, killing the traitor Huang Yankun, and helping Song Muchuan stabilize the situation in Lidu Mansion, she only had one most important thing left.
Xie Sui'an picked up the scissors at hand and quietly and decisively cut her long hair short inch by inch.
News of Pang Yu's death had been delivered to Wangxuewu via an urgent military report, and everyone knew about it. Her sadness finally became justified.
Mrs. Gantang and Lu Jinxiu had just entered the hospital and were about to comfort Xie Sui'an when they saw the boudoir door slowly opening and Xie Sui'an walking out holding a memorial tablet.
Her hair, which had been cut short, was simply pulled back. She was dressed in plain clothes and had a white flower on her temple.
Lu Jinxiu was so shocked that her legs went weak. She realized something and asked sharply: "Xiao Liu! What are you doing?!"
Xie Sui'an firmly held Pang Yu's tablet and said: "My late husband has passed away. I am willing to enter Buddhism and accompany Qingdeng throughout my life."
"Are you crazy?! I didn't raise you to see you ruin your future! You unfilial daughter! You let go - you're not married yet, so you can do countless things!" Lu Jinxiu frantically pulled Xie Sui'an, and she instantly Losing her temper, she rushed towards her like a shrew to snatch the tablet from her hand, but she stood motionless and no one else could move her in the slightest.
Mrs. Gantang looked at her sister. Everyone in the Xie family has their own objections, and they have to hit the wall themselves.
"Is it worth it?" she asked.
"It's worth it," she replied.
Mrs. Gantang sighed and said, "If you think about it, just do it."
So Xie Sui'an entered the back mountain Buddhist hall under the watchful eyes of everyone. That was Xie Jun's place of house arrest. After she went in, it was impossible for her to come out again.
But Mrs. Gantang knew that she was using this decisive method to take over Pang Yu's burden and protect the new master of the world.
The gorgeous flower belonging to Xie Sui'an was buried outside the red door of the Buddhist hall before it bloomed.
This also caused those who tried to get some clues from Xie Sui'an to be disconnected again.
*
Xu Zhou looked at the girl kneeling in front of the Buddha statue. The colorful colors on her body when he first saw her had faded away, leaving only a dazzling white color, like sunlight coming from the distant sky.
"Your Highness, I will protect you from now on, until you ascend the throne smoothly, until I die." She said to the Buddha statue every word, as firmly as she made an oath.
Xu Zhou felt regretful: "Thank you Miss Liu, why should you be impulsive?"
"Your Highness, I did not act impulsively," Xie Sui'an smiled palely. "After I came out of the Buddhist hall last time, my gaffe almost exposed Your Highness's hiding place. I realized that my temperament is not suitable for working in a complex environment. A spy. I simply hid in the darkness and became a knife to protect His Highness."
"You can stay away from all this and live the life of an ordinary woman. The Xie family will protect you throughout your life."
"But who else is there to protect His Highness now?"
Xu Zhou was stunned for a long time. He raised his head and saw the gods and Buddhas, but the gods and Buddhas were silent.
——
When Nan Yi woke up again, he felt like he was back to the starting point.
The snow-covered Tiger Kneeling Mountain was where she first fled. But when she opened her eyes, it was still a deserted mountain road.
Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was placed on the horse's back with her head facing down. Only the horse's hooves and the road under her feet could be seen.
This is a wild horse with a rough coat and no horseshoes on its hooves. The horse was carrying her and she didn't know where she was going. She tried to move, but couldn't turn over.
But she could feel that there was someone behind her to block the wind, and there was another person on the horse.
is it him? He didn't kill her?
The horse's hooves soon stopped in front of an abandoned hunting lodge.
Xie Queshan got off his horse and walked up to her. Her vision was upside down, and she could only see the blood on his sleeves and slow movements.
This shows that the fight in the boat was real and she hurt him. After breaking up, there should be no room left between them. But he didn't kill her immediately, why did he bring her here?
She straightened her neck and raised her head with difficulty, looking at him with vigilance and hostility. They have all shown knives to each other, and there is no need to pretend at this moment. Pretending to be pitiful, pretending to be stupid, and begging for mercy will not work. They are naked enemies.
But when facing him, her biggest fear was that she would never guess what he was going to do, as if she were staring into the abyss without waves.
Without saying a word, he pulled her off the horse and dragged her into the hunting house without any explanation.
There are many hunting houses in Hukou Mountain where hunters temporarily rest. At this time of year, the weather in the mountains is bad and there are few prey, so the hunting houses are naturally deserted and inaccessible.
In order to prevent wild animals from getting in through the window in the middle of the night, the only window in the house was railed with iron stakes.
Like a cage.
Before Nan Yi could hesitate, Xie Queshan roughly pushed her to the window. He was seriously injured, and the front of his robe was soaked with blood, which looked shocking.
Under extreme pain, a person turns into a wild beast. He has lost patience with Nan Yi and every move is merciless. He loosened the rope slightly and tried to tie her to the railing, but she was not willing to be manipulated. When she felt the restraints loosening on her hands, she immediately started struggling.
His strength was still overwhelming, and he immediately resisted her movement with his body, and held both her wrists tightly with a big hand. From the corner of his eye, he saw that she was still subconsciously protecting the jade bracelet on her right hand, and his eyes darkened.
This is not a place where everyone is looking at Xuewu with a straight face. No matter how small the emotion is, it will be infinitely amplified and can be released at any time. He raised her arm above her head domineeringly and bumped her wrist against the railing as if to demonstrate. .
The jade bracelet hit the iron railing and made a crisp sound.
The iron bars trembled, and the remaining buzzing sound reached the depths of my mind. Nan Yi seemed to be frozen for a moment. Then the rope wrapped around her, tightly tying her hand to the railing.
This was his silent warning. At this moment, she was just a piece of fish on an anvil, ready to be slaughtered. She couldn't even save her own life, let alone this little jade bracelet.
"Xie Queshan - what are you going to do? Why don't you kill me!"
She yelled at him desperately.
He was excited.
This face that she had seen countless times now had a strange look on her face. She faced him for the first time, called out his name, and showed him her wild beast-like fangs. This was her truest face, he couldn't deny that she was a weak but powerful person.
It was always this side of her that made his heart tremble.
He actually felt a vague desire to conquer. Looking at her still struggling hand, he refused to give up the action of breaking away from the rope. He forcefully opened her palm and slid his five fingers between hers, trying to touch her ten fingers. Locked together, leaving her with nowhere to escape.
Confinement and entanglement are two sides of the same coin.
He was panting, and every movement affected his torn wounds, hurting the enemy a thousand times and damaging himself eight hundred times, but he did not move, his eyes unscrupulously taking in every detail of her face.
Nan Yi suddenly felt uneasy. He seemed to be slowly releasing a monster. The monster almost broke through the ice in the past few moments. She had never seen what it was, but she knew what it felt like when it came.
They were too close, as close as two beasts entangled together, losing their humanity and dignity, leaving only claws and wounds.
Even they don't know whether they will fight or embrace in the next second.
