Nan Yi had already trekked with Yu Cheng's army to camp in the deep forest to the north of the mountain.
She stayed in the military camp for the time being, learning some martial arts to strengthen her body. After she escaped the limelight and everyone in Lidu Mansion completely forgot about her, she went back to the city to help Song Muchuan accomplish things.
Ying Huai worked conscientiously as Nan Yi's martial arts master. He was very cautious at first, not knowing how far the lady would learn, so he carefully taught some tricks and embroidered legs, for fear that she would get bumped. But it's offensive.
Then soon, he discovered that Nan Yi was serious. Every morning, she would tie a sandbag and run in the mountains for an hour. When she came back, she would repeatedly practice the movements he taught against the wooden stakes. The weather was slightly warmer, but the cold wind was still biting. It was not war time, and many soldiers were even lazy, but she was the only one who weathered the storm.
He has always admired people with perseverance, and he became interested in teaching her and did not despise her because she was a woman. He treated everyone equally and trained her as a real warrior, but she never called timeout. She gritted her teeth and fell down in the mud pit and got up again. Her hands were covered with new calluses and became harder day by day.
But Nan Yi knew that this was not enough. She will always remember how vulnerable she was to the overwhelming power of Xie Queshan. There is a huge gap in natural strength between women and men, but not everyone will sympathize or respect women just because they are weak.
The weak will always be trampled on, and she wants to become strong as soon as possible.
The days passed quietly with a punch and a kick, the branches felt the spring first, and the branches that had been withered for a season sprouted flower buds inadvertently.
However, in a corner that no one noticed, there was an inconspicuous soldier who left the military camp during a break from hunting.
*
One day later, he appeared in Dajue Temple in Lidu Prefecture. Dajue Temple will be closed for seven days, rejecting all pilgrims, and will hold a grand Buddhist ceremony.
The soldier looked anxious and had something important to report, but Luo Ci stopped him outside the main hall and signaled him not to disturb his employer at this time.
The cast bell in front of the Buddha rang several times, offering three offerings and eight auspicious signs. Zhang Yuehui sat upright on the futon and knelt down, eyes closed and hands folded.
It's funny to say that he did all the treacherous things, but he was particularly devoted to gods and Buddhas, using flowing silver to offer incense to temples. Every year on the anniversary of the death of a family member, he would invite eminent monks to perform a ritual ceremony to chant sutras and bless his deceased family members.
The religious ceremony was not completed until dusk. After Zhang Yue came back, the soldier was led forward by Luo Ci. The group of people talked and went to the Zen room in the backyard together.
"The woman claimed to be Xie's wife... Later, a man named Song came. He only said a few words to our Captain Ying and didn't know who he was, so Captain Ying believed him and let him We evacuated to where we were originally stationed. Not long after we walked out, the tunnel exploded."
There are hidden stakes placed by Zhang Yuehui in the armies everywhere, and of course there are spies in the Yucheng army.
Even though he had long known where Yucheng's army was hiding, and when Qi Ren came to ask, he just said he had no clues.
First of all, the threat from Yucheng's army was neither small nor big. This piece of information could not be sold for much money, not to mention the hundreds of lives contained in it. He was not so crazy as to have killed so many men in vain. It was too much of a loss. Yin De.
Moreover, Zhang Yuehui doesn't sell any news. He likes to ferment a piece of news until it has the highest value before selling it.
Such as now.
The battle report from Qi Ren was that the Yucheng army was wiped out overnight, but he got completely different news. In this matter, the widow of the Xie family was involved, as well as the seemingly harmless Song Muchuan... It is even possible that this trader was the Xie Queshan who was behind the scenes.
This piece of news finally became valuable.
After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yuehui decided to attack the most critical and weakest part. After staring for so long, it’s time to close the net.
He ordered: "Catch that woman."
——
Phew - an arrow was shot from the bowstring, hitting the bull's-eye, causing the birds on the tree to fly off their branches. After a few seconds of silence, the girl's cheering sound could be heard.
Nan Yi was wearing men's clothes and had his hair tied up. At first glance, he thought he was a malnourished recruit, half smaller than others. There were some mud spots on her face and she looked slovenly, but she didn't look embarrassed at all, and her body exuded vigorous and healthy vitality.
After practicing archery for several days, this was the first time she hit the target.
Unconsciously being infected by her, Ying Huai also showed a smile on his face and praised: "Madam is very talented in archery."
Nan Yi smiled and said, "I like archery."
"Why?" Ying Huai was a little curious.
She once had a small Hidden Arrow, which was the first weapon that belonged to her. Even when she was sleeping, she would tie the Hidden Arrow tightly to her wrist, like a talisman, which helped her turn disaster into good fortune several times.
Every time an arrow is shot, it is a small gamble. You can only decide the moment of shooting, but you cannot decide what the arrow will encounter on the way and where it will eventually land. Uneasy, expecting, all the senses in the body were opened, focusing on that small arrow. She likes this feeling.
She had to admit that she was not a law-abiding person at heart. She was keen on taking risks, and that person did give her a satisfactory weapon.
But why does she always think of him? Maybe it's because of what he left on her, which can be called a brand, lingering on her every move.
It was annoying, and she wanted to forget it all.
Nan Yi didn't answer Ying Huai's question, put down his bow, and suddenly became less interested.
"I just said it casually... I don't really like it," Nan Yi said, eyes averting, "I'm going to get some food, I'm hungry."
With that said, Nan Yi left in a hurry. When I walked near the camp, I heard soldiers talking.
"He's actually going to die?"
"Yeah, he said he died of serious injuries. I heard that when I went to pick up the food."
People are born with the instinct to listen to gossip, especially when they hear about birth, old age, illness and death, they always prick up their ears subconsciously.
"He was stabbed in the heart that night in the Yuan Dynasty. No matter how good the doctor was, he was unable to save his life."
Then the name popped into her mind unexpectedly.
"For a traitor like Xie Queshan, it is easier for him to die like this. He should be quartered by five horses to relieve his hatred!"
Nan Yi's steps suddenly froze in place.
How could it be possible? He was such a cunning person. She even doubted that the Lord of Hell could be manipulated by him. How could he die?
Seriously injured and incurable? Was it the one she stabbed her with? Did she kill him? There's no way she's capable of that.
She even let out a chuckle to show her disdain for the news.
He wanted to kill her. What did it have to do with her whether he was dead or alive?
Nan Yi took a few steps forward numbly, but a strange feeling came over her. It felt like someone was holding the corner of her clothes, and she couldn't help but look back. His mind was in chaos, the sounds around him turned into a distant hum, and the colors in front of him turned into strange and dizzying patterns.
She didn't know what was going on, she didn't know why the news of his death had such power and made her so sad.
But her eyes were dry, and she clearly didn't want to cry, but all the strength in her body was taken away.
Someone helped her: "Madam, what's wrong with you?"
A clear voice called her back, and she stood up again relying on Ying Huai's strength, her face turned pale.
Ying Huai looked at her with concern and confusion.
Nan Yi took a breath and said, "I want to go to Lidu Mansion."
Ying Huai was a little surprised: "You're leaving now?"
"I'll be back in one day."
"Then I'll send someone to follow you."
"Need not!"
Nan Yi's categorical refusal shocked even Ying Huai - she sent someone to protect her, why was she so resistant?
Realizing that his tone was a little strange, Nan Yi quickly explained: "I'm afraid that when people in the military camp go in and out of the ferry with me, the Qi people will notice something strange, which will expose the position of Yucheng's army. I am a woman, and there will be no one like me. Pay attention to me, I’ll be back in a day.”
Nan Yi didn't want anyone to know that she was going to see Xie Queshan.
This is an extremely ridiculous thing. She knew it was unnecessary and even dangerous, but she couldn't restrain herself from walking towards him.
She always thought of him, with hatred and unreasonable pain. She didn't know how to deal with her emotions. Those obscure and forbidden secrets were rumbling in her chest day and night, and she could not explain them to humanity.
She attributed all his influence on her to hatred. She just hated him so much that even if she died, she would watch him die with her own eyes. She wanted to see how the eternal prison collapsed, and she wanted to verify whether that hard-hearted man really had the same birth, old age, illness and death as a mortal.
She wanted to see the end. Only in this way could her hatred return to dust.
Ying Huai always felt that Nan Yi was a little weird at the moment, but after all, he was not Nan Yi's boss and could not interfere with her decision. Seeing that she was very determined, he sent two people to follow Nan Yi from a distance and escort her to the ferry.
He thought that after crossing the river, he would reach Lidu Mansion. There would be Bingzhusi there to take care of him, so nothing would go wrong.
Nan Yi immediately set off and reached the ferry without stopping and got on the boat.
The boatman was dressed as usual, wearing a big bamboo hat to cover his face.
The boat sailed towards Lidu Mansion.
The last time they met was during a bitterly cold snowstorm, but now the wind blowing in front of them had a hint of warmth, which made people feel like they were in another world. Nan Yi was absent-mindedly in a daze, and did not notice that halfway through the journey, there was only this small boat on the river.
Suddenly I heard the boatman say: "Oh no, girl, the bottom of the boat is leaking."
Nan Yi was startled and stood up to take a look. As he approached the boatman, he saw a flash of silver light in his hand. Nan Yi subconsciously hid, but it was too late.
The man moved quickly and quickly inserted a silver needle into the back of Nan Yi's neck. Nan Yi still wanted to struggle, but the effect of the medicine dissipated into her western limbs in an instant. She closed her eyes weakly and fainted.
Under the bamboo hat, Luo Ci raised his eyes.
He was still worried about how to kidnap people from Yucheng's army, but his boss said that people's hearts are not monolithic, and you will know once you try.
So they did some tricks and spread the false news that Xie Queshan was about to die to her ears. Sure enough, not long after, she ran out of the military camp alone and wanted to enter Lidu Mansion.
I don’t know how my boss figured out that the widow of the Xie family had a close relationship with Xie Queshan—just because they disappeared together on the Lantern Festival?
Luo Ci looked at the unconscious woman on the boat and felt a bit familiar for some reason - it was also the first time he saw Nan Yi. After all, she is a married woman who lives in a deep house and doesn't show her face that often. He didn't ask her about her appearance in detail before. The spy who was following her only said that she was a pretty, pretty young woman.
Luo Ci frowned and looked at it for a moment, and then he remembered that she looked a bit like the woman in the portrait.
But the woman in the portrait is more fragile and pitiful, as if a gust of wind can blow people away, and the woman in front of her is a member of the Bingzhusi party who can camp in the mountains with Yucheng's army. These two people are fighting each other. No, it's just that the facial features are somewhat similar. He quickly gave up his thoughts. How could the old man his boss was looking for be the widow of the Xie family?
The boss had to complete a seven-day ritual in the temple, so everything outside fell on Luo Ci's shoulders.
But what to do, his boss has already told him, he just needs to follow the steps.
The boss said that if the news of Xie Queshan's death can lead this woman out, then the direction is right. She must know many secrets, and the most critical piece of information is Xie Queshan's position. No matter what method is used, it must be tortured out of her mouth.
At that time, Song Muchuan, Xie Queshan, and Bingzhusi will be able to be caught in one fell swoop. This is a lucrative business.
Of course, the boss also told me that she is a woman after all, so don’t make it too bloody.
In other words, if you deserve to be punished, you must be punished.
