A Sword of Frost

Chapter 61: A light snow

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In the early morning of the next day, Wang Zhixia said that he was sick and did not go to court, but Wang Dong, although his face was still sallow and in a daze, stood firmly in the ranks of civil servants, without any delay in the matter at hand, talking about the tax reform in a weak voice, Not to mention that the courtiers were moved, even Li Jing specially gave him a seat.

In another secret room of the palace, Wang Wanshan was lying on the bed, coughing softly. Although he saved his life that day because of the golden silk soft armor, after Youyou woke up, he was told by the eunuch that he had become a "dead man", and he was still quite frightened. The bedroom was dark, and his mood was also dark. He lay skinny and flat on the bed, and when the quilt was covered, he could hardly find a human figure.

"I really haven't seen the secret map of Zichuan." He was deeply distressed, "General Lu...His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, when the first emperor was alive, the most taboo thing was to mention Heisha City. They all know that they should stay far away, and more than 20 years have passed since the incident, so why do I still look through it?" Whether it is the treasure map or the art of war, seeing that I have a few years before I can retire and return to my hometown , where is the mood to get involved in these messy things

Ji Yanran said: "Why do I hear people say that Mr. Wang and General Lu seem to have a good relationship back then?"

"It's not bad, but it's not just a humble minister who is 'not bad'." Wang Wanshan said, "General Lu is young and promising, and the previous emperor relied heavily on him. He is considered a first-class celebrity in the court. Although he is brave and fierce in battle, he is sincere and easy-going in private, and when he smiles, he is somewhat similar to the young master Liao back then, such a hero with a bright future, but also easy-going and amiable, who wouldn't want to make friends with him?"

"What about the Battle of Black Sand City?" Ji Yanran asked again, "Have you heard anything about Mr. Wang?"

"There are indeed many rumors among the people, but I have heard of them, and the old general Liao and the prince must have heard of them too." Wang Wanshan sighed, "It's all just provocations with ulterior motives. No one should believe it."

He understood the meaning of Ji Yanran's words. Recently there have been rumors among the people that in addition to the treasures and the art of war in Zichuan's secret map, there is also the truth about the battle in Heisha City that year - it is said that it was a blood book written by General Lu himself at the last moment. In time to see the light of day, whether the defeat was due to rash advances and underestimation of the enemy, or because the former emperor deliberately delayed in order to get rid of the thorn in his side, perhaps the truth can be revealed.

Who doesn't want to know the truth? But if the price of prying into the truth is too high, most people will stop. How can there be so much blood and justice, and the most important thing is to live a good life.

Thinking of this, Wang Wanshan is inevitably a little ashamed.

"My lord." Eunuch Desheng said respectfully outside the courtyard, "The emperor is waiting for you in the imperial study."

Outside the palace, Yuchichu's mansion was built in Gujiu Hutong, with nine bends and eighteen bends. Although it is inconvenient to travel, it is better than quiet. It is busy outside in the early morning, but the sound of wind blowing grass leaves can still be heard here.

He was sitting in the study, thinking dizzily whether he should go to court tomorrow. After all, it was not an option to keep calling himself sick and hiding at home.

Wang Wanshan died, and his death went smoothly, every step was in the plan. But for some reason, he never waited for the master's next instruction, which had never happened before. So he had to think carefully about what the worst possible reason might be—whether he was not doing his job well, his whereabouts were exposed, and the emperor noticed something strange, so he became the master's abandoned son.

Can be abandoned, is it really enough to abandon it

A chill ran down his back, and he instinctively looked out the window.

The bright morning sun and the fragrance of spring flowers all over the yard seemed to be as usual.

He suppressed his anxiety and walked back and forth in the room, maybe, maybe he was thinking too much.

Two black crows landed on the branches, "quack" uttered a hoarse and piercing sound.

Yu Chichu frowned in disgust, and was about to throw stones down, but the housekeeper hurried in and said, "Lord Wang Zhixia is here."

"What is he here for?" Yuchi Chu was puzzled.

"It seems to be related to the emperor." The housekeeper probed, "Do you want to see the master?"

Usually, Wang Zhixia seldom visited the door on his own initiative, and it was rare that he came here once, probably because of something serious.

Yuchi Chu also couldn't figure out the situation: "Let's go and have a look."

Wang Zhixia was waiting in the front hall, with a bearded face and rumpled robes, he was moaning and sighing, compared with the flirtatious old wit in his usual life, he seemed like a different person.

Seeing his dignified appearance, Yu Chichu was also taken aback: "What happened, Mr. Wang?"

"Brother Yuchi." Wang Zhixia looked around and whispered in his ear, "Master asked me to come."

Yuchi Chu was startled when he heard that: "You..."

"Is there a place to talk?"

"Yes, you... come with me." Yu Chichu didn't dare to slack off, and led him back to the study in a hurry. After unscrewing the vase, a secret passage appeared on the wall.

After the two of them entered the secret passage together, the mechanism was closed immediately. Faced with this sudden situation, the shadow guard sent one person back to the palace to report, while the rest continued to stare. After about half a cup of tea, the secret passage was reopened, and this time only Wang Zhixia came out. He brushed off his sleeves, closed the mechanism leisurely, and whispered a few words to the butler outside the courtyard before leaving Yuchi Mansion.

But he didn't go home.

Instead, he continued to walk deep into the alleyway, looking around furtively while walking, with his right hand inserted into his left sleeve, as if he was holding something important. Just like this, he walked all the way to the deepest part of the alley, and then he stopped and let out a sigh of relief.

The two big inner shadow guards who followed him looked at each other, not understanding what was going on. Seeing that Wang Zhixia was already squatting on the ground, as if he was trying to fiddle with something, but was blocked by his back and couldn't see clearly, he wanted to quietly change direction. When moving around, the toes step on the tiles, and there is a slight "knock" sound, which is weaker than that of mosquitoes and flies.

Wang Zhixia moved his ears, and a cold light flashed between his fingers.

Only then did the two shadow guards see clearly that what the other party had been holding tightly in their hands was not a secret letter or a map, but a few hidden weapons.

However, by the time they realized it was a trap, it was too late.

A vast expanse of hoarfrost flashed before my eyes, like a heavy snowfall in early summer.

"Boom" and "Boom", the heavy body fell to the ground.

Only then did Wang Zhixia adjust his clothes, and left Gujiu Alley swaggeringly.

At the same time, the housekeeper of Yuchi Mansion finally sensed that something was wrong, opened the secret room tremblingly, and took a look inside.

Yuchi Chu sat with his back to the entrance, stiff and straight.

A large puddle of glaring, meandering blood underfoot.

"Help! Killed!"

The voice was sharp and hoarse, and a large group of crows on the eaves were startled by "hula la", and a large black misty net was woven on the blue sky.

Wang Dong stood at the gate of the palace, watching all this from a distance, the most ominous omen, and endless fear.

After a while, he stomped his feet hard, turned around and ran back.

"Did you just die like this?" Jiang Lingfei was surprised when he heard that, "More than a dozen inner shadow guards stared at him, did he just die like this? That murderer was too arrogant." After finishing speaking, he rejoiced, "It's a good thing you didn't listen to me Let the emperor halve the shadow guards around Yu Chichu, otherwise it will be your responsibility."

"The other party is more than just arrogant." Ji Yanran said, "He is even more careful and bold. Perhaps he is quite familiar with the affairs of the court and China. He guessed that Yuchi Chu had been exposed, so he took the initiative to eradicate him. He also knew that only Wang Zhixia, who was also a suspect, was disguised. , the shadow guards will not stop them."

And the real Lord Wang Zhixia, when he was lifted up from the bed by the Imperial Forest Army, was still at a loss as to what had happened, and yelled for a long time, "The Emperor's lesson, I really haven't seen the secret map of Zichuan", almost fainted from fright, melancholy Until now I am still sobbing and choking, feeling that I am very unlucky.

"The two shadow guards wrote a vague word 'Snow' on the ground before they died." Jiang Lingfei guessed, "Is it Mu Chengxue?"

"Yinyumen has not found this person's whereabouts for the time being." Ji Yanran said, "But even if it is really Mu Chengxue, he is only a murder tool."

"But at least this tool can be tried." Jiang Lingfei frowned, "If you have the guts to assassinate an official, is it possible to let him go so easily by accusing the court of not asking about Jianghu affairs?"

"The Fengyumen is already investigating." Ji Yanran said, "Nothing useful was found in Yuchichu's mansion, and this group of people is really impeccable when they do things."

"If I didn't have the wrist, I wouldn't have been lurking in the court for many years." Jiang Lingfei asked again, "Is there anything I can do? Apart from being with Master Yun."

"Keep an eye on Ghost Thorn." Ji Yanran ordered, "Tell him not to talk nonsense when he sees a doctor."

"I understand." Jiang Lingfei nodded, "Until the blood ganoderma is found, the ghost thorn can't die. But you have to hurry up, otherwise let this old lunatic wander around the room every day, let alone the master of the cloud gate, even me It's annoying to watch."

In the Guest House of the Wangfu, Master Yunmen was talking to Qingyue, he had been lying on the bed for two days, although he had no strength, he was not bad in spirit.

"Is the prince back?"

"I'm back." Ji Yanran just opened the door, holding a bowl of chicken soup in his hand, and said with a smile, "It was just stewed in the kitchen."

Qingyue hurriedly reached out to pick it up: "Thank you, my lord."

"Aren't you going to see Miss Xing'er?" Ji Yanran said with a good temper, "The guards in the mansion are saying that Miss Xing'er is beautiful and intelligent, and it seems that someone bought snacks for her today."

Qingyue was surprised: "Really?"

Yun Yifeng also kindly reminded: "Go and have a look, don't lose your sweetheart if you haven't finished your work."

Qingyue was honest and prudent. Hearing what the two of them said, she naturally didn't think of the complex aspect of "Master actually thought she was in the way, so he deliberately found an excuse to distract her", so she hurried out to see it. Only then did Ji Yanran breathe a sigh of relief, and sat on the side of the bed and asked, "How do you feel today?"

"It's much better." Yun Yifeng said, "I heard what happened outside, and thought you would stay in the palace tonight."

"I would like to stay, but there are always people in the emperor's study." Ji Yanran blew cold chicken soup for him, "Guess who it is?"

Yun Yifeng thought for a moment: "Wang Dong?"

Ji Yanran nodded.

Wang Wanshan was assassinated by Yuchichu, and Yuchichu was assassinated by someone who disguised himself as Wang Zhixia. After careful calculation, the only one who stayed out of the matter was Wang Dong. And I heard from the guards of the palace that today Wang Dongdu had already reached the main gate of Qing Dynasty, but he did not return to the mansion, but stood there blankly for a while, then suddenly ran to see the emperor again, and stayed in the imperial study for several hours.

"If the witch's curse is true, then judging from the current situation, Wang Dong should be the most suspected person." Yun Yifeng said, "My body is fine, the prince should return to the palace quickly, the emperor is probably finishing talking with Wang Dongmi After that, it's time to call you."

Ji Yanran approached: "I miss you."

Breathing suddenly collided, Yun Yifeng shrank back instinctively, but looked at Ji Yanran with a smile: "What are you hiding?"

Master Yunmen thought silently, he was just talking, and you suddenly posted me, so I naturally wanted to hide.

Ji Yanran held his shoulder with one hand and was about to pull him closer when Wu Suosi's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"My lord, the emperor is here."