There are twelve squares in the east and west of Taijing, and each square is divided into several small squares, which are blocked by high walls.
The names of Dafang are still official, and they are all auspicious words piled up with good words and good words. They are similar to the era names issued by the imperial court. Some of the names of the workshops have been used for hundreds of years and have not changed.
Those small squares are different, especially the lively places, where there are many restaurants, brothels, and every night, ordinary people gradually move away, leaving only merchants doing various businesses.
Dongcheng Peony Square is such a place.
In the past, there were delicate red lanterns hanging, and the Peony Square, which was full of laughter and laughter, was quiet.
The Imperial Guard and the patrolling yamen were at Fangkou, and they were still searching the shops.
Although they didn't try to rob it, the people in Peony Square couldn't help being shocked, and they shoved some copper coins and silver notes in the past, hoping that these evil spirits could leave as soon as possible.
The Guards who received the money only changed their attitude a little bit. They did not relax in the search, and they tended to be stationed here.
Peony Square is the largest fireworks and willow alley in the capital. There are many fish and dragons here, and at the same time, there are a lot of unsightly businesses. The Guards casually checked, and they brought out hundreds of people with suspicious identities.
Of course, people who come out to have fun will not carry the road guide with them. The city guards of the Taijing government office will come in handy. Those who are rich or wealthy at home and hang out with the Peony Square are quickly recognized. , without being brought out for separate seizure.
This time, the Guards are targeting those who are armed with sharp weapons and who are suspected of being reckless.
Those local ruffians who had dirty hands and feet on weekdays and ran around to steal and cheat were also arrested and handed over to the government to interrogate suspicious people who appeared in the market.
Many Jianghu people were exposed like this.
The Praetorian Guards did not push them too hard, but only sent people to surround these flower buildings with crossbows, claiming to search for rebellion. Those who did not have a murder case on their bodies, or those who were particularly daring, surrendered wisely when they knew that they could not escape depending on the situation.
Anyway, at most a few days in jail.
Chaotang and Jianghu generally do not offend each other. Even if there is an order for strict investigation and arrest, if the limelight is over, the soldiers at the bottom will turn a blind eye and let it go. Because Jianghu people are all desperados, and if they are pressed, accidents will happen. Who wants to die
For this reason, there was no major trouble in Peony Square. The Janissaries in charge of searching and blocking this area also breathed a sigh of relief. The most likely place for the chaotic party to hide is Peony Square, in addition to the farmhouses in the suburbs of Beijing.
It seems that the scale of this rebellion is not large, and there is nothing to worry about.
As soon as the atmosphere relaxed, life became much better.
Those who hid in the house yesterday and dared not say a word, today open the window and stretch out their heads to watch the excitement.
In the alley at the end of Peony Square, there is a shop with an old plaque and a narrow facade.
There is a small building behind the shop, together with a weedy yard, this place has naturally been searched again, and the things inside have been turned over in a mess.
The guy looks like a thief, and often works for a while, then runs to the door to take a lazy look.
The shopkeeper did not reprimand, but coughed hard.
After coughing three times, the guy came back with his head drooping.
"It's been almost two days and two nights, and the ban has not been lifted. There are only some rotten cabbage left in the shop. What else do you eat?" The man kept complaining.
Every household has some rice grains, but not much of the perishable vegetables and fruits.
Especially the servants and servants in Peony Square, they don't live in this place at all, and they are trapped as soon as the door is closed. Many people were so anxious that the corners of their mouths blistered and they were restless.
The Guards had long noticed the abnormality of the guy in this shop, and when they heard this when passing by, they looked away.
The guy turned his back, changed his expression, and pouted at the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper quietly entered the back hall, looked around, carefully opened a mechanism on the wall, revealing a dark hole, and jumped down.
This is not a cellar, but a huge secret room.
After a winding passage, the eyes suddenly opened up, the furnishings were rich and noble, and there were cheesy, golden objects piled up everywhere. The translucent gold-sprinkled curtain turned out to be a dark pattern of ingots, and there were also two huge copper coin charms hanging.
There were four or five people sitting in the secret room, but the clothes were completely inconsistent with this place full of copper odor. Those with swords and knives were more like people in the rivers and lakes. The head of the old man had a purplish red birthmark on his right face. The shape was strange, just like the head of a wolf, and he looked very hideous.
"How's it going outside?" the old man with the wolf-headed birthmark asked in a deep voice.
The shopkeeper hurriedly bowed and smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if the wind is blowing. I have already sent someone to check the situation secretly. In two hours, there should be news from the imperial city."
The old man was very dissatisfied, and snorted heavily: "What did you say, two hours? Isn't your Fengxing Pavilion known as the omniscient of the world? You didn't find out the plans of the Qingwu ancestor before, but now you have changed in the capital. I don't know, Fengxing Pavilion should smash the signboard, so as not to be laughed at."
The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with an unremarkable face, and it was estimated that he would not be found in the humiliating pile. Hearing the old man's ridicule, he didn't have the slightest anger, he still laughed and said: "To tell the truth, the incident happened suddenly, and we were caught off guard. Half of our pavilion's staff in the capital were sent to Shangyun Mountain, and now Delayed outside the city; due to a natural phenomenon, the pavilion master sent some people out to inquire about the news, and the square door was locked and could not come back for the time being. But don’t be impatient. Once the patrols and searches are loosened, they will be able to come back one after another. already."
"I hope so." The old man stroked his beard and looked ugly.
He didn't know what to think, but a murderous intent appeared in his eyes.
The shopkeeper didn't seem to see it, and still said with a smile: "Entering the door of Fengxing Pavilion, we are the guests of Fengxing Pavilion. Before the transaction is completed, Fengxing Pavilion will properly ensure the safety of our guests..."
"Boom."
There was a sound from above everyone's head, as if someone was hitting the ground.
The shopkeeper's smile froze on his face, and the old man stood up vigilantly holding the weapon.
"Safe?" The old man looked at the shopkeeper sarcastically.
The shopkeeper's eyes were straight, and he said "impossible" in his mouth.
The underground secret room in Fengxing Pavilion was built very solidly. It also specially bought the wall-building recipe of Yizhou Perak Hall. Not to mention digging, even if gunpowder is used, it may not be able to explode immediately. Unless you pile it up with gunpowder and burn the street to the ground.
And because there are several pipes buried, the sound from the outside can be heard in the secret room, but it is difficult for people outside to hear the movement of the underground through the solid and thick walls.
"Dong dong."
The sound was audible and rhythmic, and it sounded like a knock on the door.
The shopkeeper's expression changed, and he couldn't help walking to the corner to open a door. A few small mirrors were cleverly installed in it, so that he could see the movement in the courtyard above the secret room.
A young man walking around
This shopkeeper is the chief steward of Fengxing Pavilion. He has read countless people and has extremely poisonous eyes. He could see at a glance that the second prince's clothes and weave were different from those on the market.
Not necessarily expensive, but very rare.
Looking at the young man's demeanor, he is obviously someone who is used to giving orders.
The shopkeeper was puzzled that such a young man with an extraordinary background was running around like a follower. Judging from the appearance of this young man, it was obvious that he was listening to the opinions of his peers.
But the shopkeeper couldn't see the man, and just in a hurry, the sound of dong dong sounded again.
At the same time, there was a deliberately slowed-down joke: "Is there anyone down there?"
"… "
Even if there are people, they will not answer!
The guy at the shop in front ran over with a sad face and tried his best to stop him: "This guest officer..."
"What kind of guest officer, the outside inspection is so strict, will the people who can show up in your shop be ordinary people?" The young man raised his eyebrows and reprimanded very rudely.
The man nodded and bowed, and said with a bitter face, "Yes, yes, our Fengxing Pavilion trade is fair, I don't know what the distinguished guests want?"
At this time, the shopkeeper finally saw the back of the "knocker".
- Not an ordinary person.
"I don't buy news. I want to find a hidden place. I pass by this place occasionally and find that you have a nice secret room." Meng Qi said calmly, "The place is big and the ventilation is good. Why don't you rent it for three or five days? , we can negotiate the price."
"Hmph, what a big breath."
It was too late for the shopkeeper to stop him. He watched helplessly as the old man with the birthmark pushed him aside and shouted angrily at the pipe used to peek into the yard, "Why is this junior so arrogant?"
"Don't open your mouth and shut your mouth and talk about the juniors. Since you are pretentious, why don't you sign up for a name?"
Meng Qi was in high spirits. He learned this kind of incision and habit from storytellers, and he didn't have much chance to use it on weekdays. But this time, he has been dealing with the people of Jianghu all the way from Yongzhou to Taijing with the doctor.
He knocked twice on the ground with his heel, and there was a continuous sound from the top of the secret room.
In addition to using internal strength, it is also because the Taijing dragon veins have a good grasp of the things hidden in the ground, and they can always find weak points, and they seem to be knocking in the hearts of everyone.
That guy is okay, the people in the underground secret room are already facing a formidable enemy.
The old man turned his head, glared at the shopkeeper and asked, "Is there no one in Fengxing Pavilion? How dare an unknown person be so provocative."
The shopkeeper was sweating profusely. In fact, of course, not only he and his buddy were here, but also many people from Fengxing Pavilion were staying in the small building behind the shop. For some reason, there was no movement there.
The old man finally couldn't hold back, and he was about to leave the secret passage with his weapon in hand. The shopkeeper quickly dissuaded him, saying that the intention of the other party was unknown, and he should hide in the underground secret room for safety.
"Safe? I think this secret passage is about to be demolished!" the old man sneered.
If you don't go, do you have to wait to be buried in the ground
Meng Qi put his hands behind his back and watched the old man rush out aggressively.
"What is your honor?"
When the old man saw Meng Qi's face, he subconsciously felt dangerous, but he couldn't think of when such a person would appear in Jianghu.
The people behind him had already rushed over, because they were worried about attracting the attention of the guards outside, they were quick and ruthless, and they were in front of Meng Qi in the blink of an eye.
In the blink of an eye, they fell to the ground.
Meng Qi's right hand was behind him, and he was leisurely and free.
The old man was even more shocked when he saw that his subordinates were inexplicably planted.
"It turned out to be—"
The shopkeeper who climbed out of the secret passage sucked in a breath of cold air, his face turned pale and he seemed to faint immediately.
At this time, everyone's eyes couldn't help but focus on the shopkeeper, including the guy in the shop. He didn't recognize who Meng Qi was, and he was extremely puzzled.
When Mo Li walked into the courtyard from the shop, he happened to hear Meng Qi ask the shopkeeper:
"You look like this, do you know my identity?"
The shopkeeper nodded as if pounding garlic, and said in a trembling voice, "I didn't know that Master Meng came to this pavilion in person.
"I don't remember seeing you." Meng Qi thought to himself, everyone who had seen him was trapped in Shangyun Mountain, how could he get the news back
"No, I'm sorry to speculate," the shopkeeper said with a pale face, "Fengxing Pavilion has a branch in the capital that is a coffin shop. It received a few deals three years ago. I took this opportunity to inquire about your appearance... A while ago, there were rumors on Yongzhou Road that the former state master appeared and stepped on the river in front of everyone's eyes. I think you really came back to Taijing. So I dared to guess. There is such a master of martial arts, but no one has seen it before. , isn't it only the national teacher?"
Mo Li's footsteps paused, and the words sounded familiar.
"The villain is not talented. As the chief steward of Fengxing Pavilion, although I dare not say that I know all the masters in the rivers and lakes, I know all the people with great looks and good looks, and I also have a portrait in my hand."
On the shopkeeper's face, it was almost written, "The ancestors of the Taijing people, the rivers and lakes Bai Xiaosheng can't be called, but I have a hundred beautiful pictures in the rivers and lakes".
Looking at Meng Qi with a stiff smile, Mo Li coughed dryly and was about to change the subject when suddenly Meng Qi's eyes lit up and he said to himself.
"You wait to sit in the well and look at the sky. It's hilarious and generous. How can you all know all the heroes in the world, such as this one, do you know who he is?"
The shopkeeper turned his head to look at Mo Li, and was stunned for a moment, as if he was in confusion.
Ink carp: "… "
He seemed to hear this man thinking in his heart, yes, as good as it is, who is Meng Guoshi
The author has something to say:
The little leader who sells news, do you guess the legendary former national teacher is an extraordinary beauty, or an unparalleled beauty
The leader of the Jianghu organization that sells news: …