Duan Xu said that he had no great reputation, he was obviously too modest.
"Duan Shunxi? Who in the court doesn't know this name?"
The pearl in He Simu's hand shone, the moonlight was bright, she was sitting on the roof of the prefect's mansion wearing a cloak, holding her chin with one hand and the pearl with the other, listening to the sounds coming from inside.
"The Duan family has three generations of Hanlin scholars, and they are royal relatives. Duan Shunxi's grandmother was the eldest princess of the previous dynasty, and the elder sister of the late emperor. His father Duan Chengzhang was the Minister of Rites before he was dismissed from office due to illness. His family is a famous family of civil officials. He entered the imperial court as an official in the second place of the imperial examination two years ago, and his future is limitless."
He Simu leaned on the roof, looked up at the bright moon and said, "Who is Duke Pei?"
"Oh, old ancestor, you still know Duke Pei. There are two factions in the court fighting each other to the death. One faction is Prime Minister Du and the other is Duke Pei. Duan Shunxi's father is Prime Minister Du's confidant, so he is naturally a member of Du's party. Now the emperor likes to appoint young people. Prime Minister Du is old, and Duan Shunxi has a strong background and is loved by Prime Minister Du, so he is being trained as a future prime minister."
"Unfortunately, he has a mortal enemy, the top scholar who passed the imperial examination in the same year as him, and now serves as the Imperial Counselor Fang Xianye. Fang Xianye was born in a poor family and was originally a retainer of Duke Pei. After passing the imperial examination, he naturally became a member of Duke Pei's staff. This kid is smart and thoughtful, and he always outshines Duan Shunxi."
"During the previous Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the emperor suddenly had an idea to invite the talented people to discuss military strategies. Duan Shunxi defeated Fang Xianye this time and was highly praised by the emperor. As a result, Duke Pei immediately submitted a petition, saying that since Duan Shunxi has the talent of a general, he should be trained more. The emperor was so happy that he appointed Duan Shunxi as the general of the guard."
"Duan Shunxi was originally a secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, but his path to becoming a prime minister was marred by complications, and he ended up in a military position. He was born a civil official, and had no foundation in the army, so it was inevitable that he would make mistakes when he went to the Guard. Fang Xianye found the right opportunity, impeached him and sent him out of the capital, and sent him to the Tapai Army to serve as a general. Unexpectedly, he encountered an invasion by the Huqi as soon as he arrived at the Tapai Army, and the general of the Tapai Army died in battle, so he was appointed as the general of the Tapai Army."
He Simu rubbed her temples, shaking the pearl in her hand, and said, "I understand. He must be a well-known unlucky guy who is well-known to all of you."
From a prominent family, a candidate for prime minister, to a precarious position as a general at the border, it's no wonder that Meng Wan was like a firecracker that could be ignited at any time, clamoring to protect Duan Shunxi.
He Simu looked at Duan Xu's room not far away. It was late at night, but the room was still dimly lit. His figure was cast on the window, as tall and straight as a pine tree.
"But I think this young general seems to have no worries at all. He smiles all day long and has no complaints about his situation." He Simu supported his chin and said nonchalantly, "Is he really open-minded and indifferent, and goes with the flow? In this world, after ten years of hard study, does everyone want to be a prime minister?"
"If there is a chance, I'm afraid the emperor would want to do it too, hahahaha. Duan Shunxi is famous for his bright personality, smiling whenever he sees someone, but who knows what he thinks in his heart? He comes from a distinguished family and is talented, doesn't he want to be second to none?"
"Ah... How boring."
The world is bustling with people all for the sake of profit. This young general is just an ordinary mortal, trapped in this world of fame and fortune, going back and forth in this life.
Once you have seen the sea, you will never be impressed by the water. Her uncle is the most kind, gentle and strong person she has ever seen in the world. How can the Sword of Breaking Delusion have such a master before, and still use such a vulgar person
At the same time, Duan Xu, who was reading a military newspaper in the room, sneezed. The officer in the room immediately looked at Duan Xu and asked, "It's snowing heavily today. Did the general catch a cold?"
Duan Xu shook his head. He put down the military newspaper and stared at the lights for a while, then raised his eyes and looked at the officer.
"Qingsheng, have you caught the person who tried to assassinate me today?"
Xia Qingsheng looked ashamed, holding his sword, and said, "Not yet. The thief was very skilled in martial arts and escaped very quickly. We lost him. General, you must bring guards with you when you travel in the future, otherwise it will be too dangerous."
Duan Xu was not known in the southern capital for not liking to bring followers. For a young man of his status, bringing four or five servants with him was considered low-key, but he always went alone.
According to him, he had been robbed before, and the servants who had taken care of him for several years tried their best to help him escape, but all of them died at the hands of the robbers. He was nostalgic for the old times, so he did not want to take on new servants.
When this argument spread in Nandu, Duan Xu gained a good reputation as a sentimental person.
"He is a martial arts expert... He chose a very hidden position on the corner tower. He was able to aim at me from such a long distance. He is indeed an expert." Duan Xu ignored Qingsheng's advice and spoke softly.
"Even if you were by my side, you might not be able to detect the assassin."
Duan Xu smiled lightly.
What’s more, she is just an “ordinary” girl who doesn’t know martial arts
The moon was at its zenith. Xue Chenying woke up from a nightmare and found that his little sister was not in the room. He called out a few times but got no response, so he went to the yard again with the candlestick to look for her, but still couldn't find her.
He stood there in a daze for a long time, and the scene in the nightmare seemed to reappear. Shen Ying gradually panicked, holding the candlestick, pushed the door and ran to the street, shouting "Little Sister!" all the way.
Where did the little sister go
Did the little sister think he ate too much and left him alone
Chen Ying's eyes gradually became wet with tears, and the street in front of him was hazy. He thought of his mother and father, and all his deceased relatives. They all disappeared after he woke up one day and never came back. This seemed like some kind of ominous metaphor.
The person he didn't see when he opened his eyes, he might never see again in this life.
Because it had snowed all day, there was a layer of ice on the ground. Shen Ying walked while crying and accidentally fell.
The candlestick fell to the ground, and the light went out with a "puff", emitting faint green smoke.
Just as the lights went out, a gentle female voice sounded, vague and indistinct.
"What's wrong with you, kid? Why are you crying?"
Chen Ying raised his head. On the cold, desolate and silent street, ten steps away from him stood a young woman in a green jacket.
The snowflakes that had finally stopped began to fly again. She stood in the dark, and only her delicate and exquisite outline could be seen. Jadeite hung from her ears, and in her hands she held a large jar with black and white baby play patterns.
Shen Ying staggered to his feet, looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he stood there awkwardly.
"I'm looking for someone." He whispered.
The woman then took a step forward, her footsteps making no sound in the snow.
"Who are you looking for?"
As he got closer, he could see her red lips with a smile on her lips.
Shen Ying hesitated for a moment, but still answered her: "I'm looking for... Miss He Xiaoxiao, do you know her?"
"He Xiaoxiao? I know this person best. I know where she is. Mother will take you to find her." The woman took another step closer to Chen Ying.
Shen Ying took a step back unconsciously. He was like a wild animal, instinctively sensing danger. He said in confusion and caution: "My mother died a long time ago, and she didn't look like you. Why do you claim to be my mother?"
The woman fell silent, and the smile on her lips slowly faded. It was eerily quiet, with only the sound of the cold wind blowing through the flags and signs in the street.
The woman took another step forward, this time she walked completely into the light. Shen Ying then discovered that her eyes were completely black, without any whites. And the jar with baby play patterns in her arms was covered in blood.
The delicate hand holding the jar was stained with fresh blood, which flowed from her palm along the body of the jar and fell drop by drop onto the snow.
The surroundings were so quiet that one could almost hear the sound of the blood drops hitting the snow.
She didn't seem to feel anything was wrong. She blinked her dark eyes, smiled gently, and said in a gentle and persuasive way: "It's not now, but it will be soon. Come, come to mother quickly."
Shen Ying stared at the woman in astonishment, shaking with fear.
Out of his most instinctive fear, he wanted to turn around and run, but his legs instinctively became weak and uncontrollable. Xue Chenying could only shout in vain: "You... you don't come over! I want... I want to find Little Sister! She can... she can perform magic tricks!"
Magic tricks were obviously useless for exorcising evil spirits, but Shen Ying didn't know what skill could be more frightening.
The woman walked towards Chen Ying with a smile, but a sudden loud cry came from somewhere, startling the crows on the eaves.
"Captain Meng, it's her! She's so evil! She violated the curfew and injured several of our brothers!"
A group of patrolling soldiers came across from the street next to them. Five or six of them stood between Chen Ying and the woman, and the leader was Meng Wan.
She looked back at Chen Ying, thinking, isn't this He Xiaoxiao's younger brother? Then she turned around and drew her knife to face the strange woman in front of her.
The woman had stopped moving forward, looking unhappy.
Meng Wan looked into her dark eyes. She had never encountered such a strange thing before. She tightened her grip on the knife and asked, "Is this woman possessed by evil spirits?"
"If you don't want to die, get out of the way! Give me the child!" The woman's face was ferocious and she roared almost like a beast. Her nails grew longer rapidly and she opened her mouth to reveal her sharp fangs.
Meng Wan's hands trembled, and he was unsure. When the woman rushed over, he raised his knife and shouted, "Old Xu, Old Wang, take this child away!"
In a split second, the woman suddenly opened her eyes and mouth wide, her dark eyes full of disbelief, her anger turned into great fear. The next moment, her legs softened and she fell to her knees, her fangs and claws completely disappeared, she crawled on the ground and trembled, shaking like a lamb to be slaughtered.
Meng Wan still maintained the posture of holding the knife, staring blankly at the young woman kneeling at his feet, unable to understand why her attitude changed so drastically in such a split second.
"Please... Please forgive me..."
The young woman was so frightened that she could not speak clearly. She just kept on kowtowing with such force that her body pounded on the ground with a thud, as if she felt no pain.
“Who exactly are you…” Meng Wan looked at the young woman warily, but before he could finish his words, he saw a puff of smoke passing by, and the young woman disappeared without a trace.
It was so quiet all around that it seemed as if the woman just now was just an illusion.
"Oh my god, this woman is really a ghost!" The soldiers behind her were stunned for a moment and someone exclaimed.
"Look at the evil that the Huqi people have done. They have massacred the city, which is such a terrible disaster. It will definitely attract some unclean things!" The soldiers talked among themselves.
Meng Wan turned back with lingering fear, and was about to ask about Chen Ying's situation, but unexpectedly she saw a figure behind her at the end of the long street.
The figure was wearing a lotus-pink fur cloak and a veil. The black veil fluttered in the wind over his shoulders, and his features could not be seen clearly. He stood calmly in the falling snow, as if the darkness around him was caused by his gloomy aura. The only thing that was alive about him was the flickering blue light around his waist.
This is... Duan Xu's veil
Meng Wan was stunned. Before she could ask, the figure suddenly took the initiative and cried out in a shocking manner, as if the clay doll had come alive. She ran to Chen Ying while crying and holding up her skirt, squatted down and stroked Chen Ying's little face.
"Chen Ying! You scared me to death! Are you okay? My sister is all alone now, and she depends on you for everything. Don't let anything happen to you!
Shen Ying was infected by her and threw herself into her arms and cried, "Wow, little sister, I came out to find you! But I met a strange woman. She is so scary!"
The wind blew up the black veil under the veil. Meng Wan looked at the brother and sister hugging and crying, and then she confirmed that the girl was He Xiaoxiao.
"That monster was so arrogant just now, how come it suddenly disappeared?" Old Xu from the night patrol team asked in confusion.
Without waiting for Meng Wan's analysis, He Simu cried, "It must be Captain Meng's wisdom and bravery. The evil spirit was frightened by your aura and dared not act rashly, so it had to flee!"
Meng Wan looked at the knife in his hand suspiciously, then looked at the direction where the female ghost disappeared, and asked uncertainly: "Is that so?"
The soldiers seemed to have suddenly been enlightened and began to agree.
"This girl is right. As both of us are women, you are a female general who protects our country, but she is a female ghost who harms people. Any ghost with a bit of dignity should be ashamed!"
He Simu stood up, she held Shen Ying's hand and wiped her tears and said, "Thank you Captain Meng for saving us siblings."
Meng Wan put the knife back into the sheath and frowned, "What are you doing as a sister? You let your brother go out on the street alone in the middle of the night. Don't you know there's a curfew?"
He Simu twisted her fingers pitifully.
Meng Wan looked at the frail little girl in front of him, and her distinct black and white eyes, and thought that he might have been too nervous just now, which was why he saw it wrong.
He Xiaoxiao was standing at the end of the long street at that time. When the wind blew up the black veil, she seemed to see a pair of dark eyes in an instant, just like the female ghost.
Maybe it's an illusion.