With a loud bang over there, the figures of Yan Ke and Duan Xu disappeared from the treasure mirror in the palace of Yuzhou City.
The corners of He Simu's mouth flattened, and the wind threads wrapped around her tightly. The room gradually began to shake. The ghost energy on her body surged and filled the entire palace, and even spread to the entire Yuzhou City like a weapon. The whole city shook as if it were an earthquake.
Jiang Ai was so overwhelmed by the evil spirit that she fell to her knees. She raised her head with great effort and said to He Simu, "Your Majesty... Simu! Calm down!"
He Simu opened his dark eyes and whispered, "Hejia Fengyi, do you want to die?"
The turbulent ghost energy from her body went straight to He Jia Fengyi in the hall. He raised his cane unexpectedly, but saw Zi Ji, who had been unknown beside him, suddenly standing in front of him.
The ghost energy dissipated when it hit Zi Ji. The power spreading from Zi Ji was like water extinguishing a raging fire. It suppressed He Simu's ghost energy and spread all the way, dispersing the ghost energy and calming the vibration of the entire Yuzhou City. The power suddenly burst out, and in a moment it was all retracted, leaving no trace.
Jiang Ai covered his mouth in astonishment, while He Simu looked deeply at Zi Ji, who was unharmed.
Zi Ji stood in front of He Jia Feng Yi and said calmly, "He came to inform you in person the first time. He was careless, but he knows he was wrong."
He Jia Feng Yi poked his head out from behind Zi Ji and blinked with lingering fear. He Simu looked at the large red spots on He Jia Feng Yi's body due to allergies, closed his eyes and turned his head away.
Jiang Ai looked at He Jia Fengyi, then glanced at He Simu, cleared his throat and said tentatively: "Simu, you... the Ghost King Lantern is actually your life gate? Is it okay for you to tell Yan Ke about your life gate?"
"I can't let him use Duan Xu to threaten me again." He Simu said coldly. She rubbed her forehead and said, "He is reluctant to destroy the Ghost King Lamp. After knowing this, he will spare Duan Xu's life in order to defeat me."
This is Duan Xu's only hope.
In the ghost prison set up by Yan Ke, after hearing what He Simu said, he was so angry that he smashed the spiritual weapon in his hand. He turned around and saw Duan Xu on the wooden frame opened his eyes, raised his head and looked at him with dark eyes.
"She won't save me?" Duan Xu said this, his eyes trembling, as if he couldn't believe it.
It seems that he heard everything that was said just now. Yan Ke saw Duan Xu's sad look, and a vicious pleasure rose from the bottom of his heart. He laughed and said: "I have said that she has never lacked lovers. What are you? It's just a passing cloud. She is willing to use the Ghost King Lamp to save you because she has a backup plan. If it really hurts, she will abandon you immediately. You have been deceived by her. You are just a plaything!"
The more he spoke, the louder his voice became, and he became more and more angry, as if he wanted to vent all the humiliation he had suffered from He Simu on Duan Xu. As the look of the man opposite him grew darker, he felt happier and happier.
Duan Xu lowered his eyes, then raised them again, and laughed, "Since she wants to abandon me, I will abandon her too. You? Destroy this broken lamp, she will be reduced to ashes, and I will be her last lover."
Yan Ke hesitated when he heard this, the anger in his eyes was diluted. He lowered his head and looked at the Ghost King Lamp on his waist for a moment, then raised his eyes faintly and looked at Duan Xu.
He slowly approached Duan Xu, put his hands behind his back and said mysteriously: "Do you hope to completely possess He Simu in your life and make her unable to leave you?"
"Of course." Duan Xu answered without thinking.
Yan Ke narrowed his eyes and said coldly: "You can exchange five senses with Simu. When exchanging five senses, Simu will lose all his magic power and become like a mortal, right?"
Duan Xu clenched his fists, but his eyes widened slightly, as if he was very surprised. He said: "You? You mean..."
"There will be a big battle in a few days. You will exchange your five senses with her according to the timing I told you. When I defeat her and capture her, and make the Ghost King Lantern recognize me as his master, He Simu will have to obey me, and I will let her stay by your side for the rest of your life. How do you do that?"
Duan Xu was silent for a moment, then he said, "What will happen to her after I die?"
"After you die, what connection will she have with you?" Yan Ke sneered.
"That's right." Duan Xu thought for a moment, chuckled, looked into Yan Ke's eyes and said, "Deal."
At this moment, the Duan Mansion in Nandu was in chaos. Duan Xu suddenly disappeared on his way out of the city to the military camp. He disappeared without a trace. The Duan Mansion searched for him day and night for three days but couldn't find him. When the news reached the ears of the soldiers outside the city, Shi Biao jumped up immediately.
Before he came to Nandu, he had thought that the emperor would definitely cause trouble for them. Now he was even more certain that Duan Xu's disappearance was caused by the emperor's conspiracy, and he might have lost his head. If Chen Ying hadn't held Shi Biao tightly, he would have immediately led his brothers outside the city to rush into Nandu City, surrounded the palace, and asked the emperor to hand over Duan Xu.
As if it rains but it leaks, the Danzhi, which had originally said it wanted peace, suddenly launched a counterattack with great momentum. They not only counterattacked some lands in Fengzhou and Qingzhou, but also tore a hole in Youzhou, but it was taken back by the soldiers of Daliang. The emperor ordered Zhao Chun to serve as the marshal and return to the front line with Shi Biao, Chen Ying and the soldiers outside the city.
Zhao Chun was also from a military family and had some military achievements, but he had never been to the North Bank. He was the emperor's confidant and close minister, and the emperor wanted to take this opportunity to help him. Shi Biao didn't think so much, he just didn't accept this commander who came out of nowhere, and didn't see Duan Xu refusing to go back to the front line, shouting that they fought hard on the front line, but were harmed by their own people when they returned, so he didn't want to go back and be stupid.
For a while, the atmosphere in Nandu was tense. The emperor immediately put the pressure on the Duan Mansion, accusing Duan Xu of leaving Nandu without an imperial edict and without reason, which was disrespectful to the emperor. He also refused to admit that Duan Xu was murdered or dead.
The whole Duan family was in a state of panic. Duan Chengzhang was already in poor health, and now his condition has become even worse. He has to work hard to take care of things. Even Mrs. Duan, who was obsessed with the Buddhist temple, temporarily left the temple to worry about things at home.
On the fifth day after Duan Xu's disappearance, it was the most anxious moment. When the moon was at its zenith, there was a knock on the back door of Duan's house. The visitor was wearing a cloak and a hood, and said that he wanted to discuss Duan Xu's matter with Mr. Duan. The housekeeper immediately led the guest to the lobby.
When Duan Jingyuan heard about this and rushed over, he saw the guest standing in the lobby. His black hood covered his appearance. Duan Chengzhang came over with a cane and was supported by his wife Wu. He asked in a trembling voice, "Do you know where Xu'er is?"
The man was silent for a moment, then stretched out his hand to take off his hood, revealing an elegant and handsome face with phoenix eyes and thin lips, just like rocks and ink. He slowly raised his eyelids and looked at everyone in the hall, with the bright moonlight in his eyes.
He shook his head in the look of shock from Duan Chengzhang and said, "I don't know."
After a pause, he said, "But maybe you need someone to play him."
Duan Jingyuan stared at him blankly. His appearance was familiar yet strange. She murmured, "Fang... Xian? Ye."
Fang Xianye turned his head to look at her, nodded slightly, and then looked at Duan Chengzhang who had a livid face.
Duan Chengzhang pointed at him with a shaking finger and said, "You bold lunatic, what are you talking about? You have been pretending to be Xu'er for so many years... You think..."
"Master Duan, at this point, do you have any other solution?"
Fang Xianye said lightly.
He was certain that he would not be rejected, and he was.
The next day, news came from Duan Mansion that Duan Xu had been found.
Duan Xu suddenly fell ill and fainted on the way to the military camp. He was rescued by a nearby farmer and treated. He woke up recently and was sent home. However, he did not have an ordinary disease, but leprosy, which is highly contagious, so he could only refuse visitors behind closed doors.
Shi Biao was skeptical and insisted on seeing Duan Xu, even if it was through the door and the curtain, to confirm that Duan Xu was still alive. Seeing Shi Biao barging directly into Duan's house, Duan Chengzhang knew that if he tried to stop him, it would arouse suspicion, so he allowed Shi Biao to visit.
Duan Chengzhang was sitting in the Haoyue Residence, and behind a curtain was the "fake Duan Xu". He looked nervously at the burly man and Chen Ying walking in from outside. The man saluted roughly and said to the person behind the curtain impatiently: "General Duan!"
"Why, do you think I'm dead?"
The voice of the man behind the curtain was 80% similar to Duan Xu's, so similar that it could be mistaken for the real thing.
When Shi Biao heard the familiar voice, the worry he had had for so many days finally settled down a little. He immediately wanted to lift the curtain but was stopped by "Duan Xu".
"Shi Biao! My disease can be transmitted to other people. Do you want to get infected with my disease and then go back to pass it on to the soldiers? The emperor wants you to go back to the front line, why don't you go back? The ones who know the feather formation chariot best are me, you and Chen Ying. Now the three of us are in Nandu. The Danzhi counterattack is fierce. What are you going to do with Guihejun and Ding Jin?"
Shi Biao put down his hand that was about to lift the curtain. He said a little aggrievedly, "I am worried about Commander Duan. The emperor wants to change the commander, and I can't swallow this anger."
The person behind the curtain was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Shi Biao, you swore to me the last time you got drunk. In addition to never drinking again, you also promised to listen to me in everything from now on."
Duan Chengzhang couldn't help but widen his eyes and turned to look at the figure behind the curtain. His old hands were trembling and bizarre guesses occupied his mind.
When Shi Biao heard "Duan Xu" mention this matter, he couldn't help but completely believe that the person behind the curtain was Duan Xu.
The person behind the curtain continued, "Don't worry, I won't lose my head in Nandu. Now you should listen to me and go back to the front line to drive the Danzhi people back to their hometown. As for who the commander-in-chief is, it is not the most important thing at the moment."
Shi Biao lowered his head and said, "Since Commander Duan is safe, I am relieved. I will take my brothers back and kill those bastards!"
Shi Biao said a few more words to "Duan Xu" and then said goodbye and left. Shen Ying had been silent until then, and when Shi Biao said he was leaving, he said he had something to say to his third brother and would leave later. After Shi Biao left, Shen Ying glanced at the bamboo curtain and then at Duan Chengzhang who was sitting upright.
He seemed to be a little hesitant, and before he could say anything, he heard someone behind the bamboo curtain say, "Chen Ying, just say whatever you want to say."
That voice was no longer "Duan Xu's" voice.
Shen Ying finally said, "Master Fang."
"it's me."
Duan Chengzhang stood up directly from his seat and looked at Shen Ying in shock.
Chen Ying just asked: "Where is my third brother?"
"I don't know either. We don't know where he is and whether he is dead or alive. Do you want to stay in Nandu and wait for him to come back?" the person behind the curtain said calmly.
Chen Ying shook his head. He stood in the sunlight coming in from the door in a green robe and said, "I want to go back to the front line with Shi Biao. Third Brother's wish is to destroy Danzhi and recover the Central Plains. Third Brother's wish is my wish. Now that he is not here, I want to protect his wish for him."
In a dozen days, the Chinese New Year will come, and he will be fourteen years old. Over the years, his body has become stronger, leaner and taller. When he is not in front of Duan Xu and He Simu, his features have become more resolute and calm, and he looks like an adult who can be relied on.
He bowed and said, "Thank you, Master Fang. Take care."
Then he turned to Duan Chengzhang and said, "Master, take care of yourself."
After saying that, he walked out of the room, and his tall figure disappeared at the door of Haoyueju.
Fang Xianye leaned against the back of the bed and heard Chen Ying's footsteps leaving. A moment later, Duan Chengzhang came over with a cane, opened the curtain and walked in front of Fang Xianye. His face was livid and his hair was standing on end. He grabbed Fang Xianye's collar and said, "You... How could you... For so many years you and Xu'er... cough cough cough"
Duan Chengzhang started coughing violently before he finished speaking.
Fang Xianye raised his head and looked at Duan Chengzhang calmly, and pushed Duan Chengzhang's hand away: "You are right in your guess, calm down and talk again..."
He laughed somewhat mockingly, looked at Duan Chengzhang's eyes full of shock and anger, and said, "Should I call you, father?"
Duan Jingyuan, who was eavesdropping outside the window, felt like he was struck by lightning and stood there in a daze.
In the following days, people who wanted to gather information came to Duan's house one after another, asking to speak to Duan Xu. Even the emperor came in person to test the truth about "Duan Xu" through the curtain.
And Fang Xian behind the curtain, who could resist any temptation, seemed to know everything about Duan Xu's relationship with everyone in the court, from the emperor to the soldiers. He could even trace back to the past events that happened when he entered the government. People in the court gradually changed from being skeptical to believing the story of Duan Xu's inexplicable disappearance and reappearance.
During these days, Duan Jingyuan gradually came to his senses from the shock and confusion and realized one thing.
Fang Xianye and her third brother might not be the mortal enemies she thought. On the contrary, they were very good friends who had known each other for many years.