Before going to the Southwest, on the way, Fangjie had thought about how to meet Luo Yao many times, and thought about what it would be like to meet for the first time. But when he saw the man walking towards him and met his eyes, he realized that he was really not ready.
Fang Jie hadn't felt panic in his heart for a long time.
He is a little panicked now.
Luo Yao didn't wear any armor, just a navy blue robe, a jade belt around his waist, and cloth shoes instead of riding boots. He walked forward slowly with his hands behind his back, his body straightened. This is a person whose appearance is very different from the legends. Although Fang Jie doesn't believe the rumors that he is two feet tall with blue-faced fangs, he also feels that Luo Yao should be a sturdy person in his impression.
Luo Yao is not very tall, around 1.75 meters, slightly shorter than Fang Jie.
He was well-proportioned and looked tall and strong even though he was over sixty years old. His steps are not big, and if you observe carefully, you will find that the distance he walks with each step is exactly the same. From this point, it can be seen that a person's temperament must be extremely strict with the rules.
Square face, short beard.
Sword brows stand up and eyes, not angry and majestic.
What makes people feel nervous the most is his aura. Fang Xie is sure that only people who have been stained with countless blood can have such an uncomfortably cold aura. Even if such a person does not speak, or even stands there motionless, ordinary people can be intimidated.
Fang Jie was a little distracted, if it wasn't for Mu Xiaoyao touching his back, he would not have reacted.
"Official explanation, I have seen the general."
Fang Jie leaned slightly to salute.
Luo Yao hummed and said, "You are an envoy of an angel, so you don't need to salute to me."
Fang Jiedao: "According to the rules, it is true that lower officials do not need to salute the general, but at this time, the lower official is worshiping the general who has made countless military exploits for the country's border defense for more than 20 years. Sincere respect from the officials. This has nothing to do with the emperor's order, and has nothing to do with status."
Luo Yao couldn't help but nodded, his eyes were fixed on Fang Jie's face.
"You are a great speaker."
He said something lightly.
Fang Jie said seriously: "The best words are never lies, but the truth."
Luo Yao took two steps forward and stopped, then suddenly folded his fists and leaned over to give him a salute: "Left Front Guard General Luo Yao, I have met the Imperial Envoy!"
Fang Jie quickly stepped forward to support him: "Why does the general need to be so courteous?"
Luo Yao straightened up and said slowly: "Rules are rules and cannot be abolished. If you waive the rules because you think I'm respectable, others will do the same. If things go on like this, the rules will disappear, and the imperial envoy represents His Majesty...you just treated me Saluting, I regard it as your personal identity. Now when I salute you, it is not you but Your Majesty."
Fang Jie couldn't help but think to himself that this person is indeed a guy who is very strict with rules.
Just when Fang Jie was about to say something, Luo Yao suddenly saluted again: "This is an apology to the imperial envoy on behalf of the officials and people of Pingshang Road. If there is an assassin, it is my problem and the problem of the local officials of Pingshang Road. Pingshang Road Lord Governor Luo Qiu has also arrived from Yongzhou, but he was a little slow to leave as a civil servant, so I hope the imperial envoy is not to blame."
Fang Jie was stunned, thinking why Luo Yao was so polite
Suddenly, Fang Jie felt a sharp pain in his heart.
Before we separated from him while crossing Mount Mangdang, what Huai Qiugong said to him suddenly came out of his heart.
"Actually, it's not difficult to say. You just need to remember that people must have a guilty conscience if they want to make trouble, no matter who it is. So you can see some clues from Luo Yao's attitude towards you. If he is cold and indifferent to you If you ask, then he is still that proud general. If he is warm and courteous to you...you have to be careful."
Huai Qiugong's words were like a flash of lightning that suddenly exploded in Fang Jie's mind, causing his heart to shrink violently.
Fang Jie's heart suddenly stirred up waves, but his face did not show any change: "The general is too polite. I also said when I talked with General Ye before that this place is remote and the people's hearts have not yet fully naturalized. The looting is a It has been repeatedly banned in the hinterland of the Central Plains. The greed and evil of the people cannot be suppressed by the court laws. It is impossible to be clean and peaceful in any place, otherwise the Dali Temple of the Ministry of Punishment will be useless. I don’t remember how many thugs I have seen. Compared with Fan Gu in the northwest, the general’s rule is much more peaceful.”
Luo Yao shook his head: "Words can be said like this, but things can't be done like this."
He glanced at Ye Jinnan and asked, "Did you ask anything?"
Ye Jinnan leaned over and said, "General, Sun Maocai, the magistrate of Anlai County, and Li Heita, the county magistrate, have nothing to do with the assassin who assassinated the imperial envoy. The 126 people in Anlai County, including the police officers and servants, have nothing to do with the assassin. The family members related to these people have also sent people to interrogate them overnight, a total of 1,020 people, who have nothing to do with the assassins. Soldiers blocked the official roads in Anlai County with a radius of 200 miles, and arrested two people last night. They didn't lead the way, and they behaved suspiciously. After the sudden interrogation by the subordinate, the two confessed that they were both followers of the Ruyi Sect...the assassination of the imperial envoy was planned by fugitives chasing businessmen."
"What is the purpose?"
Luo Yao asked calmly.
"The purpose... is you, the general. When the two assassinated the imperial envoy, they were afraid and did not do anything. According to their confession, it was a fugitive chasing businessmen who conspired to kill the imperial envoy, trying to arouse the court's accusation and force the general to leave Yongzhou..."
In this case, Ye Jinnan didn't seem to have any scruples when he said it in front of Fang Jie.
Luo Yao just nodded slightly after listening, and said in silence for a while: "Such an idiot can actually inspire a group of idiots... The people's hearts are stupid, it seems that this statement is true."
…
…
Fang Jie temporary residence.
Ye Jinnan sent people to place two chairs first in the living room to show respect for Fang Xie. Luo Yao sat down on the left, and then pointed to the chair beside him for Fang Jie to sit down too. Fang Jie didn't refuse, and thanked him after sitting down.
Luo Yao waved his hand to signal his followers to leave. Only Ye Jinnan and Yuan Fucheng were left beside him, while only Mu Xiaoyao and Shen Qingshan remained beside Fang Jie.
From the beginning to the end, Luo Yao never glanced at the two of them.
On the other hand, Shen Qingfan glanced at Luo Yao from time to time, with doubts in his eyes.
"Are you seventeen this year?"
After being silent for a while, Luo Yao suddenly asked.
Fang Jie nodded and said: "If there is no accident, it should be seventeen years old. The background of the official is a bit strange. He has been running around since he was a child, and the people around him don't know how old the official is."
He looked at Mu Xiaoyao and said, "Miss Xiaoyao raised me in her arms, so she picked me up as my birthday. Seeing that I was abandoned, she and Sister Qingshan kindly took care of me. Even I My name was decided by the two of them after discussion. Because I hoped that I would be a decent person, I took the surname Fang. Because I didn’t know my background and they couldn’t solve it, so they named me Jie. this means."
"oh?"
Luo Yao sighed softly and said, "I didn't expect that your life experience would be so bizarre, but you have achieved so much at this age, and his future is boundless. If your parents know about it, you will regret it."
Fang Jie said that on purpose, half of what he said was true and half was false. He just wanted to test Luo Yao's reaction, but after he finished speaking, he realized that he still underestimated Luo Yao too much. There was no change in the man's face, not even a twinkle in his eyes. It seemed that what Fang explained had nothing to do with him at all.
"maybe… "
Fang Jie smiled and said: "Fortunately, I survived despite the hardships. Some people say that God has no dislike or love for people, so it will give everyone opportunities and give everyone setbacks. I didn't seize the opportunity Those who do not do anything are doomed to be mediocre, and those who have not overcome setbacks are turned into dry bones. I am lucky, and after arriving in Chang'an City, I was appreciated by His Majesty and my life was considered stable."
Luo Yao hummed: "There is some truth to these words... Read it carefully, everyone has the opportunity to make a fortune in their life, but some people are afraid, some are lazy and some are stupid so they can't grasp it. Naturally, your success today cannot be attributed to luck. , or because you have a heart."
"Thank you, General."
Fang Jie nodded slightly.
Luo Yao shook his head: "It has been more than a hundred years since the founding of the Sui Dynasty, and there has never been a person of your age who can inspect one side on behalf of the emperor. You are the second person in the Sui Dynasty who has excelled in the nine subjects of the entrance examination of the Martial Arts Academy. Are you The first person from a poor family to be promoted to a noble by His Majesty before leaving the Martial Arts Academy, you are still the youngest imperial envoy, younger than the former Minister of Rites Huai Lao when he first went on tour... I never trust a person Your achievements are all based on luck, and you don't need to be too humble."
He seemed to be feeling a little bit emotional, and said with a slight sigh of relief: "Luck can make people achieve success for a while, but it is impossible to live without worries. I have never fought a battle by luck since I was in the army."
Fang Jie clasped his fists and said, "The general's army is so majestic that he is invincible in this world."
"This is a lie, no one is really invincible."
Luo Yao waved his hands, as if he didn't want to continue on this topic, he turned his head to look at Ye Jinnan and asked, "Where are the magistrate of Anlai County and others detained?"
"The county government prison. Other family members are detained in their homes."
"Attempting to assassinate an imperial envoy is a capital crime of copying one's family and exterminating one's ancestors. If it weren't for the officials' dereliction of duty, it would be avoidable, so it would be a capital crime. I don't care about other places, but people in Yongzhou who break the law naturally cannot tolerate it, especially my people. Such people In other places, crimes may be just removal from office, but not in the Southwest. Mistakes must be severely punished, and not any kind of mistake can give them a chance to correct. Only by enacting the punishment can others remember .”
"Neglect of duty is the same crime as assassination. Since the crime is the same, the family members are the accomplices."
Ye Jinnan cupped his fists and said, "This subordinate understands!"
He responded, then turned and strode out.
Luo Yao got up, looked at Fang Jie and asked indifferently: "Master Xiao Fang, do you want to go and see the murder? It has been several years since Pingshangdao has not killed a thousand people. The scene may be bloody, but that's the only way." Only those who are alive will be awakened. If Master Xiao Fang doesn’t want to see thousands of people being beheaded, just wait here.”
"The officer still won't go."
Fang Jie shook his head, looked at Luo Yao and said in a flat tone: "But it's not because I'm afraid that I can't see killing people. The scene of a thousand people being killed will indeed be bloody and shocking. Some people will never see each other once in a lifetime... But I'm from Chang'an Before I came out, I just watched the emperor decree to behead 36,000 people."
He looked at Luo Yao, smiled and said, "That scene is bigger."