When the messenger left, Shi Tingyun opened the letter with a happy face.
Chu Ziling lowered his head slightly.
The worries that had been worrying for a few days have now come true.
His plan was declared in vain.
Even if his face is not obvious, his mouth is inevitably a little bitter, and he said against his heart: "Congratulations, Young Master."
He comforted himself that it wasn't a sure thing, so he didn't have to worry about regrets.
If Shi Jinghong had read the letter and cleaned his hands before eating, or if he had not licked his fingers to turn the pages as he was accustomed to, then the poison would not have gotten into his mouth.
If it's just a failure, he can still accept it.
I'm afraid that Shi Jinghong noticed something...
The more he thought about it, the stiffer his fingers on the reins became.
The letter was clearly not long, why did Shi Tingyun read it back and forth so many times...
In his astonishment, Shi Tingyun suddenly said, "A Ling."
Chu Ziling was suddenly startled: "... Young Master?"
Shi Tingyun folded the letter and put it in his arms: "Let me know, the great victory of Peicheng, celebrate tonight!"
A gust of cold wind blew, and Chu Ziling shuddered, only to realize that the clothes under his soft armor were soaked with cold sweat.
He squeezed the slippery reins, trying to make his voice sound happy enough: "Yes."
Yan Yuanheng knew that he couldn't refute Shi Tingyun's face in front of others, so he waited until Chu Ziling left before asking, "Don't complain when you lose, don't be arrogant when you win, you should be happy when you win, but shouldn't it be better to be more restrained?"
He also did not intend to question Shi Tingyun's military order, but it was based on his personal temperament, and it was just a matter of fact.
Shi Ting Yun wanted to ride his horse forward, but when he heard the words, he stopped on the horse and turned around.
The white horse was breathing hot air under his crotch, and the horseshoe stepped out a half-moon-shaped gray mark on the ground.
Shi Tingyun smiled and said: "This place is not a battlefield, and this time is not a war time. The soldiers marched for a long time, and it is inevitable that they will be tired. If there is good news, it will be good for morale to celebrate."
He added: "Yuanheng, I am different from you. You are a modest gentleman, I am a rude man. You can do the saintly way, but I can't. When I stop, I will laugh when I win, and I will be angry when I lose. Everything is up to my heart. Everything is beyond the word 'I'm happy'."
Yan Yuanheng saw him so unrestrained, and his heartbeat became more and more disorderly: "I'm sorry, I don't know about the military affairs, it's abrupt."
"Yuanheng, don't talk abruptly between you and me." The white-horse boy clenched the reins and said frankly, "I'm galloping across the world, I just want to keep you sitting high in the temple and be a saint for life."
After that, he shook the reins: "Drive!"
The white horse was ordered, and its hoofs galloped, stirring up a cloud of hazy dust,
Yan Yuanheng had never heard of a person who could say the word "driving" so neatly.
He watched Shi Tingyun and rode his horse all the way to the front of the army, and said something in a loud voice, but he couldn't hear it clearly from a distance, but Yan Yuanheng thought that he must have gone to announce the happy news.
Sure enough, the front army burst into cheers.
The war horse also felt it, and the horse neighed and cheered.
And in the tumult of joy, Yan Yuanheng's eyes always followed Shi Tingyun's white horse and silver helmet, and the dazzling white ying on the silver helmet.
In the sound of joy, Chu Ziling couldn't hide his irritability.
After setting up the camp in the evening, he excused himself to prepare a stomach-soothing and calming medicine for Young Master Ah Shu, and squatted in front of the small stove, frowning and contemplating.
He knew how important Peicheng's geographical location was.
It was because he was clear that he was so irritable that he couldn't help but think of the past.
When Chu Ziling was twelve years old, he walked all the way to Wangcheng with the entanglement he had obtained from the pawn's clutter.
On the road, he thought every day and every night what he should do and what he could do.
Going to look for relatives in southern Xinjiang, how can a jade pendant be counted? Who knows if the king of southern Xinjiang still remembers this jade pendant, who knows if he is a little thief who took gold from dead people and tried to impersonate the prince's honor.
If he wants to set foot on the Qingyun Road that belongs to him, he must establish a meritorious deed that is beneficial to the southern border, and it must be a great deed.
At that time, although Chu Ziling was much precocious and meticulous than the average child, when it came to naivety and viciousness, he was not inferior to anyone.
He quickly came up with a good idea.
In the prefectures and counties along the road, there are recruiting stations for the Beifu Army. After Chu Ziling inquired clearly, he chose a military station in a small remote county and told the recruiter. His family was attacked by bandits, he escaped, but his parents were unfortunately killed. He had nowhere to go and wanted to join the army to fight bandits and avenge his father.
The recruiter looked at him, a little embarrassed and a little sympathetic.
He said: "There is an order from above that it is strictly forbidden to recruit child soldiers unless it is a wartime."
Chu Ziling was unwilling to give up, and begged: "Master, accept me. I can do anything, fight, pour tea and water, wash my feet, I just want to avenge my family..."
A ten-year-old boy clings to the recruiting table, talking childishly wanting revenge. The recruiter couldn't resist, so he softened a little, turned around and went to the camp. .
Chu Ziling was waiting outside the camp, thinking that he had succeeded.
Whoever thought about it for a while, a reprimand came from far and near.
The recruiter came back with a sullen face, followed by a man of five big and three rough behind him. Judging by the dress, he was indeed the chief officer in charge of recruiting.
The man was as black and strong as a tower. He looked down at Chu Ziling and said harshly, "Is it you? Want to join the army?"
Chu Ziling suppressed his fear and nodded.
He asked, "Which bandit did your parents kill?"
Before Chu Ziling came, he had made all preparations, and asked the little Er who was staying at the hotel which mountain was nearby where there were bandits.
He tremblingly called out the mountain name of Dalian Mountain, and looked up at the black tower, with tears in his eyes, trying to make him feel a little sympathetic.
Who would have thought, in the next instant, he was shoved away by a big fan-like hand.
As he fell to the ground, a humble little cloth bag was thrown on top of him.
The black-tower-like officer looked at him coldly: "Boy, you can't stand even if you push it, and you're going to kill people? Googling, don't overestimate your own strength, children should be less involved in adults' affairs, you go east, Find a good house and work, that's what you should do."
There were good-natured laughter from the surrounding crowd.
Chu Ziling's face was flushed, he endured the humiliation and stood up, clenching the cloth bag tightly.
He could feel that there were three days' worth of dry food inside, the bottom was hard, and there were a few pieces of silver taels.
Food was mixed with silver, and I wondered how dirty it was.
And he would like to thank.
He got up in humiliation, carried a cloth bag covered in dust, and walked east.
When he walked to no one, Chu Ziling's suppressed emotions were able to burst out.
He picked up the cloth bag and smashed it hard at the willow tree on one side, until he smashed the dry food into pieces, then threw down the dirty little cloth bag and walked away angrily.
Half a month later, in a small noodle shop, he listened to a traveler at a side table saying that the bandits in Dalian Mountain were wiped out by the Beifu army.
He only felt that this place name was familiar, and he had heard it before, but he did not take it to heart.
About two years ago.
When he was in the Beifu army, he happened to meet the black tower-like reckless man.
He was finally transferred from the remote countryside to the main business, but he was only a small adjutant in Dingyuan City, and he was not able to do the usual daily accounting and discussion, and sometimes he had to do the work of the halberd master.
On the other hand, he can live with the son, and is highly valued by the son and generals, and is even qualified to sit in on the debate.
He didn't know himself for a long time, and he even saluted himself when he passed by him.
This made Chu Ziling feel a heartfelt pleasure from his heart.
Chu Ziling was very fortunate that he did not join the army at the beginning.
To join the army, you have to get up from the bottom. I don't know how many tough battles he has to fight along the way. If he didn't have the accumulation in the general's mansion, and he had no eye for swords and guns, he might have died in a small battle against bandits, and his life will be difficult.
Recalling the way he had come, Chu Ziling let out a sigh of relief.
He stroked the ornaments around his waist, knowing that his current state of mind was a little different.
Although the half of his Chu Ziling's life was not smooth sailing, he was still lucky.
This blow failed, but instead the Beifu army captured Peicheng, and the civil servant would be furious when he heard the news.
Thinking of this, Chu Ziling had a slight headache.
He has been dormant to this day, but he still has no actual achievements. He managed to win the trust of the people in the southern border with information.
Chu Ziling wanted to know what kind of scolding and critical face that civil servant named Aisha would have.
After he formed an alliance with him a few years ago, he made an agreement with him that he would only send a letter and not reply, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the son.
Just in case, when the son goes to bed today, he'd better contact Aisha by writing a letter to explain the situation.
He didn't notice in the slightest that the curtain behind him was opened a crack.
Half of Chi Xiaochi's face flashed through the gap.
in the account.
Chi Xiaochi put down the curtain, walked gently to the soft couch, and sat on the footrest.
Lou Ying was lying on the couch, still holding a book in his hand.
For the past few days, the two have always maintained a somewhat subtle distance.
He turned a page of the book: "What about worrying?"
As soon as Lou Ying opened his mouth, Chi Xiaochi quietly put down Erlang's legs that had just been lifted up: "... I'm worried."
When talking about the task, Chi Xiaochi's expression became natural and relaxed: "A poisonous snake has been coiling in the ground for seven or eight years, starving and waiting for an opportunity to bite someone to death. With enough strength, he spit out a mouthful of poison, but he didn't see anyone fall for a long time. As soon as he probed, damn, where is the person."
Lou Ying couldn't help laughing: "You still intend to scare him. It's obviously a letter without words. You've read it for so long."
The information that Shi Jinghong wanted to tell Shi Tingyun has been conveyed by the messenger.
In that letter, there was actually nothing in it.
Lou Ying lowered his voice, as if Chu Ziling, who was afraid of making medicine outside, heard: "General Shi is worried that Chu Ziling will open your letter?"
In order to make it easier to speak, Chi Xiaochi sat closer: "He thinks too much. Chu Ziling is too cautious, he has no guts like this."
Lou Ying: "In General Shi's view, there must be some."
Chi Xiaochi smiled: "It's almost. After all, when the old man opened the letter, he clearly saw that the seal, the wooden tube, and the handwriting were not bad at all, but he blatantly said that it was written to the Lord Aisha.
Thanks to Shi Tingyun's memory, Chi Xiaochi remembered that the person who secretly contacted Chu Ziling was a second-rank civil servant named Aisha, and even remembered the location of his mansion.
When Shi Tingyun was imprisoned, he clearly heard some people talking, saying that Lord Aisha bought a house in a certain square on West Street, the main city of Southern Border, and doubled the size of the original mansion. , and so on.
By interfering with the geomagnetism, the pigeons that were going to fly to the southern border went to Shi Jinghong's tent.
The other pigeon, according to the location in Shi Tingyun's memory, flew to the home of the second-rank civil official who was still unhappy in the West Street of the main city of Nanjiang.
When Chi Xiaochi was in the carriage, he was fully prepared.
He wrote on the letter, "Lord Aisha, this letter involves a huge matter. Ziling uses special ink, which is difficult to distinguish with the eyes. It needs to be matched with the fire paint on the small wooden tube sent with it to show it."
He also said, just soak the lacquer in hot tea, wait for the lacquer to melt, spray the water on the paper, wait for a few minutes, and the writing will be displayed.
… is like a complete guide to suicide.
Moreover, Chi Xiaochi had no scruples at all, and directly used Shi Tingyun's handwriting.
Lou Ying asked him, "Aren't you worried that Aisha will be suspicious after reading the handwriting?"
"People like Chu Ziling don't believe anyone. Be careful in everything. If you die, you will have to dig three graves to prepare." Chi Xiaochi said, "He has been a servant of Shi Tingyun for many years, and it is not unusual for him to imitate Shi Tingyun's handwriting. Even if the letter is discovered, he can lie about sending the letter on behalf of Shi Tingyun, that Shi Tingyun is fornicating with the southern border, intending to seize power. - The Shi family's military is indeed strong, and he kept this hand because he wanted to make The Shi family and the royal family are at odds with each other."
Lou Ying lowered his voice again: "If Aisha doesn't spray water himself, but leaves it to his subordinates or entourage..."
"Whoever he is, one poison is enough." Chi Xiaochi moved closer again, "Poison poison will be diluted by water, and the fortune-telling of drug death is bad, and the fortune-telling of drug injury is big. The gentleman believes that if it is discovered by the people of southern Xinjiang, He poisoned the lacquer, then, whether Chu Ziling is a chess piece, whether it is intentional to betray Southern Border, or his master is aware of his whereabouts, will the people of Southern Border still dare to use him?"
"Does he know now?"
Chi Xiaochi shook his head: "I guess, his letters are all one-way. Besides, in order to avoid people's eyes and ears, he chose to contact people who are not important. A second-rank civil servant died of poisoning in his study. Things won't even spread to the battlefield, no matter what Aisha, Memet, Hammet, or Hamapi he is."
Lou Ying reminded him: "The last one is not a surname, it's a curse."
Chi Xiaochi: "… Oh."
Chi Xiaochi said again, "I know."
Lou Ying couldn't help laughing.
"Anyway, he put the poison, and he knocked on the poke himself." Chi Xiaochi spread his hands and said, "I only wrote a letter of guidance, and I didn't ask him to harm anyone. Since I cut off my arm, what does it have to do with me."
Lou Ying laughed.
He already understood Chi Xiaochi's overall plan, and successfully used his bass to unknowingly hook Chi Xiaochi to the side.
Lou Ying stretched out his hand and lightly placed it on the index finger he had inadvertently placed on the edge of the couch.
This action is not charming, but it made Chi Xiaochi's old face red.
... Lou Ying hooked on the place where he wore the ring.
Unexpectedly, Chi Xiaochi did not withdraw his hand: "Sir..."
Lou Ying smiled lightly: "I finally deceived you."
Since the last successful appointment, Chi Xiaochi had an inexplicable change in Lou Ying's mentality.
... It seems, I'm not so afraid of him anymore.
He took a small breath and said, "Sir is cheating."
Lou Ying likes his childish tone: "Just catch you."
Chi Xiaochi, who was sitting on the foot, raised his chin: "What are you going to do when you catch me?"
Lou Ying said, "It's nothing, I want to look at you."
Between the two of them, there was no soft knock on the door outside.
In the past few times, in order not to be too conspicuous, Yan Yuanheng always visited late at night. He wanted to stop Yunyun to drink tea and chat, but he was always notified that the son and son had fallen asleep.
He thought to himself that if he came earlier today, it would be alright.
Chu Ziling at the door said that the son was talking to the son-in-law inside, and he probably hadn't rested yet.
Yan Yuanheng took the military book that he had already made notes on, and confirmed that the chat props he had prepared were all right.
However, after a few low voices, no one answered.
… not here
But he did hear low voices inside.
Yan Yuanheng lifted the curtain and went in, and he froze in place as soon as his eyes turned.
Shi Tingyun was sitting on the soft couch, looking at a sick and weak literati in a green shirt. The atmosphere was very strange.
What made him suddenly change color was the hand that Shi Tingyun put together with the man, and the side of his face that turned red.