The smile in Qi Yan's eyes became stronger and stronger:
"You've really grown up, not like when you were—"
Xia Xun took over the conversation:
"Not as easy to deceive as a child, is it?"
Qi Yan gradually put away his smile, he asked Xia Xun:
"Then guess who is instructing them behind the scenes?"
Without thinking too much, Xia Xun blurted out:
"It can only be Duke Chen. Lingnan is his fief, and only his interests will be involved."
Qi Yan nodded approvingly:
"you're right."
He sat up straight and spoke to Xia Xun.
The imperial court didn't know that the mines in Douzhou produced jade. Lord Chen had lied to him for many years. The emperor and the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty thought it was just an ordinary sandstone mine.
Chen Xiangong took all the Nanyu produced privately, and then took out a little money to buy the same amount of sand and gravel, and paid tribute to the state treasury.
A stone of sand is only a few tens of pennies, but a small piece of jade is priceless.
Over the years, Duke Chen has earned a lot from this jade mine.
The south of the Five Ridges is located in a remote place, and Lord Chen covered the sky with his hands, so no one dared to leak the news.
He can do such a lucrative business with ease, so he can sit back and relax.
He thought he would be able to lie to him for a long time, until two months ago, Qi Yan suddenly went to Douzhou.
Chen Xiangong did not dare to neglect, and sent people to follow along the way.
Qi Yan was extremely vigilant and threw off the pursuers several times.
Chen Xiangong had no choice but to bury his eyeliner in Douzhou to monitor Qi Yan's every move.
Qi Yan only stayed in Douzhou for two days, and the informant of Mr. Chen had no way of knowing where he went or what he did.
Strangely, two days later, when he left, he was alone.
Qi Hui, his bodyguard, did not accompany him.
County Lord Chen did not dare to take it lightly, and asked the informant to continue to monitor Qi Hui.
Not long after, news came from an informant that Qi Hui had also returned to Beijing, but he took a person away from Douzhou.
— This person is none other than Xia Xun.
Xia Xun murmured:
"Chen County Lord definitely thinks that you know the secret of the jade mine, and I am the witness that you secretly brought back to the capital."
Qi Yan said it was right.
"Your existence is like a thorn in his back. He will kill you no matter what. In order to clear the relationship, he specially recruited a group of men from Lingnan to attack you for him. The opponents in the hall were also killed together. In Beijing, he tried several times, but without success. Now I am leading the order to go to Gyeongju, and on the way, it is an excellent opportunity to make a move."
Xia Xun asked puzzledly:
"Since you already know the plan of County Lord Chen, why did you only bring Qi Hui with you when you went to Qingzhou this time? Why did you split up with him? When you met Baiyue people following you at the inn, didn't you Should someone be sent to investigate them?"
Qi Yan smiled and shook his head:
"Before they do it, I can't tell whether they are the subordinates of Chen County Lord or ordinary businessmen. There is no conclusive evidence. How can I arrest them and kill them all?"
What he said made sense, and Xia Xun didn't hear any loopholes.
After thinking about it, he said softly:
"... So, when you went to Douzhou, it was to thoroughly investigate Mr. Chen, and you brought me back to let me be your witness."
Qi Yan straightened up abruptly:
"No! It's not like that!"
Xia Xun had never seen him so excited before, and couldn't help but froze.
Qi Yan's actions involved the wound, he clutched his shoulder injury, grinned and fell back to his seat.
It took him a while before he recovered.
He leaned against the soft pillow at the head of the bed, closed his eyes, let out a long breath of trembling hot air, and said hoarsely:
"... No, I didn't go there for Mr. Chen, and I never thought of handing you over to anyone."
He bent down, clenched his hand into a fist, and put it on his forehead: "I will protect you, as long as I live, I won't let you get hurt..."
Xia Xun looked out the window and asked again:
"How do you plan to deal with Mr. Chen? Do you have evidence in your hand?"
Qi Yan's tone was very tired:
"Mr. Chen cannot stay. This is His Majesty's intention. As for the evidence, as long as His Majesty becomes suspicious, what can't be found out? He was not investigated before because of his status as a relative of the emperor. Once His Majesty makes a decision Determined, the news I have found is enough to give him a reason to order a thorough investigation... "
The more he spoke, the weaker he became. In the end, he could only lean on the cushion to breathe.
Qi Yan was weak, but he seemed to be in high spirits, but it was because of his extraordinary willpower that he supported it.
He needs rest far more than Xia Xun, but he still has a lot of mess to deal with.
Qi Hui walked in, helped him to lie down, and helped him put down the bed curtain.
Qi Yan said to Xia Xun through the hazy bed veil:
"Go to rest too, I always feel that your complexion is not very good..."
Xia Xun stood there for a moment, and stepped out to face the rising sun.
There's one more thing he hasn't figured out:
What kind of role did Fumeng Tancha play in it
Qi Yan stayed in this small village for several days.
His injuries have clearly healed, he has been able to move freely, and he will be able to ride a horse in a few days, but he just won't leave, he won't even leave the room.
At the beginning, Xia Xun was happy to be at leisure, and had nothing to do, so she went to the county government's pond to watch the fish.
Zhigui was by his side, she was not in a good mood, and when no one was paying attention, she would show a sad expression.
Xia Xun comforted her:
"Don't worry, no matter how long the delay is, Qi Yan will eventually go to Qingzhou, and you will definitely see your family."
She nodded, her expression still unchanged, and she didn't know if she listened or not.
A few days later, Qi Yan still didn't move, Xia Xun lost patience and went to look for him in his room.
When he went in, Qi Yan was wiping his sword, Qi Yan saw that he looked very good, not even a bit sick.
Xia Xun opened her mouth and asked, "When are we leaving?"
Qi Yan put away his sword and motioned for him to go over:
"I only found out in the past few days that the wine here is delicious. Come and taste it. The alcohol content is not high, and the taste is sweet."
There was a bowl of milky white wine on the table, Xia Xun took it up and smelled it, and took a sip:
"Okay, I've tasted it, we can go."
Qi Yan said helplessly:
"It's a waste to give you such a sweet wine."
He picked up the bowl, aimed at the place where Xia Xun had just drank, and drank it all in one gulp.
After drinking, he deliberately glanced at Xia Xun.
Seeing his impatient face, Qi Yan almost laughed out loud:
"Is it really impatient to wait? We are not in a hurry to leave. I have already asked Qi Hui to report to the capital, saying that I was assassinated, seriously injured, and unconscious. The second player, simply deceive him first, let him think that he has won, and when he relaxes, he will show his feet."
Xia Xun said coldly: "Then when are you going to wait?"
Qi Yan asked him back:
"I am a minister sent by His Majesty to handle official affairs in Gyeongju. I was injured, but His Majesty has no condolences. Don't you find it strange?"
Xia Xun was taken aback for a moment, thinking:
"Your Majesty also knows that this is your strategy? So during this period of time, he will send someone to keep an eye on Mr. Chen in the capital, and not give him a chance to attack you again?"
Qi Yan smiled and said yes.
"Whenever His Majesty asks about my injury, it is giving me a signal. By then, we can continue on our way."
Three days later, before the emperor's news arrived, the county government welcomed an unexpected visitor.
The visitor was dressed in goose yellow clothes and a hooded cloak, and rode to the door of the house on horseback.
Before the horse stopped, he jumped off and rushed straight into the government office, and the guards at the gate couldn't stop him.
At that time, Xia Xun was sitting on a bench in the courtyard, bored in a daze, watching the rampage of the visitors with her own eyes.
Seeing him, the man stopped abruptly, lifted his hood, and shouted at him:
"Young Master Xia!!"
—It was Chen Jingyin.
She flew towards Xia Xun:
"Young Master Xia! Are you here?! How is Master Qi's injury? Is it serious? Has he woke up yet?!"
Xia Xun was stunned by her question:
"You, how...?"
Chen Jingyin said anxiously: "As soon as I knew that Qi Yan was injured, I wanted to come to him! But my father stopped me and refused to let me go out! I pretended to be good for a few days, making my father think that I gave up the idea of leaving the house. Last night, taking advantage of my family not paying attention, I climbed over the wall and rode the horse all night before I arrived!"
Xia Xun blinked, not knowing what to say:
"You... so brave..."
Qi Hui came out of the Qi banquet room, walked up to Chen Jingyin, and saluted her:
"Miss Chen, my lord is awake, please go over."
Chen Jingyin immediately left Xia Xun and ran into the room.
Xia Xun was very surprised, Qi Yan had never been lukewarm towards her, he thought he would invite her away, why did Qi Yan deliberately invite her in today regardless of etiquette.
When he was in a daze, another young man got off his horse outside the gate of the mansion.
The man was tall and thin, with a gentle and fair face. After dismounting from the horse, he did not forget to thank the guard who led the horse.
The guard asked him, "Who are you?"
He said, "I am a relative of the lady just now."
The guard let him in.
He walked in slowly, and when he passed by Xia Xun, he turned him into Qi Yan's attendant, bowed his hands to him, and said gently:
"Miss Chen is bothering me a lot, please don't take offense from your family."
Xia Xun was stunned: "Are you... again?"
The young man is a little shy:
"I and Ms. Chen are from the old days. We used to be raised together when we were young, and we often have contact with each other when we grow up. I understand her temper, and I also know how she treats Master Qi... She knows that Master Qi is injured, and she will definitely do everything possible to come here. We So we got off our horses early and waited outside the courtyard of the Chen Mansion, saw her come out over the wall last night, and escorted her all the way."
Xia Xun nodded, he knew in his heart that the young man still had another reason not to say.
Chen Jingyin's running away from home and private meetings with strange men are all things that humiliate the family tradition.
This place is poor and remote, and lonely men and widows live together. If it spreads, no one can tell.
If she fights her own way, she can ignore everything, but after all, she is the daughter of Duke Chen, if her parents find out, they probably won't let her go easily.
The young man purposely accompanied her to cover up for her.
When the Dongchuang incident happened, he would probably take all the responsibility on himself to preserve Chen Jingyin's reputation.
He knew that Chen Jingyin adored Qi Yan wholeheartedly, yet he was willing to sacrifice so far for her, which was really unexpected.
Xia Xun couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
The young man was very modest and stopped talking. He bowed to him again, turned around and walked towards where Chen Jingyin was.
He didn't rush into the house either, but just waited at the doorstep.
Xia Xun waited and watched for a moment, then followed.
Unlike that man's cautiousness, he stepped up the steps in a few steps, and looked into the room through the half-open door.
With just one glance, he understood why Qi Yan invited Chen Jingyin into the room to talk about it.