,.
The restraints on the postman's body were released urgently, but his body trembled sharply for a few times, then his eyes bulged and there was no movement, and black blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.
Duan Hu said with a sneer on his face, "Master Dao, I was careless."
Running back and forth, running back and forth, I finally locked the target and wanted to force him out of the behind-the-scenes, but he screwed up. I was really ashamed.
Niu Youdao grabbed a piece of clothing in the room, threw it to the ground, and quickly put his toes next to the postman's neck to prevent the blood dripping from his mouth from flowing to the floor. Then he turned around and said, "No wonder you, who I can think of one inn where the informant is actually a dead man...but be careful next time."
"Yes!" Duan Hu nodded awkwardly. The matter was indeed not settled.
Niu Youdao looked around the room, "Search carefully, don't miss any suspicious clues, and remember to reset everything you have turned over."
"Yes!" Duan Hu agreed and immediately rummaged through the boxes and cabinets to search.
Niu Youdao was not idle either, but he did not rush to take action. Instead, he put his hands behind his back and slowly inspected it.
Soon, the birdcage on the roof pavilion was found. There were a few feathers of the golden wings in it. Niu Youdao took a look at it and let him put it back on the roof.
A piece of origami was found under the mattress. Duan Hu opened it and looked at it, and was stunned for a moment, "Master Dao, look!"
Niu Youdao, who was squatting on the ground to check the body of the postman, raised his head and took it in his hand. His pupils staring at the portrait suddenly shrank. He slowly stood up and asked, "Does it look like me?"
Duan Hu: "The faces are at least 70-80% similar, and with Master Dao's hair tied back, they are 90% similar."
Niu Youdao's expression gradually became serious. He knew ink painting, and could even identify the authenticity of antique calligraphy and paintings. He was an expert in some aspects. He could tell at a glance that this portrait was not painted, but printed!
Slowly looking back at the poisonous blood in the mouth of the postman on the ground, he said slowly: "Stop searching, reset the things, take the body out and dispose of it cleanly, without leaving any traces. In addition, you can dress up in disguise and come back to this post again. I want to Try to bribe some postmen and find out where this person came from."
"Okay!" Duan Hu nodded.
Niu Youdao put away the painting, walked to the window and looked outside. He stepped out when no one was around and disappeared into the forest behind.
Returning to a place several miles away, after meeting Yuan Fang and Black Mudan, Black Mudan asked: "Master Dao, how are you?"
Niu Youdao took out the portrait and held it between his two fingers.
Black Peony opened it and looked at it, and Yuanfang's head came over. After seeing the person in the painting, the two looked at each other.
"Master Dao, was this found in the inn?" Yuan Fang asked.
Niu Youdao, who stood with his hands behind his back, said nothing and was already deep in thought.
There was actually a portrait of himself in that inn. Although he had some doubts before, after actually seeing it, it was still a bit beyond his expectation. The deep meaning behind it made his heart heavy.
The portraits were printed, and to print they had to be engraved. A small number of portraits wouldn't be such a hassle, which meant that he had a large number of portraits of himself. What did the mastermind behind the scenes want to do with so many portraits of himself? Of course we have to find him!
And that postman is actually a dead soldier!
There are two types of dead soldiers, one is those who fight to the death, and the other is those who hold secrets that cannot be leaked. Post soldiers are obviously the latter!
He doesn't have any enemies in the Kingdom of Zhao. Again, the people who can come to the territory of the Kingdom of Zhao to kill him are either the Yan Kingdom's court or the Song family!
Combining this, who is this dead man with secrets
To deal with him, would the Song family send an ordinary person who was not a monk but had a secret? Not too possible!
In addition, a secret confrontation a few days ago has vaguely revealed that the power of the newcomer is not trivial. The Song family is powerful in the Yan country, but its power is not big enough to quickly concentrate its power in remote places in other countries at any time. This should It is beyond the capabilities of the Song family!
Combining all the clues, the answer is already clear. It is the secret personnel deployed by the Yan Kingdom in the Zhao Kingdom!
Combined with a large number of portraits, Niu Youdao realized that Yan State had used national power to find his whereabouts. If he found him, he would naturally be killed. This was the consequence of him killing the Yan State envoy!
This also solved the doubts in his mind before, why the person who bought his life did not contact the people of the three sects. The secret personnel arranged by the Yan State in the Zhao State could not be easily exposed. They were usually in contact with Gao Sucong and others who were chasing him. The likelihood of coming and going is low.
As for the portrait in Liuxianzong's hands, although he didn't know if it was the same version as this portrait, portraits were used on both sides. He already suspected that either the Song family got it from the imperial court, or the imperial court obtained it from the imperial court. The Song family got it.
Lei Zongkang, who was waiting outside, guided Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang back.
Duan Hu jumped off his horse and walked quickly to Niu Youdao, cupping his hands and reporting: "Master Tao, I spent a few gold coins to find out from a postman that the deceased's name was Zhao Da, and he was originally a horseman from a nearby city. I had to go out to appreciate it and help get a postman to do it. I just arrived at the posthouse more than ten days ago."
"More than ten days ago..." Niu Youdao muttered and raised his hand, "Map!"
A few people seemed to be used to his habit of looking at maps frequently. Yuanfang took out the map and showed it in front of him with Duan Hu apart.
Staring at the map with densely woven routes, Niu Youdao didn't know whether there was an informant in this one station or in all the stations. He hoped that only that station had an informant and happened to encounter him, but he knew This idea is to comfort yourself.
He didn't know whether he had deployed a net in the entire Zhao State because he was sure that he was in the Zhao State, or whether he had laid a net in all countries.
He had never looked down from the heights of national power, and he didn't know how big and broad this power was. However, when he thought that there were many stations on the way to South Korea, he felt a little uneasy.
He could avoid the inn and walk on foot, or he could disguise himself and walk separately in order not to attract attention.
However, there are many inconveniences in this. Hiding is not an option when coming and going. There are also an unknown number of portraits that have spread out. I don’t know who has them in the hands. I don’t know how to avoid this one. Whether he could avoid the other end weighed heavily on his mind.
"Duan Hu, Wu Sanliang, and Lei Zongkang." Niu Youdao called the three of them over, pointed at the map and said: "After you three disguised yourself, you will set off from this fork in three routes. No one will be spared at any station along the way. Buy the postmen one by one and ask if there are any new postmen like Zhao Da who have recently arrived. The location of the post station is marked on the map. Return on time at this time three days later and meet here!"
He was not sure that the informants in the inn had always been there, that Zhao Da was just a special case, or something else.
The three of them didn't understand what he was doing. If there was any problem at the inn, they could just avoid it. Why bother to compete with these inns? However, they still said together: "Yes!"
Niu Youdao: "Pay money to find a post station along the way to replace the horses. If the horses are resting and people are not resting, we will set off immediately!"
"Yes!" The three of them took the order and immediately put on makeup and changed their appearance. Then they rode out of the forest and separated at a nearby fork in the road.
After the three people left, Niu Youdao did not stay where he was. He continued to go deep into the mountains and hid away from this place...
Chizhou Fucheng, in the study room of Quanfu.
Quan Shaokang, who was sitting behind the case, had a stern look on his face, "Is there still no news?"
A certain post station reported to the superior post official that a postman was suddenly missing. He did not know where he went and he did not return home. On the surface, this matter just lost someone, but as soon as the news came out, this place was immediately alarmed, because this place knew the true identity of the postman.
Butler Quanqiao: "I'm still looking for him at the inn. I wonder if he got lost in the mountains."
Quan Shaokang: "He just happened to send a message and the person was lost. Do you think it was such a coincidence? Maybe it has fallen into Niu Youdao's hands."
Quanqiao hesitated and said: "He is only responsible for sending a message, and will not make any other unnecessary actions. There are so many stations along the way, how can Niu Youdao lock that station and him? This seems impossible!"
Quan Shaokang slowly stood up, "It's hard to say, this Niu Youdao is very unusual. I noticed it as soon as we fought. Within the scope of Duyun Mountain's influence, with his strength, he can actually make the people of Duyun Mountain admit defeat." , stopped, and paid money, this is evident from this. The second time, the same inn and the same informant discovered him, but the people mobilized afterwards found no trace of him at all. The second time he showed up at that inn, there was The problem must be that we are being targeted by suspicion!”
After walking out of the desk, he wandered for a while with his hands behind his hands, and suddenly paused: "For safety reasons, immediately notify the upline transfer who has direct contact with the missing person, and immediately contact the people who perform the same task at various stations in Chizhou to enter a silent state, and those who have direct contact with them All online transfers!"
Quanqiao: "Above..."
Quan Shaokang: "Immediately execute! I will explain to the superiors."
"Yes!" The whole bridge responded.
Three days later, the appointed time was approaching.
In a valley, Niu Youdao sent Black Mudan to pick up Duan Hu and the others, and then called Yuan Fang over, "I will go to other places to observe. You hide on the way and see if there is anyone behind them. No." If you are following someone, you should come back and light the pile of firewood I piled yesterday at the back of the valley, and then meet with them. If you are following someone, don't come back. Go directly to this place and I will meet you." On the map. Pointed to a location.
"Okay!" Yuanfang understood what he meant, nodded, and left quickly.
Niu Youdao looked around and disappeared deep into the forest.
So, after Black Mudan brought Duan Hu and the others back, they found that there was no one in the valley, and no one was found wherever they looked.
Unable to find anyone, Black Mudan had no choice but to shout loudly: "Master Dao...Master Dao..."
After a while, Yuanfang's voice came, "What are you yelling about? Master Dao has something to do and will be right back."
Several people looked back and saw Yuanfang flashing out of the forest nearby.
After a while, Wu Sanliang pointed to the back of the valley and said, "Look, there is smoke behind the mountain."
Several people looked and saw smoke rising from behind the mountain, and immediately flew over to check.
When we came to the back of the mountain, we saw piles of firewood and a blazing fire, but no one was there.
Not long after, Niu Youdao took a few washed and skinned pheasants, hares and the like out of the mountains and gave them to Black Peony, "Let's roast them. Let's reward everyone for their hard work.",.