The tea stalls at the gate of Chang'an City have always been very lively, and most of the passers-by, the vendors and pawns, want to stop for tea and rest, and then talk about the general trend of the world.
A tall and thin young swordsman found a place to sit down, put his sword on the table, and greeted the boss to serve tea. The people next to them were talking about something, and the tone of voice was quite indignant and dissatisfied. All of them were emotional, and the swordsman was confused, and they went over to listen with tea.
"Sure enough, one year is not as good as one year! Think about the hundred years since the beginning of the Great Xia Dynasty, when did we have to suffer from this kind of anger?!"
"That's right! We are such a big country, why do we have to apologize so much to a small country like Loulan? It's not just the death of a woman, not to mention that we didn't kill it, why should we pay for it?!"
"Didn't they die at the border? They said they were Han people. Who knows if the people they killed themselves wanted to corrupt us?"
"What about the corruption? What can be done? I think what's left in the court now is the stubborn bones. If it was put in the past, then what would be the compensation? It's better if the motherfucker just beats it down!"
There was a chorus of echoes around, and someone else interrupted: "You said it's simple, what kind of fight is there, once the fight starts, where will those noble people have a happy life, they will definitely lose if they can, anyway, it's ours. hard-earned money."
The voice fell, and there was another noise.
The swordsman was at a loss, pulled a middle-aged man beside him and asked, "Brother, what are they talking about?"
The middle-aged man turned to look at him, "You don't know, little brother? The princess of Loulan died inexplicably a few days ago, and our country paid a heavy gift, hundreds of boxes! It's just out of the city gate." He lowered his chin. He lifted it up in the distance, and his words were filled with anger, "I heard that it is 10,000 taels of gold and silver, and there are also 3,000 silk and satin pieces!"
The swordsman nodded, but did not answer. The middle-aged man said to himself: "It's been a long time for these officials and gentlemen to send them out in a sentence. Doctor Censor, Doctor Censor, I didn't expect to be like this, General Su Jue. If he was still alive, he would probably be pissed off."
The swordsman was puzzled: "You are talking about Su Shiyu Master Su, isn't he always virtuous and widely praised?"
"It's him." The middle-aged man said, "But what you said is probably in the past. The apology I just said was sent by him!" He sighed again, "Actually, think about it, where is it? What kind of virtuous person is here, the world is as dark as a crow, and the court is not all for their own money and profit. A few days ago, I heard that he and Taiwei Chu murdered Su Xing, I still don't believe it, and I quarreled with that person. It's been an afternoon, now think about it..." He sneered, shook his head, and stopped talking.
The swordsman looked at the people who were still aggrieved, and sighed.
The middle-aged man's gaze shifted from the sword on the table to him, and suddenly said, "Hey, little brother, do you look like a ranger in your dress?"
The swordsman hurriedly said: "You're welcome, where can I call it a ranger, I'm just a runner."
"Hey, that's modest," the middle-aged man smiled and patted his shoulder. "Now, the dignitaries don't care about our life or death. If anything happens in the future, it's up to you!"
The swordsman nodded without answering, and looked at his sword thoughtfully.
It was night, and a dark shadow flashed by outside the study.
Su Shiyu's voice was still, and he still rolled his sleeves and slowly opened the pine smoke ink. The door suddenly opened wide, and the night wind dragged the lamp and candle into the dark. .
Su Shiyu lowered his eyes indifferently and did not move, the Hidden Sword was quietly pressed against his palm.
But failed to take action.
The figure suddenly froze, and in the silence, the sharp blade broke into the body with a light sound, the sword edge came out from the front chest, and the blood splattered arbitrarily.
Su Shiyu ducked back, and in his field of vision, he saw the dark red blood in the ink grinder, black and red in contrast. He raised his eyes, and the shadow fell to the ground, revealing the man behind him who had returned his sword to its sheath. The long sword pulled out a light, and the man was carrying the moonlight on his back.
"Why are you here?" Su Shiyu was slightly surprised.
Chu Mingyun didn't answer, stepped forward and looked down at the tall and thin swordsman lying on the ground, tsk tsk sighed: "Master Su, the apology has just been sent to Chang'an, so someone came to take your life as a dog official?"
Su Shiyu glanced at him helplessly, Chu Mingyun raised his eyes and met his gaze, "You are so courageous, the assassin is already in front of you, can't you even escape?"
"I was about to do it when I was preempted by you." Su Shiyu took the blood-stained documents aside and said with a smile, "I owe you a favor, please, Lord Chu."
Chu Mingyun sat down at the table, folded his arms on the desk, leaned closer, stretched his tone and chuckled, "I owe me a favor? Are you trying to get rid of me with this sentence—"
The end sound and the movement of getting closer were stopped by a jade pendant that touched his forehead, and the touch was delicate and warm. Su Shiyu looked at the face that was close at hand, and turned to put the jade pendant in his hand, "Then this should be enough."
With radiant brilliance and warm tentacles, Chu Mingyun still remembers that this jade pendant was given to him by Su Shiyu in the Bliss Building as a bet, "Why do you give me this?"
"Return your favor, you just accept it." Su Shiyu paused, then added, "If you come back to the mansion in the future, you don't have to be like an assassin, you can come to me anytime with your jade pendant, and more No one will stop you."
Chu Mingyun touched the carvings on the white jade, "Including when you were bathing?"
"..." Su Shiyu said, "What do you think?"
Chu Mingyun laughed and accepted the jade pendant, "But I have something serious to come to you this time."
Su Shiyu smiled lightly and poured tea for him, "I know, just say it directly."
"You keep the matter of Ji Heng a secret," Chu Mingyun looked at him, "Is it because King Huainan was instigating it again?"
Su Shiyu nodded, "It was written like this in the confession, and Ji Heng also handed over the token, which seems to be the case."
"Looks like it?" Chu Mingyun smiled, "Master Su also noticed something wrong?"
Su Shiyu looked back, "What do you know?"
"Do you still remember about the Great Ceremony of Sacrifice to Heaven?" Chu Mingyun said, "I sent someone to check Jiang Yuan's place of origin. You can probably already guess it, right?"
"Huinan?"
"Yes," Chu Mingyun smiled, "there are not so many coincidences in this world. If His Majesty the Emperor chose to pursue the investigation, then Jiang Yuan's origin would definitely be found out, and I'm afraid it would be attributed to King Huainan again. "
Su Shiyu closed his eyes and said nothing, thinking to himself.
"Tsk," Chu Mingyun reached out and lifted his chin in dissatisfaction, "Look at me."
Su Shiyu's body was slightly stiff, and his mind was confused. He pulled down his hand and looked at it with concentration, "What?"
"Why did you ignore me before I finished speaking?" Chu Mingyun frowned.
He couldn't help chuckling, "I'm sorry, Master Chu, let's continue."
Chu Mingyun took the tea cup, "So isn't it strange? The other party's methods are getting worse and worse, and the evidence is getting more and more obvious."
"The Queen of Huainan was found out in Su Xing's case, but you didn't act. Soon after, Jiang Yuan, who was originally from Huainan, framed me, and His Majesty didn't pursue it. And now, the Queen of Loulan was killed, and the evidence pointed directly at the King of Huainan, forcing you to pursue it. ."
Su Shiyu was stunned for a moment, and suddenly it became clear that Chu Mingyun came to a conclusion, "He seems to be urging you to kill him constantly. The more you don't act, the more impatient he becomes."
Su Shiyu frowned, "But Wang Yin is like a jade seal and cannot be faked."
"I didn't say that the evidences were fake, so I just thought it was strange." Chu Mingyun looked at him, "In a few days, Master Su will be on an envoy patrol. Do you still want to go?"
Su Shiyu met his gaze and nodded, "Since it is certain that the King of Huainan cannot escape, of course he will go."
"I know that Master Su has long wanted to cut the clan, is it possible that he would even risk his life?"
Su Shiyu smiled lightly, "Why not?"
"As you like." Chu Mingyun looked away and drank tea.
Su Shiyu also stopped talking about this topic. The lights flickered and the candle shadows flickered. He looked at the cold body on the ground, sighed and suddenly said, "Although the apology can save you from the war, I'm afraid that as long as the Lord of Loulan is still alive. One day in office, I will never let Loulan have any contact with us in Daxia again, I just hope not to form an alliance with the Xiongnu..."
Chu Mingyun put down the tea cup and laughed, "Loulan is the only way to return from the Western Regions. Do you think they will let those Han caravans pass by?"
it goes without saying. Su Shiyu asked, "Master Chu has a solution?"
"I just thought of it." Chu Mingyun smiled, "Just replace the general guarding the western border with Zhou Yi."
"What do you plan to do after you change it?"
"It doesn't matter, Master Su doesn't have to have the idea of choosing another candidate if he can find a way." Chu Mingyun said, "Zhou Yi has been with me the longest. He was my lieutenant when I defeated the Huns. It can shock the Xiongnu and Loulan to a certain extent."
Su Shiyu said calmly: "This matter is no trivial matter. We will discuss it carefully after reporting it to Your Majesty."
"As long as Master Su has responded now, I don't think it will be a problem with Your Majesty," Chu Mingyun smiled and looked at him, "Huh?"
Su Shiyu watched him silently for a long time, the night wind passed through the corridor, and a little firefly flew out of the window.
What Chu Mingyun said was true, except for a few of his confidants in the DPRK, no one in the DPRK could shoulder the heavy responsibility.
Su Shiyu sighed lightly, "Since Lord Chu said so, I have no reason not to agree."
Chu Mingyun smiled, "Master Su really understands things." After a pause, he suddenly remembered something, "By the way, what did Tianlu Pavilion lose that time?"
"I lost several books at random, and I couldn't guess what the other party's purpose was." Su Shiyu recalled, "There are the examination questions of the imperial examination a few years ago, the edicts for the construction of canals, some border memorials, the records of the kings, and..."
"The record of the king?" Chu Mingyun interrupted.
Su Shiyu nodded, "I remember that it contained the fiefs of various vassals, family trees, ceremonial beasts, and invitation lists."
Tattooed beast.
Chu Mingyun's eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips twitched.
The decoration on the bronze talisman.
The other party thought more thoughtfully than him. In order to avoid exposure, he first started stealing the feudal king's record, and there was no way to check it.
Chu Mingyun got up and straightened his sleeves, "Okay, I've finished what I have to say, I'll go back first."
Su Shiyu responded, then got up to send him out, Chu Mingyun took two steps but turned back, "Almost forgot."
"how?"
Chu Mingyun handed him a paper package, "Here."
"What is this?" Su Shiyu took it and looked at it.
"I said last time I gave you the pine nut candy." Chu Mingyun raised his hand casually, turned around and left, "No need to give it away."
In the blink of an eye, his figure was gone, Su Shiyu looked down at the paper bag in his hand, and slowly curved his lips into a smile, unable to tell what his emotions were.
The guard at the gate of the Su Mansion leaned against the wall and fell asleep. The sound of footsteps caught in his ears suddenly woke him up. When he turned around and saw that the person who came came didn't have time to react, he was shocked by the jade pendant that the other party took out, "You …”
The guard opened his mouth and looked at a light in the study in the distance, his eyes moved to Chu Mingyun with difficulty, he hurriedly opened the mansion door, and couldn't help but glanced at the jade pendant, bowed his body and respectfully said: "You...you walk slowly. ."
Chu Mingyun glanced at the jade pendant in his hand, frowning in confusion.