Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou arrived at the manor.
It was the boy who opened the door, and after seeing Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou, the boy welcomed them in, and said: "You two distinguished guests, our Dharma protectors have been waiting for a long time."
Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou followed each other inside.
However, before reaching Zou Qingyuan's place... a woman appeared.
Seeing that woman walking towards this side, Long Xiaoyuan frowned secretly.
"Miss." The servant greeted Wu Xiangyuan.
Wu Xiangyuan nodded, but then stared at Shi Qingzhou closely.
Long Xiaoyuan's face darkened, and he blocked Wu Xiangyuan's gaze with a fake smile. "What's the matter with this girl?"
The boy also felt that his young lady seemed a little strange, so he cast a questioning look.
Wu Xiangyuan smiled slightly. "I'll take you to Zou Hufa."
"How dare you bother the girl." Long Xiaoyuan immediately refused. "We can go with this little brother by ourselves."
Wu Xiangyuan looked in Shi Qingzhou's direction, bit her teeth lightly, and said suddenly: "Brother Shitou, don't you remember little sister?"
Long Xiaoyuan frowned fiercely.
Shi Qingzhou froze for a moment, the title "Brother Stone" made him think of something...
Long Xiaoyuan also looked at Shi Qingzhou.
Shi Qingzhou said lightly: "Did the girl recognize the wrong person?"
Shi Qingzhou's words made Wu Xiangyuan's face change slightly, and his expression turned pale.
The boy opened his mouth to say something, but closed his mouth again.
Long Xiaoyuan took Shi Qingzhou's hand, and said calmly to the boy: "Let's go."
The servant glanced at Wu Xiangyuan vaguely, seeing that the other party was quiet and didn't have any special orders, then he smiled and said: "You two, please follow me."
Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou followed the boy and continued to Zou Qingyuan's place.
This time, Wu Xiangyuan did not follow her.
Long Xiaoyuan glanced at Shi Qingzhou beside him, seeing that the other person's expression was very calm, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
However, this is not a place to talk, so Long Xiaoyuan didn't ask any questions.
Shi Qingzhou and Long Xiaoyuan came to the wing where they were last time, and Zou Qingyuan was already waiting there.
Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou walked into the house together.
Zou Qingyuan didn't know what happened on the road just now, seeing Shi Qingzhou greeted him with a smile.
Compared with the last time, Shi Qingzhou didn't look so happy, as if he wasn't in a very good mood.
Zou Qingyuan immediately asked with concern, and Shi Qingzhou sighed.
"Brother Zou, do you know about the Liu family?"
Zou Qingyuan paused, and immediately understood what the other party was referring to.
"Brother Shi already knows about the Liu family?"
Shi Qingzhou nodded, "I didn't know at first, but when I came out, I felt that there was something strange on the street, so I asked someone to check, and only then did I know about the Liu family's affairs... This Liu family has always had a good reputation in the imperial city, why did this happen? thing?"
Zou Qingyuan was silent for a while, and then said: "Brother Shi, since you asked, then, let me say one thing that is not certain."
"Huh?" Shi Qingzhou said immediately after hearing the words: "Brother Zou, please tell me."
"In the past few days, a mysterious person has been passing by late at night in the Liu family's house. The Liu family may not know about it, but it may just be a business partner. It's just why this partner suddenly took over the entire Liu family... It's hard to guess."
"Business partner?" Shi Qingzhou's eyes turned slightly cold.
Zou Qingyuan said: "If not a partner, what would it be?"
Shi Qingzhou stopped talking and fell silent.
Long Xiaoyuan sighed, "Brother Zou, do you know anything else?"
Zou Qingyuan shook his head. "Liu's house, Tianji Building didn't pay much attention to it. It's because those people are all masters of the rivers and lakes."
"A master in the rivers and lakes..." Shi Qingzhou slowly lowered his eyelids. "The dead Liu family members were all killed with a sword, and the wounds are all on the chest, and everyone's position is the same."
"Yes, this point, to be honest, the matter of the Liu family was out of the mouth, and I also went to the scene to take a look and saw the wounds on those people. The killer's martial arts is very high, and he is a first-class swordsman." Zou Qingyuan road.
Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou looked at each other.
Shi Qingzhou said: "He is indeed a first-class swordsman. Although most of the Liu family members do not know martial arts, if the assassin is not good at swordsmanship, if the assassin's sword is not fast, they will not form such a wound. Those who can cause such wounds in the Jianghu ... I think Tianji Building can make a list?"
Zou Qingyuan paused and nodded. "able."
Shi Qingzhou smiled lightly. "Since it is possible, Brother Zou, can you give me that list now?"
Zou Qingyuan smiled wryly upon hearing this. "Brother Shi, this is not in line with the rules of our Tianji Building."
"Rules are dead, but people are alive." Long Xiaoyuan said flatly.
Zou Qingyuan shuddered slightly when he heard the words, "Okay, you two wait a moment, I'll go right away."
After Zou Qingyuan left, Long Xiaoyuan asked, "Is there anything wrong with the things he brought out?"
"As long as he is willing to take it out, there will be no problem." Shi Qingzhou said with certainty.
Long Xiaoyuan nodded. "Since that's the case, that's fine."
Shi Qingzhou nodded and said softly: "Yuan asked, he dare not refuse."
Long Xiaoyuan said: "A smart person shouldn't refuse. This is the imperial city."
Shi Qingzhou nodded in agreement.
What's more, since they came to the door and accepted the commission from Tianji Building, to some extent, they have been connected together.
What's more, there is no emperor in the world. Tianjilou should not refuse, nor can it refuse, both emotionally and rationally.
Zou Qingyuan didn't leave for a long time, and he came back in about a quarter of an hour, and he had already brought a list in his hand.
Shi Qingzhou didn't open it immediately, but told the purpose of coming today after accepting it.
"Is there any news from Dongye Kingdom?"
Zou Qingyuan nodded. "Yes, Brother Shi, watch this."
Zou Qingyuan took out a bamboo slip, Shi Qingzhou took it, read it over, and frowned slightly.
After a while, Shi Qingzhou handed the bamboo slips to Long Xiaoyuan, and Long Xiaoyuan also read it.
Then, Long Xiaoyuan handed the bamboo slips to Shi Qingzhou again, and Shi Qingzhou took it.
"We also know part of the information here." Long Xiaoyuan said lightly.
Zou Qingyuan didn't speak immediately, but looked at Shi Qingzhou.
Shi Qingzhou smiled slightly. Dao: "Far away means that we can get the superficial things ourselves, what we need is the deep inside."
Zou Qingyuan smiled wryly. "I understand what Brother Shi means, but Brother Shi, you have to know that our Tianji Building has no foundation in Dongye Kingdom."
Shi Qingzhou slowly shook his head and smiled. "Brother Zou said this out of humility."
Long Xiaoyuan said indifferently: "Qingzhou is right, brother Zou is humble."
Zou Qingyuan's expression changed slightly, and then he said with a wry smile: "Okay, we will continue to follow up."
"So, brother Zou, please keep an eye on it a bit more. We still have something to do today. If there is anything urgent, brother Zou can send someone to tell you."
Shi Qingzhou said.
Long Xiaoyuan also nodded. "That's right, if Brother Zou needs anything, you're welcome."
Zou Qingyuan immediately said after hearing the words: "This is no problem."
After saying a few more words, Shi Qingzhou and Long Xiaoyuan left Zou Qingyuan's place and took two things with them.
A bamboo slip, a list.
After leaving Zou Qingyuan's place, Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou didn't say anything.
All the way back to the palace calmly, and when they went back, Hu Qingyuan was already waiting there.
The other party asked to meet the saint through normal channels, and Long Xiaoyuan sent someone to lead the other party to the imperial study room after returning.
When Long Xiaoyuan arrived at the imperial study, Hu Qingyuan was already waiting there.
"My humble minister sees the emperor, long live my emperor."
"Get up." Long Xiaoyuan sat down on the dragon chair in the imperial study, and said.
Hu Qingyuan stood up, and Long Xiaoyuan asked to sit down.
Hu Qingyuan sat down on the seat in a state of fear and trepidation.
Long Xiaoyuan didn't delay, and asked directly: "Aiqing must be here because of the Liu family's case?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have found some clues."
"Oh?" Long Xiaoyuan raised his eyebrows, "Tell me."
"Weichen found this thing in a basement of Liu's house." Hu Qingyuan carefully placed a khaki paper package on a tray, and the eunuch handed it to Long Xiaoyuan.
Long Xiaoyuan took a look, "What is this?"
"Sulfur powder." Hu Qingyuan said affirmatively.
Long Xiaoyuan was slightly taken aback. "How could there be this underground in Liu's house?"
"I don't know. I saw that the sulfur powder was placed in a very secret hidden compartment. If it wasn't for the minister's subordinates who were good at finding agencies, I'm afraid they would have overlooked this."
Long Xiaoyuan pondered.
Hu Qingyuan didn't speak when Long Xiaoyuan was in deep thought.
After a while, Long Xiaoyuan said, "What do you think?"
Hu Qingyuan pondered for a moment before saying: "Your Majesty, I suspect that the head of the Liu family is implying something."
Shi Qingzhou was taken aback. "How to say?"
"My Majesty, I didn't find anything unusual in Liu's house, but this bit of sulfur powder is so well hidden in Liu's house, and besides..."
Half an hour later, Hu Qingyuan left the imperial study room, while Long Xiaoyuan was still deep in thought.
I don't know how long it has passed, Shi Qingzhou's voice rang in my ears.
"What are you thinking?"
Only then did Long Xiaoyuan suddenly regain his senses. "Qingzhou? When did you come here?"
Shi Qingzhou said: "It's been a while since I came here."
Long Xiaoyuan pursed his lips slightly. "Qingzhou, Hu Qingyuan found something in Liu's house..."
After explaining the clues that Hu Qingyuan had investigated, Long Xiaoyuan didn't add any subjective speculation. After finishing speaking, he looked at Shi Qingzhou.
Shi Qingzhou also pondered for a while, and said slowly: "So, Mr. Hu suspects that Liu's family deliberately put this sulfur powder in a dark cell for us to search and give us a hint?"
"That's what Hu Qingyuan said." Long Xiaoyuan said.
"What about you? What do you think?" Shi Qingzhou asked.
Long Xiaoyuan lightly touched the sulfur powder with his fingers, and said lightly: "Based on the bamboo slips we have seen... Dongye Kingdom, I'm afraid the picture is not small, isn't it?"
Shi Qingzhou was silent. Long Xiaoyuan continued: "Judging from the information on the bamboo slips, all parts of Dongye Kingdom are raising private soldiers, and the real ownership of these private soldiers is the imperial court. When the imperial court sends troops to our Celestial Dynasty, those private soldiers will It will become a regular army."
Shi Qingzhou slowly walked behind Long Xiaoyuan. "Well... But according to the bamboo slips, the number of those private soldiers is not too much now, and it is unrealistic to really use them, or the decisive ones."
"That's because not all the investigations on the bamboo slips are complete, and there may not be any known ones." Long Xiaoyuan said.
"It is indeed possible, but... Dongye Kingdom is far away from us after all. It may be very difficult for us to destroy those private troops. If we use Jianghu organization... to wipe out everywhere, it is possible."
"Qingzhou wants to do this?" Long Xiaoyuan took Shi Qingzhou's hand and moved him from behind to in front of him.
Shi Qingzhou slowly shook his head. "This is just one of the methods, and this method will also pay a heavy price, and it is hard to find a master."
"That's right, it's hard to find a master. The shadow guards we train can take on this important task, but there aren't enough of them."
Shi Qingzhou was silent for a while, "It can be hired."
"Like asking Tianjilou to do things?" Long Xiaoyuan shook his head slowly. "Those people in the rivers and lakes have military power, but they don't have loyalty. Even if they are driven by interests, they are easy to turn against each other, no."
"Rebel?" Shi Qingzhou frowned. "If there is a war within our celestial dynasty, maybe they may defect, but for treason, I don't think they will."
Long Xiaoyuan still shook his head. "Qingzhou, those people, are sharp knives. If you don't use them well, you will hurt yourself. We can't think about it unless it is a last resort."
Shi Qingzhou frowned, "Then... since we know that Dongye Kingdom is already preparing for war, we have no choice but to prepare for it."
Long Xiaoyuan nodded. "Yes, we need to prepare for the war. However, when preparing for the war... we have to speed up the process of finding trouble for Dongye Kingdom. Rumors have been spread in Dongye Kingdom, and what we need most now... is to take root. It's just a pity that we can't Go to the Eastern Ye Kingdom in person."
Shi Qingzhou stared slightly. "You still want to go in person?"
Long Xiaoyuan smiled wryly. "Not that I want to go, but no one to trust..."
At this moment, the little eunuch outside said that Fang Shuoyang asked to see him.
Long Xiaoyuan was slightly taken aback when he heard the words.
Shi Qingzhou squinted his eyes. "Fang Shuoyang? Is Young Master Xu by his side?"
"Report to the emperor that Mr. Xu is not here."
Shi Qingzhou looked at Long Xiaoyuan, Long Xiaoyuan's eyes flashed, "Qingzhou... I think, I know what Fang Shuoyang is here for..."
Shi Qingzhou paused slightly. "What?"
Long Xiaoyuan smiled. "What Xu You told him...he probably has already made up his mind."
Shi Qingzhou was even more shocked when he heard this.
Long Xiaoyuan waved his hand. "Let him in."
"Yes!" Fang Shuoyang came in, knelt down, and greeted him.
Long Xiaoyuan immediately said: "Young Master Fang, you are welcome, get up."
Fang Shuo raised his body. His complexion was not very good-looking, even a little pale, but his eyes were firm, as if he had made a decision...
Long Xiaoyuan glanced at the other party, looked at the resolute expression on the other party's face, and then slowly said: "You come, what's the matter?"