Xiao Jue finished playing the piano, accepted everyone's praise, and returned to his seat. Since then, He Yan has no interest in feasting. Who knows if other people will come to see her other talents, what if she is asked to write and write poetry? She can't just say "I have an agreement with my husband" to prevaricate.
I sat tremblingly until after I got off the table, but fortunately, nothing else went wrong. After drinking and eating, the crowd dispersed. He Yan followed Xiao Jue out, and it was at this time that he could talk to Cui Yuezhi alone.
Cui Yuezhi's eldest concubine walked beside He Yan, slightly behind Cui Yuezhi and Xiao Jue. This concubine was older than He Yan, looked gentle and honest, and was surnamed Wei. Concubine Wei said, "Young Master is so kind to Young Madam."
He Yan was stunned for a moment, and was about to say, "Why did you say this?" After thinking about it, she smiled and said, "Yes, my husband loves me very much, and he is always obedient to me, and everything is directed towards me. I also feel myself It's really a blessing that I cultivated in my previous life, and it is only in this life that I can find such a happy man."
Concubine Wei laughed and said, "It is said that Jiyang women are straightforward, and I think the young lady has something to say."
He Yan secretly laughed in his heart and arranged for Xiao Jue a title of "loving his wife excessively". In this way, in these days in Jiyang, wouldn't he be able to use this "name" to do things wrong. Xiao Jue probably didn't expect that he would dig a hole for himself to jump in!
While talking, the two had already entered the main hall of the mansion. I don't know which room Cui Yuezhi's aunt has already prepared hot tea, waiting for them to enter.
Cui Yuezhi sat down on the chair and waved: "You all get down."
Several concubines and servants went down.
He smiled again: "Huanqing, Yuyan, sit down."
Although Cui Yuezhi is a middle cavalry, he has no air, and he looks no different from a warrior in the army. He looked honest and kind, but he had a pair of bright and sharp eyes, like a long knife that looked dull and heavy. When the knife was unsheathed, it was terrifying.
Xiao Jue and He Yan sat down on the chair beside him.
"I was going to come back to pick you up yesterday, but Her Royal Highness was staying for a banquet and couldn't come back for a while. We were able to meet today." He scrutinized Xiao Jue for a while, and sighed: "I just felt at the banquet just now. You look good, and looking closely now, you and my dead elder brother still have some similarities."
He Yan: "..."
"It looks a bit like me." Cui Yuezhi said: "As expected of my Cui family."
He Yan: "..."
Xiao Jue nodded.
"When you were first born, I hugged you. At that time, you were only as big as two fists of mine? Maybe only one fist." Take it away..." His eyes dimmed, "Big brother and sister-in-law were thinking of you before they died. If they could see that they were born so well today, they would be very happy."
Xiao Jue was silent.
Instead, Cui Yuezhi laughed, "Look at me, I have nothing to say about these unpleasant things, I am disappointed! Huanqing, Yuyan, you are here just in time, and in a few days, it will be the Spring Equinox, our Jiyang Water God Festival. , be sure to join in the fun, and keep you coming, so you don't want to leave."
He Yan was surprised: "Spring Equinox?"
"What?" Cui Yuezhi said: "But what's wrong."
"No, no." He Yan laughed, "It's just that my birthday is also the spring equinox... It's a coincidence in the next few days."
"Really?" Cui Yuezhi was also surprised for a moment, and then burst into laughter, "It seems that Yuyan and our Jiyang have a lot of fate! The birthday coincides with the Water God Festival, Huanqing, you must take good care of our Yuyan when you are introduced. Birthday."
Xiao Jue glanced at her and said, "Okay."
After they talked for a while, Cui Yuezhi stood up and said, "Huanqing, Yuyan, follow me to the ancestral hall to put incense sticks on the eldest brother and sister-in-law. You haven't seen each other for many years. Qing now has a family and a business, and he must be very pleased."
He Yan and Xiao Jue followed them to the ancestral hall. After Cui Yue finished the incense, it was getting late, so Cui Yuezhi asked his servants to take them back to the house and have an early rest. When tomorrow arrives, I will play around in Jiyang City.
When the two of them returned to the house, He Yan couldn't wait to sit down on the collapsed first, and said, "I'm exhausted! Sitting upright for a whole day, pretending to be a woman is really not a job for a human being, even if it's a day in the martial arts field. Training is much easier than that.”
"'Pretend' as a woman?" Xiao Jue chuckled, "It seems that you really don't think of yourself as a woman."
He Yan was also very helpless, thinking that the couple that Xiao Jue had found were also talented women. If she wanted to play the role of "the daughter of a general's family" or "the girl who helped lift rocks and firewood by a boatman on the dock", It can be flawless.
Xiao Jue took off her outer clothes and placed it on the wooden table beside the slump. He Yan sat up and said, "Thank you very much today, if it weren't for your help, something big would have happened."
"I don't dote on my wife excessively, and I do everything for you, do I think of everything for you?" Second Young Master Xiao's voice was sarcastic, "It should be."
He Yan: "Did you hear that?"
Even though it was all false, when Xiao Jue heard it, it was still embarrassing. She smiled and said, "I'm not trying to make our husband and wife relationship more loving and real. Don't be angry, young master."
As he was talking, someone knocked on the door, He Yan said, "Come in."
Cuijiao and Hong Qiao came in with a food basket, and put the dishes in it on the table. He Yan was stunned and asked, "I didn't let anyone come in to make food."
"My name is." Xiao Jue said, "Put it here, let's go out."
Cuijiao and Hongqiao followed their words and exited the back room.
He Yan said oddly, "Aren't you full? You were at the banquet just now."
Xiao Jue sneered slightly: "I don't know who is because Ling Xiu is restless, scared, and doesn't even eat." He said: "Promise?"
He Yan: "You found it."
Xiao Jue: "Everyone found out."
"Is it so obvious?" He Yan was skeptical, but when he saw the food on the table, he immediately became happy again, and only said, "So these are specially given to me? Thank you, young master! Young master, you are so kind, there is nothing in the world more than you. good person."
"Don't say it," Xiao Jue frowned slightly: "The person listening is disgusting."
He Yan was already accustomed to the way he spoke, and pulled him to sit down at the table, "It's just a late night snack, you can eat together."
"Don't eat."
"Eat, let's eat," He Yan pulled his sleeves to keep him from leaving, and gave him a pair of chopsticks, "Look, there are two pairs of chopsticks here, which are for two people, I can't finish it alone. Help me. busy master."
Xiao Jue seemed to have heard a joke, and said lightly, "Miss He may have underestimated her good appetite."
"Although I have a good appetite, I'm not a rice bucket." He Yan said, "Besides, you haven't heard a word called beautiful food. I could have eaten three bowls of rice, but seeing the young master's appearance, I can eat it. Five bowls."
Xiao Jue choked for a moment, "Are you a pig?"
"Don't speak so harshly." He Yan said, pushing a plate of shrimp roe winter bamboo shoots and three loofah rolls in front of him, "Don't you like to eat this? Eat it."
Xiao Jue was startled, and after a while, he looked up at her: "How do you know?"
He Yan stuffed a piece of steamed cake into his mouth: "I saw you grabbing two chopsticks when I was having breakfast, and again at the noon banquet. You don't touch anything you don't like, so I guess you should Like it. But you are so strange, why do you like to be vegetarian, are rich people so particular about it?" No wonder her waist is so thin, she thought to herself.
Xiao Jue didn't answer her words, just lowered her head and ate slowly.
He Yan didn't care about him. When she was a boy, she wanted to be a man. Because she was afraid of being exposed, she liked to ponder the details. After all, details determine success or failure. The men of the He family were all watched carefully by her, and at one point some people thought that he had a mental problem. Later in the army, it was better. After all, he had been a man for many years and had already gained experience.
If she really observes a person, she must be able to observe it very carefully, not to mention that Xiao Jue is now with her day and night, and it is too easy to know what he likes to eat and what he hates.
"Your birthday is really after the vernal equinox?" He Yan was having a good time when he suddenly heard Xiao Jue ask.
She paused for a while, but she didn't show her face, and said nonchalantly, "How is it possible? I just said it casually. What if Master Cui wants to give me a birthday present? Wouldn't it be possible to take this opportunity to make a fortune."
Xiao Jue snorted: "Liar."
"How am I a liar?" He Yan retorted boldly, "I think today's young master is perfect at the banquet and has deceived everyone. What 'I have a promise with my wife'... Hahaha, young master, be honest Say, I didn't expect to hear such words from your mouth."
Xiao Jue looked at He Yan and made fun of him. After she had laughed enough, she asked, "Is it funny?"
"It's funny."
He nodded: "Then you can handle it yourself in the future, Mrs. Qiao."
He Yan couldn't smile anymore.
She said, "Master, I said it casually, don't take it to heart."
Xiao Jue ignored her and drank the soup unhurriedly.
"Stingy." She said, "It's amazing to be stingy."
Xiao Jue remained unmoved.
He Yan rolled his eyes and softened his voice: "Husband, concubine is wrong, please forgive concubine's rudeness, concubine will never dare again, husband, husband?"
Xiao Jue couldn't bear it any longer: "...Shut up!"
He said, "Tell me well."
He Yan understood that the indifferent and ruthless Governor Xiao was a soft-hearted man, and she laughed out loud.
The laughter spread to the next door, and the two of them, Feinu Chiwu, who were playing leaf cards with Lin Shuanghe, raised their heads in unison.
Chiwu sighed: "To make a show to this extent, the governor is really working too hard, and He Yan, too, almost sees himself as a woman. They are all like this, what reason do we have not to work hard?"
Fei Nu was speechless, and Lin Shuanghe couldn't help but laugh when he heard the words: "Well... Indeed, very hard work."
…
At night, one person still sleeps in the bed, and one person sleeps sideways.
Early the next morning, He Yan got up a little later. When he woke up, he saw Xiao Jue standing at the door talking to Fei Nu Chiwu.
After He Yan cleaned up, Cuijiao and Hong Qiao brought breakfast to the kitchen, and He Yan said to Xiao Jue, "Master, it's time to eat."
"Eat it yourself." Xiao Jue said, "I have something to do today, so I'm not in the house. You and Lin Shuanghe stay in the house, don't run around."
"Are you going out? What are you going to do?" He Yan asked, "Can you take me with you?"
Xiao Jue was speechless for a moment, then said, "It's inconvenient."
He Yan hesitated for a while, walked over, and asked in a low voice, "Are you going to find Chai Anxi's whereabouts?"
As soon as these words came out, Chi Wu was stunned for a while, but he didn't expect Xiao Jue to tell He Yan all this.
"Good. Bringing you to be suspicious."
He Yan nodded: "Okay, then you go."
It was rare for her to be so refreshing, not sticking like a tail, which surprised Xiao Jue for a moment, looking at her thoughtfully.
He Yan turned around and walked into the house: "Go quickly, when I change my mind, you can't get rid of me."
Xiao Jue didn't say anything, and led Chiwu and Fei Nu away.
After they left, He Yan finished breakfast alone. Cui Yuezhi was not at the mansion, so he went to practice troops early in the morning. He Yan went to the next room to look for Lin Shuanghe, fluttered in the air, and the maid who was serving Lin Shuanghe smiled and said, "Steward Lin went out early in the morning and said he wanted to buy something, and he would come back later."
He Yan thought for a while and then understood. Lin Shuanghe is not a real housekeeper, he has been around Xiao Jue these past few days, I'm afraid he's already tired of it. It's rare for Xiao Jue to go out today and get some free time. Naturally, he is free to go out and have fun all day. It's just that this person is not very kind, and he doesn't call her when he goes out, probably afraid that she will turn around and complain to Xiao Jue
However, Lin Shuanghe's move was right in He Yan's arms.
It has been a few days since she came to Jiyang City, but because she is now "Wen Yuyan" and stays with Xiao Jue all the time, she has no extra time to inquire about Liu Buwang's whereabouts. Today, Xiao Jue and Lin Shuanghe are not there, so she can act alone.
When Liu Buwang separated from her, he once said that if there is a chance to pass by Jiyang in the future, there is a tea shop at the foot of the mountain outside the city of Jiyang. Goodbye opportunity.
He Yan put on her outer clothes and packed her things. Seeing this, Cuijiao asked, "Madam is going out?"
"Today, the young master and the housekeeper are not here. I don't know anyone else in the house. It's boring. Let's go out and have a look. The weather is good these few days. Why don't we go out on the mountain outside Jiyang City?"
The two girls looked at each other in dismay, what kind of green are they stepping on
"It's settled." He Yan said, thought about it, put the nine-section whip that could be stretched into several pieces in his arms, turned around and walked out the door: "Let's go."
…
Without Xiao Jue, He Yan was free and uncontrollable.
She is a guest of the Cui family, and naturally no one in the Cui family dares to stop her. Zhong Fu was worried that she would go out alone, and wanted to ask her to bring two guards from Cui Mansion, but He Yan sternly refused.
"I'm just going around here, and I won't go far. Besides, it's clear and bright, and there should be no one in the crowd. Butler Zhong can rest assured. I'll go to my husband after walking for a while. The two bodyguards of my team are highly skilled in martial arts, which is enough."
Zhong Fu then reluctantly agreed.
After leaving the Cui house, He Yan asked Cuijiao to hire a carriage not far outside the house, and told the driver to go out of the city.
Hong Qiao asked cautiously, "Madam, are we really going out of the city?"
"I'm not going out of the city, but I'm going to Qiyun Mountain outside the city to have a look," He Yan said, "I passed by Qiyun Mountain when I came here, and seeing the beautiful scenery on the mountain, I was very yearning. I happen to be free today. , it's good to go now."
What she said was the same as the truth, and the two little girls did not suspect him.
When she arrived at the city gate, He Yan showed the token given to her by Cui Yuezhi to the city gate guard. When the city gate guard saw that he belonged to Cui's house, he easily let him go and let He Yan leave the city.
Qiyun Mountain is just outside the city gate, and the road is not difficult to walk. When he reached the foot of the mountain, He Yan gestured and said, "I'm a little thirsty, why don't I look for a tea shop nearby and sit down and rest. Go in a moment."
Cuijiao and Hong Qiao naturally wouldn't say bad things, and Hong Qiao got off the carriageway: "Madam, let's take a break in the car first, and this servant will go down and have a look."
After a while, Hong Qiao came back and said with a smile, "There is a tea shop nearby, not far away. Madam, this servant will help you down, let's go directly."
He Yan readily agreed.
Not long after the few people walked, they saw a tea shop built with thatch under a locust tree at the foot of the mountain, and there were twos and threes of tea customers sitting and drinking tea and chatting.
He Yan stepped forward and asked for a few cups of tea and snacks. Let Cuijiao Hongqiao moisten her throat with the driver.
"Madam, this servant is not thirsty."
"The slaves are not thirsty either."
"How can you not be thirsty after such a long journey." He Yan said, "Drink, I'll ask the shopkeeper, what fun is there around here."
Without waiting for the two to answer, He Yan walked straight forward.
The owner of the tea shop is a couple, they are middle-aged people, their heads are covered with blue towel, and their complexion is dark, probably because of the heat, they are a little red. When the aunt saw He Yan, she asked, "Miss, but tea and snacks are not suitable for your taste?"
He Yan smiled and said, "No, I'm here to ask you about someone."
"Inquiring about someone?" The shopkeeper put the handkerchief on his shoulders, "Who is the girl you want to inquire about?"
"My name is Liu Bufu," He Yan gestured, "he is a head taller than me, born very well, about forty years old, carries a qin and a sword, likes to wear white clothes, like a A swordsman and warrior." After a pause, he added: "It doesn't have to be white, in short, a very elegant man."
After all, she and Liu Buwang haven't seen each other for many years. Maybe now Liu Buwang doesn't like wearing white clothes anymore.
The aunt thought for a moment, then smiled, and said, "Girl, the person you are talking about is layman Yunlin, right?"
"Junior Yunlin?"
"Yeah, we don't know what his name is, but every year, a few days after the Water God Festival, he will appear in our tea shop and ask us to ask for a cup of tea. As for lay master Yunlin, that's what we hear from others. We don't know who he is, but according to what you said, wearing white clothes, very elegant, good-looking, and carrying a violin, it should be this person."
He Yan was overjoyed and only asked, "Then do you know where he is now?"
"Girl, you will embarrass us." The shopkeeper said: "We don't want to ask people where he came from. Naturally, I don't know where he is now, but don't be discouraged, he will come every year after the Water God Festival. Here, I think, it should be in Jiyang City now, in order to catch up with the Water God Festival during the Spring Equinox."
He Yan's face was embarrassed. Jiyang City was not small. If he borrowed Cui Yuezhi's troops, it might not be difficult to find Liu Bu forget. It is a pity that this matter cannot be known, and naturally she can only find it alone.
Not so easy.
Seeing her strange expression, the aunt asked, "Girl, who is he from you? You want to find him."
"It's an old friend that I haven't seen for a long time." He Yan smiled bitterly, and after a while, he said again: "If this year after the Water God Festival, the lay master Yunlin comes here again to drink tea, please help me with the shopkeeper. If you give it to him, just say that Ah He is in Jiyang now, please don't leave first, just here, waiting to meet."
"Okay." The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Take it for safekeeping!"
Only then did He Yan feel relieved.
She returned to the seat in the tea shop and sat down. Cuijiao and Hong Qiao asked, "Madam, the tea is cold."
"It's not good to drink when it's cold, so I won't drink it anymore." He Yan said. To be honest, with the lessons of her previous life, she really didn't dare to drink the tea outside.
The two maids looked at each other, and after a while, Hong Qiao asked, "The lady, have you decided where to go?"
"I just asked the shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper said that there are wolves on the mountain these few days, so it's best not to go up the mountain." He Yan lied without changing his face, "I thought about it and thought that we weak women are too dangerous. So I won't go up the mountain for an outing today, just go back to the manor."
Driver: "… "
He hesitated to speak, but in the end he didn't say anything. How could there be such a thing, going out for a walk, then going back without doing anything. Isn't this just kidding. Huzhou's wife just can't afford it, she's clearly arrogant!
unacceptable!
…
On the other end, Xiao Jue and the three found the location of Cuiwei Pavilion.
Lei Hou said that the person who contacted him by letter was in the Cuiwei Pavilion in Jiyang. Xiao Jue suspected that this person was Chai Anxi, but now, the shop in front of him has become a piece of pitch-black charred wood. If you smell it carefully, you can still smell it. to the burnt taste.
"This Cuiwei Pavilion was originally a shop that sold jewelry," the spy who answered the question cupped his hands and said, "Half a month ago, there was a fire one night, and the Cuiwei Pavilion was burnt down. The staff inside, the shopkeeper, and The new accountant, Mr. Chai, didn't even come out."
People are gone, clues are broken.
"Is there a corpse?" Xiao Jue asked.
"It's all burned to ashes. Where there are bones, the neighbors are all miserable. This Cuiwei Pavilion has always been here. The government said that it will be renovated for a while, but the surrounding shops are unlucky and closed. ."
Chiwu threw the silver ingot to the spy, and the spy took it into his arms, bowed his hands to a few of them, and disappeared into the crowd.
Xiao Jue looked at his back and said after a while, "Escape."
It didn't burn early or late, but the fire happened half a month ago. Obviously, Lei Hou's capture was exposed, and the other party escaped.
"Do you still want to investigate? Young master." Fei Nu asked, "Now the clues are interrupted..."
"No need to check." Xiao Jue turned around.
The two were stunned.
"Since it is known to be exposed and the other party hides his identity, it must be hidden in the dark, waiting for an opportunity. The enemy is in the dark, and I am also in the dark, so there is no need to do anything."
"Just wait," he said.
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Chiwu: Don't ask, it's the women's clothing boss (.