"I don't know how the Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army is free to come to Jiyang even at the expense of pretending to be someone else?"
He Yan thought to himself, was discovered? Listening to this tone, it doesn't seem that I just discovered it.
Looking at Xiao Jue again, there was no surprise when he heard the words, he just smiled lazily, and said lightly, "Your Highness treats the little Highness's savior like this, and invites teachers to ask for guilt?"
"They are guilty," Mu Hongjin said coldly. "You are not innocent. The purpose of coming to my Jiyang is always to see if this hall is doing well."
"It seems that Your Highness has been doing well," Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows, "It's just that other people in Jiyang City are not necessarily."
Sitting on the high seat, Mu Hongjin stared at Xiao Jue for a while, then suddenly smiled. With this smile, the icy coldness that she had just now melted away a lot. She leaned back, leaning on the cushion, following her fingers. He pointed to the guest chair next to him, "Sit down, not to mention that this hall neglects the guests who come from afar."
He Yan thanked him and sat down with Xiao Jue on the seat next to him.
This is Mu Hongjin, the princess of Mengji. He Yan's eyes fell on her, and she always felt that it was different from what she imagined. Before arriving in Jiyang, the Princess Mengji in He Yan's mind was probably older, kind, dignified, and steady. Later, she guessed that she might be an old acquaintance of Liu Buforget, so she thought that she might be a hearty and righteous person. But I didn't expect Mu Hongjin in reality to be so beautiful and powerful, domineering and wanton.
"His Royal Highness..." He Yan hesitated for a while before asking, "When did you find out?"
"You think that Jiyang City is so good, but you still think this hall is a decoration, and you can't even see it." Mu Hongjin stroked a clear ruby ring between his fingers, and said lightly: "You have entered the city since you entered the city. From one day, this hall will know. Cui Yuezhi can't see that idiot, it does not mean that everyone is as stupid as him. I was waiting to see what you want to do, but since you saved Xiaolou, this hall is too lazy Going around in circles with you."
She looked at Xiao Jue: "After all, Governor Xiao, what are you doing in Jiyang City?"
"I came here this time to find someone." Xiao Jue said, "My name is Chai Anxi. He used to be my father's subordinate. He disappeared after the Mingshui World War I. I found his whereabouts and found him in Jiyang. Find someone, as for the hidden Cuiwei Pavilion, it was burnt down half a month ago." The corner of his mouth curled slightly, "Since Your Highness already knows the identity of our group, I will ask His Highness for help. I want to have His Highness's help to check someone in Jiyang City. It's nothing difficult."
Mu Hongjin's smile narrowed slightly, "Duke Xiao didn't expect this day, so he decided to borrow the hand of this hall to do things for you, right?"
Xiao Jue smiled lightly.
"You are so brave!"
He Yan was stunned inwardly. Now that they are in Mu Hongjin's territory, and they have not led troops, Xiao Jue is better. Not only did he not hold his tail, but even Mu Hongjin dared to shout, asking for help, let alone Mu. Hong Jin, even He Yan felt it was too much.
The young man said casually: "His Royal Highness must be very distressed these days when there are Uto people in Jiyang City. Chai Anxi may have clues about the Uto people. Your Highness helps me, just to help myself."
Mu Hongjin stared at him: "Why should this hall trust you?"
"I believe I have nothing to lose." Xiao Jue's voice was calm, "It also depends on what your Highness is most worried about."
There was silence in the hall for a moment, and slowly, the sound of applause sounded, Mu Hongjin clapped his hands one after another, stared at Xiao Jue and couldn't tell whether he was jealous or admired, and said, "General Feng Yun really lives up to his reputation, even if he doesn't. To be a general, to be a strategist, and to be able to do well.”
"Your Highness is wrong."
Mu Hongjin stood up and said, "You're right, there are Uto people in the city of Jiyang, and this hall has been worried about this for a long time. But how do you prove that the person you are looking for knows the Uto people? clues?"
"Jiyang City has always been easy to get out of and difficult to enter. Chai Anxi has been in Jiyang for many years. Utuo people enter Jiyang like no one, so it must be related. In His Royal Highness's palace, among the officials of Jiyang, some people colluded with foreign thieves. , so that there are loopholes in the passage of Jiyang City, it should be done by one person. Whether it is Chai Anxi or Wutuo people, they all enter the city through internal thieves." Xiao Jue said calmly: "What Your Highness has to do is to clear the interior of the city. Thief, but with His Highness's current ability, it is already reluctant."
Mu Hongjin smiled: "Oh? Why am I reluctant?"
"Because of the small building."
Mu Hongjin's smile faded.
He Yan understood what Xiao Jue meant. After the death of the queen-in-law of King Mengji, he left behind a son, and the throne of the vassal king can still sit firmly. But after the death of his son, only one granddaughter was left, and the granddaughter is still young. Although a woman could inherit the throne of a vassal king and become a princess, if it was really that simple, then Mu Hongjin would not have been married to the son of an important court official to stabilize his power.
There are only two women in the huge palace, supported by a pair of grandparents. How many people are staring at them, and Mu Hongjin will not be as relaxed as it seems.
"Inspector Xiao Du Ming inspects Qiu Hao," Mu Hongjin sighed, "In Jiyang City, since my son's death, people's hearts have been unstable. Xiaolou is still young and can't afford a big job. The big family has long been divided into separate factions. Like a plate of loose sand, it's easier to be exploited. But," she paused, then looked at Xiao Jue, "Utuo people infiltrated Jiyang, I'm afraid the situation in the Great Wei and Central Plains will not be stable."
"Goodbye, Your Highness."
"So," Mu Hongjin raised his chin slightly: "Are you going to join forces with this hall?"
"If Your Highness is willing," Xiao Jue slightly curled his lips, "I am very happy."
Mu Hongjin nodded: "This temple will let people search for Chai Anxi's whereabouts in the city. If this person is alive, and he is still alive now, let him hide, this temple promises you that we will be able to find this person. However, you also have to promise. This hall," a sly wisdom flashed in her eyes, "It is said that General Fengyun uses his troops like a god, and he has a clever plan. You and I have to work together to solve the predicament of the Utuo people in Jiyang City."
This time, "I" is used instead of "Main Hall", which means that she puts herself and Xiao Jue on an equal footing to seek cooperation.
Xiao Jue nodded: "Definitely."
After the words were said, Mu Hongjin's face slightly relieved the inhumanity at the beginning, and even showed a friendly smile, "Cui Yuezhi asked you to enter the palace all the way, and waited in the outer hall for a long time, so it's okay if you want to come. There is no food. Since you are here, you can eat your food before leaving. Xiaolou has changed his clothes, so I can thank you all in person." She looked at He Yan again, her eyes flashing with interest, "It's just that I didn't expect Dudu Xiao to come. Jiyang, you choose to be a married man. Is this... your lover?"
He Yan almost choked on his own saliva. He knew that Jiyang people were straightforward and straightforward, but even the princess was a little surprised.
Xiao Jue glanced at her and said lightly, "No, she is my subordinate."
"Subordinate?" Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "But I heard what Yue said, yesterday you both went to the Water God Festival together, and you also walked across the Lover's Bridge to win the wind for her and ride the firefly boat. As a subordinate, it would not be so accommodating. As a subordinate, the request made is a bit too bold. "
He Yan pondered in her heart, the deep meaning of these words was to ask her to restrain herself in the future. After thinking about it, she saluted and said respectfully, "He Yan listens to His Highness's teachings, and will be cautious in his words and deeds in the future, so as not to cause trouble to the Governor."
Mu Hongjin was stunned for a moment and looked at Xiao Jue: "It's really a subordinate."
Xiao Jue was speechless for a moment, then calmly said: "My subordinates are blunt, let His Highness laugh."
"It's nothing, it's always your business." Mu Hongjin reached out and stroked his hair on the temples, and said, "This hall will go to Cui Yuezhi first, and order to find someone for you. The two of you will wait here for a while."
Having said that, he got up from the high seat and slowly disappeared behind the hall.
He Yan breathed a sigh of relief after she was gone. I don't know why, when facing this Princess Mengji, I always felt that I couldn't relax too much, probably because her aura was too strong, and it was difficult to teach people to ignore it.
"Commander, why did you admit it just now?" He Yan touched Xiao Jue's elbow, "Don't argue."
Xiao Jue sneered: "Not everyone is a liar like you."
He Yan shrugged and changed his words, "But this Princess Mengji is so powerful that she discovered it the first time we entered the city."
"I didn't intend to deceive him." Xiao Jue said casually: "Cui Yuezhi can still perfunctory, and rely on his own strength to stabilize the woman in Jiyang City, how can it be so easy to deceive."
"Well," He Yan agreed with his words, "Women are not very easy to deceive when they are not emotional."
But if you like someone and trust someone, you are too easy to be deceived.
Xiao Jue glanced at her and said slowly: "But some women are not only easy to be deceived, but also like to deceive people."
He Yan: "..."
She said, "It's boring for you to say that, who lied to you?"
Just as he was talking, a maid of the palace came in and said, "The two of you please come with your servants. Your Highness invites you to eat in the banquet hall."
Only then did He Yan and Xiao Jue go to the banquet hall.
The banquet hall of the palace is also very large. Although the walls and ceiling are covered with colorful paintings, and the floor is covered with bright-colored blankets, because there are very few people in the long table, it is still empty and deserted. The gorgeous emptiness makes people feel more lonely.
Mu Hongjin sat on the small couch at the long table and said, "Sit."
He Yan and Xiao Jue sat down at the table according to their words.
"I don't know what you like to eat, feel free." Mu Hongjin leaned against the cushion, as if tired, "This hall asked Cui Yuezhi to go back first. He is here, so it is not convenient for him to speak."
Cui Yuezhi still doesn't know the identities of Xiao Jue and the two, and there are indeed many inconveniences.
The food in the palace is actually similar to the food in the Cui mansion. However, He Yan didn't pay much attention to food, and some food was fine. He immediately thanked him and picked up the chopsticks reservedly. I also remembered that the person in front of me was Queen Mengji, so she was not presumptuous, and the food was a little more gentle.
Mu Hongjin looked at Xiao Jue: "Captain Xiao, what is the purpose if the Uto people sneak into Jiyang?"
"Big Wei."
In a word, He Yan stopped when he was drinking the soup, and instantly felt the tasteless food.
"Once the Utuo people gain power and capture Jiyang, the first thing to do is to cut off the water transportation of the canal. The cities up and down the river will suffer disasters, there will be no food or money, merchants will strike the market, and the Central Plains will be in chaos. Go straight to the palace." He said indifferently, "There is nothing more natural than this."
Mu Hongjin was silent for a moment before saying: "This kind of shocking thing, Dudu Xiao said it very easily."
"Because it's about to happen." Xiao Jue said: "Not now, as early as the battle between my father and Nanman Mingshui, it has already begun to show signs."
"Nanman?" It was the first time that Mu Hongjin heard about this, and he wondered, "What do you have to do with Nanman?"
"There is a traitor in the dynasty, who colluded with Nanman in the past, but unfortunately the Nanman rebellion was quelled, and Uto is far away. These years have been safe and sound, and he has secretly built up his strength. Therefore, 'he' changed his partner and changed from Nanman to Uto. Jiyang is the first city used to invite credit."
Mu Hongjin's hand touched his heart and frowned, "Jiyang has not fought for many years."
"Allow me to talk more," Xiao Jue asked. "How many are the Jiyang City troops today?"
"Less than twenty thousand."
He Yan frowned as he listened. Less than 20,000 was not a reassuring number. You must know that there are more than 20,000 people in Liangzhou Wei today.
"Does Dudu Xiao have Nanfu soldiers under his command?" Mu Hongjin asked, "Can the Nanfu soldiers be transferred to Jiyang?"
"It's too late." Xiao Jue said.
He Yan and Mu Hongjin were startled at the same time, Mu Hongjin said coldly, "Isn't Governor Xiao alarmist?"
"What's the truth? Your Highness already knows it. If you're not in a hurry," Xiao Jue's expression remained calm, "Your Highness will not be kidnapped on the Water God Festival."
Mu Xiaolou was part of their plan, but they just happened to meet He Yan and the others, and the plan was disrupted. It is conceivable that if He Yan and the others did not appear that day, Mu Xiaolou was successfully taken away. There will only be two outcomes. The first one. Rumors spread about the disappearance of His Highness. The entire Jiyang City was panicking. The princess no longer had an heir. Directly up. The second is even simpler. They will use Mu Xiaolou as a bargaining chip to negotiate directly with Mu Hongjin. If Mu Hongjin loves this granddaughter, he will directly hand over the throne, so it will be convenient for you to save a single soldier. Occupy the entire Jiyang city.
No matter what kind of result, it is not something that Jiyang City can afford today.
"What do you mean..." Mu Hongjin asked.
"Prepare for the fierce battle in advance." Xiao Jue replied.
This topic was too heavy, and everyone in the banquet hall was speechless for a while. At this moment, a crisp voice sounded: "Grandma!"
It's Mu Xiaolou.
Mu Xiaolou has already changed her clothes. Her clothes are also bright red robes with golden lotus flowers embroidered on them. She is gorgeous and delicate. She does not wear a golden crown. She has two braids hanging on her chest and a little brow ornament on her forehead. , looks like Mu Hongjin when she was young, just like an alien girl, but compared to Mu Hongjin's domineering and glamorous, Mu Xiaolou is more charming and arrogant.
When she returned to the familiar palace, Mu Xiaolou was not as silent as when she was in the Cui Mansion. She ran over like a bird, jumped on Mu Hongjin's soft collapse, and snuggled up to Mu Hongjin's side, saying, "Grandmother. , why is Cui Zhongqi not here?"
"Cui Zhongqi has something to do." When Mu Hongjin faced Mu Xiaolou, he was more loving, smiled and touched her head, and said to her, "Your savior is here, thank them soon."
Mu Xiaolou turned his head and looked at He Yan and Xiao Jue. After a while, he whispered, "Thank you for saving me."
Some can't help but mean.
He Yan didn't bother with her, but just asked Mu Hongjin: "How did the little highness fall into the hands of the gangster that day? Could it be that the gangster sneaked into the palace?"
If so, those thieves are too bold.
Mu Hongjin looked at Mu Xiaolou, "You speak for yourself."
"It's nothing," Mu Xiaolou glanced at his grandmother's face and said after a while, "I wanted to go to the Water God Festival, but I didn't want the guards to follow me, so I left the house by myself. When I met a few people on the way, they said they could help me. In the firefly boat, after I got on the boat, I couldn't move after drinking tea, and then I met you."
She said it lightly, probably because she was afraid of being blamed by Mu Hongjin, and she also experienced a lot of dangers. However, it is normal for children of this age to be playful. Mu Hongjin only has such a granddaughter, and she is very strict on weekdays, for fear of any accident. It is understandable that children want to go out to play by themselves.
It's just that luck is not very good, and people have long been eyeing.
"Thank you very much," Mu Hongjin sighed, "If the small building really has three strengths and two weaknesses, this hall will not know how to survive."
"Don't say that, Your Highness. Your Highness, Jiren, has his own celestial appearance. Even if he doesn't meet us, he will meet others, and he will be safe and sound."
Hearing this, Mu Xiaolou muttered, "It wasn't you who saved me, but my uncle." After that, she looked at He Yan again, "Is that uncle not coming today? When will he be able to? Come? Go back and tell him, I want to see him, can you come to the mansion to play with me?"
It was the first time that Mu Hongjin heard of such a person, and asked doubtfully, "What uncle?"
"He's an uncle like a fairy," Mu Xiaolou was delighted and gestured to Mu Hongjin, "He's very tall, wearing white clothes, he's very powerful, I was caught at the time, and he took it away as soon as he appeared. The knife was knocked over! He has a sword, and he is carrying a violin."
Mu Hongjin's expression gradually stiffened.
He Yan's heart was full of bitterness, and he just hoped that this little ancestor would just stop talking and stop talking. However, Mu Xiaolou seemed to have a good impression of Liu Buwang. When he said this, he was so excited that he could not wait to tell Mu Hongjin everything he knew.
"He can also play the piano, and he played it for me. It's the piece that you used to play, grandma. But he plays much better than you. He said that the piece seems to be called "Slow Time". Grandma, why? I've never heard you say the name of this piece, is it really called that?"
Mu Hongjin looked at Mu Xiaolou and spoke slowly, her voice dry, "Since you have seen him, do you know his name?"
"I asked him," Mu Xiaolou replied, "he said his name was Lay Master Yunlin, but I heard they all called him Master Liu. You should ask him," Mu Xiaolou pointed at Xiao Jue, "Yun Lin Jushi seems to be his master, I heard Cui Zhongqi ask."
Mu Hongjin looked at Xiao Jue: "Really?"
He Yan's nervous palms were sweating, and Xiao Jue answered, "Yes."
The banquet hall became inexplicably dull, Mu Hongjin didn't speak, just leaned on the collapsed, not even paying attention to Mu Xiaolou.
He Yan thought to himself, looking at it like this, Mu Hongjin and Liu Buwang are not only old acquaintances, but their origins are not shallow.
After an unknown amount of time, Mu Hongjin regained his senses and said indifferently, "I see."
He didn't say that he wanted to meet again, and he didn't ask about Liu Buwang's news, as if this person was just a passerby who forgot his name after hearing it. Her expression returned to calm, and the momentary depression disappeared, and it seemed that she had returned to the high-spirited and inhumane Highness of the Princess when she first met.
It would be better if she asked, so she just let it go, but instead made He Yan suspicious, as if there was a restless cat scratching constantly in her heart, and finally she couldn't help it and asked, "His Royal Highness and layman Yunlin are old acquaintances? ?"
Xiao Jue glanced at her with a warning in his eyes.
Regardless of He Yan, Liu Buwang is also her relatives. Now that she can finally catch a glimpse of Liu Buwang's past, how could she just give up. Besides, Mu Hongjin's expression... At least he and Liu Buwang are not enemies.
Mu Hongjin didn't expect that He Yan would suddenly ask such a question, so he looked at He Yan, He Yan looked at her generously, and after a while, Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "Captain Xiao, your subordinate is really brave. big."
Xiao Jue's eyes were clear and light: "His Royal Highness Haihan."
"I haven't said anything yet in this hall, and you don't have to rush to protect your shortcoming." Mu Hongjin smiled slightly, "It's just this question, no one dared to ask such a question for many years."
He Yan felt strange in his heart, could he really be an enemy
Since they are enemies, how could Liu Bu Wang be so kind to Mu Xiaolou? After all, Mu Xiaolou and Mu Hongjinsheng are too similar to each other, so they wouldn't be gentle when facing a face like an enemy family.
"Actually, it's nothing to tell you." Mu Hongjin said lightly: "Many years ago, before I was married, I sneaked out of the palace once." She glanced at Mu Xiaolou and said gently: " Just like yesterday's small building."
"However, this hall is very lucky. Instead of meeting the villain, I met a young man who just came down from the mountain."
Her beautiful eyes stared at the colorful paintings on the wall in the distance. The paintings were like a girl sitting under a flower tree weaving a wreath.
"This hall admires this young man in his heart, so he pesters him, and follows him on the pretext that he has no money and nowhere to go."
It was also the first time that Mu Xiaolou heard about his grandmother, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"This is the first time I have fallen in love with a person, so naturally I am very sincere. But that young man already has a sweetheart, so he doesn't like this palace, and he is very cold when he treats this palace. The father told this palace that the marriage has been decided and that he will not get married in the future. The temple begged the young man to leave with the temple."
He Yan was speechless in surprise, Princess Meng Ji was really bold, she even dared to elope before marriage.
"On the appointed day, he didn't come." Mu Hongjin said indifferently: "This palace was found by the father's people and returned to Jiyang to become a relative."
"After that, I didn't see him again."