The number of guards at the gate of the city was at least twice as high as usual, and armored Southern Border Army patrolled past from time to time, creating a very grim atmosphere.
"Line up! Everyone line up for interrogation!" The city gate soldiers yelled angrily, looking at each other sharply in private.
Ordinary people didn't dare to offend the officers and soldiers, and they didn't dare to show their spirits. They lined up obediently, and the long line was five or six feet long.
Not far away, Ye Yinming and Lang Ma walked side by side, walking towards the direction of the city gate. They chatted leisurely about poetry while walking.
Naturally, the two also saw the dense flow of people near the city gate, and subconsciously slowed down their pace.
Langma raised her brows, and said pretending to be puzzled: "Brother Ye, it's strange. When I entered the city in the morning, there were not so many people. Could it be that today is a special day, why are there so many people leaving the city?"
Ye Yinming raised his eyes and wrote casually: "Brother Lang hasn't heard of it yet. It is said that spies from Nanliang appeared outside the city. To be cautious, the prince ordered to interrogate the people entering and leaving the city." After a pause, Ye Yinming He said disapprovingly, "Actually, according to my younger brother, since he was found outside the city, the person from Nanliang may have gone far away, so how could he still be in the city..." If he was still the secretary of the Wangfu, he would definitely raise it with the prince. mention, what a pity...
Langma smiled unnaturally, and said: "My lord is always right to be careful." He made a hesitant look, "Brother Ye, since the city gate is under martial law today, why don't we go back... maybe then The pen seller will come again in two days."
"But what if he doesn't come." Ye Yinming refused to give up, "It's hard to find a good pen, but that Lang Hao is really a good pen in a thousand!"
Ye Yinming probably also felt that he was a little too impatient. After coughing dryly, he continued, "Brother Lang, I know that you are also afraid of getting into trouble. But don't worry, most of the soldiers at the city gate know my brother... We just went out of the city to buy pens , nothing will happen."
Ever since the incident of the Xiuxiu meeting and his younger sister entered the palace, Ye Yinming was rejected by the former students who talked about poetry and prose together, but he also received some unexpected conveniences in his life, not only went to restaurants to eat often Some shopkeeper flattered him and waived his drink fee. Even when entering and leaving the city, these city gate soldiers were very polite to him, pointing at him over and over again.
Langma was overjoyed, but on the surface she put on an embarrassed look. After a while, she finally nodded and said, "Then I'll accompany Brother Ye for a walk." Then, he quickly turned his head and glanced back, They exchanged glances with Tashi Dorji who was wearing a bamboo hat not far away, indicating that everything was going according to plan.
"Thank you, Brother Lang." Ye Yinming cupped his fists and thanked him, feeling that it was his good fortune to know such a good friend.
While speaking, the two young masters had already arrived at the back of the long line, and the line was slowly moving forward. Lang Ma was anxious, but she could only act calmly, chatting with Ye Yinming absently.
Tashi Dorje, who was wearing a bamboo hat, stood several people away from them, covering half of his face with the wide edge of the bamboo hat. From time to time, people around him cast inquiring gazes at him, but because he was not the only one wearing a bamboo hat One person is not particularly eye-catching.
After about a stick of incense, Ye Yinming and Lang Ma finally followed the team to the gate of the city.
A black and fat city gate soldier glanced shrewdly at the two of them, and said solemnly: "Who are you two? Where do you live? What are your surnames? What are you doing out of the city?"
Ye Yinming's face was a bit ugly. He just assured Brother Lang that no one would embarrass them with him. He didn't expect that he didn't recognize the person guarding the gate today, and he didn't know where he called him. Come on, so I have no eyesight.
Ye Yinming took out a bamboo plaque from his waist and said, "I am a student of Qingmao Academy."
There was a thin layer of sweat on Langma's forehead. He tried to keep calm, smiled slightly, and said: "This official, I am not a native of Luoyue City. This is my guide." A piece of paper, trying to calm down.
The gate guard sized him up for a moment, and was about to pick up the document when suddenly, a scream came from behind: "Hey, why are you pushing people away?! Don't leave..."
Several city gate soldiers were attracted by the commotion over there, and saw a man wearing a bamboo hat walking away quickly without looking back, bumping into several people along the way...
"Wearing the hat in front, stop!" A city gate soldier shouted, but instead of stopping, the other party walked faster and faster, and even started running...
Such behavior is suspicious no matter how you look at it!
The city gate guard on the side hastily ordered a few guards, and ordered: "Chase! Take down that suspicious person!"
People queuing up all around backed down one after another, discussing with one another.
Shouzheng led seven or eight city gate soldiers to chase after Tashi Dorji who was in front. On the other side, a group of soldiers happened to be patrolling this way, and when they saw movement here, they also rushed over, and the armor made a messy collision sound as they ran.
There was a commotion in front of the city gate, but under the order of the soldiers, the team leaving the city quickly lined up again.
Ye Yinming became a little impatient, and urged: "Can we go?"
The city gate soldier holding the guide in his hand was about to speak when another tall and thin city gate soldier ran over, clasped his fists at Ye Yinming attentively and smiled, "Huh? Isn't this Young Master Ye? I'm sorry!" Then, he pointed to the fat black guard and said, "Master Ye, this Li Daniu is new here, so he doesn't know you, what an offense."
Ye Yinming, the city gate soldier, still didn't recognize him, but he didn't bother to think about why this stranger knew him, he just thought it was explained by someone, so he couldn't help but stand up.
The tall and thin city gate soldier smiled and said again: "Daniu, this is Mr. Ye, you have to remember. You don't need to check Mr. Ye's friends."
"Remember, little one." Li Daniu clasped his fists at Ye Yinming with a smile, and handed back the paperwork in his hand to Langma, "Both young masters, hurry up and leave."
Langma quickly put away the false guide, secretly heaving a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Ye Yinming is still useful...
He quickly glanced at Tashi Dorje's back, knowing that the other party would definitely not be able to escape this time. However, once I return to Daying safely, I will definitely credit Tashi Dorje and bless his family!
The two walked quickly, not noticing that the two city gate soldiers exchanged glances, and the one named Li Daniu left in a hurry.
After leaving the city, Lang Ma was eager to leave immediately, but there was Ye Yinming by her side.
Ye Yinming looked around and saw only a long line of people waiting to enter the city outside the city gate, and people leaving the city one after another.
"Brother Lang, where is the pen seller you mentioned?" Ye Yinming asked impatiently.
Langma sneered in her heart, but looked around for half a while calmly, and her eyes fell on the bamboo shed not far away. He knew that the bamboo shed was originally the tea shop opened by the concubine of Prince Zhennan. It seems that it was closed again today because of the martial law.
"Brother Ye, I met that peddler in that bamboo shed." Langma pointed to the bamboo shed and said, "He said he would sell pens for a day at the gate of the city today. Maybe he went inside to rest."
Ye Yinming responded, and followed Langma into the bamboo shed without any doubt. There were many bamboo curtains hanging around the bamboo shed to cover the sun, so as soon as he entered the shed, it felt dark all around.
Ye Yinming scanned around, but didn't see anyone. He was about to turn his head to ask again, when he saw a silver light from the corner of his eyes...
Langma's dagger was aimed at the main artery on Ye Yinming's neck, and Ye Yinming would be killed if he cut it.
But at the moment when the blade was about to see blood, Lang Ma remembered something, narrowed her eyes, suddenly raised her left hand, and struck Ye Yinming on the back of the neck with her palm.
"Lang..." Ye Yinming just uttered a syllable, and felt a pain in the back of his neck, and then his eyes went dark, his consciousness became confused, and soon he didn't know anything...
Ye Yinming fell straight to the ground, Lang Ma stood aside and looked down at Ye Yinming with cold eyes, and said softly: "You are lucky!"
Lang Ma didn't intend to keep her life alive, but she suddenly thought that this is not a battlefield after all, it's easy to kill people, but the trouble is the blood splashed out. Once the blood is on the body, it is not easy to wash it off, and the smell of blood is not easy to dissipate. On the contrary, it will cause him endless troubles.
I still have to act low-key at this moment, the most important thing is being able to get away.
Langma opened a bamboo curtain a little bit, looked outside, and after making sure that no one was paying attention, she squatted down beside Ye Yinming, took off the other's outer robe decisively, and dressed herself as He looked like an ordinary scholar, and left the bamboo shed as if nothing had happened.
As for Ye Yinming who fainted, his mouth was sealed with cloth strips, his hands and feet were tied up, and he curled up in a corner of the bamboo shed in embarrassment.
After Langma left the bamboo shed, he walked onto the official road, and after a while, he got into a farmer's ox cart... After a while, the ox cart was replaced by a donkey cart... When it was dusk, he came from a farmer's cart. When he came out of the small village, there was an extra brown horse under his crotch, and he rode away.
He threw it casually, and a white carrier pigeon fluttered its wings and flew higher and higher, startling several nearby sparrows to chirp and flutter their wings.
Seeing the figure of a man, a horse, and a pigeon going away, a young man with a baby face came out from behind a big tree, holding a steamed bun in his hand, and muttered: "This Nine Kings is really talented..." He grabbed Scratching the back of his head, he said to himself, "By the way, why hasn't Uncle Liu come here yet! Didn't he say he'll take over with me?" You're not kidding me, are you? !
Complaints are nothing but complaints, Feng Xing obediently got on his dark horse, grabbed the horse's belly, and chased after it, carefully keeping a certain distance from Langma, and using the woods to cover his tracks.
Another half an hour later, the sound of wheels and horseshoes came from far behind him, getting closer...
"drive!"
A somewhat familiar voice came from behind, Feng Xing was delighted, and the next moment, he saw a middle-aged man passing him in a carriage.
I can finally rest!
Feng Xing happily slowed down the speed of the horse, watched the carriage go away, then pulled the horse rope and turned around, thinking: This time, I have to tell the young master to let me rest for ten days!
Tread, tread, tread...
This time, the black horse didn't need to suppress himself any more, and ran as fast as he could, turning into a black lightning bolt, attracting the eyes of the few passing by.
Feng Xing is very proud, his baby is so handsome, tall and strong, flexible and light, traveling thousands of miles a day, like the wind and electricity...
With great speed, Fengxing arrived at Luoyue City before it was completely dark, handed in the guide, passed the interrogation, and rushed to the Zhennan Prince's Mansion as soon as he entered the city.
Of course he didn't go through the main entrance!
Although he has been staring at the Ninth King of Nanliang these days, he also learned the location of Guan Yubai's residence from Xiaosi. With his skills, it is simply too easy to sneak into the palace!
Feng Xing climbed over the wall, carefully avoiding the guards, and arrived at Qingyunwu not long after, he quickly walked across the stone arch bridge on the lake, and then walked around to the back of the house, the candles in the study room were on, it seems that the young master should be in the study room now inside.
Feng Xing quietly walked out of the window, and before he put his hand on the window sill, he heard Xiao Si's cold voice coming from the study: "Go to the main entrance!"
Fengxing touched his nose, it was really boring, he was discovered again.
He didn't intend to curry favor with Xiao Si, he leaned on the window sill with one hand, and briskly jumped sideways into the study, and called out with a smile, "Master."
Guan Yubai stood behind the writing desk and drew with a brush. He was wearing a dark blue lake silk Confucian gown, and his jet-black hair was fixed with a white jade bamboo knotted hairpin. He looked elegant and handsome.
He was so focused and concentrated, as if he didn't know that Fengxing was coming.
Feng Xing waited for a long time without any movement, touched his nose curiously, walked to the desk, stretched his neck and took a look.
I saw that smooth and delicate strokes without hesitation outlined a sparrow sitting on a branch, with a vivid and vivid posture. Looking along the pair of agile eyes of the sparrow, under the branch, an emerald green bird The praying mantis leaps from the paper...
Feng Xing almost didn't laugh out loud, this painting was immediately known to be "Praying Mantis Pounces on the Cicada, and the Oriole Behind", the young master is really bad-hearted... Cough cough, no, it's sentimental.
Guan Yubai's fingers lightly tapped on the desk, and seeing a bowl of untouched bird's nest porridge on the desk, Fengxing's eyes lit up, he picked it up and ate it bluntly, completely ignoring Xiaosi's cold eyes.
After a while, Guan Yubai finally put down the paintbrush in his hand, and Feng Xing's bird's nest was only half drunk. After he reluctantly put down the bowl, he said: "My lord, the Nine Kings have already released the pigeons at dusk. I believe that 'over there' will receive the news soon and send someone to respond."
Then, he paused, salivating and said: "Young master, I have been following the mantis for a long time, and it's not easy. You can enjoy a bowl of bird's nest again." He tasted his tongue and knew that it was the best blood. Yan, mellow, delicate and smooth. It really deserves to be the Zhennan Prince's Mansion, it's extraordinary when you make a move!
Xiao Si's face became more and more foul, and he stared at Feng Xing without blinking, as if to say, your skin is too thick.
Feng Xing ate his bird's nest nonchalantly, he would not do anything that would save face and suffer. Such a good bird's nest doesn't go into his stomach, it's a waste of money!
Guan Yubai pondered for a moment, then said slowly: "Little Si, come with me, let's go see King Zhennan."
The candlelight was dancing, and in the dim yellow light, his black and beautiful eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, shining with wisdom and profound light.
Speaking of King Zhennan, at this moment he was pacing back and forth in the study with a sad face, feeling extremely anxious in his heart.
The more chaotic Luoyue City became, the more he was afraid of being known by the officials, but the situation became uncontrollable before he knew it.
Even, he didn't even have anyone to vent his anger on. The Shizi Concubine had his permission to go to the temple to pray, and her visits were very low-key. He really couldn't blame her for being too flamboyant for attracting the attention of Nanliang people. .
Why.
No matter it is Nanliang or the emperor, why don't they look down on him like this? There will always be troubles.
"Your Majesty." The big maidservant in the study, Ji Jiao, reported outside the door, "Young Lord An Yi, please see me."
King Zhennan's heart skipped a beat, he was really afraid of something... I didn't hear that Marquis An Yi was going out today, how did he know so soon...
He really wanted to use his unwell body to dismiss the official language, but this reason sounded too fake.
The King of Zhennan sighed and said, "Please come in, Marquis An Yi."
Not long after, Guan Yubai was led to Zhennan Wang's study room, and after seeing the ceremony, he sat on the lower armchair.
The maids served tea.
The King of Zhennan greeted warmly: "Master Hou, this unique willow tea in southern Xinjiang cannot be tasted in the capital."
After thanking him in vain, Guan Yu picked up the teacup and took a sip, praising, "Slightly bitter but sweet, with a pleasant fragrance, it really is different."
King Zhennan said with a smile: "If Master Hou likes it, I will send some to Qingyunwu later."
Guan Yubai put down the teacup and said with a smile, "Thank you, my lord." He paused for a moment, and said, "Your lord, I heard that Luoyue city is under martial law again today, but what happened?"
Zhennan King's complexion was not good, he let out a long sigh, and said: "Hey, Lord Hou, you know, Nanliang is really arrogant recently. They were blocked by A Yi in Huiling City, and they wanted to use the concubine to threaten A Yi, it's really deceiving people too much. Naturally, this king can't tolerate it, and must strictly investigate, but it disturbs the peace of Lord Hou."
This time, Guan Yubai was not as easy to talk as in the past, he thought for a moment, and said: "My lord, with all due respect, Nanliang is so arrogant, is there really no problem with the battle in Huiling City?"
Zhennan Wang's heart was raised, he smiled dryly and said: "Master Hou, with Ah Yi here, Nanliang will never step into Huiling City."
Guan Yubai frowned slightly, and said: "Nanliang acted so recklessly in Luoyue City, he must have vowed to win, but Luoyue City didn't have the slightest way to deal with it, giving Nanliang time and time again to take advantage of it. My lord, this Marquis has always believed that my lord's southern border army will be able to defend the southern border, but now it seems that it is not good."
Zhennan Wang was even more irritable.
It's just that the facts are making too much noise this time, and it's impossible for him to be vague about one or two things.
Although there is no sense of persecution in the white words of the official language, it is still difficult for him to evade.
The King of Zhennan picked up the teacup, and slowly skimmed the tea soup with the lid of the bowl. Taking advantage of this effort, he thought for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty is too worried. Nanliang is not good enough for Huiling City, so he wants to Using the concubine to force Ah Yi... How can a small barbarian country in Nanliang be a match for my army in southern Xinjiang?"
Guan Yubai said with a slight expression, "My lord, please be careful with your words." He said meaningfully, "This Marquis came to southern Xinjiang by the holy order, and the lord is well aware of the holy will. Therefore, the Marquis can understand that there is no troops in Southern Border to follow the imperial decree to attack Baiyue. However, according to the prince's wishes, Nanliang is not afraid at all, so why is this battle still stalemate?"
Zhennan Wang's expression changed, and he immediately knew that he had said something wrong.
He was about to open his mouth to make amends, when Guan Yubai continued to say: "...my lord, is Nanjiang really powerless to obey the order, or is he deliberately letting Nanliang go, so he refuses to obey the order for an excuse?"
This sentence was already heart-breaking, Zhennan King's expression turned serious, and he blurted out: "Marquis An Yi, don't talk nonsense."
"My lord, please calm down." Guan Yubai's expression was gentle, without the slightest hint of aggression. "This Marquis naturally believes that the lord will not resist the order. However, since we have arrived in southern Xinjiang, when will we start a war with Baiyue? It needs to be reported back to the emperor."
King Zhennan fell silent.
Since Guan Yubai arrived in southern Xinjiang, he has done everything safely. Even if he said that he could not start a war with Baiyue for the time being, he never said anything. Now... Hey, now, Luoyue City is really disappointing.
If he said that Nanliang was approaching menacingly, Nanjiang might not be able to stop it, and the emperor might send troops to support him under some pretext.
But if he said that Nanliang is not worth mentioning at all, then he should not use it to avoid the Baiyue incident, otherwise it would be a crime of disobedience.
Neither the left nor the right, no matter what I do, it seems that I can't please.
How did things end up like this...
The King of Zhennan sighed, and couldn't help but said: "Then what should be done according to Marquis An Yi's wishes?"
Guan Yubai thought about it for a long time, and when King Zhennan couldn't help but wanted to speak again, he said, "This Marquis wants to go to Huiling City to see for himself how the battle is going."
Zhennan Wang looked dignified, and confirmed: "Master Hou is going to Huiling City?"
Guan Yubai said bluntly: "This Marquis has no choice but to go, and I hope the prince will allow it."
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All the Xiaoxiang coins for the event have been issued, and the list of key chains will be released within two days! Thanks!