"Chang Shi is right, this is indeed a big case." Qiu Yongsi said, and stepped forward to the Exorcism Department, but everyone was already gathered and were discussing. When they saw the two came back, they fell silent for a while.
Li Jinglong closed the door of the Exorcism Division, and everyone sat in the courtyard. Qiu Yongsi smiled and said, "Hong Jun has charmed a monster."
Everyone was speechless.
"No, it doesn't count." Hong Jun said, and relayed his and Qiu Yongsi's deduction in general.
"How many demons are there in the Imperial College?" Li Jinglong asked.
"It's not clear." Qiu Yongsi said, "We still need to continue the investigation. A rough estimate is no less than one hundred."
Li Jinglong took a long breath and replied, "A shocking case."
Artest said: "I checked all the brothels in Pingkang, and there are no more monsters. Those three fox monsters came here a year ago."
Hong Jun thanked God in his heart, and Li Jinglong said: "Then, the process is already obvious, what we have to do now is..."
Hong Jun hurriedly said: "Wait, tell me in detail. It's obvious to you, but not so obvious to me."
These people always use a force of "obviousness" every time they deduce things. Li Jinglong had no choice but to take special care of him, explaining: "Since a year ago, a large number of fox demons have entered Chang'an with mighty power. The three who arrived first entered the Yishi column. Why did they choose the Yishi column? They are literati My favorite place to go.”
"The first candidate came to Pingkangli, and after whoring, he was sucked dry by the fox demon." Artest said, "There was a fox demon who took his place."
Hong Jun understood.
Li Jinglong said again: "There are people coming and going in the poetry column. These three fox demons specially select the examinees, and every time they kill one, they let their younger brothers take the top. Therefore, in the Imperial College, more and more examinees turned into fox demons More and more. The candidates who died became mummies and were disposed of."
Hong Jun said in surprise: "So the mummy under the bed that day!"
"That's right." Li Jinglong paced around, pondered, and replied, "Maybe it's a newly dead person, maybe Jin Yun forgot, anyway, before we had time to deal with that corpse, we found it by mistake, that's why The reason why they are fighting to be injured, but also to burn the mummy."
Qiu Yongsi said: "These foxes become examinees. After taking the imperial examination on the fifth day of next month, they will enter the officialdom in large numbers, so the whole of Chang'an will..."
Everyone shuddered when they said this.
"It became the territory of the demon clan." Li Jinglong replied, "But there is one more thing, how can the fox demons guarantee that they will pass the test?"
Hong Jun suddenly felt that this matter was simply too absurd, a group of fox demons came to take the Jinshi examination.
Li Jinglong glanced at the crowd and said: "So, there is someone in the court. If this person is not the Demon King of Chang'an, he must be a subordinate of the Demon King. It is responsible for leaking the imperial examination questions, so that the fox monsters can prepare essays in advance to take the exam."
"A civil servant?" Qiu Yongsi asked.
"Not necessarily." Artest said slowly.
"Fox demons don't have much ability, presumably as long as they can transform people, the art of transformation can almost be used." Li Jinglong said, "I have checked some records about fox demons by Mr. Di these days, and these fox demons are raised on them. And the flying mastiff must be the dog that guards these fox monsters."
Mo Zhigen pondered: "The most important thing now is that the identity of the people in the court can not only get in touch with the exam questions, but also have hands and eyes..."
Li Jinglong said slowly: "It doesn't matter, it will always show up, especially after we get rid of all its subordinates. Once the case is over, we want to get rid of it, and it must want to get rid of us even more."
"Hong Jun, if I expect it to be correct, your last flying knife must be in the hands of the master envoy. Let's do it. In the past few days, everyone's tasks will be extremely heavy. Mo Rigen and Artest, Yongsi, you rest now, and then act together tonight, after entering the Imperial College, mark all the fox demons, Hong Jun, help me prepare some medicine."
Li Jinglong took a few steps, but suddenly turned around and stretched out his left palm. Everyone clapped his hands one after another, and went to make preparations.
When the night moon was dark and the wind was high, Qiu Yongsi, A Tai, and Mo Rigen sneaked into the Imperial Prison without a sound.
"I always feel that we need a demon mirror." Qiu Yongsi said, "It's exhausting to identify monsters."
"Make one?" Artest also felt it, looked into the bedroom, and whispered, "Do you see this one?"
Mo Zhigen leaned over, saw a scholar lying on the couch, and said, "I'd rather let it go than make a mistake. I have studied hard for ten years, and if I make a mistake, it will be over."
"That's right." Qiu Yongsi replied, "I saw him in the hall, let's do it."
Artest waved his fan lightly, and a powder of medicine landed on the corner of the fox demon's robe, leaving a very small trace. Mo Zhigen waved in front of another window, beckoning them to come and have a look. There were six people sleeping in the room. When Mo Zhigen spread his hands, the seven arrows with nail heads vibrated and rattled, obviously sensing a demonic aura.
"It's all." Qiu Yongsi glanced at it and said, "Look at one of the foxes, it's so sleepy that its tail is exposed, they won't let mortals in the room, otherwise it will be easy to reveal."
Artest then marked them one by one. In late autumn, Chang'an was already cool, and charcoal basins were often used to make tea and roast fire. Occasionally dirtying the hem of the robe was a common thing.
At night, Hong Jun was dispensing medicine in the courtyard, while Li Jinglong sat aside, still flipping through the case files.
"Thank you for your hard work." Li Jinglong said, "If the Exorcist is safe this time, I will take everyone to have a good time."
"All right?" Hong Jun heard a different meaning.
Li Jinglong slipped the tongue for a while, so he had to cover it up and said, "After the case is closed."
Hong Jun asked: "After catching the fox, what should we do with it?"
Li Jinglong replied: "All burned to death."
Hongjun: "..."
Li Jinglong observed Hongjun's expression and asked, "Do you want to intercede for them?"
Hong Jun thought of the examinees who were killed by the fox monsters, and he didn't know who would give them justice, but he always felt that the little fox was quite pitiful, so he said, "Can't you let some of it go?"
"Who will let the murdered person go?" Li Jinglong said, "You are an exorcist."
When Li Jinglong heard Qiu Yongsi's report in the afternoon, he felt a little dangerous. He was afraid that Hongjun and the little fox would become friends, and sooner or later they would fall into doom.
"Do you think all demons are bad? What about Zhao Zilong?" Hong Jun asked back.
Li Jinglong replied: "At least these foxes are."
Hong Jun also frowned, and he didn't argue with Li Jinglong. If the little fox didn't harm anyone today, can he just forgive him? But it also indirectly participated in the process of killing candidates.
"Put some more on it." Li Jinglong realized that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, so he stopped mentioning the matter, and reminded, "I want a medicine that can make them fall asleep completely and show their original shape."
In the afternoon, Li Jinglong searched all the pharmacies in Chang'an, and Hong Jun had to add a lot, and finally ground it into powder and packed it carefully.
"You must never inhale this." Hong Jun changed his mind and said, "Chang Shi, but I believe you will not be so unlucky."
"Don't curse me, okay?!" Li Jinglong was really afraid of Hongjun, so he divided it up carefully and put it into several small bags.
At midnight, October is finally over, and the eventful season is drawing to a close.
There are still five days before the imperial examination. After everyone completed the task that night, Qiu Yongsi said: "There are two hundred and sixty-six foxes in total."
"Less than expected." Li Jinglong said so, but after all, he was a little uneasy, so he arranged shifts, and people would watch these foxes every night to avoid any changes.
However, the next day, the imperial court issued an order—this year's autumn exam will be held three days ahead of schedule and will be held in the Taixue Hall on the second day of November. Qiu Yongsi brought back a notice, and everyone pondered for a moment.
"The demon king must now know that the flying mastiff is under attack." Li Jinglong said, "I'm afraid we disrupted his arrangement, so we started the trial in advance."
"Could it be that the plan was discovered?" Mo Zhigen frowned.
Li Jinglong waved his hand and said: "That is to say, his subordinates are not as many as we imagined. Don't mess yourself up, advance to tomorrow, and everything will go according to the original plan."
Hong Jun said: "Then shall I go?" To be honest, Hong Jun didn't really want to go, he didn't want to face a little fox who was about to die in their hands.
"You go." Li Jinglong said, "At this time, your information is very important."
The carp monster just popped up, and was about to ask what happened, everyone was afraid that it would do something bad, so they immediately held it down.
Hong Jun nodded after thinking for a while, and agreed to go to the appointment in person. At three quarters in the afternoon, he came under the Lishui Bridge. In fact, Li Jinglong had already arranged that these foxes would be wiped out as soon as the imperial examination started. On the day Qiu Yongsi saw the little fox demon, his thoughts turned and he left a tentative opening.
If the fox demons had already sensed the danger, they would definitely send someone out to test Hongjun.
Discovering danger and not discovering it, when the little fox faced Hong Jun, he must have two sets of excuses. Li Jinglong had already figured out that the mastermind behind the scenes was already on the verge of riding a tiger, otherwise more than two hundred students disappeared overnight, how would they explain it? It was simply giving the Exorcist a handle.
The maple leaves are flying under the Lishui Bridge, and the remnants of the maple are flowing down the river.
Du Hanqing lay on the bridge railing to watch the scenery, looking absent-minded.
"Du Hanqing!" Hong Jun laughed.
"Hong Jun?" Du Hanqing laughed immediately. Hong Jun always felt a little weird. The young man seemed to be looking forward to seeing him, so he walked up the bridge, and then walked down the bridge with him to Dongshi.
Holding the carp demon in his hands, Li Jinglong and Mo Rigen hid in the alley and looked out.
The carp demon just learned the cause and effect, and asked, "Have they met?"
"Hush." Li Jinglong motioned for you to shut up.
The carp demon said again: "Is it okay to let Lao Qiu and Mo Rigen come? Li Changshi, why don't you make a special trip?"
Li Jinglong blocked the carp demon's mouth, held it under his ribs with his left hand, looked around before going out, and followed behind Hong Jun and Du Hanqing. On a bright autumn day, two teenagers walked side by side through the Chang'an bazaar. The tall and handsome trees are facing the wind, and Du Hanqing is delicate and charming, bathed in the bright sunshine. It is really a very beautiful scene.
"I'll take you to the book shop." Hong Jun said to Du Hanqing.
"Hong Jun, why is that man holding a fish?"
Hong Jun turned his head and saw that Li Jinglong turned around immediately, facing the fish stall in the market, holding the carp demon in his hand, pretending to bargain with the boss, while Mo Zhigen looked around from time to time.
Hong Jun usually doesn't think it's funny to carry a carp demon on his back, but this time when he saw Li Jinglong holding a fish, he couldn't help laughing and said: "Hahahaha, who is so stupid holding a fish!"
In the whole market, someone turned around immediately, and the crowd laughed and said, "Hahaha, isn't this Li Jinglong?"
Li Jinglong: "..."
Only then did Hong Jun realize that it was his own fish, and he was immediately embarrassed, so he pulled Du Hanqing and took him into the bookstore.
"Look, there are a lot of books here." Hong Jun said.
"Yeah, I'm..." Du Hanqing had never been here before, almost slipping his tongue, and hurriedly said, "I seldom come."
Li Jinglong handed the carp monster to Mo Zhigen, and told him not to speak, then walked into the bookstore, stood behind the bookshelf, approached Hong Jun and Du Hanqing, and listened to their conversation. However, for a long time, the two of them were discussing poetry, and Li Jinglong was irritable. Why are you talking about Li Bai with a monster
In the end, Du Hanqing accepted Hong Jun's recommendation and came out with him. Hong Jun proposed to have dinner again, and took him to Yuyuelongmen.
Li Jinglong: "..."
"Chang Shi, I forgot to bring the money." Mo Zhigen hugged the carp demon and hurriedly said, "I'll go home and get it, you wait for me. It's okay, you can order first when you go up later..."
"No, I have money." Li Jinglong said, "Go back first, and take this fish away."
Xiao Er came to order, Hong Jun thought hard, recalling what the carp demon ordered that day.
"Fry a dish quickly, black-bone chicken soup..." Hong Jun reluctantly ordered all the dishes. Du Hanqing was very surprised and said, "It's too expensive here."
Hong Jun signaled that it's okay, and just smiled at Du Hanqing.
Du Hanqing's eyes were a little red, and he said, "It's the first time in my life that someone brought me here."
Behind the screen next door, Xiaoer asked Li Jinglong who was sitting opposite him: "What would you like to eat?"
"Have a glass of white water." Li Jinglong has always been a man who can bend and stretch.
"Okay!" Xiao Er said, "Here is Captain Li Jinglong, a glass of white water!"
Yu Yue jumped across the entire second floor of the Dragon Gate, and the audience roared with laughter.
Li Jinglong took a deep breath, sat down a little, and heard the conversation next door.
"What are they laughing at?" Du Hanqing asked.
Hong Jun spread his hands, not understanding why they laughed at Li Jinglong again. But when I heard that Li Jinglong was next door, I finally remembered that the main task today is to talk.
"Didn't your fellow villagers take you around Chang'an?" Hong Jun said.
Du Hanqing sighed faintly, and said with a smile, "In their eyes, I'm just a servant serving tea and water."
Li Jinglong was silent behind the screen next door, listening to the conversation between the two.
Hong Jun comforted: "It should be fine after the next day."
Du Hanqing said: "Where is it? Continue to serve them tea and water, and live the rest of your life."
Hong Jun: "How is it possible? You will become an official after the first time..."
Du Hanqing smiled slightly and asked, "How many people are in your family? You must be rich, right?"
Hong Jun thought for a while, and said, "It's just me and my father, and there is another one, uh, not a real uncle, I don't know how to call him..." To be honest, he didn't know what to call Qingxiong either.
"Yeah? Are they all men?" Du Hanqing asked in surprise, "Are you adopted?"
"That's right." Hong Jun replied, "They raised me up, and I have no mother since I was a child."
The corners of Li Jinglong's mouth twitched when he heard this, and after thinking for a while, he was a little surprised that Hong Jun seldom mentioned his family's affairs to them.
Du Hanqing smiled and said, "I'm telling you, it's not the same for you."
Hong Jun: "?"
Du Hanqing sighed to himself, and said, "Actually, I don't know what you like about me."
Hong Jun wants to take a fancy to you? What's the meaning? I didn't see you.
Li Jinglong's expression suddenly became serious.
"I'm very happy to have a friend like you." Du Hanqing said, "I don't have many friends in Chang'an, so come to the Imperial College to find me when you're free."
Hong Jun nodded. At this time, Li Jinglong could almost confirm that the fox demons were not aware of the danger, so he relaxed a little, drank the white water in front of him, and listened to the conversation between the two.
When Xiaoer served the food, Du Hanqing was very interested in Hongjun's family background. When he asked some questions, Hongjun answered some irrelevant ones. He held a small paper bag in his hand, which contained the newly developed medicinal powder. He hesitated. Again, never find an opportunity to unpack.
Not only did Hong Jun not get Du Hanqing out of anything, but he was tricked more and more. Hearing this, Li Jinglong couldn't help trembling next door, for fear that Hong Jun would accidentally sell out the Exorcist.
In the end, Du Hanqing seemed overjoyed and said, "Hong Jun, I like you so much."
Hong Jun became embarrassed, feeling guilty in his heart, and tried his best to change the topic. Du Hanqing seemed to have expected Hong Jun's reaction, and sighed softly.
In the evening, with the sound of evening drums, Hong Jun sent Du Hanqing to the gate of the Imperial College and said, "I'm leaving, you... take good care of yourself."
Du Hanqing turned around, smiled at Hongjun, handed him a white ring made of small stones, tied with a straw rope, and said, "I like the Jade Buddha you gave me very much. This ring is for you. There is no jade. Fill it with stones, I hope you don't dislike it."
Hong Jun took the ring and nodded, feeling vaguely uneasy. Du Hanqing said, "Let's go out to the city to play together after the exam."
"Okay." Hong Jun signaled him to go back, and Du Hanqing turned back to the Imperial College. When the sound of the drum stopped at Mu, Hong Jun was holding the ring, feeling a little lost in his heart, and walked alone on the long street. In late autumn, it gets dark very early, and the city is already completely dark.
"Thank you." Li Jinglong's voice suddenly said from the side of the road.
Hong Jun was taken aback unexpectedly, in a bad mood, and replied: "It's nothing."
Li Jinglong stood tall, and today he was wearing a dark blue martial robe, which was cut from the cloth gifted by Concubine Yang that day, which made him look neat and handsome.
Hong Jun sized him up for a while, Li Jinglong looked down at himself and asked, "Does it look good?"
Hong Jun nodded, and Li Jinglong said again: "You also have a suit. Tomorrow we will officially perform the mission for the first time, and we will fight prepared. Everyone will wear it."
Hong Jun said "um", and followed Li Jinglong back to the Exorcist Division.
Li Jinglong said: "You are angry."
Hong Jun said "um" again.
Li Jinglong turned around and said, "Because I didn't promise you to save that fox?"
Hong Jun thought for a while, and summoned up his courage to answer: "Li Changshi, in your eyes, is the demon so heinous?"
Li Jinglong frowned and said: "Hong Jun, you can't treat monsters as people! Monsters have people's emotions, they will pretend to be human, and he is just using you. Fox monsters want to find someone to sit by, but you didn't listen that day What did Jin Yun say? Do you think some of their words are true and some are false?"
"But… "
"Stop it!" Li Jinglong said, "He's using you! Can you stop being so easily deceived?"
When Li Jinglong was excited, his stomach suddenly groaned with a "cuckoo".
Hongjun: "..."
He must be very hungry, and a hungry man has a bad temper. Hong Jun thought to himself.
Li Jinglong said again: "You just trust others too easily. He is seducing you. What I said to you today is just to please you. He pretends to be pitiful. Maybe it's all made up by him. Besides, we will kill you tomorrow." Do you think that if you let him go, you won't come back for revenge?"
Then Li Jinglong's stomach groaned again. Hong Jun finally couldn't hold back, and laughed.
Li Jinglong said angrily: "Don't laugh!"
Hong Jun waved his hand, indicating that he would not talk to him anymore, Li Jinglong had no choice but to follow him back to the Exorcist Department. Everyone was waiting for Li Jinglong to come back for dinner, Hong Jun threw Bai Huan on the table, completed the task, said: "I've eaten." Then he went into the room and went to sleep.
"Hands of grass." Artest glanced at him and said, "The little fox is going to make a promise with his body."
Li Jinglong chased across the courtyard, saw Hongjun closed the door, so he had to come back to eat as before, and he was unhappy after the meal. Everyone knew that there should be no major mistakes in their actions tomorrow, so they all became wise and stopped talking.