"Go ahead."
It was getting late when Zhang Xing came to the door of Li Ding, a member of the Ministry of War's Driving Department, holding the knife. He took out a few pennies from his arms and gave them to the helper at the post station who was leading the way. Then he raised the embroidered knife. He patted the door with his scabbard.
After several pats, no one answered the door. Zhang Xing had no choice but to call the door: "Jing'an Taichung Town Fusi Jinyi's second patrol team Zhang Xing was ordered by the emperor to patrol inside and outside the two capitals and three rivers. He heard that the Ministry of War Li Ding, a member of the driving department, is here and has come to pay a special visit."
There was obviously some movement inside the door, but unexpectedly, the door still didn't open.
Zhang Xing finally became impatient and knocked on the door again with his scabbard, speaking simply: "Li Ding, you are a son of a noble family, you should understand the truth. Bai Yousi, our patrol inspector, just died of a cousin of the Minister of Justice, and you are showing off your expression again." Brother, what's going on, I haven't even been able to eat a peach after being away for three days, and I'm just bored... She's a master at the Dan Condensation stage. She chopped you off with a knife and forced you to escape with your cousin. Whose responsibility is it? Hurry up. Open the door! Save yourself from being hung up and beaten to death with a whip!"
There was some movement inside the door again, and after a while it was quiet again. Just when Zhang Xing was about to kick the door, the door finally opened, and a middle-aged man flashed out.
The man is about thirty years old, wearing a light green official uniform, with a wingless futou. He is tall, but slightly curled up. His facial features are straight, but his eyes are dull and his energy is listless. The dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible, his beard was unkempt, and his complexion was blue.
Zhang Xing was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but complain on the spot: "Are you Li Ding? A member of the Ministry of War's Driving Department, Han Ni's cousin? Didn't you open the door after calling for a long time?"
The other party nodded and couldn't help but yawn as well.
The scene was a little awkward for a while.
But at this moment, as a summer wind blew from the peach grove outside the inn, Zhang Xing suddenly smelled a gust of incense coming from the other party's room. He frowned on the spot: "Did you smell incense?"
Li Ding shook his head and stopped talking.
"I was the one who made the incense." A voice suddenly came from behind Li Ding, and immediately, a man in purple clothes and a hat turned behind the door.
She has a beautiful voice, a tall figure, an attractive manner, and fair skin. Although she is dressed in men's clothing and has a curtain covering her face, there is no doubt that she is a very beautiful woman with a special color.
Zhang Xing was startled for a moment, then looked at Li Ding, suddenly realized, and said quickly:
"It's like this. I don't want to disturb you two... But if Han Shixiong's mess is not dealt with properly by our inspection team, I'm afraid the superiors will arrest another person named Bai and behead him for the crime. I also ask Mr. Li to make a proper explanation. I'll go back and give an explanation for the inspection of my house... If you do it early, it won't delay your happiness."
The woman was stunned for a moment, then reached out to touch her waist, as if she was going to pick up something. Li Ding, however, coughed helplessly: "According to the words of this knight in robes, we should have ended it long ago."
Hearing this, the woman just restrained her hands, and Zhang Xing also proudly passed Li Ding and entered the room, and then sat down alone. The military officer Wai Lang in front of the door had no choice but to sigh, turn around and sit down.
The woman, on the other hand, closed the door with her backhand and stood behind Li Ding with one hand on her waist.
"I'll speak up." Zhang Xing threw the embroidery knife on the table and said it seriously. "Li Ding, your mother is the sister of the British Duke, and you are the direct descendant of the Li family in Longxi. With such a background, you had a reputation for talent in your early years, but at the age of thirty-six, you only became a member of the Ministry of War, responsible for repairs. Stations, roads..."
"My Li Lang is definitely not a creature of the pond." The woman in purple couldn't help but interject. "Please respect yourself."
"I know, I know."
Zhang Xing quickly responded. "I don't say this to humiliate anyone, but I want to remind Mr. Li that Han Shixiong's matter is both heavenly and earthly. The superiors will not let it go, and we, the current supervisor, will never let it go. ...You know, just when we came here, the Marquis of Ji'an gave each of our patrol team fifty taels of silver as hard work fee!"
Li Ding was stunned for a moment and shook his head: "There are not many people like that."
"The price of silver has soared." Zhang Xing said helplessly. "You don't want to show off the pedigree of the children of the aristocratic family. Let's discuss the facts. In this matter, the biggest suspect is your second uncle, third uncle and you. It is too coincidental that the three of you uncles and nephews are in front of each other and one is in the back. Among them, you are the one with the least foundation... Then if you really can't find your cousin, you have to come up with an explanation. What I said when I knocked on the door just now may not come true!"
The purple-clothed woman had been anxious for a long time, but she actually didn't get angry. She just stared at the visitor through her curtain hat.
As for Li Ding, after a moment of silence, he finally answered seriously: "That being said, I really didn't do this."
"Your cousin, don't you want to save me?" Zhang Xing frowned and glanced at him.
"Of course I do. My eldest uncle's former British father-in-law was very good to me. Even though I have nothing to do with my cousin, I still want to think of my eldest uncle." Li Ding sighed. "But this case is bound to be hopeless, so what can I do? But I won't hide it from you. I asked for the emergency repair of the road this time. My original intention was to see my cousin on the road for the last time and say goodbye. ...In the end, the road was opened, and when we got here, we realized that he had actually escaped."
Zhang Xing nodded and continued to ask: "What do you think it will be?"
"I think?" Li Ding asked in surprise.
"Not bad." Zhang Xing replied sincerely. "One of the reasons why this case is troublesome is that it is a major and imperial case. The so-called matters are so important that it cannot be solved without a result. The other reason is that it may be complicated and there are many suspects... I, a fool on the criminal record, can't expect to be able to investigate." It’s clear, but if someone like you can give me an explanation that can make everyone suddenly understand, I would naturally appreciate it, and I think I would be very grateful if we came to inspect.”
Li Ding hesitated for a moment and gave an answer that was not surprising: "Perhaps my cousin is really a drunkard. He got three people drunk, stole the key, and escaped from his house in the heavy rain."
Zhang Xing nodded and didn't take it seriously. He stood up and picked up his sword to say goodbye. He even gave the lady in purple a hand.
Li Ding could only hold his hand slightly behind the opponent.
"Brother, was he asking for a bribe just now?"
As soon as the people left, the lady in purple took off her curtain hat and asked angrily.
"No." Li Ding hesitated for a moment, then clasped his hands and told the truth. "He was reminding me that if I really can't find my cousin and things come to a standstill, then the best way to solve this matter is for me to come forward and frame any uncle of mine... In this way, the daughter of the Marquis of Ji'an family will be If I can give a mission to Cao Zhongcheng in Jing'antai, I can avoid being knocked over by big waves."
The woman in purple was stunned for a moment and said angrily: "Why is there such a villain?"
Li Ding shook his head slightly: "He is not a pure villain, he is just a smart man. Smart people can tell what the superiors want and then pass it on."
"Brother, are you talking about Bai Yousi?" The woman in purple clothes became even more surprised. "She has a good reputation in the Eastern Capital, so why should she be so shameless for the sake of her family?"
"No." Li Ding stood up, looked back at each other, and spoke simply. "It's His Majesty and Uncle Cao."
The woman in purple was immediately stunned.
After Li Ding took a deep breath, thought for a moment, he directly held the other person's hand and said sincerely to the woman in purple: "Shi Niang, this matter has encountered a problem. Although I am not on harmony with my two uncles, I still can't get along with her." You can't make false accusations, but if you stay here, I'm afraid your flaws will be exposed again and you will be involved in vain... I just ask Shiniang, if I am forced to flee the world and waste time again, will you come to follow me again? "
The woman's eyes suddenly became gentle: "What are you talking about, brother? She is determined to run away and is accepted at the same time. Shiniang is the only one in this life."
"Brother Zhang is back?"
When Zhang Xing returned to the lobby of Taolin Inn, the members of the Jinyi patrol group who occupied the entire station were having a meal together. Bai Yousi was on top of them. There were many washed peaches on the table. When Zhang Xing came back, the first thing he saw was The first person to ask the question was Qin Bao. "Third brother is going to see that foreign minister Li Ding?"
Zhang Xing nodded quickly and sat over.
"What do you think of Li Ding? Is he suspicious?" Qian Tang on the opposite side immediately put down the steamed bun in his hand upon hearing this, not wanting to make it too obvious that he wanted to share the worries of the inspector.
"How should I put it?" Zhang Xing, who had just sat down, sighed. "Unfathomable!"
The hall was quiet for a while.
Immediately, Li Qingchen took the initiative to laugh: "It's just a one-time relationship, how do you know that this person is unfathomable?"
"That's it." Zhang Xing took a steamed bun in his hand and explained sincerely. "I haven't seen through Li Ding, but I've seen through his mistress..."
There was silence in the hall for a while. Almost everyone looked at Bai Yousi, but Bai Yousi, who had a dark face, said coldly: "How is his mistress? How tall and fat is he?"
"How tall and fat is used to describe that kind of character is shallow."
Zhang Xing handed over to his leader. "That woman's appearance, skin, behavior, demeanor, and voice are all the best I have ever seen in my life. After I opened the first six meridians, my five internal organs and limbs were connected. Although I am still far from a master, I am basically His five senses are obviously improved, but even though he was like this, he didn't notice the woman's position until she opened her mouth. This shows that the level of martial arts, or cultivation, is also very high..."
Bai Yousi squinted his eyes obviously, and everyone around him also looked at Zhang Xing seriously.
Zhang Xing didn't pay attention to these looks at all, and just continued to explain seriously:
"It is very common for a woman to be outstanding in one aspect. She is outstanding in all aspects, and she has such martial arts skills. The only woman I can think of who can compare with her is our patrol... Everyone, what do you think? Think about it, suppose one day, one of our patrol inspectors suddenly abandons his duties and commits himself to a certain foreign minister. He acts as a follower and sleeps with him, and regards him as a hero in the world. How do you think I should evaluate that person? Call him a waste?
"I will only say, how unfair is the world that it makes it impossible for you to achieve your ambition?"
At this point, Zhang Xing followed Bai Yousi's gaze and turned to look at the floor above. Thinking that the other party was still there, he shouted from a distance: "Except Mr. Li, your Majesty, do you think that I am a man who buys a coffin for a pearl and doesn't recognize him?" Is he the real hero?"
"Stop shouting." Bai Yousi looked away and said angrily. "When you get the steamed buns, they have already left!"
Zhang Xing broke open the steamed bun and took a bite without panicking at all: "Since you have escaped, doesn't it mean that you are guilty of being a thief? Just ask the inspection team to take it! Bundle it in the woodshed!"
Bai Yousi gave a rare smile and disappeared from the lobby the next moment.
PS: Happy New Year everyone!
