The furnishings in the wing room were simple, but two charcoal pots were lit to warm the room. A pillar of sandalwood was burned in the room. Thin smoke curled up from the simple and unsophisticated incense burner, which was blown by the hot charcoal fire. Fumigated, it adds a bit more warmth than ordinary sandalwood.
After struggling for half a night, by the time Han Changmu dried his clothes and hair and fell asleep, it was already late at night, but it was late in the winter, and there were still two hours before dawn.
Han Changmu looked up at the dark night. The snow was still falling all over the sky. The snow on the ground was enough to cover his feet. Such a snowy night was really not conducive to travel. If he brought people here at this time, he would inevitably be alarmed. It would be bad if the street officials and the street envoys patrolling the city were able to alert the snake.
He let out a shallow breath, thinking about taking a nap first and bringing someone to arrest him at dawn.
After lying there for a while, he couldn't stand the smell of the sandalwood. He usually didn't like burning incense, and now the smell of the sandalwood was a bit strong, so he got up and put out the incense.
Perhaps he was too tired during the day, and he worked hard for half the night. He leaned against the soft pillow and fell asleep soon.
The night was silent, and the snowflakes fell endlessly, making the surroundings feel chilly.
In the ice and snow, the back door of Qinglong Temple opened a crack, and a line of footprints stretched out from the temple, and was quickly covered up by the snow.
Early the next morning, the sky was bright and the snow had stopped. There was a vast expanse of white everywhere. The warm yellow morning sun was splashing on the sky, shining on the snow. The snow light was slightly cool and particularly eye-catching.
Han Changmu looked at the snow light reflecting on the window paper, and was stunned for a moment. Then he heard the chaos of soldiers and horses outside, the noisy sound of running, and the hoarse shouting, which was deafening.
He straightened up immediately, put on his clothes and shoes, and walked out of the wing quickly.
The fire outside was soaring into the sky, burning the upper half of the sky. The billowing smoke was as black as ink. The crackling sound of the fire was deafening. It was clearly right next to my ears, but looking at the fire, it seemed very far away.
He looked stern, and the place where the fire started was clearly opposite Qinglong Temple.
He put on his clothes and hurriedly walked towards the temple gate. Before he could get there, he bumped into the second disciple who was carrying an empty bucket and dripping with sweat.
The second disciple was sweating profusely and his whole body was soaked. He didn't know whether it was due to sweat or being soaked by the water. His face was covered with black soot. The sweat flowed down his face drop by drop, leaving traces of traces on his body. He was covered in smoke. The smell of smoky fire is very strong, as if you just crawled out of the fire.
When he saw it was Han Changmu, he shouted in panic: "Young Envoy, something has happened. The door opposite has been compromised."
Han Changmu's expression changed, and he ran out with his shoes on. Before he could get closer, he was forced to take a few steps back by the scorching firelight.
People in the whole street were alarmed and came out, carrying water and pouring buckets of water on the fire.
The entire house was immersed in firelight, and the tongues of fire were like countless giant dragons bathing in fire, enveloping everything that could be ignited and that could not be ignited.
The crackling sound resounded throughout the world, and the thick smoke even covered up the dazzling and hot fire, which shot straight into the sky.
This fire is really too big. Pouring pots of water into it is just a drop in the bucket and will have no effect.
At this moment, there was a loud rumble in the house, and the roof collapsed instantly in the light of the fire, stirring up thick dust and black smoke.
Han Changmu looked at the sea of fire in front of him, his mind racing. He was confident that he was not discovered when he was following, but how did the news spread that he was interested in exploring the house.
He turned to look at Qinglong Temple, his eyes flashed gloomily. Only the people in this temple, who asked so many questions about this house last night, could guess that the case he wanted to investigate was related to the people in this house. People matter.
Who is it that leaked the information?
Among the noisy crowds, the sound of footsteps suddenly came, which was not so messy. Han Changmu turned his head in surprise and saw an acquaintance.
He went up to meet him and asked with surprise on his face: "Yao Canjun, who are you?"
Yao Yao was even more surprised. He looked at Han Changmu and said, "There is water in the city. Jingzhao Mansion was ordered to cooperate with Wu Houpu to put out the fire."
Han Changmu nodded, took a few steps back with his hands behind his back, and showed an attitude of never interfering.
Yao Yao raised his eyebrows and said nothing, then turned around and began to order the detectives behind him.
Wu Houpu also arrived with fire-extinguishing equipment, and together with the detectives from Jingzhao Mansion, they worked together to put out the fire.
Yao Yao retreated to Han Changmu's side, watching the huge water column spraying into the blazing flames, and asked thoughtfully: "Young Master is indeed well-informed."
Han Changmu put his hands behind his back and smiled sarcastically: "The responsibility of the Department of Internal Security is not that of being well-informed."
Yao Yao snorted, wrinkled the tip of his nose slightly, looked at Han Changmu in surprise, and said with a joking smile: "Young Master, you are so beautiful."
Han Changmu was stunned for a moment without knowing what was going on. Seeing Yao Yao's smile becoming more and more profound, he raised his hand and smelled his sleeves, and suddenly realized it. He smiled coquettishly and blurted out the embarrassment before he could think of it: "I was splashed on my face yesterday. water."
Yao Yao snorted and laughed out loud. Seeing Han Changmu's gloomy face, he smiled with a smile on his face. His expression looked harmless, but every word he spoke was piercing Han Changmu's lungs: "Smell this." It doesn’t smell like face wash.”
Han Changmu was stunned for a moment. He had already learned about Yao Yao's sensitive nose, so he naturally believed her words. He wondered: "If it's not face wash, what kind of water is this? It smells so strong of powder."
Yao Yao smiled enigmatically: "The woodcutter washed her bare feet, and the pedestrians rested their golden clothes. Looking west to Bailuzhou, the reed flowers are like morning frost."
This is a poem written by Taibai, the poet of the former dynasty, called "Foot Washing Pavilion". Yao Yao used it here, and the profound meaning is self-evident.
When Han Changmu heard these lines of poetry, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He stood stunned on the spot, his face turned livid and ugly, and he almost vomited. If not for the people who came and went, he would have taken off his clothes on the spot.
Yao Yao raised his eyebrows, smiled triumphantly, stopped paying attention to Han Changmu, and turned to inspect the fire-fighting situation.
At this time, He Zhenfu, the commander-in-chief of the Internal Security Department, also received a message from Han Changmu and rushed here. Looking at the fire all over the sky, he stayed for a moment, then quickly recovered and saluted Han Changmu.
Just as he was about to speak, Han Changmu cut him off: "Have you brought any clothes?"
He Zhenfu was stunned. Bring clothes. When did the Department of Internal Health change the rules? You still have to bring clothes when you go out to handle cases. What the hell is this?
Han Changmu's face had not turned around yet, he was still very gloomy, and his eyes fell coldly on He Zhenfu.
He shuddered and saw that Han Changmu looked worried and his clothes and hair were a bit messy. Without thinking too much, he quickly asked in a low voice: "Your Excellency, you are a little cold. I humbly give you my coat to wear."
Han Changmu took a deep breath, barely suppressing the raging anger that rushed into his head, and nodded calmly: "Ask them to detain all the monks in Qinglong Temple, and don't let any of them go. You come with me. "
Han Changmu today was so abnormal and scary that He Zhenfu didn't have time to think about it. He responded, arranged for people to lock the four monks in the Qinglong Temple in the wing, and then followed Han Changmu in. room.
Han Changmu glanced at He Zhenfu and pointed to the kitchen: "Tell someone to boil water. I want to take a bath."
He Zhenfu was going crazy. Did the young envoy take the wrong medicine or forgot to take it? Is he calling them all here with great fanfare just to ask him to boil a bucket of bath water?
But he didn't have the guts to question Shangguan's decision, so he arranged for someone to boil the bath water.
Not long after, everything was ready. Han Changmu walked around the screen, threw out the clothes he had taken off, and shouted quietly to He Zhenfu who was about to go out: "Stop, take off your clothes."
He Zhenfu was really crazy now. He was sure that the young envoy had been greatly stimulated last night and was acting abnormally today. He planned to run away quickly and find a doctor who could cure madness. Don't let me take a good look at the disease.
Before he even stepped out of the door, he heard a rustling wind behind him, a clang, a dagger nailed to the door frame, and a buzzing sound.
The cold light was so strong that his legs softened for a moment, and he stopped struggling. He closed the door, took off his clothes, and handed it to Han Changmu.
There was a splash of water, and Han Changmu must have sat in the tub. He Zhenfu was naked, and he didn't know whether he was cold or frightened. He had goosebumps all over his body and was shivering.
He looked at the shadow cast by Han Changmu's head, faintly shaking on the screen. He didn't hear Han Changmu's words asking him to come in, nor did he hear the words asking him to leave. His heart was racing, and he had never heard anything like this before. Today I regret that I joined the wrong yamen.
The sound of water gradually died down, and Han Changmu's voice came out from behind the screen in a gloomy tone: "Put on the clothes on the ground and go out."
The cold sweat all over He Zhenfu's body suddenly stopped. As if he was being pardoned, he grabbed his clothes and put them on casually.
As he tied his belt and walked out, he heard Han Changmu threaten him coldly: "If you dare to spread what happened today, I will cut your tongue."
He Zhenfu's face was pale, no better than a ghost. He was so frightened that his tongue and teeth were chattering. He staggered and almost hit the doorstep. He kept saying that he didn't dare because he was humble. When he heard Han Changmu's cold voice, get out, he He rushed out without looking back.
Don't be ridiculous if you spread gossip. He wouldn't even dare to borrow his courage. He wished he could poke his eyes out and make him blind.
For God's sake, there is no medicine that can cause amnesia if you take it. Give him a pound of it.
Han Changmu soaked in the tub, looked at the clothes on the rack with disgust, and sighed deeply.
He had taken someone else's advice and was too careless. The water for washing his feet or his face was no longer the most important thing. What was important was who leaked the news.
