"Chou Zheng! The cold is squeezing, so add more clothes and quilts!"
The sound of the night watch could be heard in the distance.
Ji Wen was leading people out of the back door of Yang Shenjin's house.
A group of right warriors followed and threw the tightly tied Jiang Mao onto the back of the horse.
"Hurry up." Ji Wen urged.
He originally wanted to find a slave from the Yang family's villa to convict Li Linfu in front of Li Linfu, but he couldn't care about it when Xue Bai made trouble. He couldn't help complaining: "If you do something, it's just people stumbling."
"Jifacao, it's ready."
"Walk."
Everyone headed west, leaving the west gate of Changlefang and entering the street.
The sixteen guardsmen who were mobilized originally planned to have a big fight, but in the end they easily controlled the situation and relaxed, and some of them even withdrew.
The street is empty, with the East Market to the west. Ji Wen and his party have to walk a short distance south to bypass the East Market, and then continue west to Pingkangfang.
The lantern dispersed the darkness ahead.
In the distance, there was a fire on the south gate of Dongshi, guiding the way forward.
suddenly.
"Whoosh."
Several sharp arrows shot out.
One of the Right Guardsmen took off his armor because he was tired, just in time for the arrow to penetrate his body through the gap, and he died in an instant on this seemingly peaceful night.
The dead soldiers jumped out from the darkness on both sides of the road, rushed into the ranks of the right Xiao guards, and slashed hard with their long-handled swords.
"puff."
Another soldier who was not in combat position was covered in blood before he could react.
Only then did they remember to blow the whistle to warn.
The sharp whistle pierced the night sky, alarming the Wuhou in Dongshi and Changlefang, and the bells rang on every watchtower.
…
Xue Bai stood in the darkness, silently wiping the sweat of his horse, and did not watch the fight between the Longyou veterans and the Jinwu Guards.
He must make a decision as soon as possible whether to kill Ji Wen or not.
Many things that happened tonight seemed simpler to blame on a dead Ji Wen, but simplicity may not be good. According to the original plan, he needed a living Jiwen to take responsibility.
He is about to kill Ji Wen's son. If Ji Wen is allowed to live, it will be a big disaster after all.
He was weighing things quickly in his mind, but when he heard the horse neighing, Ji Wen didn't direct the resistance at all, and ran away without hesitation.
After all, You Xiaowei was an armored soldier. Unlike ordinary guards, he was not killed so quickly. Moreover, Jiang Hai and others only focused on retrieving Jiang Mao, giving half the team a chance to escape.
Only one person standing next to Xue Bai raised his crossbow and tried to aim at Ji Wen in the darkness.
"Save him a life for now." Xue Bai whispered.
"good."
The crossbow arrow still shot out, and there was a faint "ding" sound. It probably hit the armor of a right guard.
"Hey, he was riding a horse at night, so he couldn't shoot accurately."
The Longyou veteran turned around and said something with a strong Liangzhou accent.
Immediately Xue Bai thought of the phrase "My heart is just burnt to the core." The man in front of him was the driver who sent him to be buried alive.
"What's your name?" Xue Bai asked.
"I don't have a name. I asked for a name when recruiting soldiers. I said I was from Liangzhou, so everyone called me Lao Liang."
While talking, Lao Liang loaded a crossbow and killed one person.
"I remember, Lao Liang." Xue Bai said.
After a while, the Longyou veterans snatched Jiang Mao back. The surviving Youxiao guards fled and the battle ended quickly.
"Brother was rescued!" Jiang Hai was overjoyed and rushed to untie Jiang Mao.
They succeeded in sneak attacks twice in a row. They took advantage of the fact that the patrols in the two squares had no time to react and were caught by surprise. Xue Bai cooperated inside and outside, so they did not encounter a large group of armored men.
But now the patrols have reacted, and there are bursts of shouts from every building and watchtower.
Immediately afterwards, footsteps sounded from all sides of the cross street.
"What should I do?" Lao Liang subconsciously asked Xue Bai for advice.
Jiang Hai said: "I really can't escape this time, let's fight them!"
Xue Bai looked around, raised his hand and shouted: "You go to the roadside and hide, I will fend off the pursuers."
This cross street is indeed very wide, and the sky is dark. It is pitch black on both sides of the road and nothing can be seen. But if the patrol comes with a large number of torches, they will eventually be found.
The Longyou veterans were accustomed to obeying orders. They threw away their torches without hesitation, ran across the long street, hid in the shadow of the square wall, and disappeared into the deep darkness in an instant.
Before leaving, they even didn't forget to give the Jinwu Guards who fell to the ground a last-ditch blow, just in case anyone alive could identify their whereabouts.
Xue Bai got on his horse and galloped towards the north of the long street where Ji Wen fled.
Jinwu Guards had already rushed out from the west gate of Changlefang. Xue Bai ordered them from a distance: "Jifacao is being chased and went north. Why don't you hurry up and chase him?!"
The Jinwu guards were stunned for a moment, still wondering who this person was, but someone did see Jiwen running across the long street and chased him north.
~~
The sound of footsteps was getting closer and closer, and the firelight lit up at the other end of the long street.
The Longyou veterans crouched in the darkness, staring at the fire, and gradually held their breath.
Close.
Lao Liang picked up the crossbow and prepared to fight to the death.
The next moment, someone came from the north on Pegasus and shouted loudly at the intersection: "Hurry up! Jifa Cao is going north!"
Jin Wuwei ran across the south side of the long street and passed the Longyou veteran, no more than ten steps away.
Lao Liang shrank down and watched the fire dragon flying away in front of him, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Fortunately, there was no Jinwu Guard who stretched out his torch to shine on the roadside, and his general rushed to the street corner and started talking with Xue Bai.
It seemed that he didn't quite believe Xue Bai. The conversation lasted for a long time. It wasn't until Jinwu Guards from Changlefang arrived to explain Xue Bai's identity that they all chased him north.
"Really gone?"
"Ha." Lao Liang took a few deep breaths, "This young man is really good at interrogating people and assigning people to do things."
Jiang Hai said: "No matter how much nonsense he talks, it sounds like it's true."
Tuoba Mao sneered and said: "Children from aristocratic families are like that. They have been infected with officialdom since childhood."
"Whatever, just rescue my brother. Right? Brother."
"Um."
"Do you think you're going to kill him later?" Tuoba Maohu asked.
"The people who know Mr. Pei's identity haven't been eliminated yet, so he is still useful."
"I know, I mean, when it's all over, kill him?"
Lao Liang shook his head and said, "No one gave the order."
Tuoba Mao said: "Mr. Pei was too late to give the order because he was in front of Jin Wuwei, but I saw the look in his eyes."
"Fuck your mother's eyes." Jiang Hai scolded: "He let my brother go without an order, how can I violate morality? Then there is no difference between me and a traitor."
"The difference is that they are extremely rich, but you are nothing."
Jiang Hai smiled instead of being angry and said proudly: "Even if it's just a fart, I don't bother to imitate the traitor."
"You are only worthy of eating dog intestines." Tuoba Mao said: "It's up to you, even if I don't kill him tonight, Mr. Pei will find someone else to kill him tomorrow."
Before the discussion came to an end, Xue Bai was already riding back.
"Xue Langjun, who will you kill next?"
Xue Bai threw away Xin Twelve's general documents and said: "When Ji Wen comes to his senses, he will lead people to search south. You guys take a detour and wait for me near Changlefang Cross Street."
"I know. There is still Ji Dalang who has not been killed. You should check first."
"yes."
Tuoba Mao said: "Waiting for your arrangements."
~~
Xue Bai sat on the horse and rubbed his forehead, feeling a little tired.
But things are not over yet tonight, and the more we do, the more we do, there will inevitably be omissions left, and we will have to make up for them tomorrow, and we have to hold on.
After thinking about it, he turned around and headed back to the music studio Yang Shenjin's villa.
Turning into the alley, there was someone riding a horse with a lantern in front of him, but it was Jiao Nu.
Xue Bai didn't raise the fire, knowing that she couldn't see him. He pulled the reins and planned to avoid it, lest it be inconvenient for her to follow.
But then I thought that Li Linfu was very suspicious and it would be inappropriate to stay away from surveillance for too long tonight.
He immediately drove his horse to meet him and said in a bad tone: "Where did you run to?!"
Jiaonu was driving on the road in a low mood. Suddenly, someone came out of the darkness and scolded her. She was furious at first. When she raised the lantern, she saw that it was Xue Bai, but she forgot to get angry and said directly: "The chicken tongue plague is from my hand." He stole the criminal!"
"You dare to say that." Xue Bai scolded: "I asked you to stop him. Do you see how bad he has made things now?!"
Jiaonu was so angry that he could not speak.
"After painstaking investigation, it was ruined." Xue Bai said, "If the right prime minister blames it, all of them will die."
Jiao Nu's face turned pale and he said anxiously: "We are not to blame for this matter. It was clearly Chicken Tongue Plague that stopped us and robbed the prisoners!"
Xue Bai ignored her and rushed to Yang Shenjin's villa with a cold face. He asked Jinwu Guard, "Is General Guo here?"
"General Guo went to Daozhengfang, why is Xue Langjun back again?"
"Originally I was going to see the Right Prime Minister, but when I walked to the street, I met Jifa Cao fighting with thieves, so I had to turn back."
Jin Wuwei, who was guarding the gate, couldn't help but murmur in his heart, how could people like Chicken Tongue Were worthy of the word "fighting"?
"Is your uncle still here?"
Xue Bai asked again, and after receiving a positive answer, he strode towards the backyard.
After passing through many courtyards, two Youxiao guardsmen were squatting in the corridor chatting in front of them.
"It's so beautiful."
"You don't need to tell me that Yu Shi Zhongcheng's other housewife has such a big house to support her."
"Wipe your saliva before talking to your grandpa."
"..."
Xue Bai stepped forward and asked, "Is your uncle here?"
"It's not convenient to join the army, ah, no, the army is searching for evidence!"
Xue Bai frowned and heard a woman's moans coming from the side room.
Soon, the door of the house was pushed open with a creak, and Yang Zhao walked out while tying his jade belt, and said with a proud smile: "Why are you back again?"
Looking again, he saw Xue Bai's brows were furrowed, as if he didn't like him seeking happiness here, and he immediately became displeased and snorted coldly.
Xue Bai still didn't smile and said: "Uncle Guo, after all, he is the censor Zhongcheng. If you offend him so much, what if he turns his anger on you..."
"Haha, you were worried about me." Yang Zhao became cheerful and waved his hand disapprovingly, "Don't panic, the right prime minister has long disliked him. After so long, if Yang Shen has the courage of a dog, it will be long ago So he came over. If he doesn't come, you can get whatever you want in this house tonight."
"As long as it doesn't affect my uncle's progress."
"After tonight, I will be able to make great progress!" Yang Zhao said confidently, "If you have nothing to do, please don't disturb me. I have a lot to take care of tomorrow."
"I just saw Jifa Cao fighting with people on the street..."
Although Yang Zhao asked Xue Bai why he came back, it was just a casual greeting.
He neither cared about Chicken Tongue Plague nor Xue Bai. He had no patience to listen to this and interrupted: "I'm really busy."
However, Xue Bai wanted to talk to him, and said, "There is another matter. There is a fire in the villa of the Prince of Daozhengfang."
"Wang Zhi's family?" Yang Zhao was stunned and whispered: "I don't dare to copy his family. The saint and Youtang both rely on him, and he is the only one in the whole dynasty."
You have to think carefully to understand this sentence. Li Linfu is extremely jealous and easily prevents officials from competing for the royal family. If he is not jealous of Wang He, either Wang He is really good at making money and is his right-hand man who can't live without him; or he is a native of Wang He. If the character is extremely poor, there is no possibility of being able to worship the Prime Minister; or, both.
Xue Bai said: "I suspect that the dead men of the East Palace are hiding..."
"Shut up." Yang Zhao said angrily, "Who can be offended and who can't be offended. If you can't tell the difference, why bother? Just hang yourself."
"I am young and ill-informed, and I have mentioned this matter to the Prime Minister. How should I apologize to Wang Langzhong?"
"My brother is planning to give him a New Year's gift. What do you want to give him?"
Xue Bai couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Yang Zhao smiled.
"I've told you the money a long time ago, but you didn't listen, and when it came time to use the money, you couldn't come up with it. That's all, that's all, my brother will help you with your share."
"I owe my uncle a huge favor." Xue Bai thanked him and asked, "Does my uncle know the prince among the princes? I met him in Qingmen today. He was very angry."
"Yeah, of course."
Yang Zhao has a very strong will, and Xue Bai can make everyone busy tonight, but he is the only one who concentrates on searching for evidence and is not disturbed by external affairs. He only chatted for a while and then turned and walked to the warehouse.
Xue Bai followed and continued chatting.
Fortunately, we were talking about the tricks that Chang'an dandies usually played. It was a topic that Yang Zhao was most familiar with, and he was willing to talk more.
From the relationship between Wang Zhun and Ji Xiang, we talked about where these people can go if they don't return home under the curfew.
"Where else can we go? Eat, drink, whore and gamble!" Yang Zhao took it for granted. "Go to Qingmen to drink before the evening drum. After the curfew, turn down the alley and you will find the Gold Selling Cave. Together with Jia Chang, the chicken prodigy, we must gamble with Mei Ji. It’s daybreak!”
"Is Jixiang here too?"
"Of course the son of Chicken Tongue Plague has to send money."
Speaking of auspiciousness, Yang Zhao stretched out his thumb, pointed it upside down at the ground, and laughed.
"You haven't seen the luxury of Chang'an's dandies."
