Bai Hao came to the desk, picked up the slightly dry purple hair on the pen mountain, gently held his wrist with one hand, and moved freely with the other hand, and the three words "Cao Baiji" appeared on the paper.
He lifted up the tough and white rice paper, chuckled and asked, "Brother Geng, is that the name?"
Geng Jian clenched the hilt of the sword slightly with his right hand, his sword eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded calmly: "Yes. I probably didn't kill him with my last sword. Does the city lord know the specific identity of this person?"
Bai Hao shook his head slightly, a glint suddenly appeared in his eyes, Geng Jian's subtle hand movements did not escape his eyes.
He said with unclear meaning: "Brother Geng was really defeated by this person?"
Bai Hao's attitude towards Geng Jian was not friendly. In his eyes, everyone is eating the emperor's salary and doing things for the emperor. To put it harshly, they are not His Majesty's minions and lackeys. However, Geng Jian in front of him does not have this consciousness and has always been outside of this identity recognition. Therefore, Be noble.
So he didn't mind dampening this man's spirit, and asked with feigned worry: "Brother Geng, has your memory been confused after being poisoned? How could you be defeated by a third-level poisonous cultivator with your strength?"
The coldness in Geng Jian's eyes flashed, and he said in a stiff tone: "I remember correctly, Cao Baiji is a third-level poison cultivator, and I... was indeed defeated."
Geng Jian suppressed his inner emotions, raised his chin slightly, looked directly at Bai Hao and asked, "Does the city lord know this person's identity or not?"
Bai Hao deliberately didn't answer. He lowered his head and picked up his pen to write something.
In the spacious study room, the display of interior bookcases and the placement of the four treasures of the study are not only full of antique historical atmosphere, but also exude a noble and majestic atmosphere.
When the purple goat hair was stained with ink and scratched across the rice paper, amidst the slight "rustling" sound that was even more abrupt in the silence, Bai Hao wrote another word around the name "Cao Bletilla" on the flat rice paper. He mentioned words such as "Third Grade", "Poisonous Cultivator", and "Better than Geng Jian". He had no intention of confirming it with Geng Jian this time.
Geng Jian's sword eyes narrowed slightly, and he could easily see the content on the rice paper. This silent humiliation caused the Taixu Sword Intent around him to grow invisible, and gradually condensed, and finally the sword domain became its own.
He seemed to be targeting that name, and he seemed to be targeting Bai Hao's silent behavior. The "rustling" sound of the strokes finally became much more difficult.
"City Lord?" Geng Jian asked with a chuckle.
His back was straight, standing opposite Bai Hao, also wearing a black robe and gold threads.
The Hibiscus Dynasty regarded black as noble and respected gold as the royal color.
Because Bai Hao was a member of the royal family and a loyal supporter of the current emperor, he was rewarded with a black gold silk python robe, which fully demonstrated his power and status.
Geng Jian, who stood opposite him, was wearing a black hibiscus flower uniform. This type of clothing is called "hibiscus clothing", with black as the base color, and the hibiscus flowers on the corners are divided into three colors according to power status. The hibiscus flowers on Geng Jian's body are all outlined with gold lines, which represents It represents his strength and achievements in Tianshou, and also represents his power status at the same level as Bai Hao, an important minister.
But even he, who was born with pride and self-restraint, still failed.
When the sword cultivator draws his sword, he is originally pursuing the flying sword to take people's heads. Geng Jian was not killed this time, but he was poisoned instead.
As long as he thought that he had been in the martial arts for so many years, and with the strength of a second-grade peak sword cultivator, he was defeated by a junior third-grade poison cultivator, who was obviously a newcomer to the martial arts and had an unfamiliar face, he felt the atmosphere in the study. They were all laughing at him.
Bai Hao's own Qi was strong, and he resisted Geng Jian's sword domain. After writing the last word "green", he gently placed the brush on the green pen mountain.
"Brother Geng?" Bai Hao glanced at him and shook his head to express his incomprehension.
Geng Jian's mood fluctuated too much.
Bai Hao sat back on the pearwood armchair and said calmly and slowly: "There are too many unknown and mysterious scenery, strange people and strange things in this world. Human power will always be exhausted. Sometimes, if you lose, you lose, as long as you are not dead yet." , how big of a deal can it be? Brother Geng’s sword heart can be so unstable?"
The so-called inherent pride of genius, in Bai Hao's view, is brainless stubbornness.
Geng Jian didn't say a word, and the atmosphere in the study continued to decline. Bai Hao didn't want things to get too tense, so he patted the table and ordered softly to the door of the study: "Come in, let the second stall talk to you carefully. Found clues.”
"Yes." Overlapping voices sounded outside the door. Hou Yiyong was in front and Ma Xiaoer was behind. They bent down and quickly knelt in front of the desk.
Seeing the flattery of these lackeys, Geng Jian felt angry for no reason and said coldly: "Stand up and say, don't waste time."
"Yes, Master Geng." Hou Yiyong stood up and pointed to Ma Xiaoer beside him and said, "Ma Xiaoer was the one he went to Tieguzhai before and was responsible for contacting the two sides."
Geng Jian had chased Baicao Shi earlier and was directly poisoned later, so he didn't know much about the details.
He frowned slightly, recalling the last intermittent memory. It seemed that this man and the remaining brothers of Tianshou drove him to Suzaku City all day and night.
Geng Jian's face was a little warmer, and he cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, brother, for escorting us all the way."
Ma Xiaoer grinned, waved his hands in flattery and said, "This is my responsibility, Master Geng has promoted me."
Geng Jian's eyebrows twitched. He didn't like this kind of flattery the most. He changed the topic and asked coldly: "Is my brother back?"
Geng Jie went to chase the remnants of the previous dynasty, so it stands to reason that he should come to the study today.
Ma Xiaoer and Hou Yiyong looked at each other and said helplessly: "We left in a hurry. Only nine people came back together, and Master Geng Jie never returned."
"I remember you also have bald eagles in Suzaku City." Geng Jie looked at Bai Hao and said.
Bai Hao shook his head. He never asked specific questions about such trivial matters. He raised his chin with a neat beard to Hou Yiyong, signaling the other party to answer.
Hou Yiyong glared at Ma Xiaoer with cold eyes, bowed and walked forward quickly, took out a jade ring engraved with hibiscus flowers from his arms, and held it in front of Geng Jian with both hands.
Geng Jian paused, then calmly picked up the ring and put it on his hand. This was his token. He gave this thing to his only brother. Wearing it, he had the same power as him among the Sky Hunters.
Now, this jade ring is back in his hands.
"Is he dead?" Geng Jian said calmly.
Hou Yiyong answered in detail: "Ma Xiaoer made a special statement before he left. If Lord Geng Jie returns to Tieguguzhai, just ask him to come directly to Suzaku City. But during the time when you were unconscious, Lord, we have been without him." Considering that there are more than 200 kilometers between the two places, we sent a letter with a bald eagle to inquire the day before yesterday. They sent people to search the dense forest behind the cliff. They only received a reply this morning. The letter bluntly said, I can only vaguely judge my identity through the black clothes embroidered with hibiscus flowers and the items around me. I brought this ring specially..."
"No need to confirm anymore, it's him."
Geng Jian's brows knitted together, and he looked beyond Hou Yiyong's shoulder to the world outside the crack in the door.
He thought that he was alone in this world, and said with a cold smile: "When you set out to practice, your skills are not as good as others. You can be buried wherever you die. You can write back and let Tieguzhai bury him on the spot."
The complicated anguish in his heart was hard to show. Geng Jian moved a few steps, leaving his back to everyone in the room, and said coldly: "We won't talk about this anymore. Tell us what clues you found about 'Cao Baiji'."
Ma Xiaoer did not dare to neglect and replied: "We asked Tiegugu Village for detailed information about this person in the letter. The reply mentioned that their village leader Lin Pan was also poisoned by this person before. Later, he This person was exposed and has been detained in Tieguguzhai."
"Is he being imprisoned?" Geng Jian frowned and asked depressedly: "How strong are the people in Iron Bone Village?"
Ma Xiaoer replied: "The leader of the village, Lin Pan, is the most powerful and has a fourth-level cultivation level."
Geng Jian shook his head and said: "Then it is impossible for them to catch this person. This person has a third-level cultivation level and a level of tyranny rarely seen in the world."
"Ha." Bai Hao chuckled and asked his two subordinates: "If you have any other information, please tell me. Let Master Geng make a good judgment."
Under the gaze of the city lord, Hou Yiyong expressed his strong desire and said quickly: "This matter coincides with another matter that my subordinates have been following."
"There was a caravan at that time, which happened to be in Iron Bone Stronghold. There was a high probability that there was an assassin from Hidden Valley named Mu Qing in the caravan. It was this man named Mu Qing who fought with Cao Baiji to the death of both sides. Cao Baiji was captured by Tieguzhai."
"Born from Hidden Valley, assassin Mu Qing." Geng Jian murmured, unable to figure out the deeper relationship for the time being.
He looked at Hou Yiyong and said, "Continue to tell us how Cao Baiji ran out and happened to be in the dense forest."
Hou Yiyong nodded and said: "The letter replied that it was the day when the remnants of the former royal family were rounded up. There were not enough people in the village and the defense was empty. Cao Baiji took advantage of the opportunity and ran into the dense forest. He also used magic powers to suck other people's essence and blood, and quickly He regained his youthful appearance and strength, and that’s why... the Lord was poisoned."
"Is there such a magic power in this world?" Geng Jian asked in surprise with a look of doubt on his face.
Hou Yiyong shook his head and said, "I really don't know."
Geng Jian is very talented in sword practice, but when it comes to analyzing intelligence, he really doesn't have much talent.
He tried hard to recall what Hou Yiyong had just said, and felt that except for the words "magic power" that he remembered, he could not find any other doubts from the content of the letter.
So he said a little impatiently: "Tell me your own opinion. I don't need you to repeat the letter again."
Hou Yiyong chuckled softly and said: "This letter is just a one-sided statement from Tieguzhai, and there are indeed several doubtful points in it."
"The first is how Cao Baiji escaped. The letter was vague and vague. It only said that there was a lack of manpower and the internal defense was empty."
"The second thing is what happened in the dense forest. Although the letter said that Cao Baiji used magic power to absorb essence and blood to restore his power, except for Mr. Geng, you personally encountered a poisonous cultivator who claimed to be 'Cao Baiji'. Everyone in Tieguguzhai In fact, I didn’t experience it personally or see it with my own eyes.”
"The third point, and the most critical point, is that except for the last mention of Mu Qing, who saved their village leader under the Lord's sword, the letter seems to have consciously covered up the traces of this person throughout the whole process."
Ma Xiaoer recalled the scene in the meeting hall and said angrily: "This person named 'Mu Qing' was present at both meetings of the meeting hall, and the last time, he intentionally or unintentionally went to Tieguzhai to inquire about Lord Geng's information. Specific identity.”
"Yes." Hou Yiyong straightened his chest and raised his head, fully confident in his intelligence analysis ability, and said seriously: "What I want to tell you is that the two people 'Cao Baiji' and 'Mu Qing' definitely have a deeper relationship. hierarchical relationship.”
"Wait." Geng Jian patted his forehead lightly, then turned around, raised the obsidian sword in his hand and shook it.
He looked at Hou Yiyong and asked: "Under my sword? My obsidian sword did stab Cao Baiji at the end. How did it become that Lin Pan? I thought you found it for me." .”
Hou Yiyong's eyes flashed with light, he raised his head and said, "This is where Mu Qing saved Lin Pan at the critical moment. He also said that he and Cao Bletilla fought hard for a while, and in order to escape, Cao Bletilla had to get it from nowhere. The sword that came was shot at Lin Pan, which is quite suspicious."
Hou Yiyong's words contained contempt as he continued: "The reply from Tieguzhai about Cao Baiji's actions in the dense forest was actually obtained from Mu Qing's mouth. At that time, no one else could replace Mu Qing. Qing proves it, just because Mu Qing saved Lin Pan several times, the mediocre people in Tiegugu Village finally chose to believe it unconditionally."
Hou Yiyong looked at the obsidian sword that was picked up in Geng Jian's hand, and said softly: "Because Lord Geng and Cao Baiji have fought against each other before, I would like to take the liberty of asking a few questions."
"You ask." Geng Jian agreed softly.
"Have you ever seen this person use magic power to suck blood essence?"
"No."
"What does this person look like when he fights with adults?"
"Young man, about twenty years old."
The muscles in Geng Jian's cheeks were slightly stiff. When he mentioned his age, he would clearly think that he was defeated by such an unknown young man.
His cheeks were hot, and he turned sideways and asked, "Did you find anything wrong?"
"Yes!" Hou Yiyong said with a smile: "This Cao Baiji was an old man who looked over sixty years old when he was imprisoned. But when he arrived in the dense forest, he turned into a young man because of his magic power?"
He continued: "Cao Baiji did escape, but does he have magic skills? Your Excellency has fought with him, but you have never seen him. And if there is really a demon in this world who can regain his youth by sucking other people's blood, Gong, I’m afraid everyone has already competed for it.”
Geng Jian remembered the time when he met his younger brother and his group after he was poisoned. At that time, his mind was muddled, but he did clearly remember someone shouting "Old Man Cao."
He looked at Hou Yiyong with certainty and said, "Mu Qing is the only one who has seen the other party use magic skills."
Hou Yiyong put his hands into his sleeves and said calmly: "Yes, in the eyes of people in my profession, people who can justify themselves do not mean that there are no problems, but that there is nothing else to refute for the time being. On the contrary , Mu Qing who has been in contact with Cao Baiji is often very suspicious, I have a portrait here, please take a look."
A piece of crumpled drawing paper was lifted by the corners by Hou Yiyong, unfolded and swayed in the air.
On the drawing paper is a young and handsome face, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, a high nose bridge and thin lips. It is exactly the green color in Ma Xiaoer's eyes. This face is much more similar to the one Hou Yiyong asked the coachman Zhang Anping to recognize. The details are conveyed with just a few strokes through his superb painting skills developed over many years of working in espionage.
"Hmph!" Geng Jian's eyes exploded with sword intent, and he said in a voice like gold and iron, "That's him! Is his name Cao Baiji or Mu Qing?"
Hou Yiyong bent down and replied softly: "His name is Mu Qing."
