One morning, Chi Zebao walked into the Acacia Pavilion dressed as the thin, withered, somewhat rickety appearance of the second master Gui. Since he had returned to the capital, he no longer needed a substitute to appear on his behalf. Of course, the person here today is the real Chi Zebao, not Chi Zebiao.
The reason is simple. Chi Zebao has been away from Beijing for more than a few months. Of course, he needs to understand all the big and small events that happened during this period. This is something that his brother who is more rough-minded cannot do.
As soon as he opened the door to his attic, his eyes almost fell out of shock.
"Sit." Bai Wugeng, or rather Qi Dan, pointed to the guest seat, while he himself sat lazily on the main seat of "Second Master Ghost".
"Your Highness...you woke up really early." Chi Zebao saw that Qi Dan's eyelids were slightly greenish-black. "Or do you mean you stayed up all night?"
"How can you sleep well without seeing He Nan?" Qi Dan shook his head and raised his eyes to look at Chi Zebao - although the tired look on the face of the fifth prince could not be concealed, it did not prevent his eyes from sparkling with joy. Shoot out a harsh light. "I remember you said, 'If you don't behead He Nan, then behead someone'... Since his head is not here, shouldn't it be time for you to hand over your head?"
Qi Dan was a smart man, and so was Chi Zebao. The two of them just skipped the nonsense like "where is the person" and "didn't bring him back". Qi Dan could ask this, so he naturally knew that Chi Zebao not only failed to bring He Nan back alive, but also failed to kill him. Chi Zebao also knew what he was thinking after listening to His Highness's question - since the five The prince knew that he failed to capture and kill He Nan, so he must not only have sent himself out, or the other people he sent out were there to monitor him.
Or maybe - among the Tianbian guards around him, there are people from the fifth prince.
Of course, the fifth prince did not blame him too much. This sounded more like a joke - if the fifth prince was dissatisfied with what he had done, the No. 2 troop would also complete the task on his behalf. He Nan captured or killed him alive - then you can definitely see He Nan's face here today.
"Your Highness..." Chi Zebao laughed twice and said, "Even if you really want Chi's head, you still have to wait until I finish speaking, isn't it too late?"
"Okay." This is what Qi Dan was waiting for. He shouted "ok" and then motioned for Chi Zebao to continue: "Then let me see how powerful your mouth is to save your head."
After the joke was over, the two people's expressions almost became serious at the same time - although they are each in a high position, they are not indifferent to the world. It is normal to laugh and curse, but once the topic turns to serious matters, Then it must be taken extremely seriously.
In other words, it is precisely because they can flexibly change their emotions and mentality that they can reach a high position. Of course, Qi Shan has been here since he was born, but he can have today's strategic courage, and can be influenced by Jiang Wenbing, Chi Zebao, etc. A person's respect and effectiveness are closely related to his own efforts - he may be the most diligent of all Qi Changgeng's children.
He is also the one who least pleases his father.
"There are many masters around He Nan." Chi Zebao served tea to the fifth prince. He could see that the fifth prince was disturbed by his thoughts. After the fifth prince finished drinking, he continued: "A man in a bright red dress Although the little girl has never taken action, her skills during our confrontation seemed to be good at concealed weapons; a burly and strong man, judging from the calluses on his hands, should be a master of using guns and sticks, and the scars on his forearms The scars prove that this person is either a battle veteran or a very vicious person. I heard He Nan call him Old Wei; and the last one is a knife user. This person is the most dangerous - I don't know much about his martial arts. , but he should be similar to me. The most terrifying thing is that he actually sneaked into my team silently, without even me realizing it."
Chi Zebao is worthy of being the leader of intelligence. The scene at that moment almost completely revealed the usual weapons of the three masters around He Nan, and how powerful this guy must be to hide himself even the spy leader failed to notice. effort?
What Yan Chunlai is best at is not killing, but disguise. He can quickly imitate other people's gait, voice, and tone. In addition, Tianbianwei's somewhat superfluous mask completed this "darkness under the light" under Chi Zebao's nose.
"Continue." Qi Dan didn't even raise his eyelids. His face and body looked like he was asleep. He knocked on the table and signaled to the other party: "Retell the scene to me exactly."
When Chi Zebao heard this, something seemed wrong on his face - if we were to start from the beginning, wouldn't we have to start with the encounter between the two in the toilet?
But the prince's order must be fulfilled even if he bites the bullet.
From the time the two met by chance to the time they parted ways, Chi Zebao told Qi Dan everything that happened. Then Qi Dan said, "Please keep an eye on the activities of Shanhe Mansion during this period."
"Ah?" Chi Zebao was a little confused. He didn't understand why the topic suddenly changed and he came to Shanhe Mansion.
Qi Dan's way of thinking is very out-of-the-box. He is always like a grasshopper in the field, flying quickly from one patch of grass to another. No one else can capture his behavior. Only He Nan can keep up. He - this is why he admires He Nan so much.
Of course, there are differences between the two. Qi Dan rarely explains the purpose and reasons for his actions to others. If you can understand it, just understand it. If you don't understand, forget it. Just listen to me. He Nan, on the other hand, prefers to explain it to others - using a way of showing off or more... An irritating tone.
Moreover, the damage caused by these two people to other people's thoughts is no less than the chaos caused by the passage of locusts. All their actions seem to be mocking the ignorance and slowness of others. The Qi locust is the main force that destroys crops. It buries its head in gnawing, and after gnawing one piece, it immediately switches to the next piece to continue; while the He locust makes a noise while gnawing, telling you that I am eating the fruits of your hard work, until When you reached out and wanted to squeeze him to death, he immediately moved to another place and continued to make noise.
In terms of results and efficiency, Qi Dan far surpassed He Nan, but He Nan was always the obstacle that you could never get around, making people have to concentrate all their attention and endure huge mental torture to deal with him.
Looking at Chi Zebao's confused and thoughtful eyes, Qi Dan asked suggestively: "I remember you said that you and He Nan met by chance in... the toilet of a restaurant? At that time, He Nan and you They're all surprised, which means he didn't know you would be there."
"So the person lurking next to me is not under his instruction, but someone else." Chi Zebao made it clear.
"Yes." Qi Dan nodded slightly, showing a childish expression, "Judging from He Nan's connections, the way to get to know such a master is probably because of Li Zhanchun."
"Your Highness, He Nan also asked me to reply to you a letter. According to him, this is a riddle for you. He said... only you can solve this riddle." Chi Zebao did not forget to write this riddle. The "most important item" was handed over to Qi Dan, but there was no surprise in Qi Dan's expression. Instead, there was a hint of "I knew it" in it.
"Let's stop here. I need to take a rest. Don't let anyone in." Qi Dan curled up and leaned back on the chair. "We will discuss the rest of the matter in detail when I wake up."
After Chi Zebao left, Qi Dan gently opened the folded letter and frowned slightly when he saw the content.
"While fishing in the swamp, three people plucking seedlings from the dried up river; burning the forest to hunt, trapped animals crying with blood and dying."
Words are like people. He Nan's calligraphy is extremely beautiful, with iron and silver hooks. When I first saw it, I thought his writing was invisible and very sloppy, but after a closer look, I discovered the charm in it.
"The writing is not bad, but the puzzle is much superficial." Qi Dan could see through He Nan's thoughts with just one glance. He was fishing in the lake, pulling out seedlings to encourage growth, and burning forests to hunt. This was his way of telling himself not to be so impatient and to give more answers. He has little time to make long-term plans.
It's just that this puzzle is too simple. How can you say that only you can solve it? Just making a fuss. Qi Dan shook his head and fell asleep in front of the case.
"Second Master." As soon as Chi Zebao left the attic, a short but capable-looking young man approached him and whispered, "You are back."
This young man is Chi Zebao's confidant, but he does not belong to the Tianbian Guards. In the few months since Chi Zebao left Beijing, he has been playing the role of Chi Zebao and the Second Master Gui. Although Qi Dan and Fu Zizhan were aware of this person's existence, they only knew that his nickname was "Little Baozi".
Little Baozi, Baozi Jun. He and the Chi brothers were from the same sect. Because he was not very talented in martial arts, he was not favored in the sect. However, he was smart, capable, and discerning. He had become friends with the Chi brothers back then. So after Chi Zebao became an official, he invited his junior brother to come to him and become one of his substitutes.
How familiar is Bao Zijun with the Chi brothers? Sometimes it is Chi Zebao or Chi Zebiao who looks like the second master ghost, but he can tell at a glance whether this is the real "second master" or "the second master". The younger brother who is nicknamed "Third Master".
"Has anything strange happened recently?" Chi Zebao took Little Baozi to another remote room. Working for the fifth prince was a private matter, so secretive that even Fu Zizhan didn't know about it. It was because of his serious identity that even the identity of Second Master Gui was adopted by Fu Zizhan in order to serve the intelligence network of the Tianbian Guards.
"Returning to the Second Master, Beijing has been relatively peaceful recently, but I'll explain it to you in detail." Little Baozi knew that Chi Zebao was cautious by nature. If he didn't listen to and analyze these things again, he might not even be able to sleep. good.
In the conversation that lasted for nearly half a day, Chi Zebao's spirit was about to collapse - it seemed that he was indeed too careful. The things Xiao Baozi said were all trivial and trivial. It seemed that that sentence "Peace in Beijing" is really not nonsense.
"By the way, Mr. Xiong was in charge of me some time ago - that is, you borrowed money." Little Baozi mentioned this matter as if he had nothing to say.
Lord Xiong, of course, refers to Xiong Qi, the third among the Tianbian Guards, Tiger Leopard and Xiong Zan. Xiong Qi loves money and loves to gamble. It is nothing new to be poor today and rich tomorrow. Even if his colleagues borrow money to enter the gambling house, it is not something he can count in one or two times.
"Did you borrow it?" Chi Zebao's eyes widened. This was the only big thing he heard today that was not "trivial".
"Well, Master Xiong came here several times. I really couldn't save my face, so I borrowed a hundred taels." Little Baozi said with some shame. "He said that although this is not the first time he has spoken to you, you have never lent him money before - senior brother, I really can't tell that you are quite stingy."
The number of one hundred taels is neither big nor small. In fact, in addition to salaries and wages, the Tianbian Guards also have a lot of gray income - if the officials they investigate and deal with are confiscated or fined, the commander and the four general managers can make a fortune from it. This is also authorized by His Majesty the Emperor. It's just that it's not announced to outsiders. One hundred taels is not a lot for Chi Zebao, but...
He had never borrowed money from Xiong Qi before, because he knew that a gambler would not return the money to you if he won, but would only gamble more and more, which was no different from wasting the money.
For Chi Zebao, this news has both advantages and disadvantages for him. The disadvantage is that "I", who is usually as tough as a rooster, lent money to him for the first time. Firstly, Xiong Qi would definitely have to talk to him again in the future. Secondly, if Fu Zizhan knew about this matter, Fu Zizhan's keenness would definitely You can smell something wrong with yourself - the money you Chi Zebao lent to Xiong Qi was either because you had a lot of money recently, or it was lent by your substitute. If you are in the capital, your substitute will at least ask you, unless You left the capital for a long time.
Then the question arises - what did Chi Zebao do when you left the capital for so long?
But it’s not that there’s no way to remedy it. Let’s talk about the profit side – you, Xiong Qi, have had bad luck with gambling recently and are so short of money, so I’ll introduce you to a way to make money – pull you into the five Wouldn’t it be enough for the prince to be on this boat?
Or rather - pull him into his own boat. After all, both Xiong Qi and Chi Zebao are migrant workers, and their relationship is definitely closer than the relationship with their master. Even if he has to jump off the Qi Dan ship, there will still be Xiong Qi in the tank. .
When he thought of this, Chi Zebao jumped up and walked to his attic. Most of the day had passed and it was almost time for the brothel to open. His Highness should have woken up.
Pushing open the door, Chi Zebao found that the fifth prince had been awake for a long time and was looking at the letter with his hands crossed and holding his breath.
"Mr. Chi, you came just in time." Qi Dan turned his head, "Can you solve this mystery?"
Chi Zebao looked confused, then smiled mockingly: "To be honest, Your Highness, Chi has already forgotten what was written on the paper."
"Just forget it, just forget it." Qi Dan's stiff tone relaxed, but his eyes were still sharp. He picked up the letter and walked to the brazier to let the letter burn: "If one day you remember Well, then you have to force yourself to forget it, remember?"
In the middle of his dream, Qi Dan suddenly woke up - he suddenly realized that there was definitely more to He Nan's mystery than this, and he also cheered up and started to conquer the mystery again.
At first glance, the two idioms and the two sentences that follow them are mutually explanatory and complementary. It means that if your highness drains the water to fish, you will also force me to submit by pulling out seedlings on this land. Then I can only fight like a trapped beast, but this method cannot convince me sincerely, nor can I gain long-term benefits. The puzzle on the first level can be seen through almost at a glance. It is the literal meaning of these two couplet-like sentences, which are He Nan's suggestions and requests.
The next level is the focus of He Nan - that is what he really wants to tell Qi Dan, and it is also the condition and bargaining chip he uses to make a deal with Qi Dan.
Three people plucking the seedlings, and the seedlings turned into crops - three, people, crops, this is the word "Qin"; the trapped beast cries blood, and the cry is a cry, which is a word next to the word. The blood is bright red, and it is the most common between the two of them. The weight of chips "Zhu Zhao'er" is closely related, and the word "Zhu" is derived - Yan, Zhu, which is the word "Zhu".
Qin Zhu? What does this mean? Is it a personal name? After deciphering the second level of He Nan's meaning, Qi Dan instantly understood the last level.
Qi Dan first threatened He Nan with a letter of war, but the mystery was not in words but in his heart; He Nan turned his back on the guest and responded with another question. The mystery seemed to be in words, but in fact it was also in his heart.
The act of turning the guest into the main person implies that Qi Dan should read the answer in reverse.
"How long did it take He Nan to figure out what I meant?" Qi Dan asked.
"Less than two quarters of an hour." Chi Zebao responded. Although he could only see His Highness's back, he already knew that His Highness must have solved the mystery that made everyone present look at each other.
Qi Dan smiled softly on his face. It only took him less than a quarter of an hour. It seemed that he was better in this round.
"He Nan is indeed smart. He already guessed the content of the letter before Chi handed it to him." Chi Zebao added.
Qi Dan's smile suddenly froze on his face. He knew that He Nan would be able to decipher what he meant when he saw the words in his face, but he never expected that He Nan would actually come up with it out of thin air.
Before you even see the words, it’s already like a face.
"Okay, you go down first." Qi Dan waved his hand.
When Chi Zebao exited the attic again, Qi Dan slowly walked to the edge of the stove. Looking at the unburned ashes inside, he burst out with a ferocious laugh mixed with madness: "Congratulations, congratulations, I really do I’m not wrong about you—no matter as my staff or opponent, you are the perfect one!”
Killing Qin, this is the real answer, and it is also the answer that only Qi Dan can understand.
Do you want to kill all the people named Qin in the world? Obviously not.
The word "Qin" refers to what Qi Dan and He Nan's blades also refer to - Qin King Qi Jun, Qi Dan's third emperor brother.
