Di Qing was horrified when he saw Bai Yutian leaping lightly and disappearing without a trace. He couldn't help but praise: "How can such a skill be achieved by a mortal? It's incredible, it's really unimaginable, it's a strange person and a strange person."
Zhen Jinlian smiled softly, remembering that she met a group of robbers a few years ago. At the time of crisis, a young man appeared in the woods and broke a pine branch. His figure flickered, and before he could see clearly how he made his move, more than a dozen steel knives were broken in the hands of the gangsters, and their crotches were all wet. In order to survive, he kept shouting: "Gods have mercy on me, gods have mercy on me." He kept kowtowing to the ground, almost breaking the mountain road, and the young man almost hurt his stomach from laughing.
At this time, the general guarding the Zhizhou government office came in, bowed to Master Fan Zhongyan and said politely: "Sir, the assassin has left the government office."
Master Fan said: "I understand."
The general said: "Sir, the officers and soldiers request you to issue an order to capture the assassin and behead him in public to serve as a warning to others."
Master Fan said softly: "Do you think so too?"
The general bowed his head and said: "Reporting to my lord, for me, your safety is more important than anything else. Anyone who dares to harm you, sir, will be my life and death enemy. I want to get rid of him as soon as possible."
Master Fan asked Di Qing: "General Di, what do you think?"
Di Qing bowed and said: "Replying to your lord, I will be like the Commander-in-Chief of the Song Dynasty. Your safety is more important than anything else. A rebellious person dares to assassinate your lord. According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, he should be beheaded as a warning to others. However, your lord He has always loved his people as his own son, and this time he was not in danger. Moreover, the assassin has repented, and will definitely be able to do evil and do good in the future, and become a good person. If he can be punished lightly, not only will those specious details be able to see the big picture of the imperial court It can increase their confidence in abandoning darkness and turning to light, and it can also paralyze those enemies lurking in the dark, making them unprepared and surface."
Master Fan smiled slightly and said to Commander Song: "Do you think General Di's idea is feasible?"
The commander-in-chief of the Song Dynasty raised his hands and said: "I am humble and stupid, but I only obey the orders of my lord."
Lord Fan said: "Then let's act according to General Di's ideas. Supervise the assassin's every move in the city. If she can't go out of the city, she will pretend that she has never seen this person and will not ask any more questions."
Commander Song cupped his hands and said, "I accept this order from my humble position."
Master Fan said: "Go."
"Yes, sir." Commander Song stepped away.
After the Song leader left, Fan Zhongyan said: "General Di, isn't this method an obstacle to Bai Yutian's favor?"
Di Qing replied: "Sir, you have not seen an assassin in Yanzhou for so long. As soon as you received the imperial edict urging you to take office in Qingzhou, the assassins came to your door. I can't help but feel that I will not celebrate this time for you." The trip to Zhouzhou is uneasy. You know that the journey is extremely difficult and dangerous, but you don’t want to be escorted by a large group of officers and soldiers, so you can only ask an expert from outside the world for help. Seeing that this Bai Shaoxia is really skilled and is an old friend of the Lord and Madam, he acted as the escort. There is no one more suitable than him for the important task of going to Gyeongju Prefecture.”
Zhen Jinlian said from the side: "Master, it's windy here, so let's go to the backyard to drink tea and chat."
Fan Zhongyan said: "Okay."
Di Qing said: "Sir, please!"
Master Fan was held by Zhen Jinlian's arm and walked toward the backyard, with Di Qing following closely behind.
After entering the backyard and sitting in the courtyard, Mrs. Ru and her maid brought tea. She was about to leave when Fan Zhongyan stayed behind.
Fan Zhongyan took two sips of tea and asked Di Qing, "Did Bai Yutian tell you why he came to Yanzhou?"
Di Qing replied: "Reporting to your lord, he said: 'He came to Yanzhou this time because he has something that he doesn't know how to handle properly, and he came here to ask you for some advice and enlightenment.' I don't think he looks like a bad person. He is also a friend of the four brothers of my subordinate Wu San, so I followed his wish and brought him to see you."
After Fan Zhongyan heard this, he became slightly quiet, turned to Zhen Jinlian and asked: "Madam, according to your understanding of that boy Bai Yutian, what does he want after coming from a thousand miles away?"
Zhen Jinlian said: "Master, I am a woman who only cares about family affairs. I can't say much about other things."
Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "Madam, you are too modest. The affairs of the world are just a summary of household affairs, not that mysterious. Let's talk about it."
Zhen Jinlian smiled and replied: "Master, if I don't agree with you, don't be angry."
Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "When we talk in the study, my wife never talks too much. We chat in the courtyard, but there is no harm in talking."
Zhen Jinlian said: "Although Brother Bai has superb martial arts, outstanding talents, and is famous in Kuanglu, he has never been in trouble with the government, and he has never asked about the affairs of the court. I met you in Kuanglu Mountain, and I treated you to a drink and a meal. Rice, but I don’t know that you are the governor of Poyang. Such a simple-minded person must not come all the way for fame and fortune. Furthermore, if he comes to Yanzhou with ill intentions towards you, sir, given the situation just now, as long as he If we don't take action, I think the guards in the government office may not be able to defeat the two assassins." He paused and took a breath.
Fan Zhongyan said: "Go on, madam."
Zhen Jinlian continued: "I remember when he helped me drive away the bandits. He broke off more than a dozen steel knives of the bandits with just two strokes with a pine branch. I was extremely surprised and asked him how he was able to do this. After practicing it, he answered me and said: 'It takes ten years to sharpen a sword, and it will be unsheathed when the frost strikes. I show you this sword today just to bring justice.'"
Di Qing's literary talent was limited and he didn't understand clearly. He smiled and asked, "Madam, what did he mean by this?"
Zhen Jinlian smiled slightly, and Fan Zhongyan replied: "These four sentences are adapted from a poem called "The Swordsman" by Sinu Jiadao in the Tang Dynasty. The original words are: 'Ten years to sharpen a sword, the frost will I have never tried the sword. Today I will show you to you, no one has any injustice.' The meaning is very clear, this boy Bai Yutian regards himself as a swordsman and a knight-errant, and studies the sword with great pains, just to eradicate the injustice in the world."
Di Qing suddenly remembered something and said: "Sir, I almost forgot. He said that his matter is a private matter for him, but it is a public matter for you. He also said that after hearing this, you just can't help. He will give you some pointers and enlighten you, and you won’t be unhappy.”
Zhen Jinlian said: "Master, judging from the fact that he grabbed the dagger in desperation to protect the girl from harm, he must have come to Yanzhou this time just for the girl."
Di Qing was a little puzzled and said: "Even if he came here for the woman, with his god-like skills, he could just take the woman away from the northwest. There is no need to ask for help from the adults. Besides, he has not seen the adults. Before, he didn’t know that the Lord and Madam were old acquaintances of him, and that the Lord might not be able to help him with what he asked for!”
Zhen Jinlian said: "Master, it seems that the injustice that Brother Bai is referring to is not just the woman, but the woman and the hundreds or thousands of people behind her. Who knows, those people may also be with the Song Dynasty." The imperial court is an enemy.”
At this moment, a figure jumped above the house and came silently.
When Zhen Jinlian saw it, she vaguely thought it was Bai Yutian and said, "Brother Bai, have you caught up with your wife?"
White jade floated up from the sky, saluted Fan Zhongyan and said, "Sir, is there anything wrong with me coming in like this?"
Fan Zhongyan said with a smile: "You have come in, but there is something wrong with you. Due to past feelings, I can't kick you out."
Bai Yutian saluted and said: "This junior is not thoughtful enough, sir, please forgive me."
Zhen Jinlian's girl brought a chair and Bai Yutian sat down. She brought a cup of tea and Bai Yutian took it.
Fan Zhongyan waited for Bai Yutian to take a few sips of tea and asked, "Boy, what's the matter with you coming to Yanzhou this time? It's okay to just tell me."
Bai Yutian put down his teacup, stood up and saluted, "To tell you what to do, I came to Yanzhou this time to ask you to help me rescue my wife from the sea of misery. I am very grateful."
Fan Zhongyan said: "You can enjoy the cool air in the courtyard and chat. You don't need so many etiquettes. Just sit down and talk."
Bai Yutian sat down and continued: "The woman just now is the wife I kowtow to, her name is Cui Yingying. Her father Cui Yongyuan lives in Baicaotang in Kuanglu Mountain, sir, you have met her. Her mother Dong Xiaowan is the leader of the White Lotus Sect. , is also from the Biluo Lake Sect, sir, I must have heard of it."
Fan Zhongyan said: "You mean, you want me to intercede with the court on your behalf and let the White Lotus Sect go?"
Bai Yutian bowed and said: "This junior feels that this idea is unrealistic and extremely ridiculous, but Cui Yingying is my wife, husband and wife are one body. If I don't save her, I won't save myself. No matter how vicious and ruthless I am, I won't do anything. Don't save me until you die."
Fan Zhongyan said: "Boy, I can help you, but you have to give me something in return."
Bai Yutian said: "Sir, if you want anything in return, just say so. As long as this junior can do it, I will never say 'no'."
Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "If you agree so readily, you won't be afraid that I will cheat you for the sake of the court."
Bai Yutian smiled and replied: "When you are an official in the imperial court, you think about the local people. When you are an official in a local area, you think about the imperial court. It can be said that you are dedicated to the country and the people. If the common people are tricked by you, it will be a blessing earned in eight lifetimes." It’s so sweet.”
Zhen Jinlian smiled and said: "Brother Bai, when did you give up martial arts and become civilized?"
Bai Yutian smiled and replied: "In reply to Madam, ever since I met my husband at Kuanglu Mountain, I have begun to feel that reading is a pleasure. Although I have not learned anything famous, and it is impossible to obtain fame, I can now tell who is here." Who sincerely seeks prosperity for the country, but who is sincerely seeking the well-being of the people?"
Fan Zhongyan said: "Boy, although what you can do is limited, there are three things you must rely on me."
Bai Yutian bowed and said, "Sir, please speak."
Fan Zhongyan said: "First thing, wait a moment, I will play the piano and you dance the sword, so that General Di can also feel what it means for the officials and the people to have fun together. The second thing is, I will leave for Qingzhou to take up my post the day after tomorrow, and you will accompany me on the way. You can make any mistakes, but I can't. The third thing is, you must persuade Dong Xiaowan. You can't do one thing overtly or secretly like before. Now that you have surrendered to the Song Dynasty court, you can no longer help Li Yuanhao or Zhou. For evil."
Bai Yutian stood up, bowed to Fan Zhongyan and said, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
Fan Zhongyan stood up and helped Bai Yutian up, saying: "You child, you have always been shining with gold, why have you become pedantic today? If I were willing to accept such a big gift from you, how could I dare to help you? Furthermore, if you can persuade Dong Xiaowan to accept the offer, Following the White Lotus Sect to eliminate evil and do good was a great thing for the Song Dynasty. I, Fan Zhongyan, have not had time to thank you." He turned to Zhen Jinlian and said, "Madam, I am at your service with the guqin."
"Okay!" Zhen Jinlian responded and left.
