Two big things happened the next day.
One: Yuan Fang of Jingzhao Prefecture led a large number of troops to raid a prostitute in Jiuqu Alley. The captured woman walked majestically on Zhuque Street with a long hemp rope, attracting countless passers-by to watch.
One more thing: some ronin caused trouble in Qiongxian Tower, killing and injuring several people.
These two things happened so fast that people were caught off guard.
At that time, Lu Anran was still 'conflicting' with Lao Mao. Hearing that the secret prostitute was being investigated, Lao Mao was a little surprised, and then laughed at himself, "It seems they are looking for me."
He pushed the hair out of his mouth, raised his head and said, "You won't hand me over to Jingzhao Mansion?"
The Jingzhao Mansion was dispatched, indicating that the court had intervened, which also showed that this case was indeed not simple. Logically speaking, Lu Anran should hand over the old cat no matter what, and it was most appropriate for the Jingzhao Mansion to investigate, but she remembered that Yun Qilin What to say before leaving.
He said--
"I trust you."
Lu Anran pressed her fingertips. Before she knew about the emperor, she sent Yunqi to go to the southwest to investigate the case secretly. After she publicized the case, she realized that Yunqi might just be the bait thrown out by the emperor.
To further illustrate, there may be someone behind the scenes in the imperial court.
Lu Anran couldn't hand over the old cat.
She only went through this in her mind, and did not need to explain it to Lao Mao. After thinking about it, Lu Anran said: "You got involved in this matter for Jiang Chao. If I tell you where Jiang Chao is, do you have anything to say to me?" Something that can be exchanged.”
Perhaps it was intuition. Although Lao Mao said a lot, Lu Anran felt that he could not say enough.
People like Lao Mao grew up in the community, and later became like a fish in water. They developed a cunning character of the market, and they are not simply gullible.
The old cat's pupils shrank: "You know? No, absolutely impossible." It was from his mouth that Lu Anran learned about Jiang Chao. In just a day or two, how could she find Jiang Chao.
"You don't have to lie to me, I have nothing to exchange with you."
Lu Anran's eyes fell on him motionlessly, dark and deep, with a hint of starlight, like the eternal universe, so vast and endless, yet full of mystery.
"His left rib was injured, an old scar many years ago." She said calmly without arguing.
The old cat's eyes widened due to shock, and he clutched a handful of straw on the ground, "Where is he?"
Lu Anran looked at him silently. Laomao saw persistence in her eyes. After struggling, he made up his mind and said, "Qian Mo is here with me."
Seeing what Lu Anran was about to ask, Lao Mao raised his hand to stop him, "How to get the money model is my method. I will only tell you one thing."
In the dark woodshed, the old cat sat on the ground next to the window. His hair covered half of his face, and the exposed area appeared half-dark due to the alternating light. "Counterfeit coins are all made in the capital, not in the so-called southwest." , none of you can imagine it.”
It's just that the southwest is remote and has become their first place to sell stolen goods.
"But why the southwest?" The old cat seemed to be saying to himself.
The terrain in the southwest is high, with crisscrossing hills and high loess slopes, and there are many mountain bandits, which are easy to hide but difficult to eliminate.
There are mountains all over there. If you hide in any mountain or cave, you won't be able to touch even the shadow of a person, let alone the government sending troops to exterminate them.
For this reason, when the previous dynasty overthrew, a group of imperial supporters fled to the southwest, and were killed on the way. It is said that a few escaped and hid in a mountain in the southwest.
Lu Anran's eyebrows twitched. The banditry did not take hold overnight. I had never heard of people hoarding food and buying weapons for war.
They knew the bottom line of the court's tolerance. Now that they were causing harm to one party, the court would occasionally send troops to stop them, but once they retreated, the government would not be able to spend so much time fighting them.
But once the imperial court discovers that you have the intention to rebel, no matter how deep you hide, even if you surround the mountain, they will kill you. They will use all possible means to catch you out.
The bandits are not stupid either. They don't want to die, so of course they won't touch the court's bottom line.
"They knew that Qian Mo fell into my hands, and they thought that I took Qian Mo to the southwest. In fact, I was in the royal capital from the beginning to the end."
Even Lu Anran had to admire Lao Mao's strategy and courage, "Your friends didn't just escape to the southwest."
"I asked him to transform into me and go to the southwest, and I made an appointment with a few 'former ministers' to discuss business." The old cat raised his head sideways as he spoke, with a hint of sarcasm at the end of his eyes. He was really like a cat at the moment. Generally cunning, "You should have thought of it, there are remnants of the previous dynasty involved in this matter."
With the Xiawu Dynasty in mind, he tried to disrupt the southwest, and took the opportunity to rise up, not for the loyalty of Quan Zhongjun, but for the power that once stood at the top.
Lu Anran narrowed his eyes: "You want to deceive the person behind it?"
"good."
"But since they have been plotting for so long, how can they trust someone rashly?"
Old Mao shook his head, "It doesn't matter whether they trust you or not. What matters is: purchasing one million taels of fake money for 10,000 taels of real silver. What a tempting transaction."
And, "Don't forget, the money model is in my hands."
Lu Anran took a breath, never expecting that this case would not only involve someone within the imperial court, but would also be related to the old city of the previous dynasty, and the old cat's behavior of playing with fire would directly add to it. I have a handful of firewood, but I'm afraid it won't burn.
At the same time, she also deeply realized one thing - Yunqi who went to the southwest to arrest people was in danger.
"Where is Jiang Chao?" Old Mao uncrossed his legs and stood up slowly. His hair was messy, covering half of his eyebrows, and only his eyes were as sharp as an eagle. "Why do you know about his old injuries?"
Lu Anran withdrew his gaze and looked away, "I am a widower, and I have examined his body for him."
"He's dead?!" Old Mao shook his head to himself, "How could it be possible? No way..." He held his head, his mind went blank except for the words "Jiang Chao died" swirling around in it.
"He died more than a year ago." Before exiting the woodshed, he said to him: "The body has been kept in the punishment department."
Chunmiao locked the door and followed Lu Anran, "Miss, is the male corpse at the bottom of the lake really the old cat brother?"
Lu Anran nodded: "Yes."
"How could it be such a coincidence?" Chun Miao was speechless.
Lu Anran said: "Originally I was eighty-nine percent sure, until I just said that Jiang Chao's ribs were injured, and then I got confirmation from Lao Mao."
She wasn't very sure, she just used it to test it out, and she found something.
When Wu Fang came back from outside, Lu Anran asked, "How was it?"
"The boss of Qiongxian Tower died on the spot. In addition, the madam and a few thugs were seriously injured and probably wouldn't survive. Several girls were also injured." Hearing that something happened at Qiongxian Tower, Lu Anran immediately asked Wu Fang to come over and say, "Miss Feiyan It’s okay, the girl next to her fell down and was trampled, but it’s not serious.”
Lu Anran nodded. Regardless of whether it was an accident or not, she knew Feiyan was safe now.
"Miss, as soon as the prostituted woman was imprisoned in Jingzhao Mansion's jail, Mr. Yuan started interrogating them one by one." Wu Fang walked out of Qiongxian Tower and went to Jingzhao Mansion to investigate the situation.
Lu Anran understood that she had captured the old cat temporarily, but she would soon find out that the old cat was with her. "When it gets dark, take the old cat up the mountain and temporarily lock it up in the Yibian Sect."
There are only three people in the entire Yi Bian Sect from top to bottom. With the two of them wandering around, it became Lu Anran's territory alone, and others would not dare to come.
Wu Fang said: "Although the Yi Bian Sect is hidden, there are many people in Jixia Palace, so it is safer to put it in another place."
"where?"
"Elegance and leisurely residence."
A flash of surprise flashed in Lu Anran's eyes, "Is Yunqi the master behind Yaxianju?" He added with confusion, "If you don't tell me, no one will know."
Wu Fang was silent for a moment and said, "The prince once said that my subordinates know everything about the young lady."
This time Lu Anran was silent.
Back in the room, Lu Anran took a pen and wrote a line of words and handed it to Wu Fang, "I want you to do something dangerous."
—
As the sun sets in the west, amidst the sound of dusk drums, a horse gallops past vigorously. A piece of dust rises from the soles of its feet, and gradually disappears from the eyes as the city gate slowly closes.
Lu Anran stood in front of the window of Bafang Tea House, and then turned around and sat down until he was out of sight.
"There is something very strange." This time, the person accompanying Lu Taotao was Lu Taotao. She threw a handful of broad beans into her mouth and chewed them loudly. "I obviously want to harm you, why do I have to protect you now?" Safety?"
Lu Anran was still thinking that there was no way to go. It would be dangerous along the way, but only by attracting the attention of everyone in the royal capital could Yunqi have time to deal with the people in the southwest.
Lu Taotao banged her head on the table, "But I'm so pitiful. I've been poisoned. I'm going to die without an antidote." She raised her head and tilted her head, "Miss, you gave me an antidote these days. ?"
"have eaten."
"oh."
After a while, Lu Taotao said again: "I have a question."
"Hold it in."
"No." Lu Taotao held the table with one hand and jumped directly to the opposite side, squatting in front of Lu Anran and grinning: "Miss, are you a bit stupid? You got those fake money things. Well, let’s keep it and study it secretly, that won’t make us a fortune, what’s the point of taking it to the southwest for such a waste, why don’t we ask Yun Qi to hand it over then.”
Lu Taotao's eyes rolled, "Eh? Sooner or later, I have to hand it over to the government and let Wu Fang be sent to the southwest. Are you stupid or is she stupid?"
Lu Anran was not stupid, because the address given to Wu Fang was fake, and so was Qian Mo.
Lao Mao refused to tell the whereabouts of Qian Mo no matter what, so Lu Anran deliberately made Wu Fang pretend to be taking something, and then left the capital overnight, just to make people believe that she really had Qian Mo in her hands.
There are many vendors under Bafang Teahouse, selling sachets, jewelry, calligraphy, painting and ink, as well as all kinds of indispensable snacks and gadgets.
Walking up to an uncle carrying candied haws on his shoulders, Lu Taotao bumped into Lu Anran with his shoulder and said with big eyes, "I want to eat."
Lu Anran was already immune to someone pretending to be coquettish and wanted to pretend he didn't see it. Lu Taotao said with a shameless smile: "Protection fee."
After a while, the rich man Lu bought another scallion pancake, two bags of candied fruits, and three bags of peanuts and melon seeds.
When they turned the corner, no vendors finally appeared again. Lu Anran breathed a sigh of relief and passed by a woman holding a baby.
Lu Taotao bit the candied haws and tilted her head, her eyes instantly narrowed, and she gave Lu Anran a tight squeeze.
However, in the next moment, there was still a line of blood drawn into the air, and Lu Anran felt a stinging pain in his arm as he patted slowly.
