At the third watch of the night, two horses, one black and one white, could be heard in the distance. They were stopping at the door of the government office. The man on the horse jumped down and strode in.
The sergeant at the gate immediately stepped forward to lead the horse. Wei Cheng wrapped the whip around his hand and walked in without looking back: "Where are you watching the Wang family?"
Yu Shan, who had been waiting for a long time in the Ming Dynasty, jumped down from the couch. His hair was slightly brown, his nose was high and his eyes were deep. His dark pupils shone under the moonlight. He shouted: "Boss, you are finally back. I am here today." The son crawled out from under the quilt of a little widow just to lead people to stare at that..."
Halfway through my words, I suddenly remembered the military regulations.
Seeing Wei Cheng's cold eyes, he shut his mouth knowingly and stood up straight: "The Wang family left the city and went to Jizhou. Qiu Xiaoyun took two people with him."
Qiu Xiaoyun has always done things neatly and straightforwardly. With him around, it would be difficult for the Wang family to make a mistake.
"It's so powerful to divert trouble from the east." Yu Shan touched his bare chin, "The general is indeed right. Wang Ziyuan did not let anyone touch Liu Min and her sister, but was just preparing to send someone to send a message to the governor of Yanzhou. , and asked the governor of Yanzhou to turn a blind eye and intercept the grain and grass shipped by Liu Min from Yangzhou. At this time, Liu Min only wanted to collect more grain. Anyone who touched his grain and grass would simply kill his parents. "
"Although he is stupid, he is not too stupid. He knows how to borrow Yanzhou's sword." He tapped his knuckles on the table, rested his elbow on the desk, closed his eyes, and seemed to be falling asleep.
Jizhou's grain and grass were intercepted at the junction of Yanzhou and Jizhou, and Liu Min was bound to send troops to recover it.
The watchman outside was banging his clapper loudly. I don’t know how long it had passed before a sound of fireworks that sounded like the chirping of birds came from the thick night. Although the sound was small, it was clearly audible in the quiet night. It seemed like it was coming from somewhere. The family is setting off fireworks to celebrate the happy event.
But which one would set off fireworks in the middle of the night?
This is the signal they use to communicate. Extending out to the southwest of Youzhou, hidden sentries are set up every forty miles. This is a new system established after Wei Cheng took command of the Youzhou Army. The speed of fireworks conveying messages is much faster than that of the Japanese. A BMW that travels a thousand miles with blood is even faster.
——
Jizhou, Xindu.
At dawn, Sima hurriedly came to report that all the grain and grass shipped from Yangzhou had been intercepted.
The person who intercepted the grain and grass was the governor of Yanzhou. There were several people standing next to the governor of Yanzhou. Two of them had long beards and green robes. The Sima beside Liu Min had seen him several times when he accompanied Liu Min to report on his work in Chang'an. I had an impression that it was Wang A staff member of the Situ Mansion.
Liu Min was furious, and the lights in the governor's mansion were bright. He ordered his troops and chased him out of the city. He was already more exposed, and a pair of beauties were waiting beside him. Their lust was in full swing, but they were suddenly interrupted by the bad news. He lost all interest and waved the two of them away. People rushed out and sat alone under the lamp waiting for news.
There was a soft sound outside the door, and then the sound of the mullioned door sliding open on the track came.
Liu Min was no longer sleepy and was looking through the military roster to count the provisions and horses. During the day, Sima and Chang Shi had already reported everything one by one, but he was still worried and wanted to take a look at it himself.
Listening to the voice, I thought it was Concubine Ji who had just gone out and brought tea in again, and said impatiently: "I told you to leave, but you want me to say..."
Before he finished speaking, a pair of cold amber brown eyes came into his eyes. With a flash of cold light, the cold blade was already touching his neck.
Liu Min's hand that was flipping through the book paused, and he put it quietly under the case. His face was calm, and he looked at the masked face of the assassin in front of him, "Who sent you here?"
Qiu Xiaoyun didn't say anything, and the Huanshou knife slashed across without hesitation. Liu Min slapped the table with his palm, leaned back, turned over to avoid, raised his legs to sweep across, bringing up a gust of wind, and separated the cold blade in front of him.
The desk fell to the ground with a clang, but it was quiet outside. I thought the guard at the door had been taken care of.
His face was gloomy, he waved his hand and punched him, then turned his sword to cut vertically. Qiu Xiaoyun raised his leg and put it on his leg. The sword missed his neck by only half an inch.
Qiu Xiaoyun had no intention of evading, and punched him forcefully. He grunted, raised his hand with the knife, and Liu Min's ear was cut off neatly and fell to the ground.
There was a lot of blood, and a pale ear was lying quietly in a pool of blood. Liu Min gave a loud scream and fled to the knife rest. He pulled out the big knife with red eyes. Half of his left cheek was bloody. He didn't care at all. He only thought about it. He caught and skinned the assassin in front of him.
Qiu Xiaoyun listened attentively and heard footsteps coming from outside the door. He snorted coldly, took out a bag of white powder from his arms, and sprinkled it casually, causing snow to fall all over the house.
It was a handful of salt he just grabbed from the kitchen.
Even if Liu Min retreats and dodges, the salt throw touches Liu Min's wound, and the heart-breaking pain pierces his heart. Liu Min's eye sockets are about to burst, and he slashes with the knife. Qiu Xiaoyun has already turned over and escaped, leaping two times on the eaves. After going back and forth, he disappeared from sight. It was obvious that he had already prepared an escape route.
Liu Min was in severe pain. He threw away the knife and covered the bloody hole on his temple. Sima and Chang Shi rushed over and were horrified to see what happened.
Especially when the soldiers who went to chase the grain and grass came back and the person who told him about the grain and grass was the Yanzhou governor, and the person standing next to the Yanzhou governor was the staff of Wang Situ's mansion, Liu Min's heart suddenly went cold.
The doctor even wore his shoes and stockings inside out, and hurriedly brought the medical box to bandage Liu Min. The pale gauze went around the bridge of his nose, wrapped around it, and it looked funny and terrifying. The gloomy face on his face made people dare not speak.
"Okay, Wang Ziyuan, Wang Qin! Cut off my food and grass, and hurt my ear! If I don't avenge this, how can I survive!" The veins on his forehead were exposed, and his teeth were clenched. When he exerted force, the gauze leaked again. Bleeding, "Xiu Xiu sent a letter to Wei Cheng immediately! If he still sees me as a person, don't interfere in the grudge between me and Wang Ziyan. Let's see how I can catch Wang Ziyan and kill him. If not, , our Liu and Wei families will turn against each other from now on!"
The next day, Youzhou.
Wei Cheng finished his official duties in the morning and had just taken a sip of tea when he heard Wei Ning coming to report that Wang Yuanjun was here.
It was earlier than he expected.
He sighed silently, got up and went to pick her up in person. In the tall and wide gatehouse, Wang Yuanjun, who was pale and with slightly chapped lips, was staggering from the end of the cobblestone corridor, being supported by a maid.
She couldn't remember how many times this was the first time she came here, but every time in the past, she felt nervous and anxious like this time, as if a fire was burning in her heart.
Even if her legs were inconvenient, she couldn't help but come over in person.
Seeing Wei Cheng approaching with his robe in hand, his face gentle and peaceful, a slight smile on his lips, and asking her gently if she was okay and if she could have some food, she relaxed slightly and walked up to him, holding back her anxiety and saying: " Zhongyang, my father is missing."
She made it clear in a few sentences that her father was nowhere to be seen when she arrived this morning, and she didn't leave a message. None of the servants knew about it, so she could only come over and urge him to send someone to search for him.
Wei Cheng looked gentle and supported her: "My leg is not healed yet. Just send someone to report it. Why bother to go there myself?"
After all, she was a pampered daughter. Her father disappeared and she suffered a big blow. Her face was pale and tears fell one by one. Her usual pride disappeared, leaving only fear.
Fortunately, Wei Cheng's gentle words comforted her. Her heart softened and she began to sob: "I can't see my father, and I feel anxious."
"That's all." He helped her walk out, "I'll take you to find him."
"Zhong Yang, do you know where he is?" Wang Yuanjun stopped crying and looked up at him.
"Your father is waiting for you at Chunfeng Tower." Wei Cheng smiled. "Just in time, I'll take you to have lunch."
The carriage stopped at the entrance of Chunfeng Tower.
It was almost the New Year's Eve, and there were more people drinking and having fun than before. There was an endless stream of people coming in and out of the restaurant, and the aroma of wine wafted over from afar. Wang Yuanjun's mood calmed down a lot along the way, and he followed Wei Chengjin After entering the private room, Wei Cheng thoughtfully lifted the bead curtain for her and took off the gauze curtain hanging on the butterfly step on the temples.
As soon as they arrived, the maid started serving the food.
There were only three people in the private room, Wei Cheng, Wang Yuanjun, and Wei Ning standing behind Wei Cheng.
Seeing that the dishes were all served, it was cold in the north, so the heat would have dissipated when the dishes were served, so they would cover the dishes under the warm plate. Wei Cheng personally uncovered the warm plate on the dishes and said, "These are the ones you loved to eat when you were a child. , this is Chutou Chun, Tang Yuxiu Wan, Xianren Pork, Onion and Vinegar Chicken, Raw Duck Flower Soup Cake..."
Wang Yuanjun had not eaten in the morning, but now she was a little hungry. Her heart warmed, and she pursed her lips and smiled: "Thank you, Erlang."
"I still remember that when I first came to Youzhou a few months ago, Erlang also brought me here for dinner."
At that time, he met Shen Yinxiao, and he suddenly remembered Shen Yinxiao's appearance that day, with a white skirt and red ribbon, and a plain face, standing in the private room, which made people unable to help but feel pitiful.
With his eyes lowered, his jade-like face was reflected in the warm yellow light. He was obviously very aggrieved and had to pretend to be stubborn and indifferent.
He paused imperceptibly, with a gentle smile on his face, but it instantly made the air in the private room become colder, and a chill climbed up his spine.
Wang Yuanjun realized that she had said the wrong thing, bit her lip, turned around, and pointed to an eight-treasure box in front of her, with a silk handkerchief tied on it, which she had hung on the food box when she was delivering meals to Wei Cheng. That one.
"Why hasn't my dad come yet?" She waited for a long time, and when she saw the familiar handkerchief, she blushed: "Erlang, what kind of food is in this box?"
"Braised lion's head, you like it too." He lowered his eyes and took a wet handkerchief to wipe his hands. He glanced at the box and said calmly: "Open it and take a look. Maybe you want to take it back."
Wang Yuanjun opened the box as instructed, but the next moment, she froze.
The father she had been looking for for most of the day, no, it was her father's head, Wang Ziyan's head, which was placed neatly in the eight-treasure box in front of her, with his eyes wide open, staring at her.
"ah--"
She screamed, the hairs all over her body stood up, every pore seemed to be opened, and the air-conditioning kept getting into her internal organs. She stumbled backwards, and even if the lid in her hand fell on her broken leg, she didn't feel any pain. There was a thunderclap, and she felt like the world was spinning, and she couldn't distinguish the east, west, north, and south of the hundred-day night. It wasn't until she felt severe pain in her legs that she realized in despair that this was not a dream.
Wei Ning frowned and touched the scabbard on his waist.
Wang Yuanjun's lips trembled, and there was no trace of blood on her face, which was as white as a piece of paper. When she turned her head, Wei Cheng sat with a smile, his hands on his legs, and the corners of his mouth curled up, looking at her.
