Chapter 296

Half an hour after seeing off Guo Kui,

The sun tilted west.

Watching Gu Tingye ride his horse on the side and walk away with the carriage of the Marquis Ningyuan's mansion,

Xu Zaijing, holding a hand warmer from Sun Shi's courtyard, entered the main gate, preparing to return to his courtyard.

"Fifth Young Master, just now the servant of the Zhu family sent this to our door."

Hearing the words of the gate manager, Xu Zaijing followed him to the gatehouse beside the main gate. After the servant lifted the cloth curtain, Xu Zaijing looked inside.

"This is? Door gods, New Year pictures, and peach wood charms?"

"Yes, the Zhu family relative said it was sent to the Zhu family by a pipa performer surnamed Yang in Yichun Lane, saying it was the first edition print, for good luck."

Xu Zaijing frowned and thought, then nodded: "Keep it! It will be useful in two days."

"Yes, Fifth Young Master!"

Returning to Sun Shi's room, the maid had already put away the things for entertaining guests.

Xu Zaijing sat on the chair and waved his hand to refuse the teacup handed by the maid; he had drunk quite a bit of tea while keeping her company just now.

After he told her about the gatehouse matter,

Sun Shi nodded and said: "The things in Yichun Lane are good; your maternal grandfather's family also often purchases them there! That Da Niangzi Yang has a heart."

Then, not knowing what she thought of, Sun Shi said somewhat unnaturally:

"Cough, Jing'er, are you still hungry? If not, the kitchen will cook less tonight."

Looking at his mother, who was stiffly changing the subject, Xu Zaijing raised an eyebrow.

Knowing that his mother might have thought of the incident where she mistook Da Niangzi Yang for his cousin's "outside mistress,"

So he hurriedly nodded: "Not hungry."

After talking in the room for a while longer, Xu Zaijing returned to his courtyard with the excuse that his homework was not finished.

The next day,

When the sky brightened,

Guo Kui rode his horse, tied the reins of the carriage horse to the saddle, and walked out of the courtyard where the carriage was parked at the inn.

The early morning outside the city in winter was colder than inside the city. He lowered his head and exhaled, and when he looked up, his eyes narrowed,

Because in front of him, a team of carriages and horses was walking toward Bianjing under the escort of Great Zhou cavalry.

It could be seen that the people in the convoy had also just started their journey not long ago, and everyone had hanging rings of different materials under their earlobes.

The convoy also carried flags covered with light frost, inscribed with the four Great Zhou characters "Great Bai Gao State."

When Guo Kui met the eyes of the knights in the convoy, his hand gripping the reins tightened. Because they were traveling in opposite directions, they soon passed each other.

The convoy of the Bai Gao State envoys continued to walk toward Bianjing.

Listening to the surrounding shouting, selling, and talking, in one of the carriages, a man with white hair, looking about fifty years old and wearing a white iron hanging ring, lifted the curtain.

Looking at the lively morning market, his blurred eyes narrowed again, and he looked up at the three large characters "Ansu Gate" on the city gate.

Although he left Bianjing from this gate back then, there was no emotional fluctuation in his eyes.

Suddenly,

His vision darkened.

The rumbling sound of carriage wheels and the clatter of horseshoes on the road surface echoed in the high and deep gate tunnel.

When his vision brightened, the surrounding noise suddenly increased.

"Steamed buns!"

"Hot water for washing!"

"Soup and rice!"

Sniffing the long-lost smell at the tip of his nose, the man closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The Great Zhou cavalry escorting beside the convoy looked at the man's intoxicated appearance and curled their lips in mockery.

The convoy continued to walk into the city. Although there were Imperial Guards clearing the way, they would stop from time to time to wait for the commoners pushing wheelbarrows and carrying goods to move aside.

It was already the end of the Chen hour (9:00 AM) when they arrived near the Bai Gao State hostel. At this time, teenagers were already out playing.

At a street corner,

Several Bianjing teenagers, eleven or twelve years old, were wearing cotton clothes by the roadside, playing with a football.

One of them saw the Bai Gao convoy, held the football in his arms, and raised his chin toward the convoy.

When the man lifted the curtain and passed by here in the carriage,

That bunch of teenagers and the man in the carriage met eyes.

"Haha, what are you looking at, Bai Gao old dog!"

"Bai Gao thief, look at your grandfather again, and I'll beat you!"

Seeing a teenager holding the football and about to throw it over,

The Imperial Guard cavalry escorting on the side hurriedly stepped forward and waved their hands:

"Go, go, go! Don't cause trouble! Go play on the side!"

The man snorted and dropped the curtain.

Leaning against the back of the chair in the carriage, the corners of the man's mouth curled up imperceptibly.

Entering the Bai Gao State hostel,

The man got off the carriage, bowed slightly, and followed behind the Bai Gao State chief envoy into the hostel.

After there were no outsiders, the man's spine straightened; instead, the Bai Gao State chief envoy bowed in return.

After the man nodded, he entered a room on the side.

Between the opening and closing of the door, one could see someone standing inside.

Around the door, there were suddenly more guards with sharp eyes, murderous intent, and silver hanging rings.

Sitting on the bed in the room, the man felt the temperature under him, let out a deep breath, and said in Bai Gao language:

"What has happened in Bianjing recently?"

Listening to the man's words, the person standing there wearing a gold hanging ring stuttered a sentence in Bai Gao language, and then became fluent.

The man nodded: "Later, the Jin State warriors returned to the building; tell me carefully about the actions of those two noble sons!"

After the Jin Chuihuan swallowed, he reorganized his language.

After the Jin Chuihuan finished speaking, the man nodded: "These Jin State warriors are interested in the Great Zhou heavy crossbow."

"Minister's insight!"

"Hmph! Don't tell me this first; why are the Li brothers still alive today?"

The Jin Chuihuan lowered his head and said:

"Minister... the two brothers do not live in the mansion bestowed upon them by Great Zhou, but in the Great Zhou Marquis Yongyi's mansion."

"The surroundings of this Marquis's mansion are all old acquaintances with military styles, with high walls and deep courtyards, and they keep several large dogs in the courtyard, so the children really cannot get close."

"At most, we can only pretend to be peddlers or stall guests and wander around Quyuanjie; even so, we haven't been there for three days."

The man touched the white iron hanging ring he was wearing and said: "Can't you kill your way in?"

"Minister, the intelligence from when Prince Ren was in Bianjing back then, you..."

The man stared at the Jin Chuihuan, and only after seeing the Jin Chuihuan's forehead sweating did he say:

"Hmm, he was able to defeat the rebels of the Mi Mu family; asking you to go is indeed making things difficult for you."

"However, this time I brought experts who have been raised by the Liang Yi family for more than ten years, one against ten, and they have already entered my Hanging Ring Division!"

"The great war is imminent; it is necessary to kill those two brothers so that those stubborn people in my Bai Gao State have no more thoughts!"

"How to conceal your identity, do you have a plan?"

The Jin Chuihuan wiped his sweat and replied:

"Minister, it is now the twelfth lunar month. There are many poor idlers in Bianjing City who often dress up as women, ghosts, and gods to wander around begging for money, called 'Hitting the Da Ye Hu.' Your subordinate has already prepared such clothing."

"Not only can it conceal your figure, but wandering around also doesn't make people suspicious."

The man nodded and said:

"Good, adapt to the situation! You can be credited with a merit!"

"Your subordinate is ashamed!"

"Come, let's practice Great Zhou language."

The latter sentence was said in Great Zhou language.

The Jin Chuihuan was stunned and hurriedly bowed, opened his mouth but made no sound, and only after switching for a while did he say:

"Cough, Minister is amazing, this Bianjing dialect is spoken better than your subordinate."

"When do you suggest we launch a surprise attack?"

The Jin Chuihuan bowed and said: "Minister, it is best to act at the end of the Yin hour (after 5:00 AM)!"

"Hmm? People sleep the soundest at the end of the Chou hour (3:00 AM), why delay to the Yin hour?"

"Minister, the Chou hour is too early, and there is no one on the streets. Our people cannot conceal their figures when coming and going!"

"At the end of the Yin hour, the city gates have opened, and there are more and more pedestrians, but the sky is still dark. Regardless of success or failure, it is easy to disguise as others and retreat."

The man nodded with a solemn expression: "Do you have any thoughts on the date?"

The Jin Chuihuan said:

"Minister, I heard that the kid from the Marquis Yongyi's mansion was just caned two days ago, so why don't we take this opportunity to cut the Gordian knot!"

"Act tomorrow morning!"

The man pondered for a moment and said:

"Good! Now that the experts from the Liang Yi family are in the secret courtyard you mentioned in the city, send someone to hand over the terrain map of the Marquis Yongyi's mansion to them this afternoon!"

"Where is the secret passage? Take me there, I will follow them tomorrow morning!"

The Jin Chuihuan said: "Your subordinate obeys! Minister, please this way."

After the two finished speaking, they walked toward the side room on the first floor of the hostel after leaving the room.

On the second floor of the restaurant outside the Bai Gao State hostel,

Zhao Meifeng, dressed in wealthy clothes, put down the wine cup in his hand and sighed as he watched the teenagers playing football below.

After going downstairs and getting into the carriage, he drove toward the Imperial City Division office beside the palace city.

The carriage entered the courtyard beside the Imperial City Division office. Zhao Meifeng entered the room, turned a few corners, and arrived at the Imperial City Division office.

In the room,

Zhao Zilong, who was sitting behind the table looking at the letter in the morning sun, put down the paper in his hand.

"Did you see him?"

"Master, I saw him, he has aged quite a bit."

The old man's hand pressing on the paper nodded tremblingly:

"Good, good, it's good to see him. Your senior brother has always been meticulous; it was my old muddle-headedness that thought he was gone."

"How did you speak to him, do you have any thoughts in your heart?"

Zhao Meifeng said: "Not yet! Arriving in Bianjing, the Bai Gao State envoys will definitely come out to play, there should be an opportunity!"

"Hmm! Good, there will be an opportunity!"

"Master, do you want to see him too?"

Zhao Zilong shook his head: "I didn't protect his only flesh and blood, so I won't see him."

A painful look flashed in Zhao Meifeng's eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't persuade me! I'm fine!"

Zhao Meifeng frowned and nodded heavily.

Beginning of the Shen hour (3:00 PM).

Southwest of Bianjing City,

At the intersection of Liangqiao South Street and Laoya Lane,

The Tian family woman splashed a basin of water to the intersection, looked at a down-and-out idler dressed as "Hitting the Da Ye Hu" looking at her from the intersection,

She shouted scoldingly: "What are you looking at, old woman? Stay away! There are no copper coins for you here!"

"Clang."

The wooden door was closed.

The man took a deep breath, raised his hand into his disheveled hair, took off the white iron hanging ring on his ear, and put it into his pocket.

He wanted to tidy up his clothes, but looking at his appearance, he smiled and shook his head secretly.

Then he stepped and walked into Laoya Lane.

There was still some snow in the lane that hadn't melted, not knowing when it was from.

The low-lying places were also covered with thick ice.

Looking at a very thick big tree growing by the road not far from the lane entrance, he turned his head to look at the lane entrance, then walked over, raised his head to look, and patted the big tree with emotion.

Then he walked to a door, patted it, and shouted: "Drive away evil spirits! Drive away evil spirits! If you don't give money, I'll sleep in your house!"

"Clang."

A copper coin was thrown out from the crack of the door!

"Hurry up, hurry up!"

"Hey! Driven away!"

The man lowered his head, picked up the copper coin, and happily blew the dust off it.

He continued to walk inside, patted several doors, and got three or four copper coins.

When he was about to walk to the next door, the man tidied his hair, revealed his face, took a deep breath, and patted the door, but didn't shout the words of "Hitting the Da Ye Hu."

"Who is it?"

A woman's voice came from the courtyard. The man sniffed and said: "Me!"

Footsteps came, someone looked through the crack of the door and said: "Who is 'me'? Hitting the Da Ye Hu? Here, give you a copper coin, hurry up and go!"

The man was stunned and said: "You! You are not from the Hua family!"

The woman behind the door was stunned and said: "I am renting the courtyard, you... are you looking for the owner of this courtyard?"

The man reached into his waist, took out a piece of broken silver, threw it in, and said:

"I am here to visit relatives in the capital, and I was afraid of thieves, so I dressed like this! Please open the door, Matriarch!"

The door didn't open, and the woman inside shouted: "Master! You hurry up!"

After a while, the door opened.

After the man asked a series of questions,

'Heard the husband died, has a daughter!'

'The old daughter married out!'

'Good family! Marquis's mansion manager!'

'Which Marquis's mansion? Marquis Yongyi's mansion, on Quyuanjie!'

'Right, she followed the young lady, and the courtyard was renovated by the son-in-law.'

'Recently heard she is with a stall-selling man surnamed Shu.'

The man bowed and said: "Thank you!"

After speaking, he prepared to leave, and the middle-aged couple in the courtyard hurriedly said:

"Do you know the way to Quyuanjie? Since we took your silver, how about we lead the way for you?"

"No need, I... know the way."

End of the Shen hour (5:00 PM).

The man changed into ordinary commoner clothes, wore ear muffs, and got off the carriage at the entrance of Quyuanjie.

He walked a distance inside.

Looking at the stall owner by the roadside looking at him, he smiled and nodded: "I wonder if there is a brother surnamed Shu here?"

Hearing this, the stall owner's smile floated to his face and he shouted:

"Old Shu, a guest is here!"

"Eating stir-fried chicken and rabbit, you found the right stall."

The man bowed.

He walked to the cloth shed of the stall and sat down.

On his left hand side was the stall owner who was preparing to get busy.

A half-grown boy smiled and said: "Guest, what would you like to eat? Would you like to try our signature fried fish and stir-fried chicken and rabbit?"

The man nodded: "One of each, do you have wine?"

"Yes! Please wait a moment!"

Saying this, the half-grown boy scooped boiling water into a bowl and placed a wine pot inside.

Before long, two steaming dishes were served on the table.

The man took out chopsticks from the bamboo tube, tasted it, and his eyes lit up.

After taking a sip of wine and feeling the warmth in his stomach, the man said: "This brother, this wine is good!"

The stall owner said: "Guest knows his stuff, this is good wine from the Marquis's mansion Fifth Young Master's gambling, sent to me by an old brother in the mansion, please enjoy."

"Thank you! This wine isn't expensive, right?"

"Hahaha, not expensive!"

The man took another beautiful sip.

After eating half the dishes, the half-grown boy at the stall shouted: "Auntie Shu, you are here!"

The man who was picking up food stopped his chopsticks, listening to the footsteps behind him, his chopsticks couldn't hold steady.

The half-grown boy on the side looked at his hand and smiled:

"Guest, it's so cold! This is frozen..."

The man smiled, put down his chopsticks, and placed his hand under the wine cup.

Mother Hua walked to Uncle Shu's side, carrying two processed fish in her gloved hands.

"I put the fish here for you, close the stall early!"

"Good!"

The man took advantage of the action of drinking wine to glance at Mother Hua. After seeing her face clearly, a rare softness appeared in the man's eyes.

The wine cup was raised to his mouth, the wine entered his mouth, and just as he was about to swallow it,

The man saw Uncle Shu squat down and stroke Mother Hua's already bulging belly with full love...

"Pfft!!!!"

"Cough cough cough cough!"

"Cough cough cough!"

"Guest, are you okay!"

Chu Zhan and Uncle Shu hurriedly walked over and helped the man pat his back.

The man covered his mouth and coughed a few times, turned his head to look at Mother Hua, who was walking forward with a handkerchief, and waved his hand.

And Mother Hua, seeing the man's eyebrows and eyes, was also stunned, stopped, smiled thoughtfully, and then looked at the man covering his mouth.

But it wasn't good to stare at the guest.

After the guest paid the money and left after covering his mouth and coughing a few times,

Uncle Shu put the copper coins into Mother Hua's hand and looked at her appearance: "What's wrong?"

Mother Hua stopped smiling and said: "Just now that guest, his eyebrows and eyes looked like my brother who died early."

Hearing this, Uncle Shu was stunned, and while putting the fish away, he said: "You didn't tell me before."

"He was only ten when he died, and I was only seven or eight. If the foster parents hadn't been childless and kind enough to adopt me, I would have long since..."

Mother Hua said: "After so many years, I actually forgot his appearance. Today it's also strange... sigh, old stories, let's not talk about them!"

Saying this, Mother Hua smiled and shook her head.

Leaving the stall,

In the darkness, the man rubbed his nose while walking.

After taking a deep breath,

He whispered: "I can actually still want to cry?"

He smiled silently.

Arriving at the street corner, the Jin Chuihuan, who was driving the carriage, asked flatteringly: "Minister, how was it?"

The man said: "Act tomorrow!"

(End of this chapter)