Chapter 527

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Master Feng stood up and scolded with a frown.

"There is nothing wrong at home in Bianjing, go back to your room first!"

The woman who entered the room was stunned,

After looking around the hall, she squeezed out a smile and bowed to Master Feng and Zhao Meifeng: "It is this slave who was abrupt!"

Zhao Meifeng bowed, and looking at the woman who was about to turn around, Zhao Meifeng's heart stirred: "Madam, please stay!"

The woman stopped, turned around in confusion to look at Zhao Meifeng, and then looked at her husband, Master Feng.

"Master Feng, I am on imperial business, please forgive me."

Zhao Meifeng bowed and turned to Master Feng, saying apologetically.

Master Feng took a deep breath and said to the woman: "Madam, wait a moment, let this Manager Zhao from the Imperial City Department ask a few questions."

At the doorway,

The woman and her personal nanny looked at each other in surprise and turned back to walk over.

Zhao Meifeng repeated the previous question,

The woman thought for a while and shook her head: "Beizhou is about the same as Bianjing, with more soldiers, and because it is close to the canal, there are also many merchants."

"Of course, compared to Bianjing, the tea houses, tile districts, wine shops, and restaurants are far behind."

"Other than that... I haven't felt anything unusual or abnormal."

Zhao Meifeng nodded and exchanged a glance with Gao Yunqing, who was standing, his eyes showing some disappointment.

"Master Feng, are you familiar with Master Dong? Regarding his accident, what do you think, do you know anything about it?"

Zhao Meifeng asked.

Master Feng nodded and said with a sad look: "Of course I am familiar! Brother Dong had excellent literary talent and was well-acquainted with the Duke of Qi's mansion; in Beizhou, I could only talk to him about things in Bianjing."

"I heard that that day, Brother Dong obtained a set of excellent Goryeo celadon wine utensils, and in his joy, he drank too much; when he was riding his horse home, the horse was startled, and he met with this disaster."

The woman on the side also lowered her head and sighed.

Master Feng continued: "Yesterday, I even went to the temple with Master Tian to pay respects to Brother Dong, sigh~"

The official's wife nodded.

The personal nanny behind her, however, was suddenly stunned for a moment, then shook her head gently.

Zhao Meifeng noticed her movement, turned his head to look at the nanny, and said: "This nanny, have you remembered something?"

Seeing everyone in the room looking at her, the nanny was just about to shake her head when Master Feng said: "Just say whatever you think of."

The nanny bowed to everyone and said: "My lord, this slave often accompanies Madam to burn incense and pray to gods and Buddhas; Madam often tells this slave that the incense in the temples near Beizhou is no less than that in the temples inside and outside our Bianjing."

After the official's wife was stunned, she nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, every time we go to the temple, there are many devout men and women burning incense and praying; they look even more pious than those in the temples in Bianjing!"

The nanny nodded in agreement: "I have even seen the wives of many military captains in the temple!"

She continued: "Previously, when the Imperial City Department office was catching Northern Liao spies, this slave happened to be out buying things and saw it! There was one person who often kowtowed in the temple; both Madam and I have seen him."

Listening to the nanny's words, the official's wife asked in confusion: "Cui Cui Mama, which one are you talking about?"

The nanny flicked her handkerchief and said: "Madam, it's that person who kept muttering 'Shakyamuni Buddha is declining, Maitreya is in the world'!"

"After we heard it, fearing that the gods and Buddhas would be angry and blame us, didn't we kneel on the prayer mat and pray with palms together?!"

"Yes, yes, yes! I remember now." the woman said suddenly.

"Why didn't I know about this?" Master Feng said.

"Master, it was just a small matter, and we were afraid that if you heard it, you would get involved in karma, so we put it to the back of our minds and gradually forgot it; it has been a long time. If this official hadn't asked, this slave really wouldn't have remembered."

Zhao Meifeng frowned as he sat in the chair, looked at Gao Yunqing, and said: "You have also seen the documents regarding Zhang Shipan's meritorious service before; is there any record of this matter on them?"

Gao Yunqing shook his head: "Not to mention worshipping Buddha, even those two sentences, I haven't seen them in the documents."

Zhao Meifeng narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly: "This nanny, those two sentences you heard in the temple, did you hear them when the Northern Liao spies were being caught?"

"I heard them! They shouted very loudly, as if they weren't afraid of death, fighting with the Imperial City Department's Yuhou! Oh my, thinking about it now, this slave's heart is still racing."

After hearing the nanny's words, Master Feng's expression gradually became serious.

This Master Feng was less than thirty years old and had not been in Beizhou for long.

He planned to stay in this position of military supervisor for two years, and with the relationship of the Feng family of the Duke of Cheng, he would then be promoted to military inspector and return to the capital to continue accumulating seniority for further promotion.

However, listening to Zhao Meifeng's words, knowing that Zhang Shipan, who had been summoned to Bianjing, had omitted so many things in the documents,

If it was a work error or unintentional, it would be fine, but if it was for other reasons, then the problem was...

"Teng~"

Zhao Meifeng stood up from his seat and said urgently: "Let's go, go to the pigeon house of the Imperial City Department in the city!"

Master Feng also stood up: "I will accompany Manager Zhao! Someone! Wake up the personal guards at home."

"Husband?" The woman, supported by the nanny, looked at the actions of everyone in the hall in surprise.

"Madam, after we go out, close the gate tightly, and don't open it no matter who calls," Master Feng said solemnly.

"Master Feng, does the mansion have armor?" A set of armor weighed dozens of catties, and Zhao Meifeng and his companion did not carry any.

"The personal guards each have a set..." Master Feng said.

"Spare two sets, and the two without armor can just stay behind to watch the house!" Zhao Meifeng said urgently.

"Yes, yes, hurry, have someone bring the armor over first."

When Zhao Meifeng was still at the Feng mansion,

On the west side of Beizhou city,

In Longxing Temple,

At the very top of the towering seven-story pagoda, the eternal lamp was still lit.

Looking from afar, it was like a pavilion in the air.

Above the seventh floor,

The sound of 'coo coo coo' pigeons was endless.

Beside the candle,

A monk sprinkled a handful of fine millet into the feeding trough.

Afterward, he bent down, wanting to pour some drinking water for the pigeons.

"Pu pu pu~"

The sound of flapping wings came from outside the window.

The monk looked in surprise at the pigeon with a bamboo tube tied to its leg and muttered to himself: "How could you fly back at this time?"

Saying this, he stepped forward to catch the pigeon and untied the bamboo tube.

Afterward, the carrier pigeon, which had soared in on the north wind, jumped to the side and began to eat the millet.

In the city, at the pigeon house.

Zhao Meifeng looked at the empty pigeon cage and said coldly:

"Where are the carrier pigeons?"

"Reporting, reporting to the manager, just now Master Pan, the deputy commander of the Xuanyi Army in the city, borrowed... borrowed them!" the Imperial City Department soldier said tremblingly.

"How dare you?"

Zhao Meifeng asked, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

"Ma... Manager, previously Master Zhang Shipan and Master Pan were close friends! Borrowing the pigeons from the department has... has always been a matter of borrowing and returning! At the latest tomor..."

"Pa!"

The scabbard hit the soldier's face heavily.

"Remove his limbs and teeth, lock him up," Zhao Meifeng said coldly.

"Mana..."

Before the soldier with a mouth full of blood could say the second word, Gao Yunqing's fist had already struck him.

Master Feng, wearing armor, also had an ugly expression. Zhao Meifeng looked at him and said: "What is the relationship between this Pan fellow and the Pan family of the Jingdong East Circuit?"

Master Feng shook his head: "He has no relationship with the Pan family between Deng and Mi prefectures; that fellow's ancestral home is in Xianzhou to the north."

Zhao Meifeng nodded: "Let's go, prepare to leave the city!"

Saying this, Zhao Meifeng led his men and walked out.

Just as they were about to leave the Imperial City Department office in Beizhou, sounds of killing came from the city gate not far outside.

Zhao Meifeng's expression became extremely ugly.

"Master Feng, is there any other place to leave the city?"

Master Feng's mind raced as he said: "The east city wall; today, a captain under Master Tian is guarding the city gate."

Zhao Meifeng looked toward the east, where there was no sound yet.

"Go! Gao Yunqing, strike hard."

Gao Yunqing, who was dragging the person behind, let go directly, then drew the dagger from his waist and slashed across the soldier's neck.

Everyone went out and mounted their horses,

When they were close to the east city gate,

Shouts suddenly came from the city gate, followed by sounds of killing.

"Hurry and help, as long as we can get on the city wall, there is a drainage ditch on the north side of the gate tower; there is water in the ditch, and it hasn't frozen yet, just jump down!"

"Go! Ha!"

After a charge against the thieves attacking the city gate,

The thieves were numerous and powerful,

Zhao Meifeng, Gao Yunqing, and Master Feng finally climbed the stone stairs of the city wall, and under the cover of the soldiers guarding the gate, walked quickly toward the city wall.

"Who!!"

A soldier at the city wall staircase entrance shouted tremblingly while holding a shield.

"Me, Feng Zixun!"

"Feng... Master Feng, what exactly happened below?"

"There are thieves seizing the city gate! Move aside!"

Saying this, Feng Zixun led his men up the city wall.

"Gao Yunqing, you go, I'll stay," Zhao Meifeng said as he walked.

"Manager?"

Zhao Meifeng said quickly: "The blow I took in Yang Zhou prevents me from running long distances, you know that! If I jump down, I won't be able to run for long."

"Yes! Manager, I'm going!" Gao Yunqing replied.

"Also, there will definitely be no mounts when we get out..."

"It's okay, this subordinate will find a way to get a horse."

"No, I remember there is a Chai family coal shop in the south of the city; you go there! If they don't open the door at this time, you... you mention the name of the fifth young master of the Xu family."

"Yes!"

Everyone walked a few steps.

A torch was thrown under the wall.

Looking at the high city wall illuminated by the torch, Gao Yunqing muttered to himself: "Damn it, if I had known, I should have looked for a rope just now."

Saying this, Gao Yunqing took off his armor, carrying only his arm guards and waist sword, and climbed onto the battlement.

Afterward, the sound of a heavy object falling into water came from under the city wall.

Winter night, falling into water.

After Gao Yunqing got ashore, he felt his whole body stiffen.

After he started running slowly, the bone-chilling cold made every moment he was awake an ordeal.

The sounds of killing inside the city wall grew louder.

Just as Gao Yunqing was about to faint from the cold, he saw the corner of the city wall.

After turning the corner and running a bit further, it was the Chai family coal shop.

Chai family coal shop,

At the courtyard gate,

The manager carrying a lantern, with three assistants holding knives and sticks, lowered his voice through the door panel: "Who is it?"

"Heh... cough... Xu... Xu..."

"Don't whisper, I know, keep it low! What happened in the city? Who are you?"

"Xu Wulang!" the person outside shouted with all his might.

As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden door was opened rapidly, and seeing the man shivering at the door, the four of them hurriedly dragged him in.

A quarter of an hour later,

The coal shop manager was riding a horse and galloping toward the south.

The next day,

Yin hour (3 AM)

Gu Tingye, who was in a dream, was shaken awake from his bed.

Looking at the eyes of Xu Zaijing, who had shaken him awake, Gu Tingye shook his head: "Jinggeer, what's wrong?"

"Get up, go save people!"

(End of chapter)