[Caiyun Kingdom] The beginning of people

"Hello." I bowed and saluted him.

As soon as he opened his mouth, he reprimanded: "Nonsense!"

I straightened up and said softly, "Qingzao, you go down first."

She looked at me, then at Kui Huangyi, "Hey!"

Kui Huangyi put his hands behind his back, staring at me with gray eyes, and said coldly: "You don't want to die or something? Do you dare to investigate the assassination case in the national examination? Do you think you are a cat? Yes Nine lives? How many lives do you have enough to lose? If you want to die, jump into the lake now, don’t embarrass me.”

I said softly, "I'm afraid no one will come looking for me."

Kui Huangyi sneered, "So what if you come? Can you catch me? I think you are the one who died first. You are getting more and more stupid."

"This is the only time I've ever messed around." I turned my head and looked up at him. "I have a good chance of not dying. The more high-profile I am and the smarter they are, the less they dare to touch me lest I die." Let others notice the clues. Conversely, unless I stop investigating at all, otherwise, with a small person like me, whoever dares to investigate in private will definitely die without a whole body.”

The corner of his mouth raised a sarcasm, "It seems that you are also very clear. Very smart? Huh? Smart enough to bet your own life?"

I look away.

"Where's your father in Heizhou? Don't want it? Where's your stepbrother? Don't want anything? Huh?"

I sighed, "If you have something to say, please tell me."

"I have already taken over the assassination case of the national examination."

I look at him.

He looked at me, "What you found is a shield under the city. There has always been a gamble among the people about the national examination, and the result of the scholar's admission is the object of betting. Some people may rely on it in order to get more benefits from the gamble. The betting rate is used to assassinate scholars, but it is not possible for civilian forces to extend the assassination to the national examination preparation dormitory located in the outer city of the imperial palace.”

I interjected: "Those who can do it must be those who can enter and leave the palace, in other words, nobles and officials. They naturally have a deeper reason to attack, so Yu Shitai, who is in charge of picking up all officials, also stared at him. on the case."

"The reason why you did it, do you think of it?"

I pursed my lips, "I don't want scholars from commoner backgrounds to be on the list. In this way, the scope can be narrowed to noble officials, and some of their children have entered the imperial examination system. Some nobles will abandon their wealth to take the imperial examination. One is Family origin, the second is that the official position in the clan is not high enough or enough to support all the children to be officials. I think the former can be ruled out, since it is a family origin, there is no need to assassinate to vacate the seat; and the latter refers to People whose status is not high enough or who have a large family and less money.”

"The person in charge has a high status, but he has a huge family and too many party members, so he will take the imperial examination." He folded his arms, "It can also be said that it is a group of short-sighted people who are fighting for the interests and reputation of the so-called nobles. Exclude civilians from the list."

"You already know who it is?" I paused, "It's him?" Three years ago when Kui Huangyi and I were investigating the case of the state herdsman in Heizhou, Kui Huangyi said that his target was the man standing behind the state shepherd. central officials.

"Are you coming? Death is coming? If you stop now, you can act as if nothing happened."

"Are you joking? You will come to me, isn't it a sure thing that I won't stop investigating?"

"But I give you a choice."

"No, I don't have a choice." I sat down on the stone chair in the pavilion, "Maybe it seems really stupid to you, but sometimes people have to do some stupid things to be alive. Otherwise, Just be a puppet. Don’t worry, I will try my best to survive.”

After a while of silence in the pavilion, Kui Huangyi took the cloak on the table and put it on me, then sat on the railing of the pavilion, leaning against the pavilion pillars, and looked at the scenery outside the pavilion.

After a while, he finally said, "No, I don't think you're stupid."

yes.

"real?"

"Fake." He stood up, "You continue to do it first, and I will send someone to deliver the letter to you next time."

I also stood up and nodded to him.

He looked at me, turned around and strode away.

"Miss," Qingzao came over, "You made an appointment earlier this afternoon to meet someone from the All-China Federation of Commerce, are you still going?"

"go."

Qingzao stomped her feet, "Miss!"

I patted her hand, "I know what I should do. I will rest and eat on time, don't worry."

"...Yes. Then please go to eat now, otherwise you won't be able to go out in the afternoon."

"Well, good." After walking two steps, I asked, "Qingzao, has the person who delivered the letter to Mrs. Zhong come back?"

"I'm back, I came back last night."

"What did Mrs. Zhong say?"

"She said she would go to Beijing in person and bring Uncle Zhong back to Heizhou."

"yes."

"Master also said he would come."

"Father?" I was a little surprised.

"Hey."

also good. "Well, I got it. Remember to prepare the courtyard, and don't let Mrs. Zhong and Father live nearby, and keep them as far away as possible."

"Oh, I know."

I dealt with things, and soon it was time for dinner again.Qingzao seemed to be afraid that I would break my promise, and kept urging me to eat.I asked her to send the meals to the compartment next to the study in the inner courtyard, saying that it would be convenient for me to go back to work later.In the cubicle, I took a few mouthfuls of rice, and then looked at Qingzao standing beside me, "You also go to rest and eat, don't stay here. You have worked hard recently."

"...Hey. Ah, that's right, the Red Mansion sent a letter of sympathy in the afternoon."

"Red Mansion?"

"It's the residence of Mr. Hong Lishen, signed by Lily."

"Understood, I will write a reply later, you help me prepare the return gift, and you will send it for me."

"Hey."

With a creak, the door closed, and I picked up the bowl and chopsticks again, and put them down again.After staying there for a while, I picked up the bowl and chopsticks again and took a mouthful of food, but I couldn't bear to spit it out after a few bites.

I put down the bowls and chopsticks, covered my face with my hands and cried bitterly.

Couldn't eat anything at all.

I really know what to do, but I can't do it.no way.

I covered my mouth, curled up, leaned on the edge of the table and slid to the chair, and fell on the chair and cried.

I gripped the chair tightly.

After a while, I wiped my face, climbed back into the chair, and stuffed as best I could.It's not okay to not eat, I know.

Be sure to eat well.

While eating, I was still crying.

After eating, I went back to the study and continued to deal with things.With Jietong's case, daily affairs, and the critical moment of Zhang's family expansion, some things cannot go wrong.

After several days, I received a letter from Kui Huangyi.Following his instructions, I went to find someone who specialized in the assassination business.

The man was in a small restaurant with an unremarkable appearance.I let Qingzao stay outside, and only brought my servant Wang Dali inside.When I walked to the counter, the shopkeeper greeted me warmly, and I said in a flat voice, "I'm here to buy pork."

"What?" The shopkeeper's face changed, "Are you making trouble? Go away! This is not a pork shop!"

"I mean, I want three catties of pork." According to Kui Huangyi's letter, I have a lot of code words to match.

"Didn't I just say that my place is not a pork shop?"

"Isn't it?"

"no."

... By the way, it was enough time for a cup of tea before the store took me to a basement.He stretched out his hand to stop Wang Dali, not letting him in.I nodded to him, and walked down with a candle.In the basement, sat a middle-aged woman.

It is said to be a woman, but her skeleton is too big.

I turned my head to the side to make sure he was a man disguised as a woman.

I suddenly thought of Liu Zimei, who also had femininity, the killer who claimed to be a scholar Liu Zimei.

"Little girl, have you seen enough?" The voice of an adult man was obvious.

I walked closer, sat across from him, and looked at him across the table, "I've seen a person who is very similar to you."

"Me?" He laughed out loud, "similar to me," he said with a weird smile, "there are a lot of people."

"yes."

"Little girl," he winked at me, "you don't want to ask any more questions? Aren't you curious? Don't want to talk to me?"

"You won't even say what I say."

"What a lovely girl." He reached out to lift my chin.

"Please hold back."

"Why are you?" He moved closer to me.

"Is it your rule to rape and then kill the female customers who come here?"

"Do you have business for me?"

"Otherwise why am I here?"

"Well~ It's not peaceful recently~ Who knows if you are from the official family, or that Miss Zhang family who went crazy looking for some murderer or killer?"

"So I'm so famous?"

"It's true that we are well-known in our circle. However, Miss Zhang doesn't deny it?"

"You already know, and I don't need to deny it."

He withdrew his hand and looked at me with a smile, "Then why did Ms. Zhang come to find someone? Want to kill me to avenge my fiancé? Let me explain first, he didn't do it to me~~"

I sighed softly, "I have business for you, I have already said so."

He narrowed his eyes, "Who is it?"

After a long trial, I finally got to the point.I lowered my eyes, and said coldly: "I want to buy the head of the imperial servant Kui Huangyi."

"What's the reason?"

I frowned, "Is there a reason for a killer to accept business?"

"Hey, my place is different from other stores. I won't pick up if you're unhappy, and you won't pick up if you die. Little girl, do you want uncle to introduce you to another store?"

"No, it's just you." I stretched out my hand to wrap around the plain skirt, "He insulted me." I said nonsense temporarily.

"..."

"Don't look at me," I said blankly, "I don't know why he is crazy. We are old acquaintances, so I will let him get away with it. I have already decided to be a widow for my fiancé. For my innocence, I have to kill him. Tell you one more thing, I will kill myself to preserve my chastity after you are done. Is this reason enough?"

He frowned, and suddenly stretched out his hand to pull me over, and pulled up my sleeve suddenly.

"Is there really no Shou Gongsha?" He blinked suspiciously.

What a shit, I never ordered it.I stood up and pulled up my clothes again, "Are you going to pick it up or not?"

"Well~ It's not an interesting reason at all, but since it's the last wish of a cute lunatic girl, I'll serve you personally~"

"You?" I looked at his shaking legs.

As soon as I finished speaking, he had already put a dagger around my throat from behind.

This pose, I remember.

"Little girl, don't doubt that uncle is better."

"It doesn't matter, as long as you can do what you promised me." I stretched out two fingers to remove his dagger, turned around and sat down, and looked up at him, "I will give you a deposit of 1 taels first. I'll give you another 1 taels."

"It's really generous. To buy a civil servant who only has three-legged cat skills, 5000 taels is enough. Otherwise, you can spend a night with me."

I took off the money bag at my waist and put it on the table, "This is a bank note."

He picked up the money bag and tossed it casually, sniffed, took out a small box from his sleeve, scraped some powder out and sniffed it.

I frowned.His skills are so good, but sometimes he can't control his hands and feet, his nose will flow out from time to time, and his mental state is obviously a little unstable, moody...

"Are you addicted to drugs?" I asked.

He smiled and winked at me, "Crazy girl want to try? Oh, this is not for you. Ah, yes, you are going to die anyway, why don't you let me give you a ride then? Promise to be clean."

I wrapped my fingers around the skirt again, "Are all your people quick and quick?"

"Yes, it won't be too painful. I will serve you for free."

It won't be... too painful.

I stood up, "Okay, just wait until you come to collect the final payment from me."

"I want to be pretty, and I'm filial." He sat back on the chair crookedly, "Crazy girl, don't blame Mrs. Aoi too much, who told you that your fiancé is unlucky. Ah, no, he didn't die, You don't know how to wear vegetarian anymore."

"Your words are too much." I turned and walked away, "Farewell."

Climb up the stairs, open the hidden door, and see the light again.

"Miss." Wang Dali greeted her.

"I'm back."

"Yes!"

Sitting in the sedan chair, I pulled out the only hairpin on my head and stared at its sharp end.Holding the silver hairpin in my right hand, I quickly stroked it in the palm of my left hand, and the blood flowed profusely, and the pain caused me to burst into tears.

It won't hurt too much if you do it neatly?How can it be.Obviously, it hurts.

When the soft neck was cut sharply, it must have been a sharp pain.

I bandaged my left hand with a handkerchief, covered my mouth and wept bitterly.

That night I went to Kui Mansion with only Wang Dali.We knocked on the back door of Kui Mansion, and a servant opened the door, and Wang Dali and I stepped in.We followed the servants to Kui Huangyi's study, Wang Dali and the servants stayed outside, and I walked in alone.

"How is it done?" Kui Huangyi closed the door.

"Okay, that man said he would come to assassinate you himself." I sat down at the small round table in the middle of the study.

He also sat down and poured me a cup of hot tea, "He will come by himself?"

"That's what he said, and I think it's true."

He raised his eyebrows, "That would be even better. He is the connector of the group of killers, barely the leader, and all the business is contacted by him."

I picked up the cup with one hand, "Who are they? Drug addicts, cross-dressing, assassins."

"They are the assassination troops of the army. After retiring, they become addicted to drugs due to old injuries or mental conditions. They make a living by assassination again in order to buy drugs. Because they are familiar with military weapons and the palace, the business of assassination in the national test was established several years ago. It is monopolized by this group of people. Their organization is very loose, and they can be picked up or not at will, so it is difficult to lure them out.”

"Aren't you still addicted to drugs?" He even takes business as he pleases.

"When you become addicted to drugs, in addition to taking drugs, you can also commit suicide to get rid of it. As soldiers who have been trained, many people can't stand the life of assassinating ordinary people and choose this path. Their number is getting smaller and smaller. Take the time to get them out."

"Are you a soldier?" I took a sip of tea, "It's just an ordinary person." Because I'm an ordinary person with a conscience, I can't stand the life of assassination.It has nothing to do with the military or something, I guess.How much do national righteousness and military honor have to do with us common people when our stomachs are not full?

"You pity them?"

"Poor people must have something to hate." I said softly.

"You weren't born when the war ended, you don't understand."

"But I think it's you who don't understand." I took another sip of tea, "I was born during the war, although it was already near the end. I remember things early, and now I still remember the poor people who starved to death in the streets, I remember the woman who cried for her husband who went to war by the river. Honor doesn’t seem to be something that most of us care about. Aoi-sama, you are always from a noble family.”

"I remember everything you said."

"It's just that the understanding is a little different."

"Whether there is the same understanding or not, it is necessary to arrest them and bring them to justice."

"Yes."

"You don't agree with what I said." He said in an affirmative tone.

"I just think that if you don't understand, you won't be able to do future work. Aoi-sama, if you kill them all, will the problem be solved? Soldiers are also civilians. I don't know what the people want. What do you want to do?"

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Me?" I put down my teacup, "I'm good enough to manage my own affairs."

He stared at me for a while, and then said flatly: "The chat is over, let's show you the results of your investigation."

I took out all the documents and discussed suspicious persons with Kui Huangyi one by one.

In this way, another quiet cold night passed.

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