Strange Records of Xijing

"Mr. Zhu's housekeeper?" Pei Jingxing raised his eyebrows after hearing what Su Yan said, "Are you sure?"

"Of course!" The sparrow demon jumped onto the table between the two of them and chattered to Pei Jingxing, "Before winter this year, I went to Mr. Zhu's house to find something to eat. I saw this man several times. Call him the housekeeper. Oh, once I heard him talking to Zhu Guogong's son, saying that he had found a powerful Taoist priest. After a few days, I quietly went to see, and sure enough, a middle-aged Taoist priest came, who looked very powerful .”

Pei Jingxing was a little strange: "You heard that the Taoist priest is coming, dare to go there?"

The sparrow demon was quite proud: "I have only been a demon for a short time, and I don't have any demonic aura about me. The Taoist priests are all on guard against big monsters, so they can't look down on a little monster like me who can't even harm people."

"You are amazing." Pei Jingxing praised insincerely.

The sparrow demon didn't realize it, and raised its small head: "Of course, why do you people always look down on us sparrows. Let me tell you, I also know the gossip of many people in Xijing."

Su Yan rubbed the sparrow demon's little head with his palm, and brought the topic back on track: "Master Zhu Guogong, is that the Zhu Zhiwen we saw in Dukang Tower?"

"That's right." Pei Jingxing replied, "Zhu Guogong and Niu Guogong are both first-class dukes. The first-generation Niu Guogong was a general who made great contributions to the founding of the country, and even saved the life of the founding emperor, so the first-class dukes are passed down from generation to generation. , never surrendered. And Zhu Guogong was conferred in the reign of Emperor Wu, although it is a bit later than Niu Guogong, but these generations have produced a large number of talents, especially Zhu Zhiwen, compared with Niu Chunhui, everyone generally favors him."

Su Yan thought for a while, then asked: "Have they all been to the Western Regions with you?"

Pei Jingxing was startled, then nodded and said: "Indeed."

"Do you think they are planning something together?" Su Yan said his guess, "One asked a fisherman to go to the riverbank to catch a little demon who had just practiced for a long time, and the other abducted children on the street. I always feel that these two people Behavior is just as weird."

Pei Jingxing shook his head and said, "You think too much."

"No," Su Yan explained, "my master once said that the longer and more powerful the monsters cultivate, the more valuable their inner alchemy will be. Ordinary people can cure all diseases and prolong their lives if they eat it. For 500 years, the inner alchemy of the demon that has gone through the catastrophe is even more precious. And the heart of a child has the same effect as the inner alchemy of the demon. Children around three or four years old are the best. At that age , They have just started chaos, and they are at the time when light and darkness intersect. If you take the hearts and minds of a hundred three or four-year-old children and boil them into Baizidan, you will gain great power after taking it, but you will also be enchanted by it. And this kind of The practice is against the law of heaven. The chest of the child is cut open alive, and a small piece of flesh from the tip of the heart is taken. The soul becomes a ghost and lingers. If a person who takes Baizidan dies, his body and soul will be killed by the hundred A ghost devours it all, but the next day it will return to its original state and continue to be devoured by the ghost. Repeatedly, life and death will never end."

It was the first time that Su Yan spoke so long, his tone did not fluctuate, he just narrated one thing calmly, as if he was talking about today's weather.Coupled with the candlelight in the room, his eyes flickered, especially the dark left eye, which looked even more frightening.

After hearing this, the little demons held their breaths, their eyes widened, and they leaned together with their wings between their legs.

Pei Jingxing's face was also very ugly, and it took a long time before he opened his mouth to say: "Although they and I used to be colleagues and went to the Western Regions together, this does not prove that they are planning something. Moreover, the captured monsters are all little monsters who have just transformed , Does their inner alchemy have such a great effect?"

Su Yan was asked by Pei Jingxing and shook his head: "No."

Pei Jingxing breathed a sigh of relief: "Don't think too much, our purpose is to rescue those captured monsters. As for Niu Chunhui's kidnapping of children, I have already sent someone to inform Jing Zhaoyin and let him handle it."

Seeing that Su Yan was still frowning, he thought of Zhang Hui who was rescued today, and said, "By the way, I almost forgot to mention it. Today I met someone beating Zhang Hui in the street. It seems that Niu Chunhui has suffered I can't be angry. I have already sent people to escort Zhang Hui back to Taixuan Temple. As for the person who beat him, I arrested one and locked him in the inner office. Niu Chunhui will definitely find a way to rescue this person. I will take the opportunity to beat him Don't worry about him."

Su Yan raised his head and glanced at Pei Jingxing, and couldn't help but said, "Okay."

Pei Jingxing was beating drums in his heart all the time, so he could only think of a way to divert Su Yan's attention: "Let's think of a way to rescue those little monsters."

Tian Qi also said at the right time: "Yes, Daoist Su, first find a way to rescue all of XX's friends."

Right now this matter is indeed the most important, so Su Yan had no choice but to temporarily forget the faint worries and doubts in his mind, and focus on this matter.

"It's impossible to go directly to the door to ask for monsters. If you want me to say, the best way is to sneak in and rescue all the captured monsters." The leading crow was the first to speak, "After we are rescued, we all If we hide far away, we don’t believe they can catch us again.”

"The Duke's Mansion is too big, and we are not familiar with the terrain over there. It's too dangerous to secretly rescue them." Pei Jingxing analyzed, "If we can know the layout of the Duke's Mansion and where the monsters are kept, we can take advantage of it." It would be the best if it gets dark and hits Huanglong directly."

Su Yan agreed with Pei Jingxing's point of view: "That Taoist priest may still be in the Duke's mansion, so it's not difficult to deal with him, but I'm afraid of scaring the snake."

"Yes, there are too few people on our side. If we really want to confront directly, there are only two people, Su Yan and I." When Pei Jingxing said this, he looked at the sparrow demon who spoke first, "Do you still remember the terrain of the Duke's Mansion?"

The sparrow demon shook his head: "I can't remember clearly, but I can go to explore the way again, maybe I can find the place where those monsters are locked up."

This monster is still young and doesn't have much monster aura. If he were to go, he would indeed be able to figure out the terrain of the Duke's Mansion without disturbing Zhu Zhiwen and the middle-aged Taoist priest.

"How many other monsters are there like you?" Pei Jingxing was careful, "The Duke's Mansion is not an ordinary house like ours. It's very big inside. You may not be enough for one, so send a few more."

A few more sparrows and crows stood up, and the leading crow glanced around and nodded: "These are all new monsters in the past two years, so it's no problem to send them."

One of the little crows imitated the way people are rubbing their hands, rubbed their wings, and was eager to try: "Those big monsters always look down on us, think that we are useless, and embarrass the monsters. This time we have to fight for ourselves and let them get along with the stinky monsters." Taoist priests know that we little monsters are not easy to bully!"

The leading crow threw a slash at it, and the little crow quickly changed his words: "Of course, the stinky Taoist is saying that those bad Taoists, like Daoist Su, are friends of our little monster."

The two of them discussed with a dozen little demons for a while, and decided that tomorrow morning, these little demons would go to the top of the Duke's mansion to find out the terrain of Duke Wu's mansion. Find out.

At night, it was time for Su Yan and Pei Jingxing to act.

"It's been a busy day today, everyone should have a good rest." Pei Jingxing got up and walked to the window, looked at the sky, then turned his head and said to Su Yan, "It's almost time for curfew, you should hurry back to Taixuan Temple. "

Su Yan felt a little strange, one must know that according to Pei Jingxing's temperament, if the curfew was approaching in the past, he would definitely invite him to stay overnight.Today he changed his words suddenly, urging him to return to Taixuan Temple as soon as possible.

Why did Pei Jingxing make such a change today?

Su Yan was puzzled, but he didn't say it out. Instead, he stood up as he said, nodded to Pei Jingxing and said, "Then I will come to you tomorrow."

"Okay." Pei Jingxing thought for a while, and then said, "Tomorrow morning I'm going to the inner office to handle official business, and Niu Chunhui might send someone to the inner office to ask for someone. In this way, we will meet at [-]:[-] Shen Shi, and we will meet here again. how?"

Su Yan naturally had no objection and agreed.The other little demons also thought it was a good idea, and bid farewell to Pei Jingxing in a chattering voice, and walked along with some shortbread.

Pei Jingxing personally sent Su Yan out of the mansion, and Uncle Fu on the side asked, "Master, why don't you leave food today?"

Pei Jingxing turned his head and smiled at Uncle Fu: "Uncle Fu, you are so enthusiastic, be careful to scare Su Yan so much that he dare not come to the door."

Uncle Fu chuckled: "It's not that the young master has a friend. I'm so happy, isn't it?"

After hearing this, Pei Jingxing sighed inexplicably, looked up at the looming moon in the afterglow: "Friend..."

"Su Daochang, are you unhappy?" Tian Qi's muffled voice came from the cloth bag.

As supper was approaching, there were no people on the road, and the footsteps of the Jinwu guards patrolling in the distance, as well as the greetings urging passers-by to go home, Tian Qi dared to speak.

"No." Su Yan replied.

"Daozhang Su can't fool someone," Tian Qi shook his head in his cloth bag, "Don't forget, Daozhang Su, that Mr. Su's technique of deceiving people is top-notch, and your expression has already revealed your mood."

"Is there?" Su Yan raised his hand and touched his face, "I really don't think so."

"That's why I asked," Tian Qi said again, "This kind of unhappiness that I didn't realize is the most terrible unhappiness. Daoist Su, are you angry with Pei Jie?"

"No." This time, Su Yan was also a little uncertain.

Tian Qi thought for a while, and asked, "Su Daochang, do you think Pei Street Envoy is hiding something from you?"

"You think so too?"

As soon as Su Yan opened his mouth, he realized that he seemed really unhappy—could it be because Pei Jingxing had hidden something from him?

Tian Qi replied: "Someone just thinks that Pei Jie doesn't seem to want you to have too much involvement with those two princes."

Su Yan has been in Xijing for almost a year, and he is no longer the little Taoist priest who hunted ghosts in the melon fields but knew nothing about the world.The so-called Xijing is big, and it is not easy to live in. There are many high-ranking officials and nobles gathered in Xijing, and it is not something that a small Taoist priest like Su Yan can easily offend.

Pei Jingxing was his friend, maybe he didn't want to offend the first-class dukes of those two families blatantly, so he told himself to be careful and not to meddle casually.

Su Yan thought so, but the doubts in his heart could not be dispelled.He always felt that the actions of Niu Chunhui and Zhu Zhiwen were related, and this incident seemed to be inextricably related to Pei Jingxing's trip to the Western Regions four years ago.

As Pei Jingxing expected, the next morning, when he went to the inner yamen at midnight, someone outside came in and told that the servants sent by Niu Chunhui were outside to ask for an audience.

After hearing this, Pei Jingxing dipped some ink in his pen, paused, and said, "Let him wait outside." After speaking, he took care of his own business.

The person who passed on the news went to spread the word that the servants sent by Niu Chunhui were used to pretending to be arrogant in the past, but now they are being left alone by Pei Jingxing.

After waiting for more than an hour, Pei Jingxing put down his pen and called the guard at the door: "Come on, let's go for a meeting."

When Niu Chunhui's servant heard that Pei Jingxing was coming, he quickly got up and greeted him with a smile: "Mr. Pei, my young master sent me to look for him."

Pei Jingxing ignored him, straightened his sleeves after sitting down, and asked impatiently, "Who are you looking for?"

The servant's smiling face froze, he couldn't carelessly say that he was looking for the person who beat up the little Taoist priest in the street, right?

The servant thought about it, and finally came up with an excuse: "The fact yesterday was a misunderstanding, they didn't hear clearly, and they found the wrong person."

"You can beat someone casually if you find the wrong person?" Pei Jingxing looked sideways at the servant, "I am really impressed by the way the family is doing. If there is a chance tomorrow, I will ask Duke Niu for advice."

When the domestic servant heard that Pei Jingxing had moved Niu Guogong out, he quickly apologized and said, "Pei Jie's words are serious. This matter is due to the misbehavior of some of my family's evil servants. My young master has already punished them yesterday, and the only thing left is to be arrested." The young master said, let me take him back and punish him with thirty sticks, as a warning to others."

Seeing that Pei Jingxing remained silent, he said, "The young master also said that he should prepare a heavy gift to apologize to that Taoist priest."

"There's no need for heavy gifts. You have already scared him once, do you want to scare him a second time?" Pei Jingxing knocked on the table, "Go back and tell Niu Chunhui that if you want someone, come here by yourself."

"This..." the servant hesitated, "I'm afraid this is inappropriate? It's just a servant, and it doesn't mean that my young master condescends to come to this place."

"What's wrong with this place?" Pei Jingxing asked back, "If it weren't for him, would you have gone to beat someone? The reason why the evil servant is an evil servant is because there is an even more arrogant master behind him. If Niu Chunhui doesn't come, we don't want this person Will let it go."

The servant was in a hurry, and didn't bother to smile anymore: "Okay, okay! I'll answer right now!"

Pei Jingxing raised the corner of his mouth and ignored it.

Not long after Niu Chunhui's servants left, another Jin Wuwei came in to send a message: "Pei Street Envoy, His Royal Highness sent someone to ask you to enter the palace for a briefing."