mountain chase

1938 years.

2 month.

Nanjing.

New Year's Eve.

It was already past six o'clock in the evening.At this time, it should have been a time for every family to reunite and celebrate the festival at home.But at this time, Nanjing is indeed dead silent.

The sky whizzed past, but there was no snow or rain.

The trees on both sides of the street have long since died, and only occasionally a few small branches were blown to the ground by the wind, making a "slapping" sound.

"Fourth Master, it's time. If you don't leave, it will be too late." Pushing open the door, the butler stood at the door of the study and said softly.

There were no lights in the house.

Under the heavy curtains, a figure could be vaguely seen.He stood straight, like a poplar tree in the desert, proud, tough, straight, and self-reliant.

After a while, the man said, "Okay."

Taking the fox fur and putting it on Fourth Master Qiao's shoulders, the butler followed Fourth Master Qiao all the way to the door of the house, where a black jeep was already waiting.It's just that there is only one driver left in the Qiao family at this time. In the huge yard, there are only a few figures of the housekeeper and Fourth Master Qiao. It is empty, a bit like a haunted house.

Speechless all the way.

The car drove forward suddenly, through a desolate and dead street, and gradually moved forward, but the melodious sound of a violin could be heard.

Getting closer and closer.

Through the glass windows of the car, the front lights gradually drew closer and brightened.Even the laughter of men and women inside can be heard gradually.

The car passed through the iron gate of the compound, and finally stopped at the entrance of a brightly lit western-style building.

The butler got out of the car, looked around, and then opened the back door.

"Oh, it turned out to be Fourth Master Qiao. I thought you wouldn't come, but I didn't expect Fourth Master to be in such a good mood?" Just as he got out of the car, he saw a man with a big belly approaching, smiling all over his face. strike up a conversation.

Glancing at the man, Fourth Master Qiao walked inside without saying a word.

"..." With a flushed face, the man suddenly felt that his face had been swept away, and he gave the figure in front of him a hard look.

"Ha, Brother Liu, what's the matter, are you looking for boredom?" Next to him, a thin man came over and put his arm on his shoulders.

The big belly man snorted contemptuously, "He is still arrogant now, the imperial army has already occupied Nanjing, I want to see how long he can last with this face!"

"I don't know how long he can last, but, the face of Fourth Master Qiao—I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse at this time." The skinny man smiled wretchedly under the suspicious eyes of the big belly man, and said nothing more. up.

The attendants standing on either side of the gate opened it.

What catches the eye - is the magnificent decoration and lighting.A large gold-plated and carved crystal chandelier hangs in the center, surrounded by gorgeous and complicated decorations and embellishments.The orchestra on the right is playing the most popular songs in Japan. A woman in a cheongsam is holding a feather fan, singing euphemistically and seductively.

In the hall, most of them are men in military uniforms, and there are a few people in suits, but there are more women with slender legs, backless dresses and cheongsams circulating around.

Fourth Master Qiao is a special case.

When the door was just opened, almost everyone looked up curiously.But with just this one glance, he could no longer look away.

The man who walked in slowly from the darkness, the dizzy golden light shone on his face, as if shining a halo on that face.This man, like the angel painted on the stained glass of the church, is exquisite and holy.

He was dressed in a snow-white long-fur fox fur, from the real fox fur around his neck to softly hanging down to his feet.That picturesque face was also as white as a fox's fur, without any expression of popularity.

"Joe, Mr. Joe?" Just as everyone was amazed, a man in military uniform came out from the crowd.It can be seen that the logo on his military uniform is obviously the highest level present - the commander level.

"Mr. Noda."

After blinking, he glanced lightly at the person in front of him, and Fourth Master Qiao greeted him.

"I'm here! I didn't expect Mr. Qiao to still remember me after the meeting in Shenyang." Noda Benichiro strode up to Fourth Master Qiao, and was about to help him take off the fox fur on his shoulders.

"Good evening, Mr. Noda." Taking a step forward, the butler greeted Noda Benichiro with a smile, then raised his hand, took off the fox fur from Fourth Master Qiao's shoulder, and handed it to the waiter beside him.

"Hello," secretly looked at the man next to Fourth Master Qiao, Noda was a little unhappy, but that was only for a while.He felt that he had never seen anyone like fourth master Qiao.

The long-haired fox fur just now covered Fourth Master Qiao's entire body, and it was only at this time that Noda saw the moon-white robe of leisurely clouds and wild cranes embroidered with su brocade and silver thread on Fourth Master Qiao.The pattern is usually painted on the robe, and the other half is coincidentally connected to a mandarin jacket worn by Fourth Master Qiao. The clouds and mist, a few cranes, and the wonderful brushwork are vivid and vivid.

"Although I sent an invitation card to Mr. Qiao, I didn't expect Mr. Qiao to show his face and really come."

"It's nothing, it's just that the weather is too cold recently, so I don't like to go out and walk around."

"Oh, so that's the case, but I misunderstood."

Standing behind Fourth Master Qiao, although the butler had a polite smile on his face, he had already scolded this man named Noda Benichiro over and over again in his heart!

This person speaks Chinese so smoothly, he must be a "China hand".On the evening of the New Year's Eve, a banquet for celebrities from all walks of life in Nanjing is clearly a Hongmen Banquet, so if you don't come - I'm afraid the next step is not just a banquet.

The housekeeper hated it very much.But he can't express this emotion—just like Fourth Master Qiao, since Nanjing fell completely a week ago, Fourth Master Qiao has not had a good night's sleep, but no matter what, no matter how much hatred he has in his heart , at this time, there must be no mistakes!

Because, one wrong step, hundreds of people in the Qiao family will die!One wrong step is the destruction of Fourth Master Qiao's arms route that is more important than human life!

The housekeeper looked ahead, his face was indifferent, the cold, proud and independent Fourth Master Qiao, such a thin person, felt a severe pain in his heart - involuntarily.

"Mr. Qiao, you and I are destined to meet again. I have been to both Peking and Nanjing, and I have heard about you for a long time, but I have always had a question in my heart. I wonder if Mr. Qiao can tell me? Solve your doubts." The two stood beside the dance floor, Noda smiled and beckoned the waiter, took a glass of champagne, handed it to Fourth Master Qiao before taking a sip himself.

"Oh? I wonder what Mr. Noda is thinking?" Fourth Master Qiao took the cup.

"Hehe, it's not a big deal. It's just that everyone calls you Fourth Master Qiao, so I'm curious, what's your real name?"

"Huh?" Unexpectedly, it was this question, Fourth Master Qiao raised his eyes in surprise, and glanced at Noda.

Yingying shimmering light, for a moment.

Noda's hanging left hand twitched involuntarily.

"Why, are you... are you being abrupt?" Although he asked politely, his eyes were fixed on Fourth Master Qiao's face, deep and persistent.

Shaking the wine glass, Fourth Master Qiao smiled faintly, "No, it's just that I give you an extra honorific title because I am the fourth in the family. My birth name is 'Xuemei'——it was my father's name."

"Xuemei? Qiao... Xuemei." After reading it in a low voice, Noda smiled, "It's such a nice name."