Emperor Que Shaohua

In June, the lotus in the West Lake is in full bloom, and the water is turquoise. Boats and boats travel through the clear waves and misty rain. The lake and mountains are like a beautiful scroll immersed in the water.Luo Pingyuan Qingqi Jiancong arrived in Hangzhou, and lived in the Mingyue Tower by the West Lake on the first night.

Jianjia egrets, bright streamers, this is the site of Jiang Wanli, the master of elegy, when stepping into the garden, you can hear the quiet zither and pipa language everywhere, and there are light girls in the pavilions. Flying in and out, looking from a distance, the waist is as slim as a willow, and the ribbons are fluttering, making people feel like they are in a fairyland.If the censor knew about it, it would be another ready-made fault of Shangben, but for the purpose of this trip, Mingyue Tower is indeed a good place to hide his whereabouts.

As the most powerful family in Yuhang, the children of the Min family have passed the imperial examination to become officials for nearly three generations, and their foundation in the court is not as good as that of the Shao family in Jinling. nape.

Luo Pingyuan walked all the way, and when he saw the stretches of Sangmo on both sides of the official road, he would think of how many fertile fields the Min family had swallowed up by lowering the price of raw silk and colluding with the government, so that farmers could only be tenants.The same thing happened in Yu and Zhou. Suzhou and Hangzhou, which are rich in the world, may be better, but in relatively poor counties, the people who lost their fields were displaced, and the treasury was increasingly empty. .Therefore, it is imperative to clear Zhang Zhang's land without delay.It is best to progress peacefully like the Jinling Mansion. If the Min family persists in obstructing it, he will have no choice but to make an example of others.

Over the past few months, in order to understand the sentiments of the people, His Highness the Fifth Highness has set up a field clearing box in Jinling and Hangzhou, and ordered Jingyu Guards to be on duty day and night. As long as it is related to the fields, all the people can submit a letter to complain, and if they dare not leave their names, they can remain anonymous , dare not come during the day, allowing sneaking at night.Since the Jinling Mansion made progress, the number of petitions put into the Qingtian box in Hangzhou has increased greatly. Luo Pingyuan feels that even if the Min family alone is not prosecuted for the crime of colluding with the government, at least half of the land property must be confiscated and redistributed to those who lost their land. farmers.It's just that before taking the last resort, you have to be patient. You can't save the effort on the surface, and you need to get more evidence in the dark, so that you can be famous and strike like a thunderbolt.

Therefore, the head of the household department and the book office from Luocheng are still entangled with the officials of the Hangzhou government and county government; the Jinling post office is still sending official documents from the fifth prince asking about the progress on time.Not to be outdone, the gentry of Yuhang wrote a petition on behalf of their fathers and villagers, saying that most of the local farmers had already switched to weavers. Excessive inspections may lead to out-of-town tenant farmers having no land to grow, affecting the good situation of living and working in peace and contentment; the prefect of Hangzhou also made a statement: In the case of one land and one land, if ten feet of land indirectly leads to a reduction in the production of Hangzhou silk in the coming year, wouldn't the gain outweigh the loss?There are many voices of harmony in the court. As for those who implicitly or implicitly say that King Ning is young, reckless, and eager to make meritorious deeds, they have never stopped.

Luo Pingyuan didn't pay attention to all kinds of disturbances from the outside world, Zhang Tian and calming the chaos were carried out at the same time, occupying all his mind.With the assistance of Qibi, Jing Yuwei followed closely, and the trace of You Mingdao was looming, and his eyes were cast on a valley to the west of the city.

Brother Qi Huang: Wei thieves have been operating for a long time, and they have strongholds inside and outside the city. Now they have initially locked three places, and they are scheduled to attack and suppress them in three days.I will also go to the North Peak on the outskirts of the city, hoping to hit the nest in one fell swoop.By Yuan.

A carrier pigeon brought the handwriting to King Jing. At this time, eight or nine days had passed since King Ning left for Yuhang.

The undercurrents in Hangzhou gathered, but Jinling gradually calmed down.Luo Yanhua followed the doctor's advice to recuperate in Huaibizhuang, but for some reason, he was always a little restless these days, so he handed over the Langhuan affairs to Zhu Jin, but he still had to personally intervene every day about the information from Hangzhou.

Beifeng Mountain is located [-] li in the suburbs of Hangzhou. Luo Pingyuan's raiding location is a valley. The location is hidden. Perhaps it is indeed Wei Wuze's important lair, but the steep valley is often a natural base to lure the enemy deep and outflank the ambush.If there are other worrying things, it is that Wei Wuze has always been difficult to find the beginning and the end. Although there have been some twists and turns in the search process this time, the progress is obviously smoother than before; on the other hand, Xu is eager to achieve his wish. , King Ning, who has always been calm, is somewhat impatient in his deployment this time.

Luo Yanhua replied to the emperor's brother, he could not express his worries too directly, he could only emphatically exhort: No matter what situation you encounter, you must keep calm, never go deep into the valley easily, especially don't go into the valley in person, remember to remember .

In the early morning of the next day, when Zhu Jin approached the study, he saw rice paper laid on the case, and the suzerain was painting with a pen.Jing Wang has the habit of writing in the morning, but ink painting is rare. Occasionally, when he picks up a pen, it is either a sudden interest or a special need for meditation.He didn't make a sound to disturb, but quietly stood aside, watching a freehand landscape gradually appear.

"Ah Jin is here, sit down and talk." Luo Yanhua made the last stroke, and turned to greet him with a smile.

The two sat opposite each other under the window, and Zhu Jin reflected on the painting that had just been completed. The color of the ink was appropriate, and the brush was not used much. However, the mountains and rivers were connected, and the mountains and mountains stretched.He couldn't help thinking that if the painting was like his own, if the master had been less reserved and more assertive, perhaps he would not have been so seriously ill; but if he hadn't tolerated it back then, what would happen to Langhuan now?In any case, when the suzerain and King Ning return to the capital, it will be time to redress their grievances, and everyone no longer needs to endure and suppress.

He took a breath to calm down his surging mood, and then said in a deep voice: "My lord, Yuling's former bawdmother has been found, and after identification, that suspicious woman is indeed Huo Yan."

"Huo Yan." Luo Yanhua repeated it unexpectedly, the first time he heard this name was from Ji Tinghui, nearly a year ago.Langhuan used Yuling, an art gallery by the Qinhuai River, as a clue to try his best to search for Huo Yan's whereabouts, but in the end he disappeared. However, when he and Luo Pingyuan were trying their best to trace You Mingdao, she suddenly appeared.

Around the first ten days, every one or two days, there was always a young woman in moon-white cloth wandering around Huaibi Village with a basket of flowers, selling jasmine, hosta and gladiolus. The portrait of her was very similar, so she was recognized not long after, and Rong Feisheng detained him half-invited and half-forcibly for two or three days.

"What's the situation, are you still not saying a word?" King Jing asked.

"According to the will of the Lord, no one made it difficult for her. After confirming her identity, she finally said a word." Zhu Jin replied, "She said that as long as we let Xiang Yanfan go, she will confess everything she knows. Sue, otherwise I would rather die than utter a single word."

"So, she came here for Xiang Yanfan." Luo Yanhua frowned slightly, "Ah Jin, what do you think?"

Among the assassins who were captured alive in the battle of Wanjian Villa, Xiang Yanfan was the only one who originally belonged to Youming's old department, not one of Wei Wuze's recruits or training later. In other words, before the betrayal, he was a member of Langhuan. His skills were also far superior to those of the dead, and it was Xuanshuang who surrounded him with a sword array that day and finally captured him.

During the interrogation, some dead men begged to die, while others confessed, but Xiang Yanfan remained silent and did not say a word.Due to his special status, the other prisoners were handed over to Jing Yuwei, but he remained in Langhuan's hands.

"Based on Huo Yan's age, ten years ago he was still young, and his subordinates speculate that her parents and relatives are probably Yuan Youming's subordinates, so they have a close relationship with Xiang Yanfan." Bizhuang threw herself into the trap, it is really not like what a weak woman would do, I suspect there is fraud in it."

"Maybe there's something strange in it, or maybe there's a reason, but her courage is indeed better than that of ordinary women." Luo Yanhua smiled slightly, "Forget it, let Miss Huo go see Xiang Yanfan, and then bring her to the study, I have If you want to ask."

Zhu Jin didn't expect the suzerain to attach so much importance to this matter, and he was surprised to ask in person.He really wanted to object in his heart, You Ming's specialty is assassination, even if Huo Yan doesn't look like a threat, it's not appropriate to put the Lord at risk.But King Jing had already given orders, so he had no choice but to follow the orders and leave.

Huo Yan was about in her early twenties, she was a slender and graceful girl, wearing a moon white dress, with only a simple silver hairpin on her long black hair.There was a trace of defensive hostility on her face, she seemed to understand her situation very well, and after entering the door, she gave a slight blessing to Wang Jing and did not speak.

Seeing that her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just shed tears, Luo Yanhua asked thoughtfully, "Miss Huo, who is Xiang Yanfan?"

"Uncle Xiang is my relative. He has already stepped back. It is for me that he took the order of the Lord and went to Wanjian Villa." Huo Yan stared at him for a moment before slowly answering, with a gentle voice and a few words. Fen Wu Nong's unique softness should be very pleasant to listen to, but the tone and expression have an unusual indifference, which makes people very uncomfortable.

Luo Yanhua is familiar with this kind of demeanor, when struggling and crying are useless, the rest is almost numb silence.

"Have you ever thought that if you, a girl, came here rashly, not only would you not be able to let Lang Huan release him, but you would even become a prisoner yourself." He said, "Under severe torture, Mu Shi will also speak, so why talk to me?" Exchange terms?"

"At most, it's just a death. How happy is life, why bother to die." Huo Yan said coldly, if others talk about their own life and death, they will always be generous or shy, but when they say it in her mouth, it seems that the matter is like this, and then Ordinary, but, "I know far more information than Uncle Xiang, and I believe it is what Langhuan urgently needs. Otherwise, why would Sect Master Jiang condescend to meet a woman from Yanliu Pavilion in person? I heard that you and Ning His Royal Highness has already searched for my whereabouts, hasn't he?"

As she spoke, a sneer appeared on her lips: "Huo Yan has nothing to lose, so of course he has nothing to fear. If Sect Master Jiang is sure about extorting confessions by torture, you might as well give it a try, as long as you can afford the time."

Seeing that she was becoming more and more rude, Zhu Jin frowned and shouted: "Shut up! How can you allow you to speak nonsense in front of the suzerain!" But he was secretly on guard, listening to this woman's words, there was something in her words, and there was no deep meaning in it. Could it be that King Ning's actions in Yuhang have already Give way?Or did she really have some key inside information?

"Miss Huo is smart, and every sentence hits the point." Luo Yuhua motioned Zhu Jin not to discuss further, "I believe that you risked your life to come here to protect Xiang Yanfan, because you regard him as the only relative, I will say that there is nothing to lose; I also believe that you do know some unknown information, which may be very important to me and to Langhuan, but you made a mistake."

Speaking of this, he smiled lightly: "The reason why I met you in the study was not to coerce or exchange conditions, so as to get information from the girl, because I don't believe a word you are about to reveal."

A trace of astonishment flashed across Huo Yan's face, and then her indifference returned. She had already thought of various possibilities before she came, and it would be a strange thing if she could win the trust of Sect Master Langhuan with just a few words.

"In that case, why did Sect Master Jiang take the time to see me?" she asked.

"Because before I left Luocheng, someone asked me to help me, hoping that I could find you during my trip to the south of the Yangtze River." Luo Yanhua picked up a letter from the desk, "I thought there was a vast sea of ​​people and it was hard to find traces, but it seems that the girl After all, it is related to this letter."

The topic changed suddenly, and even Zhu Jin was surprised: Huo Yan has been in the south of the Yangtze River all year round, and he is just one of Wei Wuze's subordinates. Who in the capital will deliberately look for her?Being able to ask the suzerain to bring a letter, this kind of favor is really not small.

Doubt appeared on Huo Yan's face. The letter was sealed. She took it and opened it. She only glanced at the paper full of handwriting, and her body suddenly trembled.She raised her head, looked at King Jing in disbelief, and read the letter again.

Zhu Jin couldn't understand the situation for a while, but he could see clearly that complex emotions appeared on Huo Yan's face, joy, surprise, sadness, and even anger. In just a short moment, this frosty girl seemed to have been greatly shocked, and could no longer maintain Stagnant calm.The letter paper rustled, and it was her fingers shaking uncontrollably.

"Did you really see my brother in Los Angeles?" After a while, she asked aloud, "He...is he still alive?" The voice was very soft, as if she was afraid that everything was just a dream, and she was accidentally shocked by herself.

"He is by King Yun's side, and he has come to my mansion many times." Luo Yuhua said, "When I left Luocheng, he was seriously injured in defending against Yijin's assassins, but he is fine now. It's very important, Miss Huo doesn't have to worry."

From Huo Yan's delicate eyebrows, he could vaguely discern the shadow of another person.Xiao Huo's name is Huo Wangyin, and his father, Huo Yu, is highly skilled and was one of You Ming's most capable subordinates in his early years.Seven years ago, Huo Yu was ordered to carry out a mission and was attacked and killed. At the same time, two companions and his only son, Huo Wangyin, who had gone to rescue him, died at the same time.Huo Yan was 14 years old at the time. He lost his father and brother overnight, and his mother fell ill, and passed away within a few months.

"At that time we were still living in Xizhen. The lord said that it was Xuanshuang who killed my father and elder brother. Maybe he would come to me to kill the grass. So I asked Uncle Xiang to take me to Jinling to settle down and wait for the opportunity of revenge. "Huo Yan's teeth were chattering, and his voice was trembling, "When Dad was sent back, there were many sword wounds on his body. My brother's body was burned and his face was scorched black. Say, there was a fire."

King Jing remained silent. At the beginning of the year, Luo Linpian asked Xuanshuang to help train the only shadow guard around him. After a while, Xiao Huo's life experience was passed to his ears through Qin Su and other shadow guards, but the changes continued. Never had time to see each other.Before leaving, Huo Wangyin, who had not recovered from his injuries, took out a letter he had already written, asking the former suzerain to find his sister who was living in the south of the Yangtze River on his behalf.

According to Xiao Huo, when they followed the leader and rebelled against him ten years ago, most of You Ming's deployments did not understand the cause and effect, let alone have the opportunity to think carefully, so they acted hastily under the power and half-deception; Facts have become reality, faith is no longer there, and there is no way to retreat. Not everyone is willing to vendetta and kill each other with their former Langhuan companions.Huo Yu made a request to Wei Wuze back then, intending to hide his identity with his wife and children and live a life away from the world.Wei Wuze, who has become a yin envoy, agreed, on the condition that he perform the last assassination before quitting.The fire happened during the execution of the mission, and the sneak attack came from the other two subordinates who went with them. They said that the Yin envoy did not want the betrayer to go back alive.Xiao Huo was only seventeen years old at the time, and he had a quick mind, so he slipped away to meet him without worry, but he failed to save his father's life.

"Your brother pretended to die and escaped. He tried to look back for you after recovering from his injuries, but you have been taken to the south of the Yangtze River without a trace. He didn't dare to leak his whereabouts, otherwise both of you will be in danger." Luo Yanhua said .Without enough strength, the only relative he brought was only danger. Xiao Huo then gritted his teeth and walked away, crossing the border with a caravan.

Huo Yan bit her lips tightly, as if trying to calm herself down: "Sure enough, it is the Lord. I have doubted it all these years. But I can't tell others, and I don't even dare to think about it. Even if it is confirmed , what can I do?" Her voice was broken and scattered, "Daddy just wants to stop and protect us from far away, and Uncle Xiang is the same, why is it a betrayal in the eyes of the lord? Death is not enough? Why do you go everywhere? There is no way out?"

"Wei Wuze has trained dead men for many years, telling them with intimidation and fear that if they can't win, they have to die. However, half of the dead men captured by us are still unwilling to commit suicide, and would rather choose to confess truthfully." Luo Yanhua said quietly, "It's human nature to live and fear death, and Venerable Wei can't obliterate it no matter how many means you use. Miss Huo, Xiao Huo has helped me a lot. Since you are here, you can live in Huaibizhuang with peace of mind. Come back to Beijing with me, your brother is waiting for you in Los Angeles."

He paused: "I can't promise Xiang Yanfan to be free, but he can save his life, and we will meet again in the future. I wonder if you will believe me?"

Huo Yan looked at the familiar handwriting on the letter paper in his hand, and there was a graffiti-like pattern drawn at the end, but it was a secret code agreed between siblings when they were young. No third person in the world would know that his brother was still alive.The past is like smoke floating in front of my eyes, the happy years when my parents were still there, saying goodbye to my elder brother for the last time, watching his figure disappear at the end of the alley, disasters falling from the sky one after another, overwhelming sadness and hatred, Qin Louchu The years of numbness and wandering in the museum... She is not a dead man, she came to Huaibizhuang with the heart of death, and prepared for the worst, but she never thought that she would be able to survive from adversity.She raised her head slowly, and the gaze of Sect Master Langhuan was as calm as water, there was no so-called pity or sympathy in it, but she felt that this person understood everything and could understand all the pain, fear and despair deep in her heart.

Huo Yan's eyes gradually filled with tears, he tried his best to hold back his sobs, and said in a low voice, "My brother trusts the suzerain, so naturally I do too."

Luo Yanhua smiled and motioned Zhu Jin to arrange for her to go down and rest.

Huo Yan put the precious and precious things into his arms, bowed deeply, and stopped when he was about to leave: "Sect Master, Huo Yan came here, and he voluntarily gambled with his life, hoping to get Uncle Xiang in exchange. But at the same time, I was ordered, my lord wants me to disclose a piece of news to Langhuan, and I will do my best to convince you that it is true."

She paused: "The content is that the main base of Youming Dao is [-] miles north of Hangzhou City, in the belly of the mountain near Miyun Valley on Beifeng Mountain, and Miss Qingluan is also there."