Rong Xuan

The dark guard Sixteen took the order and left, but did not return all night.

On the next day, on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month in the 15th year of Jingchu, in the morning, the sky had not yet brightened, and the whole scorching sun was still shrouded in a cold fog. The sound of dawn seemed to tear apart the dense night.

The guys at the inn all went home for the New Year. The male shopkeeper opened the stove in the kitchen early in the morning, preparing to start a fire and boil water to start the busy day of the last day of the year.

The night before dawn was so thick that it was still scattered all over the world at dawn. Before it could completely dissipate, Princess Yongjia gently pushed away the street-facing road amidst the sound of firecrackers set off by naughty children. this window.

The winter cold was coming, and the air was still vaguely mixed with the smell of gunpowder after the firecrackers exploded. It was a little pungent and a little smoky, wrapped in the unique fresh and cold air of the early morning, which involuntarily filled her chest.

Do you want to send someone to look for that little dark guard who is as stubborn as a calf?As soon as a little thought of this kind of thought came to his mind, Princess Yongjia had already called in the people guarding the door.

After Yuan Cunyu came in, Princess Yongjia picked the frost on the window lattice, was silent for a while, and then asked casually: "Has Jiuchen sent any new news?"

Follower Yuan Cunyu: "Go back to the master, not yet."

"Oh," Princess Yongjia twirled the Frostflake ice that she picked off on her fingertips, and the warmth of her fingertips melted the fine frostflake ice into a drop of water in an instant: "Send someone to Jiuchen that... ...."

"I found it," a bone-chilling voice suddenly sounded, and Shiliu, who hadn't returned all night, suddenly appeared.

Holding the black iron Wuhen waist knife with ice flowers in her hand, panting slightly, she cupped her fists and said to Princess Yongjia, "I found it."

The bone-piercing voice of the Sixteenth Qing Dynasty fell, and the room fell into silence for a while, and the gradually bustling noise from the street came in from the open window, filling the room clearly and abruptly.

An indescribable joy flashed from the deepest part of my heart, and the stone hanging in my heart quietly fell down. After some time, Princess Yongjia heard herself asking three words, "Where is it?"

Sixteen, with his head down, raised his eyes, and there was an almost imperceptible hesitation in his answer: "The place where Fugui Street shoots in, Guangsheng Merchandise Store—the owner's wife."

Princess Yongjia just asked where it was, Shiliu hesitated for a while, but she also reported the current identity of that person... Yes, it was her selfishness at work, as a hidden guard killer who always obeyed orders For the first time in Sixteen's life, he had selfish intentions.

After listening to Shiliu's words, Princess Yongjia didn't make a sound, she just reached out and closed the window in front of her.

With the windows closed, even though the cold wind was blocked from the outside, it was still domineering and continued to blow in from the gaps in the windows, making intermittent wind sounds, sometimes sharp and loud, and sometimes low-pitched.

She was silent, even though she knew that there might be nothing she could do in the past, Princess Yongjia decided to go out to have a look first, she turned around and walked over, and only then did she see what Shiliu looked like now.

I saw that this person was holding a cold Xuantie Wuhen waist knife in his hand, and the black clothes on his body were covered with a thin layer of frost and white, and even the ends of his eyebrows and hair seemed to be covered with fog and ice, his temperament was already cold The hidden guard killer was even more cold and ruthless by these things.

This guy seems to have spent the night outside Shujiu Hantian.

"You guys stay here, I'll take Shiliu out for a while," Princess Yongjia instructed Yuan Cunyu to walk outside, when she passed Shiliu by, she smiled softly, Patted Shiliu on the shoulder: "Heh, you look more pleasing to the eye with this look."

……

Fugui Street is not far from the inn where Princess Yongjia stayed, and it only takes two cups of tea to walk there, but for some reason, Princess Yongjia walked slowly on the street until it was bright daylight. Go to Fugui Street.

Fugui Street belongs to the West Market in Yanyang. It is not yet time, and the West Market has not yet opened. Looking around, most of the scenes seen on the entire long street are laborers moving goods, and sporadic steamers. Hot roadside food stalls.

The sign with the four big characters of "Guangsheng Merchandise Store" swayed gently in the wind, and the spacious door panels of Guangsheng Merchandise Store were closed tightly. It seemed that today's business had not yet started.

Opposite the goods store is a restaurant, and right now there are diners coming in and out, so Princess Yongjia simply entered the restaurant.

Most of the people who come to eat in restaurants at the moment are laborers outside. Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Maybe people from rich and noble families have already prepared their New Year’s goods, cut new clothes and waited happily for the New Year. But these people who rely on strength to eat The lower classes have to come out and work hard to make a living.

Princess Yongjia found an empty seat behind the pillar near the entrance, and ordered two baskets of steamed buns, two bowls of hot porridge, and two dishes of side dishes.

"Sit down and eat first," Princess Yongjia ordered Shiliu to sit down and eat, and dipped a steamed bun in the vinegar plate, then put it into the plate at the side of her hand: " Tell me again why you didn't come back all night—I just want you to spread a message, and it won't take one night."

The chill on Shiliu's body had faded at some point, she was facing the door of the restaurant, and sat quietly on the right hand of Princess Yongjia.

Looking down at the steaming little steamed bun with vinegar smell on the plate, Shiliu lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "I was ordered to deliver a message last night, and I will meet you at the side door of Sima's Xikua Mansion." When it came to the person with a piece of ear missing, dressed as a man, I asked a servant of Sima's family, and told him that he was the shopkeeper of Guangsheng Commodity Company, and he was going to deliver New Year's goods to their Xikua Mansion."

Under the table, Shiliu's hand holding the Wuhen knife trembled slightly: "I quietly followed, and then I saw that guy in the house behind the store..."

"...Oh," Princess Yongjia said, "Since you have seen it with your own eyes, it is certain. Let's eat first, and we will talk after eating."

......

The opening gong and the closing drum, long after the sound of the opening gong that resounded through the long street, until Shiliu had eaten up all the snacks and pastries ordered by Princess Yongjia, the door of Guangsheng Goods Store across the street was still closed.

"Little Brother, I would like to ask you something." Shiliu grabbed the waiter of the restaurant and said dumbly, "Why isn't the Guangsheng Goods Store across the street open?"

At this time, there were not many diners in the shop, and the seventeen or eighteen-year-old shop assistant seemed a little afraid of Shiliu, who was a killer.

He first glanced at his shopkeeper behind the counter, and then hesitantly bowed his hands to Shiliu and Princess Yongjia.

It's just that before he could speak, the shopkeeper behind the counter who was picking up the abacus interrupted him. The shopkeeper took a look at Shiliu, who was dressed in black and armed with a knife, and said casually, "I'm afraid this little brother is not from our Yanyang?"

"No, I'm waiting for the people from Hengxi, and I came here just because of the name." Being mistaken for a man, Shiliu twirled his fingers, and simply made his voice louder on purpose, and said flatly, "If you dare to ask the shopkeeper, you know that Guangsheng Goods Co., Ltd. Why didn't you open the door?"

"Either your Excellency is a foreigner," the shopkeeper of the restaurant smiled, lowered his head and continued to dial the abacus: "Guangsheng closed its business four days ago, and even the staff of Guangsheng have gone home for the New Year. It's the 29th of the new year, and my restaurant will be closed after noon!"

"So that's how it is," Princess Yongjia said in a gentle voice, took out a few taels of silver from his sleeve and put them on the corner of the table: "Thank you, shopkeeper."

After all, he got up and walked out of the restaurant.

Shiliu came out with Princess Yongjia, she made a wrong step, and followed behind Princess Yongjia without saying a word.

After walking out of Fugui Street, Princess Yongjia turned her head and asked Shiliu, "Didn't you make an appointment with Sima Yuanchu? How did you reply?"

"At noon today, I'll see you at Sima's house across the west." Sixteen replied truthfully.

In the houses on both sides of the road, there were households in twos and threes changing new talismans outside their doors. Princess Yongjia smiled and shook her head.

The woman's gentle voice came from under the veil, a little confused, and seemed to be a little less clear and wanton in the past: "It's gone, it's boring, I'll write a book and explain it to Yuanchu It's good, he's not the kind of narrow-minded person."

Sixteen followed behind without speaking.

After walking for a while, Princess Yongjia spoke again and said, "When it gets darker, you can come with me again, I still want to see it with my own eyes."

Otherwise, she would almost forget why she has been running so far and wide in the past two years, searching for it day and night.

Shiliu followed behind Princess Yongjia, where Princess Yongjia could not see, her gaze was always on her, deep and complicated but peaceful.

/ / /

Unlike Princess Yongjia's sudden confusion, Sima Xuan didn't have the heart to think about those troublesome things - this prince fell ill, because of repeated wounds, exhaustion from traveling for days, and being dragged to drink .

Cao Hui's medical skills followed the old army doctor with white beard and hair who retired from the Northern Frontier Army to the city of Duyueguan for retirement. Therefore, she may not be good at treating other diseases, but heals trauma and other diseases. Other diseases are easy to catch.

Of course, she will not live or die.

"Follow this prescription and take the medicine," Cao Hui folded the written medicine note in half and handed it to Yuyan. Most of his face was covered under plain gauze, only a pair of eyebrows and smooth and full forehead were still exposed: "If you are not very familiar with this place, you can go to the main mansion to trouble the housekeeper of the inner courtyard."

"It's Madam, I'm going now." Yuyan understood the meaning of Cao Hui's words, took the medicine note and put it in her bosom, gave Cao Huifu a salute, and immediately turned to go to the main mansion.

I don't know if it's because Cao Hui is suspicious, but she always feels that although the people of Sima's family seem gentle, kind, and warm, there is always something wrong somewhere.

For example, Sima Xuan came back to his hometown in the name of recuperating, but at the family dinner last night, her cousins ​​kept trying to persuade her to drink.

This person refused to allow him to block the wine for her, and in the end, in order to push the wine away, he had no choice but to directly tell everyone that he was injured.

But the fourth son, Sima Han, said: "Back then on the battlefield, no matter how much blood was shed, I never saw you frowning. What is this little injury now? If you didn't drink this wine at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, you would look down on you." Four brothers!"

Cao Hui couldn't figure it out, could it be measured by a glass of wine if you look down on someone?

"It's good for you to eat so much wine." Cao Hui twisted the hot towel and continued to wipe Sima Xuan's face. Look at them, they are all as fierce as that wolf and tiger, and as smart as a fox, but you, a brainless little fool, you, you, what can I say about you..."

Sima Xuan was sleeping soundly, so naturally he couldn't hear these sweet reproaches like love words, but, even though he was asleep, this man's brows were still furrowed.

Are you having nightmares?Sitting on the edge of the bed, Cao Hui stretched out his hand to gently stroke Sima Xuan's eyebrows——At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, after everything is over, if I'm still alive, if you still want me to stay by your side...

"Cough—cough, cough, cough..." The sleeping person suddenly burst into a series of coughs, which interrupted Cao Hui's thoughts suddenly.

"Come and drink some water, press it... drink it slowly, and be careful to spill it—" Cao Hui poured half a glass of water, raised Sima Xuan's head and fed it carefully, "How do you feel now? Do you want to drink more?" ?”

"I won't drink anymore..." Sima Xuan refused with a hoarse voice, and lay down again with his eyes closed.

Her skull was as heavy and chaotic as if it had been filled with mercury and mud at the same time. It was as if a mountain was being pressed against her eyelids, which was very heavy. If it hadn't been for Cao Hui who was talking to her just now, Sima Xuan would be half-witted now. Don't want to say a word.

Not long after, Yuyan came back from grabbing the medicine. Unfortunately, Sima Xuan's first cousin, Sima Yang's eldest son, Sima Cheng and Sima Shulun came in with her.

Cao Hui thought, well, after so many years, he would probably see Sima Xuan lose his temper again with his own eyes—if this cousin Shulun came to chat with Sima Xuan.

Fortunately, it seemed that Sima Cheng really had something important to do with Sima Xuan. Hearing that Sima Cheng came in, Sima Xuan sat up from the bed with some difficulty, and for the first time found someone who asked Cao Hui to "go and see the small kitchen." Cao Hui and Yuyan were sent out with the excuse of "Is the medicine ready?"

Cao Hui has a feeling—from Chang'an to Yanyang, the so-called "safety" in Sima Xuan's mouth refers to only her, Cao Yuanrong, from the beginning to the end—and Sima Xuan's situation is probably less optimistic than when he was in Chang'an. More than anything.

He breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the drowsy sky, I hope, I hope everything is because she is too cautious.