The Seven Heroes and Five Righteousness of Crossing

The fruit on the pomegranate tree in the courtyard is ripe.The hard outer skin can no longer stop the soft and tenacious growth underneath, and cracks open to reveal the crystal clear and ruddy seeds inside.

Yuan Cuixiao stood silently on the porch, watching a few blackbirds happily flying around the pomegranate tree and pecking at them.Every time the bird's sharp beak pecked at the fruit, her heart seemed to twitch: It really hurts to dig out the heart for others to see...

Xia Chan brought a food box, came to the West Wing, and held it in front of her eyes like offering a treasure: "Little lady, you can try the rich sugar cake made by Sister Chunliu."

Yuan Cuixiao opened the lid of the box in surprise, picked up a small piece and said, "I just had dinner, why bother to make this?"

Xia Chan replied: "Sister Chunliu saw that the young lady ate little for two consecutive meals, so she made some snacks for fear that you would be hungry."

"Why is she so nice to me?" Yuan Cuixiao was surprised and moved. Seeing Xia Chan giggling, she poked her on the forehead, "You should learn a little bit. I asked you to inquire about it this afternoon." , It's almost dark, and there's no news yet."

Xia Chan called Qu: "Isn't the maidservant here to inform the little lady?"

Yuan Cuixiao was shocked when he heard this, and stared, "Say it! Tell me! Where is Master today? Why don't you come to me?"

Xia Chan hurriedly said: "Mr. Shen has been on duty in the Chongxiao Tower for the past two days, and he will not return until Xushi, so he can't come to the garden during the day."

"Is that so." Yuan Cuixiao struggled for a long time, thinking of Peng Qi's strange words and deeds in the garden, his heart felt as uncomfortable as swallowing a fly.If I didn't talk to Xiao Zhuge, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep until night.She looked up at the sky, took the food box from Xia Chan, and ordered, "Go and put on a lantern."

"Yes." Xia Chan went away in response, and before a while, she came over with a gauze lamp and asked, "Little lady, where are you going?"

Yuan Cuixiao pointed to the food box: "Master works hard all day, I will send some snacks to honor him."

Xia Chan took a breath of cold air: "Little lady, it's so late, don't tell me you are...going to Mr. Shen's residence?"

"Yes." Yuan Cuixiao nodded, calmly, "Let's go now, you will lead the way."

This little lady, in front of so many people, can say "You are the wind and I am the sand". Thinking about it, there is nothing that can make her taboo... No matter how speechless Xia Chan is, she resigned to her fate and raised the gauze lantern as a gift. It illuminates the road.

Zhao Jue had many followers, who lived in several courtyards in the nave.Little Zhuge was highly regarded, and also served as Yuan Cuixiao's Xixi teacher. Although he lived in a single room, it was clean and spacious.In the past, Xia Chan came to the courtyard with the steward to pack things. I don't know if it was unintentional or intentional, but she also knew Shen Zhongyuan's residence.

One road has gone dark.Yuan Cuixiao held the food box and asked with difficulty, "Why hasn't it arrived yet?"

Xia Chan pursed her lips and replied, "Here, it's within the courtyard wall in front. Mr. Shen lives in the first room in the west."

Yuan Cuixiao stopped and looked around for a moment: "There is no light at all, Master probably hasn't returned yet."

"Come over from the Chongxiao Tower, at least it will take half an hour to walk. The wind is so strong at the moment, and the little lady has never put on a cloak to come out. If you catch a cold from the blowing, how can you be better? It's better not to wait." Forget it? This snack won’t go bad if left alone, and it doesn’t matter how filial you are to Mr. tomorrow.” Xia Chan seized the opportunity and urged her to turn around.

You girl, do you think I'm here for a visit... Yuan Cuixiao said calmly: "It's okay. The stronger the wind, the more it will show my respect for Master."

Xia Chan's face was covered with black lines, and she suddenly groaned, put her hands on her belly, and bent down.

Yuan Cuixiao hurriedly put down the food box, stepped forward to support her, and asked, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Xia Chan managed to straighten up, blushing and replied, "I...I want to come up with Gong."

Yuan Cuixiao rolled her eyes at her, threw away her hands and said, "There's a lot of excrement and urine on the lazy donkey. Go back to the garden, I'll just wait here by myself."

"Then... the servant girl will leave first." Xia Chan seemed to be pardoned, "Little lady should come back sooner."

"I know, I know." Yuan Cuixiao shoved the lantern back to her violently, "Go along, don't fall into the latrine!" He said, picked up the food box, and walked towards the courtyard.

When she arrived at the gate of the courtyard, Yuan Cuixiao probed her head and observed for a while, and suddenly felt that she was carrying a food box and waiting outside the house at night. Between the gable and the gable, I turned the sill window, but it was not locked. I was overjoyed, and immediately turned the food box to replace the stay, and stuck the window sash in the position of the largest opening and closing. I tried to make gestures twice. The distance should be sufficient.Lift up the pleated skirt again, tie a knot at the waist, grab the window frame, make a leap, the upper body smoothly penetrates into the house, take the food box back, throw it lightly on the ground, and climb over with legs and heels, "chuck" With one click, he slid into the room very deftly.

Unable to see her fingers, Yuan Cuixiao sincerely missed the night vision she once had, groped to the table and sat down, picked up an oil lamp, suddenly remembered that the lamp was still on Shidun Nizi, so she had to put it down again.After sitting for a while, the sound of "creaking and creaking" suddenly sounded in the quiet room. She was startled, thinking it was a mouse gnawing on something, so she listened carefully, but the faint sound came from the roof.She raised her head subconsciously, and her mind suddenly realized: Isn't this the movement of sawing the watchboard? !Immediately there was a lot of complaints: Master's house was burglarized, what can I do?Turn it out from the window, it's too late!Maybe it will alarm the people on the roof and saw her as a board... Well, it's important to hide...

Yuan Cuixiao didn't have time to think about it, she got up and found a closet, opened the door, and plunged in.This morning, I can hide well, and the progress on the other side of the roof is also quite fast.After half a stick of incense, a waist-thick skylight was pulled out, a sash hung from it, and a masked man in night clothes sneaked into Shen Zhongyuan's residence with the help of the sash.

The cabinet is not big, not as tall as an ordinary person. There are some books and clothes piled inside. Yuan Cui Kao squeezed in, and the space seemed cramped. She could only bend her knees, sticking to the cabinet board, holding her breath, and heard the man's footsteps. The sound was very soft, as if walking slowly in the house, and suddenly there was a soft "噫", and the sound disappeared.After a while, a faint fragrance floated in from the crack of the door, and she secretly called out "no", is this the rhythm of releasing the fragrance... Just as she was about to cover her mouth and nose, she felt that the fragrance was somewhat familiar, and she took two breaths , and finally tasted it: Isn’t this the rich sugar cake made by Chunliu?Damn!Well you gluttonous thieves...

The man finished eating the pastry in a leisurely manner, then picked up the kettle on the table, poured half a cup of cold tea, and sipped it with gusto.Yuan Cuixiao heard it clearly, and couldn't help slandering: Wu that thieves, my aunt is suffering in the cupboard, but you eat and drink non-stop...

Suddenly, the sound of the door key turning could be heard next to her ear, and Yuan Cuixiao felt mixed feelings of joy and sorrow: happy that the master finally came back; worry that he would not be attacked by that fellow... The door opened with a "squeak" , Yuan Cuixiao's heart was in his throat, only to hear the door slam, as if it was closed vigorously, and Shen Zhongyuan's surprised voice sounded: "Brother Zhi, are you all right?"

Brother Fox, what kind of grudge do we have with you, we were almost scared to death by you... Yuan Cuixiao thought: If she jumped out of the closet at this moment, she would be very frightened to keep the demon fox. As soon as the matter of eating was revealed, the revenge was avenged on the spot.It's just that it's a big night, so we stay here so that he won't misunderstand that we have an affair with the master... Sigh... the name of the master is important, so let's just be aggrieved for a while...

Zhihua cupped his hands and said: "The bad brother has been lazy for a long time, and the virtuous brother is alone. It is really hard work to watch the treacherous king here."

Shen Zhongyuan said modestly: "It's just a few news for the brothers, why bother."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and took their seats hand in hand.

Shen Zhongyuan nodded and said: "Brother Zhi is really timely. My little brother discovered a confidential matter and wanted to discuss it with you."

"Oh?" Zhi Hua raised his eyebrows in response, "My dear brother, please tell me."

Shen Zhongyuan said solemnly: "There is a skyscraper in the northeast corner of the palace, which is Zhao Jue's library in name. It has collected a large number of rare calligraphy and paintings. A few months ago, it was stolen repeatedly. Zhao Jue was furious and sent someone to He searched for value day and night, and guarded it strictly. Now he has even invited Peng Qi, the 'Sky-Eyed Old Man' from Mount Sumeru, to set up a gossip copper net array in the building, and it is bound to make those who explore the building go and never return."

Zhihua was surprised when he heard about it: "I heard that Peng Qi is more than 160 years old. Since the fall of the previous dynasty, he has lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests. "

When Yuan Cuixiao heard this, she was so shocked that she almost fell out of the cabinet: "I am old but not dead, I am a thief... It turns out that the demon I met in the garden earlier was the one they were talking about." up...

Shen Zhongyuan speculated: "Zhao Jue's father, Zhao Guangmei, the king of Qin, is a good friend of Li Yu, the empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Peng Qi was also the Lingtai Lang of the former Sitian Supervisor. I think there is some origin in it. Peng Qi has a son named Hu Lei Ying is also working under Zhao Jue, or through his recommendation, it is also very possible."

Zhihua's "Du Du" hit the table and said: "How can you kill a chicken with a butcher's knife. With such a tight defense, I'm afraid this skyscraper hides more than just books!"

"Brother Zhi is very right." Shen Zhongyuan nodded, but he was not in a hurry to reveal the inside story, but asked instead, "Do you know who are those people who come to Chongxiaolou to steal things?"

Zhi Hua thought about it and said, "Are you a master of the Tao?"

"Not only masters in the Tao, but also this." Shen Zhongyuan took out a vermilion lacquer waist card from his arms, and pushed it to his hand.

Zhihua took a look, and said awe-inspiringly: "Imperial bodyguard!" Then he lowered his voice and said, "Didn't my virtuous brother say that someone came here at the emperor's order?"

"This waist card was picked up a few days ago when my younger brother was on duty, after fighting with others." Shen Zhongyuan continued, "At that time, I wondered what Zhao Jue was hiding, and even Ouchi's spies were dispatched. The younger brother made many inquiries, and finally got some clues. It turns out that Zhao Jue's subordinates are running a secret organization. Whether it is in the palace, in the court, or in the market and the countryside, there are always their people lurking, who specialize in spying on people. Record it in a book, thinking that it will be used by coercing him to obey orders."

"This trick is really insidious!" Zhihua said angrily, "The treacherous king is so scheming that he can be called a generation of heroes. In the past, I always underestimated him!"

Yuan Cuixiao was terrified: I have offended my fake father countless times, and I don't know why the head of this job can stay until now...

Shen Zhongyuan sighed in a low voice: "Everyone who has achieved success and fame will inevitably have some experiences that are not humane. Their pains and weaknesses are in the hands of Zhao Jue. If they don't cooperate, they will be ruined at any time. There are also some bold ones. , invited the masters in the Jianghu to come to explore the building and steal the order. Now that the copper grid array is set up, I am afraid that there will be no chance again!"

Zhihua was quite dissatisfied and said: "Peng Qi's copper grid formation is so powerful? I don't believe that there are formations that cannot be broken in this world?"

Shen Zhongyuan said in a solemn tone: "My little brother is always on duty in the Chongxiao Building, so I know very well that this formation is very strange. The only one who can break this formation, looking at the world, is probably only Peng Qi himself."

Zhihua pondered and said: "It seems that we have to find a way to get the formation map from Peng Qi."

Shen Zhongyuan echoed: "My little brother also thinks the same. It's just that Peng Qi is arrogant, and even Zhao Jue treats him with courtesy. He lives in seclusion in other courtyards all day long, shutting himself out, and he can't get close at all."

Yuan Cuixiao's palms clenched hot sweat, what Peng Qi said echoed faintly in her ears: the old man felt very attached to the little lady when he first saw her.In the future, there may be something I can do for the little lady, and I hope that the little lady will not hesitate to ask, the old man is willing to devote his whole life to do his best...