Sword·Qinxin

The Imperial City Chapter 4 The Merry Son

The entire Kaifeng mansion has already figured out the rules, whenever Mr. Zhan asks Mr. Gongsun for ointment, he must go to Qingyue thatched cottage.

This is already the fifth box given by Zhan Zhao.

The exquisite small box was placed on the stone table, and Zhan Zhao stood quietly in the grass pavilion, watching Yinling take care of the birdhouse.

After cleaning the aviary, Yin Ling strolled up to the grass pavilion, looked at the small box Zhan Zhao gave her for the fifth time, couldn't help but chuckle, and teased: "Master Zhan, my sister's injury has long since healed, you gave me the medicine, I think the ulterior motives are not in the bar?"

As if responding to Yinling's words, three birds with red eyes and white feathers fluttered around Zhan Zhao.

"Cough..." Zhan Zhao coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment.

"Huh? Master Zhan, is your throat uncomfortable?" Yinling blinked mischievously, she was happiest than teasing Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao smiled slightly, his eyes glanced over the silver bell, and fell on the slender figure behind her.

Yunying stepped out of the house, just happened to hear Yinling's unruly words, she sighed softly, and said lightly: "You girl is getting more and more outrageous, hurry up and serve hot tea."

Yunying went to the aviary to pick up a handful of corn, and the three birds flew over to eat.

Zhan Zhao looked at the birds and became more curious: "These three birds are very special. Zhan has never seen them in Beijing before. Could it be that they are also from the girl's hometown?"

Yun Ying sprinkled corn and said, "This bird is indeed from my hometown. It's called Tianluo Bird. I'm used to playing the qin on weekdays, so I brought them with me when I came out this time."

Yinling nodded in praise and said: "This bird is so smart, they will fly wherever my sister is."

Zhan Zhao said with a smile, "I never imagined that the birds raised by the girl can be so intelligent."

After feeding the birds, Yunying stepped up to the grass pavilion and sat around the table with Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao drank a few sips of tea, and saw Yunying resting her stomach with her left hand and fiddling with the tea cover with her right. She was thoughtful and asked with concern, "Is there something bothering you, Miss?"

Yunying thought for a moment, then said, "There are some rumors in the market recently, I wonder if Mr. Zhan has heard of them?"

"Appreciate further details."

Yunying looked at Yinling, beckoning her to tell the rumors she heard.

"Since the queen mother's birthday, many ladies from the official family have come to invite my sister to play the piano. My sister can't refuse, so she accepted the invitation. I also went to join in the fun and chat with the maids when I have time. Recently, I heard that the capital city There's a flower picker, who only picks good-looking girls, and I heard that even the servant's daughter has been murdered."

"The minister's daughter?" Zhan Zhao asked.

"Yes, it is the daughter of Mr. Zhou, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites."

Zhan Zhao couldn't help being startled when he heard the words, most of the flower pickers commit crimes by picking on girls from ordinary families or famous noblemen, they rarely take risks to attack official ladies.

However, no matter what the status of the victim is, if the girl's innocence is ruined, these beasts and scum must be eliminated as soon as possible.

Zhan Zhao collected his thoughts, pondered for a moment, and asked, "How long has this happened?"

"The rumor of the flower picker started about ten days ago, and the story of the minister's daughter was three days ago."

Yunying looked at Zhan Zhao who seemed to be completely ignorant, and asked in confusion, "Does the Kaifeng Mansion not know at all?"

"To tell you the truth, girl, I really don't know."

"Since this is the case, maybe it's just a rumor, Mr. Zhan doesn't need to worry about it."

"No, Zhan thinks that this matter is not groundless." Zhan Zhao stood up and said, "Thank you for telling me, Miss. Zhan will go back to Kaifeng Mansion to report this matter to the adults."

After taking a few steps, she turned her head to look at Yunying, and said, "Miss, be more careful."

Yunying nodded in response, and saw that Zhan Zhao had stepped out of the courtyard gate.

"Sister, since the Kaifeng Mansion doesn't know about this, why do you need Master Zhan to know about it?"

"He made such a big noise this time, Kaifeng Mansion will know sooner or later."

"If Mr. Kezhan intervenes, then sister..." Yinling looked at Yunying worriedly, and didn't say any more.

My elder sister has always been indifferent to outsiders, and never worried about her. The talk about travel is just an excuse to deal with others, and entering the palace to teach piano art is just a joke at the beginning.Unexpectedly, in just a few months of getting along, she could see the difference in how her sister treated him.

When the truth is false, the truth is also false, and when the false is true, the false is also true. She can no longer tell the difference between the true and the false.

Yunying looked at Yinling and smiled lightly, "Don't worry, I'll take care of this matter."

After finishing his sentence, he picked up the small box on the stone table, got up and walked out of the grass pavilion slowly.

Looking at Yunying's disappearing figure, Yinling sighed heavily in her heart. I don't know if it's luck or misfortune that her sister thinks about that person?

Bao Zheng was secretly summoned into the palace at Weishi, and did not return to the mansion until Xushi.

Zhan Zhao reported the rumor to Bao Zheng.

Bao Zheng frowned deeply, and looked out the window, the moon was covered by dark clouds in the night sky, and the faint brilliance was hidden.

"Today, the emperor secretly summoned the mansion to enter the palace, and pointed out some suspicious officials' assignments. More than half of the ones recommended were Zhou Yiquan, the servant of the Ministry of Rites."

Gongsun Ce said: "My lord, the students heard that Mr. Cao, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, is about to retire and return home. Mr. Zhou is likely to be his successor."

"That's right, that's how it should be, the Holy One is even more worried." Bao Zheng sighed, and said, "That matter is just a hint, and there is no real evidence. If Zhou Yiquan is also one of his people, then the court's servants will be uncertain in the future. It was chosen for him."

Gongsun Ce said: "Your Excellency thinks that this week's rumors about His Excellency's daughter..."

"The rumors are not groundless, but..." Bao Zheng paused, shook his head and said, "The flower picker has repeatedly committed crimes, why no one came to the government office to report the crime this time, the government is a bit puzzled for a while."

Zhan Zhao said: "My lord, my subordinates have ordered Chao Mahan to go to the street to investigate tomorrow. The flower picker commits crimes repeatedly, so he can always find some clues."

Bao Zheng nodded and said: "No one has come to report this matter, and it is also related to the reputation of the girl's family. You need to be more cautious in the investigation. The guards will go to the Zhou Mansion with the mansion tomorrow, and the manor will go to investigate. His falsity."

The next day, Bao Zheng visited Zhou's mansion on the grounds of consulting on the deployment of newcomers' official positions.

Zhan Zhao accidentally saw Yin Ling chatting with the maidservant in the garden.

"Hee hee, how come you can meet Mr. Zhan when you come to the Minister's Mansion." Yin Ling saw Zhan Zhao, her expression was happy, and she joked.

Zhan Zhao smiled and asked, "How did Miss Yunying come today?"

"Miss Zhou asked her elder sister to play the piano today, but yesterday she didn't know that Mr. Zhan would also come, so she didn't know that she would meet you." Yinling moved closer and asked in a low voice, "Master Zhan came to investigate the rumors?"

Zhan Zhao smiled but did not answer.He came to the Zhou mansion today wearing an official uniform, if he said no, the little girl in front of him would not believe it.

Yinling didn't ask any further questions, just said quietly: "Master Zhan, come to the thatched cottage when you have time."

Bao Zheng didn't find any useful information from Zhou Yiquan, so he went back to the government office in half a day. Before Wang Chao Ma Han came back, Zhan Zhao felt that maybe Yunying could know something, so he changed his clothes and hurried to the thatched cottage.

Inside the house, the fragrance of bluegrass is lingering around.

Seeing that the orchid incense in the incense burner was almost exhausted, Yun Ying took out a piece of agarwood from a brocade box and placed it in the burner.Turning around to look at Zhan Zhao who was drinking tea, the corners of his lips twitched.

"Master Zhan went to the Zhou Mansion today, but because of rumors?"

"I'll tell you the truth, girl, I'll check it out."

"What can be found out?"

Zhan Zhao shook his head: "Master Zhou only said that the rumors are not credible, and it's about the reputation of the girl's family, so it's inconvenient for Master Bao to ask more questions."

Yunying smiled lightly and said, "Young lady knows more about the affairs of the young lady's family."

Zhan Zhao raised his eyebrows and said, "I also ask the girl to teach me."

Yunying took a sip of tea and said slowly, "I went to Zhou's mansion today. There are twice as many nursing homes in the mansion as there were three days ago. There are servants patrolling regularly outside Miss Zhou's boudoir. I was ordered not to sleep, so I have to watch in shifts."

Zhan Zhao said clearly: "Oh? It turned out to be like this. It seems that the rumors are true." He shook his head again, "But, why didn't Master Zhou report to Master Bao for a thorough investigation, so that the criminal who committed the crime could be caught. "

Yunying chuckled lightly: "Master Zhan, did you ask Master Zhou to tell Master Bao that his daughter was being ruined?"

Zhan Zhao was stunned for a moment, then remained silent, since a girl's innocence is more important than her life.If Mr. Zhou wanted to find out the villain, he would not deny it today.

Zhan Zhao sighed and said, "I think the fact that the flower pickers commit crimes again and again is due to the girl's intentions. It's just that if they don't get rid of it for a day, Bianjing will not be safe."

Seeing his solemn expression, Yunying comforted him: "This flower picker is nothing more than a man who looks for flowers and asks willows, as long as he is lured into the game, he can be captured."

"Lead him into the game?" Zhan Zhao frowned, looking at Yunying.

Yinling laughed at the side and said: "Big sister makes a move, the flower picker will be caught before he even puts his hand on it."

"No! You must not put yourself in danger!"

In Yunying's words just now, Zhan Zhao already felt something was wrong, and he would never agree to her being used as a bait.

Yinling grinned and approached Zhan Zhao: "Master Zhan, are you worried that my sister's skill is not as good as that thief?"

"Zhan has never doubted the girl's skill."

"Oh..." Yinling's tone changed, and she looked troubled, "Then Mr. Zhan suspects that my sister's mediocre looks won't attract that thief?"

"How could it be..." Zhan Zhao looked away uncomfortably while watching Yunying.

Seeing Zhan Zhao's blushing and slightly embarrassed appearance, Yin Ling covers her mouth and starts to laugh.

Yunying sighed helplessly, and said, "Yinling is still young, and she talks nonsense, Lord Zhan, please don't mind."

"However..." She looked at Zhan Zhao, changed the topic, and said calmly, "I can handle a mere flower picker."

Zhan Zhao raised her eyes to meet Shang Yunying's leisurely gaze, her eyes were as clear as water, with a hint of a half-smile.Even though there are thousands of objections in his heart, there is no better way right now.The flower picker hadn't been caught for a day, and he didn't know how many girls' families would be murdered by him. After several considerations, he had no choice but to nod.

"If the girl insists on being bait, Zhan will definitely protect you in secret."

Yunying just smiled: "Two days later, Liyin Pavilion."

Which singer in the capital has a voice comparable to Chugu Huangying, and the girl Yingying from Liyin Pavilion recognizes the second and no one dares to recognize the first.

Yingying not only has an outstanding singing voice, but also looks beautiful.Just because of his poor family background, he was reduced to prostitution, performing arts but not himself.

Such a girl has always been on the minds of flower pickers.

No matter how Zhan Zhao asked, Yinling just didn't tell him why Yunying was so sure that Miss Yingying would be the next one to have an accident.

There is only one sentence in Yinling's talk, "The secret of heaven must not be leaked".

Zhan Zhao felt that since he already knew that something happened to Liyin Pavilion, he should hide in the house so that it would be easier to catch the villain.Unexpectedly, Yunying flatly refused.

Zhan Zhao had no choice but to hide in the corner opposite Liyin Pavilion, this angle was facing the window of the boudoir on the second floor.However, Zhan Zhao was still accompanied by Yin Ling.

After a while, there was a slight sound of tables and chairs colliding on the second floor.

"Here we come." Zhan Zhao thought to himself, just as he was about to perform lightness kung fu, Yin Ling suddenly grabbed his clothes and shouted, "Master Zhan, there are ghosts over there, ghosts, it's so scary!" ah."

Zhan Zhao was taken aback by Yinling's sudden move, and after only a moment, he broke free from Yinling and jumped into the room on the second floor.

In the boudoir, only girl Yu Yingying was lying heavily on the bed, Yunying had disappeared.

Zhan Zhao flitted to the roof, worried about Yunying's safety, looked around anxiously, saw a figure chasing the north, and flew away without thinking.

Seeing Zhan Zhao's leaving figure, Yin Ling sighed softly: "Sister, I've tried my best, the rest will have to be up to you."

In the dark night, two figures rushed forward, one after the other, and arrived at a ruined temple in the northern suburbs.

The man in black settled down in the ruined temple, turned around and smiled at the person behind him, "I thought who set it up, it turned out to be the beauty Yunying."

Yunying lowered her body slowly, snorted softly, and said, "What are you doing in Bianjing?"

"Hehe, of course I came here because of a mission." The man in black said calmly.

"Mission?" Yunying said coldly, "Hmph, what mission would require you to be on another girl's embroidery bed?"

The man in black squinted his phoenix eyes, and said with a light smile, "Hehe, is Beauty Yunying jealous?"

Yunying's expression turned serious, and she shouted angrily: "Qingfeng, you are really shameless, the innocence of many girls' families has been ruined in your hands!"

Qingfeng said indifferently: "Beauty, you are wrong, these girls have all enjoyed the dreamlike state of Qingfeng Lianyue."

Yunying snorted coldly, and said disdainfully: "Qingfeng Lianyue is just mixed with specially prepared orchid grass in the drug. You mix these powders into the rouge powder that the girl uses at home. The orchid herb is elegant and fragrant, and it is not easy be noticed.

It's just that when the dream comes back at midnight, all the girls have are erotic dreams.The girl's family would not tell outsiders about such a shameful thing, so she had to feel ashamed.Every night I dream back, but I don’t know that dreams sometimes come true. "

Too illusory, cloudy and rainy.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect him to tell you even such a thing." Qingfeng let out a long laugh, and his salivating eyes lingered on Yunying, as if he understood something, his eyes lit up suddenly, and he said, "Could it be...he also Used it on you?"

As soon as the words were finished, a ray of silver light suddenly disappeared, Qingfeng's face froze, and he stretched out his hand towards the neck, where there was a shallow scar.

He looked at Yunying with displeasure, it was not her turn to ask about his obsession with women, but it was just because of that person...

Forget it, he didn't want to offend him.

"It was my unreasonable words just now that offended Beauty Yunying." Qingfeng suppressed the anger in his heart, and asked, "However, we have always kept the water out of the river, so why did you lure me out?"

Yunying smiled coldly: "Take your life!"

As soon as the voice fell, Qingfeng's eyes instantly turned vicious, and he drew out a soft sword from his waist and pointed it at Yunying's throat. When she turned around, the sword energy swept across, Yunying jumped up to avoid this move, raised her right hand, and a silver light hit the sword directly.

Qingfeng saw streaks of silver light flying towards him, forcing him to defend himself with a sword, but unfortunately the silver light still drew fine marks on his body.

In terms of martial arts, Qingfeng was far inferior to Yunying, within thirty moves, Qingfeng was already overwhelmed, Yunying took advantage of the attack and brushed past Qingfeng's side, and with one move Yan Yungui killed him.

Shameless people are punishable by everyone.Yunying looked at the corpse on the ground with contempt in her eyes.

She squatted down and searched his body, and touched a foreign object on his chest. She took it out and saw that it was a register. She thought it was his mission this time. Although the person was dead, the things had to be returned.Yunying put the roster in her arms and continued to search her body, and found some Qingfenglianyue, leaving only one copy as physical evidence.

After searching his body, he was about to get up when he caught a glimpse of something on his shoulder from the corner of his eye, and suddenly stopped.

"this is?!……"

Under the moonlight, the slashed clothes on the corpse's shoulders reflected a strangely alluring purple begonia tattoo.

Yunying was startled suddenly, her breathing became short of breath, and the past flooded into her mind like a tide.

The moonlight is bright and clear, cool and brilliant.

Zhan Zhao followed the two figures to the northern suburbs, and looked around but found no trace.

The flower picker used to use despicable tricks, if anything happened to her...he shouldn't have promised her in the first place.Zhan Zhao clenched his fists tightly and looked around intently.

Suddenly, "Pu Chi Pu Chi..." A bird circled beside Zhan Zhao.

"Master Zhan, follow Tianluoniao, it can find sister." Not far away, Yinling was running anxiously.

"Hey..." Tianluoniao raised his head to the sky, and spread his wings and flew into the distance.

"Thank you!" Zhan Zhao looked back and thanked Yinling, then jumped up and chased after him.

The sky-falling bird flew for a few miles, and folded its wings on a beam of a ruined temple.Zhan Zhao jumped into the ruined temple, only to see a man in black lying dead inside, and Yun Ying stood beside him in ecstasy.

Zhan Zhao's heart relaxed slightly, and he walked slowly to her side, calling out softly, "Yunying..."

Seeing that her eyes were slightly dazed, as if she didn't notice anything, she hurriedly called again: "Yunying?"

Yunying slowly raised her head, looked at the person who came, and said, "Zhan... Zhao..."

But in an instant, he restrained his mind and expression on his face, pointed to the man in black beside him, and said calmly: "Master Zhan, this is the flower picker who committed the crime, and he still has drugs on him."

The moonlight reflected her quiet eyebrows, her expression was indifferent.The moment of bewilderment just now seemed to have never happened before.

Zhan Zhao inspected the body of the man in black, there were several thin marks on his clothes, and the fatal wound was in his throat, where there was a thin smear of red.There is also a packet of powder on the man in black, which should be the drug used in the crime.Searched the whole body and found nothing suspicious.

Zhan Zhao straightened up and looked at Yun Ying, only to see her drooping eyes, silent, standing aside in a daze, as if she was deep in thought.

"Sister." With a soft call, Yin Ling rushed to the ruined temple after looking for Tianluoniao.

Yunying raised her eyes and saw that Yinling was worried and she smiled as she was panting, but she still sighed, "What are you doing here?"

Yinling stepped forward to hold her arm, and smiled sweetly on her back: "I'm worried about my sister."

Yunying smiled and shook her head, her words were pitiful: "You silly girl." Looking back, she said lightly: "Lord Zhan, take your leave."

Yinling walked away with Yunying on her arm, Tianluoniao followed her master and disappeared into the night.

Tsing Yi watched Fanghua go, and the past came with the wind.

The author has something to say: