It was in early February, the beginning of spring, when the imperial convoy of the Eastern Depot arrived at Qiling, the last county in Jiangan.
The snow had stopped for quite a few days. The cold wind was gone, and the sun appeared in the sky. The temperature gradually rose, spreading some gentle warmth.
Gu Yunxi lifted the thick curtain of the carriage and looked out of the window into the mountains and withered trees. The warm sunshine on her face made her feel very comfortable.
"Master, we are reaching Qiling."
Gu Yunxi squinted languidly. She was fully enjoying the sunlight, with her sweet voice filled with joy.
Suddenly something occurred to her. She retracted into the carriage and took the Master's arm intimately,
"Master, as I know, Feng Yunheng, the prefect of Qiling County, is notorious and corrupt in Jiangan. This time, in the name of disaster relief, can the Eastern Depot take any action?"
Being annoyed at Leng Qingtang's words, Prefect Feng looked bewildered and frustrated that the flabby muscles on his mouth corner twitched. He squeezed out a fake smile with his square face."Oh, you're quite welcome. It's not a big deal. At the beginning of the disaster, heavy snow crushed many houses. My subordinate and I came to the scene to help rescue the victims from the collapsed houses. I guess our clothes were worn by bricks, tiles, and timbers... and something like that.""Oh?"Leng Qingtang narrowed his eyes, shrewd. An ironic smile appeared at a corner of his lips imperceptibly.His straight sitting posture and appearance that as handsome as an immortal, together with his light blue official suit embroidered with four pythons, made up an elegant picture, provoking boundless imagination.Worn by bricks and timbers? Well, he wasn't born yesterday.In fact, as they were entering the gate of Qiling
In the Prefect's Mansion of Qiling County.The secret guards' report astonished Gu Yunxi.It made sense that a man broke his arm and head due to the slippery road, but he wouldn't change his disposition no matter how badly he fell.Therefore, her conjecture was right.Who was this fake Prefect Feng?Leng Qingtang remained silent. Eyes closed, no one could see anything from his imperturbable face."Have you been to the post house and Feng's Mansion?"A secret guard answered, "When I arrived at the post house, the manager told me that the post house is not open to the public because of the imperial envoy. I'm afraid of being spied on, so I didn't contact the third captain and the tenth captain to not alert them.""Well done!" Leng Qingtang praised the guard without lifting his eyes.Another secret guard replied, "I watched carefully outside Feng's Mansion. It was weird
Qiling, Donglai post house.Qinger returned to the hall and sat at the table gloomily."Asked for a snub again?"The third captain, Zhao Wuji, turned his head and asked Qinger in a low voice, with contemptuous eyes darting across the fierce guard at the door.Qinger looked unhappy, answering harshly,"Definitely! It doesn't make sense. We got in the post house but can't go out easily, and we have to listen to the prefect. I just miss our Lady. I can't even go and keep her company!"Xiao Xiaoshen took the teacup and sipped. He smiled at Qinger with his eyebrows slanting,"Do you think she needs your company? Just stay in the post house. Don't always sway like a candle between her and the Master.""Pooh!" Qinger shook her head and scolded, "You are a candle. Your whole family members are candles!"Xiao Xiaoshen stopped smiling at once. He glanced at the door of the post
Qinger crawled out of the dog hole and dusted herself angrily. Seeing how Yuan Qian and Xiao Xiaoshen couldn't hold their laughs, she rolled her eyes at them,"This is your good idea? Teaching me how to crawl out of a dog hole?"Xiao Xiaoshen crossed his arms and held his chest. He looked down at Qinger who was much shorter than him. He smiled and asked,"Who taught you Kungfu? You can't even climb over a wall? How can you protect Yunxi?"Qinger was not convinced. She smiled coldly and countered him with what he said to her in the post house,"Lady is with the Master. Does she need our protection? What are you thinking?""Huh? I...""Are you two finished? We have a business to do!"Yuan Qian was impatient. He interrupted their quarrel, turned back, and glanced at the end of the alley vigilantly.Qinger arched her back and asked quietly, "The tenth captain, are we real
A room at the Prefect's Mansion in Qiling.Prefect Feng was seated in the center, surrounded by several guards.Glaring, one guard swore to him,"Sir, we are all ready. The signal will be sent at nightfall. Our men will hit both the post house and the Prefect's Mansion to kill all of them!"Slowly raising his head, Prefect Feng's face went from bright to solemn. His piercing eyes became empty, in the depth of which was inexplicable gloom and sadness.His right fist clenched so hard that his finger joints snapped as loud as his emotions."Eleven years! It's time... to collect the blood debt for Lord Protector Zheng..."One guard looked at the window when a worrying thought struck him."Sir, the young guard by the eunuch's side was a sly one! Ever since they arrived, he's never stopped working with the Eastern Depot Master to make trouble for us."Prefect Feng retracted
She didn't know how long she had slept. When she rose from unconsciousness, she saw darkness all around her.Flame leaped. The shallow shadow moving on the wet black brick wall gradually became clear in Gu Yunxi's sleepy eyes.No sooner had she moved than she felt pain all over her body. This was the aftereffect of having been knocked down by the fake prefect.She was suddenly shocked.She found herself lying on the cold brick floor, bound with twine. With her face against the floor, she couldn't avoid the foul smell in the secret room, which made her retch.She opened her eyes to look around and found Feng Yunheng, who was covered with blood, lying a few steps away from her.He was asleep, perhaps. His back against the wall bent from torture, his head lowered still, and his shriveled body rose and fell rhythmically with his breath.Someone came with quick footsteps.Gu Yunxi twis
It was in February, Qiling. Lightning pierced the sky, and thunder roared."Rumble..."Lightning split down from the dark night sky, tearing it in two parts with its bright cold light.The deafening sound of thunder followed.Around the Prefect's Mansion and Donglai post house were in chaos. People were woken up by the great change. They ran outside and saw a red, burning world. Panic, anxiety, confusion, and bewilderment appeared in their eyes looking at the tragedy on the earth.In the Prefect's Mansion, after the fake prefect revealed his face, Gu Yunxi pointed at him and shouted,"Master, it's him! He shut the real Feng Yunheng away in the Prefect's Mansion's secret room underground!"The wind brought Gu Yunxi's excited shouts to them. Leng Qingtang and the fake prefect both turned their heads to her.When he saw Gu Yunxi, Leng Qingtang rose his dashing eyebrows. His face ligh
At night, the wind blew and the fire spread. In the sky above the Prefect's Mansion, the thunder roared and the lightning exploded."Don't be scared, Ruo. Hold on tight! You have to hold on tight!"Gu Yunxi stared at Wenren Junzheng, who was stepping back. Her eery and cold look softened and gradually warmed up.She faintly remembered the nightmare that had troubled her since she was little. In her dream, there was a man who called out to her anxiously and painfully. He hid half of his face under the half-worn bamboo hat. Was it him?But why was he the enemy of the Eastern Depot? Who was him?She stared at Wenren's empty sleeve that waved in the air. She tried to fill in the blank of her memory. She struggled to piece it up.She was torn inside. Wenren Junzheng looked at Leng Qingtang. Tears emerged in his woeful eyes. He had a pathetic and angry look."Why did you do this? Leng Qingtang, answ