Kou Zhong, who had put on the uniform of the Imperial Guard, and Xu Ziling rode to the gate of Manqing Courtyard and shouted: Has Sister Xiufang's carriage started?
The doorkeeper hurriedly opened the door and said: "The two officials, Sister Xiufang, are still washing up, but the carriage is ready and can start at any time."
Kou Zhong showed off his official money and said: "Guide me the way!"
Then the two of them jumped off their horses and followed the leader to the inner courtyard. On the way, Kou Zhong made some insinuations and quickly figured out the situation of Shang Xiufang's entourage and how they usually went out to attend meetings. He made up his mind.
The sky is still cloudy and there is no rain, making people feel gloomy and depressed. The flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard also seem to have lost their color.
Arriving at the courtyard where Shang Xiufang lives, more than a dozen of Xiufang's followers were wiping the carriages and horses in preparation for departure.
Kou Zhong sent the person who was leading the way and pulled the leader named Bai Sheng aside and said: "Prince Xuanying specially sent us to protect Sister Xiufang. Brother Bai must know that there have been frequent accidents in Dongdu recently!"
Bai Sheng looked at the two of them for a while and then said: The two military masters have very angry faces.
Kou Zhong pretended to be mysterious and lowered his voice: "We have been in Yanshi with Master Xuangan these days, so we rarely see each other. But didn't I meet Brother Bai last time Sister Xiufang came to Shangshu Mansion? It's just that I stayed here.
The first thing I still remember about Sister Xiu Fang in the house is "Young Master owes you a debt of gratitude." Hey! I only remember this sentence and have forgotten the rest!
His doubts disappeared in his honest voice, but he still frowned and said: I also heard that Prince Xuanying of Dongbu Da Taiping had some intentions. However, I never like Zhang Yang with two military masters on both sides. I am afraid that I will
Displeased.
Xu Ziling, who was standing next to him, was amused. Isn't it considered ostentatious to be surrounded by so many followers? It could be that this was just an excuse. Or maybe Sister Shang Xiufang wanted to give people a more commoner impression and did not want to openly have relations with the officials.
But Kou Zhong was right in his heart and patted Bai Sheng on the shoulder and said: This will be easy later. We can just take off our military uniforms and follow the team from a distance!
Bai Sheng said if he had anything else to say, he had to agree.
At this time, Shang Xiufang, who was dressed in a costume, went out with the support of two pretty maids. Kou Zhong hurriedly said "sensible" - Xu Ziling stepped aside and said in a deep voice: Now as long as we can pass the entrance to the imperial city, we have passed.
The fairy of the sea!
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Shang Xiufang's motorcade drove out of Manqingyuan towards the imperial city.
Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong were looking forward and backward at the end of the team, pretending.
Everyone kept looking up at the sky, fearing that the accumulated heavy rain would pour down at any time, and they subconsciously raised their cars.
After walking for less than a moment, there was a sudden sound of hoofbeats from behind.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were alert and looked back. They were immediately shocked. It turned out that the pursuers were Li Shimin, Pang Yu, Changsun Wuji and Yuchi Jingde.
At this time, the only thing they could do was to pray to heaven and hope that Li Shimin did not know every one of Shang Xiufang's followers, otherwise their identities would be revealed immediately.
Li Shimin and others are not so easily deceived as Bai Sheng.
The two people hurriedly dispersed and used their skills to gather their energy, stooping their bodies so as not to alert Li Shimin and others. Fortunately, if they were not sitting on horses, their tall and straight figures would have attracted the enemy's attention.
Li Shimin was ahead of them and seemed to be fully focused on some important matter without even casting a glance at them.
Bai Sheng and others saluted, and Li Shimin responded with a smile.
Pang Yu and others followed closely - Li Shimin didn't pay much attention to them.
Li Shimin caught up to the carriage and walked together: Hello, Sister Xiufang! Shimin is late!
The two of them were so happy that it turned out that Li Shimin had made an appointment with Shang Xiufang to accompany her to the palace.
Shang Xiufang returned the greetings behind the drooping curtain and said in surprise: "The King of Qin is always on time, why is he late today?" Xiufang didn't mean to blame him, she was just curious!
Li Shimin looked up at the dark sky and walked with the carriage for a long time before sighing: Sister Xiufang, do you still remember Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling?
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling behind were listening carefully and were very interested when Li Shimin mentioned his name to Shang Xiufang. On the one hand, they wondered why Li Shimin's tardiness had something to do with them. On the other hand, they also wanted to know how this beautiful woman with both sex and art would respond.
Shang Xiufang fell silent for a while and then said softly: Speaking of Kou Zhong! Xiufang had sat with him twice and was deeply impressed. She always felt that his temperament was different from others. As for Xu Ziling! He only stayed in the Tinliu Pavilion.
They had seen each other at a glance but still had no chance to get to know each other. Could it be that King Qin's lateness was because of them?
The most striking thing about her voice is that it has a carefree and lazy tone that seems to have seen through the world. At this time, the feeling of hearing only the singing without seeing anyone is even more intense.
The beats and rhythms of her words are also reminiscent and memorable - her touching singing voice is swaying in sadness - the low sentimentality in the desert sometimes seems to contain - a trace of expectation and joy for things, forming a very unique charm.
Li Shimin smiled bitterly and said: Sister Xiufang, does she know that Shimin and them were good friends but now they have become life-or-death enemies?
Shang Xiufang! She let out a sweet cry for a while and then said in a low voice! Has King Qin been busy both physically and mentally with this matter these days?
Li Shimin did not answer directly and said: I was running for them just now. It turned out to be just a misunderstanding.
Shang Xiufang was surprised and said: Didn't Kou Zhong serve the prince?
Li Shimin sighed: That happened in the past. Sister Xiufang, don't let the intrigues in the world taint your ears. Shang Xiufang seemed to be testing: Although they are powerful heroes in martial arts, if they want to go against the King of Qin,
Is it too much of an overestimation?
With the clatter of hoofs, the carriages and horses turned onto the riverside road leading to the imperial city.
The traffic of boats and boats in Luoshui complements the endless traffic of people and cars on the road.
Everyone forgot about the dark sky because of her moving voice.
Li Shimin exhaled and exclaimed: These two people can no longer be described simply as martial arts. They are probably the most talented and peerless masters in history. What's more rare is that they have both wisdom and courage. So to this day, no one can do anything to them. Even to this day, no one can do anything to them.
Li Mi, who wanted to put them to death, fell into their hands in the end, and you can imagine the rest.
The deep helplessness and sadness in his tone made people feel that he really valued and cherished these two powerful rivals.
Such high praise for his opponent also shows that he has a broad mind and courage and will not deliberately belittle the opponent.
Both Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had strange feelings in their hearts. They never expected that Li Shimin thought so highly of them, no wonder he would cooperate with Wang Shichong so unscrupulously in an attempt to annihilate them.
Shang Xiufang whispered: Are they still in Dongdu today?
Li Shimin said: This is very difficult. When the two of them are plotting in secret, it is difficult for anyone to guard against and predict!
At this time, the chariot and horse team arrived at Chengfu Gate. The guard guarding the gate raised his arms and saluted, allowing the chariot and horse team to drive forward.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's high-hanging hearts could finally relax.
Li Shimin and Shang Xiufang stopped talking and walked through Taichang Temple and Sinong Temple under the guidance of their guards. In front of Shangshu Mansion, they turned left and entered along the East Sun Gate - the horse path next to the city wall of the Inner Palace. They went straight to the main gate of the Inner Palace, Zetian Gate, and entered Qi Mo.
The grand palace city.
In the inner palace city, there are connected palaces, terraces and numerous halls, all of which are separated on four sides. There are portals between the high walls and the halls are connected in a chain.
Xu Ziling set foot in the palace city this time. Although Kou Zhong had escaped into the palace city last time, he didn't even have the time and mood to just take a look at the scenery. It felt like an eye-opener.
Just from Zetianmen, you can see the manpower and material resources invested by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty in building the city.
The gates on the left and right are connected to a height of twelve feet, supplemented by a doorway with towers and a doorway that is more than ten feet deep. The eaves and corners are raised, and the walls and towers set off the majesty of the main palace.
The thoroughfare behind the entrance is located vertically and horizontally on the central axis. There are three gates and two halls. The gates are Yongtai Gate, Qianyang Gate and Daye Gate. The halls are Qianyang and Daye Halls.
Qianyang Hall is the main hall of the palace, where grand ceremonies are held and foreign envoys are received.
There are heavy towers built on the Qianyang Gate, and the east and west corridors surround the vast area outside the hall. At this time, there are several teams of carriages and horses parked outside the hall gate, which shows that a grand meeting is being held inside the hall.
The Qianyang Palace is worthy of being built as high as any other palace in the palace. From the ground to the tail of the palace, it is almost twenty feet long. The corridors on all sides are guarded by guards and are heavily guarded. There are large wells on the left and right of the palace to supply water to the palace; in the southeast of the courtyard, , there is also a heavy tower built in the south, with a hanging bell and a hanging drum tower. There are engraved bells and drums under the tower. At a certain time, the bells and drums will sound to tell the time.
The palace itself is even more grand and spacious, with thirteen bays, twenty-nine three-level pillars, twenty-four surrounding pillars, carved sills, snow lintels, beautiful pillars, wells, hanging lotuses, and flying rainbows, which are dazzling to watch.
Kou Zhong followed Xu Ziling at the end of the team and walked side by side.
They no longer have to worry about Li Shimin, but they worry about Bai Sheng.
The current situation is that Li Shimin thought they were Shang Xiufang's people, while Bai Sheng believed they were Wang Shichong's people.
Therefore, as long as Wang Shichong's guards show any signs of not treating them as one of their own, they will know that they are fake.
This outcome seems inevitable.
Without Li Shimin accompanying them, they might still be able to try to take control of Bai Sheng first, but of course they can't do that now.
When I was having a headache, the carriage and horse slowly stopped.
When Song Mengqiu came down from the hall to greet him, Li Shimin jumped off his horse and personally opened the door for Shang Xiufang.
There were guards all around and it was impossible to escape.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged helpless glances and then dismounted.
The guards came to lead their horses.
"Boom"!
A loud thunder shook the palace city.
The strong wind blew up, causing everyone's clothes to flutter and the horses to jump and neigh.
The heavy rain then changed from sparse to dense.
Song Mengqiu seemed to have been ready to open the umbrella he carried to cover the stunning beauty stepping out of the carriage. The others had to be drowned for the time being.
The earth is dark and the sky is dusk.
When Shang Xiufang, Li Shimin and others hurriedly entered the palace, the rain started to pour down.
The happiest thing was of course that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling took advantage of everyone to take shelter from the rain and spread out their body skills to sneak to the bell tower in the southeast without anyone noticing.
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When the two of them looked at the elegant and grand Qianyang Palace, they had a strange feeling that history was repeating itself, and they even felt a little shuddering.
The palace was about thirty feet away from the bell tower where they were, and the situation in Rong Mansion was roughly the same as last night. The heavy rain also turned day into night.
The corridors surrounding the main hall were filled with guards taking shelter from the rain, and the only way for them to enter the hall was to attack targets in the hall from top to bottom through the windows close to the hall.
Kou Zhong took a deep breath and said: Don't you have a way to cross such a long distance? Can you repeat the same trick here?
Xu Ziling said: Of course it is easier now because we have an extra long rope that was originally used to climb the city wall. Come on!
Kou Zhong took off his backpack, took out the ten-foot-long rope, handed it to Xu Ziling and said: This time it depends on your ability!
Xu Ziling confidently tied the two ends of the rope tightly around their waists and said: If this method cannot reach Qianyang Palace, then you can use it to escape!
He easily pulled out his Jing Zhongyue.
Kou Zhong protested: You should at least tell me how to cooperate?
Xu Ziling said: It's very simple. I will send you into the air and you can glide with your luck. Then my brother will throw you out of the moon in the well. Then you will learn how to shake the public and step on it. Use the force of the knife to throw it to the destination like a flying cymbal. The most important thing is to use your skills to absorb the knife. If a "ding" sound is heard in the temple, we will declare the end together.
Kou Zhong immediately looked up and said: I really belong to you!
Xu Ziling shouted: Get up!
Kou Zhong jumped away from the bell tower, Xu Ziling stretched out his palms and used the soles of his feet to lift him up, sending him diagonally up to ten feet high into the thunderstorm sky.
Normally, it would be strange if no one would notice a sudden appearance of a trapeze artist, but in such a strong wind and heavy rain, even if someone was willing to look at the sky in fear, they would not be able to see them.
A bolt of lightning cracked the void above Kou Zhong's head.
When Kou Zhong reached the end of his momentum, he flipped and slid towards the palace like a fish.
At this time, Xu Ziling also jumped up and pursued Kou Zhong.
In the sound of heavy rain, Koo Zhong "swam" through a space of nearly ten feet and was still nearly fifteen feet away from the palace. When Xu Ziling's lucky throw, the moon in the well happened to be under him.
Kou Zhong grabbed the handle of the knife and raised his Qi to lighten his body.
"Kick"!
The little rope between the two of them was stretched straight.
When Kou Zhong was led to the edge of the hall, Xu Ziling was also led by Yousuo and used his strength to do another somersault and fall next to him.
The time for action has come.
The two of them leaned forward and looked down.
Through the breathable windows approaching the hall, the vast hall is brightly lit, with more than ten seats arranged in two rows facing the Chairman.
The melodious music and chatter and laughter seemed to be strange sounds from another world amidst the sound of rain hitting the tile eaves.
Kou Zhong leaned into Xu Ziling's ear and asked: Does Li Zi's public attendance at Wang Shichong's grand gathering in the palace mean that he indirectly recognized Wang Shichong's throne?
Xu Ziling was carefully observing the situation when he saw that the first seat on the left of Chairman Wang Shichong was Wang Xuanying, who was Lang Feng, Song Mengqiu, Rong Fengxiang and others, but the seat on the right was Shang Xiufang, and the second seat was Li Shimin. The others were all officials and celebrities from Luoyang.
He replied angrily: It's a good thing you still have time to think about such things. Of course Li Zi is willing to attend this luncheon for his own reasons!
As he spoke, the rainwater flowed down his neck and into his face and mouth, giving him a feeling of letting go and ready to fight at any time.
The whole world was filled with thunder, lightning, and rain. Compared with the warm lights inside the temple, the outside seemed particularly violent and cold.
The rain poured down from the tile surface like an endless stream of water onto the steps beside the hall corridor.
The guards all shrank to the side of the corridor against the palace wall. It seemed that they were the only two people in the entire palace hanging from the eaves, letting the wind and rain beat them.
Every head is dripping with water.
Wang Shichong's hateful voice came vaguely from the palace: "Xiu Fang and everyone are leaving by boat tonight, so let's all pay homage to her and wish her a safe journey."
Only then did the two of them suddenly understand why the banquet was held at noon and why Li Shimin was willing to come to the banquet.
Kou Zhong came over and said, "How about I pretend to assassinate Wang Shichong and you take charge of capturing Xuanying?"
Xu Ziling shook his head and said: Wang Shichong, I will be responsible for you to deal with Li Zi so that the three guys Yuchi Jingde can be restrained.
Kou Zhong said in astonishment: Then who is going to arrest him?
Xu Ziling took off his mask and said: Of course, my younger brother Wang Xuanying will rush to save the master when he sees him being attacked. That is the moment he is captured.
Kou Zhong followed his example and took off his mask and said: You are so proud that as long as he is more powerful than Rong Jiaojiao, it will be enough to give you a headache. Hey! Could you and I kill the plum by mistake?
Xu Ziling said solemnly: Our goal is to save Mr. Xu. If you are greedy for victory and are captured by the enemy, we will lose everything. Then it will not be Mr. Xu who needs to be replaced, but you, a stupid guy. Do you understand?
Kou Zhong smiled bitterly and said: Why do I always seem stupid in front of you?
Xu Ziling stopped talking nonsense to him and asked: When will we do it?
Kou Zhong muttered: What about you?
Xu Ziling wiped away the rain that sealed his eyes, smiled and said softly: Of course it is when the enemy's alertness is at its lowest! Tell me when should we take action?
Kou Zhong smiled brightly and said: This is called a hero who has the same vision as our Xiu Fang. The moment when everyone opens the mouth of gold is the moment for us to take action.