Zhu Qianyu took the tea poured by Zhuxiang, took a sip, and said harmoniously: "Princess Miao just said, what is the name of this tea?"
Zhuxiang reported: "Back to Your Highness, this is called Lanxue Tea, and it is collected from Shaoxing Prefecture."
"Oh," Zhu Qianju nodded, "When I was a child, I heard my master say that Uncle Ouyang Yong said that two Zhejiang fragrant teas come from the place where King Gou Jian of Yue made swords as the best quality."
Outside the courtyard, Miao Ruiyun and Liu Shimin were interrogating Tong Xiyu's men.
The miserable screams made by these uninvited guests tonight when they were tortured did not affect Zhu Qianyu at all.
This royal man, who was in his prime, continued to sip the tea leisurely, and occasionally sighed: "Liang Zhejiang is just my backyard. It's a pity that my ancestors have never drank such good tea in their entire lives."
Miao Zhuxiang didn't dare to answer the conversation, she just stood quietly with her eyes lowered.
Zhuxiang has been serving Miao Ruiyun for many years and has always had dealings with big figures overtly and covertly. Even when she faced Liu Shimin and Ningde Zhenggong, she did not feel as frightened as she did now.
The descendant of Emperor Jianwen in front of him, the nephew of Mu Atai, the leader who still calls himself "the widow", is the real master of these warriors who returned to their homeland. Zhuxiang saw it for the first time today.
Zhuxiang felt that Zhu Qianyu, who was clearly speaking plainly to the guards and servants on his left and right, always had a sinister aura like the cold light of snake scales.
The torture in the courtyard takes a break.
After a while, the guards sent by Miao Ruiyun and Zhu Qianyu to supervise the trial walked into the room.
The moment Miao Ruiyun recognized Han Xiying, he actually breathed a sigh of relief.
Obviously, this group of criminals who fell from the sky tonight are not assassins from the capital.
Fortunately, there was no informant under his command.
"Your Highness," Miao Ruiyun said with a look of apology, "it is a little girl I have offended before, who came to seek revenge and disturb Your Highness."
Zhu Qianyu hurriedly stood up and supported Miao Ruiyun: "Auntie, don't be anxious. Let's sit down and drink tea first and take a breather before talking."
Zhuxiang hurriedly served orchid snow tea.
Miao Ruiyun moistened her lips and spoke again: "The girl from the Han family, a local wealthy gentleman, was used as a gunman by the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu family a few years ago to kill her sister. After teaching Miss Zheng and I to expose it, we went to Liaodong to give it to her. Being a concubine to a guerrilla general is a form of punishment. I never thought of becoming a slave and going back to the south to secretly learn firearms skills. When I came here, I wanted to take my old wife's life."
"Oh..." Zhu Qianyu leaned back on his chair, his Taoist robe hanging down like a slightly tilted jade mountain.
The handsome young master looked at Liu Shimin, who was standing at the threshold: "I don't think he is an assassin in the capital. If the one on the dragon throne is as General Liu said, a big move is about to happen, and there will be chaos inside and outside the imperial city." When it comes to a pot of porridge. Even if my aunt, or Zheng Chieffu, or General Liu's subordinates are really selling out for glory, they should report the pony general first."
Liu Shimin took a few steps forward and said calmly: "What His Highness said is absolutely true."
Zhu Qianyu thought for a while: "Bring in the buck-toothed woman in the lead."
Tong Xiyu was pushed into the house.
Han Xiying and her servants have dealt with the cause and effect, so Tong Xiyu doesn't have to be punished.
After coming to the south, everything went smoothly for her, but she suddenly encountered a strange turn of events. After being shocked and confused for a moment, she gradually guessed from the hidden expert guards in the courtyard that the Mrs. Miao mentioned by Han Xiying must be more than just a palace servant who had retired to the palace. So simple.
With disheveled hair, she looked like a she-wolf that had fallen into a trap and still managed to survive, staring arrogantly at Zhu Qianjue and others.
There was no seriousness in the eyes between Zhu Qianyu and her.
"Your surname is Tong? Are you also from Ming Dynasty in your family?"
Tong Xiyu said coldly: "Our Tong Jia family's ancestors are Jurchens."
"Oh," Zhu Qianyu smiled, "Actually, it doesn't matter where your ancestors are from. This generation who came out to make a living is a capable person, even if they are worthy of their ancestors. I guess that you, a woman, can take on such an important task and have extraordinary strategies. There should be strong support at the foot of the mountain and even outside Songjiang Mansion."
Tong Xiyu said nothing.
Zhu Qianyu stood up, took two steps forward, and continued: "You are not bad at dealing with your subordinates, and you are actually willing to personally take action for her personal grudges. Well, actually, I have the same temperament."
As soon as he finished speaking the last two words of "xinxing", he suddenly raised his sleeves and saw a flash of white shadow. Along with the sound of arrowheads flying out, a woman's screams were immediately heard in the courtyard.
That was Han Xiying's voice.
"Where did it hit?" Zhu Qianyu asked.
A guard came to report: "Your Highness, that woman had an arrow in her eye socket."
"Left eye or right eye?"
"Right eye."
"Oh, it's the eye that was fine originally. I can't see anyone this time. Go give her a good time. I can't bear to hear a woman screaming so miserably."
The guard followed the order and pierced the chest of Han Xiying who was rolling on the ground with his sword.
The last beast-like cry sounded in the night, and the courtyard immediately fell silent.
Zhu Qianyu turned around and said to Tong Xiyu: "This girl has offended my people, I can't spare her. The remaining followers of yours, who lost their lives due to lack of skill in the close combat, cannot rely on me. The two who are still alive, don't blame them. It's not easy to confess but hold grudges, go out for a walk, and gather a few skilled subordinates. You will always need them in the future."
Tong Xiyu's expression changed this time and she asked tentatively: "Young Master, do you want to let me go?"
Zhu Qianyu nodded: "You didn't come for me in the first place, what should I do to kill you?"
As soon as he said this, Miao Ruiyun and Liu Shimin were also shocked.
This woman is a Jurchen spy, and the girl surnamed Han also said that they got the French diagram of the firearms factory. Why did His Highness let them go like this?
Tong Xiyu frowned and asked Zhu Qianyu, "Aren't you from the Ming Dynasty?"
Zhu Qianhuan said: "What Mingren and Jurchens are like floating in the air? They are like a sand gull in the sky and the earth."
Tong Xiyu grew up in a wealthy family, but she also had a teacher to teach her. She knew this poem and felt strangely sad about it.
The two servants of the Tong family in the courtyard staggered to their feet and walked over: "Master, shall we go?"
Tong Xiyu no longer hesitated and said to Zhu Qianyu: "Young Master is an open-minded person. We will meet again later."
…
Blacksmith Du made a gourd with his hands and took water from the river to wash his face to relieve his anxiety.
Looking at the position of the moon, it's almost midnight, and the sky in the east is already faintly white. Master, why haven't they come down from the mountain yet?
He turned back and looked at Zheng Haizhu, who was tied up by the string of the boat.
This trapped beast kept its eyes wide open and looked around.
Another servant of the Tong family muttered to Blacksmith Du: "This woman has never given birth and has a very smooth body. If the master hadn't forbidden her, I would have really wanted to eat her."
He wanted to continue complaining, but Blacksmith Du suddenly "shushed" and told him to shut up.
After listening for a moment, Blacksmith Du lowered his voice and said, "A ship is coming."
The two of them passed quickly by Zheng Haizhu, walked to the stern of the boat, cleared away the dense aquatic plants, and looked out.
On the river under the moonlight, the silence all night was broken, and a canoe was slowly cruising.
"Sail at night?" the servant who had just spoken nonsense asked in a low voice.
"Something's wrong. How can a night sailing ship not light a lantern?" Blacksmith Du denied his companion's judgment.
They turned back almost at the same time, looked at Zheng Haizhu, and confirmed that the woman's mouth was tightly blocked, and she could only helplessly make an inaudible "wow" sound.
Blacksmith Du was fortunate that his boat was parked in a good place, covered by reeds, so it was inconspicuous even during the day, let alone at night.
But he soon discovered that he was wrong.
The canoe was getting closer and closer, like an oncoming ghost.
The moment the bow parted from the reeds, several torches suddenly lit up on the deck, illuminating the surrounding area.
At the same time, with just a "pop" sound, Zheng Haizhu jumped into the river without hesitation.