It's still the New Year, and ordinary people are still enjoying the rare lazy sleep of the year. However, the shopkeeper and waiters of Qingqiu Inn have already been picked up, and they are standing far outside the door in the cold wind, covered in blood.
Shivering, not only from cold, but also from fear.
Within a hundred meters of the entire inn, there were already soldiers with bright armor standing there, completely surrounding the place. Their sharp spears and knives shone white in the rising sun, making them look like they were facing a formidable enemy.
appearance.
The innkeeper secretly complained. He was open for business. Although he didn't know who these officials were here to arrest, who dared to stay in his hotel after such a commotion? While he was sighing, several people entered first.
The Imperial Guards who were arresting people came out of the shop, holding a person tightly in their hands. He was unkempt and smelled of alcohol, and his eyes were still red from a hangover.
"Who dares to catch me? Why don't you let me go quickly?" The drunkard yelled to himself, holding his head high and struggling for a while, but a thick iron chain was put around his neck, and his hands and feet were tied together, making him unable to move at all.
Immediately afterwards, two more people were escorted out, a man and a woman. The man was as strong as a cow, and the woman was as beautiful as a fairy. However, they did not resist too much. The man was dejected, while the woman was cold.
Looking at the drunken man coldly, Judu said nothing and allowed the imperial army to take them away.
The Imperial Guards came and went like the wind, and soon disappeared outside the inn. Everything on the street was as usual, as if what happened just now had never happened at all.
Xu Zizhen was put in a black cloth cover, and his face was completely covered. He couldn't see the outside at all, and people outside couldn't see what he looked like. It didn't take long for him to be taken to a place. The imperial guards who were escorting him were very rough.
He threw him to the ground, and then there was a sound like a door slamming.
The ground was crushed mud, cold and hard. Xu Zizhen's back hurt after being thrown. He cursed and sat up. His hands and wrists were tied, but fortunately they were not tied behind his back. He stretched out his hand and lifted his head
He took off the cloth cover and looked around and saw that he was in a large room with high beams and a small skylight on the top. There were no other windows and only a closed door.
Daye and Zhuo Ya were nearby, which reassured him that his arrest was not part of the plan, which made him somewhat surprised. However, he believed that Master Xiao's old fox would not be willing to let him do it now.
Just die.
Just because there were no windows on the wall didn't mean that no one could peek in. He didn't dare to say anything to Ohno now. He just winked secretly and then cursed loudly: "Come here! What the hell is this place? Why?
Catch me? Come out to me alive if you can!"
Daye also started to curse, noisily, but there was no sound outside the door, and no one paid any attention to them. Zhuo Ya still sat quietly next to her, expressionless, not even bothering to look at Xu Zizhen.
Above the court, Xia Chongzong and Li Qianshun, who looked sleepy, sat listlessly. After yawning heavily, he asked: "What else do you have to do, sir? If you have nothing to do, just retreat."
The eunuch next to him opened his mouth and was about to shout out the word "Retreat from the Dynasty" when he saw someone standing out from the hall: "I have a script to start with!"
The person who stood up was Mou Xianting, the privy envoy and a solid supporter of the current Emperor of Daxia. Chongzong could only ask lazily: "What's the matter with Mou Qing? Tell me."
Mou Xianting looked solemn: "Your Majesty, Xu Zizhen spread rumors and made trouble in a market restaurant yesterday, and I have detained him."
"Xu Zizhen?" Chongzong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly woke up, "Did you arrest him? What rumors did he make?"
Mou Xianting's expression did not change, and he said calmly: "This man falsely claims that he can predict the world's affairs, and he can even predict... which prince your Majesty will pass on to the throne."
Wow! The entire court suddenly burst into commotion.
Discussing state affairs is already a capital crime, let alone talking about the inheritance of the throne. Is this something that a small commoner can discuss? Moreover, everyone present knows about Xu Zizhen. He is not even a citizen of Daxia. All he can say is
He is just a Song Dynasty person who defected.
Chongzong's face also looked unhappy, but he did not have an attack. He just endured his unhappiness and said: "This man has done a good job in saving Luo'er. Besides, Luo'er has... Mou Aiqing, you should just let him go."
He didn't tell the whole story, but everyone knew what the emperor wanted to say. Originally, Princess Yuping was going to marry Xu Zizhen, but now the emperor insisted on changing the princess to Mou Xianting's son. He owed Xu Zizhen a lot of moral debt.
Mou Xianting did not accept the order: "Your Majesty, think twice, this man is arrogant and bold by nature. If you let him go, there is no guarantee that he will speak nonsense again. Your Majesty's reputation must not be tarnished, not to mention the defeat of the Eastern Expedition Army.
People got up, so I think that Xu Zizhen will never stay again! Your Majesty, please give me a clear warning!" After saying that, he knelt down and bowed to the ground.
It was already clear at this point that Mou Xianting was loyal to the emperor and would never allow the imperial power to be insulted or slandered in any way, so it was appropriate for Xu Zizhen to die. All the civil and military officials in the court unanimously turned their attention to Master Xiao, who was standing silently aside.
The two have always been sworn enemies. According to old habits, if one party impeaches someone, the other party will definitely defend it. But today, everyone was a little disappointed. Master Xiao did not react at all, as if he was asleep.
No one in the court objected, and even officials from Mou Xianting's faction spoke out in agreement. Chongzong's face kept changing, and he suddenly stood up. The eunuch shouted: "Retreat!"
The emperor said nothing, but Mou Xianting had already got the answer.
…
In that unknown room, Xu Zizhen had stopped shouting. For a whole hour, no one paid attention to him. His voice was so smokey that he simply lay down on the ground and looked at the roof leisurely, humming.
An unknown ditty, but it is being calculated in my mind.
Not many people know about my plan. Apart from myself and Daye, there is also Yu Qi. Now there is only Chongzong Li Qianshun. The less people know about Infernal Affairs, the better, otherwise they will die miserably.
It's just that now he feels a little unsure. He doesn't know whether Chongzong, an old fox, will cooperate with him and whether he can cooperate well.
The sky was getting dark, and a whole day had passed since he was captured in the morning. Xu Zizhen's stomach was already screaming with hunger, but the team of forbidden soldiers who captured him seemed to have forgotten them, and they didn't even have a bowl of water.
Send it in.
Just as he was thinking about it, there was suddenly a sound of unlocking outside the door, and then a rough servant walked in, holding a food box in his hand, followed by two tall Imperial Guards.
In the food box are three large rice bowls. A large piece of fat and oily meat is piled on top of a bowl full of rice. A pair of chopsticks are inserted at an angle, and the aroma is fragrant.
Xu Zizhen had long been so hungry that his chest was pressed against his back. At this moment, he could not bear it anymore. He raised his chin to the two forbidden soldiers and said, "Come here and take this thing off for me." After saying that, he raised his wrist and said iron
The chain jingled.
"you……"
One of the forbidden soldiers was furious, and the other patted him on the shoulder and sneered: "Why bother with him? Just let him finish eating and go on his way. Don't waste time."