Liu Jin watched Chen Shiyi ride away, then turned to look in the direction of the Mountain Temple, waiting for Xiao Lizi and several guards to escort him over. The red lanterns in the direction of the Mountain Temple had been extinguished, and there was no movement in the darkness.
"What are you doing, Xiao Lizi? Why haven't you escorted him over yet?" Liu Jin frowned.
"My father-in-law, I humble myself to go and have a look." The guard, a Mongolian horse-horseman, bowed and said.
"Okay, tell them to hurry up," Liu Jin said.
The guard ran through the mass graves towards the hillside far away. Under the moonlight, his hazy back was vaguely visible. He jumped high and low with great agility, and soon disappeared from sight.
The surroundings suddenly became quiet again, and Liu Jin rubbed her hands and paced back and forth, waiting. After a while, the frightened shouts of the guards came. Although they were miles apart, they were still clearly distinguishable in the quiet night.
"What is he shouting?" Liu Jin frowned.
"When I reported back to my father-in-law, I seemed to be shouting 'something happened'." A guard said.
Liu Jin was startled, and her heart began to tremble.
"Quick, let's go take a look." Liu Jin hurriedly ran towards the graveyard. In a hurry, he stepped into a grass pit and fell.
"My father-in-law, don't be anxious. I'm responsible for my humble duty." A guard stepped forward to help him up and said.
"Then what are you waiting for? Why don't you go behind my back?" Liu Jin yelled.
The guard knelt down, and Liu Jin climbed on his back. The guard gave him a backhand hug, and Liu Jin uttered an ouch, reached out and slapped the guard on the head, and cursed: "You have an injury on your butt, you bastard, you can't support me."
The guard apologized repeatedly, hugged Liu Jin's legs with both hands, and rushed forward. Several guards protected him, and everyone passed through the land of mass graves and rushed to the opposite hill.
Halfway through, the man harrassing the horse rushed over, shouting, and Liu Jin shouted: "What's the ghost calling? What's going on? Where are Xiao Lizi and the others?"
The Tatar guard said in panic: "They are dead, they are all dead."
"What?" Liu Jin's scalp felt numb.
"Where are the witnesses? Where are the physical evidences? Are they there?" Liu Jin shouted.
"Father-in-law, let's go and see it by yourself. I'm humble... I'm not watching..."
The dilapidated mountain temple was in a mess. Xiao Lizi and two guards were lying dead in front of the collapsed Buddha statue. Blood was flowing all over the ground. The corpse's injuries were all critical, with stab wounds to the throat and chest, killing him with a single stab.
The red lantern carried on a long pole fell on the ground outside the temple, already extinguished.
Liu Jin searched all over, but found no witnesses, evidence, blood letters or anything like that. There was nothing.
Liu Jin collapsed on the ground, her hands and feet limp, and her whole body was dripping with cold sweat.
I was fooled! I was fooled by Chen Shiyi. There was no evidence at all. In order to escape, Chen Shiyi lied that the evidence was in the mountain temple, and deceived himself into sending someone to see it. Xiao Lizi brought someone here
When they got here, they were restrained by the people who were ambushing here. They must have understood the signal, and then sent a false signal, killing Xiao Lizi and others.
The whole matter was planned and arranged extremely cleverly. He took advantage of his eagerness to exchange witnesses and evidence and his little negligence to create this situation.
Liu Jin tried his best to stay calm and thought carefully. Although the witnesses and physical evidence were missing, it did not mean that Chen Shiyi had none. Otherwise, how could he know in such detail? In other words, Chen Shiyi not only extorted his money, but also probably
The evidence must be handed over. Or maybe this is simply a trick arranged by Zhang Yanling. They want to put themselves to death, but before that, they have to blackmail themselves for a sum of money and have their bones sucked out.
Too cruel, this thief is too cruel.
Liu Jin gasped for air, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and thought carefully about countermeasures.
"It's not too late!" Liu Jin jumped up.
"It's still too late. They are not sure that Chen Shiyi will leave safely before they start. If we rush into the city before Chen Shiyi, things may be possible. Your Majesty... If it is impossible, control the Emperor. The Emperor is surrounded by people
My people. Shi Wenyi’s Jinyiwei Dahan General Camp, and... yes... and the four foreigners
Army, Qiu Ju's Dongchang. I have many soldiers and horses in my hands. I simply don't stop doing anything, control the emperor, and let the emperor issue an order. Control Zhang Yanling, Xu Guangzuo, Zhang Lun and the others who lead the army. As long as
There is no order from the leader in the Beijing camp, so everything is under his control." Liu Jin thought quickly in his mind.
At this moment, he was extremely sober, but also fell into extreme madness. The anger of being tricked and the danger that the incident would be revealed prompted him to make a decision that he could only think about in his heart, but today he would take risks.
"Go back to the city. Hurry up and go back to the capital. Bahan'er is good at riding. He must ride back to the city first and make sure to enter the city ahead of Chen Shi. The moonlight is dim. His riding skills are not as good as yours and he can't run fast. Tell me after entering the city.
Guard the east city, close the city gate, and no one is allowed to enter. In addition, go and notify Shi Wenyi Qiuju and ask them to gather their manpower. I will be there in a minute." Liu Jin gave the order loudly.
The man roping the horse was stunned. Liu Jin spoke quickly and urgently, and he had not yet reacted.
"What are you doing standing still? You bastard, go quickly." Liu Jin cursed.
The guard responded loudly and ran away.
…
At the first watch, Zhang Yanling entered the palace to see the driver.
Zhu Houzhao was in the Leopard Room. Zhang Yanling went directly to the Leopard Room and saw Jiang Bin drinking and having fun with Zhu Houzhao. A group of women from the Leopard Room were singing and dancing. Zhu Houzhao laughed from time to time.
Zhu Houzhao was a little surprised when he heard Zhang Yanling asked for an audience. Zhang Yanling rarely came to the palace to see the emperor at such a time. Although it disturbed his elegance, he was worried that he had something to ask for, so he dismissed the singing and dancing girl and ordered someone to invite Zhang Yanling to come in.
See.
After meeting and asking, Zhang Yanling said that it was nothing serious and just wanted to meet the emperor. She said she wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with the emperor and go rowing in Taiye Pond to admire the moon together.
Zhu Houzhao was very puzzled. Today was not a full moon, so what kind of moon could he enjoy? But Zhang Yanling had to give him face. Besides, it was a bit depressing in the Leopard Room, and the night was still long. It was okay to go to the lake to take a boat for fun.
So Zhu Houzhao ordered people to prepare a boat and move some wine and food to the deck of the leading ship Liu Jin specially built for Zhu Houzhao. Zhu Houzhao, Zhang Yanling, Jiang Bin and others boarded the ship and went boating and drinking in Taiye Lake.
The two of them were drinking and talking. When the wine was full, Zhang Yanling changed the topic to the late emperor.
"Your Majesty, do you still remember? When the late emperor was still alive, he once took you, my brothers from the Zhang family, and the queen mother, and we went boating in Taiye Lake. It didn't seem to be a full moon that day.
"The Queen Mother saw that the Emperor had been working hard for days, so she specially arranged for the Emperor to come out for some fresh air," Zhang Yanling said.
Zhu Houzhao never liked to talk about the late emperor. He hated comparing his father with him. But he remembered this incident.
"I remember that my father was very happy that night and even caught a big fish with a fishing rod. Unfortunately, we don't have fishing rods on the boat. I'll ask Liu Jin to prepare some tomorrow," Zhu Houzhao said.
"The Emperor's memory is so good that I have even forgotten about the late Emperor's fishing. The Emperor seemed to be ten years old at that time, so he remembers everything clearly. Alas, more than ten years have passed, and the late Emperor has been dead for five years. I think. The late emperor was diligent, worked hard for the Ming Dynasty, and lived a frugal and self-disciplined life. Unexpectedly, he was unlucky and died young. It is really heartbreaking." Zhang Yanling sighed.
Zhu Houzhao frowned and said: "Uncle, what are you going to say? I'm a little surprised that you came into the palace tonight. Today is neither my father's birthday nor my father's death anniversary. What are you talking about?"
Jiang Bin also said from the side: "That's right, Lord Protector, why are you talking about these things to make the emperor unhappy? Why are you talking about these things when you are drinking happily?"
Zhang Yanling frowned and looked at Jiang Bin and said: "Master Jiang, do you have the right to speak here? Why are you talking so much? You are the commander of the Fourth Outer Army, why are you in the palace?"
Jiang Bin was stunned for a moment and said hurriedly: "It's the Emperor..."
Zhu Houzhao said: "I asked him to accompany me hunting in the palace. There are many wild animals on Qionghua Island these days, and the weather is hot, which is suitable for hunting. Jiang Bin has good martial arts and excellent archery skills, so I asked him to accompany me. With."
Zhang Yanling had long heard that Jiang Bin had been favored recently and was often in the palace. Jiang Bin sent his sister to the palace to present to the emperor. The woman was very popular with the emperor, so Jiang Bin also became happy with the emperor.
This routine is actually not surprising. But no matter how favored he is, Zhang Yanling will not give him face tonight.
"Master Jiang, I heard that you adopted Liu Jin as your adoptive father, right?" Zhang Yanling asked.
Jiang Bin was stunned, neither denying nor admitting. He was frozen there for a moment.
Zhu Houzhao said in surprise: "Is there such a thing?"
Jiang Bin hurriedly said: "I'd like to report to the emperor that there is no such thing. It was spread falsely by others."
Zhu Houzhao laughed and said: "What do you mean, don't you worship me as your adopted father? I have given you the surname Zhu, so how can you be Liu Jin's adopted son? Isn't that a mess?"
Zhang Yanling was shocked. She didn't expect that Jiang Bin had gotten so mixed up. This guy was so good at flattering people that he had become the emperor's godson. I'm afraid the emperor also thought it was funny, it was just nonsense.
"The Emperor loves you, my ministers, my ministers. Jiang Bin is naturally the emperor's godson. How could he be the adopted son of Eunuch Liu? The Protector was misled by hearsay." Jiang Bin said hurriedly.
Zhang Yanling smiled and nodded: "Very good, being the emperor's adopted son is a thousand times better than being Liu Jin's adopted son. Besides, it's better to keep a distance from Liu Jin. This person is sinister, cruel, and ambitious. If you, Mr. Jiang, follow If he doesn't cut off the relationship, he will be exhausted to death sooner or later."
Zhang Yanling was so straightforward and said such words in front of the emperor, Zhu Houzhao was shocked.
"Uncle, can't you and Liu Jin still reconcile? I don't want you to fight back and forth. What you said just now is over." Zhu Houzhao said solemnly.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I am entering the palace tonight to do a big thing. Does your Majesty know why I want to mention the late emperor? Does your Majesty remember how the late emperor died? Your Majesty, some people do this He has done something treasonous and treasonous. Soon you will see him jumping over the wall in a hurry. I am entering the palace tonight to eliminate the thieves lurking around the emperor."
Zhu Houzhao stood up in shock. Jiang Bin also heard that the words were wrong and said in shock: "Duke Guoguo, you are not targeting this official, are you? This official is not a thief."
Zhang Yanling said: "You are not qualified yet. I am talking about Liu Jin."
Zhu Houzhao said in shock: "What's wrong with Liu Jin? Don't mess around. I won't allow you to touch Liu Jin. If you mess around, I won't obey you."
Zhang Yanling smiled slightly, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, sit down and drink in peace. Let's stay on this boat. Your Majesty will know what's going on in a while. Please let me talk about it. It's not that I don't want to speak directly, but the Emperor still sees it with his own eyes."
It's better to watch Liu Jin's face for a while. It's a hundred times better than me saying it. Your Majesty, today is a good day, and I would like to toast you."
Zhang Yanling picked up the wine, looked at Zhu Houzhao who looked surprised, and drank it all in one gulp.