Number Three's words were strange. He was far away in the capital, but it seemed that the situation was so urgent that it happened right beside me … Li Miaozhen's slender and delicate eyebrows slightly frowned.
She actually had something to do tonight. After the incident of the military remonstrance during the day, she vaguely sensed the killing intent hidden under Inspector Zhang's smiling appearance due to her keen intuition as a cultivator in Tenzō.
Therefore, she planned to go to the courier station before dusk to see if there was any room for negotiation.
But Number Three was a netizen she valued very much. He was upright, brave, smart and wise, and was an admirable scholar. If Number Three was in trouble, she couldn't ignore it.
Just as she thought of this, she saw a line of words slowly appearing on the surface of the jade mirror.
[The real mastermind of the Yunzhou case is Governor Song. Inspector Zhang solved the mystery and originally planned to arrest Song Zhangfu in a thunderous manner.
[But Song Zhangfu sensed the danger in advance and designed a scheme to confuse Inspector Zhang and the night watchman, and secretly sealed the city gate. Now the White Emperor city is full of killing intent, and the inspection team is afraid of an accident. Number Two, quickly send troops to help.]
The mastermind was Governor Song?!
Li Miaozhen was stunned for a while as if a heavy hammer hit her head. Song Zhangfu was the mastermind, which meant the Qi Party who colluded with the Witchcraft Cult was Song Zhangfu.
Song Zhangfu was a member of the Qi Party?
There was no time to think so much. If what Number Three said was true, then the turmoil in the White Emperor city would break out at any moment. No, even a fierce war had already started.
If Inspector Zhang had an accident, the entire Yunzhou would slide into an uncontrollable abyss. Jiang Lvzhong was a Level Four martial artist. Once the war started, the people in the city would inevitably be affected.
And this was just the beginning of the turmoil. Next spring, the imperial court would definitely send troops to attack Yunzhou. Under the flames of war, many people would be plunged into misery and suffering.
Li Miaozhen suddenly stood up, her hand already grabbing the silver spear that was leaning against the table, but at this moment, she suddenly froze.
A series of big question marks flashed in her mind, and then they gathered into one question: How did Number Three know these things?
Number Three was far away in the capital, how did he know what happened in Yunzhou?
She had a vague guess in her mind, which set off a storm in her heart. The degree of shock was no less than Governor Song's mutiny.
Therefore, Li Miaozhen paused and stood on the spot. Her fingers trembled as she sent a message: [How did you know about this?]
After the message was sent, no one responded for a long time.
Li Miaozhen raised her eyebrows and turned to the female ghost, Susu, who was sitting on the edge of the bed and reading a book with her head lowered. She said, "Pass my order, assemble the Flying Swallow Army."
The way Susu lowered her head to read her book was like a gentle, intelligent, and well-educated young lady from a wealthy family. That kind of elegance was engraved in her bones.
It would be perfect if the book he was reading wasn't "The Romance of XX".
"Liu Liu"
Susu Su Reluctantly, she left. She Liu, Liu and Liu, she, Liu. One Two that Liu, one, in, Liu was, and was,
She was a little depressed. The male protagonists in the book were all handsome scholars, gentle and cultured, and knowledgeable.
If she rebuilt her body in the future, she would have to be the concubine of Xu Qi 'an, the lecherous man.
The gap was too big.
Watching the female ghost go out to mobilize the army, Li Miaozhen, who did not want to waste time, sent a message with a gloomy face. [If you don't tell me, I won't send a single soldier.]
Of course, this was just a threat. Li Miaozhen wanted to grow wings and fly to White Emperor City.
[Three: Actually, I accepted a mission from the academy and went to Yunzhou in secret.]
[Two: Do you think I'm a fool?]
Number Three was a student of Yunlu Academy. As everyone knew, the Spring Quarter Examination was the time for all the scholars in the world. Number Four had mentioned that Number Three was going to take the Spring Quarter Examination, and Number Three did not deny it.
Yunlu Academy and Yunzhou had nothing to do with each other. What would make Number Three give up his precious time to prepare for the exam and go to the south? The academy was full of talents, so why did it have to be Number Three?
A student of Yunlu Academy was ordered to go to the south, but he had a thorough understanding of the Yunzhou case. It was too unreasonable. Unless someone leaked it to him … Xu Qi 'an would definitely leak it to his cousin, assuming that Number Three was that cousin.
Then there was another way to verify whether Number Three was lying, and that was to ask Number One and ask him or her to go to Yunlu Academy to find out.
But that would take too much time. In the current situation, time was life. So Number Two asked directly. She hoped that Number Three would tell the truth.
[Three: Okay, I'll tell you everything. I'm Xu Qi 'an, and I'm Number Three.]
Number Three was Xu Qi 'an?!
Li Miaozhen was petrified on the spot. Her pretty oval face was as dull as a stone.
She seemed to hear something crumbling in her heart, rumbling and falling apart.
An upright, kind-hearted, and righteous scholar (×)
A despicable, shameless, hypocritical, and lecherous night watchman (√)
The image of Number Three in her heart went through a series of processes, such as collapse and reconstruction.
Li Miaozhen was furious when she heard the bad news. She felt that she had been deceived, her feelings had been played, and she had been played like a monkey.
To be honest, she had a good impression of Number Three. Number Three was not as scheming as Number One, who loved to peek at the screen. He was also not like Number Four, who seemed gentle but was actually very arrogant.
As for Number Five, Number Six, and Number Nine, they each had their own characteristics, but in terms of appearance, they were not as good as Number Three.
But, everything was a lie.
At this moment, Li Miaozhen recalled Number Three's evaluation of Xu Qi 'an in her mind.
"Shameless, absolutely shameless …" She held her silver spear tightly, her chest heaving up and down violently.
If this was in the modern era, Li Miaozhen would be the heroine in today's story. The title was: "An 18-year-old girl's feelings were deceived by an online friend."
Wait!
In the midst of her anger, Li Miaozhen suddenly thought of something unhappy.
If Number Three was Xu Qi 'an, then that day, she had sincerely asked for help in the Earth Book Group, asking for their help in analyzing the case.
The next day, she proudly boasted in front of Inspector Zhang and Xu Qi 'an that she solved the case … Thinking of this, Li Miaozhen's chest heaved up and down even more violently, her face flushed red, and she had the urge to pull out her sword and commit suicide.
At that time, Xu Qi 'an was probably laughing at her in his heart.
She held her face with both hands, her voice trembling, "Bitch …"
…
Far away in the capital, the Jinlian Taoist priest stared at the Earth Book fragment for a long time. Number Three and Number Two did not continue to communicate.
"Why didn't you tell us that the secret meeting was over?" The Jinlian Taoist priest complained.
This brat, Xu Qi 'an, usually brags without any preparation. Now that his identity has been exposed, he must be ashamed of himself.
However, this was not a big deal. The Jinlian Taoist priest had been cultivating for decades, he had seen all kinds of storms and waves, he would not lose his composure over such a small matter.
"Cluck, cluck, cluck …"
A few minutes later, an orange cat jumped onto the wall of the courtyard and looked inside cautiously, seemingly planning to sneak into the kitchen to steal some food.
But then, the orange cat suddenly froze and stopped moving on top of the wall. A few seconds later, his amber eyes regained their liveliness, he lifted his tail and happily walked away.
Inside the house, the Jinlian Taoist priest was lying on the bed, his expression peaceful.
…
Xu Qi 'an took one last look at the small jade mirror. Number Two did not mock, blame, or insult him, she only mysteriously remained silent.
It was a bit unexpected, but it was also expected.
"She must have remembered what she said that day when she got carried away. This is the benefit of everyone dying together" Xu Qi 'an sighed.
Then, he calmed his mind and called out to Monk Shen Shu in his Thought Sea: "Master, Master …"
"Master, this humble one is in danger, I hope to receive your help"
After calling Monk Shen Shu for a long time, there was no reply.
Xu Qi 'an was a bit panicked. The reason why he dared to rush to the scene first was because he had confidence, and Monk Shen Shu was his confidence.
At that time, the two of them had agreed on three rules: Xu Qi 'an would offer his body to nourish his broken arm. Monk Shen Shu had to lend a helping hand at the critical moment.
But now, the cheat merchant seemed to have run away?
"Live from death"
In his mind, Master Shen Shu's faint voice resounded.
Live from death? What does that mean? Are you going to save me or not?
Xu Qi 'an was busy communicating with Shen Shu in his mind, but the damn monk was asleep again, he couldn't wake him up.
…
The administrative office, the backyard.
Sounds of banging could be heard, it was the Stalwart Tiger Guards searching for evidence. Inspector Zhang and Jiang Lvzhong stood in the yard, while the magistrate of Yunzhou waited respectfully on the side.
Inspector Zhang smelled a faint fragrance, different from plum blossoms, it was a flower fragrance he had never smelled before.
Looking around, he easily found the flower. It was a pure white flower, it looked no different from the wild flowers on the roadside, but it emitted a rich and long fragrance.
"There are flowers in the dead of winter?" Inspector Zhang said in surprise.
Hearing this, the magistrate turned his head to look, then looked away, he shook his head indifferently: "Maybe it is some special species, I don't know, but Governor Song … Traitor Song is a flower lover."
Inspector Zhang nodded slightly.
The Stalwart Tiger Guards didn't find any useful evidence.
"Strange …" Inspector Zhang frowned.
The Song Manor and the administrative office were too clean, as if they had been specially cleaned, there was no evidence left.
However, Song Zhangfu did things secretly, he might have another base, it was not strange that they couldn't find any evidence.
Not long after, the summoned officials gathered at the Administrative Commissioner's yamen.
…
In the main hall, Inspector Zhang stood under the eaves at the entrance with his hands behind his back. In the yard, a dozen high-ranking officials stood on both sides, silently looking at him.
"Everyone!"
Inspector Zhang's eyes were sharp, he glanced at the two rows of high-ranking officials on the left and right, and said in a deep voice: "Song Zhangfu colluded with the Witchcraft Cult, embezzled military supplies, and nurtured bandits. The people around Yunzhou are destitute, there are frequent upheavals.
"I'm following the Emperor's order to investigate more strictly. After the incident, Song Zhangfu committed suicide to escape punishment.
"From today onwards, all military and political affairs in Yunzhou will be handled by me. Anyone who supports this traitor, immediately come to me to explain the situation, and will be punished according to the seriousness of the case. "
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
All the officials bowed their heads.
At this moment, in Inspector Zhang's sight, he saw a group of night watchmen rushing in from the entrance of the main hall, they were aggressive. One of them, a silver gong, was carrying a person in his hand.
All the officials in the hall heard the noise and looked over.
"Why are they here?" Inspector Zhang looked at Jiang Lvzhong beside him.
Jiang Lvzhong shook his head.
"Inspector Zhang, something bad has happened."
The person carrying the person's silver gong had not arrived yet, but he was already shouting.
Jiang Lvzhong squinted his eyes, and when he saw the person in the silver gong's hand clearly, he was shocked. That was the coroner of the government.
"What happened?"
Inspector Zhang's gaze fell on the coroner, and his expression instantly became extremely serious.
The silver gong passed the coroner in his hand to the copper gong beside him, then quickly walked forward and whispered into his ear.
After listening to Xu Ningyan's analysis, the group of night watchmen rushed to the Chief Secretary's mansion, but they did not find anything, the inspector had already left.
After asking around in the mansion, they learned that the inspector had gone to the Chief Secretary's office.
The experienced silver gongs did not leave immediately, they remembered Xu Ningyan's analysis, so they re-examined Chief Secretary Song's corpse.
Only then did they realize that the blood-stained face was actually a human skin mask.
The one who died was indeed not Song Zhangfu.
The night watchmen immediately seized the coroner, and hurriedly rushed to the Chief Secretary's office.
"I see!"
Inspector Zhang's expression changed a few times, from shock to solemnity, and now after calming his emotions, he was expressionless.
He slowly glanced at the officials, looked at the coroner, and said, "Who ordered you to do this?"
The coroner was panic-stricken, and his eyes frequently looked to the side behind him, where the Yun State's magistrate stood.
"Reporting to Inspector Zhang, it was me," the magistrate bowed with his hands folded in front, and surprisingly admitted it.
Inspector Zhang coldly snorted, and without saying any nonsense, he waved his hand and said, "Arrest …"
He did not wave his hand, it was a simple waving action, but it was as if he was lifting a thousand-pound object with great difficulty.
Then, he fell to the ground softly, Jiang Lvzhong who was next to him wanted to help him subconsciously, but he did not expect that he would stumble, and the dignified Rank Four martial artist actually fell together with Inspector Zhang.
"Poisoned …" Jiang Lvzhong's heart shuddered.
"Jiang Jinluo, Inspector Zhang." The night watchmen turned pale with fright, and they all came closer.
In the courtyard, the group of officials was panic-stricken, the Yun State's magistrate at this moment was so unfamiliar in their eyes.
"Bastard!"
A copper gong drew his sword, and was about to behead the magistrate.
The magistrate was expressionless, and he raised his hand to form a seal.
"Heh heh …" The coroner who was abandoned on the ground suddenly changed, the muscles on his body expanded, his eyes turned red, and a beast-like growl came from his throat, and he head-butted the copper gong that drew the sword.
Poof!
The blade cut the coroner's shoulder, and the entire arm of the coroner was chopped off, but he did not feel anything, and crashed into the copper gong's chest.
Everyone heard the sound of bones breaking.
The copper gong flew out, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.
The night watchmen were quick to react, and they caught him. But this could not change the ending, the light in the eyes of the copper gong quickly dimmed, and the flame of life was extinguished.
"Dream Sorcerer!" Jiang Lvzhong said in a deep voice, "So you are the Rank Four Dream Sorcerer from the Witchcraft Cult, you killed Zhou Min?"
The magistrate smiled and said, "Yes!"
"Wow …" The group of officials quickly retreated, and looked at the magistrate cautiously.
That mysterious and unfathomable Dream Shaman had been hiding by his side all along? What method did he use to counter the Celestial Commissioner Bai Yi's Qi Observation Technique?
The coroner, who had lost his humanity, silently picked up the broken arm, and pressed it on the stump.
Thick scarlet blood vessels flickered, and blood-colored threads wrapped around the broken arm, reconnecting it.
Blood Spirit Puppet!
This was a secret technique mastered by a Rank Nine Sorcerer. It could refine a living person into a puppet, and at the cost of burning one's blood essence, it could catalyze the puppet into a fearless, unparalleled warrior.
That was why Rank Nine Sorcerers were also known as "Blood Spirits".
Of course, a Rank Nine Sorcerer's ability to increase the puppet's power was limited, and he could not reconnect the broken arm.
"What poison did I get?" Jiang Lvzhong seemed unwilling to give up.
"This poison is called Pine Flower White Worm. When the white worm's carcass is burned, it will produce a colorless and odorless poison. This poison will not affect the body, but it will hide in the body for up to ten days.
"In these ten days, once the poisoned person smells a flower called pine flower, his body will become weak, and he will become a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. This is the poison recipe of the Southern Border's Poison Sect.
"Jiang Lvzhong, in order to deal with you, I have really put in a lot of effort. You are a high-ranked martial artist, and normal poisons have no effect on you, and it is easy to see through. Only this combination of poison with a gentle and long-lasting effect can make you fall for it. "The magistrate looked proud.
Inspector Zhang panted weakly. "It's the flower in the backyard?"
"That's right."
"That's why you deliberately led us to the backyard."
"Inspector Zhang's intelligence is a little late," the magistrate said sarcastically.
"Then, what about the white worm's poison?"
"The candles that you burn every day. You took precautions, but you didn't expect the poison to be on the candles, did you? When Inspector Zhang went out for an inspection, the candles in the courier station were secretly changed. "
It was impossible for the courier station to be guarded at all times, especially during an inspection. It was hard to prevent people from secretly changing the candles.
Inspector Zhang struggled to ask, "Where is Song Changfu?"
"When you are dead, he will naturally take over the Cloud State's officialdom." The magistrate sneered. "After he takes over the White Emperor's City, the mountain bandits that have been hoarding everywhere will attack the prefectures and counties. At the end of the year, Cloud State will be separated from Daibun."
At this moment, everyone heard messy and loud footsteps. A large group of people was approaching.
"The poison will be relieved after the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. Unfortunately, you won't be able to live until then." The magistrate laughed.
