Steward Old Liu walked out of the study with a heavy expression on his face. A few stewards immediately went up to him and asked him a few questions in a low voice. Steward Liu shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Alright, don't ask anymore. This place is already messy enough, don't add to the mess. Hurry up and settle everyone down. Everyone return to their respective positions and perform their duties. Old Luo, early tomorrow morning, bring some men to buy some things and prepare for Liu Bei's funeral. "
That Steward Luo stared at him and said, "What? Is this … appropriate? A member of the Fengchen Guards has died and he wants to hold a funeral in our residence? How unlucky! "
Old Liu reprimanded, "Liu Bei's hometown is thousands of miles away and he died for our Ah Lang. If he doesn't hold it here, where else can he hold it?"
After he finished speaking, he turned back to look at the study. Seeing that no one seemed to have heard him, he hurriedly walked down the steps and pulled Old Luo to the side. In a low voice, he said, "You, don't think it's unlucky. That Flying Bandit is obviously coming for our Master. We still have to rely on these soldiers to block the disaster for us! That Middle Commander Cai Dongcheng and the other three Thousand Oxen Guards have been friends with Liu Kui for more than twenty years. Even if we don't give them face, we still have to give them face. This matter was approved by Ah Lang, so you have to handle it seriously and solemnly. Don't let anyone find fault with us. "
Old Luo said, "So that's how it is. I understand. Steward, don't worry. I, Old Luo, will definitely handle this matter well."
"Friends of more than twenty years, huh …"
When he heard this, a trace of coldness flashed across Yang Fan's eyes.
Early the next morning, the news of the Flying Bandit entering the Yang residence again and stealing Liu Bei's head spread like wildfire. By noon, the news had spread throughout the entire Luoyang.
Through word of mouth and layer upon layer of embellishment, this assassin who had entered the Yang residence at night and killed Liu Kui of the Imperial Guard Qian Niu had already become legendary. It was said that this assassin had cultivated a flying sword that could kill people from a thousand miles away. It was said that he had the ability to fly in the sky and burrow into the ground. It was said that he could take the head of a general from a million soldiers.
Inside the Yang Mansion, a funeral was being solemnly arranged for Liu Kui. The small two-storey building in the study room had been turned into a mourning hall. In the main hall on the first floor, there was an incense burner, offering three animals, seasonal fruits, incense burners, wax tables, and so on. In front of the incense burner, there was a brazier, and gold and silver candles were burning, causing the originally elegant building to be filled with smoke.
Liu Kui's body was sewn up by Old Luo and Old Luo paid a large sum of money to make it whole. Every needle and thread. The body was sewn in front of the coff. and the coffin was Liu.
In fact, Yang Langzhong did not need to do this to invite Cai Dongcheng. After he was disfigured and blinded, his mind was in a mess. He was no longer as shrewd and calm as he used to be. Liu Kui had died here, and the murderer would obviously come again. Even if he rushed out, Cai Dongcheng, Shen Jiahui, and the others would not leave. They were like brothers to Liu Kui, how could they not avenge him?
Yang Fan was still doing night watch duty and doing odd jobs during the day. When the mourning hall was set up, he was busy inside. Cai Dongcheng and the three Shen brothers stood in front of Liu Kui's memorial tablet and swore that they would cut the murderer into a thousand pieces to avenge their brother. But how could they have imagined that the murderer was right next to them?
In the afternoon, a large number of officials from the Ministry of Justice rushed to the Yang Mansion. The servants of Marquis Wu's workshop and the Yang Mansion were all herded to the side courtyard. From the main entrance of the Yang Mansion through the front hall to the study at the back of the mansion, there was a sentry every five steps and a sentry every ten steps. The study was also surrounded by the officials from the Ministry of Justice.
Looking at the situation, it was obvious that an important person was coming. Unfortunately, even Old Luo, who was the second steward, did not know who it was. Even he, who was in charge of the funeral, was chased out of the study.
The scenery in the backyard of the Yang Mansion was very beautiful. Although the gardens in the early Tang Dynasty were not very exquisite, and there were not too many man-made decorations, and there were not too many cultural landscapes, it was still full of wild interest.
The servants of Marquis Wu's workshop and the servants of the Yang Mansion, who were herded to the side courtyard, knew that an important person was coming. No one dared to move around, and the courtyard was especially quiet.
Maqiao took the opportunity to go home. Because there was an important person coming, and they were temporarily not needed, Maqiao asked Steward Liu for leave, and wanted to go back to see his mother. Maqiao's filial piety was famous in the Xiu Wen Workshop, and Steward Liu also knew the details. People at that time especially cared about the word 'filial piety'. Anyway, the Yang Mansion temporarily did not need to assign him any tasks, so Steward Liu readily agreed.
In the autumn garden, there was a faint sense of desolation. Yang Fan walked alone in the forest, looking around, as if it was his first time in a rich family, and everything was new. In fact, he was familiarizing himself with the surroundings.
It was obvious that after Liu Kui was killed, the security in the mansion would be tighter, and the chances of a sneak attack would decrease. The more familiar he was with the environment in the mansion, the more advantageous it would be for him to act.
Yang Fan was looking around, pretending to admire the scenery, and memorizing the paths, trees, rockery, and flowers in the courtyard. Suddenly, a young and tender voice called out, "Hey!"
Yang Fan looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a street lamp in the grass by the side of the road. The Yang family's young miss, Xue Lian, was standing next to the lamp lamp.
The lamp lamp was as tall as an adult's shoulder, and was shaped like a stone shrine. The roof was tiled, and there were holes on all six sides, and it was covered with a fine copper net. This road led to the study and the bedroom in the back courtyard. Because Yang Langzhong often worked late into the night in the study, he often walked on this road, so there were lamps on both sides of the road.
Yang Fan walked over, bent down, and asked with a smile, "Little Miss, what are you doing here?"
Yang Xuelian said, "There is an important official coming to the house, so Mother accompanied Father to the study to wait. I was very bored by myself, so I came here to catch crickets."
"Oh, did you catch them?"
"I caught them!"
Yang Xuelian smiled happily, and turned around to point at the lamp lamp, saying, "Look, I've already caught five, and they're all locked up here."
Yang Xuelian carefully opened the small net door of the lamp lamp, and a cricket wanted to run out. She quickly closed the small door, and said with a smile, "Want to run? It won't be that easy."
Yang Fan said with a smile, "Little Miss is amazing, to be able to catch so many at once."
"Ai! It's not that many. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer crickets, and in a few days, there won't be any left. Autumn is the most annoying, and the crickets in the courtyard will become less and less. In the end, you can only hear one cricket calling, and one day it will suddenly stop. "
Yang Xuelian lifted her skirt and walked out of the grass. She looked at Yang Fan with a pair of big black and white eyes, and said with some sadness, "Say, after the weather turns cold, where do you think the crickets will go? Did they die?"
"This …"
Yang Fan didn't know how to answer, and thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe … because it's too cold, so they hid in the cave. If the crickets are all dead, how can there be crickets next year? "
Yang Xuelian tilted her head and thought for a moment. She became happy, and said with joy, "Yes! You're right, they must have run home to hide. "
Yang Fan looked at her, and couldn't help but ask, "Do you often catch crickets in the courtyard alone?"
Yang Xuelian nodded and said, "Yes! Father doesn't like me, and mother always plays cards and gambles with others. She doesn't accompany me, so I played alone in the courtyard since I was a child. I like to catch crickets, sometimes … "
She looked back at the crickets that were calling in the lamp lamp, and sighed like a little adult, and said, "Sometimes, I feel that I'm actually the same as them, we're all locked in the same cage. But at least they have a companion … "
Yang Fan frowned, and asked, "Does your mother often play cards?"
Yang Xuelian said, "She doesn't always play cards, sometimes she flips money, plays doubles, throws dice …"
Yang Fan was silent.
Little Xuelian glanced at him and asked, "What are you strolling around here by yourself?"
Yang Fan said, "Oh! Isn't it because a high-ranking official has come to your family? I have nothing to do right now, so I can only walk around. Right, do you know who has come, and why is there such a large commotion? "
Yang Xuelian said, "I know. I heard from my mother that the person who has come is my father's immediate superior, Assistant Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Justice. My mother said that Assistant Minister Zhou is very powerful. Even though he is just an assistant minister right now, even the Minister has to listen to him. So many major matters have happened in my family, and Assistant Minister Zhou is very unhappy. Today, he came to take a look, and personally made arrangements to catch the thief. This Assistant Minister Zhou is so powerful, he will definitely be able to catch that bad person."
Yang Fan was about to speak when Steward Liu's figure appeared on the little path. When he saw Yang Xuelian, he called out, "Miss, what are you doing here? A noble person has come to the fu today. Miss, do not run around. Furen is looking for you. Miss, quickly go to the reception hall and wait for that noble guest."
Yang Fan bowed and said, "Steward Liu."
Steward Liu watched as Yang Xuelian ran away and then turned to look at Yang Fan. He warned, "It is best if you do not randomly strike up a conversation with Miss. Even though Miss is still a young girl, but … it is best if you stay far away from her. Our Yang Family has many rules, and the rules that Ah Lang has set for the women in the family have always … ah!"
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