Time moved forward equally, regardless of the country. This was the late spring of the seventh year of Tiansha Qianqiu. This was also the late spring of the sixteenth year of Wuji Zhengning.
In this late spring, some people were fighting with various poisonous zongzi in the Tiansha Qianhan Mountain Range, escaping death time and time again. Some people were drinking tea with a smile, boating on the lake, enjoying the scenery of the lake with beautiful maids.
On the small boat on the Emerald Lake, behind the layers of silk curtains, beautiful young boys and girls were playing with bamboo strings. The melodious music blended with the light fragrance from the white jade teacups and the dense mist in the lake.
The water was sparkling, reflecting people's eyes. A light purple sleeve with dark silver dragon patterns brushed across the table, gently holding the teapot and pouring tea. The fingers holding the teapot were long and slender.
"This Frost Leaf Tea is a specialty of my Wuji Frost Mountain. The tea tree grows on the cliff and is still green after frost. It does not sink in water. Then it is boiled three times with the water of the Jade Lake of Min Mountain. It is clear, quiet, mellow, clean … Princess, please have a taste."
The clear water in the white jade teacup reflected the perfect and impeccable smile of the master. The master, who was sitting leisurely in the boat, gently pushed the teacup over. The servant boy, who was waiting by the side, knelt down and took a few steps. He stopped exactly half a foot away from the master and the guest and raised the teacup over his head.
It was complete respect and royal etiquette.
On the guest seat on the left, the delicate and slender fingers picked up the teacup. She covered her mouth with her sleeves and took a sip. Then she put it down gently and said with a smile, "It is indeed good. It is light and wonderful. It has the essence of tea. If I am not a cultivator, I am afraid I would also be greedy for the beauty of the tongue."
She raised her eyes and looked at the seat of honor with a smile. There was a trace of disappointment in her eyes. However, the light disappeared in a flash, so fast that it was like it had never appeared.
Princess Fu Lian was sitting steadily like a lotus. Her posture was elegant.
"Princess has come from afar. Did you have a smooth journey?" The master was naturally Zhangsun Wuji. He asked with a smile and an earnest expression, "I have been impolite. I did not order the Ministry of Rites to receive the princess."
"I have traveled the continent to visit famous mountains and ancient temples. Coming to Wuji was just along the way." Fu Lian smiled, "I dare not trouble the Ministry of Rites. Crown Prince, thank you."
"Be that as it may, the Princess doesn't have many guards. Her safety is uncertain." Zhangsun Wuji lowered his head and carefully washed the pot with boiling water. His fingers gently rotated on the warm cup. He said lightly, "Although the people under my Wuji rule are not bad, it is inevitable that there will be bandits and robbers. It is rare that the Princess can safely travel such a long distance with only a few guards from her own country. It really makes one rejoice, but also worry."
"Women who believe in me will be protected by the gods, and no evil can invade." Princess Fu Lian put her palms together and chanted the name of Buddha.
Behind her, the little handmaiden Ming Ruo blinked and a trace of doubt flashed across her eyes. She did not understand why the Princess did not mention Tie Cheng who had escorted her all the way. She did not understand why the Princess did not follow her promise and ask for credit for the young man who had sent the guards to escort her. However, she cleverly pursed her lips and did not speak. In any case, the Princess was always right.
Zhangsun Wuji looked at Princess Fu Lian with a smile. He suddenly said softly, "Princess, are you here to return the Map of Stars?"
Princess Fu Lian shuddered.
The air suddenly became silent. Although the sound of the flute continued, it seemed a little distant in the hearts of the people who were worried.
"Crown Prince, you must be joking." After a while, Fu Lian lowered her eyelashes. "How can I keep and dispose of the Map of Stars? You should go ask this consort's imperial father. "
Zhangsun Wuji smiled but did not answer. He leaned back slightly and looked at the shimmering lake in a daze. His fingers gently knocked on the rosewood table. The sound was crisp. Thud, thud, thud.
Every time the sound rang, Princess Fu Lian's face paled. She gently bit her lips and looked at Zhangsun Wuji with hidden bitterness. Zhangsun Wuji actually did not avoid her gaze. He raised his eyes and looked at her with a smile until she lowered her eyes again.
"Since the Princess has come to Wuji, it is indeed our country's fortune. The day before yesterday, I met the divine monk Kongshan Master. He also mentioned the Princess to me and wanted to meet you to study Buddhism together." Zhangsun Wuji thought for a while and said, "The Cang Mountain Guesthouse is very close to Kongshan Master's Huayan Temple. Let the Ministry of Rites arrange a Cang Mountain Guesthouse for you. What do you think?"
"As the Crown Prince arranges." Fu Lian bowed. Her smile was calm but her eyes were slightly disappointed.
"Shouldn't the Princess be arranged to stay in the palace?" The little maid Ming Ruo suddenly interrupted. "She misses the Empress very much."
"Ming Ruo, don't talk so much! Is this the place for you to speak? " Fu Lian tilted her head slightly and scolded Ming Ruo. She then apologized to Zhangsun Wuji, "This maid has been spoiled by ben gong and does not know etiquette. Please forgive me, Crown Prince."
"It's okay." Zhangsun Wuji was still smiling but he was not willing to say another word.
"But …" Princess Fu Lian's eyes moved and she said sweetly, "We haven't seen each other for many years. Ben gong really misses the Empress. I hope that the Crown Prince can arrange an audience for ben gong."
"Of course." Zhangsun Wuji said faintly, "The Empress has also learned a lot about Buddhism in recent years. Now that the Princess has come, she must be happy. However, she has been in seclusion recently and ordered ben gong not to see anyone. Ben gong does not dare to disobey mother's orders. However, cultivators pay attention to opportunities. Thinking that the Princess and the Empress are both believers of Buddhism, there will definitely be opportunities to meet each other."
"That's good." Fu Lian did not say anything else. She smiled and raised her teacup. "The Crown Prince is a virtuous and filial son. Jingfan sincerely salutes the Crown Prince with tea in place of wine."
"I don't deserve such high praise, Princess." Zhangsun Wuji raised his teacup lightly and looked at her from afar.
The royal couple spoke elegantly and their etiquette was perfect. They looked at each other and smiled.
Inside the imperial boat on the lake, the respectful conversation continued. On the outskirts of the city, Tie Cheng was hurrying back with a group of guards. In the smoke and dust raised, he looked back at the city and spat on the dust.
"You don't want us to send you into the city? Perfect!"
He raised his whip and was very happy that Fu Lian had rejected his suggestion to send him into the city. This way, he could rush to see Meng Fuyao earlier.
As for Meng Fuyao's request to send the princess to Zhangsun Wuji, he had the intention to do so. However, the Princess had politely and resolutely refused to let him send her into the Wuji Palace. Tie Cheng could not force himself to follow her. Moreover, he had long been sick of this damned Princess Lotus. She always put on airs and smiled like a wooden statue in a temple.
Let her go face to face with Zhangsun Wuji, that guy who couldn't even be touched when he smiled, and laugh sinisterly!
"Go!"
Tie Cheng ran toward Tian Sha happily and liberated himself.
= = =
"Where are your Black Wind Cavalry now?" Meng Fuyao squatted not far from the majestic city gate. She whispered to Zhan Beiye under her bamboo hat. "I remember you saying that the main force of the Black Wind Cavalry has already rushed back to Pandu to preserve their strength. How are you going to contact them?"
"They should be in the city." Zhan Beiye pointed to an inconspicuous mark at the city gate for her to see. "Break up and wait for an opportunity to rescue them."
His expression relaxed slightly, and his eyes shone with joy. This was the first time in days that he had revealed such happiness. Meng Fuyao looked at him. She knew that although he looked as if nothing had happened, deep down, he had always been pained by the sacrifice of the Black Wind Cavalry. At the same time, he was worried about the safety of his mother and the rest of the cavalry. Now that the main force of the cavalry was still there and his mother was safe, Zhan Beiye could finally relax a little.
They were all wearing the masks that Zong Yue had made for them. The faces of Tang Jian and his adjutant were even more unrecognizable in the Tiansha Kingdom. Ji Yu and the two surviving cavalrymen were ordered by Zhan Beiye to stay outside the city to recuperate and provide support. He had originally wanted Meng Fuyao to stay behind as well, but how could she care about him?
At the front of the city gate, there was an endless stream of people. The soldiers were heavily guarded, and at the very front was a golden-armored Innate Gold Guard. He was holding the portrait and comparing it to Zhan Beiye. Zhan Nancheng could not be at ease without seeing Zhan Beiye's corpse.
They looked at each other and saw the sneer in each other's eyes. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye swaggered over. The guard looked at the portrait and waved his hand to let them through.
They had just taken a few steps when a golden spear suddenly appeared in front of them.
The tip of the spear shone with a golden light under the sun.
Zhan Beiye stopped, his gaze slowly moving from the tip to the face of the person holding the spear. It was a Innate Gold Guard with a cold and arrogant expression. He slowly lifted the spear to Meng Fuyao's chin and said, "Raise your head."
Zhan Beiye raised his eyebrows, and anger flashed in his eyes.
Meng Fuyao immediately tightened her grip on his hand and obediently raised her head. Smiling at the guard, she asked, "Sir, what are your orders?"
The guard did not make a sound, but stared at her mysteriously. After a while, he said, "Why are you wearing such a high collar in such hot weather?"
Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat, and she smiled obsequiously. "Sir, I have a hidden illness. Well … I have some ugly lumps, and the doctor said that I shouldn't be exposed to the wind. Besides, I don't see people often, and I'm afraid that I might infect them. If you don't believe me, you can take a look …" She babbled as she unbuttoned her collar.
… Sigh, Lord Ingot bit the side of my neck a few days ago. Is the scar still there?
"Stop!" The guard raised his spear in disgust and pointed it at Meng Fuyao's hand. "How dare a contagious child like you come out to harm the world? Go back to your hometown! "
"My hometown is in the city, in the third house of the Great Pan Alley, the one with the crooked willow tree in the yard." Meng Fuyao timidly pointed in that direction and smiled apologetically. "Sir?"
"Get lost!" The guard did not even look at her. With a twist of his finger, he nimbly swept the spear between his fingers and hit Meng Fuyao's buttocks. "Get lost!"
Meng Fuyao immediately covered her buttocks in an exaggerated manner. "Ouch!"
She fell a few feet into the city gate, rolling in the mud and rubbing her buttocks. She sat on the ground and winked at Zhan Beiye. "Big Brother, come and help me! Ouch, my buttocks broke into two!"
The guards outside and outside the city gate roared with laughter. The guard pointed his spear at Meng Fuyao and laughed. "With that skinny body of yours, you'd be a perfect washboard if you broke it!"
Amidst the laughter, Zhan Beiye did not move an inch. Only his black eyebrows were slightly raised, and his iron-black ebony gaze slowly lifted and swept over the guard.
The guard, who was laughing at Meng Fuyao, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. It was as if he had suddenly been pierced through. His laughter stopped and he turned around abruptly.
All of a sudden, Meng Fuyao limped over to Zhan Beiye and grabbed him by the collar. "Brother, why did you go crazy again? What are you standing there for? The villagers are still waiting to cross the city gate! "
She swayed left and right, lifting Zhan Beiye's head to look into his eyes, as if she was concerned about whether her 'brother' had gone crazy. But in fact, she was using her gaze to warn Zhan Beiye, 'If you dare act up now, I'll never let you off!'
Her head blocked Zhan Beiye's gaze. The guard was initially suspicious, but when he heard her scream, a look of relief appeared in his eyes. He almost jumped up from the piercing stare on his back. That gaze was like a sword and a halberd, cold and ferocious, with a faint murderous aura. Even a veteran like him could not help but break out in a cold sweat. 'So she's just a lunatic.'
'The gaze of a lunatic … is indeed abnormal.'
The guard glanced at Zhan Beiye in disdain and waved his spear. "Which family's crazy woman gave birth to a crazy son? Bringing him out to embarrass himself? Get lost! "
Zhan Beiye trembled.
Fuyao's gaze turned cold.
But then, the two of them returned to normal. She held Zhan Beiye's hand and walked over obediently, bowing and thanking him. "Yes, yes …"
Her waist was very low, and her face was full of flattery. Suddenly, she let out an "ah" and took a step forward to pick up something from the dusty ground. Wiping it on her clothes, she tilted her head and murmured, "… What is it?"
The guard casually glanced over from his horse and was immediately stunned.
It was a pearl the size of a finger. Although it was covered in dust, one could still see that it was glowing with a green light. There were faint white lines flowing around it, like a cunning cat's eye.
It was a cat's eye gem of excellent quality, worth a thousand pieces of gold.
Fuyao grabbed the pearl and looked at it in a daze. "This stone looks so weird." She raised the gem in front of the guard's horse. "Sir, did you drop it?"
She raised her hand up high, and in her pure white palm was a jade-green cat's eye gemstone. Under the illumination of the sunlight, the guard's breath quickened.
He hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out, took the cat's eye gem, and said lightly, "En, it must have been hard for you to see, thank you."
Fuyao beamed with joy, almost wagging her tail. "You deserve it, you deserve it."
"Let's go." The guard held the gem tightly in his palm and waved his hand.
He originally wanted to search the bodies of these two people, but now his heart was burning because of the gemstone in his palm. The flickering emerald green light through the sunlight dazzled his eyes. This gemstone was worth three years of his salary …
Fuyao limped through the city gate with Zhan Beiye's help.
The moment they passed through the gate, the expressions of the two people in the shadows changed.
Meng Fuyao's smile was sinister, cunning, and filled with murderous intent and calculations.
Zhan Beiye remained silent, his pure black eyes fixed on Fuyao. After a while, he said, "I'm sorry … I always let you suffer."
Fuyao laughed heartily. "It's nothing to be humiliated by someone like him, as long as you don't suffer in the face of life and death."
She winked and smiled proudly. "Besides, I've taught him a much heavier lesson."
"What kind of poison is on the pearl?" Zhan Beiye asked.
"Zong Yue gave me three types of poisons: death, disability, and stupidity." Fuyao raised her brows. "I didn't want to bicker with him, but he already has his suspicions. For your safety, I can't be careless. I actually gave him a chance. I flicked some poison under his horse. If he had a better character and didn't covet the pearl, he would at most be stupidity. But he sought his own death by taking the cat's eye gem … hehe."
Zhan Beiye looked at her deeply. "Fuyao, you're actually very kind."
"I'm a kind person, but the world forces the kind to be wolves." Fuyao laughed heartily and pulled Zhan Beiye's sleeve toward the restaurant. "Treat me!"
Zhan Beiye raised his head and looked at the street in front of him. It was a wide, dark gray street with shops on both sides. Curtains of all colors floated along the entire street. One of the shops had a red background with yellow characters that read "Drunken Fugui".
He stared at the wine flag, and his eyes flashed. "Let's go, this is a good place to drink."
"Drunken Fugui" indeed produced good wine. The moment they entered the restaurant, they could smell the rich and mellow aroma of wine. Many people entered by leaning on the wall (hungry) and exited by leaning on the wall (drunk).
Zhan Beiye generously ordered a table full of dishes. Meng Huacong stepped on a stool and ate heartily. He also discussed with the surrounding customers about the notice posted on the wall. Naturally, the portrait of the Ferocious King would not be posted in the restaurant. It was the portrait of the "Great Bandit" Ji Yu. Fuyao pointed at it and exclaimed, "Hey, this person looks familiar."
Everyone turned their heads. "Huh?"
Fuyao dragged Zhan Beiye over. "He looks like my big brother!"
Everyone turned their heads in unison. "Huh …"
Satisfied, Fuyao giggled and drank. She placed a glass of wine in the middle of the table while Lord Ingot sneakily poked his head under the table to drink.
After sleeping for a few days, Lord Ingot finally regained his energy. He sat on Fuyao's chest like a hero and took a sip. He squinted his eyes and sighed. The only advantage of following Fuyao was that he could drink as much as he wanted, unlike his master who could only drink three glasses at a time. How stingy.
Not long after, the two of them were drunk again.
While they were drinking, Zhan Beiye only put food in Fuyao's bowl. He drank very little, but his eyes were bright as he poured wine for her attentively.
There was a small interlude when one of them played rock-paper-scissors with the other. The loser's face turned red as he slammed the table and yelled, "I'm out of money today! Go to the West Gate Alley to get some tomorrow. I won't wait for you if you're late! "
"How do I know when you're coming?" the other scolded.
"I'm working for the Yao Family, the family with 300 employees. They work three shifts and rest every eight days. When it's my turn to rest, I'll naturally come over."
"I don't have the time to wait for you!"
"Forget it! Maybe I'll be free at five o 'clock. Wait for me there. "
"Sure!"
This conversation was so noisy that everyone in the hall could hear it. Everyone listened with a smile and continued to drink.
The two men quarreled and quarreled as they walked away. The door to the private room suddenly creaked open, and an old eunuch walked out. His back was hunched, and he swayed as he walked over. The waiter carefully supported him. "Eunuch Hua, slow down."
Eunuch Hua was so drunk that his vision was blurry. He smacked his lips and said, "Why is it so dark? It's not easy to walk in the dark. Hurry up and clean up. I have a small ball in the West Stride Courtyard waiting for me to drink. "
The waiter hurriedly agreed and went to refill the wine. The old eunuch swaggered over and tripped over Zhan Beiye's long leg that was sticking out from under the table. "Aiyo!" Stumbling, he angrily cursed, "Which bastard tripped your eunuch?"
Zhan Beiye reached out to support him. "I'm sorry, Eunuch Hua. Please forgive me."
The old man pressed down on Zhan Beiye's hand and climbed up with difficulty. He glanced sideways and grabbed Zhan Beiye's clothes. He said shakily, "Just an apology? My family is old and weak. You tripped me and I lost half of my life. Tell me, how are you going to explain this? "
The regular drinkers laughed when they heard this. This old drunkard came every day, got drunk every day, and 'tripped' every day. Almost every day, there would be someone who 'tripped over an old and weak person' and had to pay for it. This old man probably relied on this to be able to afford the 'Drunken Fugui's' first-class wine every day.
Everyone looked at Zhan Beiye sympathetically. Yet another sucker!
The old drunkard, Eunuch Hua, refused to let Zhan Beiye go. Helpless, Zhan Beiye searched his body for a while and finally found a shredded silver coin. He hesitantly placed it in Eunuch Hua's palm. "Bring eunuch to see a doctor."
The old drunkard tossed the silver coin in his palm and chewed on it with his almost toothless mouth before saying, "You're lucky!" He took the wine that the waiter handed over and threw the silver coin that Zhan Beiye had paid for it into the waiter's palm. "Here's your reward —"
"Thank you!" The waiter held the silver coin and smiled so widely that only his teeth could be seen.
Everyone let out another "Pfft". They felt that this old dog was really despicable. He was extorting such a poor person for fun.
After drinking for a while, the sky darkened. The waiter came over and asked if they wanted to stay in the inn. Zhan Beiye answered, "Two …" He turned to look at the waiter's surprised expression and immediately said, "One room."
He then dragged Drunkard Meng to the inn in the backyard while explaining to the waiter, "This brother of mine is good at everything except drinking."
"It's been hard on you." The waiter wanted to help. "Shall I carry him for you?"
"No need." Zhan Beiye smiled brightly and carried Fuyao. "It's more convenient this way."
He carried Fuyao into the room and kicked the door shut with the tip of his foot. "Bring a basin of bath water!"
"Alright —"
Fuyao, who looked like a dead pig, was thrown onto the bed. She rolled around and hugged the blanket. "Yuan Bao … How did you grow so big …"
Lord Yuan Bao staggered out of her embrace, hugging a teacup tightly. "Zhi zhi, zhi zhi zhi …"
In other words, it was: Fuyao, why is your waist as thick as your butt …
Zhan Beiye stood by the bed and looked at Fuyao. After a long while, he sat down and helped her remove her boots and the tight-fitting mask. He then unfolded the blanket and covered her body.
He did all these things slowly and seriously, as if he would not be so meticulous the next time.
When the mask was removed, the girl's breathing was slightly ragged. Her face was slightly sweaty, and her cheeks and forehead were slightly red from the alcohol. Her skin was as translucent as snow, and her captivating redness was like a hibiscus growing on the snow line.
The window on the second floor was not closed. A gust of wind blew past the front of the hall and lifted the girl's silky hair. The flower seemed to bloom in the wind.
Zhan Beiye's fingers stopped beside Fuyao's cheek and trembled slightly.
His fingertips felt the soft and beautiful touch of jade, and he could see the beauty of a young girl. It was a kind of shocking beauty, from the bottom of his eyes to his fingertips to his heart, followed by a slight tremor of pain, as if the point on the tip of his heart was grasped by the fingertips of Heaven's will, twisting and rubbing. It was painful, but the pain was long lasting.
Outside the window, the stars were shining brilliantly. A cluster of wisteria climbed up the wall and bloomed with flowers. The red was bright and warm, like firecrackers full of thoughts and hopes, waiting to soar into the sky.
With a light touch, the color was so intense that it was about to explode, exploding into a bright red juice in the night sky.
Zhan Beiye's dark and passionate eyes were like the blooming flowers in the night sky, ready to burst.
Softly, he leaned down.
Suddenly, Fuyao flipped over.
She flipped to the corner of the wall and, with a wave of her hand, pushed Zhan Beiye away.
Then, she faced the corner of the wall with her back to Zhan Beiye, hugged the blanket, and continued to sleep.
Zhan Beiye froze by the bedside. The air around them was silent, and they could hear their relaxed but slightly nervous breathing.
After a while, Zhan Beiye spoke.
"You're not that drunk, so why are you pretending?"
Fuyao's shoulders stiffened.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the wall. Her gaze was slightly drunk, but her eyes were clear.
She … wasn't pretending, and she didn't mean to hurt Zhan Beiye.
She was drunk in the inn, but after going through a few trials and tribulations, her skills had advanced to the next level, breaking through the fifth level and approaching the sixth. This level of "Breaking the Nine Heavens" could no longer be affected by alcohol.
When the waiter asked how many rooms they wanted, she started to sober up, but it was inappropriate for her to interrupt. After all, it was strange for two men to want two rooms. Pandu must be heavily guarded, and she couldn't be too coy and cause trouble for Zhan Beiye.
Later, she pretended not to wake up. Zhan Beiye definitely had a plan tonight, and he definitely wouldn't allow her to follow. She planned to quietly follow him after he let his guard down and left.
She didn't want to cause trouble on this late spring night with the gentle night breeze.
She didn't want Zhan Beiye to be so gentle and meticulous.
When his breath neared, the familiar, slightly astringent yet refreshing scent of a man slowly approached. She finally lost her composure, and all she could do was turn her back to him and push him away with a gesture of rejection.
For someone like Zhan Beiye, such a gesture was more than enough.
Meng Fuyao bit her lip, her fingers gripping the edge of the mosquito net as she held her breath. There were too many things in life that could not be controlled. Thus, she would not get angry with Zhan Beiye. However, she hoped that he would not get into a dead end and act as if nothing had happened. At least, he would not hurt himself.
But Zhan Beiye wasn't willing to let her off so easily.
He wasn't a man who would give up easily.
"Fuyao." Zhan Beiye sat motionlessly on the bed, taking deep breaths. His eyes shone brightly as he looked at her back. She was so close to him, yet she seemed so far away.
"Tell me, am I really always one step too late?"
Meng Fuyao's breathing stopped.
How could such a bold and upright man use such a sorrowful tone to ask such a question?
The wind was silent, and the firecrackers emitted a bright red fragrance in the night breeze. Everyone's heart was pale.
After a while, Meng Fuyao sighed softly, sat up, and turned to look at Zhan Beiye.
She looked into a pair of dark eyes that were extremely calm due to suppressed passion. She met such a gaze. It was bright, direct, and unflinching.
"Zhan Beiye …"
"It's not that you're not good enough, or that you're late. It's me." She smiled helplessly. "I came to the wrong place at the wrong time, so I no longer have the right to choose the right person."
= = =
The night was dark, and the starlight was like a diamond in the hair of a goddess, sprinkling on her dark hair.
Zhan Beiye stood in front of Fuyao, his expression returning to normal. Fuyao's words only made him ponder for a long time. Then, he smiled brightly. "Nothing is certain in this world. You're saying that you've come to the wrong place? I'll make sure you know that you've never been to the wrong continent, and you've never been in front of me! "
With that, he strode out of the house and sat on the steps to wait for Meng Fuyao to take a bath. Lord Ingot squatted beside him, and the moonlight illuminated two dark shadows.
Zhan Beiye raised his head to look at the moon. The moonlight outlined his silhouette, and the moonlight was gentle and calm, slowly soothing his slightly heated emotions. He suddenly tilted his head and looked at Lord Yuan Bao, saying, "Your master is too lucky."
Lord Ingot was still tipsy, and his eyes were hazy as he pondered over his words. It didn't seem to be the case, and he personally believed that anyone who met Meng Fuyao was unlucky.
He hugged the fruit slowly, and in a daze, he thought back to those years in Qiong Cang …
The sound of the door opening came from behind. Meng Fuyao, who had changed into a tight-fitting black outfit, popped her head out and asked Zhan Beiye, "Where are we going next?"
Zhan Beiye turned around, his expression as bright as ever, and his eyes were as bright as the stars. "What do you think?"
"That pair of fellows who lost the rock-paper-scissors game, and that Eunuch Hua, they're all your people, right?" Meng Fuyao laughed. "They're using a secret code, but I don't understand them."
"That's the line that my grandfather set up for me when he was still alive. He's done more for me than you can imagine." A nostalgic smile appeared on Zhan Beiye's face. "They told me that after my mother was locked in the garden of Xihua Palace, there would be 300 guards guarding her in shifts every day. There would be 100 guards in each shift, and they would change shifts every 16 hours. They arranged to meet me tonight to discuss a rescue plan."
"What about the old eunuch? What did he say? "
"Eunuch Hua was here to pass on other news from the palace. When I helped him up, he had already given me a slip of paper. That silver coin of mine is also a keepsake."
"Wasn't that silver coin given to the waiter?"
"That's a smokescreen. He's a eunuch in the palace, so someone must be following him in the dark." Zhan Beiye laughed. "So the silver coin was given out, but when it was given to the waiter, it had already been given to another person. Eunuch Hua used to roam the pugilistic world when he was young, and his tricks were top-notch."
Zhan Beiye suddenly retracted his smile and said in a low voice, "It's a pity that he doesn't like to drink at his age, but because of a request from my grandfather, he got drunk at Drunken Fugui for many years …"
Meng Fuyao was stunned. "Didn't he go there specifically to wait for you recently?"
"No. Eunuch Hua has been getting drunk at Drunken Fugui since 20 years ago. Everyone in the palace knows about this. He was an old man who served the previous emperor, so everyone in the palace takes care of him." Zhan Beiye's smile was cold. "That's why he's the only one who can leave the palace at this critical time, because everyone is used to it."
"Spending 20 years to develop a habit in preparation for an emergency 20 years later …" Meng Fuyao gasped. "Your grandfather is no ordinary man!"
As they spoke, the two of them had already passed through many roofs and arrived at a courtyard with many twists and turns in the north of the city. Zhan Beiye leaned on the eaves and lightly knocked on the roof tiles.
After a while, the same frequency of knocking could be heard from below.
Zhan Beiye's eyes flashed, and he nodded. He was about to pull Meng Fuyao down when he suddenly stopped.
Meng Fuyao smelled a familiar scent that seemed to be drifting over.
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