auspicious time has come

Chapter 211 Two Clues
"Jiang Linggong!" The jailer quickly saluted.

Xiao Mu also raised his hand in salute: "Master Jiang."

Jiang Zhengfu didn't have much expression on his face, he nodded slightly, and said to the jailer: "I also want to see the murderer, and lead the way."

He was ordered to monitor the case, and the jailer dared not be negligent, so he responded immediately and led the way in front of him.

Xiao Mu and Jiang Zhengfu came to the prison together, and they didn't exchange a word on the way.

Sensing the still cold atmosphere between the two, thinking of their holidays and many rumors, the jailer who led the way only felt that he was in the Shura field, afraid that he would get too close to a big Buddha and offend the other big Buddha, as if the head After filling the bowl of water, the eyeballs tried to remain neutral as much as possible, not daring to move the slightest.

When he arrived at the cell where Gu Changwu was detained alone, Xiao Mu said bluntly: "Xiao wants to have a few words with this person alone, I wonder if Mr. Jiang can make it easier—"

He was afraid that he would change if it was too late, and he didn't want to delay, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen to come here with Jiang Zhengfu.

"Emissary Xiao Jie recognizes this person?" Jiang Zhengfu's eyes moved slightly, and there was scrutiny in it.

"I have never met before." Xiao Mu said calmly: "His confession is too 'natural', but it is strange. Xiao has the intention of testing and confirming it. There are too many people present, which may make him overly wary."

Jiang Zhengfu looked at the young man in front of him, and after a while, his tone was solemn and cold: "Please go ahead."

The jailer stepped forward and unlocked the cell, and after Xiao Mu entered, he closed the door again.

Jiang Zhengfu glanced at the closed cell door, and after standing still for a while, he turned to look closely at the jailer with a reminder in his eyes.

The jailer struggled for a moment, before finally knowing how to step forward, and silently opened the dark room on the side of the cell.

There is usually such a dark room next to the separate cell for guarding important prisoners, and there is a secret hidden in the wall separating it, so that you can hear the movement in the next cell more clearly.

"Who are you?"

In the prison cell, Gu Changwu looked at the young man in front of him, with scrutiny and thought in his eyes.

As a person who has also experienced the battlefield, he clearly sensed the unique killing spirit of a military general hidden in the other party.

"General Gu took great pains to frame him first, but now he can't guess who I am?"

"Marquis of Dingbei...Xiao Mu?" Gu Changwu, who was bound with heavy chains on his hands and feet, squinted his eyes as he sat on a mud couch covered with thatch, "Everyone in this Dali Temple is Jiang Zhengfu's minions, but Jieshi Xiao can also come. Go freely... It seems that many rumors are not credible."

"Master Jiang didn't take the opportunity to get rid of Xiao, is General Gu disappointed—"

Gu Changwu's face tensed slightly, and he said in a concentrated voice: "There is no father in this world who does not want to avenge his son, unless...he is shaken by the truth of his son's death that year."

Xiao Mu looked at him: "So, the Jiang family's son died in a strange way in the Jin army camp, was it also your handwriting?"

In the dark room next door, a pair of big hands that were beginning to look old were quietly clenched.

"... us?" Gu Changwu looked at Xiao Mu warily.

"You have other accomplices behind you." Xiao Mu slowly approached him: "Or, you have a loyal person—"

Gu Changwu sneered: "Loyalty? There is no one in this world who deserves my allegiance, Gu Changwu."

"Then what about Duke Shu back then?" The young man came to him and asked with downcast eyes.

Gu Changwu's complexion changed slightly, and immediately his eyes became more alert: "In a short period of time, the envoy Xiao Jie knows everything about Gu."

Yes, he was the former general of the time.

After the general's accident that year, the imperial court had a bloodbath to split up the outdated family army——

Except for those brothers who were "found" to be related to the collaborating with the enemy and were executed or exiled, the rest of them were also secretly demoted, wandered around, or suppressed and cast aside in every possible way. He was lucky. Some of them are still able to 'retire in peace', but in the end they have no chance to go to the battlefield.

Over the years, they have long been like wandering ghosts, and no one cares about them.

Those old things related to the general have long been buried in the dust, and they are dust-covered and taboo existences.

All the thinking was done in an instant, but Gu Changwu suddenly noticed something strange, and when he instinctively wanted to raise his hand to resist defense, it was already a step too late!
The young man bent slightly, his movements were as fast as lightning, and he had already placed a dagger across his neck with his backhand.

Irony appeared in Gu Changwu's eyes, and he said in a low voice: "Xiao Jieshi is extremely fast, but his mind is too naive. Do you think that this alone can coerce Gu to speak? I am a person who must die, but Xiao Jieshi, seriously. Will you do it?"

"No." Xiao Mu glanced at the direction of the wall, and said in a voice that could be heard by both of them, "I'm afraid that Uncle Gu has a good master now, and he will say something that shouldn't be said—"

Gu Changwu's eyes suddenly changed: "You...?!"

The slightly cool dagger was pressed against his skin, and at this moment, he had absolute reason to believe that if he uttered half a word that shouldn't be uttered, the young man in front of him would definitely take his life without hesitation!

At this moment, shock, astonishment, bewilderment and many other emotions were violently churning in his eyes, he moved his lips almost silently, his voice was lower than Xiao Mu's, and he could only tell by his lips: "...Major General?!"

He was trembling all over.

Xiao Mu silently moved the dagger that was resting on his neck away.

"You're still alive!" Tears welled up in Gu Changwu's red eyes, and he grabbed Xiao Mu's robe suddenly, his shocked eyes filled with joy and relief: "God has eyes, God has eyes...!"

Under his agitation, the strange aura that he had tried his best to conceal just now was fully exposed, and scarlet blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Mu helped him up: "Uncle Gu!"

"We didn't know it was the Major General, and it almost caused a big mistake..." Gu Changwu had a lot of blood pouring out of his mouth, and his voice became vague: "Remember, Major General, I must go...to find..."

Xiao Mu supported him tightly: "Who..."

Gu Changwu tried to open his mouth, but he vomited more blackened blood, making his voice more fragmented.

Xiao Mu put away the dagger, trying to stabilize his heart, but he grabbed the palm of his hand.

He shook his head to Xiao Mu with difficulty, and then Xiao Mu sensed his intention and immediately spread his palms.

Gu Changwu, who could no longer make a sound, ran his bloodstained fingers tremblingly across his palms, and then his neck, which was strained as hard as possible, fell to one side feebly.

"Come on!"

Jiang Zhengfu, who had already noticed something strange in the dark room next door, immediately stood up when he heard Xiao Mu's voice.

The yamen servant quickly ran over and opened the door, seeing the situation inside, his expression changed drastically: "This?!"

Xiao Mu hugged the unconscious Gu Changwu: "He has taken the poison, hurry up and call for a medical officer!"

"Yes... yes!" The yamen servant hurried out of the cell.

Jiang Zhengfu walked in, and couldn't help frowning upon seeing this scene.

The follower beside him walked over, probed Gu Changwu's breath, and said: "This person has lost his breath, judging by the color of the blood stain, he should have taken the poison in advance."

"Sure enough, I have reported my mortal intention." Jiang Zhengfu looked at Xiao Mu while speaking.

Xiao Mu put Gu Changwu down as calmly as possible, lowered his eyes and said, "It's a step too late."

"A person like him would never open his mouth no matter what." Jiang Zhengfu looked at the dead man, and saw that the other party's eyes were wide-eyed unwillingly, and there were obvious traces of tears on his face that had not yet become stiff.

Jiang Zhengfu's eyes moved slightly.

Since you have the heart to die, why are you unwilling?
Are those tear marks caused by the severe pain when Du Fa was dying?
His eyes slowly fell on Xiao Mu—during the brief silence just now, did the two of them have any secret conversations?
The medical officer and Wu Zuo arrived one after another, examined carefully, and concluded that they all committed suicide by taking poison: "Afterwards, there were still poison residues between the teeth... probably after confessing and being imprisoned, they bit through the poison."

The jailer reported the matter to Dali Siqing, and Xiao Mu and Jiang Zhengfu left the prison.

"I don't know if Jieshi Xiao has gained anything?" Jiang Zhengfu asked calmly after leaving the prison.

"As Master Jiang said, this person will not speak easily."

Jiang Zhengfu looked into the distance, feeling indistinguishable: "Because he was once under the command of the Shi Family Army, these people's hearts are harder than their bones—"

But why would a person with such a firm mind show such an expression and reaction before death?

"It seems that my lord knows a lot about the Shi family's army."

Hearing this voice that was so calm that it seemed to be chatting, Jiang Zhengfu's expression was cold: "The envoy Xiao Jie thinks that after this incident, we can turn an enemy into a friend. This time we just take what we need. Well, the person behind Gu Changwu is unfathomable, until the identity of this person is revealed, you and I need to do our own thing and perform our duties."

Xiao Mu didn't say much, and raised his hand in salute: "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for reminding me, Xiao will leave."

Jiang Zhengfu stopped for a short while, watching the young man with the black blood on his robe leave, thinking again appeared in his eyes.

……

As the night fell, under the camphor tree in Gu Ting's south courtyard, a tall figure appeared again.

A quarter of an hour later, Hengyu walked out the back door of the house with ease, and saw Xiao Mu in the gazebo covered by the bamboo forest.

"How? Can you see someone?" Heng Yu asked in a low voice.

"I saw it, but he took the poison early, and soon died of the poison. In the end, he couldn't ask the person behind him."

Heng Yu sighed lightly: "It's quite expected."

"Not all." Xiao Mu looked at the bamboo forest that was rustling due to the night wind, and said in a low tone, "I was a little sure - he was my father's old department, and he was an elder who watched me grow up."

Hengyu was a little surprised, and immediately understood his depression and heaviness.

"He assassinated King Hedong this time, of course he had the intention of avenging his son. But on the way back, I kept thinking that if it wasn't because of the troubles in my family, he might not have come to this point." Xiao Mu said lowly He said: "There are far more than one person like him in the Shi family's army."

"So? Are you going to take all these responsibilities on your back?" Heng Yu stood side by side with him, looking at the same bamboo forest: "The chance between people is the most mysterious. When we first meet, how can we know what will happen in the future?" Whether it is a blessing or a curse, no one can predict. These are not the Shi family's fault, let alone your fault, you are the same as them, and you are just one of them."

"What that person wants to destroy is never just a certain person, but the entire Shi family army."

She gently took the hand of the person beside her, and said very seriously: "Over the years, you have shouldered more than anyone else. There is still a long way to go in the future, and there are still many things that need you to do, Xiao Jingshi, let me Take a breath yourself."

Xiao Mu was silent for a long time, then slowly held her hand back, and his whole body relaxed a little silently.

Heng Yu pulled him to sit down.

"But it's not all lost." Xiao Mu spread out the palm of his right hand, and after cleaning it, it was clean: "I revealed my identity to Uncle Gu, and it can be seen from his reaction that he did not vote for another Farewell to the Lord, and when he was poisoned, he used his last strength to write two strokes on the palm of my hand... one horizontal, one vertical."

"One horizontal, one vertical..." Heng Yu frowned and thought for a moment, then said: "There are too few clues, and it is extremely difficult to identify without reference."

She said, looking at Xiao Mu: "Since he has never voted for another master, the person who conspired with him...could it also be Uncle Shi's old department? Or...in his opinion, he and the Shi family are more friends than enemies people?"

"I also have this guess, and someone secretly sorted out the list of old fathers who are still alive today." Xiao Mu said to this point, and looked at Heng Yu: "And if it is the latter, there is a solution to these two strokes—— "

Meeting his eyes, Heng Yu suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck, and said in a very low voice: "...Li?"

Xiao Mu nodded slightly.

"Then..." Heng Yu breathed slightly: "Could it be... the East Palace?"

Secretly gather the old department of the Shi family for your own use?
If this is done, he can use a knife to kill people, he can eradicate the threat of the Northland before ascending the throne, and with clean hands, he will still be a "benevolent monarch" praised by everyone... If not, he can also take this opportunity to show his love for each other , in order to show kindness to Xiao Mu and win people's hearts?
It is in line with the style of "advance, attack, retreat, and defend"...

Many flashes flashed through Heng Yu's mind in an instant, but these guesses that flashed in a hurry seemed to always find some room for refutation.

"It's just a guess, and we can't make a conclusion right now." Xiao Mu said, "But we really need to be more prepared."

In the end, Heng Yu just nodded lightly, holding his hand even tighter: "It's better to make plans earlier."

"Don't worry, I have already prepared for the worst." His voice seemed to have the power to calm people's hearts.

Hengyu's mood gradually calmed down, and she took her finger to draw lightly on the palm of his hand, thinking: "Is it possible that under the poison, I can't control the direction of my hand's strength... Could it be Yan Ming's word Yan? At the top, the vertical position has been changed?"

Yan Ming was extremely suspicious of this matter.

"It's also possible." Xiao Mu said.

Hengyu suddenly felt a little frustrated, and sighed: "According to this, this may be too much, these clues are as good as none..."

Seeing her dejected appearance, Xiao Mu showed a smile: "Let's talk about it better than nothing."

The two talked for a long time until there were footsteps approaching here.

"General—" was Wang Jingyong's voice.

"What's the matter?"

"Doctor Yan is here."

Hengyu looked out of the bamboo forest subconsciously.

At such a time, it must be urgent for Doctor Yan to come here.

With Xiao Mu's permission, Yan Ming walked over quickly, and after saluting, he saluted Heng Yu alone: ​​"Mr. Yan has a very important matter, and I want to ask Master Ji to help him!"

　Good night, see you tomorrow~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)