Liu Ziqiu said with a smile: "Don't worry. I've come to the dragon's pond and tiger's den, why are you afraid that the boat will capsize in this small river?"
Wei Zheng said: "My dear brother, you must not act rashly. You need to find out the reality of this manor before you take action."
Liu Ziqiu shook his head and said: "It's too late. It's all my fault. I didn't organize the villagers to go to the salt field to make noise in the past few days, nor did I arrange for people to go to the county government to file a complaint. After suffering such a big loss, I faltered after two days.
It is inevitable to make people suspicious. Yang Jishan has been in Yanguan for such a long time and rarely shows up in front of others, which shows that he is cautious. If he smells something and hides away, things will be difficult to handle. "
In fact, it was not that Yang Jishan was cautious, but that his elder brother Yang Xuangan repeatedly told him to restrain himself, so he had to restrain his temper.
Wei Zheng frowned and said: "The Yang family's manor must be very big. How can we start without finding out the situation?"
Liu Ziqiu's expression darkened, he looked at his hands and said, "I had no choice but to kill."
On the first day he appeared here, he mistakenly killed one of Yang Heihu's knights to save Gao Xiuer, then killed Wang Hong in the palace, killed the Sui army deputy captain and six infantry outside the garden wall, and later killed
Xu Tingfu and the four scoundrels have lost more lives than they can count on two hands. Among these people, Xu Tingfu, the four scoundrels, and the knights under Yang Heihu all deserve to be killed. But the others are inevitably somewhat innocent, but they are just
Everyone just does their duty.
This time when he sneaked into the Yang family manor, he would have to arrest a few slaves and maids for torture, fearing that those people would die even more unjustly. Although this was not the result Liu Ziqiu wanted to see, he had no other options.
Wei Zheng understood Liu Ziqiu's situation, sighed and said, "Brother Liu, if you don't mind, can I walk around the village?"
Liu Ziqiu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "Brother Wei, what are you talking about? Since you have agreed to teach here, Changshan Village is your home, why not?"
After Wei Zheng went out, Liu Ziqiu sat in the room and meditated silently. Suddenly he remembered the panic in Xiang Xiang's eyes just now, and he became confused again and said, "Xiu'er, let's go for a walk too."
Gao Xiuer was filled with joy and followed Liu Ziqiu to the Qiantang River. Although it was not the season of high tide, the river was still surging and flowing endlessly. There were a few cold gulls on the river, and where the wind blew, reed flowers were floating in the air, making them rustle.
Liu Ziqiu suddenly asked: "Xiu'er, how much do you know about vanilla?"
Gao Xiuer asked strangely: "Lang Jun, why do you ask this?"
"I always think vanilla is not that simple."
"Don't be so suspicious." Gao Xiuer laughed and said, "Vanilla has been in our family since she was born. Her parents are both slaves of my family. She has been with me since she was four years old. What else can she do?
question."
Liu Ziqiu muttered: "You and Xianghua are called masters and servants, but they are actually sisters. Go and have a good talk with her. Maybe she knows something."
…
Thirty miles southeast of Danyang City is Moling Town, where the Xie family, the head of a prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River, lived. Danyang in the Sui Dynasty was not the same place as Danyang today. Danyang today was in Zhenjiang, but Danyang in the Sui Dynasty was now
Moling is a big town in Nanjing. There are more than 3,000 households in the town, and half of them have the surname Xie.
The largest house in the east of the town is the Xie family compound. These scholars in the Southern Dynasties have never been reused by the imperial court, but the Xie family is still the leading wealthy family in Jiangnan.
Since this morning, the Xie Family Courtyard has been heavily guarded. At noon, a carriage drove into the Xie Family Courtyard. The carriage was tightly covered, and no one knew who was sitting inside.
At this time, Xie Wengshan, the old man of the Xie family, personally opened the middle door to welcome him: "My dear brother, I have finally waited for you to come."
The person who came was none other than Wang Ji, the head of another prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River, the Wang family. In fact, the Xie and Wang families were originally northern gentry. In their early years, they moved to the south to avoid war, and thrived in the south, becoming a powerful local family.
The two old men came to a secret room and retreated to the left and right. Only a handsome young man stood behind Wang Ji. Xie Wengshan glanced at him and praised: "This must be Bo'er. He is indeed a talented person."
The young man quickly stepped forward and saluted: "My nephew has met my uncle."
Xie Wengshan nodded and said: "That's right, that's right. I heard that you have been alone in Qi County all these years and you suddenly came back this time. But is there any important news?"
This young man was Wang Ji's youngest son. He was smart since he was a child and was capable of both literary and martial arts. Because the imperial court suppressed the southern gentry, Wang Ji wanted to find a career for his son, so he sent him to a branch of the Wang family in Qi County.
When Wang Bo saw Wang Ji nodded, he raised his hands and said, "Back to my uncle, since Yang Guang came to the throne, he has dug canals, built the Eastern Capital, and built the Great Wall, which has made the people resentful. Nowadays, thieves are everywhere in Shandong, Henan, and Hebei.
A few days ago, Hao'er met Lu Mingyue, and he made an appointment with Hao'er to row across the river to rule."
Wang Ji waved his hand, and Wang Bo bowed and retreated. Only two old men, Xie and Wang, were left in the room.
Xie Wengshan muttered: "Lu Mingyue is a big thief after all. This person's words cannot be fully believed."
"Brother Xie, I know this well." Wang Ji then said to Xie Wengshan, "Brother Xie, what do the Xiao family say?"
Xie Wengshan shook his head and said: "The Xiao family has declined, but that old boy Xiao Xin still has some thoughts. If you and I are not from scholarly families and lack people to lead troops, why bother asking him to come out?"
It turned out that the people sent by the Xie family did not tell the truth. They just wanted to test how much strength the Xiao family still had. They told Xiao Xin that they wanted their children to take the imperial examination to achieve the purpose of revitalizing the family. In fact, it was just a way to revive the family.
Deception. How could Xie Wengshan and Wang Ji, two treacherous guys, not know that this approach would not work at all? However, due to Liu Ziqiu's strict confidentiality, they still don't know that Xiao Xin has passed away.
Wang Ji mused: "Bo'er also made some powerful friends in Qi County. When Lu Mingyue started to rebel, he responded. In recent years, the imperial court has not been as close to Jiangnan as it used to be. Such a good opportunity has not yet come.
Can’t let it go.”
Xie Wengshan sighed: "Actually, as long as the imperial court guarantees the status of our family, why do you and I have to waste so much effort?"
They all understand that the Xie Wang family has become one of the most prominent families in the south of the Yangtze River precisely because they have held great power in the court from the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Southern Chen Dynasty. Now that they have lost this power, no matter how powerful the family is, the outcome will be the same.
decline.
…
Ah Fu and others also returned to Changshan Village and bowed down to report to Liu Ziqiu: "A Lang, Yang Heihu has indeed entered that manor."
Liu Ziqiu stood up and said in a deep voice: "Okay! Wrap the horse's hooves and tighten the bit. The four of you will go with me tonight!"
Wei Zhengang wanted to persuade him again.
But Gao Xiuer said: "Lang Jun, Vanilla has painted the manor!"
The pen, ink, paper and inkstone were all brought by Wei Zheng. The drawings are very clear. The houses, gardens, ponds and even the courtyard walls are clearly marked.
Liu Ziqiu only thought that Vanilla had some secret, but he did not expect that she could draw such a detailed picture. He couldn't believe it: "Are you sure this is the Yang Family Manor?"
"Sure!" Vanilla bit her lip and said, "But it was more than ten years ago."
Liu Ziqiu knew that Vanilla was only twelve years old now, and he really couldn't imagine where she saw this drawing. But now was not the time to pursue the details. Having this drawing was better than not having it. Liu Ziqiu took the time and looked at it quickly.
I read it twice, memorizing the pattern in my mind, and quickly highlighted a few key points.
There is no moonlight tonight, which is a good time to kill. Liu Ziqiu carried the contract copied by Gao Xiuer in the afternoon, took four Kunlun slaves, five men and five horses, rushed out of the village entrance, and disappeared into the darkness...
In the manor in the west of Yanguan City, Yang Jishan was still hugging him from left to right, drinking and having fun.
Yang Heihu frowned and said: "Seventh Young Master, there is another letter from the eldest Young Master."
Yang Jishan waved his hand and said: "I know it without looking, and he is urging me to eat the other three salt farms. Is this so easy? Let's put it aside for now and let's talk about it tomorrow. By the way, the one in Changshan Village
Didn't you help Loach cause any more trouble?"
The villagers in Changshan Village make a living by fishing, and they are usually relatively dark-skinned, but they are actually ridiculed by him like loaches.
Yang Heihu bowed and said: "It's been quiet these past two days, but it makes people a little suspicious."
"What's there to be confused about?" Yang Jishan said disapprovingly, "In the past they occupied that land, and we couldn't do anything about it. Now that the salt farm has been set up, what else can they do? According to me, they should have been driven away long ago.
Got it!"
Although Yang Heihu had a superior status among the Yang family slaves, he did not dare to talk back to him in person. He had to go back to his room gloomily and threw the letter sent by Yang Xuangan on the table. He tried to open it several times, but finally
He couldn't hold it back. Lying on the bed, Yang Heihu tossed and turned, but couldn't fall asleep. He always felt that something was going to happen today.
Suddenly, there was a "pop" sound outside the window, as if someone had stepped on a branch.
"Who!" Yang Heihu jumped up from the bed.
"Meow……"
"It turns out to be a wild cat." Yang Heihu muttered, and lay down again angrily. As soon as he touched the pillow, he smelled a strange fragrance. Yang Heihu secretly said "No," and struggled to sit up, but felt dizzy and slow.
Slowly fell down.
After a long time, there was a "squeak" sound and the window opened. A dark figure rushed in, quietly moved towards the bed, and stretched out his hand towards Yang Heihu.
There was a "choking" sound, and cold light flashed. Yang Heihu, who should have been unconscious, suddenly moved. There was already a steel knife in his hand, and he slashed at the black shadow with all his strength. The black shadow seemed to have been prepared and dodged sideways. But
Yang Heihu's knife was faster, and with a muffled groan, the opponent was obviously injured.
It turned out that Yang Heihu had traveled around the world in his early years, and he turned to the Yang family because he was involved in a life-and-death lawsuit. As soon as he smelled the smell, he knew it was a dirty fragrance. Yang Heihu had his own way of dealing with this kind of fragrance, pretending to be comatose just to