After procrastinating for a while, Ming Lanruo and Qiao Yan finally set off.
Ming Lanruo finally breathed a sigh of relief. Qiao Yan and Shangguan Hongye almost made a move just now.
The quarrel made her lose her temper, so she pulled these two guys, whose combined age was considered "over fifty", apart.
"Really, some people are now fathers, and they are not mature enough for Xiao Xi." Ming Lanruo lowered her voice as she walked and snorted angrily at the man next to her.
There is a nine thousand year old man with all the power in the world, the governor of the East Factory, and the other is a high-ranking prince. What does it look like for the two of them to "flip their heads"!
After listening to this reprimand, Qiao Yan's anger and embarrassment at being scolded for being "coquettish" and "seductive" disappeared.
What does he have to argue with a fool like Shangguan Hongye?
Just like Jing He said - he is the main wife and Xiao Xi's father.
As the Queen Mother said, as long as she is the queen, you will eventually be the concubine!
Those other cats and dogs won’t be able to get on the stage after all!
Qiao Yan didn't realize that his "positioning" was a bit strange. He felt comfortable now and smiled lightly: "Yes."
Ming Lanruo was even a little happy to see him "received", and she was a little baffled.
But if he is willing not to cause trouble, that's fine. I hope two grown men will do it next time
This time to go to Gujiazhai, we will not take the open road outside, but through the secret passage of the underground palace.
Although the underground palace is used to raise snakes to worship the Five Immortals, there is still a special secret passage leading to Gujiazhai.
This time, they have to go through the secret passage of the underground palace, sneak into the guards escorting gold, silver and food, and lurk into Gujiazhai, where they will stay hidden for at least half a month.
Ming Lanruo only brought Jing He and Chen Ning with him this time. As for Qiao Yan... he didn't seem to bring anyone with him.
Of course, that's just on the surface, the people in Dongchang behave in unpredictable ways.
Entering Magistrate Tang's mansion and his island in the middle of the lake again, Ming Lanruo looked around calmly, not much had changed.
At Qiao Yan's request, Magistrate Tang must personally take them into the mountains this time.
The tunnel is deep and ghostly, and the ever-burning lamp emits a dark and dancing light, which reminds Ming Lanruo of the lonely fear she felt when she fell——
The fear of being buried underground forever.
She closed her eyes and subconsciously squeezed the medicine box she was carrying.
It's okay, she still has rhubarb, she still has various poisons and medicines, she still has Gu insects, she still has...
A slender, cold hand grasped her sweaty slender hand, holding her hand quietly in the palm of his hand.
Ming Lanruo turned her face slightly and looked at the man who was looking calmly and calmly in front of her. Her tense heart slowly relaxed.
She is not alone this time, she also has... him.
Jing He and Chen Ning followed Magistrate Tang and walked at the front, while she and Qiao Yan stayed behind and walked at the back.
The four people worked in tandem to prevent the Tang magistrate from doing anything secretly.
She looked at the splendid and ghostly murals on the walls and couldn't help but murmur in a low voice: "Why do they sacrifice humans to animals? Do they really believe that the Five Immortals can protect them for eternity?"
In fact, Qiao Yan had already asked Magistrate Tang this question during the interrogation.
Magistrate Tang only said meaningfully that faith is very important and can unite everyone and protect them.
But this reason seemed extremely far-fetched to her.
Qiao Yan held the knife and said calmly as he walked——
"Tang Zhifu is right. There are tens of thousands of bandits in Gujiazhai, not counting the dozens of large and small cottages they have conquered. There are only two ways to reunite people's hearts. Does the young lady know which two?
?”
Ming Lanruo knew that he was teaching her something and also making her think.
Combining the experience of her previous life, she pondered for a long time and suddenly said: "Either respect or fear, there are only two ways!"
Qiao Yan smiled slightly and looked at Ming Lanruo with admiration: "Yes, there are only two ways to convince the public, either to make them respect you from the bottom of their hearts, or to make them fear and fear you from the bottom of their hearts."
Ming Lanruo's cold eyes flashed slightly: "There are so many local bandits in Changbai Mountain. People from Northeast China are already tough, and the bandits refuse to obey anyone. If you want them to surrender and respect you, it will be even more difficult."
"Yes, so the best way is to make them afraid. Making everyone afraid in the name of ghosts and gods is the easiest and simplest method." Qiao Yan smiled faintly.
Ming Lanruo sighed: "These methods in Gujiazhai are leftovers from the past dynasties.
When the emperor calls himself the Son of Heaven, he is using the names of ghosts and gods to make the people fear them.
This has been the case in all dynasties, and religion has always been a tool of rulers.
Even various folk cults are like this. In the name of ghosts and gods, they make people afraid, give away their property, and even deceive people into giving up their lives.
Qiao Yan said coldly: "Foxes, weasels, snakes... and so on are the five immortals who are most trusted by the people in Northeast Xinjiang. There are countless legends."
"Gujiazhai raises giant pythons and weasels and feeds these animals with people. It is cruel and bloody, but it can very well confuse and frighten the unconvinced local bandits and win over them."
Ming Lanruo remained silent.
Whether it's Gujiazhai or Gujiajun, they were all once elite Red Blood Legions, so no matter in terms of military or governance methods.
They are far superior to ordinary bandits and are definitely not a rabble.
It is very dangerous to lurk into the mountains this time...
But she must clean up the house!
In addition to rescuing her father, this is what she must do as the Lord of Red Blood!
If you want to ascend to a high position, you must bear risks. The higher you stand, the more dangerous you are.
Qiao Yan seemed to notice the uneasiness in her silence and held her delicate hand tightly.
Ming Lanruo's heart felt warm, and all her uneasiness seemed to have dissipated. She spread her white fingers and intertwined her long fingers with her backhand.
Qiao Yan was stunned for a moment.
No one has ever held hands with him in such a posture, but at this moment, he seemed to vaguely understand why the ancients said - ten fingers connect the heart.
With their fingers intertwined, he inexplicably felt as intimate as a hug, and he could feel her heartbeat...
Ming Lanruo looked at his stunned look and whispered jokingly: "This time, it was me who took the initiative to touch you, so it's not you who's going to do it next time. It doesn't matter."
Qiao Yan lowered his eyes and said softly: "Yes, little empress."
In order to avoid dazzling the eyes, he did not wear the Shura mask and replaced it with a human skin mask that was 50% similar to his original appearance.
At this moment, the face under the human skin mask felt inexplicably hot.
Ming Lanruo looked at the tips of his jade-white ears turning red, feeling a little funny and a little soft in her heart.
This man is really an extreme contradiction.
She is obviously better than anyone else at "playing food" and teasing others, but she still feels shy because she takes the initiative to interlock their fingers.
I don’t know whether to call him evil and depraved, or cute and innocent...
After walking for about four or five hours, resting two or three times along the way, the secret passage gradually became wider.
The convoy in front suddenly stopped.
"Get ready, we are about to leave the secret passage!" Someone from the front suddenly gave the order.
Ming Lanruo was very tired from walking. At this moment, she breathed a sigh of relief but felt refreshed.
After a while, as the noose swayed, the secret passage door creaked and creaked.
People pushed a long line of more than a hundred cars and walked out.
Ming Lanruo squinted her eyes, and the light of the morning glow and the clear air of the forest came flooding in.
She squinted her eyes comfortably.
Chen Ning suddenly came over and said in a low voice: "Sir, Magistrate Tang asked someone to send a message that we will enter the stronghold soon. Be careful and don't talk casually."
Ming Lanruo and Qiao Yan looked at each other and knew what Magistrate Tang meant——
Their accent is different from the locals.
Not long after, the convoy started moving again and headed up the mountain.
Along the way, Ming Lanruo discovered that Qiao Yan had been carefully observing the various terrains in the mountains he passed.
"What, what's the problem?" she asked quietly in a low voice.
Qiao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly: "The mountains and forests here are not natural. Just like on the island in the middle of the lake, many are planted in the direction of Qimen Dunjia."
If there is no one to guide you, it is easy to get lost here, just like encountering a "ghost hitting the wall" and never getting out.
In order to please Emperor Ming, he refined elixirs and cultivated formations, and studied Taoist metaphysics deeply. It is said that Qimen Dunjia was founded by Feng Hou, Prime Minister of Huangdi.
"If I'm not wrong, there is a capable person in Gujiazhai who is good at military formations. He arranged the formations on the island in the center of the lake and here. It's a pity that such a person has turned into a bandit."
Qiao Yan said calmly, seeming a little regretful.
Ming Lanruo's eyes flashed with an icy look, but what she was thinking in her heart was - indeed, none of the former senior officials of the Red Blood Legion can be retained.
Don't be afraid of stupid people doing evil, just be afraid of capable people doing evil.
This kind of master has lost his conscience and brought trouble to the world, and the harm is far greater than that of ordinary people.
My father and the others suddenly disappeared at that time, fearing that they might have stepped into the formation trap set by the master!
After climbing the mountain road for about an hour, they finally arrived at Gujiazhai!
Ming Lanruo looked at the huge city fortifications made of towering boulders and century-old logs. She was shocked, but also... felt bad all over!
I originally thought that the mansion of Magistrate Tang was already very grand, until now I saw Gujiazhai!
She and Chen Ning looked at each other and saw a complicated light in each other's eyes——
What kind of cottage is this? This is clearly a giant fortress mountain city built on the mountain!
After all, Gujiazhai is from the Red Blood Legion!
They escorted hundreds of cars in. Ming Lanruo watched with surprise and mixed emotions.
The city is very orderly, and there is even a market. Men and women perform their duties, and there are many strong men on armed patrols, or armed soldiers.
Because they even wore uniform blue thin cotton shirts and armor, and they looked like soldiers in an armed fortress.
Militarized management is very thorough.
Ming Lanruo was in a daze, as if she could vaguely glimpse what the Red Blood Army was like in its heyday.
With mixed feelings in her heart, she lowered her eyes and quietly followed the people escorting the grain, grass, gold and silver to the warehouse.
Chen Ning also followed his previous plan and silently wrote down the terrain he saw.
Qiao Yan looked at everything calmly, even with some interest.
After arriving at the warehouse and starting to unload the goods, someone immediately came out to greet Magistrate Tang.
"Uncle Tang, my father heard that you personally escorted the things here this time, so he specially arranged a banquet today. My nephews are here to invite you to the table!"
A slightly rough male voice sounded.
Ming Lanruo stood not far away, pretending to help unload the goods, and when she glanced quietly, she saw two tall men and people coming out to greet Magistrate Tang in person.