In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, it is the evening of May 20th.
The anxious Guo Zhen received Hokusai's calligraphy and painting, and knew from the code words that the other party had made an appointment with him to go to Jinling Tower in Mingshifang.
Guo Zhen looked solemn and hurried out of the palace after changing his shift.
Originally, it was during the Ghost Festival that Guo Zhen was invited out by Hokusai and was assassinated.
Because of Jiang Fan's intervention, Emperor Tianqi fell into the water without contracting the disease, so Lu Wenzhao had no choice but to take risks and advance the plan by more than a month.
Mingshi Square, Jinling Tower.
It's just getting dark and there are fewer people on the street.
At this time, a man came outside the restaurant and shouted: "Waiter, serve the wine."
"I'm sorry, sir, the restaurant is booked out today. Please forgive me for having to go to a bar somewhere else!"
The waiter did not pick up the customer, but asked the customer to go to another restaurant.
When the man heard this, he cursed and left.
After a while, the handsome Zhou Miaoxuan, disguised as a man, came towards Jinling Tower.
Before she could get closer, the waiter stepped forward and said, "The shop is reserved, sir, please come back."
Hearing this, Zhou Miaotong said the secret code for the meeting: "I made an appointment with your shopkeeper Ding."
The waiter looked around and saw that no one was paying attention on the empty street, so he immediately introduced Zhou Miaoxuan into Jinling Tower.
After a while, a carriage slowly stopped at the closed door of Jinling Tower.
“Father-in-law, we’ve arrived!”
The young eunuch driving the car said respectfully.
Guo Zhen, who was wearing casual clothes, opened the car curtain and looked at the nearby but very silent Jinling Tower with a trace of hesitation in his eyes.
After thinking for a moment and seeming to have made up his mind, Guo Zhen got off the carriage and said to the young eunuch: "You go back first."
"Yes, father-in-law."
As the young eunuch drove away, the closed door of Jinling Tower opened, and Zhou Miaoxuan, disguised as a man, walked out and extended his hand with a warm invitation: "Eunuch Guo, please come inside. I have asked the store to prepare good wine and food."
Guo Zhen felt uneasy. He knew that today's invitation was probably to the Hongmen Banquet.
But he had no way of turning back and could only walk all the way to the dark side. He immediately forced a smile on his face and followed Zhou Miaoxuan into the restaurant.
As soon as he entered the restaurant, Guo Zhen found that the atmosphere inside was not right. Except for the shopkeeper and a few waiters, there were no other customers. The whole restaurant was eerily quiet!
"Today is specially prepared for Eunuch Guo. I have reserved this place so no one will disturb our conversation."
Zhou Miaoxuan explained calmly.
"Mr. Hokusai is still thoughtful."
Guo Zhen smiled stiffly and then sat down.
Zhou Miaoxuan poured the wine and the waiter started serving the food.
While the two were drinking and chatting.
In the backyard of the restaurant, a young man holding a mace came to the side room and said to a woman in white: "Master, we are here, when will we do it?"
"Xiao Tai, you and Xiao Chong guard the back door, and I will do it myself."
After saying this, Ding Baiying stood up, holding the Qi family knife, and entered the lobby of Jinling Tower through the back door.
As a descendant of Qi Jiadao, Ding Baiying is young and has many disciples. She never follows any ethical rules or laws.
It was only because of his senior brother Lu Wenzhao and his deep hatred for the eunuchs that Ding Baiying participated in this power struggle.
Now Ding Baiying's identity is King Xin's retainer, and she is mainly responsible for doing some inconvenient things for King Xin.
Zhou Miaoxuan and Guo Zhen chatted for a while in the restaurant.
Guo Zhen asked with some expectation: "Mr. Beizhai, you called me out in such a hurry. Did Duke Shu have any orders?"
If you believe in the king's instructions, it means that you are still valuable and can still live.
Zhou Miaoxuan didn't know how to answer for a while, so he thought for a while and said: "Father, don't be impatient. Let's eat first. We'll talk about it after we finish. The steamed seabass here is one of the best. But why hasn't it been served for a long time? I'll go to the kitchen to have a look."
Faced with such a poor excuse from Zhou Miaoxuan, Guo Zhen smiled miserably, and his heart fell to the bottom.
He understood that he would probably not be able to walk out of Jinling Tower alive today!
Thinking of King Xin's power and the safety of his family, Guo Zhen even gave up and ran away.
As soon as Zhou Miaoxuan left, Ding Baiying came over with a knife on his back: "Eunuch Guo, you're fine."
"Lu Wenzhao sent you to kill him!"
Seeing Ding Baiying appear, Guo Zhen knew that he was doomed. He and Lu Wenzhao had known each other for many years and were loyal to King Xin together. Naturally, he knew Lu Wenzhao's junior sister.
Seeing Ding Baiying, Guo Zhen knew that he was no match. After drinking a glass of wine, he looked at Ding Baiying and said with a complex expression: "I can die and let my family go. They don't know anything."
"Don't worry, father-in-law, my only target is you."
Ding Baiying said, ready to take action.
As for Guo Zhen’s family, they really didn’t know about it, and Lu Wenzhao had no plans to take action against Guo Zhen’s family.
After all, killing Guo can really turn the scene into a robbery.
If Guo Zhen's family members were killed again, it would be a bit of a cover-up!
"I wish Mr. Huang to achieve great achievements as soon as possible and bring peace to the world. Come on!"
Guo Zhen received the answer, raised his glass and drank another glass, then opened his hands, closed his eyes and waited for death.
But judging from his beating eyelashes, Guo Zhen is still very afraid of death.
It’s just that he understands that he will definitely die, and if he resists, his family may be affected!
When Ding Baiying saw this, she sighed in her heart.
They were both under King Xin and did the most dangerous things for King Xin. Now that Guo Zhen has been silenced, Ding Baiying feels as if a rabbit has died and a fox has died.
But she did not forget the purpose of her coming.
"Eunuch Guo, I'm sorry!"
As he spoke, Ding Baiying took out the Qi family sword in his hand, and the cold light was like the moon, slashing Guo Zhen's neck, intending to give Guo Zhen a good blow!
"Qiang~"
The long knife was unsheathed. At the moment when Ding Baiying raised the knife and put it down, a flying knife flew in from outside the door and accurately hit the long knife in Ding Baiying's hand.
"Ding~"
As the sparks flickered, Ding Baiying felt a huge force pass through the handle of the knife into her hand, causing her to take several steps back.
Immediately afterwards, the door of the restaurant was pushed open.
"Looks like it came at just the right time."
Jiang Fan, who received the message from Heishi, arrived in time. He looked at Ding Baiying, who had the same face as Miss Hong, and felt a little emotional in his heart. Then he said, "Ding Baiying, Master Ding, how about we sit down and talk?"
Ding Baiying was shocked when she heard Jiang Fan call out her name.
Before working for King Xin, she was considered a bandit. Later, she followed King Xin and rarely appeared in public. She only acted when there was a mission.
Jiang Fan was able to recognize her at a glance, which meant that King Xin behind her had been exposed.
And why did the other party come here?
Ding Baiying would never believe it if it was a coincidence.
Was Guo Zhen exposed?
Or has Guo Zhen colluded with the eunuch party?
Or maybe someone else leaked the news?
"You know me? Mr. Jiang Fanjiang, the new governor of Jinyiwei, it seems that we have all underestimated you!" Ding Baiying thought a lot in a moment, holding the long sword tightly in his hand, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Jiang Fan smiled and said, "Have Lu Wenzhao mentioned me to you? How about you give me face and let me take Eunuch Guo away."