Qin Xiao took a sip of wine and said with a hint of confusion: "Tianyue? What is that?"
"It's not a thing, it's one of the six auspicious stars in the Ziwei Dou Shu." Niu Zhi said with some excitement: "Being born in October, if he turns seventeen this year, it may be Tianyue."
Qin Xiao smiled and said: "Do you still know Ziwei Dou Shu? It sounds amazing, but what is it?"
"I can't tell what it is." Niu Zhi also said with a smile: "My uncle said that the Ziwei Dou Shu is the destiny of the emperor. There is the Ziwei star in the sky, which is the destiny of the saint. Saints naturally have auxiliary stars to help them. These six
The auspicious star is the six auxiliary stars, and Tianyue is one of them. If there is Tianyue to assist, the weather will be smooth, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe."
Qin Xiao blinked and asked curiously: "You mean, the imperial court wants to look for the Tianyue in Xiling?"
"Hu Cao was counting the household registers. I think the yue was in Xiling or even Turtle City that day." Niu Zhi said regretfully: "It's a pity that we are neither. If it were really the yue, we would have endless glory and wealth."
Qin Xiao chuckled and said, "Do you really believe in this nonsense?"
"Boss, you can't say that. The imperial court is looking for it, so it can't be false." Niu Zhidao said: "My uncle also guessed that the imperial court couldn't have found Xiling for no reason. It was probably Yu Tiantai who calculated it."
When Qin Xiao heard the word "Yutiantai", he immediately thought that the man in the bamboo hat mentioned it yesterday, and immediately asked: "What is Yutiantai?"
"I don't know what it is." Niu Zhidao said: "But according to my cousin, it is a very powerful place. It is said that there is a great heavenly master in Yutiantai who can see through the sky, observe celestial phenomena, and know the past and the future.
Moreover, the great heavenly master has won the trust of the saint, so the appearance of the Tianyue in Xiling must have been calculated by the great heavenly master."
Qin Xiao said "Oh" and asked again: "Then do you know where Beiyuan is?"
"Beiyuan?" Niu Zhi shook his head and said blankly: "I don't know."
Qin Xiao was a little disappointed, but he thought that since Yutiantai was the yamen of Kyoto, the North Courtyard should not be a simple place. He was just a small jailer in Xiling. Even if he knew where the North Courtyard was, it would be meaningless.
.
"Boss, the old beggar was calling out again last night, saying he was out of wine." Niu Zhi reminded: "He hasn't added any money to his account yet."
Earlier, Qin Xiao kept the account books in Jiazi Prison himself. Later, he transferred Niu Zhi. This boy was literate, so Qin Xiao asked him to take charge of the accounting. Whoever in the prison did not have any account books?
Once you get the money, you have to report it back.
"I know." Qin Xiao took a small jar of wine from the corner of the cell. It is a pound. The prison requires a lot of supplies. Qin Xiao will store some and can use them at any time. "I will send him a jar."
, the money will be added in these two days. By the way, give me Wen Budao's escort order."
Niu Zhi hurriedly found the escort order and handed it over. Qin Xiao glanced at it and put it in his arms.
After entering the prison, he went directly to the old beggar's cell. When he saw the old beggar still lying on the bed, he coughed and tore off the wine cloth on the wine jar. A smell of wine suddenly spread out.
The old beggar suddenly sat up and saw Qin Xiao standing outside with a small wine jar. He immediately jumped out of bed and came closer. He smiled and said: "Good boy, good boy." He reached out to get the wine, but Qin Xiao took it away and whispered.
Said: "Uncle Shen, you said you can get money from Tutu Temple tonight, are you kidding me?"
The old beggar lowered his face and said: "Walking around the world and speaking like a mountain, you still don't believe me?"
"It's agreed. I'll withdraw one hundred taels of silver when the time comes. The twenty taels of silver are my errand fees, so I can't go back on my promise." Qin Xiao handed over the small wine jar, and the old beggar took it with both hands and drank it with his head raised. He took a big sip, wiped the corner of his mouth with his stained sleeve, looked like he was enjoying himself very much, and said with a smile: "Uncle Shen means what he says, twenty taels of silver is yours, and the rest is my drink money. "Looking around, he leaned closer and whispered: "Remember, if that person asks, you must say that it was Pharmacist Shen who asked you to go there, otherwise he will not give you money."
Qin Xiao nodded and smiled: "Don't worry, as long as you are not joking, I know what to do." He looked at the old beggar up and down. This old guy could squeeze water out of his prison clothes. It is unimaginable that someone would owe him a hundred yuan. Two silver coins.
But this old guy still has some time to go out. If he can't get the money tonight, the wine in front of him will be his last enjoyment. I'll take care of him when he comes back.
After leaving the old beggar's cell, Qin Xiao went directly to the cell of Wen Butao, the God of Gamblers, and saw Wen Butao leaning on the bed by the light and reading a book. The book he had sent yesterday was "Yu Tuan Fang". Qin Xiao opened the door and went in. Wen Butao heard the sound, pulled the blanket and covered his lower body, put away the book, sat up and said with a smile: "How was the craft I taught you yesterday?"
Qin Xiao walked to the bed and sat down. He also smiled and said: "Uncle God of Gamblers has superb gambling skills. Any move can benefit me a lot." He glanced at the book placed in the corner and asked: "Uncle God of Gamblers, How about that book?”
"It's not bad." Wen Budao said without changing his expression: "Here, let me see how the move you practiced yesterday went." He pointed at the dice on the table.
Qin Xiao hesitated for a moment and finally said: "Uncle God of Gamblers, there is something I haven't told you, and now I can't hide it from you anymore."
Qin Xiao looked at Wen Budao and said softly: "Xing Cao sent an order a few days ago to escort you to Fenggan Mansion. You will leave on the eighth day of March...that is, the day after tomorrow."
"Escorted to Fenggan Mansion?" Wen Budao was startled and frowned: "There has been a change in the case?"
Qin Xiao nodded slightly: "That should be the case, but I am only in charge of the prison class A, so it is not easy for me to inquire about the case. I don't know exactly what happened."
Wen Budao stared at Qin Xiao's eyes, laughed suddenly, raised his finger and pointed at Qin Xiao and said: "You kid, you lie without blinking an eye. I almost believed it."
"Uncle God of Gamblers, don't you believe it?"
"This case has been decided, and I have been sentenced to one year in prison." Wen Butao said with a smile: "How can troubles start to happen again after being put in prison? To say the least, even if something really happened in the case, there are still people here. The criminal can be retried, so why go to Fenggan Mansion?" He waved his hand and said with a smile, "Don't tell such a joke, I was shocked by you."
Qin Xiao sighed: "Uncle God of Gamblers, I'm not joking." He took the escort order from his arms and handed it over.
Wen Butao's smile stopped and he reached out to take it. He looked at it carefully and was silent for a moment before handing the escort order back to Qin Xiao and asked, "Does Leshan know about this?"
"There is one more thing that I shouldn't say too much, but...!" Qin Xiao hesitated for a moment before saying: "Uncle God of Gamblers, as far as I know, many people have changed at Golden Gou Gambling House, especially you. Many of his cronies have been kicked out of the gambling house."
Wen Budao's body trembled, and he suddenly stretched out his hand to grab Qin Xiao's collar, and said sternly: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Qin Xiao just smiled bitterly and said nothing.
Wen Budao let go of his hand and gently smoothed Qin Xiao's collar. Then he stood up and walked to the chair next to the table to sit down. He was thoughtful and asked after a moment: "How long?"
Qin Xiao was a little confused, Wen Butao smiled lightly and said: "He expelled all my people from the gambling house, so naturally he never thought of letting me out. Of course he won't give you the expenses I spent in the prison.
He glanced sideways at Qin Xiao and said, "Since when did you pay all the expenses in advance?"
Qin Xiao thought to himself that although Wen Budao looked a little unruly on weekdays, he was extremely calm when things happened.
Knowing that his cronies were kicked out of the gambling house by Qiao Leshan, he could immediately guess everything behind it. With such shrewdness, it is no wonder that he can occupy a place in Turtle City.
"Since the first day you entered Jiazi Prison, not a single copper coin has been taken from him." Qin Xiao no longer concealed: "He has not come to visit you either."
"So the Jia-zi prison rule prohibiting family members from visiting is just a way for you to comfort me?" Wen Butao sighed: "Why do you treat me like this?"
Qin Xiao did not answer this question, but just said: "Uncle God of Gamblers, Xing Cao issued an order to escort you to Fenggan Mansion. It should be that the case is to be retried. You should make preparations early. If there is anything you need me to do, I will
You should do your best to the best of your ability.”
"Good boy." Wen Butao smiled slightly and said, "You have spent a lot of money in the past six months. Remember, I will repay you ten times." After thinking for a while, he said: "There is something you have to tell the truth about.
Tell me, don't hide it."
"you say."
"Has my mother-in-law never come to visit?" Wen Budao asked, staring into Qin Xiao's eyes.
Qin Xiao hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.
"Good boy, please help me with something." Wen Butao thought for a moment and then said: "Give me a pen and ink. I want to write a letter. If it is convenient, you can secretly send it to my wife for me...
...!" Thinking of something, he shook his head and said, "That's all, taking the letter out of the prison will definitely involve you."
Qin Xiao said: "Uncle God of Gamblers, if it can be transmitted orally, tell me what words to bring, and I will find a chance to tell her."
Wen Budao looked solemn and did not speak. He pondered for a moment, but then he smiled lightly and said: "Since it has been decided to retrial, I am in jail and can't change it. Qin Xiao, you go ahead and do your work. I will think about how to deal with it myself."
.”
Qin Xiao knew in his heart that Wen Budao's refusal to talk to him was just because he was worried that the case would implicate him.
In fact, he was not afraid that things would implicate him, but he was worried that if he was too involved in the case, he might implicate Captain Han.
The Zhenhou Mansion failed to frame Meng Zimo, but the conflict between the two parties became more serious. The Zhenhou Mansion was even more eyeing on Han Yunong. If Qin Xiao gave the Zhenhou Mansion a handle against Han Yunong because of him, it would be extremely difficult for Qin Xiao to forgive himself.
Although Wen Budao seemed calm, Qin Xiao knew that he must be in a very painful mood now.
He had always regarded Qiao Leshan as his brother in life and death. When he was imprisoned, he left the Golden Gou Gambling House to be managed by Qiao Leshan, thinking that he would have nothing to worry about.
But what Qin Xiao said naturally made him guess immediately that Qiao Leshan must have done something behind the case.
Being betrayed by his most trusted brother, how could Wen Budao be at peace in his heart?
"Uncle God of Gamblers, are you worried about...your wife?" Qin Xiao asked softly when he saw Wen Budao's face looking a little bad.
Wen Budao glanced at Qin Xiao and saw the concern on his face. He smiled gently and nodded slightly: "She is a female prostitute with a virtuous temperament. Since Qiao Leshan treats me like this, her life will naturally be difficult. I am only worried...
..!" He sighed softly.
Qin Xiao thought for a moment and then whispered: "Uncle God of Gamblers, if you are really worried, tell me where your family lives. I will go see how she is doing now. If there is a chance, I will also tell you about your situation."
she."
Wen Butao showed joy, immediately stepped forward to hold Qin Xiao's hand, and whispered: "Good boy, this is too troublesome for you. Help me take a look at her, but don't say anything, as long as she has everything
If everything is well, I will feel at ease in my heart."
Qin Xiao nodded and said, "Don't worry, Uncle God of Gamblers. I'll be there as soon as I get off the job."
Wen Budao immediately told him where he lived, hesitated, and then said softly: "This case is being retried, which is very strange. If I... I mean, if anything happens to me, you go find someone
"There is a coffin shop in Jiming Street. When you see the shopkeeper, just give this to him." As he spoke, he took out a dice from his arms and handed it over.
This dice is larger than ordinary dice and made of black wood.
Qin Xiao was a little surprised. He didn't expect Wen Budao to carry a dice with him. However, since he was known as the God of Gamblers, it was not incomprehensible that he had a dice with him.
But the strange thing is that each side of this die is engraved with three points, which is obviously unusual.
"Uncle God of Gamblers...?"
"No need to ask more." Wen Budao said solemnly: "If everything is safe and sound, this dice can be considered a gift to you. If something happens to me, you can go find him as I say."
Qin Xiao shook his head and said: "Uncle God of Gamblers, don't worry, nothing will happen to you."
Wen Butao just smiled slightly, stood up, and patted Qin Xiao on the shoulder without saying anything.