The fire-like flags danced with the wind in the slightly white night sky, and the mountains on both sides whistled desolately behind the bare hills.
The moon was sinking over the western mountains, and the sound of horse hooves could be heard not far away. The dust was flying, and the body gradually took shape.
A group of officers and soldiers, all dressed in light armor, rode towards the inn on big horses. The horses were strong and heroic.
Soon a group of people stopped at the door of the inn. The leader stepped forward, raised his hand and slapped the door heavily, once or twice, until the inn was lit by candlelight and the door was opened a small crack from the inside.
.
Qiuniang was wearing a coat, holding a candlestick in one hand, and holding the door with the other hand, revealing her jade arms as white as lotus roots, and the spring light suddenly appeared.
Although Qiuniang is no longer young, she is a well-known beauty in the neighborhood. Her charm is still there, and she has a special taste.
The leader of the officers and soldiers couldn't help but blush slightly, his eyes wandered, and he didn't dare to look around.
"Hey? Sir? It's so late? What's the matter?" Qiuniang asked.
The team leader "cough cough cough", cleared his throat, covered up his shyness, raised his hand and showed a token, engraved with the five characters of Qingzhou Shuntian Prefecture, and said in a serious voice: "The government searched, Linglong Village bandits were running around, sneaking around at night
When we got down the mountain, shopkeeper... did you hear anything?"
Qiuniang raised her eyebrows, frowned unconsciously, and said after thinking: "It's true that I didn't see any bandits, but my guys are all strong, they used to be gangsters, and they all have
With skill, even ten bandits can be eliminated."
Her voice had a softness to it, which made the leader's heart soften. He only looked inside, and his intention to go in and search for people was reduced a bit.
The Yuanshan Inn can thrive in this place where bandits are rampant, caravans appear and fish and dragons are mixed, so there must be no problem with basic protection.
More importantly, they were willing to cooperate with the government, and the reserve materials for encircling and suppressing bandits came from Wuyuanshan Inn. They were indeed very obedient.
"Where are the people staying today? Is there anything unusual?" The leader narrowed his eyes and asked cautiously.
Qiuniang's eyes suddenly flickered, she tightened her grip on the door frame, glanced back, and said with a smile: "They are all welcoming caravans on their way. They won't wake up even if the sky falls."
Qiuniang's small movements were caught by the officer and soldier leader. He frowned and looked inside again. There seemed to be nothing unusual inside. He lowered his eyes and thought, twitching the corner of his mouth and said: "It's better to do this. Let us brothers...
It would be safer to go in and check it out alone."
After that, the team leader raised his hand to push the door open, but was stopped by Qiuniang. She smiled and said to him: "In order to capture the bandits, Qingzhou has been closed down for the past few days, and our inn has been given to you officials for the whole sky."
I sent a lot of food, and finally some guests came, so I just used these few copper coins to keep up with the expenses...it's so late at night, it's so pathetic, don't scare my guests."
"Are you really okay?" The leader continued to ask, still not giving up.
Qiuniang's eyebrows relaxed, she smiled, and said generously: "It's really nothing, it couldn't be more true."
After that, the leader looked at Qiuniang, put away the token, and took out a piece of paper that had been folded several times. After unfolding it, there was a portrait of a man inside. The ink was not dry, but it could still be distinguished.
Coming out: translucent Shifeng eyes, thin lips... He asked in a deep voice: "Have you seen this person before?"
Qiuniang looked at it carefully and was surprised. Isn't this man the young master who spent a lot of money today?
She shook her head and met the leader's eyes again, her eyes firm, "I don't know him, I haven't seen him before. Anyway, I haven't been to our inn before."
After saying that, the leader gave her a steady look, then gently folded the portrait, put it in his arms, turned around and led the group of people on their horses again, raising a puff of light dust, and ran towards the nearby village.
Already.
Qiuniang put away her clothes, closed the door gently, turned around with the candlestick in her hand, and said with a lowered brow: "Girl, I'll let you go, can you... let him go?"
Mu Huashu turned sideways, and the sharp dagger in his hand gently left the neck of his assistant Xiao Jiang, and quickly put it back into the sheath.
Xiao Jiang immediately ran to Qiuniang and stood behind her tremblingly. Qiuniang held him in her arms and stroked his back to comfort him.
Mu Huashu stood with her hands behind her back, wearing an ivory white horsehair embroidered slim-fitting robe, with a wide belt tightly tied around her waist, and her long hair hanging down. She looked extremely elegant and easy-going. She glanced at the two people in front of her, and solemnly held her hands.
: "How offending."
Qiuniang and the other waiters did not dare to say anything when they saw this, and only waited cautiously to see her next move.
Keyan Hui, who was also left at the inn, took a step forward and said gently, "Honor, this is an emergency. I really offend you."
Qiuniang looked at him, took Xiaojiang's hand, and nodded gently.
Cheng Fu, who was leading the horse, rubbed his hands and walked forward to Mu Huashu anxiously: "There is a horse missing in the stable. I saw it with my own eyes. It was the young master who paid the money today who rode away. Others...
I haven’t seen him either.”
Shen Yi Yan originally noticed Song Yanqing disappearing into the room, so he rode a horse and chased him out to check. The horse's low neighing sound woke up Cheng Fu. He climbed up the window and saw only one person. As for the others...
Then there is nothing I can do to help.
"Everyone, have you seen my little sister?" Keyan smiled gently and looked at the innkeeper sincerely. Everyone shook their heads. Who doesn't want to go out in the middle of the night without sleeping...
When he discovered that Keyan Yue was missing, Keyan Hui became anxious, and then started asking in a big way.
When Mu Huashu heard the commotion, she didn't want to get involved, because even if Song Yanqing, Shen Yike and the others disappeared, she felt it was quite normal.
They came here to investigate the smuggling of copper mines in Qingzhou, and they did not make any announcement when they left Beijing, so she was indeed a little disgusted with Keyan Hui, who was eager to make things worse.
"Miss Mu, my little sister is willful and playful. Even when she was sleeping, she muttered that she had lost face today and wanted to compete with the young master. I guess she must have followed them. Could you please tell me something about Miss Mu?
So I can go and get my little sister back quickly, so as not to interfere with your business."
Mu Huashu was sitting on the bench with a dagger in her hand. She raised her eyes slightly and sneered: "Young Master has made such a hasty conclusion. I really want to ask why you made such a statement in the previous sentence."
Their eyes met, you wouldn't let me, I wouldn't let you.
When the undercurrent was surging and the situation was tense, Keyan Yue appeared in the corridor on the second floor. She ran all the way up the stairs and said: "Brother! I'm back."
Keyan turned his head and immediately greeted him. He paused again, hiding the joy in his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "You went everywhere again in the middle of the night? Don't you know there are bandits roaming nearby?"
Keyan Yue lowered her head and said "I...", then she held it back and turned to look at the two people walking slowly behind her.
Chu Shou was still wearing a silk-green gauze brocade robe, with dark green tassels hanging on both sides of her bun. She searched her eyes, stretched and said: "I said you should be reasonable in your words. It's obviously your home."
The girl wandered around the door of my room in the middle of the night, causing me to wake up in the middle of the night, instead of begging me to help her catch someone, no serious person would act in the middle of the night..."
"If my wife hadn't been reasonable and helpful, I wouldn't have helped you in the middle of the night!"
Chu Shou said, snorted softly, and hugged Song Yanqing, who was leaning on the railing beside him. He changed into a plain green shirt, with a dark green patterned brocade belt tied around his waist, and his hair was tied high and hanging down.
Around the neck, the hairpin has a white jade auspicious cloud and crane pattern, making him look like a young man in green clothes, with starry eyes under his eyebrows and a straight nose, his eyes are as deep as a flat lake, the corners of his lips are slightly raised, and his face is like a crown jade.
He didn't say a word, but he also had a look of approval on his face - colluding and collaborating.
When Mu Huashu saw him again, he stood up with a quick glance, looked up at Song Yanqing with worried eyes, and called softly: "Sir!"
Song Yanqing nodded slightly towards her, and soon turned his attention back to Chu Shou. Her eyes were bright and her smile was round, her mouth was round, and she was completely gone from the tiredness she had when she just came back. The tassels on both sides were dangling, which was eye-catching.
It's incredible.
They had just returned from the backyard and settled down Cangcuo and Yuetong. They tidied up in the dark for a while. They wanted to sleep quietly without anyone noticing, but Ke Yanyue ran away again.
They came over and knocked on the door, saying that their brother was missing, and then they stood up.
After hearing this, Keyan Yue curled her lips, stared at Chu Shou with squinted eyes, and clenched her fists with both hands. After being asked by her brother if it was as Chu Shou said, she turned her head and stamped her feet, gritting her teeth and said: "Yes.
!I found out about Cangcuo in the middle of the night and asked the young master to help catch him——"
Keyan Hui frowned and asked tentatively: "Catching people? Could it be..."
She nodded, met her brother's doubtful eyes, her tone was a bit proud, and she patted her chest and affirmed: "Yeah, yeah, where is the person? I have brought him back, and he is lying in the room right now... But, let's use our...
After using some small tricks, Cangcuo and Yuetong are still unconscious and have not woken up."
After Keyan heard back, he immediately raised his eyebrows, raised his hand and pointed at Keyan Yue again and again. He wanted to give up, but even if he asked him to go to Cangcuo, he would have to think more carefully, and go without telling him in the middle of the night.
Doing such a dangerous thing is really tough!
"Oh, oh, oh...brother, don't be angry..." Ke Yanyue hurriedly turned around, raised her eyes to meet Chu Shou with an expression of watching a show, then pointed at Chu Shou and said: "Cangcuo is very respectful to her.
Lord, she followed us back without even waiting for me to do anything..."
"Follow? Didn't you say you were unconscious?"
"Yes...it's all the same. It was the first time she saw the young master, and she might have been a little excited...so excited that she fainted."
Keyan Yue explained feebly. She didn't expect his brother, who was as strict as his father, to nod and praise her. In front of so many people, it would be thankful to save her some face...
Chu Shou looked at the scene downstairs, smiled helplessly at Song Yanqing, then turned around and went downstairs, walked to the inn's waiters, took out a piece of silver from his arms, and said: "The shopkeeper, look at this
It's almost dawn and we are in a hurry to get to the city. We have to ask you to arrange some food for us so that we can go on the road. You are well-informed and there are some things that we don't need to elaborate on."
Qiuniang took the silver and stuffed it into her sleeves. She nodded quickly and said "Okay...Okay..."
"Xiao Jiang! Go and ask your brother to get up and cook. Chengfu, go and feed the horses more. Go, go!"
Xiaojiang and Chengfu took the order and immediately found their way to do things skillfully. Qiuniang touched the silver, lowered her eyes and thought, then raised her head and called Chu Shou, smiled embarrassedly, and said with a slight smile: "We shouldn't talk too much.
, but just now we helped conceal and deceive the official. If we are found out, our little inn will not be comfortable. Miss, you are sensible, otherwise... let's do a business, okay?"
After Chu Shou heard this, the corner of his mouth curled up. He was worthy of being a shopkeeper. He was bold and never gave away benefits. She looked at Qiuniang and replied, "Tell me what you want?"
"Nowadays, the officers and soldiers are more strictly guarded. It is difficult for us to do business. We are hit by obstacles everywhere. We have to pay for the purchases for the officers and soldiers. The inventory in the cellar has been used up. I am afraid that this business will not be able to continue. We have to do it early.
We must not finish killing the bandits in one day, and then have to carry their daily expenses for one more day, doing this kind of business where we can only lose money but not make any profit."
"Looking at the situation now, I'm afraid the management of Qingzhou City will only become stricter. It's not easy to enter the city. You need to ask for a visa ultimatum, and the procedures are extremely cumbersome. However... I can help you, but you must help me.
Send a letter to the restaurant in the city called Shuiyunjian that specializes in wine making, state my name Qiuniang, and help me transport some basic expenses to buy it. Wouldn’t it be the best of both worlds? I wonder what the girl wants.
?”
Qiuniang smiled slightly and looked at Chu Shou quietly, waiting for her answer.
Chu Shou smiled and lowered his eyes, and looked back. Mu Huashu and Song Yanqing were standing upstairs. They didn't know what they were talking about. She turned her head and nodded lightly without thinking: "I don't know how the shopkeeper... is going to help us.
Woolen cloth?"
"I can send out chariots and horses to help you disguise yourself as a caravan. I have a ready-made caravan ultimatum procedure booklet here. As long as a few gentlemen and ladies nod their heads and agree to this matter, I can immediately arrange it for you." Qiuniang said.
He smoothed back his broken hair with his hands, raised his brows, and looked at Chu Shou with shrewd eyes. He added: "It can save a lot of worries. The official also brought a small portrait of the young master today everywhere.
It's not the purpose of asking people to identify it. When the deal is done, we will naturally be more secretive."
Chu Shou twitched the corner of his mouth and thought: Little statue? Shen Yi Ke's little statue? When Shen Yi Ke protected the two of them up the mountain, he had already revealed his identity as the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate to the prefecture soldiers guarding at the foot of the mountain. Logically speaking,
, the state capital got its name, and it was very respectful, but now it has made a small statue and asked people to identify it. It doesn't make sense... Could it be that you want to find out if the imperial court has sent anyone to come with you?
Yes... After all, the timing and circumstances of Shen Yi Yan's appearance are quite strange. If she were the chief officer of the state government who was encircling the mountain bandits, she would definitely be suspicious of what kind of person could come on horseback in the middle of the night to check out the book.
Flood disaster in Qingzhou Nanshan is not a problem...
Chu Shou thought about it and laughed. However, even if she thought so, combined with what she saw and heard that night, she became more and more convinced that there was something wrong with the government.
Then she responded directly to the shopkeeper: "Okay, please prepare it quickly."
Instead, Qiuniang was stunned for a moment and asked secretly: "You are so cheerful, you don't need to ask about the other young ladies..."
Chu Shou waved his hand, winked at Qiuniang, winked at her, patted his chest and said casually: "No, I'm the biggest here."