The dusk is gone, and the light rain is coming again.
A middle-aged official with a clear face was walking on the rain street with an umbrella. Judging from the color of the official uniform, the official rank was not low, but there were no followers beside him, and only a cold-faced general followed silently.
The soldiers and subordinate officials at the Xicheng Gate stood under the eaves in a quiet voice, their eyes moving with the steps of the two officials in the street. No one stepped forward, and no one showed a look of surprise.
The middle-aged official was Huang Xing, the man in the city gate, who was responsible for opening and closing the entire Chang'an City and the imperial city gate. The general who followed him, named Shuzhu, was a deputy general of the city gate army.
Huang Xing is known for his diligence and integrity. Since taking over as the head of Chengmen Lang, he will definitely choose a city gate to patrol every morning and evening. Except for the water master, he does not bring any subordinate officials, and he will be light and followers. It's rainy and rainy, and there has never been a day that has not been like this for many years.
The people at Zhucheng Gate in Chang'an have long been accustomed to the scene in front of them. Only when these two adults have finished their inspection can they leave. This has formed an unwritten rule.
According to the rules over the past few years, the city gatekeeper Huang Xing inspected the Xicheng Gate today.
After the inspection of the Xicheng Gate, Huang Xing confirmed that no problems were found and nodded. The general Yu Shuizhu turned around and looked at the soldiers and officials under the eaves with nervous expressions. He waved his hand coldly. Everyone knew that today was finally over. After that, the expression of relaxed expression dissipated and they went home.
Standing on the rain street outside the Xichengmensiya, Huang Xing lowered his umbrella slightly, looked up at the raindrops falling from the sky, felt his legs a little tired, and said slightly, "I'm still old after all."
Master Yu Shui said: "My lord can serve the imperial court for another thirty years."
Huang Xing asked, "I have been patrolling the city gates every year and I have to go back to the house under the night light every day. My brother and sister have been dissatisfied, thank you for your hard work."
After a moment of silence, Master Yu Shui replied: "My life is given by the Lord. Not to mention accompanying him to travel through the nine gates of Chang'an City, even if he sends his life away, it is natural." Now these two Chang'an City The famous honest officials were once comrades in the military camp, and their fate changed because of a tragic incident that year and were closely linked.
If Huang Xing hadn't made up his mind and first took Lord Yu Shui to surrender to Prince Li Peiyan, he might have died with the general. Even if he didn't die, he would have been neglected and scattered by the court. Without the strength of His Highness the Prince When you protect yourself, there is no other hard work and glory to inspect the Chang'an city gate now.
Unfortunately, they were still affected by the incident back then. Although the two of them were diligent, honest and dedicated to doing things for the court, their official positions and military positions had reached their peak. It was difficult to be promoted, but at least they had wealth and honor.
Huang Xing looked at Chang'an City in the drizzle. After a long silence, he suddenly sighed and said, "We went back to Chang'an with the general, and it seemed that we were entering the West City Gate."
Master Yu Shui's expression was slightly stern.
When they inspected the city gates at night every morning, they talked about the idle things in the mansion and interesting things in the court. They also recalled their military careers, but they never mentioned the general.
Because the two of them didn't want to remember the tragic incident back then, and they didn't want to recall the role they played in that incident, perhaps because of guilt and shame, or because of fear.
Master Yu Shui didn't understand why the Lord suddenly felt this emotion today and whispered: "According to the court's rules, the power should enter the city from the East City Gate. Later, this matter was also taken out as evidence of the crime."
Huang Xing sighed and said nothing.
The rain in the twilight was getting heavier and heavier. The pedestrians had already returned home. The subordinate officials of the City Gate Division had probably returned to the warm mansion. The soldiers who were vigilant hid in the city gate hole or the duty room. The wet street was empty and quiet, only
The sound of rain accompanied the two of them to recall the past in silence.
The two carriages were waiting silently at both ends of the Yu Street. They were the carriages sent by the two people's mansions. The managers in the mansion had long been accustomed to the rules of the adults and did not come to urge them.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps suddenly sounded on the Yu Street. The footsteps were very soft and stable. If you listen carefully, you could hear the slight sound of the bottom of your boots breaking through the puddle.
It was a young man wearing black clothes and carrying a black umbrella.
Strangely, the young man did not hold an umbrella and let the rain fall on his body. His clothes were already wet, and the rain drooped along the threads of the hair and the threads hanging down his forehead.
Huang Xing looked at the young man in black who was walking towards him and raised his eyebrows slowly.
He just thought the young man in black was a little strange, and he didn't notice any danger, nor did he think anything would happen.
Because this is Chang'an City with good public security and the tightly guarded Xicheng Gate. Whether it is the bold and arrogant Detachment of Women or the powerful practitioners, facing the majesty and powerful military power of the Tang Empire, they will become humble and
calm.
Nothing really happened.
When the young man walked past the two, he noticed the official uniforms worn by Huang Xing and the light armor worn by Yu Shuizhu. He bowed and then walked out of the long street.
Huang Xing noticed that when the young man in black salutes, his face was not awe, but a very complicated emotion, and said with a smile: "We see this young man in the rain is strange and want to come."
He would also find it strange to see us two officials standing silent in the rain."
Master Yu Shui said, "It's reasonable, then go back."
Huang Xing suddenly felt something seemed to be in his hand. He looked down and saw a note in his palm.
He did not look at what was written on the note, but turned around and looked behind him. He saw that the spring rain was drizzling, and the young man in black had long disappeared on the street.
Master Yu Shui also noticed this incident, suddenly raised his eyebrows, and said with a slightly deep voice: "This person is amazing to be able to quietly stuff the paper into the adult's hands."
Huang Xing was silent for a moment and opened the note in his palm.
The note was slightly yellow, and seemed very ordinary, and it seemed very unusual. The handwriting on it was probably written in some material mixed with cinnabar, and it was as red as blood.
There are some lines drawn on the top of the slightly yellow paper strips. The lines combined together look like a word, but neither Huang Xing nor Yu Shuizhu recognized what word it was.
They knew the words below the note because they were normal words.
"I came from the general's mansion to take your life."
The two of them changed drastically, and their expressions were as if they were so dark and gloomy that the night was about to rain. Huang Xing's fingers holding the note trembled slightly.
The three words of General's Mansion on the yellow note evoke the memories buried deep in their hearts. Those blood-colored memories were already blurred. Today, Huang Xing occasionally sighed at Chang'an City in the rain, which reminded them of some
, Then this note brought back all the memories.
The two knew very well that the general on the note did not refer to Xu Shi, the general of Zhenguo, or Xiahou, the general of Zhenguo, but Lin Guangyuan, the general of Xuanwei.
Huang Xing sighed and said, "I suddenly felt that something was reflected in the past."
Master Yu Shui said with a serious expression: "I'll go to the Prince's Mansion."
Huang Xing nodded.
The two separated in the middle of Yu Street, holding umbrellas and walking towards the carriage in their own mansion on the other side of the street.
The official boots stomped on the water in the street, making a crackling sound.
At the beginning, the rhythm of the sound was still very smooth and stable.
Then the footsteps on the rainy street became faster and faster.
This proves that their true mood is not as relaxed as they appear.
Master Yu Shui walked quickly with an umbrella, his face became colder and more serious, and his fear was replaced by anger. He just wanted to report to His Highness the Prince to know that there was indeed that incident.
The fish that escapes the net.
The footsteps suddenly became chaotic.
His left foot was about to fall into a puddle, and the sound of the crackling sound became much longer and dull.
Because his foot can no longer be lifted.
His feet fell into the puddle.
There seemed to be an invisible sharp and thin thread on the ground of Yu Street, cutting the pants on his legs, cutting his flesh, and cutting his bones, so his feet fell down.
It is not an invisible sharp and thin line, but countless invisible sharp and thin lines.
Yu Shuizhu's knee was broken from the middle, and then his entire thigh was broken.
Then the light armor on his body was split into countless pieces.
His people were cut into countless pieces of fresh meat. They fell from the air like ripe fruits, smashed into the rain, making a sound of banging sound.
Huang Xing held an oil-paper umbrella and walked towards the carriage at the intersection in the rain.
The oil-paper umbrella in his hand was very old and his face was very pale.
He doesn't want to die.
Although his oil-paper umbrella was very old and the whole Chang'an City thought he was very honest, in fact, he had been greedy for a lot of money over the years, and he wanted to live and enjoy everything that money brought.
Although it is very hard to inspect the city gate every day, in fact, he enjoys the fearful eyes of his subordinates during the inspection and the expressions of admiration of the people. He wants to continue to enjoy all this alive.
He thinks he is a landscape in Chang'an City and wants to last for a long time.
At this moment, he heard the sound of slap from behind him.
The sound of heavy pieces of meat falling into the puddle is different from the sound of official boots stepping into the puddle, and it seems very clear in the sound of rain.
Huang Xing did not look back and did not dare to look back.
His hand holding the oil-paper umbrella trembled, and looked at the carriage not far away and the manager who bowed respectfully to greet him, and his pale face showed a look of despair.
The yellow note he held tightly in his hand was already wet with rain and sweat.
Suddenly, a gorgeous flame spewed out of his hand.
Another flame spurted out from his official robe.
Another flame spewed out from the wrinkles on his old cheeks.
Countless flames spewed out from the deepest part of his body, instantly melting his hair, eyebrows, eyebrows, skin, fat, musculoskeleton, burning everything.
The long street on a rainy night is dim and wet.
The person under the umbrella is burning.
A moment later, an oil-paper umbrella fell from the sky and fell on the rainy street.
Huang Xing under the umbrella has turned into ashes silently.
The umbrella rolls slowly in the puddle, and the handle of the umbrella is slightly burnt.
In a alley not far away, Ning Que stood quietly in the rain.
I don’t know if it was because of the emotional fluctuation too violently or because the spring rain was a little cold, his face was a little pale and his expression was a little tired between his eyebrows and eyes.