My enemies became my companions

Chapter 531: Empty (Three-in-one update)

There were bursts of horse hoof sounds coming from outside the restaurant. Hearing that the battle here was over, Su Hongtao rode over.

He dismounted, threw the reins to the servant, and walked in quickly.

The murderous intent had disappeared, but Su Hongtao lowered his head and seemed to still hear wailing, screaming, and cries of pain from the wide-open mouth of the corpse lying on the ground...

Su Hongtao tilted his head and asked, "Are they all dead?"

The soldier clasped his fists towards him and said in a voice as cold as iron, "Reporting to Anshan Gong, the White Lotus bandits refused to surrender and have all been killed. No one survived."

Su Hongtao stopped for a moment, then withdrew his gaze indifferently, stepped on the dried and smelly blood, went to the second floor, turned around the hallway, pushed the door and entered. He could still see the blood-stained weapon rack, the table with severed limbs and a map, and four or five dead bodies.

Su Hongtao recognized the old man. He had just flashed past him in the restaurant a few days ago. There was a big hole on his chest, and wisps of cold air seeped out from inside. It was undoubtedly the work of Ji Yuan.

There was silence all around. Su Hongtao didn't know how he felt, but his eyes were dim.

After a long time, he waved his hand and said:
"Throw away everything you have prepared."

The soldier clasped his fists again and replied in a deep voice: "Yes!"

Not long after, after Su Hongtao left the restaurant, the soldiers collected some things on each body as if they were corpses, but they were not worth mentioning.

They are nothing more than tokens of Han Xiu's collusion with the White Lotus Sect...

.........

Watching the people from the Light and Dark Sect coming and going in the courtyard, Yin Tingxue couldn't help but feel nervous. She held the tea bowl and pretended to stare at the sky.

Chen Yi glanced at Yin Tingxue from the window and realized that the girl had some grudges in her heart.

In her previous life, she was killed by Yin Tingxue, who was established as a saint by the Ming and Dark Sect. Therefore, she had no good feelings towards the Ming and Dark Sect and even hated it for a long time. Now Yin Tingxue is also more or less affected by this.

Rather than saying that she was influenced by this, it would be more accurate to say that Yin Tingxue did not like the attitude of the Light and Dark Sect that looked down upon human life and focused on the soul. In addition, she was afraid of having too much contact with the Light and Dark Sect, which would make her feared by him... Now the little fox cared more and more about his opinion of her, how could Chen Yi not know.

Zhu E came closer with the tea, and Chen Yi took it with both hands. She followed his gaze and her eyes lingered on Yin Tingxue for a moment.

The saint girl is born to serve the wise master.

No matter what, as long as the Master has a request or an order, we will follow it without any hesitation.

I feel honored that Yin Tingxue was able to serve Ming Zun before she even realized her own identity.

After sipping the tea, Chen Yi slowly asked, "When will you leave Wuchang?"

Zhu E turned his eyes back, looked at Chen Yi shyly, and said softly: "Sir, your intention is not to drink."

Chen Yi just chuckled and said, "What do you mean by wine or not? It's obvious that you are thinking the wrong thing."

"When Su Hongtao dies, we will leave Wuchang," Zhu E paused, as if he could see the hidden meaning in Chen Yi's words, and said, "Many affairs in Jinghu South need to be taken over by the Divine Religion. For a while, Zhu E cannot go with you. Besides, Longhu Mountain has always disliked people like us, so even if we insist on going, it will only cause trouble."

Chen Yi nodded slightly, having expected this answer.

Zhu E said: "However, let me say that the situation in Jiangxi is probably more complicated than that in Huguang. You must concentrate on your work and not let other things interfere with your work, especially...beauty."

Chen Yi raised his eyebrows. Almost everyone had similar remarks, worrying that he would mess up things because of beauty. But he usually respected himself, so how could he be so casual?

"Beauty doesn't necessarily hinder things, it may even help."

After sipping the tea, Chen Yi put down the tea bowl and leaned towards Zhu'e, with his hand on his waist. He had been gentle to others these days, but it was just a mask that lustful men loved.

The princess' eyes flickered for a moment, but she did not move closer to him. Instead, she said angrily, "Sir, I haven't finished what I want to say."

"You haven't finished yet?" Chen Yi reminded her to finish as soon as possible, and his hand reached out to the round and shimmering part.

Zhu E turned his head and looked at Yin Tingxue in the yard. After a moment's silence, he said, "Tingxue has been with you for a long time, right?"

Chen Yi didn't understand what was going on, he just saw a flash of fanatical light in her usually charming eyes.

But she seemed to say casually:
“If the master is a wise man, then she should be a saint.

But in all these days, she hasn't looked like a saint."

Chen Yi suddenly exerted force with his five fingers, and fat meat seeped out from between his fingers, and a soft moan of pain sounded beside his ears.

Zhu'e turned his eyes to the side, about to glare at him, but stopped for a moment. The man's face was half shrouded in deep shadows, and he grinned and said:
"Zhu E, I want you to teach me how to do things?"

There was a hint of blood in his eyes, and Zhu E suddenly remembered that the leader led her through the narrow and winding plank road of the holy mountain. The midday sun shone through the red and bright yellow glass at a subtle angle and shone on the mural. He held the sun wheel in his left hand and the moon wheel in his right hand. Countless dark demons were defeated, and the gold threads on the silk seemed to come alive and ripple in the light. That was all the impression Zhu E had of Him when she was six years old. The Ming Zun in the painting also had such bloody eyes.

"I dare not teach you anything, but I have received the leader's order. If I can see Mingzun, I will convey it to you." Zhu'e's voice was low, but his tone was still fanatical.

Chen Yi remained calm and said slowly, "Tell me about it."

When Zhu E returns to Southern Xinjiang, he will report his affairs to the leader Gongsun Guan. Even the dumbest person would have thought of this kind of thing in advance.

"From beginning to end."

"Yes, after I returned to Southern Xinjiang and settled the prince, I went to the Holy Mountain Main Altar to ask the leader for instructions and told him everything about you and me. At first, I was worried that the leader would deny my identity as an official, but I didn't expect that the leader would not comment and just told me to take you and Tingxue to the Southern Xinjiang Main Altar next time I see you."

Chen Yi's eyes darkened.

Zhu E said hurriedly, "Sir... the leader did not deny you, he just... the leader wants to see you."

"I understand." Chen Yi responded calmly.

Zhu E once said that many of Gongsun Guan's words and deeds were the result of spirit writing, so many of them were incomprehensible, and even the saints in the religion could not fully understand why.

If he went to southern Xinjiang alone, no one would know whether he would live or die, except Gongsun Guan.

The woman in his arms seemed to be thankful for Chen Yi's understanding, and was delighted that the conflict had been resolved invisibly, so she took out something from her arms and handed it to him.

Just like the missing pages in a book, the whole thing was golden in color, and the fine and profound Persian secret code was as fluttering as flames. Chen Yi closed his eyes and took out similar gold paper from the ground.

At a quick glance, the two seem to be continuous, like the upper and lower pages.

Zhu E said slowly: "The leader asked me to give you this page. He said: 'All life has its ups and downs, but only the precious tree is everlasting, it never withers, never decays, and never enters nirvana. If it were not for this, even if Chun lived for a thousand years, and another thousand years, the sky would collapse and the earth would split apart, and everything would return to nothingness.'"

The gold paper fell into Chen Yi's hand. He did not ask what the question meant. His expression remained the same, as if he had heard something insignificant.

He cursed in his heart that the riddle master deserved to die.

If possible, he would naturally want to completely sever ties with the Light and Dark Sect, but whether it was Zhu E, Qin Qingluo, or the current situation, he had no choice but to make peace with the Sect temporarily.

It was raining heavily and there was no way to go, only a small temple hidden in the mountains.

The Light and Dark Sect is just such a small temple, which is enough to shelter from wind and rain.

But the temple is small and the evil spirit is strong.

Chen Yi unconsciously used a little more strength in his hands.

Zhu E took a breath, looked at him with tears in her eyes, and said aggrievedly, "It hurts."

"Does it hurt now?" Chen Yi said in an unfriendly tone.

Zhu'e's eyes flickered, and all the grievance disappeared. She laughed and said, "Zhu'e is afraid of pain. I'm afraid that I'll get hurt later..."

..........
…………

A light breeze blew through the Annan Palace, and the air was chilly. Several maids were chattering with their necks hunched in in the corridor. When they saw a tall and upright figure approaching from afar, they quickly stood up and saluted.

Only when the prince had walked away did the maids breathe a sigh of relief, as if a stone had fallen from their hearts.

The princess is good at managing her subordinates, and everyone in the mansion admires her. She is usually kind and gentle to the maids, and will forgive them for any mistakes she makes. However, if they really break the rules of the mansion, even the maids who are usually well-respected will be punished severely. This combination of kindness and severity makes everyone feel both awe and gratitude. In contrast, the prince's behavior is different. He is known for his strictness and will not tolerate any mistakes. Even if the mistakes are small, he will discuss them in detail according to the rules as long as he sees them. Although the final punishment is only a salary deduction and house arrest, the fierce power over his body makes the servants tremble when they answer.

"Where are you going, Your Majesty?" a maid whispered.

"The warm room, after the princess left, the prince often visited the young lady." A gleam flashed in the maid's eyes, "I didn't expect that the prince also has a tender side in private."

"This is steel that has been tempered a hundred times and has become as soft as silk. As the poem goes: The reed is me, not me. Alas, my parents, who have worked so hard to give birth to me..."

"The little girl has a lot of little words."

There were faint noises coming from the other side and a breeze blowing by, Qin Qingluo could still vaguely catch some sounds. She frowned slightly but continued on her way, not bothering with these servants.

Since the beginning of spring, there have been countless tedious matters. It would have been great if Zhu'e were here. Now she is the only one in charge of the palace, and she has to take care of many trivial matters.

"I don't know how Aunt Zhu is doing." Qin Qingluo murmured.

Zhu'e had been deep in Huguang for some time, and secret letters were sent back every ten days. Qin Qingluo read them all carefully and thought that this trip would not have too many twists and turns. But for no reason, when she inadvertently thought that Zhu'e would meet him, the tall woman would add to her thoughts. It was not humiliation, nor resentment, nor nostalgia, but only disappointment, which made her feel tangled and confused.

When she was a child, her father had just passed away and the Qin family was in turmoil. She felt the loneliness when she was locked in the yard. Now she felt it again. It was because of the unspeakable loneliness when Zhu E was not around that she looked at that evil creature a few more times.

After walking a few more steps, something suddenly tightened, and an inexplicable warmth flowed through me.

The tall woman paused.

Her eyes were deep and her snake pupils looked into the distance.
"I was hollowed out by alcohol and sex."

..........
"Can she feel it?"

After the tenderness, Chen Yi hugged Zhu E with a gentle voice.

"What are you thinking, sir? We are too far away. Even if I can feel it, it will only be a little bit..." Zhu E shook his head.

Chen Yi felt very regretful. There were clairaudience, clairvoyance, and a variety of Buddhist and Taoist supernatural powers in the world, but unfortunately there was no supernatural power over sexual relations between men and women.

These tender moments were always when his heart was at its weakest, and he therefore often had absurd thoughts. Yin Tingxue would often take advantage of this and manipulate him according to his wishes.

Of course, the little fox would not admit that this was manipulation. At most, she would admit that she did whisper in the ears, but only a little.

Zhu'e's waist was as soft as silk, and the thin branches were full of fruits. Chen Yi poked them and suddenly asked, "She didn't starve my daughter, did she?"

"There is a wet nurse in the mansion, so the prince will never be short of these things."

After saying that, Zhu'e rested his head obediently on Chen Yi's shoulder.

Chen Yi put his arm around her waist. After the tenderness, men and women would always unconsciously get intimate. When they were in love, they wanted to stick together. Chen Yi counted and found that there were many women who had rested their heads on his shoulders. The only one who had been rested his head on his shoulders was Qin Qingluo.

Chen Yi let out a breath, and Zhu E was surprised to find something sticking up, then he drew circles and laughed.

"It is a man's nature to be fond of the new and tired of the old, to seek the far away instead of the near. I know that when there are two women standing in front of him, if one is naked and lying on the table, and the other is standing upright in the distance, the man will still think the latter is better."

After hearing this, Chen Yi laughed and said, "No, it's better to have two together."

Zhu'e's body was as soft as mud, and she said "hmm" softly. She hesitated for a long time and asked softly, "Sir...when will you come back to us?"

She said "come back" instead of "go back to the past", as if she treated Chen Yi as a member of their family.

Chen Yi knew it, a little tenderness flowed through his heart, and he said: "I also want to see them, but I don't know when. I'm afraid I have to wait until I go to Longhu Mountain."

I wish I could sigh.

Chen Yi was optimistic. He patted her buttocks, moved the quilt away and stood up. Zhu E then stood up to change his clothes. Chen Yi was not used to this. He stretched out his hands awkwardly and politely. When Zhu E was dressing him from bottom to top, he even bounced playfully.

Chen Yi snorted, and Zhu E immediately stopped, looking innocent, but with a cunning look in her eyes. She wanted to tell him repeatedly that she was pretending that she didn't mean it. Are you willing to care about it?
Unfortunately, there are too many women who have left traces in Chen Yi's heart, and at this moment he was thinking... Fortunately, it was not Miss Donggong who played the piano, otherwise there would be sword energy in her fingertips.

After changing his clothes, Chen Yi straightened his wrinkles and said, "The matter of Huguang should be settled in the next three or four days. You should leave as soon as possible to avoid being affected by Xi Que Pavilion."

Zhu E nodded slightly and said, "When do you plan to start, sir?"

"Take action when you have the chance. There is no need to go for foolproof measures." Chen Yi paused and said, "It's just killing someone. The simpler the matter, the more you have to worry about calculating. Look at that street thug who stabbed someone and blended into the crowd. Even the best government office couldn't find any trace of him."

At that time, Su Hongtao was sitting under a clear mirror and had to do things according to the rules. The memorials had to be written flawlessly and the evidence of the frame-up had to be presented upright. Even if everything was ready, he still had to consider his reputation. If he was not careful, he would be doomed.

And as a wanted desperado, he could be done with just a stab of Su Hongtao.

The trouble is others', and the happiness is your own.

.........

.........

The night rain is cold.

The night watch drum had already sounded several times, and it was already the third watch in the night.

Han Xiu's face turned pale. On the desk was a pile of account books, all of which were obtained from the case library.

Not long after he left, the place was burned to ashes. The fire dragon burned the warehouse. Only a fool could not see that this was a trap. However... he was out of time. If he didn't take a gamble now, he would only wait to die.

"Master Han, Master Su is here to visit." The squad leader reported in a low voice.

"Su Hongtao...what is he doing here at this time?"

Han Xiu was shocked, and then his eyes trembled violently.

Today, someone reported that the soldiers in the city were being transferred to the southwest street... Since then, he has been restless. Could it be...

He stood up in a hurry, but he couldn't stand steadily and his feet seemed to be a little weak.

The blue brick wall was wet, and when Su Hongtao stepped into the yamen, water was dripping from the gold thread on his cuffs.

He took off his bamboo hat and handed the paper umbrella to the servant. His eyes swept over the new spider webs on the eaves. The cluster of red looked very old. It had been so long since the New Year, and it was time to replace the lanterns under the eaves with new ones.

After hearing about the troop movement, Han Xiu felt vaguely uneasy. When he heard from the class that Su Hongtao had arrived, he went out from behind the hall in the rain to greet him, his steps quick, the hem of his official robe skimming over the puddles on the ground.

"Anshan Gong came here at midnight and surprised me. Is it because of the White Lotus case a few days ago?"

After the words fell, Han Xiu restrained his expression and looked at him carefully, but saw Su Hongtao suddenly raised his eyebrows in the rain, like a tiger hidden in the deep mountains and forests, staring at people in a creepy way.

The drizzle gradually turned into pearl foil.

After the greetings, Han Xiu walked in front and invited Su Hongtao in. The two of them sat down in the hall according to their seats, and the head waiter quickly brought them some brewed tea.

"No treat, just some refreshing tea."

"Han Neitai always works till late at night, conscientiously and diligently," Su Hongtao held a cup of tea in his hand and looked down to see that the tea was clear. "I came here tonight because of the new case of the White Lotus Sect."

Han Xiu maintained his spirit-nourishing skills and said calmly, "The case has been investigated. It is nothing more than the White Lotus Sect's intention to rob the grain and destroy the lifeblood of our capital. The confessions are all here. If Anshan Gong feels that they are inappropriate, he can review them. The most urgent task now is the assassination of the governor."

The candlelight cast a dark mark under Han Xiu's brow. He took a sip of tea, his wrist steady and motionless.

Su Hongtao held the teacup but did not drink. The celadon lid scraped the edge of the teacup gently. "I will not be uneasy about Han Neitai's work. Since these White Lotus sect members have been interrogated, let them sign their confessions."

Han Xiu's shoulders felt much more relaxed.

throat.

Su Hongtao suddenly leaned forward and asked, "Didn't Han Nietai want to transfer the grain transport account of Wuchang Prefecture before?"

The rain outside the window is falling heavily.

Han Xiu's hair and beard trembled slightly. After a moment's silence, he smiled and said, "It was just used to track down the fugitive. Now that the fugitive has been caught, the case will be closed, and there is no need to call again."

Although he acts with a strong will, he does not rush forward without thinking. He knows when to take the lead and when to protect himself.

"The White Lotus Sect didn't cause trouble earlier or later, but chose to cause trouble right here in our office," Han Xiu sighed, "You and I are both loyal officials of Dayu, and we should share the responsibility."

Su Hongtao suddenly said: "Kou Fantai is coming soon."

That remnant of the Lin Party, Kou Jun? Come tonight. Han Xiu frowned slightly, not knowing what was going to happen, but his breathing became heavy involuntarily.

"Haha, I haven't been to the Neisi Yamen for a long time. It's still the same as before."

Kou Jun's laughter mixed with thunder rolled in. Han Zheng was about to stand up to greet him, but suddenly he thought, why didn't the classroom come to inform them when Kou Jun came in this time?

The scarlet robe was wide and had a golden pheasant on it with high morale. Behind Kou Jun's fat figure was the squad leader with his head lowered.

Han Xiu's pupils shrank slightly, and the next moment, Kou Jun took out an account book from his arms and threw it on the table.

"This is the account book of Wuchang Prefecture that Han Neitai wanted to check. It took him sixteen years to find it, but unfortunately, he found it today."

The situation was unusual and Han Xiu's hair and beard trembled slightly. Even though he didn't know what was going on, he still didn't dare to touch it for a while.

"Why didn't Han Neitai take a look? Well, these are just minor cases, but the governor's case is of great importance. After the fourteen White Lotus thieves assassinated the governor, they intended to take the canal and go north from Wuchang Prefecture to the capital, intending to assassinate the emperor, but fortunately, Anshan Gong noticed it."

Kou Jun clapped his hands and laughed, causing the paperweight on the desk to tremble slightly:
"Just this morning, Lord Anshan led his troops to fight the bandits and found fourteen corpses. Each of them had the secret letter you sent. It was so close that the Zigong would have been attacked and a disaster would have occurred!"

The loud laughter was like a thunderstorm, and the howling wind made the yamen of the Nei Si shake and the whole hall feel cold.

boom!
Han Xiu stumbled and fell onto a chair. His bright red robe was soaked by the rain and seemed as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Those fourteen heroes were all falsely accused of being evil white lotus people...

Confusing right and wrong and stirring up trouble!
It was as if a beast was roaring in his heart, but Han Xiu could not say a word. The weight of a family of 124 people pressed down on his lips.

No one knew better than him how solid the evidence was, and the confessions that had already been signed and the eagerness to close the case were irrefutable evidence in Kou Junxin's case.

"This...this..." After a long time, Han Xiu spoke hoarsely, but he didn't know what to say. His eyes trembled as he looked at the two of them.

When Kou Jun was speaking just now, Su Hongtao did not say a word, as if he was ashamed to be associated with him. Only then did he sigh and say:

"Han Zishen, you and I are both successful candidates in the imperial examination, and we are both officials in the same court. I know you are concerned about the country and the people, but so am I. If I send someone to investigate tomorrow and clear your name, this matter can end here."

Su Hongtao spoke earnestly and earnestly:

"The White Lotus Rebellion has been going on in Huguang for too long. The people are displaced and in urgent need of peace. You and I cannot hinder it any longer."

"Then I will report to the court..."

Han Xiu, who was always of strong character, stood up, his body completely hunched, and bowed.

"Beg for bones."

Su Hongtao sighed when he heard this, and there was a sense of grief in his voice.

Kou Jun slowly put the account book back into his arms, bowed and said, "It's getting late, I should say goodbye to Brother Zishen."

After Kou Jun's fat body moved out of the door, Su Hongtao drank the tea in one gulp, covered the teacup, and stood up to leave.

"Mr. Anshan, when I retire and return to my hometown, I will still ask you..."

Han Xiu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.

Su Hongtao turned around.

All that was heard was Han Xiu's trembling and choking voice: "...Remember the country, remember the people!"

The situation has been decided. He can retire and save his life. But can the tens of millions of people in these two places return home?

Su Hongtao bowed slightly and turned to leave.

He put on his hat and walked outside the government office, and saw Kou Jun standing there with an umbrella, waiting for him to come over. The fat man was wearing a hat and holding an umbrella, so the rain didn't get on him at all. Su Hongtao was not so prepared. The ears of his official hat were longer than his raincoat, and they drooped because they were wet, and were dripping with rain.

Kou Jun turned around and waited for Su Hongtao to come over before whispering, "Since he has begged for his bones, let him commit suicide out of fear of the crime."

Su Hongtao's face was as gloomy as water. He did not answer for a while, as if he was still hesitating.

Kou Jun was getting a little impatient and started scratching his belly under his official robe.

After a while, Su Hongtao suddenly raised his eyes and said indifferently: "It is better to collude with the White Lotus Sect than to die in the chaos of soldiers."

Kou Jun clapped his hands and laughed. The two of them bowed to each other, turned around and left without saying anything more.

In just a few words, a person's guilt, life or death, and posthumous reputation, as well as the peace in Huguang, were all determined.

The rain was falling heavily, hitting the eaves, making a popping sound like hail.

In the Wuchang Prefecture Nei Si Yamen, it seemed like the seasons were out of control, with a spring rain followed by a chill...

(End of this chapter)