Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 21 Cruel Official Zhou Xing
The streets quickly became chaotic and noisy. Some people fled in fear, while others hid in the dark and watched the show.

In the teahouse nearby, a young man in black clothes pushed the window open upon hearing the sound, and happened to see this scene with his sharp eyes.

"My dear, isn't this the daughter of Su Minghe? She's dressed in men's clothes again! And she looks quite convincing!"

Amidst Xuan Yu's low sighs, Xiao Muchen also stood up and went to the window to look, and saw a young man in green standing fearlessly and calmly in front of Xi Huaiyi. He was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, elegant and refined, yet with a kind of androgynous and heroic beauty.

Well, not bad. Although he didn’t stick on a beard this time, he bound his chest and made a fake Adam’s apple, which looks pretty good!
"What is she doing? Was she caught by the Dali Temple people so quickly?"

Xuan Yu said, "My dear, from what Lu Ling said, it seems that he is helping the Dali Temple investigate the case, not the suspect who was arrested!"

"Investigating the case?"

Xiao Muchen laughed a little: Isn't she the murderer? Is she going to bring herself to justice?
After a pause, he continued, "Let's go and take a look! See how she solves the case."

……

Xue Huaiyi, relying on the emperor's former favor, has been named Duke of E and given the title of General of the Auxiliary State. Although he has gradually fallen out of favor now, he still has a group of officials who fawn over him and some desperate criminals he recruited.

At this moment, after he gave the order, several monks attacked Murong Huan with ferocious looks.

Lu Ling suddenly drew his sword and held it in front of these thugs.

"Sorry, General, you can't touch this person. He's not a suspect, but an assistant helping me investigate the case!"

"Assistant?" Xi Huaiyi narrowed his eyes. "That means he has no official position or job. A commoner without official position or job. How can I not touch him?"

"Yes! According to the order of the Saint, several murders have occurred in Luoyang City. I am here to investigate the case. I ask the General Fuguo to clear the way and not delay my investigation!"

Xue Huai was extremely angry, but he didn't dare to be too arrogant in front of the scion of the Fanyang Lu family. Just as he was about to find a way out, a voice came from behind him, saying, "Since the Dali Temple is investigating the case, why should the general make things difficult for the Shaoqing?"

The sound quickly attracted Murong Huan's attention. When he looked up, he saw a gorgeous official sedan chair coming towards him, with the word "Zhou" held high at the front.

The official sedan chair landed, the brocade pearl curtain was drawn open, and a middle-aged man in the uniform of a third-rank official walked out of the sedan chair. He was a man with a long face and small eyes, but his expression was extremely shrewd and sinister, with a beautiful beard on his mouth.

"Servant Zhou!"

Lu Ling clasped his fists and saluted!
The moment he saw Zhou Xing, a hooded figure suddenly flashed through Murong Huan's mind, and his eyes immediately gathered with endless murderous intent: This turned out to be Zhou Xing, the cruel official who had tortured and killed countless officials in the court!
Even the red-dressed young man Lu Shiyilang beside him secretly clenched his fists, his eyes becoming extremely cold and murderous.

Lu Ling reached out and hinted something to the young man in red, which allowed him to calm down slowly.

"Has Lu Shaoqing caught the murderer who killed my Jiulang?"

Zhou Xing came over with a group of servants and asked in a sarcastic tone. His eyes swept over Su Sanlang who was timidly cowering on the side, and finally fell on Murong Huan who stood tall and straight and calmly met his gaze.

After staring at Murong Huan for a long time, a trace of incomprehensible gloom flashed in Zhou Xing's eyes.

Then he smiled again: "Is it him? This young man is quite handsome! Is he a member of the He family?"

Lu Ling replied, "He is the fourth son of the Su family, named Su Huan. He is not the murderer, but someone I have found to help investigate the case!"

"Lu Shaoqing is a direct disciple of Lord Di. Do you still need help investigating this case? My son Jiulang's murder is truly bizarre. Since Lu Shaoqing insists on taking this case, please apprehend the murderer and close the case as soon as possible. Stop spreading ridiculous rumors about ghosts seeking revenge. Otherwise... your position as Dali Temple Shaoqing will likely fall into the hands of someone else!"

The young man in red couldn't help but spit in his heart. It turned out that his son being killed was a small matter, but the big matter was that he lost face because of the rumor that a ghost had taken his life and he had died under the peony flowers.

Zhou Xing was a cruel and ruthless person who would never let go of any grudge. When Emperor Gaozong wanted to promote him in his early years, someone advised him that he had not passed the imperial examination, so Emperor Gaozong gave up the idea of ​​promoting him. Zhou Xing did not know the reason and repeatedly asked officials for promotion, but many prime ministers of the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel ignored him. Only Prime Minister Wei Xuantong told him the truth out of sympathy and told him not to be obsessed with promotion anymore.

However, Zhou Xing was not grateful for Wei Xuantong's kindness. Instead, he believed that it was Wei Xuantong who was obstructing his promotion. After Li Jingye's rebellion failed, many ministers in the court were imprisoned. Zhou Xing took this opportunity to inform the emperor and falsely accused Wei Xuantong of conspiracy with Pei Yan, forcing Wei Xuantong to commit suicide at home.

This man was so despicable that he was truly detestable, drawing the wrath of both humans and gods. Unfortunately, with the protection of King Wu Chengsi of Wei, no one dared to challenge him. "Yes, I have sworn before the Saint that I will solve this case within three days!"

After receiving Lu Ling's reply, Zhou Xing raised a satisfied smile: "Alright! Then I will congratulate Lord Lu Shaoqing on the good news!"

After saying this, he walked towards the gorgeous sedan chair. Halfway there, he turned back and looked at Murong Huan: "This young man from the Su family is quite good, a man of character, and he dares to argue with General Xue! If Lu Shaoqing can't find the murderer within three days, send this young man to Zhou's house! Zhou is just here to give him a good lesson!"

Lu Ling's expression changed slightly. Zhou Xing laughed heartily as he headed for the sedan chair. But just as he was about to get in, he heard another familiar voice: "When did Minister Zhou develop this homosexual habit? The young man from the Su family is, after all, a descendant of General Su, the Duke of Xing. If he hadn't committed any crime, he wouldn't need to come to your Ministry of Justice to experience the nobility of the prison guards, right?"

This sound!
Murong Huan and A Shu suddenly turned around and saw that the person coming was Xiao Muchen, with whom they had spent the night in Baihua Tower that day.

Xiao Muchen was still dressed in white clothes as white as snow, with his silver hair flowing in the wind. He looked like a painting copied in the spring, spotless and like a banished immortal!
"It turns out to be Xiao Zhongcheng! What's the matter? Could it be that Xiao Zhongcheng is also interested in this young man?" Zhou Xingyu said sarcastically.

"Yes, Xiao is interested in her!"

Zhou Xing was stunned for a moment, not expecting this guy to admit it so frankly. But then he changed the subject and said, "However, I'm interested in how she assisted Lu Shaoqing in solving the case! Minister Zhou loves his son dearly, and I, Xiao, express my deepest regrets!"

"Humph! I suppose you're just hoping he'll die soon?"

Zhou Jiulang is not Zhou Xing's biological son, but he is the adopted son he relies on the most. As a knife in the hands of Wei Wang Wu Chengsi to eliminate dissidents, Zhou Xing retaliates against those ministers in the court, but he is also afraid of being assassinated by his enemies!

And Zhou Jiulang is his shield!
Now this shield has indeed been killed!
In Zhou Xing's opinion, these so-called children of famous families are all suspected of being murderers!

Because Zhou Jiulang’s hands are indeed stained with the blood of many noble families!

"Minister Zhou, what you said is a bit too much. In my opinion, even though Minister Zhou lost his son, he didn't look that sad! What? You can laugh by yourself? And you don't allow us to laugh?"

These words made Lu Shiyilang laugh so hard that he quickly covered his mouth.

Zhou Xing was speechless for a moment. He flicked his sleeves, stepped on the back of a servant, and jumped into the sedan chair.

"Get up the sedan!"

Watching the sedan chair rise and fall, slowly moving away with a group of guards and servants, Xuan Yu couldn't help but sigh: "What a great official power! I will die if I don't ride in a sedan chair for a day!"

After Zhou Xing and Xue Huaiyi left with their servants and monks, Xiao Muchen turned his gaze to Lu Ling and they saluted each other.

"Thank you, Xiao Zhongcheng, for rescuing me!"

"No need to thank me, I'm not here to rescue Lu Shaoqing! Since Lu Shaoqing has an urgent case to investigate, I will stop talking nonsense. Please!"

Xiao Muchen deliberately made way for them. Just when Lu Ling and a group of constables were rushing forward, he turned his gaze to Murong Huan!

Ah Shu, who was always afraid of being recognized, secretly raised her fist and begged over and over in her heart: Don't expose us! Don't! Please!
Xuan Yu couldn't help laughing until the team led by Lu Ling disappeared at the end of the street.

"That girl is really interesting, she almost kneels down for you!"

Xiao Muchen's expression froze: "Let's go! Let's go to Wenroufang and take a look at the crime scene there!"

The red-dressed youth, Lu Shiyilang, who had walked quite a distance away, couldn't help but glance back and asked Murong Huan curiously, "Do you know this Xiao Zhongcheng?"

"do not know!"

"Don't be fooled by his white peony-like appearance. He's a ruthless man! Do you know how his hair turned white?"

(End of this chapter)