Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 471 Are you a ghost?

The old woman's voice was like the north wind in winter, sharp and harsh, and every word she said was filled with unquestionable majesty.

She hoped that Zhao Yiyi could face the reality as soon as possible, break free from the shackles of emotions, and devote himself to martial arts training.

But who knows.

Zhao Yiyi listened, but looked nonchalant.

The corners of her mouth rose slightly, her eyes flashed with determination, and she said softly:

"My father always told me that if a person can live happily every day in this world, then even if he dies in the end, he will have no regrets."

As she spoke, she gently fiddled with the corner of her clothes, her tone full of love and satisfaction for life:
"I am very happy every day now. If I can live with everyone, my parents, sister, brother-in-law and Brother Liang for the rest of my life, then I will be very satisfied."

"As long as I can achieve this goal, then for me, it makes no difference whether I practice martial arts or not."

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes clear and bright, as if she was explaining her true thoughts to the old woman.

Having said this, Zhao Yiyi paused and suddenly asked:
"By the way, mother-in-law, why do you practice martial arts?"

"You went through so much trouble to accept me as your disciple and taught me martial arts so diligently, but what was your ultimate goal?"

Her voice was clear and pleasant, echoing in the silent night sky.

When the old woman heard this, she was stunned as if she was struck by lightning.

Why learn martial arts?

This question was like a key that instantly opened the floodgates of her memory, and all the past experiences flooded into her mind like a tide.

Her thoughts drifted back to her childhood, when her family was poor and life was hard, but being with her family filled her heart with joy.

However, the dark hand of fate reached out to her mercilessly. A sudden disaster brought misfortune to the whole family, and she was the only one who escaped by chance.

From then on, she was left on the streets, helpless and homeless. At such a young age, she had to sell her dignity in exchange for a chance to survive.

Every night, she shivered in the cold wind and suffered humiliation for a bite of food.

Until one day, she met her master.

The master was like a ray of light that shone into her dark world, taught her the peerless martial art "Three Thousand Feet of White Hair", and took her to travel the world, allowing her to escape from the sea of ​​suffering.

During her years in the underworld, she met a man who made her heart beat faster. They were in love with each other and she thought she had found her lifelong support.

But reality was like a sharp knife, piercing her heart mercilessly. In the end, she found out that the man was just taking advantage of her because of her martial arts.

Anger and despair instantly overwhelmed her. In a rage, she cut off the man's limbs with her own hands, but this also created a deep hatred with the family behind the man, and she embarked on a road of escape and was hunted down.

At the same time, her master passed away due to illness and left her completely. She continued to wander in the world alone, struggling in the bloody storm.

She had been fighting and killing for more than ten years, but she found that the vendetta seemed to have no end. As soon as the old vendetta was settled, a new one came.

She felt exhausted, physically and mentally, and tired of this endless struggle.

At this time, she met someone she could rely on, so she took refuge with her lord, using his protection to avoid being killed by enemies, and at the same time she also worked for her lord to repay his kindness.

In order to repay her lord's kindness, she even took the blame for him and was thrown into the imperial prison, where she lost her bright eyes forever.

During the dark days in the imperial prison, she struggled in pain and despair every day, but there was always a belief in her heart that supported her, and that was to fulfill her master's last wish.

Now, she has been released from prison alive and has fulfilled her master's last wish, passing on "Three Thousand Feet of White Hair" to the new successor Zhao Yiyi.

Looking back on this life, everything went according to plan, but who can understand the bitterness and hardships involved?
She had a hard and tiring life along the way.

The most important thing is that time passed too quickly, so quickly that she had no time to stop and think about the meaning of life before she reached old age.

At this moment, the resentment in the old woman's heart surged like a surging tide, and even a bit of jealousy emerged.

She was actually jealous of Zhao Yiyi!

I saw her hands clenched tightly into fists, her nails deeply embedded in her palms. Then she suddenly grabbed Zhao Yiyi's collar, her hands trembling slightly, and said sternly:

"You silly girl! A girl like you who grew up in the capital has no idea how difficult it is to survive in the outside world!"

Her voice became hoarse with excitement:
"You were born in the capital, but you don't know how many people in this world have worked hard their entire lives just to get there!"

"Humph! You can pursue happiness and joy, but that's just because you're a little luckier. But not everyone in this world is like you."

"The most important thing in this world is survival! Otherwise, once disaster strikes, all the happiness and joy you cherish will be nothing but illusions."

Her voice became louder and louder, as if she wanted to release all the depression in her heart:

"If you want to survive, you must learn the skills to make a living! And martial arts training is the best survival skill in the world!"

"If you don't think about the future, you will have immediate worries. Do you understand?"

"You damned little girl! You're such an idiot!"

Her face was twisted with anger, and the vein on her forehead bulged slightly.

Zhao Yiyi was startled by the old woman's sudden appearance. Her eyes were wide open, full of fear and confusion.

Her body trembled slightly, and she nodded hurriedly and vigorously, unable to utter a word.

She had never seen the old woman like this before, and her heart was full of doubts. She didn't know why a few words from her made the old woman so angry.

She opened her mouth and was about to speak.

But the old woman interrupted sharply:

"Don't talk!"

The old woman's voice was like thunder, ringing in Zhao Yiyi's ears:

"Now go back with me and practice hard!"

"If you still remain so useless, I, an old woman, will not let you off the hook!"

As she spoke, the old woman reached out and picked up Zhao Yiyi. Her arm muscles were tense, and it was obvious that she had used a lot of strength.

Then, the old woman tapped her toes, moved like a ghost, and left the rooftop.

Their figures were like two light feathers in the night sky, floating as if without any force, flying forward rapidly, and soon disappeared into the thick night, leaving only a silent night sky.

………………

royal palace.

corner.

In a big iron cage.

A fat man with disheveled hair, dirty clothes and naked body was curled up in an iron cage.

It was almost dawn. Under normal circumstances, Prince Huaiyang Zhao Yu would have been snoring loudly in his sleep.

But tonight, he was not sleepy at all. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the darkness outside the iron cage.

He held the black pill tightly in his fat hand, as if it was his last life-saving straw.

His ears were like those of an alert rabbit, always listening to the movements around him and not missing any sound.

"It's almost dawn..."

Zhao Yu raised his head and looked through the gap in the iron cage, and saw that the sky in the east was turning pale.

That ray of hope did not bring him any warmth, but instead made him more anxious.

It won't be long before the next shift of imperial guards arrives to take over.

But there was no trace of Liang Jin.

"Is he dead?"

Zhao Yu sighed in his heart and talked to himself.

Even if a small soldier was promoted to flag commander today, how could such a status possibly compete with powerful figures like the commander of the Imperial Guards and the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture?

It is normal that Liang Jin cannot come back tonight.

If he came back tonight, it would be against common sense.

Zhao Yu opened his palm and looked at the black pill in his hand. The pill stood out particularly in his rough palm.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a self-deprecating smile, as if he was mocking his own naiveté for actually having illusions about Liang Jin's bet.

Immediately, Zhao Yu was about to swallow the black pill into his mouth.

When the black pill just came to my mouth.

suddenly!

A voice sounded:
"Your Majesty, the time we agreed on hasn't arrived yet. How come you broke the appointment?"

The sound came out of nowhere, and Zhao Yu trembled all over, even dropping the black pill in his hand to the ground.

Zhao Yu raised his head and looked in surprise.

I saw a figure standing next to the iron cage.

That familiar armor, and that familiar face.

It’s Liang Jin!

"You...are you a ghost?"

Zhao Yu couldn't help but ask, his voice trembling with fear.

A person who should have been dead appeared next to the iron cage so quietly that Zhao Yu didn't even hear any footsteps.

This made Zhao Yu suspect that Liang Jin still had some resentment in his heart, so his wronged soul came to see him.

Liang Jin smiled, and his smile seemed particularly profound in the darkness.

He picked up the black pill from the ground. His movements were gentle and agile. He pinched it between two fingers and slowly placed it in the iron cage.
"Your Majesty, are you still determined to take this pill?"

His voice was low and calm, as if he was asking about something very ordinary.

Zhao Yu looked at the pills in the iron cage and reached out to grab them.

But he didn't swallow it. Instead, he stared at Liang Jin blankly, his eyes full of confusion and shock:

"You...you're really not dead?" "Could it be that...the battalion commander and the prefect, they—"

Before Zhao Yu finished speaking, he saw Liang Jin stretched out his finger and made a gesture of silence.

Zhao Yu quickly closed his mouth and hid the pill. His movements were flustered and hurried, as if he was afraid of being discovered by others.

Soon, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard.

Then, a group of imperial guards strode over.

These imperial guards all had serious expressions, and the leader was actually Wu Huan.

As soon as Wu Huan saw Liang Jin, he immediately asked hurriedly:
"Boss Liang Qi, did anything special happen during the inspection that Xiying arranged for you to go to?"

Wu Huan called him "General Liang" as soon as he opened his mouth, instead of "Brother Liang" as he usually did. It was obvious that some of the imperial guards around him had special identities, so he could only act in a businesslike manner.

At the same time, this is also a reminder to Liang Jin.

Liang Jin took a quick glance and indeed found that many of the imperial guards around Wu Huan were not from his own battalion.

Liang Jin immediately replied:
"No, I came back after completing the inspection."

His voice was calm and steady, without a trace of panic.

Wu Huan opened his mouth and wanted to say something.

At this time, a guard beside him asked in a deep voice:
"Where are the two people you went with?"

The imperial guard's voice was cold and sharp, like a sharp blade.

Liang Jin glanced at him and asked:

"who are you?"

There was a hint of disdain in his eyes.

The imperial guard raised his eyebrows and anger appeared on his face, obviously dissatisfied with Liang Jin's lack of answer and his question.

He was about to speak when Wu Huan beside him waved his hand hurriedly:
"Okay, okay, now is not the time to argue about this. Let me talk about it."

Having said that, Wu Huan turned to Liang Jin again, his voice low and solemn:
"General Xi Ying was murdered. His body was discovered by the Six Gates not long ago, but the murderer is unknown."

"Shuntian Prefecture Governor Zhou and his twenty-three constables were also killed. Their bodies were found near Xiyingjiang."

"Even Lord Jin, the second-in-command of the Investigation Bureau, was severely injured by a mysterious master. He is currently receiving treatment from the imperial physician, and it's unknown whether he will survive."

"There's been a lot of commotion in the city tonight. The Northern Forbidden Army is searching the entire city, and we at the Southern Forbidden Army have also stepped up our defenses and patrols."

"By the way, besides General Xi and the others, the two brothers who went with you to inspect the site tonight also died. You are the only one who returned alive."

"Boss Liang Qi, so now you have to go back with us and accept the investigation."

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin did not refuse and left with Wu Huan and others.

Liang Jin was also familiar with the investigation process within the Imperial Guards.

It can be said that the investigation and detection of cases within the Imperial Guards was extremely rough, and most of the time it was just a formality.

After all, the Imperial Guards were very special. They were filled with the sons of nobles and were under the direct jurisdiction of the emperor. At the same time, there was a lack of supervision, so the internal justice system was very lax.

As long as there is no evidence and you have not offended your superiors, it is basically unlikely that you will be convicted.

All the superiors Liang Jin had offended were already dead, so he was not worried at all.

Even if a criminal investigation expert really found evidence that Liang Jin killed Xi Rong and the two soldiers, Liang Jin would just turn against him.

His current strength has enabled him to turn against others at any time!
As Liang Jin left, only Zhao Yu was left in the iron cage.

Zhao Yu stared blankly at Liang Jin's departing back, his head still confused.

"Really...dead?"

He heard it clearly just now.

General Xi Rong of the Imperial Guards Camp is dead!
Yi Zhouquan of Shuntian Prefecture is also dead!

The two people Liang Jin said would die tonight actually died!
Liang Jin won this bet!
Winning is so incredible.

So much so that at this moment, Zhao Yu even felt that he was unable to react.

He had no idea what had happened in the city tonight that caused so many people to die all of a sudden.

Even... even Jin Jinliang, the second-in-command of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, is on the verge of death?!

Even Huaiyang King Zhao Yu himself couldn't recruit a master of that level, but he was actually beaten seriously injured. How could someone dare to attack him?
At this moment, Zhao Yu's heart couldn't help but beat wildly.

His eyes were also becoming brighter.

He also felt that he had never been so clear-headed as he was now.

He took a deep look at the black pill in his hand.

He has made his decision!

Then he threw the pill on the ground and crushed it into pieces with his feet. His actions were full of determination.

Then throw all the debris into the nearby soil and destroy it completely!
At this moment, he decided to follow Liang Jin's advice.

Give up the chance to escape from the palace, keep your place, and wait for the right time!
Zhao Yu was finally convinced that there was indeed a powerful force behind Liang Jin.

Now that that force has extended an olive branch to me through Liang Jin, I must seize it!

Maybe he can really use the power of this force to escape.

Even...as Liang Jin said, after all the hardship comes happiness!

………………

Daybreak soon dawned.

The cold palace is coming back to life.

The new round of imperial guards has completed their shift change, and the palace maids and eunuchs have also started to get busy in the palace.

Time gradually came to noon.

This is also the hottest time of the day.

The sun scorched the earth like flames, and the entire palace was shrouded in heat.

It was not until this time that Liang Jin was able to walk out of the Northern Army prison near the imperial palace.

The Northern Army Prison was the internal prison of the Imperial Guards, shared by the Northern and Southern Imperial Guards, and was generally used to detain soldiers and officers who committed crimes.

But it is not just a prison, it is also a judicial institution with both investigative and interrogation responsibilities.

Liang Jin has been under investigation since entering the Northern Army Prison.

The officer inside asked Liang Jin to recount the process of going to Sujia Cloth Workshop for acceptance over and over again, including the experience when going there, the details of the acceptance and the process when returning.

After such interrogation and dispatching personnel to the scene for inspection, the only thing that could be confirmed in the end was that no direct connection could be found on Liang Jin's body between him and the deaths of Xi Rong and his two comrades.

If it were an institution like the Censorate, the Dali Temple, or the government office, they would certainly conduct a serious investigation and would not easily close the case.

However, due to the special nature of the Imperial Guards, the investigation ended after no evidence was found.

Liang Jin can also leave completely.

Wu Huan had been waiting outside for a long time.

When he saw Liang Jin coming out, he ran over immediately, his steps hurried and eager.

After he asked Liang Jin clearly, he immediately relaxed and said:

"Brother Liang, it's good that you're out. As long as the investigation is thorough, everything will be fine."

A relieved smile appeared on his face, and he patted Liang Jin on the shoulder:

"Come on, brother, I've asked for leave today, and I'll also give you some leave. Please go to the bathhouse and have a good soak."

"This is very particular. Once you go to a place like the Northern Army Prison and come out, you have to take a bath to get rid of the bad luck."

Liang Jin smiled. He didn't believe that taking a bath could drive away bad luck.

But it is naturally much more relaxing to take a comfortable bath, have a good meal, and prepare to go to the palace to take over the shift in the afternoon.

At this hour, it was obviously no longer realistic to go back to the tent to sleep.

"Okay, let's go back to the barracks and change clothes."

Liang Jin agreed.

After all, both of them are still wearing armor, so it is not convenient for them to go out.

As they talked, they headed towards the Southern Forbidden Army camp.

But when they just arrived outside the Southern Forbidden Army camp, they saw a beautiful figure already waiting there.

It turned out to be Zhao Yiyi.

She was holding a wooden lunch box in her arms. The box looked very clean and had a beautiful knot made of straw rope.

At this moment, her expression was full of loss and worry, her brows were slightly furrowed, forming a shallow groove, just like a crescent moon filled with sorrow.

Those anxious eyes kept looking around, with deep uneasiness in their eyes.

Her hair was soaked with sweat, strands sticking to her cheeks. Beads of sweat the size of beans on her forehead rolled down her face, dripping onto the ground and evaporating instantly.

Her clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her body and outlining her slightly thin figure.

From the way she was sweating profusely under the sun, it was easy to tell that she had been waiting here for a very long time.

Seeing Zhao Yiyi, Liang Jin frowned slightly.

He suddenly recalled that last night near the east bank of Taiye Lake, he saw Zhao Yiyi with an old woman with great martial arts skills.

It seems that this woman also has many secrets...

(End of this chapter)