It doesn't matter what the lord is.

"Today is a banquet held for my friend. Thank you all uncles for coming! This is the new Lord of Yunyang, Lide. Since you have come to Nanchu, you are our guest. I hope all uncles will take good care of you. This can be regarded as winning a friend for us Nanchu."

23. Make things bigger

The drinking culture in Nanchu is quite well developed, but there are some issues with the wine.

Lide listened to a Nanchu nobleman bragging for twenty minutes about the wine he brought, which was a ten-year-old brew. It was very strong and would not be easily taken out to entertain guests. It was only for today's banquet that he took it out to drink with everyone. Lide was deeply moved and took a sip, savoring it carefully, and found that it was exported by his family.

After Xiao Hei entered, the whole scene of nobles was somewhat restored to order. In fact, everyone started to eat, and unnecessary questions and conversations were significantly reduced. After bowing and saying goodbye to Lid, Xiang Geling also returned to his table. Lid looked at his back and said nothing.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Xiao Hei, who was sitting next to Lid, was telling him about the wonderfulness of the scallion-roasted deer tendon on the table. It was soft and sweet, and paired with the perfectly cooked scallions, it had a rich and delicate taste. At this moment, a hand suddenly rested on the back of Xiao Hei's chair.

Xiao Hei turned his head, and Lid also looked in the direction of his gaze, and what appeared before them was another white-haired old man.

Unlike Xiang Geling, this one was obviously trained on the battlefield. One eye was covered with a dark eye patch, and the other eye was flashing with a sharp light. He didn't look at Lid, but at Xiao Hei, and asked:

"Is the Lord still in the Lord's Mansion?"

Xiao Hei put down his wine glass, stood up from his chair, and answered:

"My third uncle is gone. My father said some time ago that he had something important to deal with and needed to be away for a while."

The old man nodded and asked:

"I've given you full authority to investigate the blood-stained clothes case?"

Xiao Hei nodded and admitted it. The old man didn't say anything, just said calmly:

"Well, this is also a test for you. I hope you can handle it impartially."

After the old man finished speaking, he took a step with his lame leg and walked away.

Xiao Hei shook his head, sat back in his chair, and held up his glass. Seeing that Lid was still staring at his back, he casually introduced him:

"Xiang Jiqing is my father's third uncle and also my third great-uncle. He is Xiang Geling's third brother and the leader of the war nobles. He just asked me about my father's whereabouts. I guess he is worried about me investigating the case and wants my father to do it himself."

Lide nodded thoughtfully. Lide met the leaders of the two major noble factions in Nanchu, the pro-war faction and the pro-peace faction. It was hard to tell from their faces. Xiang Geling looked like a well-mannered old man with great manners; Xiang Jiqing looked more taciturn, and still had the murderous aura he had honed on the battlefield when he was young. However, judging from Xiaohei's attitude towards the two people, Xiaohei seemed to be more inclined to Xiang Jiqing's side.

That is, the war faction.

Lid drank the wine in his glass. He wanted to ask Xiao Hei why he, who got along well with Xiao Bai, would be inclined to fight with Xi Qin, but he thought about it and didn't ask. There were many people here, so it was not suitable to talk about some overly in-depth topics. Lid only needed to follow the rhythm of other nobles' toasts and fish in the water.

On the way, Lide and Xiang Geling, who was sitting at the next table, met each other's eyes twice. In fact, Lide was a little curious about Xiang Geling. He started by promoting his granddaughter, and even Xiao Hei hinted that he was a little anxious. Considering that he was also a participant in the bloody clothes case, Lide had to suspect that he wanted to drag him into the water in the name of marriage. But the question was, what was the point of Xiang Geling trying to win over himself, the Lord of Yunyang? Did he expect me to cheer him up? This distant water could not quench the thirst of the near.

Lid couldn't see through the situation for the time being, but he had a bad feeling.

This premonition is like being randomly checked in class when you were a student. You lower your head but still have a feeling that you will be called out soon. The blood-stained clothes case has nothing to do with him, but Li De always feels that if this continues, he will be involved. Xiang Geling, Xiang Jiqing, the old general's wife, the old general's granddaughter, except Jiang Yuesheng, he has met too many people in this bureau, which is not a good sign.

Lid picked up the wine glass and said to Xiao Hei:

"The blood-stained clothes case, it will take time for you to investigate. Why don't I go to Nanchu first, and call me back after you have finished your business."

Xiao Hei did not try to persuade him to stay, and said with a smile:

"Sure. I'll give you a VIP token later. With the token, you don't have to pay for food, drinks and entertainment when you go out. Stay away from the chaos here. There are still many things to do in Nanchu. For example, you can get up in the early morning to go fishing when there is fog on the river, go to the tea garden to meet those fourteen or fifteen-year-old girls, go to the south to see witchcraft and Gu fighting... Anyway, there are many places to go. As long as you don't go too far, all expenses will be borne by our Prince's Mansion."

Xiao Hei finished the wine in his glass and continued:

"Looking at the situation, the bloody clothes case will not be solved for at least ten days or half a month. But don't go too far south, the rebels are not very peaceful recently. It's okay in our Nanchu territory, but it's not safe outside Nanchu. I would like to send some people to protect your safety, but I'm afraid of disturbing your interest. Just be careful."

Reed nodded in agreement.

The banquet came to an end amidst singing and dancing, but at this moment, a young man dressed as a guard suddenly ran in hurriedly and knelt in front of Xiao Hei, breathless.

Because he was too close, Reed heard his words clearly:

"Your Excellency...outside Yunmeng City...there are many people kneeling. At least, at least six thousand..."

Xiao Hei narrowed his eyes slightly and asked:

"who?"

The guard lowered his voice even more and whispered:

"Most of them are veterans...They said they want justice for Jiang Yuesheng."

Xiao Hei exhaled and silently clenched his fists. He glanced at Lid and said with a folded hand:

"Li De, something happened outside Yunmeng City, and I have to go over to deal with it. Let's have a good drink some other day, along with Xiao Bai!"

After saying that, Xiao Hei stood up and said something to Xiang Jiqing and Xiang Geling. The two people looked uncertain, but they still followed Xiao Hei and left the banquet. Lid glanced at Xiao Bai standing next to him and asked:

"You're not going to follow?"

Xiaobai shook his head.

Lid held the wine glass, thought carefully for a moment, and then asked:

"If I want to go over and take a look, will you come with me?"

Xiaobai nodded.

Lid laughed, drank the wine in his glass, bowed to the nobles who were already tipsy opposite him, and said:

"Everyone, with such a big incident happening outside, we can't just keep drinking here. Even an outsider like me wants to share the prince's worries, and I'm sure you all feel the same way. Let's go out together and go see the prince."

24. Sudden Appointment

Reed saw a large crowd of soldiers on the outskirts of Yunmeng City.

Most of the soldiers here are old, generally around 40 or 50 years old. Many of them have lost their armor and kneel on the ground in cloth and short brown clothes, with only the spirit of their youth left. There are also many people who are still wearing armor. Those who wear armor all have their hands tied behind their backs and kneel on the ground as if confessing a crime.

Nanchu Prince Xiao Hei's tone was very calm:

"You didn't cross this line and enter Yunmeng City. This shows that you are very smart. It also shows that someone among you is planning what will happen tonight. Come on, stand up. If you want something, stand up and tell us."

After a moment of silence, a figure slowly stood up from the crowd.

The man was shirtless, revealing his muscular body and scars. His knees were covered in blood, and it was obvious that he had been kneeling here for a long time, or simply walked all the way here on his knees. The man was about fifty years old, and when he saw Xiao Hei, his eyes were red first, and he gritted his teeth and said:

"Your Excellency the Crown Prince... We are here to seek justice for General Jiang Yuesheng."

Xiao Hei asked calmly:

"My father has sent me to investigate the bloody clothes case. Do you not trust me, or has someone told you something?"

The man was obviously stunned for a moment, then lowered his head in shame and said softly:

"It's not that we don't trust the prince, but now the whole of Nanchu is saying that the lord will not interfere in this matter, and wants to make a big thing small, and a small thing nothing. They also said that General Jiang Yuesheng was sentenced to death and imprisoned in a big prison, tortured every day, and the old general was almost tortured into confessing..."

Xiao Hei drew out the sword from his waist along with the scabbard, stuck it into the ground in front of him, and said coldly:

"So you gathered outside Yunmeng City to cause trouble, and you want me to give you justice? Do you know that in Nanchu, doing this is no different from rebellion! Do you think you can escape punishment by tying your own hands? Today, six thousand of you kneel here and force me to release Jiang Yuesheng. If another sixty thousand people kneel here tomorrow and ask me to chop off the old general's head with a knife, how should I deal with it? Stand up!"

After hearing this, the soldiers did not dare to kneel any longer and stood up tremblingly one after another.

Xiao Hei held the unsheathed knife in his hand and continued:

"I, Nan Chu, have never said that we will not investigate the old general's case. On the contrary, we have been investigating this case! Only those of you who have fought side by side with the old general feel indebted to him. Can we, the younger generation, really forget how the old general saved the day? If you really admire him, you shouldn't have tied your hands and knelt here; if you really have the guts to force the emperor to abdicate, then find a sword to my neck and force me to let him go! The army is not like an army, and the enemies are not like enemies. Look at what you are like now?!"

The soldiers all looked ashamed and nodded in fear, not daring to speak.

Xiao Hei exhaled and continued:

"I will give you justice in the old general's case. You have a thousand ways to seek justice from me. The only thing you should not do is to be instigated and gather here. If you take one more step, it will be a rebellion, and even if the old general himself takes action, he will not be able to save you."

The soldiers who were originally full of enthusiasm calmed down a little, but the leader still did not relax and continued:

"My Lord, you can chop off my head as you like, but I must ask for clarification today! In Nanchu, the hierarchy has always been strict. Ordinary people dare not provoke nobles. If nobles really want someone to die, that person must die! What happened today was wrong for us brothers, but how can you believe that my Lord will give us justice?"

Xiao Hei held the knife in his hand, his braids fluttering in the wind. Just as he was about to say something, a horse suddenly rushed through the crowd.

Someone among the soldiers shouted first:

"Someone is coming to the Lord's Mansion! It's the Lord's guard!"

So everyone looked over here. The guard on the horse jumped down, stopped the galloping horse with one hand, took out a valuable silk book from his arms, and said loudly:

"The Lord's order!"

The soldiers knelt down again, but all the nobles on Xiao Hei's side stood.

Lid also stood up. He had never followed the local customs in such matters. Moreover, they were all lords, so there was no reason for one to kneel when they met.

The fierce aura on Xiao Hei's body dissipated a little, and he stood aside calmly.

The guard unfolded the silk book and said loudly:

"Pass on the order of the Lord of Nanchu, the Crown Prince of Nanchu, Xiang Hei, to thoroughly investigate the blood-stained shirt case within one month. There must not be any cover-up or omissions! The nobles of Nanchu, from top to bottom, must cooperate with the Crown Prince, and there must not be any deception or hiding anything! The soldiers who are entangled outside Yunmeng City, considering that it is their first offense, will not be severely punished, and will be handed over to the Crown Prince for handling! However, if a similar situation occurs again in the future, no matter the reason, it will be treated as rebellion!"

The soldiers roared in unison, as if receiving a military order. Xiao Hei also stepped forward and said:

"I hope you can give me a little more time. I will give you an explanation within a month—"

As Xiao Hei said this, he wanted to take the silk book from the guard, but the guard had no intention of giving it to him. He still raised his voice and said loudly:

"In addition, it just so happens that the Lord of Yunyang, Li De, is visiting Nanchu. He has no connection with Nanchu and has no dealings with the nobles! According to the Lord's order, Li De is appointed as the leader of the investigation team. He will cooperate with Prince Hei, who is the chief person in charge of the Blood-stained Shirt Case, to jointly investigate the Blood-stained Shirt Case! With such an objective and high-ranking person here, everyone present can rest assured!"

At that moment, countless pairs of eyes looked at Reed.

Li De, who was eating melons at the side, was completely dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to curse for a long time. He had already written tens of thousands of words in his mind, but he had no chance to speak out in such a scene. Not only him, but all the nobles - including the prince Xiao Hei - were still shocked. God knows what mysterious operation the Lord of Nanchu had done. Li De, who was just talking and laughing at the banquet, suddenly became the leader of the investigation team, and in an instant, he had interests related to everyone present.

The atmosphere suddenly became depressing, but while others could remain silent, Reed could not.

Because the more than 6,000 people present were still looking at him!

After a brief thought, Lid roughly sorted out some clues. Putting aside other things, he came to Nanchu this time to make friends, that is, to find available external aid. So he originally wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, to see how Nanchu handled the blood-stained clothes case, to judge whether Nanchu was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, and whether he was qualified to be his friend.

On the other hand, the Lord of Nanchu might also think so. If the Lord of Nanchu saw the purpose of his visit, then this commission was undoubtedly a test for him from Nanchu.

Lid cleared his throat, took a step forward, grabbed the silk book from the guard's hand with one hand, and said loudly:

"I am Lord Lide of Yunyang. Today I am here to serve as the leader of the investigation team. Everyone present here may find it very unexpected, but I find it even more unexpected! Since I have accepted this job, I will be honest with you. This time, I have been ordered to investigate the blood-stained clothes case, and I will only do three things - fairness, fairness, and damn fairness!"

25. Take on porcelain work

In the silence, everyone remained silent.

The leader of the soldiers swallowed his saliva and stared into Lid's eyes, seeming to be somewhat suspicious of the Yunyang Lord who had just barged in. But at this moment, Xiao Hei took a step forward, stood beside Lid, and said to the man:

"You, tell me your name!"

The other party immediately stopped, raised his head and chest, and said loudly:

"The former general's personal guard, Centurion Qing Huai!"

Xiao Hei continued:

"Okay! Brother Qinghuai, you have gathered 6,000 people outside Yunmeng City today for justice. The Lord asked me and Lid to handle this matter for justice! But if people do something wrong, they must accept punishment. You are gathering to cause trouble, and I consider that you are first-time offenders. I plan to deal with only the ringleader and release all the others. What do you think?"

Qing Huai gritted his teeth and said with his neck stiff:

"You can kill me or chop me up, Sir!"

Xiao Hei reached out and pulled out the knife stuck in the ground, this time without the scabbard. From the pattern and chill on the blade, it was clear that this knife was no ordinary item. Black lines lingered on the pale blue blade, like a giant dragon with bared fangs and claws imprisoned inside. Xiao Hei held the knife in one hand, ready to chop off Qing Huai's head, but stopped at the last moment, with the blade only an inch away from Qing Huai's neck.

Qing Huai's clothes were soaked with cold sweat.

Xiao Hei calmly took back the knife, and after looking at it for a moment, he reached out and casually grabbed the blade, and the blade immediately cut his skin, and blood flowed everywhere. Qing Huai was shocked, but Xiao Hei's expression remained calm:

"If it weren't for the old general's single-handed efforts to turn the tide on the battlefield, Nanchu would probably not have become the second in the world today. The injuries you suffered on the battlefield back then were dozens or even hundreds of times more than mine. Every one of you should not die easily. You are the heroes of Nanchu, just like the old general Jiang Yuesheng! I, the prince of Nanchu, swear in blood to Hei Jinri that I will give you justice. If you can't fulfill your promise in a month, I will come to see you with my head on my head!"

Qing Huai looked at Xiao Hei's bleeding hand, closed his eyes, knelt down slowly, and said respectfully:

"In this case, brothers will naturally be convinced."

After saying this, he looked deeply at Lid, turned his head and said loudly:

"Disband, disperse! One month later, we will take the old general home—"

The six thousand veterans all dispersed. Lid shrugged his shoulders, threw the silk book in his hand to Xiao Hei, and said:

"Bandage the wound."

Xiao Hei put the knife back into the scabbard, took the silk book with his bloodless hand, put it in his arms, then shook the blood off his hand, too lazy to do any more processing, and replied:

"Don't worry about it, it will heal soon. But... I didn't expect to involve you again this time."

Lid dusted himself off and said:

"Let me ask you something, Xiao Hei. Your father wants me to be the head of the investigation team. Did you really not know about this beforehand?"

Xiao Hei shook his head: