On the morning of the first New Year's Eve after the founding of the Chen Kingdom, the Minister of Rites in Chen City had started preparations a month earlier. However, the ruler of the country, who was supervising the army in Shaonan, had not returned. Many complicated matters had to go to Yikun Palace for instructions. Guo Qi, the Minister of Rites, had just asked for instructions.

Regarding the matter of offering sacrifices to heaven during the New Year, the Empress Dowager’s response was not strong. She only said that she asked the Ministry of Rites to arrange it. The ruler of the country and the Prince of Zhanchuan County were both on the front lines. Even the royal family could not invite anyone of importance. It was also true that the Empress Dowager was not enthusiastic.

normal.

"Yu Gong is staying, and I have to go to discuss with Geng Zhongshu about opening up wasteland for farming next spring." Guo Qi said with deep thoughts.

"Guo Shangshu still wants to be more open-minded. Now that both armies are blocked, it is normal for the queen to have no thoughts. Su Hou of the General Affairs Department has been waiting in the deputy hall. Yesterday, the General Affairs Department came from the front line with news of Luling's tragic victory.

This New Year is not stable." Lu Chongzong comforted and reminded Guo Qi intentionally or unintentionally.

"Thank you Mr. Yu. The population in the southern border is already scarce. In recent years, many people have moved here from the Central Plains and other places. Otherwise, Xianguan wouldn't have to rush to discuss land reclamation with Geng Zhongshu. Xianguan would have loved to have moved tens of thousands more households.

Well, there is too much land in the southern border." Guo Qi was able to reach this position because he was a good man, and he understood Lu Chongzong's good intentions. Lu Chongzong clearly told him that there was a shortage of people on the front line, and that some things could be saved, so there was no need to cause trouble to the king and the queen.

Seeing that Guo Qi understood what he was thinking, Lu Chongzong shut up and sent Guo Qi all the way outside the palace gate. Watching Guo Qi go away, Lu Chongzong stood there in a daze. The reason for his daze was that he received a letter from Qizhou the day before yesterday.

This letter kept him awake for several days. He didn't expect that person could still find him. Even Xiao Huli didn't know his hidden identity. How could he know? Although he didn't ask for anything from himself, the letter

When Meng Yan was mentioned in the article, he had to be vigilant, but after thinking for several days, he couldn't think of a suitable solution.

"Do you have something on your mind, Duke Yu?" An unfriendly voice interrupted Lu Chongzong's thinking. This person was Zhong Ju who had just left the palace after taking charge of the matter.

The moment Lu Chongzong turned around, he changed his face to a harmless smile and said: "Su Hou has something to do and wants to leave the palace? Do you need someone to escort you?"

"Thank you, Mr. Yu!" Zhong Ju responded in a serious voice. Zhong Ju knew that Lu Chongzong had been keeping a distance from the civil servants and generals of the court, intentionally or unintentionally, to represent his neutrality, but Zhong Ju did not want to believe that he was really so impartial.

Yi, I always felt that this person was unfathomable. He resolved several confrontations one by one without any loopholes. He told the Queen of the Kingdom that the attitude of the Queen was that it was best not to tempt Lu Chongzong, so that the Lord of the Kingdom could entrust him

People from young families are definitely not ordinary people, let alone deliberately wooing them to cause trouble for themselves. He does his thing, and you do yours.

"Su Hou is going out for business on New Year's Eve? How many guards are needed?" Lu Chongzong had a business-like attitude.

"I'd like to ask Duke Yu to send me three hundred sergeants to accompany me to Shaonan. If the queen has something important to do, I need to inform the king face to face."

When Lu Chongzong heard that he was going to Shaonan, he thought about it and said: "Since there are important matters behind the country, three hundred soldiers are probably not enough. According to the etiquette, there will be eight hundred cavalry accompanying them. Suhou Hou, I will dispatch the sergeants right away.

Please also give me the Phoenix Order from the Empress of China." Lu Chongzong did not doubt the authenticity of Zhong Ju's troop deployment, but the necessary procedures were still in place.

Zhongju took out the Feng Ling from his arms and handed it to Lu Chongzong, saying: "Yu Hou, there is not a single person idle in the entire Dachen Dynasty this New Year's Eve. You have to shoulder the responsibility of guarding Chencheng. Thank you for your hard work."

Lu Chongzong had already turned around to mobilize his troops. When he heard Zhong Ju's words, he just swayed and without looking back, he said: "It's our duty, and Su Hou is also working hard!"

This New Year's Eve is destined to be a sleepless night. Although Lanxi County at the border of Yueqing County and Chuzhou is brightly lit, there is deathly silence in the military camp outside the city.

"Miss Third, everyone is ready, when will we set off?" Tang Yuan said excitedly.

"Don't worry, the people in Dongyang City haven't given the signal yet." Zhong Roulan was dressed in soft armor, holding a long sword, and arrows in her sleeves. She seemed calm, but in fact she was very nervous. This was her first time commanding a battle, discussing military formations.

Killing is probably not as good as Suli now.

"Actually, there is no need to attack together. What we want is Chuzhou, and Dongyang City wants Songyang. There are two directions." Tang Yuan said impatiently.

"Director Tang, I am also from Dongyang City. It is best to be consistent with them at this time. After all, you will be serving as ministers with them tomorrow morning." Zhong Roulan was not angry, but rather happy.

What's more important is that Tang Yuan has always kept his position right. He is her Zhong Roulan's person, not a subordinate of Dongyang City.

"The last general made a mistake. I wonder how the battle is going with the prince?" Tang Yuan was more worried about Fan Lihu's sudden return.

Zhong Roulan shook her head. It wasn't that she didn't know what the situation was, but she didn't know how to say it. Fan Lihu immediately withdrew his troops after the decisive battle that day, and when he was approaching Fuzhou, he quickly bypassed Fuzhou and hurriedly evacuated to the direction of Jinzhou. This was abnormal, and it stands to reason

He said that he should have slowly retreated to Fuzhou or Yanhai, but Fan Lihu chose the direction of Jinzhou. Zhong Roulan had always suspected that Fan Lihu had seen the trick, but this was just a guess. In order not to cause unnecessary panic,

Zhong Roulan decided to hide it and said vaguely: "Fan Lihu and the prince were defeated miserably after the decisive battle in Luling. He and the Zhuo family retreated to Fuzhou. I'm afraid they won't be able to come back tonight."

Tang Yuan nodded, and the pressure in his heart was relieved a little. He was not afraid of Fan Lihu, but Fan Lihu, as the marching commander of Chuzhou, had managed the three states and seven counties of Chuzhou, Songyang, Jinzhou, and Yueqing fairly well over the years.

It's a place that I have been running for many years, so I am naturally confident, but I am not sure about other prefectures and counties. If Fan Lihu suddenly comes back and wants to take over the prefecture, it will not be so easy.

At this time, a bright signal from the west hit the sky, and Zhong Roulan whispered softly, "Tang commanded, let's begin."

When Zhong Roulan's army slowly marched towards Chuzhou, the atmosphere in the Liancheng County Posthouse was not as joyful as the lights and festoons outside. Gan Ming was fully clothed and holding the handle of his knife tightly with his left hand, looking very nervous. The Qilin Guards beside him

Everyone was silent, some were wiping their swords, some were closing their eyes and concentrating, and some were eating non-stop, because everyone knew what difficulties they would face later.

The three carriages departed from the north gate, south gate, and west gate at the same time. The dark forest outside the city was quiet and eerie, with the cold wind howling coldly. From time to time, you could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind. Gan Mingduan followed the carriage from the north gate.

After leaving the city, a man was sitting in his car. Suddenly a black shadow passed by the window. Gan Ming's eyes lit up and he knew that the assassin was coming. Soon there was the sound of fighting outside the car. Gan Ming could even hear the knife slashing.

The sound on the bones. At this time, a Qilin guard outside the window approached and said eagerly: "General, the south gate and west gate were also blocked by assassins, but they were all killed with arrows. The brothers have retreated into the city. General, here is being blocked."

The siege is the worst, do you want to send a signal for the brothers to come around?"

"Wait a little longer. It won't be too late to send the signal when he arrives." Gan Ming showed an evil smile on his lips and thought to himself: "It really is you!"

Within half a quarter of an hour, the Qilin Guards escorting the chariot from the north gate suffered heavy losses. The remaining Qilin Guards who were still able to fight gradually approached the chariot and formed a circle around the chariot to prevent sneak attacks by assassins.

Not long after, a group of soldiers and horses without night clothes came out of the dense forest. The leader was Mao Hui, the governor of Liancheng County. With a smile of success on his unhurried face, Mao Hui said loudly: "Miss Ying, come out.

Well, Uncle Mao will never hurt you!"

Not long after, Mao Hui saw the car door slowly opening, and someone walked out. After seeing clearly, he was shocked, and a sharp voice sounded: "Why is it you! Where is Xia Houying?!"

"Master Mao, you're alright!" Gan Ming looked at Mao Hui coldly, with a smile on his face that made Mao Hui immediately frightened.

Suddenly, a man from the Qilin Guards shot a signal arrow from the imperial court. Within half a cup of tea, a large number of people in brocade robes appeared in the dense forest. Gan Ming shouted: "Commander Xu, my mission has been completed. Now it's up to you."

."

"General Gan has worked hard. The assassins in Liancheng County and Lord Mao's cronies have been captured. Now it's time to have a good chat with Lord Mao." Xu Yu gradually walked from the darkness to the light.

"Xiaoguanbeiya Xu Yu has met Mr. Mao." Xu Yu said respectfully and politely.

"Xu Yu? Xu Yu, who kills people without batting an eyelid, actually alerted you in order to catch me?" Mao Hui still looked in disbelief. He asked himself that his actions were very covert, and even the young and old in his family did not know that he was in contact with him.

It was only the imperial court, and then the imperial court informed Fan Lihu and the Zhuo family of Xia Houying's whereabouts. How could they be discovered, and the arrival of Xu Yu also showed that Xiao Yu already knew about it.

"Master Mao personally ended up as a spy, how dare Xu Yu not come? Master Mao, Xu is not talking nonsense, I just want to ask, who is the mastermind? Tell me, I will give you a pleasure!" Xu Yu said unceremoniously.

"Of course it's the imperial court. I'm just trying to get rid of the national traitors!" Mao Hui took the responsibility for the mastermind rather forcefully.

Xu Yu shook his head and said: "You, Mao Hui, don't have the ability to handle such a big game. Just tell me. I don't want to be rude." Xu Yu didn't believe it at all.

"Don't involve others. It's just me. If you want to kill or behead me, just come. Xiao is a rebellious person. I have to get rid of him for the imperial court. You rebellious minions will definitely not die well when the imperial army comes over in the future."

!" Mao Hui gave up resistance, verbally trying to anger Xu Yu or Gan Ming, and wanted to die.

"Since Mr. Mao is so loyal, please come and ask Mr. Mao to get in the car and let's go back to Beiya." Xu Yu is not afraid of dealing with these tough bones. The so-called tough bones just mean that he has not been trained enough.

Gan Ming couldn't help but shudder when he heard the word "Bei Ya". Xu Yu had been in charge of Bei Ya for only a month, but his reputation had already surpassed that of Wen Jun of Nan Ya. He was nicknamed "Ghost Tu", no matter what

What kind of person can't come out alive as long as he enters Beiya? Of course, Xu Yu can definitely get what he wants. It is said that no matter you are a warrior in the army or a chaste martyr, you will not leave Beiya for three days.

Heroes can turn into slugs, and fierce women can become prostitutes. Some people came out in shock after going to Bei Yamen for work. After they recovered, they said bitterly: "Bei Yamen is a purgatory on earth. Men are like pigs and dogs, women are like beasts, and girls are childish."

The stumps and arms are broken, the walls are decorated with human skin, and the blood has corroded the ground and cannot be cleaned away."

Suddenly, a man broke free from the captured assassin and rushed towards Mao Hui. By the time everyone realized, Mao Hui's neck was broken and there was no life left at all, but there was joy in Mao Hui's eyes.

Xu Yu was furious. He flashed a sword and the murderous assassin was controlled. Xu Yu unceremoniously twisted off both of his hands, showing his true nature as a "ghost killer". Even so, he could not stop the assassin.

The poison hidden in the mouth.

Xu Yu looked at the two people who died immediately. Frustration rose in his heart. He slowly raised his left hand and clenched the five fingers of his left hand into a fist. Suddenly, there were sounds of cutting throats everywhere. The throats of these assassins did not

Cut them all off. With this method, the person will not die immediately, but his mind will be very clear. It is really cruel to watch his blood drain out bit by bit without being able to cry out.

Gan Ming disdained Xu Yu's approach and asked coldly: "Xu commanded good tactics, but they are all dead, and the clues have been cut off. You go to the county king to answer the question, and Gan will not accompany you." After saying this, Gan Ming took the lead.

He wanted to leave with his subordinates. There were still some captured killers in the city, and there might be clues.

"General Gan stayed behind. The people in the city are just some who are willing to die. The only ones who are really useful are Mao Hui and this dead man." Xu Yu's sharp expression quickly turned ghostly, and he said faintly: "Who said there are no clues? Mao Hui is dying.

Didn’t I say before? Don’t implicate others. In other words, there are still people from our Qilin Army involved in it.”

Gan Ming stopped and thought about Xu Yu's words. In the end, he still couldn't decide whether it was right or wrong. He said coldly: "This is not my concern anymore. I will report the truth to the prince and let him decide what is right and wrong."

As he spoke, he looked at the dying corpses on the ground and said: "Commander Xu, this is the first and last time I ask you to kill someone in front of me. If nothing happens, it's better not to meet each other again!" After saying this, Gan Ming left immediately.

, with no intention of stopping.

Compared to the cruelty of Xu Yu's killing methods, Zhong Roulan's army now encountered something strange. After arriving at the gate of Chuzhou City, no one stopped them. The city was dark and lifeless, as if they were in a dead city.

Just when Zhong Roulan was hesitating, the lights suddenly brightened on the top of the city, and a familiar voice came: "Lan'er, why don't you come up to pay homage to your father?"
Chapter completed!