Yangzhou Fifteen

As night falls, a chilling atmosphere permeates the mountains. A red light emanates from the Tiger Stronghold perched atop the mountain. Shrill screams, the clash of swords, and the tramp of horses' hooves merge into a demonic melody that echoes across the mountains.

All around them was a sea of ​​fire. Armored generals and guards streamed down the mountain, their spears and arrows piercing the burly bandits in cloth. The young man in the lead, clad in red, brandished a longsword, his blade slashing and slashing, stalking his target. Blades flashed, flames danced, and a petite figure climbed out of the water tank, swiftly fleeing toward the place where her target was imprisoned.

The moment she opened the door, she thought she'd seen the Shura Field described in the book. It was as if she were in an icy cellar. Her fragile body trembled constantly, fear reaching the limit of her endurance. Yet, those eyes, as black as the night sky, were uncharacteristically calm.

Amidst a sea of ​​blood, she suppressed her nausea and ran towards the boy kneeling on the ground with a knife in his hand. The moment her hands touched, the boy swung the dagger fiercely like a frightened bird. The sharp light flashed, and she fell to the ground, her tattered clothes stained with the sinful blood.

"Wake up!" She picked up something on the ground and knocked the dagger away, then slapped the boy hard. However, her body would not cooperate, so she could only pat the boy's bloody face lightly.

The brutal words strangely brought back some of the boy's rationality. He looked past her and landed on the man lying face down not far away. He muttered, "I killed him... See, I'm crazier than he is..."

The sounds of killing were getting closer and more intense. She had no time to comfort him. She pulled his long, disheveled hair and yanked it hard. "Didn't we decide on this a long time ago? Isn't this what we've been here for two years? We've already done it, why are you trying to get sympathy by acting like this?"

The young man looked up in shock, "Aren't you afraid... I'll kill him too, I'm just a madman..."

"Do you think I've seen fewer crazy people than you? Get up! If you don't leave, I'm leaving." She looked barely ten years old, but her tone was mature and steady, even as her voice trembled. "Are you going to bury your entire future in a place like this?"

The young man looked at the dead man, leaving two lines of blood and tears, and suddenly smiled brightly, "Let's go!"

She wasn't surprised. She lowered her eyes to see her bare feet stained with blood, and she personally knocked over the candle on the wall. Soon, the flames leaped, and she and the boy exchanged a glance. There was a chilling ruthlessness in each other's eyes, but their faces wore the most relaxed smiles they had seen in the past two years.

Soon, amidst the flames, a loud explosion erupted from the house where the leader, imprisoned for his failure in the internal struggle, was staying. The power of the Tiger Village's thunder bomb was so great that the blast quickly affected nearby houses, and half of the village collapsed.

A man, his robe so colorless he could no longer be seen, was trembling as a general lifted him onto a horse. His face was ashen as he watched as the once august stronghold, once known for its countless crimes, was largely destroyed in an instant. Although this had been a long-planned plan, and despite his deepest hopes,...

He found the young man in red among those people who were crazy about killing, and muttered to himself in disbelief.

"Madman... He's crazy..."

In the seventh year of Jianning, the notorious bandit group, Menghuzhai, in the northwest region was slaughtered without exception, and the local people all set off firecrackers to celebrate.

In the front yard of the Qin Mansion, sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows on the ground that swayed and danced in the breeze. A touch of solemnity silently permeated the air. Maids in silken attire skillfully and steadily ascended the steps, carrying a variety of cakes and tea, their heads bowed respectfully, never once glancing at the armored guards standing in the courtyard corridor.

In Xiyi Hall, under the plaque with the words "Ren Yi" written in a flamboyant style, Qin Shuang sat upright in the main seat, took a sip of tea expressionlessly, and his eyes fell on today's distinguished guest.

He wore a dark blue gown of chiffon and brocade, the cuffs embroidered with golden patterns of the Awakening of Insects, and a carved jade pendant tied around his waist, exuding an air of nobility. His jet-black hair was tied high into a crown, his eyebrows were like distant mountains, his eyes were like stars, his nose was straight, and his face was like a crown of jade. He had the demeanor of a graceful and elegant young man, enough to make an ordinary woman fall in love with him at first sight.

The man elegantly picked up the glazed and gold-painted teacup and took a sip. His eyes gently fell on Qin Zhi, who was sitting opposite him with his legs crossed and a lazy look in his eyes.

"It is an honor for the Baiyan Gang that the Marquis and Lord Lin have come to visit. As for the salt administration, my Qin family has always abided by the rules and regulations and conducted legitimate business, so we will naturally tell you everything we know." After listening to Lord Lin's talk about the investigation, Qin Shuang smiled and spoke in a friendly manner.

"Thank you, Mr. Qin." Lord Lin, dressed in a red official robe, nodded gently in thanks. The Qin family was the head of the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce. Once she expressed her stance, most people would cooperate. Lord Lin paused, then turned his head to the man beside him and asked, "My Lord, what do you think?"

Luo Ziran put down his teacup and looked at Qin Shuang who was sitting at the main seat. "Master Qin, I came here this time not only because I need the cooperation of the White Flame Gang regarding the salt administration, but also because I have a personal matter. I hope Master Qin will forgive me."

"I don't deserve it. I don't know what you are talking about, but my aunt was murdered by a thief half a month ago." Qin Shuang's tone turned cold. "I wonder if the Marquis and Lord Lin have caught the murderer?"

Lord Lin choked. His daughter was also a victim, but the men in black that night were mostly dead, and the two girls couldn't get any clues. "This case..."

"The murderer has been killed and will never have the chance to harm anyone again." Luo Ziran smiled slightly, his eyes firm and deep. "I came here because of the misunderstanding I had with my wife's sister four years ago."

Qin Shuang's face suddenly turned cold, and he snorted, "Misunderstanding? Lord, you're not talking about how four years ago, my aunt was wrongly convicted of murdering the Marquis's concubine, and was imprisoned in the dungeon by the Marquis, and almost died with her elder sister?"

Luo Ziran's expression darkened, the grief in his eyes was undisguised, and even his voice trembled faintly, "It's my fault... When Nan'er was on the verge of death, I was heartbroken and had no time to care about anything else. And with the evil people's mischief, I almost harmed Aruo."

"It's easy for you to say that. If Lord Jing hadn't sacrificed himself to save her, Aruo would have died there long ago. You also prevented her from seeing Sister Nan for the last time..." Qin Zhi slapped the sandalwood square table in dissatisfaction and retorted.

"It's my fault..." He didn't even need to admit it. Luo Ziran frowned, his gloomy expression making Lord Lin sigh. "After Nan'er died, I personally investigated everything. Only Aruo has been wandering around. For four years, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't apologize to her in person."

Lord Lin also knew that Luo Ziran was deeply in love with his deceased wife and had no regrets. "Young Master Qin, the Marquis was also unable to take care of it at that time. It was all a misunderstanding, not his intention."

That was the person who was imprisoned and almost died, not your girl.

Qin Zhi took several deep breaths before suppressing his sarcastic remarks. Lord Lin had a good relationship with Qin Fenglin and had watched him grow up since he was a child. The cooperation between the Lin family and the Qin family was inseparable, so he could not offend them casually.

"It's all in the past. Bringing it up now, Lord, won't make up for it." Qin Shuang was calmer than Qin Zhi. She simply curled her red lips slightly, her beautiful eyes tinged with sarcasm. She knew the true story of that time better than Qin Zhi. If he truly loved his wife so much, how could he have a concubine, one who could have imprisoned and framed his wife's younger sister? Thinking of this, she felt disgusted by the handsome man before her.

Luo Ziran seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in her eyes and smiled with regret. "Before Nan'er left, she kept asking me to take good care of Aruo. I've broken my promise over the years, and now Aruo has just recovered from a serious injury. I want to apologize to Aruo sincerely. I don't ask her to completely forget the past, but I just hope I can fulfill my promise to Nan'er and take care of her beloved sister. Besides, my mother misses her terribly. She's always loved her and has taken good care of her. But over the years, her health has been getting worse, and she's always thinking about her."

Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow. "No need. You are Nan'er's husband. I believe Aruo will not have any complaints about you. As for the old lady's concern, the child will always have his own ideas when he grows up..."

"Master Qin, I have come here with a sincere apology to Aruo in person." Luo Ziran concealed the sorrow on his face, raised his eyes lazily, and looked directly at Qin Shuang with a chuckle. "As for Master Qin, he's been so busy, and deeply involved with the salt administration, that I'm afraid he's been too busy lately. Aruo has been recuperating in the Qin residence for many days, but she hasn't shown any improvement. Why don't I have her come with me to the other courtyard and let Doctor Guan take good care of her for a while? Doctor Guan is a master of the Great Qi, and I believe he's no less capable than your mansion's legendary doctor."

The implication of his words made Qin Shuang's face turn slightly cold. "My Lord, I don't understand what you are saying. The Qin family has been diligent and law-abiding for many years since obtaining the salt permits. We have never violated our cooperation with the government and can withstand any test."

"What if I must see someone today?" Luo Ziran flicked his sleeve and knocked down the teacup beside him, then stood up and said coldly. The aura of someone who had long been in a superior position was terrifying, and he wanted to suppress the other party without giving an inch.

Lord Lin was startled and stood up as well, unable to help but wink at Qin Shuang.

The salt administration was lucrative, and the relationship between the government and merchants was, to put it nicely, cooperation, but to put it bluntly, collusion. There were always gray areas, and even a lot of dirty work wasn't entirely without trace. Qin Shuang could handle it alone, but if something happened to the Qin family, it would affect the entire family.

Qin Shuang narrowed her charming eyes, her mind racing. She would never let him take Aruo away, but...

"By the way, I met Lord Jing two days ago. I didn't expect that he was still in officialdom. Since the incident back then was just a misunderstanding, it was the Luo family who implicated him. This is a good opportunity for Lord Jing to realize his ambitions." Luo Ziran raised the corner of his lips slightly, as if to remind him.

"You..." Qin Zhi didn't expect that the usually smooth-talking Marquis Dingbei would threaten him so blatantly, and he suppressed his anger.

"My brother-in-law wants to apologize, but why is he acting like he's arresting a criminal?"

A light voice came from the side hall, the delicate beaded curtain was lifted, and a woman walked out gracefully.

She wore a turquoise dress that rippled like a lake, the silk's smoothness accentuating her graceful figure. Her long, cascading black hair was half-draped, styled in an exquisite, flowing bun. On either side were two coral butterfly and emerald hairpins, each with its wings adorned with jade, bringing them to life. Her elegant face was still a touch pale, but her clear, black eyes were lively, and she appeared remarkably energetic.

Behind her followed a woman in a crimson woven gauze skirt that reached her waist. She had a snake-like bun, a silver hairpin with a butterfly-shaped tassel, and kingfisher pearls. She had a beautiful face, and her bright eyes held a hint of scrutiny and vigilance.

Cai Xin followed Aruo closely, holding his hand tightly.

Looking at the graceful girl in front of him with a smile in his eyes, Luo Ziran dispersed his intimidating aura and called out gently, "Long time no see, Aruo."

Aruo performed a standard greeting with Caixin, pursing her lips. "I hope you're well, brother-in-law. They say the northwest is bitterly cold, but today you look radiant and more beautiful than before. It's obvious that you've put a lot of effort into maintaining your appearance."

Cai Xin raised her eyes slightly and took a look. She was amazed by the face she saw. But when she thought of the things Aruo had told her in the past few days, she immediately put the person in front of her into the group that was even more annoying than Lord Su.

Qin Shuang and her brother nearly gasped at these words, subconsciously glancing at the nobleman across from them. Their expressions were slightly strange. In a short time, his complexion had improved significantly, radiating like a pearl cleansed of dust.

"Thank you for your praise, Aruo. It really took some effort." Luo Ziran was not annoyed. His eyes fell on her face with a hint of regret. "I misunderstood you back then. Your brother-in-law sincerely apologizes to you."

Aruo raised her eyebrows, but without turning aside, she accepted his gift magnanimously. "I accept my brother-in-law's apology. As for going to the other courtyard to recuperate, that's not necessary. My brother and his wife treat me like a treasure. I've just gotten better and now I'm going to the other courtyard of the Marquis' Mansion, won't that make people criticize my brother and his wife for not taking good care of me? I hope my brother-in-law will forgive me."

Luo Ziran seemed not to hear her refusal and said softly, "Aruo, you really don't look like your sister..."

Aruo lowered her eyes, hiding the faint darkness in them. "Aruo is Aruo, not my sister, so naturally she doesn't look like me."

Qin Shuang watched coldly as Luo Ziran walked up to Aruo and gave Qin Zhi a look. Qin Zhi understood and became secretly wary. Cai Xin didn't understand why, but she couldn't help but tighten her grip on Aruo's hand.

An inexplicable tension hung in the air, with only the two people at the center remaining polite and smiling. Suddenly, the sound of steady footsteps interrupted the conversation in Xiyi Hall, and Qin Shuang looked toward the door with displeasure.

She knew that the people of Dingbei Hou were unruly. No one had ever rushed in so blindly when she was discussing matters.

"My Lord, there is urgent news from the government office." The guard was frightened when he saw Qin Shuang's eyes, and he quickly clasped his fists.

"Why are you so anxious?" Luo Ziran asked with his hands behind his back.

"This..." The guard glanced at the others. Luo Ziran nodded slightly to him before he replied, "Lord Su, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, has just arrived at the yamen. Lord Hu, the Co-magistrate, has sent someone to Lord Zhang's house to inform Lord Beili and Lord Lin, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple..."

Lord Lin was startled, subconsciously glancing at Luo Ziran, whose expression had suddenly turned cold. Lord Su had been missing for almost a month. Not only the capital, but even Sizhou had sent numerous patrols to investigate, but to no avail. They had previously speculated about his arrival in Yangzhou, but with the arrival of Marquis Dingbei and the ongoing problems with the salt administration, they were truly too busy to worry.

Now, this person who is being paid attention to by the capital, Sizhou and Yangzhou suddenly appears like this?

"My Lord...what do you think?" Lord Lin did not dare to make a decision and asked cautiously.

"Also," the guard didn't finish his words, and quickly looked up at Luo Ziran, "Lord Su said that he has solid evidence of the person being hunted down this time, and he wants to ask the Marquis to review it."

Hearing this, Luo Ziran's eyes flashed coldly, and he suddenly smiled, "Master Su's safe return is truly a happy occasion. We should hurry to welcome him."

Turning to look at the girl standing side by side with Qin Zhi, Luo Ziran smiled slightly, "Since you have so many concerns, brother-in-law will not force you. But mother does miss you. When the matter in Yangzhou is over, let's go back to Beijing together."

Aruo blinked without comment, lowered his head politely and remained silent, secretly squeezing Caixin's hand to comfort her.

Luo Ziran said goodbye to Qin Shuang, took two steps, and suddenly turned around as if remembering something. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. When I left Sizhou, the eldest son of the Fang family, the richest family in Sizhou, asked me to bring you a letter. I'll have someone deliver it to you later."

letter?

Aruo, Qin Zhi and Caixin looked at each other.

After everyone left, the atmosphere in Xiyi Hall relaxed. Qin Shuang stroked his chin and murmured, "This Lord Su showed up at the perfect time. Otherwise, Luo Ziran would be difficult to deal with... It's difficult for the people to fight against the officials, but it's easy to take advantage of the situation when officials fight against each other."

"The Marquis of Dingbei is nothing special. He said his concubine committed a crime four years ago and misunderstood Aruo. Who knows if that's true? Aruo, you absolutely cannot return to the capital with him. What if he changes his mind when we're in another place?" If Ning Caixin had been curious and admired this rumored affectionate marquis in the capital, now she was disgusted with this man who couldn't distinguish right from wrong. He claims to be affectionate, but doesn't he have a concubine? A truly affectionate person loves everyone in his life, unlike Aruo, who still wants to kill him.

Sure enough, affection is just for show.

Aruo didn't listen to her and stared at the letter in his hand with shock in his eyes. "Cai Xin, Qin Zhi, please help me take a look. Is it my eyes that are blurry or is there something wrong with the letter..."

Cai Xin leaned over, and Qin Zhi took it curiously. After a casual glance, his eyes suddenly widened. "What? Fang Jingsheng proposed to the Li family? And the wedding date is set for September 12th? Isn't that a month from now?"

"Who is the Li family?" Cai Xin was stunned for a moment.

"Silly girl, isn't Xiaoman's last name Li? They even invited us to attend her wedding and attend their wedding banquet." Qin Zhi tapped her forehead to make her come back to her senses.

"Why did Xiaoman suddenly agree? Could it be that Fatty Fang was insidiously forcing her to marry him?" Aruo had a reasonable suspicion.

Since Shangdu is treacherous, it is normal that a righteous girl like Xiaoman cannot defeat him.

"Oh my god, he succeeded so suddenly?" Cai Xin had heard from Lao Xue that Fang Jingsheng's weight loss was very effective, but Xiao Man didn't really refuse to marry him just because he was fat. "Aruo, does Fang Shouren really agree?"

"If he doesn't agree, Captain Li won't agree either." Fang Shouren wanted to find a well-educated, gentle, and virtuous woman for Fang Jingsheng. A career-oriented woman like Xiaoman was not on his list. Xiaoman had always aspired to make Sizhou a safe place where people could live without locking their doors at night, and she had been working hard to achieve this.

Aruo didn't know why the Fang family gave in again, but she knew Xiaoman would not give up her job as a constable.

"What's the reason for that? Did something happen that made her change her mind?" Cai Xin was so curious that it felt like her heart was being scratched by a cat, making it itchy.

"Don't think too much. Just go to Sizhou and you'll know." Qin Shuang took the letter and said thoughtfully after reading it. "It's just right. The situation in Yangzhou is turbulent now. It's better for you to leave first."

"Sister, the salt administration review has just begun. How can I leave you here alone?" Qin Zhi frowned. No matter how strong she was, she was still a woman, married to the Qi family. Even if they didn't care, outsiders would always see dissatisfaction. Often, he, the young master, was more intimidating than Qin Shuang.

"You don't understand. Lord Su from the Ministry of Justice is a man of deep thoughts and decisive in handling cases. With his father, Su Qing, orchestrating the schemes within the court, he definitely didn't show up at this time simply because he happened to be passing by the government office. You've already seen how difficult he is to deal with in Sizhou. If you get involved with him, you can't be sure how much trouble you'll face. Luo Ziran is in Yangzhou, and the waters are getting increasingly muddy. It's difficult to get out unscathed if you get involved. Perhaps it's best for you to leave."

After returning from Sizhou, Qi Shaozhen succinctly summarized the process of cooperation with the government. Qin Shuang only knew that Qin Zhi cooperated with Su Zirui on the condition that the Ministry of Justice would protect Aruo, and he was not very clear about the details of what happened.

Aruo and the other two looked at each other. No one wanted to confess to Qin Shuang that Su Zirui was rescued and hidden by Aruo, so they had to turn their heads away to avoid being exposed. The three of them decided to let Qi Shaozhen confess to his wife later.

"Let's talk about this later."

Qin Zhi would definitely not leave, but if he sent Aruo and Caixin away, all Qin Shuang's anger would be directed at him when the truth was revealed, and he felt that he was very wronged about this.

Luo Ziran and his group rode their horses to the government office, only to see Beili already there, standing beside the horse and saying something to his superior.

The man on the white horse was dressed in white, with sharp eyebrows and phoenix eyes, a straight nose and thin lips, as bright as a jade tree standing in the wind. His long and deep eyes seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts, and even the picturesque eyebrows could not hide the cold aura around him.

"Lord Su." Luo Ziran steered his horse forward, looking levelly at the man who hadn't dismounted to greet him. He held the title of Marquis, but Su Zirui had risen in rank since the Sizhou official silver case was cracked, and with his father, the Grand Master of Imperial Household, as his backer, it wasn't too much of a stretch for him not to dismount and greet him personally.

"My Lord," Su Zirui smiled gently, as gentle as jade, dismounted from his horse, and saluted with his fists clasped.

Lord Lin hurried forward to greet him and express his concern for his safe arrival in Yangzhou.

Luo Ziran returned the greeting after dismounting. He carefully examined the gentle man before him. He saw that his complexion was cold and pale, and indeed he looked like someone who had just recovered from a serious injury. "I have ordered the imperial physician Guan to come over. Lord Su, let's go inside and discuss this in detail."

Luo Ziran gestured for invitation, and Lord Lin and Beili quickly made way.

Su Zirui nodded and looked him over. "I've always heard that Imperial Physician Guan is an excellent doctor, especially skilled in conditioning. Before, I saw that the Marquis looked a bit haggard, but now, in just over a month, the Marquis has regained his spirits and looks even better than the youthful man he once was. It's clear that he is truly an amazing doctor."

Luo Ziran paused, "Thanks to the Imperial Physician Guan for his contribution. If Lord Su is interested, you can ask the Imperial Physician to prescribe two more prescriptions for you to recuperate."

Bei Li followed behind, watching the distinguished man discreetly, a strange look flashing across his eyes. If the Lord hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have paid much attention. The man before him had a distinguished look and a cheerful demeanor, truly looking like he'd been rejuvenated.

His gaze fell on his master, as cold and detached as ever, a hint of paleness that accentuated the ironic nature of his words, lending them a morbid beauty. Beili listened to the two men's thoughtful and pointed exchange, secretly curious whether Lord Luo would turn against him when he saw the evidence against the Luo family. And then there was that ever-present Lin Ziyan, the unruly Lord Lin. With three of the four sons of the capital gathered together, he wondered how lively things would get.

Alas, the man in his family is so mean. He is so cruel that he cuts off the arms of others and even kills his own uncle, but he still wants to squeeze out the last value of others.