Chapter 23 "I think my father has led the army for many years. It's impossible that every one of his confidants has betrayed him."
The gray-yellow earthen wall blocked the biting cold wind. Looking back, flakes of snow were dancing down, and the foothills and countryside were all white, quietly disappearing into the pitch-black night.
Xie Ci was at the door, his dark green cloak fluttering as he walked in.
The temple was shrouded in misty snow and pitch black. One could clearly see his javelin-like figure with his spine straight under his military uniform, and his short, powerful steps as his military boots touched the ground.
When Gu Wan looked back, he happened to see him press the hilt of the knife, turn around, and see the handsome curve of the young man's cloak fluttering in the wind and his steps rustling like the wind.
——The silver saddle shines on the white horse, which gallops like a meteor. The young knights of Wuling travel a thousand miles with swords in hand.
She suddenly remembered this very appropriate sentence.
In the original owner's memory, the impression of Xie Ci in the old days was more of a naughty one, because he was scolded every day. The old man had been a ruthless warrior all his life and was dissatisfied with everything about him, and would occasionally beat him.
But from Gu Wan's perspective, he saw him traveling the world with a sword.
The young man is chivalrous and likes to stand up for the weak. Although he gets into trouble recklessly, he is fundamentally different from those playboys.
He eventually became a peerless hero with a spear in hand. He had this shadow when he was young. Otherwise, no matter how hard he struggled and was reborn, it would not have grown out of thin air.
This is a young man who shines like a gem.
Gu Guan looked at it and actually felt a sense of pride.
She felt a little funny and laughed. Well, people are not plants or trees, so who can be heartless? She admitted that unknowingly, she almost regarded Xie Ci as a family member. They were not related by blood, but they were connected by chance.
It's hard for her not to be moved when others treat her sincerely.
So, she asked him to call her Awan instead of Yuanniang.
She is not Yuanniang.
"What are you laughing at?" Xie Ci heard her chuckle.
"I'm laughing at you."
Gu Guan chuckled and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "This small temple is not big, but it has everything. Villagers nearby often come here to avoid the wind and snow when they come down the mountain. There is an earthen kang built beside the temple, and there is firewood and straw. There is also half a broken pottery jar filled with half a jar of water."
Gu Wan lit the earthen kang, gathered some straw and spread it on the kang, then collapsed on it and said, "I'm so tired."
The whole day was simply super-high-intensity exercise. Even though her physical fitness had gradually improved, she was still exhausted after finishing. Gu Wan lay down and didn't want to move anymore, "Don't bother me, I want to sleep..."
As she spoke, she fell asleep.
Xie Ci didn't mind being teased by her. He took off his helmet and lay down on the straw.
He didn't feel very tired, but he didn't feel cold either.
The small earthen temple was silent and dark. The fire in the kang was dimly red, and from time to time there would be a "crackling" sound, and the crimson fire reflected on the earthen wall would jump.
Xie Ci looked towards the head of the kang in the dim light of the fire. In the darkness, he could only see a black mass and could not make out the facial features, but he could hear Gu Wan's breathing, which soon became shallow and long.
On this cold and snowy winter night, the kang had poor heat conduction, and the earthen temple had no door. The biting northwest wind, wrapped in ice and snow, blew in cold air. After quieting down, Xie Ci should have felt a little cold, but everything that happened during the day was still vivid in her mind, and the sound of the two men riding horses was still in her ears. It seemed as if something was flowing in her heart, and she did not feel cold in the cold night.
Winter hesitates, but it is not alone.
Xie Ci thought that he should still be considered a lucky man because he had her by his side.
…
That night, the snow was falling heavily. Xie Ci didn't know when he fell asleep. He closed his eyes and opened them again, and it was already bright outside.
"Let's go down the mountain."
Gu Guan was already awake, but she knew Xie Ci was a light sleeper, so she wanted to stay in bed a little longer. However, it was too cold and she could hardly stay in bed any longer. Xie Ci woke up, and she quickly jumped down and stomped her feet.
Xie Ci also jumped off the kang.
It was really cold today. The two of them extinguished all the fires and washed themselves simply with the half-frozen water in the water tank. Then they walked out of the gate of the earthen temple. Heavy snow had been falling all night and gradually stopped at dawn. The vast snow covered the mountains and plains, and there was a vast expanse of white as far as the eye could see.
The two of them stepped on the snow with a "crunching sound", followed the traces of the dirt road out of the mountain, and turned into the nearest town.
Smoke was rising from the breakfast stall, and the place was still peaceful. However, it wouldn't be long before the aftermath of the events in Longshan Road and Suzhou would affect this area. Gu Wan and Xie Ci planned to get something to eat first, and then change into their military uniforms.
Because the two were wearing lieutenant uniforms, the waiter at the breakfast shop was particularly polite and attentive, and breakfast was served immediately at one o'clock. The guests at other tables had no objections and looked very natural. Some of the timid ones even bowed their heads in greeting when Gu Wan looked over.
Gu Wan quickly returned a reassuring smile.
After breakfast, the two of them looked for a suitable clothing store on the street, went in, bought clothes, shoes and socks, and changed them.
Xie Ci's armor was much more complicated. After changing into it, Gu Wan leaned against the doorpost and waited for a while. The door curtain moved, and Xie Ci came out in a dark blue knight outfit with a thin knife hanging from his waist. He lowered his head to adjust his sleeves, looking like a young man as dashing and heroic as the wind.
After the victory in the first battle, Xie Ci's mental outlook has obviously improved a lot.
Gu Guan sighed and folded his arms to admire for a long time, until Xie Ci lowered his head and straightened his sleeves. Then the two of them walked out of the clothing store shoulder to shoulder.
Gu Wan untied the reins and handed one to Xie Ci, who then said, "Xiao Si, you need power."
Gu Guan shook the large bag containing the military uniform in his hand and hung it on the saddle. His tone was light, but his words were quite serious.
Although they had dealt with Xun Rongbi, they had missed out on Xun Xun. At the moment, they definitely could not go back and fall into the trap. The situation was stronger than they were, so they could only let this guy be proud for a while.
Of course, Gu Wan was just laying the groundwork. Don't be so selfless. Only by holding on to power can you protect yourself. Isn't that the same for other things? Since he's not inferior to Li Yi in the slightest, why should he be inferior to him?
And sooner or later she will make Yu Manzhen look bad, which is a hidden danger. The two sides can have contact from time to time, but it is better not to go too close.
The snow was shining brightly, and a line of sparrows were chirping on the eaves. She leaned over and whispered in a very serious tone.
Xie Ci was stunned, but he immediately said, "I know."
He was also holding a heavy armor in his hand. After Suzhou and his group took action, it was hard for Xie Ci not to realize that if the two of them were alone, they could only wander around the periphery.
The truth is in the army, but they are outside the army. Trying to find out the truth is like shooting at a cow from a distance.
But if you are in the military and have a certain amount of power, it will be completely different. Whether it is the investigation process or dealing with the enemies behind the scenes, the former is much easier and may even be easily uncovered, and the latter will have a real foothold.
Xie Ci thought about it last night. He told Gu Wan: "I plan to find old members of the Xie family. If possible, I want to join the army." Even if he doesn't use the name Xie Ci.
Xie Ci looked up at the blue sky after the heavy snowfall and said, "Wan Niang, I suddenly feel that maybe I can really do it."
To find out the whole story of the treason case and to avenge his father and brother is his long-cherished wish that weighs heavily on his heart.
When Xie Ci said this, he was no longer as worried and hesitant as before. He looked straight ahead and became determined.
Killing Xun Rongbi and escaping unscathed was considered a victory in the first battle for the Suzhou group, which gave Xie Ci great confidence. This was not just verbal comfort and affirmation that he could do it. It was a shot in the arm. He finally felt that although it was difficult, he might not really be unable to do it.
He felt a rare sense of lightness, as if the huge rock pressing on his head had finally moved away a little, and when he looked up he could see a little sunlight.
At this moment, Xie Ci stood on the snow, his eyes firm and his demeanor vigorous. He was like a silver spear that had been polished for the first time and was now sharp. Gu Wan could even vaguely see the outline of the towering man in the original book.
——In the past, she always felt that he was like a little brat, anyway, he was a little younger than her, but at this moment, she suddenly felt that he had grown up, and had grown from a little brat into a partner shoulder to shoulder.
She looked at him with a smile, and suddenly she was very happy. "Let's go, let's talk while we walk!"
Emotions can be contagious. The two men jumped on their saddles and galloped away, running against the wind for more than ten miles out of the town before slowing down.
Gu Wan asked him, "So what are you going to do next?"
When we were in the small town, judging from his expression, he seemed to have made up his mind.
Xie Ci did have an idea. Although the Suzhou trip was a conspiracy and a trap, it gave him a new idea: "I think my father has led the army for many years. It's impossible that every confidant has betrayed him."
Xie Ci didn't know what had caused so many people to betray his father at the same time. But Xie Xinzhong had always been a man of high character, both as a person and as a general. While he strictly enforced military regulations, he was not extravagant or indulged in pleasure. Military pay was distributed from top to bottom, and not only did he not withhold rewards from the officers, he even paid for them out of his own pocket.
He is strict with himself but lenient with his subordinates, and he also knows how to deal with people. In any case, he is not that kind of coach who is both stubborn and tough.
It should be noted that when generals fought on the battlefield, their friendship and loyalty were forged by sacrificing their lives and blood, and their stability was much stronger than the so-called friendship between gentlemen.
After thirty years of ups and downs, it is absolutely impossible that everyone has betrayed Xie Xinzhong.
"I wonder if any of these six generals are truly in a situation like Xun Rongbi's?" Having been deprived of power and imprisoned, Xie Ci pondered, "Even outside of these six trusted generals, there might be others who refuse to compromise!"
He refused to compromise from beginning to end.
Then at this time, the other party may have really fallen into the situation that Xun Rongbi pretended to be!
The Xie family army had stood in the Wei Dynasty for many years, and Xie Ci could actually understand why Xun Xun and his son were so determined to kill him.
He now wants to try to win back the old members of the Xie family.
Previously, Xie Ci was extremely cautious and fearful, and never thought of showing up in public. The victory in the first battle brought a change in his confidence and also changed many things.
"It's just that how to identify it may take some time."
Strike while the iron is hot. The longer the time goes, the more disadvantageous it is.
Just thinking about the trap in Suzhou, it would take time to get out, Xie Ci frowned.
Gu Wan nodded frequently as she listened. Xie Ci's direction was absolutely correct. She didn't even need to guide him! However, after hearing the last part, she blinked and said, "Well... I might have a way!"
Xie Ci looked over immediately. Gu Guan snapped her fingers. Her large almond-shaped eyes, reflecting the snow, were particularly bright and lively. She asked, "Do you still remember Long Shouren?"
"Of course I remember."
"Then I said, 'Where is the eldest son? I've long heard that the eldest son, Xun, is elegant and dignified, and has much of his father's style.' Do you remember? He paused at that time!"
Gu Wan recalled, revealing a look of speculation. "I guess Xun Xun must be the child of Princess Rilian." She calculated the approximate age. "It is very likely that he was too young to remember anything, so they didn't kill him in the end."
This Xun Rongbi is really outrageous. Gu Guan despises him. He is a rubbish man. He deserves to be slaughtered.
"Xun Xun has half Beirong blood!"
Recalling Xun Xun's eagle eyes and hawk nose, although he also had black pupils, his facial features were obviously deep. Now thinking about it, it was probably because of the Northern Rong blood in his body.
At that time, Gu Guan hurried to Yingliepo and hid on the cliff looking for the opportunity to throw the rope. She happened to hear almost the whole process. She almost immediately thought that this Xun Xun might be Princess Rilian's child.
This way, everything falls into place.
Just like Xie Ci’s judgment, “Yes, I guess so.”
Gu Wan thought: "I asked Long Shouren that question suddenly that day, and he paused for a moment before answering."
Looking back now, perhaps Long Shouren’s meal was not just out of regret for the past.
Although Long Shouren aided and abetted the tyrant, looking back now, he emphasized twice: "In just a little over a year and a half, he wanted to replace his father. There is absolutely no possibility of this."
In fact, it might be a subtle gesture of thanks and asking him to leave.
Xie Ci killed Long Shouren, there is nothing to say. Throughout history, people have judged crimes based on their deeds, not their hearts. He deserved it. But Gu Guan now carefully recalled the other party's expression and tone at the time, and later on the training ground, Long Shouren only said "How dare I imprison my father and brother, and usurp power", but not "I imprisoned my father and killed my brother, and usurped power."
Gu Wan pondered: "I always have a feeling that Xun Xiao might not be dead!"
The first person to lead the troops to the rescue was Long Shouren. Long Shouren was clearly a trusted confidant of Xun Rongbi. Considering Xun Xun's lack of any unusual activity, such as searching, from the time he received his brother's body to the funeral, if this is true, it must have been Long Shouren's doing.
What about Xun Xiao?
Will he escape from death?
"Well, if Xun Xiao is really not dead, then he must know a lot of things!"
It can be called a shortcut!
Xie Ci thought about it for a while, and looked at Gu Guan. They both thought of Xun Xiao’s tomb.
"But even if we dig up his grave, it has been more than a year, and it would have almost turned into bones, right?" Xie Ci frowned. There was no way to judge this?
At this point, Gu Wan finally smiled, and his pensive look disappeared: "Don't worry, it should be possible."
Unless Xun Xun found a corpse with similar age, height and other conditions to bury, they can be distinguished.
The bones can talk.
"Let's go!"
Gu Guan showed a smug expression, raised his whip, turned around and smiled, and said with great enthusiasm.
…
In the vast snowy field, riding a brown horse and wearing purple clothes, Gu Guan is about 165cm tall, but her long straight legs make her look tall, with thin shoulders and a narrow neck. Her legs wrapped in narrow trousers flutter from side to side, as beautiful as a butterfly and incredibly strong and powerful.
Unlike Xie Ersao, who was strong and decisive, she had a unique kind of neat and casual style. Sometimes she was lazy and cunning, and sometimes she was bright and radiant.
She has a pair of curved willow-shaped eyebrows, but she doesn't look weak at all.
The wind blew snowflakes everywhere. She whipped the horse whip and the big brown horse neighed loudly. The purple figure flew past her eyes like a meteor against the wind.
Xie Ci stared blankly for a while, then hurriedly whipped his whip to catch up.
Amid the sound of wind and snow, the voices of two people were carried by the wind.
Perhaps no one would have thought that Xie Ci and Gu Guan would return to Suzhou City at this moment, and no one would have guessed that the two would return to Yingliepo.
Under the moonlight, Xun Xiao's tomb was quiet.
There was only the sound of the wind. In winter, even the grave keepers hid in the small wooden house at the foot of the mountain and slept by the fire.
Xie Ci and Gu Guan tied up their horses, lowered a rope from the top of the cliff, and swaggered back to Xun Xiao's grave.
The wind was strong at the top of the slope, and the thin snow was blown into all directions. One could clearly see the footprints and bloodstains on the ground.
Xie Ci and Gu Guan each took a hoe. After discussing it, they started digging directly in front of the tombstone.
The tomb entrance was right in front. After the craftsmen finished and the funeral procession carried the coffin inside, there had to be a way out, and digging here was the easiest. Of course, it was also the most conspicuous, but in this weather, even the gravekeepers didn't patrol, so there wasn't a problem.
Gu Wan gestured with the hoe and was about to start digging when Xie Ci snatched it away, "I'll do it."
He was a little upset about what Gu Wan said that day about becoming sworn siblings, and he wanted to show off his masculinity whenever he got the chance.
Gu Wan didn't fight for it. She swept the steps in front of the tombstone and sat down, smiling and watching Xie Ci work without saying a word - very good, it seems that she will have to call Xie Ci brother more often in the future, this trick is too effective.
The ground was a little frozen, but it was not a big problem. Xie Ci channeled his true energy into his arms and quickly dug through the frozen soil, digging even faster.
It took about two quarters of an hour to dig out a deep pit about half a meter, and the sealed tomb door was completely exposed.
Xie Ci quickly smashed open the tomb door and waited for about quarter of an hour. Then he bent down and went into the tomb passage first.
Not long after, his voice came from inside, "Wan Niang, you can come in!"
…
Today is the sixteenth. The silver moon is hanging in the sky, and the bright moonlight is sprinkled on the vast snowy field, making the view endless, cold and quiet.
Gu Wan was opening the iron box and looking at the small knife that he had hired someone to carefully make.
The long, cold handle is inlaid with a small, pointed, and extremely sharp blade. Both are made of tempered silver and have a faint silver metallic luster.
This is a scalpel.
This was something Gu Wan once thought he would never pick up again in his life.
She stared at the scalpel, took a long breath, stuffed everything into the linen bag slung across her body, jumped into the bottom of the pit, and quickly entered the tomb passage and the tomb chamber.
Xun Xun was not a king or a high-ranking official. He was young and under 30 years old when he died. His tomb was not very complicated, with one main chamber and two side chambers. The coffin was placed in the center of the main chamber and could be seen as soon as you entered.
Xie Ci had already broken open the coffin, opened the lid, and waited for a long time until the smell dissipated a lot before calling Gu Wan in.
Gu Guan, however, had no psychological barriers at all. This was her specialty, okay?
She took a peek and saw that the muscles and soft tissues of the corpse had all decayed, leaving only a few traces of its existence. There was a skeleton in the coffin, with hair covering the skull and nails scattered under the finger bones and toe bones.
"Body length 5.92 feet, estimated height in life plus two inches."
Gu Guan put on a cotton mask and gloves, pulled the tape measure, glanced at Xie Ci with a smile and said.
Xie Ci's brows furrowed immediately. Although this point was a little different from what he used to use in daily life, he immediately understood it. "Five feet ninety-two plus two inches?"
The last time Xie Ci saw Xun Xiao was the year before last. The Xun brothers returned to Beijing on behalf of their father to report on their work and paid a visit to Mrs. Xun. At that time, Xie Ci was fourteen years old. The two stood together, and he came to Xun Xiao's earlobe. He had just measured himself during the New Year and was exactly five feet five inches tall.
Xie Ci couldn't help but frown. After the conversion, it didn't match up a little bit, it was a little short. But when he thought about the slight differences in bones after death, as well as the boots and standing posture of the current world, he couldn't say anything about it for the time being.
But Gu Guan measured his cheekbones and said, "It's half a foot and half an inch. Your face is quite wide, cousin."
The cheekbones alone are almost twenty centimeters long.
Xie Ci said almost immediately: "Impossible!"
Xun Xiao was very similar to his father. He was elegant and tall, and was a famous handsome man in the Northern Army.
How could it be a round face?
At this time, Gu Wan finally smiled as if he had found his target. "This man was strangled to death."
"Look, the greater horn of the hyoid bone is broken. The person who strangled him must have used tremendous force. He probably died in five or six breaths."
But Xun Xiao was burned to death. In a fire attack, the Suzhou soldiers of that squad were completely wiped out and all turned into charred corpses. The skeleton in front of him was in the shape of a fist, with many black spots on the surface of the bones, which looked like they had indeed been burned to death.
Xun Xiao's body was in such a state that he couldn't even be dressed in burial clothes. He was only wrapped in a red shawl, but the red shawl had been torn off by Xie Ci, revealing the charred and fragmented white armor and clothes.
Gu Guan carefully used tweezers to pick up a bit of nose bone and examined it closely with a light. "This person was definitely strangled to death and then burned."
In addition, Gu Guan checked the fallen toenail and made a new discovery, "Does your eldest cousin also have Beirong blood?"
"no!"
Xie Ci said almost immediately: "Absolutely impossible!"
Xun Xiao was the daughter-in-law that the Xie family arranged for Xun Rongbi to marry after he returned to the court after making meritorious service. Xun Xiao was born in the capital the following year. Xie Ci was 100% sure that Xun Xiao's biological mother, Madam Pei, and Xun Xiao himself had no blood relationship with the Beirong people!
At this point, it was almost done, but for the sake of safety, "Thank you for coming."
She pointed to the pubic symphysis and said, "Saw it off here."
After sawing off the pubic symphysis, Gu Guan cleaned it and should have boiled it, but the body had already turned to bones, so it could be roughly peeled off even without boiling. The pubic symphysis is the most important basis and one of the most accurate means of inferring bone age without the aid of instruments.
"This is a male, between thirty-five and forty years old, around thirty-seven or thirty-eight."
"Look, the symphysis pubis and lower symphysis are already very clear and distinct, and the upper ventral oblique section is beginning to show signs of damage. This is a prominent characteristic of the pubic symphysis in men between their thirties and forties."
Gu Guan skipped over other professional terms that were difficult to understand, and just said that Xie Ci could understand them and didn't need any further explanation.
In the dark tomb, four or five large lamps were on, and the orange light illuminated the middle position. Gu Wan put on a white veil dress. She said that she would not need to change clothes later. Her slender fingers were covered with veil gloves that fit tightly to the skin. She held up her pubic bone with tweezers to show him. Under the light, there was a sense of coldness and self-restraint that had never been seen before.
This was a state Xie Ci had never seen before.
He was very surprised and blurted out: "...Wan Niang, how do you know all this?!"
Gu Wan: “…”
The pair of distinct black and white eyes beneath Gu Guan's curly bangs moved instantly. She glanced over and blinked. The aloofness and reserve that seemed to have created an inexplicable sense of distance immediately vanished. She returned to her usual lively and cunning self and chuckled, "Well, you know my grandfather? Wasn't he the Chief Justice of the Ministry of Justice? I learned this from him."
Gu Guan had also thought about this. The original owner's grandmother was the Princess of Yongjia County and a member of the royal family. As for his grandfather, he was the Chief Justice of the Ministry of Justice, the same Chief Justice played by Song Ci in "The Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty". Examining the corpse was not something the Chief Justice had to do, but it was one of his jurisdictions. If he was interested, he could certainly do it himself.
She came closer, smiled softly and said, "Don't tell anyone, I promised my grandfather."
In the dim yellow light, the fine hairs on her face were clearly visible. She said this with a smile and touched him with her shoulder as if they were brothers.
She came a little too close, and Xie Ci couldn't help but hold his breath. He looked at her with wide eyes and almost immediately replied, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone else."
But he suddenly realized, did the two of them share a secret?
Xie Ci had no doubts about what Gu Wan said; he believed her as long as she said it. But in this dark and quiet tomb, after the two of them whispered to each other, he felt inexplicably happy because they had a little secret in common.
Inexplicably, a feeling of joy arose.
After he finished speaking, he still felt that he was not serious enough, so he added in a low voice with a very serious tone: "Anyone."
"I promise!"
Under the light, Xie Ci's eyes were as bright as glass. He suddenly became serious, and Gu Wan couldn't help laughing, laughing so hard that he fell backwards. He looked like a Sichuan face-changing performer, and he looked so funny.
She said in a light and quick tone: "Then I believe you~"
Xie Ci was embarrassed by her laughter, his ears felt hot, and he couldn't help but glare at her.
But after a while, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips and smiled.
The author has something to say:
The silver saddle shines on the white horse, which gallops like a meteor. - Li Bai
Haha, Ah Xiu is here! After the v, Ah Xiu will try to do six days a day, haha. Anyway, we all look at the plot in general. Like today, it will be more, sometimes less, Ah Xiu will do as much as possible! If it is really necessary, I may occasionally take a leave. (Haha, Ah Xiu has maintained perfect attendance for six years, I hope I don’t need to ask for leave haha)
Finally, thanks to the baby who voted for Wenwen! Pen refills pen refills~
Chua Guagua threw a mine
Wenjiujiujiu threw a grenade
.
And to all the big babies who watered Wenwen, muah! !
…
Love you guys! See you tomorrow, babies~~ (/≧▽≦)/
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