Sizhou Seven
Sizhou has two main features: the fireworks on the Lantern Festival night and the Sky Lantern Festival in early July.
Today, the famous Sky Lantern Festival is approaching. All kinds of lanterns are hung on the streets, and every household is preparing for this annual celebration.
A large ship was moored at the edge of the city river. A tall, dark-robed youth, holding a scimitar, stood beside it, watching as men in blue robes systematically carried six large boxes off the ship. After loading them onto a truck, the group escorted the cargo to its destination.
"Qin Zhi, what's this cargo?" Aruo, dressed in men's clothing, followed the young man and asked in confusion. Judging from the wheel marks, this cargo was too heavy to be a valuable item, but the price of transporting it was exorbitant, which made it seem suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
But if even she felt there was a problem, why would the Qin family accept it?
Qin Zhi smiled and patted her head. "It's the rule of the underworld. Once you accept an order, it doesn't matter what the goods are, as long as they are delivered safely."
If it was really that simple, why would the young gang leader escort him personally?
Aruo glanced at the sealed box and suddenly remembered Su Zirui's words last night: curiosity kills the cat. She immediately gave up the idea of secretly opening it. She had originally wanted to pester Qin Zhi to find out what he and Su Zirui had talked about. It was all because she had been secluded in the official post for a few days and was bored, so she was tricked by Qin Zhi into coming out to see the guards.
But... Qin Shuang was willing to let Qin Zhi out to escort the goods, and did not force her to leave, so even if there were any problems, Aruo would still be relieved.
The group turned onto the long street. It was unusually quiet, even the doorways of the houses were clean, with no signs of street vendors. Aruo rubbed his chin in disbelief, "Qin Zhi, in just a few years, has the White Flame Gang become so famous that even ordinary people avoid them?"
Qin Zhi slowly took the scimitar in his hand and signaled Aruo to retreat behind him, "I'm afraid the ones who are avoiding me are not because of my White Flame Gang."
At the other end of the long street, people wearing blue official robes with gold patterns and black armor, holding swords at their waists, ran towards them in an orderly manner and quickly surrounded them.
The atmosphere on the long street suddenly became tense. The members of the White Flame Gang drew their weapons and faced the enemy in unison, centering around the six boxes.
Aruo looked over Qin Zhi's shoulder and saw a familiar figure, "Beili?"
Bei Li, dressed in official uniform, approached with a knife in hand, stopping in front of them with an expressionless face. "Young Master Qin, we've received news that your gang was responsible for transporting the Northwest disaster silver that went missing a month ago. We suspect it was this shipment."
"It's really haunting you. Lord Beili, I guess you don't know the rules of the underworld. We in the Cao Gang transport goods, and as long as you can afford the price, we will ensure their safe delivery. As for what the goods are, that's not what we want to know." Qin Zhi restrained his usual laughter, raised his sword-like eyebrows, and replied in a loud voice.
"The underworld has its own rules, and the government has its own laws." Beili said seriously.
"What do you think?"
"Please open the box and check it, Young Master Qin." Beili bowed.
"The White Flame Gang has stood firm for many years, relying on its reputation and strength. It is our responsibility to ensure the safe delivery of the goods to their destination. If you have any concerns, please wait until we arrive before taking any action." Qin Zhi refused to budge. Are you kidding me? You're telling me to open the boxes if there's suspicion. Do you think the White Flame Gang will continue to operate in the martial arts world?
"It seems that the young leader is determined not to cooperate." As soon as Beili finished speaking, the people in red robes drew out their machetes, and the atmosphere became more solemn.
Aruo knew the government had the right to inspect, just as they would require you to open your luggage upon entering the city. However, if the White Flame Gang's cargo was freely inspected by the government, regardless of whether it was the missing disaster relief silver, the White Flame Gang's reputation would be damaged. It seemed absurd, but in this dynasty, in this world, it was common sense.
If you want to thrive in this dynasty, you cannot go against the laws of the general environment.
Qin Zhi gave Aruo a look, and Aruo understood and retreated to the side of the box. The two sides were on the verge of a fight.
A flash of cold light suddenly appeared, and the two groups of people, led by Qin Zhi and Bei Li, leaped into the air. Qin Zhi placed one foot on the side of the wooden cart, using the momentum to swing his scimitar, creating a dense white light that almost enveloped Bei Li, who spun around and drew his sword to respond.
They start fighting as soon as they disagree with each other. It's very good and very Jianghu style.
Aruo complained a hundred times in his heart, but his eyes were calmly looking for the opponent's flaws. Fortunately, the value of the goods being escorted was high, and many people from the White Flame Gang came. In addition to those who came to fight, there were still enough people to protect the goods.
After finally finding a breakthrough, Aruo waved his hand to signal everyone to push the carts forward. On the long street, the sound of wooden wheels rolling over the cobblestones was drowned out by the sharp sound of swords clashing. Aruo led his men to run to the end without delay.
Suddenly, a person dropped from the sky and landed steadily in front of them. The person with a baby face was surprised when he saw Aruo, "It's you?"
"Miss Ruoyu, be careful!" The people from the Baiyan Gang quickly protected Aruo and blocked her with their swords.
Things were turning so fast, something felt off. A thought flashed through her mind, but she couldn't grasp it. The flashes of swords and sabers before her made her feel a little uneasy. The sudden sense of danger chilled her whole body. She subconsciously looked up and saw a red shadow passing by, rushing towards her.
"Aruo--" Qin Zhi's voice seemed to come from far away, and even faster than his voice was the scimitar he threw.
A flash of cold light suddenly appeared, and just as a red object was about to strike Aruo, it was deflected by both the scimitar and a longsword, landing heavily on the box beside her. The heavy impact caused the box to flip and crack, and the huge pebbles inside spilled onto the ground, slowly being stained by the bright red color that flowed from the red object.
With almost no hesitation, a dark red figure quickly jumped onto the roof and chased in one direction.
After the fright, her body was completely exhausted. Aruo fell weakly to the ground, staring blankly at the bright red blood slowly flowing over, almost soaking her newly bought boots.
"Aruo!" Two voices came from behind. Beili and Qin Zhi each pulled her up, "Are you okay?"
Her gaze fell on the scimitar and longsword on the red object. The pattern on the hilt looked familiar to her, and her heart, which had been racing with fear, slowly calmed down. The red veil slipped away, revealing a bloodstained half-face. With a trembling finger, she pointed at the familiar face. Aruo opened her mouth, almost speechless, "That... Yanhong?"
"Oh my God, what's going on?" Qin Zhi quickly covered her eyes and said to Beili in a deep voice, "Lord Beili, this is the responsibility of your government."
Beili and Qi Qi looked at the pebbles scattered on the ground with extremely grim expressions, looked at each other, and walked forward to check the body.
Aruo took Qin Zhi's hand away and looked up at the second floor of the restaurant on the side of the long street. As expected, the slender moon-white figure appeared in her eyes. "Su Zirui?"
The person who leaped down lightly was a graceful figure, his face gentle yet emotionless, his cold black eyes only slightly helpless as he looked at her. Su Zirui walked up to her with his hands behind his back, his expression difficult to read, "You really are... you can cause trouble even if you don't even glance at me."
Aruo subconsciously wanted to refute, but the person behind her pulled her into his arms. Qin Zhi's face was gloomy without a trace of smile. His handsome features still had a ruffian air. His thick eyebrows and peach blossom eyes were flying, and his eyes were full of cold disapproval. "Master Su, this guy, you have finished the inspection, right?"
"Sir." Beili and others bowed and wanted to say something but were stopped by Su Zirui's gesture.
"Young Master Qin, it was my people who were rude. But it was my duty, and I hope you will forgive me." Su Zirui clasped his hands and bowed.
Qin Zhi snorted coldly, knowing that this was not the right time to dwell on it. He waved his hand and told everyone to pack up and leave. He looked down at the stunned person and asked, "Aru, are you okay?"
As if she didn't hear his words, Aruo just looked at the woman in red who was turned over by Qi Qi. What came to her mind was her smile and frown in the past, when she had relied on the fat brother-in-law of the prefect to survive and flattered him with a smile as beautiful as a flower.
"Qi Ruoyu, are you okay? Don't be scared, otherwise Qin Shuang will kill me." Qin Zhi was anxious and couldn't help but reach out to pat her face.
The pale cheek turned slightly red after he patted it. Su Zirui frowned and tilted his head, his cold eyes swept over the person who was still in a daze, thinking that if he didn't come back to his senses, his face would swell up.
Suddenly she reached out and held Qin Zhi's hand that was patting her face. Aruo raised her eyes and glanced at him. A coldness flashed in her eyes, which made Qin Zhi smile awkwardly and touch her slightly red face soothingly.
After thinking for a while, Aruo looked at Su Zirui and forced a bitter smile, "I think Yanhong has been dead for two days."
"Sir, he has indeed been dead for some time. The blood on the ground looks like chicken blood, but there is no more blood coming out of the body." Qi Qi looked up after examining the body. "The specific results will be available after the coroner's examination."
Su Zirui nodded and looked at the person Qin Zhi was holding in his arms. "How can you be so sure she's been dead for two days?"
Because she had been staying at the official inn for the past two days, and two days ago, she had seen Yanhong in the opera troupe.
Aruo's face paled. She pushed Qin Zhi's hand away and approached Yanhong's body. A faint, almost indistinct fragrance had been lingering in her mind for a while now. Her brows furrowed, feeling as if there was something she hadn't figured out. Her chest felt as if it were oppressing her, making it impossible to breathe. Her temples ached, yet she couldn't recall what it was.
"Aruo, let's go back to the branch first. I need to have the doctor check you out. There's something wrong with you." Qin Zhi touched her forehead and felt something was wrong. Just as he was about to pull her away, someone grabbed his arm.
"Young Master Qin, I've said before that she is involved in a murder case and cannot leave the official inn." Su Zirui said coldly. He couldn't let her go before, and now that it was confirmed that the murderer might be coming for her, it was even more impossible to let anyone take her away.
"You!" Qin Zhi was about to draw his scimitar when the person next to him suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood without warning, closed his eyes and collapsed. He was so frightened that he screamed, "Aruo!"
In the moment of surprise, the person had been taken into Su Zirui's arms, "Young Master Qin, I've taken the person away. If you are worried, you are welcome at the official post station at any time."
After saying this, he strode away with the body in his arms, his movements so smooth and swift that even Qin Zhi didn't react. Bei Li and the others clasped their hands in greeting, then turned around and arranged for someone to take the body away.
Qin Zhi stared angrily at the man's back as he left. He swung his scimitar in frustration, and the stone road cracked.
"Young Boss, this... Miss Ruoyu's place?"
"Load the goods and continue delivering them," Qin Zhi said coldly, glancing at the blood-stained pebbles on the ground. Today's drama was over. The White Flame Gang's transport couldn't be lost. No matter what it was, it had to be delivered. As for what happened after that… that wasn't the White Flame Gang's business. "Uncle Zhong, send a message to Qin Shuang. Little Ruoyu's really gotten herself into trouble this time."
Qin Zhi patted his shirt, which had been slightly wrinkled from the fight, with a headache. He had thought it would be easy to escort the escort and bring the person back at the same time, but this girl had actually provoked such a troublesome character. Sighing, Qin Zhi looked at the sky and murmured, "What on earth are you planning?"
The red-shirted clerk hurried into the wing courtyard of the official post station and walked into the hall. The solemn atmosphere made him feel timid. He didn't dare to look at the person sitting in the center, bowed and saluted, and respectfully handed over the letter, "Master Su, this is an urgent letter from the capital."
The letter was taken away, and he bent down and retreated, brushing past the person who strode in.
"Sir, Aruo has been poisoned." Beili bowed and whispered, "The red gauze on Yanhong's body was smeared with medicine. The fragrance is very unique. Constable Li had to find a famous spice expert in Sizhou to identify it. This fragrance is fine for ordinary people, but if it comes into contact with mugwort, it will become toxic."
"It seems that the murderer knows her very well." Su Zirui put down the letter and tapped the table with his fingertips habitually.
The mugwort's aroma was mixed with other herbs, and it was very light. If she hadn't been in his arms on the night of the prison break, he wouldn't have noticed it. The mugwort was in a herbal bag Ning Caixin had specially prepared for her. Because she attracted mosquitoes in the summer, she often carried it with her.
"Luckily, we caught it early, and the doctor says it's fine. He's still unconscious, though, and Caixin is caring for him." Beili was also a little frightened. The doctor said Aruo had a strong reaction to the drug, vomiting blood at the first contact, which is why he wasn't seriously poisoned. If he hadn't noticed, it might have been more than just a coma.
"It's just a coincidence. After all, mugwort is hard to find in Sizhou. Caixin only bought it after hearing the introduction from the opera troupe. Oh, and that girl said that this spice is not from the Middle Earth. I did some research and it may be from the same source as the spice I tracked down in the capital."
Su Zirui paused, then suddenly asked, "Last time I asked you to investigate what happened three years ago, did you find anything?"
"I was just about to report," Beili said hurriedly. "Your Excellency, do you know Fang Shouren, the famous philanthropist in Sizhou? Three years ago, when his eldest son got married, Aruo disrupted the ceremony and tried to steal the bride."
"Kidnap the bride?" Su Zirui was stunned, then sneered, "She's quite bold. Is Young Master Fang so outstanding?"
"Sir," Bei Li said with a troubled look on his face, his words hesitant, "She stole the bride..."
Su Zirui was slightly stunned, his expression complicated, "Ning Caixin?"
Bei Li nodded. "Aruo was dressed as a man at the time, so it took some time to investigate. We finally found a clue from Constable Li. It was she who helped Aruo snatch the bride back then."
"Bridal kidnapping... could this be related to this case? Could it be Master Fang's revenge?"
"No, Constable Li firmly said it was not him. However, it is said that Aruo threw the betrothal gift of one hundred taels of silver from the roof of the new house." If there is anything similar, it is probably this.
Both victims were struck from above. Could it be that simple? Why was Li Xiaoman so sure it wasn't the Fang family's son's revenge?
Su Zirui lowered his eyes to look at the letter on the table, "A letter came from the capital, saying that the Dali Temple wants to intervene in the investigation of the disaster relief funds."
"Dali Temple? Why... didn't the Emperor order you to investigate with all your might? Could it be that the Emperor thinks this matter is related to official corruption?" The Dali Temple handles judicial cases. If it is related to officials, it is not impossible.
"Who knows." Su Zirui said softly, his lips slightly curled, his black eyes hiding a frost.
"Young Master Qin... Why didn't you let him take Aruo away?" Three or four groups of doctors from the White Flame Gang arrived. These gangsters, with their audacious and reckless nature, were a real nuisance. All they wanted was to take Aruo away, but their master insisted that he remain at the official post until the case was solved. If Qin Zhi hadn't been otherwise occupied and unable to spare time, this wouldn't have been such an easy solution.
"I have other plans." Su Zirui lowered his eyes. How could he ignore such a person?
When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by complete darkness. Aruo's mind was dazed, and after a while of lying in bed to adjust, he could barely recognize that this was the guest room of the official inn. Cai Xin, who was sleeping on a small bed beside him, still had a frown on her face. Aruo sighed softly and gently covered her with his outer robe, his movements as light as falling willow catkins.
She moved her arms and legs silently, the slight numbness she'd felt before she passed out gone. She stretched and accidentally bumped into the corner of the table, startling her so much that she frantically protected the teacup on the table, afraid of making even the slightest sound. Making sure Cai Xin hadn't woken up, she walked into the cubicle, changed her clothes, and tiptoed out the door.
As she closed the door, the invisible pressure behind her sent a chill down her spine. Turning abruptly, she bumped into a warm chest. A familiar breath hit her, and she quickly covered the person's mouth with her hand, pulling them out with one hand.
The clouds that covered the moon drifted away with the wind, and the moonlight sprinkled down lightly. Aruo saw the person in front of him clearly in the moonlight.
The visitor's raven hair was untied, cascading over his shoulders. He wore only a midriff-baring shirt, a light blue brocade robe draped over his shoulders. Perhaps because his attire wasn't as formal as usual, his jade-like face had lost its aloof coolness, a rare trait. Even his breathing was a little rapid, and he seemed less distant than usual, more... charming.
Aruo was barely as tall as his shoulders, so he just lowered his head slightly and looked at her. Her long black hair slid to both sides of her face, and as it blew in the quiet night breeze, a few strands of hair wrapped around her thin shoulders.
This man looks gentle and noble, and his words and actions are often nonchalant. He looks like a noble gentleman who can win the hearts of young girls, but his cold eyes always hide sarcasm and coldness, making people afraid to approach him.
Aruo had heard rumors of his ruthless methods more than once, and had witnessed his ruthless and deep thoughts when investigating cases. But she had also seen his weakness as he closed his eyes, and his miserable death. Although he always mocked her, this man had never done anything to hurt her. On the contrary, he had saved her several times. She had no reason to be afraid of him...
"What are you daydreaming about?" Su Zirui looked at her with a straight gaze and a strand of hair on her forehead curled up mischievously. He moved his fingers but did not raise his hand in the end.
"Master Su... why are you here in the middle of the night?" Aruo suddenly came back to his senses, took a step back, and whispered, could it be that this person has the habit of wandering at night?
He looked at her discreetly, and seeing that her eyes were clear and her voice wasn't weak, Su Zirui asked, "Where are you going to in the middle of the night?"
Her black eyes flickered, and Aruo twirled her hair with her fingers, smiling innocently, "I can't sleep, so I plan to go out for a walk."
"Miss Qi, please let those night watchmen go." With a slight smile on his lips and a slight movement of his black hair, Su Zirui looked so innocent that he almost asked for a beating.
Was this a mockery of her going to let others die wherever she went? Choking, Aruo's expression was even more innocent than his, and she raised three fingers, "I promise to be very quiet."
"If you're well behaved, you should rest in your room now." Su Zirui pulled his outer robe together and glanced at her.
"You make it sound like you're resting in your room..." Aruo recalled what had happened just now. She put her hands on her face and leaned closer to him, grinning sweetly. "Master Su, are you worried about me?"
"Someone is acting like a petty thief. As an official of the Ministry of Justice, I can't just sit back and do nothing and encourage such scoundrel behavior." Su Zirui didn't hide either, and said with his arms crossed in a righteous manner.
Aruo was indignant. "Su Feng, why do you always put me in the position of a criminal? I am obviously a good person."
"If you keep running around, you'll soon be dead." Su Zirui snorted lightly, too lazy to pay attention to her. He glanced at the sky and saw that it was still early, so he planned to go back to his room.
Just as he turned around, his outer robe was pulled by someone. Su Zirui struggled slightly, but just as he took a step, his sleeve was pulled again. He raised his eyebrows impatiently, "It's getting late and the dew is heavy. What else do you want to do if you don't rest well, someone who just got poisoned?"
"Master Su, the night is long and I can't sleep. How about we go out for a walk together?"
He looked coldly into those inexplicably bright eyes. The girl's smile was brighter than the moonlight, and there was a frank calculation in her eyes.
It's a dark and windy night, a perfect time for shopping.
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