Chapter 79
Half a month ago.
Pei Liu was leaving a village in another county town in Jianzhou and heading for the government office.
Looking at Pei Liu's worried expression, I knew that his plan to go out this time was in vain again.
Where will it be?
It should clearly be somewhere in Minzhou, but I searched so many places here and couldn't find any trace of it.
Did something happen?
Or has he already left Jianzhou?
Perhaps, I need to go to other prefectures in Minzhou to inquire?
Pei Liu walked along the mountain road for a while, and then a donkey cart came from behind.
"Young lady, you... Hey, didn't you just go to our village, Miss Pei?" asked the old man driving the donkey cart.
Pei Liu turned around, looked at the old man, then at the donkey cart: "Is it carrying anyone?"
"Where do you want to go, Miss Pei?"
"The city dock."
"What a coincidence! I'm going to the city too. Come on in the car, I'll take you there."
"How much is the fare?"
"What?"
"How much will it cost to take me to the city dock?"
"Oh, well, I'm on my way, so it's no big deal to give you a lift. It's just a few cents, no need."
Pei Liu pursed his lips and got into the car.
"Miss Pei, are you a relative of the old Wei family in our village? Why don't I see you visiting us often? Are you a distant relative?"
"no."
"No?" The old man whipped the donkey and looked at Pei Liu again, "Then you are here to see someone from the Wei family..."
"Doing business." Pei Liumu said perfunctorily.
"Oh, you're here to order oranges from the Wei family?" The old man suddenly realized. "The Wei family grows excellent oranges. Look at their orchard these days. The whole mountain is covered with orange blossoms. I'm sure the harvest will be very good this year."
Pei Liu said nothing, listened to the old man chattering on, and returned to Geyan County.
The old man's car did not go to the dock, so Pei Liu parted ways with the old man after entering the city.
Should I go back to Jianzhou directly by boat, or should I ask around?
Pei Liu was walking towards the dock, thinking in his mind, as he passed through an alley with residential houses, Pei Liu smelled a hint of blood and couldn't help but stop.
It's just a slight fishy smell, and you won't notice it if you don't pay attention.
However, Pei Liu was, after all, a reservist who had been trained and tempered, and was very sensitive to changes in the surrounding environment.
Although he was hesitant, Pei Liu still left the alley directly and quickened his pace, adhering to the principle of less trouble is worse than more.
No matter what is happening nearby now, given his current status as a Westerner and an exile, it is not appropriate for him to cause trouble.
What's more, there were many other pedestrians on the street, and not many people noticed.
If he were Pei Liuniang, he would do the same.
So Pei Liu hurried to the Geyan County Wharf.
Because it was getting late, there were many passengers waiting for the boat at the dock. As soon as the previous passenger ship left, the next passenger ship he had time to board was also full.
Pei Liu paid the fare and boarded the boat, watching the other passengers behind him get on one after another. When the boatman was about to start the boat, two people with hurried looks squeezed out from the crowd waiting for the next boat at the dock.
"Wait, boatman, we have urgent business to go to the capital. Can you take my two brothers with you?"
Although he said this, the two men had already jumped onto the boat without waiting for the boatman to say anything.
The boat swayed under the sudden force, and several passengers who were hit by them fell down, causing a burst of complaints.
The two brothers knew how to behave. They apologized to the passengers on the boat with a smile and paid double the fare. The boatman had nothing to say and sailed away silently.
When the boat was swaying, Pei Liu, who was standing on the side, almost fell into the water. After steadying himself, he glanced at the two brothers. Before he could figure out anything, he smelled a slight fishy smell.
It was the smell of blood that I smelled when I passed through that alley in Gezhang County just now.
Pei Liu was stunned and slowly turned around, facing away from the brothers.
He didn't smell the smell when he first got on the boat, but he did smell it after they got on board.
There's something wrong with those brothers.
With just a glance, Pei Liu had already memorized the appearance of both of them.
The two men are of similar build and age, and at first glance they do look like brothers.
What did they do in Geyan County?
Killing people?
Is it revenge?
Or do evil?
Whatever your motive, just mind your own business.
Pei Liu subconsciously leaned towards the stern of the boat and lowered his head, trying to minimize his presence.
He already knew that his face was too eye-catching, so when he went out alone, he always put on some powder. At this moment, his face was dry, yellow and black, a darker color than when he was in Xiaxi Village, and his image was completely different.
Pei Liu wanted to keep a low profile, but there were always people who came over to interrupt him: "Young lady, are you going to the capital city too?"
Pei Liu glanced at the young man and said nothing.
"Hey, what's wrong? Your family didn't accompany you out? Aren't you afraid of going out alone?" The young man in plain clothes looked at Pei Liu with a smile. "Are you going to the capital to visit relatives?"
Pei Liu frowned and remained silent.
"Why are you ignoring me? What kind of woman are you? You are so rude. I mean well..."
"Shut up." Pei Liu finally couldn't help it and spat out two words viciously, then glared at the man with his eyes viciously.
Since you know that it is not safe for a single lady to go out, if you have good intentions, shouldn’t you be more considerate of the lady’s situation and not be too ostentatious?
Wouldn't it be more appealing to people to notice her current situation if he spoke out about the young lady's situation in such a loud and clear manner in public?
If there are people in the crowd who do evil or have sinister intentions, the words and actions of this foolish woman are simply helping them to identify targets.
Fortunately, he is not an ordinary woman.
Rebuked by Pei Liu and frightened by his eyes, the young man seemed to be afraid and silently stepped away from Pei Liu and went to the other end of the crowd.
Seeing that he had wisely avoided it, Pei Liu lowered his head and waited silently for the ship to arrive at Jianzhou City. Therefore, he did not see that the young man who had talked to him behind him, coincidentally, retreated to the side of the two brothers who boarded the ship later.
One of the two brothers glanced at the young man.
The young man laughed awkwardly and then nodded slightly.
The man quickly glanced at Pei Liu's back and then looked away.
The other passengers on the boat did not notice this scene. They walked in groups of three or four, chatting about their own gossip. Amidst the noise or silence, the boat gradually approached the port of Jianzhou Prefecture.
Pei Liu felt relieved. When he arrived at the port of Fucheng with the crowd again, he hesitated for a moment and decided to take the boat back to Yongchang County and go back to Xiaxi Village.
I have been away for almost half a month. We had agreed that I would only take a half-month break.
Pei Liu thought of the small house.
And Xiaohua, I wonder if she is also waiting for me to go back.
Thinking of his lovely grandchild, Pei Liu decided to buy some cat fish when he arrived at Yongchang Wharf.
By the way, I should buy something else for Gu Er Niang to avoid making her angry.
After a while, Pei Liu continued to take the boat and returned to Yongchang County by water.
When they arrived at Yongchang Wharf and saw the fishermen selling fish and shrimp, Pei Liu selected some fresh catches and some small shrimps and fish and bought them together.
Thinking that Gu Erniang usually liked to buy snacks from the stalls and shops in the county town, Pei Liu bought some too, carrying large and small bags in his hands. After buying everything in the alley near the pier, he turned back to the pier. At this time, he smelled the smell of blood among the pedestrians and his pace slowed down immediately.
After identification, it was not the smell of blood from any other livestock or fish.
Instead, there was a faint smell of blood and incense.
It's exactly the same smell as the one I smelled in Geyan County.
Something is wrong.
How could I smell such a familiar smell of blood in the county town of Yongchang?
Pei Liu changed his mind and did not go to the dock again. Instead, after walking for a while, he turned and went into the city.
Walking all the way from the market town, Pei Liu pretended to be unaware of anything and continued to buy a lot of food from the shops along the way.
After walking slowly through two alleys, Pei Liu confirmed that the bloody smell with a sandalwood scent was wafting faintly from behind.
Yes, spy.
He was being followed.
Were you targeted in Geyan County?
Who?
Why are you targeting me?
Pei Liu was not quite sure, and finally, he stopped at the inn where he and Gu Erniang had stayed for a night. After hesitating for a moment, he walked in.
If I had known there was a tail behind me, I should not have rashly returned to the county town. It would have been better if I could have solved it in the provincial capital.
Are the opponents the brothers?
It would be better to plan it carefully.
Pei Liu booked a side room, put all his things on the table, looked at the bed on the side, and then looked at the door of the side room.
If the other party was coming for him, he would probably be looking for the best opportunity to attack.
It just so happens that while the other party still doesn't understand my background and hasn't realized that I have discovered it, I can take the initiative to reveal my flaws and create an opportunity for them to take action and turn the tables.
Pei Liu asked the waiter to bring him some hot water as usual. After washing up, he stopped the waiter when he asked him to bring some food. He asked, "Is your inn full today?"
"What's the matter, my lady? Do you care whether our inn is full or not?"
"I want to book another compartment."
"Why, this wing is not good?"
"Okay, but I'm a light sleeper and don't like the noise from neighbors both sides disturbing my rest. If there are no vacancies nearby, I'll book an extra room."
"No more, no more. We often come to the inn and have a good reputation in the city. How could it not be full?" said the waiter. "There's a couple living in the wing to your left, and a pair of brothers living in the wing to your right. They look nice and easy to talk to. I can't find two empty rooms next to each other anywhere else. Just stay here for one night!"
Pei Liu watched the waiter leave for a while before he sat down at the counter and slowly ate some food he had asked the waiter for.
It turned out that they were really the brothers.
Are you living in the right wing?
Pei Liu looked up and glanced at the wall on the right.
Separated by a wall.
Being so close, it is convenient to keep track of your whereabouts at any time and take action nearby.
After asking the waiter to remove the uneaten meal, Pei Liu pretended to go to bed and closed the doors and windows. However, he did not lie down on the couch. Instead, he used the things he bought today to spread them on the couch in strips and then covered them with a thin quilt.
He hid aside, holding the small knife he carried with him, and hid in the corner to the left of the window, waiting.
If I'm not mistaken, if they don't dare to push the door openly, then they must have sneaked in through the window.
The location he chose was perfect for an ambush.
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The noise in the streets outside gradually subsided. After the lights were extinguished one by one, the night gradually deepened.
Pei Liu didn't know how long he had been waiting, but finally, he saw the moonlight pouring in through the window, casting a shadowy figure.
Finally, it's here.
Pei Liu slowly stood up and, also under the cover of darkness, quietly moved to the window.
The window pane was shaken gently, and the window that he had deliberately left unlocked was soon loosened. With a slight click, the window was opened.
A pair of eyes peeked in, saw the situation on the bed, and without hesitation, came in through the open window.
However, he only drilled halfway before his movements became stiff.
Because a cold sharp blade was pressed against his neck.
But before he could pause for too long, he was pulled into the side room. From the outside, it seemed that he had successfully sneaked into the target house.
"you?"
The attacker was obviously one of the two brothers that he met when he took the boat from Geyan Wharf.
He obviously did not expect that Pei Liu had already been prepared, and he did not expect that Pei Liu could pull him into the room so easily.
Is it really him?
Then why have we never heard that he has such divine power?
Before he could question him, Pei Liu had already thrown him to the ground, twisted his neck and carried him to the edge of the couch.
He did not forget that these were brothers.
If he lets both of them in, he will not have the advantage.
So kill the first one that comes first, and then focus on the next one.
Sure enough, Pei Liu had just returned to the window when the second shadow was reflected on the window sill.
"Brother Ding?"
The second person seemed to be alert. Before coming in, he just stuck his head in slightly and looked around the room. He saw the brother who had come in before lying beside the couch, and immediately became alert.
Just as he was about to get a clearer look, a hand suddenly stretched out from the shadows by the window, grabbed his neck, lifted him up and pulled him inside.
His face was filled with shock, and his hands subconsciously grabbed the edge of the window, holding on tightly.
Pei Liu did not hesitate to give him any ambiguity. He pinched him with one hand and took out the small knife he carried with the other hand and slashed his hand that was clinging to the edge of the window.
A scream was heard, and when he let go, Pei Liu grabbed his shoulders, lifted him up, and then threw him to the ground.
"You, Wei Twelve, you are so bold!"
Wei Twelve was the name of Pei Liu, the number one thief in Tianzi.
The assassins who have been trained and are able to take missions outside are all ranked by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. They are named according to their skills in the organization. Among them, the ten assassins ranked by the Heavenly Stems are the most agile, and he is just the last one in the Unranked Sequence.
It's been a long time since I've heard anyone call me like this.
When Pei Liu heard this long-lost name, his body stiffened and he grabbed his neck again, almost crushing him.
"Who is Wei Twelve?"
"Hey, do you think you can hide this from the world?" The newcomer laughed mockingly, "Do you really think that your little tricks can deceive our hall master?"
He is indeed the number one thief in the world.
Have they already noticed the plan he used to escape when he went to Zhengzhou to accept the mission?
Pei Liu thought about it for a moment and realized something was wrong.
If they really found out that he had replaced Pei Liuniang's identity after the Pei family massacre in Zhengzhou, they should have sent people to kill him and clear out the family when he was on the way to exile.
Instead of allowing him to come to Minzhou safely, he even settled in Qinghuai Village and lived a stable life for more than a year.
Perhaps the No. 1 thief would have become suspicious when he found out that the two assassins did not return after completing the commission from the Pei family in Zhengzhou. However, the whole city of Zhengzhou was on alert at that time. The government and the people were indignant about the case and were hunting for the No. 1 thief everywhere. They did not dare to show up easily.
Perhaps after the storm, they would send people to Zhengzhou to investigate, but by that time, all the Pei family members had been buried. Most of the slaves and servants who were killed in the massacre were sold to the mansion and had no one to rely on. They were all buried in a thin coffin by the government. He had already followed the government to Minzhou, so there was no place to trace him.
They might have doubts about the deaths of the two assassins sent out on the mission, but no one would have guessed that the living Pei Liuniang was one of the assassins they sent out.
This person probably discovered the fact that he was still alive by accident.
What went wrong that made them notice it?
"Is it starting from Geyan Wharf? Following me?"
"you guess?"
"I don't like guessing." Pei Liu's hand slowly exerted force, "Speak."
"Once I fall into your hands, I'm dead. What difference does it make whether I tell you or not?" The man snorted coldly and glanced at the motionless body lying on the couch next to him. He already knew that his companion had already died.
"If you don't tell me, you're looking for death!"
"This line of work is a life-or-death one. I've always expected death to come. It was my carelessness that killed me at your hands. It was such an injustice." The man glanced at Pei Liu again. "Just because you can kill me, can you kill all of us assassins?"
Pei Liu's eyes turned cold.
"I'll kill you. If there are assassins looking for me, I'll fight them to the end."
This is probably just a lie. I'm afraid these two are the only ones who guessed his identity.
So without asking any more questions, he strangled the man to death.
Only after making sure that he was no longer breathing did Pei Liu put away the dagger.
He kills people, and if possible, he doesn't like to see blood, especially now, in a place like the inn. If blood is seen, it will cause trouble.
Now is the perfect time. If we want to cover up their tracks, we can just carry them out and throw them away like this.
However, considering that if they buried their bodies at night, it might really attract the number one thief in the world to track down their whereabouts.
In order to prevent the number one thief from interfering in this matter, it would be best to make their deaths public.
Pei Liu remembered the two killers who followed him from Geyan County.
There must be a reason why they appeared in Geyan County.
Moreover, he also smelled the smell of blood mixed with incense from the two people.
They immediately took action and searched for the items the two men were carrying.
During the search, they found the tokens of the No. 1 Thief that both of them were carrying, and a bloodstained letter was found from the man called Brother Ding.
After opening the letter, I saw that it was from a family surnamed Zhou, writing to a minister named Du in the capital.
Pei Liu was not aware of what was going on in the court, but since this letter fell into the hands of the two men, their trip to Fujian might be related to this man surnamed Zhou and Lord Du.
Pei Liu looked at the bodies of the two men for a long time and decided to make a big deal out of this matter.
He stood up, climbed out of the window, and climbed over the wall to the next room.
There was no one in the room, and there was nothing else suspicious.
Pei Liu looked at the two bundles on the table, opened them and looked through them. There was only one set of clothes in them, and there was nothing suspicious. He felt relieved, then unfastened the door lock, quietly opened the door, and looked into the inn.
It was already late at night, and there was no one in the corridor on the second floor of the inn, and all the doors of the rooms were closed.
I guess the people staying in the hotel are fast asleep right now.
So Pei Liu gently closed the door, leaving it ajar, and then jumped into his own room through the window.
He then packed up the bodies of the two men, picked up one of them first, opened the door of his own room, quickly walked out of the room, walked quickly to the room on the right, opened the door, and moved the body in.
Then he jumped out of the window again, returned to his room, carried the second corpse over, turned around, closed the room and bolted it again.
Pei Liu fiddled with the two bodies in the house for a long time, pretending that the two had a quarrel and a fight. Then, he quietly slipped back to his own room, closed the windows, locked the door again, removed the things on the bed, lay down on it, and fell asleep peacefully.
Regardless of whether this pair of brothers is real or not, according to his judgment, they must have received a mission and came to Fujian together to assassinate someone.
It is most likely the one with the surname Zhou.
And he is from Geyan County.
Generally, if the target is a single person, only one assassin will be sent out. If there are two, it proves that there are more than two people to be assassinated.
Just like when he and another assassin accepted Pei Liuniang's commission, one of them was responsible for sneaking into Pei's mansion to spy on the enemy, and the other was responsible for formulating the assassination details based on the intelligence.
I'm afraid this is exactly the case with these two brothers.
If he killed them, the clues would be cut off, and he wouldn't be afraid that the number one thief would come to track down his whereabouts.
Pei Liu thought so.
The next day, he deliberately woke up late, listening to the footsteps of the waiter outside as he came upstairs to bring water and food, and the commotion of the guests leaving the side rooms. He waited patiently until almost noon, then slowly got up. After calling the waiter to bring water and washing up, he heard a knock on the door of the side room next door: "Sir, sir, it's already late today, why haven't you gotten up yet?"
"Sir, it's almost time for you to leave the hotel. If you don't leave in time, we will have to increase the rent."
"Sir!"
"What's going on?"
"No one answered here!"
"Sleep too deeply?"
"How is that possible!"
"Sir, sir, please wake up, sir?" The waiter banged on the door and shouted at the top of his lungs. Seeing that there was no response, he had a bad feeling and quickly called the shopkeeper up.
"Is anyone still inside?"
"Yeah, I haven't seen them open the door today."
"Smash the door." The shopkeeper made a prompt decision.
Soon, the door was smashed open. When someone screamed, Pei Liu had already washed up, put on his backpack, and leisurely went downstairs with the good food he bought yesterday.
"Oh no! Someone's dead."
"Hurry up and report to the officer! Hurry up and report to the officer!"
When they heard that something happened upstairs, some people ran down in panic, while others ran upstairs to watch the fun.
Pei Liu did not leave immediately, but chose a tea shop on the street, ordered a cup of tea from the stall outside, and drank it slowly.
He had to make sure that the officials of the county government had taken over the matter before he could feel at ease.
Within a cup of tea, several constables arrived after receiving the report.
Pei Liu breathed a sigh of relief and turned his head to the side, because he saw that among the constables who rushed to take over the case, there was Constable Lin, who had just arrived in Fujian and escorted these exiles to their place of settlement.
After Constable Lin and others entered the inn, he put down his teacup and prepared to leave.
After taking only two steps, he smelled an unusual smell again.
Not the smell of blood.
But just, a scent of sandalwood.
But I had smelled it yesterday, a hint of sandalwood amidst the smell of blood.
The two smell exactly the same.
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