Chapter 39 It turns out that Xiao Zhinian had planned this
As dusk falls, the crimson round sun moves toward the horizon at a speed visible to the naked eye, casting a golden glow.
Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang were taking a walk in the inn to digest their food. They saw a clerk holding a candle and gradually lighting the lanterns hanging on the eaves. From a distance, they looked like clusters of flames.
"I have nothing else to do, why don't I make a bet with you, sir?"
Xiao Zhinian looked up at the sky, not knowing what he was thinking about, and suddenly he became so interested.
Shen Zhejiang asked casually: "What are you betting on?"
"Let's bet..." Xiao Zhinian stroked his chin and spoke lazily, "How about betting whether there will be a moon tonight?"
"have."
Shen Zhejiang was straightforward and made a firm conclusion.
"Hey, sir, why don't you understand romance?" Xiao Zhinian laughed. "If that's the case, then I guess not. If sir loses, you have to kiss me. If I lose, it's my turn to kiss sir. How about that?"
Shen Zhejiang glanced at him: "Boring."
He left these two words and walked away quickly, where no one could see him, his ears slightly red.
Xiao Zhinian caught up with him, and hugged Shen Zhejiang into his warm arms, his eyes deep, looking down at him: “Sir, you are very smart, you must have guessed my intention.”
Shen Zhejiang pressed against his chest and pushed him, not saying anything like a low scolding: "In public, it's immoral!"
"Sir, look around. Where are these people coming from?"
Hearing the sound, Shen Zhejiang indeed looked around, only to find that they had unknowingly walked to the back of the posthouse, shrouded in a large shadow. Even if someone passed by, they might not be able to see their figures.
He was thinking about something just now and let Xiao Zhinian lead the way, so he didn't pay attention.
It turned out that Xiao Zhinian had planned it all along.
Shen Zhejiang turned his head and refused firmly: "No."
Xiao Zhinian was the type who would not give up until he achieved his goal, so he used all his tricks: "Just for a moment, okay? Sir, you always rest at home these days, and I can't even touch the corner of your clothes. Just obey me this time, and I promise to listen to you in the future."
This person's oath is like drinking boiled water, it is just something he made up at random and has no validity.
Shen Zhejiang was not clear about it, and said without question: "No..."
I just made a lip shape and my lips were blocked.
Xiao Zhinian kissed him, as if afraid to hurt him in the slightest, yet not daring to use too much force. Every movement was extremely gentle and affectionate, as if he was holding the most precious treasure in the world, unwilling to let go for a long time.
During this time, Chen Zhejiang gradually took off the soft armor he usually wore to keep people out, as if he was finally able to truly give himself to another person. He felt relieved, yet nervous. His ten fingers that were grasping Xiao Zhinian's clothes were trembling slightly. He didn't want others to see it, but he suppressed his emotion.
How can dry wood only produce a small fire?
Especially for Xiao Zhinian, the Shenzhe River was like a handful of clear nectar to a dying man in the desert. He had longed for it for a long time and couldn't wait to taste it, but for some reason, it was just a drop in the bucket and still couldn't quench his thirst.
It is not so easy to quell a young man who has eaten meat. As the fire spread, Xiao Zhinian felt as if his whole body was burning, and hazy steam rose in front of his eyes. Only the fragrance emanating from the person in his arms became particularly clear.
Shen Zhejiang's legs and feet became weak from his kiss and he almost couldn't stand.
"Why did another one die? This is the fifth one since the beginning of the month. What should we do?"
At this moment, a voice full of sighs and confusion came from the stable over there.
Shen Zhejiang shuddered and suddenly came to his senses. He pushed Xiao Zhinian away, and Xiao Zhinian felt extremely aggrieved for being pushed away for no apparent reason.
Shen Zhejiang raised his hand to smooth the tiny wrinkles on his collar, took another step back from Xiao Zhinian, and then said, "Someone is here."
Xiao Zhinian really wanted to pull that hateful and abominable guy out and beat him up.
Really, he had finally coaxed Shen Zhejiang out for a walk tonight, taking advantage of the night and the deep passion, and everything after that just happened naturally.
He followed the sound indignantly to see who it was, but saw a minor official standing under a wooden shed over there.
The clerk held a booklet in one hand and a pen in the other. He pointed at the horses in the stable back and forth and drew on the booklet. Occasionally, he sighed and looked worried.
Now it's his turn to worry!
Xiao Zhinian was angry but didn't dare to express it, so he kicked up two handfuls of sand.
Obviously, Shen Zhejiang also saw that person. He calmed down and said to Xiao Zhinian, "Let's go and see what happened."
"What should I do? If this continues, the expenses will not be enough."
The clerk let out a long sigh towards the stable, and just as he turned around, he saw Shen Zhejiang walking towards him.
In the past few days, Chen Zhejiang often went in and out of the posthouse with Xiao Zhinian. These minor officials all recognized him and did not find his appearance strange.
However, when he crossed the Chenzhe River, he saw Xiao Zhinian staring at him with resentment. He was so scared that he took a big step back, thinking that he had not offended him.
"what happens?"
Shen Zhejiang asked.
The clerk quickly closed the book and stuffed it into his sleeve, saying in distress, "Greetings, my Excellencies. I am calculating the number of post horses. I have to recalculate at the end of each month to see if I need to purchase a new batch next month."
Xiao Zhinian crossed his arms and said unhappily, "Then why are you sighing? It's really unlucky!!"
Seeing that the clerk was shocked, Shen Zhejiang said, "It is common for post horses to be tired and damaged on the road. Why do you seem so worried?"
When the clerk thought about the horses, his eyes, nose and mouth were about to wrinkle into a ball. He wanted to cry but couldn't find a place to cry: "But six horses died last month, and five more this month. If these horses died of exhaustion, it would be fine, but they died in the stable for no reason. I don't know how to explain it to the postmaster."
"No signs?"
"I have checked, but there is no one here. There is a recently dead one. Let's ask someone to come and take care of it tomorrow morning. Your Excellency, please take a look."
The clerk took down a bright lamp on the wooden pillar next to the door, opened the fence door, and led Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang in.
In the darkness, a horse with reddish-brown mane was lying on the ground covered with wheat straw. It looked strong and just as the clerk had said, it was very peaceful and showed no signs of struggling.
Shen Zhejiang took the candle from the clerk and squatted down, wanting to take a closer look. Seeing this, Xiao Zhinian stood in front of him and said, "It's too dirty here. Let me light it for you, sir."
A warm current flowed through Shen Zhejiang's heart. He hummed softly and moved the light closer to Xiao Zhinian's direction so that he could see more clearly.
To be fair, Xiao Zhinian was very handsome, with a high nose bridge and thick eyelashes that would droop when he was concentrating and working seriously. Especially his eyes, which seemed as if all the stars in the sky were reflected in them under the warm yellow light.
Although he is not yet twenty years old and sometimes acts childishly, he inexplicably gives people a feeling of being reliable, as if as long as he is around, they don't have to worry about anything because he will arrange everything.
Shen Zhejiang couldn't help but want to try to...
"Sir, sir?"
The voice in my ear came closer and closer until it was clearly audible.
Shen Zhejiang suddenly came back to his senses, surprised that he had been staring at Xiao Zhinian in a trance just now.
Fortunately, Xiao Zhinian didn't notice anything.
"Come a little over here, yes, right here."
Shen Zhejiang has always been independent in his plans and rarely follows the instructions of others, but at this time, he moved the lamp according to Xiao Zhinian's wishes.
Unfortunately, Xiao Zhinian did not catch the change in Shen Zhejiang's expression. He just lowered his head and turned the horse over, looking for possible signs everywhere.
"etc!"
When the candlelight slowly passed behind the horse's ears, Xiao Zhinian's expression froze, and he opened it, exposing himself in front of the two of them.
There was a tiny scratch there that would have been overlooked if not for a careful inspection.
Could it be related to this?
Shen Zhejiang looked up and asked the clerk, "Where are the other horses?"
The clerk said, "Luo Xiaobei is always in charge of handling dead horses. He is the only one who knows. If you want to ask, I will call him over right away."
Xiao Zhinian then asked, "Who is Luo Xiaobei?"
"He is a postman in our post house. He has been here for seven or eight years. He usually does odd jobs. The postmaster gave him this job half a year ago. He is an honest man. Sometimes when we are too busy, he will help feed the fodder and never complains of being tired."
This person may have clues.
Shen Zhejiang asked: "When did these horses start dying one after another?"
The clerk was unable to answer for a moment, and thought back: "Maybe it was last month, no, it should be earlier, it seems to be three months ago, yes, I remember that I had a drink with Luo Xiaobei outside on June 7th, and something happened after that day."
In this case, the man named Luo Xiaobei is highly suspicious.
But what was he trying to do?
Shen Zhejiang said in a very calm tone: "Don't tell anyone about what happened tonight, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
"yes."
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