Love
I received the news from the servant outside the door.
Jiang Nian nodded politely at him: "Please lead the way."
The distance was not far. She followed the servant and thought about the relationship between Qin Lan and the bishop. When the other party's clothes came into her sight, she had not yet come back to her senses.
Qin Lan, who came out to greet him, said calmly to his attendant, then turned to Jiang Nian and smiled, "Here I am."
Jiang Nian looked up and responded with a smile, and in the blink of an eye, he saw two people sitting in the room behind the open door.
Glancing at the flash of surprise in her eyes, Qin Lan explained, "I had some free time today, so I prepared some fruits and vegetables."
"Miss Jiang, why don't you try it first and then discuss the real business?"
Since her speculations and thoughts had no direct relevance to the current main task, Jiang Nian smiled at Yan, who was facing the door, and agreed:
"Thank you for your kindness, Master Qin. I will obey your orders. Please forgive me for any inconvenience I may cause you."
It's such a bad coincidence that I came here, Ai and Yan are both here.
Shuyi's afternoon tea time was interrupted by her.
Jiang Nian concealed his helplessness and immediately followed Qin Lan into the room.
—
The room still smelled of ink. Ai Zheng was standing at the table putting away the rough paper. He nodded slightly when he saw Jiang Nian.
"Miss Jiang."
Jiang Nian waved to her, and was then arranged by Qin Lan to sit next to the table in the room.
The washed fruits and vegetables were placed on the table. Yan, who was reading a book, closed it, then sat opposite Jiang Nian and winked at her.
"It's been a long time."
"...Yeah, long time no see."
The last time I saw Yan was at the Hua Chao Hui. Because Meng Yao disobeyed orders, he was sent by Qin Lan to track Meng Yao's whereabouts.
Coming back here now, does it mean that the matter between Princess Qingping and Meng Yao has been settled?
Jiang Nian came back to his senses from his thoughts and raised his lips slightly: "Have you finished your business?"
Yan reached out and picked a green grape, putting it in his mouth. While eating, he replied, "Well, Cang County is not that big, and I am familiar with the road. Meng Yao didn't run far before we found him."
Qin Lan arranged for him to go to Cang County to spy on the Wu Mi people earlier than Meng Yao was sent to Cang County by Xiao Yingzhu.
It has been almost a year, and he has already become familiar with it inside and out.
The road that Meng Yao took to escape was the same road he and Xizhen Xuangui had encountered before.
The road leading to the bishop's former lair.
"Is that so..." Jiang Nian twisted his fingertips which were a little wet from the fruit.
"Did anything go wrong afterwards?"
Yan put one hand on the book and kept eating fruit with the other: "To be honest, no, but..."
He paused for a moment and looked at Qin Lan.
"Pavilion Master?"
Qin Lan was just picking up a piece of thin paper and reading the few lines of words that Ai Liaoliao had scribbled. He was about to say something about Ai's attitude towards learning so that he would not be punished by Tao Yu during the Spring Festival, when someone called his name.
He paused before saying the words of a sermon, and finally the words returned to his heart. He rubbed his eyebrows and turned his head away.
"What's wrong?"
Yan looked at Qin Lan's expression and continued, "It's about Meng Yao."
"ah."
Thinking that there was something he hadn't discussed with Jiang Nian, Qin Lan thought for a moment and looked at Jiang Nian: "Miss Jiang, is the matter you want to discuss today related to the main mission?"
Jiang Niansi paused for a few seconds and replied, "It's related to the Fourth Prince."
Meng Zheng?
Qin Lan thought about it for a while, and when he thought about the places she had been in and out of today, he understood.
"I see."
He smiled and glanced at the fruit plate on the table.
"This matter is short. It's not too late to talk about it after Miss Jiang finishes eating the fruit."
The sky outside the window is still bright, without being blurred by the sunset glow.
“…Alright.”
Jiang Nian withdrew his gaze from the window. It was not easy to delay, so he took out the cut pear from the fruit plate and put it to his mouth.
"Um."
After Qin Lan responded, he turned around and knocked Ai on the head with his hand, then turned his attention to Ai again.
"Practice another one."
"You only wrote five words in an entire afternoon, and they're so ugly! I could have asked a passing servant to write better than you."
In places where nobles live, such as Youguan Mansion and Qishan Mansion, servants must all be literate and pass strict examinations and screening in all aspects before they can enter. Therefore, what Qin Lan said is not an exaggeration.
Yan was tired of eating fruit and was cracking melon seeds at the moment. When he heard Qin Lan's words, he couldn't help laughing.
“…”
Ai moved his body and reluctantly reached out to take the brand new rough paper from Qin Lan's hand.
Seeing Ai sitting back at the table again, writing with the brush in hand, Qin Lan nodded with satisfaction and said, "That's right."
After dealing with Ai's affairs, he turned and looked at Jiang Nian: "Miss Jiang, you have been waiting for a long time. This is not the place to talk. Why don't we talk somewhere else?"
While sitting here listening to Qin Lan teach calligraphy, Jiang Nian had already eaten a little full, and from time to time he had to deal with Yan's hospitality. When he heard him speak, he smiled and said:
"Mr. Qin is right. I also feel it's inconvenient to disturb Ai practicing calligraphy. Let's talk somewhere else."
Yan, who was sitting next to her, waved at her. Jiang Nian smiled at him faintly and left the room.
—
Changing the place to talk really means it literally.
After Qin Lan left the study, he took Jiang Nian to a side yard.
It seemed like he hadn't been to this place for a long time. He stood in front of the door and pushed it, only to find that it was locked.
Jiang Nian didn't feel comfortable asking Qin Lan to make another trip. She had something to ask him, and it wouldn't make sense to ask him to walk around, not to mention it would be a waste of time.
Before Qin Lan turned around and walked back to where he came from, she called out to him, "Mr. Qin, wait a moment."
Looking around, Jiang Nian tentatively pointed to the rockery and fish pond not far away.
"If Master Qin doesn't mind... can we go there and talk?"
—
There is fish feed next to the fish pond.
Jiang Nian stood in front of the fish pond, lowered his eyes to look at the cheerful and lively fish in the clear water, picked up the fish food beside him and sprinkled it in.
Qin Lan stood beside her with his arms folded, watching her for a while before he said, "Miss Jiang, is the question you want to ask about the bishop?"
The crumbs from his fingertips fell into the fish pond. Jiang Nian raised his hand and looked at his fingertips. He said softly, "You are right, Master Qin. I came here today... to inquire about the relationship between Master Qin and the Bishop."
"Have you ever been in contact with each other before?"
“…”
Qin Lan lowered his eyes thoughtfully, and after a moment's silence, he replied, "To be precise, it's about whether the Intelligence Bureau has any dealings with the Bishop."
The goldfish in the pond have big mouths and swallow the bait floating on the water.
Jiang Nian's gaze shifted slightly, and he frowned: "Intelligence Bureau?"
Qin Lan passed her questioning gaze and looked at the fish pond behind her, responding casually.
"Yes, my grandfather was afraid that the late emperor would expose his lair, so he secretly established an intelligence bureau."
"Things like these that happen in secret are always tainted with dirt."
"However, by the time I took over, Emperor Changde had thoroughly investigated the bishop's colleagues and uprooted the bishop who had colluded with the Intelligence Bureau. As a result, there weren't many people left in the Intelligence Bureau."
"My dad doesn't care whether I live or die, so I have no choice but to pick up this mess and treat it as my second home."
"After I contacted several former confidants of the Intelligence Bureau, I gained some connections with the remnants of the Bishop's faction."
"These connections may allow the Intelligence Bureau to survive for a while, but they are definitely not sustainable in the long term."
"They promised to help me until the Intelligence Bureau is stable, but I also have to promise them a favor."
Qin Lan glanced at Jiang Nian, paused for a moment, and continued, "That is the hope to no longer hide from place to place and live a stable life."
“…”
It connects with what she thought.
Jiang Nian looked at Qin Lan for a moment, then asked, "Did you bring those remnants of the bishop to the sect?"
Qin Lan was silent for a while, then sighed and said, "No, they all died in the end. I was the only one who survived."
He didn't pay attention to Jiang Nian's slightly changed expression. He lowered his eyes to look at his hands for a while before continuing:
"The Intelligence Bureau is a sneaky rat after all. If they are discovered by Emperor Changde, they are doomed. Once again, it is very important - during a mission that concerns the survival of the Intelligence Bureau, a traitor has appeared among the troops."
"Because of the traitor, and because I was too young and didn't know how to deal with these emergencies in time, before I could react, we were surrounded and attacked."
"And they sold their lives to protect me."
The loose bangs covered his eyelashes and the emotions in his eyes.
The only sound left in my ears was the trickling of water in the fish pond.
—
A pitch-black night with no sunlight.
The rain was pouring down.
In the bumpy sight, the carriage without reins was rushing around in the pitch-black woods, until the driver sitting in the front seat who was trying to control the horse was pierced by a thick branch next to him in panic, and the scarlet warm liquid sprayed all over the horse.
Feeling the only remaining warmth in the cold night rain, the frightened horse suddenly bumped into a tree trunk in front of it and stopped violently.
Twelve-year-old Qin Lan endured the pain of the arrow wound on his body, staggered out of the overturned carriage, barely holding on to the wall, and limped slowly.
The soldiers guarding the carriage on all sides mounted their horses and stopped around Qin Lan.
The rain was like a waterfall and a cold sword, hitting everyone mercilessly, so violently that people could not open their eyes.
"Master, we are surrounded on all sides! Someone has leaked our information!"
The first soldier to dismount ran towards him and stretched out his hand to barely block the rain from hitting Qin Lan's face.
In a daze, the nostrils were filled with the smell of blood and moist grass, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Qin Lan sat on the ground and forced his eyes open: "Where are the others?"
The soldiers surrounding him were the ones who usually protected him.
But this time the team was deployed for the mission, so it definitely wouldn't be this small.
The rain was pouring down, and the soldiers' hoarse voices in his ears were almost inaudible: "The enemy has too many people! They are determined to kill and will not leave anyone alive!"
…
Annoying.
That is, they are all rats that live on intelligence.
Can't we just stay in our own side? Why do we have to kill them all?
Due to excessive blood loss, Qin Lan felt that his brain was no longer functioning.
This mission conflicted with another intelligence building.
The reward money is really tempting. If you take it, you can stabilize the economy of the cabinet which is almost in deficit.
After so many years of hard work and hiding with the confidants of the bishops' remnants for so many years, we only need this step, and everyone's livelihood will get better.
...Just eat this piece of meat stained with human blood.
It's just this close, just one step away, and he doesn't want to give up.
Qin Lan gradually lost consciousness and tried hard to restrain himself from passing out. He raised his hand and turned the knife that he had not taken off.
The sharp, icy blade cut into his flesh, causing him so much pain that even his nerves were screaming wildly, and his eyes were filled with blood that turned from red to black.
The roars of the soldiers beside him were almost inaudible. Instinctively, Qin Lan tried to move his fingers, raising them slightly to signal them to run quickly and not stand in front of him like idiots.
"Hurry up... Don't just stand there like an idiot! They're... coming soon..."
He barely opened one eye and spoke very weakly. The soldiers around him were not in good condition either, but they were like corrugated tiles, forming a thick human wall in front of him.
The leading soldier put his ear close to his mouth, determined to hear clearly what he was saying.
Qin Lan felt like he was going to die in the next second. He took a trembling breath and tried to speak again: "Go! ... Go..."
“…………”
"...They're coming. Don't you...want to live a peaceful life...?"
Buqu heard a few words clearly and immediately raised his hand to cover his mouth: "Master! We are not leaving! We will take you to hide somewhere else now! This forest is so big! There must be some place to hide!"
Blood was gushing from his neck, and Qin Lan couldn't understand how he managed to make such a loud noise in the rain.
Doesn’t he feel pain?
Not having the energy to argue with his subordinate, Qin Lan moved his fingers, trying to slap his hand away - but he really had no strength left, the only thing he could do was move his fingers slightly.
The strength and blood in his body were flowing backwards, as if they were about to evaporate from his body...
They had all trained together, so could it be that these old bones were better than his body? It would be too embarrassing for him to die first.
You will be severely laughed at.
Qin Lan didn't know if he was about to die, so he could still come up with so many thoughts in his head.
His father didn't love him either, so he kicked him out of the house.
The Intelligence Bureau is his father's charity and also his second home.
Now his second home is destroyed by his loneliness, he deserves it.
I don’t know if it was because the two words “you deserve it” woke him up a little, but Qin Lan somehow mustered up some strength and slapped away the hand that was covering his mouth.
Is this a last gasp?
He gasped weakly and spoke again, "Listen to me... Their target is me. As long as they take my head, they can... cough cough cough cough cough cough cough! They can... retreat...!"
"Hurry up and run... I remember this is some kind of sect... It seems there's an immortal who can heal illnesses living on this mountain."
"Those pursuers are behind us, not in front of us, so running forward is... safe..."
"Don't you want to live a life without secrets? I have a solution..."
Qin Lan raised his eyes weakly and pointed his finger at the knife at his waist.
"You guys... chop off my head and hand it over to... the enemy leader. He's quite rational... If you hand over my head, he'll have accomplished his mission and will lead his men to retreat..."
“You can… Ugh!!!!”
Suddenly, his words were rudely interrupted by the soldier in front of him. Qin Lan opened his eyes wide in surprise, a little dazed.
The soldier in front of him was as big as a mountain. He picked him up and ran to his horse.
"We don't want to listen to your nonsense. Without the Pavilion Master, how will the Intelligence Pavilion solve its deficit? How will we survive? Just tell these lies! No one will admit them even if you tell them to others!"
Even though the surrounding troops did not hear clearly what Qin Lan said, they knew what Qin Lan meant from the words of this soldier's answer.
They all mounted their horses, guarded Qin Lan, and rushed forward.
"There's an immortal on the mountain ahead, right? Listen, Pavilion Master, even if we die today, we'll still send you to that sect! Heal this injury! Then we can all pack up and start all over again!"
Qin Lan was so drunk by the horse that he felt like his internal organs were about to jump out of his mouth. He stared blankly at the grass that was rapidly passing by him.
"I told you... do as I say... and you can revolutionize face washing...!"
The burly soldier seemed not to hear his words and continued to charge forward on his horse.
The surrounding soldiers dragged their injured bodies while riding their horses and observing their surroundings, alert for enemies that might appear like ghosts in the dark forest.
What he said with all his might was ignored by everyone. Qin Lan raised his hand and weakly patted the soldier who was carrying his horse.
“…Did you hear that?”
Not getting an answer, Qin Lan felt his strength draining away while continuing to talk to himself.
"I really don't understand you..."
"They are obviously the remnants of a cult...but they are so loyal...you like them so much..." Is this the old Intelligence Bureau?
What benefits did the Pavilion Master of that generation give you?
Can you let me find you and explain the reason to you, and then follow you wholeheartedly?
Obviously, I am younger than all of you... and this intelligence bureau is so small. Living a tight life with a kid like him... If I tell others about it, people will laugh at me, right?
It's so embarrassing.
Behind them, the sound of horse hooves and shouts broke through the heavy rain and came towards them. The guards behind them were the first to change direction and shouted to Qin Lan, "Master!! Let's go and attract the pursuers!!!!" Then their figures disappeared into the depths of the dense woods.
“…”
Qin Lan was no longer able to speak.
He really wanted to say that if you continue to attract pursuers like this, you will die.
But he really didn't have the energy to say it.
All my strength was exhausted just now.
Feeling dizzy and groggy.
He continued to charge forward, carrying his troops.
It seems like this road has no end.
The trees beside him retreated rapidly, as if they had spotted the pursuers nearby. The two guards beside him also did the same as before—
It's just that time is urgent, so I left without saying goodbye.
The dark clouds and heavy rain were endless, pounding into the forest recklessly.
Qin Lan felt the rain hitting his back, and gradually lost his sense of body and consciousness.
—
When I woke up again, the rain was still falling.
The only ones left around him were the troops carrying him and the troops in front of him.
There was a sound of reining in horses and the troops in front stopped at a place.
Just as Qin Lan was thinking that he was lucky, the soldier walked up to his side.
He is also a remnant of the bishop.
He is just the child of the bishop's remnants.
He is even younger than the twelve-year-old Pavilion Master.
The little guard stood under his horse, looking up at him and whispering, "Master, this is the path you mentioned that the immortals must take to descend the mountain."
"What you just said...actually everyone heard it."
"I didn't express it. Everyone is not stupid and knows it."
"But we have long regarded the Intelligence Bureau as our home—both before and now."
"The previous Pavilion Master proved himself with his strength, but he was no match for the Heavenly King. Although the Pavilion Master is young, he can grow into a very powerful person in time."
"So Pavilion Master, don't underestimate yourself."
"And we're already living a stable life."
Before Qin Lan understood his last sentence, the soldier disappeared from his sight.
...Are you attracting pursuers again?
Oh, he's so useless.
I have always been protected by my subordinates.
Even though he is a heinous bishop, there are still some people among him who are so sentimental.
He thought that everyone was doing this out of respect and affection for the previous Pavilion Master.
As he was thinking aimlessly, his limbs had begun to feel cold and he could no longer feel the pain. The soldier who was carrying him shook a little, and then his vision rotated. Qin Lan was pressed down hard by this soldier who was as strong as a mountain.
Qin Lan looked up at the sky, wanting to say something, but his voice faltered.
Then, he caught a glimpse of the face of the soldier carrying him.
His eyes were open and his expression was resolute.
Why is it that the person who has been the most talkative along the way is the one who doesn't talk back?
Why do you keep silent about others’ fearless attitude towards death?
The cold rain hit Qin Lan's face, and the blood in his body also turned cold.
The haunting sound of horse hooves came from the dark forest around them, until the leaders stopped in front of their horses.
A young man's voice came out clearly through the rain.
"Master, they are over there."
The leader said nothing, but nodded silently.
"Yan, do you want to go over and take a look?"
There was another silence.
Then, a dull sound of footsteps on the lawn could be heard faintly, and the young man's sword jingled crisply as he walked slowly to Qin Lan.
Even though the soldier on top of him was broad and strong, covering most of his body, anyone who was not blind could see his head with his eyes open indifferently in the faint moonlight.
There is nothing terrible about dying in front of the enemy.
The scary thing is that from the time he was born until now, he has never been able to leave in a glorious manner after being forced into trouble.
It's always been so embarrassing.
Now it was seen by the young man named "Yan" in front of him.
Qin Lan, you are such a waste.
You killed everyone.
You are a living devil.
A living evil ghost that no one wants.
——Let it end here.
He no longer wanted to live those shitty days, the days of sneaking and hiding, the days that he could see the end of, the days that would lead to his death no matter how he went forward.
No one remembers him anyway.
The young man Yan stood in front of him, his brows and eyes calm. His gaze stayed on his face for a moment before he withdrew it and drew the sword at his waist without hesitation.
In front of the enemy several miles away, he stabbed the dead soldier's heart.
A cold light flashed in his eyes, and Qin Lan was unable to close his eyes, but he didn't want to die like this because it would look ridiculous, as if he died with his eyes open.
But before he could signal, the young man Yan smiled at him almost imperceptibly, and the red sharp blade was drawn out the next moment.
The expected feeling of the blade entering the body did not come.
…
Amidst the roaring rain, the young man Yan swung his knife and said to the leader, "Pavilion Master, I've already confirmed the other party is dead. Do you still want to cut off their head?"
Another voice came calmly: "Yan, don't be lazy."
Young Yan made a gesture and looked at the other person with some disdain: "Stop it, serious guy. I always do this kind of work--"
He paused for a moment, then pointed at the young man who had spoken to the Pavilion Master and said, "Pavilion Master, let Yan do it next time? This is so unfair."
The leader seemed too lazy to pursue their quarrel. He waved his hand and turned away.
This leaves it to them to decide whether to take someone's head.
Young Yan narrowed his eyes, spread his hands towards Young Yan and said, "Do you want it? I'm tired."
The young man was too lazy to talk to him, so he turned his horse around and followed the Pavilion Master.
The enemies around him retreated with the Pavilion Master, and gradually, only the young Yan was left.
Young Yan looked back at him. In the rain, Qin Lan looked up at the sky and couldn't see his expression. After a while, everything around him was quiet.
…
…………
………………
Did he survive?
No, he's still injured...
The scourge lasts for a thousand years. This sentence is probably referring to him.
As he lost consciousness, a cold female voice came from not far away.
The beaded umbrella fell above him, and the girl came towards him with the fresh breath of rain.
The next moment, Qin Lan completely lost consciousness.
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