What's wrong with being a salted fish?

Lin Zhuo lay on Zhao Jingming's chest and yawned.

He had a strange dream last night, and he didn't sleep well.

Why did he dream that Li Hongrui's face was covered in blood and he looked hideous and terrifying?

After thinking about it, Lin Zhuo just felt unlucky, thinking it might be because he saw Li Hongrui in the city yesterday.

"Are you okay if you haven't slept?" Zhao Jingming rubbed Lin Zhuo's head with his hand.

Lin Zhuo shook his head and avoided it, looking at Zhao Jingming with a pair of bright eyes, as if he was condemning Zhao Jingming's behavior.

Stop touching it! If you touch it again, you will become bald!

Before Zhao Jingming could say anything cheerful, Bi Xun, who was following him, spoke up first: "This little fox looks really smart. He is worthy of being the prince's pet."

I? pet?

Lin Zhuo bared his teeth at Bi Xun and stretched out his claws to scratch him.

Screw your pets! You are the pet!

"Oh, you're so energetic, haha!" Bi Xun moved to the side to avoid Lin Zhuo's claws and laughed twice awkwardly.

This gadget may not look big, but it is quite fierce!

"It does not belong to me. If you say so, it will be unhappy." Zhao Jingming did not want to go around in circles with Bi Xun. "Master Bi, you should take me to see the situation of the people first."

"Hey, please come this way, Your Majesty."

While Bi Xun bent down and stretched out a hand to point out the direction to Zhao Jingming, he secretly winked at the servant behind him.

Zhao Jingming looked at the servant's back as he secretly left, and sneered, causing Lin Zhuo to stick his head out to see his expression, but Zhao Jingming pushed him back.

Lin Zhuo could only groan in dissatisfaction.

......

Bi Xun led Zhao Jingming to the central area of ​​Liucheng, where he could see long lines of people lining up to receive relief grains from a distance.

Bi Xun wiped the corners of his eyes hypocritically: "Seeing the people suffering makes me feel uncomfortable. I wish I could end this suffering immediately."

You'd better really mean it.

Taking advantage of the fact that others couldn't see his expression clearly, Lin Zhuo rolled his eyes at Bi Xun: "A cat cries and a mouse pretends to be compassionate. You should at least squeeze a tear so that I can look up to you."

Zhao Jingming didn't reply, he just walked forward, looked at the people in line, and then looked at the vat of porridge that the person in charge was stirring.

It's all white, with no impurities visible.

"Your Highness, you see, Xiaguan sends people to give porridge every day, three times a day, and never dares to stop. The food distributed by the court has long been used up. Xiaguan bought all this from grain merchants." Bi Xun said again. He came up and said.

"Oh? I have heard that those grain merchants are now asking for thirty silver leaves per pound, and Lord Bi's family is so rich?" Zhao Jingming glanced at him.

"No, no!" Bi Xun shook his head quickly, "This was all done by the grain merchants to give Xiaguan, a parent official, face, and sold it to Xiaguan at a low price."

Bi Xun raised his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "How can Xiaguan have so much money? His daughter is still seriously ill."

Zhao Jingming nodded and did not continue. He looked at the people in line again, then turned and walked elsewhere.

Just as Bi Xun was about to follow, he was rejected by Zhao Jingming: "The disaster is ahead. Master Bi should have many things to do, so there is no need to follow me."

Bi Xun could only nod and say yes, and stopped stepping forward. Watching Zhao Jingming disappear at the corner of the street, his heart was in his throat.

"Sir, are you just going to let His Highness King Jing wander around the city?" The servant stepped forward and asked Bi Xun.

"Let him look for it. As long as Master Li is here, even if the prince finds something, he may not be able to return to the capital." Bi Xun changed his submissive look just now and looked fierce.

"But..." Master Li seems to be a wanted criminal himself.

Before the servant could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Bi Xun: "No matter what, we cannot allow him to bring the news here back to the capital."

Bi Xun waved his sleeves and left with his hands behind his back.

......

Zhao Jingming turned around and walked into the alley alone, and then two figures appeared behind him.

"How?" Zhao Jingming asked.

"Your Majesty, we went to Master Bi's temporary residence and found nothing. It is estimated that his orders were conveyed verbally. The substantive evidence should be at his residence in Yongcheng."

"Send someone to look for it in Yongcheng. What else is there?"

"I heard that Mr. Bi and his wife reconciled a few days ago, and his wife took her daughter to the south."

"south?"

Zhao Jingming remembered that Bi Xun's wife, Mrs. Liu, was a native of Liucheng. If she wanted to go back to her parents' home, she should go back to Liucheng. Why did she go south?

The daughter of the lower official is still seriously ill! Bi Xun's words just now appeared in Zhao Jingming's mind again.

"Go and find out if Bi Xun's daughter is seriously ill."

"Yes!"

After Zhao Jingming finished ordering the secret guards, he hugged Lin Zhuo and left the alley.

He took Lin Zhuo out of his chest and held him in his arms, wandering around the city.

"My lord!"

Laifu came out of nowhere carrying a small package.

"found it?"

"Yeah! Laifu nodded wildly.

Lin Zhuo looked at their actions and was a little confused. Why didn't he know when this man arranged for Laifu to do something?

"Let's go."

Zhao Jingming took Laifu back to their temporary residence.

There was a handsome man sitting in the courtyard of his residence. Lin Zhuo had never seen him before. He was brought by Zhao Jingming when he went out. Lin Zhuo only heard them call him Xiao Qin.

Xiao Qin was wearing a pair of coarse linen clothes, and he was smeared with dirt. He was drinking water as if he were a bucket.

"Your Majesty, you are back." Xiao Qin quickly stood up when he saw Zhao Jingming.

Zhao Jingming held Lin Zhuo and sat down at the table, motioning for them all to come over: "Come, let's talk about it."

"This is the rice stolen from the local rice shop that the little boy climbed over the wall. Take a look, Your Majesty."

Laifu shook the package on the table, and the rice grains fell on the table, making a pitter-pattering sound.

Lin Zhuo jumped on the table and pounced on the rice with his paws. He found that most of the rice was dull and broken. Occasionally, there were some rice grains that looked good and intact, but there were too few, far inferior to broken rice. many.

Zhao Jingming twisted a few with his fingers: "Master Bi said that all the rice used is bought from grain merchants. This is the rice they sell to the people, haha."

The white rice porridge doesn't look like it was cooked with this kind of garbage.

He turned to look at Xiao Qin again: "What about you?"

"The younger one went around the corner of the city a few times and found a few real refugees. After talking with them, they said that they had hardly seen the soup kitchen team except for the past few days, and even if there was one, they wouldn't be able to join in. The team is full of people arranged by Master Bi."

Xiao Qin took another sip of water. Chatting with the refugees really cost him a lot of time: "They said that Mr. Bi would arrange manpower nearby on weekdays. Once they went to get the porridge, they would be driven away, leaving only Mr. Bi. Arranged people.”

"Okay, okay, what else?" Zhao Jingming seemed to laugh angrily and clapped his hands for him to continue.

"Someone told me that I saw Mr. Bi leading someone to the granary in the suburbs before." Xiao Qin looked around and then whispered.

Hearing this, Lin Zhuo pricked up his ears. Good guy, Bi Xun dared to open a granary privately! This is not how you seek death, right?

"Seeking death!" Zhao Jingming slapped the table. Bi Xun was really brave now. Not only did he dare to kill court officials, harbor wanted criminals, he even thought about the granary!

"Take someone to see."

"Yes!" Xiao Qin left again with his dirty clothes.

......

"Master Li, what do you think we should do now?"

Bi Xun was asking Li Hongrui's opinion at the temporary residence. Looking at Zhao Jingming's face before, he felt that finding someone to pretend to be a refugee would not be kept secret for long.

Li Hongrui arrived in Liucheng a few days before Zhao Jingming and the others. At that time, he was chattering in a dazed manner, holding a white paper lantern in his hand. The officers and soldiers guarding the city neither recognized him nor knew what he was talking about.

But the strange thing is that when the officers and soldiers tried to drive him away, they couldn't touch him. They didn't even see clearly how Li Hongrui took action, and he was knocked down by Li Hongrui.

So someone went to inform Bi Xun, who had just arrived in Liucheng.

After Bi Xun arrived, before he could say anything to drive him away, Li Hongrui suddenly raised his head and stared at Bi Xun blankly: "You are about to be in trouble."

Bi Xun knew better than anyone else what he had done and what the consequences would be, but he would still be unhappy when someone told him directly.

Before he could attack, Li Hongrui smiled strangely: "No one can save you except me."

Bi Xun's heart skipped a beat, but he still felt that Li Hongrui was talking nonsense and angrily wanted to drive him away.

When the officers and soldiers held him hostage, Li Hongrui remained calm and continued: "Don't you want to save your daughter?"

Bi Xun was stunned when he mentioned his daughter.

At the beginning of this year, his daughter suffered from a very serious illness. It will be the end of the year. Not only was her illness not cured, but it became more serious. Doctors told him that it could not be cured.

But Bi Xun didn't believe it. He spent all his family's money on treating his daughter, but it still had no effect, but he had no money anymore.

Just when he was worried about money, disaster struck.

Because of the drought this year, there was basically no harvest in the north and the people couldn't afford to eat, so the capital allocated funds.

Bi Xun looked at the documents issued by the court and his daughter who was getting weaker, and gritted his teeth and made a decision.

But now, Bi Xun looked at the crazy Li Hongrui and was filled with doubts: Is this lunatic serious? Can he really save my daughter?

Thinking of his bedridden daughter at home, Bi Xun asked the officers and soldiers to let go of Li Hongrui and welcome him in.

Li Hongrui ate Master Yao alive and inherited some of his skills through evil methods. Based on the birth date of his daughter provided by Bi Xun, he made a prediction and told Bi Xun that there would be a noble person for his daughter in the south, and her illness would be cured by then.

When Bi Xun wanted to ask again, Li Hongrui looked serious again, saying that the secret must not be leaked.

Bi Xun took Li Hongrui back to his temporary residence and waited for Li Hongrui to clean up. Only then did Bi Xun discover that he was Li Shangshu's legitimate son and was wanted by the court.

Bi Xun couldn't help but laugh at himself. In fact, there was no difference between himself and Li Hongrui.

After killing court officials and embezzling money, there was no turning back for him.

But now, he is placing everything on Li Hongrui. The several magical tricks Li Hongrui showed him in the past few days made Bi Xun convinced of him.

"Believe me, Zhao Jingming's luck is weakening, and there will be a bloody disaster soon. Just wait for a few days."

Li Hongrui said that Bi Xun should not be anxious, everything he wanted would come true, and Bi Xun left with peace of mind.

After Bi Xun left, Li Hongrui began to scratch his chest frantically with both hands. He had felt it just now. There was something itchy on his chest. It was the kind of itch that came from the bones. He could only try to scratch it twice to relieve it.

Then Li Hongrui stared at the teacup with dull eyes. He was so thirsty and hungry!

......

"You said Li Hongrui can tell fortunes?" Zhao Jingming was very curious when he heard the secret guard's report.

"Yes, he told Mr. Bi..."

"say what?"

"My lord, you will suffer a bloody disaster soon." The secret guard buried his head deeply.

"Hehe, I would like to see what kind of disaster it is. Keep watching and don't let him go."

After the secret guard left, Zhao Jingming grabbed Lin Zhuo who was playing beside him, buried his head in his belly, and said in a muffled voice, "I wonder if your master is in the south."

I don’t know if it’s okay if I’m in the south, but I know I’m going to be crushed to death by you!

Lin Zhuo pounced on his four paws, trying to push Zhao Jingming away.

"Do you want me to play with you?" Zhao Jingming stood up and fumbled out a thin rod from nowhere, with a small butterfly tied to it.

Lin Zhuo couldn't help but widen his eyes: Does he think of me as a cat?

Zhao Jingming guessed that this was probably prepared by his servants, so he teased Lin Zhuo with it.

Lin Zhuo subconsciously stepped on the butterfly under his feet. When he reacted, he felt very ashamed: What a hateful instinct!

He jumped up and swept Zhao Jingming's face with his tail, then settled himself on the bed without moving.

Zhao Jingming recalled the plush touch just now, and his mood improved a bit: "You stay in the room obediently, I will be back in a minute."

Lin Zhuo shook his tail, indicating that he understood.

......

"Host, what are we doing out at night?" 0617 was puzzled as he watched Lin Zhuo walking on the roof at night.

Lin Zhuo secretly restored his human form while Zhao Jingming was asleep.

"I heard them say during the day that Li Hongrui can tell fortunes. I thought it was a bit weird. How did he learn this without repairing his fortune?"

"I don't know, and you also know that the world will develop on its own after it stabilizes. I don't know what things will look like."

0617 means it has nothing to do with it!

"I know, that's why I feel strange. I want to go find Li Hongrui and have a look."

As Lin Zhuo spoke, he suddenly stopped on a rooftop.

"Host?"

"Xiao Qi." Lin Zhuo called it.

"what happened?"

"Did you hear anything?"

After Lin Zhuo said this, 0617 looked around and said, "There seems to be some sound, host, in the alley to your right."

Lin Zhuo turned around, jumped into the alley on the right, and followed the sound deeper into the alley.

"Xiao Qi, use your points to give me a lighting item."

0617 then changed a lantern for Lin Zhuo.

Lin Zhuo held the lantern and looked at a figure not far away that seemed to be squirming.

He raised the lantern to shine it, and when the light hit the thing, it suddenly turned around and saw a face covered in blood.

What the hell!

Lin Zhuo cursed in his mind and took a step back, his heart beating wildly in fright.

what? !

He looked carefully and saw the thing opening its mouth towards him.

Li Hongrui? ? ?

Lin Zhuo recognized that the thing was actually Li Hongrui, and then he glanced at Li Hongrui's side.

Wo Ri, why the hell did Li Hongrui start eating people? !

Lin Zhuo held the lantern and backed away hastily. After all, something was very wrong with Li Hongrui.

Li Hongrui was lying on the ground on all fours, drooling from his mouth, his eyes were dull, his whole body was trembling, and he made a beast-like cry from his throat. He was covered in blood, and when he opened his mouth, Lin Zhuo vaguely seemed to see something in his mouth. The bits of meat that he hadn't swallowed fell out.

"Damn it, you didn't tell me that the male protagonist would mutate?!"

Li Hongrui moved his nose and rushed towards Lin Zhuo. Lin Zhuo immediately jumped on the roof to avoid it.

"Ahhhhh! I don't know either! He's so scary!" 0617 was also startled by Li Hongrui and shouted in Lin Zhuo's mind.

"Stop screaming, I'm going deaf!" Lin Zhuo covered his ears and looked at Li Hongrui who seemed to be looking for him in the alley.

This guy doesn't seem to have very good eyesight.

Lin Zhuo still didn't know why Li Hongrui became like this, but he saw Li Hongrui stiffened, stood up slowly, and slowly left the alley with a white lantern he took out from nowhere.

Why didn't I see this lantern just now?

Lin Zhuo stood on the roof and was very confused. Logically speaking, he shouldn't be able to see the burning white lantern in the dark alley?

And he seemed to smell some disgusting smell on Li Hongrui.

Lin Zhuo stood on the roof and hesitated for a while after Li Hongrui left, and finally decided to go back first before making any plans.

......

Lin Zhuo slowly opened the door. He had no intention of waking Zhao Jingming.

Looking at Zhao Jingming sleeping soundly on the bed, Lin Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief, and then he turned into a snow-white little fox and jumped onto the bed.

Lin Zhuo stepped on Zhao Jingming's chest, curled himself up into a snow-white ball, and gradually fell into sleep.

But he didn't see Zhao Jingming's eyes secretly opened.