I made the villain right.

There was deathly silence in Nanling Town.

The group of people who were here not long ago quickly packed up their things and evacuated quickly.

Before they left, they set fire to the entire Nanling town.

When Wei Dong led his troops to Nanling Town, they saw thick smoke rising into the sky.

The fire engulfed the entire town, and the heat wave made it difficult for people to get close.

Seeing this, Wei Dong's face became solemn and anger was revealed in his eyes.

The deputy general standing by had a look of helplessness and dejection on his face, feeling powerless against the tragic scene before him.

"Commander, the fire is too fierce and spreads too quickly. We can't put it out at all."

Wei Dong pursed his lips tightly, staring at the raging sea of ​​fire with a sharp gaze. After a moment of silence, he said in a low and powerful voice:

"Send someone to carefully search the area around Nanling Town to see if the rebels left any traces."

"Yes." The deputy general responded and immediately gathered a team to investigate.

After searching in vain, Wei Dong wrote a secret letter and sent it back to Kyoto by carrier pigeon.

Inside the Fan Mansion, in a quiet courtyard, Shi Jin and Shi Xiaomian sat facing each other.

"Tell me, what do you want to talk to me about?" Shi Xiaomian glanced at Shi Jin indifferently, with a hint of scrutiny and inquiry in her eyes.

"The misunderstanding between you and your father has been resolved. Don't you want to meet your father and brother?"

Shi Xiaomian lowered her eyes and said nothing, with an unclear expression on her face.

"Tomorrow, I plan to go to the general's mansion. Please accompany me to meet your father and brother."

Shi Xiaomian pursed her lips slightly, hesitated for a moment and said: "Okay."

Shi Jin's eyes moved slightly, and a hint of thoughts appeared in his eyes.

She smiled and said, "Master, I have been your disciple for some time. Today I am free, so you should teach me some martial arts."

Shi Xiaomian thought for a moment and said, "Okay, then I will teach you some swordsmanship."

When Shi Jin heard this, she glanced at the black whip on Shi Xiaomian's waist, with a hint of doubt on her face: "Swordsmanship? Aren't you good at using whips?"

Shi Xiaomian pulled out the soft sword from her leg, and her white and slender hands gently slid across the sword. The sword body flashed with cold light, reflecting the determination in her eyes.

"Someone once told me that it was difficult to kill an enemy with one strike because of the long reach of the whip, so he taught me to practice sword."

Shi Xiaomian waved the sword in his hand and said with a firm look in his eyes: "The sword in my hand is used to protect this long whip."

Shi Jin didn't quite understand the meaning of her words, but he felt that she was very powerful as she could use both a sword and a whip.

"Master is amazing."

"You keep an eye on it."

After Shi Xiaomian finished speaking, he began to perform a set of sword skills, his movements were smooth and easy.

Shi Jin watched and learned, his movements were a little clumsy and he couldn't keep up.

Shi Jin was a little embarrassed and asked, "Master, how long did it take you to learn this?"

"More than half a year."

Shi Xiaomian seemed to know that Shi Jin didn't understand yet, so she demonstrated it several times without waiting for her to say anything.

"You try it." Shi Xiaomian handed her the sword.

Shi Jin took it and, relying on his memory, slowly swung the sword in his hand.

Not only did Shi Xiaomian not despise her, she also patiently and attentively taught her step by step. She is a rare good teacher.

It can be seen that she really hopes Shi Jin can learn this sword technique.

For this, Shi Jin was quite moved.

After Fan Hua returned home, he happened to meet Du Xuan. He remembered what Shi Jin had told him, so he called him to the study for a talk.

Fan Hua sat in front of the chessboard, his expression showing a bit of casualness and leisure. He pointed to the position opposite him and said:

"Xuan, play a game of chess with me for entertainment."

Du Xuan was slightly startled. He had not heard the Pavilion Master speak in such a friendly tone for a long time.

He hesitated for a moment, but walked forward steadily and sat down opposite.

Fan Hua lightly picked up a white piece with his fingertips and placed it on the chessboard. He then looked up with some emotion in his eyes.

"It's been a long time since you and I have been able to sit down and chat like this."

Du Xuan responded, and the black piece in his hand fell, "It has indeed been some time."

Fan Hua's gaze lingered on the chessboard for a moment, and he raised his eyelids casually and glanced at Du Xuan.

He asked, "Xuan, you are old enough to get married, do you have a girl you like?"

Du Xuan's body stiffened, and in an instant, Zhilu's lively and beautiful appearance spread through his heart.

His originally calm eyes softened, and the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously, and he whispered, "Yes."

Seeing his expression, Fan Hua understood most of what he had learned and asked directly, "Is that woman Zhilu?"

"That's right." Du Xuan said with a firm look in his eyes.

Fan Hua looked calm, playing with a chess piece in his hand.

"In that case, you should take the initiative and express your feelings to her as soon as possible."

Du Xuan's eyes dimmed a little, and he hesitated and said, "But I still don't know what she thinks."

Fan Hua said with a hint of sarcasm: "Madam has already asked indirectly a few days ago that Zhilu is also interested in you, and you are the only one who needs to break the window paper."

"Really!" Du Xuan looked up suddenly, his eyes full of surprise and disbelief, and his words full of excitement.

"Of course it's true."

Fan Hua shook his head slightly, seeming a little helpless and dissatisfied, "Xuan, you should be more decisive in matters of love. Don't let my wife worry about your marriage. She should focus on me."

Du Xuan smiled and said, "I understand, Pavilion Master. Please thank my wife on my behalf."

"You are all here! I just have something important to tell you." Ran Ke's voice suddenly came.

I looked up and saw him stepping into the study.

At this moment, Du Xuan seemed to suddenly realize something, and said with a somewhat anxious and excited tone:

"You've come just in time. I have something important to do and need to go ahead. You stay here to play chess with the Pavilion Master."

Ran Ke looked at the figure who left in a hurry with a look of surprise on his face.

"Master, what happened in the pavilion? Why did he leave in such a hurry?"

"Nothing happened in the pavilion, but he is about to have good news."

Ran Ke was still confused, but didn't want to think too much about it.

He took out a small medicine bottle from his arms and said, "This is the antidote for the ice poison. I made it according to the prescription Xiao Ruogu gave me."

When Fan Hua heard this, his eyes lit up.

"Very good." Fan Hua took the medicine bottle, poured out a brown pill and swallowed it.

"Distribute it to the other secret guards in the pavilion as well."

"Okay, but we don't have enough herbs. Some of them are not available in Kyoto. I'd better wait until I get back to the pavilion to refine them."

"Okay, but when are you going to go back?"

Ran Ke pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "No hurry, I still want to stay in Kyoto for a while longer."

In the yard, Shi Xiaomian sat aside drinking tea and watching Shi Jin practice quietly.

At this time, she had already memorized this set of swordsmanship.

Although the movements were not standard, at least a complete set of sword techniques was performed.

At this time, Du Xuan came hurriedly and interrupted Shi Jin.

"What's wrong?" Shi Jinmei asked with concern in her eyes.

"Madam, is Zhilu here?" Du Xuan bowed slightly and asked respectfully.

"She went home to visit her family."

"Then where is her home?" Du Xuan asked, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes, as if he had something important to find Zhilu.

"At the end of West Street, deep in the North Alley."

As he spoke, Shi Jin's eyes moved slightly, and a barely perceptible cunning flashed in his eyes.

"In my opinion, it's almost time for her to come back. Go pick her up. I'm always worried about her being away from home alone."

"Okay." Du Xuan agreed, then turned around and left quickly, his figure soon disappearing around the corner of the courtyard.

Shi Jin looked in the direction he left, the corners of his mouth raised in a meaningful smile.

Hehe, give them the opportunity to be alone.

"Are you trying to bring them together?" Shi Xiaomian's voice came, successfully pulling Shi Jin's wandering thoughts back.

“Is it obvious how I look?”

Shi Jin turned around and asked, but there was a hint of embarrassment in his eyes as if his thoughts were seen through.

Shi Xiaomian shook her head slightly, "That's not the case, it's just that I think I know you well enough."

Understand me?

Shi Jin was secretly surprised.

Thinking about the number of times they had met, I couldn't count them with dozens of fingers, and some of them had been unpleasant.

Why do you suddenly say you understand her?

Shi Jin didn't know how to respond for a moment, so he just raised the corners of his mouth and revealed a slightly awkward smile to deal with it.

At the same time, Zhilu was strolling in a deep and narrow alley on West Street.

This time when she returned home, she bought a lot of things for her family and stayed at home for half an hour, asking about their well-being before she decided to go back.

Suddenly, three men appeared from nowhere in front of us.

There was a hint of ferocity and greed in their eyes, and they stared at Zhilu closely, as if they were staring at their prey.

In an instant, a tense atmosphere filled the alley.

Seeing this, Zhilu's expression changed slightly, his eyes became more alert and uneasy, and his steps stopped involuntarily.

She secretly groaned in her heart, but this was the only way she could take now. After hesitating for a moment, she mustered up the courage to move forward.

She walked quickly forward, just wanting to leave this place as soon as possible.

With every step closer, she became more nervous and uneasy, and her hands unconsciously clutched the corners of her clothes.

At this time, a man in gray linen clothes with a malicious smile on his face said, "My little beauty, where are you going? I'll give you a ride."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand towards Zhilu's shoulder, the action was frivolous and presumptuous.

Zhilu was startled and quickly dodged to the side, his eyes full of disgust.

"In broad daylight, I advise you not to do anything reckless and rape women." Zhilu warned bravely.

However, the three men turned a deaf ear to Zhilu's warnings, sneered, and pressed forward step by step, as if she was already in their grasp.

Zhilu took two steps back in fear, then ran back.

But those people refused to give up and kept chasing her, and soon caught up with her.

One of the men in blue stepped forward and blocked Zhilu's way.

"My little beauty, just obey us obediently. I promise to make you drunk and live in despair." The man's voice was filled with greed and pride.

The three men approached Zhilu again and again.

Zhilu was in a panic and shouted loudly: "I am the maid of the Shengqing Prince's wife. If you dare to touch me, the prince's wife will not let you off easily!"

This sentence made one of the men in black pause, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face: "She is the Crown Prince's Consort's person, otherwise... forget it."

But the man in gray sneered, his eyes full of disdain.

"How could those nobles care about the life and death of a maid like her? Even if you die today, it won't be traced back to me."

After saying that, he suddenly pounced forward and forced Zhilu into a corner.

After the man said this, he immediately pushed Zhilu to the corner and was about to kiss Zhilu's pretty face with greedy eyes.

Zhilu leaned against the wall, pushing the man in front of him with both hands, his eyes full of fear and despair.

She kept shouting, "Help! Help!"

The man became more and more arrogant. Seeing that he couldn't kiss Zhilu's cheek, he turned his head and attacked her neck.

He murmured, "Don't struggle. No one will come to save you."

Zhilu's face was pale and his body was shaking. Because of extreme panic, a tear flowed from the corner of his eye.

But the stubbornness in her bones prevented her from giving up resistance, and she continued to wave her hands in vain.

At this critical moment, suddenly, a muffled groan came into Zhilu's ears.

Zhilu was stunned in astonishment, only to see the man in front of him fall down with a bang.

Then, a figure flashed to her side as fast as the wind.

Zhilu looked up, and when he saw that the person coming was Du Xuan, his tense heartstrings instantly relaxed and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Du Xuan's eyes wandered over Zhilu anxiously, examining her carefully, his eyes full of concern: "Are you injured?"

His gentle and mellow voice entered Zhilu's ears and soothed her uneasy heart.

Zhilu shook her head gently, and the redness in her eyes made her look more charming.

The other two men were horrified when they saw their companion stabbed to death.

One of them asked in a trembling voice: "You... who are you? How dare you ruin our good deeds!"

Du Xuan's eyes suddenly changed. He turned around, protected Zhilu behind him, and stared at the other party fiercely, as if he wanted to cut them into pieces.

"You don't deserve to know!"

After he finished speaking, he drew out the sword in his hand and moved quickly. The two men in front of him were hit in the vital parts and fell to the ground one after another.

Blood gushed out from his heart, spreading on the ground, forming a glaring bloodstain.

Zhilu glanced at the corpse on the ground with a cold look.

In her opinion, these people deserved the fate they faced today.

Du Xuan sheathed his sword with a clean and neat movement, turned around and came to Zhilu, stretched out his hand to her, and whispered, "Let's go back home."

Zhi Luwang's gaze fell on his slender fingers, his eyes moved, and in an instant, he placed his hand in his palm.

At that moment, a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of Du Xuan's mouth.

Then he held Zhilu's hand tightly and took her away.

The two walked slowly forward hand in hand.

Zhilu Zhilu looked up at Du Xuan and asked in confusion: "Du Xuan, how did you know I was here?"

Du Xuan slightly turned sideways, his eyes meeting Zhilu's, a hint of tenderness in his eyes that he himself did not notice.

"My lady told me. She sent me to take you back to the mansion."

"So that's how it is." Zhilu responded softly.

"I……"

Du Xuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something but stopped.

He originally wanted to express his feelings to Zhilu, but seeing that she had just experienced a shock, he felt that it was inappropriate at the moment, so he didn't continue talking.

He originally wanted to find Zhilu to express his feelings, but seeing that the timing was not right, he had to make other plans.

Zhilu saw that he seemed to have something to say, so he asked, "What?"

Du Xuan shook his head: "Nothing"

The two walked hand in hand in silence, an ambiguous atmosphere slowly spreading between them.