Murder

*wedge

Qingpingyu is a small and quiet place, and even the dogs are different from other places: Not only do they never bark or make trouble, but they only whine and shiver a few times when they smell the fresh blood in their noses for no reason.

Its owner was terrified, and the gong and bamboo pole in his hand rolled down to the ground.

"Dead, dead man!" The old man kicked the dog, and immediately the dog barked in unison with human voices—"Dead man... woof ~ dead man... woof woof~"

Geng hammer smashed on the back of that corpse, and then rolled over into a pool of blood.

The old man stood shaking at the entrance of Taoyuan, and a big man in brocade clothes was lying down at the door, several streams of blood snaked out from under him, dyeing the falling peach-colored petals red.There were several knives stuck in the man's back, all the knives were gone, only the handles remained, and he was dead.

The small Qingping Island was immediately awakened by these howling, and the lights of each house were turned on one by one.

The old man wanted to run away, but the reckless dog rushed to the side of the reckless man, showed two rows of white teeth, and dragged him towards the old man.

"Don't, don't, don't!" The old man slumped on the ground and kicked his dog, "Don't, don't, don't want this thing!"

The dog let go, and the man's head hit the ground, just rolling his eyes towards the beating old man.

The old man was taken aback: he knew this corpse.

It's just that his face was covered with blood, and under the light of the lights, he was several times more hideous than usual.

...But why was the Taoyuan lit up?The old man was confused and looked up at the source of the light.

A bright human face was hanging on the peach branch in the night, smiling sinisterly at him.

************

*Human Face Lamp (1)

Early in the morning on a thin day, the surrounding fields are vast.

With a heavy and hoarse sound, the gate of Pengyang City was slowly pushed open.

The Yulan River, which runs through the east and west ends of the land, has many fishing ports and commercial ports, and Pengyang City is the last port on this big river.

Pengyang is located at the estuary of the Yulan River. The terrain is flat. Compared with the developed agriculture and commerce, the fishery is not prosperous enough.And because of the suitable climate and no freezing in all seasons, the merchants in the city circulate goods, so it is extremely prosperous and lively.Bai Ruyuan*, a famous poet in the dynasty, once wrote a poem to praise it, "In this scene of Lancang, the sky and the earth borrow a spring", but this line became the nightmare of countless scholars because it was used as a scientific examination topic a few years ago. The number of hymns written is far lower than that of derogatory words.

Sima, a famous criminal family, lived in this Pengyang city.

The past few days were the days when Sima's family was preparing for a happy event. There were many people from all over the world who came to congratulate them. As soon as the city gate opened, they poured in in great numbers.The defenders of the city probably only recognize the leader of the martial arts alliance, the abbot of Shaolin, the Taoist priest of Wudang, or Hu Mingmei, the number one beauty in Jianghu, Liu Wendao, the number one talent in the world, and Hu Dafeng, the number one swordsman in Northwest China.Seeing someone with a weapon or an angry face, even though they were afraid in their hearts, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward to check the pass.

As the sun approached the sky, some soldiers saw several horsemen and horses walking slowly along the official road.The one in front of him was handsome and elegant, dressed in white clothes in a suave manner, and even the attendants behind him were all tall and outstanding in appearance.

The little soldier standing in the front quickly poked the arm of others: "Look, Ying Beishe's people are here, isn't the one in the front just 'Zhao Haitou' Chi Yebai?"

Everyone cheered up immediately, straightened their chests, and stared at the approaching people.

Those white horses were so flamboyant that even the people around the city gate stopped to look back.

There are three counties, six towns and eighteen townships around Pengyang, which are distributed radially around.There are three or four towns near the sea, and the one with the best scenery and the most famous is Yunyang Town.

There are many beauties in Yunyang Town, and it is said that "When Yunyang is favored, the East Palace loses its color", which is about the love affair that happened when the former emperor came to Pengyang to play.

The most famous intelligence agency in Jianghu, Yingbeishe, is located in Yunyang Town.And "Zhaohaitou" Chi Yebai is Ying Beishe's new boss.

Chi Ye has a flirtatious look during the day, with sculpted eyebrows and long eyes, a straight nose and thin lips, but his expression is cold, and his flirtatious looks can't make people think of flirtatiousness.A turquoise bone hairpin is tied on his hair, which is very conspicuous in the sun, and it is a rare bright spot in his fair face and dark hair.

Chi Yebai frequently entered and exited Pengyang City, passed through the city gates only by showing his badge immediately.

Looking back to see the expressions of the soldiers, Murong Hai, the attendant beside Chi Yebai, couldn't help but chuckled: "Master, they are still watching."

"Don't look, let's go." Chi Yebai said in a low voice, "Every time Captain Liu sees me, he asks me for my birth date so that I can calculate with his sister. It's very annoying."

Yu Ren held back his laughter and followed behind him slowly.Murong Hai couldn't keep his mouth open, he walked up to Chi Yebai with the rein in hand, his face full of curiosity.

"What's the name of Sima Feng's cousin?" He asked, "It's a pity that we come all the way to have a drink and we can't see each other. I only heard that she is the most beautiful woman in Pengyang. What's so beautiful about her?" appearance?"

"It's not necessarily yours. Sima Shuangtong's husband is an imperial court official, and we are not the kind of quacks who can catch the eyes of great beauties." Someone behind laughed.

"Speaking of which, she is said to be a great beauty, who has seen it? Maybe it looks like my mother has no salt, but because of the power of the Sima family, she is said to be a world-renowned beauty." Murong Hai asked Chi Yebai, "Master, do you see her?" have you been?"

Chi Yebai: "I've seen it."

Murong Hai: "How?"

Chi Yebai felt that his questions were very boring. After a few words of training, he said slowly, "It's quite similar to Sima Feng."

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, and then they all lowered their heads and laughed.

Chi Yebai: "...What are you laughing at?"

"Similar to Young Master Sima, it should be pretty." Murong Hai said seriously, "You don't need to talk about it, we understand."

Chi Yebai: "...know what?"

Murong Hai: "I understand everything, I understand everything, let's go."

After speaking, he swung his whip and slapped Chi Yebai's mount on the butt a few times.

At this time, in the Qinshuang courtyard in the southeast of Pengyang City, a pot of tea has just been brewed.

"I heard that the people from Ying Bei She have already entered the city." The clear tea gurgled from the spout into the cup, and the woman pouring the tea had a charming face, with slender and fair hands, and turned her head to speak to a handsome young man lying on the couch, " Master Sima won't go home and have a look?"

Sima Feng leaned over to sniff the tea, and couldn't help but praise: "Good tea. This is very expensive, Shuanghua, Shuanghua, didn't you mean to save money to redeem yourself, where did you get the money to buy?"

"You gave it to me last time!" Shuanghua sat down the teapot heavily on the table, and scolded with a smile, "You begged Chi Yebai for a few taels, but he refused to take it, so you gave it to me."

Sima Feng finally remembered, put away the fan and slapped it on his palm, with an exaggerated surprised expression on his face: "Yes!"

Shuanghua: "What are you doing in front of me? Go back, go back."

"Home is not as comfortable as yours here. Quickly play me the song from last time." Sima Feng drank tea contentedly, waved his fan and said, "Shuanghua, what kind of incense are you burning? Why does it smell so good?" What about people?"

"Hengchun incense * is not only expensive, but also difficult to buy." Shuanghua sighed, "What do you want to hear?"

After drinking the tea and listening to the new song, Shuanghua looked at the time and gave Sima Feng the order to evict the guest again.

Sima Feng didn't move, rubbed his wrists, picked up the brush on the low table, and said that he wanted to draw a portrait of Shuanghua.

Shuanghua dragged him up from the soft couch.Sima Feng's long legs were hooked to the lower chair on the couch, and Shuang Hua did not move.

"The Qinshuang Courtyard is driving away customers!" Sima Feng yelled, "It will hurt your reputation too much if it gets out."

"Let's go, Mr. Sima. If you don't leave, your family will come to the door." Sima Feng didn't let go, and Shuanghua didn't let go, "He kicked down a few doors here, you count..."

Before the words were finished, the door slammed loudly, and it was really kicked open from the outside.

Shuanghua gasped, loosened his hands, and Sima Feng immediately rolled to the ground.

Outside the sun was setting, and dusk was gradually rising.

Chi Yebai stood outside the door with a cold expression on his face.

The two people in the room looked at the one outside the room, and the one outside the room looked at the two people in the room.

Sima Feng quickly got up from the ground, patted the dust on his knees, and took a few steps outside with a smile: "Xiaobai..."

Before he finished speaking, Chi Yebai gave him a cold look, and he immediately fell silent.

"Go home." Chi Yebai whispered, "Your father is looking for you."

Due to various reasons, the Sima family of the criminal family and the Chi family of Yingbeishe have frequent contacts, and there are various...complicated relationships. Everyone in the Jianghu knows that the young masters of these two families grew up together, and they are like brothers.

Qinshuangyuan, Xiangzhulou, Hongyanlou, Fangfeiji, Furongyuan... the girls in Pengyang city also know about it.

It's just that what they know is not quite the same as what people in the rivers and lakes know.

"Mr. Sima, have you been arrested again?" The girl from Xiangzhulou shook her handkerchief.

"You have to kneel and nail the board when you go back." The bustard of Fang Feiji giggled coquettishly.

"Master Chi, Master Chi! We haven't seen each other for two months, why are you so handsome again?" The girl from Furongyuan directly threw a fragrant flower on Chi Yebai's horse, "How can Mr. Sima be as smart as I am?"

Amidst the laughter, Sima Feng took a few steps tightly between the horse's belly: "Xiaobai, hurry up."

Chi Yebai sneered and said, "What, you know how embarrassing you are?"

"I'm not ashamed." Sima Feng smiled, "I don't want so many people to see you."

Chi Yebai: "..."

Sima Feng: "You are so beautiful, what if everyone likes you? You only have one, you are me..."

"Go home!!!" Chi Yebai blushed and said angrily, "Go!!!"

Sima Feng smiled and nodded: "Okay, okay, let's go home."

The two turned out of the Fireworks Lane, seeing the evening wind blowing, Chi Yebai's mood gradually calmed down, and then he turned to talk to Sima Feng about serious matters.

"I've already met your father." He said, "He said there are some things on Qingping Island that he wants you and me to deal with."

"Let's go. Qingping Island is very beautiful now, with peach blossoms all over the place, and the fish are fattening." Sima Feng said, "I even learned a song from Shuanghua, I can sing it to you under the peach tree..."

He silently stopped talking in Chi Yebai's eyes.

"He asked us to go to Qingping Island to find an old friend." Chi Yebai looked at the street in front of him, "There was a murder case on Qingping Island. Your father is afraid that his old friend will be involved in this weird case."

"Huh?" Sima Feng finally stopped laughing, "How weird??"

"Have you ever heard of a lamp with a human face?" Chi Yebai asked.

Sima Feng: "What is it? A lantern with a human face painted on it?"

"No." Chi Yebai said, "It's a lantern made of human skin."

-

*Hengchun Fragrance: The legendary fragrance comes from a tree of Hengchun, which has lotus-like leaves and sweet-scented osmanthus. It is said in "Supplements of Relics" that King Yan Zhao obtained this kind of incense from immortals. ("Xiangcheng")

*Bai Ruyuan: A poet that Sima Feng likes very much. He is very famous for his erotic poems.