sirius

After walking non-stop for eight days, the group finally arrived at the bank of the Qinjiang River. Before Su Qin, there were two roads. One was to take the Qinjiang River back to Yuanjing by boat. The weather was fine recently, and the wind and waves on the Qinjiang River were calm, so you can take a boat for [-] days. After arriving at Qihuai, you can reach Yuanjing in three days; the other way is by land, passing through Wu'an Mansion and Guhan Mansion for [-] days, crossing Hanyang Mountain, passing through Shangyu Mansion, and then entering Yuanjing, the fastest one and a half months. Da.

Originally, Su Qin didn't have to choose, the waterway was the fastest and most convenient way, there were not many of them, a big boat would do, but after passing through the Hukou Gorge, Su Qin had to think carefully, if anyone wanted Tang Ling's life, They secretly cut open the boat, and they had nowhere to escape.

Although they didn't encounter any ambushes or dangers after leaving Yongcheng, Su Qin had marched for many years, if he was an assassin, he would definitely choose Qin Jiang's boat to do it.

But if you abandon the boat and go overland, there are many mountainous roads and dense forests along the road between Guhan and Hanyang, which are very suitable for ambushes. Some places are even more dangerous than Hukou Gorge. The time will be doubled, Su Qin is afraid that the night will be long and dreamy, even the Tiger's Mighty Army who has been fighting all the year round may not be able to be vigilant all the time for more than [-] days without negligence.

There were two paths before Su Qin, but he couldn't think of a comprehensive one.

They stayed at the inn in Lanquan Town today. After working hard for several days, everyone needed to take a rest. They would set off early tomorrow morning. Before sunset, Su Qin had to make a decision and arrange the itinerary properly.

"Why is General Su so frowning? The sun is pretty good today."

Qi Xiao walked up to Su Qin, "Shall we go by boat or land?"

Su Qin glanced at Qi Xiao, but didn't answer in a muffled voice.

"Why hasn't General Su made up his mind yet?"

Seeing Qi Xiao's playful smile, Su Qin felt uncomfortable all over, and wanted to beat him up.

"My lord must be tired from traveling and traveling for several days. Although there are more imperfections here than in Buyong City, it is better than eating and sleeping in the open. My lord should cherish it. We have only walked for eight days, and there is still a long way to go."

"It sounds like you want to go by land?"

"You don't need to worry about this, the prince will be sent to Yuanjing safely in the end."

Qi Xiao laughed: "What do I have to worry about? General Su should be relieved."

"I have nothing to worry about."

Su Qin said he wanted to leave.

Qi Xiao smiled lightly and shook his head, followed two steps, approached Su Qin and patted his shoulder: "General Su, let's go by water.

I have already arranged. "

"Arrangement?" Su Qin frowned, "What did you arrange?"

"On the Lanquan Wharf, the boats are all ready, and the boatmen are all arranged by me, so everything is safe."

As soon as the imperial decree for Qi Xiao to return to Yuanjing with Huwei's army arrived, Qi Xiao let Baixi Bridge take a step ahead. To be on the safe side, Baixi Bridge hurried to another wharf along the Qinjiang River, hired a boat, and then turned back to Lanquan to dock. , Waiting for Qi Xiao to arrive.

If someone wanted to play tricks on their boat with evil intentions, they would never have imagined that not only did they not use an official ship, but it was not arranged by Su Qin's people, and even Qi Xiao went around a big circle to hire a boat from the zhanzhou wharf.

"you……?"

"General Su can send someone to check it out tonight, so as to be safe. If General Su is still worried, then use the official ship as bait and go ahead of us."

Qi Xiao raised his hand and handed Su Qin a waist card from Prince Chu's Mansion.

Su Qin looked at Qi Xiao and hesitated for a moment, then took the waist card.

Qi Xiao smiled at Su Qin and left.

Su Qin looked at Qi Xiao's back, meditated for a moment, raised his hand to call for his cronies, handed over his badge, and ordered the preparation of the boat at the pier.

***

Tang Ling was standing in the corridor on the second floor of the inn, and happened to see Qi Xiao and Su Qin, but their voices were very low, and he was some distance away, so he didn't hear anything, but Qi Xiao still had a look of ease on his face. Smiling, Su Qin remained invariably gloomy.

Ever since Tang Ling and Qi Xiao parted ways that day, Qi Xiao has never appeared in front of Tang Ling's eyes. After leaving Chu Palace, leaving Yongcheng, and traveling all the way, even if they walked on the same road, Qi Xiao always walked in the team. In the front, there was a long distance from Tang Ling's carriage, occasionally meeting Qi Xiao who only nodded, but never opened his mouth. Tang Ling could tell that although Qi Xiao would not deliberately avoid him, he did not want to see him either.

"My lord, it's rare to be able to take a rest today. You're just sick so don't stand here and blow the air. I'll boil water for you to take a bath."

Recently, both Qi Xiao and Su Qin seem to be unable to see Tang Ling. They neither come to trouble him nor bother to talk to him. This is a good thing for Tang Ling. If they can go to Yuanjing in such a peaceful way, then it will be Qing Lan. The biggest expectation at this time.

Tang Ling agreed to Qing Lan with a "huh", but when Qing Lan came back with hot water, Tang Ling was still stuck in the corridor, not moving half a step.

Just now Qi Xiao went upstairs to meet Tang Ling. Qi Xiao's room was next to Tang Ling's, and she just looked up and looked down. Tang Ling wanted to say hello to ease the atmosphere, but she didn't want Qi Xiao to walk past him. Don't see him at all.

Tang Ling didn't know if she should be angry, or if she should laugh at Qi Xiao's stinginess for playing with a child's temper. In short, there should be no guilt or apology.

But Tang Ling didn't get angry or smile, she just stood there, as if he really did something wrong.

"Master, why are you still standing here? It's windy outside.

Come back to the house. "

Tang Ling smiled: "After sitting in the carriage for several days, my whole body hurts. I can't go out for a walk. At least let me stand for a while, otherwise, your son's leg will be crippled."

"Bah, bah, bah, you can't talk nonsense, young master."

Tang Ling chuckled, raised her hand and poked Qing Lan's forehead: "Finally, it's your turn to teach young master a lesson."

When you can suddenly take a break after running around for days, it is like a string that has been tightened, but it will break when you want to loosen it.

Tang Ling only ate two bites at night, and fell asleep very early. Qing Lan wanted to ask about the next itinerary, but as soon as Tang Ling lay down, he started yawning, and fell asleep after a while.

The cloud was thick and the wind was calm that day and night, Tang Ling could not sleep well, as if she was dreaming all the time, one after another, like a revolving lantern, he couldn't see any of them clearly.

A gust of cold wind suddenly rushed into Tang Ling's dream, bringing with it a blinding white light. Tang Ling felt a sudden shock. When she woke up from the dream, she really saw a cold light hitting her face.

In the middle of the night, Qi Xiao was sleeping soundly, startled by a soft sound on the eaves, Qi Xiao opened his eyes instantly, he seemed like a wolf in the mountains, his innate vigilance and sensitivity made him extremely dangerous, anyone who entered him Everything in the territory is his prey.

Qi Xiao grabbed the sword next to the bed in an instant, turned over and got out of bed, and ran out in three or two steps. The guard who was on duty outside the door fell crookedly at the door, and his personnel were no longer known.

"Come on!" Qi Xiao yelled, and rushed into the room, the sword in his hand came out of the sheath, he raised the sword and saved Qing Lan from under the sharp edge for a moment, and the next moment, blood spurted onto Qing Lan's face and body , so that he was stunned on the spot and forgot to call for help, and also forgot to scream.

Qi Xiao didn't care about Qing Lan, the assassin came after Tang Ling, and the real danger was Tang Ling in the house.

"Choke!" There was a sound of iron objects touching in the back room.

There was no light in the house, and the night was dark, but Qi Xiao could see clearly. Tang Ling curled up at the end of the bed in fright, and he instinctively raised his arm to block the blade he slashed straight down. It should be able to easily slash Tang Ling, and even cut off his forearm, but at the critical moment, the extremely sharp blade knocked on the indestructible edge of the sword, saving Tang Ling's life, but the sharpness of the knife was simply not comparable to that of Tang Ling. Shangchen Yuan was hardened through thousands of hammers, and the blade of the sword broke in response to a single blow.

Without hesitation, Qi Xiao cut off the arm holding the knife with a sword. Before he could feel the pain, Qi Xiao was already in front of him, and he stretched out his hand to pinch the assassin's jaw to prevent the assassin from taking poison again. The trick, the long sword was released and plunged into the floor with a clang, freeing up Qi Xiao's right hand to pinch the assassin's arm to restrain him.

"Dengdengdengdeng..." The post station, which was asleep, became agitated, and Su Qin rushed in with people, followed by the bright lights, and the room was as bright as day.

Su Qin couldn't help being stunned when he saw Qi Xiao.

Qi Xiao came in a hurry, his hair was disheveled and he didn't even have time to put on his shoes and socks. At this moment, he was stepping on the ground with his bare feet in the hot blood. The brocade white jacket on his body was soaked in bright and dirty blood. At first glance, he was seriously injured and it was horrible.

"Why are you standing still?"

Su Qin woke up like a dream: "Come here! Take it down."

Qi Xiao tapped the captured assassin's acupoints and handed it to Su Qin: "You interrogate yourself, and interrogate overnight."

"know."

Su Qin didn't say much, and just glanced at Tang Ling. Tang Ling was lucky to escape the fatal knife just now because of the shackles on his hands, and the misfortune of luck was that he was not unscathed, and the knife really did not spare any strength , Chenyuan was indestructible, but Tang Ling was skinny and tender, leaving a wound three or four inches long on her forearm. Tang Ling clutched the wound, blood was still dripping.

Tang Ling kept silent all the time, it's not that she didn't know the pain, but he was more shocked by Qi Xiao's appearance in front of his eyes than the pain, that he hadn't recovered yet, as if he was still in a dream.

"Tsk," Qi Xiao looked at Tang Lingzhou and frowned, then called out, "Where's Qing Lan?"

As a doctor, Qinglan is not afraid of blood, but the scene just now was too horrifying. He still feels that the knife is on his neck, and he is stiff and unable to move. It was not until he heard Qi Xiao calling him that he stumbled and ran away. Come in.

"My lord!" Qing Lan was startled and anxious when she saw the wound on Tang Ling's arm, she immediately forgot about the danger just now, and pulled Tang Ling's outer robe from the shelf to wrap the wound on his arm to stop the bleeding.

"Take your son to my house for treatment.

Zong Sheng, be optimistic about them and stay close to each other. "

Qi Xiao walked out step by step from the pool of blood, leaving a string of bloody footprints on the ground, which was extremely strange and terrifying.

Tang Ling's eyes were tightly glued to Qi Xiao's bare feet, watching the blood stains crawling on the soles of his feet and the bottom of his trousers, the dirtier it was, the more glaring it was.

Qi Xiao didn't seem to notice that gaze, and didn't turn his head back until he walked out of the room and couldn't even see his back. He suddenly stopped, looked down, and couldn't help laughing.