across mountains and seas

Passing through the promenade behind the main hall of Haicheng, Liuxi "just happened" to meet Aunt Hong who led the servants to clean up the white silk and white lamps.Jing Duo has already been buried, and these funeral-related things in Haicheng must be put away as soon as possible, lest the loved ones be touched by the scene and add to the sadness.

"Aunt Hong." Liu Xi walked towards Aunt Hong, looked up at the white lantern under the eaves, "I want to ask Aunt Hong for something."

Aunt Hong took her hand, and said softly: "My family, just open your mouth."

"I'm also a living person with hands and feet, and there are some things I can do." Liu Xi said, her tone intentionally somber, "I don't think my husband would like to see me doing nothing in Haicheng."

It's okay, maybe you'll feel better if you do something.

Aunt Hong nodded, "Then...let's clean up with Aunt Hong today."

"En." Liuxi's maid asked for a pair of loops, fastened the left and right sleeves, tore off a piece of white silk under the eaves with her own hands, wrapped the white silk together, and handed it to the servant beside her.

Aunt Hong sighed softly, and let Liuxi do the same.

This child's heart is too strong, and it is a good thing that he can vent the sadness in his heart by tearing up Bai Ling.

"Eldest Young Madam, let's come here younger." The servant didn't dare to watch Eldest Young Madam do it all the time, but Liu Xi seemed to want to tear off all the white silk in this city with his own hands and clean it up.

Liu Xi just shook his head, pulled off another white silk, and handed it to another servant.

"Let Xi'er come." Aunt Hong ordered in a deep voice.

After Aunt Hong spoke like this, the servants and maids could only help Liuxi, tear off all the white silk in this small courtyard, wrap them all up, and put them on the wooden cart beside them.

The white silk was untied, but there were still white lanterns hanging under the eaves.

Just as Liu Xi was about to step up the ladder, the two young servants hurriedly supported the ladder and said anxiously: "Young Madam, be more careful."

"Thank you...the two are here." Liu Xi didn't know the names of these two people, and her words fell into Aunt Hong's ears in a hasty break.

Yes.

I have been so busy with Jing Duo's funeral these few days that I forgot to bring Liu Xi to get acquainted with the family.It is a bit hypocritical to keep saying that they are a family, but they don't even let her know the family.

"Xi'er, leave this to them." Aunt Hong said, beckoning to Liu Xi, "I'll take you somewhere."

"Huh?" Liu Xi pretended to be puzzled.

Aunt Hong smiled apologetically, "Aunt Hong was so busy that she forgot, this is also a big deal." Saying that, she took Liu Xi's hand again, "Let's go."

Liu Xi followed silently, and at this time, he could naturally say a word less.

Aunt Hong took her directly to Haicheng's recording room, which is where the records of Haicheng's ledger are stored.

The old man in charge of the recording room saw that Aunt Hong and Liu Xi were coming, so he hurried over to greet them.

"Aunt Hong will accompany you today to recognize people from Haicheng." Aunt Hong simply explained clearly, she sat down with Liu Xi, and ordered the old gentleman to bring all the rosters.

Liu Xi nodded slightly, secretly looking at the old gentleman.

He is an elderly man, with wrinkles around his eyes, and he is wearing a clean long shirt with books. Because of long-term writing, there are calluses between his fingers.

"This is Mr. Chen. He has been in Haicheng for 30 years. He is considered an old man in Haicheng." Aunt Hong introduced Mr. Chen first, and then said, "There are two old gentlemen in Haicheng, one is Mr. Chen, and the other is Mr. Chen." It's Mr. Hai. You have seen Mr. Hai before."

"En." Liu Xi nodded.

The older the person, the greater the suspicion of the inner ghost. To investigate the inner ghost, you must start from the old man.

Mr. Chen apologized and said with a smile: "Young Madam, look slowly, the rosters are all here." While speaking, Mr. Chen put ten rosters in front of Liuxi, "There are 370 and [-] people in Haicheng, all of which are recorded here. gone."

"Thank you, Mr. Chen." Liu Xi lowered his head, picked up the top book, opened the first page, and recorded Uncle Jing Jiu.This roster of the Jing family is also strange, there are two pages to record a person, with portraits on the left and text on the right, with one book in hand, there is no need to call people to come to check one by one.

"This painting is also drawn by Mr.?" Liu Xi was quite curious.

Mr. Chen said with a smile: "The painting is not good, please forgive me."

When Liu Xi was in Xishan, he also saw many famous paintings.Although Mr. Chen's painting skills are not outstanding, there are some remarkable points.Uncle Jing Jiu has a straight face and a beard on his lips. After looking at this painting, even if he sees Uncle Jing Jiu for the first time, he can recognize him.

He has good painting skills and is an old man who is most familiar with Jing's staff.

interesting.

If he is not the inner ghost, then the inner ghost must be someone close to him.

"Sir, the paintings are much better than mine." Liu Xi responded casually, and turned another page.

Asking Mr. Chen directly is the next best thing to do.

Now that the roster is here, let's look through it slowly, secretly note down all the suspects, and investigate them one by one.

Thinking of this, Liu Xi stopped thinking about it and looked through the roster carefully.

Concubine Hong is not a person who can calm down, she is different from Mr. Chen, she feels uncomfortable after sitting beside her for a long time.But he promised Liu Xi that those who want to accompany her today can only continue to sit where they are and wait.

Mr. Chen is a man of discernment, he cupped his hands and bowed to the two, then exited the room, and brought two cups of hot tea when he came back.

Aunt Hong was extremely bored, after drinking the hot tea, she could only play with the teacup.

Liu Xi concentrated on looking at the roster, she definitely wouldn't drink a sip of this hot tea.

until--

Uncle Jing Jiu stepped into the recording room in a hurry, and said anxiously: "The young master has gone to sea with the fourth son."

Liu Xi frowned slightly.

Aunt Hong sighed: "Xiao Si likes to take Xiao Wu to mess around, and Xiao Si is familiar with him at sea. I am afraid that he is worried that Xiao Wu will be depressed these days, so he takes Xiao Wu out to relax..."

"How long have you been there?" Liu Xi was not as relieved as Aunt Hong.

Uncle Jing Jiu replied truthfully, "I've been there for an hour."

"Do you know where it went?" Liu Xi asked again.

Uncle Jing Jiu thought for a while, "I heard from Lao Qin that the fourth son said he was going to the island to relax." But there are many islands in the East China Sea, and there are more than ten islands in the sea area under Jing's control. Uncle Jing Jiu didn't know where they went?

"Nonsense!" Liu Xi sternly yelled, realizing that she was getting agitated, she suppressed her anger, and said to Aunt Hong, "Wei Jianbai is in the dark, only Haicheng is safe at this time, if you rush out to sea, just in case I was in an ambush..." At this point, Liu Xi's voice became hoarse, "I don't want to hang up the white silk that I tore off with my own hands today."

Hearing what Liu Xi said, Aunt Hong suddenly panicked, "Uncle Jiu, hurry up, send someone to bring Xiao Si and Xiao Wu back."

"I'll go too." Liu Xi said firmly.

Aunt Hong nodded sharply, "I'll go too."

Just when Haicheng dispatched sea ships to search for people, Jing Huan had already taken Jing Lan to Youyou Island outside Jing's sea area.

The island is full of spring scenery all year round. The island is rich in melons and fruits, and it is the best resting place for businessmen.As long as you get acquainted with the people on this island, you will find that there is a surprise on this island, that is, there is a secluded building in the depths of the island.

There are ten Miaoman women in Youyou Tower, each of them has their own beauty, and they all know how to play piano, chess, calligraphy and painting.

It is said that anyone who has seen their beauty would be willing to give their lives to them.

Jing Huan had heard people say this a long time ago, but the opening time of Youyou Building is really uncertain. Jing Huan has been here a few times, but he was always rejected.

"Fourth brother, where are you taking me?" Jing Lan became more and more uneasy as she followed Jing Huan. After all, she was out of Jing's sea area, so she always felt inexplicably uneasy.

"Just take a look. If the door isn't open, we'll go back to Haicheng." The closer Jing Huan got to that secluded building, the more excited he became. People are always curious about unknown things.

Jing Lan quietly looked left and right, although there are hawkers and merchants on the road, she can't take it lightly.

"Xiao Wu, don't worry." Jing Huan sensed Jing Lan's vigilance, and turned his younger brother around, "There are so many ships leaving Wanghaidu every day, how could they just target us?"

Jing Lan shook her head, "Let's go back, Haicheng still has..."

"It's all here, just take a look!"

"Fourth brother..."

Jing Huan frowned, "Brother definitely doesn't want to see you like this, Xiao Wu, you don't like to laugh anymore, do you know that?"

"Is there?" Jing Lan replied.

Jing Huan nodded, "Since the big brother had an accident, you were either targeting your sister-in-law or worrying about you, like you..." Jing Huan restrained what he wanted to say, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that Xiao Wu's feelings for his big brother seemed different. too general.

"..." Jing Lan forced herself to smile, and a small dimple appeared on her face.

Surprised that someone was peeping here, the smile on Jing Lan's face disappeared suddenly, and she looked around.

The business travel is still the same, the hawkers are still the same, and nothing is wrong.

"The Youyou Building is open today!"

"Ah! Then you must not miss it!"

"Go and see!"

Someone in the crowd raised his head suddenly, and the merchants got excited and headed towards Youyou Tower one after another.

"Xiao Wu, you are so lucky!" Jing Huan also became excited, "It's the first time I came to Youyou Island, and I came across such a good thing! Go! Go! Go and have a look!"

"Fourth brother, where is Youyou Tower?" Jing Lan asked anxiously, being pulled by Jing Huan.

"You'll know when you go!" Jing Huan simply replied, he had never been in, how did he know?

Jing Lan sighed softly, and could only follow Jing Huan to squeeze into the crowd, and came downstairs to Youyou.

The so-called Youyou Tower is just a cave carved out of the mountain wall.Looking from a distance, the originally dark cave was filled with colorful lights, which added a bit of excitement.

The stone gate of Youyou Building was wide open, and standing in front of the gate were eight burly men with bronze complexions, all of whom looked menacing.So even if they wanted to go in to have a glimpse of the universe, everyone could only bear it obediently, not daring to rush in rashly and disturb the fairies inside.

After waiting for a while, someone finally came out.

The woman had a coquettish appearance, wearing a purple gauze dress, and when she walked, her snow-white legs were half hidden, which aroused people's heartache for no reason.She was clearly a young woman of eighteen or so, but she was actually the one talking about this Youyoulou—I saw her taking a phoenix-patterned silver pipe in her hand, taking a puff unhurriedly, exhaling a smoke ring, and looking at the crowd with her seductive eyes. He glanced lazily.

"Are you in such a hurry to see the girls?" Although she said coquettishly, her voice sounded like sugar cakes with honey, it was heard in my ears and crisp in my heart.

Jing Lan was solemn, and stared at Jing Huan who was stunned by her side. She finally knew where Jing Huan took her.

"Fourth brother! I've seen it, we're going home!"

"It's all coming..."

Jing Lan didn't want to continue messing around with him here, "Are you going?"

"I..." How could Jing Huan be willing?

Jing Lan's tone was a little more serious, "I'm asking you as the Patriarch of the Jing family, are you going or not?"

Unexpectedly, at this time, the bewitching eyes of the woman who talked about it fell on Jing Lan, who made it so that only Jing Lan turned his back on her at this time?

"That son..."

Everyone followed the woman's eyes and looked at this side. Two burly men walked over and pushed aside the crowd.

"It's rare to meet the girls of Youyoulou to meet guests. Wouldn't it be a pity to leave if you don't come in and have a look?"

Jing Lan felt a chill in her vest, she turned her face away, and saw the woman giggling, biting the pipe, and licking it lightly with the tip of her tongue intentionally or unintentionally.