sinking into sand

Dingzhou, Jingyang Palace.

The morning light was just right, and Xie Jingrong sat on the side hall and read a book.He read slowly and did not turn a page for a long time.Outside the palace, the palace servants who cleaned and waited were walking in a hurry, and they all tiptoed, not daring to disturb him.

However, there are always uninvited guests. Xie Jingrong had just read two pages when there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside, and he broke into the hall without warning.

Xie Jingrong shifted his gaze from the book to the face of the visitor, his expression was calm, but the hand holding the book tightened slightly.

The person who came was dressed as a female official. She didn't come alone, but a group of people followed behind her. Among them was a nurse who was holding a boy who was about two or three years old.

"I have met the prince." The leading female officer saluted Xie Jingrong, "The imperial concubine ordered that the second prince should play with you for a day and go back tomorrow."

Xie Jingrong swallowed slightly, knowing that Prime Minister Zhai had entered the palace again today.

No matter how many times, he still couldn't face these filthy things that violated the norms without changing his face, so he just nodded slightly, indicating that he knew, and then turned his head and pretended to read a book.

He wanted to hide and relax, and he didn't want to watch these things.But his unsophisticated younger brother didn't think so. After the nanny put him down, the child walked towards Xie Jingrong with a crooked step, and when he lost his balance, he threw himself on top of him.Seeing Xie Jingrong looking down at him, he grinned.

Xie Jingrong was a bit helpless by his cheap younger brother, Xie Shu's harem was empty, only him and his second brother Xie Jingfeng were the heirs.Apart from the queen, there is only one concubine.The queen's surname is Zhai. As for this noble concubine, she naturally has a close relationship with Prime Minister Zhai Qian.

Whenever Prime Minister Zhai entered the palace, Xie Jingfeng would always send him here if he was not good enough to entrust it to the empress who was eating vegetarian food and praying to Buddha.After coming and going, Xie Jingfeng was quite close to him.

I can't tell what the injustice is, seeing him like that, Xie Jingrong has no choice but to accept his fate, put down the book, and play with the child.They played all morning, and the child exhausted a lot of energy. When passing the meal, he sat in the sofa and fell asleep leaning against Xie Jingrong.

Xie Jingrong straightened the little head he was leaning on, looked strangely at the eunuch delivering the lunch, and asked, "Why are you here to deliver it, where is Guanshi Luo from the Ministry of Internal Affairs?"

The eunuch was respectful, saluted first, and then said: "Miss Zhai entered the palace today, and brought a lot of good things. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is counting them, ready to send them to the Holy Majesty."

Xie Jingrong understood as soon as he heard it, what good things Zhai Qian could give Xie Shu, it wasn't the intoxicating medicine Wushisan, even the blissful formula, he would still put it on Xie Shu's desk.Xie Jingrong felt uncomfortable thinking about it, and didn't want to ask more questions, so he just waved his hand to let the eunuch back down.

He moved a little too loudly, startling Xie Jingfeng who was sleeping next to him.The child opened his eyes, hugged Xie Jingrong, and called brother in a daze.

Seeing this, Xie Jingrong had no choice but to scrape his little nose, and whispered: "I'm not your brother, your brother is now in Fengcheng."

Thinking of Zhai Su, Xie Jingrong began to worry again.Now that the situation is so delicate, Zhai Su is guarding against Guan Jingyue in Fengcheng. Although he has sent people to negotiate a peace, it is uncertain when a fight will really happen.

If the jar was not broken away from the wellhead, the general would inevitably be killed in battle.

But what can he do?

Back in Daocheng in time, Yu Sha and Guan Lan were analyzing the Bliss Prescription they had just found in the inn room.

"These things should have been sold to dignitaries who had taken Bliss Prescription before the Lijiang Incident." Yu Sha judged, "Ji Le Recipe is extremely addictive and cannot be quit. If you stop taking the medicine suddenly, you will become crazy , not wanting to eat or drink. You will soon become weak, and then you will feel the long process of gradual decay of your body before you die."

Guan Lan understood what he meant, and said: "Dingzhou has not heard of any sudden and bizarre deaths. It has been so long, and it seems that their medicines have always been supplied."

Yu Sha nodded, and said: "At that time, the Zhai family and Jinzhan Pavilion secretly negotiated the song, and used the tea and salt business road to sell the bliss prescription. It was normal to have medicine fields other than the Lijiang River in hand. But why did they need to take the Yongjia ancient road to transport? Can't Dingzhou work?"

"Maybe it's because of the climate and soil?" Guan Lan guessed, "Looking like Lange, there are many plants that can't grow outside."

Yu Sha nodded, thinking to himself, if this is the case, then Qin Kailian should be the next home on the line of Bliss Fang on the other side of Dingzhou.Thinking of this, Yu Sha silently remembered the names of some people in his mind.

"No." Yu Sha said suddenly, "I remember Qin Kailian was not included in the list of merchants that Peony Academy contacted with Dingzhou at that time."

"If it's not from Peony Academy, maybe there are people outside this line who also want to get a share." Guan Lan said nonchalantly, "Qin Kailian is in Daocheng now, if you have anything, just ask him .”

After thinking about it, Yu Sha found that this was indeed the fastest way, so he accepted the plan and planned to go to the prison again after nightfall.

In fact, speaking of the current situation, refugees in the Central Plains are everywhere, and there will be a war between the north and the south.Compared to this, selling and smuggling a handful of medicinal powders to high-ranking officials is a trivial matter, but Yu Sha always feels very uneasy.The blissful party matter is very involved, and the interests of the Lijiang and Dingzhou dignitaries used to be behind it. Now such a delicate situation has not cut off the North-South trade. If it wasn't for what Guan Lan said, the blissful herbs can only be grown in the south , I'm afraid it's because the imperial court has plans for the next civil war.

Yu Sha thought about it in a mess for a while, and when the morning light was twilight, the drowsiness from not sleeping all night swept over him, and he yawned slowly.

Guan Lan is still in good spirits, but seeing Yu Sha yawning also feels a little sleepy.Just as he was about to get someone to sleep for a while, outside the window sill on the second floor, he saw a group of officers and soldiers walking by on the street from a distance, looking hurriedly, not knowing what they were going to do.

Guan Lan pointed out the scenery to Yu Sha, and Yu Sha was frightened awake at the thought of Xun Er.Xun Er is now a fugitive who escaped from prison.Are these people going to catch her?But she is such a little girl, the defense in the prison was not strict at all, how could she use such a big battle?

The accident happened so suddenly, Yu Sha lost his mind for a while, thought for a while, and said to Guan Lan: "Leave a letter to Sister Lan, let's go to Xun Er, and then we will meet at Zhou Qu's place."

Xun Er was walking in the streets and alleys, Han Hao Village was just a small village, but Si En planned ahead, and set up eyeliners in Daocheng.Xun Er found the back door of a prostitution parlor, and knocked on the door according to the code.After a while, someone came to open the door, and it turned out to be the Hong Fei they had met at the pier outside Lijiang City a year ago.

Seeing that it was Xun Er, Hong Fei hurriedly let her into the house.The two went to the side room in the backyard, and Xun Er told Hong Fei the flower paper and the message she had cut on the road.

After hearing this, Hong Fei nodded again and again, reassuring Xun Er, and delivered the news with carrier pigeons today.The two of them said this here, and there was another noise outside. The person who stayed overnight woke up, and seeing that Hong Fei was not there, he was calling her in the yard.

Hong Fei agreed in the side room, and told Xun Er not to go out yet, she straightened her clothes and went out to give it away.Xun Er waited in the side room for a while before Hong Fei came back.

"Sister Hong Fei, who is that?" Xun Er asked.

Hong Fei brushed her hair with one hand, and said, "A member of the Liger Gang, Ms. Si En said that in the past few days, all the villages near Daocheng have been recruited by the Lion Tiger Gang one after another, threatening them to be recruited by the Lion Tiger Gang." The scope of the Liger Gang, let me inquire about some news in Daocheng."

"Do they really want to expand?" Xun Er answered, worried: "Does You Liang want to follow the refugee army's uprising?"

"I don't know." Hong Fei was also very worried. The foundation of Hanhao Village is still shallow, and she is most afraid of being affected by the flames of war. "Miss Si En said that the Liger Gang is here as the toubob, and they are living a comfortable life. There is no reason to participate in the muddy waters of the Central Plains."

Xun Er listened to Hong Fei talking about the situation in Daocheng for a while, and tried to analyze the dark clouds hovering over Daocheng at this moment through the clues like Yu Sha and Si En did, but nothing was analyzed.Just write it down carefully, and prepare to tell Yu Sha later.

Seeing her thoughtful look, Hong Fei also remembered something, and asked, "Why did you come here alone? Zhou Qu will save you, what about others?"

Xun Er replied: "Brother Zhou is fine, my brother is here, and I will follow him for a while."

Hong Fei naturally knew who Xun Er's elder brother was.She let out a cry of surprise, "Governor Yu is alright?! He's in Daocheng now?! Then your sister-in-law is also here?!"

Seeing that she seemed to pay more attention to Guan Lan on Xun Er, she was very surprised, and hurriedly asked, "What's the matter?"

"Oh my god." Hong Fei exclaimed in shock: "You were imprisoned and didn't know that many people are looking for your sister-in-law now!"