Cloud of the Qing Dynasty

After returning to the capital, Zhang Chi buried himself in a lot of news that he didn't know was useful or useless every day, trying to find clues related to the murder of Lord Hou.

For him, this case was always the top priority and the most important thing, but the emperor didn't think so. Seeing that the Eagle League Guards had improved rapidly under his leadership, he threw him some things to do .

Even if the emperor knew that it was difficult for him, Zhang Chi was still very hardworking when he was generous in giving money to others. He has not yet cultivated enough subordinates to share his worries, so he has to do everything by himself.

After another busy day, Zhang Chi, feeling physically and mentally exhausted, simply swept away all the secret report files, spread out the letter paper, and wrote a letter to Mu Liuyun.

Thanks to Mu Liuyun's tireless teaching, he now knows enough characters, but the handwriting is still as ugly as before, and there is no literary talent to speak of, but anyway, Mu Liuyun will not dislike it.

Zhang Chi bit his pen and thought about how to express his thoughts. Deep in his thoughts, he took out a close-fitting kit and looked at it. The kit contained the strand of hair that Mu Liuyun had cut and given to him. It's not enough time to look at it, you have to stick it under your nose and smell it, as if you can smell Mu Liuyun's smell from the hair that was cut a long time ago.

At this time, in the Shangqing Palace on Huashan Mountain, Mu Liuyun was also thinking hard in front of the case, taking up a pen to write something on the paper from time to time, but he didn't miss Zhang Chi, but put all his thoughts on the master. On the martial arts cheats handed over to him.

He has already memorized that mind method fluently, but when he actually practiced it in combination with his own physical condition, he would encounter many bottlenecks, which made him puzzled.

Daoist Tian Xing told the outside world that he was going to retreat for self-cultivation, and rejected all visits for him, hoping that he could understand something as soon as possible. Even Zhang Chi, who came as promised, was almost ruthlessly blocked out by the unknowing gatekeeper disciples.

After going through some twists and turns, Zhang Chi, who saw Mu Liuyun, hugged him aggrievedly and acted like a baby. Mu Liuyun also felt a little apologetic. These days, he was completely intoxicated in that mysterious martial arts cheat book, not only did he have no time to understand He didn't even think of Zhang Chi's coming today.

But Zhang Chi didn't complain about his indifference and neglect, he just murmured about his thoughts, and then asked worriedly: "I heard from the disciples outside that you are recuperating in retreat, what's the matter? repeatedly?"

Mu Liuyun shook his head: "The master gave me a secret book left by the founder of the mountain. It is a special inner strength method that the ancestor comprehended when his tendons were injured. If I can also comprehend the mystery in it, maybe it can make me feel better. My skill has returned to the original level, and it has even improved to a higher level. The master announced that I am retreating, and he also hopes that I can study this secret book without interruption."

Hearing this great news, Zhang Chi couldn't care less about the grievance of being neglected, and excitedly grabbed his hand and asked repeatedly: "There is such a good thing, how is your practice, is it effective?"

"I can already feel the movement of true qi, but there are still some things I don't understand. I haven't understood the key yet."

"Don't be in a hurry, just think slowly, your talent is so outstanding, you will definitely be able to practice it." Zhang Chi smiled happier than eating honey, even Mu Liuyun didn't have him when he first learned that he still had hope of recovery So excited, he excitedly took out two identical kits from his arms, and handed one to Mu Liuyun, "Come, the promised token of love!"

Mu Liuyun almost forgot about it. He took it over and took a closer look. The brocade bag was made of expensive silk, embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns on the surface, and there was a small jade pendant on it. Look, inside are two locks of hair that were carefully tied with red thread and then knotted with each other. There is a clear difference in hair quality, half from Zhang Chi and half from Mu Liuyun.

"Is there... is there anything special about this?" When Mu Liuyun saw the complicated knot, he felt that things had become less simple.

"Hey hey...you just need to know that this means long-lasting love." Zhang Chi hugged Mu Liuyun's waist, getting tired of him and refused to let go. Mu Liuyun thought for a while: "Where do I seem to be?" I have seen such a sentence in this book, 'Tie hair as husband and wife, there is no doubt about love and affection', is this what it means?"

"Hey, so Liuyun, you know this too!" Zhang Chi felt that it was a bit strange for two big men to call "husband and wife", especially Mu Liuyun, who was always below, might be a little concerned about this statement , so I didn't say it clearly, but Mu Liuyun just responded and silently put away the kit.

Following this "token of love", Mu Liuyun remembered another thing that he almost forgot: "Speaking of which, there are only two months left before the wedding of Master Qin."

Zhang Chi nodded: "Well, I will definitely go to participate then, Liuyun, will you go?"

Mu Liuyun wondered: "Don't you still have a lot of things to do in the capital? You won't be able to come back to Jinghong Villa in three or five days."

"Then we have to go too. We agreed to go and see it together." Zhang Chi sat down still restlessly, insisting on holding Mu Liuyun's hand and talking, "And this trip is also for business, about the murder of Lord Hou. case, I have some news that I must go to Jinghong Villa to confirm on the spot."

"What's going on?" Mu Liuyun didn't want to ask about other things, but he was still concerned about the progress of this case.

Zhang Chi hesitated for a moment before continuing: "Liu Yun, I know you regard Qin Wuqi as a close friend, but Qin Wuqi may really have a major connection with the murder of Lord Hou. It is to find more clues."

"Oh? Then what have you found out now?"

"That happened last year. Qin Wuqi originally came to the capital to deal with some matters related to Miss Cheng's engagement, but during that time, he was secretly arrested by Lord Hou for a while, and both sides kept it a secret Come down, so there is no disturbance in the rivers and lakes, and I only found out after I took over the Eagle League Guard."

Mu Liuyun frowned and said, "How dare the Marquis of Yongning arrest such a person with great influence in the world? And with Qin Wuqi's martial arts, how did he do it?"

"It is no accident that Lord Hou got to where he is today. With his means and courage, he has indeed done such a thing." Zhang Chi analyzed for him, "Although the relationship between the imperial court and Jinghong Villa has not really been torn apart, It's a shameless battle, but the conflict of interest between the two seems to be irreconcilable. Sooner or later, anyway, there will always be a day when you will die, so it is better to find an opportunity to strike first. Hou Ye used it Some schemes, poisoned Qin Wuqi's food, made him temporarily lose the power to resist, and then put him under house arrest in the mansion under the pretext of being a guest, and planned to negotiate terms with Jinghong Villa, intending to fight without bloodshed. Get rid of the most powerful force in this arena."

"...Then what happened next?"

Zhang Chi took a sip of tea before continuing: "Of course Jinghong Villa organized a rescue secretly. I don't know what kind of confrontation they have had, but the final result is very surprising. According to the guards of the Yongning Houfu , They had already prepared a net to catch the masters who came to save people in one fell swoop, but in the end Jinghong Villa sent an old woman. You may still have a little impression of this person, that is, Qin Wuqi's wet nurse, the Qing Wan who was held hostage by the Red Lotus Sect assassin last time, she met with Lord Hou in private, and no one knew what they had said, but Lord Hou released Qin Wuqi the next day. No conditions were mentioned."

"Could it be that there is something in Qing Wan's hands?"

"I thought about it too, but I couldn't find any clues left and right, so I wanted to go forward and investigate Lord Hou's past, but I actually found out a very strange thing." Zhang Chi said in a mysterious tone, "You may still remember I told you that Qin Wuqi's mother, Situ Yanran, was a famous beauty and the daughter of the famous musician Situ Pan. Back then, Qin Wushang, the poisonous doctor, worshiped Situ Pan as his teacher to learn vocal music, and had a brother and sister with Situ Yanran. Later, he married her as his wife and gave birth to Qin Wuqi the following year."

Mu Liuyun nodded, expressing that he still had an impression: "Is this related to the Marquis of Yongning?"

"I also just found out that shortly before Situ Yanran and Qin Wushang got married, she was still engaged to another person, and that person was Yi Jiangliu who later became Marquis of Yongning."

"……what happened?"

"Master Hou had a marriage contract with Situ Yanran, and according to the information collected by my subordinates in the local area, the relationship between the two is not only the order of the parents, but also often meets in private, and the relationship is very good. But before Yi Jiangliu was about to get married, he suddenly married Princess Yaoping." Zhang Chi sighed, "From other aspects, Lord Hou is a person who has made great contributions to the country and the people, but in this matter In terms of things, it was really not a thing. At that time, Princess Yaoping had already had a secret relationship with someone. The Emperor Taizu was eager to marry her for the sake of fame. Lord Hou saw a great opportunity to become the core of power. So he abandoned his old love and entered into this marriage. With this level of in-law relationship, Emperor Taizu felt at ease regarding Lord Hou as one of his own, and delegated him more power. Only then did he have the situation he is today And that Situ Yanran hurriedly married her senior brother Qin Wushang not long after she met with remorse."

Mu Liuyun guessed: "So after seeing Qin Wuqi's nurse, Marquis Yongning uncharacteristically let Qin Wuqi go, could it be because he suddenly knew that Qin Wuqi was actually his child?"

Even Mu Liuyun, a person who has no interest in gossip and secrets, can think of things, of course Zhang Chi thought of it: "I also had such a guess, after all, Senior Ye Qinghong was still the owner of Jinghong Villa at that time, so it would take more or less For fear of reputation, he can't be openly ambiguous with his brother-in-law, so it's not surprising that Qin Wushang married a wife to cover up people's eyes. They were married in March, and Qin Wuqi was born in February of the following year, but he was pregnant for ten months after getting married. At that time, Hou Ye and the eldest princess Yaner were newly married, and they were besieging the capital with the emperor. In the capital and in Wuling, there is no chance to meet each other at all, how could Lord Hou let Situ Yanran get pregnant?"

"But the relationship between Qin Wushang and Ye Qinghong is like ours, how could Qin Wushang let Situ Yanran become pregnant?"