To The Land of Nevernight

Xiao Lu's mansion is in the south of Xijin Mansion. When Qiao Jiu arrived in a carriage, the outside of Xiao Lu's mansion was already full of traffic and guests.Almost all the dignitaries and aristocrats of Xijin Mansion came, not to mention Qiao Jiu, a little-known tea merchant in the Song Dynasty, even Xiao Lu could only nod and bow in front of these high-ranking officials, laughing repeatedly.

Xiao Lu stood at the gate and greeted the guests in person.

Qiao Jiu came up with a gift.Seeing that he was alone, Xiao Lu subconsciously glanced behind him, only to see a servant walking along with Qiao Jiu.

Xiao Lu's eyes rolled, and there was no change on the surface. He asked, "Brother Qiao, why didn't you bring your son? A few days ago, you came to my house for a banquet. I saw that you were inconvenient, so I made a special trip this time. I sent you an extra invitation."

Qiao Jiu: "Mr. Xiao doesn't know something. The dog is not feeling well. Otherwise, how can I not bring him to learn more about such a big scene."

Xiao Lu didn't say any more, and asked the servant to take Qiao Jiu in.

Qiao Jiu acted like a country bumpkin who was seeing the world for the first time. He couldn't afford to offend any of the high-ranking officials of the Liao Kingdom, so he could only come to the corner alone.He wanted to talk to these senior officials, but he didn't dare, appearing cramped and reserved.

At the climax of the moon, more than half of the seats in the banquet hall were filled, only the top two main seats were left empty.

This time Xiao Lu's backstage, Zuo Pingzhang's political affairs officer Xiao Zhen also came to the banquet, but together with Xiao Lu, he did not take a seat, but waited anxiously at the door.The guests complimented each other and chatted, and their eyes glanced at the door from time to time, as if expecting someone to appear there.

Another half an hour later, a carriage rattled up from the corner of the street.When Xiao Zhen and Xiao Lu saw the carriage, they both showed ecstatic expressions.Before the carriage drove to the door, the two warmly greeted them.

Liao people have a bad habit of using people as carts.

Xiao Zhen respectfully lifted the curtain for the owner of the carriage. Liao merchant Xiao Lv even said nothing, knelt down flatteringly on the ground, propped his arms on the ground, raised his buttocks, and made himself a living a pedal.

Xiao Zhen shouted loudly: "Welcome Second Highness!"

In Xiao's mansion, those absent-minded officials immediately left their seats and gathered outside the door.Qiao Jiu was shocked when he heard the words "Second Highness", and he followed the crowd to the door.The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a middle-aged man with a sinister appearance came out of the carriage first. When he came out, he didn't step on Xiao Lu as a carriage pedal, but got off the carriage from the wooden cart beside him.

Behind him, a handsome young man in a brocade robe stepped on Xiao Lu's back, stepped on him, and got off the carriage.

This young man has a pair of long and narrow eyes, and his brows are delicate, but there is a hint of fierceness in his brows that cannot be concealed.He was holding a folding fan that Song people liked to use, and he was wearing an elegant appearance.But Qiao Jiu has been around for many years, and he can tell at a glance that this young man is by no means as gentle and elegant as he looks on the outside.

Outside the Xiao Mansion, the officials of the Xijin Mansion saluted Brother Yelushe in unison.

Brother Yelushe smiled slightly, and he said: "Brother She encountered some incidents on the road, and he came a bit late, adults, please don't mind."

In a daze, Qiao Jiu seemed to see the shadow of a civil official of the Song Dynasty from the second prince of the Liao Kingdom.But then he came back to his senses, the second prince was wearing a refined skin of Song people, at most he could fool those Liao people, he was still different from the real Song officials.

Brother Yelushe stepped into the mansion first, and the rest followed him.

After all the officials went in, Xiao Lv, who was lying on the ground, stood up and hurriedly followed.

The banquet was said to be hosted by Xiao Lu, and the banquet was held in Xiao's mansion, but from the beginning to the end, Xiao Lu was like a servant serving food.During the banquet, many officials could only hear Yelushege and Yeluqin praising Yelushege and Yeluqin. From time to time, Xiao Zhen, Zuo Pingzhang's political officer, would also say a few words.

Brother Yelushe is a very unassuming prince of the Liao Kingdom.

Qiao Jiu didn't know if the other princes of the Liao Kingdom were like this, but at this banquet, no matter which official spoke, even Xiao Lu who was a businessman spoke, Brother Yelushe would put on an appearance of listening patiently.

In the end, the Liao officials all cast admiring glances at Brother Yelushe, and even Qiao Jiu admitted that this Brother Yelushe was the most kind and family-friendly among the high-ranking officials and nobles of the Liao Kingdom he had ever met.

Whether he is pretending or real, Brother Yelushe is a wonderful flower in the court of Liao Kingdom.

After the banquet was over, Qiao Jiu wanted to have a few words with Xiao Lu. It would be best to introduce him to Brother Yelushe.However, Xiao Lu had no time to talk to him at all, so Qiao Jiu could only leave resentfully.

After returning to the house, he immediately reported the matter to Tang Shen.

Tang Shen was startled: "Brother Yelushe, the second prince of the Liao Kingdom? Why did he come to Xijin Mansion?"

Tang Shen only thought that the big man in Xiao Lu's mouth was Yeluqin who was deployed in the palace, but he never thought that it was Brother Yelushe!

Among the four sons of Emperor Liao, the eldest son Yeluzhan took the title of eldest son, the third prince Yeluhan was of noble birth, and the fourth prince Yelulong was really the youngest son.But the second prince Yelushege was the most trusted by Emperor Liao.

The two most likely candidates to inherit the Liao Emperor's throne are Yeluhan and Brother Yelushe.

Xijin Mansion is thousands of miles away from Shangjing, why did Brother Yelushe travel thousands of miles to come here, and Yeluqin came with him?

Tang Shen frowned, thinking carefully.He called Lu Shen, and he didn't talk nonsense, "If you want to monitor the whereabouts of Yeluqin and Brother Yelushe without being discovered by them, can you do it?"

Lu Shen has been secretly investigating the news of the Liao Dynasty imperial court these days, as soon as Tang Shen said, he knew who these two people were.Lu Shen thought deeply: "Although the general did not find out that Brother Yelushe had also come to Xijin Mansion, the general has known about Yeluqin's whereabouts for a long time. Yeluqin didn't bring any guards. He went into battle lightly. There are no good people around, otherwise the general will not be able to easily investigate his whereabouts. It is very likely that the prince of the Liao Kingdom is protected by hidden guards, but Yeluqin is different. It is not a problem to only monitor Yeluqin with a little attention. "

Tang Shen: "Brother Yelushe and Yeluqin are both at the mansion of Liao Shang Xiaolu now, after they leave, you will follow Yeluqin."

"The last general takes orders."

What happened in Xijin Mansion greatly exceeded Tang Shen's expectations, and Tang Shen had to be on guard with Yeluqin's arrival.He had already packed his luggage and decided to return to Youzhou early tomorrow morning.

At the same time, in Xiao Lu's mansion, when those officials left, Brother Yelushe and Yeluqin did not leave.

Xiao Lu knew that Brother Yelushe admired Han culture and was good at calligraphy and painting, so he specially bought many famous paintings at a high price, and asked Brother Yelushe to appreciate them.Seeing so many famous paintings by famous artists, Brother Yelushe was also slightly surprised. He looked down at Xiao Lu and said with a smile, "Mr. Xiao has a lot of treasures in his family."

How dare Xiao Lu let Brother Yelushe say that about himself, he immediately said: "I heard that His Highness likes calligraphy and painting, so I collected them specially for you. If His Highness likes, you can choose."

"There is a saying in the Song Dynasty that a gentleman should not take what others like. How can I take away what you like?"

"Small people don't have the vision to appreciate these. It is their blessing that these calligraphy and paintings fall into the hands of His Highness."

Brother Yelushe didn't say any more, he began to appreciate the calligraphy and painting carefully, and at the same time acquiesced to Xiao Lu's behavior of following him.Xiao Lu was so excited that he didn't dare to speak out, so he could only follow Yelushe brother.

In the next room, Tang Shen's old acquaintance Yeluqin talked to Xiao Zhen with a cold face.

The big man in Xijin Mansion, Mr. Xiao Zhen, who can make the whole Xijin Mansion tremble by stomping his feet, is submissive at this moment, for fear of making a wrong sentence and making Yeluqin displeased.The two were talking about the recent situation in Xijin Mansion. At the end of the talk, Yeluqin saw that the time was almost up and got up to leave.

Xiao Zhen remembered something, he hesitated for a moment, and said: "My lord, there is a Song merchant at the banquet today, I wonder if you have seen it before."

Yeluqin thought for a while: "The one sitting on the farthest?"

"It's this person." Xiao Zhen winked at Yeluqin, and said ambiguously: "This Song merchant is a tea merchant, and his business is quite big, and he wants to cooperate with the lower official. But other than that...he has A son, handsome and pretty, Xiao Lu said he is a literati, very weak like those scholars in the Song Dynasty, I think..."

"boom!"

The tea cup wiped Xiao Zhen's forehead and hit the ground, Xiao Zhen's eyes widened in fright, and he dared not breathe.

Yeluqin sneered and said, "You can comment on the matter of the Second Highness? Your Highness hates villains who flatter and give gifts to him the most. It seems that you have never heard of it. The last person from Song who was sent to the Second Highness's bed was How could he be cut in half by the Second Highness with a knife, and the blood flowed like a river?"

Xiao Zhen tremblingly said: "The young ones dare not, the young ones dare not."

Yeluqin: "Just don't dare. Don't be an example, let's go!"

"Yes."

Xiao Zhen and Xiao Lu sent Brother Yelushe and Yeluqin out, Brother Yelushe picked out three or four paintings, before leaving he said to Xiao Lu: "Today's banquet was very well organized, please excuse me." His tone was gentle, The attitude is close.

Xiao Lu was flattered: "The little one is willing to do the work of a dog and a horse for His Highness!"

Brother Yelushe smiled, got in the car and left without saying a word.

After they left, Xiao Zhen slapped Xiao Lu on the face, and said coldly: "I want you to mention the matter of 'gifting' to the Second Highness! Who is the Second Highness, such a distinguished person like him, what do you want?" I can’t get it, and you still need to give it a gift? Get out, don’t mention this kind of thing in front of me again!”

Xiao Lu was slapped severely, and he was angry, but more joyful.After tonight, he, Xiao Lu, has been different from ordinary people since then, and his prosperous future has just begun!

In the dark night, a dark figure flashed past, followed Yelushege's carriage, and no one noticed.

Along the way, Brother Yelushe closed his eyes and meditated, Yeluqin did not speak.He didn't tell Brother Yelushe about Xiao Zhen's desire to "give a gift". Telling this would only make Brother Yelushe angry, and the gain outweighs the loss.

The two came to Yeluqin's mansion.

After getting off the carriage, Yeluqin personally sent Brother Yelushe to the wing.When he left, Brother Yelushe stopped him and said with a smile: "Mr. Yelu, you should rest early tonight, and tomorrow you will accompany me to the Xijin Mansion military camp to have a look."

Yeluqin took a deep look at Brother Yelushe.He clenched his fist with his right hand, placed it across his chest, and saluted: "I know."

Lu Shen followed Yeluqin to his study.

Yeluqin didn't go back to his room to fall asleep. He read a book for a while, then got up and opened the secret compartment in the study, and quietly hid a letter in it.It was late at night, and he seemed to remember Yelushege's words, and planned to blow on the lamp to go to sleep.At this moment, a figure broke through the window, the knife flashed, and the visitor shouted angrily, and stabbed Yeluqin with his knife.

"Assassins! There are assassins!"

Yeluqin was shocked, and even Lu Shen, who was watching outside the house, opened his eyes wide in horror.

In the silent night, Yeluqin's voice spread throughout the mansion, and soon there were footsteps coming from a distance.The assassin drew his sword and wanted to kill Yeluqin, but Yeluqin dodged left and right.Seeing that the guards were about to arrive, the assassin gritted his teeth, split open the hidden compartment with a knife, took out the letter Yeluqin put inside, turned around and ran away.

There was chaos in the study, and Lu Shen was dumbfounded watching from outside.He was thinking about whether he should run away quickly, if he was caught because of this, it might ruin Tang Shen's affairs.

Then, he saw Yeluqin frowning, showing displeasure.After hesitating for a while, Yeluqin suddenly took out a dagger from his sleeve and stabbed it at his shoulder without hesitation.

Immediately, blood flowed.

The guards rushed into the study immediately, and brother Yelushe hurried over, wearing an underwear and only a cloak.

Brother Yelushe said in surprise: "Lord Yelu?!"

Yeluqin's face was pale, and he clutched his bleeding shoulder: "Your Highness, there are, there are assassins, there are assassins..." After the words fell, he was exhausted, fell back on the ground, and passed out.