Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 323 Death under Peony Flowers

Gugu————

Several nighthawks artificially bred in the palace quietly landed on the branches, hiding in the dark under the cover of night. From time to time, they turned their heads left and right to look around. At the slightest sign of trouble, the nighthawks would immediately shout out a warning.

But with their eyesight, they could not see a ghostly figure quietly floating into the main hall of Kunning Palace.

The room was dimly lit with yellow lights, and a tea table, small desk, wardrobe and various other furniture were neatly displayed. On the table was an incense burner with a thousand-ounce worth of longevity incense burning to cover up the slight residual smell of the dinner.

The Empress Dowager had just returned from bathing in Qingze Palace, her jet-black hair casually draped over her waist. She stood in front of the floor-length bronze mirror and unfastened the belt of her phoenix skirt with her bare hands, letting the dark red dress slide down her plump figure.

All of a sudden, a deep red bellyband embroidered with a phoenix in gold thread appeared in the mirror, swaying. The phoenix looked bloated, as if it had eaten too much.

It is completely not in the same league as the cute five-clawed golden dragon that the Empress Dali can't even support.

The empress dowager looked at herself in the mirror with her mature and beautiful face, then turned sideways and tilted her head to admire her figure from a different angle. The captivating curve was enough to drive all men in the world crazy.

She gently pinched her fat-free waist with her bare hands, and her snow-white skin began to turn slightly red.

Unlike the Queen Mother herself, her body was unexpectedly sensitive and weak, and she could not stand being bullied at all.

Zhao Wumian quietly walked into the room, looking at the empress dowager's charming body. Seeing this scene and thinking about it, he felt a sense of contrast in his heart... and his mouth became more and more dry.

The empress dowager took a few glances and then retracted her gaze. She bent down and pulled the thin pants to her knees. Then she lifted her snow-white legs like milk pillars one by one, and her feet in white socks stretched out from the palace shoes. She stepped on the thin pants, intending to hook the thin pants with the instep of her feet and kick them aside.

As a result, Zhao Wumian couldn't resist the temptation of the empress dowager and stepped forward when the action was only halfway done.

"Um!?"

The Queen Mother was still bending over, and suddenly she felt a pair of familiar hands touching places that shouldn't be touched, which frightened her instinctively, but she quickly regained her composure after recognizing the person behind her.

The empress dowager was not shy at all. Instead of putting on the thin pants, she kicked them off with her jade feet. Her curvaceous body was only covered with a bellyband and pure white silk stockings. She stood up slowly and looked at the man behind her through the floor-length mirror without looking back.

Her beautiful face, which looked like that of a young woman in her twenties, was covered with a barely perceptible smile. "Marquis Weiming... had an affair with the Empress Dowager of this dynasty. Do you still have any loyalty and etiquette as a subject?"

Zhao Wumian just looked at the empress dowager's delicate body through the mirror, and his breathing began to become heavy.

The Queen Mother and Luo Chaoyan are actually somewhat similar in some ways.

It is not deserted, but densely populated.

But the Queen Mother was 28 years old after all, and her mature demeanor was completely different from Luo Chaoyan...

He placed his chin on the Queen Mother's fragrant shoulder in an ambiguous posture, buried his nose between the Queen Mother's snow-white neck and hair, and said muffledly: "Queen Mother, you smell so good..."

"Humph, you only know this sentence over and over again."

The empress dowager snorted lightly, walked away from Zhao Wumian's clutches, went to the dressing table to get a box of rouge, and then went to the small table, picked up the wine pot that was left over from dinner, and poured herself a glass of wine.

Gululu————

The gentle sound of wine pouring into the cup seemed to be alluring for some reason in the silent Kunning Palace.

The empress dowager was slowly applying rouge with her other hand. When the wine glass was full, she picked it up, turned around and faced Zhao Wumian, leaned on the small table, crossed her snow-white long legs, and her little feet in white socks seemed to be wearing high heels, and her graceful arch of the foot tapped lightly in the air.

Every move she makes exudes the charm and leisure that is unique to a young woman.

The Queen Mother placed her red lips on the edge of the wine glass and sipped the wine. She looked at Zhao Wumian with a smile in her beautiful eyes and said, "Your Highness smells like Xiangge... Did you just kiss her?"

"We were alone for a while while Her Majesty was bathing." Zhao Wumian walked forward, caressing the phoenix with his fingertips, sliding slowly from the crimson cloth to the side until it reached the edge.

Just when Zhao Wumian was about to extend his evil hand again, the queen mother dodged his hand again, and left with the wine jug in one hand and the wine glass in the other.

As the empress dowager walked with her back to Zhao Wumian, the straps of her pink bellyband on her back swayed, creating a stark contrast with her snow-white skin and a sense of pure desire.

"You just kissed my niece, and now you're in such a hurry to come here again..." The queen mother came to the square table with a pot of peonies on it.

Many of the peonies have withered and do not look very pretty, but the vase is luxurious and even a rough man like Zhao Wumian knows that it is worth a lot of money.

The Queen Mother put down her wine glass and wine pot, picked up the flower pot, sniffed the fragrance of the flowers, and sneered, "My Lord, you must be secretly happy, right?"

Zhao Wumian stood behind her, still resting his chin on the empress dowager's fragrant shoulder, and said with a smile: "Why are you secretly happy? I have been greedy for the queen's body for a long time...it's better to be happy openly."

"Sweet talk." The empress dowager put down the flowerpot, picked up the wine glass, and raised her bare hand to pass the glass to Zhao Wumian's mouth.

There were traces of rouge applied by the Empress Dowager on the edge of the wine glass. Zhao Wumian followed the traces and drank the wine in the glass.

The Queen Mother stared at him sideways, noticing this small detail, and raised the corner of her mouth imperceptibly. She put down the wine glass, raised Zhao Wumian's chin with her fingertips, turned her head and kissed him affectionately on the face, with a smile in her tone:

"My Lord, did you not lie to me?"

"What did you lie to the Queen Mother about?"

"Let me be a swallow again." The Queen Mother's tone was full of innocence, like a young girl, full of expectations for the future.

Zhao Wumian rested his head on the empress dowager's shoulders and said with a smile, "I suddenly feel that my amnesia is not such a bad thing."

"Because in this way, the Marquis will be able to get to know Luo Chaoyan and have a chance to fall in love with me?"

"No." Zhao Wumian said, "I have just been to Jin, Qin, Shu, the capital...what else? Jiangyou, Donghai, Jiangnan, Yanyun, Western Regions...Have the Queen Mother been to these places?"

"I go to Yanyun often. I would like to go to other places, but after entering the palace, I obviously don't have the opportunity."

"That's great, it's our first time going there."

The Queen Mother was slightly startled, and then couldn't help laughing out loud, her laughter was ethereal and pleasant, she was as innocent as a young girl in love, and said to her lover naively: "That's great, when can we leave the palace together again."

Zhao Wumian laughed dumbly, and then said in embarrassment: "I'm afraid it won't work in a short time."

"Why?" The Queen Mother spoke each word slowly and deliberately blew breath towards Zhao Wumian's face. Her every move was filled with a bit of girlish innocence, which reminded Zhao Wumian of Su Qingqi.

It feels warm to the touch, and there is a faint fragrance with a hint of alcohol on the nose.

Zhao Wumian held the Queen Mother's hand and interlocked their fingers, "Because I am now a flower thief..."

The Queen Mother raised her eyebrows slightly, her smile deepened, and she raised her fingertips and gently stroked Zhao Wumian's lips, "My Lord, do you want to pick this flower of mine?"

"Isn't this what the Queen Mother just said? I have no choice but to accept it..."

Zhao Wumian came forward, and then the Queen Mother's fingertips slid to his forehead, moved back a little, and pushed him away, "No, the Marquis promised me that he can only do that if the Marquis likes me more than Xiao Yuanmu."

After she finished speaking, the Queen Mother turned around again, with her back to him, and looked back at him charmingly, "Although if the Marquis wants to use force, I will definitely not be able to resist...but the Marquis will not do that, right?"

Zhao Wumian nodded slightly, but his hands did not stop, leaving many red marks on the empress dowager's snow-white skin.

After getting the answer, the Queen Mother smiled with satisfaction, and then for some reason, she raised her hand to take the peony out of the vase, and under Zhao Wumian's puzzled gaze, she held the wine jug with her bare hands.

"Queen Mother?"

The Queen Mother said nothing, but turned her back to Zhao Wumian, slowly leaned over, and laid her upper body on the square table.

Zhao Wumian's breath was choked.

The Queen Mother turned her head to look at him, and saw Zhao Wumian's dazed look, with her eyes narrowed like crescents, full of charm.

The Queen Mother placed the peony flower on her slender waist, which was almost parallel to the ground. Then she held the wine jug with her backhand and poured the wine little by little onto her pink back.

The empress dowager had a great figure, with a small groove in the midline of her slender waist, so the wine did not spill out to the side at all. The empress dowager slowly raised her waist, and under the action of gravity, the wine slowly slid down the midline of her pink back.

Snap————

The peony flowers fell to the ground, and drops of wine hit the center of the flower, making a snapping sound.

The Queen Mother turned her head and looked at Zhao Wumian, her eyes smiling, as if she was shy and charming, "My Lord... aren't you going to pick flowers..."

Zhao Wumian's breathing quickened. He didn't expect that the Queen Mother was determined and unwilling to give it to him easily, but she was willing to... just sing a song.

Died under the peony flower, the petals stained with wine.

In the next few days, Tong Congdao's activities of picking flowers in the capital became more and more intense, and all the famous courtesans in the capital could not escape his clutches.

The courtesans were terrified. No matter they spent huge sums of money hiring guards, or closed their doors to visitors, hid themselves outside, or even sought help from the court, they could not escape his clutches.

For a time, Tong Congdao's name was heard everywhere in the streets and alleys of Beijing, even overshadowing Zhao Wumian who had just become the leader of swordsmen.

As the news of yet another courtesan being murdered spread, the capital was shaken. Everyone knew that only one courtesan was still alive and well.

Once the cold moon and the clear flame.

The situation has come to this. Since Tong Congdao has already collected so many courtesans, there is absolutely no way he will let Qingyan go... Compared with Qingyan, the other courtesans can be called vulgar women.

If Tong Congdao can really succeed in the end, his status and fame in the underworld will probably reach an unprecedented level.

Throughout history, there have been countless flower thieves in the world, but the only one who could act so recklessly under the feet of the emperor was probably Tong Congdao.

But in the end, if Tong Congdao didn't come, if he didn't even dare to show his face in front of Zeng Lengyue, then everyone would know that Tong Congdao was cowardly and afraid, and he would probably become a laughing stock in the world.

Qing Yan's reputation in the capital was so great that even many court officials could not help but write letters to the emperor mentioning the matter of Tong Congdao.

Generally speaking, such underworld affairs are handled by the Detective Department itself. Unless the impact is too bad, it is not worthy of being discussed specifically by the court officials during the court session. However, Tong Congdao's behavior in the capital was so outrageous that it could be said to be rubbing the face of the court.

If Tong Congdao cannot be captured, the imperial court will lose face.

Many travelers who were lucky enough to have seen Qingyan from afar have been very nervous these days, fearing that they would wake up every day to hear the news that Qingyan had also been captured by Tong Congdao.

They spontaneously gave Zeng Lengyue large amounts of silver and jewelry, just to do their best to help increase the number of guards.

The dazzling array of jewels and silver made even Xiao Yuanmu smile happily... In just these few days, Zeng Lengyue's income was equal to that of the previous year.

"Come in, is this your first time in a place like this?"

Zhao Wumian, with a sword slung across his waist and wearing a white robe, looked cold and extraordinary. He led Luo Xiangzhu into Zeng Lengyue.

Luo Xiangzhu was wearing a veiled hat and nodded slightly. She held the brim of the hat with one hand and held Zhao Wumian's sleeve with the other hand. Her pretty face was slightly red. She didn't dare to look around at all and kept staring at her chest with her eyes down.

She breathed a sigh of relief only when she arrived at the side room and saw that there was no one around.

Xiao Yuanmu sat in front of a small table, fanning himself with a round fan, and sipped his tea slowly. "You did a good job this time. If the court really can't catch Tong Congdao, it will be a huge loss of face."

Zhao Wumian took an apple from the fruit plate, wiped it with his sleeve and handed it to Luo Xiangzhu, and said to Xiao Yuanmu, "If Tong Congdao is really scared and dare not come, there are also a few flower thieves in the Zhaoyu of the Detective Department who can be pushed out to take the blame..."

Luo Xiangzhu held the apple in both hands, blinked, and looked at Zhao Wumian with a confused expression... Then why brought her to such a place?
Zhao Wumian remembered that Luo Xiangzhu would definitely not eat the apple while holding it, so he took it and cut it into slices with a knife on the table, saying:
"The Huanzhen Pavilion doesn't have the heart to snatch the Four Glazed Jades from us. If they really want to get the Cuojin Boshan Furnace, the most efficient way is to hand over the Glazed Lamp and wait for us to go find the Cuojin Boshan Furnace before snatching it away... Tong Congdao suddenly came to the capital and disappeared. He probably came for this purpose. He is very likely to have the Glazed Lamp with him." Zhao Wumian sliced ​​the apple, put it on a plate, picked up the plate and handed it to Luo Xiangzhu, "With you here, the possibility of finding him is greater."

Luo Xiangzhu picked up a piece of apple and put it between her pink lips, chewing it slowly.

These days she often went out with Shen Xiangge, and knew that Zhao Wumian was looking for Tong Congdao. Hearing this, she patted her chest and held her head high.

I will handle it.

Zhao Wumian smiled, and then heard Xiao Yuanmu ask, "Is there any news about Su Huaixi? Xu Ran wouldn't really die in Mo Jingxue's hands."

"The letter came yesterday. It's impossible that there would be no movement when the martial arts masters fight. Commander Xu and Mo Jingxue and others fought in the Cangzhou area. Many people saw it. But with their martial arts skills, if they really wanted to escape, they could run hundreds of miles in a few hours. That's why Chief Constable Su is still looking for them. Commander Xu also left a secret code when he escaped. I guess there should be some results in the next few days."

Zhao Wumian recalled a little bit. He and Chief Constable Su acted separately and each performed their own duties. There was no point in worrying now. The important thing to do first was to capture Tong Congdao.

He sat down at the small table, took a piece of apple and put it in his mouth, then propped up his face and looked out the window. He could see the vast lake shining brightly in the sun, with golden light and many people walking on the shore.

"With Tong Congdao's status, he has offended countless people in the martial arts world. If he was so impulsive, he would not have lived to this age." Xiao Yuanmu also picked up a piece of apple, "Maybe he has already left the capital."

"According to what Senior Song said, Tong Congdao had a strong desire to win when he was young. If he still has some of the spirit he had when he was young..." Zhao Wumian paused, shook his head slightly, and smiled, "Just wait for a day or two. If he doesn't come, then don't come. I'll think of a way."

Xiao Yuanmu pondered for a moment and thought to himself that Tong Congdao was like a dead man in the capital without any movement. No one knew where he was or what he was planning.

Zhao Wumian obviously didn't want to sit and wait for Tong Congdao to slowly lay out the plan, so he wanted to give it a try... There would be no loss if he failed, at most it would bring shame to the court.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yuanmu said no more.

On the top floor of Zeng Lengyue's house, Shen Xiangge hugged her chest and looked at Qingyan who was sitting in front of the dressing table and dressing herself up. She didn't know where Zhao Wumian found this little maid from, but she was indeed so beautiful that she looked like an ordinary person.

Tap tap tap————

There were footsteps behind him, and Zhao Wumian pushed the door open and walked in. "Are you ready?"

Qing Yan nodded slightly, and looked sideways at Zhao Wumian with a loving look in his eyes, "Young Master, I can do whatever you want..."

Shen Xiangge couldn't stand Qing Yan's look, so he snorted and opened the window.
call----

The spring breeze mixed with a hint of lake water blew into the house, and the dark red gauze hanging from the ceiling swayed gently in the wind.

There were flying birds circling over the lake, soaring around Zeng Lengyue's pavilion, and chirping from time to time.

Qingyan called the maid and said calmly, "Pass it on. Doesn't Tong Congdao want to collect all the courtesans in the capital?"

"I won't hide or avoid, I'll just stay in Zeng Lengyue with the doors and windows wide open...Give him this opportunity, it depends on whether he has the life to pick it."

Qingyan's words spread throughout the capital that same day.

The whole capital was in uproar.

Tap tap tap——————

Tong Congdao's injuries had almost healed. He was walking on the street leading his horse. With his five senses, he could not hide anything from the conversations of the passers-by on the street.

These days, the situation has been escalating, and Tong Congdao has already guessed Zhao Wumian's purpose... He simply wants to use his reputation in the martial arts world to threaten him and force him to go to Zeng Lengyue.

Xiao Yuanmu guessed correctly. If Tong Congdao didn't even have this much shamelessness, then how could he still live peacefully after offending so many people?

When Li Jingnan and others came to Beijing to break the prison, he delayed Chief Constable Su outside Beijing. He didn't want to enter Beijing at all because he didn't want to be surrounded by experts and unable to escape.

Zeng Lengyue must have set a tight net by now, and he would be a fool to run over there in a fit of rage.

After these days, his mission in the capital has been basically completed, so it would be safest for him to leave now.

As he walked, Tong heard pedestrians talking on the road.

"Hey, hey - I heard that Zeng Lengyue's courtesan has spread the news herself, and the doors and windows are wide open, waiting for Tong Congdao to come over and pick her! But it depends on whether Tong Congdao has the ability to do so!"

"Miss Qingyan, why don't you hide?!"

"What do you know? Miss Qingyan is the most famous courtesan in the capital, how could she be afraid of a mere Tong Congdao? She is obviously arrogant."

"This is probably too hasty. What if Tong Congdao succeeds..."

"To put it bluntly, life is a matter of breath, it's that simple. If Miss Qingyan gives in at this moment, she doesn't deserve to be the most beautiful courtesan in the capital."

"Weiming Hou must also be in Zeng Lengyue, waiting for Tong Congdao to come to him."

"Then Tong Congdao will most likely have to retreat. Keeping the green mountains is the best option."

"That's right. Why risk your life just to compete for supremacy?"

"Weiming Hou is now the leader of the sword, but compared with Tong Congdao, who is stronger?"

"Who knows? Between martial arts masters, only a fight can tell who will win. But Wei Minghou has already transformed into a real dragon. Whoever stands in his way will die. I guess Tong Congdao is no exception."

Tong Congdao paused.

"Huh--" The horse beside him also stopped, tilted its head to look at him, stepped on its front hooves restlessly, snorted, and had a very human expression with a hint of doubt. It was obviously also a good horse.

Aren’t you leaving?

Tong Congdao stood there, silent for a few seconds.

With his martial arts master's bearing, he certainly wouldn't get angry with a few idlers on the street.

But life is a breath... This statement is true.

All warriors who can build the bridge between heaven and earth are arrogant.

Tong Congdao had just scolded Jinse a few days ago, and now he is going to admit defeat?
Tong Congdao had a blank expression on his face. He thought for a long time and just stood on the street with his horse for a long time.

Passersby on the street noticed him and looked at him in confusion.

I don't know how long it was, but suddenly I heard a "boom" sound, and the sky gradually became gloomy, lightning snakes were rolling in the clouds, and raindrops fell.

Tong Congdao thought for a long time and finally made a decision.

He raised his hand and grasped the five-foot-long Miao Dao hanging on the side of the horse's belly, removed it from the saddle, and then patted the horse's butt.

"Go."

The horse felt pain and slowly ran forward a few steps, then looked back at him with a confused expression.

Tong Congdao has disappeared.

Tong Congdao is a warrior, not someone like Luo Shuzhi and Shi Shoujin who can only hide behind the scenes and play tricks.

When Li Jingnan broke into the prison, he was afraid of being surrounded by Su Huaixi and Xu Ran, so he ran away.

After the battle of Longquan, thinking that Zhao Wumian and Meng Po might join forces, he also ran away.

But today, he, Tong Congdao, was provoked by Zeng Lengyue, a little courtesan, in front of all the people in Beijing... and he refused to run away.

Xu Ran and Su Huaixi are outside the capital. Logically speaking, there is only one martial arts champion in the capital, Zhao Wumian... If a fight really breaks out, let’s not talk about who will win or lose, but if Zhao Wumian is the only one left, if he wants to escape, no one can stop him.

Of course, this is just data on paper. Tong Congdao has no idea whether the court still has any martial arts champions or whether it has any backup plans.

If he goes there this time, he might die here.

But which martial arts master would be afraid of death?
People who are afraid of death cannot build the bridge between heaven and earth, and cannot become the best in martial arts. Even Yan Jiu knew this.

This indomitable arrogance in one's heart is the root of becoming the best in martial arts.

If Zhao Wumian were in Tong Congdao's shoes, he would make the same choice.

This is the tacit understanding between them as martial arts masters.

So he came.

"You came?"

Zhao Wumian sat in front of a small table, holding a glass of wine in his hand, with the Wuhen Knife and Qingxu Sword at his side, and asked in a calm tone.

Boom————

It was already late at night. There was thunder outside Zeng Lengyue. The windows were wide open and raindrops drifted into the house with the evening breeze.

"Zheng——"

Qingyan was wearing a white dress, sitting next to Zhao Wumian, with a guqin placed in front of her knees. Her ten jade-like fingers pressed on the strings, plucking them gently, and the sound of the guqin was ethereal.

"You seemed to know I was coming."

The deep red gauze in the room swayed in the wind, and Tong Congdao's shadow could be seen emerging behind the gauze.

"I know." Zhao Wumian drank the wine in one gulp.

"How long did you wait?"

"About a day, from day to late night. Your movements are much slower than I expected."

Tong Congdao raised his eyebrows slightly, "I don't want to die, so I have done some investigation. It seems that you are the only martial arts leader here."

"Beat you...do I need to gang up on you?" Zhao Wumian put down his wine glass with a soft 'pa' sound, and then slowly grasped the Wuhen Knife and Qingxu Sword.

Tong Congdao sneered and said no more.

Boom————

There was another sound of thunder, and a burst of white light illuminated the two people in the house.

"Zheng————"

Qingyan's white and tender little hands pressed down on the vibrating strings of the zither, and the sound of the zither suddenly stopped.

The house fell into deathly silence, but murderous aura rose to the sky.

(End of this chapter)