Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 68: Dense Clouds but No Rain
This was obviously not Luo Chaoyan's first time in Pingyang, so she knew the way. She led Zhao Wumian through the streets and alleys, but because she was worried that someone was watching the Xu family hall, she did not go there directly. Instead, she took out a piece of rice paper from her arms, folded a small paper crane, and threw it out... The paper crane floated in the air for a while, and then landed directly on a willow tree. Then Luo Chaoyan led Zhao Wumian to sit down in front of a tea stall, making sure that she could always see the willow tree.

Zhao Wumian remained silent, thinking that this must be the Xu family's secret code or something... and the waiting time was obviously very boring, so he focused his attention on the conversations of the idle men who were still drinking tea at the tea stall in broad daylight.

"Hey~ When will those bald donkeys from Xiao Xitian come into the temple to let us watch the nine bells?"

"What the hell are you thinking about? How can it be your turn? Many martial arts masters are waiting there eagerly, such as Lingxu Taoist from Zhongnan Mountain and Ye Wancang, the Northern Spear. They have been eating vegetarian food in Xiaoxitian for three months."

"Xiao Xitian already has a Nine Bells. The three major sects have been in a three-way competition for a long time. Now they have another one... I think someone will definitely come to snatch it..."

Zhao Wumian raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this and looked at Luo Chaoyan, "The Nine Bells were taken by Xiao Xitian? How could everyone know about it? It must be a rumor?"

Luo Chaoyan held the tea bowl in both hands, sipping it in small sips. Hearing this, he whispered, "That's basically it. Someone must have some plans for Xiao Xitian, so they spread the false news that Xiao Xitian got another Nine Bells."

"The news that there are nine bells in Pingyang must be false." Zhao Wumian propped up his side face, looking a little bored.

Luo Chaoyan found it interesting and asked with a smile: "Do you really want to snatch the ninth bell with just a few words from Mu Lier?"

The main reason why Luo Chaoyan came here was because she felt that Xu Ran was here. If Xu Ran was not here, she would have gone straight to the capital or gone around to Chu... In fact, she didn't really want to steal the Nine Bells.

After all, what kind of treasure is the Nine Bells? Is it so easy to get it?
"If you can really grab the Nine Bells, your position will be more legitimate. If you are in a legitimate position, you will have more power, which will benefit me more." Zhao Wumian picked up the tea bowl and drank it all. "It's about me, so of course I value it."

"Aren't you afraid that the birds will all be gone and the good bows will be hidden?"

Zhao Wumian tilted his head to look at Luo Chaoyan, and Luo Chaoyan couldn't help but straighten his waist and acted like he was very imposing.

Zhao Wumian shook his head, "How can we start a quarrel before we accomplish our great cause... If I were that kind of person, Miss Su wouldn't have left so easily and left you alone to me."

Although what he said made sense, Luo Chaoyan always felt that the real reason should not be like this...

She wanted to chat more with Zhao Wumian, but then a paper crane floated by from somewhere and appeared in Luo Chaoyan's sight.

She was slightly startled and stood up.

Zhao Wumian said no more, leading the horse and following Luo Chaoyan obediently. He saw Luo Chaoyan turning around and around and finally coming to an alley. There was no one around and the bluestone tiles in the alley were covered with snow. There were no footprints at all. It was obvious that few people had ever set foot here.

There was a small door in the alley. Luo Chaoyan knocked on it several times in a unique rhythm, and the door creaked open.

The two men hurried in, and the two thousand-mile horses could barely get in even with their heads lowered.

Inside the gate was just an ordinary small courtyard with a big locust tree planted in the middle of the courtyard.

An old man with white hair and wrinkles on his face stood in the courtyard, with an expression of surprise on his old face. Even though Luo Chaoyan couldn't see his face clearly because of the hat and raincoat she wore, he knelt down on the spot, bowed his head to the ground, and said in a hoarse voice, "I am ashamed to see you, young lady."

Luo Chaoyan hurriedly helped him up, then turned to look at Zhao Wumian and explained, "He was the chief eunuch who served my mother in the palace. You can call him Lao Li. He watched me grow up in the palace... and after my mother passed away, he resigned and returned to the Xu family. It has been almost ten years now."

Grand Chamberlain? That's a eunuch... But the rank of Grand Chamberlain is not low, he is the head of all the eunuchs in the palace.

After Luo Chaoyan's mother died, he resigned from his official position and served the Xu family... There is obviously a story behind this.

After fighting alone for so long, Zhao Wumian finally met a trustworthy reinforcement. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and raised his hand slightly, "Zhao Wumian."

"I was plotted against by Wang Changzhi and Wu Ming in Qinfeng Village. It was Master Zhao and Qingqi who saved my life and escorted me all the way here."

Luo Chaoyan gave a brief introduction. Upon hearing this, Old Li just stood up and knelt down to Zhao Wumian again, bowing deeply, "Thank you for saving my life, young master!"

Zhao Wumian waved his hand slightly. It was useless to talk nonsense. He asked directly, "Where is my uncle?"

"Uncle?" Old Li's grateful face froze for a moment. He raised his head in confusion and glanced at Luo Chaoyan and Zhao Wumian. His expression was full of disbelief and helplessness. "In times of crisis, it is easy to support each other..."

"We didn't..." Luo Chaoyan blushed instantly, glared at Zhao Wumian, and then hurriedly explained, "How can we talk about love between men and women when we are in danger?"

"Oh..." Old Li stood up and patted the snow on his robe, laughed, and led the two of them into the inner room. Before entering the house, Zhao Wumian tied the two horses that had been robbed with great difficulty under the big locust tree in the yard, put some hay there, and gently patted the big heads of the two horses.

When they entered the house, Old Li had already made tea. Zhao Wumian took off his straw hat and raincoat and looked around. Luo Chaoyan came over, took the raincoat and straw hat and hung them on the rack for him. Her every move was like that of a newly married young wife, full of gentleness and virtuousness.

Old Li saw everything, but his face remained calm. He poured a cup of tea for the two of them, then coughed lightly and said:

"After hearing the news that the young lady was stranded in northern Shanxi, the head of the family brought a group of experts from the Xu family to this place, but we didn't know where the young lady was, so we split up and went to various branches of the Xu family in Jin... Didn't the young lady meet any of her own family members during this trip?"

Luo Chaoyan sat down at the table and shook her head slightly. "We were afraid of being discovered, so we were very careful along the way. We didn't dare to show our faces or contact the Xu family. The only time we entered the city to contact them was to send Qingqi to Hequ to lure the enemy so that we could make a feint to the east and attack in the west."

"Founding in the east and attacking in the west?"

"I went to Taiyuan and stole a few thousand-mile horses. I had planned to go straight to the capital after stealing the horses, but then I thought it would be safest to contact my uncle first, so I came to Pingyang."

"Extreme courage." Old Li was amazed.

"It's just Mr. Zhao's plan. I can only prepare some insignificant medicines to assist along the way." Luo Chaoyan smiled slightly and spoke in a humble tone, but in Lao Li's eyes, this was not much different from showing off his own man.

When Luo Chaoyan entered the palace at the age of two, Old Li watched her grow up in the palace and had already regarded her as his own daughter in his heart... Elders always have some scrutiny when facing the opposite sex brought by their daughters.

However, no matter how much he scrutinized her, it was a fact that Zhao Wumian escorted Luo Chaoyan all the way here. Old Li was still polite and courteous to her, and did not make things difficult for her.

He continued, "Master Xu is not in Pingyang, but in Qinfeng Village, which is where the young lady was stranded. I think you missed it."

Zhao Wumian and Luo Chaoyan looked at each other and sighed secretly. Isn't this the consequence of the inability of information to circulate in real time in this era?

At the beginning, they did not dare to stay near Qinfeng Village. After all, Wu Ming and a group of grassland masters were by their side. Now that they missed them, they can only blame themselves for their bad luck.

"But the head of the family has already made arrangements..." Old Li changed the subject and continued, "When he heard the news about the young lady, he had already mobilized the Yangtze River Navy to go to the sea along the river under the pretext of suppressing the Japanese pirates. In addition, Chief Constable Su has been negotiating with many parties in the court and making arrangements. Now they should be almost at sea. The young lady can hide in secret for a few days, and when the army is stationed in Langfa, she can raise her arms and ascend the throne. This is in accordance with etiquette and law, and she will not be without soldiers and unable to control the people."

Langfa is less than a hundred miles away from the capital. At this distance, no one would doubt it even if Xu Ran said that he planned to quell the rebellion and proclaim himself emperor. But if Luo Chaoyan himself led the troops, there would be no problem.

"Is it so easy to get the army closer to the capital?" Zhao Wumian was a little surprised.

Old Li laughed and said, "Empress Chuyi had a high reputation in the court. Emperor Jingzheng was born in Jingnan, and he was decisive in killing people. He often used military discipline to rectify the court. He would behead people for any minor crime. It was Empress Chuyi who often persuaded them, so that many ministers in the court could avoid punishment..."

After that, he sighed lightly, with some nostalgia in his eyes, "I have received a favor, so I must remember it in my heart. In addition, there are constant political disputes in the court. There are those who support the young emperor, and naturally there are those who support the young lady... According to the speed of the navy, the ship should have entered the sea in seven days. The delay for so long is also the result of someone in the court deliberately blocking it... As for the army, don't worry, young lady, we will handle it."

Queen Chuyi is Luo Chaoyan's mother, but the imperial court is not sentimental. What Old Li said was mostly wishful thinking.

It is definitely not as easy as Lao Li said for the army to enter Beijing. Zhao Wumian sipped his tea, thinking that in just a few days, several movies of "The Ming Dynasty 1566" should be able to be filmed in the court.

However, Zhao Wumian is far away in Jin, so he can't take care of this matter even if he wants to... He just needs to escort Luo Chaoyan back to Beijing. Just as Lao Li said, these military and political affairs will be taken care of by professionals.

Then he listened to Old Li thinking for a while, and then said, "But before returning to Beijing, there is still one thing that needs to be dealt with. The prince's poisoning is still a little strange. If we can't remove this thorn in the court, there is no guarantee that the young lady will repeat the same mistake one day."

It was exactly the same idea as Su Qingqi's.

"Do you have any clues?" Zhao Wumian raised his eyebrows frivolously. "Recently, there is a rumor in Pingyang that Xiao Xitian got the second Nine Bells by chance. According to my intelligence, this is pure speculation. After all, even the style and function of this Nine Bells have not been spread. However, it still caused a lot of controversy in the martial arts world. Many famous people in the martial arts world gathered in Pingyang, trying to force Xiao Xitian to show them and prove his innocence."

"Even if Xiao Xitian really got the second Nine Bells, what does it have to do with these outsiders?" Luo Chaoyan frowned slightly, "Forcing him to prove himself is a shameless act."

"Xiao Xitian is the righteous path, and the righteous path is easily kidnapped by morality. Those people in the martial arts world probably understand in their hearts that this is just a rumor, so in the end they will definitely ask Xiao Xitian to take out the 'Pearl Relic Treasure Tower' for the world to observe. After all, as long as you gain a little insight beside Jiu Zhong, you can benefit infinitely. Few warriors can resist such temptation. I think Wugong Mountain and Jianzong are often harassed like this..." Zhao Wumian replied.

Then he pondered for a while, "But Miss Guan doesn't care about this. She will probably throw these scoundrels out of the temple when she returns..."

Zhao Wumian couldn't sit still as he spoke. Guan Yunshu could definitely do this, so he should go to Xiaoxitian to take a look.

Old Li nodded slightly, "Mr. Zhao's guess is correct, and the news of the Nine Bells appearing in the world is a bit strange, so I have been investigating this matter these days, and I have seen people from the palace appearing in Pingyang."

"Someone from the palace?"

"A eunuch named Xiao Xuanzi. He was given the surname 'Li' by Emperor Jingzheng because of his talent, good martial arts, and meritorious service in protecting the emperor... Before I left the palace, he was my adopted son. Now that ten years have passed, he should have a high position in the palace, and he should not be here. He must have had a hand in the incident at Xiao Xitian."

The prince was unconscious at the moment. It was indeed suspicious that a eunuch with great martial arts skills did not stay in the palace to protect the prince but instead went to Pingyang to cause trouble.

"Where are the others?" Luo Chaoyan asked.

"Dead." Old Li shook his head slightly. "He didn't expect that I was actually in Pingyang. He was caught by me for a moment without noticing, and then he committed suicide by taking poison. He was so decisive, there must be suspicion."

Luo Chaoyan hesitated for a moment before hesitatingly saying, "What if... he came to Xiaoxitian on behalf of the palace to ask for the real pearl relic treasure tower to cure the poison for my second brother?"

Old Li said calmly, "It is just our wishful thinking that the prince was poisoned. No one knows what happened to him. After he fell unconscious, the palace was sealed off and no one could enter. Even Chief Constable Su, who is in the capital at the moment, could not see the prince... Moreover, if Xiao Xuanzi really came here to seek the Pearl Relics and Treasure Tower, then it is fair and aboveboard. Why did he take poison immediately after seeing me?"

Indeed, the court has always said that the crown prince was overworked as regent and fell ill and fell into a coma. It has never mentioned that the crown prince was poisoned... These are all speculations from the outside world.

If the imperial physician had really found out that it was poisoning, the imperial court would have sent people to ask for the pearl relic pagoda. Given the influence of the imperial court, Xiao Xitian would not have refused to lend it.

Now that there is no news about borrowing the Pearl Relic Pagoda, it means that either the prince was not poisoned at all and was really ill... or the power of the person who poisoned him is difficult to predict, so he simply found a way to suppress the matter in the court.

After that, Old Li turned around and said, "Miss, how many people have died along the way because of this? Even if the prince was really poisoned, we must not let the court take away the pearl relic treasure tower... Patriarch Xu sent me to stay in Pingyang for this matter. Now that things have come to this, we have a great cause at hand and we must make a decisive decision."

Luo Chaoyan looked solemn, pursed her lips, and was silent for a while before slowly nodding, "I understand."

Old Li opened his mouth, probably wanting to say a few more words, and then Zhao Wumian reached out and tapped the table lightly, changing the subject, "What other clues did you find from Xiaoxuanzi?"

Hearing this, Old Li shook his head slightly and said no more. Then he took out a letter from his sleeve, opened it and saw...it was full of strange symbols that Zhao Wumian couldn't understand.

Only Luo Chaoyan's eyes showed a bit of surprise, "Dongyan's secret code..."

As he spoke, Luo Chaoyan stood up and took out a few letters from his small package. These were the secret letters that he had seized from Tu Ziling. When comparing them with the secret letters, although the symbols were different, it could be seen that they were the same code.

The person in the palace is related to Dong Yan, and Dong Yan has a spy in Xiao Xitian who stole a relic from Xiao Xitian... several unrelated clues are strung together in this way.

"Given the prince's diet and daily routine, it would be extremely difficult for outsiders to poison him. But if the poisoner comes from the palace..." Old Li didn't finish his words, but his meaning was self-evident.

With a string of clues like this, it is most likely that the prince fell into a coma because he was poisoned. The source points to the palace, and the person who poisoned him is related to Dong Yan outside the palace... and Dong Yan's whereabouts are vague, and we only know that there is a spy in Xiaoxitian, so as long as this spy is caught, we will be able to find some clues about the person who poisoned him.

Luo Chaoyan thought of this and looked at Zhao Wumian, "Qingqi went to the capital to investigate the person behind the poisoning. If we can gain something, it will surely make her feel a lot more relaxed."

Having said that, there was no need to hesitate. Zhao Wumian stood up, put on his straw raincoat and hat, and left. "I'm going to Xiaoxitian to take a look."

Luo Chaoyan quickly stood up and wanted to follow, but was stopped by Lao Li:

"Mr. Zhao is extremely wise and brave, and he is loyal to the end. He has escorted Miss to Pingyang, and now he has retired. Once the army is stationed in Langfa, which is less than a hundred miles away from the capital, it will be enough to help Miss ascend the throne. During this period, we will protect Miss, but we cannot let our guard down. Unless it is necessary, Miss needs to stay at home."

Zhao Wumian had just stepped out of the room and walked under the big locust tree when he heard words coming from inside the house. He couldn't help but pause... What Old Li said was right, he had indeed retired after accomplishing his mission.

As the former chief eunuch, Old Li was able to capture Li Xuan alive. It is obvious that he has good martial arts skills, at least at the master level. In addition, all the masters of the Xu family will surely gather in Pingyang in a few days, and Xu Ran will be back soon. The Xu family has gone all out for Luo Chaoyan. Now that they have met her, it can be said that Luo Chaoyan's safe return to Beijing is a foregone conclusion.

After all, they are the number one family in Chu. They must have many masters, and Xu Ran is even at the top level in martial arts.

In fact, his mission has been successfully completed here. All he has to do next is wait for Luo Chaoyan to ascend the throne and then wait for the reward.

There was really no need for Luo Chaoyan to follow him anymore...

Then, he heard a slightly angry voice coming from inside the house, "No, I have just arrived in Pingyang and have not yet entered the capital. I agreed that he would escort me back to the capital, so it has to be him. What's the point of sending him away halfway?"

Then Chaoyan held her hat with one hand and grabbed her raincoat with the other, fearing that Zhao Wumian would not wait for her. She hurriedly trotted out of the house, leaving a few small footprints on the snow. As she ran, she raised her little face, revealing a pair of bright eyes under her hat. She saw Zhao Wumian leading the horse and standing under the big locust tree. Then she slowed down her hurried pace until she stood in front of Zhao Wumian.

An unspeakable atmosphere lingered between the two.

Two horses that were grazing saw the two men standing still and thought they were getting ready to leave, so they chewed the grass in big mouthfuls and finished it in no time. Then they bit the reins with their teeth and held them in the hands of the two men.

Luo Chaoyan took the reins subconsciously, then came back to his senses and blinked, "Did you hear it?"

"Yeah." Zhao Wumian nodded.

Luo Chaoyan seemed a little embarrassed. She pulled her hat down to cover her face. She was worried that Zhao Wumian would misunderstand that she had some other feelings for him, so she spoke in a serious voice from under the hat:
"I know you have sharp senses, so you must have heard it... So I said this on purpose, so that you wouldn't be disappointed. Don't think that Lao Li has ordered you to leave, and don't think that I will really do to you 'when the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden'..."

Zhao Wumian walked out of the courtyard and said with a smile: "You told me even this little thought? It seems that even the bald donkey in Xiaoxitian may not be as honest as the emperor."

"This is the only way to show my sincerity. As an emperor, I should respect the wise and humble myself and treat people with sincerity." Luo Chaoyan followed behind Zhao Wumian, her face slightly red, and explained while leading two horses.

"Really... Then I understand Mr. Zhuge's feelings a little bit."

"Who is Zhuge?"

"I'll tell you on the way."

"You have lost your memory, haven't you? How come you still know so many stories?"

"Put down the reins first. Even if you are disguised, Pingyang is so big that it is very likely that you will run into a horse expert on the street. It is better for us not to ride horses in the streets."

"Oh... Lao Li, please take care of it——"

Luo Chaoyan tied the two horses under the big locust tree again, and then trotted to catch up with Zhao Wumian.

Old Li stood in front of the house with his hands behind his back, watching the two people leave the yard, then he chuckled and shook his head: "If you want him to continue escorting you, then let him continue escorting you. Why should we follow him to Xiaoxitian now?"

"The lady has lost her mind."

(End of this chapter)