Chapter 12 of "The Great Hero's Soul" The Tao is ruthless but also has feelings (Martial Arts Science Fiction Adult Novel)

Chapter 12: Tao is ruthless but also has feelings

Outside the Shuixi Gate, Yu Zhaonan tried to stop the robbers. Jia Yan had already taken out a dagger and tried to resist. The two sides had become enemies, and now the robbers had been rescued. But Jia Yan was so calm and composed, not trying to avoid him. She even prepared wine for him and kept her promise. Wasn't she afraid that Hua Yunlong would come and provoke her and reveal her secret? At this time, the Confucius Temple area was crowded with tourists, and the guests of the Yixin Courtyard were coming in and out continuously. Yu Zhaonan was slightly startled, and before he could think about it, he dismounted first, waved his hand, and said, "Please lead the way."

The brothel owner bowed again, straightened his waist, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Master Yu is here." He turned around, shook his butt, and walked ahead. In an instant, the four words "Mr. Yu is here" were heard throughout the inner courtyard. The sound was like a shout from Cairo, which lifted people's spirits.

Yu Zhaonan smiled slightly, turned to look at Hua and Cai, and said, "Miss Jia is a trustworthy person, please come in."

A servant had already taken over the horse team and led the horses away. Hua Yunlong understood tacitly and nodded slightly, saying, "Trust me, trust me, Brother Zhaonan, please."

The three of them walked side by side, and Yu Zhaonan said in a rumor: "Jia Yan did not avoid it, and something unexpected happened. What are Brother Hua's plans?"

Hua Yunlong held his breath and said, "We'll see how she explains it."

Yu Zhaonan said: "It's just sophistry, why use force?"

Hua Yunlong said: "Don't use force."

Yu Zhaonan said: "Brother Changyi is outspoken, and I am afraid that when the time comes, I am afraid that you and I will not be able to control it."

Hua Yunlong said: "Your father is very insightful. It is absolutely inappropriate to cut off the clues by force. Please give him a heads up first."

Yu Zhaonan paused and said, "Okay, I'll just act according to Brother Hua's instructions." Then, he used the art of voice transmission to tell Cai Changyi a few words. Cai Changyi only followed Hua Yunlong's lead, so naturally he had no objection and nodded to indicate that he had taken note.

The "Yixinyuan" was brightly lit and bustling with activity. As the three of them walked along the way, they could occasionally see beautiful women of all shapes and sizes, walking back and forth with seductive looks. Yu and Cai were regular customers of the "Yixinyuan", and they came here together every day and were very generous. It was natural for most of the beauties to recognize them and greet them with flirtatious eyes and smiles.

But this time they came for a purpose. The three of them were secretly observing carefully. Not only could they not see what was eye-catching about these beauties, but they felt that each of them had a slender figure and was graceful, with a charm that could shake people's hearts and move their will. They were real prostitutes. Jia Yan's residence is an exquisite building with red railings and green lattices, painted buildings and carved beams. There are green bamboos all around and a small pond in the distance. The pond reflects the green waves, flowers surround the secluded paths, and the wind chimes "ding-dong" under the eaves make the place elegant, clean and extremely pleasant. A prostitute in a brothel actually had such an elegant residence. It is self-evident how valuable Jia Yan was.

When they got closer, the brothel owner who was leading the way paused, pointed with her hand and said, "Mr. Yu, please look, Sister Yan is leaning against the railing waiting for you. She is looking forward to it very much. Chen Er, take your leave." He said "take your leave" but only bowed. He did not get up after bowing, but he did not leave.

Yu Zhaonan smiled slightly and said, "Excuse me, please, this is a reward for you, please don't think it's too little." He took out a silver ingot and threw it over.

The brothel owner said cheerfully, "Chen Er, thank you for the reward." As soon as he finished speaking, the silver appeared before his eyes. He hurriedly straightened his waist and reached out to take it. Little did he know that Yu Zhaonan was concentrating all his strength on trying it out intentionally. He was unable to catch the silver, but the protruding edge had already scratched his palm, causing him to grit his teeth and scream in pain. Although his palm hurt, the white silver was more important than flesh and blood. Chen Er turned around and quickly picked up the silver on the ground, then he held his palm and quickly retreated.

The three of them smiled at each other, walked through the secluded path and climbed up to the tall building. Jia Yan, dressed in gorgeous clothes, came to greet them at the stairs, bowed and said with a complaining voice, "The moon is cold, the stars are sparse, and the dew is heavy. Whose tower is the one with the singing and music?" Mr. Yu, don't you know the way? ”

Yu Zhaonan laughed and said, "Liu Lang is lost in the ancient cave on Tiantai Mountain, and he would rather die of drunkenness than drink from the Amber Flow." Miss Jia treated me to wine and said, "Even if I don't know the way, I will come here anyway as long as you lend me a crane." ”

Jia Yan threw her eyes seductively, frowned, and said with a spat: "Are you going to die? You take advantage of me when we meet in front of my new friend? The ancient cave is closed, go and find it." She turned her delicate body, her skirt swaying, and walked away gracefully like a light swallow.

The three of them looked at each other again, smiled, and followed closely behind, walking side by side. Turning east, there was a flower hall in the middle. Under the swaying palace lanterns, there were indeed all kinds of food and wine, and even the seats had been arranged. Xiao Yuner came out and bowed, saying, "Three gentlemen, if you don't come soon, the wine and food will get cold."

When Cai Changyi saw Yun'er, he suddenly had an idea and took out a silver ingot and said, "We are drinking and asked you to serve us. That's hard work for you. This ingot of silver is for you to buy pollen." He flicked his finger and the silver flew over.

Jia Yan stretched out her slender hand, rolled up her green sleeves, and put the silver into her sleeves. She turned around and smiled coquettishly, "Mr. Cai is stingy. My identity has been revealed. Why do you need to try again?" She paused, looked back at Yun'er and said, "Go and get Mr. Hua's sword and luggage. Let the three gentlemen rest assured that we have no bad intentions." Although her words were blunt, she was not angry. Cai Changyi blushed and stared blankly, at a loss. Hua and Yu were both stunned at the same time. They didn't know what Jia Yan's intention was in preparing wine for them.

Yun'er took out the sword bag, smiled at Hua Yunlong, and said, "Master Hua, do you want to check it out?"

Hua Yunlong laughed and said, "I am not afraid of lacking anything, I am just afraid of needing another needle in the Yuzhen point. ”

Jia Yan chuckled and said, "I'm afraid I won't have the chance in this lifetime. If you're not afraid of poison in the wine, please take a seat." Hua Yunlong laughed heartily and did not answer. He led the envoy to the table.

The four of them sat down as host and guest. Yun'er came over to pour the wine, but Hua Yunlong raised his hand to stop her and said, "Wait a minute, let me check, is that wine pot a mandarin duck pot?"

He had a big smile on his face, but he was not serious. Jia Yan took the opportunity to get angry and snatched the wine pot away. She pouted her lips and said, "Don't look at it. To tell you the truth, the pot is not a mandarin duck pot, but the wine is mandarin duck wine. Master Hua had better not drink it."

Yu Zhaonan leaned forward, snatched the wine pot from Jia Yan's hand, raised the pot to pour wine, and chanted in a low voice: "The fairy of Yaochi will surely call me, I only envy the mandarin ducks, not the fairies."

Jia Yan glanced at them sideways with her starry eyes, looking charming, and said with a "tut": "Who is the mandarin duck and who is the fairy? Master Yu has no shame." She rolled her eyes and looked at Yun'er and said: "Yun'er, I have already given you the reward. Do you really want me to pour the wine myself?" Yun'er then took the wine pot and filled everyone's glasses with wine.

Jia Yan picked up the wine glass, looked at Hua Yunlong first, and said, "I pay my respects to Master Hua. I have wronged you along the way. I would like to take this glass of wine to apologize." He raised the glass to his lips and drank it all in one gulp.

Hua Yunlong laughed out loud and said, "I have been inviting people to travel everywhere. I originally planned to go to the south of the Yangtze River. Even though I didn't see the scenery along the way, I saved a lot of money. Haha, if you say I am wronged, I am willing to be wronged again." He tilted his head back and drank the glass.

Yu Zhaonan watched Hua Yunlong alertly, blinked his right eye, and then twitched his lower jaw, which meant a nod and also meant that the wine was not poisonous. So he picked up the wine glass and laughed loudly, "It is always a great pity to have a girl in the car and not see the beautiful scenery. I beg you in advance, if there is such an opportunity, Miss Jia, please don't spoil the scenery and seal my hole..."

Before he could even say the word "dao", Jia Yan's eyes slanted and she continued charmingly, "Oh, you are such a great man, but you have such a narrow mind. I have already admitted my fault, isn't that enough?"

Cai Changyi was trying to learn to walk by imitating others, but he hit a snag and felt unhappy. He was a honest and straightforward person and never forgot the purpose of his trip. He thought he had found the right opportunity, so he gave a dry laugh and said, "The butcher killed the wrong person when he was killing the pig. Is it enough to admit his mistake? You have to explain why you kidnapped the Hua brothers." After hearing this, Yu Zhaonan became very anxious. He thought the time was not right and was afraid that the two sides would become awkward. He could not use force at that time and had to apologize. He would find it difficult to step down if he was unwilling to do so.

But Jia Yan didn't care. He chuckled and said, "Even though I am a butcher, Mr. Hua is not a pig. Mr. Cai's analogy is inappropriate and he should be punished." Cai Changyi finally came up with an analogy to get the conversation back to the point, but no matter how hard he tried, he still gave way to criticism. For a moment, he was stunned and speechless.

Yu Zhaonan felt relieved and raised his glass quickly, saying with a smile, "Miss Jia, look at what I have in my hand?"

Jia Yan was stunned and said, "A wine glass."

Yu Zhaonan nodded and said, "It's a wine glass. I think the girl is not very generous."

Jia Yan was surprised and asked, "Does the wine glass have anything to do with my temperament?"

Yu Zhaonan smiled slightly and said, "I raised the glass first, intending to say a few words in a light-hearted way and then toast the girl with a glass of wine. However, the girl couldn't take a joke and immediately accused me of being "narrow-minded". Brother Changyi complained indignantly, and you mocked him again. I think the girl should be punished herself. ”

Jia Yan said coquettishly: "I won't come anymore. Three grown men are teaming up to bully a girl like me."

Yu Zhaonan laughed and said, "You are too harsh. I hereby issue a ban. From now on, anyone who speaks inappropriately will be fined three cups of wine."

Jia Yan screamed, "Oh, I won't do it. I have become accustomed to the life of entertaining people and selling my smiles. Besides, you came to this "Yixinyuan" just to seek a moment of happiness; I will prepare wine for you tonight, and happiness comes first. Mr. Yu issued this decree in an attempt to punish me, but I will not accept it. ”

Hua Yunlong said with a smile: "Okay, okay, enough joking, let's get down to business now, drinking is the way to go."

Yu Zhaonan followed suit and said hurriedly, "That's right, that's right, drinking is serious. Yun'er, pour the wine, I'll toast to your daughter."

Yun'er was young, and was so stunned by their bickering that she forgot to refill the glasses. But after Yu Zhaonan drank from her cup, her face turned red. She quickly took the pot with both hands and filled the empty glasses in front of Jia and Hua. So, you urged me to toast, and you kept the cup in your hand and started drinking seriously. These four people are big drinkers. They drink till the cup is empty without any hesitation. As for Jia Yan, there is still something to be said. Hua Yunlong and the others came here for a purpose. It is really confusing if they only know how to drink and don't care about other things.

After three rounds of drinks, Jia Yan's face turned rosy, and she became more and more charming and arousing people's reverie. Cai Changyi was thinking about the purpose of this trip. He wanted to speak several times, but was afraid that his words would be inappropriate and he would be caught by others. He was so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheeks, and repeatedly gave Hua and Yu looks, but Hua and Yu pretended not to see and ignored him, and continued to chat and laugh.

Yu Zhaonan laughed and said, "I know that the girl has found a new confidant and her heart already belongs to someone..."

Hua Yunlong laughed out loud and continued, "When you say 'new close friend', Brother Zhaonan, are you referring to me? ”

Yu Zhaonan said with a smile: "Brother Yunlong is a romantic and suave man, and Miss Jia is a charming and extraordinary woman. Who is your confidant? No need for me to talk too much."

Hua Yunyou laughed loudly and said, "Brother Zhaonan is handsome and talented, and is Miss Jia's best friend. How dare I call him my confidant?"

Yu Zhaonan looked at Jia Yan, pointed with his finger and said, "You ask her, I have known her for more than a year, when have I ever had the chance to enter her door? The so-called 'guest in the curtain' must be you, brother, you are very sensible, brother Yunlong, there is no need to be modest. ”

Hua Yunlong acted anxiously, stared at Jia Yan, and said with a smile: "Miss Jia, is this true?" There was an opportunity here. As long as Yu Zhaonan changed the subject and said something like "If not, why would Miss Jia travel thousands of miles to bring you to Jinling?", it would be easy and seamless for him to get to the point.

But Yu Zhaonan didn't say that, and Hua Yunlong also had a lustful look on his face. The two of them worked together, as if they had already forgotten the purpose of this trip. Cai Changyi was not willing to use his brain, and he became very angry when he saw this. He slammed the table and shouted, "No need to ask, that's true, you can stay. Humph, you are that kind of person, Cai Changyi is blind." He stood up suddenly, turned around and walked towards the hall door.

Hua Yunlong remained expressionless. Yu Zhaonan became anxious and shouted in a stern voice, "Come back."

Cai Changyi kept walking and said coldly: "Why did you come back? If you are greedy for beauty, you can stay. Humph, we are the same..."

Before the word "貉" was uttered, Jia Yan sighed and said, "Master Hua, I admire you."

This sigh was without reason, and the sudden change of address was also unexpected. Cai Changyi's heart moved, and he turned around and asked, "Why do you admire him?"

Jia Yan said: "I admire his steadiness and his depth."

Cai Changyi frowned and asked in confusion: "He is steady?"

Jia Yan said sadly: "Yes, he is steady, please come back." Cai Changyi blinked and walked back unconsciously.

Hua Yunlong cupped his fists and smiled, "Miss Jia, I admire you too. I admire your intelligence."

Jia Yan smiled bitterly and said, "Minhui is useless. I still can't keep my temper."

Hua Yunlong smiled and said, "No need to talk too much. I have used my power to observe silently. No one can eavesdrop within three meters. If Miss Jia doesn't want to whisper with me, now is the time to speak freely."

Cai Changyi finally realized it and shouted, "Oh, I see, it turns out you...Haha! Brother, I, Cai Changyi, am also convinced by you." He sat down with a hearty laugh.

Jia Yan sighed again and said, "Alas, he wants me to speak on my own initiative. If it doesn't work once, he can try it a second time. It seems that you have doubts about this "Yixinyuan". "Hua Yunlong smiled silently and did not comment. Jia Yan paused for a moment, and suddenly continued: "My master is right. The descendants of the Hua family must be extraordinary. I was rash this time, and I am afraid that this foundation will no longer be kept secret. ”

Hua Yunlong was shocked and asked, "This is your foundation. Who is your master?"

Jia Yan nodded and said, "My master's surname is Fang, and his given name is Ziyu."

Hua Yunlong frowned and asked in confusion: "Fang Ziyu?"

Jia Yan nodded and said, "Yes, Fang Ziyu. My master was originally the adopted sister of "Madam Yu Ding", and her martial arts were passed down from "Madam Yu Ding". Therefore, I can be considered a disciple of "Madam Yu Ding". Does Mr. Hua know "Madam Yu Ding"? This is in line with the old saying: "You can never find something even if you search everywhere, but when you find it, it's easy to find."

Upon hearing this, Hua Yunlong was secretly delighted, but he did not dare to show it on his face. He said ambiguously, "It turns out that Miss Jia is a disciple of Madam Yuding, but I wonder where this madam is now?" ”

Jia Yan's expression darkened and he said, "It is said that he has passed away." His words implied that he was filled with emotion and his feeling of nostalgia was evident in his words.

Hua Yunlong observed her expression and wondered secretly: What kind of person did that "Madam Yu Ding" meet? Jia Yan didn't seem to be familiar with her. Why did he feel so yearning and nostalgic? He wondered in his heart, and asked, "How long has it been since the lady passed away? Have you seen her recently?"

Jia Yan sighed deeply and said, "I met her fifteen years ago. She was so beautiful and gentle..."

Hua Yunlong said "Oh" softly, and continued: "Then... who told you about her passing?"

Jia Yan said sadly, "Master."

Hua Yunlong asked: "Where is your master now?"

Jia Yan said: "My master was originally stationed here, but now he has left."

Hua Yunlong asked: "Left? Why?"

Jia Yan said, "Alas, it was all my fault. I shouldn't have brought you to Jinling."

Hua Yunlong said: "Oh, your master doesn't want to see me?"

Jia Yan said quietly, "I don't want to see you for one reason, but I'm mainly worried that this foundation cannot be kept secret, and my master has gone to make other plans."

Yu Zhaonan interjected, “Miss Jia has repeatedly mentioned the words ‘this inheritance cannot be kept secret’, and I have something to say that I cannot help but speak out. Excuse me, young lady, does your master want to set up a gang? ”

Hua Yunlong was secretly suspicious: "It's strange, I don't know her master, why doesn't her master want to see me? Well, that's right, her master is the sister of "Madam Yuding". Now that "Madam Yuding" has passed away, the unique keepsake may have fallen into the hands of her master. Haha, the murder of Uncle Sima is probably related to her master. ”

Jia Yan nodded and said, "Yes, Master Hua is here, so I dare not hide it from you. My master does want to establish a "Cai Nu Sect", but..."

Hua Yunlong already had a prejudice at this moment, and upon hearing this he laughed out loud and interrupted, "'Channu Sect'?" That is a cult that specializes in seducing people with its female beauty. ”

Jia Yan said anxiously: "Mr. Hua, you can't say that."

Hua Yunlong asked: "Then how should I explain it?"

Jia Yan said quietly, "Of course my master is upset and wants... wants..."

Hua Yunlong laughed and said, "What do you want? Why can't you say it?"

Jia Yan started to speak, but hesitated. After a pause, she suddenly said seriously, "Mr. Hua, my knowledge is limited, and I can only say this much. In short, even though the "Channu Sect" relies on female beauty, it is not the evil cult you imagined. Its main purpose is to help your Hua family. It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. I just hope you will keep it a secret for the time being and not reveal it to others. ”

Hua Yunlong said: "I want to see your master, please help me arrange it."

Jia Yan shook her head and said, "Please forgive me for not being able to help you with this."

Hua Yunlong snorted coldly and said, "I'm afraid that's not up to you."

Jia Yan suddenly sighed and said, "It seems that my master's judgment is correct. You must be wondering if the murder of the hero Sima was caused by my master."

Hua Yunlong said: "Whether it is true or not, your master will naturally understand. Miss Jia just needs to arrange for me to meet with my master."

Jia Yan shook her head and said, "My lord, you are wrong. The bloodbath of the Sima family has nothing to do with my master."

Hua Yunlong interrupted in a deep voice: "Miss Jia, I might as well tell you that the murderer once left behind a small jade tripod. The small tripod is the unique token of "Madam Yuding". Now that "Madam Yuding" has passed away, your master cannot escape from the connection. If your teacher had nothing to do with the bloody case, why would she avoid me? Miss Jia, I am not an unreasonable person, but I will not listen to meaningless arguments. ”

Jia Yan said loudly: "Master Hua, this is not a rebuttal, it is a fact."

Hua Yunlong said sternly: "Facts must be supported by evidence. Miss, can you produce evidence for your master?"

Jia Yan was stunned, and Hua Yunlong continued, "Miss, there is no need to waste your words. Even though I want to see your teacher, I have not asserted that your teacher is the murderer or the mastermind. However, your teacher must have her reasons for not wanting to see me, and I want to hear her reasons."

Jia Yan opened her mouth as if to explain something, but was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "My master has left Jinling. Even if I agree to arrange a meeting for you, it is beyond my power."

Hua Yunlong suddenly became annoyed and shouted in a stern voice: "If you don't accept my toast, you will have to drink a penalty. You are forcing me to use force." At this moment, his eyes were shining with lightning and his expression was extremely stern. It was obvious that he was angry.

Yu Zhaonan watched coldly and suddenly said in a hurry: "Brother Hua, please calm down. What Miss Jia said may be credible. Miss Jia seemed to respect Brother Hua very much during her conversation, and she seemed to have said everything she could. For example, her master wanted to establish a "Channu Sect", which was originally a confidential matter. However, Miss Jia spoke frankly because Brother Hua was present. By analogy, it can be inferred that what she said about her master leaving Jinling should be credible. However, every time it came to the key point, Miss Jia hesitated and refused to speak directly. What's the reason? I don’t understand. ”

Cai Changyi suddenly exclaimed: "That makes sense. I remember it now."

Hua Yunlong frowned and asked in confusion: "What did you remember?"

Cai Changyi was so excited that he said, "Miss Jia's master, she is not avoiding you because of the murder of the hero Sima."

Hua Yunlong's heart skipped a beat and he asked, "Do you have evidence?"

Cai Changyi said: "What kind of evidence do you need? Isn't it enough to have a reason? Think about it, if her master was related to the murder of Sima Xia, why would Miss Jia reveal the origin of her master? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?" These few simple words made sense. Hua Yunlong blinked and was speechless.

Jia Yan smiled and said, "Thank you, Master Cai, for speaking up for me."

Cai Changyi was very honest and straightforward. He shook his hands and said, "Don't thank me. I don't understand more than them." Hua Yunlong was already deep in thought. What Yu and Cai said had already taken effect.

Jia Yan felt relieved and smiled, saying, "Please ask me. I know something and I will not disappoint Master Cai."

Cai Changyi's eyes lit up and he said, "Really? Then let me ask you, why did you kidnap Brother Hua to Nanjing?" He had been holding this question in for a long time. He had always hoped that Yu and Hua would ask it, but they just didn't ask. Now that he had asked it himself, he was a man who spoke his mind, and the relief he felt in his heart was indescribable.

Unexpectedly, Jia Yan was stunned, stammered for a long time, but said nothing. Cai Changyi was very angry, his eyes shone, and he shouted: "You are a man of your word. You won't answer the first question?"

But Jia Yan's face turned red, and she stammered, "My humble concubine... My humble concubine..."

Suddenly, Yun'er chuckled and said, "Master Cai, my senior sister is very fond of Master Hua, why do you have to ask her to answer?" As soon as these words came out, Jia Yan lowered her neck, and Cai Changyi was stunned.

After a pause, Hua Yunlong snorted coldly and said, "Little girl, you are so sweet-talking. Do you think I believe your lies?"

Yun Er said anxiously, "Who is talking nonsense? If you don't believe me, ask my senior sister. Humph, you are so arrogant when you start to curse people."

Hua Yunlong blushed, but still kept a straight face and said in a cold voice: "Excuse me, it was you who said that 'the more people the better'? ”

Yun'er glared, put her hands on her hips, and said domineeringly, "I said it, so what?"

Jia Yan raised her head and said hurriedly, "Yun'er, stop talking."

Yun'er wrinkled her nose and said angrily, "His words are so irritating."

Jia Yan sighed and said, "Master has already issued a ban, forbidding us to have any contact with the Hua family. It's useless to talk about it. Why do you have to get angry?" She paused and looked at Hua Yunlong, and continued with a solemn expression, "Mr. Hua, it's not that I don't know shame. It's hard to dispel your suspicion if I don't talk about it. Think about it, with your character and the reputation of your Hua family, how many women would not be attracted to you? I kidnapped you to Jinling for selfish reasons. Fortunately, it's over now and there's no need to cover it up."

A mist rose in her starry eyes. She paused, and then said with tears in her eyes, "As for Yun'er's words, 'the more people the better', I don't want to hide it from you, nor do I want to explain it in detail. In short, my master intends to establish the 'Channu Sect'. It is not easy to establish a sect. It is impossible for us girls to accomplish anything great. If we sisters meet someone with similar talents and if we are of the same mind, we will intend to invite him into the sect and make him work for us. That's all. This is all I have to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. ”

Even though these words contained some hidden meanings, they could be considered frank. Moreover, they involved love between a man and a woman. Hua Yunlong was not an unreasonable person, nor was he heartless. After hearing and seeing these things, he was at a loss for words. Jia Yan was a tough person. She was about to cry, with tears rolling down her eyes. But she forced herself to stop them from falling. Suddenly she raised her head and said to Cai Changyi, "Master Cai, do you have anything else to ask?"

Cai Changyi was stunned at first, then he said in a loud voice: "No." He turned his head away abruptly, not wanting to look at Jia Yan's appearance.

Jia Yan smiled sadly and said, "Since there is nothing to ask, let's drink." He picked up the wine, drank it all in one gulp, and wiped away the tears from his eyes. Such behavior was truly heart-shaking. Yu Zhaonan was speechless, and Hua Yunlong was even more shocked.

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the secluded path. Jia Yan frowned and asked in confusion, "Is it Chen Er?"

I heard someone downstairs answer: "Yes, it's Chen Er. Two guests came outside and insisted that Miss Yan accompany them."

Jia Yan frowned even more tightly and said, "You didn't tell me, I'm entertaining guests."

Chen Er said, "I've told you that the visitors are unreasonable. If Miss Shen Yan doesn't go to accompany them, they will destroy our Yi Xin Courtyard."

Cai Changyi felt very uncomfortable. When he heard this, he immediately roared: "How can this be absurd? Who dares to act wildly here? Tell them to be sensible, or I will break his legs."

Chen Er said in a sad voice: "Mr. Cai, please calm down. We are businessmen and cannot afford to offend them." Cai Changyi stood up suddenly, as if he wanted to rush out.

Jia Yan said anxiously, "Mr. Cai, please take a seat. I will ask you something." She stood up, walked out of the hall, leaned against the red railing at the side of the corridor, and asked, "Chen Er, what kind of people are those? Are they familiar guests or new guests?"

Chen Er raised his head and looked up, his face full of anxiety, and answered in a loud voice: "They are strangers. One is dressed like a nobleman, and the other is dressed in a blue satin suit. His face is extremely ugly. Both of them are wearing swords, and they seem to be people from the underworld."

Jia Yan was slightly startled, frowned and said: "People from the martial arts world? Do you know their names?"

Chen Er said: "Our surname is Qiu, so we call each other Third Brother and Fifth Brother."

When they suddenly heard the visitor's surname, Hua Yunlong and others were shocked and got up from their seats and walked out. Jia Yan's body trembled, and then she said hurriedly: "Go quickly, calm them down, and tell them I'll be there." Chen Er replied "Yes" and turned around and ran away.

When Jia Yan turned around, Hua Yunlong and others had already arrived at the door. Hua Yunlong said excitedly, "Is it Qiu Hua? I was just looking for him."

Jia Yan said anxiously: "No, you can't look for him here."

Hua Yunlong's eyes sharpened and he asked, "Why?"

Jia Yan showed her elegance and said, "Master Hua, I made a big mistake by abducting you to Jinling. I always want to keep this legacy. This is the real reason why I prepared wine for you. Master Hua, if the "Cai Nu Sect" can be established earlier, it will be beneficial to your Hua family. Why do you have to make it difficult for me and make me feel ashamed of my master? "She was anxious and her speech was incoherent.

Hua Yunlong frowned and said, "I have no ill intentions to embarrass you. You must know that Qiu Hua is also one of the suspects in the murder of my uncle Sima."

Jia Yan was anxious and didn't want to listen to him anymore, so she interrupted him and said, "Mr. Hua, if you sympathize with my situation, it's best not to meet him in Yixin Courtyard. If you take this step, there will be many opportunities to meet him."

Yu Zhaonan couldn't bear it, so he said, "Brother Hua, from what you said, this Qiu Hua is not that Qiu Hua. It's impossible that they are all related to the murder of the hero Sima, right?"

Hua Yunlong said: "It's too early to say whether it's related or not. They have the same name and surname, and the number of their subordinates and the style of clothing are exactly the same. Isn't there a reason for this? This opportunity is rare, and I can't miss it."

Jia Yan was very anxious and asked, "Master Hua, are you pulling your own legs?"

Hua Yunlong was startled and asked, "What do you mean?"

Jia Yan said anxiously, "To be honest with you, my humble concubine and I are always paying attention to the dynamics of the martial arts world. Currently, there are at least two groups of people who want to harm your Hua family. If you insist on meeting Qiu Hua in Yixin Courtyard and destroy our foundation, it will not benefit you."

Hua Yunlong was startled, but before he could react, he heard Cai Changyi shouting, "Let's go, let's go, Xiao Yun'er, bring the sword bag here." Hearing this, Yun'er hurriedly took the sword bag.

Jia Yan took it in her hands and gently handed it to Hua Yunlong, saying soothingly: "Mr. Hua, please rest assured. We, master and disciple, will never do anything to let down the Hua family. This is what my master asked me to tell you. If you help me, you are also helping yourself. Please, please leave."

Hua Yunlong spoke softly, anxiously and with a special kind of affection, and he blurted out, "What about you?"

Jia Yan smiled, a cheerful smile, raised her head slightly, stared at Hua Yunlong and said, "It's okay for me, I will take care of it, thank you."

Yun'er said at the right time: "Three gentlemen, please follow Yun'er." So, Hua Yunlong took the bag and the sword in a daze, but his mind was in a mess. He followed Yun'er closely, went around from both sides to the front yard, mounted his horse, and leisurely returned to the "Medical Cottage".

The "medical room" was completely dark, with no lights on. Yu Zhaonan exclaimed, "Hey, what's going on?"

Cai Changyi also said: "Yes, it's 2:30, but it's the end of the night, why are you all asleep?"

Hua Yunlong's heart tightened, but before he could react, Yu Zhaonan had already galloped forward on his horse. When the three of them arrived in front of the village, they saw a figure appearing from the corner and asked softly, "Are you the three brothers Zhaonan?" The man moved very quickly and was in front of them in the blink of an eye. It turned out to be Gao Songping.

Yu Zhaonan was even more surprised and asked, "Brother Songping, what happened? Has something happened to me?"

Gao Songping laughed and said, "No, no, let's just take precautions." With a light clap of his hands, the courtyard door opened and lights were lit in the front hall.

Gao Songping continued, "I will guard the front yard, Brother Bosheng will guard the back yard, Brother Yifeng and my aunt will be in the middle hall, and my uncle will patrol the surroundings and provide support. Haha, we are just waiting for you three to come."

Suddenly, the "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" appeared in front of the hall door and said in a loud voice: "Songping's words are not appropriate. How do you know that no one is coming?"

Gao Songping laughed out loud: "My nephew drank the northwest wind in the middle of the night, I was just telling a joke."

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" said: "Don't tell jokes that hurt others. Hurting others is just sarcasm, which is easy to make enemies. Yifeng's idea is not redundant."

Gao Songping was startled at first, then he said loudly: "Yes, nephew knows his mistake."

Hua Yunlong thought secretly: This senior is like a gentle and kind person, always remembering to give advice to the younger generation, and even more rare is his warm and pleasant personality, which makes those who are taught sincerely convinced. The "Five Young Masters of Jinling" follow him around, and they benefit a lot. The three men had already dismounted. When the "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" saw the sword bag in Hua Yunlong's hand, he was quite surprised and asked, "What's the matter? Brother Long, there was no conflict on this trip?"

Hua Yunlong said: "Thank you for your concern, senior. Even though there was no conflict during this trip, I am still very confused."

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" asked in confusion: "Oh? What's going on?"

Yu Zhaonan added: "Jia Yan did not shy away and even prepared wine for us."

Cai Changyi had a good impression of Jia Yan, and rushed to answer, "Jia Yan was not bad to Brother Hua. She answered all the questions and was very frank."

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" was surprised and said, "This is strange. Could it be that the person who came to ask about the truth tonight has nothing to do with Jia Yan?"

Gao Songping raised his eyebrows and exclaimed, "What? Is there really someone coming tonight?"

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" frowned and nodded, saying, "At the second watch, a figure fell into the southeast courtyard. The figure seemed to be aware that we were on guard, so he looked back for a moment and then retreated."

Cai Changyi asked anxiously: "What kind of person is that? Why didn't uncle stop him?"

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" said, "That person's movement was so fast that when I arrived, he had already left. It looked like a woman." He paused, then changed the subject and said, "Anyway, the situation is not simple. Let's go and talk in the middle hall. Yifeng and your aunt are both in the middle hall." He turned around, walked through the front hall first, and went straight to the back.

Hua Yunlong and others looked at each other, not knowing who the visitor was or what his intention was. Gao Songping stuck out his tongue as if to excuse himself for his slip of the tongue. Everyone paused for a moment before they all stepped forward and followed him. The group arrived at the central hall. Li Bosheng had already returned from the backyard. Yuan Yifeng stood up to greet him. Madam Yu smiled and nodded to Hua Yunlong, saying, "Brother Long is back? How was your trip?"

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" replied, "This is very strange. Let's sit down and talk."

The old lady was startled and asked, "Why is it so weird?"

Everyone sat down, and the "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" said, "Not only did the woman surnamed Jia not leave, but she also entertained everyone with wine. I was in the east wing and saw another woman coming to inquire about the way. When I hurried over, she left again. There must be something fishy going on."

The old lady frowned and said, "Oh, is that true? Where did that woman who came to explore the Dao come from? Why hasn't she appeared since then?"

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" said, "That woman didn't seem to have any bad intentions. She just left after a while. I originally thought it was related to the woman surnamed Jia, but now after listening to what Long Ge'er and the others have said, it doesn't seem to be the case." He paused, looked at Hua Yunlong, and continued, "Long Ge'er, you should speak first. Tell me the whole story in detail."

Hua Yunlong nodded, paused, and said: "When we arrived at Yixin Courtyard, the brothel owner Chen Er came to greet us. After we met Jia Yan, we drank and flirted with each other..." At this time, family members had already brought fragrant tea, and everyone sat in silence, listening carefully to Hua Yunlong's narration of the trip.

Among the people present, Li Bosheng and Yuan Yifeng are both wise and intelligent men. Yu Shangde and his wife are senior figures with experience, intelligence and talent that can be described as superior. They listened quietly to Hua Yunlong's narration, frowning and staring from time to time. After listening to him, they still had no consensus and felt the same confusion as Hua Yunlong.

There was silence in the hall for a moment. Cai Changyi felt that the atmosphere was very depressing. He suddenly said loudly, "What are you doing? Jia Yan has a good heart. Even if he doesn't want to say something, he has his own reasons. What can we come up with if we sit quietly and think about it?"

The "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" raised his eyes and said, "Changyi, you are impatient. Even though Jia Yan has a good heart, she is too mysterious. Moreover, the person who came to visit tonight is a woman. Who can say that the woman has nothing to do with Jia Yan? Alas, things in the martial arts world are treacherous and deceitful. If you don't use your brain to think, you will be fooled."

Cai Changyi was born with a simple and honest heart. Asking him to use his brain more would be like driving a sheep up a tree. He frowned and shouted, "Why use your brain? No matter how cunning and deceitful he is, I will always remain unchanged in the face of all changes. Brother Hua has been unconscious for many days and has been tossing and turning for half a day and a night. It's time to go to bed. If you want to think, it won't be too late to think tomorrow."

Madam Yu stood up and said, "Old man, what Changyi said makes sense. Brother Long has been tossing and turning for half a day and a night, and the matter is complicated and confusing again. I can't figure it out for a moment. It's late at night. Go to bed early and talk about it tomorrow."

The old wife started to speak, and the "Jiangnan Confucian Doctor" was not in a position to say anything more. He glanced at her, stood up and said, "Well, go to bed early. Anyway, there is no rush."

This "Medical House" has a lot of rooms, and the courtyards on the east and west sides are where ordinary diners live. The old couple lived in the backyard, and Yu Zhaonan lived alone in the middle yard. When close friends like Yuan Yifeng and Li Bosheng came, they would also stop in the middle yard. Hua Yunlong was led to a guest room at the east end, where he washed up briefly and went to bed. How could he sleep? He tossed and turned in bed, thinking about the things in "Yixinyuan".

He became more and more confused. The murderer who killed Sima Changqing and his wife left behind a small jade tripod, which was a unique keepsake of "Madam Yuding". Even though "Madam Yuding" was dead, the unique keepsake should not fall into the hands of others. Moreover, his grandmother carefully handed him "Madam Yuding's" suicide note and sewed it into his soft self-defense armor. Doesn't this imply that the bloody case was related to "Madam Yuding"? Since it is related to "Madam Yu Ding", Jia Yan's master, Fang Ziyu, cannot be separated from it. But why is Jia Yan so frank and does not hide his life experience at all? As Cai Changyi said, he is asking for trouble.

There is no one in the world who is willing to cause trouble to himself, unless he is an idiot. Another theory is that Jia Yan admires him privately and is indeed wholeheartedly inclined to him. However, Jia Yan made it very clear that her master has issued a ban, forbidding her to have any contact with people from the Hua family. Doesn't this show that Jia Yan is a person who regards her master's orders as important? He turned over with great effort, covered his head with the quilt, and muttered to himself, "We still have to go to the south to investigate. It seems that Fang Ziyu has nothing to do with the bloody case." Even though he said this, his thoughts were still turning.

Fang Ziyu's behavior is hard to predict. It seems like she has a deep grudge against the Hua family, but it also seems like she cares deeply about the Hua family. Why is that? Besides, as the name suggests, "Cainv Cult" is an evil cult that relies on female beauty to seduce men. Jia Yan knew that the Hua family was a chivalrous family and would never allow such an evil cult to appear in the world, but Jia Yan spoke it out without hesitation. Was it because they were confident in their purpose and it was upright? Or did he expect that the Hua family would be helpless? As he was thinking, he seemed to be shocked. He turned over with his eyes wide open, and muttered to himself: "What do you mean? There are at least two groups of people who want to harm your Hua family..."

This sentence was said by Jia Yan. At this moment, he suddenly remembered the words of the girl in black outside the city of Luoyang. They suddenly flooded into his mind. He remembered that the girl in black had said: "... a big change is brewing in the martial arts world. Sima Changqing is the first to bear the brunt of it. He is just taking the blame for others..." She also said: "Your father dominates the martial arts world. His reputation is as high as the sun in the sky. But he has enemies all over the world..." These words flooded into his mind. He suddenly felt that they were credible. His mood became heavier and he found it more and more difficult to fall asleep.

He was originally a carefree boy who didn't care much about anything. At this moment, with a heavy burden on his shoulders, he actually became worried. It can be seen that although he has an open-minded personality, he also has a strong sense of responsibility. As a result, the past came to his mind like a storm. That Youshi, that black cat, that ugly Xue Niang, the beautiful Ruan Hongyu, Ruan Hongyu's senior brother Xiao Chou, and Qiu Hua whom he had met before and after, all appeared before his eyes and could not be shaken off.

The cock crowed at five o'clock in the morning and it was almost dawn. He was still thinking about the woman who came to inquire about the truth. Was that woman related to Jia Yan? If it is unrelated, what is its origin? What is the purpose? His thoughts were in a tangle of things, but he couldn't make any sense of them, and couldn't come to a conclusion. Helplessly, he stood up and sat upright, practicing his Qi and circulating it around his body, before he gradually entered a state of concentration.

After entering into meditation, his mind became clear. He didn't know how much time had passed before he suddenly felt someone walking into the room. He opened his eyes and saw Cai Changyi tiptoeing and closing the door of the idle room. Hua Yunlong was startled. Cai Changyi turned around, raised his right index finger, put his lips together to make a silence gesture, and then whispered, "Brother, follow me."

Hua Yunlong was more and more surprised, and whispered, "What's the matter?"

Cai Changyi said: "It's okay, you wash up first, be gentle and quick, I'll wait for you."

Hua Yunlong frowned as he pondered, then stood up and dressed, asking, "Have Brother Zhaonan and the others gotten up yet?"

Cai Changyi said: "Don't worry about them, let's sneak away quietly."

Hua Yunlong asked, "Slip away? Why?"

Cai Changyi said: "Go and have fun. I'll take you to visit the scenic spots and historical sites."

Hua Yunlong hesitated and said, "This..."

Cai Changyi said anxiously, "Hurry up, if they get up, we won't be able to leave." He paused for a moment, then continued, "You don't know, there are countless places of interest and historical sites in Jinling, such as Qingliang Mountain, Shizi Mountain, Zhongshan Mountain, Beiji Pavilion, Jiming Temple, Yuhuatai, Yanziji... As for Mochou Lake and Xuanwu Lake, there's no need to mention them."

Hua Yunlong said: "Even if we go to play, we can't leave quietly, we have to..."

Cai Changyi said, "What should we do? If we tell Uncle Yu, we won't be able to leave. When they get up, they will be thinking and pondering. They will be overwhelmed by talking about Jia Yan. I am close to you, so I will take you to play quietly so that you won't be bothered by him. Do you want to go? If not, please don't bother me. I will go alone."

Hua Yunlong was playful by nature, and after listening to Cai Changyi listing many fun places like the back of his hand, his mind had already been agitated. Now after hearing Cai Changyi's words, he felt it was inconvenient to let down his father's kindness. However, since he was staying at Yu's house, the father and son of the family were very warm-hearted, and he felt it was inappropriate for him to stop doing his work and sneak out to play.

Seeing that he was hesitant to speak and seemed to be wondering whether to go or not, Cai Changyi quickly continued, "The opportunity is fleeting. Let's go out and have fun during the day, and I'll accompany you to go to Yixinyuan again at night to see what's going on and ask about the whereabouts of that guy named Qiu. This way we can have fun and do business separately, isn't that great?" ”

Hua Yunlong thought it made sense, hummed a little, and said: "Then... I have to leave a note..."

Cai Changyi smiled happily, waved his hands and said, "Go and wash up, I'll write the note, quickly." He walked to the table, ground ink and wet the brush, and finished it in one stroke. The note only read: "My brother and Yunlong are going out for a trip and will be back in the evening." The monogram was even simpler, with only one character "义". I put down my pen and looked back, only to see Hua Yunlong, smiling, waiting for me behind me.

Cai Changyi raised his thumb and said, "Come with me." He turned around, quietly opened the door, and went out. At this time, the sun had just risen, and the Yu family's servants had already swept and cooked. The two of them hid and went to the side yard. When they saw that there was no one around, they jumped over the wall and ran away.

After running two or three miles, they were close to the city wall. Hua Yunlong asked, "Brother Changyi, shall we go into the city?"

Cai Changyi said: "Well! Let's go into the city first. Qingliang Mountain, Jiming Temple, and Beiji Pavilion are all inside the city."

Hua Yunlong asked: "Where shall we go first?"

Cai Changyi said, "Qingliang Mountain, the Jiming Temple is on the mountain. Let's fill our stomachs at Jiming Temple and then go to Yuhuatai to pick up pebbles."

Hua Yunlong didn't know why they went to "Yuhuatai to pick up pebbles" or why they went to "Jiming Temple to fill their stomachs", but seeing Cai Changyi running non-stop, he was too lazy to ask any more questions and just followed closely. The two of them passed through and soon arrived at the west of the city. The so-called "Qingliang Mountain" is actually just a larger hill, less than a hundred feet high and no more than twenty miles in circumference. However, above the mountainside, there are dense Zen forests. During the hot summer, the breeze blows gently, the cicadas' chirping cleanses people's thoughts, and the breeze is refreshing, which has the effect of eliminating sweat and promoting salivation. The name "Qingliang Mountain" comes from this.

Jiming Temple is located on the top of Qingliang Mountain. It occupies a small area, but it is very popular. Although it is early in the morning, pilgrims who come to the mountain to worship Buddha are already flocking to it. The reasons for this are, firstly, that the Zen temple is quiet and elegant with fresh air, and city dwellers can take the opportunity to climb the mountain to burn incense and make wishes, as well as to exercise their muscles, so everyone rushes to do so and it becomes a custom. Secondly, the monks of Jiming Temple cook porridge for guests. Although it is a thin porridge, the vegetarian dishes served with it are the monks' careful preparations, crispy and delicious, and very pleasant to eat. Moreover, there is no extra charge for it, and others cannot imitate it. Therefore, many people come here for this vegetarian porridge. This is one of the reasons why Cai Changyi said "fill your stomach at Jiming Temple".

When they reached the foot of the mountain, they slowed down their pace, and walked slowly toward the top of the mountain, sandwiched among the pilgrims. This road is in a remote area and not many people go up the mountain. Halfway up, people from all directions gather together and there are many people, but no one stands out. Even if there were people who stood out, they were only interested in hiking and probably wouldn't notice you.

The sound of chanting scriptures came from the air, it was the monks' morning lessons that had not yet been completed. Listening to the sound of bells, wooden fish, and palm leaf chanting, Hua Yunlong felt a sense of peace in his heart, and all his worries from the previous night were gone. He silently quickened his pace and followed the sound of the chanting to the top of the mountain. Jiming Temple has only one main hall, one side hall, one back hall, a dining hall, and a living room for receiving pilgrims. The dining hall is behind the living room, the back hall is to the right of the main hall, and the kitchen and the back are at the back.

At this moment, twenty or thirty monks gathered in the main hall, put their hands together, worshipped, and chanted scriptures with all their heart. Hua Yunlong seemed to be fascinated. He went straight to the main hall and listened there attentively. After a while, Cai Changyi became curious. He was a little impatient and whispered in his ear, "What's going on, brother?"

Hua Yunlong was startled for a moment, then suddenly woke up. He himself felt puzzled, wondering why the wooden fish chanting could make him so fascinated. He shook his head awkwardly and said with a smile, "Nothing... Oh, let's look around." Without waiting for Cai Changyi to answer, he turned around and slowly walked towards the side hall.

His absent-minded look made Cai Changyi confused and puzzled, but it made the other person smile and nod. The man was a skinny monk with wrinkles all over his face, droopy eyelids, and a silver beard that reached his belly. This monk was an unremarkable person, wearing nothing more than a string of Buddhist beads, a grey monk's robe, and a pair of hemp shoes with multiple ears. However, ever since Hua Yunlong climbed to the mountainside, he had been following Hua Yunlong from a distance.

After visiting the temple, Cai and Hua came to the southeast corner and looked at the city view. The southeastern area of ​​Jinling City is densely populated, with houses lined up one after another. It is truly bustling and bustling. It is only early morning now, and amid the curling smoke, there are already people carrying goods passing by, and the hustle and bustle of life. However, in the northwest area, although there are quite a few houses, most of them are the deep courtyards of dukes and marquises, and the huge mansions of the gentry. The streets and alleys are deserted, with not a single person in sight.

Suddenly Hua Yunlong's expression froze, his eyes flashed, and he stared deeply in the direction of the Drum Tower. Cai Changyi was very surprised and asked in confusion: "What? Is there something wrong?"

Hua Yunlong raised his hand and pointed, saying, "Look, Jia Yan's carriage."

Cai Changyi looked in the direction of his finger and saw a horse-drawn carriage running very fast, heading straight towards the downtown area. His eyesight was not as sharp as Hua Yunlong's, so he could not see the appearance of the carriage clearly, and said casually: "There are many carriages in Jinling City, how can you tell that it is Jia Yan's carriage?"

Hua Yunlong said affirmatively: "Although there are many carriages of different styles, I recognize Jia Yan's carriage and I can't be mistaken."

Cai Changyi said, "So what if it's Jia Yan's carriage? She is a prostitute, she was summoned to a banquet at night and returned home in the early morning, so that's possible."

Hua Yunlong shook his head and said, "Impossible. Have you forgotten that Qiu Hua went to cause trouble last night and specifically asked her to accompany him? How could she get away?"

Cai Changyi smiled and said, "So what if we can't get away? Even if there is something suspicious, we can go there at night and the suspicious matters will be solved. Let's go! Let's go have some porridge." He grabbed Hua Yunlong's arm and walked towards the dining hall.

He was the kind of person who wouldn't put in any thought and would just use force when he couldn't answer. Hua Yunlong had no choice but to be patient and follow him. When I entered the dining hall, I realized that the number of diners was no less than that in a restaurant. The dining hall has twelve tables, and it is almost full. There was no one waiting in the dining hall, so those who wanted to eat porridge had to get it themselves. As a result, people came and went, making the place look very chaotic.

Hua Yunlong asked about the local customs and followed Cai Changyi to serve the thin porridge. The two of them found two empty seats and sat down to eat. There were four dishes: one dish of fermented bean curd with soybean paste, one dish of vegetarian chicken in soy sauce, one dish of fermented bean curd with fermented bean curd, and one dish of crispy yellow nine-stem mustard. These were no different from the ordinary vegetarian dishes served with porridge, but they tasted delicious and were by no means comparable to the food sold in other places. When the porridge was half full, Cai Changyi stopped and asked, "Brother! How does this vegetarian dish taste?"

Hua Yunlong raised his head and said with a smile, "Wonderful...wonderful..." He suddenly stopped talking and said no more. His smile faded and his eyes became straight, as if he was stunned.

Cai Changyi frowned and said reluctantly: "Brother, you today..." Suddenly he noticed Hua Yunlong's strange look, so he paused and looked in the direction he was looking.

It turned out that at another table, there sat a young man in Confucian robes and carrying a sword, and next to him was a young woman in her prime with a black veil on her face. There he was playing with a black cat with sparkling red eyes. When he saw the black cat, Cai Changyi was also stunned. At this moment, the young man put down his bowl and chopsticks and looked up. It turned out to be Ruan Hongyu's fellow apprentice, Xiao Chou. Cai Changyi didn't recognize Xiao Chou, but he had heard Hua Yunlong talk about the black cat. Xiao Chou's eyes fixed, he stood up suddenly, smiled sinisterly and said: "Hua boy, we haven't seen each other for a long time." As soon as the words came out, the woman in black veil suddenly looked up, and then her body trembled.

Even though she was wearing a black veil and even though she was not carrying the black cat, Hua Yunlong could recognize her identity at a glance. She was You, who seemed to be "guarding" the mourning hall and claimed to be Sima Changqing's "maid". The most serious suspect was right in front of him, so it was no wonder that Hua Yunlong was stunned. Yu Shi tugged at Xiao Chou's sleeve and whispered, "Don't cause trouble, let's go."

Cai Changyi was quite sensible and suddenly asked in a deep voice: "Leave? Where to go?"

Hua Yunlong said slowly: "Let them go. The holy land of Buddhism cannot be stained with blood."

Cai Changyi frowned and said, "Why? She is not..."

Hua Yunlong nodded and continued, "Yes, she is You, that's right."

Xiao Chou snorted coldly and said, "Hua Yunlong, I am waiting for you at Zhongshan. Do you dare to go?"

Hua Yunlong's eyes sharpened, and he said, "It's a deal. I will be there at 12:00 a.m." He paused, stared at Youshi and said, "Madam is the master of this appointment. I have something to ask you. I hope you won't break your promise."

You Shi stammered, "Your humble concubine...Your humble concubine obeys your command."

Hua Yunlong smiled slightly, stood up and said, "Brother Changyi, let's go." He strode out and walked out gracefully.

Cai Changyi followed him woodenly until they reached the mountainside. Finally, he could no longer bear it and asked, "Brother, do you really believe that Youshi will keep the appointment?"

Hua Yunlong said: "Although she is a useful clue, she is just a minor character. It doesn't matter whether she goes or not."

Cai Changyi was surprised and asked, "Then...then why bother to ask her out?"

Hua Yunlong smiled slightly and said, "If she doesn't go, it proves that she is guilty of her crime. The murder must be related to her. Even if there is no other discovery, we can still do our best to hunt her down. The truth will eventually come out."

Cai Changyi asked, "What if she went?"

Hua Yunlong said: "Based on the situation on that day, this Youshi was related to the bloody case. According to my judgment, if she goes there, she will naturally invite other helpers to fight me together. That would be what I want most."

Cai Changyi was stunned at first, then he laughed and said, "I understand, I understand, haha, I didn't expect you..."

Hua Yunlong patted him lightly on the shoulder and said, "Too much talk will lead to mistakes. I'm glad you understand. Let's walk faster." So the two of them walked hand in hand and hurried down Qingliang Mountain. At this time, the skinny old monk came out from the depths of the Zen forest, looked at Hua Yunlong's running back, shook his head gently, then rolled up his patched clothes and walked down the mountain tremblingly.

Zhongshan Mountain is located in the northeast of Jinling and circles the city for no less than fifty miles. Hua and Cai were at their leisure. They left the city through the Shuixi Gate, took a stroll around Yuhuatai, and then drove off-road at a lightning speed. He ran towards Zhongshan Mountain. When we arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was already the beginning of the morning. Looking up at the mountain, we could sense the purple mist and the majestic mountain, so it is also known as Purple Gold Mountain. Cai Changyi was stunned for a moment, took a breath and said, "Zhongshan is so big, I forgot to tell you the exact location just now, where should we wait now?"

Hua Yunlong thought for a moment and said, "Fortunately, it's still early. Let's climb the mountain first. When someone arrives, they will be able to see everything." This was the only feasible plan at the moment. Cai Changyi naturally had nothing to say. The two of them started walking again and ran towards the mountain.

Soon, the mountain peak was near, and suddenly a hoarse woman shouted, "Stop. If you take another step forward, I will chop off your dog legs."

Hua Yunlong was startled and said, "Is it Mother Xue? How could she..." Just as he began to suspect something, he heard a man's voice sneer and said, "Trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm. Haha, you ugly woman, you don't know what's good for you. How dare you..."

Before he finished speaking, Hua Yunlong suddenly shouted in a deep voice, "Quick, it's Qiu Hua." As he spoke, his figure soared into the sky and rushed to the top of the mountain.

They reached the top of the mountain, but saw that it was an uneven grassland, about ten feet in radius, with dense forests on the east and west sides and a cliff in the northeast corner. It was unknown how deep the valley was. Except for one side of the cliff, which was unguarded, the other three sides were surrounded by sixteen burly men in purple clothes. In the middle of the grassland, a 28-year-old girl in black clothes held a dagger and glared at them.

Xue Niang stood in front of her, her ugly face with eyes spitting fire, her muscles twitching, and her hands as black as ink. It was obvious that she had gathered all her strength and was ready to attack. But Qiu Hua, with his lustful eyes, turned a blind eye and continued to move forward with a sinister smile on his face. Another young man in his twenties, dressed in brocade clothes, stood on the side and it seemed that he was also following Qiu Hua's path. This situation showed that Qiu Hua had lustful thoughts and was about to attack the girl in black.

Cai Changyi was a hot-tempered man. When he took a glance, he was suddenly filled with rage. He suddenly shouted, "Stop! How can you be considered a hero if you bully women?" The shout was so powerful that it shook Qiu Hua's eardrums. He was startled and stopped, then turned around.

The black-clothed girl suddenly saw Hua Yunlong and cheered, "Mr. Hua."

At this moment, Qiu Hua had already seen Hua Yunlong. He frowned and said sinisterly: "We are destined to meet. Haha, you pretended to be Bai Qi, did something to me, and kidnapped the girl in that hall. Aren't you afraid of tarnishing the reputation of your Hua family?" Hua Yunlong was secretly surprised when he heard this, and wondered: What? Jia Yan exposed my secrets? What is she really like?

Unexpectedly, before he could resolve his doubts, he heard the black-clothed girl screaming, "Oh my God, you..."

The scream seemed to be filled with disappointment, but it came without any reason. Before Hua Yunlong could change his mind, he heard Xue Niang interrupt him coldly, "Miss, don't forget our purpose. No matter where he kidnaps the girl, it has nothing to do with us." During this moment, the black-clothed girl cheered and then screamed again. Combined with Xue Niang's interruption and Qiu Hua's sarcasm, Cai Changyi was really confused.

Hua Yunlong heaved a long sigh, walked towards the black-clothed girl, and said, "Young lady, don't be sad. I have roughly figured out the truth of the matter. It has nothing to do with you. As for your father's matter, I will do my best in the future and will never refuse. For now, please go first..."

Before he finished speaking, Qiu Hua suddenly laughed and said, "Hua, do you want to get involved in this matter again?"

Hua Yunlong ignored her and continued, "Miss, I speak from the heart. The children of the Hua family will never go back on their word or do anything to disgrace the family reputation. Please leave, I will take care of things here." The girl in black was about to cry and did not respond. Xue Niang still had a frosty face and had no intention of retreating.

Qiu Hua snorted coldly and said, "You take care of it? Humph, you can't take care of yourself, and you want to meddle in other people's affairs?"

He glanced at the other young man in brocade clothes and said, "Old Five, let's go, no matter whether we live or die." He swung his arm and struck Hua Yunlong on the back.

Hua Yunlong turned his body to avoid the palm wind that was coming at him, and shouted in a stern voice: "Wait a minute, I have something to ask you."

With a "clang" sound, the young man in brocade clothes drew out his sword, swept it across, and swung it at Hua Yunlong's waist, saying in a cold voice: "There are many confused ghosts in the underworld, so what's the harm in adding one more of you." His words were harsh and his sword was sharp. The sword was as powerful as lightning and seemed to have the potential to hurt people with one sword. The girl in black clothes glanced at it and screamed, her eyes widened.

Hua Yunlong didn't care at all. He waved his left hand and sent a sharp palm wind towards the incoming sword, shouting, "Who are you? Explain yourself clearly before we fight."

Qiu Hua's palm strike missed, so he stretched out his arm, took the sword in his hand, used the move "Thousand Miles Sailing", stabbed the master with his wrist, and said, "Qiu Hua, did you hear me clearly?" Qiu Hua? That young man in brocade clothes is also called Qiu Hua, so doesn’t that mean he is the third Qiu Hua?

Hua Yunlong was startled and nearly hit by a sword in his left side. Cai Changyi was very anxious when he saw this and was about to jump up to rescue him when he suddenly heard the girl in black shouting, "Master Hua, take the sword." As she spoke, her shining short sword, which was more than a foot long, flew towards Qiu Hua's back at lightning speed. Qiu Hua did not have time to hurt the enemy and quickly withdrew his sword, took a step sideways and dodged.

Cai Changyi felt relieved and thought to himself, "This girl has a grudge against Brother Hua, but she also has feelings for him. This is exactly what it means to be 'heartless but affectionate'. "While thinking in his heart, he did not dare to blink for a moment, only to see that the dagger was still moving forward. Hua Yunlong had to take it, so he stretched out his right arm anxiously, and the dagger that was shining at the door was tightly clamped between his index and middle fingers.

With a sword in his hand, Hua Yunlong was like a tiger with wings. He swung the short sword and immediately launched a fierce attack, forcing the two Qiu Huas to retreat again and again. During the attack, Hua Yunlong thought secretly: "In the martial arts world, where do so many people who hate Hua come from? The young man in brocade clothes is called the fifth brother, and the man with a horse face should be the third brother? I will let him go and see how good their martial arts are, and then I will make my decision." When he thought of this, he pretended to be out of internal strength and slowed down the momentum of his sword.

When masters fight, how can there be any negligence? The two Qiu Huas are both masters of martial arts, but because of one negligence, they lost the initiative and were at a disadvantage. Now seeing that Hua Yunlong's sword force has slowed down, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redress their wrongdoings. How can they let it slip away easily? The two of them showed delight on their faces, and their swords became more powerful. They attacked with three consecutive sword strikes, and immediately regained the advantage.

The two of them were originally at a disadvantage and could not use their sword skills, but now they regained the advantage, and the two swords suddenly became as active as fish in water, and they became handy. Sure enough, the sword techniques of both of them were more spicy than steady, and when they worked together, they showed strange and changeable characteristics, which were exactly the same as the sword techniques used by Qiu Hua from Luoyang. After trying more than twenty moves, Hua Yunlong thought secretly: The sword techniques are the same, which means they are from the same school. But I wonder how many people who hate Hua have the same name and surname? He suddenly swung his sword and slashed at Qiu Hua who was dressed in brocade, and asked in a stern voice: "Tell me? Are you the disciples of the leader of the "Xuanming Sect"? ”

This sword was like a rainbow from the sky, so powerful and fierce that Qiu Hua in brocade clothes was shocked and took a step back unconsciously. The horse-faced Qiu Hua took a sudden step forward, with the tip of his sword flashing with a cold light. He regardless of everything, pointed directly at the three vital points on Hua Yunlong's back, aiming to save the brocade-clothed Qiu Hua from danger. Little did he know that if he tried his best to save people, his weakness would be exposed. He saw Hua Yunlong suddenly spun around and swung his short sword at him. Suddenly, he felt a chill on the top of his head and was stunned with horror.

Hua Yunlong smiled and retreated, saying: "Excuse me, if my sword force sinks three points, what will be the consequences?" What will be the consequences? There's no need to ask. Horse-faced Qiu Hua's scalp exploded, cold sweat broke out all over his body, and he took a deep breath. Hua Yunlong smiled slightly, and then continued: "May I ask, how many Qiu Huas with the same name and surname are there under your master's seat?"

As if hypnotized, Horse-faced Qiu Hua blurted out, "Eight."

Hua Yunlong's face suddenly turned cold and he said, "Eight people with the same name, they are coming to our Hua family. Does your master have a grudge against the Hua family?" Horse-faced Qiu Hua was stunned for a moment, then he realized that he had said something wrong. His face immediately turned pale and he was so panicked that he was speechless.

Jinyi Qiu Hua suddenly said in a loud voice: "Third brother, one sentence is talking, eight sentences and ten sentences are also talking. Now that we have already talked, let's talk about what we know."

Hua Yunlong's eyebrows raised, thinking secretly: "Brother and I are about the same age, have the same name, and there is no difference in the way we address each other. It is easy to tell what kind of person our master is." While thinking in his mind, he said: "You are indeed a man. May I ask where is the headquarters of the "Xuanming Sect"? ”

Jinyi Qiu Hua said: "Our sect has not yet opened its doors. On the day of the opening, we will circulate the martial arts circle and inform your Hua family."

Hua Yunlong nodded and said, "Ambassador Sima of Luoyang and his wife were killed by your men."

Jinyi Qiu Hua said: "Yes..."

Horse-faced Qiu Hua then said, "No."

Hua Yunlong's eyes sharpened, and he shouted in a deep voice: "Is it true or not?"

Horse-faced Qiu Hua said, "We brothers have already said it."

Hua Yunlong frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Jinyi Qiu Hua said: "Yes and no, it's all yes. What's so hard to understand? Nagging."

Hua Yunlong's anger rose sharply. He paused for a moment, then suppressed it and said, "It seems that without real evidence, you are unwilling to confess."

Brocade-clothed Qiu Hua's eyes cleared and he started talking. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a strong voice interrupt him, "If you want to know, you can ask me."

Hua Yunlong was startled and looked hurriedly in the direction of the sound. He didn't know when four elderly men in their seventies arrived from the south. You Shi, who was holding a black cat, and Xiao Chou, who was wearing a scholar's robe and carrying a sword, stood on both sides of them.