Murong Ke listened to Bu Yangchen's persuasion and started his return journey.

She didn't plan to take the waterway anymore on the journey home, and the horseback riding official road was much faster after all.

The sky was drizzling, and Yu Wenguang accompanied him all the way.

"Mother Rong, you still wrap your head," they hurried back north on horseback, and Yu Wenguang repeatedly instructed on the way back, "Otherwise, you will catch a cold." ”

"A little rain is no big deal. Murong Ke replied.

Her wet hair hung down heavily, and a loose strand of hair stuck to her forehead, and it was not hard to imagine how embarrassed she was, but she didn't care.

Eighteen years of life in the North of the Underworld have made it rare for her to be exposed to such rain, the rain in the North is cold and unforgiving, and sometimes her face is about to turn into ice, but the rain is soft and gentle at this moment.

Murong Ke likes to use her face to experience this feeling of being as light as a loving mother's kiss, which seems to make her go back to her childhood and recall those rainy days spent in Wanghai City.

She remembered the green weeping willows full of moisture, running by herself in the lush garden full of flowers, and remembering the days of her whole girlhood, how carefree.

Murong Ke thought that he had forgotten these things a long time ago, and the rain in the northern underworld made people miserable.

"I'm soaking wet, madam," Yu Wenguang looked even more embarrassed, he didn't have Murong Ke's leisure, "We should probably find a place to shelter from the rain." ”

"There is a tea shed in front, which is a time-honored brand. Murong Ke said. In fact, she didn't know that the tea shed was still there, he went out with his father many times when he was young, and the proprietress was a chattering person, but after all, eighteen years have passed, who knows if it is still there.

"Of course the tea shed is good," Yu Wenguang repeated wistfully. "But...... It's better not to take any chances, it's a crowded place, and it's safer to find an inn to avoid being recognized. ”

At this time, there was the sound of clanging armor, neighing horses, and rain splashing on the road, and Yu Wenguang hurriedly waited. "Someone. He let out a warning as he reached out and grasped the hilt of his sword.

Even in official ways, caution is definitely beneficial and harmless.

They followed the prestige, and rounded a lazy bend, and saw a column of men and horses, heavily armed, noisily crossing the rising stream, hurrying from behind.

Murong Ke grabbed the reins and let them go first, and the banner held high by the people at the front of the team was already soaked and hung down, and it was impossible to see clearly.

But everyone who came wore blue brown cloaks, and the colorful deer emblem of the Nalan family appeared on the chest.

"It's from the Southern Nalan family. Yuwen Guang whispered to her, for fear that she wouldn't know, "Madam, I think you better pull up your hood." ”

Murong Ke did not comply.

Nalan Gangfeng, the patriarch of the Nalan family, was himself in the ranks, surrounded by cavalry, and he should be his youngest son Nalan Fearless, and the attendants followed behind.

Regardless of the risk of being recognized, she took a good look at Nalan Gangfeng.

The last time I saw him was in Wanghai City eighteen years ago, when a grand wedding banquet was being held for her, and Nalan Gangfeng at that time only cared about laughing with his father.

The Nalan family is a vassal of the Murong family in Wanghai City, and this person is as generous as his power in giving gifts.

Now his hair was thinning and a little whiter, and the years had carved out his face, but it did not detract from his valor, and he rode fearlessly on his horse.

Murong Ke was envious for a while, she was too frightened and afraid.

As she passed, Nalan Gangfeng gave her a simple nod, but that was only the basic courtesy of the lord to give way to the stranger, his sharp eyes did not recognize her, and his youngest son did not look at her at all with a sad face.

"He didn't even recognize you. Yu Wenguang, who was sweating afterwards, said suspiciously.

He saw only two wet, tired, mud-splattered chickens standing on the side of the road, and never imagined that one of them would be his master's daughter. I think we would be safe even if we entered the tea shed, look at me," she said to Yu Wenguang, "You think I am the county lord of Wanghai City, the lady of North Stygian City?"

The tea shed was located at a three-way intersection in the northeast of Guangming City, and it was already westward when they arrived.

The proprietress was still there, she was a little fatter than Murong Ke remembered, and her hair was grayer, but fortunately, she only glanced at them hastily, and didn't pay attention to the two of them at all.

They asked for some tea, as well as two plates of homemade dim sum, and Murong Ke watched the raindrops fall along the edge of the shed, like a string of beads made of water.

The rain was heavier, and it seemed that it would not stop for a moment. Murong Ke could barely distinguish the muddy crossing at the intersection of the two major roads.

Seeing the fork in the road, her wandering gaze couldn't help but stop. If they go southeast from here, they will reach Wanghai City. Her father was always there for wise advice when she needed it, and she was eager to talk to him and tell him that the catastrophe was coming.

If the Northern Underworld City had to usher in a war, Wanghai City would bear the brunt of it, because it was close to the City of Light and shrouded in the shadow of Qingqiu City.

If her father had been in good health, she might have considered rushing to Wanghai City right now, but he had been bedridden for two years, and she didn't want to add to his burden.

The road to the east is more rugged and treacherous, climbing over rocky hills and dense woods into the Golden Mountains, and then through steep passes and abyssal cliffs to reach the Shangguan family's Golden Crow City.

At this moment, Murong Ke has no time to care about it, she just wants to return to the North Underworld City as soon as possible, she has a major mission entrusted by her husband. As long as she passed through the Beiwang Gorge safely, she could reveal her identity to the vassals of the Northern Netherworld, and then send a messenger to ride a horse to issue a secret decree of martial law in the northern part of the country.

The scale of the tea shed is much larger than the last time I came, it is very long and well ventilated.

A row of red stoves with a three-foot-long spout can be inserted into the teapot to refill the guests.

Rows of benches are packed, and villagers and farmers sit side by side with travelers of all origins. The apprentice of the dyeer, with one hand black and the other purple, sat with a fishy river beggar, the muscular blacksmith huddled next to the thin old monk, and the tough-guy swordsman and the soft-spoken businessman exchanged news on the road like old friends.

However, most of the people who rested here were carrying swords, and Murong Ke was a little worried. Sitting by the fire, the three people wearing the bobcat emblem of the Nangong family, and a group of people wearing blue steel ring armor and silver-gray cloaks on their shoulders, embroidered on their chests were the emblems of the Ouyang family's twin towers that she was familiar with.

She looked at their faces one by one, but they were too young for her to recognize. The older one in it was only Bu Yangming's current age when she married into the North Underworld.

Lord Nalan Steelfront found two seats on the bench near the south, not far from them.

At this time, a young man who was singing came over, and Murong Ke frowned.

"My name is Marelli," said the young man as he plucked a string, "I guess you've heard me perform somewhere else?"

Hearing his tone, Murong Ke couldn't help laughing. Troubadours or singers rarely visited the northern city of the Underworld, but she had met them in her teenage years in Wanghai City. "I'm afraid not. She told the truth.

The young singer plays a sad note on the piano. "That's your loss, noble lady," he said, "and if you're willing to spend a silver coin, you'll get it for your money." ”

"I've got a few copper plates, but I'd rather go out into the sea than hear you scream. Nalan Gangfeng, who was not far away, said angrily that he was known for hating vocal venues, and he thought that girls occasionally sang and talked about the past, but if it was a healthy man, he didn't pick up a sword, but babbled and sang with a piano, which was really unusual.

"Why don't you go to the North Underworld to sing?" Murong Ke teased the boy.

"What am I going to do there?" the Marelli boy asked her rhetorically, "it's snowy and cold, it's thick when you go out, and the Buyang family doesn't know any music, they just like to hear the howl of the wolf......"

Murong Ke vaguely heard a carriage coming.

"Lady Boss," an attendant's voice came from behind her, "find someone to feed us the horses, and then find a table for our Qingqiu family, and we'll rest." ”

"Madam, someone from the Qingqiu family. Yu Wenguang said, Murong Ke hurriedly reached out to stop him, her fingers tightly grasping his forearm.

The proprietress smiled her trademark smile and was busy bowing. "Uncles, oh, I'm really sorry, it's full, it's all to blame for this damn rain. ”

Murong Ke saw a group of six of them, four guards of the Qingqiu family, a coachman, and the crippled ugly ghost of the Qingqiu family with a black cane.

But anyone with two eyes will not confuse Qingqiu's illness with other people's mistakes.

"Can we stand in the rain at our headquarters, hostess?" said Aooka with a sick grin, "We're just stopping for a moment." ”

The proprietress was anxious and didn't know what to do, "Master Qingqiu, we really have no choice, all the good men who come here are good men from all over the world, small shops, small shops no one can afford to provoke." ”

Qingqiu smiled lightly, took out a coin from his pocket, tossed it up, caught it, and tossed it again.

Even Murong Ke, who was sitting in the far corner, could see that it was shining gold.

A Jianghu man dressed in gray-green stood up, "My lord, if you don't dislike it, you can use our table." ”

"You're so smart enough," Qingqiu said as he threw the gold coin over as he reached out to catch it. "It's not bad. ”

"Boss," Qingqiu said with an ugly face, "let's have a pot of hot tea, we think it's okay." ”

"Use anything, Longjing Maojian, you can order whatever you want. The proprietress smiled, and finally nothing happened.

It's good to choke to death by drinking water, Murong Ke thought to himself. However, what appeared in front of his eyes was the sight of Bu Yangming covered in blood and unable to breathe.

Qingqiu glanced at the table closest to him. "I was so tired that my men were tired that they rode a long way. Zhao San, will you eat with me?"

"Okay, master, this is a small ancestor who has accumulated virtue. Zhao San sat down happily.

The ugly ghost didn't even glance at this side, and Murong Ke was secretly glad that the nearest location was separated from them by so many crowded tables and benches.

But she didn't dare to get up easily, for fear of attracting attention.

At this time, Marelli got up suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he saw the noble man he had hit, and Murong Ke didn't even have time to stop it.

"Lord of the Qingqiu family," he cried, "may I have the pleasure of singing to you during your meal, and let me sing you a song of the Noble Brother's Blade of the Dark King?"

"I'm not weird if it's not disgusting," the ugly ghost said sourly. He glanced at the singer with eyes of different sizes, and was about to look away, he saw Murong Ke, he looked at it in confusion for a long time, after all, he had only seen a few hurried photos in the North Underworld City, and Murong Ke was dressed like this, he really didn't dare to recognize it.

But he was sure that he was not mistaken, and Qingqiu smiled when he was sick. "What an unexpected reunion, honorable Madame Buyan," he said, "why are you here?"

"The lady of the Buyang family's Northern Underworld?" said the proprietress of the tea shed, trembling.

The crowd was already talking in a low voice, everyone focused on Murong Ke, Murong Ke stood up, she had no way out, looking at the crowd surging in the tea shed, with various emblems embroidered on her clothes, she carefully analyzed which were the people from her side and which were the people from the Qingqiu family.

She took a deep breath to calm her frantic heartbeat, and she had no other choice but to take a gamble.

The stake is her own life and that of the ugly ghost of the Qingqiu family, in order to step forward.

This is a rare opportunity, she didn't know that she would have to wait until the Year of the Monkey to meet Qingqiu when she was sick again, the opportunity was fleeting, and she didn't have time to think about it carefully, Yu Wenguang was already holding the hilt of the sword.

She took out all her majesty and courage, "Which warrior is sitting in the corner, the embroidered image of the Twin Towers on your clothes, is it from the Nangong family?"

The man quickly stood up and replied, "Yes, ma'am." He threw his hand at Murong Ke.

"My father is the lord of Wanghai City, dare to ask if the Nangong family is still close to each other?"

"Naturally, ma'am, our covenant has gone on for three hundred years. The man replied firmly.

Nalan Gangfeng also stood up, and the guards around him also stood up.

Qingqiu blinked his eyes sickly, his face was dazed, and his eyes of different sizes flashed with confusion.

"Nalan Gangfeng is here to plead guilty, my old eyes didn't even recognize Miss. He said in a voice that could be heard all over the tea shed: "The Nalan family is a vassal of the Murong family in Wanghai City, and they swear to follow your father to the death. ”

"Hehe, Uncle Nalan Gangfeng, I guess we haven't seen each other for eighteen years, I heard that you have added Ding to import, can you receive the gift I sent from the Northern Underworld. ”

"I received it, I received it, Mrs., the old man thanked me here. Nalan Gangfeng arched his hands and bowed deeply.

"I really envy Ling Zun for having so many good friends and subordinates," Qingqiu felt that Murong Ke was sicker than himself today, "But Mrs. Buyang, I don't understand what your purpose is in doing this." ”

You will know right away, Murong Ke thought to himself.

He ignored him and turned to the silver-cloaked men. There are more than 20 of these people, and they are the key to the whole game.

"I am also familiar with the twin tower emblems of the Ouyang family, warriors, I don't know how your family is doing lately?"

Their leader stood up, "Madam, thank you for your concern, our family is very good, the Ouyang family is a vassal of the Buyang family, you can summon us at any time if you have any orders." ”

Qingqiu couldn't help but snicker when he heard that he was sick, but at this time, Murong Ke was already convinced that this ugly ghost had nowhere to escape today.

"The Buyang family is in great trouble, I, the lady of the county lord of Wanghai City, Bei Yingcheng, hereby ask all heroes to uphold justice," Murong Ke cleared his throat, "Someone asked the Buyang family for help as a guest, and the Buyang family helped him with all their might, but this person will take revenge and murder my child twice, and now, my youngest son Bu Yangming is dying and paralyzed in bed, and he will not be able to walk for the rest of his life." ”

"Who is it? Who is so cruel, deserve to be punished!" Nalan Gangfeng drew his sword and shouted violently.

Only then did Murong Ke sweep his cold gaze towards Qingqiu is sick, and stretched out a cold finger at him.

Nalan Gangfeng walked to Murong Ke's side with his sword.

"In the name of the Buyang family and the Murong family, if you are friends of my two clans," Murong Kelang said, "I ask you to take him down and assist me in sending him to the Northern Underworld City to wait for my husband's fate." ”

For a moment, Murong Ke didn't know whether the sound of dozens of long swords unsheathed in unison was more pleasant, or whether the expression on Qingqiu's sick face was more pleasant.

Qingqiu's sick guard prepares to draw his sword.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please don't use your swords and guns here. The proprietress screamed and pleaded.

Qingqiu was sick and stopped the stupid actions of the guards before he was chopped into pieces, plus he was a cripple of only six people, and one was a coachman, "Where is your politeness?" he lectured several of his guards, "Didn't our kind proprietress say don't use knives and guns? ”

Qingqiu was sick and barely squeezed out a smile, thinking that this smile must be even more ugly in the eyes of others, "Venerable Mrs. Buyang, I think you must be mistaken, I can be called good friends with your son Bu Yangming, and his affairs have nothing to do with me at all." ”

"Does it matter at all?" Murong Ke finished speaking, then raised his hand to show the people in the tea shed, "This scar was left by his dagger, and he sent someone to murder my son with that dagger." ”

Qingqiu was sick, and he only felt that everyone's anger was rising, and he was almost smoking when he was instigated by this woman from Wanghai City.

"Kill him directly. Someone proposed, and then everyone agreed, and the speed was much faster than Qingqiu expected.

Everyone was quite friendly just now, but now they are like a wolf that wants to ask for his life.

If he continues, maybe an angry reckless man will give him a sword directly, and the situation is extremely bad for him.

Qingqiu raised his voice while trying to hide the tremor in his voice: "If Mrs. Buyang decides that I am responsible for some crime, I will be happy to explain it to her." ”

This is the only way. Trying to break out of the encirclement is tantamount to finding your own death. Dozens of people were instigated by the woman to draw their swords, they were all good hands of various families, and just one Nalan Gangfeng was enough.

He doesn't have any hole cards here, maybe the four guards sent to him by his brother are passable, and how many can he deal with? Zhao San is a groom, and he is a good hand at bragging, I don't know if his crotch is wet?

As for himself, he can only hehe.

He called Qingqiu sick, but don't think he's really sick.