Earlier than Jiang Li, he got the news that Sixi and his party had arrived in Qingzhou, and it was naturally Qin Yuanhua, who was known as the first son of the dynasty. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

The letter in Jiang Li's hand was delayed for a few days by the colorful clothes in the mansion, but the movement on Qingzhou's side was quickly delivered to Qin Yuanhua's hands. The letters from the land route were all delivered by the post station, and it was the official news from Qingzhou.

When Qin Yuanhua read the letter, Fan Sicheng was beside him.

In front of the unofficial but powerful first son, Fan Sicheng was dressed in a scholar's robe with the same pattern and a snake-shaped silver hairpin. did not wear an official uniform, nor did he wear a noble and luxurious ornament on his body, and deliberately kept a low profile.

Because Fan Sicheng cannot be compared with the first son in a brocade robe, hairpin and jade, and colored beads around his waist, whether in terms of status and power, or in terms of appearance and momentum. Fan Sicheng knows this well, and constantly reminds himself not to be suspicious of trespassing in small details.

After reading the letter, Qin Yuanhua had a shocked and confused look on his face. After reading the letter, the letter paper was crumpled in his hand. Meiyu's flawless face also crumpled into the mass of letterhead.

After a while, he smiled at Fan Sicheng and handed out the ball of paper in his hand.

Fan Sicheng took it with both hands, unfolded it and swept it carefully, looking up at Qin Yuanhua.

At this time, Qin Yuanhua had returned to his usual calm, cold and arrogant look. However, the words spoken to Fan Sicheng were very kind: "Sicheng, what do you think? ”

"Brother Qin originally thought that the housekeeper named Sixi in Meizhuang deliberately concealed it from you and colluded with the bandits in private, and it was even very likely that he was instructed by the Jiang family to collude with the bandits." Fan Sicheng said unhurriedly. Fan Sicheng has not been in Beijing for a long time, but when he heard him speak, he seemed to have become Qin Yuanhua's confidant.

"Not bad. I've always been skeptical. After all, someone had seen it upstairs by the Yanziji River that day, and the two robbers were eating and drinking with the two people in charge of Meizhuang. And isn't it suspicious that the housekeeper received a token from my Qin Mansion and asked him to help keep an eye on the bandits, but he didn't report it? Qin Yuanhua's eyes burst out with cold light, and a layer of murderous intent appeared on his face.

Fan Sicheng's heart sank. He lowered his head and waited for Qin Yuanhua to continue.

"Moreover, Meizhuang is the private property of the Jiang family's three rooms. The matter involves the Jiang family again, should you say that it is just a coincidence? Qin Yuanhua said with a meaningful look on Fan Sicheng's face. In addition, the hidden stakes set up on our river also replied, and indeed found two bandits on their boat, and they also fought each other. How do you explain this. ”

Fan Sicheng's face was serious. During that time, Jiang Li, the only master of the Jiang family, lived in Meizhuang, and with his understanding of Jiang Li since he was a child, Fan Sicheng couldn't believe that Jiang Li, who was only fourteen or fifteen years old, would have that guts.

Naturally, he couldn't say that. Speaking out seems to have become a good thing to say for the Jiang family.

"But it is believed that this time it was Jiang Zongjin who personally went to the post station to check the ship, and the officials on the scene were also there, except for a few boats of smuggling spices and medicinal materials, there was nothing else on the ship, not even the shadow of the bandits, let alone dozens of boxes. The man on the boat reported that Jiang Zongjin had reported to the above about an ordinary smuggling case. They were all seized and dealt with as smuggling cases. What else can we do? Fan Sicheng judged Qin Yuanhua's face and said honestly.

"Yes, if the Jiang family colluded with the bandits in advance, they could have found a place to drop the goods halfway. And notifying Jiang Zongjin to come to check the ship can be said to be coerced by the bandits, and we can't find fault with it. Qin Yuanhua sighed, took the letter paper handed back by Fan Sicheng, and threw it into the paper basket.

In the end, he muttered: "How come things come to Qingzhou, the results are always unexpected!" ”

It's breezy and warm. The sky in the capital is as blue as a wash.

Located in a post house in the imperial city, a tall and straight black-robed man had an expression on his face like snow all year round, without a trace of freezing.

The man stood in front of the window, holding a pot of wine in his left hand and propping his right hand on the window lattice. The angular lines of his face were tense under his long flowing hair, and his thin lips were pursed into a line. The eyes that were originally as bright as the morning stars were now dim.

A pot of liquor was already empty, but the deep sorrow that lingered in the man's heart seemed to be increasing. I didn't want people to see my vulnerability, so I deliberately raised my spine and put a layer of frost on my face.

From the dawn of the morning, it is now past midday outside the window, and the man has been in the window for a long time, leaving a room behind him with a cold and noble tall back, showing a trace of frustration and decadence at this moment.

The roof of the hall where the man is located is painted with gold wire, the top is supported by clouds, and the beams are danced by dragons and claws, which is magnificent. Behind the man stood a group of people, men and women, dressed in Nan Chen, all dressed gorgeously, but their expressions could not hide their despair and sadness.

There was the sound of footsteps, and two men, one tall and one short, walked outside the house. Gao's expression was serious and gentle, and his eyes were full of wisdom. A short round figure, with a fat face, squeezed small eyes, squinting. The two of them entered the house and called His Highness, and after giving the salute, they waited for the black-robed man to speak. The man in the black robe and hair was none other than Xiao Ting, the third prince of Nan Chen.

Nanchen is located in the southwest of the Great Song Dynasty, with few dense people, producing beautiful jade and strange stones, and spices and silk are famous all over the world. The people have been prosperous for a long time, and from top to bottom, they have become arrogant and extravagant, and they have neglected to prepare for war for many years. This time, the neighboring Dayan provoked troops on the border, and went down more than a dozen cities on the border in a row, and its momentum was like a bamboo.

Nan Chen saw that it was too late to save himself. In a panic, they sent a series of requests for help to their neighbors, but they did not expect that no country would lend a helping hand in times of crisis. Originally, the Song State bordered Nanchen of Dayan, and it was also the neighboring country that was most vulnerable to the war, and the three countries had always concluded treaties of peace and friendship, so together with the war, Nanchen was the first to ask for help from the Great Song Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, after the Great Song Dynasty received a request for help, the court was divided into two factions. The faction headed by the prime minister of the current dynasty advocated impartiality and waited for changes; However, the main battle faction led by the eighth prince Zhao Jian believed that once the war against the neighboring countries no matter who won or lost, it would inevitably affect the border pattern of the Great Song Dynasty, and the Great Song Dynasty would inevitably have the worry of dying and having cold teeth.

The imperial court has been determined for a long time, and the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty indulged in the art of calligraphy and painting, and gave all the decision-making power of the imperial court to Qin Xiang, who was above the three divisions.

As soon as Xiao Ting and his entourage arrived at the border of the Great Song Dynasty, someone secretly reported to them, saying that the prime minister of the Great Song Dynasty had already colluded with Great Yan, and reminded Nan Chen and the others not to have too high expectations for the trip to the Great Song Dynasty, and it was better to return to Chen to prepare for war. That time it was just a small guy in the temporary accommodation of the Nanchen people. Without evidence, Xiao Ting did not answer.

As soon as he entered the capital, Xiao Ting received a letter written on a rough piece of yellow mounted paper, which is the kind of yellow mounted paper used to draw symbols in temples.

The handwriting is wild, and the arrogance is the same as Xiao Ting's. There are only a few sentences on the paper - Xiao Ting, the third prince of Southern Chen, knows: Song Qin Xiang was bribed by Dayan privately, and his crime should be regarded as collaborating with the enemy, and the incident should be punished by the nine clans. Finding evidence may allow Emperor Song to see the true face of Dayan and promise to send troops to help Chen. In the north of the capital, the Jiang family, the former imperial envoy of Qingzhou, may have epistolary evidence. You and I have the ambition to work together, and we will not deceive each other. When there is a new certificate, it will be presented. The payment is written with Qingzhou Xiao Wuxun.