[Chapter 73 - Childhood] The assassin of the White Elephant Kingdom

A jar of wine was half empty in a blink of an eye.

The burning in his stomach was like a fire, Chu Yuan poured another bowl with a bang, gritted his teeth and drank it all, but he staggered forward a few steps, his hand holding on to the windowsill, and his eyes looked aimlessly ahead.

Duan Baiyue beckoned to his cronies and whispered a few words in his ear.

The vision was a little blurry, and Chu Yuan remembered the first time the two met when they were six years old. The king of the southwest brought his little son to the royal city, and his father wanted to set up a banquet the next day, which was not an uncommon thing, and he did not take it to heart. still got up early to practice martial arts, and then went to learn from the teacher to learn homework, until the sun went down, Sixi whispered a reminder outside, and looked up to realize that it was time to hold the lamp.

After sending Tao Rende away, Sixi's father-in-law hurriedly called the waiter to pass the meal, but when he turned around, he saw the little prince missing, and he was startled.

In the Imperial Garden, Chu Yuan was wandering aimlessly while thinking about things during the day. Unconsciously, he walked to the depths of the woodland, and it was dark all around, not to mention that he was a palace maid and eunuch, and he didn't even have a lantern, so he frowned, turned around and wanted to go back, but there was a sound of talking in the forest next to him.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, it's time to go back to the East Palace." A shrill voice came, and Chu Yuan patted his head, feeling a little unlucky. Just thinking about whether to change his path, someone was already laughing in his ears: "Tsk, isn't this my second brother, why did he come here alone?" ”

Chu Yuan stopped and turned his head to look at him.

The crown prince Chu Xun held a mace in his hand, followed by four or five burly Mongolian warriors, his face full of provocation.

Chu Yuan had never had a good impression of this brother who was three years older than him, so after a hasty salute, he turned around and wanted to come out of the dense forest, but Chu Xun was blocked in front of him.

"What are you going to do?" Chu Yuan asked.

"Tournament." Chu Xun replied.

"Another day, I should go back." Chu Yuan swept away the mace standing in front of him and walked out quickly.

"Give me back!" Chu Xun scolded.

Chu Yuan just didn't hear it.

"Stop him!" Chu Xun ordered.

"Yes!" The Mongolian warriors strode forward and surrounded Chu Yuan in the middle.

"Run for what." Chu Xun stepped forward slowly, "Father and emperor praise you for your good kung fu, eldest brother wants to ask for two tricks, why bother with a ghostly expression." ”

Chu Yuan clenched his hands and looked at him vigilantly.

Chu Xun pinched his chin and looked arrogant.

The ministers of the court and the central government were muttering at that time, the prince was cruel and stubborn, but the second prince was talented and intelligent, and the saint had expressed his desire to change the establishment more than once, and even the queen mother liked the second son more, but she was afraid that the East Palace would change hands in the past two years.

Father doesn't love his mother, and there are constant gossips in his ears, Chu Xun naturally hates this younger brother so much, and finally sees that there is no one around him to protect him, and it is inevitable that he has other thoughts in his heart.

Chu Yuan held the small dagger at his waist in his left hand.

Chu Xun sneered and pushed him provocatively.

"Lord Shizi, go back." At the other end of the woodland, a young man in white was whispering, "It's the princes of Chu who are competing in martial arts, and the prince said before coming this time, don't make trouble." ”

"It's a nuisance to see the excitement." Duan Baiyue squatted on the ground, propped her cheeks and said, "Which one is the prince?" ”

The boy said, "The one with a lot of people." ”

"Straw bales." Duan Baiyue pursed her lips.

The young man made a bitter face: "It's not easy to talk nonsense. ”

"You want to compete with me?" Chu Yuan continued to ask. He knew that he would definitely not be able to deal with this group of Mongolian warriors, so he could only delay as much time as possible, so that Sixi could bring people here as much as possible.

"I'm so much compared to you, and I can't beat you." Chu Xun took two steps back and said, "They fight with you." ”

Duan Baiyue twitched the corners of his mouth: "Are you sure he is the crown prince?" ”

The boy said, "Ah, sure. ”

Duan Baiyue asked again: "Emperor Chu is not afraid of losing the country?" ”

The young man was startled, and then cried: "Lord Shizi, can I ask you to shut up?" "After all, everyone is under ten years old this year, and there should be many years to live, and it is not worth it to be beheaded.

Although Emperor Chu often praised Chu Yuan's martial arts, a six-year-old doll, no matter how strong he was, would not be an opponent of an adult, let alone a Mongolian warrior who was known for his fierceness. So when Duan Baiyue looked over again, Chu Yuan had already been pushed to the ground.

The eighteenth young man in white said bitterly: "Go back." ”

Chu Yuan stood up and asked, "Can I go?" ”

Chu Xun patted his face: "I'm very arrogant on weekdays, what's the matter, I'm afraid?" ”

The Mongolian warriors twisted Chu Yuan's hand behind his back, stumbled his feet, and carried the person to Chu Xun.

"I've been tired of you for a long time." Chu Xun's eyes were fierce.

"I've always admired my big brother." Chu Yuan's voice was calm, as if he didn't have any feelings.

Duan Baiyue laughed out loud.

The boy quickly covered his mouth, but he couldn't make it.

Chu Xun kicked him hard in the lower abdomen, Chu Yuan coughed twice, and still didn't speak.

The young man opened his mouth for the nineteenth time, and this was before he could speak, but Duan Baiyue had already stood up and walked straight out of the woodland.

"Lord Shizi!" This time, not only the teenager, but also several other teenagers beside him were startled and hurriedly followed.

Hearing the movement, the Mongol warriors immediately let go, and their faces were no longer the fierce expressions they had before.

"Who are you?" Chu Xun was also shocked at first, thinking that it was his father or the queen mother who was looking for him, but then he saw that it was a group of teenagers who were about the same age as him, so he restored the arrogance of the prince of Chu.

Chu Yuan rubbed his sore arm, looked up, and then hid behind Duan Baiyue.

The young man in white said enthusiastically: "We just passed by unintentionally, so let's go." ”

Duan Baiyue glanced at the people around him, he was dressed in bright yellow brocade, his hair was black and soft, and he was neatly tied together by a jade belt. But he kept his head down, and he could only see his long eyelashes trembling slightly.

There seemed to be a faint sound of footsteps outside the dense forest, Duan Baiyue held his arm and asked, "Are you okay?" ”

Chu Yuan finally raised his head and looked at him. Taller than yourself, you should be older than yourself, your nose is good-looking, and your eyes are good-looking, shiny.

Looking at his fair cheeks, star-like eyes, and ruddy mouth, Duan Baiyue smiled, and her tone softened a little: "Does your arm hurt?" ”

Chu Yuan just wanted to say that it was okay, but he felt a sharp pain in the elbow he was holding, so he snorted, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"It looks like it's dislocated." Duan Baiyue raised her head and looked at Chu Xun and the Mongolian warriors.

"Impossible!" Chu Xun's face turned pale. He just wanted to humiliate Chu Yuan and give him a few slaps at most, but he also knew that he couldn't be ruthless - if he couldn't see the external injury, then even if he complained and cried afterwards, as long as he didn't admit it, his father couldn't do anything, and he might even splash the sewage back, saying that he was falsely framed. But if it's really dislocated...... Thinking of this, Chu Xun panicked, turned around and said angrily, "What have you all done?!" ”

The Mongol warriors bowed their heads, all silent.

Cold sweat broke out on Chu Yuan's forehead, and his eyes were also black, almost unsteady on his feet.

Duan Baiyue held him in her arms and whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, someone is coming." ”

Chu Yuan looked into his eyes.

Duan Baiyue smiled and gently touched his forehead with him, as a comfort.

The young man in white was dumbfounded, what is the prince doing.

"Yuan'er! Alas, the heart! The queen mother hurriedly ran over, and the torches stretched behind her, "What's the matter?" ”

"See the Queen." Duan Baiyue saluted and returned Chu Yuan to Sixi, "The prince seems to have dislocated." ”

"Dislocation?" Emperor Chu, who was following behind, heard this, and then looked at Chu Yuan, whose face was pale, and suddenly became furious, "What's the matter?" ”

"Father, mother." Chu Xun knelt on the ground, and said in a little panic, "I ......"

"Pass the Imperial Doctor here!" The queen didn't care about etiquette, she sat on the ground with Chu Yuan in her arms, and let him lean into her arms, "What's wrong?" Where is the dislocation, can it still stand? ”

The young man in white knelt on one knee, originally with his head down, but when he heard it, he couldn't help but raise his eyelids and look at it - shouldn't it, he will be unsteady if he dislocates his arm? Looking at this little prince doesn't seem to be weak.

"Who did it?" Emperor Chu asked angrily.

Chu Yuan leaned on his mother's arms, glanced at Duan Baiyue, then lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Brother Fang Cai led someone to stop Erchen, saying that he wanted Erchen to compete with these Mongolian warriors, and after a few moves. ”

"What?" Looking at those tower-like strong men, the queen almost fainted, and suddenly felt that her son was probably dislocated all over his body, and he didn't know if he could recover in the future.

Chu Yuan couldn't look at it: "Queen Mother, the son-in-law is fine." ”

"Stop talking." The queen covered his mouth, "Sleep well." ”

"yes." Duan Baiyue was also concerned on the side, "The stomach was kicked so much, I don't know if there is anything wrong with the internal organs, it's better not to move." ”

"Still kicked?" The queen is more and more thunderous, and this time I am afraid that there are not only external injuries, but also internal injuries.

Chu Yuan glared at Duan Baiyue.

The little prince of the Southwest Mansion stuck out his tongue and looked a scoundrel - if you don't want to act, why pretend to be weak and sick, I'm helping you.

Chu Yuan closed his eyes and ignored this person anymore.

Duan Baiyue turned to a worried expression and stared straight ahead.

Emperor Chu was puzzled at first, and when he looked at his line of sight, he saw that there was a mace behind the tree.

Blocked his younger brother in the dense forest, and brought this kind of murder weapon, where does it look like a nine-year-old boy did it. Looking at Chu Yuan, who seemed to be unconscious, the Chu Emperor was almost monstrous, and directly ordered the guards to put those Mongolian warriors on death row, as for Chu Xun, he was grounded and thought about it, and he failed to step out of the East Palace for three months.

In the fourth month, the East Palace really changed hands, and the old prince was sent to Longzhou to continue to think about it. Accompanied by Sixi, Chu Yuan shook around his new residence, then sat down on the table and said, "Will the people from the Southwest Mansion still come?" ”

"People from the Southwest?" Sixi said, "It's hard to say, I'm afraid I have to ask the saint." ”

"Forget it, I'm just asking casually." Chu Yuan moved his elbow, "Love doesn't come." ”

Sixi said again: "Although people don't come, things are delivered every year." ”

Coincidentally, as soon as the words fell, there was a report from the guards outside, saying that one of the special products of the Southwest Mansion was specially presented to the prince, and it had been checked, and asked when it would be delivered.

Chu Yuan jumped off the table and went to the treasury in person. It was a small red box, with red satin tied on it.

The queen happened to be there, and after looking at it, she quipped: "I don't know, I thought it was the dowry sent by the princess of whose family to marry Yuan'er." ”

Chu Yuan's hand that was untying the red satin paused, who wanted to marry him!

The contents of the box are very miscellaneous, all of which are gadgets from the Southwest. There are daggers inlaid with precious stones, jade carved paperweights, jade pendants, a white tiger skin, and a set of Miao Jiang's clothes.

The queen smiled: "If the king of the southwest sends these small things, it will be a little rude, as if he deliberately despises Da Chu." But if it is replaced by the little prince of the Southwest Mansion, it will hurt people, although it is only a one-sided relationship, it can be regarded as a heart. ”

Chu Yuan took out the small dagger and shook it in his hand.

To be honest, it's not good-looking, bells and whistles, red, green, green, and heavy.

But no matter how ugly it is, it has been carried with you for more than ten years.

Chu Yuan stretched out his hand and touched his waist, but he wanted to smile bitterly.

From acquaintance to now, why some people's temperament has not changed at all. From pinching off his arm, to hiding and refusing to show his face, he always made what he thought was the best choice for himself without asking a word - but was that really the best?

The turbid wine became more and more bitter, and Chu Yuan simply picked up the wine jar and poured it directly.

Ye Jin kicked the door open, and before he could speak, he saw this scene, so he was dumbfounded.

Chu Yuan looked back at him blankly.

"Fuck." Ye Jin gasped and stepped forward, "Which bastard made you angry like this?" ”

Chu Yuan was extremely calm: "Why are you here?" ”

Shen Qianfeng was interested in hiding the door outside.

"Isn't that bastard Duan Baiyue?" Ye Jin looked back and forth around him, "After receiving Lord Tao's letter, I knew that nothing was good, were you injured?" ”

Chu Yuan replied: "No." ”

"There's no fart, I can't smell the medicine I prepared myself." Ye Jin said, "Take off your clothes!" ”

Chu Yuan took a step back.

"Lame?" Ye Jin became more and more angry.

Chu Yuan: "......"

Ye Jin couldn't help but press him to the edge of the bed and sit down, and rolled up his trouser legs.

Chu Yuan explained in time: "I met an assassin. ”

Ye Jin asked while removing the bandage: "Duan Baiyue is not small, he actually sent someone to stab you?" ”

Chu Yuan was choked and said, "It's a Nanyang person." ”

"It's really the opposite." Ye Jin took out the wound medicine from his arms and blew the wound for Chu Yuan, "Thinking that if we find a few Nanyang people, we can't guess that he is the mastermind behind it?" "What childishness!

Chu Yuan was exhausted: "It has nothing to do with the Southwest Mansion. ”

Ye Jin sprinkled a bottle of medicinal powder on his legs.

Chu Yuan gasped and almost fainted in pain.

Ye Jin brushed twice to re-wrap the bandage, and then reprimanded: "I'm injured and drinking!" "Is there a little realization!

Chu Yuan said: "I feel depressed. ”

Ye Jin sat beside him and said angrily, "Duan Baiyue actually dares to do this to you!" ”

Chu Yuan thought for a moment and nodded: "Hmm." ”

"Don't be afraid." Ye Jin continued to comfort, "I'll kill him!" ”

Chu Yuan agreed: "Okay." ”

Ye Jin clenched his fists: "Castrate before you die!" ”

Chu Yuan paused for a moment, then changed the subject: "Is Qian Feng outside the door?" ”

"Hmm." Ye Jin wiped the cold sweat for him, "I was worried that something would happen, so I came together, but fortunately, nothing major happened." ”

Chu Yuan smiled: "Thank you." ”

"Let's lie down first." Ye Jin said, "I'll make some medicine for you, and then why did you come to the southwest alone." ”

Chu Yuan agreed, closed his eyes, and made up reasons with one mind.

"Lord Wang." On the other end, Duanfu's cronies reported, "The emperor should be fine there, Lord Shen and Lord Ye Gu have arrived, and they have brought a lot of people." ”

Duan Baiyue smiled: "That's good." ”

"Then the prince wants to go back?" The cronies continued to ask.

Duan Baiyue nodded, and looked at the inn again—the windows were already closed.

With Shen Qianfeng and Ye Jin here, there would be no problems in the future, Duan Baiyue jumped off the roof, intending to interrogate those assassins first.

The place where you temporarily settled is an empty house, very remote, and no one will find it on weekdays. What's more, there are a lot of storage cellars underground, and no matter how loud people scream inside, they don't reach the surface.

By the end of the night, the Assassins had their flesh and blood in a blur, and each one had only one breath left.

"Lord Wang." The cronies were worried, "I'm afraid it's not a way to torture them like this." ”

"Why?" Duan Baiyue asked.

"These people can't even speak a word of Chinese, and even if they want to confess, they can't open their mouths." Cronies remind.

"Impossible." Duan Baiyue shook her head, "Nanyang is far away from the Great Chuhai Road, and after entering the country, so many people want to eat and live in a hotel, and at least one person will be responsible for communicating with the outside world, otherwise such a group of people will only rely on comparisons all the way to the north and do not do business, I am afraid that they will be targeted by the government long ago." ”

The cronies suddenly said: "The prince is reasonable." ”

"As long as you don't die, you don't have to be soft." Duan Baiyue said, "Let them know as soon as possible that their lives are not worth much." ”

"Yes." The cronies nodded, rolled up their sleeves and led the people into the cellar again. In the evening, he really came to report that one person finally couldn't survive and admitted that he could understand Chinese.

"Bring it on." Duan Baiyue put down the teacup in his hand.

A moment later, a bloody figure was dragged up, looking dying, but still able to speak because he had been fed medicine.

Duan Baiyue said: "Say, where did you come from, and why did you assassinate Emperor Chu?" ”

"We are the killers of the White Elephant Country." The man coughed up a mouthful of blood and slowed down for a while before saying, "The White Elephant Kingdom advocates martial arts, so there are many martial arts halls and many killers. A year ago, someone came to the door and offered a large price to buy the life of Emperor Chu. ”

Duan Baiyue sneered: "The king of a country who assassinated Great Chu, you are not small. ”

"At the beginning, we also said that this matter was a fool's dream, and we didn't want to take it." The man said, "But then the guests multiplied their commissions thirty times, and said that we don't have to enter the palace, or even the royal city, we just need to sneak into the state of Chu secretly, and when the emperor of Chu goes out on patrol, they will send news to facilitate the opportunity." ”

"Who is looking for you?" Duan Baiyue asked again.

"I don't know." The man said, "I only know that he is not a native of the White Elephant Country, one of them looks at his clothes, listens to talking, and looks like a rich child from Da Chu, but he keeps covering his face and can only see his eyes." ”

Duan Baiyue leaned back in the chair, pondered for a moment, got up and brought a palm-sized piece of paper from next door, covered it up and down, and then said, "But these eyes? ”

The man struggled to look at it, then nodded, "Exactly." ”

"Are you sure?" Duan Baiyue asked again.

"It's true, these eyes are beautiful." The man said, "I won't admit my mistake." ”

Duan Baiyue stood up and sat back at the table.

On that piece of paper is a portrait of Chu Yuan, who can be similar to his eyes in this world, living in Nanyang, and having such a deep hatred, he doesn't need to think about it to know who it is.

King Gao Chu Xiang was originally named Chu Xiang, and later the fortune teller said that this son was born with water, so he changed his name, and he was also the most beloved prince of the Chu emperor, but he never took away the crown prince. After Chu Yuan ascended the throne, he and Liu Jinde, the eldest son of the Liu Mansion at that time, were demoted to the common people and distributed to Hainan, and decreed that they would not step into the Great Chu for life.

There has been no news for so many years, and the Liu Mansion has been scattered, and everyone in the court and the central government only thinks that the two of them are more than lucky, if it weren't for this assassination, even Duan Baiyue would not think of this stubble again.

was sent to exile, and he can still toss out tricks, which can be regarded as some ability. Duan Baiyue shook her head and ordered someone to drag the assassin down.

"Lord Wang." Someone outside said, "Duan Nian is back." ”

Duan Baiyue stood up and stepped forward to open the door in person.

"......" Duan Nian was about to laugh, but suddenly saw a mask, and he couldn't help but froze for a moment.

Duan Baiyue said, "Huh? ”

"Lord Wang." Duan Nian returned to his senses.

"Yao'er didn't tell you about it?" Duan Baiyue asked.

"Got it." Duan Nian said honestly, "But I suddenly saw ...... Please forgive me. ”

Duan Baiyue smiled: "I've worked hard for you in the past three years." ”

"It's not hard." Duan Nian said, "Emperor Chu is very good to his subordinates, and the adults in the court are also good to his subordinates. "There are even people who say matchmaking.

Duan Baiyue said: "I heard that I was injured, are you okay?" ”

"It's just a skin injury." Duan Nian said, "The subordinates are not doing well, and the Chu Emperor was also stabbed, those assassins-"

"Needless to say." Duan Baiyue patted him on the shoulder, "It's okay if you're fine, everything else has been taken care of." ”

Duan Nian breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.

"Rest for two days, and then go back to the Southwest Mansion with me." Duan Baiyue said.

“…… Be. Duan Nian's eyes were puzzled, he thought about it and asked, "Why don't you go to the royal city?" After all, Emperor Chu was alone, and this group of assassins was captured, so it was difficult to guarantee that there would be no next group. ”

"Lord Shen and Lord Ye Gu have already come to Hongmu City, and there will be no accidents on the next journey." Duan Baiyue said, "You are right, this group of assassins has been captured, it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no next group, at least the people behind the scenes must be completely found out, so that there will be no future troubles." ”

Duan Nian was tempting: "What does the prince mean?" ”

Duan Baiyue said: "Go back to the southwest province to transfer an army, and I will personally go to Nanyang." ”