Hearing that Ma Lao's machete was killed, Xu Ji was taken aback, and the first person who thought of it was Song Zhuzhu, thinking that he had made such a ruthless move to prevent his father-in-law from leaving Xiangyang.

"Yes...... Who's going to do it? Xu Ji asked.

Guo Shifeng has always been calm, but at this time, he was a little at a loss, and stretched out his hand to himself: "They said that I found someone to kill me." ”

Xu Ji was stunned again.

"Who are 'they'...... you killed?"

"The leaders of the camps."

Xu Ji became more and more puzzled, but he didn't believe that Guo Shifeng would really kill people, "What about the guards that Brother Guo brought?" ”

"They're all being held at the other end of the camp." Guo Shifeng was suddenly a little excited, "I really didn't kill it, and I didn't send someone to kill it, they framed ......."

"I don't see anyone outside guarding it."

"They knew I couldn't escape." Guo Shifeng finally calmed down, and his expression returned to normal, "I am the envoy of King Ning, they don't dare to do anything to me—I will explain the matter clearly, but my brother has to help me." ”

"Brother Guo is here for a while." Xu Ji didn't want to listen to Guo Shifeng too much, turned around and went out of the account, found a few soldiers, and asked Song Zhuzhu where he went.

"The leaders are all mourning in the Majia camp, and we will lead the way for Mr. Xu."

The Song camp and the Ma camp were close together, and soon arrived, and the guards here were even more tight, and there were people and torches everywhere, but at the same time there were signs of loss of control, and occasionally shouting and scolding sounded from the shadows, and there were ownerless horses galloping back and forth, and the owner was nowhere to be found.

The Ma Ying guard was extremely polite, "It's an outsider again, Ma Lao machete is too confident that outsiders will be killed, what are you doing here?" Want to take credit for the boss? ”

The leader of the Song army said: "This is Mr. Xu Xu, the one who once assassinated, he is kind to you, and he is the distinguished guest of our General Song." ”

The guards of the camp looked at each other and reluctantly moved out of the way, "You go in one and go straight to the big tent with the most lights, and everyone is there." ”

Walking into the camp, Xu Ji found that the situation was even worse, in the flickering firelight, a large number of soldiers gathered between the tents, ranging in number, all holding knives and guns, or whispering, or loudly preaching, as soon as outsiders approached, they immediately looked at it vigilantly.

Xu Ji could only glance at it a few times and hurriedly walked towards the big tent.

There were dozens of people standing outside the big tent, all empty-handed, also in groups of three or five, talking in a low voice, as soon as Xu Ji appeared, many people immediately looked over, most of them did not speak, only one person came and said loudly: "Mr. Xu, why did something happen here as soon as you came?" ”

"I wasn't in the camp when the accident happened." Xu Ji replied.

"It's even more suspicious, maybe you're deliberately avoiding suspicion."

Xu Ji nodded, "Maybe you deliberately questioned in public to show your loyalty, so that others wouldn't suspect you." ”

The man was furious, "I am the godson of Ma Lao's machete, and I was drinking at the time of the accident, and many people can testify to it......"

"Also to avoid suspicion?"

The man was even more angry, he didn't have a knife in his hand, he was about to pounce with his bare hands, but he was dragged away by the others, and persuaded: "Forget it, you suspect people first, and don't allow people to talk about you?" ”

"He's an outsider, I'm ......"

Xu Ji ignored him and walked straight into the big tent.

There was already a lot of noise in the big tent.

Nearly thirty people were crammed into the tent, all of them were the leaders of the various armies and the close relatives of Ma Lao's machete, and the godson was not among them, guarding the corpse in the middle, accusing each other, and swearing poisonous oaths to defend themselves.

As soon as Xu Ji came in, someone stretched out his hand to stop him, not allowing him to go inside.

Song Zhuzhu saw him and said loudly: "Mr. Xu can come in!" ”

The other leaders retorted: "Why? He is not a member of the Ma family, nor is he the leader, and he is not even in the same group as us. ”

Song Zhuzhu's wife, Ma Qigu, was also there, and said: "Let's quarrel here, I don't know the point, Mr. Xu came just in time, he is an outsider, and he is resourceful, he can distinguish right from wrong." ”

Not everyone agreed, but Ma Qigu's words were more weighty, and no one openly objected, and the guards at the door also lowered their arms and allowed Xu Ji to go inside.

Ma Lao's machete had just died, and before he had time to enter the coffin, he was lying on a wooden plank, wearing a new robe, and he couldn't see where the wound was.

Xu Ji stepped forward and bowed to the corpse three times before saying: "Right and wrong have their own judgment, I just want to ask the facts." ”

As soon as the words fell, everyone quarreled again, and no one could suppress it, Song Zhuzhu shook his head helplessly, motioned for Xu Ji to step aside, he also came over, and said: "A mess, a real mess." ”

"Let's talk about what the hell is going on? Don't you even know who the real culprit is? ”

"It's what happened last night, Ma Lao machete and one of his concubines were killed in bed, quietly, and they were not found until this morning, and they have not been found out."

"Where's the guards?"

"There were guards in the first half of the night, and I drank in the second half of the night. Our rules here are not strict, several guards were beaten half to death during the day, talking nonsense, almost all the leaders were implicated, even me, this is really ......" Song Zhuzhu scolded a swear word.

Xu Ji was a little relieved, "Who is the most suspicious person?" ”

"The first one is Guo Shifeng, he gave Ma Lao a generous gift to the machete, hoping that everyone would go to King Ning, but my father-in-law said that the heaviest thing in walking the rivers and lakes is a letter, he took the Xi family's gift first, and he can't turn his back on it halfway. At that time, the scene was a little embarrassing, Guo Shifeng did not insist, Ma Lao machete accepted half of the gift, saying that this was a meeting gift, he remembered King Ning's kindness, and he would repay it in the future. We all understand that my father-in-law is tempted, and he is still a little ......" Song Zhuzhu glanced at his wife, saw that she was still arguing with everyone, and continued: "I am still a little greedy, I plan to get all the gifts of the Xi family first, and then go to King Ning." ”

"In this case, Guo Shifeng should not be suspected."

"Here's the problem, we understand that Mr. Guo seems to be ...... I didn't quite understand, and then I met with several leaders alone. Song Zhuyi snorted, the people he said were the core of the quarrel, "Everyone suspects that Guo Shifeng took the remaining half of the gift to buy the leader to assassinate Ma Lao's machete." ”

Xu Ji shook his head, "Guo Shifeng has always been thoughtful, and it is definitely not his style to assassinate Ma Lao with a machete without planning a retreat in advance. ”

"Mr. Xu knows Guo Shifeng, but we don't know."

"Only he is under suspicion?"

"There are also envoys from the Xi family, they happened to come again yesterday to discuss the specific handover matters, there must be people who talk a lot and reveal some things, the Xi family can also buy assassins, and after the incident this morning, the envoys of the Xi family ran away, and now there are five remaining in the camp."

"In this way, the Xi family is even more suspicious."

"But the Xi family is from Jingzhou, or a big official in Jingzhou, Guo Shifeng and King Ning are outsiders, who is easy to offend, it is clear at a glance."

Xu Ji already understood, he also heard some of the surrounding quarrels, and knew that Guo Shifeng was in a more disadvantageous situation, and even several leaders who had met Guo Shifeng alone were also suspicious.

Ma Qigu came over and said to Xu Ji: "Let Mr. Xu laugh, a group of rough people will only quarrel and quarrel." ”

Xu Ji arched his hand and said: "I have a reluctant request, please ask Mrs. Song to agree." ”

"Please."

"Guo Shifeng lives in General Song's camp, and General Song is also under suspicion, right?"

Ma Qigu glanced at her husband and snorted.

"General Song should not stay here for a long time, I hope he can follow me back to his own camp."

Song Zhuzhu immediately whispered: "Then I'm not even more suspicious?" ”

"Those who are clean are self-purifying, not by quarrels and whether they are present."

Song Zhuzhu was still hesitating, and Ma Qigu said, "The two of you go first, I'll explain to them." ”

"Madame......"

"Don't mother-in-law." Ma Qigu glared slightly.

Song Zhuzhu followed Xu Ji out, and immediately someone said loudly: "Song Qianshou, where are you going?" I haven't made it clear yet. ”

Ma Qigu said: "He is my husband, it is enough to have me here." ”

"How's that going to work? Song Qianshou is not a small suspect, it is his own son......"

Ma Qigu said angrily: "My father, do you want you to take revenge?" ”

The two sides quarreled, Song Zhuzhu did not hesitate, and hurriedly went out of the account with Xu Ji and returned to his own camp.

As soon as he entered the camp, Song Zhuzhu asked the guards to go first, and said to Xu Ji: "I still don't understand what Mr. Xu's intentions are. ”

"It's easy to kill people, but it's hard to deal with the aftermath."

Song Zhuzhu smiled and said, "Does Mr. Xu also doubt me?" I really don't want to leave Xiangyang, but I won't kill my father-in-law......"

"General Song doesn't have to explain to me, I just ask you, do you want one family to stay in Xiangyang, or do you want to keep all families?"

Song Zhuzhu laughed twice, and thought for a long time, "I definitely didn't kill the person, but as soon as Ma Lao dies with a machete, the family will definitely need a new leader, but I am not a mountain bandit, and it is difficult to get support from the Ma family for a short time." ”

Xu Ji was silent.

Song Zhuzhu said: "I hope that all the families will stay, please ask Mr. Xu for advice." ”

"I saw that everyone was busy arguing, no one wore linen and filial piety, and there was no intention of mourning, so General Song should be the first to advocate it."

"I can do that."

"When General Song leaves, there must be more suspicion over there."

"That's what I mean, so I never left."

"Wait another half an hour, General Song will take Guo Shifeng over with him and make his words clear in person."

Song Zhuzhu smiled bitterly: "It's because I can't say it clearly, so I quarrel until now." ”

"Let Guo Shifeng say it."

"He's a little stunned."

"He will calm down, General Song doesn't have to worry."

"Okay, what about after Guo Shifeng explains it clearly?"

"It's gone."

"Gone?"

"Ma Lao machete has a deep affection for General Song, and personally chose you as his son-in-law, and now that Ling Yue has been killed, General Song only has two things to mourn and take revenge, and it is not appropriate to think about it anymore."

Song Zhuzhu was stunned for a moment, and arched his hand: "Thank you Mr. Xu for your advice, please go back to the tent to rest first, and after half an hour, I will invite Mr. Guo." ”

Xu Ji returned to his residence, Guo Shifeng, who was sitting inside, had returned to normal, and could even smile, "Brother Ji came back quickly." ”

"Things are not so troublesome, Brother Guo is worry-free."

"Found the murderer?"

"Not yet, General Song will come over to invite you later, and go with Brother Guo to find out the main envoy."

"What's the matter? General Song has evidence in his hands? ”

"The evidence in General Song's hand is Brother Guo."

"Me? I don't know anything. Guo Shifeng said in surprise.

"The main messenger must be the Xi family, it must be the Xi family, it can only be the Xi family, Brother Guo can't even do this, right?"

Guo Shifeng was stunned for a moment, and then said, "You have to say a few more words to me." ”