In the quiet of the night, only the wind and snow drifted freely outside the window, flying, and suddenly, a very slight sound, only a short pause in the night sky, and soon disappeared into the ethereal sky.

The maid sat on the shoe stool in front of the bed, dozing off with her hands on her cheeks, the fire in the brazier in front of her was no longer very hot, and the stars were flickering little by little, and the sound just now did not alarm anyone, not even the birds woke up.

At this time, with a scream, the maid woke up from her sleep, almost fell to the ground, and quickly got up and lifted the mosquito net, only to see Yue'er sitting on the bed, her expression frightened, her eyes glazed, and she was out of breath, as if she had experienced something terrible.

The maid hurriedly shouted softly, "Miss, miss, you just had a nightmare. ”

After speaking, the maid hurriedly went to pour a glass of water for Yue'er, and Yue'er mechanically took the water and drank a ** to the maid, and muttered: "It's terrible... It's scary. ”

The maid comforted: "Miss, it's just a dream, don't you don't..." Before the words were finished, the maid fell quietly, Yue'er poked her head out in horror to look at the room, only to see that there seemed to be a person sitting on the chair in front of the brazier, Yue'er was a girl after all, she had just woken up from a nightmare, and she was still frightened, who wanted to suddenly the maid fell, Yue'er hurriedly shouted the maid's name, and the person on the chair spoke.

"No need to shout, she's going to sleep for a while

Yue'er listened to the voice of the man in the dark, stood on the ground from the bed, and said loudly, "Who are you!" ”

The man was still sitting in his chair, his tone softened and calm.

"Who do you think I will be?"

Yue'er rushed forward, and the man immediately said, "Miss, I think you just sit in front of the bed obediently and listen to me." ”

Yue'er stood still, as if there was an invisible force that drove her back to the bed and sat down, and then said to the person: "You're not afraid of me calling people?" ”

The man smiled in the dark. The voice was not loud, but it made Yue'er feel creepy.

"Then you're applauded. You want to call it that. That's it, three years ago, didn't you, your father, and your grandfather call for someone to arrest me? You can do it again today. ”

When Yue'er heard this, she was even more surprised, and said, "Xi pick-up, it's you!" Isn't that possible, aren't you still in the prefect's prison? ”

"I think you might be missing me. Just come to see you, are you okay? ”

Yue'er heard Xi pick up such a gentle question to herself, and all the memories of three years ago came to her heart at once, and she instinctively covered her chest. frowned, and said tremblingly: "Xi Pickup, I'm sorry, I've always wanted to say sorry to you." I didn't mean to, I..."

There was a sneer, followed by the man's angry voice.

"Miss, you gave me a subordinate to say I'm sorry, aren't you exalting me too much, in order to prevent me from being with Lotus, you let people ** Lotus. Get her pregnant. And then..., forget it. The most hateful thing is that it even made me guilty of ingratitude. ”

Yue'er panicked, and said repeatedly: "It's not me, it's not me, Xi pickup, it's really not me who makes people ** lotus, although... Although, I'm very unhappy that you chose her between me and Lotus, but I won't let you bear this trumped-up charge, it's really not me. ”

"Who's that!"

Yue'er in the dark hesitated for a moment, and the person in the chair said, "Why, you still can't find someone to bear this charge for you." ”

Yue'er said in embarrassment: "Xi pick-up, I... I can't say, but please believe me, I didn't let you do this, please believe me. ”

"Haha, I believe in you, who believes me, I just believed in you back then, so I told you all the secrets of my life experience, I didn't expect that one of my beliefs would bring me murder, why should I believe you?"

Yue'er was very sad and said, "Xi pick-up, I really don't know, I'm unintentional, I just want to..."

"You shut up for me, I'll come back to you even if I'm a ghost." After speaking, the man got up and went out to leave, and Yue'er hurriedly said, "Xi pick-up, don't go." Then he rushed to the door to see where there was no one.

Yue'er didn't know if it was true or fake, and when she walked out of the door, she didn't even wear shoes, so she went downstairs and walked out of her yard, as if she was led to the door of Xi Rui's study. Xi Rui was awakened by a sound in his sleep, although the sound was not loud, but after all, he was nearly seventy years old, and he was no longer sleepy, so even if a mouse passed by in front of the bed, it would wake him up.

Xi Rui got out of bed in his clothes, listened to it well, and found that the sound was at his door, he took out a delicate firearm from a box on his bookshelf, and then went to open the door.

Seeing a woman with her hair scattered, trembling all over, looking at herself with dull eyes, Xi Rui was startled at first, and then immediately recognized that it was his most distressed granddaughter, and quickly shouted a few times, and immediately ran out of the house next to a few maids and subordinates.

Xi Rui: "Hurry up and carry the young lady to my study, ask someone to prepare ginger soup, go find Lang Zhong for me, boil some hot water, and bring a few more braziers and stoves in." ”

Everyone dispersed, and the two maids helped Yue'er, who was already frozen unconscious, into Xi Rui's study, and then let her lie on the bed and wrap her in a few quilts, so Yue'er was still shivering, Xi Rui was angry, and asked the housekeeper to let Sui'er, who had been sent to the laundry room, call over to serve Yue'er.

Yue'er's trouble, Xi's mansion was immediately unsettled, and almost all the courtyards were lit up, including Meng Tianchu's courtyard.

Meng Tianchu said to Zuo Jiayin: "Your hypnotism seems to have worked. ”

Zuo Jiayin: "What Xi picked up just now is very good, it should have an effect." ”

At this time, in the corner of the room, Xi sat on a chair with his head bowed and didn't say anything, as if he was asleep.

Jian Ning: "We can't put Xi Pick here, once Yue'er comes to her senses and says that she has seen Xi Pickup, then Xi Pick will not be safe." ”

Xi Shu raised his head and said, "I know that there is a secret passage in this Xi Mansion, which leads from Xi Yue's room to Xi Yuan's workshop. ”

Meng Tianchu was puzzled and said, "So it will be from Xi Yue's room to Xi Yuan's handicraft workshop?" ”

Xi picked: "These big families can't think of anything. The prefect probably also knows that only he has the key to Xi Yuan's workshop, which is why he doesn't want people to know about it. ”

Zuo Jiayin: "No wonder Yue'er went to Lizheng's house before us that day." We didn't see her on the way. I see. ”

Meng Tianchu thought for a while and said, "How do you know that there is a secret passage in Xi Yuedi's boudoir?" ”

Xi picked up a wry smile and said, "Because Xi Yue likes me, and the person I like is her personal maid, so..."

Meng Tianchu understood, and said, "Then say so, Xi Yue knows that you know that secret way, right?" ”

Xi picked up did not answer Meng Tianchu's words. Instead, his expression suddenly became very angry as if he remembered something, and his hands clenched the armrests of the chair tightly, and his teeth creaked. Meng Tianchu probably knew that he remembered something, walked to his side, and didn't speak yet. I saw Xi pick up his eyes and look at Meng Tianchu, gritted his teeth and said, "My lord, is it too late for me to tell you about some things?" ”

Meng Tianchu gave Xi pick an encouraging smile and said, "If you still don't believe me Meng Tianchu is for your good, then you will live up to my heart." ”

Xi nodded ashamedly and said, "Things have to start from ten years ago..."

Meng Tianchu asked Tu Long to go outside the door to watch for a while, and then sat around Xi with Zuo Jiayin and Chai Meng. Listen to him.

Xi pick-up: "The first thing I want to tell adults is. My real name is Yuan Zhe. ”

Zuo Jiayin was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly said, "Could it be that you are the son of General Yuan Hao Yuan?" ”

Xi nodded his head. "Yes." ”

Meng Tianchu: "Everyone knows the prestige of General Yuan Hao back then, how did you fall into a besieged village?" ”

Xi picked up and choked up sadly for a while, and Zuo Jiayin said: "Ten years ago, because General Yuan Hao said that he surrendered..."

Zuo Jiayin hadn't finished speaking, Xi picked up and said loudly: "It's not the ground, it's not like this, it's someone who framed my father, and my father was beheaded at noon, my father's deputy sent someone back to report the news, my mother knew that there was a lot of luck, so she asked the housekeeper to take me to escape while it was dark, and no one in the whole house survived, my mother and she..."

Meng Tianchu: "This matter seems to have too many mysteries and conspiracies hidden in it, you said that Yue'er knew about your family affairs so she brought you the disaster of killing, so do you now know who framed your father back then, and who was the person who framed you later?" ”

Xi Xuan shook his head in frustration and said, "Although I know who the person who framed my father's land is, I can't do anything about him, he is already a very popular minister, and even the person who framed me has no choice, because..."

Meng Tianchu: "I understand, I seem to have some clues, but I found that the relationship between you and Miss Yue'er is not just as simple as knowing each other, if you still want to free yourself, then you shouldn't hide anything." ”

Xi pick-up: "I don't want to hide it, it's despised, those are all dirty and dirty things, I'm ashamed to say it." ”

Meng Tianchu knew that Xi Shu must know something, so someone wanted to kill him, so he said: "But if you don't say it, they have destroyed all the evidence, how can I help you?" ”

Xi Xuan shook his head painfully and said, "My lord, you are a good person, I can't affect you, you also said that they have destroyed all the evidence, I just told you, you have no evidence, you can't help me." ”

At this time, Dragon Slayer hurriedly ran in and said, "Xi Rui is coming over here with a large group of people. ”

Zuo Jiayin: "Tianchu, what should I do?" ”

Meng Tianchu thought for a while and said, "It's impossible to go to Yue'er's room now, and it's not safe there, in this way, Chai Meng and Jian Ning, you can't let Xi Rui see it, you go out from the back door first and hide in this back mountain, Xi picks up..."

Xi stood up and said, "I'm familiar with it, I'll lead the way." ”

Meng Tianchu nodded, patted Xi Pickup's shoulder, and said, "Xi Pickup, you are the only one left in your Yuan family, you must live, you know?" ”

Xi picked up a sad but firm nod. said to Meng Tianchu: "My lord, I know who Lotus is **her." ”

Meng Tianchu: "I know too. Hurry up. ”

Yue'er finally came to her senses. She opened her eyes and looked, and found that it was her grandfather's study, so she was relieved, and the maid who was guarding the side saw that Yue'er woke up, and hurriedly walked over, Yue'er said weakly: "Grandpa, am I in my grandfather's study like this?" ”

The maid pretended to smile lightly and said, "The old man saw that you were sleepy." Just let you sleep here for a while. Xi Rui has explained, no one can talk about what happened before, naturally these subordinates don't dare to say more than half a word even if they are killed.

Yue'er touched her forehead, and the maid hurriedly said, "Miss, you need to rest well." The old lady has ordered, you can lie down like this, and wait for him to come back. ”

Yue'er found that her forehead was hot, and in a trance, she remembered the dark shadow in her room. couldn't help but shiver, the maid thought that Yue'er was cold, so she said, "Miss, the slave maid will bring the brazier closer to you." ”

Yue'er: "No, I'm not cold. ”

At this time, a maid walked in from the outside, holding a bowl in her hand, walked to Yue'er's side, didn't dare to look up, and shouted in a low voice, Miss, Yue'er looked at it. Sneered. Said: "Sui'er, it's you again?" ”

Sui'er quickly knelt down. Said cautiously: "Miss, Sui'er knows that she is wrong, and she will never dare to make you angry in the future, Sui'er is worried about the master's body, so let Sui'er come back to serve you." ”

Yue'er was no longer able to speak at this time, and she said softly, "I'm going to sleep." ”

Sui'er: "Miss, why don't you drink it first?" Lang Zhong said..."

Yue'er suddenly glanced at Sui'er sternly and said, "What the hell am I like this, so even Lang Zhong has been invited?" ”

Sui'er immediately realized that she had said the wrong thing, and hurriedly said: "It's not Miss's problem, it's that the old lady doesn't worry about your body, you see that it's not the day after tomorrow or a regular day, it's time to let Lang Zhong come to see you, it just so happened that Lang Zhong came to see the old man, so by the way, I also showed you." ”

Yue'er stared at Sui'er, Sui'er looked at Yue'er with a smile, Yue'er believed it and said, "That's it, it's not the same when you look at it, I'll sleep for a while, and when Grandpa comes back, you must remember to call me." ”

Sui'er's vest had already broken out in a cold sweat, so she nodded quickly, and when she saw Yue'er close her eyes, she didn't dare to mention the matter of drinking again, so she asked the maids to go out, so as not to disturb Yue'er's rest, and she also went out and closed the door, covered her chest and let out a sigh, looked up at the sky, and said to herself: "How good it would be if the sky was sunny one day." ”

In the evening, the housekeeper finally came back and brought good news to Xi Rui.

"Old lady, I have already handed over the letter to Lord Song according to your instructions, he promised to rescue the eldest young grandmother as soon as possible, and then sent someone to send food and clothing to the eldest young grandmother, you can rest assured."

Xi Rui sat on the chair on the floor of the study and looked a little tired, he nodded slightly, and said, "That Xi pick-up, I don't think I can keep it." ”

The housekeeper walked up to Xi Rui and whispered, "You didn't let Xi Yuan..."

Xi Rui snorted and said, "This kid is too ambitious and greedy, I'm worried that after he knows Xi Pickup's background, we will be in even more trouble, and this kid... Alas, unjust, unjust. ”

Butler: "Old lady, don't be too anxious, if you can't do it..." The housekeeper made a clicking gesture, Xi Rui shook his head, and said: "That's my nephew, unless you have to..."

The housekeeper whispered: "Your old man is kind-hearted and thinks about the younger generation everywhere, but what about them, alas. ”

Xi Rui got up and said, "Maybe we will sell Meng Tianchu a favor and let him find out the real culprit, so..."

The housekeeper hurriedly said: "The old lady must not, you promised back then..."

Xi Rui hurriedly signaled the housekeeper to shut up, and then whispered: "The real murderer I mean will naturally not be that person, but..." ”

Xi Rui sighed and said: "That's the only way, we have to think about this matter in the long run, in the morning Yue'er said that she saw Xi pick up that kid into her room, I quickly found someone to search privately, and found no abnormality." In hindsight, this is possible. That kid is even capable of heaven and earth. It's impossible to go back to the walled village, probably because Yue'er remembered something, and she had to ask Lang Zhong to weigh her in weight. ”

Housekeeper: "What the old lady said is that Miss Yue'er is really..."

Xi Rui: "And my current maid seems to like Meng Tianchu quite a lot, butler, what do you think of Meng Tianchu?" ”

The housekeeper thought for a while and said, "It should be regarded as young and promising, but it is just a lack of fame." ”

Xi Rui laughed. said: "You have been with me for nearly thirty years, and you are still so pedantic? ”

The housekeeper smiled embarrassedly, and Xi Rui said: "Don't underestimate this Meng Tianchu, from a servant to a criminal master in Renhe County." Now that he has become the prefect of Hangzhou, he has been studying hard for decades to get such an official title, and he is only in his twenties and has been sitting in that position for nearly a year, what do you think is fame. Fame is just false, only that position is real, not to mention that his wife has a great family background, his eldest lady Xia Fengyi's father is now the Yin of the capital mansion, the official residence is the third grade, although the second lady's gentle father is not very good, but he is also a fourth grade. Uncle Hot Springs is now the superintendent of Dongchang. One person is below 10,000 people, and this is the hot spring. The third lady Zuo Jiayin is the rain spirit angel given by the long live lord, and is the big celebrity around the long live lord, and now the sixth lady Xiaonuo, the father is the Duke of Weiguo, the official residence is a product, the mother is the lady of the order, the sister is the virtuous concubine, and she is the princess of Fengyang hand-picked by the emperor. ”

The housekeeper nodded again and again, and said, "What the old lady said is very true, but you also know what Miss Yue'er is thinking, will she?" ”

Xi Rui lowered his face and said, "This matter can't be said to be silent!" ”

Butler: "Then the eldest young master, do you want to tell the eldest young *** thing?" ”

Xi Rui thought for a while and said, "Don't say anything, isn't his seventh lady going to give birth in two days." Don't distract him, besides, if he knows, he may not be happy, or... It's better to forget it first, and wait for Du Qin to come back. ”

Butler: "Good land, old lady." ”

The housekeeper was about to leave, but Xi Rui stopped the housekeeper and asked in a low voice: "Find me a few people to check the details of Du Qin's current man, and then check whether the carpenter was killed by Du Qin." ”

The housekeeper smiled strangely and said, "Old lady, I didn't want your old man to tell me, the slave has already called someone to investigate." ”

Xi Rui finally showed a rare smile and said, "Okay, with you by my side, I have to worry too much about it." ”

The housekeeper said with emotion: "Old lady, this is what a slave should do. ”

Xi Rui: "Well, in addition, ask someone to keep an eye on Xi Yuan for me, since we have come up with a way to get close to Meng Tianchu, Du Qin doesn't need Xi Yuan to save him." ”

The housekeeper went out in response, Xi Rui sat back in his position, thought about it, took out a delicate brocade box from the drawer, he carefully stroked the pattern on the brocade box, and then opened the lid, only to see that there was a golden hairpin in the brocade box, fine workmanship, Xi Rui was about to take out the golden hairpin to look at it carefully, suddenly there was a rush of footsteps outside the door, Xi Rui quickly covered the brocade box, and then put it back in the drawer.

The door opened, revealing a bright smiling face, Xi Rui smiled, waved his hand at the smiling face, the smiling face came in, walked to Xi Rui's side and hugged Xi Rui's neck affectionately, and said delicately: "Grandpa, I've been waiting for you in my room for an hour, aren't you busy yet?" ”

Xi Rui smiled, touched Yue'er's delicate little hand, and said, "I'm just done, and I'm about to go to your room to see you, didn't you just come." ”

Yue'er grinned and said, "Then let's go, I'll let Sui'er warm up a pot of Huadiao for you, cut some smoked muntjac meat and venison, and some side dishes, just waiting for you to go." ”

Xi Rui got up and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, but you can't drink it today, because you..."

Yue'er smiled sweetly and said, "I know, if you don't drink, won't I be able to drink ginger soup to accompany you?" ”

Xi Rui touched Yue'er's head with pity and said, "Good, this is grandpa's good granddaughter, let's go." After speaking, he took Yue'er's hand and walked out of the door of the study.

After the third watch, the snow stopped, and the moon crept out of the clouds, shining on the snow-capped earth, on the ground, on the trees, on the roof, all silvery-white, occasionally one or two unknown birds fluttered their wings and flew over the sky, but the cry was very lonely and lonely.

Xi Rui is really drunk, he drank three pots of good Huadiao in a row, Yue'er sometimes told Xi Rui the story he had only seen in the book, and sometimes played the pipa to Xi Rui, or he danced barefoot in the house, Xi Rui was really drunk, not only because of the heart, but also Yue'er, she looked more and more about her mother, thinking of this, Xi Rui couldn't help but get drunk.

Yue'er asked the two maids to send Xi Rui back, but Xi Rui didn't do it, such a bright moonlight, walking alone into the yard, everything became white, even the rockery, gazebo, pond and big trees were white, how good.

After all, Xi Rui is seventy years old, which is rare in ancient times, but he thinks that his body is not bad, from time to time he dances and dances swords, stretches his legs, and is also very happy, he walked to a gazebo and sat down, and the people in the nursing home passed by, and took a closer look at Xi Rui, and quickly left, and did not forget to remind Xi Rui to go back to rest earlier when he left, Xi Rui did not speak, he leaned on the pillar, he did not feel cold at all, but felt that his blood was boiling, and he seemed to have come back to life.

"Ziqian"

Xi Rui heard someone calling himself, thinking it was a hallucination, because only one person would call him that, he quickly turned his head to see, there was nothing, everywhere was quiet, the wind had stopped, and everything seemed to be asleep.

Xi Rui smiled, patted his forehead, and said to himself: "It's time to go back, or you shouldn't let Yue'er worry." With that, he got up and got out of the gazebo and walked towards his room.

Walking to the door of the study, a maid who was keeping vigil hurriedly stepped forward to support Xi Rui, Xi Rui waved his hand and said, "No, you all go to sleep, I will sleep too." ”

Xi Rui entered the room and was about to close the door, when he suddenly heard someone call himself Ziqian, he walked out of the door, only to see a black shadow flashing from the end of the corridor, his wine seemed to wake up a lot, but he didn't wake anyone up, but quickly followed, but when he walked to the front, he didn't find anything.