The soldiers crowded into Chaofen's courtyard, and the first to react was Is. Without saying a word, he jumped directly onto the shed, tore the canopy, and the thatch that was fluttering one after another fell, covering the sight of the brigade soldiers.

"Captain Zhang, let's go!"

Zhang Xiaojing knew that the situation could not be delayed for any time, frowned, turned around and ran in the opposite direction. But he soon saw that on the opposite eaves, more than a dozen archers had already stood still, and were playing the strings. At this time, if you want to go over the wall, you will immediately become a live target for feather arrows.

He hurriedly looked up and called for Isis to come down, but Isis was busy standing on the roof of the shed and lifting the straw canopy, but he didn't hear it. Suddenly, in the dark night, a few arrows broke through the air, and Is's body stiffened and fell to the ground.

"Is?!"

Zhang Xiaojing was shocked and hurried over to answer, but a group of soldiers had already pounced and blocked the road between the two. Then Won Jae also entered the courtyard surrounded by guards. He glanced at Is, who was lying on the ground, and shouted triumphantly: "Jing'an Division is doing something!" You're cornered, and you're not going to be caught? ”

In order to increase the effect, Won Jae personally picked up a knife and stabbed the seriously injured Isis in the thigh, causing him to let out a loud scream.

The strange thing is that Zhang Xiaojing didn't move this time.

Wonjae was a little surprised by his calmness, but he looked around and put his mind at ease. There was only one entrance to the courtyard gate, and many soldiers cautiously pressed towards this side with knives. There are also archers and crossbowmen on the periphery, who control all the high points. It's a net, and these mayflies can't escape no matter what.

However, he remembered that he was almost held hostage by Wen Zhan just now, and took a few steps back, hiding himself in the team, which was truly foolproof.

"Get on the lights!" Yuan Zai felt that this beautiful moment had to be a little brighter.

Immediately soldiers hung lanterns on the pillars, and the whole courtyard became brighter. Yuan Zai suddenly tilted his head and let out a "tsk". He finally saw clearly that the man in front of him seemed to be a one-eyed man, with only one eye socket left in his left eye.

"Zhang Xiaojing?" Yuan Zai was surprised and delighted, he thought it was the two spies of the mayfly, but he didn't expect it to be such a big fish. It seems that today's great work is destined to be monopolized by him.

Yuan Zai leaned forward a little and shouted, "Zhang Xiaojing! Thou hast sinned so much that thou hast died without redemption! Today, the official is here, and you still don't commit suicide to apologize? Seeing that Zhang Xiaojing was still not moving, he shouted again: "Your henchmen Yao Runeng, Xu Bin, Wen Ran, etc., have all been taken down, and they are beheaded, just waiting for your head to suppress the formation!" ”

Yuan Zai didn't want Zhang Xiaojing to surrender at all. Whether it is kidnapping Wang Yunxiu or attacking Jing'an Division, these two cauldrons must be carried on the back of a dead person to be the safest. So he was provoking Zhang Xiaojing, as long as the other party counterattacked, he would immediately kill him on the spot.

Hearing Yuan Zai's words, Zhang Xiaojing's shoulders began to tremble. The apprentice thought he was scared, but when he looked closer, he was actually laughing. The corners of his mouth were grinning, his smile was cruel and bitter, and his two silkworm eyebrows were raised high to the sides, as if he had encountered something extremely exciting.

Zhang Xiaojing casually picked up the long knife used to split the bamboo next to him, weighed the weight, tore off a piece of cloth from his sleeve, wrapped the handle of the knife in his hand, and then turned around and aimed it at the pursuers.

Yuan Zai saw him pick up the knife, his heart was happy, but he said angrily: "When death is coming, do you still have to resist stubbornly?" Someone, arrest me! ”

Hearing the order, the soldiers rushed forward to capture the "leader of the grasshoppers". Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiaojing's knife flashed, and the person who rushed to the front fell to the ground, his body was in a different place, and the blood gushed out of the sky. The people behind paused in fright, looked left and right at their companions, looked at each other, and rushed over in unison. Two more flashes of knife light flashed, and two more people fell.

Before the soldiers behind could react, Zhang Xiaojing had already rushed into their ranks. He didn't say a word, the knife flashed, and the machete in his hand was like an impermanent bondage, taking away a human life with every swing. For a while, blood splattered, and screams erupted.

The apprentice was already trembling with fright, and squatted down with his head in his hands. Only Chao Fen himself sat firmly in front of the stove, continuing to watch the flames beat, turning a blind eye to this cruel and bloody scene.

Wonjae couldn't help but shudder, his intuition told him that something was not quite right, and he subconsciously stepped back and ordered the soldiers to continue forward.

Zhang Xiaojing's offensive continued, and he was simply possessed by seven kills. The soldiers of the brigade had never fought against such a crazy enemy, and the monstrous killing intent, the blood-red angry eyes, were like fierce beasts in the darkness, and everyone who touched them died. The yard is quite narrow, and there is too much debris on the ground. The soldiers of the brigade were gathered together, and they could not launch a siege at all, but could only withstand the attack of one man against an army in horror.

If Feng Dalun is on his side, a warning will be issued. Last year, Zhang Xiaojing broke into the Xionghuo Gang to seek revenge, killing and injuring more than 30 gang members, and even the deputy gang leader and several Dharma protectors died tragically under the knife, which is exactly such a crazy state.

Zhang Xiaojing is indeed crazy now.

Before that, no matter how dangerous the situation was, he always showed mercy in his hands, and did not want to hurt more people. Keyisi's arrow and Yuan Zai's repeated stimulation made Zhang Xiaojing's suppressed anger along the way finally find an outlet to vent.

The companions were knocked down one by one, the enemy was still advancing step by step, the stupid and greedy faces of the bureaucrats, the dying instructions of the old comrades-in-arms, and the millions of living beings in Chang'an City, one pressure after another converged, and finally squeezed out a long-hidden mad force, making his whole person incarnate into a terrifying demon slayer. There is no choice in front of us, when you meet a god and kill a god, or when you meet a Buddha*, let alone those fragile brigade soldiers.

What's even more terrifying is that Zhang Xiaojing's violent performance is not crazy chopping, but extremely cold, as cold as a rock. He didn't make any superfluous movements, didn't make any sound, didn't have any scruples or pity, didn't even have any thoughts to save himself. doesn't dodge, doesn't dodge, it's like a puppet without flesh and blood, and the only remaining thought is killing. Every knife is a fatal blow.

In Zhang Xiaojing's single eye, the tragic situation in front of him, the tragic situation of the Xionghuo Gang, and the Shura picture when he was defending the city in the Western Regions, these three images overlapped. As the killing continued, Zhang Xiaojing was already hallucinating, thinking that he was still guarding the small fortress in the Western Regions, fighting bloody battles with the Turkic army.

Such a silent monster rushed into the ranks, making the silence even more terrifying. In the shouting and screaming, almost everyone was killed by a single blow. A few brave soldiers tried to intercept it, but found that they couldn't stop it. The strange knife in Zhang Xiaojing's hand, sharpened like clay, and extremely tough, cut into the bodies of so many people, but still did not roll the blade.

With only one person and one knife, he killed the corpses of the brigade and the soldiers all over the field, and soon they were forced out of the courtyard. The five Yamas, vicious and stubborn, are famous for one hundred and eight squares. But tonight's Chang'an City witnessed the sixth Yama - madness.

A dozen lanterns still hung on the pillars, and the candlelight flickered, reflecting the bloody black shadow of a murderous and lonely knife on the ground.

Won Jae reacted quickly and escaped from the yard as soon as possible. He found that his heart was almost beating through his chest, and his pants were hot and wet—he was actually diapering. The crazy performance of killing the god completely shattered Yuan Zai's guts.

Yuan Zai now finally understands why King Yong and Feng Dalun are so jealous of this person. It's not a scabies worry, it's a big problem!!

There were only seven or eight people who followed Yuan Zai to exit the courtyard in time, but fortunately, there were more than a dozen back-ups on the periphery, and they rushed over at this time. But when they saw that miserable scene, they all trembled.

"Hurry up!" Yuan Jae urged the soldiers around him, but found that his voice was weak and dry, and he had no aura at all. The soldiers of the brigade clenched their weapons, but they all looked panicked and froze. They, like Wonjae, had already been destroyed in their courage and morale by that battle.

Zhang Xiaojing walked towards the outside of the courtyard step by step, exuding a desperate and awe-inspiring death aura around him.

This strong and terrifying aura forced the soldiers to retreat one after another. Won Jae shouted in horror from behind: "Use a crossbow!" With a bow! He didn't want anything else but to get out of this nightmare as soon as possible, but his muscles were so tense that he couldn't move at all.

The soldiers of the brigade who heard the reminder woke up like a dream, and the people in the back row took it out one after another*. No matter how powerful that person is, he is also a flesh and blood body, and he will never be able to compete with these crossbow arrows.

At the moment when Zhang Xiaojing was about to step out of the courtyard and the soldier pulled the trigger, the two courtyard doors seemed to be grabbed by a pair of invisible big hands, and they suddenly closed with a "bang". Puff puff, puff, the row of crossbow arrows were all nailed to the door. Then there was a click, and it seemed to be a horizontal latch.

Yuan Zai's face was distorted, if he didn't see Zhang Xiaojing die with his own eyes, in his future life, he would probably be disturbed by this nightmare every night.

"Quick! Knock on the door! Wonjae screamed, ignoring the smell of urine on his crotch. But no one listened to him, as if it were the gate of the land of Yellow Springs.

Zhang Xiaojing, who was on the inside of the door, also stopped, and he didn't know why the two doors suddenly closed. He lifted his hollow right eye and saw that behind the two doors, there was a series of mechanisms for carrying ropes and bamboo poles, all the way to the courtyard.

Zhang Xiaojing is not interested in these now, he just wants to kill. He slowly raised his arm, ready to slash at the latch between the two doors. At this moment, a large, calloused hand grabbed his hand holding the knife.

"Good, you're good." Chao Fen's hand was extremely strong, and he directly snatched the knife from Zhang Xiaojing's hand.

As soon as the knife left his hand, Zhang Xiaojing's eyes returned to clarity. He glanced at the courtyard where the dead and wounded were resting, and his eyebrows were furrowed, and he did not look smug at all.

"Do you know what the most beautiful thing in the world is?" Chao Fen's voice changed from the indifference and detachment just now, "It is the extreme, it is pure, and it is the most thorough attachment." I came to Datang from Japan to learn the arts, and it was in the hope of seeing such beauty. ”

He turned the knife sideways and used his thumb to wipe the blood from the blade and make it gleazy again.

"I've traveled a lot and tried a lot of things, but it's always a little bit off. But just now I saw in you the kind of realm I had been looking for so hard - what a beautiful killing it was, without any impurities, pure to the extreme. Chao Fen's eyes lit up.

The apprentice showed an incredible expression next to him, the family is like this, and the teacher still thinks it is beautiful? He stood up tremblingly and ran away. Chao Fen didn't stop it at all, and said disdainfully: "These people only know how to use ingenuity, and they can't realize the Tao after all." ”

Zhang Xiaojing was silent, he had not completely withdrawn from the mad demon's emotions.

Chao Fen handed the knife to him again: "I have given up forging swords for a long time, and this is the last knife I have made with my own hands. I didn't think it could live up to my requirements for beauty, but now it seems that it's only the person it asks for - I can hear it trembling and rejoicing now, because you are the one it is waiting for, take it. ”

To Chao Fen's surprise, Zhang Xiaojing pushed the knife back, and his tone was bitter: "I have no karma in killing all my life, but I never feel that killing people is a happy thing, on the contrary, every time I do it, it makes me feel tired and sad." For you, you may be able to appreciate the beauty in it; For me, killing is just a painful torture of last resort. ”

"Whether it's killing or pain, as long as it's extreme, it's beautiful." Chao Fen excitedly explained, "It's a pity that the living can't go to hell, that's the place I dreamed of." He handed the knife over again.

"You're about to see it."

Zhang Xiaojing didn't take the knife, and turned to look at Is, who was lying in a pool of blood. He was hit by two arrows, fortunately, it was not a critical point, but the tendons in both legs have been broken, let alone running in the future, I am afraid it will be difficult to even walk.

"Captain, I can't catch it in my strength, I can't use it......" Iss struggled, and the corners of his mouth smeared with shocking blood. The eyes of this descendant of the Persian royal family are still so gentle, and the light does not change.

"I'll inform the people of the Persian Temple and carry you back." Zhang Xiaojing could only comfort him like this.

“…… It is Keiji Temple. Isis corrected in a low voice, he didn't have any extra strength, so he could only look at Zhang Xiaojing pitifully. This time Zhang Xiaojing understood, took out the cross from his neck and put it to his lips. Isis sighed contentedly and muttered a prayer for Zhang Xiaojing.

That's the only thing he can do now.

Zhang Xiaojing didn't have any extra words, he stood up and said to Chao Fen: "Please call a medical center and send him for treatment." ”

"Where are you going?"

"Taishang Xuanyuan Lantern Tower." Zhang Xiaojing's voice sounded sharper than Chao Fen's knife.

"But there are so many soldiers waiting for you outside the door."

"Either I leave without incident, or I die on the spot. If it's the latter, it's easier for me. ”

Chao Fen put the knife back: "Since you don't want a knife, then let me tell you something." ”

The soldiers of the subsequent brigade army rushed to the colony one after another, and the number increased to more than 30 people. But Yuan Zai still felt that it was not safe enough, and he felt that there must be at least two hundred people to kill Zhang Xiaojing in a down-to-earth manner.

The chiefs are so timid, and the people below are even more reluctant to exert their strength. They surrounded Chao Fen's dwelling, and not even a single bird could get out, but no one dared to enter. There was a knife and a killing god behind the door, but he drank a lot of blood, and who knows how much he would drink tonight.

The owner of this residence has been ascertained that it is the famous craftsman Chao Fen, and his master is the Japanese, Weiwei Shaoqing Chao Heng - that is a high-ranking official from the fourth grade, and he cannot act rashly. So he changed his strategy and no longer actively attacked, but turned the attack into a block.

There are no secret passages in this courtyard. If Zhang Xiaojing wants to come out of the courtyard, he must go through the main gate. As soon as he goes out, he is a live target, and there are dozens of crossbows and longbows waiting for him.

Wonjae's forehead kept oozing sweat, and he couldn't wipe it. His hands were still trembling slightly, and he couldn't understand why the other party was alone with such a great sense of oppression. As soon as he thought that his crotch was still hot, Wonjae's shame and resentment alternated.

Gotta kill him! Gotta kill him!

But at this moment, a messenger hurriedly delivered a letter, saying that it was from Zhongshu Province. Yuan Zai was quite strange when he heard that it was actually sent by Feng Ge. He took the paperwork and looked at it, and couldn't help but be stunned.

This document did not specify the recipient, but was circulated in Yiying Zhufang Street and other places. The messenger happened to see that a large number of brigades and soldiers had gathered here, and they also met the delivery requirements, so he sent them first. The content of the document is very simple: the city-wide wanted warrant for Zhang Xiaojing has been postponed for the time being, and Zhufang has made every effort to arrest Grasshopper Yunyun. And the name of the signing, in addition to Li Linfu, there is also Li Heng.

When did these two forces join forces?

Whether Zhang Xiaojing really colluded with the grasshopper, Yuan Zai didn't care. But all his plans are based on the idea that "Zhang Xiaojing is a traitor". Once shaken, there is a danger of a total collapse.

Fortunately, the arrest warrant has been postponed, not cancelled. But the wheel of luck seems to be turning in a bad direction. It's a very bad feeling.

At this time, the courtyard door opened with a "bang", and Zhang Xiaojing appeared in their field of vision again. The soldiers swallowed at the same time as Won Jae, and their bodies tensed up a little.

Zhang Xiaojing didn't hold a knife in his hand this time, he faced so many people, he didn't dodge or fear, he walked forward so calmly. Won Jae knew that if he ordered the arrows to be released now, this nightmare in front of him would disappear completely.

But he always cared about the two signatures on the paperwork.

Why did Li Linfu and the crown prince join forces? Does the postponement of the wanted warrant represent Donggong's decision to protect Zhang Xiaojing? What about Feng Ge's attitude? It seemed reluctant but also compromised. He is suspicious by nature and sensitive to any hint of politics. After thinking about it, Yuan Zai suddenly realized that Zhang Xiaojing couldn't be killed!

It's a pit! The document clearly stated that it was necessary to track down the grasshopper with all its might. If he kills Zhang Xiaojing here, it is tantamount to disobeying the order. In case the grasshopper does something big, this is a perfect excuse to carry the black pot - "The traitor succeeded, it must be your fault, who made you disrespect the order?" ”

This is not some false speculation, Yuan Jae thinks to himself that if he changes positions, he will definitely do this. As soon as he thought of this section, Yuan Zai's broad forehead was covered with another layer of cold sweat. I was so proud tonight that I was almost careless.

And what about raw capture?

Wonjae quickly dispelled this idea. As soon as I saw Zhang Xiaojing's resolute momentum, I knew that it was impossible, either go or die, there was no third possibility. After repeated calculations, Yuan Zai found that only by letting Zhang Xiaojing go would the risk be minimized.

After all, this is an order from above, and I just follow it.

Zhang Xiaojing walked forward without squinting, and the soldiers raised their bows and crossbows, their wrists trembling, waiting for the commander's order. But the order was delayed, which made their psychological pressure even greater.

Zhang Xiaojing took another ten steps closer, and the hideous one-eyed and furrowed cheeks could be seen clearly, but Yuan Zai still didn't move. The soldiers of the brigade army could not move again, and as soon as they moved, the formation was completely chaotic. Zhang Xiaojing took another five steps closer, and at this time, Yuan Zai finally gritted his teeth and spoke: "Withdraw the arrows and give way!" ”

The soldiers were about to pull the trigger, but their fingers trembled. What the? Evacuate the arrow? Didn't you hear it wrong? Won Jae shouted again: "Get out of the way!" Way! Get out of the way! "The soldiers of the brigade are well-trained, and although they are puzzled, they still strictly carry out the order.

They lowered their crossbow machines in unison and parted to the sides, making way for a passage. Zhang Xiaojing was stunned, he was ready for a bloody fight, but the other party actually took the initiative to get out of the way, what's wrong?

Zhang Xiaojing was puzzled, but his footsteps did not stop, until he walked to Yuan Zai's side before he stopped. Wonjae was extremely nervous, feeling that he was being targeted by a poisonous snake. He dodged backwards, in case the other party broke out and killed, there would be guards to block it.

"My friends' accounts will be settled later, now, give me a fast horse." Zhang Xiaojing said coldly.

Yuan Zai was a little annoyed, you killed so many of me, it's good to leave alive, and you still want to ask for something? But when he came into contact with Zhang Xiaojing's sight, he shrunk his neck, and completely lost the courage to defend himself.

A fast horse was quickly brought in, Zhang Xiaojing stepped up, lowered his head and said to Yuan Zai: "If you still have the slightest understanding, rush to the front of Xingqing Palace as soon as possible, all the grasshoppers are there." ”

With that, he turned his horse's head and galloped away.

Between the colonization workshop and the Xingqing Palace, it is the most congested section of Chang'an City at this time, and Wuben, Pingkang, Chongren, and Dongshi are all places with great lights along the way. This year, the Taishang Xuanyuan Lamp Tower in front of Xingqing Palace stands tall, more eye-catching than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and makes people's curiosity unquenchable. If you look down on Chang'an, you can see that the square in front of Xingqing Palace is like a huge pool, which is attracting the flow of people from the whole city, like a thousand rivers returning to the sea.

In order to alleviate the pressure of crowd flow, Zhufang has opened its doors and main streets to allow visitors to pass. But even so, the traffic situation is not encouraging.

Especially after a while, the heat on the street does not subside at all, but rises more and more. The noisy sound of drum music is endless, and the smell of incense, candles, fat, and powder permeates the surroundings, and the streets are full of Luo Qi, and the pearls are shining. This omnipresent stimulus converges into an invisible hand that devours the lantern watchers, turning them into a part of the atmosphere. These people were both excited and confused, as if they were fascinated by the flow of people blindly moving forward, dancing along with the song and dance, and even a ribbon flying in the air would cause a burst of exclamation.

Zhang Xiaojing's riding skills are excellent, and the horse is also a good horse, but it is useless in this situation. Even if you detour from the south, you can't do it, and people are flowing in this direction, and there is no way to open the road. Zhang Xiaojing rushed forward a few steps, and soon found that according to this blocking method, I am afraid that he will not be able to move for an hour.

This hour is too luxurious for Zhang Xiaojing - no, for Chang'an City.

Zhang Xiaojing simply jumped off the horse and searched with one eye to see if there was any other way to reach quickly. It's a pity that he was disappointed, from here to the main road to Xingqing Palace, there was a dense crowd of people, not to mention mules, even rats may not be able to get through. He looked back at the nearby wall. The wall is about two feet thick, and people can barely walk on it. It's a pity that even the top of it is now crawling with people, sitting or standing, like a row of high and low spine beasts.

Zhang Xiaojing swept around a few times, but he really couldn't find any way to pass quickly. If you go on foot, it will take at least half an hour. At this moment, a high-pitched and crisp female voice came from a distance, like a whip volleying in the air, and in an instant it overshadowed all sounds. As soon as the female voice fell, the applause of thousands of people turned into layers of sound waves, surging in, and even the light of the light wheel candle on the side of the street shook a few times.

Zhang Xiaojing looked up and found that the two teams with lights were fighting in the streets again. A car was modified into a tiger shape, and even the horse was draped in a tiger-striped brocade quilt, and the middle of the car was raised in a circle, like a fierce tiger arching its back. The three big men stood on the back of the tiger, each holding a set of cymbals and drums in the army, and at a glance they knew that they were following the "Dance of King Qin". However, the three of them were dejected at this time, and they were obviously defeated.

And the winner opposite them is a phoenix-tailed high car. At the tail of the car, more than 1,000 five-colored bird feathers are glued into a fan shape, and they are placed in the shape of a phoenix's tail wing, looking at it like a hundred birds facing a phoenix. A high pole is erected in the middle, and the pole is wrapped with colored silk, and there is a narrow platform on it. A female singer dressed in a neon dress, standing on top, peerless and independent. The graceful singing voice that shook the sky just now came from her mouth.

Countless people around shouted in unison: "Xu Hezi! Xu Zygozi! This is the name of the singer, and the applause is endless. The skill of pulling out the lantern and fighting the lantern is to pay attention to the one with the highest voice of the onlookers. This Xu Hezi can attract all the people with his singing voice, which shows that the other party is really defeated.

Xu Hezi won this battle, and pointed at Xingqing Palace with a goldfinch fan in his hand, which meant that he would pull out the first candle tonight. This early declaration of victory made the people even more excited. Xu Hezi looked proud, got down from the high platform, and got into the carriage to rest. She won't take the stage until she meets the next lantern puller.

The carriage moved slowly, and many fans crowded around the phoenix-tailed carriage, shouting their names, and drove forward with the carriage. Their belief is very firm, and they want to use their applause to help the goddess win the title of Shangyuan No. 1.

One of the craziest followers, dressed as a noble son, was now wearing a crooked head, his chest was torn apart, and he was about to throw the sachet with him in his hand. He suddenly saw a one-eyed man squeezing over, and was about to scold, but unexpectedly, the man gave him an elbow in the lower abdomen, and the noble son was so painful that he lay on the ground at that time.

The man casually took a knife from his waist, stepped on his back, jumped lightly, and jumped into the phoenix-tailed cart.

The carriage of the phoenix tail car is specially made, and the surrounding area is closed without revealing gaps, so you don't have to worry about crazy fans rushing in. But the man didn't look at the carriage, and he came to the front of the car in a few steps and put a knife on the driver's neck.

"Keep moving forward, don't stop in between." Zhang Xiaojing said in a suppressed voice. The coachman was frightened and stammered that this was Xu Niangzi's lamp-pulling car, what should I do if there was a challenge on the way? The rules of fighting skills, as long as two cars meet on the street, there will be a fight. The winner goes straight, and the loser takes a detour.

Zhang Xiaojing used a little force on the blade and repeated: "Keep driving forward, don't stop in the middle." ”

The coachman didn't know why, but the threat was real. He had to shake the reins and speed up the horse. The surrounding supporters quickened their pace, shouting the name of "Xu Hezi", and the surrounding people heard it and took the initiative to give way.

Zhang Xiaojing's move seems crazy, but there is really no way. The road is too congested, and the only thing that can pass smoothly is the lamp pulling out the car. Everyone has to watch its fighting skills, no one will stand in front of it, and even fanatical fans will clear the way ahead.

He had no choice but to hijack Xu Hezi's car in full view of everyone.

As the people in front of them dispersed, the speed of the phoenix-tailed car gradually increased, and those supporters were a little unable to catch up. It quickly passed through the two intersections of Wuben Kaihua and Pingkang Chongren, and headed towards Dongshi.

At this time, there was a sudden sound of drums on its right side, and a spring pot car with a strong Western style came out from between Dongshi and Xuanyangfang, followed by a large number of fans. The drum on the roof of the spring pot is pounding, and a snake-waisted orchid climbs onto the front of the car and assumes a bewitching posture - this is a challenge to the phoenix-tailed car.

Just when all the people were looking forward to a shocking showdown, the phoenix-tailed car turned off and drove towards the north side of Dongshi, turning a blind eye to the challenge of the spring pot car.

This is a great insult. The fans of the spring pot car let out a loud curse. At this time, the phoenix-tailed supporters hurried over, and when they saw their goddess being scolded, they immediately scolded back, scolding and scolding both sides to move their hands, and the intersection became a battlefield.

The phoenix-tailed car has no intention of slowing down, as long as it bypasses the East Market, it will be Xingqing Palace. At this moment, the carriage opened from the inside, and a woman poked her head out.

It turned out that the drum of the challenge was also heard in the carriage, but the carriage never stopped, and the mother-in-law who took care of Xu Hezi came out to ask what was going on. When she saw a fierce one-eyed dragon next to the coachman, she immediately cried out in fright: "Woe to you! Woe to you! Obsessive goods are coming! ”

Every year at the Shangyuan Lantern Festival, there will be a few fans who are too obsessed and do things out of the ordinary: those who kill themselves and make wishes, those who hold knives to seek pleasure, those who follow day and night, those who steal dirty clothes, everything, all of which are called "obsessed goods". When this mother-in-law saw Zhang Xiaojing forcibly getting into the car, she also regarded him as an obsession.

Zhang Xiaojing turned around and shook his waist card at the mother-in-law: "Jing'an Division is doing things, and this car is temporarily requisitioned." When the mother-in-law heard that it was from the government, she refused to give up: "Xu Niangzi has cast a thousand guan, and you will be recruited when you open your mouth, and you will delay the major event of pulling out the lamp, who will pay?" ”

Zhang Xiaojing was too lazy to talk to her, so he chopped the frame of the car next to her mother-in-law's head with a knife, and even cut off half of the hairpin on the bun. The mother-in-law was so frightened that she took a step back and fell back into the carriage with a thud. Through the open small door, Zhang Xiaojing saw a round-faced woman sitting inside, holding a bowl of throat-moistening pear soup, her face was calm, and the neon dress was on the small shelf next to her.

"Mom, if the military master is recruited, listen to him." Xu Hezi said calmly, without the slightest anger. Zhang Xiaojing arched his hand and said: "I delayed the girl to pull out the lamp, but I have another important matter to do, and I have to do it as a last resort, and I will forgive my sins." ”

"Is it bigger than pulling out the lamp?" Xu Hezi said curiously. Her voice was weak, presumably deliberately protecting her throat.

"The difference between the world!"

Xu Hezi smiled: "That's good, I'm just lazy." After speaking, he picked up the soup bowl and took another sip. Her demeanor at this time was calm and peaceful, and she did not have the aggressive momentum on the high platform at all.

"Isn't the girl afraid?" He narrowed his eyes.

"It's useless to be scared anyway, isn't it?"

Zhang Xiaojing laughed, feeling that the boredom in his chest had been reduced a little. He arched his hand again at Xu Hezi and returned to the coachman's side.

At this time, the car had already approached the square of Xingqing Palace. It was still some time before the lantern was pulled, and the entrances were still under the closure of the Dragon Martial Army. Many people gathered here early to line up and wait to enter. The Taishang Xuanyuan Lantern Tower stands tall not far away, with faint candlelight inside, and many figures shaking.

Zhang Xiaojing observed for a while and said, "Okay, stop here." ”

The carriage stopped at a corner a few dozen steps away from the entrance, and before it could stop, Zhang Xiaojing jumped out of the car. He was about to leave, when Xu Hezi's voice came softly from behind him: "Master Jing'an, come on." ”

Zhang Xiaojing stopped and advised: "You'd better leave now, the farther away from Xingqing Palace the better." With that, he hurried away.

When he was far away, the coachman dared to touch his neck and curse hatefully: "This idiot!" Xu Hezi put down the pear soup, and the two eyebrows furrowed slightly: "I think we should listen to him." The mother-in-law got up from the ground and said, "Girl, are you confused, do you believe this nonsense of the knife ghost?" ”

Xu Hezi looked at the back in the distance and sighed softly: "I believe it." I've never seen a person's eyes look so desperate. ”

Zhang Xiaojing didn't know about these episodes after he left, and he was not interested. He was already blending in with the crowd in the queue and slowly approached the square.

Not too far away, the sound of music came from the main building of the diligent government, and the Shangyuan Spring Banquet continued. Many people came to the square just to hear the sound and smell the delicacies, which would make them feel that they had been invited to the banquet.

Only Zhang Xiaojing's attention was on Long Wujun. As he expected, the security of the square was loose on the outside and tight on the inside, extremely strict, with dense light and dark sentinels, and no idlers were allowed to enter. The mayflies must have gotten their hands on the craftsmen and pretended to be craftsmen to sneak in.

It is impossible to break through directly, and you will be killed on the spot. Zhang Xiaojing considered going over to the top of Long Wujun to warn, but he had no evidence in his hands. No one knows better than him the attitude of Datang officials towards a death row prisoner who is wanted by the whole city - Zhang Xiaojing did not know that the situation had changed at this time.

A sigh slipped out of Zhang Xiaojing's mouth, Li, Yao, Xu, Tan Qi, Yi Si and others were all gone, and the watchtower system had collapsed. Now he is a real loner. No one supported him, no one believed him, no one even knew what he was doing, and the only thing that accompanied him to this point was the bronze medal of Jing'an Division on his waist.

Zhang Xiaojing stretched out his hand and dusted his eye sockets.

He glanced at the diligent government building again, quietly left the group, walked in the opposite direction, and soon dodged into the door of the Daozheng Workshop.

Daozheng Square is located on the south side of Xingqing Palace South Square. When Xingqingfang was expanded into a palace, it occupied part of the Daozheng Fang area, so the distance between the two was very close. Because of this, the Long Wu Army also stationed a group of soldiers here to prevent traitors from occupying the high points. However, they are less attentive to the lower terrain, and they do not enclose the entire area.

After Zhang Xiaojing entered the workshop, he avoided all the patrols of the Longwu army, and went straight to the east, passing through the mansion where the rich family lived, and came to a depression with locust trees. In the middle of the depression there is a fish pond with loose water. The rainwater ditches on both sides of the street in Fangzhong flow here, and then drain into the Longshou Canal through a sheep ditch.

At this time, it was early spring, and the fish pond was drying up and bottoming out. Zhang Xiaojing carefully touched the wall of the pond to the bottom of the pool, and then groped forward along the sheep ditch. When he was about to reach the main stream of the Longshou Canal, he crouched down and felt a long clay pipe for drainage at the edge of the outlet. The pottery pipe was very long, running parallel to the dragon's head canal, and finally guided Zhang Xiaojing to the black entrance under the canal embankment, and the four dragon scale water dividers were erected in the middle.

This is the big secret that Chao Fen told him before he left.

Although the Taishang Xuanyuan Lantern Tower is designed by Mao Shun, it is always changing. Chao Fen pointed out that if the lights in the building are to be automatic, they must introduce water power. The Longshou Canal is a few dozen steps south of Xingqing Palace, and it is impossible for Mao Shun not to use it. The most likely way is to dig a culvert perpendicular to the channel from under the dragon's head canal, divert the water under the light tower, and push the pivot wheel to provide power.

Chao Fen has calculated that the volume of the Xuanyuan Lantern Tower on the ether is bound to be huge, and it is also convenient for craftsmen to repair the siltation, this dark ditch will be dug very wide, enough to barely allow one person to pass.

In this way, Zhang Xiaojing does not have to go through the square, and can go straight to the heart of the lantern tower from the tunnel.

The surface of this dragon scale water column is a layer of scale-like protrusions. If someone tries to squeeze through the gap between the two columns, they will get stuck in the scales, they can't move, they can't even retreat, even if they apply oil to their bodies.

However, Chao Fen had already made preparations, and he sent a straight-handled horse tooth file to Zhang Xiaojing. Zhang Xiaojing quickly filed off a dragon scale water column, and then squeezed it in. Sure enough, inside was a brick pipe large enough for one person to bend over, and the water from the dragon's head canal flowed into the hole, making a loud noise.

Zhang Xiaojing soaked his body in the water, raised his head, put a crossbow machine on his waist against the upper edge of the pipe, and stepped forward. The crossbow machine was also given by Chao, and when he saw that Zhang Xiaojing did not accept the knife, he gave him such a special repeater, which could be fired four times in a row. Chao Fen is full of hope that Zhang Xiaojing can create the "beauty" of using a crossbow again.

After walking dozens of steps, the pipeline suddenly opened up, and the front became an underground space shaped like a dungeon. The aqueduct flows through the middle of the dungeon, and there are three large wooden wheels on each side of the canal, which are propelled by the water to rotate and creak in the dark. This should be the lowest floor of the Taishang Xuanyuan Lantern Tower, and it is also the place that powers hundreds of lantern figurines. Above the dome, there is also a peculiarly shaped horse's mouth, I don't know what its function is.

The Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty really spent a lot of money for a lantern tower that only lit up for three days at the Shangyuan node.

Zhang Xiaojing climbed up from the water, simply twisted the water at the corner of his clothes, and looked carefully ahead in the shimmering light. At the end of the dungeon he saw a rudimentary wooden door, which seemed to be connected to a flight of stairs - this was supposed to be the passage in and out of the dungeon. A torch hangs from the top of the door, providing limited light to the entire dungeon.

At the edge of the torch's glow, there seemed to be several figures standing. Zhang Xiaojing leveled the crossbow machine and touched it lightly. As he approached, he smelled a strong smell of blood in his nose.

Zhang Xiaojing suppressed his breathing, and after a closer look, he found that the figures were not standing, but leaning against several wooden boxes, all of them were pale, and they had died of anger. These men wore short brown robes and waterproof rattan shoes, and were supposed to be craftsmen who tended the waterwheels.

Next to them, stood a sturdy man in tight clothes, playing with a knife in his hand.

Zhang Xiaojing was shocked in his heart, the grasshopper had indeed invaded the light tower.

At this moment, a sound of footsteps sounded from the other side of the waterwheel, and a tall, thin man stepped out of the shadows, with a relaxed pace and a small tune in his mouth. However, the light was dim, and the face could not be seen clearly. The sturdy man put away his knife and said respectfully, "Mr. Long Bo, this side has been cleared. ”

The tall and thin man walked by the row of corpses casually, and sighed a few times, not saying whether it was regret or appreciation.

As soon as he heard this name, Zhang Xiaojing's heart moved. Long Bo? This guy who Jing'an Division has been searching for has finally appeared. At first, they thought that Long Bo was just an inside line of the Turkic Wolf Guard, but now it seems that he is clearly the black hand behind the scenes, the leader of the grasshoppers.

Zhang Xiaojing narrowed his eyes, arched his waist and prepared to go. Waiting for the moment when Long Bo approached the door and walked to the edge of the torchlight. Zhang Xiaojing first raised his hand with an arrow and shot the torch on the door, and then took advantage of the moment of light and darkness to change the moment when he suddenly kicked his right foot and rushed over at a very fast speed, and the crossbow machine in his hand fired two times in a row.

The sturdy man was struck by an arrow in the forehead and in the throat, and fell to the ground. Zhang Xiaojing pounced on Long Bo, pressed him to the ground, and pressed his temple with *.

The torch rolled on the ground a few times, but it was not extinguished. Zhang Xiaojing dodged away, and with the help of the afterglow of the torch, he saw a thin face and a hooked nose. At the same time, the other party also saw his face clearly.

"Yo, open your head, don't come unharmed." Long Bo grinned and actually smiled.