Under the cover of the night, the four gates of the Pingyang County Mansion have been blocked by Wuhou, and many onlookers gathered at the four gates.

When Wuhou saw Xue Ne, he was about to arrest him, and Li Yuanyan on the side said loudly: "The imperial history of His Royal Highness the Prince, did you say that you would take it?" Things are not yet clear, I see who dares to do it! ”

Hearing Li Yuanyan's words, the martial marquis looked at each other and did not dare to make a move. Xue Ne hurriedly walked through the corridor with his hands behind his back, and came to his small garden, and sure enough, he saw his mother, Mrs. Liu, and Xue Chuyu, dealing with the members of the Criminal Department, Wai Lang and his party.

The Xue family is in the limelight in Chang'an City, and the criminal department sent a member of the Wailang, which shows that they attach great importance to it, and it also shows that they have relatively conclusive evidence, and they will send out such a battle nine times out of ten. Xue Ne stepped forward, first saluted his mother, and then turned to Wailang, a member of the Criminal Department: "I don't know what Your Excellency is called, why did you come to the house to find Xue today?" ”

This member of the criminal department, Wai Lang, has never met Xue Ne, thinking that as a general, he will also be a mighty man with eyes like copper bells and a waist as thick as a cylinder, but who knows that he is a little white face with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, blocked by Li Yuanxi, without courage.

However, Xue Ne is a six-rank official, and now he still has a special supervision of the imperial history of the prince of the prison country, so that this member of the criminal department has to be polite: "In the lower criminal department member Wailang Yanjun, someone gave evidence that Xue Yushi harbored Fan Ning, a criminal of the imperial court, and he came here to investigate." Now that the human and material evidence is complete, I also ask Xue Yushi to go to the Yamen with his official to interrogate, and tell the truth where this red-clothed yaksha is, so as not to harm the Xue Mansion and ruin General Xue's outstanding military exploits in blood-soaked conquest of Goryeo! ”

"Xue Lang is a special inspector of the imperial history for this case, will he go to shield the suspect?" Li Yuanyan was indignant, "If he can catch the murderer, why didn't he give an errand to His Highness as soon as possible in exchange for fame, and why did he hide such a fierce and vicious person at home?" ”

"The county lord didn't know, when the next person was cleaning my brother's room today, I found a woman in red in the wooden cabinet, looking at the size and style, I guessed that it should not be my brother who had some terrible habits, and I felt that it looked familiar, as if I had seen it somewhere, and it turned out to be on the wanted warrant...... The subordinate didn't dare to cover up, and reported it to the housekeeper Liu Yu, Liu Yu invited Wuhou in the fang, Wuhou immediately reported the case to the Criminal Department, and the Criminal Department brought a hound to identify, and it was determined that this thing was indeed owned by Fan Ning, the fugitive who destroyed the courtyard of Hongwen Pavilion and killed several guards", Xue Chuyu stepped forward as he spoke, wrinkling his brows and looking distressed, "The physical evidence is complete, and everyone knows that Brother and Fan Ning are good at the general angle, and if they are too close, they can also be regarded as human witnesses." My father is still far away in Liaodong, and there is such an incident at home, as a younger brother, Chu Yu is really uncomfortable, but he doesn't dare to cover it, and I also ask all the officials to enforce the law impartially and use the punishment carefully, Chu Yu is here to thank you......"

"Don't fart here", Li Yuanyan forcibly suppressed the urge to go up and give Xue Chuyu a slap, and said patiently, "Xue Lang and that woman are indeed old acquaintances, and because they are old acquaintances, this clothing may have been left before the crime." ”

"What the county lord said is indeed reasonable, Chu Yu is also afraid that he has wronged his brother, so he specially asked the housekeeper to check it once, and moved from our house to this new mansion, this Fan Ning has never come to visit, how can he leave his close-fitting clothes on the house? The only way to be harbored by my brother is this. ”

"This is reasonable, Xue Yushi, let's not disturb the old lady's purity, let's go back to the yamen first and then ask questions?" Wai Lang, a member of the criminal department, made a gesture of invitation, and the martial marquis on his side all stepped forward, but they saluted first and then soldiers.

Li Yuanyan was so anxious that she stomped her feet, turned her head to look at Xue Ne, who was groaning behind her back, not knowing what to think, which made her angry and funny, and said angrily: "Xue Lang, what are you doing in a daze, the dirty water is splashed on your head, don't explain it clearly!" ”

Before the curfew, the West Market of Chang'an City was crowded. There are not only the people of the Central Plains dressed up, but also the Hu merchants who lead camels and hunting dogs, transporting the rare treasures of the Western Regions, the night pearl, and the Hetian jade, which are dazzling. The heroic and uninhibited people of the Western Regions laughed heartily and did business, and the Kunlun slaves were as strong as oxen, carrying goods to the shops. The fragrance on the side of the road is not only the green ant new roasted wine of the Central Plains, but also the imported grapes and fruits, the drum music everywhere is continuous, the bosom friend song of the mountains and flowing waters, and the impassioned Hu Ji pat, so lively.

But such a bustle could not penetrate Fan Ning's heart at all, she stood on the side of the road in a daze, incompatible with the noisy and prosperous Chang'an City.

How could she accidentally leave evidence in Xue Ne's room. It was precisely because she was afraid of implicating him that she burned her clothes, went out in his clothes every day, and carefully washed them, exposed them to the sun to remove the smell, and carefully checked the room before going out every day. And in order to facilitate Xue Ne's entry and exit from the Criminal Department, she also specially prepared a scented tea bag with a strong ability to absorb odors, and kept a certain distance from him when she walked.

Fan Ning was puzzled, someone suddenly patted her on the shoulder, she turned around and looked, it turned out to be Gao Min. Fan Ning remembered his identity, and saluted in a thick voice: "Master Gao, why haven't you gone home yet?" ”

"Ah, I'm going back to be alone, cold pot and cold stove, thinking of coming here to eat a bowl of soup cakes, Brother Ning together, I'll invite you."

"No need", as soon as Fan Ning waved his hand, his stomach screamed twice.

Gao Min grabbed Fan Ning's wrist and pulled her away: "Hey, eat when you're hungry, what's polite?" Although Gao is from a humble background, he can't even afford to afford a bowl of soup cakes. ”

Gao Min dragged Fan Ning out of the three or five feet, sat in front of the noodle stall on the street, and shouted loudly: "Shopkeeper, come to two bowls of soup cakes and put more noodles." ”

It seems that Gao Min is very familiar with this shopkeeper, Fan Ning is not easy to refuse, and arches his hand: "Then thank you Gao for your business." ”

"What about Xue Yushi? Gone home? Gao Min knocked out two pairs of chopsticks from the bamboo tube, lifted the teapot, turned around and scalded it with hot water, and handed a pair to Fan Ning.

"Ah, yes......" Fan Ning's heart was confused, and his thinking was not as quick as usual, "He, his mother called him home for dinner." ”

Gao Min didn't seem to think there was anything wrong, and his face showed envy: "Xue Yushi is really a good life, born in such a family, prominent is secondary, and having parents to protect and love him is the happiest." ”

"Isn't Lingzun Lingtang in Beijing?" After Fan Ning asked this, he remembered that he said that he had a cold pot and a cold stove at home, and he didn't feel remorseful.

Sure enough, Gao Min sighed bitterly: "It's been many years since Xianyan passed away, and I raised myself by myself, if I hadn't been admitted to the Ming Law Department, I'm afraid I would have starved to death." ”

Fan Ning knew that he was speechless, so he couldn't help but accept a little bit of his thoughts, and said with relief: "Ning is similar to Master Gao, and there is only one grandfather in the family. But I've been at ease all these years, and if someone really ties me up every day, I really can't stand it. ”

While speaking, the shopkeeper stepped forward with two bowls of soup cakes, don't look at this stall is so small, next to a big restaurant like Donglin Pavilion Chang'an Wine Shop, it is not inconspicuous at all, the taste is a must, Fan Ning drank a sip of hot soup, and really felt a little hungry, and ate it, but he didn't know the taste.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should be very anxious, then Fan Ning has not been caught", Gao Min put down the bowl and asked Fan Ning, "I heard that the emperor and queen of heaven are urging very tightly, after all, it is also a big case that shocks the world, but I estimate that Fan Ning has escaped from Chang'an City, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to catch it." In the past few days, our criminal department has been making a pot of porridge, and I don't know how many people will be implicated......

Fan Ning is innocent, but he also sympathizes with the people who are implicated in the Criminal Department, and he is even more worried about Xue Ne. There was a fluttering orchid passing by the road, and when I saw Gao Min and the disguised Fan Ning turning around to greet each other, Gao Min talked to him in a skillful Western Regions dialect, which made the orchid giggle and tremble.

"Master Gao is really a merry boy", Fan Ning seemed to tease, but also seemed to praise sincerely, and got up to say goodbye.

Gao Min also stood up and smiled helplessly: "Gao is a merry boy who is a merry man, when he is in the government and resting, he is also bored at home every day thinking about the case, I just can say a few words of Western Regions." ”

Gao Min paid the money and walked in the market with Fan Ning. It will be curfew in more than half an hour, Gao Min stopped and said to Fan Ning: "Brother Ning, Gao has gone home, you should go home as soon as possible." ”

Fan Ning bowed his hand to return the salute, and before he could speak, Gao Min suddenly raised his hand and patted her on the shoulder, and said, "You don't have to worry too much, with Gao's god, you will definitely let that red-clothed yaksha be caught early...... You said that she was a young girl, born so beautiful, even if she went to the music workshop to sing a song, why did she do such a heinous thing. ”

Fan Ning sank into her thoughts, and suddenly heard Gao Min say that she wanted her to go to the music shop to sing, she almost couldn't hold back her laughter, and after greeting Gao Min again, she got up and said goodbye.

I don't know what the situation is in Xue Ne's mansion, I don't have to think about it, I know that it must be Xue Chuyu's assassination. Because of Xue Ne's relationship, Fan Ning has also known Xue Chuyu since he was a child, and knows that he is a vicious and scheming person.

Now that something like this has happened in Xue Mansion, it must be Xue Chuyu who is planning to frame Xue Ne while protecting himself and Xue Mansion, so as to eradicate the obstacles on his way to the throne.

Fan Ning walked along the long street in a daze, and soon arrived at the gate of the West Market, she still remembered the first time she entered Chang'an City when she was a child, she was only four or five years old, sitting behind Li Chunfeng's ox cart, with two round horns, even shoes were too lazy, two lotus-like calves dangling, at that time she was extremely envious of the prosperity here, greedy everywhere not enough, also on that day, she met Xue Ne, a boy who was three years older than her, but not as tall as her, delicate and gentle, with extremely good-looking facial features, she even thought he was a girl for a while, chased after him and called "Sister" for several days.

Then there are many years of companionship, he is smart, but a little stupid, when he falls into thinking, even if the knife and axe are added, he does not know how to hide, when he was a child, there were always children from nearby mountain people bullying Xue Ne, Fan Ning chased them with stones. Now that he was framed by his unscrupulous brother in order to protect her, how could she sit idly by.

As long as she dismantles her skin, changes her clothes, shuttles through the shops in the East Market like a night thief, and sells a flaw to Wuhou, who is searching everywhere, she will soon be imprisoned and arrested, and as long as she says that she has been hiding in cactus or Fengxiang for the past few days, she can clear the suspicion of Xue Ne's cover-up.

Fan Ning turned around and entered the back alley in the dark, took a deep breath, and seemed to have made up his mind.

In the Pingyang County Mansion, the officials of the Criminal Department were already a little impatient, and planned to invite Li Yuanyan aside and forcibly take Xue Ne away.

Xue Ne, who was stunned for a long time, finally raised his eyes, his clear and clean gaze was three points more cold than usual, like the wind of an autumn night, not necessarily strong, but very piercing, he stepped forward in two steps and asked the member of the criminal department: "Dare to ask Lord Yan, where is the evidence?" ”

"Brother really doesn't shed tears when he doesn't see the coffin, and the official of the Criminal Department will still be wronged......"

"Shut up", before Xue Chuyu finished speaking, he was interrupted by Mrs. Liu, who had been silent, Mrs. Liu took two steps forward and said to the criminal department member Wailang: "Official, the dog is cautious and has been favored by His Royal Highness, and he has been promoted to supervise the imperial history and be responsible for this case, which is the glory of the ancestors, and there will be no idea of covering up the murderer." But this kid is not good at words, and even if he is wronged, he is not likely to defend himself, and now that he has raised doubts, why not give him a chance to defend himself? My husband is far away in Liaodong, and he doesn't dare to say that he has done his best for the country, and he can be regarded as dutiful, if you take my son out of the palace today, even if he proves to be false, there will be a lot of rumors among the people, I am afraid that the emperor and queen will be annoyed......"

Xue Rengui pacified Goryeo, made great contributions to the country, and Mrs. Liu was also awarded the "Order" of the third grade, Yanjun did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly saluted: "What Mrs. said is, since this is the case, Xue Yushi, if you have any grievances, please defend yourself." ”

Xue Ne intervened and said to Wu Hou: "I'm tired of bringing the evidence and the bloodhounds of the Criminal Department." ”

In an instant, Wu Hou dragged a vicious hound forward with a leather chain, still holding Fan Ning's red clothes in his hand. Xue Ne stood still and said to the criminal department member Wailang: "Since it is said that Xue is harboring a fugitive, Xue must have the smell of Fan Ning on his body, please ask the hound to distinguish it, and return Xue to his innocence." ”

In addition to distinguishing the breath, the eagle dog of the criminal department also shoulders the heavy responsibility of arresting the suspect, with sharp teeth and sharp mouth, as if it can jump up and bite the throat of the suspect directly. Li Yuanyan and Mrs. Liu both had worried looks on their faces, and they watched as the Marquis of Wu put Fan Ning's red shirt under the nose of the hound, let it sniff a few times, and then loosened the chains.

The hound swooped out like a tiger, pounced on Xue Ne, and after two turns around him, he left without looking back, bypassed the crowd, and jumped up and pounced on the lamplight.

Everyone was shocked, and looked fixedly, only to see that the housekeeper Liu Yu was chased by the hound and fled in all directions, and had to jump up the rockery, and was jumped by the hound dog, and bit his buttocks with a "hiss", he screamed in pain, and half of his buttocks were exposed in broad daylight, so shocked that Mrs. Liu and Li Yuanxi both took two steps back and hurriedly hid their faces.

"I heard that there are Fan Ning's things in my room, Xue felt strange, and after thinking about it, someone should have framed him. Now that the hound has identified the real suspect, he will ask Lord Yan to take him back for interrogation", from the first step into the mansion, Xue Ne understood that this game was set up by Xue Chuyu and Liu Yu together, and it must be Xue Chuyu who instructed Liu Yu to steal Fan Ning's clothes, and put him in the room while he was away, and then the thief shouted to catch the thief. He was silent, in addition to making this simple inference, he was waiting for the tea bag sachet in his sleeve and belt to play a role, absorbing the smell that he might be contaminated with when he got along with Fan Ning.

Xue Ne took his eyes off Liu Yu, who was jumping around, and Wu Hou, who was climbing the mountain to capture him, and looked at Xue Chuyu. Xue Chuyu's face was really pale, he didn't know when he clenched his fist, feeling Xue Ne's gaze, Xue Chuyu turned his head and was shocked, but he quickly adjusted his mood, and greeted him arrogantly and unresentfully, without any taboos.

After enduring it for more than ten years, he was reluctant to give up his brotherhood, but he was still persecuted step by step to this day, Xue Ne looked at Xue Chuyu calmly, and secretly thought that since the idea had hit Fan Ning's head, he didn't blame him for turning his face as a brother and denying people.