In the bustling city of Bian'an, Siqu and Eighth Street are still full of traffic.

Located in the center of Nanshi Street, the Star Picking Building has been a city since its opening. The plaques of the Imperial Gift, the novel auctions, and the exquisite and rare antiques and calligraphy are all living signboards that attract customers.

King Ning, who loves piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and hops the most, used to run to Hu Yunqiu's wine shop every once in a while, but now he is running from the star building in three days and two times, just to buy one or two of the ridiculously expensive treasures, and fulfill his wishes.

Today, Lord Ning came to the Star Picking Tower again, and the shopkeeper Yang Zhuo greeted him warmly, with a just right flattering smile in his shrewd little eyes, leading King Ning and the personal servant he took to the three-story wing. When the person entered the room, he shrugged his shoulders, pursed his mouth, pushed his rich cheeks, piled up a warm smile, and went downstairs to greet other new and old guests.

In the wing, there was Li Yan waiting for their arrival.

"Lord Ning, Lord Fengyang."

Li Yan respectfully bowed to the two.

King Ning glanced at Qu Xiaoxiang, who was dressed as a little girl next to him, and sat on the soft collapse: "Li Huaijin, you owe me a lot of favors this time!" You asked me to bring the county lord of Fengyang, what kind of fame? Tsk, but, your Li Dashao's favor is very valuable! Hehe, let me think about it, hiss-do I want that "Lady of the Tang Palace" (1), or "Tuning the Piano and Sipping Tea" (2)? Tsk, if you can give me "The Female Historian" (3), it will be a great deal! ”

glanced at Li Yan's somewhat heavy face, and said with a smile: "Don't keep a straight face!" I know that painting holy relics is precious, and I have to get it, I don't want "The Female History of Zhentu", "The Lady of the Tang Palace" and "Tuning the Piano and Sipping Tea", choose one of the two, right? The painters of the previous dynasty were skilled, but the value was not comparable to that of the painting saints. Hey, that's interesting, right? ”

Li Yan still had a calm face.

"Hey, Li Huaijin, what do you mean? You said that you wanted the king to help and bring the lord of Fengyang over, and you had to hide people's eyes, and the king did so, you didn't even show anything, when did you become so stingy! ”

King Ning stretched out his hand and slapped Li Yan's hand hanging down on his side, the force was not small, a wound that had just been wrapped yesterday, was knocked like this, Li Yan gasped in pain, and red blood oozed from the strap that was shrunk in his sleeve.

King Ning straightened his face and asked, "What's the matter?" You're a whetstone! Can you kid hurt like this, which way? ”

Li Yan didn't answer his question, but turned to Qu Xiaoxiang and asked, "The county lord of Fengyang is willing to come, he should receive the letter sent by Arote, right?" ”

Qu Xiaoxiang nodded: "Not bad." ”

"Hey, Xiaoxiang, aren't you waiting to see Ah Ruo? When did you two get so good? And correspondence? King Ning's gaze wandered between Qu Xiaoxiang and Li Yan, "Tsk, that's not right!" What are you hiding from me! ”

"Yes," Li Yan admitted calmly, "so now I will call you to be open and honest." ”

King Ning straightened his body and said solemnly: "Say, what happened?" ”

"Lord Rong was robbed?"

"What?"

Hearing this news, King Ning and Qu Xiaoxiang were quite surprised.

"When? Hiss-I said, why didn't Shaoqing go to the early dynasty today and ask for sick leave, dare to be ......" Looking at Li Yan with a gloomy face, King Ning twisted his eyebrows and paused, and asked in a low voice, "Why did Ah Ruo just help Shaoqing ask for sick leave, instead of telling the truth and letting the emperor send someone to save him?" ”

After that, he glanced at Qu Xiaoxiang, who was also surprised, and asked, "Didn't Ah Ruo write to you?" She didn't say that? ”

Qu Xiaoxiang's face was silent, and she hesitated for a moment before she spoke: "She left a message in the letter, saying that she had found out the murderer who killed my brother back then, and asked me to leave the mansion in disguise, go to King Ning's Mansion first, and follow His Royal Highness King Ning down to pick up the Star Tower, so that I can know the truth." ”

"The murderer who killed Qu Mine?" King Ning touched his chin, "Shaoqing was kidnapped, but she didn't say anything, let you come to me; When you arrive at the Star Picking Tower, you don't come forward, so you Li Yan waits here...... Tsk, is it possible, the person who robbed Shaoqing is the same person who killed Qu Kuang and Yurou in the first place? ”

Yurou is Gu Manxi's maiden name.

But Qu Xiaoxiang didn't know, and looked at King Ning suspiciously.

King Ning explained: "It's Ah Ruo's sister." ”

Qu Xiaoxiang nodded clearly, his gaze stayed on King Ning meaningfully for a moment, and then turned to Li Yan: "What about Lin Ruo?" ”

Li Yan's eyes flashed with a hint of fierceness, and he said in a deep voice: "Go to the meeting alone and be in prison." ”

"Ahem, single, single, what?" King Ning's eyes widened, "She thought she was Second Master Guan?" still went to the meeting alone, can her little arms and legs carry the knife? Just went alone? What was she thinking! ”

"This is a letter from the other party," Li Yan took out the letter left by Tang Xiao and handed it to King Ning and Qu Xiaoxiang.

In just four lines, King Ning and Qu Xiaoxiang quickly finished reading. Qu Xiaoxiang frowned and was silent, but King Ning raised his eyebrows and said angrily: "She, what kind of hero is she!" Let her go, she'll go! ”

"She had to go."

"That can't be ......," King Ning waved his hand, "Forget it, everyone has entered the tiger's mouth, and it's too late to say anything." Say, what do you want me to help you with? ”

After that, King Ning's eyes glanced at Qu Xiaoxiang: "Xiaoxiang, don't toss." ”

Qu Xiaoxiang ignored it, but asked, "Mr. Li, did Lin Ruo really find the murderer?" ”

Li Yan nodded: "Yes." ”

"Why should I trust you?"

"The victims back then were not only your brother and Ah Ruo's sister."

King Ning and Qu Xiaoxiang were shocked, and shouted at the same time:

"What?!"

"Who else?"

King Ning and Qu Xiaoxiang glanced at each other, and asked again at the same time:

"Who is it?"

"Where's the man?"

Li Yan glanced at King Ning, retracted his gaze, and said, "The righteous son of Bai Sanniang in Qinhuai Yangzhou, Bai Que." ”

"Bai Que?"

"That's it...... That, the white boy who spends a lot of money in Bian'an City every day and makes waves to make trouble for you from time to time? ”

"It's him." Li Yan nodded, "Counting it up, he is the innocent person who was affected by the pond fish, and he is also the only survivor of that tragedy, Ah Ruo has confirmed this." ”

King Ning frowned: "In other words, this Bai Que was the only witness back then?" ”

"No," Li Yan corrected, looking at him weakly, "it's the only two. ”

"Who else?"

"The one who saved Bai Que."

Note: (1) "Ladies of the Tang Palace": made by the Tang Dynasty painter Zhang Xuan.

(2) "Tuning the Piano and Sipping Tea": made by the Tang Dynasty painter Zhou Fang.

(3) "Female History Portrait": made by Gu Kaizhi, a painter of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.