At the moment of unitary time, the spring gate was built.

In the summer, it gets dark late. At this moment, the sky is not completely dark, and from the battlements, you can vaguely see the lights in the city.

By this time there were far fewer people coming and going by the gates. The little official in charge of checking and recording had been busy all day, and at this moment he squatted in front of the shed erected by the city gate, tilted his head to the side, picked up the kettle and poured water into his mouth.

It was time to close the city gate, and the melodious sound of bells was already heard from the drum tower in the distance. This bell rang a hundred times, and after it was struck, the gates of the Shendu would be closed at the same time, and then the gates would be closed in turn, and Wuhou would begin to patrol the streets.

Cheng Menlang dozed off and walked out of the official office, the sultry summer breath made people tired, just leaning back against the table, and after a while, he actually fell asleep. But this is harmless, as long as there is no stubborn imperial history passing by, it doesn't hurt for him to rest for a while.

The official office of the city gate is next to the Jianquan Gate, which is next to Quy Nhon Fang. The organic spirit opened a restaurant here, and the next morning, as soon as the people who had been waiting outside the city for a long time entered the city, they would smell the heat of the freshly made and still hot cakes. People are often hungry at this time, so their business is also very good.

Whether it's a pastry stall or a tea seller, everyone collects their things methodically after hearing the drums. After the street drums are cleaned, the martial marquis will come over to drive people away, and those who are not in a hurry are still negotiating the price with passers-by.

In the distance, a carriage tried to rush in, and the sergeant guarding the gate raised his spear and stood in a line to stop it. The carriage was loaded with several chests, which seemed to be full, and from the place where they overflowed, it was assumed that they were going to a nearby village to collect some silk cloth.

The driver was a merchant from the Western Regions, with a hooked nose and deep jawbones, and he was very anxious all the way.

"Honorable Lord, I am Akbar from Qiuzi, and this is my guide." The merchant of the Western Regions jumped down from the carriage and hurried to the city gate, begging to enter the city.

But he didn't expect the city gate lang to look at Lu Yin, and said proudly: "The city gate is about to close, there is no time to check the goods on your car, the city gate is strictly forbidden after dark, you leave quickly!" ”

The merchants of the Western Regions were about to open their mouths to defend themselves, when the sergeants were already approaching with their spears on their shoulders. The merchant of the Western Regions lamented his bad luck, turned his horse's head and left.

It was just a small episode, and the city gates were unusually silent at this time.

Just as the beat of a hundred drums was about to be full, suddenly a carriage came from the street, driven by a soldier of the Armed Guard, with a bear tattoo on his brocade coat, and his face was very eager.

"There's an emergency, get out of the way!" The Warrior Guard shouted when he was far away.

Chengmenlang's eyes were very good, first glanced at the sergeant, and then at the carriage behind him, he couldn't help but be amazed. The carriage was flanked by lanterns, and the words "Imperial Gift of the Summer Official Shoshufu" were indicated in bright red cinnabar.

This is the carriage of Shangshufu, and at this moment the bell is approaching a hundred times, and the city gate must be closed on time. But the city gate lang didn't dare to stop the carriage in his heart, and after weighing it for a moment, he turned his head and shouted: "It's all withdrawn, let him pass!" ”

The carriage galloped past, just as a hundred bells had ended. The city gate lang waved a small flag, and the sound of heavy gears turning came from the city gate, and the drawbridge was slowly pulled up, and the two heavy iron gates were pulled up by the sergeants.

The sergeant of the Wuwei drove the carriage and galloped all the way down the official road. There were some inns nearby to rest, but he didn't stop.

After a while, the sergeant suddenly turned his horse's head and rushed down the hillside. There is a shoal below, and a raging river flows through the bank. In the dark night, the reeds by the river were very long, and the horses' hooves were one foot deep and one foot shallow. After a while, a dilapidated pier appeared by the river.

There was only a small wooden house next to the dock, and it was pitch black, and there was no one guarding it at all.

Out of the carriage was a young woman wearing a hat.

The woman's name is Nian Cui, and she is Yang Yi's fourteenth concubine.

Her eyes were full of panic, unlike the other group of concubines, she had a brother who was on an errand in Zuo Wuwei.

Someone would die every moment in the Yang Mansion, and everyone was trembling. Nian Cui finally couldn't control her fear, and secretly told her brother that she escaped from the house through the small door.

This escape, if the Yang Mansion investigates it, it will be difficult to move in the Great Zhou. However, Nian Cui has already made up her mind, she wants to flee to the distant Lingnan Road, and from then on the emperor will be far away. Even if you are far away, it is better than being scared every day in the house.

"Big brother, little sister is bothering you." Nian Cui looked at her brother slightly apologetically, she didn't bring any benefit to her brother by becoming Yang Yi's concubine, but she let her brother do her a big favor.

The sergeant laughed: "Little sister, you can rest assured that you can go boldly." If the Yang Mansion is investigated, I can bear it alone. Don't worry, I'm the general's personal soldier now, Yang Shangshu is no longer there, and our general won't look at her face as a woman or child. ”

The sergeant then sighed and said, "The ship is here, I can't use all this money in the capital, you can bring it all, and you don't need to write to me when you get to the place in Lingnan." The army will be pulled out to Mobei after a short time, and the next time we meet, I don't know when it will ......"

Nian Cui kowtowed three times to her brother, turned around and came to the boat. It was a pleasure boat that sailed from Shendu to Anju in Huainan Province and then all the way south to Guangzhou Province on Lingnan Province.

In the distance, the Divine Capital only showed a glimpse of the outline in the night, and then gradually became blurred.

Nian Cui sat on the side of the boat wearing a hat, quietly looking at the Shendu in the distance, remembering everything she had experienced in the capital. I couldn't help but feel sad, and a trace of tears appeared in my eyes.

"Girl, the bow of the boat will be ready for dinner in a moment. Look at the girl, she hasn't eaten yet, why don't you come over and eat together. ”

A crew member asked Nian Cui to come over for a meal together, but Nian Cui was about to refuse. However, this road is far away, and Niancui, a weak woman, wants to bring a lot of silver, so she is inevitably a little panicked, so she simply agrees.

There was only fish on board, and when it was grilled, it gave off a burnt aroma. A crew member handed Nian Cui a string and chatted back and forth in dialect. They didn't seem to be Shendu people, and Nian Cui couldn't understand what they were saying. I happened to be a little hungry, so I lowered my head and kept eating the fish.

The light of the fire shone on Nian Cui's face, making her feel warmer than ever.

The danger, as if it had passed.

Nian Cui's heart gradually breathed a sigh of relief. Gradually recovering her emotions, Nian Cui also smiled and talked to the crew. Only then did I know that this group of people was merchants who came and went from all over the world, and now they were carrying her goods.

After eating the fish, several crew members continued to get busy. Nian Cui leaned against a wooden plank and gradually fell into a deep sleep.

Thump!

Something seemed to have landed on the deck in the stern.

Nian Cui didn't sleep well, she seemed to hear people's shouts, but sleepiness hit, which made her a little dazed.

I don't know how long it took.

Nian Cui opened her somewhat misty eyes slightly, and her hands were a little slimy.

She grabbed it with her hand, and suddenly caught a furry object, which made her heart startle. When she opened her eyes, she found that she had actually grabbed a head in her hand.

This is the head of the ship boss, and at this moment he has an angry and hideous expression on his face, glaring at Nian Cui.

Nian Cui's heart trembled.

Fear hit like a tidal wave, and Nian Cui wanted to shout for help, but was horrified to find that there was not a sound outside the boat.

The ground is full of blood!

Nian Cui finally couldn't control her emotions anymore, and she screamed and ran out of the cabin and went to the deck.

The first thing you see is the feet.

Several crew members, tied to ropes, were dangling on the crossbar at the bow of the ship.

Nian Cui turned her head in horror.

A woman appeared right behind her.

No one can escape......

The woman cracked her mouth and laughed.

Her teeth were pointed, and they were stained with blood.

Click!

Nian Cui heard the sound of her neck bones breaking, and her eyes looked at the night sky that was gradually blurring.

Nian Cui felt a pang of despair in her heart.

But the mood didn't last long, and it quickly disappeared.

She collapsed on the deck, all consciousness of her life gone.

A boat full of dead people floated down the river and headed south.