Zhang Di walked from the square gate to the curved alley, the greeting never stopped, her smiling face froze, and even the big braid hanging behind her was swaying.

This winding alley is extremely quiet, and on both sides are deep courtyards, which belong to the same family, and the houses in the houses are divided into rooms of different sizes, which are specially rented to the people who are going to Beijing to take the exam.

These lifters came and went, walked and came, and only the second steward of the house was seen, and they had never seen the main house.

At first, Zhang Yan's brother and sister rented a house here because they wanted to be cheap and clean, but after moving in, they learned that the whole alley was full of scholars, and some had lived here for ten years, just for the day of the title of the gold list.

The alley is quiet, the plane trees on both sides are flourishing in the spring light, and the sunlight shines through the emerald green leaves, sifting the mottled shadows all over the ground.

The shadows of the trees are swaying, and the spring days are long.

Zhang Di was in a good mood and couldn't help humming a Dunhuang tune.

As soon as she walked to the door of the house, Zhang Di didn't have time to stop the donkey cart, and a man rushed out of the house and almost hit the donkey cart.

Zhang Di was startled, hurriedly stopped the car and jumped down, ran to the man, and asked worriedly: "Sir, sir, how is it, have you hit anywhere?" ”

The man refused to even lift his head, covering half of his face with one hand, and bright red blood seeped out from between his fingers.

Zhang Di was so frightened that she let out an "oops", and said at a loss: "Sir, you are injured, I will take you to see Langzhong." ”

The man still didn't look up, just glanced at Zhang Di, didn't speak, but ran away in a hurry, as if he was in the middle of nowhere.

Zhang Di felt very strange, and then she noticed that the man's clothes were crumpled, his hair was scattered, and his face was bleeding, as if he had just been beaten.

She shook her head in confusion and drove the donkey cart through the corner gate into the house.

When she was busy packing up the things in the car, Aunt Li sneaked out of the corner, approached Zhang Di, and whispered, "Adi, are you back?" ”

Zhang Di was startled, turned around and said, "Well, auntie, I'm back." ”

This Aunt Li is a Zhuang family in the suburbs of Beijing, the family has a lot of land, eat and drink without worry, there is a lack of a scholar, she is accompanied by her youngest son into Beijing, has already taken a spring exam in Beijing, this year is the second.

She looked around and saw that there was no one left and right, so she leaned into Zhang Di's ear and asked mysteriously: "Adi, do you want your brother to go to high school in one fell swoop?" ”

Zhang Di nodded: "Yes." ”

Aunt Li lowered her voice and said, "Auntie, there is a way to make your brother go to high school." ”

Zhang Di was very surprised, although she was born in a small family, she also knew how difficult it was to make a spring, she took a step back and looked at Aunt Li: "Auntie, don't tease Adi, if there is a way, you must use it for Brother Li first." ”

She didn't finish her words, but the implication was that if there is a way not to stick to herself first, but to give it to others first, then this method may not be a good way.

Aunt Li's face sank, snorted, and said unexpectedly: "The little girl's family, her temper is quite big, and she doesn't believe it." ”

She flicked her sleeves, twisted her bucket-thick waist, and turned into the room.

Zhang Di lowered her head and smiled, took the packed dumplings and flax cakes, and entered Zhang Yan's room.

As soon as she entered the house, she saw it shattered on the ground

's inkstone, she sighed: "Brother, this, this inkstone hit, you, how did you end up." ”

Zhang Yan sat behind the bookcase, his expression was a little obscure, and there was a deep anger hidden in his eyes, when he saw Zhang Di coming in, his expression suddenly relaxed, and he smiled lightly: "It's okay, if it's broken, it's broken, just buy another piece." ”

Zhang Di sighed, it could only be so, she picked up the broom in the corner of the wall and cleaned up the broken inkstone.

The inkstone was originally blue-gray, and the corners seemed to be stained with ink, and the depth and shade were a little dark.

Zhang Di didn't think much about it, turned around and said, "Brother, I'll go to do twilight food, and you will warm up the book." ”

Zhang Yan nodded, but his empty gaze did not fall on the page, and he didn't know what he was looking at.

Aunt Li rented two big houses, one where her son Li Shilang lived, and rarely came out to see people on weekdays, and the other one she lived in by herself, and also hired the guy who cleaned the house, so she didn't have to pay rent, and she could earn one or two silver a month, which was enough for their mother and son.

Their mother and son have not been home for three or four years, and the family has written several times urging them that if Li Shilang is still in the first place this year, I am afraid that he will not be able to stay in the capital.

She touched Zhang Di's nose, entered the room angrily, smashed it into the bed, and complained: "The brothers and sisters of the Zhang family are stupid at first glance, you have to let me go and get close to them." ”

There was a thin man sitting behind the bookcase, who had lifted him up with a word of skin, and only a pair of bones were left in the thin one, with a big head on his slender neck, and he shook his head slightly, which made people tremble, lest the slender neck be overwhelmed and broken.

The man has not seen the sun all year round, his face is white and bloodless, and he smiled like a ghost in hell: "A-Niang, it's easy to be stupid, and it's from so far away, and no one will investigate if you die." ”

Aunt Li breathed a sigh of relief: "That's what I said, but people don't answer my words, what can I do?" ”

The man was stunned for a moment: "She didn't agree?" Not curious at all? ”

Aunt Li nodded: "Isn't it, such a big bait, she actually didn't take the bait." ”

The man squinted and smiled, the layer of skin hanging on his face was folded in layers, as if it was about to peel off in an instant, and the laughter was also gloomy, making people chill: "It's okay, there is one more day, A-Niang will go again in the evening." ”

Aunt Li thought for a moment, nodded and said, "Okay, I don't believe that little hoof should not accept it." ”

The twilight was flying, the stratus clouds were floating, and the sky was dark.

There was a slight breeze in the twilight, with imperceptible moisture.

The plane trees on the side of the road are blown by the wind and make a rustling sound.

The sound of the twilight drum resounded over Chang'an City, and the footsteps of pedestrians also hurried.

Zhang Di finished the evening food, brought it to the food table, handed Zhang Yan a pair of clean bamboo chopsticks, and said with a smile: "Brother, eat quickly, go to Wenshu after eating." ”

Zhang Yan was a little distracted, and quickly pulled a few mouthfuls of gluttony, then put down the bamboo chopstick, wiped his mouth and said: "I'm full, go out for a walk, you go back to the room to sleep early." ”

Zhang Di let out an "ah", didn't notice anything wrong with Zhang Yan, chased after his back and said, "Brother, it's almost curfew, where are you going?" ”

Zhang Yantou didn't reply: "I don't go out, just go around the workshop." ”

The wind was blowing through the trees

The crown caused a loud noise, and the window paper was blown by the wind.

Zhang Di shouted again: "Brother, it's windy, I'm afraid it's going to rain, so don't go out." ”

Zhang Yan paused, but picked up the umbrella erected on the side of the door and clamped it under his armpit: "I carry an umbrella." ”

Zhang Di sighed, looking at the direction where Zhang Yan left, a little annoyed.

Is it that she always urges her brother Wen Shu to force him to run away from home.

After the last sound of the twilight drums, the lively streets and alleys suddenly fell silent, only the winding alleys in the inner squares, and there were still very few people walking, but they were all in a hurry.

It was completely dark, the lights were lit up everywhere, and the most lively place in Chang'an City at night was Pingkangfang.

Xue Lu, the envoy of the workshop, stood at the door of the workshop and saw two people entering the door one after the other and entering the same private room.

Those two men, one of them was unmatched, and they were more sultry than the flower girls in the workshop.

The other is born robust, extremely stable, although a pair of eyes are not big, but the light is shining, the hands are full of calluses, at first glance is a perennial martial arts person.

Xue Lu looked at the backs of these two people, his eyes narrowed slightly, he called the most clever running hall to give a few orders, watched the running hall go upstairs, and then set up the car himself, took the sign and opened the door, and rushed all the way to the direction of the imperial city.

After a short time, two people and two horses came out of the internal security department, galloping on the long street without any scruples, sweeping the dark ripples of the night.

The two of them rushed straight to the door of the workshop, threw the reins to the little servant who greeted the guests at the door, carried the hem of their clothes and went upstairs lightly and skillfully, and walked into a private room almost without a sound.

One person took out a small bamboo tube, gently buckled it to the wall, put his ear on the bamboo tube, and listened with bated breath.

Yiyang Fang Bao Mansion used to be a big family, but gradually down, although the current head of the family, Bao Lao has no big ability, but can have children, has six sons and six daughters, except for a pair of twin sisters-in-law, the other four sons and six daughters are from different concubines.

After night, there are few people in the Bao Mansion, after all, the house is too big, there are always some places without light, and when you go to a dark place, you will inevitably be afraid, and over time, as soon as it gets dark, the girls rarely go out.

Bao Cheng's yard is in the most secluded corner of Bao Mansion, and there is only one serving servant, who was still far away by Bao Cheng today.

There was no light in the room, and there was no moonlight tonight, so I couldn't see my fingers.

Bao Cheng stretched out his hand and shook it in front of his eyes, and asked in a low voice: "Ah Qi, Ah Qi, can you see me?" ”

Yao Qi bent his bright apricot eyes and smiled: "I can see your white teeth." ”

Bao Cheng sighed: "Bao Chi must have burned something a long time ago, can he still wait for you to steal it?" You're going to have to go back in vain this time. ”

Yao Ji raised his eyebrows: "I returned in vain, what good will it do you?" Sounds like you're happy. ”

Bao Cheng thought for a moment: "The advantage is that when the time comes, the house will be destroyed, and there will be no evidence." If I can't copy the evidence, I can't be convicted, so I don't have to commit to the Department of Internal Defense. ”

Yao Qi looked at Bao Cheng's starry eyes in the dark, and was completely amused by his innocence, and sneered: "Have you ever heard that the Internal Health Department relies on evidence to run errands? ”