Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu came to Yong'an Palace, showed their baskets, and after going through the relevant procedures, they checked in smoothly.

The interior of the Dao Gate is naturally distinct, Zhang Yuelu lives in the upper room of the four-grade wine Taoist, although it is not a single-family courtyard, but the living room, study, and bedroom are all available. Qi Xuansu can only enjoy the treatment of a seven-grade Taoist priest, and there is only one bedroom, which is equipped with a table and a chair, which can be used for writing.

Qi Xuansu saw that it was still early, so he went to Zhang Yuelu's residence. The Taoist priest of Yong'an Palace knew that the two were traveling together, and although the specifications arranged for the two were different, the residences were not far apart.

Zhang Yuelu was also not sleeping, she was reading a book in the study, when she heard Qi Xuansu knocking on the door, got up and opened the door, and let him in.

Earlier, that is, before going to the Western Regions, Qi Xuansu still felt that it was not good for lonely men and widows to be in the same room at night, but now it is very casual.

Qi Xuansu sat on the chair opposite the bookcase in a big way, and glanced at the cover of the book that was buckled upside down on the bookcase: "Demon ...... Road...... Sword Sect, is it the latest script? ”

"It's not a recent book, it's an old book from last year." Zhang Yuelu said, "I bought it for a long time, but I didn't have time to look at it, so I put it in Sumeru and ate ashes, probably telling the story of a great sword cultivator who fell into the devil's path because of a witch." ”

Qi Xuansu asked, "What kind of sword cultivation is it?" ”

"It's probably a kind of person who only uses a sword, who can always cross the border and fight, the day after tomorrow kills the congenital, the congenital kills the celestial, and the celestial kills the immortal." Zhang Yuelu explained.

Qi Xuansu asked again: "Is there a sword repair, a spear repair, or a fire gun repair?" ”

"Nope." Zhang Yuelu gave him a blank look.

Qi Xuansu said: "If there is, I want to do a fire gun repair, a gun erodes dozens of miles, which is more domineering than a flying sword and a thousand miles of beheading." ”

"Be your loose man with peace of mind." Zhang Yuelu said with a smile.

Qi Xuansu stopped joking and proposed: "Since you are idle and have nothing to do, and you don't sleep for the time being, let's play two cards." ”

Zhang Yuelu put away the notebook, took out the Xuansheng tablet from the Sumeru, put it on the bookcase, and wiped it into a fan shape: "Do you want a colorful head?" ”

"A peace of money." Qi Xuansu now feels a little wealthy.

"Yes." Zhang Yuelu drew a set of Gu Immortal cards.

Qi Xuansu, for the sake of safety, still chose the Dao door number.

As soon as the two of them played three games, Qi Xuansu relied on the door number to make a small peace, when he heard someone knocking on the door outside.

Qi Xuansu got up and went to open the door, the person outside was the director of the Yong'an Palace who arranged for the two to stay, after he saw Qi Xuansu, he was stunned for a moment, and after seeing the Xuansheng card on the table, he immediately understood: "The two also like the Xuansheng card, the long night is long, it is indeed a good thing to pass the time." ”

The Xuansheng card is almost only popular inside the Daomen, and outside the Daomen, it is still Go, Xiangqi, and Leaf cards.

Qi Xuansu asked, "Master Tang, is there something?" ”

This Tang director's name is Tang Yongde, and he was born in the Tang family in Shuzhong.

Tang Yongde slapped his forehead: "Something, of course there's something." Since Deacon Qi is also here, it would be very good, there is one thing that needs the help of Deputy Hall Master Zhang and Deacon Qi. ”

"What's the matter?" Zhang Yuelu got up and asked.

Tang Yongde said: "There was a murder just now, I suspect that it was a demon from a secret association who committed the crime, it just so happens that both of them are from Tiangang Hall, and they should be very experienced in dealing with these demons, so I take the liberty of asking the two of them to solve the case." ”

Zhang Yuelu's face was a little solemn, put away the Xuansheng card on the table, and said directly: "Take us to the scene." ”

Tang Yongde answered and walked in front. Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu each picked up their cloaks and followed behind.

The place where the murder occurred was not in Yong'an Palace, so it is no wonder that Zhang Yuelu did not notice the slightest abnormality. The three of them left Yong'an Palace and boarded a carriage.

On the way to the scene of the crime, Zhang Yuelu asked about the case by the way: "When did this case happen?" ”

Tang Yongde replied: "When the body was found, it happened to be Youshizheng. ”

There are twelve hours in a day: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai.

According to the timekeeping method of the Western Continent, two hours are an hour, the sub-hour corresponds to 23 o'clock to 1 o'clock, the ugly time corresponds to 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock, and so on, and the unitary time corresponds to 17 o'clock to 19 o'clock.

In the old days, the twelve hours were subdivided into hundreds, and each hour was divided into eight quarters, for a total of ninety-six quarters, with four quarters remaining. And the four quarters shall be two hundred and forty quarters, and each hour shall be twenty quarters.

Therefore, there are eight major moments and two minor moments in an hour, namely: the first half of the four major moments: the first half, the first hour, the second day of the first month, and the third minute of the first month, and the fourth minute of the first month. The four quarters of the second half: positive, positive, positive, positive, positive, and small: positively four.

According to the Western Continent timekeeping, every quarter is 14 minutes and 24 seconds.

However, because the timing of 100 quarters is too cumbersome, now the Daomen has been simplified to 96 quarters, 15 minutes per quarter, removing small quarters, and eight quarters per hour, that is, the beginning, the first day, the second day, the third day, the first day, the first one, the second one, and the end.

The unitary hour is exactly eighteen o'clock.

Zhang Yuelu opened the pocket watch and took a look, the pocket watch of Tianjitang was naturally the 12 hours and 96 ticks style in the East, not the 24 o'clock style in the West.

It is now the end of the unitary time, and nearly half an hour has passed. However, it took less than half an hour from the discovery of the deceased to the turn for help from the two of them, and it cannot be said that it was delayed.

Zhang Yuelu asked again: "What is the identity of the deceased?" ”

"His name is Mason, and he is not from our Daomen, but a merchant who has been coming and going to the White Emperor City for many years, and he has a close relationship with the Daomen." Tang Yongde said thoughtfully.

Qi Xuansu patted his forehead and said softly: "The city hall and the merchants, shouldn't it be related to Taiping money or some kind of bulk goods?" ”

Tang Yongde smiled bitterly, but did not refute. Obviously, he also has such a guess, after all, when it comes to money, there are too many motives for killing.

Zhang Yuelu asked again: "Who are the people involved in this matter?" ”

Tang Yongde replied: "In addition to the two deacons of our Yong'an Palace, there are some other merchants, including Mason's fellow villagers and some old friends. ”

Speaking of this, Tang Yongde became hesitant: "Deputy Hall Master Zhang should know that these merchants are not from our Daomen, and they don't have so many precepts and rules, so they have to have some fun at night, and there happens to be a courtyard in the city......

The so-called courtyard, is the place of wind and moon, but it is different from the ordinary green building and other fireworks places, the courtyard generally occupies a huge area, almost no different from the mansion of officials and wealthy businessmen, there is a hole in it, the courtyard is deep, quiet and elegant, the women are mostly beautiful, there is no lack of Oiran characters, and there are more proficient in the law of literature and ink Qingqi people, in addition to a group of prostitute women, there are musicians, tailors, craftsmen, servants, so that people can stay at home in it, but there is everything, so many rich sons will linger in it, and even ruined the family property.

The interior of the courtyard is divided into countless single-family courtyards, where many powerful people will comb a powder and charter a single-family courtyard, which is not all for women's enjoyment, but it can be regarded as a quiet and escapist retreat.

Zhang Yuelu was born in Beichen Hall, and subconsciously asked: "Since you are going to the courtyard to have fun, what is going on with the two Daomen deacons?" ”

Tang Yongde was hesitant and didn't speak for a long time.

Seeing this situation, Zhang Yuelu still didn't understand, but this was not the time to pursue this, and said: "If a person dies in the courtyard, how can he determine that he died at the hands of a demon?" ”

Tang Yongde was a little embarrassed, and said: "Because, because, this rich businessman is ...... I didn't have it when I did that. ”

Before Zhang Yuelu could react, Qi Xuansu had already blurted out: "Wind immediately?" ”

Tang Yongde nodded.

The so-called "immediate stroke" is also called "sudden death during intercourse" and "detachment".

"The art in the room" said: "The things in the room can prolong life and kill people." For example, water and fire, those who know its use can maintain health, and those who do not know its use will die immediately. When a woman is in menstruation, the joy of fish and water is most likely to get sick. It can be obtained by both men and women, but it is more common in men. The wind is right away, the horse is windy, and the wind kills you. ”

Zhang Yuelu's face was a little stiff.

Tang Yongde said: "This disease is mostly due to uncontrolled intercourse, excessive indulgence, qi and yang prostration, and untimely treatment, resulting in death. However, this wealthy businessman has been busy with business recently, and he has not been close to women for more than a month, and he is physically strong, and he has the cultivation of the acquired person, so he can't talk about unbridled intercourse, excessive indulgence, and qi and yang prostration, so it seems strange. ”

Qi Xuansu nodded, lost in thought.

The carriage stopped slowly, Tang Yongde said that the courtyard is not far from Yong'an Palace, located in the southwest corner of the White Emperor City, although it is impossible to see the whole picture in the night, but the continuous flaming red lights illuminate the small half of the night sky, so that Qi Xuansu was taken aback, no wonder it is called "Xingyuan", it is really not the kind of ordinary green building with only one main building, it is simply a mansion rebuilt.

Under the guidance of Tang Yongde, the three of them did not go to the main gate, but entered the courtyard through a side gate - first, in order not to attract attention, and second, this gate was the closest to the place where the crime occurred.

The three of them walked through the hallway, and after twists and turns, they came to a single-family courtyard.

As soon as you enter the door, you will see the flowers and trees, the grass and trees are green, and the quiet atmosphere is blowing in your face, and you can't see the slightest smell of fireworks, but it is more like the courtyard of a famous person.

Qi Xuansu was still here for the first time, and he couldn't help but secretly speak, where is this still a fireworks venue.

However, at this time, there were already many spirit officials standing in the courtyard, all of them wearing armor and sharp, blocking this place, and no one was allowed to enter and leave at will without Tang Yongde's permission.

Seeing the three of them enter, the spiritual officers saluted one after another.

Tang Yongde explained: "The White Emperor City is not under the control of the imperial court, so there is no Qingluanwei, only the spiritual officials of our Daomen. ”

Zhang Yuelu nodded and walked towards the main hall.

The main hall was brightly lit and warm as spring, and Qi Xuansu looked at it, except for a few Taoist priests dressed in cranes, there were more than a dozen men dressed as wealthy merchants.