About 500 miles away from Jinling Mansion is a large port, which is one of the important cargo ports, and there is a hidden ferry port about 30 miles away from this large port.

This is a ferry port that is not under the control of the government and Daomen, it is a black ferry, from here you can secretly go to sea, smuggling goods are still secondary, the key is to smuggle out to sea.

At this time, a middle-aged man in a casual robe was standing on the trestle of this black ferry and waiting anxiously.

Ahead was a dark sea, with no light in sight.

His name is Dongfang Yao, he is the chief Taoist priest under Li Tianlan, as early as when the investigation team was stationed in Jinling Mansion, there were already some grass and trees soldiers, rumors, a few days ago, there were "friends" to him through some "rumors", saying that the investigation team was pressing step by step, and the above could no longer withstand it, and planned to throw out a few unlucky ghosts to block the mouth of the investigation team, and he was unfortunately among these unlucky ghosts.

After getting this news, Dongfang Yao of course didn't want to sit still, although Fengxian Hall and Beichen Hall were in the hands of Taiping Dao, but Taiping Dao would not help the dead ghost get rid of the crime, or how could it be called a dead ghost? Fengxian Hall and Beichen Hall will only put all the charges on the head of the substitute ghost, and then let the substitute ghost shut up and wait for death.

So Dongfang Yao decided to flee from Jinling Mansion, and he didn't want to be a Taoist priest, so he took the money he had accumulated over the years, went to sea by boat, and fled overseas.

He's just a small man, and the investigation team shouldn't be able to arrest him, and Taipingdao will turn a blind eye - if he can get out of the land safely.

At that moment, a little light lit up on the dark sea.

A small boat approached slowly.

Of course, this small boat cannot be expected to cross the ocean, the real passenger ship is anchored at sea in case it is discovered by the South China Sea Naval Division, and this small boat is carrying guests to the passenger ship.

Dongfang Yao took a few steps forward, carrying a wooden box in one hand and waving vigorously towards the boat with the other.

"Dongfang Chief, where is this going?" A voice suddenly sounded behind Dongfang Yao.

Dongfang Yao's whole person froze suddenly, and his waving action stopped abruptly.

After a while, Dongfang Yao turned around with difficulty and saw a Taoist dressed in a black crane standing behind him, his face full of despair.

At the welcoming ceremony to welcome the investigation team to Jinling Mansion, he met this Taoist - Pei Xiaolou, the assistant of Wanshou Chongyang Palace.

Pei Xiaolou patted Dongfang Yao's shoulder and took the wooden box from his hand.

Many spirit officials appeared in the shadows, and walked behind Pei Xiaolou in silence.

Pei Xiaolou handed the portable wooden box into the hands of a spirit officer, who held it with both hands, and then opened the lid of the box, only to see that there was a set of forged identification documents, a set of clothes, a stack of official tickets, and many eagles.

Pei Xiaolou picked up an eagle and observed it carefully.

This is also a silver coin, but unlike Taiping money, this Western silver coin does not have a word on it, but a double-headed eagle pattern, which is said to be the pattern of the coat of arms and flags of an ancient empire in the West, originally a single-headed eagle, and later changed to a double-headed eagle in order to reflect the empire across two continents, although today, the empire has collapsed, but the successors of the empire still use this double-headed eagle symbol.

With the gradual and frequent exchanges between the East and the West, a large number of foreign silver coins entered the Central Plains, and this kind of Western silver coins with a single-headed eagle or double-headed eagle logo were referred to as "Eagle Ocean" by the people, which is also very appropriate. Even the imperial court and the Daomen were influenced and acquiesced in Yingyang's statement.

"With so many eagles, I'm really well prepared." Pei Xiaolou threw the eagle back into the box and looked at Dongfang Yao.

Dongfang Yao sweated like rain, unable to speak.

Speaking of this, Pei Xiaolou suddenly found that the small boat did not escape, but still leaned over.

When I got closer, I saw a person standing on the bow of the boat, with a good demeanor, it was Li Tianlan, the deputy head of Jiangnan Province.

"Li Zhenren." Pei Xiaolou's face changed slightly.

Li Tianlan smiled and arched his hand: "Pei Zhenren." ”

Pei Xiaolou asked, "Why is Li Zhenren here?" ”

Li Tianlan jumped on the trestle bridge and said, "I received news that someone absconded for fear of crime, so he came to arrest him. ”

"Coincidentally, so did I." Pei Xiaolou said, but he was observing Li Tianlan's demeanor.

According to reason, this Taoist priest named Dongfang Yao has many secrets, and Li Tianlan definitely doesn't want him to fall into the hands of the investigation team. Judging from Li Tianlan's performance, he doesn't seem to be surprised to meet Pei Xiaolou, is this also expected by Li Tianlan?

Thinking of this, Pei Xiaolou said tentatively: "This person has a great stake and should be handed over to the investigation team for interrogation, I don't know what Li Zhenren wants?" ”

Li Tianlan said: "Even I myself have to be questioned by the investigation team, let alone him, I naturally don't have any opinions, just ......"

"Just what?" Pei Xiaolou looked at Dongfang Yao out of the corner of his eye.

I saw Dongfang Yao's face pale, his lips trembled, and beads of sweat the size of beans continued to fall on his forehead.

Pei Xiaolou couldn't help but be a little strange, this person is a Taoist priest in charge, even if he can't compare to Qi Xuansu, he shouldn't be so unhelpful, right? This hasn't gone to Fengxian Hall and Beichen Hall, let alone the front line of the battlefield, it's too much of a flower garden Taoist.

However, Pei Xiaolou soon found out that something was wrong, Dongfang Yao stretched out his hand to cover his chest, and his whole person trembled, his eyes were bloodshot and bulging outward, which was very terrifying.

Li Tianlan said: "It's not good, he wants to commit suicide in fear of sin." ”

Pei Xiaolou hurriedly reached out to grab Dongfang Yao, but it was too late, and he saw Dongfang Yao fall to the ground softly, his face was withered, his eyes were blank, and he was already no longer alive.

Pei Xiaolou didn't find out when Li Tianlan did something on Dongfang Yao's body, and couldn't help but look at Li Tianlan angrily: "Li Zhenren, you should give me an explanation!" ”

Li Tianlan glanced at Dongfang Yao's corpse and said regretfully: "He was picked up by me, and he was also a down-to-earth and capable young man at the beginning, diligent and conscientious, how did he become like this?" Greed is not enough to swallow elephants, forgetting the cultivation of the Daomen for him, ignoring the teachings of the Xuansheng, and losing the ethics that a Daomen person should have, which should be taken as a reference. ”

Pei Xiaolou said coldly: "One is dead." ”

"yes, one is dead." Li Tianlan sighed, "Speaking of which, I was also at fault, it was a mistake for negligence, I failed to notice what he did as soon as possible, and failed to remedy it in time, which made him wrong again and again, and in the end not only lost his life in vain, but also brought heavy losses to the Jiangnan Provincial Government, which is all my fault." ”

Pei Xiaolou was silent for a moment and said: "Dongfang Yao is held by Li Zhenren, this should be called the grace of knowing the encounter, it can also be called the grace of grace and reconstruction, which is equivalent to the grace of saving lives and the grace of parents to give birth to and raise. ”

Li Tianlan squinted his eyes: "Pei Zhenren's words, the old man didn't understand it. ”

Pei Xiaolou said slowly: "There is no big deal in life except death, Dongfang Yao is afraid of crime and commits suicide, and he is not even afraid of death, so what is he afraid of?" What is he trying to hide? Or do you want to defend someone? ”

Li Tianlan's expression turned cold: "What Pei Zhenren means is that Dongfang Yao is to protect the old man and repay the old man's kindness, so he chose to commit suicide in fear of sin, is that so?" ”

Pei Xiaolou said in a deep voice: "I didn't say that, I just wanted to ask Li Zhenren to give me a reasonable explanation." ”

Li Tianlan did not speak, but took out a pocket watch from his sleeve and opened the cover to take a look.

Pei Xiaolou did not urge.

After all, both of them are second-grade Taiyi Taoist priests, and there is no difference between superior and inferior positions.

After a while, Li Tianlan said: "In this way, I am willing to accept the investigation of the investigation team, including my mansion and signature room, the investigation team can search, this is the explanation I gave, is Pei Zhenren satisfied?" ”

Instead, Pei Xiaolou was silent.

Li Tianlan continued: "If I really have any improper relationship with Dongfang Yao, or to put it more bluntly, I am Dongfang Yao's backing behind the scenes, then I am willing to accept any punishment." But if I am innocent and have nothing to do with Dongfang Yao's death, then please ask Pei Zhenren to give me an explanation. How is it? ”

Pei Xiaolou fell into a dilemma of riding a tiger.

At this moment, a spirit officer walked quickly to Pei Xiaolou's side, and stopped talking.

Li Tianlan took the initiative to avoid it, walked to the other side of the trestle, faced the sea, and stood with his hands in his hands.

The spirit officer said in a low voice, "Something happened to the True Martial Arts. ”

Pei Xiaolou thought he had heard it wrong, and frowned: "What did you say?" ”

The spirit officer repeated again: "The news just came that something happened to the True Martial Temple, and it has turned into a sea of fire. ”

Pei Xiaolou only felt a chill rising from the tail vertebrae, rushed through the twenty-four vertebrae, crossed the Fengchi acupoint, and exploded on his scalp, making his scalp numb, like a man's back, but he quickly suppressed the shock, tried his best to remain calm and asked, "What the hell is going on?" ”

The spirit officer bowed his head and said, "It is said that the secret association attacked the True Martial Temple. ”

Pei Xiaolou immediately understood, looked at Li Tianlan with his back to him, gritted his teeth and said, "Good calculation." ”

Li Tianlan was indifferent, and didn't seem to hear Pei Xiaolou's words at all.

Pei Xiaolou didn't care about being entangled with this old fox, so he turned his head and left: "Go!" The order is down, and everyone immediately rushes to the aid of the True Martial Arts! ”

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