Chapter 18: The Trick Begins

Mu Qing remembered that in the "Skyworth Sutra", the teacher's essay wrote: "No matter what difficulties you encounter, you must stick to your heart, and act with the conscience in your heart, and the worst practice and effort is better than giving up directly", Mu Qing clenched his fists and said to himself: "Master, I will not give up, but it takes time and experience."

Yin Zhengxiong turned his head, looked at Mu Qing, who was talking to himself, and said, "It's here, let's go in!" Mu Qing walked into the stone room, the room was very long, nearly twenty meters, and about six meters wide. The two sides of the wall are placed on the ground: the upper and lower layers of wooden beds, the innermost is the lighting and ventilation shaft, the children in the stone room saw Yin Zhengxiong, immediately stood in two rows, and said loudly: "Hello Lord Yin! ”

Yin Zhengxiong smiled and said, "You guys are very good, I'll introduce you to a new member, Mu Qing." After Mu Qing glanced at them one by one, he said loudly: "My name is Mu Qing, I am very happy to be a member of the 666th group, I hope everyone can help each other and grow together in the future." Mu Qing saw that at the back of the room, there was a large iron cage, which was placed side by side with the wooden bed at the back, against the corner of the wall. Mu Qing pointed to the iron cage, looked at Yin Zhengxiong and asked, "What is that?" ”

Yin Zhengxiong exhorted loudly: "She is also a member of your group!" I told you, choose fifteen out of ten thousand to be the princess's secret guard. As for how to choose? That is, for every group of 15 people, the best group is selected from 666 groups, not on an individual basis. Your clothes, waist tags, and the necessities you need for life are all in your bed", Yin Zhengxiong turned to leave after speaking, and the door of the stone room fell from above and closed tightly.

Mu Qing came to the iron cage, looked at the demonic leopard girl trapped inside, and said with a smile: "Hey, do you remember me?" Unexpectedly, you were caught here too! Ha... Ha... Hah..."The Demon Leopard Girl looked at Mu Qing with idiotic eyes, and let out a low roar, as if to say, "Get out... Or I'll kill you! At this time, a person approached Mu Qing's back, Mu Qing did not look back, but said in a low voice: "Lord County, we are really fate!" I can meet you wherever I go", Lin Shu reminded softly: "The leopard girl is very fierce, don't provoke her!" ”

Mu Qing suddenly put his hand into the iron cage and grabbed one of the leopard girl's hands, the leopard girl bit Mu Qing's arm fiercely, Mu Qing felt that her arm seemed to be bitten by her, and the severe pain hit, Mu Qing gritted his teeth and asked, "Do you only bite people?" The leopard girl slowly loosened her mouth, looked up at Mu Qing and spit out a word in confusion, and said, "It hurts?" Mu Qing looked into her eyes and said, "It must hurt!" Can you speak? The leopard girl didn't pay attention, but stared at Mu Qing.

Mu Qing said: "You are also a lovely person, if you can escape last time, I will take you to escape, but I am too tired, and after waking up, I found that I was imprisoned and could not find you again." At this time, the leopard girl bit Mu Qing's arm again, and Mu Qing shouted loudly: "It hurts... Hurt... It hurts", and then the leopard girl let go, revealing a strange smile and the white and tender little fangs. Mu Qing continued to say to the leopard girl: "You shouldn't have a name!" I've got my favorite name for someone else, so I'll give you one, okay? ”

The leopard girl just stared at Mu Qing, Mu Qing then thought about it and said, "You just follow my surname Mu, name: Xiao Tian, how about it?" Mu Xiaotian... From now on, I will call you: Britney". The leopard girl learned Mu Qing's mouth shape, and asked in a verbal voice: "Little... Sweet... Sweet"? Mu Qing smiled and shouted: "Little Tiantian", and the leopard girl learned with difficulty: "Little... Sweet... sweet", followed by a satisfied smile. Lin Shu said: "She must have experienced a lot of hardships that ordinary people can't understand, but you call her: Britney? ”

Mu Qing didn't pay attention to Lin Shu, but opened the iron cage, and then slowly pulled out Mu Xiaotian. Mu Xiaotian, who left the iron cage, wanted to break free from Mu Qing's palm and continue to return to the iron cage, Mu Qing directly stopped Mu Xiaotian and hugged Mu Xiaotian, and slammed the door of the iron cage with his foot. Mu Xiaotian bit Mu Qing's neck, Mu Qing screamed "pain", and then Mu Xiaotian slowly loosened her mouth, then buried her head in Mu Qing's chest, hugged her shoulders firmly with her arms, and cried in a low voice.

Mu Qing said: "Be good, don't cry." Lin Shu looked at Mu Xiaotian, who had quieted down, and asked, "With the big sister here, why are you here?" Mu Qing slowly bent over and sat on the ground, hugged Mu Xiaotian, and replied, "It's hard to say!" ”

Mu Qing continued: "Because my mother saved you, she exposed her cultivation and was found and taken away. Immediately after that, my sister was also taken away by a mysterious demon girl, and then two grandfathers in the village who grew up with me were killed one after another. I was also injured and fell into the abyss. I just crawled out of Moyuan, and I was caught again, and Mu Xiaotian was also arrested at that time, and I came here! A lot of things are completely beyond my comprehension, and I can't say why this is happening! How can you be here"?

Lin Shu's eyes were red, and while silently holding back tears, she said: "After leaving last time, I returned to the county king's mansion to recuperate, and then the news came back from the border that my father was killed and my brother was missing. At the same time, a large number of warriors from the Jinyi Pavilion broke into the mansion and killed people when they saw them. Her mother would rather die than leave, and eventually committed suicide to follow her father. Grandpa Ling took me and fled into the Ziheng Mountain Range, and then asked me not to turn back and keep running into the mountains, while he blocked a large number of people and horses chasing me, and life and death were unknown. And then I was caught here......"

Mu Qing said: "How much do you know about this place? Lin Shu said: "Food will be distributed here at a fixed time every day, and everyone will be given uniform clothes and wooden signs. My wooden plaque is engraved with the words: Shadow Instrument. Then Lin Shu took the wooden plaques of Mu Qing and Mu Xiaotian, which were carved respectively: Ying Wuji and Meiyi.

At this time, some of the other children in the room also gathered around, one of the girls said, "My wooden sign is: Shadow Suzaku", and the other said, "Mine is: Shadow Kun......

Mu Qing looked around, and then said loudly: "The wooden signs of the people in the room are: Shadow Wuji, Shadow Yi, Charm Yi, Shadow Dragon, Shadow Tiger, Shadow Vermilion Bird, Shadow Xuanwu, Ying Qian, Ying Kan, Shadow Gen, Shadow Zhen, Ying Xun, Ying Li, Ying Kun, Ying Dui, this is the code name for us according to Wuji Shengliangyi, Liangyi Shengsi Xiang, and Sixiang Shenggossip, and everyone will call each other this way in the future!" As for their real names, they are limited to fifteen of us, and they are known internally. In the future, please call me: Wuji".

Lin Shu said: "Wuji, when I came in, I found through careful observation that there were many gates of formation enchantments, and such dense enchantments could generally only appear in the Imperial Royal School. This is only a training base, so it seems that this princess's ability in the Wind Forest Empire will be extremely strong."

Mu Qing replied: "Yes, her name is Xiao Qi."

After thinking about it, Lin Shu said slowly: "I have heard of her, it is said that she is the only disciple of the founding ancestor of the Fenglin Empire, but she has never met!" ”

The Wind Forest Empire, which runs through the north and south of the Ziheng Mountains and connects the hilly areas on the east and west sides, has more than 30 county towns under its jurisdiction and an imperial city, with a land area of more than 4.8 million square kilometers. There are as many as six empires adjacent to it, namely: the Cloud Thunder Empire, the Shiyao Empire, the Lingkun Empire, the Data Empire, the Eli Empire, and the Zhulao Empire.

The Wind Forest Empire was founded more than 400 years ago, the ancestor of the imperial family, once led 13 knights under his command, from the Ziheng Mountains, to fight in the south and the north, through more than 50 years of unremitting efforts, successfully laid down this land, the establishment of the Yang Empire. The portraits of the thirteen loyal and brave soldiers who once followed the ancestors of the royal family and the statues of the ancestors are enshrined in the side hall of the imperial temple for future generations to admire.

There are clan rules in the royal family of the Fenglin Empire, and it is strictly forbidden to interfere in politics in the backcourt of the imperial family, and it is also clearly stipulated that every emperor, until the time of the birth of Gu Xi, must hand over all rights, enter the royal court, retire for the rest of the year, and understand the way of heaven. At that time, every prince can compete for the throne, or they can give up directly, and those who are still young can apply to enter the royal court, and pursue enlightenment wholeheartedly. The throne is obtained by ability, and those who participate in the competition will eventually live and die.

In Princess Xiao Qi's mansion, in the main hall, Xiao Ming was saying to Xiao Qi: "Sister, judging from the results of the competition for the prince and the heir in the past dynasties, most of the princes who basically did not ascend the throne were murdered by plotting, and only a small part were exiled. The road to succession is extremely dangerous! ”

Xiao Qi said: "Brother, you have just been crowned an adult this year, which coincides with the inheritance of the throne in ten years, do you want to give up like this?" Although the road ahead is dangerous, it is also a rare opportunity in life! ”

Xiao Ming replied: "I know that my sister has been laying out Zhang Luo for me, but the inheritance of the throne is not something that can be obtained by hard work!" Of course, I will definitely not enter the royal backyard and give up directly. This matter has to be planned in detail, step by step. I have just entered the temple this year, and compared with those brothers who have already made meritorious contributions and been crowned princes, I still have a great disadvantage."

Xiao Qi said: "No matter what, I'm just your own brother, my mother left early, I don't support you, who else will support you!" Although I am the only closed disciple of the Ancestor, as far as the inheritance is concerned, the Ancestor will not directly help us. I'm just putting together all the resources I can use for you to use in the future."

Xiao Ming said: "The ancestor has been very fond of you, and he has specially given you a princess mansion. I heard that you have also set up a large-scale training base and secretly adopted a group of orphans from the mainland, how do you want to train them? ”

Xiao Qi said: "Well, I plan to select fifteen top talents and abilities from these orphans, and focus on cultivating them for use. The remaining eliminators, after training, will be gradually placed in batches into the various princes and their related forces."

Xiao Qi said again: "Among the six neighboring countries, we are currently only friendly with the royal family of the Cloud Thunder Empire, and in the other five countries, my brother has to start arranging for later use."

Xiao Ming said: "Although I only entered the court this year, my uncle is the head of the Imperial Forest Forbidden Army in the imperial capital, and under his mediation, I am engaged to marry the daughter of the Shannan Jun family and Jun Tiannan, so above the court, I also have a certain foothold."

Xiao Qi said: "Jun Tiannan, as the head of the civil ministers and the position of prime minister, can indeed provide you with a lot of help and support, but other princes also have the support of various forces and families, brother, don't be careless!" ”

Xiao Ming said: "Yes. I just heard that you have returned to the imperial capital, so I came to talk to you. The matter of seizing the heir, according to the original plan, I am in the light, you are in the dark, and we complement each other. As for the result, we will only know until that day, and now we can only do our best."

Xiao Qi took out a jade box from the storage ring, and then handed it to Xiao Mingdao: "This is the 'Strange Fire Lotus Flower' I bought for my brother in the auction house, this thing has gained a lot for us to cultivate the imperial exercises, I hope my brother will not forget his own cultivation."

Xiao Ming accepted it with a smile, and then said, "It's good to have a caring sister!" I'm going back now, and tomorrow I have to go to the temple and participate in the morning pilgrimage. You are always running around for this matter, and you have to pay more attention to safety! ”

Xiao Qi replied: "No matter where I go, I will be accompanied by Granny Ouyang, and there is also Grandpa Lingshu stationed in the house, you can rest assured of this!" ”

Seven years later, on the court hall of the Imperial Palace of the Fenglin Imperial Capital, Emperor Xiao Shunrong pointed to the eighteen princes in the court and said angrily: "I don't care who among you, I murdered the Nine Emperors Xiao Cheng, once Zheng finds out, I will not wait." Don't want to use the rules of the imperial family to kill each other, as long as Zheng reigns for a day, such a thing will not be allowed to happen, this is also the responsibility and obligation of every Fenglin Emperor, and it is also the last thing you want to see as your father! ”

Prime Minister Jun Tiannan said: "Your Majesty, the death of the Nine Emperor Princes is strange, and the cause of death is still under investigation. The minister thinks that the authority and ability of the Kyoto Yamen are not competent to investigate this matter, and asks His Majesty to make other arrangements! ”

Emperor Xiao Shunrong then looked at the ministers and said, "Yin Xiao Jianye, the head of the Zongren Mansion, and Wei Chenmo, the secretary of the Criminal Department, will work together to investigate the case of the abnormal death of the Nine Emperor Sons; After the facts of the case were ascertained, Chang Jiyi, the secretary of the Dali Temple, and the imperial history of the Metropolitan Procuratorate Meng Kun, the three divisions will be tried. Within one month, the final case will be reported to Zheng! Then he left the court hall with his sleeves in his sleeves, and the ministers who were named knelt in the hall and replied in unison: "The ministers have the order!" At this time, the Imperial Father-in-law Wei announced loudly: "Retire from the dynasty."

In the main hall, the Kyoto Yamen Xiang Limin came to Xiao Jianye and Wei Chenmo's side, and said emotionally: "Two adults, since this official took over the Kyoto Yamen, he has seen many cases, but I have never seen such an abnormal trickery, after returning to the Yamen, I will personally hand over the case file to the two adults immediately."

Wei Chenmo replied: "I've only heard about it, can you briefly state it to the prefect first?" ”

Xiang Limin saw that in the main hall, the others had already left, so he said slowly: "At the beginning of this morning, the maid of the Nine Emperor Princes was in the room, and when he got up at night, he found that the Nine Emperor Princes had stuffed this maid's close red belly pocket in his mouth, his hands were tied and hung on the beams of the house, and his body was not covered with a strand, and his feet were tied and fell into an iron ball, and he died of spasms and suffocation, and there were no suspicious scars on his body."

While the three of them walked towards the outside of the main hall, Xiao Jianye asked, "It's really weird!" ”

Xiang Limin continued: "This is not the weirdest place, after a preliminary autopsy on the scene, it was concluded that the Nine Emperor Princes died three days ago, but there was fresh urine under the corpse, mixed with other body fluids!" Preliminary interrogation of the people in the Nine Emperors' Mansion, three days ago, many people saw the Nine Emperors in the Mansion, and there was nothing unusual; Moreover, the prince's palace is heavily guarded, and nothing unusual has been found recently."

Wei Chenmo asked again, "What is the character of the Nine Emperor Princes?" Do you have bad habits that people don't know? ”

Xiao Jianye said slightly angrily: "Every prince, when he was very young, was equipped with a girl in the room. Lord Wei, why do you ask here? How dare you question the character of our royal children? ”

Xiang Limin hurriedly answered and said, "Back to the two adults, after a preliminary investigation, the Nine Emperor Princes do not have any bad habits. ”

Xiao Jianye continued: "Lord Wei, you can start with the Nine Emperors, and I will start with the other eighteen Princes, after all, they are the biggest beneficiaries. We exchange the progress of the investigation and solve the case as soon as possible! ”

Wei Chenmo smiled: "I also have this intention, after all, the time is limited, after I go back, I will immediately arrange the arrangements."