"Where is the stolen silver?" Sima Yu asked eagerly.

"Ballast stone." Shen Guangfeng slowly spit out three words.

Sima You and Sima Xunian were shocked, no wonder they didn't find anything by digging three feet on land, it turned out that the stolen silver was not on land at all, but on the bilge of the giant merchant ships on the sea!

"They could have thought of such a method...... Sima You muttered to himself.

"At first, my father and I thought that we were on land, and we relied on our identity as boatmen to run almost all the strongholds of the major maritime merchants in Yangzhou, including mansions, warehouses, fields, mountains, forests and lakes, but we found nothing. Until later...... Father remembered some of the past and remembered that we had missed an important object, which was the ballast stone placed at the bottom of the cabin. ”

Sima Xunian and Sima You have almost never been in contact with the navigation industry, so they naturally don't know what ballast stones can hide, they are listening carefully, Shen Guangfeng continued, "Each ballast stone weighs a thousand catties, and it is placed in the bilge to increase the stability of the hull, which is basically stone, and there are also cast iron and cast copper, but the sea water is bitter and salty, and it is easy to corrode copper and iron and rust, and it is difficult to deal with it after rusting, plus the price of stone is cheap and easy to obtain, so there are few ballast stones made of copper and iron now." However, Xue Yang's fleet has it, and there are quite a few of them. My father and I found an opportunity to go to the bilge some time ago, and we knocked on the copper and iron material, and the sound was different from ordinary copper and iron. ”

"Is it hollow?" Sima You asked.

"Some are, but some are solid, and we suspect that the inside of the solid is simply gold and silver, and only a layer of copper and iron is plated on the outer layer."

Sima Xunian stood up with a swoop and said to Sima You, "Lord Sima, can you lend me a reliable hand, I want to send a letter to my entourage quickly, he is in the fleet of Xue Yang of Wujun, I have to tell him to take care of these bilge treasures." Ying was seriously injured, and he couldn't run anymore. ”

"Lord Sima, you embarrass me, this is the boundary of Yangzhou, I can find ten or eight slaves who serve people, but there is no good hand, and it is difficult to bring a master to attract people's attention by his side, so I have never arranged it."

The two were silent for a while, and Shen Guangfeng stood up, "If you can trust me, I can." ”

The three exchanged the following glances and made a decision immediately. Shen Guangfeng went more securely, because he didn't need to bring paper letters, and there was no possibility of being intercepted at all.

"Well, in that case, let's go our separate ways. I want to return to the Lujiang County garrison immediately, and after the control, I will go straight to Jiujiang County and kill them all. Sima Xunian said.

"Lord Sima, I have worked hard to investigate the corruption nest case of Yangzhou officialdom, but the strength is weak, and I have not made progress for a long time, even if I know how they hide stolen goods today, but I don't have a strong control, and I can't encircle and suppress it, I don't want to suddenly descend from the sky as a general, throw yourself into the net, and enter the team," Sima You's cynical appearance came out again, "I'm afraid that it's not the reincarnation of our ancestors, and you're here to help Dacheng, right?" ”

Sima You's joke made Zhou Xianzhi laugh and said, "No matter what situation Master Sima You is in, he can laugh and deal with it." ”

Sima Xunian glanced at him, turned to Shen Guangfeng and said, "My entourage is called Wu Yiming, you bring my personal token, and then reveal your identity, you and I met each other ten years ago, and he remembers you." Yiming is my attendant since I was a child, and I am like a brother, everything is very clear, and he is definitely a good hand to rely on, you can defend well. ”

Shen Guangfeng nodded.

Sima You stood up and said to Sima Xunian, "I said, what should we do, let's hurry back to Lujiang and leave some time for Xianzhi and Guangfeng." ”

Sima Xunian is not a fool, from the two looking at each other, they knew that the relationship was not ordinary, so they said goodbye and rushed back to Lujiang County Post Station with Sima You overnight.

Sima Xunian and Sima You were hurrying back to the Lujiang River, resting by the river under the starry night.

"Sima You, I can be appointed as the envoy of Yangzhou, I'm afraid it's not just the credit of Lord Yang, right?" Sima Xunian silently chose to take sides, in fact, he would not have been involved in the Tibetan slave case, but he thought of Shen Jiyue, if her father could be rehabilitated, she would be very happy...... He took a sip of water and said nonchalantly.

"Yes, you should leave a name if you do a good deed, I asked my brother to recommend you."

"The Holy Lord is most disgusted with forming a party for personal gain, aren't you afraid that he will put the two of you brothers in Yang Hui's master's camp?"

"The saint is the most disgusted with forming parties for personal gain, but he is more worried about the danger of the country, and our brothers have never been involved in political disputes, and the government and the opposition know it. He was already aware of the Yangzhou fraud case, and he needed a resolute and ambitious person to help him clean up the garbage, and you happened to be the best candidate. Sima You smiled slightly and continued, "In the face of crisis, everyone is cautious and suspicious, and at this time, it is instinct to choose to believe in people who are related by blood and clan. ”

He turned his eyes to look at Sima Xunian, "In his eyes, you are the clan relatives first, and then his courtiers. So, sometimes you don't resist the word 'clan' too arrogantly, this identity is used well, it may make you get twice the result with half the effort. ”

"I am close to Yang Hui, I have no choice, I have to rely on him to be in an important position, only in an important position, can I have the resources to find Shen Yong, in order to help my father rehabilitate, otherwise I can only rely on military merits to make a worry-free living." Sima Xunian pursed his lips and said to Sima You, "The identity of this distant clan can't help me. "With that, don't get aside.

The two rested for a while, then continued to get on their horses and hurried back to Lujiang overnight.

When he returned to the post station, Ying Cheng struggled on the bed and said to Sima Xunian, "Lord Yang sent a message to say that Xue Yang had arrived in Chang'an, met with Pei Guogong in the Jiaofang Division, and accompanied Xue Yang's woman, who was Miss Shen. ”

Sima Xunian was taken aback, hurriedly took the letter, and read it. said, "Ying Cheng, you can recuperate with peace of mind first, I already have a defense plan for the Yangzhou fraud case." After saying that, he got up and went out, and went to Sima You's room.

He walked all the way, frowning all the way, thinking, Xue Yang must have gone to tell Shen Jiyue the news of my assassination, I don't know if she and Mingxin will be in trouble. But after thinking about it, I'm afraid that I am self-inflicted, and Shen Jiyue may wish that he would be cut by a thousand knives now. Thinking of this, his expression gradually dimmed......

After he told Sima You about this, Sima You said helplessly, "Brother Xunian, it seems that I have to go back to help you take care of the beauty." Alas, I think I'm handsome and chic, how can I always fall into the end of taking care of beauties, first Zhou Xianzhi, and then Shen Jiyue, alas, why is it not me who takes a fancy to beauties......"

Sima Xunian glared at him, and said, "Since that's the case, Shen Jiyue will ask Master Sima You." When you go back, tell her that Shen Yong's father and son are still alive, and tell her to wait patiently, and the day of reunion is not far away. You found their father and son, and you know the cause and effect best. ”

Sima You's heart paused and squinted at Sima Xunian, "Shen Yong's father and son were found by me, aren't you worried that she will promise me in gratitude?" ”

"If Master Sima can give Ji Yue a name, it will naturally be better than following me." If she loves him, he is willing to let go.

Sima You was countered by the first army, and he was speechless for a while.

"Xue Yang is not in Yangzhou, Xue Yingke doesn't have his Lao Tzu's strategy, so he just took advantage of this to lure the enemy into the urn." After that, Sima Xunian got up and went out, and when he left, he turned his back to Sima You and said again, "Shen Jiyue will please you, please be sure to protect her." With that, he strode out.

"Sima Xunian, you are irresponsible!" Sima You shouted, but if you look closely, there is no trace of him!

Early the next morning, Sima You said goodbye to Wei Jiatai.

"The lower official will go back first to report Lord Sima's injury and track down the assassin, so I will ask Lord Shilang." Sima You said goodbye.

"Lord Sima doesn't have to be polite, tracking down the assassin is a task assigned by His Majesty, and this official will definitely do his best to investigate." Wei Jiatai was happy to let him go quickly, so that he could let go of his hands and feet to monitor Sima Xunian

After the two sides resigned, Sima You hurried back to Chang'an.

Chang'an Teaching Division

After Sima You returned to the palace to report the assassination of Sima Xunian, he rushed to the Teaching Workshop Division, and when the head of the sect saw that it was a regular customer, he hurriedly greeted him and said flatteringly, "Ouch, Master Sima, I haven't seen you for a while, and you think you forgot our girl?" Come, come and take a seat in the private room. Come on, quickly spread the Yuhu Lake and Cuiliu ......"

Before the words fell, Sima You said, "Don't order Yuhu and Cuiliu today, change to new tricks, uh...... It is said that Lord Sima Xunian left the capital to run errands, and his private prostitute Chuqing girl...... I'm afraid I'm going to be empty......" He shook his head and made a gesture.

"Oh, oh, it's empty, it's empty, I haven't seen you mention it before, and I thought you couldn't look down on the early sunshine, so I won't bother you too much."

"Why can't you look at it! Chu Qing is a first-class beauty, but because Lord Xu Nian is his own brother, his friend's wife can't be bullied, let alone a brother. Now that Lord Xunian has left her to leave the capital, I'm afraid I've almost forgotten her, so I'll call her over today! ”

The head of the sect was slightly stunned for a while, but he quickly reacted, and hurriedly went to arrange it.

When Shen Jiyue heard the arrangement of the master, she felt strange, "Sima You? Who is he? Shen Jiyue looked puzzled, she didn't know when she had provoked another clan adult, turned her head to look at Mingxin, and Mingxin also shook her head.

"Lord Sima You is a serious descendant of the royal family, and the nephew of the current saint is now the Shaoqing of Dali Temple. Chu Qing, now everyone knows that Master Shangshu has left Beijing, you can't go if you don't go, hurry up and prepare, he is in the third private room on the right on the second floor, don't let him wait for a long time. ”

"Yes, ma'am." Shen Jiyue was still in doubt, so she only answered blankly, then tidied up her clothes and went to the appointment.

Entering the private room, she saw that the person was clear-eyed and graceful, and Sima Xunian was not the same style at all, nor did he have any similarities, it seemed that the two did not have a similar blood relationship, she saluted while thinking.

Sima You saw that she was carrying a maid, and thought that this person was the Mingxin mentioned by Sima Xunian, so he also saluted, "Under Sima You, the two girls please take a seat." ”

The two of them were stunned, and the prince and grandson who came to the teaching workshop to have fun had never treated a maid politely, and invited them to take a seat. Mingxin didn't know whether to stand or sit for a while.

Seeing this, Sima You immediately laughed and said, "Mingxin doesn't need to be restrained, Sima Xunian sent me to report the safety of the two of you, and in addition, there are some old things to talk about with the two of you." ”

As soon as the two of them heard it, they knew that it was Sima Xu, so Shen Jiyue lowered her voice and said, "Lord Sima, I'm afraid it's inconvenient to speak here." ”

"It's okay, I have sent people to search the surroundings before I came, there are no suspicious people, etc., the people who are monitoring you have not been able to get useful news from you for a long time, I am afraid that they have already given up."

Sima You successively informed Shen Jiyue of Sima Xunian's situation in Yangzhou in detail, and when she heard that it was neither Sima Xunian nor Wu Yiming who was injured, she and Mingxin were relieved.

"Miss Shen, there is one more thing to tell you below," he paused slightly, "your father and brother are still alive and in Yangzhou. ”

When Shen Jiyue heard this, she was so shocked that she immediately got up from her seat, her eyes were both surprised and happy, and she hurriedly said, "Master Sima, you didn't lie to me?" ”

"Actually, I found your father and brother last year, but I didn't know where you were at the time, so I couldn't tell you. Later, you were found by Brother Xunian and brought back to Chang'an, I found you, at that time I was not sure whether Brother Xunian was friend or foe, and I didn't dare to come to the door to find you, so I concealed it. ”