Chu Zhixia was stunned for a moment, and raised his hand to pat it on the palm of the ghost city lord. The strength of her hands was amazing, and she slapped the ghost market master's palms numbly, and shook her hands vigorously.

"I'll get it for you." Chu Zhixia said, "Keep your mouth clean, don't curse my master." ”

The ghost city lord pouted unhappily, "It's not a spell, it's divination." ”

Chu Zhixia glared at him.

The ghost city lord made a gesture to shut up.

Chu Zhixia hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Has anything happened in Jiangnan recently?" ”

The ghost city lord rolled his eyes and thought for a moment, and said, "It's all worthless news. A lot of people have died in Jiangnan recently, all of them are unidentified small people, from scholars from other places to ship prostitutes and peddlers...... In fact, it is the assassin of the Nine Shadows. ”

The Nine Shadows buy their lives with money, so they naturally need to collect information.

There are assassins of the Nine Shadows dormant everywhere, and during the day they look like honest ordinary people, and no one will give them a second look. Once night falls, they tear off the disguise on their faces and don silver ghost masks to kill.

Chu Zhixia's eyelids jumped.

"Every day new bodies are washed ashore along the river." The Ghost City Lord shrugged, "But if you want to ask me who exactly died, I can't answer." The ghosts of the Nine Shadows may not have lived under their own names in their lives, and they may not even be able to remember their own names. ”

"Chu Zhixia, you took seven cold pith nails to take the assassin that the blood lotus saved, you won't let him run back to the Nine Shadows, right?" The Ghost City Lord screamed strangely and looked at her in disbelief.

"What do you mean by me 'letting him run back to the Nine Shadows'?" Chu Zhixia lowered his eyes half dissatisfied and half stunned, "He has hands and feet, he has no deed of sale in my hands, and he doesn't owe me money and silver, the world is big, he wants to go wherever he wants." ”

"You saved him with all your might, don't you like him? If the people of the Nine Shadows dare to rob them, don't you dare to kill them? If that man wants to run, won't you dare break his leg and lock him up? The ghost city lord asked in shock, "You're too useless!" Are you Li Qingbai's apprentice! ”

Chu Zhixia rubbed his temples, and the roaring pain in his brain eased for a moment before he said, "He wasn't mine in the first place." ”

The kiss of chaos in the steam, finally revealed a moment of affection, turned into a handful of bubbles, shattered at the dawn of the moon falling. I can't tell at what moment it began to shatter, maybe it was when Shen Zhou was bent on going to the Nine Shadows to fight for his life, maybe it was when Chu Shixia resolutely said, "Get out of this door, and never come back".

Shen Zhou is not the "surviving person" that she can recognize with a desperate letter, nor is she no longer a shadow who never leaves her side, let alone a lover who spends the rest of her life with her in an upright and righteous manner.

So, what words should be used to describe the sinking boat?

Chu Zhixia didn't know either.

Li Qingbai said that the sinking boat is a bird that does not know where to go, which means that he will not stay somewhere forever.

Chu Zhixia thought that the most difficult thing was the scarred heart of Yan Re Shenzhou, but he didn't expect that between them, there was also this sudden change in life and death. In an instant, she lost her shadow and was no longer qualified to inquire about his whereabouts.

Chu Zhixia was silent for a long time and said, "I dreamed that the little mute died. ”

She filled the pond full of lotus flowers, hoping to close the door to the sunken boat's death.

She didn't know if it would work.

But people always hope for something useless.

——

The ghost city master, Chu Zhixia heard Li Qingbai say a little.

In his early years, the ghost market owner walked the streets and alleys in the northwest to tell fortunes to make a living, and because he couldn't say beautiful words, he was smashed many times. At that time, he hadn't learned this weird puppet technique, and he hadn't become the master of the ghost city, so he could only be bullied.

No one had ever seen his face, and no one knew his real name.

At that time, people on the rivers and lakes called him a ghost boy, and some people said that it was actually a "ghost pupil", this person had a pair of ghost eyes that could see through yin and yang.

"I don't know, but this person is really evil. If I hadn't been cornered, I wouldn't have asked him for help. Chu Zhi Xia Mo held the black chess pieces and said slowly, "The news that the blue-eyed snake gall is going to enter the imperial capital is indeed true, but I am always a little uneasy in my heart. ”

"He has a deep hatred for my master, and he was going to kill me when they first met, and I was a little scared when he suddenly became kind." Chu Shixia smiled and said.

Chu Shixia and Bai Ziche sat in the small courtyard of Blacksmith Alley, with a pot of silver charcoal burning under the eaves, but the air was still cold. The deaf and dumb old man was cooking on the fire in the house, and from time to time there was the sound of bellows agitation, and the smell of rice was bursting.

Bai Ziche shook his head, "I think you might as well give it a try." ”

"Your Highness thinks he's credible?"

"It's just that I saw him once when I went with you to get the red lotus before, so it's not credible." Bai Ziche held Bai Zi and hesitated, but he said smoothly, "I grew up in the palace, and I always guess what people think from their words and deeds, the corners of their eyes and eyebrows. In my opinion, this ghost city lord is a bit crazy. ”

Bai Ziche has only seen this kind of infatuation in a few people, such as the late edict of the painting academy, such as some old gentlemen in Taixue who are about to die. This kind of person is obsessed with what he studies all his life, worships it as a god, and puts it before life and death, glory and wealth.

"At least, that blue-eyed snake gall is not a pretext." Bai Ziche pinched Bai Zi, his mouth dragged out a long voice, but his eyes were staring at the chessboard motionlessly.

Chu Shixia saw through his embarrassment, stretched out his hand and knocked on the chessboard, tilted his head and smiled: "Your Highness? ”

The sunspots have been encircled, and the whites have been strangled and killed, and they are scattered among the sunspots, looking a little depressed and pitiful.

Bai Ziche smiled bitterly and admitted defeat.

"The blue-eyed snake gall, I also inquired. Guess who the Jiangnan upstart entrusted to auction this rare blue-eyed snake gall? ”

Bai Ziche thought for a while and said: "The imperial capital is high and the road is far away, and such a treasure will definitely not be easily entrusted to unfamiliar people, otherwise the slightest omission will be a loss to the lady and the army." The owner of the blue-eyed snake gall is a Jiangnan person...... Didn't you entrust it to Jiang Changgongzi? ”

Chu Zhixia applauded softly.

Chu Shixia didn't have much friendship with the Jiang family, but occasionally heard Jiang Qiao say that the Jiang family seemed to be a tiger and wolf den. The eldest son of Jiang who forced Jiang Qiao to this point and single-handedly forced Qiao Ji to death is still in the imperial capital, and it seems that he is eager to climb the regent's big ship in the imperial capital.

Putting aside everything else, this alone made Chu Shixia quite approve of the skill of this Jiang Changgongzi.

For many years, the rich have resorted to various means of escaping taxes, and the poor have no money and no place to stand, but they have to be burdened with taxes that make them breathless. The order to collect taxes every year was passed down from the imperial capital, and it was increased layer by layer, and when it was collected, everyone took advantage of it, so that the treasury was depleted over the years.

Shinong industry and commerce, the last businessman.

If the Jiang family wants to keep the family business for a long time, they must have their backs to the big tree.

The regent is the tree chosen by Jiang Changgongzi.

"It is said that Jiang Changgongzi wanted to marry his own sister to the regent's grandson, but the regent did not agree." Bai Ziche said.

"It's just a sister, and the regent doesn't look down on it." Chu Zhixia picked up the chess pieces on the chessboard and put them back into the chess pot, and said casually, "The Jiang family has a lot of money, and if they don't show true sincerity, the regent won't give them a second look." ”

"Do you think the Jiang clan will buy that blue-eyed snake gall and present it to the regent?" Bai Ziche quickly refuted his own point of view, "No, if the Jiang family wants to buy it, this snake gall should be sent directly to the Jiang family's house, how can it flow out for auction?" ”

"Because they can't afford it."

Bai Ziche looked at Chu Zhixia holding the hand of the chess piece. The weather is still very cold, Chu Zhixia's hand bones are slender, and the fair and thin skin at the joints is frozen out of a layer of peach-like pink, pitiful and cute. Bai Ziche pushed the hand warmer to her hand.

Chu Zhixia didn't realize it, and said to himself: "The blue-eyed snake gall is not easy to come by, not to mention the more than forty lives behind it, just the gimmick of 'Miaojiang Secret Treasure' is enough to raise the price." This blue-eyed snake gall must have offered a sky-high price, but Jiang Changgongzi can't afford it. ”

Bai Ziche noticed her wording, "It is the chief son of Jiang who wants to cling to the regent, not the entire Jiang family?" ”

There are too few things that the Jiang family can't afford, and they definitely don't include blue-eyed snake gall. If even the Jiang family can't afford it, this snake gall will be smashed in their hands. But if it is Jiang Changgongzi's own financial embarrassment, it makes sense.

"Chang Gongzi Jiang has many brothers, relatives, concubines, and countless others." Chu Shixia said, "The Jiang family fights fiercely in the nest, which is also one of the reasons why he has traveled thousands of miles to the north." If he has the support of the regent, he will be able to clear the obstacles in his family and take over the power. ”

"What do you want to do?" Bai Ziche lowered his head and cleaned up the chessboard with her, and inadvertently saw her warm fingertips running across the chessboard, leaving a little sweat trace.

"I use the little monthly case issued by the palace every month, and I am poor and white." Bai Ziche spread his hands and smiled, "I can't resist on my shoulders, I can't lift my hands, and I can't contribute money and effort." If you're going to steal or rob, I probably won't be able to help much. ”

Chu Zhixia raised his hand to tuck the stranded hair behind his ear, raised his face and smiled at him. Bai Ziche was hit by this bright and pure smile, and he couldn't say how he felt. It was as if I saw the first bud explode in spring, and my heart was swollen with joy.

"Where did Your Highness go?" Chu Shixia said with a smile, "Just tell His Highness about something new, and see how the people under your hands teach each other privately." I don't dare to work for Your Highness. ”

Bai Ziche reined in his thoughts and said, "I thought I could at least help you, just like when I eradicated Wang Xianfu." ”

Chu Zhixia froze, raised his eyelashes, looked at Bai Ziche and said, "I won't let His Highness suffer like that again." ”

"Your Highness only needs to study with Huo Ergongzi with peace of mind now, and the homework will be heavier after the lecture hall opens. As for the side, I'll do it, Your Highness doesn't need to get involved. Chu Shixia said, "These have nothing to do with the way of governing the country. ”

Bai Ziche felt a little unspeakably sour in his heart.

"Okay."