In the ninth year of auspicious charm, the fifth day of the first month of November.

In the middle of winter, there is always a special silence in the palace.

Pei Yao gets up every morning to make up and face the bronze mirror, and she will be stunned for a while with the sound of falling snow.

Pei Yao often thinks of the days in Guanzhong, Pei Zhang and his protégé talked about current affairs, and Pei Qiong made tea and arranged flowers. Pei Yao sat next to her sister and complained that Pei Zhang was becoming more and more similar to the old men, and there was a smell of rotten wood. My sister smiled and flicked her eyebrows, saying that Pei Zhang will be the head of the family in the future, and the head of the family will have to think a lot, worry a lot, and it is normal to decline before getting old. Pei Zhang said unhappily You are talking bad about me again, don't think I don't know.

Then my sister entered the palace.

Pei Qiong said in her letter that the queen treats people leniently and is not a mean and unkind person; The emperor was fair and strict, and he was gentle and gentle with her; The little prince who has just been born looks a little like an uncle, I don't know if he will be as smart as Pei Zhang.

Pei Qiong said she was all right.

Pei Yao believed it, she had to believe it, otherwise she wouldn't be able to say another word to Pei Zhang.

Until Pei Yao stepped into the door of this nine-fold palace by himself.

She finally knew what it meant to report good news and not bad news, and what it meant that people had to bow their heads under the eaves.

Pei Yao never smiled at Pei Zhang again.

"Sister, how have you spent so many years?" Pei Yao curled up in a ball on the mat and whispered to the ghost floating in mid-air.

Outside the door, a palace man knocked lightly and said, "Master, it's time to get up." ”

Pei Yao took a deep breath, put on the dark blue official uniform of the female official decorated with white pearls, and when she opened the door again, she already had a dignified and cold face, and she didn't see half of her weakness.

"Let's go, go to the Hall of Luhe."

——

Approaching the end of the year, the weaving department has to cut winter clothes for the nobles in the palace.

Pei Yao almost became a concubine, and she was a famous noblewoman, but she did not pretend to be noble because of her family background, and even did such trivial things as measuring the queen mother and concubine. The Queen Mother is old, her sideburns are snow-white, and her head is full of pearls and emerald pressed on her snow-like hair, which has a different kind of grace and luxury.

"Liuyunjin is everywhere now, no longer a strange thing to live in, nor does it line the posture of the queen mother." Pei Yao's movements were soft and dexterous, and he said softly, "Now the imperial capital is precious to a kind of brocade in the north, called 'crane feather weaving', with heavy material and calm color. The weaving division has a carmine one, which is lining the mother's skin as crystal as snow. ”

"The mourning family is old, where can I still wear such bright colors." The Queen Mother refused, but a smile appeared on the corner of her lips.

"The Queen Mother's elegance is peerless, and the world knows it. The crane feather weaving is different from the flowing cloud brocade, the color is more profound, the gold thread is darkly embroidered, and then decorated with pearls, Niangniang is still a famous beauty in the world back then, and the light will surely shine on the entire harem. Pei Yao said with a smile.

"Then it's up to you young people." The Queen Mother said happily.

Pei Yao recorded the size of the Queen Mother and bowed slightly to say goodbye. Out of the Luhe Palace, Pei Yao's personal maid quietly inserted into the team.

Pei Yao tidied up her sleeves and asked in a low voice, "How?" ”

The maid shook her head and said, "No." ”

——

Twilight quadrangle.

Pei Yao sat in the carriage and lowered her eyes in amusement.

The "maid" casually took off the bead hairpin on her head, threw it on the ground with a clang, and stripped off the complicated and heavy palace clothes. She was not naked, but a black shirt that was close to her skin. Tearing off the human skin mask on her face, Luo Shuangyi couldn't help but glance at Pei Yao, who had lowered her eyes and looked calm before putting on the silver ghost mask, she was very smart, and she knew that Luo Shuangyi's face couldn't be seen without being reminded.

"I'm almost home." Pei Yao said, "Aren't you leaving?" ”

Luo Shuang buttoned up her mask and praised her: "You are very bold." ”

The carriage turned into the deserted street, and Luo Shuangyi nimbly slipped out of the window and flipped onto the roof of the carriage. Before the carriage turned into the crowded street, Luo Shuangyi jumped into the bushes on the side of the street like a cat, and quickly climbed into the wall.

Pei Yao sat quietly in the carriage and calmed her breath until the coachman said, "Second Miss, I'm home." ”

Pei Yao lifted the curtain, and saw Pei Zhang, who had been waiting for a long time, eagerly stepped forward and helped her get out of the carriage. Pei Yao saw the worry on his face that couldn't be hidden, and he was in a trance for a while. Pei Zhang has long cultivated a good self-cultivation without pretense, and his joy and anger are never exposed.

"Your hands are cold." Pei Zhang said in a low voice, "It's home, don't be afraid." ”

Pei Yao shook his head and said, "I'm not afraid." ”

Pei Zhang smiled and sighed, and said, "Yes, it's my brother who is afraid." ”

——

Dead.

Deng Mian woke up from hunger and cold, and he kept swallowing saliva to relieve the burning sensation in his throat.

Deng Mian was originally locked up in a room sealed with iron nails and wooden planks on all sides, and food and water were brought to him through narrow gaps every day. Deng Mian endured for two days, and finally understood that he was drawn into this power struggle. Deng Mian knows that he has no long things, and the only advantage is to have a good father, and the role he plays in this bloody storm can be imagined.

There is no need for Chu Shixia to use such means to blackmail Dali Siqing, there is only one person who can do this and can do this. Dali Siqing, as a famous eagle dog under the command of the regent, how could he be safely disarmed and returned to the field?

Deng Mian thought this clearly, so he trembled and cut his throat with the fragment of the porcelain bowl. But he was too cowardly and cowardly to know anything about killing, and unsurprisingly was discovered by his guards and dragged out to bandage his wounds.

Since then, Deng Mian has been locked up in this iron cage that is airy on all sides. The person guarding him was not a guest of the Chen family, and naturally it could not be the Gyeonggi Guard. Deng Mian carefully observed them, and was disturbed to find that they had the same temperament as Shen Zhou—disregard for human life.

Deng Mian's mouth was so dry that he struggled to smash the railing with iron chains. His guards raised their eyelids and looked at him with a blank expression.

"I want to drink water." Deng Mian's throat was injured, and his voice was hoarse like a broken drum leaking from the air.

Before the guard could move, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Chen Boyan was wrapped in a black coat, holding a soup woman in his hand, and looked at Deng Mian with a smile. Deng Mian was given goosebumps by him, and couldn't help but take two steps back, his back tightly pressed against the iron railing.

"Chen Boyan, it's really you."

"You're not too stupid." Chen Boyan sighed, "Deng Mian, you have a good tire." For the sake of you, even the eldest lady of the Chu clan in the clouds dares to frame it. ”

Deng Mian's face was ugly.

"But everything is too much, Your Majesty can't believe that those people were killed by her, and the King of Zhenbei is also a difficult person to entangle. The person I instructed him to identify was clearly Sun Yan, the prince of Qi. Chen Boyan pretended to be distressed and said, "I thought about it for a long time, is he eager to invite merit, or is he a ghost?" ”

"But I just suddenly figured it out, it doesn't matter what he thinks or does, I have a way to make him obedient. Are you right, Deng Mian? With a faint smile on his lips, Chen Boyan reached out and grabbed Deng Mian's neck and carried him to him, his cheek pressed tightly against the iron railing.

The wound on Deng Mian's throat was ruptured and bleeding, and he subconsciously beat Chen Boyan's arm, but he couldn't shake it in the slightest. Chen Boyan tortured Deng Mian enough, so he threw the person to the ground, and casually ordered the guards: "Chop off his fingers and send them to the Dali Temple Qing Mansion." ”

The guard pulled out the short knife on his waist and asked, "How many?" ”

"Let's cut five first." Chen Boyan said critically, "Dali Siqing only has this one son, I have to save some money, don't I?" ”

Deng Mian lay on the ground and gasped hard, reaching out to cover the bleeding wound in his throat. The guard grabbed his hand and pressed it to the ground, but Deng Mian burst out with an astonishing force, and grabbed the guard's short knife with the other hand and stabbed him in the heart. The guard didn't frown, his fingertips turned, the tip of the short knife twisted in direction, and the handle hit Deng Mian's sternum, causing Deng Mian to cough and gasp.

Chen Boyan was a little surprised, and for the first time looked at Deng Mian seriously, "Not afraid of death?" ”

"If you have the ability, you will kill me, and you want to use me to threaten my father, but there is no door." Deng Mian raised his head and stared at him and said, "Chen Boyan, you can't win against Chu Shixia." You can't win martial arts, and you can't win this time. You will lose to the Chu Clan in the clouds for the rest of your life. ”

clumsy agitation, but Chen Boyan was unexpectedly angry. Deng Mian's contemptuous eyes reminded Chen Boyan of the overlord gun that smashed him in the martial arts arena, and the general Long Xiang who crushed him like a dust in the Luhe Palace.

Chen Boyan is the eldest grandson of the Chen family, and the most valued son and grandson of the regent of the two dynasties. Why did the Chu clan in the clouds step on his head?

Chen Boyan pushed away the guards and snatched the short knife.

Deng Mian closed his eyes in resignation, his mind blank, waiting for death.

The expected pain did not come, and the guards slammed down Chen Boyan and rolled him to the side. The silver long sword pierced into the wall against Deng Mian's cheek, and Chen Boyan broke out in a cold sweat after realizing it, just a little bit, he would be pierced through the back of the head by this sword.

Deng Mian turned his head blankly and saw that the sword was trembling, and there were three ancient characters engraved under the sword - "Drinking Stream Snow".

The black figure floated down, like a ghost in the moonlight. His face was clasped with a silver ghost mask, not showing the slightest skin, but Deng Mian felt a hint of familiarity.

The guard pushed Chen Boyan away without care, pulled out another short knife on his waist, and brought the golden skull tied by the red rope between the clothes, and asked in a confirmed manner: "Gongzizhou?" ”

Deng Mian's eyes widened.

Shen Zhou drew his sword and hooked his finger at him.

The guard pounced like a falcon, and the two short knives in their hands made two eerie arcs like snakes. Shen Zhou stepped out in one step, sliding through the short knife, his waist stretched into a flexible line. The guard's heart was not good, but his waist had already been slapped by Shen Zhou, rolling and falling to the ground. The guard lay on the ground and vomited two mouthfuls of blood, watching Shen Zhou ignore Chen Boyan who was trembling in two ways, and slashed his sword on the lock of the iron cage.

Shen Zhou's wrists were numb from the shock, but the iron lock did not move.

"Leave me alone, let's go!" Deng Mian spat out two mouthfuls of blood foam and shook his head at Shen Zhou.

Shen Zhou ignored him, leaning back to dodge a stab from the guard. The dagger was nimble in the guard's hand as if it were a part of his body, and it swung straight down at the sinking boat's throat. Shen Zhou raised his hand to block with the hilt of his sword, and retreated, stepping on the door frame as he retreated to the door, and flew around his waist to kick the guard in the head. The guard subconsciously withdrew his knife to block, but his head was still buzzing.

Suddenly there was a sound of footsteps on the roof.

"It's a trap, you run!"

Deng Mian saw the fire oil pouring down like rain from the cracks in the roof, and shouted hoarsely. Chen Boyan staggered open a window and fled. The black oil drips on the ground like a gentle spring rain.

The long sword swirled under Shen Zhou's hand, and Shen Zhou hovered in mid-air for a moment with his strength, holding the sword and stabbing straight down. The guard was pierced through the heart and lungs by the sword, and was nailed to the ground. Shen Zhou wiped the pungent smell of fire oil on his mask, drew his sword and walked towards Deng Mian.

Countless flaming feathered arrows were shot into the house, and the fire oil burned everywhere.

Shen Zhou walked to the iron cage and pulled out the drinking stream snow, raised his hand to split on the iron lock. The iron lock shattered in response, and Shen Zhou then used his sword to wrap around the iron chain on Deng Mian's body that was welded to the railing, twisted it to the tightest, and cut it cleanly with drinking stream snow.

Deng Mian looked at Shen Zhou blankly, the fire in the house evaporated the tears on his face, "Shen Zhou, you shouldn't come to save me, my father ...... him"

"Let's go." Shen Zhou grabbed his hand and cut off the nonsense he blamed himself.

——

The sudden sound of footsteps shook the dead silence of Dali Temple Prison, and a dragon-like team rushed in. Chu Zhixia sat in the corner of the wall, wearing the thick coat on his body, looking up at the moonlight and fine snow falling from the narrow window.

Chu Zhixia turned his head and looked at Yan Jue, who opened the door.

"Caught the murderer?" Chu Zhixia asked lazily.

"Dali Siqing pleaded guilty, he said that he had a holiday with the Chu clan in the clouds and slandered you." Yan Du's face is like frost, and he said.

"I don't think you're happy." Chu Zhixia raised his eyebrows.

"After he sent the confession and the confession to Yu Linwei, he disappeared."

"Absconding in fear of sin, it's none of my business." Chu Zhixia got up and stretched, kicked the chain on his feet, and said, "Can this thing be opened?" ”

Yan decided to open the shackles for her, and Chu Zhixia tightened his grip and walked out. Outside the prison of Dali Temple, the guards held Xue Cheng and waited for her. Yan Jue wanted to say something, but Chu Zhixia waved his hand at him, beat the horse and left.

——

Shen Zhou broke out of the window with Deng Mian in his arms, rolled in the snow several times, and barely extinguished the fire on his body. Shen Zhou grabbed the cloak and threw it away, pressing Deng Mian's head and pushing him down the wall behind him. The short knife with a slender iron chain at the end flew into the air, and Shen Zhou grabbed the chain violently, wrapped it around the bracer twice, and pulled it back fiercely.

At the other end of the chain, the Assassin grabbed the chain and fell like a bird, kicking it to the wrist of the sinking boat with this force. Drinking Stream Snow suddenly slashed through the chains and swung a fan-shaped arc of light that nearly swept half of the assassin's jaw away. The Assassin threw his head back, clutched his bleeding jaw, and fell to his back in the snow.

More Assassins from the shadows stepped forward.

Shen Zhou waved his sword and raised his eyes to look at the regent under the corridor in the distance. The regent looked at him without being alarmed, and beside him stood a middle-aged man with a flat head and a mediocre appearance. Shen Zhou knew that it was a human skin mask, and the assassins of the Nine Shadows Division adhered to the principle of not revealing their faces, regardless of whether they were north or south.

"This is your nemesis?" The regent chuckled, "Still a child. ”

"He killed all our children in Gangnam and is a cold-blooded little monster." The man replied to him in a dumb voice, "Don't underestimate him, Taishi. Nourish the big seeds with blood, and the weak flowers do not bloom. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Zhou pressed the head of an assassin, slashed across the blade of his sword, and reached out to push the body into the snow. Shen Zhou suddenly looked at the Regent and raised his hand to point behind the Regent.

The Regent's heart tightened, and he looked back to see the light of the fire climbing up the night sky from the top of the wall.

The bloodied family stumbled into the garden and shouted, "Master, get out of the way, there are bandits coming in!" ”

Behind the family were the children of the Chen family who were supporting each other, everyone seemed to have been fished out of a pool of blood, and some didn't even have the strength to speak.

Before the regent could reply, he saw a shadow standing on the wall behind Shen Zhou. Chen Boyan was held by a slender and slender girl in the throat and forced to straighten his body. Luo Shuangyi tightened her knuckles like a demonstrative, and the word "grandpa" shouted by Chen Boyan was crushed in his throat.

"Pulse Interceptor." The man beside the regent whispered, "Sure enough, Gongzizhou himself came." ”