It was a very modest carriage.

However, the people around him have nothing to do with the word "plain". The Xue guards all took off their disguises, wore armor and swords, their faces were solemn, their eyes showed a cold light, and when they approached, the collision sound of the hilt and the waist armor sounded staggered, and it was so cold that it made the roots of the teeth sour.

The curtain opened, and Xue Yuxiao walked down in a dark casual clothes. With a smile on her face, she looked kind and gentle, and said to the only child present: "But the king of Henan is in person? The lower official Xue Yuxiao, who was ordered to check his nationality, came to discuss with the Hanoi clan. ”

Sima's subordinates saw the Qincha guards, and the two were dwarfed by each other, and they wilted all of a sudden. The momentum that was entrusted by the master was very dissipated by eight points, and he only felt that these military ladies were majestic, and there must have been blood on the swords, which could not be resisted by the clan soldiers.

Xue Yuxiao once followed the military government to suppress bandits, and he was made a marquis for his outstanding achievements, so the situation was not too unexpected. Sima Xi's face remained unchanged, he patted his niece's shoulder with his hand, and replied on his behalf: "It was originally Qin's mission to come here, and we have been waiting for a long time." ”

Xue Yuxiao glanced at her and asked, "Who is this?" ”

"Under the single name, there is a Xi character, it is Hanoi County Cheng ......"

"I am talking to the king of Henan, how can this adult interject and speak? Could it be that you decide all the major affairs of the Sima clan, and you are the head of the clan? Xue Yuxiao looked over with a smile and asked in a soft tone, "When you reply, don't worry." ”

Sima Xi didn't expect her to have a soft attitude, but her words were so arrogant, her face changed, and she said patiently for the time being: "Naturally, the king of the county is the leader." ”

Xue Yuxiao looked at Sima Hui.

Sima Hui is just a ten-year-old girl, although she has been taught by her family since she was a child, and she has been enlightened early, but her coping degree is limited after all, she was stared at by Xue Yuxiao, her face was panicked, and she threw a look of help to the clan elder behind her, but she couldn't ask for help, so she learned the attitude of her aunt and the elders to respond, and said jerkyly: "Yes." I am Sima Hui. ”

Xue Yuxiao took the guards, chatted with her for a few words, and guided the words, slowly calmed Sima Hui's nervousness, and then entered the council hall with everyone.

Everyone greeted him as a guest, and they accompanied the capital to come by order, so they only sat under Sima Hui. The servant served tea, and it was a large-leaf holly, also known as Kuding. This tea is bitter and cold, and is not suitable for entertaining guests.

Yuzhou is often famous for tea, and it is not a place where things are poor.

Xue Yuxiao glanced at it and didn't say anything. She knew it was a nameless demonstration. But she didn't mind at all about such a tedious section, so she calmly reached out and took it and took a sip.

Li Qingchou hid his identity, stood beside her like an attendant, and pressed his palm against her back, as if to say, "If you are dissatisfied, you can turn your face now." ”

Xue Yuxiao didn't have a seizure, and still said with a pleasant face: "Needless to say, you also know that I am here for the examination." Yuzhou is the land of the Central Plains, and at that time it took in a lot of expatriates from the north. ”

Sima Hui looked at her aunt's eyes and said, "Yes." Some...... Let my teacher tell you! ”

Xue Yuxiao's gaze moved to Sima Xi beside her, and she took a faint sip of Kuding tea. The green leaves above the tea float erratically, and the bitter taste spreads on the tip of the tongue.

During the long time she was silent and staring at each other, no one else dared to intervene, and even Sima Xi felt a nameless pressure - this situation was completely different from what she thought! The process is obviously to deter her with the crowd of tribes first, and then demonstrate with bitter tea, warning her that even if she is a strong dragon, she can't suppress the head snake of the ground, and she wants to give face to the local clan.

However, Xue Yuxiao just drank tea and didn't continue, her fingers lightly tapped on the table, and the elite soldiers behind slowly pressed their fingers on the scabbard.

Didn't Xie Fu want to break off? But after all, he couldn't let go of the Sima clan and wanted to kill them like bandits?

Xue Yuxiao looked like he thought about it for a while, and said happily, "Okay." ”

Sima Xi let out a sigh of relief, cheered up and ordered: "Come on, go and present the roster." ”

Xue Yuxiao waited, in this silent gap, many people were secretly looking at her, some were inquisitive and curious, some were surprised by her appearance and bearing, and there were many malicious hostile people who thought she was a hungry wolf who wanted to bite off a piece of meat from Sima's family.

Among them, the most undisguised gaze comes from Sima Hui, the king of Henan. She was still young and childlike, so she leaned over a little when she looked at it, and said with half fear and half curiosity: "Xue Duwei, you have such a kind face, how can you bear to let the people of Hanoi suffer from it, they have already had a hard time!" ”

Xue Yuxiao smiled and said, "Suffering? Could it be that Hanoi County under the rule of the county king has made the people not suffer? ”

"Not really." Sima Hui happily admitted, but immediately added, "But I let them live." The forced laborers in Qiaozhou must be terrible......"

"Relocated expatriates are exempt from forced labor." Xue Yuxiao said, "This is written by the holy decree and documents, and it has already reached various states and counties from His Excellency Jing Zhaofeng, what's the matter?" Didn't your parents tell you? ”

Sima Hui looked surprised, and her eyes subconsciously turned to look at her aunt.

Sima Xi was about to open his mouth to explain, but Xue Yuxiao glanced at her with a smile and urged, "Where is the roster?" ”

The words of explanation she had prepared were in her throat, and she turned her head and urged a few more words before the list was "reluctantly" presented. Xue Yuxiao stretched out her hand to take it and flipped through it from the beginning, a few days ago, she passed by and collected grain and traded several granges, which were indeed not on it, this register clearly wrote down the origin and origin, but it was only a few dozen, compared with the number of real hidden households, even one-tenth was not enough.

Xue Yuxiao finished flipping through the thin roster, sighed according to the paper, and said, "No? ”

"Nope." Sima Xi replied.

"Only those people?" Xue Yuxiao turned his head to look at her, his fingertips rubbing the brand-new ink marks on it, "I respect all the clan elders, and you have to be honest with me. ”

Her tone was light and airy, and there was not much threat or intimidation. Sima Xi thought that these people had already taken refuge elsewhere, and there was no evidence that she had turned Hanoi County upside down, so his face was calm as usual, and he was determined: "Yes." ”

Xue Yuxiao definitely won't believe it. On any big clan, Qincha will not be gullible. However, if there is no evidence, how can people go to the empty building? But it's just the same as in previous years. Sima Xi and others have deep experience in this.

In order to prevent Xue Yuxiao's face from being too ugly, Sima Xi explained: "Although the northerners passed through Hanoi, they did not stay, and most of them continued to move to the south. We have enough people in Wubao, and we don't have too many homeless people left, and every household on it is testable...... Moreover, I have heard that His Majesty's decree is clear that a certain number of local nobles may be left behind and turned into shade households, you see......"

Xue Yuxiao sighed.

She took another sip of Kuding tea. This tea is extremely clear of fire and dissipates heat and dispels polydipsia. Her slender fingers rested on the wall of the porcelain cup and said, "Your roster is too thin and perfunctory. The king of the county, let's add one or two when I come down. ”

After Xue Yuxiao finished speaking, Li Qingchou next to him took out the prepared roster—which showed the name, place of origin, and when the Grange hermit would arrive—everything was detailed here. This newly copied volume of jute paper was thrown on the ground and landed in front of Sima Xi and at Sima Hui's feet.

The little girl bent down to pick it up, Xue Yuxiao held her down, and said with a smile: "Let your adults pick it up." ”

When the roll of jute paper made up for the ink marks hit the ground, there was a slight smashing sound, as if it slammed into everyone's hearts. Several clan elders of the Sima clan exchanged glances with each other, all suspecting that there was something wrong with the interior and that someone had leaked secrets to the royal family. However, after looking at each other for a long time, they couldn't be sure of each other.

Sima Xi's back stiffened slightly, she stared at Xue Yuxiao's face, there was still a little bit of speculation about "the old suspicious array" and "empty city plan", she bent down to pick up the scroll of paper, and unfolded the first line head-on, that is, she had seen the name of the hidden household more than ten times, which was no different from the official record, the only difference was that the name was followed by a unique number - nine hundred and sixty yuan.

What does that mean?

Everyone's eyes were focused on Sima Xi, and they all wanted to get a definite answer from her. However, as she flipped through the pages one by one, her face visibly became extremely bad to the naked eye, and a slight cold sweat oozed from the corners of her forehead.

"I can't write everything on this scroll of paper," Xue Yuxiao said, "The rest of the northerners, do you want me to roll up my sleeves and write it to you on the spot?" ”

Sima Xi said: "Du Wei...... Why did we get to this point? The captain came prepared, and we can only listen to it. However, the migration of expatriates is hard, and the fields on our Zhuangzi need to be cultivated after the New Year, so I know that you can't give your majesty an account, so it's better to ...... Half of the recluses on this paper were all handed over to the imperial court for registration, and the other half of the volume was ......"

After she spoke, several young men dressed as servants suddenly walked up behind her, each holding a ceremonial plate in his hand, covered with bright red satin. The young man at the head of them was handsome and lovely, knelt forward, and lifted the wooden tray above his head, revealing a white and green back of his neck.

Xue Yuxiao didn't move, and a Sima clan strategist stepped forward to lift the red silk. There was a shining light under the silk - a treasure tree made of silver, and the branches of the treasure tree were covered with golden fruits and golden leaves.

Seeing this, Xue Yuxiao couldn't help but shake his head and smile. Everyone felt that this road was passable, and their attitude suddenly changed, and they opened the red silk behind them one after another, such as Baoyu, famous ink, and antiques...... The treasury of the great clan is indeed abundant.

"yes, why bother to get to this point." Xue Yuxiao sighed, she closed her eyes and opened them again, her eyes swept over the faces in front of her one by one, the smile on her lips slowly disappeared, she rolled up her sleeves and picked up the teacup, and personally poured a cup of bitter dices for Sima Xi.

Sima Xi saw the green leaves floating on the tea surface, gritted his back molars, and poured his head down suddenly, and immediately paralyzed the root of his tongue by the heavy bitter taste, and his brows were furrowed.

"This tea is not produced in Yuzhou, you have worked hard to find it." Xue Yuxiao said, "Have you seen the number at the end of the caputure?" More than 900 Wen, the same cultivation, each family is no more than 100 Wen. ”

"It's ......"

"This is a family's harvest for a year, and the money obtained in exchange for the official price." Xue Yuxiao said, "With such a harvest, you will have to pay at least fifty percent of the land rent and tax to King Sima County every year, take care of things, and honor the lady above." The amount left is not enough to eat enough porridge in the morning and evening, let alone to feed their daughters—these northerners do not pay the agricultural taxes of the national dynasty, but are only under the jurisdiction of your clan, and they are all so poor. To be able to squeeze to this extent, it's no wonder that you hold on to it. ”

She continued in a light tone: "The decree and the documents are written that the expatriates are exempt from conscription, military service, and reduced taxes. There are also soldiers to escort them, so that they will not be plundered and killed on the way. When you come to your land, but you don't have a word of truth - slandering me, distorting the facts, and tampering with the holy decree, do you Sima still have a heart of disobedience? ”

The last few words fell very lightly, in line with the rhythm of her tapping on the teacup.

When these words fell, several servants kneeling on the ground were so frightened that they fell to the ground. The old staff members of the Sima clan sitting in the seats also suddenly rose, and their faces changed suddenly. Sima Xi in front of her clenched the yellow paper in her hand, and her voice suddenly became cold: "Xue Duwei, there should always be evidence to say that we distort the facts and slander you." ”

"Proof." Xue Yuxiao repeated this and said, "The hall is full of high-ranking meat eaters. In Zhu Qing's mouth, naturally there was not a single true word. Could it be that what the king of the county asked is not evidence? Is the voice of the street market not evidence? Or are these hidden people who were taken away by you to take refuge in Chenjun and the state of panic every day is not evidence? Or do you want me to send someone to arrest those farmers and confront us face to face? ”

Her questioning voice was repeated one sentence after another, and when it came to the back, Sima Xi had no words to answer. The blue tendons on her forehead jumped, and her back molars grinded out a voice, and she almost had murderous intentions towards the tricky Qincha in front of her: "Captain, you have to be forgiving and forgiving, don't force each other to be in a hurry, and it won't look good at that time." ”

Xue Yuxiao smiled and said: "Why, there are five hundred sword and axe hands hidden in your clan, and they broke up in response to the sound of the tea cup, and they want to kill me here, and then blame the bandits in the mountains to prevaricate Your Majesty?" ”

As she spoke, she simply threw the porcelain cup on the ground, and it shattered with a crisp sound. The Sima clan around them did not dare to move. Xue Yuxiao stared at her eyes and said word by word: "I am the daughter of the Jingzhao Xue family, the captain of the military government, and the imperial court." If I lose a hair in your dock fort, do you think the military government and my mother will come to the door with their swords, and will the officers and soldiers of the dynasty press the border and kill people's heads? How many of you are enough to bury me, stand up! I'll count! ”

Sima Xi felt an unpalatable bloody breath rising from his throat.

The bloody breath came not only from her throat, but also from the minds of everyone present.

Xue Yuxiao sat and raised his eyes to look at her, but Sima Xi felt a sense of being looked down upon. She couldn't figure out how such a young scholar girl could have such amazing calculations and courage, and she had to retreat for this - the first retreat was because she had the real roster in her hands, and the second retreat was because she was the first to lose money and was pressed to this point.

Sima Xi said: "We are loyal to the imperial court and have no rebellious intentions. ”

Xue Yuxiao hadn't recovered yet, and he was a little angry at the moment, revealing a state of tiredness and boredom. She coughed lightly twice, took the cloak handed over by the person beside her and retied it, and said, "Who is the culprit of the usurpation and slander?" Please hand it over to the criminal law. ”

Sima Xi's gaze turned to the people behind him. Obviously, after many years of being fed by brocade clothes and jade, it is time for them to die for the sake of the clan. Her gaze was like a sword, sliding over everyone, and finally stopped on the body of a side branch of the small sect, and the person trembled.

She opened her mouth and was about to name this person, but she suddenly stood up and knelt on the ground, shouting, "Lord Captain! It was Jun Cheng who asked me to wait for such a spread of news! ”

Jun Cheng refers to Sima Xi.

After saying this, the side branch quickly stepped forward, knelt beside Xue Yuxiao, and pleaded: "The document was sent to the county, and we are not qualified to check it, but what the county said!" What the county said! ”

"Ridiculous!" Sima Xi retorted, "Someone, kill this nonsense usurper in front of the commander, and use the anger of the Emperor to calm the Qincha!" ”

The tribal soldier immediately drew his sword and raised it at the man's neck. The blade did not fall, and was blocked with a scabbard by the young lady wearing a hat next to Xue Yuxiao.

Li Qingchou's wrist shook, and the rusty machete suddenly cracked, and was broken by the metal device on the scabbard, falling to the ground.

Xue Yuxiao asked softly: "Is it really what this Lord Sima Xi and Hanoi Juncheng said?" Did you hear it with your own ears? ”

The girl said, "It's true! Please spare my life, Lord Lieutenant, this is not my idea! ”

Xue Yuxiao moved his gaze and looked at Sima Xi with a little playfulness: "Jun Cheng, what she said is true?" ”

Sima Xi immediately said: "Don't listen to the slander of this despicable villain!" ”

Xue Yuxiao sighed: "I was originally a family of the same blood, but at this moment I have become a lowly villain. Even if it is me, I can't help but feel the pain of cold lips and teeth for you, cough ......" She covered her lips and coughed again, frowned and suppressed the discomfort, refined her words, and went straight to the goal, "As long as you confirm in front of me who the culprit is, I will take his life and never implicate her." However, if anyone commits perjury and I find out, when I come back to the door the next day, he will be dealt with as an accomplice. ”

It's really a question of loyalty.

There can be no temptation in one's loyalty. When there are many temptations, they will think - will Sima Xi abandon himself in the future, just as he abandoned others today? Once perjury is made, will this powerful and well-informed messenger really come to the door to investigate the crime?

In a brief silence, someone finally pierced this thin "veil" and said the same thing: "This is what Lord Guncheng told us!" ”

When one person starts, everyone agrees.

Echoing the noisy and chaotic voice, Xue Yuxiao didn't listen carefully, but turned to look at Sima Xi and said softly: "Jun Cheng, please offer your head." ”

The situation was turned upside down in just a breath. Just as Xue Yuxiao said this, Sima Xi suddenly pulled out a short knife from his waist, stepped forward and slashed at Xue Yuxiao's throat - she would rather be defeated by the imperial court and die, than be killed in front of her.

When she moved, Sima's tribe also stepped forward with their knives, with the intention of rushing forward.

However, this short knife was only within half a foot of Xue Yuxiao's body, and it was blocked by Li Qingchou's scabbard. At this moment, she had not even been unsheathed, only to hear a dull sound accompanied by the sound of sparks flying. Xue Yuxiao didn't look at it, added a new cup of tea to himself, lowered his head and continued to drink.

The tea has cooled.

The water rippled layer by layer inside the cup, and the ripples had not yet reached the edge of the teacup. The scabbard of the sword, inlaid with metal, fell back and slammed into the back of Sima Xi's hand. Her hand bones shattered and the blade fell to the ground. Li Qingchou followed the sword wind over her shoulders and arms, the end of the scabbard stabbed her heart, and then raised her foot and kicked it to her knees, pressing it to the ground easily, and the soles of her shoes stepped on Sima Xi's shoulders.

The last sip of tea, bitterness welled up on the tip of the tongue.

Hmm-Li Qingchou drew his sword, swept the edge, and blood splattered all over his shabby suit. Her hat covered her face, and there was no trace of fishy smell on her face, blocking in front of Xue Yuxiao, not letting her get a little touched.

The teacup was empty, leaving only the wilted large-leaf holly sinking to the bottom of the porcelain.

Xue Yuxiao raised his eyes and saw that Li Qingchou put his sword into the sheath, and there was only half a white and sharp jaw bone line under the hat. Compared with Junfu Wen Peng, she seems to be more suitable to be a killer, an assassin, a chivalrous or a dead soldier.

In the extreme silence, there was a suppressed cry of Sima Hui being frightened.

Xue Yuxiao got up and said, "I'm scared of the county king, it's because I didn't think about it." He also asked the king of Henan to send the head of this usurper thief to the county guard of Hanoi to show that he would cut off the table. In addition, please convey a word for me to the local scholars in all counties of Yuzhou...... Those who usurp and slander and create rumors to confuse the people shall be punished as anti-thieves and shall be killed. ”

"Wait a minute!" When she left, one of the Sima clan's staff members boldly spoke from the side and persuaded her, "Du Wei is acting too fiercely and ruthlessly, isn't he afraid of being the enemy of the entire Yuzhou Shi clan in this way?" ”

Xue Yuxiao didn't stop, only replied: "It's you who should be afraid." ”

Drum Hit Bell (2)