The "female thief" in the night clothes looked forward vigilantly for a while, lowered her head, bent her waist, and got into the dark hole.

"Whew!"

In the darkness, she exhaled softly, and the sparks sprang up, and a cluster of flames burned quietly.

The fire fold emitted an orange halo, dispelling the surrounding darkness, and she held the fire fold to look at the cave wall a few times, and the traces of artificial excavation were very obvious.

The woman in black's free hand reached to her waist, where a short blade was pinned.

The short blade slowly unsheathed without making a sound, and a fire-colored halo illuminated the blade, revealing a pitch black, devouring light.

This weapon is called Ink Fang, with the fangs of the Dark Iron and the Ink Scale Beast as the main materials, refining for up to a month, and it is one of the most proud works of Si Tianjian Song Qing...

In addition, the great formation mage Yang Qianhuan personally burned the formation for the ink tooth, making it one of the top magic weapons under the peerless divine weapon.

The ink tooth has a triple formation, the first is to bless the blade to make it sharper and sharpen iron like clay, the second to bless the blade to enhance its toughness, even if it is a four-rank martial artist, it cannot be easily damaged, and the third is to teleport at short distances, coming and going without a trace, which is very suitable for close combat.

The woman in black held the fire fold in one hand and the ink tooth in the other, and walked forward slowly.

Along the way, she was not ambushed, and the tunnel in the cave was not long, and it was not long before she came to the end, and at the end was a stone chamber.

The furnishings in this stone room are very simple, with a stone plate resembling a grinding disc in the center, about two zhang in diameter, and the stone disc is engraved with twisted runes, densely packed. The stone wall is inlaid with an oil bowl.

Nothing else.

The woman in black examined it cautiously for a moment, then walked around the wall, examining each bowl of oil, which was dusty and the wick had dried up, and no one had refueled them for a long time.

Each bowl can be easily picked up, and there are no mechanisms. Knocking on the wall, there is a heavy echo, which proves that there is no hidden fit in the wall, no mechanism.

After a round of inspection, the woman in black approached the stone pan, her incomparably promoted knocking and beating, and she was highly vigilant.

A quarter of an hour later, the fire broke out, and she blew on another one.

"Pingyuan Bo's Mansion is the residence of the imperial gift, and the royal family has built the mansion with strict specifications, so it must be the best place to choose feng shui. What better location in the capital than in the dragon vein?

"Li Miaozhen said that it is difficult to practice the method of earth escape, and there is no possibility that both Pingyuan Bo and King Huai's secret agents can control this secret method, so this stone plate is the earth escape technique teleportation formation, and it needs special techniques to activate. Once activated, it will be teleported to the appropriate place. Where could that place be, somewhere in the palace?

Hengyuan was angry and broke into the mansion, Pingyuan must have thought about escaping into this tunnel and escaping through teleportation. But he didn't succeed, maybe he was killed by Hengyuan as soon as he opened the secret passage........

But Hengyuan doesn't know anything else, it is impossible to think of too many things with a secret passage alone, and it is normal for the noble mansion to build a secret passage. But in ........ In his eyes, this is a huge flaw, so Hengyuan must die.

"So far, my speculations have been verified and nothing has been wronged. I don't know if Xu Qi'an's guy didn't think of it, or ignored it temporarily. It always felt like he knew more, like, why did His Majesty collect a batch of people on a regular basis, and what did he do with those innocent people?"

The woman in black fell into deep thought.

After a long time, she sighed, gathered her thoughts, stared at the stone plate carefully, and memorized it for ten minutes, imprinting all the details in her mind accurately.

Then, holding the fire fold, she walked out of the chamber with her feet in hand.

...........

June 18, the beginning of autumn!

After the three festivals, the day of the army's march finally arrived.

Early in the morning of this day, Wei Yuan led a group of generals, riding horses, from the main road of the imperial city, towards the army camp outside the capital.

"Swaggering through the market" is an indispensable process, and the title of the gold list and the expedition have always been national events, and they must be swaggered through the market and widely publicized.

In the vast team of hundreds of people, Wei Yuan was at the forefront, he was still dressed in green clothes, his temples were white, and he was elegant and handsome.

Just like it was back then.

The people on both sides of the main road were full of people, and after such a long time of propaganda and warm-up, the people had already accepted the matter of fighting and silently watched the procession travel.

In the crowd, an old man with gray hair stared fixedly at the green clothes, and suddenly burst into tears and cried.

"Dad, why are you crying?"

Beside the old man, the young man asked blankly.

"Duke Wei, Duke Wei has finally led the troops again........."

The old man grabbed his son's hand tightly, mixed with joy and sorrow: "When my father joined the army, he followed Duke Wei to Shanhaiguan, and he also came back with him. Twenty-one years have passed, and Wei Gong is still the same as back then, but his sideburns are gray. At that time, I remember that His Majesty stood at the head of the city and personally beat the drum to see off the Duke of Wei. ”

His Majesty beats the drum......... The young son's eyes widened in disbelief.

Many older people, seeing the scene of the Confucian leader in Tsing Yi, remembered the Battle of Shanhaiguan that year.

I remembered Dafeng and a military god, and I remembered this Tsing Yi Confucian who was the king of Zhenbei who couldn't get ahead.

Especially the old man who had joined the army, when he saw Wei Qingyi leading the soldiers again, he burst into tears, or was excited, or mixed with joy and sorrow.

"Duke Wei, it's Duke Wei........"

"It's been twenty years, a full twenty years, and I finally saw Duke Wei leading the troops again. ”

"For so many years, I have almost forgotten the scenery of Wei Gong leading thousands of troops to the west, Wei Gong, why did you hide in the court after the Battle of Shanhaiguan, do you know how sad the brothers were back then........"

It is difficult for young people to understand the feelings of the older generation, and it is difficult to understand how glorious the green clothes were in the past.

On the side of the street, Xu Pingzhi, who was responsible for maintaining law and order, had a long knife on his waist and hips, staring at him in a daze, suddenly like a dream.

"Lord Baihu, you also fought the Battle of Shanhaiguan back then, Duke Wei, is there really such a god?"

A young sword guard asked in a low voice.

"For the people of our generation, Wei Gong is here, and the military heart is there. He's the kind of person who makes people willing to die for it. Xu Pingzhi sighed:

"It's hard for young people of your generation to understand us back then. Sooner or later, though, you'll experience it. Well, wait until you're done fighting the Witch God Cult. ”

"I heard that during the Battle of Shanhaiguan that year, His Majesty personally beat drums at the head of the city?" asked another Imperial Sword Guard.

"The Battle of Shanhaiguan is related to the survival of the country, which is naturally different. This time, I can't see it. Xu Pingzhi said regretfully.

Behind Wei Yuan, Jiang Luzhong, an old man who had followed Wei Qingyi on the expedition, heard the discussion of the people on the street, and couldn't help but think of the past.

During the Battle of Shanhaiguan, the troops of the whole country were put into the war, and the dragon robe personally stood at the head of the city and beat the drum to see him off, what a scenery.

It would be great if Your Majesty could beat the drum again!

The old people of that year thought from the bottom of their hearts.

It's just that His Majesty is not the Ming Jun of the year, Emperor Yuan Jing at that time, wise and martial, diligent in government affairs, and swept away the depression of the first emperor's period.

His Majesty is now obsessed with monasticism and has been lazy for many years.

Things have long been wrong.

At the head of the city, the civil officials led by Wang Zhenwen, the military generals led by several dukes, and the clans led by the crown prince lined up at the head of the city, silently watching the slowly approaching procession at the end of the spacious main road below.

"Back then, when Wei Yuan went on an expedition, His Majesty personally climbed to the top of the city and beat drums to send him off. Only then did the capital go up and down, and everyone was united. Wang Zhenwen said with emotion.

The old ministers who had experienced the Battle of Shanhaiguan were slightly in a trance.

"I asked why there was no one beating a drum at the head of the city, because no one was qualified anymore. The military department said suddenly.

Twenty years ago, he was not a Beijing official and served in other places.

Hearing this, the crown prince, the fourth prince and others, their eyes were slightly hot, if they could follow the example of their father and beat the drum to see him off, it would be in the limelight.

However, most of the clans just thought about it casually and didn't dare to really do it.

There are only two people who can do this on the spot, one is the prince of the East Palace, and the other is the fourth prince of the queen's concubine.

Next to the prince, Lin'an, who was wearing a fiery red palace dress, pursed his lips, imagining the picture, and was a little stupid for a while:

"When my father was the emperor, he must have been heroic. ”

I really want to see the scene of my father beating drums to see him off.

Huaiqing also showed some expectations, what is the attention of all the people, and the light is shining?

The champion of the title of the gold list is counted as one, and the masterpiece made at the poetry meeting is also counted, Wei Yuan at this time is counted as one, and the father and emperor wore a dragon robe to the head of the city and beat the drum for the army, which is also counted as one.

The crown prince and the fourth prince were a little moved.

"Since my father is not coming, then the palace will personally beat the drum, and the army will go out, how can there be no one to beat the drum?"

He knew that there would be a certain amount of encroachment in doing so, but this kind of thing was not a taboo in etiquette after all, and even if his father knew about it, he would be displeased at most. And he can win great prestige.

After weighing it, the prince was a little eager to try.

The fourth prince frowned, and was about to refute, when he heard Huaiqing say, "Fourth brother, your qualifications are not enough. ”

The fourth prince was angry and transmitted: "Then who is still qualified?"

Speaking of which, the four princes are quite outstanding among the princes, and he is a seventh-rank martial artist.

Huaiqing shook his head and did not answer.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wang Zhenwen stopped for a moment, blocking the way for the prince to walk towards the big drum, and said warmly:

"As far as your status is concerned, it is inappropriate for you to do so, and it will displease Your Majesty. In terms of prestige, you are lacking in qualifications. As far as Wei Yuan is concerned, you still lack some qualifications. ”

The crown prince frowned: "Then according to Lord Shoufu, who is qualified?"

Wang Zhenwen glanced over his shoulder, looked at the steps, and smiled: "Qualified people are here." ”

Everyone turned around, only to see a young man, with a long knife on his waist and hips, he walked very slowly, and the guards on both sides were like facing a great enemy, trembling all over, trying to pull out the knife, but they couldn't pull it out.

Huaiqing and Lin'an's beautiful eyes invariably flashed brightly.

"Xu Qi'an!"

In Xun Guili, someone gritted his teeth.

Xu Qi'an ignored it, only nodded at Wang Zhenwen, and walked straight to the big drum.

The four princes' eyes moved slightly, and they remained silent.

The prince stared at him sharply, sideways in front of him, blocking the way.

"Brother Prince, get out of the way. Lin'an pushed him with his elbow outward.

In terms of identity, he doesn't have to worry about his father in what he does. In terms of prestige, the people of the capital cheered and sang praises to him. As far as Wei Yuan is concerned, he is too qualified......... The prince snorted softly and stepped aside.

Xu Qi'an pulled out the drumstick and beat the drum hard.

...........

"Boom!"

"Knock knock!"

"Knock Knock Knock ........"

There was a sound of drums at the head of the city, first a dull sound, then two, and then the drums were dense like rain, and one after another echoed in the sky.

Including Wei Yuan, everyone either raised their heads or looked sideways at the city wall.

On top of the city walls, there are people beating drums!

"Look, it's Xu Yingong!"

In the crowd, there were shouts of surprise.

"It's Xu Yingong beating the drum. ”

"Xu Yingong is beating drums for the army to see them off. ”

The mood of the people suddenly soared, shouting loudly and with enthusiasm.

Lin'an sometimes looked at the lowly people, and sometimes looked at Xu Qi'an's back, she smiled brightly and innocently.

The corners of Huaiqing's mouth turned up slightly.

Jiang Lu squinted, looked at the young and upright figure on the city wall, and listened to the passionate cheers of the people, inexplicably in a trance.

At that time, the dragon robe beat drums at the head of the city, and the people in the city cheered.

Twenty years have passed in a flash, the people who beat the drums have changed, and the people are still cheering.

They were silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled heartily.

Wei Yuan raised his head and stared at the young man at the head of the city, a hint of relief flashed in his eyes containing vicissitudes.

Twenty years ago, there was Wei Yuan, and twenty years later, there was Xu Qi'an.

Very good!

............

PS: The story of Wei Yuan and the queen, I will definitely explain it later, don't worry, be a little patient. The plot of a book slowly advances, and when it comes to the right place, write the right plot. It's impossible to throw everything out at once.