The eve of the Jade Dragon Festival......

In the dead of night, Cao Qin, dressed as a night walker, left the Jade Tiger Hall unconsciously and went straight to the east of Huodu City, where there was a secluded birch forest.

"Cao Qin is here, you should also show up quickly!"

Standing in the dim birch forest, Cao Qin suddenly shouted out of thin air, and the gloomy voice was like a flat ground exploding a thunder in the silent forest, and like a mud cow entering the sea, the aftersound echoed endlessly, but there was no response for a long time.

"With such a loud voice, isn't Hall Master Cao afraid of being discovered?"

A playful woman's voice suddenly sounded from behind Cao Qin, and I saw a man in black slowly walking out from behind the tree, covering his face with a black scarf, revealing only a pair of beautiful apricot eyes, in which a sly light emerged.

"In the middle of the night, there are no ghosts in the barren mountains and mountains, how can there be anyone?" Cao Qin snorted indifferently, "Since you are here, why do you hide in front of me, are you also afraid of being recognized?"

The woman couldn't help but let out a chuckle when she heard this, and then reached out to take off the black scarf, and suddenly revealed a handsome and delicate face, and at this moment there was an intriguing smile on the corner of her mouth.

This woman is Xun Qin.

"You shouldn't have asked me to come here. The moment Cao Qin saw Xun Qin, a monstrous killing intent suddenly appeared in his eyes, and he said viciously, "You sent my son's severed hand today, and you dare to ask me out to meet alone in the middle of the night, aren't you afraid that I will kill you in anger?"

"It's better to send a severed hand than to send a human head, Hall Master Cao is a smart person, how can he not be able to distinguish the pros and cons?" Xun Qin ignored Cao Qin's threat at all, shook his head and smiled lightly, "Hall Master Cao is reluctant to kill me, because if I die, your precious son will disappear with me." ”

"You ......"

"Without further ado, did you bring anything I wanted?" Without waiting for Cao Qin to get angry, Xun Qin looked straight and asked straight to the point.

Hearing this, Cao Qin snorted angrily: "Has Cao agreed to your request?"

"Although Hall Master Cao didn't agree, the fact that you can come here to see me tonight is enough to explain everything. Xun Qin smiled unhurriedly, "In your heart, your son's life is more important than the stormy picture that doesn't belong to you at all." ”

"You asked me out just to say this?" Cao Qin insisted, "Then you should have known my answer, I can't give you the picture." ”

"Why?" asked curiously, raising his eyebrows.

Cao Qin looked at Xun Qin with a complicated expression, and was silent for a long time before he spoke reluctantly: "At the beginning, I did intend to give you the diagram in exchange for Rui'er, but at that time I thought that this diagram was not important to the palace master. But later I found out that the palace master actually sent Ding Sanye to Huodu to monitor me in person...... In other words, my every move has already been fully watched by the palace master, and if I compromise with you, I will not be able to explain it at all when I see the palace master in the future. At that time, it will not be just Rui'er who will be in trouble, but my entire Cao family. Disobeying the order of the palace master without authorization will inevitably lead to ruin. If it were you, which of the two was more important, it must be very clear, right?"

"In that case, why did Hall Master Cao still come tonight?" asked Xun Qin quietly.

"Because ......" Cao Qin hesitated again and again, changing his previous anger and replacing it with a thick worry, pleading with a mouthful, "Because I want you to let Rui'er go, except for the stormy rain map, I can give you whatever you want." My Cao family is a single lineage, if something really goes wrong with Rui'er, it will mean a dead end for my Cao family, so I ......"

"Son, you want to go back, but you don't want to hand it over. With just your red mouth and white teeth, and a few words of begging me in a low voice, I will waste days of hard work. Xun Qin nodded slightly and paradoxically, then turned his beautiful eyes and asked with a smile, "Hall Master Cao, if it were you, do you think there would be such a cheap thing in the world?"

"As long as you are willing to put Rui'er back, I, Cao Qin, am willing to be a cow and a horse for you......"

"Then give me the storm and rain map, and I will ensure that your son will appear in front of you safely tomorrow. Xun Qin couldn't help but refuse, "Otherwise, Hall Master Cao will wait to collect his son's body!"

"Do you believe that I will collect the body for you first?" Cao Qinden was furious, glaring at Xun Qin with a pair of red eyes, opening his teeth and claws to pull away from the stand, as if he was ready to shoot at Xun Qin at any time.

"If you dare to act rashly, your son will surely die. Xun Qin said coldly without fear, "Moreover, you may not be able to kill me!" As for this, Xun Qin casually glanced left and right a few times, and the meaning was self-evident.

The angry Cao Qin gasped for breath, and the joints of his fingers clicked as he clenched. But even so, he still didn't dare to make a move on Xun Qin, not because he was afraid that Xun Qin would hide an ambush around, but because he didn't dare to gamble with his son's life.

"Girl...... Don't deceive people too much!" Cao Qin said through gritted teeth, "You are forcing me so much now, it is tantamount to making me choose between losing my son and being punished." You should know that no matter which result of the two, I, Cao Qin, will never accept it. ”

"Hall Master Cao. Xun Qin's tone softened, and he comforted, "The reason why you can't agree to my request is because Ren Wuya sent Ding Ao to spy on you, in fact, this is why I asked you out to meet alone: avoid the eyes of outsiders and give Hall Master Cao a step." Here and now, you will hand over the storm and rain map to me, God knows, you know I know. Beyond that, there will never be a third person who knows about it. ”

It seemed that he was bewitched by Xun Qin, or Cao Qin was not strong-willed, so he began to hesitate.

After thinking about it repeatedly, Cao Qin frowned and said, "If you have a way...... If I can not be punished by the palace master, then I will ...... Here you go. ”

For this result, Xun Qin seems to have expected it for a long time. I saw that she nodded with satisfaction and smiled: "Actually, before the Lord of the Cao Hall came here, I had already prepared a gift for you, a gift that was enough to keep you at ease." ”

"What is it?"

Under Cao Qin's puzzled gaze, Xun Qin pulled out a simple painting scroll from his sleeve and said, "Can Hall Master Cao recognize what this is?"

Cao Qin shook his head with puzzled eyes.

Xun Qin slowly unfolded the scroll, and suddenly an ancient painting very similar to the picture of the storm and rain appeared in front of Cao Qin's eyes. Similar to the real storm map, the painting is also painted in the landscape meridians, and the writing is also in the Jin country script, regardless of the style or the degree of dilapidation, it seems to be the same, for people who have never seen the storm and rain map, I am afraid it is difficult to distinguish which is true and which is false.

Cao Qin exclaimed in surprise: "You are ......"

"This is the 'Storm and Rain Map' given to Hall Master Cao, you can use this map to make a difference to Ren Wuya. Xun Qin explained, "Not only has Ren Wuya never seen the real Stormy Rain Diagram, I think that in the entire Tianshan Jade Dragon Palace, the only person who can see the Stormy Rain Diagram with your own eyes is you, Hall Master Cao." So if you say which picture is true, it's true, and what is false is true. If you say that any picture is fake, it is fake, and the real picture is also false. ”

"This ......" Cao Qin was speechless for a long time, just staring blankly at the fake picture in Xun Qin's hand.

"I've already shown sincerity, I don't know what Cao Tang thinks?" Xun Qin asked with a smile, "If Hall Master Cao is willing to exchange with the little girl, then it is our friend." For my friends, how can I watch you suffer? In addition, I also have a small gift, so that Master Cao will be prepared. There are many friends in the rivers and lakes, and the master of Cao Tang is a smart person, whether he watched his son die in vain, or made a friend of a little girl, I believe you should know how to choose. ”

Under Xun Qin's repeated instigation, Cao Qin hesitated again and again, but finally couldn't resist the love for his son in his heart, stretched out his trembling hand, and slowly took out the real frightening rain map from his arms.

Looking at this picture, Xun Qin's eyes suddenly burst with excitement.

"Where is Rui'er?" asked Cao Qin with an ugly face.

"Now that things are in a uproar, if I return my son to you today, how can you explain it to Ren Wuya?" Xun Qin said, "The so-called help people to the end and send the Buddha to the west." Since Master Cao is willing to give me the picture, then I will help you make a full set of dramas to ensure that you are seamless. ”

"What do you mean?" At this moment, Cao Qin was already distraught, the six gods had no master, where did he have any opinions?

"Didn't you send someone to inform me that I would ransom people in front of Ye Zilin at the beginning of tomorrow?" Xun Qin said, "I will send someone to take Ling Gongzi to Ye Zilin tomorrow." Without waiting for Cao Qin to ask, Xun Qin had already taken the initiative to assure, "Don't worry, during this period, Ling Gongzi will definitely not lose a single hair." Master Cao, my purpose is to frighten the wind and rain map, if I can get this map, do you think I will cause more trouble for myself? Ling Gongzi is useless to me, if I don't give it back to you, how can you let me go easily? I'm not stupid, I still understand this truth. ”

"You think I'll believe you?" Cao Qinhu asked.

"Hall Master Cao is afraid that he has misunderstood. Xun Qin smiled, "It's not you helping me now, it's me helping you." If Hall Master Cao doesn't need the little girl's help, then I'll go back now and bring Ling Gongzi here, and you can take him home later." How?"

Cao Qin thought about it again and again, although he longed to rescue Cao Rui immediately, but he also understood that if he brought Cao Rui back tonight, he would definitely not be able to explain to outsiders, and the slightest carelessness would be full of loopholes, which would arouse suspicion. Rather than that, it's better to wait another day.

"That'...... I'll give you this picture tomorrow......"

"Hall Master Cao, do you think I don't know that you have secretly informed the Jade Dragon Palace about the ambush set up in Ye Zilin tomorrow?" Xun Qin's eyes were cold, and he snorted lightly, "Could it be that until now, Hall Master Cao still wants to play tricks with me? In order to help Cao Tang star in this play, I have done my best to be benevolent, if the master of Cao Tang pushes back again, then we will go our own way!"

"Wait. Cao Qin hurriedly stopped, "I just lost my words, and I beg you not to hurt Rui'er." This picture of stormy rain ...... I'll give it to you!" As he spoke, Cao Qin gritted his teeth and simply threw the picture to Xun Qin, followed by a helpless sigh from his mouth.

Xun Qin unfolded the storm and rain map and studied it carefully, and after a long time, he put it away quite satisfied, and then threw the fake to Cao Qin, and said with a smile: "Master Cao, may we all take what we need and be safe with each other." ”

"What did you mean when you just said that if I give you the picture, you will also have a small gift?" Cao Qin said, "It won't just be with me to act, right?"

"Of course, it's not just that. Xun Qin said that, he took out three more scrolls from his sleeve, threw them all in front of Cao Qin, and said with a smile, "There are three fakes here, Master Cao will accept them together!"

Seeing this, Cao Qin couldn't help but smile bitterly and laughed at himself: "What? Do you plan to want me to sell fake paintings?"

"Tomorrow to trade with my people, you always need a picture, right?" Xun Qin said with a smile, "And in addition to trading, there should be people secretly watching the storm map, maybe tomorrow will also wait for the opportunity to do it." I've prepared a few more pictures for you, and I don't want anything else but to be prepared. And true and false, false and real, you can gain Ren Wuya's trust more, maybe he will praise you for being cautious in handling things. In this way, wouldn't Hall Master Cao be able to get another benefit?"

Cao Qin thought about it for a while, accepted all the four fake pictures, and said in a deep voice: "I only care about Rui'er's safety, I will believe you once tonight, I hope you will keep your word." If not, even if I, Cao Qin, risk being executed, I will definitely entrust this matter to the Ming Palace Master, and when the time comes, the Tianshan Jade Dragon Palace will issue a chase and kill order in the rivers and lakes, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, you will definitely be broken into pieces. ”

"The little woman knows that the master of Cao Tang is mighty, and she will never dare to play tricks again!" Xun Qin pretended to be quite well-behaved, and nodded again and again, "The little woman swears to the sky that at the beginning of tomorrow, Gongzi Cao will appear in Yezilin safe and sound." ”

Cao Qin took a deep look at Xun Qin, and then looked down at the four fake pictures in his hand, and a touch of indescribable complexity flashed on his face. After hesitating for a while, Fang asked in a low voice, "There is something...... If you want to say it, say it, if you don't want to say it, forget it!"

"Master Cao, please speak!"

"The picture of the storm is true and false...... Not many people have seen the real thing......" Cao Qin muttered, "How can you tell that what I give you must be the real thing? Aren't you afraid that I will also deceive you with a fake picture? Or have you seen the real thing before? If not, you will never be able to imitate the fake picture vividly......

"I did take great pains to make these fakes. Xun Qin smiled lightly, "Since Hall Master Cao is willing to believe me, then I will no longer deceive." In fact, there is a little-known secret hidden in the storm and rain map, which can help people distinguish the authenticity. The meridians of the mountain road in the picture are all depicted by black lines, only the lower left corner of the que, about the size of a fingernail, is outlined by the blue line, because the colors are very similar, so people who do not know can not notice it at all, even if they perceive it, I am afraid that they will be mistaken for a long time, so the color is slightly old. There is also the Jin Guo script in the picture, which is mostly bright and yellow, but the second word and the penultimate word are made of gold thread. Therefore, as long as you recognize these three places, even if you have not seen the real work before, you can see at a glance whether it is true or false. ”

"And how do you know these secrets?"

"Hall Master Cao, there are some things that you still know as little as possible. Xun Qin prevaricated with a smile.

"Since you can know the secret of distinguishing the truth from the fake, will the palace master also know it?" Cao Qin was still skeptical.

"It is possible to know, or it is possible not to know. Xun Qin replied plausibly, "Just like you bet that I will release your son, whether Ren Wuya knows this secret, Hall Master Cao also needs to gamble! What's more, your chances of winning are far greater than losing." ”

Seeing Xun Qin talking about him left and right, Cao Qin also knew that he had no choice now, so he turned his heart sideways, arched his hand heavily towards Xun Qin, and turned to leave quickly, disappearing at the end of the darkness.

"True and false, false and true, false and true! I don't know that among these fake pictures I gave you, there is also the one that the Jade Dragon Palace will give me tomorrow. Xun Qin muttered to himself, "Cao Qin, Cao Qin, when you hand over the last picture to Ren Wuya tomorrow, whether that picture is true or false, your life will be in danger." This is your doomed fate, from the time you were ordered to go to Quanzhou, you were destined to die soon. So you didn't choose the wrong one this time, and it is not a loss to be able to use a painting outside your body to save your precious son's life before you die. Alas!"

With a long sigh, Xun Qin carefully put away the frightened wind and rain map, and then put the black scarf back on his face, and flew up when he landed lightly, and disappeared into the dense forest with a few flashes.

......