After the 16,000 knives were completed, Meng Ran was already tired and collapsed to the ground, and the whole person was like a lump of mud, lazily unable to help up.

Geng Huyuan didn't pay attention to him, just quietly listened to Meng Ran's snoring and wheezing.

After a while, the maid Luping brought a pot of hot tea, and after feeding Meng Ran a few cups, he quietly retreated, and did not speak the whole time.

Geng Huyuan looked at the figure of Tingting on the green screen, and asked with a smile: "Meng Ran, if it weren't for Mr. Qi's approval, would you leave Lin'an?"

Meng Ran thought seriously for a while and replied, "Well, the probability is not very high. ”

Geng Huyuan asked again, "Why?"

Meng Ran said without thinking: "The ancestral blessing can fully support the food and clothing in the house, and I don't want to be an official, so it doesn't matter whether I leave my hometown or not." If you don't need to leave your hometown, why not accompany your mother every day, read and write. ”

Meng Ran paused for a moment and continued: "After I tie my hair, I will fulfill the marriage contract and marry Xue'er, if I have an heir, in addition to serving my mother every day, I can tease the child, and when he grows up, teach him to read and write, play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, ......."

Meng Ran's thoughts were flying, as if a happy and wonderful life was right in front of him, with a happy look on his face.

Geng Huyuan sighed, unable to bear to interrupt Meng Ran's conjecture.

At this time, two footsteps, one light and one heavy, broke the good life that Meng Ran had imagined, his face sank, and his eyes looked coldly in the direction of the small door.

The footsteps continued, and there were already two more figures in the backyard, which were the swordsman surnamed Lin and Zhou Xiaowu, the son of Zhou Xiaowu, who were ordered to go.

Meng Ran smiled at the prisoner under the stairs, and said coldly: "Yo, isn't this the eldest prince of Zhou, why is his face bored? Is there something unpleasant? Say it and let everyone help you." ”

Zhou Xiaowu's face changed several times, and finally froze on a calm and breezy appearance, and he asked lightly, "Is there anything Brother Meng Xian looking for me?"

Meng Ran stood up, gently patted Zhou Xiaowu's cheek with the long knife in his hand, and said with a smile: "Do you really want me to ask? ”

However, in the past month, Zhou Xiaowu's self-cultivation has improved a lot, and in the face of such a banter and insult, he was still calm, and said very calmly: "I think the virtuous brother should have listened to the villain's slander, so he had some misunderstanding about me." I have been busy with the affairs of the yamen in recent days, and I have neglected the virtuous brother a little, and I hope that the virtuous brother will not be surprised. ”

When Meng Ran heard this, he really put down the long knife and asked, "Then you mean that your family's servant is a villain?"

Zhou Xiaowu said without hesitation: "It's all up to the virtuous brother to decide." I believe that with the wisdom of the virtuous brother, he will not be deceived by shameless traitors and destroy the friendship between us. ”

The swordsman surnamed Lin did not change his expression, and he still stood there upright, not taking Zhou Xiaowu's words to heart, just looking at Meng Ran.

Meng Ran bypassed Zhou Xiaowu, glanced at the swordsman surnamed Lin lightly, and then said to Zhou Xiaowu: "Brother Zhou, such a statement is not enough, do you have any other reasons?"

When Zhou Xiaowu heard this, he instantly became confident, and when he came to the Meng Mansion, he had never seen any communication between Meng Ran and the swordsman, which meant that the swordsman was insignificant to Meng Ran and not worth mentioning.

"This swordsman's surname is Lin, others call him Lao Lin, he is my old man's servant, I can't call him on weekdays, so I don't know his intentions and purposes. If the virtuous brother listens to his words and has a gap with me, it will only let outsiders see the joke and let outsiders benefit. Zhou Xiaowu said.

"Anything else?" Meng Ran asked expressionlessly.

Zhou Xiaowu thought that Meng Ran had believed his words, and continued to add fuel and vinegar: "Maybe Lao Lin has been bought by other people, and wants to take this opportunity to create contradictions, and after you and I fight, we will reap the benefits of the fisherman." ”

Meng Ran smiled lightly, looked straight at Lao Lin, and asked, "Lao Lin, do you have anything to say?"

The swordsman surnamed Lin was not angry or panicked, but said in a gloomy tone: "I have nothing to say." ”

Zhou Xiaowu was secretly happy in his heart, he knew that Lao Lin was not good at words, so he would definitely not argue too much, in this way, things would become very simple.

Meng Ran turned to look at Zhou Xiaowu and asked in a deep voice, "Brother Zhou thinks it's better to deal with Lao Lin?"

Zhou Xiaowu thought for a while, and said without thinking: "For this kind of villain who breaks into people's private houses and betrays his disloyalty, he should be killed." ”

Meng Ran smiled lightly and ordered, "Lao Lin, let Master Zhou calm down." ”

Zhou Xiaowu thought that Meng Ran was telling a joke, and by the time he reacted, the person had already fallen into the cold South Lake, struggling and shouting.

Meng Ran squatted slowly on the bluestone slab by the lake, and asked with a smile, "Brother Zhou, are you calm?"

"Virtuous brother... Goo... What does this mean, Brother Xian?" Zhou Xiaowu asked puzzled as he fluttered.

Meng Ran commanded in a low voice: "Lao Lin, pull him to the shore, I want to question." ”

The swordsman surnamed Lin stretched out a long knife, handed it to Zhou Xiaowu, and pulled it to the side of the bluestone slab.

Meng Ran smiled at Zhou Xiaowu, who was pulling on the bluestone slab, and asked gently, "Brother Zhou, do you know why I let you calm down?"

At this point, Zhou Xiaowu still didn't show any other emotions, his wet shoulders trembled, and he forced a smile and said, "I don't know what the virtuous brother means? ”

Meng Ran smiled and said jokingly: "Seeing that Brother Zhou didn't eat at night, he needs to catch two fish to eat." ”

Without waiting for Meng Ran's orders, the long knife in Lao Lin's hand had already poked Zhou Xiaowu's shoulder and pressed him into the water.

After dozens of breaths, Meng Ran coughed lightly, Lao Lin put away his knife and stood, Zhou Xiaowu slowly surfaced, and continued to pick up the stone slab by the lake.

After a violent cough, Meng Ran asked, "Brother Zhou, do you really have nothing to say to me?" Why don't you think about it? After all, the weather is cold, and taking a cold shower is not good for your health. ”

Zhou Xiaowu spat out a mouthful of lake water and hissed: "There is a kind of you killing me." ”

Meng Ran asked slowly, "Do you think I don't dare?"

Zhou Xiaowu asked rhetorically, "Do you dare?"

"Why don't I dare?" Meng Ran smiled lightly and said slowly: "The eldest son and the beautiful woman in the county lord's mansion were swimming in Nanhu Lake at night, and unfortunately crashed and drowned, what do you think of such news?"

The corners of Zhou Xiaowu's mouth twitched a few times.

Meng Ran continued: "Brother Zhou, if you can leave a romantic name after death, it can be regarded as a worthy life, what do you think?"

Zhou Xiaowu snorted coldly, and said in a cold tone: "Meng Ran, do you really want to break the net?"

Meng Ran picked up the long knife in his hand, slapped Zhou Xiaowu's forehead, and said with a smile: "Does Master Zhou have any other great hole cards? ”

Zhou Xiaowu put his right hand into his arms, took out a small iron card, threw it on Meng Ran's body, and hissed: "Look for yourself." ”

Meng Ran picked up the token, only to see that the swarthy iron plate had the words 'Xuan Wolf Guard' on it, Meng Ran's heart trembled, but his face looked like he didn't care much, and said with a smile: "You just rely on this?"

"Isn't my identity as the Imperial City Wolf Guard enough?" Zhou Xiaowu said angrily.

As soon as these words came out, Geng Huyuan and Lao Lin were shocked, but their reactions were not quite the same.

Geng Huyuan was already a wanted criminal in the imperial court many years ago, and he didn't care much about the identity of the Imperial City Division, a small pawn, he would kill if he killed him, but he just felt that he would get into trouble, and he didn't have too many concerns.

The reaction of the swordsman Lao Lin was much stronger, although he was resentful of the military generals who were greedy for merit, but he never thought of going against the imperial court, especially after he had been stable for many years, and the pride in his heart had been reduced by more than half, and he had no intention of going against this wolf-like institution, because he had an indescribable fear after knowing Zhou Xiaowu's true identity.

"Not enough. Meng Ran shook his head and said slowly: "You know about Ma Shun protecting me, right? The matter of him chatting with me in the prison was also arranged by your father, right? Don't you want to know what he is looking for me for?"

Zhou Xiaowu's heart chuckled, and he subconsciously asked, "What is the matter with Ma Zongqi looking for you?"

Meng Ran smiled and said sarcastically: "You also deserve to know, just with your identity as a mung bean, you also want to know what Ma Shun is looking for me?"

Zhou Xiaowu's face was very ugly, and there was already a storm in his heart. He had an in-depth conversation with Ma Shun before he left Jiaxing, and knew Ma Shun's appreciation of Meng Ran, and secretly heard some different meanings. Combined with what happened in the past and Meng Ran's arrogant posture now, he vaguely understood that Meng Ran may also be a shadow buried by Ma Shun, but Meng Ran's identity is more prominent than him.

After thinking about all this, Zhou Xiaowu smiled flatteringly at Meng Ran, and said in a low voice: "Brother Xian, everything is a misunderstanding, it is for my brother to be confused for a while, you will spare me this time, I will definitely repay your kindness." ”

Meng Ran just thought about it for a while, and he already understood that Zhou Xiaowu's thinking was led crooked by himself, he gently curled the corners of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Brother Zhou, it's not impossible to let you go, it's just that it depends on whether you are worthy of cooperation." ”

Zhou Xiaowu nodded like pounding garlic, and said in a panic: "If Brother Meng Xian has any orders, just say it, my brother will definitely do it." ”

Meng Ran asked very casually, "Really?"

Zhou Xiaowu replied solemnly: "Really." Whatever it is, I'll do it. ”

Meng Ran smiled and said softly: "Since this is the case, you can come up first, the autumn water is cold, don't freeze your body." ”

Zhou Xiaowu used both hands and feet, and climbed the bluestone slab with great difficulty, leaving a pool of water stains on the ground.

Meng Ran commanded to the swordsman: "Lao Lin, go and get a bottle of spirits, let Brother Zhou drive away the cold first." ”

Zhou Xiaowu arched his hand and thanked him very politely: "Thank you brother Xian, I am grateful for my brother." ”

"You're welcome, this is what the little brother should do. Meng Ran smiled lightly and continued: "Before I give orders, I want to ask a question, why does Brother Zhou repeatedly oppose me?"

Zhou Xiaowu smiled awkwardly and said in a sullen voice: "Part of it is the grudge that I formed before, and part of it is not because I am not angry with Ma Zongqi's appreciation of you." ”

Meng Ran looked at the soup chicken in front of him with a shocked expression, and asked, "It's that simple?"

Zhou Xiaowu hummed softly, "It's as simple as that." ”