In a small building in the countryside, the sunset is obliquely shining, and the swordsman who has been famous for many years suddenly tells the past with a frightened look and a low voice.

"The first time I met Lady Chop was many years ago. Liu Siye took a sip of light wine, and there was a look of nostalgia between his eyebrows, "At that time, when I first arrived in Huaiyang, I was young and vigorous, and I thought that I could sweep away the Huaiyang martial arts with a handful of returnees." As a result, he was chased and killed, seriously injured, fell into a mountain stream, and fed on morning dew and fragrant fruits. Seeing that he was about to disperse in the mountains and forests, he was rescued by a passer-by. Later, I learned that his family had lived in the mountains for generations, and they did not care about the world, and devoted themselves to studying the way of swords. ”

It has also been rumored on the rivers and lakes that Liu Siye was seriously injured and disappeared, but two years, it was convenient for Huaiyang Xiongdao to re-emerge from the rivers and lakes, at that time the knife technique has been completed, and the realm is a thousand miles a day, close to a product, in the male knife will return to the sea with a hundred battles God knife, defeated all the heroes, and finally fought with the first person of the knife at that time, the blood knife Tongshen Zhou is not too late, although it is undefeated and invincible, but it is enough to alarm Huaiyang. The name of Willow Leaf Villa has also spread since then.

Zhao Wu'an suddenly realized: "In this way, the sword technique of the predecessor was also taught by the life-saving benefactor?"

Liu Siye nodded, and sighed faintly: "That's still a pretty big family. I lived with them in the valley for two years, and my injuries healed quickly, and I had to be taught by them in my sword skills. Unfortunately, I had never heard the name of a single of them, and even when I was not present, they only called each other by code names, never by their first names, and seemed to be very sensitive to this. Therefore, I don't know much about them, and the only thing I've ever heard from my life-saving benefactor is that in the family altar, there is a demon knife that is rumored to be able to turn into a female ghost in red, called the Beauty Slash. ”

When you see a beautiful woman, you will be beheaded.

Zhao Wu'an was surprised: "Fourth Master Liu has seen that beautiful woman with his own eyes?"

"Yes. It's my fault. Liu Siye showed a painful look on his face, "There are two enemies who hunt me down, one of them is still righteous and pays attention to reputation, and the other is an outsider that is not tolerated by the Central Plains martial arts, so they will not take my life." Most of the time the cliff I fell down was searched by them, and finally they actually found the hidden family I borrowed. More than a hundred people poured out of the nest and killed in. ”

The evil sect in the rivers and lakes is crooked, and they come out to deal with a sword family hidden in the mountains and forests. Even though the family is superb in martial arts, but two fists are invincible to four hands, Zhao Wu'an caught a glimpse of the look on Liu Siye's face, and guessed most of the results of that battle.

"That family is good at forging knives, but they don't do it often. Therefore, when the battle was hastily encountered, the number of weapons was far inferior, and it was quickly defeated. Their goal was me, but the benefactors did not allow me to surrender to myself, but urged me to go to the altar, take the beautiful woman with me, and fly away at once. Liu Siye sighed and shook his head, "I still can't figure it out, why I gave up everything, but I just want to protect that beautiful woman, it's not really a female ghost among them, right?" Unexpectedly, the enemy was well prepared, and the altar had already planted an ambush, and it was directly slashed at the beauty. I worked hard to kill seven or eight percent of the enemy, and I knew that I would be defeated, so I used the last strength of my body to cut the beautiful woman down the deep stream. Under the stream is the surging angry water, with the weight of the beauty chop, most of them will be directly washed downstream, lost trace. That way, even if I die, they won't be able to get the beauty beheaded. At that time, I held the returnee with one hand, my back to the deep stream, and I was already blinded by the will to die. ”

At that time, the scene was really dangerous and abnormal, but now Liu Siye was sitting in front of Zhao Wu'an, drinking and eating food while talking, Zhao Wu'an obviously didn't have to doubt whether Liu Siye had escaped.

"How did the senior get out in the end?"

"Speaking of which, I would like to thank one person. Liu Siye said quietly, "At that time, he was still a hairy boy with a ghost hand book saint, and he arrived in time to save me." ”

Zhao Wu'an was stunned: "Lu Quanquan?"

Since entering Yangzhou, it is the second time I have come into contact with this name. Zhang Moxian's judge's pen was learned from him, there is no doubt about it. At that time, Zhao Wuan didn't have much doubt, although Lu Quanquan had been active in Shu for many years, but Zhang Moxian came from Kunlun East and it was not strange that he had been to Shu. But why did Liu Siye, who had been wandering in Huaiyang, actually meet the ghost hand book saint who was still young back then to help?

"It's strange to say, Lu Quanquan actually came here for the beauty. Liu Siye said eloquently, "Of course, we can't imagine that the little-known beauty in Huaiyang is like thunder in the Shuzhong area." Shuzhong is a place where famous swords come out in large numbers, and there are many knife forgers, but there is a family that neither takes the strong and majestic wind, nor is it good to be light, but wants to forge a life-killing knife that kills people in the dark. The beauty chop is their most proud work. As for why everyone in Shuzhong moved to Huaiyang to live in seclusion, it is another unsolved mystery. ”

Zhao Wu'an listened attentively and couldn't stop nodding. If the origin of the beauty is indeed so strange, and the place where she disappeared in the end is so secret, then He Zhigu is indeed a lot of suspicion.

"But he will never be the one who steals the beautiful woman. Zhao Wu'an looked at Liu Siye and said slowly, "When the beauty disappeared, he didn't even leave Yangzhou City. ”

What Zhao Jushi said was exact. Liu Siye smiled distressedly, "That's why I was very suspicious, and even spared no expense to invite Zhao Jushi to solve the case." Zhao Jushi, don't let me down, and don't let me bear the life-saving feelings of my former benefactor. ”

Zhao Wu'an leaned over and said: "If there is no stability, you should do your best." ”

At this point in the conversation, the sunset had completely set over the western hills, and the afterglow dissipated, leaving only a small patch of blood red, and the sky like a mist. The stars twinkled overhead, Zhao Wu'an and Liu Siye sat opposite each other and finished dinner.

After dinner, Zhao Wu'an wanted to say goodbye and go downstairs, but Liu Siye said lightly that it was okay and walked down the stairs with Zhao Wu'an. When he came to the courtyard on the first floor, Zhao Wu'an saw Dailou Sangyu squatting under the roots of the thick peach blossom tree in the courtyard, counting what he was doing, and smiled.

There were two or three stone tables and seven or eight stone benches in the courtyard, and the little Taoist aunt Tu Mi sat in the seat farthest away from Zhang Moxian, holding the sword in a daze. Liu Zhilei and Liu Jifeng were on Zhang Moxian's side, chatting with each other, and beside them, there was a woman in yellow, who was smiling calmly while adding tea to them.

Liu Zhilei seems to be cold and rejects people thousands of miles away, but he does not reduce his cordiality when he treats his family, and the relationship between brothers is harmonious. Everyone in Willow Leaf Villa, Liu Siye manages it really well.

The woman in yellow raised her head, glanced at Zhao Wu'an from afar, blushed in an instant, lowered her head, and didn't dare to look again.

Liu Siye snorted and laughed: "The little girl Liu Qingxia is one year younger than Su Lei, and her temperament has been like this since she was a child. But Xiuya is dignified, and she is not the kind of woman that Jianghu people will hate. ”

Zhao Wu'an smiled and said: "Under the door of Liu Siye's tiger father's house, how can there be dogs and children? ”

Thinking about it carefully, after eating for a long time, I still didn't ask why there were so few servants in Willow Leaf Villa, and even his daughter had to pour tea for her two sons.

Seeing Zhao Wu'an and Liu Siye coming down side by side, Mo Dao, who was standing in the corridor, obviously hesitated, cautiously came over, first bowed deeply to Liu Siye, and then looked at Zhao Wu'an, wanting to speak again.

Liu Siye said openly: "It's getting late today, you might as well let Zhao Jushi rest for one night, and there is no hurry to investigate the case tomorrow." ”

Zhao Wuan shook his head and smiled: "It's okay." Since something was stolen, it is natural to solve the case as soon as possible. I remember you said before that in addition to the key to the treasure house that Liu Kuifeng carried with him, there was also one hanging in the treasury, and three people entered the treasury that day. ”

Mo Dao hurriedly made a gesture and said, "Ah yes." Shall I take you to the storehouse first, sir?"

Liu Siye's face couldn't see the joy and sorrow, and nodded lightly.

Mo Dao took Zhao Wu'an to the northeast corner of the courtyard, and Liu Siye went unhurriedly to the stone table where his children were sitting. When Zhao Wu'an passed by the peach blossom tree, Dailou Sangyu was obviously surprised, and wanted to follow, but was asked by Zhao Wu'an to stay, so he could only stay in place.

Following Mo Dao around the corridor of the compound a few times, he felt that there was someone behind him, and when he looked back, Tu Mi didn't know when he followed.

"What are you doing here? Zhao Wuan was helpless.

Tu Mi's eyes dodged for a moment, and he said sullenly: "Help." ”

Zhao Wu'an wanted to say a few words that couldn't help much, but after thinking about Xiao Daogu's fragile temperament, he still gave up. As soon as Mo Dao, the housekeeper in front of him, turned around and saw that it was Tu Mi, he immediately blushed, turned his head in fright, and hurried forward.

Recalling the close contact between Tu Mi and Mo Dao when he came to Willow Leaf Villa during the day, Zhao Wuan couldn't help but laugh.

The main building of Willow Leaf Villa was not too big, and after walking for a while, I arrived at the door of the manager's storehouse. Zhao Wu'an looked at the courtyard and found that there were no other buildings in the main building behind a closed firewood door, and asked suspiciously: "This is the back door of the villa?"

Mo Daoying said: "Yes, from here is the bamboo forest behind the village." Originally, it was closer to the outside, but this wood door is usually not opened. ”

Zhao Wu'an pondered for a moment and said, "If you go out from here, you can reach the treasure house faster than taking the main gate, right?"

Mo Dao, who was burying his head in looking for the key, was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but still nodded and said, "That's true." ”

Finding the key to the storeroom, Mo Dao opened the door and walked in, lighting the candle on the table. The debris in the manager's warehouse is piled up, but they are all gathered in one corner, and the whole is quite empty. On one side of the wall, there are many large boxes lined up side by side, and on the other wall, there are neatly hung keys. Each one is accompanied by a wooden plaque with annotations, apparently all the spare keys to the lodge.

"There is only one key to this storeroom, and I have always kept it with me. Mo Tao explained, "Generally speaking, if someone in the village wants to take the key here urgently, they will borrow it from me. The night before the beauty was stolen, the third young master had also gone to check it and proved that it was indeed there. The next day, a total of three people came to borrow the key, one was Mrs. Qin, she borrowed the key to the abandoned backyard, and wanted to go to the cellar to carry a few jars of wine out to reward the eldest young master who had returned home. After about two pillars and a half incense, he came back to the main courtyard and returned the key to me. The second person is Luo Yinsheng, the righteous son of the owner, who borrowed the key to open the old firewood house in the front yard and find a broom to come out, and came back with only one and a half sticks of incense. The third is the third young master himself, who wants to open the attic to find some toys when he is young, and it takes a little longer, but it is not more than three sticks of incense. When the third young master went to the treasure vault to check at dusk that day, he found that the beauty slash was missing. ”

Zhao Wu'an frowned and thought for a while, and said: "Liu is a knife lover, there is no reason to guard and steal, not to mention that he has the key himself, and there is no need to do more to you." In this way, the first two are the most suspicious. ”

He carefully recalled what Mo Dao said, and said with some puzzlement: "The eldest young master of your villa, it's not Liu Zhilei, right? And that righteous son, I don't seem to have seen it." ”

Mo Dao nodded again and again: "The eldest young master only came back yesterday, and he was too tired to sleep for a day. As for the owner's son...... He has been staying at home a lot lately, but I can also take Zhao Jushi to meet him. ”

Zhao Wu'an's gaze swept over the rows of keys, and finally stopped on the one next to the wooden sign that read "Treasure Trove". Sure enough, there is obviously less dust on this key than others, and it must have been used in the last two days.

A weak voice suddenly came from behind him: "This thing, it shouldn't be here, right?"

Zhao Wu'an and Mo Dao turned around and found Tu Mi, who was squatting in the corner, picking up a worn-out broom from the top of a pile of dusty debris, but the dust was obviously lighter than other debris.