Chapter 453 If the mountain doesn't come to me, I will go to the mountain
Chapter 453 If the mountain doesn't come to me, I will go to the mountain (5k)
Zhao Duan stepped onto the last step with a smile in his eyes and calmly looked at the two stunned people in the room.
At this moment, most of the setting sun has sunk into the ground, and the sunlight shines through the window of the red pavilion, casting half shadow and half brightness on the ground.
He stood exactly on the dividing line between light and darkness.
Behind him, the entire first floor downstairs had been controlled by Eunuch Hai and his men. The Cao Gang's thugs were no match for the masters from the imperial palace.
"Governor Ning, what does this mean?!"
At the table, He Xiaolou's expression changed and he stared at Ning Zechen, subconsciously thinking that the young man who came up the stairs was the helper arranged by the latter.
But Ning Zechen's face also showed similar surprise and confusion. He stood up and looked at the person carefully. He felt that the face was quite familiar, but he didn't know where he had seen it before.
"It's not surprising that the Governor does not recognize Zhao. But you should at least know that Zhao will arrive in Jianning Prefecture in the near future." Zhao Duan walked slowly and smiled faintly.
Thunder breaks out from the ground!
At this moment, this powerful second-rank official who was in charge of Jianning Prefecture and commanded millions of grain transport workers was struck by lightning. A flash of inspiration flashed through his mind, and he blurted out:
"Zhao Shaobao of the capital?"
Zhao Duan nodded and corrected:
"I am here to serve the Saint. You may address me as your envoy, Governor."
Zhao of the White Horse!
The capital's most favored minister, he has become extremely popular in the past year and is very likely to become a legendary figure who will become the future emperor's husband.
Ning Zechen opened his mouth and suddenly felt a strong sense of illusion. He didn't understand why this official from the capital would suddenly appear here.
No...what's worse is that I appear at this occasion.
"Young Master Zhao... Envoy Zhao... Is it him?!"
He Xiaolou's pupils also suddenly contracted, and the knuckles of the fan in his hand turned white.
There was a thunderous sound in my heart, as if I was hit by lightning. I showed an expression of disbelief, accompanied by intense fear!
A person's name, the shadow of a tree.
With his identity, he had of course seen Zhao Duan's portrait and was more aware of his methods and power.
At this moment, a thought that something bad had suddenly flashed through his mind. He Xiaolou ran to the window, held onto the window frame and looked down.
"Boss He, you don't have to watch. When I went upstairs, I had a small conflict with the people below. At least I taught them a lesson." Zhao Duan walked to the round table with a smile and said:
"Boss He, do you mind?"
Beads of sweat appeared on He Xiaolou's forehead. How could he still be as calm and composed as he was just now when he was planning and commanding a second-rank official?
He turned his head stiffly and forced out a smile as if his father had died:
"No...don't mind."
"Haha," Zhao Duan laughed heartily, pulled out a chair, sat down, glanced at the sword thrown on the table among the sumptuous dishes, and greeted calmly:
"What are you all standing for? Sit down and talk. Sit down and talk."
It seemed as if he was the host of this banquet.
Ning Zechen: ...
He Xiaolou: ...
The two remained silent, and had no idea what was going on, so they had to sit down again. However, the negotiation atmosphere just now was gone.
Zhao Duan smiled and waited for a while, then joked:
"Why don't you continue? Just continue your conversation and pretend that I'm not here."
The official and the bandit were both so anxious that their hearts were racing, wondering who would dare to pretend you don't exist?
Zhao Duan sighed softly and said helplessly:
"Since both of you are silent, I will have to speak for you. Haha, I came to the city today and wanted to pay a visit to Governor Ning, but I came to nothing, so I had no choice but to come here to find him."
The two were silent.
Zhao Duan continued slowly:
"I have good hearing. I just heard two people upstairs mentioning that Governor Ning's wife and daughter were kidnapped by pirates. Is this true?"
Ning Zechen had no choice but to speak up, and said, "It is true..."
He Xiaolou also hurriedly said:
"Governor Ning is the breadwinner of our Cao Gang. When he learned that his wife and daughter were missing, he asked the Cao Gang to find them..."
"Oh——" Zhao Duan dragged out a long tone, looked at the two of them alternately with a smile, and said:
"So, Governor Ning came to ask Gang Leader He for help in rescuing people tonight?"
Ning Zechen didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Zhao Duan continued:
"What a coincidence! On my way to Jianning Prefecture, I happened to run into a group of pirates who were killing a passing merchant ship. I rescued a mother and daughter on the ship, who claimed to be the Governor's wife."
Ning Zechen suddenly looked up, stared at him in disbelief, and asked excitedly:
"Your Excellency, are you serious?!"
But immediately, he began to feel unbelievable:
If his wife and daughter had not fallen into the hands of the Cao Gang, why would He Xiaolou dare to negotiate with him?
Is there any misunderstanding?
He Xiaolou's eyebrows also twitched wildly, pretending to be surprised: "Is this true?"
Zhao Duan laughed and said, "How could I be so bored as to make up such a joke? Someone come here."
He suddenly clapped his hands.
Soon, footsteps were heard down the stairs, and an accompanying master from the Imperial Palace came up, holding a square wooden box in both hands.
He placed it in front of He Xiaolou and then retreated.
He Xiaolou suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart, but under Zhao Duan's smiling gaze, he could only frown and tentatively use both hands to slowly open the lid of the black square wooden box.
"boom."
When the wooden box was opened, a bloody smell mixed with cold air gushed out. Inside the box was a bloody human head, wrapped in ice to prevent it from rotting.
"vomit--"
He Xiaolou's face turned pale instantly and he began to retch violently. The folding fan in his hand fell to the ground with a "bang".
Governor Ning also saw the head in the box and was frightened.
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
“The man in the box is the leader of that bandit gang. He is quite fierce and is actually a martial artist. Fortunately, I was accompanied by many followers and was able to capture him.
By the way, before he died, this man called himself "Zuo Rong" and even said with certainty that he was a disciple of Gang Leader He. I wonder if what he said was true or not?"
Zuo Rong? The Cao Gang thug? Governor Ning's heart skipped a beat, knowing who this person was.
After He Xiaolou retched, he barely covered his pale lips with a handkerchief and shook his head slowly:
"I don't know this person... nor is he a member of our Cao Gang. I guess... he was framed by gangsters..."
Zhao Duan said "Oh" and said slowly:
"A frame-up? But before he died, this man told me the code and method of contacting the Cao Gang. I was curious, so I passed the message to Gang Leader He according to his method. Didn't you receive it?"
He Xiaolou's face turned even paler, and he denied it flatly: "Your Excellency has misunderstood. I really didn't receive any news."
"Really? Then why don't you call your subordinate Zuo Rong here to confront him face to face?"
"… Zuo Rong went home to visit his family a few days ago and is not in Jianning Mansion anymore."
"Oh, what a coincidence that I have to go home at this time," Zhao Duan sighed softly, and suddenly picked up a pair of chopsticks on the table, and the smile on his face disappeared:
"It seems that you still don't understand my handling style."
He Xiaolou looked back blankly, and then saw Zhao Duan suddenly flick his wrist, and the two chopsticks in his hand flew out like flying knives.
"puff!"
"puff!"
Two blows pierced into the shoulder blades of the Cao Gang leader. The force was so great that He Xiaolou was lifted off his seat and slammed hard against the screen behind him.
"what!"
Amidst screams, He Xiaolou was nailed to the screen by two chopsticks!
Governor Ning's eyelids twitched wildly, and he looked at the empress's favorite minister, whom he had never met before, with a look full of surprise.
Zhao Duan slowly reached out his hand, grabbed the sword on the table, stood up, walked to He Xiaolou, and said calmly:
"I am not interested in talking nonsense anymore. I will give you three seconds to tell me who instructed you to do this."
He Xiaolou cried out in pain: "Envoy, I..."
"one."
The sword in Zhao Duan's hand flashed, and with a "puff", a big hole was poked in his leg.
He Xiaolou almost fainted from the pain: "It's not me..."
"two."
Zhao Duan turned the hilt of the sword, and the latter's other leg was also pierced, and blood flowed out.
Immediately, he pulled out the bloody tip of the sword and pressed it between He Xiaolou's legs.
He Xiaolou was finally overwhelmed by fear and almost shouted:
"It was the Shen family! The Shen family forced me to do it!"
The Shen family?!
Zhao Duan and Ning Zechen felt something in their hearts at the same time, and both experienced unexpected emotions.
In Jianning Prefecture, the only ones with the motive and ability to commit this crime are Prince Jing's Mansion and the Shen family.
"It's absolutely true! The second master of the Shen family died a few days ago. Governor Ning promoted new policies and took action against the Shen family. So they found me..."
He Xiaolou told the whole story in great detail, how the other party found him, how he was ordered, and how he was threatened, as if he had recited it in his mind countless times.
Zhao Duan frowned slightly, walked back to the table slowly, threw the sword among the food, and said to the Governor of the Grand Canal with a smile:
"It seems that the trial is not difficult."
"..." Ning Zechen took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed solemnly: "Today, your humble servant is..."
"No need to say more," Zhao Duan interrupted him with a warm smile, "The governor is very brave to attend the banquet alone. I have long heard of Lord Ning's reputation in Beijing." Is this... not going to be pursued? Ning Zechen's impression of this rumored favorite of the empress changed again.
Upon careful consideration, although his style of doing things is indeed as overbearing and arrogant as the rumors say, it is certainly not completely disorganized. He is worthy of being Zhao Shaobao who can solve major cases and even arrest Zhuang Xiaocheng personally.
"Your Excellency is too kind. May I ask my wife and the others..."
"Don't worry, your wife and daughter are safe and sound, just a little frightened. They are now in the inn in the city. If the governor wants to see them, I will go and bring them back. How about that?" Zhao Duan asked with a smile.
Governor Ning took a deep breath and said, "I am very pleased!"
"Okay," Zhao Duan laughed, called the palace masters to go upstairs, and casually ordered:
"Take He Xiaolou back. I still have use for him. As for those scumbags..."
Ning Zechen said:
"If you trust me, my Lord, you can send someone to take my badge to the Canal Transport Office, and someone will handle it properly."
Master Wen will deal with it, right? But he is also my man... Zhao Duan muttered in his heart and smiled gently:
"Okay."
……
……
Less than half an hour later, Zhao Duan and Governor Ning and his entourage returned to the inn where he was staying.
At this moment, the sky had completely darkened. When the group walked into the backyard of the inn, Madam Ning and the careful and outspoken girl, who had come out after hearing the news, also saw Ning Zechen entering the yard.
"Husband—"
"Daddy—"
With shouts of surprise, the mother and daughter, who had been anxious for a long time, finally felt relieved and happily threw themselves into the arms of Governor Ning.
Soon, there was the clichéd segment where the monks who had survived the disaster met each other and asked about each other's situation and expressed their true feelings to each other.
"Master, if Lord Zhao had not come to our rescue in time, we would have been killed by the traitor." The elegant and quiet Madam Ning took the initiative to speak.
The girl also nodded like a chick pecking at rice:
"Master Zhao treated us very well. When I told my father that his son-in-law did a good job, my mother pinched me and stopped me from saying it. But Master Zhao didn't get angry at all. He even laughed loudly."
Ning Zechen and his wife: "..."
"Ahem," Zhao Duan, who was watching from a distance, coughed lightly, taking the initiative to break the awkward atmosphere. He first asked the two women to go back to the house, and then simply pulled this practical and capable minister to sit down in the courtyard and started talking about business.
Governor Ning was eager to show off, and he quickly explained the current situation in detail:
"…Generally speaking, there is huge resistance to the implementation of the new policy. I wanted to tackle the Shen family first. As long as the Shen family agrees, it will be much easier to deal with the other noble families who are waiting and watching. Unfortunately, this group of people is deeply rooted, and I lack people to use. That's why I have repeatedly written to the court to request a new official to take office."
Zhao Duan thought for a moment and asked, "What is the reaction of Prince Jing's Mansion?"
Governor Ning said: "Hidden behind the scenes, doing evil things in secret."
Zhao Duan nodded as expected. As a member of the royal family, Prince Jing could not openly oppose the court's new policies before the relationship became completely broken.
Therefore, it will only add fuel to the fire behind the scenes.
Zhao Duan said:
"I came here on the orders of the Emperor to suppress the arrogance of these local nobles so as to pave the way for the subsequent officials to take office. But I didn't expect that as soon as I arrived, I almost gave the Shen family a blow."
He said coldly:
"They attacked and kidnapped the families of high-ranking officials of the imperial court. It seems that these powerful families are used to being local tyrants, and their courage is not much less than that of the traitors of the Kuangfu Society."
Governor Ning's heart skipped a beat and he consoled him:
"Your Excellency, calm down. The situation in Jiancheng Road is extremely complicated. We should proceed slowly and think twice before we act. I am not afraid of a little injustice. After all, nothing serious has happened."
At this moment, he remembered the past behavior of "King Zhao Yan" and suddenly felt a little panicked.
Zhao Duan smiled slightly, his expression warm:
"Don't worry, I am not a reckless person. I know what I am doing. How about this, Governor, please send someone to pass a message to the Patriarch of the Shen Family on my behalf, telling them that I am here."
Governor Ning was stunned for a moment, and asked tentatively:
"Your Excellency means to force them to come to you on their own initiative?"
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"Zhuge made such a big fuss, and He Xiaolou was arrested. The Shen family and even Prince Jing's Mansion must have heard the news by now. If it was really the Shen family who was behind it, they would not be at ease.
You just said that I am here. Haha, with my status and reputation, it is normal for Prince Jing not to come, but the Shen family is the most prominent family in Jianning Prefecture, so it is reasonable for them to come and see me in person, right?"
Governor Ning nodded, guessing that Zhao Duan wanted to take this opportunity to crack down on the Shen family. He didn't arrest anyone, but as long as the other party came to the door... This was undoubtedly leaving room for maneuver...
Phew, luckily, this "King of Hell Zhao" is not that crazy. He knows that this is Jianning Prefecture. If he were in the capital, he would have led his troops to the Shen family to arrest people by now...
But here, I will definitely not act recklessly...
Governor Ning felt that he had figured out the style of this Beijing official.
……
……
After seeing off Governor Ning and his family, Zhao Duan, Eunuch Hai, Prajna Bodhisattva and others finally had a good meal.
After meal.
Lang Shiba, Ji Yue and the Jinyi men of Lihua Hall went to rest, while Eunuch Hai also took a group of worshippers to practice daily breathing exercises.
After a simple bath, Zhao Duan put on a single layer of clothes and sat in the room with a candle, reading the detailed information about Jianning Prefecture sent by "Master Wen".
I kept watching until late at night, but the Shen family still didn't come.
After he rubbed his eyes, pulled his gaze away from the file, stretched, and pushed open the door, he found that the bright moon had risen to the zenith in the sky.
The night was cool as water, and the courtyard was quiet except for the chirping of insects.
In ancient times, the starry sky at night was extremely clear and bright. Endless stars merged into a strange Milky Way, flowing continuously in the universe.
"What are you looking at?" A soft female voice appeared beside him.
"Look at the stars." Zhao Duan answered casually, then he was stunned. He turned his head and saw the white Prajna Bodhisattva standing next to him.
The old nun, who was over fifty years old, was wearing a thin monk's robe. The night wind blew her robe like water.
The thick black hair on the back of her head, coupled with her round, smooth, and moon-like face, reminded Zhao Duan of the so-called "peaceful and prosperous" appearance on the Internet in her previous life.
Prajna was not holding a jade bottle or a comb in her hands, but was standing lightly and gracefully beside him, smiling at him with her strange translucent eyes.
Those pupils were extremely mysterious, as if if you looked at them for a little longer, your entire soul would be sucked in.
"What's so good about the stars? Why not look at me?" Prajna Bodhisattva exhaled a sweet breath, with the corners of his mouth raised.
"..." Zhao Duan looked up at the sky again with a blank expression and said:
“Bodhisattva, do you know that the starlight we see with our eyes actually came from countless billions of years ago.
When those lights shone from the distant stars, perhaps this world was still ignorant, and there were even no living beings. But when these starlights crossed countless epochs and fell into our eyes at this moment, countless years had passed in between. "
Prajna Bodhisattva looked at him curiously:
"Did the astronomical officials who control the calendar of the Imperial Observatory tell you these strange words? How can a group of mortals with low cultivation understand the great principles? They are nothing but nonsense."
Zhao Duan smiled and was too lazy to argue with her.
But soon, he had to speak:
"Buddha, please don't lean on me. This distance is a bit ambiguous. I tell you, His Majesty has said..."
Half of her body was almost pressed against Zhao Duan, and the two of them could clearly feel each other's warmth through their arms. The female Buddhist Bodhisattva smiled and said:
"I know that His Majesty will execute me, Lord Zhao, there is no need to emphasize this."
I think you did it knowingly... Zhao Duan was about to scold him harshly when he suddenly heard the voice of the female Bodhisattva:
"Speaking of which, how far have Lord Zhao and His Majesty progressed? It's not just touching hands, is it?"
...Shit, this is unbearable... Zhao Duan felt that he was being mocked. He seriously moved to the side, trying to distance himself, and sneered:
"I suddenly know why His Majesty sent Princess Yunyang to Jizhao Temple."
Prajna Bodhisattva did not take it as an offense, but smiled softly, with a look of ridicule in his eyes as if he was looking at a young virgin, and said softly:
"It's a pity that Lord Zhao is so loyal, but Your Majesty still can't let go of his dignity. I feel really distressed when I see this."
None of your business... You are just an old woman who wants to drain my potential in advance... Zhao Duan looked at him with disdain and turned to go back to the house:
"Now that it has been completed, the Bodhisattva can choose a day to leave on his own and go to the temple to handle matters."
Prajna Bodhisattva's white thighs twisted and suddenly wrapped around him, almost hanging heavily on him, and her lips pressed against Zhao Duan's ear, saying in a sweet voice:
"I want to help you too...husband..."
Zhao Duan got goosebumps, his face flushed, and he yelled:
"Lao Hai!"
whoosh-
Prajna Bodhisattva instantly let go of his hand, stepped back a few feet, and looked resentful.
Not far away upstairs, the unpleasant voice of Eunuch Hai came: "The Flesh Bodhisattva is shameless."
Prajna Bodhisattva sneered and turned back to his room: "The old eunuch doesn't understand romance."
Zhao Duan shook his head speechlessly, turned back to the house, glanced at the sky, and confirmed that the Shen family would not come to his house tonight.
He sneered: "If the mountain doesn't come to me, I will go to the mountain."
(End of this chapter)