Chapter 3

Shan Chao pressed his chest with one hand, came out of the building, and bowed and said: Cheng Daxing was stabbed in his chest, and blood was oozed from time to time.

Dan Chao briefly said that according to the agreement reached by the three parties, he and Jiang Anshi and Liu Jian entered the palace from the north road at first, but after passing Yongxiang, Liu Jian's subordinate suddenly launched an attack and stabbed Jiang Anshi. At the same time, he made a lot of noise, alarmed the guards in the palace.

Jiang Anshi and Shan Chao fell into a tough battle unexpectedly and were chased by guards all the way. Jiang Anshi died on the way, and Shan Chao was also injured. As for Liu Jian's subordinate, he had already escaped without a trace in the chaos.

I was careless and Liu Jian was in a bad mood. We suffered losses along the way. Cheng Zongyang comforted him a few words, took the responsibility on himself, and then said: "Shi Shi Shan was injured, so why not go back and recuperate first.

Shan Chao said: This is a bit of injury.

Cheng Zongyang turned his head and said: Old man, come and take some injury medicine

Old Man Zhu said proudly: The uncle's injury medicine is very expensive. Can a dead eunuch afford it?

Dan Chao's face was slightly angry and he didn't give it, so he wouldn't give it. He kept saying that he died of eunuchs. What does this mean? Although he is in trouble now, he is the first-ranked attendant. No matter how much he said, he is the first-ranked attendant. Ordinary princes rarely look down on him. Who is this bad old man?

Shan Chao looked at him angrily. When he saw the appearance of Old Man Zhu, his eyes were stunned at first, showing an expression of disbelief. After a moment, he felt like he was thundering. He knelt on the ground, then knocked on the ground, splashing a piece of ice and snow.

It's you. Old Man Zhu snorted, are you so big? Hold on to this little injury

On a cold day, there was a layer of cold sweat between Shan Chao's neck and back. He didn't dare to say a word, but only kowtowed three times in succession, responding: Yes

After Qin Hui asked, he raised his hand and slapped the eunuch's forehead, killed him, and said, "As soon as the night of last night, Yong'an Palace set up a ban, strictly prohibiting walking around these people from defending everywhere in the palace. Each group was mixed by eunuchs, guards and Lu's dead soldiers, and used this to monitor each other. According to his explanation, he heard the movement while patrolling in Yongxiang and caught up with the siege and killed him.

Cheng Zongyang breathed a sigh of relief. Logically speaking, the situation where Jian Yuji and Lu Zhi joined forces would never happen, but to the worst perspective, the situation that they joined forces was undoubtedly the most threatening situation to them. At this time, they knew that it was just Jian Yuji's personal trick, rather than colluding between the two sides, deliberately setting up a trap to make him jump, which made him feel much more at ease.

We used Long Chen to deal with Shan Changshi and used to kill people with a knife. What does this mean? Cheng Zongyang said: It means that the bitch can use very limited personnel at the moment. He had to stay in Nangong, monitor the army, and contact all forces. It was normal that the staff they had to contact with were not enough. As for the people they arranged in Beigong, most of them were used to deal with Brother Lu Wu.

Qin Hui said: Do you want to go to East Road to pick you up?

No, Cheng Zongyang said: Brother Lu will not easily obey their words, maybe he has arrived at Yong'an Palace now

Shan Chao wrapped his wound and said: From here to Yong'an Palace, there is a close road

Cheng Zongyang said readily: You come and lead the way!

The fire in the arsenal has not yet been extinguished. The more you go northeast, the more you become, the brighter the fire becomes, the brighter it is, the thick smoke is coming from time to time in the wind and snow, which makes people choke and want to cough. There are also some ashes on the snow.

Shan Chao is worthy of being from the palace and knows the roads in the palace well. He follows the shortcut he chose and does not encounter any secret whistle along the way. He successfully approaches Yong'an Palace. At this time, everyone is hiding in the shadow of a stitched path, with high walls of rammed earth on both sides. Going forward is the scope of the restriction.

This restriction is nothing! Old Man Zhu said with disdain: "You can break it by just blowing your breath."

Cheng Zongyang used his sleeve to cover Xiao Zi's mouth and nose so that she would not choke. He raised his chin and blew it

Old man Zhu really bulged his cheeks and blew it into the empty place

The air fluctuated slightly, and a glimmer of light appeared. As Old Man Zhu blew out his true energy, the glimmer of light was like an oil film on the water surface, sliding towards both sides, slowly revealing a gap.

When the gap was cracked big enough, Old Man Zhu put his head in and looked at it, then pulled out his head and said proudly: It's done!

Cheng Zongyang said: Are you a mouse cave? Can you surpass others?

Why are you so mean? Old Man Zhu said: The most important thing about this ban is to break it. It’s not a big deal to have it big or small.

Old Man Zhu spitted into his palm, rubbed his hands, then grabbed the edge of the gap and pulled it open to both sides. I don’t know what the old man used. If the restriction was solid under his hands, the gap became bigger and bigger, and soon a hole that was beyond humanity was revealed.

Cheng Zongyang hugged Xiao Zi and looked at the unreliable old guy with caution. He had seen a lot of things like this. He would not do anything like that if he beat him to death.

I'll do it!

Qin Hui volunteered, he used his skills to absorb clothes, and walked through the gap like a fish, without touching the ban.

When Dan Chao also passed through the gap without any danger, Cheng Zongyang hugged Xiao Zi and stood up to jump.

Big fool, let me down

Cheng Zongyang refused to let go no matter what, I haven't hugged enough yet

The two of them jumped together, and the gap seemed a little smaller. Cheng Zongyang was careful to avoid it, but the corner of his clothes still touched the edge of the restriction and the floating spiritual power suddenly condensed.

Seeing that Cheng Zongyang was about to be hit by the ban, Xiao Zi raised her hand and released Xuexue out of the banned spiritual power to find the target. Everyone's eyes burst into light. The lightning in the air was shining. The white hair on the little bitch stood up, and a burnt smell came from the air.

When the light flashed, the little bitch seemed to have been burned by fire. The white and fluffy fur turned into charcoal and fell to the ground, rolled, then drooped out a smoke with its tongue, and got up aggrievedly while looking at the heroine pitifully.

Hurry up, pretend to be dead!

Hearing the hostess' orders, Xuexue jumped up and fell back without saying a word, and her four short legs stretched straight into the sky.

As soon as everyone hid their figures, two eunuchs in black clothes floated over like ghosts. They walked around and then looked at the little bitch on the ground. One of them spat, and it turned out to be a dead dog.

The other man looked at it, then carried the little bitch's tail and picked it up.

The person in front said: Why are you using it? It's so disgusting

Chacha where the palace ran out of the man laughed sharply and said sinisterly: It is a crime to disturb the Queen Mother.

The other person suddenly understood and laughed strangely at the duck's throat.

While discussing how to quarrel, the two of them walked away

Old man Zhu covered his chest and said tremblingly: Xiao Chengzi, you are going to scare the uncle to death.

I don’t care about this matter, so I can only admit my mistake. Xiao Zi said: Who told you not to make it bigger?

Old Man Zhu was so angry that he blew his beard. Zi girl, you are so biased that you are so flirting with your arms. Why are you still typing on me?

Xiao Zi smiled and said: It’s not a big deal to Cheng Touer anyway

Old Man Zhu stomped his feet and said heartbrokenly: How can it be so polite to hug Lang Langkun like this in broad daylight!

I don't care! Xiao Zi smiled and said: People like to let Tou Cheng hold him

Seeing the two of them quarreled, Cheng Zongyang smoothed out and said: It's too cold, I'm afraid she will be frozen.

He kept talking nonsense with his eyes open, and Old Man Zhu was so angry that he was holding his torn jacket, his waist was like a big shrimp, and he trembled while saying sadly: "Old man... I'm also cold."

Cheng Zongyang looked him up and down, but he really couldn't see it.

Stepping into the scope of the ban, the Yong'an Palace was already watching the five people crossed the wall from the west side of the Yong'an Palace. A lake was facing a pool of lakes, and the weather was cold and the lake surface was frozen. It was covered with snow and was covered with white space. Only a few broken lotus stood upright. The withered lotus leaves were bent over by the snow. It looked like a low shrub. If Cheng Zongyang had not come, remember the direction. If an irrelevant person came, it would be easy to regard this ice lake as a flat land.

Everyone walked around the lake and rushed towards Yong'an Palace in the snow. When they stepped on the snow, they saw that the skills of Qin Hui was calm and composed, with his feet as light as a feather, almost stepping on the snow without a trace, Cheng Zongyang hugged Xiao Zi, and his footprints were obviously much deeper. Old man Zhu pulled the pair of broken shoes and kicked the snowflakes all the way.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but say: Are you here to have fun? Can't you be more at ease?

Old Man Zhu rolled his eyes, "Why does the old man have to do that hard work?"

Cheng Zongyang looked back and saw Shan Chao falling at the end. While walking backwards, he waved his sleeves and wiped the footprints left by everyone together with Cai Jingzhong. This Shan Changshi is really a kind person. As the first-ranked Zhongchangshi in the palace, he worked hard and did a hard work, without any complaints.

Seeing that it was getting closer to Yong'an Palace, the palm of his hand suddenly felt a heat. Cheng Zongyang looked down and saw that it was Xiao Zi put the amber in his hand. The originally cold amber was hot at this time. The drop of blood inside was like a burning flame, constantly emitting heat.

There are fox tribes nearby!

Cheng Zongyang was excited and had long suspected the identity of the Nine-faced Demon Princess. Whether it was her friendship with Su Daji or her care for Sun Shou, it showed that the Nine-faced Demon Princess had a close relationship with the fox clan. When she first met with Mrs. Hu, because Sun Shou was next to her, Amber could not tell the difference between the fox clans nearby, so she did not alert her. When she met for the second time, Amber was not around and did not notice her true identity.

Looking back now, if the Nine-faced Demon Girl is also a fox clan, then everything will be natural

This nine-faced demon girl is good at the fox clan's illusion. She is like a person with nine sides, and can transform into the queen mother, Mrs. Hu at any time, or others. She usually hides in the deep palace, occasionally comes out to play, and borrows the identity of others. As for the real Lu Zhi, she may have been controlled by her and even replaced by her very early days.

Of course there is another possibility. The real Lu Zhi is the fox clan. But Cheng Zongyang knew that Lu Ji and Lu Buyi's brothers were definitely not the fox clan. The only explanation was that Lu Zhi had half-brothers with her two younger brothers. The fox bloodline on her body came from her matriarchal line. But whether Lu Zhi herself was a fox clan or not, what can be confirmed now is: There is a vixen in the Yong'an Palace that has been hidden for many years. What he had to do was to find out her fox tail

Xiao Zi showed her eyes from Cheng Zongyang's arms and looked at the magnificent palace on Tai Youth curiously. Is this Yong'an Palace? It smells so good.

I don't know if it was because of the restricted filtration, the smell of fireworks in the air has disappeared, and a rich fragrance floated from the nose, mixed with the unique coldness after the snow, refreshing the heart.

The palaces here are all covered with spices. Old Man Zhu said: There are more spices than the pepper room in Changqiu Palace.

Hush! Cheng Zongyang made a gesture of silence

Bypassing the lake, there are only a few dozen steps away from Taipa in Yong'an Palace. The problem is that the remaining section of the road is full of open space, and there is no cover around. I want to sneak past like before without any knowledge, unless everyone can invisible.

The old man knew that you were going to catch the blind, and Old Man Zhu looked gloating

Cheng Zongyang said: I have no choice, why don’t you give me a clear path?

Want to find a way, ask him Ah Old Man Zhu raised his chin

Shan Chao said: I was on duty in the palace. There were three corridors on the surface of the Yong'an Palace. There were at least two of them secretly connected to half of the palace garden in the North Palace. There were many exits.

No wonder the entire Beigong is calm and there is no one to see outside. The secret passage located underground is enough. Although the secret passage is a shortcut, it can be imagined that at this time, there must be people coming and going inside, constantly gathering out the outside world's news, and then distributing the orders from the palace. It is not easy to sneak into the palace with the secret passage.

What about the other ones?

The other two corridors lead to Beiyuan and Taicang. These three are commonly used in normal times. Most of the information and personnel exchanges between the palaces are passed through this. Shan Chao Road: There are two secret passages leading to the corner building in the northeast, and the slaves don’t know about the exit of the other. These two are rarely used and are usually taken care of by the empress dowager’s confidant.

Cheng Zongyang repeatedly weighed the fact that the secret passage connecting the palaces was very crowded, and the other ones were not necessarily safe, especially now that the fierce battles in the city are in full swing, the palace is far more vigilant than usual. I am afraid that as soon as I step into the secret passage, I will be discovered. It will be difficult to escape at that time. The secret passage will not be able to be used, so I can only try to break through.

While thinking about it, a noise suddenly came from afar. Grab it! Grab it!

Come on a shackle!

Lock! Lock it quickly!

Soon, a row of lights lit up at the palace gate. More than a dozen eunuchs were escorting two prisoners to Yong'an Palace. An eunuch was carrying a lantern, bowing his waist to lead the way, and leaning on his side, screaming with a flattering face: Fortunately, Eunuch Deng took action, so he didn't let these thieves slip away. It was because these thieves were blind and actually hit the Eunuch Deng's hand. Isn't this going to seek death?

The eunuch who was holding the lantern was flattering, and the eunuch in the lead was very helpful, and he let out a few proud smiles from time to time

The lantern was shaking, illuminating the appearance of the two criminals. One person in front of him was disheveled, his face was covered with blood, his eyes were swollen like a bun, not like a human figure. He was carrying a dark iron shackle and was held by two eunuchs. He staggered forward while coughing up blood. If it weren't for his curly beard, Cheng Zongyang wouldn't have recognized this big man who was beaten into a blood gourd, which would have been Zhao Chongguo.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but feel aroused. He had seen how powerful Zhao Chong was. As one of the most powerful generals in the Han Dynasty, the tiger and wolf gangsters who had been through many battles were beaten like this by a group of eunuchs? How powerful are these eunuchs in Beigong? Could it be that Mr. Cai was right? The most capable person in the Han Dynasty was in the palace? But he just met the group, and he was not very strong. Is it because the eunuchs in Yong'an Palace were particularly fierce?

Zhao Chongguo has been captured, where is Lu Wu Ge? Cheng Zongyang looked back with fear, but saw that the man behind him looked gray, his eyes were like dead fish, and he had turned pale. He was also held by two eunuchs and dragged his arms to the ground, dragging his long marks in the snow. He was just that face. He had never seen it before, he was just a stranger at all.

Cheng Zongyang was stunned for a moment, then turned his head and looked forward

The eunuch who was lantern was flattering, his face was pale and miserable. He didn't know how much powder he applied, but his mouth was red. At this moment, he opened and closed, flattered, smiling, flattering, and constantly covering his mouth. From his eyes to his behavior, he showed the unique slightness of the eunuch. If it weren't for the bamboo stick he was lit up, Cheng Zongyang wouldn't believe that this flatterer who exuded the smell of a dead eunuch from head to toe, from inside to outside, would have been dressed as Lu Wu Ge.

Cheng Zongyang's heart fell into his stomach, and he was full of energy and stared at Brother Lu Wu's every move

The group arrived in front of the Taipai, and someone shouted sharply: Who is it?

The Eunuch Deng trotted forward and asked for advice: The young man caught two spies!

The hall was silent for a while, as if he was going to report it up for a moment, a female voice rang out. Where did the spy come from?

It was the subordinate of the traitor Liu Jian who wanted to enter the palace to assassinate the Empress Dowager! The Eunuch Deng said: Fortunately, the Empress Dowager Hong Fu Qitian found clues during a small inspection, and made a quick decision to take down the two thieves.

The woman said impatiently: Why report? Just execute it immediately

Cheng Zongyang's heart was so relieved that he was worried again. The script was wrong. Ah didn't even ask questions and he was executed directly? Wasn't this play in vain?

The eunuch who was holding the lantern quietly reminded him, and the Eunuch Deng hurriedly said: Madam, these two traitors just told me that not only were there several assassins sneaking into the palace, but there were also their inner men in the palace! One of them was on duty in the palace!

The palace gate opened with a silence, and a woman led several eunuchs out. The woman was over 40 years old and had an ordinary appearance. She was the queen mother's personal official, Mrs. Hu.

Just as Eunuch Deng was about to take someone up, he was stopped by the eunuch beside Mrs. Hu and was not allowed to step onto the steps!

Eunuch Deng repeatedly replied, escorting two prisoners to kneel down in front of the steps

Mrs. Hu walked down the steps, looked at Eunuch Deng first and then looked at the prisoner.

Zhao Chongguo's face was swollen like a pig's head. The blood on his beard had turned into ice. His expression was listless. He looked like a vulgar warrior, Mrs. Hu, swept across his eyes. His eyes fell on the captured eunuch. There was a little more ridiculous meaning in his eyes. It turned out that it was you.

The eunuch's face became darker and darker. At this time, he was out of breath and inlet. He was about to lose his mind.

Mrs. Hu called out: Yi Wei!

Yi Wei heard the sound and said, "Let him last for a moment, I have something to ask him."

Yi Wei opened the eunuch's eyelids, looked at his pupils, then twisted out a few silver needles and stabbed them into the man in turn, Fengchi, Yintang, Baihui

The eunuch's eyes were slightly lit up, and he recognized Mrs. Hu in front of him.

Mrs. Hu said in a cold voice: Yin Shang! As a yellow gate in the palace, why do you collude with the thief?

Yin Shang opened his mouth, but only made a series of dull low screams

Yi Wei looked carefully and frowned. His tongue was cut off.

Mrs. Hu was stunned and immediately reacted and said in a dismay: No!

He kept kneeling on the ground, and Zhao Chongguo, who seemed to be dying, suddenly roared and jumped up like a tiger. He shook his arms and broke the iron shackle in his neck. Then he climbed onto the edge of the iron shackle with both hands, as if he was holding two machetes, chopping the two eunuchs beside him to the ground, and then rushed forward like a wind.

Yi Wei flew away, and while he was flicking his bare hands, the silver needle shot out quickly, Zhao Chongguo danced his two shackles, and opened all the silver needles. The Duke Deng realized that he had made a big mistake, and slapped it out with his palms, but Zhao Chongguo directly took the middle way. The iron shackle was cut in between his palms, and a crisp sound in the middle of the door. The eunuch named Deng was sunken, and blood splattered with his brain.

Mrs. Hu wiped it into her sleeve, held out a short sword about a foot long, and swung the big man's iron shackle. She only handed it gently, and heard a slight sound of wipe, and the iron shackle was cut off by the short sword.

Mrs. Hu's short sword sinks slightly, and she stabs Zhao Chongguo's waist and abdomen and sways to seal the shackles. The short sword pierces the iron shackles, just like passing through tofu, passing through the shackles. If the hilt of the sword was not blocked by the iron shackles, this sword would be enough to pierce a big hole in his abdomen.

Zhao Chongguo was in a cold sweat. He never thought that the short sword would be so sharp. He roared the short sword with an iron shackle and tried to shake her short sword away. But he vomited his strength, but encountered a soft force, which not only removed all his strength, but wrapped it around his wrist.

Zhao Chongguo's offensive was blocked, and immediately a kite turned over, jumped out of about a meter, swung the iron shackle left and right, knocking the two eunuchs behind him away, then took big steps, running wildly, and shouted: Heaven is dead! Huang Tian is standing! It's the turn of King Jiangdu to be the emperor! Brothers! Kill Ah!

Mrs. Hu's face was as cold as ice. She waved her hand and a team of eunuchs in black clothes flew out of the hall and chased Zhao Chongguo fiercely.

Yi Wei was surprised and said: Who is this person? He is so skillful!

Mrs. Hu was also suspicious, but Zhao Chongguo's face was too swollen. Mrs. Hu couldn't recognize his background. She said half sarcastically and half disdainfully: I just want to make trouble when recruiting a group of evil tourists in the world. Liu Jian is just like this.

In just a moment, there were already corpses everywhere on the snow. I was so happy that the group of eunuchs who came to seek credit were killed and two injured in a blink of an eye. The remaining few people stood there on the spot, and the teeth were trembling.

Mrs. Hu glanced at them, turned around and was about to enter the hall, suddenly turned around, her eyes flashed over everyone's faces, and then said sternly: Why is one missing person?

Several eunuchs looked at each other and before they could react, Mrs. Hu had already ordered repeatedly, come and take them all down! Be punished by severe trial! Search the palace! Be sure to find the assassin!

The closed doors of the palace opened one after another, and the eunuchs on duty in the hall were like crows leaving the nest, scattering around, and then the fire lit up at four corners of the palace. They were four spires made of charcoal, about a meter high. They immediately set off a flame of more than one person high, illuminating the surroundings of the palace like daylight.

Hundreds of eunuchs in black clothes walked like lines on the snow. The palace had already been arranged. Every ten steps, a bonfire was lit, spreading to a location around the palace where charcoal was covered with snow. When it burned, it squeaked and white smoke came out.

Here is it!

As the eunuch screamed, a figure suddenly flew out of the snow

The man was in mid-air and shouted: Heaven is dead! Huang Tian should stand up! Long live the Prince of Jiangdu! As he said that, he swung his sleeves and threw out more than ten snowballs.

The eunuchs nearby dodged one after another, and they could not dodge and used their skills to end up with the snow ball. Even if the assassin's magical power was amazing, how much lethality would it have?

As a result, all the hard-working people were in trouble. One of the eunuchs punched the snowball and broke his bones on the spot. He screamed: Stones! Stones hidden inside!

The assassin's fingers were amazing. At least half of the eunuch who was hit by the snowball couldn't even scream. He fell to the ground. He was smashed to death and left his breath. The other half was smashed by pebbles hidden in the snowball and his skin was blooming and blood was flowing.

The last snowball fell, but it fell next to the empty eunuch before he could even rejoice. More than ten eunuchs nearby splattered blood on the spot. In the smoke of gunpowder, you could even see broken limbs flying high.

The strong explosion shocked the appearance of another assassin in the entire Yong'an Palace, making the nerves of the eunuchs tense to the extreme. The screams of the companions were even more shocking. Many eunuchs with crossbows hit the arrows and shot in the direction where the assassin disappeared, but in such a chaotic situation, the man had already left, and the flying bow and arrow shot only in the empty smoke. The assassin had no trace.

A dazzling light shot down from the top of the palace. The torch above the palace was ignited. The golden phoenix, several feet tall, burst out with thousands of lights in an instant, shining brightly in the darkness. At the same time, the golden phoenix that was originally facing forward rotated. The torch at the phoenix's mouth was reflected into a beam of light by the phoenix's golden wings, surrounding the palace and turning the light column everywhere. The empty snow field was illuminated with slight exposure, and no trace was hidden.

Through the light column, a line of footprints appeared in the snow. The footprint was only half the size of a sole, leaving only a light and light mark on the ankle-deep snow. The footprints were about meter apart.

Such a mistake occurred under the empress dowager's nose, and the eunuchs also made a fuss and hundreds of eunuchs dispersed in fan shapes and chased them straight towards their footprints

Behind him was the bracket of more than one person, Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but take a breath while looking at the bright light below. He had guessed that there would be a large number of eunuchs in the Yong'an Palace, but it was far beyond his expectations that Mrs. Hu could send so many people at the command.

Yong'an Palace is not an independent palace, but a whole group of buildings including the main hall, bedroom palace and side hall. If you squeeze a little, it will not be surprising that there are nearly a thousand eunuchs participating in the search. And as the search scope expands, the number of people is still increasing, making people wonder how many people there are in the hall at this time.

A sharp voice came from my ears, a good news, a bad news, which one should I listen to first?