auspicious time has come

Chapter 207 The Three Trials
The sky was only slightly bright, and servants in Ji's house began to sweep.

The maid sweeping to a small courtyard saw that the courtyard door was open, she subconsciously took a look inside, and saw that besides the little girl sweeping in the courtyard, there was also a lake blue figure sitting outside the hall. On the stone steps.

"Miss Gu got up so early!" the maid greeted with a smile.

The servants of Ji's family are warm and hospitable, coupled with Gu Tingnan's straightforward temperament, he can chat with any maidservant on weekdays.

Gu Tingnan, who was in a trance, turned his head and looked over when he heard the sound. Compared with the past, his reaction was a bit slower, and he was taken aback for a moment, before responding with a smile: "Yes, I woke up early today."

The maid smiled and nodded at her, said, "It's cold on the stone steps in the morning, Mrs. Gu should not sit for a long time", and continued to work.

Gu Tingnan got up, but walked to the corner of the courtyard, in front of the camphor tree.

It's the end of spring, after the previous heavy rain, the branches and leaves of the camphor tree have stretched out more and more lush and green.

Gu Tingnan raised his hand and touched the small "scars" on the rough tree trunk.

Since Dingbeihou's accident, this camphor tree has finally been clean for a few days.

But her heart is hard to be pure.

After today, will the thousand-year-old cold iron abacus bead that moves once and for all be safe?

……

In the early morning, breakfast shops and teahouses are the first to open among the shops facing the street.

On the main street that must be passed to go to Liubu, people are coming and going at this moment.

Amidst the tranquility and bustle, suddenly a saber-wielding officer dressed in the uniform of Dali Temple cleared the way.

The crowd avoided one after another, lowering their heads and not daring to look around.

Yan Ming was sitting in a teahouse, looking out the window at the official sedan chair carried by four people passing by at this time, and said in a calm and authentic tone: "It used to be the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, but this one is Zhu Tingwei from Dali Temple. ..."

As he said that, he looked at a carriage that was following him, and said with a half-smile: "Then...the person here is the envoy Xiao who I've been thinking of so much?"

"Looking at the situation, it should be." The servant behind him whispered.

"Xiaohou, oh Xiaohou... even in the face of life and death, I have always been the most calm. I think that when I was in Yingzhou before, I lost [-]% of his strength." Yan Ming said , "Tsk": "I'm a little curious, how did he hone his determination to dare to put his life on top of the chess game and play games with others quietly? As far as I know , his life experience is very ordinary, there are no accidents or encounters worth mentioning..."

The servant answered: "After all, he is a battle-tested man."

"Maybe..." Yan Huan seemed to be thinking and lost for a moment, and then said with emotion: "In the beginning, it didn't matter whether he was dead or alive when he was deployed in the Northland. Now that he has gone through such a thing, he really doesn't want to see something happen to him. Such an ally, one in a million... how can I be willing to let go so easily?"

The servant understood: "Your Majesty, don't worry, everything has been properly arranged."

"Don't worry, wait until the trial is over." Yan Min unfolded the folding fan with a "wow", and said with a smile, "Xiao Hou's only shortcoming is that he is too stubborn. After this encounter, he should be able to recognize the truth..."

"Mr. Lang is as good at predicting things as a god. I knew that Xiao Jie envoys would have such difficulties when they entered Beijing."

"It's not that I predict things like a god." Yan Ming smiled faintly: "It's that this court, this world, has always been like this, and there is nothing new."

At the same moment, outside a residential area not far away, Lan Qing just came back from the morning market with a fish in her hand.

Along the way, he looked normal, only occasionally nodding to passers-by who seemed to meet by chance, as if they were acquaintances who had lived here for a long time.

Back in the residence, he pushed open a courtyard door, walked in, and closed the door.

He walked towards the front hall, and casually threw the fish he bought into the wooden basin under the corridor, his expression was only solemn.

"Is everything ready?"

A group of "ordinary people" in ordinary clothes appeared in the ear rooms on both sides. While saluting him, the leader whispered: "Everything is complete."

"Use this as a sign." Lan Qing held Mr. Su's specially made loud arrow, and said in a steady voice: "When the whistle sounds, do it immediately."

"Yes!"

……

"What are you doing?"

In Dingbeihou's mansion, facing Wu Wei who was about to break into Mrs. Xiao's residence, Chunjuan frowned and looked defensive: "You are just guarding the Hou's mansion according to the order. Our wife still has an order, how can you let us go?" So presumptuous!"

"Okay, just let them in." A voice came, and Mrs. Xiao came out from the hall.

"Ma'am." Chunjuan bowed his head to the side and saluted.

The leader Wu Wei saw Mrs. Xiao, and his expression softened slightly: "Just now I saw a suspicious figure sneaking into the mansion. I will chase all the way to this place. I am afraid that some assassins and thieves will sneak in and hurt the lady, so I want to go inside to check."

"So that's the case. Then, my lords, please go inside and search." Mrs. Xiao said calmly.

Wu Wei raised his hand to signal his subordinates to follow him in and search.

He paid close attention to the servants and envoys in the courtyard without any trace, and carefully identified the furnishings and details in the house. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, he retreated just now.

"The assassin is not here, please don't disturb Madam." He bowed his hands and left quickly with his subordinates.

"Ma'am... have they noticed something?"

Back in the inner room, Chunjuan asked nervously.

"If you've noticed it, it won't be just a test." Mrs. Xiao shook her head: "It should be just a precaution..."

"It's a good thing Madam has the foresight to stay here instead of leaving the house last night, otherwise they will find out today..." Chun Juan felt both fortunate and uneasy.

Madam is certainly wise, but if she didn't leave last night, it would undoubtedly be even more difficult to leave in full view today.

"Don't be afraid, Rong Ji and Jing Yong are here—" Mrs. Xiao looked out of the window, her voice was low but firm: "As long as Jing Shi is safe."

After speaking, she glanced at the hourglass.

It's time...

Should it be halfway through the trial?
……

In the lobby of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, half of the interrogation is over.

"It seems that the envoy Xiao Jie insisted on refusing to admit it—" The Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate fixedly looked at the young man standing in the hall.

"It wasn't Xiao who did it, so there's no way to admit it."

The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishments secretly looked at Zhu Zhi, the Minister of Dali Temple, and Jiang Zhengfu, who sat at the head but didn't say a word from the beginning to the end.

The Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, who faintly felt that something was wrong, said first: "Come here, tell the envoy of the Prince of Hedong to come in and testify."

Princess Hedong was unable to appear in person today due to her illness, but the female envoy by her side was with her that night and was also a witness, so her testimony can also be used.

Soon, the female envoy who had come to the Ministry of Punishment early was brought in.

"That night, after the maidservant and the prince and concubine left the palace, they encountered an assassin blocking the way on their way back home..." The maid explained the process in detail, and finally said: "When the maidservant and the princess were hiding in a dark alley, , I overheard those assassins talking in a low voice, they said..."

"and many more--"

At this time, a voice suddenly came from outside the hall, interrupting the female envoy's words.

　Tonight there is a storm, thunder and heavy rain. The neighborhood next door has already had a power outage. I have to make some preparations at home. I can only write this for the time being. Please forgive me.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)