Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 367 There is evil in the river
After leaving Zhuangzi,

Zhang Jinyu looked at the surrounding land and had no intention of returning to Hanshan Mountain. The carriages and carriages were ready outside Zhuangzi, and the soldiers were gathered outside. Mrs. Wang and the girls had been climbing the mountain for a long time and were already a little tired. Time to go back and rest.

After taking care of everyone and getting on the carriage, he ordered Ningbian to lead the troops and set off without stopping on the way, returning directly to the dock camp.

Zhang Jinyu rode on the horse and looked behind him at Zhuangzi. From a distance, he could still see the mother and daughter of the Xing family busy in the yard. She smiled knowingly. Jiangnan didn't come here in vain. He unexpectedly met Master Miaoyu, who was also an old man. God favors you. As the saying goes, if you don't take what God gives you, you will suffer the consequences. I am in compliance with the timing of heaven. This is the way it should be. Miaoyu Miaoyu should be indescribably wonderful. But when I think carefully about Miaoyu, it seems that she was stunned by a gangster in a red building. , and then was humiliated and robbed in Jia's house, and finally died overseas.

It's simply unbelievable. How could a gangster easily enter such a large Duke's mansion? Even if it's in decline, it's impossible for them to swagger in. Besides, there aren't any guards or guardians patrolling the palace at night.

It's not impossible. At that time, the Jia family might have already declined, and the internal management was in chaos. It was possible that she was deliberately plotted or tempted, which was why she was in such trouble. That's all, he saved her life, and she should serve him.

As for Jia Lian, who was in the guard camp, he had a room in another building on the ship. Not to mention that the ship was big, the room was big, and the bed was not small. Today, he slept until three o'clock in the morning before waking up. After washing up, he drank some water and left. come out,
"Lai Wang, where did you die?"

"Master, here we are. Second Master, please get up. The Marquis and others led the troops out early in the morning. We didn't dare to look at them, so we had breakfast with the guardsmen in the camp."

Lai Wang came over and bowed, and hurriedly explained to the second master that he was not in Rongguo Mansion now, but on the territory of Luoyunhou Mansion. Everyone was cautious and expected that the second master would be safe. The Hou Mansion didn't care whether you were Anyone from any family will be punished if they make a mistake. Even the soldiers who came with the second master are as honest as cats.

"Well, I understand. Please inform the brothers that a trip to the south of the Yangtze River is not easy. Today we are going to visit the Qinhuai River and have a good meal. The second master is treating us. If you can go, you can go and leave your mouth to me. Living."

Jia Lian had long wanted to see Yangzhou Shouma for a while, but he dropped the matter after mourning in Yangzhou. Now that his aunt and uncle have been buried, his sister also has a home, so don't worry about it yourself. As for the family wealth, don't even think about it, but This trip could not be in vain, Jia Lian felt restless and restless.

Lai Wang naturally knew what the second master meant, but when he heard it was Qin Huaihe, he felt as if a cat had scratched him. Is there a woman with a figure similar to the second grandma? He agreed without thinking.

"Second Master, please take a look. The people following you must be tight-lipped and know what they are talking about. Second Master, please wait a moment. I will call you to wait outside the camp gate."

After Lai Wang finished speaking, he raised his legs and left.

Jia Lian went back and changed into Confucian clothes and a Confucian hat. Not to mention, he really looked like a scholar, and then walked out impatiently with the banknotes.

To the gate of the camp,

Wang Zhaoer and others had been waiting for a long time, and even borrowed a carriage from the guards. Jia Lian got on the carriage and went straight to Jinling City.

In Jinling City,

In many restaurants and teahouses, the people who come to eat here seem very depressed and are careful about what they say.

It's in Yunliang Pavilion,

The disciples from all the academies sat together carefully. This year's poetry meeting was not held due to various reasons. The selection of the oiran was also abandoned midway. There was also a strange incident at White Deer Academy, which resulted in the poetry meeting not being held in the end. However, the disciples from all the academies He didn't leave, but instead rented out the room for a later time. Mother Yun of Yunliang Pavilion naturally had no problem with it and let the brothel's sister take care of her.

"Hey, have you heard everything these days?"

"What's the matter, senior brother? Is it still a matter of White Deer Academy? Didn't it mean that the old police officers who have gone to the prefect's Yamen and the guards of the academy have been dispatched, saying that they are trying to block the flow of ghost energy."

"They have been dispatched. I heard that people from the Imperial City Division also went there, but there are no clues at all. The disciples of the White Deer Academy said that at night, there are the cries and howls of fierce ghosts, so as soon as the sun goes down, the entire academy will Everyone has gone back to their houses, and no one can be seen in the academy at night, as if they were dead."

"Not only that, you don't know that due to the ghost energy, the river in Jinling City this year is colder and more eerie than in previous years. The fog is rising on the Mirror Lake, and many people have seen figures dancing in it."

The people around were all frightened and gasped. It seemed true. The water in the city seemed to be even colder and biting than in previous years. However, there was mist rising in Mirror Lake and there was a figure in it. Many people in the city saw it. , so the ghost energy of the innocent people infested the river water, and no one outside dared to go near the water.

second floor,

Gong Huaiyu sat upstairs looking at the Qinhuai River, thoughtfully.
"Nansheng, what did you find?"

"Hui Shizi, it's so weird. No one knows where the rumors came from. They seem to have appeared overnight. And they are all said by the people themselves. It's hard to tell the truth from the false. But the people in the city believe it without any doubt. Why?"

Nan Sheng stood in front of him and told the information he had investigated in the past few days. Gong Huaiyu was also puzzled. Marquis Luo Yun was back, but things were getting worse. Could it be that he was still testing, and he heard that Marquis Luo Yun had gone out. ,

"As for the dock guard camp, I heard that Marquis Luo Yun led his troops out. Where did they go?"

"Hui Shizi, Marquis Luo Yun did not leave the camp after he came back. Early the next morning, he took his family and his eagle dogs to the Hanshan Temple outside the city. It is said that when they arrived, they drove out all the pilgrims. There were many complaints, and many people came back to talk about it. I heard it in the teahouse, so I am sure it is not wrong."

Nan Sheng told what he heard in the teahouse and felt something was wrong, not to mention Gong Huaiyu's hand grinding the tea bowl and holding it carefully.

Marquis Luo Yun went to Hanshan Temple, which was the most famous ancient temple in the south of the Yangtze River. Almost everyone in the whole Jiangnan knew it. When he went to the temple, it was nothing more than burning incense and worshiping Buddha and praying for peace. Marquis Luo Yun's hands were soaked in blood. He could be afraid, or he believed this, because his family wanted to do it. He suddenly thought of the river, stood up and stood by the window and looked at the Qinhuai River, which was still as clear as the bottom, no different at all. "Nansheng, come with me. I want to try the water of the Qinhuai River. Why is it so cold?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the rumors are true. My subordinates also went to test the water in the river. It is indeed true. I also asked many old people specifically. They all said that the water in the river this year is abnormally cold."

"Oh, interesting, go and see."

"Yes, son."

Gong Huaiyu was even more curious, how could there be so much talk about just a city of lakes? Of course, he was in the northwest all year round, where there was drought and little rain, but there was not as much water as the lakes in the south of the Yangtze River. It was indeed the richest place in the world, and the south of the Yangtze River was He who wants to win the world has a little bit of ambition in his heart.

The two of them went downstairs,

In the lobby on the first floor, I saw many benefactors and the disciples of the academy gathered around and whispered, with mysterious and excited expressions, as if they knew some secret. Gong Huaiyu shook his head and walked out of Yunliang Pavilion.

Arriving at the gatehouse,

Jia Lian, with his servants and soldiers, stood swaggering at the mountain gate. Looking at the magnificent Yunliang Pavilion, he couldn't help but feel excited. Not to mention, the brothels in Jiangnan were very enchanting.

"The ancients did not deceive me. The brothels in the south of the Yangtze River have a unique flavor. Today, I must have a good time."

Without waiting for others, he strode over, attracting the attention of many people. Gong Huaiyu naturally saw it. He was stunned for a moment and looked carefully. Isn't this Jia Lian, the heir to the Rongguo Mansion? I had seen this before during the Beijing Competition. Man, why are you here?

Jia Lian looked like he was in a hurry to find someone in the brothel. He stopped and took a look. Nan Sheng, the bodyguard behind him, immediately became alert.
"Your Majesty, is it possible?"

Gong Huaiyu then shook his head, without explaining, and continued to walk forward. Nan Sheng silently followed behind, carrying a long knife.

The Qinhuai River is not far away, right in front. This river is connected to Jinghu Lake. Strangely enough, no matter what water reaches Jinghu Lake, it becomes transparent and illusory, like a mirror.

Moreover, the water of this lake also takes care of one's appearance, mind, and righteousness. On a day when the sky is clear, standing on the embankment, the lake is too clear and bright, reflecting the blue sky like a mirror. The name of this lake has been since then. origin.

When he reached the embankment of the river and leaned down, Gong Huaiyu stretched his hand into the river, but was grabbed by the guard Nan.
"Your Majesty, it's better to be careful. The old man on the river bank said it would be better to fill the water with a poke and try again. After all, no one knows whether it is true or false."

Nansheng was a little worried and grabbed the prince, then pointed at the flower boats nearby.

Although Gong Huaiyu didn't believe it, he still didn't reach down. He looked at the flower boats around and saw that the servants were carefully carrying water in buckets before using it. Even the people on the shore and the women doing laundry were... It was to fetch water to wash clothes. It turned out that all the women who were washing clothes on the shore were gone.
"Well, go find a bucket and come over,"

"Yes, Your Majesty, you guys go back and get the buckets."

"Yes, Commander."

The guards behind the two of them obeyed the order and left. Gong Huaiyu had already believed the rumors at this time. Although he did not test the temperature of the water, standing on the shore, the cold feeling was a bit biting. Now that spring has begun, Jiangnan How could this be the case with the general recovery?

After a while,
back to shore,

The guard brought a bucket and brought a bucket of water up nearby. Gong Huaiyu came over and looked in. It was just ordinary clear water. He saw at a glance the bottom of the bucket and there was no so-called evil figure in it. After looking at it, he stretched out his hand. I touched it in, and as soon as I touched the water, I felt a biting chill. I put my hand completely in, and my arms became stiff with the cold.

Gong Huaiyu was taken aback and hurriedly shrank back, secretly thinking that it was indeed cold. The guard behind him, Nan Sheng, asked urgently,

"My lord, are you all right?"

Gong Huaiyu shook his hand, touched his stiff arm, and said;

"It's okay. The water in the bucket is indeed very cold. The coldness is a bit unusual. Tell the people below to be careful and try not to get close to the water. If the temperature goes down, it will kill people. And keep an eye on the wind in the city."

"Yes, Your Majesty, you'd better go back and rest more. Over there in the capital?"

Nan Sheng knew that the Poetry Club had ended early and something was going on in Jiangnan, so it was safe to return to the capital.
"Don't worry, Marquis Luo Yun has just come back, and the fun is yet to come. I still want to stay and support the Marquis, haha."

Gong Huaiyu seemed to be laughing heartily, seemingly relaxed, but there was also a hint of chill inside, as the Marquis was afraid that there would be another bloody storm when he entered the city.

(End of this chapter)