Chapter 11 Chapter VII

Di Gong stood in a daze in the mountain wind, he thought that if someone wanted to murder him, he only needed to deploy a few crossbowmen here, and if he wanted to escape into the pine forest to hide, he would be tripped over by ropes and captured alive. ——Life and death advance and retreat, only God's will.Thinking of this, he simply walked slowly into the pine forest and found a comfortable grass to rest his feet. Suddenly, I saw a black shadow moving in the pine forest, and then I heard the sound of branches breaking.Di Gong leaned behind a big black pine and watched the movement carefully. The black shadow was getting bigger and bigger. When he took a closer look, it turned out that it was an old green donkey grazing leisurely.

Di Gong walked towards the old green donkey.Looking up at a pine tree and leaning on a pair of crutches, Mr. Gourd is sitting on a big bluestone by the pine forest and taking a nap, with his gourd at his feet.Duke Di was surprised and delighted, and was about to step forward to bow, when Mr. Hulu opened his eyes: "Doctor, what are you doing here in the woods in the dark at night?" "I was greedy to enjoy the cool, and I lost my way for a moment." "Where's your sword?" "Walking on the moon at night, what's the use of a sword?" Mr. Calabash snorted, and said, "I will guide you again, old man. You follow my green donkey and walk slowly." He put away his crutches and climbed onto the donkey's back.

Di Gong was overjoyed, and a big stone fell to the ground in his heart.Walking with a respectable elder like Mr. Calabash, the gangsters might not rush to attack. The two walked for a while, and Di Gong smiled slightly: "Mr. Gourd, you and I are destined to be like each other, and this medicinal gourd binds us together." "Doctor's secular relationship is not over, I am afraid there will be three disasters and six disasters. It is good fortune to bump into the old man for no reason. Be careful there are people in front of you!" Before the words were finished, three big men flashed out from among the pine forests to block the way.The leader held a sharp knife in one hand, and took the reins of the green donkey with the other, and shouted loudly: "Three old donkeys, slow down!"

Duke Di became angry, and just about to fight, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his waist, and a sharp sword had torn his robe: "Don't move rashly."——The fourth gangster jumped out of nowhere, He fell behind and subdued him. The four gangsters escorted Mr. Di and Mr. Hulu into a narrow mountain road, went around the edge of the pine forest, and came to a deserted warehouse. Mr. Dee and Mr. Calabash were ordered to sit on a bench.Digong's eyes were wide open, suffering from the lack of a blade in his hand; Mr. Gourd sat with his head bowed, two crutches between his legs, and his expression was at the mercy of the gangsters.The gangster in the head smiled, tested the blade with his fingers, and said: "You two listened, and you will be the ghosts under this knife in an instant. You and I have no grudges in the past, and we have no grudges today. In order to receive money from others, I dare not disobey orders. Tomorrow, when we arrive in the underworld, please don’t sue us in front of Lord Yama.”

Di Gong thought he was going to die, sighed again and again, closed his eyes and stretched his neck, and said nothing more.But Mr. Gourd asked: "I just don't know who ordered you to be greedy for money and kill me. Let me tell you my name, and I will close my eyes when I die, and I won't be entangled with you in the future. .” The leader scolded: "Old thief slave, Hugh Deluo! Before you die, you still don't pretend to be self-confident, ask all kinds of questions, but why do you care about people's surnames? Just remember that next year today is your death day."

Mr. Calabash smiled faintly: "Poverty Dao still has something to ask, so that he can understand. I don't know if the number has enmity with me, or is it just to deal with this doctor?" The leader of the thieves scolded: "I wronged you, an old dog, and died with him, why don't you thank me?" Mr. Hulu asked in surprise: "Who is coming behind?" The thief turned his head in astonishment, it was too late to say it, it was so soon, he saw Mr. Calabash pull out a crutch from between his legs and shake it, and a beam of cold light shot out from the cemetery.It turned out that it was a sharp sword with a sheath, the bamboo sheath fell to the ground, and the blade had pierced into the thief's throat.The thief gave a loud cry and fell on his back.Di Gong woke up suddenly, with sharp eyes and quick hands, he grabbed the broad knife in his hand and swung it at the three gangsters.Mr. Gourd has already shaken out another sword, and the two swords are like bright dragons emerging from the clouds, shining with blue light.The three gangsters were so frightened that they looked at each other, their legs and feet were numb, and when they wanted to fight back, how could they resist?After only a few rounds, he was stabbed and fell to the ground.

Di Gong stepped forward and stomped on the belly of a gangster who was struggling in a pool of blood, and asked sharply, "Quickly tell me: which master sent you here?" The gangster rolled his eyes, spat out a mouthful of blood, and died with his head tilted.Looking at those three again, they were already out of breath, and they didn't feel any regrets, only hated that they were rude and reckless, and didn't leave a single one alive so that they could go to the military camp to testify. When Di Gong looked at Mr. Gourd, he saw that he had already put away his swords and was still sitting on a stool with a pair of crutches.Hastily stepped forward to make a bow, and said: "Unexpectedly, Mr. Hulu has this unique trick, so that I can open my eyes. If it wasn't for Mr., what happened today, I would really be a ghost to die."

Mr. Hulu said: "Go outside the warehouse door and see if there is any movement. Where is this place, I have never been here before." When Di Gong walked out of the warehouse, he saw a desolate river bank under the dim moonlight. There was a row of four or five old warehouses beside the pier along the river beach. Mr. Hulu's green donkey was grazing leisurely behind the last warehouse.Daqingchuan flows from the waves, and the sound of the water is mighty.A mast light flickered under the floating stack in the distance, and a dozen small sampans were moored.Di Gong found that there were still faded words on the door of the easternmost warehouse, "Langji Silk and Satin Shop."——Di Gong suddenly remembered the shopkeeper Lang Liu who met in Tangchi after the Blue Bird Guest.Didn't Zi Qian say that he has a silk and satin warehouse in Qingchuan Town?When he was hesitating, Mr. Hulu walked over secretly.Di Gongdao: "We are now at the east end of the Daqingchuan River Beach, and we have never seen anyone around here. It seems that we have to report this matter to Captain Zou in the army camp."

"The doctor's opinion is very right. But the old man is hungry and tired, and wants to say goodbye. There is still time to meet sooner or later. If the army village wants to testify, it will come to me." Duke Di had no choice but to agree, and said, "I still want to search for the four gangsters just now. It would be better if there were a few words of evidence. Sir, please wake up the blacksmith in the blacksmith shop when you go to the store. He brought my horse here and promised to give him money when he brought it." Mr. Gourd agreed, untied the reins, climbed onto the donkey's back, and left.Mr. Di went back to the warehouse and searched the bodies of the four corpses carefully, but found nothing. Apparently their employers had taken precautions and refused to leave a trace of evidence.

Di Gong sat down and thought carefully.This conspiracy must have something to do with the third princess's jade bead string. As soon as he came out of the Bishui Palace, he met this gang of gangsters in the pine forest.Suddenly he remembered the yellow silk that the third princess had given him, and he couldn't help tearing off the moldings to take a closer look.If you don't look at it, you can't help being surprised.It turned out that the yellow silk was not the secret order of the three princesses, but an imperial decree of the emperor, with Bolong embroidered on all sides, biting each other head to tail, and the jade seal was sealed.The decree stated: Di Renjie was ordered by the imperial court to be the imperial envoy of Xunyue, and the prefectures and counties he passed were given full power to specialize in military affairs and criminal administration.Di Gong read it carefully and was overjoyed.Looking closely, only the three characters "Di Renjie" and the date of signature are newly filled in ink, and the handwriting is beautiful, and it is written by a woman.I thought that this yellow silk decree must have been prepared by the emperor and bestowed on the three princesses. If there is an emergency, just fill in the name and date, and then it will be promulgated.Now that the three princesses have stolen the jade bead string, and have entrusted me with a great responsibility, I should try my best to overcome all difficulties and recover the national treasure, in order to repay the royal family's favor and trust.After thinking about it again, the emperor loves and trusts the third princess so much, is there a conspiracy to frame the third princess behind the theft of the jade bead string?Perhaps it is the key to solving the case.When I was thinking, I gradually heard the sound of horseshoes breaking, and saw a blacksmith riding a horse leading a horse all the way to find it.Di Gong was overjoyed, went out and had a drink with the blacksmith, and rewarded him with a piece of silver. He took his horse and got on the horse, and galloped towards Qingchuan Town.

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