Chapter 217 Weakness

When Jiang Xuening went out, she didn't even dare to take a second look at the sword book standing outside. She took advantage of the dim sky and went back to the room, pulling off her dirty clothes. If it weren't good, she would leave them in the room for the maid to clean up. She simply threw them into the water basin, soaking them until there were no traces before they finally subsided.

I just lay in bed and didn't fall asleep for most of the night.

The next day, the maid came in to take care of her washing, and was surprised to see that her clothes from yesterday were soaked in a basin of water. Jiang Xuening only said that she had drunk too much when she came back last night and casually put away her clothes. The maids naturally didn't think too much.

After the border war was over, You Fangyin and Ren Weizhi planned to leave Xinzhou at a certain date. Just come and go, there are also some local customs at the border. It's better to bring some back and do some side business. So I came early in the morning to ask Jiang Xuening if we should go to the market together and see the scenery of Guanzhong.

Jiang Xuening is getting annoyed.

I had finally made up my mind last night to clarify with Xie Wei. However, without saying a few words, such a thing happened, it's simply absurd! If it weren't for waking up early in the morning and seeing the clothes soaked in the water basin, as well as the faint teeth marks still left on her neck, she might have thought she was bold and even dared to dream like this.

But the plan was also disrupted.

She is well aware of Xie Wei's abilities and her own situation. The longer she drags on, the more she finds herself trapped in a vortex and unable to escape.

You Fangyin came to find her, but she happened to let herself leave the general's mansion, which had become somewhat suffocating for some reason, and go to the street market to take a breath, relax, and think carefully.

So the two of them walked out the door together.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year after the holiday, the street market was filled with joy, and the shops were filled with a variety of things, filled with people going out to play.

On the high city tower, Xie Wei and Lv Xian had seen the situation of the camp outside the city from a distance and walked back.

Although it is the New Year, the wind is still cold.

However, as Lv Xian spoke, he felt that Xie Ju'an's mood seemed unaffected by the cold wind. His eyebrows and eyes were clear and distant, and his mood was desolate. Compared to the melting moon hanging high in the sky, it was more like a faint breeze floating in a willow pond.

He looked behind him and didn't see Dao Qin. He couldn't help but say, "I heard early this morning that Dao Qin caught a girl last night, scolded her a lot, and cried bitterly. I heard she was going to be locked up in prison for several days. What happened and what did she do?"

Xie Wei raised his eyebrows lightly.

He glanced back at Lv Xian and said, "Dao Qin has a more remote personality and likes to take things seriously with people. I guess he was offended."

Lv Xian: "..."

Can you answer more perfunctorily? I believe you have a ghost!

He decided not to inquire and glanced around first. Seeing no one nearby, he spoke up and said, "Now that the court has sent Zhou Yin, it can be considered that he has taken our army. What do you plan to do?"

Shen Lang is truly a skilled emperor.

Although it doesn't use the right path, it can be used on such crooked roads, which is enough to deal with ordinary people.

Unfortunately, Xie Wei is not an ordinary person.

He lowered his eyes and looked at the bricks on the city wall in front of him, reaching out to touch the sword marks left on his head over the years. He said, "Now he has come to recruit, and the generals of Xinzhou City are also leading troops. It's not easy to raise the flag and rebel at once. This is not the best time. However..."

L ü Xian said, "Do you have any backup moves?"

===Kunning Section 268===

Xie Wei withdrew his hand and looked at the fine lines on his palm, saying, "The Heavenly Sect has not yet taken action. Wan Xiuzi has been planning for these years, how can he not see the timing? The praying mantis is catching cicadas, and the yellow sparrow is behind. This kind of thing cannot be urgent."

As he was speaking, there was suddenly some movement coming from below.

The two turned their heads and saw that Zhou Yinzhi had walked up from below.

The soldiers on both sides saluted him.

But he saw Xie Wei and Lv Xian standing here at a glance. After a moment of shock, he walked up and said, "I have seen Master Xie. I came in a hurry yesterday, and it was also a celebration banquet, so I didn't have time to talk about anything serious. I was about to go find General Yanlin, so I met you."

Xie Wei said, "Do you have any business to attend to?"

Zhou Yinzhi's eyes flashed slightly, and he smiled at him: "It's said that the eldest Royal Highness Princess has been saved for more than a month. Previously, she needed to recuperate, but now her highness is very well. The Holy Highness means to take her back to Beijing. And you and General Yanlin have attacked the Tartars, rescued the lord, made them subject to our court, weakened their strength, and saved the border from the war disaster in the next few years. It's a great contribution. We should inform the world that we should add officials to the ranks. The Ministry of Rite has even prepared the sealed documents, but I don't know when you and General Yan will start?"

There are 100000 soldiers stationed at the border, and the capital is beyond reach. But if you want to go back, you will be unarmed and enter the enemy's abdomen.

Who dares to take such a risk?

Xie Wei felt that Zhou Yinzhi's words had more probing implications, but he remained calm and didn't panic. Instead, he first glanced around and then looked at Zhou Yinzhi. His voice lowered and he sighed lightly, "Lord Zhou, did the court really spare this matter lightly?"

Zhou Yinzhi's expression suddenly became somewhat frozen: "Are you..."

Xie Wei's face was slightly cold as he said, "The Yan family was found to have connections with the rebellion of the Prince of Pingnan and held a grudge against the emperor and the court. Yan Lin appeared to have raised troops to save the princess at the border, which was a righteous act praised by the people. But don't we know that the emperor never had such a so-called transfer order? After arriving in Xinzhou, Xie knew that there was something wrong. Unfortunately, it was too late, and military power had already fallen into the hands of the thieves. One was for self-protection, the other was for the overall situation, and the third was for the people. They came up with a false and deceitful strategy, first helping him succeed, and then waiting for the people to succeed." "News from the court. However, Lord Zhou came alone and had a lively conversation with him during the banquet yesterday, which is very puzzling. I wonder how the court planned?"

L ü Xian listened beside and felt like laughing.

However, Zhou Yinzhi never expected Xie Wei to make such a statement.

After arriving in Xinzhou, he also inquired everywhere and almost assumed that Xie Wei was also involved in the border rebellion. After all, based on his knowledge of serving Jiang Xuening in the past, coupled with the few interactions between the court and the central government in the past two years, he never dared to underestimate Xie Wei, and even feared him more than others.

However, Xie Wei claimed that being with Yan Lin was a false and indirect relationship.

Zhou Yinzhi's mind suddenly changed, and he couldn't distinguish between truth and falsehood for a moment. However, he had also experienced ups and downs in the Royal Guards. Now, as a person, he can tell people and ghosts, but he can.

Immediately, he gave a gentle bitter smile.

With a low tone, he said, "So, Young Master, you also have your own difficulties. I thought to myself, the Holy See regards you as a counselor and a right-hand man. Shouldn't that be so. But as you said, things have become a foregone conclusion, and it's really difficult to turn things around. It's better to make the right decision and see the situation. Or, do you have any other ideas?"

Xie Wei closed his eyes, his brilliance flowing silently for a moment, then shook his head and said, "The enemy is strong and I am weak. There is no good plan for suffering."

Zhou Yinzhi continued, "The matter of returning to Beijing..."

Xie Wei glanced at the arrow tower built on top of the urn on the inner side of the city tower and said, "The Prince of Yan has summoned the leaders of the city to hold a meeting at the arrow tower. It's just that Xie is a civil servant, so it's inconvenient to stand by as an observer. Mr. Zhou has just arrived at the right time, why not go and gather information first, and we can make plans later?"

Zhou Yinzhi also looked at the arrow tower, but couldn't help but ponder.

He couldn't believe Xie Wei's words for three times.

I am afraid that if I believe too much, I will end up in an irreversible situation; I am even more afraid of falling into a trap or accidentally revealing some secrets that should not be revealed, which could lead to my own death.

Lv Xian, on the other hand, was like a mirror, naturally aware that Xie Wei's words were not true at all, but were just confusing Zhou Yinzhi. He felt a chill in his heart. But seeing Zhou Yinzhi's words, it seemed that he was afraid of the feeling of others on his side, so he took a step and wanted to avoid them.

Unexpectedly, I took a step and saw the figure below.

At that moment, she instinctively blurted out, "Miss You?"

You Fangyin was accompanying Jiang Xuening to see a local tea plantation in Xinzhou City. She had just bought two liang of tea and was preparing to go back and see if it was different from her own business. How could she have thought that someone would suddenly call her out?

The two of them looked up according to the sound, and then they saw Lv Xian.

By the way, I saw Xie Wei and Zhou Yinzhi on the city tower.

Jiang Xuening was momentarily stunned.

Xie Wei was also slightly surprised, but when he saw Jiang Xuening, he also saw her newly changed light blue pleated skirt today, and a furry scarf tied around her neck, blocking her slender neck tightly. For some reason, his mind turned to the events of last night.

A rare discomfort made him stiff for a moment.

After all, self deprecation is such a thing

Jiang Xuening looked at him.

Although Xie Wei did not avoid his gaze, his ear tips inevitably caught a hint of suspicious red.

It's just that everyone else's attention is below, and they didn't pay attention to him.

Zhou Yinzhi saw Jiang Xuening and You Fangyin together, and his gaze flickered slightly. He took the initiative to talk to her and said, "Miss Er, are you busy with business with Boss You?"

Jiang Xuening withdrew her gaze from Xie Wei's gaze.

Anyway, it wasn't her who did those embarrassing things. On the contrary, she was particularly calm and even smiled on her lips, saying, "No, it's just going shopping."

Having started speaking, it's not convenient to leave now.

Besides, she has always had doubts about Zhou Yinzhi.

Since I had encountered it, I said to You Fangyin that I wanted to go up to the city tower. But You Fangyin shook her head and glanced at the person standing on the city tower, saying that she was waiting for her in the nearby tea house and did not go up with Jiang Xuening.

Jiang Xuening glanced at Lv Xian above and felt a clear understanding. Without saying anything, she nodded and picked up her skirt, then walked up the steps below the city tower to the top.

Xie Wei seemed uncomfortable and didn't speak.

L ü Xian saw that You Fangyin had not come up, feeling a bit unhappy and did not speak up.

However, Zhou Yinzhi was quite familiar with her appearance and chatted with Jiang Xuening. Seeing that she was still holding two liang of tea leaves in her hand, she couldn't help but say, "The tea leaves in the Guanzhong market may not be as good as those in the capital, after all, the good ones are either in Jiangnan or sent to the palace."

Jiang Xuening's business and hunting have been quite extensive in recent years. In his early years, he was also in charge of the harem. Those who knew how to pay tribute to the court in various places could not be clear about this?

However, Zhou Yinzhi did not have such an understanding of tea back then.

When she went to Zhou Yinzhi's house, only Yao Niang served her and carefully brewed the best tea that was served to her, but it was nothing more than the top-notch frozen top oolong that year.

Jiang Xuening couldn't help but think of Yao Niang and the marriage between Zhou Yinzhi and Chen Shuyi. She couldn't help but say, "Is Yao Niang okay?"

Zhou Yin was stunned, seemingly not expecting her to ask Yao Niang.

How did he know how much Jiang Xuening knew about him?

Although Zhou Yinzhi married Yao Xi in his previous life, there were many concubines in the mansion. Although Yao Niang's appearance was not considered the highest and her affection was not the most abundant, she was the longest lasting one in his harem. Later on, Yao Xi inexplicably disappeared. Although Jiang Xuening did not care about the private affairs of Empress Zhou Yin's residence, he also heard some hearsay that Yao Xi wanted to deal with Yao Niang, which led to the incident.

She paid special attention to this beautiful woman whom she had not seen many times before.

Zhou Yinzhi was a bit cautious: "How did you ask her?"

Jiang Xuening said, "Just mentioning tea reminds me of her. In the past, when I brewed tea for you, although the tea was not very good, the craftsmanship of brewing tea was good. Now that you are welcoming Chen Shuyi in, don't mistreat her, do you?"

Zhou Yinzhi suddenly fell silent.

After a moment, she smiled and said, "She was the daughter of a tea farmer's family in her early years, and only followed me when the family was in decline. She really loves tea. Before I left Beijing and came to Xinzhou, the autumn tea in the palace had just been given, and she was fond of Dianhong. Miss Er cares, and I will definitely convey it to her when I return."

Jiang Xuening suddenly lifted her eyes and gave him a determined glance.

This gaze was too bright for a moment.

Zhou Yinzhi suddenly felt a sense of unease: "Is there anything wrong?"

However, the light in her eyes quickly returned to normal. Jiang Xuening let out an "oh" as if nothing had happened, and smiled, "Well, what's the point of asking about Mr. Zhou's matter? It's just a sudden memory. Please don't worry, it's my audacity."

Zhou Yinzhi hurriedly said, "I dare not."

Xie Wei had been chatting with them for a while, and each sentence sounded like an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. Feeling unhappy, he calmly interjected, "Mr. Zhou, if you don't leave, the meeting at the Arrow Tower will end soon."

Zhou Yinzhi was only surprised and noticed that Xie Wei's words had a hint of "seeing off guests". He immediately sensed something and stopped talking to Jiang Xuening. He bowed and said, "Look at me, I almost forgot the main matter. I'll take my leave and see General Yan."

After speaking, he bowed one by one and followed the winding city wall towards the distant Arrow Tower.

Jiang Xuening, however, looked at his back with a furrowed brow.

Xie Wei asked with a smile on his face, "Are you very familiar with him?"

Jiang Xuening felt a chill in her heart and said, "Zhou Yin is not right."

Xie Wei was taken aback.

Jiang Xuening, however, had a sudden change in her heart. She turned around and lowered her voice, looking at Xie Wei, speaking at a fast pace: "Dian Hong tea is produced in Yunnan. Autumn tea from the southwest is harvested late, and the journey is even farther. Tribute to the palace is usually in mid November every year, with no more than ten days of wind and snow before and after. The emperor bestowed favor on his courtiers only at the end of November or early December. He claimed that when he set off to the border, the palace gave him autumn tea, and the journey from the capital to Xinzhou was only nine days and ten days. Why did he delay entering Xinzhou until yesterday's New Year's Eve?"

Xie Wei's pupils slightly contracted.

Jiang Xuening said decisively, "Either he lied about the departure time, but it's not necessary; or, during the missing time, he went somewhere else with another plan!"