The spring night is slightly cold, and the moon and stars are sparse.
On the Official Road from Tongzhou to Beijing, the sound of horse hooves sounded, startling the chirping of insects dormant in the grass.
It was March, spring was late in the North, and the elm trees on both sides of Official Road had just sprouted new buds, and their tender green leaf tips glowed silvery in the moonlight.
Li Yan Their team is really not small.
Luo MingZi's dozen subordinates, as well as Kong Shangzhao's four housekeepers and servants, as well as the carriage carrying luggage, were no less big than a small caravan, marching forward with torches on Official Road in the dark night.
In the night sky, Falcon Li Dong hovers back and forth.
Lu San controls the snake and mouse to send messages, and Li Yan also pinches Mystical Gestures to listen.
After a long while, Li Yan shook his head slightly, "It seems they gave up."
"We are approaching the capital soon. There is no chance of doing anything here."
"What a pity."
Luo MingZi looked behind, a trace of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
He is well aware of the achievements of Li Yan and others. This time, with the help of Twelve Yuan Chen and setting up an ambush in advance, he might be able to catch them and find out who is behind the scenes.
But now it seems that the other party is far more cautious than he thought.
In the distance, the stone arch of Yongtong Bridge is like a dark backbone, spanning the moonlit Tonghui River.
Looking around, there is quite a charm to it.
Li Yan reined in his horse and stopped for a moment, the white air he exhaled condensed into mist in the spring cold.
"This bridge was built during the previous dynasty and is hundreds of years old."
Luo MingZi pointed at the dark building in the direction of Northeast: "Did you see it? It was expanded during the years of Tongzhou West Granary and Longyuan. Now there are 400,000 shi of newly arrived spring grain piled there, and there are also garrison guards."
Everyone followed his hand and saw a series of dark tiles inside the high wall, and the patrol torches on the top of the wall flickered on and off.
After a brief introduction, Luo MingZi looked at Li Yan.
He was really curious about what Li Yan had found, but it was not convenient because there were so many people.
Unknowingly, a line of white fish belly appeared in the eastern sky.
"We're here, the capital is ahead!"
Luo MingZi suddenly raised his head and pointed forward.
Everyone looked up and saw that at the end of Official Road, the majestic city walls of the capital were dormant like giant beasts.
The lanterns on the arrow tower swayed in the morning breeze, like scarlet eyes hanging in the mist.
Li Yan was thoughtful and wanted to pinch Yang Seal to explore.
"Don't!"
Before he could take action, Luo MingZi quickly stopped him, shook his head and said, "The capital is no different than other places. It is not only where the City God General Directorate is located, but also where the national sacrifices Sheji and Sun Moon Star chen are. The inspections by secular gods are very strict. If you use Divine Ability to investigate without permission, you will get into trouble."
Next to Sha LiFei was stunned, "Isn't this still far away?"
Luo MingZi didn't explain much, but said meaningfully, "Anyway, don't mess around. If the national sacrifice is that simple, it will not affect the dynasty and the country. Orthodox Xuan Gate is following it like a duck. When you get to the capital, apply for a warrant. You can use Divine Ability to detect anything except the imperial city."
"But last year His Majesty strictly restricted Xuanmen. Even we had to explain it in detail afterwards."
Li Yan stopped his hand and frowned. "How can we find the demon when we are so constrained?"
Luo MingZi was silent for a moment, and said with a wry smile, "This place is no better than other places, and I, Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect, cannot wander around at will, otherwise it will arouse the suspicion of the royal family. Don't worry, after I help you apply for a license, many things will be easier to handle."
As he said that, he looked into the distance and said, "The gate to the capital will open later, but you don't want to enter the city yet."
No one said anything after hearing this.
This is the plan Li Yan made on the road.
They came to the capital originally to attend the opening ceremony of the Qiankun Academy. Although they were delayed a bit on the way, there was still almost half a month left.
Qiankun Academy Now is the eye of the storm in Beijing. We need to see the situation clearly before making a decision.
Of course, Li Yan has another reason that he didn't say.
That "Zhao Qingxu" sending a provocative letter must have been deployed in the capital, waiting for him to jump in.
The capital is not a good place, so Li Yan is naturally worried if hidden dangers are not eliminated.
Under the leadership of Luo MingZi, everyone left Official Road and turned to the left.
The sky was getting brighter, and after walking for about ten miles, in the distance, among the streets, the outlines of manor houses with gray walls and black tiles appeared.
The morning mist shrouded the surroundings of the manor like a gauze, making the towering walls even more stern.
There were "common people" who got up early to work in the fields. When they saw them, they did not approach them, but just saluted from a distance.
The sharp blades reflected in the backpacks of these "common people" were obviously not ordinary people.
When I got closer to the manor, I saw that the door was tightly closed, the red paint was peeling off, the fragments of the seal at the door were soaked with night dew, and the writing was blurred.
There is a pair of bluestone drums in front of the door. There is a fine crack on the left side of the drum surface, as if it has been hit hard.
"This Zhuangzi originally belonged to Gao Shining, the Minister of Industry."
Luo MingZi ordered someone to come forward and open the door, and at the same time introduced, "He was involved in the dispute between Imperial Court and was thrown into prison. His family property was confiscated. The manor was temporarily sealed by the Ministry of Household Affairs and has not yet been sold."
"This house is close to the tributary of the Tonghui River, backed by a low mountain, and facing Official Road in front. It is surrounded by dense pine and cypress trees and is extremely well hidden. Therefore, I temporarily requisitioned it as a place to stay outside the capital. They must have packed up the rooms."
Everyone followed in and looked around.
This house is a typical northern gentry garden, and it also incorporates some Jiangnan garden landscaping. It is quite large in scale.
Renovations are going on inside.
The "reverse seat room" where the servants originally lived in the front yard has been converted into a secret sentry. Through the small window, the movements of Official Road can be monitored. In several blind spots, hidden slide rails for crossbows and matchlock guns are being installed. The screen wall has a relief of "Immortal Riding a Crane". The rear has been cut open and the treasures are buried according to the five lines.
Near the hanging flower door on the central axis, there are also craftsmen replacing the evil-warming bronze mirrors.
These craftsmen are not young, and looking at the guys hanging on them, they are all Xuanmen craftsmen.
After seeing Luo MingZi, he just nodded slightly and didn't say anything.
"Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen."
But Luo MingZi was very respectful. After saying greetings, he led everyone to the backyard and explained, "These master craftsmen are all royal craftsmen. Their families have been arranged, and no one will be given face."
After saying this, Li Yan suddenly understood.
These craftsmen come from the rumored "Heavenly Craft Bureau" of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
He has a good relationship with the Mo Sect elder Tian Feng, and he heard him say this while drinking and chatting.
This department began to appear in the Daqing years of the previous dynasty. It is similar to the functional integration of Directorate of Astronomy and Directorate of Constructions. It specializes in the secret skills of royal architecture. Most of its members are selected from the young craftsmen of the Aristocratic Clan. Tong, who has been trained at "Mysterious Mechanism Institute" since childhood, has learned <Lu Ban's Secret Codex>, <Shaking Dragon Classic> and <Exploitation of the Works of Nature> and other knowledge, and is proficient in Mechanism Arts numbers, Feng Shui and the art of losing victory.
Their families have usually been arranged.
When he was young, he was responsible for building some of the palace's secret passages, warehouses, and palace organs.
After all, there are countless Daoist craftsmen's ways of harming people in this world, so be on guard against them.
And when they get old and old, whenever an emperor is buried, they will follow him into the mausoleum and make structures.
The methods and maps for cracking the mechanism will also be buried with the emperor along with them.
Luo MingZi Being able to invite this group of people also shows that he is deeply trusted by the emperor.
The backyard is quite large. The main building "Pillow Cloud Pavilion" is a two-story mountain building. The window faces the back mountain and overlooks the whole garden.
In addition to the west Wing Room and the east courtyard, there is also a small garden.
The room has been simply tidied up. Although it is simple, it is also very clean.
"Come on, come on, let's make do with some food first."
Luo MingZi had people bring in two tables of breakfast, which was just some simple Miancha, sugar-roasted and steamed eggs, as well as braised pork and pickles wrapped in brown paper, and a large table was filled with them.
After taking a boat continuously and traveling all night, everyone was a little tired. After a simple meal, they went back to their rooms to rest.
Lu San chose the highest location of the main building to facilitate the access of falcons and monitor all directions.
Li Yan chose Wing Room on the west side, close to the courtyard wall.
As soon as I returned to the room, Luo MingZi followed me in.
"No rush."
Just as he was about to speak, Li Yan shook his head slightly, took Wish-Fulfilling Pearl from Wang Dao Xuan, and hung it on the door.
"Tsk, tsk."
Looking at the slightly shiny bead, the Daoist praised it, shook his head and said, "This is Wish-Fulfilling Pearl, the Thirteen Treasures of the Tang Dynasty, National Sacrifice Divine Artifact, which means you are now famous and can control the situation, otherwise this thing will be a disaster."
After saying that, he shifted his gaze and asked with curiosity on his face, "What exactly did you find out, the secret of the gods?"
"'Zhao Qingxu' sent me a letter."
Li Yan told the story with a gloomy face, "He deliberately sent the things to Li Family Fortress just to anger me with what happened back then. I'm afraid a murderous plot has been laid out in the capital, waiting for me to get inside."
"Also, Jinmen Lu Jinghai mentioned a name before his death, but I did not inform Commandery Commandant Office."
"What name?"
Luo MingZi became interested and asked quickly.
"Pan Peach Gathering!"
Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Daoist Master has been in the capital for a long time, have you ever heard of this?"
"Pan Peach Gathering?"
Luo MingZi frowned slightly, shook his head and said, "I've never heard of it, what kind of organization is this?"
"I don't know either."
Li Yan looked out the window thoughtfully, "Then Lu Jinghai is collecting money for Prince Ying's Estate. I wonder if this thing has something to do with those nobles in the military?"
Luo MingZi stroked his beard lightly, thought for a moment and shook his head, "It doesn't look like that."
"I have read the information about Lu Jinghai. He killed enemies in northern Xinjiang and had outstanding military exploits. However, he was cruel and brutal. He secretly killed good people and took credit for his crimes. He also allowed his subordinates to harm Han villages. Some people took the opportunity to capture him and wanted him to be executed under military law, but he was spared by the King of England."
"Although the King of England has passed away long ago, he has always been loyal to Prince Ying's Estate. If it has anything to do with Prince Ying's Estate, he will definitely not say anything."
Thinking of Lu Jinghai's previous hesitation, Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe Lu Jinghai has concealed important information. For example, the process of learning about Pan Peach Gathering is so secret that not ordinary people can know it."
Luo MingZi suddenly understood, "You want to check from Prince Ying's Estate?"
"That's right."
Li Yan said in a deep voice, "The enemy is in the dark, I am in the light. The demons in Jianmu must have known about the trip to the Qiankun Academy. Maybe there are people from them around seniors Yan Jiuling and Tian Feng. If I go to the city to meet them in a big way, I will fall into a trap."
"The current plan is to sneak in secretly and strike first."
"That's fine."
Luo MingZi didn't talk nonsense, nodded and said, "I will help you cover up and attract those people's attention to the manor."
As he spoke, he looked solemn and patted Li Yan on the shoulder, "As I said, the capital is no different from other places, dragons and snakes are mixed together. As far as I know, there are three grandmasters stationed in the capital all year round, and there are also Daoist masters in the gangs and powerful houses."
"Some are not famous, but their methods are not weak at all..."
"City God is patrolling every night, and escape techniques are not allowed on the street..."
"Also near the Imperial City, once a spell is used, it will be counterattacked by the national sacrifices..."
Luo MingZi took the trouble to tell some key information about the capital in detail.
Li Yan has learned about the situation in the capital from Zhao Wan Fang, but does not know the secrets of Xuanmen. Now it is time to make up for it.
The two of them chatted for another two hours.
After confirming all the details, Li Yan found his companions to inform him, and then fell asleep...
The next day, the sky was a little gloomy.
Luo MingZi Early in the morning, he summoned all his men to issue orders.
"Keep searching for all Daoist temples!"
"Also, don't let those Jianghu gangs go. Inform them that whoever can provide clues to Zhao Qingxu will be rewarded heavily!"
"Those guests in the backyard are tired from their journey and need to rest for a few days. No one should disturb them..."
"Yes, sir!"
More than thirty of his subordinates clasped their fists together and turned to leave.
Watching them leave, Luo MingZi was holding a teacup with sharp eyes.
He had known that there was a traitor among these people.
There is nothing wrong with the emperor mobilizing elites from Commandery Commandant Office and Mystic Sacrificial Official Enforcement Hall.
These people are indeed elite, either veterans in handling cases or rising stars in Xuanmen.
But that's where things went wrong.
Commandery Commandant Office Needless to say, he can be a royal eagle dog, and he can also be a demon's lackey.
The elite members of Daoism come from different orthodox religions and dharma lines.
The modeling organization is well-informed and can easily hide the secrets.
In the past, when searching for archives from the Ministry of Rites, my opponents were always one step ahead.
Tian Chiliarch is hiding in the south, and it also reveals many anomalies.
He had already cleared out a batch of them, but he was still tricked in Tongzhou.
This time Li Yan went to the city to investigate, which was also an opportunity for him. By helping Li Yan cover up, he might be able to detect the dark ghost!
Thinking of this, Luo MingZi rolled his eyes and turned to the backyard.
Wang Dao Xuan and Sha LiFei are reading and practicing.
Along the way, they were thinking about how to increase their strength whenever they had free time.
"The Daoist priest came just in time."
Sha LiFei saw this and came over quickly, "I want to get some materials to modify firearms..."
"Easy to say."
Luo MingZi smiled slightly, "I didn't expect Brother Sha to have such a hand. Just make a list and let people pick it up. There is also a stove prepared by the craftsman in the manor, but no one happens to be using it."
When he said this, he didn't take it seriously.
Since the appearance of New Style Firearm, a lot of research has been done on Xuan Gate People.
Sha LiFei He is just a rough guy, so he will probably waste some materials. Anyway, the funds provided by the court are enough.
His attention is entirely on the other side.
After hurriedly dealing with Sha LiFei, he came to Kong Shangzhao's room with a gentle smile on his face, "I heard that Brother Kong is good at analyzing classics. Can you do me a favor? We will help you handle your matters."
"This is... good!"
Kong Shangzhao nodded in agreement without saying anything.
After he left, he was most worried about his father. If he had this opportunity, he would not let it go.
"Okay, bring the things in!"
Luo MingZi was overjoyed, and with an order, cart after cart of old classics and files were pulled into the backyard...
At the same time, outside the gate of the capital city.
Thick crowds of people waiting to enter the city lined up for two or three miles.
"It's open!"
Rumble!
Accompanied by a huge roar, the city gate slowly opened.
In the crowd, Li Yan lowered his straw hat and followed the flow of people into this magnificent imperial capital...