It's dark at night, and the lights inside the Jinling Royal Palace are bright.
Although due to taboos, the palace only occupied a corner of the ruins of the original palace of the Daxing Dynasty and was rebuilt, it is still a palace after all. The gilt pillars, glazed lamps, and crocodile curtains in the banquet hall all reflect the royal family's overwhelming wealth.
As Qiu Mingyuan expected, King of Jinling sitting at the top and sitting at the bottom were none other than Gusu Lu Family and Qiantang Xie Family's principals in Jinling - Third Master Lu and Fifth Master Xie.
The two of them were dressed in rich clothes and looked graceful, but there was a trace of anxiety deep in their eyes.
As for Li Yan, he pretended to be ignorant while drinking and eating vegetables.
The banquet dishes of this palace are indeed exquisite. Although they have Jinling characteristics, they are all luxurious in terms of knife skills, cooking and presentation.
For example, the main dish of "Jinling Auspiciousness" is based on Jinling's most famous salted duck. It selects "Osmanthus Duck" that has been free-range for a hundred days by Taihu Lake. It is soaked and pickled with aged Huadiao, Huai salt, star anise, cinnamon and other secret brine, and then slowly smoked with pine wood, cypress branches and osmanthus until the skin is golden red and shiny, and the bones are fragrant.
The duck is sliced "as thin as a cicada's wing and shaped like a peony", and is shaped into the shape of an auspicious animal, a unicorn or a Ruyi Cloud Pattern, and is served with amber candied osmanthus stuffing and young ginger buds.
And "Jade Belt Qiongjiang Soup".
Take the fattest Reeves Shad tender meat, Chinese Herring fat under the scales, and Pufferfish white seeds that have been safely processed by top chefs before the Qingming Festival, add Termitomyces albuminosus and ham hanging stock, and simmer over low heat until it becomes a milky white soup.
Served in a clear glass cup, a crystal "jade belt" made of sturgeon tendons floats on the surface of the soup. It is extremely fresh and luxurious, symbolizing "the jade belt crosses the river, and the blessings are endless."
Li Yan praised it while eating, as if he really just came here to have a meal.
Only the two Aristocratic Clan people looked anxiously at King of Jinling from time to time, but King of Jinling also looked embarrassed and refused to speak for a long time.
At this moment, the sound of silk and bamboo was played, and a group of actors in exquisite costumes came on stage. Their sleeves were fluttered and their singing tunes were melodious. It was the Kunqu opera <Peony Pavilion> that is popular in Jiangnan nowadays.
Li Yan has extraordinary eyesight. With one glance, he confirmed that all the people on the stage were ordinary people.
There is no fluctuation of magic power around the body, and there is no evil aura.
Don't blame him for being cautious, after all, Ghost Opera Troupe is also the current enemy.
But the situation in front of them also confirmed Qiu Mingyuan's judgment that this banquet was called King of Jinling birthday banquet, and it was actually a "harmony wine" hosted by the Lu and Xie families by borrowing the power of the palace.
After three drinks, the atmosphere gradually became more subtle.
King of Jinling finally made up his mind, put down the jade chopsticks, coughed lightly, turned his eyes to Li Yan, with a warm smile on his face, "Young Hero Li boy The hero has repeatedly made outstanding achievements in Jinling City, and I admire him very much. However, the land south of the Yangtze River is stable. Now there are two family heads, Lu and Xie, who are here. They also admire the young hero's style, and are willing to have a drink with the young hero to settle the old feud."
He paused and pointed out something, "The Lin Family case has a wide range of implications, and there may be misunderstandings in it. The Locust Tree Village case is handled by the court's own laws and Daoist regulations. Young hero is running around and working hard, why not take a break?"
"The two families are willing to make some compensation to show the dignity of all Jiangnan gentry and jointly combat the evil atmosphere of Taihu Lake."
Li Yan sat still, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the cold wine glass.
He looked at the glass cup, with glasses of wine in front of him, and soft words in his ears, but what flashed through his mind were the piles of "human cocoons" piled up in the tunnel of the Locust Tree Village ancestral hall, the stiff and numb faces of Zhou Dayong's wife and children, and the boatman's account of the suffering of Orito's heavy taxation.
The people in Jiangnan are struggling in dire straits, but the instigators or accomplices talk lightly about "respect" and "compensation" in this luxurious palace.
There is an evil fire in my heart that cannot be eliminated, so how can I agree?
He slowly raised his eyes, with a smile on his face, and glanced at King of Jinling and the two family heads. "Prince's kind intention, Li understands it. But this kind of thing has its own imperial laws. I am just a wanderer, and I don't have such ability."
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly solidified.
I don't know when the sound of silk and bamboo stopped, and the actor retreated in panic.
The smile on Third Master Lu's face froze, and a stern look flashed in Fifth Master Xie's eyes.
King of Jinling The warmth on his face also faded, and a trace of embarrassment and deeper impatience flashed across his face. He waved his hand. "Young hero, you are serious. People in the Ming Dynasty do not speak secretly..."
But Li Yan cut him off and looked directly at the seemingly noble Prince. His voice was low but his words were clear. "Li has a question, Prince has a noble status and is aloof. Why is he willing to come forward to make peace in person for the sake of two families?"
This was also what confused him.
Jinling has a special location and has many taboos. King of Jinling of all generations have lived cautiously, for fear of being caught by the court officials. How could this Prince dare to get involved in this mess?
King of Jinling heard the words, his throat rolled, he hesitated to speak, but in the end he just said vaguely, "My king... I also take the overall situation into consideration and maintain the peace of Jiangnan..."
Li Yan keenly captured the panic and helplessness in the other party's eyes.
Obviously I don't want to, or I can't say, go into detail about the reasons.
At this suffocating moment, a familiar smell made Li Yan instantly alert - it was a mixture of earthy smell, the smell of despair, sweat and resentment.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and locked his gaze on a young boy who was walking forward with his head down and carrying a plate.
The boy's steps seemed respectful, but his body was as tight as a bow, and his eyes were fixed on Fifth Master Xie through his drooping forehead.
It's Colonel Zhou from Locust Tree Village!
Li Yan immediately thought of this person, with a sneer on his lips.
This man was murdered and his family was ruined. How could he stop him from taking revenge?
The world is indispensable for flies and dogs, and it is equally indispensable for ordinary people to be angry.
The moment he approached the main table and was about to put down the dishes--
"Stop!"
Third Master Lu A guard next to him also noticed something was wrong and shouted loudly.
The boy suddenly raised his head, revealing a messy, haggard face full of deep hatred. It was the former Yangzhou Commandery Commandant Office Colonel Zhou who had been "punished and returned to his hometown".
In his eyes at this moment, there was only madness that burned everything!
"Bitch thief! Give back the lives of my wife and children!"
Zhou Dayong roared wildly, exerted force suddenly, and hit Fifth Master Xie with the silver plate and hot soup in his hand. At the same time, he was like a moth flying into the fire, desperately crashing into the area where the principals of the Lu and Xie families were!
He is just a captain of Commandery Commandant Office. Although he has reached Hidden Strength and has rich combat experience, it is obviously not enough to face two master Aristocratic Clan guards.
However, Zhou Dayong's face was filled with only crazy joy.
His abdomen had swelled up at some point.
A dangerous red light shone from under his clothes, and there was a muffled sound of thunder.
"Thunderfire Mechanism! Rewind!"
A guard screamed.
Li Yan's pupils shrank and he immediately backed away.
He has understood Zhou Dayong's decisive plan.
This man had already had a death wish, his wife and children died tragically, and he himself was eroded by curses and despair, so he found someone to hide Thunderfire Mechanism in his belly and died together.
Boom--!
The deafening explosion tore through the luxury and quiet night of the palace.
Dazzling fire and violent air waves suddenly exploded with Zhou Dayong as the center.
Broken wood, pieces of porcelain, and broken limbs of flesh and blood were mixed with the hot air and flying everywhere.
The area near the main table instantly turned into a Shura field.
There were screams, exclamations, and the sound of shattering cups and plates.
Fifth Master Xie, who was the first to bear the brunt, was blown to pieces on the spot along with his bodyguards.
Third Master Lu was blown away by the air wave, and hit Zhu Zi hard, spitting blood from the mouth, and he was not sure whether he was alive or dead. King of Jinling, who was slightly closer, was also affected by the explosion. Although he was protected by a close-fitting expert, he did not die, but he also passed out.
Thick smoke billowed, and the smell of sandalwood and blood mixed into a disgusting smell.
The banquet hall, which was originally well-dressed and well-dressed, was in a mess, and crying could be heard everywhere.
Li Yan blocked the flying debris and looked at this human tragedy with cold eyes.
"You... why didn't you stop it?!"
The commander of the palace guards looked disgraced and glared at him.
Li Yan glanced lightly, "Why, you are negligent in your duties and you want to blame me?"
The leader of the guards said angrily, "Don't pretend that I don't know, but as you know, the arrangement of this palace cannot suppress you Divine Ability, why didn't you remind me to wait?!"
Li Yan became impatient, "Get out of here, if you have the skills, it's better to go rescue Prince quickly, and then think about who brought the disaster to the palace!"
Although the palace is low-key, it is also the most important place in Jinling. Such a big event immediately attracted many people, and the one who acted fastest was Commandery Commandant Office.
Groups of Commandery Commandant Office people dressed in black poured into the palace.
The leaders were none other than Mystic Sacrificial Official, Qiu Mingyuan and Commandery Commandant Office Northern Commandery Pacification Bureau, Chu Zhenyue. Their faces were livid, and their gazes swept across the whole place like electricity.
Qiu Mingyuan's voice was cold and hard, with unquestionable majesty. "Seal the palace! No one is allowed to leave without permission! Thoroughly investigate the origin of the assassin and verify the death and injury!"
His eyes finally fell on King of Jinling, who was covering his shoulders and looking pale, and the family heads Lu and Xie whose lives were unknown in the ruins. Finally, he took a deep look at Li Yan, who was standing quietly with his clothes slightly raised.
"Young Hero Li, look at this..."
Taking Li Yan to a secluded place, he suddenly felt helpless.
Li Yan naturally would not say that he had released the water, so he shook his head and said, "The incident happened suddenly, and firearms were used again, and I had no time to stop it."
Qiu Mingyuan was not a fool, and was too lazy to dwell on this issue, so he said, "Jinling Royal Palace was attacked, and it concerns the royal family, so don't be careless. There are two other big Aristocratic Clans who must also give an explanation, or at least show their attitude."
"Until the matter is found out, Young Hero Li must stay in the house."
"That's natural." Li Yan had no objection.
To be honest, he was also very curious about the person who helped Zhou Dayong transform. Such a powerful mechanism was hidden in his belly, and it did not affect his actions.
It is definitely not a means that ordinary people can have...
The moon was high in the sky, and the light shining through the dark clouds was pale and cold.
Due to the bombing of the palace, a large number of manpower was taken away. The Commandery Commandant Office government office, which was solemn and solemn during the day, seemed deserted at the moment.
Bang~Bang Bang~
"Midnight Zi Hour, be careful of the flames!"
The guard's eyelids began to tremble, and the watchman's shouts became farther and farther away, as if there were cotton balls stuffed in his ears, blocking out all sounds.
He reluctantly opened his eyes, only to see that the street outside the government office had been quietly shrouded in a thick, stagnant gray fog, and everything became foggy.
"No, something happened!"
He was excited in his heart, but his eyes darkened and he fainted.
When he was about to fall, there was a sound of wind next to him, and someone grabbed him by the collar.
The person coming is none other than Lu San.
He frowned slightly, placed the unconscious soldier next to him, moved his mouth, and whistled continuously.
However, the warning rat did not respond at all.
"What's going on?"
Sha LiFei and others also rushed out.
No need for Lu San to remind them, they all noticed the abnormality.
The warriors on duty along the way had dull eyes and were wandering in circles in the familiar courtyard, unable to wake up. The patrolling teams also fell into a strange sleep.
"It's a powerful phantom formation."
Wang Dao Xuan looked at the compass in his hand and said solemnly, "The eight gates are moving at the same time. Someone has set up an array outside and they are coming towards us."
Sha LiFei frowned, "Or take the opportunity to rush out?"
Wang Dao Xuan hesitated a little, shook his head and said, "The situation is unclear, so don't act rashly..."
Wow!
Before he finished speaking, he saw countless palm-sized pale white paper shadows with jagged edges flying out of the thick fog on the street. They were floating in the wind and making strange babbling sounds.
"Where is the evil!"
Wang Dao Xuan stared, and threw out a few Yellow Talisman.
But something happened that surprised them.
Puff puff puff!
Yellow Talisman collided with the paper man and burned into a ball of fire.
Like a chain reaction, all the paper figures turned into balls of fire, flying up and down, roaring towards them like a meteor shower.
"Phosphorus powder has been added, retreat quickly!"
Sha LiFei's nose twitched and his face suddenly changed.
This thing is not something that the physical body can resist. Once it is contaminated, it will be like a tarsal maggot.
Everyone quickly dragged the unconscious soldier back and closed the door at the same time.
Bang bang bang!
The fire ball hit the door and immediately set it on fire.
At the same time, a murmur seemed to be heard in the thick fog, and then a strong wind blew up, carrying the fireballs into the sky and rushing toward the front yard.
But in the front yard, Wu Ba had unfolded the folding altar designed by Kuai Dayou. Wang Dao Xuan sprayed Spraying Water from the mouth, stepped on the steps with his feet, and waved Law Sword to point forward.
Five Directions Fengdu Banner is shaking.
Phew~
More violent winds howled.
The fireball filled the sky and was blown away again.
The crisis has been temporarily resolved, and finally we will not be buried in the flames.
But before they could take a breath, the strange sound sounded again.
"Ea--ah--"
A shrill, long-lasting sound that seemed to be plucked from the depths of the Nine Netherworld pierced the dense fog without any warning. The source of the sound was not from one place, but came from all directions at the same time.
Immediately, strange sounds of gongs, drums, and music began.
"It turns out that the colorful flowers are blooming everywhere, but they are all left in ruins..."
Accompanied by plaintive singing, two figures appeared on the wall.
The song is "Peony Pavilion·Dream in the Garden", which tells the story of Du Liniang, a daughter of an official, who fell in love with Liu Mengmei, a scholar in her dream, died of grief, turned into a soul to find her lover in reality, fell in love with Human Ghost, and finally came back to life, finally marrying Liu Mengmei forever.
Those two figures were also a woman in white and a scholar.
But the woman in white clothes didn't have any of the gracefulness of a famous actress. Instead, her costume was full of blood and tears, and her skin was pale, no different than a female ghost.
As for the scholar, his face was normal, but his hands were blood-red.
The two of them were chatting with each other while singing, without looking at the crowd at all.
"Hey, who did I think it was? It turns out to be Ghost Opera Troupe's bastard!"
Sha LiFei spat, immediately raised the gun and pulled the trigger.
Boom!
There was a roar and the smoke scattered in all directions.
But those two figures also dissipated in the thick fog like smoke and dust.
"Be careful!"
Fatty Lin didn't know what he thought of, and his expression suddenly changed, "They are not ordinary demons, they are the core members of Ghost Opera Troupe, Ghost-Faced Rakshasa and Blood Hand Scholar!"