Chapter 144 The fire at the city gate affected the fish in the pond

"Gotta ......" The sound of horses' hooves suddenly sounded in the middle of the night, and the sound of horses' hooves became more and more urgent.

......At the same time, Li Xiuning's carriage also sounded the sound of whimpering horns.

On the tall city wall of Chenjiabao, there are four huge corner towers. The topmost pillar is topped, the four walls are empty, an oil lamp is as big as an iron pot, the wick of three strands as thick as a baby's arm is also lit, take the silk as thin as a cicada's wings, smear it with fish glue, make a lampshade to shield it from the wind, look at it from afar, it is bright and just like a bright moon hanging on the corner tower.

At that moment, the sound of a whimpering horn came. The guards on Chenjiabao listened to the hairy sound of the battle horn, and immediately took their blades and rushed towards the sound of the battle horn.

Almost in the blink of an eye, dozens of hundreds of sturdy war horses rushed to Li Xiuning's carriage, and the knights scattered to form an encirclement.

The one who hit the head had a beard on his face, held a long knife, and his eyes spewed out a fierce light. He looked at Li Xiuning and shouted: "The big boss of Erlong Mountain went down the mountain to do errands, and those who didn't want to die knelt down!" ”

Ma Sanbao held the knife in his hand, and the remaining dozen or so guards guarded Li Xiuning's carriage.

Li Xiuning pushed open the door of the carriage and looked coldly at the bandits around him, as if he was looking at a group of dead people.

The bandit leader looked at Li Xiuning's face and said: "Princess Pingyang is a heroine among women, and our big boss has admired her for a long time, so I invite Princess Pingyang to drive up the mountain and live happily together." ”

Li Xiuning was so angry that he gritted his silver teeth, and said slowly: "If you want silver, the Chen family has it, as long as I have a message, I can move here before dawn, but I'm afraid you won't be able to move away." ”

The bandit leader smiled and said: "Our big boss said that money is also needed, and people also want it, and nothing is missing." ”

As he spoke, with a wave of his hand, a young bandit behind him stepped forward with an empty horse, and the bandit leader jumped off the horse, led his mount, and came to Li Xiuning's side with a smile and said, "Please Princess Pingyang get on the horse." ”

As he spoke, he reached out to pull Li Xiuning's sleeve, but before his hand touched Li Xiuning, he only heard a choking sound, He Yue'er's wrist shook, and saw a cold light flash, and the bandit's arm fell to the ground, and blood spurted out. The bandit, who had a broken arm, let out a terrible scream.

The bandit leader roared with a hideous face: "Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang, don't toast and eat ......."

Before the word "wine" could be spoken, the sound of breaking the air sounded again in mid-air.

"Huh" ......

A terrible scream sounded in the night sky, and the bandit who was the leader of the bandit leading the war horse had been pierced through the back of his head by a wolf's tooth arrow, and the sharp arrow shot into the back of his head, and the mouth leaked out, and the blood flowed down the arrowhead.

The bandits were taken aback, and there was a rapid sound of horses' hooves along the official road, and one by one black shadows broke through the night and rushed over.

The bandits hurriedly retreated, out of the way, and the black-clad cavalry rushed over. With the sound of puff and puff slashing into the flesh, the bandits were stabbed one after another and fell from their horses.

The bandit leader let out a loud shout, raised the long knife in his hand, and swung it at the black-clothed knight who rushed over.

The next moment, the bandit leader only felt that there was a flower in front of him, and the person on the opposite side was gone. The second horse was in the stirrup, and before he could react, he felt a cold waist around him, and he touched it, sticky and wet, and grabbed a rope and came out. The bandit leader was stunned for a moment, and then he realized that it was his own intestines, and the bandit leader shouted and planted his horse.

The mountain bandits shouted and cursed, and drew their blades.

At this moment, dozens more black-clothed riders joined the battle group.

Through the moonlight, Li Xiuning could see clearly that it was Sun Jingchu, one of Chen Ying's disciples, who stepped on the stirrup and hid on the side of the horse and stabbed the bandit leader, resulting in the death of the bandit leader.

Don't look at Sun Jingchu's figure is slightly blessed, but Sun Jingchu on horseback is as agile as a monkey, and he can't see sluggishness at all.

The bandits were cut down to the ground by the black-clothed cavalry one after another, and the remaining bandits saw that the momentum was not good, so they turned around and rushed towards the direction of the Jieyu River to the east.

At this time, Li Xiuning had already stepped on a horse, Ma Sanbao commanded the guards of the Chen Mansion who arrived in time to surround and kill the bandits, and He Yue'er and Li Xiuning returned to the Chen Mansion.

It didn't take long for Li Xiuning to return to the Chen Mansion and before he had time to catch his breath, Ma Sanbao had already taken more than a dozen surviving bandits alive and returned to the Chen Mansion.

Ma Sanbao said to Li Xiuning: "Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang, the last general has already captured the thief, how to deal with it, please show Princess Pingyang!" ”

Ma Sanbao naturally did not ask Li Xiuning how to deal with these bandits, but asked whether to notify the Chang'an Criminal Department or Dali Temple, after all, the assassination of Li Xiuning, the female marshal of the Tang Dynasty, is not a joke!

Li Xiuning thought for a while and said, "Did you ask clearly?" Who sent the thief? ”

He Yue'er said: "It is said that the thief claimed to be from Erlong Mountain!" ”

"Erlong Mountain?" Li Xiuning frowned and thought for a while: "Is there a cottage near Erlong Mountain near Chang'an?" ”

Ma Sanbao shook his head and said, "I've never heard of it!" ”

"It's also an impostor!" He Yue'er suddenly realized: "The slave knows that there is a Erlong Mountain in Xizhou, and it is said that the area is not small!" ”

"Xizhou? How is this possible? Li Xiuning smiled coldly: "Xizhou is more than 600 miles away from Chang'an, when will the bandits go more than 600 miles to rob meat tickets?" If there is no secret passage from the insider, how can outsiders touch here! ”

He Yue'er's face changed slightly, and she said lightly: "Your Royal Highness Princess, I'm afraid the purpose of the thief will not be so simple, right?" ”

Li Xiuning nodded and said: "No matter, first break all the legs of these thieves, and send them to the Criminal Department early tomorrow morning, this palace wants to see who else in Chang'an City dares to play demon moths with this palace!" ”

……

The news of Li Xiuning's assassination on the bank of the Jieyu River reached the East Palace that night. Just when Li Jiancheng was about to get up and participate in the morning dynasty, suddenly Wei Ting came quickly. As soon as Li Jiancheng got dressed, Wei Ting arrived at the East Palace, outside Li Jiancheng's dormitory.

When Wei Ting saw Li Jiancheng, he hurriedly said: "His Royal Highness the Prince, the big thing is not good!" ”

Li Jiancheng was slightly stunned: "What's wrong?" ”

"Princess Pingyang was assassinated on Day!" Wei Ting was afraid that Li Jiancheng would be worried, so he didn't dare to make a fool of himself in this matter, and then said: "Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang is fine, and the thieves have also been arrested!" ”

Although Li Jiancheng breathed a sigh of relief, he said with a gloomy look on his face: "Pass the order of the palace to the Criminal Department, martial law in the whole territory, and search for assassins!"

Wei Ting bowed and responded, "Yes." ”

Li Jiancheng said: "Take a leave for me, the palace will not participate in today's court meeting, the palace will go to Chenjiabao to visit Princess Pingyang!" ”

Wei Ting followed Li Jiancheng closely, walked along the East Palace Road, and walked towards the East Palace Gate.

Li Jiancheng turned his head, looked at Wei Ting and said, "What else do you have to do?" ”

Wei Ting said: "His Royal Highness the Prince, I'm afraid it's not so simple at this time!" ”

Li Jiancheng said: "What do you mean? ”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, think about it carefully!!" Wei Ting said: "This gang of bandits attacked Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang less than five miles away from Chenjiabao, and Chenjiabao's guards arrived at the scene in less than half a pillar of incense and captured all the bandits. ”

Li Jiancheng nodded.

According to the current report, Li Xiuning left Chang'an last night before the gate of Chang'an City was closed, and from Chang'an City to Qinglinli, there were three or four ideal ambush sites for more than 60 miles, and these had a greater chance of success.

However, it was only on the banks of the Jieyu River, when he was about to arrive at Chenjiabao. Obviously something unreasonable.

What's more, these bandits who claim to be Erlong Mountain, their nest is far away in Xizhou, and they have nothing to do with Li Xiuning, they have no enmity in the distant future, and they have no grievances in recent days, so they have no motive at all.

Wei Ting said again: "If these thieves really want to assassinate Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang, they should always arrange some manpower in advance, and they don't need too much at all, just two carriages can block the guards of Chenjiabao for a moment, I'm afraid Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang ...... However, these bandits did not do this at all, did His Highness think that they really came to Pingyang Princess? ”

Li Jiancheng said: "Are they coming to the palace?" ”

Wei Ting said solemnly: "Hey, don't say it, it's really possible that he came down to His Royal Highness the Prince!" ”

Li Jiancheng wanted to reprimand Wei Ting, but his self-cultivation made Li Jiancheng slowly calm down: "What is the reason? ”

Wei Ting said: "Liu Dewei, the squire of the Criminal Department, has a clean and honest political name, and is generous, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intends to promote him to Dali Temple, Wannian County Commander Wanji, strong and upright, so outspoken, His Royal Highness the Prince wants to promote him to the imperial history of the Zhishu Servant, if the June high school entrance examination is in the upper ranks, both of them can be moved to new officials, but at this moment, within the authority of the two, there is a case of the assassination of Princess Pingyang...... "

Speaking of this, Li Jiancheng was silent.

Quan Wanji, the 10,000-year-old county order, is the fifth grade, although it is said that the history of the Zhishu is also the fifth grade, but the history of the Zhishu is also the fifth grade, but it is equivalent to the members of the Commission for Discipline Inspection in later generations, and the typical position is humble and powerful. As for Liu Dewei, he is also a waiter of the criminal department who is in the fourth rank, but he is transferred to Dali Siqing but he is from the third grade, which is also a high-ranking official position.

Because of the outbreak of Li Xiuning's assassination case, after Li Xiuning's simple interrogation, there were no particularly important witnesses, all of them were some little minions who didn't know anything, it is said that half a month ago, people with Chinese accents arrived at Erlong Mountain, and had a secret discussion with their big boss, and then his big boss left Erlong Mountain with more than 160 bandits and went to Wannian County.

Since the insiders were all killed, no matter how capable Andy Lau and Quan Wanji are in this case, they will definitely not be able to try any useful information.

Of course, the more important thing is that the real murderer behind the scenes dares to assassinate Li Xiuning, and his identity is definitely not ordinary.

I'm afraid that the real purpose of the other party is not to take Li Xiuning's life, but to disrupt the promotion of Liu Dewei and Quan Wanji.

Li Jiancheng sighed and said, "Princess Pingyang was affected by the palace this time? ”

Wei Ting nodded and said: "From the minister's point of view, nine times out of ten, this is the case, Princess Pingyang is just being used!" ”

With the status of Liu Dewei and Quan Wanji, ordinary cases cannot shake the foundation of the two at all. It's just that Li Xiuning's identity is not ordinary, once the news of Li Xiuning's assassination reaches Li Yuan's ears, Li Yuan will definitely be furious and order Liu Dewei and Quan Wanji to solve the case within a limited time.

Once the two of them can't solve the case, it will leave an impression of incompetence in Li Yuan's heart, and I'm afraid that the promotion of the two will become far away.

Li Jiancheng smiled bitterly: "It's really calculating!" ”

"Who's to say it isn't?" Wei Ting said: "If nothing else, I'm afraid the palace already knows about this matter, maybe Your Majesty has sent someone to order Liu Weide and Quan Wanji to solve the case within a time limit and arrest the murderer, but where are they going to get this murderer?" ”