Nightwatcher

At dusk, the setting sun is like blood.

Xu Qi'an saw that there was quite a sumptuous meal in front of him, and sitting beside the table was an old woman with a gentle temperament, a young man, a delicate woman, and two children of different ages.

They are Zheng Xinghuai's family members. I am now taking Zheng Xinghuai as the first perspective. Xu Qi'an, who had empathized with him once in retrospect, immediately had a clear understanding.

He quietly listened to Zheng Xinghuai reprimanding his son.

Zheng Xinghuai has two sons, and the eldest son left his official career. Thanks to Zheng Xinghuai's teaching, he has a very good official reputation and a bright future.

The second son is a dandy student who spends all day fighting eagles and dogs, doing nothing.

And because Zheng Xinghuai's family education was very strict, this second son didn't dare to bully men and women, and he couldn't even do it well with dudes.

Useless trash.

Today, Second Young Master Zheng was drinking in a brothel, clashed with an officer, and was severely beaten up by him.

Zheng Xinghuai scolded his second son with harsh words.

Unconvinced, Second Master Zheng said aggrievedly: "Father, I just went to the brothel. It was the man who took the initiative to provoke trouble, not me. What is wrong with me?"

Yes, what's wrong with visiting brothels? Xu Qi'an complained for Zheng Ergong.

"Father, I want to go back to my mother's house. Next month is my father's 60th birthday."

At this time, the daughter-in-law spoke.

Before Zheng Xinghuai opened his mouth, the second son waved his hands again and again and said, "Are you crazy? The barbarians outside have been making a fuss recently, and Chuzhou City is so close to the border. If you go out of the city indiscriminately, what should you do if you encounter barbarian cavalry on the way?"

With horror on his face, he reprimanded his wife who didn't know what to do.

Zheng Xinghuai said angrily: "Things who are greedy for life and afraid of death, how could I give birth to a waste like you."

Xu Qi'an couldn't see Zheng Xinghuai's face, but in a state of empathy, he could feel Zheng Xinghuai's anger.

He was disappointed and helpless with the second son, he just felt that he was worthless, not even a hair of the eldest son.

At this time, a man in light armor rushed into the inner hall in a panic. He was carrying a bow with ox horns and a long knife in his waist and hips. It was Li Han.

Li Han said repeatedly: "My lord, the army of the guard station suddenly entered the city for some reason, gathering the people wantonly, and I don't know what to do."

Zheng Xinghuai was taken aback, and asked in a daze: "The troops of the guard are gathering the people? Where are they gathering, and who is leading the army?"

Gather the people, massacre? Xu Qi'an's heart trembled, and he cheered up, and then heard Li Han say:

"The people were gathered in the four directions of southeast, northwest, and the leader of the army was the commander of the capital, Duke Protector Que Yongxiu. He should be on the south side of the city now."

Zheng Xinghuai put down his chopsticks, got up and said: "Prepare the horse, if I want to take a look. Tell Mr. Zhu to go with me."

Immediately, Zheng Xinghuai took the "Keqing" in his house and rode towards the south city. Along the way, he saw soldiers from the guard escorting the people and forming a team. He didn't know where he was going.

"Stop, what are you going to do?" Zheng Xinghuai shouted to stop.

The soldiers in hard clothes looked at him coldly without saying a word.

Zheng Xinghuai asked again, but still no one answered.

An ominous premonition filled his heart, he did not continue to entangle with the low-level soldiers, whipped his horsewhip, and ran along the street towards the south city.

Following the soldiers along the way, Zheng Xinghuai soon arrived at the destination. He saw a mass of black heads, and roughly estimated that there were more than a hundred thousand people.

There were common people in the market, merchants, and even officials in the yamen. This group of people was gathered in a wasteland in the southern city, rubbing shoulders together.

Thousands of soldiers wearing strong swords, carrying hard bows, or hanging crossbows surrounded this group of people.

Zheng Xinghuai's eyes swept away, focusing on Que Yongxiu, the commander of the capital on horseback, and around him, a dozen spies wrapped in black robes.

Zheng Xinghuai, the secret agent of King Zhenbei, squinted his eyes, and shouted in a deep voice, "Duke Protector, what are you doing?"

"Zheng Buzheng, you came just in time." Que Yongxiu's one-eyed eyes looked coldly, and said: "Master Zheng, the barbarians have repeatedly invaded the border, burned, killed and looted. Do you know why?"

Zheng Xinghuai didn't understand why he asked this question, and frowned: "What does this have to do with you gathering the people?"

Que Yongxiu pointed a spear at hundreds of thousands of people and laughed loudly:

"Of course it has something to do with it. As a citizen of Dafeng, I should have devoted myself to the stability of Dafeng's frontier and died. I have shed blood for Dafeng Guozuo. Zheng Buzheng believes that what I said makes sense?"

"baffling"

Zheng Xinghuai was about to reprimand him, when he suddenly saw Que Yongxiu with his horse in his belly, charging towards the people.

"puff!"

He pierced a commoner's chest with his long spear, lifted him up high, blood splashed out, and the man on the point of the spear struggled a few times in pain, his limbs drooped weakly.

The scene was chaotic in an instant, and the people around screamed, but the people farther away were at a loss because they didn't see the bloody scene.

Zheng Xinghuai's eyes were about to burst: "Que Yongxiu, you dare to kill civilians indiscriminately, are you crazy?"

The city massacre was about to begin. Xu Qi'an already knew what was going to happen next. Through empathy, he deeply understood Zheng Xinghuai's astonishment and anger.

"Master Zheng, don't worry, it's your turn soon." Que Yongxiu shook off the body at the point of the gun, and waved his hand: "Let the arrow!"

Thousands of soldiers bent their bows together, aiming at the assembled innocent civilians.

"Shhhhhhh"

The overwhelming arrows shot out, as dense as locusts, like torrential rain.

Every arrow will take away a life, and the people fell to the ground one by one, crying out in despair, life is like a mustard. This includes the elderly and children.

Those who escaped the first wave of arrows by chance began to flee here, but what awaited them was the butcher's knives of the elite soldiers.

"Help, help"

"Don't kill me, don't kill me."

The people panicked and knelt down begging for mercy. They couldn't figure out why Dafeng's army wanted to kill them. Why did these soldiers guarding the frontier not kill the barbarians, but waved their butcher knives at them.

puff

The butcher knife fell, the person fell to the ground, and blood spattered.

The soldiers did not show any mercy because they begged for mercy and knelt down.

"You bastard, what are you doing? I'm a student of the government school, and I'm a scholar. You slaughtered innocent people. It's a heinous crime."

A scholar wearing a blue Confucian shirt turned pale, but bravely stood up, stood in front of the people, and yelled at the soldiers.

Not far away, a Shichang drew out his saber with a "clang" sound, and stabbed fiercely into the scholar's chest.

Warm blood flowed along the blade, the scholar stared at him, stared at him

Xu Qi'an felt his soul trembling, he didn't know if it was from himself, or from Zheng Xinghuai, probably both.

"Kill everyone and leave no one alive." Que Yongxiu raised his spear and shouted loudly.

No one was left alive, of course including Zheng Buzheng who was present.

Several spies drew their weapons and charged at Zheng Buzheng envoy aggressively.

Ke Qing surnamed Zhu lowered his hips, his fist ignited a transparent flame-like air machine, distorted the air, and struck out suddenly.

A black-robed spy did not retreat but advanced, his five fingers were like sharp claws, holding back the roaring punch, and with a violent tear, "huh" the punch collapsed into a hurricane.

"My lord, let's go."

After the Keqing surnamed Zhu stayed, the rest of the guards took Zheng Xinghuai and fled to Zheng's mansion.

The horses galloped away, and Zheng Xinghuai turned his head at last, and saw thousands of soldiers bowing their bows and shooting arrows piercing through the bodies of the people; he saw the soldiers wielding their sabers, beheading a fleeing mother with a child in her arms; watching it all.

Life is like grass.

The animal Xu Qi'an heard the voice in his heart, but couldn't tell whether it was his own, Li Miaozhen's or Zheng Xinghuai's.

The soldiers along the way ignored them, mechanically and numbly repeated the work of escorting the people, and drove them to the designated place.

Zheng Xinghuai knew what kind of ending these people would face, so he ordered the guards to rescue them several times, but the guards refused and escorted Zheng Xinghuai all the way back to the mansion.

"I'm going to gather the guards in the mansion. You go and inform the madam and the young masters. Now leave the city immediately. Let's fight out." Li Han, who was carrying an ox horn bow, shouted.

Soon, the guards of the mansion gathered in the front yard, they did not carry any valuables except weapons and armor.

"Dad, what's wrong with Dad, did barbarians come in?"

The Second Young Master Zheng rushed out with his female relatives, his face was pale, and there was fear in his eyes.

"The soldiers in the city mutinied and massacred the common people, and we were among them, so hurry out of the city." Zheng Xinghuai made a long story short.

Until this time, Zheng Xinghuai was at a loss. He didn't know why Que Yongxiu and King Zhenbei wanted to gather the people to slaughter them, and for what purpose they committed such atrocities.

But half his life has been ups and downs in the officialdom, he knows that this is not the time to explore the truth, the current plan is to leave Chuzhou City first, and get out of danger.

Second Young Master Zheng swayed, almost unable to stand still, but it was his wife who gave him a hand.

Everyone has long been used to Mr. Zheng's useless appearance, including Zheng Xinghuai himself.

Under the protection of the guards, the female relatives and children got into the carriage, and everyone rode their horses and galloped towards the city gate.

"They're coming after you." Li Han, who was carrying an ox horn bow, roared.

Several spies in black robes chased after them. They galloped far faster than horses. Li Han turned around and pulled out a powerful full bow. With a bang, the arrow roared away.

The spies were not weak hands. They dodged arrows and killed them in an instant. They swung their long knives and descended from the sky, slashing at the carriage.

"Protect Madam."

Wei Youlong, who was wearing a purple robe, swung his machete upside down, blocking the spy's blade, the air machine exploded, and the carriage creaked as it was on the verge of falling apart.

The two sides fought and ran, and arrived at the gate of the city in a short time.

In front, hundreds of soldiers in solid clothes were waiting early, and on the city wall, more soldiers were waiting.

Commander of the capital, Duke Protector Que Yongxiu sat on horseback, looked at the people trying to escape from the city, with a sneer on his face: "Master Zheng, you can't escape.

"There are not only elite soldiers on the city wall, but also Tianzi-level masters carefully trained by King Zhenbei. No one can escape."

Those who can't get out, once the city gate is closed, there is a large army and masters guarding from above, even the barbarian army may not be able to attack Xu Qi'an's heart sank.

He was personally on the scene, feeling extremely tormented and anxious. Reason told him that people like the Zheng family could not escape

Zheng Buzheng reined in his horse and asked, "Que Yongxiu, what exactly do you want to do? You can't do it if you rebel."

Que Yongxiu said with a sinister smile, "If you kill you ants, why rebel?"

His one-eyed eyes were fierce, and he was cruel and indifferent. He raised his spear and shouted: "Kill!"

There are wolves in front and tigers in the back, and the situation becomes critical in an instant. The guards tried their best to protect Zheng Buzheng and his family members, but they were trying their best in life and death, how could they still take care of so many ordinary people who had no strength to restrain them.

After a round of rushing, the carriage overturned, and the female relatives were hacked to death with knives. Que Yongxiu handed over the spear, provoking Zheng Xinghuai's little grandson, and laughed wildly:

"Master Zheng, you call yourself an upright official and celebrity, you don't rub the sand in your eyes, you disregarded the face of King Huai, you strictly investigated the military field case, and killed three of my capable subordinates on the pretext of invading the military field. ?

"I kill your descendants, it's a courtesy, take it."

With a shake of his hand, he threw the child's body towards Zheng Buzheng, but it was a cover. When Zheng Xinghuai subconsciously reached out to pick it up, Que Yongxiu threw his spear.

The spear pierced the body and pinned the man to the ground.

But it wasn't Zheng Xinghuai who died, but that cowardly dude who was afraid of death.

Second Master Zheng, this dandy who is afraid of death, raised his pale face, choked up and said: "Father, I'm in so much pain, I, I'm so scared"

He is still that useless playboy who has already married and started a business, but he still cries to his father.

But this useless waste who is greedy for life and afraid of death, pushed his father away at a critical moment, blocked the spear with his body, and didn't even blink his eyes.

He is afraid of his father, he is submissive, but in his heart, his father should be the sky above his head, more important than anything else.

Xu Qi'an suddenly felt that tears blurred his vision, and his eye sockets were scorching hot. He subconsciously wanted to reach out to wipe away the tears, and then realized that he was just a bystander, and the one who really shed tears was Zheng Xinghuai.

The empathy ends here, the picture is fragmented, and the last thing Xu Qi'an freezes is Que Yongxiu's ferocious smile.

He suddenly woke up, opened his eyes, and heard Zheng Xinghuai's wailing voice, recalling so clearly the scene of his family's tragic death, Zheng Buzheng broke down emotionally, and the empathy ended prematurely.

The crying ranged from intense and high-pitched to low-pitched wailing. After a long time, Zheng Xinghuai carefully wiped away his tears with his sleeves, his eyes were red, and he cupped his hands and said:

"The officer has lost his composure."

"Feel sorry."

Xu Qi'an clasped his fists in return, let out a long breath, and said, "What happened next?"

Li Han, with a strong bow on his back, said in a deep voice: "We sacrificed two fourth-ranks to fight out of the city, and then we have been hiding in Tibet, secretly contacting chivalrous men, trying to expose King Zhenbei's conspiracy."

Therefore, except for Zheng Xinghuai, his family members all died in Chuzhou City. Xu Qi'an glanced at everyone, and said in a low voice, "I'll go out and be quiet."

The air here was extremely dull, and the carbon dioxide produced by the campfire made people extremely uncomfortable, and Xu Qi'an felt a little tight in his chest.

Ignoring everyone's expressions, he turned around and walked to the entrance of the cave, pushed aside the covering branches, and walked out.

He stood in the valley, breathing the slightly cool air, only then did he realize that the chest tightness had nothing to do with the air, it was a depression that was hard to calm down, it was hard to breathe out, and hard to relax.

Soft footsteps came from behind.

"I'm going to Chuzhou City." Li Miaozhen whispered.

The great hatred is silent, no joy or anger can be seen on her calm face, and her eyes are full of determination.

"I'm going to Chuzhou City to see. Anger will only overwhelm our reason. Before we go, let's sort out our thoughts and revisit the case of the three thousand miles of blood massacre." Xu Qi'an broke off a dead branch, bit it in his mouth, and said :

"The King of Zhenbei slaughtered the city to refine the blood essence and attack the second grade, but it takes time to refine the blood essence, so he chose to massacre Chuzhou City, hiding it from everyone with his black thinking inertia under the lamp.

"I intercepted and killed Zhenbei King's spies before, and asked about the situation in a spirit call. The spies didn't know the place where Zhenbei King massacred the people, but from Zheng Buzheng's memories, there are many soldiers and spies involved in the massacre."

Li Miaozhen frowned and said, "What you mean is that those soldiers and secret agents are most likely to have their memories modified."

Xu Qi'an nodded: "It's also possible that they don't know what they have done, and no matter what, they cannot be done by martial arts. Therefore, King Zhenbei still has helpers, and top powerhouses from other systems are helping him.

"That strong man even has the ability to restore Chuzhou City to its "original state", but I'm not sure which system it is. The northern border has been infiltrated by many barbarians, and they are all investigating this matter. The King of Zhenbei must know. He must either stop the refinement blood, or we have nothing to fear. In this way, with our strength, it is difficult to make a difference.

"Miaozhen, I need you to pass on the news, to the barbarians, to the Yaozu."

Li Miaozhen nodded, she can fly with a sword, very suitable for delivering news.

Xu Qi'an met her gaze and said: "I am here to protect Mr. Zheng, and when you come back, we will go to Chuzhou City together."

Li Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief: "Be sure to wait for me."

"It's not too late, let's go."

"good."

Li Miaozhen summoned the flying sword and leaped onto the spine of the sword, she stood floating in the air.

When Xu Qi'an returned to the cave, Zheng Buzheng and others came to look at him. He said in a deep voice, "Master Zheng, everyone, you are waiting for my news."

Zheng Buzheng seemed to have noticed something, and hurriedly asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Go to Chuzhou to investigate the case."

This is understandable, Zheng Buzheng and others nodded slightly.

Xu Qi'an glanced at them, and said: "Several chivalrous men protect Mr. Zheng, never leave, I admire you, there are heroes like you in the world, which makes people feel interesting and yearn for.

"Xu assures everyone that the murderer will be severely punished and justice will be given to the people of Chuzhou."

Zheng Xinghuai stood up and cupped his hands: "In this way, I will die without regret."

Li Han and others cupped their hands: "There is no regret in dying."

In the early morning, Xu Qi'an came to a small county town and found the best inn in the area.

After paying the money, he asked Xiao Er for a bucket of water, Xu Qi'an closed the door, took out the fragments of the book from the ground, shook his hand, and the sleeping princess rolled down on the soft bed.

"wake up"

Xu Qi'an patted her face lightly, and suddenly remembered that this woman had been doused with ecstasy soup, and immediately turned on the ventilator, forcibly waking her up.

The princess murmured and opened her eyes, her dilated pupils slowly returning to focus, she looked at Xu Qi'an blankly, for about a few seconds, her face froze suddenly, and she shrank to the foot of the bed like a bunny.

While examining himself, he turned his head and looked around, shouting: "You, you, what did you do to me?!"

The eyes are big and round, and he makes a fierce posture, but it gives people the feeling of sternness.

Seeing her, Xu Qi'an wanted to laugh, unconsciously peaceful in his heart, shrugged and said, "I didn't do anything to you, I just let you sleep."

"I don't believe it. If you knocked me out, you must have conspired against me." She said angrily.

You are at the age of a young woman anyway, can you not judge whether the child's bedroom has been broken into by gangsters? Xu Qi'an complained in his heart, and said lightly:

"I'll go out for a while, you check it yourself."

He waited at the door for a while, until the soft voice of the young woman Princess Wang came from inside: "Is the surname Xu?"

Xu Qi'an pushed the door open and entered.

The princess sat on the dressing table combing her hair, turned her head sideways, and glared at him out of the corner of her eye, "Why are you knocking me out?"

Continue to gaze at yourself in the mirror and concentrate on combing your hair.

It seems that he has confirmed that he is still a complete melon, and the anger in his heart has disappeared a lot.

Xu Qi'an picked up the wooden bucket, poured water into the copper basin, and then mixed it with a bottle of red potion. He buried his whole face in it, rubbing and rubbing constantly.

About a quarter of an hour later, Xu Qi'an's face was burning hot, and when he raised his face again, it was a different person.

This man was so handsome that he shocked the party and made Gu Tianle ashamed. Xu Qi'an, the only handsome man in the world, thought so.

He pushed the princess away, looked at the familiar face in the mirror, and suddenly lost his mind.

After a while, he murmured, "It's been a long time."

The concubine looked at him and nodded slowly: "Who are you disguising? Such an ordinary appearance is very suitable for lurking."

After finishing speaking, she saw Xu Qi'an squinting at herself with murderous intent.

Do you know what is handsome? Xu Qi'an didn't look at the princess who was walking around in hell, and said calmly: "I went to investigate the case, it's inconvenient to take you with me, so I made a bad plan."

After a pause, he said in a deep voice, "It was Chuzhou City that King Zhenbei slaughtered."

Slap!

The wooden comb fell to the ground, and the princess came back to her senses, with horror and grief intertwined on her face, she unconsciously lowered her voice: "Chu, Chuzhou City?"

No matter who it is, when they first hear the news, they don't believe it.

The princess is no exception.

Xu Qi'an briefly described what happened to Zheng Xinghuai.

The concubine murmured: "Although I don't like him, and even more disgusted that the two brothers treat me as a commodity, I still admire him in my heart. He is the first person in the Dao of martial arts. People have guarded the border for more than ten years

"I was wrong, he is a selfish person. He guards the border, not for the people, just because Dafeng belongs to their family, and outsiders are not allowed to plunder.

"Similarly, in their eyes, the people are also objects, which can be traded and sacrificed. When they need it, they can sacrifice without hesitation."

She knew that King Zhenbei slaughtered the people, but when Xu Qi'an mentioned the process of massacring the city, she couldn't help herself for a while.

King Zhenbei's atrocities cannot be forgiven, and Que Yongxiu, the protector of the country, should be cut to death. However, he is a third-rank warrior and Prince Dafeng. Who can punish him?

Who can make him plead guilty?

At this time, she heard Xu Qi'an say: "I'm leaving for a few days, you stay in the inn peacefully, don't go anywhere."

As he spoke, Xu Qi'an put the fragments of the book from the ground on the table, "You can keep it for me for a few days."

Once the monk Shenshu is allowed to let go of his fists, everything on his body is at risk of being lost, including clothes.

The fragment of the book from the ground is of great importance. He didn't want the princess to see it. The best plan was to give it to Li Miaozhen, but the princess is still sleeping in it. She is not an object, so it is impossible to stay in the book from the ground all the time.

In order not to let the first beauty of Dafeng die without food, he had no choice but to make a bad move. Fortunately, Wang Hao is a silly girl with little knowledge. To her, the fragments of the underground book may be just a small mirror with rough handwork.

The princess did not look at the small jade mirror, but stared at him: "Where are you going?"

At this moment, Xu Qi'an's mind flashed the common people who fell like grass, the scholar who was stabbed in the chest by a knife, the mother who fled with the child in his arms but was killed and the child, and the childish child who was provoked by the gun. Tong, dodge Er Gongzi Zheng who was crucified on the ground

"As I said, I'm going to punish King Zhenbei. He doesn't deserve the blood. I'll make him, and Duke Protector Que Yongxiu pay the price."

Xu Qi'an looked at her calmly, with no joy or anger on his face, but his eyes were extremely firm: "I'm going to Chuzhou."

The princess looked into his eyes and knew that she could not stop this man. She bit her lip and said softly: "You want to come back, you, you promise me."

"good."

Xu Qi'an nodded, got up and walked towards the door.

"Xu Qi'an."

She yelled, as if worried, got up hastily and knocked over the stool, chased a few steps, summoned up her courage and said:

"Youth is chivalrous, making friends with the heroes of the five capitals. The liver and gallbladder are hollow, and the hair grows. In the conversation, life and death are the same, and a promise is worth a thousand dollars."

A promise is worth a lot, so you must come back.

Carry Tianshan.

The horn "woo hoo" sounded.

20,000 elite cavalry from the Qingyan tribe assembled on the plain at the foot of the mountain. They rode war horses covered with scales and brandished scimitars.

In the sound of the horn, look at the majestic palace.

Boom, boom, boom

The sound of heavy footsteps came from a distance. The two-foot-tall cyan giant stepped out of the palace, and each foot caused a slight tremor. He dragged a giant sword that ordinary people could not use, and dragged it deep on the ground. gully.

The cavalry of the Qingyan Department watched their leader silently, the scene was silent, only the sound of heavy footsteps.

The cyan giant raised his heavy giant sword and roared heavily: "In Chuzhou City."

"In Chuzhou City."

"In Chuzhou City."

The Qingyan cavalry raised their scimitars, brandished them, and roared.

A certain black mountain in the north, a valley shrouded in mist.

The white-clothed warlock with a vague face stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down, the valley was surrounded by a perennial thick fog, no grass grew, and no life was extinct.

"Candle Nine."

Following the words of the warlock in white, the dense fog suddenly boiled like a woman's veil.

In the layers of fog, a black figure rushed towards him quickly and stopped in front of the white-clothed warlock.

When the thick fog dispersed, it was a huge snake head, red all over, without scales, with a single closed eye on its forehead.

Its tall body was as high as a mountain peak, and the white-clothed warlock was as insignificant as an ant in front of it.

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a god and demon who ruled the extremely cold place in the north. He had one eye, scaleless and red. When he opened his eyes, it was day, and when he closed them, it was night.

The leader of the northern monster clan, Zhu Jiu, is the descendant of that demon.

"In Chuzhou City." The white-clothed warlock smiled.

The vertical eyes on the giant snake's forehead suddenly opened, and a golden light pierced the sky, which could be seen dozens of miles away.

On the steep cliff, there is an old pine tree, and the charming and charming woman stretches out her hand, and the sleeve slips down, revealing her white lotus arms.

The black eagle circling in the sky swooped down and landed on the woman's lotus root arm, saying, "The news from that man is in Chuzhou City."

The beautiful woman in the fluttering white dress said sweetly: "It seems that he not only wants blood, but also the life of King Zhenbei. Send me an order, all monster soldiers, attack Chuzhou City."

PS: This chapter has been deleted several times, and my head is bald. I'll have to refine it again tomorrow.