1. Carved into new jade as characters

When He Qi and Pei Nianzhen came down from the mountains in the suburbs of Beijing, it was already pitch black.

Pei Nianzhen's mind was shaken by the recognition of his identity this day, and then he was hit by He Qi's eleven knives, which blew the mountain wind.After all, he has been weak all year round. When he arrived in the city, he felt unable to support himself, developed a high fever, and fainted.

There was no place for him in the palace, so he told He Qi to let him go back to his small courtyard for two days to rest and recuperate.He Qi was not at ease, fearing that he would collapse halfway, so he sent him all the way back.

This is He Qi's first time stepping into this square inch where he has been imprisoned for several years.The courtyard is not big, with one main room and two wing rooms, which can barely accommodate him and two or three loyal servants.

However, He Qi frowned: "There are too many tall trees and dense trees around here. They block out the light like this. If you don't see the sun all year round, your health can't get better. You're recuperating here, I'm afraid the more you recover, the sicker you will become."

Pei Nianzhen shook his head and said:

"It's a small alley that was chosen just to avoid people's eyes and eyes. It's hard for "he" to find such a place in Capital City. It's okay if you get used to it, at least it's clean."

He Qi knew that this "he" refers to the first emperor.I don't know if it was because of the influence of his master, Pei Nianzhen used to call the late emperor a normal name, but now he doesn't want to use it, and only uses "he" instead - but he still dare not use "your father" like the masterTwo words.

Pei Nianzhen waved away the oncoming steward, and led He Qi into the main room.

"I'll be fine since I rest for a few days. But while you're here, I have something to give you, or... return it to you."

He rummaged through the cabinet behind the bed and found a small wooden box.

He Qi didn't reach out to take it, but took it with the scabbard and put it on the table.Seeing his movement, Pei Nianzhen was stunned for a moment, and then remembered that this might be the habit of shadow guards.

This wooden box is just the most common type of storage box, and there is a bit of old color on it.However, the surface of the wooden box was spotless, as if Pei Nianzhen wiped it often.He Qi checked and found that the box had no mechanism, so he took two steps back and opened the box with a hidden weapon.

Pei Nianzhen pursed his lips, and finally couldn't help it: "...As for that?"

"It's nothing, it's just a habit."

Of course, there was neither any poisonous mist nor any insects or snakes sprayed out of the box, only a pale blue jade pendant lying quietly inside, with a Clivia engraved on it.

He Qi was stunned.

Of course this jade pendant is familiar to him, because he has one that is almost exactly the same.The two jade pendants are of the same workmanship and material, with the same color and texture, but his one is carved with auspicious cloud patterns.

These two jade pendants... were all given by the person in front of him.

No, it should be called "reward" at that time.

He vaguely remembered that when Pei Nianzhen brought these two jade pendants, he asked him to choose them first, saying that they were the "Shuxiu" he learned martial arts from him.He didn't know the identity of this person at the time, believed it, and said... how can a warrior have a jade pendant with flowers and plants, so he chose the auspicious cloud pattern jade pendant, and left the orchid jade pendant to his brother.

just now...

He Qi picked up the jade pendant, his hands trembling.

The jade pendant was no longer pure, because the side of the jade pendant was soaked with a long bloodstain.

"this is……"

Pei Nianzhen turned his head away, avoiding his eyes: "

"It was found in the clothes when I sent people to bury them."

He Qi's hand holding the jade pendant clenched tightly.

He was only fourteen years old at the time, relying on his good martial arts background, he also tried all kinds of hardships to go to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment to find out information, but he only had information, and he failed to see his father and brother with his own eyes.Then he entered the Shadow Guard Camp, and there was no news of him.Now when he saw the blood on the jade pendant, he felt a faint pain in his heart.

"I didn't mean to expose your scars, but... At first I wanted to wash off the blood, but I found that it had been infested for a long time, and I couldn't wash it off. Later, I took out this jade pendant to look at it every time.Make a point of repentance. Now... just return it to its original owner."

He Qi looked at him for a moment, then suddenly flew out the door with the jade pendant.

Pei Nianzhen shook Kong Luoluo's palm, only to feel that the fever was getting worse, and he fell down on the bed.

………

He Qi didn't go back to the palace first, but went to the moat.

It was late at night, and he was sitting on the shore looking at the inner city of Capital City, the place where he had lived for more than 20 years.The familiar bricks and tiles are imprinted with all the happy and sad memories of his childhood.

The jade pendant in his palm was warmed by his inner strength, and it was no longer cold.He spread his palm, and finally he was able to carefully stroke the shocking blood on the jade pendant.

He Qi just sat there for several hours, until the first ray of morning light broke through the clouds and sprinkled on his shoulders.

The sunshine in early autumn was warm and pleasant. He seemed to see a tall figure standing tall on the other side of the river, waving to him with a familiar smile.

His heart suddenly ached.

"elder brother……"

He closed his eyes, he wanted to say, brother, how painful your last days were, he wanted to say, brother, I will take good care of San Ya... He wanted to say many, many things, but when he looked again, the figure appearedgone.

He Qi stayed there for a long time, and his sanity was finally called back.He looked at the jade pendant in his hand, and suddenly flew down the river and submerged the jade pendant in the water. He spit out his internal energy, and the blood fell off wherever he went.

……………

When Pei Nianzhen woke up again, it was already noon the next day, the sun was high, and he opened his eyes for a moment, feeling a little clearer.As soon as he turned his head, he saw He Qi sitting silently on the chair next to him.

"You...you didn't leave?"

"I went out and bought some medicine."

Pei Nianzhen turned his head to look at the wound on his arm. It was re-wrapped with a clean white cloth, and there was a faint smell of ointment under the wrap.

Of course He Qi did it.

Thinking that last night he didn't know everything under the high fever, but He Qi was willing to take care of him to such a small extent, Pei Nianzhen's throat choked:

"……thanks."

He Qi's face did not appear to be very gentle, but he narrated calmly:

"I have given you the steward for the internal medicine, decoction three times a day. In addition, this jade pendant..."

He Qi put the jade pendant back on Pei Nianzhen's pillow.The blood stains on it are gone, and it looks like new.

"It can be washed off with internal force infusion, and you can keep it for yourself."

Pei Nianzhen raised his head suddenly:

"You, don't you want it? This is your brother's relic..."

He Qi stood up, turned and looked out the window.

"No, he's gone."

This was so nonsense that Pei Nianzhen didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he had to put the jade pendant away again.The moment he put the box away, he suddenly remembered that He Qina had the other pair of jade pendants, so he didn't need this one.

Pei Nianzhen accidentally took the jade pendant out of the old wooden box and stuffed it into his clothes.

He Qi pretended not to see, and said to himself:

"Just rest for a few days, I've been away from the mansion for too long, it's time to go back."

Pei Nianzhen was surprised when he heard this, and then he realized that He Qi had left without saying goodbye, and asked quickly:

"You go back now... you are the commander, no one will embarrass you, right?"

"That's nothing for you to worry about."

Pei Nianzhen could only watch him leave with half worry and half self-blame.

……………

He Qi returned to the mansion with a slightly heavy heart, not because of the jade pendant, but because of worrying about his master.He thought that with the old building by his side, the day he left should be safe and sound.If something really happened, then he would die.

Fortunately, the flowers and trees around the palace were quiet and peaceful as usual. Although the shadow guards on duty outside looked relaxed, they never slacked off.

When the two shadow guards saw their commander return, they went forward to salute, but they didn't ask him where he went.Seeing this, He Qi sighed secretly. He had been away from the mansion for more than a day, but these shadow guards obviously had not received the notice such as "detain him for interrogation as soon as he comes back".

"Where is the master now?"

"Return to Commander, Master is in Hanqiu Pavilion's study, and seems to be discussing the information about yesterday's attack with Professor Lou."

"understood."

In a short while, he rushed to the study, and sure enough, the owner, Lou Yefeng, Lian Xiao, Jiang Xue and several other high-ranking shadow guards were there.He smiled wryly, feeling that he had come back at an inappropriate time. As a commander, he came to apologize in front of several subordinates... His face was rather ugly.

But there is no other way, and He Qi is not a person who likes to escape, so when he entered the room, he knelt down in front of the person in charge:

"The subordinate left his post due to private affairs, and has returned. I ask the master to come down."

Pei Nianyu asked suspiciously:

"Abandonment without authorization, why don't I know. Didn't you ask me for leave yesterday?"

He Qi was taken aback for a moment, but saw a page of official paper floating in front of him, on which was clearly written in black and white:

"He Qi, the commander of the shadow guards under him, needs to leave his post temporarily on a certain day in a certain month and year, and will return a day later. I would like to ask the master for this kindness, and worship."

Below is Pei Nianyu's autograph and Prince Yu's seal.

He stared fixedly at the line of request for leave and signed "He Qi" at the bottom—of course it couldn't be written by himself.

He Qi thought about it for a long time before he remembered that their talented master seemed to have a unique skill of imitating other people's handwriting.I never see the owner use it on weekdays, but didn't expect to use it for such things.

He looked up, Jiang Xue looked bewildered and believed it, while the old building and Lian Xiao knew it well.

"Master, this..."

Pei Nianyu looked at the dust on his body and the reddish blood in his eyes, and said gently:

"You can file it away later."

All He Qi wanted to say was blocked back.

The master's tactic is to get rid of the fire from the bottom of the pot, and it really kills his intention of pleading guilty.It's just... the master must also...

For his private affairs, did he not hesitate to falsify his handwriting...

Pei Nianyu saw this stubbornness and was still kneeling, clapped his hands and said:

"Okay, come to the meeting. What did you just say?"

Lian Xiao took up the topic very timely:

"The Baiwei Building that wanted to take He Yanjun away, we checked, it is not a famous school, its headquarters is located in the mountains of southern Hunan. The specialty of this school is that it majors in culinary arts, and its main business is around the Xiangshui River.restaurants, restaurants, etc."

"The martial arts of the elders are all mediocre, but for a few years they won the first prize in the cooking competition in the world. In the past two years, the old master of Baiweilou is approaching age, and the young master is about to succeed. Presumably this year's cooking competition is the young master.If it is inevitable, it will be everywhere..."

Pei Nianyu snorted: "He Yanjun is really unlucky. This young master is not good at cooking, so he wants to steal other people's recipes. It can be seen that this Baiweilou is not a good thing."

Lou Yefeng looked indifferent:

"This kind of bullying stuff should not dare to come back after hitting a nail once. If the master is worried, let one or two shadow guards continue to stare at them in Baiweilou."

Pei Nianyu concluded:

"I have no objection. But remind me this time, my two food businesses are too eye-catching, and no one in Capital City dares to offend them. I'm afraid I will encounter such unreasonable quacks again. It is helpful to have a little defense forceNecessary, or let Yun Luan or Yun Shao stay there?"

He Qi said: "Send Yunluan. Yun Shao is old and experienced, and her strength lies in distinguishing poison, so she must not be transferred away from her master. Although Yun Luan is young, it is time to let her go out to experience and practice.Second-rate goods are no match for her."

"That's it, let's adjourn the meeting!"

…………

Three days later, Pei Nianzhen gradually felt that his body was back to normal, and he didn't expect it to be so fast, probably thanks to the nutritious meals in the palace some time ago.

One day, he was preparing to pack the clothes and bedding at home when he suddenly heard three knocks on the door.

Pei Nianzhen's heart shuddered, it was definitely not He Qi who came - He Qi would not deliberately hide the sound of his footsteps.

He settled down and opened the door, only to see a man dressed as a warrior in a dark brown cloak and mask standing outside his door.

"……It's you!"

It was the person who hid behind them when Baiweilou attacked that day.