Chapter 53： self-abasement

"What are you doing, Your Highness?" Xie Zhi asked standing behind Yang Dejin.

The large area of ​​sand in the backyard of the Prince's Mansion looks like an entertainment venue dedicated to dog fighting or cockfighting.

And Yang Dejin was wearing servant's clothes, squatting in the middle of the sand, with several pots around, some were used to hold water, some were used to hold sand.

Yang Dejin turned around, dropped what she was doing, stood up, walked up to Xie Zhi and said to her, "I'm doing an experiment."

"Do an experiment?"

Yang Dejin nodded: "Master Xie, do you still remember what I said in front of your house that day?"

Seeing that Xie Zhi didn't react for a while, Yang Dejin continued: "I said at the time that some things may not be true even if they have seen them with their own eyes."

It was only then that Xie Zhi remembered that it was the day when Yang Dejin personally handed over the Prince's Order to him.

"Well, I remember."

"So, I wondered if I could try to reproduce the cardinal's modus operandi."

"Your Highness suspects that the so-called divine soup and water erosion are all fake by the congregation?"

"right."

Those tricks taught by Dacheng can still be used to fool superstitious and ignorant ancient people. She, a modern atheist, certainly does not believe in these.

Forget about ghosts and gods, it’s all said and done, the book we’re wearing is not some sci-fi or cultivating text.

Xie Zhi glanced around and asked, "So Your Highness ran to play in the sand...to do experiments?

"Ham, don't worry about it." Yang Dejin waved his hand, "Don't talk about this, you came to me, what did you find?"

Xie Zhi nodded, and replied: "I did get a lot of information in Dali Temple, but I still need His Highness's verification."

"Go back to my room and talk."

Yang Dejin changed into a cloud brocade white robe and left the bedroom. The two sat down in front of the main room. Xie Zhi gave Yang Dejin what she and Pei Yu had discovered.

After listening, Yang Dejin nodded thoughtfully, then opened the small compartment of the ebony case, took out a letter paper from it, and handed it to Xie Zhi.

"This is?" Xie Zhi took over.

"It's the list from the Dark Guard Report. The Xue Yuanwai, Military Weapons Supervisor, and Dali Siqing you mentioned happen to be in it."

Xie Zhi opened the letter paper and quickly glanced at it. Yang Dejin sent out only a dozen secret guards, and there were more than a dozen names recorded on it, each of which was either rich or expensive, and the three people she focused on were impressively listed.

Yang Dejin: "Hey, you said that even the chief of Dali Temple was involved, so Pei Shaoqing..."

Xie Zhi: "Pei Yu was visiting other places before, and he only returned to the capital a few days ago. He probably doesn't know anything about Si Qing."

Yang Dejin said loudly: "Then Pei Shaoqing should be trustworthy, and we will also bring him when we investigate the case later?"

"Bring it." Xie Zhi refolded the letter, "He knows martial arts, so he can protect you to some extent."

Yang Dejin blinked and looked at Xie Zhi hesitantly.

Xie Zhi: "What?"

"I can protect myself, and I have my own hidden guards."

"There's no harm in having one more person protecting you."

Yang Dejin got up and walked in front of Xie Zhi, looking down at her.

"Zhirui, thank you."

Xie Zhi was still a little unaccustomed to her calling him by his own name, but now he heard her thanking him again, looking at that harmless face, Xie Zhi always felt some strange pulsations in his chest.

"What is the meaning of this, Your Highness?"

Yang Dejin sat cross-legged across her desk and looked at her.

"Xie Zhirui, I thought before that you were a little unconfident."

She should have used a question, but her tone was very certain. Xie Zhi didn't expect her to say that suddenly, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Xie Zhi was silent for a while, noncommittal: "Why did Your Highness say that?"

Yang Dejin pushed her hands behind her back, and raised her head in a very relaxed manner.

Xie Zhi's inferiority complex seemed vague and elusive, making Yang Dejin always think it was his own illusion.

"Feel it." Yang Dejin said with her eyes closed, "Before you persuaded me to sneak into Wuming Temple, you also looked worried."

"Worried about my safety, afraid that something might happen to me.

"But in fact, thanks to Minister Xie's thoughtfulness, he is completely able to protect me. You are excellent, and you have the ability to protect others.

"It's okay not to trust others, but always trust yourself."

Xie Zhi looked at her quietly without making a sound. I don't know if I don't want to pay attention to it, or if it hits my heart, it's hard to refute.

All along, she has been living in the shadow of going back. He failed to protect the teacher's wife, failed to vindicate Prime Minister Bai, and failed to relieve their daughter.

Xie Zhi is just an ordinary person, but she bears heavier responsibilities and missions than ordinary people, and she also feels lonely, helpless, and painful.

This is her weakness. In order to protect herself, she must wear thorns to give people an invulnerable image. Ruthless, indifferent, and fair and upright, she almost thought that this was the real her.

Put on a look of indifference, thinking you won't lose anything. In fact, I am still afraid, afraid of repeating the same mistakes, afraid of adding new wounds to the unhealed old wounds.

But she never imagined that there would be such a day when a person would easily expose her childish and strict protection.

But the person in front of her, she is obviously younger than her, how could she see through her disguise so easily?

Caught off guard, and people at a loss.

"I don't know why Zhirui you are like this, but I think you can be more confident and show off. The youngest judge in Dasheng has the qualifications."

While talking, Yang Dejin took out an upside-down teacup, scalded it with boiling water, and then filled it with clear tea.

The fragrance of bisque snow, the fragrance of tea, and the fragrance of tea made Xie Zhi's eyes red.

Yang Dejin pushed the cup over and looked up at her, but was startled by her red eyes.

"Eh? You..."

Yang Dejin thought that if he said it directly, he would be too disrespectful to Xie Zhi, and was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, but Xie Zhi spoke first.

"Believers, His Highness Lao sent someone to keep an eye on it. Dacheng Sect released such an oracle the day before yesterday, maybe there will be a big move in the near future, we have to go find He Cong again." Xie Zhi put the teacup in front of him, After speaking, he was not afraid of being hot, and drank it all in one gulp.

Yang Dejin's gaze followed her movements, trying to tell her not to drink so hastily. What if the esophagus is scalded? ! But she opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak, she just sighed slightly, thoughtfully covered the topic just now, and followed her words:

"Okay, the next resting session will be in seven days, and then we will go to Cangjiao Tower to block He Cong."

"No, we can't wait that long." Xie Zhi put down his cup and looked down at the desk, "We must hurry."

Yang Dejin naturally had no objection. Xie Zhi is a professional in case investigation.

"Okay, follow your arrangement."

Hearing her obedient answer, Xie Zhi couldn't tell what kind of feeling he felt.

Just now he drank too fast, Xie Zhi felt that the tea was scalding from his mouth to his stomach. She, Xie Zhi, was always calm and self-possessed, but this time she really lost her composure.

Yang Dejin: "It's getting late today. Tomorrow, we'll bring Pei Shaoqing and we'll go find He Cong. I'll study the tricks used by the Dacheng Sect to bluff people in the evening." After speaking, he picked up the list on the case and carefully read watch.

"thanks."

Yang Dejin was taken aback for a moment, she raised her head and asked, "What did you say?"

Xie Zhi sat across from him, with his hands on his knees, with a serious and firm expression, as if he was talking about something very important: "I said, I will definitely protect you."

Yang Dejin was stunned for a moment, and then gradually felt relieved.

She didn't think she was particularly good at comforting others, and it really made her happy that a cold person like Xie Zhi could listen to her.

"Well, I believe you."

//

The next day, around the Imperial College.

"Hey, are we just guarding the gate of the Imperial College? Why don't you just go in and meet people?" Pei Yu asked standing next to the two in plain clothes.

Today, Yang Dejin, Xie Zhi and Pei Yu came to squat He Cong outside the gate of the Imperial College. In order not to reveal their identities, they all changed into ordinary clothes.

Xie Zhi looked at the gate of the Imperial College from the corner of the wall: "You can't scare the snakes."

Pei Yu crossed her arms and looked at her sideways.

When you came to Dali Temple to prostitute files, you didn’t see you being so cautious. It’s just a Guozijian, and you can just enter it with the prince’s letter, not to mention that Prince Yu himself is here.

But I think it's the same thing, Pei Yu can't complain, after all Xie Zhi really has the ability, as a junior, he just keeps his mouth shut and does it honestly.

"Come out." Xie Zhi said.

The two looked quickly and found that it was indeed He Cong who walked out of the door. He chatted a few words with the guards and was about to leave.

"It's still early at this time, he left office so early?" Pei Yu looked up at the sky.

The scorching sun hangs high in the sky, and it doesn't mean to cool people down at all.

"The ancients also left early?" Yang Dejin also looked up at the sky and muttered.

"Don't think about it, I'm leaving." Xie Zhi reminded.

"Then let's follow quickly."

Yang Dejin and his party originally wanted to stop He Cong on the way, but they didn't expect this middle-aged man with a big belly to walk in a hurry today.

Xie Zhi felt something was wrong, so he didn't let the two of them go forward to block the way, but followed closely behind him.

Where is He Cong going?

After walking for almost two quarters of an hour, He Cong had already reached the north of the city, but He Cong neither returned to his own home nor went to Pingkangli, but chose a narrow alley and turned into a small courtyard.

"He Cong doesn't live here? What is he doing here?" Pei Yu asked.

"I don't know, shall we go in?"

Xie Zhi frowned: "No, stay outside and watch."

He Cong is in a hurry, sneaking around, what exactly is he going to do?

The sun was very strong, and several people found a shady place to watch. Even so, the heat wave hit people one after another.

As a modern person who is used to blowing air conditioners, Yang Dejin couldn't stand such a fire. She took off a leaf and was fanning it irritably.

"Hey, come out." Pei Yu saw a gap in the courtyard where He Cong entered, and was about to go there.

"Wait a minute, there is someone else." Xie Zhi hastily held him down.

"Oh." Pei Yu hurriedly stopped, and hid at the corner with the two of them.

Behind He Cong, a well-dressed man followed, with a hood covering his head, so he couldn't see his face clearly. The few people who were observing secretly looked at each other, and they could see the astonishment in the eyes of the other two.

Yang Dejin whispered: "White cloak!"

Pei Yu: "It's from the church."

Xie Zhi didn't make a sound, and stared at that side without blinking. He Cong stood at the door, bowed to say goodbye to the white cape, and the white cape turned and left without saying anything.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Yang Dejin quickly looked at Xie Zhi: "Master Xie, shall we catch up?"

Pei Yu: "That's right, that person is definitely not simple, I'll go after him!"

Xie Zhi flatly rejected his self-recommendation: "That man has a steady pace and is a practicing family. I'll go after him. It's safer for you to keep an eye on He Cong."

Yang Dejin: "But..."

"It's nothing to worry about." Xie Zhi interrupted her, "I'll let you arrange the case investigation, it's up to you."

Yang Dejin frowned, and nodded reluctantly: "Okay, you pay attention to safety."

Xie Zhi raised his hand and pressed her shoulder, smiled, then turned to Pei Yu and said, "Protect her."

Pei Yu nodded: "That's for sure."

The hooded man walked northward after turning the alley, and Xie Zhi followed him leisurely.

That person has good anti-detection ability, Xie Zhi didn't take long to notice him. Xie Zhi could also tell that the man wanted to get rid of her, so she didn't dare to blink, and stared fixedly at the white figure in front of her.

No one knows that in the crowded and bustling Dongshi City, a good chase is going on under the scorching sun. The man in the hood walked faster and faster, and Xie Zhi barely managed to catch up.

Perhaps because he was surprised that he couldn't shake off his tail in the noisy and chaotic East City, the hooded man seemed a little impatient. As soon as he was out of the market, he suddenly ran.

"Stop!" Xie Zhi yelled, and quickly ran after him.

In the narrow lanes, there are debris piled up by neighbors, which is not suitable for chasing. But he seemed to be very familiar with the street pattern here, and obviously wanted to use these obstacles to trip Xie Zhi.

It was more than enough for Xie Zhi to avoid these sundries, she knew that going further forward was the northern camp of the patrol camp, where idlers were strictly forbidden to enter, and the hooded man would not be far away.

Just as I was thinking, I saw the figure of the man in the hood suddenly disappear at the intersection on the left. Xie Zhi was in a bad mood, so he hurried to catch up and saw the man turn into a dark alley again.

Xie Zhi estimated the distance between the two, and then looked at the low buildings around. After a run-up, he stepped on the stone wall with his right foot, hooked the edge of the wall with both hands and exerted strength, stood on the edge of the wall and easily turned over to the roof.

From a height, she looked around and soon found the fleeing man.

The hooded man looked back as he ran, thinking he had shaken off Xie Zhi. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, Xie Zhi suddenly jumped off the roof in front of him.

The man looked horrified, stopped quickly, and turned into a fork in a panic.

Xie Zhi knew that it was a dead end, so he was not in a hurry and approached slowly.

"Who?!" A voice suddenly rang out from the other side of the fork.

The leader of the city gate appeared in front of him with a sword in his hand. He was wearing the official uniform of a military officer, with armor and no helmet.

Xie Zhi took a look and knew that this man was out on patrol.

"It's you, Xie Shilang, why are you here?" Ji Zhuilu didn't expect Xie Zhi to appear near the city defense camp, so he put the sword back into its sheath.

"Find someone."

Ever since Ji Zhuilu knew that the relationship between Yang and Xie was unusual, he put away his arrogant attitude and stopped interfering in the affairs between the two of them.

At this moment, he was treated indifferently and perfunctorily by Xie Zhi, and he was not angry, he just asked formally, "Are you looking for someone near the camp of the City Defense Division?"

"The criminal department is handling the case, is there a problem?"

Ji Zhuilu said no problem: "Where is that person?"

Xie Zhi: "It's in the alley on your right, Captain Ji, don't let anyone get away."

After hearing this, Ji Zhuilu hummed suspiciously, and glanced sideways at the dead end.

"What are you talking about in your sleep in broad daylight?" Ji Zhuilu turned his head, "Where is anyone in this broken alley?"

After hearing this, Xie Zhi said in surprise: "How is it possible?!" After speaking, he quickly stepped forward and stopped in front of the entrance of the alley.

The alley was sealed off, and there was a distance of about ten steps from the entrance of the alley to the innermost part. Even the roof was covered with a layer of wooden boards as a shed, and the entire alley was darkly closed.

There was a lost white cloak on the ground in front of him, and there was nothing but some dry firewood and overturned baskets against the wall, so it was not a place to hide people at all.

Xie Zhi almost suspected that there was something wrong with her eyes. She picked up the cloak and wanted to go inside again without giving up.

"Xie Shilang, this is a dead end. I'm afraid you've found the wrong place?" Ji Zhuilu stood behind her, crossed his arms and turned his head to look at her.

Hearing this, Xie Zhi turned around with an ugly expression, but couldn't say anything.

The street she was on just now was perpendicular to this alley, if that person exited from the entrance of the alley, Xie Zhi would definitely be able to see it.

When she was talking to Ji Zhuilu, no one came out from inside, and there was no other exit. It was absolutely impossible for the hooded man to escape.

Ji Zhuilu came from the opposite side of the alley again, so it was impossible for him to hide him.

But the fact is that that person disappeared into a dead end out of thin air, as if evaporated. If he hadn't lost a white cloak, Xie Zhi would have thought he was dreaming.

Maybe when Ji Zhuilu came from the other side, that person had already disappeared. Xie Zhi was surprised, suspicious, and very angry.

What the hell.

"When Lieutenant Ji came here, did you see any suspicious-looking people?"

"Yes, I have."

"Who?"

"you."

"..."

Seeing the other party's indifferent expression, Ji Zhuilu withdrew his fingers for fun and coughed lightly: "Just kidding..."

Xie Zhi looked at him suspiciously, Ji Zhuilu was stared at him hairy, and when he was about to say something, he heard her ask: "Have you ever heard of Dacheng Sect, Captain Ji?"

After hearing this, Ji Zhuilu said tactfully, "I'm sorry to thank you, but I don't believe in ghosts and gods."

Xie Zhi: "..." This is treating her as a missionary.

Xie Zhi sighed, Ji Zhuilu should be hopeless. The Dacheng disciple appeared in front of her in broad daylight, chased him so far, but still let him slip away, it seems that he can only rely on He Cong.

Thinking of this, Xie Zhi's expression froze for a moment, and he unconsciously exerted force on his white cloak.

That's it, Yang Dejin!

"Hey, Sir Xie, are you leaving now?" Seeing that Xie Zhi suddenly dropped his cloak and ran outside, Ji Zhuilu hurriedly shouted.

Xie Zhi panicked and had no time to talk to Ji Zhuilu.

Ji Zhuilu looked at her receding back, and muttered, "Every day."

By the time Xie Zhi ran back to the remote courtyard, Yang Dejin and Pei Yu had long since disappeared, and there was no sign of He Cong either.

Xie Zhi gasped for breath, sweat profusely on her forehead, she yelled a few times nearby but didn't hear a response, then hurried back to Changlefang.

It's all right, it must be all right.

Yang Dejin has Pei Yu by his side, he is not bad at skills, he promised to protect Yang Dejin well.

With so many hidden guards around Yang Dejin, it's impossible for him not to fall into the hands of others.

Yang Dejin, who is so well-informed and has so many ghost ideas, probably just discovered something and went to another place before he could tell himself.

Xie Zhi knocked on the door of the Prince's Mansion.

The housekeeper of the Prince's Mansion said that she had never been back, nor had she received any news that the Empress had summoned her.

He Cong's house, Quanxian Building, Dali Temple, and the secret sentry posts everywhere, never showed Yang Dejin's figure.

There is no news of Yang Dejin from Yang Dejin's staff and staff, nor the people he arranged for him.

Xie Zhi even rode his horse to the Wuming Temple outside the city, searched the entire Wuming Temple, and all he saw was the dilapidated scene for several years and the pond that had been filled with sand and gravel. punishment.

She stood in the middle of the courtyard of Wuming Temple, under the scorching sun, but she felt chills all over her body and her fingers were cold.

Xie Zhi felt a little short of breath, his limbs were weak, his heart, forehead, neck and pulse were beating violently, as if they were about to burst through blood vessels.

The feeling of helplessness in memory came like a tide, tearing and laughing at Xie Zhi.

Xie Zhi squatted down slowly and buried his head in his knees.

She seems to have lost important people again...

The author has something to say:

Xie Zhi: I will protect Yang Dejin well.

Yang Dejin (lost contact)

Xie Zhi: ...Does this flag need to be recovered so quickly? !

Jiang, you are my dear Jiang, can you stop the three-level review, I beg you.