Liu Kun prepared the note and put it under his sleeve. He said goodbye to the Lu family and left the shabby temple to go to the Wuning Checkpoint.
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When he reached the city gate, he found that the gate was closed.
Liu Kun asked a common man and found out that the government closed the city gate to arrest important fugitives in the city.
Liu Kun had no choice but to return to the temple again and wait for another opportunity to enter the city.
The city is indeed catching prisoners. Cui Xingzhou personally led the troops here to catch easy prey.
His expectation is right. The iron ore is indeed inextricably linked with the Mountain of Yang. However, the owner of this iron ore mine has changed to another person.
According to the report of the undercover agent who became the foreman of the iron mine, the previous merchants were indeed related to the Mountain of Yang. But now the people arranged by Lu Wen have been uprooted and replaced by businessmen who have a good relationship with Agufan.
Moreover, there are signs of expanding the mining of iron ore. During the war, the barbarians captured many border people and asked them to work as coolies in the iron mine. They worked day and night there. They were exhausted. So they carried them out and threw them into the wilderness to feed the wolves. Now, in the wilderness outside the iron mine, wolves gather, and they are having a feast day and night
The secret agent deliberately approached those mysterious businessmen. The accent of those people spoke with the flavor of the State of Hui, and it was obvious that they were citizens there.
The iron ore resources outside the Checkpoint have always been abundant. But the barbarians can’t bear the hard work of mining, and they can’t make refined steel. Moreover, how much can they use for themselves? If they can be transported to the Central Plains for sale, they can get real gold and silver to buy the cloth and grain they need.
Those who have the ability to sell refined iron outside the Checkpoint through numerous obstacles are not ordinary merchants!
Although Cui Xingzhou did not hold down the real evidence, he also worked out the probable.
It seems that those who have been uprooted are the old members of the Mountain of Yang. They have a close relationship with the Old Shanyu. But now the barbarians are in the power of Agufan, and the iron ore mine has been replaced by a businessman who has become good friends with Agufan. Those who have the ability to cling to Agufan are by no means, ordinary people…
The State of Hui? Cui Xingzhou thought of the extremely low-key Prince Sui, who was practicing with his hair. Neither the disaster in the Mountain of Yang nor the war in the border areas had anything to do with Prince Sui on the surface.
However, with the deepening of the secret investigation of Prince Huaiyang, it was gradually discovered that from the Mountain of Yang to the border Checkpoint, it seemed that there were the actions of Prince Sui.
Cui Xingzhou wondered if he didn’t seize the opportunity to gather the evidence of Prince Sui’s collusion this time, how could he have a good conversation with Prince Sui about the past in the future and settle accounts?
So he concentrated his manpower mainly on inquiring about the clues of Prince Sui and finally found out that the merchants who had secretly met with Agufan left the Wangqi tribe and were ready to return to the State of Hui going on the route of transferring from the Wuning Checkpoint.
Therefore, when the mysterious merchants entered the Wuning Checkpoint, they were already like turtles in a jar. It was difficult for them to escape, and Cui Xingzhou caught them.
Cui Xingzhou had already caught two of them when he was drinking a cup of tea in the medicine shop of Lady Liu. The other two were still fleeing inside the city with their excellent martial arts.
But Prince Huaiyang was not in a hurry. Anyway, the gate of the Wuning Checkpoint is closed. They can’t fly. How long can they hide?
Sure enough, as Cui Xingzhou expected, the remaining two merchants split into two ways when they fled, each running their way.
One was hiding in the city, picking out all kinds of remote places and playing hide and seek with the pursuers for a long time. He was not caught until noon.
The other businessman was nowhere to be found. It turned out that the businessman had a plan. After dodging the chase, he unexpectedly chose a courtyard that seemed to have a good family situation and rushed in. There were only two people in the family. After entering the house, the businessman threatened the couple with a dagger, tied them up, and shut their mouths. He also took a suit from their wardrobe and put it on. He hid in the house, ready to escape the storm.
He hid in the house and survived the whole day. The soldiers searched the inns and gambling houses in the city but found no one. They began to search each house in a team and caught him.
After catching the prisoner, Cui Xingzhou borrowed the prison cell inside the Checkpoint to interrogate them on the spot.
So several businessmen were taken to prison and interrogated that night.
The interrogator ordered the jailer to hang the four people on the beam. Without saying anything, he held up the pricked cow’s whip, dipped it in salt water, and whipped each of them five times.
There’s a particular thing about this whip. It’s called the killing whip. The whip is made of fine silk cut from high-quality cowhide and mixed with forged iron wire. It is tough and strong. Once the whip goes down, you can slash a piece of flesh out.
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The interrogator practiced the whip to perfection. With a whip, only a bit of flesh is opened, without hurting the bones and the root, but it can give people the greatest pain and blood flow.
If he makes the whip more poisonous, and whips in the area of one’s arms or thighs, it will make the person feel unbearable pain. If the salt water on the whip is soaked into the wound, it will make the person feel extremely painful.
As usual, after five lashes, the prisoner’s skin was torn and his flesh was blurred. It seemed that they were seriously injured. Once the prisoners all thought that they were seriously injured and that they would die if they were whipped a few more times, it will save them the trouble to ask, and thus they would pour everything out without any more nonsense.
But today, the interrogator inquired one by one, but none of them was willing to confess. Seeing that no one was speaking, he snorted and said, “The body is like iron but it’s fake, and the laws are like a furnace and it’s real. I’ll see how long you can last!”
He then threw the whip away and ordered several officers to put on punches and beat the businessmen as sandbags.
These businessmen know that they are involved in a big business, especially since the people behind them are all high in power. As long as they don’t confess, only they will be the ones to die. However, If they do, their whole family will die.
They were all not going to speak and let the interrogator use all kinds of severe punishments on them.
The interrogator fought from the evening until the morning. Several people were covered with blood and fainted several times.
Cui Xingzhou heard the report from his subordinate and said lightly, “Since torture can’t pry their mouths open, let’s change the method. Tell them that if they don’t speak, we will chop off their heads, wrap them in lime, and transport them back to the State of Hui. We can also find their families if they were to inquire about their whereabouts from the citizens in every village. At that time, the charges of adultery with barbarians in wartime will be enough for their whole family to be convicted and beheaded. If they are willing to confess the truth, I will try my best to protect their families and move them to other countries…”
Sure enough, after the interrogator had relaid the words of Prince Huaiyang, several people were all motivated and spoke after weighing the pros and cons. The man behind them was Prince Sui.
Even the route of smuggling iron ore and how to sell it were explained one by one.
Cui Xingzhou looked at the lines drawn by them and the methods of distributing goods. They were all so ingenious that people could not imagine. He could not help sneering, “I didn’t expect that Prince Sui was still a master of management?”
The subordinates in charge of the interrogation immediately added, “It is said that these were all made by Lu Wen himself and secretly arranged with the Old Shanyu’s personal followers by using the methods left by the merchants in the Mountain of Yang. Prince Sui is cunning and knows that there is a good future here, so he designed to remove Lu Wen’s influence and replace him.”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows. It was Lu Wen again. The former Crown Prince’s orphan is not only excellent at chess but also has a good business mind. He is an all-rounder! Even his wives and concubines were taught well by him. Look at Miantang, and one can see how devoted Lu Ziyu this mentor is.
If it’s a woman, it’s hard not to be attracted to such a capable man, isn’t it? Thinking of this, Cui Xingzhou’s face was cold again.
He knew that Miantang must have given her heart to the bandit before she lost her memory. It’s even more uncomfortable than knowing that she was together with the bandit.
However, when she was captured by the bandit, Miantang was still young and had never seen any men. She was moved by the bandit who held the power of her life and death and could be forgiven.
Cui Xingzhou doesn’t think he’s worse than Lu Wen, the defeated person under him. Even if Miantang recovers her memory, she should be wise enough to know what to choose, wash away the past, take the initiative to forget her past with Lu Wen, and live a good life with him…
Although Prince Huaiyang felt that he should not pay too much attention to the private affairs of men and women, he decided to go back to the medicine shop to find Miantang the next day.
Recently, he has been patronizing the war, and he has little time to accompany her.
Now that Cui Xingzhou has made clear about the iron ore mine, he can take a break from his busy schedule and take a small holiday after telling his subordinates what to do next.
Because the city was closed all day yesterday so that the officers and men in the city could arrest the suspects, fewer people were walking back and forth when the city gate was opened today. So that the medicine shop is rarely remote.
Doctor Zhao, who had had breakfast in the tea shop in the city, came excitedly with a bag of crisp fruit, ready to give Miantang a taste.
He didn’t expect to see Cui Xingzhou sitting behind the counter as soon as he entered the store.
This greatly disappointed the excited Doctor Zhao, who looked at Prince Huaiyang with his nose and eyes, and said angrily, “You have taken my seat!”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows, “This is the Cui family’s property. Did you bring your own chair?”
Zhao Quan didn’t like to see Commander Cui too deeply in the play. He just threw his long sleeves and sat on the opposite chair. He raised his chin and asked, “The border guards are so busy and there’s you, always coming to the Wuning Checkpoint, what’s it like? I’m here for the serious business of helping people. When a patient comes, don’t you still have to give that seat back to me?”
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Cui Xingzhou was not moved, but said, “The medicine shop will close soon. The shop doesn’t need you today, you can go back early and have a rest… By the way, a letter from your family was sent to my camp. It was an urgent letter. It should be something urgent from your family. I brought it to you.”
Zhao Quan absentmindedly received the letter and stretched out his neck to look around to see where Miantang was.
Servant Li said that she was tired these days, and she was sleepy after counting the goods this morning. She went to sleep in the wing room. Even when Prince Huaiyang came, she did not get up!
Only then did Marquis Zhao start to read the letter.
Once he opened the letter and reads it, Zhao Quan’s buttocks seem to be burned by a soldering iron, and he jumps out of the chair.
Sitting opposite him, Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help looking at him with his eyebrows tilted and said, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Quan was so angry that his cheeks were red that he said straight, “It’s a misfortune, it is really unfortunate!” He then gave the letter to Cui Xingzhou. He was so angry that he circled the store.
Cui Xingzhou looked at the letter and puzzled, and said, “This is a good thing. Congratulations to Brother Zhao…”
At this time, Zhao Quan is not his usually careless and casual composure, only clenched his fist and said, “I haven’t slept with her for two years. What’s there to congratulate?”
Cui Xingzhou’s eyebrows gradually locked up when he heard this. He could not help blaming Zhao Quan, “This is your family affair. Isn’t it bad for her reputation… to show me the letter so rashly?”
Zhao Quan was so angry at this time that said, “What reputation does she still have!”
This is a family affair. Cui Xingzhou doesn’t have much to say. What he can do as a good friend is to arrange a fast horse for Zhao Quan to return to the Zhennan Marquis Mansion to deal with the mess at home.
The reason why Zhao Quan did not hesitate to show Cui Xingzhou was that he knew Cui Xingzhou was tight-lipped and he was not afraid.
However, the thought that the letter was written by his mother without knowing it, and that she was overjoyed, made Zhao Quan feel angry.
He was most afraid of trouble in his life. He thought that if he told the truth, it will cause chaos, and his family would cry and scream, and he would feel anxious to return to his hometown.
He hopes that if he is blocked by barbarians and bandits on the way and returned with some injuries, those worldly affairs will not annoy him.
Cui Xingzhou waved to someone and ordered him to prepare his horse immediately, and arranged for Zhao Quan to go on the road.
He also knew that Zhao Quan had no idea what to do. He wanted him to decide by reading the letter for him.
Therefore, before leaving, Prince Huaiyang said to Marquis Zhao, “When you go back this time, you must not be impulsive, let alone make the whole house known. If the baby month is small, you know how to do it. Although you have a shallow relationship with her, her father is a senior official in the Imperial Court and the censor of the Imperial Court. If you make too much noise, his family will be disgraced and your family will rarely be quiet.”
Zhao Quan knew that Cui Xingzhou was saying for his good, but he was angry now. He waved his hand and hurried off.
After seeing off his good friend, Cui Xingzhou ordered the bodyguard to close the gate of the city and turned back to the medicine shop.
He saw that the Miantang who had taken a nap had got up, her temples were a little scattered, her cheeks were pink, and she looked lazy and tired combing her hair.
She had just heard her husband talking to Mr. Zhao in the wing room, but when she got up, she found that both of them were gone.
Now that her husband is back, she asks where Mr. Zhao is.
Cui Xingzhou said succinctly, “He has something urgent at home, so he’ll go back first.”
Miantang was stunned. He didn’t expect Zhao Quan to leave so suddenly. She asked, “What’s wrong with his family?”
Cui Xingzhou said lightly, “The concubine of his is pregnant. He will go back and have a look…”
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Miantang has heard that Mr. Zhao has many wives and concubines, so it is possible that he could be a father several times a year.
His concubine is pregnant. It’s a happy thing. He naturally has to go back.
However, Miantang thought that her husband was as old as Mr. Zhao, but he have no bloodline under him. She could not help feeling guilty again. She asked her husband if he felt sad about knowing that Mr. Zhao was a father.
Cui Xingzhou said meaningfully, “It’s not all wives and concubines who are pregnant can make their men happy too. You think too much…”
So Miantang did not mention it.
Her husband has always been so considerate that he would not tell her even if he was really upset. Fortunately, she has been in good health recently. Even in the cold weather in the northwest, her hands and feet will not be as cold as before. She thinks that if she wants a baby, it will be easier…
While she was holding the warmer in her arms, she saw that Cui Xingzhou had asked the shop assistant to put the door panel of the medicine shop on. She stopped them and said, “Although there is no doctor on duty, there are still people who come to prescribe medicine. Why is the shop closed so early?”
Cui Xingzhou said, “There were fugitives in the city yesterday, but now I don’t know if there are any leftovers. It’s inappropriate for you to open your shop like this. Wait until the street is clean, and you can open your shop again.”
Miantang thought it was reasonable and asked, “Shall we go home then?”
Cui Xingzhou said, “It’s rare to have time. Let me take you out of the city to relax.”
He always wanted to take Miantang to play, but the war was tense and he had no time to spare.
Later, when the Jinjia Checkpoint was stabilized, there was Marquis Zhao stirred excrement in the medicine shop. He looked like he was the shopkeeper of the medicine shop all day, which was really in their way.
Now Mr. Zhao’s home is filled with “happiness”, and Marquis Zhennan has returned to put out the fire. Cui Xingzhou was also happy to be free from the sight of him, so he thought of taking Miantang out of the city to play.
Miantang was naturally willing to. Although she does things maturely, she was not 19 years old after all. It’s the age of being playful thus, she went home and changed into a short hunting suit for riding.
This attire was improved by the people of Hu. Miantang liked it very much when she first saw it in the clothing shop.
After buying it, Servant Li helped her embroider delicate and elegant patterns on the plain cuffs and collar. She was also given a wide Satin belt.
Therefore, the original coat with a wide waist appears to be close fitting and charming under the constraint of a wide waist seal. The beautiful legs with slender curves and the boots with soft leather soles are heroic.
When Liu Miantang, with a long braid and a small whip, stood in front of Cui Xingzhou, who was reading a book, Prince Huaiyang was breathless and looked up and down for a long time.
Liu Miantang could not understand his thoughts, so he asked nervously, “Why? Is it not good on me?”
Cui Xingzhou still didn’t speak, but said faintly, “No, it’s very nice.”
Naturally, he would not say that when Miantang came out wearing a hunting suit earlier, the free and easy whip swinging on her hand and the indescribable aura suddenly gave people a strange and alienated feeling.
It’s like the cat lying on his arm every day, not the woman in front of him…
Cui Xingzhou didn’t like this feeling, so he took her hand and said, “But I prefer to see you wearing a Ru skirt…”
Miantang shook her pony whip and stood in front of the horse, smiling, “But I can’t ride in a skirt! I’ll change my skirt to show you when we come back.”
With that, she turned to get on the horse by herself.
It’s a pity that the injured foot couldn’t support her strength, and only half of the action was exhausted. If Cui Xingzhou hadn’t stretched out her long arm to hold her, she would have nearly fallen.
Cui Xingzhou first landed on the horse, bent down to clamp her down, pulled her onto the horse, wrapped her in a long cloak, and then waved the horsewhip to urge the horse out of the city.
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But not long after they left, a man who covered his face with a scarf hurried to the medicine shop. He saw the notice that the medicine shop was closed and had a rest for a few days. He was so anxious that he stamped his feet. He thought how could he be so unlucky that they happened to close the shop!
It looks like a customer who is eager to buy medicine…
As for Prince Huaiyang, one month ago, when he led his subordinates to investigate the surrounding terrain, he accidentally found a nest of hot springs in the nearby valley.
The hot spring is dense with water vapor. Although it is winter, under the transpiration of the hot air, it has become a paradise, protected from the cold wind and lush with green grass and wildflowers.
When Cui Xingzhou found this place, he thought of Zhao Quan’s saying that if there were conditions, she would let Lady Liu soak in the hot spring to better recuperate her hands and feet.
So these days Cui Xingzhou called the soldiers to carry stones, built a small pool, and used a wooden trough to draw water, which can be used to warm the bubble.
When Miantang came down and saw this place, she shouted happily on the horse, “How did you find this place, Husband?”
After that, she came down and walked around the small pond several times. She then couldn’t wait to ask Fang Xie to take the food basket and take out some chicken eggs and bird eggs from it.
At home, when Cui Xingzhou said he would take her to the hot spring, she asked Servant Li to prepare raw eggs and bird eggs.
At this time, it was of great use. She only took a thin copper basin, scooped water, soaked the eggs, and then let them float in the spring.
Cui Xingzhou asked her what she was doing, and Miantang said excitedly, “Boiled spring eggs! Boiled with hot spring water, the egg yolk is coagulated in one place, but the egg white is thin and flowing. It’s delicious to eat with some fish sauce. Ordinary firewood can’t cook the same flavor.”
Prince Huaiyang carefully prepared such a place, originally thinking of the beautiful scenery of languid and dedicated bathing in Huaqing hot spring. But who would have thought that she only wanted to cook eggs first?
However, he brought her out just to make her happy, so Cui Xingzhou also sat on the folding rope chair moved by Mo Ru and smiled at her and said, “All you remember is to eat. Who did you learn this from?”
Miantang laid the eggs, took the handkerchief handed over by Fang Xie, wiped her hands, and said, “When I was young, my uncle once took my mother and me to play in the State of Li. There were many hot springs there, and my mother often cooked them for me.”
Speaking of this, Miantang was also melancholy. She doesn’t know where her grandfather’s family is now. Is he healthy?
But before her sadness took shape, she was attracted by another beautiful scene in front of her.
Cui Xingzhou began to undress and prepare to soak in the hot spring. Although he wrapped his lower body with a long towel, his muscular arms and narrow waist make people’s eyes unable to move from it…
Miantang was embarrassed, but she couldn’t help looking up.
After Cui Xingzhou entered the pool at the appropriate temperature, the steaming water vapor made his eyebrows and eyes hidden in the sea of clouds.
“Since you’re cooking eggs, I’ll soak them first, and I’ll let you soak them later.”
He can’t help it. The pool is too small, and only one person can enter it at a time. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful thing for two people to take a bath together… Once Prince Huaiyang is not careful, his thoughts will drift far away.
Miantang was preparing meals for a while, but she was also absent-minded. From time to time, she stole a glance at her husband who kept his eyes closed. His nose is tall and straight, and his side face is particularly beautiful.
And the thin and shaped lips look cold and affectionate, but when kissing them, it makes her shy…
When Cui Xingzhou was ready to take a bath, the hot spring egg was also cooked.
For this picnic, cold rice was prepared, and Servant Li prepared thin slices of meat, stacked them in a food box, boiled them in a small pot, and then poured them with the prepared sauce and scallion flowers. After stirring, the rice became warm and ready to eat.
When Cui Xingzhou came out, he put on his broad robe. Miantang had led the servant girl to set up a small table. After her husband changed his clothes, he could eat ready-made meals.
Miantang asked Fang Xie to take out a pot of wine from the food box and said solemnly, “This is the medicinal wine I made for your symptoms after studying for several days. You can drink it and see if it tastes good.”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows and looked at the brown liquor. For a moment, he did not know what symptoms she was going to treat.
Liu Kun prepared the note and put it under his sleeve. He said goodbye to the Lu family and left the shabby temple to go to the Wuning Checkpoint.
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When he reached the city gate, he found that the gate was closed.
Liu Kun asked a common man and found out that the government closed the city gate to arrest important fugitives in the city.
Liu Kun had no choice but to return to the temple again and wait for another opportunity to enter the city.
The city is indeed catching prisoners. Cui Xingzhou personally led the troops here to catch easy prey.
His expectation is right. The iron ore is indeed inextricably linked with the Mountain of Yang. However, the owner of this iron ore mine has changed to another person.
According to the report of the undercover agent who became the foreman of the iron mine, the previous merchants were indeed related to the Mountain of Yang. But now the people arranged by Lu Wen have been uprooted and replaced by businessmen who have a good relationship with Agufan.
Moreover, there are signs of expanding the mining of iron ore. During the war, the barbarians captured many border people and asked them to work as coolies in the iron mine. They worked day and night there. They were exhausted. So they carried them out and threw them into the wilderness to feed the wolves. Now, in the wilderness outside the iron mine, wolves gather, and they are having a feast day and night
The secret agent deliberately approached those mysterious businessmen. The accent of those people spoke with the flavor of the State of Hui, and it was obvious that they were citizens there.
The iron ore resources outside the Checkpoint have always been abundant. But the barbarians can’t bear the hard work of mining, and they can’t make refined steel. Moreover, how much can they use for themselves? If they can be transported to the Central Plains for sale, they can get real gold and silver to buy the cloth and grain they need.
Those who have the ability to sell refined iron outside the Checkpoint through numerous obstacles are not ordinary merchants!
Although Cui Xingzhou did not hold down the real evidence, he also worked out the probable.
It seems that those who have been uprooted are the old members of the Mountain of Yang. They have a close relationship with the Old Shanyu. But now the barbarians are in the power of Agufan, and the iron ore mine has been replaced by a businessman who has become good friends with Agufan. Those who have the ability to cling to Agufan are by no means, ordinary people…
The State of Hui? Cui Xingzhou thought of the extremely low-key Prince Sui, who was practicing with his hair. Neither the disaster in the Mountain of Yang nor the war in the border areas had anything to do with Prince Sui on the surface.
However, with the deepening of the secret investigation of Prince Huaiyang, it was gradually discovered that from the Mountain of Yang to the border Checkpoint, it seemed that there were the actions of Prince Sui.
Cui Xingzhou wondered if he didn’t seize the opportunity to gather the evidence of Prince Sui’s collusion this time, how could he have a good conversation with Prince Sui about the past in the future and settle accounts?
So he concentrated his manpower mainly on inquiring about the clues of Prince Sui and finally found out that the merchants who had secretly met with Agufan left the Wangqi tribe and were ready to return to the State of Hui going on the route of transferring from the Wuning Checkpoint.
Therefore, when the mysterious merchants entered the Wuning Checkpoint, they were already like turtles in a jar. It was difficult for them to escape, and Cui Xingzhou caught them.
Cui Xingzhou had already caught two of them when he was drinking a cup of tea in the medicine shop of Lady Liu. The other two were still fleeing inside the city with their excellent martial arts.
But Prince Huaiyang was not in a hurry. Anyway, the gate of the Wuning Checkpoint is closed. They can’t fly. How long can they hide?
Sure enough, as Cui Xingzhou expected, the remaining two merchants split into two ways when they fled, each running their way.
One was hiding in the city, picking out all kinds of remote places and playing hide and seek with the pursuers for a long time. He was not caught until noon.
The other businessman was nowhere to be found. It turned out that the businessman had a plan. After dodging the chase, he unexpectedly chose a courtyard that seemed to have a good family situation and rushed in. There were only two people in the family. After entering the house, the businessman threatened the couple with a dagger, tied them up, and shut their mouths. He also took a suit from their wardrobe and put it on. He hid in the house, ready to escape the storm.
He hid in the house and survived the whole day. The soldiers searched the inns and gambling houses in the city but found no one. They began to search each house in a team and caught him.
After catching the prisoner, Cui Xingzhou borrowed the prison cell inside the Checkpoint to interrogate them on the spot.
So several businessmen were taken to prison and interrogated that night.
The interrogator ordered the jailer to hang the four people on the beam. Without saying anything, he held up the pricked cow’s whip, dipped it in salt water, and whipped each of them five times.
There’s a particular thing about this whip. It’s called the killing whip. The whip is made of fine silk cut from high-quality cowhide and mixed with forged iron wire. It is tough and strong. Once the whip goes down, you can slash a piece of flesh out.
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The interrogator practiced the whip to perfection. With a whip, only a bit of flesh is opened, without hurting the bones and the root, but it can give people the greatest pain and blood flow.
If he makes the whip more poisonous, and whips in the area of one’s arms or thighs, it will make the person feel unbearable pain. If the salt water on the whip is soaked into the wound, it will make the person feel extremely painful.
As usual, after five lashes, the prisoner’s skin was torn and his flesh was blurred. It seemed that they were seriously injured. Once the prisoners all thought that they were seriously injured and that they would die if they were whipped a few more times, it will save them the trouble to ask, and thus they would pour everything out without any more nonsense.
But today, the interrogator inquired one by one, but none of them was willing to confess. Seeing that no one was speaking, he snorted and said, “The body is like iron but it’s fake, and the laws are like a furnace and it’s real. I’ll see how long you can last!”
He then threw the whip away and ordered several officers to put on punches and beat the businessmen as sandbags.
These businessmen know that they are involved in a big business, especially since the people behind them are all high in power. As long as they don’t confess, only they will be the ones to die. However, If they do, their whole family will die.
They were all not going to speak and let the interrogator use all kinds of severe punishments on them.
The interrogator fought from the evening until the morning. Several people were covered with blood and fainted several times.
Cui Xingzhou heard the report from his subordinate and said lightly, “Since torture can’t pry their mouths open, let’s change the method. Tell them that if they don’t speak, we will chop off their heads, wrap them in lime, and transport them back to the State of Hui. We can also find their families if they were to inquire about their whereabouts from the citizens in every village. At that time, the charges of adultery with barbarians in wartime will be enough for their whole family to be convicted and beheaded. If they are willing to confess the truth, I will try my best to protect their families and move them to other countries…”
Sure enough, after the interrogator had relaid the words of Prince Huaiyang, several people were all motivated and spoke after weighing the pros and cons. The man behind them was Prince Sui.
Even the route of smuggling iron ore and how to sell it were explained one by one.
Cui Xingzhou looked at the lines drawn by them and the methods of distributing goods. They were all so ingenious that people could not imagine. He could not help sneering, “I didn’t expect that Prince Sui was still a master of management?”
The subordinates in charge of the interrogation immediately added, “It is said that these were all made by Lu Wen himself and secretly arranged with the Old Shanyu’s personal followers by using the methods left by the merchants in the Mountain of Yang. Prince Sui is cunning and knows that there is a good future here, so he designed to remove Lu Wen’s influence and replace him.”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows. It was Lu Wen again. The former Crown Prince’s orphan is not only excellent at chess but also has a good business mind. He is an all-rounder! Even his wives and concubines were taught well by him. Look at Miantang, and one can see how devoted Lu Ziyu this mentor is.
If it’s a woman, it’s hard not to be attracted to such a capable man, isn’t it? Thinking of this, Cui Xingzhou’s face was cold again.
He knew that Miantang must have given her heart to the bandit before she lost her memory. It’s even more uncomfortable than knowing that she was together with the bandit.
However, when she was captured by the bandit, Miantang was still young and had never seen any men. She was moved by the bandit who held the power of her life and death and could be forgiven.
Cui Xingzhou doesn’t think he’s worse than Lu Wen, the defeated person under him. Even if Miantang recovers her memory, she should be wise enough to know what to choose, wash away the past, take the initiative to forget her past with Lu Wen, and live a good life with him…
Although Prince Huaiyang felt that he should not pay too much attention to the private affairs of men and women, he decided to go back to the medicine shop to find Miantang the next day.
Recently, he has been patronizing the war, and he has little time to accompany her.
Now that Cui Xingzhou has made clear about the iron ore mine, he can take a break from his busy schedule and take a small holiday after telling his subordinates what to do next.
Because the city was closed all day yesterday so that the officers and men in the city could arrest the suspects, fewer people were walking back and forth when the city gate was opened today. So that the medicine shop is rarely remote.
Doctor Zhao, who had had breakfast in the tea shop in the city, came excitedly with a bag of crisp fruit, ready to give Miantang a taste.
He didn’t expect to see Cui Xingzhou sitting behind the counter as soon as he entered the store.
This greatly disappointed the excited Doctor Zhao, who looked at Prince Huaiyang with his nose and eyes, and said angrily, “You have taken my seat!”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows, “This is the Cui family’s property. Did you bring your own chair?”
Zhao Quan didn’t like to see Commander Cui too deeply in the play. He just threw his long sleeves and sat on the opposite chair. He raised his chin and asked, “The border guards are so busy and there’s you, always coming to the Wuning Checkpoint, what’s it like? I’m here for the serious business of helping people. When a patient comes, don’t you still have to give that seat back to me?”
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Cui Xingzhou was not moved, but said, “The medicine shop will close soon. The shop doesn’t need you today, you can go back early and have a rest… By the way, a letter from your family was sent to my camp. It was an urgent letter. It should be something urgent from your family. I brought it to you.”
Zhao Quan absentmindedly received the letter and stretched out his neck to look around to see where Miantang was.
Servant Li said that she was tired these days, and she was sleepy after counting the goods this morning. She went to sleep in the wing room. Even when Prince Huaiyang came, she did not get up!
Only then did Marquis Zhao start to read the letter.
Once he opened the letter and reads it, Zhao Quan’s buttocks seem to be burned by a soldering iron, and he jumps out of the chair.
Sitting opposite him, Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help looking at him with his eyebrows tilted and said, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Quan was so angry that his cheeks were red that he said straight, “It’s a misfortune, it is really unfortunate!” He then gave the letter to Cui Xingzhou. He was so angry that he circled the store.
Cui Xingzhou looked at the letter and puzzled, and said, “This is a good thing. Congratulations to Brother Zhao…”
At this time, Zhao Quan is not his usually careless and casual composure, only clenched his fist and said, “I haven’t slept with her for two years. What’s there to congratulate?”
Cui Xingzhou’s eyebrows gradually locked up when he heard this. He could not help blaming Zhao Quan, “This is your family affair. Isn’t it bad for her reputation… to show me the letter so rashly?”
Zhao Quan was so angry at this time that said, “What reputation does she still have!”
This is a family affair. Cui Xingzhou doesn’t have much to say. What he can do as a good friend is to arrange a fast horse for Zhao Quan to return to the Zhennan Marquis Mansion to deal with the mess at home.
The reason why Zhao Quan did not hesitate to show Cui Xingzhou was that he knew Cui Xingzhou was tight-lipped and he was not afraid.
However, the thought that the letter was written by his mother without knowing it, and that she was overjoyed, made Zhao Quan feel angry.
He was most afraid of trouble in his life. He thought that if he told the truth, it will cause chaos, and his family would cry and scream, and he would feel anxious to return to his hometown.
He hopes that if he is blocked by barbarians and bandits on the way and returned with some injuries, those worldly affairs will not annoy him.
Cui Xingzhou waved to someone and ordered him to prepare his horse immediately, and arranged for Zhao Quan to go on the road.
He also knew that Zhao Quan had no idea what to do. He wanted him to decide by reading the letter for him.
Therefore, before leaving, Prince Huaiyang said to Marquis Zhao, “When you go back this time, you must not be impulsive, let alone make the whole house known. If the baby month is small, you know how to do it. Although you have a shallow relationship with her, her father is a senior official in the Imperial Court and the censor of the Imperial Court. If you make too much noise, his family will be disgraced and your family will rarely be quiet.”
Zhao Quan knew that Cui Xingzhou was saying for his good, but he was angry now. He waved his hand and hurried off.
After seeing off his good friend, Cui Xingzhou ordered the bodyguard to close the gate of the city and turned back to the medicine shop.
He saw that the Miantang who had taken a nap had got up, her temples were a little scattered, her cheeks were pink, and she looked lazy and tired combing her hair.
She had just heard her husband talking to Mr. Zhao in the wing room, but when she got up, she found that both of them were gone.
Now that her husband is back, she asks where Mr. Zhao is.
Cui Xingzhou said succinctly, “He has something urgent at home, so he’ll go back first.”
Miantang was stunned. He didn’t expect Zhao Quan to leave so suddenly. She asked, “What’s wrong with his family?”
Cui Xingzhou said lightly, “The concubine of his is pregnant. He will go back and have a look…”
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Miantang has heard that Mr. Zhao has many wives and concubines, so it is possible that he could be a father several times a year.
His concubine is pregnant. It’s a happy thing. He naturally has to go back.
However, Miantang thought that her husband was as old as Mr. Zhao, but he have no bloodline under him. She could not help feeling guilty again. She asked her husband if he felt sad about knowing that Mr. Zhao was a father.
Cui Xingzhou said meaningfully, “It’s not all wives and concubines who are pregnant can make their men happy too. You think too much…”
So Miantang did not mention it.
Her husband has always been so considerate that he would not tell her even if he was really upset. Fortunately, she has been in good health recently. Even in the cold weather in the northwest, her hands and feet will not be as cold as before. She thinks that if she wants a baby, it will be easier…
While she was holding the warmer in her arms, she saw that Cui Xingzhou had asked the shop assistant to put the door panel of the medicine shop on. She stopped them and said, “Although there is no doctor on duty, there are still people who come to prescribe medicine. Why is the shop closed so early?”
Cui Xingzhou said, “There were fugitives in the city yesterday, but now I don’t know if there are any leftovers. It’s inappropriate for you to open your shop like this. Wait until the street is clean, and you can open your shop again.”
Miantang thought it was reasonable and asked, “Shall we go home then?”
Cui Xingzhou said, “It’s rare to have time. Let me take you out of the city to relax.”
He always wanted to take Miantang to play, but the war was tense and he had no time to spare.
Later, when the Jinjia Checkpoint was stabilized, there was Marquis Zhao stirred excrement in the medicine shop. He looked like he was the shopkeeper of the medicine shop all day, which was really in their way.
Now Mr. Zhao’s home is filled with “happiness”, and Marquis Zhennan has returned to put out the fire. Cui Xingzhou was also happy to be free from the sight of him, so he thought of taking Miantang out of the city to play.
Miantang was naturally willing to. Although she does things maturely, she was not 19 years old after all. It’s the age of being playful thus, she went home and changed into a short hunting suit for riding.
This attire was improved by the people of Hu. Miantang liked it very much when she first saw it in the clothing shop.
After buying it, Servant Li helped her embroider delicate and elegant patterns on the plain cuffs and collar. She was also given a wide Satin belt.
Therefore, the original coat with a wide waist appears to be close fitting and charming under the constraint of a wide waist seal. The beautiful legs with slender curves and the boots with soft leather soles are heroic.
When Liu Miantang, with a long braid and a small whip, stood in front of Cui Xingzhou, who was reading a book, Prince Huaiyang was breathless and looked up and down for a long time.
Liu Miantang could not understand his thoughts, so he asked nervously, “Why? Is it not good on me?”
Cui Xingzhou still didn’t speak, but said faintly, “No, it’s very nice.”
Naturally, he would not say that when Miantang came out wearing a hunting suit earlier, the free and easy whip swinging on her hand and the indescribable aura suddenly gave people a strange and alienated feeling.
It’s like the cat lying on his arm every day, not the woman in front of him…
Cui Xingzhou didn’t like this feeling, so he took her hand and said, “But I prefer to see you wearing a Ru skirt…”
Miantang shook her pony whip and stood in front of the horse, smiling, “But I can’t ride in a skirt! I’ll change my skirt to show you when we come back.”
With that, she turned to get on the horse by herself.
It’s a pity that the injured foot couldn’t support her strength, and only half of the action was exhausted. If Cui Xingzhou hadn’t stretched out her long arm to hold her, she would have nearly fallen.
Cui Xingzhou first landed on the horse, bent down to clamp her down, pulled her onto the horse, wrapped her in a long cloak, and then waved the horsewhip to urge the horse out of the city.
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But not long after they left, a man who covered his face with a scarf hurried to the medicine shop. He saw the notice that the medicine shop was closed and had a rest for a few days. He was so anxious that he stamped his feet. He thought how could he be so unlucky that they happened to close the shop!
It looks like a customer who is eager to buy medicine…
As for Prince Huaiyang, one month ago, when he led his subordinates to investigate the surrounding terrain, he accidentally found a nest of hot springs in the nearby valley.
The hot spring is dense with water vapor. Although it is winter, under the transpiration of the hot air, it has become a paradise, protected from the cold wind and lush with green grass and wildflowers.
When Cui Xingzhou found this place, he thought of Zhao Quan’s saying that if there were conditions, she would let Lady Liu soak in the hot spring to better recuperate her hands and feet.
So these days Cui Xingzhou called the soldiers to carry stones, built a small pool, and used a wooden trough to draw water, which can be used to warm the bubble.
When Miantang came down and saw this place, she shouted happily on the horse, “How did you find this place, Husband?”
After that, she came down and walked around the small pond several times. She then couldn’t wait to ask Fang Xie to take the food basket and take out some chicken eggs and bird eggs from it.
At home, when Cui Xingzhou said he would take her to the hot spring, she asked Servant Li to prepare raw eggs and bird eggs.
At this time, it was of great use. She only took a thin copper basin, scooped water, soaked the eggs, and then let them float in the spring.
Cui Xingzhou asked her what she was doing, and Miantang said excitedly, “Boiled spring eggs! Boiled with hot spring water, the egg yolk is coagulated in one place, but the egg white is thin and flowing. It’s delicious to eat with some fish sauce. Ordinary firewood can’t cook the same flavor.”
Prince Huaiyang carefully prepared such a place, originally thinking of the beautiful scenery of languid and dedicated bathing in Huaqing hot spring. But who would have thought that she only wanted to cook eggs first?
However, he brought her out just to make her happy, so Cui Xingzhou also sat on the folding rope chair moved by Mo Ru and smiled at her and said, “All you remember is to eat. Who did you learn this from?”
Miantang laid the eggs, took the handkerchief handed over by Fang Xie, wiped her hands, and said, “When I was young, my uncle once took my mother and me to play in the State of Li. There were many hot springs there, and my mother often cooked them for me.”
Speaking of this, Miantang was also melancholy. She doesn’t know where her grandfather’s family is now. Is he healthy?
But before her sadness took shape, she was attracted by another beautiful scene in front of her.
Cui Xingzhou began to undress and prepare to soak in the hot spring. Although he wrapped his lower body with a long towel, his muscular arms and narrow waist make people’s eyes unable to move from it…
Miantang was embarrassed, but she couldn’t help looking up.
After Cui Xingzhou entered the pool at the appropriate temperature, the steaming water vapor made his eyebrows and eyes hidden in the sea of clouds.
“Since you’re cooking eggs, I’ll soak them first, and I’ll let you soak them later.”
He can’t help it. The pool is too small, and only one person can enter it at a time. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful thing for two people to take a bath together… Once Prince Huaiyang is not careful, his thoughts will drift far away.
Miantang was preparing meals for a while, but she was also absent-minded. From time to time, she stole a glance at her husband who kept his eyes closed. His nose is tall and straight, and his side face is particularly beautiful.
And the thin and shaped lips look cold and affectionate, but when kissing them, it makes her shy…
When Cui Xingzhou was ready to take a bath, the hot spring egg was also cooked.
For this picnic, cold rice was prepared, and Servant Li prepared thin slices of meat, stacked them in a food box, boiled them in a small pot, and then poured them with the prepared sauce and scallion flowers. After stirring, the rice became warm and ready to eat.
When Cui Xingzhou came out, he put on his broad robe. Miantang had led the servant girl to set up a small table. After her husband changed his clothes, he could eat ready-made meals.
Miantang asked Fang Xie to take out a pot of wine from the food box and said solemnly, “This is the medicinal wine I made for your symptoms after studying for several days. You can drink it and see if it tastes good.”
Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows and looked at the brown liquor. For a moment, he did not know what symptoms she was going to treat.
