Tonight Is Dark and Windy

It was already night when they got home.

Yan Yu had prepared dinner and was waiting for them.

Seeing Su Liang wearing a wreath on her head, she couldn't help but sigh, "It's so beautiful! It must have been sent by Brother Ning!"

Su Liang shook her head, "It was sent by the cute Zheng'er."

Yan Yu smiled but said nothing. Although Zheng'er was clever, he was too young to do such delicate handicrafts.

And the most skillful person in this family was Ning Jing. Su Liang's original words.

Yan Yu didn't point it out, thinking that Ning Jing must have made it by hand and sent it to Su Liang in the name of Zheng'er, which was really awkward.

Zheng'er had been sent home by the two of them.

At dinner, Yan Yu asked again about their visit to Changchun Garden during the day. In the afternoon, Yan Yu heard about some disputes between the two princes.

"I used to be stubborn, but now I'm much better." Su Liang gave a lot of affirmation to Nian Jincheng's progress.

Yan Yu couldn't help laughing when he learned what happened, "I really didn't realize that he was quite good at playing tricks on people."

Su Liang said with a smile, "Ning Jing told him that he could use military tactics even when he wasn't on the battlefield."

Yan Yu's eyes lit up, "Yes, he was originally a general, he must be familiar with military tactics."

Ning Jing opened his thin lips slightly, "What is the name of today's play?" he asked Su Liang.

Su Liang thought for a while, "This play should be called 'Smiling with a Dagger'."

Yan Yu clapped his hands and praised, "That's right!"

"Let him teach you later. It can also be used in business." Su Liang said.

Yan Yu nodded, "I want to ask him for advice. But when can he get away? I'm always worried that he will be discovered by others."

Su Liang put down his chopsticks, "Tonight is dark and windy."

Ning Jing put down his spoon, "I'm full." He got up and left.

Although Yan Yu was a guest, the core idea of ​​Ning Jing and Su Liang's hospitality was "don't treat you as an outsider." Therefore, after Yan Yu moved in, she was basically responsible for cooking and washing dishes, and she was very happy.

While cleaning the dishes, Yan Yu asked Su Liang, "When can Xiaonian come back? Have you not decided yet?"

"Let's talk about it after tonight. You clean up and go to bed early, and close the door at night." Su Liang left after saying that.

Yan Yu felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't tell.

While washing the dishes, Su Liang's words "Tonight the moon is dark and the wind is high" came to Yan Yu's mind. She immediately looked back outside. The wind was blowing and the moon was covered by dark clouds.

Yan Yu took another look at Ning Jing and Su Liang's room. In the past, these two people would read or copy books until late at night, but tonight they blew out the lights so early, which was abnormal.

Yan Yu felt that they might have some actions tonight.

She followed Su Liang's instructions, and after cleaning up, she went back to her room, closed the door, and went to sleep. Now it's a habit to put a dagger under the pillow.

...

Wangxiang Mountain

Ning Jing got Duanmu Ao out of the deep pit. He was motionless with his eyes closed, as if he was dead.

Su Liang leaned over and sniffed his breath. Although it was weak, he was still alive.

He was very hungry, and his body and mind were extremely weak.

Su Liang did not plan to say anything to Duanmu Ao. He and Ning Jing filled the pit and restored it to its original state.

Ning Jing stuffed Duanmu Ao into a sack, carried it on his shoulders, and the two went down the mountain together.

"It's too dirty. I saw a pond over there last time. Throw it in to rinse." Su Liang said.

After all, Duanmu Ao had to restore his identity before he died.

Su Liang waited for about a quarter of an hour, and Ning Jing came back. Duanmu Ao almost drowned and almost froze to death.

Ning Jing had learned about the guards of the Second Prince's Mansion from Nian Jincheng and chose the best route.

Nian Jincheng asked the servants to stay away from him because he was in a bad mood. He was alone in the room, lying on the bed without turning on the lights, holding a dagger in his hand under the quilt, with his eyes open, waiting for Ning Jing to come.

The dagger was prepared for the killer. If Ning Jing came late, Nian Jincheng would have to deal with it himself. Ning Jing had told him to use the poisonous smoke pills Su Liang gave him if the situation was not right, and it was best to run away, without worrying about what happened next.

There was only a quarter of an hour left until midnight.

There were several noises coming from the back window, and Nian Jincheng immediately sat up, lifted the quilt and got out of bed, with his clothes neatly arranged, and his shoes and socks were not taken off.

Just as he put away the dagger, Ning Jing and Su Liang came in.

Nian Jincheng breathed a sigh of relief and took the sack from Ning Jing.

"Turn around." Ning Jing said to Su Liang.

Su Liang was stunned for a moment, but immediately turned his back.

Nian Jincheng untied the sack and saw Duanmu Ao naked inside. The corner of his mouth twitched, and then he heard Ning Jing tell him to dress Duanmu Ao.

When Ning Jing went to "bath" Duanmu Ao, he took off all his dirty clothes and burned them. In order to prevent Duanmu Ao from getting dirt on his body, he also washed the sack. So Ning Jing's clothes were wet on the shoulder.

It was night now, and Nian Jincheng only needed to dress Duanmu Ao in underwear, without shoes and socks, and then put him on the bed and covered him with a quilt.

"Hurry up." Nian Jincheng whispered.

Ning Jing patted Su Liang's shoulder. After she turned around, she leaned over and pulled out her usual double knives from her calves on the way to the bed.

Duanmu Ao was awake and conscious at this moment after being stimulated and tortured repeatedly.

Seeing Su Liang appear, Duanmu Ao's eyes were cold, and he opened his mouth and said one word, "You..."

Two flashes of cold light flashed, and Su Liang's two swords pierced through the quilt at the same time, penetrating Duanmu Ao's body!

Duanmu Ao vomited blood and his consciousness was scattered, and he heard Su Liang's cold voice, "Killing someone and paying with your life, it is only natural."

Su Liang drew his sword, and the quilt was already stained red with blood.

Su Liang cut Duanmu Ao's neck several times again, in order to cover up the marks left by the whip when Su Liang tortured him.

Ning Jing took out a hemp rope he brought with him and tied it to the beam.

Nian Jincheng threw the quilt on the ground, pulled the dying Duanmu Ao down, dragged him over, lifted him up, and put his neck into the hemp rope.

From beginning to end, the three of them were careful to avoid blood on their shoes and left no footprints.

"Take him away." Ning Jing said to Su Liang.

After Su Liang and Nian Jincheng left from the back window, Ning Jing took a look at Duanmu Ao who had died, threw a colorless and odorless incense ball into the incense burner, and disappeared into the room.

It was midnight.

A dark shadow avoided the guards of the Second Prince's Mansion and quietly approached Duanmu Ao's room.

As soon as he entered, he smelled a strong smell of blood.

With the moonlight coming in through the window, the killer saw the person hanging on the beam. He thought it was not good. Just as he was about to leave, he heard someone outside shouting, "There's a fire! Come and put it out!"

The killer went out along the same path and saw many people surrounding him. He was just trying to find a place to hide for a while, but suddenly he felt weak all over and his head was dizzy. He didn't take a few steps and fell to the ground.

A man appeared next to him, leaned over, stuffed a medicine bottle and a blood-stained cloth into the killer's body, and stuffed another medicine bottle into his hand, and then left.

...

Su Liang and Nian Jincheng went straight home after leaving the Second Prince's Mansion.

After arriving home, Nian Jincheng spoke, "Is A Ling okay?"

Su Liang shook his head, "Don't call that name until he recovers his identity."

In fact, Su Liang was worried that Yan Shiba would hear it. Her strength is very strong. If she hides nearby, they may not be able to detect it. And Yan Shiba will really appear suddenly in Su Liang's house.

"Yeah." Nian Jincheng nodded, "Is he okay?"

Su Liang said calmly, "We'll know when he comes back."

Nian Jincheng: ... This sounds too much like someone's way of speaking.

"Is Yan Yu still at home?" Nian Jincheng asked.

"Yes." Su Liang said, "Go wake her up and tell her she's safe. She's worried about you."

Nian Jincheng nodded, then hesitated, "How about tomorrow?"

"Go now." Su Liang insisted. Surprises are better sooner rather than later.

"Okay." Nian Jincheng is used to Su Liang and Ning Jing arranging things for him.

Ning Jing hasn't come back yet, but Su Liang is really not worried. With the information in advance and careful deployment, there is little chance of accidents in tonight's play.

For example, Ning Jing burned Duanmu Ao's dirty clothes, and the hemp rope he took to hang Duanmu Ao was stolen from Duanmu Sheng's mansion. The incense and antidote he put on the killer were not made by Su Liang, but bought from the black market.

Su Liang dissolved the ready-made medicine, and specially customized a more powerful incense and a low-quality antidote with half the effect for Duanmu Ao, and put them back in the original bottle.

Ning Jing took a handkerchief of Duanmu Ao, stained it with blood, and put it on the killer, so as to create the illusion that he had used the handkerchief to wipe the knife that killed Duanmu Ao.

The fire in the Second Prince's Mansion was caused by Ning Jing sneaking into the servant's room and knocking over the oil lamp, leaving no trace, and confirming that the servants in the room ran out.

There were many people fighting the fire, and the footprints were messy, which would cover up the footprints they left back and forth.

The only clue left for Duanmu Ao's death was the killer who "bought low-quality drugs, and after killing Duanmu Ao, he fainted and could not escape."

Nian Jincheng knocked on Yan Yu's door. Yan Yu woke up and heard his voice, then let go of the dagger in her hand, got out of bed and came to open the door. Fearing danger, she did not take off her clothes when she slept.

"You're back?" Yan Yu was really surprised, "Are you okay?"

Nian Jincheng had just washed off the makeup on his face with the potion given by Su Liang while waiting outside.

Seeing Yan Yu looking at him with sparkling eyes, Nian Jincheng's heart softened and he nodded, "I'm fine."

"Are Su Liang and Ning Jing okay?" Yan Yu went out and saw the light in Su Liang's room, and he breathed a sigh of relief, "They didn't tell me to save you tonight."

"Ning Jing hasn't come back yet, but he shouldn't be in trouble." Nian Jincheng said.

As soon as the voice fell, Yan Yu saw Ning Jing walking in from the gate of the courtyard. Wearing a nightgown, holding a little mouse made of black cloth to cover his face in his hand. His face was cold, as if he had returned from a night outing.

Nian Jincheng didn't ask anything, and saw Ning Jing turn into the kitchen.

"What happened?" Yan Yu was very curious.

Nian Jincheng told her what happened.

Yan Yu was amazed, "You are so awesome! That shameless and vicious second prince died a good death! The eldest prince was going to kill him anyway, so he deserved to be blamed!"

Nian Jincheng felt a little embarrassed by the praise, "I just followed their instructions."

"Su Liang praised you today, saying that you used to be stubborn, but now you have learned to 'smile with a knife'." Yan Yu said with a smile.

Nian Jincheng knew that Yan Yu was really praising him, but it always felt like scolding him.

"I'll boil some water for you. Are you hungry? If you want to eat something, I'll make it for you!" Yan Yu said.

"No, it's so late, I'm still disturbing you, you should go to bed quickly." Nian Jincheng waved his hand.

"Don't be polite, you're not an outsider." Yan Yu said with a smile, "I'm awake now and can't sleep. I'll ask Su Liang and Ning Jing if they want to have a midnight snack. You've all worked hard."

When Nian Jincheng saw Yan Yu walking out, he originally wanted to go back to his room to change clothes, but he followed him, "Then I'll light the fire for you." He had seen Su Liang always cook at Ningjing.

"Okay!" Yan Yu nodded.

Ningjing washed her hands in the kitchen and went back to her room, not sleeping yet.

Yan Yu asked them what they wanted to eat, and Su Liang said she wouldn't eat it, and neither would Ning Jing.

"How about forget it." Nian Jincheng said.

"I'm hungry." Yan Yu said with a smile, "Hurry up and light the fire. I also want to hear you talk about the past two days."

Nian Jincheng sat down on the small stool, added firewood to the stove, and watched the flames burn. He told Yan Yu about his experiences in the past two days, and his heart gradually warmed up.

In the end, Yan Yu made two bowls of noodles, and she and Nian Jincheng ate them in the kitchen.

"Tomorrow when the matter is exposed, the eldest prince will definitely say that Su Liang killed the second prince and slander him." Yan Yu said.

Nian Jincheng hummed, "Su Liang carefully prepared this scapegoat for him, and he is determined to bear it!"

…

Early the next morning, the news that the new prince Duanmu Ao was assassinated last night shocked the entire capital!

Duanmu Chen got up early in the morning and was about to go to the palace to visit Queen Mother Wan to express his filial piety. When he learned that Duanmu Ao died tragically, he was stunned for a long time.

He had an intuition that it was Su Liang who did it. He thought that that girl really dared to think and do it. She would start after finding out and there was no sloppiness at all.

Soon, someone came from the palace, and Duanmu Yi asked Duanmu Chen to enter the palace immediately.

On the way into the palace, Duanmu Chen was thinking about how he should respond if there was any evidence pointing to Su Liang. No matter what, the suspicion must be directed towards Duanmu Sheng, but it must not be too obvious. Even now, some people still suspect that Su Liang is in a group with him.

When Duanmu Chen saw Duanmu Yi, he was in Ci'an Palace, and Queen Mother Wanshi and Queen Xiao Wanshi were crying one after another.

Duanmu Chen found it strange that Duanmu Ao's body was not carried into the palace. If they wanted to cry, they should go to the coffin to cry, right?

As a result, Duanmu Chen soon learned the real reason why Wan and Xiao Wan were crying in the palace: not only because of Duanmu Ao's tragic death, but also because the murderer was Duanmu Sheng! Duanmu Yi wants to execute Duanmu Sheng!

Duanmu Chen was stunned, although he couldn't show it on his face.

He thought that Su Liang would kill, and that no matter which one of Duanmu Sheng or Duanmu Ao died first, Su Liang would be suspected, and it would be difficult to attack the other one.

Duanmu Chen also thought that if Duanmu Ao or Duanmu Sheng died, Su Liang would lead the suspicion to the living one.

But I never expected that the coffin seemed to be finalized all of a sudden!

Duanmu Yi's face turned livid, "The killer who killed the second child bought something wrong with the incense and antidote. He knocked himself out and did not escape. He belongs to the boss."

Duanmu Chen believed that Duanmu Yi said this and must have found out. Although there are dead soldiers, sometimes even if the dead soldiers don't speak, they may not be able to find out the master behind them.

Duanmu Chen felt at this moment that Duanmu Sheng had really sent a killer to kill Duanmu Ao, and maybe he wanted to take the opportunity to frame Su Liang.

The fact that the killer was knocked unconscious by his own drug... No matter what Duanmu Chen thought about, it seemed bizarre, not impossible, but his intuition was that Su Liang must be involved!

"Come here, please ask Imperial Physician Su to come and treat your mother." Duanmu Yi finished his words, no longer paying attention to Wanshi and Xiao Wanshi's cries, and left Ci'an Palace with Duanmu Chen.

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