0p0 Chapter 232 The Flame Organization Has Been Silent for Many Years
Chapter 232 The Flame Organization Has Been Silent for Many Years
To protect her father's fragile heart.
Zhao Xuan clinked his wine bowl with his father's, and only after seeing his father drink it all in one gulp did he carefully tell the second bit of truth.
"Under the current circumstances, we have no way to seek revenge on Tian Shang. My father has also appointed Xiao Wu and me as special envoys to go to Yue State to congratulate Tian Shang on his ascension to the throne. We won't be back until after the New Year."
This concerns Zhao Xuan's safety, so it doesn't matter whether he takes revenge or not. Huang Shuo asked anxiously with a red face.
"Xuan'er, are you going to Yue? Is it dangerous? If Emperor Tian Shang of Yue knew you were Zhao Xuan, would he take action against you?"
Zhao Xuan nodded calmly.
"There is definitely danger. After all, I'm the fake Tian Shiliu, but!"
Zhao Xuan held Huang Shuo's hand and used her eyes, body language and facial expressions to show Huang Shuo that she was confident.
"Father will send guards to protect us and ensure our safety!"
Huang Shuo was skeptical.
"It doesn't matter even if you're a fake princess?"
I've almost told the truth, now let's tell some lies!
"What does it matter whether Tian Shiliu is real or fake? Her identity as the virtuous princess is there for everyone to see!
Tian Shang has already achieved his wish and secured the throne, so how could he be detrimental to our Xia Kingdom envoy? We will definitely treat him well!"
Huang Shuo's eyes were obscure and unclear. Could he really escape unscathed as Xuan'er said?
Why is he so unconvinced?
I always feel that Xuan'er was mostly trying to comfort him and didn't tell him the truth.
Seeing that Huang Shuo was still frowning, Zhao Xuan walked over and hugged Huang Shuo.
"Dad, let me tell you a secret. The former crown prince of Yue fled to our Xia Kingdom and asked for help from our father. He told us that Tian Shang had never seen Tian Shiliu. Are you relieved now?"
Huang Shuo held up Zhao Xuan's little face and looked at her. Zhao Xuan tried hard to force a smile and winked at Huang Shuo mischievously.
"Tian Shiliu grew up in the Ye Ting. Almost no one in the Yue royal family knows her. The only one who has seen her is the former crown prince. Now she is under the protection of our Xia country, so she will be fine!"
Huang Shuo had his own thoughts. In the past few years that Zhao Xuan had been working outside, she had always told him good news but not bad news.
But he has his own information channels. Guo Da will definitely come to give him a New Year gift in a couple of days. He can just ask Guo Da then.
When a son grows up, he is no longer under the control of his mother; when a daughter grows up, she is no longer under the control of her father!
He understood that he shouldn't interfere with his children's path, but he still worried about what he should worry about.
I finally got my daughter back, why should I show worry on my face?
Huang Shuo stroked Zhao Xuan's hair.
"My Xuan'er has grown up and has even been appointed as a special envoy by the emperor. She's truly amazing! If your master were still alive, he would definitely be happier than dad!"
Zhao Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Why did she feel like her father had gotten smarter? A bit difficult to deal with!
Zhao Xuan put a large piece of braised beef into Huang Shuo's bowl and took the opportunity to steal a glance at his father's expression.
Fortunately, I was concentrating on eating the braised beef and nothing happened.
Huang Shuo was eating braised beef and quickly picked up a piece for Zhao Xuan and put it in her bowl. He raised his eyelids and glanced at Zhao Xuan calmly, then quickly looked away.
He looked relieved and sighed softly?
Something's wrong, very wrong! Do you think you can just muddle through?
This little bastard, you stinky girl!
Huang Shuo complained inwardly and then began to feel distressed. The child hid the matter from him because he was afraid that his father would worry. He was moved by the filial piety.
Seeing Zhao Xuan eating voraciously and looking tired, she must have not eaten or rested well along the way.
Huang Shuo poured another half bowl of wine for Zhao Xuan.
"This is the green plum wine that Dad brewed. It's thirst-quenching and helps with digestion. Eat slowly. Dad won't snatch it from you."
Zhao Xuan raised her head and a big smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you dad!"
Huang Shuo's eyes were dazzled. He seemed to see Zhao Xiaoman back then. Whenever she had good wine to drink, she would smile like Zhao Xuan.
Huang Shuo sighed, remembering an unfinished business. Now that his child is older and can stand on her own, he might as well tell her about it.
"To be honest, I have failed your master's trust in me."
Zhao Xuan looked at Huang Shuo in confusion.
"Didn't my master entrust me to your care all those years ago? You raised me with great difficulty and have not let my master down."
Huang Shuo shook his head.
"It's not this thing, it's something else."
Many years have passed since the incident. Huang Shuo has been heartbroken by Zhao Xiaoman's death and has also had to take the trouble to raise Zhao Xuan. He has almost forgotten about this incident over the years.
He thought about it and continued.
"Back then, the Wuwei Escort Agency was responsible for escorting the Ministry of Revenue's caravans and was robbed several times by the Flame Organization."
The matter of Wuwei Escort Agency must be related to the master. Zhao Xuan looked solemn and put down her chopsticks.
"The Flame Organization? Who are those people?"
Huang Shuo opened the window a crack, and the cold wind blew on his face, blowing away the hint of drunkenness that had just risen up in him.
"This story begins with your master's master. He calls himself Old Man Xuanji and claims to be a descendant of Zhurong, the God of Fire."
Huang Shuo paused and continued.
"The group that robbed the caravan happened to have a flame pattern embroidered on their masks. Your master speculated that this organization might be related to Elder Xuanji.
She really couldn't understand why Old Man Xuanji would send people to rob the caravan escorted by his own apprentice, so she sent me to investigate the matter secretly.
Following your master's instructions, I started investigating the identities of the robbers, because they were dressed like ordinary people when they committed the robbery.
So I began to secretly investigate several towns near the spot where the caravan was robbed, and I actually found some clues!"
Such a thing actually happened back then! Zhao Xuan thought to herself, it must be because she was young that her master never mentioned it to her.
"Dad, what clues did you find?"
Huang Shuo's thoughts fell into memories.
"It was the autumn of twelve years ago. One day I came to a county town called Nanxi."
Autumn of the ninth year of the Xuanhe reign of the Xia Dynasty. Nanxi County.
Huang Shuo changed out of his bodyguard's attire and dressed like an ordinary citizen, sitting by the window of a teahouse on the street.
He drank his tea slowly, but his eyes kept looking out the window, secretly observing the passers-by.
The task Zhao Xiaoman assigned to him seemed simple, which was to find someone who looked ordinary but actually possessed martial arts skills.
In fact, this task is very time-consuming and eye-straining. He has been in Nanxi County for four days and still has nothing to show for it.
There are three counties near the place where Wang Sheng was killed. He staked out in Luoba County and Xunyang County for five days respectively, but did not find any ordinary people who hid their martial arts skills.
Huang Shuo rubbed his sore eyes. He suspected that Zhao Xiaoman's inference had deviated from the correct direction. He was hesitating whether to return to Liyang today or hold on for another day.
The tea tasted bland and made him hungry, so Huang Shuo decided to find a street food stall to fill his stomach before continuing his observation.
After paying the bill, Huang Shuo walked out of the teahouse and saw a wonton stall on the street doing good business. He ordered a bowl of wontons from the owner and sat on a bench waiting.
There was a grocery store opposite the wonton stall. A young woman with a big belly was carrying several paper bags tied with hemp ropes in her hands. She walked through the grocery store door and down the stairs.
Suddenly, the woman stumbled and fell, her stomach about to hit the ground.
The woman screamed in horror: "Ah!"
Huang Shuo's pupils shrank slightly, and he was about to jump up and rush towards the woman.
A young man rushed out of the grocery store, reached out and grabbed the woman's arm very quickly, and the woman finally stood firm.
Huang Shuo was worried about the woman, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
The woman protected her belly with her hands, with gratitude on her face, and thanked the man repeatedly.
"Thank you, benefactor! Thank you! You not only saved me but also my child! Thank you!"
The man looked like a farmer, and was holding a paper bag in his hand. It was obvious that he came to the grocery store to buy something.
He looked indifferent, mixed with a hint of regret, as if he was not the one who had rescued the person just now. He did not respond to the woman, but just waved his hand, lowered his head, and hurried towards the street corner.
Huang Shuo watched the man walk away.
Wow! This man's move is not simple, he must have practiced some kind of Qinggong technique!
Could this person be related to the Flame Organization? Perhaps he could find some clues from this person.
Huang Shuo stopped eating the wontons. He quietly stood up and followed the man from a distance.