Chapter 53: Committing Suicide Out of Fear of Crime

About 500 miles from Jinling Prefecture is a large port, one of the important cargo ports. About 30 miles from this large port is a secret ferry.

This is a ferry that is not under the control of the government and the Taoist sect. It is considered a black ferry. You can secretly go to sea from here. Smuggling goods is secondary. The key is to sneak out to sea.

At this time, a middle-aged man in a Taoist robe was standing on the pier of this black ferry, waiting anxiously.

There was a dark sea in front of him, without any lights.

His name was Dongfang Yao, and he was the chief Taoist priest under Li Tianlan. As early as when the investigation team entered Jinling Prefecture, he was already a little nervous. A few days ago, a "good friend" leaked some "rumors" to him, saying that the investigation team was pressing step by step, and the higher-ups could no longer hold on, and planned to throw out a few unlucky ghosts to block the mouths of the investigation team. Unfortunately, he was among these unlucky ghosts.

After getting this news, Dongfang Yao certainly didn't want to sit and wait for death. Although Fengxiantang and Beichentang were both under the control of Taipingdao, Taipingdao would not help the scapegoat to escape the crime, otherwise why would he be called a scapegoat? Fengxiantang and Beichentang would only pin all the charges on the scapegoat, and then let the scapegoat shut up and wait for death.

So Dongfang Yao decided to flee from Jinling Prefecture, and he didn't want his identity as a Taoist priest. He took the money he had accumulated over the years and went out to sea by boat to escape overseas.

He was just a small figure, and the investigation team should not mobilize a large number of troops to capture him, and Taipingdao would turn a blind eye - provided that he could leave the land safely.

At this moment, a little light lit up on the dark sea.

A small boat slowly came.

Of course, we can't expect this small boat to cross the ocean. The real passenger ship is parked on the sea to prevent it from being discovered by the South China Sea Navy. This small boat is just carrying guests to the passenger ship.

Dongfang Yao took a few steps forward, holding a wooden box in one hand and waving his other hand vigorously at the boat.

"Master Dongfang, where are you going?" A voice suddenly sounded behind Dongfang Yao.

Dongfang Yao froze and stopped waving.

After a moment, Dongfang Yao turned around with difficulty and saw a Taoist priest in a black crane cloak standing behind him, his face full of despair.

At the welcoming ceremony for the investigation team to Jinling Mansion, he had seen this Taoist priest - Pei Xiaolou, the assistant of Wanshou Chongyang Palace.

Pei Xiaolou patted Dongfang Yao on the shoulder and took the wooden box from his hand.

Many spiritual officials appeared in the shadows and walked behind Pei Xiaolou in silence.

Pei Xiaolou handed the wooden box to a spiritual official, who held it with both hands, and then opened the lid of the box. Inside was a set of forged identity certificates, a set of clothes, a stack of official bills, and many Yingyang.

Pei Xiaolou picked up an Eagle Dollar and observed it carefully.

This is also a silver coin, but unlike the Taiping coin, this Western silver coin has no words on it, but a double-headed eagle pattern. It is said that this is the emblem and flag pattern of an ancient Western empire. It was originally a single-headed eagle, and later it was changed to a double-headed eagle to reflect that the empire spanned two continents. Although the empire has collapsed today, the heirs of the empire still use this double-headed eagle logo.

As the exchanges between the East and the West became more frequent, a large number of foreign silver coins entered the Central Plains. This Western silver coin with a single-headed eagle or double-headed eagle logo was referred to as "Eagle Dollar" by the people, which was very appropriate. Even the court and the Taoist sect were affected and tacitly accepted the Eagle Dollar.

"So many Eagle Dollars, really well prepared." Pei Xiaolou threw the Eagle Dollar back into the box and looked at Dongfang Yao.

Dongfang Yao was sweating profusely and couldn't speak.

At this point, Pei Xiaolou suddenly found that the small boat did not escape, but still approached.

As they got closer, they saw a man standing on the bow of the boat. He was well-mannered. He was Li Tianlan, the deputy lord of Jiangnan Daofu.

"Master Li." Pei Xiaolou's face changed slightly.

Li Tianlan smiled and said, "Master Pei."

Pei Xiaolou asked, "Why is Master Li here?"

Li Tianlan jumped onto the pier and said, "I received news that someone was absconding for fear of crime, so I came to arrest him."

"What a coincidence, me too." Pei Xiaolou said, but he was observing Li Tianlan's expression.

Logically speaking, this Taoist priest named Dongfang Yao had many secrets. Li Tianlan certainly didn't want him to fall into the hands of the investigation team. Now that the two sides met on a narrow road, Li Tianlan shouldn't do this. But from Li Tianlan's performance, he didn't seem to be surprised to meet Pei Xiaolou. Could this also be within Li Tianlan's expectations?

Thinking of this, Pei Xiaolou tentatively said: "This person is of great importance and should be handed over to the investigation team for interrogation. I wonder what Master Li thinks?"

Li Tianlan said: "Even I have to accept the questioning of the investigation team, let alone him. Naturally, I have no objection, but..."

"Just what?" Pei Xiaolou glanced at Dongfang Yao from the corner of his eye.

Dongfang Yao's face was pale, his lips were trembling, and beads of sweat kept falling on his forehead.

Pei Xiaolou couldn't help but feel a little strange. This man is at least the Taoist priest in charge. Even if he is not as good as Qi Xuansu, he shouldn't be so useless, right? He hasn't been to Fengxian Hall and Beichen Hall yet, let alone the front line of the battlefield. It's too much of a Taoist priest in the flower garden.

However, Pei Xiaolou soon found something wrong. Dongfang Yao stretched out his hand to cover his chest, and his whole body was trembling. His eyes were bloodshot and bulged outward, which was very scary.

Li Tianlan said: "Not good, he wants to commit suicide out of fear of crime."

Pei Xiaolou hurriedly reached out to grab Dongfang Yao, but it was too late. He saw Dongfang Yao falling softly to the ground, his face was withered, his eyes were lifeless, and he was no longer alive.

Pei Xiaolou failed to notice when Li Tianlan had tampered with Dongfang Yao. He couldn't help but glared at Li Tianlan: "Master Li, you should give me an explanation!"

Li Tianlan glanced at Dongfang Yao's body and said with regret: "He was promoted by me. He was also a down-to-earth and capable young man at the beginning. He was diligent and conscientious. How did he become like this? He was greedy and swallowed the elephant. He has forgotten how the Taoist sect trained him, ignored Xuan Sheng’s teachings, and lost the integrity that a Taoist sect should have, and he should take this as a lesson.”

Pei Xiaolou said coldly: "Just die."

"Yes, I will die." Li Tianlan sighed, "Speaking of which, I also made a mistake. It was an oversight. I failed to notice what he did early and failed to remedy it in time, which made him make a mistake. If I make another mistake, I will not only lose my life, but also cause heavy losses to Jiangnan Province. This is all my fault."

Pei Xiaolou was silent for a moment and said: "Dongfang Yao is carried by Zhenren Li. This should be called the grace of knowing and encountering, or it can also be called the kindness of reincarnation. It is equivalent to the grace of saving a life and the grace of parents in giving birth. A great favor.”

Li Tianlan narrowed his eyes: "I can't understand what Master Pei said."

Pei Xiaolou said slowly: "There is nothing important in life except death. Dongfang Yao commits suicide out of fear of crime. He is not even afraid of death. So what is he afraid of? Is he trying to hide something? Or is he trying to protect someone?"

Li Tianlan's expression turned cold: "Pei Zhenren means that Dongfang Yao chose to commit suicide out of fear of crime in order to protect me and repay my kindness. Is that so?"

Pei Xiaolou said solemnly: "I didn't say that, I just wanted to ask Master Li to give me a reasonable explanation."

Li Tianlan did not speak, but took out a pocket watch from his sleeve, opened the cover and took a look.

Pei Xiaolou did not urge him.

After all, both of them are second-grade Taiyi Taoist priests, and there is no difference in their positions.

After a while, Li Tianlan said: "That's it, I am willing to accept the investigation by the investigation team. The investigation team can search my residence and the mortgage room. This is the explanation I gave. Is Mr. Pei satisfied?"

Instead, Pei Xiaolou fell silent.

Li Tianlan continued: "If I really have any improper relationship with Dongfang Yao, or to put it more bluntly, I am Dongfang Yao's backer, then I am willing to accept any punishment. But if I am innocent, I have nothing to do with Dongfang Yao. Yao's death has nothing to do with it, so how about asking Master Pei to give me an explanation?"

Pei Xiaolou fell into a dilemma of riding a tiger.

At this moment, a spiritual officer quickly walked up to Pei Xiaolou and stopped talking.

Li Tianlan took the initiative to get out of the way and walked to the other side of the trestle, facing the sea and standing with his hands behind his back.

The spiritual officer then whispered: "Something happened in Zhenwu Temple."

Pei Xiaolou thought he heard wrongly and frowned: "What did you say?"

The Spirit Officer repeated again: "The news just came, something happened to Zhenwu Temple, and it has turned into a sea of ​​fire."

Pei Xiaolou only felt a chill rising from his coccyx, rushing through the twenty-four spines, passing through the Fengchi point, and exploding on his scalp, making his scalp numb and like a ray on his back, but he quickly He suppressed his shock, tried his best to stay calm and asked, "What's going on?"

Lingguan lowered his head and said, "It is said that a secret society attacked Zhenwu Temple."

Pei Xiaolou understood immediately, looked at Li Tianlan who had his back turned to him, gritted his teeth and said, "What a plan."

Li Tianlan was indifferent and seemed not to hear Pei Xiaolou's words at all.

Pei Xiaolou didn't care about entangled with this old fox, turned around and left: "Let's go! Send the order, everyone will rush to the aid of Zhenwu Temple immediately!"

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