Ten miles have pavilions, pavilions have sweet potatoes

  Wang Min knelt in the mourning hall, wearing a funeral attire. His eyes were somewhat empty as he stared at the black coffin in front of him, and he didn't change his posture even after kneeling for a long time. Wang Wan squatted beside him burning paper money, her big eyes staring at the flames, but it was unclear what was going on in that little head of hers about what had happened at home.

  The coffin was just sent back by the people of Jingzhao Prefecture after examining the body, and Wang Min only took a glance inside before hurrying to arrange the mourning hall. Now that Zhongbo is bedridden, because of what he had done in the past, it's not suitable for him to intervene in family matters again, so all the burdens were placed on Wang Min's shoulders.

  Fortunately, the young master has already become independent, so the servants in the mansion thought.

  However, Wang Wan knew that her brother was heartbroken and sad, so she wanted to stay by his side and be a good little girl.

  At night, Wang Min was to keep vigil for Wang Jingchuan. Wang Wan's small body leaned against his side, and she didn't want to leave either. Yan Sanbai came out of the quiet hall, carrying a meal into the mourning hall, and saw in the candlelight the big and small figures leaning on each other, and couldn't help but sigh.

  "Keeping vigil is fine, but meals must be eaten, right?" Yan Sanbai placed the dishes in front of them, his tone gentle. "Your father's spirit in heaven would surely not want to see his own children go hungry in front of him."

  Wang Min looked up at him, and his eyes finally regained some luster. He opened his mouth to speak, but found that his throat was also very dry. "Yan Ge..."

  "Big brother." Wang Wan also called out in response.

  Wang's big black eyes stared at the delicious food, her small hands touched her own belly. But she looked up again at her brother, and since he didn't move, neither did she.

  Yan Sanbai patted her head and said to Wang Min: "You may not eat, but your sister has to eat, right?"

  Wang Min looked at his younger sister with a mixture of pain and reluctance before finally nodding.

  The brother and sister both started eating their meal in big mouthfuls. Wang Min was eating plain rice, not even picking up any dishes, chewing with great effort, as if competing with someone. Wang Wan wasn't doing much better, she still wasn't very good at using chopsticks, and the grains of rice were falling outwards, probably because she was extremely hungry.

  Yan Sanbai looked at them with a pang in her heart and sat down beside them on the couch, picking up an extra pair of chopsticks to serve them dishes.

  Looking at the meat that suddenly appeared in the bowl, Wang Min's movements finally slowed down, and her eyes were slightly red.

  "Thank you, big brother." The innocent child's voice suddenly rang out, and Wang Min turned to see her sister's adorable smile suddenly blooming, the backbone that was about to collapse behind her suddenly straightened a lot.

  Wang Min nodded at Yan Sanbai, who shook his head and took out a handkerchief to carefully wipe away the rice grains from the corner of Wang Wei's mouth.

  After dinner, Wang Wan felt a bit sleepy. She was also close to Yan Sanbai, so he held her in his arms and let her lie down comfortably, so as not to catch a cold. Wang Wan leaned her head on his chest and soon fell asleep.

  At this time, Wang Min suddenly asked: "Yan brother, is there something you want to tell me?"

  Yan Sanbai nodded slightly, the candle flame flickering, and saw the two whispering to each other. Wang Min's expression changed from frowning to surprise to indignation. It wasn't until almost midnight that Yan Sanbai finally carried Wang Wan out of the mourning hall.

  Halfway through, I happened to meet Lu Lingge.

  Lu Lingge was also dressed in mourning attire and upon seeing Yan Sanbai holding Wang Wan, he involuntarily clenched his fist and said "thank you".

  He wanted to go and keep watch for his senior brother for the second half of the night, while Yan Sanbai was originally just an outsider, it's also hard for him to have a good heart. The two didn't say much, each leaving separately.

  The next day at noon, everything was calm and peaceful.

  Wang Jingchuan's body was still quietly placed in the mourning hall, and the wind chimes in front of Zhongbo Gate no longer rang. Wang Qi and Lu Bo were taken away by Guan Xian, running wildly around Chang'an City, crying out in distress. The black cat walked with elegant steps, as usual, patrolling its territory on the wall.

  But then - a scream shattered the silence.

  "Hurry up!"

  "Zhongbo, Zhongbo has poisoned himself!"

  Zhongbo's corpse looked miserable, his face was pale white, and there was blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, but he had his eyes closed, yet seemed to have died very peacefully.

  Yan Sanbai helplessly shook his head and turned away, no matter how hard he tried to prevent it, he couldn't stop someone who was determined to seek their own death.

  Wang Min also fell silent, seemingly having suffered a great blow. After a long while, he spoke with difficulty: "Prepare for the funeral, and handle my father's and Zhongbo's affairs together."

  Lu Ling stood outside without entering, and even if she did enter, it would be heartbreaking to watch. Zhong Bo was also someone she had watched grow up since childhood. The situation had escalated to this point, but she didn't know who to blame.

  Now that Zhong Bo is dead, adding to the full blessings of Xi Bao Tang, three people have already died in this case, and the impact is not small. Even if Yan Sanbai has those two tokens, he can't drag it on anymore. Moreover, with Zhong Bo's death, his testimony became a dead evidence, and Lu Shuangxing can no longer escape suspicion.

  Wang Min didn't want to drag it out any longer either. "Big Brother Yan, please hurry up and close the case, so as to comfort my father's spirit in heaven."

  "There might be more to it than meets the eye?" Lu Lingge hesitated and advised.

  Wang Min clenched his fists, his emotions somewhat out of control. "My dad is dead, who else could the murderer be besides Lu Shuangxing? Only he would come and go as he pleases!"

  Lu Ling let out a sigh and finally fell silent.

  Yan Sanbai sank into thought for a moment, then said: "If you insist, I can indeed determine the guilt of Lu Shuang. However, what about the case of the old master's murder ten or more years ago? If it was really Old Master Wang who killed the old master, and Lu Shuang killed Old Master Wang to avenge him, wouldn't killing him now be another cycle of revenge?"

  Wang Min's eyes flashed with a hint of pain, "But how can one not avenge the death of their father, an enemy that cannot be tolerated?"

  Yan Sanbai fell silent for a moment, then retreated and said, "Alright, I'll go to the Dalit Temple now and make one last inquiry about him."

  Yan Sanbai left the Wang Mansion, and Ling Ding followed him out. He was sent by the Prince to assist Yan Sanbai, not to help with the fight at the Wang Mansion.

  Yan Sanbai met Lu Shuangxing again, and this time he still went alone. No one knew what they talked about inside, only that when he came out, he sighed and called Guan Qingci over.

  "This case can be closed, please prepare the documents, sir." The testimonies of Gui Qu Lai and Zhong Bo are already ironclad evidence. Now there is no evidence to prove Lu Shuangxing's innocence. Even if Lu Shuangxing continues to argue, no one will believe him. Although it's said that Jianghu matters are settled in Jianghu, this case occurred under the emperor's feet, so a document still needs to be left at the Dalisi Temple as a record.

  This case was presided over by Yan Sanbai, and Guan Qing couldn't find a reason to refute the conclusion, so he could only obey.

  Ling was a clever person and seeing things had come to this, he hastily went to the imperial palace to report to his master.

  But unexpectedly, Li Yan didn't show much surprise after hearing it, he just stuffed a fruit into his mouth, Dan Feng narrowed her eyes and smiled: "It's really like that, it's quite interesting. Ling Ding, let's go."

  Ling didn't understand, "Your Highness has just returned to the palace, where are you going?"

  "Out of the palace, huh? Maybe even out of the city." Li Yan said and started walking.

  "Ah, Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager will be coming again soon!"

  "Shh——" Li Yan turned around, his index finger on his lips, winking at him, "Let's sneak away quietly."

  The next day, which was the fourth day after Wang Jingchuan's death, Wang Min held a funeral for his father and old servant Zhongbo. Zhongbo was to be buried in the ground, but when it came to Wang Jingchuan, Wang Min did not allow him to be buried in the earth, personally lighting the firewood and cremating his father instead.

  Facing the flames, the young man who had fallen to his knees pulled out another object from his bosom and threw it into the fire to be buried with his father - it was the judgment document stamped with Yan San's seal.

  He knelt on the ground and carefully collected the ashes, then turned to Lu Lingge who had been by his side all along and said, "Master Shu, my father once said that if he died, I should bring his ashes back to the Guhe Mountain of the Guiyuan Sect and bury them with Master Taishang. Please agree to this, Master Shu."

  Lu Lingge patted his shoulder, "Of course you can, this way Shifu won't be too lonely either."

  Wang Min hesitated for a moment before continuing: "And there's another favor I'd like to ask of you, Master."

  "It doesn't matter what you say."

  Wang Min looked at Yan Sanbai, who nodded slightly. Only then did he say: "I've asked Big Brother Yan, I want to bring Lu Shuangxing back to the Return of the Crane Sect and avenge him in front of my father's grave."

  "This..." Lu Ling said: "Lu Shixiong's martial arts are powerful, being locked in the Xuan Tie prison cell can only temporarily hold him back, if it were somewhere else..."

  Yan Sanbai said: "Don't worry, Master Lu, I will go with you at that time."

  Lu Ling's eyes dimmed slightly, and then she nodded, "So be it."

  The funeral arrangements took up most of the day, but since the Wang family didn't have many relatives in Chang'an City, there weren't any major events afterwards. After settling the household affairs, Wang Min set off with Lu Lingge and his two disciples half an hour before the city gate closed.

  Yan Sanbai and Lu Shuang set out from Dali Temple, Guan Qing sent Zhang Yan to follow them, so that they would have someone to rely on.

  Lu Shuangxing had handcuffs on his hands and sat on the horseback, his whole body swaying with the ups and downs of the horse's back. However, he was calm and composed, and when they left the city gate, he took a deep breath of the fresh air outside the city, looking very comfortable.

  But still somewhat imperfect.

  "Hey little brother from Dali Temple, can you give me a cigarette?"

  Zhang Yan had never seen a convicted prisoner so carefree before, "Come on, you've been sentenced to death, do you still want me to serve you tea?"

  "Tsk, your Dali Temple is really inhumane."

  Zhang Yan retorted: "Now that we're close, can you still handle the case impartially?"

  Lu Shuangxing couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect, "That makes sense."

  At this time, Lu Shuangxing's nose moved, "What a delicious roasted sweet potato smell."

  Actually, there was no need for him to say it, as Yan Sanbai and Wang Min had also smelled it. Yan Sanbai rubbed his stomach, feeling a bit strange - this roasted sweet potato, why did it have a familiar feeling?

  Yan Sanbai didn't look far away for a moment, and suddenly realized - Ah, it's Shili Pavilion!

  In the distance, two people wearing bamboo hats were seen sitting in the pavilion, one in red clothes and the other in green. The two of them lit a bonfire, using bamboo sticks to roast two sweet potatoes over the fire, repeatedly turning them over as wisps of smoke and fragrant aromas wafted along the official road.

  Yan Sanbai rode his horse past, and before he could speak, the man in red suddenly turned around and asked with a smile through the veil of his helmet: "Where does the young master want to go?"

  Diancang Mountain.

  "May I have a ride with you?"

  "Why?"

  That man smiled lightly, "There are many clever guests in the Ten Mile Pavilion, I see that you, young master, are also a clever person. Why don't you accompany me?"

  Swallows fly in threes, "even traveling together requires fate, young master is behind the screen, how do I know if you match my eye fortune?"

  Wang Min and Lu Lingge also rode over, seeing Yan Sanbai chatting with a passerby, they all felt puzzled. This conversation seemed to be hiding some mystery.

  At this moment, however, the man lifted a folding fan to open the curtain, revealing a handsome and familiar face.

  "How is it? Does it meet your expectations?" The man asked with a smile.

  Yan Sanbai touched his nose, which was tantamount to acquiescence. Facing the person in front of him, who dared to say no?

  "King of Luoyang!" Lü Lingge was taken aback, and others were also surprised. Wasn't the King of Luoyang summoned back to the palace? How did he appear here again?

  Just by looking at Yan Sanbai's expression, he seemed to have recognized him long ago.

  Li Yan, apart from his conical hat, patted the cigarette ash off his clothes and stood up. "Wang Gongzi, Lu Zhangmen, I want to go to Diancang Mountain with you, is that okay?"

  Everything under heaven is the king's land. Wang Min hastily nodded, "Of course."

  Lu Lingge pursed her lips, and it was impossible to tell whether she was welcoming or not.

  Li Yan was very satisfied, and casually handed a roasted sweet potato to Wang Min, "Here, have some."

  Wang Min was stunned for a moment before accepting it. It wasn't that he was pleasantly surprised, but rather... the majestic Prince of Luoyang, why would he give him a roasted sweet potato?

  At this time, Lingding led their horses over, and Li Yan jumped onto the horse. Alongside Yan Sanbai, he simultaneously pulled out a roasted sweet potato with a playful trick, "A gift for fellow travelers."

  Lingding turned around and rolled out a pair of dead fish eyes - Wang Ye, I think you're losing face, even roasted sweet potatoes can't be given away by your hands.

  Sweet potato

  Yan Sanbai took it over and saw a round hole in the center of the sweet potato, only then did he understand why the first time he saw roasted sweet potatoes at Shili Pavilion, there were also holes on top.

  It seems that this sweet potato was really roasted on the tree branch, and Li Yan is indeed idle, looking at this hole so round and neat, it must have used internal force.

  But the fragrance is really fragrant, and the fragrance all came out from the small holes, no wonder it can be transmitted so far.

  Yan San Bai slowly and carefully peeled the sweet potato skin, revealing the golden-colored flesh inside. He took a bite, and the fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth, with just the right temperature.

  He gave Li Yan a faint smile, and this greeting gift was temporarily put away.

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