Tibet

In Yanshoufang next to Chang'an West Market, there is a Gaoping Inn. In the eastmost upper room on the second floor of the inn, three mysterious guests live. They leave early and return late every day.

It is said that they are scholars who came to take the imperial examination, but they don't look like or want to be businessmen. They are more like warriors. The three of them are tall and strong, move quickly, and carry knives and bows and arrows on their backs.

Of course, there were many such rangers in the Tang Dynasty, and it is not surprising that they were like warriors.

In the evening, when the leading warrior came back from outside in a hurry, the shopkeeper came up to him and said with a smile: "Master Han, please stay!"

The leading warrior stopped and said coldly: "What do you want?"

"I just want to remind you that according to internal security regulations, any out-of-town guest who stays for more than ten days must register again. It has been eight days now, and you will have to register again the day after tomorrow."

"Registering for what?" the samurai asked with a frown.

"When you first arrived, you only registered your name and place of origin. This is a daily registration and does not need to be handed over to the guards. It is just a registration for the inn. But after staying for ten days, you will have to register in detail, including your name, place of origin, and height. , physique, physical characteristics, whether to carry weapons, what to do in Chang'an, etc. "

"Does it matter whether you carry weapons?"

"Of course you have to take care of it. Whether or not you carry weapons is the key concern of the inner guards. Generally, scholars wear swords, but you are carrying a knife and a bow and arrow. The inner guards will definitely come to investigate."

"Then what?"

"If everything is fine after the internal security inspection, and you continue to live there. If you live for another month and you are inspected by the internal security again, then you will have to find a guarantee in Chang'an. This is the regulation of the internal security. If you register for the second time, I will Submitted your information to the internal security guard."

"I don't want to deal with the government!"

"So I want to remind Zhuangshi Han in advance that you will have to register again in two days. Either register honestly, or change to another inn and start counting the time again!"

"I understand, thank you shopkeeper for reminding me!"

The leading warrior hurriedly came to his room, entered and closed the door and said: "Pack up, get ready to move out!"

"Brother, what's wrong?" Both men were surprised.

"Just now the shopkeeper reminded me that if it has been more than ten days in Chang'an, it will be re-registered and sent to the inner security for registration. We are on the eighth day, so we must go to another inn and start the calculation again!"

"It shouldn't matter if you register again!" One of his subordinates scratched his head.

"idiot!"

The leading warrior scolded: "We have brought weapons and are the focus of attention. There will definitely be internal guards coming to investigate."

The three of them quickly packed their luggage, went downstairs to pay the bill, then got on the bullock cart and left.

The innkeeper didn't want to cause trouble, so he drove the three people away on the eighth day, but he didn't know that he had let go of a devil.

The leading warrior was Han Zaiyu, a famous assassin in Youzhou. He was the one who killed Shi Chaoqing. He was bribed by Zhu Si to assassinate Zhu Xicai as well. This time Zhu Si promised him 20,000 yuan to come to Chang'an to assassinate Li Ye or his son.

The two men have been following him for many years, and the three of them cooperate very well. These days, they are collecting all kinds of information about Li Ye and looking for various assassination opportunities.

Since Han Zaiyu is known as Youzhou's first killer, he naturally has his own merits. After being reminded by the shopkeeper, the first thing he did was to throw the sword into Caohe River, then take off the bowstring and put it in a long bag. , then go to the weapons store and buy a gorgeous long sword each. The sword is very sharp and the scabbard is very gorgeous. Then he changes into a Confucian robe and a plain scarf on his head. He buys a book box full of scriptures for his men to carry. When you get up, you are no different from a scholar rushing to take the exam.

This time, Han Zaiyu moved into Shengyefang, which is close to the Qi Palace. He found a Yuelai Inn and rented a private courtyard. He looked like a rich young man coming to take the exam.

There are many advantages to living in a private courtyard. First, he will not be noticed by the scholars who come and go. Once he starts chatting, he will be exposed. Secondly, the clerk will not directly open the door and enter the room to change the water. There is a yard as a buffer. The guy would yell out in the yard.

On the table were all kinds of intelligence collected in the past few days. Han Zaiyu said to his two subordinates in a deep voice: "Judging from the current situation, we usually don't meet Li Ye. He lives in the palace and comes directly from the palace." If you go back to the official office, go straight back. There is no chance of assassination on the way, so we only have two opportunities, either wait for him to go out for inspection, or sneak into the palace. "

One of his subordinates said: "Brother, we don't even know he is out on patrol!"

"Here's the problem. We know nothing about his whereabouts, so we have only one way to sneak into the palace, wait for him to return to the palace, and assassinate him on the way."

At this point, Han Zaiyu shook his head again, obviously he also thought this idea was unrealistic.

"Brother, is there any other way?"

"The method is good, but we know nothing about the defense within the palace, so our first step is not to consider assassination, but to study the palace. Once we have thoroughly studied the palace, we will have a method."

Just as he was talking, there was a noise outside, and it seemed like countless people were coming upstairs. The three of them were so frightened that they quickly threw the information on the table into the brazier, and several pages of paper quickly burned.

At this time, someone knocked on the courtyard door, "Mr. Han, open the door quickly!"

It was the voice of the clerk. His subordinates went out and opened the door. They saw the clerk leading a group of sergeants. The leading sergeant came in and said: "We are internal guards. We are conducting routine inspections. Please come out of the house and put your money bags on your body. We will leave other items with you." All should be checked.”

Han Zaiyu came out and asked: "Do all the scholars staying in the inn have to be inspected?"

"Not really! We must check the inns and tenants around King Qi. If you are afraid of trouble, you can live in a place far away from King Qi's palace."

Han Zaiyu cursed secretly in his heart. The investigation was so strict. Fortunately, he was experienced and didn't carry any letters.

He asked his men to take out the money bag, and a dozen soldiers entered the house to search. The captain of the Shouchi Guards looked at him and asked: "Where did the young master come from?"

"Cangzhou, Hebei!" Han Zaiyu is from Cangzhou, Hebei.

"Zhu Si's territory?"

Han Zaiyu shook his head, "It is now occupied by Tian Chengsi."

"You came to Chang'an to take part in the imperial examination?"

"Exactly! But I'm here to have fun, otherwise it would be pointless for me to come so early."

The lieutenant looked at his ID card, which was issued by the Hejian County government, and said, "Han Song, a scholar from our county, is coming to Chang'an to take part in the imperial examination. I hope to receive him!" ’

The school captain returned Lu Yin to him and looked at his hand again, "Young Master is a martial arts practitioner?"

Han Zaiyu said calmly: "Hebei aristocratic families are all good at civil and military affairs. The general doesn't even know this?"

"I didn't hear that!"

At this time, the searching soldier came out and took out a few bows, "Colonel, we found this!"

Han Zaiyu said quickly: "Bows are not crossbows. Folks should be allowed to carry them!"

"It's okay, but yours is actually a riding bow, a bow used on the battlefield. How do you explain it?"