Chapter 360 The person who knows Gu Xu best
A moment later, Princess Zhaoning came to the attic of the mansion.
She was sitting on an official hat chair, wearing a spotless men's gown, with her hair tied up in a high bun. Although her face was tired and her eyes were slightly red, her waist was straight.
On the floor in front of her, complex formation patterns were carved.
With a flash of golden light, several translucent figures formed by the convergence of light appeared in the sky above the formation, all wearing black gauze hats and Qiyao uniforms.
"See you, Your Highness, Princess!" These figures all saluted Princess Zhaoning.
Seeing that everyone she was looking for had gathered, Princess Zhaoning went straight to the point and said: "The traitor Gu Xu has been exposed near Jinyang Mansion. You guys are cultivators from Hedong Province The most senior person, I need you to put down what you are doing immediately and carry out the task of arresting Gu Xu."
Several exorcism department officials nodded and said that everything is strictly following the instructions of Her Royal Highness.
They had long heard that Gu Xu was a criminal who had been ordered to be captured by His Majesty the Emperor, who had lived in the palace for a long time. Any official who dared to slack off in this matter would surely face the Emperor's wrath.
Princess Zhaoning stood up and walked to the wall.
There is a large, slightly yellowed map taped to the wall.
She stretched out her slender fingers and pointed on the map: "Pu Qianhu, Shen Qianhu, you two will take people to set off immediately to Tianmen Pass, Shiling Pass and Chitang Pass. Organize local monks to intercept the fugitive Gu Xu. "
Tianmen Pass, Shiling Pass and Chitang Pass are known as the "Three Passes of Jinyang". The terrain is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. They choke the entrance and exit of Hedong Province and control it. Jinyang is an important transportation hub in the north direction. It is described in ancient books as "standing on the backbone of the world and serving as the throat of the river".
If Gu Xu wanted to leave Da Qi, whether he was going to Youzhou to join Zhao Changying, or fleeing to the barbarian territory in the northwest, he would definitely pass through the "Three Passes of Jinyang" without taking a detour.
The Daqi Dynasty paid no less attention to the "Three Passes of Jinyang" than the Dachu Dynasty - it not only strengthened the fortress, but also sent many practitioners to stay at the pass, setting up "forbidden zones" including Multiple defensive formations including "empty formation".
In other words, the monks cannot fly across the "Three Passes of Jinyang" with weapons. They can only pass by land, and they must also hold a pass issued by the imperial court - "Luyin".
After hearing Princess Zhaoning’s instructions, the two people whose names were read nodded in agreement.
"Shang Qianhu, you rush to Shouyang County as soon as possible, lead people to set up an ambush, arrange formations to block the space in advance, and check the 'road guide' of every passerby," Princess Zhaoning continued The order said, "If Gu Xu did not go to the 'Three Passes of Jinyang', but chose to take a long detour to the east, then he would definitely pass by near Shouyang.
"Que Qianhu, you Go to Malingguan, south of Jinyang, and lead your cultivators to block all the twenty-four passes under your jurisdiction. Similarly, set up formations to check the identity of every passerby.
"Gu Xu has always been cunning and scheming. He may not play his cards according to common sense and choose to escape south. We must be prepared in advance."
"Yes, Your Highness." Que Juchang, a Qianhu in Liaozhou Prefecture, and Shangwei, a Qianhu in Fenzhou Prefecture, said with fists in their hands.
Finally, Princess Zhaoning’s eyes fell on the only female official, Zhu Qiuyi, the commander-in-chief of Hedong Province.
This woman with a simple appearance and quiet temperament is a powerful monk whose strength is close to the peak of the sixth realm. She masters a magical power called "Chasing the Wind" and possesses a magic weapon called "Memory". She has solved many major cases and made many criminals and ghosts frightened.
“General Zhu, your cultivation level is the highest among all the people present,” Princess Zhaoning ordered, “According to the news, the place where Gu Xu was last seen was Mengshan Mountain to the west of Jinyang City. I need you to get there as quickly as possible, use your magical powers and magic weapons to find as many clues as possible, and trace Gu Xu’s escape path.
“If others discover Gu Xu’s whereabouts, You also need to deal with him. ”
"Your Highness Princess, I have heard that Gu Xu masters a spell that can travel through space," Zhu Qiuyi, the commander-in-chief of Hedong, lowered his head and said in a calm voice, "With my magical power, I may not be able to catch him. Get on him."
"No, you can catch up," Princess Zhaoning smiled faintly and shook her head, "Gu Xu's magic can travel hundreds of miles in an instant, allowing him to travel from Luojing City in the blink of an eye. Arriving at Qingyao Mountain.
“However, several days have passed since Luojing City was destroyed, and Gu Xu still stayed within the borders of Daqi and did not travel too far.
"This proves that Gu Xu cannot travel through space without restriction. Casting such a spell consumes a lot of his real energy."
Zhu Qiuyi nodded, if there is any Thought: "Then I'll try it."
"By the way, when you are performing your mission, remember to bring the Jade Talisman and the 'Breaking Sky Pearl' with you," Princess Zhaoning paused for a moment and then said, "If the situation changes, report it to me immediately. I will make arrangements again.
"All consumable magic weapons and formation materials used during the mission, including the 'Korean Breaking Bead', can be reimbursed to the court. ”
After receiving the order, the figures of several officials quickly disappeared into the room.
Princess Zhaoning still stood there, looking at the map on the wall, a little lost.< br>
She has blocked all possible routes from east, west, north and south, making Gu Xu a turtle in a jar
"Where can you escape to now?" She moved her fingertips gently on the map and thought silently.
…………
Gu Xu held the astrolabe in his hand, like a ghost, walking quickly in the mountains.
Since Sima Chang discovered his whereabouts, he started running away without hesitation and never stopped for a moment.
He did not dare to fly to conspicuous high altitudes, and only dared to fly quietly at low altitudes under the shade of trees.
After flying for more than ten miles and far away from Jinyang's jurisdiction, he landed back on the ground and rested for a while.
At this moment, his true energy has returned to fullness, enough to build a space channel again.
"Where should I escape to?"
While thinking, he took out the copper coins in his pocket and planned to find a safe route through divination.
At this moment, when he muttered the names of "Tai Shang Haotian" and "Emperor Zi Wei" in a low voice like before, he only felt it was quite ironic.
They are clearly sworn enemies.
However, they appear in pairs on the altar, appearing in various mantras and prayers.
Gu Xu also finally understood why his divination results were never wrong.
Because the object of others' prayers is gods, and the object of his prayers is himself, there is no possibility of being interfered with.
“Is Tianmen Pass safe?”
"Is Chitangguan safe?"
"Is Malingguan safe?"
"Is Huangyuling safe?"
"Is Jingxing safe?"
< br>“…”
After asking questions more than ten times in a row, Gu Xu finally came up with a relatively safe path in his mind - first go southeast, bypass Shouyang County, go straight to Douquan Ridge, and then turn northeast to avoid Maling 20 At the fourth pass, we left Hedong Province from Jingxing and headed for Youzhou.
Although they took a long detour, they happened to avoid the heavy defense lines set up by Princess Zhaoning.
It is like finding a narrow gap in the dragnet.
He took a deep breath, his eyes turned deep indigo, and the "astral disk" also glowed with silvery white light.
Soon, black ripples appeared in the air, and a space passage quickly formed in front of him.
He wiped the sweat from his temples and stepped inside.
The surrounding scenery instantly turned into blurry blocks of color, as if falling into a rotating kaleidoscope.
…………
After receiving the order from Princess Zhaoning, Hedong Commander-in-Chief Zhu Qiuyi immediately crushed a "sky-breaking bead" and came to Mengshan from his residence in an instant.
She took out a small white porcelain bottle from her sleeve, placed it on the ground, and then silently recited the incantation.
Soon, a faint colored smoke rose from the bottle. The smoke floats into the air, creating a three-dimensional and dynamic picture.
This small white porcelain bottle is called "Memory". As the name suggests, it is a magic weapon that can recall scenes from the past.
It can reproduce what happened within six hours in the form of smoke.
With the help of "Reminiscence", Zhu Qiuyi saw the "Reggae" with its teeth and claws showing its fierce look, saw the bruised and bruised little official Sima Chang, saw the majestic golden-red sea of fire, and also saw Gu Xu and him being The wind blew the mask to the ground.
Her mood suddenly became complicated.
She did not expect that a fugitive wanted by the whole country would expose his whereabouts because he rescued others.
But she was on task and didn’t think too much.
Soon, Gu Xu in the smoke image picked up the mask, put it on again, and then walked quickly towards the depths of the dense forest.
Zhu Qiuyi immediately picked up the small porcelain bottle and flew into the air, chasing Gu Xu's image.
After flying for more than ten miles, Gu Xu's image finally stopped.
He stopped there for a moment, tossed a coin for a while, then built a space passage, walked in, and disappeared.
Zhu Qiuyi sighed softly and put away "Reminiscence".
"Reminiscence" can only recall what happened at the same place, but it cannot know the destination of Gu Xu's space shuttle, let alone tell her Gu Xu's subsequent escape route.
"Your Highness," she took out the 'Messaging Jade Talisman' and sent a message to Princess Zhaoning, "I followed Gu Xu's footsteps all the way from Mengshan to Fangshan. He built a Space channel. But the power of 'reminiscence' is limited. I can't know where he went next."
After a while, Princess Zhaoning responded: “I know.”
…………
“Report to Your Highness that no suspicious persons passed near Tianmen Pass.”
< br>"Your Highness, I have not found any trace of Gu Xu in the Shouyang area yet."
"Your Highness, there is nothing unusual around Malingguan."
"..."
Princess Zhaoning held the messenger jade talisman tightly in her hand. She listened to the reports of the ministers and frowned more and more.
She suddenly felt that Gu Xu was like a fish in the deep sea. He surfaced in Jinyang City, blew a few bubbles, and then dived into the bottom of the sea, never to be heard from again.
In order to catch this fish, she cast an overwhelming net, but the fish would most likely slip away quietly through the gaps in the fishing net when she was not paying attention.
She rubbed her dry eyes and couldn't help but secretly sigh. In the vast territory of Daqi, catching a fugitive who can conceal his identity, hide his whereabouts, and travel through space is no less difficult than under the sea. Find the needle.
Seeing a faint fish belly white appear on the eastern sky, she pondered for a moment and asked the maid guarding the door: "Can you invite Mr. Mu here for me?"
"Mu" in Princess Zhaoning's mouth "Mr.", whose full name is "Mu Yunkai", is a worshiper of the Daqi royal family. He has the sixth realm of cultivation and is proficient in divination.
Perhaps it is because there are so few monks who know how to do divination. This person is often arrogant and has high standards. In front of members of the royal family, especially in front of Princess Zhaoning who has no spiritual qualifications, he will always show off. shelf.
Princess Zhaoning is too lazy to ask him to do things on weekdays.
After all, there is a strong saint in the Exorcism Department who is known as "knowing everything in the world".
But now, Luo Chuan, the head of the exorcism department, was seriously injured and bedridden, so naturally he couldn't help her find Gu Xu's whereabouts.
She had no choice but to settle for the next best thing.
After a while, a bloated old man with gray hair, wearing a brocade robe, and holding a gilt crutch came to her under the guidance of the maid.
As he walked, the end of the crutch kept hitting the ground, making a harsh sound.
“I have met His Highness.”
After seeing Princess Zhaoning, he did not bow to salute, but simply nodded.
Princess Zhaoning is too lazy to argue with him on these little things.
She asked the maid to bring up a chair and said politely: "Mr. Mu, please sit down."
Mu Yunkai was not like other officials who would pretend to decline. .
He sat down on the chair, crossed his legs, and then directly instructed the princess's maid to pour him a glass of water.
"Mr. Mu, there is one thing that I need your help with-"
"-It's about the fugitive Gu Xu, right?" Before Princess Zhaoning finished speaking, Mu Yunkai smiled and said She cut off her words and said, "It's really interesting for a mere fourth-level monk to make a huge imperial court miserable."
"Mr. Mu, now is not the time to joke," Princess Zhaoning restrained her smile. , said in a solemn tone, "Tonight, the traitor Gu Xu appeared in Mengshan near Jinyang Mansion. After his whereabouts were exposed, he fled from Mengshan to Fangshan, then built a space passage and went to an unknown place. Place.
“We need to use your divination skills to find the place where Gu Xu escaped as soon as possible. "
Seeing that the princess became serious, Mu Yunkai also sat up straight and said, "I can do divination. But I need as much information about Gu Xu as possible. ”
Princess Zhaoning took down a stack of files from the nearby bookshelf, placed it in front of Mu Yunkai, and said, "Are these enough?"
Mu Yunkai lowered his head and replied, "Not enough. These are just His resume as an official in the imperial court is just the tip of the iceberg of his whole life. It is impossible to predict the correct result by relying on these things alone.
"I also need to know his birth date. He secretly. His personality and hobbies, his way of dealing with others... It would be better if his personal belongings could be found. "
"But in my impression, Luo Sishou never needs these things when doing divination. "Princess Zhaoning frowned slightly, feeling a little confused.
"Because his divination and mine are two different systems," Mu Yunkai said with a smile, "His divination relies on The stars in the sky can be used to predict the rise and fall of mortal affairs based on their movements.
"And my divination relies on 'fate' itself. With enough information, I can clear the fog on the long river of fate and get a glimpse of a person's future.
"Your Highness, it seems that you are still Somewhat ignorant. ”
Princess Zhaoning didn’t pay attention to his sarcastic joke.
She narrowed her eyes slightly and began to recall all the details of her past interactions with Gu Xu, thinking about his personal life. What kind of person is he underneath?
Then she discovered that she had very little experience with Gu Xu in private.
She only remembered that on the night of the Lantern Festival, she disguised herself as a man and was with Gu Xu on the bank of Luoshui, evaluating the performance of each monk in the arena.
At that time, Gu Xu was graceful and high-spirited. His pair of deep eyes reflected the lights of the Lantern Festival, and he also glowed with confidence.
But more often than not, the distance between the two is far away.
She learned about what kind of person he was through official documents from the court, through archives, and through looking at each other from a distance in public.
But to this day, especially after he changed from the proud man of Qi to the imperial criminal, his image in her mind became increasingly vague and mysterious.
Princess Zhaoning was silent for a moment, then raised her head and said to Mu Yunkai: "Perhaps, we have to go to Qianhu Shilei's mansion in Laizhou Prefecture.
"His daughter should be in the entire capital now. The person who knows Gu Xu best. ”
(End of this chapter)