Chapter 269 Making up a story

In Xiaomei's room at Qingyang Inn, the lights were dim.

The romance between Zhao Ji and Xiaomei did not last long. Soon, Di Renjie returned to the inn accompanied by Di Chun.

"I'm back!" Zhao Ji keenly caught the subtle sound of the inn's door opening and closing.

Seeing this, Xiaomei urged anxiously: "Then why don't you leave quickly!"

Zhao Ji nodded and quietly left Xiaomei's room as quickly as possible.

After turning a corner, he happened to meet Di Renjie and Di Chun in the main hall.

"Sir, did you gain anything from this trip? Did the innkeeper reveal anything?" Zhao Ji stepped forward and asked with a smile.

Di Renjie shook his head slightly, his expression solemn: "He refused to say anything, but it is certain that he is Xiaomei's subordinate. Have you and Zhang Huan found anything?"

"Look at this!" Zhao Ji reached into his arms and handed the paper with the two-headed snake mark to Di Renjie.

Di Renjie took the mark, his eyes focused instantly, and he looked surprised: "Isn't this the snake-shaped mark that Ruyan and Xiaomei had agreed to meet? Where did this thing come from?"

"It was found in a cabinet in the innkeeper's room." Zhao Ji reported truthfully, with a hint of pride in his tone.

Di Renjie looked at the mark again, frowning. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly asked, "Where is Miss Xiaofeng?"

Zhao Ji blinked his eyes and said with a guilty conscience: "I didn't see much. She should have stayed in her room the whole time..."

"In that case, let's go meet this Miss Xiaofeng." Di Renjie did not doubt him and turned to walk towards Xiaomei's room.

Zhao Ji smiled secretly and followed Di Renjie.

Before Di Renjie could reach her, he knocked on Xiaomei's door and asked in a gentlemanly manner, "Miss Xiaofeng, is it convenient for us to come in? If it is convenient, please open the door!"

Soon, light footsteps were heard from inside the door, and then Xiaomei appeared behind the door, and she gently opened the door.

"Uh uh uh uh uh..." Xiaomei gestured impatiently.

Di Renjie nodded slightly and said, "You want to ask how the boss is doing now? Is that right?"

Xiaomei nodded repeatedly.

"He killed someone and should be executed according to the law!" Di Renjie answered while looking around the layout of Xiaomei's room.

The whole room was too simple and didn't look like it was occupied permanently.

"Xiaofeng, when did you come to the Qingyang Inn?" Di Renjie asked intentionally or unintentionally.

Xiaomei was startled for a moment, but still answered with gestures: She has been in the inn since her parents died.

An ambiguous answer, with no specific time.

Hearing this, Di Renjie turned around and smiled: "I don't think so. You have lived here for no more than a month!"

Xiaomei opened her mouth slightly, seeming surprised again.

"Miss Xiaofeng? I think it should be Miss Xiaomei?" Zhao Ji said with a wicked smile.

Xiaomei looked at Zhao Ji with surprise, as if blaming him for deliberately revealing his identity.

Zhao Ji was completely unaware of Xiaomei's gaze and continued to smile: "We have met several times before, especially in the Turkic Stone Kingdom. The girl is obviously a beauty, why do you dress like this and not show your true face?" Xiaomei was stunned: "Shi Kingdom? You...you are General Zhao!"

"So, you are Di Renjie?" Xiaomei turned to Di Renjie again, "Your faces..."

Zhao Ji smiled and tore off the human skin mask: "Of course it's a human skin mask, I learned it from your good sister Su Xianer!"

Xiaomei also took off the disguise on her face and said in disbelief, "This... This is really unexpected. The famous Di Gong would also use this method..."

Di Renjie also returned to his original appearance and replied with a smile: "In order to defeat the snake spirit, it is inevitable to use some extraordinary means!"

Xiaomei nodded and asked, "Di Gong, how did you recognize me as Xiaomei? Did my disguise reveal some flaws?"

Zhao Ji smiled and licked his lips: "Your disguise skills are superb, and there are no flaws. It was the boss who exposed his identity and made me think of you."

"The inn owner is your subordinate, and Qingyang Inn is your secret base for contacting Ruyan. The stakes are so high, why would the inn owner take in a mute girl who has nothing to do with him?"

Xiaomei was a little confused: "Are you talking about Wu Xiang? How did he reveal his identity?"

Di Renjie smiled and explained, "You set Qingyang Inn as a contact point with Ruyan. Every time, Ruyan would leave a mark, and then you would meet her."

"I guessed at the time that there must be a spy for you in Qingyang Inn. Every time Ruyan left a mark in the store, this spy would see it and pass the message to you. That's why you came to the inn to meet her."

"Today, I uncovered the murder of the shop owner Wu Xiang. I used a trick to confirm his relationship with you. Just like Cheng Yuan said, Wu Xiang has a heavy responsibility and it is impossible for him to take in a mute girl for no reason."

"I just said that you have lived here for no more than ten days. Less than a month ago, Li Yuanfang witnessed Xiaomei's 'death'. With such a coincidence, your identity is naturally revealed."

Xiaomei was convinced and exclaimed from the bottom of her heart: "Sir, you are really amazing. No wonder the snake spirits have been defeated by you so many times! This is how it is."

"Wu Xiang is my confidant. I ordered him to avoid the eyes and ears of the snake spirit and build this inn specifically for meeting with Xian'er and other good friends."

"A month ago, I left the main temple without permission and was discovered by Xiao Qingfang. I desperately fled to the small temple and informed General Li of the news about Hanguang Temple, and then I fainted."

"General Li fought a fierce battle with the snake spirit. When I woke up, I saw dead bodies all over the ground, but General Li was gone. I had no choice but to escape from the temple and hide in the mountains until my injuries improved a little."

Di Renjie spoke up to defend Li Yuanfang: "It's no wonder. The news of the assassination at Hanguang Temple was extremely urgent. Yuanfang was extremely anxious and wanted to rush back to the capital. He mistakenly thought that you were already dead. Fortunately, there is always a way out!"

Xiaomei smiled in relief: "Yes, I am lucky. After I recovered from my injuries, I was constantly chased by snake spirits. I had nowhere to go, so I had to come to Wu Xiang."

"Under those circumstances, taking me in would mean risking your own life! So, sir, please show some leniency to Wu Xiang."

Zhao Ji took the responsibility and said with a hint of meaning: "Don't worry about this matter. Your Excellency always shows leniency to those who make mistakes but are willing to repent."

"What's more, you are Ruyan's friend, and also my friend. You almost killed us. We are not Xiao Qingfang, and we will not destroy the bridge after crossing it!"

Xiaomei smiled and said, "Thank you, General Zhao."

Di Renjie nodded: "Chengyuan's meaning is what I mean. What about those two snake killers? How did they find your trace?"

Xiaomei pondered for a moment and explained, "It's like this. After I settled down at the inn, I knew that the snake spirit would not let me go. Hiding here and there was no solution."

"I thought that if General Li knew that I was not dead, he would definitely take me to Xian'er. In this way, I might be safe."

"General Li and I only met at Qingyang Inn and the small temple. I thought he would definitely go to these two places when he returned to Liuzhou. So, I sneaked back to the small temple in the middle of the night and left a snake-shaped mark."

"I stayed at Qingyang Inn with Wu Xiang, hoping to see General Li again one day. But I didn't expect that General Li didn't come, but General Zhao and you did!"

(End of this chapter)