Ch. 69 - Xiao Nong: What did he go for?

Only after walking out of the forest from Shuiyun Village did Zhong Yansheng realize how hidden the location of Shuiyun Village was.

The road was full of twists and turns. If it weren't for the marks along the way, it would be difficult to tell whether they were taking a detour or moving forward. No wonder the officers and soldiers couldn't find them.

It is easier to go up the mountain than to go down. After walking for a while, Zhong Yansheng's feet began to feel sore and weak. Everyone else looked calm, so he was too embarrassed to say it out loud and could only try to steady his breathing.

Surrounded by a bunch of people, I couldn't even hold Xiao Nong's clothes.

After walking a few more steps, Xiao Nong suddenly quickened his pace and half-knelt down: "Come up."

Everyone was stunned.

Doesn’t His Royal Highness Prince Ding have a very bad relationship with the little prince? He actually took the initiative to carry him on his back?

Xiao Nong was calm and composed: "The king was injured a few days ago, thanks to your personal care. The king does not like to owe favors to others, so there is no need to be unnecessarily polite."

Prince Ding always does things based on his mood, so it seems normal that he doesn't like to owe favors to others.

Everyone felt that they had realized something.

Personal care...

If you must say so, it is indeed very close-fitting.

Zhong Yansheng's ears turned red when he heard that he had even prepared a speech for him. He pursed his lips, handed his small box to Huo Shuang, and told him to hold it well. He then took off his muddy boots, gave them to the person next to him to carry, and obediently lay on Xiao Nong's back.

It was a small and light thing. Xiao Nong weighed it and stood up. He felt a rustling behind him. Zhong Yansheng put his arms around his neck, leaned his head against him, and asked in a low voice: "Am I heavy?"

Warm breath with a faint orchid fragrance brushed past his ears, as if deliberately seducing him.

Xiao Nong glanced back at him, then rubbed and pinched his thigh with his hand, neither lightly nor heavily.

Zhong Yansheng didn't expect that Xiao Nong would dare to pinch him like this in front of a group of people. He almost cried out, his ears turned red, and he buried his head, not daring to say a word.

Xiao Nong's back was broad and steady, and his steps were steady and powerful, as if as long as you stayed by his side, you didn't have to be afraid of anything.

Zhong Yansheng lay comfortably on Xiao Nong's back. For the first time, he was not so concerned about Xiao Nong's seniority.

As expected of my grandfather’s brother, he is more stable than anyone else.

They swayed gently all the way until they reached a path where they could ride horses. With more and more people around them, Xiao Nong finally put Zhong Yansheng down.

They rode out of the forest and arrived at Chunfeng Valley. Yun Cheng and Zhan Rong, who had left the mountain earlier, were waiting by the carriage. Seeing the two return safely, Yun Cheng was so happy that he cried.

When Zhong Yansheng saw Yun Cheng, he jumped off his horse and ran over, patted his shoulder and comforted him: "I'm fine, aren't I?"

Xiao Nong stared at his hand on Yun Cheng's shoulder and lifted it up: "Don't touch him. If you have anything to say, get in the carriage first."

Aren’t you the one who loves to touch people the most?

Zhong Yansheng uttered "Oh", withdrew his hand in confusion, hugged the small box, stepped on the stool and got into the carriage.

Xiao Nong glanced at Yun Cheng, then ducked and got into the carriage.

Yun Cheng originally had two tears in his eyes, but he was stared at so hard that the tears were wiped away.

After hesitating for a moment, Yun Cheng wiped his eyes and went in.

Huo Shuang and Zhan Rong looked at each other from a distance and snorted coldly: "Escort the young prince back to the inn!"

Zhan Rong sighed, still feeling unhappy about being saved once by him: "Escort His Highness back to the inn!"

The black-armored army and the guards split into two groups, standing on both sides, one on the left and one on the right. This made the soldiers of the Five Army Camps dare not move forward, and they followed behind silently.

Zhong Yansheng threw off his muddy boots, sat down next to Xiao Nong, shook his feet and smiled at Yun Cheng**: "Okay, stop acting, I sent someone back to the posthouse to tell you the news in advance."**

After Wei Ling recognized Zhong Yansheng, Zhong Yansheng asked Wei Ling to send someone to pass the message to Yun Cheng.

Yun Cheng sniffed, and under the indifferent gaze of His Royal Highness Prince Ding, he did not dare to go over and hug Zhong Yansheng and cry loudly. He said aggrieved: "But I have been really worried about the young master these days. I was so worried that I couldn't eat."

Xiao Nong had no expression on his face: "If you just want to talk nonsense, you can get out now."

Yun Cheng was frightened by him and hurriedly said, "Master, before you left the posthouse, didn't you have all the officials detained in the lobby? They have been under surveillance for the past few days. The others are relatively honest, only General Zhang is suspicious."

Zhong Yansheng quietly pinched Xiao Nong and warned him not to scare Yun Chengcheng: "How did you find out?"

"I couldn't sit still in the house, so I went to help sweep and deliver meals," Yun Cheng scratched his head. "That General Zhang might have thought I was a servant of the post house. After the news that you and His Royal Highness Prince Ding were safe and sound was passed back to the post house last night, he secretly passed me a note, promising me 500 gold and asking me to help pass the message outside."

Xiao Nong raised his eyebrows and looked at Yun Cheng twice.

Yun Cheng was following Zhong Yansheng a few days ago.

However, Yun Cheng's appearance could not be said to be ugly, but it was quite plain, the kind that would be immediately lost in the crowd if thrown into the crowd. In the past, he sent Zhong Yansheng to Changliu Villa every day, and the secret guards had also seen Yun Cheng.

Although his face was covered with only his eyebrows and eyes showing, the secret guards with good eyesight did not recognize Yun Cheng immediately after seeing him twice.

Xiao Nong commented calmly: "Not bad, a good candidate to be a spy."

Spies need people like this who have little sense of presence. The more plain their features are, the more they can blend into the crowd, the better.

Yun Cheng was flattered to be praised by His Royal Highness Prince Ding all of a sudden: "Thank you very much for the praise, Your Highness."

Zhong Yansheng had a hunch that Xiao Nong was probably not saying anything nice, so he secretly twisted his leg again, causing Xiao Nong to raise his eyebrows and look down at him. He was glared at by those beautiful, affectionate eyes, which made the corners of his mouth curl up.

After glaring at Xiao Nong, Zhong Yansheng turned around and asked, "Yun Cheng, what's written on the note?"

Yun Cheng took out the note from his sleeve, handed it to Zhong Yansheng, and said honestly: "I don't understand."

Zhong Yansheng took it and looked at it. The handwriting on the note was messy and sloppy. It must have been written secretly by General Zhang in a hurry. The font was very strange. Zhong Yansheng subconsciously moved closer to Xiao Nong and asked, "What is this?"

Xiao Nong glanced at him casually, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said seriously: "Mongolian."

"Do you know?"

Xiao Nong held Zhong Yansheng's wrist and slowly read the words: "A letter asking for help, ask someone to help him escape."

I didn't expect that by keeping an eye on that group of officials, they actually found problems.

Zhong Yansheng frowned: "Is that General Zhang related to the foreign tribe? Was he the one who revealed your whereabouts and led the assassins to ambush in Chunfeng Valley?"

I didn't expect that among this group of assassins, there were actually some with ties to foreign races, which made the problem even more serious.

Xiao Nong shook his head, not quite sure whether to laugh or not: "The Tartars can't reach that far. This General Zhang is just following orders."

Whose orders are you taking?

Zhong Yansheng felt a chill in his heart and had a vague premonition.

It seems that not only was it no accident that he was sent south to suppress the bandits, but it was also intentional for the old emperor to let Xiao Nong follow.

The old emperor's desire for control was extremely twisted. Xiao Nong was in charge of the military power, so how could he tolerate Xiao Nong?

But Xiao Nong is indeed difficult to deal with. Pass the news to other people who wish to kill Xiao Nong and let them do it. Even if they fail, Xiao Nong will not be able to trace him to the capital... It is indeed a cost-free deal.

But Zhong Yansheng knew very well that the old emperor must have deep connections with foreign races.

One of the main reasons why his father chose to stage a palace coup was that he intercepted a secret letter from the old emperor and learned that the old emperor wanted to join forces with foreign races to jointly deal with the Xiao family.

Later, probably because of a palace coup, the entire capital city experienced a bloodbath and the matter was temporarily shelved... But two years later, Mobei was still in chaos.

How did the third prince, who had no foundation at all, gain a foothold during the reign of Emperor Shun?

Prince Kangwen fell seriously ill for no apparent reason, causing Emperor Shun to be unable to recover. He had a twisted desire to control the Empress and the Prince... and the flower petals on the back of his neck.

Zhong Yansheng reached out and touched the petals behind her neck, and his fingertips trembled.

The day Tian Xi brought him into the palace, he told him that it was because of the birthmark on his body that the old emperor confirmed that he was the "Eleventh Prince", so the old emperor knew what the thing on the back of his neck was.

Lou Qingtang also said that those foreign races are best at witchcraft.

Then the thing on the back of his neck might really be related to foreign witchcraft, or in other words, to the old emperor.

Zhong Yansheng became uneasy again. His engagement with Xiao Nong and the thing on his body that might be a Gu were all closely related to Xiao Nong.

As soon as he was born, it seemed as if Xiao Nong's hands and feet were bound.

Children of this age are sentimental. Xiao Nong glanced at Zhong Yansheng and rubbed his head hard with his hand: "What are you thinking about?"

Zhong Yansheng said softly: "No..."

Seeing his long eyelashes trembling, Xiao Nong narrowed his dark blue eyes: "Don't think too much."

Zhong Yansheng said "Oh" obediently.

He was a little happy that Xiao Nong stuck to him when his headache flared up, but he didn't want to tie Xiao Nong up with this thing.

People are always greedy. He likes Xiao Nong's special treatment for him, but he doesn't want this special treatment to be because of the birthmark or the engagement.

He couldn't do anything about the birthmark for the time being, but fortunately the engagement could be cancelled as soon as possible.

Xiao Nong was unaware of Zhong Yansheng's secret thoughts. He opened the curtain of the carriage, called Zhan Rong over, gave him a few instructions, and asked him to arrest the general named Zhang first.

Zhan Rong immediately sent the message to the post house. Not long after, he received a reply letter. After taking a look at it, his face changed slightly. He knocked on the carriage and reported in a low voice: "Master, when the Black Armor Guards were about to capture him, he fell to the ground and committed suicide by taking poison."

Zhong Yansheng was close to Xiao Nong and was surprised when he heard the report.

General Zhang went to Yuncheng to pass on the message in order to save his life, so how could he commit suicide?

"It's as expected." Xiao Nong said calmly, "That old man always does things this way."

The clues were cut off from General Zhang, so it was impossible to follow their lead.

Just like after the prince failed in forcing the emperor to abdicate, he massacred everyone in the Eastern Palace and burned it down, destroying all traces. Mobei was in chaos, and he was desperately sent back to the capital by his personal guards. What greeted him was the Ding Mansion where "all the loyal servants were hanged to die for their master". Then he and the young Xiao Wenlan were sent into the palace as a matter of course.

All the palace maids who had had relations with Concubine Zhuang were either dead or left the palace. Those who left the palace were directly executed after the old emperor realized that someone was investigating them.

Zhong Yansheng felt a chill on his back. He hugged his small box tightly and rubbed against Xiao Nong. Only then did the frightened feeling ease.

The old emperor always looked kind and gentle, and seemed easy to talk to, benevolent, polite and righteous, but many things would make people shudder if they thought about them a little more deeply.

When they arrived at the post station, the local officials who had been detained for several days were waiting outside to greet them, looking disheveled.

Originally, everyone had complaints about being imprisoned here, but after General Zhang suddenly committed suicide by taking poison... or was poisoned to death, everyone's resentment was dispelled.

There really is a traitor in the government!

And it doesn’t matter if they were locked up for a few days. What’s most important is that Zhong Yansheng and Xiao Nong are safe.

Governor Wei's face was not gloomy at all. He was afraid that he would also be in trouble. He bowed deeply and said, "I have never had any contact with General Zhang. I didn't realize that he had evil intentions. He deserves death. I have sent people to thoroughly investigate the entire post station. Please punish me His Royal Highness Ding and the little prince!"

Several officials behind responded in unison, vying to distance themselves from General Zhang.

Zhong Yansheng was tired of listening to their repetitive words, which always said "I admit my mistake" and "Please be punished". No wonder Xiao Nong was always so impatient when talking.

Sure enough, Xiao Nong was still too lazy to listen: "Shut up."

The effect was immediate, and the group of people fell silent.

Xiao Nong stepped off the carriage and turned around to pick up Zhong Yansheng. He was not interested in responding to the local officials' words of surrender: "The thieves' den has been cleared. The thief leader started a fire before being executed. We have sent people to the mountains to deal with it."

Governor Wei also heard the news, but was busy trying to distance himself from the matter. Seeing that Xiao Nong had no intention of pursuing anyone else, he quickly responded, "Yes! Yes! I knew that His Highness Prince Ding and the Little Prince disappeared in the forest, just to play along with the bandits and they were captured easily!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, he helped Zhong Yansheng and Xiao to smooth things over, so Zhong Yansheng didn't even have to explain why they had been missing for a few days.

For a moment, Zhong Yansheng couldn't figure out whether Governor Wei was really stupid or just too smooth. He tilted his head and looked at Governor Wei.

Governor Wei smiled respectfully and gratefully**: "I am incompetent. The soldiers have been traveling so hard that they didn't even have time to have a hot meal. Tonight, I want to hold a banquet for you and the soldiers to celebrate your victory. I hope you two will not despise me and come to the banquet."**

The subordinates had indeed been busy for several days, especially Zhan Rong and the Black Armor Army, who had not had a good meal or rest for several days. Although Xiao Nong was not interested in the celebration banquet, he still nodded slightly.

After being away for several days, and with General Zhang's matter ahead of him, Xiao Nong still had a lot of things to tell Zhan Rong, so Zhong Yansheng went back to the house first and asked Yun Cheng to prepare hot water.

Yun Cheng sighed and was about to go to the kitchen when Zhong Yansheng called him again. After hesitating for a while, he came close to Yun Cheng and whispered to him to help him find something.

Hearing what Zhong Yansheng wanted, Yun Cheng's pupils trembled: "Ah? What do you want the fire avoidance map for? And you want it for men and men..."

“Shh!” Zhong Yansheng’s hair stood on end, and he covered Yun Cheng’s mouth with his hand. “Why are you shouting so loudly? Just help me find it, and don’t tell anyone else.”

Wei Ling seemed to have seen through his relationship with Xiao Nong, and his eyes were always complicated when he looked at Xiao Nong. He was too embarrassed to send a secret signal to call Wei Ling over to help him find it.

Otherwise, wouldn’t that be telling Wei Ling...that he wanted to sleep with Xiao Nong?

Yun Cheng was a little confused, not understanding why the well-behaved young master suddenly wanted to see something like this, but he listened to Zhong Yansheng's words: "I'll find it for you in a moment."

Yun Cheng is still very reliable in doing things, so Zhong Yansheng feels relieved.

While the hot water was being delivered into the house, Yun Cheng also helped Zhong Yansheng find the fire avoidance map he wanted.

Huo Shuang and his men were patrolling in the yard. Zhong Yansheng looked left and right with a guilty conscience, quickly took the book and stuffed it into his sleeve, slammed the door, closed the window, and with his heart pounding, he carefully opened the book and took a look.

He was shocked at first sight.

Guiguang is located in the south and was a barbarian land in the previous dynasty. The people there are open-minded and Yuncheng is dedicated to his work, so the map he found is quite diverse.

How, how can there be so many weird postures? Brushes are obviously used for writing and painting, how can... and what is the ball stuffed in the mouth?

Zhong Yansheng took a few glances and then covered his burning face, unable to bear it any longer.

So perverted!

Does he really want to do this with Xiao Nong?

But in order to avoid pain, he had to watch.

Zhong Yansheng looked at the pictures through his fingers and felt his ears burning. He reluctantly picked out two normal pictures for reference.

Xiao Nong had no interest in moving, so the celebration banquet was held in the front yard of the posthouse. Governor Wei was a shrewd man, and he sent people to prepare before the two men agreed, and the kitchen prepared the meal in the afternoon.

When he went to the banquet in the evening, Zhong Yansheng saw Xiao Nong wearing a red robe with arrow-shaped sleeves, and strange pictures could not help but emerge in his mind.

He had a good memory for pictures and was very good at association. Those messy pictures seemed to have become him and Xiao Nong.

...It's so terrible.

Zhong Yansheng was panic-stricken, fearing that Xiao Nong would discover what was in his head. He didn't dare to look at Xiao Nong for long, and even when Xiao Nong approached him, he backed away like a frightened rabbit.

Xiao Nong narrowed his eyes.

He was fine when they went down the mountain, but they separated for a while after returning to the inn. What was this little guy thinking about? Why was he still hiding from him?

The two princes sat on the main seats, but one of them had an expression that was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry, while the other one kept his head down and said nothing.

Governor Wei could only raise his glass to smooth things over, and said with a laugh: "Thanks to your two highnesses for taking action, this great threat has been eliminated for this local area. I offer a toast to your two highnesses!"

Xiao Nong had an indifferent expression. He casually raised the wine glass and took a sip.

Zhong Yansheng looked at the scene, raised his cup with some embarrassment, took a closer sniff, and found that there was no wine in his cup, but sweet fermented glutinous rice soup.

It must have been Xiao who asked someone to change it.

Zhong Yansheng couldn't help but glance at him. When he caught a glimpse of His Royal Highness Prince Ding's handsome profile and tall nose, the images in his mind began to run wildly again. His fingers trembled, and he quickly lowered his head to drink the soup.

Oh my god! The nose is so high, and those pictures use the nose...

Xiao Nong naturally noticed Zhong Yansheng's gaze and became more and more confused.

He didn't dodge like this even when he was afraid of him before.

Is he really too old to even guess what kids of his age are thinking?

The officials below were full of praise and were vying with each other to flatter Xiao Nong and Zhong Yansheng. Zhong Yansheng got bored after listening for a while and looked down. Only then did he realize that there seemed to be not only local officials attending the banquet tonight, but also some female relatives and some handsome young men.

He suddenly felt strange.

Isn't this a celebration party? What are you doing bringing these beautiful girls and boys?

Soon, Zhong Yansheng's doubts were answered.

After three rounds of drinks, the Governor of Guiguang said with a smile: "Your Highness Prince Ding is very busy, so I don't think he will stay for too long. It's very tiring to travel by boat and without someone to serve you carefully, which is very troublesome. I have admired Your Highness Prince Ding for a long time. I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to let me pour you a cup of tea?"

Seeing that someone brave enough spoke first, the others also started to get excited.

Zhong Yansheng suddenly realized and looked at Xiao Nong secretly again.

Xiao Nong...would he do those things with other people?

Then he noticed Xiao Nong's fingers stroking the wine cup. His knuckles were distinct, with a jade-like luster, and very... slender and powerful.

Why are Xiao Nong's fingers so long?

Zhong Yansheng's mind was racing again, and he lowered his head again, feeling extremely ashamed for thinking these things in public.

Zhong Yansheng suddenly ignored him. Xiao Nong was already in a bad mood. When he heard these people dare to speak up and say these things in front of Zhong Yansheng, his face suddenly turned cold, and he looked over expressionlessly: "No need."

The straightforward refusal, without giving any face, made the Governor of Guiguang feel embarrassed. Governor Wei hurriedly smoothed things over: "This subject heard that His Royal Highness Prince Ding already has an engagement. I guess he did this for his fiancée to keep herself clean..."

Noticing that Zhong Yansheng was looking at him again, Xiao Nong's eyelids jumped, and he interrupted with a cold look on his face: "I don't know if there is any engagement."

Governor Wei was sweating coldly, and immediately changed the subject**: "What about the singing and dancing? Why don't you come up!"**

The sounds of stringed instruments and singing and dancing slightly eased the cold atmosphere at the banquet. After one set of landmines after another, the officials below really didn't dare to speak carelessly this time, and they all pretended to be dead.

Zhong Yansheng thought, it seems that Xiao Nong really only wanted to sleep with him.

And from Xiao Nong's attitude, it can be seen that he really hates being arranged to marry.

Xiao Nong took another sip of wine and said, "I am feeling a little unwell. I will go ahead. You all can continue."

It was already an honor for him to come to the banquet. After being offended twice in a row, he left the table in displeasure. No one dared to say anything and everyone responded in agreement.

After Xiao Nong left, Zhong Yansheng could no longer sit still. After a while, he also found a reason to leave.

The front yard is bustling right now, and the backyard, which already has few people, is even quieter. The closer it is to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the rounder the moon seen from the patio becomes.

Zhong Yansheng didn't know whether he should go look for Xiao Nong. He looked at the moon for a while and was about to go back when he suddenly heard a melodious and ancient sound of a xun.

His steps involuntarily turned, and he followed the sound, and saw Xiao Nong leaning against the corridor in the yard playing the xun.

Seeing that the man was lured over, Xiao Nong put away the pottery xun, lured the man over, pinched the back of his neck and rubbed it, and said in an unhappy tone: "Why are you hiding from me?"

Zhong Yansheng shuddered when he touched him, but he still didn't dare to look him in the eye: "Your birthday is coming soon."

Xiao Nong's face darkened: "Do you really think that I am older than you?"

Could it be that this kid likes people who are younger than him? He himself is small enough.

Zhong Yansheng tried hard to suppress the strange images in his mind, but the tips of his ears were still a little red. He raised his eyes and met Xiao Nong's gaze: "I have prepared two gifts for you."

Xiao Nong paused, and his mood changed from gloomy to cheerful almost instantly: "Gift?"

Zhong Yansheng rested his head in his arms, thinking about the fire avoidance picture, and nodded shyly.

So cute.

Xiao Nong curved his lips, lowered his head, and rubbed his nose against him intimately. His deep blue eyes seemed like a deep ocean: "This king doesn't need anything, why bother with so much thought... But I will like whatever you give me."

Zhong Yansheng blinked: "Really?"

Do you like that kind of picture?

"Of course." Xiao Nong put his arm around his waist and asked with a smile, "Come back to the room with me?"

Xiao Nong's eyes were very explicit, as if there were dangerous waves hidden under the sea. Zhong Yansheng was silent for a moment, then said something shocking: "Do you want to take me back to sleep?"

The secret guard who was hanging on the eaves and quietly popping his head out almost fell down and took a few steps back with lingering fear.

“…”

Xiao Nong lifted his pretty, hot little face with his fingers. He didn't know whether to say he was timid or brave.

Zhong Yansheng tilted his head to resist: "Anyway... I can't let you sleep with me now."

Xiao Nong almost laughed out loud. The person in his arms looked very serious, which made his heart itch, and he couldn't stop laughing: "Hmm? When can we do it?"

Zhong Yansheng felt like he was being laughed at. Not only did Xiao Nong not work hard to learn these things, but he also had to learn them before he could teach him, and Xiao Nong still laughed at him.

He pushed Xiao Nong unhappily and said, "I want to go back."

After confirming that the kid's awkwardness tonight was not due to overthinking, Xiao Nong chuckled and let him go: "Okay, remember to let me know when you can go to bed."

After a pause, he said, "It's urgent."

His expression was charming, and his tone was ambiguous. Zhong Yansheng's spine was tingling, and his ears were getting redder because of his laughter. He mustered up the courage to kick him, but fearing that he would be dragged back, he turned around and ran away.

Xiao Nong leaned against the pillar and watched Zhong Yansheng run away with a smile. As he was laughing, he started coughing. He lowered his head and covered his mouth and coughed violently a few times. After a moment, he spread out his hands and stared at the blood in his palms.

Zhan Rong, who had been hiding in the dark, appeared and said in surprise: "Master!"

Xiao Nong didn't even raise his eyelids: "Shut up."

After taking a dose of medicine, the situation seemed to get better, but then it seemed more like it was getting worse.

Yuan Yuan's blood was indeed effective. His mind was clear now. Perhaps the way he used the medicine was wrong.

This was the case, it was a foregone conclusion that his headache was related to the mark on Zhong Yansheng's body.

If Zhong Yansheng knew about this, he would start to worry about all kinds of things. Although this kid looks slow, he is actually very sensitive.

"Oh, right." Xiao Nong took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the blood off his fingers. "Someone next to Yuan Yuan went out in a panic this afternoon. What did he go for?"

Zhan Rong's face suddenly became extremely strange, and he hesitated whether to say it or not.

Xiao Nong felt a little impatient.

Zhan Rong immediately shouted, "He went to buy a fashionable fire-avoiding painting!"

“…”

"oh."

Xiao Nong wiped his fingers and said indifferently: "Next time you report this kind of thing, you won't have to shout aloud."

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