Wang Shoufu cupped his hands towards the officials and followed the old eunuch into the palace. They walked all the way to the side hall of the imperial study.
The old eunuch ordered the eunuchs to serve tea and said respectfully, "Lord Grand Secretary, please wait."
After that, he left.
Wang Shoufu sat on the chair alone. This wait lasted for an hour.
He was not in a hurry and waited silently. Crimson robe, tall hat, white hair at the temples.
His expression was calm and one could not tell whether he was happy or angry. However, his dazed eyes made people realize that this old man's emotions were not as good as he looked.
Finally, footsteps could be heard.
Wang Shoufu's slightly murky eyes lit up slightly as he looked towards the door.
The old eunuch wearing an official robe walked in alone with a horsetail whisk in his arm and said regretfully, "Lord Grand Secretary, His Majesty is unable to endure his grief and is not appropriate. He will not see you."
The light in Wang Shoufu's eyes dimmed bit by bit.
The old eunuch sighed, "His Majesty needs time to calm down. You know, Duke Huai is his younger brother. His Majesty has been close to Duke Huai since young. Now that he's gone so suddenly … "
Wang Shoufu nodded woodenly, cupped his hands, and left the side hall of the imperial study.
As he walked down the stairs, Wang Shoufu could not help but return to his senses. He bowed deeply towards the imperial study.
Then, he strode away without looking back.
… …
After watching Wang Shoufu leave, the old eunuch let out a sigh of relief. He was a little afraid of Wang Zhenwen's eyes, which were filled with deep disappointment.
He passed through the imperial study and entered the bedchambers. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Grand Secretary has returned."
Yuanjing Emperor grunted and did not open his eyes. He closed them to rest and asked, "Who are the people gathered at the palace gate?"
The old eunuch said in a low voice, "Those who should be here are here."
Yuanjing Emperor snorted coldly, "I knew it. These dogs usually bite each other, but half of it is an act. Hateful, hateful, they should be killed! "
He raged for a while before regaining his composure and asked, "Is the Left Imperial Censor Yuan Xiong here?"
The old eunuch thought about it and shook his head. "I don't think so."
The Yuanjing Emperor closed his eyes again. After a long silence, when the old eunuch thought that the matter was over, he suddenly heard the Yuanjing Emperor say,
"Note down those who didn't come today. Do the same for the next few days."
"Yes!"
…
Dusk, in the golden red afterglow.
Xu Qi'an was leading the filly, while Xu Xinnian was leading his mount. They were walking slowly on the street.
Accompanying them were the Administrative Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai and the Rank-5 Warrior Shentu Baili.
"Lord Zheng, are you staying at the relay station?" Xu Qi 'an's tone was laced with worry.
With Zheng Xinghuai's official position, he would definitely stay in a relay station in the inner city. The security there was very good, and he also had Shentu Baili and a group of personal bodyguards.
However, their current enemy was the Yuanjing Emperor, so they had to be on their guard. A Rank-5 Transforming Strength Warrior was really not enough in the capital.
"Don't worry, Big Brother. Today, the King of Zhenbei's massacre of the city has pushed His Majesty to the teeth of the storm, and Lord Zheng to the teeth of the storm. Even His Majesty would not do something unwise at this time, which would incur the wrath of the public. You must know that the rolling momentum cannot be resisted. "
Xu Xinnian said.
Administrative Commissioner Zheng looked at him in surprise, and a trace of praise appeared on his bitter face. He said,
"Xu Yinluo, this cousin of yours has sharp eyes. What he said is very true. With this attitude of not being affected by honor or disgrace, he will definitely have a bright future. "
Xu Xinnian smiled faintly.
"No, he is just used to being arrogant and pretentious. In fact, his mental endurance is just so-so. He also often dies in society. He is not the kind of great national expert who will not flinch even if the mountain collapses in front of him …" Xu Qi 'an complained in his heart.
Administrative Commissioner Zheng did not know what was going on in Xu Bainhuo's mind. He said with reminiscence, "He reminds me of Duke Wei when he was young."
"Wait, Lord Zheng, does Duke Wei agree with what you said?" Xu Qi 'an's lips twitched, and a forced smile appeared on his face. In the end, he remained silent.
Some things happened, and if they were not dealt with, it would be like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
"You don't have to worry," Administrative Commissioner Zheng said. "A group of night watchmen has moved into the station. You know what I mean."
"Duke Wei is already on guard. With him taking care of Lord Zheng's safety, I don't have to worry …" Xu Qi 'an felt relieved.
"Goodbye!"
Administrative Commissioner Zheng cupped his hands and left with Shen Tu Baili.
Xu Qi 'an watched silently. From Chu Zhou City to the capital, in just ten days, Zheng Xinghuai's back was a little crooked, as if something was pressing on his shoulders, making him unable to straighten his back.
"Sigh …" He sighed in his heart, stroked the back of the little mare, and turned around to mount her.
Amidst the clattering of the horses, the brothers slowly walked in the direction of their home.
"Lord Zheng is a pitiful man. He became a Jinshi in the 19th year of Yuan Jing. I heard from Censor Liu that his father died when he was young, and his widowed mother raised him with great difficulty. Finally, she sent him to the Imperial College, and he became a Jinshi. But because of years of hard work, her body was drained, and she passed away before her son could return home. "
As the little mare walked, Xu Qi 'an said, "Then, because he was inflexible and didn't know how to be flexible, he offended the former Prime Minister and was sent to Chu Zhou City.
"He had been operating in Chu Zhou City for eighteen years, and most of his life was spent there. But in one night, he was reduced to dust. "
Xu Xinnian was silent for a long time, and he felt very uncomfortable.
He exhaled, and said with emotion, "Eighteen years of wind and rain, half a lifetime of work, I will listen to it."
"Let's not talk about this." As if to get rid of the gloomy mood, Xu Qi 'an put on an indecent smile.
"Cijiu, how far did you go with Miss Wang? Did you … Hmm, teach her everything you know? "
Xu Xinnian blushed, and said unhappily, "That word is so vulgar. I admit that I have a good impression of Miss Wang. She is well-educated, knowledgeable, elegant, and can talk to me about the past and the present.
"I have never seen such a talented girl other than Princess Huaiqing. It is not surprising that I am a little moved by her. "
Brother, we have the same taste. I also like a talented girl like Huaiqing. Oh, I also like an idiot like Lin An, a foodie like Caiwei, a heroine like Li Miaozhen, and a poor girl like Zhong Li …
"Actually, I have always been hesitant." Xu Xinnian said helplessly, "Wang Zhenwen is Wei Yuan's political enemy. He may not marry Miss Si Mu to me. And I have not decided to marry her. "
Xu Qi 'an was no longer glib-tongued, and said in a low voice, "We have discussed this more than once. Between you and me, we must make a break.
"You walk your sunny path, I walk my single-log bridge. Heh, isn't Duke Wei just a single-log bridge? I know your concerns. You are afraid that Wang Zhenwen will force you to go against me, and you will fight among yourselves. Regarding this, Big Brother has a way to tell you. "
Xu Xinnian asked humbly, "Please speak, Big Brother."
Xu Qi 'an said, "Have a wife and respect yourself."
"What do you mean, Big Brother?"
"If you marry someone else's daughter, it is equivalent to having a hostage. Unless Wang Zhenwen does not care about this daughter, otherwise, no matter how bad your relationship is, he will not really be heartless. Grasp this degree, and you will be in an invincible position. Moreover, you do not need to completely rely on the Wang family. You only need to give the Xu family another path. "
"That makes sense." Xu Xinnian nodded slowly.
Seeing that he seemed to understand, Xu Qi 'an smiled, and looked forward, thinking about his mistress outside.
After not seeing her for so long, I have actually raised her … The charm of Daibun's number one beauty seems a little strange. It is not as seductive as Luo Yuheng, but is secretly influencing?
I really want to know where she came from.
Hmm, I will first leave the mistress with my confidante. When the matter with the King of Zhenbei is settled, I will go see her. Before that, I need to be careful.
Zhong Li will also stay with the Celestial Commissioner. I will definitely go out frequently in the next few days, and it will be inconvenient to bring her along.
I will also not meet Lin 'an and Huaiqing first. I will definitely not be able to enter the palace during this period. Moreover, this matter is related to the royal family, and I will also be involved, so I do not want to see them.
As his thoughts wandered, he suddenly heard Xu Erlang ask confusedly, "Big brother, what do you mean by 'teach'?"
At first, he thought that his uncultured and vulgar big brother made a mistake, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong, so he could not help but ask.
Xu Qi 'an thought for a while, and answered, "Whether a man loves a woman or not depends on whether he is willing to teach her."
There is such a saying? Xu Cijiu said, "Then, does a woman love a man? How can we tell? "
Ever since his big brother broke through to the Qi Refinement State, he has had endless luck with women, and could always hook up with stunning beauties. In the field of romance, Xu Cijiu was very convinced by his big brother.
You want to ask, does Simu Wang really like you? Xu Qi 'an thought for a long time, and said, "It depends on whether that woman is willing to line the road to welcome you."
What the hell is big brother talking about … Xu Cijiu did not understand, and studied it along the way.
…
"Big pot …"
When they entered the house and came to the inner hall, it was time for dinner.
When Xu Lingyin saw her big brother come back, she did not even eat, and walked up to him with her short legs, and then ran into Xu Qi 'an's arms.
Xu Qi 'an's body swayed, and he was a little surprised.
After not seeing him for a month and a half, the little bean's strength had increased to this level?
"Did you make your mother angry recently?" Xu Qi 'an carried the little bean in his arms, and walked into the inner hall.
"Ah? Do I make my mother angry often? "Xu Lingyin asked in surprise.
She was such a good child, and even her mother said that she did not know what was going on in her life, and that was why she gave birth to Xu Lingyin.
It was obvious that she was different from her big brother, second brother, and sister.
Xu Lingyin did not know the difference between her cousin and her real brother, and she always thought that her big brother was also born from her mother.
Xu Qi 'an touched her head, and did not say anything.
It seemed that the cultivation method of the Strength Voodoo Sect could only increase one's strength, and could not increase one's intelligence, or else Lina would not be like this.
Thinking of this, he looked at Blacky, who had curly hair, eyes like the blue sea, wheat-colored skin, and exquisite facial features.
"I feel that you've changed." Blacky examined him.
"How is it different?" Xu Qi 'an asked.
Lina thought about it, and shook her head. She could not put her finger on it, but she felt that when he walked, his body coordination, and the way his muscles exerted force had improved.
"Big brother, you're back."
Xu Lingyue was, of course, the happiest one. Her beautiful oval face bloomed with a smile, and she personally served food to Xu Qi 'an.
Xu Cijiu waited for a while, and when he saw that his sister did not care about him at all, he helped himself.
"It's good that you're back."
Second Uncle Xu had been examining his nephew, and when he saw that he was safe and sound, and that he was even more energetic, a smile appeared on his rough face.
"Yes!"
The proud aunt nodded, and then said, "Lingyin, come down quickly, don't delay your big brother's meal."
Today, the aunt wore a plain-colored dress with plump begonia flowers embroidered on it. It was as beautiful and plump as she was, and it outlined her voluptuous breasts and slender waist.
She wore a light yellow dress, which added a hint of elegance and intelligence to her beauty.
After dinner, Xu Qi 'an was invited to Xu Erlang's study.
Unknowingly, the two of them had started to avoid second Uncle Xu when discussing important matters, unlike when they were dealing with the Assistant Minister of Revenue, Zhou Xianping, where the three of them discussed together.
The two brothers felt that this was good. Second Uncle was not good at scheming, and the more he knew, the easier it was for him to be troubled.
This was because as an elder, he had to think about how to solve problems, and not wait for his nephew and son to solve them.
Shielding their children from the wind and rain was the instinct of every elder. Unfortunately, Second Uncle Xu was not good at this, so it only added to his troubles.
…
In the East Wing.
second Uncle Xu sat at the table and took a sip of tea. He heaved a sigh and said, "Those two bastards don't like me anymore."
The aunt in a thin white dress sat cross-legged on the bed, fiddling with her jade bracelet and asked, "What do you mean?"
Her legs were long and slender, and when they were crossed, it was a feast for the eyes.
"Sigh, something big has happened in Chu Zhou City. Hundreds of officials are causing trouble in the imperial city, and it's all over the place." second Uncle Xu furrowed his brows.
"What is it?" the aunt asked curiously.
"You are just a woman, don't worry about it." second Uncle Xu gave her a dirty look.
Just as the two brothers didn't want second Uncle Xu to worry, second Uncle Xu didn't want his wife to worry for no reason. For a girl like her who thought she was in the prime of her life, it was enough to give her peace and happiness.
…
"Big brother, you haven't told me the details of what happened in Chu Zhou City."
In the study, Xu Erlang sat by the tea table with a cup of strong tea in his hand.
Xu Qi'an stood by the window and looked into the dark courtyard. He said slowly, "The Chu Zhou City case is far more complicated than you think …"
He calmly told Xu Cijiu about his experiences during his journey to the north, including how he shared a bond with Minister Zheng and how he witnessed the massacre in Chu Zhou City.
His tone was so calm that he didn't dare to have the slightest fluctuation.
Great sorrow has no tears.
"So, so he's also involved …"
Xu Xinnian said in a daze. In his heart, the little bit of loyalty he had for the emperor collapsed with a loud bang, not a single trace of it remained.
"The purpose of the diplomatic mission's return to the capital this time is to announce North Zhenbei King's crimes to the world. Ha, Lord Zheng will not allow a bastard like North Zhenbei King to be buried with the title of a prince and to be passed down to future generations as the Great Guardian of the Nation," Xu Qi 'an sneered.
Scholars cared about their reputation the most. If they couldn't convict the King of Zhenbei, Zheng Xinghuai thought it would be an unsuccessful revenge, and it wouldn't be considered justice for the people of Chu Zhou City.
"Cijiu, how do you think we should fight this battle?" Xu Qi'an asked.
"You are already doing it." Xu Xinnian said, "Even if he is the emperor, he can't stop the surging public sentiment to threaten Emperor Yuan Jing with the rolling momentum of the general public. Didn't he agree to meet with Wang Shoufu? Let's just see what happens tomorrow. "
"Unfortunately, I can't help much with the matters of the court. It doesn't feel good to put your hopes on others." Xu Qi'an sighed.
"Big Brother, you have done enough …"
Xu Xinnian was about to comfort him, but he suddenly frowned and paused for a long time. His expression slowly became serious, "Big Brother, something is wrong."
Xu Qi'an turned around and looked at him.
Xu Xinnian said in a low voice, "According to what you said, if this case was a conspiracy between the Yuanjing Emperor and Duke Huai, then the mission's plan to catch him off guard was a failure from the start.
"Don't forget, Que Yongxiu escaped, and the King of Zhenbei's secret agents also escaped. Will these people spread the news of the King of Zhenbei's death back to the capital? Maybe when you were feeling complacent, he had already received the news in advance.
"Then, the Yuanjing Emperor has definitely thought of a way to deal with it. Don't doubt it, our Emperor has played politics for so many years. If he gets serious, I'm afraid that even Duke Wei and Wang Shoufu won't be his match. "
"You reminded me, that is indeed the case." Xu Qi'an turned around and faced the pitch black courtyard. He didn't say anything else.
Xu Qi'an knew that the court wasn't his home ground. First of all, political struggles weren't about solving cases, and it wasn't something that could be done with a smart brain. To be able to fight their way out of the imperial examinations, who wasn't a smart person?
But every year, there were so many people who rose and fell.
Xu Qi'an wasn't arrogant enough to think that he could fight the Yuanjing Emperor for three hundred rounds in the court.
Secondly, his official position was too low, and he didn't even have the opportunity to attend the court. This meant that he wasn't qualified to go to the "front line."
"So this time, the position of the main force will have to be handed over to Duke Wei, Chief Minister Zheng, and those officials who do it for fame and profit, or who still have a sense of justice in their hearts … However, I can still contribute outside the situation."
…
On the Eight Trigrams Platform in the Stargazing Tower.
A white-haired and white-bearded Supervisor, dressed in snow-white robes, stood at the edge of the Eight Trigrams Platform with his hands clasped behind his back, overlooking the entire capital.
The night wind blew up the corners of his robes and caressed his white beard. He had the demeanor of a transcendent being, just like an exiled immortal.
"I heard that the King of Zhenbei died in the Northern Region."
A low and deep voice resounded. The tone was low and flat, like a conversation between old friends, and it gave off an unfathomable feeling.
Behind the Supervisor, a white-clothed figure appeared.
Daibun's Act Tough King, Yang Qianhuan.
The master and disciple had their backs to each other, both standing with their hands clasped behind their backs. Both were dressed in snow-white robes. Needless to say, it was hard to tell who was better.
The Supervisor nodded and said with a smile, "Some people even wake up laughing in their sleep."
"Is the master referring to Wei Yuan or someone else …" Yang Qianhuan muttered to himself, but his tone was still indifferent, like that of an otherworldly master. He mimicked the Supervisor and nodded.
The Supervisor was already used to his disciple's temper, so he didn't pay him any attention. As long as Yang Qianhuan didn't say in front of him, "Heaven is the shore at the end of the sea, and I am the peak of all magicians," the Supervisor didn't bother to argue with him.
Yang Qianhuan continued, "The one who killed the King of Zhenbei was a mysterious master. He fought against five masters alone in the ruins of Chu Zhou City and killed the King of Zhenbei in front of everyone, avenging the people's grievances. Then, he chased after the King of Zhenbei for a thousand miles and killed Ji Chili Zhigu.
"It's so exciting, and I want to take his place. However, I feel better when I think about how Xu Ningyan didn't get the limelight either. Hehe, this kid has been stealing my opportunities. How hateful. He must be envious of the mysterious master in Chu Zhou City. "
After saying that, Yang Qianhuan used his fourth-level magician's intuition to notice that the Supervisor had turned around and looked at him.
Is the supervising teacher finally feeling ashamed for the mistakes he's made in the past … Yang Qianhuan's heart was filled with joy.
The Supervisor's eyes were full of pity.
…
The next day, the officials gathered at the palace gate again and went on strike. They felt like they had been played.
They thought that the Emperor had compromised and invited the Prime Minister to the palace for a discussion. However, Wang Shoufu's reply was, "The Emperor didn't want to see me."
Did he think that he could pretend that nothing had happened if he didn't see him?
As the incident continued to grow, the King of Zhenbei's massacre was no longer limited to the officials. People from all walks of life had heard about the incident, and it was a ghastly sight.
Taverns, teahouses, brothels, these places were known as information distribution centers. People came to listen in on the conversations all day long.
"The King of Zhenbei is inhumane. Three hundred and eighty thousand lives were lost. How could he be so cruel?" Someone slammed the table and cursed.
Insulting the King of Zhenbei had become politically correct. People didn't have to worry about being punished because the entire government was doing the same. Anyone who didn't insult the King of Zhenbei was a monster.
Scolding the North Vanquishing King meant that he was a scholar who was well-read and a partner of justice.
"Did you know that Xu Yinluo was the one who went to the Northern Region to investigate the case? He is indeed the best. Without him, the North Conqueror King's crimes would not have been exposed."
"There is no case in this world that Xu Yinluo can't solve. With Xu Yinluo around, I feel that the government is still a good government because villains can no longer go unpunished."
"But I heard that Xu Yinluo can't do anything in the court."
"That's not a problem. The civil and military officials will naturally replace Xu Yinluo. Have you heard that Xu Yinluo's cousin, the Spring Festival Huiyuan, cursed for four hours at the palace gate until dusk yesterday. He went there again today. "
"That's amazing."
…
In the bedchamber.
The old eunuch stepped over the threshold with a splitting headache. He was so angry that his face was pale. "Your Majesty, that, that Xu Xinnian is cursing outside again. He is really hateful and deserves to be killed. "
The Yuanjing Emperor was sitting on the big chair with a scripture in his hand. When he heard the old eunuch's words, he lightly replied, "If he is killed, then the general trend will be unstoppable and will incur public anger."
The old Emperor's face was calm as he said, "Yesterday, what actions did Wei Yuan take?"
The old eunuch unconsciously whispered, "Duke Wei secretly went to see Wang Shoufu last night …"
The implication was that the two fierce tigers in the court had formed an alliance in private.
Wei Yuan and Wang Zhenwen represented the two biggest parties in the court. If they were to join forces, no one would be their opponent. Even His Majesty had suffered losses from the two of them.
That year when the sale of official positions was at its peak, it was later extinguished by the two of them. Those official positions that were sold and titles that were bestowed, within these five years, were removed from office and beheaded. Wang Shoufu took back more than half of them.
The old Emperor smiled as if he was disdainful and asked, "Is there anything unusual in the Palace?"
The old eunuch whispered, "Everything is calm. However, Princess Lin An returned to the Palace yesterday. As for Princess Huaiqing … "
The old Emperor narrowed his eyes. "What happened to Huaiqing?"
"She left the Palace and returned to Huaiqing residence."
After a long silence, the old Emperor made a sound of agreement and instructed, "If Princess Lin An requests for an audience later, let her go back."
…
The third day.
The officials were still gathered at the Palace gates. However, those who were attentive would discover that although the number of people did not change, a portion of the powerful officials did not come today.
Xu Qi'an was at the night watchman's yamen when he saw the head guard of Princess Huaiqing residence. He was ordered by Princess Royal to invite Xu Qi'an to the Princess residence for a chat.
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