"I've already eaten at home." County Magistrate Liu looked at the plate of green vegetables in front of him and was startled. He said, "Lord Li, I just want to ask …"
"I suddenly had an inspiration and came up with a poem. Why don't you help me analyze it?"
County Magistrate Liu was startled again. He cupped his hands and said, "Lord Li is the number one scholar in the imperial court with unparalleled talent in poetry. I'm not talented and I don't dare …"
Li Yi waved his hand and said, "It's just an exchange. Lord Liu, you don't have to belittle yourself. It's nothing."
County Magistrate Liu cupped his hands again and said, "I'm all ears."
Li Yi smiled and said, "I've traveled to some places in my early years. I've been to a place called Chilechuan at the foot of the Yin Mountain."
"Yin Mountain?" County Magistrate Liu was puzzled. "Lord Li, you've been to the north?"
Li Yi nodded and said, "Chilechuan is a good place. Seeing this plate of green vegetables, I suddenly thought of the boundless green grassland there. I couldn't help but feel a bit poetic. County Magistrate Liu, why don't you listen to it …"
Li Yi had a thoughtful expression on his face. After a while, he said, "Chilechuan, at the foot of the Yin Mountain. The sky is like a dome, covering the surrounding wilderness … "
"Thousands of miles of Yin Mountain, Chilechuan Plain, the sky is vast and boundless, covering the surrounding wilderness …" County Magistrate Liu nodded and said, "Lord Li, you really have a wide range of knowledge. This poem has a broad realm and a majestic tone. It has the feeling of a northern folk song during the Northern and Southern Dynasties …"
"The sky is vast and the wilderness is boundless …"
"These two lines describe the magnificence of the picture and the vastness of the wilderness …"
"I live next door. My surname is Wang."
"Ah …" County Magistrate Liu was startled and said with some uncertainty, "The sky is vast and the wilderness is boundless. I live next door. My surname is Wang?"
The first line had been talking about the vastness of the world. This line changed too quickly. The strong contrast made him unable to believe his ears for a moment.
"Why? Lord Liu, you don't like this line?" Li Yi thought for a moment, then said, "Then let's change it. 'The sky is vast, the field is boundless — a branch of red apricot wants to grow out of the wall'. What does Lord Liu think of this sentence?"
"Lord Li, I'm not as talented as you." County Magistrate Liu shook his head in shame and said, "I just want to ask Lord Li …"
It was such an obvious hint, yet he couldn't understand it. It seemed like he had no choice but to make it clear.
Li Yi sighed, walked over and said, "No matter what, the child is innocent. I can't help much in this matter. Lord Liu, please reconsider."
County Magistrate Liu was stunned for a moment before he asked, "Are you saying that if both parents have single eyelids, they really can't give birth to a child with double eyelids?"
"Not necessarily …" Li Yi thought about it and said, "Double eyelids and single eyelids are determined by genetics. Logically speaking, it's impossible for parents with single eyelids to give birth to a child with double eyelids. But nothing is absolute. Who knows, maybe the child's Mercury and Halley's Comet will go in the opposite direction. If we don't save it, we won't change our fate.
Fortunately, after practicing martial arts, he had deliberately exercised his body, and even his lung capacity had increased a lot. He didn't even gasp for breath when he said so many words. Li Yi took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, then he looked at County Magistrate Liu and asked, "Lord Liu, do you understand?"
"Mercury, Comet, Halley, Halley, Dyed … body?" County Magistrate Liu looked at Li Yi in a daze, then he nodded and said, "I understand."
"Understand?" Li Yi looked at him in surprise and said, "Since you understand, Lord Liu, tell me about it."
"…"
County Magistrate Liu coughed dryly and said, "Lord Li, you mean that parents with single eyelids are also very likely to give birth to a child with double eyelids …"
Under normal circumstances, what was the probability of the gene mutation that controlled eyelids? It was one in a million or less. Li Yi didn't know, but the other possibility was much higher.
Li Yi nodded and said, "It's quite high. Jing Kingdom, Qi Kingdom, and maybe Zhao Kingdom … There should be two or three."
"Jing Kingdom, Qi Kingdom, Zhao Kingdom …" County Magistrate Liu was stunned as if he had been struck by lightning.
Looking at his absent-minded look, Li Yi sighed and said, "Lord Liu, life is unpredictable. Be strong …"
After a long time, County Magistrate Liu woke up from his absent-mindedness. He cupped his hands to Li Yi and said, "Lord Li, I'll take my leave now."
Seeing him stumble out, Li Yi glanced at Fang and said, "Go send Lord Liu back."
Fang was holding the plate of green vegetables and eating. Hearing this, he raised his head and said, "He's a grown-up. He doesn't need me to send him back. Don't you think so, Old Liu?"
County Magistrate Liu stepped over the threshold. His body swayed and he turned his head and said, "Fang, Brother Fang, you'd better send me back."
When Li Yi followed him out, a servant reported that a Minister Counsellor of the Ministry of Rites wanted to see him.
An official walked in quickly and bowed, saying, "Lord Li, Imperial Concubine Li's birthday is coming. I'm here to send an invitation …"
The rules of the royal family were strict. The birthday of imperial concubines in the harem also had a corresponding etiquette process.
Imperial Concubine Cui's position in the palace was second only to the Empress, so her birthday was naturally held every year. Of course, it didn't require all the officials to participate. According to the rules of previous years, Imperial Concubine Cui would be allowed to go out of the palace to spend half a day with her relatives on the day of the birthday and then return to the palace in the middle of the night.
This banquet was actually hosted by the Cui family.
Although Li Yi and the Cui family had never been on good terms, with his current status, the Cui family would still routinely send him an invitation to all the officials even if there was any hatred.
When the official from the Ministry of Rites saw Liu Dayou, he was startled and immediately said, "Lord Liu is also here. It saves me the trouble of making another trip."
He rummaged for a while, took out another invitation, and handed it to County Magistrate Liu.
Although the position of this capital magistrate was small, the power he held now was not small and couldn't be ignored.
After the official from the Ministry of Rites left, seeing County Magistrate Liu staring blankly at the invitation in his hand, Li Yi casually asked, "Lord Liu is also going to Imperial Concubine Cui's birthday?"
"I was invited last year and went once." County Magistrate Liu nodded and said, "It's not good for me to refuse such a thing …"
His eyes flickered, "I'm afraid I have to go again this year."
Li Yi nodded and said, "I won't go to Imperial Concubine Cui's birthday, but I still have to send the gift. Do you think … if I send fifty eggs, isn't it a bit too much?"
The Cui family had just been cheated of millions of taels of silver. It hadn't been a long time, how could they have spare money to hold a big birthday banquet for Imperial Concubine Cui? If the gift was too much, they couldn't take it back …
…
"Well, we've arrived at the yamen. Old Liu, you can go in by yourself." The carriage stopped at the gate of the yamen. Fang jumped off the carriage and waved his hand, "I still have to go to the Jades Courtyard to discuss a big business, so I won't go in …"
He shook his head with some doubts. Before he left, the son-in-law specifically told him to keep an eye on County Magistrate Liu and not to let him do anything stupid. As a man and a county magistrate, how could he do something stupid …
In a quiet courtyard at the back of the county yamen, County Magistrate Liu was lying on a recliner, holding the invitation in his hand and staring at something in a daze.
It was a small garden.
Madam liked red daffodils, Second Mother liked yellow chrysanthemums, and there was a nameless blue flower next to it, which was transplanted by his daughter a few days ago.
However, at this moment, all he saw was darkness.
Because the sky was falling.
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