When the two walked out of the yard, Zeng Zuimo looked around again and asked the old man, "Uncle Hou, the garden in the back …"
The old man nodded and said, "It's there, it's there, it's exactly the same as before!"
She held onto Li Yi's hand, a look of reminiscence on her face. "That garden is where we used to play hide and seek when we were young. I know a place where once hidden, no one can find it no matter how hard they try …"
As they walked in the direction of the garden, she said with some regret, "Unfortunately, it's winter now. If we wait until summer, when the leaves are the densest, it would be the best place to play hide and seek."
Li Yi shook his head and said, "It's okay, then we'll play in summer. Besides, it's our home, so we can play whenever we want …"
She shook her head and said, "That was before …"
Li Yi looked around and murmured, "It will be the same in the future …"
…
"Congratulations, Zijian. Master Zeng has been promoted to the capital governor and is also the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. This is rare even in the previous two dynasties …"
"It's my father who was promoted, it has nothing to do with me."
"Zijian just likes to be humble …"
"That's not right. Master Zeng's career is smooth, and the Zeng family's status in the capital will naturally rise. Zijian, perhaps your matter will also be loosened …"
In the stone pavilion in the center of the garden, screens were erected on all four sides to block out the cold. A large stove was lit in the center of the stone pavilion, and there was a copper pot on top of the stove. Boiling water bubbled in the pot. Several young people around the stove put meat and vegetables into the pot to cook, chatting as they ate.
The screens blocked out the cold outside and wrapped in the heat inside, so there was no cold inside at all.
Zeng Zijian picked up the wine warmed in the small stove and took a sip. He shook his head and said, "It's not easy to overturn an edict personally issued by the current Emperor. I don't want to become an official anymore. There's nothing wrong with being a good-for-nothing young master waiting to die …"
The young man on his left dipped a mouthful of mutton and comforted him, "Zijian, don't be discouraged. In at least a year, at most two or three years, this decree will be nullified. It's not like you don't know His Majesty's health. How long do you think he can hold on? Lord Zeng is now highly promoted and will definitely be highly regarded by the King of Shu in the future. When that time comes, Zijian's matters will only require a word from His Highness … "
Ceng Zijian glanced at him and said, "Brother Han, be careful with your words …"
The young man said disapprovingly, "This is the Zeng Family, your territory. Zijian, you're too cowardly. Is there anyone who can hear us?"
He shook his head and dipped another mouthful of mutton. Then he smacked his lips and said, "It's said that this thing called 'hotpot' was created by that Li Yi. Tell me, as a county marquis and a Minister of Jin Zi Guang Lu, why does he like these crooked ways instead of doing proper work?"
Just as he finished speaking, a corner of the screen was lifted up to reveal a passage. Li Yi poked half of his body in and said with a frown, "I can pretend that I didn't hear what you said earlier about His Majesty not having two years to live, but don't you think it's a little too much to say such things while eating hotpot?"
Li Yi looked at Zeng Zijian and asked, "Young Master Zeng, what do you think?"
Pa!
"You, why are you here!"
The wine pot in Zeng Zijian's hand fell to the ground and his expression changed drastically.
As for that Young Master Han, his face turned from white to green and then to white again. The words "Just now you said that His Majesty doesn't have two years to live" echoed in his mind. He suddenly stood up from his seat.
If these words were to reach His Majesty's ears, no matter what position the Han family held in the imperial court, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to exterminate them!
Clang!
Because he stood up too abruptly, his thigh bumped into the stove. The copper pot on the stove shook violently before it toppled over. The boiling hot soup splashed everywhere. Then, there were a few ear-piercing screams of terror.
The screens on the four sides were knocked down by the people and fell to the ground.
When the copper pot rolled down, Li Yi simply turned around and grabbed Miss Zeng by the waist. With a light leap, he landed under the pavilion.
With a soft body in his arms, Li Yi looked at the people who ran out of the pavilion with ferocious expressions and took off their shoes and jumped on the spot. He sighed and said, "Although hotpot is delicious, the water is so hot. You have to be careful when eating it …"
The screams quickly attracted the guards of the Zeng residence. A middle-aged woman hurried over from behind. After seeing Zeng Zijian's pained expression, her expression changed and she hurriedly said, "Zijian, what's wrong? What happened?"
Zeng Zijian clenched his teeth and looked at Li Yi with frightened eyes. He shook his head and said, "No, it's nothing. I just accidentally knocked over the soup pot. Mother, don't worry."
"Stay here and don't move …" The woman said to him, then turned around and said to the guards sternly, "Why are you still standing here? Quick, go get the doctor!"
In addition to Zeng Zijian, three other people were drenched by the boiling water. However, it was only a slight burn and some flesh pain. Apart from being temporarily unable to move, they were fine.
Seeing that Zeng Zijian was fine, the middle-aged woman stood up and glanced in a certain direction. She strode over and looked at Zeng Zuimo with a frown. "What are you doing here?"
Zeng Zuimo grasped Li Yi's hand and walked out. She looked at the middle-aged woman and said calmly, "I'm here to take back my parents' spirit tablet."
"Spirit tablet?" The middle-aged woman pouted. "Your parents are sinners of the Zeng family. They brought shame to the ancestors of the Zeng family and let their spirit tablet occupy a corner of the ancestral hall. What are you dissatisfied with?"
Li Yi felt her grip on his hand was a bit tight, so he gently patted the back of her hand.
"My father was framed by someone," Ye Zichen said. Zeng Zuimo looked at her and said word by word, "You have already expelled him from the Zeng family. He is no longer a member of the Zeng family. Now, I am going to take back their spirit tablet."
The middle-aged woman sneered. "I wonder if your dead parents would want their spirit tablet to be placed in the ancestral hall of the Zeng family or in the hands of a dirty prostitute."
Li Yi suddenly felt a stinging pain on the back of his hand. It was because her nails had sunk into the flesh of his hand.
"It's okay, I will take care of it."
He stepped forward, shielding her behind him. He turned around and whispered.
The middle-aged woman was startled and frowned. "What are you?"
"Ceng Shichun is quite smart. Why did he marry a thing like you …" Li Yi looked at the middle-aged woman and shook his head.
"You …"
Slap!
As soon as the middle-aged woman opened her mouth, a loud sound was heard, followed by a burning pain on one side of her face.
"This slap is for what you said just now."
Slap!
As the middle-aged woman froze in place, her face full of disbelief, Li Yi flipped his hand again.
"This slap is because you scolded me earlier … Let me correct you, I am Li Yi, not …"
Li Yi stopped in time. After thinking about it, he looked at her with dissatisfaction. "You still want to play tricks with me?"
Slap!
Another crisp slap rang out.
"This slap is a trick."
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