38. Elder

Inside Feiyun Garden, Concubine Yun held up her teacup, slowly stirring the floating tea leaves with the lid. She spoke calmly, "Today, so many people have been waiting for you to come and contact them, but not a single one has appeared. If this matter today is not resolved, you will not be allowed to leave the palace."

Chen Ji thought quickly: Liu Shiyu of the Liu family had a close relationship with Concubine Jing, so why didn't he choose to contact Concubine Jing, but instead contacted Concubine Yun?

Why didn't Concubine Jing know her identity as a spy of the Jing Dynasty?

etc.

Chen Ji suddenly remembered the lead-barium glass cup that caused Concubine Jing to have a miscarriage, as if there was a clue guiding him to find the truth.

"Why don't you answer?" Concubine Yun asked in a deep voice. The dignified princess sat on the armchair, the python pattern on her body seemed to be staring at Chen Ji, with a majestic aura without anger.

Chen Ji whispered, "Something big happened to the Liu family. Secret Agents Jiaotu and Yunyang almost found out. So, to be on the safe side, we temporarily suspended our plan."

In fact, he went to Zhou Chengyi's house that night to tell Zhou Chengyi the delivery date, but was killed by Yunyang and Jiaotu.

Chen Ji, who had come back to life from the dead, had no idea that such a thing existed.

Concubine Yun said calmly, "The Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department arbitrarily abolished what we had agreed upon. This explanation alone is not enough. Have you thought about your response? Or are you just going to be fertilizer in my back garden?"

Chen Ji suddenly said, "The Secret Service's presence in Luocheng is a threat to both of us. Since you, Madam, are willing to show your sincerity, our Military Intelligence Department must also demonstrate our strength. Yun Yang and Jiao Tu's imprisonment today was the result of our Military Intelligence Department's planning. I wonder if Madam is satisfied?"

Concubine Yun's eyes lit up. "So the person who delivered the letter was actually from your Military Intelligence Department. Who is that Si Cao? Not only did he plant spies in the Secret Intelligence Department, he also had the ability to sneak into the Liu family quietly!"

Chen Ji was shocked. Concubine Yun knew the whole story of what happened in the morning in the afternoon, which meant that the Liu family maintained close contact with her.

He lowered his eyes and said, "Lord Si Cao is naturally the best in our Military Intelligence Department. The Chief sent him here to ensure smooth cooperation between the two sides."

Concubine Yun's demeanor was no longer dignified, but rather gentle. "When I met you earlier, I noticed that your Military Intelligence Department had sent a young man to contact me, and he treated you with some indifference. However, at Evening Star Garden, you've proven yourself to be more than just a good-for-nothing. Very good, since the Military Intelligence Department's spies in Luocheng are all elite, I'm relieved."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, "Now that Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are in jail, we can ensure that our transaction is foolproof while the new head of the Secret Service has not yet arrived in Luocheng. Madam, please re-plan the date and location of the transaction."

Concubine Yun glanced at him twice more and said, "Then let's do it tomorrow night, at the same place we agreed on last time."

Chen Ji didn't know where the last agreement was, and how to tell Si Cao, so he immediately said, "That's not appropriate. Our Military Intelligence Department never does two transactions in the same place... Please ask Concubine Yun to give me a new address."

"You are quite cautious," Concubine Yun thought for a moment. "This time, we will go to the 'Golden Square' in Hongyi Lane, East Market. Find the madam and tell her the name 'Luo Tian'. She will take you to where the goods are hidden."

At this point, Chen Ji considered it over and over again, weighing the pros and cons before finally asking about his confusion: "Madam, there's something I've been puzzled about in the Military Intelligence Department."

Without a full picture of the situation, he will never be able to take the initiative.

Concubine Yun picked up the teacup and took a sip: "Please speak."

"We have learned that Liu Shiyu is Concubine Jing's favorite nephew and the only son of her elder sister. The reason why we did not believe that he would convey the message on your behalf was because

I am a little confused, why didn't he contact Concubine Jing?"

Concubine Yun sneered and said, "My dear sister, the Liu family can't control her, so how dare we hand over the great cause to her? Now that the Liu family and I have common interests, you don't have to worry too much."

Chen Ji stood up: "Then I will..."

"Wait," said Yun Fei.

Chen Ji was puzzled: "What else does Madam want?"

Concubine Yun smiled and invited, "The prince is hosting a gathering of scholars tonight, and your two brothers will also be attending. Why don't I send a few invitations to the clinic, and you brothers can go together."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "No, my current status is sensitive and I don't want to implicate them. I still need to arrange the delivery of goods today, so I'll take my leave now."

When Chen Ji left Feiyun Garden, he looked back at the persimmon tree before turning around and leaving.

…

…

On the official road of Luocheng, a carriage came from the north.

The car was plain, with only two attendants following on horseback, very low-key.

At this time, hundreds of people and horses were coming to meet the carriage on the official road opposite.

When they got closer, they saw that the officials of Yuzhou had stepped down from their sedan chairs and horses, hurried to the carriage and knelt down to pay their respects. "We respectfully welcome you back to Yuzhou. We hope you will forgive us for not coming to greet you."

The Liu family has been managing this state for hundreds of years and now controls more than half of the farmland and tenants in Yuzhou.

No matter who comes to Yuzhou to be an official, if they want to collect taxes, levy labor service, and achieve political achievements smoothly, they have to look at the Liu family's face.

Therefore, except for a very few aristocratic families who came to gild their reputations, all officials knelt to welcome him. Kneeling would allow you to be tolerated by the Yuzhou officialdom; if you didn't kneel, you would be unable to move forward.

Elder Liu lifted the curtain and glanced indifferently at the officials kneeling on the ground: "My father has passed away, and I really don't feel like reminiscing with you all. Please disperse."

After that, the carriage slowly started moving again. An official came up to the carriage, trotted up to catch up, and whispered to Lord Liu behind the curtain, "Lord, the eldest and second masters are waiting for you at home."

But then I heard Elder Liu say, "I'm going to the ancestral tomb. Let Liu Mingxian come to see me."

The carriage went all the way to Beimang Mountain. Liu Ge Lao stood in front of the broken mausoleum and watched dozens of strong men carrying new stones and building a new mausoleum.

I don't know how long he stood in front of the mausoleum.

But Liu Mingxian looked hurried, ran to the front of Liu Gelao and knelt down: "Father!"

He didn't say anything and let his son kneel.

It was not until Liu Mingxian's knees ached from kneeling and he could no longer help but move that he slowly asked, "After I die, will my coffin be opened for an autopsy?"

Liu Mingxian quickly lowered his head: "Father, absolutely not!"

Elder Liu dismissed everyone from the mountain and sat on a rock, lifting his robe. He said slowly, "Liu Mingxian, today you killed your grandfather for the great cause you speak of. Who knows if you won't kill me for the same cause tomorrow?"

The mountain was silent and deserted. Liu Mingxian fell to the ground, silent.

Liu Ge Lao shouted angrily: "Speak!"

Liu Mingxian hurriedly explained, "Father, that wasn't my original intention. I was using Grandpa's death as a pretext to force the Secret Service to retreat. Yunyang and Jiaotu were only good at killing, not brains, and would retreat if frightened. Who would have thought they'd actually found evidence of Liu Shiyu's guilt?"

"Then why did you kill your grandfather?"

"We've received intelligence that the Secret Service is on their way to open the coffin for an autopsy. If they find no one inside, my Liu family will be guilty of deceiving the emperor!

So I found some 'Datura Flower' and fed it to Grandpa, hoping he would pretend to be dead in the coffin for a while. But I never expected that Grandpa, due to his advanced age, could not withstand the effects of the datura and passed away.

Elder Liu was furious: "Why don't you tell the truth? It's obvious that your grandfather disapproved of your collusion with Jing Dynasty, so you took this opportunity to kill him without hesitation! Liu Mingxian, you are too unscrupulous. I didn't expect that I would raise a man-eating wolf for the Liu family!"

Liu Mingxian suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with a ferocious look. "Father, His Majesty has been plotting to get rid of our Liu family since he ascended the throne. First, he used the Donglin Party to impeach us through the censors, and now he's instigating the eunuch party to frame and slander us. He won't stop until he gets rid of us!"

"Father, twenty years ago, the entire government was filled with members of the Liu family. Now, we can't even keep our official positions in Yuzhou. You know, the Chen family sent Chen Liqin to serve as the deputy magistrate of Luocheng, and that old man Xu Gong sent his son-in-law Zhang Zhuo to serve as the prefect of Luocheng. These two are in cahoots and are determined to investigate our Liu family's land and tenants."

"Father, I'm just giving it a try. If I just sit there and wait for death, the Liu family's centuries-old foundation will be gone, Father!"

The wind from the mountains blew up a thin mist, and Liu Ge Lao sat in it feeling a little desolate: "None of you are willing to listen to me, so why do you still call me father?"

"I told your aunt that Your Majesty is a gifted and intelligent man, having mastered the art of ruling since childhood, and that he could not be restrained. But your aunt refused to listen. Ever since Your Majesty ascended the throne at the age of eleven, she has controlled the court and prevented Your Majesty from ruling the country. Your Majesty endured six years of suffering, so how could he not hate our Liu family?"

"It is precisely because he hates us that we have no way to survive. If we really fight, we may be defeated! This world does not belong to the Zhu family alone!" Liu Mingxian said harshly.

Liu Ge Lao suddenly became depressed. "Forget it, forget it. I just want to ask you one more question. When you gave your sister that glass, did you know that it would cause her to lose her child?"

Liu Mingxian shook his head and denied it. "I don't know. That cup is exquisite. I gave it to my sister because I thought she would like it."

"You're still lying!" Lord Liu kicked him to the ground.

Liu Mingxian stopped kneeling on the ground and stood up, brushing off the dust on himself and straightening his blue official robe. "Father, after she married into the palace, she only had Prince Jing in her heart, not my Liu family. Every day, all she thought about was giving birth to a child for Prince Jing. I asked her to work for the Liu family, but she refused, so I stopped her from doing that!"

"You are so vicious!"

"Father, am I as vicious as the eunuchs? If I'm not vicious, how can I fight him?"

"You..." The words were on the tip of Liu Ge's tongue, but he didn't know how to say them.

He sat on the stone, silent for an indeterminate length of time, before finally sighing softly, "Yun Yang and Jiao Tu were imprisoned today. Who tipped you off?"

Liu Mingxian's face lit up when he saw his father's tone soften. He knew that the other party was in a high position and would naturally not act on emotion.

He said respectfully, "My son doesn't know. He's still investigating and is not sure of the other party's intentions."

Elder Liu's expression was solemn. "Regardless of friend or foe, I can't sleep with people like this around me. Find them out immediately. I'll send people from Yanshi to assign to you. It's not easy to make good use of these people. Put aside your arrogance."

"clear."

Liu Ge Lao waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. I'm tired."

Liu Mingxian turned around and went down the mountain, leaving Liu Ge Lao alone on the mountain.

The old man, like a candle in the wind, slowly stood up and supported the coffin in front of the mausoleum: "Father, it has been a long time since you left the Liu family compound to see the world."