Chapter 178: Having been to a brothel, Qi Buchen didn’t disbelieve Yinzhen…

Qi Buchen didn't disbelieve in Yinzhen's reasoning ability, but what kind of deep hatred did Yinsi have with Dai Mingshi that he would harm him like this?

Although she didn't say anything, the expression on her face clearly showed this doubt.

Yinzhen didn't directly explain her doubts, but instead asked, "What does the Eighth Brother want to do most?"

What did Yinsi want to do most? Of course, he wanted to dethrone the crown prince and take the throne himself! But what does this have to do with Dai Mingshi?

Qi Buchen frowned, thinking hard. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He snuggled into Yinzhen's arms and whispered, "Because the literati represented by Dai Mingshi support the system of primogeniture?"

Yinzhen touched Fu Jin's head with satisfaction to show his approval.

Qi Buchen had an idea in mind. It was not clear whether there was such an inside story in the literary inquisition in the early years of Emperor Kangxi, but it seemed that the case of Dai Mingshi was not just because of his rebellious remarks that caused such a big stir and implicated so many people.

At this time, the prince's popularity had long declined, and his main supporters were still the Han ministers who firmly believed in the system of primogeniture. If this group was suppressed, the prince would really have no chance of turning things around.

It must be said that Yinsi's idea of ​​starting from this angle was quite tricky, but the fact that he provoked a literary inquisition also proved that he had a vicious mind.

"Doesn't he think about how serious the consequences will be?" Qi Buchen said dissatisfiedly. Anyone with a little historical knowledge in the future will know how harshly the literary inquisition was criticized.

Yinzhen said, "It's not that serious. This bunch of pedantic scholars, led by Dai Mingshi, spend their days quibbling over literary matters and empty talk about state affairs. When asked how to govern, they look blank and have no idea."

Qi Buchen felt a pang in his heart. Although he knew that Yinzhen had such an opinion due to his status and personality, he was still worried that he would support the practice of literary inquisition.

"You, too, think what Lao Ba did is right?" Qi Buchen cautiously probed.

Yinzhen didn't notice her probing, but he was still dissatisfied with her comparing him to Yinsi: "In your eyes, have I become like the Eighth Brother?"

He shook his head. "I don't like it, but I just don't want people like that to continue occupying positions without doing anything. But I wouldn't kill their entire family just because of something like that. However..." His expression grew more serious. "...Dai Mingshi himself still needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, where will the dignity of the Qing Dynasty be?"

Qi Buchen had no intention of saying that Dai Mingshi was innocent. Freedom of speech was something that could only be produced by the social structure. In the Qing Dynasty, which was still a feudal society, saying this was nothing short of ridiculous.

"Of course." Qi Buchen agreed, "I just think it's not good to involve too many people."

Yinzhen breathed a sigh of relief, patted her, and said, "Don't worry about him. It's not my responsibility anyway. Besides, Li Guangdi and others won't sit idly by and watch them argue. Let's just watch them argue."

Since he had said this, what could Qi Buchen say? He could only ask one last question: "Will your entire clan be implicated?"

"Don't worry, it won't happen." Yinzhen said firmly, "This is just a few people who don't mind making trouble. The emperor will never agree to it."

For nearly a decade, Kangxi has adopted a benevolent policy to win the hearts of the people. He will not let this incident put his old age in jeopardy, especially when he and the crown prince are becoming increasingly hostile.

Although Kangxi claimed to be watching the others wrangling, after he withheld the Ministry of Justice's memorial, no major action was taken at court. This was because it coincided with the once-in-three-yearly Spring Examination, a large number of students had gathered in the capital. Because Dai Mingshi was renowned in the literary world, the case also captured the attention of the students who had arrived in Beijing. If Dai Mingshi were executed at this time, regardless of the severity of the final punishment, it would undoubtedly trigger a chain reaction among the students, and spread rapidly throughout the country as they returned home.

If the timing is not right, then we can only delay.

This delay lasted until the end of the palace examination in April. Many people thought that after the failed students left, the matter of Dai Mingshi would be brought up again, and they were all eager to take action.

Who would have thought that at the Qionglin Banquet, Grand Secretary Li Guangdi and others joined forces and petitioned Emperor Kangxi, saying that the following year would be his 60th birthday, and that he should hold a special examination to bestow favor on thousands of students.

This suggestion was upright and touched Kangxi's heart, so he agreed to it on the spot and ordered a special provincial examination to be held in February of the next year and a special metropolitan examination to be held in August.

This ignited the enthusiasm of students across the city and caused a large number of students to stay.

Those who can go to Beijing are naturally those who have passed the provincial examination. In theory, there is still nearly a year and a half before next year's metropolitan examination, so it is okay for them to return to their hometowns. But in fact, except for those who live very close to the capital, few people choose to go back.

Wasting time is one reason, and many people cannot afford the round-trip fare because of their poor family conditions. In addition, poor security on the road and the high risk of getting sick during long journeys are also important reasons.

As a result, the rent in the capital skyrocketed, and many poor students had to start thinking of ways to make money. If you went out, you could see more than a dozen scholars setting up stalls to sell calligraphy and paintings, or writing letters for others on one street.

While so many people staying in the capital boosted the economy, it also inevitably caused some public security problems. Serious cases could even lead to imprisonment. After all, even if someone passed the imperial examination, they still had illicit intentions.

That day, Qi Buchen heard about a case that caused a sensation throughout the capital.

A scholar named Ge Shan set up a scheme similar to a pig-killing scam, targeting prostitutes in brothels and cheating them out of a lot of money. After the incident was exposed, he was accused, but because the money was given to him by the prostitutes, he escaped punishment.

It's simple to summarize, but if you go into detail, it could be written into a stand-up comedy. Some of the highlights in it, such as the passionate insults of several prostitutes against Ge Shan in the hall, Qi Buchen listened with gusto and couldn't stop: "Then what? Those people behind the brothel can't just let Ge Shan go like this, right?"

"Of course they didn't want to let him go, but Ge Shan was smart. As soon as he left the Dali Temple, he hid somewhere and disappeared without a trace." Sun Liangping laughed, and said in a suspenseful tone, "Besides, those brothels are now busy with their own affairs and don't have the energy."

"Hmm?" Qi Buchen raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

Sun Liangping didn't dare to keep his master in suspense: "Right now, those brothels are overflowing with guests. They don't have enough manpower to guard against them, so how can they care about looking for Ge Shan?"

"Prevent? Prevent what?" Qi Buchen was a little puzzled. Isn't it their dream to have so many guests?

Sun Liangping chuckled: "Let Fu Jin know that there are so many people in the capital who want to be the second Ge Shan."

Well, so these people go to brothels not to spend money, but to make money?

Qi Buchen was speechless when Yinzhen walked in from outside, glared at Sun Liangping, and kicked him: "What nonsense are you talking about with your wife again!"

Sun Liangping had no confidence at all when facing Yinzhen, and immediately knelt down with a thud: "This slave deserves death!"

Qi Buchen felt a toothache when he heard that voice, and quickly said, "Alright, all of you go down."

He stepped forward, grabbed Yinzhen, and led him inside, not giving him a chance to punish him: "What are you angry about?"

Yinzhen shook off her hand, walked over to the couch and sat down, his expression very unpleasant: "I'm angry with you! You're the only one who heard about things in that place!"

"Tsk." Qi Buchen was speechless. "Why can't I hear it? Are my ears some kind of divine ears?"

"Still talking back!" Yinzhen glared at her. "You shouldn't be listening to such filthy things. If anyone talks to you about this again, I'll pull out all his teeth!"

Qi Buchen sighed, walked over to him and squeezed in next to him, saying in a gentle voice, "It's just a brothel. I'm 31 years old and have four children. A brothel only involves some sexual matters. We've been married for so long, and we're not virgins. What's there to be ashamed of? Besides, there's nothing much to say. We were just talking about the Ge Shan case. Can't even mention a name?"

"No!" Yinzhen said flatly, "That place is dirty, you are not allowed to mention it."

Qi Buchen found that this person was stubborn and almost old-fashioned in some matters. She crossed her arms and said, "You said that place is dirty? Do you dare to say that you have never been there?"

Yinzhen paused for breath, then returned to normal in an instant: "Of course I haven't been there!"

Qi Buchen didn't miss his unusual behavior. He was just used to arguing back, but he didn't expect that he would actually reveal something fishy. He immediately got angry and accused him, "You were feeling guilty just now! You've been there! Great, you actually went to that kind of place! Tell me, what did you do there! Did you cheat on me?! I know that every man doesn't cheat. Saying that I'm the only one is just nice talk, woo woo."

As he spoke, he began to cry.

Yinzhen didn't panic, and even looked at her speechlessly. When she couldn't cry anymore, he said, "That's enough. Have you acted enough? If you have, then listen to me."

Qi Buchen flung his handkerchief and slammed the table angrily: "You still think you're right, tell the truth!"

Yinzhen rolled his eyes, but still confessed honestly: "During the 42nd year of the Southern Tour, when I was in Yangzhou, I went with the then Yangzhou prefect Wu Cunli." Although his conscience was clear, he still added, "I didn't do anything, I just had a meal."

Forty-two years? Wasn't that when she first got pregnant with triplets?

Not knowing which sensitive nerve was touched, Qi Buchen's eyes suddenly felt sore, his eyes were covered with a layer of mist, and his voice trembled slightly: "When I was pregnant, were you in a brothel?"

Yinzhen easily discerned that her current state was different from her previous acting; she was truly captivated. He immediately panicked, "No, I really didn't do anything. Someone was playing the piano and singing beside me, but they didn't even get within three feet of me."

Qi Buchen seemed not to hear his words, and his tone became more bitter: "You are still hiding it from me. If you hadn't asked me today, are you planning to hide it from me forever?"

"No! No! I didn't think of it that way!" Yinzhen denied it three times in a row, sweating anxiously. "I forgot. Listen to me, I really didn't take it seriously. When I came back and saw that your stomach was not right, I was only worried about you. How could I remember this? So many things happened later, how could I remember it? If you hadn't asked me today, I really wouldn't have remembered it."

"Don't you think about it? If I really wanted to hide it from you, would I reveal such a big flaw in front of you?" Yinzhen held the person in his arms and looked into Qi Buchen's eyes seriously, without dodging or avoiding.

Qi Buchen actually believed that he had done nothing. Not to mention Yinzhen's feelings for her, just looking at Yinzhen's temper and personality, even if he wanted a woman, he would not touch those in the brothel.

"Then why do you want to go? Can't you eat in the restaurant? Why do you have to go to the brothel?" Qi Buchen asked with a pout.

Seeing that her attitude had softened, Yinzhen breathed a sigh of relief and began to explain.