Li Hong walked around Lian Tie with a smile on his face, which made Lian Tie feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. He didn't know what to do.

"Why did you think of studying at Chongwenguan? I remember Yangwu once invited you, but you refused, didn't you?" Li Hong said lightly.

Lian Tie knelt on the ground and apologized to Li Hong: "I deserve to die. I was blinded by lard and failed your highness's intentions..."

"Okay, stop making excuses. I know it's not your fault. As my mother's close attendant, you naturally have to put my mother first. It's understandable." Li Hong looked at Lian Tie who was kneeling on the ground. Lian Tie had aged a lot in the past few years, and his temples were already a little gray.

"So... you agree?" Lian Tie asked Li Hong while kneeling on the ground and looking up at him.

"I agree. But I must warn you of one thing, there is no distinction between superiors and subordinates in my Chongwenguan. You can't act like a eunuch in the eunuch school of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If I find out, it will not be as simple as just expelling you from Chongwenguan. Beating you with a hundred sticks will be the least of your punishment. Even if my mother comes to argue with me, it will not be of any use. Do you understand?" Li Hong gave Lian Tie the vaccination first.

These eunuchs in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are like a microcosm of the power struggle in the imperial palace, and have always been dominated by Yangwu and Liantie.

The two of them enjoyed a very high prestige in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If they did not take precautions in advance and opposed Yang Wu and the other two, it would not only affect the reputation of Chongwenguan, but would also give the censor a handle to impeach them for being uneducated.

"Yes, I will keep your teachings in mind and study hard. I will never embarrass you." Lian Tie was overjoyed and knelt on the ground looking at Li Hong and promised happily.

...

...

"Okay, get up, go back and tell mother that I will accompany them tomorrow." Li Hong smiled as he watched Lian Tie stand up and perform the great salute of a disciple to him.

Looking at Lian Tie's back, Li Hong shook his head helplessly. Lian Tie's education must have been agreed by his mother.

In addition, Lian Tie is now old, and the eunuchs in the palace have obviously threatened his position as the queen's attendant. Or has Lian Tie already decided to retire?

Xia Zhi walked gently to Li Hong, and when Li Hong turned around, he said softly, "Your Highness, Master Xu wants to see you."

"What is he doing here so late?" Li Hong asked with a frown.

"I don't know, it looks like something urgent." Xia Zhi said.

"Please come in, Master." Li Hong stepped into the study and said to Xia Zhi.

After a while, hurried footsteps were heard outside. Hearing the somewhat messy footsteps, Li Hong became even more curious: What could have made Xu Jingzong, who had been in the court for many years and was known for his calmness and shrewdness, and was almost 65 years old, so anxious?

While he was thinking, Xu Jingzong's voice rang out at the door: "Your Highness, I, Xu Jingzong, would like to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Taifu, there is no need to be so polite. Please come in." Li Hong stood up from his chair and hurried to the door to greet him.

The 65-year-old Xu Jingzong's beard had turned gray, and his eyes looked a little cloudy. He was breathing heavily at the moment, and a thin layer of sweat seeped out of his forehead.

"Xia Zhi, have some tea." Li Hong waved at Xu Jingzong, motioning him to sit down, and then said to Xia Zhi.

"Your Highness, I have a favor to ask of you. I hope Your Highness will agree to my request." Xu Jingzong said impatiently as soon as his butt touched the chair.

"Taifu, why are you so anxious? Please tell me in detail."

Looking at Xu Jingzong's anxious expression, Li Hong also frowned. Ever since Xu Jingzong was forcibly brought to Chongwenguan by him, this was the first time he saw Xu Jingzong so anxious in all these years.

Xu Jingzong took a look at the tea that Xia Zhi had just placed next to him and said, "Your Highness, please forgive my impoliteness." After saying that, he picked up the teacup and took a big sip, as if he didn't feel the heat at all.

"Your Highness, my grandson is in trouble. I will not hide it from you. I have been away from the court for many years and cannot help my grandson, so I ask Your Highness to save my grandson." After Xu Jingzong finished speaking, he looked at Li Hong anxiously.

"Xu Yanbo? What happened to him? He is just a teenager now. What could make you so anxious?" Li Hong asked in surprise.

No wonder Xu Jingzong lost his composure like that, it turned out to be because of his grandson. No wonder. It is said that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is closer than that between father and son. Now looking at Xu Jingzong's expression, it is indeed true.

Li Hong also heard from Xu Jingzong's words that Xu Jingzong was really anxious this time, otherwise he would not have said that he had been away from the court for many years, his influence in the officialdom had disappeared, and no one would give him Xu Jingzong face.

"Your Highness..." Xu Jingzong stood up from his chair, his wrinkled face full of anxiety. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Highness, I dare to ask you to leave the palace now. I'm afraid it will be too late if you are late."

Li Hong looked at Xu Jingzong's anxious expression and frowned: He actually let me leave the palace? What happened to make him so anxious? Or is this a trap set for me by someone?

Li Hong was thinking rapidly in his mind. Although Xu Jingzong had been in his Chongwenguan for six or seven years, he did not dare to underestimate this well-known and famous scheming man in history. Who knew if he was colluding with someone else and was just waiting for him to get in!

Xu Jingzong saw Li Hong staring at him, but his mind was clearly wandering. He could not help but let out a sad cry and was about to kneel down, calling out, "Your Highness..."

"Master, you can't do that." Li Hong hurriedly stepped forward and supported Xu Jingzong who was about to kneel down.

Li Hong seemed to have paranoia, or it might be because of the appearance of Lian Tie and then Xu Jingzong today, which made him feel a hint of dangerous conspiracy.

Even at this moment, Xu Jingzong's gesture of kneeling did not completely dispel Li Hong's doubts, but now Xu Jingzong was obviously determined to win, and he vowed not to give up until he left the palace.

Xia Zhi didn't dare to say anything, but he knew the temper of the Crown Prince. Normally, he would treat the eight of them very well, but if anyone dared to get involved in court affairs, the Crown Prince would never get involved.

"Then please lead the way, Master. We can talk about the matter on the way." Li Hong's thoughts were spinning rapidly, and he could not find a suitable excuse to refuse Xu Jingzong from going out with him so late at night.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Please come in quickly." After hearing Li Hong's agreement, Xu Jingzong's frown gradually relaxed a little, but there was still a hint of anxiety in his cloudy eyes.

Li Hong was about to follow Xu Jingzong out, but Xia Zhi suddenly knelt down and said nervously, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will go find Hua Meng and the others to accompany you."

Xu Jingzong was stunned when he heard Xia Zhi's words. Then he looked at Xia Zhi kneeling there in silence and immediately understood what was going on.

Xu Jingzong suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but slap his forehead and apologized, "Oh, Your Highness, please forgive me. I deserve to die. I was too anxious and rude. Xia Zhi, please go and invite me quickly..."

"No need, Xia Zhi, just accompany me." Li Hong suddenly changed his attitude and said indifferently.

"Your Highness..." Xia Zhi and Xu Jingzong looked at him in disbelief and exclaimed at the same time.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." After Li Hong finished speaking, he walked out first without waiting for Xu Jingzong's reaction.

Xu Jingzong's carriage was parked at the Jiafu Gate of the Eastern Palace. Except for the coachman, there was no one else there.

Xia Zhi followed Li Hong nervously, fearing that something unexpected might happen.

"Your Highness, please get in the carriage. I, the old minister, and the driver will sit on the shaft and tell you in detail." Xu Jingzong lifted the curtain on the carriage, his old face still full of anxiety.

Along the way, Xu Jingzong just walked quickly. At his old age, it was impossible for him to explain things clearly while walking.

Li Hong nodded, and he and Xia Zhi stepped on the riding stool and got into the carriage. Xu Jingzong hurriedly sat on the shaft with the help of the coachman. The coachman went around to the other side, sat on the shaft, and hurriedly drove the carriage forward.

"Your Highness, I beg you today. No matter what, you must help me get my grandson out today. Otherwise, I am afraid that all I will get tomorrow will be a corpse." Xu Jingzong turned his head and spoke to the curtains behind him as the carriage rocked.

"What on earth happened? It could make the usually calm and steady Master so anxious." Li Hong patted Xia Zhi's hand, who was still nervous, and signaled her to calm down.

"Alas... this matter is actually my grandson's fault. He had an argument with someone in the restaurant this evening over trivial matters, but I didn't expect that... it turned out to be your cousin..."

"Helan Minzhi?" Li Hong blurted out. He had just met Helan Minzhi at Qujiang Lake today, so why did he hear his name again now?

"Yes, so this old minister has to beg you, hoping that you can plead for him, and also hoping that he can give way to today's conflict with Yanbo for your sake. After all, young people are full of vigor and vitality, and it is unwise to hold grudges over trivial matters." Xu Jingzong said helplessly, his gray hair fluttering in the wind outside his fu hat.

"Can Helan Minzhi keep Xu Yanbo? Or is there government intervention?" Li Hong asked with his eyes closed, leaning in Xia Zhi's arms in the carriage, smelling the virgin fragrance on Xia Zhi's body.

"Your Highness, you are right. The government is indeed involved, and... alas... this old minister's grandson... I must teach him a lesson when I return." Xu Jingzong sighed and found it difficult to speak.

From Xu Jingzong's difficult tone, Li Hong already knew why Xu Jingzong was sighing and why he anxiously ran to him for help.

But for some reason, Li Hong always felt something was wrong. Facing Xu Jingzong, a famous treacherous man in history, Li Hong became psychologically alert as if by reflex.