Fan Wenjing listened to the noise outside and his face showed impatience, but when he turned around and saw his wife sitting by the window embroidering and his son and daughter playing in the courtyard, he made up his mind and decided that he would never move!

To be honest, ever since he was transferred to the capital to serve as the Assistant Director of the Water Department of the Ministry of Rites, a sixth-rank official, he has never lived in a decent house.

The reason was simple: housing prices in Chang'an were too high, and he simply couldn't afford it with his meager salary.

However, even if he wanted to rent a house, he was deterred by the high rent in Chang'an and had no choice but to compromise and share a house with others.

This often leads to more conflicts between neighbors.

For example, his previous roommate was a pig butcher who would be sharpening his knife in the yard all day, making it impossible for him to sleep.

Moreover, he dared not complain, for fear of angering the butcher and having him kill him while he was asleep.

Adding to his woes, his wife complained that both children had learned to butcher pigs, and he immediately considered moving. Just then, Yang Shidao, the Minister of Revenue, offered to lend him the government's house in Qunxianfang, rent-free!

Upon hearing of this wonderful opportunity, Fan Wenjing brought her wife to choose a house that very day, and moved in with her whole family the next day.

Although the new house had no furniture and the walls were not painted, he no longer had to worry about someone sharpening a knife in the yard in the middle of the night, nor did he have to worry about his wife complaining.

But no one expected that these good days would not last even a month before the imperial court made him move out again!

Move out?

I'd rather die than move!

If Your Majesty is truly ruthless, then let Your Majesty send soldiers to drive me out!

Later, when she heard that His Majesty would provide a subsidy of twenty strings of cash and give them three months to find a house, Fan Wenjing began to waver.

Although twenty strings of cash is not much, it is already a rare act of benevolence from His Majesty. If we take this for granted, will we really anger His Majesty?

Just as Fan Wenjing was hesitating, Tian Wei, a colleague and friend of his, arrived.

The two were truly brothers in misfortune; one was in charge of the construction of rivers, boats, bridges, and dikes, while the other was in charge of gardens, mountains, lakes, vegetation, and the supply of vegetables and firewood to officials.

If the two of them had been assigned to the Performance Evaluation Department, or the Department of Finance, or the Department of Expenditure, they wouldn't be so poor that they couldn't even afford a house!

"Brother Fan, are you satisfied with your new place?"

Fan Wenjing snorted coldly upon hearing this.

"What's the use of being satisfied? We still have to vacate the house for the eldest grandson!"

"The eldest grandson is richer than a country, so why is he so harsh on us lowly officials? What's wrong with him lending us his house to live in for a few more years?!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Wei laughed heartily.

"Brother Fan, if you don't want to move, then stay here!"

Fan Wenjing snorted coldly again upon hearing this.

"I would like to, but I'm afraid the imperial grandson won't agree!"

"Moreover, I have no powerful backing in the court. I have offended the eldest grandson of the emperor, and my whole family's lives are in danger..."

Seeing Fan Wenjing say this, Tian Wei then revealed the purpose of his trip.

"Brother Fan, please feel free to stay here!"

"A benefactor spoke to me today, saying that as long as we are determined not to move, the imperial court will not punish us!"

"But……"

"There are no buts. Even if the eldest grandson is arrogant, does he dare to personally send troops to drive us out?"

"But what if..."

"If something really were to happen, how do you think His Majesty would view it, and how would the people of the world view it?"

Hearing Tian Wei say this, Fan Wenjing immediately felt reassured.

"Are you saying that some powerful figure in the court wants to use us lowly officials to cause trouble for the eldest grandson of the legitimate wife?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Wei laughed heartily.

"clever!"

"I knew I couldn't hide it from Brother Fan!"

"However, this matter is not exactly a secret. Ever since His Majesty recognized his eldest grandson, rumors have been circulating in the court that His Majesty has the idea of ​​deposing and installing the crown prince!"

"The influential figures in our court are staunch supporters of the Crown Prince, and they deeply dislike the eldest grandson. They want to use us to cause trouble for him!"

"If the eldest grandson dares to act violently towards us, we won't even need to step in; nobles in the court will take action against him!"

Fan Wenjing pondered for a moment after hearing this and then said...

"Brother Tian, ​​to get this matter settled, we'll need another life!"

"Without taking lives, it's hard to shake the world!"

"I just don't know if this life came from either of us, or..."

Tian Wei felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. He hadn't wanted to tell Fan Wenjing about this, but now that she had brought it up herself, he decided not to hide it anymore.

"To be honest, this is indeed part of the plan, and the person in charge has already been chosen!"

"who?"

Tian Wei gestured towards the next room with his chin, then lowered his voice and said.

"Last month, Imperial Censor Zhou was diagnosed by the imperial physician as not having long to live..."

Fan Wenjing looked surprised upon hearing this.

"You mean Zhou Zhengqing, the Imperial Censor next door?"

"He won't live much longer?"

"Shh!"

"Keep this matter quiet. A high-ranking official in the court has already promised Zhou Zhengqing that he will recommend his son for an official position and that his family will be given a 200-acre estate to support them..."

"This...this..."

"I want to go see Imperial Censor Zhou..."

Fan Wenjing was interrupted by Tian Wei as soon as she said this.

"We can't go!"

"If word gets out, it will jeopardize the important affairs of the high-ranking officials in the court!"

"Moreover, not only will neither of us gain any benefit, but we'll also have to move out of here immediately!"

"I……"

Upon hearing this, Fan Wenjing closed her eyes in anguish.

"I'm so uneasy!"

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