Chapter 259: Escape
Qu Ling's tone became more serious. "You don't want to compete, and you don't agree with Nian Sihua becoming the headmaster. What do you want?"
"I……"
Nian Zhaoyun shrank back and stammered.
Seeing his cowardly look, Qu Ling said calmly, "How about I find you a position in the capital?"
Nian Zhaoyun's eyes lit up and he instantly became energetic.
I knew the princess wouldn't treat him unfairly.
He hurriedly bowed, "Thank you, Princess!"
"The inner court is in need of a teacher to teach the palace maids and eunuchs," Qu Ling said slowly. "Once you have been purified, you can accompany me to the capital to take up my post."
Nian Zhaoyun felt like someone had a basin of cold water poured over his head.
He knew the princess's temper very well. She kept her word and was not trying to scare him.
His face turned from blue to white, and then from white to blue.
He finally managed a few words after a while, "The princess is joking."
"I never joke."
Nian Zhaoyun broke out in cold sweat.
He wanted to slap himself twice for speaking without thinking.
At her wit's end, Nian Sihua stepped forward and said, "Princess, although he is not good at literary debate, he knows everything about the academy. Why not let him stay as the dean and help me run the academy? That would be the best use of his talents."
The resentment in Nian Zhaoyun's eyes almost burst out.
The position of abbot is just a sinecure for miscellaneous affairs.
When his eldest brother was alive, he was an abbot. After his eldest brother died, he was still an abbot.
His reluctance caught Qu Ling's eye. "But I feel your brother would rather go to the capital."
"No, I don't."
Nian Zhaoyun flatly denied it.
Under Qu Ling's half-smile, he could only squeeze out a sentence from between his teeth, "I'll stay and assist my sister."
"That's right."
Qu Ling smiled broadly, then turned to look at the students and teachers at the academy, "Do you have any objections?"
There was complete silence.
Who dares to object?
They weren't stupid enough to think the princess was actually asking for their opinion.
No one spoke, Qu Ling was very satisfied
She nodded and smiled.
"From now on, Nian Sihua will be the principal of Tongjiang Academy. The imperial decree will be issued soon."
She turned to Nian Zhaoyun, "Nian Jianyuan——"
Nian Zhaoyun trembled all over.
"If I knew you dared to disobey me, the gates of the inner court would always be open to you."
Nian Zhaoyun was numb.
While chatting and laughing, the new principal of Tongjiang Academy has been decided.
Nian Sihua was indescribably excited.
During the days she was trapped in the backyard of the palace, she waited for death every day.
She once blamed herself for not having the courage to hang herself, and lived a miserable life every day.
Until this moment, she is grateful for staying alive
Live until she meets her salvation and welcomes the light again.
"Congratulations, Principal. You have great literary talent and have passed the imperial examination. Tongjiang Academy will surely reach new heights in the future."
Officials in Yangzhou are very good at changing their stance according to the situation.
It was obviously the court's intention to recommend Nian Sihua as the principal.
Since it cannot be changed, just accept it.
Amidst the congratulations, the people heading to the governor's mansion arrived.
His anxious look made everyone feel depressed.
"Princess, something bad has happened. The governor is missing."
It's really gone.
It's like it disappeared out of thin air.
Qu Ling glanced at Pei Jingming, and Pei Jingming gave her a "reassured" expression.
Everything is under control.
"What do you mean missing? Did he die? Did he escape? Or did you just not find him?"
The guard said, "The official at the Governor's Mansion said that the Governor was there last night, but disappeared this morning."
"We searched everywhere, even the pond and the toilet, but we couldn't find anyone alive or dead."
The steward also said, "The lady disappeared like this before, and later she was said to be at the princess's residence. Could it be that our master was also called away by the princess in the middle of the night?"
He himself doesn't believe this.
Where did Keren go?
"Yu Liang is missing," Qu Ling said solemnly, "What do you think, gentlemen?"
"He has fled from the crime."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
"Isn't this Master Su, the advisor to the Governor?"
"Master, why is your face covered with wounds?"
Fan Shu touched his cheek.
Why are you injured?
Of course, he was beaten by Prince Rui.
Prince Rui met him again last night.
"Tomorrow at the Luming Banquet, you will expose Yu Liang and say that he fled for fear of punishment."
Fan Shu was puzzled, "Did he... escape?"
"That's none of your business."
But Fan Shu was unwilling to do this.
"I have already given all the evidence to the prince and princess. Do you really want me to expose it in front of everyone?"
He had a bad feeling that what happened between him and Li Niang would be revealed at the Lu Ming Banquet.
This is not a glorious thing.
"Come here, fight for me."
Pei Jingming waved his folding fan, and two guards came in and beat Fan Shu.
"Don't fight me, my lord. I'll go."
From the last interrogation, Pei Jingming realized that this man had to be beaten.
He will behave himself after a beating.
"You only need to say three things: framing Lu Yuan, keeping a mistress, and colluding with Zhou Sheng, the president of the Jiangnan Silk Association, to accept bribes."
"What about my identity?"
"Of course."
"My story with Li Niang..."
"Not to mention."
Fan Shu wanted to cry but had no tears.
He really didn't deserve this beating.
In front of Yangzhou officials, students and people.
Following Prince Rui's instructions, he exposed all the scandals committed by Yu Liang.
Everyone was stunned when they heard this.
Especially the matter of the former governor is simply unbelievable.
Fan's memorial was quite convincing, "Prince Rui was suppressing bandits in Jianzhou when he discovered something fishy about the events of that year. He returned to Yangzhou to review the files. Yu Liang, feeling guilty, fled with his concubine."
"Princess, I will return to the government office to mobilize troops and capture Yu Liang."
Yangzhou Chief Secretary Sun Han volunteered.
At this moment, he couldn't contain his excitement.
In the past, when Lu Yuan was gone, Yu Liang was promoted. Now that Yu Liang is gone, the position of Governor of Yangzhou belongs to him.
Sun Han is not just daydreaming.
His wife was none other than the third daughter of the Nian family.
His father-in-law was Nian Zhaoyun.
At this banquet, he finally understood that the princess still valued the Nian family very much.
He is the son-in-law of the Nian family.
Whether it was the newly appointed headmaster or the Princess of Liang who lived far away in Jianzhou, there was no reason for them not to support him in taking up the position of governor.
Thinking of this, Sun Han felt complacent.
He decided to be nicer to his wife in the future.
Qu Ling agreed with him, "Since the Chief Secretary is so enthusiastic, then you can go."
Sun Han went there with high morale.
The Lu Ming Banquet is almost over.
Qu Ling's goal was fully achieved. She stood up and toasted with another glass of wine. "I'll go ahead, everyone can enjoy it."
Pei Jingming and Chi Yuan naturally left with her.
Nian Sihua and Nian Zheng stayed behind to entertain the guests on behalf of several distinguished guests.
After returning to Zhuoxi Courtyard, Qu Ling said, "Let's go to the concubine's house tomorrow."
"Won't Sun Han go?" Pei Jingming asked.
A cold look flashed across Qu Ling's eyes, "He doesn't have that intention."
Then he asked Pei Jingming, "Are your men still keeping an eye on Yu Liang?"
"Keep an eye on him. Even though there's no news coming back, he can't escape."
The three of them went back to rest.
The next day, he disguised himself and changed into inconspicuous clothes. He took only Su Shang with him and went to the house according to the address given by Li Niang.
"You value your life so much. What kind of house is worthy of you visiting in person? What if there is an ambush?" Pei Jingming teased.
Qu Ling held Chi Yuan in his arms and said with a smile, "With Yuan here, I'm not afraid at all."
She pulled Su Shang over again, "With Su Shang, we can even go through the mountains of swords and the sea of fire."
Li Niang said that the three-story house was magnificent and extremely luxurious.
She really wanted to see it.
Pei Jingming, "Then I don't have to go?"
"Go," Qu Ling said seriously, "There's an ambush. You stand in front and I'll run."
Pei Jingming's mouth twitched.
This is what my mother kept saying in the palace, "My A-Ling, I wonder if anyone has bullied me in Jiangnan."
The house is located in an ordinary alley, and moss is climbing up the blue-gray brick walls.
There is no plaque on the lintel.
There are two pots of dried flowers and plants in the corner.
Anyone passing by is an ordinary, conservative family.
Only when you push open that door can you see the real world.
There is a glass lamp hanging on the corridor, and the painting on the lampshade is actually painted with gold powder. When the wind blows, the lamp shines brightly.
Walking inside is even more breathtaking.
"This kind of golden nanmu beam is not even available in the prince's palace."
Even the windows are not covered with paper, but with moon-soothing silk.
"No wonder Li Niang is becoming increasingly twisted," Qu Ling exclaimed. "If it were me, I would have built Yu Liang into the wall as well."
The house was eerily quiet.
Not a single person.
Li Niang said that there were not many servants here, and those who had signed before were all mute servants who could not speak or read, so they must have been taken away together.
Pei Jingming walked in front.
If there is real danger, Qu Ling will die and he will live...
It would be better if he died than if he were the one crying...
"careful."
Pei Jingming stretched out his arm and almost hit Qu Ling in the face.
"Someone died."
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