Predicting the future
All the officials and servants of the Dali Temple almost dropped their jaws in shock.
Xiao Bo is always alone and doesn't like socializing. Could it be that it's just an appearance, and he's secretly hooking up with the eldest princess?
"You really can't judge a person by his appearance."
"I was wondering why Lord Xiao doesn't like to socialize and drink with us. He only likes to make friends with the royal family like the eldest princess."
"We should be more sensible and avoid getting too close to other people. It's just asking for trouble."
The emperor had already spread the news that the eldest princess was preparing for marriage and choosing a husband, and he was busy working with the Ministry of Rites to agree on the rules for choosing a husband.
It was said that there would be civil and military tests. All unmarried men of marriageable age in the capital, who held an official rank of fifth rank or above, or came from prominent families, were candidates, waiting for the two competitions presided over by the emperor himself.
Xiao Bo just happened to meet the requirements of a candidate, and regardless of his own wishes, he had to participate in the competition.
During this troubled time, Xiao Bo's contact with Pei Zhaoying made others jealous, and they made one sarcastic remark after another.
They may not really look down on those who try to curry favor with the rich and powerful, but they hate that their official rank is too low and their family background is too meager, so they don't even have the chance to climb up the social ladder and enjoy wealth and glory.
Besides, they don't have Xiao Bo's good looks. Some of them are willing to risk their lives to offer themselves for his bed, but they are afraid that they will be beaten to death on the spot by Pei Zhaoying.
When a man gets jealous, he can make all the women in the world bow down to him. They are all officials in the same place. The Dali Temple is not a lucrative government office. One can only reach the third rank in his lifetime. Some people are young and suddenly they are about to live in the Phoenix Nest. How can their colleagues feel comfortable?
Only a colleague who served in the same period as Xiao Bo and had a good relationship with him came forward to greet him.
His name was Xie Zheng. His official position was one level lower than Xiao Bo's, and he was the Dali Temple Secretary. He was content with a small fortune and was too lazy to envy other people's future.
"Xiao Bo, are you back from the Princess's residence? It seems that after working on the case together, you and His Highness have become quite familiar with each other."
Xiao Bo raised his hand and shook the well-bandaged wound:
"I suffered a minor injury, and His Highness was kind enough to take care of it for me."
Xiao Bo carefully revealed only a hint of joy to share with his friends, and kept the rest in his heart, as if in this way no one could take away Pei Zhaoying's kindness.
The two of them were talking as they walked towards the dormitory. Along the way, the other colleagues' eyes were so jealous that they were almost glowing green, which made Xiao Bo frown uncomfortably.
Xie Zheng said:
"Ignore those people. They think you're vying for the throne."
"Yeah."
Xiao Bo took some effort to keep the corners of his lips from rising.
He was so busy trying to help Pei Zhaoying avoid the tragedy of her previous life that he had no time to care about his own personal feelings.
However, he was so happy that his colleagues linked him with the "prince consort".
He thought in a daze that those people were sloppy and perfunctory in handling cases, and only knew how to drink and have banquets when they had free time, so they still had some sense.
"Don't be sad. After all, the princess didn't even look at them, but instead had someone send you back to your post. They can only be jealous in vain."
Xie Zheng comforted Xiao Bo seriously.
Xiao Bo wanted to tell him that he was not sad, but very happy. But then he changed his mind and decided not to let Xie Zheng, who was well-intentioned, waste his efforts, so he nodded solemnly to show that he had listened.
Xie Zheng patted him on the shoulder and felt that he was a really good person for taking care of a little bitter gourd who was not good at socializing and served as an official in the same dynasty.
Xiao Bo suddenly remembered that in his previous life, the emperor had directly issued an imperial decree to grant marriage to Pei Zhaoying and Xiao Yucheng without going through any complicated selection process.
Does this mean... Pei Zhaoying's original fate can really be changed!
Xiao Bo gained confidence and excitedly clenched his uninjured hand into a fist. His layout and planning unfolded rapidly and in many twists and turns.
Xie Zheng didn't notice anything unusual about him. He said a few more words and was about to leave when Xiao Bo held his shoulder.
"Wait, I suspect there's something wrong with the guards in the Dali Temple cell, and I'm feeling uneasy. Come with me to take a look."
"What's the problem?"
"I don't know. I feel like something is wrong. Let's go together."
Xie Zheng complained about why he had to deal with official business on his rare day off, but in his actions he was very obedient and followed Xiao Bo's steps closely.
Xiao Bo was different from most people who relied on family recommendations to become officials. He had worked hard as a local official for many years. He was transferred to the Dali Temple in the central government because of his outstanding political achievements and the many cases he solved. Xie Zheng always had more trust in such people with real talents and knowledge.
Xiao Bo took Xie Zheng straight to the "Di" cell in the Dali Temple where serious criminals were held. It seemed as if they had a destination in mind. When they came to a certain row, they stopped to check.
Xie Zheng was about to express his confusion when he looked up and saw that there was only one prison boss dozing off in the cell block. He immediately frowned and started scolding him.
The cells for serious criminals are divided into groups of five. Each group must be guarded by two jailers and have two heavy locks to prevent theft and collusion between insiders and outsiders.
Xiao Bo checked the lock and said coldly:
"There's only one heavy lock on this cell. What's going on?"
Xie Zheng reported it immediately. The escape of a serious criminal from prison was no small matter. The Shangguan was shocked and assigned people to conduct a strict interrogation. Not long after, the prison boss confessed.
It turned out that the people imprisoned in this cell were criminals involved in smuggling salt. Several main criminals were in the prison, while the rest of their accomplices were actively raising money outside to try to rescue the criminals, and they had spent a large sum of money to bribe the prison bosses.
The jailer was tempted by the money and drugged his partner until he was unable to get up. He then stole his partner's key and opened a heavy lock.
There were patrols at regular intervals in the cell. The jailer was just waiting for this wave of patrols to pass by, seizing the opportunity to release the criminal. However, Xiao Bo caught him red-handed.
After the dust settled, it was already late. Xie Zheng was so tired that his back and waist ached. Xiao Bo took the initiative to treat him to noodles, and Xie Zheng gladly accepted.
There is no curfew in the capital, and the night is bustling. There are all kinds of snacks stalls in the back street of Dali Temple, with a wide variety of products and people coming and going.
Xiao Bo invited Xie Zheng to eat at a noodle stall run by a grandfather and grandson. The food was simple and homely, and a bowl of vegetarian noodles only cost five copper coins. However, the business was much worse than that of other vendors.
Xiao Bo added some money and asked them to put a fried egg in each of their noodles. He then cut some poached chicken and other meat dishes from the neighboring stall and filled the table.
Xie Zheng guessed that Xiao Bo wanted to take care of the grandparents and grandchildren, which was why he chose this ordinary stall.
Xie Zheng was not a picky eater, so he picked up the chopsticks and started eating. He praised the cooking skills and said to Xiao Bo directly:
"You're truly amazing! You're a true prophet. You figured out the problem with that cell right away. Those salt smugglers have killed so many people. What if they managed to escape... well, I don't even dare to think about it."
Xiao Bo lowered his head and ate noodles. He was not a prophet.
In a previous life, there was a scandal that resulted in all the staff of the Dali Temple being fined for three months' salary.
A jailer was bribed by a salt smuggler to release him from prison, but the other jailers happened to spot him and launched a pursuit. The salt smuggler didn't get far before he was surrounded in the busy back streets of Dali Temple and taken hostage. Realizing there was no hope of escape, he dragged the hostage to his grave, leaving him bloodied and splattered.
Xiao Bo was away on vacation that day and heard his colleagues talking about how pitiful the hostage was. She was just a little girl in her teens who depended on her grandfather to run a noodle stall. She had no luck and had to get into such a human disaster. Her grandfather witnessed this tragedy and had no desire to live. He spat out a mouthful of blood and died on the spot.
"Grandpa, business is better today than usual. We're almost sold out. Should we stock up more tomorrow? Oh, I'm afraid tomorrow won't be as good."
"You're so young, why are you worrying about anything? Just wait for me to prepare your dowry and find you a good family. Then you won't have to work with an old man like me every day in the wind and sun."
"How can it be suffering? You are talking nonsense."
The grandparents and grandchildren were talking and laughing.
The little girl grew up in the market and worked swiftly. She quickly cleared a table. Seeing Xiao Bo looking at her, she didn't get angry. Instead, she opened her eyes wide and asked him:
"Sir, why are you looking at me? I have something growing on my face."
Xiao Bo looked away and said sorry for bothering her. He was handsome and had a nice voice, which made the girl look at him a few more times.
He felt that he was heartless and had no concerns about the world. Handling cases was just a transaction where he got a salary on one hand and worked hard on the other. The grandparents and grandchildren whom he saved alive were laughing and caring in his ears, repeating the dull and boring work day after day, without having to suffer the accident of the elderly sending the young away. Xiao Bo's eyes were sore when he heard it.
It’s great that he has put an end to the devastating disaster, and there is one less tragedy in the world.
After this trip, he personally confirmed that the events of his previous life could be changed, and he felt more confident.
He can save this pair of grandparents and grandchildren, and he can also save Pei Zhaoying!
However, he knew in advance who killed the grandfather and grandson, so he could take precautions in advance. However, he currently had no clues about the force that ambushed Pei Zhaoying by the Luo River and finally took her life, so he had to follow the clues of the old case step by step.
Xie Zheng warned him cautiously:
"Brother Xiao Bo, I'm not being nosy, but if you're serious about becoming a prince consort, you absolutely mustn't have any other romantic interests. Don't look around! Marrying Princess Shang is very different from marrying any other woman."
Xiao Bo thought it was funny:
"You speak as if you have experience as a Shang Lord."
"I didn't, but I heard from others that the princess didn't agree with the prince consort taking a concubine, so the prince consort could only be together for life, and there were also a lot of rules about greeting each other in the morning and evening. In short, being a prince consort is not entirely an easy job." Xie Zheng teased Xiao Bo with a gloating look, "You know the prince of the Anle Marquisate? His family background meets the requirements and he was on the list of candidates for the prince consort. He visited the paralyzed Xu Gongzi and came back terrified. He cried and made a fuss to his father, saying that he wanted his name crossed off the list, otherwise he would rather starve to death than suffer the humiliation of a woman in the future. His father was furious!"
Xiao Bo snorted coldly:
"I think he doesn't know his own worth. How can someone like him stand out? It's ridiculous that he decided not to become a royal consort long ago. Is it his turn to be a royal consort?"
Xie Zheng objectively admired Xiao Bo's appearance and commented:
"Actually, if I were Her Royal Highness the Princess, I would definitely choose you. Apart from anything else, you're just a delight to look at."
Xiao Bo picked up a chicken drumstick for him:
"You should eat more. You've worked hard."
Xie Zheng really should eat more and reward his talking mouth.
The little girl was young and could not control her temper. She found their conversation very interesting and interrupted them:
"Are you two discussing the marriage of Her Royal Highness the Princess? We are among the people predicting the candidate. Everyone says that the so-called selection of a consort is just a formality, and the position of consort will definitely fall to the Grand Chancellor."
Xiao Bo's face suddenly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot:
"It's just empty talk and nonsense."
Xie Zheng tried to smooth things over with a dry laugh, "Hahaha, our master's words are a bit harsh, sister, please forgive me."
The little girl's cheeks flushed with anger. She couldn't understand why this handsome man, who had been so kind when buying noodles from their stall at first and even helped her grandfather up when he stepped on a stone and lost his balance, suddenly became so mean and cold, like a completely different person?
She even secretly praised others for their kindness in her heart.
"I'm not talking nonsense! Go and ask around yourself! Changlefang has already opened a betting platform for which noble young man will be the prince consort, and almost everyone is betting on the Grand Chancellor! The Grand Chancellor leads troops in battle, looking majestic and impressive, a tough guy with a soft side, and a perfect match for the eldest princess."
"Be careful with your words!" Xiao Bo said in a low voice.
The stall owner was afraid that his granddaughter would say something bad, so he scolded her a few words and then pulled her behind him to protect her.
The little girl then held her breath, turned her head away, and stopped talking to Xiao Bo.
She didn't know that the words "a perfect match" made Xiao Bo so angry that his chest ached and he almost fainted.
He planned painstakingly just to separate Xiao Yucheng from Pei Zhaoying!
Xie Zheng thought that Xiao Bo was simply in love with Pei Zhaoying, and could not bear to hear any good words from his rival, so he apologized humbly, saying that his friend had a sudden illness, and pulled Xiao Bo away from the noodle stall.
Xiao Bo flicked his sleeves and walked forward quickly, and Xie Zheng quickly caught up with him.
"Master Xiao Bo, why are you showing off your authority to a girl?"
"Was I just showing off my power? Little girls are prone to being careless with their words. This time, I spoke ill of Her Royal Highness the Princess, who is kind and forgiving. If I speak ill of other nobles next time and they hold a grudge against me, wouldn't it be easy to deal with them both?"
"Then please explain it nicely. If you suddenly give people a cold face, they'll be easily frightened by you... But Xiao Bo, you're the first person I know of who said His Highness was kind and benevolent. Now, rumors are spreading everywhere, turning His Highness into a ferocious Yaksha."
Before Xiao Bo could get upset again, Xie Zheng picked up his injured hand and shook it:
"That's just a rumor, that's just a rumor. We've seen it with our own eyes. Your Highness is kind-hearted and considerate of the officials."
Xiao Bo gently broke free, his expression softened a lot, and he raised his legs to run into the shop in front of him.
Xie Zheng looked up at the plaque with three large characters written on it - Changlefang, the largest gambling house in the capital.
"Xiao Bo! How could you participate in gambling?"
"I'm betting on myself, so it's not really gambling. If you have some extra money, you can bet on me, and I'll make you rich."
Lord Xiao Bo, a gentle and calm man who has lived a self-disciplined and polite life for more than 20 years, is really speaking such nonsense for the first time.
For the sake of one person, I feel so embarrassed that I have to give up my dignity and decorum bit by bit.
In order to protect Pei Zhaoying from falling into the tiger's mouth and for his own unspeakable selfish desire, Xiao Bo realized that he must win the selection of the prince consort.
Pei Zhaoying had been wandering for half her life, it was too bitter. In her previous life, his company was too silent, like a shadow that followed her closely, never separated, never broke the boundaries, just accompanied her in laughter and tears, that was all.
This is far from enough.
He should have staked his life on it.
Xiao Bo didn't know that Pei Zhaoying was tossing and turning in bed, worrying about how to make him accept the position of son-in-law.
Pei Zhaoying called Jiang Yubai, who was on night duty, to get to know the man better:
"What would happen if you men were forced to marry a woman you didn't like?"
"It depends on the person. Some men marry beautiful and wealthy wives and just get by. But how can any man with a bit of ambition be happy if he is forced to have a woman he doesn't want?"
Pei Zhaoying was frightened when she heard this:
"Well, as a grown woman, even if my marriage doesn't go as I wish, I still have to live well."
"Men and women think differently. Men would regard this as a huge humiliation! Imagine a man being forced into marriage. What dignity would he have? A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated."
Seeing Pei Zhaoying's eyes wide open and her face stiff, Qiluo was afraid that she might not be able to sleep at night, so she boldly interrupted:
"Commander Jiang's words are reasonable, but what man in the world would not want to marry a woman as noble and beautiful as Your Highness? I'm sure they will be overjoyed and make a perfect match."
Jiang Yubai said that it was hard to say, and was immediately glared at by Qiluo.
Pei Zhaoying had already taken it to heart.
She valued Xiao Bo's talent and wanted to recruit him for her own use, establishing a close relationship between them. She had no intention of insulting Xiao Bo, and was even more afraid that Xiao Bo would be insulted and turn against her.
Xiao Bo was not even afraid of the humiliation from powerful people like Xiao Yucheng, and he would do anything to stop a chariot. Pei Zhaoying felt a lump in her heart and couldn't breathe just by imagining Xiao Bo's cold face in white clothes, who would rather die than surrender. She had a thousand words to say, but she couldn't.
Pei Zhaoying called Qiluo to light the lamp and grind, and wrote a letter at night.
After thinking about it, my wrist is powerless, the characters are floating, and the strokes are weak.
"The Pisces jade pendant has been repaired. You can choose a day to pick it up."
I didn't enclose the jade pendant with the letter, but I just wanted to have a legitimate chance to meet you again.
Jiang Yubai couldn't bear to see her half-dead look, so he reminded her before sending the letter:
"Aying, you are the eldest princess, you are the emperor, and he is the minister. If you really want to marry, he, as a loyal minister and good general, can only be happy and thank you! You don't need to worry about his thoughts or feelings at all. If you want to marry, then marry. You just need to be sure of his loyalty."
Pei Zhaoying was helped back to bed by the servants. He lay awake in the dark, completely unable to sleep.
She was a little panicked, not because her wedding was approaching and clues in the old case were hard to find.
Instead, she found that she actually began to care about Xiao Bo, care about his thoughts, and care about how he would view her.
She didn't know where the palpitations that accompanied it came from, so she could only silently accumulate courage, waiting for the day they met, and ask the question that had been brewing on her lips for a long time, "Are you willing?"
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