Chapter 22: The Palace Examination Ruined (22)
twenty two
The night is gloomy.
Pei Xuan stood up and asked the servants to pack up all the letters in the study of Prince Jing's mansion and take them back to the Dali Temple to be carefully checked by officials who were well-versed in literature.
As he stayed here, he felt the air was sticky, heavy and humid, invading his lungs and making him feel nauseous.
Pei Xuan walked out of the palace, and the attendant immediately said, "I will drive the carriage right away."
"No need to bother." Pei Xuan strode over the threshold and took the torch from the officer. "It's not far. We can just walk back."
"Send someone to guard Prince Jing's mansion. No one is allowed to come in or go out. People inside are not allowed to move around at will. If anything happens, report it immediately."
"yes."
Pei Xuan walked in front, and the servants drove the carriage loaded with letters following behind him.
There was no conversation along the way, only the sound of carriages rumbling through the long street.
It was already late in the evening, and there were no pedestrians on the street. Only a flickering candlelight was lit from the shop in front.
Pei Xuan walked on the long, dark street, his steps becoming increasingly firm.
The Dali Temple is solemn and majestic. Two lamps are lit in front of the gate, making the black main entrance look extremely solemn.
Pei Xuan held a torch in his hand, and the light of the flames reflected on the two stone statues of Xiezhi in front of the door, which looked majestic and able to distinguish between good and evil.
As they walked along, Pei Xuan's steps finally became firm.
He lifted his robe and walked up the steps: "Let's go to the prison first."
"yes."
General Zhenwei was stabbed several times by the emperor and fell into a coma. The doctor was still bandaging his wounds.
Prince Jing had been hiding nearby and was not seriously injured. He was just hit by the copper vase thrown by Zhu Qingchen, which was no big deal.
That's why he can keep shouting.
The prison was gloomy and cold. When Pei Xuan stepped into the prison, he was hit in the face by the biting chill.
Prince Jing had a special status and was imprisoned in the innermost cell.
Tonight, Prince Jing originally planned to enter the palace to threaten the emperor to abdicate to him. He even dressed up specially, wearing luxurious clothes and a golden crown on his head.
Now the officers thought he was noisy, so they tied his hands behind his back and blocked his mouth.
His luxurious clothes were stained with blood and dust, and he fell to the ground like a dead dog.
The officer led Pei Xuan to the cell and said, "Master Pei, please come this way."
Hearing the voices, Prince Jing seemed to regain some consciousness and slowly opened his eyes.
Pei Xuan stopped outside the cell with his hands behind his back.
, the hem of the official uniform swayed.
Prince Jing looked up and saw a familiar face, and his eyes immediately lit up with surprise.
Pei Xuan!
This is his hero! This is his queen!
The heroes came to help him rebel! The queen came to save him!
But because his mouth was stuffed, Prince Jing couldn't utter a word. He could only struggle hard on the ground, trying to stand up.
But Pei Xuan did not come closer. He just lowered his eyes and looked at him coldly.
Prince Jing met his gaze and his heart suddenly sank.
Pei Xuan turned around and asked the officer, "When will Lord Liu arrive?"
This is a serious criminal of the court, and he cannot be tried alone. He has to wait for Liu An, who is trying the case together, to arrive and His Majesty to issue a handwritten order before he can be tried.
The officer replied, "It is late at night now. Our people have gone to fetch Lord Liu. Lord Pei, please be patient."
The officer thought for a moment and asked again, "Master Pei, do you want to go out and take a rest?"
"No need." Pei Xuan said, "You guys retreat outside to guard for the time being, I will stay and talk to King Jing."
The officer hesitated: "This..."
"Stay outside and don't let even a fly out."
"yes."
When King Jing heard their conversation and saw the officers retreat, hope rekindled in his eyes.
Pei Xuan must have to get those people away and then rescue him.
Pei Xuan took out the key, opened the cell door, and walked up to him.
Prince Jing struggled hard on the ground, trying to stand up.
Pei Xuan reached out and helped him take out the cloth stuffing his mouth.
Prince Jing heaved a sigh of relief and immediately called out, "A Xuan..."
The next second, with a "bang", Pei Xuan's fist hit his face, directly knocking his face crooked.
Prince Jing looked up in disbelief, but soon understood the situation, adjusted his expression, and said seriously: "A Xuan, you also had that dream, right?"
There was another "bang".
Prince Jing was a little annoyed by his beating and raised his voice: "Okay, Pei Xuan, I know you are angry. Since you also had that dream, you know in your heart that I will become the emperor sooner or later."
"Save me now, and we'll go to the border. After three to five years, we'll be able to fight back! By then, I'll make you a high official and prime minister!"
Pei Xuan looked depressed and stared at him steadily: "Now that you have lost General Zhenwei's military power, how can you still rebel?"
King Jing said confidently: "Don't we still have you? Do you still remember how to dig canals and build chariots?"
Pei Xuan clenched his fists tightly and wanted to punch him, so Prince Jing could not help but dodge back.
He argued, "No matter what the process was, the result was good. Besides, didn't I fail this time? Didn't you still take part in the palace examination? And you won the first place."
Prince Jing also tried to bribe him: "Even if you win the first place in the imperial examination, you still have to work hard in the court. You can't become the prime minister even at the age of fifty. You assist me, and when I ascend the throne, I will let you be the prime minister."
At the end of the dream, King Jing wanted Pei Xuan to be prime minister, but Pei Xuan did not agree.
He said that he could not interfere with both the court and the harem at the same time, and finally retreated to the harem, winning a lot of praise in his dreams and in reality.
Pei Xuan looked at him steadily: "Do you think I am precious? The prime minister and the queen are just gifts given to me by you. You have made a good plan. You plan things during the day and warm the bed at night. You have two purposes at the same time."
"Even if I failed the palace examination, it was because of my own hard work. What does it have to do with you? What qualifications do you have to ruin my palace examination?"
"General Zhenwei is your man. After I was exiled to the frontier, he treated me harshly and humiliated me many times. Then you came, stopped him, and saved me. I was stupid in my dream and didn't realize that this was a deliberate trap you set up to win people's hearts."
"Your Highness Prince Jing is used to being high and mighty, wantonly trampling on people's hearts and lives, and yet you act like a savior in front of me. Aren't you disgusting?"
Prince Jing suddenly remembered what he had said in his dream, and said quickly: "I...Ah Xuan, I love you. I was born in a royal family full of intrigues and deceptions. I don't believe in sincerity. I don't know how to love you. I just instinctively want to keep you by my side. You...you have to teach me how to love."
In the dream, as soon as he said this, Pei Xuan, who had been heartbroken, immediately burst into tears and forgave him.
Prince Jing tried hard to appear sincere and looked at Pei Xuan affectionately.
It was just that he had just been punched twice by Pei Xuan, and his face was covered in bruises, which looked funny.
It would have been better if he didn't say this. As soon as he said this, Pei Xuan thought of that extremely disgusting nightmare.
It wasn't just a dream, it was more like something that really happened in my previous life.
Pei Xuan grabbed his collar and said sternly: "I didn't ask you to be reborn into the royal family! I'm not your father or mother, why should I teach you 'love'? I don't owe you anything!"
Prince Jing was stumped by his question.
"People have lost their love.
"And to be able to live, without morals, people are just beasts who do whatever they want. You were born into a royal family, with fine clothes and delicious food, what else are you not satisfied with? Why don't you learn how to be a human being first?!"
"Love love love, love your mother's head!"
After Pei Xuan said this, he came to his senses and couldn't help laughing.
The first swear word in his life was actually spoken to Fu Wenzhou. This is truly a beautiful love.
*
In the palace.
Zhu Qingchen was sleeping soundly while holding his little tiger head doll.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, and Eunuch Yang's voice came: "Master Zhu? Master Zhu?"
Zhu Qingchen was woken up by him, opened his eyes dazedly, and responded: "Who?"
"It's me. Lord Pei sent someone to the palace to ask for your Majesty's written order, saying that he would try Prince Jing at night. Your Majesty thought that Master Zhu might want to go and take a look, so he sent this old servant to ask if you would like to take the written order and take a look?"
"Just this matter?" Zhu Qingchen rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong with Pei Xuan? He didn't sleep at night and went to interrogate King Jing. Can't he do it tomorrow?"
"Master Zhu, are you going?"
Zhu Qingchen fell on the bed, pulled up the quilt, and closed his eyes: "I won't..."
He jumped up from the bed and said, "Of course I'll go!"
Pei Xuan was personally trying King Jing, so of course he wanted to go and watch the fun.
I have to go even if I don't sleep.
"Please wait a moment. I'll be out soon."
"Okay, no rush."
Eunuch Yang was standing outside the door waiting and couldn't help but smile.
Originally, when His Majesty sent him here, he said, "Master Zhu has already gone to bed. If we disturb him now, I'm afraid he will whine and refuse to go."
His Majesty said, "It doesn't matter. Go and ask him. He loves to see Prince Jing in trouble."
Eunuch Yang just arrived.
Now it seems that Your Majesty understands Master Zhu and knows that he will definitely go.
Zhu Qingchen got out of bed, put on his shoes, put on his official uniform, tidied his hair, and opened the door in high spirits.
"I'm fine!"
When Prince Jing is in trouble, Zhu Qingchen will be happy.
Prince Jing was always unlucky, and Zhu Qingchen was always happy.
He first went to Yangju Palace to receive the emperor's imperial edict, and then left the palace in a carriage with Eunuch Yang.
In front of the Dali Temple, Zhu Qingchen saw from afar that the Liu family's carriage was also approaching.
Zhu Qingchen stuck his head out of the carriage window and shouted:
"An'er?"
Liu An turned around and saw that it was Zhu Qingchen, and hurriedly stepped forward: "Master."
The carriage stopped and Zhu Qingchen got off the carriage: "You were also called by Pei Xuan?"
"Yes." Liu An nodded, and reached out to support the Master, and then supported Eunuch Yang. "It's the middle of the night. If he doesn't have something urgent to do, call me over. I'll strangle him to death later."
Zhu Qingchen glanced at him with a hint of reproach: "We are all from the same sect..."
"Yes." Liu An lowered his head, "I am just..."
"Just strangle him half to death. We have to keep him alive to investigate the case." Zhu Qingchen said seriously, "Strangle him to death after the case is investigated."
“……”Liu An choked.
You are worthy of it, Master.
The group entered the Dali Temple.
Liu An asked the officer, "Where is Lord Pei?"
"Lord Pei is in the Heavenly Prison."
"Okay, let's go and take a look."
When they passed by, Pei Xuan had already calmed down. He stood straight in the cell with his hands behind his back.
Prince Jing huddled in the corner and shivered, seemingly extremely afraid of him.
The officer reminded softly: "Master Pei, Master Zhu and Master Liu are here."
Pei Xuan adjusted his expression, turned around, and saluted to the two of them with the same look as usual, "Master, Senior Brother."
Zhu Qingchen nodded slightly and took out the emperor's handwritten order from his sleeve: "You can bring him in for trial now."
"yes."
Pei Xuan waved to the officers, who immediately stepped forward and pulled Prince Jing out from the corner.
Only then did everyone notice that Prince Jing's face was covered in bruises, as if he had just been beaten.
Liu An was startled, stepped forward and tugged at Pei Xuan's sleeve, and asked in a low voice: "Did you hit him?"
No matter what, Prince Jing is an important criminal of the court and cannot be lynched at will. This matter can be big or small, so it is no wonder that Liu An asked him.
Pei Xuan paused: "Brother, I..."
At this time, Zhu Qingchen interrupted them and said, "No, the one who hit him on the face was His Majesty. It has nothing to do with Xuan."
The two men raised their heads and looked at the Master in shock.
Your Majesty, do you know that the Master said this about him behind his back?
Zhu Qingchen remained calm and said confidently, "That's right. Your Majesty captured the rebel alive and was extremely brave. This was a reward from Your Majesty. How could it be our weak Ah Xuan who beat him?"
"Yes." Pei Xuan nodded and walked down the stairs.
.
Zhu Qingchen raised his hand and asked the officers to bring the people up: "Let's go."
Prince Jing was so angry that his teeth were chattering.
It was clearly Pei Xuan who beat him, and Zhu Qingchen even helped him lie.
There were lights on the prison corridor.
Zhu Qingchen was wearing a bright red official uniform, with his hands clasped together, walking in front.
Liu An and Pei Xuan were both dressed in blue and followed behind him.
Pei Xuan turned his head to look at Senior Brother Liu and confirmed that he was still alive and his head was still connected to his neck, instead of falling to the ground and dying.
Liu An frowned and turned to look at him: "What are you looking at?"
Pei Xuan shook his head obediently, then turned back and looked at the teacher.
There was no teacher in the dream, no teacher to help him read articles, and no teacher to teach him how to be a good person.
Only now did he understand why the Master had asked him to stand outside the door and recite his own articles aloud when he first met him.
It was just a very small matter, but from this small matter, the Master taught him and turned him into a completely different person.
He was no longer as cowardly as he had been in his dreams.
Zhu Qingchen came on the orders of His Majesty, so he sat in the main seat in front of the hall.
Liu An and Pei Xuan sat on both sides respectively.
Prince Jing stood in the hall, head lowered, with a sinister look in his eyes.
Zhu Qingchen clasped his hands together and nodded to the two students: "You guys go ahead and judge them."
Pei Xuan took out the letters between Prince Jing and General Zhenwei, which he had stolen from Prince Jing that night.
"Fu Wenzhou, do you recognize this thing?"
Prince Jing reacted immediately: "Pei Xuan! It turned out to be you who stole it! You stole it that night!"
Pei Xuan still held up the letter: "So you admit that this is the letter you exchanged with General Zhenwei, right?"
He turned his head and winked at the official who was taking notes.
The official nodded and recorded it truthfully.
Pei Xuan continued to ask: "When did you start colluding with General Zhenwei? How did you collude? Tell me everything clearly."
King Jing naturally refused to say, "Pei Xuan, that's enough! I know you are angry. Just scold me and hit me a few times, and you will vent your anger. Do you really want to hit me?"
In Prince Jing's view, he had only done something wrong, and what was more, he had not succeeded.
Just like in that dream, he continued to rebel and Pei Xuan assisted him. Isn't that good?
Since the destiny is in his hands, God has given him a dream
, implying that he is the emperor, how dare Pei Xuan go against the will of heaven?
Pei Xuan slammed the letter on the table, which frightened King Jing.
"Come here, execute the sentence."
Pei Xuan spoke in a calm tone and his voice was not loud.
Two officers immediately stepped forward, lifted up Prince Jing, and tied him to the execution rack.
King Jing continued to shout: "Pei Xuan, you dare? You dare to hit me! I won't give you a title..."
Pei Xuan interrupted him: "Hit!"
The executioners were all veterans, and they were most skilled in dealing with criminals who spoke nonsense and disturbed the peace.
They held whips in their hands, which were soaked in water and extremely flexible. When they hit people, they directly tore their clothes, but left a red mark.
You can't see it from the outside, but his skin and flesh are actually all broken.
The two officers cooperated with each other and whipped Prince Jing twice. Prince Jing, who usually lived a life of luxury, could no longer curse.
Pei Xuan looked at him coldly, expressionless.
Such a person was able to successfully rebel.
Oh, that's all.
After the ten whips, Pei Xuan asked again: "Fu Wenzhou, tell me everything about your collusion with General Zhenwei."
Prince Jing lowered his head and replied weakly: "I say... I say..."
Zhu Qingchen clasped his hands, looked at Pei Xuan, and said to the system: "My student has grown up overnight."
The system said: "The plot is completely broken. Even if it is automatically repaired, it will be useless. From tonight, Pei Xuan can do whatever he wants."
Zhu Qingchen was very pleased: "No wonder he beat up Prince Jing right away."
Soon, Prince Jing explained the whole story of his collusion with General Zhenwei.
Prince Jing took a breath, regained some strength, raised his head, and looked at Pei Xuan with a resentful look: "Why don't you let me tell you how you stole the letter?"
Prince Jing also knew that Pei Xuan was determined not to help him.
But he still has the leverage over Pei Xuan.
How did Pei Xuan steal the letter? Others didn't know, but he did.
This kind of thing was unpleasant to talk about, and he was sure that Pei Xuan would not dare to mention it in front of others.
Prince Jing raised his head and twitched his lips: "Pei Xuan, let me tell you, at that time..."
But the next moment, Pei Xuan said seriously: "At that time, I drove to the Jingwang Mansion to deliver wine."
Prince Jing's face changed. How dare he?
“I sent the wine to
In the kitchen, the steward of the palace went to get money and asked me to wait in the kitchen. I waited for about a quarter of an hour, but no one came, so I prepared to leave and come back a few days later to get it.
"But as soon as I walked out of the kitchen, Fu Wenzhou pretended to be drunk and rushed over to hug me..."
King Jing's expression changed drastically, and he roared, "Shut up! Shut up!"
Doesn’t he want the reputation of a scholar anymore?
How dare he be so shameless and speak out in public?
Pei Xuan ignored him and continued in a calm tone: "I threw him to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw. He got up, dragged me and said some disgusting words, and even tried to hug me and press me against the flower wall."
"While I was struggling with him, I saw a letter slipping out of his collar, so I stole the letter while he was not paying attention."
Pei Xuan raised his head and looked at King Jing: "Is there anything missing? Do you want to add something?"
Prince Jing was almost fainted by his anger.
This was clearly not the case in the dream. Pei Xuan in the dream was timid and cowardly. He was afraid that this matter would be known by others, so he kept it hidden and never told anyone for more than ten years.
Why did he say it now, in the court of Dali Temple, in front of dozens of officers?
Pei Xuan said calmly: "This is a crime you committed, not mine. I am innocent. If you make it public, others will only say that you are crazy and humiliating the students taking the palace examination. Why should I help you hide this?"
Pei Xuan looked at the writing official and asked him, "Did you record it completely?"
"Yes." The official nodded, "Your Excellency, I will tell you everything."
Pei Xuan made a final conclusion: "Prince Jing not only colluded with foreign ministers to rebel, but also bullied the students taking the palace examination. His crime is even more serious. I will record the truth in the file and submit it to Your Majesty for your reference."
Of course, this is just the beginning.
After the letters in the study of Prince Jing's mansion were sorted out and a list was compiled, Prince Jing would have to explain it again and again and examine it again and again.
The interrogation was over when it was already daybreak.
The presiding judge and the bailiffs had worked all night to interrogate him, and now it was time for them to eat something and take a rest.
The officers sent King Jing back to the cell and let him rest.
Zhu Qingchen got up from the bed in the middle of the night, holding the handwritten edict given to him by the emperor, and fell asleep leaning on the table.
Pei Xuan and Liu An were quietly eating snacks and sorting out the files from today's interrogation.
Liu An hesitated several times before finally holding Pei Xuan's hand and whispered, "That
You didn't have to explain the matter in such detail. With so many people talking, it's hard to guarantee that someone won't spread misinformation."
Pei Xuan said, "It doesn't matter what others say, as long as the files are recorded in detail and nothing is omitted, it doesn't matter."
He thought for a moment and then asked, "Brother, can you discuss this with me?"
Liu An quickly said, "Of course I won't."
Pei Xuan said sternly: "If someone I know talks about me, he should come to me and tell me directly. I don't need such a friend who can't distinguish right from wrong. I will cut off my friendship with him."
At this moment, Zhu Qingchen, who was dozing off next to him, suddenly opened his eyes, took a piece of dessert, and said quietly, "What if you can't get married?"
Pei Xuan was startled by his sudden voice: "Master?"
Zhu Qingchen sniffed and looked at him seriously.
Pei Xuan came back to his senses: "Then we won't get married. I will stay with my senior brother and teacher for the rest of my life."
Zhu Qingchen and Liu An frowned at the same time, looking a little disgusted.
Let’s just forget it.
After breakfast and a half-hour break, Pei Xuan slammed the gavel and continued to interrogate King Jing.
Zhu Qingchen and Liu An looked at each other.
This case-trialing maniac seems to have no end in sight.
There was no choice but Liu An could only straighten his clothes and sit back in the jury seat.
The bailiffs brought Prince Jing up, and Prince Jing went down to tidy himself up, looking like a decent human being again.
He regained his spirits: "Pei Xuan, you are going against the will of heaven! I am the emperor appointed by heaven!"
Pei Xuan ignored him and picked out a letter from the evidence: "Explain the letter between you and the second son of the Minister of War."
Prince Jing had just finished breakfast and rested for an hour. He had completely forgotten the beating he had just received and was full of energy: "Pei Xuan, it's not too late for you to regret now!"
Zhu Qingchen was originally sleeping lazily leaning on the stool, but was woken up by him. He opened his eyes and made a dissatisfied "tsk" sound.
It's so noisy.
When Prince Jing heard the voice, he turned his head sharply and noticed Zhu Qingchen.
In a flash, he seemed to understand something. He raised his head abruptly, pointed at Zhu Qingchen with hatred, and the shackles on his hands jingled.
"You, it's you! There was no such person as you in my previous life. It was you who caused discord between Pei Xuan and me! It was you who encouraged Pei Xuan to go against me! It was you!"
Zhu Qingchen raised his eyes slightly and asked calmly, "What? I'm trying to sow discord between you and Pei Xuan?"
"It's you! If it weren't for you, if you hadn't taught Pei Xuan all those messed up things, he would have been my advisor long ago..."
Before Prince Jing could finish his words, Pei Xuan slammed the table and stood up, pointing at him firmly: "Slap your face!"
He could allow Prince Jing to speak nonsense to him, but he could not allow Prince Jing to speak nonsense to his teacher.
Prince Jing somehow found the strength to break free from the guards' shackles and said to Zhu Qingchen in a stern voice: "If he had been with me, he could have been the prime minister! You ruined him, you are a monster!"
The officers reached out to grab him, but the next second, Liu An rolled up his sleeves, rushed down the steps, grabbed his collar and subdued him.
Pei Xuan took the bamboo board from the yamen runner and slapped him hard on the face: "Shut up!"
Prince Jing was completely crazy. He even dared to tell others about his dream in public.
Pei Xuan himself was not afraid of other people's gossip, but if these words were to get out, he would be criticized for being a monster or having past and present lives. He was afraid that the Master would be pointed out by others.
Pei Xuan slapped him twice hard, causing him to foam at the mouth and become speechless.
Pei Xuan threw him away and said to the officer, "Prince Jing is talking nonsense. Go to the palace and ask the imperial physician to see if he is really crazy or just pretending."
The two officers took the order and left. The other officers looked at him tentatively: "Sir, should we send him back to the cell?"
"No need." Pei Xuan glanced at him and said, "Let him stay here until the imperial physician comes. You can go down first."
"yes."
The officers retreated, and only Zhu Qingchen and two students were left in the huge hall. Prince Jing lay on the ground, gasping for breath in fear.
He recovered and held onto the hem of Pei Xuan's official uniform tightly, "Pei Xuan, don't listen to his instigation. He is a demon, sent by God to sow discord between us, the monarch and his subjects. Help me, help me!"
Pei Xuan grabbed the hem of his clothes and pulled it back from his hand: "Shut up, how dare you talk about the Master?"
Zhu Qingchen clasped his hands together and sat up a little straighter.
The students are going to praise me, listen carefully!
Pei Xuan said sternly: "Master, you help me read articles, teach me to be self-reliant and strong, and teach me how to be an official. What do you want to teach me? Do you want to teach me about sex? Do you want to teach me how to curry favor with others? Or how to bow my head and accept my fate?"
"The Master is upright and honest; you are shameless and self-willed. How can you be compared with the Master?"
Pei Xuan poked his chest with the bamboo board he had used to hit him on the mouth: "Who ruined it?"
You know me well in your heart."
Prince Jing was speechless and could only mutter: "He is a monster, he was sent by God to destroy me. If it weren't for him, I would have ascended the throne long ago. It is God who wants to destroy me, not that I am incompetent, it is God who wants to destroy me..."
"It's not that God wants to kill you, it's that God is helping you."
Zhu Qingchen leaned on a stool and walked down the stairs.
He clasped his hands and stood in front of King Jing.
An incompetent opponent.
An assistant to a top scholar.
No matter what Prince Jing did, it was all logical and flawless.
To this world, isn’t the author of the storybook the heaven here?
Didn't Heaven give him a special favor?
In order to pave the way for him to ascend the throne, wasn't it just Pei Xuan who was destroyed by the Heavenly Dao?
It’s ridiculous that King Jing never knew he was wrong and is still blaming others.
Zhu Qingchen lifted up his skirt, squatted down in front of him, and said softly: "If you are not convinced, just wait a little longer."
Prince Jing raised his head, his eyes confused.
The next second, Zhu Qingchen smiled and said, "Wait a little longer, maybe the Heaven will arrange a 'crematorium' for Ah Xuan?"
Zhu Qingchen's eyes curved, "Don't you like playing these tricks the most? Maybe Xuan will kneel down and apologize to you. After all, our Xuan is now an official appointed by the court and cannot kneel down easily. You are a criminal, so it's enough for you to kneel down for me."
"Of course, Ah Xuan, squatting three times is enough. There should be a limit to what you can do. Don't keep dwelling on the past. This is the love of an official appointed by the court."
"Um?"
Prince Jing reacted immediately, pointing at Zhu Qingchen, and yelling at Pei Xuan: "Pei Xuan, listen! Listen! He knows, he knows everything, he is deliberately trying to break us up!"
Zhu Qingchen looked at him and said, "Are you unhappy? That's a 'crematorium'. An official appointed by the imperial court is your 'crematorium'. You are taking advantage of it."
Prince Jing grabbed Pei Xuan's clothes and kept yelling. Pei Xuan didn't want to pay attention to him and turned to look at the teacher.
So what if the Master knew?
So what if the Master came here on purpose to separate them?
He didn't like King Jing in the first place. Who would like someone who would ruin their future?
The Master did a great thing; he should be regarded as the savior sent by God to save him.
King Jing made a fuss for a while, but when he saw that Pei Xuan was unmoved, he turned his attention to
Zhu Qingchen.
"It's not me, it's all your fault. You're biased... You're biased! You've taught so many students, even the servant next to you, you're willing to teach him! But you won't teach me! I don't know how to love, Pei Xuan won't teach me, and you won't teach me either, it's not my fault! It has nothing to do with me!"
Pei Xuan said: "The Master taught you. On the first day I met the Master, in the wine shop, the Master taught you to behave properly, but you didn't listen to a word he said."
Zhu Qingchen turned to look at him: "How do you know?"
Pei Xuan lowered his head embarrassedly.
It was rare for the master to teach, so he was hiding behind the kitchen and eavesdropping.
Zhu Qingchen understood and did not want to say any more to King Jing, so he turned around and returned to his seat.
Pei Xuan squatted down in front of King Jing, tapped his purple cheeks with a bamboo board, and whispered, "You are the one who doesn't cherish me. I warn you, if you dare to say a bad word about the Master in front of others, I will pull out your tongue immediately. Anyway, you can read, so I can interrogate you even without a tongue."
Prince Jing looked up in disbelief. He never expected that the once timid Pei Xuan would become so cruel and ruthless.
Of course, such a vicious method must be used against such a vicious person.
Pei Xuan stood up, turned around, and returned to the seat of presiding judge.
Liu An listened to the whole thing, looked at Pei Xuan, then looked at the Master, as if he understood something.
"Master..."
Zhu Qingchen shook his hand and said calmly: "Prince Jing is crazy, don't worry about it."
Prince Jing is talking nonsense and cannot be interrogated today.
After the imperial physician came and took him away, the men left.
When the group left the Dali Temple, the sun was shining brightly, just like the day of the palace examination.
Pei Xuan stretched out his hand and felt the sunlight on his face.
Dry and hot.
It seemed like many years had passed since last night’s dream. He hadn’t seen such beautiful sunlight for many years.
Pei Xuan turned his head, looked at the Master, and asked softly: "Master, do you think I am too cruel?"
"No." Zhu Qingchen glanced at him, "This is not called cruel."
What Pei Xuan did today was not even one-tenth of what King Jing did.
In the original book, Prince Jing defiled students and ruined the palace examination, which was called "decisive and murderous", "not fussy about trivial matters", "imperial arrogance", and "there is no greater virtue than to admit one's mistakes and correct them".
Pei Xuan was forced to jump off the building. After being rescued, he was heartbroken and thought, "Why are you being so pretentious?" and "You don't have any understanding."
It was as if they were not living in the same place and were not using the same standards.
Now Pei Xuan has been ordered to investigate a case and try a traitor. The traitor refuses to cooperate and keeps making wild remarks. If he is not tortured, does he still need Pei Xuan to coax him with kind words?
"This is called 'the arrogance of a courtier'!" Zhu Qingchen put one hand on his waist and the other hand on Pei Xuan's shoulder, "This is how we handle the case!"
"good."
Liu An was standing next to them. Zhu Qingchen didn't want to favor one over the other, so he reached out his hand, put his arm around his shoulders, and patted him firmly: "You too."!
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