Xu Lingyi was talking to the lady when he saw Jin Ge'er coming in and said with a smile, "I was just talking about you!"

Jin Ge'er was stunned, his heart pounding: "Talking about me? What are you talking about me?"

"Before the New Year, people are everywhere buying New Year's goods and returning home. After the New Year, people are everywhere reporting on their work in Beijing. There are people everywhere. When there are too many people, it is easy to cause trouble." Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "I think you should stay at home these days, firstly to accompany your grandmother and your mother, and secondly to practice the boxing that Master Pang taught you. He said it is most suitable for close combat."

His father's attitude was kind and his smile was gentle and generous, but for some reason, Jing'er's heart beat faster.

"Okay!" He agreed to Xu Lingyi with a smile, and kept reminding himself in his heart to smile naturally, as his father couldn't possibly know the truth so quickly.

Xu Lingyi smiled and turned to talk to the lady about the audience in the palace: "The Queen will issue an imperial decree to exempt you from the audience in the next two days. You can also have a good rest on the first day of the new year."

The lady nodded with a smile.

Two days later, the palace indeed conveyed an imperial decree, which not only exempted the lady from the audience on New Year's Day, but also allowed Jing'er to enter the palace.

Xu Lingyi assigned the best guards in Yongping Marquis's Mansion to Jin Ge'er: "Go quickly and come back soon! If you meet anyone, just pretend you didn't see them!"

Another suggestive statement.

Jin Ge'er didn't dare to say much, just nodded.

Xu Lingyi laughed: "You are really honest today!" Then without waiting for Jing'er's response, he stood up and walked out with a smile.

Jing'er couldn't help but wipe the sweat off his forehead. Thinking that he would be entering the palace soon, he quickly calmed down and thought seriously about how to respond after entering the palace.

Xu Lingyi leaned on the drunkard's chair in the study, waiting for Jing'er to come back.

As soon as Jing'er came back, he went to see Xu Lingyi: "...The Grand Princess wants to see me. To discuss the matter of Cuju on the fourth day of the New Year."

"Didn't you say anything else?" Xu Lingyi looked at him with a smile.

"No." Jing'er said hurriedly, "The eldest princess wants to win the game."

Xu Lingyi said "Oh" nonchalantly, and said, "Go and greet your grandmother and mother, they are worried about you!"

Is that it?

Jing'er prepared a lot of words, but Xu Lingyi didn't ask a single question, which was like a punch hitting cotton.

He left the study feeling a little depressed and met Xu Siyu in front of the hanging flower gate.

Xu Siyu greeted him with a smile: "Sixth brother, you're back? Was everything ok in the palace?" as if they had met by chance.

Jing'er cheered up and said with a smile, "That's great! Where did second brother go?" As they talked, the two walked back side by side.

"What's going on?" Si Yu whispered, "Did the princess agree to let Prince Yong help her choose a consort?"

This is what he cares about most.

"Agreed." Jing'er whispered, "Not only that, the eldest princess was so angry after hearing about the doctor's nephew that she decided to tell the Crown Prince about it. She also said that instead of asking Prince Yong for help, it would be better to ask the Crown Prince for help."

"What?" Xu Siyu said anxiously, "This won't do! Prince Yong intervened because he cares about his sister, but if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intervenes, the Emperor will become suspicious and it will be suspected that he is trying to win over the court officials." As he spoke, his brows were tightly locked together, and he muttered, "It's all my fault for not telling you earlier. Who can I find to pass on a message to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince now?"

"Don't worry, second brother." Seeing this, Jin Ge'er laughed, "The eldest princess may seem to be reckless, but she is also very smart when she uses her brain - she is not going to tell His Royal Highness the Crown Prince directly, she wants to tell the Crown Princess!"

Xu Siyu couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Jinger smiled and said, "The eldest princess also said that if the Chen family just swallowed their anger, it would be fine. If the Chen family really wants to file a complaint, she will ask the queen to intervene."

Only then did Xu Siyu feel relieved.

Even if it's unreasonable for the Queen to dote on her nephew from her mother's family, what can they do?

* * * * * *

After a few days, the Xu family started to paste bright red window decorations and prepare red envelopes for New Year rewards. Everyone was smiling and the festive atmosphere was getting stronger and stronger.

A scholar from the Hanlin Academy named Gu Yan, who claimed to be a classmate and friend of the Grand Canal Governor Chen Bozhi, came to visit Xu Lingyi with a letter.

Xu Lingyi was talking to several big shopkeepers at the time, and he didn't even raise his head when he heard this: "I'm not familiar with Chen Bozhi. If you want to ask him anything, just leave your name card."

Manager Bai hesitated for a moment, but still said "yes" respectfully and went to the reception hall to reply.

One of the big shopkeepers said tactfully: "We in Dezhou's rice warehouse make a living by transporting grain. I have had the honor of meeting this grain transport governor several times. He is a very generous man."

Xu Lingyi replied very straightforwardly: "I don't know how many people say they are someone's so-and-so. Our Xu family has so many businesses. If I could meet everyone, I wouldn't have to do anything!" He smiled and glanced at the shopkeepers, "If Chen Bozhi really has something to do, wouldn't he come to see me himself? It shows that this guy named Gu Yan is just using Chen Bozhi to make money. I don't like this kind of people the most in my life. It's better not to meet him!"

Somehow, the news spread quickly.

Gu Yan was so angry that he lay at home for several days.

Jing'er, Xu Siyu and others were stunned, especially Xu Siyu. In his impression, his father was very considerate. Even if Gu Yan was a beggar, he would never slap him in the face like this... Could it be that his father already knew about the conflict between Jing'er and Chen Ji... If he really knew, his father's behavior would inevitably make people feel that he was protecting his child... It didn't seem like his father's style!

He was thinking about it when Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian came to visit him.

Xu Siyu was very surprised and welcomed the two of them to his study.

Xu Sijian walked to the door of the study and saw the ginkgo tree that he had planted when he was young. He stopped and looked at it for a long time before going into the house.

Xu Siqin and Xu Siyu have already started talking.

"I heard from Jian'er that people in the Wucheng Military Department are saying that Jin'er beat the son of the Grand Canal Transport Governor Chen Bozhi until he was paralyzed in bed." He looked a little anxious, "How could such a rumor spread? Is there a misunderstanding? The Grand Canal Transport Governor is a favorite of the emperor. A few days ago, he even appointed his only son as the deputy commander!"

"Yes!" Xu Sijian, who had just stepped into the study, said in a deep voice without waiting for Xu Siyu to speak, "This matter has been spread with details. I think it would be a good idea to mention it to Fourth Uncle."

There are some things no one can say.

Xu Siyu smiled bitterly in his heart, but his face was full of surprise: "A few days ago, my sixth brother had a fight with a scoundrel from outside the city and saved a father and daughter who were singing for money. Could it be that the scoundrel was Chen Bozhi's son?"

"Ah! There is such a thing!" Xu Sijian got excited when he heard it, and shouted to the maid, "Go and invite the Sixth Young Master over quickly, and tell him that we have something to ask him."

Xu Siqin looked at him and shook his head: "When will you get rid of this habit of meddling in other people's affairs when you are happy?"

"Isn't this at my second brother's house?" Xu Sijian said with a smile, "I'm very well behaved outside."

After they chatted for a while, Jing'er came and asked about what happened. Jing'er was too embarrassed to talk, so Xu Siyu told him what happened. Seeing that it was getting late, the brothers went to greet the Taifu, Shiyi Niang, and Wu Madam, and had lunch at Jing'er's place. Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian went back home, and Jing'er talked with Xu Siyu for almost an hour before returning to his room.

Within a few days, the story about the newly appointed deputy commander-in-chief, the only son of the governor of the grain transport system, who was beaten up by the newly appointed commander-in-chief of the Xiaoling Guard, the sixth son of the Marquis of Yongping, who saw injustice, began to spread widely. Even Yu Yiqing was alarmed and came to ask what happened.

"That's just saying, I don't know what's going on!" Xu Lingyi met Yu Yiqing in the small study, "The Chen family didn't send anyone to tell me anything. I think it's mostly rumors. Even if it's true, how can we, as elders, have the nerve to interfere in the affairs of the younger generation!" Then he smiled, "You've been in charge of the rivers in Jiangnan for the past few years, and you've worked hard. It's a rare occasion for us to get together, I'll let Eleventh Lady prepare a table of wine, and we can chat while drinking. Don't worry about these groundless things."

Yu Yiqing thought that since he became the Minister of Works, he and Xu Lingyi rarely got together to drink and chat. He smiled and agreed, but ended up getting drunk. When he went back, he had to be carried to the carriage by the servants.

As soon as he left, Fang Ji came to find Xu Siyu.

"I heard that someone from the Metropolitan Censorate wrote a memorial to impeach the Marquis, saying that the Marquis was a bad parent and that his youngest son, Xu Sijin, was rampant in Yanjing and even dared to beat up the newly appointed deputy commander of the Imperial Guard. He was so bold and arrogant that the Emperor asked the Emperor to punish the Marquis and Xu Sijin."

Xu Siyu's expression changed slightly.

He knew that this was no longer something he could handle.

He immediately took Fang Yi to see Xu Lingyi.

"...If you don't argue, you won't understand the matter." After thanking Fang Yi, Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "It's always good to argue."

From the tone of her voice, she seems to be going to have a chat with the other party in front of the emperor!

Fang Yi felt relieved and chatted with Xu Lingyi for a while before leaving.

Within a few days, more and more memorials were submitted to impeach Xu Lingyi and Jing'er, but Xu Lingyi did not respond at all. Fang Yi was secretly worried and asked Xu Siyu, "Do you know what the Marquis is planning?"

Xu Siyu shook his head: "I tried to talk to my father several times, but he always changed the subject." He was also a little distressed, "I don't know how my father arranged it."

In that case, it’s not a good question.

Fang Yi had no choice but to return home and wait and see how the situation would develop.

Some said that the emperor was furious and wanted to take away Xu Lingyi's certificate; others said that the emperor said that the New Year was coming soon and if there was anything, they could wait until after the New Year; others said that the emperor wanted to punish Xu Lingyi and his son, but the generals in the army wrote letters to plead for Xu Lingyi, and the emperor was very embarrassed and decided not to pursue the matter...

The words finally reached Eleventh Lady's ears.

"Did Brother Jin really beat someone up?" She asked Xu Lingyi suspiciously, "Or is there someone trying to frame the Marquis?"

"Chen Bozhi is at least a third-rank official in the court and a favorite of the emperor. If our Jin'er really beat someone up, he would come to our house to ask for an explanation!" Xu Lingyi laughed, "As for framing me? There is no evidence yet. We need to investigate carefully to find out."

Eleventh Lady became worried: "Should I go to the palace to test the Queen's mood?"

"No need!" Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "Entering the palace at this time is just a way to cover up one's own guilt. Let's just celebrate our New Year. I have my own arrangements for this matter, you don't have to worry about it." He smiled and held her face, stroking the corner of her eye with his thumb, "Didn't you say yesterday that women get older easily when they worry? Look, you have fine lines at the corners of your eyes!"

"Really!" Eleventh Lady immediately found a telescope and went outside to look under the eaves.

In the sunlight, nothing can be seen!

She knew that Xu Lingyi was teasing her again.

I couldn't help but laugh.

The depression just now was swept away.

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Make up for the extra update on October 7th!

PS: Sprinkle flowers, sprinkle flowers, finally pay off the old debt...~~~~(_