Chapter 217 You are good, no need to change (two chapters in one)
"No, he just looked at A-Yue quietly for a long time without saying a word."
Because Zhao Shiqing came, Xiao Zhen specially asked Dazhuang to light a brazier, but no one had been in the house for many days, and the house was built by the lake, so it was already freezing cold. Even though there was a brazier, it was still chilly.
Xiao Zhen looked at Zhao Shiqing's red fingers from the cold and felt a pang of self-blame in his heart. If he had known she would come, he would have lit the brazier early.
No, why doesn’t this house have a floor heating system? It would be much warmer if it had one.
The greatest suffering Zhao Shiqing had endured since she was a child was when he handed her over to that black-hearted doctor, and then he sold her to a kidnapper. Apart from that, she had never suffered any hardship and was brought up in pampering.
Zhen Wuduo was absolutely right. He was not worthy of her in any aspect now. He didn't even know how to care for her. Just like now, he couldn't even take out a hand warmer.
He took off his fox fur coat, walked to Zhao Shiqing, and put the fur coat on her.
Zhao Shiqing was startled and said quickly, "No, I'm wearing enough clothes. Please put them on quickly. It's very cold in this room."
Xiao Zhen: "Sorry, it's too cold here."
Zhao Shiqing's eyes widened. "So you can feel the cold? I thought you were so badly injured that you couldn't feel the cold or the heat anymore. Alas, I was afraid you would feel inferior, so I never asked you."
Xiao Zhen......
There was no way, because the first impression was too deep. The first time Zhao Shiqing saw Xiao Zhen, he looked half human and half ghost, so that no matter what abnormal behavior Xiao Zhen had later, Zhao Shiqing would blame it on the serious injury he had suffered.
Fortunately, Zhao Shiqing did not delve into this issue further, otherwise Xiao Zhen would be ashamed.
Zhao Shiqing's attention was still on the Emperor. She asked, "So what happened next? When the Emperor saw Xiao Yueyue, did he just stare at him blankly and not express anything?"
Xiao Zhen shook his head: "No, really not. He said nothing, just waved his hand and let us go."
Zhao Shiqing asked, "Is he being monitored? No, if he were monitored, how could he still wander around? He could even go to Wudi."
Xiao Zhen said, "Of course he'll be monitoring him, but he also has his own people. After all, he's been the emperor for decades. Oh, and he has a stand-in. I'm not sure if the one I saw that day was the real him."
The fact that the retired emperor had a substitute was known in the previous life. At that time, the body of an old man was found in Daguozhuang, but the face of the body was disfigured. At that time, there were rumors that it was the substitute of the retired emperor.
Zhao Shiqing became more and more curious: "Do you think Lan Caihe is the killer he sent?"
Xiao Zhen said, "It's most likely him. In my dream, Deng Qian also died a violent death, but Master Feng was still alive and well."
"Deng Qian also died an untimely death in your dream. Was it also an assassination? Was the case solved?" Zhao Shiqing asked.
"No, the case was not solved. However, not long after, it was discovered that Deng Qian had run several private mines. Hundreds of corpses were found in the Deng family's private mines, and several miners were rescued. These people turned out to be prisoners serving hard labor. Deng Qian appeared to be incorruptible on the surface, but in private he had done many heinous things.
One local official, unwilling to be associated with the corrupt officials, ordered the magistrate's entire family to be burned alive. Another local official also had his two sons killed, their skins peeled off, and brought to the magistrate. The official went mad on the spot.
Zhao Shiqing also knew something about Deng Qian, such as Cui Rong was Deng Qian's abandoned child. However, after arriving in the capital, she found that compared with the powerful Feng Ke, the humble and polite Deng Qian had a better reputation. She knew that Deng Qian was not a good person, but she did not expect that this man had done so many bad things.
Zhao Shiqing sighed, "The last time the Cui family was raided, they couldn't implicate Deng Qian."
Xiao Zhen smiled: "In my dream, although the Cui family was doing nothing, they were not confiscated. In this life, it was because you found the Shenwang Star that changed the fate of the Cui family."
Zhao Shiqing felt a little embarrassed, as if it was really like this. If she hadn't taken in Chen Wangxing, she wouldn't have taken Chen Wangxing to Liangdi to find his father. If she hadn't looked for his father, she wouldn't have brought Cui Rong down, and the Cui family wouldn't have been implicated.
"Many things are different from what I saw in my dream, such as my parents, Xiao Su, A Yue, Zhu Yu, and the Cui family. By the way, in my dream, I didn't hear that Prince Fu's Mansion had found the lost child." Xiao Zhen said.
Because Zhao Shiqing "picked up" the loach brothers, Zhao Tingluo was able to see the loach and then recognize Xiaobao.
Xiao Zhen added: "So now, my dream can only be used as a reference, because many things have changed."
Zhao Shiqing felt even more embarrassed: "It's all my fault. I made you dream in vain."
Xiao Zhen...How he wished that the tragic events of his previous life were just a dream, but all of that was actually discovered, and to this day, he would still wake up from nightmares.
"It's not a vain dream, but I must always remind myself to be cautious and careful at every step." Xiao Zhen said.
Zhao Shiqing thought about it and suddenly his eyes lit up. He said to Xiao Zhen, "Deng Qian in your dream was also assassinated. Could it be that the emperor sent someone to do it? Because Deng Qian is a bad guy. He is not only a parasite in the court, but also harmed many people. However, the emperor was deceived by him. The emperor couldn't bear to see such a person sitting in the court, so he sent someone to kill him?"
Xiao Zhen nodded and motioned for her to continue.
Zhao Shiqing's eyes were filled with confusion. "But why didn't the retired emperor tell the emperor? Wouldn't he have just told the emperor? Why would he have to do it himself?"
Xiao Zhen looked at her and said softly, "Is it possible that he didn't want that person to know that he was not refining the elixir, but was conducting a private visit among the people?"
Zhao Shiqing was stunned for a moment, then sighed. She thought of Zhao Xingzhou who pretended to be crazy and stupid. She didn't know whether he was really driven out of his house by the aunt that night, or he was deliberately pretending to be pitiful so that she would take him in.
"I'm just too kind. This is a bad habit and I want to change it." She frowned in distress.
Xiao Zhen said softly: "No need to change, you are fine."
Zhao Shiqing raised her head: "Really?"
Xiao Zhen: "Really."
Zhao Shiqing: "Do you think I don't need to change my hobby of picking up people?"
Xiao Zhen: "No need to change it, it's not like you don't have a place to stay."
"Yes, I have people from two mountains now. At worst, I can just let them herd sheep in the mountains!" Zhao Shiqing became energetic again. Xiao Zhen said that she didn't need to change, so she wouldn't change.
Knowing that Lan Caihe was the emperor's man, the doubts that had been lingering in his mind were resolved. Zhao Shiqing felt relieved and went home happily.
As soon as Zhao Shiqing left, Xiao Zhen called Jiang Ping and others over: "Go buy some braziers and silver charcoal, as well as hand and foot warmers. Oh, and ask someone if this house can be equipped with a floor heating system."
When Zhao Shiqing comes again next time, he will give her a Ruyi Boat that is as warm as spring.
They bought all the braziers and charcoal, as well as hand and foot warmers. The craftsman who installed the floor heating came to see them and told them that there was already a floor heating on the first floor of the house, but it had been unused for a long time and was blocked. It would be possible to heat it after it was unblocked.
Xiao Zhen was overjoyed and hurriedly asked people to clear the groundwater drain. After several people worked for two days, the groundwater drain was finally unblocked.
Xiao Zhen began to look forward to Zhao Shiqing coming, but after waiting for a few days, Zhao Shiqing still didn't come.
The reason why Zhao Shiqing didn't come was because Yang Shengqiu had returned from Dageuzhuang.
That day, when Zhao Shiqing came back from Ruyi Fang, she found Xiuxiu and told her that the reason why Yang Shengqiu didn't meet Xiuxiu again was not because she made a wrong judgment, but because Yang Shengqiu was not in the capital. He had official business and went to Changshou Palace.
These days, Xiuxiu's nerves were on edge and her heart was empty. Even when she visited the Lantern Festival, she was worried.
A girl's feelings are always like a dream. This was the first time Xiuxiu had something on her mind. Before she could even imagine herself in the shoes of the person in her dream, she was hit hard. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she didn't want the person she liked to be using her.
But she believed Zhao Shiqing. What Zhao Shiqing said was reasonable and well-founded, so she couldn't help but believe it.
Therefore, she was looking forward to seeing Yang Shengqiu more than ever before. Whether it was good or bad, she wanted to experience it personally, to give Zhao Shiqing an explanation and also to give herself an answer.
If she didn't see the answer, Xiuxiu felt that she would never really let go in her life.
She is not an ignorant girl sitting in the boudoir weaving dreams. She has experienced life and death. Although she is not smart, she is definitely not a fool.
Xiuxiu borrowed a guard from Zhao Shiqing. This guard was brought by Zhao Shiqing from Liangdi. His name was Xia Dachuan. He was the second most evil person in the family, the most evil being Loach.
Xia Dachuan used to be a soldier in the Royal Guard Battalion. Later he was assigned to serve as a guard for Zhao Shiqing. All the brothers in the battalion envied him. Miss Zhao Er was also half a master, and anyone who could serve as a guard for the master would have a good future.
He was very happy and even went to burn incense at his father's grave. Unfortunately, when he got to the second young lady's side, he realized that these guards were just decorations and the second young lady rarely thought of bringing them with her.
Now that she has arrived in the capital, the second young lady would rather borrow four guards from the old master than think of those people who came from Liangdi.
Although the monthly salary increased instead of decreased, Xia Dachuan felt that it was very difficult to live like this, getting paid for nothing without having to work. He didn't want to eat for free, so he always looked for work within his ability.
For example, picking up dog poop, helping Aunt Ji buy vegetables, and like this time, being borrowed by Xiuxiu from Zhao Shiqing.
The reason why Xiuxiu chose Xia Dachuan was because she felt that Xia Dachuan was the most diligent of all the guards.
She asked Xia Dachuan to go to the Ministry of Revenue and keep an eye on it, and tell her if he saw Yang Shengqiu coming to the yamen.
Xia Dachuan watched at the door of the household registration office for four days and finally saw Yang Shengqiu.
Yang Shengqiu had just returned from Daguozhuang the day before. This time, the retired emperor was handling affairs, and representatives from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, the Imperial Household Department, the Imperial Household Department, and even the Ministry of Works were sent over. Several eunuchs also went to the palace.
Fifteen thousand taels of silver is no small sum. As the Ministry of Revenue that pays the money, it has to keep an eye on how the money is spent.
Logically speaking, such a large sum of money, especially for the emperor, should not be the responsibility of a new official like Yang Shengqiu.
But it is precisely because the amount of money is huge and we are working for the emperor, if we don't keep our promise, we will be in trouble and get no thanks. Besides, it is not even the end of the first month of the year yet, who doesn't want to have a good New Year in the capital?
When the task reached the Ministry of Revenue, it became a hot potato. After being pushed around, it finally fell to Yang Shengqiu. He had no one to push the task to, so he had to take it.
When we arrived at Daguozhuang, this was just the beginning. The Changshou Palace meant to hand over the 150,000 taels of silver to them and let them arrange the expenditure of the silver.
However, before Yang Shengqiu left Beijing, the Minister of Revenue reminded him that the 150,000 taels of silver must be kept in the hands of the Ministry of Revenue, and anyone who needed the silver must come to him for it.
So the situation became that Changshou Palace wanted money, but Yang Shengqiu refused to give it. Changshou Palace used the title of the emperor, so Yang Shengqiu could only be cautious and compromise.
The more than ten days in Daguozhuang were like a year. Although Yang Shengqiu was very good at dealing with people, he was still overwhelmed. There were constant troubles in the Changshou Palace. Today, five thousand taels were needed here, and tomorrow, ten thousand taels were needed there. After the ceremony was finally completed and the accounts were checked, only less than three thousand taels were left out of the fifteen thousand taels.
The retired emperor was very satisfied with this ceremony. Before the people from various government offices were about to leave for Beijing, the Taoist priests from Changshou Palace came to give them rewards, saying that the retired emperor was thinking of their hard work and specially rewarded them generously.
Everyone was happy and expectant. It was the New Year, and while others were enjoying themselves in the capital, they had to go to the countryside where the conditions were harsh and suffer the cold wind. Fortunately, the emperor still remembered them.
Everyone knelt down to receive the reward, and the Taoists handed the reward to everyone one by one. It was an exquisite box, and no one knew what treasure was inside.
After the Taoists left, everyone couldn't wait to open the box, and saw a black golden pill lying inside.
That’s right, whether it’s black or white, they are all called Golden Elixir.
These golden elixirs were personally refined by the retired emperor. Even the emperor was reluctant to give them away, but he gave them to them.
How could they not be moved?
Yang Shengqiu prepared himself mentally, but still didn't have the courage to eat the golden pill.
He didn't know whether others had eaten it, so he threw it away secretly.
He didn't dare eat it, because the golden pill didn't look like a good thing.
The next day after returning to the capital, Yang Shengqiu went back to the yamen to report. When he got off the sedan chair, he saw a big black man looking at him. When he saw him looking at him, the black man grinned at him, revealing a row of big white teeth.
His face was dark, so his teeth looked particularly white.
Yang Shengqiu didn't care. He was the top scholar in the imperial examination and had once been paraded through the streets on horseback. Many people in the capital had seen him, and the big black man must have recognized him as the top scholar.
Number one scholar!
Yang Shengqiu sighed silently in his heart. What was the use of trying his best to get the top spot in the exam? Didn’t he still have to take over the mess thrown by others?
He went to see the Minister of Revenue. When the Minister learned that he had only brought back 3,000 taels of silver out of 150,000 taels, his face immediately turned bad.
He had managed to scrape together these 150,000 taels with great difficulty. He had hoped to have at least 10,000 or 20,000 taels left, but he didn't expect to only have 3,000 taels.
What kind of ceremony would cost 150,000 taels?
If the 150,000 taels were asked for before, it was because Changshou Palace was asking for too much. But now there are only 3,000 taels left. It is not entirely because of Changshou Palace's greed, but also because of Yang Shengqiu. Yang Shengqiu can't even manage the money in his hands. All the books he read are wasted.
Yang Shengqiu went in cautiously and came out covered in dust.
The news that he was scolded by the Shangshu Lord soon spread throughout the yamen.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com