100. Note
At night, people are busy walking on the bluestone road in Baiyi Lane.
Because today is the Autumn Examination, many Qingyin classes have hung lanterns in front of their doors. The lanterns are painted with green bamboo branches and leaves, which are elegant and slender.
There is a secret to this lantern.
Literary men and women could pay fifty taels of silver to buy a lantern and pick up their pens to "guess the topic". If anyone guessed correctly what the "current affairs" test would be about in this year's autumn examination, they could come to the Qingyin class on the day the results were announced and become a "Jieyuan" for the night.
Baiyi Lane tonight is as lively as the City God Temple Fair during the Lantern Festival, with bright lights on the bluestone road.
At this moment, a carriage slowly stopped outside Baiyi Lane. The driver, Jin Zhu, got into the carriage and removed the black cloth from Chen Ji's eyes. "We're here."
Chen Ji stood up and was about to get off the car, but Jin Zhu held his shoulders and made him sit back down.
Jin Zhu's face was solemn. "Before we go see Liu Mingxian, you have to tell me why we're here. After Jiaotu and Yunyang opened Old Master Liu's coffin, the civil servants were furious. Now, without hard evidence, we can't touch the Liu family again."
Chen Ji stood up again and said with a smile, "Master Jinzhu, trust the people you employ, and don't employ the people you doubt. Now that you have found me, don't hesitate."
After saying that, he picked up the hat from the car and put it on his head, jumped out of the car, and was the first to blend into the crowd.
The Golden Pig pressed down the brim of his bamboo hat and said to himself, "I'll trust you this once."
In the crowd, Chen Ji stood under the eaves dozens of meters outside Yingxian Tower, leaning against the wall like a coachman of some noble official, with his head lowered and eyes closed, ignoring the people coming and going.
At this moment, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. Turning around, he saw the prince, Bai Li and others chatting and laughing all the way.
Chen Ji was stunned.
He heard the prince say to the person beside him with a smile, "This Yingxianlou in Luocheng has a history of over forty years. It's considered a top-notch time-honored brand. When the late emperor was on his southern tour, he specifically requested their 'Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea'. Young Master Li, coming from Jiangnan, must try it."
Next to the prince was a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth, a sword hanging from his waist, and his hair tied up with warm jade. He was very suave and dashing.
There were two gangsters beside Master Li, each holding two wine jars wrapped in red cloth.
Behind them, Baili, Liu Quxing, the little monk and others were whispering. They all changed into clean and decent clothes and said
Talking and laughing.
Amidst the crowd and the lights, the people were laughing and noisy, and no one noticed the trace of the man bowing his head under the eaves.
The Golden Pig chuckled cheerfully, "While you're still risking your life to clear their name, they've already made new friends. Chen Ji, Chen Ji, there are no irreplaceable friends in this world. Just leave for a few months, and your friends will naturally forget you. They'll have new friends and new wine."
"Master Jinzhu doesn't seem to believe in friendship?"
The Golden Pig thought for a moment and said, "Putting aside my zodiac identity, I'm actually a businessman. I manage all the business going on in and out of this secret service. I have endless things to talk about, endless drinks to drink, and endless friends to make every day. As long as we're drunk, everyone is a friend. However, if something really happens to me, only one person will save me."
"Tianma?" Chen Ji asked, "Master Jinzhu and Master Tianma should be considered close friends, right?"
The Golden Pig smiled and said, "Tianma and I are not good friends. He is now one of the top three zodiac signs and the right-hand man of the Minister of Internal Affairs. He can help me out once when I am in danger."
As he was speaking, the prince and others passed by and Chen Ji lowered his head.
But when Liu Quxing walked past him, he complained to Bai Li, "That kid Chen Ji must have run away because he didn't want to treat us. Otherwise, how could he, an apprentice in the clinic who doesn't even have to go home, have anything to do?"
She Dengke also chimed in, "Before leaving, he said he wouldn't even frown when treating people, but he ended up running away."
Bai Li also said angrily, "That's right, we have to question him when we get back. He's such a greedy and stingy guy. He even charged us so much toll before, and he wouldn't even treat us to a meal!"
Liu Quxing laughed cheerfully and said, "Young Sect Master Li is really generous. When he first came to Luoyang, he brought me several jars of the best Shaoxing Huadiao wine. I've only heard of this wine before, but never tasted it!"
Chen Ji raised his head and stood against the wall in the shadow under the eaves, watching the figure in the light gradually walk away. "Who is that Young Sect Master Li?"
Golden Pig whispered, "The Young Master of the Qingyi Sect, Li Chezhou, runs brothels, gambling dens, and human trafficking businesses in Jinling. The old Master Li was injured years ago, and he passed on the family's official skills to him early on. It's said that this Young Master Li entered the Xiantian realm years ago, so he's quite talented."
Golden Pig continued, "Look, the prince and the princess have new friends so quickly...eh?"
Before he could finish his words, Chen Ji had already set off towards Yingxian Tower.
Jin Zhu looked up in surprise, only to see Liu Mingxian walking out of the Yingxian Tower. A group of officials behind him bowed and said goodbye to him politely, and Chen Ji walked towards Liu Mingxian!
His face changed. He never expected Chen Ji to be so reckless and direct!
In front of the Yingxian Tower, Liu Mingxian was seen wearing a black stand-up collar with a peacock embroidered on the back with silver thread. He was tall and well-proportioned, standing out among the fat and big-eared officials like a crane among chickens.
He casually bowed to everyone and said, "Everyone, go back and continue drinking. I still have some official business to attend to, so I won't stay long."
"Take care, sir."
The Liu family's servants drove the carriage to the gate of Yingxian Tower and brought out a footstool for him.
Just as the driver was about to help Liu Mingxian get on the car, he saw Chen Ji walking past quickly with his head down and collided with Liu Mingxian.
"Sorry," Chen Ji said and left.
The driver was about to chase him when he heard Liu Mingxian say, "Don't worry about him, go back to the government office."
After saying that, he quietly got into the carriage and sat down. When the carriage started moving slowly, he unfolded a folded piece of paper in his palm.
Liu Mingxian unfolded the note and used the light from the car window to read the words: "When I get a table, I must indulge in wine. When I get a chess game, I invite you to Qiyashan."
His pupils suddenly contracted. This poem seemed to make sense, but if one were to separate the words before each half sentence, it would read: "Day, under the bridge."
Reverse cutting method!
This was clearly a method of communication used by the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Department. They had ventured to Baiyi Lane and passed a note, inviting him to meet under the bridge at dawn. There were three bridges in Luocheng: Yingzhou Bridge, Mudan Bridge, and Xiyuan Bridge. Yingzhou Bridge and Xiyuan Bridge were too far apart, so it must be Mudan Bridge.
Liu Mingxian slowly closed his eyes. The Jingchao Military Intelligence Department actually contacted him directly without going through the middleman. They were so brave.
To go or not to go?
After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, leaned forward, lifted the carriage curtain, and whispered to the driver, "We're not going to the government office tonight. Let's go to the house by the Peony Bridge. Send someone back to the Liu family mansion to invite the three guests from Yanshi to come into the city."
…
I'm sorry for the lack of updates on Qixi Festival these two days. I will make up for it tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I wish you all a happy Qixi Festival and may lovers finally get married.
(End of this chapter)
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