Such a lively scene is not to be missed!
"Yes, ma'am."
Thinking about what was to come, Eunuch Yuan felt immense sympathy for the two ministers who had just left.
If they were to find out later that the Emperor was behind all of this, they might regret their emotions today.
Thinking about it this way, Eunuch Yuan unconsciously distanced himself from Ji Xuan.
He was just a nobody, lacking the prestige of Grand Secretary An, the shrewdness of the Emperor, and the ability to win hearts and minds like Eunuch Qi. When gods fight, each has their own methods, but he was just a small fry, powerless to even kill a chicken.
Upon learning the news from the capital, Qi Yong in Shandong couldn't help but sneer, "Qu Fang, do you know why this humble family has always enjoyed the Emperor's favor?"
"I don't understand."
"Because a miscellaneous person has no vital organs."
Upon hearing this, Qu Fang hesitated, then blushed and lowered his head.
"You think this is wrong?" Qi Yong laughed. "I have nothing left but His Majesty. Do you understand?"
"not understand!"
“It’s good that you don’t understand,” Qi Yong shook his head. “If you can understand this principle one day, I will reward you with this position.”
Scholars and literati, the higher they climb, the more they care about, and with distracting thoughts, their minds become chaotic.
They can be good ministers, but they can't be good knives!
Therefore, when their flesh is cut off, they only cry out in pain, but never reflect on their own problems.
After resting at the post station, the group came out and saw Liu An leisurely drinking tea.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
"No rush, the time hasn't come yet."
"Why wait to go in when there are fewer people at noon? It'll be busiest at dusk!"
Upon hearing this, Liu An gave Huang Laoda a look that suggested he was a promising young man.
Immediately, all four of them froze.
"No," Jiang Chao asked incredulously, "you really want the whole capital to laugh at us?"
"There are only you, not this pavilion."
After he finished speaking, someone suddenly reported, "Your Excellency, someone is looking for you outside."
Upon hearing this, Liu An curled his lips, straightened his sleeves, and stood up. "Boys, the people who are to pick me up have arrived. I'll take my leave first. You stay put, and when the time comes, someone will take you into the city."
After saying that, he walked quickly out of the post station, ignoring the reactions of the others.
"What's going on?" Huang Lao Er had a bad feeling. "I suspect we've been scammed?"
"Be confident, get rid of your doubts."
"What do we do now? Should we go out and find out some information?"
“I’m afraid that won’t work,” Jiang Chao pointed to his ear. “Listen, the sound of horses’ hooves, lots of people and horses.”
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces turned green, and they sat down dejectedly.
After a long silence, Boss Huang finally spoke up, "Jiang Chao, what do you think they're planning to do?"
“I don’t know,” Jiang Chao shrugged. “I have absolutely no idea what will happen.”
"How strange," Huang the eldest murmured, "We've offended so many people, why does Mother want us to go to the capital at this time?"
“A game,” Jiang Chao said confidently, “is one in itself, but we don’t know who our opponent is.”
"Elder An!"
The three brothers spoke in unison.
Realizing that Jiang Chao was unaware of the situation, he briefly explained the matter.
"So, our family has been framed and made public enemy number one just because of a poem?"
"More or less," Huang said in a low voice after looking around. "Mother said it's been resolved, but I still feel uneasy."
Liu An's actions only reinforced this idea in him.
“Then there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Jiang Chao said, pursing his lips. “At most you’ll suffer a little, but you won’t lose your life.”
As for the grudges that have been formed, we'll settle them when we find an opportunity in the future.
Hearing this, Boss Huang suppressed his unease and finally nodded slowly.
The moment they stepped into the post station, they had no choice but to turn back.
Time passed slowly, and the sun gradually began to set in the west.
"Reporting, Grand Secretary Liu requests that the Marquis and his sons come to the capital."
“Let’s go,” Boss Huang stood up. “Whether we stick our necks out or not, we’ll all be in the same boat. Since we can’t avoid it, we might as well bite the bullet and go for it.”
The four men rode their horses at a leisurely pace.
He stood tall with an imposing air, his lips tightly closed, appearing aloof and dignified.
Before long, the constant squawking of chickens and ducks completely disrupted the atmosphere.
"Why can't we just kill them?"
Huang Lao Er once again posed a profound question.
He felt so ashamed.
This feeling reached its peak the moment I crossed the city gate.
"Have you heard? Marquis Liuxian has come to the capital."
"It's said to carry some magical artifacts; I wonder if we can finally see them."
"Why not? Many people are already guarding the East Gate, all hoping to get a touch of the immortal energy."
"I wonder what kind of magical treasures they'll bring—nectar, elixirs, or rare stones?"
"Let's go take a look. Even if we can't get any magical energy, we can still join in the fun."
The moment they entered the city, seeing the dense crowds surrounding both sides, the four of them felt a chill run down their spines.
"Fortunately, the carriages were all covered with tarpaulins, so no one knows what's inside."
"Don't say that so soon."
As soon as Jiang Chao finished speaking, he saw the guards tear off all the tarpaulins, and everything was immediately exposed.
Especially the flock of chickens and ducks that were frightened and kept squawking.
Boss Huang's face immediately darkened. "Quickly, speed up, let's go!"
"These are the divine treasures?"
"The greens are so fresh and the cucumbers are so green and straight."
"The chickens and ducks are quite plump too."
"The watermelon is so big, it must taste delicious."
"Is that celestial wine in the jar? It looks beautiful."
After that, everyone looked at each other, unable to find anything else to praise.
Each of them had a face full of disappointment and frustration.
These things were so different from what they had imagined.
A few moments later, a murmur of disapproval arose.
"It's a scam! It's definitely a scam!"
Then, rotten vegetable leaves were thrown at me.
Upstairs, watching the four brothers scrambling to avoid him, Liu An couldn't help but laugh. "Your Majesty, isn't it a bit inappropriate to treat them like this?"
Although I felt great satisfaction, I was afraid that the immortal would settle scores with me later.
"It's alright, I've already made arrangements. They'll only suffer minor injuries at most."
"What if something goes wrong with the goods?" Liu An was still a little worried. "Should we send some more people?"
"No need, the items have already been switched."
Liu An: ...
He was still naive.
Seeing the four people, disheveled yet still forced to protect their belongings, one can't help but feel sympathy for them.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke up decisively, “Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to donate all of his family’s wealth.”
"My dear minister, think it over carefully, lest you act impulsively and regret it later."
"Your mind is made up," Liu An said passionately. "The floods in Shandong are getting worse and worse, and the barbarians of Gandan in the northwest are stirring up trouble. At this critical moment, I am willing to give up all my wealth to express my feelings."
Realizing the unfathomable nature of emperors, Liu An became afraid.
From that poem onward, he manipulated the entire world, yet the world remained completely unaware.
Even a small amount of wealth can increase one's standing in the emperor's eyes, which is worthwhile.
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