Chapter 81 Didn't you say you were willing to die for His Highness?
During this period, the Princess's residence was quite lively, with people coming and going.
Those officials who were promoted by taking advantage of the princess's influence were all very astute. Seeing that the princess was becoming increasingly powerful and had recently gained the emperor's favor, they rushed to the princess's residence, hoping to make their presence known to the princess and show their loyalty.
Wang Li was one of them.
This was the first time he had seen the Princess since he was transferred from a local post back to the capital.
He was deeply grateful to the princess. If it weren't for her transferring him back to the capital, he would probably still be stuck in that remote county town, with no chance of advancement.
However, His Highness was too busy, and despite sending invitations multiple times, he never received them.
I'm so lucky to have the chance to see it now.
Although His Highness offered a few perfunctory words of encouragement, he then let him go.
But he still felt like he was on steroids, full of energy.
He walked briskly out of the princess's mansion and bumped into Du Cong.
Wang Li's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward to greet him with a cupped-hand salute, his tone full of joy, "Brother Du! What are you doing here?"
He and Du Cong were both Jinshi graduates in the same year. When they took the exam, they stayed together in a restaurant for three months and studied together at night by the light of an oil lamp. They had always been close friends.
However, after he left the capital to take up his post, the two lost contact. Their reunion outside the princess's residence is a truly unexpected and delightful surprise.
Du Cong had just been refused entry by the gatekeeper of the princess's residence, who said that the princess was tired today and would not see any more guests. Unexpectedly, he saw Wang Li coming out of the residence with an excited look on his face, and his heart sank.
But his face quickly put on a friendly expression, and he returned the greeting with a cupped hand, saying, "Brother Wang, I have long heard that you have been promoted and returned to the capital. I have been looking for an opportunity to get together, but I have never had the time."
Wang Li said enthusiastically, "There's no better time than today! I'll treat you all to a drink at Chun Jin Lou today, and we won't leave until we're drunk!"
"Of course that would be great," Du Cong replied with a smile. "Then I'll gladly accept your offer."
In the private room on the third floor of Chunjinlou, the carved wooden window is open, offering a view of the bustling street scene below.
The side dishes on the table had long since gone cold, but there were several empty wine jugs piled up, and the air was filled with the strong smell of alcohol.
Wang Li's cheeks were flushed, clearly indicating he was somewhat drunk, and he kept pulling Du Cong to tell him about his experiences in Junzhou.
Du Cong always wore a gentle smile, nodding and agreeing from time to time.
As he listened, he discreetly poured wine for Wang Li.
Overcome with emotion, Wang Li picked up his wine cup and downed it in one gulp. "So, this time I was able to be transferred back to the capital, it's all thanks to His Highness's favor. From now on, even if His Highness were to order me to my death, I would obey!"
Du Cong raised his wine cup. "Speaking of which, I haven't properly congratulated you on your promotion yet. This cup is for your bright future."
Wang Li downed the wine in his cup in one gulp before exclaiming with a wide grin, "You're not bad either! It's only been half a year since we last met, and you've already been promoted to Censor-in-Chief. You have a bright future ahead of you!"
Upon hearing this, Du Cong's eyes darkened.
The Censor was only a seventh-rank official, while the Assistant Minister of Personnel was a sixth-rank official, a whole rank difference.
With him around, what does it matter if I have a bright future?
Wang Li, oblivious to his unease, began to reminisce, "Speaking of which, we passed the imperial examination together back then. With you and Brother He by our side, we were so successful. If Brother He and I hadn't left the capital one after the other, and the three of us were still in the capital supporting each other, our careers wouldn't have been so bumpy."
Du Cong listened quietly, his fingers gently stroking the rim of the cup.
Wang Li seemed to remember something, "By the way, after Brother He went into mourning, did you correspond with him?"
Du Cong replied calmly, "I've written several letters, but haven't received a reply yet."
“That’s really strange.” Wang Li frowned. “I remember that when Brother He passed the imperial examination, you asked someone to deliver the good news back to him. You two were very close back then. How come you’ve become so distant now?”
Du Cong explained casually, "Perhaps he was depressed because an elder in his family passed away, so he didn't want to reply."
“Indeed.” Wang Li took another sip of wine, a hint of melancholy in his voice. “Looking back now, I was really young and impetuous. If it weren’t for that lousy poem, I wouldn’t have wasted almost a year of my life.”
Du Cong said, “Brother, you are wrong. Your poem is still circulating in the streets, recited by scholars and sung by singers. Even at the court meeting, Her Highness the Eldest Princess quoted two lines from it to report to His Majesty, which allowed the case of fraud in the imperial examination to be tried.”
Wang Li's eyes lit up. "Really?"
His poem actually caught the princess's eye?
"It is true." Du Cong raised his glass in acknowledgment.
Wang Li immediately beamed and raised his glass to clink glasses with Wang Li, saying, "That's also thanks to you. If it weren't for your guidance, I wouldn't have been able to write this sentence."
Du Cong picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and said with a light smile, "This is naturally due to your literary talent, Brother Wang. I was just mentioning it casually and dare not take credit for it."
The twilight outside the window grew darker, and the flickering candlelight in the private room cast long shadows of the two people.
Du Cong looked at Wang Li, who was completely drunk and unconscious, gently put down his wine cup, and the smile on his face slowly faded.
He called over the waiter, paid for the wine, and politely declined the waiter's offer to send the two of them back to their residence by carriage. He then personally helped Wang Li out the door.
It was already dark, and only the distant sound of the night patrol officer's clapper reminded everyone that curfew was approaching.
The once bustling street was deserted, with only the rustling sound of two people's footsteps on the stone slabs.
He helped Wang Li walk forward, through two quiet alleys, until they arrived at the moat.
"Hmm..."
A night breeze blew by, and Wang Li groggily woke up a little.
He stared at the dark, murmured river, "Where...am I?"
Du Cong didn't reply, but a chilling smile appeared on his lips that he had never seen before.
"Brother Wang..."
Wang Li subconsciously responded with a "Hmm?"
Du Cong leaned slightly closer to his ear and whispered, "Didn't you say you were willing to die for His Highness?"
Wang Li was not fully awake yet, his mind was still dizzy, but the words sounded familiar, so he nodded in agreement.
Du Cong's expression suddenly changed, and he said coldly, "Then you may die..."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly exerted force on Wang Li's waist and pushed him forward!
Caught completely off guard, Wang Li plunged into the icy moat with a "plop".
"Splash! Glug..."
The river instantly swallowed him, creating a huge splash.
Wang Li struggled wildly in the water, desperately pounding the surface with his hands, crying out, "Help...help me...Brother Du...Brother Du..."
Du Cong stood on the shore, coldly watching him bob and sink in the water.
Wang Li's struggles grew weaker and weaker, and his cries for help gradually turned into faint sobs.
Finally, the hand that had been flailing about on the water's surface suddenly sank down and became completely still.
Only ripples remained on the river surface, which were quickly smoothed out by the current.
Du Cong stood expressionlessly on the shore for a long time, until he was sure there were no more ripples on the water, before slowly turning around and leaving.
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