Chapter 69 Secret Talk [asking for monthly ticket]
Zhao He stood in front of the screen, listening to the voice coming from behind the screen. After a pause, he asked tentatively, "Sir, are you okay?"
After a burst of rustling sounds, it took a long time before the screen became quiet.
The voice said in a deep voice, "It's okay. You can go back. Remember what I told you. If someone reads Gu Wenhan and Zheng Tianxing's files next time, come and inform me immediately."
"yes."
Zhao He responded respectfully, but couldn't suppress his doubts and asked, "Sir, what is the difference between Gu Wenhan and Zheng Tianxing that deserves your attention?"
There was no sound from behind the screen for a long time.
Zhao He knew that he had said too much, so he slapped himself twice and said, "It is my fault for talking too much. I will take my leave now."
When he turned and walked to the door, the voice spoke again: "It's not easy to find a fellow countryman in the court. I remind you again that when you enter the officialdom, it's best to put away your damn curiosity. Don't say what you shouldn't say, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Sometimes, a question that's too much to ask can make you lose your head!"
This sentence already carries a strong meaning of reprimand and warning.
After a moment, Zhao He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and walked out of the yamen.
Although this gentleman was his fellow townsman, he was also a third-rank official in the imperial court, and his power was no less than that of the Minister of Personnel. Even though there was a screen between them, he gave him a strong sense of oppression.
Although he was reprimanded, his curiosity was not diminished at all.
Who on earth were Gu Wenhan and Zheng Tianxing? Why did such a big shot care about them so much? He secretly kept these two names in mind and slowly walked towards the Ministry of Personnel...
Soon, the Ministry of Personnel, the case library.
Fang Zhanggu looked at the young man who came in and asked in surprise, "Did Lord Zhao finish his business so quickly?"
Zhao He smiled, sat down opposite him, and said, "It's just a small matter. Come, let's continue playing chess..."
At this time, in Chang'an City, an official sedan slowly stopped in front of a magnificent mansion.
Chang'an is home to countless dignitaries and is filled with various noble families and mansions, but in terms of grandeur and magnificence, this mansion ranks among the top even in the entire Chang'an.
A figure got down from an official sedan chair, walked into the mansion, passed through several moon gates, walked through most of the mansion, and after a long time, came to a room that was beautifully and luxuriously decorated.
This room is extremely spacious, with valuable calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, and the furnishings inside the room are also precious artifacts.
A figure asked in surprise from behind a translucent silk screen: "Why do you have time to come to my place at this time?"
The middle-aged official did not speak, but just stood there quietly.
Behind the silk screen, the figure stood up from the brocade couch and said, "You guys should leave first."
"yes."
Two gentle voices were heard from behind the screen, and two beautiful women with charming figures, draped in gauze and half-naked, walked out from behind the screen.
The middle-aged official stood still, ignoring the beautiful scenery.
After the two women left, a middle-aged man in disheveled clothes walked out from behind the screen. While tidying up his clothes, he asked, "What made you so cautious? What happened?"
The middle-aged official said, "Someone just went to the Ministry of Personnel and checked the files of Gu Wenhan and Zheng Tianxing."
The man paused while buttoning his buttons and asked, "What do you think?"
The middle-aged official thought for a moment and said, "It should be just a coincidence. Today in the court, due to an accident, the case of Gu Wenhan was brought up again. People in the court have different opinions on this case. It is not surprising that someone would check the files. They couldn't find anything in the files of the Ministry of Personnel."
The man had already buttoned up his shirt and asked, "What about Zheng Tianxing?"
The middle-aged official shook his head and said, "For now, I don't know why he looked up Zheng Tianxing's files, but it should be just a coincidence."
The man straightened his clothes and said, "It's better to be safe than sorry. No matter if it's an accident or not, you should find a chance to deal with him, just like before, do it cleverly and don't arouse suspicion..."
The middle-aged official looked helpless and said, "I'm afraid that's not possible..."
The man turned to look at him, frowned and asked, "Why?"
The middle-aged official said: "Because he is Li Xuanjing's son..."
“…”
After a long silence, the man asked, "Are you sure he doesn't know anything? How is he related to Zheng Tianxing?"
The middle-aged official pondered for a moment and said, "He was the one who solved Zheng Tianxing's case last time by chance. To be cautious, we also destroyed a top spy and left no clues. Perhaps, when he was checking Gu Wenhan's files, he happened to see Zheng Tianxing's name. After all, the two were Jinshi of the same class, and their rankings were very close..."
After another long silence, the man spoke again: "We still cannot take this matter lightly. Have someone pay close attention. If he really finds out something, let alone that he is Li Xuanjing's son, even if he is Li Xuanjing, he must be killed. Otherwise, we will be the ones to die..."
The middle-aged official nodded and said, "I understand."
Although he didn't show anything on the surface, he still sighed in his heart.
This sentence was said lightly, but Li Xuanjing had been in the court for more than ten years, so how could he be a simple person?
If he really had to fight that madman to the death, it was not certain who would live and who would die. He would never take this step unless it was absolutely necessary.
Li Xuanjing controls the Dali Temple in public and the Mingjing Division in secret, with Prince Chun's party behind him. Not to mention what his own cultivation level is, no one knows.
Everyone knows that he is a Confucian, but what he did was undoubtedly Legalist.
Over the years, he has killed many corrupt officials, including many important officials in the court. If he had been a legalist, he would probably have entered the fifth realm.
On the surface he is a Confucian, but Li Xuanjing is insidious and cunning, and has never taken action in public. However, anyone who believes that he is a Confucian scholar who is powerless is a complete fool.
The middle-aged official sighed inwardly, bowed to the person in front of him, and said, "I will take my leave now, as I do not want to disturb your interest."
The man waved his hand, then thought of something and said, "Do you want to deal with the spy you planted in the Ministry of Personnel and replace him with a new one? I'm afraid he will notice something and make mistakes in the future..."
The middle-aged official shook his head and said, "No need. The more he does, the more mistakes he makes. Even if we replace him, he may not be able to do the job well. Besides, with only the files of Gu Wenhan and Zheng Tianxing, even Li Xuanjing won't be able to find anything. You think too highly of him..."
The man didn't dwell on this topic too much, nodded, and said, "You decide..."
…
Li Mansion.
The Song Mansion is closer to the county government office, and he can sleep with his wife at night, so Li Nuo plans to live in the Song Mansion for a long time and goes home to pack a box full of books.
Just after packing the luggage, Butler Wu came in holding a jade plate and said, "Young Master, Prince Chun's Mansion sent three fresh peaches. They said they were cultivated by a powerful farmer in the fourth realm. The master asked me to send them to the young master and the young lady to taste..."
Butler Wu placed the jade plate on the table and left. There were three plump and round peaches on the plate. Even from two meters away, Li Nuo could smell the rich and fragrant fruity aroma.
Ever since he had eaten them at the Song family last time, Li Nuo has been obsessed with the peaches grown by the farmers.
In his two lifetimes, this was the first time he had eaten such delicious peaches.
Later, he specifically asked Butler Wu where he could buy the peaches.
Then he realized that this item was far more precious than he had imagined.
This peach is extremely delicious and can strengthen the body and heal wounds after eating. It requires a strong farmer to use the farmer's true energy to water the peach tree for more than an hour every day, and it can only bear fruit once a year.
Only powerful farmers above the fourth level have such powerful true energy.
Even after a year of careful cultivation, a peach tree can only produce dozens of fruits.
This kind of rare item is in short supply and rarely sold publicly, so it is difficult for even the Li family to get it.
Those powerful farmers didn't even give face to the royal family.
The reason why Song Yu was able to get those two peaches was because he visited the strong farmer for a month in a row. The farmer made an exception and sold him two peaches because of his filial piety.
The Prince Chun's Mansion sent three at once. It seems that this prince really values his father.
The peaches had been washed. Li Nuo picked up one and ate it in no time. He still felt unsatisfied and was about to pick up the second one, but he pulled his hand back halfway through.
He didn't have the habit of eating alone. There were only three peaches in total. He would eat one to taste it and satisfy his appetite. He would give the remaining two one to his wife and one to Mu'er.
Li Nuo packed some clothes, took a box of books, and returned to the Song Mansion with Song Jiaren.
After moving the things back to the room, Li Nuo came to another small courtyard in the Song Mansion, where a small figure was swinging on a swing.
Seeing Li Nuo, she jumped off the swing and trotted over happily: "Brother Li Nuo, you're back so early today!"
Although Mu'er was the only one who would call him that, Li Nuo had suffered too many losses before, so he decided to keep his distance from her.
Li Nuo asked tentatively: "The moonlight shines on the bed?"
The little girl replied without hesitation: "It may be frost on the ground!"
"Look up at the bright moon?"
"Look down and think of my hometown!"
…
After a simple exchange of secret signals, the two of them clapped their hands in tacit understanding, and Li Nuo was able to confirm her identity.
It wasn't that he was suspicious, it was just that Song Ning'er was too cunning, and Li Nuo was worried that he would fall into her trap again.
There were three precious peaches. He ate one and his wife ate one, so there was only one left. If Song Ning'er tricked him into taking it away, he would not know how to explain to Mu'er.
Li Nuo conjured up a plump peach from his sleeve like a magic trick, handed it to Song Muer, and said, "This is a very precious peach, eat it quickly, don't let Ning'er see it, otherwise she will make a fuss again..."
It’s not that he is stingy. If it was an ordinary peach, it would be fine for the two sisters to each have one. But this peach is so rare that he will definitely give priority to Mu’er, who is the best in the world.
"Thank you, Brother Li Nuo!"
Song Muer happily took the peach, then looked behind Li Nuo proudly.
Li Nuo noticed her gaze, turned around, and saw another little girl standing at the gate of the yard, looking at him with resentment.
(End of this chapter)
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