Chapter 243 Damn This Winter
On the second day, Su Ruojin and his sister went to Yang's house to attend Yang Si Niang's engagement party. As soon as they went out, they met the father and son of the Xue family.
As old neighbors, it was normal for them to have a banquet together. Besides, the elders of the Su family were not at home, so it was just right to have Xue Changcheng lead the group.
"Thank you, uncle."
Xue Changcheng waved his hands and subconsciously looked around. He always felt that someone was staring at him, but he couldn't show it in front of the children. So they all got on the Su family's carriage together.
Lord Xue always looks left and right, even when he enters the heavily guarded Yang family. Su Ruojin noticed it and thought of Li Xiuzhu whom he had mentioned. Uncle Hua had asked about her, and Zhao Lan must have looked for her as well, but they all found nothing. Why did Lord Xue see it?
Also, why does Xue Bo always look like he is being followed by someone? If someone is really following him, why would these people follow him?
Xue Changcheng had been working in the Ministry of Works, rising from a sixth-rank official to a fifth-rank assistant minister. Whether it was the civil defense work or the craftsmanship he had been exposed to, he had much more experience than ordinary people. Could it be that the Liaoxia people wanted to get rid of him?
Yang Jingzi is now a second-rank official, and people come to congratulate him one after another. Yang Si Niang called her best friend to her room to keep her company, but there were too many guests today, and the two were called away before they could say a word to each other.
Yang Si Niang didn't want to go, so Su Ruojin secretly stroked her hand and told her to go and socialize and not to bother her. She was dragged away unwillingly to socialize with the princesses, county ladies and other young ladies from high-ranking families who came.
Alas! Su Ruojin sighed secretly, slowly retreated behind the crowd, and sat in an empty corner.
Soon, the banquet time arrived and the girl from the Yang family came over to invite the guests to the banquet.
Men and women were separated. Xue Changcheng took his son and Su Dalang to the outer courtyard, while Su Ruojin sat at a table with a group of young ladies she didn't know. She didn't care who was with whom. She just ate and drank as long as she could fill her stomach.
After the meal, the maids and servants took the guests to the lounge.
Su Ruojin found that the women of the Yang family were very busy, and she also saw people from Duke Zheng's mansion, who were probably here to help.
Because they were neighbors, Su Ruojin left late. When she said hello to Madam Yang, only the direct relatives of the Yang family were left.
"Madam, I'm going back now. You are busy."
Madam Yang grabbed the young lady's hand and said, "Ajin, come and visit us often when you have time."
She nodded, "Yes, I will, auntie, when you and Arong are free to go to Weizhou, I will take you to see the maple forest in Xishan."
"Has the maple forest leaves not fallen yet?"
"not yet."
Madam Yang smiled and said, "Then I really want to enjoy the feeling of 'stopping the car and sitting to enjoy the maple forest at dusk'."
"Welcome, auntie. I will prepare delicious food for you to repay you."
"Okay, it's settled then."
The tired Madam Yang's eyes suddenly lit up, and she seemed to be three or five years younger. She smiled and personally sent the young lady to the second gate. Even Yang Si Niang was happy and confirmed with her mother, "Mom, are we really going!"
Looking at Su Ruojin's receding back, she asked.
There were guests to be entertained. Although the smile on Madam Yang's face did not change, Yang Si Niang could feel that her mother was forcing a smile. With a distressed look on her face, she reached out to hug her mother, but Madam Yang pulled her away calmly, "Go back to your room and rest. Mother will take care of the rest."
Yang Si Niang pursed her lips and said, "Hmm."
Why is it that as she grows up, everything changes, and her family is obviously getting better and better, but she feels less and less happy and more and more depressed?
Xue Changcheng took his son and Su Dalang to Su Ruojin, and they went back together.
Su Ruojin said to Mangzhong, "Uncle Mang, send Xue Bo and Wu Lang home first."
"Okay!"
Xue Changcheng waved his hand quickly, "No... No... Wulang said he wanted to discuss academic matters with An, and I also wanted to ask Jin how to make pancreas more cost-effectively."
Xue Wulang smiled shyly. Since he was attending a wedding today, he didn't need to discuss academic matters with An Zhi. He might just stay at the Su's house for a while, so he was quite happy.
Su Ruojin didn't quite believe that Uncle Xue asked about the pancreas. She glanced thoughtfully at Lord Xue, who seemed a little restless, for several times, then suppressed her doubts and waited until she returned home and her brother and Xue Wulang went to the study.
Xue Changcheng asked the young lady to find a quiet place to talk, "Ah Jin, didn't I tell you a few days ago that I have been suspended from the Ministry of Industry?"
Su Ruojin nodded: "You told me."
Even at the Su family, Hua Ping and Mang Zhong were busy in the yard, but Xue Changcheng still looked uneasy, "Ajin, when I went back the day before yesterday, I suddenly remembered the barbecue a few years ago..."
That time, in order to curry favor with Minister Fan, Uncle Xue stuck to Su Yanli as much as possible that day, and finally got the chance to show up in front of Minister Fan.
Su Ruojin looked at him with a puzzled look on his face. "I remember that day, Uncle Xue was only thinking about how to flatter Lord Fan. He probably forgot what delicious food I baked?"
Xue Changcheng's face turned red, and he smiled guiltily, "I remember, of course I remember everything."
Su Ruojin tutted.
He said quickly, "Let's not talk about this today. I just remembered that everyone went to curry favor with Lord Fan that day, but Lord Yang was nowhere to be seen."
At that time, Lord Yang was the "upright and incorruptible" Censor. Everyone avoided him. Of course, he would not get close to others. Isn't it normal that everyone tried to curry favor with Lord Fan but not him?
Su Ruojin thought about it carefully, "Master Yang didn't seem to go that time?"
Xue Changcheng shook his head and said, "I went there and saw it."
"Where is it?" The place for outing was a green space along the river. There was a small woods next to the green space. There was a river, a slope and a small woods. It was simply a great place for outing. Except for the trees in the small woods, the rest of the place was in sight. But I didn't see Lord Yang!
"The woods."
"When?"
Xue Changcheng said, "At that time, I was a little anxious, so I went to the grove to solve the problem. I saw Lord Yang coming out of the woods from a distance. At that time, I also subconsciously looked behind him and saw a yellow piece of clothing passing by. I didn't pay much attention to it. After solving the problem, I returned to the barbecue place, thinking that I would see Lord Yang, but I didn't see him."
"I heard that both the Duke Zheng's Mansion and the Yang Mansion came for an outing. Will they be at these two houses?"
"Maybe!" Xue Changcheng seemed to be reminiscing, "I don't know why, but these past two days I suddenly thought of that yellow corner of the shirt, it looked like leopard print."
Leopard print? Su Ruojin's eyes widened in surprise. If it were modern times, leopard print clothes would not be uncommon, but if it were ancient times, especially in the farming-based city of Dayin Bianjing, who would wear leopard print?
There is only one answer. In April, when the weather is still cold, the only people who can wear leopard print are the nomadic people in the north.
"Do you think the people who left might be from Liaoxia?"
Xue Changcheng said, "I don't know if it is true or not, but the more I think about it, the more I feel that the clothes are strange, and they are not what people from Dayin would wear."
"But it's April...it can't be so cold that I have to wear leopard print, right?" Wouldn't it be hot to wear fur?
Xue Changcheng sighed, "I always feel like someone is following me. Now I don't dare to go out casually, just today..." He was too embarrassed to say that he was not here to take care of the Su brothers and sisters as an elder, but wanted to take advantage of the Su family's carriage and the Su family's maid driver who was good at driving.
Su Ruojin understood what he said.
This...if you're suspicious of people staring at you all day long, you might even have a mental breakdown!
"Uncle Xue, what you mean is..."
"Ah...Ah Jin, could you please ask the young prince to help find the person who is following me? Otherwise, if this continues, I will be scared to death before he is killed."
Su Ruojin was captured by bad guys once. Although she was anesthetized and did not wake up during the whole process, she was afraid afterwards. If Zhao Lan had not secretly arranged secret guards, she would probably be no better than Uncle Xue.
She nodded. "Okay, I'll ask the young prince first, but can you help me, I..."
"I understand, I understand..." Hearing that the young lady was willing to help him talk to Prince Zhao, his tense heart finally relaxed a little, and he talked about seeing Li Xiuzhu, "Ajin, I heard that you looked for her, but didn't find her, right?"
"Um."
"It's really strange. Logically, she had such a good life staying at your house, why did she leave and never come back? She sold her body to your house, so no one dared to keep her."
"Perhaps..." Su Ruojin thought of the former carpenter Zhang, "These people want her to get some gourmet recipes or recipes for making pancreas from my Su family."
She didn't dare to mention the musket. At that time, she asked Lord Xue to help make some of its parts, but he didn't know.
This is absolutely possible. Lord Xue seemed to have suddenly thought of something, "Ajin, could it be that those people deliberately let me see your girl, and then let me tell you, let you rescue your girl, and then..." arrest you?
Su Ruojin: ...
It's really possible.
"No wonder I always feel like there are eyes watching me. Could it be that they are following me to see if I have told you, to see if you are in a hurry to find someone?"
The target is her? Maybe!
"Sir, do you feel that since the new emperor ascended the throne, four out of ten officials in the court have been replaced?"
"Ah?" Xue Changcheng didn't follow the young lady's train of thought. He was stunned for a long time before asking in confusion, "What does this have to do with you?"
"Didn't you notice that Lord Yang promoted a lot of new people?"
Of course, Lord Xue knew this. "Damn it! These people are either scholars from the southern barbarians or martial artists from the north. They are almost killing all our officials from the Central Plains."
In the past, Su Ruojin always felt that the court was far away from her. When she told Xue Changcheng, she was also telling herself. As she was talking, she suddenly became nervous. Half of the court officials had been replaced. What about the Imperial City Division without Prince Wei and Zhao Lan? Would most of the soldiers there be replaced?
"Wait." Suddenly, Su Ruojin stood up.
Xue Changcheng was startled by her and stood up as well, "Ajin, what did you think of?"
Su Ruojin looked at him, "I..."
She didn't dare say it.
"Uncle Xue, you... I'll let Uncle Mang take you and Brother Wulang back first. Just like you said, stay home and try not to go out."
Su Ruojin left the living room and asked Mangzhong to send the Xue family father and son home. "Uncle Mang, after sending Uncle Xue home, go find Prince Zhao and tell him that I have something to talk to him about."
"good."
I have always wanted to ignore it, always thinking that she is just an ordinary citizen, but the more I think about it, the more scared I become. If Lord Yang is really from Liaoxia, what kind of situation would the capital be in now!
Su Ruojin didn't even eat a few bites of dinner and waited until dark before Zhao Lan came.
"Ajin, you're looking for me?"
Su Ruojin asked, "Lord Yang is now the Prime Minister. Logically speaking, since her daughter is getting engaged today, the Prince of Jin's Mansion and others should also send people to send congratulatory gifts, right?"
Zhao Lan said disdainfully, "No."
"You won't even send off the emperor's favorite?"
Zhao Lan sneered.
Su Ruojin quickly pulled him, looked outside the door, and asked in a low voice, "Do you think Lord Yang is a fake?"
She always felt that.
"I've sent someone to check."
"Any clues?"
Zhao Lan said nothing.
"No?" Su Ruojin stared at him expectantly.
“Not that there isn’t one.”
Her eyes lit up, "It means there are clues."
"Um."
Su Ruojin clasped her hands together and asked, "Was it before or after the marriage?"
Zhao Lan: …
Why did we suddenly turn to this topic?
"If..." Su Ruojin took a deep breath, "Before the marriage, he is Arong's biological father. If it is after the marriage, then..."
Zhao Lan asked back, "What do you think, Ah Jin?"
Su Ruojin took another deep breath and said, "I think it was before the marriage."
"Why?"
Su Ruojin said, "I have suspected the Yang family for a long time, so I inquired about many things with Arong, and found out that Yang Jingzi had to move out after getting married, which was inconsistent with the customs at that time. Even if he was not living well in the Yang family, under normal circumstances, unless the head of the family said that he would split up the family, it was rare for the children of the family to move out."
Zhao Lan has also been investigating this recently, and it is indeed very unreasonable.
"Secondly, when he was the Supervisory Imperial Envoy at the Imperial Censorate, he was 'upright and incorruptible' while helping poor scholars. Brother Jin, have you checked where these scholars are now?"
Zhao Lan only recently found out that half of them had already entered every corner of the court.
When Zhao Lan took out the list of these people, Su Ruojin felt a chill down her spine. "Brother Jin, do these people above know about this?"
"My father knows, and the others..." Even if I say it, no one will believe it.
"The Imperial City Guards and other imperial guards..." The more he spoke, the more shocking it became. Su Ruojin pointed in the direction of the palace and said, "Does that person know?"
Zhao Lan sneered, "If he knew, there would be no such person as Yang."
"Brother Jin, then you should let the man with the surname Yang..." destroy the country.
Zhao Lan sighed, "Don't worry, Dayin will always be named Zhao."
Huh? So they're making some moves?
Su Ruojin looked at Zhao Lan earnestly, hoping that he could give her some insight.
Zhao Lan reached out and stroked the top of her head. "Let men worry about these things."
Su Ruojin curled her lips, "What if someone wants to lead me to rescue Li Xiuzhu?"
"Just stay here and don't go anywhere." Zhao Lan said, "I will take care of this matter." After that, he stood up and said, "So I will be very busy during this period of time, so you stay in Beijing to accompany me."
"What about my parents?"
"Don't worry, I'll have someone take care of it."
With his words, she felt relieved, but she couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Mr. Yang..."
Zhao Lan laughed, "It's getting late, go to bed early."
"Oh." Su Ruojin puffed out her lips.
Zhao Lan went forward and hugged her. "I'm afraid this winter won't be peaceful. No matter what happens, come to me, okay?"
"good."
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