"Your Majesty, I married a wife when I was still in Ningguta. I married Meng, the niece of Deng Yichuan, a former criminal and a fourth-rank Guanglu Temple Shaoqing. This was a marriage arranged for me by my parents when they were alive. After the major case of the 20th year, the Meng family was implicated by Deng Yichuan. Meng went to Ningguta with her parents and grew up with me in Ningguta. We were considered a good match and shared the same suffering. So when I came of age, I married Meng," He Chengzhi said. He was very uneasy when he said this, because Deng Yichuan was also a criminal who was hit by the major case of the 20th year. He looked at Zhong Mingwei's expression and felt that he did not mean to blame him, so he continued, "It's just that Meng died suddenly due to dystocia. Now there is only a four-year-old son in my family who depends on me. I am both his father and his mother."
At this point, He Chengzhi's voice became a little hoarse, and it was unclear whether he was worried about his young son who was alone at home, or thinking of his late wife who passed away early.
"Chengzhi, I asked about your family background not because I am dissatisfied with your past, but because I want you to go out of the capital to gain experience," Zhong Mingwei said slowly, while sipping his tea, and his eyes fell on He Chengzhi's face, "But since I know the situation of your family, I naturally can't bear to let you run around with a four-year-old child. In this case, then stay in the capital. It happens that the Ministry of War is short of manpower right now, and talents like you who are both civil and military are most needed," Zhong Mingwei said in a deep voice, while looking at Pang Yi, "Pang Yi, didn't you complain to me a few days ago that you were short of a deputy? Then let Chengzhi be your deputy for the time being. I have handed over the dignified martial arts champion to you. From now on, you must cultivate and guide him well."
"Yes, I will do my best to cultivate him." Pang Yi was overjoyed. He really admired He Chengzhi and had long wanted to keep him in the Ministry of War for cultivation. He was worried that Zhong Mingwei would send him out. Now that he was reassured, how could he not be happy?
"Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your kindness!" He Chengzhi was deeply moved when he heard this. He knelt on his knees again and kowtowed deeply to Zhong Mingwei.
"Get up. There's no need to kneel all the time." He Chengzhi had already knelt three times after just a while since he entered the room. Zhong Mingwei thought about how He Chengzhi used to be so arrogant in Ningguta. Looking at the man who kept kneeling and kowtowing in front of him, he couldn't help but frowned. He felt that He Chengzhi seemed to have changed a lot in the past year or so. He became more stable and understood the rules. But somehow, Zhong Mingwei missed that arrogant and crazy young man who dared to bare his teeth at him.
"I have one more thing I want to ask Your Majesty," He Chengzhi still knelt and kowtowed to Zhong Mingwei again, then he raised his face, looking at Zhong Mingwei with red eyes, anxious and pleading, "Your Majesty, please agree to it."
"Tell me what's the matter first." Zhong Mingwei said in a deep voice, putting the teacup in his hand on the small table.
"Yes," He Chengzhi swallowed his saliva, and when he spoke again, his voice was choked with sobs, "I want to ask Your Majesty to help find my sister who has been lost for many years." As soon as the word "sister" was mentioned, He Chengzhi's voice choked even more, "For so many years, I have always wanted to find my sister who has been lost for many years, but how can I find her when I have been in Ningguta? At the beginning of last year, I went to Kyakhta and was lucky enough to be favored by General Kyakhta. With the help of General Kyakhta, I found out that after the major case of 20 years ago, my four-year-old sister was taken into the palace as a slave. Four-year-old girls were taken into the palace as slaves, and I am afraid... I am afraid that she will not survive," He Chengzhi stopped here. He took two deep breaths, as if he had to use all his strength to suppress the pain in his heart. After a while, He Chengzhi continued, "But I must find out whether my sister is dead or alive before I can feel at ease, right? So I begged General Kyakhta to recommend me to come to the capital."
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