Chapter 187: Plotting against the Young Minister
East City, Jiguyuan.
When Zhao Duan got rid of the smell of alcohol and arrived at this low and dilapidated building carrying two boxes of pastries.
I couldn't help but recall that bright morning when I came to Dongcheng with Haitang and Zhang Han to look for the descendants of the Xue family.
"Hey, sir, you're here again?"
In the small room at the entrance of the courtyard, there is an old gatekeeper.
However, Zhao Duan knew that this old doorman with a dark face, missing one leg, thin body but full of energy and spirit was the director of this orphanage.
As a "charity" institution in the capital, there is not much money to be made from this building that adopts many orphans.
The so-called dean sounds nice, but in reality his status is similar to that of a clerk, or even worse.
Zhao Duan chatted with the old dean surnamed Wu and learned that when he was young, he was also a soldier like him, but with a lower status.
He served in the imperial frontier army in the southwest.
At that time, the person above his head was the famous general Zhao Shixiong of the Dayu Dynasty, who was known as the "thin tiger".
Unlike the pampered imperial guards in the capital, the border troops really have the opportunity to fight.
Whether it is suppressing bandits or dealing with some "barbarians" outside the territory of Dayu, blood has always been seen.
Old Wu broke his leg in a battle, and even if it was reattached later, he would not be able to stay in the army.
Only then did he take his accumulated military merits and exchange for a position in the capital that was barely related to the government office.
If it were in the era that Zhao Duan was familiar with, he would be arranged into the organization after retiring from the army.
But after Old Wu came in, he realized that he had been cheated.
There are so many hungry mouths in the dilapidated orphanage. It is a difficult task just to ensure that these children who have lost their parents have enough food and clothes, can afford medicine when they are sick, and prevent their deaths every year.
Especially the limited money and grain allocated by the court, after being deducted at various levels, there was almost nothing left in his hands.
Even if Old Wu used his own salary to supplement the income, he could only barely make ends meet.
If it were any other retired soldier, he would probably quit his job or find a way to use his connections to find another job.
Old Wu had originally planned to do the same, but the old soldier, who had also lost his parents at a young age, wanted to leave several times, but was kept back by the button-like eyes of those skinny children.
I thought about staying for another year.
So one year later, another year, and then three years later...
I have been confused until now.
However, perhaps the years of hard work moved God, and life at the orphanage has been much better in recent years.
Every now and then, a pretty girl whose eyesight seemed to be not very good would send some money as a donation.
As far as he knew, the girl always came alone, carrying a big bag with paper-wrapped silver coins in it. She would deliver them to each orphanage one by one, but she never told them where she came from.
And these days, there is a new nobleman who occasionally comes to donate and is generous.
"Haha, come on by and share it with the kids."
Zhao Duan's features were gentle, completely different from the arrogant and domineering person he used to be when interacting with those officials in the court.
He handed over the cake and stuffed two heavy silver coins of ten taels into his sleeve.
This amount is just the price of a dish for a big shot, but it is enough for the children in the orphanage to have good meals every day for a month.
"Young Master is kind-hearted. Judging from his appearance, he is a kind-hearted person. He must be from a family that accumulates good deeds and will be blessed with good fortune."
Old Wu complimented him with his limited words, then quickly took out a small notebook and asked him to leave his name.
Zhao Duan shook his head and refused, without even entering the door. He just said that he was busy, left the money and left.
This made Old Wu sigh:
Compared to those gentlemen who donated a few copper coins and were eager to write their names all over the charity's bulletin board, the girl and the boy were simply two clear streams.
And if he knew what a bad reputation the guy he just praised as a "good man" had in the capital, he would probably be shocked.
…
…
"grown ups."
In a carriage in the distance from the orphanage.
When Zhao Duan stepped into the carriage, the round-faced secretary who stayed inside called out sweetly.
The look she gave him was becoming more and more different.
"Is there something on my face?" Zhao Duan stretched his body lazily, leaning on the soft cushion in the car, and asked back.
"Ah." Qian Kerou stammered, shaking her head and stammering:
"It's just that I didn't expect you to come to a place like this."
Summer was almost over, and the girl's face became rounder and rounder, like an apple.
"Just to find peace of mind..." Zhao Duan said casually:
"Ke Rou, you have to know that the more bad things you do, the more uneasy your heart will be. Doing some charity will make your heart feel at ease. My Lord, I didn't understand it before, but now I think I have achieved unity of knowledge and action."
"..." Qian Kerou didn't know how to continue the conversation. After a long pause, she said:
"Are you going to do something bad today, sir?"
"Yes." Zhao Duan laughed and raised his hand to gently flip through the information in his hand about the "Little Minister" Li Yinglong.
The information listed many of Li Yinglong's weaknesses, among which lust was particularly prominent, which made Zhao Duan marvel at it and sigh that Cheng knew how to have fun.
When Li Yinglong was hanging out in the Beijing circle, he loved beautiful women and was quite amorous.
Later, he left the "Beijing circle" and stopped being a playboy. Instead, he became the Minister of Works. He was still a beautiful woman... It shows that even the most rubbish people have their merits, such as being single-minded in their hobbies...
Of course, the young cabinet minister has a higher level of appreciation for women and is not very interested in the Jiaofangsi. When he values a woman, he not only looks but also her style and temperament.
To be able to discuss history with him, to have unique insights into the court, and to have a soul mate...
Of course, there are exceptions.
For example, the "Sixth Madam" in the information seemed to be someone that Li Yinglong had obtained not long ago using some tactics. His methods were quite straightforward, which made Zhao Duan frown.
He keenly sensed that something was wrong - given Li Yinglong's style and status, he shouldn't be so impatient.
In the past, the ladies who took concubines almost all came from clean families, or at the very least, were commoners.
But this Sixth Lady was very strange. Not only was she a geisha of humble origin, but she had also been married off to a businessman long ago.
It is also said that Li Yinglong was quite tolerant towards him.
"There's a problem, a big problem."
Zhao Duan intuitively felt that he could use this as a breakthrough point to cause trouble for Li Yinglong.
Now, the attention of the entire capital is focused on the turmoil in the court, paying attention to this big drama.
However, no one noticed that Zhao Duan, who had disappeared, had secretly stretched out his knife and stabbed the young cabinet minister.
"You've offended me and you still want to run away? You've never heard of me, the vengeful King of Hell."
Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes.
Of course, there is another purpose.
That is, if she could deal with Li Yinglong, it would obviously be of great help to Zhenbao, and the balance of victory in the court struggle would be tilted towards her.
"Old Hou, let's go to Shenlong Temple." Zhao Duan said calmly.
There was murderous intent in his eyes.
Intelligence shows that today, Sixth Madam Lin will go to Shenlong Temple to burn incense.
(End of this chapter)
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