Chapter 32 Hunting Zhang Jia Erlang
"Zhao Duan? Senior sister, are you talking about the pretty boy kept by the empress?" A priest was surprised.
Jin Jian thought for a moment and nodded slightly: "It's him."
The priests looked at each other in surprise that Senior Sister Jin Jian, who was simple-minded and indifferent to the mundane world, would suddenly mention this person.
"This person...has a terrible reputation, and is shameful," a priest frowned and asked, "Why is Senior Sister paying attention to him?"
Another said:
"I heard that this person recently got into trouble. It seems that he is related to the rebels wanted by the court. It has caused a big disturbance."
"Yeah, I heard about that too, but I didn't pay much attention to it."
The priests of Tianshi Mansion are all devoted to spiritual practice and are indifferent to the ups and downs in the temple. The academic atmosphere is strong.
However, people love to listen to gossip, especially those involving "palace secret history" and "harem scandals", and even sorcerers find it difficult to resist the temptation.
Therefore, Zhao Duan received much more attention in the cultivation circle than important officials of the country such as the Prime Minister and the Chief Censor.
Of course, his reputation is still very bad, and he is an object of collective contempt.
At this time, a group of sorcerers were talking at once, exchanging the negative information and gossip about Zhao Duan that they had, and they were having a great time chatting.
When they remembered the golden tablet again, they were shocked to find that their senior sister had left without them knowing.
…
The stars and moon are dim.
The golden tablet floated like a ghost between the buildings of the Tianshi Mansion. Her black robe made her body translucent, and the priests along the way ignored her.
Deep in the Tianshi Mansion, there is a special courtyard.
There is a big banyan tree planted in the yard. Its lush leaves are green all year round, emitting fluorescent light at night and filled with the chirping of cicadas in summer.
Jin Jian walked through the courtyard gate and saw a rocking chair placed under the big banyan tree, with an old man lying leisurely on it.
He was tall and straight, with a long beard and eyebrows, narrow eyes, a gentle face, and a black priest robe hanging softly.
He looks ordinary, but actually has a terrifying background. He is the old Heavenly Master of the Tianshi Mansion, Zhang Yanyi, one of the four "Heavenly Men" today.
"How come you are free tonight to come and see your master?" Zhang Yan's voice came out without moving.
Jin Jian, the girl among the "Red Dot Boys" of this generation of Tianshi Mansion and a disciple of the old Tianshi, thought for a moment and said:
"Disciple has something that I can't figure out."
"Oh? What's the matter?"
"How can a mortal realm master withstand the full force of a sorcerer and remain immortal?"
"It's unstoppable."
"No exceptions?" Jin Jian frowned.
Zhang Yanyi paused and said with a smile:
"Heaven has forty-nine elements, and man escapes one of them. Nothing in the world is absolute."
Jin Jian's brows relaxed and he said:
"I still don't understand how I can do this."
"Then go and think about it and study it like you would study for a living." The old Taoist priest said lazily.
Jin Jian thought it made sense and bowed politely:
"Thank you, Master, for clearing up my doubts."
"Go," the old Taoist priest waved his hand, and the girl retreated a hundred feet. The cicadas continued to chirp, and the big banyan tree suddenly swayed, revealing a huge, hazy and mysterious face that covered the courtyard.
He looked in the direction where the girl disappeared with a confused look on his face and said slowly:
"Did anything happen to her?"
Zhang Yanyi lay in the rocking chair, turned over, and muttered, not even bothering to lift his eyelids:
"What a strange thing."
…
…
On the same night, at Zhang's house.
Zhang Changshuo, who wore a mustache and a blue shirt, dressed like a scholar, sent the doctor away, closed the door, and looked at his brother sitting on the bed and asked:
"How does it feel?"
Zhang Changji's upper body was naked, with one arm wrapped in gauze. He looked weak, but still had enough energy. He said stubbornly:
"Brother, with my physique, I can recover in two days after taking some pills. Why would I need a doctor? Today, it was Zhao's sneak attack. I wasn't prepared. Otherwise..."
"Shut up!" Zhang Changshuo shouted angrily:
"Don't you think you've caused enough trouble? Who told you to break into the house?"
Zhang Changji said gloomily:
"I just want to vent my anger on you, big brother..."
"Don't think I don't know what you are thinking!" Zhang Changshuo was very critical of his brother's behavior.
Give him a vent?
Maybe this is also the reason.
But more often than not, it's about taking revenge on personal grudges and being obsessed with food.
He was so disappointed that he said:
"I've told you so many times, think twice before you act. Being reckless and impulsive is the way to death."
Isn’t it because you were so sure that the Zhao guy would definitely be doomed that I dared to take action... Zhang Changji complained in his heart, but didn't dare to talk back.
After thinking about it, he said indignantly:
"But can we just let this go? My being beaten is a small matter, but the fact that His Majesty dislikes you, brother, is a big deal."
Zhang Changshuo had a blank expression on his face, tightly grasping his folding fan, and squinted his eyes as he said:
"Of course not. Let's just let Zhao Duan gloat for a while. Humph, he may have escaped this time, but he's completely offended the Prime Minister. All we need to do is find an opportunity, fan the flames, and then we can kill someone with a borrowed knife and avenge this..."
As for now, let's lie low for a while, I don't think he'll dare to cause us any trouble."
After returning, after making inquiries from many sources, he had learned about Feng Ju's report and understood Zhao Duan's operation.
Of course, he didn't think Zhao Duan had such wisdom and skills, and was certain that it was the empress who secretly instructed him.
Zhang Changshuo felt that he was just careless and did not dodge. If he was more careful next time, he would definitely be able to kill Zhao Gou with one blow.
Little did he know that Zhao Duan had already put him on the hunting list.
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Although Zhang Changji was reckless, he was still obedient in major matters. After thinking for a while, he suddenly said:
"By the way, the people from the south contacted me earlier, and it was about the firearms. Should I put it off for now? Or should everything remain the same?"
Zhang Changshuo said coldly:
"Suspension of contact! At this critical moment, your every move is easy to be spotted. Delay it for now. Since you're injured, you can just excuse yourself and recuperate."
"Oh, I see."
Zhang Changji disagreed, thinking that his brother was too scholarly, and was overly cautious and hesitant in doing things.
Who can keep an eye on him?
Could it still be that Zhao Duan?
…
…
No words were spoken that night.
The next day, several incidents occurred that attracted the attention of the entire Beijing officialdom.
Empress Xu Zhenguan was furious at the morning court session and, citing the case exposed by Feng Ju, demanded a thorough investigation into official favoritism.
The spearhead was directed at the "Li Party" headed by Li Yanfu.
The Imperial Censor Yuan Li chimed in, and the matter of replacing rice with mulberry trees became a matter of course, and the Empress handed it over to the "Qingliu Party" for handling.
Although Feng Ju had a stain, he reformed in time and was rewarded and promoted by the empress. Ning'an County Magistrate Wang Xian was implicated and arrested at home.
It is said that when Li Yanfu left the court, his face was as gloomy as water and no officials dared to approach him.
The impeachment of Zhao Duan was temporarily put to rest.
At the same time, the rumor that Zhao Duan was suspected of being conferred the title of "honor" spread like wildfire.
For a time, countless people who were looking forward to seeing his downfall were shocked, and there were many scholars in the market who secretly criticized the foolish monarch for his debauchery and the dog Zhao for ruining the country.
Zhao Duan pretended not to hear. His reputation had already been ruined, so this time wouldn't make a difference.
Two days passed like this, and the aftermath of public opinion gradually subsided.
People's attention was diverted by the massive "anti-corruption" campaign in the court.
…
This day, early in the morning.
When Zhao Duan walked out of the house, he got into the carriage waiting outside the house.
As expected, he picked up a stack of documents placed in the car.
"That's all?" He raised his eyebrows and asked as he flipped through the pages.
Zhu Kui smiled flatteringly:
"Time is tight, and your request is urgent. This is all I've found so far. Speaking of which, you suddenly want to investigate Zhang Changji. Could it be..."
Zhao Duan, handsome and dressed in splendid clothes, lazily leaned in the carriage. He glanced at him through the curtain and suddenly smiled:
"I said I want to kill him, do you...believe it?"
…
ps: My manuscripts are running out, I’m so panicked.
(End of this chapter)
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