Chapter 53 Who Stole My Yunxi
Yuan Li!
When Zhao Duan saw the face of the person sitting in the carriage clearly, he was stunned.
Then he suddenly realized the true meaning of the words "We can talk in detail later when we are free" that the censor had said before leaving in the imperial garden.
A man of the rank of three dukes and nine ministers, who could shake Dayu with a stomp of his feet, actually condescended to wait for him at the entrance of the imperial city.
Zhao Duan felt no honor, only vigilance.
"Mr. Yuan...are you waiting for someone?" He pretended to be surprised and bowed tentatively.
The woman in blue clothes in the car smiled:
"No need to guess, I'm waiting for you. The palace is huge, and it's hard for you to walk around on your own. Come up and talk."
It turned out that he wanted to give him a ride.
So, the reason Zhou Cang disappeared was because he was driven away by Yuan Li? Zhao Duan became increasingly panicked.
His face was flattered, but then he looked a little embarrassed:
"Thank you, Lord Yuan, for your kindness. However... I have a bad reputation. If I were to ride with Lord Yuan, I'm afraid it would be bad if the news got out."
"Who will spread it?" Yuan Li asked with a smile.
A servant standing beside the carriage also laughed and said:
"If you refuse again, wouldn't that be an insult to my master?"
This big hat you put on me is really scary... Zhao Duan's expression froze, and he didn't dare to refuse. He lifted the hem of his robe and carefully got into the carriage.
It was Zhao Duan’s first time riding in a four-horse carriage. One word to describe it: huge!
It can almost accommodate several people having sex in the car.
Inside the spacious carriage, a low table is placed in the middle with a three-legged incense burner on it. A secret is hidden in a secret compartment underneath. There are cushioned seats around it, which can accommodate several people for a small gathering.
Zhao Duan sat anxiously opposite Yuan Li. When the curtains dropped and the carriage headed out of the palace, he took the lead in breaking the deadlock:
"I wonder what instructions Lord Yuan has for me?"
He won't feel at ease until he gets to the bottom of it!
Yuan Li's wide sleeves folded, he put down the jade ruyi in his hand and said:
"Don't be nervous, I'm just a little interested in you."
I'm not a woman, what interest do you have in me... Zhao Duan complained, embarrassed:
"I am notorious. Compared to Lord Yuan, I am a far cry from you..."
Yuan Li interrupted: "My judgment of people is always very accurate."
Zhao Duan slowly typed a question mark.
I only heard the Imperial Censor in front of me say leisurely:
"So, from the first glimpse I got from you in the garden, I knew you weren't as bad as the rumors out there said."
Oh, go ahead and brag... If you had seen me ten days or half a month earlier, you would have understood what it means to have a unified personality and character.
Zhao Duan climbed up the pole:
"Mr. Yuan is too kind. I have admired you for a long time."
The big blue-clothed girl said "Oh" and said casually:
"Have you heard my story?"
No, but your face is full of stories... Zhao Duan took over the topic in his heart and showed respect:
“Who in the world doesn’t know you?”
He had indeed heard Yuan Li's story.
It is said that he was originally from Xipingdao, a descendant of the Yuan family.
The Yuan family of Xiping is a prominent family with members serving as officials in the court throughout the dynasties.
When Yuan Li was young, he showed talent far beyond his peers, but he was not interested in a career in politics. He just traveled around with his friends and lived a bohemian life. The master of the family often lamented and felt sorry for him.
If things had gone according to normal course, he could have ended his life as a wealthy young man.
But things happen unexpectedly. The Yuan family's generation had a poor cultural heritage, and the officials who came out of it died one after another, until there was no one left in the court. The biggest pillar of such a large clan was only a county magistrate.
In three to five years, it will be on the decline and will be on the verge of withering.
At this critical moment, Yuan Li changed his image of a playboy, went to Beijing that year, and won the top spot in his first imperial examination.
Then, in just a few years, he used his superb skills to rise at a rocket-like speed. Not only did he revive the Yuan family of Xiping, but he also made a successful bet and became one of the top powerful officials.
His experience is legendary, and he is the template for the male protagonist in a cool novel.
This is also the reason why he is highly respected by many scholars:
This experience is really a pleasure for scholars.
"Who in the world doesn't know you..."
At the low table, Yuan Li was startled, savoring the words, and suddenly said:
"This sentence is quite powerful, but unfortunately it is scattered. If it could be pieced together into a complete poem, it might be a masterpiece."
The whole poem? I have it… Zhao Duan muttered.
He was not deliberately expressing this, but many famous lines from ancient poems and verses from his previous life had already permeated his spoken language, and he would blurt them out without paying attention.
He hesitated for a moment and didn't respond.
When ancient people wrote poems, if they had no relevant experience but wrote verses about things they had never experienced, they would inevitably be questioned.
Although it can be attributed to "talent", it is ultimately too deliberate.
"I came up with this sentence by chance, but I haven't been able to complete it yet." Zhao Duan said.
Yuan Li was not surprised. Even fools can have moments of inspiration, but true poetic talent never relies on these.
The carriage rumbled out of the palace.
Driving on the spacious streets of the capital, the car was stable. The two of them talked about business with each other for a while, and Yuan Li finally asked.
How Zhao Duan solved the case of the firearms maker.
And even earlier, how to get out of the case of letting Zhuang Xiaocheng go.
Zhao Duan kept the empress's teachings in mind and did not hide anything - even the top secrets were known to others, so there was no need to hide some details.
The other party's questions made Zhao Duan feel a little relieved. Yuan Li was a person who liked to talk and pursue interesting things.
Although he is in a high position, his nature is hard to change. His gossipy heart is aroused, so he comes to me to ask questions and satisfy his curiosity... Although it is a bit far-fetched, it is a reason after all.
After listening to Zhao Duan's story, Yuan Li also found his operations in the two cases quite interesting.
Yeah, it's just fun.
After all, given the level Zhao Duan was involved in and these insignificant tricks were nothing compared to this top powerful official.
At this time, the carriage also arrived near the government office.
"This is what happened." Zhao Duan said with a dry mouth.
Yuan Li was about to make a comment when he suddenly heard a faint noise coming from outside.
The government office is located in a quiet area and is not a bustling neighborhood.
"What happened outside?" The man in blue frowned and asked outside.
After a while, a servant reported back:
"Sir, the censor Lu Liang is parading a female prisoner through the streets, attracting many onlookers. Apparently, the prisoner is a member of the Kuangfu Society, previously held in the government jail. Her name is 'Yunxi.'"
Yunxi!
Inside the carriage, Zhao Duan was stunned, and the image of the tough and unyielding big bear girl tied to the cross in the cell appeared in his mind.
The severely brainwashed female disciple that Zhuang Xiaocheng abandoned when he ran away.
It is also an important clue for him to track down the whereabouts of "Zhuang Xiaocheng".
She has been detained in the government office since the last interrogation. Zhao Duan has been busy dealing with the Zhang brothers these days and has no time to interrogate her.
But now, he was taken away without knowing anything?!
And... he was also familiar with the name "Luliang".
It was he who was the main force behind his last impeachment. He had joined forces with Zhang Changshuo in front of the empress to put him to death. He was an imperial censor under the command of "Li Yanfu".
Later, due to the privileges of the censors, he was exempted from death.
Zhao Duan thought that he would have nothing to do with the other party anymore, but he didn't expect to meet him again here.
I have instructed the government office not to allow Yunxi to be interrogated by others. Why was she taken away by Lu Liang?
I'm also shouldering the KPI of apprehending Zhuang Xiaocheng before the end of the year. Yunxi is the key clue... I can't afford to lose...
Zhao Duan's face suddenly darkened.
The woman in blue clothes caught a glimpse of his expression, looked towards the carriage curtain, and said expressionlessly:
"Call Lu Liang over."
(End of this chapter)
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