Chapter 088 The Fire of Revenge Burns
Patriarch Cui walked up to his second son, raised his hand and slapped him hard, the sound echoing throughout the room.
"You are useless! You only know how to make a fuss when encountering problems. You have not learned the Cui family's prudent and smart attitude at all. You deserve to be schemed against by others!"
Young Master Cui, who was still shouting, was silenced by the slap. His teeth hit the soft flesh in his mouth and blood flowed down the corners of his mouth.
After he came to his senses, he stared at his father with red eyes and trembled, "Dad, I'm your son. I'm being bullied. Can't I even vent a few words in front of you?"
Patriarch Cui looked at him with disgust: "Instead of crying in front of me, why don't you use your brain to think of a solution? Can I still deal with your mess for the rest of your life?"
Young Master Cui was also angry and shouted: "I want a solution? If I come up with a solution, will you let me do it? You knew that I fell off the horse because of the big..."
"Shut up!" The Cui family head shouted angrily, "The Cui family's reputation will not be slandered by you!"
"Haha, reputation, just for the entire Cui family's shitty reputation! I have endured it for so many years! What qualifications do you have to criticize me now!"
"Because of what? Because I'm your father!" Patriarch Cui was actually very upset by the rumor. Now the protagonist of the rumor actually dared to contradict him, which made him even more furious.
"You think the Cui family's reputation is not as important as you, but don't forget that without the Cui family, you are nothing. Now there are rumors everywhere. If it weren't for the Cui family blocking you, you would have been arrested by the government for investigation. How could you have the chance to challenge me here!"
After being scolded by his father, Mr. Cui didn't know whether he was scared or had figured it out. He looked at his father coldly, turned around and left the study without saying a word.
After he left, the steward dared to come in, bowed to the Cui family master, and said, "Master, the eldest son of the Li family is here to visit. Should we let him in?"
Patriarch Cui clenched his fists, suppressed his anger, and sneered: "I didn't go to find him, but he came to my house first. Take him to the flower hall. I want to see what he wants to say."
"Yes." The steward stepped out.
Patriarch Cui calmed himself down, pretended to be aloof and proud, and then went to the flower hall.
When he arrived, Li Chu was sitting in his seat, sipping tea leisurely. He looked very comfortable, without any trace of the arrogance caused by being punished by the emperor.
Seeing Patriarch Cui coming in, Li Chu quickly stood up and saluted, "Uncle Cui, please don't blame me for coming to visit you out of the blue."
Patriarch Cui helped him up and put on a fake smile, "Thank you, nephew. Your uncle is very happy that you can come."
"Really?" Li Chu smiled and looked at Patriarch Cui. "Why are you so happy? Uncle, do you have something to say to me?"
Patriarch Cui asked, "Really? Could it be that my nephew came to visit because he has something important to tell you?"
Li Chu smiled but did not answer: "Sit down and talk. I see that you look very unhappy, uncle."
The smile on Patriarch Cui's face faded a little, "Thank you for your concern, nephew."
The two of them sat down, one at the main seat and the other at the guest seat. The Cui family head spoke first: "My nephew, have you heard about the rumors about our Cui family these days?"
Li Chu opened his mouth, but he was talking about something else. "I was framed and angered His Majesty, so I was demoted. I'm sure you've heard about it, uncle."
The two were questioning each other.
Now that it has come to this, there is no need to pretend anymore.
The head of the Cui family asked, "How can my nephew be sure that it was the Cui family who framed you?"
Li Chu said: "Before all the spies in my Li family's palace were eliminated, they did not sit around and do nothing. The eunuchs who ran the underground casino died in strange circumstances, and one of my spies sent me a message saying that he had seen one of the dead in contact with someone from your Cui family."
"That's just one side of the story."
"If I don't trust my own men, who else can I trust?"
Do you believe me?
Li Chu didn't say this out loud.
Patriarch Cui looked at him and said, "So this is your revenge?"
Li Ao looked him in the eye without showing any fear. "There is no question of revenge. I will just give him a taste of his own medicine."
Patriarch Cui looked cold and said, "My dear nephew, you are much braver than your father. Your father would never dare to make trouble for the Patriarch."
Li Chu smiled and said, "My father didn't dare to resist because he had to take care of the entire Li family, but I don't have to consider these. My Li family was used as a knife and a shield by you, and we still had to endure your backstab. Do you think I should be grateful to your Cui family? No matter how desperate I am, I can always drag your Cui family into the water and beat the drowning dog at the risk of my life and the entire Li family. I believe that the emperor should be happy to do this."
"Are you threatening me?" Patriarch Cui had a gloomy expression.
"It's not a threat, it's just a reminder." Li Chu's expression was not much better, "Uncle, even rabbits bite when they are angry. Sometimes you should not go too far. Giving others a way out is also giving yourself a way out."
Li Chu was really angry this time. This beast, Master Cui, not only wanted to use him to deal with the emperor, but he also plotted against him and made him take the blame.
If he did not take action, he would be used as a stepping stone and ruthlessly stepped into the mud before Zong Zhengxiao could eliminate the Cui and Chen families.
And Master Cui also understood that what Li Chu said was true. He was not like Master Li and other elders who cared about the family's reputation. They only considered themselves, so Li Chu dared and could do it to the death.
Patriarch Cui felt a little regretful. When Li Chu had tricked Patriarch Li into becoming paralyzed in bed, he had admired Li Chu's intelligence and ruthlessness.
It was not until the knife fell on him that he realized how hateful Li Chu was.
Now he, like the head of the Li family, wants to get rid of Li Chu as soon as possible, but he cannot do so for the sake of the entire Cui family.
He couldn't let the Cui family run into trouble under his control, otherwise he would not be able to face his ancestors in the underworld a hundred years later.
Patriarch Cui took a deep breath and asked Li Chu, "What do you want?"
Li Chu did not answer immediately, but picked up the teacup and drank slowly. He did not answer until he saw that Patriarch Cui was getting impatient.
"This time, all of my Li family's spies in the palace were caught. I was demoted and became a thorn in the emperor's side. I suffered heavy losses. Spreading rumors about the Second Young Master Cui was just my way of getting back at you, uncle. I will no longer be involved. How to deal with it is your Cui family's business."
"As for compensation for using me and the Li family, my request is very simple. Before you do anything to the emperor in the future, you must discuss it with me, and don't use me as a tool in the future. After all, not only your Cui family wants to survive, but my Li family also wants to continue to last for a thousand years."
Patriarch Cui looked at him suspiciously: "That's all?"
He always felt that Li Chu was not such a generous person.
Li Chu said sarcastically, "Uncle Cui, please do this first."
Patriarch Cui had no choice but to nod: "Okay, I promise you."
"Thank you for your consideration of my difficulties," Li Chu said as he stood up. "Now that the matter has been resolved, I will not bother you any more."
"Well, give my regards to your father for me." Patriarch Cui controlled his temper and gave the instruction.
Li Chu: "I will."
After Li Chu left for a while, the head of the Cui family could no longer bear it and waved his hand to throw the cup of tea on the table to the ground.
The teacup shattered, hot water splashed, and the head of the Cui family's face turned as black as ink, and his chest heaved violently.
As the year draws to a close, the streets are bustling with activity.
After leaving the Li family, Li Chu did not take a carriage, but walked home by himself, without any servants or guards following him.
Halfway through the walk, a man reached out and stopped him, whispering, "Master Li, my young master wants to see you."
Li Chu glanced at him, ignored him, and walked around him. The man stepped forward to stop him again, this time with a much stronger tone, "Master Li, you dare not take responsibility for what you did, and you don't even dare to see the victim?"
Li Chu stared at him for a long time, until the man turned away because of his cold gaze, and then he said in a cold voice: "Lead the way."
The man took him into a private room in the teahouse and then walked out, closing the door.
Li Chu was not worried that someone was going to kill him to vent their anger, so he smelled the aroma of tea coming from inside and walked around the screen.
There was a small stove on the low table, and tea was boiling in a porcelain pot on the stove. The second son of the Cui family was sitting on the side of the low table with a cup of tea beside him. The marks of a slap on his face were clearly visible.
Li Chu raised his eyebrows slightly, walked over and sat down opposite him.
"You, the Cui family, are really hospitable. I just had tea with Uncle Cui, and you, Second Young Master, are here to invite me to drink tea again. I am really flattered."
Young Master Cui had a cold expression on his face. Looking at Li Chu's playful face, his eyes were full of hatred.
"You were the one who spread the rumors about me." He said it in an affirmative tone.
Li Chu poured himself a cup of tea, blew it gently, and said after drinking it: "Yes, I did it."
Seeing that he was so calm when being questioned by him, Cui Er Shao almost couldn't hold back and rushed over to hit him, but after thinking for a while, he still restrained his anger and asked: "Why do you do this?"
All of these powerful people have their own secrets, and everyone knows it, but Li Chu just exposed his secrets.
Before coming out of the study, he actually hadn't found out who did this, but when he found that Li Chu came to his house for no apparent reason, and recalled the news a few days ago about Li Chu being punished by the emperor, he guessed in his heart that it was him.
As for why I am asking this question, it is simply because I am unwilling to accept the fact.
Li Chu said: "You should actually ask your father about this question, but I just happened to be in a good mood, so I'll answer you."
He looked at the Second Young Master Cui and said calmly, "You should have heard about my recent punishment by the Emperor. It was your father who did it. He used my people to frame the Emperor. The Emperor found out about me and punished me. I found out that the real murderer was your father, so I took revenge on your Cui family. It's that simple."
崔二少還是有些不理解：“為什麽偏偏是我？”
李楚：“你要聽實話嗎？”
崔二少定定地看着李楚，李楚聳了聳肩，道：“好吧，告訴你實話，因為你是崔家嫡系子弟裏面，最不受寵的一個，我拿你開刀，你父親會生氣，但不會太生氣，這樣我才有機會跟他談條件。”
說着，像是怕刺激崔二少刺激得還不夠，李楚說得越來越難聽，“你父親更重視你大哥三弟還有四弟，如果我選擇的報複對象是他們，你父親都不用等到我上門承認，或者找到證據證明，他只需要猜到是我做的，就會出手懲治我，但你不一樣，他不會為了你直接出手，所以，我退而求其次，只能選你了。”
崔二少臉色慘白，卻沒有出言反駁，因為他清楚李楚說的都是事實。
李楚接着火上澆油：“其實你沒必要覺得心寒，家裏孩子多了，一碗水端不平也是常事，我爹當初不也只對我小弟好，不看重我嘛，你盡管放心，哪怕只是出于維護崔家的顏面，你爹都會替你擺平這次流言的，你是他兒子，他不會放任你不管。”
“就只是替我解決流言？”崔二少忽然問道：“你覺得他除此之外，不會為了我對付你，幫我報仇嗎？”
李楚微笑：“這你就要去問你爹了，反正方才我跟他見面，說既然他害我，我也害你一回，就算互相抵清了，他要是敢對付我，我不介意把你們整個崔家都拉下水，他怕了，就答應我了。”
崔二少紅了眼睛：“你是說，我父親為了崔家，放棄為我報仇了，是嗎？”
“或許是，或許不是。”李楚道：“這都要看你父親，我做不了主。”
崔二少低下頭，沉默了。
李楚嘆了一口氣，道：“我們這種大家族就是這樣的，家主要為全家考慮，即便有一些私心，也只會留給更疼愛的人，就像我父親，從小就嬌縱我弟，哪怕他犯下滔天大錯，我爹也會東奔西跑地幫他解決，而我呢，當初我弟經常欺負我和母親，父親也不管……”
說到這裏，李楚語氣帶上了幾分苦澀，他深呼吸了幾口氣，然後扯出一抹笑來：“還好我足夠好運，弟弟走了，沒人跟我争家主之位了，現在父親又病倒，李家就是我的天下，我也有資格跟你父親他們平起平坐了，那句俗語怎麽說的來着，終于是媳婦熬成婆了。”
崔二少緩緩擡起頭，眼神陰森得可怕，“李大人如今大權在握，真的只是因為好運，是媳婦熬成婆嗎？”
李楚怔愣了一瞬，眼眸裏閃過一抹異樣的情緒，笑容也不像之前那麽自然了。
他道：“當然了，不然還能因為什麽？”
崔二少沒有拆穿他，反而又問了一個問題：“聽說當今聖上最初其實并不是太子的第一人選，他是在先皇病亡後，靠跟兄弟拼殺，才得到了帝王之位。李大人覺得，陛下當初所為是對是錯？”
李楚笑了笑，道：“陛下的對錯，輪不到我這個臣子來評說，不過換作我是陛下，我只會比他更早動手，普通百姓家的兄弟尚且會為了家産相争，更何況争的是皇權，那可是這世間最至高無上、可定人生死的權利，要是不争，就等于是把命放進別人手心，任人拿捏，傻子才會坐着等死。”
崔二少俯身，急切地問：“你成功了，對嗎？”
李楚還是裝傻：“我不明白二少的意思。”
看着李楚含笑的眼眸，崔二少退了回去，坐直身體，“你不承認也沒關系，你姨娘交代的那些內容，其實我早就聽說了，也猜到了你之前都做了什麽，不過你放心，我不會為了報複你，就把這些事說出去的。”
李楚臉色有些差，像是被說中了心事，“那我還得謝謝崔二少你了。”
“不用謝我，是我該謝你才是。”崔二少提起茶壺，給李楚倒了杯茶。
李楚蹙眉，“二少這是什麽意思？”
“沒什麽。”他也學起了李楚裝傻，“只是想清楚了一些事罷了。”
兩人對視，李楚從崔二少眼睛裏看出了野心和幾乎快溢出來的恨意。
李楚道：“每家的情況不一樣，皇上能做到，不代表你也能，你還沒像皇上一樣走到絕路，又何必逼自己呢。”
“還沒有走到絕路？這只是你們以為的。”早在他不能人道，被父親放棄時，他就已經踏上了絕望之路。
李楚臨走前，只留了一句話：“只談利益不談感情，小心蟄伏，方能成事。”
這是成功前輩的經驗之談，看在崔二少跟自己同病相憐的份上，再加上他也希望崔二少能成功，這句話就送給崔二少了。
其實從看見崔二少頂着那張被打過的臉來見自己時，李楚就明白了，他不是來興師問罪的，而是在借跟他的交談，來說服自己下定決心。
崔二少當初墜馬後，李楚曾聽過一些傳聞，說墜馬一事是崔家大少爺設計的，因為那會兒崔二少才華橫溢，最得崔家主重視，比現在的崔小少爺有過之而無不及。
有人說，如果崔二少沒出事，當世名儒茂山老人帶走的就不是崔家小兒子崔炘，而是二少爺了。
但家醜不可外揚，而且崔家主也沒有證據能證明那件事是大兒子做的，出于利益考慮，二兒子已經廢了，又何必為了他再毀掉一個大兒子。
所以崔家主放棄了崔二少，他命令崔二少為了家宅平安必須忍耐，不可去找大哥複仇。
自己的前程被斷送，父親也不站在自己這邊，崔二少從此一蹶不振，也變得變态瘋魔。
他一直隐忍着，直到流言這件事發生，他見識到了父親的無情，心底的怒火才徹底被點燃。
崔二少又怎麽會不知道李楚是想利用他的複仇之心從內部擊垮崔家，可崔二少不在乎被利用，因為他早就想這麽做了。
既然父親最在乎崔家的榮譽，那他就毀了整個崔家，他不好過，別人也休想安穩！
在年末封筆前，沒了李楚煽風點火，又有崔家的幹涉，很快有關崔二少的流言蜚語就消失了。
主要是當初崔家處理得很幹淨，即便是宗政逍想查，也查不出什麽東西來。
為了證明自己的清白，李楚把離間宗政逍和戎音的罪魁禍首是崔家主的證據，上交給了宗政逍。
同時，他也将自己慫恿崔二少報複崔家人的好消息告訴了宗政逍，算是對宗政逍的讨好。
宗政逍聽完以後，跟他說話臉色都和緩了許多，甚至還罕見地誇獎了他一句：“做得不錯，你李家在宮裏安插眼線的罪過，我就不跟你追究了。”
李楚趕忙跪謝磕頭。
李楚離開後，宗政逍召來暗衛，吩咐道：“崔家那邊盯緊些，如有必要，可以對崔二少爺伸出援手。”
暗衛應是。
宗政逍跟李楚和暗衛說話的時候，四喜就站在旁邊，一言不發。
因為他提前揪出了銀鲛園裏的內鬼，宗政逍并沒有重罰他，只扣了他幾個月俸祿。
至于那個內鬼，發現再問不出什麽有用的消息以後，宗政逍就命令四喜悄悄将人給處決了。
還不忘提醒四喜，殺人的時候離遠點，別讓戎音知道。
其實後來雖然艱難，但四喜還是查出了些蛛絲馬跡，證明被滅口那幾人是崔家人。
可宗政逍看完他搜集來的證據後只是告訴他，最好當做什麽都不知道。
然後宗政逍繼續嚴懲李楚，任由崔家的流言瘋傳，還命暗衛出去調查崔二少的罪狀，以免崔家起懷疑。
畢竟世家和皇室不共戴天，崔家出了岔子，宗政逍要是不趁虛而入，那才可疑。
崔二少跟李傲一樣殘害人命，活該千刀萬剮，可崔家處理得太幹淨，憑他們目前掌握的那點證據，還不能拿崔二少怎麽辦。
所以宗政逍便順着李楚的安排，先讓崔家人自相殘殺，到時候再将他們一起收拾了。
看着李楚為了證明自己清白做下的一切，宗政逍唇角微微上揚，輕聲感嘆， “果然是一把好刀呢。”
四喜聞言，垂下眼眸，心道：鳥盡弓藏，一把本身就有瑕疵的武器，在被用完後會有何種下場，古往今來的歷史已經給出了無數次答案。
宗政逍回到銀鲛園時，戎音還在廚房裏炒火鍋底料，那味道又香又嗆，饞得宮人們忍不住流口水。
廚房的事宗政逍也幫不上忙，就在旁邊陪小艾同學玩，等湯鍋架好，菜也擺齊了，他才和戎音一起落座。
其實這個世界已經有了類似火鍋的吃法，叫拔霞供，只是戎音習慣了火鍋的口味，才直接做了火鍋。
吃火鍋的鍋子還是他特地叫人打造的，參考現代的鴛鴦鍋，這樣清湯和紅油都能享受到。
戎音慶幸這裏有辣椒這個東西，不然他就得失去吃辣的樂趣了。
Hot pot should be cooked and eaten immediately, so Rong Yin did not let Si Xi and the others serve him. He told them to have dinner on their own. He also left a portion of the hot pot base he cooked for the palace servants. He and Zong Zheng Xiao cooked the dishes and ate them slowly.
Xiao Ai's dinner was a big bowl of meat rice, and she was eating it with great grunts.
Zong Zhengxiao put the cooked food into Rong Yin's bowl with his serving chopsticks and said, "Let it sit for a while before eating. Overcooking is bad for your stomach."
Rong Yin nodded and swallowed the food in her mouth before speaking: "Don't just focus on me, eat too. The hot pot base I cooked tastes really good."
Zong Zhengxiao smiled: "I know that our A Yin is the best chef."
Rong Yin wiped the sweat from the tip of his nose with a tissue and said proudly, "Of course. If I hadn't been so incompetent, I would have wanted to open a hot pot restaurant in Beijing."
Zong Zhengxiao took a bite of the dish and said, "You can let the people below take care of it. Ah Yin, you just need to come up with the recipe."
Rong Yin thought for a moment and said, "Let's give it a try next year. If I fail, you are not allowed to laugh at me."
"I believe in you, Yin. You will succeed."
"Your mouth is still so sweet even though you can eat spicy food. I will kiss you to death later."
Zong Zhengxiao looked at him and said, "Without the palace people around, someone has become bolder."
Rong Yin blinked at him: "I have something even bolder, do you want to try it?"