Chapter 54 Chapter 54

Jiang Jingchun looked at Gu Huaisheng angrily.

Pay close attention to Huai Sheng and don't let her find out that you are pretending to sleep.

She was almost squeezed to death by him.

At the end, the two of them were so close to each other that Jiang Jingchun couldn't even read because of the pressure he put on her.

Just put the notebook down and stop reading it.

I wanted to go out but he blocked my way, so I could only lie down with him.

Lying like this, Jiang Jingchun slowly fell asleep.

The two of them lay on the couch, and soon, the only sound was the entanglement of their breathing. They didn't know how much time had passed, but the sky outside gradually darkened, and the moonlight outside crept onto their cheeks. The cold wind blew into the house through the window, and the two of them snuggled up to each other without feeling cold.

When Jiang Jingchun woke up, there was no one around.

She didn't know how she fell asleep with Gu Huaisheng. When she woke up, she felt dizzy and wanted to get out of bed. When her feet touched the ground, she found that her embroidered shoes had been taken off.

She lowered her head and saw her embroidered shoes neatly placed aside.

It's easy to guess that it was Gu Huai who spoke out.

She didn't think much about it. After all, she usually didn't do anything when she lay next to him. This time he might have been acting up because of his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Seeing her put on her shoes when getting on the bed, he probably wanted to take her shoes off a long time ago.

Looking up, I found Gu Huaisheng sitting inside working. He had moved his office stuff into the room tonight.

At this moment, he lowered his head and concentrated on what was happening in front of him. The candlelight made his face look even whiter.

Jiang Jingchun didn't expect him to be here, and was stunned for a moment, but seeing that Gu Huaisheng's expression had returned to normal, he looked much better than before.

Even the sadness and grief were fleeting, and in no time, I recovered and became a normal person again.

Jiang Jingchun didn't think much about it, but went to bed at night. Not long after, Gu Huaisheng also closed the things in his hands, washed up, blew out the light, and lay down next to her in bed.

The next few days were quite peaceful. Gu Huaisheng didn't provoke her and gave in to her in every way, so Jiang Jingchun couldn't lose her temper for no reason.

Soon it was the day the three of them had agreed to play polo, October 10th.

Gu Huaisheng was at home taking a day off today and did not go out. He saw her having lunch and taking a nap before going out, so he asked, "Where are you going?"

Jiang Jingchun had already gone out. When he heard what Gu Huaisheng said, he just said, "Didn't you say before that you would go inside the shop to take a look? Why do you keep asking? I'm not going to run away, so why do you care so much?"

She took the initiative and said a series of words quickly, and before he could continue speaking, she turned around and went out.

There is no such thing as a third time. This is the third time he asked.

What would happen if Gu Huaisheng really knew who she went to play polo with? She was not afraid of him, but it was also quite annoying when he made a fuss there. He always said that nothing was wrong, but who knew what bad things he was thinking.

It's better not to tell him about it.

Gu Huai was silent as he watched her figure gradually disappear from his sight and pursed his thin lips.

It sounded like he was being unreasonable, and he wouldn't stop her from going out, so there was no point in asking her any more questions.

He was actually quite curious about where she was going, and whether she was going to do something bad behind his back. Otherwise, he thought it would be impossible for her to be so impatient every time he asked her.

She looked like she was feeling guilty.

Gu Huaisheng sat alone in the chair, silent for a long time.

After a while, a servant came in from outside and said that his colleagues from the yamen had arrived.

He Chuan came in from outside with the servants.

He came today because of the battle between Shen Changqing and Hangu Pass.

Someone in He Chuan's family works as an official in the Ministry of War. He holds a high position and is quite old. He has a long career in the government. Perhaps he could find out something different.

He came today to talk about this.

Gu Huaisheng withdrew his thoughts from the emotions after Jiang Jingchun's departure just now, and stood up to greet He Chuan.

He asked, "Did he tell you?"

Gu Huaisheng wanted to know more about the original case.

He Chuan said: "I asked my uncle, but he didn't tell me..."

He Chuan's uncle is the Minister of War.

After all, it was the Prime Minister who judged the Governor's collusion with the enemy. To bring up the past now would be tantamount to going against the Prime Minister. No wonder Minister He was unwilling to bring up the matter.

Gu Huaisheng was silent for a moment after hearing what He Chuan said.

If Minister He is unwilling to speak, he must find a way to make him speak. He asked He Chuan, "Is there a chance for me to meet with the Minister?"

He Chuan asked him, but he was unwilling to say anything, so Gu Huaisheng could only go and meet him in person to see if there was any chance he could get any information out of him.

He Chuandao thought for a moment and said, "Why not ask him out tonight? I'll ask him out to a bar for you. My uncle is easy to get. If he doesn't say anything, you can try again and you'll get what you want."

He was filial and helped outsiders to get information from his uncle.

Gu Huaisheng couldn't help laughing after hearing what he said. He said, "Thank you for that."

With his words, things will be easier.

Gu Huaisheng asked Shuliang to book a private room in the restaurant for the evening. After thinking for a while, he asked He Chuan, "But if your uncle knew that you and others deceived him, would he be angry with you?"

"He is not that kind of person." He Chuan was silent for a moment and then said, "I know you want to clear the governor's name. I don't believe he could do such a thing, but I have to say one thing. You should be careful. It's better for others to know that you are investigating these things..."

Those people are powerful, and even for Gu Huaisheng it would be too much of a struggle to fight them.

It's too late to say this now. Wang Shun and the others must have already known about it, otherwise they wouldn't have deliberately released such clues to lure him out on his wedding night.

But Gu Huai just said "hmm", which was considered as his response.

After the two finished talking, He Chuan went back home and helped Gu Huaisheng to make an appointment with Minister He.

Around dusk, the fading sun began to set, the sky grew dark, and Gu Huaisheng went out.

The private room was booked at Quweilou, a century-old restaurant located in a prosperous area. Its uniqueness can be seen from the plaque on the door. The interior of the building is luxuriously decorated, and the sound of piano can be heard from time to time, which adds a unique elegance.

Gu Huaisheng went to the private room on the second floor to wait for He Chuan and He Shilang. As the sky darkened, he calculated the time and thought that the two of them should arrive soon. He stood by the window of the private room, looking at the carriages and horses below, waiting for people.

The sun sets, the sky darkens, Gu Huaisheng's brows droop, his gaze fixed on the world of sounds and colors.

Under the warm red sunset, maids were shouting and cursing, children were walking in the streets, peddlers were wandering everywhere, and the atmosphere of the market was very strong.

Gu Huaisheng looked at the scene downstairs idly, waiting for He Chuan and his friends to arrive. However, before He Chuan arrived, a familiar figure appeared in his sight...

A young girl in a pink floral dress came skipping down from the carriage. She had a simple single braid on her hair, and her hairstyle looked a little messy. No one knew where it came from.

Gu Huaisheng's gaze fell on Jiang Jingchun and his brows slightly frowned. What did he do today?

Before he could think about it, two more people got off the carriage.

They are Chen Muqing and Song Xuan'an.

Gu Huaisheng's eyes were fixed on them, and he watched them go into the restaurant.

The three of them walked side by side, talking and laughing.

Jiang Jingchun usually doesn't smile like this at home. She is so happy and cheerful when she goes out and is not with her.

A sarcastic smile unconsciously appeared on Gu Huaisheng's lips, and his eyes turned a little cold.

No wonder, no wonder she refused to tell him where she had been no matter how much he asked.

Even if she told him, what would that do? Would he still be unreasonable and not let them meet?

Just meet him, why hide it from him and make it like you are meeting secretly with your lovers?

If she had told him, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but she didn't tell him, which made him feel uneasy and scared.

The fear of watching my wife go out with another man without telling me...

Jiang Jingchun and two other friends played polo in the northern suburbs for about an entire afternoon today.

Thinking that we hadn't had a meal together for a long time, we took the opportunity to go to the restaurant for dinner after playing polo.

But as soon as Jiang Jingchun got off the carriage, she felt a pair of eyes fixed on her. The feeling was somewhat familiar... She immediately raised her head and looked around, but there was no one there.

Seeing that there was no one there, Jiang Jingchun didn't think any more and followed the two men into the restaurant.

Gu Huaisheng retracted his gaze, turned around and said something to Shuliang. Shuliang was a little surprised, but he didn't ask any more questions. After listening to Gu Huaisheng's instructions, he left the place to do his work.

Gu Huaisheng sat down at the table, his expression unclear, fiddling with the cup in his hands.

Just as he was lost in thought, He Chuan had already brought Minister He to the room.

Gu Huaisheng came back to his senses after hearing the noise and stood up to greet him.

He walked towards the two of them and greeted Minister He.

He said, "I have met the Minister."

Minister He was somewhat surprised to see Gu Huaisheng being so polite, but he did not think much about it and quickly replied, "No, no, young marquis, I have been waiting for a long time."

The assistant minister was an official of the third rank, one level higher than Gu Huaisheng. It is said that a person who is half a level higher in rank can overpower a person, but he was not arrogant and was rather humble. At the age of forty or fifty, he spoke and acted quite decently.

The two were extremely polite in this meeting.

Minister He actually knew to some extent why Gu Huaisheng came to see him today. After all, He Chuan had talked to him about it before, and now he came to connect him with Gu Huaisheng, probably to ask about that old matter.

After the two men arrived, Gu Huaisheng had the dishes served. He handed the chopsticks to Minister He, who quickly took them.

Before Gu Huaisheng could speak, Minister He said, "Young Marquis... I also know what you came to me to talk about today..."

He didn't really want to bring up the past. He just wanted to let the past go. Why bother to bring up the past again?

However, before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Gu Huai, who picked up a piece of fish meat with his chopsticks and put it in the bowl for Minister He.

He smiled and said, "Your Excellency, you are overthinking. Today we are just having a meal. Try this fish. I heard it is a famous dish in the palace of the previous dynasty, Huaibai fish cooked with wine."

The minister's words were interrupted. Seeing Gu Huaisheng pick up a piece of fish for him with chopsticks, he swallowed the words he was about to say. He didn't say anything else and started eating the fish.

The fish meat has the aroma of wine lees, is fresh and textured, and has a bit of elasticity when you take a bite.

It is indeed a good dish, no wonder it can be used as a traditional Chinese meal.

"Yes, this fish dish is indeed good." commented the Minister.

Hearing that it was good, Gu Huaisheng picked up another piece for him with his chopsticks and told him the origin of this fish.

"Huaibai fish is abundant in the Huaihe River area. This fish is extremely difficult to survive and basically cannot survive once it comes out of the water."

The minister was surprised and said, "Oh? They died right after they came out of the water. They were not killed and eaten right after. It would take at least ten days or half a month for the fish from the Huai River to reach the capital. How could they still be so delicious?"

Gu Huaisheng explained to him: "In order to ensure the freshness of the fish, fishermen usually marinate the fish with wine lees and salt immediately after catching them. This way, the texture of the fish is preserved and the aroma of the wine lees is still emitted after it is taken out of the oven. It is also considered a special dish."

No wonder, he said the fish smelled of alcohol.

At this point, Gu Huaisheng chuckled, put down his chopsticks, rested his hands on the table, and suddenly asked him, "Sir, do you know how people in the Huai River area use this fish?"

"Isn't it pickled in wine?"

"No." Gu Huaisheng said, "It's actually quite troublesome to pickle this fish. They only go through the trouble of pickling it when they sell it to other places. If they eat it themselves on weekdays, they basically kill it the same day they eat it."

Gu Huaisheng's voice was clear and chilly, and the autumn wind from outside the window penetrated into the house, rustling across people's cheeks like a knife cutting.

He said, "The fish that jump out of the water first are always the first to die. Once the fish appears, they are spotted and immediately caught with a net. The water surface is rippled when the fish jumps out of the water, but when the fish is immediately caught, it returns to calm again. When there are no more fish coming out, the fishing net will immediately enter the water to catch other fish, and the water surface will be disturbed again."

"The net is always suspended above the water, and the calm water surface is never calm."

It seems that he is talking about fish, but no one can hear the hidden meaning of Gu Huaisheng's words.

He Chuan, who had been speaking for Zeng, sighed and said, "They are the butchers and I am the meat."

In this court where all the horses are silent, everyone is a fish on the chopping board. Silent on the surface, but in reality, it is full of strange clouds. Who knows when the net hanging over their heads will fall.

Gu Huaisheng said bluntly: "The troops at Hangu Pass were defeated once, but who knows whether a year or two later, the tragedy will be repeated again. The fish that sticks out has died, but the water surface is disturbed, who will be the next fish to die?"

If the teacher did not commit treason, then there must be someone else who did.

If the truth of what happened back then cannot be found, not only will the governor die in vain, but the northern border is also in danger now.

Gu Huaisheng said, "I just want to know whether the order to fight was issued by the Governor himself. If something really happened, it would definitely not involve you, my Lord."

Minister He had already been moved by these words just now. It must be said that if Gu Huaisheng did not become a historian, it would be great for him to be a lobbyist.

Hearing that he just wanted to know such a simple answer, the minister finally spoke up and told him.

He said: "The order to fight was indeed issued by the Governor himself."

After hearing what the assistant minister said, it seemed that what was written in the file, "the commander-in-chief was arrogant and the battle was fought at the pass," was correct. It was indeed like the governor-general gave wrong commands and deliberately let the Mongolian cavalry enter the pass.

But the Minister quickly said, "We actually had a chance of winning that battle. Although the situation was critical when the Zhao soldiers fought against the Mongols, the Ministry of War had been giving correct instructions to the front line, and every step was taken steadily. Although the chances of winning the battle at Hangu Pass were not high, judging from the Governor-General's previous experience in leading the battle, we might have won... In short, if there had been no collaboration, it would have been hard to say whether we would have won or lost the battle."

In the end, we didn't finish the meal.

After the minister finished speaking, he stood up and left.

He Chuan said hello to Gu Huaisheng and followed his uncle.

After getting the answer from the minister, Gu Huaisheng gradually figured out something.

Everything is connected in the mind.

In fact, he had already made speculations about this matter a few days ago.

When all impossible speculations have been eliminated, the one that remains is the final answer.

It is true that Shen Changqing suffered at the border that year, but it is false that he was proud of the enemy.

He would not joke about so many lives. Since he was going to fight, he naturally had a way.

But, someone committed treason.

Someone informed the Mongols in advance, so in that battle, the Zhao army suffered a terrible defeat.

The so-called evidence of the Governor's treason was also framed against him by others.

The person who can get the governor's seal must be someone close to him and trusted by him.

The man committed adultery with the Mongol Khan, obtained the Khan's seal, and then stole the governor's seal to stamp it...a perfect piece of evidence was born.

The defeat at Hangu Pass is further evidence of this.

It would have been fine if we had won the battle, but unfortunately we lost miserably.

Therefore, Shen Changqing was basically convicted of treason.

Gu Huaisheng's direction was actually not wrong. The subordinate they were looking for was hiding and protected by Wang Shun. He must be the one who betrayed the governor.

It's clear...everything is clear now.

What he said today further confirmed what he thought in his heart.

Gu Huaisheng solved the problem here and didn't stay any longer. He got up and left the room.

After he left the room, he asked Shuliang, "Where is she? Which room is she in?"

Shuliang announced a place and Gu Huaisheng walked towards that place.

*

Jiang Jingchun and the other two went into a private room, ordered a few dishes and started waiting.

While waiting for the food, they said this as usual.

The incident in the early autumn examination had some impact on Song Xuan'an. He has become less talkative and taciturn.

When Jiang Jingchun and Chen Muqing were talking, Song Xuan'an only occasionally interrupted. Recently, Song Xuan'an's family wanted to find him a job to replace his father, but he refused.

Even if he was appointed as an official, he would just hold the title as an idle official, relying on his family to eat and wait for death, and then go to the government office to collect salary. What's the point of that?

He had to wait for the autumn examination three years later.

He doesn't need these three years anymore.

Jiang Jingchun and Chen Muqing hadn't seen each other for a few days. When the two of them got together, they had endless chatter. Song Xuan'an listened to them talking with a smile on his face and occasionally said a few words.

That's good, Song Xuan'an thought, at least she can still be the same as before.

She didn't dislike him or avoid him.

So what if she married Gu Huaisheng? She doesn't like him anymore.

At this time, the dishes outside were served. Jiang Jingchun looked at the dishes in confusion and asked the waiter, "What's wrong with these dishes? We didn't order them. Did they get the wrong ones?"

It was strange that none of the dishes served were what they ordered.

The waiter explained: "This dish was added by a young master. He asked us to serve you more dishes. The cost of this table of dishes is on his head. Gentlemen and ladies, please feel free to enjoy it."

The three of them felt a little strange after hearing this.

Added by a young master?

I don't know why they added some extra dishes or something.

Besides, the dishes at Quweilou are not cheap. He ordered so many dishes at once, and it cost him several taels of silver. He was really generous.

I don’t know who ordered it.

Chen Muqing was a carefree person and didn't think much about it. After all, the dish was served by the restaurant staff and it couldn't be dirty or tampered with by anyone.

But Jiang Jingchun inexplicably thought of the gaze that was glued to him when he got off the carriage today. Now that this happened, he couldn't help but think more about it for a while.

Who is it?

Do you care about Huaisheng?

You shouldn't be so tricky.

When she went out today, he was clearly sitting at home, and she didn't hear him going out...

Song Xuan'an said, "Maybe someone lost the bet?"

In the past, they had made bets, and the punishment for losing was to go to a restaurant and take orders and pay the bill. Maybe someone did the same thing to them today?

After hearing what Song Xuan'an said, the two of them felt that it made some sense and was not impossible.

They had played polo outside for the entire afternoon and were already feeling hungry. When the food was served, they didn't think any more and just picked up their chopsticks to start eating.

After a stick of incense had passed, it was almost done.

It was getting dark outside and it would be too late if we didn't go home now.

The three of them got up and went out.

Jiang Jingchun walked in front, and when the door opened, he was immediately startled by the person standing at the door.

She saw Gu Huaisheng standing at the door and almost screamed out loud.

He was really too eye-catching, and it was impossible to ignore him just standing there. At this moment, he was leaning against the pillar at the door of the private room, with a casual posture, his hands clasped across his chest, looking at her with a half-smile.

Their eyes met, and Jiang Jingchun felt inexplicably guilty when seeing Gu Huaisheng's expression. He was clearly smiling, but in Jiang Jingchun's eyes, this smile did not seem very kind.

Jiang Jingchun caught the meaning in his eyes accurately. She knew what was going on in his mind.

They were just having a meal, why did he make it seem like he was catching someone having an affair...

Just now, after Gu Huaisheng finished his discussion, he came directly to Jiang Jingchun's place, but he did not go in to make trouble. He just waited at the door and finally waited until they came out.

Seeing the door open, he stood up, looked at her with a smile, and asked, "Cousin, is the meal okay? Are the dishes you ordered to your liking?"