Hearing Gao Qingyun's words, Zhu Youjian was even happier.
"Master Gao is indeed amazing. Although your eyesight is not good, your hearing is even better."
"They can even tell from these sounds."
Gao Qingyun shook his head.
"What does this have to do with how powerful or not?"
"You'll understand after hearing it a lot."
"By the way, Xiao Zhu, what's the important thing you need to see me about now?"
In fact, Zhu Youjian's original purpose for coming here was simply to visit Gao Qingyun.
While we're at it, let's also check on the students.
But when he saw Gao Qingyun, he could tell his identity just by listening to his footsteps.
A thought suddenly struck him.
He then asked Gao Qingyun:
“Master Gao, there’s someone in our village who doesn’t like you and is talking badly about you behind your back.”
"What do you think we should do with him?"
Gao Qingyun, on the contrary, was somewhat curious.
"What? I've been to your village and haven't seen many people. How come someone is dissatisfied with me?"
"Xiao Zhu, what's going on here?"
Zhu Youjian coughed a few times and gestured to Wang Chengen with his eyes.
Tell him to quickly make up a lie and get away with the problem.
Wang Chengen had no choice but to step forward and say, forcing himself to speak:
"Master Gao, the situation is... like this."
"That man is one of the village's accountants!"
“He felt that your expenses for teaching students in our village were too high, which is why he was dissatisfied.”
Wang Chengen was able to become a high-ranking eunuch, so his ability to lie was also exceptional.
He misrepresented Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, as a mere accountant.
As for his dissatisfaction with Gao Qingyun, it also stemmed from money.
After hearing this, Gao Qingyun truly believed it.
But he was very dissatisfied.
"The bookkeeper? Oh, you mean the accountant? How come he's so ignorant?"
"Has he never heard that education should never be neglected, no matter how poor one is?"
"Besides, the money I spend on these classes isn't all allocated by the government, it's not from your village!"
With that, Gao Qingyun stood up.
"Xiao Zhu, call that accountant over here. I need to talk to him face to face!"
Zhu Youjian hesitated.
"Master Gao, I'm afraid this is not a good idea."
He was worried that if Bi Ziyan said something he shouldn't have after meeting Gao Qingyun, it would be troublesome.
As for whether Bi Ziyan's meeting with Gao Qingyun would spread the news, Zhu Youjian was not worried.
"At worst, we can just have the Imperial Guards keep a close watch on him."
"Anyway, he's already a criminal now."
Gao Qingyun shook his head.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Bring him here right now, I need to teach him a lesson!"
"What era are we living in? Are there still people who don't understand the importance of education?"
Seeing this, Zhu Youjian did not dare to stop them.
He winked at Wang Chengen, then whispered an instruction:
"Go to the Imperial Guard's prison right now and bring Bi Ziyan to me."
"Remember to tell him on the way to listen more and talk less when he sees Master Gao."
"No matter what the question is, you must not ask it directly. I must ask it for you, understand?"
Zhu Youjian's explanation was naturally out of fear that Bi Ziyan would reveal the era in which he lived.
Wang Chengen nodded.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will go and bring the men right away."
Before long, Wang Chengen arrived at the destination.
The Imperial Prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was renowned, and this was Wang Chengen's first time here.
He stood at the door, somewhat reluctant to go in.
However, at this moment, Luo Yangxing jogged out.
"Eunuch Wang, you've arrived?"
"What brings you here today?"
Wang Chengen chuckled a few times and then directly stated the emperor's order.
Luo Yangxing found it rather strange after hearing this.
"I just suggested to His Majesty that we let Bi Ziyan confront Master Gao."
"But His Majesty disagreed at that time."
"How come he changed his mind so quickly?"
However, Luo Yangxing did not dare to be negligent.
He smiled broadly and asked Wang Chengen to wait there.
He led a few jailers into the imperial prison and went directly to a cell.
Then he said to the person inside, "Bi Ziyan, come out quickly."
"His Majesty wishes to see you."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Bi Ziyan did not react.
From the cell next door, a figure rushed out and clung tightly to the cell bars.
"Lord Luo, does His Majesty only want to see Bi Ziyan? Doesn't he want to see me at all?"
Zhou Yanru looked pitiful.
Although he was only detained for half a day, his mental state has completely collapsed.
If it were any other member of the Donglin Party, they might have actually been able to hold out for a while.
Even when Luo Yangxing subjected him to severe torture, he could still maintain his "unyielding spirit" for several days.
But Zhou Yanru was different.
He wasn't a member of the Donglin Party in the strict sense; he just happened to escape being targeted by Wei Zhongxian when the Donglin Party was suppressed.
After that, he secretly intervened to protect many of the younger members of the Donglin Party.
Therefore, Zhou Yanru was regarded as the leader of the Donglin Party.
"Lord Luo, I beg you, please say a few good words for me before the Emperor."
"I, Zhou Yanru, am a truly loyal subject!"
He was crying and looked very pitiful.
However, Luo Yangxing felt displeased when he saw him like this.
“Lord Zhou, no matter what, you are a Grand Secretary.”
"How can you have no backbone at all?"
He shook his head, too lazy to say anything more to Zhou Yanru, and instead looked at Bi Ziyan.
Compared to Zhou Yanru, Bi Ziyan's situation is much better.
He asked calmly, "What exactly does Your Majesty want with me?"
"If you want to convince me, make me admit my mistake to that so-called Master Gao in public."
"Then I am afraid I cannot obey the imperial decree!"
"Even though the imperial court has just defeated the Jurchens in Liaodong, my view remains the same."
"Major military and political affairs of the court can only be discussed by His Majesty and us civil and military officials. We must never listen to the advice of an outsider!"
Although Bi Ziyan's words implied that he still looked down on Gao Qingyun.
But his demeanor earned him Luo Yangxing's admiration.
"Lord Bi, I didn't realize you had such backbone."
He smiled, revealing some of the truth.
"But don't worry, His Majesty doesn't want you to admit your mistake directly, but rather to confront Master Gao face to face."
"Let Master Gao personally persuade you."
Hearing this, Bi Ziyan was quite surprised.
"Oh? His Majesty is sure he wants me to see Master Gao? Heh, this old man is quite confident."
"You actually dare to confront me!"
"Watch me refute him with erudition, leaving him speechless and bringing His Majesty back on track!"
Bi Ziyan rubbed his hands together, eager to get started, and began to tidy his clothes.
Luo Yangxing ordered his men to open the cell and release Bi Ziyan.
His face was full of strange expressions.
"Old man?"
Bi Ziyan nodded matter-of-factly: "Master Gao must be quite old. If I don't call him an old man, what else can I call him?"
In Bi Ziyan's view, the so-called Master Gao was definitely an old man with a gray beard, looking like a wise and enlightened master.
Only in this way could he gain the trust of the young emperor, Zhu Youjian.
Luo Yangxing almost lost his composure when he heard this.
He turned around, covered his mouth, and chuckled to himself for a moment before waving his hand haphazardly:
"Never mind, once you meet Master Gao, you'll know what kind of person he is."
"Someone, hand Lord Bi over to Eunuch Wang and let him take him into the palace."
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