first minister

Chapter 97: Guess of the Black Hand Behind the Scenes

Waiting for Baiyun Bian to chase after the sound, the people over there have gone far away, and there is still half a shadow there.

"Sir, what's wrong?"

The maid, the guards, and Zhuang Ding quickly caught up together, and the maid asked with concern.

"Do you think that voice just now resembles Yun Jingxia?"

The guard was stunned. As a martial arts practitioner, he actually felt familiar with Bai Yunbian earlier than Bai Yunbian, but he didn't match the name. When Bai Yunbian mentioned it, he immediately felt that it was true and nodded immediately.

The maid smiled, "My lord, you shouldn't be worrying too much. How can a person like him have the right to be welcomed up the mountain and meet the owner before you!"

Bai Yunbian glared at her unkindly, "A proud eagle doesn't bother to slander others! Let me hear villainous words like yours again, and go home!"

The maid trembled in fright and quickly fell silent.

In the main hall, Xia Jingyun saw the legendary prime minister in white.

He was indeed dressed in commoner clothes, with a straight back and a gentle smile on his peaceful face.

Time didn't leave too many marks on him, but the elegance was completely brewed into his temperament, which looked like the willow wind that didn't blow cold on his face.

Xia Jingyun saluted respectfully, "Yun Jingxia, a student from Sishui Prefecture, named Yanzu, met the old owner."

The old owner smiled faintly, "Xia Jieyuan is welcome, please sit down."

Xia Jingyun stood there in a daze for an instant.

Immediately he gave a wry smile, "I made the old owner laugh."

The old owner waved his hand, "You come from Sishui Prefecture, and you have this name, so that self-righteous fool of the Bai family can't guess it."

Xia Jingyun nodded in agreement.

If you want to say that, we are friends.

"Originally, the old man didn't intend to see you." The old owner said slowly: "You also know that the involvement behind your cloud word is quite troublesome."

"But there is no way." The old owner picked up the poem that Zhuang Ding Feiben sent just now, "Your poem really tickles my itch. With this ability, it's no wonder that even the jade tiger of the Jiang family can give you a good face."

Xia Jingyun smiled embarrassingly, "I just want to make the old owner happy, it can be regarded as a meeting gift."

"I like this meeting ceremony very much. I think I will frame it and hang it in the study."

The old owner didn't hide his love for the poem, and simply said: "You are willing to go up the mountain, so naturally you don't want to just look around. If you want to ask anything, just ask!"

Xia Jingyun raised his eyebrows, "You always answer?"

The old owner gave him a blank look, as if to say that you think so beautifully, "Of course I choose the answer I want to answer."

"Hey!" Xia Jingyun laughed awkwardly, and said softly, "I want to ask about the things behind the rebellion in Sishui Prefecture."

"You child!"

The old owner glared at Xia Jingyun somewhat dissatisfied. Xia Jingyun quickly laughed along with him, but did not flinch, and looked at him firmly.

"Hey! That's all!"

The old owner sighed, "If you can ask this question, it means that you are really not a thing in the pool. This old man will make a good relationship today."

Xia Jingyun stood up and bowed, "Please clear up the confusion, old owner."

"The matter of Sishui Prefecture, I can't say more."

The old owner looked at him, "The first is that the old man lives in seclusion in the mountains now. Although there are some sources of information, after all, it is more guesswork and you can't talk nonsense. The second is that you are sensitive and you are a person who has experienced it. You are afraid of trouble."

"I'll tell you the same thing as you, first of all, what is certain is that the rebellion in Sishui Prefecture, whether it's the pair of idiots on the surface who are still dreaming of being a prince and king, or the concubine Shu's sister and brother and the Lu family who are trying to entrap the concubine De, are just pawns played by others. There is another hand behind the manipulating this matter, which is basically certain."

"A court lady in Concubine Shu's palace committed suicide by bumping into a pillar, and a confidant of Zheng's father and son disappeared inexplicably, all confirming this conjecture, but that person has not been found yet."

Hearing such a secret, Xia Jingyun felt a bit chilled, and said with emotion: "It's hard to find someone who can manage such a thing!"

The old owner was noncommittal, "Secondly, I won't tell you my guess, but I can talk to you about the way I look at these things."

Xia Jingyun suddenly regained his energy, this is a good thing that cannot be exchanged for money, so he immediately listened attentively.

"To judge a matter, the first thing is to guess the other party's purpose, but based on the existing information and situation, it is easy to be led by the nose by the other party's layout. Therefore, my usual method is: deduction. Following the current development of the situation, taking into account the possible responses of all parties, and then seeing where the ultimate benefit is generated, and who is most likely to benefit."

He raised a finger, "A real master of layout has always just pulled out a thread, and then let the situation develop on its own, and then he can achieve the result he wants. The so-called delicate situation that must be linked one by one, and no link can go wrong, is something that every real master does not want."

Xia Jingyun nodded slowly with a receptive face, "Because there are too many variables and it's too uncontrollable."

The old owner nodded, "This statement is novel, and it is exactly what it means."

Xia Jingyun thought about it, and murmured: "According to what you said, the ambitions of the father and son of the Zheng family in Sishui Prefecture were the initial thread. Then, because of Concubine De's family visit, Concubine Shu entered the bureau and rebelled. "

His eyes became brighter and brighter, "If there is someone manipulating all of this, like the Zheng family and his son who are surrounded by confidantes and aides, they must be able to easily lead the army to suppress the rebellion. At that time, prestige, fame, fortune, and money will be difficult to estimate. So the most likely person who suppressed the rebellion is the most likely person behind the scenes?"

The old owner picked up the teacup and took a sip, "Don't ask me, I didn't say anything."

Xia Jingyun felt a flash of light emerge in his mind, "The Wudang Army is already in Sishui Prefecture, so we won't send Wudang Army. The most likely dispatched Xungui Group can't be used because of Concubine Shu's relationship. Then we can only choose someone else. Now the scope is much smaller."

The old owner put down the teacup, "For you now, there is no need to think about such things. Even if you can guess a certain person, it will not do you any good. Take the imperial examination and try to get a first-class exam, and everything will be happy."

Xia Jingyun took a deep breath and stood up, "Thank you, senior, for your guidance!"

"Do you want me to give you some pointers?"

The old owner suddenly spoke, with a playful smile on his face, which made Xia Jingyun stunned.

"You still lack a regular wife. We have a Dongting Pearl in Yunmeng State, think about it?"

"Ahem, old owner, you are being polite, as if I agree with you if I want to consider others."

"Haha, yes. Then you go."

Xia Jingyun:.
Isn't this turn too fast?

Xia Jingyun bowed deeply, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. This junior has benefited a lot. I wish you good health and everything you want."

"I'm joking with you!" The old owner laughed and stood up, holding his arm, with a solemn expression, "Xia Gaoyang, I want to remind you. All gifts have a price. You are the younger brother of a concubine, and after enjoying that honor, you have to go on some roads by yourself. I have seen too many heroes rise and fall in most of my life, I hope you don't follow in their footsteps."

"Thank you senior."

Looking at the back of Xia Jingyun striding away, the old owner said to himself, "Sitting on the mountain and watching the world, the joy is to see more talents come out, and the pain is to hear more talents fall, so sad!"

Xia Jingyun met Xie Yanzhi and Chen Fugui who were waiting in the side room, and walked out.

This trip was really not in vain, the questions that had been troubling him were not only answered, but at least gave him a clear direction.

Just like what the old owner said, since he chose to become Concubine De's brother-in-law, some things are destined and cannot be avoided.

Just immersed in the present flowers and applause, without thinking about the rainy day, what awaits him in the future is a sudden abyss.

This is also the meaning of his trip.

"It's really you!"

Just when Xia Jingyun was immersed in his thoughts, a black figure jumped out, and a voice sounded full of surprise!
Xia Jingyun raised his head, and the ordinary and confident face beside the white clouds was reflected in front of his eyes.

"How did you get in?" Bai Yunbian was shocked.

Xia Jingyun shrugged, "I'm not Mr. Bai, so naturally I can only write poems and climb mountains."

Bai Yun frowned and was about to speak when a Zhuang Ding came over, "Master Bai, the owner of the village invites you to come over."

Bai Yunbian hesitated for a moment, cupped his hands at Xia Jingyun, and walked in.

In the main hall, the old owner looked at the white-clothed man in front of him, and said with a smile: "Why, I'm still waiting for the old man to say hello to you first?"

Bai Yun looked at the old owner, and suddenly his eyes lit up, "I understand, senior, you must have taken a fancy to the superiority of the junior, and deliberately received others first to sharpen my heart, right?"

Lao Zhuang advocated opening his mouth, as expected, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times, never mind!

"What if the old man told you it wasn't?"

"That is to sharpen my mind again, lest I be too proud. The more seniors are like this, it means that you value the abilities of juniors more."

He also comforted him and said: "Senior, there is no need to hide it. Cherishing talent is not a bad thing. This junior will remember your kindness."

"I have to thank you, my mother, don't I!"

The old owner was so good-tempered that he was speechless, "Then I want to drive you out now?"

Bai Yunbian said in astonishment: "Senior, can't you?"

"Come here, see off the guests!"

"Senior. Hey! Hey! You are serious! Senior, I was wrong, I have a cheap mouth!"

Bai Yunbian was dragged out while the maids and guards were stunned, and then "escorted" all the way down the mountain.

In front of the mountain gate, Xia Jingyun, who knew the whole story, couldn't bear it any longer, and laughed so hard that his stomach hurt.

"Yan Zu, you are gloating so much, it's not the work of a gentleman!"

Xia Jingyun wiped the corners of his eyes, "How about this, Young Master Bai, let me teach you a word, keep it in your heart, it may make you feel much better."

Bai Yunbian walked over suspiciously, and Xia Jingyun whispered something in his ear.

Bai Yunbian's eyes lit up, and he quickly pushed Xia Jingyun, "Let's go, let's board the boat!"

When the group got on the boat in a hurry, Bai Yun stood at the bow of the boat, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly: "30 years in Hedong, 30 years in Hexi, don't bully the young and poor!"

Xia Jingyun was dumbfounded, and his throat rolled unconsciously.

Bai Yun kicked the boatman who was watching the fun, "What are you still doing, let the boat go quickly! I really want to be caught and hung up and beaten!"

The day after the Bai family's boat fled in a panic, the Su's building boat, which had rested overnight in Zigui County, went down the river and slowly stopped at the pier outside Baiyi Mountain Villa.

Wearing a veiled hat and white fox fur, Su Yanyan, like a fairy of Gushe, went straight up the mountain under the obsessive eyes of everyone.

(no more)
(End of this chapter)