Taohuaxi

Chapter 40 After Zhongliang
When I was immersed in a book at my desk, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

It was Cheng Huaishi who came back.

"Why didn't you light the lamp?" he asked softly.

"I……"

Xiaoyin heard the noise, came into the room and lit the lamp.

He saw tears on my face and asked: "Why are you sad, madam? Is your sister-in-law bullying you again? I'll go find her -"

I hurriedly grabbed him and said, "It's not because of my sister-in-law. It's just me who feels sad when I look at the loyal ministers and heroes in the book. Second Master, don't worry about it."

He looked at the scroll in my hand and said: "I see. Madam is a woman and child, and it is rare to have such feelings. Let me tell you something about yourself, as a minister, if you want to make a difference, you need to put life and death aside. If you can't achieve results, you'll be mediocre, and you'll have nothing to eat; if you can achieve results, you'll be jealous. What I'm doing at the Ministry of Household Affairs is related to the New Deal. There are already many people in the court who classify me as Lord Zhang. A member of the party. Today, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs took part in my book and used the taxes from the world to enrich his own pockets."

I became worried: "Is it important?"

He shook his head: "Master Zhang argued hard for me and the matter was suppressed. But His Majesty kept the memorial."

He picked up the pen on the table, dipped it in ink, and wrote eight words on the paper: Know that I have sinned, but only the spring and autumn.

"Madam, no matter what lies ahead, I will never stray from my country." He pointed at the book in my hand and said, "Even if I am beheaded in the street like Mr. Banzhou, I have nothing to fear."

For some reason, my eyelids twitched when I heard his words, as if there was a fateful reincarnation somewhere.

I reached out and covered his lips: "Don't say such unlucky words again."

Regarding Mr. Banzhou and the mystery of his life experience, he kept it in his heart.

The days are like the wind under the eaves, blowing slowly.

Following the old lady's advice, I bought many acres of real estate at the place where my ancestors were buried in Huizhou.When I handed over the land deeds and land deeds to the old lady, she ordered me to take charge of them and said that I must hide them well.

There is always worry that cannot be brushed off on her face full of grooves.Although the current Cheng family has high-ranking officials, royal family members, and merchants, they are extremely wealthy and full of glory.

On the second tenth day of June, I got on the carriage and rushed to Renzhi Hall for duty. Feng Gao stopped me and said, "Sister, I have something important to tell you."

"What's the matter?"

He lowered his voice and said anxiously: "I found the class leader back then!"

I was surprised: "Are you sure? You didn't admit your mistake?"

"When I was a child, he often beat and scolded me. How could I mistake him? One of his legs was lame for some unknown reason. The acrobatic troupe broke up. He never made a living doing dragon and lion dancing or performing arts. I used to He committed a crime and kept asking people to look for him among the acrobatic troupes walking around the streets, so he couldn't find him. He has been doing a sinister business of buying and selling people and pimping people. After making money, he went to the acrobatic places to fool around. Money. No more, let's continue the deception... One of my stallkeepers caught him in the Hualiu Alley of Jicheng and brought him to the capital. I ordered people to imprison him, but before I could interrogate him, Lord Chai Wansui summoned me. , I had no choice but to leave Huizi, and he was actually taken away by Zou Cheng from Qionglin Academy!" He said with anger on his face and gritted his teeth.

Qionglin Academy, Zou Cheng. That day, I overheard Mr. Zhang mentioning this name among the peonies in the Zhang Mansion Garden.He ordered the messenger to tell Zou Cheng of Qionglin Academy to stop the assassination of Feng Gao.

Feng Gaodao: "Zou Cheng is Zhang Taiyue's number one killer, and he has excellent martial arts skills. I was negligent. I didn't put him on death row at that time! Those gangs of guards were useless, so I had to skin them."

I pondered: "Could it be instigated by others and has nothing to do with Zhang Taiyue?"

"Absolutely not. Sister, you don't understand Zou Cheng. He has a bad temper and is not moved by money. He will not take orders from anyone other than Zhang Taiyue."

He clenched his fists tightly: "I have long noticed that something is wrong with Zhang Taiyue these days. He is very weird. It turns out that he really wants to have trouble with me."

"Bean sprouts -" I couldn't help but call out: "Don't be upset first, wait until my sister goes to have a look. Don't have a rash conflict with Mr. Zhang."

He seemed to be smiling but not smiling: "Master Long Live said something to me, he wants to take charge of the government. Zhang Taiyue controls the government and is arbitrary, how can Master Long Live take charge of the government? I originally respected him for his loyalty and refused to scheme against him. He actually bullied me. The head is coming. I have to make plans."

"Bean sprouts, don't."

He looked at me, and those eyes were like a shaky light in a bottomless abyss.

"Sister, I promise you, wait a little longer. If he is sensible and sends the person back to me properly, then I will give it up. If he insists on going against me, then..."

He stretched out his hand and stroked the silk flowers on my moon-white gauze robe: "Sister, don't worry, the person who sets the fire has the ability to put out the fire. When does the fire start, where does it spread, and where does it stop, I have something in my heart. Spend."

After saying that, he left.

I looked at his back, like clouds and mist.

Once the fire breaks out, can he really control it?When the fire breaks out, who will be spared?
In the evening, after coming out of the palace, I went straight to Zhang Mansion.

After the concierge made the announcement, the maid in black, who was familiar with me, came out to greet me: "Mrs. Cheng, the master is in the study, please come over." I followed her to the place where I painted last time.

Master Zhang was sitting at his desk, writing something.Seeing me coming in, he smiled slightly and said, "Sang Yu, you're here."

He called me so lovingly.

I stepped forward and saluted: "Sir, I see you are in much better health this time."

He stroked his beard and said: "I just try my best. Sang Yu, I heard the Queen Mother praise you last time. I always thought that you would ask me something. But you just came now. Very good, very good , it shows that you can hold your breath. Don’t be impatient or impatient.”

"I think adults will tell me when it's time to tell me. I've been waiting for twenty years, so why rush?"

He laughed: "You are an understanding child."

"Sir, did you take someone away from the people in Dongchang?"

He nodded and said simply: "Yes."

"Where is that man now?"

"Sang Yu, if you want to persuade me to return this person to Feng Gao, I can't agree. I have already asked some things I want to know. I have to keep this person. There are some things that the less people The better you know. If it reaches Wanzai's ears, it will be very detrimental to me and Feng Gao. Don't forget, Wanzai has more than just an intelligence agency like Dongchang under his command." He said solemnly.

Obviously, he had carefully considered this decision.

I thought for a while: "I want to meet him, okay?"

He hesitated and finally nodded: "Follow me."

He led me through many twists and turns, through several corridors, to a low house on the west side of the courtyard.

He said to me: "Sang Yu, your biological mother Sanniangzi is a heroic woman. In the past, she followed your father to wear grass and set up a military mansion. Your father was training troops, and she was playing drums to boost morale. In Fujian At that time, he led thousands of women and children, wearing men's armor, to the city gate to scare off the enemy soldiers. Your father was convicted by the court, and the house was deserted. His wives, concubines, and family members were scattered around, and the wife of the wife also hid with her son. Only your mother, Life and death follow each other.”

I whispered: "Sir, Mr. Banzhou survived Jiajing for 34 years. You saved him, right?"

He waved his hand: "Don't mention this matter. I'm just telling you that they were unable to avoid the disaster in the end. The Japanese were cruel and hated him to the core. How could they be allowed to live in the world? The Red Lady gave birth to her son in the heavy rain, and the Japanese pursued her. Reluctant to give up, she handed the child to an acrobatic class in the streets, and then stuffed her belly with straw and pretended that she was not in labor yet. You escaped a disaster. When I found your father and your mother, they Already dead. All these years, I have never known whether you are dead or alive. Fortunately, the sky has eyes, and you were adopted by the Zhu family. It can be regarded as a good family. The acrobatic class leader does not know your identity, only that you have no one. My dear, he is an orphan."

I cried and said, "You are so grateful that you can let them live a few more years."

"Sang Yu, your father was rehabilitated in the early years of Longqing's reign. So, remember, don't mention this matter again. If people know that I cheated and changed people back then, there will be a lot of trouble. This is a trip to deceive the royal family. Mr. Your Majesty is not pleased with it." He solemnly warned again.

"In the future, whether the Queen Mother or His Majesty asks, you will say that you were adopted by the Zhu family. Your birth date is unknown and it was made up by your adoptive mother. Do you understand?"

I agreed: "I understand. I will never mention it from now on."

He took a few steps forward, took out the key, unlocked the door, and then opened the door of the small room——

The scene in front of me was horrific.

An elderly man was lying on the bed, stabbed several times.There were several bloody holes, bleeding out.People have died.

I opened my eyes wide.

Master Zhang shouted angrily: "Zou Cheng!"

A man in black walked in. Seeing this scene, he was frightened and frightened. He knelt on the ground with a plop: "Sir, my subordinates are guarding the door and will not leave for a moment. I really don't know why this accident happened! The key to this house is only It only exists on adults, and even subordinates can’t open the door..."

Master Zhang shouted: "Zhang's Mansion is not a vegetable garden, why don't you know why someone came in?"

Zou Cheng kowtowed and said, "I am guilty, and I will never be redeemed by death."

I looked at the dead class leader and seemed to hear bursts of thunder in my ears.

Who was he killed by?Who has the ability to sneak into Zhang Mansion to kill people quietly, avoiding everyone else?
Will this be the final blow to break Feng Gao's bottom line?
He died in Zhang Mansion, and everything is unclear...

The sky was filled with dark clouds, and the leaves on the trees were swaying noisily.

The heavy rain in the middle of summer came.

(End of this chapter)