Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 7

The imperial guards Suo'etu and Mingzhu lead a few people, all dressed as ordinary people, wandering around in the alley as if nothing happened.When they arrived near Li Zuwang's house, they asked someone to ask the dibao for questioning.Suo'etu asked: "There are imperial court prisoners who are probably hiding in your area. How many pairs of eyes do you want, who has guests, how old are they, whether they are male or female, and where they are from, all are secretly remembered." Come down, quick report officer!"

Di Bao didn't dare to ask who they were, he knew they were not ordinary people just by looking at them, so he was very careful and said: "Young one, remember."

When Dagui came back from outside, he saw someone talking to the dibao in the alley, but he didn't care.He rushed back to report something urgent, and when he entered the door, he said, "Master, something strange happened!"

Mr. Li hurriedly asked, "What's the strange thing?"

Dagui said: "The notices on the street to arrest Chen Juren have been torn up!"

Chen Jing was overjoyed when he heard this, and asked, "Really?"

Dagui said, "I saw it with my own eyes!"

Mr. Li said: "Could it be that the real culprit has been caught?"

Chen Jing said: "The real culprit must have been caught. The world is clear, how can black and white be turned upside down!"

Mr. Li let out a long sigh of relief and said, "It's really the case, that's lucky!"

Chen Jing made a deep bow to Mr. Li, and said, "That's great, that's great! I'll go back to Happy Forest right away! Senior, you are my benefactor!"

Mr. Li said: "Nephew, please don't say that. The old man is waiting for your high school ranking list!"

Yueyuan couldn't bear Chen Jing's leaving, and said angrily, "Brother Chen, you can leave as soon as you say!"

Mr. Li looked at his daughter and said with a smile: "Yueyuan, Brother Chen's fame is important, so we won't keep him."

Outside, Mingzhu and Suo'etu were almost at the door of Li's house, and they were talking about Chen Jing's case as they walked.Suo'etu said: "I find it strange that there are rumors going around that even the Jinshi and the head armor were sold, but we investigated carefully, why can't we even figure out a shadow? Last year after Qiu Wei killed so There are so many people, who dares to give money and receive money? Could it be that someone spread rumors?"

Mingzhu shook her head and said: "I don't think so. I predict that if something happens to Chun Wei, blood will flow like a river! There is no wind without waves, this can't be wrong!"

Suo'etu said: "I have a premonition, if something really happens, if Chen Jing is caught, the truth will be revealed!"

Mingzhu said: "Chen Jing will not live in peace in this life!"

Suo'etu didn't understand the meaning of these words, and asked, "Brother Ming, what do you mean by that?"

Mingzhu said: "I have secretly interviewed Chen Jing's friend, he should not be a murderer. If he really killed someone, he would have to lose his head, but it's easy. He is wronged, even if he didn't kill someone, there will be no good fruit to eat." !"

Suo'etu said: "Suo still doesn't understand."

Mingzhu said: "Think about it, if Chen Jing didn't kill anyone, why did he disappear? It's probably because someone wanted to kill him and hid."

Suo'etu asked: "You guess that Chen Jingxing knew about the bribery in the examination hall?"

Mingzhu said: "If he knows, the case will come out of him sooner or later. Once he tells the truth, scholars all over the world will thank him, and the officialdom of this country will not tolerate him."

Suo'etu said again: "Suo became more and more confused after hearing this."

Mingzhu smiled and said: "The truth is clear, many people have to lose their heads. The officialdom has complicated connections, one head is connected with ten or eight heads. Our emperor can't remove so many heads! Then Chen Jing, even if it is the middle If he becomes a Jinshi, it will be difficult for him to move even in the officialdom!"

Only then did Suo'etu open his mind, and said, "It makes sense! This Chen Jing is really unlucky!"

While talking, Mingzhu suddenly stopped and stood, looked around in a daze, and said: "Brother Suo, have you smelled it? A strange fragrance!"

Suo'etu sniffed and said, "Yes, it's really fragrant. It looks like plum blossoms."

Mingzhu said: "It is indeed a plum blossom! It seems to come from over there. Take a look."

When she arrived in front of Li's house, Mingzhu looked up and saw a few winter plum sticking out of the wall.Mingzhu said: "This is the house, let's go in and have a look?"

Suo'etu said, "Okay, I'll knock on the door."

Mr. Li was about to open the door to send Chen Jing away, when he heard someone outside, he immediately became alert and asked through the door, "Who is it?"

Suo'etu responded outside: "Passing by!"

When Mr. Li heard that he was a passer-by, he became more and more strange. He winked and told Chen Jing to come in, and then asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Mingzhu replied: "It's okay. We saw the beautiful plum blossoms in your house outside, and we want to come in and take a look, okay?"

Mr. Li looked back and saw that Chen Jing had already entered the house, so he said, "Sure, suffice, please come in." After that, he opened the door and cupped his hands to welcome the guests.

Suo'etu and Mingzhu politely said "excuse me", and came in.Old Mr. Li glanced at a few people standing outside, and his heart skipped a beat, but he just pretended not to see them.

Mingzhu said: "It's really presumptuous! I like plum blossoms!"

Mr. Li said with a smile: "It's okay, it's okay! You are a gentleman!"

Mingzhu turned her head to look at the Li family's house, and saw that there was a plaque on the door of the main house that was bestowed by Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty on the merits of generations, and hurriedly arched: "It turns out to be a family, disrespect, disrespect!"

Mr. Li smiled and said: "My ancestors have been honored before, but my generation is unworthy and has fallen!"

Chen Jing ran into the living room, leaned on the window pane and looked out, his face turned pale with fright when he saw Suo'etu.He didn't know why he was afraid, he just vaguely guessed why the guards beside the emperor came here for no reason?
At this time Yueyuan came over, Chen Jing quietly waved to her, and said in a low voice: "Sister Yueyuan, they may be bad people, please don't let them into the house." Yueyuan nodded and went out.

Mr. Li asked: "Dare to ask the two of you..."

Before Mr. Li finished speaking, Mingzhu rushed to reply: "Businessman, businessman!"

Mr. Li cupped his hands and said, "Ah, businessman, get rich, get rich!"

Mingzhu admired the plum blossoms, she kept tutting her tongue, and said, "I have seen quite a few plum blossoms in Beijing, but ones with such a fragrance as Mr.'s house are really rare."

Mr. Li said: "This plum tree was awarded to my ancestors by Emperor Yongle in the first Ming Dynasty. It has been more than 200 years."

Mingzhu said: "No wonder it's so miraculous. There are several plum blossoms in the corner, and Ling Han blooms alone. I know it's not snow, so there's a faint fragrance!"

Mr. Li smiled and said, "Sir, you are so elegant!"

Suo'etu didn't have such an elegant mood, he just said: "Your house should have some history, can I go in and have a look?"

Mr. Li was in trouble, Yueyuan came out holding a blue and white porcelain vase, blocked Suo'etu, but shouted at her father: "Father, please help me fold some plum blossoms to put in the vase!"

Mr. Li scolded: "This child, such a good plum blossom, how can I be willing to break it!"

Yueyuan said: "Father, didn't you agree yesterday? Words don't count!"

Mr. Li thought to himself, where did he promise her to fold plum blossoms yesterday?He knew that his daughter was very smart, so he immediately guessed that she was playing tricks, so he said, "Don't you see that Dad has guests here?"

Yueyuan tilted her head and smiled at Suo'etu, and said, "Brother, I can't reach it, can you help me change the line?"

Suo'etu didn't know what to do, so he looked at Mingzhu for advice.Mr. Li just didn't want to let the two strangers into the house, so he said: "Okay! The two guests also like plum blossoms, why don't you fold more, and you two will take some away too."

Suo'etu said, "This is impossible!"

Yueyuan pulled on Suo'etu's sleeve and walked out: "Brother, I beg you! You don't want it, mine is gone. Please fold it for me."

Suo'etu had no choice but to go back to the plum tree and fold plum blossoms for Yueyuan.Yueyuan yelled indiscriminately on purpose, saying that she wanted that branch, and then saying that it was not good-looking.Seeing that it was almost done, Suo'etu clapped his hands and gave up.Mr. Li picked out a few branches and gave them to Mingzhu.Mingzhu thanked her and accepted the plum branch.Calling Yueyuan to make such a fuss, Mingzhu and Suo'etu had no choice but to say goodbye.

As soon as Mingzhu and Suo'etu left, Yueyuan laughed triumphantly.Chen Jing came out from the living room and said, "Sister Xie Yueyuan."

Only then did Mr. Li understand, and said, "You ghost! Why don't you think of other ways? It's a pity for my plum blossoms."

Yueyuan said: "I heard Brother Chen say that these two people might be bad guys, I'm so anxious, what else can I do?"

Mr. Li smiled, and his face became serious again: "These two people are so strange!"

Chen Jingdao: "Senior, you don't know, the one who was going in to look at the house just now is Suo'etu, the imperial guard! I have also seen the one who only cares about appreciating plum blossoms, and he is also someone close to the emperor, but I don't know his name !"

Mr. Li never expected to be on this level, and asked: "How do you know them?"

Chen Jingdao: "We met by chance." Then he told in detail how he met these two people in the teahouse that day and Suo'etu at Zu Zeshen's house.

Yueyuan became frightened: "Could it be that they know that Big Brother Chen is hiding in our house?"

Mr. Li said: "That's not necessarily the case. I just guess that the real murderer has not been caught. They are making an unannounced visit. Nephew, I don't think you can get out of this door!"

Chen Jing had no choice but to go back to the room and sit blankly.Mr. Li originally wanted him to stay alone for a while, but knowing that he must be in a bad mood, he came to talk to him again.Chen Jing suddenly felt sad, and said: "What evil star have I committed now? Last year, in Qiuwei, I was dissatisfied with the examiners' corruption and fraud. They all went to the Luming Banquet in the Governor's Yamen, but I was in jail! This time I came to Beijing to go to Chunwei, I made up my mind to keep my business out of the way, but bad luck hit the door!"

Mr. Li comforted: "Nephew, you don't have to worry, you just stay here to study and watch the changes. Maybe you stay here, and the real culprit will be arrested?"

Chen Jing sighed: "I'm afraid that whoever catches the real culprit will be the real culprit!"

Mr. Li thought about it, and sighed helplessly: "This is troublesome. The so-called learning of literary and martial arts is the same as the emperor's family. It is the duty of a scholar to serve the court with one's knowledge. But the officialdom is indeed dangerous. The first step in officialdom!"

Chen Jing's heart was in a mess, he could only sigh.Mr. Li said: "There is a saying, I wanted to hide it from you for the time being. It's useless to think about it, so let's say it."

Chen Jing was taken aback when he heard that, and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Mr. Li said: "Mama Tian said just now that the land security guard in charge of this neighborhood is now looking around to find out who has relatives here, saying that they are investigating imperial court criminals. I guess the person they want to arrest is you! "

Chen Jingdao: "In this way, if I stay here, I will hurt you in the end. I'd better leave early."

As Chen Jing was about to leave, Mr. Li stopped him and said, "Nephew, you must not say that. I believe you are innocent, so how can you get involved? It's just that something went wrong, and you have to think of a way."

Chen Jing wanted to cry without tears, and said, "I have nowhere to ask and what to do now!"

Chen Jing was still worried about Dashun, and thought that Zhang Qian would definitely take care of him, so he felt a little relieved.

Mr. Li said sincerely, and kept Chen Jing, saying: "Nephew, no matter what happens, I have a word to tell you."

Chen Jingdao: "Please enlighten me, senior."

Mr. Li said: "Although I have never been an official all my life, I have grown up a lot and have seen a lot. I have some words you have to believe. If there is any fraud in Chunwei, it will come to light sooner or later. But this case cannot come out of your mouth Remember, no matter what situation you encounter, you must insist that you are only being hunted down by gangsters, and then hide and run for your life."

Chen Jing asked, "Why?"

Mr. Li said: "The officialdom is like the sea, with no wind and three feet of waves. It is very dangerous! Who has the ability to cheat? They are all high-ranking officials! That day and night you listened to what the people in Baiyun said. Mr. Li, you will try this year." The chief officer happened to be Lord Li Zhenye. He is not the only Lord Li in the court, but who can take care of him? Even if you win the Jinshi, you are just a mere pawn, so what can you do? So it is best to shut up !"

Chen Jing's heart became heavier after hearing this, and he thought Wan Sheng understood.

(End of this chapter)