141-150

Chapter 141

The carriage stopped in front of a house. After getting off the carriage, Li Wen looked at the man beside him and asked the man with his eyes: What on earth did you bring me here to do? Shouldn't you tell me now?

Zhao Xiangyi had a slight smile on his lips and gave the young man a calm look.

Well, since he was here anyway, Li Wen wasn't in a hurry anymore.

At this time, a man who looked like a butler came out of the house and saluted Zhao Xiangyi, "Young man, I have met Mr. Zhao." Seeing the young man brought by Mr. Zhao, the housekeeper asked, "Excuse me, who is this one? "

This is Lord Li Wen," Zhao Xiangyi said.

"Oh, it turns out it's Mr. Li. I'm so young that I can't recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me, Mr. Li." The housekeeper is not unfamiliar with this name, but it's the first time he's seen it, so it's not surprising that he doesn't recognize it.

Li Wen smiled slightly.

Zhao Xiangyi asked, "Is Master Jiang inside?"

"Yes, yes, our master is behind the house." The housekeeper made an invitation gesture, hurriedly invited people inside, and said, "Master Zhao, Li Sir, please come in."

Zhao Xiangyi turned to look at the young man next to him and said, "Let's go in."

Li Wen nodded and followed Zhao Xiangyi, and the two of them followed the housekeeper who led the way into the house. Got in.

They met no one on the way in.

Walking deep into the house, Li Wen knew what was going on there when he heard the sound of iron hammering coming from inside. A flash of light flashed in his mind, and Li Wen thought of a possibility. He turned to look at the man beside him. Could it be what he thought?

His young man is so smart, he must have guessed it. Zhao Xiangyi nodded, confirming Li Wen's guess, and said, "Didn't you tell me last time that there was a burning stone? I sent people to find it. I had been searching for it before. I was busy and forgot to tell you about this. I just happened to come here today to pick up the sword and bring you over to see "

The burning stone!"

Did you find coal?

Li Wen had really forgotten such a thing. Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiangyi said that someone had found it after such a long time. He remembered that the last time Zhao Xiangyi competed with a barbarian, his sword was cut off, so Zhao Xiangyi sent the sword back to be repaired? I came here today to get the sword and brought him here to have a look. He finally understood.

"Please come in."

"Two adults, please wait a moment. I will ask our master to come out." The housekeeper left them standing there waiting, then went in and informed his master, "Sir, Mr. Zhao and Mr. Li are here. "

"Haha..." Before I saw anyone, I heard a burst of hearty laughter.

A shirtless big man with a half-white beard walked out of it, walking with a vigorous pace. This man must be the owner of this house.

Zhao Xiangyi was an acquaintance with the owner of this house. He cupped his hands and said, "Master Jiang."

"General Zhao." Master Jiang cupped his hands to Zhao Xiangyi and looked at the young man with Zhao Xiangyi, with doubts in his eyes, as if he was asking Who is this one? Zhao Xiangyi said, "Master Jiang, this is Master Li Liuyuan. Master Jiang, wasn't he curious about how I knew about this special stone? Master Li told me, so I sent someone to find it."

"Haha, it turns out that It's Li Liuyuan, scholars are really different, they know everything." Master Jiang said that using this burning stone to make weapons, the temperature of the fire is higher than that of ordinary firewood, and the swords made are sharper and stronger. , when it comes to making weapons, Master Jiang has endless things to say.

However, he did not forget that Zhao Xiangyi came to get the sword, and asked the butler who was following him to get the repaired sword, "Go and get my repaired sword."

"Yes, sir, I'll go right away."

After a while, The butler who went in came out holding a sword and handed it to their master.

Master Jiang took the sword and unsheathed it. A cold light flashed through the refurbished long sword inside. He nodded with satisfaction. Master Jiang took it. He inserted the sword back, threw it to Zhao Xiangyi, and said, "This is the sword you sent. I have repaired it. You try it. This sword is two inches longer and heavier than your original sword..."

In fact, repairing It is more difficult to make a sword than to make a new sword. After all, when a sword is originally made, the length, size, reset, etc. are already considered to be the most suitable. In the process of using it, the owner of the sword and The weapon is completely integrated.

Regardless of such a small change, for an owner who is used to using this sword, this change is still very big.

Repairing a weapon is tantamount to giving the weapon a new life, and it will definitely be difficult to make it

exactly the same . The owner of the weapon needs to get used to and get familiar with the sword again in the future. For a warrior, whether the sword is lighter or heavier, the weight in the hand is different. Master Jiang knew all this. "Try it and see if you can get used to it and if there are any problems."

Zhao Xiangyi took the long sword and pulled it out of the scabbard. He looked at it carefully and found that there was no trace of it at all . This sword had been broken before, and he could feel that the repaired sword was even better than his previous one. He held the handle of the sword and waved it twice. Although he felt that it was a little different from the previous sword and he was a little uncomfortable, but he should get used to it after using it in the future. "Very good, thank you Master Jiang."

"Hey, say As long as you are satisfied, you can take it back and use it." When Master Jiang heard that the owner of the sword was satisfied, he was even happier than if he had picked up gold on the road.

Master Jiang is a well-known master in the capital. Many people want to ask him to make weapons, but he may not give them the honor.

However, Zhao Xiangyi knew Master Jiang many years ago. His sword was made by Master Jiang. When he came back to find Master Jiang to repair it, it was just a matter of saying a word. It happened that the people he sent out found the burning stone that Li Wen said could be burned, and he asked people to send the stone and the broken sword together.

Once they get the repaired sword, they should go.

Li Wen, who had been silent, asked, "Master Jiang, can we go inside and have a look?" What he asked was whether he could go to where other people work. Some people have quirks and may not necessarily welcome others in. He went to see the place where he worked, so out of politeness, he had to ask the owner's permission before entering.

"Okay, of course."

Master Jiang led people inside. The temperature inside was very high. There was a large stove inside, and various tools were placed next to it. Master Jiang personally picked up the unfinished products. Tie Lai called and showed it to Li Liuyuan.

Every weapon has to be hammered and refined by a blacksmith before it can become a weapon. Every forged weapon is just a beautifully displayed weapon until it finds its owner. Only when the owner is found can the weapon be given a soul.

Master Jiang is a craftsman who is obsessed with making weapons and has the spirit of a craftsman.

Seeing Master Jiang forging iron with his own eyes and seeing the coal burning in the furnace, Li Wen touched his chin and had some thoughts in his mind. It's not that he hadn't thought about it before, but he didn't find coal in front of him, so he had this idea in his mind. It was stranded. But now that we have found coal, we might consider it.

Zhao Xiangyi saw the boy next to him touching his chin and knew that he was thinking about something.

——What are you thinking about?

Li Wen returned the man's look: I'll tell you when I get back.

After the visit, it was time for them to leave.

After saying goodbye to Master Jiang, Zhao Xiangyi took Li Wen into the carriage and left.

Sitting in the carriage, Li asked, "Where did you find this... stone?"

Zhao Xiangyi told the place.

The carriage returned to the city. At this time, there were not so many pedestrians, carriages and horses on the street.

The carriage passed by on the street, and the two of them went to [Kezhi] for dinner. Li Wen took the opportunity to talk to Zhao Xiangyi about his thoughts and listen to Zhao Xiangyi's suggestions.

The two people will discuss everything with each other privately, which is a kind of trust they have in each other.

Li Wentong told Zhao Xiangyi about his troubles in the Ministry of Accounts. He knew that the Ministry of Accounts was not his final destination. As for which department he would go to later, he did not know, but he was sure it would not be the Ministry of Accounts. He sighed. He said, "Now that I am in the Ministry of Household Affairs, I really miss the Hanlin Academy."

Looking back now, the days in the Hanlin Academy were the most relaxed and happy, and there were not so many worries and troubles. "

You want to go back to the Hanlin Academy?" Courtyard?" Zhao Xiangyi asked. The look in his eyes said that if you want to go back to the Hanlin Academy, there is nothing he can do to help you.

"...Of course not." Li Wen pulled a handful of hair in worry. He didn't want to go back to the Hanlin Academy. He didn't know where he wanted to go, but it was definitely not the Ministry of Revenue, not the Hanlin Academy, or anything in the Ministry of Revenue. a department.

Zhao Xiangyi quickly grabbed the young man's hand and couldn't help laughing, "It hurts, don't pull out your hair."

Li asked, "..."

It didn't take him too long to go to the Ministry of Household Affairs. Generally speaking, it takes at least three to five years for an official to have a chance to be promoted in a position. Therefore, if he wants to be transferred from the Ministry of Household Affairs, he must either ask the emperor to transfer him, or he must fight for the opportunity and get himself promoted. Go somewhere else, otherwise he will have to stay in the Ministry of Finance for a long time after coming.

With his current qualifications, he will definitely not be able to sit in the position of Minister of the Ministry of Finance. No matter who sits in the position of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Under the circumstances where he succeeded the previous Minister of Revenue,

it was difficult for him to gain the trust and reuse of his superiors. It's one thing for the emperor to reuse him. Normally, everything he does must go through the hands of a Shangguan, but he has already experienced the feeling of working under a Shangguan who doesn't like and trust him. It's not a big deal. What a great experience.

Besides, now that he was in this embarrassing position, neither up nor down, Li Wen still wanted to make a change.

"No matter what you want to do, I will support you. Just remember that I will always stand behind you. Just let it go and do it." After Zhao Xiangyi listened to the young man's words, he could naturally see the young man's troubles and said. , "As long as you do something beneficial to Dacheng, the prince will definitely support you."

That's true. He has several backers behind him, and he himself has a smart mind, and he will find a way to deal with problems when they happen. Just solve it, thinking too much is asking for trouble. Once he thought about it, Li Wen felt relaxed. He picked up the fruit wine on the table and said to Zhao Xiangyi, "Here, let's have a drink."

Zhao Xiangyi picked up the wine glass and clinked it with the young man...

Chapter 142, second update: "Emperor--"

The prison guard guarding the cell took off a bunch of keys from his waist, opened the lock, pushed open the door of the cell, and respectfully asked, "Your Highness, please come in. "Even if they don't know the prince, they still know the clothes on the prince. Apart from the emperor, the only one who can wear bright yellow uniforms is the prince.

This person is His Highness the Crown Prince, a person they may not see once in eight hundred years. I heard that it is because His Highness the Crown Prince is presiding over the case this time that His Royal Highness comes to the prison.

This time, many people were arrested and the rooms in the sky jail were filled with prisoners. Generally, after entering this place, it would be very difficult to get out alive.

The cell is not a good place. It is dark and damp inside, and with so many people eating, drinking, and defecating in the cell, it naturally smells like everything. The prisoners in the cell heard the sound of the door opening and knew that someone had come in. They ran to the fence one after another. Someone was shouting, "Sir, please let us out..."

"Sir, this is a small injustice... "

Among the prisoners who were imprisoned this time, many were the family members of these officials and their servants, and they were all imprisoned. These normally high-ranking official wives, young masters and ladies never thought that one day they would become prisoners and be locked up in this prison.

Are you being unfairly accused? Maybe there really is someone here who has never done any bad things and was imprisoned here because of the implication. But among these people, which one can say that their food and clothing expenses are not contaminated by the money they have embezzled? Probably not, so the fact that the family members were imprisoned here is not too unfair to them.

With the support of the guards, Yang Shaomu walked into the sky prison. As soon as he stepped into this place, he frowned, but he did not show any displeasure. As the chief judge, it is reasonable for him to come to this prison to interrogate prisoners, and outsiders will not doubt what he is doing here.

When he arrived this time, he also wanted to ask Mr. Zhu Guangquan, the former Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs, about something, so he went to Tianlao today.

Yang Shaomu knew that Zhu Guangquan knew a lot of things, but whether he could get anything out of Zhu Guangquan's mouth depended on his skill and ability.

Li Wen and Zhao Xiangyi followed the prince on the left and right, and accompanied the prince in.

"Noise, noisy, noisy!"

"Shut up!"

The jailer in the cell heard the noise and knocked on the fence door with the knife in his hand. The prisoners inside shrank back. Don't dare to make mistakes in front of the jailers, otherwise the jailers will have many ways to kill them later.

After entering this prison, how many can get out alive? There are more people who died here, and no one will be held accountable. Therefore, for these jailers, it is just a trivial matter to kill one or two people. If you kill the person, they will bury the body in a mass grave. As soon as the job was over, there was not even a single person to hold him accountable.

The guards on both sides protected their Crown Prince in the middle, and did not let the prisoners in the cell touch the hem of their Crown Prince's clothes.

"Your Highness, the person you want to see is inside." The prisoner leading the way led His Royal Highness inside.

The prisoners locked up in the innermost part are all important prisoners. As long as the emperor does not release them, the prisoners locked up here will never get out of this prison door alive. Unless they die on a certain day, they will not be able to survive even a day. You have to stay in here.

Unlike the previous one where a large group of people were locked in one cell, here everyone was locked in one cell, and the prisoners inside sat quietly without making any noise.

Zhu Guangquan was locked in the innermost cell. Compared with other people who were locked in a large group of people in the same cell, he was the only one here. The cell was neatly tidied and there was a picture inside. Table, this treatment is considered very good in prison.

Hearing footsteps approaching, people stopped in front of his cell. Zhu Guangquan, who was sitting there with his hair disheveled, raised his head and saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince standing outside the cell.

"Your Highness, this is it." Prison said.

"Open the cell door." Yang Shaomu moved his hand and asked someone to open the cell door.

"Yes, Your Highness, please open the door right now." The prisoner took a look and saw that there were so many guards here for His Royal Highness. The people inside did not know martial arts. They should not be able to hurt His Highness. Without saying a word, he The cell door was opened.

"Run Dang——"

The prisoner took out the key and opened the lock of the cell.

Yang Shaomu waved his hand and told all the irrelevant people to get out. The prisoners all understood and led the people back outside. The rest of the people here were brought by His Royal Highness. The guard standing in front reached out and opened the cell door, and Yang Shaomu walked inside.

"His Royal Highness, you are here." Zhu Guangquan was not surprised that His Highness would come. He stood up and saluted the prince.

Ever since he was imprisoned in this prison, Zhu Guangquan was no longer the former Minister of Household Affairs, Mr. Zhu, but had become a prisoner awaiting death in this prison. He didn't know how the emperor was going to execute him, but he would just die. From the first day he was imprisoned in this prison, Zhu Guangquan knew that he would be sentenced to death.

It's just that it's not a pity for him to die alone, and the entire Zhu family suffers with him.

"Master Zhu, I never expected that." Yang Shaomu looked at Master Zhu, the Minister of Household Affairs in front of him, and he never expected that Zhu Guangquan would do such a thing. It can be said that Zhu Guangquan has been in this position for more than ten years and dedicated himself to the court. He is the hardest-working one among the six ministers. Every share of money in the court has to be paid by the Ministry of Household Affairs. If the Ministry of Households has no money, the Ministry of Household Affairs must be paid. The minister thought of a way.

Yang Shaomu knew that his father was a man who only knew how to spend money but not how to manage it. If it weren't for Zhu Guangquan who was stuck in the household department, their financial situation in Dacheng would be even worse than it is now. However, so much gold and silver property was found from the house of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance. This was something that the prince Yang Shaomu did not expect. He never expected that Zhu Guangquan had done so many things.

"I am just a prisoner in this prison. I am no longer Mr. Zhu. Your Highness no longer needs to call me Mr. Zhu. No one in this world can know everything clearly. There is always something you know. I don't know, and there are unexpected things, don't you think so, Your Highness?" A teapot and a few cups were placed on the table. Zhu Guangquan made an invitation gesture and said, "Please sit down, Your Highness. There is nothing to entertain Your Highness in this prison." "Yes."

Zhu Guangquan poured a glass of water for His Royal Highness, and then poured a glass of water for himself, but the water in the pot was already cold. After His Highness the Crown Prince sat down, Zhu Guangquan sat down with him. The expression on his face was completely different from that of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance who used to kneel in the court hall to cry out for poverty. "I believe that Your Highness the Crown Prince came to this prison today not to visit me." "I think you should know why I came here. "

Yang Shaomu didn't feel any surprise when he saw Zhu Guangquan now, as if he had already known that the former Minister of Revenue, Mr. Zhu, was a person. What kind of person is like that? If Zhu Guangquan was just an official who only knew how to cry out for mercy, he would not sit in the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Poor people must be hateful. There is no one to blame for Zhu Guangquan ending up like this. He can only blame himself for doing something wrong.

Hearing His Highness the Crown Prince's words, Zhu Guangquan chuckled and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a smart man. It is Dacheng's blessing to have a crown prince like you." This meant that he did not intend to answer His Highness the Crown Prince's question.

Having said that, Zhu Guangquan was not one of His Highness's faction in the past. Otherwise, the person who came to see him in this prison today would not be His Highness the Crown Prince. Yang Shaomu also felt a little strange about this. He originally thought that Zhu Guangquan was his father's man, but now it seems that it may not be what he saw.

Zhu Guangquan alone should not be able to do so many things. Are there other people behind him? Yang Shaomu touched the jade ring on his finger, feeling a little thoughtful in his heart. He cursed "old fox" in his heart, and still had his usual faint smile on Zhu Guangquan's face.

The conversation between the two people did not go into depth. They only talked about superficial issues.

His Highness the Crown Prince was not in a hurry. He did not touch the cup on the table. Everyone else was already here anyway, so he could not let his trip go in vain. If Zhu Guangquan did not want to say anything, then he would ask what Zhu Guangquan was willing to say. harvested.

Today, Li Wen came with His Highness the Crown Prince, who was chatting with Zhu Guangquan in the cell. Those who did not go in with him stood outside waiting. They stood a little apart, and Li Wen couldn't hear what was being said inside. He glanced at Zhao Xiangyi and guessed that the man next to him should be able to hear what the people in the cell were saying.

But at this point, he was not curious, and the prince asked only a few questions.

There happened to be a pillar next to where they were standing, and half of their bodies fell into the shadow. At this time, His Royal Highness the Prince was in the cell, and all the guards' attention was focused on the Prince, and no one would notice the two of them.

Seeing that no one noticed them and standing here very bored, Li Wen glanced at the man standing upright next to him, reached out to touch the man's hand, and dug his fingers into the man's palm.

"Don't make trouble." Zhao Xiangyi grabbed the boy's naughty little hand and held the boy's hand in his palm to tell him not to make trouble. His Royal Highness came to the prison to find Zhu Guangquan. Although he knew that Zhu Guangquan did not know martial arts, he had to guard against things that he had to guard against. If anything happened to His Highness, he would not be able to escape the blame.

"..." Li Wen hummed quietly, lowered his voice, and

said in a volume that only the two of them could hear, "I'm not making trouble."

- I'm just bored and want to hold your hand.

Visiting a prison cell is not a fun thing. There is a strange smell that can make you faint. His Highness the Crown Prince was here and there was no need for them to do anything. He guessed that His Highness the Crown Prince came to Zhu Guangquan to ask him something, but whether Zhu Guangquan would tell him or not was another matter.

He was very bored. His hand was grabbed by Zhao Xiangyi, and Li Wen didn't pull it back. When he looked up at the man, he saw the man looking at him. He gave him a wink and smiled back at the man.

"..." Zhao Xiangyi still seduces him in this prison!

Li Wen smiled with his white teeth exposed. He was so happy that he suddenly realized that being in this prison was not all that boring. Wasn't there someone beside him who he could tease?

After two cups of tea, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince walked out of the cell, looked at them and said, "Let's go.

Before the Crown Prince came out, the hands of the two people holding each other had separated, and there was no sign of any difference between them on the surface. Li asked, following the prince left and right, "Has His Highness finished speaking to Mr. Zhu?"

Yang Shaomu nodded and the group went out without saying anything more about this matter.

The prisoner respectfully sent His Highness the Crown Prince and his entourage away, and was offered a few rewards, which he accepted after rejecting them twice. With some silver in his pocket, the prison boss asked someone to secretly buy good wine and meat, and come back to have a good drink with his brothers.

Chapter 143: Drawing a Pie

After that, Li Wen knew that the prince had gone to the prison twice. He didn't need to think about it to know that the prince went to chat with Zhu Guangquan. Although he was ordered by the emperor to assist the prince in the trial, he did not follow the prince all the time. When the prince went to the prison later, he did not go with him, so he did not know what the prince said to Zhu Guangquan. Know.

Zhu Guangquan must have something in his hands that they have not found. These things must be very important to them. If His Highness the Crown Prince wants to make Zhu Guangquan speak, then it is His Highness the Crown Prince's ability.

In comparison, Zhao Xiangyi must have a closer relationship with His Royal Highness, and he must know more things than him. However, Li Wen never thought of asking Zhao Xiangyi about the prince. There was nothing he didn't know that he should know, and there was nothing he shouldn't know. Li Wen knew that he couldn't inquire about it himself.

He himself did not go to see Zhu Guangquan in prison in private. Firstly, Zhu Guangquan did not necessarily want to see him. Secondly, he did not want to know anything from Zhu Guangquan. He has done what the emperor asked him to do. The emperor asked him to assist the prince in interrogating the case. In fact, the two departments of Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment were jointly responsible for the investigation. His Royal Highness the prince was in charge of the trial. All he had to do was follow along and make soy sauce.

During this time, there were a lot of things happening in the Ministry of Revenue, and Li Wen was still busy with the things in the Ministry of Revenue.

This case of the Ministry of Household Affairs has two departments, the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple, responsible for the investigation, and His Royal Highness the Prince is responsible for the trial. The staff below do not dare to slack off, and they are particularly active in handling the matter. This case of the Ministry of Revenue was very involved, and many officials were later involved. It also involved the conflict of interests between several parties in the DPRK and China.

The morning court in the court hall was very lively every day, with civil servants quarreling and holding back.

This time, the military generals quietly watched the civil servants' actions. Usually, these civil servants often bullied their generals. All of these military generals were able to fight on the battlefield, but one of them was so quick to talk in court.

When civil servants quarreled, they would greet each other's mother without using a single curse word.

This group of military generals suddenly realized, "Oh, you can still scold the other party's mother like this, you have learned it!"

There was a quarrel in the court, and the emperor had to suppress it with words, "Shut up! You all think this Where are you in the court? One by one... I think you want to piss me off to death!"

Another group of people knelt down, "I deserve to die for my crime." " Your Majesty

, please calm down."

Every day in court, there was a lot of anger, and in the next court, imperial doctors came to check the pulse and prescribe medicine. Every day, a group of imperial doctors earnestly persuaded the emperor to be calm and not to be overtired.

Emperor Zhaozong: Can I have a good rest and be calm during these days? ! Ah...

the emperor's life has been very bad lately.

After returning from Master Jiang last time, Li Wen was planning another thing.

Having coal means that they can refine and improve their weapons. He can't build airplanes and cannons for the time being. He doesn't have the conditions and the technology. But if he can't build them now, it doesn't mean he can't build them in the future. This matter can be left to be thought about later, but now they have one thing they can plan.

The emperor was in a bad mood and asked him to come over to play chess and chat with him. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Wen mentioned the Ministry of War in a roundabout way. Emperor Zhaozong thought that his Xiao Liuyuan no longer wanted to stay in the Ministry of Hubu and wanted to go to the Ministry of War, so he asked, "You want to go to the Ministry of War?"

You are just a civil servant, wouldn't it be better to be in the Ministry of Hubu? The emperor looked at his little Liuyuan and said, "You did a good job in what I asked you to do this time. I'm still thinking about how to reward you." So the subtext of this sentence is, if you want to go to the Ministry of War, It's not impossible. For the emperor, this is just a matter of words.

Of course, Li Wen did not want to go to the Ministry of War. His purpose in mentioning the Ministry of War was not to go to the Ministry of War.

"Go back to the emperor, Wei Chen didn't want to go to the Ministry of War." Li Wen didn't expect that the emperor would think that he wanted to go to the Ministry of War,

so he said quickly.

Now in the six departments, no matter which department they are in, they may not dare to let in such a big killer like him. He went to the Ministry of Household Affairs and got rid of the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs and most of the officials in the Ministry of Household Affairs. The rest of the deployments were too late to guard against him, so they dared to let him in.

Besides, he doesn't even want to stay at the Ministry of Household Affairs anymore. How could he think of going to the Ministry of War?

He had an immature idea in his mind. If possible, Li Wen would like to build another department besides the six departments. However, it depends on the emperor's wishes. He was somewhat sure that the emperor would definitely be interested in this department. Something interesting.

Li Wen said to the emperor with a humble and dogged look, "Serving the emperor is what a minister should do, and ministers dare not ask for credit." If he was promoted again, Li Wen was worried that he would bring hatred to him. Now he has He was envied and hated by others, so he had to keep a low profile. He didn't want the emperor to promote him again or move him to another department.

"You do know how to speak. Tell me what you want to tell me." Emperor Zhaozong still can't see

what this kid is planning?

Li Wen chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, you have noticed it. Your Majesty, do you still remember that the last time the envoy came, we had a competition. During the competition between Mr. Zhao and the other warrior, the sword in his hand was cut off. "I remember. "

Emperor Zhaozong nodded. He remembered this matter. He also rewarded Zhao Xiangyi with the Longquan Sword. I don't know why Xiao Liuyuan suddenly mentioned this matter.

"Your Majesty, Wei Chen once read in a miscellaneous book that there is a kind of stone that can burn..." Li Wen told the emperor about the role and benefits of coal, to the effect that this kind of thing can make better weapons.

"There is such a thing, but is it really of such good use?" This was the first time Emperor Zhaozong heard it, which aroused his interest. The emperor knew that Li Wen must have had something in mind when he mentioned such a thing. Emperor Zhaozong signaled Li Wen to continue speaking.

"If I hadn't found this kind of stone, I wouldn't have dared to say anything in front of the emperor." Li Wen said.

On this point, Emperor Zhaozong believed in his Xiao Liuyuan. He nodded and said, "I believe in you."

Knowing that the emperor was interested, Li Wen continued, "Your Majesty, according to Wei Chen's understanding "The weapons in the army are purchased by the Ministry of War from outside, not by us." There is a lot of oil and water involved in purchasing military supplies and weapons, and there must be a lot of dirty things in the Ministry of War. Within these six departments, if the investigation is carried out one by one, I am afraid that the officials in each deployment will not be able to escape.

Therefore, every time the silver used to purchase military supplies is exploited through layers of exploitation, the silver used to purchase weapons will definitely be less than half of the original, so the weapons purchased in the end will definitely not be any better.

Li Wen's purpose today was not to investigate the other deployed officials. How many officials in this officialdom have clean hands? Upon investigation, I am afraid that most of the officials in the entire court will be replaced, but can we guarantee that the replaced officials will be good officials? Therefore, instead of focusing on catching corrupt officials, it is better to do other more meaningful things first.

"Your Majesty, good weapons can improve the combat capabilities of soldiers, allowing them to be invincible on the battlefield, fight against the enemy, and defeat the enemy. Weapons not only improve personal combat effectiveness, but also play a vital role on the battlefield. If we master good weapons, we will have a certain advantage on the battlefield..."

"Weapons are the symbol of a country. If we master powerful weapons, who among the countries around the world would dare to invade us? Your Majesty, don't you think so?" Li Wen explained the functions of weapons to the Emperor in depth. Seeing that the emperor listened attentively, he knew that the emperor was thinking about this issue, and then he said, "So what Weichen means is that weapons must be in our own hands, and our court must build an arsenal belonging to our Dacheng. With the best technology and recruiting the best masters, we can make the most powerful weapons ourselves, so that our soldiers can be invincible on the battlefield."

"Your Majesty, if we build an arsenal and create the best weapons . Wei Chen also has an idea. We can build a condor army at the same time. This condor army can be your personal escort, or it can be put on the battlefield. Everyone in it can Being able to fight one against a hundred can become a powerful weapon on the battlefield. Any enemy will be frightened upon hearing this and dare not attack our Dacheng." Li Wen continued to paint a picture for the emperor and gave him a beautiful blueprint.

As long as they master powerful weapons, they will be the overlords, and they will come to court from all directions. No one dares to invade them. They can even attack the surrounding small countries and build a prosperous dynasty.

As Li Liuyuan painted, Emperor Zhaozong breathed heavily when he thought of that scene. If so, he, Zhaozong, would definitely be famous throughout the ages and become an emperor through the ages. The shock was so great that Emperor Zhaozong felt dizzy. The emperor raised his hand and said, "Let me think about it first."

"Yes." Li Wen looked at the emperor's face and knew that the emperor was interested in it. This matter is of great interest, and no superior person can withstand such a great temptation.

Seeing that the emperor was silent and had a thoughtful look on his face, obviously thinking about what he just said, the two of them stopped playing chess halfway through the game.

The emperor was thinking about the problem, and Li Wen sat aside and waited quietly.

Of course, imagination is beautiful, but there is also a very practical problem: building such an arsenal will definitely require a lot of money. In recent years, the Ministry of Revenue has been running a fiscal deficit, and the imperial court has been very poor. The Ministry of Revenue has no money, and neither has the emperor.

After a while, Emperor Zhaozong calmed down and asked how much silver was needed to build such an arsenal. Li Wen knew that the emperor wanted to do something, but he had no money. This was easy to do without money. Seeing that Da Yu'er had taken the bait, Li Wen smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, Wei Chen has a way, I don't know.

Chapter 144 Midsummer Dragon Boat Festival

April has passed and it's May.

As soon as May arrives, a few days later it will be the Dragon Boat Festival. On this day, the officials of the DPRK and the Central Government will have a day off. They will not have to go to court or go to the government offices for work, but will celebrate the festival at home with their families.

May 5th is the Midsummer Dragon Boat Festival, which also happens to be Li Wen's birthday.

There was no need to go to morning service that day, so Li Wen woke up slightly later than usual. When he woke up, the other man on the bed was no longer there. He stayed in bed for a while before getting up. The child outside the house heard a noise in the house and knew that their young master had woken up. He knocked on the door and shouted, "Master, are you awake?"

"Get up. Come in." Li asked. He shouted and asked people to come in.

"Yes, Master."

Li Tong fetched water and went in to wash his master. He took out a moon-white robe for his master from the cabinet, unfolded it for his master to see, and asked, "Master, what do you think of this robe? Are you going to wear this new dress today? The fourth lady sent me a lot of new clothes, saying that it is my master's birthday today, so you can wear them."

"Anything is fine," Li asked. I don't have much objection. Most of his clothes are plain and light-colored. He doesn't like clothes that are too brightly colored, but he doesn't have any clothes that are too brightly colored.

In the past, the clothes on his body were all sewn for him by his mother-in-law. After he arrived in the capital, among the things his family sent him every year, there were also clothes that his mother-in-law gave him. Mother and son have not been able to see each other for a long time, and the mother-in-law can only express her longing and love for her child in this way.

Now that he has arrived in the capital, even the girls at home will help him buy these things. Clothes for spring, summer, autumn and winter, and different seasons. Every time they are delivered, there are whole boxes of new clothes. He can't even wear them, and he doesn't know what's inside. There are still many new clothes that have not been worn.

"Jin Wan, how many clothes did someone send over?" Li Wen never let a maid come in to serve him. Li Tong, the book boy, served him, so everything in his room was made by Li Tong. Helping to clean up, there are some things that even he himself doesn't know clearly.

"There are several boxes. Then, Master, they are all here." Li Tong opened several closet doors. He spent a whole day yesterday to pack and hang all the clothes here one by one. .

Li asked, "..."

Seeing the wardrobe full of new clothes, he really didn't know what to say. Well, he should try to wear them, so as not to waste the girl's kindness.

Summer has entered in May, and the weather in the capital has also become hot. Most of the materials for clothes are mainly light and breathable.

This moon-white robe is naturally made of good materials. The material feels smooth and comfortable, and it is very comfortable and breathable when worn. Several red plum trees are embroidered with red thread on the skirt. The waist is slightly gathered and the hem is loose. The waves rolling with your steps as you move around are really beautiful.

"Master, you look really good in this dress." Li Tong helped his master put on his clothes and tied his belt.

Li Wen tapped the little boy on the head with the fan in his hand, unfolded the fan with a swish, fanned the wind, put on the most handsome posture in the world, looked at his little book boy proudly, and asked, "Are the clothes good-looking?" "Huh? Your master is good-looking."

"Yes, he is the best-looking." Li Tong looked at his master's face. He had seen that all the high-ranking officials in the court had beards. How could his master be so young and good-looking? His master must be the youngest and best-looking high-ranking official in the court.

"Haha..." Li Wen stood in front of the mirror and looked at it, and he liked the clothes quite a bit.

Seeing the little book boy behind him staring at him in a daze, he couldn't help but hit the stupid book boy again with the fan in his hand and said, "Why are you dazed? Let's go."

"Haha, yes, Master." Li Tong followed his master out.

Li Jinwan remembered that today was her brother's birthday, so she went to the kitchen to cook longevity noodles for her brother early in the morning.

Seeing her brother coming out, Li Jinwan asked someone to go to the kitchen to bring the cooked longevity noodles, "Third brother, today is your birthday, so I cooked noodles for you. I was also thinking about whether I should ask someone to call you, you Here it comes. "Her brother happened to be born on May 5th, and May 5th is her brother's birthday. She has remembered her brother's birthday since she was a child.

When they were young, their two families lived together. On her brother's birthday, they only had a bowl of longevity noodles and eggs. Her brother had loved her sister since she was a child and would give her a bite of any delicious food. The grandmother at home loves her brother as her grandson and is very fond of all the girls. Li Jinwan is not jealous of her brother because of this. Her brother is kind to her, and she also likes her brother.

When she was little, she didn't understand why her parents were trying so hard to have a son. But as she grew older, Li Jinwan somewhat understood. As she grew older, she understood in her heart that it was difficult for a woman to live in this world. If she married into another family in the future, her husband would treat her well. If her husband treated her badly, her brother would be hers. A backer is someone who

can stand up for her.

After she left home, she found out about his father and brought her aunt back with her, and she gave birth to a son in one fell swoop. Her father had been looking forward to having a son all his life. Unfortunately, his mother-in-law gave birth to several daughters, but she never gave birth to a son. Instead, her aunt who came in later gave birth to a son. She knew all these things from her brother. . Her brother would tell her everything at home.

When he first heard the news, Li Jinwan couldn't accept it for a moment. He didn't expect that his father would take a concubine. Later, he heard that this aunt had given birth to a son, and the mother raised her equal wife because the son was valuable.

For as long as she can remember, her father and mother-in-law have disliked their sisters. Her father-in-law doesn't care how many sisters they have. Her mother-in-law is lazy and spends all her time trying to figure out what little things she has at home. Later, the uncle and aunt built a new house and moved out, so the two families no longer lived together, and there were fewer conflicts. Her mother-in-law had been hitting and scolding the sisters since she was a child. She had never experienced any kindness from her mother-in-law, so when she later learned about the events at home, Li Jinwan felt that it was her mother-in-law who was to blame.

Presumably his father got what he wanted after he got his son.

She is now in the capital, following her brother here. It is a long way back home. After arriving outside, Li Jinwan doesn't really want to go back, so she has not seen her aunt's son with her own eyes, and she doesn't have much regard for her biological brother. idea. Occasionally, she would think about how well her mother-in-law was doing at home, but when she thought about her eldest sister and second sister, they were all there. Even though her two sisters were married, they were not far away from her parents' home, and they would often go back to her parents' home. Go back home to visit your parents.

She can't take care of things at home now. She is now in the capital, helping her brother take care of Zhuangmeng Pavilion and the workshop, as well as helping her brother take care of the affairs of the house. She is too busy every day to do anything else. Her brother is an official in the court and has many things to do outside. She doesn't need to worry about her brother's affairs in the house.

Thinking of these things, Li Jinwan shook her head and didn't think about them.

It has been more than a year since she arrived in Beijing in the blink of an eye, and it was her brother's birthday. It was not until this year that she was by her brother's side and had the opportunity to celebrate his birthday with her brother. Li Jinwan said with a smile, "Brother, I didn't have you at home before. Every time this day comes, I remember that it's your birthday, brother. I always thought about whether I could cook you a bowl of noodles or make a meal for you. It wasn't until this year that I could Opportunity."

"Oh, you cooked longevity noodles for me, haha, thank you for your hard work." Li Wen said with a smile.

The maid beside him quickly went to the kitchen to bring the cooked pasta and put it on the table.

Li Jinwan said, "Brother, come and try if the noodles I cooked are delicious."

There are two eggs lying on top of the noodles. Now that their family has no shortage of food and clothing, it is easy to eat two eggs in a bowl of noodles.

"It smells so delicious." Li Wen sat down on the chair and saw the noodles and eggs in the bowl. He took a sip of the soup and knew that the soup was simmered in chicken stock. The chicken fat had been removed and It doesn't feel greasy and tastes fresh and fragrant.

"Yeah, it's delicious." This is true.

"Third brother, as long as you like it." Seeing that her brother liked to eat, Li Jinwan smiled and rolled her eyes. It was not in vain that she was in the kitchen making chicken soup and noodles before dawn.

"Where are the two little ones?" Li asked, not seeing the two little ones. "Have they eaten breakfast?

" The two got some food. Li Jinwan replied, "The two children were reading for a while in the study room early in the morning, and then they ran out to play. They must have played behind the yard." "

It was rare that her brother finally had a day off at home, so she wanted to let her brother sleep a little longer, so she didn't let the two little ones go over to her brother's yard and wake up people.

Xiaobao had come over earlier to complain about his stomach . When she was hungry, she asked someone to get food for the two boys.

There was no school in the academy today, and the two boys were at home. There were many fun things in the backyard, and the two children liked to run to the backyard to play when they were at home.

" Oh, let them have some fun. "Knowing that the two children were playing behind him, Li Wen did not allow the two boys to relax and play for a while after studying. Horses would be tired after running for a long time, let alone people who have to study all the time without getting tired.

Today is During the Dragon Boat Festival, eating rice dumplings is a must, and there are rice dumplings brought from the kitchen on the table^

"This rice dumpling is made by Qianer, this triangular one is a big meat dumpling, this one is filled with mung beans, and the other one is from Hongdou Restaurant... "Li Jinwan mentioned several flavors in a row. Considering that there were many people in the family, she wanted to make a few more flavors. Everyone could have whatever they wanted. She took apart a bean paste and ate it, and asked, "Brother, what are you doing? What kind of food do you want to eat?

"I want meat dumplings. " "

After eating a bowl of noodles, I was already very full. When I saw the rice dumplings, I wanted to eat them again, so I couldn't hold it back. Li Wen ate

another big meat rice dumpling. After eating, my stomach was almost bursting.

Chapter 145: Watching the Dragon Boat

Festival, people wear mugwort and calamus. Li Jinwan embroidered several purses and prepared one for everyone in the family.

"Oh, here is the purse I embroidered. It contains mugwort and calamus. Brother, please bring one with you." After the meal, Li Jinwan asked Magpie to bring over the purse she had embroidered and picked it out with her own hands. A blue purse was hung on her brother's waist.

"It's beautiful! Our girl can enter the kitchen, go to the hall, and her embroidery skills are so good. Whoever wants to marry my girl in the future will be happy." Li Wen usually doesn't like to hang things on his waist. , there was nothing empty on his waist. When he saw the purse hanging on his waist, he joked to the girl.

"Brother, what are you talking about?" Li Jinwan blushed. If she had known better, she would not have embroidered a purse for her brother!

"Haha..." Li Wen couldn't help laughing.

Everything on the table was removed and a pot of tea was brought up. Li Wen took a sip of tea and said, "It's rare that we are all at home today. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. There is a dragon boat race here in the capital. I will take you to watch it later." Let's have a dragon boat race." Remembering that the two younger ones were still playing behind him, he turned to Li Tong and said, "Go and call Xiaobao and Yangyang over and ask them if they want to go out and play."

He is too busy at this time . , basically all the time outside. When I come back, I just sleep at home and leave early the next morning. He didn't have much time to take care of the boys at home. It had been a while since he had randomly checked the homework of the two boys. He would have to find time to check the homework of the two boys to see if they had fallen behind in their recent studies.

It's a holiday today, so I'll put this aside for the time being, and then check randomly after the holiday^

"Yes, I'll call Young Master and Young Master Yang over here." Li Tong answered and went to call people.

"Let's call Bai Yu over by the way." Li Wen did not leave Bai Yu behind. Since he was going out to play, it would be more lively if there were more people.

"Yes, Master, I will go and call Master Bai right now."

Since they are all going out to play, the girls at home should also go out together, right? Li Wen looked back at his sister and asked, "Jinwan, why don't you go with us? Do you want to go back and change your clothes and dress up?" The girl loves to look pretty, so she always wants to look pretty before going out.

"Okay, I'll go back and change my clothes. You guys wait here for me." Li Jinwan stood up. Since she was going out, she had to dress up before going out.

"Go ahead, go ahead. I'll wait for you here. Don't be in a hurry. We have plenty of time, so dress up nicely." Li Wen waved his hand and asked people to go back and dress up nicely. Although his girl is not as tall as a fish or a wild goose, she can still be regarded as a little girl. Her facial features are not exquisite, but they are attractive after a long time. If she dresses up a little, she will look even better.

Women are proud to be those who please themselves. Everyone loves beauty. If you dress beautifully, you will not only be happy when you look at it, but others will take a second look when they see it.

"Brother--"

He was sitting here drinking tea. Before he saw anyone, he heard the voice of this brat. Li Wen's mouth twitched when he saw the brat covered in sweat and mud playing in the backyard. He sneered and said, "Stop, what does it look like? It's like a mud monkey." "

He's wearing white clothes, don't come here and dirty his clothes!

" Brother. "Li Xiaobao braked suddenly and stood in front of his brother. He looked up at his brother and then looked down at his clothes. There was a lot of mud on them. He was running so fast just now that he forgot to wipe them off. So. Is his brother angry?

"Sir. "Bai Jingyang followed behind, also covered in sweat and mud.

Looking at the two mud monkeys in front of him, he didn't know how to roll in the backyard. Seeing the two boys standing in front of him with faces that looked like they had done something wrong, Li asked He laughed in anger and said, "You two, do you want to go out to play? Why don't you go back and wash your face and change your clothes! "

Li Xiaobao could tell from the tone of his brother's words that his brother was not really angry with them, but was afraid that his brother would not take them out. "Yes, brother, let's go back and wash our faces and change clothes." "He turned around and grabbed Yangyang's hand, pulling him and running outside.

Bai Jingyang was still a little dazed and didn't react, so he was pulled away.

Li asked, "..."

Among these people, Bai Yu was the fastest one.

Seeing Bai Yu coming, Li Wen asked someone to pour a cup of tea for Bai Yu and said, "Come and sit down, let's have a cup of tea first, they can't come so quickly. "

Bai Yu sat down, and the two of them took advantage of the tea to talk about some things in the store.

Now, Li Wen leaves all these business matters to Bai Yu, including various shops and accounts, etc., he They were all

handed over to Bai Yu. If he didn't trust Bai Yu, he wouldn't have kept them by his side. Since he had used them, there was nothing to be suspicious of, and Li Wen was the boss. There was no pressure at all.

However, Bai Yu did not disappoint him. Since Bai Yu took over these shops in Beijing, the monthly accounts of each shop have been steadily increasing, and the business

of Zhuangmeng Pavilion is now profitable. Very good, now that they have a workshop, and with sufficient manpower, the production of goods has increased, and they don't have to control the volume of goods sold in the store as before, so they are now preparing to open a second Zhuangmeng Pavilion store in the capital. They have all been found and are now being decorated. The new store is better and larger than the old store.

Bai Yu is completely different now than when he first arrived in the capital. He has a sense of confidence about him. The injury on his leg is recovering well. Although he can't run or jump like before, he no longer needs a cane to walk. Recently, he was inspecting the decoration of the new store. Bai Yu said, "Today is the holiday, so I give everyone a day off." of leave. The store will probably take another seven or eight days to be completed.

"Well, okay, just keep an eye on me in the store. " "Li Wen nodded. He has been very busy recently and has not had time to see the new store yet. He left all the matters of the new store to Bai Yu.

The two of them talked about going to the private restaurant again. After such a period of time, , [Ke Zhi] has been known to many people in the capital. Basically, the daily reservations are capped, and those who cannot be booked can only be pushed back.

Moreover, [Ke Zhi] is not a place that accepts all guests. We only accept guests introduced by regular customers, and you have to make a reservation in advance to get a seat. This, to some extent, raises the level of [Guozhi]. The seats here are even harder to find than those in the first-class restaurant in Beijing. Yipinlou is a place that anyone can go to if they have money, but Kezhi is a place that even if they have money, they can't go there, so this is the difference between them and Yipinlou. Those

who can afford to open such a restaurant in the capital will surely do so later. There is a backstage, and it goes without saying that these backstage people are all officials in the court. Therefore, even if you can't get a job, you don't dare to cause trouble, for fear of accidentally offending someone you shouldn't. Generally speaking, the more inaccessible a place is, the more they want to go in and experience it, especially friends who have been to [Ke Zhi]. When they come back, they all say that the restaurant has a good place and unique dishes, and it is unique in the capital. " Just

keep an eye on the restaurant. If anyone causes trouble, just come back and tell me." Li Wen said.

Bai Yu nodded and said hello, "It's nothing. I can handle some small things here." "

While they were talking, the two boys had already changed their clothes and came over.

After waiting for a while, Li Jinwan also changed her clothes and came over dressed beautifully. When she came over and saw everyone waiting for her, she was the only one missing. Her eyes stayed on Bai Yu's body for a moment, and she lowered her head shyly. He nodded and said sorry, "I've kept everyone waiting for so long."

Bai Yu's eyes fell on Li Jinwan. The little girl was wearing a bright yellow floral dress, with a little makeup on her face and a golden walking stick on her head. shake. It was not that he had never seen beauties before, but none of those beauties made his heart flutter.

In the past, he didn't know what it meant to like someone, but now he has a little understanding of it.

"It's okay, it's okay. It just so happens that Bai Yu and I have something to talk about." Li Wen didn't notice the acquaintance in the eyes of the two people around him. He didn't stop his sister from having something to do with Bai Yu. He still believed in Bai Yu's character. Now there are only two Bai Yu brothers left in the Bai family. It would be better if his sister married Bai Yu. There would be no house fights or problems between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

For Li Wen, life is as simple and comfortable as possible.

However, Li Wen did not interfere in the affairs of these two people. He just looked at their own opinions and said, "Okay? If it's okay, let's go."

Two carriages stopped at the door. Li Wen took Bai Yu and The two boys got into one, and Li Jinwan took Magpie and Yingchun into the next one.

There were a lot of things going on in the court during this period, and he was worried about what would happen if he went out. In the past, when he was with Zhao Xiangyi, he didn't worry about anything. But today when he went out with his family, Li Wen took Achen and Awu, as well as the people sent to him from Zhao Xiangyi, picked two out, dressed up as coachmen, and went out with them.

Every festival, the capital is bustling with activity.

Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. There is dragon boat racing here in the capital. Dragon boat racing is a competition organized by the government. There are rewards for winning,

so many people come to participate.

When they arrived, people were already standing on both sides of the river, and the good places were all taken. It was difficult to find a good place. Li Wen and Bai Yu each brought a child and asked the two boys to follow them. "There are many people here today. Everyone should pay attention to safety and don't fall into the water."

"You two boys follow us. Come on, don't get lost." There are so many people at this time, it's easy for something to happen if you're not careful .

Li Wen really didn't know there would be so many people,

"Jin Wan, you have to follow us closely."

I'm following you."

Fortunately, when they arrived, the game hadn't started yet.

After walking around, they found a place to stand, and everyone reluctantly stood in.

After a while, I heard the banging of drums. It was about to start the game, and everyone was looking forward to it.

"Brother, it's started!" Li Haopeng nervously grabbed his brother's hand. He was squeezed into the crowd and stood on tiptoes to barely see the dragon boat in the river. Li Wen grabbed the kid's hand and said, "Yes, it's time to start. Come and stand here."

He asked the kid to stand in front of him, where the view would be better.

"Stand still and don't move.

"Oh oh. "

With the beating of drums, the game begins.

Chapter 146, second update:

"Dong dong dong -"

The drums were thundering, and accompanied by the cheering cheers of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, one of the dragon boats rushed to the finish line at a leading speed, winning the lottery, and far ahead of the second place. He was left behind and won the first place with his absolute strength. The people watching the excitement were cheering.

Behind is the second dragon boat, the third dragon boat... dozens of dragon boats have reached the end.

The top three will be rewarded by the government, and those who are ranked beyond the third will not be rewarded. The bonus is second, and the most important thing is participation.

After the dragon boat race, there will be a swimming competition. Since it is a competition, we must rank first, second, and third, and determine the prize, so that others will try their best to compete. I saw an order and someone shouted "Start". A group of half-grown boys took off their clothes on the shore and jumped into the water one by one, like dumplings. Once they reached the water, they swam like fish. Fast.

"Er Er" oj oj o

As soon as Li Wen saw the look in his boy's eyes, he knew what the boy was thinking. He shook his head and said, "Although you can swim, you don't swim often. You have to go down." You are definitely not as fast as others. If you want to swim, my brother will find a place to take you to swim next time, but not here today. There are many people here today, and it is not safe to go down.

Their Lijia Village is close to the river, and the men in the village are not safe. He rarely knew how to swim. Every summer, the half-grown boys in the village would go to the river to bathe in groups. When Li Wen was a child, he did not have the opportunity to take a bath with the children in the village, but he could swim. Later, he could swim in the river. He was worried that his little brother wouldn't be able to swim and play in the river with others, so when he came home one summer, he taught this kid how to swim.

He didn't know how to swim in the river before. He didn't know whether this kid would follow others to bathe in the river. He didn't know. But he guessed that this kid must not be too honest. He must have gone to the river with his companions to play in the water.

In this hot summer, the water was cool, and it was the first time he saw the slow swimmers in the river. There was no hope, so we started a water fight in the river. People from both sides were splashing each other, and it was a lively scene

. But brother, remember, you are going to take me swimming next time. "Seeing others playing in the water, Li Haopeng looked envious. He also wanted to play. Since arriving in the capital, he has not been as free as in the countryside.

He misses the old days a little, but he knows that his brother picked him up. The reason for coming to the capital is for his own good, so he must obey his brother's words.

"Okay, I remember. I will take you to swim when we arrange the time later. "Li Wen couldn't help but smile. His boy is still very sensible. If anything happens, they can discuss it carefully. This boy will not come up to make trouble with him.

Bai Jingyang looked at Li Haopeng with envy, thinking that Xiaobao would He was so good at swimming, he couldn't even swim...

After the game, the spectators left one after another.

Mu Mu Mu

and the others got on the carriage and headed back to the city. Li Wen took everyone to [Ke Zhi] . Went to have a meal, and by the time they returned home, the sun had already set in the west.

He had an appointment with Zhao Xiangyi in the evening. He knew that the man remembered that today was his birthday, and he must have asked him out to celebrate his birthday in the morning. When he left, he said he would pick him up later. After playing outside for a long time, he came home and changed his clothes. It was almost the time they agreed, and Li Wen wanted to come back, change his clothes and go out. .

"elder brother. "Li Haopeng followed his brother, hiding his two little hands behind his back. He didn't know what he was hiding.

"Huh? "Li Wen saw the child's expression of hesitation and hesitation. Seeing the child's hands behind his back, he guessed whether the boy had prepared some gift for him. He asked, "What is that in your hand? , is there anything you want to give me?

"I, I learned a piece of music, and I want to play it to you. " "

It turned out that the child was holding a bamboo flute. Li Haopeng took it out and said with an embarrassed look on his face, "I'm going to play badly, brother, don't laugh at me. "He was afraid that if he couldn't play well, his brother would laugh at him. In the past, every day on the Dragon Boat Festival, my mother would think of my brother who was studying abroad and said that this day was his birthday. However, my brother was studying abroad at that time and did not come home. , so he always remembered that this day was his brother's birthday.

Before his brother's birthday came, he thought about what gift to give him. Finally, he thought about learning a piece of music to play for his brother. He would definitely be very happy.

"Haha." ...Okay, I won't laugh at you. "Li Wen didn't know that the child had prepared a surprise for him. There happened to be a pavilion in front of him. He pointed to the pavilion and said, "Let's go to the pavilion and you can play it for me. "

When they arrived at the pavilion, Li Wen sat down and waited for the child to play the flute to him.

Xu was nervous, and the child played stumblingly at first. Li Wen encouraged the child with his eyes, but later on the child played quite well. , the music is cheerful, like the heart of a young person, and makes people feel happy. After playing a piece of music, Li Haopeng put away the flute and asked with some anxiety, "Brother, do you like it?"

"I like it very much. You play very well. " My brother likes the gift you gave me very much. Thank you for the music you carefully prepared for me. "Li Wen reached out and touched the child's head. He felt that the child at home had grown up and knew how to carefully prepare gifts for his brother.

He could imagine that the child must have practiced for such a piece of music for a long time.

He asked, " When did you learn it? Why didn't I know it?

"Just, I just learned it not long ago. I want to play it to my brother. " "When Li Haopeng heard his brother say that he liked it, he smiled, a little reserved and a little shy.

Li Wen thought it must be during the time when he was not at home that the child learned to play the flute and he didn't even know it, but this time He received the gift. They didn't have many brothers, just two brothers. This was a gift from his mother-in-law. He had been looking

forward to the arrival of his little brother since he knew that his mother-in-law was pregnant. The two brothers didn't have much time to spend together in those years. He was studying away from home all year round. He still remembered that when he left home, the boy would hold his legs and cry, crying and not letting him go. Now that he has arrived in the capital. The official brought him to the capital to study, and the two brothers spent more time together.

For this younger brother, Li Wen liked and cherished him very much. Moreover, this younger brother was very good, and his mother-in-law taught him well. Very good. Although he was pampered by his family since childhood, his temper was not arrogant at all.

Li Haopeng did not forget that his friend also prepared a gift for his brother. He pulled Bai Jingyang who was standing aside and said, "Brother, there is also Yang. Yang, Yangyang also prepared a gift for you, brother.

"Oh, really, what kind of gift is it? Is it for me? " "Li Wen had long seen the child hiding his hand behind his back and holding something in his hand. Bai Jingyang came forward nervously, handed the thing in his hand to the adult, and said, "My lord, this is a handwriting written by me. "

"I don't write well. "

Bai Jingyang knew from Xiaobao that today was your birthday. He didn't have any money to buy a gift for you. He didn't know what to give him. In the end, Xiaobao suggested that he write a calligraphy. He wrote many words and finally chose He came up with the best one, but his handwriting was not pretty, so the child was a little embarrassed to take it out,

"Why is it bad?" Since it is a gift for me, do you want to show it to me first and let me judge it? "Seeing the child's face looking like he was about to cry, Li Wen felt a little dumbfounded. Bai Jingyang took out the things and handed them over.

Li Wen took it, opened it up and read it, and saw that it was written by a child. Although the strokes were childish, he could see the child's care, "The writing is quite good, why is it bad? I like it very much. Yangyang is also great."

"Yes, right?" He is also great? Bai Jingyang raised his eyes, his eyes were a little red. He looked at the adults with unconcealable admiration.

"Yes, it's great." Li Wen could feel that the child was a little inferior and sensitive inside. He reached out and touched the child's head and said with certainty, "Yangyang is great, just like Xiaobao, you two They are all great people. From now on, you can study together and learn from each other. If you have any difficulties, help each other and make progress together, okay?" "Brother, it's okay. I'll teach him everything Yangyang doesn't understand." He rushed to say.

Bai Jingyang nodded. He didn't know why his nose was sore and he wanted to cry.

After receiving carefully prepared gifts from the two little guys, Li Wen expressed his love and encouraged the two kids, asking them to study hard, study together, and make progress together.

Li Wen was actually glad that he met Lu Zhishu and Shen Zijing. He had such excellent friends on the way to study. He never felt lonely along the way, so he also hoped that these two little guys could become each other. Best friends, study together and do the things you like together in the future.

If you were just one person, life would be too lonely.

Later, Jin Wan brought another cake over, and Li Wen realized that the girl had prepared such a big cake for him

to eat. The happiest thing was that the two boys ate a big piece each. They had just come back from eating outside. The adults were too full to eat so much. In order to prevent waste, Li Wen asked Li Tong to take it and share it with everyone.

It was getting dark outside, and the two boys returned to the courtyard where they lived, each going back to his own courtyard.

After finally getting out, Li Wen returned to the room, took a quick shower, changed into the clothes he would wear when going out, and went out through the small door on the side. A clear oil-colored carriage stopped in the alley. The person inside opened the curtain and he got in. Inside was the man who came to pick him up. "It's been a long time."

"Fortunately, I didn't wait long." In fact, The man has been waiting outside for a while.

"Let's go."

The driver outside drove the carriage out of the alley and walked on the road.

Chapter 147: Love Token

The carriage stopped at the ferry. The two people got off the carriage. Li Wen saw the big ship parked here and looked at the man beside him. Zhao Xiangyi stretched out his hand and said to the young man, "Come on."

Li Wen took Zhao Xiangyi's hand and got on the boat, "Did you prepare this?"

"Yes." Zhao Xiangyi chartered the entire boat, and he was the only one who arranged it. There are no outsiders.

This ship is very big, with three floors above and below. The sides of the ship are covered with lanterns. Each lantern is lit up. Even at night, the ship is as bright as day. The two people went up to the second floor and came outside the deck. There was a table and two chairs on the deck, with wine and food on them, specially prepared for the master to come and enjoy.

"Didn't you say last time that you wanted to come on the big ship to have a look?" So he specially prepared it to satisfy the young man's wish. Zhao Xiangyi said it as a matter of course, as if there was no problem at all.

"..." Li Wen glared and said, "You know that's not what I'm talking about." This man secretly changed his concept! He still remembered the last time they swam on the river. At that time, he looked at the flower boat in the distance. He had said that he wanted to go on the flower boat and have a look. The man also said that he would go with him when he had the opportunity.

So what he said was good, was that it? A flower boat was specially prepared for him. There were only a group of men on the boat, and not a single girl could be seen. What kind of flower boat was this?

Li Wen had the urge to hold his forehead. This man...

"Isn't it okay if I accompany you?" Zhao Xiangyi asked with a smile on his lips.

"Of course, yes!" What else could he say? Li Wen glared at the smiling man, laughed angrily, and said, "General Zhao will accompany me personally. Others have not had this honor. Don't you think so?"

"It's good that you know." "General" is your honor to accompany you. Others may not have this opportunity, but he is worth a lot. In addition to drinking with His Royal Highness, you, Li Liuyuan, are the only one who has this honor.

"..." Li Wen didn't know what to say anymore, "I know." He knew, this man turned out to be so shameless! There was a smile in the eyes of the two people who met each other. These were just their playful words.

Forget it, he didn't go on the flower boat just to find a girl anyway.

Looking for a girl? I probably won't even think about it in this life.

This man had never expressed anything in this regard. Li Wen thought he was being generous, but he didn't know he was so jealous. Okay, seeing as this man has brought a boat specially for him, why should he still give him this face?

The two people sat down facing each other across a table.

Except for the two of them, there was no one waiting on the deck. The rest of the people stayed below and

did not go up to the second floor. The big ship sailed away from the river bank and sailed slowly in the river. The sky was full of stars, and the stars were twinkling in the night.

Now that it's Shenxia, ​​the weather in the capital is already hot. The gentle breeze blows from the river, taking away the summer heat and

bringing with it a hint of coolness.

Li Wen picked up the jug and poured a glass of wine for the two of them. The wine tasted mellow in his mouth. As soon as he took the wine into his mouth, he could tell that it was made by himself. Moreover, the wine had been aged for some years. So, isn't this the wine buried in the small courtyard at the foot of his master's mountain? He paused while drinking and asked the man opposite him, "Do you still have the wine from the year before last?"

Zhao Xiangyi said nothing, "..." Damn it, he was discovered!

"No..." He remembered the two jars he dug that time. Considering how drunken the soldiers were, how could they be here now? Li Wen squinted his eyes and asked, "Could it be that you turned around and asked someone to dig out the wine?

"..." Zhao Xiangyi's body shook. Today he made a miscalculation. By

not saying anything, he admitted it?! Li Wen He chuckled and said, "If the master knows, he will break your legs. Tell me, how many jars did you have to dig out later? ...You shouldn't let people dig them all out, right? "

It's possible that Zhao Xiangyi is fine, but with a group of people, it's really hard to say.

Seeing Zhao Xiangyi's reaction, Li Wen knew he was right. It seemed like he was the one who led the wolf into the house .

"Isn't it okay if you don't let your fourth uncle know? "Zhao Xiangyi has no consciousness of doing anything wrong at all. He took the wine anyway. Now that the wine is in his hand, he will not hand it over.

"I asked someone to buy the best wine and put it back. Fourth uncle may not go back there, so we just don't let fourth uncle know, okay? Just in case Fourth Uncle goes back to dig on a whim one day, there won't be any wine down there, right? "At that time, when Zhao Xiangyi sent people to do these things, he thought that they were unnoticed. He was determined that the young man would not go back to dig for wine, let alone his fourth uncle.

Who knew that the final problem would arise in Here he is.

"Instead of burying it in the ground, let me dig it out. We can have a taste of it today, don't you think

?"

This reason is so powerful that it is impossible to refute it.

"..." Li asked, what this man said was so right, he didn't have the words to say it right.

Why didn't he know that this man was so eloquent and knew how to be so sophistical?

This man poached all the wine and secretly replaced it with other wine. He thought no one would find out? How is this possible! Li Wen thought of the time when his master buried the wine and looked forward to digging it up later, "The master and I brewed the wine there. It's okay if the master doesn't go back. If the master goes back, he will definitely find something wrong." Li Wen

held his head and looked at the man across from him who was not afraid at all. He was really angry and laughed, "If the master finds out about this, he will beat you up. I won't help you." Maybe he will. He would also hand him a stick and ask his master to beat his nephew to death!

"You can't bear to watch my fourth uncle beat me and not help me?" Zhao Xiangyi blinked at the boy. He was convinced that the boy couldn't bear to watch his fourth uncle beat him without helping.

"When the Dongchuang incident happens, won't you know about it?" Li Wen said with a corner of his mouth raised.

"Haha..." Zhao Xiangyi laughed, but he was not worried about this at all.

Li Wen really didn't know that this man would let people dig away all the wine. He was very angry, but now he was thinking of a remedy, "Come on, I'll bury more here in the capital later." The bar, when the old man comes back and has good wine to drink, he will not miss the wine buried in the house at the foot of the mountain.

"I knew that you were the best to me." He knew that the young man was the best to him. , Zhao Xiangyi is not worried at all. What to worry about? His little Liuyuan is here.

General Zhao, would you like to show some face? Li Wen was extremely angry.

But when the two were together, he relaxed in front of Zhao Xiangyi. He didn't need to think about the court affairs, he didn't need to be as cautious as in front of the emperor, and he didn't need to be as vigilant as in front of the prince. , playing scheming with the officials in the court, and scheming all day long.

Like now, the two of them are drinking, chatting, and bickering, which is extremely relaxing and comfortable.

But I have to admit that the taste of this wine is very good. Li Wen offered a drink to the man opposite him and said, "Well, it's a good wine. We won't go home until we get drunk tonight." "

Okay, I'll stay with you till the end."

Zhao Xiangyi took out a cloth wrapper from his arms and opened it. Inside were two semicircular hollow jade pendants, which when put together just formed a circle. This is the jade he specially asked to find. He found a jade pendant carved by a famous jade carving master in the capital. He carved it before the Dragon Boat Festival and gave it to him on the day of the boy's birthday.

"Is this for me?" Li Wen raised his eyebrows and asked when he saw what the man took out.

"Yes. These two jade pendants are a pair. I'll give you one and I'll keep one." Zhao Xiangyi took one of the jade pendants and handed it to the young man. Li Wen took it. This jade pendant was half the size of a palm. It was white in color and slightly cool in his hand. Even someone like him who didn't know much about these jade stones knew that it was a rare piece of good jade.

"Put these two jade rings together, you can hear the sound of the wind." Zhao Xiangyi picked up his jade pendant and put it together with the jade pendant in Li Wen's hand. The wind passed through the middle of the jade rings, making a crisp jingle. Voice. Li Wen listened to the sound carefully, with a different reading on his face, "Is there really a sound?"

"Do you like it?" Zhao Xiangyi asked.

Li Wen looked at the jade pendant in his hand carefully and asked with a smile, "Does this count as a token of love you gave me

?",

"If you want to, of course it does." "Zhao Xiangyi nodded and agreed seriously with what the young man said.

A token of love? Yes, you can have this.

"Haha... Thank you, I like it very much. "Li Wen hung the jade around his neck in front of Zhao Xiangyi. He hid the jade inside his clothes and said to the man in front of him, "I will definitely wear this jade pendant with me from now on.

These two jade pendants are a pair, and others can tell at a glance. If others see these two jade pendants on their bodies, they will easily think that way. Although Dacheng does not allow men to marry men, it is not that there are no such things as men and men being together. Therefore, if others see these two jade pendants appearing on their bodies, more careful people will easily think of them. The relationship is not shallow.

At this time, the relationship between the two of them is not easy for outsiders to know, so it is better to pay a little attention.

The two jade pendants are a pair, one for each person. For Li Wen, this jade pendant was given by Zhao Xiangyi. The meaning of his

jade pendant is different. He had a lot of jade given to him by others, but he thought it was troublesome to wear it on his body. There were many people walking on the road, and people would take it away without paying attention when he went out. Therefore, Li Wen rarely wore expensive jewelry and jade ornaments on his body.

He hung the jade around his neck and hid it under his clothes so that outsiders could not easily see it and thieves could not take it away

. "As long as you like it." When the boy said he liked it, Zhao Xiangyi's lips curved slightly. , put the jade pendant into his arms and carried it close to his body.

The man's action indicated to the young man that he would wear this jade pendant with him.

Such a beautiful time seems to be wasted if we don't do anything else.

It happened that there was a prepared piano on the ship. Li Wen asked someone to bring a piano over. He sat down and tried the music. He looked at the man sitting there and said with a smile, "Let me play you a piece of music." "The last time I played the piano in front of people was at a banquet. I haven't played for a long time, and my hand feels a little rusty.

"Okay."

Zhao Xiangyi rarely heard the young man play the piano. It was the first time last time and the second time this time. He summoned someone and whispered, and soon the people below brought him a flute.

The sound of the piano poured out from the young man's fingertips. After the sound of the piano stopped, a long flute sound sounded, as if chasing the sound of the piano.

Li Wen looked at the man playing the flute with a bit of surprise in his eyes. He didn't know that this man could play the flute, and he played it quite nicely. He put his hand on the piano, and one of them played the piano, and the other played the flute. The sounds of the piano and the flute were intertwined, and it was unexpectedly harmonious...

Someone on the boat in the distance heard the sound and asked, "Who is there?" Playing the piano? It sounds so good."

"...And who played this Xiaoyin?"

Their boat was far away from other boats, and even if someone heard the sound, they would also look at their boat. No one on board.

Chapter 148: Judgment

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the verdict on this case from the Ministry of Revenue came down quickly.

If major cases like this were carried out in the past, the entire Zhu family would definitely be involved in nine clans, and all the people within the nine clans would be beheaded. Because the prince was kind-hearted, he went to the emperor to plead for mercy, so the result of the sentence was to execute only one member of the Zhu family, and all members of the Zhu family were executed. The Zhu family was not allowed to participate in scientific examinations or serve as officials in the court for three generations.

As for the rest of the officials involved, in serious cases, they will be beheaded in public, the men in the family will be exiled, and the women will be made slaves; in the case of minor cases, they will be dismissed from office and will not be allowed to enter the officialdom again in the future; or they will be demoted, even if these people still stay in the officialdom, Most of the future career prospects are hopeless for promotion; and so on.

Some families were sentenced to not being allowed to take the scientific examination for three generations or to serve as officials in the court. This was equivalent to ruining the entire future of these families. At this point, they were not allowed to participate in the scientific examination for three generations, and there was no thought of changing through the imperial examination. The future and destiny of the family are at stake.

This time, the involvement was so wide that even if the backstage in the capital was tough, it would be difficult for the officials involved to escape unscathed. Because of this incident, some officials in the court have become much more honest recently, and they have restrained themselves where they should. The officials were still jumping around all day long, but they didn't show their presence in front of the emperor, so these people felt uncomfortable all over.

The officials involved in the incident were brought to the capital for trial, and all local officials involved were escorted to the capital for trial.

Every trial is open to the public and does not prevent people from coming to watch. The people ran to watch, so as soon as the result of the verdict came out, the people in the capital knew it immediately. Many people clapped their hands and applauded, "Okay, these corrupt officials deserve to die."

"These people should be killed." Let's see if they dare to do it in the future..."

This time, His Highness the Crown Prince was in charge of the trial. Many people in the city saw His Highness the Crown Prince interrogating the case, and they were all fascinated by His Royal Highness's grace.

The people knew that the Zhu Mansion was just killing the whole family and not affecting the nine clans. It was His Highness the Prince who came to the Emperor to ask for mercy. He did not want to see too many innocent people involved and there were too many casualties. The people all praised the Prince's kindness. . These corrupt officials are naturally hateful, but if one person does something that affects nine tribes and causes all nine tribes to suffer together, this crime is too much.

Compared to a selfless and unkind prince, the people seemed to prefer a flesh-and-blood, kind and loving prince. This time, His Highness the Crown Prince handled the case beautifully, and as a result, His Highness the Crown Prince gained another wave of goodwill among the people.

The business of tea shops and restaurants in the capital has been very good recently. They are full of people every day. Everyone is talking about the case and the people and things involved in the case.

However, knowing that he has been too public recently, Yang Shaomu behaves much more low-key. He only goes to the palace every day to report the progress of the case to the emperor, and does not talk much about the rest. He never talks about whether he is doing well or not. . Emperor Zhaozong knew exactly what the prince had done, and he was quite satisfied with his son's actions. "I understand. If you have nothing to do, please retreat."

"Yes, father, I will retire." Yang Shaomuxing After receiving the ceremony, he withdrew.

After leaving the emperor, Yang Shaomu stopped by his mother and queen. The mother and son had not seen each other for a long time and had another conversation. It was just that he had many things to do, so Yang Shaomu did not stay too much with his mother before getting up and preparing to leave

. The queen understood in her heart that she just told the child to take care of his health and asked the maid who was waiting around to send his son out.

After a while, the maid who escorted His Royal Highness out came back and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness has left."

"Yes." The queen nodded, sat there and closed her eyes. Seeing that the empress had been staying in the room all day, the serving maid advised her, "Your Majesty, the flowers in the Imperial Garden are blooming beautifully. Why don't you servants accompany your empress to the Imperial Garden to walk around."

The queen opened her eyes and looked . Looking at the maid serving beside him, he nodded and stretched out his hand. Seeing this, the maid on the side quickly stepped forward to help.

The group of people went to the Royal Garden.

But after hearing the praises of the prince from the people outside, the other princes felt less comfortable. The prince is already responsible for the trial, so they can only think of other ways. They can't give all the benefits to the prince, because they will get nothing.

After this round of shuffling, there was a major change of blood in the court. Some officials were removed, and some young officials had the opportunity to come up. The imperial court holds a scientific examination every three years to select useful talents for the imperial court, and a batch of talents are released every three years. Therefore, it can be said that Dacheng does not lack talents, but that more people lack opportunities.

This opportunity is rare for some young officials, and many people have seized this opportunity and tried to find ways to get ahead.

The princes all thought of ways to insert their people.

All the brothers knew about these things, and the prince naturally knew about them too.

As the biggest winner this time, Yang Shaomu quietly arranged for several officials he had trained in private. These people may not all be in high positions, but all of them hold important positions and have all the benefits. It is real power. As long as these people work in their positions for a few years, they will definitely be able to rise.

Also because of this incident, many families withdrew from the political stage in the capital. The elders of the clan moved their families with their subordinates and withdrew from the capital. Politics has always been cruel and ruthless. The winner will advance further; the loser will lose his official position at least, and his life and fortune at worst.

The capital is a prosperous and lively place. It is a place close to the emperor, the center of political power, and a place that many officials dream of coming to.

When someone leaves, someone will naturally come.

In some places, officials who were promoted to serve in the capital took their whole families to the capital to take up their posts, where they bought houses and

settled down. Therefore, in the later period, the housing prices in the capital rose again and again. People who did not have enough money in their pockets could only rent a small courtyard here in the capital for the family to live temporarily.

In the dark cell, there is a bed, a table, and a chair, that's all there is.

"Clang-"

The chair under his feet was kicked down, and a body was dangling in mid-air. By the time the prison guard guarding the cell found out and released the person, he had already lost his breath and was dead.

It is very common for a person to die in a cell, not to mention that this person hanged himself. After the prison guard found out, he reported it to the higher-ups. The news was passed on layer by layer, and soon everyone who needed to know received the news.

Zhao Xiangyi came to him at night and brought him a message. Zhu Guangquan hanged himself in the cell.

"What?"

"Zhu Guangquan is dead?"

Hearing that Zhu Guangquan hanged himself in prison, Li Wen frowned and asked in disbelief, "When did it happen?"

"Just now, half an hour ago "Zuo Zuo has gone to check, and the man hanged himself," so there is no such thing as someone else killing him. Zhao Xiangyi happened to be at the prince's place. The people below reported the news, and he knew it immediately.

Seeing the young man's shocked look, Zhao Xiangyi put his hand on the young man's shoulder, squeezed it gently, comforted the young man, and said, "This matter has nothing to do with you. His death was the path he chose. Even if If he doesn't hang himself in prison, he will be pushed out of the Meridian Gate and beheaded in public."

"I know." Li Wen felt a little indescribable, and this feeling was not very good.

He sat down on the chair, feeling a little complicated.

Even if he did not kill Zhu Guangquan himself, Zhu Guangquan's death could not be separated from his involvement. Although he knew that Zhu Guangquan had committed such a big thing, if the emperor wanted his life, this man had to die.

But what should I say? When he first heard the news, Li Wen was still in a bad mood. This man who had been his superior officer had hanged himself in prison. How much courage does a person have to choose to hang himself there?

Zhao Xiangyi picked up the teapot on the table, poured a glass of water for the young man, handed it to the young man, and then poured a glass of water for himself, "As long as you know, you don't need to blame yourself for this. Everyone should be responsible for this." He is responsible for what he does. This matter has nothing to do with you. He deserves to die."

When the man looked into his eyes, the regret and impatience in his heart disappeared. Li Wen sighed and said, "You. I understand what you said. Everyone is dead, so you can ask someone to buy a thin coffin and find a place to bury the body. "This man was also an important minister of the imperial court and had done so many things for the emperor. , and now that the person is dead, there is no one to help collect the body, which is pitiful to say the least.

It's just that poor people must be hateful.

When he learned about the ending of Zhu's Mansion, he had already guessed Zhu Guangquan's ending. Perhaps they had foreseen Zhu Guangquan's outcome as early as when they led people to capture Zhu Guangquan. Perhaps Zhu Guangquan himself also predicted his own ending and the ending of the Zhu family.

Compared to the current beheading of just one branch of the Zhu family, it is already much better than the beheading of the entire nine clans.

"As for those people in the prison, please send someone to take care of them. At least, they can have three meals a day." No matter how much they said, Li Wen couldn't help them much.

This world is different from that of later generations. The law of later generations is that one person does things and one person is responsible, and it will not affect family members

and tribesmen. But it's different here. If one person commits a crime here, the whole family will be affected, and it may even affect the entire family, as well as people outside the family.

These legal things are beyond his control for the time being. This is not the era he originally lived in. Thinking of the people in the cell, Li Wen felt a little tired. There were some people here who didn't need to die.

"Okay, I'll let someone do it right now." Zhao Xiangyi whistled, and someone came over quickly.

Zhao Xiangyi gave instructions, and the visitor quickly left again.

Li Wen knew that this was someone close to Zhao Xiangyi and knew what he just said. This man had already ordered someone to do it.

Thinking of Zhu Guangquan's death, Li Wen guessed, "Did the prince have any deal with Zhu Guangquan?" Otherwise, why did the prince want to protect the Zhu clan? It was just Zhu Guangquan's request, and his highness the prince got what he wanted from Zhu Guangquan. something.

Zhao Xiangyi naturally knew about this, and he nodded.

But Zhao Xiangyi didn't say much about the rest, and Li Wen didn't ask any more questions.

Li Wen had never been a curious person, and he never asked about things he shouldn't know. They are all just pawns in the hands of the superior, including himself and Zhao Xiangyi. It's just that he is the sword in the emperor's hand, and Zhao Xiangyi is the person next to the prince. They are all the same in essence.

After blowing out the lamp on the table, the two of them went to bed. Neither of them was in the mood to do anything else.

Leaning in the man's arms, Li Wen asked, "Tell me, did I do something wrong?"

Did he choose the wrong path? Maybe he shouldn't have taken the official career path in the first place. When he became this official, maybe now He wouldn't feel so troubled and helpless about some things. At this moment, Li Wen felt a little confused.

The position he is in now is too passive.

"How could it be?" Zhao Xiangyi put one hand on the young man's waist, held him in his arms, and fanned the young man with one hand, "Have you forgotten? When you left Xiangzhou, the people along the way sent you When you leave, no one will leave you. When people here in the capital mention Li Liuyuan, they all say that you are good, smart, talented, young, and a good official. No one says anything bad about you."

"Really? ? But I feel like I'm not good enough." Li Wen raised his head and looked at the man who said this.

He knew what people outside said about him, but compared to the praise they gave him, Li Wen actually knew in his heart that he was not as good as what others said.

Meeting the young man's eyes looking at him, Zhao Xiangyi couldn't help but lower his head, placed a kiss on the young man's forehead, and said affirmatively, "In my heart, you are very good. You must know that unless these officials are removed, not only Endangering the court, the people below do not have a good life. Think about the innocent people who died because of these corrupt officials, do they deserve to die? "

Yes, these innocent people don't deserve to die...

no one deserves to die, So the officials who were executed were not innocent either.

Li Wen knew this and sighed slightly, and said, "The most fearful thing is that if the weeds are not burned out, they will grow again in the spring breeze."

"Regenerate and then remove them." Zhao Xiangyi said lightly.

The man's body temperature was high, so it would be very warm to hold him by the stove in winter. However, in the hot summer, Li Wen slightly disliked this man and wanted to push him away. But the man wouldn't let him escape, holding on to him tightly with both hands.

Also, he was used to two people sleeping hugging each other, so even though he disliked her, Li Wen didn't really want to kick him out of bed, and the two of them slept separately.

In the summer night, the insects chirped non-stop, and the voices in the house gradually stopped.

The boy in his arms closed his eyes and fell asleep. Zhao Xiangyi lowered his head and looked at the boy's sleeping face through the moonlight coming in from the window. There was a light layer of gray under the boy's eyelids. He stretched out his hand and rubbed it under the young man's eyelids, and finally hugged the young man, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

This night is already halfway through...

Chapter 149: Planning

In the morning meeting on the second day, no official even mentioned the former Minister of Household Affairs who died in prison. Zhu Guangquan's death did not cause any waves. Rather than caring about a dead person, now that the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is vacant,

the officials in the court are more concerned about who can sit in the position of the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

The Ministry of Revenue is an important department among the six ministries and is in charge of the entire country's finances. The Minister of Hubu is the highest official of the Ministry of Hubu. He is in charge of all the officials in the entire Ministry of Hubu. All matters and decisions in the Ministry of Hubu must go through the hands of the Shangshu of the Hubu. It can be said that the Shangshu of the Hubu is an official position with absolute real power. .

This time, the Ministry of Household Affairs has gone through a major shake-up. Most of the officials in the Ministry of Household Affairs have been dismissed, demoted, and the vacant positions have been filled by people below. Officials from several factions in the DPRK successfully placed their own people into the Ministry of Household Affairs after a series of battles over who had more connections, greater authority, and who was faster.

The last thing left was the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Everyone focused their attention on this. No matter how much they got in the past, it would not be as good as winning this position.

In the main hall, the emperor sat on the throne, the prince stood first, followed by several princes.

Although Yang Shaoyong is the eldest prince, because he is not the crown prince, he can only be ranked lower than the prince. This is always like a thorn in Yang Shaoyong's heart, and he has to face it every day, so this is why the eldest prince The reason for not getting along with the prince since he was a child.

Several princes have always been in a state of open and covert fighting. No one can see who is better, and they have to fight for everything.

In the morning, an official jumped out and started, "Your Majesty, the minister has something to say."

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Household Affairs is one of the six ministries. Among the six ministries, whether it is the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Punishment, the Ministry of War, or the Ministry of Household Affairs, all One cannot exist without the other..." After explaining how important the Ministry of Revenue is in the Six Departments, he also talked about the importance of the position of the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, and finally suggested, "The position of the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue is still vacant. I think that a suitable person should be selected as soon as possible to take charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Household Affairs." "I second the proposal

. " The officials below all agreed that it should be done . Select the right person to take up the position of Minister of Household Affairs. Doesn't the emperor know the importance of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the importance of the position of Minister of Household Affairs? Of course Emperor Zhaozong knew it, and just because he knew it, the emperor had to be more cautious in this matter. Zhu Guangquan, the former Minister of Household Affairs, was a person promoted by the emperor. The money confiscated from his house was more than the money in the emperor's private treasury. It is conceivable that Emperor Zhaozong was not in a good mood about this matter. . "What suggestions do you have for the candidate of the Minister of Household Affairs?" Emperor Zhaozong looked at the civil and military officials below. It's not that he didn't know the thoughts of these ministers, as well as several of his sons. He really thought that he, the emperor, had nothing. It is known that there are only a handful of officials in Nuo University's court who are truly qualified to hold the position of minister. The officials below proposed the most to these few people. Li Wen stood below. He usually wouldn't stand out if nothing happened to him, so he just stood below. He analyzed that the officials mentioned by the officials in the court were all officials belonging to different factions, and they were people who supported several princes. In fact, he was a little confused. The prince was obviously better than the other princes in all aspects of talent and virtue, but he was still in the same position as the queen. Why did these officials stand next to the other princes one by one? In fact, to put it bluntly, here It's all because of the camps they are in and their different interests. All people and all things in the world are inseparable from the word "profit". Few people really think about this country and what kind of monarch is best for the country. It's not that there are no such people, but there are only a relatively small number of them. Most people actually have selfish motives and think about what is best for the country. Seek greater benefits for yourself or your family. But if it weren't for this, the court wouldn't be so lively every day. Going to court every day is very boring, but if you analyze it carefully, you can still get a lot of useful information. Others were racking their brains and thinking of every possible way to come to the imperial court and make themselves embarrassed in front of the emperor, but Li Wen was making all kinds of complaints about going to court every day. However, complaints were complaints, and his mind did not stop. He still had to listen to what he wanted to hear, and he still had to analyze what he wanted to analyze. What people said and what they did generally had a purpose. You can't come to court every day. If you really do, you can take a nap and then go back. If you want to let the teacher know later, you have to chase him with a ruler and beat him. The officials stood up to recommend suitable candidates. As for the princes, they stood silently below. However, the officials in the court failed to come up with a result. No one was convinced, and everyone thought that the person they recommended was the best. Prime Minister Dong stood there with his eyes half lowered, saying nothing. The big bosses above him didn't say anything, and it was only the people below who did the talking. The quarrel made his head hurt. Emperor Zhaozong's face darkened. He did not come to a conclusion on the matter and decided on a candidate. In the end, he just said, "We will discuss this matter later and withdraw from the court." The prince said pointedly . The voice shouted, "Retreat from the court -" The officials below knelt down and respectfully saw the emperor off. The Hubu case has basically been completed, and there are still some initial and final matters to be dealt with. Of course, the people below will handle it, and there is no need for His Highness the Crown Prince to handle it himself. As for the candidate for the position of Minister of Household Affairs, it has not been decided yet, and several princes must be working hard on this matter. After leaving the court, the emperor went to Concubine Dong to check his youngest son's homework. Concubine Dong held the emperor's hand. His Highness, the seventh prince, studied hard and did his homework well. He was praised by the Taifu. Emperor Long Xin Dayue, Concubine Dong Guifei is gentle and lovely, and her children are well-behaved. It is a picture of a harmonious family of three. "Your Majesty, please come and see me more when you have time. I miss you in my heart... but I am worried that Your Majesty is too busy with your affairs to disturb you." Concubine Dong Gui was gentle and considerate, with a pair of charming watery eyes. Looking at the emperor, the meaning of these words is to tell the emperor that I want to see you but I am afraid of disturbing you, so she can only wait in this palace for the emperor to come and visit. This look, coupled with this tone, will make any man feel soft-hearted after hearing this. Concubine Dong knew her own advantages. She was young, well-spoken, and could win the emperor's favor. This was why Emperor Zhaozong liked to visit Concubine Dong from time to time. 3 After becoming the emperor, Gao The situation was so cold that the emperor couldn't find anyone to express his true feelings to. At this time, the gentle, beautiful, kind and considerate Concubine Dong Guifei appeared. What man wouldn't love her? The emperor is also an ordinary man, so naturally he cannot pass the test of beauty. "Okay, okay, I promise you, I will come to see you and Ning'er as soon as I have free time. Ning'er will study hard with your husband. When I come next time, I will check whether Ning'er has done well in her homework." Emperor Zhaozong said to this little boy The son is really doted on. None of the previous sons have been hugged by the emperor. Only this youngest son would hold him in his arms and fight with each other from time to time when he was young. When he grew up, he would personally care about the children's homework from time to time. how. After receiving the emperor's response, Concubine Dong burst into tears and smiled. The beauty shed tears, which made the emperor feel distressed. "Yes, my father, I will definitely not let my father down." The seventh prince looked at the emperor with admiration in his eyes. Yang Shaoning played the role of a good son in front of his father, and his mother-in-law Let's make our father happy together.

Later, Concubine Dong coaxed the emperor to have lunch with her before leaving. Not long after the emperor went to Concubine Dong, the women in the harem soon received the news. But even if the envious Concubine Dong Guifei can get the favor of the Holy Emperor, they can't change anything about it, let alone try to overthrow Concubine Dong Guifei and replace her.

Yang Shaomu received the news from the palace, which also said that Mrs. Dong had entered the palace and went to Concubine Dong Guifei. Concubine Dong stayed in the palace for half a day before coming out. Concubines in the harem are not allowed to leave the palace privately. Generally, unless there is something special, they cannot see their relatives twice a year. Concubine Dong Guifei is doing well, because she gave birth to a dragon son for the emperor, and the emperor The little pampering given to her would lead her to invite family members into the palace to keep her company from time to time. The reason was that she missed her relatives at home.

In this palace, it is not only Concubine Dong who gave birth to a dragon son, but others also gave birth to dragon sons and dragon girls. They don't necessarily have to talk about it all day long. Only that woman has to show off to the emperor from time to time. After having doted on her

for so many years, Yang Shaomu had seen a lot of everything, so naturally he was already used to it.

But he was not a woman in the harem, and what he was thinking about was not how to win favor, but why Mrs. Dong wanted to enter the palace at this time. Yang Shaomu's hand lightly knocked on the table. At this time, Mrs. Dong entered the palace, probably to bring some news to Concubine Dong Guifei, or to deliver some news to Dong Xian. He called an old slave next to him. , ordered, "Go and find out for yourself what Mrs. Dong said to Concubine Dong when she came into the palace today."

"Yes, I will do it now." The old slave said, bowed and went out to inquire about the news.

Didn't Yang Shaomu know what Dong Xian and Concubine Dong Gui had been planning for so many years? His mother was in the palace, and his mother was the head of the harem. Concubine Dong Xian and his mother had been fighting for so many years, and they couldn't get over it in the hands of his mother. He wasn't worried about how big the storm would be.

However, there are some things that he, the prince, has to guard against, even if they are unlikely.

Ever since he took the position of Prince, he had to think more than others, otherwise he would have been pulled down from the position of Prince.

After a while, Yang Shaomu heard the people below come in and say that Zhao Xiangyi was here. He asked the people below to bring Zhao Xiangyi over. The two of them entered the study for a long time.

Chapter 150: Vacation

It's midsummer, the grass and trees are green, the cicadas on the trees are chirping non-stop, and the weather here in the capital is getting hotter day by day.

It just so happened that the case at the Ministry of Revenue was over. I had been busy for more than a month and had not had much rest. I had saved up several days of vacation and was still there. He had promised the boy at home to take him swimming. Since he had promised, he had to fulfill it. There were still many things to be busy with later. Taking advantage of the two days he could spare, Li Wen was ready to go out. Take two days off, rest and relax, and take the kids to play for two days.

It's just that we only have two days, so if we want to go further, we can't go far. The most we can do is walk around the city or the capital, and we can't go too far.

After arranging the time for Xiu Mu, Li Wen told Zhao Xiangyi about this.

Knowing that Li Wen wanted to take the boys swimming, he had a large lake in Zhuangzi on the outskirts of the city. They had fished there before. Zhao Xiangyi naturally remembered it, so he asked Li Wen to take the people. If you go to Zhuangzi and stay for two days, you can play in Zhuangzi for two days.

"It's just that I have some things to do here and I can't go with you. I'll ask someone to tell the steward at Zhuangzi. The steward at Zhuangzi also knows you. When you are tired, just go over. Brother Chen is thinking of you. After a while, I will send Brother Chen over tomorrow and go with you, okay?" By the way, I can send the boy over in a package, so that I don't have to look at him helplessly all day long and say that my brother won't take him out.

The relationship between the two brothers was much better than before, and Zhao Xiangyi gradually found out how to get along with his younger brother from Li Wen.

Except for the fact that the youngest brother in the family is weak and a little sick, he doesn't have much to dislike about his temperament. Zhao Xiangyi knew that the child had been kept at home by his mother over the years due to poor health. He probably didn't have many playmates around him, so he seemed a little lonely and naturally longed to play outside. He also has such a younger brother below him, and it is impossible for Zhao Xiangyi not to feel pain for him.

"That's okay. You can send Brother Chen here, and I'll take them to Zhuangzi to play. I don't want to go too far." Li Wen didn't have any objections to this. He just wanted to find a place to empty his mind and rest. It would be best if it takes only two days and less fuss.

There was just one more boy on the left and right, but the thought of the noisy scene of the three boys getting together made him a little...

"Brother Chen, I'll leave it to you." Zhao Xiangyi had a smile in his eyes, and he trusted him. Li asked before sending his younger brother to him. Two people understand each other's thoughts on many things, even if they don't point it out explicitly.

"When I finish my work here, I will come over to find you." He happened to have something to do these days and couldn't leave. Zhuangzi's place was not far away, so I would just go over there after he finished his work.

Li Wen nodded and said, "Okay, if you want to be busy, just do your business. We will stay in Zhuangzi for a day or two at most and then come back."

They don't have much time, so they can just play for a day or two at most. I have to go back to the city.

The two people discussed and settled, and Zhao Xiangyi sent someone to send a message to Zhuangzi to let them prepare. Li Wen sent someone to the academy to ask for two days' leave for the two boys. He asked Mr. Tong to get approval, otherwise it would not be good to miss classes for no reason.

Knowing that he could go to Zhuangzi to play, Mr. Li and his friends were also going together. Brother Chen was very happy. He asked the maid who served him to pack his things one day in advance, so that he could go out to play early tomorrow morning. .

"Mother Chen, you have to be more careful when serving Brother Chen." Seeing that her youngest son was happy, Mrs. Zhao did not stop her from going to Zhuangzi to play. Her youngest son usually liked to play in Liuyuan Mansion, so she said Li Liuyuan was also relieved. At worst, he would just send a few more maids and slaves to follow him.

It's just that the child has a bitter taste in summer, has a bad appetite, and doesn't eat much. The little meat he managed to grow in the winter is gone quickly, which makes the mother feel very sad. Madam Zhao warned, "Over there in the kitchen, ask them to get some food that Brother Chen likes to eat, and coax Brother Chen to eat two more bites."

"Yes, madam, don't worry, I will definitely look good on the young master." Mother Chen Responded.

Mrs. Chen was the dowry maid who followed Mrs. Zhao to the General's Mansion. Later, she was assigned by Mrs. Zhao to take care of the young master. This one was someone close to her, and Mrs. Zhao was relatively confident about her own people.

Early the next morning, the guards of the General's Mansion escorted their young master to Liuyuan Mansion.

"Chenchen is here, have you had breakfast?" Li Wen saw the child holding the rabbit, and his face had become thinner. He had heard Zhao Xiangyi say that the child was sick at home, so the child had not been home for a while. Came to his house to play.

He was also busy during this period and did not go to the General's Mansion to see the children. He only asked the children at home to bring gifts and go to

the General's Mansion to visit his friends.

The child nodded obediently and said "I've eaten", and then looked at Mr. Li eagerly.

"Okay, we're getting ready to go out now." Li Wen met the child's eyes and knew what the child wanted to ask. Several boys met and chatted there. Li Wen saw that most of the boys from his family were talking. Brother Chen seemed to have become much quieter since he fell ill.

But children are bound to get sick or something, and they will get better when they grow up.

"Okay, let's go."

"Let's go!"

The carriage in the courtyard has been prepared, and there is no need to prepare too many things on the carriage. Zhuangzi has everything. They just need to bring two changes of clothes. The three boys did not forget to take their rabbits with them. The three boys and the rabbits all got into the carriage together, and Li Wen also got into the carriage.

In addition to the serving maids and servants, there were also accompanying guards, and Brother Chen was with him. He was responsible for the safety of other people's children.

"Brother Chen, look at how big my rabbits are. "Look at their tails. They are so short..."

"Their eyes are red. "

Seeing a few boys playing with rabbits together, Li Wen's forehead twitched, and the four characters "Playing with things kill one's spirit" flashed across his mind, but who brought these rabbits back? He said he brought them back to some children!

Forget it, Just keep the children happy and keep them if you want.

Along the way in the carriage, several boys were laughing and laughing. Listening to the children's play, Li Wen closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the carriage. He took a nap. When he opened his eyes, the carriage was already on the path outside the city, and the three boys were lying on the window looking outside. When

they arrived at the village, they put down their things, leaving the maid and the old woman behind. When they got to the village, they took a few guards to the lake. There were many villages built by rich people nearby, so there was no need to worry about anyone coming to the lake. It was just a good place for them to swim. There is a row of trees planted by the lake .

The trees are lush and lush in midsummer. It is most comfortable to place a deck chair under the tree and put a pole to go fishing.

As for a few boys who want to go swimming, Except for his kid who can swim, the other two can't.

If they can't, they just have to learn.

"Okay, I'll find two people to teach you."

Li asked the accompanying guards, "Which of you can swim? " "He casually ordered two guards who could swim to come out and asked them to take the responsibility of taking Brother Chen and Yangyang down to learn how to swim.

"Hahaha... Look at me." Li Haopeng took off all his clothes in a few seconds, jumped into the water with a splash, kicked his feet in the water, like a fish, facing The friends who were still standing on the shore shouted, "Come down quickly, the water is so cool and comfortable."

People who can't swim are a little afraid of the water and dare not go down when they see the water.

Seeing the two children staring at the lake, standing there not daring to move, Li Wen couldn't help but smile and asked, "Do you want to go down and play? Look at Xiaobao, does he look like a fish in the water? Do you want to learn how to swim? You can play in the water in the future."

He looked at the children with encouragement in his eyes. He still hoped that the children could learn to swim, so that they would not fall into the water accidentally. You will drown, right? So learning to swim is also a skill.

"Yangyang, Brother Chen, come down quickly. It's not fun for me to be here alone." Li Haopeng had already swam in the water and found that the others had not come down yet, so they emerged from the water. He came out, stretched out his hand to touch the water on his face, and shouted.

"Don't be afraid, go down. I'm watching you here, and there are guards taking you. There is also Xiaobao in the water. You can see that Xiaobao has swam twice." With his encouragement, the two The child finally began to take off his clothes.

Li Wen also taught the two children some warm-up exercises before letting the guards take them down.

The two children had just entered the water, and they were probably still a little scared. They hugged the guard who was leading them tightly, and then slowly let go and let the guard lead them to splash in the water. Li Haopeng was hanging around his friends and took the initiative to teach them how to swim.

Seeing that Brother Chen and Yangyang were not used to going into the water, Li Wen had someone bring a deck chair over. He sat on the deck chair while fishing and paid attention to the few little guys in the water. He turned around and said to the accompanying guards. , "If you want to go down, just go down and play together. Pay attention to the little guys in the water and don't let anything happen to them. ,"

In this hot summer, the cool lake water has an alluring smell . The charm makes people want to take off their clothes immediately, jump in and take a shower before getting back up.

Look at the guards at the back. There are a few people here who can swim. With the consent of the master, they also They all ran into the water one after another.

As for those who couldn't swim, they could only stand on the shore and look at the people in the water with envy and hatred.