On the way here, Li Xingwu listened to the chief eunuch Feng Zuo tell him about what had happened, and he kept muttering in his heart. To arrest Qingtong, it is Zhou Qingxiu's meaning, and now he is also the one who runs to the emperor to complain. Besides, such a small matter, as for the emperor? It wasn't him, the secretary of the criminal department, who was in charge of it.

Standing in the palace at this time and listening to the emperor's questioning, Li Xingwu had no choice but to offend anyone, and admitted that he was unlucky: "Under the guise of a wedding banquet, the Qingtong of Hanlin Academy raped and insulted the woman of a good family, Feng, and was sent to the prison for interrogation. ”

The emperor on the throne patted the case, neither light nor serious, and said: "You are limited to find out the facts of the case within today, if there is a wrong, you will be guilty!" ”

"The minister commands." Li Xingwu hurriedly saluted again, and he already had a rough idea in his heart.

glanced at Zhou Qingxiu with his spare eyes and retreated.

As soon as Li Xingwu left, Xu Jing asked Zhou Qingxiu again: "What else is going on?" ”

Zhou Qingxiu now saw things clearly in his heart, and when Xu Jing questioned Li Xingwu, he thought about it again, and then said: "Because of this matter, Lord Shangshufeng of the Ministry of Rites sent someone to break into the house...... hit the Qing family, and wanted to tie up the Qing family's old and young ......"

Xu Jing looked at Zhou Qingxiu and said, "I know, step down." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Hearing this, Zhou Qingxiu had no choice but to bow down and withdraw from the Wende Palace.

As soon as Zhou Qingxiu left, Xu Jing got up and asked Feng Zuo: "Why don't you see Xingyuan?" ”

Feng Zuo said: "The criminal leader has always been without a trace, and he can't see the head or the end, and the minions don't know." ”

Xu Jing was about to get angry, but Xing Yuan appeared at the right time, entered the hall and saluted: "I haven't seen you for a few days......"

Feng Zuo consciously withdrew from the hall, leaving only two people.

Xu Jingfu sat down behind the case again, looked at Xing Yuan and asked, "Anyway, what happened?" ”

Xing Yuan poured himself a cup of tea to eat, and said slowly: "Lord Qing held a wedding banquet, and the Feng family went to make trouble, but Zhou Qingxiu's son Zhou Rui took advantage of the loophole and took it away. said that he was sending her back, but he didn't know where he took it, and the three people who had been mixing it all day long raped the Feng family. I thought it was also a drunken guts, and on a whim, I loosened the outline. ”

Xu Jing looked at Xing Yuan, and Xing Yuan continued: "Feng Zhiwen, the emperor, should know better, interests are the first, treacherous and cunning. The Zhou family was in charge of the household, and took the initiative to show goodwill, asking Zhou Rui to accept his daughter, and he naturally would not be hostile to the Zhou family in the face. If you want to find someone to vent your anger and save face, that is Qingtong. This Qing Master is also interesting, he actually guessed that I was from Luan Weisi, and he released the news and spread it to the ears of the Zhou family. Zhou Qingxiu was uneasy and came to test the emperor. If I'm not mistaken, he has already sold the Feng family. ”

"It's really sold." Xu Jing said: "Zhou Rui betrayed the Feng family, no matter how much he was friendly for the sake of interests on the face, he always had a grudge. Zhou Qingxiu saw that I was protecting Qingtong, so he naturally wanted to use his strength to get rid of the Feng family. It just so happens that I also want to get rid of the Feng family. ”

"Just because of the blue pupils?" Xing Yuan gossiped and looked at Xu Jing: "What are you ......?"

"If you didn't report to me in time, where did you go during this time?" Xu Jing simply interrupted Xingyuan's words.

Xing Yuan was not sticky, and changed the topic: "The Feng family sent people to kill the Qing family, I watched there, I was afraid that Gong Qiu would not be able to resist it." Speaking of which, Gong Qiu didn't know that you deliberately arranged her to Qingtong's side, right? Poor girl, she has always thought that she was once again kicked out by her family. ”

Xu Jing didn't speak, Xing Yuan talked a lot, and changed the topic and said: "Although the Feng family is not a good one, except that it deserves it." But this Zhou family is really evil, but the emperor wants to keep it? ”

Xu Jing flipped through the folds, and said without raising his head: "On this matter, if you investigate it, I'm afraid that it will involve too much, and the time has not yet come, so let's take a look." ”

Xing Yuan didn't have anything else to say, so he ate another cup of tea and resigned.

+++

However, it was said that Li Xingwu, the secretary of the Criminal Department, walked very slowly after leaving the Wende Palace, and deliberately waited for Zhou Qingxiu. When the two met, they still straightened their waists and walked forward.

Li Xingwu had roughly understood Zhou Qingxiu's actions at this time, and only said: "That Qingtong is the emperor's person?" ”

"Look, it's right." Zhou Qingxiu said: "Fortunately, we didn't move, if we did, I'm afraid it would be difficult." ”

"So what now?" Li Xingwu turned his head to look at Zhou Qingxiu - Did you take your son to be sentenced for the crime?

Zhou Qingxiu was very calm: "There are three people who committed the crime with Rui'er, one of whom has a father who is a local county magistrate, and he has no power in Beijing, so he is under the top of him." ”

Li Xingwu understood, and asked again: "What about the Feng family?" ”

"The Feng family moved the wrong person, and it's not easy for us to interfere, it all depends on the emperor's intentions."

Li Xingwu probably understood that Zhou Qingxiu had turned against the Feng family, thinking that this matter was tricky, and he had to get rid of it, so he didn't ask more.

When he went back to the Criminal Department, he kidnapped Li Houde, and pretended to interrogate Qingtong in prison for a few words, and then released Qingtong.

Qingtong and Li Houde met each other, stopped, and Qingtong only said: "Brother Li said that I will invite me to eat and drink when I disperse in the evening, so I will invite Brother Zhou tomorrow." Then he passed by.

After getting out of prison, Qingtong did not return to office, but went home directly. The cell was damp, and I only stayed for this afternoon, and I wanted to go back and freshen up and change my clothes.

But I didn't expect that as soon as I got home, I saw that the door was locked, and no one was seen. Qingtong raised his hand and patted the door for a while, and He Sheng's voice came from inside: "Who is coming?" ”

"It's me, your lord." Qingtong said loudly.

He Sheng heard that it was Qingtong's voice, hurriedly removed the bolt, opened the door, and said happily: "Master, you are finally back." ”

"What's going on at home? Why? Qing Hitomi asked as she entered the door.

He Sheng followed her and told her the ins and outs. Qingtong was angry after hearing this, and it was okay to arrest her and put her in prison, how could there be any reason to move the children in her family again?!

With angry eyes, he went all the way to the Qingyan Courtyard, and saw that He Biqing was playing with Qingyan, and the atmosphere was not too tense, so Qingtong breathed a sigh of relief. When he entered the house, he didn't ask others to salute, and when he went up, he asked Qing Yan: "How is the injury?" Does it hurt? ”

Qing Yan shook his head: "It doesn't hurt, we're all waiting for my father to come back." ”

Qing Tong took Qing Yan into his arms, then let go, poured himself a cup of tea, poured it down, and went to Gong Qiu's courtyard.

As soon as I walked to the gate of the courtyard, I saw He's mother entering with a food plate. Qing Tong paused, but still followed, and when he reached the door of the main room, he didn't go in immediately, just stood.

Mother He entered the main room with a food plate, still smiling crampedly, and said in a careful tone: "I don't know what my wife likes to eat, I made a bowl of porridge at will." It turned out to be a way in the countryside, and my wife should have never eaten it, so I was shocked by it. ”

Gong Qiu glanced up at her, with no expression on his face, and only said, "Put it down." ”

Mother He put down the porridge with a smile, and Gong Qiu said lightly: "Don't be so restrained, although I look cold, I am not an unreasonable person." You're here as a courtesy, I can see it. ”

As soon as Gong Qiu said this, the cramped smile on Mother He's face slowly faded. She put down the food plate and took two steps back before she spoke again: "I am very grateful to see that my wife is brave today and protects the safety of our whole family. It was also courageous that he dared to make a bowl of porridge for his wife. The slave is not from a big family, and there are always many etiquettes that he doesn't understand, but he wants the master and the second master to be good. If I had bumped into my wife before, I didn't have a heart, I hope my wife ......"

Gong Qiu was not very accustomed to others confessing their hearts to herself, which meant that she had to respond in the same way, so she interrupted Mother He's words and said, "Why do you all call Qingyan the second master?" He has a brother who died? ”

Mother He was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly replied: "That's not true, the old man gave birth to Brother Jing'er, who went to the first wife when she had a difficult birth, and we haven't seen it." Because of Brother Jing'er's milk name 'Well', the master said that both horizontal and vertical are two, so he is used to being called the second master and the second master. Those who entered the house and didn't understand it all followed. ”

Gong Qiu thought it was funny, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, took the bowl of porridge and ate two bites, and said, "The craftsmanship is good." ”

Mother He was happy when she saw that she had eaten the porridge she made, and said with a smile: "I can't do anything else, I will make some food and clothing, and raise my brother." ”

"That's enough." Gong Qiu said: "It's not so easy to raise a child well. In the future, I won't ask you to worry about anything else, you just raise your brother, and I will give you another month's increase. It's also a good thing for you to be idle and add another kid to your family. ”

As soon as she heard this, Mother He was busy kneeling and kowtowing. I don't understand other etiquette, kneeling and kowtowing or something is done smoothly. Gong Qiu saw that she was about to make a big salute, and stretched out her hand to help: "There is no need to do this, I just came according to the rules." ”

Mother He didn't kneel, but in short, she was happy. Seeing that this new lady didn't look like a living person, she didn't expect it to be a very reasonable person. He retreated to the door with joy, and suddenly saw the green pupils, so he learned to pass the word again, and said inside: "Madam, the master is here." ”

With a faint smile on her face, Qing Tong stepped in. Outside the door, I listened to the conversation between Gong Qiu and Mother He, and I didn't have anything to say at this time. It's just that the words of thanks were said a few more times, and they were a little dry, and they were blasted out by Gong Qiu's cold words, "The master is busy with something, I'm tired".

Qingtong was not idle, and went back to his courtyard to let Green Shadow Zisu fetch water to freshen up, and eat something more. When I went to the study in the front yard, I was thinking about all kinds of things.

Just thinking about it, He Sheng came to pass the word, saying that someone came to the door to ask to see. Seeing that it was Zhao Yan, the two of them did not stay at the Qing family, but went outside together and found a tavern to sit down.

"I heard that the Feng family sent someone to your house, how is the family?" After sitting down and pouring wine, Zhao Yan asked.

When it came to this incident, Qing Tong was still depressed. She took a glass of wine and said angrily: "It was blocked by Gong Qiu, it's not a big deal." ”

Zhao Yan picked up the wine glass and clinked glasses with her again, and said, "Most of the matter has passed, and now it's fine, why are you still so depressed?" Please eat this wine, it should be celebrated. ”

Qingtong poured the wine down, lowered her head, and said slowly: "I have been reflecting since the moment I was taken into prison, and I have been thinking about it until now, but I still have no clue. ”

"Tell me about it." Zhao Yan said.

Qingtong drank two more glasses of wine, sighed, and said slowly: "To be honest, I don't like Feng Yu's temperament very much, and she is willful and ignorant of princess disease, but this dislike is at most I hope she stays away from me and doesn't have anything to do with me." Every time she gets close to me, I think something is going to happen to her, before my son fell into the water, and then I don't know what it will be, it's a big head. Yesterday too, I chased her and she didn't leave, I was upset, so I didn't want to care anymore...... I want a girl...... A bunch of men tell you to come for a drink and you come? Endlessly, playing drunk, pulling out scissors to force the nurse ......"

Qing Tong covered her face when she said this, and didn't say any more.

"You think you're responsible for this?" Zhao Yan looked at her very calmly: "You want to excuse yourself again." ”

Qing Tong removed his fingers and raised his head, looking at Zhao Yan without speaking, his eyes were empty.

Zhao Yan handed her a glass of wine: "No one blames you, and the Feng family just didn't dare to touch the Zhou family, so they had to be angry with you." Drink, I'll carry you back when you're drunk, and I'll help you what you want to do when you wake up, as long as you're comfortable. ”

"I did make a mistake...... Qing Tong drank the wine and waved his hand: "But just to give myself peace of mind, I have to do the same." Zhou Rui: Maybe I can't move yet, but there will be opportunities in the future. Li Houde is not saved, and the remaining Wu Yingjun and Zhao Cheng, I want them to pay for this matter......"

"Okay, I'll help you." Zhao Yan accompanied her to drink a glass of wine.

Qingtong drank too much, her face was red, and she began to talk more and more when she was digging her heart. In fact, since Zhao Yan discovered her true identity, her secret in front of Zhao Yan has been nothing. The classmates back then, plus the work together after being admitted to the Jinshi, as long as Zhao Yan has a little string of things, he can guess some cause and effect.

Qingtong held the wine glass, her tongue began to knot as she spoke, and she asked Zhao Yan, "I want to ask you...... You...... Why is it to become an official in the examination of merit? ”

Zhao Yan asked rhetorically: "Is there any other way to go?" ”

Qing Tong smiled self-deprecatingly and said, "I'll tell you!" I am for the glory and wealth of the bright future! What kind of national plan, what people's livelihood, what's my business?! I just want to be a big official, make a lot of money, and live a life like a human being! Don't be looked down upon! ”

"But now I find out that ......" Qingtong narrowed her eyes, obviously drinking too much, and muttered: "Maybe a person like me is not worthy of being an official at all......"