Xiao Lu took Gu Yi and Gu Ci to say goodbye to his family before the Dragon Boat Festival, set off from the other courtyard, went to Tianjin Port, and then transferred to the sea ship to Andong City. Originally, the eighty guards in the honor guard were all brought, plus fifty female soldiers, and the number was considerable. However, when they arrived at the port of Tianjin, only the female soldiers were left, and they joined the twenty female soldiers who were already waiting on the ship, and the others were brought back by Ganlu.

After Gu Ci happily cried in Gu Yi's arms, he cleaned up his mood and began to play games with Xiao Lu and Gu Yi. In addition to the Go prepared for the two of them, Gu Ci also deliberately put a 'Monopoly' version of Shuanglu, which can be half the size of a carriage when spread out.

Participants have a lady, a girl, a scholar, a general, a monk, a big official these roles can be played, encountered a variety of temples, green buildings, barricades to shout grievances, frontiers, selling oneself to bury one's father, academies, restaurants, embroidery villages, Dali Temple and so on.

For example, in the temple, Xiangguo Temple, where incense is in full bloom, enters the temple to burn incense and stops once. Men in Shaolin Temple can learn kung fu, and the next time they go two more squares, women are not allowed to enter the temple, and they have to retreat one square, and the nunnery is the opposite of Shaolin Temple. Lanruo Temple naturally has a small Qian, the scholar will be seconds when he comes in, return to the original point, and the monk will get rid of the demon. Miss Yuelao Temple girl stops once, if the young lady meets a scholar in the Yuelao Temple, you can advance six squares together. The girl has to stop a game when she enters the Pufu Temple, and if she meets a scholar, she has to go to Miss together.

Monks, generals and officials can't go to the Qinglou, they have to be imprisoned when they jump to the Qinglou, and they can continue to play after stopping for two games. When the monk meets the lady and the girl, he has to retreat three squares, he has to stop for a game when he enters the restaurant, and he returns to the original point in seconds when he enters the nunnery.

In short, all kinds of new ways to play are endless, and the maids have a lot of fun with her, sometimes Xiao Lu and Gu Yi also participate, but unfortunately Gu Ci has never been able to fool them into choosing a young lady.

Waiting for this to get tired of playing, it's almost time to get on the boat, and then bring out the cards and the quintessence of mahjong, and it's not boring at all along the way.

***********************

The departure of Xiao Lu and his party attracted a lot of people's attention and small actions, but the capital soon turned against the sky because of other things.

First of all, Gu Yao took a team of Jinyi guards to Xiangyuan City to meet with the king of Runan County, and copied many wealthy families and shops, especially the twelve salt sources in Xiangyuan City and Liujin City, and the iron ore mine supervisor at the border between Liujin City and Fubo City.

At the same time, the three families gave the emperor an excerpt, and it is said that they threw it away to pad the table legs.

King Guangen, who was originally in charge of dance music at Taichang Temple in the Ministry of Rites, was impeached, and he led seven or eight Maiko singers back to his house to think about it behind closed doors, and four of them had big bellies. His father-in-law, Bai Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, was deposed along with Jia Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites. Jia also set a precedent for the dismissal of the Dayu Dynasty Shangshu, and his two sons in the Ministry of Industry and the Hanlin Academy were also relegated to the southernmost Liuling City to engage in development and construction, but there was a young son who had just been in the same Jinshi, and after the prince's intercession, he received the Donggong Zhan Mansion as a small housekeeper, so as to escort Gu Ci's Hepu pearl farming business in the south of Liuling City.

Compared with the movements of these princes, the appointment of Gu Ao and his wife and son as the governor of Langya City is insignificant.

For the Protectorate, things are much more than just what they seem.

Before the raid, there was no news of the stone account room and the patriarch of the Fang clan in the second room, and as the names of the merchants and industries that were arrested appeared in turn, many people were as panicked as birds.

Qingyi is guarded by Yuyi, and no one's face is sold, Gu Yi took Gu Er and Gu San, who sneaked out of the house in private, as well as several people who helped run errands, and were interrogating with Ming Fang on Zhuangzi.

After Gu Yao and the king of Runan returned to Beijing, they went straight to the Jinluan Palace, talked with the emperor alone for less than a quarter of an hour, and led the Jinyi guards to kill a few Zhuangzi in the southern suburbs.

At this time, the Jingshi was in an uproar, Changning Bo, Jing Tianbo and Xiu Ning Hou knelt outside the prison gate with their own sons, and their mansion was surrounded by the Jinyi Guards and the Five Cities Janissaries. Concubine Du Xian took the Nine Emperor Princes, Concubine Chen Shu, and Concubine Liang Liang to distribute plain clothes, knelt at the gate of Cining Palace, and the Queen Mother asked the female official Lan to send a thick cotton pad and didn't care. King Zhongshan and King Guangen also wanted to kneel at Meng Zhangmen, but unfortunately it was too close to the East Palace, and they were invited by the prince to drink tea. As for the princesses, they could only hand over the sign and wait outside the Donghua Gate.

***********************

The emperor was furious with the report from the investigation of the king of Runan.

Since the Fang family has been relieved, like water passing over the back of a duck without leaving a trace, they have secretly pondered it again. On the one hand, he accumulates wealth by doing business, and on the other hand, he wants to turn over for the family by relying on the dragon's skills, so he bets everywhere. Before the prince was born, the Fang family had contact with the four concubines, and after having the prince, the Fang family didn't want to lean on, but the Xiao family and the Gu family had too deep prejudices against the other family, and they didn't have a good chance.

This Fang family is not only the head of the Fang family, but also the Fang family of the Protector Mansion.

At the beginning, Chang Ningbo Bo took the initiative to come over to find the Fang patriarch to cooperate to earn the salt money, and under the matchmaking of the Fang patriarch, he partnered with several wealthy families in the south who held the salt lead, and then asked the Fang family's ancient Fang Zhai to put the money in the seal and make friends with local officials, so the Fang patriarch dared to be so bold in deducting money and land in weaving and bullying Sannong.

And Mrs. Fang, under the joint instigation of her brother Fang Ting and Gu Ji, asked Gu Pu to help connect with General Lin and Lin Qianfeng under his command, and set up Tongda Cargo Bank.

Xiu Ninghou swept to the end of the typhoon because of Tongda Cargo Bank before, and he was involved in this incident again, completely because the nose of King Zhongshan was too smart after he opened the mansion, and wherever there was money to be made, he had to be involved. After the windfall profits of Tongda Cargo Bank were discovered by the officials he placed on Beiguan Road, he did not hesitate to hint at 30% of the shares. Gu Fangzhai's Yinzi money was large, and the funds were sufficient, so he asked Mrs. Xiuning Hou to come forward to buy shares and intervene in the salt introduction.

Jingtian Bo's family was born in the garrison of Yumen Pass, and because Concubine Chen Shu had two princes before, she was rampant in Beijing, and she also received a lot of filial piety from the patriarch of Fang and Gu Fangzhai half into dry shares, but he never put the Fang family in his eyes. Later, it plummeted, he couldn't shake up, he was poor and short-spirited, and half of his family's income accounted for more than half of his family's income. The iron ore was secretly mined by his family before, and after the patriarch Fang found out, he wanted to smuggle ordnance through the sales channels of the goods store, so he shook hands with Fang Ting and made progress together.

As soon as Lin Qianfeng had an accident, Patriarch Fang had a keen sense of smell, so he immediately stopped and took away the goods that he had not taken off from the Tongda Cargo Store, and they were not affected. After the weaving field farmer was given to Xie Qing by the prince, he felt that something was wrong, and went to Beijing to inquire about the news, and by the way, he wanted to collect Gu Fangzhai's Yinzi money business. How could a few uncles agree, he planned to give Gu Fangzhai directly to those families, and he borrowed the Protectorate Mansion to make another shell and do some small business, even if the prince was on the throne, those few were unlucky, and he would be safe and sound.

So at that time, Gu Ci saw that it was indeed true that the Fang family was not short of money, and they just wanted to launder the money in hand under the protection of Gu Yao.

Patriarch Fang sorted out the account books and cash of Gu Fangzhai, as well as the buyout silver of those families, including the ordnance brought back by Tongda Cargo Bank, not in the southern suburbs, but in the courtyard of the stone account room. In order to be able to act cheaply in the Protectorate Mansion, Patriarch Fang paid twenty percent of the silver to Gu Ji, and even Mrs. Fang didn't know about it. It's a pity that this secret was leaked in the takeaway hall of Zhishuangzhai, and a few small people who served in the stone account room complained about the lack of sleep, stayed up for several nights, and had to continue tonight. The guy who pretended to be dozing in the corner heard the clue and handed the news to the prince, who simply helped the Protector Mansion clean up the internal affairs, and even sent the goods and silver to the Zhuangzi in the southern suburbs of Changning Bo's house.

This stroke of genius involves more insider information.

Those Zhuangzi are all under the name of Concubine Du Xian, and they are the property of the two sisters, her aunt and Gu Xiaosu's father-in-law's biological mother, so they will naturally be investigated. In the end, I learned that when the notorious Wang family was beheaded at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the old man at that time, Ning Bo, took advantage of the convenience of maintaining the grain road to secretly replace the two sisters of the Wang family who were in their hearts in the past. The elder Ning Bo bought Zhuangzi and hid the young sisters for their dowry in the future. It's a pity that these two sisters didn't want to marry a merchant woman and a peasant wife, and they entered the backyard of Chang Ningbo Bo, who was still the son of the world at the time, and worked hard for decades.

This can make the emperor so angry that one Buddha ascended to heaven and two Buddhas were born.

If the sisters of the Wang family live honestly, the emperor knows that he will also turn a blind eye to the past, and not care about women, but now he is calculating to send his daughter to the palace, get two princes and grandchildren, and save money, this is to support the prince to take the throne, so as to overturn the case for the Wang family? ! There is also the Fang family, who sells weapons privately, saying that it is for the mountain bandits in the north, who knows if it was directly sent to the hands of Qianyi, which is really worthy of the name of the national beetle!

All of them are here to earn a dragon merit!!

The emperor was angry, he must find someone to be angry, the Fang family quickly raided the house, men over the age of five were beheaded, women and children were not slaves, and Yangguan, which was returned to the west than Yanmen Pass, was issued, and a new crime of 'smuggling ordnance to Beiyi' was added to the 'Monument of Apology' in Xiangyuan City.

For a time, countless daughters of the Fang family were removed from the score, and those who were willing to take back their daughters and granddaughters paid enough fines to ransom them from official slaves to private slaves.

Gu Yao privately begged for a favor, spared Gu Ying's eight-year-old son Fang Ju, and then sent someone to secretly go to Xiangyuan City to pick up people.

Fang Ting's head fell to the ground, Gu Yao just paid a ransom to Mrs. Fang's sister-in-law Shen and two nieces, and then sent their deeds to Gu Pu, Mrs. Fang, who originally wanted Gu Yao to intercede for Gu Ji, was speechless.

The second punching bag Changning Bo's family, robbing the family and degrading to the common people, over 50 years old sent back to their hometown of Guangling City, the rest moved to Yanmen Pass, which is regarded as a companion with the Fang family, three generations are not allowed to take scientific examinations, five generations are not allowed to enter the office, and the two aunts are given white silk. Concubine Du Xian was demoted to a talented person, King Guangen was reduced to Prince Wupin and continued to think about it behind closed doors, and Princess Fengyang was demoted to the county lord.

The Xiuning Marquis family fined 600,000 taels of silver and three years of money, and was demoted to a third-class marquis, and all the children who had official positions were taken off. In order to make up the money, Marquis Liang and Concubine Liang almost sold their families short, and the dowry of the daughters-in-law did not keep a few points, so the sacrifice field was still intact. Concubine Liang Liang was demoted to Shuyi, and the King of Zhongshan fined 500,000 taels and was demoted to a third-class prince, and he also thought about the past behind closed doors. Gaoyang and Dongyang were demoted to county lords. Because Chunyi participated in Gu Fangzhai in the name of Dongyang, Dongyang was fined an additional 200,000 yuan.

The affectionate and righteous Jingtian uncle's family was fined 400,000 yuan, and in addition to Chen Su, the younger brother of Jingtian's uncle, who held the military power in Jingxi, several children in the army also suspended their salaries and went to Beijing to wait for inspection. Concubine Chen Shufei was grounded for one year, and Princess Ningyang was fined for one year, but Chen Shurong, who had no children and no favor, was promoted to the new concubine, which could be regarded as appeasing the Chen family.

The Lin family was cleaned up last time, but this time because of the negligence of 'smuggling weapons', they were fined 300,000 yuan, emptied their family funds and avoided imprisonment, and sent Southwest Yi to deal with the natives.

Wenchang Boben, who has always followed the Marquis of Xiuning, was glad that he was not caught in the matter of the goods store, who knew that Gu Fangzhai's account book had his name, and he was demoted to a third-class uncle, fined 300,000 in silver, and could not hand over 100,000 yuan, and howled at the door of Princess Xiangyi's mansion every day.

Xiangyi finally made up his mind to reconcile with him, and the emperor waved his pen and was approved.

***********************

The noisy shouting in the capital that lasted for several months did not affect the prince who was drinking tea in the small secret room of Zhishuangzhai with Bajie and watching over the calligraphy and painting.

Before the emperor gave the order, he specially asked him to talk about it once.

The two people in the Jinluan Hall knew each other well.

The emperor knew that he was the one who stabbed out the silver and armaments, and he happily denied it, only saying that he knew that Patriarch Fang had been there several times, and it was an unexpected joy to pull out Concubine Du Xian's life experience. He knew that it was a temptation for the emperor to ask how to deal with these people, and he didn't want to speak, but when he saw a scroll of paintings sent back by Gu Ci on the emperor's desk, he changed his mind and said that he would be fined silver. The little girl doesn't like to see blood, and what she likes to say the most is, 'I don't have any money to see how you toss'. If he knew that he had reined in this ill-gotten gain, he would certainly not be stingy with all kinds of praise.

The emperor was satisfied, he took the scroll, and he was satisfied.

As for what to do with Mrs. Fang and the second room of the Gu family, he had already given Gu Yao the meaning, and he didn't think there would be any big problems.

***********************

Gu Ci has not been seasick since he got on the boat, and he is very happy to draw with charcoal. It's not that she doesn't want to use a brush, but when she paints with a brush, she can still feel the impact of the light shaking of the boat, which is too strenuous. Xiao Lu watched her draw a few times, and she also used it, at least it was very convenient to make a draft or something, the steamed bun slices were clean as soon as they were wiped, and even Gu Yi now used charcoal to read books and take notes.

Everyone has a share of the paintings she sent back, and every time they are thick, Yuan Yi can't help but open them first and read them every time she pinched the letters for others.

To the Queen Mother is the folk variety, the hawker pawn shopkeeper Xiaoer, the maid who goes shopping, the scholar lady, the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled, there are all kinds of interesting things written in the painting.

The emperor was sent to the officials of the Guo Guanfu of the Shanshui City that could be seen along the coast, and in her own words, this was a complaint that turned a corner. For example, the little officials of Tianjin Port shyly held horsewhips on their bellies, beat and scolded the slender men of merchant ships, urging them to give way to the official sea ships.

What is painted to her family is her food, clothing, housing and transportation, playing double land in the carriage, watching Xiao Lu and Gu Yi play chess, the layout of the boat, fishing and grilled fish, etc.

Only the letters sent to him were written the most, and the drawings were added only when they were remembered. Just like the first time she saw the moon rising on the sea, she excitedly expressed a lot of feelings, and halfway through the writing, she drew a picture of the bright moon on the sea, which took up most of the pages. Originally, the inscription next to it was 'The moon is born on the sea, and the end of the world is at this time', but it was crossed out and re-written as 'confidant in the sea, if the end of the world is next to each other'!

Obviously, the lovesickness of the previous poem is the most suitable!

The prince glared at the letter! It's like she's standing in front of her. Fortunately, she did not forget his explanation every time, and drew a small portrait of herself at the end of the letter.

It seems that the little girl has grown up a lot......

Having said that, Yuyi now has nothing to do, so she took her paintings to Cining Palace to exchange views with the Queen Mother to appreciate them, and also collected all the paintings for the emperor.

How can I get it all?

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince began to think seriously.

***********************

The Protector Mansion has been watching a will this time and the family is unlucky, like a sharp blade hanging over their heads, and they don't know when to chop it down.

Mrs. Fang, Aunt Fang, and the fifth lady cried to death, Gu Pu went to the second master's house to beat and scold him, and sent people to wait at the gate of the Qingyi Courtyard every day to invite Gu Yao. Gu Yao can come two or three times out of ten, and every time he can't say a few words, Yuyi will come to call someone.

It was delayed until the Chung Yeung Festival, and there was no movement from the emperor.

Gu Yi looked next to the fourth lady, who had been much haggard recently, and comforted her, "Mother, maybe the emperor will be fine for the uncle's sake." Delaying it for so long is just to handle it with care. ”

The fourth lady is not optimistic, "Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has not been a person who can cast a rat trap, besides, your uncle may still want the emperor to handle it impartially." ”

"Why? Uncle is already in a high position, why bother stepping on us and pretending to be a good person! ”

"How is this possible?" The fourth lady couldn't help but smile bitterly, her daughter is smart, but she is always prone to having ideas that are opposed to those of the other rooms. "If you punish the Protector Mansion severely, how can your uncle care about money, he doesn't have to do anything, the emperor will definitely compensate afterwards, and most of it will fall on Qilang and Twelvelang."

"It's a good fortune for the uncle to marry the eldest princess. No wonder he didn't plan to intercede for the second uncle. Gu Yi said gloomily.

"Silly girl, why do you think so? Grandpa Guo is the eldest son, how could he let the reputation of the Gu family be damaged, your grandmother and second uncle are fine now, he is already protecting him. The emperor even punished the princess and the prince severely. ”

Gu Yi thought about it carefully, and then suddenly realized, "Can that uncle really make us okay?" ”

"It can't be. Your grandfather said that either the emperor is considering a way not to hurt the Changfang and the Gu family, or he is waiting to see if your grandmother and second uncle have anything else to do, and they will be punished for several crimes. ”

"Grandmother and second uncle...... How can you be so bold? ”

"Ugh." The fourth lady sighed and felt remorseful.

She has been a housekeeper for many years, and it is impossible to say that she didn't see that Mrs. Fang and the second master's money was used wrongly, but she just felt that they were in the eyes of money, and they could protect themselves with wisdom, so they didn't care. Who knew that it would be involved in the big crimes of 'fornicating with the enemy country' and 'plotting rebellion'?!

"Mother, what my grandmother and my second uncle did, if it is very serious, what will we do ......?"

The fourth lady was silent for a long time, and said faintly, "The two aunts of the Du family were given to die, and your grandmother was just an aunt before she was corrected......

“…… What about the second uncle? ”

"He has been seriously ill and bedridden for a long time......"

"What will happen to our rooms?"

“…… I'm only worried about your brother's fame in the future......" The fourth lady couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst into tears.

"Mother, don't be sad, let's think about what else can be done?" Gu Yi held back her tears and comforted her mother.

Outside the door, Gu Xin suddenly rushed in, "Mother, something so big happened, why don't you let people tell me?!" ”

He has been studying hard in the small mansion next door to Qiao's Mansion, with only two servants accompanying him, and the fourth lady instructed no one to show the news. Today, it was Qiao Ge Lao who knew about this matter and felt that it was inappropriate, so he asked Qiao Yu to come to inform him, and he knew how deeply involved his family was in this matter.

"Goro!" The fourth lady wept bitterly.

Gu Xin hurriedly comforted her with her sister, "Mother, don't worry, I'll meet with my eldest brother in a while, discuss an approximation, and then go to my uncle for advice." ”

"Big brother is back?" Gu Yi asked in surprise, how could Gu Ke return to Beijing if he was a magistrate of any county under his father-in-law?

Gu Xin smiled bitterly, "Brother Yu told me." The second uncle had such a big event, and the eldest brother directly resigned and came back. ”

Mother and daughter looked at each other.

"This is also the proper meaning, my grandfather said it, it is the word 'quasi' approved by the emperor himself."

The fourth lady calmed down and looked at her son with relief, "Then you go, I'll watch over your father's side a little, so that he won't get into trouble if he asks around again." ”

***********************

Gu Ke, who rushed back from the dust, changed his clothes and washed up, said hello to Gu Pu, and came to his father's door to ask to see him.

Gu Ji lay on the bed weakly, staring at the top of the tent in a daze. Gu Pu slapped him twice that day, and the corners of his mouth are still swollen. Hearing his son's voice, he didn't pay attention to it, and the maids around him didn't dare to persuade him, so he had to inform Gu Ke.

Gu Ke dismissed the maid and maid and stepped into the door.

first knelt down and kowtowed to Gu Ji three times, and then said calmly, "Father, my son has already folded his resignation, if the emperor is gracious, I am fortunate to keep my fame, I invite myself to go to Yanmen Pass." You can also take care of the second sister and her children nearby. At that time, my mother and I will go together, and several aunts will live with my sisters. Please also ask my father to take care of himself. ”

Gu Ji turned his head and stared at him, Gu Ke still said calmly, "Gu San and Gu Er, as well as a few people who are helping you run errands outside, as well as the middleman who contacted Jing Tianbo, I told the seventh brother just now, I think he will take care of it." Do you have any other commands? ”

"Why?" Gu Ji asked in a hoarse voice.

Gu Ke looked at his father, with pain, pity, disappointment, pity, pity, sympathy, admiration and other emotions brewing in his eyes, and after a long time, he replied, "Father, I am the eldest son in the family, and now I have my own children, so I naturally have to think about my family first." ”

After saying that, he kowtowed three more times, turned around and left neatly.

Gu Ji gasped heavily, his face was purple, his green hands grabbed the medicine bowl and teacup on the small pestle and smashed it towards the door, tears rolling down the corners of his eyes.