Huo Shiqi has been sending Meng Biyin to the gate of the hospital. Standing in the threshold and watching Meng Biyin's back disappear behind a few rows of gray and gloomy tiled houses, he stood for a while before slowly turning around.

He really didn't know how to treat Qiao Zhun.

He and this person's grievances and grievances, I'm afraid I can't finish talking about them for a few days and nights......

As early as when he was studying, he had already met Qiao Zhun. Qiao Zhun's age is similar to him, but he is earlier than him in both entering the county school and gaining fame, so when he worked together later, he always respected Qiao Zhun more. Moreover, Qiao's family also had a favor for Huo Shiqi. When he was taking the Xiucai exam, before going to Duanzhou to take the state exam, he specially came to the door to ask Qiao Zhun's father, Mr. Qiao, how to prepare essays after entering the examination room. With the kindness of the ancestors of the Qiao family in front and the friendship of classmates working together, if it weren't for the grudge between the two later, Huo Shiqi would probably respect Qiao Zhun and say "Brother Yunping" when he was old......

If this grudge is a short-term small contradiction in the parents on weekdays, then, for the sake of Mr. Qiao's careful teaching, he will take the initiative to resolve this old matter no matter what. However, even if two or three years have passed, no matter at any time, as long as he thinks of the past, there is a fire in his heart. Think about the things that Qiao Zhun did after becoming the county magistrate, the yamen removed his name, pursued the old account, and deprived him of his fame...... This is really poignant! He, Qiao Zhun, is also a person who has been tormented by several civil wars in the past ten years, how could he be so ruthless?!

After he was dismissed by the Yamen, when he was going through hardships at home, for a while, he even forced himself not to recall that past incident, nor to remember that name. But there are many things that he can't control at all. During that time, the yamen knocked on his door twice in three days, completely ignoring the friendship of the previous collaborators, forcing him to take out the money to make up for the shortfall that God knows where it came from. Even now, when he thinks about these things, he can't help but grit his teeth with a rattle. In an instant, blood poured all over his body. He could hear the blood running through the veins in his forehead! is this person, this person who sits in the main house and does not leave, almost let him disgrace his deceased parents and the ancestors of the Huo family, and will also make the descendants of the Huo family bear their infamy for decades. The shame of being deprived of fame will make him and his family never look up......

He moved slowly and heavily. He needed to make a decision in just a few steps, whether to say hello to Qiao Zhun like a classmate, or to say a few words indifferently like a stranger and let him leave by himself?

In fact, he wanted to let the surnamed Qiao get out.

He didn't want to see such a person at all!

But he couldn't do this kind of rudeness. No matter how much he hates this person, he is always a guest, and when he meets in this Yanzhou city, he will do his best to be a landlord who should be a host. Besides, this is still the annex of the Patrol Division, and it is the place where the officials caught in the lawsuit are detained, and Qiao Zhun can come to see him at this time, and he can't ignore this affection.

However, he was unwilling to force himself to make a slight excuse about his surname Qiao.

I have to find a way to cover up the past......

The courtyard of the small courtyard was very small, and he didn't have time to think about a way to retreat without losing face and making his surname Qiao retreat. He lowered his head and walked into the main room, finally squeezing out a little laugh line on his face, his eyes stared at the wooden table next to Qiao Zhun's seat, and he said without words: "You...... This, how did you meet Lao Meng? Because of his anger, he didn't even call Qiao Zhun's expression. This is actually a very faux pastime.

Qiao Zhun also seemed to be a little distracted. He didn't notice Huo Shiqi's rudeness at all, and was stunned for a moment, before he smiled bitterly and said, "How else can you know each other?" He is the head of the inspection department, and I am an official who has eaten lawsuits, and of course I met when I was in court. ”

"Eat lawsuits? You? Huo Shiqi's mouth opened wide in surprise. He also thought that Qiao Zhun came to Yanzhou because of important official business. Speaking of which, when he saw Qiao Zhun at first glance, he felt very strange, not that Qiao Zhun came to visit him in the other courtyard, but that Qiao Zhun came to Yanzhou at the same time: when he spoke, it was the autumn harvest, followed by the collection of summer taxes and autumn taxes, as well as the registration of grain, silk and linen, and the preparation of the profits and losses of the two warehouses to fill in, and prepare for the summary submission of various gains and losses in the first half of the year...... At this time, Qiao Zhun was busy kicking his ass in the yamen of Yixian County, how could he throw away a lot of things at hand and come to Yanzhou? It turned out to be a lawsuit!

Qiao Zhun nodded bitterly and shook his head again.

Huo Shiqi didn't know whether he should be happy or relieved for a while. At the same time, he was puzzled. Although he has a grudge against Qiao Zhun, he still knows more about this person's personality. Qiao Zhun adheres to the family motto, whether he is a scholar or an official, he has always been very cautious and does not disturb right and wrong. It was the grudge between the two people at the beginning, if the reason was carefully investigated, it was also the sixth brother Huo Lun who was not angry with Qiao Zhun in the front, and he helped the gang to collide in the back, and then caused the subsequent disaster. Of course, it is impossible for Huo Shiqi to admit that he is wrong; He always believed that all the fault was on Qiao Zhun. How could such a person suddenly get into a lawsuit?

He asked with mixed feelings, "What's going on?" After a pause, he said, "Of course, if Brother Yunping is inconvenient...... even Huo Shiqi himself can't tell what kind of mood is everywhere, which will make him add this sentence at the end of the sentence.

The bitter expression on Qiao Zhun's face became more and more heavy: "There's nothing that can't be said." He picked up the bowl, poured out the rest of the tea, and stared at the beam without saying a word, and let out a long sigh.

Huo Shiqi immediately filled the tea soup for him.

“…… I was involved in Li Shen's case. ”

Huo Shiqi puffed up his eyes and stared at Qiao Zhun for a long time without speaking. Can Li Shen's case be involved? If the case is light, it is to resist the order, the army is wrong, and the army is disturbed, and if it is serious, it is to rebel, how many heads do you Qiao Zhun have, dare to take the lead in Li Shen's case? Isn't your family's ancestral motto "a gentleman is not better than a week", why are you not earlier than later, but when Li Shen is about to come to a catastrophe, you want to run to "compare" with Li Shen, a disaster star? !

But he quickly calmed down. He remembered that he personally ordered him to arrest the civil and military officials directly involved in Li Shen's case, and some officials who could not be screened for the time being, were also ordered by him to be detained and detained separately. He had read the official documents in the army and Li Shen's private letters at that time, and he had the impression that Qiao Zhun's name did not appear one by one, why was he still involved?

While reminiscing and thinking, he looked at Qiao Zhun. Qiao Zhun's face was a little haggard, and there was deep worry between his eyebrows, but his expression was not very palatable. He did not wear an official uniform, but wore a black roving hoop with soft feet, a scribe's shirt made of green silk, and a pair of round-mouth step shoes under his feet instead of official boots; The whole body is neatly cleaned, and it doesn't look like a person who is about to be convicted. He groaned, "Are you okay now?" ”

Qiao nodded punctually and said, "The case has already been clarified." Li Shen's matter has nothing to do with me, I was falsely accused. I was released on the eighth day of the first month. He took a sip of water, smiled lightly and said, "Heh, I'm afraid Brother Gongze doesn't know, if you talk carefully, you and I have lived next to each other in this courtyard for more than 20 days." ”

Huo Shiqi also smiled, and poured tea soup into his bowl. He was imprisoned in a small courtyard from the moment he arrived in Yanzhou, and he never stepped out of the courtyard gate again, even if the members of the Beijing Normal School came to inquire and inquire, he had to come to this small courtyard in person to "visit". He's a little complacent about that. Since the establishment of Yanshan, he is the first official who can have this glory "before the ancients".

Qiao Zhun was amused by his self-deprecation.

The original grudge between the two people has also been diluted a lot. Although the resentment is far from being eliminated, and the reasons why the two people were detained by the Inspectorate are completely different, this "co-imprisonment" relationship has invisibly brought the relationship between the two people closer. At least in the embarrassment and embarrassment of meeting again in a different place, the two of them found a common topic that both of them cared about.

Huo Shiqi asked: "Do you know who framed you is?" ”

Qiao Zhun opened his eyes and stared at the courtyard that was shining brightly by the big sun in confusion, and shook his head in melancholy for a long time: "...... I don't know. ”

Huo Shiqi suddenly understood. Qiao Zhun already knew who it was; At least I thought of the person who planted it. In fact, he figured it out too. Who else can use this kind of trick to fish in troubled waters and take the opportunity to frame up? Of course, it's his sixth brother who is familiar with all the cunning things.

Although it was already ninety percent of the things that the sixth brother Huo Lun did, and Qiao Zhun must have guessed that it must be Huo Lun, Huo Shiqi couldn't really say this. He could only comfort Qiao Zhun in general terms. Anyway, the case has been investigated clearly, and Qiao Zhun himself has not suffered any crimes, since he doesn't know who made a false accusation, then simply pretend that this incident has not happened, and Quan Zuo came to Yanzhou on a business trip, and by the way, he can take a break.

Qiao Zhun could only smile bitterly and accept Huo Shiqi's consolation.

Huo Shiqi asked again: "When are you going to go back?" You, the county magistrate, left a river beach and ran out of hundreds of places, and I am afraid that the yamen will become a pot of porridge. In the blink of an eye, the wheat harvest is coming, and if you set off at this time, you may be able to catch up. If you walk slowly on the road and delay a major event, then the boss will investigate it, and I am afraid that you will have to be reprimanded. ”

Qiao Zhun glanced at him gratefully. He could see that Huo Shiqi was not talking about it vaguely, but he was really thinking for him. Looking at Huo Shiqi, who stood up across the wooden table to pour tea soup for himself, he was a little emotional. Huo Shiqi has been working in Yanzhou for less than two years, and he has been promoted from a scholar a year ago to the current Wupin General, which seems not to be all because of the inextricable connection with Shang Cheng. There is no topic on the side, but this person's current mind and bearing are not restored to Wuxia Amun......

Huo Shiqi didn't know that Qiao Zhun had turned so many thoughts in an instant. He went to the courtyard, asked the handyman to change another pot of tea, came back and sat down, and said apologetically: "There is no hot tea, we have to wait for a while." And he said, "You went out in the first half of the year, why have you been delaying in the city?" Won't the Department of Health urge you to return to work? Seeing Qiao Zhun bowing his head and saying nothing, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yunping, did something happen to you in office?" ”

Qiao Zhun was silent for a while and said, "Nothing happened." It's just that...... Duanzhou was afraid that I would be involved in Li Shen's case, so they asked Wei Mu for instructions and appointed a county order. ”

"So what do you do? Duanzhou and Mufu, what kind of arrangement do you have? ”

“…… Standby. Qiao Zhun spit out these two words with great bitterness.

Waiting? Huo Shiqi opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't say anything.

The annual examination and transfer of officials are at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, and it is only the end of summer, so how long will Qiao Zhun stay in office? He is from a high background, and he is still only a positive eighth grade, and he has not even received an official body, so what can he compare with those Jinshi who are also on the job? Besides, I have always been afraid of people who are out of office, and what I am most afraid of is not demotion or demotion, but the word "idle". Once it has been idle for a year and a half, not to mention the personnel changes of the boss's yamen, the merits and achievements of the original incumbency are also reduced to a first-class reserve. In the future, even if Qiao Zhun has the opportunity to re-emerge, he can at most be the six-room steward of the county yamen, and it is almost impossible to stay up to the position of the county magistrate again......

Qiao Zhun didn't understand this truth. He knew even better than Huo Shiqi. But what can he do? He was officially appointed as the county magistrate of Yixian County, and this year is the third year, precisely one term. In the past three years, in the first year, the army failed to march north, and the people in the county town were like ants, and he repeatedly pulled the cracks in the grain depot several times, but he still starved to death. Although Yi County also encountered a drought last year, he grasped farmland and water conservancy with one hand and deep cultivation with the other, and insisted that there was more grain than in the harvest year. Although the case was finally solved, it was already a matter of the New Year. For this reason, "Youshang" has changed to "Zhongping". This year marks the last year of the term. In order to be able to continue his term, or to be transferred to other counties to be a county commander, he was ruthless at the beginning of the year, spring ploughing, husband recruitment, military loss, and military transportation...... A series of things are done very clean and beautiful, just in order to win a "first-class excellent" evaluation, when the official is assigned to leave an impression on the boss. But who knew that Li Shen had done something bad in Duanzhou, and he was inexplicably involved in this big whirlpool. When he washed himself out, everything changed......

Huo Shiqi frowned and said, "I can't help you with this. Now that I have changed my military position, I can't get involved in local affairs. "If he can stretch out his hand, he will not dare to reach out. There was a clear distinction between the civil and military forces of the Great Zhao, except for a few border town governors appointed by the imperial court, the rest of the generals were not allowed to intervene in local government affairs, and civilian officials were not allowed to inquire about military operations. At the beginning, Li Shen was so domineering, and he didn't dare to entangle in the personnel appointment of civil officials, at most, he just put a few cruel words to sue a few black people......

Qiao Zhun smiled. Huo Shiqi's difficulties, how could he not know? He came here today, and he did it unintentionally. Meng Biyin was his clerk in the other courtyard, and he was a little familiar with it when he came and went, and today he went to the pastoral mansion to do some business, and he just met him in the yamen. Meng Biyin is a warm-hearted person, and he doesn't know what happened between him and Huo Shiqi, and he enthusiastically pulled him to visit his fellow countrymen. In fact, he heard that he was coming to see Huo Shiqi halfway, and he wanted to turn around and go back at that time, but he didn't think of a good excuse, so he reluctantly came over.

But he didn't have the mood on the road now. After talking to Huo Shiqi for a long time, the sullenness in my heart has also dissipated a lot. When he was in a good mood and his complexion was moist, he said to Huo Shiqi: "I have already taken a long vacation in the pastoral mansion, and I will pack my luggage when I am ready to go home, and I will go to Beijing when the autumn is cold." Next year is the year of the provincial test of the imperial court, and I want to test my skills again. ”

After speaking, he took the teacup and drank it all, arched his hand, and got up and walked away.

Huo Shiqi originally wanted to persuade him to say a few words, so that he should not be in a hurry to give up the ten-year case and clear the hardships of the yamen for three years, but if he couldn't do it, he would go to Shangcheng in the name of the villagers of Yixian County to see if there was a way. can see that he suddenly washed away the decadence of Tang and was full of pride, so he could only chase him out and see him off, and by the way, I wish him good luck in his article......

Huo Shiqi stood on the threshold of the small courtyard for a long time.

He's a little confused now.

Is there any grudge between him and Qiao Zhun?