The man who poured the swill was stopped halfway by a mediocre-looking man, he threw the swill cart, turned around and ran, and the mediocre-looking man chased several alleys before chasing him.

"Run for what?" The mediocre-looking man asked.

The man pouring the swill said, "I don't know anything. Deng Zhicheng just said that Zhang Ning might be suspicious, and someone stopped him, he threw away the swill car and ran away just in case, and the person chased after him as expected, so it can be seen that it is the secret agent of Jinyiwei.

If it's not someone sent by Zhang Ning, how can he chase it? Since he is chasing him, it must be for the sake of confession. His wife is pinched in Cao Jixiang's hands, how can he betray?

The mediocre-looking man let out a "hmm", and before he could say anything else, he saw the man who poured the swill bleeding and fell to the ground softly.

He was sure that the man was dead, turned and walked away, disappearing into the night.

…………

Leaving from the barren courtyard, Zhang Ning identified the direction and walked towards the leisurely courtyard.

"What's wrong?" Yoyo asked. Zhang Ning didn't bring food over these two nights, and she was really not used to it.

Zhang Ning took a sip of warm tea, moistened his throat, and then picked up a wet towel to wipe the sweat on his forehead.

He put down the towel and said, "Cao Jixiang's person." It's been dealt with, you don't have to worry. ”

Dealt with? How was it handled? Yoyo's eyes widened.

"Dealing with it is dealing with it. In the future, he will not be by his father-in-law's side and do things that harm his father-in-law. Zhang Ning explained.

"Oh." Yoyo replied thoughtfully, and didn't ask again.

…………

Deng Zhicheng didn't serve by his side all night, and King Zheng was very unaccustomed to it. When he woke up the next morning and still didn't see him, King Zheng was angry and sent someone to call him, reporting that there was no one in his room.

"Where's this minion?" King Zheng was strange. Since he dialed Deng Zhicheng to wait by his side, this slave has never left his sight for a moment, why hasn't he appeared for several hours?

The people who served around him said they didn't know, but in fact, they wished he was gone forever.

Near noon, someone came to report: "Lord Wang, a corpse was found in the lake, and someone recognized it as Gonggong Deng." ”

The county lord's mansion is a big place, there is a lake in the back garden, the nine-curved bridge in the lake, the birds and beasts carved by the railing of each song are different, and there are two small boats next to the lake for the master to swim in the lake.

The maid who was cleaning in the garden just now found that there was something in the lake, and when she got closer, she was frightened, stumbling and shouting while running, alarming countless people, and stammering for a long time before she could make her words clear, and the housekeeper sent someone to pick it up and see that it was Deng Zhicheng.

No one knew when Deng Zhicheng would go to the garden, let alone that he fell into the water and could not be rescued, so he drowned.

King Zheng was stunned for a long time and ordered a thick burial.

…………

"Su XVIII is dead? Deng Zhicheng is also dead? Cao Jixiang said angrily: "Who else died?" ”

Dongchang Fanzi, who rushed to report the news, was speechless for a moment and said, "Not for the time being." ”

Cao Jixiang's fat man slapped it on the table fiercely and said, "Check, check for our family, see who kills them, and arrest our family to peel and cramp." ”

Dongchang Fanzi said: "Su Eighteen committed suicide by biting the poison hidden in his teeth, and he bled and fell on the side of the stinky ditch in Huaishu Hutong, and Shuntianfu has brought people over." Deng Zhicheng died in the lake of the Lord's Mansion of Anding County, and King Zheng thought that he had drowned and had been buried. The two died one after another, and Deng Zhicheng died strangely, and he had nothing to do with Jinyiwei. ”

Who doesn't know that Dongchang and Jinyiwei are fighting in secret, after the death of the original Donggong Wang Zhen, the emperor has not been able to appoint a new factory duke, and the Dongchang group has no leader, which Jinyiwei is thriving under Zhang Ning's rectification? Otherwise, two people wouldn't have died at once.

Cao Jixiang gritted his teeth and said, "You go to find out who did it and kill it quietly." Be secretive and don't let Zhang Ning know. ”

Dongchang said: "How could Zhang Ning not know? Father-in-law, when Ma Shun was here, in addition to currying favor with the prince, he was blindly making money, which was like Zhang Ning, he had a textile factory in his hand, or a plaque with His Majesty's own inscription, and the silver flowed into the treasury like flowing water, where is the use of the filial piety of the officials? This kid is very powerful, I'm afraid I can't hide it from him. ”

Jinyiwei was originally like a plate of loose sand, how dare the fans look at the fans of the East Factory? Since Zhang Ning came, one by one, he was coaxed, but the Dongchang group had no leader, and if it continued like this, the Dongchang would not be able to raise its head in front of Jinyiwei.

Cao Jixiang kicked Dongchang Fanzi and said, "Waste, didn't you make it secret?" ”

Do it secretively? How to be secretive? Dongchang didn't dare to avoid it, and took his kick.

…………

In Jinyi Weidong Courtyard, in Zhang Ning's usual office room, put four or five basins of ice, and Zhang Ning still felt hot. The weather is abnormal, isn't it almost early autumn? Why is it still so hot?

After drinking two bowls of sour plum soup with ice, Zhang Ning felt a little cooler and began to think about the whole thing.

Cao Jixiang is not only a young eunuch, but also has been helping Wang Zhen manage the East Factory, and is the second-in-command of the East Factory, and the person most trusted by Wang Zhen. After Wang Zhen's death, he always wanted to take over Wang Zhen's position and become the eunuch of Dongchang Factory and Bingbi.

What he didn't expect was that Jia Xiaosi, who was so obedient to anyone, actually had the ambition to fight with him, and what made him even more incomprehensible was that Jia Xiaosi was just a slave waiting to dress by the emperor's side, and the emperor was undecided because of this minion, and he never decided on a candidate.

Of course, it is not excluded that there are grievances between Jinyiwei and Dongchang, but he is not Dongchang yet, and according to common sense, he will not get along with himself for this reason. Zhang Ning thought of one more thing, Cao Jixiang is not a normal person, he is greedy for power and money, cowardly and incapable, and more importantly, he is a eunuch, and the eunuch is somewhat extreme because of his physical disability, and Cao Jixiang is no exception.

Cao Jixiang was flattering to his superiors and cruel to his subordinates, as long as his palace maids and eunuchs made a little mistake, he was heavily blamed to death. His popularity in the palace is extremely poor, and the power struggle with Jia Xiaosi highlights this even more.

Jia Xiaosi is very popular, and the people around the emperor help him speak, slowly, what the emperor sees in his eyes and hears in his ears, only Jia Xiaosi.

Cao Jixiang, because he is often in Dongchang, he has little time in the palace, and the palace maids and eunuchs tacitly reject him, even if the emperor occasionally thinks of him, he is diverted by the people around him.

In this way, he is getting farther and farther away from the peak of eunuchs, and it is even more hopeless to become the prince of Dongchang. To become a power eunuch, you need to meet two conditions, one is to be a eunuch with a pen or a eunuch with a palm print; The second is to become the official of Dongchang Factory and hold this secret service agency firmly in his hands.

Cao Jixiang wants to grasp the two things in his hands, Jia Xiaosi is the biggest obstacle, but to get rid of Jia Xiaosi, but he takes action against him, and wants to destroy the reputation and even life of the woman he loves the most, which is unbearable. Zhang Ning was furious.

Zhang Ning and Jia Xiaosi don't have a close relationship, how did Cao Jixiang know that the two had a personal relationship?

Moreover, in the Cao Jia dispute, Yang Shiqi, the backer behind Jia Xiaosi's scenes, has not made a move, is it because he doesn't have the time to make a move, or he doesn't want to expose himself, or is he worried about arousing the emperor's disgust and doesn't want to insert himself into this level of battle?

Or does Yang Shiqi have no room to meddle? Zhang Ning thought that Yang Shiqi was the first assistant, and the emperor did not mention it, so he really shouldn't make suggestions on the question of who was the eunuch of Bingbi or who became the prince of Dongchang. Well, maybe he just didn't find a chance to make a move.

Soon, Zhang Ning vetoed it again. Everyone knows that Zhang Ning is Yang Shiqi's grandson-in-law, and it is Yang Rong'er who benefits from dealing with Youyou, didn't Cao Jixiang consider this?

There is a good chance that there is none.

The original historical trajectory, after he helped Zhu Qizhen to win the door, he regarded himself as a meritorious hero, flying in the capital, and later felt that Zhu Qizhen was alienated from him, and discussed the rebellion with his nephew, and attacked for a long time, but the palace gate was not able to open.

Such a person can really do anything.

What if he mistakenly thought that Jia Xiaosi had Zhang Ning's backing behind him, and decided to attack Zhang Ning, get rid of Zhang Ning first, and then fight for power with Jia Xiaosi?

That's what Cao Jixiang thinks, right? Zhang Ning thought about it for a long time, but he still couldn't figure out Cao Jixiang's brain circuit, but it was really difficult for normal people to understand such a change of thinking.

Now it's time to fight back.

Zhang Ning sighed and set off to enter the palace by car.

Today's entrance to the palace is more evening than usual, and it is already afternoon in the palace, Zhu Qizhen finished his lunch, watched a few little eunuchs read under the corridor, and pointed out from time to time, which was quite fun as a teacher.

This teacher is really high-level. Zhang Ning slandered his stomach and stepped forward to salute.

"Qing is here?" Zhu Qizhen motioned for Zhang Ning to get up and said, "Let's go inside and talk." Xiao Si, bring a bowl of sour plum soup with ice to Zhang Qing. ”

I drank sour plum soup and drank a sour mouthful, okay? Zhang Ning said: "The chefs in the courtier's mansion will use ice to make a dessert, which is better than sour soup, but the weather is too hot to preserve, so you can only eat it as you go, otherwise it will melt." Please ask Your Majesty to send the father-in-law of the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor to the courtier's mansion to learn the practice. ”

Because it is not easy to preserve, I work in the East Courtyard, so I have to drink sour plum soup. The sour plum soup is easy to make, and you can't eat too much ice cream.

Zhu Qizhen was overjoyed and said, "What is it?" ”

"A snack with ice, milk and sugar. You just can't eat more, otherwise you can have diarrhea. "Zhang Ning is very strange, didn't Yoyo teach the imperial chefs? It's not like she's doing it.

"Little Four, go to the Imperial Diet Supervisor to spread the word, and immediately send someone to learn. I'm going to eat it in the evening. Zhu Qizhen said.

"You can't eat more at night, it's better to eat one or two." Zhang Ning said, it should be said clearly, otherwise tomorrow it will be reported that the emperor is sick and cannot go to the court, and the matter will be big.

Zhu Qizhen sat down on the chair and said, "I will taste it first." ”

Don't think it's delicious. Zhu Qizhen is only 16 years old, and he is still a middle school student, and he is also greedy. Zhang Ning said seriously: "I really can't eat more, if I eat too much, the dragon will be sick, and the responsibility will be not small." ”

"Okay, just eat two." Zhu Qizhen said and laughed to himself: "I haven't learned to do this yet, Qing Xian is worried that I can't control my mouth, it's really so delicious?" ”

"It's a sweet dish that many people like, and young people like it even more." Zhang Ning said.

Fortunately, Zhu Qizhen didn't ask why the imperial dining room couldn't do anything like that since it was so popular, he just said, "That's it." ”

Zhang Ning reported the important things that happened in the capital as usual, and specially mentioned one thing, someone in Huaishu Hutong bled to death, and Yin of Shuntian Mansion had sent someone to carry back the body, presumably the next step was to solve the case.

There was a homicide, but it was a big deal.

"Seven orifice bleeding?" Zhu Qizhen frowned and said, "Dead on the road?" ”

"Yes, by the river of stinking water."

"Did you send someone to investigate?" Zhu Qizhen said: "Seven orifices bleed, it should be poisoned, right?" If this man committed suicide by poisoning, why did he not die at home, but fell by the stinking ditch? ”

The emperor turned into an expert in solving crimes, and the person who poured the swill was considered to have died a well-deserved death. Zhang Ning scolded and said, "What is the situation will only be known after Shuntianfu Yin solves the case." ”

Of course, such a case could not be handed over to Jin Yiwei, so it was naturally inconvenient for Zhang Ning to make a guess about the case.

Zhu Qizhen let out a "hmm" and said, "What's so special about this person?" ”

"Shuntianfu Yin took over, and the minister did not send anyone to investigate."

"Nothing like this has happened recently, has it?" Zhu Qizhen was worried that it was not that he committed suicide by taking poison, but that someone had poisoned him, so he asked.

"Not yet."

Zhu Qizhen was silent for a few moments and said, "Can you send people to investigate this matter?" "Jinyiwei doesn't check, because it's the common people who die, and there is only one.

That is, the matter is too small to be investigated. If Zhu Qizhen ordered to come down, Jinyiwei would naturally intervene.

Zhang Ning said: "The minister took some people to go to Warat a few days ago, and now he can't pull it out anymore. Your Majesty may wish to let Dongchang check it. ”

Dongchang's fans don't have to go far to the grassland, there are enough people, so it's best to let them investigate. Zhang Ning mentioned this matter in order to lead out the East Factory.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Since Mr. Wang's death, I have never been able to make up my mind. ”

Here it comes. Zhang Ning: "What makes Your Majesty embarrassed?" ”

"The position of the East Factory. I wanted Cao Jixiang to ascend, but I felt that he was a little unstable, Xiaosi, too young. "Zhu Qizhen didn't think about this matter, but he thought about it, and felt that the two of them were not suitable.

How unstable is Cao Jixiang? That's just a madman, no, a mad dog. Zhang Ning was full of bad feelings for him, and he felt that it was not too much to belittle him in any language. He said, "Your Majesty has a suitable candidate?" ”

"If the fourth child is ten years older, I will give it to him. He's very zealous, isn't I worried that he won't be able to obey the public? Zhu Qizhen said. Jia Xiaosi is young, and secondly, he is popular, and the factory is not ruthless or spicy, no.

Zhang Ning said: "As a factory father, one must win the trust of His Majesty, and the other must look at ability. According to the minister, ability can be learned, but this loyalty, but it can't be learned no matter what. ”

Cao Jixiang, who is difficult to get the emperor's loyal, or Jia Xiaosi, who dangles in front of the emperor every day and waits for the emperor's diet and daily life, is loyal, so there is no need for Zhang Ning to say more.

"Not really." Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "Qing is right. The junior is young, and some have time to learn. ”

Zhang Ning smiled but did not say a word.

The selection of the public of the East Factory is determined by this.

Jia Xiao's four-end sour plum soup was about to come in, and he just heard the conversation between the two, stopped, and waited for Zhu Qizhen to say that he was young and had time to learn, knowing that the big thing had been accomplished, and he was extremely grateful to Zhang Ning.