Although the Tang Dynasty did not have an explicit rule of half-day work and rest, it was already a common rule to ignore official business in the afternoon.

Whether it is a place like the Yamen of the Six Ministries of the Political Affairs Hall or the Hanlin Academy, except for the officials on duty, the officials are generally scattered. Change out of official clothes and put on casual clothes for party parties, go shopping, make up for sleep, and spend the rest of the day comfortably.

Wang Yuan had never stayed on duty in the Hanlin Academy in the middle of the afternoon, because his qualifications were not too young to be on his own, and Lu Yuanji and other old masters were not at ease to let Wang Yuan be on duty here alone with a few small officials. Another point is also because the masters are very old, and they have long lost the interest in going to the West Market to watch orchids dance and go to Pingkangfang to have fun, compared to them, they would rather make a pot of tea and stay in the courtyard of the quiet Hanlin Academy, holding ancient books and shaking their heads.

However, today, Wang Yuan came to the Hanlin Academy in the afternoon for the first time and offered to be on duty here in the afternoon. Lu Yuanji, who was on duty, felt that it was unnecessary, but it was not good to discourage Wang Yuan's enthusiasm, and there were indeed some chores to deal with at home these days, so after saying a lot of precautions, Wang Yuan and the three old officials were on duty here.

Wang Yuan stayed quietly in the public room and read the book for a while, and when he left the public room at the end of the day, he summoned a small official and instructed: "I will go out for a walk, if there is something urgent, you can go to the willow forest by the Taiye Pond to find me." ”

The little official agreed, and Wang Yuan slowly walked out of the Hanlin Academy with his hands in his hand, and walked north along the palace path. Wang Yuan has never been to this direction north of the Hanlin Academy once, not because this is a forbidden area, but because the West Shaoyang Academy is not far from the north, which is where Li Heng lives, Wang Yuan does not want to go in this direction, that is, to avoid running into Li Heng or the people around the prince. But today, Wang Yuan really hoped to meet Li Heng, because he had already decided to report the incident he had just learned.

The pros and cons of this matter are actually obvious, if you pretend not to know, the crown prince Li Heng may suffer a heavy blow, and the prince is the last thing Wang Yuan wants to see by Li Linfu, because in that case, Li Linfu will be invincible in the court. At that time, Yang Zhao will not be able to protect himself, if Li Linfu wants to move himself.

Obviously, during this time, although Li Linfu, Wang Ji and others were at peace with themselves, it was the Yang family's face that protected them. But in fact, Wang Yuan could still feel the contempt and hostility between Li Linfu and Wang Jie, and Wang Yuan couldn't watch Li Linfu live without doing something. In addition, although there is no real loyalty to the side of the crown prince Li Heng, Wang Yuan's original purpose in deciding to join Luo Yimen was to let himself have a second protector. Umbrellas. Because of the chaos that occurred in the future Tang Dynasty, although it is not certain whether it will happen, but once it happens, the fate of the Yang family will be tragic. The umbrella will get you out.

When everything is still undecided, Wang Yuan can't lose this guarantee. umbrella, so he had to inform the prince about it. Regardless of whether his and Yang Zhao's guesses are correct or not, at least they must ensure that Ji Wen's behavior of going to Beihai this time cannot deal a fatal blow to the crown prince. This is not only to protect the prince, but also to protect himself.

In April, the palace is full of beautiful flowers, and a small artificially dug river connecting the Taiye Pond in the east extends from east to west to the outside of the Hanlin Gate, directly into the Taiji Palace in the west. Wang Yuan came to the small river and looked at a house on the other side of the river, which was the West Shaoyang Courtyard.

Wang Yuan stood by the river, holding the trunk of a willow tree, hesitating to consider how to meet the prince. It is definitely impossible to ask for a meeting directly, your identity is confidential, and there are many people in Shaoyang Courtyard who are not allowed to have eyeliner inside, and asking for a meeting directly will expose your identity.

After standing quietly for a moment, Wang Yuan remembered the means of meeting when he met the crown prince two months ago, and Li Fuguo had agreed to meet when he sent him out. It's just that I hurriedly asked to see it, I don't know if this method can work, I haven't used the mark of this meeting once for several months, I don't know if it will work, maybe Li Fuguo has forgotten this mark.

Wang Yuan stepped out of the willow forest and stepped on the stone arch bridge on the river to cross the river, found the bluestone slab in all directions under the bridge, saw that there was no one left and right, Wang Yuan picked up more than a dozen small stones and placed a flower pattern on the bluestone slab, and then returned to the Hanlin Academy without looking back. Placing a flower on the slate is the agreed way to meet, and when Li Fuguo said it, Wang Yuan still felt very funny. I secretly ridiculed Li Fuguo as a eunuch, and the signs of meeting people were so feminine, which was ridiculous.

The sun was about to set, the street drums had already sounded, and after an afternoon had passed, Wang Yuan could only pack up his things and tell the officials to lock the doors and close the windows and prepare to go home from the palace. When he walked out of the Hanlin Academy to the south, and passed by the lush bamboo forest, Wang Yuan, who was thinking about his thoughts, was suddenly startled by a person who came out of the bamboo forest and stopped in front of him.

The man lowered his head, carrying a hat that was not common in the palace, and said in a low voice: "Is it Wang Yuanwang?" ”

Wang Yuan frowned and said, "I am, who are you?" ”

The man arched his hand and said, "Please come with the villain, and Li Neizhi is waiting for the bachelor in the forest." ”

Wang Yuan was startled, and hurriedly followed the man into the bamboo forest, the dense bamboo leaves blocked the skylight, and it was dark and deep inside. A thick layer of withered yellow bamboo leaves fell to the ground, and there was a rustling sound when stepped on, which was very harsh in the silence.

There is a small open space in the middle of the bamboo forest, and there are a stone table and several stone benches in the middle of the clearing.

"Please sit down, and Servant Li will be here soon." The man with the hat bowed down and withdrew.

Wang Yuan looked around, there was no one, and the wind rustled through the bamboo forest. It's already a hot season, and there's still a chill in this forest.

"Master Wang, don't come unharmed." The words that suddenly remembered startled Wang Yuan.

Following the prestige, a dark shadow disappeared in the shadow of the bamboo forest and remained motionless, and he didn't even notice that there was a person standing there just now. The man raised his hand as if he was bowing, Wang Yuan squinted his eyes and carefully saw his blurred face, an ugly face, jagged teeth with exposed gums, a pair of cold small eyes, and short and thick eyebrows, it was Li Fuguo.

"It's really Lee's waiter, it's polite." Wang Yuan arched his hand.

Li Fuguo walked over slowly, sat on the stone bench, and made a gesture of invitation to Wang Yuan, Wang Yuan brushed off the fallen leaves on the stone bench, and sat opposite Li Fuguo.

"It's not easy to meet with the bachelor, for more than a month, a certain family has made eight marks, and none of them have seen the bachelor respond. I thought the Bachelor had forgotten who he was. Li Fuguo said lightly.

Wang Yuan was stunned and said, "Didn't you say that you didn't see anything?" I didn't do anything wrong. ”

Li Fuguo said coldly: "I don't see anything, there must be something when I see it, it's just that you haven't seen the mark." Originally, I was going to come to see you directly in the next few days, Your Highness has something you want me to ask, but I didn't expect you to send a sign to ask for a meeting, it seems that you haven't forgotten that you are Your Highness's person. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "I have never forgotten my identity, but I don't want to shine too brightly, once my identity is revealed, my personal life and death are small, and it will be troublesome if it hurts His Highness." ”

Li Fuguo nodded and said, "That's it, let's talk about what you want to meet and report, I believe that if it weren't for a big event, you wouldn't have met me." ”

Wang Yuan thought for a while and said, "Can I see the prince talking?" ”

Li Fuguo's face changed and said, "You don't even believe me?" It's ridiculous. Let me tell you, Luo Yimen and I are the actual leader, and Pan Chengfang is just taking care of it for me. It's a laugh that you don't trust me. ”

Wang Yuan hurriedly said: "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I want to tell the prince about it in person." ”

Li Fuguo said coldly: "No need, just tell me, I will convey it word for word to the prince." Don't forget, you are from Luo Yimen, and you must report to me. If you want to bypass me to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, your death will not be far away, no matter how important your position is, it is not as important as the rules of Luo Yimen, do you understand? ”

Wang Yuan nodded and said, "Okay, it's because I don't understand the rules, so I'll inform Li Neishou about this." ”

At the moment, Wang Yuan whispered in detail about Ji Wen's trip to Beihai County, Li Fuguo's face became more and more serious, and his brows furrowed.

"I learned from Yang Zhao that one of His Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince named Liu Ji is in Beihai, and I am worried that Ji Wen has other plans to go to Beihai County, maybe not to deal with Li Yong as he told Yang Zhao, but to deal with this person named Liu Ji. I don't know what kind of person this Liu Ji is, but I vaguely feel that it may involve His Highness, so I feel that I must report it quickly. ”

Li Fuguo's hand on the stone table was clenched tightly, trembling slightly, and said in a tone that he tried his best to suppress: "This matter is extremely important, you have done a good job." Wang Yuan, this matter is very urgent, I must report to the prince immediately, I am not sure whether the prince will be involved, but I must not take it lightly. I will speak to you at any time in the next few days, and you must not only keep a close eye on the development of this matter, but also wait for the summons of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at any time. ”

Wang Yuan didn't expect that this matter would be immediately taken seriously, he thought that he would have to spend some time explaining, and secretly admired Li Fuguo's insight in his heart, firstly, he was very keen, and secondly, it also showed that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince attached great importance to all things related to him.

Li Fuguo said: "I still have a lot of things to ask you, but now it's too late, I will go back to Shaoyang Courtyard to report immediately." You always pay attention to the shape of the flower pot in the flower bed in front of the Hallym Academy, and if it is arranged in a circle, then I want to see you, and you will come here and wait for me. ”

Wang Yuan was secretly funny, Li Fuguo's password to meet him was always inseparable from flowers, grass, and these things, which were indeed a bit perverted.

"I'm waiting for news from Servant Li at any time." Wang Yuan got up and gave up his hand.

Li Fuguo stood up and silently bowed his hand, and quickly disappeared into the side of the bamboo forest in the twilight. Wang Yuan didn't want to stay here for a long time, and when he came to the edge of the bamboo forest, he saw that no one was on the path left and right, and hurriedly left the palace.