Fan Dajian was in contact with Qian Gong in Tongzhou, and when he heard that the other party needed a messenger trusted by Hu Guiyang, he immediately recommended Xiaocao, "Knowing the roots, no relatives and friends, a little girl in the mountains, simple and innocent, no one is more suitable than her." ”

But Qian Gong didn't reveal much news, only said that Lord Shaobao admired Hu Guiyang and wanted to help him, and promised Fan Dajian all kinds of benefits, so that he could stay by Hu Guiyang's side and report if he had something.

Fan Dajian couldn't disagree, he longed for a higher-level and more stable backer, although he was a businessman, his connections in the court had not been lost, and he could still exert a lot of influence on the court, and he was definitely more trustworthy than a captain in brocade.

As a result, this secret mission lasted only a few days before it was uncovered.

It has been three days since Hu Guiyang saw Shang Shi again, the fleet was waiting to pass through the gate, the goods and people had to leave the ship, and everyone was happy to rest for a day.

Hu Guiyang took the official documents of the West Factory, and he was also eligible to stay in the official post, and after dinner that evening, Fan Dajian took him to see Lord Shaobao.

"Hu Guiyang, even if I beg you, I will be a little more restrained when I see Lord Shaobao." Fan Dajian persuaded.

"Did I ever behave rudely?" Hu Guiyang remembered that when he met Shang Chen for the first time, he did not kneel, but behaved respectfully from beginning to end.

"This ...... Lord Shaobao wanted to reveal the truth to you after arriving in Hangzhou, but you were good, you just set off and were stabbed, and you were too anxious, which made Lord Shaobao's face look bad. ”

"Hehe, it's okay, I'll say that you deliberately showed your feet so that I could see the flaws."

"Grandpa Hu, you can spare me." Fan Dajian pleaded.

"Let me spare you, you think about which side you want to stand on first, I have no requirements for others, but you and Yuan Mao must think clearly."

Fan Dajian was just about to open his mouth to make a statement, but Hu Guiyang raised his hand to stop, "Don't be in a hurry to answer, think about it." ”

This is an ordinary inn room, not large, with tables under the windows, worn-out chairs on both sides, beds next to them, and no celebrity calligraphy and paintings on the walls, but graffiti left by the guests.

Qian Gong brought the two into the room, smiled and asked Hu Guiyang to sit down, he and Fan Dajian stood at the door, this time the waiting time was very short, Shang Yuan arrived quickly, nodded to Hu Guiyang, and sat opposite, "Look at the tea." ”

Qian Gong immediately stepped forward, poured the tea that had been prepared into two cups, and then returned to its original place.

The tea is moderately hot and cold, much better than the tea prepared by Xiaocao, Hu Guiyang took a sip, felt good, and smiled at Shang Yuan: "Lord Shaobao won't stay and leave, and let others talk to me, right?" ”

Shang Chen may have been in the cabinet for a long time, and he has long been accustomed to not smiling, and at this time, he squeezed out a smile, as if a small piece of debris fell from the iceberg, and landed silently, "No." ”

Qian Gong immediately motioned for Fan Dajian to step back, and Lao Dao glanced at Hu Guiyang with a reassuring look, bowed and exited the room.

The merchant picked up the teacup and made a gesture of please.

The two drank tea silently, and seeing that the teacup was at the bottom, Hu Guiyang got up and filled the cup with tea.

After drinking a full three cups, Shang Yan reached out to block the mouth of the teacup, indicating that he didn't want to drink anymore, "Some things are difficult to explain. ”

"Lord Shaobao once connected with the three yuan, and when it comes to knowledge, it can be said to be the first in the world, I believe that there is nothing that Lord Shaobao can't say."

Shang Shi squeezed out a smile again, "Say whatever you want, if you have any questions, just ask them at any time." ”

"Listen up."

"The former first assistant, Li Xian, introduced me to Zhao Ying. Master Li was extremely prescient, and he noticed very early that although Zhao Ying's position was low, his responsibilities were heavy, and every case he solved was imperceptible to the palace. ”

"I have doubts right now."

"Please."

"As a hundred households in the south of the country, it is his duty to investigate the case, and it is imperceptible to the palace, why should the first assistant of the labor cabinet pay attention to it?"

The cabinet doesn't have to do anything, just watch from the sidelines, and occasionally secretly support it, so that Zhao Ying can always investigate the case normally, and it seems that there is no need for Shoufu to come forward to encourage him personally.

"Because...... Zhao Ying once hesitated. Shang Shi frowned inexplicably, as if he had said the wrong thing, "It was probably in the second year of Chenghua, Zhao Ying returned to Beijing from Broken Tengxia, took a large group of boys and girls, and after settling down, submitted his resignation to Lord Yuan Bin Yuan. ”

Hu Guiyang doesn't remember this incident, he was still young at that time, he had just arrived at the Zhao family in the capital, he was curious about everything, he remembered that he stepped on the broken tiles in the house, remembered fighting for food with many brothers, but he didn't have much impression of his father-in-law, and it wasn't until three or four years later that Zhao Ying gradually became his important memory.

"Hmm." Hu Guiyang had a lot of doubts in his heart, but none of them could appeal to words, he understood what Shang Shi said, some things are really difficult to explain.

"Zhao Ying had just offended the eunuchs in the palace at that time, and Yuan Bin also intended to let go, Lord Li learned the news and summoned Zhao Ying for the first time to persuade him to stay in office."

"Why?" Hu Guiyang was finally able to ask, "I mean, why did my father-in-law quit Nansi?" ”

"Lord Li raised the same question at the time, and now that the two of them are gone, I can only relay the general content, according to Lord Li, Zhao Ying was worried that if he continued to investigate, he would really find out the ghosts and gods, which is not only against his principles all along, but also beyond his ability, it is better to quit, out of sight and out of mind."

"Father-in-law has seen the Heavenly Machine?" In Hu Guiyang's view, the Heavenly Skill Technique was more incomprehensible than the Fire God Technique, and it was also closer to the Immortal Technique.

"Well, Zhao Ying has seen it, it's in Broken Teng Gorge. Lord Li persuaded him that the incomprehensible technique of heaven does not necessarily mean that this is a miraculous work, if this is the case, why did the rebels of Broken Tengxia be wiped out? If the power of ghosts and gods is limited to this, then with the power of mortals, they can be defeated as well. ”

"The stepfather was convinced?"

"Yes, he retracted his resignation, continued to serve in the Southern Division, and trained you to be a reliable helper, he also participated in the pacification of the Jingxiang Rebellion by the imperial court, and stayed there for three years."

Hu Guiyang had some impressions of this incident, when he was still naughty and began to read and learn art, but the eldest brother and others had already followed his father-in-law out to investigate the case, and every time he came back, he couldn't stay at home for a few days.

But the father-in-law is not such an easy person to be persuaded, if he really wants to resign as a citizen, he is afraid that the emperor himself may not be able to persuade him.

Hu Guiyang didn't ask, "My father-in-law rarely mentions Jingxiang's rebellion. ”

"At that time, you were all young, Zhao Ying didn't want you to be confused, he was very concerned about whether the forty righteous sons believed in ghosts and gods, and when he met me, he personally said: Nansi investigated the case, not by a large number of soldiers, not by intelligence, not by outstanding skills, not by secret agents, but by firm faith, if you see something strange and shaken, then the greater your ability, the more easily you are tempted by ghosts and gods."

Hu Guiyang smiled, suddenly a little sad, he hadn't heard anything like this for a long time, this must be a word that a stepfather can say, "We let our stepfather down." ”

"You didn't, when I heard that Zhao Ying mentioned your name alone before he died, I knew that you were different from others and were Zhao Ying's most optimistic son."

Hu Guiyang laughed and immediately said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but I really don't want to talk about it anymore." ”

"I don't have much to say, after all, I didn't lend a hand when you were most in danger."

"You once allowed me to hide in the garden for a while."

"That's because of He Million, this person...... It's really convincing, he doesn't just rely on his mouth, but can come up with practical things. After seeing the Heavenly Machine Technique, I understood why Zhao Ying's heart was shaken after the Broken Teng Gorge, and when I saw the small machine box doing incredible things, even I was wondering, is there really the power of ghosts and gods in the world? ”

"Didn't Master Li say that? If the ghosts and gods have this kind of power, then there is nothing to fear, and they will still be defeated by mortals. ”

Shang Chen smiled, this time it was much more natural, "That's because he didn't see the Heavenly Machine Technique with his own eyes." The divine power of the casket comes from the jade pendant, and the effect of the jade pendant is more than that, you haven't thought that maybe you can use the jade pendant to do more miracles? ”

"Like immortality?"

"There is this possibility, it may not be immortality, there are already people who take the jade pendant as a golden pill, and become a martial arts master in a short time, maybe there is a way to control this power, so that mortals can live longer, even if it is a year or two years, it is enough."

"According to what I've seen now, the jade pendant will not prolong its life, and it is likely that it will be shortened."

"So I need more jade pendants, so that they can be verified, if the jade pendant is really harmful, I should strongly advise Your Majesty to stay away from this thing, if the jade pendant can only be used for instruments, it is still a sharp weapon."

"Do you have a way to verify?"

"Hmm." Shang Chen was obviously unwilling to divulge this secret, and immediately said: "This matter is very important, all signs indicate that the secret of the jade pendant is about to be revealed to the world, the only question is who will lift this last layer of the lid, among the four teams, the other three are controlled by eunuchs, only you are an exception." ”

"I am the captain of the West Factory, and I carry the official document signed by the factory in my arms." Hu Guiyang reminded.

"I don't ask you to betray the West Factory, I only ask that after you are done, you can come to Hangzhou first and bring me a hundred jade pendants, which will be in the same condition as the one I gave you."

"Will there be so many jade pendants?"

"Yes."

"Can I get help in Yunyang Mansion?"

"Qian Gong will accompany you to Yunyang Mansion, please believe that the help I can bring you is far more than Wang Zhi's official letter."

Hu Guiyang believes that Wang Zhi values Shi Guida more and only gives the most basic support to Hu Guiyang, that official document can make him unimpeded, and maybe he can also mobilize a few people, but it is absolutely impossible to transfer troops in Yunyang Mansion.

Yu Weiyou, the first assistant of Zhishi, one of his cronies and a letter must be more useful than the ordinary official documents of the West Factory.

"This is also Zhao Yingwei's career, he is a master of heavenly skills, he has also learned the fire god technique, he has taken at least five golden pills, and he wants to understand the mystery, but unfortunately he has not realized it until he dies, only you can fulfill his last wish."

Hu Guiyang has a heavy heart, he has far more respect for his father-in-law than he is close, but now he is more and more puzzled, how much do he know about his father-in-law?

Hu Guiyang stood up, not wanting to be entangled by the deceased, "Okay, as long as I break through Wenjiazhuang, as long as there are really a large number of jade pendants in the village, I will send a hundred to Hangzhou." There is only one problem, which must be solved now. ”

"But it doesn't hurt to talk about it."

"You've got to prove that you're a businessman."

The person on the other side was stunned.