Liu Mingcheng, the prefect of Yangzhou who handled the affairs of the government in the second hall, was listening to the report of the government officials. "My lord, my subordinates have been following Master Xia for the past few days, and he will tell the villain to do anything he wants. Mr. Xia was in a good mood, and he was in the house for several days to watch the scenery, first to a garden, then to He Garden, and when it rained, he also went to Slender West Lake. Yesterday, the weather was fine, he took his family to go boating in the lake, and left a poem in the pavilion. ”

Liu Mingcheng frowned when he heard this, he always felt that things were not so simple, after all, sitting still was not his teacher's style. "Is there a decrease in the number of people around him? Or has he seen anyone in the past few days? ”

Another official disguised as an ordinary person replied, "If you go back to your lordship, the family members around Master Xia have not decreased. The villain has been hiding in the shadows, and he has not found that Master Xia has seen strangers. The official paused at this point, and then said, "Oh, yes. In the process of playing, Mr. Xia said a few words to a few vendors selling pastries. After Master Xia left, the villain dragged the hawkers to the dark and interrogated them carefully. The vendors were all locals, and Mr. Xia just asked about the price of the pastries, and didn't say anything. ”

After thinking about it carefully, and didn't come up with a reason, Liu Mingcheng rubbed his temples and said a little tiredly: "Well, you continue to watch, you can't let go of any suspicions, and come to report anything at any time." ”

The two officials didn't ask much: "Yes, my lord!" The villain retired first. ”

Liu Mingcheng picked up the tea but didn't drink it, still a little stunned, "Does he really not want to get involved in that matter?" Impossible! If he misses this time, he will not have a chance to enter the court again. ”

At this time, a confidant came over and said, "Master, the master is here, and he said that he has something important to report." ”

Liu Mingcheng got up and ordered: "Well, the official will go to the study to deal with official business, and you ask the master to come to the study." As he spoke, he hurried to the study with a worried mind. He had barely sat down at his desk when there was a knock at the door. So, he said calmly, "Come in." ”

The master pushed the door and entered the study, looking like a dusty servant. Without waiting for a question, the master hurriedly said: "My lord, my subordinates lived up to their trust and brought back a reply day and night. As he spoke, he took out two letters from his bosom and handed them to the prefect, who was still seated.

Liu Mingcheng took the letter and didn't open it, nodded and said with a smile: "Master, it's been too hard all the way. Let's have a good rest in these two days, and the affairs in the yamen will be dealt with in a few days. ”

The master bowed and replied, "Thank you, for your concern!" This is a subordinate business. Don't disturb the adults to handle official business, and the subordinates will retire. ”

After the master closed the study door again, Liu Mingcheng hurriedly opened a letter, looked at it carefully, and then showed a smile on his face, his expression was relaxed. He flicked the letter with his fingers, and the corners of his mouth rose and whispered, "It's done!" Hahaha...... "Lest he miss something important, he read it twice again before reluctantly throwing the letter into the brazier." Seeing that the flames had engulfed the letter, eventually leaving a little ash, he opened another letter, read it, and hid it in a box. Sitting at the desk again, the smile on Liu Mingcheng's face couldn't be stopped, even his thick black eyebrows trembled slightly, and his usually majestic Chinese face was also covered with folds. "It seems that I will soon leave for the capital, and I don't know what position he will use to reward me. Forget it, anyway, it's much better than staying in Yangzhou for the rest of your life. ”

Just as he was imagining the future, a family member knocked on the door and said, "Master, the official in the front yard came to report that the eunuch from the capital had come to announce the decree, please come over and greet him as soon as possible." ”

Liu Mingcheng was puzzled, because there was no rumor, so he didn't know what was going on, but he still quickly got up and walked to the front yard. Walking to the front yard and seeing the eunuch Xuanzhi and a group of spy guards, Liu Mingcheng hurriedly knelt on the ground and shouted: "Minister Liu Mingcheng respectfully invites Sheng'an!" ”

The eunuch glanced at him coldly, and as if there was no one in front of him, he half-raised his head and said to the air: "Lord Liu, this holy decree is not for you alone, go and invite Elder Xia Ge over to receive the decree together." ”

Liu Mingcheng chuckled in his heart, secretly said that it was not good, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead, what he was most worried about still happened. Privately detaining a person summoned by the emperor is unreasonable, even if it is justified. Thinking of this, he planned to break the jar, as long as Xia Guoyuan's servant killed someone, even if he couldn't be convicted, he could take himself out, and maybe he could leave a good reputation as a "strong order". Liu Mingcheng secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked up and saw that it was indeed the jade shaft holy decree for the first-rank official, and stood up calmly and ordered the officials behind: "Where did the old Xia Ge go?" Hurry up and invite Xia Ge Lao over. ”

The official said: "Back to my lordship, Xia Ge Lao went to Taibaiju today, saying that he wanted to taste the food of our Yangzhou. ”

"Oh? That's not close! Liu Mingcheng said with a sad face.

The official was a little puzzled, but he still followed his lord's words and said, "Yes! Taibai lives in the west of the city, and it takes an hour to go back and forth. ”

"Come over quickly, please come, you can't delay the emperor's decree!" Then Liu Mingcheng bowed slightly and stretched out his hand and said, "Father-in-law, this official has already asked the official to go over and invite Xia Ge Lao." You see that the sun is poisoning at this time, so let's go in and have a cup of tea and some pastries, and rest your feet by the way. ”

The eunuch's eyes glanced at him, and a voice came out of his nostrils, "Hmm." ”

While the maid was serving the pastries, Liu Mingcheng stood next to him and pointed to a plate of pastries and said: "Father-in-law, glutinous rice cake is a specialty of Yangzhou, made of shiny selected glutinous rice after grinding, sweet and glutinous, you must try it." ”

The eunuch picked up a piece and saw the silver ticket at the bottom of the plate, and after eating the glutinous rice cake casually, he said: "It's really good, pack the rest, and our family will take it to eat on the road." ”

"It's rare for my father-in-law to like it! Xiao Cui'er quickly took the food box and put it up for her father-in-law, and then went to the kitchen to pick some and put it together. Liu Mingcheng drank the maid, and then turned his face and said with a smile: "My father-in-law came to Yangzhou all the way, and I don't know ......."

The eunuch drank tea and said casually: "Lord Liu, your courage is not small!" The emperor wanted to see Xia Ge Lao, but he was delayed by you for so long. ”

Liu Mingcheng trembled in his heart, and said with a forced smile: "Father-in-law Mingjian! This official is also forced to do so. A few days ago, there was a murder case on the passenger ship that Xia Ge Lao was taking, and the official was also afraid that Xia Ge Lao would be in danger, so he dared to ask him to stay in Yangzhou for a few days. As long as the murderer is caught, the official will immediately send someone to escort Xia Ge Lao into Beijing. You have also seen that Xia Ge Lao did not suffer any trouble in Yangzhou. ”

The eunuch nodded and said softly: "Well, Lord Liu's difficulties, our family understands. After we go back, our family will report to the emperor truthfully. ”

Liu Mingcheng hurriedly said: "Thank you father-in-law for your kind words!" ”

Under Liu Mingcheng's deliberate flattery, the two chatted lukewarmly for a while. After more than half an hour, Xia Guoyuan returned under the support of his family. The eunuch didn't dare to hold it in front of Xia Ge Lao, and after reading the holy decree, he worked with the people of the spy department to protect him and return to Beijing.

Xia Guoyuan didn't say much, and didn't even look at Liu Mingcheng, as if the latter was not his student at all. At this point, although the two did not say it explicitly, they both knew that the friendship between teachers and students was over.