The howling wind outside has stopped. Wang Mang pushed open the window and saw that the heavy snow had stopped, and only the earth had been dyed white.

"The snow has stopped, so it's time to say goodbye." Liu Xiu smiled shyly, stood up, and bowed deeply to Wang Mang: "Taigong's teachings today are really eye-opening and deafening. If I have the opportunity in the future, I hope to be taught in front of the Taigong Throne. ”

"Naturally, there is a chance." Wang Mang nodded, took off the white fox fur on his body, stood up and walked to Liu Xiu's side, and draped it on his shoulders for him: "It's still cold outside, this fox fur, I'll give it to you." ”

"This ......" Liu Xiu hurriedly excused himself: "No merit will not be punished." What's more, Taigong, you are old, how dare you pay homage here? ”

Wang Mang smiled and shook his head: "You're welcome. When you return to Chang'an, take this fox fur and go to ......."

He paused, thought for a while, and said, "Let's go to the mansion of the Great Sikong Wangyi." ”

"Are you ......" Liu Xiu was startled and looked at Wang Mang with wide eyes. He didn't expect that the old man in front of him would be the Great Sikong Wangyi.

So before, what he said about his views on today's son......

"Nope. This is the son of the great Sikong Wangyi, Wang Mu, the word Zihe. Wang Mang waved his hand and pointed at Wang Mu: "And the old decay...... It's just his teacher. ”

"I see, I understand." Only then did Liu Xiu remember that he had indeed heard Wang Mu call Wang Mang a teacher, and the tension in his heart eased slightly.

"So, let's get on the road. Today, I have a chance to meet another person who can understand what the old man thinks, and it is also the luck of the old man. Wang Mang smiled and patted Liu Xiu's shoulder.

"Yes, when I return to Chang'an next, I will come to visit Taigong again immediately." Liu Xiu solemnly bowed to Wang Mang three more times before exiting the room.

Wang Mang stood in front of the window, watching the downstairs riding the dust, rolling up the layers of snow behind the horse, and galloping towards the direction of the city gate, with infinite emotion in his heart.

"Son and ...... Later, he will accompany me to Taixue and check out this young man named Zhao Cheng. Wang Mang didn't turn around, and said slowly to Wang Mu behind him: "This person is good. It would be nice if I could use him for me. ”

"Yes, Teacher."

"You...... Are you worried? Wang Mang said suddenly: "Until now, you are my only disciple. And today, you have met someone who is comparable to you. Are you afraid that your heir status will be threatened by him? ”

- "Teacher, you are thinking too much...... Wang Mu shook his head: "What I care about, what I am loyal to, and what I should inherit is the ideal that I share with you." And that ideal ......"

He laughed: "I have inherited it when I followed the teacher!" ”

……

The chief officer of Taixue was originally called Taichang. After the founding of the new dynasty, it followed the ancient system and changed its name to Zhizong. At this moment, in Taixue's official office, Zhang Changzheng of Zhizong was kneeling nervously on the side, looking at the emperor in front of him cautiously.

He didn't know why His Majesty suddenly came to his Taixue in this snowy day wearing regular clothes and only one attendant, just to investigate a student's case.

"Teacher, there are some ...... Wrong. ”

Wang Mu held a bamboo slip, walked out of the rows of shelves, came to Wang Mang's side, and placed the bamboo slip in front of him: "The disciple did find this Zhao Cheng's name in today's Taixue roster. But ......"

"But what?" Wang Mang frowned.

Wang Mu had some doubts on his face: "But when the disciple wanted to find out his origin, he found that there was no such person in the list of former inspections. ”

"How could such a thing be?" Wang Mang raised his head sharply and looked at Wang Mu: "Could it be that you missed it?" ”

There should be two copies of the case hidden in Taixue. One of them is the roster of Taixue's admissions, and there is only a record of each student's time when he came to report. The other is the original roster of the prefectures and counties, which determines who is eligible to be admitted to Taixue, and it contains detailed information such as the origin of each student.

These two lists should correspond one-to-one. If a name can be found on the admission list, it should never be found on the inspection list.

"The disciple has read it carefully three times, and he will never think so." Wang Mu took a deep breath.

"That'...... That's it. Although I didn't ask him when he would return to Chang'an, it didn't take too long to think about it. Wang Mang sighed: "Come back to the palace with me first." More on that later. ”

"Yes...... The teacher and the disciple also found a name that did not appear on the admission list in the inspection list. And the background is also Nanyang County. Do you want to go to Nanyang to look for it according to this name? Wang Mang was about to stand up, but heard Wang Mu continue.

"Who?" Wang Mang had already planned to put this matter aside for the time being, but he was surprised by Wang Mu's appearance and asked.

"This person's name is Liu Xiu, and he is a descendant of the former dynasty's clan." Wang Mu said in a low voice: "The disciple is just a little suspicious, this Zhao Cheng, I'm afraid it is Liu Xiu." It's just that I don't know why he came to Chang'an incognito and stayed in Taixue for five years? ”

Liu ...... Elegant...... Liu Xiu? Wang Mang chewed the name twice in his mouth, and suddenly his whole body was shocked, his eyes were fixed on Wang Mu, and his voice was hoarse: "You say...... The one named Zhao Cheng is Liu Xiu?! ”

"The disciple is just speculating. After all, there are only two names on the two rosters. Wang Mu originally just wanted to remind the teacher out of caution, but he didn't expect that when he heard this name, he seemed to have seen something most terrifying, and even the expression on his face was distorted, and he couldn't help but be startled.

Liu Xiu...... Liu Xiu...... Could it be that he turned out to be that Liu Xiu......? ”

Wang Mang's fists clenched tightly, and his face became extremely pale.

Didn't the people who sent out a few years ago report that the Liu brothers had already died in the fire?

"Teacher, are you ...... Heard of this Liu Xiu? Wang Mang's appearance was the only time Wang Mu had seen it in his life, so he couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"I've heard of it...... How could I not have heard of this name? Not only have I heard of it, but ...... Wang Mang's breathing became short: "Can ...... I never thought that I would meet him in Chang'an City......"

"That'...... Is it to wait for him to return to Chang'an, or will the disciple send someone to Nanyang to visit? Wang Mu asked hurriedly.

"Back to Chang'an? He won't go back to Chang'an! Wang Mang hoarsely raised his head, his face cloudy, as if he was making some difficult decision.

Wang Mu didn't dare to speak anymore, so he could only sit quietly and wait for the teacher to make that decision.

"Let's go back to the palace."

After a long time, Wang Mang gritted his teeth and stood up.

"Yes, Teacher." Wang Mu hurriedly followed behind Wang Mang, and as he walked out of Taixue's official office quickly, he stepped into the carriage, leaving only Zhang Chang of Zhizong kneeling behind him blankly, not knowing what was going on.

As soon as he got into the car, Wang Mang instructed the coachman to drive the car fast, and kept urging on the road, but he didn't say a word to Wang Mu again. Wang Mu on the side kept guessing in his heart, but he couldn't guess what the teacher was thinking in his heart.

It wasn't until he returned to the palace that Wang Mu heard the teacher call Han Zhuo. Then, a black figure slowly walked out of the shadows and knelt in front of Wang Mang.