Due to the arrival of the minister, the Yamen of the Pingliang Prefect temporarily served as the Imperial Mission. The crowd hugged the two ministers into the prefect's yamen, and the two ministers sat on the main seat behind the desk. began the first conversation with the magistrate of Pingliang after the Qin mission arrived in Pingliang.

"You are all officials of my Ming Dynasty, a few years ago, maybe this official is still the same year as you, ah?" Qiao Yunsheng, the secretary of the Criminal Department, looked kind, happily patrolled around, and waved his hand very gracefully and said: "The prince is an old minister of the three dynasties, and he is loyal to the emperor and the Ming Dynasty. But you don't have to worry too much, you have to do what you have to do, as long as you have a clear heart, you can rest assured that you can do your errands. ”

Qiao Shangshu said kindly, but he was a second-class official in the court and a high-ranking official in the ministry, and what he said was naturally from a high position, and he talked in generalities, which sounded very reasonable, but in fact, he didn't say anything substantial.

It was the turn of Zhang Nianyun, the imperial historian of the capital, to speak, and I saw that this lord's kind face in front of the east city gate swept away, and it became unprecedentedly strict.

"Just now, Lord Shangshu also said that the emperor sent us to Pingliang to thoroughly investigate the cause of death of the prince of Dongchang." Zhang Yushi said in a deep voice, a pair of cold eyes scanning the officials in the hall.

"To tell you the truth, the death of the prince is not only suspicious of the current emperor, but also very suspicious of our Imperial Court. It's not the first time that the prince has come back to the northwest, the first few times have been safe and sound, and there have been no accidents, only this time. Not only did the prince die, but even his men were wiped out! This is in my opinion. It's almost impossible. Although the northwest is chaotic, it will definitely not be so chaotic. Unless, someone secretly colluded with the thief and deliberately framed the prince! ”

Zhang Yushi said this, and the faces of the Pingliang officials sitting there changed, Zhang Yushi was investigating the case, and everything he did and said represented the emperor, speaking like him, although he did not say that it was the person who wanted to frame the prince, but the meaning of the words was beyond the words. But it was suspicious of all the Pingliang officials.

Pingliang and Zhilu Yifa and the official Huang Daozhou had angry faces, but the prefect Zhang Fengqi couldn't see any expression on his face. Xu Liang found out out from the corner of his eyes that the Pingliang officials in the hall had intentionally or unintentionally set their eyes on him, and he understood after a little pondering, there were people in Zhang Nianyun's mouth who framed the prince, and there were people who had the ability to frame the prince in Pingliang Mansion, and there were only a few people in Liao Liao, and he was the most suspicious.

Xu Liang's eyelids raised slightly, and he said lightly: "The words of Lord Yushi." The official disagreed. The old ministers of the three dynasties, the old man and the old man, the old man and the colleagues, are too late to love the prince and the prince, how dare they have the slightest intention of harming them. Mr. Zhang said. It is unfair. ”

Zhang Nianyun smiled coldly at Xu Liang, "Lord Xu, Ben Qincha just said it casually. The right is to remind you, why should Lord Xu be so serious? Could it be that Lord Xu is uneasy?"

Xu Liang smiled slightly. He bowed to the northern sky and said, "This official is frank and open. Where do you say that you are uneasy? However, Lord Zhang, as a messenger, represents the majesty of today's saint in his words and deeds, so he should be cautious in his words and deeds, and do not fall into the emperor's face. Saying that, Qiao Yunsheng, the secretary of the Criminal Department of Xu Liang Dynasty, arched his hand and asked: "The lower officials don't know what Lord Zhang said, someone deliberately framed the prince, is it the intention of the saint, or is it just Lord Zhang's own intention?" ”

Qiao Shangshu stroked his beard and said with a smile: "The Holy Lord just ordered this official and Lord Zhang to come to investigate clearly, and the others didn't say much. ”

Xu Liang pretended to be a false alarm, pressed his hand to his chest, and said with a frightened expression: "With the words of Lord Shangshu, the lower officials will be relieved." ”

Zhang Yushi's face turned red, snorted, and said again: "Everyone, listen up, before the cause of the prince's death is investigated, all officials in Pingliang Mansion are not allowed to leave Pingliang City without authorization. Even if there is something important to go out of the city, it must be approved by the official monk Shangshu. ”

Zhang Yushi glared at Xu Liang heavily, snorted, and said, "The generals in the Liang army are no exception!" ”

Xu Liang snorted disdainfully.

After the conversation, Qin Cha left Hong Chengchou and Zhang Fengqi, the prefect of Pingliang, to question each other separately, Xu Liang and other officials went out of the prefect's yamen, came to the door, and saw that the guards of the yamen were all changed into Qin Cha's honor guards. The guards of the Chincha were unloading their luggage into the prefect's yamen.

Pingliang Tongzhi Lu Yifa and Tuiguan Huang Daozhou walked to Xu Liang's side and watched the team of Qincha guards busy coming in and out. Lu Yifa sighed with emotion: "My lord, it's not good to come." ”

Lu Yifa said: "It seems that the emperor is really determined to find out the cause of the death of the prince and father-in-law, and even the officers and soldiers of the Beijing battalion have been dispatched." ”

Xu Liang asked in surprise, "These are the officers and soldiers of the Beijing camp?" ”

Lu Yifa nodded and said: "You can't be wrong, the uniforms of the officers and soldiers in the Beijing camp are slightly different from ordinary troops, and a discerning person can distinguish them at a glance." I see that this time the two Qin sent to Pingliang, and there were no less than 3,000 officers and soldiers in the Beijing camp accompanying them. ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he secretly woke up, but on the surface he pretended not to care, and said: "I don't do anything bad in my life, and I'm not afraid of ghosts knocking on the door in the middle of the night." What are we afraid of, let's go, it's been a long time since I've gotten together with Lord Lu and Lord Huang, tonight the official will be the east, let's have a good time. ”

Lu Yifa and Huang Daozhou were stunned and shouted: "My lord, I'm afraid I have to arrange for Qin to pick up the wind tonight, let's leave like this, isn't it?" ”

Xu Liang was stunned and said, "Then let's change the day." By the way, the official will not participate in this banquet, and Lord Huang will explain it to me in front of Lord Shangshu. ”

"Huh? Where are you going, my lord? Huang Daozhou asked in surprise.

Xu Liang got into the carriage that drove in front of him and said, "This official is in a hurry, and he has to go out." ”

When the carriage walked away, Huang Daozhou suddenly remembered and hurriedly shouted: "My lord, do you have to ask Lord Qincha for leave when you go out?" ”

However, the carriage had already gone away. Huang and Lu looked at each other and smiled bitterly, each shaking his head.

Xu Liang's carriage went straight out of Pingliang City, got on the official road, and drove quickly in the direction of Xi'an Mansion. In front of and behind the carriage, there were four Tsing Yi guards guarding on horseback.

In the carriage. Xu Liang reclined on the soft and comfortable couch, squinting and napping. Dai Yingying sat by the side of the carriage. pinched the orchid fingers, and rubbed Xu Liang's shoulders lightly.

Xu Liang had a look of enjoyment.

Dai Yingying looked at it. He stopped and chuckled: "Don't pinch it, pinch it all the way, and my hands are sore." ”

Xu Liang opened his eyes, laughed twice, moved his body to the inside of the car, and motioned to Dai Yingying: "This soft couch is big enough, come and sit next to the prime minister." ”

Dai Yingying's face was slightly red, and she glanced back at the car curtain. Seeing that it was tightly closed, he sat down next to Xu Liang. Xu Liang held Dai Luoying's hand and sighed with emotion.

"Why is Xianggong sighing?" Dai Yingying asked.

"I remember that half a year ago, when Jinyi Wei escorted me into Beijing, I saw Xu Changqing, the thousand-household official of Xi'an, for the first time." Xu Liang said slowly, "At that time, Xu Qianhu was high-spirited, proud, and didn't care about the threat of Han Wangfu, if you wanted to kill me halfway at that time." It's as simple as pinching an ant to death, what a majesty! ”

"Alas, I didn't expect that less than half a year had passed, and the prisoners at that time were now in red robes. holds the military power, but Xu Qianhu is going to be sent to Liaodong to fill the army. The experiences of life are really strange. ”

"Xianggong. Now that Xu Changqing has been assigned to the army, even if he can return to Jinyi Wei in the future. It is also difficult to rise to the high position of a thousand household officials. Such a person is not even as good as a chess piece in front of the adults in Beijing. Why do you have to go all the way to send each other? Dai Yingying asked puzzled.

Xu Liang listened. sat up straight and said to Dai Yingying: "Yingying, you have to remember one thing, people can be ignorant, shameless, and selfish, but they can't be good or bad, and they will take revenge!" Although Brother Xu was assigned to the army, he helped me after all. For this kindness, I have to go and send it. ”

Dai Yingying listened, lowered her head, and didn't dare to speak again.

Two days later, Xu Liang arrived in Xi'an City. When I came to the gate of Jinyi Wei Xi'an Thousand Households, I saw that the gate was closed. Xu Liang opened the door and inquired, only to know that Xu Changqing had been escorted out of the city on the road half an hour ago.

Xu Liang didn't dare to stop, hurriedly turned the carriage around, and chased out of the city. A cart of seven or eight fast horses, a group of people and horses chased straight to the official road outside Xi'an, only to see two Dongchang Fanzi wearing pointed hats and green clothes and soap boots from a distance and escorting Xu Changqing, who was dressed in white, slowly advancing on the official road.

The carriage passed the three men and stopped in front. Xu Liang jumped out of the carriage, came to the three of them, and arched his hand to the two Dongchang fans: "The two captains are invited, I have some important things to say with this Brother Xu, and I also ask the two of you to make it convenient." ”

Xu Liang said, and then signaled to Dai Yingying, who was following the carriage, and Dai Yingying stuffed the two silver tickets into the hands of the two Dongchang fans, and said with a smile: "It's convenient for the two of you." ”

The two Dongchang fans naturally knew Xu Changqing's coming, and they were also quite polite to the former Jinyi Wei Qianhu along the way, at this time, when they saw someone wanting to see Xu Changqing, and there were thick silver tickets stuffed into their hands, they were naturally willing, and the two said to Xu Liang: "That is the case, then we are also tired, let's go over there to rest for a while, you have to talk to Xu Ye about things, please hurry up, don't hold it for too long." ”

"Don't worry, you can't make a mistake." Xu Liang said with a smile, and when the two Dongchang fans walked away, he smiled at Xu Changqing and said: "I heard that Brother Xu was going to be exiled today, and the younger brother hurried over, and in a hurry, he didn't have time to prepare separate gifts. ”

Xu Changqing was moved, and said with a hearty smile: "Before leaving Xi'an Mansion, Xu is very happy to see Brother Xu again." If the elder brother can come, Xu is very grateful, and it is too rude to be polite. ”

Xu Liang shook his head and chuckled: "Having said that, it's not good to not take something after all." Xu Liang groped around with himself for a while, turned out all the silver tickets on his body, stuffed them into Xu Changqing's pocket, and said with a grin: "These are the silver tickets I carry with me, and there is my body temperature on them, all of which should be used for Brother Xu's expenses on the road." ”

Xu Changqing took a look, and by feeling, the total amount of silver tickets that Xu Liang stuffed in was not less than 10,000 taels. Xu Changqing's eyes were wet, and he said in a hoarse tone: "Since it is Brother Xu's heart, if Xu wants to resign, it will be a slap in the face of the elder brother, so Xu will not be polite to the elder brother!" ”

Xu Liang smiled: "It should be so!" ”

The two looked at each other and laughed. Xu Liang glanced at the two Dongchang fans who were sitting under the big tree next to the official road, lowered his voice, and asked strangely, "Why are they here to take my brother on the road?" (To be continued......)