Xu Mingzhen's eyebrows moved, and he looked at Mu Yan thoughtfully, "Ah Yan, what do you mean......"

"Let 'the man' move on his own." Mu Yan said with a smile, his sharp eyes were like a leopard staring at its prey in the jungle, ready to attack.

Xu Mingzhen stroked his beard slowly, and said, "Yes, only if you move, can you catch someone." "The wise pupils shone brightly.

Mrs. Xu looked back and forth at her grandfather and grandson, obviously these two people were very different in appearance and temperament, but at this moment, she felt that these two people were surprisingly similar.

Suddenly, Mrs. Xu calmed down and smiled calmly. With them, nothing can happen at home.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Mingzhen said again: "Ah Yan, I don't think there is a need to rush this matter in the next day or two. ”

Mu Yan understood what his grandfather meant, hooked his lips and smiled, and said, "What my grandfather said is to make them anxious." ”

Only if they can't ask for it, and they are anxious, will they panic and lose their inch, so that even if there is a flaw in the house, they will not attract the suspicion of the other party.

Although Xu Mingzhen resigned and retired to seclusion for more than ten years, he was also a feudal official back then, and he had seen the world, and he was shocked when he heard about Nanhuai's spy at first glance, but after calming down, he thought about it more carefully and more cautiously than Mu Yan.

"I listened to my grandfather." Mu Yan smiled in his eyes.

In the breeze, the smell of cinnamon in the room became stronger, and Mrs. Xu personally re-brewed tea for the two of them.

After drinking this cup of new tea, Mu Yan took the roster and said goodbye: "Grandfather, grandmother, then I'll go first." ”

He waved his hand at the second elder, and was about to turn around and leave, but was stopped by Xu Mingzhen: "Ah Yan." ”

Xu Mingzhen hesitated again, but he couldn't help but admonish again: "I know that you are considerate of people, but what about others?" ”

Mu Yan trusts Cen Yin and is willing to fellowship with his life to Cen Yin, so will Cen Yin treat Mu Yan with the same attitude?

Mu Yan smiled slightly, looked at Xu Mingzhen calmly, and spit out four words firmly: "Of course." ”

If he can't even believe his eldest brother, then who else can he trust in this world?!

The sunlight that poured in from the window illuminated Mu Yan's face extraordinarily brightly, as if it was glowing, and the young man's eyebrows were open, high-spirited, and bright.

"......" Xu Mingzhen couldn't speak anymore, and could only watch Mu Yan leave in a daze.

The door curtain embroidered with two cranes was raised by Mu Yan recklessly, and then fell, and the door curtain shook slightly in mid-air, making a subtle sound, intertwined with the sound of the wind blowing the branches and leaves outside the window.

The second elder didn't call anyone, and the maid didn't dare to go in.

Only Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Xu were left in the second room, and there was no one to speak for a long time.

Xu Mingzhen frowned, picked up the teacup, put it down again, and looked preoccupied.

After decades of husband and wife, Mrs. Xu could certainly see what the old man was thinking, and persuaded loudly: "It was so difficult in the past, Ah Yan also came over, he is a measured child." "Since Mu Yan can believe in Cen Yin so much, he does not hesitate to entrust his life, and he thinks that Cen Yin is also extraordinary.

Mrs. Xu responded to the silence.

After a while, the curtain in front of him finally stopped, standing still in midair.

On the door curtain, there is a picture of a crane playing with plums, one of the cranes soars in the air arbitrarily, and the other crane on the ground spreads its wings and wants to fly, and the sharp beak is just aimed at the crane flying in the air, as if it is whispering to it, and seems to peck it......

Xu Mingzhen stared at the curtain for a long time and rubbed his eyebrows.

Children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren, in fact, Xu Mingzhen doesn't want to care too much, but because of Xu Jingsi and Qinpuguo's affairs, because of the death of his eldest daughter, he really doesn't want his grandson to encounter anything unavoidable.

He just wants him to be well, as long as he can be well, anything......

Mrs. Xu stretched out her hand and held Xu Mingzhen's hand.

Two hands covered with traces of time were clasped tightly together, giving each other strength.

There was silence in the room for a moment.

Xu Mingzhen raised his eyes to look at Mrs. Xu and advised, "The matter of the spies must be arranged well." It's enough for you and me to know about this matter, and no one can say it, including the second child. ”

Xu Mingzhen didn't say this because he didn't believe his second son, but this matter is related to Nanhuai's spies, not only a family matter, but also a national matter.

There can be no mistake in this matter, and the fewer people who know about it, the better it can be arranged.

"I understand." Mrs. Xu nodded solemnly.

After explaining, Xu Mingzhen stood up, stroked his robe, and said, "Then I'll go to the yamen first." ”

Let's wait and see what happens. Xu Mingzhen said to himself in his heart.

But in the next few days, Xu Mingzhen was a little incomprehensible.

On September 17, Mu Yan ordered Zhang Mingyuan, Cheng Zixiao, and Zhao Feng to take away their errands, and ordered their families to discipline them.

On September 18, Yu Ansheng and Li Ankang were demoted three levels in a row.

On September 19, the prince of Yongning was deprived of the throne.

This series of events shook the entire imperial court.

Many people are confused and don't understand what's going on, but there are also smart people who are vaguely aware of what's happening.

Especially those families whose children were taken away from their errands, they understood, and they were holding back a breath of anger in their hearts, only feeling that Mu Yan could really do anything in order to pick up Cen Yin, and he really didn't want to lose face.

But this matter involved Cen Yin, and they were angry, but they could only endure it, and they didn't dare to talk nonsense to the outside world.

However, if they don't say it, they can't stop those who want to find out the news.

"Uncle, we have known each other for so many years, and it can be said that we grew up wearing a pair of pants, so you can tell me and Brother Wang the bottom line, right?" A middle-aged man with a short beard looked at Yongningbo with an eager face.

"yes, yes." Another man surnamed Wang nodded frequently, "Uncle, just mention a few words to us, what does the regent mean now?" Aren't we afraid of accidentally breaking his taboo? ”

Yongningbo also held this breath in his heart for several days, and he was already ready to move, and under the questioning of the two friends, his heart was a little loosened.

He sighed and said, "Brother Zhou, Brother Wang, we have been friends for many years, so I will tell you a few words......

The two middle-aged men both looked at Yong Ningbo with burning eyes.

Yongningbo couldn't say Cen Yin directly, so he could only say euphemistically: "It's also reckless to say that the dog inadvertently offended the fourth girl." ”

In this big capital, there is only one "four girls" who does not have a surname, which is enough to make the powerful in Beijing jealous.

The two middle-aged men glanced at each other, and the man surnamed Zhou, who had a short beard, cautiously asked again: "Uncle, what is it about Ling Lang that offended the fourth girl?" ”

If it was Yongning Bo Shizi who offended Duanmu Fei, so Mu Yan took the position of the prince, it is understandable.

Yongningbo frowned, it was even more difficult.

He pondered his words for a while, and said half-truthfully: "Dog, he saw the four girl sisters with a strange man, no, he accidentally looked at it twice......"

Yongningbo vaguely stopped, said no more, and sighed again as a finish, looking helpless.

His sigh was enough to make people think about it.

The man surnamed Zhou and the man surnamed Wang looked at each other again, unable to hide the surprise on their faces.

Yongningbo's words reveal too many meanings!

Who is the strange man who is with the two girls of the Duanmu family in his mouth?

Obviously, since Mu Yan did not hesitate to punish the four girls of Duanmu in order to help the four girls of Duanmu get angry, then the four girls must not have done anything indecent, that is to say, this matter is actually related to the eldest girl of the Duanmu family?!

The two middle-aged men thought about going together, and the more they thought about it, the more they felt that it was the case.

The man surnamed Wang couldn't help but mutter, "This regent is inevitable...... It's too ......."

"It's too ungentlemanly!" The man surnamed Zhou was a little bolder, and he said it bluntly with righteous indignation, and shook his head disagreeingly, "It's not like words, it's really not like words!" ”

Mu Yan really dared to do anything in order to cover up the scandal and please Duanmu Fei, did he want to cover the sky with one hand? !

Yongningbo sighed again, "Brother Zhou, Brother Wang, Ben Bo has been friends with the two brothers for many years, this matter is to complain with the two of them, and also to remind the two of them, in the future, for the four girls, they still have to take a detour, so as not to accidentally suffer from the pond fish." ”

Zhou and Wang promised again and again, comforted Yongningbo again, and said goodbye this time.

As soon as the two of them returned home on the front foot, a good person came to visit the two on the back foot, wave after wave......

One to ten, ten to hundred......

Within a few days, most of the people in the court knew about it to a greater or lesser extent.

For most of the officials in the court, they were only afraid that they would not do something wrong or unintentionally, and they would be punished too unjustly. Besides, whether it was Mu Yan or Cen Yin, who was represented behind Duanmu Fei, they couldn't afford to offend, and they didn't dare to talk nonsense outside.

There are only a few good people gossiping behind their backs, and there are also some people who were forced to "Zhishi" not long ago who are ready to move, feeling that it almost seems to be coming, and the seemingly calm dark tide of the capital is surging.

These gossips also reached the ears of Mu Yan, who had been paying attention to this matter.

In the Wuying Palace, Mu Yan casually approved an excerpt and asked, "What else did they say?" ”

On the other side of the bookcase, a young general with a Chinese character face was standing three or four steps away with a fist clenching posture, and said respectfully:

"Yesterday, Lord Zhou and Lord Wang went to Yongning Bo's Mansion together, and after that, someone went to Zhou Shining's Mansion, and rumors spread, saying that Duanmu girl and the man kissed me and me, and were bumped into by the original Yongning Bo Shizi, and there were some conflicts."

The young general's head was lowered, and he guessed that some of the long-tongued people were going to be unlucky.

Mu Yan didn't stop moving in his hand, opened another fold, browsed through the lines at a glance, and decisively ordered: "Take the title of Earl Yongning, as for Zhou Shining, let him be a scholar, the whole Zhou family will go back to their hometown and stay well, and these ......"

Mu Yan is famous one by one, and whoever chews the root of his tongue everywhere will be knighted, and the courtiers will be dismissed, without exception!

"Let's go down and do it."

"Yes, Lord Regent." The young general with the face of the Chinese character clenched his fists and hurriedly retreated.

Luofeng silently wiped a tear of sympathy for those who were not long-eyed and talkative, and served Mu Yan on the side.

Mu Yan sat quietly in front of the bookcase, raising his wrist and waving ink on the folds, and the ink was fragrant.

All you could hear was the flipping of folds, the rustle of pens, and the occasional sound of the wind blowing leaves in the courtyard.

Mu Yan was busy with another stick of incense, and finally finished dealing with all the folds piled up on the desk.

He stretched and went out of the Wuying Palace.

The scorching sun was scorching in the afternoon, and the sunlight was shining directly on Mu Yan who walked out of the hall.

Mu Yan stopped under the eaves, tilted his head, and looked at the bright sunshine.

His eyes were as clear as the stars, his expression was resolute, his body was tall and straight, and his expression flashed with a murderous aura.

Over the years, the eldest brother has suppressed the courtiers with thunderous means, making everyone fear him, fear him, and hate him and curse him at the same time.

Those people were blindly afraid of him, but they had never opened their eyes to see what the eldest brother had done for Dasheng, but they knew it!

Big brother doesn't care about his notoriety, but he cares!

I couldn't protect him before, but now it's time to protect my eldest brother.

Of course, Mu Yan knew that what he did would inevitably attract criticism and accusations from some people, but Mu Yan didn't care.

The eldest brother doesn't care about his reputation, how can Mu Yan care about this!

Life is only a few decades, Mu Yan thinks thoroughly, as long as this life is happy, as long as he can make Dasheng prosperous again, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, this is far more important than a false name!

The corners of Mu Yan's lips hooked, and he took another step, walked briskly down the stone steps, and walked in the direction of the palace gate.

The branches and leaves above swayed slightly, as if in response to something.

After leaving the palace, Mu Yan went straight to Duanmu Mansion, and after picking up Duanmu Fei, the two took a carriage to Xuanguo Mansion together.

Mu Yan hadn't seen Duanmu Fei for a few days, and as soon as he saw someone, he was reluctant to look away, and diligently fanned her with a folding fan.

Then, he took two more books from the side, put them on the small table between the two, and pushed them to Duanmufei, "Zhen Zhen, didn't you say last time that you wanted to read books on Western clocks?" This is what I saw by chance in a bookstore the day before yesterday, you see. ”

As soon as Duanmu Fei saw the two books, his eyes instantly lit up, "Ah Yan, you are so good!" ”

One of these two books is about the introduction and history of clocks, and the other is about the construction and repair of clocks.

Duanmufei's gaze stuck to the book cover, and he said happily: "Ah Yan, I have long wanted to try to dismantle the Western clock at home, but I am afraid that I will not be able to install it back after dismantling." With these two books, I have the bottom in my heart. ”

He knew that Zhen Zhen would like it! Mu Yan was very proud, and thought in her heart to get a few more Western clocks and give them to her to dismantle slowly.

The carriage turned to the right at the shouting of the coachman, and the fruit bowl on the small table shook slightly, and a grape bone rolled over the fruit bowl......

Mu Yan's hand casually spread forward, and the grape that rolled off the table just landed in his palm.

Mu Yan's brows raised slightly, but he remembered one thing, and smiled and gossiped with Duanmu Fei: "Zhen Zhen, you don't know yet, right?" Xiaotian, that kid slipped away from the Xuanguo Mansion early in the morning of the 16th, carrying his baggage. ”

Duanmu Fei actually guessed that Xiao Tian's kid would probably run, but with Mu Yan staring, it was not so easy for Xiao Tian to run.

She asked cooperatively, "What about later?" ”

Mu Yan playfully played with the grape twice, "As for me, I sent someone to follow him quietly and followed him all the way to the south city gate." I also found a pomegranate that the old man threw on the ground, and dragged the kid back. ”

"It's a pity! You weren't there, you should have seen with your own eyes what that kid's face was on the pomegranate rolling all over the ground! ”

"Zhenzhen, did I have foresight?"

As he spoke, Mu Yan leaned his handsome face towards Duanmufei, and looked at Duanmufei obediently.

"Eun!" Duanmu smiled happily, stroked his palms and praised, "The road is one foot high, and the magic is one foot high." ”

The two talked and laughed, and after a while, the carriage arrived at the Xuanguo Mansion.

The second elder of the Chu family knew that Duanmu Fei and Mu Yan were coming today, so they had already sent a housekeeper to wait for them.

The housekeeper led the two to the main courtyard to see the old couple.

"Regent, Duanmu Fourth Girl, please come here."

The housekeeper led the two into the hall and came to the curtain that led to the second room.

A familiar voice came from behind the curtain: "Can you do it?" I'll fix it. ”

Duanmu Fei immediately heard that this was Xiao Tian's voice, and his steps were slightly slow.

Immediately afterwards, another gentle and loving female voice sounded: "Xiaotian, you can let your grandfather come." Your grandfather was very skillful, especially good at carving, and he used to make empty bamboo for your father himself. ”

In a few words, I can almost hear that the three of them should be getting along well.

The corners of Duanmu's lips are slightly upturned, and he is smiling.

Originally, she was still a little worried, but now her heart has finally let go.

The housekeeper opened the curtain for the two of them in front, and Duanmu Fei and Mu Yan entered the second room one after the other.

Mrs. Chu in the room heard the sound and beckoned to them with a smile, "Ah Yan, Sister Scarlet, you are here, come and sit down." ”

Mrs. Chu was wearing a turquoise embroidered crane title lingzhi gown, her silver hair was combed into a bun, a pair of red gold inlaid jasper double peaches and branch hairpins were inserted, and she sat on the Arhat bed with a smile on her face.

Her complexion was ruddy and radiant, and after a few days of not seeing her, her whole person seemed to be several years younger all of a sudden.

Old lady Chu sat on a rosewood circle chair by the window, holding a hollow bamboo in one hand and a carving knife in the other, and the carving knife was carved on the hollow bamboo.

Most of the paint on the empty bamboo has fallen off, and it is obviously some years.

Xiao Tian stood beside Old Lady Chu, bowed down and looked at the carving knife and empty bamboo in his hand, looking itchy and unbearable.

Duanmu Fei's gaze froze on the empty bamboo for a moment, she still remembered that this empty bamboo was made by her father for her younger brother Chu Tingshu, at that time, she knew that her father was about to leave for Longzhou, as long as her father returned home, she would go to find her father......

More than ten years have passed, and my father's appearance in my memory has become blurred, and I only vaguely remember my father's gentle voice: "Sister Ci, do you think my brother will like it?" ”

She nodded firmly: "Yes, definitely." ”

When my brother disappeared, he was only three years old, and at that time, he was small and had not had a chance to play with this empty bamboo, and now he has finally returned......

Father will be pleased.

The corners of Duanmufei's mouth curled higher.

"Meow." Xueyu, the white cat who was originally curled up next to Mrs. Chu, jumped off the Luohan bed quickly, ran to Duanmu Fei's side lightly, and rubbed her skirt.

"Snow Jade." Duanmu Fei leaned over and picked up the white lion cat, stepped forward as if nothing had happened, and saluted Mrs. Chu with Mu Yan with a smile.

Xiao Tian naturally also saw Duanmu Fei and Mu Yan, and waved his hand at them happily, which was regarded as a greeting.

Duanmu Fei actually had a lot of things to say to Xiao Tian in his heart, wanted to ask about the past few years, wanted to ask him if he was used to living in the Chu family these days, and wanted to ask him if he remembered anything.

But she still didn't say anything after all, and sat down on the circle chair on Mrs. Chu's left, hugged Xue Yu in her lap, and touched its back again and again.

Xue Yu purred in satisfaction, and the green cat's eyes narrowed into a slit.

Mu Yan walked over to Old Lady Chu and Xiao Tian, and recommended himself with a smile: "Old Lady Chu, is this empty bamboo broken?" Let me take a look, eat, drink and have fun or something, I'm very good at it. ”

The corners of Xiao Tian's mouth twitched, and he always felt that there was something wrong with what this dignified regent said, this was more like it came from the mouth of a gentleman, right?

"Brother Yan, everything has to be said to come first and come first, right?" Xiao Tian was afraid that Mu Yan would take the lead, so he hurriedly said, "I can also repair it." ”

The carving knife in the old lady Chu's hand stopped, raised her eyes to look at the two young people who were "eyeing the tiger", waved her hand and said, "Go, go, I still have a treasure knife before I get old!" You young people, go and play on your own. ”

Looking at Old Lady Chu's unyielding appearance, Mrs. Chu couldn't help but laugh in her heart, so she echoed: "Xiaotian, Ah Yan, Sister Scarlet, the three of you go to the garden to play for a while." ”

Duanmu Fei was as good as a stream, and after putting down the snow jade, he stood up and said with a smile: "Ah Yan, Xiaotian, let's go out for a walk." ”

So, the two young people who were still obsessed with the empty bamboo followed Duanmufei step by step, and Xue Yu naturally ran away with Duanmufei.

Mrs. Chu couldn't help but look at Xiao Tian's back, and it wasn't until the curtain was lowered that she withdrew her gaze, and then looked at Old Lady Chu.

Old Lady Chu gave her a relieved smile and continued to bow her head to cultivate the empty bamboo.

After the three young men left, the room was quiet, quiet and peaceful.

Mu Yan, Duanmu Fei and Xiao Tian, who left the main courtyard, sent the maid and meandered along a bluestone path.

"Xiao Tian," Mu Yan proposed, "let's go to the small garden." ”

Xiao Tian had only lived in the Chu family for a few days, and he was not familiar with Mu Yan here, so he shrugged his shoulders.

Mu Yan walked all the way, gossiping with Xiao Tian all the way, talking about the flowers and plants along the way, the buildings here, and the places that have been renovated over the years......

Xiao Tian listened absent-mindedly, and his gaze couldn't help but fall on Xue Yu, who was circling around Duanmu.

Xue Yu stuck to Duanmufei's skirt all the way, rubbing her head a few times from time to time as she walked, and her long tail flicked around happily.

Xiao Tian knew that this lion cat was a cat raised by Mrs. Chu, and these days, he often saw it.

This white cat is very arrogant, and on weekdays, except for Mrs. Chu, almost no one pays attention to it, and always looks like he is rejecting people thousands of miles away.

This was the first time Xiao Tian had seen this cat's delicate and fluffy appearance, which made him almost suspect that this was another cat with the same appearance as Xue Yu but with a very different personality.

Xiao Tian thought a little out of the blue, and Mu Yan, who was walking side by side with him, suddenly stopped and asked coldly, "Xiao Tian, what do you think of the Chu family?" ”

Xiao Tian's eyes moved away from Xue Yu at this time, thinking of the second elder of the Chu family, his eyes flashed slightly.

Old lady Chu has a gentle temperament, a good heart, a strong will, and the wisdom of an elder and a well-educated person, these days, Xiao Tian asked him a lot, not only about the imperial court and Jinzhou, but also about Huaizhou and the northern border...... He knows everything.

And Mrs. Chu ......

Thinking of Mrs. Chu's loving smile and her care for herself these days, Xiao Tian's heart suddenly became very soft.

After being silent for a while, Xiao Tiancai said, "The Chu family is very good. ”

It's so good that he can't help but have some "extravagant hopes" that he shouldn't have.

Xiao Tian's fists clenched tightly into fists.

Seeing that the three of them suddenly stopped, Xue Yu obediently squatted at Duanmufei's feet, tilted her little head, and "meowed" in confusion.

The corners of Mu Yan's lips hooked, he was not surprised by Xiao Tian's answer, and said with a smile: "Then recruit An." ”

The three words made Xiao Tian almost not jump, and a pair of black and white eyes widened.

Isn't this guy asking the Chu family, why did he go to Zhao'an again?! Does the Chu family have anything to do with Zhao'an?

What kind of regent is this, it's really inexplicable!