Aobai Mansion was suddenly copied, which shook Jinghua. The people from the Internal Affairs Office and the patrol yamen didn't know what was going on, and they wanted to break into the house to check the situation, and they were almost detained by the iron beggars.

The stolen things were piled up like a hill in front of the hall, and the iron beggar himself sent people to register them in different categories.

Mrs. Rong was detained in the east wing, and there were only five big girls left in front of her, including Tangerine Embroidery, Ping Gui, Su Qiu, Mo Ju and Cai Ping. Some took a long vacation, and some resigned from the owners of each house to find another errand. The iron beggar only imprisoned the people of his own tribe, and did not restrain the rest. A large family of three or four hundred people, more than 200 people went, and only some slaves who had children were still guarding their nests and could not fly or leave.

Although the family suffered such an unforeseen disaster, the Rong family was still calm. For several days, inside and out, it was like a mess, and she could handle the whispers from different channels for a while.

"Tangerine embroidery, you all come here!" Rong sat on the kang in the lower room where the orange embroidery had lived in the past, and suddenly spoke. Several girls stood aside with their heads bowed, listening to her eloquently, "What happened to the master, this family is not the same." If you have relatives, go home! Speaking of this, she felt that her eyes were astringent, wiped away her tears and said, "The master of the house over there, I have long seen that he is not a serious thing, our master does not listen to people's persuasion, and blindly gets close to him." - Although I don't know about them, I can't think about them! ”

When Jianmei heard these words, she had an indescribable feeling in her heart. She originally entered Beijing for revenge, and wanted to be the enemy of the Manchurians with anger, but unexpectedly met Wei Dongting, a close friend in her youth, who was determined to follow Kangxi, and her father-in-law Shi Longbiao also returned to the Qing Dynasty, and unconsciously she was also involved in the political whirlpool of Kangxi's seizure of the palace. But in the past few years, he has gotten along with Mrs. Rong of Aobai and has become closer and closer. Although this Rong clan is extremely strict, he is very kind to people who are humble and cheap. Jianmei was greatly rescued by this lady, and she did not suffer any loss in the Ao Mansion. Now that he sees that even the Rong family is about to finish, Shi Jianmei is in a dilemma, and he doesn't know how to deal with it. Jianmei was sad when she heard what Rong said, and she felt ashamed. So she slowly opened her mouth and persuaded: "Mrs. don't be sad, wherever things go now, the sin is not as good as the one, the slave wants to accompany you!" ”

"Don't say that," Rong reluctantly smiled, "It's hard for you to follow me, not only did you not get any benefit, but I ended up like this, and I was already very uncomfortable in my heart!" She sighed and continued, "I don't want to hide it from you, I'm still a little considerate—"

As he spoke, Rong looked out and saw that there was no one, so he took out a silver ticket from his arms, "You guys take it and divide it, I want it useless!" As he spoke, he trembled and handed the silver ticket to Jianmei, "This is 10,000 silver, although you are late, I see you acting, I have more opinions in my heart than a few of them, but I prefer you a little more - you take it and share it with them, don't let me down!" ”

A few girls were already crying like tears, Jianmei's face was blue and red, she took the silver ticket and glanced at it, then handed it to Tang Xiu and said: "You take it and divide it among the sisters, there must be someone here Mrs., I won't go anywhere!" ”

"No!" Rong's face changed color slightly, "Since yesterday, I have stopped eating and drinking. It is better to die clean than to show up and be humiliated. ”

Only then did everyone understand that she was determined to commit suicide! Several people immediately knelt down and cried loudly. Seeing that the Rong family just smiled and didn't answer, knowing that she had made up her mind to die, and persuasion was useless, she got up and said: "Madam, you just want to do everything for the master, this is good, and the slave doesn't dare to stop it." But if the lord has a glimmer of hope for life, won't the wife die in vain? The slave wants to take a leave of absence and go out to find out. After that, without waiting for Rong's answer, he knelt down on his knees, kowtowed and got up and went out.

After a few days of trial, I realized that the complexity of the case was far beyond imagination. Kangxi is in the Heart Cultivation Palace, and he has to summon Jieshu, Ji Bilong, Wu Liuyi and a few of them every day. Wei Dongting also knew the situation of the trial well, thinking of Kangxi's judgment of Ban Bushan last year, Wei Dongting was even more impressed by the fifteen-year-old young emperor.

"The praying mantis catches the cicada, but I don't know that the yellow finch is behind." Kangxi said with a smile, "I expected that this Ban Bulshan was not a subservient person. These Ao and Ban can't figure out who is the main rebel at the moment. ”

"Long live Lord Shengming!" Jie Shu said with a smile, "The Lord is still worshipping, only Bambul, as a close branch of the royal family, instigated rebellion, and the weight of his crime is not under Aobai." ”

"This makes sense," Kangxi nodded, "This person is a huge traitor and cunning, but he has fallen in love with him." ”

Listening to Kangxi's meaning, Ji Bilong seemed to have the intention of returning to protect the Ao, so he wanted to make further temptations, blinked, and also came up and said: "According to the "Great Qing Law", such crimes, regardless of the first and second, will be executed by Ling Chi. As for how it will be issued, it will be judged by the Holy Judge. In the past few days, he has been in a relaxed mood, if he is seriously ill, he seems to be quite energetic when he speaks.

"You still can't get rid of this ** disease." Kangxi didn't hear the meaning of his words, thinking that he was prevaricating, "If you can't come up with an idea, can you call a loyal minister?" Tell me, is there anything wrong with the sin of worship? ”

Curb Bilong hurriedly said: "Death is a certainty, but there are also several ways to die." The slave thought that Ao Bai was entrusted to the lonely minister, and it seemed that it could be treated lightly with merit from the dragon to the pass, and it was enough to punish the big opening. This is also the mercy of our Holy Lord. ”

The last sentence was very useful to Kangxi's heart, and it was exactly what the Queen Mother meant. Just as he was about to praise a few words, he suddenly remembered that Xiong Cilu was standing next to him and didn't speak, so he asked, "Why don't you speak?" ”

Xiong Cixu was thinking about this question with all his thoughts at this time, and when he saw Kangxi pointing to him, he hurriedly bowed down and replied: "Your Majesty, there is no need to talk about the sin of worship, no matter how you deal with it, it is not too much." But the minister thinks that the most important point now is not how Ao Bai himself is, but whether it is beneficial to the monarch's plan to rule, so how to deal with it is really extraordinary - the slave discussed with Suo Etu yesterday to the third watch, and finally had no opinion. Don't dare to deceive, let the slave think again. ”

"This is the view of the old Cheng Mouguo!" Kangxi praised it, "Jieshu, curb Bilong, can only be martial, not literate, this is not possible!" You don't have to be afraid to meet again, and if you have anything to say, just take that as your purpose. ”

After Wei Dongting retreated, he changed into civilian clothes and went to Suofu to find Wu Ciyou-since Aobai was captured, Suo Etu sent a car to invite him back on the same day-he didn't understand what kind of disposal method could be regarded as "beneficial to the monarch's plan to rule", and wanted to hear how Wu Ciyou thought about this problem.

Wu Ciyou and Mingzhu were talking lively, and when they saw Wei Dongting coming in, they hurriedly gave up their seats and said, "Please take a seat, the tea on the table is ready-made, please use it for yourself!" ”

"What are you so happy about?" Wei Dongting asked as he sat down.

"Worship matters." Mingzhu said with a smile, "Big brother actually thinks that the court may not be willing to kill Aobai, are you ridiculous?" ”

Wei Dongting was immediately interested, leaned forward and said, "I just heard it from the Shunde teahouse, and they all said that they were afraid that they were going to be killed!" Mingzhu clapped his hands and said, "How?" What do I say! ”

"It's a big mistake to chop!" Wu Ciyou said coldly, seeing that Wei and Ming were listening intently, he continued, "Ao Bai is now the meat on the case, it doesn't matter how much it matters whether you kill it or not, but the four ministers who care for their lives have made a lot of efforts when they first established their careers. Sonny died of old age, the rest of the people were killed, chopped, and corrupted, and there was no good end, can the court not worry about the chilling hearts of the officials? He picked up his tea and took a sip, "This is a layer." What's more important is that now that the south is not quiet and war is about to start, there are many generals who are in command of the army and worship the past. Kill Aobai, who can keep them from being suspicious? ”

Speaking of this, Wei Dongting and Mingzhu suddenly realized that this was the reason for Kangxi's indecision.

"Brother Wu," Mingzhu originally wanted to ask, Ao Bai had tried to murder Kangxi twice, is this crime forgivable? Suddenly, I thought that Wu Ciyou didn't know the inside story, and Kangxi repeatedly strictly ordered not to leak it, so he changed his words and asked, "I heard that Ao Bai tried to kill the king several times to stand on his own, if you don't kill such a crime, where is there a crime that can be killed?" ”

"Judging from his usual behavior, he must have such a scheming heart." Wu Ciyou muttered, "The holy order has not been given so far, I am afraid that I will hold my hands in these things." After that, he smiled and said, "You two are famous, what can I do with these idle things!" ”

As he was talking, Suo Etu also came, and Wei Dongting and Mingzhu both stood up. Wu Ciyou hurriedly bowed down and gave up his seat and said, "Dong Weng, congratulations, I will be promoted in a few days!" ”

"I like it, and I like it even more!" Suo Etu sat down with a smile and said ambiguously, "If you are promoted to peace today, with your husband's talent, you will be reused by the imperial court!" ”

"Where's the dragon?" Wu Ciyou said, "I've been back for many days, hasn't he come to the incense yet?" ”

Suo Etu smiled and replied, "He? Yesterday, a letter came back, and after the three-day Jiao, he returned to Beijing with Mrs. Tai. Then you will see him. ”

Wei Dongting saw that it was okay, so he got up and said goodbye: "Brother Mingzhu is talking with the adults and gentlemen, I'll go back and deal with some affairs." ”

As soon as he returned to his residence in Hufang Bridge, the old man replied: "Uncle, a woman outside wants to see you!" ”

"Woman!" Wei Dongting was stunned for a while, he couldn't remember who it was, and when he hurriedly came out to see, he met Shi Jianmei in the doorway!

Both men were stunned. In Beijing, this is the third time they have met. For the first time at the temple fair along the West River, he met Shi Jianmei and Shi Longbiaoyi's father and daughter, and they were separated in distress again; The second time, Shi Jianmei called the police in the middle of the night and saved Kangxi. Since then, the two have passed on the news through Liu Hua, Xiao Qi and others. It has been more than a year since I was separated, and I have experienced a lot of dangerous storms in the past year. When I saw it today, Shi Jianmei was wearing a draped hair, her face was pale, she was out of breath, and she looked depressed, how could she not make people feel sad!

For a long time, Wei Dongting opened his mouth to speak: "Sister Mei, I didn't expect you to suffer so much!" I've been so busy with official business these days that I haven't taken care of you! But I have taken care of the iron beggar, so that he does not have to be embarrassed by his subordinates, how can he ......"

"You don't have to say that!" Jianmei walked inside and said, "I have something important to ask you." Wei Dongting hurriedly let her into his bedroom.

Everything here is still the same as it was a year ago, and on the table is the book that Wei Dongting read that night. The embroidery pier where Jianmei sat was still placed in place, and even the mirror table and wooden comb used by Jianmei for makeup that night were still quietly placed in place, but it seemed that it had not been cleaned for a few days, and a thin layer of dust had fallen on it. Jianmei brushed her hair with her hands and asked, "What about our side of the matter?" ”

"You're getting more and more like a woman!" Wei Dongting smiled, "What is this worth!" If you come today, you will come. My mother misses me so much! ”

"People are talking to you about serious things," Jianmei suddenly blushed to the root of her ears, bowed her head and said, "But you only pick these things up!" ”

"Isn't that serious?" Wei Dongting asked in surprise, "What else is going on?" Shi Jianmei told her how Mrs. Rong treated her after she entered the mansion, and how she deceived the Rong family from beginning to end. Now that Rong has gone on a hunger strike, if he doesn't try, his life will be in danger. When it comes to grievances and sadness, I actually rolled down tears.

After listening to Jianmei's words, Wei Dongting was both emotional and embarrassed: in the world, how many strange things there are, and how complicated people's feelings are! The girl in front of her originally planned to be wiped out with Aobai Mansion, but because the Rong family treated her deeply, she turned upside down and begged for his life! Indeed, this is almost incredible, but it is all true.

"You...... What do you want me to say, you man? After hesitating for a long time, Wei Dongting stepped forward, stroked Jianmei's shoulder, and said in a heavy tone: "You know, it is the emperor who is in charge now!" ”

"I know." Jianmei said coldly, "I'm not going to tell you." A man must live according to his conscience. If Rong Taijun can't live, I will be a first-class lady, and I will feel tasteless! As he spoke, he got up and smiled miserably: "I'm going now,—— don't stare at me, I can't die, find a deep mountain nunnery, and I can also live this life - alas, I have done too many sins in my life!" ”

Wei Dongting knew that she was going and would never see her again, so he jumped up and blocked it sideways, and grabbed Jianmei's shoulders with both hands: "Don't go!" I'm with you! After saying that, he was already in tears, and he hurriedly wiped it away: "The matter of Ao Bai has not yet been decided, I will inquire again!" After saying that, he pulled away and left, and then turned around and said, "Good Meimei, you just have to wait for Xin'er here!" ”

The next day, Wu Ciyou sat on a green sedan chair, and Suo Etu next to him rode a high-headed horse and went straight to the Forbidden City. At this time, Suo Etu was already a big man who shocked Jinghua. Seeing him personally escorting the sedan chair along the way, the people on the side of the road all cast surprised eyes, and they didn't know where the characters in the sedan chair came from.

It was originally said that "Long'er" returned to the city today, and the two traveled together, greeting the old lady by the way, but Wu Ciyou didn't care much. When he arrived outside the Zhengyang Gate, the sedan chair went north, and Wu Ciyou felt very strange, and hurriedly pedaled the sedan chair and shouted: "Stop!" ”

The palanquin drivers glanced at each other, and when they saw Suo Etu smiling and walking, they didn't dare to stop. Wu Ciyou was surprised, sat back again, kept looking at the scenery outside the window, and couldn't figure out where to take him.

Carried outside the noon gate, I heard someone shouting: "Here the civil official gets off the sedan chair, and the military attache gets off the horse!" Before Suo Etu could answer, he saw a person running out of the noon gate and asked loudly, "Is it Mr. Wu's sedan chair?" Wu Ciyou only felt that his eyes were bright: the person who came was a pearl!

Suo Etu slowly got off the horse, handed the reins to the servant, and said with a smile: "It's Mr. Wu's sedan chair." Mingzhu turned his face and instructed the person who stopped the sedan chair: "According to the emperor's holy decree, in the Forbidden City, Mr. Wu can take a sedan chair!" ”

"Let's go inside!" With a wave of the man's hand, the lieutenants flashed a way, and the sedan chair slowly entered again. These sedan chair drivers also entered the big interior for the first time, and saw that there were three steps, one post, five steps and one sentry inside, and the weather was majestic, and they walked tremblingly one by one. Wu Ciyou in the sedan chair could still speak, and sat in a daze.

In front of the tall and wide Taihe Palace, there were kneeling officials of all sizes with feathers, and they looked at this small green cloth sedan chair commonly used in the market in amazement, and they couldn't figure out how they were qualified to carry it here. What surprised them even more was that when Suo Etu, the first favorite minister of today's son, was respectfully guiding in front of the sedan chair, what was going on?

The small sedan chair was lifted to the bottom of the steps of the Taihe Palace, and finally stopped. Suo Etu lifted the sedan curtain and called softly: "Mr. Wu! He stretched out his hand and helped Wu Ciyou, who was drunk and dizzy, out. I saw that Mu Zixu, the guard of the Great Interior, was wearing a yellow coat, walked down the steps along the white marble guardrail with a high spirit, and stood opposite Wu Ciyou and preached loudly: "Wu Ciyou entered the Baohe Palace to meet you, Qin this!" After speaking, he asked An Dao with a smile on his face, "Hello Mr. Wu, you are very happy!" ”

"This ...... What's going on? Wu Ciyou looked at Suo Etu, and then at Mu Zixu. When I was looking for the pearl, I didn't know when I had left. The two people in front of them are familiar, and they are face-to-face, and they seem to be true, and they seem to be dreams-"You explain it clearly!" ”

Mu Zixu smiled: "You'll know when you go up." As he spoke, he and Suo Etu grabbed Wu Ciyou's arm and walked up the stairs. Wu Ciyou only felt that his ears were ringing and his legs were weak, and he fell step by step, and said as he walked: "I don't understand, I don't understand......"

But he soon understood. He foolishly followed the two into the Baohe Palace. Led by Suo Etu, he also knelt three times and kowtowed nine times. When he looked up slightly, he couldn't help but freeze all over his body, in the middle of the golden Baohe Palace, on the throne carved with dragons and gold, it was the students who he had taught and respected each other for several years. Now he has "changed" into the current emperor, and he is looking at himself with a smile. On both sides, the geese lined up in an orderly manner, and there were dozens of people standing solemnly in the hall, and there was no sound at all. Mingzhu, Mu Zixu, Donkey, and Hao Laosi, who were standing next to Kangxi, were naturally acquaintances. Jie Shu and Xiong Cixu were also vaguely familiar, and in an instant, Wu Ciyou came to his senses. He was about to shout, "Dragon—" and immediately changed his words to: "Long live the Dragon Lord!" He bowed his head deeply.

Looking at Wu Ciyou, who is usually free and graceful, and now he is at the mercy of people like an idiot, Kangxi was first a kind of proud satisfaction, and when Wu Ciyou changed his words to "Long live the dragon master", he suddenly felt a sense of loneliness and sadness: "The fate of teachers and friends is over!" He sighed slightly and said, "Mr. Wu." ”

Suo Etu, who was kneeling on the side, hurriedly pushed Wu Ciyou and asked him to agree, and Wu Ciyou touched his head on the ground in a daze, which was regarded as a reply.

"After several years of teaching, I have benefited a lot." Kangxi said guiltily, "For several years, Mr. didn't know the reason, because I wanted to learn the truth and had to be tempered. I have no choice but to do it, Mr. Wanwang understands. ”

"If you want to learn the truth, you must be tempered", is what Wu Ciyou said when he talked about "Mencius". At this time, Kangxi personally pointed it out, which really has the effect of Daigo empowerment. Wu Ciyou realized at this point, and many unknown things suddenly opened up, and he hurriedly kowtowed again and again: "The minister blasphemed the monarch with cloth clothes, talked about current politics in vain, and misinterpreted the scriptures, and the crime was not to be punished!" ”

"Qing has a credit to me, what a crime!" Kangxi smiled, "If Mr. knows the reason, I won't be able to listen to Mr. Ling's words." ”

When Wu Ciyou heard this, he just kowtowed and didn't answer.

"Mr. Wu, although the righteousness between me and your monarch and ministers is determined, the friendship between teachers and students will last forever, and Mr. I will call me 'Long'er'!" Speaking of this, Kangxi suddenly became excited, "Come on!" Take Mr.'s plan back then! ”

Mingzhu heard this, and hurriedly took a volume of documents from the eunuch's hand and presented it. Kangxi unfolded the rolling paper, smiled and looked at it again, then handed it to Jieshu and said, "This is Mr. Wu's exam paper "On Enclosure and Chaos in the Country" three years ago. The writing is vigorous, magnificent, and the statement of the key points of governing the country is profound, which is really a rare masterpiece. Circulable. ”

Although Jieshu held the scroll in his hand, he listened to Kangxi's words of approval in his ears, how could he have the heart to read it carefully, only skimmed it once, and handed it to King Horqin next to him. After the king of Horqin read it, it was passed to the king of Shuogong, the king of Yi, the king of Thailand and a group of Baylor and Beizi. By the time it reached Suppilon's hands, the edges of the scroll had been wet with sweaty hands.

He knelt down and took the scroll. He had heard of the name of this volume for a long time, and he was also clear about the story caused by it. But I didn't have a chance to read this article for a while. Today, he wanted to read it carefully. As I watched, I felt ashamed, and a fine bead of sweat oozed from my forehead. When he passed the scroll downward, he fell to the ground, sighed, and said in a loud voice: "The article is indeed very incisive in its direct presentation of the evils of the times and the root cause of the chaotic government!" Mr. Wu is truly a pillar of the country! ”

Hearing the praise of the ministers, Kangxi couldn't help but be proud, and actually got up and paced in front of the throne while smiling: "Mr. Wu, I remember the first time we got together in Yuepengdian, Mr. Cooking wine and talking about fame, which benefited me a lot, and I still think about it very interesting now." ”

Wu Ciyou thought of his big talk about fame, and he immediately sweated, but he just kowtowed and didn't say a word.

"Mingzhu," Kangxi saw that the hour was not early, and said, "Mr. Wu should not live in Suo'etu Mansion anymore." You also accompanied Mr. Wu back to the original Yue Peng store to wait for the order. Zhu Qing can kneel down. ”

With a deafening mountain cry, Kangxi retreated.