The day before yesterday, Xu Bingyong was already wearing the official uniform newly issued by the imperial court.

The crimson disc collar right side is a large single flower robe, and the fabric is made of wrinkled silk, but there is no trace of folds.

His eyes were blue at this time, and his sideburns were silver, and he looked a little haggard.

But he also straightened his back, walked heavily, and listened carefully to the words of a certain official.

A string of water droplets dripped from the eaves, which were falling on his shoulder sleeves, and Ding Shangshu, who was walking on the side, raised his hand to brush it off for him, but was calmly pushed away by Xu Bingyong.

"Lord Ding is not polite, being looked at by others, they think how close you and I are."

His voice was very loud and thick, everyone heard it, Ding Shangshu's face was a little pale, and his tense forehead was embarrassed.

At this time, Shen Zetang came over to greet him, his demeanor was elegant, his expression was soft, and he was as usual.

Xu Bingyong looked at him with a gloomy gaze, and his hand picked up the jade belt vigorously, and he was silent.

Since the emperor ordered the investigation of the Xingyang Winter Decree Dike Cracking Case, he didn't care, this kind of thing didn't bother with himself, and someone else cleaned up the mess.

Who ever thought that the secret rumors came one after another, they were all one step late, and when he realized that this disaster was menacing and wanted to turn the tide, he was already defeated.

Until the crown prince Zhu Yu held Xu Zhengong's evidence of greedy ink and handed it to him, he was still a little confused.

He couldn't save his nephew, and he was also affected by the pond fish, and he was caught off guard, which was the most ridiculous time in his court career.

"I'm going to talk to Changqing alone! Do you have anything else to do? He stared at Shen Zetang and spoke in a deep voice.

The officials understood and hurriedly said goodbye, but Li Guangqi showed concern on his face, but to no avail, so they dispersed.

There was no one around for a while, Xu Bingyong continued to move forward, suddenly paused, and looked at Shen Zetang, who was following on the right side, frowning and asking: "Changqing, you see that I always walk in front, and the rain on the eaves is the first to wet my clothes, do you have a way to support me, how to avoid the pain of this dirty water staining my body?" ”

Shen Zetang said slowly: "The elder of the pavilion relaxes his mind and doesn't care. ”

"Don't care?" He smiled, shook his head and stroked his beard: "It is said that young and vigorous are easy to be impulsive, but I am different, when I was young, I could bear to put a whole basin of dirty water on my head; Now this age has an epiphany, if people deceive me, if they can't bear it, they don't need to endure it anymore. ”

"Under the elder of the pavilion, under ten thousand people, how can anyone dare to bully you." Shen Zetang stroked the water stains dripping from the eaves of his shoulders and walked down the sweaty white jade steps.

Xu Bingyong's eyes were as sharp as knives, and he snorted coldly: "You! Changqing, you deceived the old man so badly. ”

Shen Zetang's heart sank, his steps paused slightly, and he looked at him with a surprised face: "Why did the elder say this?" It confuses me. ”

"Xu Zhengong's evidence of greed for ink, I heard that you personally handed it over to the prince." Seeing Shen Zetang's lips open to argue, Xu Bingyong waved his hand to stop him, and continued: "I don't mean to blame you. According to the law of our dynasty, Xu Zhengong is my nephew, and it is understandable for you to implement the 'change system'. After all, with our relationship between the government and the opposition, it is not yet to the point where you can risk and hand over the evidence to me first. ”

After a pause, he said: "The old man is very optimistic about Changqing's talent, so he recommended you to be promoted to the secretary of the ministry. It's wishful thinking. ”

Shen Zetang listened silently, and only after he finished speaking, did he say respectfully: "Elder Ge may have misunderstood." If the Xingyang Winter Decree Dike Cracking Case had been handed over to me for trial, how could there have been today's events. It's a pity that the emperor appointed the Criminal Department, Dali Temple and the Metropolitan Procuratorate to preside over the trial, and Ding Shangshu and I are just supervising. When the evidence of greedy ink came, everyone was present to check it, and I really couldn't help it. What's more, he has done his best to put this certificate in the hands of the prince, and if the elder is still angry, there is nothing to say. ”

Xu Bingyong looked at him with blazing eyes for a long time, and finally patted Shen Zetang's shoulder, and then sighed: "I see!" I'm wrong about you. It's a shame that you handed over this thing to the prince, otherwise the old body will not be able to get rid of it. Let me ask you again, who brought this physical evidence? But the new right attendant of the Ministry of Works, Qin Yanzhao? ”

Shen Zetang pursed his lips and shook his head: "I heard that this physical evidence is a little woman with a child and handed it to the soap officer of the yamen, and then the soap official presented it. Qin Yanzhao is a student of Ge Lao, if it is really what he did, his heart can be punished. ”

When Xu Bingyong heard him say this, he was unsure, and he had already walked to the front of the sedan chair, so he sighed hatefully: "Sure enough, only women and villains are difficult to raise." ”

Don't mention Qin Yanzhao anymore, he only brought the end of the robe into the sedan chair, lowered the curtain, and was carried away by the sedan chair man.

................

Xu Jing waited anxiously in front of the yamen of the Ministry of Officials, and when he saw Shen Zetang walking slowly with his hands behind his back, he couldn't help but meet the splitting head and asked, "What happened to Xu Zhengong's corruption of ink?" ”

"I'm soaking wet with socks, so I'm going to get a basin of hot water." The tone is very light, the face is serious, and he doesn't want to talk about it.

Xu Jing wiped his face with his sleeves, secretly slandered himself, strange, obviously there was a sedan chair not to ride, but he had to walk back, there was a heavy rain in Chen, and there was water everywhere on the ground.

Waiting for Shen Zetang to wash his feet, put on new socks, and watch him sit quietly on the red sandalwood carved chair, hang his head and start eating tea.

"Second master.......!" Xu Jing wanted to ask but didn't dare to ask, feeling as uncomfortable as a cat.

Shen Zetang glanced up at him at this time, and smiled slightly: "Elder Xu Ge is really messed up." ”

"What do you mean by that?" Xu Jing's spirits were lifted and his eyes were shining.

Shen Zetang said in a low voice: "This is a case of embezzlement of millions of silver, and among the evidence is the notebook of Li Si of Xingyang Zhixian County, which records: 10,000 taels of silver were smuggled to the capital and sent directly to the mansion of a high-ranking official. It's weird, leave it alone. The prince handed over this thing to Xu Gelao, he was afraid of being implicated by his nephew, so he simply presented it to the emperor today, and acted in a righteous killing of relatives. At this time, Xu Zhengong and related officials were being arrested and sent to prison for trial. According to the law, it is necessary to ask for the beheading after the autumn. ”

Xu Jing was a little puzzled: "Why don't you directly play the emperor, with the emperor's temper, it is inevitable that Xu Ge will be dismissed." ”

Shen Zetang shook his head and sighed: "You think it's simple. Although the emperor controlled the government, he looked at it for a few days, and his body was difficult to recover. The crown prince and Xu Ge Lao are dependent on each other, even if Xu Ge Lao is dismissed from office, once the crown prince succeeds to the throne, he will definitely be reinstated, at that time, how should we deal with ourselves? You have to remember that the hundred-year-old tree is intertwined and intricately implicated, and if you can't uproot it with all your might, you have to be good at cultivating, taoguang and obscurity, and wait for the time. ”

At this moment, he suddenly heard footsteps by the door, so he stopped talking and looked at Xu Jing, but it was Shen Rong who walked in.

He carried a food box and said, "The old lady asked the steward to send it, saying that the second master had not returned to the house for several days, so he boiled some bird's nest porridge and sent it." ”

Xu Jing asked him to set the table, stepped forward to uncover the lid, took out a bowl and spoon, and served it to Shen Erye.

I'm not polite, take a bowl and taste it, and praise: "The craftsmanship of this willow master is getting better and better, and the boil is fragrant and soft." He beckoned Shen Rong to eat a bowl as well.

Shen Rong didn't dare, only shook his head, walked in front of Shen Zetang, and said: "The old lady also brought a message, the silver hairpin rewarded by the queen mother, I heard that the second master is here, let me not forget to bring it back." ”

Shen Zetang used a spoon to draw the hot air in the bowl, and was waiting to be cold, when he suddenly heard this, he was stunned.