The wind brought some coolness, and the heat of the day was eliminated. Chen Yan wiped his face with cold water, looked at Qi Su Niang with a happy face, and said with a smile: "Can you rest assured now?" You don't have to worry too much, Lian Zhenyun is not a fool. ”

Qi Su Niang pursed her lips and smiled, and changed into a Ge gauze shirt for Chen Yan, "You haven't been in the deep courtyard, but you don't know that everyone is staring at the master's face to see the direction of the wind." It's true that even the big boss is a stakeholder, he is just too stake, how many people below can understand his thoughts? Isn't it just with red top white, on the hot stove? Don't you believe it, how many of the people in Lianxiang's courtyard today didn't have the idea to listen to the corner and report to that room? Why does Lianxiang wear old clothes on weekdays? One can be used for two or three times at most. ”

Bi'er handed over the belt, nodded and smiled: "Those daughters-in-law who opened the curtain at the door clearly saw that Uncle Lian and Second Master Li had arrived at the bottom of the stairs, and grandma was crying with Aunt Lian in her arms, and none of them screamed in advance. In the past, as long as Uncle Lian entered the yard, he began to greet him. The slave and maid were sweating at the time, and it was also a shame that the grandmother was willing to be careful. Even in front of the fourteenth master, the slave maid had never seen her grandmother so careful. ”

Chen Yan looked at Qi Su Niang, "Haven't you been wronged?" ”

Qi Su Niang shook her head with a smile, "No." If I put up a swag and oppress people, it will be Lianxiang who suffers. I'm Mrs. Yangzhou Futai, the wife of the fourth grade, and I say a few good words with a smiling face, and even the big boss naturally has to give face.

Isn't this still for Lianxiang's waist? ”

Chen Yan nodded, "Lian Zhenyun's temperament is to eat persuasion rather than hardness, I heard that he has offended several masters in the capital." Fortunately, at this time, it is far away, and he doesn't have to be afraid of anyone. Looking at the wide belt on Qi Su Niang's hand, she shook her head, "It's very hot, don't tie this." ”

Qi Su Niang turned around to look for the ribbon, and said with a smile: "At this time, as long as he doesn't offend you, he can stuff enough silver in other places." Didn't I rely on this to have the audacity to intercede? Looking back at Chen Yan again, "Brother Chen, why are you unhappy?" I heard that the emperor sent two Qin messengers, one Han and one Manchu, to investigate the Jiangnan Township trial case, and the Han official was Zhang Peng and Master Zhang......"

Biller held on to the candlestick and led the branch to close the door and exit.

Chen Yan sighed, pulled Qi Su Niang to sit on the edge of the bed, and looked at the lone lamp on the round table, "When I was still the master of Yongding River, I followed Master Zhang to the Kali Mansion, and the old lady was Lord Zhang's seat teacher. Although Lord Zhang is a good official, the friendship between the two governments is not shallow......"

Qi Su Niang was stunned. I vaguely remembered this. "You seem to have mentioned it to me before." Biting his lip, he thought slowly. "It's fine. Are you saying that Master Cao is now well...... If you talk about trustworthiness. The emperor is still a slave in his own heart......"

Chen Yan pondered for a while. Hug Qi Su Niang. "You have a point. It's just that it's too big. Except for those examiners. In the end, someone has to take the blame for everyone......"

Qi Su Niang's color suddenly changed. Said hurriedly: "Brother Chen." My brother."

Chen Yan shook his head slowly. "You don't have to rush. It depends on after Master Zhang arrives in Jiangning. The results of the inquiry. Tomorrow. The Chin Cha is coming. ”

Early the next morning. Before the sun rises. The air is still cool. Qi Su Niang sat in the official sedan chair. From the small east gate out of the old city. Arrived at the banknote gate on the street.

The street is quiet and quiet. She lifted the sedan curtain. Looking at the front of the banknote wharf from afar, the black pressure greeted the officials of Qinchadi. There are also Yangzhou scholars standing tightly along the street.

"Park the sedan chair at the mouth of Nanliu Lane." Qi Su Niang said, "Just be careful not to block the road." The head of the official team hurriedly responded and instructed the officials to change the way.

The soldiers standing at the intersection of Nanliu Lane and Zijie looked at the official sedan chair and the guard of honor, and talked in a low voice for a while, "It's the lady of Futai......" slowly moved out of the way to both sides.

The sun gradually got hot, Qi Su Niang was already sweating profusely sitting in the sedan chair, suddenly, the ten gongs and drums on the dock sounded, and the scholars were in good spirits, "Lord Qincha has arrived...... Qi Su Niang opened the sedan curtain inconveniently, and only looked through the slight gap. The yellow umbrella cover of the imperial gift slowly went up to the dock, and after a pause for a while, it was raised high, all the way out of the banknote gate, and came to the ridge street.

In the first four horses, Qi Suniang recognized that the leftmost person was Zhang Boxing, the governor of Jiangsu, and the rightmost person was Kali, the governor of Liangjiang, with the left in the middle

Zhang Peng, on the right, should be the governor of Manchu Qincha Caoyun.

He was followed by Chen Yan and the governors of the two provinces.

The Ming yellow umbrella covered the small east gate and went to the old city government Ya Street, and the Yangzhou scholars followed in groups, "I heard that the emperor decreed that the Qin mission was set up in the Yangzhou Mansion and asked the case in the Yangzhou Mansion." Lord Qincha is going to the palace to interrogate ......"

Qi Su Niang watched the crowd on Zi Street gradually disperse, frowned and pondered for a while, and said, "Don't go to Lianfu, go to the Qi Mansion Courtyard." ”

Qi Su Niang walked into the courtyard of Qi Mansion, sat alone in the room, closed the door, took out the list of merchants from her arms and corresponded to the purchase account book one by one, and outlined the big merchants in the seven provinces in the south of the Yangtze River.

Outside, the sun rose into the middle of the sky, and it was very hot in the closed room. After all this, she was already sweating through thin clothes, and she still refused to stop.

She reflected on their backgrounds and temperaments, drafted a greeting letter, and let the masters understand what she meant, and then rewrote the wording.

After she took a closer look, she stamped Qi Qiang and her private seals, and instructed: "In the future, once a month, your words must be sincere and attentive." After another pause, "Pass the word, in the future, a large amount of silver money will move around, and goods will come and go, and you need to see the private seal of the uncle and me." ”

The masters responded together.

Qi Su Niang returned to the back house of the government and heard the sound of three drums in the front office, and Qin was promoted to the director of the government. Qi Su Niang summoned Bi'er, "Go to the front office and inquire." Be careful. ”

"Grandma, don't worry, there are many scholars and people who come to hear the trial, and they won't be noticed." With that, he turned around and went.

Qi Su Niang heard that the people and scholars were listening to the trial, she was shocked, worried and worried, and said to herself: "What can I do about this, what if I really investigate to the end and leak my brother out?"

Qi Su Niang walked back and forth in the hall, looking at the courtyard gate from time to time.

Suddenly, I heard the noise in front of me, faintly mixed with the scolding of the scholars, Qi Su Niang was anxious, waited and waited, Bi'er hurriedly walked in, "Grandma, the first few salt merchant children and deputy examiners in the hall have already admitted to bribery, the salt merchant's children each gave three hundred taels of gold, and the deputy chief examiner and the scholars received one hundred and fifty taels. ”

Qi Su Niang was stunned for a moment, and said hurriedly: "One hundred and fifty taels? And to whom is the other half given? ”

Bi'er shook her head and said, "I haven't asked yet." However, everyone rumored that Lord Dutai took the lion's share, and I am afraid that it will not be able to get rid of him. Uncle hasn't been involved yet......"

"Quick, let's listen again."

Qi Su Niang stood at the gate of the courtyard, watching the sun in the middle of the day slowly begin to deviate westward, dimming little by little, leading to the stone road of the middle gate, and there was still no one in Bi'er who went to inquire about the news.

A burst of angry roaring and scolding suddenly sounded, Qi Su Niang's heart jumped, although she didn't know who it was, but she also knew that it was a courtesy.

Qi Su Niang couldn't hold back any longer, walked out step by step, walked out of the courtyard gate, walked through the middle gate, bypassed the three halls, the front of the Yi Gate was empty, and the officials and servants in the government flocked to the outer hall to listen to the trial of Jiangnan Township.

Qi Su Niang walked to the door of the back hall of the outer hall, and vaguely heard the presiding judges arguing in front of her, but she couldn't hear what was said. She didn't dare to enter again, so she had to anxiously retreat to the stone road outside the hall door, she took two steps back and forth, and then heard the sudden sound of the wood in front of her, knowing that it was a retreat, she was immediately overjoyed, and hurriedly retreated to the inner house.

After a while, Bi'er really rushed over, and gasped from afar: "It's dangerous, it's dangerous, grandma"

Qi Su Niang rushed up and grabbed it, and asked urgently, "How is it?" Did you pull out the uncle? Is there a tie in the master? ”

Maybe it's a hot day, and Bill's collar is already soaked. She wiped her sweat and rejoiced: "Those salt merchants' sons confessed a guest named Li Qi, and only said that they gave him three hundred taels of gold to pay for it. That Li Qi was escorted to the hall, and after a few rounds of questioning, he confessed one hundred and fifty taels of gold and sent it to the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion, and then he said that he was introduced by a Gaoyou Caotou, but he didn't know what the other party's name was, only that he was called "Third Brother" Grandma, and the slave and maid came out in a cold sweat when they heard this, isn't this clearly the uncle? ”

There is no supplement at eight o'clock today, and there will be eight o'clock tomorrow.