Chapter 41: Separated parents get together, and filial piety divulges angrily

Since getting rid of Wang Gong, Wu Qi has gradually gained the trust of Yang Silang, treating him like a confidant, and often inviting him to the Yang Mansion to discuss matters.

On this day, Yang Silang summoned Wei Huaibing, Wuqi and others to discuss the government.

Wei Huaibing said that since Wang Gong fell, Lin Fu was like being beaten by frost, except for the court, he closed the door every day and stayed at home, and he couldn't stay in panic all day.

Yang Silang laughed when he heard this, and said, "This thief is old, I'm afraid I'm afraid of his future." ”

Fifth Qi disagreed with him, believing that Lynver was making a show for others; He said that Lin Fu has been a prime minister for many years, and according to his temperament and methods, he will never bow down and admit defeat!

Yang Silang was silent for a moment when he heard this, and said that he didn't want to get rid of the stumbling block of Lin Fu, but he didn't have his handle.

Fifth Qi suggested that if you want to get rid of Lin Fu, start with Chen Yeshuo; As long as he cuts off his arm, then Lynver will not be obediently restrained!

"Listening to the tone of the adult, could it be that you have already thought of a countermeasure?" Yang Silang asked.

Fifth Qi nodded; He said that according to his visits over the past few days, since last year, hundreds of people in the eastern part of the city have died of epidemic diseases and starvation, and some people still have insufficient stomachs...... If there is a big discrepancy between the amount of food distributed to the victims every day and the amount of food distributed by the household department before, Chen Yeshuo is suspected of making a false claim.

"Hmph, I'll just say, how can his hands be clean!"

"However, because it is so long ago, it is impossible to find out from the account books alone." Wu Qi looked melancholy and raised his voice, "If you want to investigate this case thoroughly, I think that you can start with the previous flow of grain, from the warehouse, transportation to relief, and implement every account one by one. ”

"Well, that makes sense," Yang Silang smiled all over his face, "Fifth adult, this matter will be handed over to you." If there's something tricky, just look for me. ”

Fifth Qi heard this and hurriedly agreed.

Yang Silang said hatefully: "This time, I not only want to get rid of Chen Yeshuo, but also find out the tiger behind him - Lin Fu ......"

Early that morning, Xian Tong was ordered to take dozens of officials to the gathering area of the victims in the east of the city, and drove the victims to an open grassland. The headhunter Lei An glanced at the crowd under the black pressure, and conveyed Emperor Xuan's will in a loud voice: "Listen, big guy, in order not to miss the spring ploughing, all those who voluntarily return to their homeland will be funded to return to their hometowns; If they remain and do not return within three days, they will be escorted back to their hometowns by officers and soldiers and sentenced to two months of hard labor. ”

When the victims heard this, they were immediately agitated, and they exchanged words and kept talking.

Someone scolded angrily: "Damn, what kind of bullshit court, just thinking about picking people away, not sympathetic to the people's feelings at all!" ”

Xian Tong saw that the crowd was boiling, and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to maintain order with guns and sticks. When the crowd had calmed down a little, he strode to the front of the stage and shouted, "Wait and listen, this official doesn't want to embarrass you; However, if you dare to disobey the order, you will blame the official for being ruthless! With that, he took a group of men and departed.

At three o'clock in the morning, the officials of the household department began to distribute the day's food to the victims.

The only food that each person received was one millet nest and half a bowl of gruel, which was more than half less than usual. Even so, some of the victims still did not receive it, and the meal was over. Although the victims who were empty-handed complained, they were helpless.

Du Shaoling was entrusted by Li Yunhan to leave the villa early in the morning and arrived at the disaster victim gathering area outside the East City Gate.

He searched around the crowd about the whereabouts of Meidai's parents, and found nothing for a long time.

Seeing that Shao Ling was white-skinned and neatly dressed, some victims mistakenly thought he was a rich man, so they surrounded him and begged. Seeing that he was pitiful, Shaoling took out some copper coins from time to time and distributed them to them.

At this time, Kong Candle came with several old people to receive food. Because I was late, I didn't get any food.

The old men were very angry, and they all scrambled for the remaining pieces of buns, and knocked over the cooking utensils and clay pots. When the little officials who distributed the food saw this, they were furious, and they picked up their sticks and beat them, and the old men had no time to dodge, and fell to the ground screaming miserably.

Suddenly, a black dog jumped out of the crowd and bit the arm of a slightly chubby little official, causing him to cry out for help in pain.

Du Shaoling raised his eyes and looked, it turned out that Miaojin had arrived with Xiao Hei.

Miao Jin summoned Xiao Hei back and took the old men aside.

After some inquiry, Miao Jin finally identified one of the old men, who was Mei Dai's father, Mei Hou.

On the other side of the crowd.

Kong Zhu stopped Shaoling and said that he went to the Zheliu Inn the day before yesterday, but Mr. Li had already moved away.

Du Shaoling said that they have moved to Tongshanfang Zhiyuan; Ask him what's the matter?

"Miss Mei has been here many times," Kong Zhu paused, "and when I thought about it carefully, I felt that there was one person who was very similar to what she said. ”

"Really?" Du Shaoling's eyes lit up.

"Well, I've already brought it," Kong Candle pointed into the distance, "the one with the cane under the willows." ”

After hearing this, Shaoling hurried over, and when he arrived in front of the willow tree, he saw Miaojin and asked her why she also came?

Miao Jin said that in order to help Miss Mei find relatives, sometimes she also came here to try her luck; I don't want to find it today. She said and pointed to the old man beside her: "It's this uncle." ”

Du Shaoling leaned down and looked at his eyebrows carefully, and said, "Well, it's really a bit like that." ”

"Of course it is," Miaojin said and shifted her gaze to Meihou, "Meibo, what do you say?" ”

"Luck," Meihou heard the reason, patted the dust on his clothes, "Last year, it was cold in the autumn of the year, and my wife and I moved to live in Fuxian Temple, and we relied on food in the temple every day to satisfy our hunger. In the blink of an eye, spring came, and the number of victims in the temple was increasing day by day, and the food could not be filled. Alas, my wife's leg is not good, so I have no choice but to run here every day to get some food, and then hurry back to the temple. ”

"Oh, I see." Du Shaoling looked at Kong Candle, "How did you find him?" ”

"He, the Xi people who fled to Beijing together, of course they know each other." Kong Zhu replied.

"Alas, these days it is really thanks to Brother Kong, who often brings some food; Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived today. Eyebrows thickly said.

After a moment of silence, Miao Jin asked Shaoling to take Mei Bo to see Mei Dai.

Du Shaoling said "um" and asked, "What about you?" ”

"I won't go, so I don't have to see Mr. Qing again." Miaojin looked embarrassed.

Du Shaoling immediately agreed. He arrived in front of Fulong Villa with thick eyebrows, fearing that something would happen, so he settled him in a nearby tavern called Qu Qi, and then entered Fulong Villa alone.

At this moment, Chu Qing was discussing with Yuan Chong in the living room about food relief.

Yuan Chong looked smug and said: "Chen Yeshuo, the dog official, finally admitted it this time, and said that he had made a deal with six articles and one bucket." ”

"Great." Chu Qing was very excited when he heard it, "Six Wen and one fight, he didn't make any less!" This old fellow is like a hungry fly, and when he smells fishy, he hits it upwards, and he is really insatiable! ”

"It's still a good chess game, and this time I saved thousands of taels of silver." Yuan Chong laughed and said.

Mei Dai was about to enter the living room with a fruit plate, when she suddenly heard Yuan Chong laughing loudly in the house, so she frowned and stopped, eavesdropping outside the window.

I only heard Chu Qingdao: "At present, the imperial court has ordered the Fifth Qi to supervise the disaster relief, and the helper has to be careful." ”

"What the fifth Qi, but a nameless rat's ear, what is there to fear!" Yuan Chong didn't care.

"Don't be careless, it is said that he found out the case of the sinking of the corpse in Taohe last time."

"Childe, rest assured, this batch of relief grain is very secret, and he would never have dreamed of it."

"Oh?"

"It's still the old place - the Sanhekou Barracks in the north of the city." Yuan Chonglang said.

"Well, yes, it's still the helper's thoughts." Chu Qing put down the teacup and asked when to trade?

Yuan Chong said that he had already made an appointment, the Dragon Boat Festival.

Mei Dai was eavesdropping outside the window, and Shao Ling walked up behind her lightly and patted her on the shoulder. Mei Dai looked back in shock, couldn't help but be very annoyed, and said, "Pretending to be a ghost, scared me to death." ”

Shaoling pulled her aside and said eagerly: "Miss Mei, hurry, there is something urgent......

"What?"

"Of course it's a happy event," Du Shaoling pretended to be mysterious, "Qu Qi Tavern; You'll know when you go. ”

"Okay, you wait outside the village for a while, I'll come when I go." Mei Dai said that Bi carried the fruit bowl into the living room.

Mei Dai walked out of the villa, followed Shaoling to the Qu Qi Tavern, and when she saw her father, she couldn't help but cry, and she couldn't speak for a long time with excitement.

After a little greeting, Meidai wiped away her tears and asked her mother?

Meihou said that he was in Fuxian Temple, and he would take her to see him later.

Mei Dai was relieved when she heard this, took a long breath, and said, "Dad, how did you escape to the capital?" ”

Meihou sighed lightly and said, "Since you left, your mother and I have been at peace with each other, looking forward to your return; Unexpectedly, one day, a group of officers and soldiers suddenly came, arrested all the Zhuang Shangren, took them to Xiongwu City, and punished them for hard labor.

Overwhelmed and tired, the tribesmen escaped from Xiongwu City on a snowy night and hid in the deep mountains and forests. For fear of being captured by the officers and soldiers again, the clansmen did not dare to stay for a long time, so they fled south to the interior. Alas, along the way, they were intercepted and killed by pursuers, and most of the clansmen were unfortunately killed. The rest of the people went out day and night, and wandered all the way to the capital. ”

"Alas, what a disaster fell from heaven," Mei Dai relieved herself, handed over a cup of hot tea, and let her father take a breath.

Meihou took the tea, drank it all in one go, and said: "Also, according to the regulations, the imperial court relief is at least one catty of rations per person a day, but the maximum amount distributed to the victims is only four or five taels, and most of them are some moldy corn; Alas, how many people have fallen ill after eating...... There was no way, your mother and I had to hide in Fuxian Temple, begging for a bowl to eat, and we survived. ”

Mei Dai heard another heartache, and said, "What a pitiful ......"

Du Shaoling said angrily: "These dog officials are really black-hearted, I don't know how much relief food they are greedy!" ”

"Alas, it's good to have a bowl of rice to eat and survive, how dare the victims ask more!" The eyebrows are thick and the old tears are horizontal, and he said.

"Hmph, it's sold, it's all sold to the Hedong Gang." Mei Dai was angry for a moment and said.

"What, I sold it to Hedong to help ......," Du Shaoling exclaimed.

As soon as Mei Dai spoke, she realized that she had made a mistake, so she lied, saying that she also listened to the victims.

At this time, the shopkeeper served two plates of food, and he couldn't care about letting people eat it when he saw it.

Du Shaoling's stomach was already rumbling, and he swallowed his saliva quietly, saying that it was time for him to go back to the manor.

"Okay," Mei Dai nodded, "Brother Du will go back first, I still have to see my mother." ”

After Meihou had finished eating, Meidai rushed to Fuxian Temple with him and met his mother.

The mother and daughter, who had been separated for a long time, were very surprised when they met, and they couldn't help but shed tears.

After talking for a while, the wife with thick eyebrows suddenly frowned, and said, "Alas, if Taro Dan'er is present, I will be at peace when I die......"

Mei Hou said, no, I haven't seen him for more than ten years, and I don't know how he is now?

Mei Dai heard another sour feeling in her heart, and comforted: "Dad, mother, don't be sad, wait until you settle down." ”

Du Shaoling walked out of the tavern and went to Fulong Villa hungry. Walking through a cross street, I happened to be seen by Wang Jie, who was running errands behind him.

Wang Jie saw that he was in a hurry, so he hesitated and quietly followed.

When he arrived at the door of Fulong Villa, Wang Jie told Mending that he wanted to see Du Shaoling.

When he heard this, he took him to the courtyard and told him to wait under the green vine trellis.

At this time, Batu was taking the Tibetan mastiff to inspect the courtyard, and suddenly saw Wang Jie sitting alone, and suddenly had a sense of revenge, and called the Tibetan mastiff to bite him.

Wang Jie was caught off guard for a moment and was almost thrown to the ground.

Batu was very proud when he saw it, and laughed.

Wang Jie brandished a silver flute to fight back, and after a struggle, wounded the front leg of the Tibetan mastiff.

Seeing this, Batu was furious and rushed forward to fight Wang Jie.

In the living room, Chu Qing was discussing with Li Yunhan about the establishment of a poetry club, and suddenly heard a commotion in the front yard, so he hurriedly went out of the house to investigate.

When he got closer, Li Yunhan saw that Wang Jie was fighting with Batu, and he had lost the wind, and he was anxious, but he was embarrassed to come forward to help, so he said loudly to Chu Qing: "Young Master Qing, don't you want the portrait of Lingtang?" ”

Chu Qing had an epiphany when he heard this, pretended to recognize it, and said, "Yo, isn't this Wang Lecheng?" ”

Chu Qing immediately stopped Badu, stepped forward quickly, and apologized to Wang Jie.

After everyone saw each other and exchanged pleasantries for a while, Chu Qing excused himself to arrange a banquet for Wang Jie, and walked away alone.

Li Yunhan took Wang Ji into Wanglin Pavilion. Before he could sit down, Shaoling tilted his head and complained about Wang Jie, asking him why he came?

Wang Jie said that he went to visit friends in the Temple of Mercy and Grace, and Lu saw Shaoling here, so he followed him all the way.

"Hmph, you dare to follow me!" The corners of Shaoling's mouth twitched, "I haven't settled accounts with you yet." ”

"Settle accounts......" Wang Jie was stunned for a while.

Li Yunhan said with a smile: "He, it's not because you won the champion that you are so angry that you want to complain." ”

"Isn't it...... I'm for Lou girl. ”

When Wang Jie heard this, he fell silent.

"For the sake of your career, you abandoned Yue'er, and you have no conscience!" Du Shaoling reprimanded.

Wang Jie was still silent.

Li Yunhan looked at Wang Jie and said calmly: "The father and daughter of the Lou family took you in when you were in the most difficult time, and devoted themselves to your education...... It's good for you, but you give up for the sake of your career! ”

Wang Jie's words were slurred, and he said: "This, Princess Pingyu and I are purely playing on the spot...... The kindness of the Lou family, I don't forget it. ”

"Hmph, don't talk nonsense!" Du Shaoling stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar, "And Brother Li, he can't stop you, but you got him drunk on the eve of the big exam." ”

"Shaoling, don't talk nonsense!" Li Yunhan shouted.

"I'm telling the truth." Du Shaoling still refused to let go.

"Brother Du misunderstood; I also drank a lot of wine that day, and I was very drunk," Wang Jie, blushing, explained, "and I woke him up before I went out in the morning." ”

"That's right, I was drunk that day because I was too greedy for a cup," Li Yunhan paused, his expression solemn, "Today, let's only talk about Yue'er." ”

Wang Ji sighed and said, "The princess help me, I learned about Entu; Yue'er help me, I will live up to her in this life! ”

"Want to step on two boats? Vile. Du Shaoling sneered.

"No," Wang Jie smiled bitterly, "Brother Du is still young, and he will understand it later." ”

"It's not too late to make amends; You have to think about it! Li Yunhan said.

"Well, I've thought about it," Wang Jie's tone was firm, "It's just that I recently composed a new piece for Your Majesty "Yangguan Three Stacks", and I was busy with rehearsals and didn't have time to see Yue'er. Rest assured, my brother will ask her face to face when I finish the matter at hand in a few days. ”

"Okay, a word is a deal," Li Yunhan looked at Wang Jie with a kind face, "I still have something to ask for when we meet this time." ”

"Brother just commanded."

"As Taile Cheng, you often go in and out of the palace, can you go to the Zongren Mansion to check the royal family genealogy and find the records of Prince Yin in the early years of Zhenguan?" Li Yunhan pleaded.

"This, this is a forbidden ......" Wang Jie was a little embarrassed.

Du Shaoling said, what is the ban, and he refuses to help with this little favor?

"This, of course I want to help," Wang Jie frowned and thought for a moment, "I don't know why Brother Li is looking for it?" ”

Li Yunhan said that he wanted to find out what descendants he had left after Prince Yin died.

Wang Jie said "um" and said that he understood.

"Remember, whatever you find, be sure to keep it confidential and don't divulge it to others." Li Yunhan advised.

"Brother Li, don't worry, I will tell you as soon as there is news." Wang Jieji got up to say goodbye, and when he walked to the door, he suddenly turned around, "By the way, remind Brother Li, this Qing Gongzi is not small, you have to be careful." ”

Li Yunhan smiled indifferently and walked out of the room with Shaoling and Wang Jie. Turning around a corridor, Chu Qing's shout suddenly came from behind him.

Chu Qing hurriedly stepped forward and said that he had arranged a banquet to wash the dust for Wang Jie, why did he leave after a while?

Du Shaoling preemptively said: "If you don't go, I'm afraid of being bitten by a dog." ”

"Childe, forgive me," Wang Jie arched his hand, "my parents are old and sick, and I have to go back to take care of them." ”

Without waiting for Chu Qing to react, Li Yunhan said, "I'm sorry, I'm going to go too." ”

Chu Qing was stunned for a moment and said, "You are all gone, who else will this banquet be held?" Also, Brother Wang is a master of Danqing in the world, and Qing still wants to ask you to paint a portrait of your deceased mother. ”

Wang Jie said that he was embarrassed, so let's talk about it another day.

"Okay," Chu Qing paused, and his tone became much more solemn, "All of you are talented in the world, and Qing Moucai is about to set up a poetry club, so you will have to support it when the time comes." ”

"This ...... Childe is elegant, of course I understand; It's just that I was too happy for the first time, and I'm afraid it's hard to get out of all the complicated things. Wang Zhi prevaricated.

"What about Brother Li?"

Li Yunhan smiled slightly, and said that to prepare for the establishment of the Poetry Society, pen, ink, paper, and inkstone are naturally indispensable, and he wants to go to the East Market to buy them.

Du Shaoling said that he would also go.

Chu Qinggan smiled and said, "For such a trivial matter, why bother with my brother, just send someone to go." ”

"Childe, I don't understand," Li Yunhan shook his head and said slowly, "As for the pen I use, it needs to be a high-quality sheep's neck hair and wolf hair according to the ratio of seven or three; As for the ink, Xuancheng's ten-year Hui ink is the best, and I have to write both of these things after the interview. ”

"Brother Li is really exquisite," Chu Qing felt a little more at ease, "Then let's decide, the day after tomorrow to organize the poetry club, you and Brother Du must be present." ”

"Okay, that's a deal." Li Yunhan readily agreed.

As soon as he got out of the villa, Shaoling told Li Yunhan about the meeting between Meidai and his father, as well as the secret of the grain relief, Li Yunhan was very shocked after hearing it, and said: "Actually, I don't need to say it to Miss Mei, I have long suspected the Shanghedong Gang; There is also Qing Gongzi, whose relationship with the Hedong Gang is also extraordinary. ”

"You suspect him ......"

"Well," Li Yunhan nodded, "I remember when I was traveling to Qujiang, I asked him the price of clothes." It is said that he has been in the silk business for many years and is familiar with the silk market, but he is flickering. When I said twelve-tael-one, he said yes. In fact, the best Suzhou-Hangzhou silk was only seven or eight taels of silver when it was shipped to Beijing...... From this point of view, Qing Gongzi was not a silk merchant. ”

Du Shaoling nodded and said to himself, "Then, who is he?" ”

Li Yunhan said that Qing Gongzi was quite scheming, and when he first arrived in the capital, he had close contacts with the Jinjuyuan and the Hedong Gang, and there was a Badu Nursing Academy, which was not small.

Du Shaoling thought for a while and said: "Jinjuanyuan, Hedong Gang, and Badu, they all have close contacts with Chu Mohan, and according to this reasoning, he is also Chu Mohan's person......

"That's right. At present, they are secretly investigating Chen Yeshuo's corruption case, but there has been no progress; That's because they only cared about Chen Yeshuo and ignored the Hedong Gang. ”

Du Shaoling thought for a moment and said, "What does Brother Li ......mean?"

"Let's go, I'll take you to a good place," Li Yunhan smiled lightly, "You'll know when you get there." ”

Li Yunhan said that Bi hired two sedan chairs and instructed the sedan chair to go straight to the Wei River.