The seventh day of November is the day when Zhang went to Yiyi's funeral.

Before dawn, Xue Bai had already gotten up, but Qinglan was still curled up in the quilt and sleeping, she used to get up early, but recently helping to deal with paperwork was more tiring than housework, and finally it took her too much attention.

Without her to serve, Xue Bai didn't even know how to tie his hair, so he hastily tied it and went out in a plain linen clothes.

Chang'an heavy snowfall, not far from Xuanyangfang to the imperial city, this is a curfew, there are few pedestrians on the road, he rarely quieted down, suddenly a little nostalgic for the life of the previous life, thinking about listening to the song at that time, although I can't say which one to listen to.

Suddenly, I understood Li Longji's preferences.

When he arrived at the Taile Department, Xie Aman came here today and was in a good mood.

"Xue Lang remembers? This was the same situation before you left Chang'an. ”

"Huh?"

"At that time, someone died, you took the musician to mourn, and I dressed you up before you went out." Xie Aman's eyes were shining, and he said: "Today, the old things are repeated, and I can feel that you have finally returned to Chang'an." ”

"Heir King Li Qiang, he was the one who died at that time."

Xie Aman didn't care who died, and said angrily: "You don't usually come to the Taile Department, only when you give people a funeral." ”

"After all, it's a part-time errand, and Chang'an Wei has more official duties."

Xue Bai was too busy with only two errand jobs, and he really didn't know how Wang Ji held more than 20 positions.

He said goodbye to Xie Aman, and still went to Zhang Quyi's mansion with Zhang Yan, the secretary of Taichang Temple.

I haven't seen him for more than a year, Zhang Yan hasn't changed much, and the rich idlers always age slowly, sighing to Xue Bai on the road: "I should have stayed away from you." ”

"I'm in trouble again?"

"An Lushan and I are good friends." Zhang Yan said: "You are indeed in trouble, and the right minister wants to move you to Jiyang County." ”

"I heard." Xue Bai said: "Zuo Xiang told me. ”

"Looks like you've got a deal to do with that, huh?"

"Yes, Prime Minister Zuo is on our side." Xue Bai emphasized.

Zhang Yan knew that he deliberately did not leave a way out for Chen Xilie, so he couldn't help but smile and continued to remind: "Today, the prince and Zhang Liangdi will arrive, you had better avoid them, lest anyone mention that Zhang Gong is angry with you." ”

"Zhang Gong was intimidated by An Lushan's people."

"Whatever, it's none of me."

Xue Bai turned his head and glanced at Zhang Yan deeply, and suddenly said: "Siqing, if Brother Nu Zhishi, there is no one in the court who is more suitable than you to serve as the secretary of the order, right?" ”

"What?"

"Background, morality, talent, qualifications, who in the DPRK can compare with you?"

Zhang Yan was silent, because he couldn't refute Xue Bai.

Xue Bai lowered his voice a little, and continued: "Today's Tang Dynasty has many shortcomings, and it is difficult to summarize them in one word. And the first problem in front of us is that there is no talent, more than ten years of brother slaves wantonly exclude dissidents, their cronies often hold more than a dozen positions with one person, looking at the court, the important ministers are dying, how many people are in the prime of life? Once the brother slave is dismissed, who can continue to do the social affairs? ”

Zhang Yan is the second son of the famous minister Zhang Shuo, personable, talented, prestigious in the world, with almost perfect prime minister qualifications, and whether he has this ambition in his heart, only he knows best.

"Hugh instigates me again." He reprimanded in a somewhat stern tone, "Don't think I can see what your idea is." ”

"Yes, I have a ghost in my heart." Xue Bai said: "I have offended the East Palace, the right minister, and the border town, and now that my brother is gone, I have to help an important minister to ascend to the position of prime minister, Yang Guozhong can't be happy, Chen Xilie doesn't dare to share the suffering, does the horse really have no intention of phase?" ”

"Don't you know? The saint chose me as his son-in-law, but he didn't intend to reuse me, because my grandfather was accused of dictatorship all his life. ”

"The saint never said explicitly that a horse should not be slaughtered."

"Since the time of Ruizong, the horses have been expelled from the central ministry." Zhang Yan said, "The saint will not call me as a minister." ”

Xue Bai said: "I believe in man-made. ”

This matter must not be discussed for the first time, Zhang Yan waved his hand, unwilling to talk more with Xue Bai.

……

When I arrived at Zhang's Mansion, the house was solemn.

Xue Bai took the musicians to the coffin to prepare for mourning, and after a while, a middle-aged official in a red robe came to him, and he didn't greet him, and said in an instructive tone: "You are angry with Zhang Gong, and you still come here to play music?" I'm not afraid of embarrassing Taichang Temple and retreating. ”

"Zhang Gong was intimidated by An Lushan's murderer."

"The official told you to step down, and you still dare to talk back?!"

"Your Excellency?"

"Too often Shaoqing, Li Yu."

Li Yu looked proud, and then added, "You really don't recognize this official?" The seventh son of the right phase. ”

The two may have met before, but Li Linfu has twenty-five sons alone, and Xue Bai really doesn't recognize them, and he doesn't think there are any powerful characters to remember.

"Disrespectful, dare to ask Li Shaoqing if he is conveying the meaning of the right minister?"

"You are Taile Cheng, I am Taichang Shaoqing, since I command you, what objection do you have?"

"Li Shaoqing." Suddenly, an official dressed in sackcloth came over and said, "Siqing has summoned you over." ”

Li Yu glanced back, turned around and walked towards Zhang Yan, before he could speak, Zhang Yan had already patted him on the shoulder, and his tone was not good.

"Dressed like this? Why don't you go for a change?! ”

"I ......"

Zhang Yan leaned into his ear and said, "Don't trouble Xue Bai again, you will only bring humiliation on yourself." ”

With that, he looked back at Xue Bai, nodded, and released his kindness.

Compared with before, when he coldly saw Xue Bai's life hanging by a thread, today's budding ambition has changed his attitude, and he is willing to protect this petty official under appropriate circumstances.

~~

"Why is your seventh brother stupid like this?"

Among the guests, Yang Qixuan saw a scene in the hall and discussed with his wife in a low voice.

"Habitual." Li Shiniang sneered: "He has been arrogant since he was a child, and he is reluctant to take off this year when he wears a red robe." ”

"At Zhang's funeral, it was too rude."

"Are you afraid of the Zhang family as the seventh brother?" Li Shiniang lowered her husband's head and said in her ear: "The Zhang family dares to marry a daughter to the prince, if Zhang Quyi didn't die early, why not if Grandpa would have handled another Du Youlin case?" Seventh brother does things without fear. ”

"Okay."

Yang Qixuan wanted to raise his head, but Li Shiniang still pressed him hard.

"Also, do you know why Seventh Brother is in a hurry to trouble Xue Bai? Because Xue Bai is now conversing with Yang Guozhong and Chen Xilie who are fighting against Grandpa......"

"He has what it takes?"

"Grandpa wants to move Xue Bai to Jiyang County, but the officials don't approve it, it must be Chen Xilie who is backwater. Now who can deal with Xue Bai, Grandpa will naturally pay attention to whom. ”

"What about me?" Yang Qixuan quipped: "If I do it, can my father-in-law respect me?" ”

"Do you have a way?"

"Of course not, it's fun."

"My twenty-five brothers are stupid, do you know who is Grandpa's smartest child?"

"You?"

"To get rid of Xue Bai, it's simple, just catch the most useful handle." Li Shiniang turned her head and glanced in the direction where Xue Bai was, smiled, and said, "I can catch his handle today......"

~~

Li Mi walked up to Xue Bai and asked, "I heard that Gong Zhang was angry with you?" ”

"Who the hell is passing it on?" Xue Bai took the trouble to say: "Zhang Gong was scared to death by the people of the An Lushan faction. ”

"You shouldn't damage the reputation of the third lady." Li Mi said, "She has suffered an accident, it is difficult to marry, and you are also very troublesome." ”

"She's not easy to marry, isn't it because Mrs. Zhang is a good gambler, and Mrs. Zhang is imprisoned?"

"Zhang Liangdi is not imprisoned." Li Mi said: "She gave birth to an imperial grandson three days ago. ”

His tone was still calm.

Xue Bai asked, "Are you worried?" You should have hoped for a firstborn son who would succeed you to the throne. ”

"It's too early to tell." Li Mi groaned, and then said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "But I am really worried. ”

"Li Heng has no far-sightedness."

Li Mi didn't mind Xue Bai's cool words, and said softly: "I know your next plan, we have a section of the road that happens to be on the way." ”

Xue Bai thought about it, and it was rare that he didn't refuse the goodwill of the East Palace, and said, "Zhang Yan is the prime minister, what do you think?" ”

"Just what I want."

Li Mi's gaze signaled, Xue Bai looked down, and under the cover of his wide sleeves, he gave him a small high-five.

The two agreed to fight Li Linfu and An Lushan together, and helped Zhang Yan to become the prime minister.

In fact, Zhang Yan's consent is not required for this matter.

"The saint's mood has changed." Li Mi continued to whisper, "Duke Yang and Duke Zhang passed away one after another, and the saint had relatives in his heart, and his attitude towards the East Palace was somewhat relaxed. ”

"Do you believe that?"

Li Mi said firmly: "Believe it or not, it is better to wait and see what happens, we are not short of time." ”

The next moment, the whispering and cries around him stopped, and the palace people dressed in sackcloth walked into the hall in small steps, standing still on both sides.

"The Holy Oracle!"

Everyone turned their heads to look, only to see Li Heng and Zhang Ting walking in surrounded by them.

Li Heng looked haggard and old, with a lot of gray hair on his head, and he didn't look much younger than Li Longji. As the crown prince, he was supporting Zhang Ting at this time.

Zhang Ting had just finished giving birth a few days ago, and when he was most afraid of the wind, he was surrounded by several cloak and covered with sackcloth, showing only a pale face.

She was a lot fatter, she didn't look as tough as she used to, and she was crying as she struggled.

When she arrived at Zhang Quyi's coffin, she bowed down directly and muttered: "Grandpa, my daughter is not filial......"

Li Heng gently patted Zhang Ting's back and nodded to the eunuch behind him, and the eunuch asked for a holy decree.

"I follow my mother's Kundi, with Zhang Ming's clan, Xi Xian Huanghuang...... Today, the marriage is mourning, and the envoy hangs. In addition to the usual gifts, another 300 horses of silk and 300 ends of cloth were given to the funeral, woohoo! His life is also glorious, and his death is also mournful! ”

Of course, the saint's favor and reward for the Zhang family will never be only these silk and cloth, this is just a statement, more substantial benefits, I am afraid that it will fall on the child that Zhang Ting just gave birth to.

The Zhang family's marriage to the prince is far more far-sighted than others expected.

……

Across the crowd, Li Shiniang was looking at Zhang Ting and muttered in a low voice: "You say, is she really crying or fake crying?" ”

Yang Qixuan was stunned for a moment and said, "Why do you ask like this?" ”

"Nothing."

Li Shiniang actually thought that if the same situation fell into the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, she was afraid that she would not be able to cry to everyone like Zhang Ting.

After a while, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Here, Xue Bai's handle." ”

Yang Qixuan turned his head to look, only to see Zhang Ting get up with tears in his eyes and go to talk to Xue Bai.

But he didn't know what it was.

~~

"I heard that before Grandpa passed away, it was Xue Lang who helped guard against assassins in the mansion, and asked the doctor to treat Grandpa, great kindness, and the Zhang family will not forget it."

"Zhang Liangdi's words are serious, I just tried my best to save Zhang Gong, I am very sorry, and I also ask Zhang Liangdi to mourn."

Zhang Ting also wanted to say thank you, but was stopped.

But it was Li Heng who held her hand and said to Xue Bai: "Ting Niang is weak, it should be up to me Xie Xue Lang." ”

Today, many people say that Zhang Quyi was angry with Xue Bai to death, but it was as if the couple intended to testify on behalf of Xue Bai, not only thanked him, but also called Liu Luogu with the word "assassin".

Their idea was the same as Xue Bai saying "Zuo Xiang is on our side", not leaving a way for Xue Bai to retreat.

After that, everyone prepared to support the coffin for the funeral, and before leaving, they drank a glass of mourning wine.

The eunuch beside Li Heng presented the wine glass to Xue Bai with a tray and said, "Xue Lang, please." ”

Xue Bai couldn't help but think of the situation when he met Li Jingzhong for the first time, and asked, "I'm afraid that there will be a chance to meet in the future, dare to ask the name of the internal official?" ”

"Li Fuguo."

Xue Bai was slightly stunned.

Li Fuguo raised his head, showed a flattering and shy smile, and said, "The slave maid used to have only a cheap name, which was the name given to me by His Royal Highness. ”

"I see, please."

Xue Bai didn't drink that glass of wine, but watched Li Fuguo turn away, poured the wine in his hand on the ground, and muttered, "I toast Zhang Gong with a glass." ”

~~

That day, Xue Bai still heard the singing at the end.

On the bank of the Wei River, they buried Zhang Quyi, and also completed various calculations through the funeral.

"Yingying Zhang Gong, far away. Rich and beautiful, Qi Li is called virtuous...... Weishui Zhangyang, under the Yiling. Mourning the relics, Xiao Xiao neighed the horse. The pine forest gives away, who is not sad? ”

~~

At night, Li Linfu sat in the dim hall, listening to the news reported one by one, and finally, Li Yu, Li Shiniang and others came back from outside the city.

Li Yu thought he was smart, and said: "Zhang Quyi's death, the sage's attitude towards the East Palace has eased. Xue Bai was only afraid that he was going to join forces with the East Palace to deal with Grandpa. ”

"Really?"

Li Linfu raised his eyes and glanced at this son coldly, didn't bother to say, and only waved his hand.

"Brother Seventh is really." Li Shiniang shook her head and sneered, "According to my daughter, Xue Bai may not want to join forces with the East Palace, but wants to win over the officials of the East Palace and fight for power with Grandpa." But this is precisely his handle, as long as the sage suspects that he colluded with the East Palace to frame An Lushan, this game will be won. ”

Li Linfu's eyes were still unwavering, and he also asked Li Shiniang to step back and summon Li Xiu over.

Only when facing Li Xiu, his expression changed, and he asked, "How is the arrangement?" ”

"Grandpa, this is the list drawn up by the child."

"It's not a skill." Li Linfu took it, swept it carelessly, and said, "These official positions, have you drawn them up, are they determined?" ”

"Chen Xilie is an obstacle, he is in charge of the officials, and he is also a servant. The child plans to ask him to come over to the house to intimidate him, so that he can transfer the officials below the fifth grade first according to our instructions. ”

"How are you going to deter?"

"This ......"

Li Linfu suddenly threw the list in his hand on Li Xiu's face, and said, "How far have you got, you still dare to show favoritism?!" ”

"Grandpa, after all, it's my brother-in-law......

"Whether he is loyal or not is uncertain, so you want to promote him as Tobe Langzhong?"

Li Linfu saw that his son was speechless, and he didn't need to listen to the explanation, he immediately knew what was going on, and scolded: "Stupid! Manipulated by a woman, the old man actually hopes that you will save the family business? ”

"The Lu family has been married to the child for many years, and if the Lu family wants to support us, the child thinks that he should give some benefits."

"Supporting each other?" Li Linfu was so angry that he picked up the brush on the side of the desk and threw it at Li Xiu, saying, "You know why no one takes you seriously, you are too weak!" If you think you have a vision, and you worry all the time about the catastrophe at your house, and fall into the ears of others, who will sympathize with you? Who?! ”

Li Xiu hurriedly bowed to the ground and said, "The child just thinks that people have no long-term worries, but they must have near-term worries." ”

"Waste, you will only make people look down on you, who will obey the orders of an incompetent person who sighs all day long. Remember, you can only be a deterrent if you always show your might! ”

"......"

"Remember?!"

"Yes, yes, remember."

Li Linfu looked at his son's submissive appearance, and suddenly thought of Xue Bai.

Talking about the conditions that day, Xue Bai raised the porcelain and smashed it, holding the broken porcelain and about to pounce in front of him, his strong attitude made him remember it for a long time. What's even more rare is that Xue Bai is not reckless, and when it is time to be a snake, he can immediately be thick-skinned.

Judging from the various experiences including clinging to the nepotism, the ambition to dominate the world, and the unscrupulous state of mind, Xue Bai is more like him, and it is unknown which illegitimate child he lost back then.

This ridiculous thought flashed in his mind, Li Linfu looked at Li Xiu again, hated iron and steel, and said: "Get up, you are like this, how can you fight Xue Bai?" ”

"Xue Bai?"

Li Xiu was stunned, thinking to herself, if Xue Bai had married Seventeen Niang and entered the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion, now I am afraid that he has also been frustrated by Grandpa.

It's a pity that there is no such assumption, Xue Bai has never been obedient in this matter.

"Deterrent Chen Xilie, you can't do it with a stupid mouth?" Li Linfu said, "The key is only in Xue Bai, and letting him go is like pulling out Chen Xilie's bones." ”

"Yes." Li Xiu said, "The child is still looking for evidence of Xue Bai's crimes. ”

"Find? Is the best crime in front of you? You're not even as good as Eleven Niang. ”

Li Linfu grabbed Li Xiu's collar and almost said bluntly, the best crime for harming people in the Right Prime Minister's Mansion is nothing more than "constructing the East Palace".

He worked hard and didn't hand over this matter to Li Shiniang, in order to cultivate Li Xiu, so he was kind and earnest, but this idiot just didn't open his mind.

~~

Early in the morning, Chang'an County Ya.

Xue Bai dealt with a few cases, turned his head to look at the snowflakes outside the window, thinking that maybe he should go to the Yan family to propose marriage, and handle the marriage in January, lest someone always want to marry a daughter.

At this moment, Diao Geng scratched his head and came in and said, "Lang Jun, someone came to report the case." ”

"Bring it in and talk about it."

"It's strange that someone is coming." Diao Geng muttered.

After a while, more than a dozen guards and a few little women in men's clothes entered the lieutenant's house.

"The county lord of Hezheng?"

Xue Bai was slightly surprised, got up and saluted, and said, "I've seen the county lord." ”

"It's the county lord, and the saint has made the county lord the county lord at the beginning of the year."

"Jade ruler, don't talk too much." Li Yuesu hurriedly stopped the maid beside her and said, "County Lieutenant Xue is polite. ”

She was a little embarrassed, as if she didn't know how to speak.

"The county lord is here to report the crime?"

"Yes, that...... I just bought it in the West Market, and then, I lost my cat. ”

"Lost the cat?"

The maid named Yuqi beside Li Yuesu spoke again: "Aren't you Chang'an Lieutenant?" If you lose it on the territory of Chang'an County, the county lord will report the case, and you will send someone to find it. ”

Xue Bai asked, "Why don't you find the West City Bureau?" ”

"I lost it when I got out of the West Market."

"Well, what kind of cat?"

"A yellow and white cat, with a gold quilt and silver bed, a yellow back, and a white belly, named 'Cicada Slave'."

Xue Bai listened, so he went to summon the bad handsome Wei Chang and arranged for him to take someone to find the cat.

"County Lieutenant, this?"

"Find it, attach Guo Jingcheng, there is no way to do it."

In short, Xue Bai took over the case and took the errand to look for it in the area of Xishi, looking very hard.

Li Yuesu followed behind him, shouting "cicada slave" from time to time, but her voice was faintly weak.

After passing through an alley, she finally couldn't help it, glanced back, and whispered, "Xue Lang, this way." ”

"What's the matter with the county lord?"

"I'll tell you the truth, my cat was not lost, it was carried home, they just want me to find a chance to get close to you."

"Why?"

"When the sage canonized me as the lord of the county, he said that I had to marry Tianbao for nine years, but promised my husband to choose his own...... In short, you don't have to care, just deal with the errand and forget if you can't find the cat. ”

After that, Li Yuesu was a little embarrassed, turned around and walked away.

Xue Bai was a little curious and asked, "Did your grandfather ask you to do this?" Who gave him the idea? ”

"It's not Grandpa, it's hard for me to see Grandpa now."

"Who's that?"

"It's a chamberlain in the palace." Li Yuesu was actually very helpless, and said: "I went to see the saint today, and when I left the palace, an attendant made arrangements. ”

"Who?"

"I don't know him, anyway, it's not General Gao."

Xue Bai thought for a while and said, "It's okay. ”

"Anyway, I can warn you." Li Yuesu finally finished speaking, her heart was much more relaxed, and she turned around and walked away.

But when he returned to the carriage and sat for a while, he lifted the curtain and looked out, but saw that Xue Bai was still looking for a cat nearby with the servants of Chang'an County.

~~

The next day, Li Mi, who was waiting for Zhao Hanlin, was summoned to the imperial front.

"Please be well-being, saint."

"There is no need to ask for peace, I called you here to ask you for an explanation." Li Longji likes Li Yu a lot, and he is not restrained, and said: "Someone accused you of conspiring with Xue Bai to frame Hu Er, but is there such a thing?" ”

Li Mi said: "The saint forgives his sins, and the minister doesn't know why there is such a rumor. ”

"General Gao, show him."

Gao Lishi stepped forward and handed several files to Li Mi one by one.

"This is Wang Jie's confession, saying that Li Linfu colluded with An Lushan, and there was a talk of raising troops to prevent the prince from ascending the throne, Li Hanlin has heard of it?"

"I've heard of it." Li Mi told the truth.

"Therefore, the East Palace wants to get rid of Li Linfu and An Lushan, so it makes you contact Xue Bai, kill Liu Luogu, and create evidence to frame An Lushan, is there such a thing?"

"There is no such thing."

"Then, the day before yesterday, you conspired with Xue Bai to help Zhang Yan become a prime minister, but is there such a thing?"

"Not bad." Li Yu said frankly: "Xue Bai and I both think that Li Linfu connived at An Lushan's rebellion and became prime minister, and we thought that Zhang Juma was the most suitable candidate." Of course, we are all young, but we are just talking. ”

Gao Lishi was about to ask questions, but Li Longji asked in person: "According to your intentions, except for framing Hu Er, the rest is true." ”

"Yes, like Xue Bai, the minister thought that An Lushan was a problem for the henchmen of the Tang Dynasty, so he ran to contact and communicate with the ministers, vowing to expose the true face of this Hu Fang."

"What a fellow minister, I see that you have pleaded guilty."

"The minister pleaded guilty."

"Zhao, what else have you done?"

"The minister also asked the familiar internal officials to coax the lord of the government to approach Xue Bai."

Li Longji was taken aback and glanced at Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi looked at Xue Bai's self-defense again, and it was clearly written that An Lushan bribed the palace attendants to deceive the lord of Hezheng County, and deliberately framed him for constructing the East Palace.

"You did this? Why? ”

"Since the sage promised the lord of Hezheng to choose his own horse, the minister thought that Xue Bai was suitable, so he made this decision."

"Good cultivator!" Li Longji snorted.

Gao Lishi's eyes flashed, and he sneered: "Li Hanlin actually did such a thing, Xue Bai didn't know?" ”

"I don't know." Li Mi laughed at himself and responded: "Xue Bai is young and talented, but unfortunately there has always been a misunderstanding with the East Palace, and the minister wants to eliminate such a suspicion, so he acts like this." ”

Li Longji and Gao Lishi glanced at each other, and it could be seen from this incident that the East Palace was still wooing Xue Bai, and there was only a little clumsy means, the prince was imprisoned, and even Li Yu couldn't use more tricks.

Then, it is obviously impossible for the East Palace to instruct Xue Bai to bite An Lushan, it is more like Li Linfu is climbing and biting indiscriminately.

It's still just the old methods, and it's getting more and more tiresome.

"The little Taoist priest is in a hurry, he has lost his bones, and he should be punished." Li Longji said, "The merits of Guo Qianli, Jia Jilin, Xue Bai and others can be discussed......"

At the same time, he subconsciously began to think about the question raised by the two young people - is it okay to let Zhang Yan be the prime minister?

(End of chapter)