It was late at night, Xia Rongrong's master and servant had already slept, and the lights were still on in Lu Tong's room.

The small courtyard was silent, only the insects in the dense bamboo trees in the distance were in the ears. The silver kite sat on the edge of the couch, half of his body tilted, and the couch was full of books. Lu Tong sat at the table, flipping through the book under the lamp.

In the past few days and nights, Lu Tong has no medicine, and when it is time to hold the lamp, he will look at the scroll at the table, and rarely stop day and night.

Yin Zheng yawned, rubbed his eyes and said: "This Lord Fan's case in Yuan'an County is many and long, and each one is thrilling, but it is really much more exciting than the script." ”

Lu Tong turned the page: "It's really more exciting than the script." ”

The books on the table are the most famous cases that Fan Zhenglian handled in the years when he was the magistrate of Yuan'an County.

Even if Cao Ye has a way, he can't get the case files of the government. Fortunately, Fan Zhenglian was well-known and widely loved in Yuan'an County, and the storyteller of the tea shop wrote several unsolved cases he dealt with when he was the county magistrate, and praised them in the market every day. Lu Tong asked Yinzheng to take out the silver and bought all those scripts back.

"The case of the in-laws slandering the widow for adultery, the case of the brother and sister killing the brother and sister, the case of the brother bidding for the family property, the case of the boatman drowning the boatman to seek property...... It can also add up to write a book of shooting legends. Lu Tong closed the scroll in his hand, "Fan Zhenglian, the county magistrate, is busy doing it. ”

Yinzheng sat up straight: "There are so many cases, Master Fan has been investigated without fail, and he really looks like a good official." ”

"Good officer?" Lu Tong smiled, "Then if you look carefully, it can be seen that in this case, there are poor people in the bitter master?" Behind every case, can there be a nobleman? ”

Yinzheng was stunned, hurriedly lowered his head and flipped over again, and looked at Lu Tong at the right time: "It's really not!" Do you mean that Lord Fan is selling his reputation and reputation, and he deliberately seeks poor people to fight lawsuits so that he can make a clear name, and the real gentry is safe and sound? However, since he can clear so many cases, he must have some ability. ”

Lu Tong sneered: "Not necessarily, but don't forget, there is also a Qi Chuan by his side." ”

Qi Chuan is the 'Master Qi' that Lu Tong met at Fan's house last time, and it is said that he is Fan Zhenglian's most trusted right-hand man.

Fan's wife Zhao's personal maid Cui'er said that Fan Zhenglian deliberately transferred Qichuan from Yuan'an County back to Shengjing, which shows that he is close. When Lu Tong asked Cao Ye to help inquire about the news, he also inquired about Qi Chuan's news.

If you don't ask, when you ask, Lu Tong really felt something unusual.

Qi Chuan is the son of Fan Zhenglian's nurse.

The two of them are of the same age, the nurse takes care of Fan Zhenglian, and Qi Chuan also grew up together in Fan's mansion. When he gets older, it's time to go to school, Qi Chuan's family is poor, and the Fan family has a kind heart and money to help Qi Chuan go to school.

Qi Chuan and Fan Zhenglian are in the same family.

When Fan Zhenglian entered school, his knowledge was mediocre and his qualifications were mediocre, but Qi Chuan, on the contrary, never forgot his eyes and put pen to paper, and he was truly talented.

They grew up together since childhood, and their relationship was cordier than others, but when they got to the next department, Qi Chuan fell ill and failed to catch up with the autumn of that year.

A hint of deep meaning flashed in Lu Tong's eyes.

What a coincidence.

Fan Zhenglian got off the list first, and a few years after Fan Zhenglian hit the list, Qi Chuan went down and also hit the list.

One after the other, one after the other, among the households, the sons of the master and servant are both on the list, and they are placed in the entire Liang Dynasty, which is also an amazing coincidence.

Yinzheng hugged the brocade quilt and asked: "The girl is guessing, then Qi Chuan deliberately said that he was not sick, but in fact, he helped Lord Fan take the exam in the autumn of that year, and Lord Fan passed the exam, and Qi Chuan only entered the exam later." It's possible to say that, but what is Qi Chuan's purpose in doing this? You must know that his subsequent ranking on the list is not as good as the previous ranking of Master Fan. ”

Lu Tong smiled: "The son of a house slave, if there is no funding from the Fan family, Qi Chuan can't even enter the clan study, how can he end up." In love, the Fan family is kind to Qi Chuan, and it is natural to help Fan Zhenglian for the exam. ”

"As for why Qi Chuan's ranking is not as good as Fan Zhenglian......"

"The test questions in the autumn season have changed, and Qi Chuan can't be sure that the article will do well every time. Moreover, the ranking is not as good as Fan Zhenglian, and the Fan family may still miss the old love and allow him to go the way. If he really wins the Toad Palace and becomes famous in one fell swoop, not to mention how the Fan family views it, just with the background of the Qi family, there is no one behind him to support him, and he may not be able to have a successful career. ”

"It's not like nothing has happened in the past."

Yinzheng nodded as if he didn't understand: "I see, but how did the girl know about these things in the field?" ”

"When my father was still in the past, there were students who went to Beijing every year to take the exam." Lu Tong lowered his eyebrows: "I was nine years old in Changwu County, and there were very few candidates on the autumn list during this period. ”

Because of this, she will know how abnormal it is for the mediocre Fan Zhenglian to be able to win the first place in one fell swoop.

Yinzheng thought for a while: "If Qi Chuan first took the exam for Lord Fan, and then he was also on the list, but he happened to be transferred to Yuan'an County as a county lieutenant later, could this position of county lieutenant also be deliberately arranged by the Fan family?" ”

The county lieutenant knows the county first-class, but he can assist the county.

"Nine times out of ten." Lu Tong said: "This can also explain why Fan Zhenglian, who has mediocre qualifications, has become a clear and strict law enforcement lord when he arrives in Yuan'an County." ”

Fan Zhenglian was on the list first, Qi Chuan was on the list, Fan Zhenglian became the magistrate of Yuan'an County, and through some means, he influenced Qi Chuan's order, so that Qi Chuan also went to Yuan'an County and became his deputy.

So Qi Chuan was able to be on call as he was when he was in the clan study, and helped Fan Zhenglian deal with things, or rather, government affairs.

I'm afraid that those beautiful cases in Yuan'an County are all from Qi Chuan's handwriting.

Yin Zheng nodded thoughtfully: "No wonder Lord Fan returned to Beijing and wanted to do everything possible to bring Qi Chuan back together, but he couldn't leave Qi Chuan." After returning to Beijing, Master Fan has also handled many cases, and his reputation is getting louder and louder, and his official road is prosperous...... However," Yinzheng paused, "Why is this Qi Chuan still just a record?" ”

In just a few years, Fan Zhenglian has been promoted from the magistrate of Yuan'an County to the judge of the Shengjing Trial and Criminal Court, and Qi Chuan, as the county lieutenant of Yuan'an County, was only one grade lower than Fan Zhenglian at the beginning, but now he is only a judge of the trial court.

The recorder has a position but no power, but it is just a false name, and there is no opportunity for promotion, and most of his life stops here.

Qi Chuan's career is much more difficult than Fan Zhenglian.

Lu Tong looked down at the cover of the volume, and his tone was calm: "Of course he can only do a record, he is the best tool in Fan Zhenglian's hand." ”

"Fan Zhenglian will not only not give Qi Chuan a chance to climb up, but will spare no effort to hit him, control him, and teach him to be a do-nothing record for the rest of his life, only in this way can Qi Chuan be used by Fan Zhenglian and always be Fan Zhenglian's stepping stone."

Yinzheng gasped: "This is too ruthless, not to mention that so much credit has been robbed, and it has to be suppressed like this, so it is so a wedding dress for others, why doesn't this Qi Chuan resist?" ”

Lu Tong looked out the window: "The son of a house slave has been inferior since he was a child, and it is common for him to be bullied. ”

The high-ranking people in the world can easily destroy the efforts of ordinary people for decades, Qi Chuan is, Wu Xiu is, and her Lu family is also.

Yinzheng sighed: "It's really pitiful. She asked Lu Tong: "This Qi Chuan is named Fan Zhenglian's subordinate, but in fact he is his staff, the girl wants to bribe Qi Chuan and let him tell the truth about the case of the second young master Lu at the beginning, so as to overturn the case for the family?" ”

"Nope."

Yinzheng was stunned.

Lu Tong put the book on the table back into the desk drawer: "Overturning the case is just handing over this case to another magistrate, but I don't trust all the magistrates in Shengjing, and they may not be able to help me uphold justice." ”

"I have other plans."

When she said this, her expression became very cold, and the light fell on her dark eyes, like a dark fire burning at the bottom of the frozen sea.

Yin Zheng was stunned, and before he could speak, Lu Tong had already changed his words: "By the way, don't forget to ask Ah Cheng to send the medicinal materials to Wu Youcai's house tomorrow morning." ”

Yin Zheng replied: "Okay." ”

Lu Tong sighed slightly: "it...... I guess that's it. ”

When Yinzheng heard this, he was also compassionate.

That poor Confucian student has some filial piety but has repeatedly failed in the imperial examination, which is really embarrassing. Lu Tong would ask Ah Cheng to send his mother's medicinal materials every once in a while, all of them were neighbors on West Street, Ah Cheng was very happy, and Du Changqing didn't say anything.

But......

Yinzheng secretly glanced at Lu Tong, a little puzzled in her heart, and she didn't know if it was an illusion, she felt that Lu Tong was very soft with this Wu Youcai. Obviously, there are so many poor patients he encounters every day, and Wu Youcai is nothing special, but Lu Tong's tone and expression every time he talks to him are patient and lenient that others don't have.

It's like facing your own loved ones.

Lu Tong lowered his eyes.

For some reason, she always saw Lu Qian's shadow in Wu Youcai. Obviously, Wu Youcai is gentle and introverted, forbearant and honest, and Lu Qian is cheerful and bright, with clear love and hate, they are completely different personalities, but every time she thinks of that poor Confucian student, she will think of Lu Qian's appearance when he returned home from the academy with a bookcase on his back.

He would stop in front of the door, and then suddenly took out the hand behind his back in Lu Tong's expectant gaze, and laughed: "Look, my newly caught grasshopper will send you!" Then she laughed and walked away in her angry pursuit.

But Lu Qian is dead.

Died in the prison of Fan Zhenglian, the judge of the trial court.

Lu Tong's eyelashes trembled slightly.

All those who killed them should go down to be buried.

……

The rain did not fall during the night, and the next day was a sunny day.

It's almost autumn, and the sky is not out, and it's getting hotter and hotter. When Lu Tong went to see Zhao Feiyan in Fan Zhenglian's house, it was changed to morning-afternoon, which was annoyingly hot.

This was the last time Lu Tong came to see Zhao.

Zhao has lost weight to the figure he is extremely satisfied with, and if he loses weight, his cheeks will not look plump. I heard that she was amazed at the summer banquet a few days ago. She was originally delicate and plump, but now that she has been reduced, she is not the same beauty, and she has received countless praises at the banquet, and she is naturally in a good mood.

The vanity was satisfied, and the love with Fan Zhenglian was better than in the past, and the Zhao family looked at Lu Tong a lot more pleasantly. Before leaving, he called someone to Lu Tong with the consultation fees that had been deducted in the past few days.

Zhao's maid Cui'er sent Lu Tong and Yinzheng to the door, and handed the basket in her hand to Yinzheng: "Yinzheng girl has taken it." ”

Yinzheng smiled and took it.

When Cui'er saw this, a trace of contempt flashed in her eyes.

The basket was filled with some locally produced eggs and the like given by others, and the gifts that Fan Zhenglian and Zhao received every day were treasures, gold and silver, and only ignorant poor ghosts would send these. These pickled goods and local products can't even look down on them, and they are piled up in the courtyard outside the kitchen, but when Lu Tong passed by, he stared at those pickles for a long time.

The kitchen was already annoying these worthless things, and when Cui'er saw this, she simply pushed the boat and said that she wanted to give it to Lu Tong as a personal favor, but she didn't expect Lu Tong to refuse, and her eyes were full of gratitude and joy.

The hillbilly from out of town really can't get on the stage, Cui'er thought like this, and sent Yinzheng and Lu Tong out of the door, and said a few polite words before leaving.

Lu Tong and the others walked out of the gate of Fan's mansion, and only walked about ten steps before they bumped into a person head-on.

The person who came was wearing an old robe, tall and tall, and he was Fan Zhenglian's right-hand man - Qi Chuan, the reporter of the trial court.

Lu Tong and Yin Zheng stopped.

Qi Chuan, as a reporter of the trial court, does things more like the housekeeper of the Fan Mansion. Occasionally, if Fan Mansion wants to pick up someone, send some goods, and even Zhao Feiyan suddenly wants to drink somewhere else, he will call Qi Chuan to do it.

Therefore, when Lu Tong went to Fan's Mansion for treatment, he often saw this recorder.

After coming and going, Qi Chuan also knew that Lu Tong was the doctor who treated the Zhao family, and occasionally met him on the road, and he would say hello.

It's the same today, Lu Tong saluted Qi Chuan softly, Qi Chuan politely responded, and was about to go to the door of Fan's mansion.

Yinzheng staggered past him with a smile, and the bamboo basket he was holding in his hand swayed and swayed, which was very dazzling in the sunlight.

Qi Chuan's feet were stunned.

He turned his head and his gaze fell on the bamboo basket that Yin Zheng was carrying.

The bamboo basket is a vegetable basket made of fresh bamboo, which is carefully spread in several layers, and each layer contains a lot of groceries, such as cured meat, eggs, fresh yam and sweet potatoes...... The eggs were neatly arranged and wrapped in straw paper so as not to bump on the road.

He looked at the bamboo basket in Yinzheng's hand in a daze, until Lu Tong's voice woke him up: "Qi Lushi? ”

He looked up, and Lu Tong stared at him suspiciously.

Qi Chuan opened his mouth, and only after a while did he say, "The bamboo basket in Dr. Lu's hand ...... Where did it come from? ”

Lu Tong smiled: "It was a gift from Mrs. Fan to me before leaving." ”

"What a courtesy!" Yinzheng sneered, "Mrs. Fan won't give such a shabby love gift, it's clear that those subordinates will treat us as Huazi." I heard it all at the time, and they said that it was pickled goods sent by poor ghosts, and they were all rotten, and they were put in the house to occupy space, so they gave it to us. It's the girl who has a good heart, so they bluffed you. ”

"Nonsense." Lu Tong scolded, then turned around and apologized to Qi Chuan: "The girl is ignorant and talks nonsense, and I ask Lord Qi to treat it as if I didn't hear it." ”

When Qi Chuan heard this, his face was a little pale, and he reluctantly smiled at the two of them, and left at the right time.

Seeing his back disappear at the gate of Fan's Mansion, Lu Tong withdrew his gaze.

She turned around and called the silver kite, "Let's go." ”

Yinzheng followed with a smile, and his tone was a little proud: "Girl, how did I act?" ”

"Okay."

"That's nature," Yin Zheng became more and more happy, "although I am not as smart as you, girl, but my ability to act and talk nonsense is also first-class." ”

The girl who struggles to survive in the party, not to mention anything else, still has the ability to see people and talk about people.

After Yinzheng finished speaking, he muttered again: "Such a provocation, I just don't know if Qi Chuan has any resentment in his heart at this moment after hearing it." ”

Lu Tong smiled noncommittally.

Grievances...... Naturally, there is.

Obviously, his talent and ability are no worse than Fan Zhenglian, but because of his background, he will always be subservient. The person who was supposed to show his strength in his career ended up being a subordinate who worked in the Fan Mansion, and the initiator climbed up step by step with his own merits, squeezing his value to the point of nothing.

If she were Qi Chuan, she would not be reconciled.

Qi Chuan is a loyal servant, so for so many years, he has allowed Fan Zhenglian to be promoted with his political achievements, and he has not been patient with Fan Zhenglian for holding him just as a record.

But there is a limit to human patience.

Diligent and loyal right-hand men may also have years of unwillingness and resentment accumulated in their hearts. The reason why they have not said a word until now may depend on the "morality" of their hearts.

After all, it was the love of growing up together since childhood, after all, when the Qichuan family was poor and had no way out, it was the Fan family who made him enter the clan school.

Of course, such a little provocation will not make Qi Chuan immediately turn against Fan Zhenglian, she only needs to bury a thorn in Qi Chuan's heart. As for how far this thorn will grow, it depends on Fan Zhenglian's "care" of Qi Chuan over the years.

The false "brotherly love" and "master-servant love" confused Qi Chuan's eyes, so she pierced this illusion little by little.

The corners of Lu Tong's mouth pulled out a very light smile.

After all, the fragile "relationship" between the two of them is already full of loopholes.

After walking for a while, Lu Tong and the others returned to West Street.

Yinzheng wiped the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief and asked Lu Tong: "Is the girl hot, do you want to buy a cup of slurry water?" ”

Although the newly opened shop at the corner of the street is a little sweeter, it is quite refreshing to drink a glass of plum ice cream on such a day.

Lu Tong thought about it and agreed, and Yinzheng smiled: "Then I'll ask Shopkeeper Du and Miss Xia if they want to be together." With that, he trotted a few steps forward.

Lu Tong followed.

It was noon, and the sun was pouring down on the streets, and everywhere it was hot. The leafy plum tree at the door shrouded the infirmary in shade. It's too hot at this time of the week, and there are hardly any customers on the entire West Street.

Today is different.

A familiar figure walked out of the side alley and walked into the Renxin Medical Center.

Lu Tong paused.

Seeing this, Yin Zheng looked at Lu Tong's gaze and said in surprise: "Isn't that Wenyou from Xinglin Hall?" ”

Xinglin Tang's buddy Wen You walked through the alley, although it was only a short glimpse, Lu Tong had already recognized him. After all, a few days ago, this guy came to the hospital to find Lu Tong several times while Du Changqing was away, and hinted several times that Lu Tong could go to Xinglin Hall to sit in the hall, and Du Changqing paid a double amount of moon silver.

However, they were all rejected by Lu Tong.

Yinzheng looked at the people who walked into the medical hall, and then looked at the alley, looking a little strange.

"Wasn't that Miss Xia just now? What is Wenyou looking for Miss Xia for? ”

Xia Rongrong doesn't know medical skills, so she can't find Xia Rongrong to go to Xinglin Hall to sit in the hall, right?

Lu Tong stood in place and looked at it for a while, retracted his gaze, and said softly, "Let's go." ”