The fifteenth moon is always sweet.

In the pitch-black torture room, the unkempt prisoner cowered in the corner, nibbling on half of the moldy moon ball in his hand.

Fan Zhenglian has been imprisoned in prison for nearly a month, and in this month, he has been reduced from a famous broadcaster and a high-ranking Qingtian master to a prisoner who is spurned by everyone. I can't eat well and sleep well every day, and I am in the company of rats and bedbugs in the torture room, and even half a moldy moon ball is a luxury.

He listened to the gossip of those jailers every day, and learned that since the case of tribute fraud, the Ministry of Rites has been shaken up and down, the Son of Heaven has been angry with thunder, and the government and the opposition have found out that a group of officials have privately sold their official positions. Maybe it was because he originally raised his name too high, so that when the East Window incident happened, it would cause public anger and unsettled.

The Fan family and their female dependents were all implicated, and the powerful people who used to please Mingzhe were busy protecting themselves, and he stayed in this prison for many days, at first he thought that someone could help rescue him, but until the gold and jade that could be sent to the jailers on his body had been collected, and no one came to explore.

Officialdom is a person who walks to tea and cools. Fan Zhenglian chewed the moon ball in his mouth and thought hatefully.

Just as he was thinking, the sound of footsteps came from the shadows. The jailer, who always looked at the sky, stood at the prison door, his face full of impatience: "I said a stick of incense, hurry up!" ”

The man behind him let out a "hmm", and only after the jailer had left did he reveal a familiar face.

"Qi Chuan?" Fan Zhenglian was surprised.

"It's me, my lord."

Under the lamplight, half of the man's face was sunk in the dark, his expression could not be seen clearly, and his tone was as wooden as ever.

However, in the eyes of Fan Zhenglian, who was currently isolated and helpless, this Mu Ne immediately became cordial.

Fan Zhenglian grabbed the iron fence, almost pasted his face on it, and said excitedly: "Why are you here?" ”

He didn't expect to see Qi Chuan again, he was now wearing a guilty body, and all the slaves around him should be implicated, he thought that Qi Chuan was also in prison, but he never thought that he was standing in front of him.

Fan Zhenglian hesitated: "You...... Not embarrassed? ”

Qi Chuan shook his head: "The little one is just a record, they didn't find anything on me." ”

As soon as he said this, Fan Zhenglian remembered it. Since he returned to Shengjing to serve in the trial court, he deliberately pressed Qi Chuan's official position to prevent him from being promoted, and a small record is indeed not easy to be looked at.

Qi Chuan didn't say anything, only took out a few plates of wine and food from the food basket behind him, handed them to Fan Zhenglian from the crack in the bar, and said, "The little one knows that the adults have suffered these days, and the little ones are useless and can't help, so they brought some food over." ”

Fan Zhenglian looked at Qi Chuan, and then at the roast goose he handed over, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a little emotion in his heart.

He has been in this prison for a long time, and he has seen the warmth and coldness of people in a month. Those who fell into the well, took advantage of the danger of others, and robbed while the fire was burning, and in the end, they were willing to take the risk to see him, and it was this slave who he didn't look at much.

The recorder's hat that originally suppressed him now makes him feel a little embarrassed.

Qi Chuan silently poured wine for him, Fan Zhenglian took it, suddenly smiled bitterly, and said, "Xiaochuan, when you come to this point, only you are willing to come to see me." ”

The title of "Xiaochuan" is too long, Qi Chuan was stunned for a moment, and after a long time, he whispered: "The adults are kind to the little ones, and the villains are grateful." ”

Fan Zhenglian sighed.

In fact, he and Qi Chuan have grown up together since childhood, and the friendship between master and servant is by no means unusual. At the beginning, Qi Chuan wanted to enter the clan to study, but the Qin family was poor, Qin's father was reluctant to give out the silver, and even scolded him for not knowing the height of the sky, it was Fan Zhenglian who persuaded Fan's mother to get out of Qi Chuan's shackles and took him into the academy together.

There are many children from rich families in the academy, seeing that Qi Chuan was from a lowly background and wantonly bullied, Fan Zhenglian helped protect him. And Qi Chuan will also secretly help Fan Zhenglian copy his homework, at that time, gratitude is sincere, and protection is also sincere.

It's just that between people and people, the noble and the cheap have long been doomed, Qi Chuan is loyal, smart and clever, but unfortunately he is the son of a cheap slave, which is regrettable.

Fan Zhenglian asked: "How is it now?" ”

"There should be no room for maneuver in the Ministry of Rites, Yu Shitai attaches great importance to this case, the old lady and the small one of the lady have already been taken care of, it will be better."

Fan Zhenglian nodded, looked left and right again, and suddenly beckoned Qi Chuan to step forward and whispered to him, "You help me do something." ”

Qi Chuan was stunned.

"You secretly go to the Taishi's Mansion and find a way to pass a message to the Taishi, just say that I have something to offer to the Taishi, and ask the Taishi to help."

Qi Chuan hesitated: "This ......"

Fan Zhenglian smiled mysteriously, "Although it is impossible for me to fall into the field now, it is impossible for me to get out of the field, but there is still room for how this case is judged." You don't know if you're not in officialdom, saving me is just a matter of words for those big shots. ”

"Taishifu is my Fan Zhenglian's last backer."

He took a step back, took a sip of hot wine, his eyes burning in the dimly lit prison.

At the beginning, he dealt with the kid surnamed Lu and gave him a favor from the Taishi Mansion, but he didn't forget to keep a hand for himself. The kid's letter, he didn't present it to the Taishifu, but withheld it privately.

This thing is a life-urging charm if it is not used well, but if it is used well, it can also save lives.

Now that he is at the end of his rope, he is dead, it is better to fight hard first, and then think about it carefully.

Qi Chuan was about to say something, but the jailer's urging voice came from outside: "It's time-"

Fan Zhenglian glanced outside and said to Qi Chuan: "Go ahead, don't forget what I said." ”

He answered, packed the empty food basket and took it away, and when he was about to leave, he was stopped by Fan Zhenglian again.

"Xiaochuan," Fan Zhenglian didn't dare to look at Qi Chuan's eyes, and his tone was guilty, "All these years, I can't stand you." ”

Qi Chuan's body shook, didn't say anything, and walked out quickly.

When he went out, he stuffed another piece of broken silver into the jailer's hand, and the jailer checked it, his face looked better, and he looked at him, "You are a loyal servant, and you have come to visit the prison after all this field." ”

The word "loyal servant", I didn't feel anything when I heard it before, but now I feel a little harsh when I hear it, Qi Chuan walked out of the gate of the Criminal Prison Division, and a strong wind blew outside.

The wind blew on his face like a knife, and he walked aimlessly, thinking of the matter of Fan Zhenglian telling him to go to the Taishi Mansion, his heart was like numbness.

Fan Zhenglian is going to ask for the last hole card of the Taishi Mansion and trying to turn over in a desperate situation. However, Qi Chuan knew that the situation outside was even worse than Fan Zhenglian thought.

In the past few days, wherever he goes, he can almost always hear people talking about the tribute fraud case. The boss decided to investigate thoroughly, and there was even news that it was necessary to check whether the people in the previous years had cheated in the past.

He is a thief with a weak heart, and he is like a frightened bird, and his dreams are full of scenes of sending people to take him.

Once it is checked backwards and Fan Zhenglian's head is found, he will be found out with him, Jiu'er is still young, if there is such a father, this life will be ruined.

In fact, since Fan Zhenglian was imprisoned, other people have found him, Fan Zhenglian has made many enemies over the years, and if he defects to others, he will use Fan Zhenglian as a vote.

For some reason, he remembered what the doctor girl at the Renxin Medical Center had said.

"The ship is about to sink, why don't you run away first?"

Qi Chuan's footsteps paused.

In the dim prison, Fan Zhenglian didn't know whether to wake up or what, called him "Xiaochuan" and said to him, "I'm sorry".

If it was in the past, they might have let go of their past suspicions, and the feelings of those who share the suffering will always be kinder than others. After all, in those years, he was truly grateful to Fan Zhenglian and vowed to be loyal to him for the rest of his life.

It's now.

It's a pity for now.

If people are more affectionate than they first met, there will be no resentment in the end. This apology came too late, and the rift between the master and the servant was already there.

The ship is about to sink, and the wise man always flees first, and he does not want to sink with the ship, so he has to find another way to survive, at all costs.

Even if it's a stepping stone to a former benefactor.

The cold wind blew, blowing cold on his body, Qi Chuan calmed down, clenched the food basket in his hand, and walked quickly into the bustling flow of people.

……

The wind in Shengjing is cold day by day, the eyes are in September, the dew is cold, and the wild geese in the north begin to fly south.

The wild goose swept past the mansion of the nobles of Shengjing, but spread the idle stories in the market to the whole city.

Two days ago, a piece of news quietly spread in the market, saying that Fan Zhenglian, a criminal who was imprisoned for the Gongju fraud case, has a great relationship with the current Taishi Mansion. Now that something happened, Fan Zhenglian bribed the jailers everywhere in prison and asked people to help bring a message to the Taishi Mansion and begged Qi Taishi to help.

This news is unsubstantiated, and it is really ridiculous, at the beginning, everyone thought it was a random rumor that killed a thousand knives, after all, a detailed judge of the trial court, a powerful and oppositional emperor of the dynasty, he did not see any contact on weekdays, and he couldn't hit one place with eight poles. Speaking of which, it can be regarded as a fan family.

But this news spread really with noses and eyes, and some people said that they had seen the carriage of Taishifu stop at the door of Fan's house a few years ago, and gradually, the rumors spread more and more, saying that Fan Zhenglian was originally a subordinate of Taishi Qi, and colluded with the Ministry of Rites to cheat, precisely because of the secret instructions of Taishifu. After all, once the field is controlled, it is to control half of the Liang Dynasty. If there is a person who seeks an official career, he will be rewarded with heavy bribes through the hands of Fan Zhenglian, so that he will be prosperous and rich.

This rumor spread through the internal and external divisions, through the streets and alleys of the East Building, across the Imperial History Terrace to the emperor's desk, and naturally also spread to the Taishi Mansion at the head of the Suzaku Gate.

In the courtyard of Taishifu, at the rockery of the pond, the fish in the pond roam, the golden helmet, the ink eye, the brocade quilt, the plum blossom piece...... At a glance, the water is sparkling with golden glow, and it is a rhyme.

Today's Chinese courtiers love to raise cranes and fish, and the Liang Dynasty has followed suit and often raised this thing in the court. However, how can the fish and cranes in the other people's mansions have the treasures in the Taishi's mansion, if you talk about it, the rare birds in the Taishi's mansion are better.

It was in the afternoon that someone walked through the poolside corridor, all the way quickly, and bowed his head into the tea room not far from the pool.

In the tea room, the clay pot on the table is decorated with carvings, and someone is holding an ancient scroll and resting by the window. The soap-colored crane pine loosened on his body, under the lotus jade crown, and the white hair hung down to his shoulders, only a back, quite like a fairy wind.

The person who came was a short housekeeper, and after walking into the house quickly, he stood far behind the old man in black robe, and said softly: "Master, the rumors outside are getting worse and worse. ”

In the past few days, the affairs of the Fan family have been spreading, and it is difficult to pretend that they don't know.

The old man was silent.

"If it continues to be passed on, I am afraid that it will damage the reputation of the Taishi Mansion......"

"It's okay," the old man still held the scroll, his voice was not slow, as if the matter he was talking about had nothing to do with him, "The Fan family has nothing to do with our house, and the rumors go with him." ”

"But ......," the butler bowed his head and said, "This matter has something to do with the little boy." ”

The old man's hand flipping through the book paused.

"In mid-February of the previous year, the little boy inadvertently injured a good woman in Fengle Building. Later, the good woman returned home and was entangled, and her family went to Beijing to find the trial court, and Fan Zhenglian, the judge in detail, took the initiative to help after knowing the reason and dealt with the matter. ”

"Because of the suddenness of the incident, the little boy was confused and uneasy, so the slave dared to hide from the master, and did not want to cause a big disaster now, so please punish the master." After the butler finished speaking, he immediately knelt down.

There was silence in the room.

After a long time, the old man said lightly: "Get up, I don't blame you for this." ”

However, a good woman died, and such a trivial matter was dealt with by others, and it was indeed impossible to report it to the master. Even if time goes back, the Taishi Mansion's approach to dealing with it will not be different.

This rumor is very loud, I am afraid that Fan Zhenglian is struggling to the death and wants to drag the Fan family into the water. If it is used by someone with a heart, as soon as Fan Zhenglian speaks, the matter of the little prince will be made public, which will be detrimental to the reputation of the son. The old butler persuaded hard.

The old man in black was silent for a moment, and said softly: "Then let him shut up." ”

The housekeeper looked grim: "Yes." ”

"Go ahead."

The housekeeper got up from the ground and was about to exit the tea room, when he was stopped by the person inside: "Wait." ”

"What do you command?"

The ancient scroll in his hand was put on the desk, and the old man in black took the clay pot on the table, poured it full of tea in front of him, and spoke slowly.

"Then the good woman, you go and investigate."

The housekeeper was stunned: "Does the master think there is a problem?" ”

"The rumors are spread strangely, Fan Zhenglian has also been in the officialdom for a few years, even if he looks for the Taishi Mansion, he will not make such a big fuss, this matter is not his hand." He held the tea to his lips, took a shallow sip, and took out a handkerchief to wipe the tea soup from the corner of his mouth before continuing: "There are many people in Sheng Jing staring at the Qi family, and if the matter of the good woman is known, most of them will be regarded as a knife in their hands."

"You go and check the future of that family, where are the relatives, find it, and interrogate it carefully."

"Yes."

Thinking of something again, the old man put down the teacup, "That evil beast did such a shameless thing, defiled the courtyard, punished him for being grounded for a month, and the ancestral hall thought about it." He sighed again, "In the end, the old man and his son have no way to do it." ”

The housekeeper hurriedly said: "At that time, the son was young, and he had already known his mistakes, and he felt guilty every day. ”

With his back to the butler, the old man shook his head: "That's it." There you go. ”

The housekeeper stood up and was about to retreat, but suddenly thought of something, stopped and hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Master, if you want to check the good woman, you have to continue to ...... the matter of letting Fan Zhenglian shut up."

The incense burning on the desk continued, and in the green smoke, the back looked more and more elegant, like an immortal high above, talking and laughing, playing with the fate of mortals.

He said calmly, "Of course. ”