At first, Zhang Mingqi went to the old house of the Sun family and knelt at the door all night, to no avail.

After that, he went to several scholars who had been friends with the master of the Zhang family, but when those people saw him, they all seemed to have seen a plague god, and the door was closed, so they almost didn't let the family come out with sticks to drive them away.

At the beginning, his father's business road was prosperous all over the country, he had a lot of money, and the house was full of people, and even those old scholars had to admit that his father was indeed a veteran in the business field.

After that, he saw the opportunity of the large-scale invasion of the Tang Kingdom, and donated a large number of materials in exchange for the hereditary title thereafter.

But these things ...... What did you end up with?

It was the first time he had ever felt the heat of the world since he was born, and it was like a sharp knife with a barb, stabbing him straight into the heart, and then taking a few more pieces of his flesh with him when he pulled it out.

Gao Changgong lowered his head and did not rush to let Zhang Mingqi get up, but asked slowly, "Why did you come to me?"

Zhang Mingqi's voice choked, shook his head and said, "I found a lot of people...... They...... They all hid from me. The Sun family, the Wang family, the Liu family...... I've looked for it all, and now, I really don't have anyone to look for now, I can only look for you......" His face was grim, and he raised his arms and arched his hand, "General...... Please save my father's life for the sake of his old deeds!"

Gao Changgong of course remembered the credit of Zhang Mingqi's father, back then, the Tang State took advantage of the unstable establishment of Jingwu and invaded from the border, at that time the treasury was empty, and the scholars made up their minds to stand on the side of the winner, and no one was willing to contribute even a little bit of strength.

After the battle, even the military rations and salaries were stretched, and at this time, Zhang Mingqi's father and grandfather personally rode horses and led the team and sent a large number of food and salary iron tools to the front line, which allowed the army that was originally on the verge of mutiny to return to one heart and resist the rapid offensives of the Tang State again and again.

It can be said that if it weren't for Zhang Mingqi's family to send charcoal in the snow, he Gao Changgong would not have been able to create a good story of eight thousand Qingzhou ghost horses sweeping the Tang Kingdom.

This Jing Wu may become the shortest-lived dynasty in history.

Thinking of this, Gao Changgong's heart still softened, and he walked over and supported Zhang Mingqi's arm with both hands, wanting to pull him up, but he felt that the child was stubbornly pressing his legs and refused to get up, so he used a slight force to drag Zhang Mingqi from the ground to stand up.

Gao Changgong said: "You shouldn't come to me, I won't count your father's affairs." ”

When Zhang Mingqi heard this, he gritted his teeth and wanted to kneel down again, but the power in Gao Changgong's hand was like an iron wall, making him unable to make a move at all.

"But don't worry, your father won't be a capital offense this time. Although your father did break the law, but after all, he also made great contributions to Jing Wu back then, and the prime minister and I are not ungrateful, it is estimated that your father has been released from prison at this time, so you should go home and take care of it. ”

Zhang Mingqi finally heard a letter from Gao Changgong, and felt a little comforted in his heart, but after thinking about it again, he laughed miserably: "Go home, where do I still have a home...... General, our Zhang family once stood up when Jing Wu was dying, but Jing Wu ...... And the prime minister, is this how you repay my Zhang family?"

Gao Changgong was silent, he knew this kind of thing, it was impossible to argue with the current Zhang Mingqi, not to mention that Zhang Mingqi was just a child to him, what he wanted was comfort, but he was not good at this.

"General. Zhang Mingqi raised his face, his eyes suddenly sharpened, and said: "I remember you said that no matter how high or low you are in the Jing Wu army, as long as you have a heart to serve the country, you can join, right?"

Gao Changgong looked at Zhang Mingqi and said softly: "This is indeed the case under my command, even if the children of the scholar clan join our army, they can only start as pawns, you ......"

"General, I, I'm not for anything...... Zhang Mingqi lowered his head and bit his lip and said, "My family...... There's nothing left, and I've got to make a living, right? ”

Gao Changgong then sighed and said: "Even if the Zhang family is found to have no wealth, with your ability, it is not difficult to go to the city to find a clerical job, or be introduced by me, and join the forbidden army as a janitarian guard...... These two jobs are not hard and can support the family, so why should they join our army?"

Seeing Zhang Mingqi bowing his head to cover his eyes, Gao Changgong didn't even have to guess to know how much hatred was now in his eyes.

"Yes...... If you want to turn over from me, and then one day if you really become famous, you can have a plan against the prime minister, right?" Gao Changgong said tentatively.

Zhang Mingqi was silent and didn't say a word, like a stubborn seedling, refusing to back down under the wind and rain.

Gao Changgong shook his head, his face was full of regret: "I can let you join the army, but not because of feelings, but because of the consistent rules of Jing Wujun, I have no reason to refuse." It's just that no matter who Jing Wujun is, as long as he comes in, there is no special treatment, even if your father is ...... You do have some friendship with my father, you have to start from the lowest soldiers, eat with them, live with them, sleep together, can you stand it?"

"Do you think I still have any ability to oppose now?" Zhang Mingqi bit his lip, "I can stand it, as long as the general doesn't think I'm a sinner's son and leaves me alone." ”

"The Jingwu army is not punished, whether it is the son of a sinner or a good citizen, when he joins our army, he is a brave soldier for the country. Gao Changgong turned his head, "In that case, you go to the barracks to find my adjutant Lin Quan, and tell him that I have agreed to your entry into the army, and he will arrange everything for you." ”

"Thank you, General. Zhang Mingqi took a deep breath and bowed his head, he even wondered if he had ever been so respectful to another person in his life?

But he bit his lip at the moment, and kept saying to himself in his heart: Zhang Mingqi, you have to understand that you have nothing left, and you must be respectful to everyone in the future, even if it is ......

He glanced at Qin Ke and Abu, who had been watching from Gao Changgong's side, and he also arched his hand slightly.

But after all, he was a teenager, and even though what had happened these days had taught him patience, he couldn't help but raise his head and shout: "General, since you said that my father and you still have affection, why did your Gao family not help me at all when my family was in trouble? Could it be that my father's payment is not as important as your Gao family's wings?"

Gao Changgong didn't turn around, but just turned his head sideways and said, "The state has national laws, and your father is to blame." Let's not talk about whether my Gao family will help, even if they do, I will even ask them not to do it. Thinking that I still have a little room to speak in the Gao family, they won't disobey me. As for the wings, I never think that the wings are anything important, although the Shi clan is a family with a surname, but after all, it is also a part of Jing Wu, as long as your father is worthy of Jing Wu, Jing Wu will not be sorry for him. The Liu family, the Sun family, and the Wang family remained silent when your father was in trouble, and they also understood that there were some things that could not be easily touched. ”

"Of course, I still want to say. Don't hate him. Gao Changgong knew that Zhang Mingqi understood which he was talking about.

"No...... Dare. ”

It's not that you don't dare, it's not that you won'

Zhang Mingqi lowered his head again, his eyes were full of gloom, but there was a flame surging in the darkness.

Even if he entered the mansion, Qin Ke still couldn't get rid of the impact that Zhang Mingqi gave him, and Abu beside him was also a little silent, although the two of them didn't deal with Zhang Mingqi very much, they never thought of making Zhang Mingqi that situation.

Zhang Mingqi's haggard appearance made even Qin Ke a little shocked when he saw it, and after actually knowing the situation at Zhang Mingqi's family, he felt even more inexplicably guilty.

If I hadn't sent that list to Zhuge Wanling, would all this have happened?

But he quickly denied himself, if he didn't send the list to Zhuge Wanling, wouldn't it be unfair to the people who died in the lower reaches of the river because of the dam burst and the people who starved because the disaster relief food money was embezzled?

Gao Changgong didn't turn his head, but he seemed to feel Qin Ke's unusually heavy heartbeat. He said lightly: "Don't blame yourself. It's none of your business. ”

"But this time, it's ......," Qin Ke wanted to talk about the list.

Without that list, Wanling would still arrest Zhang Mingqi's father. Do you think Wanling really doesn't know the situation of Jingwu in the past few years of Jingwu's governance? Without that list, Wanling also knows what these people have done. It's just that I haven't had a chance to move. And this time, he wanted to use the assassination to move some characters who were originally difficult to move. ”

"What do you mean?" Qin Ke didn't understand, he didn't know how to govern the country, and he didn't understand what the assassination had to do with Zhang Mingqi's family.

Gao Changgong raised his head and looked at the sky: "The word 'balance' that is emphasized in the court, if it is changed before, even if Wanling wants to move, it will only move those petty officials, as long as it does not affect the foundation of the scholar clan, the scholar clan will not have any objection." Only this time, the Shi clan deliberately assassinated Wanling, which was tantamount to breaking the balance, and Wanling had a reason for the Shi clan to make greater concessions. Regardless of whether Wanling is a personal vendetta or dealt with it impartially, the scholars have to concede three points because of this matter. ”

Qin Ke looked up and asked strangely, "The assassination...... Haven't you found out yet? Now you know who assassinated you?"

"Who knows. Gao Changgong thought of the figure hidden in the shadows, and he did not stop tracking down the assassin, but this matter was investigated and investigated, and there was still no conclusive evidence to prove what he thought in his heart.

He came here today, not only to see Mulan, but also to confirm an idea in his heart.

"But...... It doesn't matter who it is. Anyway, from the government and the opposition to the Pingtou, the common people now all think that there are people in the scholar clan who want to be unfavorable to the prime minister...... I'm afraid that the scholars themselves can't figure out whether any of them are acting in secret. ”