Since Chen Wenqi was sent to prison by the emperor, for several days, Weng Junding was restless and worried in the post house. originally thought that the emperor would issue an order to release him as soon as he saw Chen Nansong's handwritten letterhead, but Zhang Luan had another incident and suspected that the letterhead was false and forged. After the emperor said, "I have my own way to find out," there was no movement, could this matter be over? But Brother Chen Nian is still locked up in prison.

Weng Junding first set foot in the temple, and when he entered the city, he was unaccompanied, isolated, and helpless to rescue Chen Wenqi, so he had no choice but to go to the teacher twice in three days to inquire. Although Liu Jian is in the same hurry, after all, he has lived in the temple for a long time and knows the depth of the officialdom water. He couldn't pay special attention to this matter, and he didn't even dare to say anything to the emperor about visiting the prison, for fear that things would be reversed, which would make the emperor unhappy and take away Chen Wenqi's fame. Therefore, I can only endure it for the time being, wait for the time to be ripe, and then ask the emperor to release him.

On this day, Weng Junding came to pay homage to his teacher again. After a few small chats between teachers and students, Liu Jian said to Weng Junding:

"Xianqi, the emperor has just issued an order, and the Ministry of Officials, together with each department, will prepare for the 'selection' of the new branch of Wenwu Jinshi, and submit it to the Holy Emperor for approval. During the release of the brown, the new Ke Wenwu Jinshi was allowed to go home to visit his relatives for three months. What are your plans?"

Weng Junding didn't think about it, and replied to his teacher: "The student has no plan. Brother Chen is still in prison, and the students are the same year as him, and they can only wait in the capital across the cell. ”

When Liu Jian heard this, he immediately reprimanded: "It's stupid. You are waiting for him outside, and he will be comfortable in the prison?" Tu Jue's tone was too harsh, and he softened his tone for a while, and said warmly: "You are so affectionate and righteous, the old man is very pleased, but staying in the capital is useless. Doesn't the emperor want to find out the authenticity of Chen Nansong's letterhead? Otherwise, you can take this opportunity to go to Chenjiazhuang and ask their patriarch Chen Nansong to write a few more words to prove the truth. Well, I will write a letter to Master Tao of Hu Guangcheng's announcement of political envoys, and ask him to affix the official seal of Hu Guangcheng's announcement of political envoys to Chen Nansong's handwriting, otherwise, that Zhang Luan will say that it is a forgery. Remember, don't mention Wenqi's imprisonment to the Chen family, how to prevaricate, you can do it. ”

When Weng Junding heard that he wanted to use Chen Nansong's handwriting to prove Chen Wenqi's innocence, he felt that he could finally do something meaningful for his friend. So he hurriedly ran to the bookcase to sharpen the ink, urging the teacher to write a letter quickly. After the teacher finished writing the letter, he put it in his arms and raised his feet to leave.

Liu Jian hurriedly stopped him and instructed, "Don't be busy, I still have something to say." The old man speculated that the emperor had the intention to protect Wen Qi. If not, he would not have specifically instructed Mu Bin not to treat him like a prisoner, and his reputation has not been removed so far. It's just that the emperor and the queen have a deep relationship, since the emperor wants to embarrass Wen Qi, let Wen Qi stay in prison for a few days, so as to save him from sowing right and wrong in front of the queen's daughter and affecting the harmony of their husband and wife. Therefore, you don't have to rush to retrieve any evidence, go home and do what you need to do before returning to Beijing. Otherwise, after the award, you can't help it, and you can't help what you want to do. ”

As soon as Weng Junding heard that his teacher had confessed, he made up his mind. After saying goodbye to his teacher, he returned to the post house to pack up, and after going to the official department to register, he embarked on a journey to the south alone.

......

Just when Liu Jian instructed Weng Junding, the news that Chen Wenqi was imprisoned had already reached Wuchang Mansion.

On this day, after all the official affairs in the yamen were completed, Han Ming returned home to visit his sister Han Mei. The sisters and brothers chatted and chatted about Chen Wenqi.

"Sister, do you remember Shan'er's brother-in-law Chen Wenqi?"

"Why don't you remember? That kid has a good character, he is unique, and he has helped my Han family a lot several times, to be honest, my sister always thinks about him from time to time. Didn't he go to Beijing to try out? Why did you suddenly ask him? Did he make the list or did he fall off the list?"

Han Ming said: "The day before yesterday, the junior brother heard from the political envoy Master Si Tao that Chen Gongzi first won the first place in the meeting test, and then won the palace test three days later. ”

"Oh?" Han Mei was overjoyed when she heard this, and praised repeatedly: "Amazing, amazing, young talent! I'm afraid there aren't many people who can have three yuan and the first in this dynasty, right?"

"Yes. Counting Huang Guan, the 'six champions' of Xin Weike, who was removed, there are only three people along with Chen Gongzi. It's just ......" Han Ming suddenly frowned and hesitated to stop talking.

"Just what, why don't you say it?" Han Mei asked with some uneasiness when she saw the look on her brother's eyebrows.

Han Ming was about to speak, when Shen Lingshan "flew" in like a swallow: "Uncle, are you back?"

"Hmm. Han Ming said a word, and Han Mei and Han Mei were speechless for a moment.

"Uncle, I heard you and your mother chatting quite lively just now, why don't you talk now?, what do you want to hide from me?" Shen Lingshan said coquettishly.

"Nothing, we're just chatting. Han Ming replied stiffly.

"No, I vaguely heard my uncle say 'Chen Gongzi', are you talking about the eldest brother? What's wrong with the eldest brother? Uncle, tell me quickly. ”

Han Ming looked at his sister, not knowing what to do.

Han Mei was extremely uncomfortable by Han Ming's half-sentence "but ......", and she couldn't care about Shen Lingshan's feelings at the moment, and said: "Ming'er, what is Chen Gongzi, just say it directly." ”

Han Ming said: "It's good that Chen Gongzi didn't win the champion, but if he won the champion, he hurt him." ”

"What, you said that the eldest brother won the champion?" Shen Lingshan was ecstatic, and grabbed Han Ming's arm excitedly, and inadvertently a pair of beautiful eyes were a little wet.

"It's okay not to win the champion, but winning the champion hurts him. Han Ming mechanically repeated the original sentence.

"Why did you win the champion and hurt him? You said it neatly, you want to die in a hurry?" Han Mei was unusual, urging Han Ming to say quickly.

Shen Lingshan let go of her uncle's hand and sat down next to Han Mei, holding Han Mei's sleeve tightly with her right hand.

"Alas. Listening to Lord Tao, after the palace test, the emperor appointed Chen Gongzi as the champion of literature, and Yin Wei, the son of Yin Zhi, the right attendant of the military department, as the champion of martial arts, gave the champion a crown, and ordered to set up a 'Qionglin Hui Martial Arts Banquet' in Qionglin Garden to celebrate. Chen Gongzi offended some people for some reason, and at the banquet, first Yin Zhi and his son named and said their surnames to Chen Gongzi, and then the current national abbot Zhang Luan frequently made troubles, inducing Chen Gongzi to speak for Huang Guan, the champion of Xinweike, which caused many princes to be dissatisfied with him; Today's emperor advocates ruling the world with filial piety, of course, it is difficult to tolerate this kind of 'great unfilial piety', so in a fit of anger, Chen Gongzi was sent to the edict prison and imprisoned. ”

"Chen Gongzi has been imprisoned?" Han Mei said in disbelief: "I think this kid is gentle and elegant, how can he provoke people?

"I don't know this, Chen Gongzi has never been to the capital, how can there be any rivalry? The little brother is strange, that Zhang Luan is far away in the capital, how can he know the clan rules of Chen Gongzi's family? How do he know that their family is forbidden to wear red clothes?"

"Yes, we are close to Huangzhou Mansion, if you hadn't talked about it today, I wouldn't have known that their family had this taboo. Why is this kid so unlucky? If he wins the championship, he will go to jail. Ming'er, is there a way to help this kid?"

"Sister, this is a case that the emperor personally intervened, I am a small prefect, and I can't even see the emperor's face, so I am really powerless. Han Ming said helplessly.

The sisters and brothers asked and answered, but they didn't see Shen Lingshan speak for a long time. The two of them looked at each other in a blink of an eye, and saw Shen Lingshan's pretty face pale, sitting aside with a blank expression, ignoring the conversation between the two.

"Shan'er, are you okay?" Han Mei didn't even respond to a few calls Shen Lingshan, and hurriedly pushed her with her hand and asked with concern.

Shen Lingshan seemed to wake up suddenly, and said faintly: "Ah, no...... I'm fine. Mother, uncle, I'm a little tired, I need to go back to my room to rest. ”

"Go ahead, don't get tired. Han Mei said distressedly.

Shen Lingshan stood up, saluted her uncle, and hurried back to the room.

In the next two days, Shen Lingshan did not go out of the door, did not step out of the second door, neither practiced martial arts nor did needlework, and meditated alone in the boudoir in a daze. Rao is Ruizhu tried every means to comfort and frolic, but she couldn't make Shen Lingshan show her face and speak, and later she was disturbed by Ruizhu, so she simply pushed her out of the door and bolted the door to think about herself.

Rui Zhu didn't know why the young lady was like this, so she went to the lady's room to explain the matter. When Han Mei heard this, she hurriedly followed Rui Zhu to Shen Lingshan's room, and called softly inside: "Shan'er, open the door of the room, my mother sees you coming." ”

There was a "squeak", and the door opened. Shen Lingshan was dressed in men's makeup, standing prettyly in front of Han Mei, and on the round table behind her, there was a simple bag.

"Shan'er, what are you ......" Han Mei was startled, pointed to her bag and asked in a trembling voice.

Shen Lingshan let Han Mei into the room, helped her mother sit down at the table, and said in a calm tone: "Mother, it's been almost twenty years, my family's revenge has not been avenged, and my father has not heard from me." Shan'er thought about it again and again, and decided to go to the border to find her father, come back and consult the 'Luanfeng' swordsmanship with her uncle, and then look for the enemy to avenge her grandparents. ”

When Han Mei heard this, her face was pale, and she hurriedly asked, "Shan'er, ...... you Why did you think you were looking for Daddy for no reason?"

Shen Lingshan replied calmly: "Shan'er is not a whim, this idea has been in Shan'er's heart for several years. It's just that I was really too young before, and I didn't dare to say it if I didn't agree with you. Now Shan'er is eighteen years old, and in addition to the martial arts taught by her mother, there is also the 'acupoint palm' that my eldest brother passed on to me, so I can defend myself. If you don't find your father again, when will your grandparents' revenge be avenged?

Why didn't Han Mei want to find Shen Qing's whereabouts as soon as possible? Unfortunately, her daughter was still young, and she went to such a far place alone, no matter what, she couldn't teach people to rest assured. She stabilized her emotions and persuaded softly:

"Child, the blood feud of my grandparents and grandmothers has not been avenged so far, and it is also a heart disease for my mother and your uncle for many years. But the enemy's power is too great, and the martial arts are high, and it is difficult for your mother and uncle to speak alone. The only way is to find your father to practice the 'Luan Feng' swordsmanship, and the combination of the two swords can have the hope of revenge. Your uncle has gone to the Ningxia border pass three times, and several times he wants to meet the chief soldier Xia Yao's father-in-law, but Ningxiawei's military camp is heavily guarded, no matter how your uncle shows his identity, the soldiers who guard the gate always refuse to pass, so every time it is in vain. You are still young now, even if you can go to the border pass, aren't you like your uncle, and you can't find out about your father? In two years, when you grow up, your mother will take you to Ningxia and try to meet Xia Yao's father-in-law, maybe there will be news of your father. ”

"Mother, didn't my uncle say it, it turns out that when I went to find my father, I used a fake name, so I couldn't even enter the city gate. This time, Shan'er will go and report her real name directly, and she will definitely be able to meet Grandpa Xia Yao. After meeting Grandpa Xia Yao, there is hope for finding Daddy. Now that you are old, how can you go out on a long trip? If your children do their work, your daughter will definitely get her father back for her mother. ”

Han Mei was shocked, and shook her hand again and again: "No." If you are not familiar with the people at the border of Ningxia, who knows if there are any people from Liang Fang and the 'Eight Murderers of Lingnan'? If you run into the person guarding the city gate who is Liang Fang's eyeliner, won't you fall into the net?"

"That'...... The daughter has a way. The first few times my uncle went to Ningxia, he couldn't stay too long because of official business at home. Shan'er went this time, and it didn't matter if she didn't enter the city, there was nothing to do, I just walked around the city gate every day, and I didn't believe that Grandpa Xia Yao never went out of the city. ”

Han Mei laughed and laughed when she heard this, and said, "Shan'er, do you think Grandpa Xia Yao is like us? He is the general soldier of Ningxia and the generalissimo of the soldiers and horses of Zhenxi, and he doesn't hug him wherever he goes? Can he be approached casually?"

No matter how Han Mei persuaded her, Shen Lingshan seemed to be determined to go to Ningxia, she pouted and said coquettishly: "Mother, don't worry." Your daughter is so smart, I'm afraid that I won't be able to think of a way to do it? ”

"You are a girl, thousands of miles away, how can your mother rest assured?" Han Mei saw that she couldn't persuade her daughter, and she was in a mess, so she hurriedly told Zhu'er to hurry up and go to the prefect's yamen to ask her uncle to come back.

Han Ming was also shocked when he heard that Shen Lingshan was going to travel alone to find his father, and when he thought about it carefully, he realized in his heart. He avoided his sister's gaze and asked Shen Lingshan:

"Shan'er is going to find her father, but have you figured out which way to go?"

As soon as these words came out, Han Mei and Shen Lingshan's mother and daughter were surprised. Han Mei thought to herself, I want you to help my sister persuade Shan'er to give up the idea of going out, why did you ask about her itinerary instead? Shen Lingshan was thinking about how to deal with her uncle's dissuasion, but when her uncle asked about the walking route, she didn't know how to answer for a while.

Han Ming stretched out his hand and pulled Shen Lingshan to sit down on the chair beside Han Mei, and said to her with a smile: "Shan'er doesn't have to answer, let Uncle guess the route you want to take." Ningxia border pass, in the northwest of Wuchang Mansion, through Xiangyang, through Chang'an, is a shortcut, this road should be the best choice. But Shan'er's trip must have passed through Xinyang, passed through Xuchang, went northeast to Kyoto, and then turned southwest, out of Juyongguan, through Shuozhou, and along Yulin Road to the southwest to Ningxia. I wonder if my uncle guessed right?"

When Shen Lingshan heard this, her face turned red instantly, knowing that her uncle could see her thoughts. In embarrassment, he lowered his head and looked at his toes. Half-ringing, he raised his head, first turned his head to look at his mother Han Mei, and then turned back to Han Ming and said, "Uncle is right, Shan'er really plans to leave like this." My eldest brother and I have a righteous relationship, and he has helped us a lot. Now that he is in a cage, far from his loved ones, even if we can't do anything to save him, we should pay a visit now. However, Shan'er has been looking for her father at the border for many years, and it is by no means an excuse. After visiting the eldest brother in the capital, he will go to Ningxia no matter what, and find his father's traces no matter what. ”

Han Mei only knew at this time that her daughter insisted on running away. Thinking of Chen Wenqi's suffering in prison, he was also sympathetic, and at the same time he was pleased with his daughter's simplicity. As soon as Shen Lingshan's words fell, she grabbed her daughter, stroked the hair on her head, and said softly:

"Shan'er, you are going to visit Chen Gongzi, why don't you say it? Are you afraid that your mother will not let you go?"

Hearing that Han Mei's tone was loose, Shen Lingshan took the opportunity to get into her mother's arms and sprinkled coquettishly: "Mother, Shan'er didn't tell you, otherwise, Shan'er slipped away through the back door while Ruizhu was looking for you, and I am afraid that she has already crossed the river at this time." ”

Han Mei said angrily: "What did you tell me? You said that you were going to look for your father, but you were going to the border pass, where the Mongolian Tatars often fought and killed, how could my mother let you go with confidence?"

Shen Lingshan sat up from her mother's arms, combed her somewhat disheveled hair with her hands, and said, "Mother, Shan'er just didn't tell you to go into the city to visit your eldest brother first. After Shan'er visited her eldest brother, she really wanted to go to the border to find her father. ”

"That's not possible, if you don't promise your mother not to go to Ningxiawei, you won't be allowed to leave the house. Han Mei put away her smile and said with a serious face.

"Mother, you ......"

"Shan'er, what your mother said makes sense, the border of Ningxia is intertwined with enemies and teeth, and it is not peaceful. You are alone in danger, how can we rest assured? You are going to the capital to visit Chen Gongzi, although his heart can be learned, but I am afraid that it will be in vain. Think about it, that edict prison is an important place to hold Qin prisoners, how can it be a place where you can enter if you want to? According to my uncle, Chen Gongzi's auspicious appearance is just a few days in prison, and it won't be a big deal, and after a while, it will be fine, so you should wait for news at home. ”

When Shen Lingshan heard that her uncle wouldn't even let her go to the capital, she was immediately anxious, and hurriedly sought Han Mei's support: "Mother, I promised you not to go to Ningxia, you will let me go to Beijing, right?"

"This ......" Han Mei was a little worried about Chen Wenqi, but she couldn't bear her daughter to leave home alone, and it was unknown whether she could enter the prison, so she looked at Han Ming hesitantly.

"Mother, uncle, allowing relatives to visit prison is also a provision of the Ming Law, I am the eldest brother's sworn brother, of course I can see him. Even if you don't let you in, you can still find out the news when you get to the capital, and it's better than being in a hurry at home. Shen Lingshan was afraid that her uncle would shake her head, so she said first.

Han Ming knows the character of his niece well, and if she doesn't agree, maybe one day she will quietly run away from home. Instead of that, it is better to help her plan everything so that she can go out with peace of mind and avoid accidents. Thinking of this, he said to Han Mei:

"Sister, when Chen Gongzi was in trouble, it was reasonable for Shan'er to go to visit. But it was a long way to go to the capital, and it was inconvenient for her to travel alone with a girl's family. It's better to let Ruizhu modify and travel with her, and there will be a good response on the road, and I will hire a carriage and choose a vigilant catcher to act as the coachman to protect secretly, and Shan'er also has a lot of kung fu, so I don't think there will be any accidents. It's just that Shan'er must promise to turn around quickly after visiting Chen Gongzi, and not to stay in the capital for a long time. ”

Han Mei nodded and asked Shen Lingshan, "Shan'er, can you hear clearly?"

Shen Lingshan was afraid that they would regret it, so she hurriedly agreed: "Shan'er understands that after visiting the eldest brother in the capital, she promises to go home immediately." ”

"In that case, I will go and rent a carriage and take you out of the city early to-morrow morning. With that, Han Ming stood up and said goodbye to his sister and went out to Zhang Luo.

That night, Han Mei asked Shen Lingshan to rest in her room, and explained to Shen Lingshan in detail how to walk, how to stay, how to treat people and things, and so on. Shen Lingshan also kept asking her mother to take care of herself and not worry about herself, and the mother and daughter talked until the sky was slightly bright, and then they fell asleep.

At the beginning of the next day, Han Ming returned home, followed by a middle-aged man of medium stature, thick eyebrows and big eyes.

Shen Lingshan and Rui Zhu had already changed into men's clothes and were gossiping and waiting in their mother's room. As soon as he heard that his uncle had arrived home, he hurriedly carried his mother out of the lobby.

Han Ming pulled the middle-aged man behind him and said to Shen Lingshan: "Shan'er, this is Jiang Lin Jiang Bantou, known as '** Lake', has rich experience in rivers and lakes, and also has a very powerful fist and foot kung fu. It happened that Jiang Bantou was on vacation during this time, so I specially invited him to accompany you to Beijing. Han Ming was an upright official and didn't want to pretend to be a public servant, so he asked Jiang Lin, who was on vacation, to help, and insisted on giving Jiang Lin's wife a big silver ingot weighing ten taels as compensation.

Shen Lingshan saluted Jiang Bantou and said, "I'm really sorry to delay Jiang Bantou's vacation." ”

Jiang Lin saw Shen Lingshan saluting him, shook his hand again and again, and hurriedly said, "Miss Yang, don't kill the villain." Although the villain has traveled north and south for more than ten years, he has never been to the capital, and this time he can go to the capital to see the world, or he is stained with the light of the young lady. Han Ming introduced to Jiang Lin in advance that his niece was also surnamed Yang, so he called Shen Lingshan Miss Yang.

Han Ming smiled "hehe" and said, "You two are not polite, this is a long way to go to the capital, everyone should take care of each other." Jiang Bantou, my nephew has never been far away, so I ask you to take care of me these days. ”

Jiang Lin bowed down to Han Mei and Han Ming, and said respectfully: "Please rest assured, Madame and Lord Yang, the villain will definitely do his best to maintain Miss's integrity and return to Wuchang safely." ”

Han Mei pulled Shen Lingshan, straightened her clothes for her, and said a few more times before she reluctantly let go of her hand and let Shen Lingshan get into the carriage. Rui Zhu wrapped her body and gave a salute to Han Mei and Han Ming, and then also got into the vermilion car. Jiang Lin, who was sitting in the driving seat, waved his long whip, "Drive-squeak", the carriage turned a corner to the left, headed towards the Caobu Gate in the north of the city, and disappeared at the end of the alley in a blink of an eye.