Chapter 35: Suspicion (1)

For the candidates who came to Beijing to take the exam, the examination was successfully concluded, but the long wait for the rest was also extremely painful. It took at least half a month for the examiners to review the papers, and then they had to report to the Ministry of Personnel and the cabinet for approval. The sum of these was half a month. Also, because it was an imperial examination, the final list had to be approved by the emperor. Once the emperor had to adjust the examination papers on his own, the date of publication would be even more difficult to determine. The candidates estimated that the date of listing for this course would be at least one month later. Therefore, all candidates living near Luoyang or unwilling to postpone their relocation in the capital gradually left Luoyang and embarked on their return journey.

However, Lanzhou is too far away, and one month is not enough to fight back and forth. Unless you think you are sure to have no hope of winning, most Lanzhou candidates still want to wait for the day of the list in Luoyang. In the past few days, the old Luoxi store near the Ministry of Personnel’s Selection Institute has become a base for candidates in Lanzhou. Zhao Mingyu is the president of the Lanzhou Association and is rich and generous in his family. So he booked several rooms in this old Luoxi store for the students of fellow villagers to gather here, eat, drink, chat, laugh and play, and to endure the boredom and anxiety of waiting all month.

Just after lunch that day, Zhao Mingyu and several fellow villagers played chess in the guest room to relieve their boredom. Zhao Mingyu was defeated in three consecutive games. The student Zheng surnamed Zheng smiled and asked, "Brother Mingyu, what's wrong with you today? The ordinary chess skills are not so bad, and you seem to be a little absent-minded?" Zhao Mingyu pushed the chessboard and shook his head and said, "I won't hit it anymore, I won't hit it anymore, I won't hit it today." "Oh, Brother Mingyu has something to do..." Before Zheng Sheng finished speaking, the door was knocked open, and several Lanzhou candidates rushed in, shouting excitedly: "Brother Zhao, Brother Zheng, everyone... There is a cockfighting in the east city, which is very fun. Let's go and see it together!"

"Crockfighting! Interesting and interesting!" A few bored guys in the room suddenly had their eyes lit up, and they got up and ran out. Zheng Sheng walked to the door and looked back at Zhao Mingyu who was still motionless: "Brother Mingyu, go? Let's relax." Zhao Mingyu sighed and waved his hand and said, "You go, I still have to wait for someone, I can't leave." The rest of the people looked at each other and didn't want to force him to invite him, so they left.

The guest room suddenly became quiet. Zhao Mingyu sat at the table in a daze, and even opened the door gently, until someone called him: "Is there a Mr. Zhao Mingyu here?" He raised his head and was surprised to see a stranger standing at the door. This man was in his fifties, with a straight nose and a square mouth. He was wearing a black regular dress that could not cover up his majestic aura. Zhao Mingyu did not dare to neglect, so he quickly stood up and answered: "I am Zhao Mingyu. I'm asking for your surname? What's your matter to me?" "Oh, my surname Zeng, came from the Ministry of Personnel to select a hospital and wanted to find Mr. Zhao for some reason."

Zhao Mingyu is quite knowledgeable. Judging from the other party's demeanor, he guessed that he must be an official. But since he didn't say it directly, he was tactful and did not ask questions. He hurriedly asked Mr. Zeng to sit down and asked, "But I don't know what Mr. Zeng wants to ask?" Mr. Zeng was calm and asked back with a smile: "When I was just outside the door, I heard Mr. Zhao say he wanted to stay in this store and wait for someone. Can you tell who to wait for?" "This..." Zhao Mingyu showed a worried look on his face and sighed: "What Xiaosheng is waiting for is just an old lady." "Old lady?" "Yes, it's Xiaosheng's old mother of the same year. Xiaosheng was entrusted by someone to take good care of her, but he didn't expect that the aunt still had no news, so he was very bored."

Mr. Zeng's eyes lit up and asked, "What is the aunt mentioned by Mr. Zhao?" "Yes!" Zhao Mingyu was surprised: "Mr. Zeng also knows..." Mr. Zeng asked again: "That's what he said, "That's what he has given some advice to Mr. Zhao in the same year, must be Yang Lin?" Zhao Mingyu widened his eyes: "How did Mr. Zeng know?... Oh, you came from the Ministry of Personnel's election hospital, why? How is Yang Lin? Is his condition improved?"

Mr. Zeng's face turned gloomy and he slowly said: "Well, the emergency that Yang Lin suffered from is quite dangerous. He is still sometimes awake and confused. He just kept saying his mother, He, and what other fellow Lanzhou hometown... Ah, Mr. Zhao, your name was also mentioned repeatedly by him in his sleep. So today I will come here to search. If you can find He and send her to reunite with Yang Lin and his son, it may be beneficial to his condition."

"So that's it." Zhao Mingyu nodded repeatedly and sighed uncontrollably: "Mr. Zeng, Xiaosheng also wants to find this Aunt He, but unfortunately, he hasn't seen her yet in the imperial examination, and Xiaosheng is also worried about it. Yang Lin fell ill. If his mother had another accident, it would be miserable." Mr. Zeng sipped tea and asked: "I have a question, why did Yang Lin entrust his mother to Mr. Zhao? In addition, how did Mr. Zhao know that He should come to you?"

Zhao Mingyu hesitated for a moment and replied: "To be honest with Mr. Zeng, Xiaosheng happened to meet Aunt He by chance. According to her, she came to Beijing to find Yang Lin who was taking the exam. Xiaosheng is the president of Lanzhou Association. When Yang Lin approved the candidate qualifications, he came to the Association for the Association. Xiaosheng arranged for him to meet his mother and son. Strangely, Yang Lin said that he could not help but be unable to take care of his mother. He just told her to come to find Xiaosheng after the exam and asked Xiaosheng to arrange Aunt He. Yang Lin said that he would try to come here to meet her mother after the exam and wait for the exam together." After a pause, Zhao Mingyu spread his hands and said: "But Mr. Zeng, Yang Lin suddenly fell ill in the exam. Today is the fifth day after the exam, and Aunt He has not appeared. Therefore, Xiaosheng was very nervous and always felt that the mother and son seemed to have encountered some big trouble."

Mr. Zeng asked in a deep thought: "Yang Lin said he was involuntarily? Does Mr. Zhao know the inside story?" Zhao Mingyu frowned and thought for a while, and said: "This... I can't say it well, it just seems to have something to do with the chief examiner of this department, our prime minister of Zhou, Lord Di Renjie." "Mr. Di?!" Mr. Zeng's face was a little serious. Zhao Mingyu shook his eyes and quickly explained: "It's not Lord Di himself, it seems to be his guard and military officer..."

"Yes." Mr. Zeng smiled and said, "For this reason, please tell me the whole story of Yang Lin and He's meeting in detail."

More than half an hour later, the carriage of Lord Zeng Tai, the minister of Dali Temple, drove away from the neighborhood where Luoxi Old Store was located and headed straight to the south of the city. A few more days in August, the autumn in Luoyang City became stronger as day after day. The carriage ran fast, and the autumn wind kept pouring in from the lifted curtain, and there was a smell of coldness. Zeng Tai couldn't help but tighten the hem of the robe and looked out from the car window. On the big trees on both sides of the street, yellow leaves were in the wind.

With a rustling swaying, Zeng Tai sighed in his heart: "Unknown it, it's autumn cold again." He has not been in office for a year, but he has been in charge of the judicial system of the prison. There are more conflicts and disputes in the world than what he has seen in the past few decades. Zeng Tai finally understood where Di Renjie's thorough gaze came from, and therefore admired his mentor from the bottom of his heart that he could still maintain a favor while practicing the world.

"Master, Di's Mansion is here." "Oh." Zeng Tai quickly got out of the car. The family guards of Di's mansion were very familiar with him. Zeng Tai could go straight in without a notice. The family accompanied him diligently: "Sir Zeng, our third young master is back. The master told you to meet directly at the second hall." Zeng Tai accelerated his pace. He and Di Jinghui did not know each other, but since last year, he had heard enough about the third young master Di and wanted to meet again.

On the second hall, it was not as lively and joyful as Zeng Tai imagined, and the atmosphere was a bit dull. Di Renjie sat in the middle, Chen Huai sat on the right side, with a man wearing cloth clothes and silk shoes on the left side, with a dusty face, and his appearance was quite similar to Di Renjie. Zeng Tai knew at a glance that this was Di Jinghui. After greetings, Zeng Tai found that Di Jinghui was indeed free and easy, and his actions were a bit unconventional, but he was also kind and polite and moderate in his conversation, not as unruly as the rumors were. Of course he didn't know that Di Jinghui had changed a lot.

After talking a few more gossips, Di Renjie sent Di Jinghui: "Jinghui, you'll go and rest first. Lord Zeng has something to talk about with me." "Yes." Di Jinghui stood up and said goodbye. Di Renjie looked at Chen Huai again and smiled: "Chen Huai, you can also step down first." Chen Huai clasped his fists and walked out of the second hall with Di Jinghui. The two of them stood in front of the hall at the same time. Chen Huai sighed: "Brother Jinghui, we're meeting again!"

Di Jinghui said "Ha" and patted Chen Huai on the shoulder: "I didn't sigh, why did you sigh?! I don't want to see me in Luoyang!" "Brother Jinghui was joking." Chen Huai quickly laughed and said: "Brother Jinghui, I'll be at Guanjing Tavern tonight to welcome you. Are Brother Jinghui willing to enjoy the glory?" Di Jinghui waved his hand: "I have to eat the meal you invited, but tonight is the old man's family banquet. What's the matter with our brothers?"

Chen Huai knocked on his head: "Yes, look at my brain. OK, then tomorrow night, I will definitely accompany Brother Jinghui to get drunk before I can stop." After a moment of hesitation, he said in a deep voice: "It's a pity that I can only invite Brother Jinghui." Di Jinghui did not answer, but only narrowed his eyes slightly to look at the cloudless sky. After a long time, he said: "The sky in Luoyang is still not as good as the sky in the northwest border. I have been there once before I realized that such a lofty and clear mind is more suitable for eagles to spread their wings and soar, but not everyone deserves it."

Chen Huai lowered his head and said nothing. Di Jinghui looked at him and smiled and said, "By the way, can you invite your cousin to accompany you tomorrow? I have been taken care of by her outside of the Jinchen Pass last year. I have never thanked you yet." "This," Chen Huai suddenly seemed very embarrassed and said, "Ajun has no knowledge, or..." "Ah, it's not convenient." Di Jinghui hurriedly said, "I just said it casually, you can bring me some good things for her. By the way!" He took out a letter from his arms: "Mei Yingchun asked me to bring you a letter, saying it was a private matter, haha, it's mysterious." Chen Huai said thanking suspiciously, and put away the letter without looking at it.

"General Li, Fei Ge delivers a letter! The prince comes!" Awei held a white pigeon in both hands and ran towards Li Yuanfang excitedly. Li Yuanfang stood behind the lush Berlin, facing the majestic peaks of the Jinshan Mountains, looking at him intently. Awei's shouts awakened him from his thoughts. He turned around and nodded to Awei, took the secret letter, and asked while unfolding, "Awei, what did you call me?" "General Li!" Awei happily wiped the sweat beads on his face.

Li Yuanfang glanced at Awei and asked lightly: "So you have always called me Mr. Li, why did you change your words?" "Ah?!" Awei was stunned: "This is... the order of His Highness of the Prince. He changed it last time he came. What's wrong? General Li, you don't like it..." Li Yuanfang interrupted him: "It's nothing, I just noticed it, just ask casually." He had hurriedly browsed the content of the secret letter, and the red light of joy suddenly rose on his pale cheeks, and he couldn't help but murmured in a low voice: "That's great, great!" Awei was curious: "General Li, is there anything good?" Li Yuanfang smiled slightly: "It's a great thing... Awei, go and bring the horse."

"Oh!" Awei had just taken a step and turned back: "General Li, what are you going to do?" Li Yuanfang pointed to the hillside in front: "I want to ride up and take a look." "Ah?!" Awei widened his eyes: "You... can you do it?" Li Yuanfang waved his hand: "Go quickly and bring both of them."

Awei went to lead the horse. Li Yuanfang gently stroked the feathers of the white dove and held up his hands. The pigeon flapped its wings. Li Yuanfang watched it go straight to the sky and flew towards the direction of the mirror pool. Then he took a wooden stick leaning against the tree trunk and walked slowly towards the weeds hillside. Since Wuzhile came back to visit, Li Yuanfang began to practice walking down the ground despite Pei Suyun's strong opposition. Because the injury on his left leg was very serious and was far from recovering, he asked Awei to help make a wooden stick and walk around every day. After a few days, Li Yuanfang almost stopped lying during the day and became more and more relaxed. Pei Suyun complained that he was showing off his strength and refused to walk with him. Li Yuanfang ignored her and just called Awei to accompany her.

"General Li, come on the horse!" Awei trotted with two horses. The two horses were still worn on the carriage when they escaped to Jingchi. They were not particularly outstanding horses, but at this moment, Li Yuanfang had an indescribable intimacy. He stepped forward, slapped the horse's hair on one of the red horses, and smiled, "I haven't ridden a horse for a long time, I really think about it." Awei also laughed: "That's right, those who are used to riding horses really can't live without them. But... General Li, you have to be careful when riding horses now. He is so injured that it has not been cured yet." "It's okay." Li Yuanfang answered briefly, with one hand on the horse's back. Awei came over to help him, but he gently pushed him out. He held his breath and gritted his teeth and turned over the horse.

Awei opened his mouth wide when he saw Li Yuanfang riding steadily on the horse. He frowned without any trace, and then he replied as usual, "Awei, you ride on it too." "Yes!" Awei woke up and jumped on another horse and asked, "General Li, where are we going?" Li Yuanfang looked at the mirror pool in front of the cypress forest. The light golden sunlight was rippling on the blue lake surface, warm and quiet, fascinating. He sighed: "Go to the back mountain to turn." Awei agreed, and was really confused. When he saw Pei Suyun's white skirt fluttering beside the mirror pool, he suddenly realized and turned his horse's head with a smirk. Li Yuanfang had already turned to the horse.
Chapter completed!