Bastard's Counterattack [Rebirth]

The road is still the same road, but there are two more faces.The old horse knows the way, Li Shun barely needs to do anything, and the carriage drives steadily to Prince Qing's Mansion.

They were apprehensive and mustered great courage.

The night was as dark as ink, just like Rong Youtang's heavy heart at this moment, he was downcast and preoccupied.The carriage drove into the bustling city, bright lights and laughter passed through the window panes and door curtains, but they did not shake the people sitting in a daze.

The road was very long, but it seemed too short. Before Rong Youtang could think clearly, he heard the housekeeper in front of him say, "The Palace of Prince Qing is here."

Rong Youtang sighed, smiled wryly and cursed secretly: I really want to slap myself a few times!What else is there to consider?A mistake is a mistake, and an explanation afterwards is called sophistry.It's useless to talk too much, and it's useless to think too much, so just go in and plead guilty.

"Father, don't rush to take the blame later, it's useless, it will only irritate His Highness, let me handle it." Rong Youtang cheered up and asked his adoptive father to get off the carriage, and then Rong Zhengqing came out , He hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his hand, helped his uncle out of the carriage, and reminded him solemnly: "You too. Prince Qing's mansion is no different than other places. His Highness is just and strict. You should not take your anger out on him, but you must respect it. I am the one who is at fault. No matter what happens later, , you all have to calm down."

Rong Zhengqing was moved and guilty, and cherished the help of his nephew to get out of the carriage, nodding repeatedly: "Okay, okay, don't worry, uncle will not do anything bad again! This is all my fault, I was too excited, I really didn't expect you to be alive."

"It's my fault, no one else's."

Rong Youtang smiled bitterly. He was feverish, top-heavy, walking like walking on cotton, and sighed: "Actually, I don't want to hide it anymore. Really, I am too tired. I had many worries before and wanted to confess countless times, but Your Highness General Guo and the others treated people really well, the more I thought about it, the more I dared not, for fear of embarrassment, fear of their anger... In fact, it is very good now, no need to hide it, no matter what kind of punishment, I deserve it."

"Cousin, if you can't stay in the capital, then let's go home! Although your hometown is not as rich and prosperous as the capital, it still has academies and markets. When the time comes, you will take over your aunt's dowry shop and farm to ensure that we don't have to worry about food and clothing. There are quite a few cousins ​​from my generation, and we can study together then!" Rong Yu was young and inexperienced, and naively held the idea of ​​"I won't stay here, I will go back to my hometown".

"Thank you." Rong Youtang smiled lightly, and had a good impression of his cousin who suddenly appeared.But since Rong Huaijin's death, he never thought of going to his grandfather's family.

For ordinary people in Beijing, Jiangnan is too far away.Moreover, Rong Huaijin was stubborn back then, and indeed had a quarrel with her natal family to the point where she broke up with her natal family. Later, she cried when she talked about it, and cried when she thought about it.

Rong Zhengqing directly ordered: "Xu'er, you are not allowed to speak later."

"...Yes." Rong Rong responded bluntly.

Li Shun moved swiftly and moved all the gifts and rewards he had received from the palace. Rong Youtang also helped him. He moved very slowly, and couldn't be slower—he was guilty, ashamed, and extremely embarrassed.

The strange behavior of the Rong family quickly attracted the attention of the concierge. After watching for a while, the acquainted young men ran down the steps of Kuang Kuo Wang's mansion with a smile, scrambling to shout: "Hey, so it is Mr. Rong who is here!" !"

"What's the wind blowing today? Hello, Mr. Rong, I'm sorry for you."

"Young Master Rong, what are these? What do you need the younger ones to do?"

The boys were sweet and enthusiastic, although they secretly looked at Rong Zhengqing's uncle and nephew curiously, but did not ask.

They still treat me like they used to?Is the truth yet to spread?

In fact, it was King Qing who issued the gag order, so only the dozen or so people who followed in the evening knew about it.

In any case, Rong Youtang was relieved a lot, but he still didn't dare to look people in the eye, he just said vaguely: "I have something to ask His Highness Prince Qing, could you please pass it on?" He stretched out his hand and pulled it into his bosom—

Instant embarrassment!

I was in a hurry to go out, people were upset, and I didn't bring a purse.

Fortunately, Rong Zhengqing was by his side, so he hurriedly gave a reward, which relieved his nephew's anxiety.

"Ouch~"

"What's so funny about that?"

"You don't need to pass it on at all, just go in directly. The young master is always so modest, which makes the little ones admire you."

After a few servants declined several times, they happily accepted the reward with both hands, and tried their best to help move half a carload of the Rong family's belongings into the palace, and reported it to each level. The steward thought it was an ordinary courtesy, but when he checked it: Huh?Isn't this something that came out of our house?Why did the Rong family send it back?

The steward was puzzled, so he hurriedly reported it, and finally reported it to the steward, who knew very well how much the patriarch loved Rong Youtang, so he hurried to report to Prince Qing immediately after asking.

At this time, Zhao Zeyong and others were discussing important matters in the study.

"It's not easy to collect taxes, and it's difficult to send anyone to do it. However, His Majesty is very dissatisfied that His Majesty and Second Highness have not settled their business affairs yet, but they are fighting over personal grievances." Dingbeihou Guo Heng said slowly.He seldom came to Prince Qing's Mansion, and he did not follow his father's footsteps to serve in the army. After the old Dingbeihou died in battle, he took over the title and stayed in Beijing to prop up the Dingbeihou's mansion. He is currently the Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Guo Da gloated and said: "According to the feedback from the people watching, the people around the Second Highness are negligent. It seems that there is something for the First Highness to catch?"

"It's a trick to form a party for personal gain." Wu Sipeng said.

"They fought back and forth, and it was almost a draw." Guo Yuan said indifferently and contemptuously: "Forming cliques for personal gain, this is what Taifu Han and Marquis Ping Nan are best at. They compete to install cronies in important positions in various ministries, coerce and lure courtiers, and they have an ugly face. "

Zhao Zeyong sat on the upper left, and invited his uncle to sit side by side on the right.He straightened his back the whole time, his face was expressionless, his jaw was tight, and he rarely participated in the discussion. He didn't take a sip of the tea at hand, let it cool down, and replaced it with a hot one, but still didn't drink it.

Scanning the entire study room, there are Rong Youtang marks everywhere.

Zhao Zeyong has an excellent photographic memory and a very good memory. When he looks around, he can immediately recall everything related to Rong Youtang: the chairs he sat on, the desks he tidied up, the ink he rubbed, the brushes he washed, his intelligence and wit Smiling all day long, with bright eyes, come when you have something to do, come when you have nothing to do, admire and follow this king...

Are those all fake?

He bears the humiliation and has to get close?Or to be precise, he used this king?

Daredevil goddamn thing!

You bastard, how dare he lie to me?Really, really...

Zhao Zeyong was burning with anger, he clenched his fist several times to force himself to discuss business affairs calmly, but he thought of "the bastard" from time to time and tried his best to bear it.

"The Second Highness has good and bad helpers. I heard that the one who made a big mistake this time is his aunt's cousin Zhou Mingjie—" Before Wu Sipeng finished speaking, Guo Da coughed and winked desperately: Mr. Wu, you are not careful this time Which pot is not open and which pot is lifted!

Guo Yuan looked at his younger brother thoughtfully.

really

Zhao Zeyong couldn't bear it anymore, and said coldly: "You bastard surnamed Zhou!"

Because of the gag order, only he and Guo Da knew Rong Youtang's real identity.

"Your Highness, what unforgivable thing did Zhou Mingjie do?" Wu Sipeng asked hastily, he took it for granted that Zhou's actions had ruined King Qing's event.

"It's hard to forgive." Zhao Zeyong said solemnly.

Guo Da was anxious, because his father and brother were present, and his appearance was not good, so he had to quickly change the subject: "Zhou Mingjie is not effective in his affairs, and has been rejected by the Second Highness. Even if his mother goes to the palace again to cry to the queen, it will be useless."

"Your Highness," Guo Heng reminded kindly: "This morning, Your Majesty asked about the second batch of recruits from the Northern Camp. He'll probably find a haircut to attack you."

Zhao Zeyong had no choice but to suppress his anger when his uncle questioned him, and answered calmly: "Father has always been like this, and he always pays attention to restraint and stability when suppressing and promoting. Instead of other choices, why don't I give him a reason to make him explode. Because the barracks are still under construction, food and money It’s not in place, so there’s no rush for the second batch of recruits. After the existing recruits are basically trained, the second batch will be recruited around October. I’ve explained the military situation and handed over the papers. It’s estimated that the emperor will be dissatisfied and reprimanded in two days’ time.’ Slow progress'."

"That's good." Guo Heng smiled, shook his head and sighed: "Our Majesty... I think back then, he conferred the title of King Qing, and then found a reason to confer the title of King Rui. Come out, and firmly gag the courtiers' mouths."

Zhao Zeyong reluctantly calmed down, and raised concerns: "I wonder how you are preparing for my grandmother's birthday in the middle of next month? I have been far away in the northwest for the past ten years, and I have never celebrated her birthday in person. I am ashamed."

"His Royal Highness serves the country. Does the old man not understand? There are rules for everything on birthdays, and it is not troublesome to prepare. You can just attend when the time comes." Guo Heng was kind and kind, and the rest of the people also echoed and joked.

Just when Zhao Zeyong was in a slightly better mood, the butler hurriedly asked to see him, and said in a low voice: "Your Highness, Mr. Rong and his family are here to see you."

snort!

He still knows to come?He still dares to come?

Delaying and procrastinating, asking for a meeting so late, this king is really too used to him!

Zhao Zeyong's face darkened, and he immediately ordered: "Call them in!"

King Qing has a resolute temperament, and it is not easy to bear it so far. After he found out the truth in the evening, he wanted to immediately arrest Rong Youtang back to the palace and interrogate him severely!But seeing the other party kneeling and trembling, terrified and pitiful, he forcibly endured it.After returning home, I thought that the other party would come after him immediately, but who knew he didn't?

The housekeeper was a little embarrassed, thought about it, and whispered in his ear that the Rong family had returned all the rewards.

Return the king's reward?What does he mean?

One shot and two parts?End of grace?

it is good!

very good!

As if adding fuel to the fire, Zhao Zeyong was furious, ignoring his uncle's presence, and shouted again: "Bring them in immediately!"

"Yes." The housekeeper didn't understand why the two people who were originally close suddenly turned their faces, and after a moment of hesitation, he bowed and left.

Guo Heng watched for a while, frowned slightly, but wisely didn't ask any further questions, got up and said, "In that case, Your Highness should deal with private matters first."

Zhao Zeyong adjusted his breath a few times, stood up and said apologetically, "It's empty in another day, I'll come over to pay my respects."

The uncle and nephew walked together, Guo Da quietly winked at his father, and when he reached the gate of the courtyard, Guo Heng raised his hand: "Your Highness, please stay."

"Go slowly." Zhao Zeyong slightly lowered his head, glanced out of the corner of his eye, saw Rong Youtang and others coming, and immediately showed anger.

Guo Heng turned his head. He met Rong Youtang for a few times, hesitated to speak, and finally smiled and said: "Your Highness, Xiaoer is also making a fuss when he goes back, why don't you stay and help?"

Zhao Zeyong respected his only uncle very much, and agreed in a low voice: "Okay."

Later, Guo Heng returned home with his eldest son Guo Yuan.

Rong Youtang carried a sandalwood box and walked over top-heavy. The closer he got to King Qing's courtyard, the more embarrassed and ashamed he became. I have come too late.

Rong Kaiji helped his son, and next to him was Rong Zhengqing's uncle and nephew, four of them in a party, all of them walked very heavily, as if they were criminals who voluntarily surrendered to the crime.

Guo Da was inexplicably wanting to laugh, but held back with difficulty, and said, "They're kind, they're here on their own."

Zhao Zeyong didn't say a word, he stood on the steps of the courtyard, with a straight posture, staring at Rong Youtang intently.

"Hey?" Guo Da gradually noticed something strange, and couldn't help asking: "What's wrong with Brother Rong? Are you sick?"

"His surname is not Rong, but Zhou!" Zhao Zeyong pointed out immediately.

Guo Da smiled awkwardly: "It's easy to say." Tsk, I'm really not used to it, okay, that kid's last name is Zhou suddenly? !

Rong Youtang's heart beat faster, he knew he had made a mistake, he was like a criminal, his head was drooping, his shoulders slumped, he slowly walked up to King Qing, he clasped his hands, his fingernails turned white, he didn't know how to speak.

"Hmph!" Zhao Zeyong looked at the bamboo and green silk ribbon on the other party's hair for a while, then turned around with a flick of his sleeves, and strode towards the study.

Guo Da crossed his arms, approached with a frown, bent down to look at Rong Youtang, and asked helplessly, "Are you sick? You look so ugly."

Rong Youtang's face was flushed, and facing the straightforward and straightforward Guo Da shamelessly, his eyes fell on the tip of his shoes, and he said shamelessly: "Mr. Guo, I don't deserve your concern."

"Is your surname really Zhou? Are you Zhou Renlin's son?" Guo Da couldn't believe it.

Rong Youtang quickly raised his head and replied firmly: "Originally he was the concubine of the Zhou family, but I changed it later! Really, after the accident that year, I decided to change my name and surname. I am incompatible with the Zhou family!"

"No wonder, you kid keeps getting in trouble with the Zhou family, you probably played bad things?" Guo Da squinted, flicked Rong Youtang's finger vigorously, and reminded solemnly: "You made a big mistake this time, Your Highness hates cheating on you the most." My disciples, this is Ni Lin. Go in quickly, admit your mistake quickly, and don't hide anything, otherwise, there will be no place for you in this palace."

"Yes." Rong Youtang was extremely grateful: "Thank you Mr. Guo Haihan for your reminder, I will—"

"Okay, let's go, let's all go in." Guo Da led the crowd to the study, and said meaningfully: "I am also angry at being deceived, and I really want to slap you. But my anger is different from that of His Highness, understand? ?”

"Understood." Rong Youtang nodded in pain, he was in a cocoon, irrefutable.

after a while

"Your Highness, let Kaiji and others bring them here." Guo Dalang asked for instructions, trying to be as precise as possible.

"Come in." Zhao Zeyong's voice was deep and majestic.

Rong Youtang and his adoptive father supported each other and crossed the threshold.He has walked, ran, and jumped into the threshold in front of him countless times. In the past, King Qing was magnanimous and pampered. ".Since the close relationship, King Qing has not really been angry and punished.

However, today is different.

Zhao Zeyong sat high on the head, angry and powerful, noble and prominent, no disobedience was allowed.

"Criminal Rong Youtang, I greet Your Highness." Rong Youtang bowed politely as if he had just met, and his adoptive father and others also knelt down.

The first "bang" sound

Zhao Zeyong slapped the table and asked sharply, "You still call yourself Rong Youtang? Shouldn't it be Zhou Mingtang?"

"Your Highness, calm down," Rong Youtang couldn't look directly into King Qing's eyes, and avoided looking at the celadon vase and dark green frozen jade tripod placed on the table, took a deep breath, and said sincerely: "You can't choose your birth. Your Highness, I am in Zhou Dynasty. My family is called Zhou Mingtang, but life is really difficult, and my life is in danger. I always want to take my mother away and live elsewhere. Do you remember Hao Sandao and Zhen Qianbao? Hao Sandao confessed That old case, in the carriage that fell into the lake, was me and my mother."

Zhao Zeyong's face changed slightly, and he recalled the detailed process of the interrogation that day.

Rong Kaiji couldn't help but interjected: "Your Highness, the grassroots have no way to teach their children, and they know they are guilty, but what my children say is all the truth."

"You saved him back then?" Zhao Zeyong asked.

Rong Kaiji nodded, and explained in detail: "That year in the middle of winter, when dripping water turned into ice, the grassroots had just left the palace for more than a year, lonely and depressed, so they were fascinated by Buddhism, and often asked for advice from the master of Hongfa Temple. Once when returning to the city, they encountered a storm on the way and were delayed. At night, when passing by Baimu Guanchang Lake, there was a certain destiny in the dark, the carriage was deep, and the grass people got out of the car to dig and push and pull. They accidentally found a person lying on the ice of Changhu Lake. That was Youtang. Poor child, covered with injuries, Almost frozen, I couldn't feel my breathing pulse, I took it back to the carriage, took off my wet clothes and wrapped it in a quilt, I rubbed it for a long time before I started panting."

Zhao Zeyong pondered for a long time, turned his face to Rong Kaiji, but fixed his eyes on Rong Youtang, and asked seriously: "What evidence do you have?"

"Yes, yes!" Rong Kaiji hurriedly informed: "Back then, Youtang's blood-stained clothes were still kept at home, and the cold was to the bone, and the child was seriously ill. At that time, the grassroots thought it was murder for money, and wanted to report to the officials, but Yu Tang stopped her, and secretly hired someone to salvage Rong Meizi's body in the dark, and buried it in the western suburbs. How could there be a fake skeleton? Also, the doctor who treated Tang'er in those days still often invited him to make a diagnosis and recuperate. He can prove that Cao Min's words are true Furthermore, because I was really worried, I asked Master Huikong from Hongfa Temple to clarify my doubts and briefly tell about the life experience of my adopted son.

Zhao Zeyong gave a look, and his personal guard immediately asked where the bloody clothes were hidden, the doctor's name and residence, etc., and went separately to find out the truth.

"Your Highness, it's all my fault, please forgive the innocent bystanders." Rong Youtang raised his head and pleaded.

The four eyes met for a moment, Rong Youtang felt guilty and quickly avoided.

Others are innocent?Are others innocent?

Zhao Zeyong's face was livid, wishing he could grab Rong Youtang and press him against the wall for interrogation!

"Rong, Xiaotang," Guo Da didn't dare to provoke his cousin, so he changed his name in a compromise, and sternly reprimanded him: "You are so confused! How can you lie about your life experience? Even if you change your name and surname, or go far away, you are still the same. Zhou Renlin's son will never change."

"Master Guo, this is what I hate the most!"

Rong Youtang was desperate, tears flickered, and he choked up: "I hate Zhou Renlin, Yang Ruofang and her children, and I hate that I was born in the Zhou family! But what can I do? My mother regretted it for more than ten years. She often cried and said she was ashamed of me when she was alive. , I failed to give her a good background, and she was killed by the Zhou family! I regret not having the opportunity to be filial to my mother. Back then, I wanted to take her back to her ancestral home in the south of the Yangtze River, but the Zhou family secretly sent a killer to kill her, causing her to sleep forever in Beidi The tombstone in the western suburbs, I haven't engraved it so far, because I don't want her to be in peace after death, and I don't want her to still bear the name of a concubine after her death. She didn't become a concubine voluntarily, and Zhou Renlin is all to blame—" Rong Youtang was excited and indignant, He didn't pick up his breath, paused for a moment, and said exhaustedly: "People have already been killed, and mentioning the Zhou family will only add trouble to the undead. Your Highness, I have been walking as Rong Youtang for these years, and it will be the same in the future. I might be Zhou Mingtang again! I do have other plans, mainly to use your power to suppress the Zhou family—"

"So," Zhao Zeyong interrupted coldly, and questioned word by word: "You have been using me. Right?"

You look at King Qing's status and power, but it doesn't matter whether King Qing's name is Zhao Zeyong, Li Zeyong, or Zhang Zeyong, right?

Rong Youtang couldn't refute, and admitted with difficulty: "Yes. I am eager for revenge, but unfortunately I am weak. Fortunately, Your Highness Jiu appreciated you and was able to follow. I didn't know the noble character at first, so I naturally concealed my identity. I have a lot of worries, I am afraid that you will be angry, one wrong step, one wrong step, leading to today. I beg you to punish me, no matter how I deal with it, I deserve what I deserve."

He personally admitted that he used the king to get close to please him just to take advantage of the situation for revenge.

Zhao Zeyong seemed to have fallen into an ice cave, his eyes were as cold as ice, but he always had some illusions. After a long silence, he ordered: "He stays, you all go out."

Although the reference was unclear, everyone understood it, so Guo Da got up helplessly and called Rong Kaiji and others to leave.

There were only two people left in the study, kneeling and sitting.

King Qing has been reluctant to see Rong Youtang on his knees for a long time. He is always worried that his knees will hurt, his legs and feet will get cold, and his clothes will be dirty.

Although he was extremely angry today, Zhao Zeyong decided to look at it for a moment, and finally said in a low voice:

"Get up."

"I'm guilty. Your Highness, what else do you want to ask? I will tell the truth." Rong Youtang was extremely distressed and remorseful.

He suddenly remembered that when he went to the countryside to collect furs, once, he accidentally saw a hunter catch a fox. The fox was tied up and hung up. When it was found, most of its body was skinned alive, screaming miserably, and was thrown away by the hunter on the muddy ground in the blink of an eye. , his whole body was red and bloody, and he died after struggling for a while.

Rong Youtang thought sadly:

The skin I pretended to be was also peeled off, completely revealing my true colors.

Will His Highness King Qing abandon me?

Thinking of this, his heart ached.

"What's in the box?" Zhao Zeyong asked instead, suppressing the urge to forcibly pull up the person who insisted on kneeling.

"Oh!" Rong Youtang's eyes lit up, and then he remembered something that might make King Qing feel better. He hurriedly opened the box, held up a stack of secret letters, and explained: "Your Highness, I intercepted this through Zhou Mingjie. Some of the letters between His Royal Highness the Second Prince and some of the important ministers were not important, so I used them to trick Zhou Mingjie, and the rest were very obscure and hard to understand, so I didn't dare to use them."

"Secret letter? Are you not afraid of poison?" Zhao Zeyong reprimanded him blankly, frowned and looked at the other party's gray and chapped lips, thinking to himself: Why did you suddenly become so ill?Scared?

"It's not poisonous, I opened it after checking it first." Rong Youtang packed the secret letter, got up and respectfully handed it to the table, and whispered: "I hope it will be useful to you."

"What is the use?"

"I, I don't know either." Rong Youtang didn't dare to look Prince Qing in the eye.

"Raise your head! What are you hiding?" Zhao Zeyong ordered.

Rong Youtang had no choice but to raise his head, his eyes fell on the other person's chest.

"Stupid!" Zhao Zeyong scolded angrily: "Revenge and revenge, I almost died at the hands of Hao Sandao last time! You have been trying everything to gain the trust of the king, is the Zhou family down now?"

"Not yet." Rong Youtang explained slowly: "Yang Ruofang is the daughter of Marquis Pingnan after all, and her sister is the current empress, so it's hard to fall."

"You know how to hit a rock with an egg?!" Zhao Zeyong said harshly.

"How can you not take revenge for killing your mother? If you don't take revenge, you will be a son of man." Rong Youtang said firmly.He knelt for a long time, and his knee hurt, so he changed his standing posture, who knew that there was a "ding dong"——

The mutton fat jade tablet presented by King Qing slipped out of Rong Youtang's arms, fell to the hard floor tiles, and shattered in two pieces.