In the days when I was dressed as the king of a subjugated country

Gu Li had already had dinner at Chen Feng's when he left, but he wanted to hear what Prime Minister Mu had to say, so he agreed.

Steamed sea bass is quick to make, and the meal will be served soon.The family members were eating in the backyard, Gu Li and Prime Minister Mu were sitting opposite each other, two perch fish and two plates of seasonal vegetables were on the dining table.

Prime Minister Mu took a sip of the wine, clicked his tongue twice, and praised: "Good wine, do you want to taste it, Your Majesty?"

Gu Li shook his head and said with a smile: "Unexpectedly, the prime minister is living a comfortable life while staying at home to reflect on himself."

Prime Minister Mu laughed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have experienced many years of ups and downs in officialdom, and I have experienced everything, so it doesn't matter."

Gu Li asked: "Does the Prime Minister really care nothing now?"

Prime Minister Mu said: "That's not true. I still want to leave a team available for Your Majesty when I leave."

As soon as he said this, Gu Li immediately burst into tears, and he was ashamed to blame him for recommending Cui Shi.

Seeing his expression, Prime Minister Mu smiled and said, "Is Your Majesty thinking about Cui Shangshu?"

Gu Li didn't speak.

Prime Minister Mu said: "Cui Shangshu, in the sixth year of Jingshun, was a Jinshi and ranked first. After that, he entered the Imperial Academy as a scholar, and later moved to Ludi as a magistrate. He was relegated to Kongmu of the Imperial Academy, and he sat there for five years. Later, there was a famine in Shaanxi, and the disaster relief was not implemented well, so the eunuch, the supervisor of ceremonies, recommended him to go to Shaanxi for disaster relief. Because he did a good job in this matter , and then entered the eyes of the late emperor and was able to appoint him."

Prime Minister Mu is indeed a gossip master, he remembers all the big and small things very clearly.He looked at Gu Li and said: "Most of the people in the court were promoted by the old man. Although the old man can't be clear about his character, but after so many years, how can the old man know what a person's temperament is?" Are you wrong?"

Gu Li relaxed a little.

He knew what Prime Minister Mu was like, and he absolutely believed in Prime Minister Mu's official and character.If he was not clean enough, he would have been caught by his political opponents long ago, so how could he use such a roundabout way to deal with him.

Therefore, Prime Minister Mu's endorsement of Cui Shi inevitably gave him some trust in Cui Shi.

Prime Minister Mu asked, "Does Your Majesty have someone to interrogate the case of the Baochao Division?"

Gu Li thought for a while and said, "I don't know what to do."

Prime Minister Mu looked at him, and the old eyes soon became clear.Prime Minister Mu asked, "Is it because of His Royal Highness?"

Gu Li looked at him.

Prime Minister Mu said: "I've also heard about this matter. Fortunately, I found your Highness in time. I heard that this matter was controlled by Prince Cheng, King Fu and the Queen Mother?"

Gu Li nodded: "The case has been closed. Prince Cheng and Prince Fu have been demoted to common people, and the Queen Mother will send it to her farm in Xuzhou Prefecture."

Prime Minister Mu looked at Gu Li with worried and concerned eyes: "But in His Majesty's heart, the impact of this case has not yet been settled."

Gu Li smiled bitterly and said, "Prime Minister Mu knows everything."

Prime Minister Mu asked, "Your Majesty, are you afraid?"

Gu Li sighed, and said: "These days, I've always wondered if I was too ruthless and aggressive? I thought that these people would retaliate against me, but I didn't expect them to take innocent children. I don't want There will be another time."

Prime Minister Mu nodded and understood: "Your Majesty, you are frightened."

Gu Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Does Prime Minister Mu have to be so straightforward? It makes me feel like a young man with no ideals, who becomes a coward after being frightened once."

Prime Minister Mu said seriously: "Your Majesty, don't think that you are a coward. In the officialdom, it takes a lot of courage to be an upright person. Because to be an upright person, you have to be frightened."

Gu Li couldn't help laughing.

Prime Minister Mu also laughed: "Your Majesty, there are many people who are corrupt in this officialdom, many people who follow the crowd, and many people who protect their lives wisely, but there are few people who are upright, loyal and brave. To be an upright person, you must fight against the darkness, and you must fight against the darkness." If you are a loyal and brave person, you may sacrifice your life. As long as you are not an idiot, it is easy to go with the crowd, or to protect yourself wisely. Even before His Majesty investigates the corruption case, it is also a matter of cooperating with corrupt officials. Very easy."

Gu Li fell silent.

Prime Minister Mu immediately said: "Being a corrupt official has endless benefits. You will have many cronies, collude with them, help each other and cover up each other. No matter what bad things you do, you will be safe. On the contrary, being a clean and honest person requires Pay a huge price, as an upright official, you will stand in the way of other people's profit, and there will be countless people who want to pull you down."

Prime Minister Mu's eyes showed a look of reminiscence, a little sad: "However, even so, there are still people who are willing to be an upright and good official. Even if he fights alone, even if he walks alone in the dark, he is not afraid. Your Majesty, these long nights alone If there is a little light for them, maybe they can walk more smoothly, isn't it? Your Majesty, are you willing to be the one who ignites this little light?" Gu Li was repeatedly asked, I couldn't speak.

Prime Minister Mu laughed, shook his head and said, "This old man has overstepped the bounds. No matter what choice your majesty makes, it is your majesty that this old man will cry blood to serve you."

Gu Li returned to the palace, still distraught.The words that Prime Minister Mu said were spinning in his mind.Prime Minister Mu's sad expression when he spoke made him feel that maybe Prime Minister Mu also had some stories.

Gu Li called Li Tang and asked him if he knew what year Prime Minister Mu was a Jinshi, and if any accidents happened.

Li Tang stayed in the palace for a long time, so he knew a little bit, and said: "Prime Minister Mu is from a family of noble gentry, and he is known for his talent. His official career has gone quite smoothly."

He thought for a while, and then said: "I heard that Prime Minister Mu had a very good fellow student. The two were originally classmates and went to high school in the same year. Unfortunately, that fellow minister died young, and Prime Minister Mu accepted it. It was a huge blow, but in the end it came together."

Gu Li became interested and asked him, "What was his name in the same year?"

It happened when Yang Tingfang went to other places to take up his post, and the person who killed him was actually a local yamen official Xu.At that time, the case was judged by the magistrate as accidental homicide. It was Prime Minister Mu who, relying on the connections of the elders in his family, gritted his teeth and wanted to investigate the case. In the end, it was found out that it was the gang of officials who distributed miscellaneous taxes on the common people. , Collecting "water foot money", "vehicle foot money", "mouth food money", "fire consumption money" and so on under clever names. After Yang Tingfangfang took office, he canceled these miscellaneous taxes, which reduced the local government office by 1 a year. More taels of silver income.

Gu Li converted it, 1 taels of silver can be equivalent to about 50 RMB in modern times.The salaries of the clerks in the yamen do not go to the imperial court to distribute their salaries, but rely entirely on blackmailing the common people to live.Yang Tingfangfang moved their interests, how could these officials and Xu give up.The officials and servants of the local yamen united to murder Yang Tingfangfang and put out a scapegoat.If Mu Hualing hadn't insisted on investigating, these people would definitely be able to get away with it.

Gu Li couldn't help but sigh.Yang Tingfangfang was born in a poor family, and he must have suffered a lot from low-level officials. He finally got into an official career. comfort.But this person did what he knew he couldn't do. Should he be called stupid or brave?

Prime Minister Mu's loss of his best friend must have been a great blow to him, but considering that Prime Minister Mu has dealt with the eunuchs in the court for so many years, he has kept many people like Cui Shi. Maybe it was Yang Tingfangfang's death that deeply stimulated him. , decided to inherit the behest of my best friend and continue to move forward.

And this Yang Tingfangfang is so similar to his current predicament.If he was really scared off and left in a slump, would he be worthy of Zhou Wenshen who once sacrificed his life for Da Chu?Is it right for an upright official like Yang Tingfangfang?

Gu Li sighed.

At this time, Zhen'er ran in bouncingly, holding a flower in her hand, and shouted: "Father! Zhen'er picked a flower today, and I want to give it to Father!"

Gu Li took the little flower in his hand and said with a smile, "Thank you Zhen'er."

Zhen'er blinked her big eyes, looked at Gu Li expectantly, and said with a smile: "Father, do you know what's special about this flower?"

Gu Li looked at the little flower in his hand, there were a lot of beautiful flowers and grasses blooming in the imperial garden, this one didn't look special, but after smelling it, he felt that it would be better to offer the fragrance of the pagoda tree in that yard.

Gu Li asked: "Is there anything special about this flower?"

Zhen'er took the flower seriously, held it up to her eyes, stared at the petals and said, "This is Zhen'er's spring! It's Zhen'er's favorite spring!"

Gu Li smiled, picked up Zhen'er, kissed him on the forehead, and asked: "Zhen'er, Father has a question to ask you."

Zhen'er hummed, and looked at Gu Li with innocent eyes.

"If...the royal father wants to do something, but some people don't want me to do it. If I do it, they will hurt this flower. Does Zhen'er think the royal father should do it?"

Gu Youzhen thought for a while and asked, "Will there be any harm if my father doesn't do this?"

Gu Li said: "This matter was done by my father and others together. If my father no longer insists on leaving the companions to fight alone, the companions may be in danger."

Zhen'er immediately said: "Is it like Zhen'er and the kitten? Then what the father should do, the kitten has never abandoned Zhen'er, and the father should not abandon his companions either!"

Gu Li asked: "But...if Father insists on doing it, will this flower be in danger?"

Zhen'er held up the flower, looked at it, and said, "Father, you can take good care of it."

"What if... Father protects it well, but still accidentally hurts it?"

"Then it won't blame the father." Zhen'er held Gu Li's hand, opened its palm, and put the flowers in Gu Li's palm: "There will be flowers next year, when Zhen'er can Send the farewell flowers to Father. Spring will always come!"

Gu Li held the flowers sent by Zhen'er and smiled softly.

Gu Li called Jiang Yanshu, the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, into the palace that afternoon, and entrusted him with the case of the Baochao Division.Gu Li knew that Jiang Yanshu was also recommended by Prime Minister Mu, and it was an opportunity he gave him to entrust this matter to Jiang Zuo Du Censor.

I hope Jiang Yanshu can let him see the truth of the matter.

As soon as Jiang Yanshu left, Fang Congjian came to bid him farewell. He lived in the palace for a few days to avoid Cheng Kuanbo, but after a long time he also understood that it was useless to blindly avoid, and sooner or later he had to face it. of.

Fang Congjian left the kitten in the palace and went back to Fu's house alone.

Fang Congjian came to the door of Fu's house, hesitated for a moment, the door opened from the inside, the servant stood at the door, and said with a smile: "Mr. Fang, are you back?"

Everything is natural, as if nothing happened.

Fang Congjian hesitated.

He suddenly lost the courage to step through this ominous door.He had a premonition that once inside, what he dreaded would happen.

Fang Congjian's legs were weak, his heart was beating fast, and he wanted to turn around and leave, looking for a place to hide.But he forced himself to move forward.

Fang Congjian clenched his fists and warned himself: "Fang Congjian! You can no longer escape!"

He has already escaped once, and he committed a mistake that will never be forgiven. Even if there is a sea of ​​swords and flames in this door, he will go in!

Fang Congjian crossed the threshold.

Fu Shaoge was sitting in the room, obviously waiting for him.

Cheng Kuan stood at the door, holding his sword, still in that casual look.

Fang Congjian confronted him, clenched his fists involuntarily.

Fu Shaoge said in the house: "Uncle Cheng Kuan, you should go out first."

Cheng Kuan left, and his figure disappeared outside the courtyard wall.

Fu Shaoge looked at Fang Congjian, still upright and handsome, with focused and gentle eyes, watching Fang Congjian.

"Why don't you come in?" he asked.

Fang Congjian walked in.

Fu Shaoge still stared at him: "Did you live in the palace these days? How is your Highness? Why didn't the kitten come back with you?"

His appearance, as if nothing happened, made Fang Congjian unbearable.

He looked at Fu Shaoge and said, "That day in Hewei Building, I was looking for a kitten, and I overheard you talking to someone, so Cheng Kuan chased me for a long time, do you know about this?"

Fu Shaoge paused for a moment, then said, "Uncle Cheng Kuan told me that it was you later."

Fang Congjian asked him, "If you knew it was me, would you have prevented Cheng Kuan from killing me?"

Fu Shaoge smiled and said, "Of course, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking, I've been staying in the palace for the past few days. I heard that something happened to your treasurer. Cui Shangshu was impeached. This matter will implicate the current prime minister. Does this matter have anything to do with you?"

"Why do you think this has anything to do with me?"

"Because that day... I was on the roof and heard you say—"

"Enough." The smile on Fu Shaoge's face disappeared, he lowered his eyes and stopped looking at Fang Congjian.

"Don't meddle in this matter."

Fang Congjian frowned: "Although I don't understand anything, I know that Prime Minister Mu is a good prime minister and is His Majesty's right-hand man. It is precisely because of him that His Majesty investigates and treats corruption cases, and the King Fu case can be solved." It went so smoothly. Besides, I remember that you were recommended by Prime Minister Mu to His Majesty as the doctor of Baochao, didn't you?!"

Fang Congjian became more and more excited as he spoke, and walked forward involuntarily, staring at Fu Shaoge.

Fu Shaoge looked at Fang Congjian and asked, "So, what are you going to do?"

Fang Congjian was stunned and asked, "Don't you feel ashamed?"

Fu Shaoge couldn't help laughing, such a mocking smile on his handsome face made him look extraordinarily evil.

He looked at Fang Congjian with mockery in his eyes: "I, Fu Shaoge, am just a rotten man with a wolfish heart."

Fang Congjian was dumbfounded, never expecting Fu Shaoge to give such an answer.

"Keep silent for me, okay?" Fu Shaoge raised his eyes and looked at Fang Congjian: "You like me, don't you?"

It was in this situation that Fu Shaoge exposed his carefully hidden thoughts in one fell swoop.Fang Congjian was silent, with a complicated expression on his face.

Fu Shaoge stretched out his hand and pressed it on his chest.

Fang Congjian pushed him away, took two steps back, and said, "Fu Shaoge, you are disgusting!"

Fu Shaoge looked at him regretfully, and said, "Then I have no choice but to tell Xiaomao that his dear brother Fang has gone back to Jingzhou."

Before Fang Congjian understood what he meant, Cheng Kuan stabbed him from behind with a sword.

However, today's Fang Congjian is no longer the Fang Congjian of a few days ago.Staying in the palace for the past few days was beaten up by Xiao Tan and the guards, and with Xie Lian pointing him out, Fang Congjian is no longer the old Wu Xia Ameng, not to mention the rapid progress.

Even if you can't beat Cheng Kuan, it's okay to escape.Fang Congjian dodged Chengkuan's sword and rushed outside the house in twos and threes. Seven or eight servants armed with weapons had already blocked his way.

On the contrary, this gave Fang Congjian a chance. He snatched a long stick from a servant, flipped the servants over in two or three strokes, dodged the stabbing sword, jumped up, climbed over the wall, and ran Into the depths of the alley.

Cheng Kuan chased after him.

Fu Shaoge watched the servants fall into a daze, and got up desperately, groaning silently.

Not long after, Cheng Kuan came back.Judging by his expression, Fu Shaoge already knew the result.

Cheng Kuan knelt down in front of him and said, "Master, let him run away. What should we do now?"

Fu Shaoge said to him: "Get up."

He turned back and entered the house, and Cheng Kuan followed.

Fu Shaoge sat down at the table, and seeing Cheng Kuan's uneasy look, he smiled and said, "Uncle Cheng Kuan, don't worry, we have faced worse situations together before? Don't worry."

Hearing Fu Shaoge mention the past, Cheng Kuan was taken aback. He and Fu Shaoge have deliberately avoided talking about that matter for so many years, pretending to have forgotten it, but in fact no one can forget it.

Fu Shaoge stood up and said, "I'm going to the government office. Let someone prepare a carriage."

When Fu Shaoge arrived at the household department, Jiang Yanshu was leading people to investigate the case.Seeing that Fu Shaoge came suddenly when he was leaving the office, Jiang Yanshu asked, "Why didn't Fu Langzhong come today?"

"I have something to do at home this afternoon, and I have already asked Jiang Shilang for leave."

"Then why are you here again?"

"Naturally, I came to assist Jiangzuo Capital Censor in investigating the case."

"Fu Langzhong is positive, please come here, I have some questions, I want to ask Fu Langzhong."

Fu Shaoge glanced at the official office, the officials of the Inspectorate were looking through the account books, and several principals were standing aside uneasily with their hands down.

Fu Shaoge followed Jiang Yanshu into the room, and the two sat opposite each other. Fu Shaoge wanted to call for tea, but Jiang Yanshu waved his hand: "There is no need for tea."

Jiang Yanshu was originally the servant of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. He also investigated many cases when he was a magistrate. His eyes were sharp, his thinking was quick, and his words were straightforward: "How long has Fu Langzhong been the doctor of Baochao Division?"

"Less than three months."

"Who is responsible for exchanging silver for treasure notes?"

"Several principals have their own division of labor."

"When and by whom the silver was exchanged for precious banknotes, there should be relevant account records. Who is the record?"

"The principals keep their own account books. In addition, I also have a key to the warehouse where the account books are stored."

"After the silver is put into storage, how will it be delivered to Taicang?"

"The guards in Taicang received the approval from the Minister of the Ministry of Households, and went directly to the warehouse of the Baochao Department to escort them."

Jiang Yanshu pondered for a moment. Before the silver was escorted, Cui Shangshu had to inspect it in advance before giving the approval slip. The guards received the approval slip. When they arrived in Taicang, the doctor in Taicang was responsible for checking the approval slip and registering it in the warehouse.

Didn't Cui Shangshu find that the quality of this batch of silver was wrong when he checked it?Or did he really take the benefits?The ratio of variegated silver and eight-cent silver to exchange for treasure banknotes is different. Using variegated silver as eight-cent silver is a huge benefit.

However, although he doesn't know Cui Shi well, he believes that Prime Minister Mu sees people well.There must be something else going on.

According to Jiang Yanshu's experience, he can be tampered with when receiving silver, he can be tampered with when registering and compiling books, and he can be tampered with when he is escorted to Taicang. Only this Fu Shaoge is leak-proof. If he wants to be held accountable, he can at most ask him for supervision. Lax liability.

Jiang Yanshu tapped on the table lightly.

At this moment, in Fu Shaoge's study, a person was rummaging through something lightly.Just at this moment, a sword came from a diagonal stab, the man seemed to have noticed it a long time ago, he avoided it in a hurry, and blocked it with his sword.The two went through a few tricks in the narrow study room and fought together.

In the twilight outside the window, Cheng Kuanbo looked at the smiling young man in front of him, and frowned: "It's you?! You are a palace guard, what are you doing in my master's room?"

He had fought Xie Lian a few tricks that night, and he remembered this person's appearance. Later, Xie Lian came with his bodyguards and repelled the killer who was chasing Fang Congjian with him. He also remembered it clearly.

Xie Lian smiled and said, "Look at me carefully, am I just a palace guard? Ding Haiyuan?"

Cheng Kuanbo was shocked, and his old eyes showed disbelief.

Xie Lian pushed back, threw the man on the bookshelf, and strode forward, although the sword was not out of the sheath, it hit Uncle Kuan to his left and right.Cheng Kuanbo gritted his teeth and calmed himself down to deal with the enemy.

How could Xie Lian give him a chance, and asked while beating: "Ding Haiyuan, you were originally the general of Jinzhou, why did you live in the house of a small household doctor? You were a deserter 20 years ago, and now you are still alive." If you dare to come to the capital, aren't you afraid of being recognized by your peers?"

Cheng Kuanbo gritted his teeth and said nothing, Xie Lian said again: "What is your relationship with Fu Shaoge? Does Fu Shaoge know what you have done to his parents?"

This sentence hit Cheng Kuanbo's sensitive nerves, he let out a loud shout, and suddenly became violent, the sword swung so hard that the water could not enter, and the swoop was a deadly move, intending to kill Xie Lian here.For a moment, only the sound of two weapons colliding could be heard in the small room.

Xie Lian also drew out her sword, and fought with Cheng Kuanbo at high speed, the sound of ding ding ding ding was fast and urgent, it depends on who is exhausted first and who shows his flaws first.

In the end, it was Cheng Kuanbo who was the better one, he saw the flaw in Xie Lian's sword move and stabbed it with his sword.Xie Lian tried her best to block, but Cheng Kuanbo forced her to retreat to the bookshelf.

Cheng Kuanbo looked at Xie Lian and asked, "What do you really know?"

The author has something to say: there is a mistake in the previous writing, Fu Shaoge should not be the head of the Baochao Division, but should be the doctor of the Baochao Division, who is the main person in charge of the Baochao Division, in charge of the directors.

Prime Minister Mu was not like this from the beginning, there must have been someone who left indelible marks in his life, making him willing to carry on his legacy and move forward unswervingly.

Just like Fu Shaoge was not like this from the beginning, haha.

I didn't add plays to anyone, and I didn't delete anyone's roles. I always wrote according to the outline.I used to read Cao Bra's "Jin Yong's Writing Skills" which divides the characters into main characters, secondary characters and secondary characters. , at least explain clearly the cause and effect of the personality change, I think it makes sense.For the secondary characters here, I have my own intentions in the arrangement of the plot, and I didn't write the emotional line just to write the emotional line of the deputy CP.When the ins and outs of a secondary character are clearly explained, and watching this character grow up a little bit, I feel really satisfied and have a sense of accomplishment.I will continue to write according to the outline, thank you for your tolerance.