A traitor

It was already evening, and the officials from the Ministry of Rites had already returned home, but Cai Jun was still dressed in official uniform.

Moreover, the imperial court has already stipulated that the tribute students who have passed the scientific examination should go to the Ministry of Rites to handle matters, and there is no need for special reminders at all.

If it wasn't for some special reason, as the Minister of Rites, he obviously would not condescend to inform a champion junior.

Who is Su Qinglang, the roundworm in the emperor's stomach, he also has a clear grasp of the affairs of the harem and officialdom, and after a little calculation, he roughly determined the reason.

It must have been called to the palace by the emperor and ordered some things about Mei Liusheng. Cai Jun did not dare to neglect, so he made a detour here to meet him after he came out of the palace.

But with Mei Liusheng's current status, if it was only for the matter of the new champion's conferment, with the emperor's disposition, he would not pay attention to deliberately announcing Cai Jun.Among them, there must be other things.

Since the two wanted to drink, they found a convenient place to sit, surrounded by green willows and weeping poplars, flowing water, and the lights on the opposite side of the river were reflected on the water, sparkling with colorful light.

In the middle of the river floats a painting boat, on which peonies are painted, inside the boat there are silk and bamboo orchestras, singing and dancing.

Although the location is good, it was originally a place for drinking tea. The old man who sold the tea saw that the people who came here were holding jugs, so he knew that they were here to rub the tables and chairs, and also saw that their clothes and accessories were extraordinary. There was another one who seemed to be an official, and he looked like a wealthy person in the city, and he couldn't afford to offend them, so he didn't drive them away.

Said it was for drinking, Su Qinglang sat at the table, but raised his voice to order a pot of good tea. When the old man saw that someone had ordered something, he squinted his eyes with a smile, and quickly answered.

When the fragrant tea was served, Mr. Su didn't even look at it. He paid several times more, opened the good wine he brought, and poured it into the cup on the table.

Just listen to Cai Jun said: "I remember that Mei Zhuangyuan is from Huaiyang. He has been living in the west city not long after he came here, but your residence is in the east city, sir. You should never know each other."

Su Qinglang raised her eyes and glanced at him, knowing that Cai Jun's mistake had happened again, but she was not annoyed, let alone paid attention to it.

He just picked up the cup on the table and took a sip in silence, as if he didn't hear what he said just now.

Cai Jun is not a fool, after all he has been in the officialdom for many years, just looking at this situation, he knew this question, Su Qinglang didn't want to answer it, so he didn't ask any more.

Following Su Qinglang's example, he picked up the wine glass on the table and drank silently, cursing in his heart that he had no brains and almost made his superiors unhappy.

He also heard Su Qinglang say: "This is the Zhuangyuan red that has been treasured for ten years. It was originally intended to be given to Mei Zhuangyuan. It can be used here to set off the scenery."

Cai Jun was stunned for a moment, and looked at the wine in his glass. He was not good at this kind of wine, he couldn't taste it, and he didn't expect that the celebrity in front of him, Mr. Su, the right minister Qin Jian's confidant, How could he treat himself like this.

He came back to his senses, looked at Su Qinglang again, and hurriedly said: "Thank you for your hospitality, my lord, I am really terrified in my heart."

Su Qinglang smiled, looking very gentle and kind, and slowly said: "You and I are officials in the same dynasty, and we are in the same department, so we should be closer. In the past year, I have been entangled in many things, and I rarely have anything to do with the Ministry of Rites Gu Ji, thanks to your assistance, nothing went wrong."

After a pause, he continued: "Although our Ministry of Rites is not the most important among the six departments, we have a lot of things to do and it's a lot of hard work. Although you don't tell me, I know in my heart that I should have invited you for this drink."

Cai Jun was even more frightened when he heard this, his hands shaking while holding the wine glass, almost shaking off the Zhuangyuanhong that Lord Su so lovingly entertained.

Although he had been in the Ministry of Rites for a year, he and Su Qinglang often met each other, but he still couldn't see through or figure out this person.

Perhaps Su Qinglang's appearance is too good, a handsome young man with a jade face, no matter how many bad things he has done, people who have seen him will subconsciously be unwilling to treat him as a villain.

Just like himself, even though he knew that Su Qinglang was not a good person, in his heart, his impression of him seemed to be that young man in white clothes five years ago.

But to say that he hasn't changed from five years ago, that's not necessarily the case, at least in the current Rites, when facing Su Qinglang, everyone is trembling with sincerity and sincerity.

Although their Master Shangshu, in most cases, he can't even see his figure, and he treats them with unprecedented tolerance beyond imagination.

Mr. Cai felt guilty, he didn't know what Su Qinglang's purpose was, and he had something on his mind, so he drank the wine in a hurry.

After three cups and two cups, I felt dizzy from the strong alcohol on my head, and after drinking a few more cups, the world was spinning, and even the person in front of me was round.

Mr. Cai was overwhelmed with alcohol, he patted the table a few times, and said with his tongue out, "To be honest, Su Susu... Mr. Su, in this imperial court, I admire you the most..."

Su Qinglang was sitting at the table, shaking the folding fan leisurely, and seemed to be in a clear state of mind, and there was nothing unusual about it.

Then I heard Cai Jun say: "Look at the people around the emperor, who is not in his late [-]s? That Xu...Xu Jin is old, and he still occupies the position of a bachelor. No matter how talented he is, he can still compare with his predecessor Song. Bachelor?

It’s just you, my lord... let alone me, Lao Cai, even Xiangye was still a little kid when he was your age..."

Su Qinglang smiled lightly and said, "Lord Cai, you drank too much..."

Cai Jun shook his head like a rattle, stretched out his arms, put his arms around Su Qinglang's shoulders, and hung his whole body on his body.

He murmured and said, "If I were as smart as you, I wouldn't have to worry... Your Majesty, it's so rare to see me today. After so many years, I'm finally willing to see me once..."

Hearing this, Su Qinglang's eyes moved slightly, feeling that there was some drama in it, he was silent for a moment, and said persuasively: "What did the emperor tell you to make Mr. Cai so difficult?"

Cai Jun snorted and said with a sneer: "What else can I do? Let Mei Liusheng and I preside over Master Du's case, Master Du, you know, the one you went on a blind date with his daughter, the water here But deep down, no one wants to investigate, no one wants to interrogate.

So push it to us, let me and the kid surnamed Mei take the place of the dead ghosts, you said Mei Liusheng, a yellow-mouthed child, his hair is not even tied, what does he know, what a good person, so young, but come to touch This muddy water..."

Hearing this, Su Qinglang raised his eyebrows slightly, he was like a bodhisattva crossing the river, and he couldn't protect himself, but he still had time to worry about Mei Liusheng's future.

This Cai Jun, when he was drunk, would turn into a chatterbox. Whatever was on his mind, he poured it all out like beans.

Su Qinglang already knew what was wrong with him, so he invited Cai Jun here for a drink, and as expected, a big fish was caught out of his mouth.

But seeing Cai Jun in such distress, even Su Qinglang couldn't help feeling sympathetic, so he comforted him and said: "You are originally from the Ministry of Criminal Justice, and you are good at investigating cases. Now that Du Qingyun is arrested, there is no one in the Ministry of Criminal Justice." Being able to take care of this matter, the emperor is worried about the case, so naturally he will be the first to think of you..."

He paused, and then said: "I remember that Mr. Cai was full of ambitions and wanted to do something in the Ministry of Justice, but he was squeezed out by his colleagues and had nowhere to settle. Now he just took advantage of this to return to the Ministry of Criminal Justice. In addition to the previous aptitude, you may be able to be promoted to the post of Shangshu, and then you and I will be on the same level."

"The Criminal Department..."

Mr. Cai shook his head and gave a wry smile, as if he had eaten half of Coptis chinensis, and said with emotion: "How stupid at that time, you only thought about serving the country and the people, and vowed to eradicate all traitors, what happened?"

"Now I have figured it out. What kind of ambition, what ideal, is nothing more than fiction. In this world, what do you expect to do? The world is big, the family is the biggest, and the wife and children are hot on the bed, so they can live well. Why are you looking for that sinner again?"

"I can't control what other people want to do, and I don't want to control it anymore. The whole family is safe and sound, living with the little salary from the imperial court. There is no need to worry about it. Just turn a blind eye and close one eye. How nice... ..."

Su Qinglang listened quietly, but saw Master Cai on the side, with tears streaming down his face, buried his head and said: "I have already planned to retire in the Ministry of Rites, and now I am asked to take care of the affairs of the Ministry of Punishment. Tell me, the emperor is It's not that I'm old and confused..."

In Cao Ying, his heart is in Han, he said he was complaining, but in fact he felt guilty towards his family. He had already thought about it, and he had already thought about what to do, but he didn't even realize it.

Time may change a person, it may turn a hero into a bear, and it may turn a warrior into a coward, but the things deep in the bones cannot be changed.

Su Qinglang looked around, and said: "The emperor is wise and powerful, there must be his reasons for this arrangement, Mr. Cai speaks carefully."

The bitter water in Cai Jun's stomach poured out, and he felt a lot better. He immediately turned into a puddle of mud, lying drunk on the table.

Su Qinglang looked at him, and wanted to ask something more, but he heard Cai Jun's earth-shattering snoring, which was long and long, one after another, and it sounded quite rhythmic.

He shook his head helplessly, sighed, reached out to help Cai Jun up, and together with Ruyi, helped Cai Jun to his carriage.

After giving instructions to the coachman, he headed towards the mansion of the Minister of Rites, wandering for half an hour before arriving at the gate of Cai Jun's house.

Mrs. Cai saw Su Qinglang for the first time, and heard that the other party reported his name as Minister of the Ministry of Rites and her husband's immediate boss, and saw that Cai Jun was drunk and unconscious, hanging on Su Qinglang's body like a dead pig He looked like he was going to die, and became even more frightened, so he quickly ordered someone to pick up Cai Jun and help him back to the mansion.

Leaving Cai's mansion, Su Qinglang sat in the carriage, it was getting late at this time, and he was the only carriage driving slowly on Chang'an Avenue.

In the dead of night, a bright moon hangs over the city gate, the sky is cloudless, and the silvery-white brilliance fills the sky and the earth. From time to time, there are a few dogs barking from the people's houses in the deep alley.

He lifted the curtain of the car, looked at the stars in the sky, and said meaningfully: "Du Qingyun's case was actually handed over to him..."