Yangyue

Faced with the request of the virtuous king, the emperor sent someone to send a letter to Huainan, probably expressing his sympathy, saying that now that there is a cult in Huainan that makes the prince feel uneasy, and the imperial court will soon send people to Huainan to ban the cult and make him feel at ease .

As for the imperial court sending troops to strengthen the guards, the emperor didn't mention a word.

Half a month later, the emperor issued a decree, ordering Dali Temple Shaoqing Qi Zhuxi to assist several Dali Temple officials to assist the Huainan local yamen in investigating the Huainan cult.

In addition, the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs will also carry out the audit of the salt administration, and the dry gate guards will send several guards to accompany them to protect the safety of the officials.

This matter mostly involves local political affairs, mainly within the duties of the guards.After the assassination, the duties of the gate guard were idle, and the emperor also intends to find a reason to restore the various duties of the gate guard.

After resting for a few months, this time he will be sent out on an errand again, and Qi Zhu can't help it.But this time there is no need to hide it like the last time, this time it was sent by the court in an upright manner, and the expenses for food and clothing during the journey followed the rules of court officials, so there was no need to worry about food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Except for the officials of Dali Temple, most of the officials of the household department are veterans of the court, so they don't think much of young and inexperienced officials like Qi Zhu, and because Qi Zhu and Henry Zhang are quite close , my heart is even more contemptuous.

In the eyes of these old ministers, Henry Zhang is nothing but a first-rate sycophant, and mixing with first-rate sycophants is naturally demeaning.

However, the assassination case of Xian Kunhou, who was originally in decline, is showing signs of revival. Now that the military generals group of the imperial court dominates, the civil official group can only protect themselves wisely for the time being. One less connection is worse than one more connection. Be respectful to Qi Zhu.

After Qi Zhu returned to the mansion, the people in the mansion have already accepted the letter. The housekeepers are mixed. It is a good thing that Hou Ye is promoted and is reused by the Holy One again, but he has only been back for a few months and has to go out again. Can stand it.

Qi Zhu ordered someone to pack up his belongings to salute when he went out, and the eldest maid, Xi He, helped Qi Zhu to fold the clothes in the cage, but Qi Zhu happened to see Xi He's eyes were red, even though he had put on makeup, he could still see it, so he asked: "What's wrong with you? Are you crying?"

Hearing this, Xi He's eyes turned red again, and he choked on his voice and said aggrievedly: "Master Hou, the third young master told Steward Lin yesterday that he wanted to... want this servant to be his girl! The servant does not want to serve the third young master, but only wants to serve Hou. Master! Master Hou is going to go on a long journey again soon, and this servant is afraid of the third young master..."

If Xihe didn't mention it, Qi Zhu would have almost forgotten that there are still a few of his concubines born to the old master and aunt in this mansion.Most of Qi Zhu was not at home this year, and couldn't take care of the affairs of the house. Although there was a housekeeper, the housekeeper was a servant after all, and couldn't say much, and these people gradually became a little pampered.

Xi He served Qi Zhu's side since she was a child, and Qi Zhu was very kind to the maids around her, and had never abused or scolded them badly for so many years.For Qi Zhu, Xihe is only grateful. Now that the young master has taken a fancy to her appearance and wants to take her there, Xihe is just a maid and cannot influence the master's will, but she is unwilling at all in her heart.

Xi He wiped away tears and said, "Master Hou, please don't agree to the third young master."

"Don't worry, you have served me for many years, and I will take good care of you." Qi Zhu comforted, "The people around me are not at the mercy of others."

Xihe kowtowed to Qi Zhu, and couldn't stop thanking him a thousand times.

Qi Zhu: "Speaking of which, you will be seventeen this year, right? I was negligent. From now on, I will pay attention to helping you look after each other, and I will not wrong you."

Hearing the words, Xihe's face turned red, kowtowed to Qi Zhu again, and said with a sob: "Master Hou is so kind, Xihe can't repay you. Now Xihe just wants to serve Master Hou well, and wait for Master Hou to get married, and then serve him wholeheartedly Father and wife."

Qi Zhu smiled: "Get up."

Xi He nodded, feeling relieved, with a smile on her face.

Qi Zhu sat on the side, Xihe's words reminded him that now that his marriage is undecided, it is troublesome to have many eyes staring at him.

It is not impossible to say that there is a solution once and for all, but the status of the Marquis is borrowed from others, it is not something he should have originally, and he has to take into account the face of the Xiankunhou Mansion.

Qi Zhu sighed slightly, one had to be involuntary under the eaves of the imperial family.

Five days later, a group of court officials set off for Huainan. The journey took more than a month and arrived in Gongzhou in Huainan in late October.

Gongzhou is still nearly a hundred miles away from Quzhou, where King Xian's Mansion is located, and everyone plans to rest in Gongzhou for two nights.The Gongzhou government sent people to welcome them out a few miles early, and brought people to the government all the time. The court rarely sent so many officials down, and everyone received them with sincerity and fear.

Qi Zhu has a noble status, and the government arranged for him to live in a separate courtyard, with a room full of guards and servants.After dinner, Qi Zhu asked someone to inform the magistrate of Gongzhou in advance, saying that he had something to see.

Qi Zhu: "Lord Zhizhou, the affairs of salt administration are mainly in the charge of the adults of the imperial household department. I came here to inquire about the cult in Huainan."

The magistrate of Gongzhou sighed: "It is difficult to teach the wisdom of the people. This kind of sect has been banned repeatedly. The government banned it. It will not be seen for a while, but it will revive after a while. Now it has alarmed the prince and the court. The emperor blamed it. Zhizhou is willing to be punished."

"You don't have to blame yourself for Zhizhou. It's not easy to ban it." Qi Zhu pondered, "Dali Temple also needs clues to investigate this matter. Please tell me everything about this cult."

Zhizhou ordered people to prepare the dossier early, and immediately asked people to present the dossier to Qi Zhu.

That night, Qi Zhu read the dossier carefully. The name of this chaotic cult is "Moro Sect". "'s crooked ways, it seems that there is no difference from ordinary cults with strange powers and gods.

Qi Zhu closed the file, called a dry guard outside the door, and said: "Tomorrow I will go to the streets and send three people to follow me."

Hearing this, the guard hesitated and said, "Master Hou, the cult has been causing trouble recently, and the streets may not be safe."

Qi Zhu: "Don't be so nervous. This Gongzhou is a relatively prosperous and affluent place in Huainan. It's hard to come here, and you have to experience the local customs and customs. What's more, the issue of the cult has not yet been clarified, just relying on clues from the government But it’s far from enough, we should ask the local people more, maybe we can learn a thing or two.”

Guard: "Then... Even if Master Hou wants to go shopping, he should send more people to follow him. Three people are too few."

"Three people are enough, it's not good to be too ostentatious." Qi Zhuwei smiled, "Go down and find out for me where there is a bustling market in Gongzhou."

The guards had no choice but to retreat under orders.

In the evening of the next day, Qi Zhu went out with three guards. Although Gongzhou was not as luxurious as the capital, it still had the unique splendor and prosperity of Huainan.

This time Qi Zhu didn't change his appearance, nor deliberately dressed plainly, and attracted a lot of attention along the way.Qi Zhu was calm and composed, occasionally picking and picking in front of the street vendors, it really looked like he was out to play.

Qi Zhu was looking at the bamboo fans at a small stall when he suddenly heard a commotion not far from the street.He looked around and saw a tall, middle-aged man in his thirties, dressed in gold and silver, standing in a bakery shop and cursing, surrounded by several strong men who looked like guards.

"I ate mouse feces in the crisp cake you bought!" The man yelled angrily, "I had a stomachache last night, and I vomited and diarrhea all night! How should I pay for it?! Selling these is not clean I’m justified in smashing this small broken shop today! What about the shopkeeper? Come out and judge!”

The boy in the store also showed timidity when he heard this, and his face turned pale with fright. The man was a well-known rich and wealthy squire in Gongzhou. Dou Ying came up and said in a trembling voice: "Master guest officer, don't be angry..."

The squire raised his foot violently, kicked the boy to the ground, and cursed: "You lowly slaves, get out of here! Let your shopkeeper come out! If you don't come out, I'll have this shop smashed!"

"Master is kind! Master is kind!" The boy was kicked until his nose was bruised and his face was bruised, and the corner of his mouth was broken. He was afraid that the shop would be smashed, so he could only kneel on the ground and kowtow, "The shopkeeper went to the East Street to buy rice noodles... "

The squire had lost his patience long ago, and was about to order the shop to be smashed, when suddenly a series of voices came from outside the shop: "It's broad daylight, how dare you just smash the shop if you say it is smashing it?"

The squire squinted his eyes, looked back, and saw a slender and handsome man standing outside the door with his hands behind his back, his face was calm and determined, and he looked like a rich man through his clothes.

Qi Zhu stared at the squire, and saw the young servant kneeling on the ground with a bruised nose and a swollen face. He cupped his fists slightly and said to the squire, "If you are dissatisfied, you can sit down and discuss it. If you open your mouth and keep your mouth shut, you will smash the store. Can you put the government in the house?" In eyes?"

The squire stared at Qi Yi gloomily for a while, then slowly walked towards him.Qi Zhu remained motionless, but the three guards behind him became nervous. It is normal for some gentry and bullies in this place. Most of these people have friendship with the government, and most ordinary people would not dare to provoke them.

Qi Zhu raised his hand to signal the three people around him to stay still, the squire stretched out his finger, and pressed Qi Zhu's shoulder viciously: "Outsiders don't meddle in local affairs! Save trouble!"

Qi Zhu was taller than this squire, and he didn't feel any disturbance in his heart when he was threatened like this.The guards beside him got Qi Zhu's will and dared not act rashly, and did not say anything if they were induced.

Seeing that there were people around Qi Zhu, the squire thought that he would bring more people, but he was not afraid at all, and wanted to say a few harsh words.

Unexpectedly, at this time, someone kicked into a ceramic flower pot outside the door, and it hit the squire directly on the forehead.The squire cried out in pain, covered his head and fell to the ground. He was smashed and burst into tears, his forehead was also smashed and bled, and he rolled on the ground and howled all over the room.

The squire was so angry that his face turned purple, and he kept cursing. The guards beside him were also startled.

A slender figure stepped into the store, dressed in a blue satin robe with thunder pattern and cloud silk, with long hair tied with a hair crown inlaid with emerald beads.Obviously it was an ordinary face that he had never seen before, but Qi Zhu couldn't be more familiar with his indifferent eyes and the dark red and gold python pattern scabbard in his hand.

The visitor said coldly, "Presumptuous."

Who is this cold voice, if it’s not Henry Zhang?