Wan Zhao Tower was the best restaurant in Tongmao Prefecture, and its popularity could be felt as soon as they entered the door. Because they arrived late, the only empty seats were on the second floor. Once they sat down, Huo Fenglie ordered skillfully, and Liu Zhenqing realized that it was no coincidence. Huo Fenglie had a good grasp of what he liked to eat.

Liu Zhenqing looked at Er-gou with a smile, and felt that although Er-gou had been a closed-up gourd since he was a child, he was thoughtful and observant. 

However, Huo Fenglie felt a little uneasy with Liu Zhenqing looking at him. “What?”

Liu Zhenqing deliberately teased: “Do you want to drink?”

Huo Fenglie suddenly looked embarrassed, because last time on the ship, He Lan had betrayed Huo Fenglie in a carefree manner when he accidentally mentioned that Huo Fenglie could outdrink them all and not be drunk after a thousand cups.

Only then did Liu Zhenqing find out that Huo Fenglie had deliberately deceived him when they were at the General’s Manor.

However, Liu Zhenqing didn’t think too much about it, and only thought it was because he had gradually developed his drinking capacity. He didn’t think this person had lied to him when he was a child. Therefore, he proudly teased him with it.

Huo Fenglie’s face was full of embarrassment, and he begged for mercy in a low voice: “Qing-ge, I was wrong.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled and said: “If it were before, I would have a drinking contest with you to see who wouldn’t get drunk after a thousand cups. But now, forget it. If I drink, I’ll just end up acting crazy.”

Huo Fenglie’s eyes were soft: “It’s fine, I’ll look after you.”

“Wouldn’t that mean you’d be watching me make a fool of myself alone? Forget it, forget it.” Liu Zhenqing thought it over. In order to avoid being slapped in the face in the future, he just said: “If I really want to drink, we can discuss it.”

Huo Fenglie nodded obediently.

Before the food was served, they heard people around them talking about the Imperial Examinations.

It seemed that there had long been problems in the south. Everyone was suspicious but dared not speak out, and it was not until there was a problem in the north that they spoke freely.

The shopkeeper had come out at this time, likely to greet the regular customers, and they couldn’t help but complain to each other.

“The candidates are staying and the shop’s business is booming, ah.”

“No way, ah, ordinary candidates around here can’t afford it.”

“Ai, shopkeeper, I heard you say before that business isn’t easy. This place is full of people. Shopkeeper must be purposely crying about poverty.”

“Heh, that’s because you don’t know how much our taxes are.”

“Is that so, ah? I wonder if the taxes will be reduced if these officials are arrested.”

“Taxes are stipulated by the Imperial court, they can’t just be reduced, ah. I’m afraid you’ve drunk too much and are confused.”

“But although our area is not as devastated as Yanqiu Prefecture, it has also been affected. I heard that taxes were reduced before.”

“Ai, don’t mention that. There are more corrupt officials now. If the emperor just takes action and captures them all, life in Yanqiu Prefecture would be easier in the future. On our side…..ai, we can only wait and see.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhenqing raised his head and looked at Huo Fenglie. He pushed a plate of deboned fish in front of Liu Zhenqing and said quietly: “Tongmao Prefecture reported flooding and asked for relief. The emperor gave consent.”

“Heh, it’s indeed the same old routine again. Comments about the common people being bullied never reached the throne room.”

They used the most unyielding face to levy taxes, but bewailed their poverty and paid less, seeking huge profits in the middle. As long as every official was capable of doing their own accounting, they could hide it alone, making it less likely to be discovered than the disaster relief money. These old accounts were very complex. There were only a few channels that could deliver messages, and it was very easy for them to be intercepted. In ancient times, it wasn’t very good to be unreasonable. As long as you didn’t overdo it and force the common people to struggle for survival, there would naturally be no explosion.

When Liu Zhenqing was in office, he felt that this wouldn’t work, so he taught Yuan Jue to learn from the wise emperors of the Yuan clan’s ancestors to cultivate his own eyes and ears and dead soldiers. Perhaps because of this, Yuan Jue heard some movement even though it was well-concealed here.

Afterwards, the two went to all the Liu family’s shops, but they were all operating according to their duties, and there were no problems.

This actually let Liu Zhenqing breathe a sigh of relief. If the Chamber of Commerce had problems, that would mean they truly colluded with the rebels. It would be difficult for the Liu family to break away from them. If it was just a few individuals, then they had been deceived and used, and the Liu family still had an excuse.

When they returned to the government office in the evening, they saw an extra person in their courtyard.

At the stone table in the courtyard, a man was sitting with Bai Su. He was middle aged and wearing a black fox fur cloak. His skin was as white as snow, and he occasionally coughed, short of breath.

It could be seen that Bai Su was chatting with him in high spirits, and seemed to enjoy the conversation with the man.

When Bai Su saw them returning, he quickly stood and introduced them. The man also turned to greet them with elegant manners and an open face. As expected, this man was none other than Prefect Cheng Xi, who had been mentioned several times before.

Huo Fenglie had the highest status here, and Cheng Xi naturally tried to kneel down and salute, but Huo Fenglie stopped him. “Cheng-daren is not feeling well. There is no need to do this.”

“This subordinate has been feeling unwell for a long time. It is not a serious illness,” Cheng Xi explained calmly with a comfortable smile. 

In Bai Su’s introductions, Liu Zhenqing naturally became the friend accompanying Huo Fenglie. Although he didn’t know his identity, Cheng Xi was still polite to him. He was older than everyone else, yet still humble, polite, and dignified. When spending time with him, you really couldn’t find any faults at all.

He was indeed someone whom people were happy to associate with.

“I saw that Cheng-daren was tired after discussing the case with the investigation team members all day long, so I invited him out to come catch his breath and have dinner by the way,” Bai Su explained to the two of them.

“Many thanks to Young Master Bai for helping me clarify my thoughts and making the investigation team understand. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to escape.”

Bai Su wore an embarrassed expression, and looked at the two of them helplessly.

Obviously, no one in the investigation team could think as fast as Bai Su and Cheng Xi. Working with them would be exhausting, and since Cheng Xi was inferior to the investigation team from the capital, he had no choice but to deal with them.

As Cheng Xi spoke, he looked at Bai Su in a daze and said: “Young Master Bai is just like his elder brother. He has a quick mind and extraordinary insight. Even their looks are similar.”

Perhaps Cheng Xi’s eyes were too sincere and full of emotion, because Bai Su was stunned when he was told this, and there was some discomfort on his face. “Cheng-daren is over-praising me.”

Liu Zhenqing watched with interest. It seemed that Cheng Xi and Bai Yu had a really good relationship back then.

But Huo Fenglie looked at Cheng Xi, somewhat lost in thought.

Having heard that Qin Yu was still interrogating, He Lan also went to the interrogation room to help after returning, so the four of them ate together.

Du Dongfeng was busy running back and forth, and the hospitality was spot-on.

During dinner, apart from the taciturn Huo Fenglie, Liu Zhenqing also had a brief chat with Cheng Xi. Listening to his analysis of the case and summary of future investigation directions, his finishing sentence subdued everyone’s hearts.

“Do you think that if this case involves loyal members of the Imperial court, the emperor will be willing to continue the investigation?”

This sentence was a notion that astute people thought but dared not speak.

The Imperial Examination was not only related to the Ministry of Rites, but the next level up, the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister of the dynasty not only held great power, but his eldest daughter was also the current empress and could not easily be moved. 

So far, this matter did not seem to have any connection with the Prime Minister, but in essence, did the Prime Minister really know nothing about it? It was hard to say.

Huo Fenglie suddenly said: “Wherever the evidence points, we will investigate them.”

Cheng Xi’s heart was naturally put at ease with just a few words from the country’s general, but at the same time, everyone also understood that investigating the Prime Minister was very difficult. “This is natural. Everything should be based on evidence.”

And Liu Zhenqing was currently more and more interested in Cheng Xi.

His family was in decline, he was a son from a poor family, and he relied on studying to make a living. According to this setup, he had originally thought he would be a lone flower admiring itself, talentless, proud but inferior, and with a lot of psychological problems. He never imagined that this person would be so insightful. He had to say that if Cheng Xi had not been hampered by his illness, he would have been a bright, upright and talented person. According to Liu Zhenqing’s judgment, if he was allowed to serve as an official in the capital, he could also become a high minister.

Liu Zhenqing truly admired people with such a nature, and understood why Bai Su was able to converse happily with him in just one day.

In fact, Bai Su had come here to look for his brother’s lost paintings. Cheng Xi had two of the paintings, and when talking about this, he sighed and said: “To be honest, if Young Master Bai hadn’t asked for them, I would have been reluctant to return them. After all, Wangshu didn’t leave me many mementos either.”

When Bai Su heard this, he was a little startled. Seeing Cheng Xi’s expression, he couldn’t help but feel a few strange emotions. “Actually, when my father was collecting my brother’s scrolls, he found that two were missing, so…..”

Cheng Xi waved his hand and said: “Property should return to its original owner. Since Wangshu isn’t here, they should naturally be given to relatives such as yourself, but I have one capricious request.”

“Cheng-daren, please speak.”

“Actually, I was copying those two paintings before you came. I wanted to keep them as a reminder. It’s just that the investigation case has delayed me recently, but they are almost completed. I would like to ask, can I return them before you leave?”

Bai Su would naturally not refuse Cheng Xi’s sincere request, and felt envious that his brother could have such a close friend. 

“Of course. In my brother’s letters before, he often mentioned that Cheng-daren’s painting skills were superior to his, which made him very envious. Please let me take a look after you finish copying them.”

Cheng Xi was stunned, his face full of emotion. “He really said that?”

Bai Su nodded. “Brother also said that when matters were finished, he hoped to travel with Cheng-daren to complete a map of the country.”

Cheng Xi trembled all over.

Bai Su smiled and lowered his head, saying: “The map of the country was a shared ambition of my brother and I. Originally, I blamed my brother for not completing it with me, but I didn’t expect that he had a close friend to complete it with.”

“Yuzhou,” Huo Fenglie warned him suddenly.

As soon as Bai Su raised his head, he found that Cheng Xi on the other side had frozen, his eyes slightly red. When he came to his senses, he suddenly coughed and covered his face, then excused his rudeness and got up to leave.

Bai Su stared blankly as Cheng Xi left, not knowing what to say.

Huo Fenglie glanced at Liu Zhenqing and saw that he was staring straight ahead. He remembered that pure and intelligent young man.

Bai Yu, Bai Wangshu, was the son of the Imperial Teacher. He was a top scholar, but chose to take the most difficult road. It was obvious that his simple character was not suitable for officialdom, but he said firmly that he would follow Liu Zhenqing, no matter how many insults followed him, because he knew that he was not following the wrong person. But Liu Zhenqing had heard him unintentionally mention wanting to draw a map of the country once it was stabilized. 

Now this was impossible.

It was all his fault.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart was cold. Then he felt his cold, stiff hand being held by someone, warmth spreading across.

Startled, Liu Zhenqing looked up. Although the other’s expression was straight, a bit of worry and distress could be seen. 

As an older brother, how could he make a little brother worry?

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows and smiled, perhaps to fight against some bad feelings. Regardless, he raised the hand held by Huo Fenglie and rubbed his mouth with the back of it, wiping all the oily residue of the soup on the back of Huo Fenglie’s clean hand. Then he watched Er-gou’s reaction with a grin.

He saw Er-gou stiffen for a moment and look at the back of his hand in a childlike manner, as if he was being bullied but couldn’t react. Liu Zhenqing smiled, but didn’t notice Er-gou’s reddish ears, uncontrollably quivering pupils, and the inexplicable deep color of his eyes.

Lost in his thoughts as he was, Bai Su did not see this ridiculous scene, but He Lan, who had sneaked out to get something to eat, saw it.

He Lan: They’re not even concealing it anymore! But he still won’t admit it!

After that, Bai Su went back to his room with his thoughts. Liu Zhenqing had initially planned to rest early, but he couldn’t sleep, and lay on the windowsill to look at the moon. Huo Fenglie made the bed behind him.

“Er-gou, Bai Su brought Cheng Xi here today. His original intention should be that he wants us to help see if Cheng Xi can be trusted, but I quite like him, so I may not be able to judge fairly. What do you think?”

“You like him a lot?” Huo Fenglie’s voice suddenly sounded behind him with an unclear tone.

Liu Zhenqing turned around and said doubtfully: “Yes, ah. Why, do you think there is something wrong with him?”

Huo Fenglie’s mouth flattened for a moment before he said: “I think he liked Bai-dage.”

“Ahem!” Liu Zhenqing was shocked. He was asking if Cheng Xi could be trusted, but what did Er-gou say? Was this what he thought it was? “Ah? When you say ‘like’……do you mean that?”

Liu Zhenqing touched two fingers together.

Huo Fenglie nodded.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head. “Where did you see that? No matter how I look at it, I see the love of a close friend and brother, ah.”

Huo Fenglie’s eyes flickered. “I just saw it.”

Liu Zhenqing expressed his doubts that Er-gou, this emotionally inexperienced fellow, could be the only one to figure this out. At this time, Du Dongfeng came to the inner courtyard to check the candles. Liu Zhenqing saw him and called him over.

“My lord?”

“Xiao Du, let me ask you, is your Prefect Cheng married? How is it at home?”

Du Dongfeng thought for a moment and said: “Prefect Cheng used to have a wife and a mistress, but now there is no one left. He doesn’t even have any heirs. He only focuses on serving the people and doesn’t talk about matters of love.”

Liu Zhenqing was a little surprised. “What happened to them?”

“I heard that the wife was originally part of a marriage contract. Prefect Cheng’s family was in decline then, and the wife’s family initially did not recognize the marriage. But later, when Prefect Cheng became an official again, they rushed to marry, so there was no affection. Later, because he was infatuated with his mistress and didn’t come home often, his wife took the initiative to divorce him. She died of illness later, and he never remarried.”

Indeed, a person couldn’t be judged by their appearance. There was actually a romantic affair.

Hearing this gossip, Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows and glanced at Huo Fenglie. The other person also looked surprised, as if he couldn’t believe he had guessed wrong.

Nobody was perfect. Cheng Xi’s previous performance was too good before, which made Liu Zhenqing instinctively feel that something was wrong. Now that he had heard this gossip, he suddenly felt that the man was a normal person, so he relaxed and went to bed first.

Late at night, someone shook him awake.

Although Liu Zhenqing didn’t have a temper upon being woken up, he was still somewhat resentful. He raised his hand to hit the person, but his hand was gently grabbed.

“Qing-ge, it’s time to get up. Qing-ge.”

Liu Zhenqing’s head gradually cleared up. Right, it was agreed that they would get up in the middle of the night and go to the archives room to secretly investigate the tax account books.

When he sat up in a daze, Huo Fenglie began to help Liu Zhenqing put on his cloak and shoes. Liu Zhenqing yawned all the way and ordered him about.

It wasn’t until Huo Fenglie carried Liu Zhenqing and flew to the roof that he was awakened by the cold wind.

But Huo Fenglie soon noticed this and adjusted his cloak to cover Liu Zhenqing’s face again.

In the darkness, Liu Zhenqing could only hear Huo Fenglie’s slightly faster heartbeat and feel the shallow rise and fall of his chest. He felt safe even though his feet weren’t touching the ground.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a quiet room. Liu Zhenqing stepped down and lifted his cloak to see stacks of bookshelves.

Since they couldn’t light a lamp, they could only use the moonlight to investigate carefully. Fortunately, the moonlight was good tonight.

He had just browsed through one county and discovered where the problem lay. Then Huo Fenglie, who was helping him get a book behind him, put down the book and suddenly grabbed Liu Zhenqing, dodging into a shadowed corner.

Before Liu Zhenqing could react, he heard a slight movement. Someone was gently pulled the door bolt.

It turned out there was someone coming here in secret at night?

Was his purpose the same as theirs?

Liu Zhenqing and Huo Fenglie exchanged glances, but it was too dark to see one another’s expressions. Liu Zhenqing could only sign “wait and see” on the back of Huo Fenglie’s hand.

After a moment, they saw a cautious figure grope for the same bookshelf under the moonlight, rummaging for something. Listening to his movements and footsteps, he sounded like a martial artist.

Suddenly, he seemed to be aware of the breathing of other people here, and the visitor couldn’t help but take two steps in their direction.

They were hiding a bit close, and Liu Zhenqing could just see the man approaching from his angle of sight. At this moment, Liu Zhenqing blamed the moonlight for being too good.

Huo Fenglie also turned around and looked over. Just as he was thinking of a solution, Liu Zhenqing suddenly tugged Huo Fenglie and pointed to a place where boxes of books were stacked nearby. There were several rows of boxes here, and there was a gap between the boxes and the wall that was barely wide enough for one person to lie down. As for the height, even if three or four people were stacked up, they would not be noticed. Liu Zhenqing chose to believe that Huo Fenglie’s martial arts would make them silent, so without waiting for him to react, he took the lead to embrace Huo Fenglie and turn around. Huo Fenglie quickly put his hands and feet on the ground, and almost like a gust of wind, the two people stuffed themselves into the corner. Even if someone passed by, they wouldn’t be able to see the two people stuffed into the darkest place at the back of the book boxes.

But Huo Fenglie had only concentrated on holding Liu Zhenning and making no sound, and didn’t pay attention to the angle. So now, Huo Fenglie was lying on the ground, and Liu Zhenqing was lying tightly on top of him.

As the other party drew closer, even though he knew that they were low enough, Liu Zhenqing instinctively pressed tighter tighter, hugging the other person so that the gap was narrower. He even wanted to find a gap to place his legs so that there would be no excess space.

And this resulted in the two of them embracing each other very tightly.

Liu Zhenqing was not distracted by this, and was wary of being discovered, but Huo Fenglie could no longer control his thoughts. He felt that Liu Zhenqing’s aura completely enveloped him, causing his mind to tumble and his body to involuntarily stiffen.

As the man found nothing, Liu Zhenqing became more courageous. He sat up slightly and looked through the gap in the boxes of books to see what the other person was going to do.

But he didn’t know that the internal energy of the person under him had become disordered due to where he was sitting.

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Chapter Forty-Four << Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Six