Just after the beginning of winter, a light snowfall fell in Kaifeng City, and the temperature plummeted, making the people in the city feel a strong winter atmosphere overnight.

There is an old and dilapidated small house outside Xihua Gate. Zhao Kuangyin, wearing a sheepskin coat and winter hat, has his sleeves folded and walks back and forth in the courtyard, looking at the two dilapidated courtyard doors from time to time.

The small courtyard is full of potholes and there is a lot of water. If you step on it, it will make a squeaking sound.

After a while, a figure wrapped tightly in a coat and cloak appeared at the entrance of the courtyard and looked inside.

After seeing clearly that the person waiting in the courtyard was Zhao Kuangyin, the man hurriedly entered.

Zhao Kuangyin hurriedly stepped forward and stood cautiously at the courtyard door, looking around to make sure no suspicious person was following him before carefully closing the courtyard door.

"Superintendent Li, thank you for your hard work! Please come in quickly!" Zhao Kuangyin cupped his hands and spoke in a very low voice.

"Hey, Dalang Zhao, it's so cold today that I can't move my legs. It's just for your sake that the Za family went out of their way to leave the palace..."

The person who came had a shrill voice and held orchid fingers while speaking. He turned out to be a eunuch.

Zhao Kuangyin took out a wallet like a magic trick and stuffed it into the visitor's hand.

"Oh~ How can this be so embarrassing!" Superintendent Li pushed, but the purse disappeared from his body without leaving a trace. His cloak was lifted up, revealing an old powdered face with a very scary smile.

"Inner Inspector Li, let's talk inside!" Zhao Kuangyin invited enthusiastically.

The old eunuch smiled politely and entered the main room first.

The furnishings in the room were simple, and the two of them sat across from each other. Zhao Kuangyin said, "I'm sorry, Superintendent Li, but I came in a hurry and didn't bother to prepare refreshments."

Inspector Li smiled and said: "No need to bother, the less traces left in such a hidden place, the better."

"Einkeeper Li is really a cautious person!" Zhao Kuangyin cupped his hand.

After a brief exchange of greetings, Old Eunuch Li said: "Zhao Dalang, the Zajia family thought about it for a long time and still found it a bit difficult..."

As Old Eunuch Li spoke, he observed Zhao Kuangyin's face, as if he was testing him.

Zhao Kuangyin was also a human spirit, so he noticed it immediately and pretended to be eager: "Investor Li, I hope you can help me this time! If this matter comes to the officials one day, our Zhao family will be in danger!"

You are my father's old acquaintance, and you are my elder. For the sake of the Zhao family's long-standing friendship with you, I would like to ask Internal Inspector Li to help me this time!

I, Zhao Kuangyin, and the Zhao family will definitely remember the kindness of Prisoner Li and will be repaid!"

As expected, Old Eunuch Li showed a bit of pride, and he sighed in embarrassment: "But what you are planning, to put it harshly, is no different from rebellion!

Murdering the Queen Mother is a serious crime against the Nine Tribes!"

Zhao Kuangyin gritted his teeth, knelt down on one knee and clasped his fists: "This junior was ignorant and reckless, and touched the emperor's seal privately. Empress Dowager Li and Zhang Gui knew about it. Only by letting these two people disappear from the world can our Zhao family be preserved!

Internal Inspector Li is an old acquaintance of the Zhao family. The younger generation believes that Internal Inspector Li will never bear to see the Zhao family destroyed!

Please Inspector Li, please save my Zhao family!"

"Oh, my dear nephew, please get up quickly!" Old eunuch Li helped Zhao Kuangyin up.

Old eunuch Li was full of hesitation, and Zhao Kuangyin encouraged him: "Back then, eunuch Li was originally a close confidant of Emperor Yin of the former dynasty. Later, he was killed by Empress Dowager Li and Zhang Gui, so he lost his status in the inner palace and lived alone in Yongxiang.

It’s been six years, doesn’t Inspector Li hate them and not want revenge?”

Old eunuch Li sighed: "What happened in the past, why should I mention him... Now that the Za family is young, it is good to be able to live in peace and contentment..."

Zhao Kuangyin noticed that the old eunuch had loosened his tone, and said again: "If eunuch Li has anything to do with my Zhao family, it doesn't matter, I will do my best!"

It was his words that Old Eunuch Li was waiting for, and he pretended to be sad: "Alas, something really happened recently, and the Za family couldn't sleep because of the worry!

The Za family is from Luzhou. There are no people in the family except for one nephew. A few years ago, the Za family asked people to take care of everything, and at least they made him the county magistrate of Shexian County.

A few months ago, the nephew of the Za family was at odds with the new county magistrate. He was so upset that he drank two more sips of wine, got into a fight with someone in the street, and accidentally beat someone to death.

The new county magistrate took the opportunity to report to the state capital, insisting that the nephew of the Za family must be punished with death!

That poor nephew of the Za family, he has been working hard all these years, so it’s just that he can’t get promoted, because he even lost his life when he made a mistake, which is really unfair!

The Za family has now lived in Yongxiang for a long time, and is already a useless cripple. There is no way to help him, and he can only watch the last bit of blood in the family die... ugh~oooooo~~"

Before he finished speaking, the old eunuch sobbed sadly and wiped the corners of his eyes, but he took the opportunity to observe Zhao Kuangyin's reaction.

Zhao Kuangyin pretended to be thinking, but he was sneering in his heart. He knew that Old Eunuch Li suddenly agreed to leave the palace to see him, and there must be some purpose.

Zhao Kuangyin comforted him and said: "Li, please don't worry. The new governor of Luzhou, Li Jun, was recommended by the prince-in-law Zhang Yongde. He also has a good relationship with my father. When I edit a letter and send it to Luzhou, please ask Li Jieshuai to think of a solution."

, be accommodating and will definitely handle this matter properly!”

Old Eunuch Li was overjoyed and held Zhao Kuangyin's hand tightly with tears streaming down his face: "Thank you so much, my dear nephew, for your generous action! If you can save the last bit of blood of my family, the Za family will die in peace!"

After a pause, Old Eunuch Li gritted his teeth and said with determination: "If your wise nephew helps the Za family fulfill this last wish, the Za family will help you get rid of those two people in the Taiping Palace!

However, we have to wait until the nephew of the Za family comes to Kaifeng and the Za family can meet before we can take action!"

Zhao Kuangyin secretly scolded the old fox and said with a smile: "I will let Inspector Li see my nephew within three months!"

Old eunuch Li was very happy and took Zhao Kuangyin's hand to express his gratitude.

"Sigh~ Speaking of which, the Za family and Li Sanniang are considered members of the same family. The Za family also worked with Emperor Gaozu back then. She shouldn't have shown no mercy and relegated the Za family to Yongxiang to empty the buckets!

Emperor Yin is fatuous and absurd, with a vicious and cruel temperament, and he is surrounded by jackals and wolves like Li Ye. How can the Za family survive if they don't bother to please him?

But Li Sanniang blamed the Za family for her son's sins. The Za family was really wronged!

This hateful woman deserves to die!"

Old Eunuch Li's face suddenly became ferocious, his eyes revealed a fierce light, and his face was filled with deep resentment and anger.

Zhao Kuangyin saw this and couldn't help but laugh. Just now he kept saying that the grudges were over, but in fact the hatred was just hidden deeper.

"Does your wise nephew have a plan to get rid of these two people?" Old Eunuch Li asked.

"I have some ideas, but I have to plan carefully. Once we get Inspector Li's nephew to Kaifeng, we can sit down and discuss it in detail."

"That's fine."

After a brief discussion, Zhao Kuangyin sent the old eunuch out and left.

Returning to the deserted vegetable garden behind the hall, a young man wearing a black fur coat stood under the eaves, looking at the thin layer of snowflakes covering the soil in the garden in a daze, as if he was thinking about something.

This person is none other than Zhao Kuangyi.

"Old Eunuch Li has agreed to help, but he has to wait until his nephew comes to Kaifeng and meets him before taking action..."

Zhao Kuangyin told Zhao Kuangyi what the old eunuch had just requested.

Zhao Kuangyi smiled calmly and said: "That's fine. This old servant values ​​his nephew so much that I won't be afraid of him going back on his word when he is brought to Kaifeng."

Zhao Kuangyin sneered twice, and the two brothers wanted to go together. They had Old Eunuch Li's nephew in their hands, which could be used as a handle to blackmail him.

Zhao Kuangyin frowned again and said, "How can we take action if we are deep inside the palace?"

Zhao Kuangyi pointed to the gloomy and gray sky: "When the weather gets colder, the opportunity will come."

Zhao Kuangyin said suspiciously: "Do you have any idea?"

Zhao Kuangyi smiled and was noncommittal.

He was obviously a handsome and childish face, but at this moment he looked sinister and terrifying.

Zhao Kuangyin sighed again: "I have no grievances with Empress Dowager Li, and I shouldn't be so rebellious, but I feel like I'm carrying her when she survives. If one day she informs the officials about the matter and investigates it, I, Zhao Kuangyin,

I’m afraid it’s hard to protect our home! Alas~”

Zhao Kuangyi comforted him and said: "Brother, there is no need to worry about it. If you want to blame me, you can only blame Empress Dowager Li for this difficulty in her life.

After all, she was the empress dowager of the previous dynasty, so her early death was not a bad thing for the official family and the Great Zhou Dynasty.

If the officials knew about it, they should be grateful to my Zhao family."

Zhao Kuangyin smiled bitterly, shook his head and said nothing.

"By the way, Zhu Xiu is still in prison? Has the official said when will he be released?" Zhao Kuangyi asked casually, pretending to be casual.

Zhao Kuangyin said: "The official didn't say it clearly, but Chai Junhou got the hint and should let him out before getting married next month."

Zhao Kuangyi murmured to himself: "Why didn't Wang Jun kill him in Xinlingfang? He was so lucky~"

Zhao Kuangyin frowned and said, "Do you still hate him? Just because of Cuifengzhai's kick? Or because of Lady Zhou?"

Zhao Kuangyi smiled self-deprecatingly and said with an extremely serious expression: "I have a hunch that this person may be the biggest enemy of my Zhao family in this life!"

Zhao Kuangyin looked at him with a frown and said in a deep voice: "Don't talk nonsense! There is no conflict between my Zhao family and Zhu Xiu, it's just a misunderstanding. Thanks to his recommendation, I was able to go to Cangzhou, join the Tianxiong Army, and serve under Chai Junhou

.

Over the years, Zhu Xiu and I have not had as close a friendship as we have with Chai Junhou, Li Chongjin, Zhang Yongde and others, but we still have quite a friendship. I have learned a lot from him. From now on, our two families should live in harmony."

Zhao Kuangyi shrugged and said with a smile: "I don't know why I feel this way, but from my analysis of this person's behavior, I always feel that he has a big agenda."

Zhao Kuangyin smiled and said: "Even the officials praised him for his natural sensitivity to the overall situation. Every time the situation was turbulent and life and death were at stake, Zhu Xiu would show extraordinary foresight, as if he could see into the future!

This is what I admire most about him.”

Zhao Kuangyi pondered for a while and suddenly said: "Do you think Zhu Xiu really knows how to deduce heavenly secrets? I heard that he was in Cangzhou back then and could infer from the heavenly phenomena that Khitan Lord Yelu Deguang would die of illness!"

Zhao Kuangyin shook his head: "Zhu Xiu studied under the hermit of Tanzhou. No one knows what he learned. But the secrets of heaven are mysterious. I don't believe that anyone can really predict the number of days."

Zhao Kuangyi suddenly whispered: "I heard that the dragon body of the official family is getting worse. The situation is not getting better as claimed by the Imperial Medical Office?"

Zhao Kuangyin's expression changed, "Shut up! You must not talk nonsense about this kind of thing! Where did you hear it?"
To be continued...