Leng Yue returned to the elegant room. He had no intention of drinking anymore. He stood in front of the window and watched a dozen cavalrymen escorting a carriage away.
His heart was full of worries. Li Chenghua's last sentence was very straightforward. Abolition of slavery is a knife. All dignitaries who oppose the abolition of slavery will be chopped down by this knife. Any force that harms the regent's accession to the throne will be ruthlessly cut down.
To eradicate it, the regent is about to take action. He is giving Prince Ning one last chance.
Thinking of this, he clasped his fists at his friends and said, "His Royal Highness Prince Ning has something to do with me. Everyone, I'm sorry!"
"Brother Leng Xian, it's rare for you to come out. Why don't you just leave?"
"There is nothing I can do. Next time I will be the host and buy wine to make amends for everyone!"
"Then we agreed, no cheating!"
“It’s a deal!”
After dealing with a group of friends, Leng Yue went downstairs and left in a hurry.
He called a carriage and rushed all the way to Prince Ning's Mansion, fearing that he would be delayed a little. Prince Ning was persuaded by Li Xian and others and pressed his fingerprints in confusion.
He quickly arrived at Prince Ning's Mansion. Fortunately, there was no carriage parked in front of the mansion. When he entered the mansion, he happened to meet the housekeeper Qiao Xingzhong. He quickly asked: "Are there any guests tonight?"
"Two clans have come, they are relatively unfamiliar and I have never seen them before. It seems that Li Shangshu is coming to the others."
Leng Yue was shocked, Li Xian was coming! He asked urgently: "Have you been here yet?"
"You haven't come yet. Your Majesty asked me to wait at the door!"
"Is Your Majesty out in the study?"
Qiao Xingzhong nodded, and Leng Yue hurriedly walked to the outer study. If a guest was coming, the prince would usually go to the outer study in advance to wait.
Leng Yue quickly came to the outer study room. As soon as she entered the courtyard door, she saw that the study door was open and Prince Li Lin was pacing back and forth in the room with her hands behind her hands.
Li Lin also heard the footsteps. When she turned around, it was Leng Yue, the staff member, who laughed and said, "I thought Sir would come back at midnight! Why are you back now?"
"Your Majesty, I was called over by Li Chenghua, the leader of the inner guard, at Anguo Restaurant."
Li Lin was shocked, "They actually knew you were in the restaurant!"
"Your Majesty, the guards are watching our every move! They even found out about Beizi's past thirty years ago, but these are not important. The important thing is that Li Chenghua met with Beiji alone. She asked me to convey the regent's warning to the prince.
!”
Li Lin's expression changed drastically, and she asked nervously: "What did the Prince Regent say?"
"The regent said that the royal family and clan are already standing on the edge of the cliff. If they take another step forward, they will be shattered into pieces. He hopes that the prince can enjoy his old age."
"He's threatening me?"
"My lord, this is not a threat. I suspect that the regent has already taken action. He finally gave the prince a last chance. If the prince continues to persist in his stubbornness, don't blame him for not predicting what he said!"
Li Lin said after a while: "But his abolition order is too excessive. I have more than 8,000 slaves. He squandered my property with just one decree. How can I accept it?"
Leng Yue is a little anxious, why can't the prince see through it?
"Your Majesty, the abolition order was launched before the regent ascended the throne. It was actually a knife, testing all the nobles. Opposing the abolition order means opposing his ascension to the throne. He will not hesitate to eradicate it with a knife. Now the Guanlong nobles,
The gentry in Guanzhong are all starting to abolish slavery. The Dugu family has nearly 20,000 slaves, and all of them have to be converted into civilians. Aren't they heartbroken?
But they know that if they confront the regent, it will be a dead end. What is more important, life or slaves, they know very well!"
Li Lin walked a few steps with her hands behind her hands, and suddenly asked Leng Yue: "Do you support the abolition of slavery?"
Leng Yue nodded, "I firmly support you!"
"Why do you support me?" Li Lin was really surprised.
Leng Yue sighed and said: "If the prince falls, my lowly position as the prince's staff will be implicated and I will die, but I never want my wife and two daughters to become official slaves, and they will be sold into a workshop.
Ah! Your Majesty, how can I not support the abolition of slavery?"
Li Lin looked at Leng Yue for a long time, then he smiled bitterly and said: "The problem is that I have already promised Li Xian, what should I do?"
"Does the prince agree verbally or in writing?"
"I only reluctantly promised him verbally yesterday that he would come tonight and bring me a statement opposing the abolition of slavery for me to sign."
"My lord, you can't sign. If you sign, you will definitely die. Even the young prince will not survive. Once Li Ye takes action, he will definitely eradicate it!"
Li Lin sighed and said: "I'm really confused. Li Xian himself doesn't have any slaves. He is so hard against the abolition of slavery. He is obviously using the abolition of slavery to oppose the regent's ascension to the throne. I didn't even think of this."
"My lord, that's what happened!"
Li Lin became worried, "Then what should I do?"
At this time, steward Qiao Xingzhong said at the gate: "Your Majesty, Li Shangshu is here!"
Li Lin's expression suddenly changed, and Leng Yue reacted very quickly, "Your Majesty, hurry up and leave through the back door. I will deal with him. I just said that Your Majesty is not feeling well."
Li Lin had already woken up. He nodded, turned around and walked quickly to the inner hall. There was a back door to leave.
??????55.??????
After the prince disappeared, Leng Yue hurriedly greeted him and saw Li Xian standing outside the courtyard gate, holding a scroll in his hand.
Li Xian thought that Prince Ning would come out to greet him, but unexpectedly it was Mr. Leng Yue, his staff, who came out. He couldn't help but be startled, "Sir, where is the prince?"
Leng Yue stepped forward and clasped her fists in a salute, "To inform the minister, the prince was waiting for the minister just now, and suddenly his heart felt a little uncomfortable. I asked the maid to take the prince back to lie down first. Mr. Qiao, please go and call the imperial doctor!"
Qiao Xingzhong was so shocked that he turned around and ran out without paying attention to Li Xian.
Li Xian frowned, how could it be such a coincidence?
"Did the prince hear any news or receive any stimulation?"
Leng Yue nodded and whispered: "Just now, a maid came to report that someone saw the King of Hanzhong admiring the moon on the bridge, and then disappeared. The prince fell to the ground crying, his heart ached so much!"
Leng Yue's words were so vivid that Li Xian couldn't help but believe him. He asked in confusion: "What's going on? Has the King of Hanzhong appeared?"
Leng Yue sighed, "I didn't know until the prince cried that today is the fiftieth birthday of the King of Hanzhong."
Li Xian was stunned for a moment. What should I do? I need to sign tonight!
"Mr. Leng Yue, there is something very important tonight."
"I know that the prince was also waiting for Li Shangshu, but he suddenly felt heartache and there was nothing he could do. Otherwise, I will sign on behalf of the prince and make a note next to it."
"no!"
Li Xian refused flatly, "If you want to press your fingerprints, it must be done by the prince himself."
Leng Yue thought about it and said: "Maybe this way, Shangshu gives me the declaration. I will check the situation tonight. If the prince is in better health, I will let the prince sign it. Li Shangshu will send someone to get it tomorrow morning!"
Li Xian was very shrewd, and this declaration must never leave his sight. He thought for a moment and said: "Let's do this! I have to go find someone else tonight, and I will come back later. If the prince's condition improves, I will ask the prince to sign it."
.”
"That's okay. Li Shangshu invites you first!"
Li Xian had no choice but to turn around and leave. As he walked to the door, he met Qiao Xingzhong rushing in with the imperial doctor.
Li Xian didn't waste any more time, got on the carriage and left.
Leng Yue returned to the house, pulled Qiao Xingzhong aside, and whispered: "Your Majesty is fine, I just don't want to see Li Shangshu."
Qiao Xingzhong breathed a sigh of relief, "That's it! It scared me to death. What should the imperial doctor do?"
"Give him a few taels of silver and send him away. Then you close the door and tell the concierge that Li Shangshu will come back later, and ask him to tell Li Shangshu that the prince is not feeling well and will not see guests."
"I understand, sir, don't worry, I will make arrangements!"
Qiao Xingzhong took the imperial doctor out.
Leng Yue returned to the outer study and saw Prince Li Lin back again.
Li Lin asked: "Is Li Xian gone?"
Leng Yue nodded, "I made up some stories just now to trick him away, please don't blame me!"
Li Lin chuckled, "It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter if you say I'm going to die, I don't care."
"My humble position suggests that the prince should go see the regent in the next two days and express his support to him. He should say that he is old and will not participate in any court disputes, and then express his support for the abolition of slavery."
Li Lin nodded, "You are right, I am a little confused. The loss of abolition of slaves is only a drop in the bucket to me, but it is unwise for me to offend the regent for such a loss that is not worth my whole body."
"Your Majesty is wise. The abolition of slavery is a general trend, and we should follow the trend. Moreover, abolition of slavery in advance can gain the gratitude of the slaves."
Li Lin sighed, "I will go to see His Highness the Regent tomorrow!"
………
Li Xian's carriage came back not long after, and he suddenly remembered that he had gone to celebrate the forty-fifth birthday of the Hanzhong County Prince five years ago. It was summer at that time! How could it be today?
He felt that he had been fooled by Leng Yue, and he was extremely annoyed, so he hurried back.
Rushing back to the palace, he saw that the door of Prince Ning's palace was closed. Li Xian ordered the escort in the car: "Knock on the door!"
The guard ran up the steps and knocked on the door knocker. After a while, a small window opened in the side door. The concierge said a few words to the guard. The guard came back and said: "Sir, the concierge said that the prince is not feeling well and cannot see the guests. Please give me another day."
Come again!”
It was nonsense. It was clear that Li Lin had changed her mind again. She was tricked into leaving the house by Leng Yue. Even if Li Xian was extremely angry, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't break the door and break in!
He had no choice but to take out the invitation and give it to the guards, "Ask them to tell the prince that I will come to visit again at noon tomorrow!"
Li Xian has a very good advantage, that is, he is tenacious and will never give up until he achieves his goal.
The guard ran back with the invitation, said a few words, and the concierge accepted the invitation.
Li Xian then really wanted to go to the next house. He ordered the driver: "Let's go!"
The driver waved his long whip, and the carriage started slowly, heading towards the street outside Fangmen.
