"Not to mention that I am considered your uncle, but just saying that I helped you rescue one of your subordinates, it is not appropriate for you to treat me like this."
As soon as he entered the gate of the small courtyard, the young uncle carrying a small bundle was targeted in all directions by a group of factory guards.
"The main reason is that this method is too familiar. My nephew has been tricked several times, all in alleys, and they are all related to you Wuling people, so I have to be more careful."
A long table was placed in front of Li Chongrun, on which a pot of tea was roasting on a small red clay stove and several teacups were placed. When he saw his junior uncle coming, he motioned for him to sit down and poured a bowl of tea soup for him himself.
The fact that my junior uncle dared to come to see me so openly probably meant that this matter really had nothing to do with him.
"Zhang Sanlang has now joined the sect of Third Uncle Yang. He can be regarded as your nephew after all. It is natural for your uncle to save his nephew."
But the truth is this, the Wuling people don't really have a high reputation with Li Chongrun, so although Li Chongrun said it lightly, the factory guards did not put down their muskets.
"It makes sense, but my nephew came to me in a hurry today. He probably wasn't just talking about a relative."
The young uncle was very courageous and did not pay attention to the forest of muskets around him. I don't know whether it was because he had a clear conscience or because he was quite conceited about his own strength.
He casually sat down opposite Li Chongrun. The young uncle felt reassured about the safety of the tea and picked it up and took a sip.
“Good tea.”
"Tea is naturally good tea. If the housekeeper in the mansion, Sister Ruyu, is here, she can make the tea taste better."
Li Chongrun poured himself a glass, blew on it twice, and took a sip. "It's a pity that because of Lao Cui's death, Sister Ruyu couldn't care about her for a while, and my nephew himself didn't know when he would be able to taste her."
of craftsmanship.”
The last sentence was true. Ruyu didn't know when she had some interest in Lao Cui. Since she learned the bad news yesterday, she hasn't seen her all day today.
Ruyu is His Majesty's spy, and since Wu Fan has joined the Wuling people's organization, the junior uncle should also know about this kind of thing.
"I didn't expect that my nephew's butler is also a master of tea ceremony. I will definitely come to visit him another day."
The junior uncle naturally heard the threat behind Li Chongrun. "I heard that the junior nephew was searching in Zhengpingfang for a long time early this morning, and even entered the Chu Prince's Mansion? Can we find any clues?"
"Since Junior Uncle said you saved the person, why didn't you see any clues?"
Li Chongrun was not in a hurry to reply to his junior uncle's words, but instead asked a question.
"Uncle Master, when I arrived, the man named Cui Fang Zheng had already died in the battle. Before he died, he took a shot for the boy who was hit by an arrow. It was really heroic and he deserves a toast."
The young master's expression was very sincere, and it didn't look like he was faking it.
He and Li Chongrun raised the tea cups together and toasted Lao Cui with tea instead of wine. The young uncle continued: "Uncle Master has brought something, the King of Linzi must be very interested."
Opening the small bag that he carried with him, the junior uncle took out a dense package of things wrapped with cloth strips, placed it on the table, and without much force, he tore open the cloth strips wrapped around it and exposed it.
He picked up the three weapons inside.
A short knife and two gourd hammers, all covered with cuts, axes and chisels, are enough to prove the brutality of the battle at that time.
Li Chongrun wondered why he couldn't find the weapons they carried with Lao Cui and Zhang San, especially Lao Cui's golden melon hammer. He also carefully rummaged through the pile of ordnance in the Chu Palace, but he didn't find it.
Junior uncle is here.
"Since Uncle Master was there, why did he let those Turks leave?"
"Uncle Master, although I can fight, I am only a human being, not a god."
The junior uncle explained to Li Chongrun sincerely: "Besides, there was a master of archery at that time. If he was not dealt with, even if the junior junior uncle was sure of protecting himself, your little brother's life would not be saved. So, the junior junior uncle could not save his life."
I just repelled those Turks and withdrew."
The junior uncle took out another small package from the bundle, and opened it to find a ball wrapped in oil paper. The junior uncle casually threw it on the table. The oil paper burst open, and there was a stream of strong blood.
The breath instantly dissipated the aroma of tea permeating the small red clay stove.
"But I am not the one who is at a disadvantage. After I sent your people here, I went to find the hiding place of this archer. Although this archer is indeed excellent in archery, his concealment skills are really poor.
It didn't take much effort to find him."
The wound on the head was torn in a messy manner, as if it had not been injured by an object, but more like it had been torn off from the body with great force.
"What does such a head have to do with the fact that my junior uncle has nothing to do with this matter?"
Judging from the hairstyle, this head must have been part of a certain Goguryeo person, so the young master must not be lying.
"It's a big deal. The goods are being moved outside the customs. Who do you think is responsible for transporting the goods to Mohe and Shiwei?"
Qiwang Smuggling has its own territory. For example, before taking Li Chongrun, he learned that the Khitan and Turks were the sphere of influence of the Lu family, while the territory further east belonged to the Cui family of Qinghe, the original owner of the Songji Sugar Company.
"Is it possible that the Cui family also raised a group of Goguryeo people? They are also Goguryeo people with black teeth, and the food they eat is the offerings of the Lu family."
"Anyway, a long time ago, several aristocratic families organized a plan to assassinate the emperor. Those Goguryeo eagle shooters who were all chopped down by Di Renjie's black cavalry were actually from the Cui family."
The junior uncle didn't care about this kind of secret, and actually told Li Chongrun directly like this, without the slightest worry that Li Chongrun would take him down just like that.
The former Wuling contact person of the Cui family had an unusual relationship with the junior uncle. Therefore, the junior junior uncle had a grudge against the Cui family. He had previously ruined the Cui family's plan to assassinate Song Dynasty. Looking at it this way, the junior junior uncle did not
Without lying, there is no way he would partner with the Cui family.
"So, do you have any clues about the matter that I asked my junior uncle to investigate before?"
Since the person was not killed by the junior uncle, the remaining suspects are now concentrated on the remaining surnames of the aristocratic family. The Wang family is now considered their own, and the Li family is truly their own, so naturally the only suspects left are
There were two people named Cui and one named Zheng.
"Speaking of this, the reason why a certain family passed by Zhengpingfang last night was really just for this matter."
Speaking of this, the young master's eyes suddenly lit up: "I originally thought that the salt shop was nothing, but who knew it turned out to be a big hole. I stared there for a long time, and finally found something."
"I hope my uncle can give me some advice."
"The Cui family's salt shop interacts with people from Kubi Zhai in Zhengpingfang every day. The shopkeeper of Kubi Zhai is named Dou. Li Laosi's biological mother happens to be also named Dou. What's more unfortunate, you revealed earlier
The news that came over is that the maid Wei Tuan'er who delivered the news for your fourth uncle was the culprit who killed Li Laosi's mother. And the place where those Turks were hiding was Li Laosi's Prince Chu's Mansion. Uncle Master yesterday
When I visited Kubi Zhai at night, I found two pieces of Turkic clothing inside. It is said that they are the clothes of the two Turks who set up the stall during the day. What do you think is the relationship between them?"
"No, then Junchen came to Yangzhou after his fourth uncle's order. If the fourth uncle is not actually his son, why did he listen to his order and send Junchen to find trouble with me?"
As he talked, Li Chongrun seemed to have been hit on the head with a stick, and suddenly he had a sense of enlightenment.
"Uncle Master, what you mean is that when Junchen went to Yangzhou, it was the fourth uncle who was pretending to pass the imperial edict. The person behind the fourth uncle was actually not the fourth uncle who lived in the East Palace. Not only that, but Li Laosi was probably at odds with his own father?
"
The young uncle just smiled and did not give an answer. "One more thing, do you think who else often goes back to the Cui family's salt shop to buy salt?"
"You have to use salt when eating. The sea salt in Linyi is only sold in Yangzhou. The best salt in Shendu is the Cui family's well salt. Isn't it normal to go there to buy some salt?"
"But even if you pickle some preserved vegetables every day, your old father-in-law won't have to send someone to the Cui family's salt shop to buy salt every ten and a half months, right?"
The young uncle laughed and stood up: "The thing that my nephew asked for has been completed by a certain family. My uncle is not talented, but I want to ask my nephew for something."
"Uncle, please tell me."
"I heard that you have a fast ship that can travel thousands of miles in a day. It only takes a few days to get there from Linyi to Yangzhou, which is thousands of miles away. Uncle Master wants one."
It turned out that he wanted a black ship. The workshop at the foot of Mang Mountain had already begun to prepare for the production of steam engines. This was not a difficult task. Li Chongrun simply agreed. "If you want it, Uncle Master, just take the ship. It's up there."
The artillery is of great importance, so my nephew will naturally dismantle it."
"I'll just follow your arrangements. If nothing happens, I'll leave you alone, uncle."
"Uncle, please leave slowly and don't see me off."
Li Chongrun was still thinking about the last news that his junior uncle said before he left. He waved his hand and let his junior uncle leave.
"My lord, do you want to follow me?"
Thirteen came over and asked, looking a little eager to try.
"Li San's legs can't catch up with him, so forget it. Since this matter has nothing to do with him, just let him go."
The news from his junior uncle revealed a lot of details that Li Chongrun didn't know. The various major events and small things that were originally messy in Li Chongrun's mind became vaguely clear, like a pearl necklace that had been picked up by a rope.
Seeing that His Majesty's birthday was coming soon, my own prince was a little dazed and was in a daze for two days in a row.
"Brother, what are you struggling with? You've been squatting here all morning, and you really can't figure it out. Why don't you just tell me and ask everyone to help you with your advice?"
Entrusted by his two sisters-in-law, and because he was really worried about Li Chongrun being so bored, who knows what might happen, Bao'er came over to talk to Li Chongrun.
"Ah, Bao'er?"
Li Chongrun, who was looking at the carp in the fish pond, was frightened by Bao'er. After calming down, he saw Bao'er standing in front of him.
"How's your practice with Xianhui going? Oh my, my legs are numb. I need to lie down on my stomach."
In order to imitate the goddess scattering flowers, Xianhui and Guoer have been practicing Diaowei Ya very hard these two days.
"It's really uncomfortable to tie it with a rope. The thing called a hot air balloon that Xianhui made has a basket. Why can't you use that thing? I heard that it can barely fly."
Helping Li Chongrun to sit down on the decorative rocks beside the fish pond, Bao'er complained to Li Chongrun.
Seeing that Li Chongrun's expression had returned to normal, Alan also came over and gently massaged Li Chongrun's legs, helping him relieve the pain caused by squatting for too long.
"Oh, it's very numb. Just let me take it easy and it'll be fine. No need to pinch it."
Li Chongrun grinned and enjoyed Alan's care while talking to Bao'er.
"The hot air balloon in Xianhui has to be ignited, so it is not safe in any way. For His Majesty's birthday this time, safety is the first priority. A hydrogen balloon is enough."
Li Chongrun changed the topic casually.
"I heard that my sister-in-law's ship has arrived in Luoshui. I think it will arrive soon."
There is only one sister-in-law in Bao'er's mouth, and that is Wang Rong.
"Rong'er is back? That's a good relationship, a good relationship."
The soreness and numbness in his legs finally eased a lot under Gongsun Lan's massage, but because he heard that Wang Rong was coming back, Li Chongrun fell into a state of panic again.
Li Chongrun's desperate situation was more serious than everyone expected. The Shangguan aunt, the only one who could control him, had recently been busy in the palace with matters related to His Majesty's birthday and had not returned home. Everyone tried several times but failed.
Fortunately, Li Chongrun's death did not affect his normal diet and daily life, so he remained in this state until Wang Rong arrived home early the next morning.
Theoretically speaking, Wang Rong has two homes in Shendu. One is the house where Wang Siye grew up, and the other is the house that his biological father Wang bought after he came to Shendu. As for the Linzi Palace, there is no way to tell.
It can be regarded as Wang Rong’s home.
It's just that everyone is accustomed to thinking that Wang Rong's home should be here, and this everyone even includes Wang Rong herself.
"He's like this? How long has he been like this?"
Wang Rong, who had been running all the way from Yangzhou, looked a little tired. She washed her face with a few little girls, holding a bowl of goat milk in one hand and drinking. Wang Rong looked at Li Chongrun who was dazed with a toothbrush in his mouth and asked.
's wrap.
"It's been three days. It's been like this since I met that person that day."
Guo'er explained beside Wang Rong, but since there were too many eyes and ears around her, she gave her a "you know what" look, and Wang Rong naturally understood.
"Hey, idiot. Come to your senses, I'm back home!"
"Hey? Rongrong? Didn't you just arrive at Luoshui River? Why did you arrive so quickly?"
Seeing Wang Rong, Li Chongrun's expression instantly seemed to have restarted, and it was much more vivid than before.
"They said you've been in bed for three days? Why do you miss me so much after not seeing me for so long?"
"Quick, quick, come with me."
Ignoring Wang Rong's dusty appearance, Li Chongrun grabbed Wang Rong and ran towards his bedroom.
"Even if Sister Alan and Fang'er want to breastfeed a baby recently, you don't have to be so impatient, right?"
Wang Rong, who looked confused, was pulled into the bedroom by Li Chongrun. Seeing that he closed the door eagerly, Wang Rong blushed a little and expressed her objection stubbornly, but she did not break away from him.
holding hands.
"What are you thinking about? I just want to ask you an extremely important question. I just need to find a quieter place."
Li Chongrun spoke very quickly, and his feet were not idle. He walked through the secret door in the closet and quickly led Wang Rong to the secret room.
"Oh, this is not the right place for me to come."
Seeing Li Chongrun leading her into the headquarters of the Overwatch Council, Wang Rong felt keenly that her identity was not suitable for her to appear here. However, Li Chongrun held her hand firmly and did not give her any chance to escape.
"Everyone get out!"
Li Chongrun gave the order, and the huge secret room quickly became quiet, with only the occasional sound of lights exploding.
"This is your family's information."
"This is information about the Cui family."
"This is my family's information."
Li Chongrun shuttled back and forth among several information shelves for a while, then brought a large stack of information over.
The information on the Wang family and the Cui family are very thick, but the information on the Li family is very sparse, and it is not even as thick as the information on the Dou family and the Xiao family that Li Chongrun later moved to.
While Wang Rong was reading the information, Li Chongrun took a large piece of paper and carefully drew on it with a pencil.
"What do you mean by showing me so much information? And why is your information so thin?"
Wang Rong picked up her family's documents and flipped through them casually, and found that they were filled with records of trivial matters, such as who the patriarch met in Jinyang, what his grandfather Wang Siye said in court, and so on.
"When I first returned to Shendu, Princess Taiping met me in the secret room and had a few long-winded conversations with me. Apart from making the water more muddy, there was no other important meaning.
It took me these two days to figure it out. The things I told me first made me confused about the situation, and the second point was that I wanted to destroy some information that was investigated by the Overwatch Council while I was away from the Divine Capital."
While drawing graffiti on his hand, Li Chongrun didn't stop talking, talking like a machine gun, very fast.
"What information?"
Wang Rong didn't know what Li Chongrun was talking about, but she didn't get an answer from Li Chongrun.
"Let me ask you, do you have a very bad relationship with your father?"
Li Chongrun's question made it difficult for Wang Rong to answer for a while, but looking at his firm eyes, she nodded slowly.
"If you had the chance to bring down your own father, but you had to do things for his enemies, such as me, would you be willing?"
"What did Wang do? Could it be that he is from Wuling?"
Although Wang Rong did not express her position, her words clearly stated her position.
"It's just a hypothesis, just answer it."
"If we can bring down Wang, it will definitely be good, but we can't implicate grandpa."
Wang Rong has grown up with Wang Siye since childhood, so naturally she is more concerned about the old man's safety.
"So is there a possibility that Li Laosi thinks so too?"
Li Chongrun spread the graffiti he had just completed in front of Wang Rong.
In the center of the graffiti are the characters "Wuling people", which Li Chongrun emphasized several times and the color is very heavy.
"I seem to have found out who the Wuling people are."
Li Chongrun pointed to those three words and said to Wang Rong, his eyes were extremely clear.