A spring rain stopped before night came, but the wet smell still filled the air.
The raindrops fell from the eaves onto the bluestone. Although it was a weak ticking sound, it undoubtedly increased the irritability of the preoccupied person.
As Fan Li listened to Gao Zhen's voice, the words Bailihan fell into his heart one by one like stones, hitting him painfully.
"How could it be Bailihan? Please explain it carefully."
Gao Zhen explained, "I rushed to Huqiu and explained my purpose, and Mrs. Xia took out a seal."
Fan Li asked: "Bailihan's?"
Gao Zhen nodded and took out the seal from his arms. The bottom of the seal was indeed engraved with the words "Baili Han".
"Madam also said that Bailihan often brings students to Huqiu to give lectures." Gao Zhen continued to explain.
The sound of raindrops gradually became quieter until it was no longer noticeable.
Fan Li said: "Just a seal and a few words from a woman can't explain anything."
Gao Zhen nodded and agreed with Fan Li's words, but he was still a little worried and said: "There is no smoke without fire. Should we check it out?"
"The investigation must be carried out, but how to check is also a problem." Fan Li said.
Qin Shu returned from an outing with a piece of news.
"Sir, there is something going on in the Zhou Mansion."
"Zhou Qi went to the Criminal Department."
Fan Li asked: "Is anyone watching?"
"some."
Fan Li asked: "Has the Minister of Punishment returned to Beijing?"
Qin Shu shook his head and said, "Not yet."
Fan Li nodded, thought for a moment and said, "Qin Shu, go to the Ministry of Justice and see what you are doing at the Ministry of Justice this week."
"yes."
After Qin Shu left, Gao Zhen asked his puzzlement, "Why do Master and A Luo care so much about the Minister of Punishment?"
Fan Li explained: "Xia Ji's case is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Punishment. According to the law, the Minister of Justice has to make the final confirmation. But now that he is out, the affairs of the Ministry of Punishment are left to the chief minister, so it means that he has a final verdict."
Right, this person belongs to the Jin family, if we let him decide, then Xia Ji’s case will be a solid case."
Gao Zhen took stock of the court officials he was currently in contact with, suddenly thought of something, and tentatively said, "This Jin family is really scheming."
"How do you say that?" Fan Li asked.
Gao Zhen explained: "If the Jin family wants their son to become the crown prince, they have to pave the way for him. According to ordinary people's approach, they must win over the six ministers, but they chose lower-level officials because they understand that the future will
More important."
Fan Li tied his beard, looked at Gao Zhen with admiration, and nodded solemnly, "Yes, your analysis is good."
He couldn't help but sigh and said, "So, do you understand now why we have to keep our summer status?"
Gao Zhen nodded, "Mr.
"
"Then, aren't we also trying to win over the ministers?" Gao Zhen expressed his worries.
Fan Li asked: "You already know the ins and outs of Lord Xia Ji's matter, so do you think Lord Xia's crime is really unpardonable?"
Gao Zhen did not answer immediately. Thinking about what he had experienced in the past few days, he said: "Although I only stayed in the Imperial College for a few days, I can feel the clear boundaries between aristocratic families and humble families. It is obviously a school.
, but he behaves like a bureaucracy.”
"As a person in power, naturally we cannot consider the interests of everyone, but they are the future." Gao Zhen said.
Fan Li asked: "So, what's your answer?"
Gao Zhen was silent for a while and said seriously: "Illegal but reasonable."
"But..." Gao Zhen continued: "Under the current situation, Master Xia Ji represents a poor family. We cannot chill their hearts, nor can we allow such unfair things to continue to happen."
Gao Zhen said "Oh", "I understand, Master, I know how to solve this matter."
Already."
Fan Li smiled and said, "How to solve it?"
Gao Zhen said: "The cause of the matter is unfair. Students from poor families cannot enjoy the same teaching as those from aristocratic families. Students from poor families can only study by themselves, but aristocratic families have had private schools since childhood."
"Go on." Fan Li was a little excited.
Gao Zhen continued: "Establishing a large-scale academies is naturally the best choice, but the time and money consumed in that way are difficult to measure. The top priority is to write books to simplify obscure knowledge, and then publish and sell it through bookstores."
He seemed to have thought of something again, "That's why Xia Ji started writing the book... He already knew the solution, or in other words, some people didn't want him to complete this matter."
Gao Zhen spoke excitedly, "So, Master Xia pissed off the people behind him because of things like this."
Fan Li nodded in agreement, "The princess thinks so too. We are just not sure who the person behind this is."
Gao Zhen asked: "Who does Aluo doubt more?"
Fan Li shook his head, "In terms of interests, the Jin family is least interested in the rise of a poor family, but it is still unclear what role the Imperial College plays in this matter."
"Indeed." Gao Zhen nodded, "Even if the poor family rises, the impact on the Imperial College will be minimal. Why do they want to kill Mr. Xia?"
Fan Li said: "Luo Chen found out that he had a serious illness two years before Yuan Jijiu."
"Sick?" Gao Zhen wondered, "What does this have to do with anything?"
Fan Li asked: "While you were staying in the Imperial Academy, could you often see Master Jijiu?"
Gao Zhen shook his head, "I've almost never seen him. In the Imperial College, Qi Siye is arranging all the matters."
Fan Li looked at the movement outside the house, thought for a moment and said, "Luo Chen and the others are watching everywhere. It's getting late. You should rest early and go to the palace tomorrow to tell A Luo the news."
Gao Zhen thought for a moment and nodded.
After leaving the study and returning to his room, Gao Zhen still couldn't figure out the connection. He tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. He simply got up and went to Luo Qingzhi's room.
Lying on her bed with her clothes on, she turned around and smelled the fragrance on the pillow, raised the corners of her mouth, and fell asleep peacefully.
Luo Qingzhi in the palace also couldn't sleep. She didn't know why Huang Si was the one who betrayed Gao Yan. She was recalling the details of their past relationship in her mind.
As the person closest to Gao Yan, he has always maintained a neutral role and has no special connection with Concubine Shu. Why did he do so at this time...
Luo Qingzhi was lying on the bed in undressed clothes. There was the sound of armor rubbing against each other outside the house. She thought that she must have changed her defense.
When the door was opened, she was a little surprised. She didn't know who was coming, so she had to close her eyes and pretend to sleep.
The person who came in had light steps and seemed to be a martial arts practitioner. Luo Qingzhi clenched her fists and prepared herself for defense.
The man walked to the bed but made no further movements. She subconsciously judged that the person coming was Gao Yan. After all, the people outside the palace did not warn him, and he should be the only one in the entire palace who could do it.
Luo Qingzhi felt the man continue to approach, she opened her eyes suddenly, but what she saw was not Gao Yan.
The man in night clothes was slightly surprised and took half a step back.
"Who are you?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
The man didn't speak, just looked at her, dropped a letter, and jumped out of the window.
Luo Qingzhi followed him and looked at the Imperial Army lying on the ground.
Perhaps because there was too much movement, the imperial troops from another place rushed over and surrounded Luo Qingzhi.
Luo Qingzhi saw the man in black slipping away and sighed deeply.
Such a noise also attracted Gao Yan's attention, and he walked out with the help of the eunuch in his clothes.
The moment I saw Luo Qingzhi, I was a little surprised.
"Arlo, what are you doing?"
Luo Qingzhi pointed to the direction in which the man in black left and said, "Someone just sneaked into my room."
Gao Yan took a look at the scene in the dark night and said, "Go and have a look."
Luo Qingzhi turned around and prepared to return to the room. Gao Yan asked, "Are you injured?"
"No." Luo Qingzhi replied softly, without any emotion.
Luo Qingzhi returned to the room and looked at the envelope left by the man in black on the ground. She bent down and picked it up. There was no signature on the envelope.
She opened the envelope and saw black writing on a white background, and only a simple sentence.
"Parents who love their children must have profound plans."
Luo Qingzhi didn't understand at all, thinking, "Parents? Children? Who are the parents? Whose children?"
The chaos of the night was not over yet, news came from the Imperial College that Master Jiu Yuan had been poisoned and fell into a coma.
That night, the imperial doctors from the palace entered the Imperial Academy one after another and treated him all night, until the sky turned white and there was no sign of awakening after the Yuanji wine.
In the early morning, Gao Zhen woke up in Luo Qingzhi's room. He looked at the time and thought that he could go into the palace to look for Luo Qingzhi. He was very happy in his heart.
After learning the news about the Imperial College last night in the lobby, my happy mood was suppressed again.
"how so?"
Fan Li shook his head, with a rare hint of worry on his face, "Today is the second day of February, and this year's imperial examination examiners were supposed to be announced in the court."
"Master doesn't think the announcement will be made as usual today?" Gao Zhen asked.
"I don't know." Fan Li answered, thought for a while and then explained, "Originally, we thought that those who prevented today's reading were the people behind the scenes. However, too many things have happened now, and we can no longer think so."
Gao Zhen asked back: "Why not? Although there are many things, no matter how you discuss it, the core is the dispute between aristocratic families and poor families."
Fan Li was stunned, "Yes, you are right, maybe..." He paused for a while, surprised by the thoughts that flashed through his mind.
"Master?" Gao Zhen asked.
"There is one person who has always been outside the center, but he is the key." Fan Li said.
Gao Zhen asked tentatively: "Yes, Your Majesty?".
Fan Li nodded, "Things have changed since His Majesty placed the princess under house arrest yesterday."
"But." Gao Zhen said: "Sir, didn't you say that Your Majesty wanted to test out the person behind it?"
"That's right," Fan Li said, "Your Majesty wants to test, but his goal is to find the person who is placed around him, not the person behind the Xia Ji case."
Gao Zhen was still trying to say something, but Fan Li said, "Ah Chao, come into the palace quickly. Ah Luo must know about this matter as soon as possible."
"yes."
"Besides," Fan Li continued, "No matter what the situation is, don't act rashly. We will discuss it in the long run."
Gao Zhen nodded, "Understood, I'd better go in through the dog hole at the base of the city wall. It's time to go to court now, and the guards are all concentrated in Tai Chi Hall." This chapter has been completed!