The man in the corridor looked as usual. If it weren't for his green and white complexion and the dense beads of sweat on his forehead, it would be hard to tell that he was suffering from a high fever at this moment and had more than a dozen stab wounds and arrow wounds on his body. of.

Rong Shu swallowed the chestnut kernels in his mouth, nodded and said, "Mr. Lang, go ahead."

Gu Changjin raised his eyes to look at hers, then moved his eyes away, and left Songsiyuan with slow and steady steps.

Yingyue waited until the figures of several people disappeared at the moon cave door, then she whispered: "Didn't the doctor say that my uncle was seriously injured? Why do you think that my uncle's expression is the same as usual, except that his expression is different?"

"Who said it's not the case?" Yingyue said in a low voice. Que took over the conversation, "If you were seriously injured, how could you still go to the study to work? It's not like you have an iron body. If you had known this, you wouldn't have had to rush back today."

Rong Shu stared at the half chestnut kernel in the bowl. Thinking of his previous life, Gu Changjin did the same. After waking up and just finishing the decoction, he got out of bed and went to the study.

At that time, she thought his injuries were not serious. It was not until he was carried back from the palace by several Han generals the next day that she realized that he had been enduring high fever and bleeding to plead grievances for Xu Li'er and his daughter.

Gu Changjin is actually a good official.

A good official who walks on the edge of the sword, blocking people's financial path and official career. That's why there was the assassination on Chang'an Street and all the subsequent crises.

It was his character that was comparable to that of Kun Yu Qiu Shuang that attracted her attention in the first place.

It is true that Rong Shu had fallen in love with this young man from a poor family after meeting him in the Star-Zhailing Tower.

But it's just a temptation.

This life is so long, and there is not only one person who can make you fall in love.

Rong Shu took away the star-catching lantern just to commemorate the first time he fell in love with a man.

I really fell in love with Gu Changjin when I found out that he was the number one scholar who filed a petition in the Jinluan Palace.

In the 17th year of Jiayou's reign, there was heavy rain in Dayin, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.

Qin Tianjian warned at the beginning of the year that there would be a flood in the Yellow River, and the imperial court allocated six million taels to build embankments and dams. But when the flood comes, eight out of ten prefecture-level cities in the middle and lower reaches are flooded, with Jinan and Kaifeng being the hardest hit.

The saint was furious and ordered a strict investigation. The people and officials protected him, and in the end only three magistrates were handed over to take the blame.

It just so happens that in the coming year's Sanding Yuan, the top prize will come from Jinan Prefecture and the top prize will come from Kaifeng Prefecture. The two of them took advantage of the opportunity of Chuan Lu to face the saint directly in the Golden Palace, and unexpectedly sued the officials of the government.

It was clearly pointed out that it was precisely because of the rampant corruption of dozens of officials in Kaifeng and Jinan that they embezzled the money used by the imperial court to strengthen the dams. This caused the Yellow River to overflow in the 17th year of Jiayou's reign, turning the plains of Jinan and Kaifeng into lakes, destroying the houses of officials and people, and drowning more than 12,000 people (1).

One stone stirs up a thousand waves.

Two months later, dozens of officials from Jinan and Kaifeng Prefectures were dismissed or imprisoned.

The nepotism behind local ministers has always been complicated. Gu Changjin and Guan Shaowei had already become famous in Dayin's official circles before they became officials, but at the same time they also offended many courtiers, especially those in the Li Jian. Several supervisors.

During the three years when she got married to Gu Changjin, Rong Shu spent countless long nights with him.

Using his pen as a blade, he overturned many people's convictions and sent many others to prison.

Even later, in the case of collaborating between the Shen family and the Marquis of Cheng'an, Gu Changjin said that all the witnesses and physical evidence were there, and she believed it in her heart.

It's just that sometimes even if there is irrefutable evidence, there is still the possibility of an unjust, false or wrongful conviction.

During the two months that Rong Shu was in Sishiyuan, she had studied this case in detail. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of anyone in the Hou Mansion who would commit such a serious crime.

Let's talk about the third wife first. Whether it is Mrs. Rong who has little knowledge or her father who has no interest in officialdom and is not diligent in all aspects, they are not people who would commit the crime of collaborating with the enemy.

I don't have the courage, nor the ability.

Furthermore, the food, clothing and food of Heantang and Qiuyuntang were all paid for by my mother-in-law.

Where the money was spent, and how much savings and income He'antang and Qiuyuntang had, Aniang had no idea.

If someone in Sanfang really colluded with the enemy and amassed wealth, Aniang would not be able to detect even the slightest clue.

As for the eldest and second bedrooms, the eldest aunt rarely went out after the death of her eldest uncle, and she focused solely on keeping her eldest cousin alive. The eldest cousin spent all day studying in the school, and after he was crowned, he went to the Imperial College and never left Beijing.

The second aunt, like the eldest aunt, also devotes her whole heart to the three children.

In the past, whenever I had free time, I would always go to He'an Hall and Qiuyuntang Hall. My activities never left the Marquis Cheng'an Mansion, and I rarely even went back to my parents' home.

As for the second uncle...

an upright and heroic face appeared in Rong Shu's mind.

The second uncle has been stationed in Liaodong for the past ten years.

Liaodong borders Mongolia and Jurchen tribes, and the second uncle is currently serving as the governor of Jinzhou Wei under the Liaodong Dusi.

Although her second uncle was not as brave and resourceful as her eldest uncle, he was still a strong general. He has made a lot of achievements in guarding Liaodong over the years. Rong Shu remembers that next year his second uncle will be promoted to the fourth rank to command the general affairs.

Liaodong Dusi was under the Zuojun Dudufu, and the second aunt had been hoping that the second uncle would be transferred back to the guard station in Shangjing.

Two months before the accident in the Rong family, the second aunt had said happily that the second uncle would be transferred back to Beijing soon.

But within a few days of being happy, something happened in the Cheng'an Hou Mansion.

When Rong Shu was imprisoned in Sishiyuan, he never received any news about the collusion case between the Rong family and the Shen family.

Therefore, she still can't figure out why her father, who had never pleaded guilty, suddenly confessed.

Her father was neither a man nor a warrior, and like her grandmother, he was often confused about the importance of things. Even if you want to cooperate with the enemy, you don't have the ability.

However, the evidence of the crime was handed over to Dali Temple by his uncle Shen Zhi himself.

The brother-sister relationship between my uncle and my mother-in-law is very deep, and I treat her as my own.

Aniang repeatedly told her in prison that as long as she found her uncle, she could prove the innocence of the Shen family and the Rong family.

But when my mother-in-law said this to her, she didn't know that her uncle had delivered the evidence to Dali Temple. It was her, and she only found out after Gu Changjin told her.

Rong Shu lowered his eyes, knowing that if he wanted to find out this case, he would have to go to Yangzhou sooner or later.

Gu Changjin will go to Yangzhou next year as an imperial censor.

Thinking of this, Rong Shu put down the bamboo chopsticks and told Yingque: "Take a piece of old ginseng brought back from Qinghengyuan today to make a soup and send it to the study."

Study.

After Gu Changjin read through the evidence obtained from the previous undercover investigation, he laid down his paper, picked up his pen, and said quietly to Chang Ji: "Write the ink."

Two hours later, a sharp-tongued report lay quietly on the desk.

Gu Changjin put down his pen and rubbed his brows, his face even more gloomy than before.

When Chang Ji saw that he had finally finished writing, he held a medicine bowl and urged Gu Changjin to take medicine with a look of helplessness on his face.

"This medicine should be taken once every two hours, but it's already half an hour late."

Gu Changjin's throat was dry and painful, and he didn't mind that the medicine was as bitter as coptis, so he drank it all.

After he finished drinking, Chang Ji took out a white porcelain soup cup from an exquisite plum blossom food box, opened the lid of the cup, and said: "Master, drink some soup first, and Hengping went to the kitchen to bring porridge."

Gu Changjin wiped his hands with a wet handkerchief. After hearing this, he glanced at the soup cup. The pair of ginseng above him condensed and said, "Who sent the ginseng soup?"

"Of course it's the young lady. This soup was delivered half an hour ago, the young lady really cares about the master." Chang Ji couldn't help but praise a few more times.

Gu Changjin stretched out his long hand and put the lid back firmly on the cup.

"Send this ginseng soup back."

Chang Ji stared: "Master, this is the fragrant century-old ginseng soup!" After saying that, he couldn't help but swallow.

Gu Changjin said nothing, only raised his eyes and looked at Chang Ji.

Chang Ji was most afraid of him looking at people like this, so he curled his lips and said, "The soup that the young lady specially made for people to drink. If you send it back without drinking a lick, the young lady may be very sad."

For some reason, Chang Ji's words made Gu Chang Jin thought of Rong Shu's drunken and angry words in his dream -

"You also threw away the pine nut candies I made for you."

He narrowed his eyes and felt irritated again.

Just when Chang Ji was about to step over the threshold, he unexpectedly added: "It's just that the decoction I took conflicted with the medicinal properties of old ginseng. She was asked to keep this ginseng decoction for herself. She has been tired for the past two days."

Chang Ji said As soon as the front foot left, the back foot came back carrying a cup of porridge. After finishing the porridge and changing the medicine, Gu Changjin took a rest after washing up.

A plain lamp was burning dimly by the bedside. Gu Changjin stared at the blue tent ceiling and slowly fell asleep.

Those images come over and over again in my dreams.

She rushed towards him with a panicked look on her face, her soft and smooth hair brushing against the back of her hand, making her feel slightly itchy. And she stared drunkenly and said unconvincingly that he was a big-tailed wolf.

He tried to get rid of these fragmented dreams, so he frowned, panted, and held on to his mind bit by bit. The beauty in the dream finally gradually faded away.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but then his mind relaxed, and the dream quickly changed, and he went back to the wedding day.

She was sitting on the bed that was made of exquisite workmanship. She had a phoenix crown and a beautiful robe, and her wedding dress was like fire.

In the midst of the commotion in the room, he took the handle of jade Ruyi and gently opened her red hijab.

It was clearly bright with lights shining on it.

But when she looked up, the lights around her seemed to dim for an instant, as if all the light was focused in her eyes.

Gu Changjin heard himself call out in a low voice: "Rong Zhaozhao."

As soon as the hoarse "Rong Zhaozhao" escaped from the corner of his lips, the man suddenly opened his eyes.

The chaotic heartbeat sounded like "dong dong" in his ears. He touched his chest, his confused eyes gradually regained their clarity, and his long eyebrows immediately twisted heavily.

Chang Ji, who was dozing on the table, heard the movement on the Arhat's bed. He quickly raised his head, rubbed his eyes and said, "Master, why is it so uncomfortable?"

The skin on his body was hot, and the wounds were red and painful. It was indeed uncomfortable, but Such discomfort can be suppressed by willpower, but dreams cannot.

Gu Changjin didn't want to sleep anymore, so he stretched himself out on the bed and said hoarsely: "What time is it?"

Chang Ji replied: "The ugly time has just passed, but the master is getting up?"

Gu Changjin was silent, and slowly got up. Feeling the pain, he said, "Go get a basin of water and come in. Master Tan will be at Wutong Lane soon."

Yesterday, Dongchang deliberately let several death row prisoners go to create chaos in Chang'an Street, hoping to take the opportunity to kill him. People from the Ministry of Punishment will not sit idly by and Lord Tan is Tan Siyuan, Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Punishment.

Countless good officials and citizens have died at the hands of Jin Yiwei and Dongchang over the years. Gu Changjin was only a sixth-grade official, so the people in Dongchang would naturally kill him whenever they wanted.

But Tan Siyuan was born in a wealthy family, his ancestors had a pavilion elder, and he himself was a third-rank official in the imperial court. It would be easy to kill him, because he was afraid of the trouble that would be caused after killing him.

When Tan Siyuan came to Wutong Lane to pick up someone, he made it clear that he wanted to personally protect Gu Changjin when he went to court.

Gu Changjin was a member of the sixth-grade criminal department, Wailang, and was not qualified to go to court.

However, after Emperor Jiayou ascended the throne, he issued an edict that clearly stated that the commitment of a thousand people is not as good as the care of one person (2). He also said that those who redress the grievances of the people will be unstoppable.

Then he opened the road to the Golden Palace and allowed people all over the world to redress their grievances.

Those who want to report their grievances can have the Sanfa Si Tang official make the case on their behalf, or the Tang official can personally lead the way and confess their grievances in front of the saint.

Today, Tan Siyuan personally led Gu Changjin into the Jinluan Hall to meet the saint.

Chang Ji looked worried, not only worried about Gu Changjin's health, but also worried about the strange things happening in the court after entering the palace.

Emperor Jiayou's opening of this Golden Palace Road was not without risks.

The master is redressing the grievances on behalf of Xu Li'er, Jin's mother and daughter. If the original verdict of Beizhen Fusi cannot be overturned after the retrial of the case, then the master will be fined and demoted, or deprived of honors and titles, and completely expelled from Shangjing's officialdom.

The master once said that the emperor sitting high in the golden palace is the final judge of all cases in this world.

This is why he must bring Xu Li'er's case to the Supreme Court.

Because this is the only way Xu Li'er and Jin can survive.

Changji didn't know what that enigmatic emperor would do today, but he knew the path his master was walking was full of thorns.

There is no turning back when the bow is fired, and the master has no way out for a long time.

Chang Ji no longer hesitated, rubbed his face vigorously, lit the oil lamp, and said: "My subordinates will go fetch water now. Hengping will boil the medicine in the small kitchen. The master will take the medicine before leaving."

The light turned dim.

Gu Changjin untied the blood-soaked cloth strips layer by layer, revealing the hideous wounds across the jade-colored texture.

There were a few bone-deep wounds that were still oozing blood.

Only there was no hint of pain on his face. After the new cloth belt was wrapped, he stood up, put on his official robe, tied up his jade belt, and slowly walked out of the house with his black gauze hat in hand.

In the courtyard, the night is like thick ink, and the sun has not yet arrived.

The man put the black gauze hat firmly on his head, his eyes were like cold stars, and like many times before, he said quietly to his two loyal companions: "I will return safely."