On the boat, Qin Jiao was stunned for a while.

Except for the bowl of fish soup, everything was empty.

Mrs. Xiang heard the voices of the uncle and the fourth girl of the Huang family talking in the study, but she just left.

He thought that Mr. Xiang was going to make a scene...

Qin Jiao was stunned for a moment. Although he was surprised, it saved him a lot of trouble.

It's not that he has trouble with the Xiang family, he just wants to make a good living and run errands for Mrs. Lin. He has studied all his life and has never been able to become an official. He only hopes that after returning to Beijing, Mrs. Lin can see that he works conscientiously. For his own sake, I just want to find him a job...

Unexpectedly, as soon as Mr. Xiang left, the door of the study room creaked. Qin Jiao turned around and saw that the fourth girl from the Huang family came out. .

From the time she entered the study to the moment she came out, she had barely breathed. She probably didn't even say a few words.

Qin Jiao raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Huang Siniang, who hurriedly left Tan Ting's study, hurried back to her bedroom extremely uncomfortable.

Aunt Zhang was waiting for Huang Siniang, but as soon as she sent the person away, she saw the person coming back, which was unexpected.

"Why is Siniang back so soon?"

Huang Siniang sat beside the bed irritably. She knew that her uncle had assigned Nanny Zhang to accompany her just because he wanted her to fall in the eyes of Uncle Tan. But this kind of thing was really disturbing. Shameless.

Just now she took her brother's article to the study of the Tan family, and passed it in through the young man. The Tan family gave her an unexpected look.

He didn't even let the waiter serve tea. He didn't mean to meet the guests seriously, so he only asked her one question.

"What's the matter with Miss Huang?"

She still suppressed her discomfort at that time and went forward to follow her uncle's instructions. She handed over the brothers' articles and asked the Tan family uncle to provide some articles.

But when the Tan family uncle saw her, he just nodded and greeted her uncle and father.

Huang Siniang said that she touched Nanny Zhang like this, and Nanny Zhang slapped her leg.

"It's true, girl, although you are starting to feel a little uncomfortable, haven't you got the point? Just keep talking?"

Huang Siniang was going to force herself to continue talking shamelessly, but before she opened her mouth, Tan Tan The uncle looked over strangely.

The look in her eyes was obviously looking at her. Why hasn't she left yet?

Thinking back to that look, she still felt extremely embarrassed.

"If I stay here for even a few breaths, then the Tan family's uncle will find out our intentions!"

Wouldn't it be really shameless for a man who still has a wife to find out our intentions?

So she could only leave quickly before others noticed anything unusual.

At that moment, Huang Siniang saw that Nanny Zhang wanted to talk more, so she spoke first.

"No matter what, we, the Huang family of Denghe, are also a family with inheritance. Do you want me to do something that violates our ancestors' virtues and ruins our reputation?" After

moving out the reputation and ancestors' virtues, Grandma Zhang Even if grandma gets orders from the eldest master, it’s hard to talk about it now.

Her goal will always succeed, so what good will it do if she really pisses off the fourth girl?

At that moment, he quickly tried to persuade her, "What the Fourth Miss did is that this old slave is short-sighted. In short, there is still some time to go along the way. Don't be in a hurry..."

Aunt Zhang was already careful, Huang Siniang was I couldn't say more if I was unhappy, so the matter was put on hold for the time being.

The night wind on the river made people feel cold.

Xiang Yi returned to the cabin, sat in front of the desk, and asked Qiao Yun to bring her the things she usually printed.

There is no need to devote a lot of energy to taking care of Zhongzi, and there is more free time. Yesterday Xiang Yi just made a leisure seal, and today Qiao Yun heard it and asked a question.

"Madam, you want to make a new seal? What kind of jade do you want to use?"

Seeing her, Xiang Yi took out the box of precious jade that Uncle Tan bought.

She stopped Qiao Yun and said, "Use what I bought myself a few days ago."

Qiao Yun was a little surprised. In the afternoon, Madam took a closer look at the ten pieces of jade sent by the uncle. After making the seal, Madam , I have never used such good jade material.

Qiao Yun couldn't help but said, "Madam, are you reluctant to use it? Madam's skills are much better than before, and she is worthy of these jade materials."

Xiang Yi smiled lightly after hearing this, lowered his eyes and said nothing for a while. It wasn't until Qiao Yun brought over the small jade she bought that she said.

"My skills are still far behind those of the real masters. I still have to keep improving. Otherwise, when I get to the capital, the seals I make will not be sold at a high price, and I will have no real income."

Qiao Yun said with an expression on her face. It fell for a while.

"Ma'am, it's still so hard..."

Xiang Yi doesn't care, it's always safest to rely on one's ability to make a living.

She gathered her thoughts and settled down to continue honing her skills.

But as soon as she took the carving knife in her hand, familiar footsteps came from outside. Xiang Yi raised his eyebrows and saw the old man coming back.

After Tan Ting finished taking care of the clan affairs, he didn't stay in the study and went directly back to his room.

When he came in, he saw Xiang Yi's surprised look. Tan Ting didn't know what was unexpected about his wife, so he saw her getting up and coming over to help him change clothes.

"Uncle is back."

Tan Ting had told her many times before. He didn't need her to serve him like this. When he saw her coming over, he was about to remind her that she didn't need to, when he noticed the coldness on her body.

"Yizhen just went out for a walk?"

he said, taking off her outer clothes without her having to do anything.

Xiang Yi responded and said casually.

After hearing this, Tan Ting thought of the fish soup just now, couldn't help but blinked and glanced at his wife gently.

"That fish soup is very delicious. Did Yizhen order it?"

Although she didn't send it personally, it was really warm to be able to eat such delicious fish soup at night.

But when he looked at his wife, he saw her shaking her head.

"It's Brother Jian's order."

Her voice was a little soft. Tan Ting subconsciously thought she was tired from the boat ride. Hearing her mention Tan Jian again, he laughed with her.

"In the past, I always felt that Tan Jian was not enterprising. Today, after reading several articles about the Huang family's children sent by the Huang family girl, I actually feel that he is not that useless."

Tan Ting shook his head helplessly.

The several articles that Huang Siniang sent to him for review were all written by the disciples of the clan. Since they were sent to him, it was obvious that he had selected a few decent ones, but he did not expect that they would be used with his useless brother to make up the numbers. The articles are similar.

For a moment, people were confused about what level Tan Jian was.

He spoke to her so calmly, Xiang Yi's eyes fell slightly on his face.

She couldn't comment on the Huang family's affairs, so she lowered her head and said nothing.

She has always been a man of few words, but if she talks about Tan Jian and Yang Zhen, she is always willing to say a few words, but this time she was silent.

Only the outer boat was moving in the river against the wind, and the sound of water waves came into the cabin, and the room was silent.

Tan Ting couldn't help but look at his wife a few more times, and saw that her expression was indifferent, showing no signs of happiness or anger.

But the cold air from outside was still lingering around her body. At this time, she brought him a handkerchief. Tan Ting lightly touched her fingertips, which were much cooler than usual.

He couldn't help but want to hold her cold hand in his to warm it.

But as soon as her fingertips touched it, she didn't seem to notice it and turned around and left.

Tan Ting's hands froze at the moment.

Obviously at the bow of the boat, when he gently shook her hand, she lowered her head to avoid him, with a look of discomfort on her face, as if she was shy.

But now, she just walked away, her eyes still half lowered, and her expression didn't waver at all.

Tan Ting was silent for a moment without saying anything. When he saw her going to tidy up the bedding, he got up and walked outside, calling Chun Zhan and the others over.

"Who made Madam unhappy?" He said with a stern face.

But servants, you look at me, I look at you, no one has answered this question.

Tan Ting frowned and returned to the room to see his wife already falling asleep.

It was obvious that she was not much different from usual, but Tan Ting felt that something was not right.

"Yizhen..."

"What are your orders, sir?" Xiang Yi brought the candle lamp to the bedside, heard his voice, and asked as usual.

Tan Ting pursed his lips, walked to her side, and looked at her expression carefully.

"Did something happen?"

He suddenly asked, Xiang Yi was stunned for a while.

Xiang Yi didn't know how he saw it, but there was nothing wrong with her, everything was normal and should happen.

She shook her head and smiled helplessly.

"Uncle, I'm overthinking. Nothing happened."

She smiled as usual, saying nothing happened, and then got ready to go to bed.

Tan Ting was silent, frowning and looking at his wife for several breaths, trying to find the answer from her, but he couldn't see anything in the end.

In the next two days, she no longer went to the bow or stern of the ship to blow the wind from time to time like when she first got on the ship.

If Tan Tingruo didn't go back to the bedroom, he would hardly see his wife.

He simply had a desk moved to the bedroom, and kept it there except when he needed to see people.

The bedroom on the ship was not big, so he just squeezed in, and Xiang Yi didn't know what to do.

But on this day, he called her as soon as he opened the letter.

"Yizhen, the Jiangxi fraud case has been retried."

As soon as the words fell, Xiang Yi straightened up.

Tan Ting knew that she was thinking about this matter and showed the letter to her directly.

"...The intention of the East Palace is very clear. It is serious about investigating the matter thoroughly. Not only did it order the three departments to conduct a joint trial, it also temporarily transferred officials from several families involved in the case, and temporarily transferred officials from poor families to review the case. ....."

Xiang Yi couldn't help but get excited when he looked at the words in the letter and listened to Tan Ting's words.

This is the opportunity given by the Eastern Palace to the common people of the poor family. It is a thorough investigation that no matter how big the family is, it cannot be carried out!

If we can investigate the Jiangxi fraud case today, will we be able to re-examine her father's corruption case tomorrow? !

Tan Ting saw that her hand holding the letter was trembling, so he couldn't help but stepped forward and hugged her.

"I have never understood what happened to my father-in-law. When we get to Beijing, we will find a way to reverse the case for my father-in-law, okay?"

Xiang Zhiyuan's corruption case back then was a major and final case that shocked many people. , how can I mention it again?

Xiang Yi himself didn't know when he would have such an opportunity, maybe until the prince succeeded to the throne, but the man behind him actually said this.

Xiang Yi couldn't help but turn her head and look at him. He didn't mean the slightest bit of joking. Instead, he looked at her resolutely, which was completely different from his previous attitude.

She wanted to say that this matter was a matter of the Xiang family, but in fact it had nothing to do with him, but the look in her eyes made her unable to say it for a moment.

Although she had no intention of asking him for help, Xiang Yi remembered his kindness.

When the news arrived, it meant that the sworn brother and Yang Tongzhi were all safe.

What happens next depends on the outcome of the three-division trial.

The case is not complicated, but the trial was complicated and took many years. In the past, the imperial court sent imperial envoys to try the case, but there was no result. This shows that the power of the family is overwhelming.

Now that it has been revealed like this, although it is a good thing, if it is not good, it will cause turmoil.

On the day Tan Ting received the letter, he sent a message to Qingkan and other gathering places of the Tan clan's branches. All Tan clan members were careful in their words and deeds and must not conflict with the common people of the Han family at this time.

He sent someone to deliver the message, and ordered the ship to speed up and head north early.

In the following days, news of the retrial of the Jiangxi Wuming fraud case spread throughout the country.

Perhaps it was because of the trouble that the aristocratic family blocked the sky with one hand, and even wiped out the only imperial examination that promoted the poor family. Before the matter was heard, it caused an uproar among the students of the poor family.

There are also many scholars from poor families who may be equally depressed. They heard the news from somewhere and wrote half-truths and half-falsities about the Jiangxi fraud case. Even the common people knew about it. !

Tan Ting and his party sailed northward. When they were supplying supplies in the coastal counties for the past two days, they could feel the noise and chaos in the market, and there was a secret unquenchable momentum.

The common people lived in humiliation under the aristocratic families.

They could work as tenants and part-time workers for the aristocratic family, and they could endure the hardships of even eating, but the aristocratic family had extinguished even their last hope.

Without the path to the imperial examination, what hope do they have?

Can we only be exploited by aristocratic families and serve as slaves under the hooves of aristocratic families for generations?

The Tan family is also a famous family. When the ship docked for supplies, one could almost clearly feel the change in the attitude of the people on the dock towards them.

There were a lot of dock workers who crowded over to do things for Tan, but in the past few days, everyone they saw looked at them coldly.

Upon seeing this, Tan Ting became more and more demanding to sail quickly and enter Beijing as soon as possible.

I don't want to go to Beijing at full speed, but something will happen on the way.

Tan's boat hit a boulder that rolled down the mountain and fell into the river. Although it was not serious, the boat had to be temporarily stopped for rest.

The boat stopped at a place called Lingshui County on the shore, and they could only stay here temporarily that night.

There are no particularly large aristocratic families in Lingshui, but there are still small aristocratic families.

Most of the big aristocratic families still care about their dignity and won't exploit the common people too much, but the situation is different for the small aristocratic families.

As they walked in Lingshui County, they couldn't help but hear people secretly cursing the two local families, Feng and Xue.

The street was quite violent and noisy. Tan Ting and his party did not want to cause trouble and kept a low profile. That night they temporarily stayed in an inn not far from the county government office.

Things were much the same as usual near the county government office. Everyone was extremely bored on the boat after sailing at full speed for several days.

Tan Ting saw that many people wanted to go out for a walk, so they could only walk on the county government street and were not allowed to stay away.

Everyone knew how powerful it was, and they all agreed to Tan Ting's words.

Tan Ting saw that his wife had only been carving seals in the room these days and was not interested in going on the first few days of the boat, so he put down what he was doing and wanted to go out with her.

Xiang Yi said no need, he and Qiao Yun could just go out for a walk, but at the corner of the man's lips, he could only agree.

Just after walking a few steps, letters came from Qingkan and Jingcheng.

At this sensitive time, Tan Ting had to pay attention to the news everywhere. It was already getting late, so Xiang Yi took advantage of the situation and asked him to go back first.

Tan Ting glanced at his wife in a muffled voice.

It was getting dark. If he went back and came out again, the market would have to be dispersed.

He didn't respond to her words and found a seat in a nearby teahouse to settle the matter before going to look for her.

Now that he had made this decision, Xiang Yi naturally didn't say much and left with Qiao Yun immediately.

Tan Ting was worried and specially assigned a guard to follow her.

This place seemed to have a strong academic atmosphere in the past, and there were quite a few pen and ink shops, but now it seems that there are very few pen and ink shops.

Xiang Yi picked out a few pieces of ink for Xiang Yu and turned around to go to the teahouse. Unexpectedly, he saw Huang's two girls from a distance.

Nanny Zhang, who had accompanied her to Beijing, didn't know what she said to Huang Liuniang, so she asked her maid to take Huang Liuniang away.

Huang Siniang was the only one left in front of the teahouse.

Tan Jian and Yang Zhen were not here. Grandma Zhang handed a snack box to Huang Siniang's hand and gently pushed her towards the teahouse where Tan Ting was sitting.

Xiang Yi's footsteps stopped on the street.

It was almost dark, and the guard who was following her asked.

"Madam, aren't you going back to the teahouse?"

As she spoke, Huang Siniang was already holding a suitcase in front of the teahouse door, and Pingting walked in.

Nanny Zhang and Qin Jiao were on the left and right in front of the door.

Xiang Yi looked away and turned around.

"Let's go wander around again."

The sky is getting darker and darker, and the shady curtain surrounds the slightly restless county town in a dull manner.

Xiang Yi wandered around for a while, and many shops were closed.

Just when she was hesitating whether to go back, a sound that pierced her eardrums suddenly came over like thunder.

"Killing people! Killing people!"

Xiang Yi and the others were shocked and looked towards where the sound came from.

But he saw half of the sky shrouded in darkness, and at some point the fire burst into the sky, tearing a huge hole into the night.

The next moment, a group of people suddenly rushed out from nowhere and headed straight for the county government street in front of Xiang Yi and the others.

In just a moment, the crowd of people running in a hurry dispersed them.