At the beginning, there is smoke coming out of the ancestral grave, and the woman is busy in the imp

"Master Wei, long time no see."

He tried to turn his head, only to see a noble young man in red clothes, looking at him with a smile.

There was no mockery, nor regret or sympathy in those dark pupils.

He was as gentle as usual, just like when they were officials in the same court.

However, Xie Yuheng had been granted the title of First-Rank Marquis, but he was left with a disability...

Seeing that Wei Chi remained silent for a long time, Xie Yuheng spoke first: "Sir Wei, did you just come out from His Majesty?"

Wei Chi hummed, and with one hand, he secretly tightened his trouser leg where Xie Yuheng couldn't see.

"Your Majesty sent someone to escort me out of the palace, but I didn't think it was necessary, so I sent them away."

He looked a little embarrassed, but Xie Yuheng seemed not to notice and smiled, "That's right."

"Oh, by the way, I don't know what's going on lately."

"The cows on the Pei family farms always think too much and commit suicide."

"The Marquis of Jiangling's mansion was burned down by the rebels, and there is no ice cellar to store anything. How about Lord Wei use some of it for me?"

Wei Chi felt that these words sounded familiar!

The cows on his farm used to be always unhappy and died young, but that was man-made!

I am somewhat tempted, but...

Xie Yuheng spoke up at the right time, "Master Wei, you won't refuse, right?"

"It's a pity that there are so many good wines in my house. After Lord Wei drank them, he forgot all about our friendship."

Wei Chi recalled when Xie Yuheng first joined the Ministry of War.

At that time, he was also a lonely man.

Chang shamelessly followed Si Yuandao into the Jiangling Marquis's mansion and asked for a free meal.

Of course, his main purpose was to drink the good wine.

Wei Chi forced a smile, "How could that be? I'm just afraid of causing you trouble..."

"It's no trouble. Besides, I didn't say that Lord Wei should eat for free."

"what?"

Before Wei Chi could react, Xie Yuheng had already stepped forward and pushed him toward another path.

Two cups of tea later, Ministry of Works.

In the printing office, people were coming and going, and every craftsman was seizing the time to print tomorrow's Beijing newspaper.

Wei Chi sat at the low table, looking confused as Xie Yuheng handed him a box of small cubes.

There was also a piece of paper for him to choose the layout.

"No, this, I..."

Wei Chi pointed at the block of words, then at himself, "I'm a patient!"

Xie Yuheng nodded, "I know, but he is not dead yet, is Lord Wei still planning to eat for free?"

Wei Chi: “…” He shouldn’t have paid attention to this black-hearted guy in the first place!

The child rescued by Wei Chi had a voice as soft as a mosquito.

"I can read a few words, how about I help you choose?"

Xie Yuheng folded his arms lazily, tilted his head slightly, and glanced at him casually.

He didn't say a word and didn't get angry, but the child felt like he was facing a great enemy.

An overwhelming sense of oppression swept over him, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

The child's head lowered lower and lower, his hands nervously grabbing the cloth at his sleeves.

"Well, I'll do it myself."

Wei Chi resigned himself to pulling over the box of word blocks and began selecting and arranging them according to the words on the paper.

Time passed little by little, and the guy opposite him had already arranged five boards, and he just pressed the last word block.

I thought it was over, but Xie Yuheng handed over another pile of boards, at least a dozen.

After that, they had a small table set up nearby, where they leisurely ate melons and drank tea.

It seemed as if Wei Chi had returned to five years ago.

The Armory Department was originally a sinecure. After Xie Yuheng finished her own official duties every day, she also completed the tasks assigned to her by Si Yuandao.

Then he would drink tea leisurely in the office.

His leisurely appearance always made him envious whenever he saw it.

He shook his head and smiled bitterly, then continued his actions.

Gradually, I got the hang of it and became faster and faster.

Every time I finish arranging a board of character blocks, I feel an inexplicable sense of accomplishment lingering in my heart.

Ever since he was injured, people around him treated him like a porcelain doll, giving him everything he wanted.

Everyone who looked at him had a look of regret and pity in their eyes.

A general with weak legs is no different from a waste...

Only Xie Yuheng did not treat him as a wounded person, but instead treated him like an ox or a horse, which was refreshing!

Thinking of this, Wei Chi paused for a moment. Could it be that he had a masochistic tendency?

He tilted his head to look at Xie Yuheng, who was holding a teacup and whispering something with Pei Ji.

Compared to the first time he met Pei Ji many years ago, there was light in the man's eyes, full of hope.

Wei Chi withdrew his gaze, tightened his lips into a line, and continued to arrange the word blocks.

He heard that Pei Ji's legs were frozen, and he went from being a young master from a noble family to a prisoner exiled to Youzhou.

Even Pei Ji didn't give up, so how could he have the face to degenerate?

But what else can he do?

Pei Ji was in charge of the printing office, and officials had to travel through mountains and rivers to lay the wooden tracks...

When working, time always passes especially quickly.

By the time Wei Chi was pushed out of the imperial city, it was already approaching evening.

Facing the sunset, walking through the crowds of people.

The people on both sides of the street were repairing the wall, pushing carts back home, and even standing with their hands on their hips and cursing at their parents.

Without exception, they are all living strong lives, even though they had just experienced a war not long ago.

Wei Chi's nose became sore after seeing this. In the past, he would spend his days drinking after leaving the government office.

Although I wasted my time, I felt fulfilled.

Now, he also wants to be strong, but...

"When the rebels were approaching the city, merchants and landlords from various states also helped intercept military reports."

"If it weren't for Lord Wei, we would still be able to defend the Qingzhou border under the premise that the baggage supply was not replenished in time."

"Fusang has already invaded the heartland of the Central Plains, and more people will die by then."

Xie Yuheng's voice was neither salty nor bland, he simply stated the facts.

She suddenly changed the subject and looked back to the child who had been following her silently.

"What is the child's name?"

Wei Chi raised his eyes and looked at the child, who looked almost exactly like his brother when he was a child.

He sighed heavily, "His surname is Jiang, his given name is Zhi, and he was originally the son of a fisherman in Penglai Bay."

"When Fuso first landed, my whole family was killed by the Fuso people."

"He was the only one left. He was forcibly taken out by his fellow villagers and almost died."

Xie Yuheng lowered his eyes. No wonder Wei Chi brought him back to Shangjing.

Putting aside her appearance, her life experience is indeed quite pitiful.

But she had been a colleague of Wei Chi for many years, just like Shangshu Nalan and others.

Of course, I hope Wei Chi himself is safe and sound.

But since the thing has happened, there is no point in blaming others.

The wheels of the four-wheeled cart rolled forward, heading for the Imperial College.

Not far away is Chongyifang where the government office is located.

Xie Yuheng brought Wei Chi and turned around the screen wall.

Si Yuandao and Zhuque were fighting over a grilled fish...

"No, this is what I caught. I finally caught this one!"

"Don't think you are a divine bird and I have to give in to you. Do you know how to respect the elderly?"

'Chirp, chirp, chirp!'

"If we count by age, the bird is older than you, you should respect me!"

Xie Yuheng: “…”