Placid Chang'an

The date of returning to Beijing was fixed the next day, and they drove back to Beijing when the new governor of Yangzhou took office.

I don't know how Li Shi did it. Lin Zongqing didn't struggle or resist after receiving the imperial edict, so he closed the private school and packed his bags to go to his post.

On the day Lin Zongqing arrived in Yangzhou, Su Cen went to greet Lin Zongqing outside the city gate early in the morning. Only at noon did he see an ox cart coming from the south. The big box is full of books.

Su Cen saluted the man earnestly, called the teacher, and greeted him from the bullock cart and put him into a soft sedan beside him.

First, he went to the government office to hand over the official seal, and then went to the house that Su Cen had prepared early to unload these several boxes of books.Knowing that the teacher doesn't like to be noisy, Su Cen specially chose a secluded house, with a small courtyard in and out, neatly tidy, not luxurious, but not out of the ordinary.There is also a pergola made of grape trellises in the yard, which is a good place to enjoy the cool and avoid the heat in summer.

Now that Lin Zongqing is the governor of Yangzhou, there are not a few people who send the house to the people. Knowing that the teacher doesn't like to negotiate with these people, Su Cen has already made preparations and cut off those people's thoughts.

The Dust Cleaning Banquet was originally planned to be held in Su's house, but considering that there was a master in the family, the relationship between the two was not so harmonious, so Su Cen simply brought the cook over directly, with the characteristic Yangzhou cuisine, and the master and apprentice set up a table in the room , It can be considered to catch up with the wind, and it can also be regarded as reminiscing about the old days.

Mostly Su Cen was talking about what he had done in Beijing this year. When talking about the case of the Gongyuan, Su Cen suddenly thought that the teacher and the former minister of Dali Temple, Chen Guanglu and Mr. Chen, were officials in the same court, and then the two became officials one after another. Busy asked if there is any origin.

Lin Zongqing shook his head, "He works in Dali Temple, and I work in the Imperial Academy. We rarely meet each other, and we don't have much friendship with each other."

Su Cen sighed, and just about to reveal it, Lin Zongqing said again: "But I heard that he didn't all go to office at the beginning, it seems that a certain case he took over at that time offended the late emperor, and he was actually exiled from Beijing. "

"Relegated?" Su Cen was taken aback, "But there is no record of Mr. Chen being relegated in the official document, even Mr. Chen's own student, Mr. Zhang Jun, the current Minister of Dali Temple, thought Mr. Chen left his official position. .”

Lin Zongqing shook her head, "There are a few things about the royal family that can be clarified."

Su Cen lowered his head and thought silently, the last case Mr. Chen took over should be the case of Tian Ping and the case of Lu Xiaoliu's disappearance in Lujiazhuang that only appeared in "Chen's Criminal Law". The reason why these two cases are linked together is because In both cases, records were deliberately destroyed.But from the beginning to the end, neither of these two cases could be connected with the royal family. How could Chen Guanglu be relegated because of these two cases?

Lin Zongqing asked what happened?

Su Cen smiled, she just said that she had admiration for the No. 1 criminal law of the current dynasty when transcribing the files, and wanted to see the true face.Briefly mention it, then continue the previous topic, and continue to talk about what I saw and heard in Beijing.

It's just that whenever Li Shi is involved, he changes his mouth to "that noble man".

Old man Lin couldn't hide this little trick, so he took a few sips of wine and said directly: "That noble man is Li Shi, right?"

Nowadays, the teacher is the only one who dares to call Prince Ning by his name directly.

Back then when the Beiliang King's case was raging, Su Cen naturally knew that he couldn't hide it, so he readily admitted, "Yes."

Lin Zongqing drank the wine in the glass, put the glass heavily, and said, "Stay away from him in the future."

Su Cen thought to himself that the teacher still hated their previous grievances, picked up the jug and filled it up for Lin Zongqing, the autumn dew was attracted by the morning dew, the color was pure and the smell was pure, and he smiled and asked, "Why?"

He knew that there were quite a few bitter Confucians in the court who could not understand Li Shi holding great power, and felt that he had corrupted the court, but Li Shi's dictatorship is dictatorship, and hegemony is hegemony, but what he does is for the country and the people, like this time Yangzhou's salt affairs, if Li Shi hadn't insisted on investigating and dealing with it, I don't know when the people of Yangzhou will be able to eat salt.Originally, I thought that the teacher would put on airs and tell him the principles of being a king, a sage, a minister, and abiding by the way of heaven, but Lin Zongqing shook his head, "He will harm you."

Su Cen was slightly taken aback, then turned his head and smiled, "Prince Ning has a high position and authority. If he wanted my life, he could have taken it as soon as I entered Beijing, so why would he keep me until now? Teacher, if you are worried that His Majesty will treat me after he takes office Unfavorable, but in my opinion, the prince has no intention of forbidding authority, but now that your majesty is still young, it is easy to be influenced by traitors, and the prince has just helped your majesty take power, and your majesty is wise, and you must be able to think clearly."

Su Cen picked up the chopsticks on the plate a few times, but he never put it in his mouth. He said softly, "If it's really reached that point, I won't be in love with power. At worst, I will retreat from Beijing and make a place like Feng Yiming. The officer is also very good."

"You have arranged yourself clearly." Lin Zongqing held up his wine glass noncommittally, "I believe that you can survive alone in the chaotic court situation, but you have to know that if you kill people and kill your heart, if your heart is dead, it will be useless for you to hide anywhere. "

Su Cen was taken aback, then put down his wine glass, lowered his head and said silently, "I never thought that far."

"He has a prosperous world in his heart. I just want to try my best to help him complete it. I also know that I may not be able to make it to the end, but I am satisfied if I can walk with him for a while. I know that I can be a small official in Dali Temple. If you don’t get involved in government affairs, and have nothing to do with him, you may be able to keep your life safe and serve as an official, but... But when I think about it, I feel pain in my heart, like a missing piece. I have never seen him in my life. No matter what kind of world you live in, you only have Chang’an City in your heart, and it’s good to look at it if you can’t touch it.”

After a long silence, it was finally Lin Zongqing who sighed, held a cup and touched the cup on Su Cen's table lightly, "Come, have a drink."

That day, Su Cen and Lin Zhongqing drank until midnight before being picked up by the servants from home. They were already so drunk that they almost slipped out of the soft sedan chair.

When they arrived at the Su residence, Su Lan waved her hands with a look of disgust, and directed the servants to drag him back into the room, but she didn't know when the master of the family appeared behind her, and she didn't care that Su Cen was smelling of alcohol, and stopped him by the waist. Hug and take away.

Su Lan froze on the spot, and didn't come back to her senses for a while.

Li Shi knew that this man liked to act like a monster when he was drunk, at first he hugged his neck and did not let go, then he kicked the quilt to make a fuss, finally comforted Li Shi and stood up, but someone grabbed his sleeve suddenly.

Those eyes were as cool as water, looking at him without blinking, and asked, "Will you harm me?"

For a moment Li Shi was not sure whether this person was really drunk or pretended to be drunk.

But after a while, Su Cen let go, muttered something, tilted his head and fell asleep.

Li Shi tucked up the corners of the quilt for the person, stroking the side of the person's face lightly with his fingertips, noncommittal.

The time of the child is about to pass, because it is the beginning of the month, the half-curved moon has disappeared, and the whole courtyard is dark.

I don't know how long it took, there were two rustling sounds from outside the flower wall, and I almost missed it if I didn't listen carefully.

A frail figure immediately turned out from behind the flower wall, and quickly grabbed the man's sleeve.

The man's complexion was still pale, but he smiled like the first snow after Ji Hou: "Brother Qi, it's really you who guards outside my courtyard every night."

Qi Lin frowned almost imperceptibly, and said coldly, "Let go."

Qu Ling'er's smile froze on her face, she moved her fingers, but relying on the fact that this person would not do anything to his wounded one, she grabbed Qi Lin's sleeve tightly and continued to laugh: "Since Brother Qi Come here, why don't you go to the room to see me?"

Qi Lin said coldly, "I'm passing by."

"Where is Brother Qi going to pass by my side courtyard? The prince is in the main courtyard, and Brother Su is in the east wing. Even the elder brother of the Su family is in the completely opposite direction." Qu Ling'er lowered her head, "I want you to admit it." Is it so difficult to come to see me?"

Seeing that people finally stopped arguing, Qu Ling'er smiled flatteringly: "Come and sit in my room, please? I've made some hot tea to warm Brother Qi."

"I'm not cold."

"But I'm cold." Qu Ling'er lowered her head and coughed softly, "I've been waiting here for most of the night, and I'm almost freezing."

The doctor said back then that his sword had injured his lungs, and he must not catch the wind and cold again before the injury heals, otherwise his life may be in danger.

Qi Lin frowned, took off his outer robe and draped it over his shoulders.

Qu Ling'er's heart warmed up, and just when she raised her head, she heard Qi Lin say: "Go back, you don't have to wait any longer, I won't come again."

Qu Ling'er froze on the spot, drooping her hands, only feeling that her body was suddenly very cold.

"Brother Qi, are you still blaming me for letting Han Shu go?"

Seeing Qi Lin standing there unmoved, Qu Ling'er couldn't help but took a step back with a wry smile, "I came from a secret family, after all, I'm the one who got the upper hand."

"I...cough, cough, cough," Qu Ling'er gathered her clothes, her two shoulder blades were obvious due to the sudden cough, "Brother Su told me today that he wants me to stay in Yangzhou to recuperate, so I might not follow you back to Chang'an gone."

Qi Lin froze slightly.

It's just that the night was dark, Qu Ling'er turned around by herself, and walked back step by step.

His already thin body became more slender because of a serious illness, like a broken butterfly wing dissipating in the cold wind.Qu Ling'er walked very slowly, every step seemed to be waiting for something, but until finally he walked into the room and closed the door, he didn't hear the words to persuade her to stay.