The loyal minister was forced to marry the traitor

This Lord Wen bowed his head and remained silent.

Bai Yan asked patiently, "Don't want to say?" He was just threatening before, but now he didn't want to get entangled because of the other party's reaction. He exchanged glances with Xiao Jiuqin, and the two walked down the mountain.

After walking a few feet away, that Wen Daren seemed to have come to his senses, and hurriedly followed them.

"What does Mr. Wen mean?" Xiao Jiuqin looked at him with a grim expression.

"Master Hou, please move."

Half an hour later, Bai Yan and Xiao Jiuqin were sitting in the flower hall of the Wen Mansion with crude teacups in their hands. Looking at the surrounding layout and what they saw along the way, it was inevitable that they would be surprised.

"Master Hou, my lord, you two have also seen that the Suiyang Mansion looks like this now. The garrison is not because I don't want to dispatch it, but because I really can't afford it."

These words sounded ridiculous, but Bai Yan and Xiao Jiuqin remained silent.

It was such a big mansion with very few servants. When I walked over just now, I saw Mrs. Wen sitting in the pavilion sewing clothes.Not only that, but the entire city of Suiyang Prefecture was too bleak, with vendors hawking one after another, but very few people stopped.

"If I remember correctly, Suiyang Mansion's taxes have been lowered and lowered over the years. The Ministry of Households allocated money and food last year, and the seeds of the spring are also traded at [-]% below the market price. How about now..."

"It is true that taxes have been reduced and reduced, but what if the harvest is not enough for the people to feed themselves?" Mr. Wen just looked taller, his eye sockets were sunken, and he looked really tired when he looked closely.

"In the past two years, the climate has changed, either drought or flood, and not even [-]% of the money and food allocated by the household department have actually reached the hands of the people. As for the seeds, most of them are moldy. How can such a good crop be grown? "

Master Wen also came from a poor family, he was a late bloomer, if Wei Chengtan hadn't helped him, he would still be a minor official in the Ministry of Industry.

Speaking of this, the first time Wei Chengdan argued for him in the court was for him, but Wei Chengdan's words didn't have much weight, it was Taishi Yun who spoke for him.

"The household was exploited, and the seeds were exchanged for inferior products. Have you ever played?" Xiao Jiuqin didn't know the twists and turns inside, and Bai Yan sighed, "Although Mr. Wen is the magistrate, if someone deliberately tries to embarrass him, he won't. It's difficult."

"Your Excellency's words are very true." His Excellency Wen refilled the tea for the two of them himself. "I haven't even delivered a single copy of the memorial I wrote to His Majesty's case." obvious.

"Then you dragged your heels to go to Suiyang Mountain because you were afraid that I would also be a bloodsucker from Yingdu?" Bai Yan asked.

Mr. Wen was a little embarrassed, "In the past two years, imperial envoys have come here many times, and every time..." He blushed, "Before the Marquis sent someone to dispatch the garrison, the lower officials felt guilty, so they perfunctory a few times... "He was about to kneel down to plead guilty, but Xiao Jiuqin stopped him.

Mr. Wen seems to be a high-ranking official, but he has no support behind him, and the only one who supported him, Wei Chengtan, has been away from the palace for many years, not to mention that others made things difficult for him because of this reason.

In the end, Wei Chengtan was kind to him, but he also made him a lot of enemies, especially Wei Chengfeng, a narrow-minded person, tried to demote him several times and find someone else to replace him.

However, Mr. Wen is an upright person, except for the inappropriate but secretive thing about the garrison, there is nothing to criticize in other places.It was also difficult for Wei Chengfeng to find an opportunity to frame him.

Now that we have reached this point, Bai Yan has nothing to understand.

This Mr. Wen is also in shackles everywhere. He hasn't learned much about intrigues and tricks in the past few years. If it were someone else this time, he would probably be in trouble.Thinking of the short confrontation between the two in Suiyang Mountain, Bai Yan was helpless.

In the beginning, he only relied on a few words from others, and Mr. Wen's own incoherent words, he was really suspicious, and at one time thought that this person was uneasy and kind.

Unexpectedly, it turns out that honest people don't lie.

"It's better for the garrison of Suiyang Mansion to withdraw as soon as possible." Having said that, Bai Yan also sincerely planned for Mr. Wen, "Although you kept it a secret for a while, it will show your feet after a long time. You just can’t speak clearly with ten mouths.”

"Your Excellency's words are reasonable." Master Wen wanted to salute again, but was stopped. He was originally tall, but his back was slightly stooped. Bai Yan's eyes were dim, and Xiao Jiuqin squeezed his hand calmly. The men exchanged glances briefly.

"In addition, I have to ask, why did the prefect of the neighboring government help you?"

"This……"

"Is it convenient to say?" Bai Yan was a little embarrassed seeing him.

Master Wen shook his head, "It's not embarrassing, but... even I don't know." He laughed at himself,

"At the beginning, I was worried about what to do with the food and grass for the garrison. Someone from the neighboring house came to borrow troops, which just solved my urgent need. Until now, the people around the city are still struggling to pay taxes. Open your mouth, I don't need to bother, so..."

Having said that, he lowered his head again, the upright man felt embarrassed.

Bai Yan remained silent.

He didn't know what to say.

Did Master Wen do something wrong?According to the law of Daliang, this is the case, but after thinking about it again, it is impossible to blame him completely.

"Then have you ever thought that if someone took the opportunity to accuse you of colluding with the prefect of a neighboring prefecture, or, because of your little connection with the Second Highness, the troubles would be impeached for nothing to impeach the Second Highness for secretly colluding with local officials and recruiting officers and soldiers... ..." When Xiao Jiuqin said this, Mrs. Wen's face changed suddenly.

He raised his head hastily, "It's all the responsibility of the lower official alone, and has nothing to do with the Second Highness!"

Xiao Jiuqin pointed out the key point in one sentence, and Bai Yan thought of it with him, "You must be aware of the current situation in Yingdu. No matter how big or small the matter is, once someone gets caught, it will be a catastrophe."

"Although these words are somewhat realistic, it is necessary to be on the guard against others, and other people more or less know about your involvement with the Second Highness. Whether you like it or not, you have already been stamped with the Second Prince's mark. No matter who Did you do it or not, as long as you are about to make a mistake, he will be the one who will be unlucky."

Normally, Bai Yan wouldn't say this much, but Mr. Wen is too upright, too simple and harmless, and having such a temperament is a taboo in the court.

No one will treat you well because they see you as an honest person. On the contrary, there will be more and more people who stare at you and stab you with knives.

"Understood." Lord Wen looked over gratefully.

Bai Yan shook his head, "The most urgent thing is to withdraw the garrison as soon as possible, and then discuss with the prefect of the neighboring prefecture to suppress this matter, and the mining of Suiyang Mountain cannot be delayed."

"Yes." Lord Wen immediately responded.

Bai Yan saw the sweat coming out of his temples, and finally opened his mouth to take another nosy business, "As for the food and grass needed by the garrison, I'll take care of it."

If it was said that Mr. Wen still had a shadow between his brows, then it suddenly became clear at this moment, "My lord's kindness can never be repaid. If there is a place for me to be lowered in the future, I will definitely go through fire and water and die."

Bai Yan shook his head, "There's no need to do this, it's not just helping you out."

Now he politely declined, but he never expected that one day, it would be really useful for Mr. Wen.

The officers and soldiers at Suiyang Mountain were dealing with it. After dusk, Bai Yan, Xiao Jiuqin and Mrs. Wen and Mrs. Wen's family had a simple meal, and then the two young masters of the house led them to the wing room.

Wen's mansion is really too poor. Mrs. Wen sewed clothes for the family herself before, and the two young masters and the young lady in the house even wore simple clothes, but the half-year-old boy was very polite.

"My lord, the furnishing in the house is rough, looking at the sea." However, the boy of fourteen or fifteen years old, his words and deeds are quite like his father's shadow.

Bai Yan had a good impression of the two teenagers, and told them to leave after talking for a while.

When the room was quiet again, Xiao Jiuqin poured him a cup of tea, "You are not afraid of getting in trouble. Although Mr. Wen is upright, his actions are somewhat pedantic. Can you help him till now, and what about in the future?"

"Don't worry about the future, I only look at the present." Bai Yan drank the tea in his cup, "You have seen it too, the various forces in the court and China are secretly wrestling, and there are a few who are willing to serve the country and the people, like Mr. Wen, although It’s easy to be unpopular, but it’s better than being ill-intentioned.”

"A man who is full of talent and virtue is called a sage, a man with both talent and virtue is called a fool, a man with virtue and virtue is called a gentleman, and a man with talent and virtue is called a villain." Bai Yan looked at his fingers, and even Lord Sima said, "The country has A rebellious minister, with a prodigal son in his family, has more than enough talent but not enough virtue, instead of expecting smart people without virtue to do good things, it is better to place hope on a righteous person like Mr. Wen."

Xiao Jiuqin looked at his side face, and sighed after a long time, "If the people in Yingdu who call you a traitor hear these words, they will turn pale with shock."

Bai Yan laughed after hearing this, "You don't understand, if they hear it, they will only say that I am trying to gain fame and pretend to be seen by others."

It's funny to say, it's not that he didn't care what others think of him before, but now it's different, no matter how others scold him, he doesn't think it's so important.

"Say that Mr. Wen is stupid, and I don't think you are very smart." Xiao Jiuqin leaned closer and pinched his cheek, then leaned closer and kissed his lips, "Everything you do now, which one Is it for personal gain? In my opinion, it’s all about taking care of the mess, and I don’t know how many people will thank you in the end.”

"It doesn't matter whether others are grateful or not. I only do what I think is right. Fame is a thing that is brought to life or not. "

As he said that, he smiled, "Don't think that I'm a villain, that's enough."

Xiao Jiuqin was startled, unable to speak for a while, this kind of Bai Yan was too real, enough to grab his heart and stir it vigorously.

"I know." He squeezed Bai Yan's chin, "I have always known what kind of person you are, and I was not firm before, but in the end I chose to believe in you, because I know that in this life, there may never be a better person than you. You're a better person."

There is only one Bai Yan, and the person in his heart can only be Bai Yan.

"You..." Bai Yan's earlobe turned red, "Don't say such things, it's weird," he was a little embarrassed, "I'm not as good as you said, an ordinary person, where is the best... "

Xiao Jiuqin didn't continue talking, but pinched his chin and kissed him hard. He thought to himself, it's enough for me to know how good you are.

"Hmm." Bai Yan fell backwards, but was grabbed by the waist by this man, and his lips and tongue invaded bit by bit.

"Let's get married earlier..."