Tranquility

Jin Yongfu was lying on the bed next door, with his head leaning against Tangning's side, half unconscious.

Tangning glanced at him with complicated eyes, then turned to prison boss Zhang and said, "Thank you prison boss for your flexibility, I don't know if prison boss has clean clothes?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry, Tang Ju. I'm familiar with this kind of thing. I'll be sure to deliver everything in a while," Zhang Baotou said attentively without waiting for Tangning to finish speaking.

"That's all thanks to Prisoner Zhang."

"Don't be polite, Tang Juren, this is what I should do."

Tangning watched Prisoner Zhang leave, then turned around and stared at Jin Yongfu for a while. He had lost a lot of weight these days, and his clothes were covered in blood. It seemed that he had suffered a lot.

Tangning sighed, poured a basin of water, twisted a handkerchief, squatted next to Jin Yongfu's head, and wiped his face through the fence.

Jin Yongfu woke up in a daze, felt the coolness on his face, stretched out his hand to grab it, but he couldn't help but grab a piece of wood. When he opened his eyes, he saw a white hand passing through the fence, and his tears fell. Down, more and more, and finally he grabbed the hand and wailed.

After seeing it for so many years, how could he not know that this hand is his hand, who else in the world can have such a clean hand like his.

"Zian, I'm the one who failed you!" Tears of guilt and remorse fell on Tangning's hands, scorching hot.

Tangning silently let him hold his hand, listening to him say over and over again: "I'm sorry!" "I'm sorry!"

Finally, Jin Yongfu's eyes were swollen again, and he fell into a coma.

When Jin Yongfu woke up again, he had already changed into clean clothes and applied medicine to his wounds. He stood up and looked at Tangning who was leaning on the opposite side reading a book. The window fell on him, reflecting a lazy style.

Tang Ning wasn't reading a book at all, and he couldn't read a book in such light. What he did most in prison was wandering around with a book in his hands. Soon he found that Jin Yongfu had woken up. He put down the book and walked to Jin Yongfu. Yongfu squatted down and touched his forehead.

"Fortunately, there is no fever, otherwise it will be troublesome."

"Zian..." Jin Yongfu said with difficulty, "I'm sorry for you."

"You're sorry for me, but after I got the test, I planned to report on you, didn't I expect that? Unfortunately, I was locked in anyway." Tangning's voice was cold, and it lacked the cordiality of the past.

"I didn't find you after the exam, so I knew it was over. Zhao Qian was looking for you like crazy. I was tormented every day, and finally I couldn't stand it. I told Zhao Qian that he went out to find you after a fight with me. He didn't come back, but fortunately, he wasn't there when the other people made trouble, and he wasn't caught. Zi'an, I..., I was obsessed with ghosts because I wanted to be a Jinshi and went crazy. I'm really sorry for doing such a thing. ..."

Tangning heard his confession impatiently, and asked directly, "How did you get the question?"

"Actually, I can't tell. Just three days before the exam, someone approached me and asked me if I wanted test questions. At that time, I thought I was going to pass the exam. I was so dazed that I bought it from him regardless of whether it was true or not. The test questions, a total of 2000 taels of silver, I won’t be able to do the questions, so after much deliberation, I still came to you.”

"You don't know who is selling your test questions?"

Jin Yongfu smiled wryly and said: "I really don't know. That man looked very ordinary and couldn't see the way. After he gave me the test questions, he disappeared. I wrote down the test questions and burned them."

"2000 taels..." Tangning suddenly thought that the Zhang family also used 2000 taels to redeem Niu Niu, and then he shook his head. There was not enough evidence, and he continued, "You are really willing."

"Hey, for the sake of fame, why don't you give up. Zi'an, you haven't suffered any grievances here these days, have you? After all, I'm the one who got you into trouble."

"I'm very good, much better than you, how did you get in?"

"Hey, it's a long story. I know what it's like to be a thief. Ever since those people made troubles, I haven't had a day of peace in my heart. Even if I'm caught one day, I got 20th in the second class. During these days, I have been studying the candidates on the list every day. According to the rankings in the provincial examination, there are more than [-] people who may have cheated. I knew I couldn't escape, so I came over and surrendered today, even though I said everything, I still got [-] boards." Jin Yongfu said with lingering fear.

Tang Ning felt a little wrong when she heard this. If Jin Yongfu said that only 20 people got the title, the scale is not that big. Even if there are fish that slip through the net, it will not exceed 40 people.Here we also need to exclude the various examiners, those in Gaopu, they don’t lack that little money, and they will never sell the test questions. Then who is selling the test questions? Those who can get the test questions are not short of money at all. Could it be that the subordinates sold them?2000 taels per person is a sky-high price for ordinary people, but for those people it is not enough to be worth fighting for.

Moreover, with such a small scale, it is reasonable that even if others have doubts, it will not be as big as it is now. What is there in the middle that he doesn't know.

Tangning was thinking about it, but Jin Yongfu said expectantly, "Zian, I saw Dali Siqing today. I was shocked at the time. He looks so much like you."

"Oh, there are some relatives between us. It's just a coincidence that we look so similar." Tangning's eyes flickered slightly. He didn't intend to disclose his relationship with Lin Qingyu. He didn't want his mother's reputation to be damaged after his mother's death. I always thought that my mother died of illness on the way, so my mother died of illness. As for how others guessed their relationship after seeing him and Lin Qingyu, that was someone else's business.

"But..." Tangning looked at Jin Yongfu's mouse eyes that were stretched hard, and raised the corners of his mouth imperceptibly, "You have also met Mr. Lin, he is cold, fair and honest, even if I have a relationship with him At the same time, he just took care of the cell boss to make me feel comfortable in the cell, otherwise, I would have been out of prison long ago, why would I have to stay for so long and meet you by the way?"

Jin Yongfu couldn't help shivering when he recalled the condensed aura of the person sitting in the high hall. Looking back, Tangning was leaning on the bed and reading a book, as if he didn't want to talk to him. He lowered his head and fell asleep after a while.

The next day, Tang Ning was released together with the rioters who were arrested. According to the officials who released them, the emperor's grace was so great that they didn't care about their riots, and they would not keep their records. This time the imperial examination It will be invalidated, and the general examination will be held again two months later, and the emperor will invigilate the examination in person.

Originally Tang Ning was very happy to hear this, and she didn't forget to ask the prison chief to take care of Jin Yongfu when he walked to the door, but before he finished speaking, the prisoner in green who was locked diagonally across from him suddenly caught up with him and stopped him.

"Master, thank you for taking care of my monkey these days. Now that I'm out of prison, it's time for me to take this monkey away."

Tangning didn't realize it for a moment, she was stunned for a moment, and was about to ask more questions, when she saw the gesture lightly whistled, Tangning felt her chest rubbing against her chest, and Xiao Hei reluctantly poked her head out.

The man stretched out his hand, whistled again, Xiao Hei chirped a few times, and jumped to the palm of the man.When Tangning came to her senses, Xiao Hei was already standing on the man's shoulder, bowing to Tang Ning aggrievedly. Tang Ning stared at him. He was the one who taught him how to do this. For this reason, he did not know how many salutes he had made to Xiao Hei. Big hair.

At this moment, there is something Tangning doesn't understand. No wonder there are black monkeys in the prison, which can only be found in the deep mountains and old forests of Kunnan. What kind of new owner, at best, is an employer, who hires a mini-assistant for a month.

Tangning suppressed the bitterness in her heart, and said without giving up, "Your brother, you don't have to be polite. I get along well with this monkey. I wonder if you can give up your love?"

"This..." The man was in a dilemma.

Tangning's face turned hot, "I'm being rude. Don't do to others what you don't want to do to me. I really shouldn't force others to make things difficult for me."

The man breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands, and left.

Xiao Hei was gone, and the joy of being able to retake the exam was gone. Tangning's heart was empty.Fortunately, as soon as he left the house, he saw Zhao Qian and Fu Jiayan standing on the street looking forward to it. Although they hadn't seen each other for more than twenty days, Tangning felt that it had been several years. At this time, she couldn't help feeling a little excited and strode forward. Greet the two of them.

The three of them exchanged excited greetings when they met, and walked towards the inn while talking, but they were stopped by a man who looked like a housekeeper after walking a few steps.

The visitor looked in his thirties, with a simple and honest face, but his eyes were shrewd. He looked at Tang Ning with excitement and joy. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "Master, the younger one is the housekeeper of the Lin family, named Lin Zhong. Knowing that the young master will be released from prison today, the master asked the young one to wait here to welcome the young master back home."

Tang Ning pondered for a moment, thinking that with his and his uncle's appearance, it was better to be open-minded than to avoid suspicion, so he also smiled and cupped his hands and said, "It turns out that it is Butler Lin. Since Mrs. Lin is kind, Zi'an is disrespectful. It's just that Zi'an The two friends are not from the capital city, so I wonder if we can borrow together?"

From several contacts with her uncle, Tang Ning has learned that Lin Qingyu and Concubine Degui are the only two left in the entire Lin family line. Of course, Concubine Degui's biological mother is still a concubine despite her imperial order. An old house in the south of the Yangtze River.Lin Qingyu was still unmarried and was alone. He was the only master in the huge Lin family, so Tangning asked the two friends to live together.

Sure enough, after Lin Zhong heard this, he agreed immediately without thinking about it.

At night, the moonlight was dim, in an exquisite attic of the imperial palace.

"Things really got serious, but this time things went too smoothly. Our family feels that there is another force secretly fueling the flames. I don't know if it's an enemy or a friend." Yu Yan, wearing a fifth-rank eunuch uniform, bowed his head and stood respectfully in the attic. outside the door.

"Hmph, things should have gone well. It's worth all my hard work and planning. Regardless of whether you participated in it or not, as long as it doesn't conflict with my purpose, don't bother with him."

Gao Run was dressed in snow-white underwear, which was slightly messy, with only a Taoist robe on the outside, and her jet-black hair covered her shoulders, reflecting a black luster under the dim moonlight.He was leaning against the door frame on the other side, as if he had no bones, his face was covered by his messy hair, he was obviously doing an indecent posture, but there was something special about it, which made Yu Yan, the eunuch, stunned for a moment when he saw it.

Yu Yan turned his face away and changed the subject, "Concubine Degui has long intended for the eldest prince to marry the Gao family, today she begged you to agree with the emperor, why didn't you agree?"

"I don't care if they want to collude with each other, as long as they don't drag my sister, she is only fifteen, although she is unruly and self-willed, she has no intentions. It is really not a good choice to marry the eldest prince. If the eldest prince gains power, she will have to fight. How could those people in the Gao family pull her a hand? My mother is already lingering on the sick bed, and my younger brother is out of tune. If she worries about her younger sister, how can her body bear it? Besides, I have seen through the Gao family now. My younger sister is defenseless in the dragon pool and tiger's lair, she is always my biological younger sister, how can I watch her follow in my footsteps."

Yu Yan glanced at Gao Run's violently heaving chest, and once again sighed inwardly, it's a pity that such a beautiful and extraordinary figure, was betrayed by his relatives, broke his wings abruptly, and had a sudden change in personality, but he still managed to maintain his character. The heart of a child is really pitiful and respectable. I feel sorry for him when I think about it. Compared with him, what I have suffered is really nothing.

It's just that he had a big change for the first time, he did things extreme, and he only wanted to vent, but it really didn't work. After thinking about it, Yu Yan persuaded him: "Concubine Degui has a deep mind, and she can give birth to the prince before she is not favored. Standing in the palace for nearly 20 years, her methods are not comparable to yours today. If she insists on marrying, she can still obtain the emperor's will without you, but it will take more effort. If you refuse like this, it will not only be useless but also erect. It is really unwise to defeat a great enemy."

Gao Run suddenly grabbed the skirt of his shirt and wrapped it tightly. He wanted to yell but suppressed it forcefully, and the words came to his throat but slowly squeezed out: "I will never let them do what they want, even if it is useless, I will make things difficult for them. Don't make it easier for them!"

Yu Yan frowned and sighed deeply. He also intervened in the imperial examinations, persuading the emperor to ask questions, secretly helping the examiners to pass notes, and what's the use of pushing the examiners to make trouble? It's hindering his mother, Gao Pu came to ask for test questions You have to give it, even if something happens, those candidates will never confess to Gao Pu.At most, this fraud in the imperial examination was to make the examiner suffer. Although it disrupted Gao Pu's plan, it couldn't hurt him at all.Besides, Gao Pu can't recruit talents in this department. Could it be that he can't get off the department?But sooner or later.

But Yu Yan also knew, and Gao Run himself understood these reasons, but he felt uncomfortable, and if he didn't do something, he might be driven crazy.Besides, his mother and younger siblings are still in the Gao family, and if the Gao family collapses, they will not be able to fall. Perhaps it is for this reason that Gao Run will do it knowing that it will not succeed?If Gao Pu can really be defeated, he will hesitate instead.

Yu Yan understood Gao Run's contradictions and pains. On the one hand, he hated the Gao family, but on the other hand, he had to be controlled by the Gao family because of his mother.There is nothing he can do about Gao Run's situation, he can only do his best to comfort him, accompany him, and help him get through this difficult time.

A few days later, Zhongcui Palace.

"Oh? It seems that Tangning, who lives in the Lin Mansion, is really my sister's child. Unexpectedly, my sister escaped." Concubine De Gui slowly cut off the fingernail that had just been broken, without any disturbance in her words.

"That's right, he participated in this year's Spring Festival, participated in troubles, was released just now, and is waiting for an examination in the Lin Mansion. Moreover, he is quite talented, his painting skills are superb, and he is well-known in the literary world. Madam, look, this is his painting ” Beside her, Nanny Qian took out a small roll of oilcloth from her sleeve.

Concubine De Gui didn't move at all, she glanced sideways, "It's really good, it's indeed her child, good-looking, talented, good-natured, so perfect."

Concubine Degui's voice became softer as she spoke, she seemed to be talking to herself, the words were obviously compliments, but they were filled with a sense of coldness.Suddenly, she put down the scissors, sat up straight, and Qian Momo consciously stepped forward.

Concubine Degui leaned into her ear and said slowly: "No matter how many officials I win over, no matter how they write a letter or remonstrate, as long as the emperor doesn't want to make Su'er the crown prince, it will be useless. In the end, the crown prince's decision-making power rests with the emperor. We have to have someone who can speak in front of the emperor, the more important the better. Yu Yan is not slippery, Gao Run is disobedient, they are not our people after all. Tangning is another Gao Run, who is a juren , is stunning, the emperor can like Gao Run, how could he not like Tangning?"

Qian Momo's eyes flashed brightly, "Your Majesty is brilliant, but how do you get Tangning to enter the palace, and how do you get the Emperor to catch him in the first place? I don't know if Tangning will listen to your Majesty's words."

"If Tangning really looks exactly like my brother, then no matter what other people guess, it will always be my nephew. It is always okay for me to invite my nephew to the palace to draw a portrait of me. At the beginning, the emperor fell in love with my brother at first sight. But he didn't succeed. As a man, the more you can't get it, the more precious it is. As long as the emperor sees Tangning, he will definitely take a fancy to him. As for whether he is obedient or not, when he enters the palace, he will always rely on my aunt , Besides, no matter what he thinks, in the eyes of others, we are together, so he can't help but not listen."

Qian Momo complimented with a smile, "Young lady is still smart, this method is absolutely perfect, when Tang Ning charms the emperor, our eldest prince will be the prince if he wants to, and we can marry whoever he wants."

Concubine Degui smiled slightly: "This matter has to be done quickly. Fortunately, he is a Juren and has not yet become an official. It will not work until he is admitted to Jinshi."

"Yes, the old slave will do it now."