Xu New Year exchanged thirty taels of silver notes for his cousin's belongings. He put the small jade mirror into his sleeve, walked out of the dungeon, and met Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao who had been waiting for them at the door.

Song Tingfeng said: "We have already arranged the documents for entering and leaving the imperial city. Since you have never been there, let the two of us lead the way."

I wish you a happy New Year and bow to express your gratitude.

Song Tingfeng waved his hand: "As long as you can save him, everything will be easy."

The three of them rode fast horses to the nearest entrance to the imperial city. Song Tingfeng took out the receipt from the watchman's office and entered the imperial city easily.

Along the way, I was constantly being questioned by the patrolling Jinwu Guards, and then the Habayashi Guards.

Finally, I arrived outside the palace city and was stopped again.

The book of the watchman's yamen can only go so far. Further inside, there is the palace city. Although the palace city is very large, it is nominally the emperor's home.

Xu Xinnian said: "I am a student of Yunlu Academy, and I am an old acquaintance of the eldest princess. If I have anything to ask, please let me know."

The eldest princess's experience of studying at Yunlu Academy was well known to everyone. The guards did not make things difficult and asked the three of them to wait before entering.

A quarter of an hour later, the guard returned and said, "Come with me."

He led the three people into the palace and warned: "Don't look around, don't talk nonsense, and pay attention to your words and deeds."

Xu Xinyin lowered his head slightly. Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao knew the rules well and walked quickly with their heads down.

Even if they enter the palace city, they can only walk on certain roads. If they go wrong, they will be questioned by the imperial guards and cannot produce the corresponding certificate, and the knife will come at their fingertips.

After walking for a long time, we finally arrived at the Moon Palace where the eldest princess lived. There were two palace ladies waiting in front of the red lacquer gate.

The palace maid bowed, and after Xu returned the New Year's gift, she led the three of them into the palace garden.

After passing through the corridor and the garden, Xu New Year and his party were taken to the elegant room where guests were received.

The beauty in palace attire sat on the table facing the door, holding a book in her hand and sipping tea, elegant and leisurely.

"Your Highness, the guests are here." The palace maid said, then turned and left.

Xu New Year bowed and said loudly: "Xu New Year from Yunlu Academy, I have met the eldest princess."

The eldest princess smiled slightly and said: "Why do you want to see me when you say goodbye?"

She did know Xu Xinnian. She used to study at Yunlu Academy and had met him several times. It wasn't until she sent someone to check on Xu Qi'an that day that she had a deeper impression of Xu Xinnian.

Farewell... Xu New Year was stunned for a moment. He was not surprised that the eldest princess remembered him. This princess was gifted and talented, had a photographic memory, and knew how to win over talents.

He was surprised that the eldest princess actually remembered his "word", but he never made a formal friendship with the eldest princess.

It was actually a bit rude for the eldest princess to call her that, but it undoubtedly brought the relationship between the two parties closer, which was very useful to Xu Xinnian.

Xu Xinyin was not a gas-efficient lamp, and his emotions settled quickly, and he said sincerely: "Cousin Cijiu is in great danger, please ask the eldest princess to come to the rescue."

The eldest princess paused for a moment, with surprise on her beautiful face, and said, "What happened?"

Xu New Year told the eldest princess about the matter, and Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao checked for any leaks and made up for them.

After saying that, Xu New Year bowed again: "My cousin does things impulsively, but he is sincere. If he didn't take action, the poor child would have been humiliated by Zhu Yinluo.

"Righteousness lies in not favoring power and disregarding its benefits. My cousin is not a scholar, but this Akagi makes us, the scholars, awe-inspiring."

The purpose of quoting classic sentences is to arouse the resonance of the eldest princess, who is also half a scholar.

The eldest princess pondered, and after a while, she said: "The result of Wei Gong's punishment?"

"Zhu Yinluo was dismissed from his position and will never be hired. My cousin... will be cut off in seven days." Xu Cijiu said in a deep voice.

The eldest princess was silent, her cold face making it impossible to see through her heart.

Xu New Year sighed inwardly, this princess was not a soft-hearted woman, she was very independent and even a little domineering at times.

Such people have their own ideas in doing things.

"This is a handwritten message from the teacher, Mubai Daru, and Youping Daru. Please help the eldest princess." Xu Cijiu planned to use his trump card.

He took out the handwriting signed by three great scholars from his sleeve.

"Bangdang..."

Along with the handwriting, there was also a small jade mirror.

Xu New Year calmly picked it up, put away the small mirror, and handed over the handwritten letter.

The eldest princess took it, opened the handwriting and read it, and said calmly: "I know, but the watchman's office belongs to the royal family, but only takes orders from my father. I can only do my best."

Xu New Year took a deep breath: "Thank you, Princess."

The palace maid saw off Xu New Year's party and his entourage. When they returned, the eldest princess ordered: "Send someone to the watchman's office to question Duke Wei and find out the conflict between Xu Qian'an, the bronze gong, and Zhu Chengzhu, the silver gong."

"Yes!" the palace maid took the order.

.....

After leaving the palace and the imperial city, Xu New Year said goodbye to the two gongs.

He rode on his horse and walked slowly towards the outer city, with sorrow condensed in his brows.

"We can't put all our chips on the eldest princess. She has agreed to this matter. I hope she will contribute some effort. We don't know yet."

"Father went to Si Tianjian. I wonder if those warlocks can save my elder brother..."

"I must go to high school next spring. I must climb higher and have more power, otherwise I won't be able to accomplish anything."

Xu New Year took off his water bag, moistened his dry lips, and touched the small jade mirror in his sleeve through his clothes.

It was almost dusk when we arrived at Dongcheng.

Dongcheng Health Hall is located in a slum, where people from the lowest level of the capital gather, including traffickers and thieves.

The residents he met along the way were wearing tattered winter clothes and had thin cheeks. They stared at him like hungry wolves staring at food.

But the Confucian shirt worn by Xu Xinyin kept these poor people who were on the edge of food and clothing awake.

The loess houses in this area are dilapidated and disorderly. There are garbage everywhere on the roadside, and there is a faint smell of feces and urine floating in the air.

It is obvious that flies are everywhere in summer.

A boy with a sallow complexion bravely came forward and stopped Xu New Year's horse.

"Master, please reward me with some money...I haven't eaten in seven days," the child said.

If you haven't eaten in seven days, you would have died a long time ago...Xu New Year subconsciously wanted to laugh at the other party, but he swallowed it back.

He pinched a piece of broken silver from his purse and threw it away.

This child has a sallow complexion and dull eyes. Seven days is an exaggeration, but it is true that he has not eaten for a long time.

Seeing this scene, the eyes of not only the children blocking the road lit up, but also the eyes of the surrounding poor people and children.

Sparkling with greed and desire.

Seven or eight children followed suit and surrounded the horse that promised the New Year, and the poor people quietly came closer.

"Master, please reward me with some money."

"I haven't eaten in ten days."

Sir, the children surrounded the horses and seemed to refuse to let them go without paying them.

Xu New Year's eyes were sharp and he forced away a man who was reaching for his money bag and shouted: "Quiet!"

The noise stopped immediately, and everyone consciously stopped talking.

"Get lost!" Xu Xinnian was so angry that he shouted again.

The children and adults surrounding the horses felt strong fear in their hearts, and their instinct prompted them to stay away from the horses and not dare to get close.

A Confucian scholar at the eighth level of self-cultivation can regulate the words and deeds of others and master the most superficial application of words and dharma.

Xu New Year shook his head helplessly, rode away from the area, and soon arrived at the Health Hall.

He got off his horse, fearing that the horse would be stolen outside, so he led the horse into the gate.

In the courtyard, an old official was cleaning the courtyard. He raised his old face and asked, "What does this young man do for you?"

Xu Xinyin asked: "Can there be a monk in the hall?"

The old official replied: "You are referring to Master Hengyuan... He has been gone for two days..."

Xu New Year frowned: "When will you come back?"

"I don't know. It's said that there is news about my junior brother and he will be away for a few days." The old official shook his head.

Xu New Year left the Yangshengtang disappointedly and left Dongcheng.

.....

In the evening, after dinner, the eldest princess summoned the chief of the bodyguard of the residence in the study. The chief of the bodyguard brought back the information collected by the watchman's yamen.

The eldest princess in gorgeous palace clothes stood by the window, leaving the guards with an infinitely beautiful back view.

She listened quietly and asked, "Does Xu Qi'an have any grudge against Zhu Yinluo?"

The captain of the guard shook his head: "I have inquired specifically, and the two of them should be strangers to each other. However, Yinluo did express his jealousy and disgust towards Tongluo Xu Qian in private."

"Have Mr. Cheng's family members been conspired to join the Jiaofang Department?" the eldest princess asked again.
To be continued...