Nie's Mansion and Chang's Mansion are only an alley away from the Governor's Mansion. They were deliberately chosen by Chu Nanzhi in order to accommodate the two mistresses. They are right next to each other, so it is convenient for them to come and visit.
Looking at the quiet Nie Mansion and Chang Mansion hung with white flags, Chu Nanzhi slowly stepped into the door of Chang Mansion with hesitation.
Upon learning that the Queen was coming, the guards on guard cleared away the guests who came to express their condolences early. At this time, except for a few little ones, all the people in the mansion were servants arranged by Tang Weiming.
From a long distance away, Chu Nanzhi felt indescribably uncomfortable when she saw the little ones kneeling in the mourning hall and the dark coffin.
With her peripheral vision squinting at the kneeling servants around her, she stepped into the hall step by step, and her mind could not help but recall Chang Lao's voice and smile during his lifetime.
The old man and Lin Jinxiao had the same affection as father and son, but so far she has not dared to tell the pretty boy the news of his death. She really doesn't know how to tell him the news.
"Aniang."
While she was still in a daze, the calls of the babies came in unison, immediately interrupting her thoughts.
Dabaolin Ruiwen choked with sobs and hugged Chu Nanzhi who came forward, and said with hazy eyes: "Auntie, Grandpa Chang can no longer teach us swordsmanship in the future."
Shen Yunqing also kept sobbing, and his eyes were filled with tears.
Among these children, the one who is most grateful to Chang Lao is naturally this little guy.
What an honor it must be for a bastard from a merchant family to be favored by Chang Lao.
Gritting his teeth firmly, Shen Yunqing bowed his head and worshiped with a pious look on his face: "Please Master, please avenge Grandpa Chang."
Hearing the cries in the mourning hall, Ji Huazhen was also helped out by the maids.
Seeing the old lady with red and swollen eyes, chapped lips, and haggard appearance, Chu Nanzhi could no longer hold back the hot tears in her eyes and couldn't stop them from flowing out. She knelt down and shook her head and said: "Master, it's all me.
I harmed my mentor."
"Da Zhi, get up quickly. How can I blame you for this?"
Ji Huazhen coughed several times and hurriedly came over to help her sick body.
But her shaky body seemed to have no strength at all, and she almost fell down with a little effort.
Chu Nanzhi hurriedly supported her, choking and sighing: "If I hadn't asked the second elder to preside over the reform of Langzhou's official system, my mentor would not have suffered this disaster."
"He has always wanted to be a court in his heart all his life. It would be the most gratifying thing for him if he could realize this wish before returning to seclusion."
Ji Huazhen, who has known Chang Yanjue for decades, knows his temperament best. Even if the girl doesn't ask for such a major event that affects the rise and fall of the imperial court, he will happily go there.
He had always been brooding over the death of the former prince, and now that he had finally expected his student to ascend the throne, how could he not do his best to stabilize the government and preserve the empire for him?
"Your labor has not yet reached full term. At this time, you should stay at home and recuperate. You should not go out to catch the cold."
When Ji Huazhen heard the bad news that this girl had been born prematurely, she felt doubly uncomfortable.
Looking at the mother and son who were crying sadly, Ji Huazhen suppressed the pain in her heart and wiped the tears from the corners of their eyes one by one with a handkerchief, and tried to persuade them: "Stop crying, you sir, you have lost your heart."
They are all broken, but at this time we all have to cheer up, Da Zhi, you have to take good care of your body. Only by taking good care of your body and bones can you fulfill your husband's last wish."
Thinking that the old man has been so excited these days that he can't sleep because of the reform of the official system, it shows that he attaches great importance to this matter.
Since there are people who are deliberately obstructing him, the current plan must be to vigorously promote his last wish and never let these people behind it be satisfied.
"Teacher, please keep your body tight, and please rest assured, the student will definitely find out the real culprit behind the scenes and avenge his teacher."
Staring firmly at the coffin in front of him, Chu Nanzhi tried to adjust his emotions and solemnly swore: "The student will never let down his teacher's painstaking efforts and must reorganize the official system of Langzhou."
Ji Huazhen gritted her teeth, nodded heavily, and then told the little treasures: "Ruiwen, you two should help your mother go back to the house to rest. Grandma will be fine, and she will live well.
The murderer who murdered your Grandpa Chang is waiting at your house to be brought to justice."
Having said that, I couldn't bear to look at the mother and son and the cold coffin anymore, so I turned around and headed towards the inner courtyard.
Watching his wife leave, Chu Nanzhi quietly offered incense to Chang Lao. Thinking about the unsolved case, he led the little treasures to the Nie Mansion next door.
After not seeing him for more than half a month, when I saw Nie Huaian again, he had become much thinner and lifeless, as if he had lost the liveliness of the past.
He led the mother and son to the hall and took their seats. Nie Huaian looked at the haggard Chu Nanzhi and said with some worry: "Da Zhi, Mr. Chang passed away suddenly. Although I know that you are heartbroken, I don't want to
Too worried, Governor Tan and Li Sanmu are already doing their best to investigate thoroughly, and I think it won't take long to find the real culprit."
But at this point, Nie Huaian couldn't help but sigh: "He and I have been incompatible since we were children. We have always been at odds with each other, and neither of us wants to fall behind. I never thought that he would eventually leave me first.
"
Thinking that he would no longer have this old enemy to talk and laugh with, he felt lonely in his heart. Even though so long had passed, he was still depressed at this time.
"Teacher, don't worry about my health. I'm almost in good health now. The two elders and Your Majesty share the same love as father and son. Mr. Chang has suffered an unjust injustice. So far, the student has not dared to report this matter to Your Majesty. If I can't clear things up for Mr. Chang, the student
I’m afraid it’s hard to feel at ease.”
Recalling the documents he had reviewed these days and the details reported by Li Sanmu and Tingwei Shi, Chu Nanzhi shook his head blankly and said: "But so far, Tingwei Shi and Li Sanmu have made no progress, leaving Chang Lao's coffin stranded here.
The students really can’t bear it.”
He ordered the little treasures to visit the sick Cui in the inner room. When only the master and the apprentice were left in the hall, Chu Nanzhi expressed his concerns: "Students know very little about Langzhou.
Before Chang Lao was assassinated, he was going to the outskirts of the city to pay a visit to the famous Mr. Gu. I wonder what his background is?"
"To say that this Gu Lei is indeed a man of some character. He is well-known throughout Langzhou and is a very important figure."
Nie Huaian frowned and nodded: "If you want to reform the official system, it would be a safe way to have him take charge of the overall situation."
Staring deeply at Chu Nanzhi, he continued: "Da Zhi, you also know that Langzhou is different from other places, and this reform of the official system is a feat that can be traced back to the ancestors. It cannot be careless."
"In this case, the student would like to go and pay homage to this great scholar in person."
Chu Nanzhi nodded thoughtfully, and had some ideas in mind to find out the clues.
Since the murderers behind the scenes kept things so secretive, and if they really wanted to hinder the reform of the official system by assassinating Chang Lao, then the best way at the moment is to go with the flow and pursue the matter resolutely to the end, which will definitely lead to the murderer showing up again.