"The two of them got into a fight, and they got together day and night after the war. Later, your second uncle was transferred from Nanchang, and he swore that he would redeem her life when he came back. But you know what our men say..."
The uncle sighed with a complicated expression, obviously he had done such unethical things back then.
Moreover, with the appearance of the uncle, the number of crimes committed was at least ten times that of the second uncle. No wonder he was so active in bringing the two together, in order to reduce his own guilt.
"By the way, why does Old A Fang call his second uncle Zhang Lang? He calls his uncle Zhang Brother. Do you tell others that your surname is Zhang?" Lao Liu asked again.
"That's right. We can't smear your mother-in-law." The uncle nodded and imparted his experience: "In the future, if you go out to play, you must hide your identity."
"Well, whatever bad things I do, I always do it in the name of Lao Qi." Lao Liu nodded.
"That won't work either." The uncle smiled bitterly and said, "It's better to change your last name."
"Okay." Lao Liu followed Shan Ruliu and said, "Then my surname is Zhang. Zhang Gong Zhang is a common surname, so it is the least noticeable."
"No, ours is Li Zaozhang." The uncle shook his head.
"Does it mean that you are determined to get up early?" Lao Liu asked.
"No. In fact, it is a determination..." The uncle shook his head, feeling a little embarrassed to speak, so he changed the subject and whispered: "The one who is following is gone."
He has rich experience in the world of martial arts and knows that the more secretive and cautious he is at this time, the easier it is for the other party to become suspicious. Therefore, he has always been generous and swaggering through the market. As long as the stalker wants to stalk, he will definitely be able to stalk him.
"Did they withdraw?" Lao Liu asked softly.
"No, we stayed in Chunfang Pavilion." The uncle shook his head slightly and said: "It should be just a follower, and he has nothing to do. But this also shows that we did not attract their attention, and we were just a routine follower."
"That's ridiculous. Everyone who visits Zeng Tai will be followed. How guilty must those people be?" Lao Liu said solemnly.
"There is a ghost in my heart, and it's a big ghost." The uncle nodded.
~~
While talking, the two of them came to Nanchang City's most prosperous Toad Street.
As the name suggests, this is a place where Nanchang people sell toads and eat toads. Fortunately, it is the first month of the year. If they had come two months later, the streets would have been full of croaking toads.
This street is also called Fuhou Street, which is the street where the back gate of Nanchang Fuyamen is located. In addition to toad shops, this street is also dotted with teahouses, restaurants, bathhouses, inns and other service industries.
The inn was used by people from all over the Nanchang Prefecture who were involved in lawsuits or who came to the magistrate's Yamen to intercede and handle matters.
After you settle in, you have to find people to litigate, inquire about information, give gifts, intercede, and bargain. So where can you find these people? The waiter at the inn will tell you, guest, don't worry, go next door to make a pot of tea and have a meal.
Take a shower and you will naturally find the person you need.
Because in those teahouses, restaurants, and bathhouses, there are litigators who litigate for people all day long, brokers who help people find relationships, 'scries' who help people write documents, and local snakes who work for people. These idle people are relying on
This is for eating.
These matters are often dark and dark, and cannot be brought to the fore. Therefore, they cannot be put on Yaqian Street where there is a statement and Jingshan Er Pavilion on behalf of the imperial court. Instead, they are all set up in the back streets. This is the so-called "back door".
My uncle knew that this kind of place was the best informed, so he booked him to stay at Tongfu Inn on Toad Street.
They and their group of about thirty people occupied a cross-yard. The guards lived in the side room and the side room. There were three main rooms, one for the uncle and the second uncle, and one for Lao Liu and Liu Li. They were full of people.
Hu Quan was originally a little worried that His Highness, who was used to ostentation, would find the arrangement too cramped. However, Lao Liu was at ease. The biggest advantage of their brothers was that they were not picky. After all, this condition was comparable to living in a thatched hut in Jinqiaokan and sleeping on the big street.
Too much pressure.
As soon as Lao Liu came back, after wiping his face and washing his hands, Liu Li served hot meals. She knew that her junior uncle never ate outside...
Zhu Zhen was hungry for a long time. He cheered when he saw the food, took the chopsticks and started eating. While eating, he was full of praise: "My little niece's cooking skills are getting better and better. If this continues, I will
I can’t even eat the food cooked by the cook.”
"Uncle, I'm used to coaxing people." Liu Li sighed softly and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. There's no need to comfort me."
"What I'm telling you is the truth. If it's delicious, it's delicious. I never give compliments politely, especially when it comes to food." Lao Liu said seriously.
"..." Liu Li was amused by his serious look and wanted to laugh, but she really couldn't. Her father's coffin was parked in the feudal government office not far away, and she still couldn't go there and cry at the coffin.
"Let's hurry up tomorrow and ask my uncle to find a way to take you to meet your senior brother." Lao Liu said that he couldn't empathize, but he could still understand Liu Li's mood.
"No, I can't cause any trouble for you." Liu Li bit her lower lip lightly, lowered her head and said, "It's the same as paying my respects in the inn."
"It's okay." Lao Liu said, "My uncle has to go there. There are many things that need to be clarified in person."
For example, where did his two bodyguards go? Why is there still no news about them until now?
"Yes. I will listen to my uncle's arrangements." Liu Li said obediently.
~~
The next day, the imperial envoy, who was slightly depressed, arrived at the Chief Secretary's Yamen.
Xiong Qitai and Zeng Tai led the officials of the Second Division, who had been waiting at the yamen gate for a long time.
When the imperial envoy got off the carriage, he saw that Shen Liben was not wearing the crimson official robe, but had changed into a plain linen white robe, and a black horn belt around his waist, looking like a standard official condolence dress.
According to the arrangement, today he had to go to Councilor Liu's mansion to express his condolences, so he dressed up like this. Xiong Zeng and other officials were also dressed in the same way. After seeing the ceremony, they entered the Chief Secretary's Yamen together with dignity.
Xiong Qitai led the way and led the imperial envoy to an official mansion on the east side of the Yamen. Under the outer wall of the official mansion, there were piles of wreaths and banners. Naturally, it was Liu Lian's house.
After entering, there were no wreaths and curtains, only a simple mourning hall. The only strange thing was that there was no word on the elegiac couplet hanging outside the mourning hall, only two white notes were pasted.
In the mourning hall, only Liu Jing was keeping vigil for his brother, while Liu Kong and Liu Meng were responsible for welcoming and sending him off, which looked very shabby.
"Mr. Liu, the imperial envoy Shen Butang has come to express condolences to your brother." Seeing Liu Jing kneeling and sitting there motionless, Xiong Qitai said to him loudly.
"..." Liu Jing only glanced at Shen Liben and then lowered her eyelids.
"You..." Xiong Qitai was very dissatisfied with him for being so neglectful.
Shen Liben waved his hand, indicating that he should be quiet.
"Sir, that's a lot." Xiong Qitai quickly complimented.
Shen Liben could only smile bitterly. He was the only local official who took him seriously. Little did he know that in the eyes of the nobles and nobles in Beijing, he, a minister, was nothing like him.
After all, since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the average term of office of a minister was less than one year. Then, if you were lucky, you would be demoted and removed from office, and if you were unlucky, you would be beheaded and go to jail. Who would take such a high-risk group of people seriously?
