Pei Kuan was sixty-six years old at the time and had great prestige in Hedong. He had been appointed as Fan Yang's Jiedu Envoy and Tianbao for three years. The sage appointed An Lushan to take over Fan Yang. Pei Kuan originally thought that he was going to call him back to pay homage to the prime minister.
It was a common practice in the Tang Dynasty for Bian Shuai to become the prime minister. Pei Kuan had sufficient family background, fame, achievements, and qualifications, but he did not expect that Li Linfu would hold the position for more than ten years and would not let him go.
When he returned to the court, he only served as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Censor. Because of the Wei Jian case, he also lost his position as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Naturally, he became Li Linfu's political enemy and was close to the East Palace in his heart.
When he met Xue Bai today, someone actually said to him, "Xue Bai is going to recognize his relatives before the emperor. He should be given guidance by an expert, so I can understand a thing or two." Xue Bai just handed over the greeting card, and he met him for the first time.
When the young man walked into the official house, Pei Kuan looked him up and down and nodded with satisfaction.
"Xue Bai has met Mr. Pei and wishes you a good day."
"Shangyuan Yan, the long and short sentences you put together are very artistic." Pei Kuan was straightforward and asked: "Who do you study under?"
Xue Bai responded: "My master was born in the Yan family of Langya. In the 22nd year of Kaiyuan, he passed the Jinshi title and was appointed as the captain of Chang'an County."
"Are you a disciple of Qing Chen?" Pei Kuan couldn't help but wonder, "Did Qing Chen teach you this poem?"
"That's not true. I was injured last year and lost my memory. I just recently became a teacher."
The questions he asked were all nonsense. Pei Kuan straightened his beard and calmed down his impatience.
A scroll has been handed to him.
"The student wants to take the Chunwei exam in Ming Dynasty. Here is the written test. I would like to ask Mr. Pei to read it."
Pei Kuan's eyes were dim, so he squinted and moved closer, then pushed away a little further, and first murmured, "Yan Qingchen's disciple, is it written like this?"
What was written at the beginning of the volume was a seven-character poem with the wrong meter.
"There are no stairs in the Tianshan Mountains, but if you climb up and look back low, you can wave your sleeves to brush away the snow on your body. How can I be bullied by the ancients in my life?"
Pei Kuan read it twice and sighed: "The rhyme of the word 'deception' is wrong, and the poetry is messy. If you want people to understand it, you can use some allusions. In short, it's inferior."
Xue Bai was inspired and responded: "Student, I have written it down. Thank you very much for Duke Pei's teaching."
"Also, for the investment bank paper, you should put the five-character poem at the front. It should be noted that the less ink you use and the higher the artistic conception you write, the better."
"Listening to Mr. Pei's words is better than ten years of studying." Xue Bai came casually, his face still calm and clear, without any hint of flattery, "The student also has a five-character poem, which is at the back."
Pei Kuan patiently looked back.
Suddenly, he raised his eyelids and stood up.
Just because of the little poem on the scroll, he was so excited.
"The grass on the plain grows brighter every year."
“Wild fires never burn out, but spring breezes blow them again.”
"The distant fragrance invades the ancient road, and the clear green meets the deserted city."
"Send the king and grandson off again, and the love is full of farewell."
The loyal ministers and righteous men in this world are like the weeds on the grassland. Generation after generation, traitors like Li Linfu, no matter how they persecute the loyal and the good, someone will eventually stand up.
A small five-character poem, but what a magnificent artistic conception it is?
Pei Kuan intuitively felt that this poem was written in his heart, and he wished he could paste it on the head of Li Linfu who had lost his phase.
He calmed down, sat down slowly, stroked his beard and muttered: "Of your two poems, the first one is very bad. There are no metaphors or allusions. It is a dry narrative, boring and rough; this poem "Ancient Grassland"
"Farewell" is very good, very good. Every word describes the scenery and farewell, but it describes the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty... Is it really you who wrote it?"
"I don't know. Maybe Mr. Pei doesn't believe it, but after I lost my memory, sometimes these poems would come to my mind." Xue Bai said, "But if I want to write poems seriously, I can't write them."
Pei Kuan didn't believe it at all.
He was already absolutely certain that there must be a famous figure behind Xue Bai.
It's just that this guy doesn't have enough food and salt, so it's hard to ask.
After reading the five-character poem again and trying to figure out the style, Pei Kuan asked tentatively: "Xue Bai, do you know Li Shizhi, the prince's younger brother?"
"It's not such an honor."
Xue Bai responded calmly, feeling a little clearer about his unnecessary connections...
~~
Ji Wen continued to stand in the courtyard for a while, but Xue Bai still didn't come out, so he simply turned around and looked for Pei Mian again.
"Pei Kuan refused to see me, but he met Xue Bai. Why?"
"real?"
Ji Wen frowned, puzzled, and said: "Please Wang Zhongcheng, please take down the Du family. Under three trees, I can find out whatever the right minister wants to know!"
Pei Mian was sorting out the official documents, and turned his face to him, saying: "Shi Yushi Lu Xuan was demoted. Do you know why? You dare to talk nonsense in front of the saint, and touch the people who have just been promoted by the imperial concubine."
"I only take the Du family..."
"The Du family is also taking care of the property for Mrs. Guo Guo. If you want to move, you can. Don't let the prince bear the consequences for you!"
Ji Wen was very anxious and said: "I try my best to do things and don't think about these things."
"In short, the prince will not come forward, you can think of other ways."
"In that case, I will let the news out first. After all Chang'an knows that Xue Baihui has messed up the East Palace, in order to protect the face of the East Palace, Pei Kuan, the imperial censor, has to show up even if he doesn't."
Pei Mian squinted his eyes and said calmly: "This matter has nothing to do with me, and you should not let anyone know that you did it."
Ji Wen rolled his eyes, raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Can we let that fair-skinned lady do it? She is in charge of business affairs, and she is not afraid of the Yang sisters."
"what ever."
Pei Mian watched Ji Wen leave in a hurry, his eyes getting colder.
After waiting for a while, Xue Bai came out of the official residence of the imperial censor and walked past the public house as if casually.
Pei Mian happened to have an official document to deliver, and bumped into Xue Bai on the corridor.
"Ji Wen went to the dark gambling house to find someone to spread rumors."
"I'll do it."
The two said no more and left separately.
~~
Daozhengfang.
Ji Wen arrived at Qingliangzhai and sat in the elegant room for a long time before he saw Da Xi Yingying coming over.
"Where have you been? Why did you keep me waiting for so long?"
Ji Wen's tone was rather arrogant.
He glanced at her big, white breasts, his throat rolled twice, and the light in his eyes was somewhat different.
Da Xi Yingying didn't take it seriously, as if she was just spotted by a dog while walking on the road. She smiled leisurely and said: "Chicken Magic Boy and Wang Dalang are here. I wonder if the slave family should greet them first or Jifa Cao first?"
Ji Wen sobered up a lot, took a hard look, and talked about business: "I have something to ask you to do. You have many powerful friends and many rogues under you. If you let the news out, let's say that Du Jin often returned to her parents' home when she was still the crown prince Liangdi.
Adultery with Xue Bai..."
"No."
"What?"
Da Xi Yingying smiled slightly and said: "Fengweilou is going to open a branch, and the slave family plans to take out this Qingliangzhai and pay a large sum of money to try to negotiate cooperation with them. How can we waste time at this time?"
"you!"
"The slave family has already reported to the right prime minister, and the right prime minister also praised the slave family for approaching them so quickly."
Ji Wen was dumbfounded and said displeasedly: "I'm going to take the Du family to trial. What's the use of getting close to them?!"
"Trial? It's none of my business to interrogate you." Da Xi Yingying suddenly changed her face and was too lazy to laugh with Ji Wen anymore. She waved her hand and said, "You have no clues and you are not here to gamble. Please go ahead."
Ji Wen was so angry that he realized at this moment that he had nothing to do with this woman.
After leaving the courtyard gate, I led the horse to the intersection of Daozhengfang. Suddenly, a frightened horse bumped into me in front of me.
"Xu."
"Alang!"
Ji Wen was hit on the shoulder and fell to the ground. The followers behind him couldn't react in time and were in chaos.
But I saw the young man on the horse reining in the frightened horse, turning over, catching up and saying: "I'm sorry, the horse was frightened, are you injured?"
"Is it you?"
Ji Wen was about to get up when he raised his eyes and saw Xue Bai leaning over to help him and whispering in his ear.
"I killed your son, and I will kill you sooner or later..."
"Xue Bai!" Ji Wen was furious, raised his finger and shouted at Xue Bai, "Sooner or later, I will let you be buried with my son! I will make you die badly!"
Xue Bai took a few steps back, and the two guards assigned to him by Yang Yuyao had already rushed over. One was named He Mao and the other was Zhuo Guang.
The three of them had just driven horses over from the imperial city. Unexpectedly, Xue Baima was shocked. Fortunately, nothing serious happened.
"My husband just frightened the horse, not..."
"Go away, this lowly slave deserves to talk to me?!"
Before He Mao finished speaking, Ji Wen shouted angrily again, and the two had no choice but to protect Xue Bai and take a few steps back.
At this time, many passers-by had gathered around, and then Marquis Wu came to stop, and the two sides of the conflict were separated, and the little farce dispersed.
~~
"It doesn't matter."
Xue Bai waved his hands to the two guards and said, "Follow me to the last casino."
"Mr. Lang, it's better not to provoke the female owner of the secret casino." He Maodao said: "If Mrs. Guo Guo asks about your whereabouts, I still have to tell you directly."
"It's not what you think." Xue Bai smiled and said, "I just reminded her not to ruin Yao Niang's reputation. In addition, I asked her for advice and made a gift for Yao Niang."
"That's good."
The two guards were not talkative people. After they had their words, they followed Xue Bai into Qingliangzhai. They still guarded under the attic and allowed him to go up alone.
Seeing Xue Bai coming, Da Xi Yingying was a little uneasy and quickly said: "Ji Wen wants to spread rumors..."
"I know." Xue Bai said: "You didn't reveal anything to Ge Nu, which is good."
He had only recently noticed a detail: powerful officials all called Li Linfu "Genu", and his status suited this tone.
Da Xi Yingying carried out Jia Chang, and Wang Zhun was able to frighten Ji Wen, but he was always easily frightened in front of Xue Bai.
"The slave family doesn't dare."
"Do you have a registered household or a low-level registration?"
"The slave family's body deed is in the hands of King Shou."
"Is it treason?"
"No, the slave family is a prisoner at a very young age."
"I will give you a meritorious service in the near future so that you can meet the saint. When the saint asks you what reward you want, you will get your body deed back."
Da Xi Yingying was stunned.
In fact, she had been thinking about the consequences if she didn't listen to Xue Bai for the past two days. After all, although the power behind him was huge, he did not let her see the specific means to deal with her.
In the end, he seemed to know what she was thinking...
"But the Nu family still doesn't know what the credit is."
"You will know after you go to Fengwei Building to play with the Du brothers and sisters twice tomorrow. By the way, bring money."
~~
Fengwei Building.
Du Wulang was discussing things with his two sisters, but most of the time he was the only one muttering.
"In my opinion, Qingliangzhai next door to Panxia is nothing more than an expansion of the main store. The first branch should be opened in Chang'an County, close to the West Market... Huaiyuanfang, away from Guangdefang where Jingzhao Mansion is located,
Chang'an County Government Office is close to Changshoufang, but I don't know where there is a suitable house. It would be great if there was a map of Chang'an."
Du Wei lowered her head and counted the cost.
Du Jin had been looking indifferent, thinking alone, and then he muttered: "There should be a map of Chang'an."
"Second sister, are you listening to me?"
"Say what you want."
"Oh, I'm going to the Imperial College soon. How can I worry about this with you guys like this..."
Hearing footsteps while talking, Du Wulang turned around and saw Xue Bai coming in, and immediately asked: "Where do you think the branch should be opened?"
Xue Bai had already discussed it with Du Jin and responded casually: "At the intersection of Huaiyuanfang, there are two places, one is a restaurant and the other is a tea shop."
"That……"
"You control the dishes is the key." Xue Bai comforted Du Wulang and looked at Du Jin.
Du Jin raised his head and glanced with eyes filled with tears. Without him having to ask, he pursed his lips and said with a smile, "It's ready. Come and get it with me."
The two of them went up to the small pavilion. Du Jin put her arms around Xue Bai's neck and whispered: "I want to open the restaurant directly to Changshoufang so that I can see you every day."
"Afraid you want to see me every night? I wanted to ask you last time, why do you keep silent every time you come here at night?"
"Afraid of being heard."
The time was short, so we could only secretly have such a small intimate gesture, and they found it interesting.
…
A wooden box was placed on the table, and when opened, there were dominoes inside.
Du Wulang picked it up and took a look at it, and said with some confusion: "Is this the treasure you want to offer? It doesn't look unusual."
"Teach you how to play?"
Xue Bai didn't like this, but he knew how to do it, so he taught the Du brothers and sisters how to play dominoes.
Du Jin was very smart and could learn quickly. Du Wulang looked dumbfounded, but in fact, apart from reading, he was not slow at learning other things.
On the contrary, Du Si was a little confused. Xue Bai taught her several times but still couldn't remember it. He had to go behind Du Si and teach her a few more times.
"This is a draw."
While talking, Du Jin leaned back in joy and accidentally bumped into Xue Bai. He thought that due to Du Jin's temperament, he would have to eat something, but when he looked at it, Du Jin didn't care and instead avoided it.
Skin-to-skin contact, he suddenly felt a familiar feeling, and he couldn't help but have a guess in his mind... but he felt it was too ridiculous.
When we started playing, after two laps, Du Wei, who seemed to have not learned anything, actually won the most without saying a word.
"Then we get serious."
Du Jin also won a small amount. He placed two strings of copper coins on the table and said with a smile: "Please show some sincerity."
"Ah." Du Wulang suddenly became frightened, "This is gambling. If grandpa finds out, he will drive us all out of the house."
Before the sound of the evening drum, several people had completely learned the dominoes and rode their horses home together. When they arrived at the north gate of Shengpingfang, Xue Bai waved goodbye and went to Changshoufang.
Du Wulang Zhuma looked at his back and murmured: "I never thought how nice he was when he lived at home."
~~
Du Jin was very reluctant to follow Xue Bai to deliver the dominoes to Mrs. Guo's house.
But she knew that the Du family could not rely solely on Xue Bai to maintain this support. To prevent others from touching the Du family easily, she had to spend more time with Yang Yuyao.
Fortunately, in front of outsiders, Yang Yuyao did not act too much. She just played with a domino with her slender fingers and talked and laughed with Xue Bai.
"I am so stupid that I can't learn it without someone to teach me."
"I'm going to the Imperial College to study soon, so I brought my second mother to teach you."
Yang Yuyao smiled, summoned Mingzhu, and the four of them taught each other.
In fact, she learned very quickly and liked playing with them. She couldn't help but ask: "You never touched these when you were recovering at home, how could you make such interesting things?"
"I went to give Da Xi Yingying a warning. I saw that she had a lot of gambling equipment, so I asked her for advice..."
"Oh? How did you ask for advice?"
Xue Bai felt Yang Yuyao rubbing the instep of his calf.
He pinched her feet with her embroidered shoes off, calmly pushed a card, and said calmly: "It's just a bluff to scare her. King Shou wants to cause trouble for us, so he can instigate this rebellion."
Women, hold the gambling industry in Chang'an City in our hands?"
"Easy, I will dedicate this domino to the saint and give her some credit."
Yang Yuyao is quite generous in this regard and never puts women in trouble. For example, she has not argued with Da Xi Yingying for many years and will help Mingzhu when she is in trouble.
While speaking, she pulled out her foot twice but failed to pull it out, and glared at Xue Bai angrily.
Xue Bai was counting the cards in his mind and deliberately pushed a card to her.
"bump."
Du Jin's expression was calm, and she reached out and took the card from Yang Yuyao's hand.
"interesting."
Yang Yuyao smiled, but this time she said Du Jin was interesting.
So, when Xue Bai was about to leave, she left Du Jin to play with her for a few more rounds.
"Speaking of which, since you and I are partnering in Fengwei Building, we should get closer in the future."
~~
When Xue Bai came out, He Mao and Zhuo Guang were squatting in the front yard counting the rewards they had just received. When they looked up and saw him, they immediately stood up excitedly.
"Xue Langjun!"
"Let's go."
"Mr. Lang is so amazing. How did you know that the government would give us rewards? So much!"
"Just good luck."
The three of them left Xuanyangfang and headed to Xue's house. On the way, Xue Bai also said that now that all the chores were done, they would study at home and prepare to enroll in the Imperial College.
He Mao, Zhuo Guangxi, Xue's house has high walls and a deep courtyard. They leave one person to eat and drink in the front yard to guard it, and they can take turns going home to accompany their wives and children.
While talking, I entered Changshoufang and turned into an alley.
Suddenly, a big man jumped up at the entrance of the alley, threw Xue Bai off his horse, raised a dagger and stabbed him.
A cold light flashed.
"puff."
Blood surged up.
Xue Bai's shoulders were bright red, and the assassin's hands were covered in blood.
"Mr. Lang!"
The two guards were so frightened that they jumped off their horses and bumped into the assassin.
"bite."
The dagger fell to the ground.
The three of them fought, and He Mao was punched so hard in the stomach that bile spurted out. Zhuo Guang was elbowed on the back and almost couldn't get up.
At this time, pedestrians had arrived. Xue Bai staggered up, covering his shoulders, fled towards the crowd, and shouted: "Ji Wen of Jingzhao Prefecture, kill me!"
Seeing that the murder was unsuccessful, the assassin turned around and ran as fast as the wind, and disappeared in an instant.
"Lang Jun, are you okay? I'll report it to the official."
"return."
Xue Bai covered the wound, frowned slightly, and said: "There is no need to report it to the official, forget it, and end it here."
"never mind?"
The two guards refused to agree. The people protected by Mrs. Guo Guo dared to assassinate, so why not forget it...
This chapter is also 5,000 words long, so the number of words in my next chapter seems to be less. I will post it later. Don’t wait, that poem only took an hour to write. Please vote for me and subscribe~~
