When he was at the Yunzhou Teahouse, Shi Jintang felt that his life was about to undergo a huge change.
But he never imagined that this huge change would be for the worse and worse.
Shangshu Qiu Guangzhou asked him to go home and recuperate. In fact, there was a 70% to 80% chance that he would never return to the court as an official.
I don’t know how long it will take to cultivate this kind of cultivation. It is not impossible to cultivate it for most of my life.
Even if His Majesty is merciful and uses him again in the future, the most likely thing is that he will be sent out to become a minor official.
Sitting in a certain government position for the rest of your life, you have to pray that you will not make mistakes.
However, when has His Majesty ever been merciful?
Your Majesty's heart is like an ocean. If the ocean could be divided into ten parts, there would be absolutely not even one or even half of the kindness in it.
When he returned home, Shi Jintang did not enter the house, but stood in the yard.
It was only the first month of the year, and although it couldn't be said to be very cold here in Geling, it looked a bit depressed anyway.
Originally, the rockery and flowing water in the yard would make people feel tender, but now they can only think of the ruthless flowing water.
Mr. Zhuo stood on the other side and looked at him with complicated eyes.
Because just before returning to Geling, Shi Jintang was still a person with high hopes.
There is a strong force that wants to promote Shi Jintang to be the governor of Yunzhou.
But at this time, don't think too much about Yunzhouzhoufu. It seems that everything has changed overnight.
"It would be nice for Master Shi to rest at home for a while."
Mr. Zhuo stepped over and stood next to Shi Jintang.
Shi Jintang smiled and said, "Yes, it's good to have some rest."
He didn't seem to be responding to something, more like he was repeating it. He had no emotion at all, even if he was smiling.
Mr. Zhuo didn't seem to have any big feelings. He still had the same attitude and expression that it didn't matter to him.
"Life."
Mr. Zhuo said calmly: "It's a good thing to have ups and downs."
Shi Jintang looked at him, and then recovered. He smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Ups and downs? Even the ups and downs of things in the court can be decided casually, so it is not a good thing."
Mr. Zhuo said: "You will know in the future. Master Shi just rests at home and cultivates."
After saying this, Mr. Zhuo walked away.
Soon after, Mr. Zhuo went to a horse and carriage shop in Geling City and rented a carriage to go out of the city.
After walking about ten miles into the mountains, we stopped at the gate of a courtyard in the mountains.
After he got out of the car, his attitude became respectful. He looked at the people who came to greet him, leaned slightly and said, "I'm here to see Uncle Xi."
The man seemed to know him, so he asked him to wait for a moment and quickly went in to ask for instructions.
After a while, the young man in green clothes ran out again and said that Uncle Xi was waiting in the yard.
Only when Mr. Zhuo walked in did he understand why the boy came back so quickly. Cuishan Villa is not a small one.
Because Uncle Xi was fishing in the yard, sitting on a horse and wearing a bamboo hat to protect himself from the sun.
Mr. Zhuo walked quickly and saluted respectfully when he came near.
"Xibo..."
Before he could explain his purpose, Xibo raised his hand and hissed.
Mr. Zhuo didn't dare to speak anymore and just stood there quietly waiting. It wasn't until Xibo caught a fish that the atmosphere seemed to be less solid.
"Are you here to intercede for Shi Jintang?"
asked Sieber.
Mr. Zhuo leaned over and said, "I don't dare to interfere with Uncle Xi's arrangements, and I don't dare to have the slightest doubt about Uncle Xi's orders. I just..."
Xibo said: "There is no need to be secretive. Just say what you want to say. You are from Ah Yue. I can still listen to what you say."
Mr. Zhuo quickly thanked him.
He straightened up and said, "Uncle Xi, Shi Jintang insists that the murder of Yu Huannian was not arranged by him."
Xibo said: "Ah Yue said that you were thoughtful and prudent in your actions, but your performance made me a little disappointed."
He looked at Mr. Zhuo: "You are actually interceding for Shi Jintang. You are not interceding for the overall situation, but for one person."
Mr. Zhuo immediately said: "Junior dare not."
Xibo said: "You should understand that regardless of whether he arranged this matter or not, he has lost value."
Mr. Zhuo said: "This junior understands that since he has been kicked out of the Ministry of Industry by the emperor, he will have no chance to turn around again in the future."
Speaking of this, Mr. Zhuo's tone became solemn: "This junior is not here to intercede for Shi Jintang. I feel that Uncle Xi's arrangement has been interrupted, so I have to deal with it."
Xibo nodded: "You are right about this. Some people want to ruin our plan. This kind of thing will not be tolerated. Those who deserve to be beaten back must be beaten back, and they must be beaten back twice as hard."
Mr. Zhuo said: "Shi Jintang has a very strict mouth and will not tell anyone casually about Uncle Xi trying to push him up. The only exception is...Cui Fanye."
Xibo said: "You mean, Cui Fanye arranged all these things? Why should he do this?"
Mr. Zhuo said: "Because if there is no problem with Shi Jintang, it is very likely that Shi Jintang will really go to Yunzhou to do things."
"Yunzhou is a big piece of fat. Whoever becomes the governor of Yunzhou may take over Lin Ye's cowardly army in the future."
Mr. Zhuo said: "This is just an obvious thing. There are things that are not on the table, and the benefits are even greater."
"The chaos in Dongbo can be resolved only in Guzhu. If these two places are put into operation, there will be great profits. Whoever is in charge of Yunzhou will benefit from it."
Xibo smiled: "Ah Yue asked you to come to Geling. Sure enough, you were right."
Mr. Zhuo said: "Thank you for the compliment from Xibo... This junior thought that Cui Fanye suddenly took advantage of Shi Jintang, probably because the other party planned to push Cui Fanye up."
"The only mistake Shi Jintang made was that he thought he could take advantage of the Cui family, so he had to confide in Cui Fuye."
Xibo said: "Just before you came, Cui Feiye's father sent me a personal letter."
He looked at Mr. Zhuo and said, "The vague meaning in the letter is to tell me that he wants his son to go to Yunzhou."
Mr. Zhuo said: "Cui Fanye is now the vice-president of the martial arts academy. He also has the fictitious position of bachelor of Tongyue Pavilion. He is a third-rank official. Going to Yunzhou to be the governor is a second-rank official. It is not too much to promote him."
Xibo hummed.
"You are right, Yunzhou is a big piece of fat, and everyone wants to grab it."
He stood up and walked forward slowly. Mr. Zhuo followed him, taking small steps and following each step.
Xibo said: "Shijintang can be abolished or not used. It's no pity. It's just a chess piece."
"But, if we lose this game of chess, there won't be any place for him in the court in the future."
Xibo said: "The Cui family is indeed in some trouble. Have you thought about how to make a comeback?"
Mr. Zhuo said: "Since Shi Jintang has been destroyed, it is better to let him come out and bite."
Xibo's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then he smiled and nodded: "Ah Yue is indeed somewhat unique in looking at people."
He turned back to look at Mr. Zhuo and said, "Then let Shi Jintang bite him and make the Cui family look more ugly."
Mr. Zhuo asked: "What about... Lin Ye?"
Xi Bo said: "Your Majesty's attitude is probably that he doesn't want to do anything to Lin Ye in Geling. After all, Lin Ye has not made any mistakes. If he is allowed to go back to Yunzhou to make mistakes, it is natural for Your Majesty to take him."
"Since Shi Jintang can still use it, let Shi Jintang go directly to see Lin Ye. He is already planning to bite, so he might as well bite more directly."
Mr. Zhuo leaned over and said, "Junior, remember this. I will make plans with Shi Jintang when I get back."
Xibo hummed.
He walked a few more steps and said: "If Lin Ye doesn't do anything, then let it go. If Lin Ye does something, Shi Jintang will be an abandoned son. Use him to use Lin Ye, and then use Lin Ye."
Come and get rid of him. Think carefully about this matter and don’t make any mistakes."
"yes."
After Mr. Zhuo agreed, his heart became more complicated.
He didn't expect Xibo to be so ruthless. Shi Jintang said he didn't want it, and he didn't even intend to spare his life.
Aunt Yue said that the water in Geling City is even harder to see than the height of Tianshan Mountain. The height of Tianshan Mountain makes it difficult to see clearly because of the clouds halfway up the mountain. You can still see clearly after passing halfway up the mountain.
But the water in Geling is different. If you plunge deeper and deeper, you will never reach the bottom.
"Go back, I'm tired too."
Xibo didn't look back when he spoke.
Mr. Zhuo bent down to salute, then bowed his body and stepped back. He walked back about ten feet before straightening up and turning around.
An hour later, at Shi Jintang's home.
Mr. Zhuo handed a bottle of wine to Shi Jintang, who was sitting on the steps in a daze. Shi Jintang looked at it and shook his head: "You can't drink carelessly."
Mr. Zhuo said: "You are no longer an official."
Shi Jintang was startled, obviously he had forgotten.
He hesitated for a moment, took the wine bottle, and poured it into his mouth one mouthful at a time.
Mr. Zhuo said: "You shouldn't be so depressed. Even if the future is unclear or even cut off, you should still do something."
Shi Jintang smiled bitterly and said: "What can I do? What do you want me to do? Or is it something that Uncle Xi wants me to do? Let me, the abandoned son, play a role?"
Mr. Zhuo said: "It was Cui Fanye who ruined you, then you ruin him. What are you afraid of? You are already like this. If you really want to say afraid, he is afraid of too many things, because there are too many things that he cannot lose.
Already."
Shi Jintang's eyes seemed to light up because of these words.
Mr. Zhuo said: "If I were you, it would be better to send someone to invite him. After all, he is your best friend."
Shi Jintang's eyes kept flickering, and he understood the meaning of these words after a moment.
He immediately asked: "Is there any more wine?"
Mr. Zhuo waved, and his men immediately brought over many wine bottles.
Shi Jintang took a jug of wine and wanted to drink it. Mr. Zhuo shook his head and asked someone to pour out the four or five jugs of wine, and threw the empty jug at Shi Jintang's feet.
Shi Jintang nodded.
Mr. Zhuo said: "I personally went to see Cui Fanye and said that you were very drunk. As your best friend, I should come to comfort you."
He picked up another wine bottle, twisted it open, and poured some wine on Shi Jintang.
While showering, he said: "You were drunk and in a very bad mood, so you said some random things, even uncharacteristically, which is reasonable."
Shi Jintang said: "Just go quickly, I know what you mean."
Mr. Zhuo agreed, turned around and went out.
In less than half an hour, Cui Fanye arrived at Shi Jintang's home. Looking at the man lying on the steps, Cui Fanye frowned.
Drowsily, Shi Jintang saw someone walking in front of him, shaking his head and looking up to see who it was.
Seeing that it was Cui Fanye, he immediately smiled and said, "You're here, Brother Cui. Sure enough, you still don't trust me."
Cui Fanye reached out to help him up, but Shi Jintang opened his hand with a snap.
Shi Jintang said drunkenly: "Don't do this. I only have one friend. I say everything to him, but he made me do this. Do you think I'm ridiculous? Brother Cui, this friend is you!"
He wanted to sit up straight, but it seemed that he was too drunk and it was difficult to sit up straight.
So he supported the steps with one hand, pointed at Cui Fanye with the other and said loudly: "You deliberately harmed me, I know it was all arranged by you, you want to replace me, you want to go to Yunzhou, others don't understand, I understand it too well
is you."
Because of these few words, Cui Fanye narrowed his eyes slightly and felt an uncontrollable chill.
That fleeting coldness was the onset of murderous intentions.