Chapter 68 Zhao Duan: What does your face mean?
The rain is pouring, and the old man wearing a raincoat and fishing on the shore has a deep and powerful voice.
Zhao Duan raised his eyebrows and smiled.
What a servant who is ignorant... The other party's making things difficult can hardly be said to be a show of force.
Xu was expressing his dissatisfaction with Zhao Duan's invitation to him through his fourth daughter.
Or perhaps, there are beatings, temptations, or other thoughts.
unimportant.
The important thing is that he is standing here now, and the other party handed him a decent step.
And if he had just continued to choose to swallow his anger, his treatment at this moment might be very different.
"I have long heard that the Pei family in Huaishui has a strict family tradition and strict management. When I see it today, it is well-deserved." Zhao Duan praised.
Pei Kaizhi didn't seem to hear the sharpness in his words and said: "It's windy and rainy, please change your raincoat."
Behind him, servants came forward to serve him respectfully.
When Zhao Duan also put on his raincoat and bamboo hat, the Pei family guards stepped back three feet in uniform.
In this way, all conversations today will not be heard by a third person.
"If you are afraid of wind and rain, why should your servant walk in the rain?"
Zhao Duan was so generous that he actually sat down on the vacant bamboo chair:
"I heard people say that the best time to fish is after heavy rain."
Sitting at this angle, he finally saw Pei Kaizhi's face clearly.
He is about sixty years old, with white beard and hair, short stature, and an aura of being in a position of power between his brows, and his appearance vaguely resembles that of Pei Siniang.
Tsk, this wave is against Tiangang.
Pei Kaizhi chuckled and said:
"Zhao Shijun must not be good at fishing, and he has never lived in a place with developed lakes."
"How do you say this?"
"I was born in the land of plenty in the south of the Yangtze River. I have known since I was a child that if I really waited for the rain before setting off, the good nests would have been taken over by others."
Zhao Duan's eyes flashed and he said with a smile:
"Is that so? It's time for me to be taught a lesson."
Pei Kaizhi asked: "Do you know why people say rainy days are good for fishing?"
Zhao Duan: "Please enlighten me."
Pei Kaizhi looked at the breeze on the river, but the water was calm.
He raised his hand and pointed, as if a fishing veteran was speaking from experience:
"Fish also need to breathe underwater, and they are most sensitive to water temperature. Different seasons, different rain intensity, before, during, and after... are all different. If the aquatic plants are abundant, the water will be warm and muggy at this time, and the fish will feel unwell. Gather in an open area without grass..."
Zhao Duan listened quietly, this scene was undoubtedly strange.
One party came with the intention of fighting for the trap.
One party didn't know the details and responded cautiously with a certain amount of anger.
However, Zhao Duan only talked about his fishing experience, but Zhao Duan seemed to be enjoying it and was not anxious at all.
It's quite a bit of a gesture that he wouldn't mention it until Minister Pei opened his mouth.
Finally, Xu was old and frail and could not bear too much cold wind.
Pei Kaizhi coughed and changed the topic:
"Speaking of it, it would be appropriate to compare the court in the near future to this pool of water."
Zhao Duan praised: "Oh?"
Pei Kaizhi tightened his collar, as if he was afraid of the wind, and said: "The saint's joy and anger are the heavy rain and the warm sun. We, as officials and ministers, are the big and small fish under the water. When the rain is strong and the wind is strong, the fish The crowd was also panicking and alert, not sure which fish would lose their head, so they caught the bait in one bite and became a dead soul in the pot. "
The meaning of these words is obvious:
Xu Zhenguan has been angry recently, the ministers are frightened, and the court situation is in turmoil. Officials can only survive by being cautious.
Zhao Duan was not sure whether the other party had guessed something or was deliberately deceiving him, so he cautiously said without further comment:
"Thunder, rain and dew are all due to your kindness. I don't understand how complicated it is. I just know that being loyal to Your Majesty is the right thing to do."
Thunder, rain and dew are all your grace...
Pei Kaizhi chewed these eight words over and over again and looked at Zhao Duan with a slightly surprised look.
Not just this sentence.
From Zhao Duan's reaction to his aggressive response today to his conversation with him now, he was neither humble nor overbearing, which was different from the rumors.
However, he didn't know that this was the result of Zhao Duan's deliberate performance.
Before setting off, Zhao Duan thought about how he wanted to meet the other party.
Maintain the domineering and arrogant villain character?
If he faced Pei Siniang, he could do this.
But Zhao Duan didn't think that his acting skills were enough to deceive a powerful minister who had been involved in officialdom for many years.
Therefore, the original owner's character will make the other person wary, and he can only be his true self.
And appropriately hide the true purpose behind the false face.
"Now I know that it makes sense for you to please the saint." Pei Kaizhi smiled.
No, you don’t know anything... I have many advantages, such as being an early bloomer... Zhao Duan used complaints to relieve the pressure of facing the scrutiny of a powerful minister.
Pei Kaizhi changed the subject: "However, speaking of it, the storm in the court is related to you."
After a pause, his gray-brown eyes looked over:
"I have learned about what you have been doing during this period. Although there is a large element of luck in it, it is far more scheming than the playboy that outsiders think."
The implication is: Stop pretending, I have investigated you thoroughly.
really!
This Lao Deng hasn't seen me for a few days and is investigating secretly... Zhao Duan was not surprised and said calmly: "Scheming... is not a good word."
Pei Kaizhi raised his eyebrows and said, "Otherwise?"
Zhao Duan is righteous and awe-inspiring, shamelessly plagiarizing Qi Ting's lines:
"I just want to make progress too much."
Pei Kaizhi was stunned, and then laughed, his hair trembling under his hat, as if he had heard something interesting.
At this moment, he finally determined that the person in front of him was nothing to worry about.
Yuan Li was secretly targeting him, and Pei Kaizhi had already noticed it.
Li Yanfu had issued an order earlier, asking the members of the Li Party to clamp their tails tightly and not to create unforeseen complications at this juncture, which could give the empress a handle.
Therefore, Pei Kaizhi had to be careful in the face of Zhao Duan's sudden request for a visit.
Of course he could choose not to see it.
But since the other party went to great lengths to find his daughter, it means that he probably has something important to tell him.
Considering the risk of missing some important things and the risk of meeting Zhao Duan, he still chose the latter.
Before that, he carefully investigated the pretty face under the empress's skirt, and was surprised to find that this person might be different from the rumors.
But...that's all.
Yes, that's all!
Just as in the eyes of Xu Zhenguan and Yuan Li, Zhao Duan's previous operations were just a small fuss.
Except for the accidental involvement of Prince Jing's Mansion, the rest of the methods were, in the final analysis, nothing more than clever tricks.
The level of dealing with them is limited to miscellaneous fish like the Zhang brothers.
Even the key clue to solving the case was provided by a prostitute who went to sea...
Combined with the process of solving the case, extorting money, leading Jinyi to break into the house for revenge and other operations.
Therefore, Pei Kaizhi's evaluation of him is just "a greedy villain with some cleverness and scheming".
But he was still not reassured.
After several tests, it was indeed revealed that Zhao Duan was calmer and more determined than expected.
But the overall impression is no different.
Even if Zhao Duan really endured the body search by the guards, he would think highly of him.
But Zhao Duan chose to take action, and this was Lu Yong.
A young man who cannot control his anger and emotions is almost incapable of deep disguise.
And for the sake of "advancement", a pretty boy who bites like crazy, bullies others with power, is greedy and lustful, and has a bad reputation, there is no reason why he would be a threat to him.
Of course, if Pei Kaizhi knew that Zhao Duan and Yuan Li were in the same car, his thoughts might be very different.
However, Lu Liang, who seemed to be alienated from his old father-in-law, had a grudge in his heart, and secretly rebelled against him, did not tell anyone about this humiliating incident at all.
It was even more impossible for Pei Siniang to tell Lu Liang that Zhao Duan found her and met Pei Kaizhi privately.
A family that was supposed to be sharing intelligence had a strange "information gap."
Therefore, in Pei Kaizhi's eyes, he greatly relaxed his vigilance towards Zhao Duan.
But little did they know that all of this was being considered in the plans of the Empress' lackeys.
…
"Why are you smiling?" Zhao Duan asked curiously.
Pei Kaizhi stopped his smile, looked at him with a half-smile, and said:
"I laugh, you and Lu Liang are the same kind of people."
Zhao Duan was silent for a while, but did not refute, saying:
"If you have anything to say, minister, just say it directly."
Pei Kaizhi, who thought he had seen through the other party, also lost interest in the conversation, turned to look at the fishing rod in the river, and said calmly: "Siniang has already told me about your purpose of coming. Lu Liang has offended you, and you want to It is natural to take revenge, but you should not seek to cause trouble for Siniang and make her unhappy. If she is unhappy, I will be unhappy as well. "
Zhao Duan said "Oh?"
"So?"
Pei Kaizhi said calmly:
"But since ancient times, it is better to dissolve enemies than to make enemies. Since you are someone that His Majesty admires, I naturally have to show some face. Besides, since you have come to visit me, if I don't give you an explanation, I guess you won't want to."
There was a pause, as if deep in thought.
Pei Kaizhi finally said in an almost pronouncement tone: "Let's do this, I will order Lu Liang to come to your door and apologize to you.
In addition, the teahouse you saw when you came here today, as well as a batch of high-grade elixirs in the Yaozhi Hall, are all considered as an apology for my son-in-law's sin against you.
Oh, the income from a high-end teahouse and the medicinal herbs that are very beneficial to your martial arts practice are always generous enough.
If you are still not satisfied, after a few days and the government is stable, I can still help you run the business and get a good job.
In this case, you can just think of me and me and let the matter with Lu Liang go, okay? "
The tone is casual and undisciplined, and the attitude is almost alms-giving.
But Pei Kaizhi was sure that the other party would agree.
Because regardless of face or benefits, he gave them generously.
On the contrary, he got nothing and expressed the anger of a minister of the Ministry of Justice.
Pei Kaizhi believes that no one will refuse.
However, Zhao Duan's expression looked a little strange.
Then gradually, the corners of his mouth rose, revealing his fangs and claws for the first time since today's meeting.
"Is that so? It's indeed very generous. It seems unreasonable to refuse." Zhao Duan laughed and said, "But..."
"But what?" Pei Kaizhi frowned.
The corners of Zhao Duan's mouth raised, and he said coldly and unruly: "But, what does your face mean to you?!"
(End of chapter)