Chapter 196 Zhao Duan: Sir, do you still remember your rank?
“Priest Jin Jian?”
Dong Da was stunned for a few breaths before he suddenly recognized the girl's identity and subconsciously wanted to get up:
"Why... uh, are you also Brother Zhao's guest?"
Only then did he remember that according to rumors, Zhao Duan did know Zhang Tianshi's young apprentice and had a close relationship with him.
However, he could not hide his surprise at Jin Jian's arrival.
As for such a big reaction...it seems to be more nervous than meeting a big shot in the court...Zhao Duan complained in his heart, and then realized it later.
It seems that I underestimated the cute girl’s popularity...
Perhaps the more exposure you have, the less awe you have, but for most people in the court, just the status of "disciple of the Heavenly Master" is already a huge card.
"..." Jin Jian glanced at him, as if he didn't recognize who this person was at all, lowered his head and started to cook.
Zhao Duan chuckled and said, "Brother Dong, don't be surprised."
Dong Da felt lost and looked around. Seeing that few people were paying attention, he lowered his voice and said:
"Brother Zhao must have some big plans today."
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"Don't be impatient, it's not a big deal, but there may be a drama going on today, so I specially invite Brother Dong and the priest to be witnesses... Haha, don't worry, I will never embarrass you.
After all, I also have some friendship with the Grand Master. "
play?
Witness?
What's the relationship with my grandfather?
Dong Da's eyes were blank and he couldn't understand.
…
…
"Your Excellency, you are right there." The carriage drove through the street.
Spacious interior.
Xu Mingyuan's buttocks were only half-touched by the stool. He was looking at the street scene outside the car window and pointing at the construction road ahead.
Li Yinglong, who had closed his eyes and fell asleep, opened his eyes and ordered the driver to stop nearby.
Considering that Chen Zhengru invited him to meet, he must avoid being crowded.
So he only brought a coachman and guard, and he didn't even ride in his favorite sedan.
He was not wearing an official robe, just a simple gown.
After getting off the car, Xu Mingyuan took the initiative to lead the way. Li Yinglong was not surprised to meet in a place like this.
"The teacher is in the private room upstairs." Xu Mingyuan said.
Li Yinglong nodded, stood with his hands behind his back, and climbed up the steps.
But for some reason, when people arrived, they felt vaguely uncomfortable.
But I can't find anything weird.
It's quiet upstairs.
"Sir, it's in that private room. Just go over there and the students won't follow." Xu Mingyuan stopped in a "considerate" way.
Li Yinglong nodded. Since it was a confidential conversation, it was naturally not easy for him to follow.
Without looking at him, he walked straight to the quiet private room. He didn't even knock on the door. He raised his hand and opened the private room with a creak.
What comes into view is not a door, but an indoor screen.
Through the screen, I could vaguely see a vague figure behind me. When I heard the door open, I seemed to get up nervously, wanting to speak, but scared.
Li Yinglong walked around, then suddenly froze and blurted:
"Madam?"
In the room, next to the squat, stood a woman with an oval face and silky eyebrows. Her clothes were low-key and ordinary, as if she was pretending to be a man. Her facial features were quite similar to Mrs. Lin.
Li Yinglong was confused and didn't understand why his new concubine appeared here.
Looking around, Chen Zhengru is nowhere to be found?
On the opposite side, Concubine Yuan, who had arrived a step ahead of schedule and had not been able to sleep since last night, finally saw her old lover who had been away for many years, and she felt dazed for a moment.
Due to excitement, I didn't notice anything wrong immediately. When I heard the word "Madam", my brain didn't react for a while, or I thought I heard it wrong.
For a moment, the myriad of thoughts in my heart turned into an extremely complex call:
"Li Lang...you are here..."
Li Lang......
Li Yinglong was stunned and suddenly woke up. Although the person in front of him looked similar, she was not Mrs. Lin.
Then she is...
boom!
In Li Yinglong's mind, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning, accompanied by thunder.
"Yuan Ru?! Is it you?"
asked almost in disbelief.
Then, without waiting for Concubine Yuan, who was disguised as a man, to reply, a strong sense of crisis surged crazily in the heart of Mr. Xiaoge, who was not dull but was ambitious and talented.
Why did Concubine Yuan appear here?
And he looked like he knew he would come?
Where is Chen Zhengru?
What the hell are you doing?
No...there's something wrong with that Xu Mingyuan!
Li Yinglong's expression suddenly changed, and he felt a cold chill running from the soles of his feet along his spine to Tianling Gai.
Even though it's late summer, it feels like we're in the middle of winter.
Although she was dressed as a man, Concubine Yuan Gui, who had carefully put on makeup, could tell something was wrong no matter how dazed she was.
She frowned: "Li Lang, why are you..."
Li Yinglong's face was gloomy and he suddenly asked: "Why are you here?"
Concubine Yuan was frightened by his appearance and said blankly:
"You didn't write a letter and asked me to come over to meet you..."
As she spoke, she took out Li Yinglong's "token" jade pendant from her waist.
Write a letter...make an appointment...Jade pendant...Xu Mingyuan...
At this moment, Li Yinglong's mind was buzzing with countless thoughts floating around.
In a hurry, although it is still not possible to fully understand the cause and effect, but...
"Fell into a trap!"
Mr. Xiaoge did not hesitate, turned around and ran out of the room in a few steps, but where could he find Xu Hanlin leading the way?
At this time, there was a noise at the bottom of the stairs, as if a large group of people had broken into the door.
Accompanied by scolding: "We have received a report that there is a traitor hiding here. Anyone who obstructs the handling of the case is tantamount to conspiracy and will be killed without mercy!"
There was chaos downstairs, and there were screams.
Footsteps were approaching quickly.
"Oops..."
Li Yinglong, who had soft features and sunken eye sockets, felt his heart sink suddenly.
He decisively returned to the room, closed the door, and blocked it with a screen.
"Li Lang... Where are you going, take me with you." Concubine Yuan also panicked at this moment. When she heard the movement of the officials downstairs, her face turned pale with fear.
Her strong desire to survive made her grab Li Yinglong as if grasping a life-saving straw.
"Get away!"
When Li Yinglong was crossing the river, how could he remember his old feelings?
In a hurry, he pushed Concubine Yuan down, ran to the window in a few steps, and opened the window.
This is the second floor. Behind the window is an alley paved with blue bricks.
Li Yinglong didn't hesitate, climbed onto the window sill, handed out his boots, gritted his teeth, and jumped down in a panic but decisive manner.
"Li Yinglong! How dare you abandon me..."
Concubine Yuan gave him a push and fell to the ground. Her eyes were red on her graceful and depressed face.
Hearing the footsteps of the officer getting closer, she hurriedly got up and wanted to jump out of the window and escape.
But when he lowered his head and looked at the height, his legs couldn't help but feel weak.
After this delay, there was only a "bang" sound, the door behind him was kicked open, and the screen fell down.
"You guys stand guard outside." A lazy voice sounded.
Then, Concubine Yuan was horrified to see an official wearing brocade clothes and dark circles under his eyes walking in, holding the handle of a knife.
Shen Juan glanced at the open window, smiled, and didn't pursue it.
Instead, he closed the door behind him and raised the screen.
Then, he pulled up a chair, sat down, and said in a just right voice:
"Shh, keep your voice down. Madam, you don't want your secret meeting with the then minister of the Ministry of Industry to be known to anyone except my family."
After Concubine Yuan's identity was revealed, she was completely devastated. How could she still maintain her usual mean-spirited attitude?
He slumped by the window and whispered:
"Whose subordinates are you...?"
Shen Juan said warmly:
"Lihuatang, Zhao Jisi ordered me to say hello to the empress."
Zhao Duan... Concubine Yuan turned pale.
…
…
In the alley.
Li Yinglong fell to the ground. Although his legs were numb, he had some foundation in martial arts after all.
Although he was not a practitioner, it was only two stories high, so he would not be injured.
He quickly got up and without any hesitation, he ran towards the alley entrance in panic.
This alley is the gap between teahouses and inns.
Therefore, it is very narrow, and only two people can walk side by side. The tall buildings on both sides block the sunlight and cast large shadows.
Li Yinglong held his breath and concentrated, and after running a few steps, he saw that the bright "alley entrance" in front of him, as bright as hope, was suddenly blocked.
The Lihuatang official who had been hiding in the dark for a long time blocked the entrance of the alley with an expressionless face.
The leader, with an unruly expression, placed a ring sword on his shoulder, the blade already unsheathed.
The Hou Ren raised his head fiercely, his eyes were stern, and he said with a ferocious smile: "Master Li, where are you going?"
Zhao Ya... Li Yinglong didn't recognize this Lihuatang general, but he recognized the brocade robe and his expression changed greatly.
He turned around and wanted to run from the other side, but in despair he saw that the other side was also blocked by officers in fine clothes.
The leader is a short, old official who is almost at retirement age, but has a fierceness like an old wolf.
Zheng Laojiu said with a smile:
"Shilang Li, I'm sorry, this way is blocked."
Li Yinglong stopped and was silent for a moment. He slowly stood up straight and calmed down in this desperate situation.
He said without any nonsense:
"You're just an official from the district. You recognize me, but you still don't get out of the way. Do you want to do something wrong? Believe it or not, based on this, I can send you to Lingnan to grow lychees."
Zheng Laojiu picked his ears with his little finger:
"Sir, what did you say? I am old and have bad ears, so I couldn't hear clearly."
Li Yinglong had no expression on his face, turned to Hou Renmeng, and offered some kind words:
"Why risk your life when you only get a meager salary?"
Hou Renmeng's answer was extremely concise and powerful, and the knife in his hand suddenly struck out from the air.
"Chichi——"
The sword energy pointed at both sides of Li Yinglong, and there were hideous scars on the wall, with the wall peeling off.
The crown of his hair was blown off, and his hair was thrown back messily.
Li Yinglong stood frozen on the spot.
There are wolves behind and tigers in front. There is no way to the sky and no door to the earth.
The old pavilion stood woodenly in the alley, with dark clouds gathering in the sky overhead.
"Are you sent by Ma Yan, or..."
Li Yinglong finally gave up his fantasy and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he only asked this sentence.
"The Governor has no time to cause trouble for you, yes, it's me."
A voice came belatedly.
Hou Ren suddenly stepped aside, and a famous Lihuatang official tacitly stepped aside to make way for a narrow path that could only allow one person to pass.
Zhao Duan, who was dressed in fine clothes and had a handsome appearance, picked his teeth and walked leisurely, as if he was strolling in a garden.
Behind him, Dong Da followed him step by step with a serious look on his face, but the golden slip had long since disappeared.
Zhao Duan came closer, smiled, looked at "Old Xiaoge", and bowed lightly:
"Your Excellency, do you still remember your rank?"
Li Yinglong was dizzy and squeezed out three words through his teeth:
"Zhao! Du! An!"
(End of chapter)