Chapter 157: The Cage

Under the setting sun.

Zhang Zhuo on horseback would sometimes ride towards Wang Dao Sheng, who would then unhurriedly dodge away.

The former was like a volcano ready to erupt, the latter like a deeply hidden iceberg; seemingly unrelated, yet they were together.

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Lord Zhang is usually also this way..."

He didn't say the word "childish" in the end.

Zhang Xia reached out and stroked Zao Zao’s mane, smiling and saying: "Father is usually full of official dignity, seldom like this. Presumably, the other person is Mr. Wang, so he is like this."

Chen Ji was even more puzzled: "Why is this?"

Zhang Xia thought for a moment: "My father once said Mr. Wang is a gentleman. I think, when facing Mr. Wang, he doesn't need to be as careful as usual. Although Mr. Wang doesn't agree with him, he will absolutely not harm him."

Chen Ji sighed softly: "That's truly good."

Zhang Zhuo and Wang Dao Sheng didn't argue for long.

Zhang Zhuo gradually quieted down.

Sitting on his horse, he looked at the flowing light spilling from the setting sun and sighed: "The state and society are like a painting. If only the world could be peaceful."

Wang Dao Sheng walked beside him and said calmly: "The words 'state' and 'society' are not good."

Zhang Zhuo was puzzled: "Why not good?"

Wang Dao Sheng gazed into the distance: "She refers to land, Ji to the five grains. Are there common people among these?"

Zhang Zhuo suddenly said: "Wang Dao Sheng!"

Wang Dao Sheng glanced at him sideways: "Lord Zhang, please speak!"

Zhang Zhuo stretched his red official robe and slowly said: "I feel that this time you enter the capital, you might not be promoted to Minister of War. So, don't hold too much hope. Right now, you seem to be the most suitable person. Qi Xiu Ping is incompetent, Yang Zhao is rash. If we discuss the position of Minister of War, neither of them is as good as you. This is also the reason why Hu Ge Lao strongly recommended you."

Wang Dao Sheng laughed: "Presumably there's still a 'but' behind that."

Zhang Zhuo took a deep breath, "But, His Majesty has been on the throne for thirty-one years, and what he dislikes most is using people without weaknesses. This world is flawless, and only the one in Ren Shou Palace can be that sage, no one else can be."

Wang Dao Sheng asked indifferently: "So, what should I do?"

Zhang Zhuo lowered his voice: "How about this, I'll send you a few women, you first take about ten concubines before entering the capital."

Wang Dao Sheng laughed in exasperation: "I'm in a mourning period. I cannot remarry or take concubines."

Zhang Zhuo looked up at the sky in thought, then lowered his head and said: "Then accept some money. I'll find people to send you some silver, then write a memorial to impeach you several times, and send it along with the evidence to His Majesty's hands."

Wang Dao Sheng said happily: "If that happens, I'm afraid I'll end up in the inner prison."

Zhang Zhuo shook his head. He adjusted the black hat on his head and brushed the dust off the white crane patch on his chest. "I'm not as good as you when it comes to articles and classics; you're not as good as me when it comes to being an official. The matter of accepting a few thousand taels of silver, His Majesty fundamentally won't take it to heart. His Majesty of course knows that the people under him are corrupt; he certainly knows, and he isn't worried."

"What is His Majesty worried about?"

Zhang Zhuo turned his head to look at Wang Dao Sheng: "His Majesty is only worried that when he doesn't want to use you, he won't be able to get rid of you."

Wang Dao Sheng laughed: "These things you speak of, I don't want to touch any of them. In this life, I only want to seek a clear conscience."

Zhang Zhuo blurted out a scolding: "Self-proclaimed noble and pure, I've seen many scholars like you. You live your whole life and in the end, only the four words 'upright and honest' remain. Yet you accomplish nothing. If you and I joined hands in court, how many great things could we do?"

Wang Dao Sheng said softly: "Seeking a result in the wrong process will ultimately not be a good result. Lord Zhang, it's already too late for me to soil myself. I don't have this courage as you do. Our political views are not consistent. We cannot join hands even if we are officials in the same court."

Zhang Zhuo didn't speak, and the atmosphere fell into a dead silence.

Several juniors followed behind, even holding their breath because of the atmosphere.

Zhang Zhuo suddenly sighed: "Your official position will certainly not be as high as mine in the future, but you might live longer than me. After I die, don't let the historical officials blindly damn me."

Wang Dao Sheng was silent for a long time: "This matter is not something I can decide."

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily: "Forget it, forget it, let them be."

Wang Dao Sheng asked calmly: "Resigning to fate?"

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard: "What else can we do?"

He thought for a moment and then said: "Right, do you still remember the hall meeting in the twenty-fifth year of Jia Ning, where Xu everyone sang 'Zhan Liang Chen'?"

"I remember!"

Zhang Zhuo asked again: "Which part did you like the most?"

Wang Dao Sheng said: "Profit locks and fame reins, caging many good men. The morning bell and evening drum startle countless foolish people awake. How about you?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily: "Merit name half a paper, wind and snow thousand mountains. You and I like different parts of the play, indeed we are not people of the same path. So be it."

At this moment, a sound of a horizontal flute drifted from afar, like a sword cutting through the wind and snow.

Chen Ji's heart tensed, and he looked up.

He saw a person sitting in front of a carriage under the Luo City city gate tower, like a coachman, yet much more detached than a coachman.

His whole body's muscles were taut like a string, and his hand silently touched towards the whale knife: "Mr. Feng!"

Everyone looked closely and saw that the carriage was stopped alone by the roadside, with a peacock pattern carved on it.

Liu Ge Lao's carriage!

Chen Ji subconsciously looked towards Jing Wang.

But he saw the opposite face was indifferent, his gaze cold and stern, staring directly at the carriage driver.

Mr. Feng saw them approaching, slowly put down the horizontal flute, and said with a smile: "Wang Ye, my old master invites you to get into the carriage for a talk."

Jing Wang stood firm, still staring at him coldly: "Was it you who led people to surround and kill Yun Xi and Bai Li?"

Mr. Feng looked surprised: "Wang Ye must be joking. I've been listening to music in White Clothes Alley in Luo City these days. I haven't gone out."

Jing Wang sneered: "Do I need to take out evidence?"

Mr. Feng laughed heartily: "No need, no need. Even if Wang Ye takes out evidence, I still won't admit it."

Jing Wang sneered: "Arrogant!"

Mr. Feng looked at the Thousand Years Army behind Jing Wang and said with a smile: "The Thousand Years Army went out of camp without a Ministry of War document. His Majesty might not do anything to Wang Ye, but the Thousand Years Army will certainly have people bear the consequences! If according to His Majesty's habit, General Wang should be sent to labor in Ling Nan... it should be difficult to meet again afterward."

Chen Ji was startled. So the price of the Thousand Years Army surrounding Lu Hun Mountain Villa was so great.

Jing Wang said loudly: "General Wang."

The person holding the Wang flag responded: "Your subordinate is here."

Jing Wang said: "Return to camp!"

"Take care, Wang Ye!"

With that, General Wang waved the Wang flag, and the Thousand Years Army solemnly turned their horse heads and rode south.

The rustling sound of the armor of over a thousand soldiers was deafening, and there was no delay whatsoever.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Liu Gun, dressed in a gray cloth robe, slowly walked down the carriage with the support of Mr. Feng.

Zhang Zhuo quickly signaled everyone to dismount and bow.

However, Liu Ge Lao did not look at Jing Wang, but instead looked at Chen Ji first, his gaze examining: "You are Chen Ji?"

Everyone suddenly looked at Chen Ji. No one had expected that Chen Ji would actually be remembered by a Ge Lao.

Zhang Zhuo laughed, pulled Wang Dao Sheng and blocked them between Liu Ge Lao and Chen Ji, smiling with narrowed eyes and bowing his hands: "Ge Lao, long time no see."

Liu Gun glanced at him: "Now I'm no longer a Ge Lao. Just an old man living at home. Lord Zhang, don't be afraid. I just want to chat with the young man for a few sentences, I won't harm him."

Zhang Zhuo hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he retreated.

Liu Gun sized up Chen Ji and asked again: "You are Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji stood beside his warhorse and bowed: "Replying to Ge Lao, that is indeed me!"

Liu Gun chuckled softly, like a kind old man: "Young talent, a newborn calf doesn't fear tigers. You have a promising future."

Chen Ji did not answer.

Liu Gun asked again: "Married?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "No!"

Liu Gun laughed: "My Liu family just happens to have several young women who have reached marriageable age..."

He didn't finish his words, but saw Shizi take a step forward and bow to interrupt: "Outer Grandfather!"

Liu Gun was not bothered by being interrupted, and turned his head to smile at Shizi: "Good child, you haven't come to visit the Liu family's main residence for years. When your mother was still alive in the early years, she often brought you back to see the Liu family."

Shizi replied: "Outer Grandfather, I've been busy with my studies these years. I will definitely visit you often when I have time."

Liu Gun said happily: "Good, good, good!"

Chen Ji frowned.

It turned out that Jing Wang's principal wife was also from the Liu family.

Could she have been Jing Fei's elder sister?

Up to now, the cause of death of the principal wife seemed sealed in time and no one mentioned it, but Chen Ji, linking it to the nature and methods of the Liu family, couldn't help but wonder if there were still secrets within.

Liu Gun glanced at Chen Ji, and in the end, said nothing more.

He looked tiredly at Jing Wang: "Wang Ye, when you and I, father-in-law and son-in-law, meet, why must we be so tense? Long time no see. Let's get into the carriage and talk."

Jing Wang thought for a moment, turned his head and said to Shizi: "You all go back first!"

Shizi said anxiously: "Father..."

Jing Wang comforted him: "Go on. Nothing will happen."

Shizi was still unwilling to leave, and Chen Ji also did not move.

Zhang Zhuo chuckled: "We've been rushing on the road all day, enduring the wind and snow. Let's quickly go home and drink hot tea. Walk, walk, walk..."

Saying this, he pulled Chen Ji and Shizi's arms and walked towards the city gate, and said in a low voice: "With so many eyes watching, what can he do to Wang Ye? Do you have to force the Liu family to tear off their face? Aren't you being foolish? Rest assured, Wang Ye will be fine."

Shizi then left, looking back every few steps.

Entering the city gate, Chen Ji couldn't help but turn his head to look. He saw Jing Wang lifting the curtain of the carriage, and Mr. Feng standing beside the carriage, smiling at him.

With a thump, a man inside the city gate bumped into Chen Ji and brushed past him.

Chen Ji looked closely and saw that the man was wearing a low bamboo hat and had merged into the market crowd. He was clearly from the West Wind branch of the secret spy department.

He unfolded a paper strip in his hand without a trace. It was prominently written: Be careful, the people sending secret memorials to the capital are all being killed!

Chen Ji suddenly raised his head. Had Yu State already become a prison cage?

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