Chapter 67:
"What's wrong?"
Jun Huailang heard Xue Yan's voice from behind. He looked up and saw Xue Yan walking forward and looking down at him.
In terms of color alone, these two pairs of eyes look similar.
"There is a cat." Jun Huailang's eyes were filled with a smile, and he raised his head and said to Xue Yan.
Xue Yan met the soft smile in his eyes, and his heart softened involuntarily.
Then, he turned to look at the little tabby in the corner.
But it backfired, the meowing sound was so soft.
Xue Yan only glanced at it, then turned her eyes away in disgust.
Jun Huailang reached out to the kitten.
The kitten made a gesture to bite him, but the little deciduous teeth fell on the back of his hand, but he had no energy, and it was as light as a spoiled child.
At this moment, Fu Yi, not far away, sneezed.
Jun Huailang suddenly remembered, turned around and said to Fuyi, "You can't touch this hairy animal?"
Fuyi said ashamed: "You don't have to worry about me, young master."
Where is the owner who doesn't keep cats because the slaves can't touch the animals?
Jun Huailang retracted his hand hesitantly.
Keeping a cat is a small matter, but Fuyi is by your side every day, and it is inevitable that you will have to contact.
But he looked at the kitten's eyes, the crystal clear amber color, which made him inexplicably reluctant.
"Otherwise, go talk to the concierge and ask them to bring the cat back." Jun Huailang said, but did not get up, his eyes fixed on the cat. "Always save it first, and the rest..."
But at this moment, a slight but long sandalwood incense lingered around his side from back to front.
Xue Yan's breath was close, then he stretched out his hand and picked up the cat on the ground.
He doesn't have the awareness to hold the cat, he can easily hold it by holding the middle of its body with one hand. The cat was suddenly picked up and struggled with its four claws, but it was useless.
Jun Huailang looked up and saw Xue Yan standing behind him, leaning over to catch the cat.
"I'll take care of you." He said lightly. "Whenever you want to see it, come to me and see it."
He didn't say, he couldn't see the reluctance of the other party. It's just a little beast, and if you want to raise it, you can raise it. What's the reluctance to make him embarrassed about such a trivial matter?
But I don't know what kind of picture is in front of Jun Huailang at this time.
One is a tall and cold young man, tall and slender, with broad shoulders and narrow waist, standing in the rain like a pine tree, his whole body is cold and indifferent like a superior; the other is a tiger-like kitten , showing his teeth and claws, baring his little deciduous teeth fiercely.
Two pairs of amber eyes, both looking at him.
—
His Royal Highness King Guangling is one of the most noble in the world. Although he wants to raise cats, he naturally won't let him do it himself.
The cat was taken back to the room by him like a prisoner of war, and threw it to Jinbao. Jinbao quickly and carefully wiped the cat dry, heated it up, gave it food and water, and instructed the maids to build a nest for it in the house.
The master can naturally leave it alone, but if the kitten dies, he will probably have to pay for his life.
Fortunately, the kitten was smart and didn't get too much rain, and was still alive and kicking when he came back. Now that I have eaten and drank enough, I am very energetic, and I still have the energy to open my belly proudly, and let Jinbao touch it with dignity.
Jin Bao couldn't help but slander, this cat is more attractive than his master.
Xue Yan returned to the room, and went to the study to sort out the information on the water conservancy inspection today. In addition, many official documents were sent to his desk. Before he came, the highest-ranking official in Jiangnan was Duke Yongning, but now that he came, these official documents were naturally sent to him.
Xue Yan is used to it now, and these little things are also handy for him.
The rain outside the window was not small, and it gradually fell into the night.
At this moment, a slight cat meow came from his study.
Xue Yan looked up and saw the cat slipped into his study at some point. When he was doing things on weekdays, no one in the room dared to make a sound, only this little beast who had just arrived, dared to meow casually here.
Xue Yan looked up at him.
Seeing the wet, rather embarrassed kitten, she was already refreshed. It took a cat's walk, patrolled Xue Yan's study, and then jumped to Xue Yan's desk.
Xue Yan raised his eyebrows and looked at it.
It turns out that not only people can be arrogant, but also this little beast. Relying on the blue eyes of Jun Huailang, he dared to sway around here, as if it had become its territory.
With a cat meow, the little tabby fell into Xue Yan's hands again.
The servants in Xue Yan's house all like this furry little raccoon slave. It was brought here today, who doesn't touch it carefully? Only Xue Yan, who was grabbed and dragged, showed no mercy.
He was so frightened that the kitten started to meow again.
Xue Yan held it with one hand and looked up and down coldly.
It's nothing special. Xue Yan looked indifferent and thought silently in his heart. I don't know where he got his blue eyes, he must have a good heart, and he couldn't see this little beast getting wet.
Thinking of this, Xue Yan smiled softly.
When Jinbao hurriedly pushed the door in, he saw such a scene.
The cat had already sensed the danger and was meowing. But this little milk cat, no matter how miserable it is, still has two points of whining, but it makes the scene in front of her look unspeakably weird.
Jinbao swallowed.
"What's the matter?" Xue Yan raised his head, put away the smile on his lips, and asked lightly.
Jinbao came back to his senses, and quickly put the letter in his hand on Xue Yan's table: "Back to the prince, Duan Shishi is back."
Xue Yan put the cat on the table.
The cat stumbled and stepped into the inkstone on Xue Yan's table. It jumped out in fright, ran two steps, and stepped on a few plum-shaped footprints on the brand new secret letter on Xue Yan's desk.
Xue Yan looked up and glanced at Jinbao.
Jinbao understood and hurriedly came forward and hugged the cat away.
"Don't let it enter my study next time." Xue Yan opened the secret letter with his eyes down and said. "Go out."
Jinbao hurriedly hugged the cat and walked out.
Xue Yan took out the letter in the envelope. As soon as he arrived the day before yesterday, he sent Duan Shishi out to investigate the current situation in Jinling. This kid is worthy of being from the East Factory. He used it much more easily than Jin Yiwei. Within two days, the news was sent back.
The letter is concise and to the point, without redundant information, and has listed all the important local officials in Jinling.
Xue Yan looked down.
The news returned from the probe is similar to what he observed in the past two days. Although the prefect of Jinling was a little slippery, there was no problem, and most of the group that followed Duke Yongning were scholars who had entered the imperial examinations.
Then his eyes fell on a name.
Guo Rongwen.
This person is also an official in the imperial examination. He was also a jinshi on the same list as Yongning Gong, and now works in the Ministry of Households.
He had some relationship with Duke Yongning back then. When he entered the imperial examinations in Beijing from Lingnan alone, his family was poor and penniless. After arriving in Chang'an, he relied on writing letters for others to exchange money for pen and ink books. Afterwards, Duke Yongning sponsored him, and found him a place to live in the palace, until he was named on the Golden List and became an official in the dynasty.
Therefore, Guo Rongwen and Yongning Gong have always had a good relationship. Even though Duke Yongning's official career has been flat over the years and no one cares about him, this Guo Rongwen is still as good as ever.
This person is supposed to be fine, even reassuring. They went south this time, and Duke Yongning also assured him of the various accounts of Jinling Mansion to monitor.
He didn't do anything wrong.
But Xue Yan's eyes fell on a line of words.
On a certain day in a certain month, more than a week before he came to Jinling, Guo Rongwen met people in Wan'an Restaurant. He didn't talk about anything, but he paid the exorbitant wine price for others, and then bought a geisha with a lot of money and sent it to a house.
That house is exactly where the young master of the Xu family lives. And that Young Master Xu was the one who knocked Shen Liufeng into the lake because of the dispute between Su Xiaoqian and Jun Huailang on the East Lake that day.
And this Xu family is not another Xu family, it is the Xu Xiang family who is the most important minister in the middle of Beijing.
After that, a wandering Taoist priest came to Chang'an and prescribed a prescription for him.
And by coincidence, this wandering Taoist priest died a few years after the prescription, leaving only a young disciple. In order to repay his kindness, Xu Xiang sent his disciple into the palace and into the Qin Tian Prison.
It is the Lingtai Lang who is private with Yi Jieyu.
And after the illness is cured, the back house will not be able to keep this young master who has been pampered since childhood. In the past two years, this young master has been traveling around in the mountains and waters. During this period, he happened to arrive in Jinling.
stayed here.
Xue Yan looked at the line of words, pondered for a moment, and showed a faint smile that was almost invisible.
"Segment fourteen." He said.
The shadow in the dark appeared: "The subordinate is here."
Xue Yan raised her eyes and asked, "Where did the girl who brought you back that day sang before?"
Duan Shi Shi clasped his fists and said concisely: "Wan An Restaurant. On the day Guo Rongwen went, she had an argument with Xu Cong'an."
Xue Yan's smile deepened.
That makes sense.
Even if Guo Rongwen hasn't done anything yet, but he works beside Yongning Gong, and he goes to curry favor with the young master of the Xu family, there is only one reason.
The Xu family bribed him, waiting to arrange for him to do something.
As for what happened, Xue Yan didn't care much. All he needs to do is to let him do something wrong and let himself grasp the handle by using this sloppy young master, and that's enough.
"Keep an eye on him." Xue Yan ordered. "Go find some trouble for that Xu Cong'an, and find trouble for him to be short of money."
Speaking, he looked up at Duan Shishi, and continued: "If he wants to go to Guo Rongwen, don't stop him. If Guo Rongwen embezzles money from the public account, let him do it."
Speaking, he withdrew his eyes and said lightly: "As long as he moves the money in the account, you can find a brothel, find a firework girl who has not picked up customers, and after bribing it, just throw the money and hold it. She, hold her as an oiran, famous all over Jinling, and then go to monitor Xu Cong'an's movements."
Duan XIV took the order and had to retire.
At this moment, Xue Yan raised his eyes and suddenly said, "Do you hate Duan Chong?"
Duan Shishi paused, raised his eyes for the first time, and looked at Xue Yan.
The dark brown eyes seemed calm and unwavering, but there was a sharp edge hidden in them.
He did not speak.
Xue Yan was all too familiar with his expression.
Duan Chong wants to keep a dog and a weapon that seals his throat with blood, so he doesn't treat him as a human being.
He is only useful as Duan Fourteen, but he has already forgotten that this dog who can't wag its tail, even if he is obedient, is an unfamiliar wolf.
What's more, Duan Chong thought that Duan Shishi didn't know that he was the enemy of Duan Shishi who killed his father and murdered his mother.
Xue Yan met Duan Shishi's gaze without hesitation and raised the corners of her lips.
"Do my affairs well, I will give you a chance to kill him and replace him." He said slowly.
Duan Shi Shi did not make a sound. After a while, he clenched a fist at him and hid himself in the darkness.
He knew that Duan XIV agreed to his proposal.
There were two people in the room, but it was dead silence. There was a male lion lying in the open, and a jackal was lurking in the dark.
The quiet air is almost stagnant.
At this moment, the door was pushed open again.
Xue Yan frowned impatiently, knowing that it was Jinbao.
"What's the matter?" He threw the remaining corner of the letter into the candle, and the fire lit up.
Jinbao hurriedly said: "Go back to the lord, the tiles of His Royal Highness the East Prince's house were washed away by the rain! The rain is leaking in the main house at the moment, so it must be impossible to live in!"
Xue Yan's eyes moved away from the candlelight, and immediately got up: "I'll take a look."
Speaking, he has already passed Jinbao and walked out of the study.
Just now, the calm and sullen sullenness on his body has long since disappeared.