Xiao Zhuo watched the woman walk up to Su Dingfang. After the two whispered to each other for a while, the woman left in a hurry. When she left, Xiao Zhuo also walked closer and faintly heard Su Dingfang mention

The words "Zhuang Mansion" and "Little Marquis" were used. Xiao Zhuo couldn't help but start to think about what Su Dingfang wanted to do and why Su Dingfang was in Luoyang City. Moreover, Su Dingfang's behavior at this time was so abnormal and even a little sneaky.

"Brother Dingfang, it's been a long time since we've seen each other. You're okay when you come back!" After thinking about it again and again, Xiao Zhuo took the initiative to call Su Dingfang.

"Brother Xiao, it's you! When I arrived in Luoyang a few days ago, I went to the Xiao Mansion to look for you! But at that time, the servants of the Xiao Mansion said that you were not here, so they didn't bother you. I didn't expect that I could see you before I left.

Come on! Come, I'll treat you to a drink!" Su Dingfang pulled Xiao Zhuo and was about to walk into the wine shop. He looked around and behind Xiao Zhuo and asked, "Hey? Brother Xiao, where are the second brothers Xiong?"

"Brother Xiong returned to Xiangzhou on the way. I just arrived in Luoyang today. I could have come back earlier, but I diverted to Lanling on the way, so I came back late. What did brother Dingfang do when he came to Luoyang?

Why did you stop in front of the Chuxiu Garden?" As soon as Xiao Zhuo asked this question, he saw that Su Dingfang looked a little unnatural. After Su Dingfang looked around, he pulled Xiao Zhuo into a room in the wine shop and asked

: "Brother Xiao, do you know about the imperial court's selection of girls this year?"

"Of course I know this. On the way back a few days ago, I heard a friend from the same camp talk about this. Why, does brother Dingfang have any relatives or friends who were selected? Congratulations! Could the woman who left just now be yours?

Relatives?" Xiao Zhuo's words were half-joking, but Su Dingfang laughed at himself: "Brother Xiao, don't be joking. I am alone, how can I have any relatives? It is our young marquis whose fiancée was selected into Chu Xiuyuan! That woman just now

She is a domestic servant of the Zhuang Mansion. Master Zhuang asked her to go in and see how Miss Zhuang is doing there."

When Xiao Zhuo heard this, he couldn't help but curiously asked: "Your young prince's fiancée? How is it possible? Isn't there a rule for the imperial court to draft women? All married women are not included in the selection!"

"Who says it's not the case? Because of this, Mr. Zhuang didn't worry about anything when he first started drafting girls. But ten days ago, Mr. Zhuang sent someone to Beiping Mansion to inform our Lord Marquis that it was his daughter Miss Zhuang who was raped.

After being selected into Chuxiu Garden, Mr. Zhuang used money and connections, but still couldn't rescue Miss Zhuang, so he had no choice but to ask our Lord Marquis for help. A few days ago..." Su Dingfang wanted to continue, but Xiao Zhuo quickly interrupted.

His words. "Wait a minute, what is the relationship between Mr. Zhuang and Marquis Jingbian? Is that Miss Zhuang the fiancée of your little Marquis?"

"Oops!" Su Dingfang then put down his wine glass, slapped his forehead and said, "I forgot to tell you clearly about this. When our Marquis made great achievements in his early years, he was saved by Master Zhuang. After the Marquis became successful, he wanted to repay the favor.

Thanks to Mr. Zhuang's kindness and Mr. Zhuang's daughter who has not yet left the court, the two families became in-laws last year. However, when the girl was drafted this year, the official in charge used it as a deliberate evasion of the draft.

For marriage, Miss Zhuang was put on the list of candidates. After asking around for a few times, Mr. Zhuang found out that this was all caused by the officials in charge colluding with Yu Wenhuaji. They deliberately selected some ladies from wealthy merchant families to force the rich

Households used money to redeem people, and most of the officials in the DPRK accepted Yu Wenhuaji's benefits. Yu Wenhuaji was the Prime Minister of the DPRK. Most people did not dare to go to the government to redress their grievances. They either watched their daughters being taken away, or they just

After being able to obediently take the money to redeem the person, Mr. Zhuang had no choice but to inform the Marquis. After hearing this, the young Marquis couldn't bear it anymore, and immediately asked the Marquis to take a group of us to Luoyang for discussion. Originally, we wanted to find Chao Zhongwen

Wu reported to His Majesty, but your Majesty continued to give advice for nine days in a row about the Eastern Expedition, which made Long Yan furious, and his official position was demoted by three levels. At this time, all the civil and military officials were panic-stricken, and no one dared to put this person at this time.

This matter has been submitted to the Holy Spirit. And tomorrow is the day when the first batch of beautiful ladies will enter the palace. Brother Xiao, do you have any way to rescue Miss Zhuang?"

Xiao Zhuo was silent after listening to Su Dingfang's words. He knew that his father had admonished His Majesty for the Eastern Expedition, but at that time Xiao Rui did not mention that his father was demoted because of it. Based on his understanding of Xiao Yu, if

His father would never be so persistent about ordinary things. It seems that the consequences of the Eastern Expedition may be more serious than he imagined! As for Miss Zhuang's matter, he is really not busy.

"Brother Dingfang, I'm afraid I can't help you with this matter. Look at the weather. Xu Shi has passed now and hundreds of officials have resigned. Even if we can find the person who came forward for this matter, it is impossible to enter the palace at this time to report to the Holy Emperor.

.Tomorrow, the beautiful girls will be sent to the palace early in the morning to be selected, let alone sent out again."

"Then what should we do? If it is delayed until tomorrow morning, the young marquis will..." Su Dingfang suddenly stopped talking, but Xiao Zhuo noticed something and asked: "Brother Dingfang, if this matter cannot be resolved today, what will you do?"

Do you already have any plans? Go to Chu Xiuyuan to rob someone?"

Su Dingfang's hand that was about to drink stopped in mid-air. He looked at Xiao Zhuo, and after making sure that Xiao Zhuo was not trying to trick him, he slowly said: "I also know that this is a bad idea, so I hope you can find a way.

Ah! Our young Marquis can no longer persuade him. Ever since he met some people in the world in Jinan Mansion a few years ago, he has become more and more jealous over the years, not to mention the hatred of seizing his wife! But you can't help.

There's nothing we can do about it." Su Dingfang held the wine glass. Although he didn't explicitly say what his plan was, it was equivalent to acknowledging Xiao Zhuo's guess.

"Okay! Brother Dingfang, I will try my best to help! If there is a way, I will go to the Zhuang Mansion to find you before midnight tonight. It's getting late, I just returned to Luoyang, and I have to go home for dinner tonight, so I won't accompany you.

Come on! Let's meet up some other day." Xiao Zhuo had said this, and Su Dingfang couldn't force Xiao Zhuo to stay any longer, so he had to stand up and say goodbye: "When you return home after a long separation, reunion should be your top priority. Brother Xiao, I'll see you off.

"

After bidding farewell to Su Dingfang, Xiao Zhuo walked alone on the street. He thought of what he had encountered today. First, his father failed to remonstrate with him about the Eastern Expedition and was demoted to a third rank. Then there was Yuan Tiangang and him in Sitian Prison.

Uncle Xiao Cong's matter; later it was the purpose of Su Dingfang and his party from Beiping Prefecture. It was really a turmoil! Xiao Zhuo thought about it again and again, but decided to go home first to have a look but there was no way to solve Miss Zhuang's matter.

Stepping into the Xiao Mansion again, as soon as Xiao Zhuo entered the backyard, two half-person tall children ran over and shouted "fourth uncle" to each of Xiao Zhuo. Xiao Zhuo was confused until Xiao Kai and Xiao Wei heard the sound and left.

When Xiao Zhuo came out to stop him, he saw the eldest lady of the Han family behind Xiao Yi and realized that these two troublemakers were probably his nephews Xiao Shouyan and Xiao Shouqing. Because on the way back to Luoyang a few days ago, Xiao Zhuo heard Xiao Rui say

However, Xiao Yi married Han Lingyu, the eldest daughter of the Han family, five years ago. Han Lingyu originally did not want to marry Xiao Yi because Han Lingyu felt that the men of the Xiao family were too bookish for her to like.

.However, later Xiao Yi went to the Si Tianjian to scold Yuan Tiangang because he became a monk. Han Lingyu took a new look at Xiao Yi and immediately asked her father Han Shi'er to go to Xiao's house to set a date for their marriage. Now their two children are five years old.

He's so old, it's really a blessing in disguise!

"Uncle, Yan'er is not sensible. This is the first time I see you. Don't be surprised, uncle!" The eldest lady of the Han family came out at this time and said a blessing to Xiao Zhuo. Xiao Zhuo immediately returned the greeting and said: "I was afraid that the third sister-in-law would blame me.

Oh! I just got home, and Yan'er didn't recognize me when he saw me for the first time! Come on, Yan'er, come here and let your fourth uncle hug you!" After Xiao Zhuo finished speaking, he squatted down, but the two naughty little mischievous people gathered around him.

After coming up, Xiao Zhuo had no choice but to hold one in each hand and walk towards the inner hall. However, as soon as he entered the door, he saw Yan Ying standing behind Xiao Kai. Xiao Zhuo did not see her just now because the door was blocked. At this time, the two met each other.

I don't know how to talk to him.

"Cousin!" Yanying just shouted out, then changed her words: "Uncle! Is she... okay?"

"She's fine!" After Xiao Zhuo finished speaking, he looked at Xiao Kai and said nothing more. He hugged the two troublemakers and walked inside. However, Xiao Kai called out to him: "Fourth brother, the eldest brother hasn't arrived yet.

!”

Xiao Zhuo had just stopped when he heard this, and Xiao Rui's voice came from outside the hospital: "I'm here! Father has something to deal with, so he won't come over for dinner. Just leave one for father! Brothers and sisters, you go in to eat first!

"As Xiao Rui spoke, someone walked over quickly from outside the hall. When Xiao Zhuo heard him speak, he also put down the two children in his arms.

"Come! Yan'er, Qing'er, let's go find grandma first. We can't let grandma wait for us!" Han Lingyu coaxed the two children softly, and the two children obediently returned to their mothers. Adults and children

The figure immediately disappeared into the front hall.

"Brother, how is father's contact with the officials?" Xiao Zhuo saw that Xiao Rui's expression was obviously not good, but he had to ask, otherwise the three of them would only be more worried.

"Father is preparing for tomorrow's morning court! It is actually not difficult to contact the officials. My father has been in the government for many years, and most of the ministers in the court admire his father's character. If my father remonstrates again tomorrow, most of them will respond. But if he remonstrates tomorrow, I

I'm worried that Your Majesty still won't give up on the Eastern Campaign, not to mention that Yu Wenhua and those people will definitely intervene. They moved the late emperor out nine times before to stop my father, and they will definitely do their best to stop him this time."

"Yu Wenji! How come Shibo Yuwen gave birth to such a greedy person! But His Majesty loves and trusts him so much!" Xiao Yi angrily raised his hand to hit the table, but was held back by Xiao Kai next to him. Xiao Kai held Xiao Kai's hand.

Xiao Yi glanced at the back hall with his hand. After Xiao Yi understood it, he slowly withdrew his hand.

It's Yu Wenhuaji again! Xiao Zhuo secretly sighed that Yu Wenhuaji was indeed worthy of the greedy wolf's fate. All profitable things seemed to be related to Yu Wenhuaji. I heard that when Ma Shumou was the general manager of Kaihe, he used to be a merchant.

On the grounds that the ancestral graves of rich families must pass through the canal, they extorted rich families from all over the country to accept bribes. The person who instigated Uncle Ma to do this is also said to be Yu Wenhuaji. The incident of the draft girl today is exactly the same as the incident on the canal back then.

, I’m afraid that Yu Wenhuaji can’t escape the relationship with the canal matter. But why should Yu Wenhuaji try his best to promote the Eastern Expedition now? What good will it do to Yu Wenhuaji if a civil uprising occurs? Xiao Zhuo thought while thinking,

As he followed his three brothers into the back hall, he saw that all the female family members were seated in the back hall, so he said nothing more.

After dinner with his family, Xiao Zhuo hurried to Shangqing Temple. When he arrived, a Taoist boy had already greeted him at the gate of Shangqing Temple. When the Taoist boy saw Xiao Zhuo get off his horse, he stepped forward and said

He finished with the following sentence: "I am here to wait for my master as ordered by my master. Master, please!"

Xiao Zhuo saw that although this Taoist boy was not very old, only about thirteen or fourteen years old, he was handsome and handsome, with a smart look between his brows and eyes, as if he already had the spirit of a young man. He asked, "What's your name? How old are you?"

Is that so?" The Taoist boy was originally leading the way, but upon hearing Xiao Zhuo's question, he turned around and held his hand and said, "Reporting to Uncle Master, my disciple's name is Li Chunfeng. He is fifteen years old this year. He has practiced Taoism with his mentor since he was a child."

After Li Chunfeng finished speaking, he turned around and continued to lead the way. When the two of them were about to enter the courtyard, Xiao Zhuo saw a person performing martial arts in the courtyard from a distance. However, due to the weather, Xiao Zhuo couldn't see the person's appearance clearly, but what was certain was that,

That man was definitely not Yuan Tiangang. When he walked into the courtyard, Xiao Zhuo saw that the man was obviously not very strong, but the two gilded sledgehammers in his hands followed his movements under the moonlit night, drawing golden lines. And every time the man swung,

With one strike, the air seemed to tremble. Even from a distance, Xiao Zhuo could imagine the power of these hammers. He was probably going to die or be injured.

"Uncle Master, this is my junior brother Li Yuanba." After Li Chunfeng introduced him, he shouted to Li Yuanba: "Yuanba, stop practicing, come and see Uncle Master first!"

"Oh!" After Li Chunfeng responded in a slightly silly voice, Li Yuanba walked over with his two hammers. When he got close, he put the two hammers on the ground, knelt down and bowed. "Yuanba meets Uncle Master!"

There was a bang! Xiao Zhuo didn't hear what Li Yuanba said clearly at all. He only saw the double hammers dropped by Li Yuanba hitting the ground, smashing the green bricks on the ground into several small pieces. But looking at Li Yuanba's behavior, he also knew

What the other party was doing, he quickly said: "Get up!"

"Yuanba! Didn't I tell you to release the hammer slowly?"

"I forgot!"

"Hey! You can carry a stone to the mason's shop tomorrow and polish it before mounting it! Don't forget it next time!"

Xiao Zhuo ignored the sighs of the two of them, but stretched out his hand to hold the handle of a hammer, trying hard to lift it up. However, after he took it, the hammer seemed to have taken root on the ground. Xiao Zhuo tried his best, but it was just

It was barely lifted off the ground.

"Uncle Master, let me help you!" Li Yuanba saw that Xiao Zhuo was struggling so hard, so he reached out and grabbed the lower end of the hammer handle, and with another force, the hammer lifted off the ground.

"No! I'm just trying! I didn't expect it to be so... huh!" Before Xiao Zhuo could finish his sentence, Li Yuanba obediently let go of his hands, and the hammers immediately sank down. Xiao Zhuo was caught off guard, and his entire upper body

They were all dropped by the hammer.

"Uncle Master, are you okay?" Li Chunfeng asked from the side. He could see that Xiao Zhuo was completely unprepared for the attack just now, and he might have been injured somewhere!

"Chunfeng, do what you should do, I'm fine! I'll go find your master first." Xiao Zhuo pretended to be nonchalant until he was out of sight of the two of them, then he patted him on the waist.

"Junior brother, what's wrong with your waist?" Yuan Tiangang asked after seeing Xiao Zhuo rubbing his waist all the way into his room.

"It's okay, I was dodged by Yuan Ba's hammer just now." Xiao Zhuo staggered to Yuan Tiangang's side, quickly pulled up a futon and sat down.

"That hammer weighs 400 kilograms. Only Yuanba's natural strength can lift it. What can you do? If it were Yuwen CD, you can try it." Yuan Tiangang pulled Xiao Zhuo's body and pressed his hand on his lower back.

After a while, Xiao Zhuo slowly sat up straight.

"Okay, senior brother, don't talk about this anymore, let's talk about my uncle!" Xiao Zhuo moved left and right, and when he saw that the pain in his waist was gone, he sat back and took out the scroll behind him. Yuan Tiangang looked at the scroll for a long time.

, and then leisurely told the story about the scroll.
To be continued...