Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 282: Planning for one's own life and the country

Yang Yuan had indeed returned to Fengweilou at this time.

It was the last exam of the day, and he was the first one to hand in his paper and leave.

When I walked out of the examination room, there were already crowds of people outside, but it was completely silent.

Yang Yuan, the first one to come out, was the center of attention.

It is difficult to find your family among so many people, but it is easy for others to find him.

So Luxi and Danniang squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards him excitedly.

Qingtang followed Luxi and Danniang very servilely, but kept barking at them "brother-in-law" all the way, which made passers-by envious.

The two young ladies in the front are both very gentle and lovely, and the sister-in-law behind is obviously also a beauty.

It is not clear how the young man performed in the exam, but it is obvious that he has reached a peak that others would find difficult to reach in their lifetime.

Old Man Song was waiting outside in the car. Lu Xi and Dan Niang affectionately took Yang Yuan's arms and pulled him into the car.

Qingtang jumped up and sat in the passenger seat next to Old Man Song, and the family went home happily.

This kind of "locked-in-the-college examination" is really exhausting. Even though Yang Yuan has an extraordinary physique, he is exhausted at this time.

However, he was indeed very excited after just finishing the exam, and he answered all the questions from Luxi and Danniang.

The weather in Lin'an in September is not very cool.

After being trapped in a cell for three days, it was inevitable that they had some smell on their bodies, but Luxi and Danniang didn't mind at all. They snuggled up to Yang Yuan on both sides, and when they heard Yang Yuan say that the answer was very good, they were satisfied and smiled.

Yang Yuan would not be so stupid as to make his cheating known to everyone, so that even Lu Xi and Dan Niang would be kept in the dark.

The two girls thought that Yang Yuan was taking the imperial examination based on his real ability, so they were of course more fond of their men.

Old Man Song was driving the car with a serious expression. When he heard Yang Yuan say in the car that there was no problem in the test, the stiff lines on his face couldn't help but soften.

In the past, Yang Yuan was not a good son-in-law in his eyes, but now, the more he looks at Yang Yuan, the more he likes him.

Luxi and Danniang had never seen an examination room and were very curious about it.

Yang Yuan then told them about his experiences during the exam:

A cell smaller than a prison cell, a brick bed so hard that you can't even stretch your legs, a scholar who got hysterical at night and shouted "three consecutive top honors" and was splashed with water, someone had a sudden heart attack during the third exam and his body was wrapped in cloth and passed over the wall...

Luxi and Danniang exclaimed in amazement when they heard this.

Although Qingtang was sitting outside, he pricked up his ears to listen to the conversation in the car, and the expression on his face was indescribably wonderful.

……

When Yang Yuan returned to Fengwei Building, the first thing he did was to take a shower and change his clothes.

After all, I was locked up in the cell for three days, with no shower or change of clothes. When I needed to go to the toilet, I used the toilet on the spot. The first thing I did when I came back was of course to take a shower.

Lu Xi had already prepared a hot tub for Yang Yuan. After Yang Yuan took a new set of underwear and outerwear and went into the room to take a bath, Dan Niang's eyes suddenly flashed and she said to Lu Xi:

"Erlang has had a very hard time taking the exams these past three days. He hasn't eaten or slept well, and he has to use the toilet to answer each paper. It's really hard work. Sister Luxi, why don't you go in and help Erlang wash his body?"

When Lu Xi heard this, her pretty face immediately turned red, and she waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, that won't work. We haven't even gotten married yet, this won't work."

Dan Niang said, "Why not? Your status is already determined, so what are you afraid of? Go ahead. I'll stay here and no one else will know."

Lu Xi felt indescribable pain for Yang Yuan when he heard him talk about the hardships of the exam in the number room, and even how some people died of a sudden heart attack due to excessive pressure.

Although she and Yang Yuan had not yet become a real couple, they had done some private things. If she was alone, she wouldn't mind rubbing her second brother's back or something.

But Dan Niang was there too, and Lu Xi couldn't help feeling a little burdened as a senior wife, so she was unwilling to go in.

Lu Xi blushed and said to Dan Niang, "If you want to go, go ahead. I'll help you keep watch outside."

Dan Niang was bolder than Lu Xi, but she also knew that taking care of Lu Xi's feelings was more important than giving him a bath, so she shyly declined.

Qingtang brought new clothes to Yang Yuan and was about to go out. Just as he reached the door, he heard Danniang suggest that Luxi give him a bath.

Qingtang turned abruptly, walked to the wall, and slowly threw the rag into the washbasin.

Luxi and Danniang shyly pushed and shoved each other. They were both tempted, but each had reservations, and no one dared to put it into action.

Qingtang was wiping the table and dusting it, circling around them like a hardworking little bee.

However, Luxi and Danniang seemed to be accustomed to her existence. They just looked down on such a grown-up girl hanging around them.

The two girls pushed and shoved for a while, neither of them had the courage to go in, and finally they decided to join hands to make a delicious meal for Yang Yuan to reward him as a "great contributor."

Luxi and Danniang went to the kitchen. Qingtang threw the rag in dismay: "Really? Are you blind? You are too embarrassed to go. Why don't you let me go? I'm embarrassed!"
Her eyes rolled around and she thought to herself, how about... I go and rub my master's back?

Just thinking about it, her face turned red, but her eyes became brighter and brighter.

The little girl was very courageous and had none of the scruples that Luxi and Dan Niang had. She just did what she thought.

Her heart was pounding. She lifted her legs lightly, put them down lightly, tiptoed to open the door, and quietly slipped in.

Yang Yuan was lying on his back in the oval bathtub, his face covered with a wet towel and his head resting on a cushion. He had fallen asleep.

He slept on a hard earthen bed for the past three days, and had to use a lunch box as a pillow. He was tall, and couldn't even stretch his legs when he lay there. Although he used the Sleeping Dragon Technique to help him sleep, it was still hard and painful.

Now he was lying in a warm bath, letting the warm water wrap around his body. The buoyancy of the water gently lifted his body up, half floating and half sinking in the tub. He felt indescribably relieved and relaxed.

The tension of the past three days was relieved, and he fell asleep unknowingly.

Here, he had no guard and his mind was completely relaxed, so Qingtang tiptoed in and he didn't notice him while he was sleeping.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, as business was booming and the chefs were busy. Luxi and Danniang came to their special stove, where all kinds of ingredients had already been prepared.

Tonight, they were supposed to prepare soup for Erlang and serve a sumptuous feast, so the ingredients had naturally been prepared long ago.

Dan Niang tied on her apron and suddenly realized that her assistant Qingtang, who used to cut and sharpen knives on the water table, was not there. She called out to Chunhua, who came in to serve the dishes, "Chunhua, go call Qingtang to come and help."

Chunhua agreed and carried the prepared dish out of the kitchen.

She originally wanted to deliver the dishes to the guests first and then go find Qingtang, but she saw Qingtang coming towards her with his eyes wide open, as if he was frightened.

"Oh my god, it's so big! This is too scary. Master, this disciple is so tired that I am afraid I can't do it for him..."

"Qingtang!"

"Ah!" Qingtang shuddered with fear, and then he saw Chunhua opposite him.

Chunhua said, "Mother Dan asked you to help in the kitchen."

"okay……"

Qingtang ran to the kitchen as if he was trying to escape from some danger.

"Qingtang is here, hurry up, slice it and blanch it..."

Luxi and Dan Niang were already busy. When she saw Qingtang coming in, Dan Niang put down the work on the chopping board and turned around to guard the stove.

Qingtang walked over, picked up the jar that Danniang pointed to and poured it onto the chopping board. A lump of geoduck weighing more than four pounds fell onto the chopping board.

Qingtang shuddered and almost dropped the jar.

Qingtang patted his chest, picked up the knife, and asked with a pale face, "Master, how do we do this?"

Dan Niang was busy at her stove and answered casually, "Slice and blanch."

"Oh!"

Qingtang held down the food with her little hands, turned her head away without daring to look directly at it, and cut it with a knife...

"Aiya~ah!"

Qingtang raised his finger and looked at Danniang with tears in his eyes: "Master..."

Dan Niang scolded angrily: "You are such a glutton, you are incompetent at everything you do, why don't you go and get yourself bandaged!"

……

Qin Mansion, Wuxia Hall.

Dozens of candles on the floor-standing lamp stand of "Hundred Monkeys Playing" illuminate the room brightly.

Qin Hui was sitting behind his desk. Opposite him stood a man in his forties, dressed in casual clothes, with a clear and handsome face.

A map of Lin'an was spread out on the desk in front of the two men.

Qin Hui pointed at the map and said slowly: "Every year on the Lantern Festival night, the government boarded the painted boat to cruise on the river and watch the lanterns, enjoying the fun with the people.

The route they took was to start from Yuhang Gate (Wulin Gate), pass Chaowang Bridge, Imperial Wharf, Fuyi Warehouse, disembark at Xiangji Temple, burn incense, and then return to the palace by land..."

Now, because of the theft of the "Ma Huang Crossbow", Qin's followers have been arrested one after another, and their vitality has been severely damaged.

But Qin Hui remained calm. He neither pretended to be dying in front of outsiders nor became anxious because his wings had been clipped.

He had already planned to overturn the table and start a new business, so naturally he didn't care about the actions taken against him by the government now.

Standing opposite the desk was Lin Yifei, the Right Deputy Director of the Privy Council.

Lin Yifei, whose courtesy name was Shengqing, was Qin Hui's confidant.

Qin Hui pointed at the map and asked, "Shengqing, which location do you think is more suitable for the attack?"

Lin Yifei pondered for a moment, pointed to the map and said, "I think Chaowang Bridge, Imperial Pier, and Xiangji Temple are all very suitable locations."

Qin Hui said slowly: "We only have one chance to take action, and we must succeed."

Lin Yifei said solemnly: "I need to go to these places and walk through them several times before I can determine the most suitable location."

Qin Hui showed appreciation and stroked his beard, saying, "Don't be anxious or impatient, plan before you act. Good! This is a matter of life and death, we should be more cautious."

He slowly rolled up the map and said to Lin Yifei, "I have high hopes for you, Shengqing, if this is accomplished, and Hui'er becomes the prime minister, you... will be the only candidate for the Privy Councilor!"

Lin Yifei's heart suddenly felt warm, and he almost blurted out the biggest question in his mind: Am I your son?

But when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

There has long been a rumor that he is the son of Qin Hui and a maid when he was a rural teacher.

Later, Qin Hui passed the imperial examination and was recruited as a son-in-law by the Wang family. However, his wife, Mrs. Wang, did not tolerate him, so Qin Hui entrusted him to the care of his good friend, the Lin family.

After hearing this rumor, Lin Yifei was half-believing and half-doubting, with more belief than doubt.

Firstly, his official position was not very high, but Prime Minister Qin was able to treat him as his confidant.

Now, a plan to assassinate the king is underway, such a major event that even Qin Hui is not allowed to be involved, but the Prime Minister of Qin is able to discuss it with him. Why is he so trusting?

Another thing, he didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but he always felt that he and Qin Xiang were indeed somewhat similar.

However, if there really was something wrong with his background, and Prime Minister Qin didn't reveal it, if he took the initiative to ask, it would only embarrass both parties.

Therefore, when the words came to his lips, Lin Yifei wisely swallowed them back, and only bowed to Qin Hui and said, "Tomorrow, I will go to visit along the canal, and report to Prime Minister Qin after confirming the location."

(End of this chapter)