The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 82 Entering the Grandson's Residence, an Unexpected Gift of Gratitude!
The meal ended in this strange atmosphere.

After that, no one mentioned marriage again.

However, they were both aware of each other's feelings, so although they didn't mention it much, their relationship became even closer than before.

After meal.

The two left the dining hall.

The afternoon sun felt warm on my skin.

The cold winter and early spring have quietly passed.

Temperatures are starting to rise, and the earth is about to usher in its most vibrant time.

Liu Shuyi lagged half a step behind Du Ruhui, thought for a moment, and said, "Lord Du, I wonder if there are any vacancies in the Ministry of Justice right now?"

Du Ruhui paused slightly, looked up at the azure sky, and said, "You want to arrange a position for Lu Yangyuan?"

Liu Shuyi hadn't expected Du Ruhui to have guessed his thoughts, and truthfully replied, "Yes, this official is short of a guard."

"Because of your investigation, you are seen as a thorn in the side by many people, and you do need a capable bodyguard."

Du Ruhui seemed to have already considered these things, and said directly, "You have been promoted to Assistant Minister, and there is still a vacancy in the original position of Chief Clerk, but I want to give this vacancy to Zhao Feng."

Zhao Feng?

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he nodded, saying, "Zhao Feng has been doing his best for me lately, and he is capable enough to be in charge."

Zhao Feng is now his most trusted confidant, and the higher Zhao Feng's rank, the more beneficial it will be for him.

Therefore, given this opportunity, he naturally gave it his full support.

Du Ruhui smiled and said, "Normally speaking, it is a bit irregular for Zhao Feng to be promoted to chief clerk so soon after he became a clerk. However, the Zhao family was framed, which led to the whole family being convicted and almost losing their lives. The court should provide some compensation. In addition, Zhao Feng's performance during this period has been remarkable and his abilities have been demonstrated. Therefore, it is reasonable to promote him to chief clerk."

Liu Shuyi nodded emphatically.

"And with Zhao Feng being promoted to chief clerk, a vacancy will be created for the position of clerk, so..."

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Let Lu Yangyuan fill Zhao Feng's clerk position."

"Let's see how Lu Yangyuan performs next. If he is as capable and loyal as Zhao Feng, then Zhao Feng is his future. If there is a chance for promotion, I will give him priority."

Listening to Du Ruhui's words, Liu Shuyi felt an indescribable sense of emotion.

Du Ruhui truly cared for and considered him like family. Before he even mentioned anything, Du Ruhui had already prepared everything for him.

Zhao Feng was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk. Although the rank of Chief Clerk was very low, it was still an official position in the imperial court.

If you're an official, you have to go through the procedures set by the Ministry of Personnel.

If Du Ruhui could explain the matter to him definitively, it meant that the Ministry of Personnel's procedures were likely nearing completion and a decision could be made.

Otherwise, given Du Ruhui's cautious nature, he would never have made such a boast before the matter was even settled.

Zhao Feng's promotion left a vacancy in the imperial examinations, which Lu Yangyuan was able to seamlessly fill... This was no coincidence.

This means that, before or even before he rescued Lu Yangyuan, Du Ruhui had already considered sending more people to him.

In other words, he found Lu Yangyuan himself; otherwise, he might have ended up like Zhao Feng, with Du Ruhui secretly arranging everything for him, and he would have just had to accept it.

Such a thoughtful father-in-law is hard to find even with a lantern.

He took a deep breath, bowed respectfully to Du Ruhui, and said, "I will never forget Lord Du's kindness."

Du Ruhui smiled slightly, raised his hand to brush the dust off Liu Shuyi's shoulder, and said, "You are someone I value, and you are worthy of my doing this."

After saying that, he turned around and continued walking towards his office.

"Lu Yangyuan can take office tomorrow, or at the latest the day after tomorrow."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "I will have someone inform him and tell him to go back and prepare properly."

As they talked, the two arrived at Du Ruhui's office.

After Du Ruhui sat down behind his desk, he also invited Liu Shuyi to sit down beside him.

He picked up the kettle, poured a glass of water and handed it to Liu Shuyi, then brought up another matter: "His Majesty summoned the Xueyantuo envoy and the Hebei Circuit officials yesterday."

Liu Shuyi's heart skipped a beat, knowing that Du Ruhui was about to talk about the aftermath of the Dutingyi case, so he quickly sat up straight and listened attentively.

"If the Xueyantuo want to establish themselves in the northern desert, they must rely on the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, they are very humble towards the Tang Dynasty and their attitude is very low. His Majesty is very satisfied with them."

"Next, I will consult with Minister Changsun to determine the specific details of the cooperation between the Tang Dynasty and the Xueyantuo."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "His Majesty has entrusted this task to Lord Du and Minister Changsun, which shows that he also values ​​the Xueyantuo very much."

"nature."

Du Ruhui spoke frankly to Liu Shuyi, saying, "His Majesty intends to avenge the Turks, and the Xueyantuo is the most important move. Before the Turks are destroyed, the relationship between the Xueyantuo and the Tang Dynasty will be very stable."

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed.

Before the Turks were destroyed...

What if the Turks were destroyed?

He realized that the Xueyantuo were merely a temporary force supported by the Tang Dynasty to deal with the Turks. Whether this force would be discarded once the Turks were destroyed or continued to exist would depend on the Xueyantuo's future performance.

However, that was all in the future. Before the Turks were destroyed, the diplomatic relations between the two countries were unbreakable and unshakable by anyone.

When Du Ruhui saw that Liu Shuyi understood the true inner relationship between the Tang Dynasty and the Xueyantuo, he nodded slightly in his heart.

If an official in the court only seeks promotion within a particular department, then he should focus on his official duties and do them well.

However, if one wants to climb higher and become one of the six ministers, or even the prime minister, one needs a broader vision and a clearer understanding of the general trend of the world.

He nurtured and supported Liu Shuyi not because he hoped Liu Shuyi would only compete and win within the Ministry of Justice, but because he hoped Liu Shuyi could become a new pillar of the Du family and a pillar of the court like himself.

Therefore, whenever he had the chance, he would specifically give Liu Shuyi some pointers to broaden his horizons and help him understand the Emperor's thoughts. In case the Emperor asked Liu Shuyi about it in the future, perhaps Liu Shuyi could give the Emperor a satisfactory answer because of his pointers today.

Du Ruhui took a sip of water and continued, "Our people have been keeping an eye on the Xueyantuo delegation, but they haven't found anyone behaving abnormally."

Liu Shuyi was somewhat surprised: "Two days have passed, how can the Turkic spies be so calm?"

He thought for a moment and then asked Du Ruhui, "I wonder how many more days the Xueyantuo envoy will stay in the Tang Dynasty?"

"Five days."

Du Ruhui said, "We will reach a specific cooperation agreement on diplomatic relations between the two countries within five days, and they will leave after five days."

"Five days..."

Liu Shuyi gently touched the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips and said, "If the Turkic spies are to take action, they can only do so within these five days."

He said, "Lord Du, we still need to keep a close eye on them. The Tang Dynasty and Xueyantuo are about to cooperate. Once the diplomatic relations between the two countries are formally established, they will definitely start planning against the Turks. The Turks cannot possibly be unaware of this."

"So they must be extremely anxious, but even in this situation, the Turkic spies were able to remain calm, which shows that they either knew they couldn't make a big splash and had already given up."

"Either..."

He looked at Du Ruhui and said in a deep voice, "They are waiting for the right moment, preparing a major move, wanting to achieve their goal in one fell swoop. They not only want to create chaos in Chang'an, but also to directly destroy the alliance between the Tang Dynasty and the Xueyantuo, and relieve the Turks' predicament..."

Du Ruhui's gaze darkened slightly, and he nodded, saying, "We have also considered these things, so we have increased the number of people monitoring the Xueyantuo envoys. At the same time, we are also preparing to secretly inform Xueyantuo Yehu Bazhuo Turkic spies about their activities and ask him to cooperate with us."

They hadn't planned to inform the Xueyantuo envoy beforehand because they were worried that it would alert the enemy and make them suspect that the Tang Dynasty was deliberately making things difficult for them, thus affecting the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

But now, His Majesty has met with the Xueyantuo envoy and expressed a friendly attitude, and the diplomatic relations between the two countries have entered the detailed communication stage... This is completely different from the previous situation. Informing the Xueyantuo envoy will not make them worry that the Tang Dynasty has any intention of making things difficult for them.

Liu Shuyi understood these things and did not object.

He said, "Let Xueyantuo Yabghu keep it a secret. If we can prevent a second person in the envoy group from knowing, we should prevent a second person from knowing."

The Turkic spy could be anyone in the Xueyantuo delegation. If he gets hold of any information, he will surely alert the enemy. If they use this information to mislead them, then things will get complicated.

Du Ruhui nodded: "We only intend to inform Bazhuo that he is the son of Xueyantuo Khan and is definitely not a Turkic spy. We can trust him and have him cooperate with us. Only by working together from both inside and outside can we ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Liu Shuyi said, "Lord Du is cautious and thorough. I believe that the Turkic spies will not escape your grasp."

Du Ruhui smiled wryly and said, "Don't flatter me. This is the best I can do. I just hope I can really stop the Turkic spies."

Liu Shuyi smiled and said nothing more.

Du Ruhui picked up his water cup, took another sip, let out a long breath, and said, "Tell me about the envoy from Hebei Province."

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly: "How is it?"

Du Ruhui pondered for a moment and gave a four-word evaluation: "Different thoughts."

"Different thoughts?"

Liu Shuyi's heart stirred slightly: "Aren't we of one mind?"

"They are of one mind in guarding against the imperial court."

"But when it comes to their respective interests, there are significant differences."

Du Ruhui had a keen eye for people and was extremely discerning. Therefore, he could quickly discern the intentions of Hebei officials after getting to know them.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Isn't this exactly what we wanted? We want to divide and conquer them. If they are of one mind, they will be difficult to deal with."

Du Ruhui smiled, a hint of coldness flashing across his deep brows: "It is indeed a good thing. We are already acting according to the plan you gave us. In addition, the person you provided is very suitable. He has agreed to work for us."

"so……"

Du Ruhui looked at Liu Shuyi: "Your plan has been proven to be entirely feasible. His Majesty is very satisfied with you and even praised you today."

Liu Shuyi never expected that he could receive praise from Li Shimin while lying at home.

He laughed and said, "You did a good job, Lord Du. I didn't really do anything, I just offered an idea. How could I have received His Majesty's special praise?"

"No matter how well you do, it's useless if your starting point is wrong."

Ignoring Liu Shuyi's modesty, Du Ruhui continued, "In addition, someone has retrieved the superstitious letter left by Ma Fuyuan."

A sharp glint flashed in Liu Shuyi's eyes, and he immediately looked at Du Ruhui: "Who?"

Before being killed, Ma Fuyuan, the governor of Yizhou, hid a letter under a cabinet in his room. The letter explained his mission in coming to Chang'an: to find the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State.

After Liu Shuyi reported this to Li Shimin, Li Shimin took it very seriously. He ordered someone to keep an eye on Ma Fuyuan's room to see who would go to retrieve the letter, and also arranged for people to search for it in Chang'an.

Liu Shuyi had limited manpower, so he entrusted the task of surveillance to Du Gou, asking Du Gou to use the Du family's resources to keep an eye on things. Unexpectedly, in just two days, someone actually came looking for them.

Du Ruhui said, "Around midnight last night, a courier from Duting Post Station secretly entered Ma Fuyuan's room and took the letter away."

Was it midnight last night?

No wonder Du Gou didn't tell him the news; he and Du Gou hadn't met since they drank too much last night.

"Courier..."

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes: "I didn't expect that this small Duting Post Station would become such a coveted spot for these powerful forces, who all like to place their people here."

Du Ruhui's expression was somewhat stern: "When local officials or foreign envoys come to Chang'an, they will stay temporarily at Duting Post Station. Planting spies in Duting Post Station can indeed yield a lot of intelligence."

"I'm preparing to conduct a secret screening of everyone in Duting Post Station. If the rest of you are all fine, that's fine. But if I find someone with a problem..."

He didn't continue speaking, but Liu Shuyi clearly sensed a murderous intent.

He could only pray in his heart for Qin Wuyuan, the postmaster of Duting Post Station, hoping that after this screening, he would still be able to wear that official robe.

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and asked, "After taking the letter, did he go anywhere? Or did he give the letter to anyone?"

Du Ruhui shook his head: "So far, there has been no further action, but the postman can't easily leave the post station. He is probably waiting for an opportunity to leave."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "We need to keep an eye on him. Perhaps he can help us find the forces of the former Prince Xi's subordinates hidden in Chang'an, and the Imperial Seal of the State..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Perhaps they can also provide us with clues."

“That’s what I meant too. We’ve already arranged for more people to keep an eye on him.” Du Ruhui nodded. “As long as he leaves Duting Post Station, he won’t escape our notice.”

Seeing that Du Ruhui had made all the arrangements, Liu Shuyi had no other objections.

Du Ruhui continued, "Both of these matters originated from you, so it's necessary for you to know the specifics. In case anything happens later that requires your involvement, you won't be completely clueless."

Liu Shuyi nodded, finally understanding why Du Ruhui had specifically told him these things.

"I understand," he said.

Du Ruhui smiled, put down his water glass, and said, "It's rare for us to have time to sit down and chat. Do you have any questions for me? Or have you encountered any trouble that you need my help with?"

Just as Liu Shuyi was about to say no, he suddenly thought of something.

He said to Du Ruhui, "To be honest, I just rejected two case files from the Court of Judicial Review. I wonder if this will cause you any trouble?"

"Reject the case file?"

Du Ruhui was somewhat surprised. Under normal circumstances, the case files sent by the Dali Temple were usually carefully reviewed and examined, and there were rarely any problems.

Since he took office as Minister of Justice, he has not encountered a single case file that has been rejected.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shuyi had only been in office as a junior official for a few days when he rejected two proposals.

He looked intently at Liu Shuyi and asked, "Is there a problem with the case?"

Liu Shuyi nodded and went on to explain the problems with the two case files in detail.

Upon hearing this, Du Ruhui said directly, "Since there is a problem, then reject it according to the procedure. There's no need to overthink it."

Liu Shuyi probed, "Won't the Dali Temple be unhappy? Will they think we're deliberately making things difficult for them?"

Du Ruhui sneered, "If they still dare to complain about their mistakes, we don't need to deal with them. Just tell the Censorate, and Wei Zheng will scold them so badly they can't lift their heads. You don't need to worry about it. If anyone really causes you trouble because of this, just tell me, and I'll stand up for you."

Du Ruhui was too good to Liu Shuyi, so even though Liu Shuyi followed all the procedures, he was still worried that it would cause trouble for Du Ruhui. Now that he heard Du Ruhui say this, he finally felt relieved.

Then...

We'll see how Qin Wuyang, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, reacts.

"And one more thing……"

Liu Shuyi then said, "The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Changsun, is hosting a banquet tonight and has invited me to attend. Does Master Du think there is anything I should be aware of?"

He wasn't too clear about the relationship between Changsun Wuji and Du Ruhui. He didn't know if the two were outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile, or if they were truly on the same page and had a very harmonious relationship.

Therefore, he needed Du Ruhui to give him hints in order to determine what step he should take when he went to the Changsun residence tonight.

"Changsun Chong is hosting a banquet for you?"

Du Ruhui raised an eyebrow: "That's quite rare."

"Not often seen?" Liu Shuyi was somewhat surprised.

Du Ruhui nodded: "Changsun Chong is too intelligent and doesn't like to waste time cultivating relationships with people, so he never takes the initiative to invite anyone to a banquet, and he rarely goes to banquets. Even my son has hardly eaten with Changsun Chong over the years."

Liu Shuyi knew that Changsun Chong disliked ineffective social interactions, but he didn't expect him to go to such extremes, not even giving someone of Du Gou's status the chance to have a meal with him a few times.

That's really quite unruly.

Yet, this same Changsun Chong sent an invitation the very morning after he saved him…

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly. Was it really just to thank him?
When Du Ruhui saw Liu Shuyi's thoughtful expression, he knew that Liu Shuyi understood his meaning and was also considering Changsun Chong's or the Changsun family's intentions.

He thought for a moment and said, "My relationship with Minister Changsun is alright. Otherwise, I wouldn't have personally brought him to ask you for help."

"However, everyone has their own stance and their own views, so you still need to think more carefully when you are at the Changsun residence. Think twice before you speak and act, so as not to leave any future troubles."

Liu Shuyi nodded thoughtfully.

"And the most important point..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi immediately sat up straight and listened attentively.

Du Ruhui's emphasis on this point must be extremely important.

Then, he saw Du Ruhui looking at him intently and saying in a deep voice, "Remain unmoved by temptation, stay true to your original aspirations, and don't let yourself be blinded by all the allure of others and forget the one you love."

Liu Shuyi: "???"

Night is approaching.

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), at the eldest grandson's residence.

Liu Shuyi alighted from the carriage, looked up at the mansion before him, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, that's huge!"

really big!

The Changsun residence occupies a vast area, almost one-third of Xuanyang Ward.

The walls are made of blue bricks, as orderly as a city. The lintel is tall, and the three large characters "Changsun Mansion" are written in bold, iron-like strokes on the vermilion plaque.

Following these three characters was a vermilion signature.

This was personally bestowed by Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin).

Two stone lions stand guard at the entrance, their manes bristling, claws and teeth menacing, their eyes wide open, exuding an intimidating aura.

Even without looking at anything else, the scene in front of the gate alone is enough to tell you how noble and imposing this family is!

Liu Shuyi took a deep breath, and without delay, went straight to the door, picked up the copper ring, and gently knocked on it.

Not long after, the door was pushed open a crack.

A man dressed in blue, looking like a gatekeeper, looked out and asked, "Who are you?"

Liu Shuyi took out the invitation and said, "Please inform Changsun Temple Assistant that Liu Shuyi is coming to the banquet."

"So it was Liu, the wealthy and powerful official."

The gatekeeper quickly opened the door fully, his attitude immediately becoming extremely respectful, even showing a hint of fear, and said, "Young Master has already given instructions, please come in quickly, Mr. Liu."

The Liu Shuyi before them not only rescued the young master and became the benefactor of the Changsun family, but also arrested the powerful steward in the mansion. Last night, they listened to the steward's screams all night long, and all the servants were terrified and dared not breathe loudly all day.

Upon seeing Liu Shuyi, the man who had caused the steward's misfortune, arrive, the gatekeeper feared that his poor hospitality might displease Liu Shuyi and lead him to suffer the same fate as the steward.

Therefore, they treated Liu Shuyi as if he were their own master.

"Master Liu, watch out for the steps..."

"The road is slippery here, walk slowly..."

"This is the Listening Pavilion. The sounds around you will be even more pleasant to hear here than usual..."

Listening to the doorman's meticulous hospitality, Liu Shuyi felt right at home and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "This is what a prestigious family is like; even a servant is so well-mannered."

If the doorman knew what Liu Shuyi was thinking, he would definitely smile wryly.

Liu Shuyi had no idea how terrifying his image was in the eyes of himself and others.

So it was Liu Shuyi who came. If it had been any other sixth-rank official, would they have received such meticulous and warm hospitality? Not giving them a cold shoulder was already a sign of respect.

Soon, the two turned into a corridor and stopped in front of a room.

The gatekeeper said, "Young Master is waiting for Master Liu in this room..."

Liu Shuyi smiled and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."

"No, no, no, it's all what I should do. It's cold outside, Mr. Liu, please go inside quickly," the gatekeeper said hastily.

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly, walked to the front of the house, and gently knocked on the door.

stomping on...

The sound of hurried footsteps drew closer.

Not long after, there was a creaking sound, and the door was opened.

The handsome Changsun Chong appeared directly in sight.

Before Liu Shuyi could speak, Changsun Chong's eyes lit up the moment he saw him. He grabbed Liu Shuyi's sleeve and led him into the room, saying as they walked, "Master Liu is indeed punctual. I like punctual people!"

Looking at the hand holding his own and listening to Changsun Chong's words, which were devoid of any pleasantries, Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow.

Just as I expected, Changsun Chong is indeed a remarkable person.

He replied with a smile, "As the saying goes, time is money, but money can't buy time. Time is important to everyone, so being late is not just being late, but wasting your own and others' lives. I can't do that."

"Time is money?"

Changsun Chong repeated, his dark brown eyes shining even brighter: "These words are wonderful, they resonate with me deeply."

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Master Liu can compose poems on the spot, so his talent must be exceptional."

Liu Shuyi knew that Changsun Chong was full of talent, and he was unwilling to use his own weaknesses against others' strengths. A smart person would pull someone into their area of ​​expertise.

He shook his head and said, "Although I have read some books, there are still some key points that I don't understand, so I don't deserve the praise of being a genius."

"However, I have heard that the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is extremely learned, knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times, and so talented that even His Majesty often praises him. Therefore, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is truly a man of exceptional talent."

"Hahaha……"

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, Changsun Chong laughed loudly: "What use is talent if it can't save yourself? In a critical moment, intelligence and martial prowess are the most important."

"It's a pity that I'm not as smart as Liu Yuanwailang, otherwise I wouldn't have fallen for his trick at all."

"In terms of martial arts, General Cheng could kill me with a single slap... Otherwise, if I had General Cheng's skills, I wouldn't have been so easily subdued."

“So, it’s useless…” Changsun Chong shook his head: “Useless!”

Liu Shuyi said, "That's not how it works. Everyone's strengths are like a key. They can only be fully realized when they are placed on the right lock."

"Changsun Temple Assistant's talent is indeed inferior to mine when it comes to official duties, but when it comes to literary works, I'm afraid there are few people in the world who can compare to Changsun Temple Assistant."

"The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Changsun, must not let a single setback cause him to become obsessed with something. That is not something a free-spirited person should do."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Chong was taken aback at first, and then burst into laughter again.

Looking at Liu Shuyi, he couldn't help but roll up his sleeves and say, "Master Liu suits my taste!"

"After I woke up last night, I heard people recount how Master Liu saved me, and I had a premonition that Master Liu and I would become friends. Today, after meeting him, it is indeed true!"

Liu Shuyi watched as Changsun Chong reached into his robes and rummaged around, then laughed and said, "Am I destined to witness the legendary money bag falling from the sky?"

"A money bag falling from the sky?"

Changsun Chong paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, slapping the table.

He laughed loudly and made large movements, completely unlike the gentle and refined demeanor of Du Gou, a scholar.

On the contrary, it has a more unrestrained and unconventional feel, like that of the literati of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

He laughed until tears streamed down his face before he finally managed to stop, saying, "Master Liu is truly amusing, with a string of witty remarks. No wonder that repressed Du Gou likes to follow you around so much."

Du Gou... a repressed, brooding gourd?
Liu Shuyi blinked, thought about Du Gou's gentle demeanor, and then about his habit of frequenting brothels...

Changsun Chong's description is quite apt.

However, Du Gou was his friend and future brother-in-law, so he couldn't laugh at his brother-in-law with outsiders. He said, "It's not good to gossip behind people's backs."

"fine."

Changsun Chong didn't care at all: "It's just me and Liu Yuanwailang here. As long as Liu Yuanwailang doesn't tell anyone, he won't know. If he doesn't know, he won't cause me any trouble."

As he spoke, he looked at Liu Shuyi and grinned, "Surely Master Liu wouldn't betray me, would he?"

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed.

He couldn't help but take a deep look at Changsun Chong.

Changsun Chong may seem to speak carelessly, but in reality, every word he utters is full of profound meaning.

However, he wasn't someone to be easily manipulated.

He said with a smile, "The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices may be disappointed."

"Oh?" Changsun Chong raised an eyebrow.

Liu Shuyi said, "Du Sicheng has helped me a lot. I am as grateful to him as I am to Changsun Sicheng. So if someone speaks ill of me behind Changsun Sicheng's back, I wonder what Changsun Sicheng will do?"

"Of course I'll slap him to death with one slap, and if that doesn't work, I'll slap him twice."

After speaking subconsciously, Changsun Chong paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "I understand what Master Liu means. Good, I won't say he's a repressed pervert in front of Master Liu. If I want to say something in the future, I'll say it directly to him."

Liu Shuyi's eyelids twitched, and he said in front of Du Gou...

Wow, he was genuinely curious about that scene.

"found it……"

At this moment, Changsun Chong finally took something out of his bosom.

Liu Shuyi looked over and saw that what Changsun Chong had taken out was a jade pendant.

"give you."

Changsun Chong directly stuffed the jade pendant into Liu Shuyi's hand.

Liu Shuyi subconsciously took the jade pendant and looked down. He saw that the jade pendant was warm and smooth and very translucent. The back of the pendant had auspicious cloud and unicorn patterns, while the front was engraved with five characters: "My unicorn son Chong!"

Liu Shuyi asked, puzzled, "What is this?"

Changsun Chong said, "When I was born, my father specially commissioned someone to make a jade identity plaque for me."

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "You saved my life. I thought and thought but couldn't think of any way to repay you, so I simply gave it to you. In the future, no matter what happens to you, even if it is something that means certain death, have someone bring me the jade pendant. As long as I am alive, I will help you even if I have to fight to my last breath."

"If you don't need it, you can give it to your descendants. If your descendants come to me with this jade token, I will do my best to help them."

Liu Shuyi was startled.

Changsun Chong's promise was completely unexpected.

Not only can you use it yourself, but your descendants can also use it...

As long as Changsun Chong is alive, it's like leaving himself or his descendants with a huge trump card.

Although he hadn't known Changsun Chong for long, he knew that Changsun Chong was the kind of person who either didn't make promises, or once he did, he would stick to them.

"no……"

Liu Shuyi said directly, "This repayment is too much. Besides, saving you was my duty. How can I accept such a heavy repayment?"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Chong smiled nonchalantly: "What duty or not? I only know that you saved my life. Without you, I would never have been able to return to Chang'an alive."

“And my life, Changsun Chong’s life, is worth such a reward.”

"If I am indifferent to your saving my life, who will be willing to save me if I encounter danger again?"

Changsun Chong was insightful and had a clear understanding of the complex relationships and interests among people.

Therefore, he was both repaying Liu Shuyi and using this to bind their interests together.

If I become Liu Shuyi's trump card, will Liu Shuyi turn a blind eye if I encounter danger in the future?

This is similar to his fondness for showing off his money and making friends with others.

However, Liu Shuyi held a different position in his heart than anyone else.

Therefore, he became more attentive and more sincere.

Liu Shuyi understood that people like Changsun Chong never took back what they gave away.

Not to mention, I was really tempted by this reward.

After all, Changsun Chong is not just Changsun Chong, but also represents Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Chong's promise was, in effect, equivalent to Changsun Wuji's promise.

Given his current precarious situation, this might be an opportunity to turn the tide in a critical moment, and he naturally couldn't let it slip by.

…………

Outside the door.

Changsun Wuji listened quietly to the sounds coming from inside the room.

When he heard that Changsun Chong had actually produced a jade pendant that he had personally crafted for him, his eyelids twitched violently.

But after hearing what Changsun Chong said next, Changsun Wuji hesitated for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"I never expected him to be even more decisive than his father."

"However, we should also be decisive when it comes to the talents we value."

"Chong'er is destined for great things..."

Seeing Changsun Wuji's wry smile and head-shaking expression, the new steward couldn't help but whisper, "Master, shall we go in?"

When Changsun Wuji heard Liu Shuyi accept the jade pendant, he thought for a moment and gently shook his head.

"We older folks should refrain from interfering in the interactions between young people..."

As he spoke, he tiptoed down the steps.

He glanced back at the room from which the hearty laughter was coming, thought for a moment, and said, "Order the kitchen to prepare a few more good dishes, dig out my twenty-year-old vintage wine, and send it to them. Tell Liu Shuyi that I am too busy with official duties to entertain him personally, and that I will host a banquet to thank him another day..."

The new butler was taken aback upon hearing this.

Twenty-year-old vintage...

That was a fine wine that the master had always been reluctant to drink.

And he even had to explain to Liu Shuyi that he would personally host banquets in the future...

He couldn't help but look at the room with the door tightly closed, his heart filled with boundless curiosity about Liu Shuyi.

What kind of young man is he that the young master and the master value him so much?

…………

inside the room.

Liu Shuyi and Changsun Chong toasted each other, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became even more familiar.

Seeing Changsun Chong's flushed cheeks and slightly drunken appearance, Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered.

He looked at Changsun Chong and said, "Changsun, I recently took on a subordinate named Lu Yangyuan. I wonder if you know him?"

"Lu Yangyuan?" Changsun Chong frowned. "Who is he? Did he pick up my purse?"

“No, not at all…” Liu Shuyi looked at him: “But he did give Changsun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a book called ‘Lianshan’.”

"Ah... 'Lianshan'! I remember it."

Changsun Chong slapped his forehead and said, "There seem to be three of them. They want me to put in a good word for them with Father... Look at me, I forgot that he is now your subordinate? If I don't do anything for them, I can't accept their gifts."

As he spoke, he stood up and said, “Come with me to get the ‘Lianshan’. Since he is Liu Yuanwailang’s man, I would like to ask Liu Yuanwailang to help me return the ‘Lianshan’ to them.”

Looking at Changsun Chong's unsteady posture.

Liu Shuyi was taken aback for a moment.

So simple?
Changsun Chong is going to give it to him directly?
He was still considering how to ask Changsun Chong for "Lianshan" in a way that wouldn't arouse Changsun Chong's suspicion and would seem reasonable.

To everyone's surprise, Changsun Chong actually wanted to return the money because he hadn't been able to get things done for Lu Yangyuan and his group...

This... actually shows a spirit of fair trade.

(End of this chapter)