Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

What is Cui Bianxu doing?

He was targeted by Li Xingquan, who hurriedly finished his mission and returned to Chang'an after hearing the news that his wife was missing!

The case files of Chang'an County might not be nonsense. The relationship between Li Xingquan and Zhao seems to be really deep and strong.

The first thing Li Xingquan did when he returned to Chang'an was to go to the Chang'an County Government to inquire about the progress. After learning that the case had been transferred to the Dali Temple, he rushed to the Dali Temple without stopping. Cui Bianxu was working hard in the office at that time.

He was not Li Xingquan's subordinate, and the Dali Temple was not responsible for handling only one case. In addition to the case of Zhao's disappearance, the Dali Temple also had to deal with officials' imprisonment, exile, and death penalty, as well as ordinary criminal cases transferred by the Left and Right Jinwu Guards. After all the death penalty cases in the Tang Dynasty were transferred to the Ministry of Justice, any case that the Ministry of Justice felt had a problem would be referred to the Dali Temple again.

Cui Bianxu has a lot to do every day! But it's nothing particularly important. He can take his time to review things and even go to the bathroom, so he doesn't have prostate problems and bifurcated urine at such a young age.

But in Li Xingquan's view, this normal work is dereliction of duty!

"Shaoqing Cui! My wife has been missing for these days and you have no clue what's going on. I'm extremely worried, and you actually have the leisure to sit here and drink tea?!" Li Xingquan was extremely angry, and the words "you are just sitting there doing nothing" were on the tip of his tongue.

"Li Zhubu."

Cui Bianxu raised his eyelids, his eyes calm and composed, his emotions extremely stable. "Let me remind you, this is the Dali Temple, not your Li family's backyard. I am the Dali Temple's Junior Minister appointed by His Majesty personally."

If you have such strong opinions, you should sit on the emperor's throne if you have the ability.

Wang Leisheng, standing by, didn't say anything, but he couldn't suppress the smile. "Look, look, their Shaoqing is still too polite. There's no need to be polite to people like him! Isn't it just a good brother? He doesn't even consider his official position, and he dares to shout at me."

hum~

Li Xingquan's face flushed and then turned pale, and then turned red again. In the end, he suppressed his anger and said in a stiff tone: "Your Excellency Cui Shaoqing is very busy. I wonder when he can find my wife? Could it be that even the Dali Temple can't find anyone if an official's wife is missing at the feet of the emperor?"

"Well, if I don't become the chief clerk, I will write a letter to His Majesty to abolish the Dali Temple." Cui Bianxu made a sincere suggestion. If the Dali Temple was gone, perhaps he could apply to go to the Ministry of War or the Sixteen Guards.

Li Xingquan was choked by these words, his face flushed red. Who the hell was he? How dare he write a letter to His Majesty?!

This boy is going too far!

"Li Zhubu, our Shaoqing has been to the Li family three times, but we haven't seen anyone who can make the decision. Every time, we've heard your old servant say that everyone in the mansion has gone out to look for your wife. I think they should have found something. Li Zhubu has time to stay here and interfere with the daily work of the Dali Temple. Why don't you go home and ask the people at home?"

With Cui Bianxu around, Wang Leisheng felt more confident when speaking. He folded his arms, raised his chin, and spoke in a sarcastic tone, knowing well how to take advantage of others' power.

Li Xingquan sensed a hidden meaning in his words, but he couldn't grasp it for a moment, so he forced himself to speak: "How can the servants of my mansion compare with the officials? They were just desperate and searching haphazardly. I've heard of Cui Shaoqing's reputation. Now that the Dali Temple has accepted this matter, they need to give me an explanation as soon as possible!"

Cui Bianxu nodded indifferently and said, "Since Li Zhubu is so anxious, it's just right. Bring everyone in your house to the Dali Temple tomorrow and I will interrogate them first."

Wang Leisheng did not lie. They did go to the Li family three times, and each time only the old servant was there. Cui Bianxu was not the kind of person who had nothing better to do and would go to the Li family to report every day.

The Li family is not a large family. There are only three masters, Li father and son and Zhao. The people in the mansion are wandering around outside every day looking for people.

Li Xingquan felt something was wrong. Half of the servants in the mansion were old men who had been there for many years, and some were even the dowry of the first wife. These people had received favors from the first wife and had always been indifferent to Zhao, the step-wife. Why were they so concerned this time?

Thinking of this, he couldn't stay any longer. He glared at Wang Leisheng and hurried home again.

It turned out that the old servant was the only one at home: "What's going on?! Where are the people at home? Are they all dead?!!!"

"Master, Dalang was afraid that you would be worried, so he took the servants out to look for people every day. He was so tired these days that he became very thin." When the old servant saw him coming back, he served him attentively and helped Li Zhong perform.

Li Xingquan's expression eased slightly when he heard this, and he nodded slightly: "If Dalang comes back, ask him to come see me."

"Yes." The old slave lowered his head and added hot water for him.

The Li family members did not return until the curfew drum sounded. After days of searching, everyone was exhausted.

If they were panicked and frightened at the beginning, now they are numb and angry.

Li Xingquan did not realize this, and severely scolded the servants in Zhao's yard and the guards in the mansion before waving his hand to let them go.

Li Zhong, who looks vaguely similar to Li Xingquan, who has already firmly entered the ranks of the elderly, also has a face full of stubble and looks much more haggard than before. He stands below with his lips pursed, his clothes are a little wrinkled, and his hair is a little messy.

Li Xingquan married late, having this son at the age of thirty. He had always loved him dearly, but seeing him like this, his tone softened: "How could he be lost out of the blue?"

"Ahem." Li Zhong's lips were a little chapped after a day of running around. "On the morning of July 14th, Madam Zhao's maid hurried in to report that Madam Zhao had disappeared. That's when I found out. I took people to look around, but there was no sign of her."

He swallowed a few times to ease the dryness in his throat and continued, "My father is not at home, and I haven't held any official position yet. I was afraid that the people in the government office would not take me seriously, so I went to ask my uncle for help. These days, I have searched every market in Chang'an, but I still can't find Madam Zhao... cough cough..."

"They are all dead?! Why don't you bring Dalang a cup of tea!" Seeing his son coughing all the time, Li Xingquan became even more upset. Not only did he not find the person, but the family was also in such a mess.

He had been back for a long time and wanted to have a full meal, so the old servant who was looking after the house went to the street to buy it and brought it back!

Early the next morning, Li Xingquan, who had slept in Zhao's room all night, urged Li Zhong to go to the Dali Temple to ask for help. There were forty or fifty people in the Zhao family. What would it look like if all of them went to the Dali Temple?

Even if the Dali Temple was spacious enough, Li Xingquan could not afford to lose face. Although the news of his wife's disappearance had spread throughout Chang'an City, he did not want to bring a large group of people with him and be the subject of conversation.

It was Li Zhong who went to invite the person: "Da Lang, remember, you must invite the person over."

"Yes, Aye."