Not in Dazhen
Xiao Ling was stunned, but in the surrounding countries and even in the distant Tianbao Kingdom, most countries used similar names for provinces, and a few barbarians used names such as tribes. If it was only in a foreign country, this immortal probably would not say so.
He wanted to ask again, but Ji Yuan spoke again to interrupt him.
"Mr. Xiao, please don't worry about those things outside the world that you can't take care of. Don't forget that I am here to collect a debt today."
Although only a short while had passed, a lot of things happened in that short period of time. If Ji Yuan hadn't said it, Xiao Ling would have almost forgotten about it, or he would have thought that the debt mentioned before was just this act of Goddess Jiang.
Hearing the immortal in front of him talking about debt collection, Xiao Ling thought for a moment and asked for confirmation.
"Five hundred ounces of gold?"
"Yes, it is exactly five hundred taels of gold. Master Xiao will be able to take it out, right?"
Based on Ji Yuan's understanding of the Xiao family, Xiao Ling's father was not a clean man. Even though he was an honest official, he could still come up with five hundred taels of gold after receiving salaries over the years.
"Okay, sir, are you going home with me, or do you have other plans?"
The cause of the problem is far away.
"No need, Master Xiao, please go back to the mansion and get the gold and then send it back. We will wait for you here."
Xiao Ling looked at Duan Muwan.
"What about Wan'er?"
Ji Yuan understood what he meant by asking this question, but he had no intention of restricting their personal freedom.
"You two are welcome to do as you please."
After hearing this, Xiao Ling felt a little relieved. After saying goodbye to Ji Yuan and Long Zi and Long Nu, he led Duan Muwan out of the restaurant and left into the night.
Ji Yuan had already sat back down at the table, while Long Zi looked through the window at the two of them as they walked away before sitting down again.
"Hehehe... Since this kid was lucky enough to meet Uncle Ji and was left with such an impression, if he relied on his own hard work, meeting him again today many years later might not be a good fate. How ironic..."
Ying Ruoli also nodded in agreement. She and her brother had already understood a lot about Uncle Ji's temper.
While the two siblings were expressing their feelings, Ji Yuan had already taken out three pairs of new chopsticks and handed one pair to the son and daughter respectively.
"There's still a table of food and wine, don't waste it."
There were at least seven or eight dishes on the table, all of which were very rich and hearty. Xiao Ling and Duan Muwan definitely wouldn't eat tonight, so Ji Yuan wasn't polite.
As soon as Ji Yuan started eating, Longzi and Longnu had to keep their elder company even if it was just for show, so they naturally picked up their chopsticks and started eating.
When Xiao Ling came back again, it was already half an hour later. He returned to the private room carrying a small box, but Duan Muwan did not come with him.
Originally, he could have used silver notes, but Xiao Ling felt that the other party wanted gold, so he decided not to waste time and just bring real gold.
"Mr. Ji, five hundred taels of gold, not a penny less!"
Xiao Ling placed the small box on the corner of the table and opened the wooden box to reveal the neatly arranged gold ingots inside.
The size of the box was like the baby shoe box that Ji Yuan had in his previous life. If the five hundred taels of gold inside were really melted together, they would definitely not be as big as a brick.
But even such a small box weighed a heavy five hundred taels. Xiao Ling was feeling weak at the moment. Even though he had good martial arts skills, he was sweating and panting after walking for such a long time with the box in his arms.
Ji Yuan just glanced at the golden things in the box and then nodded.
"Okay, that's good. Master Xiao and I are even now."
After saying this, Ji Yuan waved his sleeves, and the box on the table moved without wind, and the selected clothes turned around and flowed into his sleeves and disappeared.
Having now recovered his debt and found out what the white fox had done, Ji Yuan had no intention of arguing any longer with Xiao Ling. After doing all this and exchanging greetings, he took his dragon son and daughter and said goodbye and left.
Xiao Ling looked through the window of the private room to see the direction in which the people left, but after just a dozen steps, the three people had disappeared from his sight in the night.
"Uncle Ji, the Xiao family is the descendant of Xiao Jing, right?"
While walking on the road, the dragon girl suddenly asked this question. Ji Yuan looked at her and nodded.
"Yes, I was not sure before I came here. After meeting Xiao Ling and observing his aura, I can confirm that he is the descendant of Xiao Jing."
Ji Yuan knew that the Dragon Girl had read Wang Li's book for a while on the boat before, and the summary at the end gave a general overview of the entire article, so it was not surprising that she knew about Xiao Jing.
This made Longzi curious.
"Ruoli, what are you and Uncle Ji talking about? Who is Xiao Jing? Why do you know me but I don't? I have been with Uncle Ji for much longer than you!"
Ji Yuan was too lazy to explain to him. He winked at the Dragon Girl and walked ahead alone, leaving the brother and sister to talk among themselves.
. . .
After all, the Dragon Girl is still the righteous god of the river. She left for some reason a few days after she dealt with the Xiao family's affairs. The Dragon Son stayed for half a month, but was finally sent away by Ji Yuan.
Time passed by, and summer came to the beginning of autumn again. Ji Yuan had been alone in Gyeonggi Prefecture for more than two months.
During this period of time, Ji Yuan also learned some things. The situation in the capital was naturally tense, but whether it was intrigue or open and covert attacks, it had little effect on him.
In his spare time, Ji Yuan spent most of his time going to various chess halls in the capital to watch others play chess. He also made a special trip to the ghost town of the underworld to visit Bai Lu and her husband.
In addition, what is worth mentioning for Ji Yuan is Yin Qing’s ranking in the imperial examination.
As early as the spring when apricot blossoms were in full bloom, the results of this year's spring examination had been announced. Yin Qing, who had already passed the provincial examination and qualified for the examination, also participated in the joint examination and palace examination.
His grades were not very high, and he could not even reach the top three places, but they were not too bad either, ranking at the back of the second place. It was just because his father Yin Zhaoxian was too dazzling, his son Yin Qing's grades were said to be bad.
This is actually quite interesting. Ji Yuan didn't dare to say anything about others, but he still knew something about Yin Qing's talents.
If we say that the positions of Jieyuan, Huiyuan and Zhuangyuan do require some luck, it is normal not to get them, but for the top three in the palace examination, Yin Qing is still capable of competing for it and his chances are not small.
But Yin Qing's result was just at the bottom of the second class, barely avoiding falling into the top three. This is very interesting.
It is naturally impossible to operate behind the scenes. Even though Yin Zhaoxian has offended many people now, no one dares to do so. It can only be said that Ji Yuan's "little Yin Qing" is deliberately hiding his incompetence.
Ji Yuan could even guess what Yin Qing was thinking. Basically, as long as he could meet the requirements of being an official, and then use some connections to get a suitable position, he could play a role but did not need to be too dazzling for the time being.
Just like there are many people who respect him, many people are wary of Yin Zhaoxian. But in fact, although Yin Zhaoxian is a capable minister with outstanding talents, he is more of a scholar at heart. Yin Qing, who is smart and cunning, is the one who should be paid more attention to. However, who knows this except those who are close to him
On this day, Yin Zhaoxian, who had worked tirelessly in Wanzhou for many years, was summoned to Beijing to report on his work.
All the senior officials in the court, including Yin Zhaoxian, knew that the current emperor did not have much time left.
After all, whether they were people who respected Yin Zhaoxian, or people who were wary of or even resented Yin Zhaoxian, all the civil and military officials, princes and nobles in the court knew very well that Yin Zhaoxian was a loyal and capable minister, a wise minister, and even more so a loyal minister.
In recent years, everyone in the court was in danger. There were perhaps only a pitiful few officials who were truly worthy of Emperor Yuande's trust and favor. One of them was Yin Zhaoxian, and the other was Taichang Shi Yanchang, who had truly found immortal fate for the emperor several times.
The fact that Wanzhou prefect Yin Zhaoxian hurriedly set out for Beijing this time had even more symbolic significance.
At this moment, outside the emperor's inner chamber deep in the imperial palace, an old eunuch walked into the bedroom with small steps and came to the emperor's bedside, bowed and whispered into the curtain.
"Your Majesty, Wanzhou Governor Yin Zhaoxian has arrived in Beijing and is waiting outside the palace."
"Yin, Lord Yin is here? How long has it been?"
The old eunuch had served the emperor for a long time and knew what he was asking.
"Your Majesty, it has only been over a month since the imperial edict was issued. Yunbo Prefecture in Wanzhou is a long way from the capital. Lord Yin is indeed a pillar of loyalty and patriotism. He has traveled day and night for more than ten days, and has killed several good horses..."
"Oh... all right... let him in."
"yes!"
Loud noises were now forbidden in the bedroom. Not long after the old eunuch left, he led the dusty Yin Zhaoxian to the bedside.
"Wanzhou Governor Yin Zhaoxian pays respect to His Majesty!"
Yin Zhaoxian performed the long bow ceremony.
"My dear Lord Yin... come closer, let me take a look at you..."
Yin Zhaoxian looked at the old eunuch beside him, and without hesitation, he took five steps forward and knelt on one knee, making his face slightly lower than the bed. The old eunuch then walked to the dragon bed and pulled the curtain open a little.
The old emperor looked thin and pale at this moment, which surprised Yin Zhaoxian. He had not been to Beijing for many years, and his impression of the old emperor was still when he won the top spot in the imperial examination. He did not expect that he was such a completely different person now.
However, this daze only lasted for a moment, and Yin Zhaoxian quickly bowed his head.
"His Majesty!"
In the eyes of the old emperor, seeing Yin Zhaoxian gave him a completely different feeling from seeing other ministers. It was as if Yin Zhaoxian was brighter all over. In comparison, other places in the bedroom appeared to be illusory dim.
"My dear Lord Yin, I have heard rumors before. Many people in the market and among scholars... have heard that you, my dear Lord, have great integrity and are a great minister who will be remembered for generations..."
"I dare not bear this evaluation!"
The old emperor smiled, and with the help of several eunuchs, he sat up from the bed with the help of pillows and other things.
"Please take a seat."
"yes!"
The eunuch brought a small chair, and Yin Zhaoxian sat down calmly after expressing his gratitude.
"Hehehe... I originally thought it was just a rumor... But after seeing you today... I believe it a little bit!"
"I am terrified!"
"Hahaha... Others are really scared, but you are not!"
This time Yin Zhaoxian was really panicked and hurriedly saluted.
"I dare not!"
The old emperor waved his hand.
"I have already met with some of the high-ranking officials from the three provinces and six ministries individually. You, Yin Zhaoxian, are just a prefect, but no one in the court dares to ignore you. I wanted to say something else, but suddenly I felt that I should ask you another question..."
Yin Zhaoxian bowed briefly.
"Your Majesty, please ask, I will tell you everything I know!"
The old emperor nodded, his face suddenly becoming serious.
"Yin Zhaoxian, who do you think is more capable of taking on the important task, the King of Jin or the King of Wu?"
The old eunuch who was carrying the tea trembled so much that he almost dropped the tea tray.