Xiao Zimu looked at Pu Youren's frightened look and said with a half-smile, "It cost Mr. Pu money."
Pu Youren wiped the sweat from his forehead and humbly replied: "Where there is, it should be."
This dinner was probably the worst meal that Pu Youren and all the officials in Wuzhou had eaten since he became an official.
Don't dare to be extravagant, and don't dare to be too shabby.
I don't dare to be too flattering, but I have to adapt to everything.
Fortunately, Xiao Zimuxu was tired from traveling and was not in high spirits. He left the banquet early not long after eating. When Pu Youren saw that he was leaving, he naturally broke up the banquet and took him back home with him.
After sending him to the courtyard that had been prepared early in the morning, Pu Youren breathed a long sigh of relief and respectfully left: "Your Highness will rest early, and I will leave first."
Xiao Zimu stopped where he was and glanced at him with raised eyebrows: "Master Pu, it's still early, let's talk?"
The veins on Pu Youren's forehead jumped, and he felt uneasy. Until now, Xiao Zimu was so special today, and he always felt that something was wrong. As expected, he still couldn't avoid what was coming, so he had to bite the bullet and go ahead to make arrangements for Xiao Zimu. In the courtyard, he made another invitation gesture and said: "I will accompany you as an official."
Xiao Zimu nodded with satisfaction, followed him into the yard, glanced around, and pointed at the stone table not far away: "That's it."
"Yes, I wonder if Your Highness would like to drink wine or tea?" Pu Youren asked with a smile.
"Tea." Xiao Zimu replied as he walked towards the stone table.
Pu Youren gave instructions to the boy and quickly followed him.
After Xiao Zimu sat down, Pu Youren stood aside and saw that he had not spoken for a long time, so he had to speak first and asked: "What does Your Highness want to talk about?"
Xiao Zimu did not reply, but pointed to the stone bench beside him and motioned for him to sit down and talk.
How could Pu Youren dare to do that? He wiped the sweat on his forehead again and said, "I am still the scapegoat. Your Highness can just give you instructions if you have anything to do."
"Oh?" Xiao Zimu raised an eyebrow at him.
"This isn't the last time I went to Guwan to give Mr. Zheng gifts and gifts." Pu Youren said with a look of shame on his face.
"About this matter, I checked the gift list afterwards and took five hundred taels of silver with me. I gave him a gold lock collar, bracelet, and anklet. The accessories are quite complete. I can see that you have troubled yourself a lot about Mr. Zheng's son's full moon banquet." Xiao Zimu's tone was neither salty nor light, but it frightened Pu Youren so much that the sweat on his forehead dripped down.
He was about to speak when the servant came with tea.
Pu Youren quickly served tea to Xiao Zimu himself, waved his hand to ask the boy to leave, and then nervously stood aside again and explained to him in a gentle voice: "Your Highness, Mr. Zheng has a favor for this official. Subordinate officials must not forget their roots."
"Master Pu knows how to repay his kindness, which is really admirable." Xiao Zimu dusted off the tea foam.
When Pu Youren was teased like this, he didn't even know how to plead guilty, so he could only apologize and said with a smile: "It should be, it should be."
"If I remember correctly, the prefect's annual salary is only one hundred and five taels. I'm afraid that Mr. Pu will have to work for the court for several lifetimes just from the gifts he has given over the years." Xiao Zimu took a sip of tea and smiled. There was a sound.
But Pu Youren knelt down with a thump: "Your Highness, please forgive me..."
"Zheng Zhongguang is now absconding in fear of crime. You must know this." Xiao Zimu asked suddenly.
"I did hear something about it, but Mr. Zheng really didn't come to see me." Pu Youren thought that Xiao Zimu had misunderstood that he was harboring Zheng Zhongguang, so he quickly explained.
"Oh? What will you do if he comes to find you?" Xiao Zimu asked with interest.
"Of course I would like to advise Mr. Zheng to turn around and go to His Highness to admit his mistake." Pu Youren opened his mouth and replied without hesitation.
"For you, the support is nothing more than this." What Xiao Zimu said made Pu Youren look quite embarrassed.
For a moment, he didn't know what Xiao Zimu meant, whether he was accusing him of being unwilling to help Zheng Zhongguang, who was facing difficulties.
"Your Highness will naturally deal with it impartially. If you really continue to escape like this, you really can't be saved." Pu Youren was silent for a moment this time before speaking with difficulty.
"I just want to ask you tonight, do you know about the price of ancient Anhui rice?" Xiao Zimu put down the tea cup and asked seriously.
Pu Youren was in a dilemma. He didn't know whether to answer truthfully or deny it.
"This matter involves Zheng Zhongguang's life and death. You need to think clearly before answering." Xiao Zimu looked away from him, as if to give him time to think carefully.
Pu Youren felt even more difficult when he heard this and didn't know how to make a decision.
After a long time, he finally made up his mind and said to Xiao Zimu: "This official knows."
"Get up and talk." Xiao Zimu said warmly.
Pu Youren didn't insist this time and stood up tremblingly.
He knew in his heart that Xiao Zimu had passed this test, but after what he said tonight, it was unclear whether he would still be alive in the future.
"Are you Prime Minister Du's person?" Xiao Zimu went straight to the point when he saw him getting up.
"No, Xiaguan was just the chief clerk of Wuzhou before, so Prime Minister Du naturally looked down upon him. Thanks to Mr. Zheng's support, we are where we are today." Pu Youren replied respectfully.
"So, Zheng Zhongguang is indeed kind to you. In this case, you know the price of grain in Guwan, why don't you remind him?" Xiao Zimu asked with a frown.
"Although Xianguan is not a member of Prime Minister Du, he does not dare to offend the people above him. When someone passed through Wuzhou and went to Beijing to complain about the Guwan incident four years ago, Xianguan knew about it, and he also I went to Guwan to investigate Mr. Zheng's story and found that he had no knowledge of this matter. His subordinates would not dare to make the decision on such a big matter privately. The lower official also sent someone to investigate and found out after many twists and turns. It's Master Xue's intention. It is well known that Master Xue is a disciple of Prime Minister Du. Your Highness, I dare not take care of this matter." Pu Youren's face was filled with embarrassment, and there was a hint of guilt in the embarrassment.
Xiao Zimu was thoughtful after hearing this, and turned his eyes to the wing room on the right, which was the room where Su Qian'an sent Zheng Zhongguang in disguise to rest.
After a moment, he turned to look at Pu Youren: "Zheng Zhongguang told me that if there is anyone I can trust in Wanzhou, it is probably Pu Youren."
Pu Youren stiffened when he heard this, and his eyes instantly turned red.
Xiao Zimu didn't trick him. If Zheng Zhongguang hadn't said this to him in Lu Zhongfu's courtyard, he wouldn't have spent so much time with Pu Youren in Wuzhou.
"If I can keep you safe, will you be willing to testify for Mr. Zheng?"
(End of chapter)