Although Cheng Chi wanted to draw a clear line with the Cheng family, he did not want all his relatives to be executed.
He looked at Huaishan and others walking out of the study one after another and fell into deep thought.
The execution of the Cheng family must have been the intention of the new emperor. Even if it was not the intention of the new emperor, the new emperor was instigated by someone with ulterior motives. At least the emperor was determined to exterminate the entire Cheng family at that time.
The government has always been a bit slow in doing things, especially when it comes to tragedies like this involving the extermination of an entire family. They are afraid that "wildfires cannot be extinguished, and spring breezes will blow them back to life." Someone from the family being executed may escape, and then blame themselves for the crime, thus creating an enemy in an invisible place. According to Zhou Shaojin, the Cheng family fell particularly quickly. Even before the family property was confiscated, all the male members of the Cheng family were beheaded.
This is a bit unreasonable.
The entire family should be executed, and their property should be confiscated before execution.
It can be seen that the new emperor wants the Cheng family to die.
What could have happened that would make the new emperor insist on killing everyone in the Cheng family
Cheng Chi stood up and walked back and forth in the room.
The new emperor will be the fourth prince.
The fourth prince had always been inconspicuous among the other princes, and Cheng Chi had never met him before.
This time when I go to the capital, I'm afraid I will have to deal with the Fourth Prince.
What kind of personality does he have? What are his hobbies? In what ways might the Cheng family have offended him or angered him... Cheng Chi felt that he should find out more. Especially his eldest and second brothers in the capital, what have they done over the years? Who are their friends? Even the advisors and staff around them should be thoroughly investigated.
As for my second uncle... we also need to check.
This requires a lot of manpower.
Should we bring the Beggars' Sect in as well
They are the most informed.
Zhang Daniu is the leader of the Southern Beggars' Sect, but who is the leader of the Northern Beggars' Sect? It would be better to leave this matter to Qin Zian.
As for staying in the capital for a while... it would be better to wait until Cheng Jiashan and Miss Min get engaged, so that Shao Jin is no longer useful. That way he can feel more at ease in the capital.
Thinking of this, he sat down at the desk again and wrote a letter for Qin Zian to deliver to Zhongnan Mountain: "... Ask Taoist Master Yun Hezi to introduce you to the people of the Northern Beggars' Sect."
Qin Zian silently put the letter into his sleeve.
Cheng Chi asked him, "How is Jiying's injury?"
"It's best not to fight with anyone for the next six months."
Cheng Chi nodded, signaling him to leave.
Huaishan asked for a meeting outside the door.
Cheng Chi let him in.
Huaishan said, "Mrs. Shang just told me that when we were out, the second cousin often came to Tingli Pavilion to inquire about your news. The second cousin is very intelligent, so Mrs. Shang is a little worried. She asked if Miss Jiying could stay at home and let Miss Jiying accompany the second cousin. Anyway, Miss Jiying can't fight with others these days..."
"Okay!" Before he could finish, Cheng Chi said straightforwardly, "I didn't approve of Jiying's intervention when the Cao Gang was looking for trouble with the Ji family this time, but the old man of the Ji family insisted on testing Jiying's skills, so I couldn't stop him. Now that the Ji family knows Jiying's true intentions, don't let Jiying get involved in the outside world. Just stay at home and cultivate your mind and character. Maybe her swordsmanship can improve."
"Yes!" Huaishan responded respectfully and stepped back.
The room became quiet.
The wind rustled the leaves.
Cheng Chi walked to the window.
The trees in Tingli Pavilion are lush and leafy, with various shades of green intertwined together, creating a refreshing feeling.
The image of Zhou Shaojin, blinking his big black and white eyes and peeking at his door suddenly appeared in his mind.
Cheng Chi couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.
Let's have dinner with that little girl in the evening.
Then go to Fucui Pavilion where she lives.
I don’t know whether Nanny Shang decorated Fucui Pavilion as he instructed.
As he thought about it, he walked to the compartment of the treasure cabinet and took out a rosewood box.
After he bought this Guanyin statue from Zhijin Street that day, he sent it to Ganquan Temple for consecration. He had originally planned to place it directly in the small Buddhist hall, but he didn't expect that Cheng Yi's incident happened and his mother took the opportunity to take the little girl in, so he didn't have time to put it in.
I'll give it to her later.
She must be very happy.
Cheng Chi gently brushed away the non-existent dust on the rosewood box.
※
Zhou Shaojin returned to Fucui Pavilion in two steps at a time.
Before people even enter the door, they can hear laughter and joy coming from Fucui Pavilion, mixed with the melodious chirping of birds.
Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.
Hanbi Mountain House doesn’t grow flowers, let alone birds.
She had gone to the Oriole Pavilion before and heard a bird chirping, but she thought it was just a bird passing by and didn't pay much attention to it... At this moment, she heard the bird chirping again, and her heart began to beat wildly, so she hurried over.
A group of maids gathered under the grape trellis.
Xiao Tan was the first to notice Zhou Shaojin. She called out "Second Cousin" in surprise and said, "The Fourth Master went out and brought you a gift!"
Before she finished her words, the maids who were surrounding her dispersed and made way for Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin saw the big red lacquered bird cage on the stone table at a glance.
The royal blue and gold-woven cover outside the birdcage was lifted up, and a pair of orioles were jumping around in the cage, chirping incessantly, looking lively and cute.
"Is this the gift Uncle Chi gave me?" Zhou Shaojin felt soft in his heart and asked in disbelief.
"Yes!" Chun Wan smiled enviously, "It was sent by Chief Steward Qin himself, there's no mistake about it."
Zhou Shaojin approached, and the two orioles flew towards her, chirping, and landed on the bracket in the middle of the birdcage, singing melodiously to her.
Xingtao exclaimed in surprise: "Cousin, they must be singing to you!"
Zhou Shaojin thought so too.
She liked this gift so much that she reached out and touched the heads of the two little birds through the bars of the cage, and the two little birds jumped even more happily.
Zhou Shaojin asked hurriedly: "Did you give it water and food?"
"Feed it." Chun Wan pointed to the two small food bowls in the birdcage and said, "One is for food, and the other is for water."
Zhou Shaojin took a closer look and found that the two food cups were actually carved from Hetian jade.
She couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Does anyone among you know how to raise birds?"
Chun Wan smiled and said, "The fourth master not only gave you a bird, but also a servant."
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide.
A boy of about seven or eight years old knelt down in front of her, not daring to raise his head and said, "Second cousin, I have been ordered by the fourth master to serve the pair of birds in Fucui Pavilion from now on."
Zhou Shaojin looked at the servant kneeling on the ground, then looked at the Hetian jade food bowl in the birdcage, laughed dryly twice, and said, "What's your name? Get up and talk!"
The servant stood up tremblingly and said, "I'll call you Xiao Que. The fourth master said it's easier to remember this way!"
Zhou Shaojin was speechless.
Just when I was about to ask about the little bird's origin, Snowball jumped out from somewhere and started barking wildly at the birdcage.
Zhou Shaojin was shocked.
The two orioles were so frightened that they fluttered around.
Xiao Que hurriedly said, "Second cousin, dogs and birds are natural enemies. I'd better help you take the dog away!"
"Forget it!" Zhou Shaojin hugged Snowball and said, "Be careful next time and don't let Snowball scare the bird."
Xiao Que smiled and replied "yes".
Zhou Shaojin asked Chunwan to hang the birdcage next to the window frame in the inner room.
Chun Wan laughed and said, "Shouldn't the bird be hung under the veranda? I used to see people raising birds and they always hung them under the veranda."
Zhou Shaojin had never raised a bird, so he didn't know.
But she felt that the house would be more lively with these two orioles.
The little bird was obviously very good at observing people's expressions, and hurriedly said, "This bird follows the owner, and it doesn't matter where you keep it. If my second cousin thinks it's better to keep it in the inner room, then keep it in the inner room. I just need to trouble you to feed it regularly."
Xiaoque, a bird keeper, has said this, so naturally there is nothing more to say about the Spring Festival Gala.
She smiled and said a few polite words such as "It's no problem" and "I will feed them on time", then hung the birdcage on the window frame of Zhou Shaojin's inner room.
Zhou Shaojin told Chunwan to open the window lattice: "This way the air can flow in and the birds will feel more comfortable."
Chunwan and others went to open the window with a smile.
Snowball lay obediently in Zhou Shaojin's arms.
Seeing this, Zhou Shaojin put the snowball on the ground.
Snowball whimpered and rubbed Zhou Shaojin's skirt.
Zhou Shaojin giggled, took the branch from Xiaoque's hand and teased the two orioles.
There were towering green trees in the yard, peonies in full bloom on the steps, and birds singing happily. Zhou Shaojin's heart seemed to be blooming.
Snowball rushed over and started barking at the bird again.
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to pick it up.
It quieted down.
But whenever Zhou Shaojin teased the two birds, they would bark loudly, making people scared, but as long as Zhou Shaojin held them in his arms, they would become quiet again.
Several of the Spring Festival Gala members were surprised and asked, "Is Snowball jealous?"
Zhou Shaojin was stunned and put down the snowball.
It barked again.
This was repeated several times, and it really came true what the Spring Festival Gala said.
As long as Zhou Shaojin didn't tease the two birds, Snowball would squat aside and look at Zhou Shaojin obediently. As long as Zhou Shaojin teased the two birds, it would keep chirping.
Everyone laughed.
In Fucui Pavilion, the sounds of laughter, birds and dogs can be heard constantly.
Madam Guo laughed and said, "What's going on? There are dogs barking and birds chirping. Did Silang send something to Fu Cui Pavilion? Otherwise, Fu Cui Pavilion wouldn't be so lively."
Biyu laughed and said, "I heard that they sent two orioles. They sing so beautifully."
"Oh!" Mrs. Guo became interested and said, "Let's go and take a look too."
Biyu and a few others surrounded Madam Guo and went to Fucui Pavilion.
The people in Fucui Pavilion were teasing Snowball, and they were all laughing so hard that they couldn't straighten their backs.
Seeing that Madam Guo had come, Zhou Shaojin bowed and then told Madam Guo about Snowball and the two orioles: "… Others can tease those two birds without any problem, but I can't. When I tease Snowball, he starts to scream, and it's quite scary."
"There is such a thing!" Mrs. Guo laughed and asked Zhou Shaojin to hold the snowball while she went to play with the birds.
Snowball lowered his eyes and ignored Mrs. Guo.
When Zhou Shaojin went to play with the bird, Snowball became restless.
"This is really interesting!" Mrs. Guo teased Snowball and the two orioles repeatedly, laughing uncontrollably. "This is great. You, the dog, are fighting with the birds."
Zhou Shaojin smiled bitterly and had to hand the dog to Xiao Tan, saying, "Take it out for a walk more often in the future."
Xiao Tan smiled and retreated with the dog in her arms.
※
Sisters and brothers, extra updates for the weekend!
Spirit beast eggs postponed... ~~~~(>_