The three of them all had their uniforms ready in the official ya, and when they got off the yamen, they changed into their uniforms and went to the Xianke Building.
Pan Bin, Wei Yu and Tang Fan are all officials who have been promoted to the imperial examination. Pan Bin is Tang Fan's senior brother, and Wei Yu is an eighth-year Chenghua Jinshi. In detail, everyone has a lot of common topics. Although Bin likes to put on airs on weekdays, and is a bit stingy and caring, but not only Wei Yu and Tang Fan's Shangguan, but also as senior officials in the officialdom, he also has a lot more experience than the two of them, and his guidance is more than enough. , Everyone laughed and laughed, and the host and guests enjoyed themselves.
When they came out of the restaurant, it was still early, but it was half past the hour, and the night ban was not yet there.
Pan Bin and Wei Yu had their family members waiting outside the private room to escort them back. Tang Fan lived alone, neither a servant nor a servant was needed. Seeing that it was not too late, after sending the two out of the restaurant, he left alone. Walked home.
In ancient times, housing prices were not cheap, especially in the capital, where every inch of land was expensive, and the emperor was stingy. Since Emperor Taizu, he has not been able to pay a few salaries every year. Many officials who came to the capital from other places to take office could not afford to buy a house, and their grades were not yet available. To the point where the court grants a house, he can only become a family of Beipiao like Tang Fan - renting a house, and some officials are even worse, and even can only live in a colleague's house, which is full of bitter tears.
The place where Tang Fan rented has convenient transportation and is not far from the official office. If it weren't for the fact that the courtyard was a small place separated by the Li family for fear of being haunted, the whole family could not move in, and it would not be cheap for Tang Fan. Single man.
In the evening in the capital, the sky is full of twilight, people selling snacks and cakes, calling their children to go home for dinner, and people who know each other greet each other and chat.
When Tang Fan walked into Liuye Hutong, he happened to see Li's maid, A Xia, coming out of the door of Li's house, ready to knock on his door.
Tang Fan: "A-Xia?"
A-Xia turned around and said in surprise, "Master Tang, did you just come back?"
Tang Fan smiled and said, "Yeah, I just came back from outside, what are you?"
A Xia: "Today is the Great Heat. My wife ordered some cakes to be made and sent to Master Tang."
Tang Fan: "Why be so polite, I just finished my meal, Miss A-Xia should send it back, thank your mistress on my behalf."
A-Xia was anxious: "If Master Tang refuses to accept it, how can I explain it when I go back? If Master Tang wants to refuse, I'd better tell my mistress in person!"
Every time she comes to this trick, Tang Fan is really not easy to refuse. He is a big man, even if he has some friendship with the Li family, it is not easy to go to see the mistress of the family. After all, the master is not there. Except for the 12- or 13-year-olds, they are all old and weak, women and children, and try to avoid suspicion. A-Xia is a servant, so there is no taboo.
Tang Fan opened the door and invited her in. Seeing the unhappy between her brows and eyes again, he asked, "Miss A-Xia, are you all right?"
When Mrs. Li had something to deliver, she basically sent A-Xia over. After a few times, they got to know each other well. A-Xia was in a bad mood and needed to be dispatched. Seeing him asking, she lowered her voice and said, "This is A few days ago, my wife received a letter from the master from outside, saying that when the master was doing business outside, he had a room outside, and the woman was pregnant. The wife was very unhappy about this. The nature of these people at the moment should also be careful, I just hope that the wife can figure it out for herself!"
Tang Fan was not very interested in such private affairs in the house, but he still comforted A-Xia: "You are very talkative in front of your mistress, just a few words of consolation, and life will still go on."
A-Xia's expression improved, she looked at the basket she brought, her cheeks suddenly stained with shame: "The weather is hot, it's not good to leave the cakes for a long time, please ask Master Tang to eat them earlier, A-Xia will Say goodbye first."
"Miss A-Xia!" Tang Fan stopped her.
A-Xia turned around and said, "What else is there to do, Master Tang?"
Tang Fan: "Isn't this basket of cakes sent to you by your mistress?"
A-Xia: "Sir, why did you say this? If it wasn't for my wife to send it to me, how would I dare to make my own decisions?"
Tang Fan: "The girl's kindness is my heart, but this basket of cakes, please bring it back!"
A-Xia was about to cry, so she had to tell the truth: "Don't get me wrong, Master Tang, the pastry was really sent by my wife, I just, I just put an extra purse in it!"
Tang Fan reached out and looked in the basket for a while, and sure enough, he found a pink purse under the cake, with peony embroidered on it. Seeing that the embroidery was good, he couldn't help crying and laughing.
The meaning of the girl's purse is self-evident, but A-Xia doesn't think about it, what kind of person is Tang Fan? Shuntian House pushes officials, and her eyesight is a bit sharper than others.
A-Xia lowered her head: "I put this purse in without authorization. If the lord does not abandon it, I would like to be the servant girl who cleans the snow and serves tea, and serves you around every day."
She finally plucked up the courage to express her intentions, and at the end, her cheeks were flushed red, her head was about to drop to her chest, and she didn't dare to look at Tang Fan.
Tang Fan was silent for a moment: "Thank you Miss A-Xia for her kindness. I accepted the cake, but I asked the girl to take it back, and I will ask the girl not to come again in the future."
A-Xia raised her head, her eyes blushed: "My lord thinks I'm too shameless and recommends a pillow seat, so you don't look down on my humble body?"
Tang Fan shook his head: "I'm just a poor official, with no long possessions and no permanent property, so my salary is just enough to support myself, it's really not worth the sincerity of Miss A-Xia to me, Miss A-Xia is so good-looking, in the future A better home will surely be found.”
A-Xia: "Master Tang, you don't have to coax me. With my background, how can I find a good home? If you are willing to take me in, A-Xia is also willing to be a servant who cleans the stove! The heart of admiration can be learned from the sun and the moon!"
It stands to reason that A-Xia's appearance is not bad, she is automatically sent to the door, and there is no reason for ordinary men to turn away, let alone as long as Tang Fan is willing to talk to the Li family's mistress, in his identity, and with the Li family It is impossible for the Li family's mother to hold on to a servant girl. Although the ancestors of the Li family are officials, they have been ordinary people for generations. If they can get a relationship with the promising Tang Fan through a servant girl, Li family master Mothers must be happy with adult beauty too.
But Tang Fan really has no interest in accepting concubines and beautiful maids. Since he is no longer interested, it is better to simply reject them.
So in the face of A-Xia's hard pleas and tactful confession, Tang Fan still said: "Miss A-Xia, I won't tell anyone about today's matter, please take back the purse, I'm going to rest."
A-Xia saw that he was unmoved, and she didn't even come to help her, she knew it was useless to stay any longer, she wiped her tears and stood up: "It's all A-Xia, who bumped into the adults, and asked the adults, Haihan. "
Tang Fan: "It's okay, Miss A-Xia doesn't need to be too polite."
A-Xia saluted, holding the purse in her hand, feeling disappointed and ashamed in her heart, so she didn't bother to say a few more polite words, so she lowered her head and turned to leave.
Since Emperor Yingzong, the status of Guozijian has gradually declined, and the court has formed the unspoken rule that "non-Hanlin does not enter the cabinet". Tang Fan was born handsome, and he was born in the Hanlin. No one can guarantee that he will become a supreme minister in the future and ascend to the position of Zaifu. Such a talent, more than A-Xia's love for him, is simply a sweet pastry for a matchmaker to step over the threshold.
A-Xia also understands this very well. She knows that she is definitely not worthy of Tang Fan because she was born as a slave, but she can't be a full-fledged wife. It is always possible to be a servant girl, and she doesn't ask Tang Fan to accept her as a servant. A serious concubine, as long as there is one or two gentleness, A-Xia will be satisfied.
But even if the requirements are so low, Tang Fan doesn't want it.
She was very sad and felt that she had no face to stay, so she opened the door and hurried out, but there was someone standing in front of her.
A-Xia raised her head in trepidation, looked closely, and found that this man was quite familiar, it was the Jin Yiwei who came to see Tang Fan last time.
She didn't react for a while, just stared at each other blankly.
The other party didn't even look at her, raised his hand and knocked on the door.
A-Xia suspected that what she had just said to Tang Fan in the yard had been overheard by this person, so she couldn't help but feel ashamed and annoyed, she quickened her pace, and fled back to the next door Li's house with a bit of despair.
Tang Fan on the other end sent the person away, and went to look at the basket again.
A-Xia was here just now, and he wanted to maintain his demeanor. Now that he's gone, he naturally has no scruples.
Tang Fan, the chef of the Li family, has also tasted it. When he saw the tuckahoe cake and the cold yam in the plum juice, he took out the plate of cold yam, picked a piece and put it in his mouth.
The yam is cut into strips, iced, and then topped with plum juice.
After eating one piece, one couldn't hold back and took another piece.
Master Tang happily lifted the basket, ready to take it to the room to enjoy.
There was a knock on the door outside.
Tang Fan thought that A Xia had left and returned, and frowned. He really didn't want to give the girl any thoughts that might lead to misunderstanding, so he put down the basket and walked over, preparing to bolt the door directly.
As a result, at this time, the people outside seemed to be a little impatient, and pushed the door open directly.
Tang Fan, who was still holding cold yam in his mouth: "..."
Suizhou was standing outside.
Tang Fan breathed a sigh of relief: "It's the General Banner of Sui, please come in!"
He glanced behind Sui Zhou, it was fine, there was no one left.
"Have Sui Zongqi had dinner, can I have some?" Master Tang was very generous to others.
The night was cool, and the fragrance of yam could still be faintly smelled. Sui Zhou glanced at him and picked up a piece of yam.
After taking a bite, he nodded: "Yes."
Tang Fan laughed: "The cook next door is a little better at making dim sum than the cook in Xianke Building. Mr. Sui also invited him in. This dim sum has to be served with tea!"
Suizhou also came to see Tang Fan last time, but he didn't enter the house, he just sat in the yard. At this time, seeing no one else inside or outside, he asked, "Master Tang lives alone?"
Tang Fan boiled water to make tea, and joked to himself: "Yes, I am full by myself, and my family is not hungry. This place is a bit shabby, and there is no good tea set. I drink it by myself on weekdays, and I invite Mr. Sui. Don't dislike the flag, but the tea leaves are okay, although they are not named, they are picked from the wild tea trees on the mountain, come and taste!"
Suizhou picked up a cup of hot tea, first smelled the aroma of the tea, took a sip, and nodded slightly: "Bitter but not astringent, it's a good tea."
Tang Fan said with a smile: "Thanks to your memorial this time, the cabinet's responsibilities to the Shuntian Mansion have been gently let go. I haven't thanked Sui Zongqi yet, and I'll be free someday, so please give me a treat! "
Suizhou: "Guangchuan."
Tang Fan was taken aback: "Huh?"
Suizhou: "My name is Guangchuan."
Tang Fan understood: "In this case, you don't have to keep calling me Master Tang, just call me Runqing."
Suizhou nodded.
Tang Fan: "Although I'm half a rank higher than you, it's only a matter of time before I can make progress with your ability. This time, Shuntian Prefecture can be exempted from responsibility, thanks to your efforts. Master Pan also asked me to express my gratitude to you."
Suizhou was noncommittal: "Without you, Pan Bin would be just a mediocre official who should have been demoted."
Tang Fan smiled: "Master Pan is actually not bad. It's just that he has been in the officialdom for a long time, and it is inevitable that he will have more concerns when thinking about things. Maybe in a few years, I will be like him."
He changed his words: "But then again, I always feel that the case is not over yet."
Suizhou: "Baihui Point."
Talking to a smart person is worry-free, Tang Fan nodded: "Yes, although Zheng Zhi and Hui Niang have pleaded guilty, there is still a doubtful point in this case. There is still no reasonable explanation for the depression on Zheng Cheng's Baihui acupoint."
Suizhou: "I cross-examined Mrs. Hui, but she didn't know that Zheng Cheng had this wound. According to her account, Zheng Cheng has not been in her room for a long time. Others in the Hou residence can also testify. ."
Tang Fan: "We have discussed before that it is impossible for a person to be knocked on the Baihui point in a sober state without knowing it, so the relationship between this person and Zheng Cheng must be close, at least for a period of time with him. We have slept in the same bed, and according to this condition, Madam Hui does not meet the requirements, and it is even more impossible for Zheng Zhi."
Suizhou: "Do you have a choice in your heart?"
Tang Fan: "There are not many people who meet this condition, but there are not many. In the Marquis of Wu'an mansion, Zheng Cheng's concubine, Yu Niang, is one of them. I heard from Zheng Fu that there is an outer room outside Zheng Cheng. Go to a brothel, so these are suspicious candidates."
Suizhou frowned: "But those people don't have the right motives. After all, it's the Yu Niang who is the most suspect. Unfortunately, Jin Yiwei's staff has been withdrawn from the Marquis of Wu'an Mansion. If necessary, I will let it go. people to follow."
Tang Fan smiled and said, "I don't need it for the time being. Although Shuntian Mansion is not as numerous as your Beizhen Fusi, it can still come in handy sometimes. As early as when the case was re-investigated, I had already arranged for someone to take over, and I would wait a little longer. Wait for some time, maybe there will be news soon.”
Suizhou saw that he was confident, so he didn't ask any more questions, and just ate tea and snacks.
Although Suizhou is taciturn, he does not speak at all. He has been in the Beizhen government for much longer than Tang Fan as a push officer, and has participated in many cases. In this regard, some of his experience is more worthy of Tang Pan-learning is based on one question and one answer, but the time is fast.
During the chat, a plate of tuckahoe cake and a plate of cold yam bottomed out before you knew it.
The two unanimously reached out to the last piece of Poria Cake.
As a host, it's not easy to scramble with guests, so Tang Fan reluctantly retracted his hand and glanced at the cute tuckahoe cake.
Those eyes were so lingering just like Miss A Xia looked at him just now.
Suizhou: "..."