There is a maple forest outside the city. Every September, when you climb up to a high place, you can see the red maple leaves stretching all over the mountain.
Qin Zhao stopped the carriage at the foot of the mountain, rented a brown horse from the locals that was good at riding mountain roads, and took Jing Li and Xiao Yuzai up the mountain on horseback.
He had already inquired about the matter and decided to choose a relatively flat mountain road, which was perfect for viewing maple leaves in autumn.
The sunlight is blocked by the dense treetops, and the breeze is gentle, which is very pleasant.
Jing Li was held in front of Qin Zhao, with Xiao Yu in his arms. Xiao Yu was holding a red maple leaf that Qin Zhao had just picked for him, swinging back and forth happily.
After going over a hill, the brown horse snorted loudly.
Jing Li had always been a little afraid of riding a horse, so he immediately hugged the little fish cub tightly and asked nervously, "Is it tired?"
This kind of horse is trained to pull carts and goods, so it's not easy to get tired. Qin Zhao saw that Jing Li was a little scared, so he deliberately said: "Maybe you are too heavy."
Jing Li nodded thoughtfully, then lowered his head and said to the little fish seriously: "Fish, did you hear me? You are too heavy."
The little fish blinked innocently.
There was a stream not far away, and the two of them took a short rest by the stream. The brown horse was leisurely eating the weeds by the stream, and Jing Li bent down and fetched some water from the stream.
This stream water is a clear spring flowing down from the mountains. It tastes sweet, cool and pleasant.
After he took the water, he saw the little fish lying on the ground like a horse, as if he also wanted to taste the wild grass. Jing Li frowned and glared at Qin Zhao: "Why don't you take care of your son?"
Not only do you not care, you even seem to be enjoying watching the fun
"I take care of it." Qin Zhao grabbed the little fish by the collar and pulled him out, saying sternly, "You are a fish, not a horse. You are not allowed to eat grass."
The little fish suddenly lifted its limbs off the ground and kicked its short legs.
Jing Li handed the water to Qin Zhao, took the little fish, and gave it a severe lesson. Qin Zhao did not drink the water either, but just sat beside him and watched him quietly.
Jing Li asked him, "What are you looking at me doing?"
"I always feel like you're a little weird today." Qin Zhao said.
"how?"
"Your husband just learned about the Yuan Dynasty." Qin Zhao asked, "Are you not surprised at all?"
Jing Li didn't even think about it and answered, "It would be surprising if you didn't get it, right?"
"…" Qin Zhao smiled, "That's right."
Jing Li continued to lower his head to tease the cub. Qin Zhao drank a sip of water and said, "Xiao Yu, after the Luming Feast, let's go to Linxi Village."
"Yeah." Jing Li nodded.
According to the custom, after passing the imperial examination, one should return to his hometown to worship his ancestors. But Qin Zhao was a man of unknown origin, with no hometown but Linxi Village.
Jing Li said: "When we left Linxi Village, the little fish cub hadn't transformed into a human form yet. He hasn't been there for years, so it's time to take him to see it."
The little fish looked up at his father and said happily: "Bamboo... Bamboo smash!"
Qin Zhao smiled and said, "Who said that children don't remember things? Don't you still remember the bamboo courtyard?"
Jing Li: "But it's because the little fish cub is a koi, not an ordinary child."
Qin Zhao tilted his head: "Do you also remember what happened when you were just born?"
Jingli blinked.
When he was just born... Are you referring to Yunguan Temple
That year, Prince Rong stayed at Yunguan Temple and witnessed the hatching of the little koi with his own eyes, and a bond was formed between the two.
Not knowing what he was thinking of, Jing Li lowered his head and whispered, "I don't remember."
"Xiao Yu?" Qin Zhao didn't hear clearly.
"I said, I don't remember." Jing Li said, "It's been a long time since then. Are you still jealous because I clung to someone else when I was born?"
"I didn't..." Qin Zhao was helpless.
There's nothing to be jealous about.
Wasn’t he the person the little koi stuck to when it was born
But Jing Li obviously didn't want to discuss this matter anymore and quickly changed the subject.
Later, the invitation to the Lu Ming Banquet was delivered to Qin Zhao’s mansion.
In the study, Ah Qi reported to Qin Zhao the results of his investigation over the past few days.
"... Deng Tianyou was appointed as the governor by the emperor 20 years ago, and has been in charge of the civil and military affairs of Jiangling Provincial Government. After you... got into trouble, he was also in charge of searching for your whereabouts near Jiangling Provincial Government."
Qin Zhao spread the invitation on the table and said leisurely: "I remember that the officials who joined my sect were executed or exiled for various reasons after I left. Deng Tianyou not only escaped, but was promoted..."
"Yes." Ah Qi said, "This person was not my confidant back then. I'm afraid he turned to the emperor after seeing my fall from power..."
Qin Zhao raised his eyes to look at him, his eyes suddenly filled with a hint of coldness: "Did Gu Changzhou tell you this?"
Ah Qi was stunned and lowered his head: "Yes..."
"I've been too kind to you recently, so you guys dare to speculate on my thoughts?" Qin Zhao leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "I never said I wanted to stand on the opposite side of the little emperor."
"I admit my guilt." Ah Qi suddenly half-knelt on the ground, his figure blurry in the flickering candlelight in the study.
Qin Zhao said coldly: "Come on, what will it look like if people see it?"
Ah Qi left in a huff.
Qin Zhao said: "Now the world is peaceful, I have no intention of changing the dynasty, and I have no ambition to rule the world. I don't want to hear such words again."
"Yes, sir."
"As for Deng Tianyou, do you think I should go or not?" Qin Zhao asked again.
Ah Qi remained silent. Qin Zhao said, "Just tell me. What are you afraid of?"
"Yes." Ah Qi responded, and then said, "Subordinates... I think that Deng Tianyou's attitude is unclear now. If we meet rashly, it may be detrimental to our situation."
Qin Zhao looked at the invitation and sighed softly, "You are so hesitant just for this Luming Feast. What should you do when you go to the capital in the future? Do you have to hide all the time?"
The study fell silent again.
Qin Zhao tapped the armrest of the chair with his fingertips. After a moment, he slowly said, "Not only Deng Tianyou will be at the Luming Banquet, but also several Hanlin scholars. It would be a bit risky to go to the banquet like this."
He took a pen and paper and quickly wrote a few words on the paper.
After a moment, Qin Zhao put down his pen and said, "Go to the government office tomorrow morning and give this to the prefect. Tell him that I have suddenly fallen ill and may have to miss the Luming Feast."
He dried the ink on the paper, folded it and handed it to Ah Qi: "Go."
Ah Qi: "Yes."
Ah Qi took the things and turned to leave.
"Wait." Qin Zhao called him and sighed, "Bring me a basin of cold water."
The next day, Qin Zhao lived up to everyone's expectations and set off the fire again.
"What's the matter? Weren't you still asleep yesterday?" Jing Li wrung out the towel and wiped his forehead, and asked worriedly, "Did you forget to close the window again when you were reading last night?"
Qin Zhao was lying on the bed, sweating profusely. He tilted his head and coughed softly, "It's okay. Maybe I caught a cold."
He wiped his body with cold water last night and sat by the window for half an hour. Wouldn't he catch a cold
But Jing Li obviously didn't know all this.
"I shouldn't have let you stay in the study by yourself. It's so cold in there." Jing Li's eyes turned red with anxiety, and he said angrily, "Why don't you take care of yourself? Aren't you afraid that your brain will burn out one day?"
Qin Zhao's lips turned pale. He reached out and touched the other person's soft fingertips, stroking them gently: "Don't worry, it won't happen."
"You just know how to coax me..."
Just at this moment, Ah Qi walked in quickly from outside.
Jing Li turned his head to look at him, his anger subsided: "Where have you been so early in the morning? I wanted you to find a doctor, but there was no one!"
Ah Qi was scolded all over and explained in a low voice: "I..."
Before he could finish, Jing Li saw the person who followed Ah Qi in. The person was wearing a yamen official uniform and looked unfamiliar.
"You are..." Jing Li asked.
"I asked Ah Qi to go to the government office." Qin Zhao explained, "Tonight is the Luming Banquet. I'm afraid I can't go in this state. I have to give an explanation to the prefect."
The yamen runner also replied: "Yes, the prefect heard that Qin Yu was ill, so he sent me here to visit him."
Jing Li was stunned, then understood.
Qin Zhao was so ill that he definitely couldn't go to the Lu Ming Banquet, but it was a banquet hosted by the governor after all, and Qin Zhao was the top scorer in the provincial examination. If he just said he wouldn't go, it would embarrass the governor.
The prefect did not dare to make a decision easily, so he specially asked the yamen runner to come and visit.
On the surface it was a visit, but in reality it was a test of the truth.
What the prefect meant was that if Qin Zhao was only slightly unwell and could not leave, then they would send a sedan chair to pick him up and take him to the Lu Ming Banquet.
But now...
The bailiff looked at the man lying on the bed with a pale face due to fever, and felt a little worried.
With this body, if I force someone to go to the banquet, I'm afraid someone might die.
… Let’s just forget it.
The yamen runner made up his mind and said, "The prefect, please sympathize with Mr. Qin's health. You don't need to attend the Luming Banquet tonight. The prefect will pass on the gift you gave to the governor. I hope you can have a good rest."
Qin Zhao barely propped himself up and nodded, "Thank you, sir."
The yamen runner was about to leave, and Jing Li said, "Let me see you out."
Although Jing Li was somewhat displeased by the prefect's actions, he could not offend him since he was a government official after all. He helped Qin Zhao lie down, tucked in the quilt for him, and said, "Just lie down. If you need anything, let Ah Qi do it. I'll go get a doctor for you."
Qin Zhao coughed a few times and said in a low, hoarse voice: "Hey."
Jing Li casually put on a piece of clothing and left the room with the yamen runner.
Ah Qi looked at Jing Li's back as he left, then glanced back at Qin Zhao lying on the bed, and couldn't help but say, "Madam looks very worried."
"There's nothing we can do about this." Qin Zhao frowned uncomfortably, enduring the aches and pains all over his body.
His body really couldn't take the torture, but if he didn't do this, he wouldn't even be able to pass the test of the prefect.
Pretending to be sick is the easiest way and the one that is least likely to arouse suspicion.
Ah Qi wanted to say something but stopped.
I know this in my heart, but seeing how anxious my wife was this morning, if I let her know that she did it on purpose, I'm afraid she wouldn't be easily appeased.
Ah Qi didn't dare to say anything, and continued: "Gu Changzhou has already given the order as the doctor said, what should we do next?"
"Just wait."
Qin Zhao coughed lightly a few times and said, "After all this trouble, I hope my former student won't let me down."