Chapter 28 Ye Zheng: Uncle Gong, please confess your sins to His Majesty, and ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart!
In Ye Zheng's memory, Gong Dian was different from ordinary warriors. He liked calligraphy and painting, and he was not an ordinary military general who was pretentious. He liked to collect calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.
Well... Uncle Gong suddenly developed this hobby when he was five years old.
All officials are on leave, and the deputy commander of the imperial guards is no exception. Someone will take his place.
Sure enough, when Gong Dian was led into the study by the maid, he was appreciating calligraphy and painting.
Perhaps he was too engrossed in appreciating the painting, and he glanced up inadvertently, stood up, and came forward with a smile.
"Zheng'er."
He couldn't hide his excitement in his voice.
"Uncle Gong, I haven't seen you for a while. Are you doing well?" Ye Zheng bowed and said.
"Okay, it's been a while since we last met, why do you feel so awkward? You weren't so formal before." Gong Dian grabbed his arm, looked him up and down, and praised him repeatedly, "It was a fleeting moment, it was really a fleeting moment. I still remember when you were five years old, you rode on my neck and played, and now you are also a famous 'little justice' in the court and the country. Good, good."
There was a hint of emotion in his words.
Ye Zheng smiled and shook his head, "Why is he so famous in the court? Uncle Gong, you are really too kind."
Unexpectedly, Gong Dian nodded in appreciation and said, "Not arrogant or impatient, very good, very good."
Ye Zheng had no choice but to change the subject. He walked to the yellow pear wood desk, pointed at the half-opened painting on it, and asked, "Uncle Gong, did you get another masterpiece?"
He just asked casually.
Gong Dian seemed to hesitate or think before he said calmly, "Yes, it was given by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It is a famous painting from the previous dynasty."
These words made his heart sink.
Why bother?
Do you have to get involved in the fight between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince?
He didn't obey Lao Deng's orders, and wavered back and forth between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, playing a game of Infernal Affairs?
He didn't notice that when Gong Dian finished speaking, a very subtle and elusive flash of guilt flashed across his face.
After a moment of silence, Ye Zheng asked, "Uncle Gong, do you like this painting very much?"
He asked bluntly.
This is a disguised way of asking Gong Dian about his attitude towards the prince.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince also likes calligraphy and painting. He gave it to me as a gift. I treasure it very much." The joy of his nephew's visit seemed to be completely drained away from Gong Dian's voice, leaving no ripples.
Ye Zheng was the same. He asked again in a deep voice, "Uncle Gong and the prince have similar interests?"
"The prince once said to me, 'We all love calligraphy and painting, so we just need to be friendly and don't need to be polite.'"
Gong Dian's response seemed to have been choreographed, it came out fluently and was very stiff.
Ye Zheng was silent again.
Just from this conversation, Gong Dian seemed to want Ye Zheng to understand that he, Gong Dian, had a private relationship with the prince.
To win him over for the prince?
To test him for the emperor?
Based on some of the inside information Ye Zheng knows...
Ok?
His gaze suddenly shot to a corner of the room, his eyes so sharp that they seemed to pierce through the wall and see outside.
Someone came over.
He is not an expert, probably between the sixth and seventh levels. His breath is very fine and his footsteps are very light.
Suddenly, Gong Dian held his arm, and when he looked over in confusion, he shook his head very slightly at him.
Ah this...
Ye Zheng’s CPU is about to burn out.
What does this mean?
Did Dad talk to Uncle Gong?
Is that Lao Deng’s man outside?
If the person outside was Lao Deng's man, then he would not be able to continue the conversation he was having with Gong Dian. Even if he continued talking to that person, he would have to change the subject.
There is another option.
He wanted to leave. He needed time to sort things out, preferably not here.
I was planning to pull my hand away and say goodbye, but I didn’t expect…
Gong Dian still held his arm and shook his head at him.
Why is this? My brain is itchy.
Ye Zheng analyzed quickly.
He has had real contact with Gong Dian, and his understanding of him is not limited to some written descriptions. Uncle Gong is not such a brainless person.
The previous conversation was deliberate, abnormal, and extremely leading.
If you try to win over people for the prince, you would be stupid and shallow.
If it is a test for the emperor, there is no need to force him to respond. Isn't no response also an attitude?
Stopping him for the first time could be understood as telling him not to continue.
The second time I stopped him...
Plus there's someone out there who looks like Lao Deng...
Uncle Gong seemed to be pushing him to do something...
While he was analyzing, he was also thinking about his own optimal solution.
When all the information converged, in a flash, he grasped something...
After a while, Ye Zheng's brows gradually relaxed, and he slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he sighed, "Uncle Gong shouldn't have replied to me."
There was a mixture of disappointment and anger in his tone.
The sound is not loud, but it is guaranteed to be heard by someone.
A hint of admiration flashed across Gong Dian's eyes, and he closed his eyes. He seemed to be irritated by his nephew Ye Zheng's words, but in fact he was brewing his emotions.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw that his eyes were clearly directed at Ye Zheng, but his empty gaze seemed to pass through Ye Zheng and look into the void. He said lightly, "You shouldn't ask."
Swish!
There was the sound of robe sleeves fluttering. Ye Zheng was wearing wide sleeves today. While shaking off Gong Dian's hand, he also used this action to express his emotions.
But he was breathing heavier, and took a few steps towards the study door, then suddenly stopped, turned around, looked at Gong Dian, bowed for a moment, and said through gritted teeth, "Uncle Gong is an elder, and I shouldn't offend you. But today I have three questions and one advice for you, Uncle Gong, please think carefully."
Gong Dian looked gloomy, and glanced at him for a while before saying in a muffled voice, "Speak."
"Forgive my rudeness, Uncle Gong, I am asking this question now..."
'Is His Majesty in good health now?'
"Does Uncle want to cut ties with the Ye family?"
"Uncle, do you know the key points of the commander of the imperial army and the head of the imperial guards?"
"Please ask Uncle Gong to confess his guilt to His Majesty, tell him your faults, and ask for forgiveness sincerely!"
In the imperial study, Emperor Qing stared at the note in his hand for a moment, then raised the corner of his mouth. He slowly put the note into the candlelight beside him. When it burned out, he threw it into the small stove where sparks were faintly visible.
He walked slowly with a smile on his face, a hint of satisfaction between his brows.
……
Ye Mansion, Study
"How dare you say that!" Ye Chong snorted after hearing his youngest son's retelling.
Ye Zheng was still in the middle of the drama, and snorted, "If you are worried about getting me and my family involved in the dispute between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, I will add another sentence."
"What does the prince want to do?"
"Shut up." Ye Zhong stopped him in time.
I'm addicted to acting.
Suddenly his expression tensed, Ye Zheng released his perception and said to Ye Zhong, "Father, who is that person outside Uncle Gong's study?"
"I'm from the First Division of the Inspection Institute." Ye Zhong picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "Don't worry, I've already kicked the teacup out of our house to pour out the night incense. He can't get close to the study."
"This is too much." Ye Zheng frowned and thought to himself that he would go back and find out who this person is and embarrass him. He would make sure to let him see what a noble playboy is!
"The Inspection Office is independent of the six ministries. In critical situations, it can ignore Qing laws. One of them is to monitor everything in Kyoto. If they don't insert someone into your home, how can they know what you do? If they don't know your every move, how can they monitor all officials?"
"You don't have to think about making things difficult for him. People in the Inspection Bureau are also human beings. I go and have a chat with this guy from time to time."
Ye Zheng, "..."
He pours the night incense, and you go and have a chat?
Hmm...it was quite an interesting chat.
He stopped his thoughts in time and frowned, "I still don't understand. He didn't want to talk about the inside story of the painting, so he could just let it go. Why did he have to bring it up? It brought up a bunch of things that happened later."
The ages of the protagonist, Fan Ruoruo and Ye Ling'er were all raised by one year. If there are any interruptions and failures to make timely revisions, please point them out. Thank you very much~
(End of this chapter)