After a moment of silence, the man who had administered poison in the kitchen spoke cautiously, "That daughter of the Hua family is spoiled and willful, lacking the generous spirit of a martial family. I never expected... I never expected that she would resort to such shameless means to bully people."
What's this about feeling dizzy at the smell of meat? Why doesn't she say she was raised on dew?
She's simply shameless!
The room fell silent again, and suddenly hurried footsteps were heard from outside. The man who had administered poison adjusted his clothes and opened the door slightly, showing a concerned expression.
Soon, he saw several yamen constables carrying the unconscious Lin Huizhi, completely unaware of what had happened. He couldn't help but think that if those two brats from the Hua family could infuriate Lin Huizhi to death, it would save them a lot of trouble.
Unfortunately, Lin Huizhi was a stubborn civil official, a resilient one. Even when unconscious and being carried by the yamen constables, he was still muttering about benevolence, righteousness, and morality.
But being carried around like this as a civil official was quite embarrassing.
"Daren1大人, translates to "Sir" or "Lord", what should we do now?" the man asked, closing the door and turning to the man sitting by the window.
"What else can we do? We need to leave quickly," the man replied.
"Leave?"
"If we don't leave, do you think we can stay here without arousing suspicion?!" The man's face grew serious. He considered himself a master strategist, but he never expected to fail here.
Hua Liuli had a restless night. The bed in the relay station was old and narrow, and even with a silk quilt on top, she still felt uncomfortable.
After tossing and turning for half the night, when she finally felt a bit sleepy, she suddenly heard a scream from downstairs. Annoyed, she threw off the covers, put on her outer robe and cloak, and went downstairs.
"Making such a fuss early in the morning, what's going on?" Even the yamen constables were awakened by the scream and were about to scold people, but when they saw Hua Liuli in the corridor, they quickly held their tongues.
Hua Changkong, upon seeing his sister with her unbound black hair standing in the corridor, hurriedly approached her and helped her put on her cloak and hat, asking in a low voice, "What happened?"
"There... there are many dead sparrows outside," the Station Master said with a pale face. "Yesterday, this official poured the overturned meal in the yard..."
Hua Changkong's eyes darkened as he walked quickly outside. He saw the yard filled with many dead sparrows and there were some frozen leftovers covered in snow on the ground.
The poisoned food that his sister had knocked over yesterday.
"It wasn't me, it has nothing to do with me," the cook who had followed them out said, looking at the scene in shock, "I've been a cook at this relay station for over ten years, my family has a good reputation, I would never do such things."
"This... this..." The Patrol Inspector's legs went weak when he saw the scene. If that official really lost his life here, the entire relay station would be in deep trouble.
"Third Brother, what happened?" Hua Liuli followed behind.
Hua Changkong quickly stood up, shielding Hua Liuli from the sight, "Don't look, so you won't lose your appetite later."
"That's really scary," Hua Liuli patted her chest, looking fragile, and turned back, saying, "I'm most afraid of these filthy things."
Hua Changkong adjusted her cloak and said, "Go back to your room and let Yanyi help you tie up your hair. I'll have someone clean up the yard."
"Okay." Hua Liuli had hurried out and was dressed lightly, feeling a bit cold. She returned to her room, lingered in bed for a while, and was then attended by her maid to change and freshen up.
When she went downstairs again, most of the others had already finished their breakfast. She sat at the table, picking and choosing from the food.
"The filling of the steamed buns is too greasy."
"The porridge is not cooked well."
"The pastries are not delicate enough."
She had barely taken a few bites of her meal, yet she found numerous faults with it. However, despite her exaggerated complaints, Lin Huizhi, sitting in the corner, remained silent.
Suppressing her disdain, she finished her breakfast. Unable to hold back her curiosity, Hua Liuli wondered if she had driven this corrupt official crazy. She had been sitting there for half the morning, but he hadn't found fault with her behavior?
This old man, though advanced in age, had a small-minded disposition. He shouldn't miss such a good opportunity to make trouble for her.
Just as she was thinking this, Hua Liuli saw the old civil official standing up and walking towards her. His eyebrows slightly raised as he beckoned to the guards stationed in the hall, asking them to follow behind him.
When it comes to quarrels, the most important thing is to have more people and a strong presence.
Lin Huizhi was in a complex mood. It was difficult for him to walk with his shackles, taking two steps and then pausing, gasping for breath. But he managed to walk up to Hua Liuli.
Without waiting for Hua Liuli to speak, he suddenly performed a grand gesture of respect towards her.
Hua Liuli's face changed drastically. What was this old man trying to do? Was he intentionally showing such respect to make her feel indebted?
If he couldn't win an argument against her, was he prepared to use such despicable means?
"Thank you, Young Lady, for saving my life," he said. Being a high-ranking official in the court, he had his own selfish motives and positions, but he wasn't a fool.
When he woke up in the morning and learned that someone had attempted to poison him and that it happened after the descendants of the Hua family appeared in the same relay station he was staying in, Lin Huizhi sensed the hidden conspiracy behind it all.
If he were to die, the initially simple disagreement in the court could turn into a blood feud. As an arrogant scholar, Hua Yingting's victory over the Kingdom of Jinpo gained him great prestige among the people. If a conflict broke out between the two sides, it would surely cause a major disturbance in the court and ultimately impact the entire Great Jin Dynasty.
It was a clever plan, killing two birds with one stone—a conspiracy devised by evil individuals from enemy nations.
The incident yesterday evening, when the descendant of the Hua family accidentally knocked over his food, not only saved him but also saved others who could have been implicated.
Although Lin Huizhi was not a fan of confrontations, it didn't mean he wasn't without gratitude. Looking at Hua Liuli again, he thought that this young girl, despite her spoiled nature, sharp tongue, bad temper, and picky behavior, still had her merits.
For example...
Lin Huizhi pondered for a moment. For example, she's pretty?
When scholars want to praise someone, they can always find words of praise. So, despite having numerous complaints about Hua Liuli, his savior, Lin Huizhi couldn't help but express his gratitude and admiration.
Hua Liuli: "..."
Impressive, the civil official was truly impressive. He managed to turn her deliberate provocations into keen observations, astute actions, and saving someone in a time of danger. She almost believed it herself.
"You can say as many pleasing words as you want, but it won't get you any meat," Hua Liuli gently wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, "It's useless."
Lin Huizhi paused, his expression slightly rigid, "I have no such intention."
"If you have no such intention, then there's no need to say more," Hua Liuli turned her head and signaled a few guards, "Escort this official along with us. Remember, you must take good care of his meals."
He must not even have a trace of meat, let him crave for it.
Hua Liuli's actions left Lin Huizhi dumbfounded. After a while, he bowed to Hua Liuli once again, "Young Lady, your righteousness surpasses mine."
Hua Liuli glanced at him and subtly took a step to the side, then stood up and said to Hua Changkong, "Third brother, it's time for us to leave."
If they didn't leave soon, this old man would become even more insane.
"Alright." Hua Changkong, sitting beside her, smiled and nodded, expressing no objections to Hua Liuli's actions. He even thought that although Lin Huizhi was worthless, he still had some merits in praising his sister.
After boarding the carriage, Hua Liuli glanced at the Station Master who bowed and sent them off by the roadside, as well as the shabby relay station behind him. She casually grabbed a pouch filled with gold pearls from the carriage box and threw it to the Station Master, "This relay station is the most rundown relay station within a few hundred miles. Take this and renovate it properly."
"Thank you, Noble Young Lady! Thank you, Noble Young Lady!" In just one night, such a big incident occurred, and the Station Master was already terrified. He thought this discerning young lady would cause trouble for him, but she didn't say anything and even gave him money to renovate the relay station. This was no ordinary noble young lady; she was clearly a goddess descended from heaven.
After the Hua siblings left, Lin Huizhi asked one of the yamen constables to bring paper and a pen. He wrote a letter and entrusted it to the yamen courier to be sent to the capital as soon as possible.
The Hua siblings displayed great righteousness. Although he had accused General Hua Yingting and held grudges against him, when Lin Huizhi was in mortal danger, they put aside their past conflicts and sent troops to escort him to his place of exile. Such magnanimity made him feel ashamed.
Could it be... that he was biased against the Hua family? Was he wrong?
Hua Liuli was fussy all the way, stopping and going. Surprisingly, Lin Huizhi's letter reached the capital before they did.
In the Ministry of Revenue residence, Cao Jinbo, the Minister of Revenue, was discussing official matters with Zuo Yunde, the Deputy Minister of Revenue when a servant informed them that a letter from a good friend had arrived, so he asked the servant to bring it over.
"Ah," Cao Jinbo took the letter and didn't open it immediately. Instead, he smiled bitterly and said, "This time, I had a disagreement with Lin Huizhi over our political views, and things didn't go smoothly."
He even felt a little afraid to open this letter.
Lin Huizhi insisted that General Hua's defeat of the Jinpo army and the capture of their Kingdom was an excessive use of force, while Cao Jinbo agreed with General Hua's actions. So, Lin Huizhi had been trying to persuade him and they even had a heated argument in the court over this matter.
Perhaps this letter doesn't contain the sentiments of an old friend.
"Daren, you've been going around trying to help Lin Daren by interceding for him. If Lin Daren knew about all this, he would understand your intentions," Zuo Yunde consoled him, "You and Lin Daren have been friends for decades, this small matter won't affect your relationship."
"You know Lin Huizhi's temperament. He's stubborn and rigid. Once he sets his mind on something, it's impossible to change it," Cao Jinbo sighed and finally began to open the letter slowly.
Zuo Yunde knew about their recent disagreement over political views, and knowing Lin Daren's temperament, this letter was probably going to be a scolding directed at Minister Cao. So, within a few moments, he had already thought of several ways to console Minister Cao's emotions.
He waited for a while but didn't hear any response from Minister Cao. Looking at his expression, which seemed surprised and doubtful, as if the letter contained something extreme absurdity.
"Daren?" Zuo Yunde thought, could it be that Lin Daren's letter has confused him?
"Yunde," Cao Jinbo put down the letter with a conflicted expression on his face, "What do you think, given Lin Huizhi's personality, if he were being threatened, would he say things that go against his own heart?"
"Daren, what do you mean?" Zuo Yunde was completely puzzled.
"For example, praising the children of someone he dislikes?"
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yunde forced a dry smile, "That probably depends on who it is."
"For example, General Hua's children?"
"Absolutely impossible!" After saying this, Zuo Yunde felt that his denial was too direct and quick, which might make it seem like Lin Daren was someone petty. So he tactfully added a few more words, "General Hua's children were raised on the border and personally educated by General Hua. They must have inherited his ways. Considering Lin Daren's temperament, I don't think he would appreciate them."
Praising them was impossible, absolutely impossible. Criticizing them from head to toe would be normal. With Lin Daren's personality, he would rather die than say anything good about the Hua family.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Cao Jinbo: Huizhi, blink your eyes, if you are being threatened.
Lin Huizhi: ...
After a moment of silence, the man who had administered poison in the kitchen spoke cautiously, "That daughter of the Hua family is spoiled and willful, lacking the generous spirit of a martial family. I never expected... I never expected that she would resort to such shameless means to bully people."
What's this about feeling dizzy at the smell of meat? Why doesn't she say she was raised on dew?
She's simply shameless!
The room fell silent again, and suddenly hurried footsteps were heard from outside. The man who had administered poison adjusted his clothes and opened the door slightly, showing a concerned expression.
Soon, he saw several yamen constables carrying the unconscious Lin Huizhi, completely unaware of what had happened. He couldn't help but think that if those two brats from the Hua family could infuriate Lin Huizhi to death, it would save them a lot of trouble.
Unfortunately, Lin Huizhi was a stubborn civil official, a resilient one. Even when unconscious and being carried by the yamen constables, he was still muttering about benevolence, righteousness, and morality.
But being carried around like this as a civil official was quite embarrassing.
"Daren1大人, translates to "Sir" or "Lord", what should we do now?" the man asked, closing the door and turning to the man sitting by the window.
"What else can we do? We need to leave quickly," the man replied.
"Leave?"
"If we don't leave, do you think we can stay here without arousing suspicion?!" The man's face grew serious. He considered himself a master strategist, but he never expected to fail here.
Hua Liuli had a restless night. The bed in the relay station was old and narrow, and even with a silk quilt on top, she still felt uncomfortable.
After tossing and turning for half the night, when she finally felt a bit sleepy, she suddenly heard a scream from downstairs. Annoyed, she threw off the covers, put on her outer robe and cloak, and went downstairs.
"Making such a fuss early in the morning, what's going on?" Even the yamen constables were awakened by the scream and were about to scold people, but when they saw Hua Liuli in the corridor, they quickly held their tongues.
Hua Changkong, upon seeing his sister with her unbound black hair standing in the corridor, hurriedly approached her and helped her put on her cloak and hat, asking in a low voice, "What happened?"
"There... there are many dead sparrows outside," the Station Master said with a pale face. "Yesterday, this official poured the overturned meal in the yard..."
Hua Changkong's eyes darkened as he walked quickly outside. He saw the yard filled with many dead sparrows and there were some frozen leftovers covered in snow on the ground.
The poisoned food that his sister had knocked over yesterday.
"It wasn't me, it has nothing to do with me," the cook who had followed them out said, looking at the scene in shock, "I've been a cook at this relay station for over ten years, my family has a good reputation, I would never do such things."
"This... this..." The Patrol Inspector's legs went weak when he saw the scene. If that official really lost his life here, the entire relay station would be in deep trouble.
"Third Brother, what happened?" Hua Liuli followed behind.
Hua Changkong quickly stood up, shielding Hua Liuli from the sight, "Don't look, so you won't lose your appetite later."
"That's really scary," Hua Liuli patted her chest, looking fragile, and turned back, saying, "I'm most afraid of these filthy things."
Hua Changkong adjusted her cloak and said, "Go back to your room and let Yanyi help you tie up your hair. I'll have someone clean up the yard."
"Okay." Hua Liuli had hurried out and was dressed lightly, feeling a bit cold. She returned to her room, lingered in bed for a while, and was then attended by her maid to change and freshen up.
When she went downstairs again, most of the others had already finished their breakfast. She sat at the table, picking and choosing from the food.
"The filling of the steamed buns is too greasy."
"The porridge is not cooked well."
"The pastries are not delicate enough."
She had barely taken a few bites of her meal, yet she found numerous faults with it. However, despite her exaggerated complaints, Lin Huizhi, sitting in the corner, remained silent.
Suppressing her disdain, she finished her breakfast. Unable to hold back her curiosity, Hua Liuli wondered if she had driven this corrupt official crazy. She had been sitting there for half the morning, but he hadn't found fault with her behavior?
This old man, though advanced in age, had a small-minded disposition. He shouldn't miss such a good opportunity to make trouble for her.
Just as she was thinking this, Hua Liuli saw the old civil official standing up and walking towards her. His eyebrows slightly raised as he beckoned to the guards stationed in the hall, asking them to follow behind him.
When it comes to quarrels, the most important thing is to have more people and a strong presence.
Lin Huizhi was in a complex mood. It was difficult for him to walk with his shackles, taking two steps and then pausing, gasping for breath. But he managed to walk up to Hua Liuli.
Without waiting for Hua Liuli to speak, he suddenly performed a grand gesture of respect towards her.
Hua Liuli's face changed drastically. What was this old man trying to do? Was he intentionally showing such respect to make her feel indebted?
If he couldn't win an argument against her, was he prepared to use such despicable means?
"Thank you, Young Lady, for saving my life," he said. Being a high-ranking official in the court, he had his own selfish motives and positions, but he wasn't a fool.
When he woke up in the morning and learned that someone had attempted to poison him and that it happened after the descendants of the Hua family appeared in the same relay station he was staying in, Lin Huizhi sensed the hidden conspiracy behind it all.
If he were to die, the initially simple disagreement in the court could turn into a blood feud. As an arrogant scholar, Hua Yingting's victory over the Kingdom of Jinpo gained him great prestige among the people. If a conflict broke out between the two sides, it would surely cause a major disturbance in the court and ultimately impact the entire Great Jin Dynasty.
It was a clever plan, killing two birds with one stone—a conspiracy devised by evil individuals from enemy nations.
The incident yesterday evening, when the descendant of the Hua family accidentally knocked over his food, not only saved him but also saved others who could have been implicated.
Although Lin Huizhi was not a fan of confrontations, it didn't mean he wasn't without gratitude. Looking at Hua Liuli again, he thought that this young girl, despite her spoiled nature, sharp tongue, bad temper, and picky behavior, still had her merits.
For example...
Lin Huizhi pondered for a moment. For example, she's pretty?
When scholars want to praise someone, they can always find words of praise. So, despite having numerous complaints about Hua Liuli, his savior, Lin Huizhi couldn't help but express his gratitude and admiration.
Hua Liuli: "..."
Impressive, the civil official was truly impressive. He managed to turn her deliberate provocations into keen observations, astute actions, and saving someone in a time of danger. She almost believed it herself.
"You can say as many pleasing words as you want, but it won't get you any meat," Hua Liuli gently wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, "It's useless."
Lin Huizhi paused, his expression slightly rigid, "I have no such intention."
"If you have no such intention, then there's no need to say more," Hua Liuli turned her head and signaled a few guards, "Escort this official along with us. Remember, you must take good care of his meals."
He must not even have a trace of meat, let him crave for it.
Hua Liuli's actions left Lin Huizhi dumbfounded. After a while, he bowed to Hua Liuli once again, "Young Lady, your righteousness surpasses mine."
Hua Liuli glanced at him and subtly took a step to the side, then stood up and said to Hua Changkong, "Third brother, it's time for us to leave."
If they didn't leave soon, this old man would become even more insane.
"Alright." Hua Changkong, sitting beside her, smiled and nodded, expressing no objections to Hua Liuli's actions. He even thought that although Lin Huizhi was worthless, he still had some merits in praising his sister.
After boarding the carriage, Hua Liuli glanced at the Station Master who bowed and sent them off by the roadside, as well as the shabby relay station behind him. She casually grabbed a pouch filled with gold pearls from the carriage box and threw it to the Station Master, "This relay station is the most rundown relay station within a few hundred miles. Take this and renovate it properly."
"Thank you, Noble Young Lady! Thank you, Noble Young Lady!" In just one night, such a big incident occurred, and the Station Master was already terrified. He thought this discerning young lady would cause trouble for him, but she didn't say anything and even gave him money to renovate the relay station. This was no ordinary noble young lady; she was clearly a goddess descended from heaven.
After the Hua siblings left, Lin Huizhi asked one of the yamen constables to bring paper and a pen. He wrote a letter and entrusted it to the yamen courier to be sent to the capital as soon as possible.
The Hua siblings displayed great righteousness. Although he had accused General Hua Yingting and held grudges against him, when Lin Huizhi was in mortal danger, they put aside their past conflicts and sent troops to escort him to his place of exile. Such magnanimity made him feel ashamed.
Could it be... that he was biased against the Hua family? Was he wrong?
Hua Liuli was fussy all the way, stopping and going. Surprisingly, Lin Huizhi's letter reached the capital before they did.
In the Ministry of Revenue residence, Cao Jinbo, the Minister of Revenue, was discussing official matters with Zuo Yunde, the Deputy Minister of Revenue when a servant informed them that a letter from a good friend had arrived, so he asked the servant to bring it over.
"Ah," Cao Jinbo took the letter and didn't open it immediately. Instead, he smiled bitterly and said, "This time, I had a disagreement with Lin Huizhi over our political views, and things didn't go smoothly."
He even felt a little afraid to open this letter.
Lin Huizhi insisted that General Hua's defeat of the Jinpo army and the capture of their Kingdom was an excessive use of force, while Cao Jinbo agreed with General Hua's actions. So, Lin Huizhi had been trying to persuade him and they even had a heated argument in the court over this matter.
Perhaps this letter doesn't contain the sentiments of an old friend.
"Daren, you've been going around trying to help Lin Daren by interceding for him. If Lin Daren knew about all this, he would understand your intentions," Zuo Yunde consoled him, "You and Lin Daren have been friends for decades, this small matter won't affect your relationship."
"You know Lin Huizhi's temperament. He's stubborn and rigid. Once he sets his mind on something, it's impossible to change it," Cao Jinbo sighed and finally began to open the letter slowly.
Zuo Yunde knew about their recent disagreement over political views, and knowing Lin Daren's temperament, this letter was probably going to be a scolding directed at Minister Cao. So, within a few moments, he had already thought of several ways to console Minister Cao's emotions.
He waited for a while but didn't hear any response from Minister Cao. Looking at his expression, which seemed surprised and doubtful, as if the letter contained something extreme absurdity.
"Daren?" Zuo Yunde thought, could it be that Lin Daren's letter has confused him?
"Yunde," Cao Jinbo put down the letter with a conflicted expression on his face, "What do you think, given Lin Huizhi's personality, if he were being threatened, would he say things that go against his own heart?"
"Daren, what do you mean?" Zuo Yunde was completely puzzled.
"For example, praising the children of someone he dislikes?"
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yunde forced a dry smile, "That probably depends on who it is."
"For example, General Hua's children?"
"Absolutely impossible!" After saying this, Zuo Yunde felt that his denial was too direct and quick, which might make it seem like Lin Daren was someone petty. So he tactfully added a few more words, "General Hua's children were raised on the border and personally educated by General Hua. They must have inherited his ways. Considering Lin Daren's temperament, I don't think he would appreciate them."
Praising them was impossible, absolutely impossible. Criticizing them from head to toe would be normal. With Lin Daren's personality, he would rather die than say anything good about the Hua family.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Cao Jinbo: Huizhi, blink your eyes, if you are being threatened.
Lin Huizhi: ...
