Wang Ding was already shrinking his neck and waiting to die. However, Wang Heng's sword did not fall.
After a moment, Wang Heng slowly put the sword back, and then smiled at Wang Ding: "You have worked hard here, so you should have a good rest. Come, take him down, and entertain him with good wine and meat."
Wang Ding's legs were weak and he was led down.
He always felt that he had been discovered, and he was afraid that his life would be decided here. But now that the matter is over, it's too late to tell Wang Heng the truth. According to Wang Heng's character, he would never spare himself.
Wang Ding looked at the wine and meat in front of him and couldn't eat it at all. He kept thinking in his mind: Wang Heng, how did you see this? What I said is basically the truth.
Not far from Wang Ding, Wang Jia was feasting. As he ate, he felt happy in his heart: Okay, Wang Heng is about to be deceived and sent back. This is a great achievement. In the past, when Wang Jian was in power, I could stand beside him with great authority. But now that the banished immortal has gained power, I have turned to Shang Jun's sect. Well...I am the real smart person, haha...
The next day, the detective sent by Wang Heng had not returned yet. Wang Heng kept holding his sword and waiting.
Wang Ding was very scared and had been staying in his tent without daring to come out. Now he was like a frightened bird. As long as someone passed by nearby, he felt that he was going to be pulled out and beheaded.
As for Wang Jia, he was a little anxious: Why hasn't Wang Heng returned to Xianyang City yet? It’s easy to have long nights and dreams about this kind of thing.
Therefore, Wang Jia went to Wang Heng four or five times a day to persuade him to go back quickly.
In response, Wang Heng said that he was not feeling well and would start again tomorrow.
Wang Jia's performance was too positive, and Wang Heng became more and more suspicious of him.
By the next morning, the two men came back on fast horses. The horse they were riding was no longer the same horse. It probably ran like crazy and died of exhaustion halfway.
These two people couldn't even finish their sentences because they were tired. After jumping off the horse, they collapsed directly on the ground, unable to stand up.
Wang Heng asked anxiously: "How?"
The two men said breathlessly: "The two of us have not entered Xianyang. As soon as we entered Guanzhong, we heard that the old general had been arrested."
Wang Heng stood up with a cry: "Is this news reliable?"
The two men nodded: "It was the officials in the government who said so."
Wang Heng fiercely pulled out the sword in his hand and shouted loudly: "Bring those two people in."
Soon, Wang Jia and Wang Ding were brought back.
After these two people entered Wang Heng's tent, they were both a little wide-eyed. They were all confused: Why is he here?
Wang Heng said calmly: "Someone here has been bribed by Huaiguzi."
Wang Jia and Wang Ding both trembled.
Wang Heng looked at Wang Jia and said calmly: "Tell me, what happened in Xianyang City?"
Wang Jia felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere today. He looked at the bright sword in Wang Heng's hand and was a little scared. But now that the matter has come to this, I can only bite the bullet and continue to lie.
Wang Ding was dumbfounded: What happened to Wang Jia? Why is he talking such nonsense? Is he crazy?
Just when Wang Ding was confused, Wang Heng pointed at Wang Ding with his sword: "What do you think?"
Wang Ding also said it bravely.
Wang Heng turned to look at Wang Jia again: "What's going on?"
Wang Jia saw Wang Heng's smile getting more and more ferocious. He was a little panicked and said hesitantly: "There must be some misunderstandings in this. I think... Wang Ding must have been bribed by Huai Guzi. He is talking nonsense. , I just don’t want the general to go back, he..."
Before he finished speaking, Wang Heng became a little impatient. With a swing of his sword, Wang Jia was split into two pieces. Blood dripped all over Wang Ding.
Wang Ding screamed in fright and almost fainted.
Wang Heng held the bloody sword and walked towards Wang Ding again.
Wang Ding wanted to run, but his legs didn't obey him at all.
Wang Heng patted Wang Ding on the shoulder and said, "You risked your life to bring this news. You are truly a loyal minister and righteous man."
Seeing Wang Heng's pleasant look, Wang Ding finally calmed down.
After calming down, Wang Ding thought about it and finally understood. It turns out that Wang Heng got two messengers. It was Wang Jia who he scolded before, not himself.
So Wang Ding breathed a sigh of relief, bowed his hands to Wang Heng, and said: "This villain has been a slave of the Wang family for generations, so he will naturally be loyal to the Wang family."
Wang Heng nodded with satisfaction, and then said to Wang Ding: "Now Xianyang City is a dragon's pool and a tiger's den. If you don't want to go back, why would you die in vain? Why don't you just stay with me."
Wang Ding quickly agreed.
Wang Heng was still unfinished, and said with a smile: "One day, when I become the King of Chu, I will make you a public minister."
Wang Ding only agreed.
However, he couldn't help but look at Wang Jia, who was dead on the ground, and thought uneasily in his heart: Being a minister? Could it be that one day he was unhappy and just killed me?
Then, he looked at the four to five hundred soldiers outside and thought: With these few people, can he be the king of Chu?
In the corner of the camp, Xiang Pi was nervously dragging his grandson.
Xiang Pi thought: King Chu? Isn’t my grandson going to be made King of Chu by him? Why does he want to be the King of Chu again? The rebellion hasn't even started yet, and you're already thinking about seeking power and usurping the throne? It's not advisable to stay here for a long time...
…………
In Xianyang City, Chunyu Yue was eating when a servant suddenly walked in and said that Li Xin was visiting.
Chunyu Yue suddenly felt his teeth hurt.
He waved his hand and said to the servant: "Just say that I am not here and let him come back another day."
The servant responded, turned and left.
But after a while, the servant came back again, and Chunyu Yue frowned impatiently.
The servant bowed and said: "General Li has left. But before leaving, I gave the villain an invitation and asked him to pass it on to the adults."
Chunyu Yue chuckled: "Invitation? What good things can Li Xin do? Bring it over."
The servant handed over the invitation.
After Chunyu Yue received it, he found that the invitation was heavy, as if it was not made of paper. After opening it, I found that there was a silver medal inside the invitation.
The silver medal is the size of a palm, with a few lines of words cast on it: On the third day of March, Shangjun Courtyard will select guards. I respectfully invite Dr. Chunyu to come and visit us.
Chunyu Yue chuckled: "It turns out to be an invitation from Huaiguzi. Writing the invitation with silver bullion shows that you are very wealthy."
The servant asked in a low voice: "Sir, shall we go or not?"
Chunyu Yue stroked his beard and said: "On the third day of March, isn't that the day after tomorrow? Well... tomorrow is the day of the court meeting, but there is nothing going on the day after tomorrow, so it doesn't hurt to go and have a look."
When the servant heard this, he immediately became happy.
Chunyu Yue asked curiously: "What? Do you really want to go?"
The servant laughed dryly and said: "It is said that the selection of guards for Shangjun Villa is very lively this time. Small businessmen and hawkers from all over the country have arrived in advance. Shangjun Villa has specially opened up a space for those vendors to do business. . Now the selection has not yet started, but there are already thousands of tourists..."
Chunyu Yue chuckled: "This Huaiguzi chose a few guards and made such a fuss that everyone knows. A gentleman should be gentle, courteous and thrifty. He is still far from it."
The servant was obedient and just wanted to retreat. Chunyu Yue said again: "Go and ask who else has received this invitation."
The servant responded.
About an hour later, the servant arrived panting. He said to Chunyu Yue: "My lord, my lord, I have found out."
Chunyu Yue asked: "How to say?"
The servant said: "For important officials in the court like you, the invitations are silver medals. For ordinary courtiers, the invitations are bronze medals. For the low-ranking officials, the invitations are bamboo medals."
Chunyu Yue couldn't help but laugh: "You want to invite low-ranking officials? Is it possible that there is a fee again this time? If there is a fee, I can't be fooled."
The servant said: "There is no charge this time."
Chunyu Yue said doubtfully: "How did you know that?"
The servant said: "Everyone who receives the invitation will receive cakes and drinks for free. A notice has been posted in the Exorcist Tower."
Chunyu Yue shook his head: "That's weird, that's weird. Could it be that the banished immortal really wants to learn to be a gentleman?"
Chunyu thought about it more and still couldn't believe it. After all, Li Shui seemed to want to abandon evil and do good countless times before, but when he was full of expectations, he found that he had been tricked again.
…………
Zhou Gui is the owner of the largest pastry shop in Xianyang City. With his business reaching this level, he would be able to live without worries in this life. But today, Zhou Gui was frowning. Because he also received an invitation from Li Shui.
Officials' invitations varied from silver to copper to bamboo. But his invitation was made of white paper.
The invitation said that the Shangjun Courtyard would publicly select guards the day after tomorrow. By that time, all the officials in Xianyang City may come to watch.
With so many people, someone needs to provide drinks, cakes and even lunch. Therefore, Ban Xian sincerely invites Zhou Gui to sponsor the cakes.
The word sponsorship is quite new to Zhou Gui. But he could also understand what it meant. It's just a fight against the autumn wind, just asking for money for nothing.
Zhou Gui settled the score. If this was sponsorship...it would cost him too much money, and it would cost him his life.
But if there is no sponsorship, how will the Exorcist explain it? He is a popular person around the emperor. If he offends him, isn't that asking for death?
Zhou Gui was pacing back and forth in the room, making his wife's head feel dizzy.
Lady Zhou said: "Since ancient times, the people have not fought against the officials. How powerful are they in banishing immortals? With one little finger, we can kill our whole family. It is better to waste money and avoid disaster."
Zhou Gui sighed: "I took the money this time, and the banished immortal tasted the sweetness. Another day, he will come up with a clever excuse to ask for money. In this way, isn't there no end? I'm afraid it won't take three to five months, and my family property will be gone. It’s all gone.”
Madam Zhou also began to frown. She thought for a while and said to Zhou Gui: "How about... let's file a complaint? How strict are the laws of Da Qin? Now that we have this invitation as evidence, we will definitely be able to sue the banished immortal."
Zhou Gui said with some annoyance: "Woman's opinion! What do you know? What's the use of strict laws? The key is that those who are officials must abide by them."
"Have you heard of Xiang Liang who rebelled not long ago? It is said that he killed people in his early years. According to the laws of the Qin Dynasty, murderers must be punished with death. What was the result? There was an official who admired Xiang Liang's bravery and said so lightly. Then let him go."
Madam Zhou said: "Hasn't that person been found out?"
Zhou Gui waved his hand: "It's useless. We want to sue the Immortal. No matter which yamen we go to, we will end up with Zhao Teng. Zhao Teng, the internal historian, is a good friend of the Immortal. Everyone in Xianyang City knows it. Do you think we can win the lawsuit? ?”
Lady Zhou said with a tearful face: "What should we do then? Could it be that this family property was given to an immortal?"
Zhou Gui paced back and forth and said, "For now, the only way is to ask someone to make peace with you. Do you have a sister?"
Madam Zhou said: "I have a sister, but she is a woman, how can I make peace with her? She doesn't even know where to open the door of Shangjun's courtyard."
Zhou Gui said: "Is your sister married to a farmer?"
Madam Zhou said: "Yes, but this farmer does not work in Shangjun's courtyard."
Zhou Gui added: "Does this farmer have a good friend, what's his name... Mud Dog?"
Mrs. Zhou thought for a long time and said, "It seems there is such a person."
Zhou Gui then asked, "Is Nigou's third uncle a plum seller?"
Madam Zhou was completely confused: "Yes, it is indeed true, but...does this have anything to do with our family's affairs?"
Zhou Gui said: "You don't know that there is a little girl named Yun'er who likes to eat his plums the most. And Yun'er's father is the servant who looks after the back door of Master Shi Mou's house."
Mrs. Zhou thought for a while: "Then... so what?"
Zhou Gui said: "Although Master Shi Mou has a low official position, he is an official after all. He may be able to talk to the banished immortal. Come on, prepare some generous gifts."
Madam Zhou saw Zhou Gui packing seven or eight cents of generous gifts, and the more she looked at them, the more distressed she became: "These gifts are enough to be worth the sponsorship fee for banishing the immortal."
Zhou Gui scolded: "What do you know? After spending these generous gifts, there will be peace in the future. If you give them to banished immortals, will you still have a good life in the future?"
Madam Zhou had no choice but to remain silent.
Zhou Guixian visited Mrs. Zhou's sister's family with gifts and renewed the friendship between relatives.
After all, it’s not surprising that there are so many people here. Relatives who haven’t seen each other for many years suddenly became extremely warm.
So my sister's family took Zhou Gui to find Nigou. After Nigou received the gift, he smiled happily and directly recognized Zhou Gui as his adoptive brother, and directly said that he was his biological brother to the outside world.
Then Nigou took Zhou Gui to find the third uncle selling plums. After the third uncle received the gift, he recognized Zhou Gui as his nephew on the spot.
Then the third uncle took Zhou Gui to find Yun'er. Yun'er was easier to bribe. After eating a handful of plums, he called his father out.
After Yun'er's father received Zhou Gui's gift, he immediately became close friends with Zhou Gui. Then he found an opportunity and took Zhou Gui to meet the housekeeper of Shi Mou's mansion.
After receiving Zhou Gui's gift, the housekeeper nodded with satisfaction and promised to mention it in front of Master Shi that night. He also taught Zhou Gui to call himself his nephew, otherwise Master Shi might not pay attention to his matter.
Zhou Gui had been running all day and was so tired that he almost vomited blood. It wasn't until dinner time that the butler finally came to call him.
So Zhou Gui held the most precious gift and met with Shi Mou.
Shi Mou originally planned to drive Zhou Gui away after accepting the gift. But Zhou Gui's gift was really valuable, so it seemed too shameless to chase people away immediately, and Shi Mou couldn't do it.
So he asked hypocritically: "No reward for no merit. You gave me a generous gift today. Do you have something to ask for?"
Zhou Gui burst into tears immediately: "Master Shi, please save me for the sake of my uncle being a housekeeper in the mansion."
When Shi Mou heard this, he immediately felt unhappy: I was just being polite, why...are you really serious about something?
I was a magician in the Qin Dynasty
