The birthday of the Han Emperor was approaching. Prince Liu Yan prepared a rare treasure for the Han Emperor, but it needed craftsmen to process it, so Liu Yan chose a very reliable person to help him build it, so he found his father-in-law to supervise it on his behalf. So I waited for my father-in-law Xu Bingde in the study room early. After a long time, I saw my father-in-law coming in the dust, so I asked my father-in-law how things were going!
Xu Bingde smiled and replied: "Your Highness, don't worry, it's been done. Our craftsmen are all top masters. They have been working day and night for three or four days and finally completed it. I have already seen it. The craftsmanship is really ingenious, and the treasure is truly amazing." It’s rare in ancient and modern times! I believe the Holy One will definitely like it!”
After hearing this, Liu Yan was overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear, and joked: "When my father-in-law says this, I can't bear to give Grandpa Huang this treasure!"
Xu Bingde rolled his eyes and said, "It's called being reluctant to let go of the child and not being able to trap the wolf!" After saying this, the two looked at each other and smiled.
"Now that it's done, send a few more people to guard it day and night. There must be no omissions!" Liu Yan instructed.
"I have already sent additional manpower, and we are just waiting for the day when the treasure is presented!"
Liu Yan nodded with satisfaction, suddenly remembered that Prince Ning was here, and frowned: "The birthday banquet will start in two days. I wonder what Uncle Ning will prepare for the Holy Master?"
Xu Bingde showed a sly smile, "Your Highness, as far as I know, Prince Ning seemed to have purchased a rhinoceros horn bead-embedded cup from an envoy from the Western Regions at a huge price a few days ago!"
"Oh? A rhinoceros horn bead-embedded cup?" Liu Yan asked in surprise, "What is that?"
"I asked someone to inquire about it. That cup is also a rare thing. There are very few rhinoceros horn cups. The three orbs inlaid on it are even more shocking. It is said that they are the real relics of the Buddha of the Shi family!" Xu Bingde said with great enthusiasm. interest.
"Relics?" Liu Yan was noncommittal, "Who can say for sure about this treasure!" Liu Yan rolled his eyes and suddenly thought about it, saying: "The relics are said to be true or false. When the time comes, Uncle Ning will offer this thing. , let’s let people say it’s a lie, and then we’ll all be guilty of deceiving the emperor!”
After Liu Yan said this, he showed a sly smile. Xu Bingde also smiled and gave a thumbs up, saying: "Your Highness is really smart. Only then will we really be able to make judgments! Haha..."
Just as he was talking, there was a knock on the door outside the study. Liu Yan smiled and asked, "Who is knocking on the door?"
"My subordinate Deng Zhuo has something to report!" Deng Zhuo replied in a brisk tone.
When Liu Yan heard that it was Deng Zhuo, he remembered what he said that day and couldn't help but said to Xu Bingde with joy: "Father-in-law, something good is coming to your door again! - General Deng, come in!"
Deng Zhuo opened and closed the door, carefully walked up to the prince, and saluted the prince and Xu Bingde with clasped fists.
The prince rolled his sleeves and said with a smile: "Forgive me! Is there any news from Prince Ning's Mansion? Tell me!"
Deng Zhuo smiled knowingly, "Exactly, my subordinates monitored Prince Ning day and night and discovered that he had been in close contact with a person in the past few days!"
Liu Yan couldn't wait to ask: "Who?"
"When this man's subordinates sent people to investigate later, they lost the clue again!"
Liu Yan's face darkened, "Trash, I haven't found out why. What are you doing here?"
Deng Zhuo cupped his fists and said: "It's not that there is no news at all. My subordinates have found a person who is particularly suspicious. It may be the person that Prince Ning often looks for."
"Oh? Interesting, who is that? Have you found out?"
"He also lives in Xining Street. My subordinates have inquired about it. It seems that he just moved in a few days ago! I heard that he moved here from the south. I don't know the details of other subordinates!"
After hearing this, Liu Yan nodded, pondered for a moment and then asked Xu Bingde, "Father-in-law, do you think there is anything fishy?"
Xu Bingde stroked his beard and thought, then asked Deng Zhuo, "Are you sure the prince has looked for him before?"
Deng Zhuo clasped his fists again, "I am very sure that since that person moved into his new home, my subordinates have seen Prince Ning come there twice."
Xu Bingde asked again: "Have you ever found out the name of the owner of that house?"
"No!" Deng Zhuo recalled for a moment and then continued to answer, "But the plaque hanging on the door of his house says 'Tao Mansion'. I think the owner may have a surname of Tao."
Liu Yan also said strangely: "This is interesting. After coming all the way and moving into a new house, I met a relative of the emperor in the capital. This person is really extraordinary!"
Xu Bingde was also very surprised, "It seems that this person must have a good background, otherwise how could someone like Prince Ning go to his house in person."
Liu Yan nodded silently. This kind of contact without knowing the details is the most frightening thing. "General Deng, I leave this matter to you. You will send someone to Tao Mansion tonight to secretly inquire about it, and then come back immediately to report. No! Just go there in person, don’t let your men go down!"
When the setting sun fell from the eaves of Tao Mansion, Qin Hong came to the main house with some gloominess. Seeing his senior brother playing chess with Yin Ji, he stepped forward and shouted: "Senior brother, it's time to eat!"
Lu Zuo also knew that Qin Hong was still unhappy about what happened today, so he didn't pay much attention. He just stood up and stretched himself, then got up and went to the dining hall.
In the dining room, the standard four dishes and one soup were placed on the Eight Immortals table. Lu Zuo and Yin Ji sat next to each other, Chen Tuizhi sat alone in a corner, and Qin Hong and Lu Manxi sat opposite Lu Zuo.
Lu Zuo saw that everyone was silent, so he looked at Lu Manxi and asked, "Manxi, does it still hurt?"
Lu Manxi just finished eating the food in her mouth and was stunned for a moment. Then she looked at Qin Hong and then at Yin Ji. She didn't know how to answer the question. After reacting for a moment, she nodded repeatedly with a red face.
Lu Zuo glanced at Yin Ji next to him with a half-smile. Yin Ji's eyes dodge and he simply started to devour the food. Then Lu Zuo continued: "It seems that Qian'er hasn't beaten enough. I can still eat while sitting here!"
Yin Ji suddenly stopped the chopsticks in his hand, raised his head slightly and glanced at Lu Manxi. He had so many questions in his mind. Could it be that his master had discovered that he had beaten Lu Manxi to give him water today? Yin Ji started to feel restless as he thought about it. , hesitantly said: "Master, I spanked Brother Lu on the back, not the butt."
Lu Zuo felt funny in his heart, but it was enough, and he didn't ask any more questions. He suddenly put down the chopsticks in his hands, straightened up, looked at Lu Manxi and Qin Hong with a serious face, and said, "I have decided, you two will be together tomorrow morning." Everyone has to go back!"
After hearing this, Qin Hong's face darkened. Just when he was about to retort, Lu Zuo knew that the junior sister was going to talk back again, so he said directly: "Back off, I'll leave this matter to you!"
The atmosphere instantly became silent again. Just as everyone was minding their own business eating and picking up food, Yin Ji suddenly stopped holding chopsticks in his hands and stared at Master with a solemn face. His eyes seemed to tell Master that something was wrong, so Yin Ji took another He picked up the chopsticks in his hand and tapped the chopsticks head down on the table, signaling to Master that there was something on the roof.
