Tears welled up in Ming Shao's eyes again, "There is a mess in the house, and the slaves sneaked out to report to the girl, so I know so much."

The shock on Concubine Yun's face didn't disappear. When she looked back at Jiang Rao, she was taken aback by her pale face.

"My father is so immature."

Concubine Yun Gui nodded and replied, "This must be a misunderstanding."

She took Jiang Rao's hand and said, "Your father is in a high position, and his calligraphy and painting are favored by the emperor. Someone must be jealous of him. You are young, and you have never stayed in Jinling for a long time. You have not had many chances to encounter such a thing. When the Supreme Court finds out the truth, you can change your father's innocence, don't panic."

Jiang Rao lowered her eyes and said, "I didn't panic."

She just looked at Ming Shao's tearful eyes, and the scene of her house being raided in her dream suddenly flashed through her mind.

On the same snowy day, Ming Shao also cried into tears.

Even though she knew that today's events were not the same as that day, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

She has had fewer and fewer dreams recently. The dream last night was filled with layers of snow. She hit the ground in the dark, and it hurt.

Jiang Rao didn't sleep much last night, and there were a few strands of blood in her eyes.

She pinched her palms, even though she looked calm, there was a hint of unease in her eyes.

Yun Guifei took a cloak and stood up, she said solemnly: "I'll go to the emperor to see what's going on and see if there's anything I can do to help you, so you just wait here with me, don't be too much. too worried."

Jiang Rao got up just before she stood up, she shook her head, how could she stay in such a situation, "I'll go home."

...

The periphery of Wuyi Alley was full of people who wanted to watch the fun, and the alley was full of water.

Seeing the besieged alley, Jiang Rao's face couldn't hide the cold and desolate whiteness.

It took her a whole morning to learn everything from her grandfather and mother.

Fengzhang filed an impeachment, but the person who impeached did not come forward. What was presented to Emperor Zhaowu was a painting.

It is said that her father made the painting when he was drunk.

All the characters in the painting are extremely scribbled, but the word "degree" in the emperor's name is written very clearly.

The most terrible thing is that this painting was given to King Jing by her father.

It made the sin of taboo a little deeper.

King Jing was a classmate with her father at the beginning. He rebelled more than ten years ago. After being suppressed, he escaped and disappeared. Even though the world was pardoned a few years ago, the emperor did not pardon his death penalty. Once King Jing is involved, and she is charged with the remnants of the party, her family will become the same as in her previous life.

The only way is to find someone to confirm that the painting is not her father's.

She anxiously waited for the news from the Superintendent's Office.

...

Concubine Yun Gui interceded, and the emperor released Jiang Siye for the time being.

But even if let him go back to the manor, would only let him go back to the manor for a while to get together with his family. Four high-ranking yamen servants with martial arts were arranged by his side, who would follow him every step of the way. After confirming whether the painting was painted by him, he would change it again. He took him to the Tribunal.

As soon as the news came out, Jiang Rao waited outside the house.

Waiting with her were Jiang Qinshi and Jiang Jinxing.

The time has come to evening.

The distress of wealthy people has always been a topic that can be hotly debated.

In a day's time, the rumors in Beijing have exploded.

There was no news from the Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office, but the rumors added fuel to the rumors, and Jiang Siye's crime had been confirmed.

For a time, people were panicked, and everyone wanted to clear up their relationship with Jiang Xingzhou, for fear of being tainted by the reputation of King Jing's remnants.

Jiang Qin's face was full of worry, and Jiang Rao said beside her, "That painting wouldn't be painted by Dad."

Her father was indeed a little disrespectful to etiquette, and he was especially disdainful of such taboo things, and he never told others to avoid his name.

But he wouldn't do such a thing that would affect the whole family.

Even if he said he was drunk at the time, she didn't believe it.

Jiang Jinxing looked up at his sister, and he shook his head, "It's not Daddy."

At his age, he didn't know much about today's events. He only knew that his father made a big mistake because of the painting, which was the crime of beheading. I ate alcohol secretly, and painted pictures."

His naive words were buried in the noisy human voice. He was afraid that Jiang Rao would not hear the same thing, so he raised his voice and said again, "That painting, I painted it! It's me!"

Tears welled up in Jiang Rao's eyes, she took his little hand and shook her head towards her brother.

The sin of great disrespect, according to the law of Jokhang, cannot be punished.

All males over 16 in the clan should be beheaded, and the rest should be sent to the frontier and relegated to slavery.

"Sister, why are your palms so cold?" Jiang Jinxing asked gently, wrapping Jiang Rao's hands with two small hands.

There was a commotion at the entrance of the alley, a carriage stopped, and Fourth Master Jiang lifted the curtain and got off the carriage.

The iron-armored yamen really stayed by his side.

Seeing his wife and children waiting in front of the mansion, Fourth Master Jiang raised his spirits, walked over a few steps, and smiled like a normal person, "I'm fine."

Jiang Qinshi panicked to meet him,

"Master, what the hell is going on with the painting? Did you arrest the wrong person at the Duchayuan?"

His attitude of not mentioning the painting made Jiang Rao feel cold.

According to her father's temperament, if the painting was not made by him, it would be a righteous denial.

Jiang Siye didn't answer, just shook his head and said, "You don't have to worry too much, I have someone to see you, so I can't go back with you, you go back first."

No one was willing to leave. The helpless smile on Jiang Siye's face deepened. He looked at Jiang Qinshi, "Qingshan, these days, I can only rely on you to take care of Brother Xing and Nian Nian first."

Jiang Qinshi put his hand on Jiang Jinxing's shoulder, with tears in his eyes, and said to Jiang Siye, "Father has already entered the palace and asked to see the saint. I will go back to Qin's house tonight, sir, it will be fine."

Fourth Master Jiang nodded with a light smile, turned around and boarded the carriage again. After getting away from his wife and children, the smile on his face was exhausted, and his face looked extremely haggard.

He did have the habit of painting when he was drunk, and he himself had forgotten when the painting was made.

But looking at the brush strokes, it is undoubtedly his painting.

He couldn't deny himself...

He got into the carriage, unaware that another carriage followed him in the distance.

The carriage took Jiang Siye all the way to the teahouse.

In the private room, Jiang Xingchuan was waiting.

He was dressed in old clothes, and forced out the dignity and style of the past.

Last time, the old man scolded him for smearing the family and causing him to be removed from the clan. His life was not as good as the day. In order to subsidize the family, he sold almost all the things he could afford to the pawnshops.

Just wear old clothes, can hold out the front of the decent.

"Didn't you plan to never see me again in this life? Why did you ask someone to invite me to the restaurant?"

Jiang Siye couldn't raise his head, his steps were heavy, and his voice was extremely dry, "I...I have something to ask for."

Jiang Xingchuan's eyes widened, since the real power in his hands was taken away, what he longed to see day and night was today's scene.

come true?

He raised his eyebrows: "That painting is really yours?"

Fourth Master Jiang did not respond to his words.

Even if he thought so, he would never agree to it until he died.

Promise and it's all over.

He said, "Even if the eldest brother is divided into sects and clans, I have sent people every month to send a little money to the eldest brother. That old friend of Zhou's surname is actually me."

Jiang Xingchuan was stunned for a while, then lowered his head and sneered.

What is the use of the money that Yueyue sends to aid? Enough for him to live, not enough for him to maintain the decency of the past.

he will fall

In such a situation, is it not thanks to him?

Jiang Siye didn't take his seat, he always stood in the room, his hands were shaking, "If my wife and daughter are implicated by me..."

Jiang Xingchuan sneered, "Are you trying to beg me to take care of one or two?"

At the beginning, he was expelled from the clan, and he became a stagnant dog that everyone shouted and beaten.

But who would know that he became a sweet pastry in the blink of an eye, who had separated from the Jiang family.

Being famous for painting and humiliated because of painting, Jiang Xingchuan gave Jiang Siye a scornful look, "My life is not easy now, why should I help you take care of them?"

He laughed, raised his chin, held a cup of tea, and said arrogantly in a relaxed tone, "Brother doesn't think it's not like you're begging for someone by standing like this."

He glanced at the ground, meaning something.

Jiang Siye's face was embarrassed and his whole body was tense.

"It can't be done."

Jiang Xingzhou lightly tapped the tea cup in his hand, his behavior changed to a gentleman's, but the depths of his eyes revealed the happiness of the villain, "Please, fourth brother."

Fourth Master Jiang pursed the corners of his lips, without saying a word, he looked at the ground, like a puppet whose strings were removed, and knelt down slowly.

Before his knees touched the ground, the door of the inn was suddenly pushed open.

Jiang Xingchuan was waiting to see a good show, when the tea in his hand was knocked over by someone and splashed on his chin. He was caught off guard, like a fish that was immersed in hot soup, and bounced off his seat. .

Jiang Rao grabbed Fourth Master Jiang's arm and pulled him all the way out of the private room.

She was panting, with tears in her eyes, and shouted at Fourth Master Jiang angrily, "Even if you really knelt down, he won't do what you want."

She felt that her father's actions were wrong. He didn't find a way to find someone to help him examine the painting and clear his name. Instead, he came to see her uncle?

The painting was probably his father's.

He wanted to kneel before others again, just like in her dream.

can't kneel...

Fourth Master Jiang's lips twitched, "I know..."

He stood beside his daughter. Although he was tall, his back was still straight, showing a bit of loneliness and pitiful inexplicable.

What his daughter can know, he doesn't know.

He never thought that his eldest brother could help him take care of his wife and children in the future.

All he wanted was that the eldest brother would not trouble them in the future.

As long as he let his eldest brother humiliate him today and let out a sigh of relief, he might be able to dispel the anger and hatred in his eldest brother's heart...

Big brother is not a tolerant generation, so he must come to find this encounter.

Even if it's only a meager or two possible.

he will

Do this.

"It's not your responsibility, you go back."

Jiang Rao's tears were repressed and uncomfortably swirling in her eyes.

Seeing that she didn't leave, Fourth Master Jiang raised his face and threatened her with anger: "Go back! If you don't leave, I'll go back to the prison of the Metropolitan Court tonight!"

Jiang Rao stamped her feet angrily and turned to leave.

Jiang Siye looked at her back, a thousand words in his heart, and finally turned into a long sigh.

When his daughter was young, when he saw her crying, he would definitely lift Xiaodouding to his shoulders, tell her to stagger on his neck, and take her to buy candy.

The little girl is so coaxing, give something sweet to eat, and immediately stop crying.

If only had candy on me at the moment.

Fourth Master Jiang looked down at his gray-stained robe, empty-handed and self-deprecating.

How many if so?

If he had known that such a thing would happen, he would never drink alcohol in his life.

...

Although Jiang Rao left the inn, she did not return home.

The moonlight hung high outside, and the night became thicker.

The old man entered the palace to ask for Emperor Zhaowu, and Jiang Qin's family took Jiang Qin's back to the Qin family to find a way.

Jiang Rao staggered in Wuyi Alley, visiting from house to house to see him.

She thought that if one person said that the painting was not her father, it would not be credible. If ten or a hundred people said no, Emperor Zhaowu would definitely hesitate.

She was the first to knock on the door of Yan Mansion.

Mr. Yan took his wife and children back to his hometown to deal with his father's funeral. Only the housekeeper and servants were in Yan's house.

other people...

Jiang Rao did not knock on the door of any of them.

When everyone saw her, they avoided her, as if they had seen the god of plague.

Along the way, her footsteps were firm at first, then slow, hesitant, and aimless.

In her dream, she had already experienced such a scene, and no one was willing to help her after her home was raided.

She thought that she had seen through the human feelings, but she actually endured it again, but she was cold-hearted.

Snowflakes fell like goose feathers, she shivered, her shoulders suddenly heavy, and a cloak fell.

It was a man's cape, Jiang Rao looked back and saw Pei Songyu.

He seemed to be in a hurry, with the unmelted snow on his head, "I know you are worried about your father's affairs. The curfew time is coming, don't go outside, go back with me first."

Jiang Rao raised her eyes in panic, "Cousin?"

Like a drowning person grabbing a life-saving driftwood, her pupils suddenly lit up, "You know what my father is like, he must have been wronged, help me to persuade the emperor."

if only

There is one person who is willing to stand up and speak for her father, and those who are watching may also stand up.

As long as Emperor Zhaowu can believe that the words were not written by her father, neither her father nor Ning An's residence will be in trouble.

There was a layer of sad water in her almond eyes, with desperate persistence and expectations, neither crying nor making trouble, but it looked like it was trembling.

Pei Songyu gave her a distressed look.

But he hesitated for a while, and did not agree to Jiang Rao.

He just came out of Dali Temple.

Everyone who had seen the painting said that it was Jiang Xingzhou's painting.

Older people in Beijing all remember Jiang Xingzhou, the playboy boy who was mad and mischievous.

Even some young people from the younger generation have heard from their parents how reckless Jiang Xingzhou, now known as the Holy Hand, was when he was young.

The most arrogant young master of the Jiang family in Jinling.

At the age of about 20, he lived unrestrainedly and flamboyantly.

After starting a family and starting a business, he added a weakness.

Back then, he didn't even respect heaven and earth, let alone the Son of Heaven.

Regardless of the handwriting, the style of the poem is very similar to Jiang Xingzhou's style when he was young.

Emperor Zhaowu himself was familiar with Jiang Xingzhou's style of painting and writing, and invited countless people who were familiar with Jiang Xingzhou's painting and calligraphy style to examine the painting.

No one dared to say that the person who painted was not Jiang Xingzhou.

A person who has reached the pinnacle, even a person who can imitate it again, cannot learn to be like in body and spirit.

There is only one Jiang Xingzhou in the world.

The previous sentence was the compliment the world gave to Jiang Xingzhou.

Today, it has become a verdict that makes him unable to turn around.

"I can't deceive you."

The light in Jiang Rao's eyes was shattered a little bit, and the light in his eyes dimmed.

Pei Songyu saw her disappointed eyes, frowned, and said seriously, "I owe the fourth master's kindness, but I have my difficulties. If the fourth master makes other mistakes, I can protect him, only Alone and King Jing's party..."

It took a lot of effort for him to climb from the small village to Jinling, and it took a lot of effort to climb to the position where the sons and brothers in Jinling were born.

He couldn't accept that he fell short.

Jiang Rao twisted her face to one side.

Even he felt that her father used to follow King Jing, what about others?

"Your father is now in a land that cannot be guaranteed, so you can go with me. Even if you are cut into a slave, although you can no longer marry a matchmaker, I can at least let you live in peace in the future and not be deceived by others. Otherwise, you have thought, If a girl from a big family like you is relegated to a low status, what will you suffer?"

When he saw Jiang Rao's slow motion, he felt anxious, and said what Jiang Fourth Master did not allow him to disclose, "Your father asked me to come to you, why can't you figure it out?"

Pei Songyu's cheek suddenly hurt, and the cloak was thrown back on his face.

Jiang Rao then took a step back.

She trembled, "I'll never figure it out in my life."

He turned his head sharply and ran out of the alley of Wuyi Lane.

Pei Songyu caught the cloak and raised his feet to chase.

The servant behind him stopped him, "Sir, stop chasing, if you are impeached..."

Pei Songyu stopped hesitantly, and finally stopped in an empty alley.

The people in Wuyi Alley walked all over, and changed to outside Wuyi Alley.

She went from house to house, following the houses she remembered with whom her father had contacts.

But no matter the alley or the alley, no one is willing to say a word for her father.

The kind-hearted, in exchange, will ask the next person to come out and say a few excuses that are inconvenient to meet the guests, but the cold-hearted, directly fastens the door.

Jiang Rao had never been so desperate for a moment.

She hugged her arms and walked down the street like a lonely soul.

At a window of the inn in the distance, a figure pointed at her lonely figure, "Even if a dog rushed over to bite her today, no one would help her."

"very pitiful."

There was not a trace of pity in Shen Xiuying's eyes, but the tail tone curled the corners of her lips with a cheerful smile.

This sad and terrified appearance coincided with the obedient little handmaiden in her memory from her previous life.

After being reborn, she originally wanted to find the lowly maid and watch her laugh.

She even wanted to buy her into the mansion, but she didn't expect that after she was reborn, she would find that Jiang Rao had a background that was far beyond her reach.

The only sense of superiority in the previous life suddenly disappeared.

"Girl, it's late at night, we should go back."

"hold on."

She was not satisfied enough.

Even if the little maid in the previous life seemed helpless, but the new emperor was protecting her, how could she really suffer.

It was the first time she saw such a desolate appearance, so she naturally had to appreciate it for a while.

Shen Xiuying hooked her lips and said casually, "The curfew time is coming soon. If she dares to hang out on the street again, she will be caught by the patrol. If something happens to her father, who can protect her?"

...

Ministry of Industry Office.

There was a lamp burning on Rong Ting's table, and the candle had been burned for a very short time. At this time, someone came back, "It's late at night, and it's almost curfew. It's time for His Highness Ninth to go back."

Rong Ting blew out the candle and walked out with him,

The official said, "I see that you have piled up a lot of papers on your table. It took a lot of effort to read it. I don't know whether Master Chen's experience with you is good or bad."

Rong Ting blinked his dry eyes and did not answer.

"You are very young, but you have a stable temperament. You shut yourself up for a whole day, and you don't hear anything outside the window. There is a lot of movement in the capital today." Knowing what happened in Jinling today, I can't help but be a little curious, "You really didn't hear anything?"

"I'm thinking about the Yunling plank road."

Chen Bing didn't want to take credit for it, and he might have to do something on the plank road. If there is an accident on the plank road, it will only be his fault at that time.

He would use the same method to harm others, and naturally he would be on guard against others harming him in this way.

The official clicked his tongue, "You are not interested in the matter of King Jing's remnants?"

"The fourth master in Ning'an's mansion may be the remnant of King Jing. I saw the painting of the fourth master's crime, and it was his handwriting. It is probably true. If you follow him, King Jing may be lost. found it."

The wheelchair stopped immediately.

The two had already arrived outside the palace, and the swaying light and shadow of the palace lantern hit Rong Ting's sinking complexion.

He looked at the officials in front of him seriously, "Master Liao, don't talk nonsense."

"It's not nonsense." The official approached the stables and pulled the reins of the horse, "I heard that his daughter is begging for help, but it seems that she can't change it now, tsk, but the matter has not been clarified, no one dares to help her. , maybe it will be said to be the remnant of King Jing, that is death..."

Without saying the word for sin, there was a voice behind him, "Master Liao, borrow a horse to use it."

The official was taken aback.

At the same time, the closed-door drum that announced the beginning of the curfew in the distance rang.

A figure stepped on his feet and stepped on his horse, and in the blink of an eye, the horse flew away.

Liao Qiubai glanced around, his horse was ridden away, two steps away, the wheelchair was empty, and the figure of its owner was nowhere to be seen.

...

Jiang Rao dragged her tired body and walked towards the Ning Anbo Mansion in Wuyi Lane.

Her head was buried low, she was tired and panicked, like a bird that couldn't find a place to live, her eyes were full of panic and anxiety.

It's exactly what her mother said.

The door closed and the drum rang, one after another.

The city gate three miles away suddenly closed, and the yamen leaked inscriptions, and the "hour of the day" was over.

Jiang Rao heard the drumbeat of the closed door drum, and her footsteps quickened.

But she was bumped by someone walking towards her and fell to the ground.

big teardrop

Rotate big and small.

Not the time to cry.

She endured it, the position of her ankle bone seemed to have inserted the blade of a knife, it hurt sharply, and she couldn't get up after being stuck in the snow for a long time.

The puzzlement and grievance accompanied the pain in the ankle bone to the extreme.

Her father was a righteous and forthright person, and the calligraphy and paintings of the daughter were given away as soon as they were given away. Why is there no door willing to open for her today.

Even though she knew that it was easy to add icing on the cake and difficult to give charcoal in the snow, she felt uncomfortable in her heart.

The lanterns on the street were blown by the wind and dimmed.

At the window of the inn, Shen Xiuying looked at the petite figure who was knocked to the ground on the bumpy snowy road, and her smile deepened.

The maid who had just collided with Jiang Rao pushed the door open and came back, she didn't turn her head back, she said indifferently, "You did a good job."

She looked at Jiang Rao, who tried again and again, but couldn't get up, and smiled, "Since you are so nervous about your father, why don't I give you a chance to do your filial piety."

After a few times, Jiang Raohuan stood up against the pain.

Because of the pain in his ankle, he slightly bent his waist when walking, like someone picking up firewood on the road, walking back step by step, staggering.

However, she didn't seem to feel the pain, her face was full of resentment and anger towards herself towards God, she hated herself for walking too slowly, and hating the night falling too early.

Tomorrow, as soon as the leak is finished and the curfew is lifted, she will continue to look for it.

The Egret Academy, the south and west of the city have never been visited.

She tried to find a way to see the painting instead.

She dragged her injured foot forward, not a very long road, but it seemed to have no end.

Hunting in the north wind, suddenly heard the neighing of the horses.

Jiang Rao turned around.

The long street behind him was ten miles away, and the snow and the night were frosty.

The tall horse came against the flow of people.

The young man neatly rolled over and dismounted, and before she could react, the soles of his feet lightened, and he held the child up on his arms in a posture of hugging the child.