In May, Song Yu set off for the capital with Song Shihuan. Ye Shijie, along with all the officials of Ji'an Prefecture, came to see them off. Fortunately, no major troubles were found in Ji'an Prefecture this time.
All the officials couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness they didn't end up like Laixin Prefecture.
A few days later, the Guo family announced that Guo Feng had a deep affection for his late wife. Although they had no children, he was not willing to remarry.
Considering the provincial examination in a few months, Guo Feng began to study behind closed doors from that day on. For the scholars who came here admiringly, the Guo family was willing to pay for their travel expenses. This was really a sincere gesture with real money.
Those who had had some complaints about Guo Feng avoiding them immediately changed their attitudes and said that Guo Feng attached great importance to the imperial examination and would surely win the first place again in the provincial examination.
Just like this, the door of the Guo Mansion was closed again.
On the way back to the capital, Song Yu and Song Shihuan received a letter from Shen Qingping. There was only one sentence in the letter:
"Wait for me to personally present a congratulatory gift to the prince for passing the prefectural examination."
Song Yu frowned slightly. "Why doesn't this guy even want to wait for a few days? Wouldn't it be safer to act after we return to the capital?"
"The master wants to keep the Qin Prince's Mansion out of it," Song Shihuan said, her eyes full of worry. "So he has to act according to the plan before we return to the capital. Father, let's speed up and get back to the capital."
She and her father were not afraid of being implicated. Besides, the Qin Prince's Mansion was not afraid of clearing up the muddy water!
Song Yu also nodded and told Liuxi outside the carriage:
"Liuxi, speed up. Shen San is waiting for me to rescue him when I return to the capital."
...
At the same time, in an inn in the capital.
There were five young men from prominent families sitting in the private room. The table was filled with delicious food and good wine, but the people sitting there all looked nervous and didn't even dare to pick up their chopsticks.
"Master Shen is here!"
Hearing the waiter's voice, the people in the private room stood up in unison.
When Shen Qingping walked into the private room and saw that the food and wine on the table were untouched, he smiled and said, "I'm always late. In the past, when I arrived, there were only leftovers on the table. Why are you all waiting for me to start eating today?"
Hearing this, the young men all had bitter expressions on their faces. They were all well - known playboys in the capital. At first, they really looked down on the Shen family, a newly - rising family, so they didn't want to hang out with Shen Qingping.
Who would have thought that now Shen Qingping had become the young Master Shen whom even his own family members feared.
"I wonder what important matter the young Master Shen has called us here for?" one of them asked tremblingly.
"Can't I call you all here for a drink if there's no important matter?"
Shen Qingping calmly took his seat. "I'm in a good mood today, but I can't find anyone to drink with me, so I thought of you all. Sit down quickly. There will be plenty of good food and wine today."
"Someone, go and find some dancing girls."
An hour later, there was singing and dancing in the private room.
As the atmosphere got lively, the playboys let down their guards. It seemed that Shen Qingping had been too restricted by his official position and needed to vent by hanging out with them.
"Shen San, you used to like Mei'er the most. It's been a long time since you last visited her. Don't let her miss you so much," someone said boldly, calling Shen Qingping by his nickname. Seeing that Shen Qingping didn't get angry, the young men completely relaxed and even put their arms around the dancing girls.
"My father doesn't want me to go to such places," Shen Qingping kept pouring wine for himself. "I miss Mei'er so much too."
Hearing what Shen Qingping said, the young men all burst into laughter.
Since their families had all been dealt with by Shen Qingping to some extent, they all had the idea of getting Shen Qingping drunk. Coincidentally, Shen Qingping accepted every drink. In less than an hour, Shen Qingping was completely drunk.
"It seems that the young Master Shen in my father's mouth is nothing special," one of the playboys curled his lips. "He's so drunk. How about we take off his outer clothes and throw him on the street to make a fool of him?"
The others also thought this was a good idea and started to reach out to Shen Qingping.
Suddenly, Shen Qingping raised his head. In his drunken daze, they only heard Shen Qingping mutter:
"Was the goods delivered smoothly?"
"I know that smuggling salt is a serious crime, but the money comes too fast. I... I have to do it..."
"Don't worry. You'll get your share of the silver after it's done..."
Clang!
The young men were so shocked that they knocked over the wine pot on the table. The sound of it hitting the ground sobered them up completely.
After looking at each other for a while, they ran home as fast as they could.
Oh, my god!
They had heard something that could ruin the Shen family!
Behind them, Shen Qingping, who was supposed to be dead drunk, opened his eyes, his eyes clear.
...
The next morning in the court.
"If there is any matter to report, speak up; if not, the court is adjourned."
As soon as Wu Qi's voice fell, an official stepped forward with a tablet in his hand. Before speaking, he glanced in Shen Qingping's direction:
"Your Majesty, I want to impeach the young Master Shen for smuggling salt while in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. He has violated the law while enforcing it."
Smuggling salt!
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court fell silent.
Emperor Yuanyou on the dragon throne instantly looked gloomy and roared angrily, "How dare you!"
"I also want to impeach the young Master Shen for smuggling salt," another official said.
"And I..."
There were exactly five of them, all fathers of the playboys who had drunk with Shen Qingping last night.
"You guys are colluding to slander my son. Do you have any evidence?" Shen Mingwen stepped in front of Shen Qingping, so angry that his nostrils flared slightly.
"Last night, my son drank with the young Master Shen. When he was drunk, he clearly heard the young Master Shen muttering about arranging the smuggling of salt. We are well aware of the seriousness of this matter and dare not hide it. So we implore Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the Shen family."
The other four officials also echoed.
Instantly, Shen Pu's face turned even paler than Shen Qingping's.
This Shen Qingping, how could he be so unreliable in doing things? He even blurted out such an important thing when drunk!
"Shen Qingping, do you have anything to say?" Emperor Yuanyou looked at Shen Qingping with his tiger - like eyes.
Shen Qingping knelt down, his face showing a look of guilt as if he had been exposed. "Your Majesty, what I said when I was drunk can't be taken seriously."
But anyone who saw Shen Qingping's expression would think there was something fishy going on.
Sure enough, Emperor Yuanyou was even more angry.
"Someone, take Shen Qingping to the imperial prison and send the imperial guards to thoroughly investigate the Shen family," Emperor Yuanyou said angrily. All the officials in the court knelt down. "If it is found that they are involved in smuggling salt, I will surely punish them severely."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must believe me..."
Shen Qingping pleaded anxiously, but Emperor Yuanyou just waved his sleeve and left.
