C20

"Father." Tao Yi returned to the mansion's backyard, and saw Tao Feng.

"How is it, what did Ling Zhang say?" Tao Feng asked.

Tao Yi gave a simple summary of his conversation with Ling Zhang, and concluded: "I feel that Ling Zhang is not simple. He is very steady and strong-minded, different from the gentle and weak Ling Zhang in hearsay. Either he has been playing dumb, or the matter of the Jia family has made him anxious. "

"Which one do you think it is?" Tao Feng said.

Tao Yi thought for a while, "If Ling Zhang is really as the rumors say, even if he is forced into a corner, he will only point at Jia Yuanling and scold him. In the end, he will sever his relationship with Jia Yuanling. However, he had acted in a thunderous manner today, and his words and actions had traps. Not to mention that he had sent Jia Yuanling into prison, even Zhang Chong had to give up on Jia Yuanling due to today's situation. So, I prefer the first explanation, that his weakness was just an illusion. "

"Then why do you think he suddenly exposed himself?" Tao Feng asked again.

"Other than Jia Yuanling indeed angering him, I think he also clearly sensed the danger in Ling Family's situation. The conversation just now was enough to tell that he understood the situation of Ling Family very clearly, so he could no longer conceal his true nature." Tao Yi replied.

After replying, Tao Yi seemed to be slightly doubtful: "It's just that I don't understand why Ling Zhang pretended to be weak?"

Tao Feng was also thinking, "This is also what I am confused about. Although Ling Family had lost a lot of power after Ling Zhaowu's disappearance, Ling Zhaowen had worked hard all the way to his current position of Right Tongzhi. If Jia family did not have a good relationship with Zhang Chong, they would only be ordinary wealthy family, and would not be able to be compared to Ling Family, which was an official family for several generations. Previously, Jia Family didn’t matter for Ling Family. The explanation that Ling Zhang was on guard against Zhang Chong doesn’t make sense either. At the very least, before this, Zhang Chong did not intend to make a move against Ling Family. Moreover, this has nothing to do with whether Ling Zhang was hiding his talents or not. "

"Father, I have a question. Where in the world did Ling Family block the way of Jia family or Zhang Chong?" Tao Yi asked.

Tao Feng explained to him: "You have been in the capital all year round, so you did not know the transfers of some of the officials in Tan Yang. Jia Yin's little brother, Jia Zhong, had also wanted to take the position of Right Tongzhi, but finally it was Ling Zhaowen who took it.

Tao Yi frowned: "Jia Zhong? How did Jia Zhong become County Order? Everyone in Tan Yang knew clearly. He actually dared dreaming about taking the position of Right Tongzhi? "

"Before Jia family established a relationship with Zhang Chong, he naturally wouldn't have the guts. After establishing a relationship with Zhang Chong, Jia Zhong had wanted to make use of Zhang Chong as a backer and take the position of Right Tongzhi. Naturally, I couldn't let Zhang Chong's hand extend to the Prefecture Yamen. Coincidentally, Ling Zhaowen was the most suitable candidate at that time, so I made the first move, blocking Jia Yin's path. Although Jia family didn't seem displeased on the surface, they still held a grudge against Ling Family because of this. Furthermore, Zhang Chong has always wanted to arrange his men in Prefecture Yamen, so dealing with the Ling Family has naturally become their common goal. " Tao Feng said.

After Tao Yi heard this, he became somewhat angry, "It's Zhang Chong again playing tricks behind the scenes."

"Just now Ling Zhang said that if the imperial government could send a large force to eliminate the severe bandit calamity, that would be great. That’s also what I am expecting! Father, are we just going to watch Zhang Chong doing whatever he wants with our eyes? You still have to stay on the Zhizhou position in Tan Yang for six years, you will be infuriated by Zhang Chong for these six years. You, why don't you write another statement to beg the emperor…."

Tao Feng interrupted Tao Yi and said, "It's useless. All these years, I have written about it more than once, but the emperor is indifferent to it."

"I don't understand why the Emperor is so unmoved." Tao Yi frowned.

Tao Feng shook his head at him, "I've always let you stay in the capital. After living there for so many years, you still have not seen through all this?"

"Please advise me, Father." Tao Yi said.

Tao Feng enlighted him: "You normally look thoughtful. It is not that the emperor does not wish to settle these bandits, but that there are many reasons why the Emperor does not deal with the bandits surrounding Tan Yang. The most important reason is that it is related to Marshal Yuwen. "

"It’s related to Marshal Yuwen? Why?" Tao Yi did not understand.

"The bandits surrounding Tan Yang have existed for a long time, their powers have intertwined with each other, and have developed to the point where they are connected to various forces. Clearing out the bandits means reshuffle all powers of the entire Tan Yang and its surroundings, including the State Guard. This was not an ordinary bandit group. This was a huge matter, and it’s impossible to find anyone in the imperial court with the courage to handle this matter perfectly. It's not that no one has the ability, but that the powers of those bandits are deeply implicated. If someone comes to deal with the bandits, he will be involved in and may harm himself. ".

"Those who are capable, such as Yuwen Tong, is the one the Emperor would never possibly send to deal with the bandits."

"Is it because the Northwest is inseparable from Marshal Yuwen?" Tao Yi said.

Tao Feng shook his head. "It is not because of that. In these ten years of time, the Northwest had long been regulated by Yuwen Tong, and as long as he does not die, the skies of the Northwest would not fall down. "

"Then why?" Tao Yi asked.

"Because Yuwen Tong can no longer be promoted. There is only one great Marshal of the entire Northwest Army all around Da Yue. Our Emperor... Cough, in short, the Emperor would not wish for Yuwen Tong to come to Tan Yang and make Tanyang another northwest. " Tao Feng said.

Tao Yi finally understood what was going on, but the more he understood, the more he felt indignant.

"The emperor is using his bushel to measure …"

"Shut up." Tao Feng shouted.

Tao Yi shut his mouth unwillingly.

His father wouldn't want him to talk about the Emperor. He had to be careful in the capital, and be careful even when he returned to Tan Yang.

I might as well... Oh right, Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang had been listening very attentively the whole time when he told Ling Zhang about Marshal Yuwen. He was definitely a person who worshipped Marshal Yuwen, and although there were some things that cannot be said to Ling Zhang, it would definitely not be a problem to talk about Marshal Yuwen with him.

Ling Zhang who had returned with Second Uncle did not know that Tao Yi had reached a strange conclusion regarding him. If he knew, he would definitely be speechless and vomit blood.

"Ling Zhang, you tell Second Uncle clearly what happened today from the start." Once he returned to Ling Family, Ling Zhaowen couldn’t wait to drag his nephew into the study.

Ling Zhang, whose eyes were slightly hot and flushed when stepping into his home again and looking around the familiar surroundings, was pulled into Ling Zhaowen's study before he could recover from his strong feelings.

However, Ling Zhaowen's study was also a familiar place. Seeing all the familiar things in the study, as well as Second Uncle's concerned and anxious look, his eyes suddenly turned even redder.

Ling Zhaowen was actually shocked, "What happened? Did you suffer other grievances in Jia family today? "

"This is outrageous, sentencing Jia Yuanling to be exiled for twenty years was all too good for him! It's a waste for you to treat him as a friend! Indeed, we know his face but don’t know his heart! He is even worse than beasts!"

Ling Zhaowen stomped his feet and cursed angrily. He no longer had the calm and steady image that was shown when outside, he wished he could scold all eighteen generations of Jia family's ancestors.

When Ling Zhang looked at Second Uncle's furious expression, all sorts of grievances filled his heart. He wanted to call him "Second Uncle" again, but he found that he really couldn't open his mouth, because his choked voice would be completely revealed if he spoke.

Thus, just like how he used to when he was young, Ling Zhang walked over to hug Second Uncle.

Ling Zhaowen felt like he was suddenly appeased, and his entire body was stiff, his nephew had not hugged him so intimately ever since he was 10 years old.

His nephew was pushed into such a state, what a great grievance he must have suffered!

He felt so sorry for Ling Zhang, his stiff body softened, and he hugged back Ling Zhang. He even consoled Ling Zhang by patting his back like how he did when Ling Zhang was young. After so many years passed, Ling Zhaowen said in a coaxing tone, "Don't be afraid, whoever dares to bully you, Second Uncle will beat them to death, and make them regret living in this world."

Ling Zhang blinked his eyes, and quietly wiped the tears that accidentally fell onto Second Uncle's clothes. He hugged Second Uncle tightly with both of his hands, and only let go after a while.

Ling Zhaowen sensed that his nephew had released his hands, and then released his own hands as well, and continued: "Jia family has bullied you this time, so even if Jia Yuanling is sent to prison, Second Uncle will not let this go. Don't worry, Second Uncle will take revenge for all that you have suffered!"

Ling Zhang's heart was slowly nourished by the waves of warm current. Looking at the living Second Uncle with an almost greedy gaze, he nodded with all his might. "Alright!"