Chapter 0010: The Official Family Enchanted by Cultivation

The plaque bears two characters

Er Bao does not understand the purpose of Kou Ji going to the tavern and other places, but he understands

Kou Ji casually responded with a remark

It was precisely because of these seven days of fasting and bathing that Kou Zhun did not encounter misfortune for a long time

Everyone anticipated that Kou Zhun would meet with misfortune, yet he has not encountered any misfortune at present. The reason lies with the ailing official in the palace who is gravely ill.

Kou Ji sighed, twirling the folding fan in his hand, and walked out towards the street where the horses were.

Since he acknowledged Kou Zhun as his father, the poor man suddenly became wealthy, inevitably acquiring some habits of a newly rich person

Half an hour later, he had Chang Sui pay the bill, and then he took Er Bao and Chang Sui to the next place

Ah

Unfortunately, his knowledge, strategy, and courage, among other aspects, have not kept pace

He must resolve the troubles caused by Kou Li, and although he cannot rely on the power of the Kou family, he still needs to leverage the reputation of the Kou family

The rhinoceros hide belt in Kou Zhun's possession can be said to be the only one in the world

Thus, the three individuals moved in and out of the taverns, foot shops, and tea houses along the Imperial Street until they finally reached the end of the street in the evening

Not only is it invaluable, but it is also prominently recognized within the inner court.

to the extent of being completely manipulated by others

After awakening from his dream, he immediately issued an edict, instructing the officials in the court to bathe and fast on his behalf for seven days, and after seven days, to join him in respectfully welcoming the goddess to bestow her blessings

Perhaps the next one will taste better

However, it is clear that this matter is not trivial.

In comparison, the guests in the tavern are somewhat more affluent than they are

It is naturally inappropriate to go to the shoe store dressed as Kou Ji.

The trouble caused by Kou Li is, in Kou Li's eyes, merely a trivial matter

The second child enjoyed a delightful meal today, eating freely and consuming a great deal of food

Kou Ji now understands why Wang Shu had a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown on his face when he heard him propose to meet Kou Li at that time

... ...

Er Bao scratched his head again and said, "But the taste of that place just now was quite good."

Kou Li regarded this matter as a trivial family issue from beginning to end

There is such a shallow-minded and cheap father, who does not need to exert effort to conceal his identity as a traveler in front of Koli; he only needs to employ a slight scheme to ensure that Koli harbors no suspicion towards him

The city of Bianjing is quite small, and many secrets cannot be kept hidden.

The news of Kou Li's disposal of the imperial gift has long been known throughout the city

The street where the Kou residence is located, known as Ma Xing Street, is specifically designated for the passage of carriages and horses, making it relatively tranquil, with very few shops.

Who is Kou Zhun

What Kou Ji needs to do now is to uncover the person hiding behind the scenes and to understand this person's intentions

It is said that this official, who is deeply engrossed in the pursuit of immortality, dreamt four days ago of a divine goddess descending to bestow blessings upon him and inviting him to ascend to the heavenly realm

Many secrets first leak out in the taverns, teahouses, and foot massage shops along the streets

At the same time, Kou Ji also confirmed his suspicions; Kou Li had indeed been schemed against, and the ones behind this scheme were the Wu brothers

Upon entering the power arena of Bianjing City, his meager insights and strategies became somewhat inadequate

Most of them are servants from wealthy families, holding a small amount of money given by their masters. They gather in groups of three to five, order a couple of pots of wine and a plate of snacks, and can sit together for a long time, chatting about their masters' affairs.

Kou Jiqian paused in his steps, smiling as he said: "As for your young master, I came out today just to taste the flavors. If the taste is good, I will certainly visit often in the future. If the taste is not good, I will definitely not come again

Indeed, there exists a shallow-minded and unworthy father, who can no longer expect to live a life of comfort and luxury in Bianjing. He cannot rely on this unworthy father to shield him from the storms of life; instead, he must bravely step forward to provide protection for his unworthy father.

At the beckoning of the tavern keeper, he ordered a pot of sweet wine and a plate of boiled beans, sitting in the tavern, eating and drinking without uttering a word

Until now, Kou Li still did not know that he had been schemed against by others, nor did he understand the true purpose behind their plotting against him

The water here is very deep

The Royal Street is far more prosperous than Horse Street

At the gate of the government office

Kou Ji sought a place with many wine shops, so he arrived at Maxing Street, passing through the alley between Daxiangguo Temple and Jingling Palace, heading towards Yujie.

He instinctively straightened his back, striving to present himself more like a scion of an official family.

What Ke Kouji saw, however, was a matter of great consequence that could consume lives

Kou Ji carried his hand behind his back with one hand holding a folding fan, glancing back at the horizontal plaque above the door

Kou Ji felt that he still needed to find someone to understand the detailed information and clarify the purpose of the Wu brothers in plotting against Kou Zhun

Thus, what he can see clearly at a glance, Koli may not necessarily be able to discern clearly

The second treasure followed closely behind him and inquired, "Young Master, it is getting late, where are we going?"

This is akin to a sheep that, while mingling among its flock, thrived effortlessly, but when suddenly placed among a pack of wolves, it would soon be devoured, leaving not a trace behind

Before Kou Li lived in Huazhou village, he was merely a poor scholar. Although his clan produced a prominent figure like Kou Zhun, he had little connection with Kou Zhun at that time. Kou Zhun could not provide him with regular assistance; at most, during festivals and holidays, he would send some items to the clan for the clan elder to distribute, allowing him to benefit slightly from the situation.

We will soon arrive at the next location

When I reached the street corner, my belly was round and plump like a fully inflated pig's bladder

Historically, these places have always been the most convenient locations for gathering information

As Kou Jigang stepped onto the Imperial Street, he saw a shoe shop and a tavern.

A minister who served in two dynasties, appointed as prime minister four times, holding the highest official rank (here, the highest official rank does not refer solely to the position of prime minister, as Kou Zhun did not only possess the powers of a prime minister).

Their certainty stems from the fact that the rhinoceros horn belt pawned by Kou Lidian is not an ordinary item

This is also why Wang Shu reminded Kou Ji at the entrance of the main hall of the Kou residence that he had three and a half days left

Er Bao nodded earnestly

As for why a sixth-rank censor would audaciously scheme against the current prime minister, no one knows

The fact that even the imperial court is concerned about it shows how precious it is

On the road, Erbao scratched his head in confusion and asked, "Young Master, why don't we eat and drink to our fill in one place, instead of running back and forth?"

Thus, he chose a spot to sit down in the tavern

However, Kou Ji is different; in terms of knowledge, courage, strategy, and other aspects, he is far broader than Kou Li

The attendant following behind the two of them unexpectedly cast a glance at Kou Ji.

We must reside in Bianjing City in the future, and eating is of utmost importance; we cannot be careless about it

Emperor Taizong has long since passed away, and the rhinoceros-hide belt that belonged to him was also buried alongside him in the imperial tomb.

The city of Bianjing is vast, harboring many secrets

Kou Ji did not know that he had such a father; should he be happy or should he be sad

In the shop, there are mostly passing tenants and long-term workers who will request a bowl of tea from the store, either squatting or sitting, gathering in groups of three to five to engage in casual conversation

It was so deep that Cole could not see anything underwater

Those who dare to spend time strategizing and calculating against Kou Zhun are certainly not characters that can be easily dealt with

He is not an ordinary follower; his father was among the earliest loyal servants who followed Kou Zhun, and he himself has been following Kou Zhun for several years.

The common people, in addition to lamenting that Kou Li has ruined Kou Zhun's lifetime reputation, are increasingly feeling that Kou Zhun is destined for misfortune

Kou Mansion

Two simple characters, yet they represent the foundation of Kou Ji's confidence

A person whose stomp can make the entire city of Bianjing tremble by three parts

This sitting lasted for half an hour

In the past, when I followed Kou Zhun around, his limited insights were still of some use.

It is said that the rare celestial rhinoceros, which was once offered as tribute by foreign states, was ordered by Emperor Taizong to be crafted into two rhinoceros horn belts, one for his own use and the other bestowed upon Kou Zhun

The master and servant were chatting intermittently.

Visit the wine houses, tea houses, and foot massage shops, and take a stroll to appreciate the elegance of Bianjing City

After an afternoon of inquiries, Kou Ji gathered a considerable amount of useful information

Therefore, fundamentally speaking, Cole is ultimately a poor man, a poor man so destitute that he needs to pawn his belongings to support his expenses for studying abroad.

Because from Kou Li's mouth, he only heard the most superficial information, and the fundamental reasons were entirely unknown to Kou Li

Kou Ji did not eat much, as his mind was not focused on food

... ...