"Uncle Drinking, I haven't seen you for a long time, I'm still so energetic"

Li Zhen heard Jiuzhi's father's hearty laughter in the yard, which reminded him of his life in Dunhuang. He felt very kind. Uncle Jiu was rude and generous, with good wine and meat, and was not polite. He was happy to ask them to drink together. He was unhappy and beat Jiuzhi with them.

"The little brat has become an official, why doesn't he look like an official?"

Jiuyuanzheng came up with a smile and patted Li Zhen on the shoulder, "I will take care of your fat brother in the future. If he annoys you, just beat him hard, don't beat him to death."

"Don't worry, uncle wine," Li Zhen said with a smile.

"You're drunk too much again," Jiu Zhi complained unhappily and said, "If you can't speak, just say less."

"Boy, how dare you say I?" Jiu Yuanzheng became angry and reached out to beat him. Li Pan hurriedly stepped forward to stop him.

At this time, Li Zhen saw Li Jin, the head of the family standing in the hall. He was as good as before, basically no change, and was still so gentle and thin, forming a sharp contrast with the bearded uncle.

Li Zhen stepped forward and bowed, "Meet the head of the family."

Logically, Li Zhen is a junior of the family. He should kneel down and give a big gift when he sees the head of the family, but Li Zhen doesn't want to kneel down to him, and even bowing to him is a bit forced.

Li Jin didn't care and said with a smile: "Azhen, I heard from Xiaopan that you will be promoted to general soon. Congratulations."

"It's just a rumor, I can't take it seriously."

Li Zhen casually said modestly and asked again: "How many days will the head of the family be in Luoyang?"

"Just one day today, I'll leave early tomorrow morning."

"I'll leave tomorrow, why don't I stay for a few more days?" Li Zhen said with concern: "Stay for a few more days, you can take the head of the family around."

"Next time, I will go to Longxi to attend the Zhongyuan Festival of the Li clan. There is no time left."

Li Zhen felt a little strange. The head of the family came to Luoyang from thousands of miles away just to meet him. What important things are there?

Li Jin seemed to understand Li Zhen’s thoughts and smiled and said, “How about you accompany me out for a walk and let’s talk.”

"Please"

Li Zhen and the head of the family Li Jin walked out of the Jiuzhi Mansion house. Not far away was a small wine shop. Li Jin pointed to the wine shop and smiled: "Let's go and sit there. I'll have lunch there today. It's very quiet and I feel good."

Li Zhen nodded silently and followed him to the restaurant. Lunch time was already past, and there were no guests in the restaurant, so it was very quiet. They found a seat in the corner to sit down. Li Zhen ordered a pot of wine and ordered a few side dishes.

"How is your eldest sister? I heard that your brother-in-law is a Jinshi in high school, which is not bad."

"He is no longer my brother-in-law."

Li Jin was shocked and asked quickly: "What happened?"

Li Zhen said lightly: "It's nothing. He is going to marry Wu Sansi's daughter, and it has nothing to do with my eldest sister."

Li Jin nodded slowly, "So that's it. Hey, the warmth and coldness of human feelings, and luck makes people feel good."

At this time, the bartender served them the wine and food. Li Zhen took out a Sogdian gold coin and gave it to him. The bartender went with great gratitude. Li Jin picked up the wine pot and poured a glass of wine for Li Zhen, and smiled and said, "Two months ago, King Luling sent a confidant to Dunhuang to find me. Do you know this?"

Li Zhen was stunned and shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"The person who came was called Gan Enxin. He found me with the gold medal of King Luling. Actually, it was for your business."

Of course, Li Zhen knew that Jiang Enxin was originally an eunuch sent by Wu Sansi to monitor King Luling, but was influenced by Li Xian and became Li Xian's confidant. He also joined the Xingtang Association and was one of the contacts of Xingtang Association.

Last time, Gan Enxin deliberately escaped with King Luling's letter, which distracted Lai Junchen's attention and allowed the Wei warrior to escape smoothly. Li Zhen thought he was dead, but he did not expect that he was still working for Li Xian.

However, Li Xian actually sent Gan Enxin to Dunhuang to investigate himself, which really puzzled Li Zhen. What is the purpose of Li Xian doing this?

Li Jin drank a drink, then smiled and said, "Do you still remember the incident of that stone wall? In order to take him away, Li Ze said that your grandfather was not the Li family of Dunhuang, but he lost the lawsuit very badly."

Li Zhen nodded, "It's because Prefect Li helped me."

"Yes, if Prefect Li didn't help you at that time, maybe Li Zezhen would have won the lawsuit, because your grandfather was indeed not the Li family of Dunhuang, and he shouldn't have the ancestral property of Li family of Dunhuang."

Li Zhen didn't say anything, he vaguely felt that Li Jin had something important to tell him.

At the beginning, he suspected that his grandfather did not belong to the Li family of Dunhuang, and even asked his eldest sister specifically, but he found nothing. He gradually forgot about this matter. He no longer had any interest in the Li family of Dunhuang, so naturally it was not related to his grandfather's true identity. However, Li Jin came all the way to tell him this, which made him feel a little more interested.

Li Jin sighed and said, "Your grandfather Li Danping came to Dunhuang forty years ago. At that time, the head of the Li family was my father. I was only ten years old at that time, but I clearly remember your grandfather said that he came from the Thunder Leaf."

"Black Leaf?" Li Zhen was surprised. His grandfather actually came from Brock Leaf.

"This secret has been changed in the genealogy, and it was changed to your grandfather who came from Longxi and belonged to the Li family in Longxi."

"But there is also a branch of the Li clan of Longxi, after Li Liang, King Zhao of Liangwu, isn't it?"

Li Jin didn't speak for a while, his eyes seemed worried. Li Zhen also felt something was wrong. Obviously, things were not as simple as he thought. He also thought of Luling sending someone to investigate. He hesitated and asked: "Did King Luling send someone to Dunhuang to investigate my grandfather?"

Li Jin nodded slowly, "King Luling is very interested in your grandfather's life. Some people asked some questions. It was actually my father's secret for many years."

Speaking of this, Li Jin took out a small brocade bag from his arms and put it on the table and pushed it to Li Zhen. "This should be something your grandfather left to you siblings, but he gave it to me before he died, asking me to continue to keep this secret for him."

Li Zhen took the brocade bag and slowly opened it. Inside it, there was a pair of jade pendants engraved with dragon and phoenix patterns. The jade was delicate and gentle, without any flaws. It was even better than the pair of jade pendants that Shangguan Wan'er gave him.

"What does this mean to the jade pendant?" Li Zhen asked in confusion.

Li Jin smiled bitterly and shook his head, "I have sworn to my father and your grandfather, and I must not disclose a single word to anyone, so I can't say anything. Originally, I can't give you this jade pendant, but since King Luling also knows this pair of jade pendants, I can only return it to you."

Li Zhen immediately said anxiously: "But... what did you say to Gan Enxin? Can you tell me what you told him again?"

"I'm telling you now. He asked me for this pair of jade pendants. I didn't say anything, so I showed him the pair of jade pendants. Then he left and left Dunhuang immediately."

"He didn't take the pair of jade pendants away?"

"No, but I understand what he means. King Luling hopes that I will return this pair of jade pendants to you."

Li Zhen was really confused. Not to mention the special significance of this pair of jade pendants, the key is how did Li Xian, the King of Luling, know that his grandfather would have this pair of jade pendants?

"Head of the family, can you reveal the truth so little?" Li Zhen said to Li Jin pleaded for help.

Li Jin shook his head without hesitation, "I will give you the jade pendant, and I have already revealed the huge secret. I can't say it anymore, otherwise I will not be able to see my father in the future, nor will I have no face to see your grandfather. Take care of yourself."

Li Jin sighed, got up and left the small winery. Li Zhen thought about it and suddenly asked loudly, "Do my master know this secret?"

"I think he should know." Li Jin's voice came from the gate. He accelerated and walked away quickly.

Li Zhen waited for a moment in front of Taichu Palace. A eunuch came out and smiled at Li Zhen and said, "General Li is lucky. The emperor promises you to go in."

"Thank you, father-in-law"

Li Zhen walked up and quietly stuffed him a heavy small bag containing twenty Sogdian gold coins. He smiled and said, "Give tea to my father-in-law."

The eunuch immediately smiled and put the bag in his sleeve. He took Li Zhen to walk towards the imperial study room quickly. When he was about to reach the door, he whispered: "The emperor is in a good mood. He just praised King Liang, don't say that King Liang is not."

"I understand, thank you father-in-law."

After a moment, an eunuch came out of the imperial study and said to Li Zhen: "The Lord will tell you to go in."

Li Zhen tidied up his clothes and walked into the imperial study room. In the room, Wu Zetian's face was full of spring breeze. She was in a good mood. The new Mingtang will be completed next month. It was originally planned to take nine months, but unexpectedly, it only took half a year in the end, three months in advance, which really made her happy. She praised Wu Sansi very much.

Mingtang is a symbol of Emperor Wu Zetian. It was burned by the crazy Xue Huaiyi. Wu Zetian has been depressed by this matter. Seeing that the new Mingtang was about to be completed, the depression that had been suppressed in his heart for several months was also wiped out.

Li Zhen walked in quickly and bowed and said, "I am going to see Your Majesty."

Wu Zetian put down his pen and said to him with a smile: "Should I call you General Li, or Commander Li? Well, I have a unique love for the general, so I call you General Li."

"Thank you for your love for me"

Wu Zetian nodded, "Why did General Li come to see me?"

"Report to Your Majesty, I am here for the matter of Zhuang Wenzhong, the Duwei of Yangzhou."

Although Lai Junchen was executed, Zhuang Wenzhong was not pardoned. He was still suspended from office and was punished. The Ministry of War did not express his words and did not dare to leave Luoyang, so he kept waiting for the final conclusion.

Wu Zetian took out Li Zhen's Yangzhou battle report and looked at it, and asked Li Zhen again: "Although General Li praised him in the battle report and expressed his contribution, did he collude with Li Yuanjia? Li Yuanjia recruited soldiers in Yangzhou, why didn't he report to the superiors? I was puzzled and would never give him up easily.

"Report to Your Majesty, I have personally investigated Li Yuanjia's military training situation. The place where Li Yuanjia trained was on Yangzi Island in the Yangtze River, and Yangzi Island belongs to Runzhou and is not under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou. Although Zhuang Wenzhong has heard of it, there is no evidence, so he cannot report it.

Moreover, in the rebellion of Li Yuanjia, thanks to Zhuang Wenzhong's 1,000 state soldiers, more importantly, if he had collusion with Li Yuanjia, he could send people to inform him, and we would not be able to wipe out Li Yuanjia's army. What's more, Li Yuanjia's eldest son was killed by Zhuang Wenzhong, how could they collude?"
Chapter completed!