When Li Zhen turned around, Lai Junchen was behind him. He was wearing an official uniform, wearing a black hat, holding a long sword in his hand. There were several subordinates patrolling in the distance. He was obviously performing official duties.

Li Zhen also bowed and smiled, "So it's here to be Zhongcheng. We haven't seen each other for a long time. Are you here to handle the case?"

Lai Junchen was unable to catch Lan Zhenyu in the end, so he had to write an imperfect report, which was angrily scolded by Wu Zetian. However, he also gained something, obtained a manor and took Wu Chengsi's favored concubine into the mansion, which was considered a loss and gain.

He also knew that Li Zhen finally got Lan Zhenyu's head. Although he was quite annoyed by Li Zhen, he was afraid of Gao Yanfu behind Li Zhen, so he had to endure this tone.

More than a month passed, and he almost forgot about Li Zhen. He didn't expect to meet him in a restaurant today.

Lai Junchen laughed dryly and said, "I am here to inspect the customs of the people. Recently, scholars from all over the country gathered in Luoyang. Some people deliberately slandered the emperor among the scholars, and their words confused the public, which made the emperor very angry. So let our Censorate also come out to visit. I hope Mr. Li is careful in his actions and words, so he will not cause trouble in his mouth."

Li Zhen smiled, "Thank you for coming to Zhongcheng to remind me, Li Zhen will remember."

At this time, a scream came from afar. One of Lai Junchen's subordinates had a conflict with the drinker. Lai Junchen nodded to him, "Young Master Li is busy first, let's talk next time!"

Lai Junchen walked over quickly, and without asking any questions, he ordered his subordinates to "Catch him!"

Several subordinates immediately pressed the drinker to the ground. Li Zhen shook his head and walked back to his elegant room. He heard the group of scholars next door still talking about the government affairs excitedly, so he knocked on their door, "Say less! Be careful of being captured by Lai Junchen."

The room was immediately silent. Li Zhen smiled and returned to his room. The food and drink had already come, but he saw the eldest sister having a drink with her brother-in-law. When Li Zhen came in, the two of them were so scared that they sat down quickly. Li Quan's face turned red and he glared at him in anger.

Li Zhen looked at the roof, and he held back his smile and said, "Sister, don't glare at me like this, I didn't see anything!"

Cao Wen drank two glasses of wine and started talking too much. He pulled Li Zhen down, poured him a glass and said with a smile: "I will discuss with your eldest sister and decided to buy a house in Luoyang. Even if I can't pass the exam, I don't want to go back to Dunhuang."

Li Zhen also said happily: "Sister finally made a wise decision, and I don't have to sleep in the attic anymore."

"Go! Think beautifully."

Li Quan knocked him and scolded, "Even if you buy a house, you still have to let you, a stinky brat, continue to sleep in the attic!"

Li Quan has made a lot of money selling alcohol recently and is considered a wealthy woman. Of course, she decided to buy her own house and no longer rent other people's houses. She also had to buy a few slaves so that the family could live a little more affordable life.

At this time, someone knocked on the door. Li Zhen was close to the door. He opened the door. There was a scholar standing outside. He was about thirty years old, tall and thin, with a clear edge on his face.

"Who are you looking for?" Li Zhen asked with a smile.

The scholar looked back at Lai Junchen who was patrolling in the distance with lingering fear, and saluted Shenshen Li Zhen, "Thank you just now for the reminder, so that we will save us from the disaster!"

Li Zhen smiled and said, "It's nothing, this guy, please come in and sit down!"

The scholar hesitated for a moment, but Cao Wen invited him in enthusiastically. He just heard them discussing the current situation, and some of the remarks were quite exquisite, so he wanted to participate.

He smiled and introduced to the scholar: "In Cao Wen, Xiashazhou, this Zhujing Li family, that is my brother Li Zhen, and I am also a scholar who will participate in the spring exam next year. Everyone is a fellow disciple."

The scholar was surprised and happy, and quickly replied, "I am here in Yuezhou He Zhizhang, I don't know which subject Brother Cao wants to apply for."

Li Zhen's eyelids twitched, he glanced at him quickly, and thought to himself: "It turns out that this is He Zhizhang, a famous scholar. He seems to be in his thirties. Why is he only taking the imperial examination now?"

In fact, at this time, He Zhizhang was already very famous in the Wuzhong area. He was known as a talented man in Siming, and Luoyang and Chang'an also gained some fame.

However, Cao Wen came from the relatively remote Shazhou. He had never heard of He Zhizhang's name, but just thought he was an ordinary scholar like himself.

Cao Wen was also in a difficult position to apply for which subject, so hesitated and said, "I am good at scriptures and want to apply for the Mingjing subject."

He Zhizhang laughed, "Thirty-year-old Ming Jing, fifty-year-old Jinshi, it is indeed a wise move to apply for the Ming Jing subject."

The meaning of this sentence is that it is easier to pass the Ming Jing exam. If you are still taking the Ming Jing exam at the age of thirty, you will be old, and it is extremely difficult to take the Jinshi exam. There are many people who are still taking the Jinshi exam at the age of fifty or sixty, and you will be considered young at the age of fifty or fifty.

Although it is easy to get into the Mingjing Kobe, the Mingjing is not as famous as the Jinshi, nor is it as fast as the Jinshi. It is even more difficult to get into the high-ranking officials of the fifth rank or above, so many people would rather get into the Jinshi than the Mingjing.

At this time, Li Quan said on the side: "Husband, why not go and chat with them!"

He Zhizhang immediately warmly invited him, "Welcome! Brother Cao, please have a chat with us."

Cao Wen received his wife's consent and readily agreed. He Zhizhang thanked Li Zhen for his reminder, and then took Cao Wen to the next room.

Li Zhen asked with a smile: "How did my sister figure it out and began to allow her brother-in-law to go out to make friends?"

Li Quan smiled but didn't say anything. She was a very smart person, especially good at knowing people. She deeply disliked her husband and those fellow villagers, drank flowers and wine all day long, talked about women, and never talked about knowledge.

The scholars next door had elegant conversations and were worried about the country and the people, and had no romantic feelings in their words. Of course, she hoped that her husband would make friends with such people and stay away from the gang of friends in Shazhou.

At this time, the bartender brought a few more dishes, and Li Quan quickly ordered: "Take the dishes next door!"

Li Quan smiled and comforted Li Zhen, saying, "Let your brother-in-law eat more today, and Sister will make you your favorite scallion oil meat patty."

Li Zhen was a little amused and crying, and his eldest sister even treated him as a child.

.........

As soon as Li Zhen returned to the wine shop, his friend A Cai ran up and smiled and said, "Young Master, Mr. Zhang came to find you just now and brought someone with him. It seems that there is something important to ask you to go to the tea shop after you go back."

"Who is Mr. Zhang bringing?"

"A tall and thin man, about the same age as Mr. Zhang. By the way, he is wearing an official uniform!"

Li Zhen pondered for a moment and nodded, "I understand, thank you."

The guy returned to the store, and Li Zhen turned around and walked directly to Wangchun Tea House. He had already guessed who Zhang Xi brought, and it should be Sun Li.

In the inner hall of Wangchun Tea House, Zhang Xi was chatting with Sun Li about interesting things in the palace. At this time, a friend said at the door: "Master Li, Mr. Li is here."

Sun Li quickly stood up and said, "Let me talk to him!"

Zhang Xi nodded, turned around and entered the backyard. After a moment, Li Zhen walked into the inner hall and saw that Sun Li was the only one, he asked with a smile: "Where is Brother Zhang?"

Sun Li walked forward, patted his shoulder heavily, and smiled and said, "There are rules in Dali Temple, so he has to avoid it."

Li Zhen was slightly stunned, "Brother Sun has something to ask me for?"

Sun Li nodded, "I have a case to ask for your help."

He pointed to the seat, "Let's sit down and talk."

Li Zhen sat down and felt a little guilty towards Sun Li. In the last Dali Temple assassination case, many officials were dealt with, and Sun Li was also demoted from Dali Temple Chief to Dali Temple Sizhi.

Although it was only a downgrade, the power of the two was very different. Dali Temple Cheng was the manager and issued various instructions, which had great power, while Dali Sizhi was the executor of the order.

So when Sun Li asked him to help, Li Zhen sat down without hesitation.

Sun Li poured him a cup of tea and said, "I recently received a troublesome case, which may have something to do with you."

"It has something to do with me?" Li Zhen was really confused. Could it be that he was involved in any case?

Seeing Li Zhen's expression, Sun Li waved his hand and smiled: "Don't be anxious, the case has nothing to do with you, but you may be an insider."

Li Zhen smiled and said, "Please tell me directly, I will listen with scruples!"

Sun Li pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "You should know the case of the female corpse in the Broken Pond!"

Li Zhen nodded. About six or seven days ago, four female corpses were retrieved from the bank of Lidefang, which caused a sensation in the whole city. A Cai and A Fu from the wine shop even went to watch the fun and came back to tell him that they were four young women wearing palace clothes. At that time, he thought they were palace maids.

But what does this matter have to do with him? Li Zhen really couldn't figure it out, and he asked: "Shouldn't this matter be under the jurisdiction of the Luoyang government? Why did it be pushed to Brother Sun?"

"This case was not related to Dali Temple, but after negotiations, it was said that Dali Temple had rich experience in solving cases, so it transferred the case to Dali Temple. It was pressed down at this step and finally hit me. Who can I give it to?"

Sun Li smiled bitterly with anger, "I don't have any experience in solving cases. Isn't this a mess?"

"Brother Sun just said that this case has an indirect relationship with me. I don't quite understand. Can Brother Sun explain it clearly?"

"I really can't explain this, but if you go to Dali Temple with me, I'll show you something, maybe you will understand."

Li Zhen’s curiosity was aroused. What would it be? He saw that it was still early and immediately said: “I’ll go to Dali Temple with Brother Sun.”

Li Zhen got on Sun Li's carriage. Soon after, the carriage entered the imperial city and came to the Dali Temple yamen. Sun Li whispered: "This case involves a lot. The superiors ask for confidentiality. I must not go out and talk nonsense."

"Brother Sun, don't worry! I'm not a person with a slouching mouth."

The two entered the Dali Temple warehouse compound and came to a room guarded by soldiers. Sun Li showed the silver medal and took Li Zhen in.

The room is quite large, with five rows of iron racks, which have slowed down all kinds of items, all of which are evidence of each case. The iron racks are marked, some of which have been a long time, or even cases more than ten years ago.

"These are all evidence items from various major cases. Before the cases are solved, the evidence will accumulate here. If not solved for twenty years, they will have to be transferred to the large warehouse."

Li Zhen finally couldn't help but be curious and asked in a low voice: "Brother Sun, who is the one who died? I heard that they were four young women in palace clothes?"

Sun Li sighed, "It is the princess of Teng King Li Xiuqi, and the other three are her personal maids. She disappeared half a month ago, and finally the body was caught out of the Broken Pond."

Li Zhen couldn't help but be stunned. He didn't expect that the deceased was the royal princess. No wonder the superiors attached so much importance to it, but what does it have to do with him?

At this time, they walked to the innermost row of iron frames, and Sun Li pointed to the iron frame and said, "You should know this thing!"

Li Zhen looked closely and immediately shocked him to scream with a "ah!"

.........
Chapter completed!