Chapter 101 Note
At night, people are busy walking on the bluestone road in Baiyi Lane.

Because today is the autumn examination, many Qingyin classes have hung lanterns in front of their doors. The lanterns are painted with green bamboo branches and leaves, which look elegant and graceful.

There is a trick to this lantern.

Literary men and women could pay fifty taels of silver to buy a lantern and pick up a pen to "guess the topic". If anyone guessed correctly what the "current affairs" test would be about in this year's autumn examination, he or she could come to the Qingyin class on the day of the announcement and become a "Jieyuan" for the night.

Baiyi Lane tonight is as lively as the City God Temple Fair during the Lantern Festival, with bright lights on the bluestone road.

At this time, a carriage slowly stopped outside Baiyi Lane. The driver, Jin Zhu, got into the carriage and took off the black cloth from Chen Ji's eyes: "We're here."

Chen Ji stood up and was about to get off the car, but Jin Zhu held his shoulder and made him sit back down.

Jin Zhu's face was solemn. "Before we go to see Liu Mingxian, you have to tell me what we are going to do with him, right? After Jiaotu and Yunyang opened the coffin of Old Master Liu, the civil officials were furious. Now, if we don't have real evidence, we must not touch the Liu family again."

Chen Ji stood up again and said with a smile: "Master Jinzhu, trust people when you employ them, and don't employ people you don't trust. Now that you have found me, don't hesitate."

After saying that, he picked up the hat from the car and put it on his head, jumped out of the car, and blended into the crowd.

The Golden Pig pressed down the brim of his hat and said to himself, "I'll trust you this once."

In the crowd, Chen Ji stood under the eaves dozens of meters outside Yingxian Tower, leaning against the wall with his head down and eyes closed, like a coachman of some noble official, ignoring the people coming and going.

At this moment, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. He turned around and saw that it was the Prince, Bai Li and others, chatting and laughing all the way.

Chen Ji was stunned.

He heard the prince say to the person beside him with a smile: "This Yingxianlou in Luocheng has a history of more than 40 years. It is a time-honored brand. When the late emperor was on a tour to the south, he specifically requested to eat their 'Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea'. Young Master Li, you have to try it when you come from Jiangnan."

Next to the prince was a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth, a sword hanging from his waist, and his hair tied up in a bun with warm jade. He was very suave and dashing.

There were two gangsters beside Master Li, each holding two wine jars sealed with red cloth.

Behind them, Bai Li, Liu Quxing, the little monk and others were whispering to each other. They all changed into clean and decent clothes and were talking and laughing.

Amid the crowd and the lights, the people laughing and chatting did not notice the trace of the man bowing his head under the eaves.

The Golden Pig laughed cheerfully and said, "You are still taking risks to clear their suspicion, but they have already made new friends. Chen Ji, Chen Ji, there are no irreplaceable friends in this world. You only need to leave for a few months, and your friends will naturally forget you. They will have new friends and new wine."

"Master Jinzhu doesn't seem to believe in friendship?"

The Golden Pig thought for a moment and said, "Apart from my zodiac identity, I am actually a businessman. I manage all the business of the Secret Service. I have endless things to say, endless wine to drink, and endless friends to make every day. As long as I drink enough, they are all my friends. However, if something happens to me, only one person will save me."

"Tianma?" Chen Ji asked, "Master Jinzhu and Master Tianma should be considered close friends, right?"

The Golden Pig smiled and said, "Tianma and I are not good friends. He is now one of the top three zodiac signs and the right-hand man of the Minister of Internal Affairs. He can help me once when I am in trouble."

As he was speaking, the prince and others passed by and Chen Ji lowered his head.

But when Liu Quxing walked past him, he complained to Bai Li: "Chen Ji must have run away because he didn't want to treat us. Otherwise, as an apprentice in a clinic who doesn't even have to go home, what would he be busy with?"

She Dengke also chimed in, "Before we set off, he said he would treat us without even a frown, but he ran away." Bai Li also said angrily, "That's right, we have to question him when we get back, he's a greedy and stingy guy, he charged us so much toll before, but he wouldn't even treat us to a meal!"

Liu Quxing laughed cheerfully and said, "Young Master Li is really generous. When he first came to Luoyang, he brought me several jars of the best Shaoxing Huadiao. I have only heard of this wine before, but never tasted it!"

Chen Ji raised his head, leaned against the wall and stood in the shadow under the eaves, watching the figure in the light gradually walk away: "Who is that Young Master Li?"

Jin Zhu whispered, "The Young Master of the Qingyi Sect, Li Chezhou, runs brothels, gambling houses, and human trafficking businesses in Jinling. The old Master Li was injured by someone a few years ago, so he passed on the family's official skills to him early on. It is said that this Young Master Li entered the Xiantian realm years ago, which means he is quite talented."

Jin Zhu continued, "Look, the prince and the princess have new friends so quickly... eh?"

Before he could finish his words, Chen Ji had already set off towards Yingxian Tower.

Jin Zhu looked up in surprise, only to see Liu Mingxian walking out of the Yingxian Tower. A group of officials behind him bowed and said goodbye to him politely, and Chen Ji walked towards Liu Mingxian!

His expression changed. He never expected Chen Ji to be so reckless and direct!

In front of the Yingxian Tower, Liu Mingxian was seen wearing a black stand-up collar with a peacock embroidered on his back with silver thread. He had a tall and well-proportioned figure, standing out among the fat and big-eared officials like a crane among chickens.

He casually bowed to everyone and said, "Everyone, go back and continue drinking. I still have some official business to attend to, so I won't stay for long."

"Sir, walk slowly."

The Liu family's servants drove the carriage to the entrance of Yingxian Tower and brought out a footstool for him.

Just as the driver was about to help Liu Mingxian get on the car, he saw Chen Ji walking past quickly with his head down and collided with Liu Mingxian.

"Sorry," Chen Ji said and left.

The driver was about to chase him, but he heard Liu Mingxian say, "Don't worry about him, go back to the government office."

After saying that, he quietly got into the carriage and sat down. When the carriage started moving slowly, he unfolded a folded piece of paper in his palm.

Liu Mingxian unfolded the note and used the light from the car window to read the words on it: "If you get a table, you must indulge in wine. If you get a chess table, you must play chess at Qiya Mountain."

His pupils suddenly contracted. This poem seemed to make sense, but if the first words of each half sentence were separated, it would be: "Day, under the bridge."

Fanqie method!
This was clearly a method of information transmission that only the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department would use. The other party risked coming to Baiyi Lane to pass a note and asked him to meet under the bridge at dawn. There were three bridges in Luocheng, Yingzhou Bridge, Mudan Bridge, and Xiyuan Bridge. Yingzhou Bridge was too far from Xiyuan Bridge, so it must be Mudan Bridge.

Liu Mingxian slowly closed his eyes. The Jingchao Military Intelligence Department actually contacted him directly without going through the middleman. They were so brave.

To go or not to go?
After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, leaned forward, lifted the curtain and whispered to the driver: "We are not going to the government office tonight, but to the house next to Mudan Bridge. Send someone back to the Liu family mansion to invite the three guests from Yanshi to come into the city."

……

I'm sorry for the lack of updates on the Chinese Valentine's Day these two days. I will make up for it tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I wish you all a happy Chinese Valentine's Day, and may lovers finally get married.

(End of this chapter)