Chapter 227 2/4

Qi Jun learned from Li Qingzhi to use the soup to soak rice, and ended up eating a full bowl of rice.

The only thing that bothered him a bit was that Li Laogen was also present, and Li Qingzhi served soup to Li Laogen, scooping out the chicken pieces from the soup into Li Laogen’s bowl…

Why didn’t Li Qingzhi serve him the soup?

Li Qingzhi was unaware of Qi Jun’s thoughts. His action was simply to avoid Li Laogen’s unpleasant eating habits. In fact, Li Qingzhi had advised Li Laogen before not to mess with the dishes during meals, but Li Laogen didn’t change his ways.

With decades of habits, it was indeed difficult to make him change. Li Qingzhi could only serve Li Laogen more dishes to prevent him from messing around.

Usually, when they were at home, they would sometimes separate the dishes beforehand.

After finishing his meal, Qi Jun sat for a while longer before reluctantly returning to the palace.

He used to be preoccupied with court affairs all day long, and no matter how tired he was, he would discuss memorials with Lu Qingxi. But now his thoughts were entirely on Li Qingzhi, and he had no time to think about court matters.

So, when Lu Qingxi came to find Qi Jun with some memorials, instead of discussing the memorials, Qi Jun pulled him aside and talked a lot about Li Qingzhi.

However, Qi Jun didn’t mention the matter of the mole. The main reason was that he hadn’t seen it himself, so he wasn’t sure.

If he confidently claimed that Li Qingzhi had a mole on his back just like him and it turned out to be false, that would be embarrassing!

After Qi Jun finished speaking, Lu Qingxi quickly brought up the memorials submitted by officials that day.

Qi Jun said, “Ah Xi, please handle these matters.”

Lu Qingxi had always handled governmental affairs very well, so Qi Jun trusted him.

Lu Qingxi: “… ” He used to find it annoying to report everything to Qi Jun, but now that Qi Jun didn’t want him to report, he felt a bit unhappy.

He had been busy these days, but what about Qi Jun? He took a bath outside the palace and even had someone wash his hair!

Next, Qi Jun was probably going to lie down comfortably and listen to others read the books Li Qingzhi had written!

The Emperor was really living a comfortable life, which was completely different from his own!

As Lu Qingxi thought about Qi Jun getting his hair washed by Li Qingzhi, he began to suspect—did Li Qingzhi know Qi Jun’s identity?

Otherwise, why was he so enthusiastic?

Just as he was thinking this, his subordinates returned from Chongcheng County.

Previously, he had sent some people to investigate Li Qingzhi in Chongcheng County.

Because he urgently needed information on Li Qingzhi, several of them returned to the capital early, but some remained in Chongcheng County to continue the investigation.

Now, those who stayed in Chongcheng County had returned!

According to the information these people gathered… Li Qingzhi had most likely been captured by Prince Jin’s men years ago to work in the stone quarry. He had hired many laborers rescued from Prince Jin’s quarry at his Jiawei Restaurant in Chongcheng County!

Moreover, during his time in Miaoqian Village, Li Qingzhi had spent time cooking and taking care of children every day at home.

Later, he even cooked for the female workers at the Jin Ye Embroidery Workshop!

He was a very down-to-earth Jinshi, without any airs. It was said that he even enjoyed chatting with the elderly in the village.

What’s more, in order to earn money in his early years, he had written autobiographies for two merchants in Chongcheng County!

He had even taken leftovers from the merchants’ homes to eat!

Li Qingzhi was so easy-going… The Emperor had given him so many things, even a solitary copy of a book, so it was normal for him to help wash his hair.

Lu Qingxi relaxed—he had worried too much.

Moreover, according to Li Qingzhi’s own words, he felt familiar when he saw the Emperor.

Come to think of it, when Concubine Liu took Qi An out of the palace, Li Qingzhi had greeted Concubine Liu first.

Li Qingzhi had never seen Concubine Liu before, but he took the initiative to greet her… Did he also find Concubine Liu familiar?

Of course, he might have simply wanted to help.

Back then, Li Qingzhi had his arm broken trying to save someone else’s servant.

Li Qingzhi’s life was truly colorful and varied.

After carefully reviewing the information, Lu Qingxi stored it away.

He planned to wait about ten days before showing it to Qi Jun.

Qi Jun had only asked him to investigate Li Qingzhi a few days ago. If he showed Qi Jun this now, wouldn’t it be telling Qi Jun that he had started investigating Li Qingzhi long ago? That wouldn’t do!

Speaking of which… When Governor Zhang went to investigate Prince Jin’s stone quarry, was it related to Li Qingzhi?

Governor Zhang had visited Chongcheng County once, then started investigating the stone quarries in Linhu County. During that time, he had even sent the then-Chongcheng County magistrate, Guo Tongzhi, to investigate the case…

The key was that Governor Zhang greatly appreciated Li Qingzhi.

From his understanding of Governor Zhang, he valued Li Qingzhi not just because Li Qingzhi wrote a book for him. There must have been other reasons.

Such as providing information about the quarries.

Lu Qingxi thought about it and became more satisfied with Li Qingzhi.

Li Qingzhi had a grudge against Prince Jin. That was great!

Li Qingzhi was still from Yuxi Prefecture… When he told Li Qingzhi about the money sent to Prince Jin and Yan County, Li Qingzhi would definitely stand on their side!

Right, his Shopkeeper Mu, had bought a lot of goods from Li Qingzhi’s wife.

He wanted Mu to give Li Qingzhi’s wife a little profit, so that Li Qingzhi would have a better impression of him.

Lu Qingxi had originally wanted to sideline the false prince he had brought in and then seize power himself.

But thinking about what Lu Mingshan had said, and Qi Jun’s attitude… he inexplicably began to regard Li Qingzhi as a prince.

His thinking changed so quickly.

Lu Qingxi hesitated for a while, then decided not to bother with this matter.

How should I put it… If Li Qingzhi really rose to prominence, it would not be beneficial for him to oppose him. So, why not just treat him like a real prince?

Lu Qingxi sent someone to thoroughly investigate Li Qingzhi, but others wouldn’t do that.

Chongcheng County was too far away, and they wouldn’t spend so much effort on a Jinshi.

Therefore, Prince Yan County knew very little about Li Qingzhi’s relationship, and Prince Jin was the same.

The news that Prince Jin knew was also sent by Prince Yan County.

“A person appreciated by Governor Zhang? In the past, I sent someone to find trouble with the prince’s stone quarry and failed to find a lot of people.”