Chapter 375 New Year’s Eve Treats (11)

The day before the New Year, Tang Yuan, A Bing and his party finally returned to Chang'an from Xianyang with Lao Yuan's body and began to deal with Lao Yuan's death.

Needless to say, Tangyuan would not be able to leave if something like this happened, and A Bing would also have to accompany Tangyuan.

As a result, Wen Mingtang couldn't leave the public kitchen. He had to wait until New Year's Eve, when the annual vacation officially started, before he could go see Tangyuan and the others.

"After all, it is a festive festival like the New Year's Day, and Tangyuan's family is doing some ordinary things. Some of the neighbors pity Tangyuan for becoming an orphan, and they even take care of and help them. However, some of them don't look good. Although it is because of 'death is the most important thing' I dare not say this rule openly, but the whispers in private are not small at all. It is made clear that it is for them to listen to. "A handyman took advantage of his free time in the afternoon and went to see glutinous rice balls. He couldn't help it when he came back." He took a sip and cursed, "The tree fell and the hozens scattered, and all kinds of monsters and monsters came out!"

"I think Lao Yuan died at the wrong time. There are some familiar faces among the neighbors who are having bad luck during the good New Year! When my family members were implicated in the case and were almost falsely accused of murder, I couldn't help but trust Lao Yuan. Yuan helped me. Now that his bones are still cold, old Yuan immediately changed his face." After swallowing a mouthful of rice, the servant cursed, "He is really hot-faced and cold-hearted, and he has a wolf-hearted heart and a dog's lungs!"

"Does the Lord of Hell need to avoid those who are celebrating the New Year? It is stipulated that no one is allowed to die during the New Year?" The servant snorted, "These people have really wasted Lao Yuan's kindness back then!"

Wen Mingtang scooped out the remaining meatball soup in the pot and carried it over, saying to the helpers: "There are not many people coming to eat today. There is more soup, so let's share it with everyone!"

Upon seeing this, several handymen thanked Wen Mingtang one after another, and then asked about Wen Mingtang: "Master Wen has a holiday tomorrow, so he shouldn't leave Beijing!"

Everyone also knows about Wen Mingtang's situation.

Wen Mingtang nodded, without hiding anything from everyone, and said, "I'll go over and look at the glutinous rice balls as soon as they are released tomorrow." After saying that, he couldn't help but ask them, "Did you see Ji Cai buy them?"

Today is a small year, even if you haven't left the Yamen, you can hear the excitement from the street and one or two bursts of firecrackers from time to time when you walk to the door of the Yamen.

The Chinese New Year is inherently lively and festive, at least for most people in this world.

Ji Caimai's annual leave, like most Dali Temple officials, has not been used up. It would have been okay to take it earlier, but when he thought that Lao Yuan's sympathy and money had not yet been settled, Wen Mingtang became a little worried.

There is a holiday tomorrow. Mr. Zhao is supposed to nod and sign, but why is there no news yet?

Everything happens late, and there is still no news about a seal matter that has been delayed for two days... Wen Mingtang felt a little uneasy: in Yeting, when he was receiving monthly money, he was being harshly detained and made difficult by the stewards and grandmothers, and the situation came to his mind. .

Although he has moved from the palace to Dali Temple, no matter where he is, some things remain the same.

Of course she didn't think that Zhao Mengzhuo would make things difficult for him. The dignified Lord of Dali Temple, Mr. Zhao, who was going to be an official in two years, couldn't hold on to such a trivial matter. Furthermore, looking at the past, Zhao Mengzhuo was not such a person.

Looking at the big things and letting his subordinates do the small things was Zhao Mengzhuo's past behavior.

Although Wen Mingtang and the others were saddened by Lao Yuan's death, which was a huge event for Tangyuan, in Zhao Mengzhuo's eyes, it was just a trivial matter.

That being the case, how come there's no news yet? Thinking of what happened in the capital recently, Wen Mingtang had a vague suspicion in his mind.

The servants sighed with emotion about Lao Yuan. After finishing the evening meal, they began to clean up the public kitchen.

If nothing unexpected happens, it will be the Lantern Festival when the public kitchen starts cooking again. When I think of the Lantern Festival, I can’t help but think of glutinous rice balls.

Tangyuan's mother's surname was Xiao. When she was alive, everyone called her "Ms. Xiao", so the name of Tangyuan was taken from the sum of her parents' surnames. The original surname of Tangyuan is a homophone of Yuanxiao, so the nickname "Tangyuan" came into being.

Wen Mingtang stood in the courtyard of the public kitchen and did not disturb the handymen inside who were cleaning up the public kitchen. When the servants finish cleaning up, the kitchen will be locked.

Ji Caimai hasn't come yet, so she might have to go to Ji Caimai's house to find someone to ask about the situation.

When he was planning to visit Ji Caimai's buyer on New Year's Eve tomorrow, Ji Caimai's figure finally appeared at the door of the public kitchen just as the servants were about to leave.

"Come here and lock it." After Ji Cai bought it, he handed a red envelope to each of the handymen who were leaving with rags and buckets and said, "Have a happy new year!"

The handymen took it in surprise, and hurriedly gave a few good words to Wen Mingtang, who was sitting next to Ji Caimai, before leaving with the things.

After the handymen left, Ji Caimai turned to look at Wen Mingtang, and the smile he had just forced on his face immediately faded.

Although he had changed into a new suit from head to toe and looked very young, there was not much joy in his eyes. Instead, he was full of exhaustion. Facing Wen Mingtang, Ji Caimai didn't waste any words and said: "This compassionate money." Something happened."

Wen Mingtang was not surprised by this, and just asked Ji Caimai: "What's the twist?" He said, tentatively asking, "Master Zhao refuses?"

"It has nothing to do with Mr. Zhao!" Ji Caimai shook his head and said, "We, Mr. Zhao, have always been more concerned about doing less than doing more. We will not cause trouble over such trivial matters. It is still a matter for the Internal Affairs Yamen!"

When he heard the words "Internal Affairs Yamen", Wen Mingtang nodded and said, "I guess it must have happened there."

"Then Concubine Jing in the palace is really sitting in the deep palace, only caring about protecting her own purse, not caring about the life and death of others?" Since there was no one else around, Ji Caimai didn't bother to hide it, and said to Wen Mingtang, "One piece To her, human life is just a number on paper, a number in the household registration records of Da Rong people, and she doesn't care at all."

"Old Yuan was in trouble on official business, but he is a coachman, not an official, a servant, or a minor official. Although he is from the Yamen, the money must be released from the Internal Affairs Yamen." Ji Caimai frowned and did not forget to remind Wen Mingtang. , "You and I are the same."

"After Mr. Zhao got his seal here, I took the note from Mr. Zhao and went to the Internal Affairs Office." When Ji Caimai said this, he couldn't help but raise his voice a bit because of the anger he had accumulated in the past two days. " The Internal Affairs Yamen told me that Lao Yuan was not in charge of the Internal Affairs Yamen and asked him to pull goods. What happened had nothing to do with the Internal Affairs Yamen!"

Wen Mingtang understood immediately: "They want to shirk the blame? Which yamen was in charge of such matters in the past?"

Ji Caimai said: "Since the founding of the Great Rong Dynasty, we have been managed by the Internal Affairs Office for hundreds of years, but now, I am being pushed around! In most of my life, this is the first time I have seen someone so focused on plundering. You don’t even put in the effort!”

"Does Concubine Jing do this? Are you really not afraid of things getting serious?" Hearing this, Wen Mingtang couldn't help but take a breath and said, "With Concubine Jing's current position and power in the palace, Lao Yuan I'm afraid her compassionate money is not enough for a pendant on her hairpin. Why should she even deduct this money so harshly?"

"Who knows if Concubine Jing is crazy?" Ji Caimai moved his lips angrily. Although he didn't make a sound, the shape of his mouth showed that he was cursing.

This Concubine Jing really only cares about eating meat and drinking soup for herself, and won't even let others have a little bit of her.

After Ji Caimai's "silent abuse" stopped, Wen Mingtang asked Ji Caimai: "Old Yuan can't die in vain! How should we deal with this matter now? Make a fuss?"

When Ji Caimai heard Wen Mingtang mention "making a scene", there was a hint of admiration on his face, and he couldn't help but secretly sigh that the person who came out of Ye Ting really knew something.

"However, this kind of commotion needs to be done carefully, and you can't make it randomly!" At this point, Ji Caimai stopped, thought for a moment, and said, "Then Concubine Jing is so crazy... maybe I don't need to come forward."