My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 195 Reminiscing about the Past

The three then toasted each other, reminiscing about the glorious past. As they chatted, they sang and banged on their bowls, making the courtyard lively and bustling.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lin Ziping, emboldened by his drunkenness, said, "Zhang Mo, why aren't you staying put in Qingyang? What are you doing in Fuchun?"

"And Ji Xun, what are you two doing together?"

Ji Xun hooked his arm around Zhang Mo's shoulder: "Lin Shaoying, why did you choose the courtesy name Shaoying for yourself?"

Lin Ziping rolled his eyes: "Mind your own business. I like it. Don't change the subject. What are you two doing together?"

Ji Xun gave Zhang Mo a helpless look.

Zhang Mo took a sip of his drink and said, "It's nothing, I just didn't want to stay in Qingyang anymore, so I left."

"Come on, your parents are in Qingyang, and you have such a large family business. Are you willing to give it up?" Lin Ziping said.

“There’s nothing I’m reluctant to part with. My mother is gone, and I have no more attachments.” Zhang Mo downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. “There’s nothing I can’t say either. I guess I was too confident.”

"It's all in the past, come on, let's have a drink." Lin Ziping sensed something was off about Zhang Mo's words and poured his glass full of wine again.

Want to stop him from continuing

"It's nothing. It was just that my father conspired with my half-brother to seize my family's property and killed my mother." Zhang Mo downed his wine in one gulp. "I made them pay the price."

Zhang Mo's expression was calm, even somewhat indifferent.

Lin Ziping felt a pang of regret.

Because of the disparity between myself and the two people yesterday, I unconsciously became a bit aggressive today.

"Lin Ziping, don't look at me like that, it makes me seem so pitiful," Zhang Mo said. "I'm much better than you, a poor little thing who's never even met your parents."

Hey--

Lin Ziping slapped Zhang Mo on the back: "If you can't speak properly, then don't speak. I'm worried about my money."

"What will happen to my money now that you're gone? From now on, my livelihood will depend on the profits from our teahouse!" Lin Ziping added.

Ji Xun said, "When did you become so greedy? Isn't your salary enough?"

Lin Ziping rolled his eyes at Ji Xun: "One tael of silver a month? You guys haven't experienced the hardships of life."

"Don't worry, Young Master Lin, Lord Ji will protect you from now on." Zhang Mo was probably drunk; his eyes were glazed and his cheeks were flushed.

"Lord Ji?" Lin Ziping looked at Ji Xun, "You'll be taking over Fuchun from now on?"

“Yes, the newly appointed Magistrate Ji.” Zhang Mo pointed to Ji Xun, then to himself: “Zhang the Advisor.”

The two looked at Lin Ziping.

"I am Lin, the yamen runner," Lin Ziping said.

Ji Xun stroked his chin: "How is Officer Lin?"

What?

Lin Ziping, half-sober, asked, "Are you kidding me? Where's Officer Qi?"

"I forgot to tell you, we need to find someone else for the third shift of the Fuchun County government office besides you," said Inspector Ji.

"What happened? Where are the original people?" Lin Ziping asked intently.

“Those who were imprisoned with you last time have all been poisoned and are still receiving treatment,” Zhang Mo said. “And those guarding the city gate have already been executed.”

"Beheaded?" Lin Ziping asked in surprise.

"What are you doing here, abandoning your post?" Inspector Ji asked.

"Have all the people in Class 3 been replaced?" Lin Ziping asked uncertainly.

"Not only the Third Division, but also the Sixth Princes of the Sixth Division have reported to the court, and the official documents will be issued soon," said Inspector Ji.

Is it that serious?

What the hell is going on?

Thinking this to himself, Lin Ziping asked, "How long are you two going to keep this a secret? What happened?"

The two exchanged a glance.

Ji Xun asked, "Are you aware that Magistrate Wei previously colluded with the bandits of Maomao Mountain?"

What is Lin Ziping supposed to say about this?

He immediately shook his head: "I've only been here for six months, how would I know?"

“I don’t think you know either, otherwise why would you be so foolish as to be pushed out as a shield?!” Ji Xun said.

Lin Ziping stared at Ji Xun with bewildered eyes.

Lord Ji continued to clarify: "It should be said that the Fuchun County government is not clean either; they all colluded with mountain bandits to smuggle iron ore."

"Oh, the fact that the Sixth Prince and you stumbled upon the iron mine on the mountain is quite an achievement," Ji Xun said, sipping his tea.

Lin Ziping scratched his head: "Because of the reshuffling of the Fuchun County government?"

Zhang Mo said, "Of course, there was also this series of events that followed. The money allocated by the imperial court for mining was embezzled by them."

"Silver?" Lin Ziping asked in confusion.

"The things you stole from the county government's treasury that night were silver," said Inspector Ji. "It's all thanks to the clues you provided."

Lin Ziping suddenly realized and asked, "What about Li Zhen and the others?"

"Li Zhen?" The two looked at Lin Ziping in confusion.

"Go find the Sixth Prince's people that day," Lin Ziping reminded him.

"Oh, those are the people from Laifuchunlou?" Zhang Mo thought for a moment and said.

Lin Ziping nodded: "I feel completely disconnected from the outside world after being locked up for a month."

"The Sixth Prince has already killed the tax collectors and Constable Qi, who was in charge of this matter, to give them justice. What more do you want?" Inspector Ji said.

"Killed him?" Lin Ziping murmured.

"You're not involved in Lin Ziping's matter, are you?" Ji Xun asked, pointing at Lin Ziping.

“I went with Constable Qi to collect taxes,” Lin Ziping said.

Zhang Mo stood up warily, closed the door, and said, "Who else knows about this?"

Lin Ziping thought for a moment and said, "Everyone in the county government knows, right? It's not a secret."

Seeing the two men staring intently at him, Lin Ziping unconsciously picked up his wine glass and brought it to his lips.

Ji Xun slapped Lin Ziping's hand: "The Sixth Prince has already resolved this matter, and it didn't involve you. Don't talk about it anymore."

He then turned to Zhang Mo and said, "This kid is lucky, he wasn't implicated."

"What are you two beating around the bush with? Just say what you mean." Lin Ziping protested, dissatisfied.

“Didn’t we just say that the county government and the bandits were colluding?” Ji Xun said.

"I didn't! I even killed the bandit leader!" Lin Ziping said.

"Yes, you don't have it, everyone else does, only you don't. Why should you? Are you arrogant? Are you so great?" Ji Xun rolled his eyes at Lin Ziping. "Others might have connections, but what do you have? Young and arrogant with no background or wealth, what else are we going to use you for if not as a shield?"

“If Ji Xun hadn’t come this time, you wouldn’t still be sitting here drinking right now,” Zhang Mo said.

Lin Ziping carefully considered their words, and after a long while said, "Was it your doing that I went to jail?"

Ji Xun nodded and then shook his head: "I didn't expect you to be locked up, but it was my arrangement that the prison guards were poisoned."

Oh, I see. Was the carbon monoxide poisoning earlier an accident?

"Alright, let's not talk about that. Let's not discuss business today, let's drink." Ji Xun filled everyone's glasses and urged them on.

Lin Ziping chuckled to himself for being suspicious, put his thoughts aside, and clinked glasses with the two men.

The three of them ate and drank, and before they knew it, the moon had risen high in the sky.

“Lin Ziping, your courtyard is too small. Let’s go stay in the backyard of the county government office, just like the old Moshan Academy,” Ji Xun said, waving his wine cup.