Chapter 17

PS: I had some things to do during the day, so I updated at midnight. I'm really sorry!

Additionally, during the new book ranking period, I sincerely request recommendations, favorites, and so on. I deeply thank all the brothers and sisters who have already recommended and favorited the book. I bow in gratitude!

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

Finally, it was time to leave this place. Zhao Chen's feelings were mixed. The last time he walked out of here, he was filled with curiosity and uncertainty about the outside world. This time, however, was completely different. He wore a gold medal around his neck and carried an official appointment in his waistband. Although it was just a minor position as a judge in the Institute of Natural Philosophy, and not even a high-ranking one, it was still a step onto the path of officialdom in the Tang Dynasty, wasn't it?

However, he still didn't know who the director of the Institute of Natural Philosophy would be. This would only be known once he took up his post. Zhao Chen hoped it wouldn't be some old man in his seventies or eighties, half-dead and buried in the earth.

Everything seemed so beautiful, and his excitement was unprecedented. However, countless examples showed that when people got excited, they tended to do some incredible things.

The last time, it was the old eunuch who, in a fit of excitement, owed Zhao Chen a life debt. This time, it was Zhao Chen who, in a fit of excitement, gave a jar of distilled liquor to Xu Jingzong.

The jar of liquor was distilled a few days ago by Zhao Chen. It took five jars of thick wine to distill one jar of strong liquor. Old Qin cursed him for being wasteful and wouldn't let Zhao Chen waste any more, saying it was grain!

So, this jar of liquor was very precious to Old Qin. He planned to take it home and share it with his old friends like Cheng Yaojin. However, Zhao Chen generously gave it to Xu Jingzong.

On the way, Old Qin had already slapped Zhao Chen countless times, and the phrase "wasteful brat" had almost become Old Qin's catchphrase.

The old eunuch lay on a stretcher, smiling as he watched Old Qin scold Zhao Chen. He enjoyed seeing the boy's pained and regretful expression after being slapped by Old Qin.

Finally, they arrived at the palace. Old Qin had to report to Emperor Li Er, but his status wasn't high enough to see the emperor without being summoned.

Watching Old Qin and his group enter the palace, Zhao Chen rubbed the back of his head, which was already numb. Old Qin's hands were really heavy. It was just a jar of liquor! Xu Jingzong had been a colleague, and even if Xu Jingzong was a scoundrel, you couldn't be so stingy with a jar of liquor!

Standing in the imperial city, Zhao Chen complained about Old Qin for a while, then had to calm down and ask someone for directions to the Ministry of Works. With his appointment, he went to report to the Institute of Natural Philosophy.

"Excuse me, sir, how do I get to the Institute of Natural Philosophy?" Arriving at the Ministry of Works, seeing the rows of buildings in the courtyard, Zhao Chen's head started to hurt. He quickly stopped a passerby and politely asked for directions.

However, upon hearing the words "Institute of Natural Philosophy," the man fled as if he had heard a flood or a beast, wishing he had an extra pair of legs.

There was a big problem! Seeing this, Zhao Chen immediately had a bad feeling. If he still didn't realize he had been tricked by Li Er, he might as well go into the mountains and join Xu Jingzong.

He had guessed that the Institute of Natural Philosophy wouldn't be very large, being a new department in the Tang Dynasty. But he never expected it to be like this, with people avoiding it as if it were a plague!

Li Er was so cruel!

He could only find it himself. Zhao Chen didn't bother asking anyone else. At this point, asking or not asking would have the same result.

His eyes scanned the courtyard of the Ministry of Works. He noticed that the area near the south side of the courtyard was more dilapidated. Zhao Chen gathered his courage and walked towards it.

Since the Institute of Natural Philosophy was seen as a plague by others, its location wouldn't be much better!

As it turned out, Zhao Chen's guess was correct. Approaching the south side of the courtyard, he saw a large yard. Through the low wall, he could see the yard was overgrown with tall weeds.

In the midst of the weeds, a few low thatched huts stood alone. Yes, thatched huts!

On the rusted gate, a new plaque hung, inscribed with three gilded characters: "Institute of Natural Philosophy."

Zhao Chen confirmed that this was indeed the Ministry of Works, not a temple from the world of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio." The weeds and thatched huts looked eerie.

Pushing open the old wooden gate, Zhao Chen suddenly noticed someone already sitting in the yard. A slightly plump figure in a very awkward green robe. Recognizing the familiar face, Zhao Chen called out in surprise.

"Brother Hu, what are you doing here?"

The person in the yard was Hu Lu, who had taken good care of Zhao Chen when he was assigned to the Chang'an Inn.

Originally listless, sitting on the threshold, Hu Lu suddenly looked up at the sound of Zhao Chen's voice. His expression changed, and he immediately rushed forward as if Zhao Chen had dug up his family grave, grabbing Zhao Chen's collar and shouting to make him compensate for his lost future.

"Cough, cough, Brother Hu, let go!" Zhao Chen's collar was tightly grabbed, and he could hardly breathe. He pushed Hu Lu away and gasped, "I just came out of the mountains. What's going on? Brother Hu, you have to explain!"

Hu Lu, pushed away by Zhao Chen, squatted on the ground. Thinking of his comfortable life at the Chang'an Inn and now being inexplicably exiled to this desolate place by the emperor, he felt a deep sorrow and burst into tears.

After Hu Lu cried his fill, the two of them sat in the overgrown yard, and as Hu Lu explained, Zhao Chen suddenly felt like he wanted to cry too.

It turned out that after Emperor Li Er read Old Qin's secret letter, he angrily called Zhao Chen a "scourge." This was somehow leaked from the palace and spread widely, becoming common knowledge.

Now, all the officials knew Zhao Chen's reputation as a "scourge." With the current political turmoil and the replacement of old and new officials, the court was in a state of anxiety. At such a time, they naturally avoided anyone personally criticized by Emperor Li Er, like Zhao Chen.

"That's not right, Brother Hu!" Zhao Chen, who had been sitting there sighing, suddenly looked at Hu Lu and asked in confusion, "Even if I was called a scourge by the emperor, it has nothing to do with you! Why are you here at the Institute of Natural Philosophy? Your position as innkeeper has nothing to do with it, right?"

"It's all your fault!" Hu Lu, who had just finished crying, burst into tears again. "I was living comfortably in the inn, but because I took good care of you that day, and you offended the emperor, why should I suffer? I'm just a victim of your misfortune!"

Zhao Chen was so angry he felt his lungs would burst. Li Er was being too extreme. He had contributed with gold mines and steel-making techniques, and even if Li Er didn't appreciate it, he didn't need to involve others!

Feeling extremely angry, as he sat there panting, a sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he jumped up.

Hu Lu had only shared a cup of tea and a chat with him that day, and was exiled here. What about Cheng Chumo, who had called him brother?

No, no, Zhao Chen shook his head. Cheng Chumo was the son of a demon king. Even if Li Er was unreasonable, he wouldn't involve Cheng Chumo out of respect for Cheng Yaojin.

However, Zhao Chen underestimated Li Er's limits. Just as he feared, Cheng Chumo's voice came from outside.

"Xiao Chen, I've missed you so much!" As he spoke, Cheng Chumo walked into the yard, his dark face and wearing the same green robe as Hu Lu.

Seeing Cheng Chumo's green robe, Zhao Chen's heart sank. Li Er was exiling everyone who had been close to him to this desolate place!

"Chumo, why are you also exiled here? Didn't your father, Lord Cheng, plead with the emperor?" Zhao Chen, looking dispirited, asked in confusion.

Li Er exiling Cheng Chumo, Cheng Yaojin must have known. Why didn't he plead with Li Er? If Cheng Yaojin had spoken, Li Er would have given him face.

"Plead?" Cheng Chumo looked incredulous, blinking at Zhao Chen. "Why plead? This place is great! No need to wake up in the middle of the night to stand guard in the palace, no need to be on edge and afraid of trouble. I can sleep until I wake up naturally, go wherever I want, and no one will nag me..."

As Cheng Chumo counted the benefits on his fingers, Zhao Chen closed his eyes in despair. This guy, raised under Old Cheng's protection, didn't understand the complexities of the world and actually thought this place was a paradise.

"Xiao Chen, don't look so gloomy. Since I'm here, I'm not planning to leave!" Cheng Chumo patted Zhao Chen's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

Suddenly, he remembered something, slapped his forehead, and said, "Almost forgot, the stuff is still outside! Let's go get it!"

"What stuff?" Zhao Chen asked, puzzled.

"Are you kidding? Do you want to sleep on the ground and use the sky as a blanket tonight?" Cheng Chumo, without waiting for an answer, excitedly pulled Zhao Chen out of the yard.

Hu Lu, who had been listless, suddenly stood up and followed Cheng Chumo and Zhao Chen, his sad expression instantly vanishing.

This guy was a complete opportunist. Seeing that even the son of General Cheng was exiled here, he felt a sense of balance.

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