In the original work, he would praise Murong Fu endlessly when he caught him, to the point where Murong Fu felt embarrassed. But what he said came from the heart, and was by no means intentional flattery.
After another half session of drinking, Qiao Feng and Li Qingzhao were evenly matched this time, neither able to outdrink the other.
"Brother Qiao's alcohol tolerance has improved," Li Qingzhao said, a little surprised.
Meanwhile, Tang Bohu suddenly remembered someone: Xu Zhenqing!
"Heh, I almost forgot about that kid Xu Zhenqing."
"Such a big event as me taking the imperial examination, and he didn't even show up?"
"Could he have been captivated by those courtesans in the brothel?"
Before he even finished speaking, he clearly saw the Third Wife's expression change slightly out of the corner of his eye.
Although it quickly returned to normal, how could it escape Tang Bohu's notice?
Alas, I forgot, I forgot, it all slipped my mind.
Ever since he learned the Wives' identities, how could Tang Bohu not guess that Xu Zhenqing's actions that day would lead to a severe beating?
He had originally intended to persuade his Wife to spare Xu Zhenqing this time when he returned home.
But because he had indeed drunk a lot that day, he forgot about it... "Ahem, Wanwan, come with your husband for a moment."
"Oh."
Nie Meiniang lowered her head, like a child who had made a mistake, and followed Tang Bohu out.
Outside the door, Tang Bohu and Nie Meiniang went into the garden. He quietly asked, "Honestly, did you beat Xu Zhenqing?"
"I did not!"
Tang Bohu looked at her, clearly unconvinced.
Nie Meiniang lowered her head, not daring to meet her husband's eyes, and whispered, "That, that... I really didn't lay a hand on him."
"It was my subordinates who did it."
Tang Bohu: "How badly was he beaten? Were his injuries severe?"
"Not severe, not severe, not severe at all."
"He is my husband's good friend, so I (humble) was very careful."
"They just broke two hands, two legs, and fractured a dozen ribs, that's all. It's not severe, truly not severe at all."
Tang Bohu: "..."
This is not severe?
However, fortunately, they were all superficial wounds. Although painful, they could ultimately heal.
Ancient medical standards in history were not good, but this is the Comprehensive Martial World!
Even spirit herb elixirs that can bring people back from the dead and reattach severed limbs exist, so what's a broken bone?
Tang Bohu was not angry with his Wife, he was even a little angry with Xu Zhenqing!
Do you know you made my Wife unhappy?
You deserved that beating!
He called Nie Meiniang out because he was worried that this Saintess of the Demonic Cult would simply bury the man... "That's good..."
"As long as he's alive, let's go back."
Nie Meiniang was stunned: "Husband, you're not angry with me (humble)?"
"How could your husband blame his wife because of an outsider?"
"That Xu Zhenqing dragging your husband to such a place and causing my wife worry is his just deserts!"
"Really?"
Nie Meiniang was overjoyed: "Since my husband also agrees, how about I (humble) send someone to beat him up again?"
"Uh..."
"Wife, when you can show mercy, do so. Let it go."
"Mm, I (humble) will listen to my husband."
Returning to the main hall, Li Qingzhao, still not satisfied, suggested playing cards to pass the time.
Tang Bohu frowned and said, "It's already so late, where am I going to get a deck of cards for you?"
Li Qingzhao smiled gently, walked to the gifts she had brought, opened a package, and inside was a set of mahjong tiles.
Good heavens, as expected of the Gambling Goddess of the Great Song! She even gives mahjong as a gift... Li Qingzhao held the tiles and said, "Brother Qiao, how about playing a round with us?"
Qiao Feng looked a bit troubled: "I don't know how."
"You're a person of the martial world, and you don't even know how to play mahjong?"
Li Qingzhao's gaze was surprised, with a hint of disdain.
Seeing Li Qingzhao's interest, Tang Bohu laughed, "No worries, you'll learn as you play."
"But Brother Qiao, you'll need to prepare enough silver."
Qiao Feng: "Oh? Why?"
Tang Bohu: "Master Yi'an is a famous 'Dama' expert in the Great Song. Her book, 'Illustrated Manual of Dama', is regarded by many as a divine book in the gambling world."
Soon, everyone set up tables and chairs and began a card game.
Participants: Tang Bohu, Qiao Feng, Li Qingzhao, Yue Yao.
Old Mother specializes in this, so her son and daughter-in-law naturally wouldn't be far behind.
And Li Qingzhao, as the Gambling Goddess of the Great Song, had first-class card skills.
The result was naturally Qiao Feng losing money alone... Everyone played until around midnight before dispersing. Qiao Feng and Li Qingzhao bid farewell and left. Tang Bohu and his Wives tidied up the aftermath and returned to their rooms.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, within the Imperial Study.
Zhu Wushi held the scroll in his hand, growing more and more alarmed as he read!
"Profound!"
"Who exactly wrote such an essay?"
The Emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, smiled faintly: "Why doesn't Imperial Uncle guess first?"
Zhu Wushi thought for a moment and already guessed the answer: "Could it be Tang Bohu?"
"Hahahah, Imperial Uncle is indeed extraordinarily wise. Besides him, who else could write such a incisive essay?"
"This policy essay details the Disadvantages of the Great Ming and its surrounding hidden dangers."
"Because the writing was too intense, the examiners dared not grade it, so they sent it to me."
Zhu Wushi quickly cupped his hands and said, "Our Great Ming has produced a prodigy. Your subject congratulates Your Majesty here."
The Emperor smiled gently: "Tang Bohu's essay is good, but there is one point that I don't understand."
"Why does he believe that the Jurchen tribe in the north will be a threat to our Great Ming in the future?"
Upon mentioning this, the Iron Gall Divine Marquis was also somewhat shocked.
The reason he exclaimed "profound" after reading the essay was precisely because of this!
The Jurchen tribe, though small in number, is extremely valiant, and they are inherently ruthless, possessing a spirit of not resting until their goal is achieved.
Most importantly, they outwardly submitted to the Great Ming, but in reality, they never truly submitted!
If such a tribe has no opportunity, it's fine, but once problems arise within the Great Ming, they will certainly become a huge threat!
Thinking of this, Zhu Wushi said, "Many years ago, your subject traveled the world to broaden his horizons."
"During my travels, I passed through a Jurchen tribe, and a scene from that time remains vivid in my memory. Every time I think of it, I feel a chill down my spine."
"Oh?"
The Emperor was slightly stunned: "Even Imperial Uncle finds that scene terrifying?"
"What exactly happened at that time?"
Zhu Wushi said, "A Jurchen child, about six or seven years old, got into an argument with another child and actually held him underwater until he drowned!"
"What truly shocked your subject was that there were many adults nearby at the time, and even the father of the deceased child was present."
"But not a single one of them intervened! In fact, they even cheered them on from the side, encouraging the two children."
"Afterward, the child who committed the killing not only received no punishment but was rewarded by the tribal chief."
"Your Majesty!"
"Such a warlike tribe is fine if it doesn't gain power, but once it does... the consequences are unimaginable!"
"In those years, your subject once spoke of this matter to the Imperial Father, but all the civil and military officials believed your subject was being overly anxious."
"I didn't expect..."
"This Tang Bohu actually shares the same view as your subject?"