Unlike those officials and colleagues who wanted to curry favor with Li Ling and came with utilitarianism, their friends who really had a deep relationship with him did not rush to visit him. Instead, they confirmed that he had enough rest and had handled all the family affairs before they made an appointment with each other to come together.

Those who visited today were such good friends - Xu Cang, Xiao Chengzhi, Sun Bi, the Yang brothers, and Wanlang, who had just returned to the capital.

The composition of Li Ling's friend group is really complicated. There are Qingliu in the court, generals in the army, and spies from the Imperial City Division who were avoided by many officials and civilians in the capital. However, these people are still normal at least. The strangest one is the other two. One has a high status and is actually a dignified prince, and the other is too low. He is actually a mere businessman and a real Bai Ding.

Looking at the entire Dayue court and even the entire world, only Li Ling can make friends with so many people with different identities, and they have a great friendship.

After being taken to the study by Li Ling to sit for tea, Xiao Chengzhi, the one who spoke first: "Wen Zhong, I originally planned to come to visit you two days ago, but they were stopped by them, so don't blame me for breaking the appointment." As he said that, he looked at Sun Bi and Xu Cang each of them, which made them amused.

"We are also considering Wen Zhong's rest, and you know how many people came to see him some time ago. If you come over again, you are not afraid that the butler here will drive you out like someone else?" Sun Bi replied with a smile, which also made everyone laugh.

"That won't be the only way to be turned away. After all, I've talked to several housekeepers in the mansion and never saw any foreigners." Li Ling also made a joke casually, which made Xiao Chengzhi very dissatisfied and made everyone laugh.

Although these people have different identities and different statuses, they get along very well at this time, and they really treat each other as friends. After some jokes, Xu Cang asked with concern: "I heard that Wen Zhong, you have encountered several dangers in the northern border, and have you ever fallen into the hands of Gui Rong people?"

When he asked, everyone decisively set their eyes on Li Ling and waited for his answer. But he did not hide it, and he simply explained his experience over the past six months.

Although Li Ling has simplified the dangers in it, with their knowledge, they still heard the dangers of dying and dying, which naturally made everyone amazed. Only the Yang brothers did not express much, after all, they were participants in this matter.

In the end, they looked at Li Ling with strange eyes for a while before sighing: "I used to know that the northern border was dangerous, but I didn't have a clear understanding. This time we have really experienced it. As long as we are less lucky, I'm afraid I'll die when I get there."

"Yes, and the forces on all sides are complicated. You don't know when you will be attacked and plotted against them. I'm so kind. If you change someone, after experiencing these things, you'll probably have died more than ten times."

"So what I admire most is Wen Zhong. He is not only capable, but also courageous. He can not only save dangers every time, but also do his job beautifully in such unfavorable situations."

Li Ling was praised by them one by one, and his old face turned red without realizing that he interrupted, "Okay, don't praise me. To be honest, in my opinion, I have experienced life and death many times in the past six months but have been safe. It's not that I am very capable, but that I am lucky enough, and that the Yang family Kunzhong and Mo Yun and others tried their best to save each other many times. But even so, I failed to do my best, and I finally left many regrets."

When the few people heard what he said, they smiled and nodded with consent. Especially the Yang brothers, they took the opportunity to say, "Sir, I'm going to hide it from you. We are here today to bring you some bad news. Do you still remember Ma Bangwen?"

Li Ling was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Of course, he was the prefect of Yingzhou. I took the action to prevent our military rations from moving north, and escorted him to the capital to wait for further trial." In fact, he had another purpose to deal with Ma Bangwen, which was to involve the heavy expenses behind him. However, because he was busy with the grain dispatch in Yingzhou at that time, he could not make any moves, so he could only let the Imperial City Office take over and send him to the capital.

As a result, Yang Chen said: "He is dead."

"Huh?" Li Ling frowned quickly. Just as he was about to ask how he died, he saw the other party saying again: "He was not dead under our torture. In fact, he was not sent to the capital for trial. He suddenly committed suicide in fear of the crime halfway!"

"I committed suicide because of the crime?" Li Ling's expression turned cold, "I'm afraid things are not that simple, right?"

This time, the answer was changed to Yang Zhen, and he was Zheng's key point: "There is indeed a hidden story. Although Ma Bangwen's body has been checked and he committed suicide by hanging himself, he was escorted back to Beijing all the way, and there were people watching him around him. How could he easily find an opportunity to commit suicide? Unfortunately, the guards were not Lord Lu's people at that time, but Lord Wei's subordinates, so..."

"Master Wei, is Wei Tianying?" Li Ling asked, and saw the two brothers nodding at the same time, which made his expression solemn.

Like other yamen in the court, the Imperial City Department is not a solid piece. At least under Eunuch Wei, it is divided into two opposing forces. One side is led by Lu Zhen, such as the Yang brothers, Wan Shenji are his people, so Li Ling naturally counts it; the other side is led by Wei Tianying, the Si Cheng, who is equivalent to Lu Zhen's official position, has many open and secret struggles. Although Lu Zhen has always been stronger, the latter's power cannot be underestimated.

Li Ling has an official position in the Imperial City Department and is surrounded by these people, so he naturally knows the disputes and can understand why Ma Bangwen easily committed suicide. This is for himself or Lu Zhen behind him.

"I understand. We have to continue to investigate this matter. It seems that Lord Wei may have colluded with some local officials. This may be a chance." Li Ling quickly showed calmness again. After saying a few casual words, he brought the topic back to the relaxed point. "Brother Wan, you are here at the right time this time."

Wan Lang was not at all at a loss among these noble officials of the court, and he looked like he was smiling. He heard this and spat at Li Ling: "You will also say such sarcastic words. Think about how you have treated me in the past few years. It's such a heartless person."

The complaint caused everyone to laugh again, and Xu Cang could understand his resentment, so he helped persuade him: "Brother Wan, isn't Wen Zhong also because he can't help himself?"

"The previous things may be involuntarily, but what about it? Everyone will judge me. Do you know how busy I have been in the past few years? First, he was deceived from Huaibei to Beijing and helped him set up Zongheng Bookstore, and then there was a improvement here. He sent me to the southwest in one go. At that time, all the forces in the government had already managed to make the business. I just waited for me to go there and I could make the business.

"But the result is that I went to the southwest of the mansion called "Shiluolu". The government is okay, but the local government has some strength. The one who is really in charge is not a big family like the Long family. I really took great efforts to establish a good relationship with them, and finally made the business smoother. Then guess what?

"After he knew that I had succeeded, he went to the southwest to write a book and called me to Jiangnan. He said that there were more business opportunities in Jiangnan, and he was an official there, and there were big families like the Lu family and Xie family to help the aid of the auspicious service. I actually believed it at that time, but after he really went there, less than a year, he actually ran back to the capital and left me alone in Jiangnan. Tell me, is he a friend who cooperated with others like this and handed over all the difficulties to me, but he was a friend who was a hand-off manager?"

After this accusation, Wan Lang said the one who was wronged, but everyone next to him laughed. Because they also knew that Wan Lang was really happy with such "hardship" and enjoyed it. Now he was just complaining and asking for good things.

And what they know more clearly is that the Zongheng Trading Stores in these places have indeed achieved great development. There has been a Zongheng place in shopping malls such as the southwest and Jiangnan. With this result, it can be seen that he and Li Ling have achieved twice the result with half the effort.

Li Ling also smiled and said, "If you feel wronged, then I will compensate you, and I will give you another profit. By the way, there is also the next commercial development in Jinzhou, so I won't bother you this time..."

"What did you say?" Wan Lang was still smiling, but when he heard Li Ling's last words, he immediately jumped up, "You want to drive the commercial route to Jinzhou again?"

"Yes, some government officials over there have also had a lot of friendship with me. Since they are all ready-made and they lack trade routes, why don't we do it? Not only Jinzhou, but also other places in northern Xinjiang, you can also try it. If the fur, cattle and horses on the other side can be transported to the south of the Central Plains and Jiangnan, it should be a big deal. I originally wanted you to work harder, but since you feel wronged, let's forget it, I'll find someone else..."

"Slow down, how can you leave me alone?"

"Don't you feel it's hard? And I've also come back from there, at least I won't go again in a short time, just like the Southwest..."

"Then I want to go too. I have not been to Jinzhou and other places yet. Let me leave it to me." Wan Lang immediately patted his chest and hugged it.

"But you..." Li Ling looked embarrassed, but saw the other party step forward and said viciously: "If you don't want to hand it to me, we will break up!"

"That's true, but what I said before is giving you bonus points..."

"I don't want it."

"What about complaining?"

"Not even!"
Chapter completed!