Daqing: Reborn Prince, intercepting Si Lili at the beginning

"Your Highness, it's me!" Deng Ziyue grinned and replied loudly in a flattering tone.

"Commoner? Aren't you a chief clerk in the Inspection Office? Why do you call yourself a commoner?"

"Reply... reply to Your Highness, I am... I am..." Deng Ziyue's face was bitter, but he still wanted to smile.

Facing Li Chengyuan's questioning, he seemed to stutter, and after a few pauses, he finally spoke out: "Your Highness, just now, I have been expelled from the Inspection Office!"

"Oh? Fired?" Li Chengyuan asked in astonishment, "Why was he fired?"

"This...I don't know!"

"You don't know?" Li Chengyuan sneered. "As the Chief Clerk of the Inspection Office, you don't even know why you were fired. Isn't that a bit absurd? Didn't you take the initiative to ask?"

Deng Ziyue knelt on the ground, buried his face in his legs, and said in a shameful voice: "Your Highness, it's my fault for being incompetent. I'm not popular in the courtyard, so no one told me this!"

"Tsk!" Li Chengyuan shook his head speechlessly and said, "Deng Ziyue, I heard that you've been working at the Inspection Institute for more than ten years, but after more than ten years, you don't even have a single friend? Your popularity is really terrible, isn't it?

Oh, that’s not right. It can’t be said that he is unpopular. On the contrary, there is still Wang Qinian!

To tell you the truth, the reason I asked you to come here is because Wang Qinian recommended you to me and said that you are a talent.

I trusted Wang Qinian, so I called you here. Now it seems that you are a waste!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Ziyue felt even more ashamed and buried his head even deeper.

"I...I have failed Brother Qinian's kindness. This is all my fault. Your Highness, please don't blame Brother Qinian!"

When Deng Ziyue said this, his voice was choked with grievance.

Such a scene stunned both Old Huang and Wang Qinian.

They knew Li Chengyuan very well and knew his temperament well.

Unless it is a matter of principle, Li Chengyuan will never lose his temper easily, let alone insult others casually.

Li Chengyuan always attaches great importance to politeness and respect when interacting with others.

This was the first time they saw Li Chengyuan "humiliate" someone like this.

So they didn't quite understand, but they didn't say anything.

They believed that Li Chengyuan must have his reasons for doing this, so they didn't say anything and just watched silently.

Nangong Pushe didn't say anything either. She didn't know Li Chengyuan well enough, but she could see that Li Chengyuan was not a sarcastic or mean person.

Plus, she had an indifferent personality, so she didn't meddle in other people's business and just watched quietly from the side.

......

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant for a moment.

Li Chengyuan was silent for a long time before he spoke: "Deng Ziyue, I want to ask you, do you know why you are not so popular?"

"Common people..."

"Raise your head and speak to me!"

"Yes!" Deng Ziyue raised his head reflexively, revealing a pair of moist red eyes.

Deng Ziyue's eyes were moist, but the smile on his face never stopped.

He just smiled stiffly, knelt on the ground and answered with his hands clasped.

"Your Highness, it may be that I am a loner by nature!"

"Well, you are indeed a loner!" Li Chengyuan said calmly, "I heard that your Inspection Institute often receives all kinds of gifts, including delicacies from land and sea, pearls and agates, and everything else.

These things should be shared by everyone, but you refuse to take any of them. Why is that?"

Deng Ziyue's smile froze upon hearing this. He rubbed his hands, licked his lips, and replied with a mixture of sorrow and fear: "Your Highness, I do not like delicacies from land and sea, pearls and agates!"

"Don't like it?" Li Chengyuan sneered again: "Is this a question of whether you like it or not?

Deng Ziyue, you kneel down when you see people, smile a little when you speak, and are extremely flattering.

How could someone like you not know what it means to go along with the crowd and become corrupt? What does it mean to be like dust in the light?

You know exactly why you are isolated!

Because you are unique, because you keep yourself clean!

But then, I don't understand. If you want to be independent and keep yourself clean, why do you have to bend your knees and flatter me?

Since you have the determination in your heart, why don't you stick to it to the end?"

Hearing Li Chengyuan's words of bringing a knife and pressing him step by step, Deng Ziyue's smile became more and more awkward, and he became more and more panicked in his heart.

He forced a fawning smile and said with a hint of sadness, "Your Highness...Your Highness is right. I...I am ignorant. I have come to understand that the officialdom is like being in the dust! I will definitely change in the future, I will definitely change!"

"Change? Okay!" Li Chengyuan suddenly untied his belt.

His belt is just a decoration and his pants won't fall off when he takes it off.

Everything Li Chengyuan carries with him is extremely precious.

Just like this belt, it was produced by the Imperial Household Department and is extremely exquisite.

It is made of high-quality silk, embedded with 32 small jewels and jade stones, and the hooks are also carved from the finest jade. The overall look is gorgeous and noble yet round and smooth!

He took off the belt and handed it to Deng Ziyue, saying, "Deng Ziyue, you said you wanted to change. Okay, I'm going to give you this belt now. I'll also let you return to the Inspection Office. From now on, you'll be my vanguard, working for me. Are you willing?"

Deng Ziyue's face froze when he heard this!

Deng Ziyue knew very well that with Li Chengyuan's status and position, as long as he took the belt, even if he could not return to the Inspection Institute, he would be able to rise to prominence and enjoy endless wealth and glory from now on.

But Deng Ziyue was not tempted at all!

Deng Ziyue became more and more humble, but he never lost his inner perseverance.

Otherwise, he would not have never accepted bribes for more than ten years.

In fact, with his abilities, if he could truly "live among the light and dust", he would have been promoted and given a raise long ago, and would not be in such a miserable state like he is now.

So what he said just now was just to appease Li Chengyuan, but he didn't expect that he would force himself into a "desperate situation"!

Deng Ziyue trembled all over, then thudded down, kowtowed, and shouted, "Your Highness, I am incompetent and dare not accept the reward. Please bear with me, Your Highness!"

"Ha!" Li Chengyuan couldn't help laughing when he saw this. The smile was full of sighs and appreciation, but Deng Ziyue didn't hear it.

Li Chengyuan stood up, holding the belt, and walked to the desk beside him. He spread the belt flat on the desk, then took out a rare ink stick and began to grind ink. At the same time, he spoke again and shouted softly: "Deng Ziyue!"

"I'm here!!!" Deng Ziyue's eyes were red, he stood up straight, clasped his hands, and answered loudly.

Li Chengyuan lowered his head, grinding ink, and narrated calmly: "Deng Ziyue, born in a poor family in Dingzhou, once raised horses in the border army!"

Hearing this, Deng Ziyue seemed to be reminded of the past, and his eyes gradually became profound.

Li Chengyuan didn't look at him, continuing his own conversation. "Back then, a captain in the border army forged account books and defrauded government funds under the guise of buying horse feed. He fought his way through the encirclement and delivered the evidence to the Inspectorate. The director, in recognition of your bravery and integrity, granted you special admission. Am I right?"

Deng Ziyue's eyes were complicated, then he smiled bitterly and whispered, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry to make you laugh, Your Highness!"

Li Chengyuan glanced at him and continued, "Your family is poor, and you made a vow when you were young that you can be short of money but not of ambition.

Do you still remember how I stormed into the Inspection Office in Dingzhou, covered in blood, demanding justice be upheld?

"Reply...Reply, Your Highness!" Deng Ziyue finally couldn't hold back a tear, and shed a tear. He smiled with great sadness, "I remember, I...I remember!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengyuan suddenly stopped grinding the ink. He then raised his head, glaring at Deng Ziyue with eyes as sharp as knives, and asked in a stern voice, "Since you remember, let me ask you, do you think you were stupid back then?"

As soon as these words came out, Deng Ziyue's body trembled completely.

Both Old Huang and Wang Qinian felt a little sorry for it.

Even Nangong Pushe couldn't bear to watch it anymore and frowned...

But Li Chengyuan remained unmoved and continued to stare at Deng Ziyue, his eyes becoming increasingly fierce.

But this time, perhaps because he had been suppressing his anger for too long, Deng Ziyue was forced to face his inner self. He laughed, cried, and trembled as he uttered the words he had kept hidden in his heart for years: "How unfair the world is! To attract thunder with blood! Stupid, so what! Your Highness!"

"What a fool!" Li Chengyuan's eyes finally softened after hearing this. "Get up! Deng Ziyue!"

"Ah~?" Deng Ziyue uttered softly, seemingly unable to react.

Wang Qinian was perceptive and quickly convinced him.

Deng Ziyue staggered to his feet, still a little at a loss.

Li Chengyuan picked up a pen, licked the ink, and asked, "Deng Ziyue, do you know why you were fired?"

"Your Highness, I really don't know!" Deng Ziyue replied quickly.

Li Chengyuan said, "It's because I asked Dean Chen to expel you from the hospital!"

"Ah?" Deng Ziyue's expression became even more confused.

Li Chengyuan glanced at him, then picked up a pen and began to write on the inside of his belt, saying as he wrote:

"Deng Ziyue, I know you have integrity and don't want to go along with the corrupt.

You used to be passionate and enthusiastic, and you would point your finger at and scold anyone in the hospital who cheated their superiors and sought personal gain.

You once had the opportunity to be promoted to deputy director, but because you spoke out for justice, you were demoted again and again, and finally became an insignificant chief clerk!

I know you feel wronged and unwilling, but you are forced to bow your head because of the helplessness of life.

So I asked the Inspection Office to fire you, just to give you another chance.

Deng Ziyue, there is nothing wrong with having a righteous heart and speaking up for justice, but the prerequisite is that you have to have someone to back you up!

Now I ask you, if I become your backer, are you willing to find your former self again?"

"Ah?" Deng Ziyue uttered "Ah?" for the third time.

This time it was shock, fear, and uneasiness about the unknown.

He didn't know whether what Li Chengyuan said was true or false, nor did he know how to respond.

Li Chengyuan glanced at him, put away his pen, and waved to him.

Deng Ziyue looked at Wang Qinian beside him awkwardly.

Wang Qinian immediately nodded and let him pass.

Deng Ziyue took a breath, hunched over, and walked closer to Li Chengyuan.

Li Chengyuan stretched out his hand and pointed to the place next to him.

Deng Ziyue was stunned for a moment, then walked over again cautiously.