Li Shangzhi, the Minister of Justice, was a Jinshi of the same term as former Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Song Wenjie. The two still had some friendship, but later they each had their own masters and gradually became distant.

Li Shangzhi was the Minister of Justice, Song Wenjie was the Minister of Revenue, Li's family was a second-rate family, and Song's family was a poor peasant family.

The Li family's rulers were very smart all the time. They were in charge of the Li family and did not participate in any forces. Otherwise, they would not be a second-rate family now. But it was precisely because of this that the Li family avoided several disasters.

The aristocratic families that were comparable to the Li family’s strength at the same time now have few left behind, and most of them have long been lost in the public. Only the Li family has been safely passed down from the previous dynasty to the present.

The people of the Li family only do things and never participate in the battle for the throne in each dynasty. Therefore, the Li family is highly valued by the current emperors in every dynasty, and the Li family is not proud of it. The children of the Li family still do whatever they want, but instead become more humble.

The Li family also organized training, and the Li family women did not enter the palace or marry the royal family. The same is true for men. The Li family did not marry the royal family. This has been passed down from the first generation of the Li family who rose.

Moreover, in each dynasty, there were only a dozen people from the Li family who entered the court to serve as officials. The other children each managed their own things. Some were doing business, some were specializing in learning, and some worked as carpenters. In short, there were people from the Li family in all walks of life.

Li Shangzhi is the highest rank among the children of the Li family who are now in the court.

When Li Shangzhi was reviewing the file, he saw Song Wenjie's file and stopped unconsciously. He recalled the past. He was full of energy and young students, who made friends with each other due to fate, liked each other, and became friends with each other.

But things are impermanent, people are always changing, and the little love gradually fades away. The person who imagined the future together has now taken the wrong path and entered prison.

Li Shangzhi couldn't help but sigh again. He advised Song Wenjie at the beginning, hoping that he would not participate in anything, even the children of his aristocratic family could hide as far as possible. He didn't understand why Song Wenjie, a person without any background, had to come over instead.

I still remember the man replied to him at that time, "I know you are for my own good, but because I don't have any background, this is my advantage. Wealth and honor are in danger, I don't want to give up any opportunity. Brother Li, you will never understand the desire and determination of a poor child to make a name for himself."

Li Shangzhi took back his mind and continued to review the remaining files. After all the files on the table were reviewed, he sent all the reviewed files to Emperor Changping, returned to the yamen, and after going to the yamen, Li Shangzhi finally went to the prison of the Ministry of Justice to see Song Wenjie.

After the case was handed over to the Third Department for trial, all the people involved were transferred from the prison of the secret guard to the prison of the Ministry of Justice.

Li Shangzhi asked someone to prepare simple meals, wine and drinks, and took a food box to the prison. The prison of the Ministry of Justice and the prison of the secret guard were similar, but there were differences in some small details.

Under the leadership of the prison officer, Song Wenjie walked out of the prison and went to a cleaner room. There was a person sitting on the only round table in the room facing away from the door.

The officer brought Song Wenjie over, took off the handcuffs from his hands, and left. Song Wenjie stood at the door and looked at the person sitting in the room. The man stood up and turned slowly. Song Wenjie saw his face.

Li Shangzhi stood up when he heard the sound behind him, turned around and saw the person standing at the door.

The two of them looked at each other for a moment and then laughed. Li Shangzhi reached out and made a gesture of invitation, "Brother Song, please."

Song Wenjie walked in with a smile, walked to the table and sat down, "Thank you, Brother Li, I am willing to treat me to a meal at this time and drink a pot of wine with me."

"We have been old friends for many years, why don't we want to?" Li Shangzhi filled Song Wenjie's wine glass with wine, and his own glass, "It's not a famous food, I just have a few home-cooked side dishes. I hope Brother Song will not dislike it."

"Hahaha, this is the most hearty meal I've ever had in these days."

Seeing that Song Wenjie had no intention of being forced, Li Shangzhi laughed, his tone was full of joy and a hint of regret that he could not hide. "We have been in the past for many years and have not sat and drank like this."

"Yes, it's been many years." Song Wenjie picked up the wine glass and touched Li Shangzhi, and drank it all in one go. "We were all young and energetic when we were drinking together."

"No, the days were really a rare relaxed and pleasant experience." Li Shangzhi filled the two of them with wine and "eat vegetables".

While eating, the two recalled the youth they had in the past, with yearning and reminiscing on their faces, "Although life was very hard at that time, I felt at ease and had a bright future in my life. Later, this person's heart gradually became unsatisfied."

Li Shangzhi heard Song Wenjie's slightly self-deprecating tone, and he couldn't help but ask him, "Do you regret it?"

Hearing Li Shangzhi's question, Song Wenjie's hand holding the chopsticks paused, and the smile on his face fell a little. He put down the chopsticks and thought for a while before Song Wenjie smiled and said to Li Shangzhi, "Do you regret it? Regret, but if I had done it again, I would still do this."

Li Shangzhi looked at him and waited for his next sentence. Song Wenjie did not hang him, "Because, even if I do it again, if I don't remember these things now, I am still the same me, and I can still not suppress the greed in my heart, and the arrogant and inferior poor student who longs for success and power. So if I don't do it again with the memories I have experienced in this life, I will still choose this and do this."

Li Shangzhi looked at Song Wenjie. The person in front of him was one of the few people he recognized. Although the two embarked on two different paths and had a different ending, their original interaction was out of their original heart and without any impurities.

Li Shangzhi asked him again, "Is it worth it that you have committed all the crimes for him?"

"Is it worth it? Actually, there is really no question of whether it is worth it, but I have reasons to do this." Looking at Li Shangzhi, Song Wenjie told him very seriously, "Brother Li, don't ask again, knowing too much is not good for you."

Li Shangzhi asked this not to say that he wanted to know anything. He was thinking that Song Wenjie was not worth it, but because of this friend.

Song Wenjie picked up the wine pot and filled the wine for himself and Li Shangzhi. "Today I will use the wine you brought with you, Brother Li, toast you. We may not have the chance to sit and drink like this again in the future. Let's take care of it." After that, Song Wenjie picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, got up and bowed to Li Shangzhi, and walked out.

Li Shangzhi also drank the wine in the glass, and also clasped his fists and "take care". He watched Song Wenjie walk out, raised his hand and handcuffed him with the officers, and watched him turn his head and smile at him. This smile made Li Shangzhi see the Song Wenjie he had first met.
Chapter completed!