Chapter 303: Suspension and Investigation
Sa Sa——
The autumn wind from the distant mountains blew into the county government office, and the bright golden chrysanthemums beside them shook like waves of wheat.
Zhao Duan looked carefully and saw the Taicang magistrate who was bowing to him. His expression was strange at first, but then turned calm: "Are you teaching me how to do things?"
The native Sun Xiaozhun did not understand the jokes from another world, and said with a serious face: "My lord, I don't dare to lower my rank. I only hope that your lord will put the 'overall situation first'."
"The overall situation is the most important thing," Zhao Duan seemed to chuckle, with an unhappy look on his face:
"Sun Futai, after all you said, don't you still want to protect yourself with the overall situation in mind?
You want to "I, I will accept the method you gave me and just go through the motions and not dig deeper? But you seem to have thought of one thing wrong. I am the overall situation here."
Sun Xiaozhun looked disappointed and self-deprecating, lowered his hands and said no more.
At this time, Qian Kerou's voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Sir, the chief envoy Gao Lian and the inspector Liu Ji have arrived."
It came quite quickly... Zhao Duan glanced at Magistrate Sun and said:
"Master Sun, please go out and explain. By the way, call Yushi Chen over."
Sun Xiaozhun sighed and walked out of the yard.
Russian qing.
Chen Hong, the imperial censor wearing a green robe with silver teeth, walked in with a solemn expression:
"Master Zhao, are you looking for me?"
Zhao Duan said "yes" and communicated with the deputy sent by Yuan Li: "Song Tiju has obtained the criminal evidence during the investigation, and I have obtained it."
After a pause, he didn't wait for the deputy, but in fact, the censor who was supervising each other showed a surprised look.
He continued:
"There are many clues in the evidence pointing to Linfeng's officialdom. I just talked with Sun Xiaozhun, and this guy's reaction was very interesting."
Chen Yushi, who followed Yuan Li in the Metropolitan Procuratorate for many years and had a sophisticated mind, asked curiously: "Interesting?"
"Yes," Zhao Duan put his hands behind his back and walked slowly into this patch of chrysanthemums, like a boat sailing through the sea of flowers, letting the branches and leaves sweep over the hem of his brocade clothes.
His tone was sad and his eyes were distant and deep.
After pondering for a while, he sighed inexplicably: "He sent me a large letter of nomination."
Haha, an excited rebuttal, seemingly sincere and sincere in saying that I can’t find out...
But Zhao Duan knows very well that in the officialdom, you should listen to one person's words and not to listen to the surface.
A person who can climb from the difficult Lingnan to the position of Taicang prefect at this age.
Will he really be as straightforward as he appears?
Heart and mouth united?
How is it possible.
Therefore, what Sun Xiaozhun really wanted to tell Zhao Duan during that performance was not at all what he said on the surface.
The relationship between the capital officials and the local officials was specifically mentioned earlier. The implication is that this case is not just a matter of the enfeoffed place, but a major matter involving the capital officials.
In the middle, it is said that the officialdom at the moment of closure is not clean, which is to express the position of local officials and the possible response of local officials in the future.
As for the last sentence, "Once you send it, you can't take it back." The meaning is too obvious.
As a prefect with a civil servant background, how could a scholar who was discussing articles with Song Juren make base mistakes in word choice?
“One attack cannot be recovered” and “one attack cannot be controlled” are two completely different meanings.
Just the wording of this sentence makes it too clear.
"This guy is reminding me to act quickly and not delay."
Zhao Duan looked at the distant mountains and said such an inexplicable sentence.
Immediately, he glanced at Chen Yushi who looked confused and smiled:
"Old Chen, it seems we have to close the net in advance."
…
The front hall of the county government office.
With an expressionless face, Sun Xiaozhun met with the two bosses who came in a hurry and briefly explained the matter.
The elegant and elegant Chief Minister Gao calmly listened and said:
"What did the imperial envoy say?"
Sun Xiaozhun was about to answer when he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from behind.
"Everyone is here, that's the best." Zhao Duan, dressed in brilliant clothes, stepped forward, with the censor beside him lagging half a step behind.
Gao Lian, a high-ranking member of the Imperial Guard, stood up quickly and said: "Imperial envoy."
Inspector Liu, who looked like a good old man and just wanted to goof off, also stood up:
"Master Zhao."
Zhao Duan's face was as dark as water. His eyes swept across the Yamen, which was tightly blocked by the cavalry, and finally landed on the three court officials in front of him.
He said in a cold voice: "According to my investigation, Wang Chusheng's case of embezzlement is very involved. The criminal and the informant disappeared mysteriously. The clues point to three people. In order to ensure that the investigation is not interfered with, I am now using the imperial envoy. All three officials have been suspended from their powers and duties, their moral integrity has been preserved, and they will be subject to investigation.”
With almost no pause, he ordered the Jinyi people of Lihuatang: "Kerou, your next task is to protect the three adults. During the suspension investigation, the three adults are prohibited from leaving Taicang Fucheng. Well, it's best. Don't wander around, just have a good rest at home or at the Yamen, and let your respective adjutants take over for you as soon as possible. Is there any problem? "
Qian Kerou and others in Jinyi clasped their fists and said with murderous intent:
"I obey my orders!"
Gao Lian and Liu Ji, who came in such a hurry that their buttocks were not even hot, were stunned. It felt like they were knocked unconscious with a blow.
The real imperial envoy was suspended from duty after meeting him for the first time?
Gao and Liu both turned their heads at the same time and looked at Magistrate Sun, who was also suspended for investigation.
Sun Xiaozhun laughed at himself and spread his hands:
"You also heard what the imperial envoy said to me."
Facing Zhao Duan, who held great power and had cavalry in hand, the three of them had no power to resist. They were quickly "protected" and followed the large army back to the capital.
Zhao Duan lagged behind. At this time, the princess, who had been quiet for a while, came over.
The two of them deliberately stayed behind everyone, and Master Lu and other guards also consciously kept their distance.
Xu Junling's delicate and satin-like skin seemed to be covered with a strange halo, just like the strange color in her eyes: "Are you really sure that you can solve the case in a few days? Just rely on Song Ti "The box of incriminating evidence left behind?" Zhao Duan looked serious and shook his head: "Of course they are not enough. They are just some assistance and some clues."
Xu Junling's beautiful eyes seemed to want to see through him and analyze him calmly:
"If there is no evidence, we will detain a second-rank official immediately. When the news spreads, the entire Taicang Mansion and even the Linfeng officialdom will be in turmoil. Whose case is investigated in this way?
Are you really not afraid of trouble down there?
You know, this is not the capital. This group of local officials is deeply entangled in the local area. If you arrest people, it will be okay for a short time. If it takes longer, the people below will cause trouble...
Hiss, before you enter the city, you mobilized two hundred cavalry. Isn't that just for this? "
Zhao Duan turned his head and looked at Bingxue, the princess who was smart and good at thinking.
After about two breaths, he laughed silently:
"The princess thinks too much."
Xu Junling didn't believe it and said resentfully:
"Are you always like this? People can't see through you."
Zhao Duan's eyes were bold, and he glanced from top to bottom at the princess's slender figure covered with clouds and mist under her long skirt. She looked at the slender figure rising from the peaks, and said with a playful smile: "When will the princess let me see you?" A thorough one?”
Xu Junling's eyes widened and he walked away angrily. This guy refused to change despite repeated admonitions.
This happens every time I don't want to answer her questions directly.
Zhao Duan laughed loudly and walked in the autumn wind. His eyes were calm and without emotion, looking at the red mountains. He thought:
The fire has been lit here, and he deliberately pulled the cavalry and ran away in front of everyone. The back and forth and the noise should have been enough to draw everyone's attention to him.
"I hope things go smoothly over there."
…
Wait for the imperial envoy to leave.
Song Juren and Wang Xiancheng, who had survived the disaster, just walked out of the county government office. They looked at each other in silence.
"Mr. Song!"
Teacher Xie, who was hiding near the county government office, walked out with lingering fear, "That was just now..."
The old man shook his head and said bitterly: "He is an imperial envoy."
The person who broke into Zhuangzi was Imperial Envoy Zhao... Xie Jiao's mind was buzzing and he was speechless.
…
The imperial envoy left and returned, and then entered Taicangfu City.
Immediately afterwards, an explosive news broke in the city.
Gao, Liu, Sun... all three adults have been suspended for investigation.
Outsiders didn't know the "real and fake imperial envoy" part. They only thought that the imperial envoy went to Taicang Silver Mine for an inspection, and when he came back, he cooked the top of Linfeng.
For a time, rumors spread and people were panicked.
afternoon.
The chief envoy who had come forward to appease the lower-level officials returned to his temporary residence in Taicang City.
As a senior official and chief envoy to Si Yamen, he was in the "Linfeng Mansion", but there was also a purchased residence in Taicang City for him to live in when he was on business trips.
This time, Gao Lian's family members did not come with him because of the case. Therefore, there were only a few accompanying servants and maids from the Gao family in this mansion.
Take care of his daily life.
"Master, are you back so early?"
The servants in the house were surprised when they saw Gao Lian coming back.
Gao Lian had no intention of explaining, so he waved his hand tiredly and walked straight to the study.
Pushing the door open and entering the house, this second-grade civil servant, who is young and strong, has a fair complexion, and his official robe and hair are not messy at all, closes the door.
First, he took off his official robe and put it on a shelf nearby. As for his official hat, it had been temporarily detained due to suspension of duty.
As a son of a noble family in the south of the Yangtze River, the Gao family was only a second-rate family.
Gao Lian's ability to reach this position relied to a certain extent on the support of his head wife, who came from a powerful family.
Perhaps because of this, in the eyes of outsiders, Gao Lian has always been known for his demeanor and rarely hangs out in romantic places.
He is also calm and reliable. Among the chief ministers of the Nine Paths and Eighteen Governments, his reputation is the best.
Anyone who has dealt with Gao Lian will praise him for his elegant demeanor and his unwavering calmness like a mountain during major events.
At this moment, this "immovable as a mountain" Confucian official sat in the Taishi's chair and took out the unsigned secret letter from the capital, Li Yanfu, from the drawer.
On the letter, Li Yanfu gave different strategies for dealing with Zhao Duan.
Gao Lian lowered his eyes and carefully examined the words on the paper.
"If he uses force and authority to investigate thoroughly, and intends to implicate others, then everyone in the city, civil and military, should know that if he pulls one hair, he will move the whole body."
Gao Lian read it for a long time, and from the cracks in the words, he could only read this golden saying: "Turn your own business into everyone's business."
"Here comes someone." Gao Lian said calmly.
The servant waiting at the door of the study came in:
"Master, what are your orders?"
…
at the same time.
Ten miles away from Taicang City, in a certain courtyard.
A member of the "Shadow Guard", an organization that serves as a subordinate to the royal family and is raised in the rivers and lakes to collect intelligence for the empress. He raised his head and caught a homing pigeon that fell from the sky in his hand.
With his backhand, he took out the latest order from the copper tube tied to the pigeon's red feet.
That was Zhao Duan's order.
(End of chapter)