Chapter 310 Empress: I heard that you and the princess are very close
In the Imperial Garden.
Xu Zhenguan turned his head and listened to the report of the young imperial army. Even though he had expected it, he still couldn't help but be slightly distracted when he really heard the answer.
Well, roughly speaking, how many things has he done for himself in the past few months?
Every piece and every piece is beautifully finished.
Originally, she was a little worried about appointing Zhao Duan as the imperial envoy this time.
Both in the capital and outside the capital looked down on the Yu Dynasty, but they were two completely different worlds.
In the capital, under his own nose, the power Zhao Duan can rely on, the resources he can use, and the skills he can display are far more than what he can do as a dragon crossing the river in other places.
Even if she was given the authority to mobilize guardsmen and cooperated with the local shadow guards, she was still surprised to be able to return in triumph so quickly in the face of the complicated local situation.
"Zhao Qing, thank you for your hard work." The empress stared at him deeply for a moment and said softly.
"Why should I suffer to share your Majesty's worries?"
Zhao Duan resumed his dog-licking attitude and became impassioned.
Familiar posture, familiar taste.
Although, similar words are said by hundreds of officials in the court.
But the same words sounded particularly pleasant to his ears when spoken to him.
The corners of Xu Zhenguan's mouth raised slightly, and he nodded with satisfaction, feeling comfortable being licked.
She threw the towel on the tray, took a drink of water, waved her hand for the palace maid to take the plate away, and withdrew from the conversation.
"Let's take a walk and tell me about your experience."
Xu Zhenguan's red lips parted slightly, and her skirt moved towards the depths of the garden.
Ah... don't you give me a sip? I coughed too. It doesn't matter if you get His Majesty's saliva... I don't mind you being dirty... Zhao Duan looked at the tray with regret as he walked away, then turned to follow.
In the lonely imperial garden, there are also many chrysanthemums, but they are not as gorgeous as Taicang.
"Your Majesty, after I arrive in Taicang..."
Zhao Duan was half a step behind the empress. As he walked, he recounted his experiences during the trip.
He told the story very carefully, starting from how he used a "fake imperial envoy" to attract local officials and secretly visited Songjiazhuang to obtain evidence of his crime.
He went to the county government office to interrogate Magistrate Sun and obtained the latter's certificate of surrender. Later, he sent a shadow guard to find Wang Chusheng with a mirror, and made the final decision at the crab feast.
Tell it without any concealment.
Xu Zhenguan listened quietly without interrupting, but when he heard the end, his handsome brows furrowed as expected:
"Gao Lian...is it really him..."
Zhao Duan glanced at her carefully: "Has your Majesty already guessed it?"
Xu Zhenguan shook his head, nodded again, and said coldly: "I dare to put my hand into the silver mine, and it took many years for it to be exposed. I will never believe that this is something a mere county magistrate can do.
Wang Chusheng was promoted by Gao Lian, so he had doubts, but he was not sure in the end whether he really had such courage. Not only did he embezzle official money, but he also committed numerous crimes! Where is he now? "
Zhao Duan said truthfully:
"I have been taken to the imperial office to be imprisoned and awaiting my fate. Because I was in a hurry to return to Beijing, I only brought this man and Wang Chusheng back. The rest of the accomplices were under the custody of Sun Xiaozhun."
Xu Zhenguan nodded, sighed and laughed at himself: "Beijing has finally stabilized, and now it is the turn of the local officials to fall. The chief envoy... the chief envoy... how many Dayu are there in total?"
She looked calm on the outside, but Zhao Duan was keen to hear the empress' sadness and disappointment from this self-mockery.
Every important minister is a pillar supporting the dynasty. From the perspective of the empress, although there is indeed a saying that "one emperor and one minister".
But at least for now, a few years before she ascended the throne, when the dynasty was experiencing constant internal troubles, she still focused on wooing and appointing ministers left over from the old emperor's era.
Gao Lian is also one.
However, there are some contradictions that cannot be ignored.
Zhao Duan believes that if the case does not involve the "Taicang Silver Mine", it involves the key to the advancement of the "New Deal".
Even if she knew there was something wrong with Gao Lian, the empress might not make a move.
Maybe they would just send a mediocre censor to go through the motions and catch a few scapegoats.
However, Gao Lian stood in the way of the New Deal.
In other words, at this moment, the imperial court needs a high-ranking local official to serve as a warning to officials all over the world and to show the determination of the upper class.
And sending him to go there in person represents an attitude of thorough investigation, no matter how big a hole is made, no matter how big a hole is.
"That's all. Besides that, is there anything else you want to report?"
Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath and exhaled it to adjust his emotions.
After experiencing so many things, she has also made great progress in controlling her emotions.
"Oh, there really are a few." Zhao Duan said seriously: "Song Tiju, who sent the report letter, is still missing. According to Wang Chusheng, he disappeared before they took action. It is suspected that I hid it, but I still felt something was wrong.”
"Oh?" Xu Zhenguan asked curiously: "What's wrong?"
"It's hard to say," Zhao Duan said hesitantly: "I actually have no evidence, but I instinctively feel that it's not that simple. Just talk about the evidence he left behind. On the way back to Beijing, I also compared it repeatedly. After several times, I always feel that it is too...perfect."
"Perfect?"
"Yes, it's just too perfect. Except for not pointing to Gao Lian and other higher-ups clearly, the investigation of Wang Chusheng's related persons is very detailed. There is almost no need for any further investigation. It can be easily confirmed by arresting the people involved...
Your Majesty, I always feel that it is a bit too powerful for a mining class to lift a man without anyone noticing, and to be able to do this..." "...continue. "
“I can’t say for sure, the person is missing, and it’s difficult to confirm the speculation.
In short, I have told Sun Xiaozhun and the local shadow guards to continue the investigation in both light and dark lines. If he was really hiding, and now Gao Lian has been arrested, then Song Tiju should also appear. "Zhao Duan said.
Xu Zhenguan pondered for a moment and nodded:
"This matter will be put on hold for the time being. I will also send more shadow guards to investigate."
Zhao Duan nodded and said:
"The second thing is that I was intercepted and killed by the Dharma God Sect on my way back to Beijing..."
He recounted the story of the anticlimactic interception, and finally said tentatively: "Your Majesty, the thief retreated strangely, as if he had been beaten away by a powerful enemy. Do you know why?"
Hmm... Xu Zhenguan stared at him, feeling guilty for some reason, and said with a straight face:
"How do I know? Maybe there are differences among the thieves."
Well, she wouldn't say that it was because the Shadow Guards detected the movements of the Dharma God Sect and that a strong man was rushing to Taicang, so she urgently sent Eunuch Hai there.
This will easily make this kid feel more confident in the future, and make it even more obvious that he, the emperor, seems to care about him...
"That's it..." Zhao Duan said suspiciously: "I thought that His Majesty sent experts to protect me secretly. It seems that I am overly concerned."
Empress: "..."
Zhao Duan turned around and said, "But why did the Dharma God Sect intercept and kill them? This is more important."
Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and said, "Do you doubt Prince Jing?"
Zhao Duan didn't say anything, which was regarded as acquiescence.
As far as he knew, the Dharma God Sect had some connections with the Tianshi Mansion and was founded by a priest from the previous generation who defected and ran away.
But he was not hostile to the imperial court.
To rashly attack the team, the easiest thing to think of is Prince Jing's Mansion.
After all, Liang Zi had already formed a friendship... Zhao Duan twice arrested Prince Jing's secret spies in the capital, and even dug out the ghosts in the Privy Council. The old and new grudges were...
"I know and will start investigating. You don't have to worry." Xu Zhenguan said in the tone of a domineering female CEO.
Well, she planned to wait for Haizhong to return to the palace and ask carefully.
Zhao Duan said: "That's all for the most part. I have nothing else to report."
"Really?" Xu Zhenguan suddenly glanced at him: "Think about it again, did you miss anything?"
ah?
Zhao Duan shook his head blankly:
“I don’t know why your majesty is asking. Could you please give me some indication?”
Xu Zhenguan looked at him, her beautiful eyes turned twice on his face, and said jokingly:
"Don't you want to explain about my sister?"
Oops... Could it be that Zhenbao knew about the content of my oral pleasure?
Zhao Duan was shocked, but immediately felt that the possibility was very low. Xu Junling did not dare to say such a thing.
He looked magnanimous and said righteously: "The princess did follow the team for a while. I had already asked the shadow guard to report it, thinking that she is your majesty's sister after all, so it's hard to refuse..."
"That's not what I'm talking about," Xu Zhenguan interrupted him and said without saltiness:
"Jun Ling seems to be very interested in you."
Zhao Duan spoke sternly: "Your Majesty, I have indeed noticed that the princess is trying to drive a wedge between me and your majesty. However, my heart for your majesty can be learned from heaven and earth..."
Xu Zhenguan asked casually and jokingly, but she didn't expect his reaction. She looked embarrassed and annoyed, and the beauty pretended to be angry, with a unique charm:
"Are you talking nonsense? Do you really think I won't punish you?"
Zhao Duan lowered his eyebrows, as well-behaved as a little wolf dog, and looked extremely aggrieved.
"...Well, I know you are loyal. That girl in Junling has the most evil thoughts. I will naturally know right from wrong."
Xu Zhen looked at the hurt look on his drooping eyebrows, her heart softened, and her tone became a little gentler:
"You have been working hard outside this time, so go home and rest first."
After a pause, he added: "However, I'm afraid there will be a follow-up that requires your participation."
Zhao Duan raised his head: "Your Majesty is referring to..."
"Convict Gao Lian," Xu Zhenguan's expression became serious:
"How to convict a chief envoy is not something I can say. Tomorrow morning, the matter will be discussed at the court, and then handed over to the three departments for review. Only after a clear investigation can the charges be confirmed."
Zhao Duan was not surprised.
The dismissal of a high-ranking official cannot be attributed to what he, an imperial envoy, said or calculated.
Corresponding evidence, witness testimony... the entire case must be tried once in Beijing and checked to prevent the imperial envoy from forging evidence and causing an unjust case.
But when the empress said this, it seemed to have another meaning.
"Your Majesty is saying that someone will obstruct it?" Zhao Duan asked.
Xu Zhenyuan nodded and said something similar to Xu Junling: "Gao Lian is a member of the 'Li Party'. Li Yanfu will not sit idly by and ignore this time. If he wants to convict Gao Lian, there will be many obstacles. Since you are the imperial envoy on this case, it is difficult to get rid of it. However, now that I have returned to Beijing, I will arrange for people to handle these matters, and they may not involve you...
In short, we will discuss it later depending on the situation at the DPRK meeting tomorrow. "
(End of chapter)