Chapter 310 Empress: I heard that you and the princess are very close
Chapter 310 Empress: I heard that you and the princess are very close
In the Imperial Garden.
Xu Zhenguan tilted his head to listen to the report of the small imperial guard. Even though he had expected it in his heart, he still couldn't help being distracted when he actually heard the answer.
Well, roughly speaking, how much has he done for himself in just these few months?
Each and every piece was completed extremely beautifully.
Originally, she was somewhat nervous and worried about the appointment of Zhao Duan as the imperial envoy.
The capital and the outside world seem to be both in the Dayu Dynasty, but they are two completely different worlds.
In the capital, under his own nose, the power Zhao Duan can rely on, the resources he can mobilize, and the skills he can display are far greater than if he were a dragon crossing the river in other places.
Even though she was given the authority to mobilize the soldiers of the garrison and cooperate with the local shadow guards, she was still surprised that they could return triumphantly at such a fast speed in the face of the complex 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 bother to share your majesty's worries?"
Zhao Duan resumed his dog-licking attitude and became very passionate.
Familiar posture, familiar taste.
Although, similar words would be said by all officials in the court.
But the same words, when spoken to him, sound especially pleasant.
The corners of Xu Zhenguan's mouth curled up slightly and he nodded with satisfaction. He felt comfortable being licked.
She threw the towel on the tray, picked up the water and took a sip, waved her hand to let the maid take the plate away, and left the conversation range.
"Let's go, and tell me about your experience."
Xu Zhenguan opened her red lips slightly, and her skirt moved towards the depths of the garden.
Ah, this... Won't you give me a sip? I coughed too, and it doesn't matter if it gets on your Majesty's saliva... I don't mind that you're dirty... Zhao Duan looked at the tray going away with regret, turned around and followed.
There are also many chrysanthemums in the lonely imperial garden, but they are not as gorgeous as those in Taicang.
"Your Majesty, after I arrived at Taicang..."
Zhao Duan lagged behind the empress by half a step, and as he walked, he recounted his experiences of the trip.
He described it in great detail, starting from how he posed as a "fake imperial envoy" to attract local officials, secretly visited Songjiazhuang, and obtained evidence of his crimes.
He went to the county government office and interrogated Magistrate Sun, obtaining his letter of surrender. Later, he sent a shadow guard to find Wang Chusheng with a mirror, and the final word was settled at the crab feast.
He told the story without hiding anything.
Xu Zhenguan listened quietly without interrupting, but when he heard the end, his handsome eyebrows frowned as expected:
"Gao Lian... is it really him..."
Zhao Duan glanced at her carefully: "Your Majesty has already guessed it?"
Xu Zhenguan shook his head, then nodded, and said coldly:
"I don't believe that a mere county magistrate could dare to probe into the silver mine and uncover it after many years.
Wang Chusheng was originally promoted by Gao Lian, so he had doubts, but he was never sure whether this man was really so bold. Not only did he embezzle government money, he also committed numerous crimes! Where is he now? "
Zhao Duan said truthfully:
"They have been taken to the imperial court and detained, awaiting their fate. Because we are in a hurry to return to the capital, we will only bring this man and Wang Chusheng back with us. The rest of the accomplices will be guarded by Sun Xiaozhun."
Xu Zhenguan nodded, sighed and said self-deprecatingly:
"The capital has finally been stabilized, and now it's the turn of local officials to fall. The governor... the governor... how many are there in Dayu?"
She seemed calm on the outside, but Zhao Duan could keenly hear the empress's melancholy and disappointment from her self-deprecation.
Every important minister is a pillar supporting this dynasty. From the perspective of the empress, there is indeed a saying that "a new emperor has his own ministers."
But at least for now, in the few years before she ascended the throne, when the dynasty was plagued by internal troubles, she still focused on winning over and appointing ministers left over from the old emperor's era.
Gao Lian is also one.
However, some contradictions are destined to be impossible to ignore.
Zhao Duan believed that if this case did not involve the "Taicang Silver Mine" and the key to the promotion of the "New Policy".
Even if she knew that Gao Lian had problems, the empress might not take any action.
Perhaps they would just send an ordinary censor to go through the motions and catch a few scapegoats.
Unfortunately, Gao Lian stood in the way of the new policy.
In other words, at this moment, the imperial court needed to use a high-ranking and powerful local official to serve as a warning to officials across the country and demonstrate the determination of the upper echelons.
Sending him there in person itself represents an attitude of thorough investigation, no matter how big the hole is, it will not matter.
"That's all. Apart from that, is there anything else you want to report?"
Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath, exhaled, and calmed himself down.
After going through so many things, she has made great progress in controlling her emotions.
"Oh, there are indeed a few." Zhao Duan said seriously:
"The Song Tiju who sent the letter of complaint is still missing. According to Wang Chusheng, he disappeared before they took action. I suspect he went into hiding, but I don't think it's right."
"Oh?" Xu Zhenguan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"It's hard to say," Zhao Duan hesitated and said:
"I actually don't have any evidence, but I instinctively feel that it's not that simple. Take the evidence he left behind, for example. On my way back to the capital, I compared it several times and felt that it was too...perfect."
"Perfect?"
"Yes, it's just too perfect. Apart from not clearly pointing to Gao Lian and other upper-level officials, the investigation of Wang Chusheng and his associates is very detailed and there is almost no need to do any more investigation. It would be easy to prove the case by arresting the suspects...
Your Majesty, I always feel that it is really amazing that a mining tax official can do all these things without anyone noticing..." "...Go on."
“I can’t say for sure. The person is missing and it’s hard to confirm my guess.
In short, I have told Sun Xiaozhun and the local shadow guards to continue the investigation. If he is really hiding, now that Gao Lian has been arrested, Song Tiju should have appeared. "Zhao Duan said.
Xu Zhenguan pondered for a moment and nodded:
"Let's put this matter aside for now. I will also send more shadow guards to investigate."
Zhao Duan nodded and said:
"The second thing is that I was ambushed by the Fashen Sect on my way back to the capital..."
He recounted the ambush that started off well but ended badly, and at the end he asked tentatively:
"Your Majesty, the bandits have strangely retreated, as if they were driven away by a powerful enemy. Do you know why?"
Hmm... Xu Zhenguan was staring at him, feeling inexplicably guilty, and said with a stern face:
"How do I know? Perhaps there are disagreements among the thieves themselves."
Well, she wouldn't say that it was because the shadow guards detected the movements of the God of Law Sect and that some strong men were fleeing to Taicang, so she urgently sent Eunuch Hai there.
This would easily make this kid fearless in the future, and it would also make it seem like the emperor cared about him a lot...
"Is that so..." Zhao Duan said suspiciously:
"I thought that Your Majesty had sent experts to secretly protect us, but it seems that I was overthinking."
Empress: "..."
Zhao Duan then said, "But why did the Fashen Sect kill us? This is more important."
Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and said, "Do you suspect Prince Jing?"
Zhao Duan said nothing, which was considered as his agreement.
As far as he knew, the Fashen Sect was somewhat connected to the Tianshi Mansion and was founded by a certain priest of the previous generation who defected and fled.
But they were not hostile to the imperial court.
If we were to rashly attack the team, the first place that comes to mind would be Prince Jing's Mansion.
After all, the feud had already been formed... Zhao Duan arrested the secret agents of Prince Jing's Mansion in Beijing twice, and even dug out the traitor in the Privy Council. The new hatred and old grudges belonged to...
"I know about it and will start an investigation. You don't have to worry about it." Xu Zhenguan said in the tone of a domineering female CEO.
Well, she planned to wait for Hai Gongfeng to return to the palace and ask him in detail.
Zhao Duan said: "That's basically it. I have nothing else to report."
"Really?" Xu Zhenguan suddenly glanced at him and said, "Think about it again. Is there anything I missed?"
what?
Zhao Duan shook his head blankly:
"I don't know what your majesty is asking. Could you please give me some advice?"
Xu Zhenguan looked at him disdainfully, her beautiful eyes moving around his face twice, and said jokingly:
"Don't you want to explain about my sister?"
Oh no... Could it be that Zhenbao knew what I said?
Zhao Duan was shocked, but then he felt that the possibility was very low. Xu Junling would not dare to say such a thing.
He looked open-minded and said righteously:
"The princess did follow the team for a while. I had asked the shadow guard to report to her. I thought that she was your Majesty's sister after all, so it would be hard to refuse..."
"That's not what I'm talking about," Xu Zhenguan interrupted him, saying indifferently:
"Jun Ling seems to be very interested in you."
Zhao Duan said righteously:
"Your Majesty, I have indeed noticed that the county lord is trying to alienate the relationship between me and Your Majesty, but the feelings I have for Your Majesty are evident to heaven and earth..."
Xu Zhenguan had originally asked casually and jokingly, but he didn't expect his reaction to be so embarrassing. The beauty pretended to be angry, which was quite charming:
"What nonsense are you talking about? Do you really think I won't punish you?"
Zhao Duan lowered his head and looked submissive, as well-behaved as a little wolfdog, with a look of extreme aggrievedness on his face.
"...Okay, I know you are loyal. Jun Ling is the most cunning girl. I will naturally distinguish right from wrong."
Xu Zhen looked at his wounded expression with drooping eyebrows, and his heart softened, and his tone became a little gentler:
"You've had a hard time out this time, go home and rest first."
After a pause, he added: "However, I'm afraid there will be follow-up, and I'll need your participation."
Zhao Duan raised his head: "Your Majesty, you mean..."
"Convict Gao Lian," Xu Zhenguan said with a serious expression:
"How to convict a provincial governor is not something I can decide on my own. Tomorrow morning, we will discuss the matter and then hand it over to the three courts for trial. Only after the investigation is thorough can the charges be confirmed."
Zhao Duan was not surprised.
The fall of a high-ranking official naturally cannot be decided by what an imperial envoy like him says.
The corresponding evidence, witness testimonies... the entire case must be tried and verified in Beijing to prevent the imperial envoy from fabricating evidence and making a false case.
However, when the empress said this, it seemed to have another meaning.
"Your Majesty, are you saying that someone will obstruct us?" Zhao Duan asked.
Xu Zhenguan nodded and said something similar to Xu Junling:
"Gao Lian is a member of the 'Li Party'. I'm afraid Li Yanfu will not sit idly by this time. If you want to convict Gao Lian, there will be many obstacles. Since you are the imperial envoy in this case, it is difficult for you to clear yourself. However, since you have returned to the capital, I will arrange for people to handle these matters, and you may not be involved...
Anyway, let's see what happens at tomorrow's court meeting."
(End of this chapter)