Xinghe secretly cried out that it was bad luck to meet Zuo Zhaoyi again. This woman had been quite smart before, but since the case of Princess Xialing's mansion changed direction, she became desperate and began to squeeze her vigorously. In fact, if she had superb means, she should have kept it secret at this time. It would be difficult for others to push down the disfavored queen, but it was not impossible for her. She spared no effort to make enemies, wouldn't she be surrounded by enemies? After all, it is better to offend a gentleman than a villain like her.
Xinghe also felt tired. After all, she had been running on the road and her stomach was feeling heavy. This is a common problem for girls.
The Qian Hu and the Dong Gong soldiers brought by Xinghe could only guard outside. The clerk opened the door, carefully led a lamp inside, and lit the lamp stand in the depths. The lamp stands here were also different from those outside. They were all covered with sheep horn covers to prevent water from leaking. After the last cover was put on, the clerk bowed to them and said, "I am a junior official who has not entered the official ranks. According to the rules, I cannot stay here. I will take my leave now. I will not go far, but wait outside the door. If the two adults have any questions, just summon me." After saying this, he bowed again and slowly retreated.
Xinghe came out of the greenhouse palace, thinking as he walked, how to make Queen Hui rely on the Su family. Suddenly, a voice came from the front, cold and sharp, and chuckled, "Who is this? I haven't seen Lord Su come over to pay respects for a long time, but the queen ran faster than anyone else as soon as she was conferred the title."
The Privy Councilor still looked serious and bowed to her, "My Lord Su, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Xinghe smiled, a bitter smile, and while planting rice, he bowed solemnly, "I pay my respects to Her Majesty. I have been very busy and have not been able to go to Her Majesty's Fengchu Palace. Today, I came to the Greenhouse Palace early to congratulate Her Majesty at the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I have to go to the government office later. As the year draws to a close, the number of cases has suddenly increased, and I am extremely busy."
The group hurried into the torture chamber, and as they had agreed yesterday, they asked the maids and servants to identify the person. Xinghe sat in the armchair and warned loudly: "Watch carefully, if you identify him, you can escape the crime. If you don't, you will be falsely accusing an official appointed by the court and will be beaten to death on the spot."
Everyone trembled in fear, and when they heard "yes", they received mixed responses.
The snow has stopped and the sky is showing signs of clearing up. It is recorded in books that the winter solstice is when "yin reaches its extreme and yang begins to grow". After the winter solstice, everything starts to revive. This snow is probably the last one of this winter!
She said no, these are enough. Thinking that the prince had never tasted this thing, he looked incredulous when she told him last time, this time she must let this treasure who grew up in a golden nest see it. Huo Yan also needs to use the things served, so someone must have tried the dishes before coming, so it is relatively safe. After taking it back and washing it and testing it again, it will not be a big deal, let the country bumpkins in the imperial city see what local dishes are.
A group of people turned their horses to prepare to leave the city. In the distance, they heard the sound of horse hooves. Looking back, they saw a team of imperial guards in black clothes and silver armor galloping towards them. Ye Jinchun, who was riding a pony at the end of the team, came forward and said, "Sir, the master is busy with the machine and can't spare time, so he transferred the imperial guards to you for your use."
If it was the soldiers' leftovers, she would not dare to eat it, but since it was cut and cooked directly, there was nothing to worry about.
It was hard to tell whether this was a compliment or criticism. Xinghe just smiled and said, "Whether it's the inner court or the outer court, they are all here to share the worries of the master. But once you step out of the palace gate, you will realize how vast the world is. Being an official in the outer court is much more interesting than being in the inner court."
She said it was okay, took the reins and shook them, "Master Huo, let's get going now."
Xinghe liked this kind of helplessness, and soon decided that to deal with Huo Yan, she must not eliminate him, but must win him over. Before Xinghai suggested this to her, she was still hesitant, but now that he was in front of her, she was shaken, and it turned out that she liked his style.
There were quite a lot of people accompanying them, both leading people, and there were more than a dozen of them. It was the first time in history that the Control of Military Affairs and the Privy Council had joined forces. In terms of their hearts, the Control of Military Affairs was the pawn of the emperor, so it was inevitable that they would be looked down upon. But the case involved them, and they had to support it. Isn't this just helplessness
Zuo Zhaoyi turned away, and Xinghe left with a few words. He tucked his sleeves in and looked at her back with an expression that seemed to be both crying and laughing.
Cao Zhan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly smiled bitterly. The general's loud voice almost made the prison collapse with laughter.
She asked Xu Xingzhi and Jin Ci to accompany her, and took two or three other soldiers with her. They were ready to mount their horses and headed straight for Deshengmen. Deshengmen was the closest to the northern army camp. If the snow stopped, she could make the round trip in two hours. Since she had an appointment with someone, she couldn't be late. If she was late, it would seem that she didn't know the rules, so she got there early. Take a look at the scenery of the capital. There were pedestrians coming and going at the city gate. It was almost the end of the year, and there were many small vendors carrying loads. Occasionally, you could hear the sound of children setting off firecrackers. With a bang, the New Year atmosphere was already vaguely felt.
She was eating happily, and turned to look at the pickled vegetable bowl beside her. "I like this, let me take it back." She called Jinci, "Give me two dollars, I'll buy it."
A queen, as long as her position is not shaken, is much more valuable than an unappreciated prince.
She yawned and covered her mouth. "Then I will go back to the palace first. You guys should have a good rest. Tomorrow I will go to the government office to close the case and send it to the Twelve Departments for reexamination. Then my job will be done."
The heavy door was mostly closed, leaving only a gap half the width of a person. There were only a man and a woman left in the stall, and the atmosphere was a little awkward, but they were all officials, and they didn't like petty things. After a moment of silence, Huo Yan pointed to the west and said, "The military pay archives that Lord Su wants are all on the shelf over there. But the number is too large, and if we want to move it out, I'm afraid we have to send someone in to carry it."
Huo Yan had experienced her sharp tongue, but looking at this person in broad daylight gave rise to a completely different feeling. Seeing her smile, he was embarrassed to keep a straight face, so he just raised the corner of his lips slightly, which was considered a return gesture.
She wrapped the melon rind in oil paper and carried it in her arms. But in the eyes of the Privy Councilor, this girl was hopelessly greedy. He looked at her sideways and said, "Leave it to the captain. Lord Su doesn't have to carry it himself."
However, the prince was very protective of his children. The guards of the Eastern Palace could not be moved at will. This time they were sent here with great fanfare. No wonder she looked upset.
Cao Zhan had looked down on the female official at first, but this time he suffered a loss and had to give in. He hung his head and said, "Master Su, I just want to know who wrote the secret letter to denounce me. Even if I die, I will let the truth be known to the ghost."
Huo Yan turned his head and looked at her, "Master Su, do you have any instructions?"
The captain and the guards answered in unison, and she turned her horse around and headed south at a leisurely pace.
Huo Yan said: "That's not what I meant. I just think that place is too cold and gloomy, and it would be inappropriate for the girl to be on duty there."
He put down his bowl and chopsticks and went out to take a look. Great, Ye Jinchun hadn't come back yet, and the Crown Prince hadn't made any movement. The edict to confer the title of Empress had just been issued today, and the government affairs were so busy, so he probably couldn't take care of it.
Zuo Zhaoyi snorted and sneered, making people's backs cold. "I also know that you are now a noble and busy person. Thinking back to when she first entered the palace, the little girl was so smart and well-behaved. She even knew to thank me for allowing the daughter of the Su family to have the honor of entering the Prince's Eastern Palace..."
Huo Yan nodded slightly, bowed, and then went his separate ways.
He nodded slightly, "Sir Su is the first person ever to rise from the inner court to the outer court."
She smiled slightly and watched the leader coming on a tall horse. She suddenly felt shy and raised her hand unconsciously to quietly adjust her collar.
A girl with a strong temper doesn't like to be constrained by others. He also understands the prince's temper. Although the relationship between the two is almost set in stone, according to his analysis, if Su Xinghe really becomes the prince's private property, there is absolutely no chance for her to show up in public. One is protective, the other is impatient... He smiled slightly. The men of the Huo family are always clear about love.
Xinghe said goodbye to the Privy Councilor and repeated his polite words. The listener still looked indifferent. He replied, "Don't be polite, Lord Su. I am also to blame for the negligence of the Northern Army. If there is still any need for me, Lord Su, please speak up."
Speaking of those East Palace guards, the prince really took great pains. Huo Yan didn't comment, just smiled. Xinghe didn't care about it anymore, packed up the necessary documents and said to Huo Yan: "That's all, Lord Huo, put down the lamp, we can go out."
She nodded, "Then let's give it to you all to sign." She looked outside the tent and saw that it was getting light. She stroked her burning forehead and smiled at the privy councilor sitting in the armchair, "Because of our government's affairs, you have been unable to sleep all night."
It was a waste of talent for a dignified Privy Councilor to hold a lamp for others. Xinghe felt embarrassed and said, "Thank you, Lord Huo."
It was just that she was nervous, but he wasn't. "Does this record match the number?"
She ate millet porridge with melon rinds, chewing them with a loud crunch. As she ate, she said, "This is a good thing. I used to eat this when I was a child. Unfortunately, I can't eat it anymore after entering the palace."
Just as he was about to go to the prison, Jiang Chengzi muttered to himself as he walked: "Wouldn't the queen be granted amnesty? Then should we still investigate this case?"
Then they checked overnight and summoned officials from various departments for questioning. They compared their confessions with the documents and files one by one and found too many omissions that didn't match. Xinghe turned his head to look at the scribe who was making the petition, "Did you write down everything?"
After he blamed himself, the soldiers naturally acquitted him. Money is nothing to a friend of life and death. Not to mention defaulting on payment, even if he didn't pay, he would still be full by eating the wind. This is the loyalty of a man.
She said a lot of words without saying anything, and every word hurt her heart. What vice queen? This title was more embarrassing than a slap in the face. Zuo Zhaoyi blushed instantly. Someone else was the queen, and she had to clean up the mess. The prince had no good intentions at all and was clearly trying to humiliate her. She finally understood that the Su family had picked up a high branch and was probably the new queen, so they dared to choke her with words. She used to be the head of the harem, but now she had to endure such a humiliation, and she even went to the greenhouse palace to "ask for an audience". It was unnecessary!
Xinghe took a deep breath and then exhaled deeply, leaving a blur of white in front of his eyes.
How could this lady be so short-sighted? She came all the way, but turned back halfway. Everyone in the harem congratulated the queen, but she didn't. Was she being arrogant, or was she deliberately trying to make things difficult for the queen? Sometimes it was easy to win, not because of one's own skill, but because the opponent was too stupid. As for Zuo Zhaoyi's unyielding character, she wouldn't have to bother to deal with it in the future, because those who took advantage of her misfortune would trample her to pieces.
The fireman sighed, "I rented a melon field outside the city in the summer. There were too many melons and we couldn't eat them all. So we scraped the red flesh inside and kept the skin to make pickles. Don't worry, sir. I washed the melon skin with water for ten times. It's clean and not pickled. You can eat it without worry."
He didn't say anything, but raised his chin to indicate that he was busy with her own business. Xinghe was flipping through the documents in her hands, her eyes fixed on them, but her mind was empty. This was her first time being alone with a man other than the prince, and she felt uncomfortable all over. She was so close, and the smell of sweet pine on his body drifted over, making her feel flustered and short of breath.
Huo Yan looked at her. She seemed to be in a proper manner when doing things, but she was a girl after all, and her nature would be revealed inadvertently.
Xinghe said, "I am here only to check the files. I am not in a position to interfere in military affairs. I will follow Lord Huo's arrangements."
Xinghe turned around and saw that the bleak street scene was suddenly infused with bright colors, which had a pleasing effect no matter whether the person coming was Huo Yan or not.
Xinghe said, "I am so sorry to trouble Lord Huo again this time."
"Sir Su has never marched before, so he doesn't know how serious it is. It has just snowed and the roads are slippery. If the horse stumbles, it will be too late to fix it. Sir Su's eagerness to complete the mission is understandable, but your own safety is also important, so please remember this."
She was bouncing on the horse, walking against the wind like a man, with her cloak fluttering behind her. It would take some effort to catch up with her. At such a fast speed, the people accompanying her had to run along with her. It was getting dark when she arrived at the Northern Army camp. The first thing that greeted her when she dismounted was Huo Yan's warning.
Xinghe groaned for a moment, "I shouldn't tell you, but since we are colleagues... she is your legal wife."
Maybe there is no one at home who needs to be informed, so it doesn’t matter where I spend the night.
The clerk said, "It's all recorded."
She was leaving the city in the afternoon, so she sent Ye Jinchun back to report to the prince. If she happened to catch him in the inner court, and the timing was not right, she couldn't be blamed for executing him first and reporting later.
Xinghe felt dizzy and could only sigh: "Forward this to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Su Xinghe thanks you."
She stopped her temper and apologized shyly: "I seem to be too hasty, please forgive me. It is precisely because I am a female official that I look very glorious, but in fact I am also timid. For example, there are tens of thousands of soldiers in the Northern Army. If Lord Huo does not show up, Lord Nan may come, but if I come, no one will take me seriously. After all, I am a woman. Officials in Beijing save face, but it is not the same in the army. It is inconvenient for female officials to work, and there is nothing we can do about it. So you see, our master specially sent the Eastern Palace’s personal soldiers to come, and he is also afraid that I will suffer."
Xinghe said, "I guess I won't bother you anymore. Thank you for today. I'll close the case another day. I'll treat you to a drink."
Jin Ci wanted to take out his wallet, but Huo Tou Jun quickly declined, "It's our honor that you like it. These are worthless things, how can we ask you for money? Just take them. If you are not satisfied, there are plenty more in the kitchen."
Xinghe naturally noticed his subtle expression. Later, the tent of the Northern Army commander was full of soldiers. She saw him asking questions at the top and listened quietly without interrupting. She thought to herself that Nan Yushu was indeed cunning. These Northern Army soldiers had fought in the battlefield in the past. The prestige of the Control Rong Division was well-known in the city, but no one in the army believed them. If Huo Yan did not come forward this time, they would have no other way out except to hit a wall. If Huo Yan could not be invited, Lord Nan would definitely not come. Then he would throw the case to her and let her chew this hard bone. If she could not chew it, the Jinyi Envoy would not be good at doing things, and she would have something to say in front of the emperor - women, after all, are not good enough to be officials.
Xinghe came out of the torture chamber, and Jiang Chengzi followed him and asked, "We haven't found out who wrote the secret letter yet. How did you determine that it was Madam Cao?"
They were silent for a long time. She gradually calmed down and suddenly heard him ask, "How many years has Lord Su been in the palace?"
She was trembling with fear the first time they met, but her mood was completely different the second time. Xinghe stroked her face. She had never felt that being looked at by a man could make her feel flustered and short of breath. She felt embarrassed and uneasy, so she pulled up the collar of her cloak to cover most of her face.
She didn't have any romantic thoughts at the moment. Look at these nail-like East Palace guards, and then look at Huo Yan... He had a playful look on his face. She felt it was a great pleasure to sweep his face, so she kicked her horse's belly and rushed out first.
Xinghe thought that this woman was probably crazy. Was she determined to fight to the death? In that case, she didn't have to be polite. If Zuo Zhaoyi insisted on putting herself and her son in such a dangerous situation, it was all up to her.
Seeing the dark shadows under her eyes, Xu Xingzhi said, "Cao Zhan's case can be convicted based on these evidences and testimonies. My Lord, you were busy all night last night, so go back and rest today."
She glanced at him and said, "Do you know how to break through the prisoner's defenses? Just use the person he trusts the most to stab him in the heart. Think about it, even his own wife has testified against him, but the situation is over. What else can he deny? He has confessed everything."
Jin Ci looked around and finally spotted a group of people on the long street. He called out, "Sir, the Privy Envoy is here."
Xinghe was still bowing at first, but after she finished speaking, she stood up straight and said gently, "I am still grateful to your majesty. Without your majesty, I could not enter the East Palace, nor could I become the Jinyi Envoy. At that time, your majesty saw that the prince had no one to take care of him, so she sent me there. Or maybe you knew that the late queen would definitely pass away, and the prince would be helpless sooner or later, so you ordered me to take care of the prince day and night. Otherwise, with the friendship between your majesty and the late queen, how could you have thought of this. Now I am serving my master conscientiously, and fortunately I have not failed your majesty's orders. I can also explain to your majesty. As for the queen, I will go to see her first. He kept saying that he had picked up someone else's loose ends, and it seemed that he knew it very well. Is your majesty going to ask for an audience? I'll explain it to you later. Regardless of whether it was a loose end or not, it has already come to this, and it's fate. The last time the emperor and the prince talked about the selection of the empress, he was afraid that the Right Zhaoyi was too mediocre and could not bear this important responsibility. The prince still has your majesty in his heart, so he recommended your majesty to the emperor as the deputy empress, and asked you to help with the affairs of the central palace. Your majesty has worked hard and made great contributions over the years, and everyone in the palace knows about it? This time, I also secretly feel sorry for your majesty. You have worked hard for so many years, but you didn't even get the title of deputy empress... It's a good thing that the prince has this intention, otherwise who would dare to remind the emperor of this. You are now legitimate this time, and your identity will not be embarrassing when you take charge of the affairs of the palace for the queen in the future.”
Everyone stared at Xinghe blankly. Xinghe curled his lips and said, "Don't be lazy. Even if there is a general amnesty, Cao Zhan has nothing to do with it. At most, we can spare his life. It is impossible for him to be reinstated."
Huo Yan inquired about military affairs and appointed someone to temporarily replace Cao Zhan. "When the case is resolved, the court will naturally reappoint him. General Wei embezzled military pay, which harmed the interests of all of you. You have been in the military for many years, but you have suffered losses because of this. In detail, it is my fault."
"Master Su, do you think it's interesting to be an official in the Ministry of Military Control? This office is in charge of criminal justice."
The clerk handed the sorted documents to Xinghe for review. After confirming that they were correct, they packed them up. At this time, the east was already bright. Originally, they were going to rush back to the city immediately, but the fireman came in with a wooden barrel and said with a smile: "It's rare for the general and Lord Su to come to the Northern Army. They have worked hard all night and can't return to the capital on an empty stomach. We don't have anything good to treat you here. We'll cook sorghum and millet. After the adults are warm, we can set off again."
The most gentle thing about a girl is her shy smile. A girl interspersed among the experienced generals is like a flower on a weapon. Even though she comes from the cold-blooded military control department, she still makes people feel novel and full of energy.
The candle flame was too far away, so she took a lamp from the lamp stand. However, it was not convenient to hold the lamp in one hand and flip through the documents with the other hand. She was wondering whether to put it on the shelf, when Huo Yan took it from her and held it to light the way for her.
Huo Yan waved his hand and said it was okay, "We couldn't sleep for days and nights during the march and battle, so this one night is nothing."
After leaving the palace, she went straight to the Military Control Department. When she entered the door, several thousand households were waiting. She apologized for being late. "Today, the imperial edict to crown the queen was issued. The palace is very busy."
She turned her eyes and glanced at him, "I thought the Privy Councilor was different from others. It turns out that he also thinks that women are not qualified for the job of the Military Control Bureau?" The rebellious spirit in her bones was aroused again. After all, the only one in the world who could look down on her was the Crown Prince, but no one else could.
Maybe she reacted too hastily and said too harshly. Today, he had made this trip in the cold wind for her work for the Control Army Department. If he hadn't come, they wouldn't even be able to enter the Northern Army camp.
She was calculating secretly and ate in a hurry. They had agreed to meet at Deshengmen. She had not left the city for many years. Whether she was handling a case or doing anything else, she was like a child, unable to hide her joy.
He frowned, his expression was a bit like Xinghai. Xinghe blushed immediately and stammered: "I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself once I got on the horse. I think I was too restrained in the city for too long... Thank you for your advice, Lord Huo. Fortunately, I didn't get into trouble. I will be more careful on the way back. Lord Huo, please don't laugh at me."
Xinghe said that it was not necessary. "As long as it is from the last two years, it will be fine. Please ask Lord Huo to be a witness and take two volumes back for use during the trial."
What good would the food in the army be? But Xinghe saw the juicy pickles on the plate and asked, "Is this melon rind?"
Then there is nothing else to discuss, it was just a polite remark. Huo Yan's heir came and took the key to the guard room, which was the place where the entire army's confidential information was kept. All the military defense, border defense, military orders, and secret orders of the past years were recorded here, so only important personnel were allowed to enter to prevent the leakage of military secrets.
Xinghe responded vaguely: "Almost..."
This group of people were originally waiting in the upper room. They served Cao Zhan in all his small and big movements, and even carried the hot water in after the incident. They could recognize Cao Zhan at a glance, not to mention Cao Zhan in clothes, even if he was naked. So dozens of hands pointed at Cao Zhan's face, and the concubines who were dragged to watch realized that the situation was hopeless, and they all covered their mouths and sobbed.
Jiang Chengzi blinked his eyes and was about to praise the Lord for his brilliant plan when Qingwei came back and reported that the Lord's words had been conveyed to the Privy Councilor and Lord Huo said they could set off in the afternoon.
Xinghe said: "It will be eleven years in February next year. The years in the palace are peaceful and quiet. It seems like they passed by in the blink of an eye."
The way back was even harder. The snow melted and turned into mud. It took an hour to get here, and it would take twice as long to get back. The horses' hooves stepped on the snow and bubbles came out. After finally entering the city gate, I looked at the tall horses, all of which had black paws.
Of course it was not a joke, as it was rare for a woman to be so courageous. His impression of her had always been that she was valiant, and now this impression was even deeper. Her valiantness was coupled with her reckless drive. This female official was indeed a rare ruthless character in Dayin.
Cao Zhan's face was filled with rage. It was really sad for a general to end up like this. Xinghe touched his nose and said, "General Cao, you have bitten off more than you can chew. Just have a few concubines. You have kept ten concubines at once, and you have eaten up half of Dayin's territory."