An anonymous report letter, which was thought to be insignificant, turned out to be even more surprising clues during the investigation process.
Yushi Zhongcheng, Lord Qi, was so busy that he was overwhelmed by all kinds of clues that could not tell whether they were true or not, so he had to ask Ji Daogong's eldest son Ji Xuanxian for help, and the two worked together to sort out all kinds of clues about Gu Huaijiang.
"Master Ji, it's really puzzling to put so many unfavorable clues to Gu Houye. I don't believe that Gu Houye will collude with Xikun to collude with the enemy and treason the country."
Master Qi became angrier as he tidied up, he simply sat down on the chair, poured himself a cup of tea and rested for a while.
Ji Xuanxian was still reading the documents before the case, and he read every page very carefully. Hearing this, he raised his head and glanced at Lord Qi, "Why is Lord Qi so sure? My father once said that some people are innocent or dirty, and it is often not with the eyes." What can be judged is only tangible evidence that will not deceive people.”
When Master Qi heard him mentioning Ji Daogong, he immediately sat up straight, "Old Master Ji is certainly right, but..." He paused, and looked at Ji Xuanxian suspiciously, "Could it be that Master Ji thinks that Gu Hou has the possibility of collaborating with the enemy? Or what did Master Ji say to you?"
Ji Xuanxian put down the documents, stretched his muscles and bones a little, and sat down beside Master Qi, "Master Qi, don't get me wrong, my father doesn't ask about the affairs of the court when he is sick, so naturally he didn't say anything to me. As for me... I believe in Mr. Qi just like Lord Qi." Hou's character."
Master Qi looked at him thoughtfully, as if he had doubts about his Ji Daogong not asking about the government.
After a while, he asked again: "Since Mr. Ji also believes in Gu Hou's character, what are you doing looking through those messy documents? Let's not investigate those clues that are obviously forged at a glance. In the end, he claimed to investigate If there is any problem with Gu Hou, don't we just end it?"
Ji Xuanxian nodded while thinking, seeming to agree with his opinion, but he didn't seem to agree with him on closer inspection.
Lord Qi frowned suspiciously, and Ji Xuanxian said: "I read those documents carefully, not to find evidence of Gu Hou collaborating with the enemy, I know it will never be found. I want to find clues to those who forged those evidences, including We still don’t know who wrote the initial report letter.”
He glanced at Lord Qi, "Master Qi doesn't want to know, who is framing Gu Hou? Not only framing Gu Hou, but also playing us by the nose like fools at Yushitai, which is tolerable or unbearable ?”
Mr. Qi nodded slowly, "I also have this intention, but after checking this report letter, I can't find any clues. It seems that the people behind the scenes are powerful, and they do everything without leaking. It's scary to think carefully!"
Ji Xuanxian smiled, noncommittal.
Mr. Qi always felt that his smile was a little weird, he seemed hesitant to speak, and said: "Master Ji, is there anything you can't tell me? I am about the same age as you, and I have worked with your father, Mr. Ji, for seven years. Eight years, we have known each other so well, can you still not trust my character?"
Ji Xuanxian hurriedly said: "No, no, Mr. Qi misunderstood. I don't know how to say something. I'm afraid that if I say it, it will cause trouble for you and me, and I'm afraid that Mr. Qi will not be happy when he hears it."
"Hey, just say what you have, there is no one else here except you and me. No matter what you say, God knows what you know, I will never be unhappy!"
Ji Xuanxian hesitated for a moment, "Okay then. Master Qi said just now that the people behind the scenes are powerful, please think about it carefully, how powerful are the ministers at Yushitai from the time of the first emperor to the present?"
Master Qi thought for a while, "Yes, wasn't the old prime minister one of them? Who else is stronger than the prime minister?"
Ji Xuanxian smiled, "Unless there are spies in Yushitai, who deliberately confuse the public and fish in troubled waters, we are helpless. Or, this person's power is far greater than that of the old prime minister back then. Can't do it?"
Lord Qi jumped up from the chair immediately, his face was horrified, he pointed at Ji Xuanxian and was speechless for a long time, "You, you are alluding to...you!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly heard footsteps outside, and a group of palace servants came in to deliver an order, "According to His Majesty's oral order, call for an audience in the Royal Study Room of Yushi Zhongcheng, Lord Qi."
Lord Qi subconsciously looked at Ji Xuanxian. At this moment, he understood that Ji Xuanxian's hint was probably true...
"My humble servant greets His Majesty."
"Oh, is Qi Qing here? Sit down, sit down and talk."
Ning Chengzhi was lying on the couch in the inner room, when he saw Master Qi turn over and lay down on the couch, he changed to a sitting position, and politely asked Master Qi to sit down and talk.
Sir Qi knows that he is not a king who treats his courtiers with courtesy, so being so polite today further confirms Ji Xuanxian's hint.
He couldn't help sweating on his brow, bowed and cupped his hands, "Return to Your Majesty, I will answer while standing. If Your Majesty summons my ministers to order, I will do my best to fulfill them."
After finishing speaking, he raised his eyes subconsciously, and found that the bruise on Ning Chengzhi's face had healed up a lot, but his cheeks were slightly swollen, which had not completely subsided.
Ning Chengzhi was no longer polite when he saw him being modest, and looked in a good mood.
I don't know whether it's joy because the injury on his face is almost healed, or joy because of the reason for summoning Mr. Qi.
"I heard that Yushitai took over a big case, why didn't Qi Qing come to report it to me?"
Master Qi hurriedly said: "I am terrified. I don't know which major case your majesty is talking about. Please let your majesty clarify."
"Huh? Are you still pretending to be stupid with me?"
Ning Chengzhi got up from the couch, took a writing brush on the desk, and went to play with the thrush in the golden cage under the round window, "Aside from the matter of Gu Hou, is there any minister in the court who is concerned?" Is it a big case?"
Beads of sweat rolled down, Mr. Qi's forehead seemed to be scorched by fire, but his heart was as cold as if he had sunk into a cold pool.
He was almost sure that Ji Xuanxian alluded to the person who framed Gu Huaijiang as His Majesty, and this conjecture was true.
The thrush was teased by the brush and hid back and forth, but unfortunately the golden silk cage was only so big, it couldn't dodge completely no matter how reluctant it was, so it had to whine twice reluctantly.
Ning Chengzhi laughed loudly, "It takes me a long time to tease this broken bird before it sings. If it didn't sing so well, I would have been impatient to tease it."
Lord Qi raised his head and looked at the bird in the cage with pity, thinking that Ning Chengzhi couldn't even tell whether the bird was singing or whining, how stupid he was.
After a pause, his voice was much calmer than before, "Reporting to Your Majesty, someone maliciously reported Gu Hou's matter, and what he said was not true. That's why I didn't report to Your Majesty. I am now preparing to do my best to investigate and write anonymously. Who is the person who reported the letter? If a person who framed Zhongliang in the court, if he is also a minister in the court, he will definitely endanger your majesty's country. I ask your majesty to issue an order to order the Dali Temple Investigation Department to assist... "
"Snapped!"
The writing brush was thrown to the ground forcefully, and the heavy sound interrupted Mr. Qi's narration.
Standing on the side, Eunuch Chi gasped in fright, subconsciously stepped forward to pick it up, and saw that the delicate golden hair on the tip of the pen had been thrown into a mess, a good pen worth hundreds of gold just broke like this.
He thought it was a pity in his heart, holding the pen and looking up, Ning Chengzhi's face turned blue, "Bold, are you guilty?!"
Plop, plop, the two voices came one after the other, Lord Qi and Eunuch Chi knelt down in fright at the same time.
Ning Chengzhi glanced at Eunuch Chi displeasedly, and the latter realized that he was not scolding him, and quickly stood up from the ground.
Master Qi knew that he was scolding himself, and he understood that he was becoming angry from embarrassment, so he straightened his back, "My humble minister is stupid, dare to ask Your Majesty, what is the crime of this humble minister?"
Ning Chengzhi held his breath in his heart, and secretly scolded this Yushi Zhongcheng for being so stupid. Yushitai's gang of old people are so stubborn, they deserved to be trained by that old goblin Ji Daogong.
If it weren't for Ji Daogong's meritorious service in controlling the eldest prince, and now he is sick in bed, he would have thought of a way to get rid of Ji Daogong long ago.
I don't want Lord Qi to be even more blind, he walked back and forth impatiently, and it took a while before he said, "What I mean is, you haven't carefully investigated Gu Hou's affairs, so why do you say it's not true? Maybe it's true? How big a crime is collaborating with the enemy and treason, and you dare to say that he is innocent if you just check it? If it turns out that Gu Hou is guilty, will you Lord Qi want to bury him with him?!"
It is impossible for Gu Hou to be guilty.
Master Qi almost blurted out this sentence, but fortunately he didn't say it, he reluctantly handed it over, "Then what is your majesty's suggestion?"
Ning Chengzhi subconsciously cast his gaze on the screen, looked at it for a while, and then turned to Master Qi and said, "In this way, the two cases will be investigated together as one, seriously investigate! If Gu Hou is innocent, let the anonymous informant Find out the Fa-rectification, and if you are guilty, you must not be tolerated!"
He looked behind the screen again, and then said: "As you wish, I will send Dali Temple to assist you Yushitai, and we must investigate this case!"
Lord Qi frowned, not knowing why Ning Chengzhi was so angry when he heard that he asked Dali Temple to assist in the investigation, and now offered to assist in the investigation.
No matter what, with Dali Temple in charge of the investigation together, Gu Huaijiang's scapegoat can be cleared up faster.
Lord Qi respectfully agreed, Ning Chengzhi waved his hands impatiently, sat back on the couch, and Lord Qi slowly stepped back and left.
After he left, there was a noise behind the screen, and Yin Shuo came out from behind.
In the warmth of early spring, he was wearing a robe with a high collar. Ning Chengzhi took a closer look, "What are you wearing? What's wrong with your neck?"
After finishing speaking, he stretched out his hand and saw that Yin Shuo's skin was covered by his collar, his skin was purple, it looked like he was pinched so hard by someone.
Ning Chengzhi was taken aback, "How did this happen? Someone wants to kill you? Tell me, and I will uphold justice for you!"
Yin Shuo said indifferently, "It's the Moon Fox Doctor."
"Oh, it's her."
Just now he was talking about the person who upholds justice for Yin Shuo, and when he heard that it was Yuehu, he immediately threw his promise to Java, "If it's her, then don't worry about it, the people in Immortal Valley have always been so casual. Yes. She is Yufu's senior sister, and she has cured my face, so it's not easy for me to punish her."
Whether it was because of the reasons he said, or because Yuehu was so beautiful that he couldn't bear to punish him, Yin Shuo knew.
Fortunately, he didn't intend to do anything to Yuehu at first, so he said: "Your Majesty, you were too excited in front of Lord Qi just now, but you seemed guilty of a villain. You are the emperor, the king wants to die, and the minister has to die, let alone the minister for you You have produced so many evidences of Gu Hou collaborating with the enemy, why should you feel guilty?"
Ning Chengzhi muttered: "I don't want Gu Hou to die. Although I don't like his high position and power, I can't deny that peace can be kept at Dongling's border forever. I just use him as a threat. Yufu, when Yufu agrees to establish a queen, I will still respect Gu Hou as the head of the country."
He has always been naive, thinking that if he is in-law, there will be no serious relationship, and that Gu Huaijiang will not be a threat if he becomes the head of the country, just like his trust in Yin Shuo.
Yin Shuo smiled at the corner of his mouth, a cold smile that had not yet formed and fell down.
Ning Chengzhi suddenly said: "By the way, why did you let me agree to Dali Temple's co-investigation? That Pei Zheng in Dali Temple is famous for his integrity, and he lives up to his name. There is also the Investigation Bureau, which is very powerful in investigating cases, and put this matter to the test. If we leave it to Dali Temple for investigation, I'm afraid it will ruin our plan."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty."
Yin Shuo was confident, "I already have a more suitable candidate for Dali Temple Minister than Pei Zheng, and I am going to recommend it to Your Majesty. Your Majesty can just find a reason to transfer Pei Zheng from his original position, and then replace this person."
Ning Chengzhi asked curiously, "Who are you talking about?"
"The former Minister of Rites, Liu Zhen, is the father of Ms. Liu Ruyi and Liu."
"Liu Ruyi?"
Ning Chengzhi was confused, he had a vague impression of the name Liu Ruyi, but he couldn't remember who it was, "Who is this Liu Ruyi?"
Yin Shuo looked at him fixedly, "It's Liu Ruyi who offended Princess Zhenjiang at the New Year's Eve banquet and was bestowed to death by His Majesty."
…
"How unreasonable! Cough cough..."
"Father, you have to take good care of yourself, and don't get angry about big things."
Chen Chuxiu patted Chen Ge on the back. The latter coughed violently for a while, and said intermittently: "Your Majesty actually listened to Yin Shuo's slander, and dismissed Pei Zheng, Minister of Dali Temple, without asking the cabinet. It is called a promotion." , but sent such a loyal minister to do idle work. On the contrary, it is Liu Zhen, who is not a four-six-year-old, why should he be the Minister of Dali Temple?"
Elder Chen Ge was heartbroken, "So what if you kept the cabinet back then? Your Majesty was still coaxed by Yin Shuo, how could you take us elders seriously? I am a cabinet minister, but I can't be loyal to the country. It is better to die !"
"Father, what nonsense are you talking about!"
Chen Chuxiu was not polite, and it was useless to persuade him with gentle words in his heart, so he simply took up the posture to accuse Mr. Chen Gel, "You are only concerned about gaining a virtuous name when you die, and abandoning Dongling's country and court. No? You are Yin Shuo's biggest stumbling block in the cabinet, if you die, wouldn't Yin Shuo just be proud?"
"My lord, how can you say that about Master..."
The servant stepped forward to dissuade him, but was pushed away by Chen Chuxiu, "Don't persuade me, anyway, I will soon become an orphan with no one to take care of, can't I just say a few more words to vent my anger? Father, you taught me since childhood I want to be in the mirror with Sheji and the Lord, you don’t care about taking care of yourself and only want to die, is this called loyalty?"
Chen Gel was ashamed by what he said, and gradually calmed down, no longer looking for life or death.
Chen Chuxiu sighed helplessly, then stepped forward to help his old father up, and said in a gentle tone, "Okay, okay, I know that my father is loyal, but he is ashamed by the dark court situation in front of him." , isn’t it? It doesn’t matter, we still have hope, there are still many good people in the court, like Master Gu and Princess Zhenjiang, aren’t they still desperately trying to save the situation?”
Chen Gel stood up slowly, covered his chest with one hand, and looked at Chen Chuxiu with a strange look.
After a while, he said slowly: "You have grown up, even if your father is really dead now, you can rest assured."
How can I say that I still want to seek death
Chen Chuxiu was very anxious, but fortunately, Chen Ge quickly said: "Don't worry, I understand for my father. Although my father's own strength is weak, I can't just abandon the young Majesty like this. Your Majesty is not old enough. It's easy to be seduced by treacherous ministers, so if I don't assist, can I let that villain Yin Shuo assist?"
"If you don't watch the villain lose power and His Majesty repents, my old bones will never be broken!"
Chen Chuxiu breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good if you think about it this way, what is old and not old, look at how old Mrs. Ji is, and he is still standing in the court!"
While talking, a servant came in and preached: "My lord, there is a young girl outside the door who wants to see you and says she is your friend."
"My friend? What's she like?"
The servant recalled for a moment, "She was wearing ordinary clothes and came on foot. She doesn't look like a lady from a prominent family."
Chen Chuxiu had an idea in his mind, but he wasn't quite sure, so he got up quickly and said, "Okay, I'll go out now, you take good care of father."
－－－－－Off Topic－－－－－
Yuehu's name is the same as Tianshu's, both are the names of stars, and I want them to get along with each other haha.
The name of this constellation was originally called Xinyuehu. I thought it was a bit unorthodox to use it as a name, so I changed it to Yuehu.
ps These chapters are high-energy, don't miss them.