After Xiao Zimu returned to the inn, he arranged for Yin Guangbo to sign for the seeds outside.
He returned to the room, and then unfolded the small piece of paper that had been held in his hand for a long time and was slightly moist.
The note said that at the second watch tonight, Lu Zhongfu arranged for the carriage left for Xiao Zimu to take him to a place. He had important things to inform His Majesty the Seventh Prince.
Xiao Zimu then burned the note and walked out of the room. Pretending to be nonchalant, he led Yin Guangbo and the others to distribute the seeds according to the number of tenants in the city and the total number of seeds. One by one, the tenants were asked to register and sign to receive their share of seeds.
It wasn't until nightfall, at the agreed time, that even Xin Ya was pushed away by him, and Xiao Zimu secretly headed to the carriage outside the inn alone.
Anyway, there are hidden guards sent by the emperor to follow, so there is no need to worry about safety.
The groom was already waiting there. He saw Xiao Zimu coming out from a distance, opened the door, bowed respectfully to him, and then helped him get into the carriage.
After he got in the car, he didn't remember the route.
If you want to know, you can ask the hidden guard afterwards.
Therefore, he calmly let the coachman drive.
About half an hour later, the carriage stopped.
The groom called him respectfully from outside: "Your Highness, we are here."
Xiao Zimu opened the car door. The groom helped him out of the car and led him towards a courtyard in the suburbs.
After he entered the courtyard, only one room was lit with candles.
He was led into the lighted room, where Lu Zhongfu fell to his knees with a plop and called to him: "Your Highness."
He glanced at Lu Zhongfu, found a chair, sat down, and then told him: "If you have anything to do, get up and talk."
Lu Zhongfu said yes, stood up and took out an official document booklet that was exactly the same as the customized grain price.
When the groom saw this, he grinded the grinder for him. Lu Zhongfu took out a pen and wrote the normal food price document on it. Then he signed his name in the lower right corner of the document and stamped it with his steward's seal.
After the pen and ink were dry, he showed it to Xiao Zimu for review.
"What do you mean?" Xiao Zimu glanced at him and looked at him suspiciously.
"Has your Highness clearly seen the price of food here?" Lu Zhongfu asked respectfully.
"Of course I can see it clearly." Xiao Zimu was a little impatient.
"Your Highness, don't be impatient. You will know as you read on." After Lu Zhongfu finished speaking, he put the document on the table.
He dipped his index finger into a little water in the cup and began to rub it gently above the signature in the lower right corner of the document.
After a while, a corner popped up in the place he was rubbing. Lu Zhongfu pinched the raised corner with his index finger and thumb and tore it open completely.
The page with the words on the document was suddenly removed.
The remaining page only had the signature and steward's seal in the lower right corner, but it was blank.
When Xiao Zimu saw this, he suddenly understood that this was where the trouble lay.
No wonder Zheng Zhongguang is still like a fool and firmly believes that his documents cannot be priced like that.
"Your Highness, this is what Mao Xianchun did." Lu Zhongfu picked up the document from the table and presented it to Xiao Zimu respectfully.
Xiao Zimu took the document and looked at each blank page at the back. It was indeed a little thicker than the usual paper.
But if you hadn't looked carefully, you wouldn't have discovered that this page actually has two layers.
The length of the top layer of paper is just above the signature on the bottom layer.
In other words, as long as the price of food is written on the top layer of paper in a normal way, Zheng Zhongguang can be deceived into signing it and stamping it with the official seal.
After going out, Mao Xianchun only needed to lift off the top layer.
Then the blank page at the bottom can be priced as he likes.
But the signature is still Zheng Zhongguang's.
The official seal also belongs to Zheng Zhongguang.
If something happens, Zheng Zhongguang will naturally be blamed.
Xiao Zimu snorted coldly, these people really do anything to make money.
If Lu Zhongfu hadn't come here specifically to report the matter, this document would have been irrefutable and Zheng Zhongguang would not be able to deny it.
"How did you find out?" Xiao Zimu raised his eyes and looked at Lu Zhongfu.
Lu Zhongfu didn't say anything, but he knelt down again with a 'plop'.
Xiao Zimu raised his eyebrows and looked at him.
"My slave is guilty. This document was made by a villain." Lu Zhongfu kowtowed to Xiao Zimu to plead guilty.
"Since it was you who did it, why did you come and tell me secretly?" Xiao Zimu didn't understand at this moment.
Seeing the irrefutable evidence, the culprit wants to take the initiative to plead guilty
"The previous generation of the villain's family was born into tenant farmers. One time when the villain's father was cooking, he accidentally steamed some tissue paper.
At that time, rice paper was not available at home, so my father used this paper for me to practice calligraphy.
Over time, the villain learned how to steam the tissue paper.
Later, the villain's son also started to learn calligraphy. In order to save paper, the villain attached this layer of paper to the rice paper.
One time I happened to be seen by Mao Xianchun, and not long after, he asked me to make an official document for him.
How dare this villain do it? He refused at that time, and Mao Xianchun walked away angrily.
A few days later, the villain received a letter from Master Xue.
The letter asked me to make an official document for Mao Xianchun, but the villain refused.
However, I really dare not refuse Mr. Xue.
The villain originally came out of the Xue Mansion and was placed next to Master Zheng by Master Xue.
The villain cannot and does not dare to disobey Master Xue's orders. "After Lu Zhongfu finished speaking, he kowtowed to Xiao Zimu again.
"Xue Xiuguo?" Xiao Zimu asked with a frown.
"Yes, it is Xue Xiuguo, the governor of Wanzhou." Lu Zhongfu nodded in response.
"Isn't he Zheng Zhongguang's father-in-law? Why did he collaborate with Mao Xianchun to trick his son-in-law?" Xiao Zimu was puzzled.
"This servant doesn't know that when His Highness ruined Master Zheng's son's full moon banquet, he sent a letter to inform Master Xue. Unexpectedly, the content of his reply to the villain was to instruct him No one should reveal the document, and we can wait until he arrives in Guwan." Lu Zhongfu told Xiao Zimu truthfully.
"In that case, why didn't you wait until he arrived before making plans?" Xiao Zimu raised an eyebrow at him.
"This is not today. Seeing His Highness escort Master Zheng into the prison, I really can't bear Master Zheng to suffer unjust injustice. How can his rich body endure living in such a cold and damp place in the prison? What if? If His Highness tortures him, I'm afraid that he won't be able to survive Master Xue's arrival." Lu Zhongfu's eyes already had a layer of mist when he said this.
Xiao Zimu looked at Lu Zhongfu with a complicated look and said something meaningful.
"You feel sorry for him."
(End of chapter)