Chapter 2768 Reasoning about the case, half of it depends on the fate of the country

Seeing that the officials of the Ministry of Punishment were seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, and kept silent, the chief eunuch pressed his hands, straightened his expression, and said seriously.

"Everyone, please sit down. The Sangbo Lake case involves a lot. His Majesty pays more attention to it than the tax and bank case. He has appointed me as the governor to supervise your handling of the case. The supervisor arrived just in time. I will go back to talk to you later. "

This eunuch was obviously more partial to Xu Qi'an. To be precise, he was the eunuch. He was afraid that it had something to do with Wei Yuan. Xu Qi'an clasped his fists and returned to his seat.

Song Tingfeng was very cooperative. He ran forward and pulled out the gold medal, presented it with both hands, and said respectfully.

"My lord, your gold medal."

Xu Qian glanced at everyone as if demonstrating, reached out to take it, nodded and said.

"Um!"

Xu Qi'an has portrayed himself as a reckless man at the end of his rope, who can solve many problems in the future. People from the Ministry of Punishment and the government must think carefully before they want to take credit. The guy they need to face is a lunatic who draws a knife and kills whenever he disagrees.

As for what trouble this would cause in the future, Xu Qi'an didn't care. First, he believed that Wei Yuan would shield him from the wind and rain. Secondly, if the case cannot be solved, he doesn't have to worry about the follow-up. He will either die or leave the capital forever.

Eunuch Liu took a sip of tea, looked around at everyone, and then said unhurriedly,

"There are people missing within the three yamen. These missing people are most likely Dishes, helping thieves secretly smuggle gunpowder. What do you think of this matter?"

Jingzhao Prefecture Yin was considered the weakest among the three parties, and he was the first to speak.

"The government has sent people to check the family members of the nine deceased people. They are all still in the capital and have no knowledge of the disappearance of their relatives. The government concludes that the nine people did not escape, but were silenced."

Eunuch Liu nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, and looked at the officials from the Ministry of Justice again, waiting for their report.

"There must be hidden secrets in the three yamen. The even more hidden secret is that they killed people and silenced those who knew about it."

An official from the Ministry of Punishment in charge of this side stood up and spoke out his guesses and clues.

Eunuch Liu frowned and pondered. He had already expected the complexity of the case and was not surprised.

Xu Qian listened silently. Since he stayed to participate in the meeting, the detained person was of little use. Because as long as you listen to the conversations of officials from the Ministry of Justice and the government, you can get the information you want to know.

"I'm afraid not only Dali Temple and the Ministry of Rites, but also the Ministry of Industry have dishes."

"I have investigated their family background and interpersonal relationships in my humble position. Their ability is simply not enough to smuggle so much gunpowder from the gunpowder factory. Therefore, there must be someone from the Ministry of Industry secretly assisting, and they have a high official position."

"Gunpowder is a strategic material that the imperial court attaches great importance to, and various confidentiality and anti-theft measures are very strict and complete. Without the assistance of senior officials from the Ministry of Industry, this matter would not have been possible."

A head catcher in Jingzhao Mansion stood up and stated his guess, which was logically clear and reasonable. Everyone nodded and looked at the catcher with admiration.

A eunuch beside Eunuch Liu was writing furiously, seeming to be taking notes and recording everyone's conversations. This was a common method used by eunuchs to make small reports.

In this situation, if you say the wrong thing, Emperor Yuanjing will know about it, so everyone is very careful when speaking and thinks twice before daring to speak, so as not to be tricked by this damn eunuch.

Eunuch Liu, who was wearing a python robe, looked towards the watchman, looked at Xu Qian and asked.

"Master Xu, please don't keep silent. As the organizer of the watch, have you gained something?"

Officials from the government office and the Ministry of Justice looked over at the same time. With an attitude of gloating over misfortune, the officials from the Ministry of Punishments decided that as long as Xu Qi'an said something wrong, they would immediately attack him and make him lose face. Scholars are actually very good at fighting, but not in terms of force.

"Xiaoguan did gain something!"

Xu Qian nodded. He didn't want to say it originally, because the Ministry of Justice and the government were both competitors, and there was no reason to share clues with these idiots.

But just now he noticed the young eunuch taking notes and the people from the Ministry of Justice and the government office communicating without hesitation, Xu Qian suddenly realized that this might be an opportunity to show off.

Show it to His Majesty the Emperor. Not surprisingly, this transcript was to be given to the emperor for review. Just imagine, Emperor Yuan Jing read the transcript and found that both the Ministry of Punishment and the government office were actively discussing, giving clues, and working hard to solve the case, but the official office was silent. .

What would Emperor Yuan Jing think? Although sharing the information was a bit of a loss for Xu Qian, the credit has been recorded on paper.

"I went to Sangbo Lake to check this morning. If I want to blow up the entire Yongzhen Shanhe Temple and the high platform, it would require an extremely large amount of gunpowder."

"Smuggling gunpowder on such a large scale, no matter how clean the hands and feet are, cannot withstand inspection. Except for the Minister and the two ministers, no one in the Ministry of Industry can use such a large amount of gunpowder, and they can sit in their current positions, It shouldn’t be so unwise!”

"Is it possible that it was brought in from outside the city?"

Xu Qian shook his head, this was what confused him the most, and retorted.

"Let's not talk about the outer city. The inner city will charge a tax for entering the city, and the soldiers guarding the city will inspect the goods. This is even more impossible in the imperial city. How can something as conspicuous as gunpowder be smuggled?"

Eunuch Liu listened quietly to Xu Qian's reasoning, very seriously. The young eunuch who was responsible for taking notes was writing faster and faster.

Xu Zisheng put down the tea cup in his hand. He had already figured out the matter. He was a little tired from the meeting and wanted to end it quickly, so he opened his mouth to mention something.

"What is transported is not gunpowder, but raw materials. Among the raw materials of gunpowder, sulfur and charcoal are not precious things. Especially in winter, the capital's charcoal consumption is very terrible. The only difficulty is saltpeter, which is a material strictly controlled by Dafeng. !”

"So, the key to solving the case lies in the saltpeter mine!"

Xu Zisheng stood up, looked at Xu Qian and others, and said with a smile.

"I remember that we, the yamen, once discovered a saltpeter mine in Taikang County, but it was all mined. It is suspected to be the work of remnants of the Ten Thousand Monsters Kingdom. You seem to be the person in charge of this case!"

Xu Qian was shocked when he heard this. He immediately connected all the clues and said excitedly.

"No, they are just trying to spread suspicion. They want to divert our attention and gain time to escape from the capital."

Eunuch Liu frowned. He found that he could not understand the conversation between the two people.

The high-ranking ministers of the Ministry of Justice and Chen Fuyin remained calm and confused. The others looked at each other in confusion. They also couldn't understand what Xu Zisheng and Xu Qian were talking about. They always felt that they had missed one episode.

"There are nine missing people, three on errands in the palace, three from the Ministry of Rites, and three from Dali Temple. If they want to transport the gunpowder to Posang Lake, they still need the help of one person!"

"I remember that the day before the royal family's ancestor worship ceremony, a small flag officer of the Jinwu Guard was killed, right? It seems that it was your watchmen who took over!"

"He should have been silenced. You can check the rest by yourself. I was a little tired, so I left first!"

Xu Zisheng bowed his hands to the Minister of Punishment and Eunuch Liu, and then took a step forward. Under the surprised gazes of everyone, he left the Punishment Department unhurriedly. I have nothing to do today, so I will listen to the music!

Eunuch Liu's face was calm, and he was not angry at all. He was a person close to Emperor Yuan Jing, and he was somewhat aware of Xu Zisheng's special status. He did not dare to show off his authority in front of this person who even Emperor Yuan Jing was afraid of.

In Xu Qi'an's mind, countless clues connected together, and he instantly locked onto one person, Jin Wuwei Zhou Baihu. This person was the boss of Xiaoqi Guan who had been silenced. As long as he was arrested and tortured, everything would be known.

Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an couldn't sit still anymore. Xu Zisheng had already deduced the truth of the matter. If he couldn't catch the murderer, he would never have a chance to show off, so he left immediately.

"Eunuch Liu, gentlemen, I still have something to do with the Ministry of Works, so please leave first."

"The watchman is coming with me."

Xu Qian's expression was as usual and his tone was relaxed, as if pretending that nothing happened, he quickly led the people to evacuate.

The officials present were not fools. Although they did not understand Xu Zisheng's words and Xu Qi'an behaved normally, his repeated changes in expression did not prevent them from inferring that Xu Qi'an had discovered important clues.

The demon tribe acted like an old sow wearing a bra, one set after another, like a brothel full of customers, and very orderly. Xu Qi'an couldn't figure it out at first, which made the officials present even more confused. They wanted to take credit, but they didn't. That brain can only stare.

Unfortunately, Xu Qi'an was a step too late and missed the point. Zhou Baihu left Kyoto City on the day of the ancestor worship ceremony and disappeared without a trace. This clue was considered broken.

At dusk, Eunuch Liu returned to the palace before the city gate closed. Under the service of his godsons, he changed into casual clothes, took a bath, and drank tea before meals.

A young eunuch hurried in and spoke softly.

"Godfather, Your Majesty sent someone to invite you."

Eunuch Liu pinched his eyebrows, his head was full of mush, and he said angrily.

"knew!"

Eunuch Liu took a sip of water, asked his son to change clothes, and put on a python robe. As soon as he stepped out of the threshold, he suddenly thought of something.

"Bring us the file, the one we brought back today."

The young eunuch went back to the house to get it, and went all the way to the Jingxin Hall. After the announcement, Eunuch Liu was led into the hall and saw Emperor Yuan Jing who was wearing a Taoist robe and a long beard.

Emperor Yuan Jing did not meditate or work. He held the scroll in his hand, but his thoughts were not in the book. He glanced at Eunuch Liu and spoke in a very calm tone.

"Liu Rong, I sent you to supervise the case. It's been a day, what have you gained?"

Eunuch Liu was shocked. He had been working in the palace for decades and knew Emperor Yuan Jing's temper very well. The more Emperor Yuan Jing behaved like this, the more depressed he felt.

When asked if the case was false, Emperor Yuan Jing was about to lose his temper. Eunuch Liu was frightened for a moment, but then he felt lucky, saying that he was lucky to have been prepared, and luckily he had gained something today.

"Your Majesty, this is a summary of today's case, and I am about to show it to you."

Eunuch Liu took out a thin booklet from his sleeve. Emperor Yuan Jing's personal eunuch, dragging Fuchen in his hand, came over to take the book and handed it to Emperor Yuan Jing respectfully.

Emperor Yuan Jing put the book aside, took it, and looked at it carefully. As he watched, his eyebrows were raised, and anger was brewing in his eyes.

"The whole article is nonsense. The people in the Ministry of Justice and the government are becoming more and more useless."

Emperor Yuan Jing said reproachfully. He glanced at Eunuch Liu, who was so frightened that he trembled. Emperor Yuan Jing threw the book aside, his tone was devoid of emotion, but became more and more permeable.

"Where's the watchman's office?"

Eunuch Liu lowered his head and reminded carefully in a soft voice.

"Your Majesty, they are all at the back!"

Emperor Yuan Jing raised his eyebrows, picked up the book again, and continued reading. As he watched, his furrowed brows relaxed unconsciously, and the impatience between his brows slowly faded away, and he actually looked attentively.

Emperor Yuan Jing changed from lying on his side to an upright sitting posture. His face became more and more solemn, and his eyes became more and more sharp.

The two eunuchs unconsciously slowed down their breathing, both for fear of disturbing His Majesty and for fear of getting into trouble. In the end, when Emperor Yuan Jing put down the book, the immortal spirit and Taoism he had cultivated for twenty years were gone, leaving only the majesty and fierceness of a human emperor.

Eunuch Liu's forehead was already covered in cold sweat. He originally thought His Majesty would be satisfied, but judging from the situation, it seemed to have the opposite effect?

"Send the order!"

Emperor Yuan Jing's face was as frosty as ice, his tone was serious, and he said coldly with murderous intent.

"The magistrate of Taikang County neglected his duties, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries to gray households around Dahuang Mountain. He was dismissed from his post, imprisoned, and will be executed after next autumn.

After Emperor Yuan Jing said this, he frowned, stared at the book in his hand, and murmured in a low voice.

"Xu Zisheng, he is really powerful, but it's a pity that he can't be used by me!"

Emperor Yuan Jing did not mention Xu Qi'an, because Xu Qi'an himself was a guilty person, his contribution should be put to the end, and the reward would be not to kill him.

"Slave, take your orders!"

Hearing this, Eunuch Liu breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, Xu Zisheng is really special. Even His Majesty is very afraid of him. What he did today is correct.

Eunuch Liu exited the Jingxin Hall, and Emperor Yuan Jing stood up and walked to the window. He looked at the dark night sky, mysterious and profound, and spoke after a long time.

"Send the order to lift the ban on the city inside and outside Kyoto!"

After saying that, Emperor Yuan Jing walked deep into the palace, sat on the futon, closed his eyes and meditated, with only one thought rising in his mind.

"Second-grade scholar! I hope you won't hinder my pursuit of immortality!"

All the limited clues that Xu Qi'an found were broken. He was anxious and the investigation of the case was at a deadlock. He had no clue. In desperation, he had no choice but to come to Wu'an Houfu to ask Xu Zisheng for advice.

Xu Zisheng sat lazily on the chair, looking listless. He narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the confused and impatient Xu Qian, and said calmly.

"Why, Zhou Chixiong escaped, you missed it!"

Obviously Xu Zisheng had already thought of this, but he just didn't say it out loud during the day, which made Xu Qi'an feel certain that since Xu Zisheng had expected it, he must have had countermeasures, and he had found the right person.

"Please give me some advice, Master Xu. I'm at my wits' end now!"

"There's no need to be impatient. The water here is deep. Just wait and wait. Don't worry about your life!"

Xu Zisheng did not point out Xu Qi'an, but raised his head and glanced at the top of his head. There was a rising air in the depths of his eyes. A huge dynasty and national destiny suddenly came into view. The purple energy was vast, like a cloud pillar, going straight into the sky. Xu Zisheng was stunned for a while. Envy.

"I have seen your luck. It is profound and you have constant blessings. Even if the emperor dies, you will not die!"

Xu Zisheng said that Emperor Yuan Jing was dead, which shocked Xu Qian. At the same time, a trace of doubt arose in his heart. His luck was indeed abnormal. He could pick up money every day when he went out. I picked it up for free.

"Master Xu, is there something abnormal about my luck? I have long felt that something is wrong!"

Xu Qi'an looked solemn and stared at Xu Zisheng. He had also asked Chu Caiwei from Si Tianjian to look at it, but there was nothing surprising.

"She is small-breasted and has no brains. The female apprentice who oversees the corrections seems unreliable!"

"Something's wrong?!"

Xu Zisheng smiled when he heard this, which made Xu Qian feel uncomfortable all over.

"It's okay if something is wrong. You should let less people check your luck in the future. Otherwise, if something is discovered, you will be in trouble!"

Xu Zisheng looked at the purple aura that filled the sky, his expression became serious, and he kindly reminded Xu Qi'an that half of the country's destiny is given to him, but not everyone is as upright as him. In the face of such a huge national destiny, it is easy to have evil thoughts and use methods. Devouring Xu Qi'an's luck.

Xu Qian's heart trembled, and he suddenly knew that his luck was probably very weird, and secretly decided that he would never let anyone check his luck again in the future.

"You don't have to worry, your luck is hidden, and few people can see the difference!"

Xu Zisheng comforted Xu Qi'an for a few words, and then picked up the teacup. His intention to see off the guests was very obvious.

Xu Qian's heart was heavy, but he didn't stop there. Not only did he gain nothing from his visit this time, but he became even heavier. Knowing that there was something strange about him made him uneasy.

There are hundreds of large and small yamen in the capital of Dafeng. Putting aside the unorganized officials and those in the military system, there are as many as 10,000 officials who are fed by government officials. Among them, only one-tenth could participate in the morning court, and only more than a hundred officials, nobles, and clan members could enter the Jinluan Palace to talk directly with the emperor.

At Yinshi, the civil and military officials who were waiting outside the Meridian Gate gathered together in twos and threes and talked about trivial matters.

"Your Majesty has been more diligent in attending court recently."

"The police are coming soon."

"His Majesty Jingcha was not so diligent last year."

"Of course it's because of the Sangbo Lake case. Hey, it's been such a troubled time. His Majesty is going to lose his temper today, so don't make the bad guy angry."

"We are just civil servants, and the Sangbo Lake case has nothing to do with us."

"Oh, who does that have to do with?"

Everyone looks at each other and smiles, who does it have to do with? Of course it has to do with the leadership of the five guards in the capital, and of course it has to do with the watchmen who are responsible for protecting the capital and the royal family. Naturally, it is related to Wei Yuan and Wei Qingyi, the leader of the watchdog yamen.

In front of the Meridian Gate, Wei Yuan was dressed in green clothes and stood alone, out of tune with the surrounding civil and military officials. Wei Yuan was a very special person. There was no eunuch with more power than him in the dynasty. Even the eunuch next to the emperor did not have much power in his hands.

Only Wei Yuan was different. He was both the leader of the yamen and the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. These two yamen have the power to supervise all officials.

Emperor Yuan Jing's meaning is very obvious, Wei Yuan is my sword. If any of you disobey, the sword will fall on whose neck. Wei Yuan was not only the sword that Emperor Yuan Jing used to check and balance the officials, but also played a role in drawing hatred.

Civil and military officials did not dare to hate the emperor, but they could vent their emotions towards Wei Yuan. At present, the Shanhe Temple in Yongzhen has been destroyed, and Emperor Yuan Jing, who has been idle for a long time, goes to court today. He is obviously full of anger and wants to vent his anger. Wei Yuan will definitely bear the brunt, and all the civil and military officials will be happy to eat.

At the beginning of Mao Shi, the heavy bells echoed in the dark night sky, making it seem vast and lonely. Civil and military officials entered through the slowly opened east gate, while royal family members entered through the west gate.