A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 325 Whoever Investigates Will Be Killed

"It's easy to talk about."

"Anyway, this is part of the plan. I just need the government to cooperate with me when the time comes."

"It's a good opportunity for the Emperor to learn from this experience and prepare for the next big one."

"Good good."

Zhao Zhen's eyes were full of smiles; he had never done anything so outrageous before.

At this time, Song Xuan was like a young punk, guiding the emperor not to be so rule-abiding and too weak under the tutelage of Empress Dowager Liu.

Song Xuan also stood up and strolled around for a bit. When he saw the Imperial Seal of the State on the table, he immediately became interested.

"Your Majesty, which of these four pieces is the Imperial Seal of the State?"

"The imperial seal?"

A look of doubt appeared in Zhao Zhen's eyes:

"You mean the Imperial Seal of the State from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Song Xuan nodded quickly:
"It is the place that is destined by Heaven and will live a long and prosperous life."

"Gone."

"Really disappeared?"

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice: "I thought it had been passed down!"

Song Xuan originally thought that the piece of stone passed down by the First Emperor disappeared after the Jin army captured Tokyo and the two emperors were forced to flee north.

"What Twelfth Brother doesn't know is that Li Congke, the last emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty, and his entire clan, along with Empress Dowager Cao, committed suicide by burning themselves in the Xuanwu Tower, and the Imperial Seal of the State disappeared from that time."

Seeing that Song Xuan was interested, Zhao Zhen simply opened the box to show him:
"Both pieces belong to the Later Zhou Dynasty. Emperor Taizu received them after he ascended the throne. One piece belonged to Emperor Taizu, and the other to Emperor Taizong."

Song Xuan picked it up and examined it; the two pieces from the Later Zhou period were immediately obvious.

There were only four characters, "Emperor's Divine Treasure," but there were too many characters on one piece, and he couldn't recognize them.

Emperor Taizu of Song possessed the treasure that symbolized the mandate of heaven for the Song Dynasty.

Emperor Taizong of Song possessed the treasure of receiving the Mandate of Heaven.

Zhao Zhen didn't pay much attention when Song Xuan picked it up to compare.

This explains why Emperor Zhao Zhen was a relatively mild-mannered monarch.

If other monarchs were to watch their ministers pick up the Imperial Seal of the State and examine it carefully, even holding it up to candlelight to check its translucency...

That would be equivalent to a subject having the behavior of "asking about the weight of the tripod".

Such an audacious act.

The emperor could have easily arrested Song Xuan on charges of treason, which wouldn't have been an injustice.

But in the Song Dynasty, it wasn't a big deal for a courtier to rent a sedan chair from the imperial family for his wedding, so Song Xuan's actions were somewhat normal.

Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a top scholar who has passed all three levels of the imperial examinations would rebel.

After Song Xuan put it down, Zhao Zhen spoke:

"Does Twelfth Brother notice anything different?"

"Ah, I don't understand, I'm just curious. I saw that the emperor's jade seal was also some kind of treasure, and its shape was similar to that of ordinary people, only the characters were different."

Song Xuan said with a regretful expression:

"Your Majesty, actually I have always wanted to see that jade seal that has been passed down for thousands of years, just to satisfy my inner curiosity."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen understood.

Today, the scholar-official class of the Song Dynasty has a prominent interest in the study of epigraphy.

Epigraphy is actually archaeology.

The emperors of the Song Dynasty encouraged the collection, organization, and research of antiquities.

After all, the war caused the loss of many books and records.

Since the Song Dynasty had a stable founding, it had a responsibility to collect these things and pass them on to future generations.

It's actually just a term used by official archaeologists.

Liu Chang, Ouyang Xiu, Lü Dalin, and others from the reign of Emperor Renzong all wrote works.

It wasn't until Emperor Huizong of Song began to study it carefully that scholars and nobles began to imitate it. Everyone liked the items from the burial pits, and from then on, tombs all over the country were severely damaged.

"Twelfth Brother, let's not talk about this jade seal anymore. Anyway, it's just a stone. Actually, I've always been puzzled by it."

"What are you wondering about?"

Song Xuan slowly closed the box again:

"Does the Emperor not know some of the royal family's secrets?"

Zhao Zhen stared at Song Xuan in shock:

"Of course I don't know!"

He was actually more surprised that Song Xuan was able to accurately guess what he wanted to say.

"Am I still too young?"

Zhao Zhen felt that even the fact that the current Empress Dowager was not his biological mother was revealed by Song Xuan.

Some things are kept secret from members of the royal family, but not from the general public.

Many messages never reached the emperor's ears.

It's still quite easy to create an information cocoon by human intervention.

"Then can you tell me about it?" Zhao Zhen thought that since they had come this far, he might as well ask.

"Just like these two jade seals."

"The imperial seal also has problems?"

Song Xuan glanced at him. Did even royal secrets have to be kept secret from emperors throughout history?
"It's perfectly normal for Emperor Taizu to create a new one; his core message was that the Later Zhou dynasty's fate was sealed, and the Song dynasty should be established!"

Song Xuan didn't say whether it was a successful startup.

Zhao Zhen nodded, agreeing with Song Xuan's assessment. He then realized:
"Does Twelfth Brother think that the imperial secret is Emperor Taizong's jade seal?"

“The two characters “承天”.

Since it wasn't the rumored piece, Song Xuan lost much of his interest and casually asked:

"What does Your Majesty think these two words mean?"

Zhao Zhen pondered for a long time:
"The chosen one."

"Yes, the jade seal of the founding emperor is proof, but the Taizong emperor further revealed that the Mandate of Heaven originally belonged to me!"

"Is destiny truly mine?"

Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow.

He stared at Song Xuan in utter shock; Song Xuan was also an emperor.

It's easy to empathize with someone in this situation now.

Emperor Taizong intentionally downplayed his connection with Emperor Taizu, implying that he directly inherited the Mandate of Heaven, rather than succeeding his elder brother.

"Twelfth Brother, you are doubting the authenticity of the Golden Chest Alliance."

"Your Majesty, please don't say that."

Song Xuan left the position of the imperial seal:
"Let's talk about the jade seal that exists in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

Zhao Zhen shook his head.

In truth, Song Xuan knew that he didn't want to talk about the "rumors" about the Zhao Song imperial family, which was probably something he didn't want to hear.

But he found that after being confined to the palace for so long, he had truly become deaf and blind.

He knew nothing about many things and had no way of getting information.

This is not good; it needs to be changed in the future.

Twelfth Brother is subtly reminding himself.

Zhao Zhen sighed softly:
"Twelfth Brother, are you even keeping this from me?"

"It's not that I intentionally didn't want to share with you."

Song Xuan pointed to the two jade seals:

"The main issue is that this is Emperor Taizong's melon, and the Emperor is his own grandson."

“If I tell you interesting stories about Emperor Taizong while holding his imperial seal, and you go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship him and talk about such things, it might be a bit disrespectful to him.”

Song Xuan's lips curled up again: "What if Emperor Taizong appears in my dream and scolds me?"

"Haha, it's alright."

Zhao Zhen spoke before he even thought:

"Actually, I've only seen Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong in the albums at the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

Even Zhao Zhen himself didn't believe in things like receiving messages in dreams.

"Twelfth Brother, just tell me any exciting news you have."

Zhao Zhen's eyes revealed intense interest: "I really want to know."

"Your Majesty, do you really want to know?"

"think."

Song Xuan chuckled twice and nodded:
"Popular belief holds that the Golden Chest Covenant was a fabrication by Emperor Taizong to glorify himself."

"what?"

A look of doubt flashed in Zhao Zhen's eyes, and he took two quick steps in surprise:
"why?"

Because in Zhao Zhen's eyes.

Emperors Taizu and Taizong were exemplary in their "brotherly love and respect"!
Emperor Taizu's son was already twenty-five years old, but for the sake of the Song Dynasty, he passed the throne to his younger brother, who had more experience in governing.

Throughout history, it is difficult to find such a voluntary tradition!
Seeing Zhao Zhen's excitement, Song Xuan said, "Your Majesty is aware of the contents of the Golden Box Covenant."

"Correct."

Zhao Zhen not only knew about it, but he had also seen it at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

This is perfectly legitimate proof.

"Before her death, Empress Dowager Du stated that the covenant was for succession by the younger brother after the elder brother's death, as she worried that the young ruler would perish."

"Yes."

Song Xuan stretched out his finger and said:
"First, when Empress Dowager Du passed away, Emperor Taizu was only thirty-four years old, his eldest son Dezhao was eleven years old, and his second son Defang had already been born. When Emperor Taizu died suddenly, there was no crisis of a young ruler."

"Yes."

Zhao Zhen's tone was no longer as confident.

"The covenant required a 'three-generation succession' (Taizu → Taizong → Tingmei → Dezhao), but after Taizong ascended the throne, he quickly forced Tingmei and Dezhao to their deaths, which directly conflicted with the spirit of the covenant. Zhao Defang also died suddenly."

Zhao Zhen wanted to refute this, saying that Zhao Dezhao had committed suicide.

When Emperor Taizong returned from his major defeat, a group of military generals wanted to enthrone him as emperor.

Who would have thought that Zhao Defang would commit suicide!

However, Zhao Zhen remained calm and gestured for Song Xuan to continue.

"When Emperor Taizu died, no one mentioned this alliance. It was only six years after Emperor Taizong ascended the throne that Zhao Pu presented it."

"Before this, Zhao Pu had never been given an important position, but he was given an important position after he offered himself up."

"Your Majesty, do you think this alliance is correct?"

Zhao Zhen frowned, already suspicious. There was no reason for it to be taken out so late.

Song Xuan sat back down in his chair.

"If I were Zhao Pu, I would definitely be the first to step forward and offer this item to assist the new emperor in announcing it to the world, so as to prevent the civil and military officials of the Song Dynasty from becoming uneasy and unaware that Emperor Taizong was the successor in order of succession."

"After all, the son of the founding emperor is twenty-five years old. How can he not be in charge of the government?"

"What Twelfth Brother said makes sense."

Zhao Zhen nodded; at his age, he wanted to assume personal rule.

If Zhao Zhen himself, as emperor, had possessed this item, he would have had to bring it out the day after his ascension to the throne.

The fact that it was only brought out six years later only shows that Emperor Taizong had not come up with such a good idea to clear his name during those six years.

Moreover, Emperor Taizong couldn't discuss such matters with others.

Who knows who will die?

"However, the matter is in the past, and no one will overturn the verdict."

"The rumors circulating among the people are that Emperor Taizong conspired with Zhao Pu, with the core purpose of upholding the emperor's mother's orders as the basis for legitimacy."

Song Xuan picked up his cup again: "Your Majesty, just treat this as a rural anecdote."

"That's pretty wild."

Zhao Zhen sighed softly:
"Actually, I know that the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu were revised three times during the reign of Emperor Taizong."

"I suddenly understand why Emperor Taizong of Tang revised the Veritable Records of Emperor Gaozu."

Song Xuan felt that this bit of unofficial history wasn't really unofficial, at least it didn't involve selling hooks.

Having learned from past experience, Zhao Zhen pondered for a while:
"Twelfth Brother, what you say makes sense. Anyway, it's just a folk rumor, so I'll just listen to it for fun."

Song Xuan did not bring out the "Candlelight and Axe Shadow" incident.

Otherwise, Zhao Zhen would find it even harder to accept the fact that his biological mother was not real.

In fact, Zhao Zhen agreed with Song Xuan's words, but due to his status, he could not say it openly.

After Song Xuan left, Zhao Zhen had mixed feelings.

"It turns out that even as the emperor, I cannot know many things as they truly are. I cannot even distinguish between what is real and what is false in front of me, let alone what my ministers outside are saying."

"Wasn't the information they received intentionally spread incorrectly by their subordinates?"

Zhao Zhen sighed, unable to think of a way to change the situation for the time being.

He paused for a moment before asking Zhang Maoze to bring out the book about Zhuangzi for him.

Go see it according to Song Xuan's instructions.

"A virtuous person should dwell among the trees and wild geese, for he may undergo transformations like a dragon or a snake."

"When it becomes a snake, it lies low in the grass and waits for the right time to strike. It will not complain even if it is defeated."

"When he became a dragon, he soared thousands of miles and roamed the nine heavens, proud but not arrogant."

……

"A wise man keeps his talents hidden until the right time to act."

"A wise man appears foolish but is actually wise; he makes himself seem dull to others."

"Hidden blades comfort loyal bones, unsheathed swords pacify rivers and mountains."

After Zhao Zhen finished reading it, he was still somewhat puzzled, so he read it repeatedly.

Zhang Maoze ate almost all the leftovers and then helped the emperor trim the candlesticks.

Zhao Zhen suddenly raised his head:

"I understand."

Zhang Maoze was so frightened that he froze in place, too scared to move.

"I understand everything!"

"Hahaha."

The next day, Zhao Zhen summoned Physician Wang to inquire about his younger sister's condition, and learned that it was unlikely to improve.

After reporting to the Empress Dowager, Zhao Zhen moved directly to Yuqing Palace.

Empress Liu was very pleased with how sensible Zhao Zhen was.

It's understandable that he would go and keep his only surviving sister company.

Because of the issue of funds for the Yellow River project, officials like Wang Zeng always tried to use the emperor's orders to force themselves to compromise.

Liu E was extremely unhappy!
Now, the emperor, guided by familial affection, has chosen to leave.

She has a lot of room to maneuver left.

Wang Zeng could no longer use the words of the officials beside him to talk about these things.

After all, the emperor was getting older and had his own thoughts.

Although Liu E wanted to seize power, she would not use force as she had before!
Therefore, Liu E did not stop her, and besides, Yuqing Palace was even more luxurious than Epang Palace.

It was perfectly normal for the emperor to move in.

Wang Zeng and others were quite disappointed that the emperor had "escaped" at the crucial moment.

If he is so incompetent, how will he be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the three capitals and eighteen circuits of the Song Dynasty in the future?

It is unknown what kind of coercion the Emperor was subjected to in the palace, to the point that he could not even protect his only sister.

However, Wang Zeng also knew that the Emperor had a long talk with Song Xuan late into the night on the eve of moving to Yuqing Palace, but he didn't know what they talked about.

It is said that even the emperor's personal eunuchs were expelled.

Not only were Wang Zeng and others curious, but Liu E was also very curious.

Therefore, she directly sent Song Xiang, who was in charge of recording the emperor's daily activities, to the emperor's side.

It was to monitor what his next plans were with Song Xuan.

Although Liu E did not dislike Song Xuan, she felt deep down that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Who knows what unexpected things this kid might do?
The emperor said he was leaving the palace, but he didn't actually leave.

The Jade Purity Palace is even more extravagant than the Imperial City; who can reason with that?

For this reason, Yuqing Palace has increased its number of imperial guards.

Meanwhile, because the emperor wanted to practice archery, some skilled archers were also selected from the Imperial Guards to accompany him in his practice.

Di Qing, who was young and skilled, was also selected.

Wang Gui and others, who came from commoner backgrounds, also entered Yuqing Palace.

They were always ready, but they didn't know when the emperor would start practicing.

These selected soldiers were all looking forward to it, knowing that once they caught the eye of the officials, their future prospects would be limitless.

Only Zhao Zhen truly wanted to pray for his sister's well-being.

Even the renowned physician Wang said it was very difficult and could only be left to fate; Zhao Zhen truly had no other options.

This time, Doctor Wang did not recommend that Song Xuan come and see a doctor.

After all, in his view, Song Xuan was now pursuing a career in politics.

There's no need to take such a risk with such skills.

The method Song Xuan used last time truly shocked Doctor Wang.

These treatment methods may seem dangerous, but they are actually not safe at all.

Such a casual recommendation has ruined Shierlang's future.

The renowned physician Wang felt that if Song Xuan weren't the emperor's only sister, he could recommend him.

But in this situation, he absolutely could not let Song Xuan be harmed!

The emperor's move to Yuqing Palace did not cause much of a stir in the capital city of Tokyo.

However, the bathroom murder and heart-removal case did indeed cause a stir in Tokyo.

Because Chen Yaozuo, the prefect of Kaifeng, offered a reward of one hundred strings of cash to everyone who could provide useful information.

Furthermore, he would keep the identities of those who provided the information confidential.

We will never allow you to swagger into the government office.

You can try to contact him privately.

The sudden increase in the reward money sparked discussion among idlers and small vendors alike.

After all, the one who died this time was a newly appointed scholar who was also the nephew-in-law of Prime Minister Kou.

In the past, no bathroom murder case involved someone of such high status.

Now the murderer has run into a brick wall.

How could the imperial court not make great efforts to deal with them?
For several days in a row, no useful information was received.

Chen Yaozuo's face was grim. These people in Dongjing City were always just there for the fun of things and never did anything productive.

In reality, the vast city of Tokyo simply cannot provide enough jobs for them to earn a living.

As a result, a large number of idle laborers became loafers and hooligans, making a living through some dishonest means.

In fact, the price of one hundred strings of cash is quite attractive to many people.

Even if we cooperate with the government, we don't know if we'll survive to get it out.

If the authorities arrest you and make you take the blame, you never know.

Prefect Chen's reputation in the capital city was not as high as that of Magistrate Song.

Ten strings of cash are something everyone can get by jumping.

One hundred strings of cash—if I take the money, I'm afraid I'll be double-crossed later.

"Judge Zhao, go to Kaifeng County and ask Magistrate Song if there are any leads on the bathroom murder case."

Chen Yaozu stroked his beard and said:
"I heard he's been looking at and studying the case files, but what has he come up with?"

"Finally, tell him that Minister Wang only gave him a one-month deadline."

Zhao Gai quickly cupped his hands in acknowledgment.

He memorized all of Chen Yaozuo's words and then headed to Kaifeng County.

Chen Yaozuo watched Zhao Gai leave, and when no one was around, he sighed softly.

At over sixty years old, he was at the prime of his life, and ultimately, it was all for the position of prime minister.

Otherwise, he would have already given up.

It would never be that hard.

Zhao Gai headed towards Kaifeng County at a leisurely pace.

To be honest, Zhao Gai was still a bit stunned when Song Xuan directly arrested his superior last time.

However, it could be considered a blessing in disguise. The imperial court had not yet decided on a replacement for Qin Ying, so the power of the prefectural judge fell into the hands of Zhao Gai.

Chen Yaozuo absolutely did not want Qian Yannian to take over the work of the prefectural judge.

He prefers to promote a newcomer, believing that this will make them more loyal to him.

However, Zhao Gai was clearly not in this group.

He simply felt that Chen Yaozuo was old and frail, and that he had also developed a grudge against Song Twelve.

Given Song Shier's personality, he will definitely try every means to bring Chen Yaozuo down.

Not to mention that he himself was once a member of the "Twelve Party".

While Zhao Gai was pondering this, he arrived at the entrance of the county government office.

Qi Lecheng hurriedly came forward to greet him and asked what was the matter, after all, the person in front of him was wearing official robes.

"I am the Prefectural Magistrate of Kaifeng. Magistrate Song may remain in the county office."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Qi Lecheng quickly said, "You must be Magistrate Zhao, please come in."

Zhao Gai glanced at the yamen runner; he had only been here once before, so he knew who he was.

Qi Lecheng led Zhao Gai into the back hall.

Song Xuan held the dossier in his hand and looked at it carefully. Beside him were Wang Shu, the Censor-in-Chief, and Zhao Lianggui, who had been sent by Wang Zeng to supervise the progress.

"Twelfth brother."

Zhao Gai didn't use Qi Lecheng's notification; he simply stood at the door and called out.

"Shuping is here."

Song Xuan put down the dossier in his hand, welcomed Zhao Gai in, and poured him a cup of tea: "What brings you here today?"

"Official business."

With outsiders present, Zhao Gai didn't say much, simply relaying Chen Yaozuo's request.

Song Xuan pointed to the board next to him and said, "I have compiled all the information on the victims."

Zhao Gai looked up and saw that the names, birth dates, occupations, and dates of the murders in the bathroom, as well as descriptions of the knife wounds, had all been compiled.

This was the first time he had ever seen anything like it.

"I'm trying to figure out the pattern, from not bleeding at the beginning to bleeding before removing the heart recently, there must be some explanation for it."

Seeing Zhao Gai's astonished expression, Zhao Lianggui wanted to laugh, but dared not.

After all, the victim's father-in-law was right there.

He was initially taken aback by Song Xuan's method.

This method is clear at a glance and allows for constant observation.

This is something that most people couldn't come up with.

Zhao Gai nodded:
"Hmm, Twelfth Brother's method is good, but is there any pattern to it?"

“The pattern doesn’t hold. Among these twenty-one victims, some are exceptions; their wounds are not the same. It’s likely a copycat crime, especially the first person who died, who seems to be a complete novice.”

Zhao Gai's eyes remained fixed on the board: "So, the murderer in the bathroom wasn't a single person, and someone was even imitating the first murderer?"

"Yes, that's my current guess, but the later files are somewhat templated, just copied from the previous one, so there's not much difference."

"There are no eyewitnesses either." Zhao Gai shook his head: "This is troublesome."

Song Xuan sighed:

"I also hope that the murderer can be caught as soon as possible. Magistrate Chen has offered a large reward, but have there been any new clues?"

Zhao Gai shook his head again.

It was precisely because Chen Yaozuo had no leads that he was sent to inquire.

"But this is a bit of a problem."

Zhao Lianggui chimed in, "Minister Wang, you should take a rest."

Wang Shu's eyes were bloodshot as he searched for patterns in the case files.

He listened to Song Xuan's analysis and discussed it with him more than once.

"Magistrate Song, do you think we could find the murderer if we paid someone to try on the shoes?"

Wang Shu put down the file in his hand. He knew that Song Xuan had obtained the murderer's shoe print.

"Does Wang Zhongcheng think the murderer would be greedy for such a small amount of money?"

Zhao Lianggui thought it was unrealistic; how could the murderer possibly try on shoes as required by the government? That was incredibly audacious.

"Putting aside the huge expense, those shoe prints look like shoes from the street. Three or four out of ten people could fit into them. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Song Xuan's words silenced Wang Shu once again.

Only after the suspect is apprehended can the next step of comparing shoe prints be carried out.

Song Xuan went to the eagle shop and suspected the eagle breeder. He entrusted the task to Li Junyou, but so far no useful information has been sent back.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Song Xuan was unwilling to capture them directly.

"Is my son-in-law's murder case destined to remain an unsolved mystery as well?"

Wang Shu had nine daughters, and he loved his youngest one the most. He never expected that she would suffer such a devastating blow.

He feels so sorry for him that he spends every day at home in tears!
Zhao Gai stood up, carefully examined the date of the incident on the board, and then spoke:

"Twelfth Brother, I feel that the dates of death for several of the deceased were inauspicious days."

In the traditional calendar, agricultural activities and sacrificial ceremonies are usually carried out on yang days.

Yin days are often used for occasions such as burials and meditation.

"When a murder occurs on the darkest night, blood is shed and the sky is shrouded in darkness." Zhao Lianggui added, "The people of Tokyo avoid getting married on cloudy days, fearing that 'the yin energy will disrupt the joy.'"

"In that case, let's ask the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to come over; they have an advantage in this comparison."

Looking at the panel in front of him, Song Xuan said without turning his head, "Minister Wang, what do you think?"

"you're right."

Wang Shu responded, "Perhaps he's one of those alchemists who seek immortality and has gone mad from practicing alchemy."

Just then, Wang Yufeng was brought in by Qi Lecheng:

"My lord, I have news to share, about that bathroom case."

"Ok?"

Everyone looked at him.

Wang Yufeng wiped the sweat from his face:
"My lord, I heard that the murderer has spread the word that anyone who dares to provide information will be killed, and anyone who dares to investigate will also be killed!"

"Insanity."

Zhao Gai slammed his fist on the table in anger.

Zhao Lianggui shuddered involuntarily.

As the saying goes, it's easy to dodge a spear, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow.

Being targeted by someone with abnormal thoughts can be dangerous.

Even though his family had been officials for generations, it was still common for him to go to public bathhouses.

This is going to be a problem.

Upon hearing this, Wang Shu's eyes were filled with anger.

Have there been any similar threats in previous cases?

Hearing Song Xuan's question, Wang Yufeng shook his head:

"I don't know. I just received the news and came to report immediately."

"Who did you listen to?"

"That's what the tea drinkers on the street said."

Song Xuan called Zhang, the head constable, over:
"You go with Feng Ge'er and bring me back whoever spread the word about the tea stall."

"Thank you for making this trip again."

"It's not hard."

Wang Yufeng was eager to gain favor with Song Xuan.

"I'll go right away."

Wang Yufeng fanned himself and led Zhang Dutou away.

"How dare these thugs be so brazen!"

Wang Shu gritted his teeth and said, "The government simply has no means to stop this."

He felt that once this rumor was spread, no matter how hard they investigated, they wouldn't be able to find the source.

Who knows who spread it?

"Go and fetch Magistrate Zhou for me."

"Yes."

Zhou Derong shook his head after hearing Song Xuan's words:

"My lord, although there is a bathroom murder case once a year..."

"But I have never heard of the murderer making any threats against officials."

Song Xuan nodded: "Who is the murderer targeting by spreading this kind of rumor?"

"It's either me or Chen Yaozuo."

Currently, only the two of them are investigating this case.

Wang Shu looked at Song Xuan: "Could it be that Magistrate Song also has some enemies in Dongjing City?"

"A blood feud?"

Song Xuan shook his head. Anyway, it was just a rumor, and he certainly couldn't take the blame for it.

Even the Dou family was exiled; could they have escaped back?

Song Xuan said with absolute certainty:

"The news of this matter only came to light after Prefect Chen publicly announced a reward of one hundred strings of cash. I believe there were eyewitnesses."

"The killer was targeting informants more often than not."

"After all, when I said ten strings of cash before, the murderer didn't even react."

"It must be Prefect Chen's words that angered the murderer. I think Prefect Chen should continue to provoke him and try to lure the murderer out."

Wang Shu thought Song Xuan's words made a lot of sense.

But then he realized: "You mean the murderer is very likely to assassinate Prefect Chen?"

"Yes, this is the only chance to make the murderer show up."

"That's not appropriate."

Wang Shu also wanted to catch the murderer and avenge his son-in-law.

However, he still had some sense of shame, even when it came to shifting the blame.

Song Xuan looked at Wang Shu seriously and said:
“Minister Wang, think about it, Prefect Chen is destined to become prime minister.”

"Now that he is the Prefect of Kaifeng, a dignified official of our Great Song Dynasty, would he back down when threatened by such a petty person?"

"Wouldn't the people of the world know that my Song Dynasty's prime minister is also a pushover, and that no one in the country would care about the policies he issues?"

"Will the Liao Kingdom, which the Song Dynasty has always been wary of, take this opportunity to increase the annual tribute again?"

"And with the Western Xia, which aspires to become emperor, Li Deming will accelerate his path to becoming emperor."

"You have a point!"

Wang Shu was immediately persuaded by Song Xuan.

The dignified Prefect of Kaifeng was actually intimidated by a murderer; he should just get out of here as soon as possible.

An embarrassing thing.

Seeing Song Xuan's serious demeanor, Zhao Gai also chimed in:

"Twelfth Brother, you must be careful too."

“Prefect Chen always had many attendants on his left and right when he went out.”

"With only two of you with you, it's easier for the killer to target you."

"Yeah."

After nodding repeatedly, Song Xuan added:

"Wang Zhongcheng and Zhao Xiaoli, you two should quickly step aside and request a few Imperial Guards from Minister Wang and my father-in-law to protect you on your shifts. That way you can feel at ease."

Zhao Lianggui nodded quickly:
"That's right, Magistrate Song is correct."

"Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what happens."

"This person is extremely vicious and could easily do something that endangers his life."

"Even if Prefect Chen accepts the challenge, his situation will not be too dangerous."

Song Xuan pointed to the people present and said:
"Compared to Prefect Chen, we are the ones most vulnerable to attack."

"The perpetrator is a meticulous person; he might be planning a feint!"

"Requesting the Imperial Guard's protection might be a good opportunity to seize him."

"Well, I'll go right away."

Wang Shu expressed his agreement, and then he left with Zhao Lianggui.

After everyone had left, Zhao Gai finally spoke:
"Twelfth Brother, I'm afraid this matter cannot be resolved peacefully. You should be careful."

He knew that Song Xuan was skilled in martial arts and archery.

However, in the capital city of Tokyo, it is likely that very few officials would carry bows and arrows when they go out.

"Hmm." Song Xuan said with a smile, "I'll have Wang Bao carry a bow and arrows for me when I go out later."

"By the way, Prefect Chen is a smiling tiger. You need to deal with him carefully. My father said that the hidden arrows in officialdom are even harder to guard against."

"Yeah, that old guy holds a grudge."

Song Xuan picked up his teacup and took a sip:
"After we finish this busy period, let's get together. So many classmates are scattered all over the country, and we may not be able to meet again for the next ten or eight years."

"Yes."

Zhao Gai understood this situation. He, Song Xuan, and Zhang Fangping would not be able to serve as officials in the capital for more than two or three years before being transferred to local areas to accumulate more grassroots experience.

"Let's just get through this period first."

Zhao Gai then spoke with Song Xuan about the matter of meeting at the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office.

Chen Yaozuo's prestige has now declined significantly.

"I wonder what he will think when this gets to his ears."

“I am a seventh-rank official and I do not respect him, but at least we are of the same social class.”

Song Xuan poured tea for Zhao Gai and said with a smile, "A murderer who dares to openly threaten the Prefect of Kaifeng really doesn't consider Chen Yaozuo a human being."

"Hahaha."

Zhao Gai picked up his teacup: "I will definitely pass on this message."

In the imperial city.

Wang Zeng continued to handle government affairs with an unpleasant expression.

He lost face when the emperor moved to Yuqing Palace.

Fortunately, none of my colleagues in the central government today are like Ding Wei and Wang Qinruo.

Otherwise, Wang Zeng would have suspected that the current emperor was bewitched by Song Xuan, who was fond of "cultivation".

Fortunately, through Yan Shu's introduction, he also learned that Song Xuan did not have any interest in this area.

Unlike Wang Qinruo, who considered himself very knowledgeable about Taoism, made many inventions and creations, and even led the correction of Taoist books, adding more than 600 volumes in total.

After Empress Dowager Liu came to power, apart from favoring her relatives and eunuchs, she did a pretty good job in other aspects.

At least by abolishing the wasteful and labor-intensive Tian Shu Movement, Wang Zeng looked at her with more respect.

Furthermore, given that she possessed the late emperor's edict and was now firmly entrenched in power, something Wang Zeng had not anticipated.

Wang Zeng opened the memorial and continued reading; it was sent by Li Di, the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture.

Someone offered Wang Qinruo gifts, hoping to use his connections to transfer him to an official post outside the capital. They sent gold to Wang Qinruo through an intermediary.

However, the person who was to deliver the gold did not arrive, so Wu Zhi, the military commander of Shaowu, sent his own men to visit him. As a result, they were taken to the government office by Wang Qinruo.

When Li Di investigated, he realized that Wang Qinruo had indeed acted quickly; if he had been slower, he would have received the gold.

Wang Zeng snorted coldly, "Wang Qinruo has certainly embezzled a lot of money."

He looked down on Wang Qinruo for his attitude of doing things for money.

Now they've failed, they deserve it.

Wu Zhi was previously recommended by Wang Qinruo, and now he wants to spend money to influence things. The evidence is conclusive, and according to the laws of the Song Dynasty, he should be convicted of negligence.

Wang Zeng directly instructed his officials to deliver this memorial to the Empress Dowager for her judgment.

Seeing that Wang Zeng seemed to be suffering from liver fire these past few days, Lü Yijian didn't say anything.

In any case, the Yellow River project was also delayed, and the Empress Dowager ignored all the calls to kill Liu Congde.

"Lord Wang, Censor-in-Chief Wang Shu requests an audience."

After Zhao Lianggui went in, he bowed and reported.

Wang Zeng then looked up: "Is there a new lead in the bathroom murder case?"

"Exactly."

"please come in."

After Wang Shu entered, the other prime ministers also stopped and expressed their deep sympathy for the matter.

After all, no one wants their promising son-in-law to die under mysterious circumstances.

Wang Shu recounted the rumors he had just heard and Song Xuan's response.

"Insanity!"

Wang Zeng's blood boiled instantly; he had been furious lately: "Too arrogant!"

Lü Yijian also felt that something was wrong.

"Has this person eaten the gall of a bear and the gall of a leopard?"

Zhang Zhibai also angrily rebuked, "You must demand that Chen Yaozuo solve this case within a month!"

In his view, although Song Xuan was in charge of the case, he was just a newly appointed scholar and had no work experience.
It's not right for Lü Yijian to make things difficult for him.

Unlike Chen Yaozuo, who has served as an official in other places and in Kaifeng Prefecture for quite some time and has rich experience in solving cases.

"Yonghui, don't get so agitated."

Lu Yijian stroked his beard and offered a word of advice: "What if the murderer is deliberately muddying the waters?"

There's no smoke without fire.

Wang Zeng looked at Wang Shu and said, "The murderer must have something to rely on to make such a bold statement."

"However, what Song Twelve said makes sense; it is indeed a good opportunity to lure out the murderer."

"Someone, go and invite Attendant Cao and Privy Councilor Zhang over."

"Yes."

Cao Liyong was preoccupied with money, while Zhang Qi was patiently waiting to get off work.

When they heard that the king had invited the two of them to come and discuss matters, they were both surprised.

"What, has there been a rebellion somewhere?"

Hearing Cao Liyong's words, Zhang Qi perked up a little.

Although he had been to the battlefield, he was really not as good as his subordinates in commanding several armies.

"You can decide in a moment." Zhang Qi stood up: "I'm not very good at it."

“Fine, give me a hundred strings of cash, and I'll take the blame for this.”

Zhang Qi stared at Cao Liyong: "Are you desperate for money?"

"Alas, even a hero can be brought down by a single penny."

Cao Liyong held out his hand and said, "Fifty strings of cash."

"You're really desperate for money."

Zhang Qi shook his head and walked forward on his own. Even if there was a war in the Northwest, he would not go to the front line, nor would he express any opinions, so as not to endanger the lives of the soldiers at the front.

But don't even think about asking him to give money to Cao.

When the two of them arrived at the prime minister's office, Zhao Lianggui recounted the whole story.

Cao Liyong couldn't sit still any longer: "Who gave him the guts!"

He couldn't control the murderer's attempt to assassinate Chen Yaozuo, but even if his own son-in-law suffered a minor injury, that was unacceptable.

"I'll dig three feet into the ground in Tokyo and dig him out."

"Don't get agitated." Wang Zeng, who had just been agitated, turned around and advised Cao Liyong:
"Even if you dig nine feet deep, there are still many people alive under Kaifeng. You can't find them."

Worry-Free Cave.

Three large characters were displayed before everyone's eyes.

The deepest part of the Worry-Free Cave is where people dwell; nine feet is nothing.

Once you go in, it's very difficult to get out.

"Does Minister Wang believe this person is hiding in the Worry-Free Cave?"

"Most likely."

Wang Zeng's expression was equally gloomy:
"If this person lives in Tokyo, then he is exceptionally bold. We must take him seriously and dispatch elite imperial guards to protect those investigating the case."

Cao Liyong was just throwing a tantrum. Despite being the number one military general in the Song Dynasty, he didn't even have the authority to mobilize a single garrison.

"How do we protect him?" Lu Yijian glanced at Wang Shu: "Openly protecting him won't lure the murderer out!"

(End of this chapter)