Demon Emperor

Chapter 65 Intelligence
The first thing Ruan Hu did upon returning to the capital was to summon Zhou Kaigu of the Investigation Bureau.

Ask around what these officials in the capital have actually been doing.

palace.

Ruan Hu untied the drawstring of his cloak, and two palace servants immediately took it off from behind him. He then sat directly on the couch.

"Go and summon Zhou Kaigu."

"Yes!"

This week, Kai Gu was like his chronicle of the officials' conduct, the booklet filled with all sorts of information about the officials, and of course, some of their unspeakable problems.

Moreover, the content changes daily, offering something new every time you look at it.

Each time you flip through it, you can see some different content. The person recorded one day may have been a gentleman, but the next day they may have turned into a beast. Looking at it again, it seems that this person sometimes does some humane things.

These civil and military officials may appear respectable in public, but who knows what they're really like in private!

They might not even be as good as demons.

It can be addictive to see other people’s shameful secrets, especially the dirty secrets of so-called “big shots”.

This voyeuristic desire seems to lurk in everyone's heart.

Especially the emperor.

Sitting in this position, one feels an even greater urge to grasp everything in one's hands at all times, to control everything under the heavens.

Therefore, Ruan Hu summoned his henchman Zhou Kaigu more and more frequently.

Someone passed through the palace gate.

Zhou Kaigu usually had a cold face, making him seem gloomy, but when he came to Ruan Hu, his expression became much warmer.

Even his speech carried a touch of humanity.

He walked in with his feet flat on the ground, but as soon as he entered the door, he bent over and then ran to Ruan Hu and knelt down.

Those with good eyesight can see that he ran there.

Someone with poor eyesight might think he slid past.

He was in such a hurry that he almost fell to the ground, and then he knelt down to pay his respects, but his posture was like that of a lapdog.

"Your subject Zhou Kaigu pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Ruan Hu was reading a book when he glanced at him sideways.

"What kind of behavior is this?"

Zhou Kaigu: "Your Majesty's imperial might is growing stronger every day, and I am being overwhelmed by it."

His words were half flattery and half truth.

This Zhou Kaigu was no good person. Not only later, but even when he was in the army, he was a ruthless and deadly figure.

Later, he killed the prime minister to intimidate officials, which shows that he was extremely ruthless and a truly vicious character.

What flattery of the emperor?

What's this about greeting people with a smile, or being arrogant at first and then obsequious?

Could someone like Zhou Kaigu, a straightforward man from a military background, possibly learn that?
However, when he was with Ruan Hu, he kept changing. He not only learned very quickly, but also learned very well.

From initially being cold and aloof, to later being able to agree with the emperor's words, and then to being able to do everything possible to flatter and fawn over the emperor.

They tried to find out what the emperor liked and did everything they could to become the kind of person the emperor liked.

Its posture became lower and lower, and its body became more and more limp, until it unknowingly turned into this appearance.

Looking at Zhou Kaigu, who had changed so drastically, Ruan Hu was thinking about something else entirely.

"Sometimes, how a person becomes is determined by external forces."

Ruan Hu gained a deeper understanding of the emperor's power.

And this time.

Zhou Kaigu knelt on the ground, a smile on his face, but his heart was filled with unease.

Perhaps my demeanor has displeased His Majesty? Should I change it? Is my smile not quite right?

Recently, he has also hired advisors, but these advisors are not primarily there to do his work.

Instead, they taught him manners and etiquette, how to be an official, and how to serve the emperor.

Of course, in the end, many things were also mixed with his own ideas.

Finally, Ruan Hu's words relieved Zhou Kaigu from his anxiety.

"Get up!"

Before Ruan Hu could even ask why he had been summoned, Zhou Kaigu immediately and sensibly took out his recent conduct record book.

The eunuch beside Ruan Hu took it and placed it on the table beside the emperor, then retreated far away, to a place where he could be faintly seen but not heard.

Ruan Hu picked up the booklet and flipped through it a few times.

Sometimes he would ask questions, and Zhou Kai would kneel on the ground earnestly, answering Ruan Hu's questions.

"Your Majesty, look, this belongs to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice..." "This one belongs to Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Works..."

"The night before last, Imperial Censor Liu had a secret rendezvous..."

"And this too, Lord Li hosted a banquet yesterday... He was quite unrestrained at the banquet..."

In those days, the emperor relied mainly on censors to supervise his officials.

Few intelligence gatherers have sent spies into the homes of high-ranking officials like Nguyen Ho.

In the future, Ruan Hu will likely be recorded in history books as the instigator.

As Ruan Hu looked at the booklet, he compared it with the image of the person in his mind, and even remembered the information he had obtained when he used physiognomy to examine the person's face.

When you pair them up, some things will immediately correspond.

"The art of physiognomy is really accurate in judging people!"

Upon seeing his father-in-law, Li Hongdao, he realized that the old man was quite old and usually appeared to be a model scholar, leader, and member of the aristocratic class.

Their behavior in private is simply appalling.

Of course, it can also be said in another way.

This is called the refined elegance of a scholar.

Not only that, this old geezer even takes Five-Stone Powder and has hired a Taoist priest at home to learn how to cultivate immortality.

"Tsk."

Here comes the important part: Huang Hui, whom Ruan Hu requested be closely monitored.

These days, Huang Hui has attached great importance to the matter of the Western Barbarian Righteous Army Prefecture Commander, and has been working with all sorts of means to take it over.

This booklet contains some of Huang Hui's private conversations with his staff.

"What emperor? If it weren't for our protection of the late emperor, the Great Sheng Dynasty would have perished long ago."

"Your Majesty is ungrateful and disregards the words of loyal ministers; this is tantamount to cutting off your own foundation."

"Just watch, I'll see how Dasheng falls at his hands."

"We must keep this Western Barbarian Righteous Army in our hands. If the situation changes, we might need it."

Although Ruan Hu's expression didn't change after reading it, Zhou Kaigu felt for some reason that the sky seemed to darken.

He, who had been talking incessantly, suddenly fell silent.

Ruan Hu: "What about today?"

Zhou Kaigu: "Here it is. I just received it and was about to send it to Your Majesty when Your Majesty happened to summon me."

Ruan Hu glanced at today's booklet again, which recorded Huang Hui's meeting with party members and staff to discuss matters.

The document clearly records what they plan to do at tomorrow's morning court session, how to carry out their actions, and how to coordinate their efforts.

just.

He probably didn't expect that such a secret meeting would be delivered to Ruan Hu's hands so soon after it ended.

At this moment, Zhou Kaigu hesitated for a moment and then brought up a piece of news that was not yet confirmed.

Zhou Kaigu: "I have received news that an outsider has quietly entered the capital, possibly to meet someone in the capital."

Ruan Hu asked, "Oh, who are you seeing?"

Zhou Kaigu: "I do not know either. I have only heard that this person came from Ling County."

Ruan Hu: "Pei Yuanxiao?"

Ruan Hu laughed after hearing this, but his laughter sent chills down Zhou Kaigu's spine.

"Explore again!"

"Report again!"

Zhou Kaigu, the lackey, also smiled and quickly kowtowed in response.

"Yes!"

He also enjoyed uncovering the secrets of these powerful noble families, watching them plot various schemes and schemes, unaware that his people were already watching them closely.

This feeling also brought him joy.

Zhou Kaigu bowed and slowly withdrew from the hall. As soon as he turned around, he straightened his back and looked very happy.

Because of what he did, he gained the emperor's approval, and he felt increasingly confident about his future.

But didn't notice.

The eunuchs around him didn't look at him well; if it were in private, they probably would have spat in his face and cursed him.

"You bitch!"

after all.

Previously, Zhou Kaigu's social status belonged to that of a eunuch.

If he gets to be the leg servant, what will happen to the other eunuchs?
(End of this chapter)