My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

Qian Rong's name card was very light.

It's so light that it barely weighs anything when you put it in your sleeve.

But when I carried it all the way to the Censorate, I felt as if there was a piece of iron stuffed in my sleeve.

A third-rank official from the Ministry of Works invited me to tea.

If this were to get out, most people would be envious.

After all, I am only a seventh-rank censor.

To be able to meet a third-rank official while holding a seventh-rank position, or even to be given a second glance, is considered an incredible stroke of good fortune.

But I knew that Qian Rong wasn't offering me tea.

It's a knife.

The knife is still soaking in hot water.

When Liu Laoqi was sent to the Censorate, he was already on the verge of collapse.

He woke up once halfway through, repeatedly muttering, "I didn't kill anyone," and "The box went to Guangchumen." His voice was very low, as if it might break at any moment.

After listening to my brief account, Zhao Guanlan's face was even more somber than it had been during the fire the previous night.

"You searched the ironworks, Ci'en Temple, the old warehouse, the carriage shop, and the back alley of the Qian family's residence all night, and now you've brought back another survivor?"

I cupped my hands and said, "My lord, I don't want to be so busy."

Zhao Guanlan looked at me.

"Shen An, do you know that for every item you bring back, someone wants you to live one less day?"

"Know."

"Then why are you still investigating?"

"Stopping halfway through an investigation will only hasten your demise."

Zhao Guanlan fell silent.

It wasn't a pleasant thing to say, but he understood it.

The issue for me now is no longer whether I can get a refund.

At the fire scene of the old warehouse, I shouted out the name of Shen An from the Censorate; in Xiliu Lane, I protected Liu Laoqi on the street; in the back alley of the Qian Mansion, I broke off relations with the steward in blue.

Even if I hand over everything now and kneel at Qian Rong's door saying I won't investigate anymore, Qian Rong won't believe me.

The villains don't hate loyal subjects the most.

They are people who were still alive halfway through the investigation.

Zhao Guanlan had Liu Laoqi carried into the backyard and assigned two servants to guard the gate.

I handed over the broken red tag, the carriage and horse ledger, the silver from the Ministry of Works treasury, the copper buckle mold, and the rivets from the armory, one by one.

But only half was paid.

The most important items in the original document were half of the inner warehouse proof, the cloth strip with Liu Laoqi's blood-written words, and the piece of paper with the character "money" on it, which I did not hand over.

It's not that I don't believe in Zhao Guanlan.

But now, no one can be completely trusted.

Zhao Guanlan glanced at the things on the table.

"You left something behind."

My heart skipped a beat.

The old censor's eye was indeed sharp.

I did not deny it.

"I kept some to save my life."

Zhao Guanlan looked at me for a long time, and finally only said one sentence:

"Don't die at the Qian family mansion."

I smiled.

"I will do my best."

Ah Liu got anxious.

"Lord Zhao, won't you stop my young master?"

Zhao Guanlan asked, "Can they be stopped?"

Ah Liu looked at me, then at Yan Xiaoyi, and finally realized with sadness that he really couldn't stop it.

He had no choice but to settle for second best.

"Then the younger one will go with him."

"No," I said.

Why?

"You will remain at the Censorate."

"Guard what?"

I looked towards the backyard.

"Guard Liu Laoqi."

Ah Liu's expression changed.

"Is the young master afraid someone will come to kill him?"

"It's not fear."

"What is that?"

"They will definitely come."

Ah Liu swallowed hard.

"Can the smaller one hold out?"

I looked at Zhao Guanlan.

Zhao Guanlan said in a deep voice, "The people from the Censorate can hold it."

Ah Liu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then I added, "You're in charge of seeing if anyone brings tea, medicine, or food."

He took another breath.

"I understand, I won't let him eat anything."

"You're not allowed to drink water indiscriminately."

"What if he dies of thirst?"

"Have Lord Zhao send a trustworthy person to boil water."

Zhao Guanlan's face twitched.

The dignified Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate was assigned by me to boil water.

But he did not refute it.

This shows that he also knew that if Liu Laoqi drank the wrong sip of water, he might have to shut up forever.

Before leaving, Yan Xiaoyi pulled me aside.

He was unusually not sleepy.

"I can enter the Qian residence, but I may not be able to stay by your side forever."

"I know."

"A third-rank official's residence wouldn't only have guards."

"Are there crossbowmen?"

"At least there are."

"Inner guard?"

Yan Xiaoyi glanced at me.

"It's hard to say."

My heart sank.

I wouldn't be surprised if Qian Rong could keep a few crossbowmen in his mansion.

But if there are still imperial guards spies in the Qian residence, then things will get complicated.

The emperor's entourage was not clean.

Even the inner guards under Gu Xingzhi's command may not be clean.

I suddenly realized that Xiao Jingheng was using me as bait not only to lure people into the Ministry of Works, but also to lure people around him.

This emperor really knows how to save trouble.

He hid in the palace and threw me out with a single sentence.

I'll fish, I'll burn, I'll take the knife.

Finally, he sat on the dragon throne to see who would take the bait.

I arrived at the Qian residence before noon.

The Qian family mansion was not extravagant.

The gate wasn't very tall, the paint wasn't very new, and the stone lions at the entrance were even a bit old. But it was precisely because of this that the mansion seemed so dignified.

Truly wealthy people are not afraid that others will not recognize their wealth.

The gatekeeper was already waiting for me.

The manager in blue was also there.

When he saw me, his face no longer held the coldness of the night before; instead, it displayed a perfectly timed smile.

"Lord Shen is on time."

I cupped my hands in greeting.

"Minister Qian, please allow me to have tea. I dare not delay."

The manager in green robes turned his gaze to Yan Xiaoyi.

"Who is this?"

I said, "Guards."

"My master only invited Lord Shen."

Yan Xiaoyi yawned.

"I don't drink tea."

The steward in green had a faint smile.

"It is inconvenient for outsiders to accompany people into the Qian family's inner quarters."

Before I could speak, Yan Xiaoyi had already sat down on the stone steps by the door.

"Then I'll wait here."

The steward in blue was taken aback.

Yan Xiaoyi leaned against the stone lion and closed his eyes.

"You two talk, and call me when you're done. If you don't come out in half an hour, I'll go in and look for you."

He paused, then added, "If the door is closed, I'll climb over the wall."

The manager in blue finally couldn't keep up his composure.

I was quite satisfied.

Although this guard was lazy, he was lazy in a measured way.

I followed the steward in blue into the mansion.

The Qian residence was very quiet.

It was so quiet it didn't feel like an official residence; it was more like a shrine with memorial tablets. As we walked through the front hall, the corridors, and the courtyard, the servants all kept their heads down and walked with their feet as light as if afraid of crushing something.

The quieter it is, the more uncomfortable it becomes.

The steward in blue stopped in front of a waterside pavilion.

"Lord Shen, please."

A man in his fifties was sitting in the waterside pavilion.

He was fair-skinned and slightly plump, with gentle features, wearing a casual blue robe, and holding a teacup in his hand.

Judging by his appearance alone, he doesn't seem like a corrupt official, but rather like an elder from the neighborhood.

This is the most troublesome.

Readers can immediately tell that a bad guy with a fierce appearance should be avoided.

People who look friendly are often the ones who are most likely to trick you.

Qian Rong looked up at me and smiled.

"Lord Shen has arrived."

I stepped forward and bowed.

"This humble official, Shen An, greets Vice Minister Qian."

"sit."

He raised his finger and pointed to the opposite side.

I sat down.

The tea has been poured.

The soup is clear and bright, with a very faint aroma.

I looked at the cup of tea but didn't touch it.

Qian Rong laughed and said, "What, Lord Shen, are you afraid I'll poison your tea?"

I laughed too.

"I didn't sleep last night, afraid that drinking good tea would ruin the food."

Qian Rong looked at me, his smile deepening.

"It's a good thing that young people are cautious."

"You flatter me, Vice Minister Qian."

"However, being too cautious can be tiring."

He picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

"Lord Shen, you must have been very tired last night?"

coming.

I lowered my eyes and said, "Investigating cases is hard work, but it's my duty."

Qian Rong put down his teacup.

"The ironworks, Ci'en Temple, the old warehouse in the south of the city, the carriage and horse shop, and Xiliu Lane. Lord Shen, you've been running around all night; I feel tired just listening to you."

I sneered inwardly.

Listen?

Who told you that?

People from the Qian family?

People from the Ministry of Works?

Or are they from the inner guard?

On the surface, I remained respectful.

"I am young and still have good legs and feet."

"It's good to have good legs and feet," Qian Rong said gently, "but the roads in Beijing are slippery, and it's easy to fall if you walk too fast."

These are the same words that the steward in blue said last night.

People from the Qian family used to threaten others by warning them that the road was slippery.

I said, "My life is lowly, I can afford to fall."

"Lord Shen, you are too modest," Qian Rong said, looking at me. "His Majesty said in court that all the officials trust you. How could someone with such a fate be considered lowly?"

My smile faded a little.

When the emperor said this, it meant "cage."

The word that came out of Qian Rong's mouth was "knife hilt".

He was reminding me that all my confidence now comes from the emperor.

The emperor may trust me for a day, but he may not trust me forever.

Qian Rong continued, "I should support Lord Shen's investigation into the Yongning River case. If the Ministry of Works has overlooked anything, it would be a good thing to investigate."

That sounds like normal human speech.

Usually at this point, what follows is no longer human speech.

Sure enough, Qian Rong changed the subject.

"However, Lord Shen's actions last night were truly excessive."

I looked up.

"Please advise me, Vice Minister Qian."

"He broke into the old warehouse at night, alarming the people, obstructing the Ministry of Works from putting out the fire, and then led a group into the carriage shop to interrogate the drivers. This morning, he even rummaged through the back alley of my Qian residence looking for junk."

He sighed.

"Even when investigating cases, censors must follow the rules. If everyone acted like Lord Shen, wouldn't the capital be in chaos?"

I nodded.

"Minister Qian is right."

Qian Rong was slightly taken aback.

They probably didn't expect me to recognize them so quickly.

I continued, "I am a low-ranking official, and my work is inevitably careless. I will certainly reflect on my mistakes when I return."

Qian Rong smiled.

"Lord Shen is a wise man."

"This humble official is simply afraid of death."

"It's good to be afraid of death. Only those who are afraid of death know how to behave properly."

Qian Rong raised his hand, and the steward in blue immediately presented him with a booklet.

Qian Rong pushed the booklet in front of me.

"This is a complaint from the ride-sharing company."

I flipped it open and took a look.

really.

It was written clearly on the complaint.

Late at night, Shen An, the Censor-in-Chief, led a group of men into a carriage shop, beat up the shop assistants, seized the account books, and forced the drivers to give false testimony.

There are also the fat shopkeeper's handprints on the back.

And the testimonies of the two men.

I wanted to laugh when I saw it.

The fat shopkeeper knelt down faster than anyone else last night, and submitted his complaint faster than anyone else this morning.

Qian Rong said gently, "Lord Shen, you see, people's hearts are unpredictable."

I closed the booklet.

"really."

"I've also had someone investigate Liu Laoqi."

Qian Rong handed over another piece of paper.

"Addicted to gambling, in debt, stole money from a carriage shop, and even had his leg broken for selling customers' goods privately. Would Lord Shen believe the words of such a man?"

I looked at that piece of paper.

It's written in great detail above.

He knew everything down to the year Liu Laoqi owed whom money, and in which month he lost money at which gambling den.

It's crystal clear.

It was as clear as if it had been prepared long ago.

I said, "Minister Qian investigated very quickly."

"The Ministry of Works manages the warehouses and frequently deals with carriage and horse dealerships. It's inevitable that the staff there will be some familiarity with these places."

"Has Vice Minister Qian found out why Liu Laoqi almost died in Xiliu Lane last night?"

Qian Rong smiled.

"Perhaps it was due to an unequal distribution of the spoils."

"What spoils are we dividing?"

"The stolen goods that were taken from the Qian family's old property."

I looked at him.

He was looking at me too.

A breeze blew past the waterside pavilion, creating fine ripples on the surface of the pond.

Qian Rong finally brought his words to the forefront.

Liu Laoqi is not a witness.

He's a thief.

The old warehouse is not a certificate of land.

It was a transfer point for stolen goods.

The Qian family is not involved in the case.

The owner is the person who lost the item.

If this story were presented to the imperial court, coupled with the indictment from the manager of the carriage and horse shop, Liu Laoqi's past misdeeds, and the evidence of my nighttime investigation of the Qian family's back alley, it would be enough to muddy the waters.

Stirring up trouble is the old official's greatest skill.

I said, "Does Vice Minister Qian mean that I made a mistake in my investigation?"

"No." Qian Rong shook his head. "Lord Shen is young and eager to make a name for himself after finding a clue, which is understandable."

"This humble official dares not."

"But a man like Liu Laoqi is not worth Lord Shen risking his future to vouch for."

At this point, he finally revealed a bit of his true sharpness.

"I advise Lord Shen to hand the man over to the Ministry of Works. After all, this man is involved in the loss of the Qian family's property and also in the old warehouses of the Ministry of Works."

I laughed.

"The person is already at the Censorate."

"The Censorate must also provide evidence."

"It is precisely because we rely on evidence that we cannot hand it over to the people involved in the case."

The smile on Qian Rong's face slowly faded.

"Does Lord Shen believe the Ministry of Works is involved?"

"This humble official dares not make a judgment."

"Then why don't you hand them over?"

"Because he is still alive."

Qian Rong narrowed his eyes.

I looked at him and said softly, "The living are always more troublesome than the dead. I'm afraid that once I hand him over, he won't be troublesome anymore."

The waterside pavilion fell silent.

The manager in blue stood to the side, his eyes as cold as knives.

Qian Rong laughed again.

"Lord Shen, you have a very interesting way of speaking."

"This humble official is usually a man of few words."

"I admire you very much."

I have absolutely no desire to be appreciated by him.

Qian Rong took out another piece of paper from his sleeve.

"Since Lord Shen is unwilling to hand over the person, I cannot force him. However, after the morning court session this morning, several colleagues have already heard that Lord Shen disturbed the southern city last night, forcibly seized people's tents, and coerced coachmen."

As I looked at that piece of paper, my heart sank.

Impeachment petition.

Qian Rong handed it to me.

"Please take a look, Lord Shen."

I didn't answer.

He wasn't annoyed and gently placed it on the table.

I glanced down at it.

The folds haven't been officially sealed yet.

But the charges listed above are very neat.

Unauthorized investigation.

Breaking into a private residence at night.

Forced confessions from innocent people.

The fire destroyed evidence.

Hiding items from the case.

None of them are fatal.

But if several of them are stacked together, it's enough to suspend me from my duties pending investigation.

Suspension is not a bad thing.

What's terrifying is that if I stop, Liu Laoqi will die, the evidence will be lost, Fang Zhoushi and her son will be exposed, and the old warehouse line in the south of the city will be wiped clean.

Qian Rong doesn't need to kill me now.

He just wants me to be unable to investigate.

This is the difference between a high-ranking official of the third rank and the manager of an ironworks.

The blacksmith shopkeeper wanted to use a hammer.

Qian Rong used folding paper.

I suddenly felt a bit of admiration for him.

I wanted to kill him even more.

Of course, it can only be kept in my heart.

On the surface, I sighed.

"Minister Qian, you are trying to force me to my death."

Qian Rong shook his head.

"I'm saving you."

"Help me?"

"Lord Shen, you are still young. It's a good thing that His Majesty trusts you. But His Majesty's trust doesn't mean you can offend all the officials in the court."

He said slowly, "When you're an official, you have to learn to leave room for maneuver."

I looked at the cup of tea on the table.

The tea has gotten a little cold.

The fragrance has faded.

I suddenly picked up my teacup and took a sip.

Qian Rong looked at me.

"How's the tea?"

I put down my teacup.

"It's more bitter than the tea from the Ministry of Works."

Qian Rong smiled.

"Bitter tea is refreshing."

"Also, wake up."

I stood up and bowed to him.

"Thank you for the tea, Vice Minister Qian. I will handle Liu Laoqi's matter according to the regulations of the Censorate. If the Qian family has any petitions, they can also be submitted to the Censorate."

Qian Rong looked at me.

"Won't Lord Shen reconsider?"

"I've thought about it."

You'll regret it.

I smiled.

"Since I entered the capital, I have regretted it every day, so one more time won't make a difference."

After saying that, I turned to leave.

As they reached the entrance of the waterside pavilion, Qian Rong's voice came from behind them.

"Lord Shen."

I stopped.

Whether Liu Laoqi can live to see tomorrow is neither up to me nor up to you.

I turned around.

Qian Rong remained seated, his expression gentle.

"Sometimes, a person deserves to die, not because someone wants to kill him, but because he said something he shouldn't have said."

My fingertips tightened slightly.

"I will remember what you said, Vice Minister Qian."

"Remembering things too clearly isn't a good thing either."

"My memory has always been poor."

I smiled and said, "Just keep track of the expenses."

Qian Rong finally fell silent.

I left the Qian residence.

Yan Xiaoyi was still sitting next to the stone lion, and it really looked like he had just taken a nap.

He opened his eyes when he saw me come out.

"Still alive?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Is the tea good?"

"bitter."

"Was it poisoned?"

"have no idea."

Yan Xiaoyi immediately became a little more sober.

"You drank it?"

"I drank it."

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"Afraid."

"Then why are you still drinking?"

I glanced at him.

"If I don't drink it, he'll think I'm being too obviously afraid."

Yan Xiaoyi paused for a moment.

"Lord Shen, you officials are such a hassle."

I also find it troublesome.

Just as I stepped out of the entrance to Qianfu Street, Ah Liu ran towards me.

He ran so fast that his face was frighteningly pale.

My heart sank.

"Is Liu Laoqi dead?"

Ah Liu shook his head, panting so hard he couldn't speak.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?"

Ah Liu finally recovered, his voice trembling.

"Young master, Liu Laoqi is not dead."

"But he vomited black blood."

"Lord Zhao said that he may have been poisoned long ago."

I paused in my steps.

Qian Rong's words echoed in my ears.

Whether Liu Laoqi can live to see tomorrow is neither up to me nor up to you.

I glanced back at the Qian residence.

The courtyard was quiet, the stone lions were silent, as if nothing had happened.

I suddenly understood why Qian Rong was so confident.

From the moment we found Liu Laoqi, he was already on the road to death.

He didn't want to kill Liu Laoqi.

He was just waiting for the poison to take effect.