The First Lackey Under The Empress

A list!

Song Family Manor, inner residence.

Even though he was mentally prepared, Zhao Du'an's heart still skipped a beat when he saw the names on the paper!

At the very top of the evidence in this box, on a white sheet of paper, was a list compiled by the missing Supervising Secretary Song, suspected to be accomplices of the Taicang County Magistrate!

Each name was clearly written with their identity and an index mark.

That is, the page number of this person's incriminating evidence in the stack of documents below.

This was clearly a list of criminals involved in the silver mine corruption case... And among the dozen or so names on the paper, the top three were circled with ink:

Governor Gao Lian

Surveillance Commissioner Liu Ji

Prefect of Taicang, Sun Xiaozhun

Next to the names of the three men, there was a line of writing, roughly meaning:

The backer behind Wang Chusheng is most likely among these three.

As for who exactly, or how many, according to Supervising Secretary Song's notes, his abilities were insufficient to investigate clearly.

The reason for identifying these three as suspects was because he had investigated and found that County Magistrate of Taicang was suspected of having a certain "interest transfer" relationship with all three.

"The worst-case scenario has occurred..."

Zhao Du'an's pupils constricted, and he sighed inwardly.

Before leaving the capital, Zhao Du'an had a conversation with Yuan Li.

At that time, the result of their discussion was that daring to get involved in the silver mine was definitely not something an ordinary person could do.

Wang Chusheng was able to cover it up for so long without being exposed, so his backer was either in Taicang Prefecture or within the Linfeng Circuit.

It was because of this suspicion that he went to great lengths and played a trick of "crossing the sea under camouflage."

Now, the list provided by Supervising Secretary Song confirmed his guess...

"So... things are basically clear now. Supervising Secretary Song, as the chief official of the Mining Tax Supervising Office, noticed that County Magistrate Wang Chusheng, who was also the Mining Supervisor, was suspected of embezzling silver mine funds in the name of 'wastage fees,' and secretly investigated continuously, involving increasingly higher levels."

"The old scholar said that Supervising Secretary Song once wanted to present the evidence to the Prefect of Taicang, but later stopped...

Was it because he suspected that Prefect Sun Xiaozhun was also involved in this corruption? And because the two chief officials of Linfeng Circuit were also suspected... he could only secretly report to the capital..."

"The urgent report was because he realized that his investigation might be discovered..."

"So, after the secret letter was sent, he was targeted by the real big tiger behind the scenes. The so-called 'disappearance' was most likely a murder? Or a secret arrest..."

"County Magistrate Wang Chusheng's 'disappearance' was to seek survival..."

At this moment, many thoughts flashed through Zhao Du'an's mind, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.

He once again wrote down all the dozen or so names on the list.

The most valuable thing about this list was not the suspicion of Gao, Liu, and Sun, but the remaining names.

These people were all indirect accomplices of Wang Chusheng.

Wang Chusheng fled in a hurry, but these people may not have all disappeared...

Well, even if they also fled in advance, with so many people, even if the "big tiger" behind the scenes had a geographical advantage, time was tight, and it would be difficult to do everything perfectly.

As long as they followed these clues and traced them back, they might be able to lock onto the real culprit.

"Lord Zhao?"

Inside the hall, seeing him clutching the paper with a changing expression, Xu Junling called out softly, unable to hide her curiosity:

"What's on the paper?"

From the princess's angle, she couldn't see the contents.

Zhao Du'an quickly restrained his emotions, and a smile reappeared on his lips, teasing:

"Do you really want to see? I've heard a saying, curiosity killed the cat. Some things, once you've seen them, won't be the same."

What a strange saying... The dignified and restrained Princess of Huai'an, dressed in plain clothes, rolled her eyes and hummed:

"If you don't want to show me, then I won't look."

"Imperial Envoy... look..." At this moment, the fifty-year-old scholar with a long beard on the opposite side cautiously opened his mouth.

Zhao Du'an closed the box and, like a magic trick, put it into the silver scroll in his sleeve, and said solemnly:

"I'll take this thing away, and I won't disturb you any further. I hope the old gentleman will keep his mouth shut. When I conclude the Taicang case in the next two days, I'll count it as a contribution from your Song family."

"I dare not, I dare not ask for it. Being able to serve His Majesty is a blessing for my Song family." The Song scholar stood up to see him off.

He only wanted to clear himself of this matter, and wanted to avoid the so-called merit as far as possible.

Xu Junling's attention was on the words "the next two days," and she couldn't help but be surprised.

Judging from Zhao Du'an's meaning, he seemed to have the confidence to clear up this case in a short time?

Really or not...

The three people in the hall stood up and were about to walk out.

But as soon as they took a few steps, Lu Qingfeng and the others looked towards the middle courtyard separated by a courtyard wall, only to hear a noisy sound, accompanied by shouts.

"This..." The Song scholar looked at the Imperial Envoy in confusion.

Zhao Du'an also frowned.

The next second, they saw a group of people barging through the middle courtyard and arriving at the backyard. A servant hurriedly shouted:

"Master! The yamen runners from the county yamen are here, saying they want to search for thieves..."

At the same time as the servant shouted, Zhao Du'an saw a group of about twenty yamen clerks wearing constable uniforms, carrying knife sheaths, rushing in fiercely.

The attire of the leader was slightly different, and he was the head constable.

At this moment, he entered the door with a fierce face, and his eyes locked on Zhao Du'an and the others.

The posture of holding the knife handle became more exaggerated, raising his chin, showing a scrutinizing look:

"We are public servants of the Taicang County Yamen. We have received reports from the people that you were acting suspiciously around the mine. Come back to the yamen with us."

Everyone was stunned.

Zhao Du'an and Xu Junling exchanged glances with strange expressions.

The Song scholar was also stunned for a moment, uncertain and suspicious: "I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding..."

"Scholar Song,"

The local constable naturally recognized this gentry, and his tone was a little more polite.

But his words were unrefusable, and he clasped his fists:

“Now that the Imperial Envoy has arrived in Fucheng, the silver mine is a key area, and surveillance is strict. I must ask Scholar Song to come to the yamen as well. Once County Magistrate returns, we will investigate thoroughly and then release him.”

“……” Scholar Song was stunned for a moment, looking at Zhao Du’an with some suspicion.

He suddenly became unsure whether this person was truly the Imperial Envoy.

“This gentleman, please.” The constable said expressionlessly, gesturing “please.”

The constables behind him formed a fan shape, as if ready to capture him at any moment.

Xu Junling looked displeased.

Lü Qingfeng had his sleeves folded, his eyes lowered. The man with the saber gripped the hilt, his eyes scornful, preparing to block them.

—A few small constables; he could overturn them in two breaths.

“Alright,” Zhao Du’an smiled, giving them a look to tell them to remain calm:

“I was just thinking of taking a seat at the county yamen.”

As he spoke, from the sleeves behind his back, a folded, yellowed piece of paper slipped into his palm. On that special communication "talisman,” words had been written at some unknown time.

At this moment, accompanied by the pull of energy, the two inked characters “Come quickly” on the brown-yellow paper rapidly dried and disappeared.

“The evidence has been obtained, and there is no need to hide anything anymore.”

Soon, under the surveillance of the county yamen constables, the group left the Song residence.

Leaving the Song clan members looking anxious and unsightly.

“What should we do?”

Scholar Song’s wife and children were in a panic. The Song family’s young master suddenly grabbed Instructor Xie:

“Please, Instructor, make a trip yourself to inform Prefect Sun of the news that my father has been taken away.”

The old scholar was a guest of Prefect Sun Xiaozhun. The panicked Song family instinctively sought his help.

“Yes!” Instructor Xie immediately took off. The young Xiao Wu’s eyes darted around, seizing the opportunity to redeem himself:

“Master, I’ll go too!”

… …

… …

Fucheng, inside the posthouse.

In the separate courtyard where the “Imperial Envoy” resided, the Jinyi of Pear Blossom Hall were scattered about, idly whiling away the time in the courtyard.

Round-faced female martial artist Qian Kerou strode back from the front yard.

Pushing open the door and glancing around, she saw Hou Renmeng sitting cross-legged on the bed, wiping his saber with a cloth.

Shen Juan, disguised as the Imperial Envoy with a “mask,” was sprawled in front of the table, catching up on sleep in an unseemly manner.

“Sleeping, sleeping, all you know is sleeping! What if someone comes in and sees you?”

Qian Kerou kicked Shen Juan unhappily.

Shen Juan, the well-known slacker king of Pear Blossom Hall, who was addicted to staying up late, yawned, got up, and didn’t care at all:

“There are so many brothers guarding outside, who can get in? En, how is it outside?”

Qian Kerou crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, saying:

“Censor Chen is talking about the case with that Prefect Sun. It’s making my head spin.”

“Just talking about the case? Didn’t Chen Hong send out the message yesterday that he wanted a bribe? Why are these people so clueless?” Shen Juan looked puzzled.

Hou Renmeng, who was sitting on the bed, wiping his saber with his head down, sneered and said gloomily:

“Our lord, have you forgotten what happened when you solicited bribes in the yamen and then turned around and arrested people?

I guess these people are also afraid of being tricked. Besides, we are here to investigate corruption. Giving us gifts would be like courting death.

I think our lord’s trick has been seen through long ago.”

Qian Kerou said disdainfully:

“You’re just a roughneck who only knows how to fight. How can you fathom our lord’s thoughts? You’re on the first level, and our lord is at least on the fifth level…”

Shen Juan looked at the two arguing and helplessly persuaded:

“Alright. You guys tell me, how long do we have to pretend? Although we have Censor Chen blocking for us, and I’m acting all aloof, these officials aren’t fools. I estimate that they’ll start to suspect us in two or three days at most.”

Qian Kerou said with a straight face, as the chief secretary, she had the self-awareness of a class monitor:

“We just need to patiently wait for the next instruction. The lord’s plan is far-reaching and must have arrangements. Maybe we’ll get instructions soon…”

As soon as she finished speaking, suddenly, Shen Juan suddenly raised his hand to signal silence. He took out the folded yellow-brown paper from his arms.

On the paper, a wisp of firelight faintly appeared, slowly revealing the two words “Come quickly.”

“The lord is calling us over!”

Shen Juan got up excitedly.

Qian Kerou’s eyes lit up:

“I’ll go gather the men! Tell General Yuan to set off!”

“Haha, I’m so bored! I can finally go out!”

The unruly Hou Renmeng flicked the blade with his finger, making a buzzing vibration sound.

He had already flown out.

The words “Come quickly” were a pre-arranged signal. Once sent, it meant that the entire Imperial Envoy team was setting off.

Relying on the positioning between the two brown-yellow paper talismans, the direction could be roughly sensed within a certain distance.

… …

In front of the posthouse.

Censor Chen Hong, who had buckteeth and was currently chatting with Prefect Sun, heard the movement in the courtyard. His eyes flickered, and he slowly stood up, smiling:

“Prefect Sun, the Imperial Envoy is going on patrol. I’ll take my leave first.”

After speaking, without giving any explanation, he took off.

Prefect Sun Xiaozhun, who was lean as black iron and had a refined temperament, had come early today on behalf of the city’s high officials to discuss the case, looked dumbfounded.

The dignified Prefect stood up, took a few steps to chase him out of the courtyard, his scarlet official robe fluttering in the autumn wind.

He was shocked to discover that hundreds of cavalry were pouring out of the side of the posthouse.

The leader was none other than Yuan Xingjun, the Deputy General of Linfeng, who had carried the flag into the city yesterday, wearing black armor and an iron helmet.

“Rumble rumble…”

The horses’ hooves were like thunder, awakening the entire Fucheng after a day.

Sun Xiaozhun was stunned for a second, his expression changed drastically, and he grabbed a close aide beside him, his eyes red:

“Quickly report to High Commissioner Gao and Surveillance Commissioner Liu!”

Leaving these words behind, the dignified Prefect lifted his scarlet official robe and strode towards the Imperial Envoy’s team:

“Imperial Envoy, wait for me…”