Chapter 77 Locked in the Dungeon

After passing the imperial examination in Wuzhou, he was first appointed as a sixth-rank Hanlin Academy Reader. However, because he offended his superior, he was demoted to a sixth-rank compiler within a few months, and later to a seventh-rank examiner.

Later, he was kicked out of the Hanlin Academy and became a ninth-rank assistant instructor at a prefectural school.

Nobody knows what mistake he made; he left the state college after less than a year as a teaching assistant.

After that, he frequented brothels and brothels.

Three years ago, he unexpectedly met Magistrate Zhao and helped him solve a big problem, so he stayed by Magistrate Zhao's side as his advisor.

He's the first person to fall from the rank of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and end up as a secretary.

After listening to Magistrate Zhao's introduction, Tang Xinuan found it interesting and said, "Then let's leave this matter to him and see what he's capable of."

Although Wu Zhouping's life story is quite interesting, he only reached the sixth rank at most.

Tang Xinuan was focused on finding talented people for Erlang, and she didn't bring just anyone to him.

“You can’t even do a little bit of work,” Wu Zhouping said, showing no respect for the young master. “He’s barely grown up yet, and he dares to order me around. I’m just resentful that my talents are not being recognized.”

He drunkenly refused on the spot.

Tang Xinuan frowned: "Why can't you hand it in? Oh, I know you have no talent at all, so no one can find out. You're just trying to gain fame and reputation to fool Magistrate Zhao."

Magistrate Zhao suspected he was courting death and whispered a warning, "If you don't want to live, don't drag me down with you."

Wu Zhouping, feeling indignant at being suspected, retorted, "Who says I can't find out? I can tell you right now who the murderer is."

Tang Xinuan really didn't believe he had such great abilities and suspected he was talking nonsense.

"Then tell me, who is the murderer?"

Wu Zhouping squinted and said disdainfully, "Who else could it be? It must be some important person from the capital."

The murderer who could send so many assassins to wipe out the entire family of a retired high-ranking official must be either rich or powerful.

Since there are many dignitaries in the capital, the probability that the murderer came from the capital is definitely higher than elsewhere.

Having such thoughts is nothing to be ashamed of.

That's it?

Tang Xinuan was extremely disdainful.

Wu Zhouping was furious. He was being questioned about whether someone was a prince or the empress.

Tang Xinuan had long suspected the Empress, and Wu Zhouping's thoughts coincided with hers.

Based solely on speculation?

Why do you say that?

Wu Zhouping analyzed: "The Liu family has 31 members, almost all of whom were killed with a single blow. The murderers were well-organized, swift and decisive, and ruthless. It is obvious that they are a group of organized and disciplined executioners who often do dirty work."

Why was Lord Liu's entire family only wiped out now, five years after he resigned from his post? Something must have happened in the capital.

The biggest commotion lately has been at the Grand Tutor's Mansion.

The Empress was certainly unwilling to accept the Grand Tutor's imprisonment, and naturally she would want to clean up all the sordid things he had done.

The pottery jar was found to contain the waist tag of an imperial guard at the scene, leading to the conclusion that the Empress was responsible.

Now, listening to Wu Zhouping's analysis, which is both reasonable and well-founded, I was quite surprised.

Chu Yannuo didn't need to look at the evidence at all. If his cousin was investigating the Tang family's plot to rebel, the Empress couldn't possibly have remained inactive.

Therefore, he naturally assumed that Wu Zhouping's analysis made sense.

Only Tang Xinuan noticed that something was wrong.

"Master Wu, your analysis is too far-fetched. There are so many noble people in the capital, how could it be the Empress who did it? It makes no sense at all."

Honestly, what's the basis for your conclusion?

Wu Zhouping thought that such a young master was easy to fool, but he didn't expect that someone would see through him in one sentence.

He rubbed his nose and confessed, "This humble servant saw clues left by Lord Liu."

"clue?"

Both the pottery jar and Chu Yannuo were startled.

They were actually fooled by Wu Zhouping.

Tang Xinuan pressed on, "Where are the clues?"

Wu Zhouping led Tang Xinuan to the place where he found the clue. "Look here. Lord Liu was clutching a handful of candy when he died. He was an official who had retired from the army and lived a cautious life. He was suddenly killed. It couldn't have been someone he had offended recently."

I remember that in the third year of the Mingzhe reign, Liu Cheng, as the Minister of Justice, participated in the trial of a treason case.

At the time, many people believed that there was a miscarriage of justice, but the Tang family was still executed along with their entire clan.

Today, as Liu Cheng lay dying, he grabbed nothing but a handful of candy. Could this be a reference to the massacre of the entire Tang family years ago?

With the Grand Tutor imprisoned, the only person capable of wiping out Liu Cheng's entire family of thirty-one people is the current Empress.

Wu Zhouping's analysis makes some sense.

Tang Xinuan asked, "How can we obtain evidence of the murderer's actions?"

Wu Zhouping pondered for a moment, then looked Tang Xinuan up and down. "Why have you come to see Lord Liu today?"

Tang Xinuan wasn't good at lying, so she looked at the pottery jar.

The earthenware jar said unhappily, "Just answer whatever Young Master Han asks you."

Wu Zhouping didn't like pottery jars, so he moved to Tang Xinuan's other side and continued to scrutinize her. "You wouldn't happen to be descendants of the Tang family, would you?"

These words startled Tang Xinuan.

She gave Lian Qiao a look, "Take the person back."

The earthenware jar embodies this idea.

Magistrate Zhao was a muddle-headed fool. While Tang Xinuan and the others were analyzing the case, he hid far away, rummaging through things as if he were very busy, afraid of being watched.

Tao Guan glanced at him impatiently: "Magistrate Zhao, please send people to protect the scene. The capital will send people to investigate."

Afterwards, the group took Wuzhou Ping back to the capital.

Tang Xinuan couldn't tell whether Wu Zhouping had great talent or not, but she was certain that he was somewhat clever.

So whether handing the person over to Erlang is useful or not is for him to decide.

Chu Yannuo stayed close to Tang Xinuan.

Lily blocked the way: "Is Prince Chu very free?"

Chu Yannuo feigned severe injury and excruciating pain, "Cousin, I..."

Fearing his cousin's identity would be revealed in front of outsiders, he simply changed his address.

Tang Xinuan glanced at him indifferently and gestured to Baihe, "Let my cousin come back with us."

Tang Xinuan and the others rode in a carriage, while Tao Guan and Chu Yannuo rode horses. They galloped back to the palace in no time.

Tang Xin Nuan handed over the pottery jar containing Wu Zhouping to the prince.

He also instructed, "Don't tell Erlang about me bringing my cousin back to the Prince's Mansion."

The pottery jar looked utterly hopeless.

Although Tang Xinuan had brought men home before, they clearly did not have romantic feelings for each other.

The Crown Prince of Chu is different. If Miss Tang and her cousin rekindle their old flame, wouldn't the prince be cuckolded?

But he couldn't refuse Tang Xinuan's order.

"Your subordinate will obey your orders, young master."

Lian Qiao and the others, unaware of Tang Xinuan's purpose, looked at her with confusion, saying, "The prince will probably be furious if he finds out."

The happiest person here was Chu Yannuo.

As expected, his cousin still had feelings for him.

Although unwilling to leave the Regent, secretly bringing him back to the palace and ordering the others to keep it a secret—isn't this like keeping a mistress hidden away?

Chu Yannuo's good mood only lasted a short while.

“Cousin, Grand Tutor Yao is in the dungeon. I’ll take you there to see him.”

Chu Yannuo gladly went.

Once inside the dungeon, Tang Xinu waved her hand, and Zisu immediately activated the mechanism, instantly trapping Chu Yannuo in a large iron cage.

"Cousin, cousin, what are you doing? Let me go!"

At this moment, Chu Yannuo resembled a captive animal.

He clung tightly to the iron pillar, shouting at Tang Xinuan with all his might, "Cousin, I'm your cousin! Let me out!"

Tang Xinuan had long wanted to lock her cousin up.

Just like Erlang Guan Wei Minzhao, they covered the cage completely with black cloth, not letting a single ray of light through.

But since her aunt only had this one son, she was soft-hearted and only locked him up without abusing him.

“Cousin,” Tang Xinuan said with a serious little face, looking at him quietly, “Over the years, I have relied on you wholeheartedly, but you won’t allow anyone to teach me common sense, ways to make a living, or how to deal with people. I grew up like a fool.”

You won't even let me leave the mansion, you won't let me see outsiders, and I haven't had a single friend all these years.

Am I your pet?

No, I'm not even as good as a pet.

Today, I'll let you experience what it's like to be imprisoned.

After saying this calmly and without any emotion, Tang Xinuan left the dungeon without hesitation.

Yao Taifu and the cage he was imprisoned in were not in the same area, so the two did not meet.

Tang Xinuan saw too many dead people today, and thought back to how her own family had suffered even worse.

Liu Cheng had done something wrong, so he had only himself to blame.

The Tang family was devoted to the country, so why did they suffer the fate of being wiped out?

Back in the bedroom, Tang Xinuan changed her clothes and lay on the bed, looking dejected.

Xiaoqian felt sorry for her, "Miss, don't be sad, the truth will be found out sooner or later."

Tang Xinuan sighed softly, "I miss my brother. If he were here, he would definitely do a better job than I did."

Xiaoqian comforted him, "Young master is older than you."

When Zhou Chuan returned in the evening, he inquired about what had happened that day.

The pottery jar clearly reported the massacre of Liu Cheng's entire family at Peach Blossom Slope.

He has already contacted the Dali Temple, and Li Ce personally led a team to the scene.

Zhou Chuanxing, concerned about the young girl, asked again, "Is Miss Tang alright?"

Tao Guan hesitated for a moment and said, "Fortunately, we also brought back a man for you named Wu Zhouping. He guessed that Miss Tang was a descendant of the Tang family, so Miss Tang ordered us to bring him back."

It's easy to bring up Wu Zhouping's matter, but it's difficult to talk about Chu Yannuo's.

The pottery jar was filled with conflicting emotions, wondering whether or not to report the arrival of the Crown Prince Chu at the mansion.

It wasn't a big deal; Zhou Chuanxing knew about pottery jars.

I noticed that his eyes kept darting around, clearly indicating that he was feeling guilty.

"Is there anything else you're hiding from me?"

"No, no, that's all." The earthenware jar started to stammer.

Zhou Chuanxing frowned: "What is it? Tell me quickly."

Tao Guan began to make demands, "Your Highness, if I tell the truth, Miss Tang will definitely be angry. You'll have to cover for me then."

Zhou Chuanxing said speechlessly, "You guys are all becoming less and less attentive to me. Not only are you keeping things from me, but even Zisu and the others don't report to me anymore."

The pottery jar was carefully lifted, and it was said, "Miss Tang... has brought Prince Chu back."

Zhou Chuanxing's heart tightened, and he subconsciously walked towards the back courtyard. "What are you doing? I told you to protect her safety, not to mess around with me."

The clay pot hurried a few steps to catch up and finished the sentence, "He was locked in the dungeon."

Zhou Chuanxing paused, "Is the Crown Prince of Chu in the dungeon?"

Tao Guan nodded: "Prince Chu is like a leech, always following Miss Tang. Miss Tang got annoyed and brought him back to lock him in the dungeon."

Zhou Chuanxing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought the little girl had brought the person back to hide in the back house.

Locking someone in a dungeon is good, locking someone in a dungeon is good, it would be best to lock them up for a lifetime.

Next, Zhou Chuanxing met with Wu Zhouping.

After a brief chat, I discovered that his talent lay not in investigating and adjudicating cases, but rather in his profound understanding of taxation and people's livelihoods.

Moreover, he is quite quick-witted and has an active mind, enabling him to make judgments and choices that are conducive to the desired outcome based on the current situation.

It was tax season, and the imperial court needed such talent.

Zhou Chuanxing planned to keep him by his side for a thorough evaluation, and if he proved to be useful, he would entrust him with important responsibilities after some time.

He was simply curious, "Tell me, how exactly did you determine that Young Master Han is a descendant of the Tang family?"