Chapter 254 Zhu Lan Enters the Court

Zhu Lan understood that the Anju Real Estate Company was one of the largest among the many real estate agencies in the capital. Now that it had financial problems, it needed to rely on its own accumulated credit as an endorsement to borrow money from a money house.

At such a critical moment, we must not get caught up in the public opinion storm. Even if someone really catches us, we must never admit it even if we are beaten to death.

This led to the incident that happened to Li Duchang later.

Li Duchang then added some irrelevant details, complained for a long time, and finally finished telling his story.

In front of Zhu Lan and the others, Chen Tuiguan naturally could not make excuses any longer, so he said that the Jingzhao Prefecture would send people to investigate as soon as possible.

Zhu Qingyan tilted his head and asked, "Mr. Chen, what about our case..."

Chen Tuiguan wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Check everything. Check everything."

Since they are all related to the rent-swindling pawnshops in the capital, let's investigate them together. These blind guys, why would they dare to cheat the Hanlin Academy when they can cheat anyone else!

Chen Tuiguan then asked his men to bring up the evidence related to the case of Zhu Lan and the other man, as Jingzhao Prefecture needed to keep it on file.

When the Jingzhao official carrying the evidence passed by Li Duchang, he glanced at him inadvertently and suddenly shouted, "Slow down!"

As he spoke, Li Duchang stretched out his hand and pulled out the half-opened scroll from the pile of objects. The painting on it was the house that Zhu Lan and his companions almost rented from the broker of Fudi Dental Clinic.

"Hey, isn't this my house?" Li Duchang shook off the scroll, repeatedly looked at the house drawing on it, and said with wide eyes.

"really?"

"Are you sure?"

Zhu Lan and Chen Tuiguan asked at the same time.

"This is my own house, how could I be wrong? Look at this road and this yard, I personally asked someone to design them!"

Li Duchang pointed at the painting and muttered for a long time, "It's really strange. I have clearly entrusted this house to Anju Real Estate, so how could the painting appear here?"

Zhu Lan and Zhu Qingyan looked at each other and told Li Duchang about their experiences that day.

Li Duchang was dumbfounded after hearing this: "What...what? You said that Fudi Dental Clinic also has the key to my house!?"

Zhu Lan nodded, "That's right. And after hearing about Lord Li today, I suspect these scammers are a group of people from beginning to end. Every time they succeed, they disappear from the world and disappear for a while. After the storm has passed, they change their appearance, reappear with a new identity and shop name, and continue to cheat."

After finishing his words, Zhu Lan looked at Chen Tuiguan and said, "Sir Chen, we have brought the fraudulent broker and his accomplices here today. We will know where the keys to the houses in their hands came from after one trial. I believe that the Jingzhao Prefecture can't be so great that it can't even get to the bottom of a few petty thieves, right?"

"Please rest assured, I will give you two gentlemen an explanation."

Zhu Lan then nodded, and after saying everything he needed to say, he left with Zhu Qingyan, and Li Duchang quickly followed.

"Editor Zhu, please stay. Editor Zhu, please stay!" Outside the gate of Jingzhao Prefecture, Li Duchang trotted behind them and called out to Zhu Lan and the other two.

"Master Li, is there anything else?"

Zhu Lan turned around and asked politely.

Li Duchang smiled awkwardly, "Please don't flatter me. I am now free from official duties, so how can I deserve to be called 'sir'... By the way, do you two sirs want to rent a house in the capital?"

"Exactly."

"That's great!" Li Duchang smiled happily, "My house is now vacant and is listed for rent and sale at Anju Real Estate Agency. It is the one you two have visited. If you two adults don't mind, I am willing to let you stay there temporarily for free."

Zhu Lan thought for a moment and said, "That house does meet our expectations. If Lord Li is willing to rent it to us, that would be great. But we still have to pay the rent, just the normal price."

Li Duchang naturally agreed and immediately went to Anju Real Estate Bank to withdraw the rental and sales order, and then signed a lease with Zhu Lan.

…

The next day, the imperial city.

It was the hour of Mao, the gate of the Golden Palace slowly opened, and the eunuch in charge walked out and began to call the roll.

Zhu Lan held a tablet in her hand and wore a dark blue imperial robe. However, she was thin and the robe was a little too big for her. When her hands were lowered, they were completely covered by her sleeves.

As a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, she also needs to participate in court meetings and record the words and deeds of officials, the emperor, etc. After the court is dismissed, she returns to the Hanlin Academy to compile.

After the roll call was over, the sound of "dong dong dong" drums was heard outside the Golden Palace.

The drums were beating loudly, and Zhu Lan's heartbeat quickened a little. Today was her first time to attend court.

She finally made it to this point by passing the imperial examination and becoming an official.

After the three drum beats ended, the civil and military officials began to line up and wait for the bell to ring before entering the hall.

Although Zhu Lan was the top scholar in the imperial examination and a compiler in the Imperial Academy, her rank was only the sixth rank, so she could only sit at the back of the court. But she didn't care about this, after all, at the beginning, she had to take it slow.

Even though he was standing at the back, Zhu Lan could still feel many eyes focused on him.

After all, she was the only woman today and the first woman in Daliang's history to officially attend the court as an official.

Thinking of this, Zhu Lan straightened his back a little more.

The censor who was in charge of monitoring the behavior of all civil and military officials was also paying attention to Zhu Lan's every move. If he made any mistakes, he would be ready to record them and report them on the spot after the court meeting.

As for women, how could they have seen the world? Even if they had some talent for studying and were very successful, how could a little girl withstand such an important occasion as a court meeting?

Even if she fainted in the temple later, no one would be surprised.

But after observing her for a long time, the censor found that this little girl, let alone fainting, actually stood straighter than the group of officials in front of her, with her eyes straight ahead and her expression calm. How could she show any fear or timidity at all?

It seems that this woman is not only well versed in etiquette and rules, but also has a character that is truly incomparable to ordinary people.

The censor nodded secretly.

The eunuch in charge's shrill voice, accompanied by the sound of bells and tripods, rang out in front of the white jade steps.

"Announcement - All civil and military officials, come to the court to pay homage."

The faces of the ministers were solemn. Zhu Lan gently raised his hand to straighten his clothes, then raised his eyes and followed the civil officials up the stairs from north to west and walked into the hall.