Chapter 413: Impotent Rage

early morning.

When the sky in the east began to turn pale, Lu Zhi, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, had already walked out of his house and headed towards the streets near his home where breakfast was sold.

It has been a long time since Zhao Duan brought down Zhou Cheng.

In that case, Lu Zhi, who was recommended by the empress because of Zhao Du'an, was promoted from a judge in the Dali Temple to a Shaoqing in just a few months.

However, even though his status had changed dramatically, Lu Zhi's life remained simple. He still lived in the old house and still liked to walk to the yamen. Even the restaurant he ate was a small shop on the street.

"Mr. Lu, you're here? Or the usual three?"

Inside the bun shop, the owner saw Lu Zhi coming in and greeted him with a smile.

Lu Zhi nodded, perhaps because it was too cold, and added:

"Reheat another dime of wine."

Having said that, he sat down at a table in the corner, rolled up his sleeves and listened to the people around him chatting - this was his channel to obtain public opinion.

Most of the people who come to this shop in the morning are peddlers and hawkers. They are always the most informed about what is happening at the lower levels of the city.

"Have you heard? Duke Cao from the north returned to the capital yesterday. When he entered the city, he kidnapped someone and said he was heading straight to the palace."

"Looks like a wanted criminal?"

"What? A wanted criminal is so important that a Duke has to arrest him personally? I heard that Duke Cao has a son in the army..."

This kind of shop is a small shop on the ground floor, where all kinds of gossips gather.

People of all ages love to hear gossip about important figures.

Things like "Secret History of the Palace" have never ceased to exist.

Which concubine the emperor slept with and which concubine was cheating on him, true or false, were the topics that the people talked about most.

The story of how Duke Cao's son defiled his comrade's wife, was killed, and then covered up the truth has the feel of folk history.

Lu Zhi listened while eating, frowned slightly, but did not take it seriously, thinking it was just another rumor fabricated by some people.

What surprised him was that in such a small shop, several customers were talking about this matter.

Lu Zhi shook his head.

After breakfast, he piled a few copper coins on the corner of the table, then lifted the thick cloth curtain to block the wind and came to the Dali Temple.

Early in the morning, before the government office opened, many officials in the Dali Temple were chatting about interesting officialdom stories, and they all mentioned the gossip they had heard about Duke Cao.

However, these people were much more cautious, and only mentioned it briefly in a "criticizing" tone, roughly like this:

"Another person is spreading rumors and slandering the Duke" and so on.

The main character is a timid and gossipy person.

Lu Zhi changed into his official robe, entered the duty room and glanced at all the officials. They all fell silent and quietly got busy.

I was afraid of being caught and criticized by this honest boss who was difficult to serve.

"Just do your own thing and don't gossip."

Lu Zhi said this casually when he heard someone beating a drum outside the yamen.

Soon, an old official came running out of the courtyard holding a petition:

"Master Shaoqing, please take a look. There's a complaint from a military dependent... Oh, anyway, please take a look."

Lu Zhi picked up the petition in confusion, and after glancing over it, his expression suddenly became solemn.

The person who filed the lawsuit claimed to be a relative of Lang Shiba in prison and accused him of being wronged in a previous case.

Could it be true? Lu Zhi could not help but frown. You must know that the yamen’s drum of complaint is not beaten randomly.

Once the knock is made, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, a beating will be given first to deter others from making false accusations and causing trouble, thereby increasing the cost of prosecution. If the false accusation is proven, severe punishment will be imposed.

"Open the court, I will personally interrogate the case!" said Lu Zhi.

…

Opposite the Dali Temple, in a teahouse.

Chen Hong, the old censor who had been on a diplomatic mission to Taicang Prefecture with Zhao Duan, ordered a pot of tea and a plate of melon seeds early in the morning and ate them slowly by himself.

“Click, click.”

When Censor Chen was cracking melon seeds, his two inlaid silver teeth were particularly eye-catching.

When the melon seed shells on the table piled up into a small mountain, Chen Hong heard the sound of people leaving the court from the Dali Temple across the street.

"It's time."

Chen Hong sighed softly, clapped her hands to brush off the debris on her hands, stood up and walked out of the teahouse, and stepped into the Dali Temple.

He claimed that he heard people discussing the affairs of the Cao State, so he came to the Dali Temple to find someone to inquire about it, and as a result, he "accidentally" learned about the lawsuit just now.

Chen Hong was "shocked" and "filled with righteous indignation". She left immediately and her face was red when she returned to the Censorate.

After writing an impeachment memorial, Censor Chen rushed to the palace amidst the strange looks of his colleagues, and used his privilege as a censor to attack Duke Anguo Cao Mao.

…

Inside the Shenji Camp.

When the young master Tang Ping entered the barracks to take attendance, the other military officers all looked surprised.

The commander Shi Meng, who was a burly man with a delicate demeanor, was stunned for a moment, looked at Tang Ping with doubt, and said:

"Didn't I give you several days off? The Duke finally comes back to Beijing to stay for a few days after a year, and you're not at home with him. Why are you coming here again?"

Tang Ping closed the door of the barracks, turned around, smiled at his comrades, and said:

"The rest of the generals and officers in the army haven't had their vacation yet and can't go home to see their parents. Why am I special?"

Shi Meng smiled bitterly and shook his head. He was not surprised by the character of this young master. He thought that if only Lord Zhao could be a third as dedicated as he was, it would be great.

As a deputy commander, it is considered diligent to visit the military camp once a month.

Tang Ping sat in the barracks and quietly finished the morning meeting.

After many of his colleagues had dispersed, Tang Ping stood up and walked back to his barracks, then summoned the group of young officers headed by him from the Shenji Camp.

"What happened?"

A group of young military officers were confused and asked questions as soon as they entered the door.

Tang Ping asked everyone to sit down at the table, and then, with a heavy heart, he told the truth about the murder committed by "Northern Blood Knife" in Jubei City.

A group of hot-blooded and sharp-edged officers felt the same way when they heard it, their blood boiling, and they instantly sympathized with Lang Shiba of that year.

Upon learning that the Crown Prince had rescued Lang Shiba, but had now been captured by Cao Mao, thrown into prison, and poised for execution, an officer clenched his fist, slammed the table, and stood up:

"That's too much!"

Another calmer one frowned and asked, "Brother Tang, is this true?"

Tang Ping looked at him with indignation:

"I learned this from my father, what do you think?"

Everyone also knew that Duke Tang and Duke Cao were at odds, so they closed the door and spoke without restraint, starting a loud cursing match.

Finally someone said:

"Brother, you told us this, what do you want to do? Just tell us straight away."

Tang Ping looked around at his group of younger brothers and said seriously:

"I have never met the Northern Blood Blade, but I cannot stand this. I cannot tolerate it. I need you to spread the truth, at least to let the three armies of the Beijing Camp know. My second sister said that if enough soldiers sign a petition, perhaps His Majesty will show leniency in his sentence."

"Leave it to us. Northern Blood Blade is a true man. It would be too unfair to die at the hands of such a man!"

The officers were either filled with passion or guessed that this was Duke Tang's intention. They all shared the same hatred and took the order and left.

On that day, the news that Cao Mao's son attacked military subordinates spread quickly in the Beijing camp.

It soon spread to the imperial guards in the city, moving countless soldiers who had suffered from bullying by their superiors, and a restless mood quietly fermented.

…

…

In the afternoon, at Duke Cao’s residence.

"Bang!"

Cao Mao, with frosty hair on his temples and deep wrinkles on his face, slammed his hand on the table so hard that the cups and plates rattled.

The old man, like a hungry tiger, stared intently at his adopted son who was standing inside the house and reporting:

"Say that again!?"

Cao Kedi stood respectfully, lowered his head slightly, and said:

"Rumors are circulating in the streets about you falsely accusing Northern Blood Blade. The censors from the Censorate heard about it and reportedly came to the palace to impeach you, but it seems that His Majesty has already responded.

However... from what I've seen, the rumors are spreading like wildfire and are getting worse. If they continue, I'm afraid more and more officials will notice this, and then... Your Majesty won't be able to ignore it."

Cao Mao said nothing, his face expressionless:

"Where did this news come from?"

"I don't know."

"If you don't know, go check it out!" Cao Mao suddenly became furious and pointed at him.

"Find the connections you can use and investigate! I want to know how this rumor started! Who's behind this?

And... you go and pass on my order to the capital's government office, and all other offices, big and small, to arrest those who are spreading rumors! Suppress these voices!"

Cao Ke Di responded and turned away, not daring to delay for even a second.

…

At the same time, in the backyard of Baima Prison.

Zhao Duan, who was playing chess with the old supervisor Sun Lianying, also received the latest news from his subordinates.

"How is it?" Sun Lianying asked calmly without raising her head.

Zhao Duan finished reading the paper in his hand that recorded Cao Mao's actions, and casually threw it into the brazier beside him. He calmly picked up the chess piece, pressed it on a certain spot on the chessboard, and said with a smile:

"Just impotent rage."

(End of this chapter)