Chapter 551: Mass Arrests, the First Shot of the Imperial Court Purge (7k)

"Anyone who steps out of the house will be killed!"

After Zhao Duan whispered this, the entire duty room suddenly became quiet.

Peng Wenliang's footsteps suddenly stopped, his right foot still hovering in the air, unable to land.

The blade on his neck brought a chilling chill, causing beads of sweat to form on the forehead of this fourth-rank imperial censor.

The officials watching outside the duty room were also silent.

He really dares to kill people!

The same thought suddenly popped up in everyone's mind, and the unmistakable murderous intent could not be faked.

What follows is confusion:

Why?

When did an unscrupulous and domineering police officer appear in the imperial court?

At this moment, if everyone was not convinced that Zhao Duan was currently stationed in Taicang and could not return to Beijing, they would almost think that the famous "King Zhao" in the capital had returned.

"Mr. Yuan is here!"

In the dead silence, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the crowd in the courtyard, waking up the officials in the field.

The crowd in the yard parted to both sides like a tide. Zhao Duan finally raised his head and looked over the window, the crowd, and the branches hanging in the yard.

From behind the crowd, a familiar figure in blue clothes appeared walking towards them as if on clouds.

The other person was wearing a double-breasted official robe, a black gauze hat, slightly gray temples, and a sense of vicissitudes in his eye sockets. It can be seen that he was handsome and extraordinary in his youth. Even though he had spent many years in officialdom, there was still a unique aura lingering on his sleeves.

"Mr. Yuan!"

"Greetings, Mr. Yuan!"

"Mr. Yuan is finally here."

A group of imperial censors and civil officials bowed their heads in greeting, their faces showing either joy or surprise.

Peng Wenliang's eyelids twitched as the blade pressed against his neck. The fear in his eyes faded and turned into surprise. He snorted coldly, turned his head and looked down at Zhao Duan from above, saying lightly:

"Mr. Yuan has arrived and will definitely not let you run wild."

Everyone in Lihua Hall frowned and looked at Zhao Duan, as if asking for instructions.

Seeing Zhao Duan waving his hand gently, Hou Renmeng reluctantly put the sword back into the sheath.

Yuan Li stepped over the threshold and walked into the house. He first glanced at Peng Wenliang and Lihuatang and others, and then looked at the "white-faced police officer" who was sitting in the house and had not stood up.

Behind him, the censor who had been hinted by Peng Wenliang to seek help was arrogant.

Yuan Li's lips moved slightly: "What's the commotion?"

Before Zhao Duan could speak, Peng Wenliang was the first to complain:

"Sir Yuan, these officers suddenly barged in without any warrants and wanted to arrest me and throw me into jail. They even accused me of colluding with rebels. I refused, and they are now ready to kill me!"

Yuan Li listened quietly and looked at Zhao Duan: "Is it as he said?"

Zhao Duan laughed from beneath his mask: "Master Peng is right."

Admit it!

Yuan Li's expression remained unchanged. Suddenly, he raised his right hand and waved, "You guys go out first."

Peng Wenliang and several imperial censors in the room were stunned for a moment, but did not dare to refute. They immediately stood up and walked out.

Zhao Duan leaned back in his chair carelessly, turned his head and made a gesture, and a group of officials from Lihua Hall followed closely behind him.

However, the people in the courtyard were unable to leave as their way out was still blocked and they were temporarily confined to the courtyard.

It's just that I'm too far away from the house, so it's hard to hear the conversation inside.

…

When there were only two of them left, Yuan Li walked leisurely to Peng Wenliang's "workstation" and sat down leisurely.

He stared at me and said calmly:

"Since I took charge of the Censorate, you are the first person to be so bold as to barge in and arrest someone."

Zhao Duan was not afraid at all: "I am brave enough to share your majesty's worries and eliminate traitors for the court."

Yuan Li looked at the pale-faced man and said sarcastically:

"Is that so? I hate to see people who hide their true identity. If you are not afraid, why don't you reveal your true identity?"

Zhao Duan smiled, not being provoked at all, and said:

"What Mr. Yuan said doesn't make sense. Scholars and people of virtue also emphasize self-preservation. Exterminating traitors for the country has nothing to do with one's status."

Yuan Li looked surprised and said:

"From your actions, I thought you were a rough and tumble soldier. If you could make such a logical argument, why did you resort to knife-wielding against Peng Wenliang?"

Zhao Duan said as a matter of course:

"Peng Wenliang is a traitor, so of course he can be killed. But Mr. Yuan is not, so he should be treated with courtesy."

Yuan Li's voice suddenly sank, and an air of majesty came over him:

"What a polite way of treating him! Since there's no written document, do you have any irrefutable proof of Peng Wenliang's collaboration with the enemy?!"

Zhao Duan thought for a moment and said, "There are some, but they are not strong enough."

Then he laughed again:

"But once we catch him, it'll be like dropping a boulder into a pond. The fish will flee in panic, and then the irrefutable evidence will surface."

"I guess?" Yuan Li laughed in anger. He suddenly raised his voice and said unhappily:

"I am a dignified Fourth-Rank Censor of the Censorate. How can I allow you to arrest and imprison me based on a mere 'guess'? Do you think that only the imperial court can resort to force?"

Crash——

As soon as he finished speaking, a large group of police officers suddenly appeared outside the courtyard again. Judging from their clothes, they were actually detectives from the government office. The one leading them was a famous detective in the capital. As soon as they rushed in, they pressed down the hilts of their knives and confronted the people from Lihua Hall!

The crowd was rioting.

Zhao Duan unexpectedly withdrew his gaze from the window, looked at Yuan Li, and said:

"Mr. Yuan knew we were coming?"

Yuan Li said calmly:

"How could I not be concerned about the emergence of a new police department in Lihua Hall? However, I am indeed surprised that you dared to be the first to intrude upon the Metropolitan Censorate."

At this moment, Zhao Duan suddenly recalled that he had asked Yuan Li for help when he wanted to overthrow Zhou Cheng, the Minister of the Dali Temple.

The latter took only one night to get in touch with all the major government offices and have a batch of old files sent to him for review. Not only was Zhou Cheng, a senior official of the "Li Party", unaware of it, but even Li Yanfu was blocked from seeing it.

Yes, His Majesty issued the appointment decree last night, and that old scoundrel Yuan Li got the news. He guessed that the imperial court was going to take action against the Qingliu Party, so he made some preparations...

Zhao Duan was silent for a moment, realizing that it would be difficult to take Peng Wenliang away by force.

It’s not that the people from Lihuatang can’t defeat the government office, but once the two sides come into conflict, the nature of the situation will change, and it will make the situation very complicated and passive.

"Mr. Yuan is going to openly protect Peng Wenliang?" Zhao Duan asked.

"As the Imperial Censor, I am responsible for inspecting all government offices, including the Imperial Court," Yuan Li said calmly.

"According to the laws of this dynasty, the rank of the Imperial Censor is half a level higher than his rank. Even if Ma Yan wants to arrest him, he must first go to the palace to obtain an imperial edict, which is in accordance with the law."

Zhao Duan shook his head and sighed, "Why did Lord Yuan get himself into such a mess?"

Once the procedure is followed, it means that the empress will be implicated, which will directly trigger a backlash from the entire Qingliu Party. At that time, it will be too troublesome to arrest Peng Wenliang, and there will inevitably be a lot of arguing in the court.

With room for maneuver, many things will change.

Yuan Li said silently:

"Peng Wenliang is my subordinate. As the chief officer, I should protect him."

He didn't even shy away from it and said it directly!

At this moment, Zhao Duan suddenly recalled the private conversation he had with Li Yanfu. He understood that Yuan Li had to come out and express her position.

As the "party leader", he couldn't sit idly by and watch his subordinates being arrested. Within any court group, there are intricate and complex interests involved, and too many things are involved behind the scenes:

Interests, favors, reputation, balance of power and responsibility...

Just like in the imperial examination hall, the students of that year were considered as the examiner's disciples, and just like when Wei Xianzong defected to the enemy, Yuan Li who recommended him also had to take the blame.

Zhao Duan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "What if I use a favor in exchange?"

Yuan Li was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean?"

Zhao Duan said calmly:

"Mr. Yuan, you should understand that I am now replacing Mr. Zhao, so naturally I have to rely on Mr. Zhao's favor. Before, when the Qingzhou army was defeated and Emperor Xianzong of Wei was captured, Mr. Zhao helped Mr. Yuan once."

Yuan Li should have paid a heavy price for the impeachment of the entire court because of Emperor Xianzong of Wei. However, Zhao Duan used his military merits to persuade Emperor Xianzong to leave, thus saving Yuan Li from disaster.

Yuan Li was silent for a moment, then said, "You want to use this favor to exchange for Peng Wenliang? Can you represent him?"

This "he" naturally refers to Zhao Duan.

Zhao Yanwang, who was wearing a white mask, smiled and said, "Of course you can."

Yuan Li suddenly stared at him with deep eyes, as if his gaze could penetrate the white mask that even the sorcerers in the world could not see through.

You could hear a pin drop in the room, and the atmosphere outside the room was solemn. The two sides were confronting each other, and the oppression was so intense that you could hear a pin drop.

It seemed like a long time had passed, but it also seemed like only a moment. In full view of everyone, the door was pushed open.

Zhao Duan came out and waved his hand with a relaxed look:

"Please go back and have some tea, Master Peng."

Peng Wenliang was stunned, and then he was grabbed by the pounce of the Lihuatang Jinyi. The head constable of the government office looked into the room and asked tentatively:

"Mr. Yuan?"

Yuan Li's calm voice came from inside the room: "Back off."

There was silence, and surprise appeared on the faces of the censors. They wondered if Lord Yuan had actually given in in his battle with the new chief of police?

Peng Wenliang's face turned pale, and he tried to shout, "Yuan... Ugh!"

Chen Juan punched him in the stomach, interrupting the Chief Censor's words. He smiled and said:

"Can you please lend me a hand?"

The constables in the government office looked at each other and had to step back, letting Zhao Duan walk away with his men with his hands behind his back as if strolling in the garden.

Only after everyone had completely evacuated did the courtyard begin to hear a noisy commotion.

Chen Hong, the censor who had dealt with Zhao Duan before, frowned and shouted to everyone to disperse. Then he walked straight into the duty room and was surprised to find Yuan Li sitting at the table, staring absent-mindedly at the tree branches with yellow leaves outside the window.

"Do you think this new police officer looks like a human being?" Yuan Li suddenly whispered.

Chen Hong was stunned for a moment and hesitated:

"Mr. Yuan, do you know this man? I hadn't noticed. Hmm... if I had to say it's a resemblance, this man's behavior is quite similar to that of Zhao Shaobao."

"Yes," Yuan Li sighed, stood up slowly, and said with a smile:

"But everyone in the world knows that Zhao Duan is now in Taicang. He can't be in the capital."

Chen Hong didn't understand what Yuan Li meant by this, but fortunately Yuan Li had already walked out and said:

"Autumn has come again, and the mountain rains are coming again. Let's go, this time, I can't even protect myself."

…

…

Imperial Court, Governor's Hall.

"What? The people from Lihuatang rushed directly into the Censorate? They captured Peng Wenliang?!" Haitang stared at Zhou Cang who came to report the news in disbelief and exclaimed.

Zhang Han had a wooden face and was a little dazed. He murmured:

"That's the highest-ranking person on our list... No, the key isn't the rank. It's that he attacked the pillars of the Qingliu Party right away... Crazy, crazy. And the key is that he was allowed to succeed."

Ma Yan stared at Zhou Cang with a blazing gaze: "Yuan Li didn't show up?"

Captain Zhou shook his head, then nodded, and explained under the anxious gazes of the three people:

"Mr. Yuan took action. Not only him, but also a large number of government officials were present... Logically, it should be impossible to bring the person back, but I don't know what he said to Mr. Yuan in the room, but he actually brought the person back in such a brazen manner."

Even Yuan Li can’t stop it?

Where did this monster come from?

Even when Zhao Duan faced Yuan Li, he had to retreat, or at least give her some face, right?

Several people were stunned at the same time, feeling a little unreal.

Is the newly appointed police chief so fierce?

Haitang suddenly looked at Ma Yan and guessed:

"I'm afraid that His Majesty has privately given him some kind of decree or warrant to facilitate his actions. Only if this is the case will Lord Yuan back down."

As for how to clean up the court, the imperial court had already discussed the plan, and the biggest difficulty lay with Yuan Li.

Li Yanfu had just beheaded the old and barely holding on Grand Tutor Dong.

Yuan Li is the only surviving civil servant leader left over from the previous emperor's reign. After years of operation, although his foundation is not as deep as Li Yanfu's, he also has countless stakeholders behind him.

It can be said that a single move can affect the entire body.

Even the kings of hell in the imperial court did not dare to conflict with Yuan Li easily, for fear that they would fail to grasp the scale and cause the ship of the court to capsize.

Ma Yan nodded in agreement. This was the most logical guess, especially since this new police officer was sent from the palace.

He turned to Zhou Cang and ordered, "Investigate again and report back. I want to see what else he will do."

Zhang Han asked, "Du Gong, don't you want to go and see it yourself?"

Ma Yan shook his head, his tone unfathomable:

"Since His Majesty has entrusted the case of purging the Qingliu Party to him instead of me, he wants me to distance myself from it. He can do whatever he wants, and you guys can cooperate with him, but I won't be the one to do it."

Haitang was very curious and dragged Zhou Cang out:

"It's not easy for the governor to show up, but I can. Let's go and watch the fun."

…

Lihuatang.

The group gathered in the "meeting room" again.

"Sir, Peng Wenliang has been thrown into the imperial prison and people have been arranged to interrogate him. What should we do next?" Qian Kerou asked with sparkling eyes.

Zheng Laojiu analyzed:

"Although we have brought the people here, this action is like thunder, announcing the official start of the purge of the Qingliu Party. Next, when the news spreads, the entire officialdom in the capital will be in turmoil.

No, it should be said that at this moment, the censors of the Metropolitan Censorate have probably already come to the palace to impeach him."

Zhao Duan did not answer immediately. He stood beside the main seat and spread out the list of suspected traitors in the yamen on the table.

Then he picked up the brush, dipped it in the ink prepared by the secretary, and added a bunch of names to the second half of the list.

"Pah." After finishing writing, Zhao Duan threw away the slender brush, picked up the paper and let it dry in the wind, then handed it to a few people with a smile:

"You split up and lead your men to capture everyone on the list."

Several people were confused.

Qian Kerou hesitated and asked, "Sir, are those people you added later also traitors?"

Zhao Duan said: "It shouldn't be, but it's hard to say for sure. We have to conduct a trial."

Several people were even more confused: "Sir, what news did you get? Why did you increase the number of people?"

Zhao Duan met the bewildered gazes of the few people and said with a smile:

"No. I just wrote down some random names. Well, I remember they scolded me a long time ago."

Everyone: “…”

No, sir, you are too vindictive, aren't you?

How long ago was this?

Is it really that serious? Just a few curses, you won't treat me as a traitor, right?

The imperial guards, who were used to lawlessness and disregard for discipline, felt that their masters were going a little too far in breaking the law.

Zhao Duan said with a smile:

"Don't ask, just do it. If anyone tries to stop me, I'll just take it. But the news that Yuan Li couldn't stop me should have spread by now. If things go as expected, no one will try to stop you."

Killing a chicken to scare the monkey? No... He just killed the monkey to scare the chicken.

The four of them looked at each other, asked no more questions, and immediately took the list and rushed out with murderous intent. After a while, the sound of horse hooves could be heard from outside, gradually fading away.

Just when Zhao Duan was about to take a break, he saw Haitang and Zhou Cang walk in, and the latter immediately introduced the two parties.

"I've long heard of the great name of the Maritime Investigation Bureau. Women are just as capable as men." Zhao Duan smiled and nodded at Haitang.

Haitang had a stern face and said "yes" modestly before saying:

"Just now we saw Lihuatang coming out in full force again. They are..."

Zhao Duan said, "Oh," and said, "It's just a hundred or so people. If the Maritime Enforcement Bureau is interested, you can go with us."

Haitang: "...Goodbye!"

Watching the two of them leave in disgrace, Zhao Duan smiled. He moved a chair and sat down under the big pear tree. He ate a pear in the shade and thought to himself:

The news of Yongjia should have spread by now.

Next, it’s time to make the second move in the strategy of sowing discord.

…

…

Huai River Road.

Due to the local prosperity, in addition to the two official "capital cities" within the Huai River Channel, the villages and towns built by major clans over the past hundreds of years are connected together on a spectacular scale.

Everyone in the Huai River knows that the best houses are not in the city, but in the gardens of the major families.

At this moment, in a garden covering a vast area, with pavilions, rockery, flowing water and flowers that are no less beautiful than the royal gardens.

Prince Mu Xu Jingtang stood on the martial arts field, wearing armor, holding two swords, and dancing with great vigor.

“Woo!”

The two swords swung out, and a whirlwind plowed along the blue brick ground. Xu Jingtang slowly put away the swords, and the group of retainers surrounding the field cheered in unison.

"Your Majesty is mighty!"

"Your Majesty is the most powerful among the three armies!"

Xu Jingtang, who always wore armor and presented himself as a military general in the army, smiled slightly and threw his two swords casually. A soldier immediately caught them and wiped them.

Several maids dressed in cool clothes came over to serve with towels, basins of water and fruit plates.

"Stop flattering me. Although I've practiced martial arts since I was young, I don't have much talent for it. In a few years, I'm afraid I won't even be able to wield these two swords."

Xu Jingtang sighed and let the maid squat down and use her white and tender fingers to remove the light armor on his body.

"Father, you are joking. Father is in the prime of his life. Not to mention wielding a sword, even conquering the world is just around the corner." A young man in his twenties, who looked somewhat mature and dressed like a military general, said with a smile.

The people around him echoed: "That's exactly what the Second Young Master said!"

Prince Mu has three sons and two daughters. His youngest son is still young, so his eldest son, the Crown Prince, stays at the Yunfu Road base camp and is responsible for stabilizing the rebels' rear.

Only his second son, who was equally martial and whose temperament was most to his liking, followed him in the army.

After the Yunfu army entered the Huai River, Zhao Shixiong led the troops to the front line, and King Mu personally led the troops to stay in the rear. In name, he was forming an alliance with many clans in the Huai River Road to gain more support and obtain military funds and food.

The second son knew that his father was actually trying to contain Zhao Shixiong, just like a master holding a dog's leash. As long as he could control the food and grass of Zhao Shixiong's army, he would have control over the enemy's lifeline.

The retainers around him understood even better that given their prince's temper, the more modest he was, the more he would flatter you.

The last retainer who took the prince's humble words of courtesy to the wise and humble to the wise seriously has long since disappeared into some grave.

At this moment, a retainer suddenly came hurriedly from a distance:

"Your Highness! Embroidered Clothes Directly Points to the Secret Letter Delivered!"

"Oh?" Xu Jingtang's heart moved, and he waved his hand to send away the maids around him. He took the secret letter, and the people around him pushed away consciously. Even the second young master did not dare to get close.

The prince never allowed anyone to be around when he was reading a letter.

Xu Jingtang checked carefully and confirmed that the secret letter had not been opened. Then he opened it and used the ring on his finger to shine it, and the words appeared on the special paper.

That was the secret report sent back by Xiuyi directly to Nie Yurong from Yongjia City.

Then, everyone was surprised to see that their prince's expression changed from gloomy to uncertain. At first, he was just shocked and angry, but later on, his face became expressionless and murderous!

"Father... could there be a change in the war on the eastern front?" the second young master asked tentatively.

Now, Xue Shence is leading the main force and fighting against Prince Jing Xuwen. This is the battlefield that is most likely to affect the situation in Huai River.

Xu Jingtang put down the secret letter and said in a low voice:

"It's Yongjia City. The imperial guards sneaked into Yongjia City, assassinated the military supervisor Wang Qi, and then created a riot to rescue a group of officials from prison."

"Is this true? Zhao Shixiong couldn't stop it?" The second young master frowned.

He intuitively felt that there was more to the letter than that. Neither Wang Qi's murder nor the escape of a few insignificant officials was enough to make Prince Mu so angry.

"The letter is brief. Later, you should order Xiuyi to conduct a thorough investigation." Xu Jingtang glanced at his son and said.

However, the emotions in his heart were far less calm than his outward appearance!

Because what really concerned him was the second half of Nie Yurong's letter.

The person who led this infiltration is suspected to be Zhao Duan who is in charge of the western front!

On the night of the prison break, Zhao Shixiong fought with the leader of the imperial guards, but failed to stop him!

Feng Xiaolian, the chief treasurer of the Huai Palace, secretly met with the imperial guards!

Feng Xiaolian used the connections in the Huai Palace to send a letter to Zhao Shixiong!

Four pieces of information, each one more shocking than the last!

Xu Jingtang's heart was burning with anger, and a terrible guess was surging in his mind.

Is this information true or false?

If true, what does it mean?

Naturally, Xu Jingtang thought of a possibility:

Zhao Duan used the Huai Palace as an intermediary to secretly contact Zhao Shixiong, and the two may have reached some kind of "deal".

Only in this way can we explain why the court's action was so smooth, and why Zhao Shixiong not only lost the prisoners but also failed to capture Zhao Duan.

and……

Wang Qi was dead... A group of military supervisors stationed in Yongjia City on behalf of Prince Mu's palace to supervise Zhao Shixiong were collectively assassinated...

You know, Wang Qi has a life-saving talisman given to him by him personally, so it is difficult to kill him.

However, Xu Jingtang still decided to verify the authenticity of this information from multiple angles first.

"Call Xiuyi..." He was about to speak when suddenly, another retainer came running over from a distance:

"Your Highness, General Zhao from Yongjia City has sent scouts to deliver military intelligence!"

here we go again?

The Second Young Master and the others were stunned.

Xu Jingtang took it silently and unfolded it.

This military intelligence letter also recorded Zhao Duan's operations in Yongjia City. Most of it matched the intelligence provided by Nie Yurong, and contained many more details.

What is particularly noteworthy is that there is a piece of white paper included in the envelope.

According to Zhao Shixiong, this was someone from the imperial court who secretly sent him into the palace while he was out of the city for a night battle, in order to frame him.

I implore Your Majesty not to fall into this trap.

Xu Jingtang looked at the letter with some suspicion in his eyes.

Zhao Shixiong's words seemed sincere, but...

In Nie Yurong's secret letter, it was mentioned that Xiuyi Zhizhi in the city had approached the area where Zhao Shixiong and "Zhao Duan" were fighting in order to obtain intelligence.

With Zhao Shixiong's level of cultivation, he might have discovered the existence of the Embroidered Clothes Direct Pointing.

"If he discovered the Embroidered Uniform Envoy... then is this urgent letter of military intelligence intended to clear his name, or is it an attempt to conceal his guilt?"

Xu Jingtang was confused for a moment, but no matter what, the Huai Palace played the role of an intermediary.

A fence-sitter...it really deserves a beating.

He sneered, crumpled the two letters into a ball, and said:

"Prepare the car. I will visit the King of Huai'an this afternoon."

The second young master was stunned and said quickly, "Yes."

"And," Xu Jingtang continued:

"Didn't Prince Jing send a letter yesterday asking for assistance? He hoped we would send troops to contain Xue Shence? Temporarily put our original aid plan on hold and order Zhao Shixiong's troops in Yongjia City to remain stationary to prevent the imperial court from breaking through the western front."

"Also, select a new military supervisor and send him to Yongjia quickly..."

Orders were issued one after another, and the generals were overwhelmed.

Finally, Xu Jingtang said, "Send the chief envoy of the Embroidered Clothes in the city here. This king has orders."

"Yes." The second young master responded and was about to leave.

After taking a few steps, he was suddenly stopped: "Wait, how is Zhao Shixiong's only daughter doing recently?"

The second young master paused, turned his head and looked back at his father's backlit face, stunned for a moment, and said:

"Someone is assigned to take care of it. Everything is normal."

Xu Jingtang said, "Watch it closely recently. You watch it yourself."

The second young master was shocked: "...Okay."

…

Capital city.

The civil and military officials in the court were unaware that the first chess piece in a game spanning two lines had already been moved.

Zhao Duan, who was sitting under a big pear tree, struck a blow from a thousand miles away, causing Xu Jingtang to lose sleep for the whole night.

At this moment, everyone was caught off guard by Peng Wenliang's imprisonment, and the news that Lihuatang was attacking everywhere and frantically arresting Qingliu Party officials caused an uproar.

In just one afternoon, the officials on the list were arrested from their offices in public by the Jinyiwei captains.

As Zhao Duan expected, with the previous experience of Yuan Li's failure to stop him, the whole process went unusually smoothly.

In the imperial prison, the cells that had been temporarily empty due to the execution of Li Party officials were filled again.

In the evening, when it gets dark.

Finally, Ma Yan, who could no longer sit still, led the other eight police officers to the gate of the imperial prison. He saw a figure wearing a white mask, who moved a chair and sat at the gate of the imperial prison.

There were two eerie red lanterns hanging above their heads.

"Master Ma, why are you here?" Zhao Duan raised his eyelids and asked in surprise.

——

ps: The change in schedule was not very successful, but fortunately I finished it a little earlier today. This chapter has 7,000 words.

(End of this chapter)