Chapter 38 Chapter 38 What she gave him was actually Lanxiang! ...

Shangguan Xu stayed in Da'an Temple for nearly half a month, twice as long as in previous years. She knew that everything is excessive, and if she stayed in Da'an Temple for too long in order to distance herself from the matter, it would actually arouse suspicion.

Anyway, the most critical part of the Jiangnan incident has passed. In fact, now is a good time to return to the palace.

Shangguan Xu returned to the palace and reviewed the recent events in Jiangnan from beginning to end.

Meanwhile, the heads of several major shipping companies in the Su Mansion were still struggling with water transportation issues in the capital.

Being caught deliberately hoarding goods at excessively high prices was not a big deal. According to the previous pattern of Jiangnan water transportation, it was almost monopolized by a few major ship merchants. Even if the people of Jiangnan didn't like them, they had to buy from them. But who would have thought that after this incident, some second-tier or even unknown merchants would dare to compete with them, and rise at a rapid speed, actually snatching their business away. Moreover, the number of merchants was so large that it could not be settled by direct bribery.

Several major ship merchants have already recorded deficits in their accounts this year due to stockpiling. If they continue like this and lose the market in Jiangnan, there will be no chance of recovery in the future.

Su Ran had been dealing with them a lot during this period, and Su Shangzi was also among them, listening to their complaints and grievances all day long out of boredom.

Today was another day of meeting that did not produce any useful solutions. After Su Ran comforted the heads of several families, he asked them to go back and rest first, and then invite them to discuss the matter when the situation improved.

But only one person was left.

Su Shang was walking at the end, and seeing this, he couldn't help but ask, "Fifth Brother, do you have anything else to discuss?"

Su Ran raised his lips and smiled: "It's not me, it's my uncle who asked the head of the family to come over and sit down."

Su Shang looked at the person beside him. Su Shang was Su Wang's son. When the person saw him, he naturally greeted him with a smile.

Su Shang smiled lightly, not caring much: "Okay, then go ahead, I won't keep you any longer."

"Qilang," Su Ran suddenly called him as he turned to leave. He turned back and heard Su Ran say, "Why don't you come with us?"

Su Shang observed their expressions and could roughly guess the direction of their discussion this time. He declined politely, "Fifth Brother knows. I never participate in the things you discuss with Father."

Su Ran understood. Su Shang had indeed never participated. He had even had a big argument with them in the beginning because of his resistance. It was only in the past two years... and his uncle didn't want him to participate too much, so Su Ran didn't force him. He smiled and said, "Okay, then we'll go."

Su Shang nodded, turned around and left.

——

After returning to the palace, Xu Qing'an indeed found a reason to report to the Lizheng Palace.

After the matter was completed, Shangguan Xu hummed lightly and said, "The Ministry of Justice has indeed worked hard and made great contributions recently. Since Mr. Xu is here today on behalf of the other officials of the Ministry of Justice, please take my rewards back to them as well."

Xu Qingan agreed.

Qinghe waved her hand, and a row of palace maids came into the hall carrying trays. She stepped forward and conveyed the Queen Mother's intention on her behalf.

"Master Xu, these items belong to the Minister and the Vice Minister, these items belong to other officials in the Ministry of Justice, and this item is yours, Master Xu."

She handed the wooden box into his hands.

Xu Qing'an lowered his eyes and looked.

The wooden box is exquisite and has a calm texture. It should be made of the finest sandalwood. The box outside is like this, not to mention the things inside the box.

However, Xu Qing'an could guess what was inside - she had said before that she would give him incense, so this box probably contained incense or something like that.

But he still didn't know what kind of fragrance it was.

He first held the box and bowed in thanks.

But before he could ask, Shangguan Xu spoke first, "In our Great Jin, burning incense is a common custom throughout the country. Especially in the officialdom, burning incense is considered a symbol of self-cultivation and status, and a form of social etiquette. Xu Qing, now serving in the Ministry of Justice, should cultivate these habits. Otherwise, if you attend important events without burning incense in the future, it might be considered disrespectful."

"The fragrance I give you is that of orchid, light and rich, which is suitable for you."

After he finished speaking, Xu Qing'an suddenly raised his eyes.

What she gave him was actually orchid fragrance!

A surge of anger surged in my heart, and my hands clasped tightly around the wooden box.

——

At night, in Xu's house, Shen Heng had just returned from outside. He walked into the yard and saw Xun Yang standing outside the study with nothing to do.

Curious for a moment, he leaned over and asked, "What are you doing? Are you bored?"

Xun Yang rolled his eyes at him. "Am I full? I wouldn't stand here if I were bored." He glanced towards the study and whispered, "I'm sulking. I'm afraid my anger will trigger the poison, so I'm guarding here."

Chen Heng let out a long "oh" and said with a look of pity in his eyes, "Thank you for your hard work."

Xun Yang sighed, looked at the study and shook his head: "Li Luan has hatred, but Bie Hu is so heartless."[1]

Shen Heng jokingly said, “Oh, you, a doctor who reads medical books, can also recite these poems.”

Xun Yang glared at him again. Chen Heng raised an eyebrow and changed the subject, "I'm afraid you got it wrong." He also looked towards the study and sighed softly, "Who is the one who hates and who is heartless?"

The two people in the corridor knew it well.

"Heart Boat."

Suddenly a sound came from the room, and Shen Heng shuddered: "Hey!"

——

In the study, several people sat down, and Shen Heng reported the current situation in Jiangnan.

"The shipping merchants under my command have gradually occupied several routes. It is only a matter of time before those major shipping merchants are completely squeezed out of the Jiangnan water transportation system. However..."

"Just what?" Xu Qing'an shifted his gaze from the box on the table and looked up at Chen Heng.

Chen Heng said: "It's just that besides our people, there are other forces that are also trying to divide up the market share of the former major ship merchants in Jiangnan."

Xu Qing'an's face darkened slightly, but his expression remained calm. "It should be someone from the Queen Mother's side."

That night at Da'an Temple, she said that she also had plans in the south of the Yangtze River.

But Chen Heng asked, “The Queen Mother’s people are related to the army?”

"Army? What army?" Xu Qing'an suddenly came to his senses.

Chen Heng said truthfully, "I sent people to track another group of forces operating in Jiangnan and discovered that they had connections with the Anbei Protectorate."

The Anbei Protectorate, with its seat in Fengzhou, administered the Mobei area and had several thousand guards on its register.

Xu Qing'an was puzzled. How could she be connected to the Anbei Protectorate? Was she really so influential that she even had confidants in the border troops?

But it's normal to think about it. If she didn't have the support of the army, she wouldn't dare to act like that.

While Xu Qing'an was pondering over this, Chen Heng locked his eyes on the open box.

He quietly tilted his neck and took a clear look at the items in the box. He thought to himself, no wonder she is so angry, it turns out that the ex-wife took out her former favorite and gave it to a foreign minister like this.

But it seems that this is not a big deal. Compared with the previous grievances between the two, what is this?

Chen Heng looked at Xu Qing'an again, smiled silently, and sighed in his heart: It seems that the poem should be "The separation of the swan is full of hatred, and the separation of the phoenix is ​​heartless."

Xun Yang, who was sitting on the other side, was also looking at the box. He and Shen Heng exchanged glances while thinking about the same things. They both understood each other's thoughts.

As he was sighing like this, a servant from the mansion suddenly came hurriedly to report: "Oh no, my lord, Mr. Zhang has sent a letter saying that something has happened in the court."

The three of them turned their heads to look at the same time, and then looked at each other anxiously.

Xu Qing'an asked, "What happened?"

Servant: "The Luozhou Bridge collapsed during a heavy rainstorm. The Shangguan Lord who supervised its construction was accused of embezzling public funds and has now been taken away by the Dali Temple."

Xu Qing'an was stunned.

Shangguan Li was imprisoned...

——

At the same time, there was also a tense atmosphere in the Lizheng Hall.

Shangguan Xu was annoyed and worried, his voice trembling with anger: "Damn it! Su Wang actually bypassed His Majesty and directly asked the Dali Temple to arrest him."

Although Shangguan Li has retired to an idle position in recent years, the position he held as Secretary General was also a third-rank position. His official rank was there. How could a third-rank official just take things away at will at the request of the Dali Temple without any rules!

Qing He: "When the eldest young master was taken away, he left a message for the people in the palace not to panic. He knew that the queen would send someone back to inquire about the matter, so he also left a message to tell the queen that everything should be normal and that he would be fine once the matter was investigated."

"No...it won't be that simple." Shangguan Xu's heart beat rapidly and her breathing quickened uncontrollably. She knew that Su Wang's methods would never be as easy as Shangguan Li said.

She even felt a vague sense of uneasiness that frightened her.

Perhaps because she was too angry and worried too much, she felt a little dizzy and fell down on the couch.

"Empress!" Qinghe hurried forward to support her.

"It's okay." Shangguan Xu shook her head and put her hand on her forehead, trying to calm down. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she was startled again, "Where's A Zheng? Why hasn't A Zheng come back today?"

Outside the city, A Zheng followed someone lightly.

The person being followed was none other than the shipowner she met at the Su Mansion that day, the one who reminded her of the past.

Since she met him that day, A Zheng has been keeping an eye on his whereabouts every day. Shangguan Xu has also checked some of his social connections for her, but she still couldn't remember more. Moreover, his appearance stimulated her mind and the images that she wanted to remember but couldn't also made her head ache.

She really wanted to know the answer.

So today she followed him all the way out of the city.

However, when they reached a secluded village, the man suddenly stopped.

A Zheng hid behind the wall.

The man turned around and faced her: "Madam Yao Zheng, you have been following me for so long, why don't you come out and meet me?"

Yao Zheng.

When these two words fell into Azheng's ears, she felt both familiar and unfamiliar, but she could tell the direction of the voice and knew that the person outside was talking to her.

But she was puzzled. She was very good at martial arts, and it was impossible for people outside who were not good at martial arts to detect her whereabouts. How did he know that she was following him?

A Zheng looked around.

And the person outside called out again: "A Zheng."

Ah Zheng walked out from behind the wall, but after revealing her body, she remained motionless. She asked cautiously, "Do you know me?"

"You don't remember me?" The man was slightly surprised. "I thought you recognized me when we met at the Su Mansion. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter whether you recognized me or not."

Ah Zheng pressed on: "Do you know where my relatives are?"

The man's expression became even more interesting. "Why would you ask that? Could it be that you... have lost your memory?" He laughed twice. "Alright, then I'll take you to meet your parents today."

As he spoke, more than ten assassins with knives rushed out from the surroundings.

A Zheng took a slight step forward and clenched the sword in her hand.

——

The next day, several censors jointly submitted a memorial regarding the Luozhou Bridge incident, implicating the construction supervisor Shangguan Li for corruption. The bridge collapsed, and several pedestrians fell to their deaths, causing public outrage.

Based on this, the censors requested that the culprit Shangguan Li be executed on the same day to give an explanation and calm the public resentment.

There were also many people from the nine temples and six ministries who agreed to the proposal, and all the ministers in the court cheered in unison.

Seeing Su Wang, the mastermind behind the scenes, cast a cold look at her amid the shouts, Shangguan Xu, who was sitting behind the curtain, was really furious.