The time when Wang Xiuxiu left the capital was personally decided by the emperor after careful consideration.
This decision not only concerned the court's confidential plans, but also affected the nerves of various forces in the capital.
After much deliberation in his study, the emperor finally summoned Lu Jingze late one night and personally issued an imperial decree.
This decision meant that Wang Xiuxiu would henceforth shoulder a secret and arduous task.
With less than two months left, Wang Xiuxiu was already extremely busy just preparing for the caravan.
She not only had to select reliable companions, but also determine the caravan's goods and routes.
The purchase of goods must be discreet enough to conceal the purpose of the expedition to the North, while also providing the necessary support for the journey.
The route needed to be discreet, yet also allow for the rapid passage of the caravan.
Every day before dawn, Wang Xiuxiu would get up to handle various matters.
The lights in the mansion often stayed on all night.
Apart from Wang Xiuxiu, only Lu Jingze and Su Yingxue in the entire mansion knew about this plan.
Su Yingxue was busy preparing her luggage, carefully preparing clothes, medicine and dry food for her, fearing that she would suffer in the northern border.
On the other side, Lu Jingze was busy with something, rarely home, often returning late at night, with a solemn expression.
---
In a private room on the third floor of Hongdelou, Lu Jingze stood by the window, looking at the bustling crowd below, his brows furrowed, as if he were weighing something.
The first thing Ye Lanfeng saw when he entered the room was this somewhat lonely figure.
He gently closed the door, walked to Lu Jingze's side, and whispered, "The things you asked me to investigate for you are all here."
As he spoke, he took out a stack of letters from his pocket and handed them to Lu Jingze.
Lu Jingze took the letter and glanced at it; it was filled with a string of names.
His gaze swept quickly over the names, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Didn't you say we should settle this matter later? Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?" Ye Lanfeng asked, somewhat puzzled.
Lu Jingze closed the letter and said calmly, "The capital has been too peaceful lately. They keep a close eye on my residence at the slightest sign of trouble."
As a key figure in the emperor's faction, Ye Lanfeng was naturally aware that Wang Xiuxiu was about to lead a caravan to the northern border.
Hearing Lu Jingze say this, Ye Lanfeng understood that he wanted to muddy the waters in the capital so that Wang Xiuxiu could leave without leaving a trace.
Wang Xiuxiu had previously gained fame because of the auction, and as Lu Jingze's only concubine, she was indeed quite popular in the capital.
Thinking this, Ye Lanfeng nodded.
"Very well. If we really find out that they swapped disaster relief grain with moldy rice, it will be a piece of evidence. But they used outsiders to handle it, so even if we investigate, we probably won't be able to find the real culprit. It's better to use it now to make an example of them."
As Ye Lanfeng thought about it, he became increasingly angry. "These people are truly utterly depraved! The people of Peizhou are suffering terribly, yet they still dare to embezzle disaster relief grain. Aren't they afraid of divine retribution?"
When it comes to distributing disaster relief grain, low-ranking officials have no say in it; only those in the court who wield great power have the opportunity to line their own pockets.
But when Ye Lanfeng uttered the name of Prince Rong, Lu Jingze couldn't help but frown.
"It's true what they say, a barking dog doesn't bite. He's always been quite cautious. If it weren't for his men getting drunk at the brothel and leaving some clues, it would have been hard to connect this matter to him!"
Prince Rong was the fifth son of Lu Jingze's grandfather, but due to his mother's humble status, he withdrew from the battle for the throne at an early age.
Therefore, after the late emperor ascended the throne, he trusted him greatly and even granted him the relatively fertile Minzhou as his fief.
Prince Rong was a well-known kind and benevolent man in the court, always smiling and looking like a Maitreya Buddha. I never expected him to do such a thing!
"What about the witness?" Lu Jingze asked in a deep voice.
"Hey! You're still talking! It's a good thing I got there early, otherwise the person would have been killed long ago." Ye Lanfeng sighed, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes.
"They made their move?" Lu Jingze's voice turned cold.
"That's right, those bastards are quick at destroying evidence, but don't worry, I've already replaced the person." Ye Lanfeng patted his chest, his tone tinged with smugness.
"That's good." Lu Jingze nodded, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "Since they dare to make a move, don't blame me for being impolite."
Upon seeing this, Ye Lanfeng felt a chill run down her spine, knowing that Lu Jingze was about to get serious.
What are you planning to do?
Lu Jingze did not answer immediately, but walked to the window and looked into the distance.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Since Prince Rong likes to play dirty tricks, then we'll play along to the end. You continue to keep an eye on things, and as for those witnesses, you must protect them well and make sure nothing happens to them."
Ye Lanfeng nodded and said solemnly, "Don't worry, I will keep an eye on it myself."
Lu Jingze turned around and looked at Ye Lanfeng with a firm gaze: "The more murky the waters in the capital, the safer her actions will be."
Ye Lanfeng took a deep breath and patted Lu Jingze on the shoulder: "I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I will cooperate fully."
---
Meanwhile, in the gloomy dungeon, a man was tied to a wooden stake, his head hanging low, his fate unknown.
His clothes were already soaked in blood and tattered, and his exposed skin was covered with whip marks and burns.
The surroundings were completely silent, except for the dripping sound of water droplets sliding down the wall, as if counting down the days to his life.
This dungeon is hidden deep within the walls of the back garden of Prince Rong's mansion.
The dungeon entrance was hidden by a heavy stone door, and the surrounding area was overgrown with weeds.
The private prison was cold and damp, with moss-covered walls and pools of sewage on the ground, and a nauseating stench of blood permeating the air.
However, in this gloomy environment, a chair stood out abruptly in the center of the space.
The chair is made entirely of ebony, with dazzling gemstones inlaid on the backrest, and even the cushions are made of soft velvet.
Suddenly, a series of heavy footsteps broke the silence of the dungeon.
The torches illuminated the passageway, and a figure approached from afar.
He was a well-to-do middle-aged man, dressed in a luxurious brocade robe, and playing with an exquisite jade thumb ring in his hand.
The man strolled leisurely to the chair, sat down slowly, and his attire perfectly matched the ornate chair.
Immediately, a guard brought over a basin of red-hot branding irons and respectfully handed it to him.
In the firelight, Prince Rong's face became even clearer—a pair of slender eyes were set in his round face, and his features, which should have been endearing, appeared particularly terrifying because of the vicious light flashing in his eyes.
Prince Rong casually picked up a scorching hot iron, slowly got up, and walked towards the person who was tied to the wooden stake.
The flame on the branding iron flickered eerily in the air, reflecting the despair and fear in the eyes of the bound man.
"No! No, no, no! Your Highness! Your Highness, I was wrong! I was wrong..." the man pleaded, trembling, his voice hoarse and broken, as if he had used up all his strength.
Prince Rong sneered, but continued walking.
He walked up to the man and slowly brought the branding iron closer.
A burning smell filled the air, accompanied by heart-wrenching screams.
Prince Rong remained unmoved, even slightly narrowing his eyes, seemingly enjoying the painful scene.
He pressed the branding iron deeper until the man's screams gradually subsided and he finally fell into a coma.
"Bring water," Prince Rong said calmly, his voice chillingly so.
The icy salt water was poured on the man, seeping into his wounds. The intense pain brought him back to consciousness, causing him to let out a heart-wrenching groan.
Prince Rong sat back in his chair, coldly watching him slide to the ground like a lump of mud, without a trace of pity in his eyes.
"This is the consequence of your mistakes." Prince Rong's voice was cold and authoritative.
The man forced his head up, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he let his head fall limply.
"Blood Raven, if you dare disobey my orders again, it won't be so simple." King Rong's voice carried a hint of warning, yet also seemed to contain a certain pleasure.
"Thank...Thank you for sparing my life, Your Highness..." Blood Raven managed to utter a few words, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible.
Prince Rong waved his hand, signaling the guards to drag Blood Raven away.
After the man left, his trusted aide stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, if we just let him go like this, won't he become disloyal? Should I go and..."
Prince Rong waved his hand, interrupting his confidant, "Blood Raven is lustful and greedy, but he is also quite useful. If you get involved in those dirty affairs too much, it will attract attention. In the future, we should still hand them over to him."
"Yes, Your Highness is very thoughtful!" the confidant replied hastily, bowing his head.
Prince Rong nodded slightly, a cold glint in his eyes. "How did you do with the task I assigned you?"
The confidant quickly replied, "It's all taken care of. The courtesan was thrown into the moat, and all traces have been washed away. They definitely won't be able to trace it back to our Rong Prince's Mansion!"
Prince Rong nodded in satisfaction, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Very good. Remember, be swift and decisive in your actions, and never leave any room for doubt."
"Yes, I understand!" the trusted confidant replied respectfully.
Prince Rong stood up, straightened his sleeves, and then turned and left.
The footsteps gradually faded at the end of the passage, leaving only the lingering stench of blood in the dungeon.
The magnificent ebony chair stood silently in the darkness, as if silently telling the story of the terror and power here.
---
A few days later, the atmosphere in the Golden Palace was solemn during the morning court session.
Du Huo, the Imperial Censor of the Censorate, stood in the center of the hall, his face ashen, holding a memorial in his hand. His voice was loud and angry: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present! It has recently been confirmed that most of the 100,000 shi of rice that was about to be sent to support Peizhou has been replaced with old, moldy rice! Such a heinous act is a great disgrace to the nation!"
These words caused an uproar throughout the court.
Lu Nancheng abruptly stood up from the dragon throne, his dragon eyes filled with majesty, and swept his gaze across the assembled officials: "Is this true?"
Du Huo held the memorial high above his head: "The evidence is conclusive, Your Majesty, please take a look!"
Lu Nancheng took the memorial and his expression grew increasingly grim as he read it.
He slammed the memorial to the ground and roared, "What a blatant act of embezzlement! What a blatant act of deceiving the emperor! Guards! Investigate this matter thoroughly, and ensure that no one escapes justice!"
For a moment, the court was completely silent, and all the officials were terrified.
Three days later, the investigation results were presented, and several officials involved were raided and taken to the execution ground, their blood staining the Meridian Gate.
Everyone in the court was on edge, and the air was thick with fear.
Meanwhile, the scene inside the Imperial Study was quite different.
"Hahaha!" Lu Nancheng laughed and put down his teacup. "Although we didn't uncover the real culprit this time, we managed to cut off a lot of their henchmen, so you deserve a lot of credit! Tell me, what kind of reward do you want?"
A sly glint flashed in Ye Lanfeng's eyes as he said, "I desire those two jars of 'Half-Day Intoxication' from your private treasury!"
"You little rascal, Ye Lanfeng!" Lu Nancheng pointed at his nose and laughed, "There were only two jars in total, and you've got your eye on them both! Fine, fine! I'll take them both back for you!"
Lu Nancheng turned to Lu Jingze and asked, "Jingze, what do you want? Don't say no! My word is my bond. If I say I'll give you a reward, I'll give it to you!"
This time, Lu Jingze didn't stand on ceremony with him, looking intently at Lu Nancheng: "Your Majesty, I hope Your Majesty will be so kind as to part with it!"
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