Chapter 410 Let's start from the palace.
As Jiang Yu's sedan chair gradually disappeared from sight, Prince Rui and Prince An withdrew their gazes. Their eyes met for a moment, and Prince Rui said, "I'm going back to my residence. You should go and attend to your duties as well."
After saying this, he got into his sedan chair. Prince An glanced at him for a moment, then mounted his horse, his face filled with indescribable coldness and gloom.
Jiang Yu returned to his residence, changed his clothes, and rode in a sedan chair without the insignia of the Duke of Chu's mansion to the Ministry of Revenue. With the cooperation of the Minister of Revenue, Jiang Yu's sedan chair was carried directly inside.
Upon entering the archives, the eight people who had been assigned to review the files were already there. Jiang Yu sat at one end of the large table, glanced around at them, and without saying much, directly explained to them how to review and compare the files, and then assigned tasks.
Finally, Jiang Yu looked at everyone and said, "Time is of the essence, and for the sake of secrecy, you will all be staying here for the next few days."
After speaking, she sat down and began to carefully review the case files. The eight men exchanged glances and immediately sat down to do the same. All eight of them were quite familiar with Jiang Yu, but this was the first time they were working with her.
None of them expected that Jiang Yu would act so decisively and efficiently, giving clear and crisp instructions without any hesitation. In the blink of an eye, she had arranged the complicated matters in an orderly manner, which made them all more alert and dare not slack off in the slightest.
The shelving room was filled with the musty smell of old paper. Sunlight streamed in through the high windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Eight people sat at desks on either side, their fingers rustling softly as they ran through the yellowed pages of documents…
Time passed slowly, and night gradually fell outside. Jiang Yu sat at one end of the table, heard a few rumbling sounds from her stomach, turned her head to look at the sky outside, got up and told the eight people to rest and have dinner. She went out through the side gate of the government office and returned to the Duke of Chu's mansion.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Lu Yifang waiting for her. Jiang Yu walked up to her and bowed, saying, "I'm fine, you don't need to worry."
How could Lu Yifang not be worried? She glanced at the gauze wrapped around Jiang Yu's head and said softly, "Let the doctor change your dressing."
Jiang Yu nodded, and the doctor came in carrying his medicine box. Jiang Yu smiled and comforted Lu Yifang, "It's really nothing. Today when I went to the palace, the Emperor had the imperial physician examine me, and he said there was nothing wrong."
"But it still needs careful recuperation." Lu Yifang watched the doctor remove the gauze and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the wound had stopped bleeding.
The doctor skillfully changed the dressing and left. Lu Yifang had dinner set out, and she and Jiang Yu ate together. Knowing that Jiang Yu was busy, she chatted for a few minutes after dinner and then left.
As soon as she left, Xia He took out a letter and a pile of precious medicinal herbs, and said with a smile, "His Highness Prince Rui sent these with Qing Yan."
Jiang Yu glanced casually at the pile of medicinal herbs, picked up the letter, walked behind the desk, sat down, and tore open the letter to read its contents—it was full of concern for the wound on her forehead. A smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. Jiang Yu picked up a pen and wrote back, explaining that her wound was fine and the progress of reviewing the case files. After finishing, she handed the letter to Xia He.
"This servant will deliver it to Prince Rui's residence immediately," Xia He said without being told.
Jiang Yu couldn't help but laugh again.
.........
For the next two days, the capital was calm, but like the calm before a storm, undercurrents were quietly surging beneath the surface.
"boom!!!"
"boom!!!"
"boom!!!"
...........
The deafening roars, louder than thunder, startled everyone in the capital.
"What's going on?" Upon hearing the noise, the prime minister, who was sitting in his study, stood up abruptly.
The attendant guarding the door immediately came in to report, "It sounds like the loud noise when the Duke of Chu was assassinated a few days ago. The sound is coming from the northwest of the capital."
The Prime Minister's expression changed drastically, his pupils contracted sharply, and his previously composed face was instantly torn apart by shock. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Go and investigate immediately."
"Yes." The attendant replied and hurried away. Because he was running so fast, he almost bumped into Pei Hanming at the courtyard gate. He quickly apologized, but Pei Hanming was also shocked by the loud noise and had no time to pay attention to him. He waved his hand and strode inside.
"Father." He bowed to the Prime Minister upon entering the study. "Everything has been arranged."
The prime minister nodded, frowning as he said, "You'll have to take good care of him from now on."
“Yes,” Pei Hanming replied immediately.
He was only shocked for a moment when he first learned about Ma Boqian's identity and Hui Niang's matter, but he didn't pay much attention to it afterward.
His mother had already passed away, so he naturally wouldn't be bothered by his father's mistress. Besides, Ma Boqian was already dead.
"Did you hear that sound just now?" The Prime Minister frowned, his hands clenched tightly together.
"I heard you." Pei Hanming's face showed concern. "Was it a weapon that Prince Rui concocted?"
The prime minister sat down somewhat dejectedly. "It should be."
"Then... why did it ring at this time?" Pei Hanming asked, puzzled.
The Emperor's biggest worry right now is the Prince of Lingnan. He believes that Prince Rui's development of weapons is specifically aimed at the Prince of Lingnan. Now that the Prince of Lingnan hasn't made a move, shouldn't they be keeping their weapons tightly under wraps?
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Could it be because the Duke of Chu revealed his weapons prematurely?"
The prime minister frowned and pondered for a while before saying, "It's hard to say."
Pei Hanming also looked somewhat dejected. He walked to a chair and sat down, looking at the Prime Minister again, and said, "The weapon used by the Duke of Chu that day, it's said, killed three or four people in one go. If such a weapon were used on the battlefield..."
He dared not, and did not want to, say what followed. At that moment, his heart was as frantic as a weed. Looking at the Prime Minister with his furrowed brows, he said again, "Father, we cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom."
The prime minister looked at him with deep eyes, "What's your idea?"
Pei Hanming leaned forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Let's start with the palace."
The prime minister's eyes were deep and unfathomable. He remained silent for a long time before saying, "We must not act rashly."
"yes."
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