Fang Shaojian is missing.
After Fang Shaojian left Ganlu Palace, he left the palace as quickly as possible.
After leaving the palace, he disappeared in the crowd and disappeared into the capital.
When Concubine Xue learned that Young Supervisor Fang had disappeared, she was furious and cursed: "That bastard surnamed Fang, how dare he play tricks on me? He's simply courting death. Since he's so determined to do so, I will grant his wish. Pass on my imperial decree, a city-wide search for Young Supervisor Fang."
It wasn't just Concubine Xue who wanted to kill Fang Shaojian; Chen Dachang was also there.
After Empress Ruizhen Cui passed away, Fang Shaojian was stripped of his power. It was thought that Fang Shaojian would never cause any trouble again, but unexpectedly, a lack of investigation gave Fang Shaojian the opportunity to launch a major purge in the palace.
Who knows how many people will be implicated this time, and the palace will be reshuffled again.
Chen Dachang hated the young supervisor and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.
As a result, the thief surnamed Fang ran faster than anyone else and left the palace gate silently.
In such a huge capital city with a population of over a million, how can we find Fang Shaojian?
Chen Dachang was overjoyed when he learned that Concubine Xue had ordered a city-wide search for Fang Shaojian.
He cooperated fully.
Finally, the case fell into the hands of the prefectural government in Beijing, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards provided assistance.
After Lord Gu returned from the palace, he found Xie and wanted to ask about Gu Jiu's meeting with the princess.
Xie said expressionlessly, "I don't know anything about this. I wasn't there when the princess was talking to the second girl. Master, why don't you ask the second girl yourself?"
Lord Gu frowned. This was the first time they had met face to face since the day they had their quarrel.
"As the legitimate mother, you don't even know what happened with the second girl?"
Xie laughed sarcastically, "Although I am the legitimate mother, I cannot control the princess. The princess thinks we are an eyesore and only wants to talk to the second girl. Could it be that the master is blaming me too?"
Lord Gu frowned, "What's your attitude?"
Xie lowered her head and smiled, "If I have done anything inappropriate, please correct me, Master."
Master Gu snorted coldly, feeling annoyed, "Since you don't know, forget it."
After saying this, Lord Gu flicked his sleeves and left.
Xie's face fell and her expression became distorted.
She smiled silently, her heart filled with hatred.
Lord Gu sent someone to call Gu Jiu to the study for questioning.
It was already dark, and Gu Jiu dragged his tired body to the study.
There were candles burning in the study.
Lord Gu was in a bad mood and was irritated by Xie's attitude.
He frowned and motioned Gu Jiu to sit down and talk.
"You met the princess today. What did she say to you?"
"Reporting to Father, the princess asked about my daughter's studies, needlework, and other matters."
"Nothing else?"
Gu Jiu nodded slightly.
Lord Gu breathed a sigh of relief. "So, the princess is satisfied with you?"
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and smiled, "Maybe, my daughter doesn't quite understand either."
Of course, Gu Jiu couldn't tell the truth about this question.
If she said that the princess disliked her, or even hated her, and that she had offended the princess, Lord Gu would probably be furious. He might even take her to the palace to pay her respects and apologize.
Lord Gu frowned slightly, "Can't you tell whether the princess likes you or not?"
Gu Jiu said, "The princess never shows her emotions. My daughter is stupid and can't detect it."
Lord Gu sighed, "Forget it. Regardless of whether the princess likes you or not, you will marry into the royal family. Before the wedding, try not to visit the palace."
"A daughter listens to her father."
Gu Jiu fully agreed with Lord Gu's final decision. Being a guest at the palace could cost a person his life.
At this time, Gu Yu's fourth brother came in from outside.
"Your Excellency, someone has arrived from the palace and is waiting at the government office."
Lord Gu was shocked. When he heard that someone was coming from the palace, he had a bad feeling.
"Have you ever asked the person from the palace why he came to the yamen so late?"
Gu Yu shook his head. "I don't know. Please return to the yamen as soon as possible. I think the person who came from the palace is not easy to get rid of."
Lord Gu nodded and said, "I will go to the government office right away."
Lord Gu left in a hurry.
Gu Jiu took the opportunity to ask Gu Yu.
"Fourth Brother Gu, is there something wrong in the palace?"
Gu Yu nodded, "I heard that a concubine in the palace was banished to the cold palace, and this matter has far-reaching consequences."
Gu Jiu frowned. When he was visiting the palace today, the princesses and consorts looked normal and did not show any signs of trouble in the palace.
Are they hiding it too deeply, or are the things in the palace not serious?
Gu Yu had to hurry back to the yamen, so he said a few words to Gu Jiu and left in a hurry.
Gu Jiu seemed to be thinking about something, and instructed Qingmei, "Tell Li Chuan to keep an eye on the master's movements. Tell Erzhuang to remember to inquire for information, the more detailed the better."
"As you command."
Lord Gu hurried to the yamen and finally met the people from the palace.
Upon learning that Concubine Mei had been banished to the cold palace, the palace requested the prefectural government in the capital to arrest Fang Shaojian throughout the city. Lord Gu's heart suddenly sank.
This is a palace fight, it's going to kill someone. If he's not careful, he's going to get caught in it.
Lord Gu cried out in his heart, wondering how he could have been burdened with such a bad thing.
"Master Gu, do you have any objections to the palace's decision?"
Lord Gu shook his head repeatedly, "I want to know, is Your Majesty aware of this matter?"
"You can also ask about His Majesty's affairs."
oh!
Lord Gu looked at him meaningfully. It was clear that His Majesty was unaware of this matter. It seemed someone was taking this opportunity to eliminate dissidents.
"Master Gu, this is the decision of the Empress. Don't you even listen to the Empress?"
"Of course I dare not disobey the Empress. However, the city-wide arrest of Fang Shaojian requires a warrant from the authorities. Otherwise, I cannot accept the order."
"Hmph, Lord Gu is quite cautious. Here, this is the official document from the Eunuchs. You may follow my instructions."
Lord Gu took the document and examined it carefully. It was indeed authentic. It had the seal of the Eunuch Supervisor and the handwriting of Chen Jianzheng.
Lord Gu was relieved, "I obey your command."
Many people are destined to be unable to sleep this night.
Lord Gu did not return home all night and personally stayed in the yamen. He arranged personnel overnight and cooperated with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to capture Fang Shaojian throughout the city.
When the day broke, Fang Shaojian seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, and no one had seen him.
Shili Hutong in the south of the city.
Early in the morning, Erzhuang opened the door of Jumeizhai and started the day's business.
The cloth shop next door also opened.
I heard that the owner of the cloth shop has returned from out of town with his supplies.
"Good morning!"
Erzhuang greeted enthusiastically the owner of the cloth shop next door, Mr. Hu.
Shopkeeper Hu was an old man with a kind face. He nodded slightly and said good morning to Erzhuang.
The clerk came to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, the boss has woken up and said he's not feeling well. He wants you to get him some medicine. The prescription is in my hand."
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Hu put down his work and hurried back to the inner courtyard.
Er Zhuang asked the waiter curiously, "Your boss just came back and he's not feeling well?"
The clerk nodded and said, "The boss is just too tired, running around all over the place."
"Don't you have a fixed channel for purchasing goods from your cloth shop? Do you still need your boss to go there personally?"
The clerk said as a matter of course, "The cloth shop business is not doing well, and the owner wants to find a new business. However, either the capital is too high or the profit is too low, so the business is not doing well.
But this time, the boss has suffered a loss, so he might stay in the capital."
Er Zhuang nodded repeatedly, "Business is not easy these days, but as long as there is money to be made, it is a good business."
The yamen runner Zhang Tou led his men to search Shili Hutong.
When Erzhuang saw the person, he hurried to meet him.
"Zhangtou, why are you so early today?"
Zhangtou's face was stern. "The master has given instructions. We are ordered to search for the criminal. Have you seen this person?"
After saying that, the person next to Zhangtou took out a portrait and asked Erzhuang to identify it.
Erzhuang looked carefully and shook his head, confirming that he had never seen it.
Zhang Tou said, "I know you're definitely not harboring any criminals here, but according to the rules, my brother still wants to go in and take a look. Please give me some convenience."
"Of course I should."
Erzhuang generously opened the door and let the yamen runner in. At the same time, a red envelope was handed to Zhangtou.
Zhangtou weighed the items and nodded secretly, thinking that Chen Erzhuang was a good man.
The yamen runners casually checked Jumeizhai and then moved on to the next shop, the cloth shop.
The guy was a little nervous. He looked at the portrait, shook his head repeatedly, and said that he had never seen the person in the portrait.
Zhang was about to go in to search, and when the clerk was getting nervous, Manager Hu came out.
Shopkeeper Hu had a big smile on his face, and he apologized with a smile and gave a big red envelope.
Zhangtou didn't go in, but only let his brothers go in to take a look.
The bailiffs searched the place and left without finding anything.
After watching the bailiff leave, Shopkeeper Hu breathed a sigh of relief and gave his clerk a wink.
The man hurried back to the backyard and never showed up again.
Er Zhuang and Shopkeeper Hu were grumbling, "I don't know who has done what wrong, but there's such a big commotion in the government office."
Shopkeeper Hu nodded, "Yes! I hope the wife is safe and sound and nothing happens to her again."
Xie Mao arrived at the Bowang Garden of the Eastern Palace early in the morning to meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sat at his desk, with a scripture and the four treasures of the study in front of him.
Seeing this, Xie Mao frowned slightly.
Even at this time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still has the leisure to copy scriptures.
"Your Highness, the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Capital Prefecture's Yamen are searching the entire city for Fang Shaojian. Your Highness must make a decision quickly!"
Xie Mao spoke in a heavy tone, looking extremely anxious.
A few days after Empress Ruizhen Cui passed away, Xie Mao was reinstated by the Eastern Palace and promoted. He was now a guest of the crown prince, a higher rank than before.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has become much thinner, completely changing his previous impression of being fat and pale.
Perhaps because of his weight loss, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked a little sharper and not as round and gentle as before.
But his eyes were the same as before, even with a little more vicissitudes.
He looked at Xie Mao and asked, "What decision do you want me to make?"
Xie Mao lowered his head and spoke in a resounding voice, "Young Supervisor Fang knows too much. If he were caught and tortured, the consequences would be disastrous. As the saying goes, if you hesitate when you should make a decision, you will suffer the consequences. I believe that Your Highness should abandon Young Supervisor Fang at this time. Find him first and silence him."
The so-called silencing of his mouth meant that Fang Shaojian should be killed.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince frowned slightly, "Are you going to abandon Young Supervisor Fang?"
Xie Mao nodded heavily, "Your Highness, please make a decision as soon as possible."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said with a stern face, "Since my mother passed away, Junior Supervisor Fang has been working tirelessly day and night for me.
Now that he is in trouble, you want me to abandon him. My dear Lord Xie, do you want to make me appear unkind and unjust?
If the world knew, how would they judge me? If something happened to Mr. Xie Aiqing someday, and someone advised me to give up on you, would you accept it?
Xie Mao said in a resounding voice, "If one day I find myself in danger and could threaten Your Highness's safety at any time, I beg Your Highness to give me up without hesitation."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's expression changed slightly.
Xie Mao continued, "I beg Your Highness to put the greater good first. Even the Empress would not wish to see Your Highness abandon the Eastern Palace for one man, Fang Shaojian. Your Highness, please make the decision. The lives of thousands of people in the Eastern Palace all depend on your decision."
"presumptuous!"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince scolded Xie Mao harshly.
Xie Mao didn't care. "I ask Your Highness to make the decision."
Having said that, Xie Mao knelt down.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince trembled all over, "Thank you, my dear, are you forcing me?"
"I dare not. I consider the greater good first and cannot stand by and watch someone threaten the East Palace and do nothing."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince closed his eyes, looking extremely painful.
"You are not the first person to come and persuade me."
Xie Mao bowed and said, "I know."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince continued, "They all failed. Why do you think I will follow your advice, Lord Xie?"
Xie Mao said seriously, "Because everything I said is true. Your Highness, please think about these young masters. Can you really bear to watch them die?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave a wry smile, "It's not time yet."
"Once Young Supervisor Fang is caught and tortured, that time won't be far off."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's hands trembled and his face turned pale.
"Thank you, my dear, you are putting me in such an unkind and unjust situation!"
"I understand. Once the matter of Young Supervisor Fang is resolved, I will take the initiative to resign to thank Your Highness for his grace."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince chuckled coldly, "It seems you won't give up until you achieve your goal. Well, I'll leave the matter of Young Supervisor Fang to you."
Xie Mao said solemnly: "Your Highness, rest assured. I will do my best to resolve this matter and will not leave any hidden dangers for Your Highness."
Xie Mao kowtowed and left.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sat alone in his seat, his face pale.
Crown Princess Sun came before His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness really wants to give up on Young Supervisor Fang?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave a wry smile, "Do I have any other choice?"
Crown Princess Sun said, "If Your Highness is willing to protect Junior Supervisor Fang, I think even Imperial Concubine Xue would have to give Your Highness some face."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at Princess Sun and asked, "Do you really think I alone can protect the Young Eunuch Fang?"
Crown Princess Sun asked, "Why not? The order to arrest Fang Shaojian was indeed issued by the Eunuch Supervisor.
However, this incident did not originate from Xingqing Palace, but was caused by Concubine Xue and Chen Jian.
The reasons sound reasonable, but if Your Highness speaks out for justice and takes a firm stance, I don't believe the eunuchs would dare to rush into the Eastern Palace to arrest people."
His Royal Highness hesitated, "What if this was ordered by my father? If I protect Fang Shaojian, wouldn't that bring disaster to the Eastern Palace?"
Crown Princess Sun said, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I've already made inquiries and Your Majesty knows nothing about this matter.
This time, Meipin's incident had far-reaching consequences, and even Chen Jianzheng could not escape being reprimanded by His Majesty.
This incident was caused by Fang Shaojian. Chen Jianzheng must have hated Fang Shaojian deeply and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.
It just so happened that Concubine Xue also had the same idea, and the two of them hit it off, and that’s when the city-wide manhunt began.”
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had a complicated expression, one of struggle, contradiction, and hesitation.
"Your Highness, please make a decision quickly. It's not too late to call back Lord Xie."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince shook his head, "Let me think about it again."
Crown Princess Sun was anxious, "Your Highness, if you protect Fang Shaojian, you will gain his loyalty. Fang Shaojian's ability is unquestionable. He can single-handedly stir up chaos in the palace and instigate a fight among the concubines.
At this time, the Eastern Palace needs Fang Shaojian, and we must not give up on him. As long as Fang Shaojian is here, we can get him in five years, not to mention three years. "
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is still hesitant.
Crown Princess Sun stamped her feet anxiously, "Your Highness, have you ever thought about why your mother specifically left Fang Shaojian to the Eastern Palace? It's because Fang Shaojian is an old man in the palace, with connections all over the palace. He can do the work of ten, or even twenty officials in the Eastern Palace. Xie Mao is not even worthy of carrying his shoes."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince waved his hand, "Let me think about it again."
Crown Princess Sun gritted her teeth, became furious, and turned away.
After leaving Bowang Garden, she called her trusted eunuchs and said, "Send someone to keep an eye on Xie Mao. If they find any trace of Fang Shaojian, rescue him immediately. We must not let Fang Shaojian fall into Xie Mao's hands."
The trusted eunuch asked, "What if Lord Xie is determined to kill Shaojian Fang?"
Crown Princess Sun was furious and said, "If necessary, kill Xie Mao."
Xie Mao is just a mere man, how can he be as important as Fang Shaojian?
Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince refused to listen to her advice, she would do it herself.
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