Chapter 143 Urgent Report
When Song Zhimian followed Ye Yunshu into the house, Prime Minister Lin, Minister Tian of the Ministry of Revenue, and Minister Jian of the Ministry of War were still there.
After Ye Yunshu entered, upon seeing that there were still three important officials present, he immediately performed the proper salutation according to custom.
"Your Highness, I have important matters to report."
"This concerns...the taxes of Jiangnan!" Ye Yunshu said solemnly.
The Crown Prince was taken aback, but before he could speak, Prime Minister Lin and the others had already shown their keen understanding.
Since it concerns the taxes of Jiangnan, and the Minister of the Censorate is speaking in person, it means that some officials are involved.
The officials involved are very likely to be their protégés...
They should avoid this situation.
"Your Highness, that concludes today's official business. We will certainly carry out the tasks you have assigned."
"Furthermore..." Before Lin Xiang could finish speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from afar...
With a loud "boom!", it sounded like a firearm or something similar exploding.
Whether it was the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Lin, the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of War, or Ye Yunshu and Song Zhimian, their expressions changed repeatedly.
This sound... doesn't seem to be coming from the firearms workshop.
The firearms workshop was located near the outskirts of the capital, a sparsely populated area far from the imperial city. Even if there were occasional failures during experiments, the sound would not reach the Eastern Palace.
The loud noise just now seemed to come from the direction of Qianmen Street.
"Guards! Investigate!" The crown prince immediately stood up.
...
Lin Xiang and his group, who originally wanted to leave, are now unable to do so for the time being.
The current information is that people from the Ministry of Justice have already gone there...
Ye Yunshu also seized the opportunity to secretly tell the Crown Prince the information that Song Zhimin had found out.
The crown prince's expression was also not very good.
However, it is still unknown what Qian Datong said to the Ruan family.
"I understand. The most important thing now is to find out what caused the explosion outside."
The commotion was so loud, it must have been from gunpowder.
"In the capital, someone is actually hoarding gunpowder! What are they planning to do!" the Crown Prince sighed.
Ye Yunshu didn't know what to say.
Something unusual must be going on. I just don't know who this is aimed at today!
Was it an accident or premeditated...?
Song Zhimian didn't dare to say a word.
The Crown Princess had already returned from Ronghua Palace, and she too was startled by the loud noise outside the palace.
Whether inside or outside the palace, everyone looked uneasy.
His Majesty is still campaigning against the barbarian tribes in the north, yet such a thing has happened in the capital. No one would feel uneasy about this.
...
The Crown Princess and her entourage were in a side room next to the hall where the Crown Prince was holding meetings.
Song Zhimian also quietly stayed behind the Crown Princess.
In the outer hall, the Crown Prince sat in his seat at the head of the table.
Everyone else, including Ye Yunshu, was sitting in their respective seats.
Song Zhimian carefully looked several times, but she couldn't spot Yang Zhengtong, the Crown Prince's confidant.
Whether it was the meeting hall or the private room where Song Zhimin was, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was looking in the direction of the courtyard gate.
Soon, an eunuch hurried over with Minister Ye of the Ministry of Justice, a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and two other officials from the Ministry of Justice.
Everyone could tell from the sweat on Minister Ye's forehead and the dust on his body that he had just come from the scene of the explosion.
Minister Ye was about to perform a grand ceremony of worship when the Crown Prince summoned him.
"Forget all the formalities, just tell me! What's going on outside? How did it suddenly explode?"
Lin Xiang and the other two ministers also looked at Minister Ye.
"Your Highness, the explosion occurred in Zhuangyuan Lane on the front street."
"Zhuangyuan Lane? Has it harmed the common people?" the Crown Prince asked anxiously.
Zhuangyuan Lane is not close to the imperial palace. It is named after an inn in that lane where a scholar who became the top scholar in the imperial examination once stayed.
There are many people in that area! It's usually very lively.
At this time, most people are at home.
"The explosion occurred at the entrance of a three-courtyard house, where there weren't many people inside."
No one in the surrounding area was killed in the bombing, but dozens of people were injured by shards of tile and other debris.
"The Ministry of Justice has already contacted two medical clinics in the capital to treat these people," Minister Ye hurriedly said.
Upon hearing that no civilians had died, the crown prince breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness! No civilians died, which is better than I expected!
"What exactly happened? How could the capital city have been bombed out of nowhere?"
"Has someone been hoarding gunpowder?" the prince pressed.
Minister Ye's forehead was covered in even more sweat.
He wiped his sweat, unsure of what to say!
The Vice Minister of Justice and the two officials who came with him also lowered their heads and dared not speak.
"Minister Ye, what exactly happened? Tell me quickly! Only when we know the reason can we come up with a solution!" Prime Minister Lin also pressed on with a stern face.
Minister Ye looked up at the Crown Prince, then glanced at Ye Yunshu sitting below him, and hesitated before speaking.
"What exactly happened? Speak!" The crown prince's voice turned cold.
Minister Ye wiped his sweat and had no choice but to tell what he knew.
"Two days ago, we received a secret report that someone outside the city was planning to bring weapons into the city. The Ministry of Justice has been secretly investigating this matter."
It wasn't until this morning that the Ministry of Justice located those people.
Those people first entered the city, then drove their carriages around the capital twice before entering a shop.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, those people came out of the shop.
When the Ministry of Justice officers were preparing to make the arrest, they were noticed by the other people.
When those people fled in their carriages, they arrived at the gate of this courtyard.
Our men were originally able to apprehend those people, but suddenly the leader lit the tinderbox in his hand.
After shouting that they would all perish together... they blew up the carriage along with the people inside!
Although there wasn't much gunpowder, it was all stored in wooden barrels.
The explosion was quite loud.
The injured civilians were also injured when they came to watch the commotion.
Besides the weapons mentioned in the previous secret report, there was also... Minister Ye dared not speak.
"What else? Can't you just say it all at once?" the Crown Prince asked coldly.
"And... the scattered newly made dragon robe and crown!" Minister Ye said softly.
Everyone...
"Do you know who those people are?" Prime Minister Lin asked quickly.
There were three people in the carriage, seemingly there specifically to deliver those things to the capital.
Two people were killed instantly because they were too close to the explosives; their identities have not yet been determined.
There was another one who was injured and had already been captured by the Ministry of Justice... His identity was clear, though.
"He is Qian Datong, the owner of Tianyi Embroidery Workshop!" Minister Ye's voice trailed off as he spoke.
Crown Prince, Ye Yunshu...
Song Zhimian in the side room...
It was still too late!
In front of everyone, weapons, scattered dragon robes and crowns, and the crown prince's trusted brother-in-law were all on display.
All of this points to the Crown Prince.
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