When Zheng Xian entered the palace, Zhao Huan was reading a report. As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Zhao Huan had just left Langya County when trouble struck.
On the table was an urgent letter from Li Haoran, sent over 800 miles, explaining why the imperial relief grain hadn't arrived yet. Zhao Huan was furious when he received the letter, and the first thing he did upon returning to the palace was to urge the Ministry of Revenue to send the relief grain to Langya County as quickly as possible.
Duan Xiaorong, the Minister of Revenue, did not dare to neglect the situation. He immediately prepared 30,000 dan of grain and dispatched it to Haizhou. Fearing it would not be enough, Zhao Huan even used the Ministry of War's rations to transfer another 10,000 dan. Unexpectedly, the grain disappeared upon reaching Haizhou, and people were already starving to death in Langya County.
Where did this 40,000 dan of grain go? The Ministry of Revenue rushed all the reserve grain and the grain urgently mobilized from the surrounding areas to Haizhou overnight. However, there was no news from Haizhou at all. In Langya County, the worst-hit area, not a single grain of rice was found.
"Zheng Xian, I want to ask you, do you have any clues about the imperial examination cheating case?" Zhao Huan asked coldly.
"Your Majesty, I have some clues. But it will take some time to solve the case." Zheng Xian replied honestly.
"Haizhou is suffering from a drought, and Langya County has been hit hardest. I just returned from Langya County, and the first thing I did upon returning to the palace was to gather grain. The Ministry of Revenue has gathered 30,000 dan of grain. I have also allocated 10,000 dan of military rations from the Ministry of War. Liu Yu was the grain transport envoy you recommended to me. I have appointed him as the disaster relief envoy to Haizhou!"
Zheng Xian was puzzled. "Your Majesty, this Liu Yu is the Chief Justice of Hebei Province. I find him capable and meticulous in his work. I wonder what has happened?"
Zhao Huan was furious: "What an efficient and meticulous person! Not a single grain of the 40,000 dan of grain I sent to Haizhou has arrived! Where has it gone?"
Zheng Xian was startled. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this, this disaster relief food hasn't been distributed yet?"
Zhao Huan pointed at him angrily and said, "Zheng Xian, answer me honestly. How much silver did you take from Liu Yu?"
Zheng Xian wiped his sweat and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I don't have any."
"Really?" Zhao Huan asked doubtfully.
Zheng Xian shook his head. "Your Majesty, I swear. I did not recommend Li Haoran. I only heard about him from Secretary Zheng Yinian."
"It's not you?" Zhao Huan was shocked: "Then what's the matter with this memorial?" As he said that, he threw a memorial on the table down.
Zheng Xian picked up the memorial and took a look. He was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He plodded to his knees and said, "Your Majesty, this memorial is indeed written in my handwriting. But, but this memorial was definitely not submitted by me."
Zhao Huan's hair stood on end. Zheng Xian wasn't that bold. He wouldn't deny that this memorial was his. This meant someone had impersonated him. Who had submitted this memorial in Zheng Xian's handwriting?
The seriousness of the matter far exceeded Zhao Huan's imagination. In the face of interests, corrupt officials and traitors can never be completely eliminated.
"Let's put the memorial aside. Zheng Xian, this exam cheating case must be solved within three days. Cao Dongsheng, go get Duan Xiaorong!"
Zhao Huan knew the importance of the matter. Disaster relief was as important as the sky. Even if he didn't do anything else, he would definitely complete disaster relief first. Disaster relief was like putting out a fire.
Fan Guangtu and Wang Dabao quickly gathered the Tiger Yasi team. Fan Guangtu ordered a small team leader named Dou Zimo, "Zimo, go gather all the brothers who are out investigating the case. We have a mission!"
When Dou Zimo saw the clay doll next to him, he seemed a little uncomfortable, and the clay doll also felt that the man's face was extremely familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a moment.
Dou Zimo asked, "Sir, where are you going?"
Fan Guangtu was stunned for a moment, then angrily said, "Zimo, what's going on? Can't you remember the orders of the Tiger Yamen?"
Dou Zimo hurriedly bowed and said, "I dare not."
Wang Dabao had a bad temper, and the people in Hu Yasi were afraid of him. Wang Dabao said coldly, "I know. Then recite it to me!"
Dou Zimo trembled with fear. "As an officer of the Tiger Yamen, subordinates must obey their superiors. When carrying out a mission, no questions are allowed. There is only one rule: obey!"
"Then don't ask, tell the brothers to gather!" Fan Guangtu said.
By the time they arrived at the compound across from the Niu family oil mill, it was already deserted. Not only was there the bearded man surnamed Lu and the round-faced man surnamed Tu, but there was no sign of anyone else in the compound either.
Fan Guangtu and Wang Dabao exchanged glances. The enemy was so fast! How could they be so swift? Before the Tiger Yasi men arrived, the people here had already fled.
Niu, the shopkeeper of the Niu Family Oil Mill, was brought in. Seeing the Tiger Yasi's black tiger uniform, he was completely terrified. Everyone in the capital knew how powerful the Tiger Yasi was. Could it be that he'd been caught adulterating the vegetable oil? But there wasn't a need for such a large-scale operation, mobilizing so many troops just to arrest an oil mill.
"Sir!" Shopkeeper Niu felt as if there was something stuck in his throat and his whole body was shaking.
Fan Guangtu said, "Boss, don't panic. We came here to ask you something. Do you know who are the people in this yard?" He asked, pointing to the yard behind him.
It turned out they weren't looking for trouble. Shopkeeper Niu, still in shock, said, "The people in this courtyard are very secretive. They never interact with outsiders. They don't usually interact with us neighbors. I've seen them on the road a few times. One time, I greeted a bearded man. He ignored me and just smirked at me. I was so scared that I never dared to mess with them again. The neighbors usually avoid them when they see them."
Wang Dabao frowned: "When did they get here? Why are you all afraid of them?"
Shopkeeper Niu finally stopped being so frightened. He said, "Sir, these people look like a group of strong men. At first, we thought they were private salt dealers, but then we saw that they looked more like people with connections to the government. It turns out that the owner of the house moved south with his family when the Jin army besieged Bianjing. I don't know to whom he sold the house. The house has been empty until these people moved in last year. They have been so secretive that we don't know what they are doing."
Fan Guangtu asked again, "Then how do you know they have connections with the government?"
Shopkeeper Niu paused for a moment. "Last month, yes, the sixth day of last month. I lit the oil lamps in the oil mill early to prepare for the oil pressing. When I opened the door, I accidentally saw an official sedan chair parked outside the courtyard."
"Do you know what the characteristics of this official sedan chair are?" Fan Guangtu asked hurriedly.
Shopkeeper Niu shook his head. "I didn't have time to look so closely. The official sedan chair stopped for less than an hour. They seemed to notice the lights of the oil mill and hurried away."
The two of them asked for a long time but couldn't get anything out of him. Wang Dabao waved his hand and said, "Go away!"
Shopkeeper Niu thanked him profusely and fled in fear.
Clay Boy had been hiding in the back, still feeling a lingering fear of this place. He waited until Shopkeeper Niu had walked away before he dared to approach. "Sir, sir, how did the people here get the news that we were coming?"
Fan Guangtu was also pondering this question. Wang Dabao said to the departing Shopkeeper Niu, "Shopkeeper Niu, if you remember any important clues, come to the Tiger Yasi and tell us."
Shopkeeper Niu turned around and said, "Don't worry, sir. I would never dare to hide any news from you!"
The clay boy was suddenly startled. The shopkeeper Niu pronounced the word "hiding" incorrectly, and to others it sounded like "coiling."
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