Zhao Huan was stationed in Haizhou Prefecture and handed over the disaster relief work to Liu Yu and Su Yuanzhong. People around him didn't understand why Zhao Huan did this.
"Your Majesty, why are you doing this?" Nangong Lian'er was the first to ask. She had been holding it in for a long time.
Zhao Huan could sometimes make someone so angry that they almost died: "Why?"
"You, you're asking even though you already know the answer. Why did you arrest Wu Ge?"
Zhao Huan shrugged. "Wu Ge made a mistake, so naturally I had to lock him up. I told him to have a conflict with these people, but he refused to listen, so I put him in jail."
Nangong Lian'er became even angrier: "Your Majesty, you can't tell right from wrong, black from white."
Linghu Yunlong had been silent the entire time, but now he bowed and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I think His Majesty is playing the long game to catch a bigger fish, and he's doing this on purpose."
It is true that sometimes women have long hair but short knowledge. "What do you mean?" asked Nangong Lian'er.
"Your Majesty, we don't have any evidence against them right now. The delay in the relief grain shipment alone would at most result in Liu Yu being beheaded, but we wouldn't be able to uncover the people behind him. Your Majesty is deliberately handing Haizhou over to Liu Yu. These corrupt officials will surely reveal their true colors, and then we can catch them all in one fell swoop. Your Majesty, am I right?"
Zhao Huan looked at him curiously. "Hey, Linghu Yunlong, you've made quite a bit of progress. That's right, I'm going to give Haizhou to Liu Yu. From today on, we'll no longer interfere in Haizhou affairs. Send some people to secretly monitor their movements, especially regarding the relief grain. I absolutely don't believe they'll just watch and give away 40,000 dan of grain to the disaster victims."
Linghu Yunlong bowed: "As you wish!"
Nangong Lian'er suddenly realized: "Your Majesty, so this is what you meant. Lian'er misunderstood you."
Zhao Huan nodded. "Yes. Let's go, Cao Dongsheng, let's go to the prison to see Wu Ge."
Nangong Lian'er jumped up and down and tugged at Zhao Huan's sleeve: "I'm going too."
"No, you are a queen after all. How can you show up in a place like a dungeon? You stay in the provincial government. When Liu Yu comes to report, no matter what it is, just nod and say yes, then praise him a few words and send him away."
Nangong Lian'er pouted in displeasure. When she reached the door, Zhao Huan turned back and said, "Remember, if Liu Yu comes, no matter what he gives you, you must accept it all along the way. Do you understand?"
Nangong Lian'er was overjoyed: "Really?"
"Really, as long as it's a gift from him, it's yours." After saying that, Zhao Huan left without looking back.
In Haizhou Prison, Wu Ge sat on the ground in his prison uniform, silent and angry, wondering why the emperor had brought him here for no reason.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Wu Ge hurriedly turned over and got up. He recognized the voice of Cao Dongsheng. When he saw Zhao Huan coming in, he knelt down hurriedly and said: "I, the guilty minister Wu Ge, pay my respects to Your Majesty."
The jailer stood there dumbfounded, motionless. Cao Dongsheng shouted angrily, "What are you standing there for? Open the door!"
The jailer then hurriedly took out the key and opened the cell door. Zhao Huan walked in. He did not let Wu Ge stand up, so Wu Ge had to continue kneeling there.
"Wu Ge, I'm here to see you." Zhao Huan sat down on the kang next to him.
Wu Ge turned around and continued to kneel on the ground: "Your Majesty."
"Wu Ge, do you feel wronged?"
Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. The power of the emperor is unpredictable. Wu Ge lay on the ground and said, "I dare not."
"I warned you not to clash with them, but you refused to listen. Now they have evidence against me, so I have no choice but to imprison you here. You should recuperate here first. I'm too lazy to waste my breath. Cao Dongsheng, talk to him."
Cao Dongsheng immediately told Wu Ge the reason for the incident, and Wu Ge was overjoyed: "I am ignorant. It turns out that Your Majesty wants to lure the snake out of its hole, lure the tiger away from the mountain, and alert the snake."
Zhao Huan smiled bitterly and shook his head. "This luring the snake out of its hole is a bit of a trick, but luring the tiger away from its mountain and startling the snake by stirring up trouble are a bit far-fetched. Wu Ge, you generals are good at everything except learning. You should read more and stop using these terms indiscriminately."
He didn't talk about himself, but instead criticized others. Zhao Huan himself was no different. He often felt overwhelmed when he saw those classical Chinese documents when reviewing memorials. Later, he stipulated that all memorials submitted by officials should be written in vernacular Chinese, which was easy to understand.
Zhao Huan's comments on memorials were always just a few words like "I understand, I have read it, OK".
Zhao Huan stood up and clapped his hands. "Alright, Wu Ge. You keep him here. Cao Dongsheng, order the jailer to bring him a stack of books so he can study and take the imperial examination."
Cao Dongsheng bowed: "As you wish!"
Nangong Lian'er was bored and annoyed in the government office, looking at the falling leaves outside the window with her chin in her hand. A servant ran in and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Liu wants to see you."
"Let him in." Nangong Lian'er said lazily.
"Your servant Liu Yu pays homage to Empress Nangong. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!" Liu Yu bowed deeply as he came in, then knelt down.
"Well, get up. Lord Liu, His Majesty went to the prison to see General Wu Ge. His Majesty said that if it weren't for his merits, he would have chopped off his head long ago. What do you want from me?" Nangong Lian'er said according to Zhao Huan's instructions.
Liu Yu turned around and saw his men holding a small box. He took the box and handed it over, "Your Majesty is as beautiful as a fairy. I just happened to find a string of pearls. I want to give it to you. I hope you will accept it."
The servant took it and handed it to Nangong Lian'er. Nangong Lian'er still opened the box lazily, and her eyes immediately lit up.
Inside the box was a large, warm, crystal-clear pearl necklace. Each pearl was the size of a pigeon egg, evenly spaced and translucent. Nangong Lian'er had seen the empress wear a necklace in the palace, and this one was even larger. She couldn't help but feel pleasantly surprised and picked up the beads, examining them carefully. "Well, Lord Liu is loyal to the emperor and the country. I will definitely speak well of you in front of His Majesty!"
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