Chapter 246 I Steal Myself
Inside the imperial palace, in the autumn woods, golden fallen leaves were scattered on the smooth stone slabs.
In the sunlight, it looks like a burning flame.
Xu Zhenguan stood quietly in the forest, his slender and beautiful wrist turned slightly, and the sword inlaid with coiled dragon accessories in his hand "swished" and embedded straight into the gap between the stone slabs.
She pulled out a silk handkerchief, slowly wiped her fair and slender hands, and asked curiously:
"Has he made any progress?"
The word "progress" here naturally refers to the case of the traitor in Prince Jing's Mansion.
After Zhao Duan entered the Shenjiying, Xu Zhenguan initially had too high expectations of him because of his amazing performance in the imperial court.
Therefore, even the outrageous request that Tang Ping and others be dismissed was calmly agreed by the empress.
Even Xue Shence and others who entered the palace were all stopped by her.
However, what came back from the Shenji Camp next was all kinds of criticisms about Zhao Duan's enjoyment and fun.
It seemed as if he had completely forgotten his mission to investigate the case.
Xu Zhenguan still let it go, his curiosity aroused, wondering what this little imperial guard was up to.
She had also heard about today's so-called military exercises in advance.
At this moment, seeing Mo Chou rushing to report in such a hurry, his expression and behavior were abnormal.
Naturally, people speculated that Zhao Duan had caused trouble again, and there was no breakthrough in the case.
However, Mo Chou, who had stepped closer, shook her head and said:
"Lord Zhao has not yet started investigating the case. At least I can't see any trace of it."
The Empress's beautiful eyes revealed a trace of surprise, and she asked doubtfully:
"Could it be that there was trouble during the military drill? Who did he get into conflict with?"
Mo Chou couldn't help but smile bitterly and shook her head: "...Not really."
The Empress was now genuinely curious. Her beautiful eyes and brows knitted together slightly, as if she had encountered an interesting puzzle. She chuckled and said,
"Let me guess. Since it's unrelated to the case and not a conflict, it can't be that something went wrong with the exercise itself."
The strange look on Mo Chou's face grew more intense, and she said respectfully:
"Your Majesty's eyes are like torches, perceiving everything clearly!
The subordinates reported that during today's drill, Lord Zhao brought out two new firearms and practiced them with the new battle formations. They were far superior to the previous muskets...
The Privy Council and the Minister of War witnessed it with their own eyes, and they all hurriedly wrote congratulatory letters and delivered them to the palace..."
She told him everything she had learned.
Xu Zhenguan was really stunned this time.
The autumn wind blew by, and the empress in white's long black hair, which hung vertically behind her waist, rose slightly.
The hair brushed across her fair cheeks, plump lips, straight nose and dark eyebrows like distant mountains...
She stopped wiping her hands quietly, and subconsciously clenched the handkerchief tightly into her white, moist palms.
"You said that Zhao Duan asked Gongshu Tianyuan to collaborate with Chen Gui to create a new firearm?"
"yes."
"Far beyond the musket?"
"Yes. According to Zhao Chenshi, the blueprints stolen from Prince Jing's mansion are practically worthless."
"He only provided some ideas?"
"Yes, that's what the chief officer of the Firearms Bureau said."
silence.
At this moment, Queen Dayu couldn't help but recall that a few days ago, she and Zhang Tianshi were in the Tianshi Mansion, watching the scene that Zhao Duan told Gongshu Tianyuan through the water curtain.
She suddenly had a strong intuition that the core of this new firearm was probably related to that small imperial guard.
How to do it?
Just like the “Three Golden Strategies” described in Xiuwen Hall, it can only be attributed to his extraordinary talent.
She found that she accepted this matter very naturally.
Or rather, she had gotten used to the surprises that guy gave her from time to time.
only……
Is this surprise a bit too big?
To solve the case of stolen firearms once and for all...So, he was not wasting his time these days, nor was he investigating the traitor. Instead, he was doing more important things.
"Your Majesty?" Mochou's soft call woke her from her distraction.
"Uh..." Xu Zhenguan responded subconsciously, and then said, "The firearms drawings..."
Mo Chou said with a gloomy look:
"To prevent leaks, it is only in the Firearms Bureau and has not yet been submitted to the palace, nor has the Privy Council touched it."
Then she talked about the follow-up of the exercise.
"Good, very good! Since the new firearms have not yet been fully manufactured, the Firearms Bureau will be fully responsible for their production!" Even with her shrewdness, she could not hide her joy.
When two armies fight, the strong one is indeed the key.
But looking around the world, whether it is warriors or sorcerers, their absolute numbers are too small.
Even with her cultivation level, it would be difficult for her to fight against thousands of troops alone.
This further highlights the importance of mortal military formations.
How can I not be happy when I suddenly hear the good news?
"Also, Zhao Duan, call him into the palace immediately..."
The empress paused halfway through her words, realizing something was wrong. After a moment's thought, she smiled and said,
"Xue Shence is going to hold a celebration banquet for him tonight?"
Mo Chou understood: "Your Majesty, are you going there in person?"
Xu Zhenguan nodded slightly and said with a smile:
"The carriage is light and the entourage is small, so there's no need to alert too many people. Although the traitor hasn't been caught, how can I not personally congratulate him for such a great achievement? My general has given me such a surprise, so I will give him one in return."
Mo Chou felt a sour feeling in her heart, as if she had eaten a lemon.
I thought, His Majesty is going to clear that guy's name personally.
…
…
Xiuwen Hall.
The scholars were busy at work, and in the spacious "office", piles of official documents piled up on the desks.
As the new policy was gradually implemented, countless affairs rushed into the newly established Xiuwen Academy. A group of scholars were forced to work around the clock, and their eyes were dull with exhaustion.
This group of young officials are also growing at a terrifying speed through hardships.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, the door was pushed open forcefully.
The autumn wind rushed into the room, lifting up the scrolls of paper on the long table, and the rustling sound was like pure white waves.
"What happened? Why such a rush?"
Han Zhou raised his head. His swollen eyelids and loose eye bags were the medals of his overtime work:
"Whose clerk is this?"
The clerk who entered the room gasped and said:
"It was sent by the Minister of War and is related to the Shenji Camp."
brush--
The scholars looked at him with puzzled expressions:
"Shenjiying? The one that Scholar Zhao went to? It can't be related to Scholar Zhao, right?"
The clever maesters reacted quickly and swiftly.
Behind a desk in the corner of the room, Grand Tutor Dong, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes.
"Show it to me."
After a moment, the octogenarian Dong Xuan slowly sat up straight and rubbed his dim eyes, as if he could not recognize the words above.
…
Baima Prison, the rear court.
The autumn wind was blowing, and the lush green branches and leaves of the big tree in the yard gradually turned yellow.
The old eunuch Sun Lianying recently got a rocking chair and especially liked to sit under a tree and take a nap, covered with a round palm-leaf fan.
"Sir, there is new news from the Shenji Camp."
A messenger pushed open the small door and walked quickly forward.
Without even opening her eyes, Sun Lianying whispered, "Speak."
When the subordinate messenger was halfway through speaking, the old eunuch opened his eyes.
He kept biting his teeth, lost in thought.
I thought: Zhao boy, you are not going to catch thieves, so you play like this?!
…
“Father…Father…”
The inner hall of the Ministry of Personnel.
As one of the six ministries in charge of the transfer of officials throughout the country, this is also where Prime Minister Li Yanfu sits.
In the past, at noon, the elderly and frail Li Yanfu would rest in the inner courtyard and outsiders were not allowed to disturb him.
However, today, a figure hurriedly crossed the thresholds.
Under the gaze of many officials from the Ministry of Personnel, he walked straight into the inner hall and pushed open the door.
"Little Cabinet Minister" Li Yinglong stepped over the threshold.
Looking at the Prime Minister on the bed, who had just opened his eyes and slowly sat up, his expression was subtle:
"Father...I..."
Li Yanfu was sitting on the bed with a slightly hunched body.
Some of her hair was messy and her eyes were sharp like an eagle.
The young elder stared at him, his voice gradually lowered, and he snorted coldly:
"You're so flustered! How disgraceful!"
Li Yinglong opened his mouth and tried to defend himself:
"My father told me to keep an eye on Zhao Duan and report to him immediately if anything important happens."
"..." Li Yanfu sighed helplessly and waved his hands tiredly:
"Tell me, what trouble has that little wolf caused?"
Li Yinglong immediately described it vividly, and finally said:
"Originally, the conflict between Zhao and the military attaché group was becoming increasingly intense, and Xue Shence also had a rather negative opinion of him. However, it was said that after today's exercise, Xue Shence would personally celebrate for him."
He was quite disappointed, as if he was expecting the two families to fight soon.
After waiting for a long time, there was a sound of cannon fire and they shook hands and made peace.
Li Yanfu was silent for a long time, took a long breath, and murmured:
"Could it be that it is God who blesses His Majesty?"
…
…
Just as the news was spreading like ripples in the capital.
Zhao Duan, who had once again become famous, left the Shenji Camp and returned to the imperial court.
In Lihua Hall, I met two old acquaintances who were waiting there.
"Oh, our assistant minister is back. Even after getting promoted, he still hasn't forgotten his old boss. How rare!"
The heroic female agent Si Haitang, with long legs, a high ponytail and a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, sneered and spoke in a sarcastic tone.
Sitting on the chair in the inner hall, he crossed his legs like Zhao Duan.
Opposite her sat Zhang Han, the top judge of the Ninth Hall, nicknamed "King of Zhaoyajuan" with a paralyzed face, with a seven-foot sword placed horizontally on the table in front of him.
He also looked over at this moment, but he stood up on his own initiative, clasped his fists and bowed:
"This humble official has met Zhao Chenshi."
"Lao Zhang, Lao Hai, what are you doing? You and I are comrades. I've only been away for a few days, why don't you recognize me?" Zhao Duan laughed heartily.
He doesn't have the airs of a fourth-rank official at all.
Old Hai… Haitang, who seemed to have an extraordinary background, twitched her lips and was extremely resistant to this title:
"No, just call me Haitang."
Then, she stared at the smiling tiger-like Zhao Duan with a vigilant look, and changed the position of her long legs:
"Tell me, what did Kerou ask us to do? What trap did she set for us? Just tell us directly so we can die with a clear understanding. Don't act like such a smiling tiger. I'm scared."
Zhang Han also gave him a questioning look.
"Why do you think of me like this? Have I ever cheated you?"
Zhao Duan pretended to be sad and threw himself into the main seat with an innocent look on his face.
Haitang sneered:
"You dare to say no? When we were investigating the traitor, who was it..."
"It's all in the past. It was all a misunderstanding." Zhao Duan waved his hands, looking hurt.
Then he smiled and said:
"However, there is something I would like to ask you two for help."
Haha… I knew it… Haitang rolled her eyes.
Zhang Han had a blank expression on his face and spoke in a businesslike tone:
"What is it? Let me make it clear first, I won't help you if it's not my job responsibility."
"Haha, don't worry, it's definitely within your authority and will earn you great credit."
Zhao Duan smiled sincerely, supporting himself on the thick table with both hands, confirming that there were only three of them in the hall.
Facing the two people's disbelieving gazes, he said faintly:
"I need you to go to the Firearms Bureau and steal the blueprints for the new firearms."
? ?
Haitang and Zhang Han looked at him in shock at the same time, their eyes dull.
(End of this chapter)
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