"Yes, it was planned by us. More than a dozen counties and more than a hundred officials were involved." Ma Zhiqing nodded.
He added: "You must be very curious, why are we Qizhou officials looking for death and planning a riot?"
Zhao Chen didn't say anything, he really felt strange.
Qizhou is Shangzhou, and it ranks first among all the states and counties in the Tang Dynasty.
Planning a people's riot is really difficult to understand.
"Ma Zhiyuan said that there is a big shot in Chang'an who wants to cause a big event in Qizhou."
"If this matter is successful, all our officials, big and small, in Qizhou will be able to rise to the top."
"Officials of all sizes in Qizhou, either because they were greedy for this promise, or because they had been caught before, got on the pirate ship together."
"Xiaguan was one of them before, but Ma Zhiyuan controlled Xiaguan's family but failed to take good care of them."
"Xiaguan's wife and two children were all burned to death in a fire."
"The lower official fell in love with him and escaped with letters about his past conspiracies with others."
"He sent people to chase him all the way until he escaped here."
When Ma Zhiqing said this, his eyes fell on the ruins in front of him.
He probably escaped here and was taken in by the villagers in the village.
Then a series of things happened that Zhao Chen knew about.
"Who is that person in Chang'an?" Zhao Chen and Ma Zhiqing asked.
Ma Zhiqing shook his head. He didn't know who was working with Ma Zhiyuan in Chang'an.
"The official doesn't know either. I only know that Ma Zhiyuan has been acting as a contact person."
"A few days ago, the governor of Qi, Shi Luyi, went to Chang'an. The subordinate was probably sent there by Ma Zhiyuan."
"As for what you are going to do, I don't know." Ma Zhiqing shook his head again.
The minister of Chang'an colluded with officials of all sizes in Qizhou and planned a common people's riot.
Why do they do this?
The minister of Chang'an even promised that after the matter is completed, everyone will be able to rise to the top.
Promising hundreds of officials to rise to the top is impossible even for the most powerful ministers.
Unless he can take the position of emperor.
So this plan is aimed at the emperor?
Zhao Chen instantly realized who this incident was targeting.
The emperor, only if something happens to the emperor in Qizhou, will a new emperor come out.
Minister of Chang'an?
Who has such big ambitions?
Zhao Chen couldn't figure out who made this plan for a while, but he knew that the emperor was in great danger now.
"Where are your letters?" Zhao Chen and Ma Zhiqing asked.
Ma Zhiqing shook his head again and said with a wry smile: "Ten days ago, Xiaguan was hiding in a place not far from the village. Xiaguan happened to go out that day."
"When I came back, I saw a fire burning here. The place where the official was hiding has been searched."
"All the letters that were brought out were confiscated."
"They should have destroyed it."
"Uncle Zhang's body was also found in my hiding place. He was stabbed three times."
After Ma Zhiqing finished speaking, his eyes fell on the tomb behind him.
Zhao Chen nodded.
Obviously, there is no evidence that can be found to directly accuse Ma Zhiyuan and others.
Zhao Chen was a little disappointed, but at this moment there was no time to stay here anymore.
He stood up and was about to leave when he heard Ma Zhiqing calling from behind him: "His Royal Highness, if you go to the Dudu's Mansion in Qizhou, you can go to the courtyard on the east side of the Dudu's Mansion and have a look."
"There is a book on the third shelf of the bookshelf, and there should be a letter in it."
"When I escaped, I didn't have time to bring out all the letters. If the letters had not been searched, maybe I could find some useful ones."
Zhao Chen turned around and was about to speak when he saw Ma Zhiqing, who was standing next to the tomb, suddenly fell to the ground.
"Zhao Da, he committed suicide." Cheng Chumo looked at him and shouted with Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen sighed secretly in his heart.
He knew why Ma Zhiqing chose to commit suicide.
His wife and two children all died, and now hundreds of villagers in the village have died because of him.
Living is the cruelest thing for him.
Death is what truly frees him.
"Bury him." Zhao Chen and Cheng Chumo waved their hands.
…
When the two returned to the inn, it was already noon.
Li Ruoshuang and three others were waiting in the room.
When I saw the two of them coming back, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Zhao Chen, this Ninggu County is crazy. Those government officials came again today."
"I even want to come here and search the guest's room." Li Ruoshuang and Zhao Chen complained.
Zhao Chen hugged Ping An, nodded, and said: "We will leave Ninggu County later."
"Aren't things here going to be investigated?" Li Ruoshuang was a little surprised.
Zhao Chen said before that he would stay here for a while, but why was he suddenly in a hurry to leave?
"Things have changed, and the Emperor and others may be in danger." Zhao Chen said, waving his hands with Cheng Chumo.
Cheng Chu nodded silently and left with Princess Qinghe, preparing to pack up and leave.
"Your Majesty is in danger?" Li Ruoshuang was stunned.
"The Qizhou riot was just for the emperor to come here personally to investigate."
"Their entire plan is to deal with the emperor."
"Now that the emperor is behind bars, if we don't go, something might really happen." Zhao Chen and Li Ruoshuang explained.
Zhao Chen didn't know whether the man in Chang'an knew that he had left Chang'an.
If he knew, would he be planning to frame the emperor's accident on himself?
Or pack yourself in here.
If he didn't know Chang'an, how did that person prepare?
Now the situation is more serious than Zhao Chen thought before.
Now, Zhao Chende needs to join the emperor as soon as possible.
Moreover, the news cannot be passed on to him to avoid being intercepted by Ma Zhiyuan's people.
"Okay, I'll pack my things right now." Li Ruoshuang nodded. At this moment, she also realized the importance of the situation.
Then just tidy up in the room.
After the group packed up their things, they came downstairs. The innkeeper stood downstairs and saw that Zhao Chen and others had already packed their bags.
I also know how many people are leaving.
"Are the guests leaving Ninggu County now?" asked the innkeeper Yu Zhao Chen.
"The situation in Ninggu County is a little bad, and we have a lot of female relatives. It's scary to stay here, so we have to leave early." Zhao Chen said.
"It's okay, it's okay for the guests to leave early." The innkeeper nodded, with a look of envy in his eyes.
He also wanted to leave Ninggu County, but couldn't.
"Shopkeeper, here are the expenses for these days, take it." Li Ruoshuang took out half a bank of silver from the bag.
But the shopkeeper shook his head: "Thank you very much, girl, but you have also seen that the money I collected will be taken away by those people."
"So, you should keep it for your own use."
"Shopkeeper, please keep the money, we don't like to owe people friendship." Zhao Chen said, and Li Ruoshuang put the money on the table.
After exchanging hands with the shopkeeper, they left the inn.
The waiter has already brought the carriage over.
"Goodbye, guest." The waiter handed the reins to Cheng Chumo and said.
"Well, goodbye." Cheng Chumo glanced at Zhao Chen, then nodded with the waiter.