Chapter 230 Trends of all parties, Song Qiaonian's suspicion.
The Ministry of Rites sealed off the yamen, and other yamen in the imperial city did not give in too much.
Although there was no imperial handle outside their door, they sealed their own door.
At this time of trouble, everyone should go out as little as possible to avoid being tainted by any trouble again.
Although the door was sealed, the news about the leak spread quickly as if it had wings.
"Misfortune lies where blessings depend, and blessing lies where misfortune lies..."
In the yamen of the Ministry of Industry, Yan Lide's face showed indescribable complexity: "If I had been selected as the deputy examiner that day, I'm afraid things won't go well this time..."
Su Ling'a nodded in approval.
As long as you are going to be an examiner, who can't ask for help?
Unless you are a perfect person, this kind of thing cannot be avoided.
And this time the turmoil is really too big, some shady private matters may be exposed. What was just a common thing in the past will be infinitely magnified this time, turning it into a huge mistake that cannot be ignored.
"I don't know if the two examiners can escape."
Su Ling'a thought about Cai Jing's round old face, and couldn't help but silently bless him in her heart: "I hope something happens to him..."
After sweating hard for this kind old man, Su Ling'a opened her eyes and found Yan Lide looking at her with a strange expression.
"What did you just say?"
"ah?"
Su Ling'a was shocked, did I say it?
"It's nothing, I didn't say anything..." Su Ling'a hurriedly refused to admit...
At the same time, in the Criminal Department, which was not far from the Gongbu Yamen, an uneasy atmosphere filled the entire Yamen.
After all, Cai Jing is the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. The top leader of the Yamen is now caught in the suspicion of fraud. It is strange that people's hearts are not calm.
However, the officials below did not dare to discuss this matter openly. Most of them just made eye contact and then dodge away.
In a check-in room just across the door from the lobby, Cai Bian looked at the letter paper that had been rubbed with rough edges in his hand, and once again fell into a daze.
Yuanwailang, who was also on duty, looked at his boss carefully. He obviously knew that this was not the first time this happened.
Sometimes Dr. Cai suddenly loses consciousness even during internal meetings of the Ministry of Justice.
However, despite this, no one in the entire Xingbu Yamen had any dissatisfaction or disrespect towards him. Not to mention anything else, just the fact that he was the younger brother of Lord Shangshu was enough for the two Lord Ministers to treat him with great courtesy.
.
What's more, Master Cai himself is also a capable and knowledgeable man. It is said that he once served as the minister of the Ministry of Rites, but for some unknown reason, he later fell to this level. Even Cai Shangshu did not protect him until last year.
Just returned to the Criminal Department...
But I don’t know what will happen to Cai Shangshu this time. Will he suffer a big loss?
If Cai Shangshu is really unlucky, I am afraid that Mr. Cai will also be implicated...
Just when Yuan Wai Lang was thinking wildly, Cai Bian seemed to have come to his senses, kept the letter and carefully put it back in his arms.
Yuan Wai Lang immediately withdrew his gaze without any trace and stopped looking any further.
At the same time, just upstairs, separated by a wall, Deng Xunwu and Gao Xun were frowning.
"We can't go on like this, we have to think of a way!"
Gao Xun walked around anxiously: "If we continue to check like this, something will happen even if nothing happens."
Isn’t that what it is?
The examiners in the Gongyuan are from the Cai Party, and the person in charge of submitting questions in the Gongyuan Foreign Affairs Department is also a Cai Party person. In the end, this matter will definitely not be traced to anyone else. The key lies in how big the loss is.
Deng Xunwu's face was also not very good-looking: "This matter must be ended as soon as possible and Master Cai can get out as soon as possible!"
The Cai Party without Cai Jing is still missing its soul after all, and even Cai You cannot replace him.
But if we want to rescue Cai Jing, how can the dangers involved be summed up in one word?
Nowadays, most of the imperial court's energy is devoted to this matter, and with so many people watching, it is impossible to muddle through!
The two discussed for a while before reaching a consensus that chaos must be caused somewhere so that the imperial court would want to stabilize the situation in the capital and quickly put an end to the leaks and focus all its energy on that chaos. superior.
And the chaos must be big enough, otherwise it won't attract the court's attention at all.
In addition, it takes time to brew trouble, and they must also struggle with the power of Cai Party officials in the capital to delay the situation for a while so that others can avoid doing anything to Cai Party.
This is not difficult for the two of them, the difficulty is how to create trouble.
Like the last Longxi incident, it probably won't work. There is only one Longxi in the entire Daqian, and it is at the elbow of the capital's confidants. The troubles in other counties are not as taken seriously as Longxi.
What other methods are there? The rebels are rebelling? The court has dealt with it countless times, but it still doesn't work.
"The war in the Kingdom of Wu is going well. I heard that an army of 300,000 soldiers has surrounded the capital of the Kingdom of Wu."
Deng Xunwu and Gao Xun looked at each other and this option was rejected.
"I heard that there has been civil strife in Qi for a long time, but I don't know if it will really break out..."
This can be used as an alternative.
"The Chu State still criticizes the remnant party, and they have been thinking about restoring the country, but I heard that they are no match for the Forbidden Army..."
You can try it, but don't have high hopes.
As he was thinking about it, Gao Xun's eyes suddenly lit up and he turned to look at Deng Xunwu: "Brother Deng, at the end of the year, weren't there a few people in the Ming Dynasty's mission who had dinner with you and me?"
Deng Xunwu was startled: "It seems that there is such a thing, but those people don't seem to be good people..."
"What kind of kindness do you want?"
Gao Xun sneered: "Can a kind person help us create trouble?"
Deng Xunwu sighed and nodded: "That's true..."
As they spoke, the two began to plot...
~~
The Taichang Temple Yamen is not far from the Punishment Department. The atmosphere at this moment is also very depressing. The officials walking there are walking on tiptoes, as if they are afraid of making too much noise.
Zhao Wenhua, the young minister of Taichang Temple, walked out of the Yamen gate cautiously. After looking around for no one, he quickened his pace and hurried towards the south of the city.
After leaving the imperial city through Hanguang Gate, he got on the sedan chair and headed south to Yan's Mansion.
"Something bad has happened, brother-in-law! Something bad has happened!"
Zhao Wenhua ran into Yan Song's courtyard crying for his father and mother, his voice loud and clear.
"What are you calling?"
The door of the main hall was opened, and a smelly shoe flew out, but Zhao Wenhua dodged it with his clever posture.
Yan Shifan walked out angrily, limping and staring at him with an unkind expression.
But before Zhao Wenhua started crying, a kind voice came from the door: "What's wrong? Did something happen to the kid Wenhua?"
Yan Shifan suppressed his anger and glared at him fiercely.
However, Zhao Wenhua's eyes lit up and he immediately shouted loudly: "Mother! Mother, you are here today!"
As he spoke, he ran into the main hall on a crawl, rushed forward, hugged the legs of a plainly dressed old woman in the hall, raised his head and said emotionally:
"Mom, I haven't seen you for a long time. I wonder how your body has been these days. Does your leg still hurt?"
"My child, I'll press it for you..."
After saying that, he actually knelt on the ground and helped Ouyang pinch his legs.
"You kid..."
Ouyang patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Didn't I just send you something the day before yesterday? Why haven't you come for a long time?"
"Mom, you don't know, if you don't see your child for one day, you will be like three autumns..."
Zhao Wenhua's mouth was as sweet as honey, which made the old lady laugh non-stop. She even forgot what she wanted to ask just now.
Zhao Wenhua pressed the button a few times and then discovered that there was another person sitting in the room.
"uncle!"
Zhao Wenhua was shocked and hurriedly bowed.
"Um."
Ouyang Bijin was not very enthusiastic. He just nodded lightly and seemed to look down upon Zhao Wenhua.
But Zhao Wenhua seemed not to notice his attitude, still licking his face and smiling: "I haven't seen you for a few days. My uncle is fine..."
In less than half a quarter of an hour, Ouyang Bijin was so annoyed by him that he stood up and left.
"Sister, I'm leaving now. I'll see you another day." Before leaving, he said goodbye to Mrs. Ouyang.
"Okay, okay, remember to bring Tingyuan with you next time you come here. It's been a long time since I, an aunt, have seen him..."
Mrs. Ouyang kept holding her brother's hand, looking extremely reluctant to let him go, and sent him out the door.
"Mom, let me see uncle off for you."
Yan Shifan led Zhao Wenhua and escorted Ouyang Bijin out of Yan's Mansion, and then turned back.
"Brother, something bad has happened!"
Walking on the road, there was no one around, Zhao Wenhua kept looking at Yan Shifan with a sad face.
Yan Shifan glared at him fiercely: "We'll talk about it when we get back."
The two of them walked all the way to the study. Yan Shifan sat down and rested for a while, and then he spoke impatiently: "Tell me, what's the matter?"
"Has it been revealed that you know how to test the questions?"
Zhao Wenhua was stunned: "Brother, how did you know? Could it be that the truth is like a god?"
The veins on Yan Shifan's forehead twitched, and he said angrily: "How big is your mother! Someone came to tell me just now!"
"If I'm waiting for your news and the house raiders arrive at the door, I may not know!"
"oh……"
Zhao Wenhua felt a little aggrieved, but then he couldn't care less about it and said hurriedly: "Then what should we do?"
"Isn't selling exam questions a leak?"
Yan Shifan narrowed his eyes, then shook his head and glanced at Zhao Wenhua: "How did you handle the things I asked you to do?"
"Absolutely flawless." Zhao Wenhua affirmed, patting his chest.
Yan Shifan breathed a sigh of relief: "Since it's perfect, we can't be traced."
In fact, when the business of selling test questions first came to light, Mr. Yan, who had a strong economic mind, was eyeing him. Facts have proved that his vision is really good.
Because this deal is a huge profit.
Yan Shifan and Zhao Wenhua first spent 500 taels of silver from a certain Cai party son to buy a set of exam questions. Yan Shifan forced it on him, otherwise he would not ask for the money for the sake of the young prime minister.
Then the two of them started a journey of reselling test questions. The questions they bought for 500 taels were resold for 1000 taels, and they could buy unlimited copies. If they didn't get rich, who would get rich?
When the market for one thousand taels is saturated, they sell for eight hundred taels, five hundred taels, and finally one hundred taels. This money is really hard to make.
"I...I'm just panicking..."
Zhao Wenhua still looked at Yan Shifan pitifully: "Brother, you don't know how big the trouble is this time. If it really involves us..."
"Don't worry, I won't implicate you."
Yan Shifan rolled his eyes and said to himself, "I have spent so much effort and made such a big fuss just for you, the young minister of Taichang Temple. Don't you think you are worthy enough?"
"This matter has been taken care of from beginning to end. We are just taking advantage of the fire and taking advantage of the opportunity. It will be fine for sure. The only ones who can get into trouble are Cai Jing and the others."
Zhao Wenhua was stunned. Although he was still puzzled, he did not dare to ask any more questions. After all, Yan Shifan was not a good-tempered person.
Then he rolled his eyes and seemed to think of something again.
"Brother, who in Cai's party can cause trouble?"
Zhao Wenhua looked at Yan Shifan tentatively: "Will there be any deputy examiners, deputy magistrates, Gongju, etc..."
Yan Shifan glanced at him: "What do you want to say?"
Zhao Wenhua sneered: "I was just thinking...if there is a minister available, can I fill it?"
Yan Shifan laughed angrily at him and kicked him over: "You are really a fucking talent!"
Zhao Wenhua didn't hide, he kicked him directly, and then he crawled over with a playful smile: "Brother, don't let the rich water go to outsiders!"
"Now that I have a seat, can I still leave it to outsiders instead of my own brother?"
Yan Shifan seemed to have expected such an incident from him, and he laughed and scolded: "Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Households, don't even think about it. If you can really find a place to move out, I will find a job for you in the Ministry of Works!"
"The Ministry of Industry is OK, the Ministry of Industry is OK!"
Zhao Wenhua was elated. Although the Minister of Works was the lowest among the six ministries, he was still a Minister after all!
From the fourth grade to the third grade, is this a hurdle that many people cannot overcome in their lifetime?
Now, there is a show!
~~
No one knew about the plot in Yan's mansion, and Li Yuan and the others in the imperial city did not encounter any difficulties in their investigation at this moment. Officials in the Ministry of Rites had already spontaneously locked up several officials who were suspected of having access to the examination questions.
There were not many people, only four in total.
"Your Excellency, Doctor Wei."
Sima Guang introduced them: "The examination questions were brought by Song Shilang from Gongyuan."
He led Li Yuan and the others down a corridor and came to the door of a room: "At 3:00 on the 9th day of February, the Ministry of Rites has started to go on duty. The Minister of Song entered through the south gate of the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites with the exam questions."
"There was also a clerk who was traveling with him at that time, and he was in this room."
Li Yuan frowned slightly. The secretary was a junior official from the ninth rank, so he didn't look like someone who could make such a big fuss.
But it’s not like the Ministry of Rites is fooling them...
Sure enough, Sima Guang then said helplessly: "But the clerk kept saying that he was just late for duty that day, met Song Shilang outside the door, and came to the Yamen together. He didn't know that Song Shilang still had the test questions with him."
"But at that time, everyone in the Yamen lobby saw that the two of them came in together, so I still decided to lock him up here."
Li Yuan nodded lightly, looked at each other with Wei Zheng, walked into the room together, and came out after a while.
"Let's go see the next one."
"Yes, sir."
Sima Guang responded and led him and Wei Zheng to the next door.
"This is the head of the host and guest department. After Shilang Song came to the Yamen that day, he took the documents to Shilang Song's duty room to ask for instructions about the fine dining department..."
Li Yuan, Wei Zheng and several censors investigated the four suspected officials, but found nothing in the end.
Several people had no choice but to walk out of the Rites Yamen again and headed towards the imperial city.
"Doctor Wei, do you think those people just now are suspected of leaking information?"
Li Yuan's face turned serious and he turned to look at Wei Zheng.
"Except for those two unexpected people, everything else was conducted in accordance with court regulations."
Wei Zheng frowned and said, "It's just that Mr. Song returned to his check-in room with the test questions. This was a bit inappropriate."
According to regulations, after Song Qiaonian received the examination questions from Gongyuan, he should go directly to Ziwei Hall to ask His Majesty the Emperor for instructions on deciding the examination questions, instead of coming to the Rites Yamen.
Song Qiaonian not only came to the Yamen, but also returned to his room.
In terms of procedure, after setting the examination questions, he should return to the Ministry of Rites and leave the examination questions in the Ministry of Rites for archives.
But you shouldn’t return the value room!
Just now, Li Yuan and others inspected the room where the examination questions were sealed in the Ministry of Etiquette. The seal on the door showed that all the examination questions inside were intact. Moreover, the Ministry of Rites had been on duty in accordance with the corresponding procedures. No one entered the room where the examination questions were stored or the nearby area.
Therefore, even if there is a problem with the Ministry of Rites, this problem will only appear on Song Qiaonian!
Thinking of this, Li Yuan's steps became a little heavier.
"In any case, this matter must be related to Minister Song."
Bao Xuan responded coldly from the side: "After returning to His Majesty, we will go back to Gongyuan for a good trial!"
Wei Zheng nodded in agreement, but Li Yuan did not speak.
Several people walked forward and arrived at Dongnuan Pavilion, where they finally met His Majesty the Emperor.
"Uncle Emperor!"
When they met, Li Qian didn't ask how the case went, but rushed up and held Li Yuan's hand, feeling aggrieved like a 200-pound child: "Those people went too far! They didn't put me at all.