She was testing His Majesty. That was his first reaction when he heard it.

Seemingly gentle girls can always do unexpected things again and again.

Zhang Xie leaned on the railing to overlook the imperial city.

The afterglow of the sunset casts a warm orange light on this ancient imperial city, and the cold stone carvings of the palace tower seem to have a little more warmth in this afterglow.

However, this was only a seem, and he tilted his head to look at the imperial study on the side, where His Majesty was meeting the courtiers. The place under his feet is the most noble place in the world, and the most noble Son of Heaven lives, so naturally it is also ...... It is full of the most unspeakable deceit.

What the girl said to him last night seems to be vivid.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time," said the girl, "and I've been hesitant to tell Your Majesty about it because of that copper plate, but Lord Zhen advised me to be careful and pretend to be deaf and dumb." However, if Xue Huai's death is really related to that copper plate, or more directly related to His Majesty, I will not take the initiative. But now, Xue Huai's death has another hidden meaning, and it has not yet reached the point where I want to pretend to be deaf and dumb. I know that there are many injustices in this world, and all I can do is what is in front of me. It is true that I am afraid of death, but on the premise that it will not affect my own safety, I will try to make every case I handle fair as much as possible. ”

"I thought about it for a long time, and felt that this copper plate was just a life-urging charm that Xue Huai thought, not a real life-urging charm. This is enough from the fact that he did not die of drowning, but can survive until someone comes to save him, and it is enough to show that His Majesty has no intention of killing him completely. ”

"Also, because Lord Ran gave me two copper plates before, it's hard to say whether this copper plate is a talisman in Xue Huai's hand, but it shouldn't be in my hand."

"You do me a favor tomorrow and reveal this matter to Your Majesty, and see how Your Majesty reacts."

"I know I'm taking a bit of a risk, but there is a danger, and this is the best opportunity for me to see Your Majesty as a human being."

……

In the daylight, Zhang Jie's eyes were a little complicated.

The door of the hall behind him opened at this time, and several courtiers and officials walked out of the hall with solemn expressions.

When they saw him, several officials greeted him with a slight bow, and then walked past him onto the palace road and gradually moved away.

Female Officer Xue's voice also came from behind her at this time: "Tianshi Zhang, Your Majesty is invited." ”

Zhang Xie turned around, bowed his head and saluted, but when he got up, his eyes involuntarily fell on the female official Xue in front of him, and then he paused for a moment before moving away.

Speaking of which, there is no doubt that the former female official Xue is definitely His Majesty's person.

At this point, she also said last night: "We have always missed one person in Xue Huai's affairs before-Female Officer Xue. ”

"Originally, Xue Huai was not going to leave that day, if it weren't for the sudden appearance of Lady Xue to take him away, he would have been in the prison of Dali Temple for a few days because of his injury." Although Zhen Shiyuan drove people out of his mouth, Xue Huaiqiang relied on it, and he would not forcibly invite people out when Xue Huai fell and was injured.

"Even if Xue Huai is taken back to the Huaiguo Mansion, with Xue Huai's temperament, it is almost inevitable that he will return to the country, so he will definitely use a carriage." The girl's eyes were scorching, "I don't believe that a female official in front of His Majesty who has been meticulous and meticulous for so many years would not have thought of these things, but she still left." There is no carriage in the house, and it is expected that Xue Huai will go to the roadside to call a carriage. ”

"These things didn't seem strange originally, but thinking that she was His Majesty's person, I felt that Xue Huai would have avoided this, but it was indirectly contributed to because of her facilitation."

"Of course, judging from the cause of Xue Huai's death, His Majesty is not ready to be ruthless. However, I think His Majesty's people must have been nearby at the time of the incident, and perhaps they saw the whole story. ”

"So you return the copper plate to Your Majesty for me! I don't think this matter should be hidden from Your Majesty, and it is better for me to take the initiative to hand over this copper plate than to wait for Your Majesty to find this copper plate. ”

Zhang Xie felt for the copper plate in the cuff and walked into the imperial study.

The incense burner in the house was placed on the side of His Majesty's hand, and in the smoke, His Majesty sat behind the table, and it became more and more difficult to see the expression of the Son of Heaven behind the curtain.

"Your Majesty." He leaned over and saluted.

"Get up!" The empress's voice came from behind the table, and she casually looked at the fold in her hand, and without even looking at him, she asked, "What's the matter?" ”

Zhang explained: "Today's minister is entrusted by someone to hand over a thing to His Majesty. ”

Most of the people who come to the imperial study to meet are talking about things, and almost the vast majority of them are complaining or urgent, and it is really rare to leave things to her like this.

The curtain in front of the empress shook, raised her head, and looked at the thing that Zhang Xie presented in her palm—a copper plate.

There was silence in the imperial study for a moment, and the empress did not speak immediately, but her eyes fell on the copper plate and froze for a moment, and then she slowly said, "Who entrusted you?" ”

Zhang explained: "Qiao Ran, the female official of Dali Temple. ”

This answer was not surprising at all, after all, his mind had always been so clearly presented to her.

In this case, it can be regarded as a private matter for her to ask him to bring things.

Taking the copper plate, the empress played with it in her hand for a moment and asked Zhang Jie: "Where did you get this copper plate?" ”

"Xue Huai's belly." Zhang Xie said, "It was found during the post-mortem examination of Dali Temple. ”

It can be found in the abdomen, so it must be an autopsy.

But obviously, the empress didn't think much about this matter, but asked Zhang Xie again: "What did she ask you to bring?" ”

Zhang explained: "She said that the cause of Xue Huai's death has been ascertained, from the injury on the forehead, the murderer has been found, it is the shopkeeper of a cloth village in the market, and he had an argument with Xue Huai before the incident, and he pushed Xue Huai to death by mistake, which is manslaughter." ”

After hearing this, the empress didn't ask Xue Huai about it again, but was quiet for a moment before she spoke up again: "I am always a student of Guozijian, and I can be regarded as half a saint's child, and it is a pity that I died unclear." ”

Zhang Xie lowered his head and answered "yes", silently relieved in his heart.

Fortunately, this time there was no mistake, His Majesty's words have obviously allowed her to continue to investigate the case and make Xue Huai's death public.

After saying this, the empress drank Zhang Xie away.

After Zhang Xie withdrew from the imperial study, the empress, who was playing with the copper plate in her hand, suddenly shouted "Ji Huai".

A dark shadow appeared behind the empress, and even if he appeared, others were still in the shadows, so that people could not see his true face clearly, and he whispered "here".

"Go to the Punishment Department and tell them that they haven't lost anything." The empress said and put the copper plate in her hand on the table, and after listening to the crisp sound between the copper plate and the table, she said again, "By the way, I will ask Xue Huai what happened to them when he died, I am a little curious about how much the truth she finally found out will be different from the truth." "Twelve Literary Network

The last sentence seemed to bring a little smile, and it was clear that His Majesty was in a good mood.

Ji Huai left in response.

……

……

"Pingzhuang!" Zhen Shiyuan, who came out of the thatched house, shouted to Pingzhuang, who had changed into regular clothes and was about to leave, frowning slightly, "Where are you going?" ”

It's okay if the girl likes to leave the yamen on time, after all, people do things beautifully, but where is this kid in Pingzhuang?

Besides, Zhen Shiyuan looked up at the sky, and now it's not the next point!

Hearing this, Pingzhuang hurriedly said: "I took a leave of absence and want to see my ninth uncle!" ”

is in his twenties, and he is the ninth uncle and the ninth uncle, and he doesn't know that he thinks that the ninth uncle is his daughter-in-law! Zhen Shiyuan scolded secretly and waved his hand to drive people away: "Let's go!" Don't hang around here! ”

If you don't take leave, leave quickly, don't hang around here and don't take any leave.

Pingzhuang hummed and turned his head to leave, but heard Zhen Shiyuan's voice behind him sound again.

"Pingzhuang!"

This Lord Zhen is not yet seventy or eighty, why is he like an old man who has changed his nerd, shouting at people every day? Pingzhuang sneered, turned his head and squeezed a smile on Zhen Shiyuan, and asked, "My lord, what's the matter?" ”

Zhen Shiyuan said: "That girl, oh, is Master Qiao?" ”

Shouting "Master Qiao" all day long is the most diligent, even more diligent than he shouting "Uncle Jiu"! Pingzhuang secretly rolled his eyes, pointed in the direction of the prison, and said, "The prisoner who was brought back yesterday in the first trial!" ”

Speaking of the prisoner, Zhen Shiyuan remembered with an "oh".

Without him, it is really a prisoner who has not seen this kind of self-destructing murderer for many years, and it is rare.

Thinking of this, Zhen Shiyuan raised his feet and prepared to go to the prison of Dali Temple, but when he left, he still shouted "Pingzhuang" again.

Pingzhuang looked at him blankly: "Lord Zhen, what else is the matter?" ”

Zhen Shiyuan pointed to the sachet on his waist and said, "You are a good and well-dressed white knight, and this one on your waist is too glamorous, and it looks nondescript." ”

I didn't find out that this Pingzhuang was still such a particular person, and I actually knew how to bring a sachet, but this taste is really tsk......

After a few sighs, I saw Pingzhuang casually pull the sachet in his hand, put it back in his sleeve pocket, and then strode away.

Looking at the back is really like a meteor, Zhen Shiyuan couldn't help nodding, and there was a little more pride in his expression: his appearance from the official to the official in the Yamen of Dali Temple is good, of course, he is not much mixed up, thinking of his appearance when he was young, sighing that the years do not leave anyone, he finally stepped towards the prison of Dali Temple.

There's nothing going on today, so it's better to follow the case she took over.

Left and right, idle is also idle, just watch the excitement.

……

In the prison of Dali Temple, the two interrogators were sitting on the small horse on the side, compared to the prisoner tied to the wooden stake in the middle and Lord Qiao who was sitting behind the table and chair, the two of them looked a little funny.

But there was no seat for this, so I don't care if it's funny or not.

It's not because they're lazy, they were the ones who did the interrogation, but Master Qiao often, no, occasionally comes to the trial in person.

At such times, they just have to watch from the sidelines.

"Xue Huai's release from prison can be described as very sudden, how did you learn about his release from prison in advance?" Qiao Ran asked, "Could it be that someone was specially hired to stare at the gate of Dali Temple to see when Xue Huai would be released from prison?" ”

"It was the one surnamed Zhao who told me." Wang Linhan, who was tied to the stake, still looked inexplicable, and his eyes were still extremely angry. Even if the treatment in this prison is good, the food is delicious, and except for the two punches when he was forcibly escorted here at the beginning, since he came here, he has not been punished, but Wang Linhan, who entered the prison for no reason, still feels extremely angry.

Isn't it just a matter of pushing a person, as for bringing him here? Do you want to do the business of his cloth house? Can the adults of Dali Temple casually arrest innocent people? After answering her, Wang Linhan still stared at Qiao Ran fiercely.

Qiao Ran, who was being stared at, was unconscious, listened, only thought about it for a while, and then asked him again: "You had a dispute in the teahouse that day, what happened after Xue Huai left?" ”

"What can happen?" Wang Linhan said nonchalantly, "Naturally, everyone is in charge of their own departure, if you find the wrong person for Xue Huai's business, you can find the wrong person, this has nothing to do with us, we only deal with his words and money, and the rest has nothing to do with us!" ”

Qiao Ran glanced at him, noncommittal to this sentence, just paused and continued to ask: "After Xue Huai leaves, who will leave first, you or the bookstore owner surnamed Zhao?" ”

"Naturally, it's me!" Wang Linhan frowned and looked at her, not understanding what was going on with this female official of Dali Temple, staring at him again and again and asking those useless, "Everyone is gone, do you still stay in the teahouse to drink tea?" The tea in the teahouse is not delicious. ”

"What about the bookstore owner? When did you leave? The girl still didn't let go of that little thing to ask.

Wang Linhan was a little annoyed by her question, and blurted out: "Who knows!" But it should be soon! After all, he came back soon, and luckily those children lit the firecrackers I had saved, and made me a big fire! ”

The girl only laughed twice, noncommittal to his answer, and then asked: "You saw Xue Huai at that time, and his coachman and servant were waiting by the bridge?" ”

The teahouse in Wang Linhan's mouth crossed the bridge, and the carriage could not be parked at the door of the shop to block people's business, so naturally it could only be parked at the ownerless bridge.

"Nonsense, where else to stop if you don't stop?" Wang Linhan said angrily, "It's just such a thing, what is there to ask?" ”

"This is Dali Temple, don't ask if I'm not with you." Qiao Ran "bluntly" reminded others to learn to bow their heads under the eaves, but she was still not ready to stop.

"Are you sure that firecracker was lit by a child?" The girl said, "Could it be that some other adult, such as the bookstore owner who came to look for you, excused himself to go to the thatched house and steal some firecrackers in your backyard." ”

"What are you doing with my firecrackers? He's sick! Wang Linhan scolded, but this still reminded him, he frowned after scolding, as if he finally remembered, "But the person surnamed Zhao did come to me to go to a thatched house, probably because he had a bad stomach, and he still went for a while." ”

This annoying lady of Dali Temple asked what these sesame big things to do?