In the Penglai Palace, there was silence.

On the bed, a figure in a thin white silk robe was sitting cross-legged to breathe.

The expression is calm and the face is familiar.

It was the emperor himself.

Eyebrows are lowered and breathing is gentle.

A slight flush appeared on the emperor's face, and the whole person was completely relaxed.

On the inside of the bed on one side, a black background gold paint with an open lid fell there, and no one could see it.

The sound of slight footsteps sounded in front of the temple door, and then suddenly stopped, and waited patiently.

"What?" Although the emperor was still closing his eyes, the cold voice had already reached directly outside the hall.

Wang Fulai cautiously entered the hall, glanced at the emperor with a worried face, and then arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, Zuo Qianniu Weilang will return Su Bao together, and the matter in the depths of the mountain has already had a result." ”

"Pass it on, let me see how many people dare to mess around under my nose." Li Zhi slowly opened his eyes.

The affairs of the Xiao family and the Yang family seem to be not small, but in fact the impact is limited, the real big families in the world, the Fanyang Lu family, the Boling Cui family, the Qinghe Cui family, and the Xingyang Zheng family, are not involved, Wei Pei Xue Liu Yang Du, and only one Yang family is implicated, and the impact is not great.

The others are nothing more than Li Zhen, the king of Yue, but to be honest, Li Zhen has very few contacts at his disposal.

The rest are rats hiding in the gutter.

Even the imperial power is not afraid, and even dares to make armor privately and sell traitors, all such people should be killed.

A trace of indifference flashed in Li Zhi's eyes, and when he raised his head, Su Baotong, who was dressed in red clothes and gold armor, had already walked into the hall quickly.

Su Baotong knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice: "Minister, Zuo Qianniu Weilang will visit Su Baotong to see Your Majesty, and Your Majesty will have a long life." ”

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Let's be flat." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Su Baotong stood up solemnly.

"Have you found out what is going on in the depths of the mountain?" Li Zhi asked lightly.

"Yes!" Su Baotong bowed his hand, and then said: "Back to Your Majesty, yesterday, the ministers followed King Peng into the Migu of Bishan Mountain, captured and killed more than 300 people, lost 30 soldiers, captured 17 armors, 300 horizontal knives, 17 shields, 7 long lances, 50 crossbows, and 3,000 crossbow arrows. ”

"It's already more than a local county office, and this is still a retention, and it has been sold over the years, I'm afraid there must be as many as a Shangzhou." Li Zhi's eyes were cold.

In addition to Chang'an, Luoyang, the border, and the garrison of Dazhou, there are several other places that can take out so many weapons that can be used immediately on the battlefield at once.

Even if it is placed in Chang'an and Luoyang, it is enough to make some things ruthlessly.

Especially now, he has been involved in a rebellion case.

"Go on." Li Zhi looked up at Su Baotong.

"Yes." Su Baotong arched his hand and said: "The minister personally interrogated the people behind the scenes, and learned that they actually started to act in Bishan in the autumn of the previous year, and there are shipment records over the years, some of which can be found out who they sold to, and some of them are completely pseudonyms. ”

Su Baotong handed the account book taken out of his sleeve to Wang Fulai, and after Wang Fulai took it, he handed it to the emperor.

Li Zhi stretched out his hand from behind the curtain, took the account book directly, and then rolled his eyes lightly.

The others didn't matter, but some of them were deliberately circled with a red pen but Li Zhi was very concerned.

"20,000 yuan is sent to Chang'an every month, and it has been sent for two consecutive years." Li Zhi's fists clenched fiercely.

Today's Datang has an annual tax income of about 11 million, more than 200,000, or two years, which doesn't seem like much.

But in fact, every year the state treasury is in deficit, and the deficit amount is about two or three million.

Two years' income is enough to make up for one-tenth of the deficit of the imperial court.

Such a sum of money actually flowed in front of his eyes.

"Who is it, have you found it?" Li Zhi raised his head and stared at Su Baotong deadly.

Su Baotong solemnly bowed his hand, and then said: "Back to Your Majesty, I found it." Someone in the valley once sent money into Chang'an, so Qianniuwei checked according to the clues and had already arrived at the house where the money was collected, but they were only halfway through...... In addition, on that night, two people explored the valley at night and were directly captured. ”

Li Zhi's brows couldn't help frowning, although the taboo in Su Baotong's words was vague, Li Zhi still heard it clearly.

Those who dare to do this kind of thing are definitely not ordinary ordinary people,

"Originally, the minister was going to torture the two of them, but King Peng suddenly said that he had seen the two of them." Su Baotong paused at this point.

Li Zhi's eyes narrowed slightly, and then he couldn't help but say with some amusement: "No wonder he hid in Luoyang and didn't come back for such a big thing...... Say, who are they, when and where is King Peng, and these two people he has seen. ”

"The year before last, the first year of Tiaolu, late September, Chang'an, Zhou Guogong's Mansion." After Su Baotong finished speaking, he knelt down again.

"What?" Li Zhi was stunned for a moment, revealing the first year, late September, Chang'an, the Duke of Zhou's mansion.

Li Zhi squinted his eyes and said in disbelief: "Is it Zhou Guogong?" ”

Su Baotong lowered his head and arched his hand: "Qianniu Wei Chacha, the last place that those who transported copper coins went to was indeed the Zhou State Mansion, once a month, and it has lasted for two years. ”

Li Zhi exhaled deeply and said recallously: "If I remember correctly, in the first year of Tiaolu, the King of England had just been crowned the crown prince, and in late September, September 19, it was the birthday of Zhou Guogong, and King Peng personally congratulated him on his birthday, and there seemed to be some unpleasantness in the middle. ”

Li Zhi looked sideways at Wang Fulai, and Wang Fulai immediately arched his hand and said: "Back to Your Majesty, Zhou Guogong does have a group of people in private, when King Yong was just abolished, Zhou Gong privately robbed the property left by the East Palace with the Wei family, and Zhou Guogong suffered some losses. ”

"The Wei family represents Sanlang, take some Erlang's things, it's nothing, but why should he do it?" Li Zhi's tone was very slow, as if he was really puzzled.

Wang Fulai lowered his head and didn't dare to reply.

Su Baotong also lowered his head, and now these were far from what he could participate in.

When he knew that the matter involved Wu Chenghei, Su Baotong had already realized that there would be big trouble.

But this matter itself is the duty of the secret guard, and when Li Xuan began to shirk it, Su Baotong had no other choice.

But fortunately, Li Xuan left him a way out.

……

“……… The year before last, the first year of Tiaolu, Su Qing, I remember what you said at the beginning, did the foundry also open the year before last? Li Zhi suddenly spoke.

"Yes!" Su Baotong hurriedly surrendered his hand and said: "There were people there before, but it fell into the hands of Zhou Guogong in the first year of Tiaolu, and later a group of criminal craftsmen were transferred from all over the country, and then they began to continue the casting business. ”

"So, that place originally belonged to the East Palace, and the East Palace was used to make armor, but after the East Palace was confiscated, it continued to be used to make armor, and then used to rebel." Li Zhi looked at him coldly and said coldly: "Sure enough, it's a wolf cub that can't be raised, and I don't forget to bite me when." ”

"Your Majesty." Wang Fulai knelt down directly with a "poof", lowered his head stiffly, and didn't dare to raise it at all.

"Forget it, let the queen deal with it." Li Zhi waved his hand, then looked at Su Baotong and asked, "What about King Peng?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, King Peng has returned to Luoyang to inspect the people related to the foundry, if there is anyone who hides armor in the city, he will be punished according to the law." Su Baotong raised his head and said seriously: "In addition, there is one more thing. ”

"What's the matter?" After the curtain, Li Zhi seemed to be a little absent-minded, although he said that he would let Empress Wu deal with the matter of Wu Chenghei, but Li Zhi still had other ideas.

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister is interrogating many people in the foundry, and it is also found that it is not only Chang'an that is associated with it, it seems that there are several other workshops hidden near Luoyang, Chang'an."

Su Baotong saw that the emperor's eyes fell on the account book, and hurriedly arched his hand and said: "There is no record in the account book, but someone has been to other places, and one of them is in Zhong Nanshan. ”

Li Zhi raised his head suddenly, like a fierce beast that had been furious, staring at Su Baotong deadly.

also stared at Li Xuan hiding behind him.

At present, this matter is another pool of muddy waters.

Li Zhi could feel that Li Xuan was unwilling to stir up any more intentions, so he handed over all the things to Li Zhi to deal with.

Li Xuan's identity really can't be opposed to Wu Chengsi anymore, because what Wu Chengsi is doing now is too bad.

After a long time, Li Zhi spoke directly: "This matter will be handed over to Li Jingjia, the general of Beiping County, General Zuo Qianniuwei, to continue to investigate." ”

"Whoa!" Su Baotong finally breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at the somewhat silent emperor, and hurriedly arched his hand: "The minister retreats." ”

Li Zhi waved his hand very carelessly, and Su Baotong retreated cautiously.

It wasn't until he retreated to the outside of Penglai Hall that Su Baotong was completely relieved.

Zhou Guogong is the nephew of the queen of heaven, and even if he was involved in some illegal things before, he was only demoted in the end.

These things nowadays seem to be not small, and they seem to make the emperor angry, but in fact, it is really hard to say what the real situation is.

Not to mention the end result.

Su Baotong somewhat understood Li Xuan's thoughts at this time, if Li Xuan came back in person this time and reported the matter to the emperor, should the emperor deal with it lightly or lightly?

You must know that the current Li Xuan is not only the general of the right guard, but also the guest of the crown prince and the heir of the dynasty.

If he comes by himself, I'm afraid the emperor won't be able to deal with it in the end.

Even if Wu Chenghei is not handled properly, it will in turn affect Li Xuan himself.

Take a step back a little and let Su Bao play back and forth, and the emperor will dispose of it more easily.

Just by looking at letting Li Jingjia, the general of Zuo Qianniuwei, deal with it, instead of handing it over to the Criminal Department and Dali Temple, you can see one or two.

The emperor's advance and retreat were even greater.

But this also means that in the end, Wu Chengsi is likely to escape punishment.

Alas!

……

In the Penglai Palace, the previous notebook and account book have been received aside.

Li Zhi sat on the bed and slowly closed his eyes.

Seeing this scene, Wang Fulai breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and was about to walk out of Penglai Palace, at this time, the emperor's voice sounded: "Spread the decree, dispatch Hongxian to order Wu Sansi to enter Beijing, and have another appointment." ”

"Whoa!" Wang Fulai immediately turned around, and then bowed his hand heavily.

"Go ahead and do it." Li Zhi waved his hand.

"Whoa!" Wang Fulai slowly withdrew from Penglai Hall this time, and when he left, he was already soaking wet.

……

Li Zhi sat in the Penglai Hall and said softly: "King Cao, King Yue, King Xu, and now there is a Wu Chenghei, just right." ”

(End of chapter)