At the east gate of the imperial city, the glow gradually dissipates, and the morning glow on the horizon is like a red silk washed by water, soft and bright.

The crowd at the gate of the city gradually densed, and the sounds of selling and chatting were intertwined, forming a unique melody of the early morning of the imperial city.

Zhao Guang stood on the side of the city gate, his sharp eyes like an eagle falcon, scanning everyone who came in and out.

Years of experience as gatekeepers have given him a deep understanding of the job: the city gate is the throat of the imperial city, and any disturbance may cause an uproar.

At this moment, a group of people from the Western Regions came into his sight. Their unusual dress and momentum made Zhao Guang feel a little uneasy in his heart.

He took a few steps forward and blocked the way of the people of the Western Regions.

"Who are you? Where did it come from? Where to go? ”

Zhao Guang's voice was low and majestic, revealing an unquestionable power.

Among the people of the Western Regions, a middle-aged man walked out, he was tall, his face was deep, and his eyes were like stars in the night sky of the grassland, and he said in proficient Chinese:

"We are merchants from the Western Regions, and we have been ordered to come to the Imperial City to trade. This is our clearance document. ”

Zhao Guang took the paperwork, only feeling heavy in his hand.

At a cursory glance, it was indeed stamped with an official seal, but the handwriting was a little blurry, and the doubts in my heart were even heavier.

Although these people from the Western Regions appear to be merchants on the surface, their words and deeds reveal a trace of strangeness.

In particular, the customs clearance document was obviously forged.

What's going on here?

Zhao Guang came to the mansion of the superior official with doubts and uneasiness in his heart, and reported the matter one by one.

When the official heard this, his face was solemn, and after a moment of silence, he said:

"This matter is not trivial, you go back and stabilize those people from the Western Regions, and I will immediately send someone to investigate."

Zhao Guang took the order and left, but he was even more worried in his heart.

If this matter is not handled properly, I am afraid that it will cause an uproar, and care must be taken to ensure the safety of the imperial city.

Back at the city gate, Zhao Guang saw that those people from the Western Regions were still waiting in place.

He stepped forward, trying to make his tone sound as calm as he could:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the customs clearance documents need to be further verified, please wait here for a moment."

A hint of uneasiness flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes, but he quickly calmed down.

Zhao Guang stood aside and continued to carefully observe these people from the Western Regions.

He tried to get some clues from their expressions, but found that they were all expressionless, like a pool of stagnant water.

Time seemed to freeze, and the air became unusually dull.

Zhao Guang felt an invisible pressure enveloping his heart, making him a little breathless.

Looking up at the sky, I saw that the dark clouds were gradually gathering, and it seemed that it was about to snow.

At this moment, the sound of horses' hooves was heard in the distance, breaking the silence of the moment.

A detachment of heavily armed soldiers galloped up and surrounded the city gates.

Zhao Guang's heart tightened, and he stepped forward and said to the middle-aged man:

"I'm afraid you won't be able to enter the city!"

The middle-aged man's face changed, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes. He drew the saber from his waist and roared in the Western Regions:

"Rush in!"

The people of the Western Regions were furious, and they drew their weapons one after another, like crazy beasts, with bloodthirsty lights flashing in their eyes, and rushed towards the city gate.

Zhao Guang and the soldiers resisted hard, but the people of the Western Regions were numerous, and they were all brave and good at fighting, so they couldn't stop them for a while!

There was chaos at the gates.

At this critical moment, a burst of shouts suddenly came from inside the city gate:

"Stop!"

Immediately afterwards, an elite group of forbidden troops rushed out and surrounded the people of the Western Regions.

The middle-aged man saw that the situation was not good, and brandished his saber to break through, but was slashed by a forbidden army general.

Seeing that the leader was dead, the people of the Western Regions immediately lost their fighting spirit and fled in all directions, all of them were captured alive by the forbidden army.

Calm returned to the city gates, but the smell of blood filled the air.

Seeing this, Zhao Guang breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

He looked up at the sky, and saw that the dark clouds had not dispersed, but were getting stronger and stronger!

————————————

The South Gate, as the most densely populated place in the Imperial City, has always been very lively.

In particular, the famous silk street has attracted the attention of countless nobles and merchants.

The texture of the fragrant cloud yarn here is as light as mist, and the color is as bright as the glow, which is a treasure sought after by the court and nobles.

Today, the sun shines through the clouds on this bustling street, and all kinds of silk sparkle in the light, as if dyeing the whole street in a brilliant color.

The housekeeper of the Three Princes' Mansion is taking the people from the palace office to buy here.

He was slightly chubby, with a kind countenance, but his eyes were shrewd and capable, and he bargained with the vendors as he selected fabrics.

He was followed by the men of the office, most of them young and strong, dressed in uniform clothes, and looking very energetic.

Suddenly, an exclamation of surprise shattered the silence.

I saw smoke billowing from a shop at the end of the street, and the flames rose into the sky.

The fire spread rapidly, and a fiery dragon began to wreak havoc on the silk street.

"It's on fire! Hurry up and put out the fire! ”

There were exclamations from the crowd.

The streets were thrown into chaos.

Seeing this, the housekeeper of the third prince didn't care about the fabric in his hand, and hurriedly greeted the people in the office:

"Quick! Let's get out of here! ”

However, the fire spread far faster than they imagined, and in the blink of an eye, the entire street was engulfed in flames, and the people of the office had no time to escape and were trapped in the flames......

The butler of the third prince was scorched black, his hair was scattered, and he was lying on the ground in disheveled clothes, unconscious, and seriously burned.

"How can this fire be so fast? Could it be that someone did it on purpose? A confused voice came from the crowd.

"Yes! Look at the fire, it's clear that someone poured oil! ”

The other chimed in.

Just when people were talking, a team of officers and soldiers rushed to the scene, quickly blocked the street, and began to investigate the cause of the fire, but because the fire was too large, the scene was already a mess, and it was difficult to find valuable clues.

When the third prince learned of the fire, he was also shocked, and his face suddenly turned pale.

"Check! Check it out for me! ”

The third prince roared angrily.

"I want to know how this fire started! I want to know who did it! ”

——————————

The North Gate, as the first of the four major gateways of the Imperial City, is self-evident in its status and importance.

In the distance, a group of men and horses slowly approached.

I saw that they were all dressed in battle armor, and they were all elite iron horsemen who were one in a hundred!

The leader was a young man in his early twenties, with a handsome face and an air of arrogance in his eyes.

This person is the fifth son of the current emperor and the commander of the northern border army - the fifth prince.

This time, the five princes came back from the border of the Western Regions, with great military exploits, and they were naturally complacent.

He was even more pampered and arrogant, and felt that he deserved to be treated, so when he was about to arrive at the north gate, he did not dismount and walk according to the rules.

The official of the North Gate is about fifty years old, with a resolute face and a burly figure, standing on the outside of the city gate, staring at the five princes and his party like a torch.

In his eyes, there are only the rules and order of the imperial city, and these rules and order cannot be trampled on by anyone.

"Stop!"

The warden shouted.

"Your Majesty's decree, all those who enter the North Gate must dismount, why don't you obey it?!"

The lieutenant general of the fifth prince sneered when he heard this:

"What are you? Dare to stand in our way? We are a border army returning from the border of the Western Regions, and you, a small prison officer, dare to point fingers at His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince? ”

The warden was not afraid of the other party's threats, and said solemnly:

"No matter how great your feats are, you must abide by the rules of the Imperial City. This is a rule set by the emperor, and no one can be an exception! ”

"The rules set by my father?!"

The fifth prince said arrogantly.

"His Royal Highness has served his father and made meritorious contributions, can't he still get some special treatment? How dare you, a little janitor, embarrass us here? Your Highness sees that you are the real one who resists and disobeys! ”

The prison officer frowned, he knew that the status of the five princes was noble, but the rules of the imperial city could not be broken.

Taking a deep breath, he continued to say firmly:

"Your Royal Highness the Fifth Prince, please dismount. This is the rule of the Imperial City, and it is also a respect for Your Highness, your father. If you insist on riding into the city, it is disrespectful to the emperor! ”

"Haha! What a joke! ”

The Five Princes burst out laughing.

"Is it disrespectful to the emperor that I rode into the city? And what about you gatekeepers? Are you loyal to the emperor in your way? It's ridiculous! ”

The pro-soldiers and captains around the five princes also echoed their masters, and there was chaos at the north gate for a while.

Although the warden and his sergeants resisted hard, they were eventually outnumbered by their numbers.

Seeing his men fall one by one, the prison officer's heart was like a knife, but he still stood in place without fear, blocking the way of the five princes with his body.

"His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince, please dismount!"

"Otherwise, don't want to pass by me!"

"Look for death!"

The fifth prince roared angrily, drew his sword, and pointed at the prison officer,

"How dare you such a villain prevent the border army commander with military merits from entering the city! Today, His Royal Highness will clean the door for his father! ”

Before he could finish speaking, he swung his sword and stabbed at the prison officer.

The poor old prison officer, who has been diligent all his life, only had time to say "loyal ministers don't care about the two masters", and he was stabbed in the chest by the sword of the fifth prince and fell in a pool of blood......

Seeing this, the five princes did not make any waves, but felt that they had finally gotten rid of this annoying prison officer and could enter the city smoothly, so they rode into the north gate with their lieutenants and pro-soldiers, completely ignoring the strange eyes and discussions of the people around them.

"The fifth prince actually killed the prison officer! This is simply a lawless and careless for human life! ”

"Yes! He took the border army back to the city to restore his life, and he should have obeyed the rules, dismounted and entered the city. But he actually connived at his subordinates to kill people and trample on the rules and order of the imperial city. Such acts are outrageous and intolerable! ”

The fifth prince didn't care about these comments and accusations.

With his military achievements and his own identity extremely noble, what are these little things?

As for the janitor, he seemed to him to be just an insignificant little man who did not know what to live or die......

——————————

The West Gate, as the main road used for merchants to pass through the four major gateways of the imperial city, whether it is the morning sun in the morning or the sunset in the evening, can not hide the prosperity and hustle and bustle here.

Especially at noon, the liveliness of the West Gate is at its peak.

Simon today is very different.

Although the streets are still full of people, there is a tense and solemn atmosphere.

Not long ago, a huge truck slowly drove towards the West Gate.

The truck came from the city's largest rice shop, Fengnian Rice Shop, and the four big characters "Ximen Family" were prominently printed on the body.

As one of the industries of the Ximen family, Fengnian Rice Store not only monopolized the rice business in the imperial city, so everywhere this truck went, it caused people to look at it and talk about it.

The trucks were loaded with rice, piled up as high as a hill, giving off a faint smell of rice.

Just as the truck was about to drive out of the west gate, there was a sudden loud noise, and the truck instantly overturned on its side, and more than 3,000 loads of rice poured down like a waterfall, spilling all over the street!

"Oh my God! What's going on? ”

"What happened to the truck of Fengnian Rice Row?"

The guys in the rice shop ran out in a panic, looking at the rice all over the ground, looking at each other, at a loss.

"Quick! Pack it up! ”

One of the men shouted, "So much rice, if it gets dirty and wet, it's all over!" ”

The others also came to their senses and began to race against time to collect the rice.

But with so much rice spilled all over the streets, how easy is it to clean up in a short period of time?

What's more, the blockage of the West Gate also means that a hundred taels of silver will be fined every quarter of an hour! That's a lot of money for any store!

"Lady Janitor, how is this good?"

The shopkeeper of the rice shop hurried over, looked at the rice on the ground and the clogged streets, and asked anxiously.

The shopkeeper was fat and dressed in a brocade robe and jade belt, but at the moment he didn't care about his image, running around sweating profusely, directing the guys to clean up the rice.

The prison officer looked at the scene with a frown, and his heart was also very anxious.

He knew that the Simon family was extremely powerful in the city, in the court, and even in the whole world, and if he didn't handle this matter well, he was afraid that he would get into trouble.

However, the blockage of the West Gate has a great impact on the traffic of the entire Imperial City, and if it is not dealt with as soon as possible, it will definitely cause even greater chaos!

"Shopkeeper, don't worry."

The warden said in a deep voice.

"I've sent someone to inform the other entrances and exits, so that they can share some of the traffic as much as possible. At the same time, I will also report to the above to see if I can reduce some fines. ”

The shopkeeper was a little relieved when he heard this, but his face was still full of gloom - why did the truck roll over at the gate of the West Gate? Was it accidental or man-made?

The shopkeeper's gaze was gloomy, scanning the scene, trying to find some clues.

As time passed, the sun began to wax, and the streets of the West Gate were still brightly lit and full of people.

The guys at the Harvest Rice Shop are still busy packing up the rice on the ground.

Despite their dexterity, they are still a little powerless in the face of such a large number.

After more than an hour, the rice was re-bagged and neatly stacked aside, thanks to the efforts of everyone.

But the prison officer took out a ticket, on which was written five thousand taels of silver!

"This ...... What's going on? ”

The shopkeeper looked at the ticket, and his face suddenly turned pale.

"That's the rule, if you don't pay this fine, all the rice will be seized and confiscated!"

The prison officer said coldly.

"What do you mean, Lord Warden?"

The shopkeeper held back the anger in his heart.

"We have always been law-abiding, paying taxes on time, and have never had any violations. This truck rollover was just an accident, why did you issue such a huge ticket? ”

"Shopkeeper, needless to say. The ticket has been issued and the fine must be paid on time! ”

When the shopkeeper heard this, he had no choice but to send someone to the Ximen family residence in the imperial city to explain the situation.

The people in the Simon family did not put on a show, and after coming to Ximen, they politely bowed to the prison officer, and said:

"Lord Gatekeeper, we are members of the Simon family."

"This truck rollover was just an accident, can you please be accommodating and the fine is appropriately reduced?"

"This ......"

The warden hesitated, but said:

"Fines are the rule set by the above, and I just do what I am told!"

When the middle-aged man heard this, he stopped talking nonsense, and immediately took out five silver tickets worth one thousand taels in his arms and handed them over.

He knew that such a huge fine still fell on the head of the Simon family, and it was definitely not something that such a small prison officer could call the shots.

"The Harvest Rice Shop, including the Simon family, has always been disciplined. This is a fine, and please count it out with the janitor! ”

The prison officer put the silver ticket in his arms, and waved his hand:

"Okay, you can take this rice, but next time you must pay attention, there must be no similar accidents, otherwise it will not be as simple as a fine!"

"Thank you, Janiss!"

The Simon family thanked them.

On the fourth floor of the main building of the Imperial City Investigation Division, in a spacious meeting room, the first floor of the Investigation Division, Zong Zheng, sat on a carved mahogany chair.

On the wall hangs a large map of the North, marked in red and blue with important locations.

On a large sandalwood table, there were four recitals, each of which recorded in detail the major events that took place at the four gates of the imperial city.

In the incense burner at the corner of the table, green smoke rises and exudes a faint scent of sandalwood, adding a touch of tranquility to the tense atmosphere.

Qingqing was standing on one side, holding a delicate purple clay pot in her hand, making tea for the two of them.

Zhang Zongzheng's gaze scanned back and forth on the report, his brows furrowed, obviously his understanding of these events was not the same as the performance in the report.

Zhao Rang's fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, making a slight sound, and he was also staring at the four copies of the recital that had just been delivered.

Qingqing handed the brewed tea to Zhang Zongzheng and Zhao Rang, and the two took the teacup and nodded slightly to express their gratitude. The heat of the tea fills the air and mixes with sandalwood to create a unique aroma.

The light is projected on the faces of the three people, creating a mix of light and dark.