Chapter 386

Qian Ruoer struggled desperately:

"What are you doing! I am a person of the Hall Province! I must return to Yanchang Hall to be on duty immediately! You guys let go quickly! If you delay the time, you guys—ouch ouch ouch!!!"

The legal officials' hands were like iron pliers, pinching Qian Ruoer's two arms backward. Qian Ruoer was dizzy with pain and could hardly stand!

Another official stepped forward to search his body, from head to foot, touching all the way to his ankles along the inside of his lapels, and then knocked Qian Ruoer down to check his shoes and socks. The things searched out were all placed on a tray and checked and recorded by a specialist.

Qian Ruoer shouted luckily in his heart, thanks to offering the pearls to the Emperor before! Otherwise, if they were searched out on the spot, he wouldn't be able to explain it!

Although the Emperor only took one pearl to his face and didn't say whether he wanted all or just this one, he still left the box where it was when he left.

Actually, he was also fighting between heaven and man in his heart at that time, several times wanting to reach out and take the other pearl, but he thought of the Emperor's words about sharing wealth and didn't move.

First, he hadn't shared any of the bribes he received before, so leaving nothing this time could be considered an apology for his previous behavior. Second, the opportunity to give gifts to the Emperor was rare, since the Emperor liked this pearl, why not give it?

And the Emperor guided him to give gifts to his superior supervisor, so he was promoted to small supervisor. Now giving gifts to the Emperor, the truth is the same! What's more, this pearl itself was sent by others! Even if it was sent for free, it wouldn't be a loss.

The last little thought was that he was now forced to offend Noble Lady Xiao. If something really happened, the only one who could save him was the Emperor. But the problem was, would the Emperor really care about him? If the Emperor had the intention of silencing him...

For this possibility, Qian Ruoer was powerless, only hoping that the Emperor could see that he was still "filial" and give him a trace of pity, maybe seeing the pearl, he would spare his life with a thought...

The legal official finished the search and turned to leave, probably to report to someone. Qian Ruoer was pressed to the ground and couldn't move, only glimpsing from the corner of his eye that the legal officials around him retreated to both sides, clearing a path in front of him.

A person walked to him with light steps, the hem of his black court robe embroidered with dark patterns, leaning over slightly, his tone kind:

"I am Shen Yuan, the Yushi Zhongcheng. I have already looked at your palace card, but I still have to go through the procedure. Why don't you report your name first?"

A dignified Yushi Zhongcheng speaking to a small eunuch, not only using polite words but also not sounding like questioning a case, but rather like chatting about daily life.

But Qian Ruoer didn't feel any daily life at all!

He had prayed before that the one who came was one of the Yushi in the Yushi Terrace, preferably a Shiyushi! One level lower than the Zhishu Shiyushi! As for those with lower ranks, he didn't dare to fantasize, after all, ordinary officials didn't dare to make such a big battle outside the Yunlong Gate.

But he didn't expect it wasn't a Shiyushi, nor a Zhishu Shiyushi, but the Terrace Master Yushi Zhongcheng of the Yushi Terrace!

And the current Yushi Zhongcheng was a freak!

Although the Yushi Zhongcheng was a high official, he used the law as a net and was an executioner, not a clear and noble position. The first-class noble families didn't want to do this, and there was even a saying that "the first-class families don't live in the Constitution Terrace." Once they held this position, their status would drop. (Not only the Yushi Zhongcheng, but the Shiyushi was the same. If they transferred from a Lang official to a Zhishu Shiyushi, it was called "running south" at the time, which was low.)

Even if it wasn't a first-class noble family, this wasn't a pleasant position, both laborious and legal and easy to offend people. Those who were greedy for power and influence wouldn't make it public even if they wanted to do this position.

But this Shen family was different from others. All three brothers liked this position and didn't avoid it at all!

Shen Yuan was the second brother. His younger brother Shen Chong had served as Yushi Zhongcheng before and sighed when he left office that he hadn't done enough. His eldest brother Shen Dan was now the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and also let out words that he wanted to do Yushi Zhongcheng. The family was almost burned down, but they were still addicted! Simply obsessed...

Shen Yuan was the craziest of the three brothers. The brother-in-law of the Prince of Jingling (the eldest brother-in-law), the Champion General and Governor of Wu Xing (a first-class great noble, Chen Jun Yuan family), was impeached by him and dismissed from office, and locked in the Dongye Prison!

Even the brother-in-law of the Prince of Jingling dared to move!

Then Noble Lady Xiao...

Qian Ruoer's heart sank to the bottom, feeling that he was finished this time. The Yushi Zhongcheng didn't need to report to the Emperor to deal with a small eunuch like him! Directly press him to the Tingwei Mansion, and then notify the Huangmen. And if he actively leaked the Emperor, he would still die!

Qian Ruoer was a bit desperate. Hearing Shen Yuan ask him to report his name, he didn't dare to hesitate and reported it all at once:

"Small, small, small person, Huangmen Office small supervisor Qian—"

"Shen Zhongcheng is so majestic!"

A white hand lifted the carriage curtain.

Everyone's attention was attracted to the carriage.

Qian Ruoer didn't know why he wanted to cry a little, having a feeling of falling into a well and struggling for a long time, thinking he was about to drown, when he suddenly saw a rope hanging down!

Shen Yuan looked at Baoyue and bowed with a smile:

"So it's Noble Lady Xiao, excuse me, excuse me."

Baoyue smiled lightly:

"No need for polite words. Shen Zhongcheng committing murder in the palace, what is the intention?"

Shen Yuan widened his eyes exaggeratedly and leaned back, as if he was scared, but his expression didn't have half a bit of fear:

"Noble Lady, don't make such jokes! My courage is small, and I have always strictly observed the constitution, how dare I commit murder in the palace? Where does the word murder come from?"

Baoyue pointed at herself and then at Qian Ruoer:

"Intercepted me, beat him, isn't that murder?"

"Intercepting Noble Lady Xiao is indeed true, I admit this, it's related to my duties, I really had to intercept—"

Shen Yuan was full of helplessness, looking like he couldn't help himself.

"—But I didn't beat him. Everyone knows that I never beat people."

Shen Yuan spread his hands and looked left and right, as if his subordinates were all witnesses.

Baoyue leaned on the carriage window, her jade chin raised slightly, her eyes pointing at Qian Ruoer who was sticking his face to the blue bricks:

"Then why is he lying on the ground?"

Shen Yuan had the tone of someone who had been through it:

"Searching, sometimes it will be like this..."

Baoyue's expression changed to curiosity:

"Found evidence of a crime?"

"That's not it, after all, the evidence of the crime is not on him—"

"Didn't find evidence of a crime. Then it's wrong for you to press people to the ground. Don't say there is no evidence, even if there is, how to deal with it must be handed over to the Tingwei Mansion. No matter how majestic the Zhongcheng is, it's not good to overstep the authority, right? After all, he belongs to the Huangmen, walks in the hall, and has an official status. Those who know will say the Zhongcheng is 'related to duties' and 'strictly observes the constitution,' and those who don't know will think the Zhongcheng has the ambition to correct internal eunuchs, specifically taking people at the gate of Yunlong Gate to establish prestige!"

Shen Yuan's face changed.

But it was only for a moment.

After a moment, he laughed again, stepped forward quickly, and personally helped Qian Ruoer up from the ground.

Qian Ruoer: (＞﹏＜)

So this is what it feels like to have someone cover me, woo woo woo...

Shen Yuan "intimately" helped Qian Ruoer pat off the dust:

"The people under my hand don't understand things, and handled things a bit urgently, making Supervisor Qian suffer. I apologize to the supervisor for them—"

Qian Ruoer was very terrified, retreating while avoiding Shen Yuan's cleaning, and hurriedly opened his mouth:

"No, no, Zhongcheng, you must not—"

"Oh, Supervisor Qian, don't be polite! It's all a misunderstanding! Don't walk through Yunlong Gate in the future, walk through the Divine Beast Gate, there are fewer people there." (Yunlong Gate is the east side gate, close to the Secretariat, the Secretariat, and the Sanqi provinces, the Divine Beast Gate is in the west, and there is only the Right Guard Mansion nearby)

"Yes—"

Qian Ruoer was about to nod, but suddenly woke up!

"What is yes?"

Shen Yuan looked at Qian Ruoer, his smile gentle.

"Yes... it's fewer people. But the small person didn't send a letter."

"Didn't send a letter to Noble Lady Xiao?"

"No!"

Shen Yuan turned to Xiao Baoyue:

"Does Noble Lady Xiao also say no?"

Baoyue looked confused:

"What yes or no? What is Shen Zhongcheng talking about?"

Shen Yuan smiled:

"Noble Lady Xiao doesn't even know what I'm talking about, and didn't even ask why the carriage was intercepted, which is also strange."

Baoyue tilted her head slightly:

"I know why."

"Why?"

"Because your younger brother and the Prince of Luling—"

Shen Yuan's expression immediately became solemn:

"Noble Lady Xiao, be careful with your words!"

Baoyue said strangely:

"What is there to be careful about? When the Prince of Luling was the Inspector of Yingzhou, your younger brother was the Long History of the Prince and the Internal History of Jiangxia. Later, the Prince of Luling transferred to Jingzhou, and your younger brother followed the government to transfer to the Long History of Anxi and the Internal History of Nanjun. Old feelings, friendship between colleagues, is there anything that can't be said?"

Shen Yuan said solemnly, his expression completely different from his usual smiling appearance:

"Of course there is nothing that can't be said. But Noble Lady Xiao saying this at this time clearly points out that my intercepting the Noble Lady's carriage is related to the Prince of Luling—"

Baoyue pointed at Shen Yuan:

"That's what you said, I didn't say it."

"It is what I said. I am the Yushi Zhongcheng, in charge of discipline. I received a report that someone was secretly delivering private letters and communicating inside and outside at the gate of Yunlong Gate."

"Where is the reporter?"

"Secret report."

"A secret report is not evidence, doesn't the Zhongcheng know?"

"So I came to verify. I just saw you passing letters with my own eyes."

"The Zhongcheng saw it wrong."

"I alone can see it wrong, do so many people follow me and see it wrong?"

"The so-called so many people aren't they all people from the Yushi Terrace? Carrying the same order, forming words together, cannot be case evidence."

"I am the Constitution Division, ranked fourth. Although Noble Lady Xiao's status is noble, in terms of title, she is the daughter of a County Marquis (County Marquis is third rank), so she is also fourth rank. So even if I alone am a witness, I can search your carriage! Come here!"

More than twenty black-clothed officials responded in unison: "Yes!"

Shen Yuan raised his sleeve, his expression heroic:

"Please get off the carriage, Lady Xiao!"

The crowd surrounded!

Baoyue raised her eyebrows:

"Let's see who dares?"

Four Hou Fu guards stepped forward!

Four long knives were drawn three inches at the same time!

Everyone lost color!

The legal officials in the front row were so scared that they retreated a few steps!

Shen Yuan was furious, the smiling face that had been hanging finally shattered completely, and he shouted:

"You dare to shine a blade in the palace!!!!!"

Baoyue waved her hand:

"Shine the palace card!"

The four guards simultaneously grabbed the lower hem of their outer clothes and lifted them upward—

Four cloud-patterned copper plates shone out at the same time!

Baoyue's words were sonorous:

"When my father was enfeoffed as a Marquis, Emperor Taizu (Xiao Daocheng, Baoyue's father was raised by the founding emperor of the Southern Qi, Xiao Daocheng) personally bestowed the Xichang Hou Fu! Also bestowed four internal guards! Ordered to protect! Belonging to the forbidden guards! The palace register is still there! Although I am a woman, I am the great-granddaughter of Emperor Xuan! (Xiao Daocheng's father was posthumously awarded Emperor Xuan) The grand-niece of Emperor Taizu! Absolutely not allowing anyone to insult the royal family in the name of the Constitution Division!"

All the officials were shocked, and their hearts retreated!

Only Shen Yuan was not intimidated, and questioned loudly:

"I am checking according to the law! How can it be an insult?!"

Baoyue looked at Shen Yuan calmly:

"Shen Zhongcheng, I will ask you one sentence now, do you want to search the carriage? Or do you want to search the person?"

"Naturally, search the carriage!"

"If it were really as you said, that there were letters of communication inside and outside, would I put them on the carriage and wait for you to check?"

"There is none on the carriage! Naturally, it's on the person!"

"So you still want to search me?"

Shen Yuan didn't speak.

Baoyue sneered:

"You are not qualified to search me. Find the Taichang Qing (Zongzheng is in charge of the royal family, this has been merged into Taichang) and the Tingwei Supervisor to come, and the Terrace Temple will meet (Yushi is the Terrace, Taichang and Tingwei are the Temples), and I will let you search me."

Shen Yuan was exposed, and didn't pretend anymore, directly saying:

"I have already sent someone to invite them, and the Taichang and Tingwei Supervisor will arrive immediately!"

"Not here yet?"

"Arriving immediately!"

Baoyue haha:

"Who is waiting for you immediately?"

Then she leaned back lazily and ordered the carriage lightly:

"Go. Anyone who blocks the way, break their hands if they block with hands, break their feet if they block with feet."

The Hou Fu guards opened the way with knives, and the carriage moved forward.

The officials were terrified, retreating one after another, and no one dared to stop them!

Qian Ruoer looked at Baoyue as if looking at a heavenly person!

Baoyue said to Qian Ruoer:

"You just stand here, don't worry about them. In a while, they will naturally beg you to return to the hall."

Qian Ruoer nodded repeatedly! Only feeling that his confidence was very sufficient!

Shen Yuan adjusted his emotions quickly, his face restored to his usual easy and free expression, looking at Baoyue's carriage going away, muttering with emotion:

"Xiao Luan's daughter is extraordinary..."

The assistant official beside him asked:

"Should I send someone to urge the two temples?"

Shen Yuan sighed with regret:

"It's late, she left the palace, the fish and dragon entered the sea, no chance..."

On the Xingguang Tower, the Emperor retracted his head from the railing, and also sighed with regret:

"Yue girl is amazing! My daughters, none of them can compare..."

Then his heart moved:

"If it's appearance..."

The Emperor pondered for a moment, despairingly covering his forehead:

"Then it's even more incomparable... Eh? Why hasn't the chime been hit yet?"

Baoyue's carriage just passed the corner of the straight road, and suddenly the iron chime sounded!

Three chimes, one heavier than the other, one more urgent than the other!

Baoyue's expression changed instantly!

Shen Yuan was overjoyed!

"The palace gate is closed! The opportunity is here! Chase quickly!"

————

Note: 1. Xingguang Tower was built by Emperor Wu of Qi, and one can look far away from it. "Book of Southern Qi, Biography of Emperor Yulin": "The Emperor was in Shouchang Hall, heard that there was a change outside, ordered to close the rooms and pavilions of the inner hall, ordered the eunuch to climb the Xingguang Tower to look, and returned to report: 'Saw a person in military uniform, following hundreds of people, in a hurry, under the West Bell Tower.'"

2. "Book of Southern Qi, Records of Officials": "The drums were originally set up on the towers of the palace city, and those who held the night responded to the shift. Emperor Taizu thought the drums were too startling to sleep, so he changed them to iron chimes."

3. "Tongzhi, Records of Officials 7": "Wang Qiu was very proud of the Cao land, and when his cousin Senglang was removed from Yushi Zhongcheng, Qiu said to him: 'You are in this position, you will no longer be a paste.'"

4. "Biography of Shen Chong in the History of the Southern Dynasties": "Champion Prince of Luling was the Inspector of Yingzhou, and Chong was the Long History and General of Fugu, Governor of Jiangxia, acting as the government and province. Following the government, he transferred to the Long History of Anxi and the Internal History of Nanjun, acting as the government of Jingzhou, and the general was as before... Dan and Yuan both served as Yushi Zhongcheng, three brothers, all served as Sili, which was not seen in Jin and Song... Yuan impeached the Governor of Wu Xing, Yuan Tu in the Yongming year... Chong's mother, Kong, was in the east, and the neighbor's house caught fire, suspected of being burned by people..."

5. "Biography of Yuan Tu in the Book of Southern Qi": "Tu arrived at the commandery, sat and used the salary money against the law, was dismissed from office and paid to Dongye."

6. "Fake Surname Langya" Chapter 383 "Mission to the Four Directions": "'But Noble Lady Xiao is still waiting for a reply outside the Yunlong Gate, I'm afraid it will be too late if it's late...' The Emperor laughed: 'It's good if it's too late.'"

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Ancient people said that blessings are spiritual, and good words carry luck. If words really have magic, then I wish with sincerity. I hope that in the new year, all my readers, including myself—

May your dreams be expected, and your love be unquestioned. May your actions be successful, and your companions not leave. May the sincere ones not be let down; may the retreating ones have the courage to walk with a sword; may the hardworking ones have the bright clouds to rely on; may the simple ones have gentle joy.

Happy New Year!!! (I want to throw confetti at the sky emoji!!!)

Finally, let's talk about the update. No update on the first and second day of the Lunar New Year. On the third day, it depends on the situation. The follow-up is also uncertain. Anyway, try to ensure at least one update in three days. If there is a special situation, then the fourth day will be updated. Will there be an update every two days? Let's see the opportunity... This uncertain chaotic state will continue until the ninth or thirteenth day, and it will return to normal after the fifteenth day at the latest.