Chapter 453: First Hearing at the Yamen [Thank you! Thank you again! Owed 35k]

On the way back to the Hou Fu,

Qingcao was wearing a new cloak with embroidered characters, riding on the back of the Qingyun horse. The horse was led by the Hou Fu's coachman and was walking not far in front of the carriage.

Qingyun sat in the coachman's position, driving the carriage while leading Gao Yunqing's mount.

Behind the Xu family carriage followed four Imperial City Department officials who were looking around and guarding from time to time.

Xu Zaijing sat in the middle of the carriage, looked at Gao Yunqing beside him, and said: "Big Brother Gao, you came to find me, does Big Brother Zhao have something?"

Gao Yunqing nodded with a serious face: "Fifth Young Master, there is indeed a matter, Chief Zhao said he needs you to know and understand it."

Xu Zaijing reached out and made a gesture of invitation.

Gao Yunqing leaned toward Xu Zaijing and said in a low voice: "Fifth Young Master, Chief Zhao said that you must know about that top secret agent of Great Zhou."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Gao Yunqing continued: "Now that person has been out of the capital for more than a month. Today, our Imperial City Department received a pigeon message from that person, so Chief Zhao asked me to tell Fifth Young Master."

Xu Zaijing frowned: "Using a pigeon message, it must be an urgent matter!"

Gao Yunqing pursed his lips and said: "That's right, Chief Zhao said that when that person went to Dengzhou, he stopped by Yanzhou and Jin Yang Shanzhai..."

As he spoke, Gao Yunqing glanced at Xu Zaijing, and scenes from the mountain fortress uncontrollably flashed through his mind—the thumb-thick arrow holes under the torchlight, the broken shields and armor, and the more than a hundred dead soldiers and fierce troops who had broken hands and feet.

These scenes were all the handiwork of this young and handsome noble disciple.

"After reading the documents left by the Yanzhou Imperial City Department for two days, he said in the letter sent by the pigeon that our Great Zhou's Jingdong West Road and the two roads to the north need to add more manpower."

Xu Zaijing listened to Gao Yunqing's words, although he knew these were all matters of the Imperial City Department and didn't need to inform a Hou Fu disciple like him, he didn't ask much and just continued to listen.

"Most importantly, that top-notch secret agent said he felt that the disciples of Northern Liao's Zhuangfo Terrace had already taken root in that area."

After Gao Yunqing finished speaking,

Xu Zaijing asked suspiciously: "Big Brother Gao, what is the Terrace you mentioned?"

Gao Yunqing was slightly surprised, as if he didn't expect Xu Zaijing to not know what he was talking about, but he didn't hesitate and said directly: "Zhuang of makeup, Fo of Buddha, Tai of terrace, Zhuangfo Terrace!"

"Because Northern Liao worships Buddha, the yamen responsible for spying on our Great Zhou's intelligence, which has the same function as our Great Zhou's Imperial City Department and the former Bai Gao Chuanshan Department, is Zhuangfo Terrace!"

"Legend has it that the leader of this Zhuangfo Terrace has always been a woman who imitates the gilded Buddha statues in temples and paints her face yellow."

Xu Zaijing nodded with a look of realization, then narrowed his eyes and said slowly: "Does Big Brother Zhao mean that there is a shadow of Northern Liao behind Prince Yan?"

Gao Yunqing nodded: "There is such a speculation in the department."

"But, if that's really the case, why was Yelu Sun of Northern Liao sent there?"

Xu Zaijing said as he looked at Gao Yunqing.

"This little one doesn't know."

"By the way, Fifth Young Master! Chief Zhao also asked me to tell you that ever since the Imperial City Department pulled out several dead soldiers from the nursing home a few years ago, the department has never given up on investigating the people behind the dead soldiers."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "The foot shop that caught fire and burned to ruins after entering winter last October is?"

Gao Yunqing sighed depressedly: "Sigh! Right, originally we wanted to catch a big fish, but that Gan family foot shop was burned to the ground by someone, and the clue was broken!"

"Although we know the shopkeeper's ancestral home is in Huainan West Road, not far from the fief of Prince Jing, but..."

Gao Yunqing shook his head.

"Hiss!"

Xu Zaijing gasped.

"Fifth Young Master, what did you think of?"

Gao Yunqing asked anxiously as he looked at Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing's eyes turned continuously, nodded with a thoughtful look, and said: "Let's go, let's go find Big Brother Zhao!"

The next day,

At the end of the Si hour (after eleven o'clock in the morning)

Chai family,

Qiusheng Garden,

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng was sitting on the chair behind the desk,

Took a sip of the tea soup handed over by the maidservant Miss Yun Mu,

Looked at the account book on the table in front of her with a smile and said: "I really didn't expect that Madam Wei would be so sought after these days. The money for her appearance should be raised again."

Miss Yun Mu and Ziteng on the side looked at each other and smiled: "Miss, that's natural. This Madam Wei can play and sing, has quite an accomplishment in poetry, and can also paint and knit!"

Fuyi took the teacup that Seeing Chai Zhengzheng finished drinking and interjected: "Miss, this servant has seen Madam Wei accompanying guests several times when I went to the shop. This servant feels comfortable and soothing just listening to Madam Wei talking to guests!"

"And the process of her talking and accompanying guests is truly speaking to the guest's heart! That day, the master of the wealthy Tian family in the capital entered the shop with a full face of worry, and after listening to the music played by Madam Wei and talking to Madam Wei for two quarters of an hour, he was smiling when he went home!"

"The 'understanding flower' mentioned in books might be a woman like Madam Wei."

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng picked up the brush on the table, looked at the account book, and nodded: "Looking at it this way, the time for this Madam Wei to redeem herself will be greatly shortened."

Ziteng looked at the sisters in the room: "Miss, actually we can hold Madam Wei's body contract in our hands..."

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng pointed at Ziteng with the brush and smiled: "Your heart for earning money is heavy enough!"

"This servant is also following the example of the superior..."

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng looked at Ziteng with a smile: "Go, go, go, how can your Miss be so money-grubbing!"

At this time,

A little maidservant outside the door said: "Miss, Madam said that Xu family's Fifth Young Master is here, let you go to the front hall to meet the guest when you have time!"

Hearing this,

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng's hand holding the brush trembled, and the ink with a refreshing fragrance on the tip of the brush fell onto the account book.

"Zhi!"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng stood up all at once, and the chair under her seat made a sound of friction on the ground.

"Got it!"

After Miss Yun Mu shouted outside, she looked at Seeing Chai Zhengzheng, who was walking toward the inner room with a brush, and said: "Miss, what are you going to do?"

"Change clothes!"

"Then you put down the brush first!"

"Oh!"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng walked back quickly, put the brush on the table, scanned herself up and down, and looked at the three maidservants in the room with inquiring eyes.

Miss Yun Mu smiled: "Miss, this outfit is very good-looking, this servant thinks there is no need to change."

Fuyi and Ziteng nodded repeatedly.

Chai family front hall,

Only Madam Chai and her personal mama stood on the side,

Madam Chai sat on the Arhat chair, looking at Xu Zaijing sitting on the chair below with a full face of smiles,

After listening to Xu Zaijing's question with a smile, Madam Chai glanced at the personal mama beside her and said: "Fifth Young Master, rest assured, this mama's background is clear and she doesn't believe in Buddhism."

Xu Zaijing nodded to Madam Chai and that mama with an apologetic face.

Madam Chai continued:

"As for the location of the manor you asked about, to tell you the truth, I don't know either! It was bought by Zhengzheng with her childhood lucky money..."

Looking at Xu Zaijing looking over with a smile, Madam Chai's lips curled up: "These things are all handled by Seeing Chai Zhengzheng in the family, and I am happy to be a hands-off shopkeeper."

Xu Zaijing was stunned and smiled: "Zhengzheng Miss is truly amazing, she can actually take charge of her own affairs at this age!"

Saying this, Xu Zaijing glanced at the direction of the Chai family's back courtyard from the hall.

Madam Chai looked at Xu Zaijing's movements with gratification, thinking he was a bit anxious, and smiled: "At this time, Zhengzheng is mostly checking the account books, and she might have to wait until she finishes the accounts before she can come over."

Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile,

Actually, he had already heard the footsteps that were a bit fast and not loud coming from the back courtyard,

Uh...

Who 'shushed'?

Now the footsteps slowed down,

There was the sound of deep breathing...

Xu Zaijing picked up the teacup and looked at the tea soup, secretly thinking: My damn sensitive hearing...

Before long,

"Third Miss is here,"

The voice of the maidservant came from some distance away,

Soon,

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng walked out from behind the screen with graceful steps,

Looking at Xu Zaijing who had stood up from the chair, Seeing Chai Zhengzheng smiled and bowed slightly: "Greetings to Fifth Young Master."

Xu Zaijing cupped his hands: "Greetings to Zhengzheng Miss."

Sitting on the embroidered stool beside Madam Chai,

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng glanced at Xu Zaijing, who had put his hands on his knees and sat back in the chair with his waist straight, turned his head and said: "Mother, what is the matter with calling this daughter over?"

Madam Chai looked at Xu Zaijing: "Fifth Young Master, you should say it. We all know about the previous things! You don't have to be so restrained in our house!"

Xu Zaijing leaned forward and cupped his hands in the chair with a smile, looked at Seeing Chai Zhengzheng and said: "Zhengzheng Miss, I wonder where the 'Gold Not Exchanged' planted by your house to learn planting at the Hou Fu is planted? And where are the servants who know how to plant this?"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng glanced at Madam Chai, her eyes full of 'Mother, you knew this matter very clearly yourself' expression.

Looking at the 'you silly girl' look in Madam Chai's eyes, Seeing Chai Zhengzheng hurriedly turned her head and looked at Xu Zaijing: "Fifth Young Master, the manor is in the north of the city, and the old servants of my family who have been there for years are also in the manor."

Xu Zaijing nodded, looked at Madam Chai and Seeing Chai Zhengzheng, and said: "Madam, Zhengzheng Miss, to tell you the truth, this matter is of great importance. The Imperial City Department attaches great importance to this thing. To prevent leakage, the Imperial City Department may have to send people to the manor to look after it!"

"Wearing official uniforms, the Imperial City Department is really not easy to come to the Fu. The planting method was passed down from my Hou Fu, so this little one can only come to the Fu to remind you."

Madam Chai and Seeing Chai Zhengzheng became serious,

Madam Chai said in a deep voice: "The old land of Bai Gao has been recovered, but will Northern Liao come to our Great Zhou to spy on this good thing that has a miraculous effect on sword and arrow wounds?"

"That needs to be paid more attention to!"

Xu Zaijing nodded and said: "Madam's words are exactly right! By the way, Madam, did the Fu send someone to Little Liang Mountain in Wushang County before?"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng was stunned, Madam Chai asked suspiciously: "This, how does Fifth Young Master know about this?"

Xu Zaijing briefly told about the Sheng family's main branch matter, and added: "Madam, will this be followed by others?"

Saying this, he also glanced at Seeing Chai Zhengzheng, meaning whether it would hinder the reputation of this noble girl.

Madam Chai's eyes were full of smiles: "Fifth Young Master, rest assured, our family handles the beginning and the end cleanly, so it won't be traced to our family. I also thank Fifth Young Master for your reminder."

Xu Zaijing waved his hand: "There are not many people who care about feelings like Zhengzheng Miss..."

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng's face lost its happy expression, and she just nodded in thanks when she heard Xu Zaijing's praise.

After speaking, Xu Zaijing stood up: "Madam, this little one still has to go to school in the afternoon, so I will take my leave."

Madam Chai stood up: "Alright, then I won't keep Fifth Young Master any longer, please."

Sending Xu Zaijing to the second gate,

Looking at Xu Zaijing lifting his clothes and stepping over the threshold dashingly, Madam Chai's eyes were full of satisfaction.

After Xu Zaijing left the Chai family,

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng also returned to her Qiusheng Garden with light steps,

Madam Chai sat in the hall,

Looked at the personal mama standing on the side, Madam Chai said with a thoughtful look: "I hadn't thought about it until Xu family's Fifth Young Master came today. I remember the Old Madam of the Gao family, a relative in Laizhou, believes in Buddhism?"

The personal mama on the side thought for a while and nodded: "Madam is right, this servant remembers that when that one had a birthday back then, our family also sent an excellent jade-carved Buddha statue."

Madam Chai narrowed her eyes and looked at the sunlight outside the hall,

After a moment of silence, Madam Chai stood up: "Send a post to the palace, I want to see the Consort."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 454 =====