Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2816 Master Qingsong 34.0
"Eh? Your Highness didn't know?" Jin Miaomiao was stunned for a moment, looked at Shen Cha who was also puzzled, and then at Song Yaojia who was completely confused, and added, "The advisor and Gongsun Yue once joined forces to arrest a group of swindlers who seemed to be swindling people in Xijing City under the guise of feng shui and geomancy."

“This kind of…” Song Yaojia thought for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, “Xiao Cha and Hao Lin have both read the files of the Jingzhao Prefecture, so they should know how many similar cases occur in Xijing City every year. Miao Miao only said it was related to this, but didn’t provide any more details. I really don’t know which case it is.”

“That’s true.” Shen Cha nodded, glanced at Jin Miaomiao, and helplessly spread her hands, saying, “I don’t know why, but there are so many cases like this in Xijing City. There are always high-ranking officials and nobles who fall for it. Moreover, the reasons and causes for falling for it are all kinds of bizarre. For example, a father suspects that his son is cursing him, so he finds a so-called master to break the curse. There are also women in the inner quarters who suspect each other and try to trip each other up, so they all seek them out. It really gives these swindlers an opportunity to take advantage of them.”

“But the Imperial Observatory is right there, why don’t they go to the Imperial Observatory instead of going out on the streets to find these kinds of swindlers?” Jin Miaomiao sighed and said, “Are they just going from street to street?”

“Not everyone can get in touch with the Imperial Observatory, and not everyone can get Gongsun Yue to help.” Shen Cha chuckled. “Although many nobles in the capital are skilled in this, many are unwilling to take action easily. After all, it’s a hobby they enjoy, not a business to make money from, so it’s ultimately inconvenient.”

“That’s true.” Jin Miaomiao nodded. “However, there’s another piece of information I can tell Your Highness. My uncle said that His Highness the Eagle King was also involved in this case.” She held up her finger. “A gang was swindling people in the capital, and they ended up swindling Gongsun Yue. The advisor and Gongsun Yue joined forces to catch the swindlers.”

"Let me think about it!" Song Yaojia stroked her chin. "To be honest, there are quite a few that meet these criteria."

“Hmm!” Shen Cha and Shen Haolin exchanged a glance. “That’s quite a lot.”

“It seems that Grand Uncle didn’t explain in detail what the case was, right?” Jin Miaomiao looked at Shen Cha. “We didn’t have time to ask either.”

“Yes, I guess even my great-uncle isn’t entirely sure.” Shen Cha thought for a moment, then looked at Shen Haolin and said, “However, many of the files we’ve been looking at are from over thirty or even forty years ago, or even earlier. We weren’t even born back then, were we?”

“Yes!” Shen Haolin thought for a moment, then looked at Song Yaojia, “Back then, there were quite a few similar cases, ranging from a dozen to dozens a year.”

“I’m quite interested in these kinds of cases, and I pay a lot of attention to them. Thirty or forty years ago, no, when my uncle had just ascended the throne, there were a lot of these kinds of cases. It’s just that there have been fewer in the last ten years or so, especially after His Majesty ascended the throne.” Song Yaojia chuckled. “You all know that Xiao Jue has never believed in this stuff. So, apart from the Yun family and other masters with similar prestige, whom he respects, he only makes an example of them. Therefore, even if there are any charlatans, they gradually stop coming to the capital, and these kinds of things are becoming less and less common in the capital.”

"I see!" Jin Miaomiao sighed softly. "So, what exactly is the case?"

“Don’t worry, Master Qingsong and Gongsun Yue have handled quite a few cases together, and none of them are minor cases.” Song Yaojia smiled. “These cases all have to go through the palace, since one of them is a commoner and the other is the director of the Imperial Observatory, neither of them has the authority to investigate cases. Besides, quite a few people have been deceived.”

“Speaking of which,” Shen Haolin looked at Song Yaojia and then at Shen Cha, “there is a major case that fits the bill.”

"A major case?" Song Yaojia raised an eyebrow. "Could it be..."

"Hmm!" Shen Haolin nodded. "That case concealed the identities of many people. The entire case file was simple and brief, only mentioning that it involved the palace and that the palace was responsible for closing the case."

"You mean," Shen Cha frowned slightly, "that case that once shocked the imperial court?"

“Very likely.” Song Yaojia nodded. “Judging by the timeline, that case was the earliest one, and it should be the first case they worked on together.” “What are you talking about?” Jin Miaomiao looked at the others blankly. “What? Shocked the court? Isn’t that a lie?”

“It’s already shocked the imperial court, so it can’t be a simple problem. Their gang not only swindled money, but they were also involved in murder cases, and not just one.” Song Yaojia sighed. “I remember that the person in charge of this case was not Master Qingsong and Gongsun Yue, but the late Empress Dowager.”

"Her?" Shen Cha had a vague feeling of unease. "How did she get involved again? Could it be the Green Lotus Sect's doing?"

"Impossible! How could this be!"

"why?"

“Master Falian’s teacher was a highly accomplished monk from Daxiangguo Temple, and he himself had great insight into Buddhism. If it weren’t for these distracting thoughts, he could have been remembered as a great monk. But,” Song Yaojia spread his hands, “Buddhists are not proficient in things like feng shui and exploration; they are completely different disciplines. So, it couldn’t be him who did this.”

"Then why did the late Empress Dowager..."

“Because it involves the royal family and the harem, and some members of the harem are implicated.” Song Yaojia took a sip of water and sighed softly, “Therefore, we have to be cautious.”

"If it's a palace secret, then don't tell us."

"It's hardly a palace secret, neither to my uncle nor to His Majesty," Song Yaojia shook her head gently. "At most, it's just a scandal."

Who was involved?

"Although my imperial uncle only favors the Empress Dowager and wholeheartedly desires a lifelong, monogamous relationship, as you know, it is impossible for the Empress Dowager to achieve this, right? The Empress Dowager cannot appoint a Crown Princess, much less an Empress."

“That’s right.” Shen Cha nodded gently. “The Crown Princess or the Empress must be a woman from a respectable family, and it is absolutely impossible for her to be from a noble family. This is also to prevent the power of the maternal relatives.”

“That’s right. Princesses and consorts of princes can be women from noble families, but the Crown Princess or the Empress cannot be.” Song Yaojia nodded. “The source of this case lies with the late Empress Ding.”

"The late Empress?" Shen Cha thought for a moment. "If I remember correctly, the late Empress died of a sudden illness. Could there be... some hidden story?"

"It was because of this case that the late Empress died of illness."