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Chapter 720 Chess Piece ()

The wonderful show in Jingyang Palace soon reached Jiang Shaohua's ears.

Cui Du laughed softly and said, "It's a pity that I didn't go to Jingyang Palace today and see with my own eyes how angry the Empress Dowager was."

Jiang Shaohua smiled: "Don't worry, there will be many more opportunities like this in the future."

It was almost impossible to completely uproot the Zheng family when the court was basically stable. But now it became a natural thing after a series of operations such as Zheng Chen's rebellion, defection, raising an army, and writing a manifesto. From this perspective, Zheng Chen can be regarded as "making merit" one after another.

How could this not make Jiang Shaohua happy?
There's even better news.

Minister Dai has already privately said that he will retire in the next year.

Such an old minister who was knowledgeable and retired at the right time should be given due respect. Jiang Shaohua has been much gentler and more polite to Minister Dai recently.

Dai Shangshu had been in the imperial court for forty years and was a real official veteran. Since he had decided to retire, he simply did everything he could to show favor to others and praised Yang Shilang in front of all the officials in the Ministry of Justice.

Everyone knew that Yang Shilang was the best candidate for the next Minister of Justice. Everyone carried the fancy sedan chair, and for a while, the Yang family's gate became lively. Every day, the name cards handed to the Yang family's gatehouse were a foot high.

Yang Zheng, who had just returned to the capital from Wu'an County, was just in time to hear this great news. He was so happy that his eyes lit up: "Uncle is finally getting through this."

Minister Yang was in high spirits, looking radiant and a few years younger. He still spoke in a low-key and humble manner: "Don't talk nonsense. As long as Minister Dai has not retired, the position of Minister of Justice will not be determined. Don't be frivolous!"

Yang Zheng smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will only act arrogantly in front of you, uncle. Once we leave this room, I will make sure that nothing will be revealed."

Minister Yang stroked his beard and smiled.

The Yang family is a criminal family. Yang Zheng has eight cousins ​​of this generation, five of whom were sent out to serve as officials. Yang Zheng was originally an ordinary man, but he was so lucky that he climbed up the big tree of the Princess of Nanyang. Now the Princess has become the empress, and it has only been half a year since she stabilized the court and the people's hearts. Yang Zheng can be regarded as an old man in the Qiandi who has followed the dragon, and he will definitely have a good future in the future.

Who knows, in the future all the power and wealth of the Yang family will depend on Yang Zheng!

"Have you investigated the murder case of Prince Wu'an?" Minister Yang asked casually.

Yang Zheng quickly replied, "I found out."

"The father and son of the Wu'an County Prince and their personal guards encountered a group of roving bandits. These bandits had no idea of ​​the identities of the father and son of the Wu'an County Prince. They were after their money. After killing them, they discarded the bodies at random, looted all their money, and even took away their clothes."

"I have been leading people to search for the whereabouts of this gang of bandits. Unfortunately, this gang of bandits is so cunning that I don't know where they have gone to hide in the mountains."

"I've had the government issue a notice to arrest this gang of robbers. As soon as there's any news, the local government will immediately send detectives to arrest them. I'll lead the men back to the capital."

As long as the robber is not caught, the case cannot be closed. This is also the rule of the Ministry of Justice.

Minister Yang nodded and instructed: "When you go to the palace to report to the emperor, explain the whole process clearly. Don't let others talk about it."

Yang Zheng was much more mature now, and even in private, he did not say such a big truth as "Why would you want to be talked about? It's obvious that it was the Empress Dowager who sent someone to do it." He nodded in response to all the orders given by Yang Shilang.

Yang Zheng waited for two days before he was summoned by the Empress. This shows that the Empress knew all about the murder of Prince Wu'an, and that filing a case to investigate the case was just a formality.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." After entering the Zhaohe Hall, Yang Zheng bowed and saluted in a proper manner.

"No need to be polite, stand up."

A familiar voice came into his ears. Yang Zheng thanked the emperor for his grace and took a quick glance as he stood up.

Her Majesty was pregnant, her belly was getting bigger and bigger, and her beautiful face was slightly swollen. However, the sharpness and majesty between her eyebrows had not diminished at all.

Jiang Shaohua said: "Tell me about your trip so I can hear it."

Yang Zheng calmed himself down and began to tell the story.

Jiang Shaohua said with a look of regret: "Prince Wu'an was really unlucky. He was accidentally killed by a group of bandits. The family members in the Prince's Mansion don't have to travel all the way to the capital. Let them live peacefully in Wu'an County. Chen Sheren, please write a letter on my behalf and have someone send it to the Prince's Mansion to comfort them."

The father and son of Prince Wu'an were both dead, and only the women, children and the elderly in the prince's mansion were left, so they could not cause any trouble.

To put it another way, if someone harbored resentment and wanted to secretly start a rebellion, the imperial court would have a good reason to send troops and pacify Wu'an County in broad daylight.

It all depends on whether the people in Prince Wu'an's mansion are clear-headed enough.

Jiang Shaohua then said to Yang Zheng, "Ma Yaozong has taken up a job at the Ministry of Personnel, and Tang Youyin is at the Ministry of Revenue. You and Minister Yang are uncle and nephew, so it is not convenient for you to serve in the same government office. How about you go to the Ministry of Works?"

Among the six ministries, Dong Shangshu is in charge of the Ministry of Rites, Ding Shilang is in charge of the Ministry of War, and Yang Shilang is about to be in charge of the Ministry of Justice. They are all trusted ministers of the emperor. Zhang Shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel is the most difficult to deal with, and someone must be watching over him in the Ministry of Personnel. The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the money and grain of the country, and it is the place where corruption is most likely to breed. Tang Youyin is nailed to the Ministry of Revenue, and he is also an important chess piece.

There was only one Ministry of Works left, and Minister Zhou was a die-hard supporter of the Prime Minister's Party, and now he followed Wang Jin's lead. Jiang Shaohua sent Yang Zheng to the Ministry of Works, also with the intention of warning Minister Zhou.

Before entering the palace, Yang Zheng received instructions from Minister Yang, and responded without hesitation: "Wherever the emperor needs me to go, I will go there to serve."

Jiang Shaohua raised the corner of his mouth and smiled: "Okay, then you go to the Ministry of Industry."

He turned around and asked Chen Changshi: "Chen Changshi, is there any vacancy in the Ministry of Works now?"

Chen Changshi smiled and replied, "What a coincidence! There is a doctor in the Ministry of Works who is in mourning and is vacant."

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly: "Then let Yang Shenshen fill the vacancy of the Langzhong of the Ministry of Works. Chen Changshi will take Yang Shenshen to the Ministry of Personnel to complete the official documents, and Yang Shenshen can take up the post immediately."

He was a sixth-rank judge in the Nanyang Palace. Now he is promoted to a fourth-rank official in the Ministry of Works, and his official position has been promoted four levels in a row! He used to envy the official positions of Ma Yaozong and Tang Youyin, but he didn't expect that the emperor would treat him the best.

Yang Zheng was refreshed and immediately bowed his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your support. After I go to the Ministry of Works, I will work hard and will never let Your Majesty down."

After Yang Zheng happily left, Chen Jinyu smiled softly and said, "This Yang Zheng has complained privately for a few times, thinking that the emperor only values ​​Ma Yaozong and Tang Youyin, and our Chen family's grandfather and grandson also hold high positions. Now he is a fourth-rank doctor of the Ministry of Works, and he is finally satisfied."