The prince is more stable

Chapter 500 Something unexpected happened
In the north wing, Niao Niao, with a look of self-blame on her face, talked about the cause of the fire.

Zhao Xiaoqian went out of the city for two days to meet Xiao Fengxian. Niao Niao and the two Japanese sisters were at home. Today, they suddenly missed a dish of fried shrimps that Zhao Xiaoqian once made.

It was a strong dish, suitable for drinking. The three girls had planned to get some rice wine and chat together tonight. This small shrimp dish was indispensable, but no one knew how to make it, so Niao Niao wanted to try it herself.

This attempt caused trouble.

Women cannot be too idle. As the saying goes, "boredom breeds trouble." Zhao Xiaoqian wondered whether he should find a job for his three daughters.

It's better to go into the factory and screw in the screws than to set the house on fire.

As soon as he got home, the women gave him such a big surprise that he felt even hungrier.

The kitchen is on fire, but people can't starve to death.

Zhao Xiaoqian asked someone to build a simple stove in the backyard and heat up the oil in a pot.

The original intention of stewing pork elbows could not be changed. Zhao Xiaoqian, who was extremely hungry, could do anything. He could not only stew pork elbows, but also stir-fry shrimps.

After the couple and their four companions had dinner together, Niao Niao cautiously suggested that she wanted to go out of town tomorrow.

She wanted to visit the village outside the city where she used to live. She heard that the government was going to relocate a group of farmers to the north, and many elderly people, women and children in the village were also among them, including Mr. Ge.

When Niao Niao lived there, the villagers were very nice to her. Even though they could barely make ends meet, they would still give her some of the mountain products they picked, and she would naturally return the favor. After a while, the villagers became familiar with her.

Now I heard that the village is going to relocate. If nothing unexpected happens, I may never see those villagers again in this life. Niao Niao wants to see them before the village relocates and send them some food to show her appreciation.

Of course there was no problem with this request, and Zhao Xiaoqian agreed without hesitation. At the same time, he dispatched a hundred imperial guards from the Prince's Mansion to escort Niao Niao.

Then Zhao Xiaoqian hugged the two Japanese sisters and said with a smile, "Now that Niao Niao is gone, the three of us will do something shameful and play without her, okay?"

The Japanese sisters were so happy that they nodded repeatedly and said respectfully that they would serve His Royal Highness the Prince well.

Zhao Xiaoqian was also happy: "You two should adjust your state and give me a baby, either boy or girl is fine. My family has only one lineage, and the incense is not strong. Whoever gives birth to a baby first will be rewarded handsomely by my living father."

The Japanese sisters were deeply moved: "Sir, are you willing for us foreign women to bear your child? It would be such an honor. We will try our best, ahrigado!"

Zhao Xiaoqian patted Niao Niao's butt and said, "You too, hurry back and give birth to my baby. Don't delay. There are three women in Bianjing who are eyeing you covetously. If you don't get pregnant, be careful that they will sink you into the well."

Niao Niao was startled: "Is the Madam so fierce?"

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at her and said, "Granddaughter of the famous general Di Qing of our dynasty, what do you think?"

The three women glanced at each other nervously, and Niao Niao gritted her teeth and said, "Sir, do it again!"

After saying that, he rushed forward.

…………

Early the next morning, escorted by a hundred imperial guards, Niao Niao took several carriages of food out of the city.

Zhao Xiaoqian slept until noon and woke up in a good mood. He planned to go to the government office for a stroll.

I'm just strolling around, there's no other intention. It's impossible to handle official business. There are ready-made people to do it for me, so I don't have to do those tedious tasks myself.

The officers guarding the door were a bit rude. When they saw Zhao Xiaoqian coming, they immediately showed an look of "rare guest" in their eyes. They looked shocked and surprised, and they really deserved a beating.

The atmosphere in the government office was good. Ever since Zhao Xiaoqian purged the officials, they finally understood the temperament of the new prefect and became much more honest and conscientious in their conduct and work.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian coming, the officials were also shocked, and then they all saluted him with fear and trepidation.

In a major purge, half of the officials in Zhending Prefecture were wiped out. Zhao Xiaoqian's ruthless methods still frighten the officials, and seeing him is like seeing the King of Hell.

After passing through the main hall and arriving at the backyard, I saw officials walking in a hurry. Each of them was in a hurry, holding various official documents in their hands. There were people coming and going in the office rooms in the backyard, and messengers delivering letters were squatting outside the door. They rushed out without stopping after getting the official letters.

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded with satisfaction, feeling a bit like the social animal he was in his previous life.

This is the ideal government department: efficient, fast, without procrastination or slacking off.

I'll tell Li Qingchen later that during the Dragon Boat Festival, the officials in the government office will receive some benefits according to their ranks. Rice dumplings and realgar wine are indispensable. If you want something more practical, just give them money directly.

No one knows how to use oxen and horses better than Zhao Xiaoqian.

Just as he was about to enter the second hall to see how Li Qingchen was doing his work, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him and Chen Shou appeared.

"Prince, something has happened. Please return home as soon as possible." Chen Shou said in a deep voice.

"What happened? My wife burned the house again?" Zhao Xiaoqian was shocked.

Chen Shou hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Highness, please return home first."

Zhao Xiaoqian turned and left.

The Prince's Mansion was right next to the government office, and Zhao Xiaoqian returned to the mansion after just a few steps.

Arriving at the front yard, Zhao Xiaoqian was surprised to find that Niao Niao had returned. He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Didn't you go out early this morning? You're back in the afternoon?"

Niao Niao turned around, her pretty face showing anxiety and worry, and said, "Sir, that village is empty."

"What do you mean?" "All the villagers have been relocated. The remaining land is still used to grow crops, but it seems to have been bought by other landowners, and all the villagers have been relocated."

Zhao Xiaoqian was completely bewildered. "Isn't this perfectly normal? The imperial court was already planning to relocate the farmers of Zhending Prefecture northward to establish new counties and villages. They simply set off ahead of schedule."

Then Zhao Xiaoqian paused, as if something was wrong.

According to Han Wei, the transport envoy, only a part of the farmers in the villages of Zhucheng in western Hebei would be relocated, and a part would be left behind.

The remaining part will take over the excess land and distribute it equally.

But I haven’t heard of the entire village being relocated, which doesn’t make sense.

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned. "Tell me slowly. The entire village has been relocated. What's next?"

Niao Niao said bitterly, "I originally thought they might have been relocated early by the government, but the entire village is missing. This is obviously not right."

"Later, I searched for a long time in the empty houses in the village and found that many villagers' clothes and daily necessities were left in the houses. Some houses had been knocked down, and there were faint traces of blood on the ground..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was startled, his expression suddenly becoming ugly: "Bloodstains? Have you found a body?"

Niao Niao's eyes welled with tears as she said, "I was so anxious at the time that I asked the Imperial Guards to search the village. They found the bodies of two elderly people in a dry well at the entrance of the village."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned and looked at the imperial guards standing in the yard.

A guard stepped forward and reported, "Your Highness, the bodies of the two elderly men have multiple wounds. Their skulls, ribs, and leg bones are all broken. These are clearly injuries caused by blunt instruments."

Zhao Xiaoqian took a deep breath.

He was now certain that something had really happened. The migration of that village was very abnormal, or in other words, the court's move to migrate farmers north was abnormal from the beginning to the end.

Turning to look at Chen Shou, Zhao Xiaoqian said, "Immediately summon Zhao Xin, the Imperial City Administrator. Also, check the whereabouts of Han Wei, the Transport Commissioner, and Wang Yuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

Chen Shou clasped his fists and hurried away.

Zhao Xiaoqian's face was still frighteningly gloomy, but he tried hard to force a smile when he looked at Niao Niao.

"Go back to the backyard and rest up. I'll investigate this matter thoroughly. Don't worry."

Niao Niao said worriedly, "I wonder what the situation is like for Mr. Ge and his family now. Poor Mr. Ge, his whole family is dead, and he's the only one left in his twilight years, and he still has to go through this disaster."

Zhao Xiaoqian's mind flashed with the honest and weathered face of Mr. Ge, and he couldn't help but feel worried.

"Don't worry, I will find him. My words are effective in Zhending Prefecture." Zhao Xiaoqian comforted her gently.

Niao Niao returned to the backyard in a state of panic, and soon Zhao Xin hurried over.

Zhao Xiaoqian immediately asked, "How did you do it when you were asked to closely monitor the actions of officials like Han Wei and Wang Yuan?"

Zhao Xin was stunned for a moment, then said in panic, "I did send spies to follow them day and night. Han Wei and Wang Yuan are currently surveying land in the north, and their whereabouts don't seem suspicious."

"What about the other officials? Especially those responsible for relocating farmers and migrants. Do you have any information about their movements?"

Zhao Xin said, "We have also sent spies to monitor them. I swear, there is really no suspicion, otherwise I would have reported it to Your Highness long ago."

Zhao Xiaoqian said with a cold face, "The fact is, today my wife discovered that a village north of the city was completely empty, and she also found the bodies of two elderly people in a dry well. Why didn't you report these things?"

Zhao Xin was shocked and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, the Imperial City Administration has not noticed this. Our subordinates have been keeping an eye on those officials and have never seen them use violence against farmers or refugees."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned.

Chen Shou, who was standing beside him, whispered, "Prince, the murderer might be someone else. The Imperial City Bureau is only targeting officials, but officials won't kill people themselves. They must have another group of people who are unknown to the public and are specifically responsible for targeting farmers and refugees."

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly realized.

Yes, the officials would not take action. He had previously ordered the Imperial City Bureau to keep an eye on the officials, but ignored the possibility that there were other people involved.

The land and population that the powerful people in Bian Jing had set their sights on, and they wanted to swallow them all up, so how could the process be smooth and easy?

For a moment, Zhao Xiaoqian felt a chill down his spine.

Victor Han's original assurance to him was simply to fool him, or to stabilize him, and then the minions of the powerful people attacked the farmers.

"Find someone!" Zhao Xiaoqian gritted his teeth and said, "Find the villagers, find Han Wei, Wang Yuan, find all the officials from Bian Jing, and have Li Qingchen draft an official letter to immediately stop the land survey and relocate the farmers and refugees. I won't let this matter go unpunished until the matter is thoroughly investigated!"

"Zhending Prefecture, the Imperial City Division, and even the Dragon Guard Battalion, mobilize them all and find those officials in Bianjing first."

The expressions of the people around him tensed. Zhao Xiaoqian was furious like a mad tiger, and the air around him seemed to freeze.

Zhao Xin, Chen Shou and others hurriedly saluted and left.

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression was cold, and he slowly clenched his hands into fists.

This time, Han Wei and Wang Yuan reached their bottom line.

(End of this chapter)