Beautiful step by step

Chapter 121

King Duan didn't know how deeply the Wu family was involved in the corruption incident, but he knew that the Wu family had been guarding the northwest for nearly 20 years.Even a three-year-old would not believe it if they were said to be clean.

Frowning, he asked the palace man: "How long has Wu Shangshu been in the East Palace?"

The environment in the harem is complicated, and Gongdou is definitely not an understatement like the poisoning and punishment described in the storybook.People who can survive in this imperial city, although they act in different styles, none of them are basically stupid.The same is true for Concubine Shu. Although in the eyes of Emperor Qinglong, she is a virtuous, virtuous, generous and decent concubine, but Concubine Shu's favor is by no means accidental.

At least during these years in the palace, she has cultivated a large number of loyal and unremarkable staff.

And this group of people is now completely used by Concubine Shu's parent and son - King Duan.

"As soon as Wu Shangshu opened the palace gate, he came in before dawn, and he has stayed here for half an hour. According to the previous times, he will stay for a while, and he will not go out until about an hour later."

Duan Wang, who is usually cynical, now looks very serious: "How many times before?"

"Yes, Wu Shangshu has been a frequent visitor to the East Palace since the emperor made his west tour."

The palace man replied with lowered eyebrows, then leaned closer to King Duan, and whispered: "His Royal Highness, according to reports from our people in the East Palace, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has become more irritable recently."

impatient?

King Duan jumped up with wide eyes, looking at the palace man with dangerous eyes: "You can't talk nonsense."

"Slaves never dare to speak nonsense."

A dark cloud floated outside Yikun Palace, King Duan looked up at the sky, his earnest expression became tense.Those in the palace who were familiar with him even felt that King Duan was exuding an invincible spirit.

"Pass down the order, let our people not act rashly. There are some things I'd rather not know, and I don't want to kill people for nothing."

In a cold voice, he ordered the palace servants to casually put on their robes. King Duan just didn't realize it, and plunged into the household department to fight wits and courage with those old fritters.

When he came to the household department, the yamen had just opened, and seeing that the whole courtyard was almost the same as when he left last night, Wang Duan sneered.Walking into the concierge, he stabbed the clerk in charge of the attendance book unconscious with a knife in his hand, took off his clothes and put them on himself.He lowered his head around the hat, and the old god was sitting there.

After about half an hour, officials began to yawn and get out of the sedan chair.When passing by the concierge, he waved inward: "I'm going to work first, help me order a dick."

No matter whether he agreed or not after speaking, the visitor quickly disappeared by the door.

This was the case for several people in a row, so Duan Wang simply closed the window and sat in front of the window with Erlang's legs crossed.He originally thought that if the windows were not open this time, they should come in and have a serious chat.

"Dong dong dong."

There was a sound of knocking on the window, and at the same time there was a voice of blame: "I said, what's the matter with the gatekeeper? It's so late and still sleeping. Get up, don't forget to give me a nod, old rules. "

What old rules?There were several louder knocks on the window, and before anyone from the porter could answer, the man seemed to feel that he had done his duty, and walked away on his boots, muttering words as he walked.

"What did the prince come to torment last night? He didn't let people sleep well in the early morning."

Through the window paper, Wang Duan glanced at the rising sun outside, and flipped through the attendance book.After only one page forward, he could easily see the clue.The page consists of two columns. According to regulations, the left column is signed by the officials themselves, and the right column is the time when the person in charge personally checked it.This will be signed in person, which has long since been replaced by various private seals.Of course, this is nothing, the ink is too difficult to dry and the signature is too troublesome, and using a seal is a commonly known rule agreed by everyone.But the column on the right, the time when we arrived at the yamen at dawn at the moment of dawn, will inevitably attract people's attention.

This is too fake...

While breathing, he searched left and right, and he easily found a solid wooden box from the side of the table.The inside of the box is divided into many small compartments, and this private seal is placed in each compartment.

With a gloomy face, Wang Duan picked up the writing brush beside him and added a few strokes to the letter to Emperor Qinglong.

"The household department's daily check-in, and all the officials handed over their private seals to the porter, who stamped the seal according to the time. Therefore, for decades, the officials of the household department have been extremely diligent, and no matter whether it is frost or heat, they have never missed the time."

After entering the city yesterday, he wrote down in detail the many obstacles encountered in the household department, and he sealed the envelope with ready-made wax oil.With a snap of his fingers, a black shadow flashed in front of him, and the secret letter had disappeared.Erlang retracted his legs, changed into the prince's regular clothes, tore off a piece of bed sheet to wrap the private seals, and Prince Duan came out swaggeringly, just in time to meet the Minister of the Household Department who came to the yamen.

"Hey, Du Shangshu came so early."

Seeing him, Hubu Shangshu respectfully clasped his fists: "His Royal Highness Duan Wang."

While talking, he stared at the bag next to him, Wang Duan put on a funny face, and brought the bag to him in a big way.

"I found something interesting from the concierge, so I took it back and studied it."

The burden was shaken off, and stamps of different shapes clanged to the ground, and for a while, Shangshu Tobe's writing was very colorful.

"His Royal Highness Duan Wang, this...isn't it good to take it without asking?"

Standing opposite him, Duan Wang Zhu Houxi lived up to his name, with an extremely thick skin.After listening to what Du Shangshu said, instead of being embarrassed at all, a smug smile appeared on the corners of his lips.

"This king has been waiting for Duchamp to export his condemnation."

"What does His Highness Duan Wang mean?"

"The meaning is very clear. This king knows that he is soft-spoken and has the title of a prince. You will not pay too much attention to what you say. Sure enough, this king threatened his father last night, but there is no movement in such a large household."

Du Shangshu frowned into a pimple: "His Royal Highness Duan Wang must have misunderstood..."

"Whether there is any misunderstanding, let me tell you first. This king is very self-aware, so he consulted His Highness the Crown Prince last night. The father is far away in the northwest, but His Highness the Crown Prince is now in charge."

After speaking, King Duan took a step outside the door, looking straight at the end of the street.Although his face was calm, he didn't know what to do at this moment.He just stopped by the East Palace before leaving the palace, thanked the prince for bringing him back to the palace last night, and asked him to come to the household department to help.

That's why he resisted his nausea and said good things last night.Having been brothers for many years, he knew that the crown prince was the best face saver.He first told the whole reason why his father was furious, so that he could find no reason not to help; then he made a few small words, and the prince would be more willing to help.However, Wu Shangshu, who stayed in the East Palace until he left the palace, made him feel uncertain.

The crown prince is not like King Wu who leads troops all the year round. His biggest weakness is that he has no military power.And Wu Shangshu holds the Northwest Army in his hands, which is exactly what the "more and more anxious" prince lacks.

When he was hesitating in his heart, a bright yellow bicycle frame came around the corner, Duan Wang put his heart back in his stomach.

"Look at Du Shangshu, isn't this king's backer here?"

The prince's carriage was getting closer and closer, Duan Dynasty Du Shangshu raised his lips, and he was the first to meet it.

"Greetings to the second brother of the prince."

He still had to kneel down on one knee, but compared to last night, this time King Duan was more willing.

"Fourth Emperor Brother is really... Didn't I just say last night that there is no need to be so polite between us brothers."

At different times and in different places, the same conversations are repeated over and over again.However, this time, facing the prince who bent down to help him up personally, King Duan couldn't help but feel a thump in his heart.Since his second elder brother was made the crown prince, this was the first time in the past ten years that he bent down to help him.

It is a normal behavior to put on ordinary people, but it is completely strange to put on the prince.King Duan knew very well that the prince is a person who wants to save face.He is deeply proud of his status as the prince, and he likes others to hold him high.Although he usually concealed it very well, giving people the impression of being a corporal, but that still couldn't fool him.

"Thank you, His Royal Highness."

As soon as the word "Your Highness" was uttered, the arm that the prince was holding on to him visibly froze.Even so, he still controlled his voice and asked with concern: "What difficulties did the Fourth Emperor encounter?"

"I told His Highness the Crown Prince last night that my father ordered me to thoroughly investigate the accounts of the Northwest for these years. But after I arrived at the Ministry of Accounts, the officials kept pushing back and did not come up with the core accounts."

"Oh? Is there such a thing?"

The prince looked at Du Shangshu, who was holding his sleeves and smiling wryly: "How is this possible, it's just that time is a little tight."

"It turned out to be a misunderstanding, let's go in and talk."

Following the crown prince all the way into the official office of the Ministry of Households, Duan Wang heard him ask: "The fourth emperor must find out these things?"

coming!Heart tensed, Duan Wang showed confusion: "What is the meaning of this, His Royal Highness?"

"As the saying goes: if you are an official for thousands of miles, which official is not greedy? As long as they don't delay in making mistakes, that's enough. Brother Sihuang, you have also been to the Northwest this time, and you know how bad the conditions are there. .The generals of the Northwest Army have been stationed there for many years, for what? Do you believe that they are for the country? They are not just to make their families live a better life."

Duan Wang nodded: "So His Royal Highness means, don't investigate?"

"It's not that you don't want to investigate. The emperor made a decree. The investigation must be carried out, but there is no need to hurt the bones. No officials are not corrupt. These officials have been fed for many years. This incident is shocking. You will also stop. If you uproot them and elect a new batch of officials, those poor and white new officials will only get more greedy."

After finishing speaking, the prince took a step forward and stood in front of him: "Brothers, how can I stand idly by about the fourth brother's affairs. Don't worry, father, I will let you explain something."

Duan Wang narrowed his eyes, he understood everything at this point.

"This is the deal between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Wu Shangshu? Toss out a few useless chess pieces to preserve the overall situation?"

"Since the fourth brother knows all about it, then..."

"No."

"This is not right."

Duan Wang, who firmly refused, never expected that Du Shangshu, who followed the audience all the way, would deny this matter.Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw the document with the seal of the secret guard on the corner of his cuff, and his face became more determined.

"His Royal Highness, since I have promised my father, I will never deceive him for no reason. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly."

Facing the prince's pressure, Du Shangshu tremblingly said: "The old minister will definitely live up to the emperor's grace and help His Highness Duan Wang with all his strength."

(End of this chapter)