"There is no official named Huang?" Liu Yijin put the roster on the table: "Yuan Shuo, are everyone here?"
Yuan Shuo nodded: "Except for Xikun, everyone else is here."
Liu Yijin frowned slightly: "Is there something wrong there?"
Mengyao hesitated and said: "Are there any people on this roster who have left the Criminal Department?"
Yuan Shuo nodded: "I asked, as long as the people on this roster are current and former employees working here, and we have checked all the records in the past three years, there is no surname Huang."
The three of them frowned. For three consecutive years, no official named Huang was recruited, but the information obtained said that there was an official named Huang in the Ministry of Punishment.
"Could it be that the information is wrong?"
Lan Yuer shook her head and said: "No one can stay awake after two silver needles, let alone I gave him a pill."
Liu Yijin was silent for a moment: "Is this person not in the Ministry of Justice at all?"
Lan Yu'er shook her head: "No, you can't tell lies at all in that state. If it hadn't been for the sudden death of the servant from a sudden burst of blood, we would have even been able to find out the name of the person in Yuelai Tea House."
Liu Yijin turned to Yuan Shuo and said: "Count down the names of all the personnel of the Criminal Department in the past three years, including handymen, laborers, and government officials."
"promise!"
Liu Yijin sighed and stood up: "Let's investigate this matter slowly. I still have to go to the palace to interview the saint."
Mengyao asked: "What does your Majesty want from you?"
"I don't know. The letter from Yuan Shuo just said that I should take some time to visit the palace. I think Your Majesty must have something to arrange."
Liu Yijin walked into the palace and saw Gong Qingqiu walking over: "Master Liu is here, His Majesty is waiting for you."
Liu Yijin knew that Gong Qingqiu was a celebrity around the empress, so he hurriedly smiled and said, "I have met Mr. Qingqiu."
Gong Qingqiu chuckled: "Why, have the family affairs been settled?"
Liu Yijin knew that Gong Qingqiu had gone to the Liu Mansion in the morning, but he was not sure whether Gong Qingqiu knew it. He just smiled at the moment and said: "It's just some trivial matters, they have been taken care of."
Gong Qingqiu's eyes flashed with a faint luster: "I heard that Mr. Liu revived his husband?"
Liu Yijin was stunned for a moment, then pretended to be calm and said: "People don't know much about women's education, so we need more education."
"Really?" Gong Qingqiu said meaningfully: "I thought it wouldn't work for adults to talk at home."
"How is that possible!" Liu Yijin snorted coldly: "A man is the backbone of the family, but how can he let them control his powerful position?"
"Really?" Gong Qingqiu smiled faintly: "I happen to have nothing to do in the palace and want to go outside for a walk. If it is convenient for you, I still want to chat with the ladies in the house."
Liu Yijin waved his hands hurriedly: "They all come from a small place and know very little. I think adults don't need to go."
Gong Qingqiu walked straight forward and said to Deng'er who was waiting at the side: "Drive the carriage over, I want to go to the Liu Mansion."
Liu Yijin looked helpless.
The great eunuch Cui Shugong walked over with a smile. He bowed slightly towards Gong Qingqiu and said, "I have seen you, sir."
"Excuse me. Your Majesty wants to see Liu Yijin. Please take him there."
Liu Yijin walked carefully behind Cui Shugong.
"Lord Liu has become famous far and wide during this period. Even the officials and maids in the palace have heard about your bravery in fighting the prime minister and banning King Su."
Liu Yijin didn't know what Cui Shugong meant, so he didn't answer the question at the moment. Instead, he smiled and said, "How long has the old man been in the palace?"
"The palace that I entered when the late emperor was a child is almost fifty years old this year."
Liu Yijin was in awe.
A great eunuch who can serve two emperors must be exceptional.
Cui Shugong glanced at Liu Yijin indifferently: "I heard that your Excellency has been investigating the affairs of Maitreya Buddhism recently?"
"yes."
"Maitreya Buddhism has been extremely rampant since the founding of Daqian. The late emperor once severely attacked it when he was still alive. Unexpectedly, it has become rampant again."
Liu Yijin didn't understand the meaning of Cui Shugong's words, so he just wanted to wait for the next sentence.
Cui Shugong smiled and said: "Actually, His Majesty knows about Maitreya Buddhism, but it is indeed a bit difficult to kill these people all at once."
"But now that your Excellency is in charge of the Supervision Department, I think His Majesty summoned you this time because he has something important to give you instructions."
"What do you mean, father-in-law?"
Cui Shugong slowed down his pace: "The personnel of the Criminal Department are actually very fluid. The people who are listed in the register are all staff who are working on the staff. However, the Criminal Department usually has a lot of things to do, and sometimes it recruits some temporary personnel, and these people are not working on the staff. "
"Since your Excellency is now supervising the Criminal Department, I think you should know all these things."
Liu Yijin's eyes lit up and he took a deep look at Cui Shugong, but the latter's eyes were lowered and he said with a smile as he walked, as if he was having a family affair with Liu Yijin: "Remember the year when His Majesty ascended the throne? Our family went to the Ministry of Justice for summons. Xikun was not there at the time, so I handed a document to an old Wangtou who was the gatekeeper. Who knew that this guy turned out to be a sloppy guy who couldn't hold back his alcohol addiction and sneaked out to drink."
Liu Yijin's mind suddenly moved: ""
Cui Shugong stretched out his finger. Liu Yijin saw that there was one missing finger on it, and couldn't help being slightly stunned: "Father-in-law, your finger?"
Cui Shugong said nonchalantly: "I did something wrong back then and one of my fingers was broken. If Your Majesty hadn't seen that I had served the late emperor, I would have lost my life."
""
Cui Shugong smiled: "Later, His Majesty became furious and went to the Criminal Department to arrest someone. Who knew that the old Wangtou who was guarding the gate was not from the Criminal Department at all. By the time the Criminal Department rushed to his house to arrest the person, the man was already dead."
Having said this, Cui Shugong sighed: "So you must sort out the people in the Criminal Department carefully, otherwise there will be trouble."
While they were talking, the two of them had arrived at the Yangxin Hall. Cui Shugong said respectfully, "Sir, please come in."
Liu Yijin walked into the study. The empress was standing in front of a portrait. When Liu Yijin saw this, he hurriedly said: "I have met your majesty."
The empress turned around, and Gong Suo Liu, who was wearing a black dragon robe, turned to look at Liu Yijin: "Have the housework been taken care of?"
Liu Yijin coughed slightly in embarrassment: "How did your Majesty know?"
"The imperial city belongs to me, how do you think I know that?"
The empress sat on the dragon chair and pointed to the stool next to Liu Yijin: "Sit down."
Liu Yijin sat down and said with an awkward smile: "I never thought that nothing could be hidden from His Majesty's eyes."
The empress snorted: "I even know everything about you in Qinghe Town. What else do you think you can hide from me?" '
Liu Yijin raised his head, and saw a faint smile on the empress's beautiful face. The black dragon robe under her slender neck was loose enough to cover the empress's explosive figure.
The empress was sitting like this, with her legs directly together. From the angle below, you could just see the empress's slender and white calves shaking slightly.
Liu Yijin's eyes were slightly stunned. Your Majesty's toes were really flawless. His white feet were painted with black nails. The black and white complemented each other, making his skin even more white.
Liu Yijin was stunned for a moment.
"Liu Yijin, I'm asking you something, did you hear it?"
ah? Liu Yijin came over in a daze and hurriedly moved his eyes aside: "Your Majesty, I was thinking about Maitreya Buddhism just now, and suddenly I lost my mind."
The empress sneered in her heart. This guy always glanced at her calves with his thief eyes. He didn't seem to be a good guy.
"Have you seen enough?" The empress chuckled.
Liu Yijin looked at the empress's cold expression and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, I have found out that there should be someone from Maitreya Buddhism lurking in the Ministry of Punishment."
"Oh?" The empress knew that Liu Yijin was changing the subject, but she didn't care about it: "How did you know?"
Liu Yijin told the story, and of course he concealed the fact that the three Mengyao women entered the Supervision Department.
"An official from the Ministry of Justice with the surname Huang? Haven't they been found?"
"No, Weichen is now sorting out the names of all the personnel in the past three years, hoping to find this person."
The empress hummed: "What are your plans for the prime minister and Prince Su? Are you going to stay at home like this?"
"You have to know that there are a lot of opinions about you in the court. The prime minister is in charge of the red batch, and King Su is in charge of the Ministry of War. There are so many things waiting for them to come up with a plan. If you don't give an answer, Even I am a little anxious."
Liu Yijin recounted the prime minister's confession, and the empress just chuckled: "If you were the prime minister, would you leave any clues?"
"Won't."
"Yes, I won't even stay with you, let alone an old fox like the prime minister."
"I think you should find some time to lift their ban first."
"I obey the order."
Liu Yijin hesitated for a moment: "Your Majesty, is this why you recruited me into the palace this time?"
The empress handed something over casually: "Look at this."
Liu Yijin took it and looked at it, and couldn't help but be startled: "Is this a list of all the personnel of the Criminal Department?"
"Well, the families and addresses of all the people in the past three years. I hope it can be helpful to you."
Liu Yijin didn't see that the empress still had this thing in her hand, and a relaxed expression appeared on her face: "With this, it will be much easier, I will give the order now."
"Don't panic." The empress pointed to the painting on the wall: "This is given to me by the prime minister. Go and take a look."
As soon as he heard that the prime minister had sent him to the palace, Liu Yijin hurriedly walked over.
In the painting, there is a magnificent palace, with steps outlined by black lines gradually going up. Guards standing on both sides are wearing golden armor, and the open door seems to be able to see the scene inside.
The old man was wearing a black gown and was kneeling on the ground respectfully, while the child was holding a toy in his hand, with a slightly sideways face showing a trace of doubt and confusion.
The empress chuckled and said: "When the prime minister gave this painting to me, he said it was the hope of the people for the dynasty, but I have been studying it for so many years and have never seen the secret. I don't know if you can see it. "
Liu Yijin inspected the painting inch by inch, and his eyes fell on the painted pottery in the child's hand. For a moment, Liu Yijin felt his head buzzing.
"What, did you find anything?"
Liu Yijin stared at the young man's fingers and the painted pottery.
The painted pottery is exactly the same as what I saw in the Prime Minister's Palace a few days ago. Although I can't see clearly the fingers painted on the painted pottery, there are actually six fingers on the other finger of the child in the picture.
Six fingers. Isn't this exactly the same as the painted pottery I saw in the Prime Minister's Palace?
Moreover, Liu Yijin still clearly remembered what the prime minister said, that the painted pottery was given to him by a young boy back then. Could this young man be the child in the painting?
Who is the kneeling old man?
"Liu Yijin, I have a question for you."
Liu Yijin turned around: "Your Majesty, I want to know who painted this painting?"
"I have also studied this painting, and it is inscribed by Old Man Kongshan, but this Old Man Kongshan is very unfamiliar to me."
"And the great painters of the Royal Academy know very little about this old man Kongshan."
"Then what did the Prime Minister say?"
"The prime minister said he bought it when he passed by a stall. Who knows who the stall owner is."
It's something I have no clue about and can't find.
Now the only clue left is a boy with six fingers.
When he thought of this, Liu Yijin suddenly had a bold idea: "Your Majesty, do you think this old man in black is the prime minister himself?"
The empress' gaze fell on the scroll: "If the old man in black is the prime minister, then who should be the young man next to him?"
Liu Yijin chuckled and said: "With such a close relationship, I think he should be his son."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Yijin was shocked when he saw the empress, as if he had thought of something.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing?"
The empress took a deep breath, waved her hand and said: "It's okay, you can go down first."
