Huo Qi nodded and saw that Song Huan's eyebrows were quite sad, and he felt a little moved.
"By the way, Your Highness," Huo Qi suddenly said seriously, "We already have some clues about what you asked your subordinates to investigate."
Song Huan raised his eyebrows: "How do you say that?"
Huo Qi's expression was a little serious: "After verification by my subordinates, each of the twenty-four yamen in Da Nei has old eunuchs and maids who have not yet left the palace!"
"And the most coincidental thing is that each department has only one slave who is overage and has not left the palace."
"Although palace maids, eunuchs, and eunuchs who perform outstandingly can be allowed to remain on duty in the palace."
"However, since the late emperor's time, this situation has rarely happened again."
"Even if there are, there are only three or five in the entire palace at most."
"There will never be so many people showing up at the same time!"
"If it wasn't intentional, it would be too much of a coincidence."
After hearing this, Song Huan was almost certain.
These palace maids and eunuchs are the "eyes" placed in the palace.
As for the people who have spies in the palace...
Apart from Song Liang, there should be no other candidates.
But the most important thing about Song Huan is who is the informant lurking next to Emperor Liang?
"Are there any servants serving in the Yangxin Palace and Imperial Study Room who are overage and have not left the palace?"
Huo Qi thought for a moment and shook his head: "The selection of people to serve in front of the emperor is very strict, and this kind of situation is not allowed to happen."
"The person who installed the spy is very strict and will not take the risk of doing such a thing in front of His Majesty."
Huo Qiyan was right, but Song Huan didn't think so.
The reason why the spy was placed was simply to be able to control Emperor Liang's every move in a timely manner.
No matter how many arrangements are made in other departments in the palace, nothing can be compared to arranging one in front of the emperor!
Song Huan nodded thoughtfully: "Okay, I understand."
"You go first!"
After Huo Qi was sent away, Song Huan thought for a long time and finally took up writing a letter.
"Xiao Lingzi."
"The slave is here!"
Xiao Lingzi pushed open the door and walked in, bowing and standing in front of Song Huan.
Song Huan handed the letter over: "Send this letter to the Prime Minister's house. Be sure to deliver it to the Prime Minister personally."
"Keep a low profile and don't let anyone discover you."
Xiao Lingzi nodded solemnly: "Yes!"
…
Ouchi, imperial study room.
Emperor Liang sat casually at his desk and flipped through the memorials.
After a while, a black shadow gradually emerged from the darkness, kneeling on one knee in front of Emperor Liang.
"Subordinate Huo Qi, pay homage to Your Majesty."
Emperor Liang raised his eyes lightly and glanced at Huo Qi, who was kneeling opposite with an expressionless face.
"You're late today."
Huo Qi was a little panicked: "It's a bit troublesome to deal with, so it's a little late to return to life."
"I know my mistake!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang put down the memorial in his hand and stared at the other party intently.
"You're not a good talker, you know that?"
Seeing Huo Qi lowering his head and saying nothing, Emperor Liang sneered.
"Someone died?"
"Your Majesty, he is dead."
"What does the fourth child say about this matter?"
"...Back to Your Highness, Prince Rong doesn't know about this yet."
Emperor Liang raised his eyebrows: "How can the fourth man be so calm?"
"Didn't he ask you for any details about this matter from the beginning to the end?"
Huo Qi lowered his eyes and shook his head: "On weekdays, Prince Rong will not summon his subordinates unless it is important."
"So, Prince Rong didn't interfere in this matter."
Emperor Liang was noncommittal about Huo Qi's answer.
"Guard Huo, don't forget your true responsibilities."
"If there is any trouble with the Fourth Brother, please tell me immediately!"
Huo Qi lowered his head tightly: "Yes!"
…
The next morning.
The morning court had just begun, Qi Yuandao, the Minister of Punishment, couldn't wait to take a step forward and saluted Emperor Liang.
"Your Majesty!"
"Fang Wanlin left a letter of repentance and committed suicide in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment out of fear of crime."
When the ministers heard this, they did not show much shock or astonishment.
After all, such news had spread throughout Bianjing as early as yesterday afternoon.
However, today in the morning, they officially heard the news again. Everyone felt that the hairs on their bodies stood up and they were horrified!
To be able to assume responsibilities in the court of Daliang, these courtiers were not fools, and they naturally understood the true intentions of Emperor Liang.
Emperor Liang did this not to punish corrupt officials, but to serve as a warning to all civil and military officials!
Cheng Xun, standing in the crowd, just gritted his teeth silently and clenched his fists.
He wanted to vindicate Fang Wanlin, but the letter from Song Huan he received yesterday gave him no choice but to shut up!
The letter made it very clear that Emperor Liang now hated the idea of forming a party for personal gain, and he would never let it go easily even if there was even a slight possibility of it.
Anyone who dares to openly speak for Fang Wanlin at this time is deliberately trying to go against the dragon's scale and confront Emperor Liang.
It didn't matter that Cheng Xun ignored him, but he couldn't ignore his son, Cheng Tianlin, who was also an official in the court!
Thinking of this, Cheng Xun could only sigh silently in his heart.
The entire morning court process was quite depressing, and Song Huan felt as if a big stone had been pressed on his heart, making him very uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Huo Qi told him this morning that Fang Wanlin's wife and children had been settled, which gave Song Huan some comfort.
After the morning court, Song Huan was not in a hurry to leave the palace, but followed Emperor Liang to the imperial study.
"My son, I pay my respects to my father!"
"sit!"
Emperor Liang pointed to the chair opposite, without raising his head to look at Song Huan, but instead flipped through the memorial to himself.
Song Huan sat quietly for a long time, until the little palace maid serving tea changed three cups of tea for Emperor Liang, and then Emperor Liang finished the work at hand.
"Fourth, you came to me, what do you want to say?"
Today's Emperor Liang is not as amiable as before.
On the contrary, he seemed to be somewhat on guard against Song Huan.
Song Huan knew that when Emperor Liang saw that he was so eager to come to see him, he might even think that he came to see him specifically because of Fang Wanlin's affairs!
Fang Wanlin was recommended by Cheng Xun, and Cheng Xun was his future father-in-law.
If he really came here because of Fang Wanlin, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him!
However, when Song Huan opened his mouth, what he said was somewhat beyond Liang Emperor's expectations.
"Father, I have come here today to report some bad news to you!"
"My son spent all night studying at home last night and found that there are several aspects of the design of this musket that are very unreasonable and need to be improved immediately."
"Erchen immediately took several of the parts to the Ministry of Industry, hoping that several doctors from the Ministry of Industry could give him some advice."
"However, those doctors resisted. I don't know if they didn't understand or were too lazy to talk. They just wanted to fool the ministers!"
"My son can't reveal the making of muskets. Faced with the perfunctory treatment of these doctors, I can only give up."
