Han Qinglan rushed back to the inner court again and walked onto the Thousand Steps Corridor. It was just past noon.
The court officials in each yamen either sneaked out early to work together to improve the food, or they ate the dry food they brought with them in their respective yamen.
Therefore, the inner court at this time is the quietest time of the day with few people.
Along the way, Han Qinglan not only didn't bump into anyone, but the occasional aroma of rice made her mouth overflow with saliva and her bowels rumbling.
But at this moment, it was a good time to take action, and he really didn't have time to fill his stomach first.
He accelerated his pace even more, and the moment he turned from the Qianbu Corridor into the gate of Zongzheng Temple, he lost control of his speed and almost collided with the old man walking towards him.
"Ouch, ouch!"
Fortunately, Han Qinglan was very agile. Just when he was about to collide, he twisted his body and took a quick step outward. With quick eyesight and quick hands, he gave the old man opposite him a hand.
Only then did he have a chance, and when the exclamations started to sound, he and the old man stood firm.
"I'm sorry, you don't show your waist, do you?"
Han Qinglan asked sincerely while supporting the old man.
But at the same time, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
It was obviously going well before, but just these last few steps happened to make him bump into Zongzhengsi Shaoqing.
"Oh? It turns out to be Colonel Han. It's good for young people to be aggressive, but don't be too impatient. Especially, Colonel Han, you are young and have already been a fourth-grade Ranger General. Although you are The seat is only in the Treasury Department, and it doesn’t look like he has much potential, but..."
The young minister of Zongzheng Temple, who is over seventy years old, likes to talk about ancient times and encourage good deeds. However, he is old and has a high position, but he is not very responsible. Naturally, he does not have any official subordinates.
In addition, the breeze on both sleeves means that there is no power or power. Few people in the palace were willing to talk to him, let alone approach him.
But Han Qinglan is not like this. And if it weren't for today's situation, in the past he would accompany Shaoqing back to the Yamen, or go to his own Yamen, chatting until the other party was satisfied.
Firstly, it was because he was too idle. Although he was directly under the Ministry of War, he was the head of the Treasury Department in charge of weapons and equipment. However, the Zhou Dynasty did not use troops in the past two dynasties, so there was no need for large-scale deployment of weapons.
Secondly, Han Qinglan herself is not well-liked by most people in the court, so she can be regarded as "sympathetic" to the situation of Shaoqing Zongzhengsi.
Han Qinglan smiled bitterly and waited for a while. Taking advantage of Shaoqing's breather, she interrupted with an apologetic smile:
"What you always said makes sense. But unfortunately today, I still have official duties to attend to. I will ask the young minister to come to my place another day..."
Although Zongzhengsi Shaoqing has long been used to being rejected in various ways, when he heard Han Qinglan say such words, he couldn't help but feel more uncomfortable than before.
Han Qinglan noticed the changes in the old man before he finished speaking. Therefore, as soon as the second half of the sentence came to his lips, he immediately changed it before speaking.
"So, I'm sorry to see you today, can you do me a favor?"
Zongzheng Temple Shaoqing Yiyi Qing just wanted to wave his hands inertly and responded, "It doesn't matter, just go and get busy." '
But just after he said the first two words, he suddenly froze on the spot in astonishment. He raised his head and looked at Han Qinglan in confusion, with a complicated expression and frowned and asked:
"Young man of the Han family, what you just said was 'help', didn't it mean 'let you leave first'?"
Han Qinglan nodded with a smile and agreed:
"You heard me right, I want to ask you to do me a small favor. I wonder if Shaoqing would be willing to take the time to clarify my doubts for this junior?"
Zhou Yiqing couldn't remember how long it had been since he heard someone else say these two words to him so seriously.
As expected, I was right about the person, and the boy from the Han family was indeed very discerning!
He sighed in his heart, but it did not prevent him from being in high spirits, and he seemed to be ten years younger in an instant.
"Ha, tell me. After I became an official, I spent most of my life here except the Hanlin Academy. As long as you are from Zongzheng Temple, there is nothing big or small that I, Zhou, don't know!"
Zhou Yiqing held his head high and laughed, and after boasting about Haikou in high spirits, he did not forget to immediately add a restriction.
"It's just that, young man of the Han family, please don't trick me. And if it is really something that cannot be said, I will never say a word even if I am tortured to force a confession."
Zongzheng Temple is not only concerned with royal affairs, but also in charge of genealogies of the royal family, clans, and relatives, as well as the protection of royal mausoleums and temples. It also has jurisdiction over the state religion and manages Taoist priests and monks.
In other words, if the matter is confidential, the upper level can go to the clan jade ultimatum, which narrates the imperial lineage and daily life events in a chronological way, and the lower level can involve the vassal decrees, rewards and punishments, feudal household registration, etc., as well as good and bad luck.
One of these mistakes, if known by someone with ulterior motives, will cause disaster, big or small, and the implications will be far-reaching.
Han Qinglan has always been aware of this.
Things that shouldn’t be asked, things that shouldn’t be mentioned, not to mention that they have never been mentioned in front of Yi Qing, who has been the young minister of Zongzheng Temple for decades, even if Yi Qing accidentally brings it up when he is drunk and drinking, he will immediately change the topic.
Because of this, after all these years, the two have become true friends. At this moment, Zhou Yiqing only dared to boast like this without even thinking about it.
Sure enough, Han Qinglan did not disappoint Yiyi Qing, or to be precise, it was regrettable.
"Senior, you are worrying too much. I just want you to give me some advice. If I want to check the ordnance reserves in Zongzheng Temple, where should I go to the main register?"
Not to mention that the Great Zhou Dynasty had not launched any military campaign for many years, and no vassal king could not imagine that he could not live a life of wealth and leisure, so he had to use an egg against a stone to create obstacles for the legitimate heir to the throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Therefore, in Zongzheng Temple, where no members of the royal family have been imprisoned for a long time, not to mention the weapons used for defense, but also the torture instruments and cell facilities, are probably not used anymore, right?
This was an area where Han Qinglan's previous colleagues in Han Qinglan's position had neglected to deal with it intentionally or unintentionally, but they would never go wrong.
But now, the situation is different.
Hearing this, Zhou Yiqing paused for a moment, then immediately pulled Han Qinglan to the corridor where he was carrying people, and then asked in a low voice:
"Did you hear that too?"
Han Qinglan smiled awkwardly, but nodded without hesitation:
"Actually, I didn't hear about it. I saw it with my own eyes when I happened to go out."
Speaking of which, he simply said in detail:
"I just came out of the Yamen this morning, and I saw the third prince escorting Prince Anyang's carriage straight to Zongzheng Temple. And I also saw, well, the process of the prince being sent to Zongzheng Temple."
At that time, the panic of Prince Anyang and the bossiness of the third prince were simply the epitome of reality of the four words "winner and loser".
However, after decades of peace and prosperity in the Great Zhou Dynasty, such unabashed and gloating devouring of fellow tribesmen is really despicable.
It is not only disgraceful for both parties involved, but also for bystanders who instinctively want to keep silent.
But the reason why Han Qinglan was tactful was because she was concerned about the old man in front of her - Yi Qing had always been a gentleman, and his temperament was sometimes too frank and straightforward.
If he couldn't stand the third prince's words and deeds today, he was afraid that he would make trouble with Emperor Xuande in the next moment.
But if this is the case, the only one who will be unlucky is Yi Qing, the young minister of Zongzheng Temple.
