Cui Yi thought he would have to put in more effort, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly. He was stunned for a moment, and then continued to ask: "Can you tell me more specifically?"
Deng Langzhong said bitterly: "At that time, Lan Yuan took advantage of the power given to him by the prince. He was really unscrupulous. He blatantly coerced us, the officials of the East Palace, to help him forge evidence and implicate the innocent. Maybe he noticed my resentment, and after that he I was transferred out because of trouble."
"Do you have any physical evidence to prove it?" Cui Yi asked eagerly.
"Of course I don't," Dr. Deng said, shaking his head decisively. "I don't even know the name of the person who was falsely accused. After all, he was often in Dali Temple at that time, and there were only seven or eight people who could secretly discuss with him and compile the list together. personal."
Cui Yi exhaled heavily, feeling quite disappointed. He returned to calm again, and it seemed that it would have to be more difficult to open up the situation.
"Do you know all these people?" he asked.
"There is only one person from the East Palace here, named Hu Kangzhi, who is currently the prince's chief secretary. He has been working submissively for Lan Yuan. It's very abominable! As for the others, either from Dali Temple or from the Ministry of Officials, they are not allowed to do so. Once you see it, you have no way of knowing.”
Cui Yi lay back and muttered to himself: "If we can catch him and make him confess the others, we can match each other's confessions and confirm Lan Yuan's crime..." Then he said to Dr. Deng: "Okay, you can go back. Thank you." He sealed him with twenty taels of silver and sent him back to the Ministry of Rites, claiming it was just a misunderstanding.
After noon, the sky suddenly turned gloomy. Groups of black clouds gathered over the capital, and soon a drizzle began to fall, and it looked like it would become even more violent. The towering city gate was still clearly visible in the rain, forcing a carriage that was about to enter the city to stop.
"Hey, hey," the driver stopped his horse, jumped down, and raised his hands to the defenders: "The young one is following the order of Chief Hu to pick up a distinguished guest from the south. Please allow us to pass. Otherwise It wouldn’t be nice to make that person unhappy.”
The defender heard a hint of threat in these words, and seeing that he was just a commoner who dared to commit such crimes, he couldn't help but get angry: "I don't care who the distinguished guests are, this is the emperor's feet, and no one is bigger than the emperor!" Go and search the car as usual!"
"Be bold!"
Suddenly, a sharp shout was heard, and an official with a medium build and a thin face stepped out of the carriage. It was Hu Kangzhi, the prince's chief secretary.
"This is an order from the imperial court. Do you want to rebel?"
The defender refused to accept it, stretched out his hand and said: "Then take out the official document!"
"This is a secret order, and no one else can predict it!" Hu Kangzhi flicked his sleeve hard, splashing a few drops of water.
Unexpectedly, they ignored him at all and went straight to the carriage. Just as they were about to lift the curtain, a strong hand suddenly stretched out from inside and pressed the man's arm tightly until it hurt.
"If you dare to continue the search, be careful if I give the order and you will all be killed!"
Although this man's voice was old, it was exceptionally strong and powerful, exuding a fierce murderous aura, like the blade of a sword being unsheathed, shocking everyone so much that they took a few steps back and looked at each other in confusion.
"Go away."
The two short words made their clothes wet with sweat. No one dared to mention the search for the car. They all stood with their hands crossed, leaving a wide avenue for them to enter Beijing.
The group of people soon arrived at their destination, which was at the entrance of a narrow alley. Hu Kang got out of the car. He first looked at his surroundings, then turned to the car and made a gesture:
"King Wanjun, please."
Wan Heshun poked his head out and smiled kindly: "Sorry to trouble you."
Hu Kangzhi lowered his head: "It's nothing. It's all Mr. Chen's order, and he's only responsible for it. Besides... if it weren't for the prestige of the county king, the villain might have ruined the big thing."
"Haha, you don't understand me either. I'm not usually angry. It's just forced by the situation."
The two of them were walking and talking when they saw a house in front of it. Kang Zhi pointed to the plaque on the door and said, "This is my house. The prince will have to live here for a few days. I hope you won't dislike it."
Heshun laughed and said, "I understand, I understand! After all, I came here in secret, so I can't be too ostentatious." After that, he strode in.
When they walked to the middle hall, they saw Chen Tongpao who had been waiting for him for a long time. They all bowed and sat down to chat for a while. Chen Tongpao then asked, "Did the prince bring his servants here?"
Wan Heshun said: "I only brought my own coachman, and my family members and others stayed in Nanjing. I thought that after completely overthrowing the Ye Party, I would take them over. As for the military power... I would give it all to that old boy Lu Fangxuan." Well, as the saying goes, before you want to take something, you must give it first."
"You are a little anxious," Tongpao Chen pinched his fingers and said, "The time to overthrow the Ye Party has not yet come."
Wan Heshun hesitated for a moment and asked, "What are you waiting for?"
"After much thought, I think it is not appropriate for you, Prince, to meet the Emperor prematurely. Instead, you should first create an atmosphere where you have no choice but to stay in the capital. Therefore, please wait patiently and stay in seclusion."
"Can you please inform me so that you can rest assured?" Wan Heshun suspected that there was fraud and deliberately asked.
"If you trust me, I will definitely make you feel at ease." Tongpao Chen pointed at his eyes slowly, his face as calm as a lake, "Don't you think Chen can't deal with the mere Ye Party?"
Wan Heshun stared into his eyes, but like everyone else, he couldn't see through the hidden emotions, so in the end he had to accept it. It was naturally uncomfortable to be manipulated by others. He felt as if he had turned into a submissive slave for others to use in an instant. He had no dignity at all. Especially the phrase "merely a partisan" pierced his heart. superior. 'Damn it, I thought that after leaving Nanjing, I finally got rid of the old thief Lu, but I didn't expect to meet an even more ruthless one! ' He thought bitterly.
Even so, he still agreed with all Chen Tongpao's opinions and immediately asked Hu Kangzhi to clean out a side room to live in. The coachman acted as a servant every day and took care of daily life.
At night, Wan Heshun saw that no one was bothering him, so he took the opportunity to discuss with the coachman and asked him what he thought. The coachman kowtowed and said: "I don't know the politics of the imperial court, but I know that Comrade Chen wants to take advantage of him and has evil intentions. If we can really destroy the Ye Party and ask you to take his place, then the two powerful forces will be incompatible in the future. You will be at odds with Chen Dang. And the emperor always likes to use the technique of checks and balances, I am afraid that you will become the next Ye Yongjia."
"Tongpao Chen is many times smarter than me, and I am not as good as him. I admit this," Wan Heshun smiled slightly, "but he can never shake my position. You are unfounded. I will definitely have the last laugh." Unless...he is willing to give up his power."
