He turned to look at Yao Yao. This person has been hanging out in Pingkangfang all year round, and he should also recognize this kind of candle.
Sure enough, Yao Yao did know. She glanced at the wax oil, frowned and said, "This wax oil looks familiar." As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes lit up, and she grinned: "It's ordinary. Candles from Kangfang.”
This hehehehe laughter swirled in the empty warehouse, and Meng Suigai also trembled with the laughter.
He looked at Yao Yao with a slightly horrified look. It was just a candle. How could he smell the conspiracy in this laughter.
Han Changmu has known Yao Yao for a long time, and he knows that she has always had a treacherous mind, but the laughter still sent chills down his spine and made his scalp numb. He also knew that this candle was the most used in Pingkangfang, but he didn't smile so sinisterly. It's pity.
He swallowed: "What happened to the candles in Pingkangfang?"
Yao Yao's eyes widened, and she was surprised by Han Changmu's simplicity. She remembered that he was also a frequent visitor to Pingkangfang. Even if he was just acting on occasion, he would often set foot in Pingkangfang. He might have used many of the tricks in Pingkangfang. At least you should have seen it before.
She opened her mouth slightly, with a look of surprise on her face: "Don't you know, sir? The candles used in the flower house in Pingkangfang are all mixed with luminous stone powder and aphrodisiac incense. Just one as thick as a thumb will burn for a moment. It worked.”
Han Changmu's mouth twitched slightly, "What's this all about? How could a girl like Yao Yao know so clearly and speak out without blushing?"
Instead, the tips of his ears turned red and he nodded awkwardly: "I know, I've heard about it, but you don't have to laugh so gloatingly."
Yao Yao's face was calm, his eyes flashed narrowly: "Sir, this is the Gongyuan. In the Gongyuan, someone is using the warm candles from the Pingkangfang Flower House. Isn't the excitement big enough?"
"..." Han Changmu was speechless for a moment, but then he couldn't help but laugh. The Gongyuan was full of men, but the candles in Pingkangfang appeared inexplicably. This excitement was indeed enough for Yao Yaoxiao. It is enough to gloat about others' misfortune, and it is enough to disgrace people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy if word spreads about it.
However, this is not about a candle. It is about pulling out a carrot and bringing out the mud.
He pursed his lips, pursing his thin smile, and lowered his head to look at the imperceptible piece of wax oil again.
This piece of wax oil has dried completely, but it seems that it did not take that long to dry. The oily feeling of the wax oil is still there, and it has not been cracked by the air, nor has it appeared dry.
The dust next to the wax oil is obviously thicker than that on the wax oil.
This wax oil had obviously been dripped not long ago. It was most likely that someone came in just after the invalid examination papers were delivered to this warehouse.
Han Changmu glanced at the invalid examination papers stored in the place where the wax dripped. There were four volumes in total. Each volume was sealed in a separate paper bag. The seals were written "One of the two volumes of Jian Jing, the second volume of Jian Jing". "", and the sealing time was March 26th.
This is the second exam that has been cancelled, and the official exam papers are still being printed day and night.
Han Changmu suddenly raised his head, his eyes slightly cold, seeming to penetrate the thick wall, and looked at the back of Mingyuan Building. There was a closed courtyard there, which was used to print examination papers for previous provincial examinations.
The courtyard has only one door and is surrounded by high walls. One of the walls is the outer wall of the Gongyuan, and the two opposite corners are watchtowers guarded by soldiers.
After the examiner entered the courtyard, one hundred internal guards were stationed inside the courtyard, while two hundred Beiya Imperial Guards were stationed outside.
There were more than 18,000 scholars who died this time. Thousands of printing craftsmen worked day and night, and they could only print out the required examination papers after the princes arrived.
When these examination papers were handed out to the scholars, they were still smelling of ink. If you accidentally rubbed your hands on them, the examination papers would be ruined.
If there is any place in the tribute courtyard that is the most heavily guarded, apart from the dormitory, it is the place where examination papers are printed. From the day they entered the palace, the craftsmen sat in jail in the courtyard, eating, drinking, sleeping, and sleeping in the printing workshop. , no one can go in or out, no messages or items can be delivered, and three meals a day have to be delivered.
It can be said that not even a fly can fly into the current sealing workshop, nor can examination papers fly out.
Han Changmu looked away, his eyes slightly narrowed, his eyes cold and stern.
Perhaps it is precisely because the exam papers being printed are not easy to obtain that the leaked exam papers have become invalid.
The perpetrator may not be interested in the authenticity of the test questions, but only in making money.
It is also possible that stealing the test papers was just a cover to deceive others, and the person who did it actually had other motives.
He thought about it, reached out and took down the five invalid test papers, carefully opened the seal, took out the test papers inside, took a look at them, and handed them to Yao Yao: "Put them down."
Yao Yao was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously blurted out: "Why?"
Han Changmu raised his eyebrows, leaned into Yao Yao's ear and whispered jokingly: "You want to save Bao Cheng."
Yao Yao snorted angrily, holding the exam paper and memorizing it while shaking his head.
Seeing Yao Yao's pretentious look, Han Changmu raised his lips and smiled. He turned to Meng Suige and said in a deep voice: "This matter is still unclear and it is not suitable to make it public, so as not to alarm the snake. You first take the internal guards upstairs and downstairs to recover." Leave it as it is, and arrange for a few internal guards to hide in the dark and keep an eye on these two places."
The abnormality was found at the end of the second floor of Mingyuan Building. Although the location is hidden, it is not easy to attract people's attention.
But there are eighteen fellow examiners living on the second floor of Mingyuan Building, and there are thirty-six supervisors, promotions, and supervisors each. With so many people, there are too many people to see, and they are not deaf or blind when they make such a big move like prying off the floor. , how could you not come out and take a look.
He sighed inconspicuously, the inner guard was still somewhat lacking.
If there are enough manpower, internal guards can be arranged to monitor the examiners, supervisors, promotions, and supervisors, so that no clues can be found.
But now, after careful calculation and calculation, he found that he was really short of manpower.
Meng Suigai had obviously thought of this, and heaved a deep breath: "Sir, it would be great if more internal guards could be brought in."
Yao Yao pursed his lips. This is natural. Things are easier to do when there are many people. However, during the provincial examination, after the examiner entered the curtain, until the end of the marking and before the results were presented to Emperor Yong'an, many officials in charge of the provincial examination, including Bei Neither the imperial guards nor the internal guards were allowed to leave the Gongyuan.
However, because Han Changmu attended in person this year, Emperor Yong'an still gave him a token, allowing him to handle the official affairs of the Internal Security Department in the Gongyuan on the day of repair after each exam, and to report to the outside world. Deliver the message.
This is why Han Changmu Jian broke some rules in the emperor's heart.
Han Changmu touched the golden token in his sleeve, frowned and said, "Okay, let's do this for now. I will consider the rest carefully before making any plans."
Meng Suige had a solemn look on his face and nodded in agreement.
There are no windows in this warehouse, and the door is tightly closed. In order to prevent the leakage of the test papers, there are no vents or other things around. People who stay in the warehouse for a long time will inevitably feel chest tightness and suffocation.
After a cup of tea, Yao Yao put the examination papers back into the paper bag one by one and sealed them. He took a heavy breath and felt that his back was a little damp: "My lord, I have finished carrying it, we can go. "
Han Changmu knew that Yao Yao had a good memory, but he didn't expect it to be so good. He couldn't help but be surprised: "So fast?"
Yao Yao raised his eyebrows proudly.
Han Changmu pursed his lips speechlessly and asked, "Since you are familiar with that kind of candle, do you know what traces this candle will leave in the room after it burns?"
"Trace, what trace?" Yao Yao was stunned for a moment.
Han Changmu said: "Smell and the like."
Yao Yao shook his head: "This candle seems to be odorless, but," she paused slightly, her eyes brightened: "However, I remember that if the candle is burned in the room for a long time, the fluorescent powder will burn with the candle. The smoke behind is scattered in the corners of the room and will not disappear by itself if no one cleans it."
Han Changmu squinted his eyes. Judging from the condition of the wax oil, it had only been dripping here for three or four days. Now if he searches the Gongyuan, he might actually gain something.
It's just that you can't conduct a large-scale search. You have to pay special attention to the reason and method of the search. You can't leave any traces or alert the enemy.
He thought for a moment and whispered a few words to Yao Yao.
Yao Yao's expression changed, he arched his eyebrows and nodded with a smile.
The gloomy and solemn atmosphere in the warehouse disappeared as the two people relaxed.
When Han Changmu searched the warehouse on the first and second floors of Mingyuan Building last night, he didn't deliberately hide anything. The noise was huge and many people were alarmed.
Some people lost their temper and sought information from acquaintances.
When it was time for lunch, an atmosphere of tension and panic quietly filled the Mingyuan Building.
"Now, everything in the Gongyuan will be full of soldiers." Yao Yao began to place the lunches in the lunch boxes on the dining table one by one. Thinking of the whispers he heard when he went to the kitchen to get lunch, he couldn't help but sneer. A smile.
Han Changmu smiled nonchalantly: "Without such a big movement, they would still be fighting."
Yao Yao raised his eyebrows and said with a narrow smile: "The elders in the pavilion are too old to be frightened, and those on the second floor are young and inexperienced. Don't be frightened. The imperial ministers will not be able to enter the Gongyuan."
Han Changmu grinned enigmatically and said, "It's okay. The saint was afraid that Jiang Ge would be old and frail and would not be able to withstand the torture in the tribute courtyard, so he specially asked me to bring medicine in."
Yao Yao made a sound: "Does the saint want to see Mr. Jiang Ge, or does he not want to see Mr. Jiang Ge?"
Han Changmu raised his eyebrows: "What do you think?"
Yao Yao curled her lips, it was about the court, how could she dare to talk nonsense, so she started talking nonsense like a joke: "If you ask me, the saint has had enough of that old and yellow face, and wants to see a fresh and handsome face."
"..." Han Changmu was speechless.
