In Chang'an City, the morning market drum has just sounded. In the General Affairs Department outside the Yintai Gate on the left wing of the Imperial City, the Feixun Hall, nicknamed the "Woven Nest" and "Spider Cave" because of the pipes and network cables gathered here, also ended with the continuous sound of water bells. A full night shift.
As the prison guards on duty outside opened the door bolts and thick padlocks, they suddenly walked out in twos and threes, yawning low-level officials in blue robes, and more night watchmen stretching their waists, wearing gray shirts and black crotches. member. It's like a routine that has been repeated countless times over hundreds of years.
I saw them just like a school of swimming fish, flocking to the East Hall, which provides public breakfast; here they provide a large amount of porridge, rice, soup and cakes, and even some limited supply of snacks; enough to satisfy many people who have not yet married. A low-ranking official, or a low-level official who was short of money, had a good time.
Of course, as officials of a slightly higher rank among them, they would come to the second floor of the East Hall, a small room dedicated to resting. Ladder cages are often used here to keep warm and prepare some more elaborate and various kinds of food; such as steamed buns. Cake, soup sticks, rice dumplings, crispy rings and other seasonal appetizers.
There are also those who have a lot of money or a privileged background, and they will bring their own food at home or ask the neighborhood restaurants to deliver it to share with their colleagues on duty. It can be regarded as a kind of daily communication and closer relationship. After all, as the Communications Department of the General Affairs Department, it is neither important nor unimportant.
The important thing is that it can obtain the fastest first-hand information in the world through the network of more than a dozen governor's offices and governor's offices in the thirty-six provinces of the world; this allows the imperial center to always control the situation on the ground relatively effectively. news dynamics, as well as the response mechanism for natural and man-made disasters.
But what is not important is that the news that is collected through this "big net" every day is really complex and as complicated as the sea; it requires a specific process and a lot of manpower and brainpower to sort and filter; Eventually it became a formal issue in the court.
Therefore, for these officials and civil servants who have direct access to first-hand information, they have to face a tedious and mind-numbingly repetitive routine. Even if nothing happens in most places for a long time, it must be confirmed regularly through specific codes on the Feidian communication line.
Therefore, after the three-shift night shift, this kind of dining time in the East Hall has become one of the few places of this generation where people can communicate with each other and have some fun. In fact, a tradition and custom called fighting food was born, and it spread among the bureaucracies.
As one of the four permanent directors of the Feixun Hall, Wei Xuanzhen is undoubtedly the best in "fighting for food"; because he married the daughter of a wealthy feudal family, he always has a way to recruit some innovative ideas from the huge Chang'an city. / Share weird food with colleagues and subordinates.
Even this time, there was no exception. With a look on his face, he took out a large plate of five-color mountains dyed with long eye rice and added a lot of dried fruits and candied fruits from the insulated steamer; while on the pile of five-color rice Nuts, preserved meat, and even carved shapes of birds, small animals, etc.
Just one look at it makes people hungry and makes their index fingers move. Then, while these colleagues and subordinates gathered around and began to eat at this five-color rice mountain, Wei Xuanzhen drank the refreshing tea soup, leaned against the window, and quietly put a small tube containing a paper roll into the window. Bouncing into the exterior wall.
And there, there will naturally be a special handyman who sweeps it in the morning to pick it up; and then send it to where it needs to go. Not long after, Wei Xuanzhen, who was about to leave the hospital in the morning light, was stopped by a colleague, saying that there seemed to be some omissions and mistakes in the form that was logged in at night.
However, when he came to the remote penthouse full of thoughts, he did not see another supervisor who was also on duty, and there was no so-called night shift badge. But Lian Gongzhi, the left councilor of the General Affairs Department who rarely sets foot here, is sitting at the top. Then the door to the back room suddenly closed.
"Hello, Zuo Shen. I wonder if the official has taken the time to come here. Is there anything you can do for me?" Wei Xuanzhen couldn't help but feel a thump in his heart, but he tried his best to salute as if it was nothing serious and said: "Actually, the official only needs to give an order. , the servants can then go and report on their own..."
"Mr. Wei! You have been serving in the General Affairs Department for nineteen years, right?" However, Lian Gongzhi suddenly interrupted him: "It is said that you are diligent in your work and have a good reputation among your colleagues. During this period, you also gave in at least He has been given the opportunity to be promoted twice; he is truly a model of diligence in our company."
"It's just some daily boasts, and I really don't dare to praise Zuo Shen." Wei Xuanzhen said, thinking in his mind: "The servants are just people who live in peace and contentment. They have no hope of promotion and prosperity, and no worries about food, clothing, and warmth." "So being able to have the situation in front of me is already satisfying."
"This is because everyone has his own ambitions, and it's not easy for me to decide." After hearing this, Lian Gongzhi nodded and said: "I also heard that your ancestor came from the family of Fang Jin Gong; it can be regarded as a family that has been passed down for generations. The loyal family has passed away. So, there is one thing I still don’t understand?”
"Please tell me, sir..." Wei Xuanzhen couldn't help but bowed his head and said respectfully:
"Since you have such a good family background and many years of experience, your daily life is even more secure." Lian Gongzhi wrote lightly: "Then why do you want to act as a mole, steal secrets, and even collude secretly? The rebels who are trying to overthrow the imperial court!"
"Zuo Shen, why did you say that!" At this moment, when Wei Xuanzhen heard the words, it was like five thunders struck his head, and another bucket of ice water was poured from his head to the soles of his feet. He said angrily, as if he was laughing in anger: "Who on earth planned this? He wanted to trap me, but he didn't hesitate to commit such a crime..."
"You don't mind, secretly informing the Liu family in Jingjiang, is this a trap for someone else?" However, Lian Gongzhi sneered unmoved; at the same time, he threw a small tube in front of him that was supposed to be picked up: "Wan I never thought that the leak that our company has been pursuing for a long time would fall on you."
The next moment, Wei Xuanzhen, who seemed to be weak in character, suddenly got angry, grabbed several furnishings, and swung them at Lian Gongzhi himself. Then, amid the noise of dodging and hitting, he retreated and slammed into the carved flower. A crack was forced out of the window lattice, and he turned over and disappeared.
However, Lian Gongzhi, who was blocked in front of him by two guards and did not move at all, sighed heavily; then he said to another person who walked out: "Since we are sure that the crime is confirmed, let's hand it over." I've asked you to go to the Xijingli Palace for questioning, so that we can root out the source of the leak."
"Please don't worry, Mr. Liang, we can't escape from this building." That person was Xin Pingping, the manager of the internal engine room from Xijing Lixingyuan. He said calmly: "As long as Mr. Lien doesn't mind our headquarters and takes some extraordinary interrogations. The method can naturally make him tell everything and tell everything."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a brief movement outside because Wei Xuanzhen hit the window and ran away. I don't know when it completely subsided. Then Wei Xuanzhen, who was as silent as a dead dog, was dragged back to life by a sergeant with a body like an iron tower and bulging muscles. I saw him saying apologetically:
"Shang Guan, please forgive me. I seem to have lost control of my strength. I accidentally hit him hard, and it seemed that I pinched his hands and feet. As a result, I passed out from pain on the spot. Please rest assured, I have carefully checked. After that, at least his life is still there..."
However, after hearing these words, Lian Gongzhi's eyes couldn't help but twitch slightly, and he couldn't help but want to use the armrest to weigh himself. Is it possible that everything in Xijingli Xingyuan is so straightforward/rude? But he still sighed and said: "This dormitory is at your disposal. I just want to confess."
Immediately afterwards, Lian Gongzhi looked at the former imperial city in the distance, where the Shangshu Province was located, and murmured to himself: "Since we have prioritized cutting off the source of possible leaks in the General Affairs Department, we should start to take action in other places. Come on! Your supervisor has created a big problem for the court!"
"Zuo Shen was joking." However, Xin Pingping said with a humble and meaningful smile: "My family chief is in Raozhou this time, and he is fortunate to have solved many potential worries and internal troubles for the court. Yes. Otherwise, I don’t know what unbearable things will happen in the future.”
As his words slowly drifted in the wind. On the right wing of the Baiguan Office in the front courtyard of the imperial city, in the Taiyuan, one of the three courtyards of the Censor; amidst the faint shouts and shouts, a gray figure suddenly jumped down from the eaves behind a high wall, and then layer by layer. The layer broke and fell onto a street tree.
When the man got up again, his clothes were scratched and his head was bleeding; nevertheless, he stumbled and continued running along the wall. Finally, he jumped into a ditch and disappeared. When he was covered in filth, he reappeared at the other end of the ditch outside the palace wall.
But unexpectedly, another voice sneered above his head and said, "Taiyuan Right Recorder asked you, I wonder when you changed your profession and started digging ditches for a living." Then a group of right street envoys came. A disciple of Jinwu covered his face and nose and scratched out the fugitive who was covered in filth.
However, in the North Department of Zhencheng under the Jingzhao Mansion, the arrest of Bai Jingfu, the first brigade general and deputy arrest thief, who was the top official of the Criminal Department's fast-track team stationed here, encountered a lot of trouble; because Bai Jingfu He had a high prestige among his subordinates, so he once gathered a crowd to resist capture.
Then, Yuan Wailang, who was directly in charge of the Ministry of Punishment, appeared in person and persuaded most of the team members who did not know the truth to disperse. However, he and his henchmen unexpectedly broke out and kidnapped them on the spot on the pretext of surrendering. Until Xijingli Hingyuan's backup arrived and shot special smoke to numb them all.
In addition, the interrogation of Li Lingwen, the doctor of the temple, in the temple department in charge of temple worship, astronomy, engravings, national taboos, temple taboos, divination, medicine, etc., as well as the records of monks and nuns, also came to nothing; however, they were subsequently interrogated. He followed him personally and blocked him in the home of the otaku wife he kept.
Among those who were raided and arrested at the same time were more than a dozen well-known Hu merchants in the West City and several business leaders in the East City. However, in the Zoroastrian Temple in Fanfang under the city, the arrest of a chief protector of the Sabao Prefecture, Zhuozheng/Mu, met with resistance from the believers present, causing dozens of casualties before succeeding.
In the end, except for Liu Chuanzhi, the original target of the general supervisor, whose whereabouts were unknown a few days ago, the raid promoted and launched by Xijingli Xingyuan this time has generally achieved its goal successfully. Next comes the subsequent pursuit, liquidation and game in the court.
