diymy Chapter 37 Wang Xifeng's Mischief
Chapter 37 Wang Xifeng's Mischief
The emperor issued an edict to send several princes to the Six Ministries for training, which not only shocked the court officials, but also gave the common people who love gossip more to talk about during their leisure time.
In the past two days, the capital has been abuzz with discussion, with everyone speculating about who will emerge victorious in the struggle for the throne and become the crown prince.
In addition, the news that the emperor would choose one of the noble sons to marry the second daughter of the Zhen family in Jiangnan also attracted considerable attention. Families with any ambition sought to find out the details, and those families on good terms with the Zhen family were especially busy these past few days.
The Jia family was naturally among them.
Having been promoted, one naturally wants to enjoy the benefits.
Liu Feng sat in the main hall of the Dashilan Hundred Household Office, eating chilled watermelon and flipping through the newly delivered information on the Jia family of the capital.
The large copper basin in front of the table was filled with ice, and the whole hall was filled with a cool breeze.
These ice blocks weren't bought with Liu Feng's own money; they were "sponsored" by the ice vendors. Even the watermelons were gifts from nearby shops.
In those days, ice was entirely stored during the winter, and there were official cellars and private cellars. Official cellars were exclusively for the imperial family and various government offices in the capital, and the emperor also used them for rewards and to win people's hearts.
Noble families like the Jia family received a fixed daily allowance. As for minor officials like Liu Feng, if they wanted ice, they had to buy it from private cellars at their own expense.
Making ice with saltpeter? Don't even think about it. Saltpeter is a military-controlled resource; if you dare to touch it, you'll lose your head.
Liu Feng spat out the watermelon seeds, wiped his hands haphazardly, picked up the ink paper from the table, and examined it closely. His gaze swept over one line, and his brows gradually furrowed.
Jia She was actually the tutor of the deposed crown prince. Wasn't it said that all the people around the deposed crown prince were killed?
As he looked at it, his brows furrowed even more.
The titles and estates of the Rongguo Mansion were actually distributed by imperial decree personally issued by the Emperor Emeritus. Jia She inherited the title, and Jia Zheng received the estates... Isn't this deliberately stirring up trouble?
Could it be that Jia She was involved in that palace coup back then?
Thinking of this, Liu Feng suddenly grabbed a handful of ink-stained paper and quickly flipped through it. His eyes widened immediately: Jia Daishan died on the third day of the tenth month, on the night of the palace coup!
Liu Feng leaned back in his chair. No wonder Jia Min only received the letter after the New Year, no wonder she had a miscarriage... everything made sense now.
After pinching his brow, Liu Feng carefully reviewed the intelligence report on the Jia family from beginning to end.
These were all things Li Shoutian's men had inquired about in the teahouses and taverns of the city. They were all common knowledge: Jia Zhu had died of illness, Jia Lian and Jia Rong had married wives in the same year, and the servants of the Jia family were bullying others and running rampant in the streets... None of these were things he truly wanted.
For example, who is supporting the younger brother-in-law? And who is having an incestuous relationship with him?
Ugh, this damn gossipy heart!
Liu Feng tidied up the ink paper, stuffed it into a kraft paper envelope, and tapped the table with his fingertips.
He knew that the Northern Garrison Command had the answers he wanted, but since it was already confirmed that the Jia family was involved in the palace coup, he could not investigate any further—curiosity really can kill.
Just then, the curtain was lifted, and Li Shoutian walked in with a grin.
"Greetings to Commander Qianhu!"
"Deputy Commander of a Thousand Households"
Li Shoutian chuckled: "Isn't it because there are no outsiders here?"
"What's up?" Liu Feng rolled his eyes.
Li Shoutian rubbed his hands together and stammered, "Well... tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, and I've never been to the Forbidden City before. I'd like to... I'd like to go with you, sir."
The Emperor will hold a dragon boat race in the Western Garden tomorrow, and Liu Feng will be in charge of guarding a section of the river embankment.
"Wang Daniu?" Liu Feng asked.
"Your Excellency is a man of unparalleled wisdom; nothing can escape your notice," Li Shoutian blurted out.
Liu Feng said irritably, "Besides that idiot, who would be willing to give up their spot to you?"
"He's not stupid!"
Li Shoutian looked distressed. "Five roast ducks! That kid cheated me out of five roast ducks!"
Liu Feng was too lazy to deal with their mess: "Come early tomorrow, or you'll be late."
"Thank you, sir!"
In this sweltering heat, we have to stand guard and be just background figures for others. They have no human rights!
As Liu Feng was reminiscing, he saw Li Shoutian still standing there and asked, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
Li Shoutian hesitated for a moment: "There's something I just heard about... Yesterday, people from the Rongguo Mansion went to the Qianmen Street Hundred Household Office to make a request..."
"The Rongguo Mansion?" Liu Feng sat up straight. "What's the occasion?"
"One of the antique shops we shut down is right next to Leng's Antique Shop... We're offering to sell it to someone surnamed Leng at a 30% discount."
"What arrogance!" Liu Feng laughed in exasperation.
"Well, Zhang Xiaoqi knows that you, sir, are from the service of Lord Lin, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangsu... I've heard that Lord Lin is the son-in-law of the Rongguo Mansion... Zhang Xiaoqi is grateful for your kindness, so... so he agreed..."
Seeing Liu Feng's face darken, Li Shoutian quickly advised, "My lord, please don't be angry. This isn't a big deal. Besides, they're using Lord Lin's name and it's their first time visiting. Given Lord Lin's reputation, it's not easy to refuse them. Rest assured, my lord, Zhang Laifu will cover the remaining 30% himself..."
Liu Feng snorted coldly: "Whose invitation did you take?"
Li Shoutian: "I asked, and it's an invitation from Jia Lian, the second son of the eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion."
Jia Lian?
Liu Feng was momentarily stunned, but then he realized it was that little wench Wang Xifeng! What a shameless, down-on-her-luck woman, causing trouble right at his own expense!
Suppressing his displeasure, Liu Feng asked, "Zhang Laifu acted without authorization, breaking the rules of the Northern Garrison Command. How should he be dealt with?"
"grown ups......"
Just as Li Shoutian was about to plead for leniency, Liu Feng glanced at him, and he swallowed back the words he was about to say, whispering, "Zhang Laifu will receive twenty strokes of the cane and a three-month salary deduction. The squad leader who knew about it but failed to report it will receive ten slaps to the face."
"Go."
"Ah?...Yes." Li Shoutian looked distressed.
"Take these to them." Liu Feng took out two silver notes from the box. "The five-hundred-tael note is for Zhang Laifu, and this one-hundred-tael note is for the captain."
"Yes." Li Shoutian took it with both hands and stuffed it into his sleeve.
"You are quick-witted and cautious; don't learn from them."
Liu Feng opened the booklet and pointed to a page with his finger. "The Minister of the Interior has already agreed to transfer a captain, and you will fill the vacated position."
"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Li Shoutian hurriedly bowed.
Liu Feng suddenly remembered something: "There's something I need you to investigate personally. Jia Lian has a servant named Wang'er; see if he's lending money at exorbitant interest rates... If you find concrete evidence, bring it to me quietly. Understand?"
"Yes." Li Shoutian bowed and withdrew.
Liu Feng suddenly remembered a saying: "If the mountain doesn't come to me, I'll go to it." He hadn't wanted to provoke the Jia family, but they had come knocking on his door anyway.
Wang Xifeng? That fiery Feng? She actually dared to shit and piss on my head! Humph, just you wait, I'll pluck all the hair off your body sooner or later!
Thinking of tomorrow's dragon boat race, Liu Feng took out a piece of ink paper from the box. Several names were written on it, all of whom were the same age as him.
He circled Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, with his pen.
Although he hadn't heard the man's words completely, he pondered the word "concubine" for a long time and guessed that it most likely referred to an official title.
In this way, the area becomes much smaller.
Furthermore, if someone could arrange for the offspring in the royal palace to be switched, then the master of the palace is most likely no longer alive.
Therefore, water-soluble is the most likely culprit.
If this conjecture is correct, then the original person was indeed Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong. But what is the origin of this "Shui Rong"?
Liu Feng got up and walked to the window, looking at the distant sky. Would he come to the dragon boat race tomorrow?