After Si Xi secretly memorized the test questions in his mind, he left the teahouse and returned to the palace. Yinzhen was reading the booklet that had just been presented to him in the morning. When he saw him coming in, he asked, "How is it? Have you bought it?"
Si Xi said in a low voice: "Returning to the emperor, this matter is strange today. Yesterday, I had to spend a thousand taels of silver to buy test questions, but now I can see them without spending a penny."
Yinzhen felt relieved and said: "It looks like it's a fake test question again. Selling it so expensive before was just a trick to deceive people. It makes people think that the expensive thing must be real, but now I can't hide it anymore." He then said again.
: "Tell me about the test question."
"Hey!" Si Xi remembered the test question firmly, and when Yinzhen asked about it, he hurriedly spat out the words: "The way of a university is to be clear and virtuous, to be close to the people, and to strive for perfection."
Yinzhen's original casual expression changed completely after hearing Si Xi's words. He sat up straight, stared at Si Xi and said, "Say it again."
Si Xi heard something was wrong in the voice and did not dare to ask more questions. He repeated in a low voice: "The way of a university is to be clear about virtue, to be close to the people, and to strive for perfection."
Si Xi said it twice in a row, finally convincing Yinzhen that he heard correctly, and that the questions he asked in the provincial examination were really leaked and spread everywhere.
Apart from the secret decrees sealed by fire, only I know the questions of the provincial examination. Why do others know about it and spread it so widely? Judging from Si Xi’s meaning, it won’t be long before the whole capital knows about it.
Moreover, he was not sure where other places besides the capital were circulating test questions. This could not be based on guessing. Anyone who could guess the test questions at once must have been leaked.
But logically speaking, such a thing should not happen, unless... someone opened the fire seal without authorization before the provincial examination and leaked the test questions.
In this provincial examination, he wanted to prevent the test questions from being leaked, but the commotion was unprecedented. Who leaked the test questions?
"Come in and see me." Yinzhen suddenly said this. After a while, without anyone communicating, someone opened the door and walked in. It was the head of the secret agent wrapped in black clothes, with one knee on the ground.
He said in a hoarse voice: "My servant is here."
"Immediately investigate who is leaking the test questions. In addition, send people to various provinces to see if there are any leaks of test questions. I only give you two days to find out everything before sunset tomorrow.
"
Yinzhen's words made the spy leader feel pressured. Some provinces are thousands of miles away from the capital, and even the best treasures can only travel thousands of miles a day. Going back and forth like this in two days and one night is really difficult. But they are secret agents. Originally, they were secret agents.
You have to be incapable of others, so no matter how difficult it is, you can only grit your teeth and agree.
After the spy chief retreated, Yinzhen said to Si Xi, who was frightened by the side: "It is said that Hongli will come to the palace to see me immediately without delay. In addition, let him take the secret edict I gave him."
"Hey." Sixi lowered his head and responded, his face a little pale. Although Yinzhen didn't say it clearly, those words just now made Sixi understand that the questions he got back must be real test questions, otherwise Yinzhen wouldn't be like this.
It is really unreasonable to mobilize troops and mobilize people, but the test questions are leaked no matter how you talk about them.
On the other hand, Hongli has also been sending people to keep an eye on the Duke's Mansion, Prince Ding's Mansion, and those who were secretly following the people who spread the test questions. He mobilized all the people at his disposal, even Yunxiang
He also borrowed all the trustworthy people under Yun Li.
The two of them didn't ask any more questions. Because of Ling Ruo's relationship, they all took special care of Hongli, and they would never refuse anything he asked.
At the same time, Hongli ordered Xiao Zhengzi to bring Chuwu over. Chuwu was a boy of sixteen or seventeen years old. He had bright eyes and was very flexible. He kept asking Xiao Zhengzi questions along the way. Hongli summoned him
Why is he so uneasy? The main reason is that since yesterday, the manager of the mansion has sent word that he is not allowed to leave the mansion for the time being.
Little Zhengzi had known Hongli's words in advance, so how could he tell him these things? He just said that he had gone there. After arriving at the study, little Zhengzi turned around and closed the door. The latter was startled by this formation.
He smiled apologetically and said, "Your Majesty, I wonder what your instructions are for me?"
Hongli raised his head and said: "On the fifth day of the lunar month, the night before you, the night when my first wife Fujin had a miscarriage, did you enter the study?"
When Chu Wuyi heard this, he almost jumped up. He quickly shook his head and said: "How could I dare to enter the study without the prince's order? Could it be that... there is something missing in the study?"
Hongli looked at him and said, "So, I have misunderstood you?"
"I don't dare." As soon as Chu Wu finished his words, Hongli's cold voice came to his ears, "I originally planned to give you a chance, but it seems you don't need it now."
Chuwu lowered his head and said: "Slave... I don't understand what the prince means."
"Ade saw that you went in and out of the study the night before to steal the secret decree and gave it to others to take out. You can't deny it. On the fifth day of the lunar month, stealing the secret decree is a capital crime. How much money did that person give you? How much money did that person give you?
Did you even sell your life to him?"
On the fifth day of the lunar month, his face was full of panic and he said: "Secret decree? What secret decree? I don't know this."
Hongli sneered and said: "You stole the secret decree from my study, but you don't know what it is. On the fifth day of the lunar month, I really don't know what to say to you."
"I'm wronged. I really don't know anything." Chuwu was still trying to evade, but how could Hongli listen to his lies? He immediately signaled to Xiao Zhengzi to pull him down and beat him, only to hit him a few times.
Unable to bear it, he told everything he knew.
As early as a year ago, someone gave him a lot of money to keep an eye on things in the house. But this time, someone contacted him a few days ago and asked him to go to the study to find something that night, without saying anything.
What it is, I just draw something on paper for him to remember. If he doesn't find it in the study, he will find a way to steal it from Hongli. Although Chuwu is timid, he has received so much money from others, so he can only do it, but
He really didn't know it was a secret order.
Hongli then asked a few more questions. Chuwu was honest and told the story in detail, but Hongli didn't hear any words about Yingge or Hongshi. Apparently he didn't even know who he was.
I don’t know who is taking advantage of me, I just lost my mind due to a pile of money and am willing to be taken advantage of.
Facing the begging for mercy on the fifth day of the lunar month, Hongli didn't say anything. He just ordered someone to take him down, and sent someone to his room to get all the money he got.
Hongli carefully checked all the silver and found no marks, let alone banknotes, which made Hongli unable to trace it for a while. Could it be that the clue of the fifth day of the lunar month was just cut off? No, there must be something else that he didn't notice.
. As long as we can find and grasp this point, we will definitely be able to connect the two.
Before Hongli could figure out a clue, he saw little Zhengzi coming in and saying, "Your Majesty, my dear father-in-law is here."