People in the palace reported the news late at night and carried the Mingguang Palace sign when entering or exiting.
The emperor's face suddenly darkened.
He stared at the chamberlain and said coldly: "Raise your head."
The chamberlain shivered: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
The emperor shouted loudly: "I want you to raise your head!"
The waiter was startled and raised his head out of habit, revealing his face.
He explained in a panic: "Your Majesty, I really just went to the steward of Prince Yi's Mansion to say a few words and then left. I didn't go to send a message..."
The emperor looked at him coldly and said nothing.
He gradually stopped talking, his whole body shrank into a ball, his face turned pale, and he was sweating like rain.
The emperor turned around and asked, "Where is Zhang Huaide?"
The regular attendant on duty today replied: "I will order someone to look for you right now."
The emperor said calmly: "Ask Liao Ying."
He was talking about the former commander of the Longxiang Guard Palace. Even when Yu Chong was around, he only took orders from the emperor himself. He could be said to be the confidant of his confidants.
Is it necessary to use a Forbidden Army commander to find Zhang Huaide? Of course not. The emperor's order shows that he has become suspicious of Zhang Huaide!
The Minister of Dali Temple secretly screamed that something was wrong, and his mind was spinning rapidly.
He thought that the Ministry of Punishment would cause trouble, but he did not expect that Zhang Huaide's messenger would be caught. The emperor's confidants colluded with the prince. This was simply asking for death. If Zhang Huaide was found guilty, the two would play together.
Finished! When the time comes, pull him out too...
Wait, don't worry yet. There is no substantial evidence for this matter. Zhang Huaide is the emperor's best confidant after all, and he will not be convicted just because of possibility. Even if the emperor no longer trusts him, that will happen later.
, this level is not necessarily impossible to pass.
The minister of Dali Temple was sweating on his forehead and pretending to be calm.
The Minister of Justice glanced at him and sneered in his heart.
Zhang Huaide quickly brought him here. He had already figured out the matter on the way. When he arrived, his expression was normal and he continued to greet the emperor as usual.
"Your Majesty got up early today, are you in good spirits? The servants told them during the handover yesterday that you have been tired for half the night, so it is best to sleep a little longer so that you will feel better. Who made you wake up? Really
I don’t think about you at all.”
He looked so careless that the emperor didn't even react. When he saw the chamberlain kneeling on the ground, anger surged into his heart and he shouted: "You really care about me. Can you report the news to others later?"
Spying on your Majesty is a serious crime. Zhang Huaide immediately knelt down and said calmly and resolutely: "Your Majesty! This is nothing. I only have you as my master, and I have never had second thoughts."
"Then how do you explain what happened last night? Is it possible that you want to say that the person was not sent by you?"
When people from the Mingguang Palace leave the palace in the middle of the night, they have to take the sign from Zhang Huaide's hand, and he can't rely on it.
"Yes." Zhang Huaide admitted frankly, glancing at the shivering chamberlain, "After receiving the errand yesterday, my servant asked him to go out of the palace to deliver a message to Dali Temple."
"Since we were going to Dali Temple, why did we go to Prince Yi's Mansion?" the emperor asked coldly.
Zhang Huaide looked ashamed and said, "This is what I ordered."
The emperor was stunned for a moment. He thought Zhang Huaide would blame the matter on the chamberlain, but he didn't expect that he would take it over.
He asked in a deep tone: "So, you asked him to deliver the message?"
Zhang Huaide said hurriedly: "I was called by my slave, but it was not a message, but a question."
"Question?"
"Yes." Zhang Huaide explained softly, "This boy has an old relationship with the steward of Prince Yi's Mansion. I thought maybe I could get some information, so I asked him to go to Prince Yi's Mansion. I didn't expect Mr. Li to move so quickly. He even
I didn't even have time to go to Dali Temple before I was arrested."
His words were completely ignored. He went to Prince Yi's Mansion, but he went there to inquire about information, so he was also on an errand for the emperor. On the contrary, the Ministry of Punishment did not find out the truth of the matter and rushed to arrest the person. There was no accusation in his words, but
It's clearly an accusation.
The emperor looked at the chamberlain: "You just said that you just went to Prince Yi's Mansion to have a few words."
The waiter opened his mouth, looking nervous.
Zhang Huaide glanced over and said, "If your Majesty asks you, answer honestly!"
The chamberlain calmed down and replied: "Eunuch Zhang said that this is your Majesty's secret order, so I dare not say it."
Zhang Huaide smiled slightly and reported again: "Your Majesty, that's what happened. I didn't expect Mr. Li to misunderstand. If I had known, I would have asked him to go to Dali Temple first."
He explained it quite satisfactorily and closed almost all the loopholes. The emperor was dubious and almost thought he had gone wrong.
Maybe Zhang Huaide really has no problem, but the Ministry of Punishment is too eager to make meritorious deeds, so it misunderstood?
After all, he was his confidant who had been with him for many years, so it was impossible to convict him based on mere suspicion.
The Minister of Dali Temple secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This time he glanced proudly at the Minister of Punishment. He said earlier that there was no evidence, and he wanted to convict him with just a few words? Humph!
The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment hurriedly said: "Your Majesty! I am not doubting Eunuch Zhang, but it is just a coincidence. As soon as this person knocked on the door of Prince Yi's Mansion, a steward immediately came out to answer him, as if it was a secret code for an appointment. Furthermore, he inquired
Is there any need to go to the back garden to get the news? I can’t be sure that he has not been to Prince Duan’s Mansion! General Yu’s body is still cold, so it is still unknown how Prince Duan arranged the assassination. We cannot let go of any clues.”
The emperor felt it made sense and asked, "What do you think?"
The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment reported: "I ask for a detailed investigation! Prince Duan's Mansion was searched by Dali Temple. If this matter has nothing to do with Eunuch Zhang, it is just a matter of justice for him!"
The emperor thought for a while, and since the Ministry of Punishment is willing to do the work, let them do it. If there is really someone from the palace who delivers information to Prince Duan's Mansion, he must be caught.
"Okay, then go check it out! If it turns out that you are overthinking..."
"That minister is willing to be punished," the Minister of Punishment said.
The emperor looked at the other two people: "What do you think?"
The Minister of Dali Temple is naturally willing. Prince Duan's Mansion is still guarded by his people. If there is any evidence, it has been eliminated long ago. The Ministry of Punishment can't find anything.
Zhang Huaide smiled slightly. As long as he was not caught on the spot, he had nothing to fear.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The emperor was satisfied and said to the Minister of Punishment: "Three days, if you don't find any clues within three days, then let this matter go."
What can be found out in three days? Your Majesty is still looking for Eunuch Zhang! The Minister of Dali Temple thought so, looked at the Minister of Punishment with contempt and gritted his teeth and replied: "Yes."
This matter was over for the time being. When Zhang Huaide withdrew, various thoughts were already running through his mind. How to deal with the troublesome Li Shangdao afterwards. What he didn't expect was that just one day later, someone was kneeling in front of Mingguang Hall.
Report him for colluding with King Duan, selling his official position, disregarding human life, and deceiving the king!