All the gentlemen who are attacked by the female queen are stunningly beautiful

Wei Wenyi walked out of the study quickly and soon arrived outside the mansion.

As soon as I got on the carriage and came out of West Street and reached the main street, I saw Xiao Zhen's personal guards riding fast horses passing by the side of the carriage, holding a black lacquered wooden box in their hands. Judging from the direction, they were heading towards the palace. Could they be going to deliver some memorials?

"Go and fetch this newly acquired string of oriental pearls," Wei Wenyi said to the dark side. "Send it to the eunuch Liu on duty in the palace. He must find out exactly what Xiao Zhen did!"

Eunuch Liu is the most capable eunuch beside my mother. When my father first entered the palace, Eunuch Liu received many favors from my father. Because of his relationship with my father, he should be able to reveal something.

After arranging this matter, Wei Wenyi asked the coachwoman to drive the carriage to the Governor's Mansion of the Grand Canal.

No one blocked my way.

Gao Yanbing received the news and hurried to the outer gate to greet him: "Your Highness, you came to the mansion so late at night. What big thing happened?"

Wei Wenyi rushed in with a gloomy expression and a chill in his air, his tone hinting at unease: "My mother-in-law knows about what happened to my third sister in the Zuo Qiying camp these past few days, right?"

Gao Yanbing twisted his Buddhist beads, his expression calm: "I have heard some news, Your Highness, please remain calm!"

She paused, then added with a hint of meaning, "Xiao Zhen praised the Third Princess in front of Eunuch Liu today, saying she's 'brave and resourceful, and capable of great use.'"

"To suddenly mention the Third Princess out of nowhere is likely to be suspicious. Your Highness should have Master Zhuang Yuzhuang investigate this matter as soon as possible."

"Your Majesty hates it most when princesses interfere in military affairs, so why did he allow the Third Princess to enter the barracks?" Gao Yanbing picked up the teacup and handed it to Wei Wenyi. "What's puzzling is that she was admitted to the Left Seventh Battalion!"

"Your Majesty was assassinated in the Rehe Palace years ago. It's impossible to say that Xiao Zhen had no hand in this. Your Majesty knew about this incident, but instead of placing the Third Princess in General Chen's Right Seventh Battalion, he placed her in the Left Seventh Battalion. Could it be that he wanted to use the Third Princess to investigate and prosecute Xiao Zhen?"

Wei Wenyi's hands froze, the steam from the teacup already covering his eyebrows. The warm feeling brought him back to his senses. "If that's the case, we have to add fuel to the fire and weaken Xiao Zhen's power!"

"Over the years, my aunt has been fighting openly and secretly with her, and she has suffered many setbacks."

"I truly dislike Xiao Zhen. I remember how spoiled she was in front of my aunt back then. Now, being humiliated by a powerless country princess, how can she still endure it? Is her brain rusty? She actually spoke well of my third sister in front of Eunuch Liu. If you say my third sister didn't do Xiao Zhen any great favors, I don't believe it."

"Xiao Zhen, that old fox, is too meticulous in her actions, and the people who work for her are elusive, making it difficult to track them down. However, I have put in some effort and have found out a little. I wonder if Your Highness would be interested."

"Tell me quickly?" Wei Wenyi pressed, his voice trembling unnoticed. "What did you find out?"

Gao Yanbing was puzzled and said, "Her men took a white jade hairpin and went to various shops in the capital to inquire about it. It seemed like they were trying to find out who it was!"

"Oh, by the way, there seems to be a word 'Yan' engraved on that hairpin."

"What did you say?" Wei Wenyi slammed the teacup on the table. "I see..."

"Thank you, mother-in-law, for telling me. It's late at night, so I won't bother you any more. Goodbye!"

After saying that, he walked away with big strides.

Gao Yanbing watched Wei Wenyi's receding figure and narrowed her eyes. "Humph! How could Yinzhi be interested in such a treacherous, treacherous, and unfilial fool? If it weren't for Zhuang Luyu's extraordinary ability, Wei Wenyi would probably be a hopeless case!"

"Forget it! It's a done deal, what's the point of me saying more?"

...

Hangu Manor House.

Zhuang Luyu tapped the rosewood table with his fingertips and listened to the servants' whispered reports.

"Sir, this black-clad guard has already stepped on the spot several times. Do you really want to let him get the account book?"

Zhuang Luyu raised his lips in a cold arc: "It's just bait for me to fish. If they want it, they can take it!"

"Are the account books ready?"

Zhuang Luyu raised his eyes and saw the Biluochun tea in the glass cup emitting steam.

"My Lord, as you instructed, I have mixed in the cash flow from those useless shops in the west of the city and altered the records of the salt and iron warehouses at three locations. At first glance, they appear to be genuine accounts, but a closer look reveals a complete fraud."

Zhuang Yu nodded in satisfaction: "If we do it secretly and make it difficult for him to succeed, then the play will be real!"

"If it weren't for Wen Yi, I really wouldn't know who sent this black-clad guard. Now that I know he was sent by Xiao Zhen's people, it's easy to deal with!"

"That old shrew, Xiao Zhen, is using her support for the Empress to force me out of the capital. I finally gained control of the South, and now she wants to extend her influence there. Does she really think I, Zhuang Yu, am a soft persimmon that can be manipulated at will?"

"I'm sure Lord Gu from the Ministry of Revenue has already uncovered some clues about her embezzlement of government funds and embezzlement of grain to support her private army. I've asked someone to send Lord Gu more evidence."

"Also... doesn't Xiao Zhen still want the account books? Let's let her get what she wants first! Hahaha..."

The woman serving Zhuang Luyu replied, "Your Excellency, these two moves are brilliant. They're like the mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waits behind. If we really wait for that old, fierce woman Xiao Zhen to deliver the account books to the imperial table, I'm afraid the wrath of thunder is unavoidable!"

"Humph! It's just that her arms are too long. They shouldn't reach here!"

"Let Old Chen, who's on night watch, take a nap," Zhuang Luyu added slowly, "and let the guard down a bit. Don't be too deliberate."

"Yes! I will do it right away!"

Early the next morning, a servant came to report that Xiao Shi had indeed sneaked into the accounting office at night and stole the stack of fake account books.

Zhuang Yu twisted a freshly cut piece of daffodil leaf, listening to the sound of rain outside the eaves, and suddenly smiled: "Xiao Zhen, Xiao Zhen, you have trained such a good secret guard. This is a great gift for me."

"Pack up, I'm about to head back to the capital to report on my duties!"

Another three days later.

The lingering sound of the bronze bell in the Hall of Supreme Harmony had just died down, and the buzzing of the third ring was still lingering among the beams and pillars, when the Minister of Revenue, Gu Mi, had already walked out of the court with a memorial in his hand.

He bowed his head, his voice clear yet carrying an undeniable weight, resonating throughout the empty hall. "Your Majesty, I have been ordered to conduct a thorough investigation into the theft of government funds. We have determined that all of the stolen funds were diverted to the Shudu military camp, and the commander of Shudu is a former subordinate of General Xiao. There is also the matter of embezzlement of grain and fodder, and it has been discovered that many of those who handled it were under General Xiao's command. General Xiao has always been known for his strict military discipline, but now he has made such a mistake. I believe this matter is inextricably linked to General Xiao! I implore Your Majesty to issue an order for a thorough investigation of General Xiao and his men!"

Zhuang Luyu lowered his eyes and gently stroked the jade belt hook of his court robe with his fingertips.

This drama was designed for Xiao Zhen, but she didn't know if Xiao Zhen could handle it.

"What do you have to say, Lord Xiao?" The empress glanced over with a scrutinizing look.

Xiao Zhen stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a calm tone with a hint of awe. "Your Majesty, I have no dealings with the commander of Shudu. The theft of official funds is clearly a deliberate frame-up. Furthermore, the grain and fodder accounts of the Left Seventh Battalion are compiled monthly and submitted to the Ministry of Revenue for verification. If there was any embezzlement, how could the Ministry of Revenue remain unaware?"