I embezzled 100,000 taels at the beginning, and the empress begged me to be more greedy

Prime Minister's House.

Moon Tower.

Right Prime Minister Lu Jun was hosting a banquet to entertain guests.

And this guest was still Xu Renyou, who had a good relationship with the prime minister.

Both of them were important officials in the court, but they both had some dissatisfaction or concerns about the emperor of the time.

Before the empress ascended the throne, Lu Jun, a senior official in the court, secretly opposed it and wanted to make the King of Wu the emperor.

But later, the King of Wu and his party lost power and were liquidated by the empress.

Lu Jun was able to get along with everyone and change his attitude according to the situation. He immediately worked hard to serve the empress and temporarily gained the emperor's trust.

In the attic.

Xu Renyou poured wine for the right prime minister, and then whispered: "Prime Minister, I have sent people to investigate Jiang Zuo's identity."

"Where does he come from?" Lu Jun picked up a walnut on the table.

"Five years ago, this man served as the magistrate of Anding County. He has some talent, but as a magistrate, he often does business with wealthy merchants in Jiangnan. I heard that he was arrested and imprisoned by the Thousand Cavalry Division a few days ago. I didn't expect that he would be reused by His Majesty just a few days after he was released from prison."

"Is there such a thing?"

Lu Jun felt very confused and curious.

"More importantly, I heard that Jiang Zuo has been transferred to Jizhou by His Majesty to serve as the Governor-General of Zhenbei."

"Governor-General? It seems that he will conduct a thorough investigation of Jizhou and Yuzhou..." Lu Jun stroked his white beard.

"Don't worry, Prime Minister. The matter in Jizhou has been handled properly. We will definitely not be implicated." Xu Renyou said.

"I wonder why your majesty thinks so highly of this man?"

Lu Jun tightly grasped the walnut in his hand and couldn't help falling into deep thought.

"Prime Minister, I think His Majesty is trying to win over his own forces."

"It doesn't matter. This Prime Minister doesn't believe that a small county magistrate can handle the disaster in Jizhou and Yuzhou. The water in Beizhen and the two states is very deep, and it is not something that a small person like him can handle."

"Prime Minister, let's just wait and see."

"If necessary, you can give that young man some guidance."

"I understand... I heard that there are many bandits in Anding County recently. I hope that Mr. Jiang can take up his post safely."

……

Anding County.

The front of the government office was crowded with people who came to see Jiang Zuo off.

On this trip to Jiangzuo, we must first go to Jizhou.

He had already given clear instructions on everything in Anding County, including business dealings with various bosses, especially the letter sent by Miss Chen, and ordered someone to forward it to Jizhou.

After packing his luggage, Jiang Zuo prepared to go on a long journey with Master Guo and several trusted followers from the yamen.

But when he opened the door, he saw that the yamen was full of people.

"Master Jiang, are you leaving now?"

"I just heard a few days ago that Lord Jiang was seriously ill. How can you take him away now?"

"Master Jiang, please don't leave. The people of Anding County need you."

As the people spoke, they actually cried and begged.

Jiang Zuo frowned and said loudly: "You guys, I'm not going to the battlefield, why are you crying and making such a fuss? I'm just going on a long trip and will be back soon."

"really?"

"Okay, Lord Jiang, I hope you have a safe journey."

"Get out of the way, get out of the way."

Jiang Zuo shouted.

The people dispersed reluctantly.

"Master Jiang, have you finished packing your luggage?"

Ma Hengwei stepped forward and asked.

"Everything is ready." Jiang Zuo said, "But, I have something to trouble you, Master Ma."

Ma Hengwei nodded and said, "Master Jiang, just give your orders."

"We need the assistance of the Thousand Cavalry Division on this trip to Jizhou and Yuzhou."

"Don't worry, sir. Qianqisi will go with you."

This is also the emperor's intention.

How could the empress let Jiang Zuo go alone? It wasn't because she was afraid that he would get into danger, but because she was worried that Jiang Zuo would take the opportunity to escape...

"It's best to have more than a hundred people, the more the better." Jiang Zuo said.

"Master Jiang, rest assured that the Qianqi Division will protect your safety."

"That's good."

Jiang Zuo was not worried about his own safety, but he really needed the Thousand Cavalry Division to handle some special matters for him.

After everything was arranged, Jiang Zuo and his group walked out of the city gate of Anding County.

Amid the farewells of the people, Jiang Zuo set out on the road to Jizhou with some trepidation.

The sun was blazing.

Jiang Zuo himself rode a horse and walked halfway up the mountain.

He turned his head and glanced at the Thousand Cavalry Guards not far behind him.

Jiang Zuo stopped his horse and said to Ma Hengwei, "Master Ma, can our colleagues from the Thousand Cavalry Division please stay away from us?"

"Why?"

Ma Hengwei didn't understand.

After all, Jiang Zuo is now the governor-general of Zhenbei, and the Thousand Cavalry Division must protect his safety at all times.

Jiang Zuo's close confidants, including Master Guo, only make up six people.

"It would be too conspicuous for us to do this. Lord Ma only needs to leave a few people behind. The rest of our colleagues can stay two or three miles away from us. They will be able to take care of us at any time if there is any emergency." Jiang Zuo said.

Ma Hengwei hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "Then do as you say, sir."

After saying that, he turned around and gave orders to his subordinates, while he himself chose to stay beside Jiang Zuo and observe his surroundings at all times.

Anding County is more than 100 miles away from Yecheng, Jizhou Prefecture. According to the speed of Jiang Zuo's group, and the large amount of supplies they are escorting, it will take until the day after tomorrow to reach Yecheng at the earliest.

By dusk, it was already dark.

Jiang Zuoyi and more than ten people stayed in an inn in the suburbs.

The more than one hundred guards of the Thousand Cavalry Division camped in an open space two miles away from the inn.

"Master Jiang, please go to bed early. You can always tell me if you need anything."

Ma Hengwei said.

"Ok."

Jiang Zuo closed the door, blew out the candle, and fell asleep.

As the night grew darker, the suburbs became pitch black.

A black shadow flew through the air and landed on the roof of the inn.

The wind whimpered outside the window.

A sharp blade passed through the gap in the window and slowly pushed open the wooden latch of the window.

Then, a man in black quietly crawled into Jiang Zuo's guest room.

On the bed, under the covers, one could vaguely see the outline of a person.

The man in black tightly grasped the sharp knife in his hand and slowly approached.

In a blink of an eye, the man in black was only half a step away from the bed, and he suddenly stabbed the sharp knife into the mattress.

But the "person" on the bed didn't make any sound.

The man in black drew out his knife, and there was not a trace of blood on the blade.

"Fake! Oops!"

The man in black was shocked and was about to turn around and flee.

But at this moment, there was a whoosh sound, and a man jumped down from the beam, and the long sword pierced into the shoulder of the man in black in an instant.

The man in black was caught off guard and just as he was about to fight back, he was kicked to the ground and was pinned down, unable to move.

At this time, Jiang Zuo slowly walked into the house and turned on the light.

The man who jumped down from the beam was none other than Ma Hengwei, a martial arts expert.

"Who sent you?"

Ma Hengwei immediately questioned the assassin.

But the assassin remained silent, and after a moment blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, as if he had committed suicide by taking poison.

Ma Hengwei looked fiercely as he searched for clues on these people.

Since leaving the city, Jiang Zuo sensed something was wrong and deliberately asked the Thousand Cavalry Division to go farther away to lure the assassins to take action.

Unexpectedly, he would be assassinated just after taking office.

It seems that this journey will be full of dangers.

Who on earth wants to give him a warning...