Drunk Bamboo

Ministry of Justice Prison

Outside a separate special cell, a dozen runners from the Ministry of Justice stood facing Pei Xiuwen.

Pei Xiuwen was an official specially dispatched by Luo Yuan to go to Jiangbei County to bring the prince back to Zhongdu.

The journey to escort the prince was not peaceful. There were people blocking the road to protest, rocks falling from the mountains to block the way, and horses getting sick for no reason...

After finally entering the city, he received an oral order from His Majesty to send the prince to the Ministry of Justice.

He was familiar with the laws and knew that there was no solid evidence that the prince was corrupt. Without an imperial edict, the prince could not be locked up in the Ministry of Justice.

In addition, after spending these days with the prince, I feel that he would not do such a corrupt thing.

I became even more suspicious about this incident.

He only sent someone to report the situation to Prime Minister Luo, while he himself stayed in the Ministry of Justice, fearing any accidents.

Sure enough, someone came.

Facing more than a dozen runners from the Ministry of Justice, with only two guards by his side, and this was the Ministry of Justice's territory. Pei Xiuwen was just a reviewer who revised books before, and had never seen such a scene.

"Your Highness... the matter has not yet been fully investigated. How can the Ministry of Justice... interrogate Your Highness at will?"

Pei Xiuwen tried hard to suppress his fear and spoke as clearly as possible so as not to let the other party see that he was nervous.

"Since we are already at the Ministry of Justice, there are people from the Ministry of Justice who will take care of Your Highness. Please go back, Lord Censor." The leading man was wearing the official uniform of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and he looked like he was bullying others.

As he said this, he waved his hand and was about to push away the person blocking his way.

"I was assigned by Prime Minister Luo to pick up His Highness and take him back to Zhongdu. If His Highness makes any mistake, it will be my fault."

Although Pei Xiuwen is a civil servant, he has a scale in his heart and is determined to protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince tonight.

"Even if something goes wrong in the Ministry of Justice, you, a mere seventh-rank official, cannot be held responsible. What are you afraid of?" The man smiled sarcastically.

"You, you... I'll go find Prime Minister Luo right now!" Pei Xiuwen was furious. This was clearly a look down upon him, a minor official of the seventh rank.

Although he holds a low position, he is appointed by Prime Minister Luo and is on a mission from the emperor. How can he be looked down upon? !

"I, the Minister of Justice, Zhang Xinghe, am here tonight. No one can touch your Highness!"

A loud and resolute voice came through like a sharp sword.

The leading man's face darkened.

Pei Xiuwen looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He was wearing the same official uniform of the Vice Minister of Justice, but his temperament and demeanor were completely different.

The man who came was full of righteousness, with a solemn and majestic look between his brows. Even the people following him seemed particularly decent.

"Master Zhang, why are you here? It's not your turn to be on duty tonight." The leading man gritted his teeth.

"Minister Feng, if Your Highness is accidentally injured in the Ministry of Justice, even if His Majesty is kind and does not blame you, will Prime Minister Wang and other ministers remember it? Will Minister Feng cause your uncle, Minister Feng, to lose his position because of this?"

Zhang Xinghe had a blank expression on his face, neither humble nor arrogant, and stared at Feng Ying coldly.

"Zhang Xinghe, you..." Feng Ying met his sharp eyes, and his arrogance suddenly weakened. He was angry but dared not say anything.

No one in the court could shake the status of Grand Tutor Zhang. In addition to being the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhang Xinghe also served as the Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince.

The crown prince may be replaced in the future, but the Zhang family will still be the Zhang family.

No matter his family background or status, Feng Ying is nobody to be trifled with.

"Minister Feng, as a colleague, I would like to kindly remind you not to do anything stupid. Does Minister Feng know that you are here?"

"It is His Majesty's oral order that the Crown Prince should be sent to the Ministry of Justice. Zhang Xinghe, you are so bold and presumptuous. I will report this matter to His Majesty tomorrow when I go to court!" Feng Ying was furious.

"You are repaying kindness with evil. Minister Feng, please be careful when you go out. There is lightning and thunder outside right now." He snorted coldly.

Feng Ying didn't understand for a moment.

"Zhang Xinghe, let's see how long you can be so arrogant!" He was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot.

He had come here privately, relying on his relationship with Minister Feng, hoping to take the opportunity to scare the prince. If he could get something out of him, he could also take credit in front of His Majesty.

Unexpectedly, I met Zhang Xinghe.

Feng Ying swung his long sleeves fiercely and left with his men.

"Your humble servant, Pei Xiuwen, the Supervisory Censor of the Censorate, is honored to meet you, Lord Zhang." Pei Xiuwen saluted.

"It's rare to see the censor going out on field trips." Zhang Xinghe glanced at him indifferently.

Pei Xiuwen blushed and lowered his head even more.

"I was originally a reviewer in the Imperial Academy. I was surrounded by paper and words every day and rarely interacted with people. I have never seen the situation you just showed. I am embarrassed to show my weakness."

Although His Majesty had verbally ordered the Crown Prince to be sent to the Ministry of Justice, the person investigating the case had not been changed. He was sent by Prime Minister Luo and was supposed to keep an eye on the Crown Prince and not let outsiders approach.

When Feng Ying frightened him, he became so nervous that he forgot everything.

It's really embarrassing.

"Now I speak fluently."

"Master Zhang is a good official. I have heard that Master Zhang is a master at solving cases and has a keen eye for detail since I was in the Imperial Academy. I have long admired him."

"Those who take advantage of the power of others are the most cowardly. If you are strong, they will be weak; if you are weak, they will bully you."

After hearing these words, Pei Xiuwen's admiration for Zhang Xinghe deepened.

At this time, a voice came from the cell:

"Xinghe, you are indeed the descendant of the Grand Master. Your tone of voice is becoming more and more like the Grand Master."

Crown Prince Hua Qinyu was not wearing any gorgeous clothes. Even though he was in prison, he was still kind and gentle, as flawless as white jade.

"Wei Chen has met His Highness."

Hua Qinyu gently raised his hand, motioning him to stand up, then looked at Pei Xiuwen, "Thank you for your hard work along the way, Censor Pei. Don't worry, Xinghe is here."

"It is our duty to escort His Highness back to the capital safely."

Pei Xiuwen understood that the two people had something to say, so he left with the people behind him.

Zhang Xinghe opened the cell key and walked in.

"Someone tried to assassinate His Highness?"

"If I get hurt, will my father still be angry with me? If a landslide suddenly occurs and blocks the way, even if I report it, my father will think that I am deliberately delaying my return."

Hua Qinyu still had a smile on his face. "They really understand father. He was really furious, wasn't he?"

"Your Highness knew their tricks, but it still took him eleven days to reach Zhongdu..." Zhang Xinghe seemed to realize something and frowned, "Your Highness! Did you plan this?"

"Plan? Frame-up has never been my plan, and I just followed their wishes." Hua Qinyu's eyes were calm, with a faint smile on his lips.

"In order to ask Your Highness to leave the Ministry of Justice, the Prime Minister led the court officials to kneel outside the Golden Steps Palace. Did Your Highness know?"

"So Xinghe is here not only to see me, but also to interrogate me?"

A hint of sharpness flashed across his gentle gaze.

Zhang Xinghe realized that he had just been rude, so he bowed and said, "I dare not."

"I have been followed along the way by people arranged by Prime Minister Luo, who was promoted by my father. As soon as we entered the city gate, we were taken to the prison of the Ministry of Justice. Xinghe, do you think I have a chance to contact Prime Minister Wang and other ministers?"

Hua Qinyu paced gently, as if answering Zhang Xinghe's words and also giving himself a reason.

Convince yourself of the reasons.

But someone came to expose it.

"Your Highness was taken to the Ministry of Justice for no reason. They are all people who stand by your side and support you. Will they watch you suffer such humiliation?"

"Third brother...you are here too?"

……

Wind Palace

Yunling saw Xie Yuzhu staring at the rain outside the window for a long time, and was afraid that the rain would make her sick, so she gently closed the window.

"Princess, are you worried about the prince?"

"I believe him." Xie Yuzhu retracted his gaze and smiled at Yun Ling.

"What is the princess thinking about?"

“I thought about how I could help him.”

"Don't you, Your Majesty, hope that Princess will think less and just do what she likes?" Yun Ling said to her while cleaning up the rain marks on the window.

"With him around, I do everything I like." There was a happy smile on Xie Yuzhu's face.

Yun Ling was stunned for a moment, as if she knew what she was going to do, and then nodded, "I will follow whatever the princess wants to do!"

"Ask Lao Liu to prepare the carriage." Xie Yuzhu stood up slowly.